• Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Naruto series. Sadly..

    Behind the Smile

    Chapter 6: Bated Goodbyes

    (o)

    (o)

    (o)

    Tree after tree snapped in half as she made contact with them, the force of her momentum very powerful. The sickening sound of each splinter of the wood tearing apart created large, echoing sounds.

    She finally came to halt as hery placid body met with a very thick willow-like three, one of its huge branches catching a peice of her clothing after she thudded against its trunk. She stayed there, suspened limply for a few moments before her own clothing tore, unable to support her weight, as well as the damage it had sustained Her pink hair fell over her face as she met the ground, her body resting motionless on its side. She remainded unmoving.

    ..ooo000ooo000ooo..

    He had crashed into the same rock cliff as he had before, the power of his collision creating a small rock tumble, causing his body to lay ragged and disporportioned against the layers of rock and rubble. When the large puff of dust and smoke had subsided, he slightly pushed himself up, letting his body rest in sitting posistion as he took in the damages. The Sharingan had faded from his eyes, leaving deep obsidian orbs to glaze over as recent memories flashed his mind.

    It was then that his head snapped up, and he bolted from his posistion agaisnt the rocks. His sharp eyes scanned the area, finally fixating on a path of destruction completley opposite to his.

    He didn't run, he didn't power walk. His footsteps were prolonged, almost casual as he made his way towards the area of destruction. He subtly placed his hands in his pockets, his demeanor stoic. His eyes did not glance to the snapped trees, or the blood staines accompanying them. His gaze was focused ahead, his path determined. He paused as he entered the next small clearing, home to the giant willow tree in its wake. The gaps in its branches left room for the sun's rays to peek in, shining down on the body lying amidst the leaves.

    (Song/Background music: Planetarium by Otsuka Ai)

    No emotion crossed his face as his deep obsidian orbs focused on the body, home to the pink-haired locks and torn, red clothes that were hardly discernable from the blood. He stood there for a moment before making his way towards her; the Uchiha stood above her, hands still in his pockets as he looked down to her motionless body.

    "Sakura." He called, the tone to his voice was reminscent of a casual calling. Though even with a prolonged moment of waiting he received no answer, in language or movement. He let out a small, hardly discernable sigh before kneeling down before his former teamate.

    “You can move now Sakura..” Deep obsidian were focused on the motionless body, looking for any sort of movement. He applied light pressure to the kunoichi, letting her now rest on her back. Still, there was no rising and falling of her chest, twitching behind her eyelids.

    It was then that the Uchiha ran a hand through his raven-colored locks, letting his hand rest on his neck in slight rub, a clear sign of frustration, even though his emotionless let his eyes wander elsewhere, almost in very calm exhasperation.

    “Enough games..” His voice was still impassive, the only paraodox to that the slight waver that shook it. The descent of his Adam's apple was very noticeable as he subtly swallowed. "Sakura..” He lifted her into his arms, letting her head loll onto his upper arm. Still, the pink-haired kunoichi did not move; her body felt clammy to the Uchiha's rouch hands, cold to his warm touch.

    "..Sakura.." His voice almost had a slight pause to it, a hinting to his rising suspicion of something being wrong. He started continuoulsy patting her cheek.

    "Sakura..this isn't funny." He repositioned her against him, sliding her more upwards. "If this is just an illusionary technique..you need to stop it. Now." The cool monotone note that usually flowed from his vocals was gone, the worry, yet denying tone clearly heard. He pushed a few strands of hair from her face.

    "I-I'm serious Sakura."

    The noise produced by twigs suddenly snapping caused his deep obsidian eyes to transition away from Sakura, fixating on the fist that made its way towards his face.

    Sakura's body fell out of his arms as he skidded back, the momentum allowing him to slightly stand, knees bent as he staggered back.

    "You..you b*****d" His voice was dangerously low, trembling with both anger and greif. His burning cerulean eyes breifly glanced at the body amidst the grassy earth before he ran towards Sasuke. With great speed he was already upon him, letting his fist pound into his face time and time again, backing the Uchiha up into a tree.

    He had breifly stopped when he realized his former teamate had done nothing to protect himself. His breaths were heavy, ragged, something already twinkling in the corner of his eyes. Sasuke wiped the trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, letting it smear the back of his hand. He took the time to glance back at the lifeless body amidst the ground. His obsidian eyes lingered on her for a moment, something flickering through his eyes as a thought seeemd to occur to him.

    Sasuke let his eyes travel back to Naruto, dangerously slow. His cold eyes seemed to smolder with anger as he stood up fully, fists clenched at his sides.

    It was then that he delivered his first punch to Naruto's jawline.

    "Why did you let her fight me! This was supposed to be between me and you!" He let his other fist pound into Naruto's face. "This is your fault!"

    “You’re the one who stabbed your hand through her!” He punched him. “ Look at your hand teme!” He grabbed Sasuke’s hand, the one covered in Sakura's blood, and shoved it in his face. The momentum of the shove made Sasuke take a few steps back. "Look at your hand!" He paused, letting himself lower to the ground as he tried to hold in a grunt of pain, emotional greif. As he squeezed his eyes shut, the watery substance twinkled in the corners of his closed eyes.

    "You..you're not Sasuke-he wouldn't..." He let his fist hit the ground with no motivation, almost hesitantly as he let out another small noise of greif between his gritted teeth.

    Sasuke did nothing, only let his face be obscured from view by his bangs. His fists were clenched.

    He only brought his head up to reveal his deep obsidian eyes when he sensed the blonde-haired ninja rise once again.

    "The friend I once knew a long time ago..he wouldn't have done this to someone he knew..someone who he considered a friend..someone he knew considered him more than a friend..He wouldn't have done any of this.." His voice was dangerously low, yet calm. Only with his last remark did his voice rise into an uproar, and his sharp razor teeth become prevailent in his snarl.

    "You are not my friend...Sasuke!!"

    .He immediately placed his two hands out in front of him, letting them move around in a circular motion, a familiar chakra creating sound heard.

    Sasuke let his gaze glance at the powerful chakra forming in Naruto's hands. His eyes had long ago retained its emotionless stare, his demeanor stoic. He only let out a small grunt of feigned amusement, acceptance, as he breifly closed his eyes, re-opening them to reveal his Sharingan.

    "Like i said to her..You never knew me to begin with."

    His tone of finality marked that as the last thing to be said between the two former teamates, best friends. This marked the end, the end to all hopes of things returning to the way they once were. What had been done on this day would be forever unforgiven, forever scarred.

    He slowly began to stretch left arm out, his palm facing the ground before him. The staticky currents of electricity began to spar from the earth in a circular area beneath his splayed out palm, feeding into the chakra growing within the center of his hand. The sound of birds chirping was deafening to the forest around.

    Their gazes breifly met, signaling the time of their charge. Both shinobi bolted from their posistions.

    "Can you two please get along, for me?"

    The soft voice behind the simple request echoed in both of the young mens' minds, though it slowed down neither of them. Even if they had wanted to, they couldn't turn back now.

    The body resting to their side remained stationary, her porcelain-like skin lighting up with the reflection of the blinding lights and colors produced from the two powerful attacks.

    It seemed to go in slow motion as they grew even closer to eachother, fists raising for the strike.

    Stop!!

    Toned hands grabbed each of the fists belonging to the chakra filled attacks. After a short spin from the holder of the hands, there was no sound as the figure used the momentum he had gained, and the momentum still powering the two to throw the former friends in opposite directions.

    The earth greatly rumbled as the explosions sounded simultaneously in the distance.

    Kakashi remained in that same posistion, his shiny silver hair finally swaying into stillness. He seemed to have been contemplating what he had just seen, what he had just stopped. The distant memory of the same occurence revealed itself in his mind. Like before, the skilled Jounin had barely managed to come between them. But this time, he wasn't able to stop something he should have. Prevent it.

    It was then that he let his solemn eyes travel to the motionless kunochi lying on the ground.

    ..ooo000ooo000ooo..

    The rocks and debree peices crumbled all around as he removed his hand from the remains of the large boulder he had decimated with his Ransengan. Trees all around had been blown off their foundations, the earth all around broken up.

    A pained grunt escaped Naruto's gritted teeth before he let himself fall onto his back, his troubled cerulean eyes resting to the sky above him.

    Kakashi had stopped them once again, a second time. Stopped him from doing something that should have been done, on both accounts. It angered him, infuriated him.

    And like before..Sakura had been there.

    "Chikuso.." He trembled as his eyes flickered with greif, his body racked with held in sobs.

    “Naruto..trust me..”

    He rolled over onto his belly, propping himself up on his hands and knees. He let his fist pound into the ground, digging into the earth around it.

    "Chikuso!" The desperate cries that came were sudden, deep.

    ..ooo000ooo000ooo..

    His hand was still dug into the earth, its span all around the fist broken and cracked, trees all around uprooted and lifeless; decimated by his Chidori.

    Sasuke stayed in that positon, his free hand and two knees supporting him. His face was obscured from view as his head hung low, though his Adam's apple continued to retract up and down and he repeatedly swallowed. The facial lines eatched deep in his face protuded even more so as his jaw as seemingly clenched.

    “Sasuke-kun!”

    “Wanna go out on a date?”

    “Sasuke-kun..’

    “You taught me on that day that solitude was painful!’

    “Sasuke-kun”

    “I love you so much!”

    “ Stop it!”

    “I love you so much!”

    “Sasuke-kun.”

    “Sakura..Thank you”

    "Kuso!" The curse came out in a harsh whisper.

    He seemed calm as let his body slightly lower, supporting hand transfering weight to his elbow, as if defeated. He slowly leaned forward, letting his head fall to rest between his two arms. His whole body shook, and one wouldn't be able to tell if he was laughing or crying.

    He didn't make a sound.

    ..ooo000ooo000ooo..

    "No way.." Various accomdations of whispered exclamations could be heard from all the shinobi, mostly ANBU surrounding. All eyes were fixated on the body held in the arms of Kakashi.

    Heads turned as a woman rushed her way through the crowd. All whispers and chatters were halted as they seemingly waited for her reaction. They had also backed up, allowing room to space them.

    Upon seeing Sakura, Tsunade let out a cry, rushing over to the kunochi his Kakashi's arms. She had placed a hand on the young woman's cheek, her face contorting even more as she felt the coldness. But when she leaned in closer, the Hokage let out a small breath, as if in shock. Her wide eyes confirmed it.

    “She-She’s breathing!” She put her hands on Sakura's neck. “ She has a pulse…god-damnit she’s still alive!” Everybody stirred in suprise as Kakashi immediately laid her down on the ground. Tsunades hands were already emitting a very bright glow as she put her hands over the deep, gaping wound in her abdomen.

    The bright light reflected in Kakashi's eyes, also brining image the the wound. He had a solemn look, almost a look of realization as his eyes were fixated on the ragged wound. The sound of chirping birds filled his mind, connecting to his ears.

    Kakashi dissapeared from his location.

    "We need to get her to the hospital immediately!" A few immediately stepped forwards, offering the carry the kunochi. "The rest of you go find Sasuke and Naruto!" The crowd of ANBU had broken up, all scattering and dissapearing their seperate ways.

    ..ooo000ooo000ooo..

    He stopped for a moment, his eyes casting sight to the figure a few feet away.

    Sasuke was sitting up against a tree, his figure slumped, his face obscured from view. The Uchiha was motionless, and made no acknowledgment to Kakashi's arrival. He looked defeated, in brooding, perhaps even mourning. Kakashi seemed to draw a story in his mind as he recalled events and took in his former students condition.

    His eyes holding a seldom look, he continued to walk towards Sasuke, his soft footfalls sounded by the rustling blades of grass. And as he neared, the Uchiha stirred, almost in warning, his head slightly pirking.

    "Sasuke." His voice was calm, his tone the same as it always was when he spoke, almost kind, though serious. "She's alive..just barely." He watched as his fomer student visibly tensed up, becoming deadly still. He seemed to be taking in the information. Though he didn't lift his head up to meet the gaze of his former sensei, nor did he make another movement. He only lowered his head further.

    When Kakashi made a move to place his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, the Uchiha recoiled, standing up immediatelywith great speed to avoid contact. He stood there for a moment face still obscured from view as Kakashi's slightly suprised gaze was fixating on him. He then turned away, burying his hands in his pockets before starting to casually walk away, however stifly.

    "Consequences will be worse for you if you leave again." Kakashi spoke out in warning, advisory. He was truly trying to help him. Though Sasuke continued in his departure as if he hadn't heard a single word.

    "Sasu-." He paused as Sasuke abruptly halted, turning his body halfway as his face lifted to meet Kakashi's gaze.

    Like always, Sasuke's calm, stoic face and demeanor was in place, even his eyes had regained their emotionless facade. Though what was different, and what came as a deep suprise to Kakashi, was that watery substance that rimmed the corners of his eyes, twinkling as the sun shined on them.

    A deep look of suprised didn't etch Kakashi's face, though one could tell his his slight astoundment through his great pause. He couldn't recall a time he had seen the Uchiha like that, not even one account. This added another chapter to the story he had rolled over in his mind, about the events that might have occured. The events that lead up to Sakura's condition. Could it have been an accident? A mistake in the heat of battle?

    Sasuke knew the moment in which his point had been made, as well as his unwillingness to stay, or throw words. Though, as he started to turn his body back around, he paused, seemingly contemplating his thought to say something. He let his eyes transition to no area in particular as he further contemplated. After another breif moment he quickly glanced to and away from Kakashi.

    "Take care of her.." With that, he continued his departure from Konoha, his steps slow, casual.

    Kakashi slightly nodded., watching as Sasuke continued to walk away.

    As if on que, ANBU appeared behind the Jounin, bringing his eyes to rest on them. They seemed to be looking around the area for any sign of Sasuke. When they seemed to not notice anything, Kakashi brought his gaze back to the area in which Sasuke was simply walking. He was no longer there.

    And as he still held the attatchments between sensei and student, he spoke nothing.

    One of the ANBU almost speculatively looked in the direction to which occupied Kakahi's gaze, before letting his eyes transfer to the Jounin.

    "Haruno Sakura has been taken to Konoha hospital."

    wow that was short huh dont worry readers thats why i have writting ch.7 yay!!!

    Thanks for Reading! Hope you liked it!