L.

Hello, for those who check the Facebook fan page you would know that I have been having trouble with my wisdom tooth and I am having it removed. For those of you that didn't know I had a Facebook fan page you can check out the link in my profile. I update it with information regarding my stories, events, and such. Therefore you all would know if I'm on my death bed or not and when I will be updating.

Anyways I am going to have my wisdom tooth extracted and to those who don't know what that is; pray to God that you never have to go through the pain.

I'm informing you all of this because I am not sure when I will be able to have chapter 9 up because today I am wallowing in pain and was just barely able to function to have this up.

Light after Dark

Chapter 8

A young man with inky black hair gritted his teeth as he clutched the receiver in his hand and glanced back up at the nurse looming over his crumpled frame. "…Are you absolutely positive I can't drive home?" He asked, the words coming out slowly.

The nurse nodded, her eyes glued to him. "Sir your arm is broken. You have two broken ribs, your eye is practically swollen shut and your body is completely battered. The only reason you can even move now is because you're hopped up on morphine." She sighed and closed her eyes. "Just call someone to pick you up so that you can go home." She rubbed her neck. "And stop nagging all of the staff." She muttered under her breath.

Slowly, as though the numbers would burn his fingers; he reached forward and dialed the memorized digits and waited for the familiar voice to answer. "Hello?" A deep, amused voice spoke.

"Hey."

"Why hello there Itachi." The voice sang.

"Hi Kisame."

"So what's up man? You've been out all night. Don't tell me you're calling me to bail you out of prison…" He mocked.

Itachi rolled his dark, insomniac eyes. "No Kisa-"

"Cause you know I'm broke!" Kisame cut him off. "I mean I just don't have the money to bail you out!"

"Relax-I-"

"But don't worry I've got your back-I'll tell Konan! She's got the cash kay?" Shuffling was heard on the other end followed by muffled screams.

"Kisame I'm not in-"

"What jail are you in? The one in town or-"

"Who's in jail?" A muffled voice cut him off.

"Itachi. Now shut up Tobi."

"Itachi-Sempai is in jail? NO! Deidara-Sempai! Sempai!"

"Fucking brat…." Kisame muttered before sighing. "So what jail did you say? Itachi?"

Itachi heaved a heavy sigh before shaking his head. "I'm not in jail Kisame I'm in the hospital."

Awkward silence.

"Hello?" Itachi frowned and tapped the receiver. "Anyone there?"

"You're in the hospital?" Kisame repeated.

"Yeah."

Awkward silence.

"So Kakashi did-"

"Shut up and come get me." Was all Itachi said before he hung up the phone. Slowly he looked up at the nurse in front of him to see her staring back at him. "What?" He asked coolly, standing straighter and frowning.

"Your ride is coming?" She asked, raising a perfect eyebrow at him.

Itachi scoffed and turned around to walk back down the hall. "Yes." He stated uncomfortably. 'If it gets me out of this cursed place.'

Light after Dark Light after Dark

Gaara stared out at the two people in front of him, his teal eyes casually roaming over their uncomfortable forms. He noted his doctor did not shy away from him, instead she stepped closer to the lone glass diving them. Slowly, he turned away from her and glanced at the guard standing a few feet away with one hand dancing along the tasor.

With a soft sigh he stood up from the chair he was sitting on and rolled his neck, taking in his room. Instead of having four walls, he only had three. The third had been replaced with tempered glass during the renovations. Along the glass, there was a sizeable door with handles only accessible from the outside. Out of reach, running along the top of the glass were little air holes for fresh air to circulate throughout the room.

Slowly, as though his body weighed a thousand pounds, the red head walked up to the glass, his face a mask of pale, empty, emotion. He deliberately leaned down, his forehead against the cool glass; his teal eyes level with her golden orbs. "Where is she?" He whispered, his low, monotone voice.

Tsunade frowned but kept her eyes on his. "I told you she's not here Gaara." She spoke slowly.

Gaara sighed and leaned back, his teal eyes drifting close. "Then where is she?"

"She left." She answered automatically, mentally cursing her rashness.

He turned his back to her and began to pace his room. "Why?" He asked, moving as though he were stalking her as his prey.

"…"

"I asked you a question Tsunade." He turned back to her. "Why did she leave Tsunade?"

Tsunade sighed and hung her head as Kiba stepped up beside her. "She's not coming back Gaara. So forget about her."

The red headed patient strode up to her, his eyes boring down at her through the glass. "…Isn't she?" He spoke, his voice barley a whisper.

Light after Dark Light after Dark

The ride back home was long and uncomfortable, after many arguments, death glares, snide comments, and a few wrong turns, they made it home. "Finally!" Sakura sighed and pulled the keys out of the ignition and climbed out of Kakashi's silver Spyker C8 Spyder. "I have no idea how you drive that thing Kaka-Sempai…I kept going over the speed limit!" Her cheeks flushed pink as she strode over to the passenger door of Naruto's bright orange Lamborghini Gallardo and opened it to see a tuff of silver hair peaking out. "Sempai?"

"I know Sakura." He chuckled as he slowly got out of the car with her help. "You kept pulling ahead of us then falling back." His eyes crinkled as he looked down at her then pulled her close for a hug. "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah don't worry Saku." Naruto grinned at her over the roof of his car. "At least you didn't get lost right?"

Sakura sighed a disheartened sigh as she pulled away from Kakashi and handed him is crutch. "I suppose…" She mumbled.

Just then a dark blue Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG pulled up behind Naruto's Lamborghini, within seconds the driver cut the engine and opened the door to reveal a highly annoyed, chicken ass male. "You okay Sasuke?" The spiky blonde asked, one eyebrow raised. "You look like you stepped in dog shit."

"You can say that." Sasuke mumbled, shutting the driver's door then locking it. "So we going inside or what?"

"It's Kaka-Sempai's house Sasuke." Naruto retorted. "What shit in your soup on the way here?"

A loud screech was heard followed by several people cursing then black a Maserati GranTurismo pulled up behind Kakashi's Spyker, mere inches from its bumper. "The fuck man!" Sasuke cursed, his pale face contorting to a mask of pure dislike. "You almost rear-ended his car!"

"You cut me off on the overpass!" Neji yelled as he kicked open his car door then shut it.

"You gave me the wrong fucking directions!"

Baby blue eyes rolled as he grabbed Kakashi's arm and draped it over his shoulders. "Let's go inside Sempai. I'll make you some tea." He stated as they began to walk to the front door. Dark eyes closed in pain as he nodded and placed one aching foot in front of the other. "Sounds good." He gritted his teeth.

Sakura sighed as she ran her long fingers through her pink locks. "Boys." She spoke.

They ignored her.

Neji stalked forward, his pale eyes shining in the sun. "Don't fuck with me Uchiha."

"Boys." She tried again.

Sasuke snarled, his dark eyes hinting red. "Don't tell me who to fuck with Hyuga."

"BOYS!" Sakura yelled and stalked forward and pulled at their hair. "Both of you shut up and get in the house!" With that said she grabbed their cheeks and proceeded to drag them to the front door. "You two act like children…all because of what? Neither of you got to drive Sempai's car so you decide to have a race here? That's why he didn't let you!"

Light after Dark Light after Dark

"Itachi you idiot." Konan grumbled as she helped him into the passenger seat while Kisame stood laughing behind him. "How can you let it get to the point of this?" She asked, bucking the seat belt for him before leaning back out. "If you had just told me I would have taken you to the hospital and we could have avoided half of this."

Behind her Kisame doubled over in laughter, his giant, blue tinged body shaking. "M-m-sh-you look…so…f-f-…fucking…" He couldn't complete the sentence as he fell forward on his knees laughing.

Dark eyes narrowed as he stared at his friend. "Shut up Kisame." Itachi mumbled, his pale face turning away as Konan shut the car door and walked around to the driver's side. "Kisame get in or we're leaving you." She ordered, running her fingers though her shoulder length blue hair. "I need a hair cut…" She mumbled idly before sticking the key in the ignition and starting her sleek, white Hummer.

'I get injured and she's thinking about her hair?' Itachi breathed deeply as he sunk lower into the leather seat. 'What the hell is wrong with these people?' He let his eyes slid close as Konan slid onto the main road, away from the hospital.

Light after Dark Light after Dark

A young guard with upside down triangle tattoos on his cheeks sat down opposite his friend in the cafeteria. He breathed a deep, steady breath then reclined his neck on the wall behind him. "Hey Shikamaru." He greeted, his voice lathered in exhaustion.

"Hey Kiba." Shikamaru drawled, stirring his cup of coffee.

Slowly, Kiba raised his head, his brown eyes taking in the empty cafeteria around him. "On break?"

Shikamaru sighed and closed his eyes. "You can say that."

Kiba nodded and took note of his friend's tired frame. He wore the same guards uniform, and jacket except on him it looked completely different. With his sleek black hair pulled into a pineapple shaped pony tail, pale face, earrings and forever bored expression he looked older, wiser. On Kiba, with his tanned skin, tattoos, and naturally rugged looks and messy hair, it only made him look all the more dangerous.

"So why are you here? Shouldn't you be working?" Shikamaru asked, taking a sip in his coffee.

Kiba sighed and ran his hands though his messy locks. "I just finished with Gaara and Tsunade. I got an early break."

"Ah."

"Yeah…" Kiba nodded and sunk down in his chair. "So I heard that Sakura applied here again…"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

A quiet stillness fell around them before he spoke. "So whatever happened to her?"

The pineapple headed guard shrugged as he stood up, coffee in hand. "Who knows?" He mumbled before casually walking away.

Light after Dark Light after Dark

Two days later, a young man with spiky blonde hair jogged up the front stairs to his best friend's house. His baby blue eyes shone happily in the morning sun as he took a ring of keys out of his pant pocket and stuck a key in the key hole to open the door. "Oh, mail." He mumbled as a white envelope sticking out of the black mail box caught his eye. Casually he reached over and grabbed the small stack of envelope's and packages from the box and opened the front door.

"Saku!" Naruto's voice rang through the quiet house. "Mail's here!" He shut the front door behind him and unzipped his orange and black stripped hoodie. "Hey Kaka-Sempai!" He grinned at the highly annoyed man sitting at the kitchen table watching him as he drank his morning cup of coffee.

"Sakura Naruto's here." Kakashi called half-heartedly as he sighed and flipped the page of his morning newspaper.

"Oh Sempai, please. Contain your excitement to see me." The blonde haired male mocked as he walked up to him. "Especially since the latest edition of Icha Icha Paradise has finally come and is sitting right here. In my arms." He teased, holding up the yellow package with his finger tips. "Now…whatever shall I do with this?"

Silver hair swayed as Kakashi's head shot up to stare at the package. "give it." He demanded, holding his good arm out.

Naruto sniffed as he shifted his weight and gently shook the package. "You know…this just might not be the book…it could be my new-"

"Oh just give him the package Naru Naru." Sakura's sweet voice sang from behind him. "You know you'll only piss him off."

Baby blue eyes brightened as her words sunk into his head. "Hey Saku!" He tossed the packaged to Kakashi and handed him a butter knife lying on the table then turned around to hug his best friend. "So how have you been?" He asked, taking her in. She wore a cute, pink throw on tank over a white tank that went down to just under her buttocks and black short shorts. Her long pink hair was pulled into a messy but above the nape of her neck.

"I've been good. Waiting for that acceptance or rejected letter." She sighed. "You?" She asked, taking his wrist and pulling him into the kitchen.

"I'm doing good." He stated and tossed the mail onto the counter top before walking to the refrigerator and opening it. "I'm working on finding some more books for the class you know? You never can have too many books." He chuckled and stuck his head inside the cool air.

The pinkett smiled and slid onto one of the stools before her emerald eyes caught one of the envelopes. 'This isn't…is it?' She breathed deeply as her fingers ran over the edges as she slid it towards her and picked it up. A nervous smile danced on her lips as she stared down at the pristine white envelop in her hands. On the front, stamped in the direct middle of the envelop read Kyoto's Insane Asylum. 'Oh my…this is it. This is the letter I've been waiting for. This will determine whether they accepted me or not. This is my future.'

Light after Dark Light after Dark

Tsunade heaved a heavy sigh as she sank down behind her desk, her face writhed with worry. 'This is absurd…' She groped at the drawer beside her leg and pulled out a half-empty bottle of Sake.

"Lady Tsunade?" Hinata knocked then entered the room, gently closing the door behind her.

"What is it Hinata?" She asked, pouring herself a cup of Sake and watching as a few drops slid out of the cup and splattered onto the papers scattered atop the desk.

"Milady!" She rushed forward to try and remove the documents before they became stained with the alcohol. "Must you always do that?" She asked, her pale lavender eyes filled with panic. "These were patient discharge forms…" Her heart palpitated as she held the now damp forms away from her body.

Tsunade shrugged and closed her eyes as she downed half the cup, reveling in the feeling as it slid down her throat and settled in her empty stomach. 'That boy…he won't ever change will he?'

A few seconds later a knock sounded at the door before a woman with short black hair entered, her arms filled with folders. "Lady Tsunade must you be so depressed?" Shizune asked, placing the folders on the coffee table off to the side then walking over to the roll away cart filled with tea cups.

"Yes Shizune. I must."

"And why is that Milady?" Shizune asked, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Would you like some Hinata?" She asked, smiling warmly at the pale girl.

"Y-Yes!" Hinata blushed as she laid out the damp documents to dry.

The woman nodded and poured another cup. "If this is about Gaara…you shouldn't worry. I mean he's much more manageable than he once was…he now cooperates with all-most of us…this is a good thing…"

Tsunade sniffed and downed the reminder of her Sake. 'Sure it is…'

Light after Dark Light after Dark

"Hey Saku." Naruto sang as he strode up beside her, a water bottle in his hand. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Awkward silence.

"Sakura?" He peered over her shoulder at the envelope resting in her hands. 'Is that what I think it is?' A perfect, blonde eyebrow raised as he turned the cap on the water bottle. 'Shitttttt…they wouldn't…would they?' His heart started to palpitate as his baby blue eyes scanned the addressed envelope.

Suddenly the pinkett looked up at him, her emerald eyes filled with worry. "Sakura?" He asked, patting her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Open it for me!" She shut her eyes and pushed the envelope against his chest.

"What?" He stumbled back, gripping the envelope. "Saku…"

"Please?" She batted her long lashes at him and pouted. "I haven't the heart to do it myself…"

Baby blue eyes closed in exasperation as he placed his water bottle on the counter and opened the envelope. Slowly he pulled the document out of its encasing and skimming over the letters on the page. 'We regret to inform you Sakura Haruno…' He glanced up at the pinkett standing in front of him; her small hands clasped in front of her, her shoulders hunched forward, her nose crinkled in worry. '…Damn…looks like they're keeping their distance as well...' He shook his head and continued to read. 'You did not fulfill the requirements for the open position as a psychologist in our facility. We wish you luck in your job hunt but we need you not here at Kyoto's Insane Asylum. Thank you for applying. Lady Tsunade; Administrator, Head Nurse.'

Light after Dark Light after Dark

L.

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