White Walls
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Naruto or its characters.
It was with a sick anticipation that Sakura sat in the waiting area of the hospital. Despite her ability to actually be in the room with Sasuke, being the head medic besides Shizune and Tsunade, she just couldn't bring herself to walk those thirty steps down the hall and to the right. The tight feeling in her chest and clamminess on her brow attested to the fact that his presence in Konoha was making her physically ill.
She had seen him when they had dragged his beaten and bloody body through the gates. Despite the many years Naruto had enthusiastically searched out their renegade teammate, it was a somber-faced bruised body that walked beside the unconscious Sasuke. Kakashi had also been present, the notable absence of an orange book and sad drooping of silver hair the only indication of his feelings. Naruto and Kakashi had both gone to retrieve Sasuke. Retrieve, like his was some errant pup or toddler who had wondered off. Sakura held no such illusions.
"Sakura, he's awake." Tsunade placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder, a non-verbal support that she really needed that moment.
Standing on unsteady legs, she strengthened her resolve and hardened her heart. The mask she had cultivated for years slipped over her face like a cool second skin, freezing her features.
Trailing Tsunade down the passage, Sakura imagined that the white washed walls absorbed her emotions. In the short time it took to reach the closed door of Sasuke's room, Sakura's countenance was that of a polite stranger; a mildly pleasant expression with no real depth that she used with her patients. Sasuke was just another body in the room, just another face.
Tsunade paused at the door for two seconds, probably for her sake, before striding into the room with a flourish. Sakura walked in confidently behind her, unsurprised at the other occupants of the room. Kakashi lounged on the windowsill while Naruto straddled the chair beside the head of Sasuke's bead. After nodding to both of them she allowed her gaze to rest on the bandaged body sitting up in the bead. Alert obsidian eyes met hers in an assessing manner. The stare down lasted five seconds before Sasuke turned his head to the side in a disinterested manner. Her emotions were locked down so tight that the rejection hardly made a scratch in her mask, the only outwards sign being the very slight narrowing of her emerald eyes.
"Now that we're all here, let's discuss what's going to happen to you Uchiha," Tsunade stared, her sharp amber gaze stern and wary.
A/N Okay, so that's pretty short. I was just writing it because I had a few minutes. Any people interested in reviewing...well, maybe this story will go somewhere. I know I like me a strong-willed, kick-ass Sakura. :)
Ja Ne!