Book 1: Broken (Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 43

Naruto leaps over and grabs Sasuke and Pakkun before leaping to another branch, away from Gaara, Sakura following. Naruto looks back at the tree I'm pinned to as he calls worriedly, "Kimiko!"

"Dammit, dammit! What are we supposed to do now?!" Naruto wonders, gazing around frantically. "We're screwed! Especially without Kimi-chan!" He looks back at Gaara to see him clutching his head, as though he has a migraine.

Gaara is gazing towards me, still being crushed by the sand claw. He turns a sneer onto the Uzumaki. Gaara asks the blue eyed boy, "What's the matter?! Aren't you about to make a fun for it?!" Naruto grits his teeth as he glares, heisting. "Who are these three... Who are they to you?" Gaara demands, regaining his attention.

Naruto's blue orbs widen as he straightens up and responds, "Huh?! "Who are they to me?!" They're my friends, is who they are! You try laying so much as another finger on the three of them," Here, Naruto jabs a finger at him, "and I will pulverise you!!"

"I-If you're d-done chatting," I grit through my teeth, "d-do you think you c-could, I don't know... get me outta here?! You know, s-so I don't g-get crushed to death!"

Naruto and Sakura sweat drop at that.

"The sand will keep the girl in there unless you can defeat me," Gaara tells him. Naruto glares daggers at him. "What's the matter?! Weren't you gonna "pulverise" me?!" Gaara says. Naruto continues to glare at him, teeth clenched. "Well, come on, then!!"

My eyes jerk wide and my body freezes as I suck in a sharp breath of pain as the sand claw breaks my left arm. I let out a cry of pain, causing everyone to jerk their heads to me.

"Kimiko! What's wrong?!" Sakura exclaims.

"M-My arm...! H-He broke my arm!" I manage to wheeze out. Black spots dance at my vision.

I was about to pass out...

Gaara gazes at the blonde as he clenches his fist angrily. Naruto yells in frustration as he launches towards him, "Dammit!!"

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do with that sand," Says Pakkun from beside the Haruno. "It's as hard as concrete. You're just going to have to sit tight and wait for Naruto to defeat Gaara."

"Dammit!" I mentally curse. It wasn't that long before I succumb to darkness.

Sasuke's P. O. V:

Sometime later, sand starts to rain down around Kimiko, causing me to look up. The sand claw Gaara had trapped her in is crumbling and she's starting to fall from the tree.

Sakura gasps, "The sand around Kimiko! It's crumbling!" After a moment, the claw of sand completely falls away, freeing Kimiko at last.

I force myself to my feet from my kneeling position, the Curse Mark still covering half of my body, and leap over to the tree Kimiko is falling from. I catch her bridal style and leap back beside Sakura and Pakkun. Trees were destroyed and everything was wet and drenched from Naruto's fight with Gaara. He'd summoned a giant sword wielding toad and battled the One Tailed beast Gaara had summoned.

I remain in a crouching position with the Sumire princess in my arms, unconscious not just from getting her oxygen cut off by the sand but also from her nasty looking wounds, her stomach wounds losing the most blood.

"I-Is she gonna be ok?" Sakura asks tentatively as we gaze at our teammate.

I reply, "She's badly wounded but Kimiko is breathing again because the sand is gone. We need to get her a medic." I gently set the violet eyed girl on the branch and glance at Sakura and Pakkun. "Stay with her. I'm going after Naruto and Gaara."

Nodding her head, the green eyed girl responds, "Okay... I hope Kimiko and Naruto will be alright."

I straighten and leap down to where Naruto is lying stomach first on the forest floor. He looks just as badly beaten as Kimiko, blood oozing from the head but he gave Gaara earlier.

Pausing on a branch, I see Naruto inching his way to Gaara with his chin, looking unable to move on his own, let alone stand. "Naruto!" I call, jumping down to the blonde.

Naruto pauses as Gaara jerks his sea green eyes to me, and Naruto. He turns his head stiffly to me, stuttering as I crouch beside him, "K-Kimi-chan...? I-Is she...?"

I nod my head as I reply, "Yes, Naruto. She's fine now, thanks to you. Kimiko's unconscious but she's alive." He smiles in relief before closing his eyes. I glance at Gaara, lying on his back nearby. "Gaara's chakra is all used up."

"That's good... that's a relief....."

Just then, Temari and Kankuro appear in crouching positions before the redhead. We gaze at each other silently, the two Sand Genin looking ready for another round.

"That's enough," Gaara speaks up, causing them to turn their heads to him. "It's over."

Kankuro goes to protest, "But, Gaara...!" Kankuro gazes at him for moment but then seems to relent, letting out a soft sigh. "Alright, Gaara." He then turns and slings an arm over his shoulder, the other around Gaara's waist.

The three Sand ninja stand up but pause as they all gaze at me. I just send them a glare. After several minutes of silent staring, Kankuro, Temari and Gaara bound away into the trees, retreating.

I soon get the Curse Mark to recede.

Sakura helps Naruto back to the village as he can barely even stand on his own, while I carry the unconscious Kimiko bridal style in my arms and go in search of a medic.

I was just glad it was finally over.