AN: This just kind of came to me. I hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer; I do not ownNaruto.
Return to Me.
Chapter 1
Her head hurt. The ache was dull, but all encompassing. Groggily she opened her eyes. Blinking as she was met with harsh fluorescent lights. Trying to sit up, she felt weak and fell back against the soft surface she was laying on. While her eyes adjusted she let her other senses take in her surroundings. There was the insistent beep. She knew that sound, a heart monitor. Inhaling she sighed at the familiar sterile smell of a hospital room.
When she could finally fully open her eyes she looked around, confusion took her as she didn't recognize the room at all. Instinct took over and she struggled to sit up again. It was cumbersome and she felt oddly out of sorts. And then it dawned on her. Her body was different.
Hesitantly she looked down and rested a hand on her belly, which much to her chagrin was protruding out, mimicking that of a very pregnant woman.
"Holy crap!" She yelled. 'When the hell did that happen?'
Looking around her room much closer she took in the heart monitor and the leads still attached to her. Two separate heart beats. Her own starting to increase in tempo with her anxiety and the steady flutter of the unborn child within her. At the end of the bed was her chart, which she anxiously reached for. Flipping through the thick collection of notations and medical paraphernalia that made up the sizeable file. She paled when she read the status. Pregnant Jane Doe. Comatose. Checking the date of the most recent entry and then looking at the first she almost feinted. 7 months.
Looking around she found the little button on a cord next to her bed and pushed it frantically. On the other side of the door she heard the muffled yells and the footfalls of people running. Then her door burst open and a doctor followed by several nurses ran in. Her eyes fell on their headbands. She was in Rain country.
"You're awake!" the Doctor said in astonished relief. "You've been out for some time." He rushed forward pulling out his a small penlight and shining it in her eyes. " How are you feeling? Do you know who you are?"
She sat still as he shined the light in her eyes. "Yes I'm fine, just a little weak. My muscles must have atrophied. I'm Sakura, Sakura Haruno from Konoha."
Their eyes widened. "You mean you're the Hokage's missing apprentice?!"
"Well, I didn't know I was missing until just now, but now I'm not missing anymore. I need you to discharge me so I can be on my way."
She didn't miss their worried expressions. "I would advise against that. Rain is not known for its hospitable lands. There are mercenaries, and rogue ninjas out there looking to prey on someone like you."
"I can take care of myself!" She stated vehemently as she stood up yanking the leads off her frail body. Looking around she yelled. "Where are my clothes!?"
"I'm sorry but due to the changes your body has made I doubt you'll be able to fit the clothes you were wearing." A nurse stated. She was an older woman who looked like she was a no nonsense type of woman. With her grey hair pulled back in a tight bun.
"Well, then I'm sure you have extra scrubs lying around. I have to get to Suna, now!"
"Suna? I thought you said you were from Konoha." Another nurse spoke up. Her pitchy whine grated on Sakura's nerves. She was a petite blond whose attire was entirely too tight. Sakura couldn't help but think that she was probably trying to catch the eye of some injured shinobi.
"What I do is not really any of your business. Now please get me those scrubs. I promise the bills will be paid in due time. I have to let people know I'm alive!"
"We have messenger birds for that you know." The doctor stated. Sakura's eye twitched and her chakra flared startling the three medics. "I SAID GET ME THOSE DAMN SCRUBS!"
Ooooooooooooooooooooo
Sakura was shaky on her legs, but she focused her chakra into her unsteady limbs and forced herself to move. If she had been at her full capabilities she could reach Suna in a day and a half tops. But this way, it might take more like three.
Reflecting on her situation she was surprised that she hadn't been found. While she was getting dressed the older nurse told her that she had been found unconscious washed up on a riverbank by a caravan. They had been kind enough to bring her to the hospital where she has been in a coma for the last 7 months. She also found out that they estimated her pregnancy to be around 8 months give or take. Due to her condition it was hard to estimate properly due to not knowing information prior to the discovery, and with the hospitals limited resources they were giving her as much nutrients as they could, but being a poor country they were limited to the minimum of rations.
The nurse was kind enough to give her a canteen and a couple rice balls. It was all she could offer. But Sakura was thankful. She had been walking for a day now, and she was tired. Her feet tender from disuse were cramping, but she was determined. She just needed to make it to the sand. Then he'd know.
He would always know.
Refilling her canteen in a clear stream she pulled out a rice ball and began to eat. She was careful to mask her chakra and try to keep it in reserve. She had heard from one of the villages she passed through that there was a group of rogues that liked to hang out near the border. It was one of the things she was worrying about. If he knew what she was doing in her condition he'd probably kill her. She smiled inwardly, all her friends would kill her. Right after they killed whoever tried to harm her.
She was close now. She could smell the desert. The acrid sand. She could already feel the humid heat as it had already killed the rain. Luckily she had still been able to wear her traveling cloak. Her clothes she had left behind and told them to burn them. Everything else she kept with her. Her medical bag and weapons pouch. If rogues did attack her then she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Muscles atrophied and pregnancy be damned! She was going to hurt someone!
Cresting a hill she almost cried out in relief. Before the dunes rose up and stretched out like a sea with golden waves. Taking a few steps into the sandy wilderness she looked around. Using just enough chakra to see if she could sense anyone else around. Not trusting her senses alone she cast her gaze around. Feeling satisfied that she was alone she took a deep breath and let the full scope of her chakra flair.
Oooooooooooooooooooo
Water spewed out of the man's mouth! His eyes widening as he stood abruptly. Coughing, trying to catch his breath in vain he pointed wordlessly towards his siblings. Who stood quickly from their seats reacting to his frantic gestures.
Kankuro moved quickly to pat on his brothers back trying to help him. "Gaara? What's wrong?" The puppeteer looked towards his sister as she grabbed her fan and hoisted it onto her back. "Is everything okay?" she looked as equally worried.
"I….felt…her.." The red-head managed to get out as he tried to catch his breath.
Both siblings shoulder's dropped crestfallen. "Gaara, not again. She's gone."
Gaara turned towards his brother grabbing the man by his shirt and growled , "I FELT HER!"
Temari stepped in placing a hand on Gaara's shoulder. "Okay. Let's go look. We'll check it out with you okay?"
He looked over his shoulder at his sister as his grip on Kankuro's shirt released, and nodded his head.
"Fine, let's go." The painted-faced boy relented.
Then all three jumped out the window.
Once outside the village gates he stopped and closed his eyes. Tilting his head up he let his senses guide him. His awareness spread out over the sand like internal sonar. Suddenly his head turned towards his left as he felt a pulse. It was much fainter than the one he had felt a few moments ago, but it was there. More importantly, this second pulse confirmed for him that it was in fact her.
"This way!" He began to run at a breakneck speed in the direction he felt chakra signature.
His mind was in turmoil. It had been months! Months of searching and coming up empty, and then just when he had finally resigned himself to what he thought was the inevitable truth. He felt her.
His mind drifted to that day. The day he considered to be the worst day of his life.
They were overseeing the transport of a supply convoy. A joint mission between the Sand and Leaf. He had gone as an excuse to see her.
They had been dating for near six months by then, and he was going to ask her to marry him as soon as they got back to Konoha.
Supplies were a surplus that needed to be returned to the village, remnants of the war. They had delayed its move from the Hidden Cloud village for as long as they could. But the village was running low. So Konoha had asked Suna if they could help transport the supplies. Since there were still bandits that were trying to capitalize on unsuspecting travelers. Trying to catch weary shinobi to take advantage of, and steal their supplies for their own supply stores.
They were crossing a bridge over a raging river when they were ambushed. Half the team had crossed safely and the rear guard were starting to cross when a large group had jumped out at them from seemingly nowhere. It was chaos. Both sides of the bridge erupted in fighting. Elements raged as jut-sus were cast. Trees fell and the bridge wobbled under the strain of the violence.
Mid-strike Gaara had looked for her, he saw a flash of pink on the bridge. She was running towards him. He turned to try and meet her but then kunai whizzed past his head and lodged into the creaking wood. To his horror attached to the kunai were paper bombs.
He had tried to send his sand to protect her, but the grains were to slow, and she was too far. The bridge had blown up, the debris flowing down the churning river.
He and Naruto had gone ballistic then. His sand had formed into little marbles that struck each rogue without prejudice. Then he and Naruto had rand down on either side of the river searching frantically for the pink-haired kunoichi. They had spent hours looking to no avail.
Naruto had become withdrawn, he had returned to Konoha and threw himself into training. Vowing to become stronger so he wouldn't lose another person precious to him.
Gaara had become obsessed. He had sent out posters and letters to the other hidden villages. He had sent out search parties. He had seriously thought about giving up his status as Kazekage so that he could go search for her himself. And if it wasn't for her nagging voice in the back of his head telling him that she would be angry with him if he ever did something so ridiculous, he would have.
His attention was drawn back to the present when the ground seemed to tremble underneath them. He heard the gasp from his sister and watched as her speed doubled.
The puppet master's eyes widened. "Seriously?!"
Gaara could only grunt as they all tried to run a little faster. It was understood. She was in trouble.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
She was surrounded. They had seemingly popped out of the dunes like desert weeds. Five men stood in a circle around her. She was afraid. She had tried to run. Had tried to punch the ground to disrupt their advance. But she was still weak. And she didn't want to over exert herself. She didn't want to put any more stress on the baby then she absolutely had to. Reaching to the pouch behind her she pulled out a kunai and prepared herself for the worst case scenario.
"Well, well well. What has we gots here? Pretty little girlie lost in the desert? We takes care of her. Won't we boys?" He was burly and grimy. His wrinkled unshaven face only added to the stark grotesque features. Lean and angular. Probably from not getting decent meals. The others were no better. Each clothed in raggedy garments that seemed to be composed of a hodge podge of stolen clothes. Mis-matched shirts and scarves that hung on boney bodies. Still, she could tell they were strong, and in her weakened state they could over power her.
She growled at them "If you come any closer to me I swear you're going to be missing important parts of yourselves." She swung out the kunai low for emphasis.
"Oi, she be'a feisty one eh? I likes dem feisty." Her eyes darted to a one that was slightly larger than the rest. He smiled wickedly at her, showcasing his yellowed teeth.
Her other hand reached behind her and she flung out her hand several shuriken sliced through the air. One missed but the other two landed. One in the thigh of the larger man, and one in the shin of a shorter man next to him. They both wailed in anger. Yanking out the offending weapons from their persons they both moved forward ready to strike her.
Gritting her teeth she threw a Kunai at the larger man and then ducked bracing herself for a blow that never came. Instead she heard screams.
"SAND COFFIN"
She whipped her head towards the voice and was flooded with relief. Turning her body all the way towards him she stumbled towards him her arms stretched out as tears of happiness overflowed and streamed down her cheeks.
"SAND BURIAL"
The screams of the bandits were suddenly cut off, and then she was in his arms, and she was crying as she clung to him.
His voice was strained with emotion as he enveloped her in his arms. "I finally found you."
Pulling back she looked up into his eyes and then kissed him. It wasn't gentle or tender. But it was filled with unbridled passion and love. The kiss was overwhelming and it took their breath away, but neither would relent as they both poured out their souls to the other with the meeting of their lips.
Someone near them cleared their throat, and Sakura pulled away and looked around. There stood Temari and Kankuro. Both of them crying.
Sakura turned and held out her arms to the other woman who quickly moved forward to hug the woman only to pause and look down between then. "Sakura?"
The pinkette looked down and then turned back to Gaara who had only now just noticed as well. His eyes were wide looking down to her belly and then back to her eyes. She felt shy suddenly and stroked her belly. "It came as a surprise to me too… I just found out two days ago.. I, I was in a coma."
"So, it's…"
She nodded with a smile "I'm somewhere around 8 months. At least that's what they tell me. Lady Tsunade will probably be able to be more accurate."
"You mean I'm gonna be an UNCLE?!" Sakura heard Kankuro, his voice incredulous. When she turned to look at him, tears were streaming down his face and he was sniffling to keep his nose from running.
"Aww, Kankuro Come here. " She held out her arms beckoning him to come closer.
"I got sand in my eyes!" He wiped at his face furiously. "IT BURNS!" He wailed as he began to sob hugging her.
"Of course you do. It's okay." She patted his back while looking over his shoulder at Gaara. She smiled at him and mouthed 'I love you' over the puppeteers shoulder.
"Okay that's enough." The red-head pulled her from his brother and held her tightly. "I'm never letting you go again. This was the worst feeling I've ever experienced. The thought of losing you…." He sighed burying his face in her hair, and whispered. "Never again."
AN: So that was the first chapter. I really do hope you enjoyed it. Please Review. It really is inspiring to know how people view your work.