A/N: I love you all!
If you're keeping up with the manga - Pein + Panda Summon Adorable!!
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"Kisame, get down here."
The black cloaked man silently hopped down from his perch on a tree branch to land near his comrades on the ground. They had all taken their hats off, but were still swamped in their usual black robes as they sat in a circle underneath the trees. The sun had already set, the dusk light casting their faces in a shade of gray that would rival Kisame's.
"What is it?" he said gruffly. He didn't like being woken up.
The one that spoke stood up and shook her sapphire hair. "I've detected a new chakra signature entering the village. I'm not sure, but I believe it was Uchiha's little brother."
Kisame frowned. "What is he doing in Konoha?"
"We don't know," said Zetsu, "We want Konan to send an eye into the village to check it out."
His voice deepened. "She'll scout out Pein's situation and report on their security around him."
"Without his permission, huh?"
Konan nodded. "We can't sit around here much longer, you know. Eventually, we'll be found out if we stay. Besides, Leader's commands lately have been very . . . uncharacteristic of him. I want to find out what reason he has for holding off an attack."
Kisame scratched the back of his head and looked around at the small group. Apparently, the three had discussed the subject at length while he was napping. He didn't like the idea of going behind Leader's orders, but they had been backed into a corner in the enemy's territory for too long. Something had to be done.
"Fine, go ahead," he said gruffly, "But if Leader gets pissed at you three, I want no part in this."
Konan nodded. "He won't be angry at a little scouting."
She made a seal and the white origami flower in her hair floated up and folded itself into two wings, no larger than a normal butterfly.
Kisame watched the paper flap away in the direction of the village walls, hidden by a mile of trees and brush. He didn't like it, but he and the others were getting restless while sitting here. He would not wait around much longer unless action some action was taken. What was Leader waiting for, anyway?
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If only I could talk to him now . . . I want him to make me forget what that boy did to me . . .
Sakura watched the evening sky spotted with clouds and stars as she followed the wooded path away from Sasuke's dead little part of town. She couldn't understand how she felt at the moment. Shouldn't she be miserable, knowing that she finally had to give up on Sasuke? Even if she was proud of herself for cutting their bonds, that would have made more sense. But, why this emptiness?
It was liberating, at least, to know that she could start a new chapter in her life, one that didn't include the selfish boy that she had lived for up until now. However, when she finally stepped back onto the emptying streets of the village, everything looked the same to her. The same faceless people were going about their lives, shopping at the same stores, going to the same places.
Maybe, this wasn't a turning point for her after all. Maybe all this time, she knew he was never the person she had believed he was. Her life could go on as usual.
Her eyes caught the white stone of the Hokage's Tower, darkening in the twilight, and for once, she immediately looked past it to where she knew the prison was. A sudden urge to see Pein washed over her, enticing her although she knew it couldn't happen.
She stood rooted to the ground for a minute, wishing more than anything that things could be different between them. It wasn't until a little white butterfly crossed her view that she was reminded that life went on beyond her selfish heart; she watched it bob up and out of sight before resigning to go home with a sigh.
She forced her feet carry her farther away from the prison, and the one person she wanted to confide in. Hell, she wasn't even sure he would care about what she said. But he would listen, really listen, which was more than she could ask for from anyone else in the village.
Was it because of him, that she wasn't more upset about Sasuke? That fool had offered her anything she wanted, and she hadn't thought twice about refusing him. His words, too, 'You've grown attached to him, haven't you?' . . . Sasuke knew nothing about love and emotions. He had always been a cold-hearted loner, with no respect for his own life, let alone anyone else's. He was a killer . . . but Pein was also a killer.
What made them so different? Why was one so kind, and the other so cruel?
She remembered how, at first, a glance from Pein would make her cower in fear, but now she dreamt of those eyes. It seemed the more he tried to push her away, the more she wanted to get to know him. He was sincere and considerate and civil to her. He hardly seemed like the criminal he was. Besides that, he even had a sense of humor.
"Oh Pein, what are you doing to me?" Her voice was nothing above a whisper.
x
Sakura's apartment wasn't more than a twenty-minute walk from the tower, but it was dark by the time she unlocked her door. She undressed and headed straight from the shower, hoping to wash away all the uncertainty that seemed to fog her mind from the moment she woke.
Turning the nozzle up to hot, she stepped inside and couldn't help but daydream as the cascade of warm water soothed her body. Steam quickly began to cloud up the shower door, warning her that the room was too humid. Soon she was sweating as she leaned against the tiled shower wall and focused on breathing deeply. That familiar prickling of too much heat on her skin wasn't enough to scour away her worries.
"Pein," she murmured to herself, lost in her thoughts. She wanted him to be right there with her, holding her in his arms, whispering in her ear . . . not sitting in that damn metal chair all alone and suffering.
The latches would be tight around his wrists and ankles and neck; he would still be hurting from his freshly healed hands. She could almost feel those red burns on his skin, almost smell that horrible stale odor of the interrogation room, almost hear his deep breath as he inhaled slowly . . .
"Hello, Sakura." His familiar voice pierced her thoughts.
Her eyes shot open. What? Did she just hear that?
She panicked and poked her head out of the shower.
The bathroom was empty. And with the door open, she could see that the apartment was empty as well. There was nobody there, but she had definitely heard Pein, right there with her, or, in her head.
"Ow!" She cursed at the sudden awareness that the water was scorching her body. She quickly turned the nozzle and hopped out of the water's reach until colder water rushed out to soothe her reddened skin.
Biting her lip, she wondered whether she was just imagining things. She was tired, after all, and she might have zoned out for a minute there. Yeah, that was it. She poured shampoo into her hand and again tried, unsuccessfully, to relax.
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The next morning was surprisingly cold for Konoha. Not freezing, but just chilly enough to be noticed when morning clothes were picked out, and one stepped out into the crisp morning air.
The afternoon sunlight cast no warmth down on Sakura as she clasped her jacket at the neck and made her way to the center of the village. She stifled a yawn and regretted the sudden intake of cold air. This chill was strange weather for the time of year, and she couldn't help but notice that the usually clear sky was overcast with gray clouds.
Her heart leapt at the sight of the prison. She smiled at the knowledge that Pein was inside.
"Hey Sakura!" a female voice called from across the street. Sakura stopped to see a bundled up Ino running up to her, dragging her lazy Nara in tow.
"What happened to you the other night, Forehead? You completely disappeared!"
Sakura shrugged. "I'm just not into bars much, Pig, you know that. Hey Shikamaru."
The boy nodded at her and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Goin' to the prison?"
She nodded. "And Ino, don't ask me about it, cuz you know I'm not telling you anything."
The blonde's mouth had opened at the word prison. She shut it and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hey Forehead, you do know about Sasuke, right? That he's back?"
Sakura frowned and felt a chill that might not have been from the cool wind. "Of course."
"And you're okay with that?" Ino said incredulously.
"I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"Personally," Shikamaru cut in, "I'm surprised how well you're taking it now that he's is back in town."
"I guess I've changed; he has too."
"So you've seen him?"
"Well, yeah. I'm sure you'll see him soon, too. And I can tell you, Ino, that once you see him, you won't be too happy either."
Ino looked puzzled. "What, did he get ugly or something?"
Shikamaru made a disgruntled noise that went unnoticed by his girlfriend. It was a typical Ino question. But Sakura bit her lip, remembering Sasuke's face.
"No, he's definitely not ugly on the outside. Just wait 'til you meet him again, you'll see what I mean." She forced a smile. "Or, Shikamaru can tell you."
"Sakura, I think you've lost it," Ino laughed.
"I never had it to begin with. Anyway, I've gotta go, my patient's waiting."
She turned to leave, and Ino called after her.
"Better bring an umbrella next time you go outside, Sakura. Shika says a storm's coming."
Sakura waved a thanks and rushed the rest of the way to the prison. She couldn't wait to see him again.
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Gai was on guard again outside the prison room door, incidentally doing push-ups to pass the time. He greeted Sakura loudly.
"Good afternoon Sakura! Go on inside, and I'll train right here until you're done!"
Sakura cocked an eyebrow. "Um. Okay, Gai, but this usually takes a few hours."
"That's all? Take your time then! Enjoy the springtime of your youth!"
She nodded and tried to hold in a laugh so hard that she ended up snorting slightly. How did the guy end up like that?
"Sure. Thanks, Gai," she said, to keep herself from laughing.
Closing the door behind her, Sakura swallowed her smile and flicked on the light switch. When her eyes adjusted to the brightness, all thoughts of talking about Sasuke disappeared and her heart sank. Pein was either unconscious or sleeping, slouched down in the chair, once again held up only by metal latches. His breathing came out in low, trembling wheezes. She rushed over to him.
The damage to his body proved that the beating today had been much worse than usual. Both upper arms had been cut open vertically and down to the splintered bones, displaying bright masses of shredded tissue and muscle. His lower arms were covered in electric burns, from elbow to wrist, and were also cut through deeply.
The blue-green bruises and sharp dent in his chest told her that more than one rib had been broken. Beads of sweat had mixed with the blood to cover his torso in crimson, dripping down to a dark puddle on the floor.
Tears filled her eyes as she reached out to touch his bloodied cheek. She had to wake him up, to make sure he didn't die.
"Pein?" She tried hard not to look at his gashed arms. "Pein, wake up. I'm here."
No answer. She forced herself to think like a medic again, but it was always harder to concentrate when someone she cared about was the one to heal. That was always her problem on missions, and now it appeared again as she clumsily made a seal and only a weak glow of chakra poured out.
Focus. She closed her eyes and pretended it was a stranger on the table. She was a medic second only to Tsunade, right? Think like Tsunade.You can do this.
There it was. She knew what to do again.
First heal his ribs, then check his lungs for fluid, stop any internal bleeding, mend the splintered bones, connect the tissues, close up the open wounds, and soothe the burns.
Her chakra poured out grandly now, and she placed her hands over his chest to begin her work.
It was over an hour later when Pein began to stir. His breathing had slowly become more regular, especially after she had used her chakra to pull the fluid from his lungs. His eyes slid open and he looked blankly at her. He seemed to have trouble focusing.
"Hey, princess. Is that you?" He ended the question with a cough and a spurt of blood.
She nodded, tears in her eyes. "Thank god, you're awake. I'm doing my best, Pein, but you've lost a lot of blood already."
She turned back to the arm she was mending, forcing all she had into healing him quickly. She ignored the burning in her own arms and body, making record speed with his wounds. She didn't even stop to gather her tools; she could probably make the same progress without them, anyway. But once in a while, she would have to stop to wipe her eyes so that she could see clearly.
"I- I'm sorry if it still hurts, I'm trying my best."
She didn't see his eyes soften as he looked at her.
"Sakura," he murmured, "Please, don't cry."
She stifled a sob even as she focused on lacing his muscles back together over the bone. Her body was screaming for her to stop, to take a break so that she could regain her energy, but the cry went ignored as she pushed herself past her own limits.
Next arm, repeat the process.
"Princess," more coughing, "Take a break."
"No, I can't. I'm almost done."
"Sit down!" He ordered. He managed to sound authoritative even in his position. It was a voice Sakura had never heard before. But that didn't mean she had to listen.
"No! You've lost too much blood. I'm not letting you die just because I took a break." She tried to match his tone, but ended up panting out the last words. Yes, she needed a break, but that wasn't important now. Only he was.
"I'll be okay. I've lived through worse."
"Stop being so damn confident!" She retorted. "Why won't you just accept my help?"
"You're helping more than you should. Look at you, you're shaking from exhaustion. And why could you possibly want me to stay alive? Want to impress the Hokage? Maybe impress Sasuke?"
"How did you know about that?"
"They've been asking me questions about him. It wasn't hard to figure out that he came back home."
She looked away. "I'm not trying to impress him, Pein. In fact, Sasuke asked me to kill you for him. Said he'd give me whatever I wanted, if I did."
The room was deathly silent for a full minute.
"Then, why didn't you do it?"
"I . . . I don't know. I just couldn't. You should know by now, Pein . . ."
"I should know what?"
She swallowed hard. ". . . That I can't kill a patient under my care. Even for him."
"Ah."
Why couldn't she tell him how she felt? She watched from blurred eyes as a teardrop slid down her cheek and near the closing wound. She was almost done, having managed to keep working while her mind was slowing down. Tissue covered muscle, veins connected and pumping freely, nerves rebuilt and skin sewn together. His healed arm was the last thing she saw before her vision started to go. She was entirely drained of chakra, and her body was finally rebelling.
"Sakura . . ." His voice seemed to come from far off. But it was so peaceful, it felt like falling asleep.
x
"Sakura!" A different voice called from the darkness, muffled like someone speaking with a cloth over their mouth.
She thought she knew who it was, but couldn't put a name to him. Her head was pounding furiously and her mind was spinning. She thought she heard a moan, was it hers? And then she was being picked up, carried, rushed outside and inside again.
"Tsunade! I just found her passed. . ." more voices, and her mind slipped away again.
x
She woke again in a hospital bed, still in her own clothes. The sky was dark outside her window. How long have I been asleep?
She sat up and had to fight a wave of nausea and a thumping headache. Rubbing her temples, she suddenly noticed hushed voices in the hallway, just barely audible over the hum of the hospital lights. Getting up quietly, she crept to the door and listened in.
". . . now that we know it's all futile," a voice was saying. It sounded like Jiraiya. "We got more from Sasuke than from him, anyway."
Tsunade's voice was low but frustrated. "I would have thought for sure . . . but it's a moot point now. You do what you have to do."
"I really didn't think he'd last through today's bit, even though was the strongest student I'd ever had. It's too bad he had to realize his powers this way."
"Well, you asked for my permission, and here it is. The sooner he's dead, the sooner I'll sleep soundly. I leave this mess in your and Ibiki's hands."
"Then you'll sleep soundly tomorrow night, no later. That is, unless he feels like giving up some information for a change . . ."
The two began to walk away from the door. Hearing nothing further, Sakura plopped back down on the bed. She forced her panicking mind to settle, trying to figure out what had happened.
She remembered healing Pein, talking to him . . . then nothing. She must have passed out from exhaustion. But that wasn't important – what was important now was that she had just heard Jiraiya clearly imply that he would kill Pein the next day.
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