NaruSaku- His Arms

Naruto didn't have time to think, his body moved out of sheer reflex. With speed that would impress even his father he dove off the cliff after her. Naruto didn't care about the sword wound on his shoulder, the fist sized hole in his gut, or the realization that he would not survive this fall. His eyes were set on the prize, a pink haired beauty falling just in front of him. The wind whipped at his hair as he shot downwards holding his limbs tightly to his sides. His Red Sage Coat with the "Sixth" Kanji on the back flapped madly behind him. He could feel the darkness at the edge of his mind but he refused to let it in. No matter what he would not allow her to die. He caught up to her quickly as the water started to approach. Surging forward with his wind chakra he reached with all his remaining strength.

Sakura was shocked, "this is it." She couldn't believe that after all her training she was this useless. Naruto was at the top of the cliff bleeding out because of her. She closed her eyes as the tears began to float up in the wind. He always came to my aid when I needed him. She smiled as she remembered the times he had saved her life. When in the forest of death he had attacked a giant snake, head on holding its jaw down to a tree. When Gaara had attacked and held her to a tree he had faced death with determined eyes, going all out to protect her. She cried as she thought of the blade that had dug into his back when he jumped in front of her in one of Orochimaru's hideouts. He always would throw himself into the fight ignoring his pain or the possibility of death for her. This time however she knew that he was not coming. The thought that the leaf's Hokage had died trying to save her was horrible. However the thought of Naruto her best friend who she secretly loved was far too much to bear.

----Flash Back----

Naruto was full of regret as he ran flat out after Sakura. "I should never have sent her on that mission!" He screamed at himself. He had left with a search group but knowing who was out there he quickly left the others in the dust. Naruto was impossibly fast; he had recently matched his father's speed in running. Once again the Leafs Hokage was known as the yellow flash. Naruto fought with himself as the fox began to test out the strength of his cage. He had run for an hour and was almost there, no one could stop Naruto from saving her.

Sakura watched helplessly as the man who had decimated her squad slowly advanced on her. His right arm was glowing with chakra. The technique focused all of ones chakra into a limb making an attack no one could stop. He drew back; Sakura closed her eyes and grimaced. Deep down she knew Naruto would save her, he always did. She heard the sound of flesh being ripped apart, the feel of warm blood splattering over her.

'So this is how I die?' Sakura thought, 'I cant even feel it, am I dead already?' Then Sakura heard the whisper "Are you alright… Sakura-Chan?" She slowly opened her eyes to look at the blonde stands covering her face. The warmth of his breath on her forehead. Her traveled down to the fist protruding from his stomach. Sakura began to cry as she placed her hands on his chest, "Naruto why!" Naruto simply smiled, and hit the ninja back. "Stay back Sakura-Chan" Naruto commanded as he formed a rasengan. He charged the man, who drew his katana. Naruto screamed as the sword sliced through his collarbone, and he shoved the swirling mass of chakra into the mans chest. He was rocketed backwards, as Naruto fell to his knees exhausted. Slowly he rose once more, "If I die, so will she!" He screamed as he used the last of his life force to shove Sakura off the cliff.

----End Flashback----

Sakura was crying when Naruto pulled her into him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. "Naruto-Kun" Sakura sobbed. Even in this situation she knew that she was safe in those arms. "I'm here Sakura-Chan" he replied softly. 'This is it for me' Naruto concluded, 'but ill be damned if I let her die!' Naruto's eyes opened once more with a look of determination, "Rasen-shuriken!" Naruto formed the giant technique and held the deadly attack in one hand stretched towards the ground and with the other he put Sakura on his back. Naruto knew this was it and spoke his heart with the last words he would utter. "I love you Sakura-Chan" his arm strained as the chakra met the waters surface. Sakura almost fell off of him but his iron grip held her in place. Naruto had attacked the water to slow the fall, while positioning himself to shield Sakura from the powerful attack. The crater was forming slowing them down quickly.

Naruto could feel as his wrist and elbow were slowly breaking under the pressure. The wind chakra slashed at his body, but her would not allow her to be harmed. His arm was all that was keeping her alive right now. The terminal velocity was no match for his resolve. However his body wasn't as strong as his determination. His wrist snapped after a few seconds, shortly after his elbow shattered in his arm. Sakura was flung from his back by his good arm as Naruto took the brunt of the impact hard. Sakura swam to the surface and began looking for him. "Naruto!" She yelled, she dove underneath and spotted his broken body slowly sinking to the bottom. Sakura grabbed him underneath his arms and heaved him to the shore. Naruto was decimated by the fall, his body looked like hell. Sakura quickly closed the hole in his stomach and began to heal his shoulder when he stopped breathing.

Sakura focused chakra and pumped his heart; slowly he came back to life under her care. She was out of chakra, and all she could do was bandage his shoulder and put his arm in a sling. She picked him up and began to walk back to the village, when the Anbu surrounded her and scooped them booth up. The ride to the hospital was traumatizing, Naruto medically died twice on the way back. Once inside Tsunade was summoned. Her face darkened and set into a broken grimace when she saw him. Never had Sakura seen her master that upset. "Damn you Baka, I told you not to go after her yourself!" She screamed at him as tears ran down her cheeks. Sakura had never seen her master cry, and she was weeping fully for Naruto. Sakura had begged to be in the same room as Naruto, a request that was granted much to her relief.

It's been a week since the fall, and Sakura has not yet left Naruto's side. Even after she finished healing the Hokage she refused to leave him. She would sit day and night stroking his hair absent-mindedly, talking to him, but mostly she just thanked him again and again for saving her. His arm was shredded; Tsunade had predicted he would never be able to from chakra in it ever again. Tsunade had told her that the odds of him surviving what he had just gone through were less than 9%. Sakura couldn't help but cry at this fact, but at the same time she couldn't help but smile slightly. Naruto would always defy the odds and as long as he was protecting something important to him he refused to lose to them.

Naruto had been out for 10 days; His shoulder has been healed fully and was left with a long scar crossing through the middle of the scar on his shoulder left from Saskue's Chidori. Sakura couldn't help but look at his scars; the fist sized one in his stomach from 10 days ago, the long gash on his back left from the scissor like blade that was meant for her. The six separate holes left from pains chakra receivers. He had so many scars from the past, but the scars that he remembered most weren't on his body but his heart. She fell asleep thinking on this with her head on his good arm.

Sakura had never really thought about just how hard his life must have been. Over the last few years since he had returned from training she had go to know him more and more. Naruto rarely spoke to her about his past, but if he did she was there for him. Naruto couldn't seem to relive his childhood without sobbing; Sakura who had slowly fallen in love with Naruto would simply hold him and comfort him. Sakura was determined to admit her feelings; she could no longer hold it in. She was going to tell him and for once save Naruto. It had been 12 long days of waiting, 12 days of healing, 12 days of Sakura weeping for him. Yet after 12 days of comatose Naruto Uzumaki opened his eyes.

Naruto slowly came into consciousness and noticed his arm was currently being used as a pillow by a certain pink haired ninja. Naruto help but smile at how cute she looked curled up next to him, half in the chair half on the bed. She was sleeping peacefully resting her head on him, and Naruto couldn't help but feel like he could get used to waking up like this. Slowly he raised his arm to move it to her hair when he saw the cast. 'Not again' he moaned mentally as he remembered what a pain these were. However nothing could dampen his spirits, she was alive. He had made it in time, of course he was happy he was here to but he would have gladly surrendered his life for hers. His arm throbbed at the movement it hurt like hell, but compared to the pain of Sakura dying this was nothing. Naruto just sat there starring intently at the girl of his dreams slightly curled into his arm. Naruto knew he would never be the one to hold her, but 'this is enough' he told himself. It had to be enough.

Little did Naruto know a certain Blonde headed Sanin was standing outside the door peering in through the window. She had come to give him his daily checkup when she unintentionally stumbled across the touching scene. Tsunade sat there and watched as her former student lay next to the Hokage, what surprised her most was the look on her face. She was content, happy, relaxed, and carefree. The look on her face screamed she was in love. Naruto was gazing down at her with tenderness that he rarely shows, the look in his eyes was a mixture of pure love, joy, and relief. She stayed there for a few minutes before entering.

Naruto vaguely heard the door open, as Tsunade walked in. "How are you feeling Naruto?" Tsunade asked as she stepped next to her bed. "I feel like my arm is going to fall off," he laughed. Tsunade looked down at him seriously "Naruto about your arm…" Naruto stopped her "I know my own body Tsunade-Kazan hell I expected as much when I did it. If I can't use it anymore, I will adapt." Naruto looked down at the sleeping girl with a tear in his eye "what's an arm? When you have to save a precious person that is a very small price to pay." Tsunade looked at him as a few tears fell from the gold mess of hair covering his eyes. "You really love her don't you?" Naruto looked up at her, regarding his makeshift mother in silence for a few moments. "There is no question in my heart that with all I am I love her, I would do anything in my power to make her happy. To shield her from pain, and ensure she lives a long happy life. I was prepared to die when I jumped off that cliff, I didn't even think about my chances of survival until I caught her."

Naruto looked down again as a few more tears burned in his eyes. "She has had more heartache then she ought to, I just wish I could have shouldered some of her pain for her. It couldn't have been easy for her to endure him leave…" Naruto's voice caught as the failed promise came back to him. Tsunade just sat in amazement the boy who has lived a truly miserable existence, the boy who had no love from anyone thinks Sakura had it rough? Naruto looked at Tsunade once more "I will always love her, even though I know she loves him. I wont give up on her ever" he looked up at the ceiling. Tsunade smiled knowing her student had woken up awhile back, "Sakura is lucky to have such a caring and devoted guy." Naruto smiled at her "I am the lucky one to have such a loyal and compassionate friend Tsunade-Kazan." Naruto suddenly felt wetness on his arm; he looked down to see tears falling from "Sakura?"

Sakura had woken up when Tsunade opened the door. She had every word Naruto said and it only confirmed for her that he was the one. She couldn't help but start to cry at the words he said. He was so sincere and loving, he never complained only built her up and made sure she was alright. She heard him call her name and looked up into those giant sparkling ocean blue orbs. She was lost in those eyes, the way he looked at her made her melt. Sakura shot forwards and wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck; Tsunade chuckled and left the room giving them some privacy. Sakura rested her forehead against his as she sobbed. "Naruto-Kun, I'm so sorry I did this to you! I love you so much and all you ever get from me is pain." Naruto thought he was hearing things, 'did she just say she loves me?'

Naruto wiped her tears with his thumb, "shh its ok Sakura I'm just glad you're alright. I don't know what I would have…" Naruto was interrupted by Sakura claiming his lips with her own. Naruto felt the soft lovely lips grace hers and tastes cherry. His head spun as he kissed her. Years of emotion, and hidden feelings channeled out of his soul and connected to her through their lips. Sakura couldn't believe how right it felt to be kissing him, her heart was beating like crazy and she felt like she was floating. After a few moments they separated and just looked at each other. Three words were all they could say to each other, and they said it a lot. I love you they repeated a few times; it felt so good to say it. Most of all they knew it felt better when the feeling was returned. Sakura curled up next to his side as he wrapped his good arm around her. She felt so safe next to him, and he felt like the luckiest guy on earth. Naruto grinned 'defiantly worth an arm.'