When the Sky Falls
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"Please come back," she begs.
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The daylight hours stretch into eternity. Sakura sits and reads and writes and sighs by her window, ever waiting for night. As much as the summer heat reminds her of the Land of Fire, she hates that she isn't there, whether it is in reality or in her dreams no longer seems to matter anymore. It's been two weeks. As much as she is warmly tucked in her bed, sleeping soundly, the vivid dreams elude her.
There is no colour, no vibrancy and no laughter.
There is nothing, and it scares her.
Her dad now takes her to a doctor, another to add on the list of people who will never believe her. Sakura's irritation with her is only stifled by the fact that this doctor entertains her more than her dad does. But then again, that is what this doctor is paid for.
"Have you been having any trouble sleeping lately?" is always the first question asked.
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"You seem… troubled," the doctor notes today, resting her chin on her folded palms.
Sakura frowns. "I hate it here. I want to go back."
"Home?"
"I suppose," Sakura says, turning her gaze to the window. The sun is high in the sky, and she sees the heat radiate and ripple over the drying, dying land. She frowns. The Land of Fire is much greener. It flourishes under the sun, and there is always colour and life. She thinks it could be home, because home is where the heart is.
Her heart is beating in her chest, she feels it, hears it. But it feels torn and hollowed out, like it is saving for a purpose much larger than the need to keep her alive. Her heart beats, aches for a place in the stars. It is one of the only things left that keep her believing.
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It is in the middle of the summer when her dad has had enough. He doesn't say it to her face, but mealtimes and all the other times they spend together become tense. Sakura sits frozenly across him at dinner, noiselessly accepts and drinks the hot chocolate he offers her before bed, and passes him coolly any other time. She and her dad never really speak anymore.
Sakura hates it that he won't believe her. She hates it that she sounds mad to begin with.
One morning, she passes his office and overhears the worst.
"This has gotten out of hand, doctor. She still insists her dreams are real! ... Of course she's taking the sleeping pills— I put them in her drinks myself. But dreamless sleep or not she still believes in that nonsense!... No. I'm afraid you were right after all. Maybe she has gone— mad… Alright, fine. I'll make arrangements. I'll take her to the psychiatric ward tomorrow."
Stunned speechless and definitely horrified, Sakura runs. The hallways turn winding, twisting and suffocating her. She crashes into her room and falls onto the floor, gasping for air. Her lungs hurt, her heart is clenching, and she wants to scream, but people will hear. So she cries quietly, holding her head tightly because her thoughts are racing for a way to escape what's to come tomorrow.
Later, her father comes to bid her goodnight.
She doesn't drink the hot chocolate he places at her bedside.
.
It rains heavily that night, but Sakura leaves her windows open anyway.
Wide awake, but desperate to fall asleep, she tries to fight the urge to down the drugged drink. That won't give her dreams. But the storm won't lend them to her either. She lies in bed, tossing and turning, tearing off the comforter and wrapping it around her. It becomes a little game of tiring herself out.
And then she sees lightning flashing, casting bright light into her room. The thunder, roaring above the sound of wind. Sakura sees her bedroom floor growing wet with rain. Her clock reads two in the morning, and the dreams are not coming tonight. Her heart begins to beat so hard she chokes. She'll be institutionalised tomorrow. The least she could do for herself is to give herself one last happiness. The least she could do for herself tonight is dream.
Only the dreams aren't coming tonight, it seems.
"No, no, no—" she starts, and stumbles out of bed. Are the stars out tonight? She needs them to shine. Her dreams are real.
Lightning flashes again. She sees her own shadow cast onto the wall, and— another shadow behind her. She almost screams, but a warm, callused hand wraps clasps over her mouth.
"Shh," says its owner, and she realises the voice is so painfully familiar. "There's this man in the house, and he's still awake. Don't want him to hear us."
Sakura nods, excitement and trepidation warring in her. She doesn't remember falling asleep, but the blond boy seems to be right here, as she is awake. And that doesn't make sense. He's a character in her dreams— and to dream, you need to be fast asleep, otherwise maybe you really are insane—
No.
No, he feels real. He's right here. Tonight.
With her.
Again, another flash of lightning. Sakura spins in his arms, and sees blue eyes illuminated like fire. The blond boy is grinning widely, and – her knees are weakening with the shock— holding her steady. "Hi there," he says.
"You're real!" she rushes out.
"Well, of course I am," the boy says.
"I mean," Sakura says hastily. "I'm not— dreaming, am I? I've only ever seen you when I was—"
"Dreaming?" the boy finishes. He lets her go, suddenly, running a hand through his hair. It's wet with rain, much like the rest of him. Sakura thinks he should be freezing with the wind blowing his way, but he seems undaunted. He starts to pace. "I thought I was too, you know. I thought I was going crazy, but you seemed so real— I've been tearing Fire apart just looking for you."
"How'd you find me— here?" Sakura asks softly.
"I didn't," he tells her. "Find you, I mean. You led me here."
And he tilts his head aside, scrunches his nose, and scratches the back of his head. The move is all sorts of endearing that she almost flushes. Sakura notices whisker-like marks stretching at the side of his cheeks, and realises she doesn't remember them from her dreams. Actually, she doesn't seem to remember much of him at all, apart from the fact that he is like radiant sunshine, and that he is who leads her to the Land of Fire.
She doesn't even remember his name.
"How'd you get here?" she asks.
"The window," he says. "You always leave it open. I don't usually like to go outside when it's all rainy, but— I don't know. I haven't seen any trace of you in Fire for almost two months and then—" he stops. "You led me here, Sakura-chan."
"That was really, really corny, deadlast," says a voice. The blond boy scowls, and looks to the window sill. Sakura doesn't see who speaks until there is a flash of red.
"Startled at the realisation, she flushes red.
"Whassa matter?" he asks.
She clears her throat. "Well, um. I'm in my pajamas."
He laughs, scratching the back of his head. "That's alright. I look like a drowned lil' puppy. Kind of smell like one too." He shakes his head wildly, and water sprays across the room in all directions.
"I'm Sakura," she says.
"Naruto," he says, smiling wide.
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Lightning flashes in the distance, illuminating blue eyes like fire.
"Follow me," he whispers. "I'll take you home."
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A/N: This update took a lot longer than I anticipated. I'm sorry. My stories tend to write themselves, it's hard for me to finish once I've written what I had to write. Please review.