Author's Notes: This is IMPORTANT… I messed something up in the last chapter. The ER nurse isn't Tenten, it's Shizune. Sorry for the mix-up… I wouldn't have changed it if it wasn't vital for the plot.

Again, thanks to all those who reviewed. I love you guys. XD You're the ones who give me the motivation to carry on with this story. Please continue to review… Also, to everyone else, please review… please? I shall go down on my knees and beg if need be… TT

Also, this one's a long chapter… well, longer than the last one, anyway. XD I'll try to make them longer from here on out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.


Learning to Breathe

Chapter 3: Deja Vu


Sakura was never a big fan of poverty. And so, ever since she was a kid, she had gotten into the habit of placing some of her spare change into this adorable little piggy bank that she had named 'Tonton'.

Now, Tonton was staring up at her accusingly, almost as if the piggy bank was aware of her intentions.

"Now, now, Tonton, don't look at me like that… I… it… it's important and I really really need to do this."

The piggy bank remained silent and continued to stare up at her accusingly.

"Yes, I know, I know… I don't like this any better than you do… but… I have to do this and I'm really really really really sorry."

Still, the piggy bank remained silent. Never mind that it was an inanimate object that had no vocal chords. It had been with Sakura since she was a small child, a gift from her Tsunade-shishou, and it was like her very own pet. It hurt to have to do this but it had to be done. Bracing herself, she tightened her grip on the hammer and struck.

Tonton was dead.

But the money which she had been saving for a 'rainy day' was suddenly free. Apparently, the rainy day had arrived. Sighing, she proceeded to gather up the broken pieces of Tonton's body and placed them inside a brown paper bag. She would keep it for remembrance in the old shoe box that she kept beneath her bed. But for the time being, the paper bag would have to be left on the table, there was a more pressing matter that she had to attend to.

And so, she collected the loose change she had painstakingly earned for the better part of a decade and shoved them haphazardly into a big bag. The pharmacist would be pissed once she showed up with this conglomeration of coins and buttons but there really was nothing she could do about it.

Sasuke's medicine was disgustingly expensive.

But at least his condition wasn't serious. When she got to the hospital, his condition was slowly becoming stable. And the doctors were confident that he had sustained no major traumas and that none of his organs got damaged. The alarm they had raised earlier was false. If he had needed an operation, she would never have managed. And even if she raided Naruto's frog wallet for payment for the many debts he owed her, it would still not be enough. She had to be thankful for life's little blessings. She only wished Sasuke would be, too.

As soon as she was done collecting her money, she grabbed her coat again and made her way to the pharmacy. She decided that she would get some apples on the way to the hospital.


The first thing he did when he woke up was groan. The pain on his side had somewhat lessened but he felt groggy as hell. His eyelids also felt incredibly heavy. He strained to look at his surroundings and saw, though blurry, that he was connected to various beeping instruments. He saw, or rather, felt that there was an oxygen mask strapped to his head. He tried to make sense of his situation but he remembered nothing except for panicked screams and everything going black. He knew for a fact that he was running home then and perhaps, in his hurry and in his lack of concentration, he got hit by a car. He also knew that he was thinking about a certain pink-haired girl when it happened.

Trying to suppress his irritation at himself and at Sakura for being so damn annoying, he tried to appraise his current situation once again. He was in a hospital, Konoha General Hospital, judging by the nauseating smell of isopropyl alcohol, the sterile white walls, and the wide windows. But to his annoyance, a knock interrupted his train of thoughts.

If he was a believer, he would have mused that God was playing tricks on him. But alas, he was not, and so he was content to just grit his teeth as a girl with pink hair waltzed into the room. He almost had a feeling of deja vu.

"Sasuke-kun, you're awake! I was so very worried. How are you feeling?"

A warm hand settled onto his arm and he was grudgingly grateful for it. The air-conditioning was turned up too low and he was feeling slightly cold. Grateful or not, though, he still didn't bother to grace her with an answer. He really was perplexed, though, as to why the girl was there with him and it was enough to get his voice box running. He pulled off his mask and asked.

"Why are you here?", he spat out, a little more hostile than he intended. He watched as the girl sat down on the stool beside him and proceeded to peel some apples.

"Grumpy aren't we? You haven't changed a bit."

Needless to say, his irritation grew. And it grew even more when he saw her extend her hand to offer him a piece of apple. He suppressed the urge to slap her hand away. It never did do him any good when he was still in high school. His impious action had earned him a fight with Naruto and a trip to the disciplinary office with Kakashi-sensei back then. And he knew that it would do no good now. The urge was strong, though, and it was tempting. But before he could indulge his urgings, he heard her speak again; it was more of a whisper, really. And without even looking, he knew that the girl was dangerously close to tears.

"Alright, so you still abhor apples. I should have known. Sorry."

He tried to ignore the quivering of Sakura's lips. Apparently, the girl was still a bit of a crybaby. It didn't change the fact that her crying still made him feel as guilty as sin, though.

"Okay, okay, I'll have those apples. But you'll have to explain why you're here."

Immediately, the girl's face brightened up. Apples really never were his favorite fruit.

"Next time, bring tomatoes."

In all honesty, he didn't know where that came from. It wasn't like there was going to be a next time. He said a long time ago that he had broken his bonds, and he wasn't lying. No, his life as an assassin would be lived apart from the people he had known when he was young… apart from the people he had genuinely cared for, and Sakura, though annoying, was one of them... and the truth was that she was the hardest one to leave behind. She never found out about it… but he had liked her a lot… maybe even loved her. He was almost tempted to bring her with him and to take her from her sheltered life… but he knew he shouldn't. It was better that way. Life was more depressing but at least it was less complicated… and at least she was safer.

Apparently, the girl was also quite perplexed with his words. She was once again sitting there, her mouth agape, and her eyes wide like saucers.

"You look like a fish."

That caught her attention.

"Oi! I resent that!!"

"Yes, yes, whatever. Now tell me why you're here", he said as he took an apple piece from her plate.

"Alright, I guess I should keep my part of the bargain, eh? Well, you see, I got a call from Shizune-san earlier today saying that a man who got hit by a car was admitted into the ER and that that man had no ID on him. Obviously, that guy was you. Really, Sasuke-kun, I'd have thought that you were more careful than that."

"Just go on."

"Alright, geez, you don't have to be grumpy. So, anyway, they found that tissue paper where I wrote my number on and they decided to call it. I came here as soon as I could. Sooo… that basically answers your question."

"How long was I out?"

"Well, it's 1:30 in the afternoon so I think you've been out for 2 hours or so."

"Did you identify me?"

"Well, of course I told them your name, why wouldn't I?"

This did not bode well. Nobody was supposed to know that he was here. This meant that he had to go to Oto as soon as he could and hide there for a while. The Konoha ANBU would probably get wind of this by this evening. They had access to the records in all the establishments here. That meant that he had to hurry if he did not wish to get caught.

Sakura, who created a heap of trouble for him by uttering his name, was now standing by the window, staring out at the gray and stormy skies. The girl had given his location and identity away, inadvertently, of course... but still... she was so annoying that he wanted to strangle her. But he wouldn't do that... he couldn't.

He had to get out and the first step was to get out of bed. He started to slowly remove the needle connecting the IV tubing to his arm, thankful that Sakura wasn't looking. She would have a fit if she found out what he was doing. She always was fussy like that.

"By the way, Sasuke-kun, the nurses told me they found a gun in your pocket. They told me not to tell you because this is an SOP… all patients who come in with a gun shall be reported to Konoha Police Department. And nobody's supposed to tell you because you might be a fugitive or something and it would help the police if you were caught unaware… but… well, I just thought… I… I'm sure that you're not a bad person or anything… I mean, you're you… and you don't really do 'bad' things… well, those really bad ones anyway... like bad as in evil... so I guess you have a right to know that the police are probably on their way here right now. They'll ask for an explanation from you, that's all. They're a bit late, really… they usually respond instantly… I don't know what's taking them so long…"

Sakura didn't know… but he knew. They weren't sending the police department. They were sending Konoha ANBU to catch a member of Oto ANBU, Konoha's enemy country.

"Oh… they're here… well, anyway, Neji-san's here… you remember him, Sasuke-kun? Well, he's ANBU now… I should know… he brags about it to Naruto every opportunity he gets and emphasizes the fact that Naruto's unemployed every chance he gets… hmm… I wonder why they sent someone as high-ranking as him… Sasuke-kun?"

With a renewed sense of urgency, he yanked out the tubing of the IV line and grabbed hold of a syringe, unmindful of the blood that was spurting from the puncture site of his IV line. Sakura, who had turned to face him, was in a state of shock. She looked like she was scared out of her wits. All the better for him, he needed a hostage that was panicked to the point of pliancy.


TBC.