Torn between her first crush and the two people who taught her so much…
Hyuuga Neji…
Sabaku no Gaara…
Uchiha Sasuke…
Previously…
>Sasuke watched Zuchi, as he talked and as he walked away. He had a smirk on his face, and fearing what was to come, he slowly looked down at the form that laid of the floor.
>"Sakura!"
He took a shaky step forward to her limp body. As the seconds ticked by, his fear turned into anger as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
Zuchi laughed at the sight of his opponent's emotion.
"I can't believe you would care for such a weak little girl! You could do better than that, my friend…" he smirked at him.
"You…are not my friend…" he turned his hardened gaze onto him.
"Oh…I'm saddened by this…You break my heart…" he faked sadness.
"That…won't be the only thing I break!" he sprinted at him, filled with rage. He wanted to punch him, he wanted to kick him, strangle him with his bare hands and kill him.
Sasuke landed his fist right on his face and his other into his abdomen, using his momentum to bring him down to his knee and kick him in the guts.
It wasn't enough…he wanted him to bleed, bleed for Sakura.
Zuchi was impressed by his strength but his movement was agitated and made him predictable. He defended himself from Sasuke's relentless attacks until he brought up his hand too high for him to bring down quickly.
'There!' he drew his katana and stabbed him in the front. Sasuke froze, his face scrunched up in agony. Zuchi twisted his sword to the left and Sasuke groaned in pain and slumped to the floor.
"That was how I killed your angel, she was impressive for a while but then again, she wasn't the best…" he smirked down at Sasuke. Zuchi kicked him multiple times in the stomach, forcing him to cough up blood and cringe in pain.
When he was about to deliver the final blow, someone dealt a soft yet powerful blow to his back. Blood sprayed out of his mouth with violent effort.
"Alpha to Gamma…Abandon your position and head to the south west side…" Neji spoke into his ear piece.
"Gamma to Alpha…Understood." came Gaara's voice on the other side.
Sasuke hunched over on the ground, groaning and clutching onto his stomach as if it's about to fall off. He watched Neji with his Sharingan with a pained expression. He was about to force himself to get up when a cloud of sand appeared.
"Don't push yourself…" he said monotonously as he crossed his arms and stood casually.
Neji readied himself as Zuchi slowly recovered from the sudden shock. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he turned to face his new opponent.
"Great! A new plaything…I hope you'll do better than the raging boy and the pink angel…" he smirked at him.
"I wouldn't be smirking if I were you…I intend to finish this quickly…" he sneered at him.
"That's what they all say but look at them…" he pointed at Sasuke and Sakura.
'Sakura…' he looked over at her body. Upon close examination with his Byakugan he could tell that she was still alive but just barely. Her chakra was still flowing throughout her body but her heart rate was slow. Too slow to be healthy. Neji ran towards Zuchi with a purpose of killing him.
"Jyuukenhou Hakke Rokujyuu Yonshou!" he shouted as he jabbed his enemy multiple times on his body.
"Ni! Yon! Hachi! Jyuu roku! San jyuu ni! Roku jyuu yon!" he finished his attack with a devastating hit on his heart. As he fell backwards, a spray of blood was produced from his mouth. He dropped to the earth with a loud thud and continued to cough up blood violently. His labored breathing slowed as he finally took his last breath and departed the world of the shinobi.
"I never go back on my word…" he spoke as he leered at his dead body.
Sasuke crawled to her, slowly reaching out for Sakura's hand and held it. Neji and Gaara come over to them.
"Come on Sasuke…" Neji bent over and took Sasuke's hand, placing it over his shoulders, bringing him up to his feet.
"But…Sakura…" Sasuke's face was filled with pain and distress.
"Gaara can take care of her for now…" he dragged Sasuke away much to his dislike.
"Sakura…" he looked over his shoulders and saw Gaara picking her up with care, her body was limp and lifeless, her arms hanging over her sides and her head tipped back, allowing her bloodied pink hair to swing with the movement.
"Sakura…" he whispered.
Sasuke sat up on his bed, staring at his bandaged hands.
'I couldn't protect her…I nearly lost her again…' he thought solemnly.
It's been two days since the death of their leader Zuchi and no attacks have been sent, given that their guide was gone. It's been two days since he last heard Sakura's voice and it's been two days since he last saw her.
"Sakura…" he murmured out.
It was then Haru came limping into his room. His arms and legs were wrapped up, his face was half covered in bindings.
"Sorry to intrude…but Mizukage-Sama would like to see all of you…" he bowed his head to him.
"But…Sakura…" he stared at him.
"Sakura has just woken up…would you like me to bring you to her…" he looked up at him when he heard the rustling of bed sheets.
"I can go by myself…" he said as he put on his slippers. Once he was done, he walked up to the door but stopped just beside Haru.
"Are you related to Haku…?" Sasuke asked.
"Haku?" he questioned him.
"Never mind…" he walked off.
"Sakura, are you sure about this…you shouldn't force yourself since you just woke up and all…" the sand-nin asked the pink haired girl.
"I'll be ok." She smiled at him and it warmed his heart. His eyes softened at her voice and grin.
She tied her hair back and slowly put on her slippers. She got up from her bed but she felt faint and nearly fell over but Gaara caught her.
"Are you ok? Are you still hurt? Do you want me to get a doctor in here? Do you want to rest a little bit longer? Should I-" she placed her finger on his mouth to shut him up from his questions.
"I'm ok and I'm not hurt that much anymore. I don't need a doctor and I don't need anymore rest. But you can carry me if you want." She smiled at him as he blushed.
"I…I didn't…I mean…it's…" he stammered over his words and she giggled at him.
"You're so cute when you do that!" she punched him playfully on his arm.
"Hey…that actually hurts you know…" the corners of his lips tugged up to a small smile and she noticed.
"I think you look good when you smile…" she tilted her head at him.
"Don't make me do that again." He went back to his trademark smirk.
"Aw…a little anti-social aren't you…" she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Excuse me?" he sneered at her as he picked her up to his shoulder none too gently.
"Hey! Put me down! Gaara! Hey! No fair!" she playfully whacked his back and laughed at him.
As they walked out the door, Sakura spotted Sasuke walking down the same hall.
"Hey Sasuke! We're off to see Mizukage-Sama!" she waved at him while he just stared speechless at her.
"…?" he continued to look at her until he realized that she was being carried.
"Come on Sasuke!" she gestured for him to walk with them but he glared at Gaara's back who refused to look at him.
"Hi Haru!" she waved at him too.
"Hello…" he walked along side Sasuke who nodded in acknowledgement.
"…" he glared daggers at Gaara's back and Haru noticed.
"You've got competition…" he whispered into Sasuke's ear.
"What!" he stopped and stared thunderstruck at Haru who just smiled back.
"Better watch out! He's not the only one interested about Sakura." Haru smiled cheekily at him. Down the hall Sakura sneezed.
"Bless you…" he smirked at her.
"Hehe! Someone must have missed me! I wonder who! Do you think it's Naruto?" she grinned at him.
"I don't know…"
"ACHOO!" Naruto sniffed.
"Bless you…" Kakashi said to him as he read his book.
"Hehe. Someone must really miss me! Hahaha!" he laughed at himself while Kakashi just sweat-dropped.
Thanks to everybody who reviewed neh! It's sooo very much appreciated! You're my motivation! My inspiration! Well…not so much inspiration but the motivation is there! Wahahaha!
Ah! Not much Gaara and Sakura here! Nooo! I was hoping to put heaps of Sakura and Gaara in here! I'll try harder next time! Forgive me! (voice fades as she runs off...)