Chapter 1
"Sakura!" I heard Shikamaru yell.
A kunai thudded into my shoulder, another into my waist, and one into my thigh. What felt like a fist hit my head hard before I blacked out.
I could hear several people whispering in hushed, and worried tones. I try to open my eyes, the bright lights feel as though they're stabbing my eyes, I let out a whimper trying to turn over, my side protests with a stabbing pain shooting through my whole body. I cry out in pain, before feeling a pair of strong hands still me, before stroking my hair.
"You're okay, shhh..." I recognize the voice, but can't remember the name.
"Turn off the lights...Please..." I beg the person who is stroking my hair.
"There, there...The lights are off now," I open my eyes weakly to see that it is Shikamaru stroking my hair, and murmuring gentle words to soothe me.
Looking at him, I see a bandage covering his shoulder, since he's wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans. I moan appreciating the way the shirt hugs his muscles when he flexes.
"What happened?" I ask worried.
"You got badly hurt in the last mission, you're going to be off of missions for a while until you're well enough," He says pressing his lips to my forehead.
I'm confused at the affection Shikamaru is showing me, instead I relax into his soothing touch.
"Are you the only one here?" I ask.
"Others were here, I told them it'd probably be best for you not to have to many visitors until you're more sound," He strokes my hair again.
We stay silent for a while, soon I feel sleep sneaking up on me again, but not before Shizune hurries into the small hospital room to check up on me.
"Try to sit up, easy now slowly," Shizune tells me.
"Oww..." I let out a whimper as I sit up with Shikamaru's help.
"You suffered a bad wound to your left side, shoulder, and thigh, and you were knocked unconscious. You've been unconscious for two days, we're going to need to keep you a little longer than a week, unless of course you have someone to watch your health?" Shizune says while taking the bandage off of my shoulder, and cleaning the wound before unwrapping a package of gauze.
"Is it too deep to heal with medical jutsu? And I'm not sure," I say wincing as I feel Shizune's jutsu begin to do its work.
"We'll still need to be sure you're looked after until we clear that you're healthy enough to continue training, and be home alone,"
"How long will I need to stay if I can't find someone to look after me?"
"A week,"
"Oh god...I hate hospitals,"
"I'll look after her, she'll need to come to my place of course," I glance to Shikamaru, who catches my gaze with a comforting smile.
"Is that okay with you Sakura?" Shizune asks looking back to me questioningly.
"Of course, anything to get out of here," I say almost excitedly.
"You'll need to stay with him until you can walk without using crutches, that'll probably be a month or so," I look up at Shikamaru questioningly.
"You have a wound in your thigh that I wasn't able to heal with my jutsu, and another in your calf I wasn't able to heal,"
"When can I leave?"
"Let me go get the release papers, and you'll need to stay in the wheelchair until your shoulder fully heals," Shizune says.
She leaves us alone while she hurries to go get my release forms. I look up to Shikamaru curiously when his hand brushes over mine in a gentle caress. Blushing I look away from his gaze.
"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to take the hits for you Sakura," Shikamaru says softly.
"I'll be fine Shikamaru, just a bit of healing, and I'll be alright," I say.
"Sakura, stubborn as always...By the way, did Tsunade mention that you're getting students from the academy?"
"Yes, I can't wait. Did Kurenai have her child yet?"
"Not for another week, she's due next week. She came to visit you, but you weren't awake,"
"Alright, now all we need to do is get you to sign these papers. Then, we'll need to get you a wheelchair, and schedule a followup exam for next week," Shizune says after I've been painfully jostled around as she and another nurse got me into a loose outfit of clothes.
"Easy does it Sakura," Shikamaru lifts me off of the bed and into the wheelchair.
"I'm starving, can we get some ramen?" I look up to him pleadingly.
"Sure, we're going to need to go by your apartment afterwards to get some of your clothes, and whatever else you'll be needing," He says beginning to wheel me out of the hospital.
"I'm surprised your letting me stay with you," I say shifting in the wheelchair.
"You're a friend, and I'm also supposed to be out of missions for a while. So, I decided why not let you stay with me until you're better,"
"Sakura! You're out of the hospital already?" Oh god, there was the annoying voice of Naruto.
"Guess so, I'm sitting here aren't I?" I motion to the wheelchair, since I'm not able to stand.
"Oh...By the way, Hinata, and I just found out that we're expecting," I almost choke on my ramen noodles, Shikamaru pats my back gently.
"Sorry, you surprised me was all, but congratulations to you both," Hinata smiles gently at me.
"Its fine, we found out a couple weeks before you got back from this last mission," Naruto says.
I look down into my bowl of ramen with a sigh, Ino and Choji were already the proud parents of a one month old daughter whom they'd named Rin. Several others from my class had become married, and had children, or expecting children, or were attempting to have children. It'd become very depressing as missions continued, and my comrades one by one were put on maternity or paternity leave. At 21 years old, my maternity clock is beginning to remind me how much time I have to find a husband to give me a newborn child. Even being as young as I am, I can't help the unbearable urge to rid my body of its virginity, and be able to carry my very own baby.
"Sakura, are you alright?" Shikamaru's hand covers mine gently.
"I'm fine, just some stuff on my mind," I say taking a bite of ramen.