He yawned as he stretched languidly, scratching his stomach as he smacked his lips together. Rolling to the side, Naruto stared at his teammate, who lay perfectly still on his back as he slept. Naruto frowned at how proper Sasuke slept. It just didn't seem natural.
Feeling another yawn coming, he quickly stifled it and sat up, wondering what had woken him in the first place. He looked around, finding his sensei asleep against the back of a tree, his perverted book acting as some sort of sleeping mask as it lay over his face. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at his sensei before rolling his eyes.
He even fell asleep reading that book…. Naruto thought. What does he find so interesting about it?
Shrugging it off, Naruto brushed his hair back, feeling the land of sleep calling him once more. He laid down again, closing his eyes as he sighed, completely content in his comfy sleeping bag.
He shot right back up though as his stomach gurgled, eyes widening in realization. He had to go. And not just go. He had to go go.
Trying to shuffle out of his sleeping bag quietly proved much more difficult when faced with the panic of trying to hold it all in. Shaking the bag off of his foot, Naruto scrambled away, quickly walking into the forest as his stomach continued to gurgle in displeasure. He held it, hunched as a cold sweat broke out. He wasn't sure he'd be able to make it.
I knew I shouldn't have eaten that rabbit Teme caught. Naruto thought bitterly, as he tried to get far enough away from the campsite. It probably had something wrong with it, the thing was so old.
Deeming it far enough, Naruto quickly pulled down his pants and sighed as he relieved himself. He crouched for a good 5 minutes, feeling his stomach slowly relax as the built up tension released. Straightening himself, he smiled triumphantly, proud of himself for not soiling his jumpsuit. Looking up into the sky, he saw that it was close to dawn, the night stars slowly beginning to fade from view.
I might as well go get Sakura-chan. he thought, walking back towards the camp. It's almost the end of her shift and I'm sure she wouldn't mind me taking over.
Naruto grinned at the thought of his Sakura-chan. She'd be so pleased she'd get an extra 30 minutes of sleep! And, he'd be the one to offer it!
His smile only got wider as he thought about how happy Sakura would be. A spring developing in his step, Naruto entered the campsite, finding Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke exactly as they had been when he'd left. Naruto smirked, a smug grin forming as he thought about how he'd be the first one to say good morning to them all. Maybe there was an advantage to having the dawn shift.
Looking up into the treetops, he squinted as he searched for the familiar head of pink hair. After not finding it, he squinted harder, looking higher into the shadows of the trees. Adding chakra to his feet, Naruto walked up the sides of one of the taller trees, secretly proud of his new ability. They had all learned a lot from the mission to Wave Country, but Naruto couldn't help but feel like he had improved the most. After hopping from branch to branch and still not finding her, he jumped back down, scratching his head, befuddled at where Sakura could be.
He thought about calling out to her, but then he'd wake up Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei, even though he was sure his sensei was well aware of his presence. Either way, neither would be happy at the early wake up call.
So, Naruto walked around the edges of the camp for a bit, searching high and low for the only female student of the team. He began to grow worried though when 10 minutes later he still had not found her.
What if she's been kidnapped? he thought in a panic. But, that wouldn't be possible…. Right? Zabuza and Haku are dead and I'm pretty sure no one else is after us…. Unless….
"What if Gato hired someone before he was killed to track us down?!" he whispered aloud, the irrational idea scaring him. Naruto was still shaken up about what had occurred at the bridge, even though it had been close to a month since it had happened now. He still had nightmares about the slaughter that had taken place there, still seeing visions of Sasuke's motionless body on the ground, the concrete staining a dark crimson as blood flowed.
He shook himself from his thoughts though, resolve and determination settling into him, like it always did when his teammates were concerned. If one of them was in danger, fear took the backseat in his mind. Their safety was more important than his fear.
So he plowed on, walking deeper into the forest, whispering "Sakura-chan" over and over as he checked bushes, tree lines, and even venturing as far as the distant tree tops. His worry for her safety began to grow though when another five minutes passed with no sign of his pink haired teammate.
He was about to turn back around and wake up Kakashi-sensei, his worry outweighing the possible consequences for interrupting their sleep, when he heard a small thump. It almost sounded like a stick falling out of a tree and hitting the floor, it was so quiet. Normally, Naruto wouldn't have even bothered investigating the noise, it had been so inconspicuous, but it had piqued his interest. It could've been Sakura-chan making that noise after all.
So, he headed in that direction, looking around for whatever had made that noise. He eventually found what might've been the cause of it, as a small brown satchel was lying on the ground next to a tree. Picking it up, Naruto shifted it in his palm, finding it to have a slight weight to it. He opened it to find a couple of small scrolls, foreign objects he had never seen before.
Pulling one out, he turned it around in his palm a few times. He felt something drop onto his head, and he swiped at his hair, still investigating the new scroll. It looked like some sort of sealing scroll, the kanji's on the side of it unfamiliar. The handwriting was messy and hard to make out. Some of it didn't even look like actually words, just certain symbols and letters strung together.
Something else landed on his cheek and Naruto frowned, scrunching up his nose as he lifted a hand to swipe at it. Shifting through the other scrolls in the bag, he found them to have similar content, numbers and symbols added to random letters. It was all very strange, and Naruto slumped down into the grass, leaning his back onto the tree as he racked his brain for answers. What were these things? What were these symbols and numbers for?
Beginning to grow uncomfortable, Naruto leaned forward scratching his back only to pause as he realized his jacket was wet. Surprised, he brought his hand forward, seeing a dark liquid staining the tips of his fingers. Bringing them closer, Naruto recoiled in disgust at the horrible, and yet familiar, coppery smell of blood. Turning fully around, Naruto let out a startled yelp as he saw the bark of the tree practically stained in the red substance.
He felt something land on his head again, and it was with a wide, scared eyes, did he look up and freeze.
A figure lay draped across a branch, their body folding in on itself as limbs dangled loosely in the air- cold, dull eyes staring down at the ground. Pink hair shadowed their face, the ends of it dripping, dripping, dripping with blood.
Naruto sat, frozen, eyes wide and mouth agape in absolute horror. Another drop of the red liquid landed on his face, rolling down his cheek, as he continued to stare at the still figure. They weren't moving. She wasn't moving.
"S-Sakura-chan?" Naruto whimpered, slowly getting up, scrolls tumbling off his lap, forgotten.
This can't be real…. Naruto thought, the metallic stench of the blood on his face overwhelming his senses. It has to be some sort of Genjutsu.
"K-Kai," he whispered, hugging his fingers tight into the seal. "Kai!"
Nothing happened though. Nothing changed. Her blood still ran down his face. Sakura's body still dangled lifelessly above him.
Naruto lost it when another drop landed on his nose, and he screamed violently, shaking his head back and forth as he struggled to comprehend what was happening.
"Sakura-chan!" he cried out, feebly trying to grasp her fingers. "Sakura-chan, stop it! It's not funny!"
His hand managed to bump into hers and it upset the balance her body precariously laid in, and she swayed dangerously. Naruto screamed again as her front suddenly lurched forward, her face lowering close to his, as her dull eyes stared straight through him. He could now see a large gash in her dress, the fabric ripped at her midsection, the edges charred and burned black.
Stumbling back, Naruto fell, crying out as he tripped over his feet and landed hard on rear end.
"Naruto!" someone called out, the sounds of shaking leaves and branches following it.
Too stunned to respond, he lay there trembling, his eyes never leaving the swaying pink locks that danced in the air.
"Naruto!" they called out again, fear lacing their voice as quick moving footsteps came into the area.
A startled gasp had his eyes darting up to Sakura's face, her mouth open and eyes blinking rapidly, as her body convulsed, causing her to fall completely to the ground. Her body fell like a bag of rocks, smashing into the dewy grass as her limbs and head landed heavily. Her breathing was loud and harsh, her fingers twitching as her arms weakly attempted to pick herself up.
At last, two figures crashed into the scene, both stilling as they took in the sight before them.
Sasuke stood frozen, his eyes going wide as he looked from Naruto's shaking form, to that of the bloodied body of Sakura's.
Immediately, Kakashi was at her side, crouching down as his hands hovered over Sakura's convulsing body.
"Naruto," he said, hard eyes darting over to his scared ones. "What happened?"
"I-I…." Naruto stuttered. "I don't know! I was gonna take her shift b-but then I found her in the tree- Kakashi-sensei you have to help her!"
A small groan had them immediately turning, their complete attention focused on Sakura.
"Ka...Kakashi…."
"Sakura," he whispered, lowering his head closer to hers. "Where are you bleeding? Where are you hurt?"
Louder this time, Kakashi turned towards Sasuke, who had begun to slowly inch his way over.
"Sasuke, go get the med kit! Now!"
Sasuke quickly nodded as he sped away, blurring into the dark shadows of the trees, leaving the grass shifting in his departure.
Startled, Sakura jerked her head upright, wild eyes following the sounds of Sasuke's departing figure. Her breathing became labored as her arms shook with the amount of effort it took to lift herself, her shoulders barely coming off the ground before she fell again. Her eyes darted from side to side, resting on Kakashi's still form.
"Sakura, what-"
Kakashi was interrupted though as Sakura suddenly threw herself forward, her hands gripping onto his jacket as her mouth opened and shut, her eyes going wide with disbelief.
"You're-you're alive!" she gasped out. "You're alive!"
His hands quickly came up to hold her trembling fists, attempting to ease her death grip off of him. It proved futile though as her fingers dug into the fabric, crumpling it within her grasp.
"Sakura!" he said, growing more concerned as her grip continued to increase, her hold on him almost growing painful as she squeezed. "I need to know what happened. Where are you hurt?"
"Did you protect Naruto?!" Sakura asked, ignoring his words. "Is he still alive too? Where is he?!"
"I-I'm right here, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said, crawling over to her. "I'm f-fine!"
A relieved cry broke out from her upon hearing his stuttering, and Sakura almost sagged in relief before becoming rigid once more, her face growing pale.
"Are they-is he dead then?" she breathed out, eyes frantically searching the dark woods. "I tried my best, I did, I did, but he got to me- are you sure you're alright?!" she asked once more, her entire body shaking.
"Sakura- stay still!" Kakashi demanded, hands coming up to grasp her shoulders as she attempted to move away. "What happened?"
A mirthless laugh escaped her as she continued to scan the woods, searching for something. "I did my job, Kakashi-sensei," she turned to face him, a thin and tight smile forming. "I protected you and Naruto."
"Sensei…." Naruto interrupted, his gaze shifting between Sakura's bloody face to Kakashi's rigid body. "There's…. Um…. there's a pretty big rip in her dress over her stomach. I-I think that's where Sakura-chan was injured."
Nodding, Kakashi slowly turned her over, trying hard not to disturb her. It was difficult though, as Sakura kept squirming, insisting on staying upright and alert.
How did this happen? Kakashi thought bewilderedly. Who did this?
He cringed at the amount of blood that rolled off of her, falling onto his pants leg and parts of his vest. It disturbed him greatly, the sheer volume of blood that had seemingly been produced by such a small body. It absolutely astounded him even more that Sakura had managed to stay alert and awake, even insisting on moving about and asking him and Naruto if they were alright.
That was another thing.
She had seemed so surprised, so unbelieving, on him being there. 'You're alive!' she had said, shaking in disbelief and wonder. 'You're alive!'
Kakashi pitied whomever had done this to his student. Who had made her bleed and pale in absolute fear. Who ever had hurt her was going to surely die a slow and painful death.
"Naruto," he said, finally managing to still Sakura's shaking form, "Secure the perimeter. Do not engage if you find anyone. Report back immediately."
"H-Hai sensei!"
Sakura startled again at the abrupt departure, but did not sit back up from her position on the ground. She lay on her back, her arms splayed out at her sides. Her breaths still came out in rapid succession, pupils dilated and roaming around. She was scared.
"Sakura…." Kakashi started in a much softer tone. "I need you to tell me what happened to you."
She just shook her head slightly though, still taking in her surroundings, before looking at him. Tears formed in her eyes, and Kakashi felt a burning anger begin to build up inside of him. Yes, whoever had done this would surely die.
"I thought I'd never get to see you again," Sakura finally admitted, a tear escaping. "I thought I'd never see you or Naruto ever again…. All because of how foolish I had been."
She looked imploringly at him, her eyes searching for something in his concerned, and slightly angry, gaze, "But you got him? He's-he's dead now, right?"
He said nothing, not understanding what she was asking but at the same time vowing to make sure whomever she had spoken of soon would be. Kakashi focused on the gash in her dress, taking in the charred edges and smell of burnt flesh and fabric. He moved his hands slowly towards it, attempting to lift away the cloth, only to pause as Sakura's own hands flew to his wrist, stopping him from probing any further.
"Sakura," he said patiently, almost sighing. "You need to let me look at your wound. I need to treat it."
"No," she said plainly, her eyes stilling and a serious mask settling over her face. "It won't be worth wasting the medical supplies to heal me. We have to save it- make sure it lasts until we get back to camp. Only then can we try and fix-"
Sakura suddenly stiffened, shooting upright as she threw Kakashi's hands away, quickly snatching a kunai from out of one of her holsters. Her breathing stilled, her eyes trained on something in the depths of the forest, as she hurled the kunai with unnerving accuracy and speed, whistling through the branches until a loud 'clang' was heard followed by a small grunt.
"Our position has been compromised," Sakura stated, attempting to scramble to her feet as she readied another kunai in her grasp. Her eyes darted over to catch her sensei's surprised, and slightly alarmed gaze, her mind whirring through countless scenarios and plans as the chakra signature she had sensed drew closer.
"Get Naruto and run as fast as you can. I'll keep pace with you guys for as long as I am able to, but should I fall behind, you must keep going," Sakura ordered, her eyes settling into cold indifference and calculation. "Once you reach the camp, as I am sure I will fall behind at one point, notify the closest commander about what occurred."
Sakura mentally prepared herself for the possible fight and long run ahead of her. Her stomach hurt, felt like something was searing into her skin, and her head was splitting open from the pounding headache in her skull. She pulled out another kunai, frowning when she realized they were dull, and flipped them in her hand, adjusting to the weight. It had been awhile since she had last fought, but she knew her skills were just as sharp as ever even if she had not practiced with them in quite some time.
And then she stopped. Something was wrong.
Kakashi hadn't moved. He was still crouched down, giving her a look mixed with confusion, worry, and something else she couldn't place.
What's wrong with him? Sakura thought in a panic. He needs to start moving!
She couldn't voice her thoughts though as the chakra signature suddenly crashed in, stumbling as they skidded to a stop mere feet in front of Sakura's outstretched arm, the glint of the kunai in her hand reflecting onto their pale face. Her eyes were fierce, a fire alight within them, as she stood her ground, a cold glare taking form as she tensed her muscles, ready to pounce.
She choked back a gasp though as her mind began to register who stood in front of her. Taller than she was by mere inches, he stood with a hand drawn back, latched onto the buckle for his kunai holster, his other hand gripping a small metal box. His wary eyes glanced from her to the weapon she held in her grasp, silently eyeing Kakashi as he slowly rose from his crouched position.
"Sakura…." Kakashi started, taking small steps towards her. "Put down your kunai. It's just Sasuke."
Those words did not reassure her though, her heart squeezing painfully as she tried to register what was happening. Pale skin, spiky hair, black eyes. No, no, this couldn't be right.
"Sakura…." Kakashi said, a warning edging his voice when she still did not point down her kunai.
Her breathing was coming in fast again, her mind spinning from it all. No, this wasn't right. Sasuke…. Sasuke was supposed to be older, taller, angrier. No, this couldn't be right!
"Who are you?" she whispered, because this couldn't be Sasuke- yes, it looked like him, but this was the child version of him! This, no, it wasn't right!
"Who are you?!" she yelled this time, her arms shaking as she slowly backed away. Pale skin, dark hair, black eyes. Black eyes.
A wild chakra signature suddenly leapt into the scene, and Sakura forced herself to tear her eyes away from Sasuke- no, not Sasuke- and look at the new arrival.
She felt faint.
It was Naruto. Young, vibrant, hopeful Naruto, with the bright blonde hair, gleaming smile, and beautiful blue eyes.
Child Naruto.
"What's going on?" he yelped, startled to find Sakura pointing a kunai at Sasuke. "Teme, what did you do?!"
Sasuke grunted in reply, his eyes never leaving the weapon pointed at his forehead, "Nothing, yet."
"Sasuke, stand down," Kakashi said pointedly, taking careful steps over to that of the shaking figure of Sakura. "Sakura-chan, look at me."
She complied, though her kunai was still held firmly in her grasp.
"What's going on sensei?" Sakura whispered, her lips trembling as she struggled to form her chaotic thoughts into words. "What- who are they?"
"It's just Naruto and Sasuke. Your teammates."
But Sakura shook her head valiantly, blood soaked locks sticking to her face as her head went back and forth, eyeing the two boys her sensei had spoken of.
"No," she said, shaking her head harder as images, memories, resurfaced, noises and flashes of light bombarding her. "No, they are not my teammates. Kakashi, tell me what's going on."
When Kakashi merely shook his head, a hand reaching out to take the kunai away from her, Sakura snapped, her other hand reaching out to take another kunai from her pouch, simultaneously leaping away from her sensei's outstretched hand.
"No!" Sakura yelled, bringing the kunai's close to her chest, a tremor obvious in her voice as she continued to back away. "No! Who are you?! Leave me alone!"
All of this was wrong. This- no, this couldn't be right! They looked exactly as she had remembered them, from before everything. But that was impossible! Kakashi looked the same as he always had- the same silver hair, bland stare, and lone eye. She had thought he was the same but she had been wrong! This Kakashi towered over her, more than a few feet taller than she, and he showed emotion. Or, at least, a portrayal of it. The Kakashi she knew, the real Kakashi, never let anything show on his face, much less his actions. Just like her.
This one- this Kakashi- was concerned. It showed on his face, in his eye, in his slight movements. No, it wasn't right!
"Sakura," his voice cutting through her panicked thoughts. "Listen to me. I am Kakashi Hatake, your sensei. Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki are your two teammates. As a team, we are currently on our way back from the Mission to Wave, which entailed the protection of the bridge builder, Tazuna, and the deaths of Zabuza Momochi, an S-rank missing nin from the original 7 ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, along with his partner, Haku, and the drug lord, Gatō."
Kakashi paused in his debriefing, eyeing Sakura's still shaking form. She wasn't stable and he still needed to look at the wound on her stomach. He needed to get her to calm down, seeing how obviously disoriented and possibly memory damaged she was.
"You," he started up again, taking measured steps towards her, "Are Sakura Haruno. You are a member of Team 7 and a Genin of Konoha under my care and protection. I need you to calm down and let me help you. Do you understand, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura said nothing, her eyes remaining transfixed by his outstretched hand. His hand was open, offering her to take it, imploring her to take it. But she did not. She remained where she was- silent, shaking, and scared. She was scared. So scared.
"Sakura-chan, I need some sort of confirmation that you understand what I'm saying," Kakashi repeated, inching even closer. He was within four feet from her now.
"Yeah, Sakura-chan!" Naruto piped in, his face peeking out from around Kakashi's body. "You know me! You know sensei and the bastard too! Believe it!"
Naruto's voice seemed to shake Sakura out of her trance, her eyes darting up to catch his gleaming blue ones. They were hopeful- cheery even. That wasn't right.
"Yeah…." she said, her voice barely audible. "I do know Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei. But…. you aren't them."
Her grip on the kunai's tightend again, her eyes appearing to glaze over once more, "You aren't them."
Sasuke shifted from behind her, growing uneasy at the tension, and Sakura's head snapped towards him, her eyes boring holes through his body.
"Do not touch me," She hissed out, eyes dangerous and glinting.
"Sakura," Kakashi commanded, the tiredness in his voice showing through. "Sasuke wasn't going to touch you. I need you to put down your kunai and let me take care of you."
"Stay away," Sakura warned, her body beginning to lean away. She shouldn't have let him get so close.
She suddenly squeezed her eyes shut, sounds rushing into her head as she sucked in a quick breath. The noises were so loud- someone screaming, sounds of birds screeching.
Loud loud loud.
"Put down the kunai's Sakura-chan. This is the last time I'm going to ask you this. Calm down."
Someone was crying- she could hear their sniffles.
"Sakura-chan?"
A presence- the feeling of great heat enveloping her. It made her skin crawl, as if it were on fire.
Loud loud loud.
"Sasuke, take out some gauze and antiseptic from the med-kit. Sakura-chan, I'm going to take the kunais away okay?"
She choked back the feeling of bile running up her throat, forcing herself to remain still, even when she felt the cold comfort of metal leave her tight grasp. She tasted ash, smelled the acrid scent of something burning, smoke filling her lungs.
She could also feel the small warmth of someone's hand on her back, pushing her down.
No! she thought, fear racing up her spine. No!
She stayed still though, her eyes still tightly closed. The heat pricked at her skin, made her feel like she was suffocating. But she let herself be placed on the ground.
Vulnerability. It made her heart race, her face grow pale, her breathing stop altogether from the absolute fear she felt.
Loud loud loud.
She couldn't hear the birds anymore.
"Naruto, go down to the river and fill up the canteens. Bring them back quickly."
The sniffles had turned into full blown sobs, the heavy gasps that followed it reverberating in her head.
She felt something ripping.
"Sasuke, make sure she doesn't startle too much. I don't want to hurt her."
She felt something pulling at her stomach.
Felt the tearing of skin and muscle.
Heard the sound of metal meeting flesh, slamming through her, smashing her spine.
Loud loud loud.
"Hold her arms down Sasuke!"
Too much, too much.
Sakura opened her eyes with a gasp, the sight of black eyes meeting her gaze.
She struggled and pulled and thrashed.
No no no no.
"Leave me alone!" she screamed, the blood vessels in her eyes ready to burst as they widened immensely. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"
Remember.
The world went dark.
The walk back to Konoha was long and nerve racking. It took three days to reach the gates.
Three days of running and walking- almost no stops in between.
Three days of paranoia and fear. Of nerves shot through with the expectation of something about to lunge out and attack them.
Three days of taking turns looking after the lone female member of Team 7.
It had been Kakashi, originally, who had cared for her. He still took the majority of the responsibility, but had allowed the boys to take over once in awhile. They needed something to do to help ease their minds after all.
The entire situation had been perplexing and extremely worrying. Initially, it had been for his students safety. Mainly the pink haired miracle.
Naruto had found her, his screams immediately alerting him and Sasuke from the land of slumber. The absolute terror in Naruto's screams had instantly made Kakashi's heart race, fearful of the situation he'd find his student in.
He had been right to fear.
Kakashi saw Naruto's hunched form first, the tremor in his shoulders drawing his attention. The large blood stain on the back of Naruto's jacket had nearly given him a heart attack though, but when he had seen the true problem, his heart did stop for a split second.
Drenched in blood, Sakura's prone figure had sent him into action, though once he had gotten to her side, he had been unsure on what to do.
She was shell shocked and oblivious to her true surroundings, that much was made clear when she had reacted to Sasuke's approach by throwing a kunai with incredible accuracy and force.
Yet another thing that worried him was they way she had spoken. She had literally cried out in relief when she had learned that he and Naruto were still alive. Still alive? What had happened to her to believe that they had died? And the orders- yes, he was sure she had been ordering him to leave her behind.
What had happened?
And adding onto even more confusion, she had reacted quite violently when he had begun to cut her dress to finally take a look at her wound. She hadn't stopped him before, but now she had actually tried to get away by any means necessary. And even when she had eventually blacked out, there hadn't even been a wound that he could see or find.
The large gash in her dress, which had been burnt and encrusted with dried blood, had covered a mere red mark, similar to a small burn wound. Kakashi had checked her over, even going as far as to probe her with his chakra, but had found nothing.
No cuts, scrapes, slashes, burns, or anything.
Just nothing.
The biggest question had been if the blood had even been hers to begin with. There had been a lot of it, as was pointed out by Naruto, who had shown Kakashi the tree he had found her in. The tree had been coated in the crimson substance, trickling down the bark and creating small puddles onto the ground. The majority of Sakura's body had also been covered in it, mainly her stomach and lower torso. Her hair looked as if she'd given it a strange dye job, the tips of it stained a dark red-brown.
It was distressing to say the least. Kakashi deeply regretted ever taking this mission. He hadn't expected his little Genin to have to make their first kills, nor had he expected one of them to reawaken the Sharingan and one of them tap into the chakra of the Kyuubi. Least of all had he expected the female member be rendered unconscious and bloody.
And Kakashi supposed that's what angered him most of all.
He hadn't been able to protect any of them.
She woke up to glaringly bright lights and a dry mouth. Her tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth, the remains of what tasted like ash leaving a sour texture.
Blearily, Sakura looked around, noting how clean and bright the room was, and how she seemed to be the only one occupying it. She felt warm, the thin sheet that covered her shielding her from the slight breeze circulating the room. Her head felt numb, her mind a mess of thoughts and observations.
Belatedly, Sakura realized she was in a hospital room. A very nice one at that.
To her left arm, a tube, which Sakura assumed to be an IV drip, was attached whilst a small finger clamp latched onto her right ring finger. The steady, quiet beeps of the heart monitor beside her calmed her racing thoughts, letting her mind drift for a few moments.
And then she stopped.
She was in a hospital.
Shooting upright, Sakura startled herself awake as she wildly looked around the room.
Clean white tiles, bright yellowish lights, two windows, a comfortable cot, heart monitor, IV drip, hospital. She was in a hospital.
Putting a cool hand to her forehead, Sakura frowned and shut her eyes in concentration. When was the last time she had even stepped foot in a hospital? And such a nice one too?
They were so rare nowadays, makeshift tents creating would-be hospitals. They were dirty, and frankly not up to sanitary standards, and always covered in dirt and grime. Most hospitals had been shut down or even flat out destroyed in battles, the enemy often targeting them so the Allies wouldn't be able to receive medical assistance. And those few countries that did still have working hospitals, often forbade any shinobi from coming in, much less assisting the Allies in fear of being targeted and destroyed as well.
So where was she?
She thought long and hard, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she wracked her brain for answers. Had she been captured and taken prisoner? Had she been mistaken for a civilian and sent to one of the few working hospitals? Was any of this even real?
Remember.
Oh. Was all Sakura thought as memories, some hazy and others crystal clear, came crashing down on her.
She remembered now.
Kakashi and Naruto were her first thoughts, a strange sense of joy leaping into her chest at the thought of them. They were alive! They were alive! But…. they were different. They were younger, happier, hopeful. Different.
And Sasuke was here as well. The younger version of him at least. The less angry and resentful version of the Sasuke she had come to know. The child version.
A thought struck her, and for the first time, Sakura actually looked at herself. Her hands were smaller. There were no scars or calluses. No left over chakra burns or broken off nails. These hands were soft, delicate, new. Her hair was longer too, the pink locks going past her shoulders. There were no split ends or jagged areas from attempted haircuts. It even felt softer- not the usual brittleness she had seemed to adopt during the war.
Her entire being was just smaller. Softer. There was no hardness of muscle. No unevenness of the skin or discoloration. It was just the body of a 12 year old girl. Her body.
The shock of the situation hadn't quite worn off yet, as her mind began to try and piece together an explanation for as to why she was 12 again and why no one was as she remembered. Why nothing seemed to be right.
Left.
A cold claw seemed to rip through her as her thoughts came to a grinding halt. Black eyes, unruly dark hair, red red red.
'Would you rather go left, where nothing is right? Or right, where nothing is left?'
Left or right. Left and right. Left. Right.
She had chosen left. And now she was here- wherever here exactly was. She had answered in a fit of pain and hallucinations, giving no thought to what her answer could've meant. He had warned her though. He had said it would determine everything. She hadn't listened and now….
Tears flowed down her cheeks, dripping onto the hospital gown she wore. Sakura did not know why she was crying, or why it felt like something was pushing into her chest. Sakura didn't understand the great heaves and sobs her body made, or why her lungs shuttered with each breath and her shoulders shook as if she were in an earthquake.
Devastation, loss, regret, poured out of her, coming out in loud gasps of air and retching sobs. Her heart clenched every time she thought about what had been left behind, what she had abandoned. She had been foolish, so very foolish, and the helplessness of her predicament had impacted her with a force greater than any blow or punch she had ever received before.
Sakura clutched her head in a vain attempt at blocking out the memories and thoughts that bombarded her, digging her fingers into her scalp hard enough to tear the skin.
Remember. Remember. Remember.
"I don't want to remember!" Sakura choked out in a harsh whisper. "I don't want to remember!"
Sakura felt the sour taste of bile in her mouth, and the lurching feeling in her stomach as she continued to cry.
Calm down. She ordered herself. Calm down.
It didn't work though and she hurled herself over the side of the bed as she emptied the pitiful contents of her stomach onto the clean tiles of the floor. When she was done, Sakura shakily swiped at the saliva on the side of her mouth and fell back onto the cot, her breathing coming in rapid succession as her limbs gave out.
Her mind was spinning- maybe the room was too?- and she just felt tired. Done.
Sakura blinked hard to maintain some of her fleeting vision, the room's colors swirling with the light from outside and distorting the walls. They wound into one another, blending almost seamlessly as white and yellow light faded in and out, the shiny tiles reflecting and refracting off of one another.
She could hear the rapid beeping beside her, getting louder and louder as the room continued to collide in on itself. Sakura felt hot and cold at the same time, the thin sheet covering her creating a furnace and a paper thin blanket. Her breath felt hot against the side of her face, and she slowly leaned her left cheek onto the pillow.
The brown door had begun to join in the mix of swirls and color combinations, the shiny metal handle turning turning turning.
And then the brown moved closer into the room- but that wasn't right was it? Doors couldn't move.
Gray and blue joined the mix quickly, a tannish color near the top. They swirled too, and the room spun around and around and around.
Sakura could still hear the 'beep beep beep!' of the monitor beside her, and she wondered if the noise was causing distress in the colors. They were moving around quickly, two more grays and blues joining.
Too much, Sakura thought, shutting her eyes to block out the spinning room. Too much.
There were too many colors. Too many noises now that the colors were yelling. Too much spinning.
A kaleidoscope of whites and grays and blues and nothing.
"It was nothing serious. Just some minor, fever induced, hallucinations. At the moment-"
"What do you mean 'nothing serious'?! Sakura-chan threw up and then passed out! How is that-?!"
"Naruto!" Kakashi snapped, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Let the medic finish before you interrupt!"
Tiredly, Kakashi turned sheepishly back to the medic, who stood impatiently with their arms crossed and a foot tapping sharply against the floor, "Sorry about that. Please, continue."
Huffing, the medic pulled out a file from within their lab coat, opening it up to the first page.
"As I was saying…." the medic said with a pointed glare to the pouting Naruto. "At the moment, is doing just fine. We've rechecked her vitals, and like before, nothing serious was found. She has a small fever, most likely caused by some sickness when you went to Wave Country, but other than that, she's perfectly healthy."
"Can we go see her?" Naruto piped in, bouncing giddily on his toes. "I wanna see for myself if Sakura-chan is as 'fine' as you say she is."
Sighing, the medic seemed to deflate as their shoulders slumped in defeat, "Yes, I suppose you can…. But!" the medic said, interrupting Naruto's triumphant cheer. "You must be remain calm and collected. The fever has caused her to be a bit stressed and jumpy. I don't want to have to come in there and drag you out by the ear just because you gave her a fright! Understood?"
"Yeah yeah," Naruto said, waving off the medics orders. "I'll be quiet, believe it. Come on Teme! Sakura-chan's waiting!"
A grunt was the only reply he got as Naruto dashed up the stairs, darting away to the third floor where Sakura's room was situated. Sasuke was a bit more composed though as he calmly made his ascent upstairs.
Scratching the back of his head, Kakashi shrugged, saying a quick 'Thank you' to the medic before poofing away, appearing right outside room 396. Sakura's room.
Kakashi wasn't nervous per say. For sure he was worried, especially after hearing that Sakura had seemed to have a relapse in her condition since her arrival at the hospital. She'd mostly been asleep these past few days, drifting in and out of consciousness, and mostly waking to use the restroom.
The staff who had been monitoring Sakura had mentioned how unaware she was of her surroundings, often bumping into chairs and even walls whenever she would get up. She hadn't spoken to any of them either. The medics had noted that the way she was acting was similar to that of a sleepwalker, which was a bit worrisome to say the least.
When Team 7 had initially brought Sakura into the hospital, she had been clean and mostly free of blood. Her dress had been stained a deep rusty brown in some areas, and since Sakura had not seemed to have packed an extra dress (at least none they were aware about), they had not changed her out of it. When Kakashi had explained their predicament, and how Sakura had not awoken since the situation had occurred, the medics had immediately rushed her away. It wasn't until a few hours later did a medic come back, explaining that they had feared that Sakura had been poisoned or something along those lines.
In the end, the medics had concluded that the reason she was mostly unconscious was because of severe chakra exhaustion coupled with the traumatic mission. Kakashi had forgone telling the exact mission details, but had mentioned that it had entailed their first kills.
Now though, almost two and a half days later, were they finally going to get a good look at their little cherry blossom. Visits had been limited to ten minute intervals, and Kakashi had forbidden the boys from sneaking into the hospital to see Sakura. They needed to rest and recover from that harrowing mission as well.
"Ha! I beat you Teme!"
"As if dobe. I touched the door before you."
Clearly they've rested enough, Kakashi thought ruefully, as he watched Naruto and Sasuke butt heads as they argued. He wasn't sure how they did it, but somehow, those boys seemed to be able to make anything into a competition.
"Mah, calm down you two. Remember what that nice nurse told us," Kakashi said, a finger coming up to rest over his mouth. "You must be quiet if you want to see Sakura-chan."
"Yeah yeah, I know sensei!" Naruto replied, rolling his eyes as he casually strolled over, as if he hadn't been about to start a fight over who had touched the door first.
"Hey, wait a minute! How'd you get up here before us?" Naruto exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger.
Kakashi merely shrugged and gave his infamous eye smile before gesturing towards the room behind him, "Why don't we see how our blossom is doing, hmm?"
A small cheer and a grunt in agreement later, had them pushing the door open and entering the small room.
When they entered, quiet and subdued, they were a little surprised to find the blossom in question sitting upright and at attention, hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched them shuffle in. Moments passed, emerald eyes studying them carefully with a mix of anxiety and something else, as the boys of Team 7 stared right back.
After a few more moments of silence, Sakura raised a tentative hand before quietly saying, "H-hey guys."
The response was immediate as Naruto bounded over, all smiles and excitement as he bounced eagerly up and down beside her, baby blue eyes sparkling.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" he burst out, his body language suggesting he wanted nothing more than to attack her in a fierce hug. "Kakashi-sensei wouldn't let us visit you much 'cause he said we needed to rest but I was completely rested and really wanted to see you but he just wouldn't let me! And then Teme started getting all huffy saying that he was rested too and he didn't see why we couldn't come see you-" "Hn." "-but sensei still wouldn't let us so we were about to sneak into the hospital and then-"
"I think that's enough Naruto…." Kakashi interrupted, amused at his incessant rambling. "Let's give Sakura-chan a chance to catch up and not be bombarded by your story."
Naruto let out an indigent squawk, crossing his arms as he pouted, muttering under his breath, "I was just telling her…."
Sakura, meanwhile, had not said a word since she had greeted them. A small smile lifted her lips just a tiny bit as she watched Naruto pout, his fidgeting an obvious sign of his embarrassment. Many emotions coursed through her at the sight of him and the rest of Team 7 being in the same room as her, but she clamped them down, intent on not having another mental break.
Sakura wasn't exactly sure on what she should do. On one hand, she wanted to throw herself at them and give them a hug, but on the other hand, she wanted to recoil in fear from them. She pictured them like thin glass; if she even dared touch them, it would shatter the beautiful illusion. It would fall into tiny pieces, cutting her, and breaking apart the delicate balance that resided in her. And yet… she wanted so badly to reach out and touch them. To feel them. Embrace them. Love them.
And so, it was with a shaking hand and the fear of a thousand unspoken words, did Sakura reach out and gently touch the arm of Naruto's jumpsuit. The heat of his skin went through the fabric, the soft material warm at her touch. Ever so carefully, Sakura pinched a part of it, tugging his arm as he turned his startled gaze towards her.
"Yeah Sakura-chan?" he questioned, vibrant eyes turned directly towards her.
Her mouth trembled just a tiny bit, a smile growing on her face as she bunched more of the fabric in her grasp and slowly pulled him towards her. Though startled, Naruto did not resist, even as she pulled him into her in a cautious embrace, her chin resting on his right shoulder as her fingers clung to his jumpsuit.
"I'm glad you're okay too Naruto-kun…."
Stunned, Naruto hunched over in the awkward embrace before giving in and hugging her tightly as well. They shared each others warmth for a few brief seconds before Sakura pulled away, her fingers unfurling from his arm.
She smiled at him, sweet and soft, and Naruto could feel his heart clench almost painfully. It wasn't the usual hammering in his chest whenever she smiled at him, but something more. In that moment, Naruto could not feel the heavy crush he had for her, but the fierce protectiveness of a friend over another. If you asked him later what he was feeling, he would freely admit that it was love. Not the romantic feeling of love, but the satisfaction of knowing that this person was alive and smiling. A kind of love that knew no bounds. Something deeper than a mere childish crush.
"How are you feeling Sakura-chan?" Kakashi questioned, as he positioned himself at the foot of her cot.
"I'm…. I'm doing fine sensei," Sakura answered honestly. Sure, she was still scared, but, as of now, she felt like she was on cloud nine.
"That's good!" Kakashi chirped, his eye creasing. "The nurses tell me you'll be discharged soon."
"Yeah…." Sakura agreed, her voice wobbling a bit. "Either later today or by tomorrow morning."
"Really?" Naruto asked excitedly.
Sakura nodded her head, slightly sinking into her pillow. She felt tired all of a sudden, her vision growing a bit hazy as she watched Naruto chatter enthusiastically at the possibility of her being released early. Rubbing at her eyes, Sakura blinked hard as she looked over them all.
Kakashi was hunched over, legs crossed, as he read his orange book, occasionally glancing over to her and Naruto.
Naruto was just waving his arms animatedly as he excitedly recalled some new ramen he had recently tried.
And Sasuke…. Sasuke was standing a bit towards the door, arms crossed as he smirked and watched Naruto's antics. Sakura studied him. Studied his posture, the way he held himself, and even the micro expressions that passed over his face as he continued to smirk at Naruto's ridiculous behavior.
He seemed…. Lighter somehow. Less burdened. Sakura supposed it was because he had yet discovered and unlocked his true lust for power and revenge. The Sasuke she knew had been consumed by his dark hatred, his willingness to kill anyone and anything to seek out what he wanted. The absolute emptiness in his eyes, the barbaric and cold ways he would set about getting something. The Sasuke she knew was a psychopath, riddled with a mix of severe god complex and obsession beyond what was considered normal.
The Sasuke that stood in the corner of the room now, with his arms crossed and a smug, half smile on his face….. He couldn't have been any different from the one she had grown to know and despise. Day and night. The Sasuke she remembered contrasted so greatly with the one that stood in the same room as her, and Sakura was unsure on what to do or even how to act.
Noticing her stare, Sasuke sent what might be considered a questioning glare, as he raised an eyebrow at her.
Tired, and still unsure, Sakura merely raised her hand and waved, giving what she hoped was an acceptable smile. He again raised his brow, but said nothing else as nodded in her direction, before deciding to stare out the window situated on the opposite side from where he stood.
It was more of a reaction than she could ever hope for.
Contentedly, Sakura nodded along with Naruto's rambling, smiled at the quick glances Kakashi gave, and occasionally waved at Sasuke- who in return, nodded his head.
For the first time, in what felt like a thousand lifetimes, Sakura laughed and felt whole.
Hey, sorry for the wait! I've been pretty busy and haven't found a whole lot of time to update. Thank you to everyone who Reviewed/Favorited/Followed last time- all of your feedback is incredible! Thank you! (just as an fyi, I plan on using suffixes such as -kun and -chan in emotional moments or sometimes regular conversation. Otherwise, if the situation is serious or uncalled for the use of them, I won't put them at the ends of names)