Kyuubi was angry.
No.
Livid.
Homicidal even.
He set the diary back on the side table, where he had picked it up from. His hand was shaking in anger. He should get out of here before he breaks something and wake his dying baby sister up.
Dying.
He hated that word with a passion.
He had already lost his parents, he didn't need his beloved sister leaving him too. Maybe he was being selfish. Not wanting to be left behind. Maybe it was just the fact that he couldn't handle the prospect of losing her too. He had always known his sister's emo habits. The angst. The cutting. And everything else in between. He just never mentioned it to her to allow her some privacy. The only thing he could give her was his love and support and telling Iruka to help with his psychiatric abilities.
And now all that effort has left him with this.
So many things ran through his mind.
Why did she never mention any of this to me?
Does she not trust me anymore?
Why must that emo brother-in-law of mine be so fucking blind?!
He sighed deeply as he closed the sliding door behind him. Why did everything have to be so damn difficult? He flinched as he felt arms wound around his waist, breaking his train of thought. The owner of said arms rested his head on Kyuubi's shoulder, burying his nose in the crook of the red head's neck.
"This is why she didn't want to tell you, baby." The deep voice rumbled.
"But 'Tachi, I'm really worried about her." Kyuubi sighed.
"She's a strong girl Kyuu. You know she's just as stubborn as you are. There is no shaking her foundations." Itachi chuckled.
"Yeah. It's in the family. Just like you Uchiha's and your stupid monosyllabic-ness." He pouted.
"That's not even a word, Kyuu. Besides, you're an Uchiha too now." He chuckled as his uke husband attempted to glare holes into his skull. Please, Uchiha's invented the death glare. He mentally laughed.
"Your brother is a stupid stupid man. A stupid dead man if I see him now." Kyuubi crossed his arms and pouted childishly.
"I know. He's undeniably retarded when it comes with human relations."
"Yes. Yes he certainly is."
"I think he's coming here soon."
"Took him 3 months to realize something was wrong? 3 moths?!" The redhead turned around and practically shouted to his seme, still in Itachi's grip.
"Shh, baby, this is a hospital."
"3 fucking months?!" He whispered.
Itachi smiled. He still couldn't believe that this strong redhead could be so unbelievably cute and innocent sometimes. And he even had the privilege of being his husband too. Itachi brushed a lock of hair that was covering Kyuubi's face. "It would have taken longer if I hadn't hinted, more like practically told him, where she was and what was going on though. I know my baby brother, just like you know Naru-chan. We may not be able to read their minds or know everything they've been through, but you and I practically raised them."
"…"
"He'll come around. I'm sure the whole Sakura-thing was only a plan to get Naru-chan jealous."
"How do you know?"
"Sakura is not exactly the most discreet person when it comes to talking about her lover. From her description, it may have seemed to be describing Sasuke, but she slipped his name by accident once. Sai, I think it was."
"Sai? As in the Sai, the youngest and most famous painter in Japan?"
"I think so."
"Hmm…"
"Go home, Kyuu. You've been up on your feet all day. Go home and get some rest."
"Alright, alright." He sighed.
Maybe skinning Sasuke alive could wait.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sasuke trudged his way to his brother's office. He wanted explanations and he wanted them now. He was sick of being kept in the dark about what was going on.
He knocked on the door impatiently. After a series of unanswered knocks, he decided it would be a better idea to roam the hallways to search for him instead of waiting here. Sasuke may not give a rat's ass about his aniki's life, but he was smart enough to know Itachi wasn't the type to stay in his office doing paperwork all day when he could go torture his numerous patients. What a sadistic bastard.
Sasuke started his journey down the hallway. He noticed Itachi's assistant, the platinum blonde nurse… uhh… what was her name again? Uno? Oni? No, definitely not. What kind of parent would name their daughter 'demon'? Hmm… Ah, screw it, he couldn't remember.
Oh wait! There's a name tag! Saved by the tag!
Now to zero in on the name printed on the tag…
I…
Ino.
Ah! Ino!
Sasuke cleared his throat to catch her attention. The cloned nurse turned to the source of the cough.
"Ah! Sasuke-kun, what are you doing here? Are you looking for someone?" She smiled.
"Hn"
It seemed like she remembered something bad as her smile faltered, "Ah, I see. Come with me."
Sasuke was confused. Why the heck does she look so grim while bringing him to his brother? Is visiting Itachi that bad? Geez, it was like marching down the path to hell or something. Ah. Totally understandable.
Sasuke was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice where Ino was taking him until she spoke, breaking his chain of thought.
"Here we are." She smiled with one of those I'm-sorry-for-your-loss professional sad smiles.
Then he finally noticed it.
The plaque on the door.
Oncology Department
Private Recovery Wing
Room 3765
Namikaze Naruko – Patient
Oncology?
Recovery?
PATIENT?!
What. The. Fuck?!
What the heck was going on?! Is this some kind of sick joke?! I swear to God, if this is some kind of prank Itachi pulled, I'm gonna kill that asshole!
Sasuke frowned, his menacing aura easily detected within a fifty mile radius. Ino seemed to obviously notice it too. Crap. Maybe Naruko wasn't the person Sasuke was looking for. But she had heard from her many… sources that Naru and Sasuke had been in love with each other for the longest time, but for some strange reason, both of these geniuses were retards when it came to noticing the other's feeling. Hence the two idiots were still not together as a couple. Oh well, this ought to give them the push they need.
"She may still be asleep. She just had another dose of chemo and very heavily drugged with morphine. So if she does anything weird, just remember what I told you." Ino pat his shoulder, urging him to enter the dimly lit private ward.
Sasuke allowed the blonde to nudge him through the doorway. If it wasn't for the push, Sasuke honestly didn't think he would dare to take a step in to the room, for fear of what he might see. For fear of seeing what he was imagining becoming reality.
He cautiously approached the bed, and lo and behold, there Naru lay. He carefully sat on the bed on her left side and saw the bruising on her left wrist. He winced as he looked at it. Was it really him that had put the bruise there? For confirmation, he checked her shoulder, where he had tapped her. There was a nasty bruise there too. He finally came to a conclusion. There was only one condition that can leave excessive bruising with the slightest touch.
Leukemia.
But how long had she had it for? Why didn't she bother to tell him? The thought of her leaving him for dead was too much for poor Sasuke. His eyes were welling up with tears that he refused to let drop. It had been too long since he cried. He carefully picked up her hand and kissed it gently.
"I'm so sorry Naru." He whispered as he brushed her hair away from her face.
"I shouldn't have gone with Sakura's stupid plan and just tell you the truth since the very beginning."
Drip
"Please. Please don't leave me." He clawed the bed sheets in desperation as he tried to hold back his tears.
Drip
Drip
"I love you. So much. So please don't leave me. I know it's selfish of me. But please don't leave me alone again. I don't want to be alone again." He cried profusely, not noticing that the blonde was awake.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Naru felt heavy, like her whole body was made of lead. Wasn't morphine supposed to make you feel weightless and painfree? Or maybe it was just her heart?
She could hear Sasuke's voice in the back of her mind. He was saying everything she had always wanted him to say. Was it just her? Or was he really there, saying those words to her in her drug-induced state?
She tried to open her eyes, of course they felt like lead too, so she opened them slowly and only to half mast. She focused her vision as best she could. The first thing she saw was Sasuke clutching desperately on the sheets while he held her left hand gently and crying like a baby.
He must have figured it out. Wasn't hard to anyway. Everyone would have noticed it sooner or later.
I guess this way is better. To be able to say goodbye before I leave.
Naru was never one to think grimly, but in her circumstance, the chance of her surviving was slim. Yes, she was getting better, but how long can the chemo keep her alive? She was a test subject for a new and improved therapy. It may not have the usual side effects, but what if the real side effects were much worse than the traditional chemotherapy?
Her body was still a ticking time bomb. She should at least tell the guy how she felt. It's not everyday that you can get Uchiha Sasuke crying like this while confessing his love for you.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sasuke was busy trying (and failing) to keep his tears at bay that he didn't notice Naru's other hand moving until it caressed his cheeks, wiping the tears away.
He looked up abruptly to see Naru awake, if only just, and smiling at him.
How can she forgive him so easily?
"Naru…" He whispered.
"Don't cry Sasu." She whispered back. Her voice a little strained from the lack of use.
"Naru…" He whispered again to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.
"I love you too." She said with a smile on her face, before the hand on his cheek dropped and her eyes closed.
Beep beep beep
No.
This was not happening.
NO!
Everything happened so fast. One second she was talking to him, the next she was in cardiac arrest. The nurses, Ino included, had rushed in the room, with a worried looking Itachi trailing just behind them with the defibrillator paddles.
Ino had to practically yank Sasuke away from Naru to get him to stand up. Sasuke was just staring at the nearly lifeless body on the bed in shock.
"No…" He whispered.
"No" He repeated in a slightly louder voice.
"NO!" He shouted, trying to get out of Ino's restraint. Boy, why are all the females he knows so damn strong?
"Get him out of here!" He could hear Itachi shout as he charged up the paddles.
Ring
"Clear"
Sasuke could hear the electricity rushing into her body as it practically made her jump from the bed.
Still no good.
"Clear"
His world was spinning. He didn't know if it was because he was being pushed out of the room like a rag doll or from his denial of the situation. The next thing he remembered was his butt thudding on the chair outside the room.
He heard footsteps coming his way. Rushed and angry so it seemed. He was yanked by his collar by the owner of said feet.
"This is all your fault!" His brother-in-law screamed at him.
Yes. It is.
"If you weren't such a fucking chicken, she wouldn't have worked herself to death!" He yelled while shaking him.
It was all my fault.
"I swear to God Sasuke, if she dies, I'm going to pommel you to an unidentifiable pulp!" Kyuubi said in a shaky voice. He hung his head low as he started to sob. "Besides you and Itachi, she's all I have." He said in a whisper.
She's all I have too.
"She's all I have" Kyuubi repeated in a quieter voice. It was barely a whisper.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Itachi couldn't even count how many times he had zapped her. It had been more than 5 minutes. He had been praying hard so she wouldn't die.
This is the last try. Please, please don't die.
Itachi set the charged paddles on her chest one last time.
Beep beep beep
Itachi had always been a pessimist about 'bringing the dead back to life'. He never really believed in miracles that defied science. Until today. Maybe it was because her patient was someone he loved. Maybe because miracles can happen.
Itachi has never been a devout when it comes to believing in God. Sure enough he respected the presence of God. But in his life, there had been only a few things he had prayed for. Selfish things really. Of course they had not been answered. Also until today. All his prayers over the past years had been about himself. Except for this one.
Please God, give her another chance at life. My stupid baby brother had just told her how he felt too. Please give them a chance.
Itachi had not been eavesdropping. No he hasn't! It wasn't his fault he had great hearing. It wasn't his fault he could hear a pin drop in the middle of a war. No it isn't. So, no, he wasn't eavesdropping.
He sighed in relief as he placed the paddles back on the trolley. Thank God indeed. He looked over her monitors. Heart rate was good, breathing is fine, brain waves are in a coma state. Wait a second! Rewind! Brain waves in a coma state?! Well at least she wasn't brain dead, or dead at all. What kind of sick and twisted plot is this?!
Great. Now he has to go tell the desperate Sasuke and the ever so temperamental Kyuubi who are both bawling like babies out there that she wasn't dead but in a coma.
Itachi sighed as he started heading for the door.
What have I gotten myself into?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sasuke and Kyuubi waited patiently in front of the room. It was a strange sight to behold. They were clutching each other like the other was their only lifeline, crying like babies.
These usually stoic and proud men have been reduced to a pile of crying mush. Itachi shook his head as he watched the interaction between his husband and little brother who were usually at each other's throats. He cleared his throat to get their attentions. They both jumped out of their reverie and when they realized the position they were in.
"H-how is she?" Sasuke whispered, trying his best to not sound shaky.
"She's alive."
The two let out a sigh of relief.
"But…"
The men visibly flinched.
"She's in a coma."
Kyuubi and Sasuke's eyes widened at the news.
"Her brain function is fine, but it's as if her body is forcing her to go into a coma. Possibly to fix the cancer. I'm not certain at this point. Only time will tell."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
1 Month Later
Sasuke practically opted to live in the hospital since that day. Of course Sasuke obviously got the top results for his exams and got an internship in the hospital Naru was in straight away. He had been doing over time for the entire month since he got the internship. When he had his break, he would go sleep in either the bunk rooms for the staff or in Naru's ward.
He was getting restless. It had been a fucking MONTH since she went into a coma. He had never felt this anxious in his life. And it was seriously getting to him.
He approached the bed slowly and set himself on the bed, one hand holding hers, the other stroking her now pale face.
"Please come back soon. I miss you. We all miss you. Come back soon, Naru. I love you." He whispered to her motionless body and kissed her forehead gently.
He looked at her left wrist. The dark blue bruise now mostly gone, the left over bruise now only a pink tinge. Maybe Itachi was right. Maybe the coma was her body's way of telling her to take a break and let it heal itself.
Sasuke sighed as he stroked her golden locks.
"I'll be waiting for you… for as long as it takes. Get better soon. I love you." He smiled sadly.
He kissed her hand one last time before retreating out of the room, ready to start his rounds for the night.
A.N.
Oh no! Gasp!~ What will happen next? Will Naru ever wake up from her coma? Or will the authoress kill her off… (Unlikely, but hey, I may be in a cruel mode, who knows…)
Well there you have it! 3rd installment of the Journal series. Sorry it took so long to write and it's so short. I've been busy with tons of studying and exams and tests and yadda yadda yadda. Yes, I realize this chapter is a little angsty and if the writing style is a little off, please forgive me… =( It's been a while since I wrote and since I am a health sciences major, it kinda contributed A LOT to my getting rusty at writing fanfics. But it's no excuse!
Anyway, I will really appreciate your comments and thoughts about the story so far, so please REVIEW and I will try to write the next one as soon as I can!!
Thanks for reading!