Approaching Sun

Chapter 10: The Gift of Flowers

Sakura groaned as she rocked back and forth slightly. Her head pounded as she realized blood was rushing to her head from being upside down. Peeking in the darkness, it took her a hazy minute to realize that she was being carried and that she was watching the back of someone's feet as they walked.

"Kakashi?" she murmured. She tried to lift up slightly but a wave of nausea came over and she barely managed to keep from throwing up. She heard someone speak, a deep murmur that she couldn't distinguish. The world was a blur around her and she realized her body wasn't processing sound. Her vision, she realized, was also cloudy.

Why was she being carried? What was going on?

"Put me down," she managed to get out, a small alarm going off in her head that maybe it wasn't Kakashi helping her, but it was an enemy. Why else was she so dizzy? Had they poisoned her? Her ninja instincts told her she should try to get away, to kick, scream, to do anything to free herself. Lifting her right hand from the ninja's back, she pushed hard in an effort to lift up, but failed because of the nausea.

Suddenly, the ninja who was holding her stopped and set her on the ground. As she was sitting, the ninja pushed back against her body until she was leaning against a solid surface. Sakura felt something cold touch her mouth and she instantly spat out as liquid hit her tongue. She wouldn't be drinking anything this ninja was giving her.

Sakura heard the deep murmur again but couldn't recognize the words. In her dizziness, she was barely able to make out a dark figure crouching in front of her. Her instinct was to fight this person and run but her body wasn't moving.

A hand came to her forehead and lingered there. Sakura squinted, trying to pull away. She was able to make out small orbs of light in the distance. It was comforting to know she was still in the village, but she was obviously in some sort of alley. This was not the place where she was supposed to be. Where wasshe supposed to be?

Sakura heard the voice again and the hand on her forehead slid down to her chin. She felt pressure on it but when she didn't open her mouth, the hand pressed harder and Sakura found that she was too weak to resist. As her teeth opened, Sakura felt a small of amount of water rush into her mouth and she swallowed some by accident. She tried to cough and when she did, vomit came up her throat and out her mouth.

The ninja suddenly stood and took a step away from her. After she was finished, Sakura fell forward but before she could fall into her own mess, an arm caught hold of her body.

"Let go," she breathed. Her voice failed her; Sakura had meant to scream it.

She heard the murmur again. It was slow with three beats to it. They were saying the same word over and over. It almost sounded like her name.

Her vision grew black and when the ninja picked her up again and placed her on his shoulder, she slipped back into unconsciousness.

When she stirred again, she found herself laying on her side with something firm against her back. Reaching around her, she identified the feel of pillows and blankets. Was this her bed?

She heard the same voice again and saw the figure of a person leaning against her bedroom doorframe. She wanted to speak out but when she tried a palm gently covered her eyes and she fell back asleep.

......................................................

Sasuke watched as the pink-haired kunoichi tossed silently in her sleep. For a second, he thought he was going to have to force her to stay on her side, but she failed in her attempt to roll onto her back because of the wall of pillows he had fortified behind her, and so she returned to her side.