A/N: Thanks for the wait, guys! I've currently been working on a new story that I hope will be as popular as this one. It's a dramatic SasuSaku called Deliverance, so if you're interested in reading it then hop over to my profile and find it. Yes, I am shamelessly advertising my other stories. ;) Before we start, I'd like to clear up some misconceptions. Someone said that they don't understand why Akira would inherit Gaara's insomnia eyes. There are a couple things wrong with this statement that I'd like to correct.
#1: Gaara's black rimmed eyes are NOT from insomnia. That is a common mistake. This is a derived characteristic from the Shukaku, who is a tanuki (raccoon dog)- thus, Gaara has black rings around his eyes like a tanuki. If they were from insomnia, then why would he be born with them? Newborns don't suffer from lack of sleep in the womb. Also, he still has them after the bijuu is extracted, meaning he is perfectly capable of sleep but still has the rings. Narutopedia backs this up, if you'd like to check it out yourself.
#2: Akira inherited the black rimmed eyes from Gaara. If you think this is not possible, think about this: as a baby, BEFORE he had the kyuubi sealed inside him, Naruto had whisker marks. Why? Because his mother, Kushina, was a jinchuuriki. When jinchuuriki have children the offspring themselves are capable of inheriting the same characteristics derived from the bijuu.
Sorry about the rant guys, but it needed to be said! I'm not angry/offended or anything, I just wanted to make sure we're all on the same page before I continue. Whew... Okay, onward! x3
~* Falling Inside The Black *~
Falling in the black
Slipping through the cracks
Falling to the depths
Can I ever go back?
Falling inside the black...
Temari watched the door to the Hokage's office swing closed behind the pink haired kunoichi and her little brother, the latter glaring out the door before slamming it shut. She slowly glanced over to the other doorway where the Copy Nin still stood, staring at the shut door with disdain. The tension, as well as testosterone, in the atmosphere was so dense it could be cut with a knife, Temari thought with a wry smirk.
"If I remember correctly, you were Sakura's sensei back in our genin days, right?" Temari asked all too casually while she stretched her arms out in front of her nonchalantly. Kakashi regarded her coolly, a wary look in his eye and brow cocked.
"There was a time when she was under my tutelage, many years ago." Kakashi said evenly. He pivoted on his heel and walked out the door then, escaping her sight and probing questions. Temari dashed after him in a hurry, not wanting to be left behind.
"Hey, wait up! I'm not done talking to you!" She called out indignantly, trailing behind the silver haired man. Kakashi did not turn around nor did he acknowledge her, but he slowed his pace as she caught up.
"And what can I do for you today?" Kakashi grumbled sarcastically as he walked down the street, hands in his pockets. Temari walked at his side and matched his pace as to not fall behind again.
"I want to know about Sakura." Temari replied, throwing him a sideways glace.
"Haruno Sakura, age twenty-six, jonin kunoichi of Konoha, Village Hidden in The Leaves, specializes in taijutsu, genjutsu, and medical ninjutsu. Defining characteristics: pink hair, emerald eyes, apprentice of the Godaime Hokage and Legendary Sannin Senju Tsunade." Kakashi recited most of her file off the top of his head with ease. Temari frowned in irritation.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. Hell, I could gather all that information just by reading her file!" Temari snapped. Kakashi sighed.
"Look, I'm not in the mood to play twenty questions right now. Go ask someone else or actually read her file." He grumbled groggily, rubbing his exposed eye absentmindedly.
"How about we compromise?" Temari suggested. Kakashi threw her a sideways glance.
"And what does that entail?" He deadpanned. Temari smirked- she had him in the bag.
"I'll ask you a question, then you ask me a question. We take turns. Got it?" Kakashi observed her blankly before nodding wearily. He, too, had a few questions of his own to ask.
"Okay, good. So tell me... Has Sakura ever had a boyfriend?" The question caught him off guard and Kakashi frowned in confusion. What was this, gossip?
"I don't think so. Plenty of guys have had their eye on her, but she declines and smashes their faces in when they won't take no for an answer..." Kakashi shivered, disturbed by his last pupil's violent demeanor.
"Hm..." Temari tapped her chin contemplatively. If she's never had a boyfriend, then at least Gaara's in the clear as far as competition goes... Temari peeked at the silver haired jonin at her side. Well... Unless this guy proves to be a threat... The Sand kunoichi's thoughts were interrupted by his sudden question.
"What does Gaara want with Sakura?" Kakashi asked carefully, voice low. Temari's mind flashed through appropriate replies, not wanting to give anything away about the little black-rimmed, seafoam eyed secret back at the Akimichi's.
"I... Don't know." She said lamely, staring at her feet. Temari inwardly cursed at herself- genius she was, she had never been very good at lying. Kakashi eyed her skeptically.
"Is that so? Well then, I'll just be going now-"
"Wait, don't go! I, uh... I'll tell you... I'll tell you everything..." Temari said in resignation. Heh. Everything except the fact that they had a one night stand and, as a result, a baby.
"Go on." He stated simply, arms crossed against his chest.
"Look, I'm only going on speculation here. None of this is pure fact, only things I've thought to myself based on observation alone... Gaara seems to have taken an interest in Sakura recently, that's all. It's no wonder, really. She's a very exotic and beautiful woman, there's no one like her in Suna." Ha! That's the best lie I've told all week! He'll believe it for sure! Temari inwardly cheered. Kakashi gave her a measured look. She definitely knows more than she's letting on. There's no doubt about it.
"Okay, my turn. What is your relationship with Sakura... Off duty?" She asked carefully. Kakashi threw her a dirty look and scowled.
"What do you mean, 'off duty'?" He air quoted with his fingers.
"Off duty, as in on your free time." Kakashi silently thought a moment before answering. What was his and Sakura's relationship off duty, on their free time? When Sasuke had left their team it had brought them together somewhat, but that included Naruto. When Naruto became Hokage they rarely went on team missions, rather, he and Sakura went on missions as partners. Konoha's famous Steel Cherry Blossom (as the bingo books had so aptly named her) and infamous Copy Nin, Sharingan Kakashi were an unbeatable duo. With his ninjutsu and genjutsu, her taijutsu and medical ninjutsu, more than enough intelligence between the both of them than what was necessary, and the fact that one was male and one was female, Kakashi and Sakura's partnership was famous throughout the lands. They could take on just about any mission, from D-ranked to S-ranked... And so they had. But Kakashi felt Temari wasn't looking for a professional answer- after all, she had said off duty.
"Sakura is the last person I have close to me- all the others are long dead. She is my last surviving student and comrade. We only have each other to rely on now and I'll do anything to protect her and keep her happy, whether that means I'll have to sacrifice my life... Or chase off a certain Kazekage from hurting her." Kakashi finally said with much resolve. Temari smiled to herself- that was exactly the answer she had wanted to hear.
"So she's like a daughter to you?" Kakashi's eye twitched in annoyance and he almost lost his footing, stumbling over a stray pebble.
"I'd prefer the term 'niece', in that regard..." He grumbled, nursing his wounded pride. Temari snickered. No, this guy's definitely not a threat to Gaara... Well, unless he hurts Sakura. But in that case, he better worry about me and Kankuro first instead of Kakashi.
"I love you," she blurted fortuitously. It was the first thing that came to mind besides the fact they had a son, and the words had slipped without much forethought. Sakura gasped at her declaration, hands flying to her mouth, but the words were already out. What's said is said, after all. Gaara's eyes widened in shock, disbelief and surprise within those seafoam depths, and his mouth hung slightly agape for the first time in his life.
"You... What?" Gaara whispered, sure that he had misheard her. Sakura took a deep breath, a crimson flush spreading over her pretty features. Out of the fire and into the frying pan... The idiom fluttered across her mind aimlessly. And what came after the frying pan, dare she ask? Sakura found herself wondering. She'd find out after their son was revealed, she realized grimly in apprehension. Sakura gulped quietly, looking down at the surface of the desk in front of her to avoid eye contact.
"I-I mean... You see, uh, I..." Sakura stuttered, mind racing. She sighed, taking a moment of silence to organize her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Gaara... What I meant to say was..." We have a son. After our one time together I ran away and bore your child in secret. It was during the war and I was torn between telling you, the enemy, and staying loyal to Konoha... So I chose neither, and fled. I still don't know if I would have ever told you, to be honest, because I was afraid of your reaction.
Sakura opened her mouth to finally say the truth when she realized he had vanished from his chair, only to have him appear directly behind her in a whirlwind of sand. The grains scratched lightly across her cheek and a small gust of wind ruffled her hair before Sakura felt his warm breath on her ear, her own hitching in response.
"...What did you say?" Gaara demanded slowly, voice deep and raspy. Sakura's eyes widened in shock at his behavior.
"I love you..." She whispered, heart hammering painfully in her chest. Was it apprehension that increased her heart rate, or anticipation? In this situation, both were likely and appropriate. Hands slid up the back of her chair and wrapped around Sakura's shoulders, lean fingers caressing the exposed skin there. Sakura was pulled tightly to his chest from behind and Gaara rested his face in the crook of her neck.
"Say it again." He ordered, voice muffled in her skin though his tone left no room for argument. When she hesitated Gaara's lips lightly traced over her skin, his warm breath causing her to break out in a familiar gooseflesh under his touch. Her skin does still feel like alabaster silk... Gaara noted, remembering his earlier inquiry. He placed a single open mouthed kiss against her neck, taking in her sweet scent with a deep breath. ...And she still tastes like milk and honey. Sakura gasped at his gentle touch, a spark igniting deep in her lower stomach. This was not good, Sakura decided. She needed to tell him before things went any further- before that spark burst into flames.
"Gaara..." She said in an attempt to gain his attention, and gain his attention she did... Though not in the way she had intended. His tongue snaked out against the sensitive skin of her neck and Sakura squirmed under his moist ministrations.
"Say it..." His voice was no longer demanding, but rather pleading. A hand caressed both of her pale shoulders while he nibbled on her ear lobe in an attempt to seduce the words he longed for out of her mouth. When she turned in her chair to face him he pulled her into a standing position and assaulted her mouth with his own, taking advantage of her surprise to slip his tongue past those luscious pink lips of hers. When they broke for air Gaara pulled her body flush against his own, making his arousal evident.
"G-Gaara..." She said, voice trembling with anxiety that he mistook for desire. His hands continued to roam over her, worshiping her body over her clothes.
"Sa-ku-ra..." He hissed, voice caressing each delicate syllable coated with desire before letting them fall from his lips.
"We have a s-" He cut her off once again when his hands ghosted over her breasts, eliciting a whimper of protest from the flushed woman. Before she couldn't tell him because she was too afraid, but now it seemed she couldn't tell him because he kept interrupting or distracting her. With every kiss he placed and every spot he caressed, Sakura was filled more and more with dread rather than desire. Fear was her main concern before, but now it was guilt that ate away at her with each loving gesture he made.
"Just say it, Sakura." Gaara whispered to her, and she couldn't help but note the irony of his words. Though she knew that by 'it' he meant 'I love you', it was still ironic that he was encouraging her to 'just say it' considering her inner conflict. Just say it... Sakura thought to herself, nerves making her tongue feel strangely numb.
"Sakura..." Just four little words, 'we have a son', then you're done.
"Please...?" It'll only take a second, then it's over.
"Say it..." Don't be such a coward. Sakura closed her eyes in resignation before doing as she was told.
"We have a child, Gaara." The pink haired woman breathed, eyes opening to see his blank expression slowly turn stunned. There was a heavy moment of silence before Gaara's hands slowly fell from her body to hang limply at his sides. He looked beyond confused, as if he hadn't heard her correctly. For the first time Gaara was rendered speechless- shocked into silence rather than choosing it willingly.
"That day in the temple... Neither of us used any sort of protection, I don't think we were exactly prepared for it to happen... But I didn't find out I was pregnant until later. I couldn't bring myself to have an abortion and adoption just wasn't an option for me, so I fled before the conflict could begin. I went to Yukigakure and-"
"Why didn't you come to me?" Gaara finally asked in an empty tone, interrupting her mid-ramble as if he hadn't been listening in the first place. His eyes bore into hers so intently that she wanted to look away in shame, but Sakura wouldn't allow herself that luxury at this point.
"It was partially because of the war. I'm a Leaf kunoichi who was pregnant with the child of the enemy- it wasn't a simple situation..." As Gaara eyed her skeptically, her excuse died in her throat.
"You are either very foolish or have little to no faith in me, though I have an inkling about which it is." Gaara snapped, voice cold as ice to mask the hurt. Both options were offensive, no matter which Sakura chose.
"I didn't know how you'd react... Given your childhood and all, I didn't know if you'd react well to having a child yourself." Gaara's eyes narrowed considerably.
"So you decided to hide my own child from me, is that it?" Sakura turned her head away in shame, his bitter accusation hitting the nail right on the head. He grabbed her chin, none too gently, and yanked her gaze back up to meet his furious one. Sakura gulped silently, swallowing her fear, before glowering back at him and his rough treatment of her.
"I didn't know how you'd react, and I sure as hell wasn't going to put our lives on the line just to find out!" She spat back bitterly. Gaara growled and grabbed her by the shoulders to slam her up against the wall, which cracked behind her from the impact. Sakura's head hit against the wood with force and she momentarily saw stars, giving a painful cry at the rough contact. The wind was knocked out of her chest, which left her gasping for air. A single hand snaked up her hip, in between her heaving breasts, and wrapped around her neck to squeeze tightly. Sakura's eyes widened at the situation and he felt her heart rate accelerate underneath his grasp, which never faltered. Gaara bent down until he was right in her face, his breath tickling her skin uncomfortably. It was then that Sakura noticed his normally black-rimmed, seafoam eyes were now a murky black, two gold diamond-like pupils pinning her to the spot with terror.
"And just how do you think I'd react, Sakura?" He snarled with a distorted voice, face mere centimeters from hers. She felt a jolt of fear at the deadly aura that seeped from the jinchuuriki but pushed it down. If Gaara or the Shukaku thought they were going to intimidate her then they had another thing coming, her alter ego demanded; he wasn't the only one with an inner evil. Sakura whipped her head up and met his piercing gold gaze defiantly, shooting daggers at him. Despite the hand on her throat, Sakura leaned her face even closer to his.
"Honestly? Much like this." She whispered, voice dripping with venom. Gaara's glare ceased the moment the acidic words fell from her mouth and his eyes widened in realization, as if he was seeing the situation for the first time. His hand jerked back immediately like he had touched a hot stove and he took a step back, his eyes changing back to normal after blinking a few times. They stared at each other silently for a few moments, her gaze still full of lingering anger while his flashed with despondent regret. He opened his mouth to say something but instead closed it and looked away in shame, performing hand seals before disappearing in a whirlwind of sand.
Sakura stood in the former Hokage's office alone and reached her hand up to gingerly touch the angry, inflamed red hand print around her throat. When her fingers brushed over it she winced slightly in pain. Left to heal it on its own it would take more than a week for the bruise to go away, after going through various phases of blue, yellow, and red hues. Instead, Sakura raised her hand once more and healed the wound herself, the contusion vanishing as if it had never been... But Sakura knew otherwise.
A tense silence filled the nearly empty room for a few moments before Sakura sunk to the floor and burst into tears. She cried over the war, over all the people that had been lost, over her fatherless son, over his bastard father whom she still loved with all her heart... Sakura, lost wallowing in her despair, jumped at the sudden knock on the door.
"Kazekage-sama, is everything alright in there?" Asked a high pitched voice from behind the door, who Sakura could only assume was Gaara's assistant and former student, Matsuri. Sakura kept quiet, unsure what to say or do. When there was no reply, Matsuri spoke again.
"I heard something break against the wall... Kazekage-sama, if you don't answer I'm going to have to come in uninvited." The younger girl warned, voice tinged with slight worry. Sakura flashed through hand signs and teleported away just before the door slowly opened, and Matsuri was met only with a poof of smoke from the jutsu and, much to the girl's shock, a body-sized crack in the wall.
A/N: I already said a bunch at the top, so I'll keep this short. Thanks again for reading, don't forget to review! A happy author makes a happy reader, after all. ;3 The next and last chapter is coming soon, so stick around! x3