• She was falling...

    Her eyes were closed tightly to keep out the wind and the leaves.

    But mostly, they were closed because she did not want to see the ground her bruised and broken body was about to hit.

    And although she knew her death was near, Sakura still managed to give one last smile. This sensation, this feeling of weightlessness... It reminded her of days, of memories that would never return.

    Back when she was still whole, still happy, still NORMAL...

    She was falling... Why was she falling? Her body wouldn't move, a feeling of helplessness filled her and she couldn't find the will to even scream. Only a moment ago, she had been standing in front of him, of Sasuke, ready to defend him. Then Gaara... He had pinned her, crushed her against a tree with sand, and everything had gone black.

    But... No, she WASN'T going to die...

    The sand released it's hold on her, and she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, carrying her to safety.

    A pair of strong arms...

    HIS arms, those wonderful, comforting arms...

    He had saved her...

    But this time, no one was there to catch her...