A/N: Guess whose back?! I've been taking a little break due to Exams, drama, and I really needed a break. Anyways I decided (or at least tried) to give you a long chapter because you guys deserve it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… sad but true.
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It's in the Hands of Fate, Now
Zaku threw his head back and hissed, he had just gotten kicked in the stomach by Sakura and punched in the side of the head by an enraged Ino. After taking a few steps back he saw Gaara had stepped in front of Sakura and the interrogator was in the forefront with Sasuke and Naruto at her sides. "So baby's got friends hmm? I'll just have to show her what I do to people that get in my way, then I'll take my prize-"
He didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence when Naruto threw himself at him, Zaku jumped over, and then stomped on his back to launch himself into the other blonde, assuming she was the weakest out of the three.
Big mistake.
Ino saw him coming and used her right leg to kick him while falling backwards to reach higher. The attacker raised his forearm to block the kick, unfortunately the force behind the kick sent him flying through the back exit. Grunting as he hit the pavement of the back lot, his back hit the dumpster. 'Damn, I didn't anticipate this.'
"Gaara, Naruto, protect Sakura in here, if he should past Sasuke and me. Sasuke let's go." Ino barked already halfway through the hallway. Sasuke followed her lead instantly, usually he hates being told what to do but this guy tried to hurt one of his friends, that and the alcohol was giving him courage to go through with Ino's plan. Naruto turned to Gaara, "Let's get her out front Gaara!"
"Yes. That way we can see the fight and offer help." The insomniac didn't think Naruto was much of a tactician, but he could lead. 'I wonder how it will go. He obviously has experience in fighting. Hmm…' He thought to himself.
"So, you finally showed up huh?" Zaku said patting himself down from the mud accumulating on his shirt. The rain was starting to make the pavement slippery, he knew he'd have to watch his step.
"I'll kill you." Ino said just loud enough so the boy could hear her.
"Oh, Really? Bring it Babe" Sasuke unexpectedly charged first and punched, Zaku dodged it and crouched low only to shoulder him. He spotted a smile on the Uchiha's face, Sasuke crossed arms while Ino used them as a platform to plant an arm down and spin her legs around, hitting Zaku in the face. Ino then pulled the Uchiha up on his feet using his arms while she landed. Zaku glared at them while he spit out some blood. 'Their teamwork is a bitch.' He ran forward towards the space in-between them and as soon as he got in the middle, he ducked down to avoid the elbows in the face, and then he turned to the left while swinging his elbows out tripping up our Heroes. Then while Sasuke was falling forward he stuck out his foot with the points sticking straight up. Sasuke fell on the foot forehead first, slightly cutting him, and knocking in-between consciousness. To add insult to injury, Zaku punched him in the stomach, causing him to spit up blood.
"Sasuke!" Ino yelled from her position on the pavement. "You bastard!" She lifted Zaku by his arm and threw him down then moved in with a volley of punches. Zaku was to slow to react leaving him defenseless to the blonde's attack. She reached up to grab Zaku and threw him into the dumpster corner finally knocking him out. Blood was coming from his mouth, a result of a broken jaw and knocked out teeth. Several cuts on his forehead bled a little and a black eye made him a former shadow of the cool demeanor he displayed in the club.
Ino breathed heavily and still had clenched fist, blood and mud covered. Everything seemed distant at this point. She turned to her friend already in the care of his boyfriend, the familiar green energy slowly covering his face. Ino was vaguely aware of the words of protest spouted from the proud man. What did register, was the warmth around her waist. And the cold wetness on her chest, she looked down and saw cotton candy pink and tears. A far voice in her head said 'Those things shouldn't mix'
"S-sakura, are y-you okay?" She found herself frustrated and struggling to offer comfort.
"No! You got hurt because of me, all of you!" She cried while holding the blonde closer. Ino looked to the left were her fallen comrade was being laughed at by his boyfriend and his friend, Gaara seemed to be talking about taking a picture.
"Sakura, you worry to much, look at them their happy your safe and moved on to laughing, they don't stay too much in the past, sometimes you need to move on to happy times." These words of wisdom seemed to calm her down, and Ino hugged the girl. Nothing could ruin this.
'What's that sound?' The blonde looked up and her eyes widened. "SAKURA MOVE!" The said girl looked up and caught a glimpse of horror on the taller one's face.
Everything moved in slow-motion form that point on.
Ino grabbed her shoulders and shoved her into the boys. After a grunt from the insomniac who caught her she heard three blasts. Her gaze concentrated on Ino, it never faltered as she saw three bullets enter her and come out her back,thier exit followed by blood spurting out. A scream ripped through the air dragging Sakura into a horrified state. A mane of blonde gracefully covered Ino's face. It was in the slow motion's detail she saw Ino turn to her, her hand reaching out, and a small word escaped her lips, "…Sa…ku…ra…".
"INOOO!" she came to her side almost instantly watching her bleed out. She looked to the direction of the bullets, and saw Zaku holding up a gun. Sakura was in too much a state of shock to react so Inner Sakura decided to take the job of managing her body.
"YOU-YOU…I'LL KILL YOU!" she punched the ground creating shockwaves so strong it knocked the gun out of Zaku's hands. He whimpered in terror, the face of the devil had arrived.
She reared back and was about to crush his skull in, when she felt something soft, instead of a hard head. It was Naruto's hands, smashed beyond recognition trying to catch the super-powered punch.
"No." A single word left him. It was in a soft caring tone, but had a firm meaning in those ocean eyes." Sakura this isn't you. Don't let your emotions control you, right now we need to stabilize Ino, for when the EMS get here, a casualty won't help the situation. We need your skills to help her, NOW."
"Naruto…I- but- your hands." Sakura said with tears in her eyes, Inner Sakura trembling in realization, had left control of the body.
"What these?" He looked at his hands with carelessness. He had used both hands to catch hers. He could felt the shattered bones, they trembled with pain. But he was brave enough to not show it. "What are you talking about? I saved two lives today, one that matters to me, and another-even if he doesn't deserve it." he looked at the gunner, so scared he K.O.'d.
He smiled, of all things to do; he smiled that signature carefree smile. "Come on, Ino remember silly?" his voice cracking. Sakura couldn't tell if it was from seeing Ino shot, his hands, or the pain of knowing that his career was over. As a brain surgeon, you need the steadiest hands and precision.
Sakura knew he loved saving lives, and now she just killed a huge part of him.
She swallowed, and tried to focus on Ino.
She started the treatment , one went in-between the third and forth rib, one that seemed to nick the left kidney, and one in the thigh, luckily away from any major veins or arteries. But the kidney needed to be healed fast before the bacteria and toxins killed Ino. Sasuke and Gaara worked on the kidney while Sakura healed the ribs.
"Sakura, your chakra bubble, it's kind of spiky, if you don't watch it you could cut something, "he said as gingerly as he could.
"I know," Sakura was fully aware that she was too attached to Ino, making her remember every memory, every laugh, every time she jumped on her back while she was reading, every hug, even the "accidental" kisses they shared. It was too much to bear. Her chakra control was dimishing. Once the wound stopped bleeding , and was reduced to a cut, she stopped, any further, and she was certain she would lose control.
The EMS arrived and took both blondes to the hospital. "Sakura, we healed the kidney, but she needs to get that leg fixed. I think after some antibiotics, the spilled toxins will be destroyed." Sasuke offered as a bit of hope to the distressed pinkette.
"What about Naruto?"
Sasuke twitched. "I… honestly don't know,... he could heal up and be fine, but his hands, well… they can either be shaky for the rest of his life, of they… could…be useless if they're that bad. Such... small bones, it's… unlikely he'd be a surgeon at all." Sasuke couldn't keep his voice from cracking, or letting a few tears escape.
"Sasuke I'm so sorry."
"Let's go." he said, an icy tone breathing through. He tried to hide his pain. Like anything else painful. The pain of seeing his family, die, was replaying in his head. 'Not...again'
He walked forward trying to escape those thoughts.
He was stopped by a man in a mask. "Where's Miss Ino?" A kind voice said from behind the polar bear mask, ice blue traced under the eye sockets and stretching down, giving the appearance that the mask was crying.
"She's going to the Hospital." Gaara said with suspicion.
"Okay then, I am an ANBU soldier told to collect her shooter." He said with regret, he was obviously close to the blonde.
"Wait, I thought she was with police, ANBU are the elite force. An entirly different branch." Sakura questioned.
"She didn't tell you? She's Kohona's number two interrogator. Yamanaka Ino, the Purple Wolf interrogator of Kohona's elite ANBU force." He stated it like it was a well known fact and everyone knew this. He moved on to collect the unconscious Zaku and disappeared as fast as he appeared.
"Anyways, let's go." Gaara said dragging the both of his friends to the car and drove them to visit Ino and Naruto.
'ANBU. Ino…Why'd you get messed up with them?' Sakura thought an old scar resurfacing once again.
Whoo! Hoped you enjoyed that. Now I'm going to bed. See if Ino and Naruto get better. R&R! Please? I only got a few last update.
