CHAPTER TEN: VISITING
There was excruciating pain in his head when he opened his eyes. He looked around and saw that he was lying in the same plain room he had escaped this morning. He rubbed his head lightly before sitting up.
There was no one in the room other than him. He sighed and tried to recall what had happened. He couldn't remember.
He was about to get up from the bed when the door opened and Tsunade walked in. She stopped and stared at his face for a few seconds before walking up to him. She rested her hand on his forehead to take the temperature. Then to his neck for the pulse.
"I told you not to leave the room, didn't I?"
"I got bored." Naruto answered calmly.
Tsunade sighed, "Look Naruto, you're not in any position to walk outside or take any tension. Your body can't bare it."
"I feel just fine." Naruto looked up into the woman's eyes.
"You don't look fine." She took out a pack of tablets from her pocket and rested it on the bedside table. "Three times a day. After breakfast, lunch and dinner." With that she turned around and walked towards the door. She opened it and took a step outside, "Even with your incredible healing power, you'll have to stay here for two or three months before you can fully attain recovery."
What is that supposed to mean? I can't stay here for three months. Naruto cursed. Before he could say anything the door closed behind Tsunade.
He got up from the bed and walked into the washroom. He washed his face with cold water and looked into the mirror. Sure enough, his face was paler than it used to be with dark circles under his eyes and his lips all dried up and white. He had lost a lot of energy today and there was no denying it. Even walking now was taking a hell lot of effort.
He kept staring into the blue eyes. His blond hair all messed up. He wasn't the Naruto he used to be. Even his features weren't the same. The smile that was always playing on his lips was now replaced by a frown.
He ran his fingers through his hair making them messier and sighed. He was holding on to the sink for the support. If he wasn't holding it, he wouldn't be able to stand.
Sakura knocked at the door before opening it and walking inside.
Tsunade's head was buried behind a paper that she was reading. Shikamaru and Lee were sitting on the two chairs that were placed in front of the table.
"Uh-hum." Sakura cleared her throat to gain the attention of the three. Tsunade looked up and sighed but the two boys however, didn't turn to look at her.
"Sakura." She greeted with a nod.
"You called ma`am?"
"Yes." She placed the paper on the table focusing her whole attention on Sakura now. "Actually, I want to assign you a mission."
Sakura kept staring into the fifth's eyes.
"As you've lost both of your team mates, I've assigned Shikamaru and Lee to accompany you on this mission." She gestured at the two sitting in front of her before continuing. "This mission should be completed in three days only. That's the maximum limit." She said firmly. "All you have to do is deliver this letter to sand village's Kazekage." She picked up the paper that she was holding for them to see.
"To Gara?"
"Yes. No one should know about this letter. Your team will be led by Shikamaru."
"No Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked surprised and Tsunade shook his head lightly in confirmation.
"You'll leave for the sand village tomorrow morning." Tsunade put the paper back on the table and placed her head into her hands with her elbows on the table. "Dismissed."
The three walked out silently.
"Finally a mission with Sakura chan." Lee said excitedly and looked at her. She gave a small smile. She wasn't thinking about the mission. She had a lot on her mind. It seemed that Naruto was free to leave the hospital for small period of times as she had seen him on the street with Konohamaru and his friends.
"This is troublesome." Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets and sighed.
"C`mon Shika. It's only a simple mission." Lee said. "Right Sakura chan?"
"Hmm." She agreed not really caring to know what Lee was saying. It had been almost a week since she had talked to Naruto and three more days? She had to see him. Make this all clear. She couldn't live like this knowing that her best friend was so close to her and yet so far.
Once everything was settled between them, they'll go to bring Sasuke back to his home where he belonged. To her. You can have whole Naruto, Ino. Once I get Sasuke, she smiled at the thought. She was being selfish and she knew that but she didn't care, not as long as she had both her best friend and her love. (A/N: Yeah so it seems like a SasuSaku but it isn't. I don't really like SasuSaku, no offense meant to the ones who like the pairing.)
It was decided that Sakura would meet Naruto before going to her mission but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. She was still staring at the clock like she had been an hour ago. Still thinking whether he'll like to talk to her or not.
Maybe I'll see him after the mission, She thought but sighed when the possibility that anything could go wrong on a mission hit her. What would she do if she wasn't able to see him again?
She got up from the bed and placed the table clock back on the bedside table. She was though and she had to face the reality no matter how hard it was for her. She'll have to face Naruto sooner or later and she decided that sooner was better.
She gave the ticking clock one last look. It was 01:23 am. She didn't care how late it was. Her plan was to sneak into the room without anyone noticing and the time was perfect for her plan.
She washed her face and sipped down a glass of water to calm her racing heart. She had never felt this way before. Naruto had always been the easiest person she could ever talk to. So, what was wrong now?
She couldn't waste anymore time. It was a big day tomorrow and she couldn't risk sleeping on a mission.
She opened the main door of her house and shivered as the thought of the three gangsters hit her. Maybe this wasn't right but at that time she wasn't prepared. Now she was. She had brought her kunai and other weapons with her.
She shook her head and locked the door. It was getting colder and colder. Maybe in coming months it would start to snow. She shivered again but this time because of the cold. She didn't like cold neither did she like the snow.
She wrapped the coat that she was wearing tighter around her chest to prevent from getting cold. She was walking fast to avoid any contacts with anyone on the way.
Soon, she was standing in front of the huge building of the hospital. There were many windows and she didn't know which one was Naruto's until she saw the white pansies on one of the window sills. The window was open.
She smiled at the thought that the flowers she had brought for Naruto were still in his room looking as fresh as always. Maybe this is a good sign, She thought.
Wall climbing was something that she had mastered with both Sasuke and Naruto and was as easy as cutting an apple. (A/N: Okay, so I'm not really sure if that's easy for me but hey, it's Sakura we're talking about.)
She was now standing in Naruto's room. She let out a breath that she was holding with relief when she saw that Naruto was lying on the bed with his eyes close and face peaceful. She walked towards him and the sense of déjà-vu hit her. It had all happened before and the memory of it wasn't a happy one.
She stopped right where she was. What if Naruto wasn't asleep and was pretending like the last time. She didn't want to upset him but she was here to talk to him, wasn't she? So, why does it matter if he wasn't asleep?
She was a few feet away from the bed. She started at Naruto's face. It was a hell lot paler than before. What was wrong with him? Why was he taking so long to recover?
"I… I'm sorry Naruto." She whispered half whishing that he was asleep and half that he wasn't. "I didn't really think that you were this sick. I wasn't thinking straight at that time. I really didn't want to hurt you. I hope I get my old Naruto back. The one who was all jolly and didn't care what others thought. I don't like the new cold one. I have only space for one cold person in my life and you know who that is." She sighed when Naruto didn't answer or opened her eyes. There was no sign that he was awake or listening to her.
"I really miss you, Naruto."
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A/N: Yeah so... I know this wasn't really a good chapter but I'll try to put some extra effort in the coming chapters. Thanks everybody for your reviews and for encouraging me to continue the story.
Dear Mr your-eyes-watching-me(?) *skeptic look*:
Let's see, first of all let me thank you for showing your concerns. Thank you.
Now, *clears her throat* when you said that God may have mercy on my soul, did you mean while it`s still inside my body or…? *gulps*
Anyways, moving on to the REAL issue… you see mister/ miss, the answer to all your doubts is:
I usually am a nice person (okay now that`s an exaggeration, but you can ask anybody *calls out: here anybody!* anybody`s my kitten.) and I don`t start a brawl (except, of course, for a few exceptions.).I am not a die-hard fan of messing things up and fighting with others. (okay only slightly, but that's beside the point *looks away*)third, you see there`s only ONE person for whom I made all those damn accounts.I have my limits too you know and there`s only ONE person who made me push them. There`s only ONE person who hates me on this planet (except my teachers and the ones who I piss off only occasionally, also, except our gardener (man I love plucking flowers)).And there`s only ONE person who should know about this all (unless of course the ONE person is publishing the story over the net).
So you see, Mr-get-your-act-together, you must be rambling, since you can`t possibly be that ONE person, can you?? *narrows her eyes suspiciously and taps her foot, waiting for an answer*
Hypocrite?? pfft... do you even know what that means? eh?
if i piss someone off (intentionally or not) I`m willing to face the consequences, whatever they are, I don`t go and cry to my daddy, i deal with it. so the word, Mr-eyes-watching-the-hell-outta-me-but-i-don`t-really-care, doesn`t fit. You deal with it too!
i have my eyes on you too, you know. *glares back* keep that in mind, I`m willing to push my limits farther.