Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Given The Chance ❯ I Am Not Crying ( Chapter 44 )

Chapter #44

I Am Not Crying

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Co.

 

Yay! New chapter! Hehe, I enjoyed writing this one!

 

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Gaara's eyes snapped open as the sand retreated from his body, cutting off the Shukaku's influence in the outside world. It was only by a stroke of luck that he hadn't been `outside' long enough to cause much damage to the village or Gaara's consciousness. He supposed he should have been thankful for that. The only thing he ended up with was a tender headache and depleted chakra levels, but then there was…

 

“Cassie,” his sea foam eyes darted around the surrounding area searching for her.

 

She was plummeting fast towards them ground below them, seemingly unconscious, and it would be a deadly fall if something didn't break it. In such times Gaara could suddenly understand why people with something to protect wouldn't loose, it was because they had something they couldn't loose, and it wrenched Gaara's heart to realize he'd already `lost' her once before.

 

He'd die before he let that happen to him again. Now that Gaara knew what it felt like to have to close to him he didn't want to go back to the way he was ever again.

 

Sand shot up rapidly from the ground below Cassie and wrapped around her limp body protectively, and slowing her fall. She was laid out gently on the ground just as Gaara landed beside her.

 

Gaara picked Cassie up bridal style, cradling her, minding her bleeding and battered legs.

 

Sure he had his memories back, but he also remembered every moment of his life when he didn't remember. He remembered every moment she looked at him hopefully with eyes that begged him to try and see her again. And yet no matter how poorly he treated her during that time she was still there. Even though she was incredibly sad, no matter how much he hurt her … it was, after all, his fault she was currently hurt. It was his fault she was too tired to even be conscious, and that her legs were probably broken.

 

“Why…”

 

There wasn't much time to think about why Cassie did what she did. She was in serious need of a medic.

 

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Most everything had been cleared up not long after Gaara dropped Cassandra off at the hospital. He wanted to stay, after what happened he didn't want to leave her again, but Sakura was insistent that he leave while she got Cassie settled in. And even the Kazekage didn't want to have to deal with an angry pink haired medic-nin after everything that happened.

 

He was anxious to go back, and contemplated sneaking in on sever occasions. Who would question or dare to stop him?

 

Sakura predicted that train of thought and nipped it in the butt by making both his siblings keep an eye on him. One of them was easy enough to shake, but with both of them watching him like hawks and Sasuke and Lee on standby there was no way he could get into the hospital without being detected.

 

Thus Gaara was stuck pacing back and forth in front of the building muttering under his breath until the very second visiting hours started that morning.

 

He walked with long strides so Temari and Kankuro could barely keep up.

 

When he reached the room Sakura was already in front of Cassie's door talking with Hale and Daichi about something.

 

“I didn't figure they'd allow you to show up,” Hale muttered coldly, “shouldn't it just be family that's allowed to see her?”

 

“Well, yes, since she hasn't woken up quite yet that is the case…” Sakura began.

 

Gaara's fists clenched. No way in hell were they keeping him away from Cassie any longer. Furious medic-nin or not, he was going to see her.

 

“…but we make an exception for the father—”

 

“—I'm her father,” said Daichi, wondering if Sakura knew what she was talking about.

 

“Don't interrupt me,” Sakura stated sharply before continuing, “I was going to say that we make an exception for the father of her child. Which, by the way, is doing just fine, despite the strain she put on her body when she was fighting. It's a really good thing a woman's body is build to naturally protect her baby—”

 

“What?!” was the delayed reaction from everyone who was still out of the loop, which included Gaara, Hale, Daichi, and Kankuro.

 

“What did I say about interrupting me?” pouted Sakura childishly. She was putting on quite the show, trying to get everything explained while they would be willing to actually listen to her. “I'll have an ultrasound scheduled in a few weeks, and regular check ups of course…”

 

Naturally, no one was really listening even though every single one of them was dead silent.

 

Temari was practically leaning into the circle of men to try and see their reactions. She was fighting back a small grin when it came to Gaara, who looked completely dumbstruck, like it never occurred to him that one day he could be a father.

 

Truth be told, it really hadn't occurred to him. Of course he knew that happens when two people … were together, but it just seemed … Gaara couldn't think of any real words or emotions. His mind was only drawing blanks for a long time as his brain rebooted from the surprise.

 

`I'm going to be a … father?'

 

When Gaara actually started having organized thoughts he wondered what he should be feeling. He didn't care that much about what others would think. What worried him was what was Cassie might be feeling. Cassie was still sixteen, she could still be considered a child herself, and so would she want to be a mother at such a young age? More importantly, would she want to be a young mother carrying his child? What would she want to do about the situation?

 

`Temari and Sakura knew way before this,' realized Gaara when he saw the looks on the girls' faces. `So then how long has Cassie known…?'

 

Kankuro suddenly started laughing and grinning like an idiot. He was actually brave - or stupid - enough to put his arm over Gaara's shoulder. “Whoa, Gaara's a daddy! I can't believe it! Who would have guessed Gaara to be such a smooth operator? I'm gonna have a niece or a nephew! Sweet!”

 

`…Moron.'

 

“…I'm going to be a grandfather,” whispered Daichi. By this point he couldn't feel his feet, so he couldn't have moved even if he wanted to. He was having a hard time believing that his sixteen year old daughter was pregnant.

 

“…A nephew or niece…” Hale wasn't thrilled about Gaara being the father, but because he didn't have a death wish he kept his mouth shut. He cared more about his sister than anything else, so he tried to suppress the anger he would otherwise have felt.

 

`So does that mean that the little boy from my dream - Ryuu - is real?' Gaara asked himself, `was that my son?'

 

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With Cassie's mind still foggy from sleep, she though she was asleep in her own room. She groaned, shielding her eyes from the bright morning sun, wondering where on earth her curtains were, and why she couldn't move her legs…

 

`Gaara…'

 

She opened her eyes wide, which in retrospect probably wasn't the best idea. Since she was in a hospital room where someone neglected to draw the curtains she was instantly blinded by white. It burned for a few minutes, and it took a lot of blinking - and eye rubbing - to clear her vision again.

 

The raven haired teen was alone in her little hospital room, tucked snuggly into bed, and an IV attached to her hand. On the chair next to the bed was a small pile of folded cloths for her to change into whenever she woke up.

 

“I have to see if he's alright…” murmured Cassie under her breath as she pulled out the IV and threw back the covers. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and if it hadn't been for the safety bar to grab onto she would have fallen right on her face. It took a few minutes for her to notice the long splint she had on both legs They were wrapped thickly with snug fitting bandages to hold the solid bit of the splint, and they nearly covered both her knees.

 

Cassie blinked, looking at the splints in a moment of confusion, until she remembered the Shukaku… It was a good thing Sakura was around, or she would have been in a wheelchair with impossible casts instead of a few temporary bandages for her, still stiff and sore, feet and ankles.

 

The crutches were purposely set on the other side of the room to prevent her from leaving, but it wasn't like that was going to stop her.

 

With a deep breath she slowly lowered her feet to the floor and took her first attempt at allowing her own legs to support her. There wasn't much pain, just the tenseness from stiff muscles. It was her joints that couldn't bare her weight, they were too flimsy, and there was too little control. That explained the bandages to keep them in place.

 

She was alright to stand after a few attempts at keeping her balance, but the moment she stepped forward her ankle gave way, and she crashed to the floor with a loud thud.

 

“Damn it,” Cassie cursed. Her landing hadn't been a comfortable one, and because she was so anxious to find out about Gaara, she rapidly grew impatient.

 

The noised attracted the attention of whoever was outside the door, and it opened a few seconds after.

 

Cassandra kept her eyes to the floor because she could feel her frustration finally getting the best of her. Her eyes were stinging a little with the threat of tears, but she wouldn't let herself cry. She didn't want to cry…

 

“Cassie,” snapped Sakura's voice, “What are you doing out of bed? You shouldn't be walking quite yet. You had some muscle damage, and it'll take time to heal.”

 

Sakura reached over to help the raven haired girl to her feet, but she flinched away. Still not taking her eyes off the floor.

 

“I don't want to stay in that hospital bed,” she muttered stubbornly like a child. Her voice cracked a little, partly from being impossibly thirsty, and partly because she was still fighting tears.

 

After years of holding it all in … Cassie was bound to cry sooner or later…

 

Some one tried to reach for her again, she tried to back away, but she couldn't get far, and eventually a pair of arms wrapped around her. They pulled her in tightly to a familiar warm chest…

 

Gaara felt Cassie freeze when he pulled her into him in an attempt to calm her down. What else did he expect? For the past few weeks he didn't even remember who she was. She probably thought she still didn't even remember her. It was like she was bracing herself for Gaara reverting back to his old, cold, self.

 

Then he felt her shoulders tremble, ever so slightly, and she pressed her face into his chest.

 

“You're ok…” Cassie's voice was a little muffled by the fabric of Gaara's shirt.

 

`How … predictable of her, worrying about me when she's the one with all the injuries…' Gaara ran his fingers through her hair when he felt his shirt grow damp. “Cassie … are you crying?”

 

“N-no, I am not…” Despite denying it, her voice was still shaky, so there was no mistaking that she was crying. “…I-I'm just happy y-you're ok…”

 

`What did I do to deserve someone like her?'

 

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The way I see it, there will be two more chapters, a conclusion chapter and an epilogue, though I am very surprised it actually turned out this long and got so many reviews. This is my most successful story by far.

 

Keep reading, I think you'll all enjoy the last two chapters.

 

Lil_Pix

 

Thanks everyone who reviewed!!!!