237Disclaimer: *Sitting on Santa's Lap" I would really like to own Naruto pwease?...NO? What why not? This is so not fair!
Ok so here is this chapter! Argh it was so hard to write! I dont like it at alll Gaara is bit out of Character in this one, but it had to be, I sorta wanted to showed how much he had grown and all that jazz anywhos tell meh how it is!
Ch. 45 Torn
Akira stared blankly out at the village, her mind in deep thought, Akiko played in her lap tugging on her mother necklace trying to put it in her mouth. Her hair was growing fast, the tiny child had a mop of soft hair that went in 9 different directions; she was rolling now and trying to scoot hinting she wanted to crawl. The light taps on her chest brought Akira out of her thoughts looking down at her child; purple eyes stared back at the gold ones, her eyes almost saying, 'what's wrong?' sighing Akira ran her hand through Akiko's wild locks kissing her baby's forehead, she looked so much like her father it hurts her heart, every time she looked at her, but she loved her baby, that was no doubt.
Akiko made a loud squeal as she grabbed her mother's shirt, pushing her face into her mom's breasts as she stood up on her chunky legs. Akiko was developing, she was only a few months and the child was moving at a rate of a six month old, it was scaring Akira; Amaterasu said that Akiko was like Orochimaru, that she would be above her level, always pushing to become something better, stronger, and to let the child be, just lead her down the right path.
"You know you changed everything, right?" she spoke to her child, Akiko's birth had put a damper in Akira plan on the war with Tsuki-Yumi, Amaterasu's brother, since Tsuki-Yumi, wants to become the ruler of the god realm, he needed the title of holder of the four elements in which the orbs that are in the Quads. If Tsuki-Yumi was able to kill the Quads take the orbs and present them to the council of the God realm, he could become the ruler, which would be bad for the humans.
It wasn't like she could wage world with him with a new child being here, plus a war between gods wouldn't be fair to the humans, they wouldn't be able to protect themselves ninja's or not, there too was the factor that the Quads are still not at their full potential of their powers, throwing them into the mist of war would be suicide, plus there was no way she was going to let her children go to war at such a age even if it was a normal thing in this world. There just had to be another way she could go about this, and not put her family at risk, but every way she look it wasn't looking good, she couldn't fight Tsuki-Yumi on her own, she was out of practice and far too weak, not to mention just giving birth to a child she didn't know she was carrying had put a strain on her mind.
Akira was never the one for taking the easy road, she always face things head on, but now she had a family to look out for, a baby that didn't need to see war or lose either of her parents, her options were looking very dim.
There's always that option…Akira glared at Amaterasu mentally.
How dare you even bring that option up! She hisses at the Goddess. I can't do that to Gaara…I won't do it…we are finally together again…No I won't…
What other option do we have? The quads are by far not ready; Akiko doesn't need to be growing up in mist of war! Think of the humans, of this world what would happen if Tsuki on his hands on it!
Don't you think I'm thinking of all those things! I know Akiko doesn't need to see war, that it could be one of the thousands causes she could end up like her father, but Amaterasu, please understand I can't leave him!
Akira looked out at her family with sad eyes, Gaara was 'playing' with the Quads, which was more like Gaara tossing them to the side like a bag of flour as they tried to bring 'dad' down, the Quads of course would just hit the ground hard before shaking off the pain or dizziness before charging again. She glared at them she was going to have a talk with her redhead on how to 'play' with her children...again.
Look at him smile, it's tiny as hell but I know you see it, when has he even looked that happy? What about Shuki, could you leave him again?
If it means keeping our young and me safe he'll understand...eventually.
Well Gaara wont, how can I just leave? Hmm, after being apart for so long!
It's not like we can't come back! Amaterasu yelled.
When huh, when he's 65 and I still look like I'm in my 20's!
The solace is in two day you have until then to make up your mind! Amaterasu shouted before shutting herself off mental, making Akira gasps loudly in pain which startled Akiko causing her to burst out in a loud screaming cry.
The room was dark only the pale moon lighting up the tiny room, she could feel his eyes, but she refused to look at him as she stared down at Akiko lying in her crib fast asleep. He's been watching her since he came running into the living room to a screaming Akiko as she sat there
Gasping, yet he didn't ambush her with questions, just took the baby girl and told the quads to bathe and get ready for dinner. The whole time his eyes never left her form, she knew he wanted to ask her what was wrong but he stayed silent, but she knew he had enough when she felt warm hands touch her elbows, sliding down to her hands, pulling them off of the top bars of the crib, lacing his fingers with hers, before wrapping his large arms around her form tucking his face into her neck.
The action made her throat hurt, the knot that form made it hard to breathe and swallow but she held in the tears, he squeezed her tightly kissing her shoulder then her neck before twirling her around lightly, as if it was a dance. Looking up into his teal eyes, as he placed his forehead against her own, she felt the knot grow, immensely.
"No." His voice was thick and low, as he shook his head.
She couldn't help but chuckle, he sounds like a child. "No…what?"
"I don't know…but No…whatever you're thinking…the answer is No…" he frowns.
She laughs but it was empty and it made her heart hurt, oh her Gaara, her sweet love, her redheaded bastard. Feeling thumbs wipe under her eyes she knew that she was crying, she cupped his hands she turned kissing his fingers before up to his lips, it was a slow passionate kiss, deep and full of emotions it threat to drown the two.
Gaara quickly pulled back. "Don't kiss me like that…" he whispers shaking his head, he didn't like the way she was kissing him.
"I thought you like the way I kissed you." She sniffles with a dry laughs.
"Not…not that way…" he looked down at their hands. "It's feels like you're leaving me when you kiss me that way."
"Da…"
"Dad…daddy!"
"DAD! Wake up! Please!" Gaara jerked awake looking around him quickly; the area around him was covered in shambles, the sky was a inky black, blocking out the sun only the moon shine through strongly, Aiko was staring at him with wide scared eyes, her face was cover in dirt, her wild red hair was frizzy out all over the place as she gripped him tightly. He must have been knocked out when the shadow boulder hit the building. Getting up he snatched up his gourd then his daughter and ran for cover; it's been one hell of a three days, Tsuki-Yumi had attacked two day earlier, in the mist of the night, Gaara was close to getting Akira to tell him why she had been crying, when he attacked, the leaf village.
Looking behind him he could see the two large dragons fighting it out, one a midnight black the other a dazzling purple, they been at it for three whole days not a hint to show they seem like they were slowing down, then there were these damn shadow boulders, once they hit the ground they burst into shadow figures. The damn things were hard to kill, lucky enough for the ninja lighten attack seem to do the trick, sadly there weren't many who could use lighting base attacks, the only real good thing was Naruto and his rasengan, it didn't kill the figure but it sure enough weaken them for everyone else to finish off.
"Glad Uncle Naru can make so many clones…" Aiko mutters as she clings to her father before ducking when a figure ran pass them forced on another ninja. Gaara slowed down as he slid Aiko into his arms and under his cloak, the damn things were after the quads, they could sense when the children used their element render them helpless in a fight, they were only a beckon for more figures to join and capture them. They learn that the hard way…they still couldn't locate Aiko twin, it was only like that Gaara found Aiko huddle up in a tree hole, that he crashed into 3 hours ago.
Finally arriving to the many hideaway Gaara knocked a rhythm on the door, before being let in, dropping his daughter to her feet only for her to be ambushed by her brother. Kiyoshi hobbled the best he could to his sister hugging her tightly, the twins' clung to each other, murmuring and hushing the other, before Kiyoshi rush Aiko over to Lelouch, the oldest quad was breathing hard as he slept, he had a collapsed lung and three broken ribs, Sakura was doing her best to keep him and everyone one else in her section alive. Gaara sat down near his near moving back his hair, cursing, he never felt so helpless, he should be out there helping Akira, but she made him swear to stay with the children. Looking over at Kaida as she did her best to rock Akiko to sleep, the child seemed tired as the infant in her arms; kicking out her feet, balling her chucky hands into fits, before crying out in anger. Akiko was hungry and sleepy, even at her age she knew something was wrong and that her mother wasn't there, which made her very upset.
Gaara stood quietly moving over to his oldest child, patting her head as he plucked Akiko from her arms. "Ahh looka there, actual tears…" He shushed the crying baby shifting her to the crook of his arm as he sat down. He learned early on that Akiko would cry, but would spill no tears, would just whine to get what she wanted, but when she was really upset or mad she shear a river. Akiko grumbled kicking out her feet as her cries got louder, pushing her face into Gaara's chest as she tried to sit up.
Chuckling Gaara grabbed the bottle that lay next to him and swiftly popping it into the baby's mouth, quieting her cries, but she glared up at her father as she ate greedily. Watching her slowly fall asleep, still suckling on her bottle, Gaara pulled it from her mouth and replacing the bottle with a binky without stirring the infant from her dozing, and then places her in a bed of cloths, next to Kaida who was sleeping hard. Once she was down, he sighs covering his face, he was so tired yet he was so wide awake, he looked up over at Sakura as she came to sit next to him.
"You're hanging in there?" She asks just as tired as he felt.
"By a string." He laughs quietly.
"Yeah, I don't know how much longer anyone can hold out like this…I hope Akira and end this war soon…"She mutters looking over at her patients.
Nodding he agreed but lately he's been having a bad feeling that things weren't going to end on a good note.
Akira panted as she hides behind a tree; her breathing was coming out in harsh gulps of air while she clutched her child in her arms. Looking down at Aika, her heart winces, Aika almost died, that shit face, Tsuki-Yumi was able to catch her daughter with Shadow figures, they were ripping the life force out of her, wanting the orb she possessed, and the fucker almost had it if Akira hadn't notice. Her poor baby…She wiped the blood that dripped from her child mouth and hugged her to her chest tightly kissing her head.
"Marco….Marco…" Akira ducked down as the voice of Tsuki whispers closer to her hiding spot. I hate his sick games! Peeking around the tree she sees her 'brother', his back towards her, quickly she tucks Aika closer to her body and jumps up into a tree, moving away from him, being quiet as she could, her heart was racing, she was tired and weak from fighting for three whole days, then to find her baby so close to death, Akira was sure how much more she could take mentally.
"How much longer, are you going to let your family, suffer?" Amaterasu voice was softly, close to a whisper, but it knocked the wind out of Akira's lungs as she took in a shatter breath, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill. "What if we never notice Aika's charka signature? What of Lelouch? Don't you feel him slipping as well?"
Akira could no longer fight the tears as they down ran like open faucet: This can end right now, But only if you accept it as the only way to save your family.
She cried hard, her body finally slowing and breaking down at the fact of what this will cost. "I…I can't…." she sobbed. "I love him so, much."
Then do it for him…
Nodding, with a tear stained face, Akira took in a battered breath. "I...a-accept." The ground beneath her feet shifted, the last thing she saw before the bright light took over her sight was Tsuki yelling out in anger as he tried to reach for her.
Gaara gripped Sakura's arms tightly, balancing her as he looked around the room of the hideaway; the whole earth just shook like it was being ripped open. Looking over at the pink hair ninja, she shrugged as she smooth out her skirt, before her eyes went wide.
"Where's Lelouch!" She yelps rushing to the matt where the boy was laying to find it empty. "Kaida! Where's….Kaida?" the pinknette murmurs twisting around looking for the dragon child.
"Kyioshi…Aiko are gone as well…" Gaara spoke softly before running over to the pile of cloths and throwing them back to see Akiko was missing as well.
"Where are all your children…?" Gaara didn't answer the Medic-nin as he ran to the door just as his brother bursts through, looking panic.
"You need to come see this." He spoke in a breathless rush, before turning away and running out again Gaara on his heels. Once outside Gaara followed Kankuro through a crowd of people pushing and shoving, as they got closer Gaara's heart got heavier, something wasn't right, he wasn't sure where it was coming from, maybe that all his children seem to have disappeared or the bright light that was shining down on one spot that Kankuro was heading too, maybe it was both, but each step he took his heart screamed no, until he saw her, and that when he knew deep down in his gut, he knew he always knew and yet he tired his damn hardest to believe it wasn't true but as she stood there , in her long fiery red orange gown, and the bright golden crown that laid upon her forehead. There were wisps of clouds at her feet, she was a breath taking sight to see, some even dropped to their knees and prayed but she kept her eyes down, her hands in her long bell like sleeves her.
Gaara shook his head as he walked over to her, his heart racing in his chest all the while it squeezed tighter and tighter as he got closer and she refused to look up. "Akira…" He spoke her name firmly as he reached for her but his hand just went through her: he felt like he was going to choke on his own breath as his hand went through her cheek again, it like he was running his hand across the warm beams of sunlight.
When she finally looks up at him, her eyes were filled with some much pain that much was obvious, but it was the way her bottom lip trembled that Gaara felt his knees nearly give. "NO...Fuck no… you just…!" He turned away from her then back again to talk in a lower voice. "I just got you back." He hisses glaring at her.
"It was the only way, please understand." Her voice was like soft low chimes that seemed to echo around her.
Akira saw him click and work his jaw as he glared at her with so much pain and hate, that she was so take back that she hadn't combusted into tears, Gaara was a strong man, closed off at times, hardly showing emotion beside anger or smugness, never once had she seen him so torn, she wasn't there to see him when Orochimaru had taken her, so to see it now it was killing her then the thought of leaving. It was even worst for her, to think that all Gaara ever known was, people leaving him, and now not only was she leaving but taking her love and their babies as well.
"I and the children must go, in order—
"What of Akiko she's doesn't have an element like the Quads." He hissed taking another step back, this wasn't happening, when he finally thought he could be happy, and have a family and be loved; it's taken away from him again!
"No, but she is part goddess like the Quads…maybe more, since she inherited Amaterasu's eyes…" She whispers softly, looking away from him to the ground.
This was punishment Gaara thought, for all the things he had done when he was younger, all the families he had killed or torn apart, now he was getting that same treatment back, his family being torn from him twice already, maybe it was a sign that he wasn't meant to be happy to have that family he always craved to have as a child.
Feeling a hot beam of light on his cheek Gaara, pulled from his thoughts, seeing Akira cupping his cheek the best she could, she gave a sad smile looking into his teal colored eyes with her golden yellow ones. "I will always be watching, and when you feel the sun on your face, it is me wrapping you in my loving embrace." She whispers, pulling away as the wisps of clouds at her feet slowly disappeared and the beam of light getting thinner.
Gaara watched as she slowly began to fade away….
While Akira watched the emotion slowly wipe from his face. "I love you…" She finally whispers. "I'm so sorry…"
As the last bit of sun slowly began to fade, Gaara closed his eyes feeling the sun warm his face, imaging it was her fingers traveling over him, before finally the warm touch was gone over his lips…
Has it always been this cold?
OK so there you have it hehe, tell me what you think! Was it bad? Did it suck? please tell Meh!
Read, Rejoice, Review!