Disclaimer: Yes, it's true! I DON'T own Naruto! *Cries frantically at a corner, before laughing hysterically, then stands up with a knife* But not for long. Mwahahaha!

Summary: No one could severe their bond – even death's clutches. But, what happens if the one who wants to sever it is Uzumaki, Naruto? The person who Sasuke loves and swears to love, valuing him even more than his own soul – A soul of a demon.

Pairings: SasuNaru

Ratings: Rated M

Beta-Reader: hopelina

Thank you so much for guiding me :) You were able to point out the things I didn't notice. I hope we'll work more in the future stories to come!

Dedicated to: 80x18 (Sho-nii) for helping me with this story and editing my works justly, and to all those who first reviewed on the first type of Next Life! I hope you'll like this one better, because it's revised and expressed with more depth!

[A/N: Hmm... What's my opinion in this you ask? Well, I think it's like a bitter sweet combination. :) Hehehe, read so you'll know! =^o^= Hope you enjoy reading it! ^_^]

Next Life

By: Kaida Matsuki

Prologue

Running footsteps, ruffling leaves and snapping twigs echoed all throughout the thick dark forest as its silence was disrupted through the night.

The heavily labored breathing and frantic heartbeats caught the attention of every animal, beast and demon in the deep dark forest.

A figure was running under the dim moonlight. He was carrying someone in between his sturdy arms that was vaguely seen. Her golden hair was a dead giveaway even through the abyss-like night.

This time a different sound bombarded the forest as an angry mob, carrying pitchforks and torches, chased after the two runaways.

Hound dogs were released, while hunters spread out. The leader of the party narrowed his eyes when he saw a blond strand of hair on a branch. His subordinates waited for his command.

"Kill the girl."

She felt woozy as her lover ran in a wild frenzy, effortlessly carrying her, but making the one in her womb dizzy too. She softly whimpered as the baby kicked, resulting for her demon lover to soothe her, despite the state they're in.

"We're almost there; just wait a little longer, Naruto. We just need to lose your townspeople so you can give labor." He soothed in hushed tones.

Her stressed, but still beautiful, cerulean eyes looked at him with comfort when she saw how tired he was. She nodded, her long blond hair flowing smoothly.

He doubled his speed when he smelled the presence of the trackers nearby, and was barely even touching the ground when he was jumping so high to achieve great distance.

"Ah" Naruto's eyes widened in shock as she felt her water broke, feeling the telltale signs of labor.

He looked at her agonized face, worried that his speed was the cause of her pain. He was about to ask her of what was hurting when she said five words that made his head spin in alarm, and body stop from any movements altogether.

"Sa-Sasuke, he's coming out!"

Sasuke's onyx eyes widened, and frantically searched for a place to stay when he spotted a lake. He laid her down on a soft patch of grass, and remembered that when they passed there were hot springs nearby.

"I'll be back soon," he whispered and kissed her on the forehead, quickly leaving to get hot water in preparation for the baby's coming.

Naruto took in gulps of air and remained calm. She was waiting for Sasuke to come back when her human ears picked out the sound of leaves ruffling.

"Sasuke?"

The dark-haired demon was again running fast, keeping his promise to Naruto. His sharp nose picked out a scent of a human being, and immediately dismissed it. He was half-way through the thick forest when his keen ears picked out the sounds of silent footsteps, and an arrow being slowly stretched near her area.

'Naruto!'

Activating his sharingan, Sasuke's midnight eyes turned red in alarm. He quickly rushed back towards Naruto's location, not at all bothered by the petty wounds he received from the grazes of the trees he passed.

He entered the small place where he left Naruto, and saw her waiting for him. She then smiled brightly to welcome his return.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke calmed at her tinkling melodic voice when all of a sudden, he heard the sound of arrows being released from its bows. He looked at Naruto in alarm and in turn, her face was puzzled at his bewildered one.

Seconds ticked by as Sasuke forced his heavy tired legs. The adrenaline rushed in his blood as his body moved on its own accord. His fast eyes shifted swiftly from the arrows to Naruto's fragile form.

Only two things registered in his mind: Naruto was in danger, those men were close!

"Naruto!" Sasuke raised his hand in desperation as he rushed to her side. He grabbed her firmly, shielding her and taking the arrows' hit in her stead, grunting at the sharp pain. Then he immediately stood up to confront his human enemies, all at the same time. He groaned when he forced his body to shift to his demon form, but it refused to do so for it was already heavily bruised. Suddenly the after-effects of the forced shift kicked in, and nearly brought him to his knees.

"Damn it!" He cursed harshly, suddenly coughing up blood as he wiped it off with the back of his hand.

Naruto stared at Sasuke's protecting back in front of her with great horror and hurt, not for herself, but for her lover dripping with blood.

"Teme! Run away, baka! You're not the one they're trying to kill!" She yelled at Sasuke, tears falling down from her face.

"I'm protecting you and our baby," was the soft reply Naruto got, which made her angrier at the heavily bruised Uchiha that kept on fighting.

"Why? I didn't… I never asked you to!"

Sasuke smirked. "My body just moved on its own," he said, defeating the last of his opponents. He collapsed to the ground and sought refuge on top of her lap, panting heavily at the effort.

Naruto was looming above Sasuke's face, her tears falling on him. Sasuke gazed at her lovingly. His hand slowly reached for her face.

All of a sudden, Naruto's cry of pain pierced the air as she clutched the wound where a knife was embedded.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he saw the offender die with an arrogant smirk. He looked back at Naruto, paling when he saw that she was stabbed on her stomach.

Sasuke immediately sat up. His energy shot back with concern when he saw her pain-stricken expression. "Naruto, don't worry, everything's fine." He reassured, gently holding her face with bloodied hands. He laid her down, frantically searching for… What? Help? It was already too late to go back, already too deep to ask for forgiveness; already too far to plead for their acceptance of their elopement. He ripped a part of his clothes, and tied it around the wound to seal the blood.

"Sasuke, the baby!" Naruto looked up at her lover, her blue eyes shimmering with tears; fearing for their child's safety above hers. Her face was becoming pale, and blood just kept flowing like a river. That's when Naruto saw Sasuke's pained face as he strained to save both lives. It felt like everything slowed as Sasuke's fruitless efforts were ignored by her body, rejecting her lover's blood that usually healed her wounds in an instant.

Cold acceptance seeped and nabbed her heart like a hanging knife – the baby's dying and so was she.

Naruto heard Sasuke grunt with frustration at the never ending crimson that escaped. She reached for his face, her hands slightly quivering. Their heartbeats were beating in the same fast rhythm.

"I love you." She whispered, her tears flowing non-stop.

Sasuke took her frail hand and kissed it, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to escape.

"I-I love you too, but please, stay with me. Don't-Don't leave me." Sasuke's voice broke, his tears rolling down. He would give up everything if it meant saving her. He shut his eyes tightly to stop the tears, but it was futile… It kept falling. He was supposed to be the strong one. He was supposed to be her strength, and yet, here he was showing her his vulnerability when she needed him the most… He felt so weak. He tightened his grip on her, no longer for comfort, but as a crutch for him to hold onto.

Naruto gently wiped his tears away, and felt him flinch as his eyes shot open to look at her. She offered him a tired, reassuring smile. Her whisper pierced his aching heart as she strained to continue.

"I love you… forever. Even in our next life. Even when I can't remember your face, your voice, your eyes… I'll still love you." Her voice was barely a whisper now as she struggled to speak.

Sasuke's sinking heart felt like it was speared with sharp daggers as he forced himself to accept that she can no longer hold on to her precious life, no longer look at him with her infectious smiles, and could no longer hold her more than the moment they're having now.

"I'll wait for you." Sasuke answered the only thing possible to say, even if it was impossible. "I'll always wait for you, even when hundreds of years passed and my own body kept on being reincarnated. And when I meet you, I'll surely fall in love with you again!" He tried to smile, but wasn't successful when all he could do was cry.

Naruto smiled at this. "I love you," she whispered as her eyes became heavy, forcing it to open for one last time as if to imprint the memory of Sasuke's face to heart.

Sasuke could feel her body relax, and resulted that his own stiffened. Her heart thumped like a humming bird's wings, straining to live as death's hand wringed it mercilessly. Then the beating started to stutter, becoming less and less. Until the last soft beat of Naruto's fragile heart was silenced forever.

Naruto's arms fell limp at her side. Her eyes closed as if merely falling asleep.

Sasuke's onyx eyes widened at this and he held her limp form gently to his wounded chest. He shuddered, feeling coldness settle in the core of his hear as guilt and desolation ate his soul. He removed a stray hair from her face, and placed a kiss on her still, warm lips. He used the last of his remaining strength to lay Naruto near him. He closed his eyes, knowing that in a matter of seconds he, too, will follow because of his fatal injuries, and the effect of losing his mate.

He looked at Naruto's serene face and kissed her, pulling her body in a gentle embrace. With labored breath, he breathed out his last words for one final time.

"I love you, Naruto…"

Even in death, he still held on to her hand. Never intending to let go.

"Every ending is also a beginning."

[A/N: If only I wasn't the one who wrote this! Damn, I want to feel the feelings of the one reading this too! I wonder how you guys felt when you read this? 'Cause when I wrote this, I let my feelings flow: the anxiety, the fear, the loss... and most of all, death breathing down your neck. I felt tears fall down from my eyes when I reminisced how my favorite grandmother died, to the part where I almost died from a being hit by a vehicle. It was scary to remember and taste it, even from a memory. My hands were really shaking when I wanted to add more details to the story... Well, going back to the topic! How'd you like it? Please Review and Comment! ^_^/ Oh, and one last thing, the following chapters - Naruto is a GUY. ]