Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Carving Out Opinions

"You know I can fix that for you." An impossibly blonde nurse told Sakura in the breakroom she had recently been allowed into. She'd heard other soldiers talk about her, how couldn't they she was as beautiful as they described her.

At first, she had hoped the nurse only slightly resembled the brightness that her husband's signature blonde hair had held but now she's thankful that she doesn't. Sakura doesn't think she would have been able to cope with anything but the washed-out version of him.

"Hello?"

Sakura flinched awaiting some type of physical contact to be made. "I…uh sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What do you want to fix?"

"Your hair. I see the way it bothers you. I can cut it. It's so exotic by the way, I've heard of others that have unique colors like yours but never met anyone in real life." She rambled. This made Sakura's heart do that little palpitation she'd experience whenever Naruto would do the every same thing. He would talk for hours about anything, always so passionate about life.

"Uh, Doctor. Are you going to answer me?"

"I don't think it'd be appropriate. I'm not sure what my parameters are here." Sakura replied curtly.

"Oh, that's nonsense. I'll be over at nine tonight." She chirped with a smack of her lips as she began to walk out the door.

How does she know where I live… Sakura thought as she slumped on her chair, checking her clock before heading out herself.

Most of the men she treated had the same bottomless dark eyes. Eyes that had probably seen hundreds of lives end. Eyes that she could so clearly see her reflection from. The blonde nurse was right Sakura thought as she took in the outline of her appearance, her hair does bother her. It looks too damaged, too uncared foit'sits begging for help. Just like me.

"How long has this been going on?" She asked pulling a flashlight out of her once bright white lab jacket.

"The blurred vision or the nausea?" The man asked, unsure of what to answer while Sakura ran her flash light through his eyes.

"Both."

"I don't know, like a day. When can I sleep?" His loud yawn emphasized his exhaustion

"Soon Colonel Tsumiki. I need to run some test first so I'm going to send a nurse in for some blood samples."

Sakura finished writing her notes looking at the unhealthily pale man in front of her. The redness of his neck didn't settle well within her.

"I'll be back in a bit. Is there anything you'd like me to bring you?"

"No thanks, I haven't been hungry for a few days."

With a slight bow, Sakura excused herself and began walking back towards the nurses station.

Her stomach flipped this didn't feel like a simple illness and if she didn't catch it soon she was going to be in deep trouble. Without thinking she made her way to pathology completely ditching her infectious disease text at the nurse's station.

"Doctor" A nurse yelled altered as her slightly paranoid state.

"Keep an eye on room 211. Call ICU and ask them to prepare a room."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Sakura thought as searched for a toxicology text in pathology.

"Sakura-chan why the fuck are you here? You have to come home you can't slay your days away in the hospital."

A loud voice rang through the walls of a small office. An office lit up by a small lamp that shun no brighter than the city behind her.

"Shut-up. Can't you see I'm busy? I need to find out what's wrong with her. She's going to die, her family has been crying non-stop." Sakura always got angry at how ignorant Naruto could be in those situations. Ever since they got engaged he had been bursting into her office at all hours demanding that she'd get proper rest and sleep. Wordlessly asking her to quit her job and become a full-time house wife. The slight tinge of purple under her eyes was a testament to how tired she was.

"This isn't normal, we're getting married soon. I told you I make more enough for the both of us. You need to quit."

Sakura felt her heart squeeze. "Naruto, I told you this is what I'm good at I know she's poisoned and I can fix it. I just need more time, please." She pleaded, trying to get through to him. Her hands reaching for his, the shiny rock on her finger glistening in the light.

"This happens every other week. I thought you wanted a family too. We can't have a family if you're at work all the time. You either leave now or we're through."

It hurt. Please don't leave me. You're the only one who wants to accept me. She pleaded, feeling tears run down her face.

Naruto's frown didn't help.

"Don't cry Sakura-chan. You need to rest. Let's give your notes to the doctor on-call. I'm sure they'll find out what's wrong with her." He said walking over to her bending over to rest his forehead on hers.

Looking into his eyes she thought he was right. Sakura had always been a sucker for pretty things and at the moment all she could do was drown while she looked into his blue eyes.

Overtaken by emotion and the need to feel wanted all she could do was nod. While he packed her belongings into a small bag.

Not long after they bought a nice home in a small village.

Sakura hovered the feed that the electrocardiogram gave her with a pen. Measuring the distance between the RR intervals of his heartbeat.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Bradycardia. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Doctor, I have an update on Colonel Tsumiki." She said waiting for Sakura to pick up her notebook before continuing.

"He's been extremely lethargic and been requesting pain medication for his stomach pain. His body temperature is stable…I've kept him on an IV drip of 50 CC's just like your requested. He has been having some diarrhea in addition to his lack of appetite."

"What about the rash on his neck?"

"It grew from .05mm to 2mm."

"Have you contacted pathology with his results yet?" Sakura said comparing two lists of symptoms she had copied from her medical books earlier.

"I-" The nurse began as she nervously eyed Sakura

"Run over there and ask them to test him for any types convallarin and convallatoxin."

"Yes doctor."

"I heard what you did today." The blonde, who had just formally introduced herself as Ino, chirped as she hovered over Sakura and parted her hair.

"This is a big deal. You realize someone had to deliberately poison him, there is no other way. I'm impressed. I read his file earlier in the day, I thought it was some type of virus."

Sakura was under the impression too, if it wasn't for the rash on his neck she would have injected him with the best antibiotics that were on market.

If something happens it will be your fault.

"I'm sure there is a reasonable cause." She said after a small pause.

"Who do you think did it, was it one of you guys," Ino smirked as the scissors cut through strands of pastel pink hair.

"I- No. I'm grateful my current situation. I have no communication with any others." Sakura said as she felt cold metal on her forehead above her eyebrows.

Her conversation with Ino was starting to go downhill really fast. Sakura had been hoping she could find someone who resembled a friend to ease the pain of her life. She had hoped that someone was Ino but now she knows she was a fool to think that. The current direction of her conversation was starting to break her out in a cold sweat. She prayed Ino wouldn't notice.

"Sakura, Sakura. Don't worry we've noticed how faithful you've been to us. You'll be rewarded gratefully. Now tell me how do you like your current job."

'Please kill me.' Sakura prayed as she gulped and begged for courage before opening her mouth to reply.

"It's great…I'm well respected and I get to work in the field I'm so passionate about."

"That's great! Ooh before I forget, I brought you a bag of some of my old clothes. I thought you'd like something else to wear besides those gray sweatshirt and sweatpants of yours." Ino said motioning at the small duffle bag that she had placed on her couch. Watching Sakura's worried reaction and hushed thank you.

"There you go. Look at how much better you look." Ino said as she admired the neck length bob and bangs that Sakura now had.

"Now, I would love to stay here and chat. But I have a date. I'll see you later." Ino said as she started to back away from Sakura.

Sakura could only stare at her reflection. As she heard Ino's energetic steps fade into the distance. She saw a stranger stare back at her, her once chubby cheeks were now gaunt and hollow. Her eyes lacked the passion and lust for life that they had once held. She looked down at her hands realizing that after all these years she's forgotten how it feels to touch him.

Where are you?

lll