Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Mother's Son ❯ The Demands That Dreams Make ( Chapter 6 )

“Oh my girl, my beautiful girl…” Naruto whispered, clinging to Sakura's limp hand. Her face was sunken, pale. A tube was feeding fluids into her arm, and Naruto stroked the irritated spot. He clenched his teeth in anguish, leaning over Sakura to brush hair from her unmoving face. He said to Kakashi, who stood at the door, “Why isn't she awake yet?”

“The fall was a pretty bad one.” The former team leader answered. Behind him, Aniline stood in the kitchen, talking softly with Sasuke. “We've got doctors coming in and out of here, all saying the same thing.”

“And what's that?” Naruto questioned, still holding Sakura's hand tightly.

“That she'll wake when she wakes, and that the longer it takes, the worse off she'll be when it happens.”

“That's not good enough!” Naruto said, outraged. He stood quickly, distancing himself from the bed. His hands shook with rage, and his eyes were fiery. “She has to wake up! I can't live without her…I- I need her.”

Kakashi nodded, looking forlorn and helpless. “I know.” He rubbed his face wearily. “I know.”

Pushing past Kakashi, Naruto went into the kitchen. “You're not seeing her.” He said to Sasuke. The livid face of his once teammate made him feel marginally better. Sasuke started to object, but a small noise from Aniline stopped him. He nodded to the woman, looking shamed.

“I'll be outside.” Sasuke told the group, moving out the door to stand in the front yard.

“What did you say to him?” Kakashi asked while Naruto poured himself a glass of water.

“I just told him what anyone else would have. He has shamed his family, his clan, his village.” Aniline answered, taking the proffered drink from Naruto. Kakashi did the same, nodding thoughtfully.

“He's done more then that.” Naruto muttered darkly. Kakashi looked at him, wondering what was happening inside the boy's head.

“So, are you gonna tell us why you're here, without Dai?” Aniline finally asked, breaking the silence. Naruto growled, mostly at himself.

“Cause Sasuke let his brother take Dai away. You'd think a kidnapper could keep a better handle on a toddler, but, I guess not.” Naruto shook his head angrily, tugging his fingers through his blonde hair. “So now, we're going after Itachi. Sasuke thinks he'll be close to the village, and I can't disagree with his reasoning.”

“Can you stay the night, just to rest?” Aniline asked, but off Naruto's look, she sighed. “I thought not. Well, I'll feed you, then you can leave. Get Sasuke back in here.” Naruto did as he was told, walking out the front door where Sasuke stood, staring up at the sun.

“It's beautiful.” Sasuke said, as Naruto walked up behind him on the lawn. Naruto snorted.

“Don't get sentimental on me now, Uchiha.” Naruto said back, looking up at the sky as well. Sasuke gritted his teeth to curb his temper.

“I just meant…fuck, I don't care. Are we leaving?” Sasuke said finally. Naruto shook his head.

“Aniline wants us to eat first, and then we're headed for the caves east of here.”

Sasuke voiced his agreement, following Naruto back into the house. Aniline had set out lunch, and talked animatedly with Kakashi while the two young men wolfed down the food. Naruto kept an eye on Sakura's room the whole time, but the girl didn't stir.

After almost half an hour, Naruto was itching to get back on the road, to search for Dai. Every minute counted, Daisuke could have already been killed by Itachi, the man was very unstable. “We're leaving now.” Naruto said to Sasuke, soon after their meals were finished.

Sasuke nodded, following Naruto out. They said goodbye to Aniline and Kakashi, then headed for the village gates. As they ran down the road, sun high in the sky, Kakashi stood with Aniline, watching them go.

“Can you stay with Sakura for a bit?” Kakashi asked. Aniline nodded, looking confused. “I have to go hit things.” He said, when she inquired why.

“It was a good thing you did, leaving Sasuke unharmed. Naruto will need him, to find the boy.” Aniline said firmly. As Kakashi shook his head and turned to leave, she grabbed his arm. “Hey!” she said forcefully. “I'm serious. You did good.” Smiling slightly, she kissed his cheek, lips brushing against the fabric of his mask. Aniline let go of his arm, leaving him on the front lawn. She walked into Sakura's house, not looking back.

Stroking his cheek thoughtfully, Kakashi looked at Aniline's house, directly across the street for where he stood. In the window of the second storey, a face was clearly visible. The husband, Kakashi thought, turning to walk down the street, in the opposite direction that Sasuke and Naruto has gone.

Rain pelted against the gravel furiously, and Sakura found herself tripping constantly. She cried out as her knee struck against something sharp. She felt cold metal slice into her thigh, and she screamed in anguish.

They had caught her.

Rough hands grabbed at her neck, lifting her up. Sakura tried to struggle, but hands appeared, restraining every limb. She bit at the hands that tried to keep her quiet, and was rewarded with a harsh blow to the face. Tears poured down her cheeks while she fought to stay conscious.

“We have the girl.” A tight, clipped voice came from the strongest man, the one standing right behind her ear.

“Good…very good.” A soft, musical voice belied the speaker's desire for violence, and Sakura found herself fearing the slim man most of all.

“Please…let me go…” Sakura begged, hating herself for sounding so weak. She was just as trained as anyone else, why couldn't she fight off a few thugs? The slim man laughed lightly, coming closer to Sakura's struggling form.

“Oh no, my dear, I won't be doing that.” A gloved finger trailed down Sakura's cheek, and she shivered in fear at the contact.

“Please…” she whispered, her voice breaking. The hand at her face cupped her cheek, then the contact vanished.

“Take her.” The voice was cold now, full of purpose.

The men holding Sakura hustled her down the alley as she cried out. “No! No! You can't do this! Please… let me go! I'll do anything!” she fought an arm free and struck the slim man lightly in the chest. He looked up from an object in his palm, his pale face covered in surprise. “Please sir…” Sakura said, fighting for one last chance to escape. “You don't know what you've done…”

The man frowned, his brows furrowing in confusion. “No, my dear. It is you who fails to comprehend the situation. I am going to kill you, and the bastard that you carry inside of you.”

Sakura's eyes widened in shock, she had thought that no one knew about the baby. She had barely begun to show, and none of her friends knew yet. “Please…you can't…” she whispered, as the men dragged her from the alley. The slim man stayed where he was, watching her go. His face was impassive, lit up by a flash of lightning. He looked away from Sakura's pleading face to the object in his hand. It was a small paper fan, ornate and delicate. Rain beat against it, but it was made to withstand such abuse.

The man stood at the mouth of the alley, watching his henchmen hustle Sakura away. She screamed and screamed, but the noise of the rain and thunder overpowered her.

The dream shifted, and Sakura moaned into her pillow. Her face shone with sweat, while Aniline sat at her side, fretting. She watched as Sakura tossed listlessly. The nightmare had lasted almost a full twenty minutes, and none of the sedatives that Aniline had given the girl had worked to calm her. In retrospect, they had seemed to make things worse.

“What's going on in that head of yours?” Aniline asked Sakura's writhing form, using a washcloth to wipe sweat away from the girl's face.

“Dai…”

The sound escaped Sakura's parted lips, and Aniline started in surprise. She grabbed Sakura's shoulders, shaking her harshly. “Sakura, can you hear me? Sakura! Answer me, dammit!”

“Sakura!”

A distant voice called her name, and Sakura was pulled back into her memories. She knew that this memory had been mangled by a dream, and what was happening, never happened. Naruto had saved her, the men had been killed. She knew this as fact, so why did she also know that she was lying on a cold stone floor, watching a tall man pace back and forth?

“You're going to tell me the father of this child. You're going to tell me, and this time, you're going to tell me the truth.” The man finally said, brandishing a scalpel with eerie calmness.

“Please no…keep away from me.” Sakura begged, clutching her knees to her chest.

“Very well.” The man sighed. He lunged at her, and Sakura squeezed her eyes shut.

“Naruto!” Sakura's eyes shot open, bloodshot and blurry. She could see Aniline hovering above her, mouth moving like a fish, making no sound.

“Sakura! Sakura, stay with me!”

Sakura closed her eyes, accepting oblivion again. Aniline's voice faded from hearing, and the lights dimmed behind her eyes.

Aniline watched as Sakura fell asleep again, tears rolling down her face. “Sakura, please…wake up!” she sobbed, uncharacteristically emotional. Sakura didn't respond, having returned to her comatose state.

Aniline stood, moving away from Sakura's bed. She moved into the kitchen, her hands shaking with rage. She had sat by Sakura's side for almost three hours, watching the girl slowly drift in and out of nightmares. Within the last half hour, everything had changed. Sakura had been uncontrollable, but she had made no intelligible noises. But, two names in less than three minutes, and she had seen Sakura open her eyes!

What was keeping Sakura locked in her dreams?