Title: The path that leads to light.
Author: samurai-champloo
Genre: Drama, Romance, Bad!fic
Rating: R
Summary: A mysterious newcomer appears in the Konoha village.
Warnings: The story will eventually contain slash, so if it bothers you, kindly do not proceed reading. It also features a male original character, and generally a lot of out-of-character-ness of the 'Naruto' cast. More importantly, the fic does not follow the original storyline of the manga or anime series; that's because i have seen a few episodes, and read only up to the fourth manga book. Hence, my story begins from just before the Chuunin examination, where Lee fights Gaara (instead of Sasuke like in the anime), and proceeds in a completely AU maner, sometimes incorporating elements of the anime storyline, but most of the time being in a completely different setting altogether.
Author's notes: This is my first attempt at fanfiction; after reading so many stories i decided to give something back. It has not been beta'd so proceed at your own risk... :) Thoughts are indicated in italics. This chapter is long overdue, but i hope it's worth the wait.
Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns everything Naruto. I am simply borrowing the characters for a while, for my own devious purposes.

Chapter 13: The path that leads to light

The Akatsuki were probably aware by now of Ayame's disappearance and would be looking for him. Konoha's ANBU forces were planning to find them first in a sneak attack that would take them by surprise. All the best juunins were chosen for the S class mission, including Kakashi. Team 7 wanted to go but it was out of the question, the situation had gotten very dangerous, and the Hokage was worried about the true motives of the criminals, which were still obscure. Ayame, however, wouldn't hear it; if he stayed in the Leaf village, he might leer one of the Akatsuki members there, and without the most of the ANBU ninjas there, the citizens would be in danger. He wanted to go off first both as a bait, and to take the upcoming battle as far away from populated areas as possible. But if Ayame would leave off to join the mission, Sasuke was adamant that he'd go with him. He still had to face his brother, and that was their deal after all. After a long debate it was finally agreed that Sasuke and Ayame would move right in front of the ANBU forces, which would follow in a close distant, in order to trick the Akatsuki into thinking the two boys were alone, and thus creating an ambush.

Naruto had whined, and whined, nearly yelling his lungs out at everyone, but he and Sakura were not included in the mission. Except Sasuke and Ayame, the group was constituted by juunins only, and that was what probably made Naruto even angrier. His 'but it's not faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair!' cries could be heard from one side of the village to the other, but the Hokage was relentless in his decision, and special Iruka-ramen intervention was headed, but Naruto would not be consoled.

Sakura was glad on the one hand that she wouldn't be joining because the last few days had bore on her nerves, and she was exhausted. But on the other hand she was worried about Sasuke and Ayame, and although she and Naruto were far less skilled than any juunin, she still believed that they worked better together than any group, and that removed from that 'bubble' any of the three was bare and unprotected.

Thank God master Kakashi will also be there. And poor Ayame... it seems that he'll never be able to stop running and settle down somewhere... what kind of life could that be...?

Sakura was looking out her window. It was almost midnight, and as far as she knew the group would set off tonight. Naruto was under the strict supervision of Iruka -sensei because it wouldn't be unlike him to run off and follow the ANBU juunins.

Honestly, that boy has no sense in him...

But inner Sakura secretly also wanted to run off and join too, just to keep an eye on her dear Sasuke, but she very well knew that she was out of her league. Naruto, however, would never admit that. She smiled at that, and with a last look at the sky she wished with all her heart that Sasuke and Ayame would return safe and sound.

"You shouldn't have come with me. You could follow with the ANBU, it would be safer this way"

"You don't think I can beat him, do you?"

"He might not be alone. And if they are all looking for me, and something goes wrong and the ANBU don't come here in time, they won't spare you, don't you get that?"

"Seriousy, why do you worry about that so much?"

"Wouldn't you? If you were the reason that a teammate died, I mean?"

Sasuke didn't answer and kept trekking, he and Ayame were told to follow the same path as before, in hopes that the Akatsuki were coming straight to Konoha, so that they'd meet the midway. The ANBU forces were following in stealth mode a little way back, and Sasuke and Ayame were advised to be mostly in the open, but not so much as to look suspicious, because after all they were trying to make it seem that were trying to avoid the Akatsuki, not fall on them deliberately, so that they sneak attack would be more effective.

Ayame and Sasuke had hardly spoken with eachother the last few days of the preparations. They had attended a plan session were the mission was laid out, but it was obvious that most of the juunins were not happy that they would be joining. It was too dangerous but there was no other way that would guarantee they'd find the Akatsuki, because if they didn't run across them, only Ayame knew precisely the location of the hideout; so in case the Akatsuki were not yet out on the lookout for Ayame but still in their base, planning their next move, the ANBU could plan the sneak attack there. Most of them were hoping for this outcome.

A coupe of hours after the sun had set, they had to stop for a couple hours of rest. It was planned like that so it would seem they were indeed traveling. They ANBU forces behind them would also stop so as to keep their distance. They laid down near tree roots, and they were effectively concealed by the shadows cast by the branches. Neither was tired and the anticipation of what was about to happen bore on their nerves so neither was really able to sleep, and they soon started talking. Ayame asked Sasuke about the hitai-ate, and pointed out that even though Itachi had left Konoha, he still wore his, albeit with a line slashed across it. Sasuke wasn't really comfortable talking about that, but he explained nevertheless what the line represented, and then Ayame tried to change the subject to something irrelevant to Itachi or Sasuke's family.

"I wish i had gone to the academy. At least i would be able to read and write"

"What? You mean you don't know how?" Sasuke said barely concealing his surprise.

Ayame though didn't seem embarrassed, after all it wasn't because of his unwillingness that he never went to the academy.

"No, not really, except my own name"

"There are many symbols, but if you learn them in order, it's not very hard. For example this is one" he said and proceeded to draw with his finger on the dirt, the Kanji symbol for 'one'.

"And if you draw another line like this, it becomes 'two'. Most symbols bear on simpler ones, that's why they have to be learned in order"

Ayame copied Sasuke's movement's and when he finished he sighed,

"It must have been fun going to school with Naruto and Sakura-chan and learning things..."

"Well, learning was nice, Iruka-sensei is a very competent teacher. But being in the same class with Naruto was hindering to everyone's learning process. He was being an idiot, played pranks on a daily basis and ruined the class a number of times." Sasuke said with a dismissive look, but Ayame chuckled

"He couldn't have been that bad... besides i know why you don't really like him. Sakura-chan told me all about him stealing your first kiss at the academy" Ayame was fully grinning by now, and Sasuke turned away in indignation and embarrassment. He 'hnned' and explained that it was certainly an accident and that he doesn't count it as a real kiss, because a kiss should definitely feel different. Ayame them jumped in to tease him some more

"Kami sama, I would never take you for a romantic Uchiha!"

Sasuke's eyebrows twitched and a small vein started palpitating on his forehead, and he turned yet once more on the other side. Ayame was tempted to laugh out loud, few were the times where he could see Uchiha unsettled, and right now he was such a funny sight. He didn't however, knowing how proud Sasuke was, and tried to make amends

"I was joking, i didn't mean to make fun of you. Here show me how you write your name"

Sasuke turned reluctantly but there was still 'grouch' written all over his face. He wrote his name on the dirt nevertheless, but when Ayame tried to copy it and failed because he wasn't putting the lines in order, he lost his patience and grabbed his hand to show him. At some point Sasuke realized the intimacy of the gesture and felt surprised because he was certainly not the touchy-feelly type, but he didn't let go until Ayame had got it. Ayame smiled at his messy scribbling and they stayed still, simply looking at eachother. Sasuke felt his chest expanding not knowing why. Ayame then pointed at something in the trees but he didn't hear because he caught sight of the scars on Ayame's inner forearm and realized that they must have been very deep if they were visible after all this time. He took the other boy's hand impulsively again, and Ayame turned sharply.

"I didn't realize what was going on at the time, sorry"

"What? Oh these... Don't worry, i know, and they are almost gone now"

"What did you do exactly?"

"It's chakra healing. My mom used to do it to me everytime i got sick. Some healers also practice it, but it expends a great amount of energy. You have to be very well trained and even then it's draining. For me it's a bit simpler, but i think that i had fainted afterwards"

"I think i might remember it. I mean you performing that"

"You opened your eyes for a moment, but i didn't think you were conscious"

"I saw you but i didn't know what was happening, i only felt warm"

"It was because of the energy flow, here i'll show you. It won't be the same because your chakra level is fine now, but we could still try this"

He then raised his hand opening his palm outwards and asked Sasuke to do the same and concentrate all of his energy to his hand. Ayame closed his eyes, their palms were opposite eachother and soon a blue-white light emanated from Ayame's palm and blended with Sasuke's energy, it was like interchanging their chakra, and warmness surrounded their hands. Sasuke had a flashback to the time during the chuunin exam, and realized that performing this to an unconscious person must have been extremely weary for Ayame, but he nevertheless did it for a stranger, although in retrospect Sasuke understood that Ayame did it because he probably felt responsible since Orochimaru was there that day because of him. He felt the same warm glow and something he couldn't remember feeling for a long time; happiness. Once again his chest expanded, and when Ayame ceased his chakra they were left looking at eachother in awe. It was strange but the only thing Sasuke knew at that moment was that if he turned away something inside him would definitely break and he might never recover. He moved an inch closer, Ayame looked up but didn't seem to mind. Sasuke then stopped but Ayame moved too, and they didn't know what to do but only one thing seemed natural; they moved at the same time, their lips almost touched, and they stayed still, their breaths intermingling. After a few moments which felt like eternity, they moved again and their lips went over eachother in a slow, tentative exploration. Sasuke could feel his heart throbbing inside his throat, and it felt delicious. He wanted to touch Ayame's hair and he did it before the thought had even properly formulated.

Ayame didn't know if this was kissing, this sliding of lips on lips, the breathlessness, and the buzzing in his ears, but whatever it was it felt good, and he wondered why he had never tried it before. His dazed thinking ceased when he realized that Sasuke was pulling away. He was looking at him with a critical eye although he had a bit of a glazed look so the effect was ruined. Ayame started feeling nervous. He could understand now why so many people found Sasuke chilling and distant. Sasuke wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and without another glance at Ayame, he stood up and started walking.

"We have to keep moving, we rested enough."

Ayame nodded even though Sasuke couldn't see him, and although he didn't understand, he also started walking. For a reason he couldn't quite fathom he wanted to cry.

At dawn their pace started growing faster in order to make most of the emerging light. Neither spoke, but Ayame would sometimes turn to look at Sasuke, who had a steely, cold expression. The previous night seemed far away, as if it had happened in a dream. At some point Ayame thought he heard something so he stopped to check it out. It seemed like it was coming from the trees. Sasuke stopped too trying to figure out what was going on. Ayame nodded with his hand for him to be quiet, and he looked up at the trees. Everything was peaceful except for the regular forest sounds. But Ayame still felt a bit edgy. He touched Sasuke's shoulders to make him look up at a particular direction, but Sasuke flinched away from him and said out loud before turning to go

"There's nothing there, you are losing time"

It was then when three masked men came flying out of the trees. The boys turned around sharply, Ayame hastily made a shield of chakra in front of them, but his reaction was a fracture delayed; One of the men knocked Sasuke out, and the other went straight for Ayame in superhuman speed, biting him on the neck. Ayame fell promptly unconscious. They picked him up, and went as quietly as they had come, leaving an unaware Sasuke behind.

TBC