Chapter 1: shattered girl:

Her breathing was uneven coming in slow shallow breaths. His eyes were moist as he took in her shattered form. She lay on the grassy wet ground, curled up in a ball holding her stomach, blood running down her arms and legs. Her eyes opened slightly as she felt herself being held in his strong arms. His face stared down at her, helpless and his tears slid down his face landing on her pale cheek. She lifted her hand silently wiping away his tears, it was strange her seeing his tears. He grabbed her small delicate hand and held it in his own, holding it up to his face. She smiled softly. He in turn gave her a crooked smile, wiping the blood running down her trembling lips. He cradled her head in his arms her body lying limp in his lap.

He was warm to her freezing skin, the outcome of lying in the endless rain. But the rain came to an end now and the gentle breeze was cool against her skin. She shivered and then shuddered, her opened wounds burning and becoming unbearably painful. She let out a small, pleading whimper. The sound stung his ears.

She had lost a lot of blood and whatever color she had left was fading away, she was losing consciousness. Her body was relaxed, his tense. He knew she was clinging to life with her every breath. At this rate she was sure to die. So he had to move fast.

Very carefully he lifted her helpless body into the grasp of his protective arms. Her arms fell limply onto her stomach. Her head lay on his strong chest. Her legs draped over his arm. He clutched her thigh in a secure but careful grip. His other arm cradled her back his hand holding her side. Her eyes were completely shut as she winced at the painful struggles to take in air. It hurt him to see her like this, struggling between life and death.

He was running now and she bounced up and down slightly in his arms. But even with the movement she slipped into a painless slumber.

He ran swiftly, her life depending on it. He glanced at her often to make sure she was still breathing, but it was difficult to tell, she felt lifeless in his arms and her chest barely rose as she took in air.

The rain had started again, pouring down heavy and he decided that he had to stop the bleeding now. Or she would die. So he scoured the area in hopes of something safe and dry. Finally he found an empty cave. Lucky for him this was a spot where travelers stopped to rest, so there was dry firewood inside, along with a few abandoned blankets. He made a bed for her, still held in his arms. Then he gently placed her down on the bed and he ripped some cloth off a stray unused blanket and he began wrapping her wounds, stopping the bleeding.

When the rain stopped he would search for healing herbs.

After doing all he could for the broken girl he set up a fire for light and warmth. When the dark cave lit up he kept an eye on her, checking her weak pulse frequently searching for changes.

Her face was like an angel's in the glowing surroundings. Her pink silky locks lit up in the dim fire light, and her skin a shimmering pale color.

Her clear bright green eyes were closed and he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to see them open and alive again. But every so often she would murmur his name and that strengthened his ray of hope.

After sometime he fell asleep, and when he awoke she was staring at him, she still lying on the blankets. And at that moment, as he met her gaze his heart skipped a beat—that heart-warming smile so tender of hers.

The rain had slowed to a drizzle. The sun would rise soon, he could tell. There were a few beams of dull light peering through behind the boulder he had placed in front of the caves entrance.

He stood up silently rushing towards her. When he reached her he sat back down by her side. She still stared, her gaze locking his wandering eyes into a trance. She saw everything in his dark eyes: his worries; his pain; his shock; his pity. She couldn't take the silence anymore. She had to hear his voice.

"Sasuke-kun, please say something," she whispered.

He stared down at her not knowing what to say, his voice lost. She tried to sit wincing at the movement.

"Sakura, stay down," he mumbled as he gently pushed her back down.

She had no strength to argue. She turned her gaze back to him searching for words to speak, lost in thought.

After a short moment of silence, he spoke, "I'll go get something for your wounds now."

Her eyes were blank at his words she didn't want him to leave. "Don't go, not now," she pleaded in a broken voice.

"I won't be gone long," he promised, reading the naked panic in her eyes.

He stood then, walking towards the big boulder enclosing them in the cave.

She covered her eyes with her arms at the sudden brightness, whimpering as her arms stung.

Hearing her whimper he was instantly at her side taking her hands in his. His face was close, and his breath tickling her cheek.

"What hurts?" he asked in an anxious whisper.

"I'm fine, it's nothing, nothing at all," she tried to convince him. Seeing that she had failed miserably she sighed, "my arms sting a little, that's all."

She cringed as he felt her arm. Tears began to well up at her eyes. She bit her lower lip to stop any quivering sounds that might give away how badly the wounds all over her body blazed with intolerable surges of pain.

She was trembling and he noticed. "I'll be back soon," he swore caressing her cheek again. And with that he was gone. The rock pushed back covering the entrance.

She blinked away the tears and attempted to sit up. And after a few tries she managed to. She then clutched her stomach. She cursed inwardly. And her eyes closed as she tried to ignore the feeling of the piercing stabs that raced through it. She opened one eye and looked around. That was something that didn't involve pain.

Her eyes landed on the fire and the random blankets scattered through the cave. Her insides turned to mush as she realized that Sasuke had taken such good care of her when she was not his problem to deal with.

That was the case she, right?

Her thoughts were interrupted when he returned with a backpack all muddy and some herbs he had gathered. He came around the fire and sat next to her, studying her features.

Her eyes met the herbs. Her eyes sparkled with affection, and they became misty again as she whispered, "Thank you," so quiet but she new he would hear.

He looked at her startled by her gratitude, but soon his face melted into a warm tentative smile, as he wound his arms around her slender body, and murmured, "Anything for you."

They sat like that, motionless for a long time.

Finally she winced in pain and broke the silence with her soft cry. He let her go abruptly and gently laid her back down on the bed.

She was clutching her stomach again, and cried out louder.

He watched her crumble on the ground, but not for long. He got out the herbs he needed and reached into the muddy bag to take out some tools, and then he got to work smashing the herbs up into the medicine he needed.