PE: Thank you, everyone. Your reviews meant a lot to me. :)

I wrote 3/4 of this about a month ago, then I just recently finished it.
The ending...uh..the ending is kind of...

Messy?

-cries to self silently-

x

x

As the lonely memory barely lingers in my mind,
And your image seems to slip from my eyes.
I decided that I would like to hear your voice again,
Even if all you say is, "I hate you".

x

x

"You have failed, Uchiha." The judge chuckled, almost laughing in Sasuke's defeat. The rest of the clan was whispering in hushed voices yet again, beyond the golden gates.

The mortal soul scowled. "She touched me. What the hell do you mean I failed?" He growled, shaking the white chains on his wrists. He would not subject to faking this--this..."emotion" again, just to make her show it.

...faking?...

"Yes, but you still do not know how to love. And for that, you will choose your punishment." The god grinned mischievously, rubbing his hands together. "You may be reincarnated without your powers and memory or face a millennia of sorrow and anguish before you reside here with your deceased family. Which one, Uchiha?"

Sasuke fisted his hands, knowing the judge could read his mind. He bit his lip and soon, a masochistic smile tainted the youngest Uchiha's features, scaring the Head of the Uchiha and his wife. Itachi, however, was bored. The sooner Sasuke was there with them, the sooner he could bug the immature prodigy.

"Let's make a deal," The chained prisoner slackened his posture. The god raised an eyebrow, before waving a hand for the former mortal to continue.

"Make it 2000 years...and I want to see the girl again."

x

x

"Hinata..." Tsunade said slowly, trying to digest the information. "How do you know all of this?" Everything was too good to be true, except for the Uchiha's death...

The female Hyuuga bowed her head, clutching Neji tighter. He got her point from her fixed hold on his wrist.

"Hinata-sama has claimed that the Uchiha told her through a...dream." He said plainly, siding with the Hokage's disbelief mentally. Neji never liked the waterfowl-haired man anyway. 'More of a chicken,' as the sardonic Hyuuga always thought.

"Have you been eating or drinking something different?" The Hokage asked, wondering if the problem were poisoned foods. Suspicious activity had been acting up more and m--

"N-no, H-hokage-sama..." The timid kunoichi murmured, using her arms to wipe her slow tears, the cloth of her jacket scratching her cheeks. "I h-have n-not."

"Her meals are regulated each day by a specialist." Neji added dully. It was just a fucking nightmare. Why worry about it?

"Ahh, you poor thing." Tsunade sighed, biting her tongue for answers. "Nightmare techniques? Sleep disruptors?"

Hinata just managed to shrug, sniffling by her indifferent cousin.

x

x

Itachi had never seen anyone depressed. (Well, let's rephrase that...)

Itachi had never seen anyone that depressed in heaven and he didn't expect it to be his own brother. He wasn't one to moan and gripe about Sasuke's unusually (more) quiet demeanor. He wasn't one to be worried about the younger Uchiha's state when the two millennia (two days, really) of torture were up.

Everyone lets go of their problems by the time they get here, recalling from the time the gods focused on his own problems. No one can really be sad up here.

However, something was bugging Itachi. If that statement was true, why was Sasuke sad? The elder Uchiha knew he did not care but it still pricked at his mind. Itachi disliked things pricking into his mind.

So...why is his little brother so unhappy?

"Brother." The subject grunted, obviously knowing he was standing right behind him. The younger man was lying on his stomach, looking down from a hole in the clouds. Itachi sat by him, cross-legged style.

"What troubles you?"

Sasuke didn't reply.

"It's that girl, isn't it?" Itachi leaned over, seeing the hole in the cloud. It showed an indigo-haired girl walking by a blonde man, about the same age as Sasuke. They were smiling, albeit the woman's being shy and, if he dared to inspect any longer, guilty.

"They are...on a date at a park." The elder narrated blandly.

Again, no reply.

"The blonde is talking to her quite happily, while holding a small box behind him..."

"... ."

"He gives it to the Hyuuga, revealing a silver ring..."

"... ."

"She smiles happily, with a fine blush spreading on her cheeks, but denies the gift." Itachi paused, thinking of another way to make his brother feel guiltier. "Why do you think so, baby brother?"

He received silence again, watching the human Kyuubi vessel hug the Hyuuga. In addition, he noticed that Sasuke's hand had twitched, as if itching to hold his sword again. Itachi grinned, a hand reaching out of his Akatsuki cloak to pat the black hair that looked like a waterfowl's behind.

"You're jealous. Admit it." He taunted, brushing the younger Uchiha's hair roughly. "You are in lo-oo-ve..."

Sasuke rolled over to his back, moving away from Itachi and the peephole. He now looked at the ethereal blue sky, the gentle sun barely touching him.

"Shut up." The man he knew as an older brother might have shown to be indifferent but was really quite annoying at times...

"You like her, at the least. You did not love her when you were in the dream, but you like her now, do you not?" Itachi now saw the blonde man give a kiss to the indigo-haired woman, with an almost forlorn look on his face, pushing the gift into her hands anyway. Itachi waved his hand, making the hole in the cloud close up.

"Aniki?" Sasuke said, ignoring the question.

"Mmm?" Here it is, the big confession--

"Shut up."

And of course, while neither of them watched and continued to argue, they didn't see the Hyuuga left alone at the park--crying on a bench, with no shoulder to lean on.

Such a shame.

x

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

x

Summoned by the gods again, Sasuke was brought back to the court. The panel of angels and the judge were before him as they were to contemplate on his previous deal.

"Before we send you down to earth for a brief moment," the judge started, obviously not liking the idea, "there are rules you must adhere to. Do you still wish to go, even with the restrictions?"

The chained soul nodded slowly.

The archangel stood up, with a scroll in his hands. "I will state the rules. Please give an indication that you accept after each rule. If you do not accept, even once, we will terminate the opportunity of yours.

"You will not physically hurt any human."

Sasuke nodded.

"You will not try and kill the mortal shell you will use."

He had an urge to scoff but nodded silently anyway.

(-Skip to several minutes later, to when his neck started hurting...-)

"...and lastly, you will not be able to speak."

Sasuke blinked, taking a small moment to absorb the final rule. The panel now gazed at him seriously, waiting for a movement or answer.

The head-angel raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

He paused. "Of...course."

The archangel pushed up his glasses, turning to another scroll of parchment. "There is the matter of the mortal shell you will be using..."

x

x

Night rolled over in the large village of Konoha. Ominous clouds had floated over the village, spraying heavy rain on the forests. Lightning and thunder soon followed suit, turning simple water from the sky into a dangerous thunderstorm.

One particular teen tossed and turned in her bed, wrinkling the sheets even more. She let out a groan, feeling a cramp tighten around her stomach. However, the girl knew her time of the month was too early...

Hinata clutched her plushy pillow tighter, now receiving a slight ache to the head. She buried her head under the covers, hoping that the pain would go away. Now, her right foot twitched. Suddenly, the Hyuuga's body sat up and her eyes shot open. There was nothing strange out of place, except for the cold, humid air coming in from the open window.

'Come...to me...'

She sighed, standing up. It must have been the window, she guessed. It was too cold.

As Hinata's fingers touched the windowsill, a jolt coursed through her veins. She shook it off and peered outside the glass pane, seeing a shadowy figure in the rainy darkness. The Hyuuga squinted, instantly using her Byakugan. The person remained a shadow, even in her acute eyesight. Gazing at the figure, she wondered who would be daring enough to stand on a roof when a thunderstorm was around.

'Ease...my suffering...and I will...ease yours…'

The shadow was tall and lean with two large appendages--almost like wings--around it. Hinata pressed her nose against the cold glass. Maybe...an angel?

Curiosity got the best of the pale-eyed teen as her hands opened the window gently, one leg hopping over the sill at a time. As soon as her whole body was outside, an unwelcoming gust threatened to blow her off the mansion roof. Hinata clutched her clothes carefully, walking towards the person with small steps. The figure did not move or voice anything to her.

She gulped nervously as another strong breeze whizzed through her. The Hyuuga stopped about two or three meters away from the stranger, still unable to see his features because of the heavy darkness that clouded both of them.

A lightning struck not too far from both of them, giving an extremely quick burst of light. She noticed his bleak gaze, perfectly sculpted jaw, silver halo, and ebony feathers...

...before he faded into the night again.

"Sir?" Hinata cried out, feeling the weight of the rain pound of her back. A rumble of thunder bounced above them.

Y-you shouldn't stand o-out here in the," Cough. "F-freezing rain, sir."

The ethereal person seemed to have tilted his head, placing a hand of his hip.

'Neither should you...' A voice whispered into her mind. She widened her eyes before clutching her stomach for warmth. If Hinata could see, her lips would probably be blue right now...

The Hyuuga took a few more steps and stopped when the "angel" curved his "wings" around them. The black, dripping feathers, surrounded them both. Hinata even felt one of the tips push her closer to the stranger. They couldn't have been more than an arm's length apart.

She looked up to the tall being as another lightning bolt struck. Now up close, Hinata saw his dripping, majestic features once more...

"Uchiha-san..." She drifted off, being unsure of what to say. She wasn't dreaming...right? So why was he here?

"Wh-what are you doing h-here?" Hinata continued as her knees started to tremble from the cold. He did not answer. Another string of gusts blew by and almost blew her frail body off the roof.

"An-answer me, p-please." She tried to layer on a stronger tone, but the trembling and stuttering gave it away.

The "angel" stretched an arm, resting his hand on her left shoulder and his "wings" pushed Hinata closer again. His other hand took shelter in her right hand, gripping the digits tightly. His hands were quite warm, even if he looked like he had been standing there for sometime now.

Hinata inhaled sharply as he stepped nearer, their distance closing. Her heart pounded in her chest as he bent down slightly.

"Sasuke." She whispered softly. Unfortunately, he was far too tall...

...And only managed to kiss her between her tightly-shut eyes.

On the other hand, was that his intention?

'Because I want you to see that I will not force you...' A voice murmured. 'Because everything is set in stone...and my metamorphoze is complete...'

The Hyuuga's eyes looked up, seeing a particular drop of water that flowed down his cheek shine.

Was he...crying?

How could she tell though, with the raindrops that pounded on them and the night that separated them from each other?

Hinata took one more step, wrapping her left arm around him. Her hand felt a patch of feathers of his back as it gripped his clothes. Sasuke's wings tightened around them, forming a black cocoon. She felt no more rain cascade on her back...

...as her tears were smeared on his already wet collarbone.

'Because our dance has ended...and the waltz is fading...'

"Please...don't leave..."

'--and I still...adore... only you...'

x

x

The golden gates creaked open and Mikoto, being the only one to wait for her youngest son (since Itachi and Fugaku were having the Talk again), turned her head. Like the same way he was brought back from the punishment, she saw Sasuke being carried by two angels.

Immediately, she rushed over to the gates, holding his body up when the angels dropped him off. Sasuke's body was surprisingly light and thin as Mikoto embraced him. She kissed his forehead lightly, before burying his head in the crook of her neck.

"Sasuke, you'll be all right..." The Lady Uchiha cooed, feeling as if her baby boy was a young child again...

"Haha-ue...I'm tired." He murmured as she felt his arms embrace her back. Sasuke was clutching tightly, reminding her of the years before. Mikoto smiled, rubbing his back soothingly.

"You'll be fine. We'll take care of you, dear."

His arms grew tighter and he took deep breaths, almost as if he was--

"Sasuke?" Mikoto asked, fearing there was something else wrong with her teenage son. The gods did say the trip to the mortal realm would take a large amount of energy...

Her hand suddenly stopped rubbing his back when a wet sensation hit the skin of her neck. She smiled again, a little sadder this time. Few drops of water ran down her shoulder, soaking into the cloth of her kimono.

"Shh, you'll be alright, Sasuke..." She whispered, hoping her statement would come true. "Mother's here, dear. Cry as much as you want, my son..."

x

x

It was not a big, lavish ceremony like the previous Hokage's funeral.

Not many shed a tear for the deceased teen.

In fact, not that many even bothered to come.

The weather was dreary, with heaven's tears going on non-stop for a few days now. It seemed the gods had paid some respect for the late teenager. The rain had stopped around mid-morning, just before the funeral was about to start. Around a dozen or so people dressed in black arrived for the private funeral, with some carrying bouquets of dark colored flowers and ornamental weapons...

Hinata felt uncomfortable bringing her white roses, as it contrasted with everything else. Sasuke's words were right, as his body was...not in very good shape. His coffin was a simple blue, black, and red, with the Uchiha clan symbol upon it.

She had stayed, long after the rest of the former Team 7 had left. The stems of her flowers were starting to bend under her grasp. Finally, she decided to place them on the soil, wiping her hands on her clothes to get the greenish stains off.

The Hyuuga heard a rustle. Her head automatically turned, seeing a young wolf. The cub cowered under her gentle gaze, its hind legs sinking into the muddy ground.

'...seeing its black fur with the dark-blue tips of the ears, an odd white tail with the end dipped in red that matched both their eyes...'

"Hey!" She gasped as it suddenly dashed forward; snatching the bouquet of roses she just placed on the grave. The canine ran into the trees surrounding the site, disappearing into the green and brown abyss. On instinct, Hinata chased after it. The cub was quite fast, even if it held a bunch of flowers almost twice its size.

Unfortunately, a sharp tree root was jutting out, leaving her to trip and fall in the mud. She laid there for a moment, feeling the hot sting of tears through tightly closed eyes… Half of her body was muddy; the other half was just wet and tired. Tears mixed in the wet ground as she fisted her hands in the dirt.

Why on earth, she wondered so bitterly, would she even let a small puppy outrun her?

A soft nudge pressed on her arm. Her mud-covered face peeped out from the ground, only to brush against velvety petals. The cub's soft whine rang softly through the pitter-patter of the raindrops.

'I do not deserve your mortal gifts...'

"Eh?" The Hyuuga mumbled, creating and popping a mud bubble on her mouth.

'So please...'

"Sasuke?"

'Please...let us dance once more...'

x

x

Recalling the time we shared a simple night,
I always tremble with uneased sorrow.

Even the times we were just silent and only looked at the moon,
I'd still like to hold those moments here with me.

And if someone could grant me one wish, no matter the cost,
I'd wish to have that warmth when our skin first touched.

x

x

Err...I have no idea where the "dance" thing came up. I think the title re-motivated me a different idea...

It's weird, because the...uhhh..."connecting line" changes between both chapters. In the first, it's the heaven angel/people. Now, it's a waltz.
Hmm. Odd.

I should take a break from transcribing music for a bit.

Now, maybe I should change this in a more understandable way, but it'd confuse more people. Err...
Continuity, I guess?

-bangs head on keyboard-