G-gomenasai... -ish mad tired from typing all night- I just haven't been able to get on to update this story... plus many other reasons, but in the wise words of Melissa the Honorable Literate One (God, I love that name... XD) I won't get into that.

Also, I've decided to rename this fic 'Savin' Me' based off the song by Nickelback, which sooooo matches Genma/Shizune (like, Genma's singing it -swoons-) and the AMV that got me into the pairing in the first place (again, Nickelback, Savin' Me, yeah).

By the way, any of you going to mangaNEXT in the Meadowlands here in Jersey? I'm going as (whoo, surprise surprise) Genma. If you are, I strongly caution you do not cosplay as Shizune, for I am glomping the first one I see purely for the sake of the OTP. If you're not, then pictures shall be provided! Okay, I've rattled on long enough, on with the fanfic.

And one last thing. Yes, I am a girl. I'm crossdressing. Quite easy when the guy has the exact same hair. Literally. It sticks up in the back the EXACT SAME WAY. o.o

Okay. I'm done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. None of us do. We just write these because our fantasies will never ever come true. Most likely. Yeah...

"Meh... this thing is so itchy..." I moaned, plucking at the cloth. I was waiting outside Shizune's house, having finally been discharged from the hospital. This damn kimono was really, really uncomfortable, and anyways, I was never really a kimono person from the start. I prefer a shirt and pants. It makes moving so much easier.

Can you just imagine shinobi trying to fight in kimonos?

That'd be one hell of a fight, I'll give you that. People tripping and flying around everywhere. That'd be interesting to watch, wouldn't it?

I suppose we could win. Our opponents would probably die laughing. I know I would.

While I was mulling over this interesting concept, Shizune had come out. I heard the door slam. I turned around...

and stared.

She was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. She walked by me smiling, and told me to shut my mouth.

I had opened it?

I don't recall my mouth ever opening in disbelief. But it was. Damn. What a great way to start a da- get together... thing. Okay fine. It's a date.

I just followed her towards the festival, which was being held in the center of town.

I got many comments about what I was wearing. Mostly because half of the people in attendence had never seen me in anything other than my normal blue pants and shirt with the vest. When one person made a snappy comment to me, I replied by telling the person to go do something that could land you in jail if you said it loud enough.

Yeah. I didn't get any comments after that. Got a reproving look from Tsunade-sama, though.

The festival was pretty... entertaining, to say the least. It was basically sake, sake, sake, and Gai was challenging Kakashi to a drinking contest. Again.

Damned youth.

Poor Kakashi just sat there with his head on the table wondering what he'd ever done to deserve this. The first four times he just kinda sat there like, "Eh, whatever." But after all while alchohol took its toll.

Let's just hope that he doesn't get drunk drunk or else we're all screwed up the ass. Last time he got seriously drunk one person got the Chidori pretty damn hard. Since he was drunk he couldn't control that much chakra to make it lethal, but still. It was the Chidori. That thing hurts like a bitch.

Or so I've seen. I try to stay as far away from Kakashi's bad side as it is physically possible.

And Gai just kept chugging it down. What is with that guy? Does he have some extra internal organ that keeps his BAC in check or something? I wouldn't put it past him.

Well, anyways, while I was observing this spectacle, Shizune poked me.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Are you... in there?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "What?" I must've been gazing with a blank look on my face. Kakashi and Gai's contests tend to do that to me. Last time, I sat there for a full ten minutes, marveling at their techniques... after the contest was over.

I readjusted my kimono again. "Is there a reason why we have to wear these things? I feel stupid." I tried not to sound whiney, which can be hard when you're annoyed.

She rolled her eyes.

"You look fine," she said, smacking my hand away as I started fiddling with the sash. "Knock it off, look, it's started to fray." I looked down, and sure enough, it looked like someone had cut it with a kunai. Very unattractive.

She looked down at her own kimono, which was the same color as her usual one, except that it had a pattern of white flowers blossoming all over the bottom and moving into the waist. Mine was just a dark green, which matched my usual Chuunin vest. Wasn't wearing my hitai-ate, either, which I actually LIKE to do, cause it give my head some relaxation...

But I still had my senbon. Yup. It defines me. I can't help it.

So, anyways, we started walking around, stopping every now and then to talk to someone, when I suddenly felt a sharp pain ripple across my chest, like in a ripple does in water. Okay, bad metaphor. Point is, it hurt. A lot.

Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing

"Oi... S-Shizune..." Wow... not feeling very good... She didn't turn around, she was too busy talking to someone.


And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be

"Shizune!" I tried to say it more urgently, but to my surprise, I didn't hear anything.

Say it for me
Say it to me

The pains were getting really bad, and it got to the point where I couldn't see straight. I tried one last time to get Shizune's attention by attempting to call out her name again, but like before I didn't hear anything. The ground wobbled underneath me. Then, to my intense relief, I saw her turn around, just as everything got really... dark.

And I'll leave this life behind me

"Genma!"

Say it if it's worth saving me

The last thing I heard was someone crying out my name as I hit the ground.

Hurry, I'm falling.

Whoo. Twist.

You guys deserve soooo much more from me, I swear.

And now I'm sure you wanna kill me.