Permanence, a naruto fanfic

This is an AU fic. I have also taken the liberty of lowering Kakashi's age, for this fic also (for reasons I can't say without giving this story away. And yes, I've made up some street names and things, and there have been career changes.

One more note: I'm going to stick to Japanese names, just because I feel it would be odd to have Kakashi, Sakura, and a Dan or a John. Heh. I'm sorry it's not very long- they'll get longer, I promise!

I'd also really appreciate it if errors could be brought to my attention in a PM. I'm not a nursing student, or an EMT. I've never been in an ambulance (but I have seen the inside of one once, a long time ago) and I don't know how accurate any of my stuff is. If anyone reads this, and catches things that you know are wrong, please don't hesitate to bring it to my attention and help me correct it. I'd be absolutely thankful to you if you did!

And that goes for this entire thing (especially since I don't have a beta).

Please enjoy!

The rain poured heavily from the sky, the asphalt was slick with it, but Kakashi didn't really give a damn. His 360 Spider was like a metallic speeding bullet, rocketing him down the major highway at 180 kilometers. His music blared through his sound system; the guitar riffs and lyrics making his blood simmer in his veins. He shifted gears before pressing down on the gas pedal a little more, not even watching as his speed increased. The world around him was moving much too slow for his liking.

He shifted lanes as he shot into Achabeko tunnel; no signal and not a care for all the laws being broken in that moment. Just like all the clients he deals with at the office.

The windshield wipers squelched with each drag across the now dry glass as frustrations from the day and haunted memories flashed before his minds eye. The steady yellow glow from the tunnel lights flashed by as his led foot continued to hold its ground.

200….

220…

240…

The dull grey daylight from the end of the tunnel came into view as he jumped lanes, moving around a yellow and white moving van. The tunnel exit became wider the closer he became. He could see the rain straining down onto the road.

He knew what was going to happen. He knew, and he relished it. He pressed the gas pedal a little harder, his knuckles white as he grasped the clutch. The hard pulse of the guitar riffs and screaming lyrics increasing the adrenaline pumping in his system- it was the first time he felt alive since his early teens.

The dull grey light from the sky seemed to become increasingly bright, even with the rain clouds, as he sped through the tunnel exit. As soon as all four of his tires hit the wet pavement he felt it. The lurch of the car as the tires spun and squealed as the rubber burned.

He yanked the wheel for a hard right, slamming on the brakes to make the car seem to fly as the tires screamed out as if in agony. Suddenly, the only thing clear to see through the windshield was the concrete median he was about to become extremely friendly with. He closed his eyes and waited for the lurching, jerking slam and crunch of metal- expensive metal- on concrete and the cracking and shattering of glass.

As he felt the initial impact he wondered if the rain was cold.

Late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal
Red light, can't stop so I spin the wheel
My world goes black before I feel an angel lift me up
And I open bloodshot eyes into fluorescent white
They flip the siren, hit the lights, close the doors and I am gone

A shaggy brown haired man in a white polo un-tucked from his navy blue work pants laid, sprawled out, on the grungy red and white checkered couch in the break room. He tapped his foot to a nonexistent tune as he tossed one of the shabby grey pillows into the air over his head. At that moment, one of his team mates ambled on in, ignoring his presence for her cup of java- her sixth cup of java, and the sun was just beginning to set.

"Yanno" he drawled "You're gonna seriously need to pee if you don't stop drinking all that coffee- and don't think your bursting bladder will stop me from dragging you out to the field."

Sakura rolled her beryl eyes even though he couldn't see the motion.

"Oh, shut your trap Dai. I only got four hours of sleep last night, and I'm stuck with you- unfortunately- and Kenji for an all-nighter." She growled.

A slightly disapproving sound came from the doorway.

"You've only gotten four hours? That's not healthy Haruno, and you being a medic know it." Kenji frowned at her, unperturbed by her glare, which was clearly stating 'Sod off!' While she nursed the chipped pink mug in her hands.

After a few minutes of silence between the three of them (not including the stare down between his team mates) Dai grinned and smugly propositioned the other two.

"Sooo… Either of you wanna take bets on how many calls we get tonight?"

Unfortunately for the three of them, karma didn't seem too thrilled with Dai trying to make money off of the fates of others. The emergency alarms immediately started going berserk as all three of their work beepers immediately went off. All three of them took off out the door towards the ambulance- Sakura's hot cup of coffee left forgotten to grow cold on the break rooms table.

Kenji peeled out of the hospital garage as Sakura, sitting and already buckled into the passenger seat, flipped on the sirens.

"What've we got Dai?" Kenji addressed the man in the back of the ambulance with his eyes firmly glued to the road, speeding and weaving through the lanes of traffic where vehicles had pulled off the side. Dai pulled on his head set to communicate with the dispatcher as Kenji sped around another corner.

"Take 27th down to the exit for major highway 36. The man that pulled over and called it in said the guy sped past him- probably doing way over 200 kmh- and was bleeding profusely from a head wound, and the only sound coming from the man was a groan."

Sakura jumped into medic mode "probably blunt force trauma from a possible impact with the driver side window, 99 percent chance of a concussion, if not a cracked skull from an impact at that speed- if he's even alive by the time we get there." She frowned at the possibility as she went through a mental check list of what she'd need. Where did they put the smelling salts and extra bandages when they last stocked up the truck?

"Dai could you-"

"Already way ahead of you sweet stuff." He said with a wink as he tossed her a medic kit. Sakura opened it to find the items she was thinking of and even a couple epidurals and prepped syringes of cortisone.

With said items in her hand she felt more assured about her abilities going in.

Now I lay here owing my life to a stranger
And I realize that empty words are not enough
I'm left here with the question of just
What have I to show except the promises I never kept?
I lie here shaking on this bed, under the weight of my regrets

The sound of the sirens screeching out as they sped down the road seemed to mock the three of them. Kenji was still firmly focused on the still damp road ahead of him, even with all the clanking noises coming from the back.

Sakura's solemn voice carried through his thoughts. "It's been 8 minutes, Kenji."

"I know." He murmured. He planned to make it there in the next two minutes, and no later.

I hope that I will never let you down
I know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound

Look around and you'll see that at times it feels like no one really cares
It gets me down but I'm still gonna try to do what's right, I know that there's
A difference between sleight of hand, and giving everything you have
There's a line drawn in the sand, I'm working up the will to cross it and

I hope that I will never let you down
I know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound

When Sakura flung her door open everything slowed down. The only thing she could see was the destruction ahead of her. What would have been a stunning vehicle was completely destroyed. The front was smashed in; the front windshield was completely obliterated from the impact. The driver side window was cracked, and the color red was everywhere inside the vehicle. The amount of blood everywhere on the inside was sickening and made her blood run cold.

'It's just a flesh wound to the head; those bleed badly. It's just a flesh wound to the head…' She kept repeating to herself. She came to a halt on the driver side, feeling her stomach lurch at the silver hair mottled with red; unmoving. Kenji came up, and without a second thought smashed in the back passenger window to unlock the driver side door by hand. Sakura immediately jerked it open and whipped out her pocket knife to cut him out of the seat belt. The movements caused the man to groan, and his head rolled to the other side; her heart leapt in her throat.

'He's alive... He's alive!' Her mind screamed in amazement.

"Kenji, Dai, he's alive! Get your asses over here with that gurney, stat!"

She heard the slam and the clacking of the gurney being pulled out of the back and being assembled; heard Kenji directing Dai before he too came running over with his medic kit.

"What've we got, Haruno."

"I'm not completely sure yet." She murmured.

"Sir, can you hear me?" Her voice was strong and clear. She got another groan in response, as his head rolled towards her this time instead of away. Kenji immediately dug around in his kit for a neck brace.

"Here; it looks like he can't hold his neck up- probably pulled tendons in his neck."

Kenji reached out to hold his neck up and grimaced; Sakura gasped- something from impact had cut straight down from his left eyebrow to the top of his cheek bone. She immediately reached out and slipped the neck brace into place- looping the Velcro straps on the side through to keep it in place. Kenji moved away to help Dai once more with the gurney as Sakura plopped her medic kit on the dashboard and pulled out gauze and bandages.

'This wound is definitely going to need stitches.' She thought with a grimace as she placed the square of gauze over his eyelid, holding it in place as she began to steadily wrap the bandage around that half of his face. The man groaned again as she finished.

"I want you to hold him from the shoulders up, Haruno- I'll get the rest. Dai, you help her get his torso on the gurney, and then search for a wallet."

Dai nodded sullenly as Sakura bent his torso forward so she could get a hold of him from under the arms. The man groaned again, and his right eye fluttered open while she pulled his torso out of the wreckage. Kenji slipped in around the car door to get a grip on the man at the knees.

Kenji nodded at the other two as they set him down. "Dai, check the car for a wallet or I.D. Haruno, lets get this man into the ambulance."

As the two made their way towards the ambulance Sakura could see the light of Dai's pocket flash light as he searched the car.

"On the count of three Haruno, you lift." She nodded her understanding. "One, Two, Lift!"

Sakura pulled up the top of half of the gurney into the ambulance, the slight jarring impact of the movement causing the man to groan in pain. She scooted back to allow Kenji to lift his end of the gurney and push it into the ambulance. She locked the top two wheels in place as Dai jumped in and slammed the doors shut before he too locked the back wheels. Kenji jumped in the front and wasted no time in turning on the car and flipping on the sirens.

In the back Sakura used a pen light to check the man's uncovered eye. The pupil was dilated, and the man's breathing was becoming ragged; his blood pressure was dropping. Dai dug around and found the man's wallet, flipping it open and searching for his license while pulling on his headset to contact the hospital.

"Dai!" Sakura yelled at the man "He's going into shock. I need you!"

The man in question moved to Sakura's side to hold the man's arm still as she readied a needle and a bag of intravenous fluids. Finally the hospital picked up the call. Dai didn't even wait for the woman to speak, as Sakura inserted the needle into the man's arm.

"This is team Kenji. We have one man, by the name of Hatake Kakashi, coming in. Critical condition- be on alert!"

"Dai, it's hypovolemic shock" she looked at the man next to her.

"Do you think it's internal?" Dai asked, and without missing a beat moved to hold the man- Hatake Kakashi's- head so Sakura could intubate the man with less worry.

"I don't think so." She murmured "There was a lot of blood at the crash site- I think it's most likely external." The woman continued to intubate the man while Kenji picked up the speed.

"Kenji, how much longer until we reach the hospital?" Sakura yelled towards the front.

"About five more minutes- just hang on!" Kenji spun the wheel for a hard left, and continued to weave through the lanes, speeding through intersections and red lights as he went. Sakura moved down to the man's legs, pulling up his dress slacks to check for swelling and possibly broken bones. Dai did the same with the man's chest; checking his collar bone and his sternum. Everything seemed clear, except for the man's head.

The ambulance came to a stop, and Dai immediately flung the doors open; four people stood there, awaiting orders. Sakura immediately took over.

"The man's in hypovolemic shock- most likely from external bleeding, but possibly internal. Someone go get Tsunade, we need her to evaluate the man's head!" One of the interns that had come out immediately took off for Tsunade as Dai and Sakura began to lower the gurney to the ground. "The three of you, get this man into the hospital and get him stabilized!" The three in question immediately took off with the gurney as Sakura sat down on the edge of the ambulance.

Dai patted the girl's knee. "You did a good job, kid."

Sakura sighed "I know, I know; but Tsunade is going to wring my neck for ordering around her subordinates."

Dai chuckled "You win some, you lose some. Besides, you and I both know her subordinates would stand around looking stupid if somebody didn't give them orders."

Sakura hummed a tired agreement as Kenji came around from the driver side of the vehicle with a smile.

"Come on, Haruno" Kenji proffered her a hand "let's get some coffee before you pass out on us."

She smiled at the two of them as she stood, greatly appreciating her team mates.

Sakura walked into the hospital with Dai's arm flung around her shoulder and Kenji on her right with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

If only they all knew how much this accident would change their lives.

Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of always talking when there's no change
Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of empty words, let's lead and not follow

Late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal
Red light, can't stop so I spin the wheel
My world goes black before I feel an angel steal me from the
Greedy jaws of death and chance, and pull me in with steady hands
They've given me a second chance, the artist in the ambulance

Can we pick you off the ground, more than flashing lights and sound