Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Sasuke-kun, I'm glad you're here. But you can't come here everyday, you have to move on. I'm never going to be able to leave this room again." The rosette smiled sadly and closed her eyes for a few seconds.
"Don't say that Sakura." Sasuke said hastily, "You are going to get better."
She turned her head so her once lively eyes stared dully into his, her mouth a straight line, "I'm not afraid of death, Sasuke. I knew that when I jumped in between you and Naruto and I know that now."
"I'm… Sorry." He grimaced as he recalled when both Chidori and Rasengan plowed into his teammate leaving a gaping hole in her chest when he and Naruto were fighting several months ago when he was being forced back to Konoha. He had willingly come back to Konoha after the incident, leaving team Hebi to stare dumbstruck at his retreating back.
Sakura hadn't seemed upset with her new condition. She was trapped in the hospital, bound to the life support that kept her alive. She was happy but unhealthy, she didn't cry when others did. It had been a year since she had been outside.
"I don't like this place. I'm not really living." She gave a dry smile and looked longingly outside. "I can't live like this, Sasuke-kun. You need to find someone to spend the rest of your life with, you can't live out your days here, and I won't let you suffer my fate."
"Who says you are going to spend your life here?!?" He said hurriedly. He felt guilty, she had destroyed her own life, her hopes, her dreams, all so he could have a second chance. He loved her in his own way. At first when he had come to visit him, she had been happy and bouncy and talkative, asking what everyone was doing and what was going on outside the window that he often found her forcing herself to stand to look out of. He found himself caring deeply for her in a way that was as close to love as he had ever gotten.
But this was a different kind of visit. She was silent and solemn. Her usual childishness was nowhere in sight. Her immaturity was replaced with a wise demeanor. She knew that there wasn't any hope for her, even though her parents, friends, and himself had requested that the doctors would not give her any information on her condition.
"Excuse me, visiting hours are over." A dark haired nurse poked her head in the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura." Sasuke said, standing up from his chair.
She smiled at him.
---------
On his way into the elevator he bumped into someone. He looked up and was sure that it was Sakura staring right back at him. She was giving an apologetic grin and was scratching the back of her head sheepishly just as Sakura always did. But than the bright petal pink hair faded to a light brown and the cheerful viridian eyes faded to a pretty hazel color. "Sorry." She said, "I'm Suzumiya."
"Me too." He replied, "Sasuke."
"Nice to meet you, Sasuke-kun."
"Hn."
She giggled softly and smiled brightly, "Are you visiting someone?"
"Aa."
"Are they going to be alright…?"
"…"
"I'm sorry I asked. I wish you the best."
For some strange reason, the young woman reminded him of the pink haired one upstairs suffering. She was cheerful and polite, asked questions, and just had that joyful I'm-so-happy-to-be-alive air to her.
They walked out of the building together and before she could walk away, he caught her arm.
"I'll walk you home, you shouldn't walk alone at night."
"Thanks." And before they walked away from the building he looked over his shoulder to Sakura's window. She was standing at it and smiling brightly, all the life had returned to her eyes. She waved. He was about to wave back but she shook her head and pointed to Suzumiya who was a few feet ahead of him. He turned back around and caught up with her.
Yeah this is gonna be a two shot I think. So hard to choose. Bleah.
Well anyway, I think I'm discontinuing 'Chibi?'. Does anyone want to take over, I just can't keep myself focused on it! I lose interest easily so I'm more of a short story writer. Yeah yeah. I don't own Naruto and crap. Only my pathetic little laptop and this completely random story.