Tortured Souls

PoD- "Tortured Souls, the second part to the Tortured Trilogy. What fate awaits dear Sakura this time around? And will this all be a dream, as well? Only I and Senior Gaara know what fate has instored and even I am a bit fuzzy, so lend your ideas and lend your voice to the second part of the Tortured Trilogy!"

Senior Gaara, "This is a SasuSaku, GaarSaku, and NaruSaku and it takes place after the time skip so everyone's like fifteen or so! Enjoy! We hope that this does as well as the first part. If you have any suggestions, questions, remarks or comments please contact us. Thank you."

Disclaimer- We, Senior Gaara and I, do not own Naruto!

Chapter One

My feet rested on the cold floor, sending waves of memories through my body and sending my mind to an eerie, dreamlike state. I shook it off and sent my thoughts free. I sighed and glanced about the room. I pulled my hair back out of my face and wrapped my band around my head and pulled my bangs in front of it.

I changed into my normal wear and slid into the hallway. It was as silent as death and that trigered the memory of my "dream". I shuddered at the thought of Sasuke's frozen corpse and his dark eyes staring back at me. I walked on, hoping everyone would remain alseep. I carried a box wrapped in blue paper under my arm as I scurried down the hall.

Christmas was here and Sasuke needed a gift. After that horrible dream I needed to give him something just to show him I cared...in case that dream came true. As I made my way closer and closer to my exit Ino showed up and blocked my path.

Gahhh! Now, I'll never get to Sasuke in time!

"Hi, Ino," I whispered calmly.

"Morning, Sakura. What's that?" she asked pointing to the gift.

"Oh, it's something for...Kakashi-sensei," I lied.

"Oh, I thought it was something for Sasuke," Ino said keenly.

"No. Now, I've got to go. We're all meeting with him and I need to give him this before the others get there. Bye, Ino. Merry Christams," I called as I ran past her. God! I should have ran her over! That little witch!

I carried the gift gingerly in my arms as I trotted through the snow...snow. I stopped imediately. We were meeting Kakashi at the old training ground and it was snowing. I stared blankly into the distance then shook it of. I began to move again with only one thing on my mind. What would happen today?

Would it all turn out okay? Sasuke and I together? Gaara back in Suna? Or would everything change and would I be thrown into an endless life of distress like in that dream, or nightmare. That's how it now seems...

The streets weren't packed so it was easy to make my way. But even so I went slowly, as slow as I could. I dreaded the thought of today being the day when I had, or would, lose Sasuke, and I feared the thought of the last thing I saw of him would be his longing stare toward me and all those thoughts of me escaping his mind and drifting away. I feared the moment to come because I feared losing him. And if I did, would Gaara be there and will we start something? And what of Naruto and Kakashi? Would Kakashi show up at all?

"Sasuke..."

I finally arrived at the site, and only Sasuke stood there. I smiled to myself but as I remembered, it faded. He turned and his eyes met mine. I jumped as we locked together and the memory of the dream flashed back...

"Urgh..." Sasuke fell back onto the cold, snowy ground, lying there lifeless and limp. Sakura starred at him in terror. Sasuke's lifeless body lay on the snow covered earth and the white snow began to turn red as it absorbed the sweet nectar of Sasuke's blood. Sasuke's eyes were dark and lifeless. He had no steady beating of the heart, that Saukra long to love, and his mind was blank, the very same mind which Sakura wished would be filled with thoughts of her.

"Sasuke, no!" Sakura screamed. She stumbled up and trotted through the soft snow to where Sasuke lay. She kneeled beside him as the tears ran down her face and onto his cheek. "Sasuke! Wake up! Please, wake up!"

"Sakura..." Naruto whispered. He stood over Sakura as she cried. He gritted his teeth as he looked at Sasuke and the puddle of blood that he lied in. Small flakes of snow began to fall over them. Sakura shielded Sasuke's face from the freezing wind and the soft flurry that had began to fall.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed she shoved Sasuke and tried to awake him. "Sasuke, please!" Sakura looked at Sasuke's cold face and began to cry even more. She held his body in her arms and felt the warm blood on his back and stomach. "Sasuke, please!" Small grains of sand lay beneath his body and among his drying blood. Sakura looked up still sobbing. She laid Sasuke back onto the cold snowy blanket that covered the ground.

"Sasuke," I called. I gripped the gift in my hands and I approached him slowly. Chya! Let's go! Ino can't win now! Chya!I stopped and held the box out to him. "Merry Christmas."

He took it and looked at in carefully. He glanced up at me and I smiled, hiding my concern for the future behind it. Just as he was taking the ribbon off a voice was heard around us, "Merry Christmas, Sakura-chan!"

He dropped the present and turned, and as he did his foot slid and crushed it. I didn't even care really. Naruto was here and that meant the moment was closing in on me, on us, on our lives. And I would lose them both for four years. And I'd have to be with Gaara.

Naruto had a huge smile on his face and his arms over his head. He raised one arm and waved to us, or me rather. I tried to smile but the thought of the moment that was coming frightened me so much I couldn't. This would be the worst Christmas ever. I slowly sat down in the snow. The cold engulfing me, but I didn't care. I was used to coldness, like all the cold faces I had seen and all the cold hands I had held.

"Oi, Sakura-chan. What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking, that's all," I replied. "Nothing to worry about, Naruto."

"When is Kakashi-sensei supposed to get here?" he whined.

Sasuke didn't say anything so I did, "He probably won't."

"Huh?"

"Oh, nevermind. He'll be here soon!" I tried to smile and show him that I was kidding before, but I don't think he bought it.

"Oh, okay," he whispered and sat down.

Sasuke stood there with his hands in his pockets and just stared into the distance. Did he know Gaara would be coming soon? I felt my eyes begin to water and wiped them. Naruto turned to me and I smiled, "It's just cold. I'm fine, Naruto."

Silence again fell and Kakashi was still nowhere to be found. I remained silent and unmoving as I sat on the ground. Sasuke hadn't moved, I don't think he even blinked, and his foot remained on the gift I had attempted to give him. Naruto was the only one that dared to move. He flipped and flopped, trying to find a comfortable seating arrangement. Would Kakashi even show up? Would we be left to fight Gaara alone? And would I have to bear watching his death for a second time?

And just as those thoughts appeared, he appeared as well. Sasuke stared blankly at him, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't do what I had done in my dream or I'd lose him for sure. I slowly stood up beside him and entwind my fingers with his. Our warmth bounced back and forth between our hands as Gaara came closer and more visible to my eyes.

I won't let that nightmare become reality! I just won't allow it!

Sasuke didn't even shake me away, he just stood there and held my hand tighter and tighter. All we did was wait as Gaara came closer. Naruto had gotten up and was standing about two feet to the left of me. Gaara stopped about thirty feet in front of us and stared at Sasuke with all the rage in the world.

I didn't know what I was doing, but I stood in front of Sasuke, as if to protect him from Gaara, who was currently glaring daggers at Sasuke. After I took the stare I couldn't move, like sand had grabbed my legs.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed. She struggled and tried to get out, but the sand crept up her legs and now held her at the knees. She looked back toward Gaara and he now stood directly in front of her. Sakura's lips quivered and her eyes shook. What does he want? She thought. Gaara grabbed her shoulders roughly and looked into her fearful eyes.

"You'll thank me for this later..." Gaara growled. Gaara pulled her toward him and kissed her passionately. Sakura was wide-eyed as Gaara kissed her. She felt like putty in his grasp and began to cry. For what reason? Joy? Fear? She wasn't sure. The sand around her legs rolled off onto the ground and Gaara released her.

Sakura felt weak and fell to her knees. Her face was stained with the tears of a lost love; a lost friend. And the fear of what had just begun. Sakura looked at her blood stained hands. The blood of Sasuke; the blood of the boy she loved. She looked up and Gaara had vanished. She looked back to Sasuke and screamed. "Sasuke! Naruto!"

I checked my feet, nothing. No sand. I was just terrified, that's all. Terrified for Sasuke's life, Naruto's, and the life that this would lead up to.

I won't let that awful dream come true. I just won't. Oh, Sasuke.

I held onto his hand and didn't dare think of letting go, not for anything in the world. I'd never let him go. Not again.

"Sasuke, I know what's going to happened. Just forget about me and don't put yourself in any danger. I won't be able to bare it. I won't be able to watch you die again. So, please, stay out of the way," I whispered.

I don't know if he heard me or not but I had to do it. So, I let him go. I released his hand and made my way toward Gaara. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto followed. They stood back, watching and waiting as I stopped before the demon that would soon take Sasuke from me. I stared into him and he looked back with a deathly stare. I didn't move.

As I stood only five feet from him a familar sound echoed in my ears. the sound of churning sand and in a flash it was all released. It began to rain down around him and came toward me. I didn't think of moving. The sooner he was gone, the sooner the pain would stop.

"Sakura! Sakura, look out!" Sasuke yelled.

I spun to see him only breifly, then I was soaring through the flurry that had begun and he picked me up in his arms. I watched as we were swept over Gaara, landing on the opposite side of him. He turned back to Gaara with a look of rage and anger in his eyes and all I could do was wait and watch.

"Sasuke..."

He stood there looking at the back of Gaara's head just waiting, and then he took off, but I wasn't about to watch him die. I felt my eyes give in and start to shake with tears, so I jumped and grabbed his wrist. He stopped and turned back around to meet my watering eyes. I said nothing, just stared up at him and awaited his response.

"Sakura...what are you doing?" he murmured.

I turned my head away with my hand still clutching his wrist and closed my eyes, "I can't just watch you die. I don't want to loose you again and I don't want to be trapped in an endless life of pain and suffering because I let you go. Please. Please, don't make me sit here and watch you die..." I turned up to him and our eyes met. "Please, Sasuke. Don't put me through it again."

"Again? What are you talking about, Sakura?" he asked; his voice was changing and it was filling with confussion and fear - I could tell.

"I've seen this before and -"

"Sakura-chan! Sasuke!" Naruto yelled.

We both turned and a wave of sand was coming at us. No! Sasuke stood and watched as it came down onto us and I thought of nothing except saving him. "Sasuke, move!" And everything went black; I wasn't dead nor passed out, I was just consealed in darkness. I could hear him calling out to me, all of them.

I could hardly move as the sand crushed me. I knew I was close to death and my sides were bleeding. A gash above my right eyes bled down over my face, a slit runnig up my left leg and it felt like my arms had been torn off, but other than that I was alive and...so was Sasuke.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke's voice kept me intact with this world. I was slipping away and with each word he brought me back, closer to him. I slowly smiled and began to close my eyes, then the sand began to let up and release me. The next thing I knew I was being lifted of the ground and being held close to someone's chest. Please, Sasuke! Please, let this be him!

I forced my eyes open and I stared up at Gaara and his blood red hair and his aquamarine eyes. I just wanted away, now. I wanted to scream for Sasuke but I couldn't. My brain hadn't recovered yet and wouldn't send the signal. All I could do was rest in his arms limply and wait for Sasuke to realize I was helpless. Sasuke, hurry!

Gaara began to back away from the scene, slowly taking me with him and all I could do is hope and wish Sasuke would come save me. Sasuke, please. Sasuke! "SASUKE!"

"Sakura, hang on!" Sasuke called.

He pulled out two shurikens and threw them, but they were caught by a sand clone. He sped pass it, smashing it into a small pile, and ran toward Gaara. He striked at his neck and as he retreated he grabbed my arm. Sasuke pulled me to him and jumped as far away as he could, so Gaara didn't have a chance to get me back. He sat me on the ground and checked me out.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" he asked.

I nodded, even though it was clear that I was not. I wiped the blood from the side of my face and sat my hand in the snow. The coolness of it relaxed me. Sasuke stood up and glared at Gaara. Gaara didn't flinch. Sasuke clenched his blood stained hands and kept his vision on Gaara.

"Naruto!" he called, Naruto jumped and looked to him. "Keep close to Sakura, I don't want you to leave her side. Got it?'

"Eh...? Uh huh!" Naruto replied.

He ran past Sasuke and knelt beside me smiling. I couldn't bare to look at him because all I saw in his eyes were the pain and suffering soon to come. I glanced down at my hands that were covered in my own blood, at least it wasn't Sasuke's. I glanced up from my thoughts and stared at Sasuke. What was he thinking? Was he going to face Gaara? I couldn't let him die! I couldn't just sit back and wait for the horrible fate to come!

Sasuke went for him. Speeding through the hard snow and running faster and faster. I couldn't watch; I hid my face in my bloody hands and Naruto coiled his arms around me. He tried his best to comfort me, but he couldn't because I knew this was all real this time. I heard Sasuke scream in pain and I jerked my head up.

"Sasuke!"

He held his arm as a gash bled. He smirked trying to make it look as though it was nothing but a scratch but I knew better. He stumbled back and stood with all his weight on one leg. Gaara took this as his chance and set his sand flying toward Sasuke. And as it did his voice echoed in my mind...

"You'll thank me for this later...You'll thank me for this later...You'll thank me for this later...You'll thank me for this later..."

"No!"

I tried to get away from Naruto but he gripped me tightly. I struggled as the sand neared Sasuke and his fate became clearer. I yanked myself free and began to run toward him. Naruto followed and tried to seize me but I slipped away.

"Sasuke!"

PoD- "Oh, no! Sasuke! Is our beloved - or not so beloved - Sasuke dead once more? Will everything go as Sakura's dream foretold it? Or is it somehow altered now? Give us your opinion and questions. Maybe some ideas as well, and I may use 'em! Thank for reading!"

Senior Gaara- "Buh-Bye, folks! Please, review. If ya do ya get a cookie and you know ya want one!"