Oneshot: NaruSaku--Theme: Drama/Hurt/Comfort--

The Obvious

Another explosion echoed through the city, quaking the ground beneath Sakura's feet. She had been running back and forth between the battlefield and the hospital and she was exhausted. But she couldn't take a break, she had to keep going. Her village depended on her now. Besides, she wasn't worried about herself so much…

The loud clanging of metal on metal rung in her ears, but her gaze fell further within the forest, where the explosions still erupted. He was there, fighting with everything he had. He was too stubborn for his own good, the idiot. He always found it necessary to take on such a heavy burden. His heart was too big, he loved too much. The damned idiot.

Sakura worried about her blonde teammate, she couldn't deny it. He wasn't fragile by any means but if she lost another person close to her…she wasn't sure she could survive it. Especially not Naruto. Not the boy turned man whom she had grown fond of over their years together. Side by side they had journeyed and fought. They had always been there for each other and by no means was Sakura ready to let him go yet. He was too special to her to lose.

An enormous explosion, one that covered the battlefield in a mask of dust and debris was enough to send Sakura forward into the trees in search of her Jinchuuriki teammate.

Please… she pleaded silently …please let him be ok!

Trees were brown away from the explosion, leaving a large gaping hole in the middle of the forest. The ditch was deep and slanted like the inside of a bowl. In the center, Sakura found her blonde teammate, sprawled out across the dirt, apparently unconscious. Rushing to his side, she didn't take notice of the large man hiding in the shadows, hidden by the dust.

Kneeling down beside him, she gently propped him up halfway onto her lap, his head resting on her shoulder. She shook him slightly.

"Naruto!" she said urgently. At first she received no response. Quickly she checked his pulse and let out a sigh of relief to find he was alive. She shook him again.

"Naruto!" she spoke louder this time. Slowly, blue eyes opened to meet jade. He had a number of cuts and scrapes on him but he managed to smile at her. Sakura let out the breath she was holding and brushed the dirt away from his face.

"Sakura-chan," he muttered. "I'm okay," He struggled to sit up, letting out a short hiss of pain. His hand clutched his side and he winced. Immediately, Sakura flew into action.

"Lie back down," she ordered him, pressing him down again. But the stubborn blonde protested.

"No…I'm fine!" he insisted, trying to rise but only to be forced back down by the gentle yet firm hand on his chest. The pain in his side was throbbing now, seeming to intensify with each pulse. He grimaced at the stabbing feeling. Brushing his hand away from his left side, Sakura went to work healing the damaged muscle.

The wound was quite large, and there were several smaller ones in the same area. The medic-nin's breathing became somewhat labored as she forced more of her soothing chakra into him. It was deep and had caused severe tissue damage along with bruising that now took up half his side. So engulfed in healing her blonde teammate she failed to notice the large figure that had stepped out of the shadows and was now headed for her. By sound she heard the heavy footfalls and she turned. The kunai was pointed directly at her forehead. The enormous man wielding the weapon twitched slightly, and it was then Sakura noticed the dark shapes encircled around his legs, arms, and neck.

"Get him out of here Sakura!" a voice called from behind the man. Glancing behind she found Shikamaru, his hands performing the signs for his Shadow Neck Bind Technique. Beside him were Lee and Chouji. A hand pulled at Sakura's arm. She looked down at her teammates' face. His eyes were half-lidded and she could tell he was still in pain.

"Get out of here Sakura…" he spoke lowly, and she could detect the tiredness in his voice. "Sakura!" She turned at Shikamaru's voice. He was beginning to struggle now, his technique almost reaching its time limit. "Take Naruto and go!" he ordered her. Beside him, Lee nodded. "Yes, we will take care of everything here," he assured her.

Sakura stood, lifting Naruto up with her. Maneuvering him as best she could, she supported him with his arm over her shoulder. She nodded once to their friends and dashed off into the trees just in time to hear Shikamaru and the others engage in battle with the large attacker. She willed her chakra to her feet, speeding along atop the branches. She glanced at Naruto.

"We'll get you to the hospital," she assured him. "We'll get you fixed up in no time." The blonde shook his head slowly. "No…" he sounded groggy. "Bring me…back…" he told her. The pink-haired woman frowned.

"You're in no condition to go back in there," she told him authoritively. "Your wounds need to be treated as quickly as possible and I can't heal you as quickly out in the open," she explained to him while she veered away from the rest of the battle. Beside her the blonde groaned. "I can…"

"This isn't up for negotiation Naruto!" she snapped at him, becoming frustrated with his hard-headedness. Why wouldn't he just accept the help?

Eyes nearly closed now, he smirked beside her. "You sound like the old bat…" he muttered before falling into another state of unconsciousness. Summoning chakra to her pointer finger, she jabbed him in the arm sharply, making him jump awake.

"You have to stay awake Naruto," she told him. "Just a bit longer until we reach the hospital ok?"

The Jinchuuriki container merely nodded. She held him tighter. "We're almost there…" she spoke softer now. "Almost…just stay with me Naruto." The man opened cerulean eyes to look at her, and her own jade ones met the familiar smile she knew all-too-well. "Never knew you cared so much Sakura-chan…"

Her feet hit paved rooftops and she hurried herself along. If she kept him talking, the more he'd stay awake.

"Of course I care you idiot!" she grumbled. Naruto let out a chuckle. "I wonder…how sad you would be if…I…died?" he wondered out loud. She wanted to hit him then for thinking such a stupid thing.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "You're not going to die so don't think that way!" Another chuckle was his reply. He spoke again.

"So why did you come…looking for me anyways?" he asked. "You've got…others to take care of besides me…" he said, sounding sleepy. She was quiet for a moment.

"When I heard the explosions I knew that that was you. I was worried…so I came to get you," she said quietly.

"Aw Sakura-chan," he rested his head on her shoulder, a sign of affection. "You didn't…didn't have to worry about me." She pressed the side of her head to his temple, smiling a little. "I'll always worry about you, you idiot." She whispered. Naruto smiled, closing his eyes. "Ah…Sakura-chan…"

It had been sheer luck on time that he had chosen to fall into unconsciousness just as Sakura reached the hospital. She rushed in and shouted for the available medics to help her. Resting him on one of the beds, the made haste in taking off his jacket and undershirt beneath along with the netted shirt. Her eyes widened when they fell upon the wound.

It was a deep purplish color, not normal. It covered most of his side and even his back. In the center she saw a reddish shape. Broken capillaries were littered all around the outside. She went to work on putting the torn tissues back together.

"Sakura-sama," a nurse beside said. "He's been subject to poison!" Immediately Sakura ordered another medic to tend to the torn tissue while she went to extract the poison.

"What kind is it?" she demanded as she ran to the cabinet. The nurse paused. "I…I don't-"

"Goddamnit Mara what kind of poison is it?!" she yelled. The nurse jumped. "I think it's Paralysis Poison," she answered, stuttering; her voice high, frantic. Snatching the correct antidote from one of the shelves, Sakura hurried as she poured the bottle's contents into a steel pan. Once she emptied the bottle soaked her hands in the fluid. Her slender hands glowed with light green light as she placed both on the wound.

"Hold him down!" she barked at the medics and nurses. This was going to be painful for him. Pressing her palms firmly down upon his wound, she willed the antidote mixed with her chakra to sink into his flesh. She waited half a second for it all to sink in.

Naruto's eyes flew open and his body bucked involuntarily. A loud scream of pain escaped his lips and the nurses struggled to hold him as still as possible. Sakura grimaced. She extracted the first bit of poison. Another scream sounded from her best friend.

"Hold him!" she shouted as she deposited another bit of poison from him and into the empty pan beside the bed. Naruto's head thrashed and she saw a single tear escape his sky blue eyes. She lowered her head close to his ear while her chakra coated with the antidote sought out for the poison in his system.

"Please Naruto let me do this," she asked him. His body settled to violent shaking. "Just a bit longer I promise…" His eyes were wide as he turned his head with a great deal of effort to look her in the face.

"Sakura-chan…" he bit out through his violent tremors. She met his gaze apologetically. Sakura rose as she pulled more of the poison out of him. She held his gaze the through the entire procedure. She watched when she had taken most of the poison out, as his shakes had diminished to trembles.

With labored breathing about an hour later, she had gathered all the poison from his body, leaving only the tiniest bit for his system to
take care of. The teeny portion wouldn't kill him, but allow his body to develop a defense against it. Beneath her hands, his skin was coated in sweat from restraint. She was so tired now, she felt as if she would collapse right there. Taking a shaky breath she gave orders to the other medics to dispose of the poison and for the nurses to bring him a change of clothes.

When they had all hurried off to fulfill her requests Sakura took the pan filled with water, dipping a clean washcloth into the cool liquid. She gently wiped his forehead and the sides of his face. He visibly calmed under the refreshing feeling. She wiped the bare skin, cooling his hot temperature. Half-lidded blue eyes watched her.

"Sakura-chan…" he murmured. She stopped and gazed at his face. He smiled gently at her, lifting a weak hand to brush away the hair out of her eyes. "Thank you…"

It was merely a half-an-hour later and Naruto was already collecting his belongings to head back to fight. Sakura begrudgingly let him go, knowing that she stood no chance against his stubborn exterior. The Jounin was more than determined to head back into battle.

He tied his headband across his forehead, securing it. Sakura held back near the entrance to the hospital, unsure if she should stop him or not. It was remarkable how fast he could heal thanks to the Kyuubi's powers, but he had just gone through a painful medical procedure. It would be better if he rested a bit before diving head first into battle again.

"Naruto…" she called, stepping forward. "I don't think-"

He interrupted her.

"Sakura-chan, thank you." He turned to look at her, blue meeting green. "But don't try and stop me." He took a few steps towards her until he was no more than a foot away. He reached out, the back of his hand gently stroking her cheek. She nearly drew back, startled by the act of affection. Wide green met softening blue. Sakura opened her mouth to speak but found she couldn't get the words to form as he tugged her forward into a deep hug.

The Jinchuuriki container rested his cheek atop the head of pink tresses, closing his eyes briefly.

"I will never stop protecting the people I care about Sakura," he told her. He pulled back slightly to gaze into her face. "I will never stop fighting." His arms still encircled her waist while the kunoichi's own hands hesitated in the air, unsure where to lie. One settled for his cheek while the other his shoulder. She smiled softly at him.

"All right…" she admitted defeat quietly. As long as he returned she would let him go forth. He grinned at her, pulling her into another tender hug. This time, she embraced his large form in return.

"I swear…I swear I protect you," he whispered into the soft locks of pink hair. She rested her head on his left breastplate. The steady, sure beat of his heart echoed in her ears.

"Just come back to me," she told me. He smiled in her hair. A large hand stroked her back reassuringly.

"I promise."

The minute he left, and his embrace taken with him, did she realize how much she feared he would not return. Too many times had she wondered if he would survive.

He's strong, Inner Sakura reminded. He never backs down.

'I know, she answered. '…That's what worries me,'

Inner Sakura scoffed. He's Uzumaki Naruto! He's our idiot, but he's our hero. And he will keep fighting as long as he has someone to protect!

The reassurance was little, but it sated Sakura enough to feel confident that he would win.

She loved him. And perhaps she had figured that out too late. No matter how many times she begged for forgiveness for the way she treated him when they were young, she knew it would never be enough. For if she lost him that would be the last bullet she could take.

There would be no healing if he was gone. There would be nothing, no one there to fill in the void if he should die. He was so precious to her.

To him, she was the most beautiful thing in the world, his whole being nearly existed just to protect her. He had never stopped loving her, even after the many rejections. Numerous people would call it foolish to keep holding on for someone but he had never let go, no would he ever. He had sworn long ago that he would protect her no matter what. The one time when he had caused him pain had torn at him, but at the same time given him the strength to suppress the evil sealed within him.

She had been there to heal him, to listen, to help, and to hit him over the head on more than one occasion. He loved her and he would never stop. She was his everything.

The first early morning rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, dashing pinks and oranges across the murky blue sky. Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto fought for their village, their friends, their duties as shinobi, but they fought for something that glowed brighter than even the morning sky; each other.

Update:Heyyy Guys! Thanks so much for the feedback for my other stories and I'm so sorry for the people who love my "The Storm Within" but I've hit a huge writer's block to where should direct the story next. See I only meant to make it a (sad) oneshot. And I'm kinda thinking I'll do that.

I'm so grateful for the great feedback I'm getting for everything else.I want to know what you guys think I should do about "The Storm Within" though because I really do think I should just make it a oneshot like I intended to do in the first place (I don't usually stick with my gut instinct so that's why). But your help and suggestions would be grately appreciated.

Thank you all again so much and keep the feedback coming. Also, if anyone has any requests about what they would like me to write(please keep it to oneshots depending on the characters) don't hesitate to ask. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks again!

xoxo blondekunoichi