Chapter 12
Shikamaru's POV
"He's gonna be okay right? I mean he isn't going to…to die. Right?" A familiar voice sounded it was enough to make my heart race. I only knew that because the beeping on a monitor somewhere near me picked up speed.
"Right now, we can't be sure. The accident was pretty bad. Why don't you go home and get some rest. We'll call you and the others if we have an update."
I'm right here! I can hear you! Hello? Temari!
"Alright…"
Are you ignoring me? Hey! Listen to me! The beeping increased again. I guess it was bad because the next thing I heard were many voices all yelling. Then I felt a prick on my arm and then everything faded out once more.
I awoke to bright lights shining in my eyes. Too bright. I moved my hand to cover my eyes and then someone knocked over a chair. It clanged against the tile floor at an annoyingly loud volume. "Hey…hey you guys! He's awake!" Naruto. Of course.
"Shikamaru?" I opened my eyes slowly to see four faces staring down at me.
"Give the kid some air…" All four backed off and one face appeared above me.
"Ka…kashi…where am I?"
"In the hospital."
"Why didn't you just take me to Tsunade? She's a doctor."
"I figured she would beat the tar outa you for being so stupid instead of actually helping." I laughed slightly and it hurt my chest. But he was right.
"So what did you…tell the doctors?"
"You got mauled by a bear when we were all camping."
"Vampire...bear…what's the difference?" This time he laughed. I thought then crossed my mind, which made me sit up quickly. Pain shot through my body but I ignored it. "Where's Temari? Is she okay? What happened?" I felt several hands try to push me back to the bed.
"Calm down you'll open up your stitches."
"Answer my question."
"Which one?" I glared at him and he sighed. "At her house, yes she's fine and she killed Ino, came here for a while and then went home." I laid back down slowly.
"Good. I was worried that she…never mind."
"What's that in your hand?" For the first time I realized that there was in fact something in my hand. I opened it slowly and twirled the necklace in my fingers. A small wolf head stared back down at me. Another fragment of the past.
"She put that in your hand two days ago." I didn't turn my gaze away from the small pendant even when the new voice entered the room. Sasuke stood and walked across the room to her. "Did you give that to her?"
"Sakura…" He warned. What? Was I insane now?
"It's fine Sasuke." I took a deep breath before saying anything else. "Yes I did. A long time ago."
"Why a wolf?"
"Why did Sasuke give you his clan symbol?"
"Huh?"
"Never Mind…" I opened the clasp and reached behind my neck to fasten it. It now hung right next to the shark's tooth that always hung on mine.
Flashback
I raised one eyebrow. "A sharks tooth?"
"Well they don't exactly sell vampire fangs at the jewelry shop now do they? Besides, I wanted you to always have something of me with you. You gave me a wolf. I gave you a 'fang.'" I walked up and kissed her on the forehead.
"Thank you Temari. I love it." Her face lit up and she bounced in excitement.
"Really?"
"Yes really."
End Flashback
"Shikamaru?" The voice snapped me out of my reverie.
"What?"
"You okay?"
"Yea. I'm fine." Suddenly a voice sounded from the hallway. One that was unfortunately familiar.
"I don't care if visiting is limited to close friends and family! I'm going to see my client!" He burst through the door and I let out a sigh. "Shikamaru! Thank god your alright!"
"Yea I'm fine." As I've said many, many times before. I was already sick of this hospital.
Temari's POV
Two months later
"So have you seen Shikamaru since the accident?"
"No. I haven't."
"Why not. I think you wants to see you."
"I doubt it."
"Why? What happened?"
"It's…complicated."
"Relationships usually are." I walked around the bar to push in the empty stools. "That reminds me." She began to dig through her bag. "I got you something." She pulled out a small square, wrapped package.
"Why?"
"It's your birthday stupid." I looked to the calendar hanging on the wall. She was right. It was. I took the package and smiled.
"Thanks."
"Well open it!" She was anxious. What could be so important that I had to open it now? I began to tear away the paper. When I finished I realized it was a CD. My eyes opened wide as I saw the Artist.
Shikamaru Nara. The picture was simple. Just him in the process of writing a song. A pencil in his hair, paper on the table. Eyes concentrated on the guitar and only the guitar.
Later at home
Why was I doing this again?
I paused as I placed the CD in my player and pushed the play button. The first song began slowly. It was one I hadn't heard before.
Help me lord I thought I found it
Just like a dream turned out all wrong
Don't feel the same madness about me now
Don't feel the hurting when I'm gone.
Don't feel the wonder of the sweetness
Don't feel the aching need to share
Don't feel the way I feel without you girl
Adjust the flowers in your hair.
I listened in silence to the words and pulled my knees close to my chest.
Should I never look into your eyes again?
Should I never want to make the call?
Should I never need you like my only friend?
Should I read the writing on the wall?
It's just as simple as a feeling
Just as simple as these cards
Why do I feel so god damn complicated
Don't feel the aching need to share
It keeps coming back without you
Like a boomerang through my heart
And curse that cupid ain't even found me, no.
Into the wound another dart.
Should I never look into your eyes again?
Should I never want to give my all?
Should I ever need you like my only friend?
Should I read the writing on the wall?
And all of it seems,
Hoping our dreams would fall together
Never to be,
If only one dream were dreams of love.
Help me lord I thought I found it.
Its like a dream turned out all wrong
Don't feel the same madness about me now
She loves to hear the sadness in my song...
(Boomerang-Steven Strait)
I didn't move an inch as the next song began.
She had eyes like crazy diamonds
Inuit feet of clay
We rolled the windows tight as they would go
It was a smoggy day
She looked up and asked me if I ever had a lover that I did not betray
And I turned on the radio and I looked the other way
She said you're smart, but in a stupid way
And this is the price that you pay
For being smart in a stupid way
You stand there staring while your lover walks away
Being smart, in a stupid way
The doors they close like eyelids
The train just pulled away
Sometimes I smell the perfume that she was wearing that day
And I wonder if there's anyone that I'll ever love in any way
Maybe I'll grow up and be good someday
Maybe this pain I feel will go away
And this is the price that you pay
For being smart in a stupid way
You stand there staring while your lover walks away
Being smart, in a stupid way
So why is my heart so hollow
Why are my dreams so shallow
And why don't I ever have anything else to say
And why is my love so far away
And this is the price that you pay
For being smart in a stupid way
You stand there staring while your lover walks away
(Smart in a Stupid Way-Ashlee Simpson and Steven Strait)
I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I listened to the words that he was singing. How could I have hurt him this bad, and not remember it?