ಌMonstersಌ(Gaara Love Story)

17.Chapter 17

And honestly,
My life would suck without you.
-My Life Would Suck Without You, Kelly Clarkson

  "Thank you Gaara. You saved me again. These powers of yours are truly remarkable."Lee said from his own little flying saucer of sand.
  "Not really, I'm merely able to make sand do my bidding. It's second nature to me now."He said through harsh breaths. He was completely exhausted and out of almost all of his chakra.
  Automatically I skimmed my fingers over his neck again, measuring his pulse, checking for scratches but finding none thanks to his sand armor. He was fine, just tired. My stomach throbbed and I felt some blood spill from the corners of my mouth.
  "You're bleeding."He said. I wiped the blood off with the back of my hand.
  There's still something wrong.
  Chakra. He needed chakra.
  I was about to give him my chakra but another angry voice cut me off.
  "I am not his pawn! He is the one,the only one who gave my life meaning!"A huge spear of bone was in place of his hand to his elbow, aimed right at Gaara's forehead. He pulled back."But how could the likes of you ever understand that!?"
  The second Kimimaro hurled the spear, I lost control over my body again, and was right in front of Gaara. My palms were on the sand, one leg out the other slightly bent. I was lent back, feeling his knee on my lower shoulder. Right now all I could think was Gaara. Nothing about what I should do or how I was going to stop the spear from piercing my skull.
  "He is dead."Lee said, utterly shocked.
  "Gina."Gaara said, behind me.
  I felt a brief moment of numbness everywhere before all of it, every last ounce of Shukaku's power flowed to my right eye.
  "Amaterasu."I said. The black flames erupted and dark red blood poured from my eye uncontrollably.
  "W-what is that?"Lee asked.
  "The Amaterasu. I was able to use it after I unlocked my Mangekyō Sharingan. They're black flames that burn anything you want it to and they don't die out until it's gone."I explained, leaving my eye alone, letting it bleed. The throbbing in my stomach came back again, telling me Gaara still needed chakra.
  We descended and rested under trees. I healed small wounds on Lee and took a peak at his arm and leg myself. Lady Tsunade had done a good job. The pain in my stomach intensified when I started healing Lee first instead of Gaara.
  "You shouldn't have done that. You could've been killed."He said as I began to transfer my chakra to him.
  I pulled my hands of him."A simple Gina, you're my hero will do."I teased.
  "I'm serious. It was sheer luck.I should've been the one..."I jabbed him in the forehead like Itachi had done to Sasuke many times.
  "No, it was not meant to be. My sensei has often told me, a good ninja makes his own luck."Lee responded.
  "That meddlesome mother hen?"I giggled at Gaara's comment although he was the brother of my own sensei.
  "Guy sensei is nothing of the sort! Yes, he stepped in but only that once and only because I was not strong enough.I am grateful to you for having saved my life but I warn you, I will not abide anyone speaking ill of my sensei."Lee argued.
  "So you're another of eh? You have someone in your life whom you honor and reserve so much that every hurt inflicted upon them, is inflicted upon you, as well the closer you are to them, the greater the pain. To feel so strongly for someone that you would fight for them and die for them. You and Naruto Uzumaki have that in common."I pulled my hand away from him.
  Well that feels nice. I almost died for him.
  "However what if the person you honor and would even die for is not a virtuous person?"He said, speaking about Kimimaro and Orochimaru but lead me to think he might be talking about us.
  "Impossible. Such a person would be unworthy of honor and respect."
  "No, perhaps the companionship of even an evil person is preferable to loneliness."
  "I'd die for Gaara, I almost just did. It isn't that impossible."I said talking to Lee at first but then to Gaara."You weren't an exact 'virtuous' person but I would've died for you then, I'd still do it now."
  "Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"Gaara countered. He was so wrong.
  I looked into his eyes."I'd die for you even if I wasn't your protector. I was specifically chosen to be your protector because I would take a kunai for you. Of course back then, it might not have been a kunai to the heart, maybe in like the leg or something."I heard Lee chuckle from his spot.
  We made our way back to the village after ten more minutes of resting, and instantly went to Lady Tsunade. When we went to the Hokage mansion, Asuma sensei sat in the chair behind the desk looking bored out of his mind.
  "Lady Tsunade would like to speak with you. She's working in the hospital."I nodded again politely and scurried out with Gaara and Lee in tow.
  The lady at the front desk told us where to find her and before she could even finish, I was already halfway down the hallway. I found Shikamaru and Temari sitting outside a room.
  "Hey."I said a little awkwardly. Shikamaru stopped fiddling his finger and uttered a 'hey' to me. If Shikamaru was outside, then Choji is definitely inside. Gaara left to sit next to his sister.
  "How's Lady Sensei?"I asked when I sat next to Shika.
  "She still hasn't woken up."He answered, completely breaking my heart.
  "How's everyone else?"
  "Choji is in there, no word on Neji, Kiba and Akamaru are injured but fine."
  If Sasuke doesn't come back, I think I'll scream.
  Lady Tsunade came out of the room then, sighing before smiling."He's going to be just fine."She walked over to me."The antidote worked. The extermination of cells caused by the pills effects has been rested. I couldn't have done it without your help Shikaku. The Nara clan's secret medicine was invaluable. The work that went into that manual, the years of research, well it's quite impressive to say the least."She said sitting next to me.
  "Thank you."Shikamaru's dad answered.
  "Lady Tsunade!"A woman yelled, running towards us."Neji Hyuuga is safe. His condition has stabilized. And there's more, I just heard that Kakashi Hatake and Naruto Uzumaki have returned and they've been examined. Naruto's injuries are serious but not life threatening. He's going to be okay."The dark haired woman said.
  "What about Sasuke?"I asked, once again chewing my bottom lip.
  "I have not heard anything about Sasuke Uchiha."
  I felt my already broken heart, completely shatter into tiny, tiny pieces. The harsh wave of loneliness washed over me, drowning me in a sea of sadness.
  "Lady Tsunade! Lady Tsunade!"We heard again, the voice much lighter. A light brown haired nurse came from around the corner."Lady, she's waking up."Lady Tsunade and I followed the nurse to Lady Sensei's room.
  I watched her bright purple eyes flutter open and look around the room. She slowly sat up and the nurse cautioned her to not move to fast. The tears started to be uncontrollable as the poured down my cheeks. So many emotions ran through me as I just heard my brother was gone and not coming back, my friends are alright and my Sensei is alive.
  "Gina."She said, her voice becoming my medicine, already soothing me like my mother did when I was young. Her arms outstretched to me, offering an embrace and I practically collapsed in her arms.
  "He's not coming back."I managed through my sobs.
  "Oh, Gina. It's going to be alright. I'm not quite sure what's happened but, I can already tell everything will be alright. You have wonderful friends that love you, a village that loves you. Sasuke leaving was something you have the strength to get through this. Now, what is it that your mom always to you?"She cooed.
  "Life isn't always fair, you just have to make the best of it."I answered through my sniffles, thinking of my mom.
  "That's right, now tell me what I've missed."
  I spent the rest of the day with Lady and Guy Sensei in the hospital room, informing her about my mission to Suna and how I danced again. The Hokage's funeral, the fight Sasuke and I had, and everything about the ball. When Guy left to go get lunch for me and him, I told her about Gaara and my feelings toward him.
  "I'd like to meet this boy. What's he like?"
  "The complete opposite of Daichi. He's reserved, quiet and emotionless and I think that's what I like about him. Like, I was so attracted to him when I saw him fight earlier and the fact that I had to tear his walls down, I think that's one of the things that attracted me to his in the first place."I explained to her, a bright smile on my face.
  "My goodness, is he the one you danced with?"I nodded, blushing."Young love."She said.
  I realized how much I missed her while she was unconscious. She was the closest thing I've had to a mom since it happened and I missed having that connection with someone. Lady Sensei was actually one of my mom's good friends, so I've known her since birth and practically jumped over joy when I found out she was going to my my teacher.
  When she had fallen asleep I retreated to my house, loneliness stinging everywhere. It was horrible and utterly painful. It didn't even smell like my own house, just Sasuke's scent lingering everywhere. I note was taped to the coffee pot saying 'I love you - Sasuke'.
  "I love you too."I whispered to the note as if he could hear me.
  I didn't dare go into his room, but when I opened up my door a DVD sat in a case on my pillow. Putting in the DVD in the stero in the living room, I started to sway slowly. It was a very slow melody that I had tried to teach Sasuke rhythm to but failed epically. A silent tear slid down my face as I continued to sway and twirl slowly, seeing a certain redhead stepping through the front door that I left open.
  He didn't speak. Neither did I. Slowly we made our way to each other, encircling my arms around his neck, his arms  around my waist.
  And we swayed. Enjoying his company and embrace. It was like his sand had plucked me from the ocean of loneliness and placed me in his arms, where I'd be safe and content with him. He placed his lips on mine softly, as if he was trying to heal me. My heart already felt better as he picked up the shards of my heart, piecing them together again.
  Gaara would heal me. I knew he would.