Finally!

First off, My greatest apologies. This was an extremely long wait, longer than I would have wanted to wait for anybody else to publish or update a story. It took a while, but it had to be perfect. So, My deepest apologies.

Secondly, The plot hasn't changed, just the writing. The summary change was needed because I didn't like how it was worded, but the plot stays the same.

Thirdly, Enjoy the story :)

Warnings: none so far

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I do Not own any of these Characters.

But if I did... ;)

Here we go!

Chapter 1

Hold Me

The waiting room smelt like strong ointment and compressed air, though it wasn't as bad as before, but still disgusting. The noise had died down as well as the congestion, however he still worried.

Sat and worried

For the past 9 hours.

Kakashi, drained and exhausted, sat beside him trying to keep Obito's dead weight off of his body. Was goggles this heavy when he slept?- probably one of the cons that came with being a black sheep of the Uchiha. Despite the situation, he smirked at his joke. Despite his joke, he too was also ready to drop his eyelids. It was almost 1 am.

"Paging Doctor Yuhi to room 109. Paging Doctor Yuhi to room 109."

Minato's gaze flickered to the rush of nurses and doctors at the doorway of the room. In and out, in and out. It increased his desire to see Rin albeit it most likely wasn't a very good sight. If she was any better than before, she probably wouldn't be put up for viewing.

Viewing?

The blonde winced and ran a hand roughly through his locks in an effort to suppress the dominance of negativity filling his thoughts. He really needed to stop thinking like she was dead. She wasn't, she wouldn't…..

She couldn't.

And if she did?

Well.

His eyes closed in guilt and exhaustion, head bowing silently. He had screwed up and he did it wonderfully. What was thought to be a simple B-rank mission turned into a disaster in no time at all and Rin ended up in the ER less than an hour later.

But his abilities weren't to be critiqued, no, not at all. He had taken care of his fair share of enemies- probably 27, but hey, who was counting? The boys were handling it fine too, compliments of Kakashi, but Rin….

God why wouldn't she move?!

….

Why didn't I move?

"More sheets in room 109. More sheets in room 109. Nurse Hotetsu, you are needed for assistance."

The hustle and bustle increased once more as they continued Rin's operation.

"We need to operate on her right now!"

This was his fault. He could've moved, he could've saved her.

Instead Rin watched in shock as blood spilled from her gut, like a scarlet river bursting its banks. And they all watched with her until the hand around her neck turned pale and weightless and the yellow "flash" took out one more enemy. Call that 28.

With the enemy's retreat and the fruitless efforts, the amount of time the battle took was unfathomably short, so trust and believe that the race to the hospital broke that record. Despite this however, Rin's pulse decreased by the minute and human ears were deaf to the puny breaths she released. Team Minato did not feel reassured of her survival one bit.

"You need to remain outside here, you aren't allowed in the room."

"B-But that's my teammate! You can't leave us out here!"

Obito was a crying mess and Kakashi looked as if he was about to die of asphyxiation any minute. Nurses had tried their best to calm them down, but to no avail. Obito kept crying and Kakashi's chest kept heaving as their uncontrollable panic filled the hospital waiting room…

But that was more than five hours ago though.

Now Kakashi was looking up at Minato-sensei, fatigue filling his eyes as Obito slept on his shoulders.

"I'm going to take him home then I'm going to go home. We all need sleep."

Minato stared at the boy lying on Kakashi, his body rising and falling slowly, calmly. Anyone would've said that he looked peaceful, but his face twisted in such a convincing manner that he was anything but. The tug of Kakashi's hand on his shirt snapped him out of his daze and he nodded, discharging Obito and himself.

They both go home that night and Minato remains sitting and waiting.

Then he's angry. He wonders if he should've killed that ninja slower than he did. Besides, all he was doing was toying with Rin for sport. The pleasure and joy on his face, the teasing way he would stroke her neck with his left hand while squeezing it hard enough for her to feel pain but not to pass out with the right. It was all for sport.

The dagger he pulled out.

The look he gave it.

And the way he operated on his patient.

All for sport.

Minato folds his fists in anger. He doesn't care. It doesn't matter who said what, it didn't matter what logic or expectations one is supposed to have in this line of work. No ninj- child is supposed to watch something so unceremoniously happen to them. If it were an adult like him (it would never be him) disbelief would be an expected feeling, but desensitization would follow after the apparent shock. But seeing it happen to her, his student, a child. He wasn't expecting it to happen. He waited for a bluff and a miracle. But then it happened, and he stopped breathing although he inhaled, he stopped seeing but he watched.

And it hurt Minato. It hurt like shit. Though he knows that it couldn't compare to the pain Rin felt in that moment before going into shock. That was all it took for him to get out of it. The scream she released before she stopped thinking might've shocked her perpetrator for a second, which made Minato's offence all the more easier. In that moment he felt strong, amazing, until he went to pick her up.

"Rin, just hold on, we-

Her eyes were wide open, her hands clenched and unclenched, and her feet took flight from the ground. She was experiencing more pain than she could express. She was dying.

Minato remembered simply nodding and did what he could. Even so, he still felt the discomfort and regret in his gut at what he wasn't able to do. Minato never wanted to see her in that state ever again, only in his dreams where he knew it would haunt him over and over.

Finally at long last, a distraction in the form of a nurse came to his rescue. She was young and seemed stern as she approached him.

"Minato Namikaze?"

He looked up.

"Yes? Is she okay?" he answered. She continued to look into his eyes.

"We were able to put back in all the organs that were displaced and she still has a pulse. However, nothing has been noted for the past hour, we are still waiting for further improvements in her health. We recommend that you leave the hospital and head home now."

He was dejected but he knew she was right. It was best for him to leave.

"Can…Can I see her before I go?"

"Visiting hours have been over since 10. You were only allowed to stay 2 more hours and that time has expired, I'm sorry." The look she gave booked no argument, only compliance. He nodded in understanding, thankful for the relief.

Minato took up his jacket and exited the waiting room, turning left to the corridor and down the elevator. As he dragged himself out of the hospital he looked back and up at her room, the room with all the lights and all the people and the least of hope. In that moment, Minato prayed for her protection, Minato prayed for her survival, Minato prayed for her recovery and Minato prayed for himself. He prayed a simple prayer.

Please make her be okay.

TBC

As usual, reviews are gladly accepted. Hope you guys liked it. Stay tuned for chapter 2.

Alyssa-Kaye :D