A/N: Hello there! This is just an idea that crossed my mind, it'll be a multi chapter fic but not really long... I hope you like it, please let me know with a review. Constructive criticism is appreciated but please no flames, it's useless to insult other people. Now go on and enjoy the story!

It was an ordinary day at the hospital for Sakura. The medic ninja had checked in that morning and, apart for a brief lunch break, she'd spent her day taking care of her ill or injured patients. She loved her job, she'd always enjoyed taking care of others and from the moment she discovered her talent in the medic arts she'd put all she had in her training and now she was one of the most skilled healers in Konoha.

Being the Hokage's student surely had its perks, it helped her become more confident in her abilities, but it was also really stressful. Tsunade's training methods were tough, she liked to wear her down making her work for even more than twelve hours a day with only a couple of short breaks.

Luckily for her though she had someone very special at home waiting for her every day, always making her aching body and tired mind feel better. Ino was her strength, the person she lived for, the reason of her smile. They fell in love with each other when they were only seventeen. They gave up on their stupid rivalry over a boy who never even acknowledged either of them when Ino picked up her courage and confessed her true feelings.

Now they were twenty five and they had been together since then. Those had been the happiest years of her life and she was sure there were going to be many more to come. The pink haired kunoichi was planning on proposing to Ino. She knew her blonde girlfriend wanted to take their relationship to the next level, she had subtly hinted at it several times during the last months but Sakura was stalling. She was waiting for the perfect occasion. After all there was no rush, they had their whole lives ahead to be together.

Every time she laid her eyes on Ino, Sakura's heart fluttered with love and adoration. She was so good to her. Sure sometimes they fought but their arguments never lasted more than a couple of days and soon one of them would be apologizing. Ino made her feel special, loved, needed. When her blue eyed girlfriend took a break from her training to come visit her at the hospital, or when she gave her flowers for no reason she felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have such an amazing partner who deeply cared for her.

These were the reasons why the last three days had been particularly hard on the pink haired kunoichi. Ino had been sent on a mission with her teammates, it was supposed to be pretty simple. Squad ten had to go to the land of waves, meet the client and safely escort him back to the Hidden Leaf Village.

At least that was what Sakura thought until the moment she saw a heavily bleeding Ino being carried into the hospital by Chouji and Shikamaru. It felt like her heart had stopped as she made her way through the crowd of rushing nurses to get to her girlfriend.

"Oh my God! What happened?" She cried out as soon as she was in front of team ten.

There were cuts and bruises all over Ino's body, her clothes were bloodied and ripped in several places, her left eye was swollen and her lower lip was split. The most serious wound was a huge gush in her abdomen, probably caused by a kunai being thrown at her and then ripped out.

"We were ambushed on our way back from the land of waves" the Nara boy quickly explained the situation while the nurses took the aching girl to the emergency room.

Sakura followed them in shock, the nurse who was checking Ino for other injuries told her that she was losing way too much blood and there were also the signs of internal bleeding.

The kunoichi was surprised Ino was still conscious, she had to be in a lot of pain, not to mention the loss of blood. Surely a less trained ninja would have been dead by then.

"Fetch the Hokage!" A nurse standing nearby yelled.

Sakura desperately wanted to do something but she found herself unable to move her body. It didn't feel real, it was like she was watching her body from a distance and she couldn't do anything to control it. The most important person in her life was severely injured and on the edge of death right before her eyes and she couldn't bring herself to do anything at all.

How pathetic was she? Everyone was doing something to move her girlfriend to the E.R. and she was just standing there, looking at her but not really seeing her. Tears gathered in her green eyes as she saw Ino struggling against the loss of blood to keep her own eyes open to look at her.

"S-Sakura..." It was only a weak whisper which left her mouth but the pink haired girl heard it loud and clear.

It was that gentle plea which snapped her out of her stupor. She suddenly rushed to take care of Ino while the other nurses prepared the signs on the floor the healing process needed.

"Sakura..." Ino spoke again, coughing up a little blood afterwards.

"Don't speak Ino, you're hurting" she said once she had safely secured her girlfriend to the bed.

"I'm sorry..." The blonde croaked out wincing in pain. "I-I love you" she sobbed while Sakura desperately caressed her head in order to calm her down. It wasn't good for her to keep on talking in her conditions.

"Please... Never forget that I love you" she paused to take in a short, pained breath. "Even if I d-die today"

At those words Sakura broke down completely, tears streaming down her face and falling on Ino's bruised chest. "You're not going to die Ino! Do you hear me?!" Her girlfriend was on the edge of consciousness, she was going to faint any second now. "You can't leave me Ino... Please keep fighting, never give up!"

In that moment Tsunade stormed into the room with Shizune in tow and Ino closed her eyes, fainting at last.

"Is everything ready?" The Hokage barked while she approached the bed.

"Yes lady Hokage! She's just lost consciousness"

The Sannin nodded to the nurse and then addressed Sakura.

"Leave" she stated while checking Ino's conditions.

Sakura's eyes widened and she shake her head fervently, "What? No! Please lady Tsunade, I want to help!"

"Look at yourself Sakura, you're in no condition to heal" the Hokage put both her hands on Ino's abdomen, starting the healing process. "Now go. Don't make me lose any more time than I have already"

The young kunoichi knew it was pointless to argue any further with her when she made up her mind and silently left the room. The last thing she saw before the door closed behind her were Tsunade's hands lighting up in green chakra. Now Ino was literally in her master's hands, she was Sakura's only hope.

Once in the waiting room she slumped into one of the uncomfortable plastic chair and cried all the tears she had left. Was that the last time she'd see Ino's loving blue eyes? Hear her sweet voice? Feel her warm touch? The young kunoichi couldn't bear those thoughts. No, Ino wouldn't leave her. She couldn't die that way, it wasn't fair to her ninja skills and to Sakura. The green eyed girl had faith in the fifth Hokage, she was the best medical ninja in the whole world and if she couldn't save her girlfriend then no one could. Somehow that thought comforted her a little but it wasn't a big consolation in case Ino really died.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and someone pull her into a hug. She looked up and saw bright blue eyes staring back at her. She immediately hid her head into Naruto's chest and sobbed even harder but nonetheless she was grateful that her best friend was there with her.

"It'll be okay Sakura" he whispered while gently caressing her pink hair "Ino is strong, she'll pull through"

Sakura gripped his shirt and slightly pulled back to glare at him, "It's not fair Naruto! She's badly hurt and her client is safe and sound" the pain in her heart made it hard to talk but she had to let out her frustration in some way "Why did she risk her life for a stranger? Didn't she think about me? How would I feel if she ended up dead?"

Naruto's stare softened a little, "It's the way of the shinobi, Sakura. You're hurting, that's why you're talking like that. It was Ino's duty to protect that man and she carried it out even if it meant getting injured. You'd have done the same thing, I'm sure of it"

Probably his words were true. Sakura would have done the exact same thing but still it didn't make it hurt any less. She stopped talking then. Naruto already knew he was right. They spent the next hours in silence, the only noise was Sakura's sobbing while Naruto tried his best to offer his comfort. He hated to see his best friend in such a state but there was nothing he could do. The only one who could cheer Sakura up now was Tsunade. With just a single sentence the Hokage could immediately lift her spirit, or tear her down completely.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Please let me know, see you soon!