Magnetism

Chapter Seven

-Day 31: Attempt-

It had been five days since their last visit from the two they called 'caretakers'. It was actually beginning to annoy Gaara at how long they were taking with their taunt. But he knew it was all part of their plan, to make him anxious. "I wish they would just come already and get it over with. The wait is driving me insane." He growled out, messing with what was left of his clothing. He grabbed the bars and leaned forward the best he could to try and get a look at the large metal door.

Sakura fully disagreed with him. She would be perfectly fine if they never came to get him. But, if she were in his position, she would probably feel the same way. She came up next to him and followed his gaze. "I'm sure they won't disappoint. I just hope they don't do anything too bad to you. I'm running out of somewhat sterile clothes to cover our wounds with." She said, looking down at her own tattered apparel.

It was then that they heard the familiar sliding of the metal bolt. They backed away from the bars together, Gaara staying protectively in front of his pink haired companion. Four men walked in, giving them both a once over. "Come on Kazekage." One said seriously. He knew that the redhead was more resilient to their torture than anyone they had ever encountered. But of course, he wasn't the Kazekage of Suna for nothing. They opened the cage and two of the men walked in, grabbing him by both arms and jerking him forward. "Behave Pinky, or we might not bring him back." They smirked, slamming the bars closed. The four left and Sakura sighed, running her hand through her hair. She was nervous, having not been left alone in a long while. The door opened again and a look of confusion crossed her face.

"I don't understand. What's going on?" she asked the men who came down the hallway. They only laughed as one pulled out a set of keys.

"We need you for insurance. Hurting you is the only way we'll make the Kazekage crack." He informed her, opening the door.

Her eyes widened in alarm. They were going to hurt her? She wouldn't let them, since now she had another life to protect. Before he could stop her, she grabbed the two kunai that had been stashed underneath their pallet since Gaara had first been taken. She attacked the man then, managing to skillfully avoid him and stab him between the ribs. The other man came in before she could finish him off, and successfully stopped her, causing her to drop her weapons as he painfully twisted her arms, causing her to let out a small scream of pain.

"Don't hurt her. Remember what Koga-sama said." The one with the wound said, standing slowly. She hadn't made it too deep, so he could still walk. They took her out of the cell then, and headed towards the torture chamber. She didn't struggle, not wanting to give them a reason to hurt her further. She only prayed they didn't hurt her baby.


Gaara was sitting once more at the table, with his arms strapped down securely. He'd been through this enough. They no longer intimidated him, nothing they could do would ever make him talk and that truth would stand. He was growing tired of this though. Without his chakra, his stamina had slowly been decreasing and he was actually starting to feel weaker. He followed the pacing leader with his gaze, watching him with a bored expression. He stopped finally, placing his hands on the other side of the table. "Gaara, you must understand how irritated I am with you. I've got a prisoner who won't even give me the pleasure of an emotion. Can you not sympathize?"

"Not really."

Koga tried to hide his irritation and looked off. "Kazekage, we are going to kill you if you don't tell us what we want to know."

"You are going to kill me if I tell you, so forgive me if I'm not shaking." He said simply, remaining cool and collected. It was the best way to deal with these men anyway. "As you said before, you think I sympathize. I understand what you will do because I would do the same thing. But you have let it draw out for too long. That was your fatal mistake…that and taking the wrong prisoners." He smirked, knowing Sakura had yet to give them anything they wanted either.

Koga sighed, crossing his arms and taking a step back. "I really hate to do this Gaara, but you give me no choice." He glanced over his shoulder and gave one of his lackeys a nod. The door opened and Gaara focused curiously on the men now walking in.

"Let me go!" Sakura yelled at the two men dragging her into the room. Gaara couldn't stop the shock from appearing on his face, which only made Koga smirk.

"Finally, some reaction." The leader said proudly looking back at Sakura.

Gaara shifted his eyes from Sakura and glared at Koga. "What the hell is she doing in here?" he actually yelled, trying to get up, but his restraints held him to the table.

"This is our new form of your torture…now until you start talking…we're going to do bad things to your little cherry blossom." He laughed darkly, running his long fingers through her pink hair.

"You touch her and I will kill you!" Gaara shouted angrily, standing despite the pain shooting up his arms from the angle he was creating.

Koga reached toward Sakura and gripped her by her hair, forcing her head forward. "I'd like to see you try." He pulled out a kunai then and lowered it to her stomach. "We've marked her leg, maybe we should move a bit higher, don't want her to scar all in one place."

Sakura's eyes widened and she shook her head furiously, pure fear showing on her face. If they cut her stomach, she could lose her and Gaara's child. "No! Don't hurt my baby!" she yelled, trying to struggle out of the men's grasps. Her admission caused the leader to still in his movements and whip his head up from her stomach to her face, shock written all over his.

The entire room froze, but none was more surprised than Gaara. Baby? Sakura was pregnant? It took a moment for realization to finally sink in. Sakura was pregnant with his child. Suddenly he grew enraged, his only instinct now was to protect her and their child. Without him even moving sand swirled in from the edges of the room and from the crack in the door and condensed into two sharp spears, running straight through the two holding her. He started to laugh darkly and soon it turned into a maniacal cackle. He could feel his chakra surging through his body. It was electrifying, the feel of his own power, and now he would protect what was precious to him. He didn't understand how the seal broke but it was obviously no longer hindering him. The sand swarmed back to its master and ripped off the restraints. After that it was all a blur, some of the men were running, some were trying to fight, and others just accepted the fact that they were dead. But the second Gaara reached Sakura and wrapped his arms around her, they were gone in a wisp of sand.

The next time she opened her eyes she was met with the bright shining sun that was high in the sky. They were standing on a small forest path. Seeing her confusion he cleared his dry throat. "We're in River country. Far away from those people."

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, loving the smell of fresh air and the feel of the sun. She was free. Her eyes shot open as she realized that now Gaara knew about her condition. She had said it on pure instinct, her need to protect her child overriding her entire being. It wasn't how she had wanted to tell him, but it was too late now.

Stepping away from his embrace, she looked into his eyes and lifted her shirt slightly, revealing her seal. "Will you remove it please? I need to check…" she trailed off, too overcome with worry to finish. What if something had happened during their escape?

He glanced down, seeing past her seal. There was something inside there. He just knew it, which was odd because he could feel nothing. He matched each finger up to a prong on her seal and then looked back up into her eyes. He applied a bit of pressure and mumbled a release. He felt some chakra seep into her skin and the seal vanished. "It might take you a bit longer to feel all of it come back since you don't have as much as I do and mine kind of exploded out…sorry about that by the way…if I scared you."

She shook her head. "You could never scare me. And, if I looked scared…it wasn't because of you." She said softly, placing both of her hands on the sides of his face in order to fully reassure him. Feeling some of her chakra coming back, she stepped away from him once more and placed her hands on her stomach. Shutting her eyes in concentration, her brow furrowed as her hands glowed a soft green. It took a bit of searching, but eventually she found it. A faint foreign chakra signature within herself, and it was completely healthy. Apparently, her body had sent most of the nutrients she gained to the baby, as it should have. And under some miracle, she wasn't as malnourished as she had originally thought. She could even tell what sex the baby was, since she was a little over a week along. It was a boy, just as she had wanted.

Emerald eyes opened and she looked back up at Gaara. "He's fine. Perfectly healthy." She told him with a slight smile, lowering her arms. Sadness entered her face then. "I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how…and I wanted to be completely sure of it first." She explained, not knowing if he was upset or not. "Are you mad?"

"I'm not mad. It's my fault so…I really have no place to be upset, which I promise I'm not. I guess I just wasn't thinking about the fact that we would get out…so I didn't really restrain myself." He scratched his head. This kind of complicated things. "Well…" he breathed out after a bit of silence settled between the two. "I'll make sure you get back to Konoha I guess…just so you guys are safe…I'm sure Naruto will be ecstatic to see you alive."

"Yeah." She said softly, looking at the ground. So it was true, he didn't want them. It didn't matter that he wasn't upset, he wasn't happy either. He was just going to make sure they made it to Konoha safely out of guilt, so that he could go back to Suna with a clear conscience. He would probably forget about them after that. Her eyes began to water. She had prepared herself for this, but hadn't thought it would hurt this much.

Her demeanor surprised him and he really didn't know what to do. He thought she would be happy to be free and go back to Konoha. He knew that the child needed to be brought up with his mother, and Sakura belonged in Konoha. And there was simply no way he could be there with her. But he didn't understand why she was crying now. Was it the hormones? "Sakura…what's wrong? I thought you would be happy. You can go home and raise our baby, I mean at least you'll get to see him grow up…so, I don't understand why you are upset."

Her head shot up, eyes full of accusation. "How could I be happy when you don't want us?" she yelled. She hugged herself then, and her tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Y-you aren't even h-happy." She stuttered, working herself into hysterics now. This was even worse than when she had been rejected by Sasuke all those years ago.

He only looked more confused. "Why would I be happy if I can't be with you…?" he asked, was he missing something? "Sakura…I said that because you love Konoha…I can't go there with you…I'm the leader of your village's biggest threat, other than Iwa, and I just want you to be happy. All your friends are there and in my village they will just try to turn him into a weapon. That's how it is. I would never take our child from you to have that be his fate." He stared down at her sadly. He didn't understand why she was saying these things. He was only thinking about her best interests, even if he didn't get what he wanted in the end.

"B-but you s-still don't w-want us, you d-don't even look happy about b-being a f-father." She sputtered. Hearing how pathetic she sounded, she took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "I will go to Konoha if that is what you wish." She said softly, wiping the tearstains off her cheeks. "You can forget about us after that." She placed a hand on her stomach, the life leaving her eyes as she spoke, causing them to look devoid of all emotion. By now she had completely shut down. She would remain strong, for her son. If Gaara wanted to just pretend like nothing had ever happened between them in that cell, then it was fine with her. She wasn't going to break her promise though. He would remain the only man she ever loved, no matter if he didn't feel the same.

Gaara grabbed his head in irritation, giving her a harsh glare. "What the hell are you talking about? Sorry that I'm a little shocked right now. I'm trying to handle this calmly because you're freaking out enough for the both of us!" he yelled. "And why do you keep saying I don't want you? I just said that I did. Is this freakish behavior because of your hormones, cause' you weren't this manic depressant when we were trapped underground for a month." He leaned over her then, using his height to his advantage. "What are you expecting Sakura, I've been emotionally devoid my entire life, I don't know how to react to anything." He crossed his arms, daring her to interrupt him. Now he was ranting, he didn't like it but she was starting to make him angry with all these odd assumptions. "I want my child, ok? I want you. What more do you want me to say. I'm just trying to think of how this can work out, I don't want to take you away from your home!"

She grew angry at him, the emotion showing clearly in her gaze. So he wanted their child because of what it would be able to do, and he wanted her for the sex? Because she saw no other reason for him to want them. She wanted him because she loved him, but it was apparent that he didn't feel the same. "Why are you yelling at me? I just said I would go to Konoha!" she yelled in his face, throwing her arms in the air in frustration.

"Oh my God!" he yelled back, throwing his hands up and turning his back to her, walking off a bit. He ran his hands down his face and tried to get a grip on what little sanity he retained. He was trying really hard not to kill her right now. He didn't know how to handle this sort of reaction. He turned back to her and let out a deep, calming breath. "I have no idea what's going on in that crazy little pink head of yours but you obviously are assuming things that are not true. And why are you acting like such a psycho, I've been near a pregnant woman before and she didn't try and rip my head off. I didn't even do anything! I'm trying to make you happy! Why would you leave your friends and family just to be with me?" he demanded, not grasping why she was causing such a scene.

"Because I love you, you big idiot!" she yelled, her anger in full swing. "I don't know how, I don't know why, but I do. So excuse me for getting a little upset when the man I love, the father of my child, suggests I leave him and go home." She said, crossing her arms and turning her back on him, glaring off down the path. Her scowl slowly began to leave her face as she realized what she had just admitted. Fearing the worst, she slowly tensed, preparing for the rejection she had always received when expressing her feelings.

Gaara just stared at her back, wide eyed, his arms hanging limply at his sides. She loved him? I mean, she had made love to him, but she actually loved him? He didn't know what to do, he didn't even know what to think. So of course, he did the absolute worst thing possible and started laughing. "You really must be out of your mind if you're actually in love with me." He finally got out between his laughs. The concept was so foreign to him that he really couldn't even register it. He walked to her and turned her around before she could attempt to break away from his grasp. "You're either the stupidest…or bravest woman I've ever met." He smirked, grabbing her chin and kissing her deeply. When they finally broke he smiled down at her. "I'm sorry if I'm not reacting how I'm supposed to, but you have to understand I don't know how I should. I am happy, that's why I saved you and our baby. Because…I love you too I think, I've never felt this for anyone before. But I assume it's what love must feel like."

She just stared at him, wide eyed and speechless. He hadn't rejected her. When he had begun to laugh she felt her tears begin anew, but then he kissed her, and said that he loved her in return. Deciding to forego words, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, pouring her love into the kiss. When she pulled away for air, she smiled slightly. "If you love me, then I don't see why I have to leave you. I want to stay with you, and for our son to grow up with both of his parents. Can I not stay with you in Suna?" she asked, hoping that she could. Now that she knew of his feelings, she never wanted to be apart from him, ever again.

"Of course you can." he said with a small smile. He looked down at her, keeping his arms tightly around her. "I just didn't want to take you away from your home."

She smiled tenderly at him, bringing her hands up and threading her fingers in his hair, as was one of her favorite things to do. "My home is wherever you are Gaara." She said simply.

His smile widened and then suddenly fell, "But you do realize…" a pained expression washed over his façade. "That if you come with me…you will be tagged as a traitor to Konoha…and they will be your enemy…right?"

She nodded, having already considered it. "I love you more than my village. My friends, if they are my true friends, will understand. Especially Naruto. He'll actually be ecstatic. And I won't be sent out into the field unless it is absolutely necessary, since my place is mainly in the hospital tending the wounded. So there is a low chance of me actually having to fight any of my old comrades." She explained.

"Right…and I would never make you do such an act." He assured her, running his hands up her arms and then slowly back down, finally resting one on her stomach. "So…there's really a baby in there…huh?"

She smiled happily. "Uh huh! I probably won't begin to show for another three months or so, but he's in there!" she said, finally allowing herself to become excited as she looked down at where his hand rested on her stomach. An odd thought entered her head then, and she looked back up to Gaara with a worried expression. "You don't think he'll have pink hair too, do you? I mean, he'll never hear the end of it."

He blinked and returned his worried gaze to hers. "I hope not, no offense or anything…but I might just have to return you back to Konoha." He smirked, making sure she knew he was kidding. He kissed her forehead softly and sighed, "We could always just dye it. But I think we'll be ok, he is my son too after all."

"Let's hope so. I want him to look just like his daddy. And maybe have my eyes. Maybe." She said, her smile returning.

"That might be an overload on intense colors if he has my hair and your eyes." he snickered, pulling away from her then and taking her hand in his. "Come on Sakura, time to go home and shower and eat something delicious. Then…we plan our attack on Iwa." He smirked darkly.

"Correction." She said, holding up a finger. "We go home, shower, eat, make love, and then we plan the total and complete annihilation of Iwa." She said, her look matching his.

He gave her a curious glance. "We can still have sex? Won't it…you know…hit the baby?" he asked a bit childishly, a soft pink dusting across his cheeks for the first time.

Now it was her turn to laugh, but only a bit. "No Gaara, he will be fine. Actually, we can have sex all the way until the baby is born, all you have to do is use a few different positions." She recited, remembering something she had read once in a medical textbook. "And, pregnancy is proven to increase the female's responses to touch and sex drive, so I hope you're prepared." She said, giving him a mischievous look.

"Interesting…" he pondered, tapping his chin. "Well let's hurry back to Suna and get started on these new techniques." He smirked, pulling her against his body. His sand wrapped around them quickly and then they were gone, off to face their new life together.

Note: Not the end.