Tears of Hope
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.
This fanfic belongs to me. If you want to use it in any way shape or form, you'll need my permission first.
Judging by the rate at which the stories moving along, I think that I am going to have quite a few chapters ahead of me before it comes to a close. Who knows if I still have more to tell, I may just carry on until I am satisfied. I just don't want to change the pace because now it is feels right to me. Hope you are enjoying it.
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Chapter Four - Dawn
The fist rays of light flickered over the horizon, dancing atop the trees and through the windows as the sun finally started to rise over Konoha. The warm light burned away the remaining cold of the previous night and the clouds parted, almost as if a new hope had risen in the face of adversity. In the Hokage tower, outside the medical ward Sakura had long since fallen asleep, exhausted from the commotion of the previous night. As the warm rays of light finally touched her face her body began to stir. Her eyes slowly opened, dazed and tired, as she glanced around the hallway. Suddenly all the memories rushed back into her. Memories of the ordeal she had just been through. She jumped up, her body shaking as though she had just seen a ghost. "Was he stillalive?" she thought to herself as she put her foot forward in the direction of the closed medical room door.
Before she could go any further the door burst open. Sakura jumped in fright just before seeing an exhausted Tsunade walk out into the hallway. She sat down on one of the benches near the one Sakura had been sleeping on. Sakura look earnestly at the hokage before sitting down again, focussing her eyes down towards her shaking hands that lay upon her lap. Both of them just sat there, quietly, waiting for what seemed like an eternity. The silence finally broke as Tsunade opened her mouth to speek. "We've managed to stabilise him." Sakura's heart almost exploded at the sound of the words she just heard. "He's ... he's still... alive!" she thought to herself tears once again forming in her eyes. Her body felt weak again, almost as though she would just collapse any moment. "Tsunade looked at the girl before her, as a small smile was allowed to grace her face for the first time in hours. "His vitals are picking up, and we've managed to control the most sever wounds. His breathing is also returning to normal. But..." Sakura looked up at Tsunade with a worried look now gracing her contorted face.
"But what?" Her voice was now shaking at the thought of possible bad news. "He is still in a critical condition at this time. I don't know if he'll remain as stable as he currently is. The damage to his body is still extensive and we can't trust..." Tsunade paused, realizing that Sakura didn't yet know about the Kyuubi sealed within Naruto's body. "What?" Sakura nagged again. ".. We can't trust the equipment currently at our disposal. We'll need to transfer him to the hospital as soon as possible if we want to keep his condition under proper surveillance." Sakura looked back down at her hands. Her body had calmed down a little. He was alive and that was all that mattered to her right know. "Shizune, contact the Konoha hospital immediately! Tell them to send a medical team over to the Tower to transfer a patient! Make sure they know that its a critical situation" Tsunade shouted through the door, loud enough to stir the now tired ANBU guards further down the hallway. "I still don't know what's going on" one of the guards whispered to the other. "Dare to ask" was his solemn team-mates only reply. "No... I guess not."
The water flowed briskly beneath the all too familiar bridge that team seven often met at before their missions. The suns rays glistening atop the ripples that swayed back and fourth in an endless cycle. A burst of ripples formed as a pebble dropped down, disturbing the tranquility of the stream and warping a lone reflection of the one standin on the bridge. "I wonder where everyone is this morning?" Sasuke murmured to himself as he waited, less than patiently, atop the small bridge. "kakashi told us to be here early today for an important briefing." Sasuke now stared down the long path approaching the bridge, trying spot his team mates. "It's a given that our lazy sensei would be late, but this doesn't explain where Naruto and Sakura are!" now growing anxious and irritated at the same time.
"Hey there!" Sasuke almost jumped of the bridge at the sudden appearance of his late sensei. "You should know better than to sneak up on someone like that. You almost gave me a heart attack!" Sasuke scolded at kakashi, who just gave his usual sigh placing his hand up in an apologetic wave. He then glanced around back and forth, a slight confusion coming over his masked face. "Where are Naruto and Sakura? It's not like them to be late." "I don't know, I haven't seen them all morning." "Then perhaps we should go looking for them" a now slightly worried Kakashi spoke, looking up at the almost fully visible sun. He could feel an anguished knot form in his stomach as he couldn't help but think that something must be wrong.
A frantic scene formed outside the Hokage tower as medical teams rushed to secure Naruto to a stretcher. He had to be transferred quickly lest anything happened to make his condition fall. It was still early and there were very few villagers wondering around at the time. Sakura stood next to a motionless Naruto as the final straps fastened his body down, preventing him from shifting as they would make there way to the hospital. It was then that she realized that he didn't have his headband on. "It must still be in the forest." She thought to herself as the final strap was fastened.
A hand landed softly on Sakura's shoulder. It was Tsunades. "He'll be alright" she spoke, rubbing the worried girls shoulder. "I want to go with them" was her only reply. "Hai! But don't slow them down. I'll be their shortly. I just need to collect some notes from my office. Shizune will accompany you in the meantime." Sakura nodded. "Ok!" Tsunade shouted, gaining the attention of the now prepared medical ninjas. "You are to move to the hospital as quickly as possible, but try not to create to much commotion. If anything happens to Naruto, there will be consequences!" A unanimous 'HAI!' sounded amongst the ninjas before they took of in a flash, jumping across the rooftops as quickly as possible in the direction of the Hospital. Sakura looked back as Tsunade turned to the Hokage towers front door.
As they neared the front entrance to the hospital Sakura could see a medical team waiting for there arrival. They landed in front of the doors as medical staff rushed over to take the patient inside. Sakura stood and watched as they headed towards the door. Not to far away, Kakashi glanced around as his head wavered from side to side looking for his missing team as he walked through the streets of the village, a morbid Sasuke at his side. "What's going on down there?" Kakashi looked towards Sasuke's surprised face as the young ninja spoke. He then looked up to see a crowd of medical staff gathered outside the Hospital doors.
"Something must have happened" he thought as he saw a lone stretcher being carried into the doors. They both quickly rushed towards the scene. "Sakura!" shouted Sasuke as he noticed her standing in amongst the med nins. Sakura turned around quickly to see her companions making there way towards her. Tears started to form in her eyes at the sight of them. She then collapsed onto her knees just as a shocked Sasuke bent down in front of her. "What's wrong?" His voice was now stricken with anxiety. "It's ... it's." It was then that Kakashi realised who it was that had been carried into the hospital doors. "N... Naruto!"
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Sakura's an emotional wreck at the moment, but i guess that's how it's always been. Hope you enjoyed