Chapter 15

Disclaimer

I do not own any rights to Naruto (story or characters). Just the characters I make up along the way! I have full love and respect for Masashi Kishimoto!

Note

Been so long, but life is funny like that. So much has changed in my life sense New Year's most of it good, but some of it not. I haven't forgotten my love for this story, though and after a very VERY long time I have added more chapters. I hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. :)

இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—

Watching Sasuke face off against the man in white while I tried desperately to stop the blood from pouring out of a wound, that wasn't healing, left me feeling helpless. My grip kept slipping on the wound sending more of my blood rushing past my fingers. It was a futile struggle because with my chakra depleted and my body weak from blood loss there was no way to stop the bleeding. If there was a day to die, the gods hated me enough to make it today.

The village was alive with the sounds of excitement before the sun even rose above the horizon that morning. Teams were out moving through drills in the practice fields and running laps around the village walls. I passed more than one kid sprinting through the crowd wearing their village protector shinning and new. It left a warmth in my heart to see children from different villages playing together.

Kaiyo and I spent most of the morning running through physical after physical. With the return of the Chunin exams a new set of rules were put in place. As part of the rules for the exams all entries had to have a physical done to assure they were healthy enough to compete. Kids of all ages stood in line outside the medical tent talking to each other about the day's events. Sakura had arrived with Hinata, Naruto's wife, the night before arriving with the last of the delegation from Konoha. They had volunteered to assist in the final physicals giving my medics some much needed rest. We were almost done when Sasuke walked in.

Sakura's smile was bright amongst the disgruntled faces of the Genin waiting for their exam as she made her way over to him. His eyes seemed to soften as she approached even if he never smiled outright.

"Yuu-chan, this is Sasuke," Sakura introduced him.

"Nice to meet you," I offered forgoing mention of us meeting the day before. The contents of that meeting were classified.

Sasuke played along as well nodding in greeting to myself before turning to greet Kaiyo. They chatted for a while, Sakura talking about the day's events and Sasuke acting like he was listening. I could see the familiar signs of someone tuning out a person's words on the man's face even if Sakura could not. I met his eye at one point giving him a look that let him know I knew but wouldn't say anything. When the last of the exams were done I left for my meeting with Gaara saying goodbye and excusing myself from the room.

The market was teeming with life as people from across the five countries were purchasing items from Suna's vendors. A couple of them waived to me in passing, familiar patrons that I sold salves to on a regular basis. I stopped by a tiny restaurant in the heart of the market watching the line of people leading into the small building, a whismical smile on my face.

Seeing the place now brought back memories of a time when this little restaurant changed my life forever. The man that had poisoned the village was still in prison, surrendering his property to Suna. Now the little place was a Kebob stop where people could get fried meat and dumplings with fresh desert ingredients. Funny how time changes things.

Naruto was waiting by the door to the meeting room, looking like he was falling asleep with his head hanging at an uncomfortable angle. He jumped when I approached blinking up at me from his seat.

"Oh, hello Yuu-chan!" He greeted smiling his brilliant smile up at me. Running my hands over where my goggles were resting against my ear I offered him a nod in greeting and nothing more. I know he was disappointed that I didn't offer more as a hello, but the man was too cheerful for me. Kaiyo's emotions were boisterous and expressive but at least she wasn't always so damn cheerful. He sighed in defeat lounging further into his chair.

For a few moments he was quiet sitting there looking at the door across from us. It lasted about five minutes.

"What do you think of Gaara?" He asked without facing me. The look on his face was comical, like he was trying not to smile and failing miserably.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" He responded.

"Why are you asking me that?" I shot back glaring down at his slouched form. He seemed oblivious to my frustrations as he cocked his head in thought.

"Do you like him?" He spoke turning his head to wait for my answer.

"Yes," I told him like there was any question. He looked too happy at my response before something made him hesitate.

"No, I mean I know you like him or else you wouldn't be friends."

"Well than why did you ask?" I questioned back feeling my hackles rise. As if sensing my frustration, he backed away a bit raising his arms in defense.

"No, no, no I'm not questioning you!" He tried defending himself looking about three minutes from bolting.

"Well than what are you asking?" I huffed turning away from the idiot before I hit him.

The room was silent as I waited for the man to either end his useless questioning or get to the point. When he hadn't spoken in a few minutes I looked to see him staring down at his hands with the most pathetic expression on his face. Okay, maybe I was being too hard on him, but something about this man just seemed to irk me. With a resigned sigh I spoke.

"Have you ever been so alone in your life that the thought of friendship scared you?"

"Yeah," He whispered, speaking quietly for the first time since I met him. His face had melted into a solemn expression that hide far more pain than I ever expected to see on the blonde's face. Relaxing my tense shoulders, I slouched further in the chair.

"Everyone around you passes you by making connections with others and living life like it's the easiest thing in the world. But it's not. Living is the hardest thing any human can do." I said remembering all the lives I've watched end over the years.

"All I wanted was for it to end. The pain of living," I whispered seeing him flinch at my words like they hurt him. Smiling I leaned back in my chair head tilted back to watch a bug flitter around the fluorescent light.

"But that kind of pain will never disappear. Even if the warmth of a touch or the burn of an injury leaves no sensation, the pain of the heart will always hurt." I said raising my hand up to the light. The skin was a smooth as the day I was born, unblemished despite the multiple injuries I have endured over the years. Some of them I remember, the biting pain a fleeting memory.

"It's the pain of life that makes it all worth living." I whispered letting my hand fall back to my lap. The bug landed on the globe settling into the warmth the light provided. "That's what Gaara is to me. My reason to keep living." I said feeling the warm ache in my chest that seemed to center around the red head. When Naruto didn't say anything, I turned to face the blonde once more.

I was startled to see him crying, looking at the floor with cerulean eyes filled with so much heartache it made me regret my earlier words. Naruto wiped his eyes shaking himself from his sadness and turning to me with another one of his brilliant smiles.

"Your important person," He offered for the first time in our conversation.

"Yes, the most important," I said feeling myself warm up to the strange man.

Jumping up to his feet Naruto seemed to gather all his energy back. He bounced around in place for a moment before turning back to me.

"You should tell him that!" He said making me laugh at the seriousness of his expression.

"Gaara knows how important he is to me. It doesn't need to be spoken out loud," I said shaking my head at the blonde.

"No! You have to, otherwise how will he know you love him?"

His words threw me sending my heart stuttering to a stop in my chest. Wait, was that what this whole conversation was about, love? Looking up at him I opened my mouth to answer only to have the doors to the meeting room open. Gaara was the last to leave with Kakashi at his side talking quietly. Naruto bounded over to them chatting away like he hadn't just left my heart struggling to restart.

I had never taken the time to just sit there and look at him. With his sharp eyes and rounded features, not masculine like most men but not feminine either, Gaara was beautiful to look at. Thin lips quirked up at the corner as he watched his friend speak setting his teal eyes sparkling. He looked healthier than he had in a long time, sleep among many things doing him wonders. I could feel my heart speed up when he turned to look at me eyes melting into a warmer emotion, one I couldn't name. When he looked up meeting my eyes I saw them brighten even further. His body relaxed on instinct like my presence alone was enough to make him feel safe. Confused and a little scared I did the only thing my brain could think of. I ran.

I couldn't think straight, couldn't see past the ache in my chest and the warmth spreading through my body. The familiar pain that Gaara always left behind when he was near was intensified as my thoughts raced through unfamiliar emotions.

Love?

Gaara?

All the times I sought Gaara out, whether to talk or just to be near him. Was that love? Wanting to spend time with him even it was helping him with paperwork, feeling happy when I felt his chakra enter the forest not because I was lonely but because I missed him, feeling anxious when we spent any time apart because it meant I couldn't be there to watch over him. Were these feelings love?

I was so lost in thought that I didn't sense someone following me. It wasn't until I was a good distance outside the village that I felt him. Heart leaping out of my chest as I turned throwing a senbon at the man only to have it easily parried. Sasuke stood there eyeing me with his dark eyes narrowed.

"What do you want?" I gasped trying to reign in my racing heart. He said nothing looking down at my feet with a curious tilt to his head. Following his gaze, I watched as vines began growing out of the ground around me, circling my feet and his own. Not now! I panicked sending more of my frazzled chakra ng out. I could feel my chakra bleeding into the sand, calling forth the life that slept dormant far below us.

"It's not-" My words were cut off as another chakra came blaring into life. Turning my vines shot into the air trying to dodge the attacker.

Funny how you don't register your injury the same when you can't feel pain. For a moment I thought the blade of the man in white had been successfully blocked. It wasn't until I felt the tang of iron on the back of my tongue that I knew I was wrong. The staff was pulled from my throat as my vines began to part giving me a clearer view of the man that attacked. His body was completely covered in white from his pants to his mask. The only spot of color was the red mark scrawled onto the fabric covering his face.

"K-kaimon." I gasped sending blood coating my chin as it escaped my throat.

Sasuke was there instantly pulling me away from the man and sending up a wave of purple chakra to block the man's next attack. Jumping away with me against his side he put a good distance between us and the masked man. He left me sitting there against the wall head lolling as I tried to fight the loss of blood.

For the first time since I was a child fear filled me. Fear of dying.

"G-g-gaara," I all but gurgled fighting against the darkness blurring my vision. Not darkness, tears. Choking on a sob I pressed down harder on the wound desperate to hold out until help came. I had to hold out. I couldn't let death take me, not yet. I had to tell Gaara that I...