Tortured Hearts
PoD- Okay! This is it! The final chapter. I never thought it would end like this, but it does. I never really expected myself to finish it and to have all these reviews. Well, take a deep breath and take your dive!
WARNING: You may shed tears in the end if you're a SasuSaku fan!
Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto...
Chapter Six: Dreamer
Out of the shadows another figure pounced. They almost collided with the strange stalker and his captive. The freakish man that held Sakura was too quick and was able to dodge this new being. Sakura saw through the blur of tears, he rolled across the ground and the mud engulfed him. The man behind her twisted his figures more so through her hair.
Sakura tried to pull herself away but this stalker gripped her tighter and kept her on her knees. her vision stayed on the boy across the way. Who was it?
"Sasuke, how nice of you to join us," he hissed.
Sasuke!
Sasuke rose to his feet and glared up at the man. Sakura just wanted to get free. She felt him pulling up on her so she rose to her feet. A tear rolled down her cheek.
Sasuke, help!
"Orochimaru-sama, please. Let her go," Sasuke murmured.
Ewwwwwww! Snakey was entwined in her hair? Sakura was raging with disgust. She pulled out a kunai and plunged it into his left hand, thus releasing herself. Orochimaru tried to grab her with his good hand but she stumbled away and landed before Sasuke.
"Sakura!" he cheered.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"Good - look out!" Sasuke shouted.
Hepicked her up in his arms; on craddling her legs and the other on her back. He jumped into the air and saved her from a swarm of shurikens that orochimaru threw. Sasuke held her close and landed in a tree about thirty feet up. He sat her down beside him and she rested on the branch with her legs dangling over the side.
Sasuke...
"Are you alright, Sakura-chan?" he asked.
Sakura nodded.
"Good. Stay here."
Sasuke jumped from her side and pulled out three kunais. he landed bellow her and glared at Orochimaru. Sasuke...please be careful.
Orochimaru and Sasuke stood in silence. they stared deep within each other. All was silent and spooky until Sasuke threw. Orochimaru dodged and threw himself, but his target was the girl. Sakura's eyes widened and she leaped from the tree.
While the snake focused on her, Sasuke pounced. He tackled Orochimaru and mud engulfed the both of them as they fell into the soggy earth. Sakura watched the two wrestle and thought she saw that digusting snake lick Sasuke, because that's when Sasuke returned to her wipping his right cheek.
"Sasuke..? Are you..?"
"Yeah...fine. What 'bout you?"
"Fine." Sakura looked pass Sasuke and stared down at Orochimaru who was climbing to his feet. "He...hurt you..?"
"No! But I'll kill him!"
Sasuke began to jumped from the tree and Sakura tried to retrieve his arm but she was too slow. She lost her balance and began to fall. It had happaned so qiuckly she hadn't time to scream. She sat up and felt the sand winding around her body and sheilding her in a protective cacoon.
She was scared at first as the scand wrapped around her and the vision of Sasuke disappeared, but as soon as she calmed down and realized it was only Gaara her fear drifted away down a river. She relaxed, didn't move and breathed softly and slowly, as she was lowered to the ground and felt warm arms wrap around her and the sand release her.
"Gaara..?"
Sakura stared up at the red haired, aquamarine eyed boy and blushed. She looked away from his still face and tucked her head against his protective body. She smiled as she lay in his arms but as she heard Sasuke's scream she was drawn out of her comfort and pushed into fear and discomfort. She twisted around and stared at Sasuke.
"Sasuke..!"
"Sakura..." Gaara whispered. "Leave him be."
"But...he needs me! He needs someone!" Sakura whispered.
"All he needs is to ie..."
Sakura's eyes went wide and sheglanced back to Gaara. he had a demonic look on his face and Sakura could only feel hatred now. Was the only reason he cared for her because he wanted to make sure Sasuke felt pain? She pulled herself away from Gaara's grasp and went for Sasuke. Gaara's eyes locked onto her and he send his sand after her.
She heard it coming for her so she jumped. Please! Let me go to him! Sakura landed in a tree directly above Orochimaru and as the sand sped closer to her she to a risk. She jumped down toward the snake and kicked him into the earth. Sasuke stared down at her and she stared back at him with those precious emrald eyes.
"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted.
He grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her off of the snake allowing Gaara's sand to plunge into his back. Sasuke pulled Sakura against him and she smiled brightly. Safe again.
Everyone starred down at the corpse of Orochimaru, hoping and wishing he was gone. But they were sooooo wrong!
He pushed himself upon his feet and glared into Sakura's eyes, peircing right into her core and sending waves of fear and pain rippling through her body. Sakura winced and began to slipped against Sasuke's body and fall into the mud. Sasuke tried to hold onto her but he was pulled away by the deathly sand that the monster, Gaara, controled.
Sakura watched Sasuke being dargged away from her and then turned to see a storm of needles coming toward her. Thousands upon thousands of needles coming at her with great speed. She screamed as they came intact with her and blood and scarps of clothing jumped into the air and her eyes went dark.
"Sakura!" both, Gaara and Sasuke shouted.
Sasuke platted a fist into Gaara's cheek and he escaped Gaara's sand, just to be caught in Orochimaru's grip. Orochimaru chuckled and brought himself close to Sasuke's ear.
"Only I may pocess you dear, Sasuke," he whispered.
Sasuke brought his knee up and got him right were it counts. Orochimaru fell over twitching and Sasuke leaped over him and raced to Sakura. He knelt down and slid across the mud. He lifted Saukra up in his arms; her clothes were practically falling off, only a few strands of cloth held it together.
"Sakura..."
Sakura stared blankly at Sasuke, eyes dark and they slowly filled with color. She smiled and touched his cheek. "Hey, there," She whispered.
"You're...?"
"Fine, thanks."
She leaned up on her own and pressed a gentle hand against one of her bleeding wounds on her side. There were more, many more and each was insanely bleeding. She stood up and Sasuke followed. She looked pass him and to orochimaru and then toward Gaara.
Sand again!
"Sasuke!"
Sakura pushed Sasuke away from her and the sand plowed her into a tree. She yelped and fell into the mud as the sand fell away from her. She lay uncnsious against the tree and Sasuke had one person to blame.
"Gaara! Damn you!" Sasuke shouted with rage.
He pulled out shuriken and kunais and ran toward Gaara. Sasuke was able to remember Lee's quick movements and thought this would be a good time to use them. He swiftly and rapidly gain yards on Gaara and went speeding toward him. he struck down on the red head and their battle began.
As they were fighting Orochimaru was regaining his strength and clampering to his feet. He took one glance at Sakura then found himself looking at the two boys and their fight. His face went blank with confusion. "Well, this is...interesting," he murmured.
he glanced back to the blank Sakura and smirked. This was his chance. he slowly stalked to ward her and as he stood over her she slowly began to regain consiousness, but not soon enough. Orochimaru reached down and gripped what remained of her left sleeve and pulled her up, then slammed her against the tree. Her side was cut open even more and she was pushed against a sliver of a broken branch.
Rain began to pour down on the horrific scene and all were bing drenched in the cold tears of heaven.
Orochimaru glided his hand across her wet shoulder to the other and back again. He smirked and gripped her neck tightly with his soak hand. She snapped back into reality and seized his wrist, it was difficult to keep hold of in the rain. He chuckled as she desprately tried to free herself but she was growing weary. She was losing consiousness (YES! AGAIN! GET OVER IT!) and she could barely breath as his grip tightened.
"I'm sorry, child. But Only I may have him. And since you've stood in my way, I have to make sure you don't do it again," Orochimaru hissed.
Just as Sakura's eyes began to close and her last breath was being released and figure sped by and snatched her from Orochimaru's pocession. The being carried her in his arms and gently planted her on the ground. He pushed her bngs back and smiled.
"Sakura-chan...I'm here," he whispered.
Sakura's eyes peeked open and she stared up at the boy. He grinned brightly and chuckled. Sakura sat up and gaze him a weak "God you're annoying" smile.
"What's with you, Sakura-chan?" he asked.
"Naruto...it's not funny!" Sakura growled.
"Sorry..." Naruto replied smiling less. He crouched down beside her and turned to the Uchiha and the Suna Nin. "If those two are crazy about you and are trying to protect you...why are they kicking each others asses?"
"I don't know..."
Naruto sparked an idea and he turned to Sasuke with a sly grin. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, "Hey! Hey Sasuke! Sasuke!"
"Naruto what are you doing?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke jerked up from the muddy Gaara and glared at the frantic Naruto. He was waving his arms frantically and pointing down at the injured Sakura. "Naruto..!" he growled. Gaara came up and slammed his fist into the side of Sasuke's face.
"Sasuke!" Sakura whispered under her breath.
Naruto saw Orochimaru coming toward them and he slipped out some kunais. This was his time to show Sakura he cared. He ran straight for Orochimaru and had his kunais ready.
This is my time! Naruto thought
"Naruto, wait! It's just a -"
"Wha?" Naruto freaked as he jsut fell through him. "A clone..?"
He turned back to Sakura and his eyes flared red as he gazed upon Sakura and the snake behind her. Sakura knelt on the ground and Orochimaru had a kunai digging into her left shoulder and one slowly pushing against her neck and bring forth a light coat of blood.
Naruto turned to Sasuke and Gaara and glared at the both of them. He stood up and flipped a kunai on his finger and through it at the two. They stopped immediately as the sand stopped the kunai and they both stared at nNruto and his red eyes.
"Stop your God damn fighting and help me save Sakura!" he shouted.
Both looked to the fearful Sakura and the smiliing snake behind her. They turned to each other and then back to Naruto. The two Konoha Nins went to grip their kunais as the Suna Nin jumped up and sent his sand flying. Sakura's eyes danced across the three bioys and she decided what to do.
She grabbed Orochimaru's right hand, which held the kunai to her neck, and flipped over him. As she lifted herself into the air the sand closed in on its prey and Orochimaru's first kunai plunged into her shoulder. She landed behind him and met his back the underside of her foot and sent him into the sand. Naruto and Sasuke sent their kunais after the snake nin and Sakura stared down at the mound of sand.
The sand lay in a lifeless heap.
Sakura slowly relaxed to her knees as she held tightly to her left shoulder with her right hand. She breathed deeply as she closed her eyes with a smile. It was finally over. She now could have Sasuke...what about Gaara..? And Naruto?
She glanced up and the boys stood over her. She smiled and gripped the kunai; she winced as she pulled it from her shoulder and as it made a suckling sound. She stood up and looked over all of them. Naruto was the first to jump on her and give her a hug.
His eyes were back to their normal blue and filled with tears. She felt like punching him...but she figured he deserved it. After all, he was the one that got Gaara and Sasuke to stop fighting so she'd be safe.
"Sakura-chan, you're okay, right?" Naruto asked.
"Yea..." Sakura replied softly.
"Good!" Naruto grinned.
"Thanks...everybody." She turned to Sasuke then Gaara. She took a deep breath and went to Gaara. "Gaara, thank you for all those years...but you see. I belong to someone different."
Sasuke reached over her head and wrapped them around her waiste. He smirked as he stared over her shoulder and at the Suna Nin. Gaara didn't respond in anyway. Sasuke sat his chin atop her head and blinked, waiting for Sakura to continue.
"I'm sorry, Gaara. Sasuke, he's - he's my castle, my wall of protection and when I'm with him I just feel...right," Sakura added. Gaara's expression lay unchanged. "I'm sorry."
Sakura stood in his arms and pressed her hands against his. Naruto stood in the backround with a satisfied look upon his face as he watched the scene unfold. Gaara nodded and began to take his leave. Sakura turned into Sasuke and wrapped her arms around him. As she sunk into him, his ears picked up a noice; something flying through the air. He jerked his head up and gazed at three kunais flying toward Sakura's back.
If I can't have Sasuke-kun, no one can! Orochimaru thought wearily as he knelt and watched the kunais fly at Sakura.
"Sakura, look out!" Sasuke shouted.
"NO!!!" Sakura shrieked; her voice high and dreadful it could have broken glass.
Another pile of sand engulfed Sasuke's old teacher and he was gone - for good. Naruto stared wide-eyed as he gazed upon Sasuke.
Sasuke lost feeling in his feet and began to fall. Sakura, with arms wrapped around him, tried to keep him up but couldn't. She slowly fell to her knees and Sasuke lay against her. She held him against her beating heart as the warm blood fell aginst her hands.
Hot tears rushed down her cheeks and she didn't bother to stop herself from shaking as she let all the tears she had held back free. Sasuke lay in stillness; three kunais were enbedded into his back and blood gushed from underneath each one, creating a mass distirbance in Sakura's core. More tears threatened to be let loose. No. She couldn't cry, not her, not now. But she soon lost control, and tears once again stained her cheeks.
She touched Sasuke's cheek gingerly. His face was still full of warmth! Sakura's heart became light. He wasn't gone. She looked down upon him hoping he'd open his eyes any moment now.
"Sak...ura..."
Sakura glanced back to Naruto. He shook his head and her eyes widened. A hand touched her cheek and brought her face to look upon Sasuke. Her eyes gleamed as she gazed upon him. Still full of life.
She shook her head and smiled. "Please. Please, Sasuke-kun. Don't leave me. Not again!"
"Sakura..."
"Sasuke, you can't! You can't leave me alone like this! You can't! Please!"
He put a finger to her lips and smirked. "I'll never...leave you..."
Sakura was about to protest when she felt his lips again. She closed her eyes and her tears fell. So many; full of happiness and hate. She pressed his hand against her cheek and he had some strngth left. Just enough to touch her one last time.
As the rain poured and they kissed under the shadows of the moon their love became more powerful than anything. And too bad it wouldn't last. Sasuke released her from him and his head fell back; eyes closed and a smirk.
Sakura shook him roughly, trying to reserect even the slightest bit of life within his core. But none shown. "Sasuke! No! Come back! Please! No!" didn't even try this time, she just let the tears free theirselves as she stared into the deathly face of her love once more...
"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.
She shot up from her bed and gazed around. She felt her face. Tears? She looked down upon herself. Fifteen of age again. But how? She rolled out of her sheets and as her feet touched the ground she shuddered.
Cold. Like the corpses she had seen in...her dream.