Note to the reader: Okay, I hope you'd find this chapter a break from all those serious stuff. And, um, Itachi is not gay. Hahaha… I just love Uchiha incest.

Summary: Down in the forest embraced by the seemingly eternal darkness, two people will lose their way but find a piece of a lost forgotten love.

CHAPTER V- Denying A Smile

The environment was not silenced by the fact that it was night. The dark ambiance of the mountain side highway was lit up with red and blue lights matching the siren of the vehicles parked there. The good thing was it was rare to find cars passing that road. At least, the parked vehicles didn't hinder the loose traffic. But that wasn't the main topic. There had been a breakage in the limiting iron baluster. A car had gone overboard and had, as they theorized, hit the forest thousands of feet below.

The vehicles were obviously ambulances and police cars. The people were already investigating when a taxi cab rolled into the scene. A man went out of the cab and ran straight to the accident. A police man came walking towards him but before he could have even stopped him, he lunged forward down the cliff.

The man was no other than Uchiha Sasuke.

The air brushed against his skin as if miniature scalpels met him on his way down. His hands were immobilized by the speed and his eyes squinted by the pain of rushing air. It was like he was dying… endlessly falling into a place where even demons never dared to stroll. Death became as natural to him as breathing for even if he was living, he felt empty. He was longing for something he could not define… or perhaps admit to himself.

"Sasuke."

Something painfully pulled him to slow down his fall. He felt like he was falling at a rate of 300km per hour when a nasty parachute hung by his neck and pulled him back in the most abrupt manner. Sasuke felt like he was being turned upright from his falling upside down position. When he was sure enough that he had slowed down, he opened his eyes finding two figures in white, each holding an arm of his, guiding him down. He was more of floating rather than falling. Sasuke fixed a curious look but it subsided when a smirk crossed his face.

"So you two have been following me." How could Sasuke not recognize the silky long hair of Neji and the red head of Gaara?

Gaara flashed him a grave but irritated look.

"Why did you jump off like that?" Neji inquired instead.

Sasuke did not reply and for the first time, it wasn't because he wanted to annoy him but because he didn't exactly know what pushed him to do so. He tried to deviate from the topic and so he started asking them questions. "Why are you following me anyway?"

"Didn't you realize that if we didn't even bother to look after you, you would still be talking here?" Neji replied exasperatedly.

"You are prone to recklessness." Gaara added flatly.

"So…?" Sasuke's eyes twitched.

"I wouldn't want you to get hurt, would I?" Neji's lips moved as if he was forcing a weak smile.

Curiosity rounded in the Uchiha's eyes as he stared at Neji who wasn't apparently getting the impression that he wanted an explanation. "What—"

"We're here." Gaara cut him off with a strong flap of his wings. The three slowed down as their distance from the ground diminished. Sasuke could see leaves and rubbish being blown away to make a clear landing spot. The leaves on the trees were wildly rustling because of the wind moved by the angels' wings. After a few more seconds, their feet touched the ground with much grace. They released Sasuke's arms and moved away from the Uchiha.

"Haruno is surely here." Neji took a good look around. There was no sign of life except the creepy sounds and hoots of owls. "That may be the only reason."

"Whatever." Sasuke muttered and then turned his back at them. It took him seconds before he could utter a half-forced, half-meant 'thank you'. After which he ran off into the darkness.

"It's still him isn't it?" Gaara turned to Neji who followed Sasuke with his eyes.

"Yeah."

"Let's go." The read head flapped his wings for preparation and then zoomed up until he vanished from sight. The other, after having a last lingering look, followed.

On the other hand, Sasuke managed to get deeper into the woods by following the scent of something burning. He moved through baggy trees and skipped protruding roots until he found a car, miraculously still in the process of heating up. In a second or so, the car would explode. He needed to check it before it gets too risky. Sasuke peered down to see through the window of the overturned car. What? He gasped upon finding that the window was forced open and there was not sign of anyone in there. He stood up and kept himself from kicking the car. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them to see better in the dark. No use. His eyes still had the difficulty of catching the thin strips of moonlight. He observed the ground, still taking notice and caution of the car. And there, near the pieces of glass from the window, a trail of blood droplets led his eyes to a path deeper into the forest.

Sasuke clenched his fists and then walked further into the darkness. He kept his eyes on the trail as he moved on. If only the place wasn't getting dimmer every second, he could have walked faster…

Meanwhile, meters from the crash site, Haruno Sakura woke up from being unconscious. Her arms were scratched and her legs weak and noodle-like. She managed, however, to push herself upright to see where she was. It's too dark… she muttered to herself as she twisted her pained head from left to right. She moved her legs to stand but they hit something not far from her. Carefully, she moved her body closer to the thing she hit and to her horror, she found a man with a strange fish-like physique. Kisame? She clapped her hand to her mouth. I must help him. She swaggered upright but fell back on the ground. She bit her lip and tried once more, holding onto a tree for a better support. She proceeded to Kisame and checked his pulse. He was alive. She tore a part of his long sleeve and then tied it around his bleeding arm to lessen the flow of blood.

Sakura continued with her first aid when she heard something move from behind. She looked over her shoulder while tying another torn cloth around Kisame's leg. Nothing emerged. She decided not to take heed of the disturbance when another rustling made her jolt. Still, nothing. She searched for rocks for self defense when she heard another movement. After which, there was silence.

"W-who are—" she did not need to continue her words, from the dark emerged someone which made her scream and swagger off deeper into the forest.

"AAAAH!" Sasuke was surprised to hear an ear-piercing scream from somewhere near. He hurried, following the trail, until he found the same man who Sakura helped. Maybe he's Kisame. He thought after recalling what Itachi instructed Sakura before he shut the door. She could be anywhere. He took a look around before hearing rustling of leaves from his east. "Haruno?" No response. Sasuke sighed heavily and then followed the movement. He was cautious as he moved—looking from right to left as he transported from tree to tree. He didn't have a weapon with his but he surely trusted his strength. He walked through the maze-like forest and then so suddenly, he stopped. There was no movement to follow. He was lost.

"Haruno?" Sasuke called out but still, no one replied. "Where are you hiding—dammit!" he had tripped over a root and fell towards the grassy soil. He pushed himself up and freed his foot when he noticed a twinkling silver thing under the root. He reached it and held it before him for inspection. A locket? He stared at it for a moment and was about to open it when he heard another rustling. He stuffed it in his pocket and ran after the unknown movement.

Sakura, on the other hand, had made her way out of the darkness when she reached a crystal clear lake. The surface was undisturbed and the leaves were the only moving inanimate objects. She limped towards the lake and then cupped water to drink. She was terribly frightened of something she saw previously and was constantly looking over her shoulder to check if it was following her. And after a few more drinks, she realized that she left Kisame alone there! What if it killed him? Her hands were now quivering with fear and anxiety.

Sakura paused for a while to observe the surroundings. There were only trees which surrounded the lake. She looked up and her face bathed under the moonlight. When she looked in front of her, she saw countless leaves on the ground. Temporarily… I need them. She pushed herself with all her might and then walked to the leaves. She collected them and then placed them in front of a hollow beneath a tree. Seeing that it was clear of insects, she resided in and covered the hole with leaves and left a tiny space for air and for observing. I need to rest. She felt her eyes ache in pain and then she finally closed them.

Sasuke, however, was still hot on the track of the moving object. He was now running after it and to his expectation, it increased its speed. He ran faster, not minding the sharp twigs which cut his skin. He just sprinted as far as the light could lead him until the moving thing stopped. "Finally," he called loudly and then moved through several trees finding himself in front of a girl.

"Who are you?" the girl asked. Apparently, the girl wasn't Sakura.

Sasuke eyed the girl and then saw glinting silver in the girl's hold. "What—"

Before he could be in speaking terms with the female, she dashed towards him and slashed, missing his neck by inches. What now? He thought as he avoided the swift attacks of the girl. Sasuke managed to grab the girl by her wrists and threw her back. He was about to run away when an acupuncture needle drove straight thought his shirt.

"Why are you running away? Why don't you hurt me? I'm not a girl."

Sasuke was struck by the last statement. He spun around and noticed for the first time that, yes, the 'girl' had a flat chest. "Who the hell are you?"

But the man he had mistaken for a girl attacked again with his needles. The battle lasted for minutes until the man decided to attach Sasuke to the nearest tree by sending a couple of needles flying to his direction. Successfully, Sasuke was indeed pinned. The man, who possessed a long hair and girlish face looked at him and then smiled. "You are here to rescue the girl right?" He paused and then turned his back at him. "Too bad, I need her for a trade."

"What the fuck—who are you?" Sasuke yelled.

"Haku," the man replied, "Remember that." After which he left Sasuke trying to get off the tree.

Dammit… who is he working for? Sasuke moved his arm until his shirt tore off the needle.

Minutes had passed and Sakura was still in light sleep. There was no sign of anyone coming so she just rested continuously. She would lift her eyes once in a while but her eyelids would quickly lower. The placid situation was interrupted by a low whisper. "Haruno…" she shifted from her cramped position. "Haruno… what the—"

A hand lunged forward to seize her wrist and that sent her squirming to get free. "Leave me alone! Release me—!"

"It's me, Sasuke, you idiot!" The very words Sasuke used confirmed that it was really Sasuke. He was kneeling on the ground with his hand still clutched firmly around her wrist. "Get out of there." He said in a hushed voice.

"How did you find—?"

"You did not make a good cover." He sounded like he was hurrying.

"Someone's trying to kill me—"

"I know."

"A girl—"

"A boy."

"What?"

"Never mind!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and tugged Sakura. "Let's go."

Sakura quickly obliged and shoved the leaf barrier she made. She was being pulled rather harshly when she tumbled and yelped. Sasuke looked back and released her wrist. "What—" He did not need to inquire. Sakura's legs were bleeding and she was embracing them protectively. Sasuke looked around as if trying to curse all the trees there and then after a heavy inhale-exhale, he knelt on one knee and then carried Sakura with both arms. "Don't move much." He said softly but sternly.

"T-thank you…" Sakura whispered and then placed her arms around his neck.

Sasuke cursed inwardly and then started walking away from the lake. His eyes were kept forward but he could feel Sakura's look on his face. The walk seemed to last forever and the path seemed to extend farther when he felt irritable. "Why are you looking at me like I'm some kind of—"

"A hero?"

Sasuke opened his mouth but got silent for a few more minutes.

"Sasuke," Sakura eyed him and then said, "Do you hate me?"

"What's the point of asking that?" he answered rather evasively.

"Just answer me."

Sasuke looked down on those pretty emerald orbs which sent him turning away.

"Obviously…" he grunted.

"…"

"Obviously not." Something forced those words out of his lips. But then he quickly added, "But of course I still find you annoying."

The pink head let out a weak laugh that, for some reason, made the Uchiha smile.

"You're smiling!" Sakura pointed out excitedly.

"No way…" the innocent smile was quickly washed from his face.

"Well… you were…" she said while ignoring the pain building up in her legs.

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were."

"So what if I was smiling?"

"Then you're admitting that you were doing so."

"Whatever…fine… I was smiling." Sasuke thought that their conversation was utterly stupid.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

Sakura tightened her hold around his neck. "Why were you smiling?"

"I was… imagining." Sasuke lied. He didn't really know how Haruno pulled out his talkative side.

"About what?"

"Do you have to know everything?"

"There's nothing wrong with asking." Sakura smiled sweetly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes again. "I was imagining heaven." When he paused, Sakura did no speak but eyed him with question. "I was imagining what I'd do the second I get there. They'd certainly expect me to avenge myself." His onyx eyes reflected the paling moonlight revealing not a loathsome but a puzzled expression. His words seemed not to match the emotion swirling in his eyes.

"Wait." After seconds of silence, Sasuke lowered Sakura against a tree and then sat with his head back. "Let me just rest for a while."

Sakura observed how close Sasuke was to her. It only made her sad because she knew that the Uchiha of her past would never come back. Sasuke was not the Sasuke she loved before. She could not make him stay. She knew it and she was ready for the painful impact of truth.

But then, Sakura could not help but smile to herself. At least for a few days, she was rejoined with her beloved. I must stay contented. She thought as she tore a piece of her clothing and wrapped it around her legs to ease the flow of blood. She was finishing the knot when an explosion from afar sent light in all directions. Sasuke bolted upright while Sakura involuntarily clapped her hands on her chest. The explosion was, as they both reckoned, from the car.

"The aide must come in a few minutes the explosion—"

"The locket!" Sakura partially shouted.

"What?" Sasuke felt it was not the time to discuss futile things.

"The locket!" Sakura said while trying to keep her voice from panic. "I must have dropped it somewhere!"

"I have it." The Uchiha searched his pocket only to find out that it was empty.

"Sasuke?"

It must have slipped when I fought that Haku. "It's lost." He looked up and saw that the sky was of lighter hue and was already starless. It was an indication that the dawn was nigh. They stayed there for a few more minutes: Sakura was looking around while Sasuke was just observing. Five minutes had passed when a sound of a helicopter passed them. The leaves followed the motion of the wind which told Sasuke where it was heading. "Come on." He knelt down to take Sakura but the pink head managed to stand with the aide of a tree.

"I'm not going." She spoke earnestly.

"Now what?" The Uchiha snarled as he followed the source of the disturbed wind. "It goes this way—"

"I'm not going… not without the locket!"

Sasuke didn't have the time or the energy to argue. "Look Haruno," he looked around and then sighed, "This is a forest. Do you expect us to find it in this large area?"

"Yes!" Her tone was desperate and solid. "Because in this large area you also found me!"

The Uchiha was taken aback and his eyes dug deeply into those emerald orbs once more. "Fine… let's go find that locket of yours." He surveyed her and asked. "Could you walk?"

It's not mine but yours. The pink head nodded and she made a few steps towards him. The Uchiha observed the surroundings before extending his hand to her.

"Wha—"

Sasuke shrugged exasperatedly and grabbed not Sakura's wrist but her hand. He did not see her blush for he turned away quickly. He tried to recall where he fought with Haku though it had dawned on him that it was impossible. Unknown to him, Sakura noticed how often he'd glance secretly over his shoulder to check if Sakura could not longer walk. She also felt that he'd slow down whenever she had a hard time following his speed. One thing that did not change was how gentle yet firm his hold was.

They had gone a couple of feet when Sasuke yelled "get down!" He pushed Sakura down and got hit by some needles. Though it terribly hurt, he pulled one off and scanned the area for the assailant. Out of the diminishing shadows, the same man named Haku jumped overhead and dived down to Sasuke with a needle in each hand. Sasuke successfully fended himself and then he attacked Haku when he had the chance.

The battle lasted for minutes and Sakura, on the other hand, did not know exactly what to do. She just watched the two men slay each other. Blood escaped from their opened skin and they splattered the green ground with red. Sasuke… She clasped her hand over her mouth when Haku had stabbed Sasuke at the right chest.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out and was suddenly silenced when Haku turned to face her.

"If you don't want to get hurt, better come with me peacefully." The long haired guy said.

Sakura's eyes moved from Sasuke who was at the ground then to Haku who was approaching her. She was trapped and she did not know what to do anymore…

"Hey! We're not done yet!" Sasuke suddenly kicked Haku from behind, making him drop the needles her had. The long haired guy turned to Sasuke and was about to attack him again when he felt a sharp protruding stab from behind once more. He slowly looked over his shoulder and saw the trembling pink head with a blood stained needle directly hitting Haku.

"I—I'm—" Sakura didn't have the strength to say anything worth hearing. She was terribly shaking from head to foot with both her hands still around the needle she used to dig through Haku's flesh.

Haku smiled and fell towards the ground with a loud thud. The bloody needle was still on his back and Sakura was still wide-eyed and shocked that she actually killed a man. After grueling seconds, she rushed to Sasuke who was also hit.

"You're going to be fine… it's not too deep…" Sakura mumbled fast as she checked his state. As she performed her first aid, she occasionally looked at him, teary-eyed, muttering "sorry" and "thank you". Sasuke, however, was just lying there with eyes on her the whole while.

Why does it feel so cold when she's near? Is it because you're afraid to feel attached? Is it because you do not want to get too hurt if ever you part again?

Sasuke closed his eyes and countered the words. I want to leave… I do not like my life here… Leave me alone… I am not you…

Why can't you accept that you recognize emotions beyond words?

It's because… those emotions are yours and never mine. If you died… you're dead and I am not you or going to be you in any way.

"Darn conscience…" Sakura heard him mumbled.

"Sasuke," Sakura said softly as she looked up and saw the helicopter right above them, "come on…"

Sasuke pushed himself up and watched the man in the chopper lower a net ladder.

"We need a stretcher—"

"I can climb up Haruno." Sasuke said sternly.

The ladder was lowered for them to go up. Sasuke urged Sakura to climb up first and he followed next. In a matter of seconds, Sakura reached the helicopter and waited for Sasuke to get up but something happed… Three consecutive needles shot up, hitting Sasuke at vital parts when he was just four rungs away.

"SASUKE!" Sakura shouted and dived to the edge to hold his hand but she was too late. Their eyes met for a moment but in a second or two, Sasuke lost contact with the ladder and he fell back straight to earth. Sakura was being held by the other men in the helicopter as she shouted with all her remaining strength.

Everything seemed to work under the slowing down machine…

Sasuke's onyx eyes were once more engulfed by those emerald orbs but soon, he lost them… He was falling back and he could see at the helicopter, Sakura was yelling his name; she was crying and screaming herself sore. He felt the gravity defy the speed of his fall for he had his eyes on her for a long time…

Now tell me… why do you still look up?

Perhaps… I am getting it…

The wind flew past him, reminding him how far he had gone from the helicopter. He could not longer see the girl above.

Getting what?

He closed his eyes.

I'm getting the reason why I smiled…

END

Sorry for another weird crappy chappie! And yes, the last scene was, he was falling back to the forest. And Sasuke is no psycho. It's just the conscience of his past telling him what he really felt. Confusing? Hope you liked it.

Um… maybe I'll only ask for reviews… thanks.