Summary: AU Itachi is charged for murder but gets off by pleading insanity. Now he's stuck in the nut house looking for more victims. Too bad they can't tell anyone. No one believes in crazy people, right?
Disclaimer: I don't even own this computer.
AN: As promised the next chapter. And I've already got the next one planned out. Itachi will appear later on so just be patient for now.
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Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.
--Mark Twain
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Naruto-kun, you okay?"
Face to face. Haku stumbled back not knowing that Naruto could move that fast.
"Naruto's not here right now," The voice that answered defiantly wasn't the blonde's. It was deep and had a growl to it.
Haku bumped against the wall. He was trapped.
Bringing his arms up around his head Haku flinched; waiting for the blow that this Naruto would give him.
"Stupid intern, you really should know better by now."
Lowering his arms slightly Haku blinked at the sight before him. Naruto, he wasn't sure if Naruto was stable or not because his eyes were currently closed, was slumped against the man's shoulder seemingly unconscious. The man was, to put it nicely, unique. The lower part of his face was covered by blue cloth and his cap was tilted to cover his left eye. His gray hair seemed to defy gravity and shot out at weird angles. He was also very tall, making the blond seem shorter than he already was.
"I...he was...you…is…ugh?" Haku fumbled over his words, "What happened? D-did you just knock him out? Is he okay?"
"He's fine," the man sighed, shoving the hand that wasn't balancing the blonde into his pocket, "The real question is why you would just follow him like that. Didn't they teach you that some of the people here are dangerous?"
Haku looked down, sweeping his hair away from his eyes, "I'm sorry doctor."
The man's laughter surprised him. Blinking, he became confused, "What's so funny?"
"I'm no doctor kid."
"Nurse?" He questioned.
"Nope,"
"Patient?" Haku guessed hoping beyond reason that this one was all there upstairs.
"Hmm, not right, guess again,"
"Do you work here?"
"Yes, I'm the janitor kid."
The janitor!? Haku blushed ashamed of being caught in this situation by one of the cleaning staff.
"I've been here for quite some time now and I've seen what these people are capable of doing," the janitor told him solemnly, "you need to learn what to do before you get into some real trouble."
"Yes sir," Haku said, grabbing Naruto from him and reading the man's nametag smiled, "Thanks Kakashi-san."
The man waved it off, seeming bored as he slumped off. Haku shifted Naruto in his grasp and half way pushed, halfway dragged him down the hall hoping that Iruka-san wouldn't get too mad at him.
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"This clinic is divided into different parts. There are three levels and the level each have a good number of floors. The lowest level is for the staff that work on the paper work and keep this place going. The middle is where the patients that are…better off than some are. It's also where the doctors and nurses have their offices; and it's where the cafeteria is. The very highest level is for our most…time consuming patients are. They are up there for protection against themselves and for others too."
She paused, shifting in her desk and took a sip of her drink. Making a face she grimaced, it was sour.
"Now, Kisame-san, according to your information I must highly suggest that your client be placed in one of the highest level floors." Her tone told him that it wasn't going to matter what he said about that matter anyway.
She smiled tightly, "Any objections or questions?"
"No, I'm good." He was frowning though and the inner turmoil showed clearly on his face.
"Great, you may bring him in tomorrow."
The pale faced man stood up, bowed stiffly and left. As soon as the door closed Tsunade dropped her smile.
"God, I hate this part of my job. I'm no where near drunk enough to deal with this! Agh, Shizune, where's my drink!"
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And the next day came. It was bright and warm and oh so full of irony. This was terribly unfair. She wasn't supposed to get caught, she was promised.
"Just sneak out the back, Sakura," she whined mocking the voice and making it at least three scales higher than usual, "No one's there, I checked!"
She stumbled and the arm that held on to her tightened, stopping her fall.
"You don't have to walk me around like I'm three sensei; I'll take care of myself,"
Iruka sighed scratching the bridge of his scared nose. The pink haired girl had made a habit of calling all the doctors and nurses her teacher even though most found it annoying. "Well, Sakura-chan, if you didn't feel the need to push your boundaries- -"
"But sensei!" Turning around to face him she pouted, "She told me it was okay! Right?" At this point she turned to look at the empty space by her side and nodded, "See, she said I'm fine,"
The dark skinned doctor sighed, how could he explain to the girl that no one was there without feeling bad?
"Well, she's waiting for your answer. It's very rude to ignore people sensei," Followed by a "Hell yeah!"
But, Iruka new that she couldn't help it if she had two personalities; two very different ones at that. One that happened to be very fierce, and the other a sweet innocent one. (1)
"I'm sorry Sakura, now can we get inside?"
"Sure thing sensei," Sakura grabbed his hand this time and walked toward the building completely forgetting that she didn't want his hand at all. "Maybe if you let me out more I won't feel the need to 'push my boundaries' so often, huh?"
"I'll think about it,"
She rushed ahead dragging him along side her not looking where she was going. This, Iruka mused later, was not too bright.
WHAM
"Uff," Sakura banged head on into what appeared to be a person. She sent him toppling down and she landed on top in a tangle of arms and legs. She lay there, frozen. Maybe, she thought, if I don't move no one will notice?
She was hauled up though by Kakashi who appeared by Iruka like magic and she leaned back against him, surprised at the glare the boy she had bulldozed was sending her.
"I'm sorry," meekly she looked at Kakashi-sensei for help. The janitor patted her on the head.
"Alright there Sakura?"
"I'm fine," she huffed though, insulted that the boy was still glaring, "It wasn't her fault!" Sakura ground out between clenched teeth, "Now stop being such an ass!" Her inner persona shown through clearly agitated.
Sasuke, showed his shock by raising an eyebrow. It looked like he wasn't used to people defending themselves in third person.
"Ah," Iruka smiled clearly remembering the boy and deciding this would be a good place to stop before it went out of hand, "Can I help you find anything Sasuke?"
"I'm here to speak to my brother," His tone suggested that he really didn't want to.
"Alright, I'll find his room number for you,"
As Kakashi watched them walk away he heard Sakura sigh in bliss beside him.
"Sasuke-kun, such a nice name,"
The janitor sighed as she watched the pink haired girl skip behind them. The place had too much drama to be a good thing.
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(1) Iruka's talking about schizophrenia, Sakura has it. She's got an awesome attitude that will put the other characters into tight spots. I'll be using her as some weird form of comic relief.
Schizophrenia: Any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. Schizophrenia is associated with dopamine imbalances in the brain and may have an underlying genetic cause.
AN: Tell me what you think. The more reviews the better. It helps motivate me to write the next chapter faster. - -hint- -hint- -