NOTE: This is the NEW and OFFICIAL Chapter 12.

Disclaimer: I. DO. NOT. OWN. NAR.U.TO. Obviously.

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Chapter Twelve

(Sakura's POV)

I stood outside the large office building, too embarrassed to actually go in. I looked around and there weren't any people around… but still. What if someone saw me!? What would they think!? Well, they would probably think nothing of it because I am a doctor and this is a medical building… but this isn't just some building. This is the building for patients who have… troubled minds… And right now, I am not the doctor, I am one of the troubled patients. It gets me every time I realize how everything is flipped around.

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(This Morning)

Kakashi used his sharingan to put me in a dreamless sleep so I wouldn't have any nightmares. He stayed that night and slept on the couch. I woke up and he was gone, but he left a note saying,

Went to the Hokage

-Kakashi

When he said he "went to the Hokage" it actually meant that he went to go tell her my decision. The first step in getting better is admitting that you need help, and people say that is always the hardest step. It must be true, on account that I almost went crazy just to get to the point where I had to admit I needed help. It was either get help or lose my sanity… and I like my sanity thank you very much… well, I like the amount I have left. My sanity has slowly been fading away after being teamed up with Naruto and Sai for the past several years.

News travels very fast these days… extremely fast. I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it, I found an ANBU member who apparently was sent to give me a message. The elite ninja completed his mission as he handed me a small piece of paper. The only thing the ninja said was, "From the Hokage."

I nodded my head and the ANBU disappeared. I knew that the Hokage knew… whatever is in this note would have to be…

With shaking hands, I unfolded the white piece of paper, and I read the Hokage's script. There was a name, an address, an office number, and a comment made by the Hokage.

Dr. Senta Higa, Psychiatrist

11202 South West 911 Street

Building #2, Room #304

Sakura, I completely support your decision. I have already paid the doctor the necessary fees for you to see him. I don't want you to worry about money now. You can always pay me back later. Focus on getting better. Dr. Higa is a well-known and well-respected man whom I trust. He doesn't see patients anymore, but does paperwork in his office everyday. I have talked to him and he has agreed to make you an exception. Feel free to stop by his office anytime, including today.

-Hokage

P.S. The street number is a coincidence.

I stopped reading and looked back up to the street number. 911. I rolled my eyes. Oh, the irony…

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I still held the letter in my hand and I folded it back up and put it in my pocket. I examined the outside of the building. It's in the north side of town, therefore, it is an old building. Everything in the northern part of the village is old. Some of the buildings are starting to crumble and everything just feels old. Ancient, actually. Along with these old buildings, many elderly people live here… The aged buildings and streets did not bother me… they were almost reassuring… like they knew what they were doing, but it's not like inanimate objects are able to think or anything, but I felt safe. The way I felt in my grandparents' house. The buildings have seen so many things, been through history, survived everything… They made it through whatever has hit them. Natural disasters like storms… and human destruction like wars… It's not like they had a choice to fight. They were stuck where they were and couldn't run.

I gazed up at the doctor's office, one of the largest buildings around this area. It seemed so solid. So tough. If the building could be personified as a human, I could imagine it as a tall, older man who was strong and large, solid. He would be standing very straight, with perfect posture and he would have his arms crossed over his chest, showing that he did not take nonsense. He would look rough, a warrior, but his face would be gentle, kind. The small, reassuring smile that would be on his face, would prove his nobility… I sighed and took a deep breath as I made my way toward the building's entrance…

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The sudden cold air was expected as I walked through the doors of the building. It may have been expected, but I still reacted to it with a violent shiver. The action surprised me. It didn't seem like just a tremble, but more like a jerk of my body. I stopped walking. It was strange for me to do that. Was I losing control of my body? That's what it felt like. My eyes turned worried. I didn't want people to see me standing frozen in the middle of the lobby so I started walking again, making my way toward the elevator. I prayed that no one else would be in there. I reached the elevator and pushed the "up" button several times, at least three, maybe more, because we all know that just pressing it once is no good.

The door open a few very long seconds later and the knots in my stomach continued growing until I saw that no one else was in the elevator. I breathed a sigh of relief and put a hand to my sweating forehead. I needed to calm down. Then I put the same hand over my beating heart. How was I ever going to survive this!?

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Unfortunately, for me especially, the elevator in this building is extremely slow, and with my frayed nerves, the knots in my stomach, and my extremely short temper, it seemed even slower. During the little trip from the first floor to the third, I slapped myself on my forehead when I had only reached the second floor and it had felt like an eternity already. My only thoughts were, Oh, God. I'm only halfway there. During the elevator I had turned around to face one of the walls and I repeatedly hit my poor abused forehead on the wall until I heard the little ring! Which indicated I had finally reached my destination. I was so annoyed that I actually forgot why I was here and I where I was going. When the doors opened to Floor 3, I mouthed an irritated thank you. I walked out of the obviously old machine and entered the third floor. My irritation had blinded me before, but now everything cleared up and my frustration was gone. The knots came back.

My shaking hands moved to my pocket and took out the paper again. I unfolded it and made sure of the room number. Room #304… From where I stood, I could see #301, which meant my room was only three doors down. I just needed to get it done and over with, right? Let's just do it.

With a completely fake, but confident-looking walk, I strode over to #304. My blank face did not show how small and scared I was on the inside. If my Inner Sakura had still existed, she would be cowering in a tight corner of my mind… I held my breath as I put my hand on the doorknob. Would I see Dr. Higa right when I entered the room? Would he be standing there, waiting for me? What was he expecting? Who was he expecting? Some little girl that can't handle her own problems? My hand felt awkward on the cold metal of the knob. I looked down at my hand. I shifted my weight to each foot, several times. What happened to my sudden rush of reaching the door? Where did that adrenaline go? My shoulders sagged and then my perfectly disguised face revealed its true form. Fear. My hand retracted form the knob. What am I doing!? I have to go in! But… I don't know why, but I looked down at my wrist where my watch was. There was no reason for me to know the time. I didn't have a set appointment. I was just supposed to walk in on my free will… maybe that's what was so hard about it. Whenever I'm nervous, I always look at my ever-present watch. Time was ticking. Life went on without me, obviously. But it felt like time was still. In this little hallway that was so quiet. I was stuck between going in… or staying right where I stood… But I guess fate had a funny way of showing itself to me, because I didn't even have to choose for myself.

The door swung open quickly and I gasped, surprised, beyond startled. I was freaking out and about ready to hyperventilate. My heartbeat just multiplied by about ten, and my face was mortified. I really needed to calm down. I felt sorry for the old man that had opened the door. He probably wasn't expecting to open the door and see an eighteen-year-old girl having a spasm of some sort. "I'm so sorry," he said genuinely. Then he looked at me for the first time and he smiled. He took a step toward me, but I took a step away from him. "You must be Haruno Sakura."

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Authoress's Note: Ok! Well, there is the OFFICIAL chapter 12. Sorry for making you guys wait so long! I'm a terrible procrastinator. But I absolutely adore everyone who has reviewed or added the story to alerts/favorites! Thank you so much! Well, I had a good time on my trip and I hope al of you are having a fun summer!