A/N: I'm BAAAAAaaaaack! And we all know what that meeeaaans! Mwahahahaha! Anyway, on with the story!

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Unspoken

Chapter Ten: Shimmer of Hope

By: Goth-Vampire Ninja

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Sasuke was trembling with shock and sorrow. He stared at the limp form of his comrade. Gaara held her tightly in his arms, checking vital signs and trying to wake her up, thinking that maybe she had just passed out. Gaara glared up at Sasuke with hatred and anger. "If she doesn't wake up soon, teme, I'm going to rip you a second asshole," he threatened. His sand swirled in sharp rivulets around him in emphasis before wrapping around Gaara and Sakura in a cocoon that transported them away.

"What have I done?" Sasuke whispered to himself in horror. All his anger was drained and replaced with unbearable sorrow and hate for himself. Was this what Sakura felt when she cut herself? He couldn't help but wonder as he sank to his knees and remembered what had happened in his mind's hell…

"Crap! Sasuke, let me go, you idiot!" Sakura yelled at him, realizing she was trapped inside his mind, with no way out. What Sakura didn't realize was that Sasuke was bristling with anger. His mind and illusions weren't obeying him, but his emotions, trapping Sakura in an eternal hell.

"What the hell is going on?!" she screamed as chains bound her painfully and dangled her in midair. She screamed as the metal cut into her flesh. "Let me go!" she pleaded.

Sasuke's mind was fogged. He couldn't control what was going on. All he knew was that all his previous anger was being unleashed on his dear Sakura. The thought struck him like a bullet. His Sakura? Since when did he start feeling affection towards her? He always had small feelings for her, but he just thought they were the effects of her annoyance. He realized now the mistake he's made.

Sasuke Uchiha most certainly did not hate Sakura. Quite the opposite. He was attracted to her. He loved her. But by what he had seen with Gaara, her interests seemed to lie in someone else now, therefore igniting his anger.

A shriek of pain snapped him from realization. The chains crushing Sakura were now sizzling with invisible heat, burning her tender flesh. He desperately tried to stop his mind's actions as her begging screeches grinded on his nerves.

"Please, Sasuke! I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry! PLEASE STOP!!" she screamed. His mind was already taking on its next murderous action, scaring her even more through her pain. A long, thick blade slowly flew towards her, slowly gaining speed. She struggled and screamed as he struggled and tried uselessly to stop what was about to happen.

Slish…

"Ah," Sakura breathed in a quivery sigh. Her eyes were wide with an emotion very similar to shock. They both slowly looked down at the left side of her chest, where the blade had pierced through her. Sakura looked up at Sasuke with wide, emotionless eye and her lips stretched into a dry smile.

"I always knew it would be you who finally killed me," she sighed. Her eyes drooped and her head bowed forward abruptly as her heartbeat went completely dead, not being able to pump any longer with the blade in the way.

"Sakura!" Sasuke's mind finally released his hold on her and he saw with his own, real eyes as Sakura collapsed into Gaara's grasp.

"What have I done…?"

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune screeched, bursting through the big, oak doors. Tsunade's head snapped up from her desk in irritation.

"Keep it down! I have a terrible headache…" she mumbled. Tsunade looked up into the terrified eyes of Shizune and immediately stood up. "What happened?" she demanded.

Shizune looked away. "It's Sakura." Tsuande's eyes widened before she rushed out of the office.

"Wake up, dammit." Gaara was holding on to Sakura's cold hand as she lay, motionless, on a hospital bed. "You can't leave…too many people care about you for you to go…"

Sakura's body was getting colder…and colder…No longer holding any life, it would disappear, leaving behind countless loved ones and countless memories. Gaara didn't know why, but the idea of her leaving made his stomach drop.

"Where is she?!" Tsunade screamed, bursting through the door. She caught sight of the young ninja and walked on wobbly knees over to her pale corpse. She was so beautiful, even in death. "Sakura…"

Tsunade reached out to touch her pale skin and a sob broke through what was left of her composure.

"Sakura!" Naruto's voice rung out through the hospital as he burst through the much abused door of Sakura's room. "What happened?"

"Uchiha happened. That bastard…" Gaara growled. Naruto stood frozen to the spot.

"What…?" both Naruto and Tsunade asked, stunned. Tears brimmed their eyes. Gaara refused to let his show.

"You heard me. Sasuke killed her."

For a moment, Naruto saw red as his rage flared and the words registered in his mind. "Sakura…I'll kill him!"

"No…I'm the one who will take his life," Gaara growled.

"No! His life is mine," Naruto argued.

"Naruto—" Gaara started.

"Quiet! Both of you!" Tsunade shrieked through her sobs. "We're in the presence of her body. Have some respect. Naruto…now would be the time to say your goodbyes to her, if that was your intention."

Naruto was silent, but walked forward none the less. As his hand made solid contact with Sakura's skin, something that surprised all of them happened. The perfect flow of chakra that flowed when all three of them touched restarted again. Sakura's body glowed for a second, then she sat up.

Or at least, it looked that way, for Sakura's body was still lying on the bed. What rose was a bluish, translucent replica made from their chakra. She blinked a couple of times, then looked at them and did the most surprising thing: She smiled. A true, warm, honest-to-God smile. Neither Gaara nor Naruto dared let go of Sakura's body's hands.

"Hey, guys," she sang. Nobody said anything as she looked down a t her body and sighed, shaking her head and frowning. "Well, I can't say it was a painless death, but I think it's better this way."

"What are you saying?! You're dead," Naruto demanded. They all flinched at the last or except for Sakura, who smiled. "I'll have Sasuke's head for this, Sakura. I promise."

Sakura shook her head. "Don't, Naruto. In my favor, let him live in peace instead. It will be punishment enough in his head when you refuse to kill him, but you must not rise to his bait. None of you. I want him to heal, but for that, he must live." She was receiving disbelieving stares.

"Sakura…" Gaara said.

"It's okay." She touched her shoulder, where the beast's seal shimmered, and sighed. "Orochimaru's seal is strong enough that this monster will be reborn in me no matter how many times I am killed, so that won't change. I will be reborn. My new body is already arriving in this world as we speak, and I must leave soon. Naruto, Gaara. You will be able to recognize me if you ever meet me again. Please be nice to me and stay by me, okay? It is possible that my memories will return if I spend enough time by your sides…so…I'll ask you for that." She smiled again as her form started fading. "Gaara, by the way…I like you." Gaara was stunned at Sakura's words and he couldn't help but blush a little. "Naruto, Tsunade, Gaara, I love all of you and I hope to see you again!" Sakura's image faded and the flow between them broke.

"Goodbye…" they all whispered.

Even though Gaara and Naruto knew their bond wouldn't be broken forever, they couldn't help but feel that it would be missing for the rest of eternity.

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A/N: YAY! Another chapter! Guys, the story is ALMOST over, so be ready and review! See ya'll next time! REVIEW!!