Here's my second shot at FanFiction, I haven't abandoned my other story, this was just picking my brain so here it is.
No copy right intended!
"How are you doing?"
"I really don't know how to feel to be honest, but at least he's safe now."
"Hey did you see that?"
"I think he's waking up!"
"I'll go get the Hokage!"
His eyes staggered open, standing before him, a puffy red eyed Sakura wearing a crisp white lab coat.
His mouth turned into a toothy grin, "Hey babe."
With hurt in her eyes, she slapped him.
"Ouch what was that for?!"
"Babe?!" She was fuming, "After all this time you show up and you just say hey babe?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
He shook his head, what the hell crawled up her ass and died? She was moody sometimes but not like this over nothing.
"What do you mean all this time? I left yesterday for my mission, I left your apartment remember?" Smirking to himself about the activities that had ensued. Oh she was such a naughty girl.
"Yesterday?" She stuttered out, "Are you playing some game with me?"
He took a closer look at her, she seemed different, and maybe more mature? Why is her hair so long? Strange, he must not have noticed it yesterday. "Pink, what's the deal here, everything was fine yesterday what flipped the switch?"
She was giving him a very perplexed look and screamed out, "Kiba, that was almost five years ago! Don't act like everything is fine!"
"Haha very funny Sakura." She was really taking this pretty far, he never took her one for acting and why would she be playing game like that while he was in the hospital of all places.
She just stared at him, eyes wide. They were full of hurt, like they told a story of sadness.
"What?" He asked in a questioning tone. "I left your apartment yesterday with Akamaru and my team to track that missing-nin, you known that. Hey now that I think about it, how did I get here? We almost had him!"
"Oh my god." She said raising her hands to her fact biting her nails as a nervous habit.
"What? Come on! I'm ready to get out of here." The hospital gave him the creeps, always smelling so sterile and people walking around in ass showing gowns. He would much rather have his pink kunoichi take care of him in the privacy of her apartment like she usually did when he returned from a especially tough mission.
"Kiba… you were found unconscious on the ground outside the gates, the chūnin on guard duty didn't even recognize you." Taking a deep breath before she spoke again, "You've been gone for five years."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
She busted in to tears, he reached for her out of reaction, but she pulled back with her hand shaking. It was very unlike her to act like this, even if she was pulling his leg.
"I looked…we looked everywhere for you." She choked out, "It was a week after your mission was supposed to be over that Akamaru showed up at the gates injured, covered in dirt and blood."
The look in her eyes and the sound of her voice made him want to believe her, but it couldn't be true. How could just five years vanish from his memory? It simply wasn't possible, it was fucking crazy! The way she had held her gaze on him uneased him. She had also said that the chūnin didn't recognized him, like he just left so how was that possible? Did his face get fucked up that bad on the mission? To dispel his thoughts, he jumped out of the bed and ran to the bathroom mirror.
The man looking back at him was not the 18 year old boy he thought he would see. His jaw was more defined, his biceps protruded out of his chest more than he recalled. His shaggy brown hair was now at shoulder length. His clan markings were still there, but his face was littered with scars along his exposed arms and what he could assume the rest of his body. He dropped his head below his shoulders, he was taking deep breaths to calm himself down. She was telling the truth he decided in that moment. But what the hell was going on? The last thing he remembered was chasing the missing nin and a large explosion.
His head was rushing, she was telling the truth. But how could this be? It didn't make any sense. How does someone go missing for five years and no one knows where and how do they return with no memories? It sounds like a fantasy novel if you asked him. But this was real life, sure people could have memory loss, but five years and to wake up like no time has passed? This was strange, very strange.
Seeing the distraught state he was in, she gather herself up and she approached him from behind and placed a hand on his back. He raised his head to look at their reflections' in the mirror. He looked to her once again, she was definitely different. Her features were harder, not the soft girl he remembered. She had filled out as well, now a true woman, no more of that awkward teenage phase. He eyes were what caught his attention the most though, they were no longer soft, gentle and care free, they were broken. They were still the vibrant green he had grown to love, but they didn't speak like they use to. He couldn't look at them anymore, closing his eyes he turned around and caught her in his large embrace. She pressed her head into his chest and let the tears flow.
"Sakura…" He said in a low voice
"Yes?" She said as she sniffled thorough the tears.
"Are you telling the truth?"
"Yes Kiba, your 23 birthday was few months back, you never came back after that mission, you left when we were 18."
Kiba Inuzuka was never one for emotions, but this was just too much, all this information and how his girl was acting was going to push him over the ledge. Wait, if so much time has passed, was she still his? Not the time to bring this up, he closed his eyes and his brow firmed in to a thin line and he just held her.
"Uh um…" Someone coughed, they did he not hear the door open.
Sakura pulled her self away from his embrace straighten herself up wiping her eyes of the tears and said, "Hokage- sama."
He turned to see Kakashi dawning the Hokage robes with two ANBU standing behind him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the reunion…. But this matter needs to be dealt with." Kakashi said with minimal expression.
Sakura interjected, "Yes but why did you bring them?!" Pointing to the cloaked ANBU that stood behind him.
"Sakura, I wasn't sure what to expect when he just showed up on our door step after five years. I've had them on him since I was informed he was found unconscious outside the gates yesterday."
He was so confused, why would Kakashi be threatened by his appearance? This was someone that had known him since he his genin years. Granted he was a loud mouth and got into trouble, but never to harm anyone especially Konoha. Shouldn't everyone be happy that he was back if he had truly be gone for so long?
Now addressing him directly, "Kiba, I believe we need to discuss this."
"Uh yeah, I have really no idea what the fuck is going on. She said I've been gone for five years and looking in the mirror, uhhh… I'm not the same. But the last thing I remember was that I left for a mission to hunt a missing-nin with Akamaru, Shino and Hinata." Then it hit him, "Oh fuck, god please tell me there are okay?!"
"Yes Kiba, they returned when you were supposed to, without Akamaru because apparently he initially refused to come back without you." Sakura said to comfort him.
Sounding suspicious, "So you don't remember anything?" The copy-nin asked.
"God no! Why would I have left? I hav..had? A great life!" He was still so confused about where he stood with everyone and what had changed, especially with his kunoichi.
Kakashi started, "Kiba, you have to know that it is strange to have you show up after five years that we thought you were dead with no recollection of what you have been doing. Even before this new information of you having no memories, we had to seal your charka."
"YOU DID WHAT?!" He was fuming, there might as well been smoke coming out of his ears. It took everything he had to not storm to the other side of the room and give that Hokage a piece of his mind. Being a shinobi was all he knew, and without charka, that was all out the window, his life was over.
"We do not know where you have been, or with who with what sort of influences, and until we decide what to do, you will remain here and when you are cleared an ANBU squad will escort you to interrogation."
"Kakashi! Interrogation?!" Sakura screamed. "I can't believe that is hardly needed! This is Kiba were talking about here!"
"Yes it is, we don't know what is going on in his head. You are only talking to him because you are tending to his injuries." Kakshi said with a sideways smile. "The others will be kept away for the time being until we can be certain."
"But.." She stared before she was cut off.
"Sakura." Kiba said in a low bellowing voice. "It's okay, I have nothing to hide, I would never betray Konoha and they know it." Kakashi nodded in approval. "It's just formality, just let them do their job."
He was surprised that came out of his mouth instead of fuming and cussing every other word.
"Okay." She said, "I think he should stay another night so we can monitor him, then by tomorrow afternoon this can all be over."
"Very well, I will line up a meeting at interrogation for noon tomorrow." Kakashi stated as he and the two ANBU exited the room.
And with that, they were alone again. The silence in the air was so thick, he wanted to reach out and touch her again, but he did not know how to approach her. She was now standing with her arms crossed pinching the bridge of her nose in thought.
She broke the silence, "I will let everyone know you are okay, your mom and sister have been worried sick." She said tapping her foot with a hand on her hip.
He had not even thought about his mother or sister, how had they been? No doubt his mom would be pissed at him over all this, even if he didn't have any control over it all, that's just the way she was. How was Akamaru? Besides Sakura, he was the only other thing he truly cared about. He couldn't image how he was doing after all these years. Then he had another thought, he was the heir to the clan, he should have taken over when he turned 20. His mind was racing with too many possibilities to even see straight.
Maybe I can just hide in Sakura's apartment until I sort this all out? She'll take me right? I mean after she moved out of her parents on her own, I basically lived with her for the past eight months. Uh I mean for eight months five years ago, fuck, this all hurts my head.
Removing himself from his thoughts he said, "Thank you so much for everything, I don't know what happened but I'm happy to be back here with you."
A smile picked at her lips but faded fast, "I have to tend to other patients, please just be good for 24 hours and then well figure this all out."
He grabbed her into a hug one last time. Even with her in small heels she only came up to just under his collar bone, he always like how small she was compared to him. She went to pull away but he yanked her back and he placed a kiss on top of her head. "Tomorrow." He stated as he released her from his grip. Nodding she hurried out the door and shut it behind her.
xXx
This is one hell of a day. He just shows up and can't remember anything? Where the hell has he been? What has he been doing? Who has he-
"Sakura-chan!"
She was tackled into a massive hug by her blond teammate with Hinata close in tow.
"Oh uh what they doing here?" He said pointing to the ANBU at Kiba's door.
"Better question Naruto, what are you doing here? You know I can't mess around at work."
"But Sakura-chan! We heard that Kiba woke up and we want to see him!"
Looking at the raven harried girl behind her dobe of a teammate, she really knew why they came. Naruto and Kiba had not been on the best terms when he left, though after so long that could just as well be swept under the rug. The fight was for a stupid reason anyway, but she assumed that they were here for Hinata. How she must have felt when he went missing on a mission with her and Shino. Sakura knew that Shino blamed himself for not being able to keep an eye on all the members as captain of their team. Since Kurenia had a baby, Shino had taken over the team, but it was more likely he blamed himself because Kiba was his best friend. Hinata had tried for months to make sure Shino did not carry all the blame on his shoulders, putting others grieving before her own, because until today, everyone thought he was dead.
Sakura had really come to know Hinata much better in the last three years since Naruto had been courting her. She really was a sweet and fragile girl, how was she handling all this information?
"I'm sorry I can't allow anyone to see him, I wish I could but its Hokage's orders." She could see tears swell up in Hinata's eyes. "I can tell you he is healthy and the most part unharmed, but we are keeping a close eye on him. Tomorrow afternoon you should be able to talk to him."
Just as she was finishing her sentence, Shino was coming around the corner in a dead sprint before he stopped before them.
"Where is he?" Was all he could get out.
Sakura shocked at the sudden appearance of the bug-nin did not answer right away so Hinata spoke up. It seemed like Hinata had better sensory than her and probably noticed him a few halls back.
"Shino-kun, Sakura-chan was just telling us we cannot see him right now, but we will be able to tomorrow." She placed a hand on his shoulder as a loving gestor.
Shino spat out looking towards Sakura, "But you talked to him? Is he okay? What did he say?"
Sakura was thrown off guard at how many words the bug-nin had just said without a pause. He had started to open up and be more social right around everyone turning 17, but when Kiba had disappeared he had once again crawled into his shell of a life. Shino had fallen deep into depression, the rookie 9 had tried without avail to pull him back out. Every time he was home from a mission he would sulk to his room, and every time someone came by to cheer him up or get him outside he would blow them off.
"He is unharmed as I said, he is excited to see all of you, but he knows he has to wait."
"Oh come on Sakura- chan! Who do you have in there? Telling Kiba to wait? That doesn't sound like him at all! He never held anything back with you!"
Obviously distracted by his words, Sakura stared to the ground. This was all just so much to take in. He had been gone for five years and waltz in here like he never left. She still was conflicted about her feelings on the dog-nin, and did not need her blond team to do anything to rile her up.
It seemed like Hinata had picked up on her discomfort of her teammate's words, "I would like to see him too but I know we can't do anything about it. How about we go get something to eat and maybe a little practice in, it will be tomorrow before you know it."
The two boys did not seem to like this idea, but couldn't argue with her and the three of them left the hospital.
Sakura had found her way to the Inuzuka compound and to the front door of Kiba's family home, and it happened to be the clan head. When she knocked on the door she was greeted with a hung from Tsume Inuzuka.
"Inuzuka-sama." Sakura said out of respect.
"Now Sakura, you know none of that bull crap is allowed around here even if it in official business, I'm just Tsume to you dear."
After Kiba had disappeared, Sakura had become unusually close with Tsume and Hana, it was the fact she lacked a family herself besides her lazy Sensei and the dobe. The Inuzuka's had now lost a member of their family. When she was seeing Kiba, she frequented the house often so it only felt natural to grieve with his family. Hana had been like the sister she never had since she was always surrounded by boys, besides Ino. Tsume had taken on a motherly role with her. The three girls had grieved together and were closer than most biological families.
"Yes but this is official business and I think you know why I'm here." She said doubt in her voice and tears swelling in her eyes.
"Yes but why are you crying? What's wrong? We were told that they would send someone to update us on his condition, just didn't think it would be you, so please tell us!" Tsume with her voice raising with anticipation. .
"I do have both good and bad news. Good, he is awake and mostly unharmed."
"Well good god what are we standing here for! Let's go!" Sakura could hear her pulling on her sandals calling for Hana to join them. She could he Akamaru barreling down the hall as well.
"I'm sorry Tsume, you can't see him yet. No one oust side of the hospital staff can see him just yet" She could hear the dog let out a light whimper.
"And why the hell not? He's my baby boy!" Tsume's mood had gone to 0 to 100 very quickly, with her temper rising, Sakura knew she had to defuse the situation.
"I'm sorry its Hokage's orders. Please allow me to explain everything."
By this time Hana had joined them and just a hurry put on her sandals to run out the door before the two were stopped by Sakura's words. She could tell Hana was just as upset as her mother but she hid it much better than the elder.
They took a seat around the Inuzuka clan crest on a traditional lowered table. Akamaru was resting with his head in Sakura's lap, she stroked the dog for his sake as well as her own. It was like the two could calm each other down so easily. Hana had made tea and they each took careful sips. Sakura began to tell them everything she knew from when he appeared at the gates to him waking up like no time had passed.
"So the last day he remembers is when he left for that mission?" Tsume asked with a calculating look.
Sakura nodded, she left out the part about how he left in a state of part way undressed because their morning activities had spilled over into mission time so he was running late.
"That just doesn't make any sense." Hana jumped into the conversation. "How does someone just forget five years of their life and wake up like nothing happened." Akamaru barked in agreement.
"I don't know, but that's why they are going to use a Yamanaka, probably Ino to sort through his memories and when they find that he's telling the truth, they will unseal his charka."
"They did what?! And they are going to let her inside his head?!" Hana was now visibly angry, she slammed her fists on to the table, but now Tsume was holding her composure.
The older dog nin stated, "Hana, now would it make any sense for someone who has been gone for five years to come back like nothing happened? We will see him soon, don't worry." Tsume had served on the village council every now and again, so she was familiar with how they would approach a situation like this.
The rest of the night was spent talking. Talking about good times, the sad times. The night's favorite story was talking about when Kiba was trying to teach Akamaru to do the dynamic marking, and how everything around the compound smelled like piss for a week.
Sakura had left the Inuzuka compound just before 10 pm. She laughed to herself about what Kiba would think about her and his family's relationship since his disappearance. He knew his mother approved of him seeing her but to be so close now felt weird. She didn't even know where to begin with him, what to tell him? So much had happened to everyone in five years that it was impossible to just have a casual dinner with friends to go over it all, let alone how he would take five years of information thrown at him.
But before she should be thinking about any of that, he had to get through tomorrow. She wondered, what could he have been doing for the past 5 years that no one had seem him? The world was a big place, but it was hard to just fall off the face of the earth for that long, let alone Kiba, he was always getting in to trouble with his loud mouth and aggressive fighting style.
Everything that I am thinking about and worried about will all be brought in to the light tomorrow. I shouldn't be worried, this is Kiba were talking about here. Yes he had some anger issues and could destroy anything in his path if he felt like it, but he loves his village, he loves his friends and he loves me-
She shook her head to get the thoughts out of her head that is not an issue that matter right now. After all the emotions of the day and holding herself together, it took all her strength to not march into that hospital and curl up in a ball next to her once lover. Instead, she took one step towards her bed fell forward and passed out.
xXx
The night had drug on for hours, his head would not stop spinning.
As much as he wanted to race out of that hospital room and run to her, he knew he couldn't. Two problems with that, two ANBU guarded the door and he had no charka, not a winning combination. He couldn't help but feel like a different person now that he was alone and had time to think. He felt more at east, more in control that he usually felt about himself.
How would tomorrow go? And after I am all cleared, what the hell am I supposed to say to her? Something like "Uh hi I know I've been gone for a long time but let's still date?" Oh yeah because that will go over well with her temper. I wonder if Naruto is still pissed at me haha. It's not his fault he didn't knock and he walked in on me banging his pink haired teammate, doggy style. If that much time has passed there's no way he is still mad.
I guess we will just have to see what tomorrow brings.
The night must have ended, because while he was somewhere in his thoughts, a nock came at the door. Entered once again was Kakashi the Hokage, and his two ANBU.
"It is still dark out, if we go now less people will see you." Turning to the nurse that walked in behind him, "Is he ready to go?"
She replied, "Uh yes nothing unusual happened last night, he can be discharged, I will start the paper work."
"Very well." The copy-nin said nodding his head in approval.
At the sound of this he rose from the bed. "Can I at least change out of this awful gown?"
The nurse stepped in, "There should be some standard issue pants and a shirt in the bathroom closet."
He went to the bathroom, where he was faced once again with reality looking in the mirror at the man he is now. When he emerged from the bathroom, the nurse was holding a clipboard to him.
"I just need you to sign this and you are good to go."
After signing the paper he turned to the other three in the room.
"Well, let's get this over with."
He was walking through the village he called home, but it didn't feel like home. So many things were different. The hospital used to be closer to the outside of town, but now was closer to the center, it made sense he guessed. The roads were still lined with stalls selling goods, though with the hour in the morning it was, no one was around.
The Hokage tower seemed to have tripled in size, it still stood in the same spot in front of the cliff of faces. The area around the tower was now paved and seemed like a small park. It made the area seem much more, domestic, less military power themed.
He was lead into the Hokage tower and directed towards the back of the building. He saw a few familiar faces, but no one that he knew their names of off the top of his head. Seemed like all of his friends had advanced enough to not get stuck with the graveyard shift.
All of the shinobi inside the tower had stopped what they were doing and turned to face him, with their faces showing shock. He could hear whispers.
"Is that really him?"
"I thought he was dead?"
"It's been so long, where has he been?"
The last question was one he was hoping would be answered very soon. He tried to avoid all the looks he was getting, but it was pounding on his nerves anyway.
What if they find something I can't remember? I had to have been somewhere for the past years, it's not like I could have just hibernate for that long. What if I did something wrong?
After reaching the back of the tower, he was directed down a long hallway that lead to a large winding staircase. The stairway was dark with only a few dim lights to guide you down.
This must be ANBU's interrogation area then, it doesn't seem very discreet that they just walk me down here, they must really know I'm just fine and pose no threat to anyone.
At the end of what seemed like 20 flights of stairs down into the ground, they came to a door. The two ANBU walking with them opened the door and stepped aside for the copy-nin and himself. When they entered the room he could see Ibiki Morino standing next to the one and only Ino.
How the hell did she get a gig down here? Last time I checked she was still that crazy chick that threw herself at anything that moved. How was she in the interrogation unit?
He was quickly interrupted from his thoughts by Ibiki Morino in the low bellowing voice, "Inuzuka, I believe you know why you are here, Yamanaka-san will be leading the interrogation while I will oversee her. Let her in to every part over your mind. If you are holding something back, or blocking her out of parts, I will know. Do you have any questions?"
"Uhh, so she will be able to see everything?"
"Yes Inuzuka, we need to know what has been going on the past five years of your life."
Kakashi added, "Of course she will be sworn to never repeat anything she finds."
"So you're letting the biggest loud mouth in the village look through people's thoughts?"
Ino punched him on the shoulder, "Hey dog breath, a lot has changed since you've been gone! Don't question me while I work."
That really proved a point that she had not changed one bit, really? The dog breathe thing again?
With that said, he and the blonde were seated in chairs across from each other. She raised her arms and placed her hands in a circle parallel with her shoulders, then it went dark.