Wounds that won't Heal Chapter 1, a naruto fanfic

The deep ticking of a grandfather clock entered in one ear and flowed out the other for Sakura Haruno. The echoing noise pierced the stinging silence that throbbed throughout the room. Nothing moved but a body that was curled against a corner. A sharp kunai lingered on the desktop next to her.

Do it.

A thousand voices roamed through her head.

They're never coming home anyway.

Stupid voices. Why are they always right?

Everything's going to haunt you…

Sakura slammed her palms against her ears.

The smiles…the laughs…the memories.

No…no no no…

You could end it all.

I could end it all…

It's so easy…and only pleasure would come of it…

It sounds like home.

Go see them…be with them forever.

Could I? Is this the right choice?

She dropped her hand's down. Why can't I decide? It's so easy…live my life like this…or be with them?

Yes.

The kunai was roughly drug across the harsh wood. The hand that limply held on to it fell to the floor with a thump.

'If I just do this…'

She numbly placed her calm kunai against her throat.

'I'll know they'll be waiting for me…'

Her swift nerves guided the sharp blade smoothly across her neck.

She didn't flinch. She couldn't. She refused to show any emotion.

'I can almost hear them calling my name…supporting…my…'

The pastel strands of hair slid out of her saliva-filled mouth. There was no longer a soft heartbeat. As her head fell against the wooden wall behind her, a new hair color was exposed. It was blood red.

XxX

'Shit! I'm too late!'

Lord Kazekage of the Sand had been assigned to Sakura Haruno a few days prior. Why the Godaime had chosen such a person remained unknown to Gaara. And why he accepted it would always baffle him. One thing he did know was why she had been a mission in the first place. She was as suicidal as he was homicidal in his younger years. He felt so used for this. They hired him- the Kazekage- to protect a jounin-ranked ninja. It was pathetic.

But what was more pathetic was that he was failing miserably at his mission to protect her from herself.

XxX

By the time he got to her apartment, there was already plenty of blood surrounding her. But it was still spewing out of her raw neck as she choked.

"Shit!" the boy swore again. He quickly lunged forward, bending down to her level. He placed a hand on her neck without hesitating. Adding pressure, he noticed her eyes where rolling to the back of her head. She never noticed him. And what was she moaning to herself a few moments ago?

Dismissing it, he roughly ripped off one of the leg-clothes hanging down his cloak. Gently wrapping it around her neck, he tried his best not to choke her. Completely immune to the sight, smell and taste of blood, he quickly wrapped his hands around her stiff body and disappeared into the air.

XxX

The wait took forever. Yet, he had plenty to think about.

What was she saying before? When he landed on her floor, his sharp ears caught her spluttering something. He didn't understand what she said, but he knew she said something. But what disturbed him the most was why she had slit her throat. She was a medic-nin. She could have easily stopped her heart, nervous system, brain function, or blood circulation. And she also knew he was right there.

He scowled to himself. 'Yeah, you were right there and didn't notice her killing herself.'

Did she want him to save her? Did she want to be saved at all? It was as if she was testing him, herself…anyone, everyone!

He HATED being tested.

His thoughts were roughly disrupted when Tsunade threw the door open. She glared at him. He glared back with equal venom.

"You're failing you mission, Kazekage."

"Maybe you should have appointed it to someone else, Hokage-sama." Gaara spat back.

"Maybe. Apparently the person I chose is too naïve to succeed in am A-rank mission."

Gaara slightly shook with anger. "The girl makes it a D-ranked mission with her ridiculous dramatics," Gaara started. "Maybe she gets it from you-!"

"She thinks lost both of her team mates!" Tsunade yelled, punching the wall behind him. "How would you feel if you lost your siblings, ah?!" she demanded.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE THINKS THAT!" Gaara bellowed unnaturally.

Gaara glared heatedly down to the short woman. Uncrossing his arms, he moved away from her dangerous fist. He walked until he was in-between Tsunade and one of the intensive care units. He gazed at the door for a bit.

"They're here," the demon holder hissed with hate.

XxX

Sasuke was the first to stroll in. He had his hands in his pockets with a strange look on his face.

Gaara's lip curled as he faced him. 'Che. He doesn't even care.'

A few uncomfortable moments later, Naruto came sprinting down the hall.

"You two," Gaara started angrily. "You have no right to be here."

"Remember, it's MY fault Gaara." Tsunade stated. "Not theirs."

"Well, maybe if you brought them out of hiding and explained everything like a good Hokage, you wouldn't have had had to admitted to that," Gaara heatedly suggested with sarcasm. "AND maybe," he started again, facing the two men. "MAYBE if you two would defy your Hokages orders, you wouldn't have to spend your precious, pointless life to be late in seeing her when she nearly DIED killing herself."

Naruto shifted and looked down, feeling guilty.

"You're pathetic!" Gaara spat with disgust. "You're in hiding, doing practically nothing, and still you're late coming here to see her."

Tsunade left them, clearly not wanting to be here when Sasuke was being shamed.

All was silent in the hall once again. Gaara said one more thing before picking up the chart Tsunade left for him.

"Like I said, you have absolutely no right to be here."

XxX

A week later, Sakura found herself in the shower, humming softly to herself.

Tsunade had placed a temporary mind-erasing technique on Sakura so she could only remember bits and pieces in time. So unfortunately, she couldn't remember that Gaara was her temporary 'bodyguard'.

XxX

Gaara sat on the tin roof of Sakura's small apartment in a domineering fashion. He was faintly surprised she didn't remember anything. The technique Tsunade put on her was strong. She doesn't remember past her 12th birthday. Gaara frowned.

He had to find two ways to keep her from going to look for 'Sasuke-kun' already. Keeping her confined so no one could see her-or she could see no one- was troublesome. He had to keep her from seeing everyone but Kakashi and the other jounin without being seen by her. She frequently asks Kakashi where Naruto and Sasuke are, why her hair was short, why she was taller, and why she was so much more mature. She must have been really stupid as a girl.

Gaara decided to move inside apartment. He had to. Tsunade told him that she would dispel the technique when she was at one of her calmest states today. He was sure that this is it. He was patiently waiting for a cry, a scream, a thump, or even a disappearing chakra signature.

A few moments later, he got what he was waiting for. There was a large thud then a series of curses. He quickly got up and speed walked to the door.

'I am going to end this ridiculous mission now with out any faults,'

he thought as he stopped in front of the bathroom door. His thin, pale hand hovered above the handle a moment before he grasped it.

For those two seconds that the door was being opened, for those two seconds that he pushed his way through, for those two seconds that she first met him the third time…as Gaara pushed past the door, put one foot past the threshold, and froze, he realize that he had to save had to save her. For his own good.

XxX

I see someone I have not seen in 4 years…or was it 4 days.

I'm so confused.

The room violently spins and engulfs me…or am I the one spinning?

I am so confused.

Where are they? More importantly, where the hell am I?

I'm so confused.

…

Sa-!

Naruto, have you- Sasuke?

…

Sakura….SAKU-…?

N-

…

RUN!

…

Naruto-?

…

Seen Sasuke?

Ha-HAVE?

DAMMIT I SAIDRU-!

…NARUTO?!

'Naruto, have you seen Sasuke?' I asked Naruto, hands laced behind my back. I leaned into his face, trying to get my point across to the blonde annoyance.

'No! Don't bother asking me about where HE is!' Naruto whined to me. I smacked him upside the head. 'Che, answer me!'

'I told you, I don't know!' Naruto forced louder. He gave me a pathetic look before pouting. 'Sakura-chaan! You hurt…' he told me, rubbing the back of his head.

Like I don't know already.

'I'm back,' came a dreamy, cool voice that soothed my ringing ears. I turned in a romantic slow motion. My soft green eyes landed in the middle of a coal grey pool of love. His eyes are my sanctuary. My area of pure love and-

THUD

A pile of dead rabbits falling in front of me suddenly distributed my moment.

'Dinner.'

Great. He always had a special way of making me twitch when I smiled at his perfectness. Suddenly, I snapped.

'Well, if you're going to just DUMP the dead things here, at least start a fire!' I demanded roughly. Sasuke turned to give me a weird look before obliging. God, I thought. Lately I have been acting like this. Every since he came back. I can't really show my love for him anymore. It's too hard. Sure, I can feel it, but I won't say anything anymore. I'm always impulsed to snap at him. I don't want to, but something that remained undiscovered, buried, in the deepest darkest part of my heart…tells me that I hate him with every last bit of energy. For what he did to me. When he left me sitting, lying, barely breathing on that stone cold bench.

I didn't realize that I was slowly twisting the soft, now-broken body of the dead creature until Naruto snatched it from my hand.

'It's already dead, Sakura-chan. No need to kill it more.' He stated, finishing off the job of hanging the bodies over the fire.

'I think you should pay attention more,' Sasuke suggested from far behind me. I whipped around to see his form leaning against an over sized tree. He was wearing nothing but his mesh shirt and slacks. The perfect forms of his chest shown through. His lower abdomen was impressive, not overbearing at all. He was staring at the night sky, seemingly in a daze.

Another one of those impulses came across me when I caught myself blushing.

'You know, you look like your brother when you do that,' I pointed out.

I didn't have a second to regret what I had just said.

I suddenly found myself pressed to the ground. He had brought me down. He mumbled something in my ear before Naruto tackled him from my left side.

But it was already too late.

That was the first time I discovered Sasuke had managed to activate Mangekyo Sharingan.

XxX

Gaara shook Sakura several times before she finally snapped into focus. Before he got to speak to her, she screamed "MORE!"

Gaara didn't no what to do. 'Restrain her.'

He responded to his instint. He quickly began to mold charkra strings. When he was finished, he gently had them wound around her body.

"More…," she kept on muttering.

"More…"

XxX

'Sakura-chan, are you alright?' came Naruto's worried voice screaming through my ears. However, he wasn't that close he; was at least 20 feet away, restraining Sasuke.

But it was no use. He had already done his damage. With that smirk on his face, Naruto should have noticed. Or maybe he did.

I couldn't tell. I was too paralyzed. I began to recall the 2 days Sasuke had put me through.

It was that night. Over and over again. Only he said different things than before.

'I love you so much!'

'You dirty slut. You would love ANYONE if they were as good looking as me'

'Yeah, I know. But I don't love you at all. I hate EVERYTHING about you.'

And then he would come and knock me out. Letting me fall onto the ground. My head would split open, but I would stay alive. I found myself unable to move my eyes from his disappearing form. My eyes would stay glued open as blood oozed into them and blinded me in a crimson world. It hurt. So much. And then it happened again.

And again.

For two days straight in his world.

That's when we were attacked.

XxX

There wasn't much that Gaara could do as Sakura sat slumped forward. There was never much he could do when she was like this.

He gave a frustrated sigh as he shifted under her weight.

"Sakura-,"

"Wait," she breathed out.

XxX

Sasuke didn't bother to come protect me. It was all Naruto. When was the last time Sasuke considered me? A once approved Team 7?

It doesn't matter. Team 7 died when Sasuke laid a finger against the back of my bare neck.

I didn't see it. The fight. For about four and a half minutes, I laid there, paralyzed to one outline. I tried to fight it. I was asleep with my eyes open. I'm losing them, and I know it. I want to move now! Please, Sasuke! Make it go away. I need you now, stop the effect!

Slowly, blood splattered against the blue sky my eyes were fixed to. When it hit my face, it was hot. It's burning my skin! A gasp escaped from my dried lips. Gagging severely, I began to swallow. My throat tasted like blood. Something hard shoved against my tonsils. I moaned when something smacked my legs. It was a smooth, maybe even soft thud. I painfully pulled my head up to see what it was. My green eyes met hard red ones, and I yelped and covered my eyes.

Sharingan!

When I didn't feel movment rustling among my trembling legs, I unshielded my face.
Sasuke's eyes were most certainly on me, but they weren't in focus. I nudged him, only receiving a stiff movment from the body.

"Sasuke, get up!" the dead weight was beginning to hurt. I checked his pulse.

There was none. My eyes widened. "Sas-?!"

I was cut off when another 110 pounds crashed against my form. I was thrown to the side, causing Sasuke's head to be dropped on the ground. When I landed, I saw orange.

"Naruto?"

It was just another dead face when I turned his head.

I'll never forget their faces, the expression on them. Ill never forget Naruto's calls for me to run.

'Sakura! RUN!' They sing me to sleep. Long, painful sleeps.

Ill never forget the look on Genma and Shizune's face when they saw the state I was in.

I'll never, ever forget it.

XxX

She was passed out again, in Gaara's arms. He wondered if Tsunade knew what she has done to Sakura.

'Nothing good,' he hoped. He began to unconsciously rock her back and forth in his arms. Closing his eyes, he soon found himself in a deep slumber.

When Gaara woke up, he found himself leaning against the side of Sakura's tub. Because of the wet shower-curtain, he was damp and freezing. He looked down to see Sakura wide awake. He decided to tell her.

"You know, Sakura," He grimaced, thinking of what Tsunade would do to him. "Sasuke and Naruto are alive."

XxX

Gaara probed her up right, letting her sit on her knees. He mirrored her, still holding her shoulders. Growling, he thought, 'Why do I always have to explain things?'

He sighed and began.

"Sasuke and Naruto were never killed. When you saw what happened to them, it wasn't really them. They were civilians that were mere decoys. The re Gaara probed her up right, letting her sit on her knees. He mirrored her, still holding her shoulders. Growling, he thought, 'Why do I always have to explain things?'

He sighed and began.

"Sasuke and Naruto were never killed. When you saw what happened, it wasn't really them. They were civilians that were mere decoys. The real Sasuke and Naruto switched with them right before they were killed. Tsunade sent them to go on the mission by themselves, and everyone supposed they were dead other than the people who knew. Only Tsunade, Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto and I knew. Well, so did the decoys but they were dead anyway."

Sakura hesitated. "Than why wasn't I killed?"

"It was a set-up. Everything was planned."

Sakura looked away, still pale. "I'm knocking my-self out."

"W-Wait!"

Sakura made a hand seal, and then slumped forward.

Gaara grimaced. "I wonder how many desks and chairs Tsunade will throw at me for telling Sakura…."

The door opened to a fuming Sasuke and Naruto. Gaara glared at them then looked down to Sakura. A peaceful expression was on her face. He hadn't seen that in a while. He glared up at them again.

Gaara picked up Sakura, threw her over his shoulder and disappeared in a sand vortex.

XxX

Gaara re-appeared right in front of Tsunade. He loomed over her.

"Tsunade." He threw Sakura on a seat.

"Oy, don't be so-."

"SHUT UP!" Gaara yelled. He began to pale(if possible). "All you ever did was hide her from the truth. It ruined her. I told her, Tsunade. She knows. Everything." He turned around. Tsunade didn't look very happy.

"Unless- there's something you didn't tell me." He chuckled, and then gave the darkest glare he could. "I would hardly be surprised."

Tsunade jumped up. They stared at each other.

"Hag."

Tsunade threw the desk up.

'That's one…' Gaara thought.

Gaara and Tsunade glared, ready to explode.

Gaara sent his sand after Tsunade. Tsunade punched right threw it and got to his face. Her fist slammed into his face, and he stumbled back holding his nose.

"GAARA!" Sakura squirmed in her sleep. Gaara raised a 'eyebrow'. Tsunade looked at her appetence.

"Gaara! Sasuke! Naruto! Please!" This was coming out of her mouth soo wrong. Sakura let out a moan and fell out of her chair. Gaara started blushing. Tsunade was in a fit of laughter. This was his chance. He slammed his sand into her and sent her flying out the window. She raised her hands and fell to the ground, her limbs twisting in odd ways. Gaara cocked his head.

'That's interesting…' Tsunades dead body was replaced by a piece of log. Of course…

"Oy, back here." Gaara turned and was met with a desk slamming into his body. Yet another window was broken as Gaara was violently flung out the window. Gaara used his sand to transport himself next to her. Tsunade jumped back and slammed her fist into the floor. The floor crashed under them. Gaara caught himself on sand and Tsunade just floated in mid air. As expected for the Fifth Hokage.

"You're pretty good." She stated.

"You're ugly and you suck." Gaara said in a monotone. Sakura was trying to free herself from under pieces of wood on the lower floor. Unfortunately for Gaara, she had Tsunades strength. She just lifted them all and threw them though the roof. Dusting herself off, she looked up at the too fuming at each other.

She pouted childishly.

"Oy, you two! Kages shouldn't fight." She froze, then glared at Tsunade so strongly, it scared Gaara. Gaara and Tsunade glared, ready to explode.

"EVERYONE FLEEEEE!"

(A/N Guys, I am REALLY HYPER RIGHT NOW. Just like ya know…don't be disturbed.)

TonTon started running around frantically. She accidentally broke the window and fell landing on a grill.

Gaara sent his sand after Tsunade. Tsunade punched right threw it and got to his face. Her fist slammed into his face, and he stumbled back holding his nose.

"GAARA!" Sakura squirmed in her sleep. Gaara raised a 'eyebrow'. Tsunade looked at her appetence.

'That's interesting…' Tsunades dead body was replaced by a piece of log. Of course…

"Oy, back here." Gaara turned and was met with a desk slamming into his body. Yet another window was broken as Gaara was violently flung out the window. Gaara used his sand vortex to transport himself next to her. Tsunade jumped back and slammed her fist into the floor. The floor crashed under them. Gaara caught himself on sand and Tsunade just floated in mid air. As expected for the Fifth Hokage.

"You're pretty good." She stated.

"You're not good or pretty." Gaara spat. Sakura was trying to free herself from under pieces of wood on the lower floor. Unfortunately for Gaara, she had Tsunades strength. She just lifted them all and threw them though the roof. Dusting herself off, she looked up at the too fuming at each other.

"Where is Sasuke and Naruto?" she demanded.

Gaara spoke up.

"At our apartment. I think. Go see them." Sakura disappeared in a swirl of Cherry Blossoms. Gaara did the same, leaving Tsunade screaming after them.

-Back at the apartment-

Sakura had Naruto and Sasuke fully pinned to the tile wall. She was crushing their ribcages easily.

"What. The. Hell. WERE YOU THINKING?!" Gaara just leaned back against the wall with a highly amused look on his face. He was so enjoying this. Naruto was turning blue and Sasuke was a pretty shade of purple. She shoved them through the wall. She was in a horrible mood. They started gasping for air, faces turning back to normal color. Sakura was a volcano right now. Naruto spoke first.

"W-were so s-sorry."

Sakura put a caring face on. "Aw, thanks Naruto.," she said in a disgustingly sweet voice. "BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW SORRY YOU ARE!" She kicked them both, letting them slam into the other wall. She stepped threw the first hole. Gaara was turning purple from laughing. They looked so pitiful right now. They deserved it. Sakura pulled a kunai out and slid it across their forehead protectors.

At first, Gaara thought that was a little harsh, but then again, they did cause her to try to kill herself 3 times.

"Hmph." She mumbled. They sat there, defeated and half dead. She turned to Gaara who was smirking.

"What do you want for dinner?" Gaara thought for a moment. "Let's go out!" she shrilled. He nodded and went to go get ready as sakura dragged Sasuke and Naruto out the door, dumping them in a trashcan.

"I already took the garbage out!"