AUTHOR'S NOTE: First, thank you guys for reviewing it means a lot to me and I'm really glad you enjoyed reading this. I'd like to mention that the words in italics are flashbacks. Anyways, continue reviewing, constructive criticism is always welcome. I fixed the whole anbu thing, sorry about that and labeled as tragedy. I didn't really know that was a thing...

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Sasuke sat there, still as a statue. His face devoid of all emotion, everything had left him when she did. The anbu snake mask - which some people still found absolutely horrifying- was twisted away from his face. Though he seemed to be paying attention to the Rokudaime he was far from giving a fuck about this mission. From time to time he would lose himself in his thoughts, memories of her.

This wasn't happening. It just wasn't.

Most of them being from that dreadful night. Every nightmare of family corpses, his mother's, father's - even his brother's - were replaced with her face. The tiny trickles of blood pouring out the sides of her mouth, the paleness of her skin. Her dying figure was everywhere and the anbu captain couldn't, no wouldn't forget. It was his fault after all.

It had happened too fast, he'd been fighting two shinobi, he didn't notice the kunai. Now it was too late, that dreadful piece of metal was fully lodged into her chest. HER chest, not his. When he got to her side she lay limp and unresponsive. Was she even breathing? He didn't know and that was enough to make him shake her. She couldn't die. She was his and God help everyone if she died without him, died protecting him.

The Uchiha fought the urge to dwell on that night but like every other time he failed. Images of her invaded his mind; there was nothing he could do. Her long midnight blue hair stained crimson came first and Sasuke shook his head freeing himself from the sight. However, this was only replaced by the lifeless looking lavender eyes that he seemed to have a mild obsession with. He had to close his eyes and breath deeply to disembody that particular image. That didn't stop the heart breaking perfect smile that she gave him shortly before dying. The smile that lead him out of the darkness and into the light, her light. Well all attempts at keeping his emotions at bay were officially shot through hell.

Though Sasuke was gritting his teeth and shaking his head violently that image remained intact, upfront and center. He couldn't handle her death, he'd known that too. The instant her plump pink lips connected with his for the last time he was gone, thrown back into insanity, his own hell.

He stood in front of the nearby lake, her body lying motionless next to him. In his reflection he could see the red handprints she had left on each of his cheeks and the mere sight caused new found tears to be released. He scrubbed out the blood, unintentionally remembering every loving caress she had given him and he knew, now that she had left a part of him would too.

Back then he could still feel her soft delicate lips brushing against his rough ones. Hell, even now he felt them. It was something he could never run from, not that he wanted to anyways. If anything it was the only real thing he had left of her, however psychotic that may seem.

Finally reaching a decent level of control over these ridiculous emotions - which Hinata still had power over even from heaven- he noticed bright cerulean eyes looking at him worriedly. Normally such a look would deserve a scoff from him but not today, not any day after that one.

Sasuke walked back to Konoha as slowly as possible, relishing the last moments he could spend with her. Seeing the gentle smile that did wonders to her face, even in death. He purposely avoided all the looks of sympathy thrown his way; he would get enough from the idiot as it was.

He struggled to look neutral as he recalled the look her father had when the body was handed over to the Hyuuga clan, or the tears her sister couldn't seem to suppress. He also didn't miss Kurenai's loud sobbing along with Tenten, Ino and Sakura. It was hard to look past Aburame's lone tear or the Inuzuka sulking near a tree with his pony sized pup wailing beside him.

The Rokudaime's reaction had been the worst to deal with though, the way his usually bright azure eyes darkened into a menacing red- courtesy of Kyuubi- and the droplets of fresh liquid cascading carelessly down his face. The friendship Naruto and Hinata shared was deep, and though most times he wanted to rip his so called best friend into pieces for being close with her now he was thankful. The Hokage was suffering just like him. They all were, Hinata was a lot of things to a lot of people. A friend, a daughter, a sister, a teammate, a girlfriend... his girlfriend.

Naruto's calm voice broke his train of thought, probably for the best seeing as it was leading him to dangerous territory. "Sasuke, it's been three months." The surviving Uchiha's charcoal eyes flickered up lazily to stare at the blonde, he looked almost bored. "I know Hinata meant a lot to you but you have to try and move on, find happiness ya know?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed and his jaw locked.

Before Naruto could process what was happening sharingan activated eyes spun dangerously fast and the scowl on his best friend's face was downright terrifying. The collar of his shirt was roughly grabbed and the Hokage found himself in the air with a menacing Sasuke glowering at him. That's all he needed to see just how in love the village heartthrob had been.

He needed to calm down, the dobe was just trying to help! Regaining his composure the ex avenger nonchalantly threw the golden-haired male aside making sure he hit the floor with more force than necessary for that uncalled for comment. Naruto didn't understand what she had meant to him, no one knew. There was nothing left for him now. She was his last chance at achieving an eternal bliss and she was prematurely taken from him. With that the Uchiha headed straight for the exit, sparing one more glance at his leader and in a strained voice said "I'll take this mission." The mission was an S-rank solo, infiltration and destruction. Sasuke smirked, he would probably die.

...

The day he departed a week later he glanced over his friends' sad knowing smiles. He barely grasped the meaning of Naruto's "Good luck teme, you are the only one that can complete this task." Looked like the idiot understood him after all. The dark-haired male smiled to himself; truthfully speaking the hyperactive ninja would be the only one he would really miss. Contentedly he left the village where he was born to go home, because home was wherever his princess ended up.

...

He was dying, that much he knew, from the way his breaths were coming out short and shallow to the way his body shivered uncontrollably. Sluggishly he wondered if this was what Hinata had felt but dismissed it immediately; it didn't matter anyways.

He relaxed, not afraid of death but embracing it because with death came her. The breeze blew gently and Sasuke inhaled slowly. The air smelt like vanilla and lavender. She was here, holding him much like he had held her in the last moments of her life. A genuine smile overtook his features. He would be with her soon enough.

He let go rather quickly, not wanting to keep her waiting any longer. If he knew her well enough she would be there smiling at him like he was the only thing she noticed. Her large round eyes would blink repeatedly trying to decipher fantasy from reality, making sure he was truly there. She would hold him like he had been gone for years making him melt in her capable hands. Lastly she would kiss him, making sure to show him that she was just as in love with him as he was with her.

That's precisely what they did.