I was coming to it, hitting around me with open palms. It was soft, it smelled clean, sterile. I knew where I was, I just didn't remember going there.

"He could have done this, but I don't know why?"

It was Sasuke, I must assume they brought me to the hospital. It was a wise call all things considered.

"No, I don't think so. He had already left."

There was pacing in front of my bed. I couldn't have been out for long.

"It could still be him, but why?"

It hadn't been him. I don't think he would ever hurt me, not unless it was necessary. He wouldn't hurt me over a petty dispute if it even was that.

"I think there's something more between the two of them than we know."

Sakura kept quiet. I was afraid she knew. I was afraid she would tell Sasuke right there and then. She knew, she must know. I can only imagine she checked me when I had fainted.

"I just don't think he'd just casually do something rash to harm her."

Sakura couldn't believe that this had been caused by Itachi, not when she knew.

"What if he'll slip back into who he once was?"

Sakura jumped up from the chair or bed she was sitting on.

"He would never, you know that."

Sasuke knew that, but he had more than anyone felt just how much pain he was capable of causing. He might to some extent know much harm he could have caused me in those few minutes in their hallway.

"How do we know that? You don't know what he can do!"

He was angry now, angry that Sakura wasn't on his side, scared that his brother might be changing again. It had been rash and wrong trying to scare and provoke me in that matter.

"And what was her deal? She didn't even flinch; she looked him straight in the eyes!"

It had been because I trusted him. I trusted him not to cause me harm and that might have been a gamble. I didn't care.

"I know, it was insane. More insane than him. She didn't even move when he was all up in her face."

"It's like she wants to die."

Sakura sat down in whatever she had been sitting on again.

"You don't think?"

He didn't respond to her. They had somehow jumped to the crazy conclusion that I wanted to die, that I had wanted him to take my life. It was a hilarious plot they had spun up. That I had wanted for him to murder me in their hallway and that he might actually comply with it.

"No, she was just being stupid. She's never been the one to think things through."

Sasuke stopped moving I could feel him clutching the end of the bed.

"I just don't know why he would get so mad, what could have caused him to lose control?"

"I think he likes her."

Sakura giggled still caught up in the absurd idea that I would end up with Itachi making all of us some sort of family.

"No. He doesn't."

Sasuke was better at answering that than Sakura. He was Itachi's brother after all and the one closest to him.

"What?"

Sakura seemed surprised.

"Nothing bad about Ino, but she's just Ino. Do you think she'd be able to keep up with someone with his wits, knowledge and power? He'd be bored within the week, but I must admit I like the idea. Also, do you think he'd fall for the constant dieting, polished nails and face, kind of platinum blond girl?"

I contemplated pretending to wake up. I didn't know Sasuke viewed me in that way. I thought I had worked hard to prove that I was more than eating lean, that I wasn't afraid to get dirty. Neither was I dumb, I was even smarter than that bastard, well smarter in some subjects.

I didn't want to be the dumb blond. I had been the dumb blond all my life, always underestimated. I thought I had proven myself during the war. I had fought like everyone else, just as hard. Yet I was just the dumb girl who loved to paint my nails and brush my long hair.

"It's hard to imagine him with any girl."

Had the mood been lighter they would have laughed. Itachi wasn't one to just go out and strike up a conversation with a girl, let alone asking her out.

I groaned and mumbled slowly opening my eyes. A tear rolled down as soon as I tried opening my eyes, I blamed it on the light. It was bright, it was enough to make anyone cry.

"Ino, you're in the hospital."

I had figured out that much already. I could hear Sakura hanging over my bedside. I opened my eyes again and offered a smile.

"What happened? You just fainted."

She looked at Sasuke. This was what they had been waiting for. They had been waiting to hear my side of the story. They had wanted to hear if Itachi had done something.

"It must have been the stress. There's been so much to do at the shop."

It was a plausible explanation. The real one I thought too. It was the only thing that made sense. It had just been too much with his shenanigans on top of all the stress and long hours at the shop. I hadn't been eating as I should either. Especially not taking everything into consideration.

"You would tell us right, if Itachi did anything?"

I sighed and looked directly into the bright light. I hadn't noticed just how bright hospital lights were before. It made sense seeing the patients are exhibited in their bed for doctors, nurses and visitors.

"I'd have no problem ratting him out."

I would, had he actually done anything wrong, anything he shouldn't have.

Sasuke ruffled his hear letting out a deep breath he had been holding and walked out relieved. His biggest fear had been just that, a fear.

Sakura's caring smile changed as soon as Sasuke left and I hadn't expected anything. She raised her fist looking at it before putting it down again. Not even she could punch her pregnant best friend lying in a hospital bed, no matter how badly she wanted to punch me.

I could see it in her face, the wrinkled forehead of hers was intruding and her narrow paling lines forming where her normally pink lips were located gave me the idea just how much self-control she needed to calm her urges and anger down.

"And you've just broken up with Sai!"

It was in an angry whisper as she looked behind her shoulder and into the hallway. Sasuke was long gone to god knows where.

"It's not his."

Now she did hit me in the shoulder. I screamed and touched the sore spot. She had been holding back but it hadn't been a weak punch. She was flapping her hands in the air not sure what to do next. If it wasn't Sai's then she immediately remembered the breakfast we had shared where Itachi blurted out that we had slept together.

"No!"

I said it before she could ask and she calmed down putting her hands in her lap thinking. If not Sai or Itachi who could it has been?

"You've sure gotten around but if not…"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door and I would be forever thankful to whomever entered that door.

"I saw your name on the board and came straight away."

It was Shikamaru looking glad I seemed to be in good shaped. I assumed that he was back from a mission and was referring to the board in the reception room at the Hokage tower. It had the list of ninjas currently admitted in the hospital. I was surprised I was still in their system but once a ninja, always a ninja until death.

"I'm all good, just a bit of stress."

He walked over to my bed sitting down and grabbed my hand.

"You shouldn't be stressing, not now."

Sakura slowly started shaking her head. She couldn't believe it. If Sai or Itachi wasn't the father the only reasonable man was Shikamaru. It didn't make sense, but it did. Shikamaru was married and Temari was looking for a bigger house for when they had children, why would he be with Ino on the side then?

On the other hand it made total sense. Sakura for one had never understood why we hadn't ended up together. It didn't make sense to her. We had grown up with each other making us know each other in and out. Even knowing all our flaws and faults we still worshiped and adored each other. We would always love each other.

"It's all good."

I gave him a reassuring smile. He bent down and kissed my hand.

"I'm glad. I have to go fill out some reports but I'll come see you again if you're not out by then."

I nodded and he left looking at me.

"How could you?!"

She punched me once again in the same spot. Now I was sure it was going to bruise, if something else agitated her I was sure she would break a bone.

"It's not like that. Don't be crazy. I wouldn't."

Sakura wasn't so sure about that.