Bleg! Sorry for having not updated sooner. My dad's friend is really sick and they want to do a surgery that will cripple him for life. And my dad's sister, my aunt, is being shipped to Afghanistan in a month and a half, maybe sooner. So it's been kind of hectic...
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, sorry.
I was sitting in the kitchen, a small vial in front of me on the counter. A thin layer of numerous crushed herbs covered the bottom of the vial, only a couple millimeters thick. I pricked my finger and held it over the vial, letting the blood drip into it. "You're turn." I said to Gaara, who took the needle and did the same to his finger, letting the blood drip into the vial. Finally, after a minute, I grabbed the vial and grunted. I put it to my lips and quickly drank it, then coughed and sputtered at the grossness. "Couldn't Chiyo have come up with a better solution? I definitely don't enjoy drinking the blood of someone I love."
"Love?" Jeriko inquired from where she sat on the counter, watching the process intently.
"Yup. I feel it and everything… and I can feel you again." I added, looking at Gaara. "Give me that." I gently but quickly snatched Gaara's hand up and put my palm on the small scab forming on his fingertip. Then I smiled widely when I saw the wound heal shut. "Yes!" I squealed happily at the fact that I was a medic again, and that I was able to feel happy about it! I flung my arms around Gaara's neck and hugged him tightly, hearing him chuckle quietly and hug me back.
"Aww…. Cute. See that, Miyuki? They're making up, finally." Jeriko chirped, causing me to break the hug and glare at her. She held her hands up in surrender, grinning. For the first time, her smile didn't seem evil. "Relax. Miyuki's real happy about this development, so I am too." She said with laughter in her voice. "Oh, and she wanted me to tell you that it was about time." She said to Gaara, who frowned at this.
"Shut up, brat." I swatted at Jeriko playfully, who ducked, and then paused. "And I was talking to both of you." I added, causing Jeriko to dramatically gasp.
"And here I thought we were finally getting along." I rolled my eyes and raised the sleeve of my yukata up, putting my hand over the bandaged area. I smiled happily when I saw the area around my hand and arm glow, and felt the flesh recovering from the burns. When I was done, I removed the bandages and eyed my suddenly flawless skin… Well, except for the thin lines of black symbols that surrounded my wrist and elbow.
"Finally… That was seriously bothering me." I admitted with a sigh.
"It won't completely go away. It never will. And, unfortunately, whenever Miyuki or I use my powers, the seals on your arm will burn a bit." Jeriko said and I looked at her.
"Seals?" Gaara questioned and Jeriko nodded.
"They seal my powers whenever I try to use them on her. That's why she'll always be immune to me, no matter what. And if you get me angry enough to attacking you enough times, you'll even be able to use a blast of fire if you're in a really tense situation. But it'll take a long ass time for you to gather up that much power, and it can only be used once. Once you use it, all the power is gone, and the seals will go right back to that state, as well as leaving you exhausted."
"Well that doesn't sound useful at all." I commented and Jeriko shrugged.
"It isn't meant to be used in battle. It's meant to be a last resort so that there's less of a chance of you dying. I think falling unconscious is worth it if you kill everyone around you who's a threat." Jeriko said with another shrug. "Anyways, Miyuki wants to go help that friend of hers with something, so I'll see you in a while." Jeriko jumped off the counter and walked towards the door, leaving sight. We both watched the space she had vanished into until we heard the door open and shut.
"She's… odd." Gaara murmured and I frowned.
"Odd?" I questioned and he nodded.
"I'm trying to determine if she's possible to trust." Gaara told me and I sighed.
"I'm in the same boat… But, she's completely controlled by Miyuki's emotions, and Miyuki is a pure hearted girl. I trust her with my life, and so I suppose I trust Jeriko the same." I said and he nodded thoughtfully.
"I didn't realize you had trained anyone." He looked at me questioningly and I sighed.
"I didn't have a choice, really." I said with a frown. "I was losing chakra fast, and I couldn't leave my town and new family to fend for themselves. I was only intended to teach Miyuki to be a doctor, not a medic, but she showed amazing skill so I taught her. Now I realize that's because Jeriko is giving her endless amounts of chakra. She's pretty much useless in battle, though… I was going to train her to fight until I realized she was a Jeriko, at which point I decided it would be too big of a risk."
"I agree. Sending her into battle with uncontrollable mass destructive powers would be a bad idea." Gaara agreed and I laughed softly at his phrasing. It felt strange to laugh and really mean it since I hadn't really been happy in almost two years… Not since I was exiled.
"But I'm still training her to heal and training her in evasion… Just enough for her to save herself and save others." I explained and he nodded.
"A good plan…Sakura, I want to tell you something." He said seriously and I frowned before nodding for him to continue. "When I was a child, I was hated by everyone. No one would come near me, and everyone would run away if I even got within eyesight of them." Gaara confessed with a sigh. "My father was a wretched man."
"Amen." I muttered and Gaara smirked slightly in amusement before it faded from his expression.
"He… spoiled me. For a while, I thought that was just his way of loving me, but I was wrong. It was actually my uncle Yashamaru who really raised me. He treated me with kindness, and never blamed me when I would accidently hurt the other children. He would heal them and once he even let me help him with that… But it wasn't real love." He sighed heavily again. "He tried to care for me, but he couldn't get past the fact that his sister, my mother, was dead because of me."
"You see, my father was a heartless man…" He turned to look at me, meeting my gaze. "He used my mother as the sacrifice to seal Shukaku within me… Not only that, but while she was still pregnant." My eyes widened in shock. Oh god… How terrible… "She died in absolute agony because of him… And with her last breath, she swore revenge on my father. At least, that's how Yashamaru told the story…But things changed. My father started to send people to kill me when I was only five years old."
"I didn't understand it at first… but one night I was very unhappy and was sitting on the roof of my home… when I was attacked. I fought back, severely injuring my attacker… And then he took off his mask." Gaara put a hand over his eyes as he leaned on the counter. "It was Yashamaru." I put a hand over my mouth, staring at him with wide eyes that I felt fill with tears. "He told me that it was my father who ordered him to kill me. I tried to convince myself that he only did it because he was ordered, but he told me that wasn't the case… He explained that in reality, he wanted me to die so he could finally let my mother rest in peace."
"He had covered himself with explosive tags… The last words he ever said to me before blowing himself up were 'please die'… and I had wanted to. I didn't move the sand, but Shukaku still did it to ensure his own survival. That night was when I gave myself this scar." He pulled his hand from his eyes and touched the symbol on his forehead, and I wanted to break down at the sorrow clear in Gaara's eyes. I felt tears slip from my eyes and hit the ground. "That's why it took me so long to forgive you, Sakura, even after I found out you were innocent. I didn't know if I could really trust you until you got back to normal a few minutes ago." Gaara explained and I nodded, still tearing up.
"It's fine, Gaara. Really. I understand…" I assured him, a few more tears slipping from my eyes.
"Why are you crying?" He asked softly, putting his hand on my cheek and wiping them away with his thumb. The gesture brought more tears to my eyes as I realized the extent of how much I missed him.
"I'm crying for you, Gaara." I murmured and he sighed softly.
"Stupid girl…" He said quietly before pressing his lips to mine. I relished in the heavily missed emotions that soared through me at the action, returning it immediately. After a few moments, we pulled apart, and Gaara looked at me with kind eyes for the first time in almost two years. "Sakura, I want you to come back to Sunagakure."
"Gaara… I…" I bit my lip. I want to go back with him… I really do, but… I can't leave Miyuki here, and I won't separate her from her father, or from this town… I thought, about to say something when Gaara spoke.
"You don't need to do it now, Sakura. I understand that your new family is important to you…" He said quietly and I nodded.
"But I will come to Sunagakure often, Gaara. I swear… I miss you immensely." I told him softly and he looked at me with a small frown. Then I frowned as well. "Damn, this is so weird."
"What is?" He asked and I sighed.
"I'm used to not really feeling anything and being weak. I just bounced back to emotional and super strength in less than five seconds. It's very disorienting." I grumbled under my breath, and Gaara chuckled softly.
"I imagine so…" He said and I smiled lightly at an idea that hit me.
"I have an idea to help me get used to it…" I said mischievously and Gaara raised an eyebrow at me. "Race you to Suna!" I squealed before dashing out of the house as fast as I could, laughing when I sensed Gaara follow.
I was sitting on the edge of Gaara's desk, my legs hanging over the edge and nearly touching his from where he sat. "Done." Gaara said, setting his pen down and looking me in the eye. "You're a free woman." He informed me and I grinned happily.
"Sweet! There's only one thing to do now!" I chirped happily and he raised an eyebrow at me questioningly. I leaned down and kissed him, smiling against his lips. "Not leave the office for several hours." I whispered teasingly and Gaara leaned away from the kiss, rolling his eyes at me. I pouted playfully, sitting upright. "Oh, fine. I'll behave."
"I doubt that." Gaara said and I looked at him to see him looking at me with a suppressed smile. I lightly smacked his shoulder, laughing softly.
"Hey, Gaara?" I asked when I noticed the paper sitting beside me, playfulness evaporating. "How are we setting up the fighting teams?"
"There are nine divisions. The Surprise Attack Division is being led by Kankurou. Sai is the only one in it who you would know… The Logistical Support and Medical Division is led by Shizune, Tsunade's old apprentice. The Intelligence Division will be led by Inoichi Yamanaka, Ino's father… Then the Sensor Division is led by Ao, the Mizukage's bodyguard. The First Division is the Mid-Range Battle Division, led by Darui, the Raikage's bodyguard. The Second Division is the Short-Range Battle Division and is led by Kitsuchi, the Tsuchikage's son…"
"The Third Division is the Short-to-Mid-Range Battle Division, led by Kakashi Hatake. Rock Lee and his mentor are in that group. The Forth Division is the Long-Range Battle Division, led by myself with Shikamaru being the proxy commander, and Temari is in it. The Fifth Division is the Special Battle Division led by Mifune, the samurai leader. Ino is in that division." He explained and I nodded thoughtfully.
"Well… Now that I have my chakra back and I'm no longer exiled…" I trailed off meaningfully and Gaara nodded.
"If you joined, you'd be in the Third Division under Kakashi because of how you fight. That, or you'd be in the medical division." He said and I shook my head.
"No, I'd rather be put in Kakashi's division." I said with a thoughtful look. "I'm of more use fighting than healing, I think."
"It's your choice, Sakura. I'll inform everyone at the next meeting." He said gently and I looked at him with loving eyes.
"I love you, Gaara… it's been unbearable without you."
"I know… It's been the same way for me…" Gaara admitted with a sigh, and I smiled at how he actually allowed me to see what he felt instead of hiding it away like he usually did.
"I'm still going to be away for five days a week until the battle gets closer." I said with a frown and he nodded. "But I'll be here every weekend, from Friday night to Monday morning. That way we have plenty of time for nightly activities." I added with a playful wink and Gaara sighed.
"I knew you couldn't behave." He said with mock exasperation and I grinned at him in a 'you-know-it' manner.
I laid down beside Gaara that night, putting my head on the unoccupied pillow and closed my eyes. Then… I was flying… No, I was floating. I felt light as a feather, the world around me bathed in a golden white light. I felt so… peaceful… that I didn't notice the presence beside me until I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. I should have been surprised, but instead I just felt even more relaxed. I looked to the side to see a beautiful woman with wavy pink hair in a light blue han fu dress. "I can't wait, Sakura…" The woman murmured, her voice soft and loving, but also slightly echoing in the white abyss.
"Mother?" I questioned in confusion, and the woman smiled lovingly.
"I'll see you soon, my daughter."
What the frak? :O Gaara and Sakura finally made up, but what's with this ominous dream of hers?