COMPLICATIONS
PerkyGirl23
Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back! I want to thank all the reader who put reviews for the first chapter, and I also appreciated those who've put my story in their favourites and alerts… ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU to all of you, and I hope you'll continue to support my fanfic… anyway, here's my second chapter, and I hope you'll like it… keep the reviews coming please! JA NE!
I don't own Naruto…
CHAPTER 2 – EAVESDROPPING
" SAKURA – CHANNN! "
Sakura turned around to see who's calling her. The owner of the voice was her friend, Naruto, who was waving hs arms overenthusiastically down the street. Like her, Naruto had also grown up a lot these past five years. Not only did he get stronger, but he also began to act mature, although slightly. Still, it's an improvement, she thought inwardly. He also still had had the same whiskery – lines across his face, and a wolfy grin for everybody.
Sakura playfully crossed her arms over her chest and walked towards Naruto. " You don't need to call me that loud, Naruto, " she reprimanded him.
" Aww, you know it was only my form of my endearment to you, Sakura – chan, " Naruto replied, flashing his signature grin.
Sakura chuckled. She knew Naruto was just kidding around. He used to have a big crush on her since their genin days, but now he's currently dating a certain soft – spoken kunoichi named Hinata.
" Whatever, " Sakura teased as she rolled her eyes.
" Oh, c'mon, Sakura – chan. Where are you heading to, by the way? "
" To the hospital, of course, where else? "
" Oh. I was just wondering if you, Kakashi – sensei, and Sai would be free tonight at Ichiraku Ramen for dinner, because I have a mission tomorrow with Shikamaru and Minato – sensei. I may be gone for three or more days. "
Sakura thought for a moment, and then let out an apologetic moan. " Ohhh, Naruto, I'm so sorry, but I promised Tsunade – shishou to work overtime tonight, "
" Oh, crap, "
" I'm really very sorry, Naruto. Maybe next time, "
" Can't you plea to Tsunade – baachan if you can switch your shift to tomorrow night? " Naruto urged.
Sakura shook her head. " No, I can't, Naruto. I already promised her, and I wouldn't take it back. " she answered crossly.
" I just want to spend time with you guys, " Naruto pouted, his head bowed, kicking a stone on the ground. He looked like a scolded puppy that didn't mean any harm.
" I'm sorry, Naruto, " Sakura repeated.
" That's okay, Sakura – chan. I'll see you around, I suppose, "
And with that, Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, making Sakura feeling guilty. She sighed and decided that she would make it up to him next time.
But there would be no more next time.
oOo
Sakura sat on her table, working on some paper works. Shizune had asked her to re-arrange again the list of ninjas who belonged to the Bingo book. S – class ninjas, Sakura thought as she rummaged through the files underneath her drawer. As she shuffled the files on her table, she ran through several names of S- class criminals, all of them coming from different countries. Some from the Village of Suna, some from the Mist, others from the Otto and Kirigakure, some from Mizugakure, and the remaining are from Konoha.
She began arranging the list of ninjas alphabetically when she came across the file of Uchiha Sasuke. Her fingers trembled as she scanned his profile. It read a 'missing-nin' and 'traitor' to the village. She stared at his picture, and she can't help her tears from falling from her eyes. It dropped one by one, straight towards Sasuke's file.
" Why, Sasuke? Why couldn't I forget you? " she whispered at his photograph. Immediately, she yanked the paper away from her, fearing to ruin his file. She rubbed her eyes and with one last sniff, she took Sasuke's file once again and arranged it with the other files.
It took her several hours to finish arranging the files, and she can't believe that there were so many S-class criminals. She glanced at her watch, and gasped when she saw the time. It read 7pm. She stretched her arms and neck, and closed her eyes from the pain she feels on her back. She must have bended longer than she thought. After a couple of more minutes of quick resting, she stood up and left her office. She walked through the halls of the hospital. The clanking of her heels echoed the hospital halls. She headed straight the reception desk, in which the secretary nurse called her attention.
" Sakura – san! "
" What is it? Megumi – san? " Sakura queried.
" There's a patient waiting in the emergency room. It seems serious. You better head there, quick. "
" Oh, thank you. I'll be there already, "
She reached the emergency room in no time. She slipped on her laboratory gown and wore her mask across her mouth. She also grabbed a pair of surgical gloves from the nearby table and wore them on, fitting her hands perfectly.
" Oh, Sakura, thank goodness you're here! "
" What happened, Shizune? "
Shizune took a deep breath. " A man was found near the Kirigakure woods. It seems a huge battle took place. It seemed that the battle happened were between no ordinary ninjas. There was a severe damage around the woods that were caused only by special techniques, "
Sakura shook her head fretfully, feeling a bit sorry for the man. " That's terrible. Where is he? "
" Over here, " Shizune answered hurriedly as she motioned Sakura towards the bed.
Lying on the bed was a man, his head was fully covered with bandages, as well as his arms, all full of blood. It was a terrible sight.
" He suffered second – degree burns on his arms, and his face was heavily damaged due to the explosion. We still couldn't identify who he is, " Shizune explained.
Sakura leaned over and checked his pulse. She couldn't find any. " Quick, Shizune. Let's perform the defibrillation process on him, "
Shizune nodded, grabbing a pair of external defibrillator and rubbing lubricant jelly on it. She passed it on to Sakura. Sakura, rubbing the defibrillators together, pressed it against the man's chest. The man's chest moved upward. She glanced at the ECG machine. The zigzag lines were not stable. She wiped her perspiration from her forehead with her sleeve. " 150 joules, "
" Clear, " Shizune replied.
" 200 joules, "
" Clear, "
" 250 joules, "
" Clear, "
" 300 joules, "
" Clear, "
" 350 joules, "
" Stable, "
Sakura glanced one more on the ECG machine. The zigzag lines were now stable. She breathed a deep sigh of relief, setting down the defibrillators on the table.
" That was a successful one, Sakura, " Shizune praised.
Sakura smiled. " Thank you, Shizune, for your help. I'm afraid I would not be able to save him a while ago, "
" Nonsense. I knew you could do it, "
" Thanks again, Shizune. I still couldn't do anything to his face, though. It might get infected. "
" That's okay, Sakura. The Godaime told me that she'll be the one to heal his face back to normal. You can leave it to her, but you can take the responsibility on healing his burns, " Shizune replied, patting her shoulders.
" Ohh, okay. Thanks. "
" No problem, "
When Shizune left the room, Sakura took of her surgical gloves. She muttered a complicated technique under her breath. Suddenly, her hands glowed green. She rested the palms of her hands on the burnt arms of the man. How hurt had he been, Sakura thought. She continued to heal the man's burns until the scars were nowhere to be seen. She glanced at her watch and realized it was already 10pm. With her chakra drained due to the operation, she needed to get some good night's sleep.
oOo
" I wonder when will the jinchuuriki turn up. I'm bored. " growled a shark-faced man, lying boringly against a trunk of tree, swinging his Samehada around. Itachi just watched him with an impassive face. " Hn, "
Kisame sighed. He was used to his partner's one-word responses. Being teamed up with him for so many years, he was so used to it.
" Tell me, Itachi, why is it that Pein was so keen to have the medic in Akatsuki? "
With an unreadable expression, Itachi turned to Kisame's direction and replied blankly. " I do not know, either. "
Kisame raised his brows and shrugged his massive shoulders. Although he is twice as big as Itachi, he didn't dare try to pick up an argument with him. Not that he's scared or anything, but he respects Itachi the same way he does with Pein, unlike the other members of Akatsuki in which he would willingly ground them with his beloved Samehada.
" It seems that he has something planned in his mind, don't you think? "
" Aa, "
They fell silent then. Hours tickled by, making them feel sleepy due to the long journey they made. Itachi can almost hear Kisame's disgusting snores beside him. He began to close his eyes in exhaustion, and when he was about to fall asleep, he sensed an unfamiliar chakra signatures zooming towards their direction. Itachi quickly snapped his eyes wide open as he activated his Sharingan. Three tomoes immediately appeared in his red orbs.
" I guess they're here, " Kisame smirked.
" Aa, "
The bushes shuffled noisily in front of them. They stared at it cautiously. Kisame raised his Samahada a little higher.
Out of the bushes, came a tabby brown cat, its tail help up jauntily high. It meowed cautiously as it passed on front of them, its yellow eyes flashing menacingly at their direction. Kisame snorted.
" Damn! We got spooked by a stupid cat! If I had known better- "
But Itachi knew better. He flashed his Sharingan behind Kisame. " No! Behind you! "
Fortunately, just in time, Kisame turned around and swung his Samehada to block a large shuriken aimed right at him. The sharp edge of the shuriken sliced a small line through Kisame's bluish cheek. At that time, three ninjas appeared. The tall one was a brown haired man with large black eyes. The second one was a gangly-looking boy with black hair tied in a ponytail. The last one was a blonde boy with blue eyes and whiskers across his face.
" At last, " Itachi muttered.
Naruto pointed his finger towards Itachi. " YOU! " he growled angrily.
" A pleasant meeting you, Naruto-kun, " Itachi greeted casually. Kisame chuckled.
Naruto gritted his teeth in anger, and his eyes became somewhat red, no longer blue. A red chakra flashed around him suddenly, making the situation intense.
Minato made a grab for Naruto's shoulder to stop him. " No, Naruto. Leave it to me, "
But Naruto didn't budge. He continued to growl menacingly.
" We do not wish a fight. " Itachi said.
" What are you doing here, Uchiha? And Hoshigake as well? " Minato asked coldly.
Kisame grinned mischievously. " Oh, I'm glad you knew me. I'm afraid Itachi's the only the popular one, "
Minato ignored him. " I am aware of Akatsuki's intentions. You are aiming to acquire all of the jinchuuriki, "
Itachi maintained a blank posture. " Just give us Naruto, and their will be no need to die, "
Shikamaru laughed humourlessly. " You expect us to give in just like that? "
Kisame pointed his Samehada towards Shikamaru's direction. " The nerve of you- "
But Itachi raised a hand to stop Kisame. " Stop, Kisame. "
Kisame dropped his Samehada, looking murderous as ever.
" We only need Naruto. We do not wish to fight you, "
" Give Sasuke back to us! " Naruto growled.
Itachi smirked. " Naruto-kun, I an not aware of my foolish little brother leaving Konoha, "
" But it is your fault he left! It's all because of you! " Naruto shouted.
Itachi regained his posture. He remained impassive.
Minato took some kunais from his pockets. " We would bring you to Konoha, to atone for your crimes, " Shikamaru did the same.
Itachi closed his eyes exasperatedly at Kisame. " It seems that we have no other choice, "
Kisame grinned evilly. " Yeah. Let the battle begin! "
oOo
Sakura woke early the next morning. It was Sunday, and she decided to go to the office of the Godaime, to hand over the files she arranged personally. She stopped at Tsunade's office and was about to knock at the door when she heard a slamming of a hand on the desk. Sakura paused, thinking she would just come back later, but then, she thought she heard Naruto's name. She stopped and listened.
" But where are they now? " Tsunade's angry voice yelled.
" We do not know yet, but we found both Minato and Shikamaru in the woods. Both were heavily injured. " someone replied. Sakura gulped nervously, waiting for the worst.
" And Naruto? What happened to him? "
" We think the Akatsuki has succeeded on capturing him, Lady Tsunade, "
" I can't believe it.. I don't want to believe it.." Tsunade stammered weakly.
" And one more thing, Lady Tsunade, " someone said.
Tsunade snapped sourly. " What else? "
The man cleared his throat hesitantly before speaking. " The Akatsuki left a note. We must give them Haruno Sakura in exchange for Naruto's
freedom. "
And with that, Sakura dropped all the files on the floor, her eyes widened in horror. Naruto… he just asked her yesterday if she could accompany him, and yet… her eyes watered immediately. Sakura suddenly stood up. She realized that she couldn't just sit here forever. She needed to help Naruto. It was her turn to rescue him, to respond to his aid.
And no one would be able to stop her.
Author's Note: Soo, how about it, guys? It gets interesting right? Sorry for not including the fight scene between Naruto and Itachi, I'm just too excited to get Sakura and Itachi acquainted together, so stay tuned! Keep the reviews coming! JA NE!