When Sakura had officially become a doctor, she had thought that life would've finally taken a turn for the better. She was working her dream job, had a decent pay and was surrounded by people who both loved and admired her. The hospital she had been transfered to was located in a big city, miles and miles away from her hometown, but known for being the best in the country. Her name had been written in the newspaper alongside words of praise for being one of the best medical students, earning titles and achievements few people got.

And yet, it wasn't like she expected it to be.

Police sirens were heard in the distance alongside numerous car horns, echoing in the dark night while the ambulance quickly made its way near the hospital entrance. Citizens were screaming and crying in desperation, clutching their loved ones by their bloodied clothes and refusing to leave. People began to take care of the wounded in panic, bringing in one patient to another, as the seemingly endless amount of victims refused to stop.

Sakura ran towards the emergency room, sweat drenched and stained with blood. Nurses from the other side of the hall shouted, begging her to come faster as they held a small wounded boy with an open abdomen, heavily bleeding and close to dying. She rushed as fast as she could, trying her hardest to avoid the hands that reached out to desperately grab her coat, an attempt at asking for her help and assistance concerning the less fortunate ones.

She panted, running at full speed whilst also keeping balance so as to not slip on some blood. Her pink heels tapped roughly on the bloody floor, soaking them in the dark, pungent liquid as she got closer to the nurses. Cries and screams of pain were heard in the nearby emergency room as she passed by them, making her heart ache in sadness at the dreadful situation.

She managed, if not with difficulty, to reach the boy and carry him gently in her arms. He looked at her with half-lidded eyes, breathing slowly. She tapped him by the cheek, hoping he wouldn't fall unconscious just yet and looked for an empty space. He whispered a name repeatedly, almost like some kind of enchantment, and blinked lazily at Sakura, who told him that 'everything will be just fine'.

"I'm so tired..." he said, looking even more pale now that Sakura got a closer look at him. "I want... want to sleep..."

"No, no sweetie don't sleep just yet, please!" She begged, feeling like her heart was going to tear itself into tiny pieces at the sight. "You'll be fine, we will take care of you!"

The boy murmured the name again, forcing himself despite his obvious fatigue and weakness. His wound was deep and fatal, it was no doubt that in a few moments he would die if not being taken care of.

"Miss Haruno! Over here!" One of the nurses shouted from inside a room, waving frantically. Sakura wasted no time and quickly got into the emergency room, laying the boy down on the operating table as gently as she could. Her eyes scanned the area for the necessary instruments and found none, they had surely been used and/or taken. Sakura cursed loudly and glared at the nurses.

"There's nothing I can use! Bring me the equipment and quick!" She yelled, impatient and in complete panic. The nurses nodded and ran out, leaving only one with Sakura to help with the injections.

Another explosion echoed in the distance followed with screams of terror, crowds and crowds of people were escaping the chaos, running away from danger and taking shelter in the other part of the city. There were over thousands of wounded victims and even more deaths, which explained how the hospital got so full already. The one on the other side of town, where the chaos erupted, had been blown up completely according to the military officers. The few clinics around the safe part were barely able to hold a sufficient amount, and the military's doctors and nurses who were helping amidst the 'battlefield' were more than a little overwhelmed.

Sakura felt like she was about to choke due to stress. She took off her bloodied coat and threw it out of the room, reminding herself that everything had to be thoroughly clean before helping a wounded individual. The nurses came back with gloves and the necessary instruments before dashing back to help other doctors in need.

"Hold on, alright?" She told the boy, trying to look reassuring despite the sounds of explosions roaring nearby. "You'll be fine, I'm here for you."

The boy looked up tiredly, his eyes nearly void of light but still very brown and alive. He hadn't been able to reply due to the oxygen mask covering his mouth, but she could tell that he was thankful regardless.

He grabbed her weakly by the finger, squeezing it with all his might. His hand was so small, so weak and tender... it made her want to cry.

"Hold on..." she whispered, her voice quivering, "stay strong okay?"

He closed his eyes and Sakura took it as a cue to begin, she looked at his injuries and winced slightly. There was a thin line of yellow fat along the edge of the wound, which went a few inches deep into the muscle, so cleanly cut that she feared someone had sliced it open. His sides were also bruised and he suffered from several broken ribs, perhaps due to heavy impact. She had never seen someone so broken, so hurt, it was going to be tough but she felt determined to save the innocent soul.

The ground shook every now and then during the process, but she didn't give up. Instruments fell on the floor as the explosions started feeling closer and closer, while the nurse whom had stayed with her tried to assist as much as she possible.

Sakura felt her wipe some sweat off of her forehead and she nodded in silent thanks. She kept a close eye on the heart monitor and continued to take off some small glass shards from his severe wound. She was getting there, carefully, she was saving his life.

The ground shook again, this time dangerously violent. The nurse next to Sakura began to visibly panic as she whispered in urgency;

"They're getting close..."

The pinkette bit her lip, hidden underneath the surgical mask. "Stop panicking, let me finish this!"

However, just as she finished her sentence did a loud, piercing and violent explosion shook the ground beneath their feet, making both the nurse and Sakura fall on the floor instanlty. The door opened and a military officer yelled at them both to evacuate and take shelter in the underground, followed by crowds of doctors, staff, and a few patients running at full speed on the hallway.

"Doctor! We have to leave!" The nurse urged, pulling Sakura by the sleeve as she refused to move.

"I can't just leave him!" The pinkette stubbornly wrenched her arm away, looking at the boy with wild green eyes.

"It's unfortunate, it really is but we can't take him along! He is doomed anyway, with all of these injuries!"

"No..." Sakura shook her head, "no, I can save hi-" she was cut off by another explosion, this time louder than any of the previous ones. It felt so close, so near, it was a wonder that the glass windows didn't shatter to pieces in the lobby.

Having enough of it, the military officer decided to pull Sakura by force; finally making her move away from the wounded boy. Her eyes widened in surprise as she tried to break free, but the sudden shock of the ground moving beneath their feet had her grow unexpectedly weak, making her usual superhuman strength seem meek and average next to the officer's firm grip.

"Let's go!" He said, quickly leading the two women towards the emergency exit. Sakura looked back at the room, at the boy, then at the heart monitor. He was pale, asleep, but still alive.

And she was letting him there to die.

"Forgive me...!" She whispered to herself while running, "forgive me forgive me!"

"Miss Haruno!" The nurse yelled and held her hand, "get yourself together! We're almost there."

They ran and everything was like a blur. The walls broke and the ceiling collapsed; falling on the crowd of people behind them. She choked back tears but continued, never looking back while focusing on the path straight ahead. They went downstairs, pushing past wounded victims and dead bodies, nearly tripping on a few of them. Soon enough, they found the exit and left the hospital, but what lied ahead was far worse than anything Sakura could imagine.

Half of the city was in ruin, broken, destroyed... void of lights and color. Screams echoed from the distance, a painful reminder that others were suffering and running about in the danger-zone, desperately trying to save their lives despite the obvious outcome.

She felt her limbs go weak at the sight, yet kept on running regardless. The streets reeked of smoke, burnt flesh and death, distracting her immensely.

"Focus!" The officer said as he squeezed her arm tighter. She muttered an apology and focused like he told her to, concentrating on his broad back and at the road that lied ahead. Eventually, they reached the nearby police station and went inside, urged on by the other officers as they lead the way.

"Everyone, get on the platform!" One of the men said, pointing at the metal platform in the lobby. The small group did as they were told, with some men blocking the passage to a few people. "Wait for a moment, you'll all get to safety." They told them, trying to get a hold of the situation, and have them remain calm. Sakura looked at their panicked expressions, at their bloodied clothes and their injuries with pained eyes, unable to withstand the need to help everyone. The nurse whom had left with her, took hold of her hand in a warm gesture, a small smile on her face. Sakura looked up and smiled back, albeit weakly.

The soldiers that had brought the groups nodded at eachother before pressing on a button. Slowly, the metallic platform went down like an elevator; taking them to the underground where everything was meant to be safe. Sakura looked up, eyes fixed on the ceiling as if trying to memorize its pale color. It had been her first day as a doctor, her first day at the hospital, and perhaps also her last.

Screams and yells still echoed into the distance as they got lower and lower from the surface. She could faintly hear the rapid-fire and grenades being thrown on and about, making the ground shake and the ceiling crack. Her big wide green eyes remained fixed on that crack, as it grew longer and longer... until suddenly, it broke into a hole; revealing the wide sky and the stars.

The soldiers on top suddenly cried out with the people screaming for their lives, the explosion had destroyed the police station and was now attacked. They had found the secret underground shelter, they were going to-!

An officer yelled;

"Shut it! Quickly!"

People screamed, the ceiling fell on the group and had fallen on some of them, rendering a few unconscious.

"Be careful, doctor!"

Her eyes were still fixated on that spot though, that hole that revealed the dark sky and the heavy smoke. She probably didn't look at anything else, but that gap in between.

Then, there was a flash of red; red hair... she thought, and a pair of brown chocolate eyes that were wide, yet empty, almost void of life.

They were so close in color to that boy's, and yet while that small little victim was closer to death than this man on the roof; they were definitely far more alive.

She was staring at a live corpse.

And then everything went black.

(To be continued)