Second Chances

Author: Krys Yuy

Summary: Alternate Universe. A daughter of Konoha, she comes from a dark and clouded future where chaos rules. But if she couldn't even save her own world, how is she expected to save theirs?

Pairings: UsagixGaara, NarutoxSakura (More later!)

Warnings: Possible swearing, violence, possible OOCness, and definite spoilers for Naruto (anime/manga) all the way up to the most current chapters.

Rating: PG-13

Notes: This is going to be one weird story. Expect a lot of action, too. The romance won't be played out until much later, so I kinda juice it out in the prologue. Basically, in this story, Usagi's universe is the Naruto world where she and the other Sailor Moon characters exist. But in the prologue, everything in her world is destroyed, and the crystal transports her to another Naruto world (the one we know from the manga and anime), one where she doesn't exist. So it's almost, but not quite, like every other time travel story out there.

Archive/Distribution: Fanfiction-Net, otherwise ask first.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters used.

"I never go back on my word. That's my way of the ninja!" – Uzumaki Naruto

-

Prologue – Dark Future

The stench of death and blood permeated the air, settling over the village like a thick fog. Sounds were exploding every which way – the screams of women, the cries of children, the battle shouts of the village shinobi. The once proud Konoha was crumbling before her eyes as an army of Sound-nin and Cloud-nin ransacked the village.

They had prepared months in advance, knowing Orochimaru was only waiting for the perfect time to strike. The war with the Sound had been going on ever since his failed attempt at destroying Konoha at the Chuunin exam five years ago. However, the snake's forces had grown so strong that he was able to conquer all the countries until only the Leaf and Sand were left standing. Mentally and physically, they readied themselves for the inevitable confrontation that would decide the future of all the Hidden villages. Though they had prepared in every way possible, no one had been ready for the worst threat of all.

Kyuubi.

Somehow, they managed to poison her brother with a special serum. It worked its way into his system, weakening the seal and releasing the demon. There had been no warning. Despite how much he had grown in seventeen years, even he couldn't handle the immense and sudden amount of chakra that poured into his body and as a result, blacked out. Kyuubi seized his chance and took over.

It was a repeat of fourteen years earlier, when the fox demon devastated the hidden leaf village, only now with the added assistance of one of the Legendary Sannin.

Orochimaru was overwhelming Konoha with the sheer numbers of the Sound and Cloud combined. He had known exactly when to strike, right after the chakra of the Nine-Tails was let loose and the village was plunged into a state of panic and confusion. She watched helplessly as the village she loved began to slowly yield to the heavy onslaught of enemies. When she defeated two rival ninja, at least four would come to take their place. Time became meaningless as she struggled to protect the home she had grown up in.

Usagi couldn't exactly remember how she got herself in the position she was in now. A blade was pressed deeply against her throat, and it was taking all her willpower not to scream. Her right arm throbbed painfully as the pressure on the limb increased – her bones would break at any moment.

"Naruto, wake up!" she pleaded, even as her body hummed with pain. 'My crystal! Why isn't it working?' Her only hope was the gem hanging around her neck since her arms were being held at an awkward angle. Because of that, she was unable to perform any element spells or jutsus.

"Your precious brother is gone," a familiar voice whispered. But the familiarity was tainted by the new owner's malicious intent. She felt his presence lean in close to her ear, and shuddered as he licked her earlobe. "I'll take pleasure in torturing his most important person."

"Kyuubi! You bastard!" she exclaimed, channeling her brother for a brief moment. "Give him back!" She struggled in his hold, unwilling to give up. "Give him ba-" She screamed loudly as he broke the arm he had twisted around her back.

"I wonder…if your screams will draw him out," he murmured darkly, running a hand down the soft skin of her cheek. "Will he come for you? The demon you tamed."

Usagi gasped for breath as the kunai blade pierced the skin against her neck. "I didn't-"

Kyuubi jerked her tightly in the body he had taken over. "You thought you could tame me too, didn't you? You little bitch!" he hissed menacingly. "I bow down to no one!"

She was finding it hard to see things clearly through the haze of pain. "Naruto... said... he had... control..."

"I had no other options. The damn seal your father placed prevented me from doing anything. Besides, this vessel's will was strong. I had to wait... But the snake's apprentice poisoned your brother, slipping him into a coma, allowing me to break free."

The tears finally escaped her eyes and started to run down her face. She couldn't imagine the feeling of betrayal her brother must have known seconds after the poison had taken effect. "Naruto..." The grief and sorrow she felt for her brother was palpable in the air surrounding them.

"It's no use. He's gone now." The hand he trailed down her cheek traveled lower to run down her trembling side before he encircled her waist, bringing her back full up against his chest. "Your tears... how exquisite."

Despite all her resolve, Usagi found herself whimpering. 'Why can't I move?'

"So weak..." he murmured, an undercurrent of delight in his tone. He leaned down and over her shoulder, pressing their cheeks together intimately. "Why don't you cry for your lover?" He used the hand that held the blade to grip her neck. "Make him come."

"Bastard."

His hold intensified dangerously. "I want that coward to come. That pathetic excuse for a demon."

Usagi whispered something even his demon ears couldn't pick up.

His patience was waning and he released her neck to hold the kunai up again. "Come out, come out wherever you are," he whispered silkily, blue eyes scanning the burning rooftops of Konoha. "I know you're there." Keeping the blade against her throat, the arm he wrapped around her waist moved up to turn her face towards his, their noses centimeters away from each other. "Not very honorable, is he?"

It was torture, seeing her baby brother's face distorted by the demon fox's evil personality. She glared into the foreign blue stare and spit on him.

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes. "Don't play with fire, rabbit." He crushed their lips together.

Frozen by the unexpected move, it took Usagi a few seconds before she began to struggle even harder than before. The blade cut into her skin, but she ignored it in favor of biting his tongue. She had the satisfaction of hearing him yell in pain before he broke away from her. "Get your filthy hands off me, bastard fox! You damn pathetic excuse for a demon! You walked right into Orochimaru's trap for Konoha! You're nothing but a pawn! His damn lap dog!"

Usagi suddenly felt the air around her grow very hot as his hold tightened. Her broken arm swung uselessly at her side. She could only watch in mounting horror as blue eyes seeped into red. "You should learn how to keep your mouth shut," Kyuubi snarled. He raised his hand and plunged the kunai towards her throat.

She shut her eyes tightly, holding her breath. 'So this... is how it ends.'

A beat. Nothing happened. Still afraid to look, she felt something dry caress her face. She opened her eyes slowly to glimpse sand drifting in particles around her. She breathed out slowly before turning her head to the left, seeing sand tightly wrapped around "Naruto's" wrist.

Kyuubi growled. "Damn it."

Usagi's gaze followed the line of sand, and even with the beating her body had taken, her eyes still managed to light up at the sight of the redheaded ninja. He stood on the other rooftop with his arms crossed over his chest and the familiar gourd strapped to his back. "Gaara!" she exclaimed in relief.

Not liking her cry, Kyuubi pressed down hard on the wound in her backside, causing her to scream loudly. He smiled, the sound music to his ears.

Gaara's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "Wrong move, fox." He stretched out his arm swiftly.

The sand wrapped around Kyuubi's wrist exploded out and encircled him. In his haste to escape it, the demon fox dropped Usagi carelessly, leaving her to fall down weakly on the roof. But before her body could connect with the hard concrete, a cloud of sand formed and caught her. She was swept into it, disappearing and reappearing in Gaara's arms, one under her knees and the other supporting her back.

She managed to crack a small grin at the familiar feel of her lover's embrace. "Better late than never, Kazekage-sama," she whispered faintly. She cradled her broken arm against her chest as Gaara's hold tensed.

Deep jade eyes glared down at her. "Shut up." She winced at both his cold tone and the pain in her body. His face immediately softened a tiny bit. "You shouldn't talk. Save your strength." The bite in his voice was still there, but with an underlying gentle tone.

Usagi nodded, knowing he was right, but shook in his arms as she began to cough up blood. Gaara's observant gaze took in her pale face and various injuries, and worry came to creep in on his mind. He started to look deeper but was startled out of his thoughts when his automatic sand barrier flew up in front of him. After a few seconds, it fell gently and with it, a dozen or so shuriken. Kyuubi still stood on the other roof, gazing at Gaara with a mixture of rage and bloodlust.

Gaara felt his own anger fuel him. "I don't have time for you, fox." He crouched low with Usagi still in his grasp, lowering his head and calling the sand to him. It immediately wrapped around the couple as it created a large sphere barrier.

"Hiding behind your sand, Shukaku? Come out and fight me!" Kyuubi demanded, cracking his knuckles.

The sphere closed up with a snap, plunging Usagi and Gaara into darkness. The redhead sat down carefully, propping Usagi up against his chest so he could use both hands. "Flame no jutsu." He held up one of his hands as a small flame hovered above his palm. He used his free arm to wrap it around Usagi again. Holding the light up to her face, he noticed she was even paler than before. His lips tightened into a straight line, not liking it one bit.

Usagi's eyelids fluttered open to see Gaara looking down at her with a frown on his usually stoic face. "Why so restless, my love?" she asked quietly in forced amusement.

He ignored her question. "I said don't talk. You need to go to a hospital," he stated calmly.

She shook her head weakly. "It's... too late. I won't ma-"

"Be quiet!" he snapped angrily. "You'll be fine." His teeth clenched at the blood soaking her clothes.

"You were never... a good liar, Gaara." Usagi tried to smile but only managed to cough up more blood, wincing.

"What is it?" he demanded, eyes scanning her body. He tried to pinpoint the source of the pain.

"My back. He used..."

Gaara ran his hand along her backside, feeling the burnt skin and exposed flesh. Usagi hissed at the stinging ache. His eyes narrowed in realization. "Rasengan."

"Little bro's favorite technique next to the shadow doppelgangers," the blonde said softly as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "I should've been prepared for it. Of course the damn fox would know Naruto's techniques." She looked up, eyes immediately landing on Gaara's tattoo. Usagi wanted to touch it, but found she didn't have the strength. "You'll save him, won't you Gaara? You're the only one who can reach him now."

"No." Shocked blue eyes immediately turned to meet Gaara's intense expression. "You'll be the one to save him."

"I can't. My crystal isn't working." Her broken arm was starting to throb even harder. "Besides, there's too much internal damage. I can't... heal myself."

Gaara began to feel the first flutters of real panic. "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that!"

Her vision was beginning to darken around the edges. "Gaa... ra. S-sorry."

"No." He canceled out his flame jutsu so he could hold her close with both hands. Despite the darkness, he could still see the outlines of her face. He ran his fingers over her forehead and through her long hair. His heart started to pound as her breathing became irregular. "Stop it. Stop it!" He could practically feel her slipping away from him, even though her body was as solid as ever. "Don't close your eyes, damn it!"

She chuckled sadly, even though there was nothing to laugh about. Tears gathered once again at the corner of her eyes. "Gaara... don't let me go." She wanted to be selfish, only for a little while. "Just... hold me." As her heartbeat began to fade and the pain threatened to consume her senses, she reached out with her uninjured arm to grasp his hand. He squeezed reassuringly, but before she could squeeze back, her grip went limp instead.

The last thing Usagi heard was Gaara's inhuman scream and the sound of sand falling around her.

-

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

"A-ha! I told you it would be a girl!" a deep voice exclaimed triumphantly.

An exhausted woman with pale lavender hair could only smile wryly as she relaxed against the pillows, having finally given birth after hours in the delivery room. "Well, Hokage-sama–" She stressed his formal title with a twinkle in her eye. "– as I recall, you had your heart very much set on a boy."

The recently appointed Hokage returned her smile with an impish grin of his own. "Oh Serenity... those are insignificant details, sweetheart." He waved his free arm dismissively, the other occupied with holding their firstborn. The tiny baby yawned, quickly gaining her father's devoted attention.

"Someone's going to be a daddy's girl," Serenity said, laughing. She had already held her baby once, and was now quite content to see her husband and daughter bond for the first time.

He beamed at her from over their daughter's golden head of hair, an exact match to his own. "More like daddy's little princess," he replied, falling more in love by the second. The Hokage looked up and winked at his wife. "And don't worry. Next time, it will definitely be a boy!"

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

"Kakashi-niichan! Kakashi-niichan!"

The silver haired jounin suppressed a sigh as a blonde blur suddenly attached itself to his leg. "What do you want, runt?" he asked, looking down.

The five-year old beamed up at the teenager twelve years older than her. "Don't you want to help me with my shuriken throwing, niichan? You promised, you promised!"

He tried to resist her adorable face. "I got some jounin duties, runt. Maybe later, okay?" Kakashi patted her head and tried to disengage her from his leg, but it was no use. She only held on tighter. "Bunny..."

Usagi pouted, shaking her head. "That's what you said last time! And I really need help with my throwing!"

"Right." Kakashi seriously doubted that, since her aim with weapons was more accurate than most kids her age, let alone potential shinobi. He suspected she was just trying to spend more time with him before his next mission, but he did have to finish the reports from his last one... "I'm sorry, Bunny. I just can't." He looked down at her again with his visible eye. "You understand, don't you? I mean your father is the Hoka-" The jounin suddenly started to sweat, gulping. 'Oh no.'

The tiny blonde was doing it. The one thing he had no power against.

The Face. Not just the face, but The Face. Even his Chidori had no way to penetrate it.

Usagi's blue eyes had grown watery and wider than any normal child's. With one sniffle, she quickly achieved the doe-eye effect.

Kakashi tried to look away, but found he couldn't. So he tried to talk some sense into her. "Bunny! You know that's not-"

Her lips curled into an irresistible pout, and successfully crumbled the last of Kakashi's defenses. The sharingan user melted right on the spot.

"Okay. Let's go to the training grounds."

Usagi's doe-eyed face dissolved instantly. She giggled and hugged his legs tighter before running ahead of him. "Yay! Yay! Kakashi-niichan's going to help me!" she exclaimed. "I'm gonna be the best ninja ever!"

The jounin shook his head as the after-effects of The Face started to wear off. He followed the excited child in resignation. Even as her own enthusiasm made him smile beneath his mask, he muttered, "The child is clearly evil..."

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

"Usagi... what did you just do?" Serenity asked in shock, staring at the small hole her daughter had made in the tree trunk.

The little girl turned and shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno."

Her mother gasped as she saw the mark on Usagi's forehead. "Come here," she said softly, sitting down on the ground.

When her daughter stood in front of her, Serenity looked closely at her forehead, where the sign of an eight-point star was beginning to fade. "It can't be," she murmured. Her fingers traced the mark as if to make sure it was really there.

"What is it, mommy?" Usagi asked, biting her lip. She tugged on her mother's short-sleeved shirt. "Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing's wrong, little one," Serenity answered quietly, still partly astonished. "I just never thought..." She looked into her daughter's eyes, the same shade as her husband's. "You are..."

"What?"

Serenity's expression suddenly turned serious. "Usagi, listen to me, okay? What I have to tell you is very important." She gathered her daughter into her arms and cradled her against her chest. "You... you have been given a great power. A power to call upon the elements."

"Like fire?" Usagi asked innocently.

Her mother nodded. "Fire, water, earth, wind, light..." Serenity cupped her child's face in her hands. "It's not simply the elements, it's the power of the planets."

The child's nose wrinkled in confusion. "Mommy, can't you call on the same power?"

"I can only use light and healing... those are the powers of the moon."

"That's it?" Usagi asked, a little disappointed.

Serenity shook her head. Her daughter really had no idea what power was at her fingertips. "Never underestimate the power of light, little one. Besides, the moon's light is pure, which makes it even more formidable."

"Can Daddy use it too?" Usagi knew her father was the strongest in all of Konoha, so he must be able to call upon the planets too.

"I'm afraid not. Though your father is strong, even Konoha's yellow flash can't master what you can."

Usagi's eyes widened. "But Daddy is a master at genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu!"

"Calling on the planet's powers isn't any of those things. You don't use just chakra, little one. Even someone with an enormous amount of chakra could never hope to master it. You have to be born with the ability to use it." Serenity tapped her daughter on the forehead, where the mark had now completely disappeared. "Like you were."

Usagi was struggling to understand. "Like the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans?" she asked, putting her hands together.

"Close enough," Serenity answered. She placed her palm front-side up by her daughter's face. Concentrating, she made a shower of sparkles shoot out from her hand.

"Mommy!" the blonde squealed. "You've never done that before!"

"Only those from the Tsuki clan can do it," Serenity stated, a twinge of sadness in her voice. "And even then, not everyone in the clan can call upon the power."

"But what can they do?"

"There are techniques similar to the planet powers, but in that case, they require more chakra. It's a specialized form of ninjutsu."

Usagi was silent for a long time before she spoke again. "Mommy, what makes me so special? Why were you so surprised? Wasn't that a light attack I did?"

Serenity decided to ignore the star symbol for now. "Because Usagi... our bloodline comes from the Tsuki clan. Our power comes from the moon. But you... the light attack you just did... that originates in the Ai clan, the ones who use the power of Venus. It should've been impossible for you to do." She turned her head to stare at the tree trunk again. "What were you thinking about before you did it?"

"How I wanted to make you, daddy and Naruto proud. I knew you guys loved me so much, and I loved you too. I just wanted... I just wanted to show you I could be just as strong."

'Her love for us triggered it.' Serenity let a small smile break out on her face. "Usagi... are you willing to risk your life for your daddy and I? For your little brother?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

"What about Konoha?"

"I'll protect everyone!" Usagi exclaimed, determination apparent in her eyes.

'She has the pure heart.' Serenity clutched the crystal hanging around her neck as a tingle spread across her body. 'Now all she needs is the guidance...'

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

The wind whistled as her weapon ricocheted off the trees, leaving scratch marks. She lifted her hand and caught it as it passed by her. The momentum caused her to swing her arm in front of her. "Awesome," she whispered as she felt the power just under the surface.

"I'm glad you like it," her father stated, smiling. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "It's the strongest steel in all of Konoha. There's no other weapon like it."

"This is great, daddy." Usagi grinned, liking the fact that it was one of a kind. She ran her hand over the ring of metal. It was about one centimeter thick, but the circular edge thinned until it was razor-sharp. The width of the ring was one and a half inches, and the center had a diameter of around eight inches, so it had a diameter of ten inches altogether. "It's absolutely perfect."

The Hokage patted his twelve-year old daughter's hair. "A present to celebrate you achieving genin. You'll need something to impress your teammates with."

"Daa-ad."

He coughed. "Hey, you already know I'm kidding." The blonde man kneeled down to her level to look straight into her eyes. "I had this weapon made especially for you, Usagi. You know why?"

She shook her head. "No."

"I know you're the only one who can use it to its full potential. You have a mean throw with a frisbee, so I wondered how deadly you could be if there was an actual weapon suited to you." He lovingly brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Now I won't worry as much when you're with your team."

Usagi smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm not a little kid anymore, dad," she replied, laying a hand on his arm.

The Hokage pouted. "No 'daddy'?" She gave him a look and he chuckled. "Oh all right. I'll let the powerful genin try out her chakram again."

"Chakram?" Usagi repeated, testing out the word slowly. She grinned and clenched the weapon in her hand, knowing the right way to grip it without cutting herself. "Chakram. I like the sound of that."

Ba-bump. Ba-bump... Ba... bump...

"Hey, hey, neechan!" A calloused hand grasped her arm tightly. "Let's go get some ramen!"

She ruffled his spiky hair. "Sure thing, Shorty."

"Neechan!" Naruto pouted. "I'm almost as tall as you!"

Usagi smiled at her twelve year old brother, who was indeed catching up to her in the height department. She figured she still had a couple of years to call him 'shorty' before he would grow taller than her. "Keep thinking positive, Naru-chan," she said, her tone teasing and light.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her. "Just for that, you're paying at Ichiraku!"

"What kind of comeback is that, twerp? I always pay anyway!"

He danced out of her reach as she tried to smack him on the head. "Getting slow in your old age, neechan?" Blue eyes identical to her own twinkled mischievously.

She could have sworn she heard her own vein pop on her forehead. "Old age? I'm only two years older than you!"

"Hey, old is old," he replied, grinning. He sounded and looked eerily like their father at that very moment. She suddenly found herself wanting to see that grin every day for as long as she lived.

In a flash, Usagi was next to him and had her arms wrapped around his neck. He struggled, trying to get away, as she ruffled his hair harder than before. "Hey Shorty." She hugged him tightly. "You know I love you, right?"

Naruto paused, sensing the serious turn in their conversation. There was something solemn about his sister's tone that kept him from cracking a joke. "I love you too, neechan," he replied, hugging her back.

"Good." Letting him go, she tapped his nose and winked. "Race you to Ichiraku! Loser has to pay!" She jumped and started darting along the rooftops.

Naruto blinked and tried to process what just happened. "H-hey! Oneechan!" He ran after her, waving his arms. "You cheater! Come back here!"

Ba…bump... Ba…bump...

She paused at her balcony, gazing out at the moonlight. "I'm going away for awhile," Usagi stated, deciding not to beat around the bush. "I've got a mission."

As expected, he didn't say anything.

The blonde desperately wanted to look at his face, see if anything had changed in his expression. They had been apart before, but this time, it could be for several months. People changed over time, as did feelings. "I don't know when I'll be back."

Minutes of silence passed between them before Gaara finally spoke. "Where are you going?" he asked in his unique distant tone.

"The land of the stones. Supposedly, some S-rank criminals are in that area. I've been ordered to capture them and find out what information they have on the Akatsuki."

"Alone?"

"Yeah. It'll be my first solo mission since... I don't know when." Small talk. It was all just small talk. She had something else she wanted to say, to ask. 'I might not come back.' Her fist clenched at her side. 'Will you miss me?' Usually, she just said what she wanted, but her voice wouldn't work when she needed it most.

Without saying anything else, she walked out onto the balcony and leaned against the railing. She stared out over Konoha's streets, sensing the peace and happiness, but she couldn't feel the same. 'It's just another mission... why do I feel...' Something wet dropped on her hand, and for the first time, noticed the tears. 'What? I didn't even realize I was crying...'

Usagi gasped as a tendril of sand crept up and absorbed the tears falling from her eyes. She felt his presence close in behind her and began to tremble.

"I don't like it when you cry."

Gaara seemed to hesitate before he slowly wrapped his arms around her from behind. His hands locked over her chest and pulled her closer to him. Usagi held her breath as he lowered his chin to rest on her shoulder.

"I hate it when you cry."

If anything, she started to cry harder. "I can't help it," she whispered between tears. "I'm afraid..."

His grip tightened. "What are you afraid of? Tell me." Gaara turned his head so his nose was pressed against her throat. "I'll kill it."

Usagi laughed despite herself. "No, it's nothing like that." She lifted her hands to rest over Gaara's arms. "I'm afraid... of you not being here when I get back." She relaxed and tilted her head to the right to lean against his red hair. "It's silly, I know."

"You shouldn't be afraid," he whispered against her skin.

Usagi ran her fingers along his arm. "Gaara..."

He lifted his head, lips ghosting over her cheeks, and she shivered. "I'm never letting you go."

………………………

-

Usagi felt herself floating weightlessly. "I was supposed to protect everyone... Why couldn't I be stronger?" She curled in on herself as past memories flashed before her eyes. She saw her family, her friends, her love, and a deep ache began to fill her entire body. "Please... I just wish..." Her hands unconsciously found the crystal at her neck. She poured all her remaining energy and emotion into the mystical gem. "... just one more chance... to see everyone again. Let me save them. Please..."