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"Everything Dies. That is the law of life-the bitter unchangeable law"
― David Clement-Davies
Sakura walked out of the O.R. rubbed the cramps out of her fingers. The surgery had been long and complicated, but she'd been pleased to be allowed to assist. She'd spent the past ten hours on her feet, and figured if she was lucky she could clock out shortly and leave the hospital on a high note.
She saw Sasuke waiting in the corridor and decided the odds of that high note had just improved.
"They told me you were up here, sewing some guy back together."
"Assisting," she corrected. "But sewing him back together's close. Forty-two year old man who was very, very careless with a chain saw."
"Ouch."
"I think he's going to keep his arm." She rolled her neck as she pushed the button for the elevator. "Dr. Tsunade is the best in the state. I don't know anyone else who could have done what she did in there. The massive blood loss and trauma, the muscle and nerve damage. And the patient wasn't the best candidate for a long surgery—a good hundred pounds overweight. But he could very well be swinging a chain saw to cut down his Christmas tree next December."
"Did you get yours yet?"
"Our tree?" She stepped into E.R., relieved that it seemed to be quiet. "This weekend." She took a quick look at the board and saw that she wasn't needed. Tenten could handle it. "I'm going to grab some coffee."
"You're off shift, aren't you?"
"In ten minutes." She swung into the lounge, heading straight for the cup of coffee Hinata had gotten ready for her. "I didn't think you'd be by today."
"I had a few things to deal with." He pulled a box out of his pocket, "Here's one of them."
With the cup in her hand, the pinkette stared at the pretty silver box and bow. "Uchiha, you have to stop this."
"Why?"
"You can't keep giving me presents."
"Why?" He grinned a boyish grin at her. "You liked the others, and I've got a theme going here."
The pear tree, she though, the lovely little brooch of two turtledoves, the silly trio of china hens, and four ridiculous chirping plastic windup birds. She adored all of them. "When your theme hits nine dancing ladies, you're going to be in serious trouble."
"I've got plans for that. Come on, open it up."
He took the cup from her, handed her the box, and decided to gauge her expression. She was charmed, and they both knew it. He heard her helpless little sigh as she took off the lid and saw the long chain with five rings intricately braided into it, sparkling like rainbows.
"How do you manage this?"
"Patience, determination, persistence." He set the cup down. "Here, let me put it on for you." He took the necklace out and draped it over her head, where it glowed against her pale skin.
She ran a hand down the chain. "I shouldn't take it."
"Of course you should. You want it."
"Of course I want it," she said with a hint of exasperation. "It's lovely and it's charming."
It made no sense. They barely knew each other. She'd given him no encouragement. He simply wasn't the next step she'd planned for in her life. What went wrong in the planning? "Why are you doing this?" she demanded.
"Because I've still got that thing for you." He leaned down, brushed his lips to hers, adoring that mix of confusion and annoyance in her eyes. "And it seems to be spreading. Why don't you change into something less intimidating, and we'll go out?" He slid his arms around her waist, making her hold her breath. "Try that candlelight dinner this time."
"I'm not dressed for dinner."
"You look wonderful. Perfect." He could feel her hesitate, soften, sway toward surrendering. "I want to be with you, Sakura. I want to make love with you. I can't remember wanting anything quite so much, and there are a great many things I've wanted."
She felt herself sliding into the kiss, into him, before she could stop himself. "I've barely had time to catch my breath since you walked into my life."
"Don't catch it," he said, suddenly, fiercely, impatient. "Let it go. And come with me." His mouth demanded now, hot and possessive, severing any thought of protest. The thrill whipped through her as he dragged her into the heat, under the dark gaze of his ravenous eyes. "For God's sake, Sakura, let me touch you."
"I want—" She had her hands on his face and threaded her fingers through his dark ebony locks and fisted them. "I do want you. I'm not being coy or playing games." She eased back so that she could meet his eyes. It was vital to her to be honest, and to be logical, which she hasn't been since this man entered her life. "I haven't wanted anyone else enough to let them touch me."
It took a moment for his head to separate itself from the storm rising in his body. A moment to cool the mind and understand what she was telling him.
Untouched. Innocent. She was the fairy princess after all. Still waiting for the right person, her Prince Charming.
Instinctively he gentled his hold. "You can't possibly know how much that means. I don't want to hurt you."
"I'm not afraid of that." She stepped back, pushing a hand through her pink locks. "I'm a doctor, I—" Her eyes narrowed when he chuckled. "What are you laughing at?"
"Some matters may have to do with the anatomy, Dr. Sadistic, but nothing at all to do with medicine."
"Doctor what?"
"You heard me." Lord, but it was a pleasure in itself to shock her. "And believe me, you won't be thinking like a doctor when I make love with you." His arrogant smirk was back in place, her blushing just added to his already conceited character.
"I haven't said you will yet," she told him evenly. The cocksure grin and all-male ego irritated her enough to have her regain some balance. "And if you continue to find my lack of experience in this particular area so amusing—"
"I don't find it amusing at all, I find it erotic. Unspeakably erotic. And I'd like to change the dinner for a late supper. Very late. I want to spend a great deal of time giving you—" he reached out and tugged her closer "—all manner of experiences in this particular area."
"I haven't decided," she began, and felt a gush of relief as her beeper sounded. "Excuse me." She stepped back, angled the beeper she wore on her hip so that she could read the code. Turning, she pushed through the doors and hunted up the chief resident on duty. It was Dr. Shizune.
"Good, Haruno, I saw you hadn't clocked out. We've got a drive-by. Gunshot wounds, chest and abdomen. ETA two minutes."
Sakura could sense something was off, so she asked the dreaded question.
"Age?" She asked holding her breath.
"Eight year-old, male," was the silent, forlorn reply.
She released her breath, and literally ran outside. Sasuke saw her transform in front of his eyes from an aroused and irritated woman to cold and sturdy steel. She moved fast, heading for the heavy double doors even as the sound of sirens punched through the quiet stillness.
The paramedics hustled the boy in on a gurney, with Sakura rushing beside them, filing away the shouted information on vital signs and treatment they snapped out at her. She yanked on gloves and while a nurse strapped goggles over her eyes. In seconds, her hands were covered in blood.
The kid wore a Bruins' line jacket, Sasuke noted, black high-tops. A man and woman rushed into the room behind the gurney, both of them crying, both of them shouting demands, pleas, questions.
"You can't be in here," Sakura snapped out as she slid the endotracheal tube into place. "We have to help him now. Hinata," she ordered, jerking her head. "Give me six units of O-neg, stat. He needs whole blood."
"He'll be all right. Won't he be all right?" The woman fought against the orderly on the way to the door. "He was just walking home from a friend's. He was just walking home. My baby! Kay!"
The smell of grief and terror hung in the air, overriding even the blood.
"Kay's in good hands now," Hinata said as she urged the parents away from the door. "Dr. Haruno's the best. You have to let her do her job."
Her hands moved quickly, her mind remained cold. A stream of blood shot out, striking her across the stomach. "We've got a pumper. Clamp."
"BP's dropping. I'm losing the pulse."
She ordered IVs, tests, a type and crossmatch on the victim's blood. Her words punched the air even as her hands fought to heal. But in her mind, in the cold, clear logic of it. She already knew it was useless.
"Irrigate this, I can't see what the hell—I found the exit wound. Somebody get out and push for the pictures. I want to know how many bullets went into this boy. Come on, Kay, come one, stay with me."
She fought for him, sweat sliding down her forehead unnoticed. Her eyes were fierce and warrior-bright. Sometimes, she knew, death could be beaten. Or, if not beaten, cheated.
So much damage in such a small body. But she didn't allow herself to think of that, only to focus on each step, each need, each answer.
Time sped by with gowned staff rushing in and out of the doors.
When he coded, she never broke rhythm. "Let's zap him. Now!" She snatched the pediatric paddles, waited for the tone. "Clear." His body jerked, but his heart didn't respond. "Again. Come on, damn it, come on." With the second shock, the monitor registered the beat.
"Slow sinus rhythm."
"Get him a bolus of epi. That's the way." It was only the two of them now in her mind, just the two of them challenging the inevitable. "Just a little longer. Is the O.R. ready for him?"
"Standing by."
"BP dropping. No pulse."
She swore now and hitched herself onto the table to straddle him. "Bag him. Hurry up," she ordered as she began CPR. "We're losing him."
His hair was glossy brown; he had the face of a sleeping angel. Sakura ordered herself not to notice, not to think, just to act. "I need another two units of blood. Get it in him. Let's go, move, let's get him upstairs."
They shoved the gurney through the doors with Sakura still atop it, working the boy's chest. Even as the parents rushed up, trying to cling to the gurney, she never took her eyes off the boy's face.
The last glimpse Sasuke had of her was of the fierce determination in her eyes before the elevator doors closed.
And when they opened more than two hours later, he saw her eyes again, and the boy's death in them. He sensed the silent dead mourning with them.
"Sakura—"
She only shook her head and walked past him to the lobby desk. Very deliberately, she picked up her charts, completed her notations and clocked out. She said nothing, simply walked into the lounge and to her locker.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke said from behind her. He could just feel the depressing emotional turmoil within her.
"It happens. He was gone when they brought him in. he was gone when the bullet cut into his heart. He was gone the moment his innocent mind decided to visit his friend. He was gone the moment he walked the path where serial killers were on the loose. He was gone just because he was a fucking civilian innocently walking home to meet his parents." She pulled off her scrubs, took out a wool blazer. "You shouldn't have waited, Sasuke. I'm too tired to socialize tonight. I'm going home."
"I'll take you."
"I've got my car." She took out her black jacket and her purse.
"I'm not leaving you alone when you're all churned up this way." His tone was absolute, final.
"I'm not churned up. This is hardly the first patient I've lost, or the last I will lose." She shrugged into her jacket, found her gloves in the pocket where she had tucked them hours before. "We did everything we could. We used all of the skills available to us. That's all we can do." Her fingers were numb and stiff as she pushed open the door.
He waited until they were outside, until the snow whirled around and clung to her hair. "I'm driving you home."
"Leave me alone." She shoved his hand from her arm, and rounded on him. The pressure in her chest was hideous, unbearable. "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself anywhere I want to go. I don't want you. I don't need you. I don't—"
Appalled at herself, she stopped, pressed her fingers to her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. No, please." She shook her head quickly before he could touch her again. "I need to walk." To blame myself over something that I couldn't control, but still.
He slipped his hands into his pockets, easily reading her mind. "Then we will walk."
There was no way possible he would let her be by herself after the recent happenings. His heart won't allow him to.
Hey guys~! How have all of you been doing all this time? ^_^
STOP AIMING THOSE DAGGERS AT ME DYAMMIT! I'M SCARED ALREADY! I JUST RETURNED TO FFN NOW!
TT^TT
It's been a while, ne? So many months have passed, I finally got some time to write! My mid-terms ended on 9th last week, having a sem break right now :DD It'll last till 28th :/ College reopens on 29th! DDX Whoever told me to take PCMB course was probably drunk when saying it's not that hard… -_-" I hate it.. TT^TT
This fic still has 5 chapters and an epilogue to end, but the number of chapter remaining may wary, depending on how my mind runs XDD Actually, make that seven chapters and an epilogue, I plan something extra! ^_^
If everything goes as planned, I'll write next chapter of Banned love today, and possibly update it by tomorrow :/
I've decided to utilize this sem break to its fullest and update often, though still no promises, 'cause I have some assignments to complete as well : ( But I'll divert my attention to other fics as well, so don't fret readers ^_^
I want to start a few new fics, but I can't manage 5 of them, it's not possible to manage any more in number as well ^_^ My mind is awfully diverted nowadays. I have been conspicuously absence since my first year of college started, please forgive me for this, my lovely readers. Even though I don't deserve anyone of yours love at all! TT^TT
I hope you all will still stick with me even though I don't deserve your attention.I'll be sending PM replies to previous chapter's reviews as soon as I finish eating my breakfast! ^_^
Please review and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. It's a short one, but better than nothing! ^_^
Hope you all forgive me and still continue to read this fic! XD Please don't leave without reviewing. I need a lot of inspiration to continue my fics right now! TT^TT
So REVIEW, my lovelies! XD May I ask for over 25 reviews? ^_^
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THROW THAT DAGGER AWAY DYAMMIT! :OOOOOO
P.S. If you're on facebook and want to add me or something, my fb profile link is on my FFn profile :3 Then you can confirm that I'm not some 40 year old pedophile or something, and yes, my real pic is there too, so you could know how I look and blah blah! XD Please add me. I first considered making a fan page….but then my mind reminded me that I don't have fans… -_-" Nor am I famous *sweatdrop* But send me a message with fb request as well, alright?
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