Siren (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 13 ~ Siren Of Blood

He heard a weird buzzing sound as he slowly awoke from his slumber; which he didn't know had crept upon him. His eyes shot open and he sat upright quite quickly, looking around. He saw Sakura and Hinata beside him, and the others standing around.

Then he remembered what he had seen, and he quickly ran away and threw up. He wiped his mouth, and took deep breaths, before the group got to where he was. "Naruto, what happened while you were down there?" Shikamaru asked and Naruto shook, tears coming to his eyes. "It was horrible......" He said trying to hide his tears, but failing.

"What was it?" Choji asked, munching on chips. Naruto took a deep breath. "Aika's past...... everything that's happened to her..... things she hides with a smile........ scars that never healed..... scars that I could've healed........ but I was so stupid..... I couldn't see that behind her smile, there was a storm raging, a strange solitude, and darkness. So much darkness." He blinked, trying to get the tears to leave, but one managed to roll down his cheek.

They all wanted to know exactly what those memories were, but didn't dare say it, in fear of Naruto breaking down or raging at them, and it seemed like something personal to Aika.

No one knew why it affected him so much except Sakura; she had been the one to make him realize.

"Naruto, you love her, don't you?" Sakura asked, stepping out from the shadows and behind Naruto, who was looking at the moon on a park bench. "Yeah, I mean, she's a great friend." Sakura looked at him with sad eyes. She shook her head. "No, I don't mean as a friend. I mean as something more." She said and he looked at her in shock, but the expresion soon melted away and his eyes softened. "I guess. She's always been there for me, and I know that I'll always be there for her, which is why I'm going to find her and bring her home." Sakura sighed. "You don't understand, Naruto. I mean as a lover, a girlfriend, a wife." She said and he laughed. "I can't realize things until I lose something, huh?" He said and his chuckle died down as he looked at the town below them. "I didn't realize that Sasuke was one of the most important people in my life until he left, and now Aika...... I thought she was just a friend, I had always viewed her as a friend, I was too afraid that she'd reject me, so I ignored all other feelings for her, as if they were never there." He said and Sakura stared at him. He turned to face her. "Yeah, I do love her."

It pained her to see such a close friend of hers in so much pain, but she knew that nothing could ease that pain unless Aika came back. If he could find her, but time was slowly running out, they all knew. Aika was strong, but even the strongest of people eventually cave in. If they didn't get to her before that, then none of their efforts would matter anymore.

** * * * * *

"Why don't you give up? It'll spare you the pain." A dark voice spoke and Aika's head hung, her energy fading. The man sighed. "You're only bringing this upon yourself." And then unimaginable pain hit her.