Moonlight Sonata

Disclaimer: how many times must I write this? I do not own Naruto or any of its messed-up characters (have you noticed it? They ALL have SOMEthing wrong with them!)

Summary: when you can do nothing else, dance.

The ring of metal crashing against metal rang across the forest. The moonlight shone for the last two ninja caught in an endless dance on the woodland floor, twisting and lunging, until one broke step and fell yards from the other. Both panted heavily, struggling to regain the breath that seemed to evade their desperate grasps.

The man gazed down at the disheveled woman, seemingly debating with himself. Clearing his thoughts, he quickly went in for the kill. Kneeling next to her torn body, he met her eyes, to him, a dire mistake.

The jade orbs sparkled up at him, unshed tears that had threatened to fall in battle made their mournful journey down her cheek. Her lips moved with unspoken words, restraining the cries that were in jeopardy of tearing from her dry throat.

Looking away, he drew a kunai; he wanted her death to be as quick and painless as possible. As he raised his hand to slit her throat, his hand stopped, her sweet, soft voice, that of which he had dreamed of for months on end.

"Sasuke-kun…" the words rolled from between her lips, breathy from lack of air. "…why?"

"I have to. It's the only way to defeat my brother."

His response only caused the tears to fall harder, rolling rapidly down her face. "But… Sasuke-kun…" she choked on a sob before gathering herself again. "Sasuke-kun… can't you see!" Almost screaming now, the woman gasped for breath.

The Uchiha's eyes softened, the sharingan reverting back to his onyx orbs. Sakura…

"Can't you see anything with those red eyes of yours!"

"…Sakura-"

"You're becoming your brother!" her words made his breath stick in his throat, a hidden fear resurfacing. "You are destroying all you hold dear to you! All who hold you dear!" his hand loosened and dropped the kunai. He could feel his body start to shake, his vision begin to blur.

"No… I'm not like that!"

"…Sasuke-kun, what are you doing now?" her soft voice snapped his eyes to her face, the pink hair framing her bloody cheeks, the forehead protector long gone. Before he knew it, he felt something wet roll down his cheek, dripping onto his shirt. They came faster, falling onto the bloodstained ground. He felt two arms lock around him, and he unconsciously fell into them.

How long has it been? 10 years?

Running a soft hand through his hair, Haruno Sakura allowed a decade of sorrows to fall onto her- death, betrayal, pain, and realization crashing into her like a wave. Feeling drowsy from loss of blood, she leaned the two of them against a nearby tree trunk, still petting her long-time love's hair.

The cool wind swept through the forest. A forest that hung the moon like a crystal chandelier. A forest where clashing metal once rang, and a man and woman, lost in an endless waltz, once danced. But, for now, the woods were silent, and the dancers waited silently for the new day to come.