A/N - Okay, this chapter took me FOREVER to figure out. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted in this chapter. I changed it a few times, so, I hope you like it.
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Why am I still alive?
When Sakura walked into Kamiku's house, Naruto jumped in front of her and smilied, "Sakura, my present to you is upstairs. Stay here, I'll go get it for you, okay?"
Sakura was a little confused, but nodded, and Naruto ran upstairs. Everyone traveled into the living room, and sat down on the sofas, waiting for Naruto.
Naruto came down, carrying an unwrapped cardboard box, with no lid on it, "Sorry, it's not wrapped, but there's a reason."
Sakura was puzzled as she took the box, and looked into it, "Daisuke-kun!"
Sakura was almost breathless, in the box was a pretty little kitten, with sleek white fur, rolling around playing with a piece of yarn that was in the box.
"You like it?" Naruto asked.
"It's so cute!" Sakura said, gently lifting the kitten from the box, it took about five seconds to notice that it was male, and she smiled, "Thank you so much, Daisuke!"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, and grinned, "No prob. Happy Birthday, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura smiled and cuddled the kitten against her chest, and hugged it softly, "I think I'll name it Kyuusei."
"Kyuusei, that's cute. Oh, and I apologize for Akito-san," Naruto said, glaring at Sasuke; Sakura looked at Naruto with a puzzled expression, and so did Sasuke.
"Hmm? For what?" Sakura asked, as she cuddled Kyuusei.
"He never gave you anything for your birthday," Naruto said, sending another glare at Sasuke.
"Yeah, that you saw," Sakura said under her breath, smiling.
Now, it was Naruto's turn to be puzzled, he looked at Sakura's smiling face, then glanced over to Sasuke who was determined to avert all the eyes that had swung his way.
"Wait...what?" Naruto asked, and he swivelled his head between Sakura and Sasuke, "Sakura, what are you talking?"
"Nothing!" Sakura sang out, teasingly; Naruto stared in confusion between her, and Sasuke, "Anyway, Kyuusei and I are going to have a bath, then go to bed. So, goodnight everyone."
Everyone bid Sakura goodnight, and she left for the stairs, Kyuusei falling asleep in her arms.
Once Sakura had left, Naruto rounded on Sasuke, "You got her something? What was it?"
Sasuke didn't answer.
"Come on," Naruto whined, "Tell me. Akito, tell me, tell me, tell me! Akito!"
"Would you be quite!" Sasuke snapped, and his eyes then darted around at all who were in the room, he then looked to the ground as he got to his feet, "I'm going upstairs."
Sasuke left quietly and when he reached the landing he walked to his and Naruto's bedroom and cursed at the fact that their bedrooms hadn't been sorted out, yet. He fell back on the bed, and curled up, and within moments he was asleep, dreaming of so many different things.
Back downstairs, Naruto sat oddly with Kakashi, as Mayuko asked Kakashi a series of questions about Sakura's grades at school. As Sukitsu, Kamiku, and Yagitsu listened.
"So, she's keeping up alright?" Mayuko asked.
Kakashi nodded, "Very well, actually. She gotten prefect on all her tests, she the best student I've seen in a long time."
"Are you serious?" Sukistu asked, speaking for the first time in a long while, he's words were slurred slightly, from the alcohal he'd had that night, but he didn't seem tipsy anymore.
"Quite serious," Kakashi said, smiling at Sukitsu, and Naruto wanted to whack him for it.
"Well, then, I think I'll head for bed," Sukitsu said, and he headed for the stairs.
Naruto made to get up, and follow Sukitsu to keep an eye on him, but Kakashi caught his arm, Naruto looked around angrily.
"Your up to something," Kakashi said, "Mind telling me what it is?"
Naruto glared at Kakashi, who took on a surprised look, "Hell no, now, I'm going to bed."
Kakashi watched as Naruto left the room and went upstairs, then he resumed his conversation with Mayuko, and Yagitsu, not sparing a thought to Naruto, who he assumed was only annoyed at not knowing what Sasuke got for Sakura.
Naruto reached the second floor landing and looked around, he walked silently down the hall, and stop just in front of the door to Sukitsu's room, he pressed his ear to his door, and was greeted with the sound of Sukitsu's footsteps. Naruto let out a relieved sigh, and went to his and Sasuke's room, where, to his annoyance, Sasuke had fallen asleep on the bed. Naruto quickly changed into his pyjama's, silently, and carefully eased a throw blanket out from under Sasuke's feet, and grabbed one of the two pillows on the bed, and laid down on the sofa. He paid no mind to the soft footsteps in the hall, for he was fast alseep when they let themselves be heard.
Sakura rubbed the towel against her head, drying her hair, as she walked out of the bathroom, in her litte t-shirt and shorts, she'd put on for bed. Her hands were full of her clothes, and one of her hands held tight to the pretty necklace Sasuke had given her. She'd taken it off so the water wouldn't ruin it. She then walked down the hallway to the stairs, Kyuusei at her heels.
"Ahh, Sakura,"
Sakura froze, and her eyes that had been watching Kyuusei, looked over to see Sukitsu standing there, at the top of the stairs.
"Su...Sukitsu," Sakura breathed.
Sukitsu took a step towards Sakura, and that all too familar glint appeared in his eyes. The glint that told Sakura that he wanted to do many things to her. Sakura stepped back from the eyes, and her back soon met the wall.
"Sukitsu, please, don't," Sakura begged softly.
"Oh, but you're soooo hard to resist!" Sukitsu said, licking his lips slightly, "Come on, Sakura, you still seem so dirty, let's go bathe you again."
"No, Sukitsu," Sakura said, more forcefully then before, "I swear, I'll scream."
Sukitsu laughed at Sakura's threat, "No, you won't. If you scream everyone will know, and if everyone knows, everyone will know what a pathetic, and dirty girl you are."
Sakura bit her lip, "No, I will scream!"
"Sakura, if you were going to scream you would have done so by now."
Sukitsu was now less than a foot away from her, and that's when he lashed out and grabbed her wrist. The things in her arms cascaded to the floor, along with Sasuke's necklace.
"Sukitsu!" Sakura begged.
Sakura could feel Sukitsu's hands on her waist, and they were climbing up her body, and his horrid face was coming closer, and closer.
"Ow!" Sukitsu's head snapped to look down, and Sakura carefully followed his gaze to where little Kyuusei was swatting at Sukitsu's barefoot, "You little rat!"
Sukitsu promptly gave Kyuusei a semi-hard kick, and the little kitten slid across the hardwood floor, into the wall, where it laid dazed.
"You should go for your bath, now," Mayuko's voice came from the stairwell, "Sakura should be done by now."
"Yes, I will, thank you," Kakashi's voice replied to Mayuko's.
Sakura's breath hitched, as she heard steps on the stairs. Her eyes went to look at Sukitsu's, hoping he'd stop in fear of being caught.
"Get in there!" Sukitsu seethed, and grabbed Sakura by the hair and hucked her into the bathroom, he then spotted the Kyousei, and Sakura's clothes on the ground, and so, he picked Kyuusei up roughly, along with Sakura's clothes, and forced the items into Sakura's confused arms. Sukitsu than promptly shut the door, just as Kakashi got to the top of the stairs, not noticing the fine necklace on the ground at his feet. As Kakashi walked down the hall to the bathroom, Sukitsu dived for the sofa, off to his right, and pretended to be asleep.
Kakashi reached the corner, and spotted Sukitsu on the couch. Sukitsu stirred, and pretend that he had just been woken up. He sat up, and looked to Kakashi.
"Oh, Shigure-san," Sukitsu said, nodding to Kakashi.
"Hello, Sukitsu-san," Kakashi replied, "It seems Sakura's still bathing."
"Yes, I guess so," Sukitsu said.
Sakura quietly pressed her ear to the bathroom door, she couldn't believe it. Sakura let silent tears fall from her eyes, until she shook her head, and opened her hand to...nothing.
Oh no! Sakura whispered, Sasuke's nacklace, it's not here! Damn it, where is it!?
Kyuusei, pawed at Sakura's ankle, as the little kitten felt Sakura's distress. Sakura knelt and picked Kyuusei up in her hands, and hugged the kitten softly. Kyuusei licked her tear stained cheeks, and nuzzled it's face against it.
Sakura then stood up, and shook her head free of her thoughts, and turned the knob of the door, and walked out.
"Oh, Sakura, prefect timing," Kakashi said, smiling at her.
"How so?" Sakura asked, playing the act.
"I was just coming to get a bath," Kakashi said.
"Oh," Sakura said, laughing, a little, "Well, it's free, so, I'm gonna head for bed. Enjoy your bath."
"I will," Kakashi said, "Good night, Sakura, happy birthday."
"Thank you, Shigure-san," Sakura replied, smiling, "Good night."
"Oh, you dropped something, Sakura," Kakashi said, and he stooped to pick up the zircon necklace, and he held it out to Sakura.
Sakura's face brighten, and she took the necklace in her hand, "Thank you, Shigure-san."
"Your welcome, Sakura," Kakashi smiled, and retreated to the bathroom, closing the room behind him.
Without a word to Sukitsu, and before he could get to her, Sakura bolted down the hall, and down the stairs, Kyuusei in her arms. She went to her, and Kamiku's room, Kamiku was already sleeping in her bed, so Sakura prompty locked the door, and laid down in her futon bed.
Sakura curled up under the covers, and let Kyuusei find her own little spot on the bed, which seemed to be laying on the pillow above Sakura's head. Kyuusei mewed, and soon was fast asleep. Sakura, though, stayed awake, thinking, of everything that happened that day.
Sakura's last thought before she fell asleep was Shinga, and how he had mentioned him, Kai.
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Mayuko was just setting some grilled fish onto the table, as Naruto and Sasuke arrived in the kitchen. They saw that Kakashi was already there, and had an empty plate before him.
"Damn it!" Both Naruto and Sasuke swore, and immediately apologized to Mayuko who had jumped at the out burst.
"That's alright," Mayuko said, smiling, "Come, sit down, breakfast is ready for you."
They both sat down, by Kakashi, just as Kamiku came in, she took the seat on the other side of Naruto.
"Where's Sakura?" Naruto asked.
"Still sleeping," Kamiku said.
"What about everyone else," Naruto asked, mainly worried about where Sukitsu was.
"Sukitsu is out with Yagitsu seeing the extent of the storm yesterday," Mayuko answered, "He was than going to go to the school and see if he can attend there until he leaves again."
"Wasn't he only staying for my birthday?" Kamiku asked.
"He decided to stay a little longer," Mayuko said, "He hasn't seen any of us in so long, and he hasn't seen Sakura since she left the village."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, and he swore uder his breath, but he took a deep breath and settled his mind. Sukitsu hadn't done anything, yet. (AN - That's what you think!) So, Naruto just went on eating the fish he had been served by Mayuko.
"Oh, Sakura, there you are," Mayuko said, looking through the living room to where Sakura had appeared in the foyer, "Breakfast is ready."
Sakura looked to Mayuko, but just turned and headed out the door, without a word of reply. Everyone at the table, except for Mayuko, looked around at each other in puzzlement.
"That's odd," Kakashi spoke quietly, and his eyes turned to look at Sasuke, "Might this have anything to do with you, Akito?"
"No!" Sasuke spat at him, angrily.
"Just asking," Kakashi justified himself.
Sasuke huffed, and looked away, which is when he noticed Mayuko standing at the enterance to the living room. She hadn't moved since she had called to Sakura.
"Um," Sasuke began, "Uh, Toegasagi-san? Is something wrong?"
"Kamiku," Mayuko asked in an undertone.
"Yeah, mom?"
"Did Sakura go to sleep alright yesterday?"
Kamiku looked puzzled for a moment, and than spoke, "I went to bed before her, so I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"
"It's started," Mayuko said, "A week early. She'll die if she starts, now."
"What!?" Kamiku jumped to her feet, and rushed to her mom, "Are you serious?"
"That look in her eye," Mayuko said, "She only has it when she's started that week."
"What are you guys talking about?" Sasuke inturrupted.
Mayuko, and Kamiku, looked around at Sasuke and the others, just as the front door opened and Yagitsu, and Sukitsu walked in.
"It's not as bad as everyone thought," Yagitsu said, oblivious to everything that had been going on before he had entered.
"Yeah," Sukitsu added, "Just a few weak houses fell, one or two, they did even fall completely, just a little damaged."
"Hmmm?" Mayuko said, as he noticed something was unsettling in the air, "What's wrong, hun?"
"Sakura," Mayuko whispered, so softly Yagitsu almost didn't hear her.
"Sakura?"
"What about Sakura?" Sukitsu asked.
"It's begun, a week early,"
"Already?" Yagitsu asked in alarm.
"Yes."
"Is the key still here?" Sukitsu asked, while a flickering glint danced in his eyes.
"I completely forgot about it," Mayuko said, as Kamiku walked over to a tall cabinet in the living room, and reached up to to a little glass dish on the top of it.
"She just came down and left, I don't think she has-"
"She does," Kamiku said, as she swirled her hand around the empty dish.
"How many do you think she took?" Sukitsu asked.
"I don't know," Yagitsu said, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry for inturrupting, but would someone please tell me what's going on!?" Sasuke asked in a raised voice.
"Oh," Kamiku said, she looked to the ground, and then back up at Sasuke and the others, "Well, I don't know if Sakura-"
"During the week around the nineteenth, Sakura, in lack of a better way to put it," Mayuko said, "Stops living."
"What?" Naruto asked, staring at Mayuko with wide eyes.
"She stops eating, sleeping, drinking, speaking, everything," Yagitsu continued the explination.
"Why? What would make her do something like that?" Sasuke asked.
"The nineteenth is when her her family left her completely," Sukitsu added, in a mock sense of concern, that only Naruto seemed to see through.
"Completely?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes," Mayuko said, "I'd rather not get into it. I've said too much already."
"Well, I have to head for the school," Sukitsu said, his eyes scanning the room slightly.
"Hmmm, oh, yes," Mayuko said, "I guess you should head out then."
"Yeah," Sukitsu said, "I try and keep an eye out for Sakura."
"Uh, sure," Mayuko said, "Thank you, Sukitsu."
"No problem," Sukitsu said, and he then headed out the door.
Naruto glared as Sukitsu left, he then stood up, and informed the group present, "I'm going out for a bit."
"Hmm?" Mayuko said, "Oh, alright."
"Where you going?" Kakashi asked.
"To, um, find Sakura," Naruto lied.
Everyone was quiet, they all knew that Naruto wasn't thinking of doing that, but they couldn't figure out what he was going to do, so Kakashi nodded, no protested, and Naruto bolted out the door.
Naruto ran through town, his eyes peeled for Sakura, or, in the worse case, Sukitsu. He looked left, right, and centre, but he couldn't see them. Finally, Naruto stopped when he saw Shinga walking down the street, and Naruto went over to him.
"Oh, hello, Daisuke-san," Shinga greeted, but Naruto waved it off.
"No time," Naruto said hurriedly, "Have you seen Sakura?"
"No, can't say that I have," Shinga said, after a moment of thought, "Why? Is something wrong?"
"Um...no," Naruto answered slowly.
"Really?" Shinga said, "Cause you're the second one to ask me if I have."
Naruto looked up at Shinga, "What? Who else asked you?"
"Sukitsu did, about five minutes ago," Shinga answered.
"WHAT!?" Naruto said, getting angry.
Shinga looked at Naruto in question, "What's wrong?"
Naruto looked to Shinga, "Uh, nothing. I just thought I should try and catch up to him, and um, look for Sakura with him."
"Oh, well," Shinga said, and he pointed off down the street behind him, "He went that way."
"Thanks Shinga!" Naruto said, and he bolted down the street Shinga had point out.
After half an hour of searching, Naruto came up with nothing on the whereabouts of Sakura, and Sukitsu. Naruto sighed, as he found himself giving up on finding his friend. Naruto was just turning around to go back to Kamiku's house, when he overheard someone, talking about a certain pink-haired girl he just happened to be searching for.
"Oh, Sakura's there?" A tall man, maybe in his sixty's, said into an old looking cellphone, "Yes, I'm on my way back, now."
Naruto charged at the man, and halted right in his path, causing the man to stumble, but he regained his balance and smiled at Naruto pleasently.
"Well, hello young man," The man greeted Naruto, not at all upset that Naruto had almost made him fall to the ground, "Can I help you?"
"What have you done with Sakura-chan!?" Naruto shouted accussingly at the man, pointing a finger at him.
The man smiled, and looked slightly amused by Naruto's accussations, "Nothing, my young friend, come and see for yourself if you don't believe me."
Naruto glared at the man, "Show me where she is!"
"As you command," The man laughed whole heartedly, "This way, sir."
Naruto followed the man down a bunch of streets, Naruto didn't pay any attention to where they were going, he only focused on the man leading him. He didn't know whether he liked the man or not. He seemed genuinely kind and good natured, but on the outside, alot of people seemed that way, but in fact weren't.
Naruto was lead by the man to a small wooden house, that looked as though it was pulled out of the old west. It was on the outskirts of the main streets of town, and Naruto was surprised to find a medical cross painted above the door.
"You're a doctor?" Naruto asked, in a much more polite manner than he had previously spoken to the man.
"I do believe I am," The man said in good humor.
"I'm sorry," Naruto said, sratching the back of his head, and lowering his eyes to the ground.
"No harm done," The doctor said, "Now, I believe you wanted to see Sakura-chan?"
"Yes, please," Naruto said, still a little ashamed of himself and the rude manner he'd first taken.
"Now, stop feeling stop feeling so bad, it's over and done," The doctor said, lead Naruto up the front steps of the medical house, "No point crying over split milk. Just clean it up, and pour yourself another glass."
"Huh?" Naruto asked, not being the best at metaphors.
"It means," The doctor explained with a heartly laughed, "That if you do something that your disappointed in, apologize for it, and try again, don't let yourself get down about it."
Naruto stared, as the doctor opened the door of the medical house; and then Naruto smiled, with wide, amazed eyes, "Wow, that makes a ton of sense. I feel a lot better, thank you!"
The doctor smiled and chuckled, and then extended his hand to Naruto, "You're very welcome. Now that were best buddies, how about you telling me your name; mine's Doctor Muka Shifuu."
Naruto smiled even more brightly, taking the Doctor's hand and shaking it, "Na...Daisuke."
"Just Daisuke?" Shifuu asked, with a smiled, as he closed the door.
Naruto was quiet, Kakashi had never asked them to make up last names, as well as first names.
"Don't worry," Shifuu said, smiling his smile, "It's not any of my business what your last name is, if you uncoftable sharing it."
Naruto suddenly, really liked this doctor, and so he took the time to look around the building he'd come into. It, too, looked as though it was taken from a western. It had a woolen rug on the floor, off to the left of the door, where a small waiting area was located. In the far left corner from the door was a desk where a young lady was sitting doodling on some paper, until the doctor had come in. She then jumped up to greet him with a smile, and then began talking to him in whispers that Naruto couldn't hear, nor really cared about. That is, until he found out who they had been talking about.
"Naruto, Matta Togi, my assistant," Shifuu explained, "Has just informed me of Sakura-chan's condition."
Naruto's eyes filled with concern in mere seconds, "Is she okay? Where is she? Can I see her?"
"Calm down, my dear boy," Shifuu said, holding up his hands, "Matta contacted the Toegasagi's, do you know them?"
Naruto took a breath, and answered, "Yeah, Kamiku-chan's family."
"Yes," Shifuu said, "They are on they're way over here to pick Sakura up."
"So, is she okay?" Naruto asked, worried about the fact that the doctor hadn't answered that question, yet.
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the Toegasagi's to get here before I tell you," Shifuu said, sadly, "It'll be easier to explain, for I have heard that there are two others visting with you."
"Um," Naruto took another breath to calm his nerves that were rising, "Yes, my friends, Shigure-san, and Akito-san."
"Are you three from the school Sakura is attending," Shifuu asked, trying to keep the conversation on good things.
"Yes," Naruto answered, his nerves finally letting themselves relax, "In America."
"Wow, America," Shifuu said in an amazed voice, "I've heard that country's amazing, I however, have always wanted to visit a country a little farther north than America."
"...Europe?" Naruto asked dumbly.
Shifuu laughed, "No, no, my dear friend, Europe is a continent, not a country. I'm taking about Canada."
"Ohh, yeah, Canada," Naruto said, oblivious to what Canada was, other than the fact that it seemed to be a country, north of America.
Shifuu laughed again, just as the door opened and the Toegasagi's, excluding Sukitsu, lead by Kakashi, and Sasuke, entered.
"Shigure! Akito!" Naruto exclaimed, running to them, and dancing around nervously like he had to relieve himself.
"Ahh, you two must be Shigure-san, and Akito-san," Shifuu said, walking forward, his hand out before him.
"Yes," Kakashi said, shaking the doctors hand, "I'm Shigure."
"Nice to meet you, Shigure-san," Shifuu replied plesently, "I'm Doctor Muka Shifuu, and you must be Akito-san."
Shifuu turned to Sasuke, his hand out, and Sasuke shook it, "Yeah, that's me."
"A wonderful pleasure meeting you," Shifuu said, and then he gestured for them to all take a seat in the waiting area, "Now, to another topic. If you'd all take a seat, please."
Everyone found a seat in the lobby, and waited quietly as Shifuu gathered himself, and sat down at the receptionists desk, while the receptionist bowed to everyone preasent and took her leave through a door that went deeper into the medical house.
"First, I'll start," Shifuu explained, "With a brief explianation of what happened to Sakura's family."
Sasuke tensed, he wasn't really ready to have the murder his brother, Itachi, committed. Sasuke didn't want to hear about it, but, for Sakura, and for the sake of understanding what was wrong with her, he stayed silently seated. Kakashi, and Naruto, both glanced at Sasuke, but quickly averted their eyes back to the doctor.
"Alright," Kakashi spoke quietly, "We're all ears."
Shifuu gave Kakashi a silent stare, and than spoke, "Alright, well, it was six years ago, and a little bit, when a man came to this village, by the name of Itachi; Itachi Uchiha."
Again, Sasuke tensed, but quickly relaxed into a casual reaction.
"This man had visited our little town many times before," Shifuu explained, "So, we were happy to give him enterance. He was always so friendly with the children of the village. Giving them piggyback rides, and that sort of thing."
Sasuke stared, Itachi had been friendly? And with children nonetheless? Piggyback rides, Sasuke remembered from way back when, how Itachi used to give him them, on his way back from school.
"We never thought that he'd turn into such a monster," Shifuu said, almost shivering in fright, "He came, and we greeted him, but he spoke to no one, he only went straight to the home of the Haruno's. It was during the day, and so, Sakura herself was at school. That is when Itachi struck, and attacked Sakura's family."
Naruto looked to the ground, and so did everyone else. Naruto could feel a sickly feeling climbing up his throat, and it took all his strength to keep it down. Sakura's whole family had been murdered by Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. Naruto looked around, Sasuke had a similar expression, as Naruto was sure he himself was wearing, one that said that Sasuke was almost sick from the realization of what his brother did.
"Sakura," Shifuu continued, "Ever since her family died, around the week of the ninteenth of December, Sakura stops doing everything that gives proof of her being alive. Everyday it gets worse until her condition gets to the point when she's completely dead."
Everyone was silent as the words of the doctor sank in. No one knew what to say, of if anything should even be said, in response to the doctors explaination.
Finally, Naruto got to his feet, "So, may we see her?"
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Matta, Shifuu, assitant nurse, had just finished preparing some food for Sakura. Matta knew Sakura would want to eat, but she'd have to make her do so. Matta carried the tray of food that was a bowl of fruit cocktail, a bowl of steamed rice, and some warm green tea.
Matta arrived at Sakura door, but only to find it lock, form the inside. Matta balanced the tray in one hand as she knocked with the other.
"Sakura," Matta called, "Sakura, I know you don't want to eat, but you have to unlock the door."
Suddenly, there was a crash heard beyond the door and Matta got worried. She knew there was a spare set of keys in the doctors office that was just down the hall, but would the doctor get mad at her if she went and got them? However, when another crash was heard, along with a 'thud', Matta got too worried to care what the doctor would say, dropping the tray of food, she ran to his office, and grabbed the keys from his desk drawer.
Matta ran full speed back to Sakura's room door, as, yet, another crash was heard, Matta's concerned heightened, "Sakura!"
Matta unlocked the door and burst in to find some one holding against the wall by her neck. Matta couldn't tell who the person was, they were wearing a baggy hoody, and the hood was pulled over the person's head.
"Hey!" Matta shouted, then she called over her shoulder, "Somebody help!"
Matta turned and ran at the person, she wasn't about to let, whoever it was, hurt Sakura. The person pulled back from Sakura, and struck out at Matta. The person nailed her in the side of the face and she was on the ground. Matta started screaming, trying to get someone's attention. That's when the person crashed through the window, and out onto the ground outside, and took off.
Shifuu, and the rest that had been in the waiting room, burst into the room, and looked around, Shifuu dashed to Sakura who was laying on her side, by the wall, not moving. Yagitsu, and Mayuko went to check on Matta, while the others went to Shifuu to see if Sakura was alright.
"Is she okay?" Sasuke asked.
"I can't find it," Shifuu said, his fingers against Sakura's neck, trying to find a pulse.
"You can't find her pulse?" Kakashi asked, growing worried about his student.
Naruto dropped to his knees beside his friend, and trembled, there was no way this could be happening, not to Sakura. Naruto felt someone join him, and he looked over, Sasuke was on all fours, his eye glassy with tears that threatened to fall at any moment. Naruto noticed that Sasuke was shaking even worse then he was, and Sasuke's teary eyes, were wide with disbelief, and his mouth moved to whisper one word over, and over, again.
"No. No. No. No."
Naruto began to tremble worse at the realization that even Sasuke was taking it like he was. Naruto sniffled as thick tears came to his eyes. Through his tears Naruto watched as Shifuu tried desperately to revive Sakura by the means of CPR.
"Come on," Shifuu said earnestly, "Come on, come on! BREATH!"
Sakura was still unmoving, with her half-lidded eyes, Naruto cried harder, and he could only barely register the sound of others starting to shed tears for the pink haired girl.
"Sakura!?" Shifuu said in a quiet voice, but everyone in the room heard him, and wiped their tears from their eyes so they could see Sakura better.
Ever so slowly, Sakura's eyelids blinked, but nothing else on Sakura's body moved; only her eyelids. Everyone held their breath, as Sakura continued to blink ever so slowly. Suddenly, Sakura's eyes that had been staring off into oblivion, snapped over to stare at them all, mainly, Sasuke who was still on his knees, with tears in his eyes.
Slowly, Sakura sat up, with the help of the doctor, "Take it easy, Sakura, slow down."
Sakura said nothing, she only stared at Sasuke, and out of the blue, his arms were around her, as tears fell silently down her face.
Sakura then spoke, so quietly that Sasuke almost missed what she said, "Why? Why am I still alive?"
Sasuke froze, his eyes wide with shock, as he pulled back from her so he could look in her eyes, "What? What did you say?"
"Why am I alive?" Sakura repeated, and everyone heard her this time.
The group around Sakura all looked at each other, finally Shifuu pulled Sakura away from Sasuke, and he made her met his eye.
"Sakura, how on earth can you talk like that!?" Shifuu said, giving Sakura a small shake by the shoulders, "We were all worried sick that you were dead! Now, your going to tell us that that's what you wanted!?"
Sakura was silent.
"Sakura!?"
"I was supose to die a long time ago," Sakura spoke, her voice low.
"Sakura!" Shifuu shouted at her, "If you had been meant to die that day, then you would've. Itachi would have found you if he had wanted to, and he would have killed you, but he didn't. Your family, made sure, and took it into their own hands to keep you safe! I'm sorry to say, but you sure like to disrespect that about them, don't you?"
Sakura stared at the doctor, "What?"
"They died in hopes you would continue living," Shifuu said, "Now, don't you want to live for them, Sakura! They can't do it themselves, you have to do it for them! You have to see all that you can possibly see of life, so you can tell them all when you see them."
Sakura looked to the ground, looking a little ashamed of herself, "I'm...sorry."
"You don't need to apologize to me, Sakura," Shifuu said, "Only continue living, and that can be your apology to you family, for trying to do such terrible things to yourself."
Sakura was silent, Shifuu was refering to things that Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi didn't know about, so, she nodded and said quietly, "Yes, sir."
A/N - Hmmm, who is this random murderous dude!!! Hee hee, you will find out. I am COMPLETELY out of school, so I will be working on my stories a lot more, now! So, yeah! Woot! Haha!