With the blood furiously pounding in her ear, Sakura's footsteps and all other noises sounded muffled. The buzz that came with hearing loss was her only tie to this world, her bodies gone numb. Her feet stumbled on the stairs and she felt someone's arm around her waist holding her up but couldn't bring herself to look to see who it belonged to.
She didn't see the all the people waiting in the hall, but they're eyes focused only on her. Most had an expression of pity or remorse, some curious as to what the deal was. None of it mattered. Sakura had tunnel vision as she bee lined for room 214.
Medics and patients alike had already swarmed the doorway, the only thing stopping them from entering the room the glare of one Genma Shiranui. Certainly a fearsome sight to even the most seasoned shinobi but not one that could stop her now.
Luckily, the tall quiet man saw her coming and quickly parted the seas. She could just hear him shouting at everyone to step back, or fuck off to those not immediately intimidated. She fumbled with the door handle until someone took pity on her and opened it themselves.
The room was a silent grave in relation to the zoo outside, housing only three people. Tsunade-sama, who stood silent at the bedside, hands glowing furiously in an attempt to save her patients life. Aiko the small girl with the long braid trailing down her back, eyes wide to take in the urgency of the situation. She took her eyes off her work to flash Sakura a questioning gaze, as if she didn't understand the terror in her boss's eyes.
But Sakura's gaze was only interested in one thing, one person. The man lying deathly still on the bed, skin a sickly gray color. She heard the door shut behind her, felt it nudge her gently forward as she had frozen in spot the second she had entered.
It truly was him, she marveled in stunned silence. To the untrained eye, he didn't resemble the mighty Hatake Kakashi, not in the slightest. The copy ninja had brilliant, intriguing hair that defied gravity. This man had his hair shorn down a buzz cut, only now did it grow enough to about an inch in length. The copy ninja had a body to die for, muscles toned as a result of hours of training. This stranger was so thin and frail his bones were visible beneath the skin.
This man was dying…Kakashi was dying.
"Sakura!" Tsunade screamed at her.
Something snapped inside her body and suddenly she across the room and pouring chakra into trying to mend Kakashi's punctured lungs. They were full of blood and badly damaged. She gritted her teeth, straining her body to the brink of collapse but finally the tissue knitted back together and his chest took its own of air.
Sakura's cracked lips tilted into a smile, causing the skin to bleed but she didn't care. Her legs gave out from underneath her and she crumpled to the floor. Firm hands took her under the arms and lifted her into a chair. They nudged a cool glass of water to her lips, encouraging her to drink. Sakura needed no such encouragement as her head swam with dehydration and her mouth dry as a desert. She eagerly sucked down the revitalizing liquid until no more was to be had and yet she craved it still.
The hand pushed her gently back to rest further into the chair. Sakura parted her eyes to see who her care taker was, but the fuzziness of her vision prevented her from seeing anything but a blurry mass. She did, however, take note of the darkness of the room. Somehow during the time spent healing Kakashi, hours had passed like seconds and now the night shift had taken over.
Kakashi.
She suddenly remembered the cause of her fatigue and shot her gaze over to the bed. Furiously did she wipe her eyes to improve her vision until she could make out the subtle rise and fall of his chest. The urgency left her like air escaping a balloon and she slumped back into her seat.
He lived! Dear God; he lived. The words brought tears to her eyes before everything went black.
The next time Sakura awoke she found herself not in the visitor's chair in Kakashi's room, but instead in a comfortable bed. The room was black around her, making it impossible to judge the time. How long she had been asleep, she didn't know, but her aching muscles told her it had been long enough.
She felt as weak as a baby and it took her 3 attempts to finally sit up. Muscles spasmed all over her body and she knew she had taken it too far this time. It would be days before she could attempt to use her chakra again, but it might as well be years. She couldn't afford to be out of commission.
But Sakura would do again and more if it meant saving the life of a man who was once the centre of her world. The man who still meant so much to her, however she strived for the opposite. The man she and the rest of the city thought to be dead for the past four years was suddenly alive once again, no matter how damaged.
Sakura dropped her head into her hands. How was so expected to take this? Her heart and her mind were already locked into a bloody war and the man who caused all this had yet to even open his eyes. What havoc will he cause when he's up and talking?
Kai's volatile behavior would be expected to skyrocket the second he hears the rumors of the Copy Ninja's return. Especially since he knew of the history between Sakura and said ninja and already hated the man. But Sakura couldn't really blame him; after all, Hatake Kakashi wasn't easy to live up to, especially to a civilian.
Sakura groaned, her head pounding. She thought this all in her past. Yes it had ached to think of never seeing Kakashi again but the life of a shinobi left no room for regret. Not when lives depended on you. Now to have him back…where did she go from here?
The urge to see him again pushed her stiff body into motion. She fumbled her way to the door and into the brightly lit hallway. The hospital never really closed down so even now at this late hour, medics were making their rounds. Each stopped to check up on her, see if she was feeling better. She put a smile on her face and forced herself to stop to assure them that she was fine though she was anxious to leave.
The stairs to the third floor felt like a mountain Sakura had to trudge up, and she was panting with exhaustion by the time she reached the top. The level was quiet and she encountered no more people on her way to room 214. Her hands shock as she turned the handle and slipped silently into the room.
It was dark, with only the light from the moon through the window shining through. For a moment, Sakura hesitated. Frozen to ground by some unseen force, Sakura steadied herself against the door. The air was thick with tension, with suppressed emotions and the man laying there had no idea. Tears clogged her throat and broke out into a tiny sob before she held it back.
Gathering her courage, she slowly crossed the room towards the bed. And what she saw broke the dam and tears poured down her face. She sat on the edge of the bed.
He was so altered. His face, mask less to help his breathing, was ghostly pale and thin. A bandage over his sharingan hide the weapon from her but the cloth stained red with blood. And his hair; his beautiful hair. Someone had shaved it some time ago leaving about an inch or now grown out again. Sakura tenderly stroked her hair over his hair, brave only because she knew him to be in a deep coma.
"Your beautiful hair." Sakura whispered, stroking the locks as she had so many years ago, ignoring the greasy feeling.
He had been tortured, that much was clear. There were bandages covering his entire body and just as many scars. His wrists were wrapped after being rubbed raw down from manacles. He looked like he hadn't eaten in months.
Sakura caressed his cheek with her thumb and gazed down at the man who at one time, she'd thought to marry. If things had been different between them would he have never taken that mission? He would have never to have suffered if she had only…Best not to dwell. One can't change the past, her mother had always said.
He was just as hansom as she remembered, despite his current condition. She smiled. He never knew how hansom he was; never cared about his appearance at all or how people preserved him. But, oh, how he broke so many hearts when Sakura and him started dating. She remembered getting a stack of letters detailing their objections to the match, being scared at all the death threats. But Kakashi had only laughed and produced his own death threat letters.
Sakura had remembered back in the academy days of having a crush on her teacher. He was so charismatic despite his laziness; kind despite his nonchalance. She really couldn't help herself but she was convinced that it was just a phase; that it would pass. But it hadn't, and instead it had grown and developed to something much more.
Much to her surprise she found her feeling receipted. She remembered being so scared at first, wanting desperately to be a good girlfriend. But he made it immediately clear that he didn't expect anything of her. That was Kakashi at his best, allowing her to be herself.
God, they had no many good memories. And it felt good to think about them again without mourning his loss. She could feel Kakashi's heartbeat beneath her hand and know he was really here. That he had come back to her.
She immediately shook her head to clear such thoughts. No, things would never return to how they were. He would suffer from memories of his confinement; he wouldn't be the same carefree man. And her, she had changed so much. She had responsibilities now. She had a boyfriend. No matter their issues, she owed Kai her loyalty.
But she couldn't deny her feelings for Kakashi, either.
Sakura bowed her head, the weight of the world on her shoulders.
A few days past and Kakashi had yet to show any signs of awaking. Sakura snuck into his room to check on him daily making sure no one saw her enter of leave. That would only create more rumors, something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
His wounds were healing nicely and hopefully wouldn't leave behind visible scars. The Sharingan was damaged to the point that she doubted he'd be able to use it. But then again how many times had that happened and Kakashi had proved all of them wrong. It was a wonder why his captures hadn't just taken the eye, it being such a valuable tool.
That question and all the others would have to wait until he was awake to answer them.
It was hard to concentrate on anything else when she knew how close Kakashi was. Sakura found herself periodically staring off the space during paperwork, or worse, during conversations. How many times had she been asked if she was alright? Too many to count. It was starting to aggravate her. She needed to clear her head and get her body back in working order. Only then could she drown out all thought of Hatake Kakashi.
A knock on her window jolted her from her thoughts. She turned to see a rat face ANBU waiting behind the glass. She went quickly to the window and slid open the panel.
Immediately a gloved hand presented her with a bound scroll. Sakura accepted it and before she could murmur a thank you, they were gone. ANBU were known to be overly dramatic so she didn't think anything of his rudeness. After closing the window, she slipped off the protective band and opened the parchment.
Surprise; it was a message from the Hokage demanding her immediate presence. Speaking of dramatic, Sakura sighed.
Sakura took a moment to compose herself before tapping her knuckles on the wooden door of Tsunade-sama's office. She waited for the invitation and then let herself in.
It had been sometime since Sakura had been in the Hokage's office; she'd forgotten how bright it could be at this time of day. The array of windows situated behind the desk permitted the sunshine to hit every part of the room. It was so beautiful, albeit a little blinding.
The Hokage herself sat as usual behind the large wooden desk, busying herself with the mountain of scrolls. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the similarities between her and her sensei. It was scary to think just how much Sakura's behaviors and mannerisms came to mirror that of Tsunade's. Except for the drinking; Sakura never picked that up, fortunately enough.
"Sit." Tsunade replied, not bothering to look up from her paperwork.
Sakura settled herself in the chair, crossing her legs at the knee and taking the time to enjoy the sunshine on her skin. Her office really did need those beautiful wide windows; perhaps she's request to have them put in when some extra funds came around.
"You look tired." Sakura noted in an attempt to break the silence.
The blonde quickly lifted her head to glare. "Shut up; you look worse."
"Can't argue with that." Sakura sighed. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Tsunade set down her pen and folded her hands on the deck. "Just wondering how your feeling. You've been stressed to the max at the hospital and with…certain…recent developments-"
"I'm fine." was the curt reply.
Tsunade's hazel eyes softened with understanding. "You and I both know that's not the case. It's a shock to all of us, me included, to have him back. But what you must be feeling, I can't even imagine."
God, she really didn't want to talk about this. The emotions inside her were still too fresh, too unsettled to rehash everything again. Kai hadn't even addressed the issue yet, nor Ino or anyone else for that matter. All seemed happy to ignore the elephant in the room, Sakura the most eager.
"Tsunade-sama, "Sakura begun slowly, studying the floor by her foot. "I'm not sure how I'm feeling, but shock is certainly high on the list. I believed, like the rest of us, that Hatake Kakashi had died on the mission four years ago, his body never recovered. To have him back…To have him back is confusing to say the least." She wiped her eyes in trying to hide the tear that escaped.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Sakura sighed, "I haven't had time to let it sink in yet."
Tsunade nodded, eyes searching her students face for something, what Sakura didn't know. Maybe it was honesty. Whatever it was, the Hokage seemed satisfied with what she found. "There is another issue I'd like to discuss while I have you here."
Sakura immediately tensed up, knowing that tone to mean what the Hokage had to say wasn't going to make Sakura happy. She raised her eyebrows to signal Tsunade to continue but to let her know to proceed with caution. Sakura may still be an apprentice but she was not the gullible girl she used to be. Tsunade didn't expect blind obedience from her and she wouldn't get it.
"Kakashi's life as he knew it doesn't exist any longer."Tsunade began, but already Sakura was wincing inside and out; knowing full well what this was about. "So, therefore I have a mission for you." The blonde then held out her hand and presented a scroll.
"I no longer take missions."Sakura muttered but eventually took the scroll from her sensei's hand, albeit reluctantly.
"You're still a shinobi of this village are you not?" Tsunade snapped.
"Yes Hokage-sama." She stated, trying to shake this sinking feeling in her gut. She didn't need to read the mission to know what it entailed and although it frightened her to death, she couldn't deny a tingling sensation on her skin from excitement.
"He is homeless, unemployed and coping with the after math of his ordeal. I'm not asking that you let him stay with you," Sakura's heart skipped a beat, "Genma has already offered; at least until I can set him up in his own place. What I need you to do is check in on him periodically; see how his dealing."
Sakura swallowed the lump in throat and clutched the scroll in her fist. "Everyone knows that me and Kakashi didn't part on good terms; and besides that, I have a boyfriend."
Tsunade scoffed. "That little asshole can squirm in his seat for all I care; I've never liked that boy anyway!"
"Yes, I know that." Sakura had heard her sensei state her feelings on the relationship many times but Sakura was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. "But he's my boyfriend and it isn't right that I be so connected to another man considering that man is my ex."
"Sakura, all I need you to do is check on him. A quick 'hello; how you feeling? See you later' will suffice. You're taking this too seriously."
"…Ok, fine." Sakura said defiantly, knowing that Tsunade wasn't about to have a change of heart and arguing would be pointless and exhausting. Any medic could this 'mission', but it was so surprise why Sakura had been chosen. Tsunade always liked to see her squirm.
It was two weeks of anxious waiting before news came to her office that the patient in 214 was finally awake. Sakura had to physical grip her chair to stop herself from flying out of the office to see him but she couldn't look so eager. Aiko was his medic; she would do a perfectly fine job of treating him.
But, Sakura reasoned silently within herself, but there was also a mission to complete. Granted it didn't start until he had been released, but no one could say Sakura didn't give every task her all. Besides, she was chief of medicine in this hospital, she could see whatever patient she wanted. She had to make sure everything run smoothly, that her medics were competent in their work.
Sakura didn't hesitant any longer. She leapt out of her chair and ran to the door before forcing herself to slow down and calm herself. The long walk down to the third floor, allowed her to somewhat settle her nerves but she still leapt out of her skin when someone addressed her.
What sort of greeting was she to expect from him? Their last night together before he left for the mission was turbulent to say the least. Sakura had sobbed the rest of the night, alone in the apartment they had once shared. A month later came the news of his death.
Sakura stood outside the door to his room for God knows how long, before she had the courage to enter. The door creaked so loudly, that Sakura's heart nearly leapt out of her throat with fear. She tentatively poked her head inside.
Tsunade stood at the foot of the bed, hazel eyes cast in her direction a questioning look plainly broadcasted to the world. She properly thought Sakura was a complete idiot, behaving as such. Sakura cheeks flushed red, she knew she was acting childish, so she pushed the door open fully and finally was able to lock eyes on the real target.
Kakashi was sitting up in bed, leaning heavily against the back frame but his progress was astonishing none the less, considering he was at death's door not too long ago. His horrendous posture hadn't changed, in fact in had worsen due to his obvious fatigue.
He was looking right at her.
Sakura locked eyes with him for the first time in over four years and it felt like no time had passed at all. All those powerful feelings came rushing back and struck her like a lightning bolt. Visions of running her hands down his broad shoulders, limbs intertwined and slick with sweat. Her lips tickled with memories at how erotic it felt to press her lips to his and hear him groan with pleasure. To see him smile at her every morning; for her to love him with her entire soul.
With all this running through her head, it would seem fitting to have him lift his hand in greeting with a simple, "Yo."
Sad; really, that was all it took to make Sakura's bottom lip tremble and her eyes flooded with tears.
Tsunade blatantly cleared her throat, announcing to whoever was listening that she was still in the room. "I think I heard my name, please excuse me."
Sakura only shifted slightly to allow the woman to leave, but never broken eye contact. And when the door quickly clicked shut behind her, Sakura suffocated with the unspoken words surrounding the two. His arm came down to rest in his lap.
She noted then just how haunted his eye looked, like he'd been through hell and back to be here now. She waited in anticipation for what he would do next. His greeting was historic but plain, meant for anyone. But she wasn't just anyone.
A heavy, burdened sigh escaped him and he cast his eyes down to his hands. Sakura's heart broke into a million pieces. Was he not happy to see her? Could he not see that she was dying with happiness?
"…Kakashi?" She whispered, her voice broken with unshed tears; hands furiously ringing together; eyes pleading for understanding.
Finally he lifted his tired head and she could see tear tracks running uninterrupted down his cheek. His expression tortured; desperately seeking understanding.
Sakura crossed the room instantly. She rested on knee on the bed, her hands gently cupping his jaw. Her thumb stroked over the rough facial hair, marveling at the warmth that still came off his skin like a furnace. Kakashi always ran hot, she thought with a smile. She stubbornly prevented him from ducking his head, instead guiding it to rest into her bosom.
She cupped the back of his head, running her finger through his shortened hair. His breath burned her skin even through her lab coat, sending shivers over her body. His lashes slowly closed, body going limp and she felt his arm loop around her waist, pulling her as close as the awkward position would allow.
Sakura's tears spilled over the threshold built to bravely hold them back and rained down on the top of his head but still she held him. Nothing could have separated them at that moment. Not Naruto bursting in, not a fire alarm, not even if the roof caved in. Sakura had him back in her arms and God help anyone who tried to pry them apart.
