Fading Light

Chapter 3: The Bond Between Two Lovers

Sasuke went by lake and washed his face. His eyes were slightly red from crying, but he had stopped himself before he could breakdown completely. He needed to be strong. For himself. For Sakura. For them.

He couldn't help but to feel the enormous pain inside of him. It was his entire fault for the pain she was going through. It was almost as though he could feel some of her pain, but what he was feeling, was nothing compared to hers.

Sasuke was lured to sleep by the crackling of the fire. Sakura… Please wait…

(Scene Change)

Sakura coughed. The damp cave was giving her a cold. Sakura coughed again. There was blood. Maybe I'll die. That way I won't have to take anymore torture, and Sasuke won't have to look at me like this. Sakura laughed to herself. Before she knew it, she was still laughing.

Being locked away and tortured constantly was getting to her mentally. If this was to keep up, she would become mentally unbalanced. Basically, insane. Her laughter became more and more shallow. She fell asleep.

(Scene Change)

There was a large fog. The fog was so thick, you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face. Sakura had her arms wrapped around her legs. It was so cold. It was so lonely. She wanted to cry so badly, but the tears wouldn't fall.

Sakura flinched. Footsteps could be heard. Please…Sakura begged. Don't let him haunt me in my dreams…Sakura shut her eyes. The figure touched her shoulder. Sakura opened her eyes, and turned her head. It was Sasuke.

"S-Sasuke… I know this is a dream… But it feels so real…" Sakura felt herself cry.

Sasuke sat down beside her.

"This is a dream to me to. I don't know whether you are real or not. But for now, I just want to be with you." Sasuke whispered into her ear.

Sakura shuddered. He was so close to her. The way he touched her. The way he held her. The way he talked to her. He was so close, yet so far.

"Sakura… Where are you?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know… It's so dark and cold and wet… I have no idea." Sakura stated.

They were both quiet.

"Sasuke… I know where we are." Sakura murmured.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I read in a scroll, that a bond between two lovers is strong. But if it is strong enough, then the two can connect mentally. We are both sleeping, so we are sharing the same dream." Sakura answered.

"Sakura…" Sasuke whispered.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I'm…sorry… You shouldn't have gotten involved. It's all my fault," Sasuke said.

Sakura felt more tears fall. He wasn't supposed to apologize. He was supposed to hate her. He wasn't supposed to love her. She didn't deserve it.

"Sasuke… You can't love me…" Sakura said in a cracked voice.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked.

"I've lost my virginity to Itachi. I'm no longer pure." Sakura whispered.

Sasuke remained silent.

"I'm not worth anything. I've been raped by a man that killed your mother and father. He killed your entire clan. I don't deserve your love. I don't deserve you." Sakura muttered.

They were quiet.

"It doesn't matter. I confessed my feelings to you. I confessed them to you! You!" Sasuke looked at Sakura. She was looking at the ground. Sasuke cupped her face and turned it to him, "Sakura, look at me."

Sakura slowly looked into his dark eyes. There was so much emotion and awkwardness between the two.

"I told you I loved you. Is that enough?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura tears coming to her eyes again. Sasuke… I want to love you… I want to be with you… But after he raped me… I'm not good enough for you… Please… Don't look at me like that…

Sakura's lip trembled.

"Is that enough?" Sasuke asked again.

Sakura sobbed.

Sasuke let her go. They were quiet. He didn't know anything anymore. It was all lost. Because of his damned brother, he was losing his own emotions. Suddenly, he heard a splash. Sasuke turned his head.

Sakura was in the water. She was shivering cold. Sasuke hadn't noticed before because of the fog, but she was naked. Where were her clothes? Suddenly it struck him. He raped her. She really wasn't virgin. How lonely had she been? Raped by Itachi, and alone. Only knowing that she wasn't anything at all.

Sasuke walked into the water. He embraced the back of her towards him.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm filthy. Sasuke, the water is so clear. It's so clean. The ripples move with such grace. Nothing is able to taint the water. So I thought, that if I washed myself, I thought I could be clean like the water to." Sakura laughed, "But no matter how deep I go, or how hard I scrub, he won't get off me."

Sakura shivered under the sheer coldness of the water. Sasuke held her tighter, trying to give her warmth.

"Sakura, you are still pure," Sasuke turned her face towards him, "If you are nothing, then I cannot see you. But when I look at you. I see so much more then nothing. I see a woman. A woman that is filled with so much beauty, Sakura, you are worth more to me then you could possibly ever know. You are still pure. You are still here," Sasuke pressed her hand against his chest.

Sakura felt more and more bitterness. But she couldn't help but to still feel the lust between them. They inched closer. Sasuke brushed his lips against hers. Seeing if she was okay with it. They kissed again.

Feeling her legs give up on her. They went under water. Arriving back onto the surface. They both swam to the shallow side.

Sasuke kissed down to her neck and whispered into her ear.

"Do you want to go on?"

Sakura stopped. She was already taken by Itachi. Why did he still want her? Why was he still so nice to her? Why did he still love her? For a moment, Sakura wanted to say no, but there was something inside. There was so much lust. She yearned for his touch. His gentle voice. His love. She wanted him. He wanted her. Sakura thought again. And then finally, she nodded.

Sasuke embraced her close to him. Peeling off his shirt, Sasuke kissed her deeply, and then continued.

(Scene Change)

Sakura awoke. She was so weak. So hungry, and so sick. Sakura could barely open her eyes. She felt guilty. Sasuke still loved her, but she accepted when she should've let him go. Why did he still love her? She didn't deserve him. She wasn't good enough for him.

"Sasuke… Please… give up on me…" Sakura whispered.

She was weak. Sakura closed her eyes, and fainted.

(Scene Change)

Sasuke awoke next to the lake. Washing his face again, to wake him up. Sasuke took a look. He could see his reflection peering at him. Suddenly, a thought struck him. Look in a place under your reflection… The lake…

Sasuke dove into the lake. Swimming around, Sasuke dove back up for air. He continued this for the next two hours. Finally, Sasuke went back up on land. He looked at the reflection of the water. Sakura had said that she was somewhere dark and cold, and wet.

Looking in the reflection, Sasuke noticed the mountain. The mountain, of course! There had been a cave up there, but there was a landslide, so the cave was sealed. But Sasuke recalled an entrance under water.

Kakashi came suddenly, and raised a brow. Sasuke was smiling.

"Kakashi, I know where Sakura is," Sasuke smiled.

"Where?" Kakashi asked.

"Just follow me," Sasuke answered.

He dove under water. Kakashi followed. They swam to the entrance and went to the surface. Swimming to the sides, they stood and found a stairway in front of them.

"Stay on guard." Kakashi warned.

Sasuke nodded.

Trailing up the stairs, they moved swiftly. So far, there had been nobody crossing their path. Sasuke wondered.

"This is far to easy," Sasuke said under his gritted teeth.

"I know. But we have to stay on guard." Kakashi muttered.

Moving up, they finally reached the door. Opening it quietly, Kakashi and Sasuke entered. There was nothing. The room was hollow except for two doors. Sasuke went up to the second door. Looking through, there was nothing. He went to the next one. Looking through the window again, he almost concluded that the room was empty. But looking closer, he saw strands of pink hair. Sakura…!

Opening the door, Sasuke ran in and put her body onto his lap. She was naked and dirty. Not only that, she was burning up. What happened? Sakura shivered. Opening her eyes, they widened slightly.

"Sasuke…"

(End Chapter)

AN: Whew… This chapter took me awhile. I don't know what to blame, my computer or my laziness. Hmmm… Yes, this story is going really fast, and the characters are OOC. But hey, who cares? (reviewers glare at the authoress) Anywayz… Haha, hopefully, this chapter was okay. Oh yea, almost forgot. There are going to be two endings. (My friends wanted both V-V'…) One will be happy, the other will be tragic enough to the point where you guys are going to want to kill me. VV'… Anywayz, I'm making this story PG13 and R. Because my evil friend says it is okay. So until later my good reviewers!