This is the edited version of the chapter, enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or the characters mentioned in the story
Chapter III - SAKURA
Sakura woke up with ease that morning, it has only been three days since they got back from the war. Most people are still treated at the hospital. She was just glad she didn't have to stay there or nurse anyone until next week.
She's finally the happiest she has ever been in years, maybe because she and her comrades has been through a war and came back alive, maybe it's because she had saved most of the people fighting alongside them in the war-from the leaf, the sand, the sound, the cloud, the mist, all members of the allied forces… or maybe it's because Sasuke's back in Konoha. There's no need for her to be upset every day anymore.
Honestly though, Sakura felt like her feeling towards Sasuke after they came home is a little bit anticlimactic, she still has a strong feeling of love for him, but there's no urgency anymore. She doesn't have to constantly display how much he meant to her, to beg him to come home, she doesn't need to sacrifice anything for him anymore, because he's finally free from the darkness and from now on he can take care of himself. And maybe it is better for him to take care of himself first now, withou a bother from some girl.
He needs a comrade, a friend. And that's exactly what she's gonna be to him, at least for a while.
"Yosh" she collide her hand in a single clap in determination and get off her bed, tidying it before heading to clean herself. Today she will do anything she can to help Sasuke the best way she knows how.
And she needs Tsunade-shishou's help
"A Prosthetic?" Tsunade tilt her head from the paperwork on her desk
"Nhm" Sakura nods eagerly
"I don't know Sakura, it will take a lot from you to do it" her shishou say
"I know, that's why I'm asking you if it's going to work, I can't waste that much time making it if it's just going to go to waste"
"Hmm.. a prosthetic has never been made to replace an arm before, legs, sure but... In the arm there's a lot to work on, there's the elbow, wrist, fingers. And these all would have to be able to move with his chakra too. And there's always the chance his body rejecting the prosthetic"
"I know shishou, I've gathered some books and scrolls that I think might help me construct one. So tell me"
"Hmm… Well for sure, we have to get the boy's cooperation first"
"I couldn't see why he would mind"
"We will have to keep studying his chakra flows and figure out the details of a functioning arm, not to mention the trials. It's our first time so it sure won't work right away"
"Our? Shishou!" Sakura lunge at her teacher with joy to Tsunade's surprise and discomfort "So, you'll help me?"
"Uhh.. I don't really have a choice" she sigh "besides… I like a challenge once in a while, and i don't mean just some boring paperwork and technical mission stuff, real medic stuff"
"Shishou"
"Now let's see what you've got so far"
Sakura drops her sack and reveal scrolls and books she mentioned earlier on Tsunade's desk
"Wow you work real fast" she chime
"For Sasuke-kun, believe me, It's not fast enough"
Sakura doesn't see much of her team any of these days, she's too busy working at the hospital, studying at the Hokage's office or home dead on the bed.
She never spar with Sai, Kakashi and Naruto or even hang out with the rest of the rookie 9 like she used to. All of her friends have been asking for her, but she just couldn't afford the time. But one day after her shift at the hospital she was met with the very bumned-looking Naruto "Sakura chan"
"Sakura-chan you've never been able to see us, I know it's only has been two weeks since we got back but it wouldn't hurt to see at least one of us dattebayo"
"S-sorry Naruto, I've been so busy with work, there had been so many people injured from the war so I have to take longer shifts than usual"
"Well, you have lunch and I'm sure dinner break right, if you had told us we'll adjust to your schedule Sakura-chan. Even Sai misses you"
"I do not" a sudden calm voice make them jump out of their skin
"Kyaaaaa! Sai, you creep! What are you doing behind the bushes?!"
"I'm just here to see what you're up to"
"Yo" Kakashi jumps from a tree near them
"Huaaaa, Kakashi sensei! nandayo?!"
"Well, since everyone is out I see no point of hiding up there" Sakura can imagine her former sensei giving a sheepish smile under the mask he's wearing all the time
"What are you all doing here?"
"See, see Sakura-chan, we all miss you" Naruto say with a dull face "I'm just the only one decent enough not to go behind your back, and actually say hello like a normal person would"
"Well, now that we're all here, what about a bowl of ramen?" Kakashi offers
"Hai!" Naruto say excitedly, already forgetting that he was slightly pissed off less than a minute ago
"I'm sorry I have some things I still need to do"
"What?! Please Sakura-chan! It's only one bowl this time, I promise"
"Yes, we hardly ever do dinner anymore. It is said in this article that we should make time for our friends between our hectic schedule to make sure they know we appreciate them" Sai adds
"How about it Sakura?" Kakashi ask "On me"
And finally she gave in. Sai was right, she needs to make time for her friends, no matter how long-a full day or just a bowl of ramen, they still need her time to spare. They are after all, the ones who fight alongside her to get Sasuke back and make her able to go on all these years. They were the love taking a huge part of her heart, filling it when Sasuke couldn't.
"Itadakimasu!"
"Eh, sensei" sakura suddenly say after her first gulp "Where is Yamato-taichou?"
"Oh eh eh, he's babysitting Sasuke tonight"
"That's right, all four of us has been assign to follow him around while he's in probation, and since he's still sulking at his ol' house it's really like babysitting a dead kid"
"Dead?" Sai ask
"He doesn't move" Naruto say with a mouthful
"Oh right"
That's right. Sakura has been so used to it just being them-Sai, Naruto, Yamato-taichou and Kakashi-sensei than she completely forgot that Sasuke was supposed to be here too, afterall he is one of the original members of team 7. Yes, he's part of the team, he's our friend again now.
"Why didn't we invite them?"
"Tch, as if Sasuke-teme would wanna get out from his house"
"I wonder why he is so upset" Sai ask "It's either that he feels like he doesn't belong… or" Sai flips the pages of his magazine "clinical depression" he reads out loud
"Of course not that! Ne, Sai, what kind of magazies do you read anyway?"
"Baka yaro! It's neither, obviously he's just being a melodramatic drama queen as always."
"Yes, Sasuke has always been an extreme melancholy" Kakashi agrees while sipping his ocha
"Well I hope he's not too upset about missing an arm, I can only imagine how hard it must be going around without it. Holding things, opening jars, doors.."
"Tch, he'll live. It's not that hard Sakura-chan. Remember he lost his left hand, it wasn't as hard as me, I lost my right"
"Oh yeah, Naruto. How's your arm?"
"Eh, as you can see it's perfectly fine"
"Hmm.. It has been said that the kyuubi's jinchuriki will possess the ability to regenerate but I didn't know it would be this soon" Kakashi comment
Naruto smile brightly to his teammates "It's fully functional just three days ago"
"Sugoi" Sakura chime
"Isn't it awesome Sakura-chan?"
"Can I see it?"
Naruto extend his right arm to Sakura and she examines it. The regeneration was fully capable of duplicating the exact same arm Naruto had lost perfectly. It makes Sakura even more nervous than she was before about constructing a functioning prosthetic for Sasuke.
That night was perfect.
But sadly, that was the only night Sakura gets to hang out with her team. She knows deep down she need to do this, she need to finish this last task before she could feel released from her duty to Sasuke.
After he left, her existence was just to get stronger so she could bring him back, and he hadn't come back in one peace. So the arm, that's Sakura's responsibility to restore. As a medic-nin and his friend. Then she could finally be done. She would have given her all to Sasuke, with nothing left, then she would finally be at ease.
So the cycle-of working until late at the hospital, hokage's office, the library and home to rest-went on for nearly a month when she has found the materials that could possibly be used to construct the prosthetic, before she could go on she will need the subject to test these on.
"Shishou"
"Hmm" Tsunade nods "Shizune"
"Yes, Tsunade sama?"
"Have someone get Sasuke in here. Where is he anyway?"
"I last hear from Yamato-taichou that he's at the hospital for his regular check-up"
"Good, tell him to get here as soon as he can"
"Hai" Shizune say before she left the room
The whole time Sakura kept thinking about Naruto's arms that gave her some ideas for the prosthetic, she's starting to think maybe she should also ask Naruto for his time to examine his new arm
Moments later-about half an hour-Sasuke finally shows, Sakura's head turn and give him a brief greeting before he step in and talk to the Hokage.
The whole time she kept thinking of what would the possibilities be, if it was even reckless to try to test on Sasuke now, afterall… It's been years, yes his chakra flows would've been familiar back when they were on a team, when she hasn't mastered anything yet. But after he left, he got so much stronger and probably has so much more chakra, it's impossible for her to be familiar with it now. She's starting to think maybe it's best to postpone the trial for material and instead, let her get familiar with the subject first, incase his body would react. At first Sakura and Tsunade were gonna try each and every one on him, but thinking about it now, it would be too risky. They won't know how the body would reject it.
Maybe it would be painful. Sakura couldn't bear the thought of Sasuke being in pain, she never could. She remembers when Sasuke first got the curse mark, and she was the only one that knew about it. Everytime Sasuke would winch and his body would shake from baring unbelievable pain, as if the one on his heart wasn't enough. Once he even faint in her arms. Sakura cringe at the memory, somehow it was as painful for her, although it was in a way different from his
"Shishou" Sakura suddenly snaps Sasuke and Tsunade's attention to her "I think we should postpone it"
"Why?"
"I'm not familiar with his chakra yet. And trying the material one by one, we wouldn't know how his body would react to it"
"You're not familiar with your own teammate's chakra?" Tsunade ask
Sakura hasn't been paying attention, but her statement also stung Sasuke a little bit "It has been that long" he say calmly, mostly to calm himself
"Yes" Sakura agree "We can't risk it"
"Very well, then I'll tell Yamato, Kakashi, Sai and Naruto they're off night duty. You'll be watching Uchiha and study his chakra flow for a while"
"I can't. The shift at the hospital. They still need me there"
"That's why I'm giving you the night shift to babysit... As long as you're sure you can handle it" Tsunade give her a look
"I have enough chakra to handle it shishou"
Tsunade sigh, that's not what she had in mind when she asked "Fine. Uchiha you may leave"
Sasuke take one last questioning glance at Sakura before exiting the room.
.
.
.