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[ciardha]

This was one depressing plot bunny.
Heh, not my usual, sparked by my sister's noticing in the last anime filler arc (sort of filler actually, some things were actual Kishimoto's plot points but not really developed by him) that Gaara seemed slightly attracted to Sakura and the thread here talking about what if Sakura got Hinata and Naruto together because she thought Hinata's crush on Naruto was love and thought Naruto would be happier with a girl that adored him totally, and Hinata would be so happy too. (Sasuke is dead and Sakura is also in mourning for him, although she knows she loves Naruto she thinks it would be too much a burden for them to always have the shadow of Sasuke always hanging over them. Hinata is kindhearted enough to understand Naruto's need to mourn too, but not having the burden of an emotional attachment to Sasuke, Sakura thinks that would be better for Naruto.) The plot bunny plays out what kind of disasters would spring from a Naruto and Hinata pairing. No character bashing, but lots of bad choices all around, other couples too. (Gaara's choice isn't a total disaster but neither he or Sakura have the joy they might have had with marriage to someone they loved rather than someone they merely liked.)
Ehh, it's so depressing I don't really want to write it, but it won't go away so I can get back to doing Rain or Shine.

Now, Naruto choosing Hinata would not be the colossal disater Sakura hooking up with Sasuke would be, talk about an ugly and loveless marriage... but it still would lead to a heartbreak both could avoid by marrying someone that they truly loved and loved them back, plus was compatable psychologically, physically and yes, sexually. This would also be a problem with Sakura and Gaara, but the fact they go into it with both their eyes open, plus Sand is thrilled to get the best medicnin in the world, so she's completely accepted and welcomed to Sand, makes them able to deal with it. Hinata's crush will eventually wear off, her family would still feel great distate about Naruto marrying into their clan even with him being Hokage, Hinata's health shows signs of signifigant problems, so she may not even live that many years and childbirth could prove to be quite life threatening without Sakura in the village. Hinata and Naruto would quickly find they are psychologically incredibly incapatable. Due to her nature she'd blame herself and say nothing to Naruto and they would just get more and more miserable with each other, Naruto would start blaming himself then and not saying anything to Hinata and it would just continue to spiral down further into misery. This would lead to emotional distraction that could prove a major disater in battles.

In the meantime Gaara would accept that Sakura's heart truly belonged to Naruto but as they both cared deeply about Naruto, but had too much honor to interfere with Konoha's issues, they'd deal with it amongst themeselves and work hard at making their marriage constructive if not romantic. Gaara would probably view Naruto as a great fool for not seeing Sakura's heart had turned toward him and choosing the girl that fawned over him instead. Especially when he was sharp enough to recognize that Naruto's heart was still with Sakura. He'll also think Sakura let her better nature hurt her greatly, which is why he chooses her. He knows the welcome and recognition of her skills she'll recieve in Sand will heal that pain a bit. He also wants to be the one to heal her heart as much as he can.

[ciardha]

More- managed to work it around to Narusaku, but man, it's still so depressing...

I took a same plot point that will come in a future Rain or Shine chapter while Sakura is pregnant with Saori -a massive invasion of Earth into Fire, full scale war between the countries, started by Earth. In this plot bunny though, things go far worse, and many people die. Hinata has already died- in childbirth and the baby died too- while in Rain or Shine, Sakura is able to discover a treatment that mixes medicine with a chakra skill that allows Hinata and Kiba to have children safely, as long as she gets this treatment from Sakura. It's still a bit risky but not life threatening. (I'm basically using Rh- along with the evidence of Hinata's health issues in the manga.) Naruto is aware of Hinata's health issues and he tells her that he doesn't need children, he's already planned for Konohamaru to suceed him. But Hinata wants to give Naruto a child, and arranges for an "oops" to happen. Once she's pregnant she refuses to end it, not caring if she dies, at least Naruto would have their child. Unfortunately due to the RH- factor and Hinata's poor health, she miscarries in the seventh month and dies of her health issues and blood loss. This further plunges Naruto into a downward emotional spiral that no one can bring him out of. It's at this point that Earth invades. (This is about 10 years after Naruto married Hinata and Sakura married Gaara)

Temari (who does still marry Shikamaru and they have a good and happy marriage) flees Konoha with her two young children and arrives in Suna to alert them of the Fire/Earth war. After leaving her children safe in Suna she heads back to Konoha with Sakura, Gaara and a fighting force. (Sakura and Gaara have had two children and the four kids are left with Kankuro who takes charge of Suna in Gaara's absence) Kankuro puts Suna on full war status in case Earth defeats Konoha and heads toward them.

Sakura and Gaara are both shocked at the Naruto they encounter. He tries to pretend to be the boy who never gave up, even using his 'ttebayo" catch phrase, but it has no heart in it. Sakura and Gaara look at each other, and he whispers- "tell him". Sakura is surprised but nods and does it. She embraces Naruto and tells him she loves him. Naruto is shocked that Sakura would say this and Gaara approves.

Sakura, Gaara and Naruto all survive the battle, although Sakura is exhausted by overuse of her chakra and has to recover in Konoha's hopsital. It's while she's there that Gaara sugests a plan. Sakura has fulfilled the necessary part of their marriage as far as Suna is concerned. They could contractly end the marriage in a way that wouldn't cause problems for Suna or Konoha, and she could still have the children anytime she wanted, but she would be free to marry Naruto. Sakura is reluctant, she doesn't want Gaara to feel like he is being rejected. He hugs her and says he knows he's not being rejected but she and Naruto must finally follow their hearts or they would always have something missing that they needed. Sakura is finally convinced by Gaara to do this. Gaara immediately leaves for Suna, not giving Sakura a chance for second thoughts. Naruto comes to visit Sakura to try to figure out what was going on. Sakura tells him and at first he refuses, even though, he admits he still loves her heart and soul. Sakura has decided now though and won't back down. She tells him she's returning to Konoha no matter what, especially as now Tsunade feels like she's too old to return to being a medicnin in Konoha (she choose to retire and give the job to Shizune 10 years ago and return to wandering Fire country, and Shizune died in the war) Ino has nowhere near the skill of Shizune, plus suffered severe injuries in the war that even with healing treatment will take months to heal fully. In Suna she found several promising apprentinces and they've all finished their training. Gaara knows which one to appoint to head medicnin. Naruto then drops his complete refusual and says he'll wait to see what the fallout of the contracted end of Gaara and Sakura's marriage was. They could talk about what would happen until then when she gave him her regular reports from the hospital. This time around it's Sakura that asks for the dates and Naruto who says yes or no. It's more no at first, more yeses as time goes on. Eventually he does agree to marry her and lets down his walls of pain and secrets to her.

Oh a few of the rookie nine die in this war too (although not in Rain or Shine) Lee, Choji and Kiba. Tenten is severely injured and almost dies (Sakura arrives in time to save her life) but can no longer serve as a ninja. As I mentioned Ino was also severely injured in this war. Other dead include Gai and Ebisu. Kakashi nearly dies (but again Sakura saves him, it's bringing Ino to the point she can heal from her injuries, and Tenten and Kakashi back from near death that exhausts Sakura's chakra.) Jiraiya and Tsunade (who return to Konoha when they hear it's under attack) survive but basically end their ninja careers, they were really too old for this scale of warfare anymore. On the plus side Danzo will no longer be a thorn in anyones side as he is killed in the war too. Konoha takes a lot of damage and casualities. If not for Suna's arrival they may have fallen or at minimum suffered a lot more deaths. Konoha has to lean on Suna for aid for a while as it is.

Whew, hopefully no more depressing plot bunnies will interfere with Rain or Shine again. As I said I hate depressing stories... This could be a outline for anyone who wants to take this depresso story on. I don't want it.

[BurningDeath]

Sounds like a great story. Uber depressing but then, but thats what makes this plot great.