A/N: First I have to thank all the readers, reviewers and followers of this fic. It lifts my spirit knowing I still have you guys and that others are attracted to my story. I hope writing this chapter won't take as long as the previous one but I'll do my best to post asap. Now go ahead and enjoy! :3
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Slowly, Sasuke opened his eyes. Why did that hurt so much? His head was also aching and he felt like there was a heavy load on his chest which made breathing a little difficult. He also heard blurred voices in the background. Who was that? Where was he? He felt confused, to say the least. What the hell was going on? Sasuke tried to lift a hand to rub his eyes open but they felt unusually heavy. He couldn't even properly lift his own fingers. So, he tried opening his eyes with his willpower alone. It took some effort and it was quite unbelievable how hard that was.
The first thing he saw was bright, white light. There was too much sun in the room, and the light was shining straight into his eyes. He blinked slowly, giving them time to adjust. Then he could make out faint objects: the blanket covering him, the sides of the bed, the door, the wall, the infuse in his arm…
Was he in a hospital? But how did he end up here? What happened to him? He tried to think back but it only resulted in a headache. So instead, he focused on the voices in the room. It couldn't be Hinata, at least that much he did remember. Slowly, he turned his head towards the right, where the voices came from. The first thing he noticed was red hair. And a white coat. Must be a doctor. By blinking a little faster and much more frequent now, his vision cleared and his suspicions were correct. It was a doctor. And she was looking at him with a smile, while checking the other infuse in his arm. Sasuke could vaguely make out the shape of a nurse leaving the room but that didn't matter to him. He was glad this doctor was here. He wanted to know what happened!
'Mr. Uchiha,' he heard her say. But her voice sounded like a dream. Was he really awake?
"Mr. Uchiha, can you hear me?" she asked. Dr. Amber Eisenhoff was certain she saw her patient open his eyes. If he did wake up, she could only imagine the joy Hinata would feel. Sasuke's been in a coma for a little longer than a week now and every day she would see the sorrow and hope grow in her. She felt sorry for her patient's wife. But Hinata's not the only one who's been this worried; she had seen many other relatives react this way.
"Mr. Uchiha, can you hear me?" she tried again. "It's okay if you can't get yourself to speak yet. Blink your eyes twice if you understand me."
Amber felt relieved when Sasuke did blink his eyes.
"Good," she responded. "You've been in an accident and have just awakened from a coma. Please don't try to force yourself. The more you're rested, the better for your recovery. Do you understand? Blink twice for me if you do, and once if you don't."
With some effort, Sasuke managed to blink twice. He's been in an accident? A coma for a week? What kind of accident? Where was Hinata? Was she involved? So many questions surging through his mind. Questions he wanted answers to. But he also felt very tired. He couldn't understand why that was but if resting would make his body stop aching, then perhaps it's for the best. So he closed his eyes again, and faster than he would've thought, he drifted to sleep.
That afternoon, during visiting hours, Hinata came by with flowers in her hands. Since the day of the accident, she had trouble falling asleep at night. Being an insomniac, even just a little bit was pure horror to Hinata. It made her worry about him even more. Not long after his accident, Itachi and her in-law's came over to see their son. They stayed with her ever since but pressing matters with the company made them leave about a day ago. Hinata appreciated their stay very much; they consoled her, comforted her and supported her. Mrs. Uchiha was nice enough to help her around the house; Hinata herself had become very unstable. She was lost in thoughts too often and made some stupid mistakes quite a couple of times. She loyally came by every day to visit her husband, coming in a little earlier than the visiting hours, and talking the nurses into letting her clean him up. Because Sasuke was in a coma, he couldn't be brought to the bathroom to clean, so they freshened him up by wiping his body with towels, drenched in scented water. Hinata enjoyed caring for him; through all the horrors she went through, cleaning him gave her some purpose in life again. She recovered from her insomnia and got rid of her worries every time dr. Eisenhoff claimed that Sasuke was looking better by the day. Now she was sure he'd wake up anytime soon. That he would recover well from this accident.
When she entered his hospital room, she saw him sleeping. He was always sleeping and he always seemed so at peace. She smiled, pretending that he was just too lazy to wake up instead of being in a coma. She walked over to Sasuke and gave him a kiss on his forehead and lips. Then she took the vase from the table besides his bed, removing the old flowers and the filthy water, to replace them with the bouquet she brought today. She was so focused on the flowers, she didn't pay any attention to her loved one on the bed.
Sasuke felt lips pressing themselves on his forehead and then on his lips. Such a sweet feeling… Was Hinata here? If she was, then he's happy nothing bad happened to her. Actually, he wasn't even sure if she was in the accident but that's one thing to scratch off his long list of questions. He wanted to see her, embrace her. He felt like there was something he needed to do but he couldn't by jove remember what it was. For now, seeing her was the only thing that mattered.
So with much effort (again) he tried opening his eyes. Just like the previous time, it wasn't easy. His lids still felt so heavy. And when he finally managed to open his eyes, blurriness clouded his vision. But not before the light of the room blinded him.
'Damn this stupid coma and its side effects to hell!' Sasuke cursed. He forced himself to clear his vision because he heard shuffling footsteps and he was afraid it was Hinata leaving. When after some agonizing minutes, he could finally see his surroundings, he frantically looked for his wife. When he saw her changing the flowers by the sink, he felt relaxed and smiled. He wanted to call out to her but he noticed that his vocal cords felt a little stiff, as if they hadn't been oiled for awhile. His throat also felt like it was dry, and he was afraid to speak because he suspected it to feel like sandpaper grinding against each other. So instead, he decided to just observe her and patiently wait till she sees him herself.
Hinata was humming while she did the fresh flowers in the vase. It took her some time to feel the joy in life again and to be optimistic about everything. She had a good feeling about today and humming was her way of showing it. When the flowers were arranged, she took the vase in both her hands and walked towards the table to put it down. But when she saw Sasuke staring at her, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her grip on the vase tightened; any tighter and she probably would've broken it. Was she seeing things? Was he really awake? That look in his stare… It wasn't an icy, creepy stare, nor was it awkward. It was soft, loving… She could see the longing he was harboring for her, the love he felt. Sasuke…
When Hinata had stopped moving, she was standing right in the middle of the window, basking in the sunlight. She looked beautifully radiant, the light embracing her every curve, highlighting all that was so elegant. He had to chuckle inside his mind; the way he was seeing her was like a scene from a dramatic movie. But all she was doing was stand there, looking at him unbelievingly. She didn't seem to grasp the idea of him being awake. He wanted her close, to come closer, reduce the distance between them. But his damn throat…
So, Sasuke gathered saliva in his mouth to swallow, to smoothen his rough vocal cords. It was actually harder than it is. Because of his coma, he had practically been living on his infuses, meaning he hadn't had anything to eat or drink. He did his best not to look awkward while gathering his spit. Looking at Hinata gave him more inspiration to reach his goal. When he finally swallowed and his cords moistened, he spoke to her.
"Hinata…"
It was barely more than a whisper and his voice sounded coarse, as if he had been crying for days. But it was enough to chase away the doubt Hinata was feeling. Hurriedly, she put down the vase with flowers and rushed to his bedside. She stroked the side of his face, while tears were brimming from her eyes. She had waited so long for him to wake up. Seeing him staring at her was a confirmation that from now on, things were going to be okay.
"Oh thank heavens," she said through falling tears. "You're awake.."
She planted several kisses on his face, which produced smiles and blushes out of the injured man. He even managed to chuckle a bit.
"I'm so glad you're awake," Hinata said as she cuddled closer to him. Sasuke looked up at her, at the sight of her face. There was so much he wanted to tell her but he wasn't sure how to start. Even if he did, talking was a bit out of the question now; his vocal cords would probably snap if he spoke too much.
So instead, he enjoyed her presence. He wanted to be aware of the appreciation he felt for her. For some reason he felt like he was losing her and he didn't know why. He felt like Hinata was slipping away from him prior to the accident and he didn't want that. He knew somehow that he wanted to start anew with her again and he felt determined to do so.
Another two weeks later, Sasuke was ready to be discharged. After he woke up from his coma, dr. Eisenhoff and Hinata slowly explained to him what had happened. Things were coming back vaguely but others didn't come back at all. When he gained full control of his eyes and vocal cords, he tried moving around his arms and legs. He needed some physiotherapy to become the able man he used to be and as usual, Hinata was there for him. She stood by him, encouraged him and comforted him when things didn't go the way he planned it to. Through this rough period of recovery, she had never left and it amazed him to no end.
He remembers now why he felt like he was losing her when he woke up from his coma. He remembers why he was worried. And he remembered his mistake with Karin. When that memory came back to him, he felt deeply ashamed. It came back to him right before Hinata came for a visit. A nurse with fiery red hair came in to bring him his meal. That hair reminded him of someone and that's how he remembered Karin.
By the time Hinata came into the room, his head was hanging down out of shame. He didn't dare look her straight in the eyes and he briefly wondered why she didn't leave him. A man like him didn't deserve her kindness, let alone her love.
"Everything all right?" she had asked when she noticed that he wasn't his usual self.
"I'm so sorry," he said, still not looking at her as she sat down on the chair next to his bed.
"Sorry?" she asked. "For what?"
"For doing what I did to have caused you so much sorrow."
Hinata was confused; she didn't know what he was talking about. She was so focused on his recovery that the whole episode about him cheating was pushed to the back of her mind. For a moment she thought that he was apologizing for having made that plane crash. It was the only thing that caused her so much sorrow. But then Sasuke took her hand. He saw that she was confused and didn't understand the reason of his apology. Part of him was happy that she wasn't thinking about it anymore and that he was probably forgiven but he wanted to do this the right way: he wanted to earn her forgiveness.
"I just remembered something," he started explaining, as he looked her in the eye. "When I woke up from my coma, I felt like I was losing you for some reason. I had to make up for something and only now do I remember why."
He sighed deeply as his eyes drifted to their entwined hands.
"I have been unfaithful, and I am truly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I'm so ashamed of myself."
He covered his eyes with one hand while the other held her hand tightly. He was afraid she'd pull away from him and leave. But Hinata smiled softly instead.
She stroked the side of his face as she turned his head so he would look at her.
"That's all in the past," she said. "You've been forgiven. Kami has given us a new lease on life. Let's use it to start all over, Sasuke. There's nothing else I'd want more than live my life with you all over again."
That made Sasuke smile and he was readily willing to forget about his mistakes. But he still wanted to make things up to her. He wasn't sure how he was planning on doing it but doing it, he will.
His time in the hospital after he woke up didn't feel like a period of resting for the famed pilot. He had to do daily exercises to get the strength back on his limbs and because of the concussion, he had trouble with memory. Not to mention that sometimes he unintentionally thinks back about things which only leads to fast but heavy bouts of headaches. And as soon as dr. Eisenhoff declared him able, his room was bombarded constantly with people. First there were the people of the NTSB: the National Transportation and Safety Board. They were questioning him about the flight. In the beginning, Sasuke wasn't of much help because his headaches returned to him as soon as he tried visualizing that day behind the control panel. But the people of the NTSB didn't give up: they kept visiting until he had given them a full description of what had happened.
When he thought he was through with them, he started getting visits from news crews, trying to get a special on him. It infuriated him to no end because he was in a hospital for Christ sake! Couldn't they wait till he got discharged and send home?
When those were through, he started to get even more visits. But not from the NTSB, nor from the press. They were the people and/or relatives from the passengers of the plane. They just wanted to thank him for the good job that he had done. Those were the visits he didn't mind because, unlike the others, they made him feel good. But nothing felt better than the visits of his wife. Things were going pretty well between them. He knew things were going to be okay from now on.
When Sasuke was able to recall the events of the crash without his brains banging inside his skull, he immediately asked about his first officer Konohamaru Sarutobi. He wanted to know if he was okay, if he was alive.
"Sarutobi?" dr. Eisenhoff said with raised eyebrows when Sasuke asked her if she knew him. "I think I have read that name in a file somewhere. The only thing I can tell you for sure now is that he's no patient of mine."
Sasuke looked down, disappointed. If he doesn't find him now, he wasn't sure if he will ever see him around. Did he die? If he did, Sasuke was sure he'd feel guilty.
"I'll do you a favor and sneak around the files a bit," dr. Eisenhoff told him. "I might be able to find him for you."
Sasuke smiled at her, sincerely.
"Thank you, doctor."
Amber smiled back and left his room to check up on another patient. She couldn't believe what she had promised Sasuke. To go such lengths for a patient… It wasn't like her but she kinda likes the raven haired man. Not that she feels attracted to him but she cares for him a lot. And come to think of it: she did read the name Sarutobi somewhere in this hospital. If he was here then it shouldn't be too hard to find him.
The next day Amber gave Sasuke the greatest news by telling him that Sarutobi Konohamaru was indeed a patient in the same hospital. To hear that he was alive and well brought a smile to the young man's lips.
"Is he well enough for me to see him?" he asked her.
"Yes, he is," she answered. "But I suggest you do it soon because he'll be heading home in two days."
At the time, Sasuke wasn't able to walk on his own two feet yet. So he hopped in a wheelchair, and together with Hinata, he visited his brave first officer.
Konohamaru was a patient in a about two floors beneath him. When they arrived at his door, he was accompanied by a young woman with a clearly visible baby bump.
"Konichiwa," Hinata greeted politely. "May we come in?"
"Captain!" Konohamaru exclaimed, joy splattered all over his face. "Sure! Come on in!"
Whatever he tried, Sasuke couldn't stop a big smile from appearing on his lips. He almost felt like Batman's Joker, because he doesn't remember ever having offered a smile like that to anyone before. Not even Hinata. It was a true gift of Kami, knowing that Konohamaru was alive. If he was able to walk on his own, he would've given him a man-hug. Instead, Hinata pushed his chair close enough to the bed so he could give him a handshake.
"You look good, my man," Sasuke said relieved, as he was observing the recovery Konohamaru was going through.
"You don't look so bad yourself," the first officer replied, giving the captain a friendly slap on his back. "But I don't remember you losing control of your legs. If I'm not mistaking, you were the one carrying me out the plane."
"Yeah," Sasuke admitted. "I lost a lot of blood, slipped into a coma and because of that, I have to regain the strength to my limbs back."
"Well as long as the little sir down there's still working, I'm sure Mrs. Uchiha won't have any trouble with it," he said jokingly. Sasuke offered a small laugh as he watched his wife slip a hand in front of her mouth as her cheeks turned fiery red. Konohamaru's wife also turned a shade darker but didn't hesitate to show him a piece of her mind by hitting him anywhere she could.
"Oww…okay, okay, I'll stop," he protested weakly, while laughing.
"Right, where are my manners?" Konohamaru remembered, suddenly. "Captain, Mrs. Uchiha, this is my lovely wife Kizumi."
Sasuke and Hinata both shook her hand as they introduced themselves to her. That was also Sasuke's cue to introduce Hinata. Together they chatted for awhile but now it was time to leave. Sasuke said his goodbyes as Hinata pushed him back to his room.
"I'm so thankful he's alright," Sasuke said quietly when Hinata helped him back on his bed. "When we were flying together, I felt like he was some kind of brother to me."
"I'm glad knowing you helped save his life," Hinata responded. "You're a hero, Sasuke Uchiha."
Sasuke smiled at her and gave her a kiss. Afterwards, she packed up her stuff and left. For the first time since the accident he knew he'd have a peaceful kind of sleep.
Sasuke spend another week in the hospital during which he was monitored, checked on, and rehabilitated for the full usage of his limbs. He had improved quite quickly and by the end of the week, he was being discharged. By then he didn't need the wheelchair anymore. He used crutches but if he tried he can do without them, even though he's still a little wobbly. During his last day, dr. Eisenhoff came to see her patient quickly. She wanted to be there before Hinata arrived.
"Ready to go home?" she asked, when she entered his room unannounced.
Sasuke looked up and smiled.
"I thought I wouldn't see you anymore," he said.
"On the contrary, sir!" she said surprised. "I always see my patients off."
She walked closer to his bed and sat down in the chair where she often saw Hinata sitting.
"I wanted to be here before your wife arrived because I have something special to give to you."
She looked serious. Sasuke was concerned and for some reason, he kept his guards up.
"When you came in, we naturally undressed you to treat your wounds," she started. "And then this fell out of your pocket."
She reached out a hand to him and opened her palm to a dark blue velvet box.
"I wanted to give this back as soon as you woke up, but for some reason I didn't," she continued. "I listened to my gut and now it's telling me this is the perfect moment."
Amber laughed a little nervously.
"You have to forgive me," she said. "I couldn't help my curiosity and peeked in. I assume it's meant for your wife. I knew that you were depressed about something and I could only guess they were marital issues. But I have seen how close you are to her now and I guess this is a right time to give it to her?"
She was nervous. She didn't know what he'd think of her. She usually doesn't pry like this in people's lives, but for some reason, Sasuke was a precious patient.
Sasuke stared at the box and then at his doctor. After she had her say, he picked it up and observed it without opening it.
"You have no right going into my business like that," was his first response. "But I'm glad you gave it back. Thank you."
Amber guessed he wasn't angry but he wasn't really happy either. She felt awkward all of a sudden, apologized and took her leave.
Somehow, Sasuke was happy he got his gift now and not earlier. He probably wouldn't have remembered what it was for. The thought behind the ring was more important to him than the little jewel itself. When he heard Hinata's footsteps in the hall, he quickly shoved it into his pocket and pretended like nothing happened.
"Hey sweetie," Hinata greeted. "Ready to go?"
Seeing his house felt like a dream. A vague dream, almost like a memory. He barely remembered it. He knew that some things will take time to come back, but he never imagined he'd forget what his own house looked like. When Hinata parked in the garage, she quickly stepped out, to help him out of the car. Then she slowly guided him inside the house.
"Don't worry about me," he whispered softly when they entered the kitchen. "I think I can do this on my own."
Hinata had a worried look on her face but seeing the determination plastered in his eyes, she knew he'd be fine.
"Okay," she said. "I'll get the bags from the car then."
He nodded and walked around the house, supporting himself on anything he could get his hands on. He was trying to remember the quarters of the house because it didn't feel like home yet. It felt like a stranger's house. Was this really his?
He walked into the living room, where they had a beautiful brick fireplace. And all of a sudden, some memory flashed back. He remembered a warm fire, stockings hanging above the fireplace and a dark green decorated pine tree. He remembered two satisfied people on the big sofa, a thick blanket covering their naked bodies.
"Our first Christmas together," he remembered fondly. "This is my home."
Hinata felt like a bouncing ball thrown across the room: she couldn't sit still! After she brought the bags to the room upstairs, she quickly ran to the kitchen to fix Sasuke something to eat. The doctor had said that he should be eating regularly for his weakened muscles to grow back to their natural self, and Hinata took that advice to heart. If she starts now, lunch would be ready soon. The sooner it's done, the sooner he can eat and the sooner he'll get better.
"Hinata…" Sasuke called.
Hinata jumped at the sound of his voice. Was something wrong? She rushed to him, thinking he had somehow injured himself. She thought his voice came from the living room, so that's the first place she looked. When she entered, she stopped dead in her tracks. She had been breathing heavily due to the adrenaline rush in her system but now, she was holding her breath at the sight in front of her.
Sasuke was in the middle of the living room, kneeling on one knee. He had his upper body leaning forward, like he fell and was trying to get up. Hinata rushed to his aid.
"Oh my god, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked worried.
"No, no," he said irritated. "I'm fine. Just stand up, Hinata."
Hinata didn't understand. Was he trying to get up himself and only wanted her there for support?
"During my last flight," Sasuke started. "I came home, determined to make things right. To start all over with you."
Hinata didn't fully understand.
"W-what are you talking about?" she asked confused.
"I had hurt you. Everything you did, was because I hurt you. And again, I'm truly sorry. I can't stop asking for forgiveness because what I had done is unforgivable."
Hinata had a feeling he was talking about the adultery. Her eyes started to water; she didn't want to talk about that.
"Sasuke, it's ok-…" But Sasuke raised his hand, hinting her to stop. He looked down at her hands and then took one.
"I really love you, Hinata," he said, looking at her. "I hope you know much I feel for you." He placed a small kiss on the back of her hand. More tears formed into her eyes. She knew he loved her. She knew it every time he said it like that.
"Sasuke, this isn't nec-…." Again, he stopped her.
"I told you I wanted to make it up to you," he said softly. He reached for the velvet box inside his pocket.
"Would you mind…" he said as he brought it in front of her and slowly opened it. "Would you mind, starting over with me?"
Hinata gasped for air as her hands flew to her mouth. There he was, presenting her the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, bending down on one knee as if he was proposing to her again. All the emotions she felt back then when he asked her to marry him, came with full force and just like then, she flew into his arms, ignoring the ring. But this time, Sasuke wasn't as strong and he stumbled backwards, groaning when Hinata added pressure to his sore ribs.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry," she said through tears, giggling as she helped him get into a more comfortable position. And without warning, she kissed him. This startled Sasuke a little too but he eagerly kissed her back.
"I love you," he whispered after their French moment.
"I love you too," she replied.
"Now will you wear this thing?" he asked her as he brought the ring back for her to see. She only giggled some more and took the jewel from its casing.
"Sure, why not," she answered. And as soon as the little decoration adorned her hand, she flew back into his arms, kissing him without the intention to stop.
A/N: I am so, SO sorry for the delay. And I know there are probably people who hate me right now and like always my excuse is the busy life I lead. I do promise to finish this fic, even if it takes me years (hope it won't get that far). But there's also something wonderful happening here that I'll share in due time (just be patient *wink,wink*). And that's also why I was slacking. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I thank you for staying. There will be more chapters, this isn't the end! Do you think Naruto gave up? Stay tuned to see what the blond is up to in the next chapter. THANK YOU, READERS! R&R…