Quake
Chapter Eight
-Grief-
Sakura opened her eyes slowly, allowing for them to become used to the light. She placed her hand on her stomach and let out a choked sob. It was empty. Her baby was gone. Sure, she was fine now, but her baby was gone.
The life left her eyes then, and she laid there to silently cry. How could she look her children in the eyes knowing that she had killed their brother? How could she look Gaara in the eyes knowing that she had allowed their unborn child to die?
Just then the door opened and a familiar silhouette entered. Gaara closed the door behind him and started forward, that was when he heard the agonized sob. She looked away from him, her cries now because she was not alone. He stopped beside her bed and stared down at her, there was nothing to say. He knew she wasn't alright and nothing would ever be okay ever again. He attempted to take her hand in his, but when his fingertips touched her skin, she turned over with her back to him.
Gaara went wide eyed and tried to keep his already shattered heart from breaking anymore. "Sakura?"
"Please…just leave me alone." She whispered, shoulders shaking in silent sobs. She didn't want to see his look of hatred or loathing, it would break her heart.
He felt his heart stop. So she did hate him for not protecting her and their child. He backed away from her slowly, "Alright." She didn't hear him move until she heard the door open and then close. She shut her eyes tightly and let herself cry.
Hinata had sent Naruto and Minako home when she saw Gaara walk out into the waiting room. He looked dead and empty. Natsumi ran up to him and latched onto his leg. "Daddy! Is mommy okay?" she asked, her eyes watering. Without a word he picked up Natsumi and held her on his side. He looked over to Satomi and Toshiro. They both knew the look and got up. Gaara held his hand out to Satomi and she took it tightly, obviously holding back her tears. They all left, but Toshiro looked just as dead as Gaara did. Because the only thing that was running through his mind was, It's all my fault.
The dark haired woman walked into the hospital room with a tray of food and sat it down next to her friend. Sakura sat up, looked at the food, and then looked over to the window. She remembered this room. It was the room she had been taken to when her mission had failed. When Gaara had almost lost her. When she had failed him. Only this time, she had failed her entire family.
"Hinata." She said softly.
"Yes Sakura?" the ebony haired woman asked, looking over at her friend.
"Can I…can I stay with you and Naruto for a while? I just…don't think I can be around my family right now." She asked, looking down at the sheets.
"Of course Sakura, you can stay with us for as long as you need." Hinata said.
After some questions from Tsunade, Sakura was discharged from the hospital. She was told that she would still be able to have children, and that everything had been healed fully. But she didn't care. Her son was gone. She would never get to meet him. Never get to watch him grow up.
She wasn't surprised when they walked into the lobby and her family wasn't there. Of course Gaara wouldn't want her near their other offspring, he would be worried that she would let them die too. No father would want a murderer near their children. And that's what she was. A murderer. Sure, she hadn't killed their baby herself, but she wasn't strong enough to stop it.
She followed Hinata to their home. Minako and Naruto had already gone home and gone to bed. Apparently she had been unconscious and in the room for a whole day, and everyone had waited for her to wake up.
She was shown her room, and then left alone. Hinata had promised to go over to the hotel and get some clothes for her. Wanting to wash up, she took a shower, scrubbing her skin until it was red. She needed to get the stench of the hospital off, it reminded her too much of her loss.
When she went back into her room she put on a pair of Naruto's pajamas that Hinata had been kind enough to loan her until her clothes were brought over. She walked over to the other side of the room and sat in the windowsill. She stared desolately out the window at her former village. She hated it so much now, this was no longer her home. If she had been home her baby would have never died. He belonged in Suna with the rest of their family. She let her head rest on her knees and started to cry again.
Hinata walked over to the hotel and went up to the presidential suite. She steeled herself and knocked on the door.
It was a good five minutes before the lock slowly slid out of place and the door opened. Hinata had to look down to see the red-rimmed jade eyes. The door opened more and one of the twins stood, heartbroken in front of the woman. Her answer clarified which twin she was speaking to, "What do you want."
"Is your dad home? I need to speak with him." Hinata asked softly.
"Yeah, he's in his room." Satomi said, her voice dead. She stepped aside and let Hinata in. Once she was fully in the room the girl shut the door and disappeared into her room.
Hinata looked for the double doors and once she located them, knocked softly. A small voice gave her entrance and hesitantly she walked in. Gaara was lying in bed, staring at the wall. He didn't even acknowledge their visitor. "Hi Hinata," Natsumi said sadly, she was sitting in the bed beside her dad and petting his head. She had seen her mother do it when her father had a long day at work and was trying to make him feel at least a bit more alive.
"Natsumi, sweetie, I need to speak with your daddy alone, can you give us a moment?" she asked. She didn't want the children to hear what she had to say, they didn't need to be affected by this any more than necessary.
"No." she replied sternly, her sad face contorted into a glare. "Daddy can't be alone and he says mommy isn't coming home."
She sighed and walked over to the closet, pulling out some of Sakura's clothes and putting them into a bag. "Sakura is staying with me and Naruto-kun for a while, until she feels better. I just came to get her things." She told him so that he wouldn't worry.
Then she walked into the bathroom and packed Sakura's toiletries. She entered the room again, and, seeing that the two hadn't moved, went and stood next to the bed. "I really am sorry Gaara." She said softly.
"Get. Out." He said darkly. She nodded, trying not to feel to hurt by his words. She left the room and stopped in the living area to see Satomi once more.
Her glare was even icier than Natsumi's. "Don't come back." It almost sounded like a threat. She nodded once more and let herself out. The entire aura of the hotel room was making her even more depressed than she already was.
Hinata went back home and delivered Sakura's things. She didn't even get a look of acknowledgement. And Sakura hadn't moved from her spot in the windowsill.
Completely exhausted and emotionally drained from the events, Hinata went into her room and took a shower. She was still wearing her bloody clothes from the attack, having not left the hospital once.
After she was showered she crawled into bed with her husband, who was asleep. She snuggled up to him and sighed as he subconsciously wrapped his arms around her. Hopefully things would be better tomorrow.