"Sakura...Sakura...Wake up."
A hand tapped her shoulder as her eyes shot open.
"Mhmm...Wha-Gaara?" Her emerald eyes opened in surprise as she drank in the sight of her friend in relief. Then, she remembered her previous predicament and trembled against the bushes she hid and fell asleep in.
"Yeah. Konoha..." he trailed off already knowing the disaster that had fallen.
"D-destroyed by Akatsuki." Sakura trembled even more, bringing her knees up to her chest she struggled to hold the tears in.
"..." Gaara did not say anything, he knew this was taboo for her. So many questions ran through his mind, the most important one being, Where are Naruto and the Uchiha but he kept quiet about it. Gaara held out his hand and placed it on her shoulder. Sakura gasped and looked at him with a horror-stricken face as she smacked his hand away. Almost immediately, she realized what she had done.
"Gaara I-I'm sorry I-I d-don't know what came over m-me.." Sakura blinked back tears, afraid that that rude gesture would make Gaara leave her, like everyone left her. Gaara's eyes hardened as the realization hit him. Sakura had been afraid of his touch because of...what happened or almost happened to her. He clenched his fist.
"It's fine."
"N-no it's...not..I..What happened to..to..him?" Sakura felt so much disdain and disgust toward that person that she could not even utter his name.
"Deidara's dead."
It was all the reassurance she needed. She felt relief at the thought that he would never bother her again. To think that he almost....
She shuddered. She did not want to relive that moment, that moment where she felt so utterly helpless and vulnerable and-
Stop thinking about it.
"T-thank you s-so much."
"Get some rest."
Gaara awoke Sakura enough to tell him where she was staying at, moments later she was asleep once more. Gaara laid her down gently on her futon and carefully treated the gash on her neck. It wasn't that harmful but it would cause her a few stings. Since she couldn't heal herself yet, he figured he'd just treat it now before it was infected.
"Subaku."
"Tsunade-sama."
"Thank...you..for bringing..S-Sakura here. I was...getting worried..''
"I got your message. I apologize for being late." His reply dripped with guilt.
"No...It's..alright..I understand it takes four days to travel here from Sand, apart from your duties as Kazekage. I had miscalculated their moves. I thought there would be atleast time to prepare for the invasion. It was an ambush."
"I'm sorry."
"I know...I just wish there was something more I could do...my village.." Tsunade was crying.
"Sakura....She's the only one left...?"
"Yes. They're.....dead. They all are."
"They died heroes."
"Yes. They certainly did."
No words followed that, the silence was a tribute to the lost lives.
"She blames herself. She thinks it's her fault her friends died."
"That's stupid."
"Tell that to her."
"I will."
Gaara watched the pinkette as she resumed her regular tasks of healing and burying. He helped her dig the hole and carry the bodies in it. She looked much too frail and delicate for a person to be lifting heavy loads. Her eyes which ones held a light and carefree twinkle had ridden itself of all emotions except for sadness. He had tried telling her numerous times that it wasn't her fault to which he got a ghost of a laugh in reply.
"Yes, it is."
This was not the girl who had saved his brother, had healed many villagers of his, had brought life and joy to those who lost hope, including himself. This was not the person who befriended him through her wits and personality. This girl was not Haruno Sakura. This girl was just a hollow shell of what she used to be.
Gaara could do nothing but watch.
Three days after Gaara's arrival, a messenger hawk came to him. Tsunade, Sakura, and he had just been eating breakfast in silence when the sound of a hawk disturbed them.
"What does it say?"
This is bad.
"..."
What is it!!
"...Gaara?"
Tell me!
"They've spotted Akatsuki along Sand's borders."
Oh no...
"Does that mean...?"
No..No...
"There's going to be a war."
No! It can't be-!
"...Go."
They need you.
"Sakura, I can't leave you and Tsunade here by-"
Don't leave me, don't leave me, don't-
"Your village needs you! Go back to Sand! We'll be fine."
Lies.
"Come with me."
I-I....I can't.
"..I...Shishou is too weak to travel long distances. I'm sorry."
That night, after making sure the two would be fine for the time being, Gaara left.
Sakura cried and whispered a soft goodbye to her close friend.
Thank you.
After Gaara left, the band that kept Sakura from being insane broke. She barely slept, barely ate, but did her duties diligently. Her already broken heart tearing more and more as the days passed. Her mentor wasn't gettiing any better. In fact, she was getting worse.
"S...Sakura..."
"Shishou?"
"It's almost my time."
No!
"Don't say that."
Don't ever say that!
"It's t-true....It's already been two months since-..."
-they all died?
"I don't care. Don't say that. There's still h...h-"
-I can't even say it.
"We both know that isn't true. Listen to me-"
NO!
"Stop-.."
Stop saying that! you're the only one left!
"You have been like the daughter I never had and I love you. Thank you for all the things you've done for me. You didn't give up on me but now....now you have to..."
I'll never give up on you, Shishou.
"Tsunade-sa-sama I...I...love you too."
"That's w-what I wanna hear.."
"But I won't give up! I-I won't!"
"You m-must..."
No! You're wrong!
"N-no! Not you too! Please...please....I.."
-lost everyone. I don't want to lose you too.
"I'm sorry..."
So am I.
"I wish there was another chance. I wish I could do it all again."
I wish I could fix everything and bring it back to the way it used to be I wish-
"...."
"Shishou?"
"Maybe....m-maybe there IS another w-way..."
I'll do anything.
"SAKURA, HONEY WAKE UP YOU'LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!"
It worked.
A/N: There you have it. Reviews make my day :D