Beyond Saving

Chapter One: Run!

He felt them on his heels. Shouts for him to stop… to halt! He smirked as he felt his left cheek brush across a leaf. The greenness of it contrasted deeply with his dark blue sweatshirt. He briefly wondered why he still donned the clothing… he had had it since the moment he left… the moment everything had changed for him… the moment he changed. Truth be told he had it long before then… long before any of this seemed possible. Briefly looking over his shoulder he saw the remnants of a shadow on a tree branch that he had just occupied no less than a second ago and would have frowned if he had the time to. He was slower than before… much slower but then again having another man's soul removed from your body might do that you. He glanced down at the tear in his left sleeve seeing the blood as it soaked through. 'yeah he was definitely slower.'

Focus! Just focus on your goal. All he had to do was make it to the clearing ahead. The open space is what he needed. With the narrowness of the forest at his heels he could disappear into the night. It was because they had trapped him into this narrow pathway, forcing him to stay on one trail, refusing to give him the chance to deviate even slightly. They thought he was out of options… as though they the predator and he the prey… they obviously hadn't done their research!

His eyes red, pupils moving from side to side, he counted. Three behind him, two on either side and one ahead… what?!

Before he could react he felt the chakra hit his ankle crippling his speed and he missed the next branch by more than a few miles. His shoulder knocked into the rough bark as he descended fast. Sounds of wind rushing past his ears, bones breaking as his side hit a limb and broke under the weight and finally in a cloud of dirt he hit the ground, the wind leaving his lungs in one final mocking thud.

'Perhaps they had done their homework.' He thought as he blinked once… twice… just in time to see the dagger leave his enemy's hand without even a second of a hesitation aimed for his heart. He didn't even close his eyes waiting for the contact.

Death was never something he feared. He expected it; anticipated it. It was his fate. He never once believed that he would escape it. So with his eyes he watched the end of his life approach and felt the shock when it never came.

One minute he was staring at cold metal barreling down upon him and the next… clear white eyes met his. He felt rather than heard her gasp as the weapon hit her back piercing her flesh. Blood spurted from her mouth a moment later and her head drooped slightly before she snapped it back up.

He wasn't sure what was happening… who she was… vaguely familiar images crossed his mind's eye… memories of his life at the academy, glimpses of her face… but nothing concrete enough to hold down. Leaning back on his forearms he stared into her face as her mouth grimaced in pain.

Taking in a breath she breathed out one word. "Run…" Her eyes began to water, the only sign of emotion in them.

Looking down he saw that the weapon was peeking through her stomach. Blood beginning to pool beneath her she dropped to her knees as his hands reached out instinctively to hold her weight. His fingers pressed into the cotton of her black shirt over her shoulders.

"Nani…" What could he say… what was he asking?

She blinked feeling the presence of his enemies falling upon him. Looking over her shoulder slightly her ear twitched. She turned to stare at him feeling her life slip from her. "You must… run!" She said again.

There was that word again.

'Run… Run and become stronger… hate me… and then come and find me… find me and kill me!'

He hated that word and somewhat defiantly he shook his head slightly.

She saw his silent refusal and groaned at not being able to make him move. It was all going wrong…so damn wrong. "Don't make my death… be for nothing! Run Sasuke! Run… run for Naruto… run for… run… for… freedom…" She breathed out before her world went dark and he sat there hearing the footsteps of his pursuers coming closer and closer…

What should he do… what he should he do?