Birthdays Past

by Vampire Toy

She didn’t jump to conclusions when her parents left a day ahead for a meeting, or when all her friends seemed to forget her birthday, but when the day is gone, and no one’s even said one lousy ‘Happy Birthday Sakura’ does this mean they don’t know or don

9. Never Quite Alone

Birthdays Past

Chapter 9: Never Quite Alone

By: Vampire Toy

PG 13 (Just in case)

Disclaimer: Me no own ;;

"Talking"

(Inner Sakura) – Eh, well, I got some advice on italics, but my box thingie in 'preview' doesn't have an italics sign/thing so this will have to do, thanks tho! ;

:Sound effect:

…

My first order of business was to get clothes again, and for that I needed either Temari or Ino. I grabbed the doorknob and turned it but it wouldn't open. I stared in near-horror as a few grains of sand trickled down from the lock.

"GAAARA!" I shook and yanked at the door using all the strength I could muster, but it wasn't enough and the only response I received was more sand falling into my room.

"DAMN YOU!"

(HELL YEAH!)

I looked around and made a face, so I couldn't get clothes, but maybe the window was open? I thought a moment, how does Gaara see me? My personality? Did he think I was someone who wouldn't go outside in my underwear? (Well, you wouldn't) exactly! So he must've left the window open!

I rushed over and tried to lift it, but made a face when I found it was also jammed with sand. (Grr! How's he gonna find them without me! And what if I get hungry or something before he comes back? What if I need the bathroom? Wha-)

Bathroom?

(Yes, the one in this room is being remodeled)

Remodeled….

(Yes….)

I walked quickly into the bathroom and looked around and the unfinished construction. This room was obviously an add on because the walls' thin frame still showed through the wall and paint. They still had to put up the strong foundation between the outside wall and the inside wall to keep the wall from blowing away.

(Apparently they have very strong materials even without the inner foundation; especially if it had survived the last sandstorm)

The bathroom had a window in it but I figured that was probably sealed as well. I wondered if I could use the water pressure to blow off part of the wall but paused when I realized it meant destroying part of Gaara's home.

How badly did I want to get out?

(Well, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Naruto, Choji, and Shikamaru are left in two separate groups…..and Itachi probably wouldn't attack here, being the this is the home of the Kazekage ….and his partner, .IF the blue man is his partner, cant attack us anymore either….which leaves both terrorists free to attack them!)

I have to get out!

(Sorry Gaara, I have to do this!) I looked over at the sink and ran over, turning the knob but finding no water coming out.

(NOOOO!)

Ok, the pipes! Check the pipes! I dropped to my hands and knees and saw a section of the pipes had not been connected to the faucet yet. Thankfully I saw that the bathtub's pipes WERE connected, so I jumped into the shower and grabbed the removable showerhead, looking around to figure out where to aim it. On one side there was the outside, on the other there was the hallway. I didn't want to ruin more property so I aimed to find the wall that lead outside.

Besides, if this was so important that I was going to break down a part of Gaara's house, then being in my underwear was just fine, besides, it was getting dark quickly.

I finally decided that the wall right under the showerhead must be it.

(I hope the water pressure is still really strong) it should've been, considering the pipes weren't all connected yet and all the water flow was focused in the showerhead.

"Ok…."

I aimed and spun the handle to let the water gush out. I braced myself but nothing came out, I was about to beat the showerhead angrily when the water splurged out and I slipped, falling hard onto my back in the porcelain tub.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIEEE!"

The water pressure was even stronger than I'd thought and the showerhead slipped from my hands, almost becoming like a snake as it swung around, taking out a small portion of the roof of the bathroom.

(HOLY SHIT)

I crawled desperately and turned the knob off, letting out a yelp as the showerhead fell on my head.

(………you're stupid)

Shut up at least I'm ALIVE!

I gurgled and rolled over onto my back to stare at the hole in the ceiling.

(Well, it's a way out)

I guess, I sat up rubbing my head. I heard yelling through the thin walls and panicked. Of COURSE blowing off a ceiling with water pressure would get someone's attention! I bound up and out through the ceiling, flopping onto the sand awkwardly, then getting up and running off as quickly as I could.

(I feel like a fugitive)

You are, who do you think is gonna pay for that roof?

(Ok, well, I meant to take out the wall)

Same thing, Gaara's still gonna be pissed when he sees it.

(And now the sand is sticking to you…)

I wish I could've dried off….

(Too late, just go find your friends so that all of this isn't a waste!)

…I didn't know the water would be so strong!

(Silence)

Grr….

…

I had run as far as outside the city, (out of the caverns) where I could feel the full strength of the desert night and it's freezing wind with no rock ledges to protect me.

(I can never seem to dress for the right occasion anymore)

I rubbed my now dry but goosebump covered arms, trying to brush off some of the sand that had stayed on even after I was dry, but failing and eventually giving up.

Let's see, where would they be? They would be going towards the village that was supposed to sign the treaty of course….(do you know which village that is?) ……..(We're going to diiiieeeeeeee)

No! Wait! What other villages are there in this area? Sound and Cloud Villages…..wait, Sound? No, that can't be right, why would we sign a treaty with THEM!

(Orochimaru…why would we…?)

It doesn't matter! That's my only option (We're already allies with the Sand and Cloud) hmm, so….I should go towards the Sound Village? (I hope they made it) or not, it's a horrible place filled with horrible people! (Your judging again, remember the Sand Village?) they were mean too, those kids stole my candy (Well you were dressed like a prostitute, of course people avoided you …. you know that's what you'd do….) ….well, I don't know why a prostitute would ever need my help.

(Still, Tsunade-sama must be onto something if she's doing this, they must be a little better….) Tsunade-sama……Orochimaru was her old teammate wasn't he? (Stop thinking! Just go!)

my face fell into a grimace; Tsunade-sama was smart, she MUST have a good motive to be doing this. Thankfully I knew which direction the Sound Village was from the Sand Village, so I knew that once I got out of the desert span that the way would be short.

(So…..Itachi) What about him! (Where do you think he is? How far do you think the other teams got?) Well, I could try track their routes; it might save me time if they hadn't gotten to the Sound Village. I stopped, my feet almost completely covered by the sand I stood on. That means I need to go back into the forest….where they could be hiding……

(You mean Itachi?)

Always.

(And the blue guy)

Perhaps.

Out in the open desert planes, it was easier for me to see what was around me; all of it basking in the moons eerie white glow. In the forest, however, the moon could only occasionally show what was hiding and where. I looked over at the entrance to the shrubbery that had looked welcoming just before the sunset, now clouded in darkness.

I won't be able to see.

(It doesn't matter)

My friends are important….only them.

(Gaara must be searching the city to see if they made it….he wouldn't know that they had a mission in the Sound Village, so he'd never come out here)

He'd never be able to save me….

(You don't need saving, that's for fairytales! Go and help your friends!)

The only important things in my life.

(Only important things….)

…

After slapping myself out of the strange trance the forest had veiled over me, I entered, my feet crunching carefully over twigs and leaves and who knows what else. My arms reached out to rest on trees or large rock formations, the deeper in I went the darker it became, almost feeling as if the forest was closing behind me, never to let me out again.

Feh, to think I'd miss the sand at all….

(Well there's still sand on your legs and arms if you miss it that much….)

Urr…..yeah….it wont come off….hnn

Branches began scraping at my exposed flesh and got stuck on parts of what little clothing I had as I made my way through a less traveled area. My bra was almost pulled off by a vicious fighting branch convinced me that getting clothes first would have been smarter.

What if they were ok after all and I come running in to save the day in my underwear?

(Then your life would suck a lot more….)

….hmmm…..

My senses were clouded as I struggled through the thick undergrowth, every sound every animal, plant, or unknown creature made, cluttered my ears. My concentration was too deep, the sounds and random snatching of bushes and trees made me almost frantic. Even the small gaps that the forest DID allow to receive light weren't enough and I began worrying whether or not I was going the right way.

(I want to see! I want light!)

"Couldn't wait to see me?"

I froze, my heart stopped and every sound in the forest seemed to disappear.

(No)

"Sakura."

(No)

"How lovely to see you, I was just on my way for a visit….I suppose this is more convenient then."

(I have no weapons, I have no kunai, I have nothing….)

My arms yanked up to cover my chest and protect my face when I heard movement near me. The darkness made it impossible to see anything….I needed to get to a clearing…or at least a small spot of light….or near one….

(There! Light over there!) Without thinking I jumped into the spot of light the moon had placed on the forest floor. I immediately regret it.

(YOU IDIOT NOW HE CAN SEE YOU BUT YOU STILL CAN'T SEE HIM!)

Shit.

"Well now, this is slightly different from last time." I heard his voice behind me but I couldn't turn around; it wasn't so much my fear, but my embarrassment and how it seemed to ease my nerves when I could hear him speaking.

"This clothing of yours, it's not very safe for a place like this."

I shivered at feeling his breath on my neck; his head was hovering over my shoulder just enough so I'd have to turn to see him.

"Hnn? Are you cold?"

(No….this isn't happening, I can't get caught….not now….my friends, they might need me….)

"Your not needed by them."

"WHAT!" Can he read my mind? (AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!)

"Your speaking again, good but not so loud."

"……"

"Your friends don't need you….is that why your out here?"

(Huh?)

"Uh…." He's asking…he doesn't know for sure….he can't read my mind…. (:dies:)

"No? Let me try again….oh, yes….there were three teams…..you, your friend, and ….Sasuke… then there were two more teams of three….yes….Kisame mentioned this to me."

"Kisame? Is he your partner?" (Shut up!)

"…..yes……so you're worried about your friends is it? Well they do not concern me."

"They wouldn't." my voice wasn't shaky at all; I confused myself more than Itachi with my calmness.

"Kisame however…..might want to have a little fun….he got particularly annoyed with one of your friends, your teammate? The blonde boy."

"Naruto…"

"Yes. But he might've run into the other team instead….."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You wanted to know didn't you?"

"…."

"Exactly."

"I-I need to go find them…." The uncertainty and nervousness returned to my voice and I felt his arms slip around me, pulling me suddenly and swiftly against him, his arms resting under my breasts. My face flushed and I began to squirm, but he was only squeezing me tighter with each attempt at freedom I made.

"Now, now, you came all this way for me, we don't want to cut it short do we?"

"I-I didn't come to see you!" If anything I came to fight you….(not even)

"Of course you did."

"No!"

"Yes!" he spun me around and crushed my body against his underneath his open coat. My arms were jammed between his muscular chest and my lack of one, making me unable to do any sort of replacement jitsu as I should have done before he could get so close. I felt something tickling my cheek and looked up to find his long black bangs dangling in my face, his head low and continuing to lower. My already red face almost enflamed when his dark eyes met mine and his handsome face gave me a smirk.

"Yes." He said again. I could feel his breath on my cheek and I shut my eyes tight. My heart began beating faster and chills went down my spine as he ran his rough fingers down my nearly bare back. Goosebumps covered my body as he continued exploring it lightly. His free hand came up to my face to brush hair from my cheek and I opened my eyes, regretting it immediately. I couldn't look away from him as his smile grew and he tilt his head leaning down, coming closer….

"Black nail polish!"

"…..Excuse me?" he pulled back slightly at my unusual comment.

"Y-you wear black nail polish! I-I uh….I just noticed…"

"Oh…yes….."

"It's uh….nice….I-I mean, do you paint them yourself? I can't paint my nails very well, it always gets all over my fingers…."

(I hope he doesn't kill me for this…)

I heard a chuckle and looked up as Itachi grinned down at me, bearing his teeth in an insane smile.

"Cuuuute, very cuuuute, that's…..that's why I picked you to be my girlfriend Sakura-chan, I like your sense of humor."

(Humor?)

"I…I'm not your damn girlfriend!" (oooh, mistake)

He stopped laughing, a smile still on his face.

"Why not? Sasuke is JUST like me…."

"N-no! No he's not! He's caring and loving, he's not like you!"

"He IS, he is EXACTLY like me."

"NO!"

"That's not your reason."

"W-what?"

"You obviously thought that you could get away with saying that…….so what is it?"

(A different reason….he means….something to back up me not being his girlfriend?) I hope understanding him doesn't constitute as getting used to….(like Gaara?) eh….

"Y-you can't force it on me! I-I mean, out here you can, but only because your stronger than me….but you can't make me tell anyone, or make sure I don't love someone else! Sasuke-kun….you said you didn't want him to see you! You didn't want him to find you yet, and to enforce our relationship, to make it hurt him in any way, you have to do it in front of him!" (Yes! Yes! Whaddya say to THAT!)

"Of course I can."

I blinked.

(What?)

"What?"

"I can, but I won't, not until I want him to find me, but until then…..there is a way I can enforce it."

"No way! How? You're lying!"

(Please be lying)

He grabbed my face and looked at me seriously.

"You can't go near him, not for any reason, not for anything, avoid him….avoid him bluntly, don't speak to him. You don't know when I'll be watching and if I catch you speaking to him or writing him a letter or even making eye contact, then I'll pick your friends off one by one."

I stared at him in horror, his eyes almost holding me in place; I couldn't breathe or hear anything aside from his steady breathing.

"My friends…" I finally spat out, his hand letting go of my face but his other arm still around my waist, his large coat wrapped around us.

"Yes."

"You….don't know where they are…" I tried timidly.

"I do, as does Kisame."

(No)

"I can easily tell him right now to kill one…..or all of them."

(No, someone…)

"So be a good girl."

(Help, I need help….)

He removed his arms from around me, taking off his large coat and draping the large article over my head. I pulled it off and shook out my hair to look around, but he was gone.

"No…" my face twist angrily, though it didn't do me any good now, "no…" tears slid down my face, "Why? Why Sasuke? Why Itachi?" I hiccuped and broke down, dropping into a ball on the cold ground, burying my head in my arms as they rest on my knees.

:hic:

"Why…"

:hic:

My tears were warm against my skin and I realized that without Itachi to share body heat, the night air was cold and dead around me. I tried to suppress my tears as I looked at the large coat my one hand was holding onto. Itachi's coat, his terrorist attire.

"I'm not going to wear this…..it's yours you bastard…" I muttered tossing it aside. It was then that I felt a wetness on my face again, but not from my tears…..I looked up and dropped my head when more rain came trickling down. I looked at the coat again and scrunched my face disapprovingly.

(On one hand you could protect yourself from the rain, not get sick and possibly go on to find your friends again)

On the other?

(You leave it and get sick and die alone and half-naked in the forest)

Nice options.

I looked around sheepishly; if he'd heard my last statement and saw me take the coat, he would have a whole new reason to bother me.

(My friends are all that matter)

Right, I have to prove to them they can count on me….

(Even if you're the weakest….)

……..weak

I picked up the jacket and pulled part of it over my head to protect me from the rain that had begun to come down harder.

Should I try walk through the storm?

(….Your feet might get infected….)

Or I might be fine

(Or that)

I got up, wrapping the jacket tighter around myself….it was massive, even bigger than Itachi himself. I'd never understood the radicals' clothing, but I did note that it was a lot lighter than I'd thought it would be.

My bare feet splashed through the puddles that were forming as the rain pattered onto my makeshift raincoat. My legs were becoming colder with the water constantly soaking them and my toes were becoming numb.

How can it rain so much…and be such cold rain….so close to the desert?

(You may not be as close to the desert anymore)

My heart pained slightly; it was my only source of comfort…..Ino, Sasuke-kun…..even Gaara, they were all there now…not out here….

"You're beginning to annoy me."

"GAARA!" I didn't move. I was frozen once again, my legs aching without movement to keep the circulation going. Gaara stood in front of me, the rain pelting his sand shield but never breaking it.

"Come here."

"Gee when you say it like that I just wanna throw myself at you." I muttered sarcastically.

"You didn't stay like I told you to."

"Well, maybe I really wanted to find my friends."

"I found them."

"What? Y-you did?" (Itachi has no hold on me then…)

"Three of them."

"Oh…" (he might….he might still…..)

"I came here to look for the others…"

(No, he doesn't know about our mission, even I didn't remember what it was and had to have Ino tell me)

"You're lying, I told you we were on a mission but I didn't say to where."

"I got the information from the blonde, Ino."

(INO!)

"Well….who'd you find?"

"Choji, Kiba, and Shino."

(OH NO! Hinata's the one with the treaty!)

"We have to find the others!"

"Hnn, you're in no condition."

"I'm not sick, and I have a jacket now, so clothing isn't an issue."

"You got it from the man you don't like? The one that looks like your teammate?"

(He won't even say Sasuke-kun's name, what's the matter with him? Why does he hate him so much?)

"…..yes…."

"Hnn." He mumbled and walked over to me. I was afraid for a moment; the other time's I'd seen Gaara I was in a place with other people, even if they weren't right next to me, I knew they were as close as the next room. Now we were alone (save for Itachi, which really didn't help) in the dark forest where he could kill me if I annoyed him enough. I couldn't understand why all of a sudden this fear was controlling me but my face grimaced slightly and my heart began beating faster; he looked angry….enough to kill.

He must've seen the look on my face, because he stopped about six feet away from me, a strange look of his own directed at me.

"Here," the sand handed me an article of clothing…..my dress! The sand slowly continued coming forward and dropped my clothes in my hands, tugging at the jacket around me. Gaara stood still, however, almost as if refusing to come forward.

(You think too much……do you think you hurt his feelings?)

Maybe, so…I guess he IS good then?

(Insanity doesn't go away just like that)

But he's trying…

(Yes….)

The sand jerked harder on Itachi's coat and I made a face at the thought of being in the cold again but let go of the large jacket. The sand moved much more quickly after I gave in, the fear on my face gone. I sighed and looked down at my dress and back at Gaara with an apologetic smile.

"Er, thanks…"

"Hnn."

(Ok, yeah, I doubt he noticed your fear and was hurt)

More like he was pleased…

(Feh, it figures)

"You're too slow." He made a motion with his hand and the sand flood over me, not even giving me a chance to let out the scream in the back of my throat. I felt it moving over me everywhere and realized it was….dressing me?

"Yeeeek!"

"Shut up." He said from the darkness. I wish I could see him, his expression or maybe how close he was. I could feel him near me…

The sand suddenly dropped me and I stumbled through the mud trying not to fall into it. Gaara grabbed my arm and I winced at his tight grip.

"I'm not going to hurt you…"

I looked at him for a moment in silence then nod.

"I know."

"…not unless you give me a reason to."

(Oh….happy moment gone)

"And what reason would that be?"

Tone down your attitude, Itachi may have reason to keep you alive but he does not!

(But….he said we were friends….)

He's Gaara, who knows if he meant it or not, besides, he had no one else to talk to.

(…..still, I think he's trying)

But how hard can he try before he snaps?

(He won't)

Are you sure?

"…hnn." His grip softened and the sand rose behind him, holding Itachi's coat then twisting around it and shredding it to pieces.

My eyes grew wide in surprise, what exactly was that supposed to mean?

"You don't need to keep seeing someone you dislike, someone who hurts you."

"I …"

My mouth went dry at the look he was giving me, it was almost like Itachi's, a predatory stare I couldn't look away from, but he avert his eyes and let go of my arm.

"He causes you pain doesn't he?"

"I-Itachi?"

"Does he?"

"…I…."

Is he talking about Itachi?

(I can't tell)

…

Vampire Toy: Before I comment on my own terrible writing, lemme just clarify the coupling since a lot of people seem to wanna know (sorry for not telling you sooner) its GaaSaku, I hope everyone still reads it XP even if you voted for SasuSaku. Lemme just quickly explain also why I don't put couplings in my summary or something; I like to surprise people, especially with a fic like this where almost any pairing is possible. :3 whelp, yeah, so now you know!

(Laughs) ok that thing with the water pressure, was so weird I don't even know why I thought of that, I am so sorry if it confused anyone (kills self) hehe, that was amazingly stupid neh? But the ceiling was made of…plaster or some plywood because houses are made of stupid stuff like that when their frames are put up…ok definitely not the point. Yeah well, my showerhead is evil and does that sometimes too, only not as powerful, bleh.

And the peace treaty, voila! Treaty between Leaf and Sound. I tried to find out if the Sound and Leaf were already allied by this point but I couldn't find anything on it. So assuming most of the bad guys from the Sound are still attacking them (and that the Village was created by Orochimaru anyway) I made it so they weren't allied. If they are allied, then ignore that little fact :) for my sake.

Hehe and then some lovin' from Itachi XD I'm so evil…..MWAHAHA, take me now Itachi! Er…I mean…uh…

Yeah, SORRY for the late updates and bad chapters, I have a lot of work with the last 3 weeks of school and final exams and crap going on, I work as much on my stories as I can and I really do appreciate you guys hanging in there with me, thanks so much :) so again, I'm sorry for slow updates but know that I WILL update and finish my stories so don't give up on me. I will try each week to get at least one chapter of one of my 4 stories up (yes I'm working on 4, bad Vampire Toy XD) well, R&R please, and flames welcome.