Chapter 4: Fear

A/N: Finally updated for Reverberations! Going to try to stick to the one chapter a week, rotating between Rebirth and Reverberations. I originally said this fanfic was going to be short but it may be extended, depending on the storyline. We shall see. Enjoy!

"I smell blood."

The gruff voice echoed between the trio as they momentarily stopped their trek through the forest. Gathering on one of the branches, the man who spoke lifted his porcelain mask. Sniffing the air, his canine comrade growled in response. Brown eyes narrowed before widening in shock.

"It's Sakura's scent."

Akamaru barked in agreement as the two other individuals watched their interactions. Pale eyes peered behind the hawk mask as he nodded his assent. Slipping the mask back in place, Kiba immediately set off, Akamaru easily keeping up beside him. Following suit, the two remaining individuals headed out, as the last member of the team murmured his jutsu. A small swarm of insects began to form as the shinobi sent out his command. Scattering across the forest, the trio traveled faster as the scent began to grow stronger.

"She's ahead, about 500 meters. Near the ANBU hideout." Shino's muffled revelation encouraged the men to hasten their pace as they recognized their destination. Blindly the flash of trees blurred beside them as they began to reach the clearing. The familiar metallic scent of blood halted the trio as the masked individuals stumbled onto the decimated scene before them.

Pales eyes widened in shock as he surveyed the bloodied battleground. His eyes narrowed as he discovered Sakura's limp form on the ground.

"Survey the area for any survivors." The gruff command was followed immediately as the remaining duo scattered about, hunting for any witnesses to the battle that had occurred. Deftly, Neji flickered across the clearing as he glanced down at the bloodied form of Sakura. Fearful of the reality that was before him, he gently grasped her wrist as he attempted to search for a pulse. The sound of his beating heart pounded loudly in his ears as he vainly searched for any signs of life. "Dammit Sakura. Not here." The curse fell on deaf ears as Neji moved his two fingers to the left side of her neck, searching out the carotid artery. Time seemed to slow as Neji patiently waited for the familiar rhythmic beating of a pulse. Fearful when he wasn't sensing anything, he increased his pressure as he focused on hunting down any sign of life.

"Taichou…" The sound of his two teammates didn't sway him in his quest. Unwilling to accept the possible reality, Neji was ready to give up when he felt the momentarily faint beating of her heart. Pale eyes widened as he released the long held breathe before narrowing his gaze at his teammates. The non-spoken communication was easily understood as Kiba and Shino ascended their heads before flickering away. Gently cradling Sakura's light form against him, Neji slipped his mask back on before surveying the scene one last time. Questions raced in his mind but at the moment, Sakura's health was top priority. Steeling himself, he reached for the familiar scroll in his pouch as he deftly unsealed the jutsu that would teleport him directly to the Hokage's office.

Juggling Sakura's limp form, he quickly made the familiar seals before slamming his hand down on the scroll. The black kanji began to glow as a pale light engulfed the two figures before they disappeared into a puff of smoke leaving behind countless corpses that would need to be accounted for at a later time.

"Oi! Shikamaru! Temari! You guys made it!" The beaming blonde rushed over to greet the trio as Ino glared at the loud male. Unwilling to deal with the typically boisterous boy, she stormed off, Choji in tow as the two made their way to the bar.

The blonde watched in mild surprise before scratching the familiar whiskers that adorned his cheeks. Gazing at the couple he merely shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why Ino can't stand to talk to me. What did I do this time?"

A black brow rose at the density of the boy but Shikamaru merely sighed as he was unwilling to reveal Ino's dislike of Naruto which mainly stemmed from the abandonment of Sakura in order to train with Jiraiya. It was too troublesome to get involved, especially since Sakura had long forgiven Naruto, although Ino believed Naruto needed to be punished for his insensitivity for leaving his teammate behind. Shrugging his shoulders, he drowned out Naruto's tangent on the mission he had returned from earlier today as he briefly surveyed the room. He was surprised to see a few of their sensei were also out at the new bar. Although he had expected Genma to be here, it was interesting to see Kakashi blatantly ignoring Gai in favor his familiar orange book that rarely left his side. To the left of Kakashi was Kurenai who had noticed Shikamaru the moment he had entered the bar. Smiling at the boy, she nodded her head as a sign of a greeting before returning to the conversation she had been holding with Anko.

"…But…hey Shikamaru! Are you listening to me?"

Lazily the quiet shinobi returned his attention to Naruto who was pouting at the lack of attention. Stifling a yawn, Shikamaru replied, "I heard you. Sakura's out on a mission. D-rank."

Blue eyes widened at Shikamaru's response as he was pretty sure the man wasn't paying attention, although he was put out that Sakura was out on another mission. He felt like he hadn't seen his pink haired teammate in a while and it was only through Shikamaru was he ever able to find out where she had disappeared to. Ruffling his hair, he smiled before stating, "Well I'm sure Sakura will be back in no time. I'll invite her to ramen and training! There's a new jutsu I learned that I've been dying to show her."

Noticing the flicker of sadness in the boy's eyes, Shikamaru knew Naruto was worried about his teammate. Reaching out he patted the boy's shoulders. Relief was evident on Naruto's face as the unspoken reassurance that Sakura would be fine released the tension that always invaded him whenever he found out his teammate was out on a mission. A part of him wanted to be there to ensure she was safe, but he also realized the solo missions were doing wonders for Sakura's confidence in battle. Grinning at the man, Naruto grabbed Shikamaru by the shoulders as he turned to address Temari.

"How's Gaara doing?" Teal eyes were focused on Shikamaru as she was wondering why did he lie about Sakura's mission. But the mention of her brother's name forced her to pay attention as she easily replied, "Fine. Although some days I think he wants to have Shukaku back so he can have the excuse to kill the annoying old council members."

A loud laugh accompanied Temari's words as Naruto couldn't help but picture an image of Gaara attacking his councilmen. From the countless visits to Suna and witnessing firsthand the pure frustration Gaara experienced anytime he was forced to attend the meetings, he could sympathize and understand Gaara's own desire. He was pretty sure Tsunade baa-san had the same feeling when dealing with her own council.

"I'm glad he's doing well then." Having gotten over his laughing fit he peered at the two. A slight frown marred his features as he realized something was off. Shikamaru never was an affectionate person, but Naruto and plenty other shinobi recognized he was a lot subtler in showing his love for Temari. One main way was how he would always be close to her, although the distance between the two screamed otherwise. Unable to hold back his curiosity, Naruto asked, "Did something happened between the two of you?"

Brown and teal eyes widened at the unexpectedly astute question from the usually oblivious man. They weren't making a show of their decision to end their relationship, but to have Naruto to pick up on something being different had them questioning their ability to act as if nothing had changed. Reassuring himself that Naruto was prone to have moments of keen insight, he flatly replied, "We broke up."

"Oh…" The awkward silence that followed made everyone uncomfortable as Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm sorry to hear but that doesn't mean you two can't be friends." The hopefully gleam in his eyes had the two nodding their heads in agreement in order to quell any unwarranted worries the blonde-haired shinobi would have. Pleased that their friendship was still in tact, Naruto was about to offer to grab them drinks when the he felt someone tapping him on his shoulder.

Pausing his words, he turned to glance at the person who was trying to get his attention. A smile twisted his lips as he met a pair of pale grey eyes. "Hinata." The soft-spoken tone he adopted whenever addressing his girlfriend always had the expected reaction of Hinata blushing at the unspoken intimacy the two shared. It was a relief for everyone when the two finally got together as it was quite obvious Hinata had a crush on Naruto for years. Although it took him some time to realize that he had feelings for her, the two were finally together. It just took them four years and countless pestering from the blonde-haired nin, asking all of his friends' advice on where to take Hinata, how to woo her, etc. It was a relief when they got together as everyone was able to regain their peace of mind, although Hinata's teammates and older cousin had made it their mission to ensure Hinata's happiness, even if that meant monitoring their every interaction.

"Che. Troublesome." The soft mutter did little to disturb the couple although Temari heard the familiar words. Rolling her eyes, she greeted Hinata, distracting the little moment the couple shared.

"Hello Temari-san. Shikamaru-san." The formal greeting was expected from the Hyuga heiress as she was raised with manners. A nice contrast compared to Naruto's usually unruly and unrefined ways. Shikamaru nodded his head before inquiring, "Where are your teammates or Neji? I haven't seen them."

Not at all surprised at the question, for she knew about the friendship Shikamaru had with Neji, she replied, "All out on a mission. They said they would return tonight but it's taking them longer than expected. They should have been back by now."

The tremor in her tone alerted Shikamaru and Naruto to the worry Hinata must have been experiencing. Without any hesitation, Naruto wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, attempting to comfort and quell any of her fears.

Sensing the need to say something in order to give the woman some form of comfort, Shikamaru gently replied, "I'm sure they are fine Hinata. They may have taken a break from the travels. They are all capable ninjas." All of them were already part of ANBU which demonstrated their skills, although if the three were sent out together, it was highly probable they were out on an S-class assignment. A frown twisted his lips as he pondered if they knew about Sakura's mission. He would have to ask them when they returned…

The sound of the doors slamming open interrupted his thoughts as the entire room fell silent. All eyes were focused on the panting form of Kiba as his faithful companion, Akamaru stood alert beside him. Frantically black eyes scoured the room before they landed on the individuals he was searching for. Briefly he noted Naruto's arm around Hinata but he pushed that aside as he hurried towards the group.

"You need to get to the hospital. Now. Sakura's been injured."

"Nani?" Unable to formulate a coherent thought, Naruto immediately released his hold on Hinata as he ran out the bar. The sound of a chair screeching across the floor had everyone's attention focused on the now vacant spot the copy ninja was originally occupying.

Shocked at the sudden fear that gripped his chest, Shikamaru felt his veins freeze as he grabbed Kiba by his uniform which he barely noted was not the standard jounin flak jacket but the uniform for ANBU. Glaring at the man, Shikamaru growled, "What happened?"

Mildly impressed by the growl Shikamaru displayed, he quickly shushed Akamaru who tensed at the sight of Shikamrau grabbing his shirt.

"I don't know the details about the mission, we just found her on the ground. She didn't look good, Shikamaru."

Brown eyes searched Kiba's own black eyes for any information as his mind processed what he was hearing. Minutely nodding his head, he released Kiba before disappearing with a puff of smoke, leaving the other two shinobi behind.

Ruefully, Temari watched at the speed Shikamaru moved. It was atypical of the lazy shinobi to move at anything but a turtle's pace but when it involved Sakura, he demonstrated a speed that rivaled Lee at times. Shaking her head, she motioned for Kiba to direct her to the hospital as she was also concerned about Sakura's condition. Maybe Shikamaru would realize his feelings after tonight, after all something similar happened before which opened Sakura's own eyes to her own feelings.

"How ironic." The soft mutter had Kiba peering at her inquisitively, but she merely shook her head as the two shinobi disappeared, both concerned over the condition of their pink-haired friend.

The puff of smoke surprised Tsunade as she was languidly enjoying her sake before the unexpected interruption. Her brows furrowed in irritation as she wondered who would transport themselves directly into her office without giving notice. Glaring at the cloud of smoke, she barely made out the form of her ANBU operative. Ready to berate the shinobi for the lack of notice, she froze as her eyes focused on the lifeless form of her pupil.

The sound of her sake dish shattering on the floor, did little to perturb her as she rushed over to examine her apprentice. Fear settled over her but she forced herself to be calm as she immediately summoned her chakra. Scanning her patient, she muttered a curse as she realized Sakura was experiencing internal bleeding from one of her injuries. Luckily, the person who stabbed her had missed her vital organs, but was successful in penetrating one of her arteries. It wasn't deep, since she could sense the lethargic flow of blood, but if they didn't stitch up the wound and clear up the blood it was highly possible she could die from blood loss or worse. Muttering a curse at the condition of her pupil, she berated herself for allowing Sakura to go out on the mission alone.

"I want a report of what happened on your mission by tomorrow. Take her to the hospital. I will need to get started right away if we have any chance of saving her. SHIZUNE!"

The sound of frantic footsteps echoed in the hallway as the sight of her apprentice brought a minute sense of relief to Tsunade. "Head over to the hospital and tell them to prepare the operation room right now. You will be assisting me in this operation is that clear?"

"Hai, Shishou!"

Even now, the sound of her apprentice's voice rang in the back of her mind as she deftly began to stitch the flesh of the artery back together. It had been a few hours since Neji had brought her pupil to her. They had managed to clean up a majority of her wounds which were all superficial save for the current one she was attempting to heal. Beads of sweat glistened across her forehead as Tsunade forced the last of her chakra to weave the lingering remnants of the delicate tissue together. Releasing a sigh of relief, Tsunade dispelled her chakra before nodding at Shizune.

"Finish closing up her wound. She will be fine."

Shizune nodded her head as the faint crinkles around her eyes indicated her relief. The two had been switching on and off throughout the surgery in order to maintain their chakra levels. Now that they were safe, all that was left was for Sakura to rest and awaken in order to explain what had occurred during the mission.

Pleased that her pupil would be fine, she stepped away from the operating table as she heard the familiar boisterous voice of Naruto outside the operation room. Shaking her head at the future hokage's inability to maintain an inside voice, she took off her mask before washing her hands and heading out to the waiting room.

Amber eyes widened at the sight of Shikamaru standing in front of the doors. She had expected to see Naruto first and foremost, but the pale sheen that was uncharacteristic of the shinobi alerted her to the fear that was hidden behind the usually indifferent eyes.

"Is…Is she alright?" The hoarse tone intrigued her but she realized now wasn't the time to ponder over the relationship between her student and the lazy shinobi. Folding her arms, she peered at the male, before addressing the other shinobi who were frantically waiting for news regarding Sakura.

"She pulled through. All that's left is for her to rest and wake up. You may see her tomorrow. Now go rest. You guys look like crap."

Tsunade watched at the group of shinobi relax at her words. A few of them agreed to her command as they began to trickle out of the waiting room. She wasn't surprised to see the lingering gaze Kakashi bestowed on her, as if he was attempting to reassure himself what she said wasn't false. Meeting the man's gaze, she arched a brow as if daring him to challenge her medical abilities. Sensing the indignation, Kakashi merely nodded before disappearing in a puff of smoke. All that was left was Shikamaru and the sand shinobi, Temari.

She carefully watched as the girl placed her hand on Shikamaru's shoulder as a sign of comfort. She knew of their relationship, although she was interested in the lack of response as Shikamaru merely patted the woman's hand. She watched as the girl sighed before shaking her head, leaving the two shinobi behind.

"What happened?" The serious tone of Shikamaru's question had her sighing in annoyance as she realized she would have to explain the mission that Sakura was assigned. Focusing her attention on the man, she replied, "I don't know what happened on the mission, we will need to wait for Sakura to tell us. But she was assigned an S-class mission, specifically for ANBU as you know. There were reports of a rouge group of ANBU from sand that was targeting Konoha ANBU operatives. Her task was to engage them in order to determine their intentions and figure out who was controlling them. From what the Kazekage told me, it was highly likely Sasuke was involved but we aren't sure how."

Brown eyes narrowed at the Hokage. "You sent her out without any back up when you knew it was going to be a dangerous mission?" The icy tone of his voice shocked Tsunade at the audacity of the shinobi, but she knew a part of him was feeling anger at what had occurred. She wouldn't deny the guilt that she was experiencing but she wouldn't let anyone speak to her in that type of manner. Glaring at Shikamaru, she responded, "I originally intended to send you out with Sakura but she refused, stating you were preoccupied with personal matters. She volunteered to go without backup as she knew other ANBU operatives were either out on missions, recovering, or busy. Don't assume I purposely sent Sakura out so she would return in this condition."

The sound of Tsunade's voice echoed in the empty hallway as the two faced off against each other. Shikamaru was shocked at the revelation as guilt welled within him alongside his anger. He couldn't believe Sakura would be so stupid to deny assistance just because he was going to see Temari. When she woke up he would be sure to inform her of her stupidity. Clenching his fists as he attempted to control his anger, he muttered an apology as he turned to leave. The need for a cigarette was overwhelming, and he knew it was the best course of action in order to avoid a possible fight with Tsunade.

Sighing at the boy, a part of her felt pity for him. Briefly glancing at the operating room, she spoke once more. "She'll be out within the next hour. If you would like, you can see her."

Shikamaru paused mid step as he stared at his Hokage. The fatigue from the surgery was weighing on her, that much was evident. But he was more so surprised at her leniency with allowing him to see Sakura so soon after surgery. Briefly he nodded his head and murmured a thank you, before disappearing outside in order to collect his thoughts and reassure himself that Sakura was alive.