Hello everyone! This is DeidaraDaKitsune with another random (and rather short) story for you! If the page's layout seems a little odd, ignore it: my Microsoft Word is acting weird. Anyway! I hope you all enjoy this little story I thought up at sport one Wednesday afternoon… And thanks to my friend who wrote something like 2-3 lines to help me out of a writer's block.

Also: this is written from the POV of an OC which will be the main character in a multi-chapter fic which is currently being written. Just thought you guys should know.

Pairings implied: SasuOC, LeeSaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. The end.

Ice. It's cold, and sometimes healing. You put it against your injuries. It feels good. But ice can also be deadly: being trapped in an icy lake for instance. You'll die. I know this from experience.

Ice skating is said to be a 'romantic' sport, and it is in a way. It's an awesome event for a senior prom. You glide along the ice with your date and have a great time.

That's what I was going to do. Sasuke was holding my arm while I stumbled onto the ice.

"C'mon Koi! You won't fall! I'm here for you."

Other couples slid across the smooth surface of the lake effortlessly.

As I stood carefully, Sasuke pulled me into his arms, "Don't worry. Let yourself go. Slide. Go with me the flow." And with these words, he skated off, with me as his baggage.

We were having so much fun, doing little circles and ballet-like movements.

But what happened next brought me to a standstill.

Sakura and Lee had been skating on the opposite side of the vast surface of ice. They had started out slow, then they got faster, spurred on by Lee's enthusiasm and confidence.

As I watched them, I started thinking, They're so fast. Hang on, I think… they're going too fast! They were a blur as they overtook us on more than one occasion.

But as they were turning around us for the third time, Sakura lost her balance and fell. It seems like it was in slow motion.

When she lowered her left foot onto the ice, the blade slipped into a crack and slide out of control. The next leg soon followed. It was splayed out to the side and with a sickening crack, she hit the ground.

Sakura screamed. She screamed and screamed and screamed.

The ear-splitting sound killed my eardrums as well as those of who were around us.

The scene was no longer clear anymore. Nor was it pristine, like it should have been. The blood pooling around Sakura's leg had twisted the clear glass beneath it and the mood of a prom was destroyed with her agony. The onslaught of panic began.

Lee instantly knelt down beside her, lifting her head and placing it in his lap as gently as he could while whispering reassurances in her ear.

Sasuke sped over after he gave me his phone to call the ambulance and to get help. As I hung up, I looked around and saw everybody standing on firm land, looking at my friends with fear in their eyes.

As I turned my head fear and horror overtook my mind. The crack which had created this problem had spread, forming a spider-web design on the cold surface.

My eyes widened as Sasuke, Sakura and Lee froze. I knew what would happen if they moved. The ice would break and they would fall to their imminent deaths.

I tried to skate onto land, but when I did, the cracks spread underneath me. I instantly stopped and glanced over at Sasuke who was facing my direction, with panic plastered all over his face.

A few more screams echoed from the surrounding viewers. Screaming. I was seriously sick of it now. The high pitched sound could do nothing for anyone, except act as an annoying distraction.

The wailing of sirens was a beautiful sound though, and just as beautiful were the red and blue of the flashing lights coming from the police car and fire truck.

I wondered what they could do though, apart from getting a helicopter to lift us. If they came onto the ice, it would probably shatter. Then again, I guess they could always save us from the water. Oh, but one problem: Sakura's leg was broken and I could hardly swim.

However, my worries were unnecessary, because the fire brigade had the solution to everything. The white ladder gleamed in the moonlight as it was pushed toward me, suspended in the air.

I looked at Lee and Sasuke again as they nodded at me and smiled grimly as if to say, 'At least one of us will be safe.'

I was pulled back onto the wonderfully, solid ground, the frozen grass crunching beneath the blades of the shoes I had forgotten to take off.

I diverted my attention back to three of my closest friends, still stranded on the ice. The ladder was reaching for them now. Only Sasuke climbed on though, as Sakura was unable to and Lee refused to leave her side. His devotion was touching: one of his incredibly memorable traits.

My eyes were pulled away from the couple on the cold lake and focused instead on my beloved partner who was coming to join me in safety.

As he leapt gracefully onto the floor, I let out a sigh of relief and rushed to embrace him, never wanting to let go. The returned hug pulled me close to his chest, where I could feel his heart beating while he whispered sweet nothings into my ear. Neither of us let go as we raised our heads to watch the rescue operation for Sakura and Lee.

A stretcher was sent out to them on a flat platform supported by a few beams and the truck from whence it came.

It was incredible… the gentleness with which Lee picked up the immobile and unconscious girl, placing her ever so carefully onto the stretcher.

The ice crackled menacingly as he got up in preparation to leap onto the metal plate to join her.

His eyes suddenly widened terribly while trying to jump and he disappeared right before our eyes.

More screaming ensued and you could hear the officers swear and rush to get something to help. The platform was pulled back and they prepared to leap onto it to get him.

Meanwhile, everyone was once more in hysterics while I just felt numb.

I remember clutching Sasuke's shirt like a lifeline: a connection to remember that both of us were still alive.

He held me tightly, dark eyes frantically scanning the ice for any sign of the bowl-haired boy. He let out a sudden exclamation which jolted me out of not-feeling into a world of hysterics.

The officials who had gone out on the stand had found him.

Lee was purple, his eyes closed and body still.

We watched with bated breaths as the medics checked for a pulse, and when they shook their heads slowly, I lost all sense of my surroundings.

Sasuke had – if I remember correctly – collapsed. He fell to the ground heavily, eyes wide open and chanting no, over and over under his breath. No, no, no, no, no.

It chilled me to the very core to see him like this. He was always so strong, very stoic and often showed no outward emotion. But this… this raw emotion came from within.

Just like the day he asked me to go out with him. The day he asked me to prom. Today, when he helped me learn to skate.

I myself wasn't faring much better. Sobs wracked my body as I stared at the unmoving figure surrounded by men in fluorescent vests and red crosses. Those damn red crosses. If those people didn't have them I could have screamed, "You're wrong! He's alive! Stop lying!"

But I knew that wasn't the case. Lee was dead. He was really, truly dead.

Even now when I write this, I can't believe that it's really true. He was fine a few hours beforehand. He was talking amiably with us about how excited he would be, to take his girlfriend to the prom.

My ragged breaths continued as I sank down next to Sasuke and pulled him into my arms. He cried into my shirt as I rubbed his back soothingly and comforted me as he had done not an hour earlier.

When the men finally made it back to the lake's edge, we rushed over to the stone-cold body of our friend. I reached out for his hand and held it as I kissed his frozen forehead.

He was gone. Well and truly gone. Sasuke did the same thing as me, finishing up with a whispered, "We'll miss you," into the boy's ear. The paramedics took Lee and Sakura away from us.

It was the last time we ever saw him.

At his funeral a few weeks later, our whole group of friends had arrived. Neji and Tenten… they cried so much, more than anyone else, since they knew him best. Maito Gai – his teacher and surrogate father – had a tear stained face, with eyes which were hollow and empty, not betraying a single emotion.

The suffocating atmosphere was unbearable as we listened to the priest's words as Sakura kept sobbing onto Naruto's shoulder, who had Hinata's hand clasped in his.

After the service, all of us gathered in a circle around his grave and with linked hands, each of us said our part.

"When I first met you, Lee, I didn't have any particular liking for you. But you grew on me. I came to adore you and then I became your girlfriend. And then you left. Just know that… I love you Lee. I do and always will. I'll never forget how you took care of me on the lake and I vow to never forget you. I… I love you so much…"

"Lee, I know that you've wanted to beat me, because you thought I was better than you. What you never realised though, is that you were always the better person. Everyone loves you, and your bravery, courage and enthusiasm will always live on in us."

"My dear, beautiful son, I wish I had met you sooner, because the ten years we've had together have felt far too short. They say a parent should never have to bury their child and though I adopted you at eight, I know exactly why that phrase was made. I'll miss you forever, Lee."

"I… I can't believe I'm doing this. I thought that the first of the funerals I'd have to attend would be decades into the future. But it looks like I was wrong. Lee, when Neji, you and I became a team, I had already respected you. I could feel the aura of determination emanating from you and that was truly inspiring. Know that some people die in cowardice, while others face their deaths bravely, and know that you are in the latter group. Your memory will always be honoured, Rock Lee."

"Oh, Bushy-brow… My wonderful friend. Now that you're gone, who am I going to go jogging with? Who am I going to dine with? My eating and jogging partner is now gone, and I know that I'm going to miss him. I'm going to miss him so much. Lee, wait for us. Sometime, we will join you, and until then, wait for us and make sure you stay healthy because we want to see a fit and energetic Lee! Just wait."

"Ah, how times have changed. I remember when we first met at the High School entrance exam. You seemed really, really dumb, but then your mind just blew us all away and you – both literally and figuratively – ran laps around us. I respect you Lee. Me and Akamaru both."

"Lee, I have many acquaintances, only few of which I can call true friends. You are one of those few. You were one of the only people who made an effort to get to know me, despite my rather silent exterior. I thank you for your friendship."

"When Sakura first agreed to date you, I thought she was insane. Once Koi had Sasuke, I knew we'd both have to look for someone knew. I couldn't see what she saw in you. But now I get it. You put yourself at risk to make sure she was okay. You saved my best friend. Thank you, so, so much."

"Normally, I'd say that having to make a speech would be troublesome, but for you, my energetic friend, nothing would be considered troublesome. You helped me get a bit more of a kick of my day. Instead of lazing around, you'd drag me swimming, or running. Heh, you sure are a fun guy Lee. Farewell."

"Lee, you're as awesome as my favourite chip flavour: barbeque. You're spicy and full of life! As soon as someone got a taste of your personality, they were blown away by your intensity but once they got past that, they realised how full of variety you are, and I'll miss your tasteful presence! I'll miss you Lee!"

"You were one of my biggest rivals Lee. I trained relentlessly just so I could try to beat you at the athletics carnival, but every year, I came second. I used to grouch and sulk and, hell, I was a huge ass. I never once congratulated you or acknowledged you and you know what? It may be too late, but Lee, you're incredible. Congratulations for every race you have ever won and I respect you."

"L-Lee-san. You were always so kind to me. Whenever I'd become nervous, or I would lose my self-confidence, you would always come and- and boost my self-esteem. Thanks for always supporting me, right up until the end."

"Lee, I haven't known you for as long as any of the others, and I have to admit, when I first met you, I was incredibly intimidated. Your stunning personality, amazing speed and strength and not to mention funky sense of style made you who you were, and I soon came to realise that you were – and still are – an incredibly awesome person. I'll always remember you, Lee. Always."

Wow. That was probably THE saddest and longest thing I have ever written. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this fic. Drop me a review and see if you can who made each little speech at the end!

Did I make you feel a little teary?

~DeidaraDaKitsune