Chapter 15 - Fear and Dread

 
No Such Thing as Home

Chapter 15

Fear and Dread

Lily Dream

"No! Let me go, please, take it away, I can't take it anymore!" I screamed, gasping for air trying to reach the edge of the creek, escaping the icy waters that held me. I reached up trying to use the jagged edges of ice to my advantage, my legs tried to kick what ever was pulling me down. I never had any trouble trying to control water so why now, when I was drowning, did I suddenly not have any? Bad luck, that's what I call it.

I vaguely remembered hearing a howl of pain behind me, I wandered where its owner was now. Dragging me down deeper trying to save its self or maybe getting help? But no matter how much I hoped, I knew that there was no help that could reach me here. Even that Ino girl can’t reach me now, and if she could, what would she do? Drown her self, trying to save me?

"Help!" I screamed shrilly desperate for a hand to pull me out. My mind once a bright spring night, tranquil and serene was now in mid winter, and the pound was pulling me toward it's dark center.

I lost my grip on the chunk of frozen ice and water finally covered my face, suffocating me, sinking me faster. My eyes slowly closed, I had no hope, but I took safety in knowing that my brothers were safe.

They had Naruto.

They had each other.

They had family.

They have hope...

My last thought was of Gaara, and then I couldn't think it hurt to much, I gave up and let the icy waters grow darker, still pulling me down. Dread, fear, and darkness devoured me, savoring my screaming, while the ice sunk in my body and froze my heart... Thum...Thump

Thum

Thump



Naruto

When Naruto woke up he was itchy, hot and his vision blurred. He recognized the hospital around him though. He had been in it so much over the years, how could he forget? He foggily remembered being on a mission, getting Sasuke back, wasn't that it?

He looked around and saw flowers had been put by his bed, a daffodil stood the closets to him. He tried to budge his head to smell it's sweet perfume but sadly he was too weak. He sighed in defeat.

"Naruto, you’re up!" The door swung open, Sakura was there with another flower in her hands, a lilie. She threw the flower in the chair and gave him a shoulder hug. She smiled and looked at the wires connecting him to machines a mechanical beep went through the room.

"Hey Sakura, what happened to the mission, I don't remember." Naruto said dryly, his throat burned too.

"Oh well..." Sakura frowned and looked at the floor, Naruto instantly tensed. "we got Sasuke back, you a got loose, and Lily had to um, take you down. We met Kabuto, he gave you the information book, and we found Lily's brothers Kai and David. Sasuke and his friends are in lock down until we give an interrogation and trail." Sakura said softly still not looking at him. Naruto realized that he didn't hear of any injuries, yet he knew there had to be some, what was she hiding?

"Was any one else injured?" He asked sternly, glaring.

"Yes," Her vice was a whisper, her eyes were glossy when she met his gaze. "Lily is still in emergency treatment it's been a week. She's not doing very well, she's still on the brink... Her bro-thers are w-ith her n-ow-ow." Sakura said her hands here bawled up, sobs made her voice waver.

Naruto stared silently at her, as though not really seeing her, he was having sudden flash backs of a fight. Dread against fear, he remembered the crimson filling him up and a joy in knowing that he made the great silver/black wolf Okami, suffer by putting his descendants in pain. Naruto shuddered, that was his thought, but he knew who the Okami was, he knew his descendants he knew what pain he must have unleashed on Lily. And here he was well, with no fatal injuries, because Lily tried to save him, and she was in emergency treatment, because of him.

"It's all my fault..." Naruto said, he stared numbly at the lilie Sakura had been holding, in was for probably for Lily her self. He wanted to see her face and yet knowing that he put her in the hospital, one of his most treasured friends, and family, it also made him want to be put in a cell. No key, no way out, no way he could hurt his friend or family again...

Just then there was a ringing sound that filled the room. Naruto looked down at the odd key around his neck, it reflected the ceiling light. It seemed to be trying to tell him something, but he didn't know what. He examined the key, it's odd spiral and flat leg stuck out in weird directions.

"Sakura, what is exactly wrong with Lily?" He asked, still glaring at the key.

"Well, she has a very severe case of Hypothermia, and her cuts have mostly been infected. She’s conscious sometimes, but when she is, she just ramble on, she keeps saying she’s drowning. David said that Lily still had a good shot of not getting out of this since the infections are spreading. He's not sure if we should amputate Lily of not, to stop spreading the virus. But he can't do it until Lily's other wounds have completely shut, or she might lose too much blood." Sakura said still staring at the floor, her voice was quite, and tears ran down her face.

"Is there any chance that she'll make it?" Naruto said, his voice empty, lost in thought.

"Yes..." Sakura said meekly.

"Dose Gaara know?" Naruto suddenly blurted out, he realized last time when he found Lily in the Suna, that she liked the Kazekage.

"He's here now, he had to come on business, and he stopped by here for a little while. He's with Lily at the moment, she's has been regaining consciousness a bit more regularly then usual when he's with her." Sakura said, a small smile was formed through her tears.

"I see..." Naruto said before passing out, he really was quite exhausted, and thinking of Lily had made him a bit more anxious. That and he might find her in his dreams.

Gaara

"Why wasn't I here when you needed me? What happened to you to hurt you this badly? Why can't you hear me?" Gaara whispered, staring at the motionless blond, putting his fingers through her hair. She looked so peaceful, it was a wander that any one could harm this little fragile angle.

"Gaara?" He heard the voice, it sounded so faint, he thought it might be his own mind playing tricks on him. But he spun to the hospital bed anyways, and sure enough she was looking at him through pale blue eyes.

"Lily?" He asked, making sure she was real awake.

"It's so cold, why are you here..." Lily asked her body shaking, her eyes focused on his face, her smile grew the more she stared at him. Gaara felt a new warmth in him, one that had left him as soon as he heard knows of Lily's mission. His eyes were watery and he gently put his arms around Lily, and lifted her off the hospital bed. He set her back down, smiling and full of relief, he kept her cool hand in his.

"Lily! Oh, I'm so glad your awake, I should call David, or Sakura..." Gaara said, looking at the heart moiter above her, it gave off normal flashes, he didn't want to leave Lily's side, he felt that if he did... She might not wake up again, and Gaara couldn't bear that. He instead used his sand to convey a message.

"How long have I been out?" Lily asked, she put Gaara's warm hand to her cold face. Gaara seemed surprised she was still talking, or even moving.

"About a week, you really should get back to bed I think..." Gaara said taking his hand away and pushing he shoulders down, careful not to touch the spots covered in gauze. She struggled feebly though and she didn't close her eyes.

"No! I won't go back to sleep, I don't want to see!" Lily said trying to push Gaara's hands off her. He let her goes, bewildered by her reaction, why didn't she want to go to sleep?

"Why? Why don't you want to go to sleep?" He asked her, her eye's never left his face, and she didn't blink either. Her breathing slowed down, but she retained a slightly wild expression in her eyes.

"I keep seeing things, I keep drowning, I don't want to go back under, and it was too... Hopeless. But you pulled me out, I don't want you to get pulled in with me though, I won't go back, I don't want to see." Her voice was low and frantic, Gaara had never seen her so afraid. He sat on the side of her bed and slowly put his arms around her, calming her down. Gaara hated to see her in so much pain though, he wandered what she was drowning in though, what did he do to bring her out.

"Lily, I'm here now, it's okay, and I’ll stay as long as you need me." Gaara said letting her head down again and playing with her hair. She smiled slightly, she was still cold to the touch. Gaara wandered about his last statement, could he stay? I don't think so, I only got to come here for the chuunin exam preparations. But maybe Lily could come to the sand when she's feeling better, it's so warm there, she'd enjoy the sun.

"Gaara, I have to ask you a question," Lily said her eyes on the ceiling, lost in reminiscence, Gaara nodded hesitantly, Lily continued. " I saw you die, so how are you alive?" She asked in a soft voice, her eyes were on him now. Gaara was upset by the question, how did she see him die? Only the Akatsuki did, he himself hardly remembered.

"An elder in the village brought me back to life, along with Naruto's help, how did you know?" His hands stopped pawing through her hair and instead held her hand.

"I... Well you know I'm a Jinchuurriki, but did you know that I'm also that demon's granddaughter? And the demon in Naruto is my father's uncle and Naruto's father's uncle. And that my grandfather was the lead demon, and now I'm taking his place? And because of all this that I can see when demons/demon vessels die, I feel their pain, I experience their memories. That's how I knew you I saw you die, I know your past, and I know your fears." Lily said putting her other hand over his, comforting him. Gaara digested that, he knew that if any one knew about his past that they would run, scream, and call him a monster. Why was she holding his hand? Was it because she feels like she owes me, or because she's the lead demon?

"You aren't afraid of me?" Gaara said not looking her in the eye, afraid of her answer.

"No, Gaara, if you'd known what I'd done, you might even be afraid of me. But doesn't it scare you that I'm a demon? You aren't not going to be friend because I'm... The ten-tailed wolf/human are you?" Lily asked now it was her turn to look down, Gaara gripped her hand harder, looking at her face.

"Of course not, you'll always be Lily to me, like the day I first met you. I know what it's like to be judged, I know it's not easy, and I know that you aren't like other demons. Because you are human, and to me you'll always be." Gaara said, his voice flat, emotion leaked through, he was confident, if I was a monster, then Lily can be too, I don't care as long as she's my friend.

"Thanks," Lily said looking up, her hands were still freezing, but Gaara noticed that they might have gotten a little bit warmer. Gaara dropped her hand, and embraced her, Lily put her arms around his body too.

"Uhem, sorry to ruin the little love fest but I'd like to make sure Lily's going to survive today." David was in the doorway, clipboard at hand, Gaara and Lily blushed, the first color to return to her pale face.

Sasuke

"Hm? Where am I?" Sasuke was alone, in a dark room, no sword or weapons, he was chained to a flat table, almost no cushion. He had no energy, but he was warm, he didn't remember what had happened to him. In fact the last thing he remembered was being in the chuunin exams, and that snake lady was just about to bite him... Where was he now?

What happened to Sasuke? What's with Gaara and Lily? Will she be okay? Will I update sooner? YES! Find out in chapter 16!

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Sorry for not updating! I was so frustrated with my self, I hope that you enjoy this though I'm sure you hoped that it was longer, sorry!

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