A Happy Ending
I have no rights to Naruto.
Enjoy.
0-0
0-0
Her hair was already tied back. Hands scrubbing furiously at her nails until blood began to weep at the cuticles. With her elbow she turned on the tap and watched the water hit her hands and flow into the basin with a swirl of blood and down the drain. She picked up the soap and scrubbed again. Rinsed and shook off the water.
Entering the operating room she was gowned and gloved quickly. Her uncharacteristic silence bringing a tension to the room that had the nurses shifting on their feet. The assisting intern gave the pink haired medic a wary look over his mask, handing over the scalpel at her barking prompt.
There was no comment as she made the first incision, or cut down the length of the abdomen. No explanation or lecture about the surgery they were to perform, no words on the necessity of knowing how to operate without a speck of Chakra.
"Haruno-san are you alright."
Over the face mask emerald eyes rose to meet the intern's. His gulp was audible, the nurses breathing deeply as Sakura's eyes seemed to look through the intern, through all of them as they roved over the room as if just realising where she was. Her normally vivid eyes were devoid of any and all emotion, an uneasy feeling settling through the room, the beep of machines and hissing of air the only sound.
Until. "Scissors."
With a sigh the intern passed Sakura the equipment she asked for; sweat building on his forehead and trickling down his back. Sharing a look he was relieved to see the nurses equally affected.
0-0
The next day Naruto cursed and ducked with true fear, the stone above him trembling and beginning to rumble from his teammate's punch. Blue eyes wide he watched as she simply raised her head and watched the tiny stones begin to rain down. With a growl Naruto grabbed her wrist and pulled her gracelessly out of the way before half the rock cliff came down in an avalanche of rock, dust and earth right where they had been standing.
Covering his mouth with his arm he waved the dust out of his face, sitting up on the grass and waiting for it to settle before turning to a coughing Sakura. "What was that?"
Hand out he helped Sakura turn over, his questioning gaze turning to concern when he noted Sakura staring at the avalanche, at the spot she had just stood.
"Sakura-chan?"
Her head turned slowly. Blinking large at him it took her a moment to focus, processing the words she heard.
"Are you alright?"
As if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders Sakura slowly got to her feet, nodded to Naruto and held out her hand to help him up.
"Guess I got a bit over excited, forgot the rock was sandstone."
Her voice was flat. No inclination of emotion at all. No emphasis just a droning tone that made Naruto wince inwardly. An uneasy feeling building in his stomach that soon began to rumble. He was hungry yes but he didn't think everything was alright.
0-0
"So Forehead you are coming to the club tonight right?"
With no answer from the pink haired kunoichi Ino shook her head not surprised. It always took some cajoling and bribing, and usually a week's notice to get Sakura to agree to go clubbing with her. Huffing and sitting straight the blonde bombshell began to argue her case.
As she spoke Ino truly took note of the dark circles under Sakura's eyes. How her food was being cut up smaller and smaller and then pushed around the plate, and only the tiniest morsel entering her mouth and being chewed for an age.
"Forehead – Sakura?"
She waited.
Snorting in disgust she reached out and snapped her fingers in front of Sakura's face the Kunoichi's head snapping up in confusion. "Huh?"
"Geez Forehead sorry to bore you." With a roll of her eyes and a well practiced toss of her hair Ino stood. "I have a shift at the shop, you are not getting away with this so easily."
Walking off with a sway that called to many a male's eye Ino stopped at the door and frowned at the sight of Sakura sitting at the table staring into space.
0-0
She sat atop the Hokage Mountain and looked sown on the village she swore to protect. The night breeze was chill and goose bumps covered her arms and legs. Her pink hair was pulled and tugged by the breeze covering her eyes and face. The stone she sat on was cold, scratching the back of her thighs as she pulled up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. Sighing heavily she turned her gaze to the moon and the stars.
A scuff of stone was her warning but she gave no acknowledgement.
"Haruno-san are you well?"
The ANBU tilted his head at the Hokage's apprentice taking in her forlorn form. He had noted her presence every time during his patrol and after six hours this was the most movement out of her. It was a far cry from her usual demeanour and brought to mind memories of infiltration. An idea dismissed easily as he recognized her unique Chakra signature with ease after being on the receiving end of her healing Chakra.
With no reply the ANBU catalogued every point of Sakura appearance for his report to the Hokage. The dark circles under her eyes, the slight bagginess of her clothes indicative of not eating enough, the mated hair, the despondent air surrounding her. He had two more hours on his patrol and could not afford to linger. Reaching up he unclasped his black cloak and stepping forward placed it over Sakura's shoulders.
With a scuff of stone he was gone and Sakura continued to look to the moon and the stars.
0-0
"Does anyone know what is wrong with her?" Kakashi queried.
Sitting at the ramen stand with Naruto, Ino and Shikamaru the Jounin stirred his noodles contemplating the reports the two blondes had given him on Sakura. Shikamaru leant elbow on the counter and sighed, tired and bored he wanted to be in bed but had made the mistake of mentioning Sakura to Ino and been dragged along. "The staff in the hospital are scared of her, they no longer know what mood she is in and she's pulling double shifts."
"Did you tell the Hokage?"
Naruto shook his head, eagerly gulping his ramen to respond. "She's too busy since the ANBU team went MIA."
"Forehead's been like this for a week, totally not herself since . ." Ino trailed off, dropping her gesturing hands as her eyes widened and her face light up in knowledge. "Since the ANBU team went MIA, possibly KIA!"
Sharing confused looks with the other males Naruto asked. "Huh?"
Nearly vibrating with excitement Ino sat up straight and held out her hands in a 'it's simple' manner. "She likes one of them and there missing and now she's worried!"
"Troublesome woman, Ino-"
"I know I'm right." Ino interrupted her teammate before slapping her hands together. "No we just have to figure out who."
"We?" Kakashi questioned his lone eye widening in surprise at the blonde's forceful nature.
"Of course! You're her team you know the kind of guy she likes. Who do we know in ANBU?"
Naruto gulped and slumped in his seat, one hand reaching up to scratch his head as he gave a sheepish laugh. "I . .We've never seen her with a guy . . Sakura-Chan doesn't date, she's too busy."
"Obviously not."
Rolling his eyes at Ino's scorn Shikamaru reached over and covered her mouth with his hand. "Ino we do not know that. There could be another reason for Sakura's depression."
Cheerfully smiling at the look of disgust on Shikamaru's face as he pulled his spit cover hand from her mouth Ino tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "Don't be stupid. Who do we know in ANBU?"
The men's shoulder's slumped as one, the indomitable force that was Yamanaka Ino in full gossip mode inevitable.
"We don't know who's in ANBU." Naruto stated pleading with Ayame with begging eyes for help. With a light giggle the brunette pushed forward a steaming bowl of ramen refusing to take money for it and walked away to leave the Shinobi talk.
"It's not the best kept secret who's in ANBU." Ino retorted huffing at the stupidity of the men beside her.
"But it is a well kept secret who goes on patrol and who is in what team." Kakashi glared at the blonde happy that some of his dissatisfaction finally seemed to get through to her when she gave him a wary glance.
"Ino why are you discussing this with us? Wouldn't TenTen and Hinata be better-"
"Oh Kami your right, why did I even think you'd know who Sakura would like! As if you would have any ideas!" In a whirlwind of movement Ino interrupted Shikamaru, hoped off her seat and left the ramen stand, curtain flapping in her haste. Leaving three very relieved Shinobi behind her.
"Do you think Ino could be right?"
"Not with who's on the team." Kakashi answered Naruto softly.
0—0
The tray she was holding dropped with a clang to the ground, instruments spilling on the tile as Sakura turned to Ino and with more emotion than she had shown in nearly two weeks grabbed her friend's shirt in her fist and dragged her nearer, uncaring of the sudden lack of oxygen Ino had or that she was now standing on her tip toes. Her face was a mask of hopeful pain as she growled; "What did you say."
"The ANBU team were found." Was the squeaked reply. Ino landing in a graceless heap on the ground trying to catch her breath only to look up and find no sign of Sakura anywhere.
Sakura ran, barging past anyone who got in her way, pushing them to the side and taking to the roof tops to get to the Hokae's tower. Forced to enter and take the stairs she sprinted all the way, grabbing the door handle and barging into the room.
All bodies turned to face her. The heavily injured but standing ANBU team, Kakashi, Shizune, Shikamaru and the Hokage. Tsuande's face began to turn red, slowly standing up in barely contained anger she opened her mouth to strip down her apprentice, when one word was spoken.
"Sakura."
The voice was heavy with emotion, relief and hope, with fear. The ANBU stood still, Tsuande and the others looking around the room to figure out who had truly spoken as Sakura took one small step forward hesitantly.
Suddenly one ANBU stepped forward; taking off his mask he dropped it to the floor and took another step only to be met with an armful of pink haired kunoichi. His hands tangled in her hair as Sakura's legs wrapped around his hips, her arms around his neck and he pulled her mouth to his kissing her thoroughly, slipping his tongue into her mouth and tasting her, tongues battling and teeth biting until air was needed.
"Your okay! Your alright . . .I was so worried. So afraid you were hurt. . .i . I your okay, right?"
"I'm okay Sakura." Morino Ibiki murmured holding his Kunoichi close and letting her touch and reassure herself that he was alright. Kissing her again, he used one hand to wipe the tears off her cheek, the other landing possessively on her ass to hold her to him as he looked around the shocked room.
Mouths were agape and eyes wide, his ANBU standing as if a light breeze would knock them over after everything they had gone through the last month. Smirking Ibiki whispered in Sakura's ear and turned to his team. "ANBU finish the report. Hokage-sama." With a nod in her direction and a dirty smirk to a dumbfounded Kakashi, Ibiki with one a one handed seal disappeared in poof of smoke with Sakura.
Silence reigned in the room all occupents looking at eachother to decide if that had really just happened.
"Morino Ibiki and Haruno Sakura?" Tsunade stated in disbelief, waving sheets of paper at the ANBU to fill in before quickly filling her sake cup and sitting back heavily in her seat, as they slowly filed out of the room still in disbelief.
"I can' believe Ino was right." Shikamaru scratched his face eyes wide and coughing slightly when Kakashi slapped his back. "And you can be the one to tell her."
Across the village, already naked and basking in the sweaty aftermath of fast, furious and mind blowing sex Sakura lay in the strong embrace of Ibiki's arms and kissed him before giving a sheepish smile. "I'll replace the headboard sorry."
Ibiki's chuckle was all satisfied male, his head tilting down to kiss her neck as he promised. "I'll just take out of your screams."
0-0
0-0
Dia Duit,
For want of a happy ending – I hope you all enjoyed it its also for every single person whos loved one returns no matter the reason after a long time. Can't wait to see what you think.
Lots of love,
The Rose and the Dagger x x x