Until We All Fall Down Chapter 10, Reliable, a naruto fanfic

Until We All Fall Down

XxMookinexX

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, I only wish I did. Any and all unrecognisable characters and situations belong solely to me and are not to be touched without permission. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the soul purpose to entertain.

This story takes place when our characters are 18/19 and takes account of everything up to chapter 337 of the manga. Written in Ino's POV.

Heheheheheheheh… this chapter is amazing if I do say so myself. I love it. It's probably my personal favourite so far.

Special thanks to tomboy-girl21, greywings2, Emerald666, Cheese Maiden and Katar who all reviewed last chapter. I give you all these truly delectable pieces of… well… they're sort of buttery a toffee-like crust – don't know what the name is – pieces of cake. Seriously, they're literally melt in your mouth – one of the few really spectacular things I was greeted with on my biology trip. The coffee alas was somewhat disgusting (sobs).

– Chapter Ten –

Reliable

I've never regretted waking up before.

The mere act of becoming conscious again has never carried so much weight with it as it does now.

Immediately, with no warning, anxiety hit me.

I really hate being nervous. Every fibre of my being cries out that it's wrong. It's not me. I'd even go so far as to say I loathe and detest this feeling. I guess that means I like, no, love myself very much. Good thing too… else I'd never be able to deal with the situation I've found myself in. Still, there are still some good things in my life right now. Gaara, lovely Gaara, being one of them.

I find it remarkable that his skin can feel this soft. I mean, I know I can rationalise it so it makes sense, and I've done that many times already – but it strikes me again and again. Like I can't stop thinking about him. Like I can't get enough of him.

Now that's worrying. I hope I don't become a stalker.

Well, that's stupid. I'd never do something like that. It's not nearly cool enough for me.

I felt rather than heard him laugh, reverberations ran through him alerting me to the fact that he was awake.

"Hey," I whispered. It's some how reassuring to know that you can always start a conversation with the word 'hey'. A point of unshakable reality in an uncertain world. It makes me find some small comfort.

I lifted my head so I could look at him and saw him watching me, a small smile on his face. I shifted again so that I was level with him and kissed him on the lips. Only lightly, since I'm sure I've kept him from his duties as Kazakage by pinning him down here. The sun's already up, and usually he doesn't sleep. I hope everything's okay. He kissed back, and I smiled into the kiss since waking up to this was worth waking up for.

The thought effectively ruined the moment as I remembered precisely why I was so reluctant to wake up in the first place and I drew back, watching him closely. I saw him frown slightly, presumably from the serious expression on my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Something… well…" I paused to consider my phrasing. "Something bad but also something very good has happened."

His eyebrows rose and I blushed realising he might be thinking along entirely the wrong lines here – which I can't really blame him for seeing as I haven't actually told him anything.

"Not… ah… I mean… It's not you or us… per se. Um…" Dammit I can't seem to get my head straight. Who can blame me when he looks so irresistible with that smirk on his lips and that knowing glint in his eyes …and his hands are running up and down my spine and I can't… think.

I think he knows it too, since he kissed me again and I was so incapable of speaking for the next five minutes.

Honestly, you try to tell someone something important and they have to go distract you by being all sexually appealing and…

INO! WAKE UP YOU STUPID GIRL – THIS IS IMPORTANT my subconscious screamed at me. I forced myself to pull away from him again.

"Okay," I said breathlessly, trying desperately to ignore the confused look on his face. He looks so cute like that. "This is actually kind of important," I stated at last to which he resignedly sat up and drew me up with him. He watched me expectantly and I blushed unable to quite… well… know where to start.

"And?" he prompted and I found myself swatting at him for being so impatient. He grinned and caught my hand, pulling me over on top of him again so I was nestled against his chest. We're not getting anywhere with this.

"Um, last night," I started, desperately ignoring his expression. "I had a dream… well, that's a lie. It wasn't a dream it was… more… well… how do I explain this," I rested my head back against his chest, finding that this was the easiest way for me to think. It was nice, being with Gaara. His presence was somehow reassuring, even though things might get a little hectic once I'm done explaining things. "I told you about that jutsu, right? The one I used against the mist-nin? I told you I developed it myself, right?"

"Mmm," he hummed in agreement and I smiled, unable to help myself as he started to play with my hair. It felt… really nice. Better than nice.

I'm so easily distracted. I really ought to work on that.

"Well… I haven't used it much before… It's still relatively untested. I know now that as a result of my entering their mind, I sort of create a doorway between my mind and theirs. With me so far?" His hand slowed momentarily in my hair but I felt him nodding. "Good. Well… it hasn't mattered much so far and I hadn't been made aware of it as a result because the people whose minds I've entered have mainly been those without chakra or untrained civilians who merely have the potential… other than that it was something I was developing with my aunt… and I trust her explicitly. I'm telling you this since I'm sure it will help you to understand why I've only just discovered what I have. Up till now, there hasn't been a perceived sense of danger…"

I felt him starting to tense up beneath me, the arm which wasn't occupied with my hair shifted and slid around my waist protectively. Again, I couldn't help but smile. It's so cute that he's protective of me, and it makes me really happy that he is.

"You must understand that the danger is really only their in sleep… when both parties are in sleep since that's when the mind is more susceptible to these things." The grip on my waist was tightening. I started to draw on his chest with my forefinger– random nonsensical patterns that I hoped might help calm both him and myself down. "He entered my mind last night…"

Suddenly I was being moved so that his face was in front of mine, one hand cupped my cheek as he stared at me intently as if to check that I was alright. The other, I realised with a blush had dropped from my waist to help pull me up towards him and was now resting somewhere near my ass.

"I'm okay," I soothed, running my hands up his chest so I could wrap them around his neck. "It's just… well… it was scary but I'm alright. Since it was my mind… I control things there – so there was no way he could hurt me and I forced him out… and I locked that door between my mind and his. I'm not in danger anymore. I just needed to tell you this since… well, firstly I thought you should know… but secondly, and more importantly perhaps – I know things now. Maybe not truths, but there are things I can tell you about him that he wants us to know."

He stared at me almost impassively before I felt him and saw him visibly relax beneath me.

"Gaara," I murmured softly, causing his eyes to meet mine again. "He said his name was Ranma Kotaio… He said," I paused to swallow even as I felt him go rigid with shock. "…he said you and Tsunade-sama killed his family… his friends…"

There was one single second in which he did absolutely nothing. Not even breathe.

The next he was sat bolt-upright, making me practically tumble off him from shock.

"We need to talk about this," he stated. I got the feeling that he didn't mean it in a just me and him way. Well… I did say it was serious.

As he scrambled for his clothes I felt my heart beat start to race but the words I wanted to say wouldn't leave my mouth. He was ready before I'd even gotten out of bed. He gave me a brief, reassuring smile, a kiss… then he was gone saying something about my coming straight to his office when I was ready. To be honest, I wasn't really thinking I was too busy being disappointed in myself.

I sat there watching the door close behind him with the full knowledge that I was a complete coward resting in my gut.

All that and I didn't tell him that I was pregnant… I didn't tell him that I was carrying his child. I couldn't even tell him that I loved him.

Shit.

I was in Gaara's office and it was less than one hour later. I'd done my bit – explaining what Kotaio had told me and why to all the people who had congregated together here, Shikamaru, Temari and Kankurou amongst them. Though… I admit there were bits I'd left out. My current state being one of them. After all, that was something Gaara should hear first. Kotaio's knowledge of my current state was also exempted… and any references to his telling me that I was a possible target was also ignored. After all, the last thing I want is a guard to escort me round the place. I can, believe it or not, take care of myself.

Now we were all gathered around Gaara's desk, waiting for him to explain what he felt we needed to know about the situation since this new information had come to light.

"The Kotaios are a sub-branch of the Ayumu clan," Gaara explained, lips pursed and expression masked by his sand. "They're part of the Sight Village. During the war it was decided that they were allied with the Sound… or on the verge of being allied with them. The details were never precise enough to fully conclude the exact details. It was decided – an agreement between myself and the Hokage at the time – that they were a threat. If they joined with the Sound there is no doubt in my mind that we would have lost that war… the threat was neutralised."

…I really… didn't want to hear that. There's a big difference between knowing you've just slept with someone powerful and being told by them indisputably that they are in the position to make life and death decisions like that. I love Gaara… but I prefer him to the Kazakage. Since he must become someone else in order to retain that position…

"Ayumu…" Temari mused. "That means… walking in visions or dreams, right?"

Gaara nodded.

"Imagine the sheer destructive power of a single person from that village – someone who can assassinate you in your sleep as you dream by simply invading your mind. Now imagine an entire village full of them and imagine that they were your enemy."

It was almost as if he were trying to justify his actions… and I shuddered, knowing that he was right. Knowing that he and Tsunade had collectively planned to wipe out an entire village but that in doing so they had saved the lives of two more. The two that were the most important to the two of them… and to me. I wondered briefly who he was trying to justify himself to. Us or himself. Once again I am glad that I am not the one in charge. Who on earth would dream of becoming Hokage? Who on earth would dream of becoming Kazakage?

Naruto and Gaara are crazier than I'd thought… but I respect them now more than ever. I could never make that kind of decision. I could never deal with that sort of situation in their shoes.

"If…" I suddenly realised that that was my voice – it sounded strange and unnatural to my ears… as though I were shocked which I suppose I am. "If you and Tsunade-sama…" I bit my lip. "If you… neutralised them why is… I mean… how come Kotaio is still alive? Why… is he dying slowly instead?"

I couldn't look at Gaara as I asked that question. I couldn't look at anything save for the wall. My mind is far too much of a mess right now for me to even think about looking at anyone – I don't want to do something I might regret. Like cry. My throat is burning and my breathing is harsh and I want so much to go back to how things were this morning… before I brought all this up. I was happy being naïve. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to face the reality that Gaara really does order people about – not just the smaller missions… but the A-class ones… the S-rank ones. He's responsible for the entire village… he's…

It's a horrible thing for me to think… but he kills people. Not on the small scale like I or Shika or Chouji do. He orders the deaths of certain people and then he has to live with himself. I wonder how he does it. I wonder if he hates himself.

I watched Gaara out of the corner of my eye. He was sat forward, elbows on his desk, hands clasped in front of his face as he stared at the opposite wall so intently I felt sure he should be burning through it.

"He must be relatively young…" he said at last. "Perhaps someone lost their nerve and could not kill the children. Perfectly understandable really, but obviously not well thought out. You see… people from that village… Their unique-" he glanced at me, "or relatively unique abilities mean that they have a vast amount of mental energy that they must learn to stabilise first and then harness to use to their advantage. If all the adults were killed and he was one of the only ones left… he won't know how to control it… he will be destroyed from the inside out. It would have been kinder if he had died back then."

That explained a lot. Such as why he was so able to take advantage of my jutsu and use it against me last night… latent abilities that would have been passed down from generation to generation were probably kicking in without him noticing. It was sad… but there was nothing we could do for him. He was determined to make us his enemy… and by rights he had every reason to do so. No-one ever said wars were fair. But better a fast death in the middle of battle than a prolonged suffering with nothing left to live with but bitterness and regret. Shinobi are not on the whole vicious or vindictive people. They simply follow orders… since if you can't trust the person giving you the orders or doubt their judgement the whole system would break down into chaos and disrepair.

"Presumably, since the Sight village is closest to the Mist one, it is likely that he was taken in by them…" Kankurou murmured.

That explained a lot more. Such as why he could use Mist-nin attacks. Shikamaru was looking at me, I could feel his gaze burning into the back of my neck.

"Is there anything you can do?" he whispered and I knew he was talking to me. The two of us were such fools. Too kind. Far too kind. I shook my head. There was nothing – save for simply taking him out early with a kunai and anyone could do that.

Shika sighed.

"Presumably we should be expecting some form of attack soon," he spoke to the room at large. "An attack in person this time."

Others nodded.

"The perimeter is still being guarded day and night – identities are being thoroughly checked at the gates. He won't get in by trickery alone." That was from a Sand-nin I didn't recognise. One of many whose names I should really start learning.

"The target will be Gaara, then?" Kankurou tried to verify.

"I don't see who else he would attack," Temari stated, hands on hips as she addressed her brother in the tones of all exasperated females everywhere. "Besides, he told Ino that it was the Kazakage he was after. The Kazakage he would be seeing soon."

Now you see… at this point it would be clever and sensible of me to admit that I might be in danger too…

But… I can't bring myself to do it. What if Gaara tries to send me away? Besides… there's something else too… If I say I'm in danger I'll eventually have to bring up the fact that me and Gaara are… well… almost parents. I really ought to talk to him… alone.

Come on Ino. Pull yourself together.

SAY SOMETHING.

"Uh…" Great start – just keep going. "There's something else," I murmured, bringing all eyes back to me again. "I… need to tell the Kazakage something in private." Well… it could have been worse… I could be blushing. Thank God I feel too sick to be embarrassed right now.

All eyes turned to Gaara again and I saw him blinking at me out of the corner of my eye – he frowned and I tried to stare intently at the wall behind him, waiting for him to say something.

Maybe he just nodded because people started to file out of the room and soon enough it was just the two of us again. He sat back from the desk slightly and I wondered not for the first time and probably not for the last just what his expression was beneath all that sand.

"There's something else I discovered," I said, my voice so quiet even I had to strain to hear it. "Gaara… I think I'm pregnant."

As if it had a mind of its own the sand just evaporated from his face, whirling around the two of us in a kind of agitated circle. He stared at me, lips parted but quite incapable of speech for the moment. His eyes were wide and… frightened? Happy? I couldn't read them. Mainly it was just shock I saw on his face.

"Or rather… I know I am. He… does too," I admitted. Again Gaara just looked at me and I was suddenly relieved that I'd sent everyone out of the room for this since I don't think I've ever seen such desperation in all my life. I walked half way around the desk, paused, then the rest of the way as he reached for me, arms locking around my waist and dragging me to him as his face was buried into my chest. I blushed, a demented happiness that seemed completely inappropriate flowing through me. My arms were on his shoulders, my hands in his hair. It's funny… but I've never felt so needed or so accepted in all my life.

"Will you stay?" the question seemed almost timid, though I'm sure that was simply the effect of his words being muffled in my clothes. I smiled. It's funny… if someone had asked me even a week previously which out of my friends and family or Gaara I would choose to be with if given the choice… I don't think I would have known the answer. People just don't ask questions like that you know? But right now, I've never been so certain of something in all my life. I belong here. I want to be with him.

"If you want me to stay," I whispered, "I will."

His grip on me tightened even further to the point where we almost over balanced and I had to hold on to the back of his chair for support. I laughed slightly, aware that there were tears of relief brimming behind my eyes. He looked at me and kissed me and held me as if I were the most important thing in the world to him. God, I love him. I love him so much it's not even funny. It's almost scary.

"I love you," I whispered into his hair. And although I couldn't hear him I'm almost certain I felt his mouth forming those words against my skin.

Chapter ten… OMG ISN'T IT COOL! Okay so… I wrote this over a week ago, aren't you impressed I didn't spoil anything?! I've been wanting to rant about how good this chapter was for AGES and I COULDN'T… sigh. Anyways I don't think there are going to be many chapters left now… everything's climaxing. So yeah… "Ayu" means walk and "Mu" means dream or vision. I felt that was appropriate.

Please review people! I love knowing what you think.

Luv ya

XxMookinexX