Chapter 8

For the billionth time, thank you all for your continued support! I appreciate it all.

I don't like the darkness, but fighting it is too hard. I'm vaguely aware that if I choose to stay in this darkness I'll lose something –maybe someone- precious to me. However, if I succeed and fight the darkness away, reality is painful. Reality is red.

Without a warning, reality gives me a taste of what's going on around me. The black switches to red, my shoulder is burning hotly. I'm aware of a gentle swaying motion. I want to open my eyes, but my lids are a thousand pounds, they won't budge. My ears are still working though.

I can hear voices. I am faintly aware that one of these voices are very important to me but I can't catch the words it says. They float out of my reach and disappear. I know this voice is special to me, so I try very hard to concentrate.

"What do you mean he got away?" The voice demands angrily.

"He tried to get around me to get to you two, but he saw that it would be almost impossible and ran away. I know when she wakes up she'll want a piece of him. I let him escape for her," a different voice replies.

"You're fucking insane. Both of you. You can run faster than I can right now, run ahead and get things ready for when I bring her in." This time the voice sounds like its escaping from behind clenched teeth.

Blackness swallows me again. Blackness is cold, it holds a promise of no more pain. No more anything. Peace at last. Blackness is so tempting and quiet. Reality is painful and confusing. Reality is Red. Reality is…Naruto.

That name flips the blackness inside out. It sets my drifting mind straight. Instead of nothingness I can see him. The wild blonde hair, the smile, the eyes. I can hear his laugh and feel his arms around me. I can see how he looked last time I saw him. His eyes swimming in tears. So sad. Why is he so sad? I can't remember. "Don't you know I love you?" His voice echoes in my mind. He said that, didn't he?

Those words light a fire in my soul. This fire doesn't hurt, doesn't burn me. It gives me the strength I need to push away the darkness, to embrace reality; to force open my shut eyes.

Why is everything so bright? So white. Someone's rubbing something on my arm. The sharp smell invades my nose and cuts into my foggy brain. I move my eyes around, trying to see all I can. Saskue, he looks concerned. What's going on? I move my eyes left of Saskue and see Naruto. He looks tired, his hair is a mess and his face is covered in scratches. The orange jumpsuit is stained with red. Is he bleeding? I panic, and reach out a hand to him. "Naruto…" My voice sounds so weak.

He steps towards me, one of his hands cover mine, the other pats my hair. "Red, we made it. You'll be okay now; keep fighting, and keep breathing. I'll be here with you."

A sharp sting in my arm snatches my attention away from him. I look down in time to see a hand retreating, holding a needle. My vision goes fuzzy. I look back to blood-soaked Naruto. He's goes out of focus as darkness rises up and drags me under again.

This blackness is different. I can feel my body, but it won't move. My finest assets – my ears – still work perfectly. I can hear everything around me, but the drug they gave me makes it harder to hold onto the words. It seems like my brain is incapable of holding on to the conversations around me. Something's are easier to grasp onto than others.

First is Naruto. "Who knew you had so much fight in you? Must be that hair." Before I can find my voice to tell him what I think about that, the moment drifts away, and I'm flung back into a sea of voices that make plenty of noise, but no sense.

Next, Kakashi. "Go home and rest, Naruto. You've been here for hours. She's not going anywhere, I'll watch her."

Saskue comes into focus next, "Wake up Red. I'm itching to catch this guy and show him who he messed with. We can get revenge together." What's with this guy? I'll be getting Twin on my own. He should stay home and….

"You sit by her all day long. I'm just sayin' I'm her friend too! Go get some air and let me sit by her a while."

"Screw off Kiba, she'll need me when she wakes up. I don't want the first thing she see's to be you. She might think she's having a nightmare."

Kiba growls but then they laugh together. I can feel some pressure where my hands should be. They're both holding my hands and arguing back and forth. I want to smile, my boys.

With a gasp, I sit up straight. This room has an orangey tint to it. I swivel my head to see out a window. The sun is setting. I look down at the bed I'm sitting in. I'm wrapped in bandages, they cover my left shoulder and chest. A hospital?
It all rushes back to me. Twin. Saskue needs me! Wait, no. That's not right. Naruto saved me, Naruto loves me. Where is he?

I look to my bedside to see a smiling Shikamaru. "Oh boy, Naruto steps out for one minute and asks me to watch you. You've been out cold for three days. So I said sure, why not? How hard can it be? But of course, the moment he walks out and I sit down, you wake up. What a drag. You better sit still and not cause me any trouble."

"Shikamaru, where is everyone? Where's Twin? The village isn't safe, I have to protect it." I jump to my feet. I'm sure that my feet are planted firmly on the floor, but the world spins violently around me. I start to sway on my feet.

Shikamaru helps me sit back down. "Hey, take it easy. You've been out a while. Don't worry, the others went to some boring meeting or something. They'll be back soon enough to check on you."

"How can you be so calm?" I ask, questioning his sanity.

He shrugs lazily. "It's a gift."

The door to my room opens, and Naruto steps in. He looks worried and stressed, but the moment he looks at me, he tries to mask it with a sunny expression and a joke. "Red! You're awake! I thought you'd never stop snoring."

"What's wrong?" I demand, brushing away his concern.

He considers it for a moment. "Red, it's nothing you need to concern yourself with. You just woke up."

"Tell me!" I demand again, colder this time.

He sighs, giving in. "My teammate, Sakura, went missing the same time that Twin disappeared."

I stand again, trying to ignore the sickening dizziness. "I have to go right now. He's taking her straight to Diablo. You never go back to him empty handed. If you can't bring him what he's looking for, you bring him something pretty to play with."

"Red, you can't go alone. Let me help you." Naruto insists before I even announce my intention to set off alone after them.

"No."

I've made him angry. "Damn it, Red! You almost died last time. If I wasn't there to help you, you'd have bled to death out there." He slams his fists on my bed. "I won't let you go alone, even if you won't accept my help. You can't stop me from following you."

I know to go alone is a suicide mission, but to put the ones I love in this danger is unthinkable.

Before I can argue that point Shikamaru cuts in. "Last time, the three of you together couldn't defeat Twin. What you obviously need is a bigger and stronger team."

Naruto gets excited at this idea. "Hey, yeah! Let's do that instead."

"It's too dangerous," I protest. "I won't put my family foolishly in danger."

They ignore me, already planning who they should invite to come. Idiots. It seems my hands are tied. "Alright, but I want to talk to everyone before we head out."

A few hours later I am able to change back into my own clothes. I feel stronger already. Before me stand Naruto, Shikamaru, Saskue, and Kiba who has Akamaru sticking out of his sweater.

"This mission is beyond dangerous. Some of us could die. I'm appointing myself as the leader because I know the enemies we face best. What I say, goes. Do not argue my decisions, because I will make them with your survival in mind. I will not force any of you to join me. This enemy has no heart, no soul. If he catches you, he will kill you. Any questions?"

All the boys cheered, "Let's go!"

"We leave at first light."

My family of idiots cheer again. They joke and laugh and get hyped up for our suicide mission. They pat each other's backs. Shikamaru begins discussing attack strategies with Saskue. I receive hugs from Naruto and Kiba, at the same time, squishing me between them.
I roll my eyes. I love them all, idiots or not.

I pray love will be enough to get us through.