Maya - a Naruto Fanfic

49. Immortal Stone

Gato's thugs were not expecting an army of angry villagers, and after we arrived they ran away with their mangy tails between their legs. They had been blocking our view of the original battle, and while the villagers celebrate a wave of nausea washes over me at the sight. At least 20 bodies lie bloody and in pieces across the bridge. I break away from the villagers and run up to Kakashi.

"What happened here?!" I cry, heart beating too hard in my chest. He stares at me for a moment, mask pulled down to reveal one red eye.

"You're hurt again." He says, sounding oddly distant. Worry coils in my stomach.

"It's just a scratch." I shrug with my uninjured shoulder, though it still pulls. He takes me by the wrists and holds up my hands.

"Are these just scratches too?"

"No... I got burned."

"How?"

"It's... A long story. And you haven't answered my question yet! What happened here?"

"Not now." Kakashi let's me go suddenly and turns to the side, and it's then that I notice Zabuza lying prone beside us and I stumble away, hand flying to the still healing wound on my stomach. He watches me out of the corner of his eye.

"You survived." He says simply.

"Yeah."

"That's good." My eyes narrow. What the hell happened to him?

"What are you, a clone?"

"No."

"Then what? You tried to kill me. You can't really be happy that I made it."

"Kakashi, he- made it pretty clear that if you had died, things would have ended a lot sooner."

"I'm touched." I deadpan.

"I'm- not going to live much longer."

"Yeah, I can see that." The truth is, I've been trying not to look. I've managed not to vomit so far, I don't want to lose now.

"Kakashi, will you..."

"Yeah." Kakashi hauls Zabuza over to another, smaller prone form. I don't follow. It's not my moment to share in. Instead, I give the pair a wide berth and walk over to Sakura where she kneels beside Sasuke, gently holding him up.

"You look like crap." I say when I stop in front of them.

"So do you. Who did you mouth off to this time?" Sasuke grunts, sitting himself up a little straighter. Idiot. Still, seeing him covered in blood has anxiety thrumming through me.

"This one was not my fault." I protest.

"Sure." He snorts.

"What's with the blood?" I ask, trying to keep my tone as detached as possible.

"I got stabbed." Is all he says, and for a moment I can convince myself all is well.

"Yeah, I can see, like a thousand times. How are you even alive right now?" I ask, and it's a miracle that my voice doesn't catch.

"Haku never meant to kill me." Wait, who?

"Who's Haku?" I frown.

"Man you've got a lot to catch up on." He sighs, and my worry abides a little. If he's okay enough to be rude, then...

"Hey, I died."

"Yeah, we know." He retorts, and though he's frowning there's a little curl to his lip.

"Maya..." Sakura turns to stare up at me with big eyes. In one quick movement she snaps to her feet, grabs me by the wrist and pulls me away from Sasuke and Tazuna.

"What-" before I can get my question out, she's wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my chest.

"He was dead." She whispers, voice trembling.

"Sasuke?" I clarify as softly as I can. She nods slightly.

"He wasn't breathing, wasn't moving, his heart had stopped. But now he's okay." She sniffs.

"That's right."

"How? I couldn't help him, how could you...?"

"You care about him, don't you?" She nods, "don't you think that helps? Maybe he won't admit it, but it's nice to know there's someone who will always care." She nods again, then steps away and scrubs her arm across her eyes and nose.

"Thanks." She smiles at me, eyes all red and puffy, nose still running, and she looks radiant.

"Anytime." I lead her back to where Sasuke and Tazuna are waiting. Before we get into earshot, she asks me;

"Who is yours?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you have someone who will always care about you?" I stop dead in my tracks.

"I... I do. But they're... They're very far away." I have to force the words out, and clear my throat afterwards. It's not easy realising how painfully alone you are.

"Mine's my parents." Sakura says, linking her fingers behind her back.

"Y-yeah?"

"Are you alright, Maya?"

No.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I've gotten distracted by missions and almost dying. I need to stop fooling around if I ever want to make it home. And I want to make it home.

I need to.

A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, these past few weeks have been hell but you have your update now! And it's longer than the last couple! I do need help though. I'd like to give Maya some romance later in this but I have no idea who I want to put her with. Your thoughts? Thank you for everyone who's read/voted/commented!
Ta-ta~