Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters and jutsus…Masashi Kishimoto-sama (My master!) owns it.
Title: By Your Side
Author: Miss Jeri-chan
Genre/s: Drama/Romance/Action (Because I don't know how to put three genres there…XP)
Pairings: NaruSaku
Ages: Naruto – 18, Sakura – 18, Sasuke – 15 (deceased)
Summary: Naruto is being chased and if he is caught he would be killed. Now, it is up to Sakura to save and protect him. But will they be by each other's side? Even if it will cause both of them their death?
By Your Side
"There he is! Follow him!" said Anko, pointing towards the running Naruto.
Naruto's clothes were torn apart and he was full of scratches and has a deep wound on his right arm because of his fight with the other ANBU. Someone used a special katana at him that even his Kyuubi abilities cannot heal it. It needs a special medical jutsu to heal the wound, and only a specialized medic-nin could do it.
"Stop it Anko, he did not do that on purpose," said Sakura, trying her best to stop Anko's group.
" You don't know anything Sakura, you're too inexperienced. Don't act like you know it," hissed Anko and Sakura felt rage flow in her veins.
"It's not me Anko who doesn't know anything, it is you!" shouted Sakura, Anko's eyes flamed with anger. "Stop them! Now!" commanded Sakura.
"I won't Sakura, if you want to save his skin then better follow him before it is too late," said Anko, smirking dangerously.
"You bitch!" said the frustrated Sakura and followed them.
Naruto was already weak. He couldn't control the monster inside him; it wanted to go out, though he struggled against it, but the monster was stronger and emerged from inside him and began bringing havoc and destruction at Konoha.
Sakura witnessed the whole situation and saw how Naruto fought hard to contain the monster inside him. She understood that it was not his fault that the monster went out of him.
When Naruto returned back to his normal state, he was very weak that he couldn't even stand up. Tsunade quickly sent the ANBU to get him. He tried to escape but it was hard, he couldn't move a muscle in his body properly.
They asked Sakura where he went and they began chasing him, Sakura followed them and she found out that they will kill Naruto. She tried to stop them but they did not listen, especially Anko. Sakura argued with her until they were both fed up and pissed with each other.
"Stop it!" she shouted towards the group of ANBU but they won't listen to her, they were instructed to only listen to their captain and unluckily it was the heartless Anko.
"I told you to stop it, damn it!" she tried again but still there was no response.
Sakura didn't know what to do. She tried analyzing what was happening and she decided to find another route to look for Naruto.
When she was already near the Konoha's boundary she saw him, he was behind a very big rock beside the river. He was trembling all over with bloodshot eyes, fearing for dear life.
Sakura slowly walked towards him. Naruto placed his hands at his hair and looked down, looking very sacred.
"No please, spare me. I didn't mean to, I tried to stop it," said Naruto, Sakura knelt down in front of him and Naruto backed away.
"Don't worry Naruto, I won't hurt you," she assured him. Naruto looked at her eyes to see if she's telling the truth.
"There he is!" someone shouted.
"Let's go Naruto, quickly! We need to hide," she said and pulled Naruto.
They reached a cave and went inside. Someone from the ANBU went inside it too and she hid both herself and Naruto behind a big rock and told Naruto to conceal his chakra and she did the same. The ANBU did not notice them and just left. Sakura sighed in relief.
"Are you okay Naruto?" she asked.
Naruto did not answer. Sakura saw the big wound at his right arm and tried to hold the wounded part to have a closer look but Naruto pulled away. He was still afraid of her.
"Naruto don't worry, I am not your enemy. I'm here to help," she guaranteed him.
"You're from the town, of course you're an enemy," he answered.
"Naruto, look into my eyes. What do you see?" she asked him and Naruto did what he was told.
He stared at her green pools and saw something that assured him that he is safe.
"Warmth…and safety," he whispered and Sakura smiled.
"Naruto, you don't have to doubt or fear me. Believe it Naruto."
Naruto's eyes concentrated upon her. She did not move a muscle because maybe the slightest twitch may scare him and tell him she is faking it.
"Naruto…"
"Help me, Sakura-chan," he whispered, his head down and tears began falling from his once vibrant blue eyes. "They're going to kill me, I don't know what to do. Please help me. I did not mean to do it," Naruto pleaded at her.
Sakura felt her heart sting and she hugged Naruto. She hugged him tightly and he responded like a little child and hugged her too and cried on her shoulders.
"I will Naruto, I'm your friend, and maybe your best friend. Everything may lie to you, spit at you or call you trash but not me. I'll be with your side always, you did not fail me even once and I will not fail you now. Even if time already passed I am still the same person you met Naruto," she comforted him and rubbed his back.
"No Sakura, I failed you with Sasuke," he answered and faced her.
"Forget about that Naruto, it was all childish, I know you did your best."
"But-"
"Now Naruto, I need to check your arm, it needs medication," she answered and broke the hug.
Naruto held out his arm and Sakura held it gently and examined it. The wound is deep and chakra was used to slice it so the tissues cannot be repaired that easily. She needed a hell lot of chakra just to repair them.
"Don't worry Naruto. This will turn out just fine," she said and focused her chakra at her hands.
Her hand began to glow green and she placed it at Naruto's wound. Slowly the tissues began to restore itself to its normal state. When almost half of the wound was healed up Sakura began breathing heavily because she had consumed too much chakra already.
"Sakura, stop it, you'll die if you loose all your chakra," said Naruto, looking really worried.
"Don't worry Naruto, it'll all be fine. Trust me," she answered, panting, she was too tired but was determined to continue.
The wound was almost completely healed. When it was finished Sakura suddenly fainted because she was over fatigued.
"Sakura, wake up, don't leave me," said Naruto, looking really worried for his friend.
"I won't, I just need to rest," said Sakura and she slept.
Naruto stared at her face and wondered if she still kept her heart for Sasuke after so many years that passed.
Sasuke's already dead; he was killed along with Orochimaru because they were too late to save him. He was made as the snake-man's container and they don't have a choice but to kill Ororchimaru along with his body. He thought that Sakura would hate him because he broke his promise to her but she did not. She just smiled sadly, eyes teary and said he did his best and turned away from him and cried for herself.
After that, Sakura turned into a new person. She was all gloomy and never like she was before. The active and playful Sakura crawled to her hole to express her depression there and never came out again. Naruto felt he was the one to blame though she said many times that it was not because of him but because of her.
She was too dumb, too shallow to let her feelings go that intense that she cannot stop it anymore even though she knew that it will not work out the way she wanted to.
A loud thunder was heard outside the cave and suddenly a hard rainfall showered from the sky. Naruto stared outside and looked as the plants got wet from the rain and the ground turned into muddy soil. It was already dusk and outside felt very gloomy but tranquil, he felt at peace.
At the Hokage's office…"Godaime Hokage-sama, we cannot find Naruto, I think he is with the ever meddling Sakura, she tried to stop our operation," said Anko, very wet from the rain and was looking really enraged.
"Why didn't you stop Sakura, you're superior than her, you should know what to do," said Tsunade very calmly.
"She won't listen to me. She's too snooty to think about her superiors," answered Anko, crossing her arms.
"I want you to bring Sakura to me this instance and Naruto should get his punishment," said Tsunade. "Sakura will be punished by the law, those who doesn't follow the rules are trash and not meant to be a ninja."
"Yes Godaime Hokage-sama," answered Anko.
"Whatever happens Anko, do not kill Naruto," said Tsunade seriously.
"I cannot promise that Gogaime Hokage-sama," said Anko, bowed down and went away.
"But of course, those who forget about their friends are worse than trash."
"I know, but the way she acted is meant to be punished," said Tsunade and looked at Kakashi.
"What will you do with Naruto?" asked Kakashi.
"I will give him a proper trial," answered Tsunade.
"But Anko seems like she won't listen to you this time, she lost her family's lives at the Kyuubi's attack and she's blaming Naruto. Won't you do anything against it Tsunade-hime? He did not do it on purpose," informed Kakashi.
"I know and of course I will do something!" said Tsunade and went to follow Anko.
"I thought so," said Kakashi and he disappeared.
"Tsunade-sama…" said Shizune when she entered the Hokage's office and Tsunade wasn't inside it. "Where could she be? I'm sure she was inside a while ago," she wondered.
Naruto sat down against the wall of the cave, his back resting on it. His legs were bended and his arms were hanging limp on top of his knees. He kept his gaze on Sakura.
'She is so peaceful, she's like an angel,' he thought to himself and he fell asleep because he's too tired already.
When Sakura woke up, the very first thing she saw was Naruto who's sleeping already.
"Perhaps he's tired too. He lost too much chakra when he turned to Kyuubi," said Sakura to herself.
She crawled near Naruto and checked on his arms. The wound was completely healed leaving only the scratches all over his body. She mend the ones on his body first and then his face. She fixed her eyes on his face then suddenly another thunder boomed and Sakura's eyes shot outside and saw that it was raining.
"Oh, it is raining, I did not notice that," she said to herself.
She stared outside and her eyes landed on a single stemmed flower. It has pink petals and resembles a slightly opened rose. She watched as the petals got wet from the rain. As the raindrops touched the petals the flower would sway, it looked like the stem would snap but it would fight against it and would go back to its past posture.
'The flower's like Naruto, it's very strong. Even if it looked like it's already giving up it would fight back and stand up strong again,' thought Sakura and glanced back at Naruto.
She started mending his face and when no scratches were left she began staring at it again. She looked at his whisker marks, his eyes, his nose then his lips.
"I know I shouldn't have hidden the way I feel for you Naruto," she whispered and traced his cheeks with her fingertips. " I should've let you known that I love you. I knew my heart belongs to you when Sasuke left us and chose Orochimaru, I felt that the it was only infatuation that I had for him and not love but I was too scared to admit it. I don't know if you will last, if you will stay with me forever," she said and tears began forming in her eyes. Naruto heard her sobs and woke up form his sleep.
"Sakura-chan?"
"Naruto," said Sakura, suddenly startled and wiped her tears away.
"Eh, Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" he asked looking worried.
"I don't know, maybe because of how I feel right now," answered Sakura and continued wiping her tears away. "It's strange."
Naruto moved near her and hugged her.
"What are you feeling?"
"I don't know. It's confusing."
"Why?"
"It's too complicated.
"I'll try to understand."
Sakura looked at his eyes to see if he was really serious.
"Naruto…I-I…I love you," she whispered and Naruto was shocked and pulled out from the hug.
"What?"
"I don't know. A part of me says that it is best to be just friend but the other part says I should let it out. To tell you that I love you," she explained, her tears stopped falling.
"Then listen to the last one," he replied and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "I love you too Sakura-chan, ever since I met you."
They looked at each other for a while. Naruto cupped his hands on her cheeks and placed it at her neck. Sakura squeezed his hand, Naruto smiled and then placed it at the back of her neck then pulled Sakura closer to him.
His face slowly went near to Sakura's. Sakura stared at his intense blue eyes and her tears slowly fell again.
"Sakura?"
"Na-ru-to," she said and slowly she went near his lips and placed a long and passionate kiss.
Naruto's arms slithered its way at her back and hugged her. Sakura circled her arms around Naruto's neck, hugging him. Naruto's hand that was previously at the back of her neck was now on her head and pushed it to deepen the kiss.
He licked her lips, asking for entrance. Sakura's eyes shot open and looked at him then she granted and closed it again. Their tongues danced inside each other's mouth, tasting each other.
Sakura slowly lay down on the cave's cold ground and Naruto was on top of her, they did that without breaking the kiss. The arm on her back slowly crept its way inside her shirt heading north until it found its destination. Naruto cupped he breast and Sakura gasped in their kiss, her eyes were suddenly opened only seeing Naruto's eyes.
"There they are!" someone shouted and they quickly stopped and stood up.
"Sakura-chan! They found us!" said Naruto in a panic-stricken voice.
"I know, we should go," answered Sakura and her eyes darted around looking for a way out and hopelessly, she cannot find any.
"You can't escape. The only way out here is the one I'm standing on right now."
"Anko! What the hell!"
"Why? Are you surprised, little cherry blossom?" asked Anko who has a very dangerous glint in her eyes.
"Let us out!" shouted Sakura.
"No, no, no, snooty pink-head. You'll stay here and witness how I slowly kill the Kyuubi," answered Anko and smirked at her.
"Bitch!" Sakura growled.
"Seize them!"
"Naruto, run!" shouted Sakura but the ANBU was too fast and both of them were caught immediately.
Naruto was pinned on the wall and they got hold of Sakura's arms.
"Let go of Naruto you goddamn bastards!" shouted Sakura, fighting against the strength of her captors
Anko slowly walked towards Sakura and held her by the hair, pulling it so that their faces would be leveled with each other.
"You've caused too much pain in the head Sakura. Why do you want to help the Kyuubi?" asked Anko and pulled her hair harder.
"He's not Kyuubi! He's Naruto," hissed Sakura and glared at Anko.
"No difference. Kyuubi is inside him, he is one with the Kyuubi!" answered the black-haired woman.
"No! They're different, Naruto is not Kyuubi, he is just the container to keep the Kyuubi from harming the village!"
"Are you joking? He was the Kyuubi a while ago, in looks and form!"
"No!" she shouted and spitted at Anko's face.
Anko's eyes became slit-like and looked at Sakura furiously. Sakura stared back and suddenly she became afraid of Anko because she seemed like she's ready to kill.
"Why you!" she growled, wiping her face and suddenly, she slapped Sakura.
The ANBUs who were holding her can't hold her back and flew a few meters away and her body slid across the ground making scratches around her body.
"Sakura-chan!" shouted Naruto and fought miserably against his captors clutches.
"Shut up fox-boy!" snapped Anko and she walked closer to Sakura who was trying to stand up.
"He-he i-is not Kyu-Kyuubi," she said, her knees buckling against her weight because what Anko did cause her some injuries. "He-he tried to stop it, he was not the one who did it!" said Sakura and finally she stood up properly and stared at Anko and was shocked because she was crying.
"Anko…"
"He killed my family…How do you think would I feel about huh? Happy!" shouted Anko, her tears falling from her eyes.
"Naruto didn't, it's the Kyuubi. He is innocent," she answered and Anko punched her in the stomach sending her to the wall and it cracked at her impact.
"Shut the fuck up! It is just because you did not lose you're family in his attack," she said and pointed at Naruto. "That's why you are acting like that! That's why you don't know how I feel!"
"I know how you feel. I lost someone I loved before," she said and Naruto stared at the ground, he knew it was his fault. "That's why I don't want to lose another one again!" Sakura replied who was on all fours.
"Grab her, and this time don't let her go."
The previous two who were holding Sakura appeared beside her again and held her arms making her stand up. She pulled Sakura's head by the hair again and she looked at Sakura's green eyes and smirked.
"Watch me as I kill the Kyuubi," said Anko dangerously and walked away, going towards Naruto. "Let him go."
They let go of Naruto and he stumbled down. He stood up quickly and glared at them with piercing eyes and then looked at Sakura who was already weak and full of scratches.
"Let Sakura out of this. This is only between you and me," he said threateningly but Anko didn't feel any fright in her body.
"No, I want her to see how I make you suffer and die," she answered and fiddled with the kunai she has on her hands.
"You sadistic woman!" said Naruto and got his shurikens from his pouch and threw it at Anko who used her kunai to shield herself and ran towards Naruto. She tried to stab Naruto with her kunai but she missed and jumped up the ceiling and smirked. Naruto was surprised at her reaction.
"Look down," she said and Naruto looked and saw a kunai with an exploding tag attached to it.
It exploded at him and he flew a few meters away. Anko went down and threw senbons at him with exploding tags attached to it. Naruto tried to dodge them but it was too many. They all exploded once it had hit a place and unfortunately some landed on Naruto's body and exploded there. The smoke cleared up and Sakura saw Naruto lying limp on the floor.
"Naruto!" shouted Sakura.
"Having fun Sakura?" asked Anko, who was already doing hand seals, preparing for another attack.
"Stand up Naruto!" she shouted and Naruto stood up slowly and supported himself by holding the side of the cave's wall.
"I may not have enough chakra to create a jutsu but I can still do it. Don't worry too much Sakura-chan," he said while panting and looked at Sakura and tried to smile just to assure her. Sakura nodded.
"Enough talking, face me Naruto!" shouted Anko and did the Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu sending her fire at him which Naruto dodged just a few inches and he also did some hand seals.
"That's impossible Naruto, you don't have enough chakra!" said Anko, with a mocking smile on her face.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"Impossible, you lost you're chakra on your transformation as Kyuubi a while ago," said Anko, amazed on Naruto's stamina.
Naruto smirked, "I will be the future hokage. Attack!"
All his clones started attacking Anko. Anko spun really fast sending senbons to all of Naruto's Kage Bunshins and the real Naruto was left who was panting very hard.
"That was too easy," she said and ran towards him.
She punched him towards the wall and sent two kunais flying towards him, pinning him there instantly. Naruto was knocked out and Anko began doing some hand seals again. And Sakura noticed the hand seals.
"That's a forbidden jutsu!" said the appalled Sakura and Anko just smiled smugly.
"Sojasosai no Jutsu!."
"No!" shouted Sakura and concentrated her chakra in her arms and pulled away then ran towards Naruto.
She was hit squarely at the chest and her eyes shot wide open. She coughed blood and knelt down. Naruto slowly opened his eyes and saw Sakura who was full of blood.
"Sakura!" he shouted, horrified at what he was seeing at the moment.
"Naruto…sa-save you-yourself, I-I love you" she said and fell on the floor.
"Sakura!"
Anko was aghast of what she just did and stepped back, looking really shocked and horrified.
"I-I didn't mean to kill you," she said and looked at Naruto who has already freed himself from her kunais and was kneeling down beside Sakura.
"You! You killed her!" he shouted and placed his hands on Sakura's blood and closed it into a fist. "You-you will die!"
Naruto suddenly begun releasing the Kyuubi's chakra and this time he was able to control it. His eyes turned red and his whisker marks became deeper. He locked his eyes on Anko and she stepped back a few times.
Naruto started concentrating his chakra on his hands and Anko knew what he was doing and did some hand seals. When they were both finished they lunged at each other in the same time.
"Sojasosai no Jutsu!"
"Rasengan!"
A loud thunder echoed inside the cave.
Both had hit each other and the time seemed to stop. Naruto's rasengan was so powerful that even the ceiling of the cave cracked and a hole was formed and the rain began hitting them. Anko flew on the wall of the cave and made a hole through it and she landed outside, her blood dripping from her lips and her eyes were closed. Naruto knelt down, his blood dripping from his mouth and coughed more blood out. He crawled towards Sakura and looked at her face.
"Sa-sakura-ch-chan, n-now we-we're together," he said and smiled. He placed a light kiss on her lips and fell on top of her.
The flower outside gave up and was uprooted by the hard flowing water and was washed away.
"Naruto!"
"What happened to them?" asked Shizune who was running beside Tsunade heading towards the Emergency Room.
"I don't know. I arrived late! Now quickly, they might die!" said Tsunade, checking on Naruto's pulse and it was very weak.
They arrived at the E.R. and they began doing the operation.
Anko was quickly sent to another room and the Medic-nins working on her revived her.
She opened her eyes and saw Kakashi and other ANBUs standing beside her bed. Kakashi had a stern and sad look on his face.
"Mitarashi Anko, you broke the ANBU rule," he said, unemotionally.
"I know…"
"You know our rule," said Kakashi. "You will be put to prison for killing an innocent person and for not following the Hokage's commands."
Anko looked at the ceiling and she began crying.
"I killed an innocent one," she said and Kakashi looked at her then turned back and walked away.
"I killed someone!" she said and began laughing crazily and her tears still flowing from her eyes.
"Anko…" he whispered.
Tsunade and Shizune tried their best to revive the two but they cannot do anything anymore.
"Tsunade-sama, Sakura, she's gone," said Shizune, who already did everything just to make her live again.
"Tsunade no baa-chan."
"Naruto!"
"I-I know I'm dying, le-let me die beside Sakura-chan," he said breathing heavily and tried to smile. "Please…t-that will be my last request…" Tsunade nodded and carried Naruto and placed him beside Sakura.
Naruto looked at his angel and placed his arm around her and reached for her hand then he closed his eyes.
"Tsunade-sama…"
"Their gone Shizune, we cannot do anything about it anymore. We did our best," said Tsunade and placed her hand on Shizune's shoulder and closed her eyes then walked away.
"How are they?" asked Kakashi when he saw Tsunade.
"Their gone…" she answered and walked pass him. Kakashi was shocked by the news. He sat down on one of the chairs and looked down on the floor.
"All of my students are gone," he said miserably and his eyes involuntarily collected some tears and it started falling. "A ninja mustn't show emotions," he told himself and wiped it away. He glanced at the E.R. and saw his students then he walked away. "But they became my family."
A tear fell on Sakura's eyes and Shizune noticed it.
She covered her lips with her hand and tears started to well up on her eyes. She closed the lights and walked away.
I tried to stop it
But it became full blown
And I cannot let go of you anymore
I'll be wherever you are
In life
And in death
I'll be forever by your side…
The End
Miss Jeri-chan: Another one shot for you! Just to show that I am still alive and strong…and if you are reading Do I Have To Cry For You, it is still in progress…it's coming soon, hopefully, XP. Well, I hope you liked it! And I know that Sojasosai no Jutsu is a suicidal attack but I made it not suicidal here because Anko found out a way to improve it in my simple fic! If you have some questions to ask just post it in your reviews, I will answer them gratefully...
You know what to do! Please…REVIEW!
I'm hoping to get as much reviews as possible because I worked on this for half a month...and I'm expecting for some reactions if I'm already an effective one-shot author...
It will be appreciated very much!
For those who read thank you.
To those who reviewed thank you very much! XD