Note: Mostly fluff-ish, little bit of story here and there! Been having some health issues so I tried to balance writing and taking care of myself. Nothing life-threatening, I swear! I wrote the next chapter already, just finishing it up and have about two other chapters that needs a bit of work, but the outline is there! They'll be coming soon. Hope you appreciate it and as always, thank you for your reviews. They keep me going and give me a lot of motivation!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 15

The next time she opened her eyes, Sakura found out she did not dream at all. She was really laying down in the Nidaime's bed, yet again. He was not in the room at the moment and she was thankful for that. She had quite a few things to think about! What time is it? With the light filtering in, she assumed it was probably mid-afternoon. Her head was feeling better and her body had recovered nicely, not completely, but close enough. Leaning forward, she grabbed her head in her hands and breathed out.

She still could not believe that Tobirama apologized to her. Of course, she should have apologized for her sour mood every time he tried to talk to her, but he took the words out of her mouth when he mentioned how he felt when she had been injured. That was the last thing she was expecting him to say, and to be honest, she did not know what to do with the warm feeling it left in her chest… It was something she never felt before, which is the reason why it was so confusing to her.

The rumbling of her stomach took her out of her head. Looking around, she smiled when her eyes fell on the plate of food sitting on the nightstand. He even thought about that. How nice of him! It looked delicious. There were steamed vegetables, some fish and a miso soup. Sakura grabbed the plate and installed it on her lap. Not caring about the fact that the food was cold, she ate the whole thing, humming happily. It tasted so good!

The door slid open and Tobirama enters with two cups in his hands. His back was facing her so she rapidly wiped her face, feeling self-conscious. Keeping his balance, he closed the door with his foot and faced her. He probably slept somewhere else after she woke up since his hair was a mess and he looked quite tired himself. But the question was. WHY did he look so amazing right when he woke up?! He was moving with grace and she could see the muscle of his arms working under his pale skin. Am I drooling?

Making his way to her, he could see the way she stared at him and for some reason it made him feel aware that he probably looked stupid. He did not take the time to make sure he was presentable when he woke up... Holding both cups in one hand, he ran his hand through his hair, which for some reason made her look at him with more intensity… I should have at least checked in a mirror before to get here, too late for that. Pushing the thought aside, he approached her.

Getting closer, he handed her the cup. Their finger brushed slightly, but the warmth of his touch was enough for her cheeks to betray her train of thoughts. If he realized, he did not comment on it. Bright greens eyes looked up his way and she gave him a warm smile that knocked the breath out of his lungs. Her voice sounded small and soft when she opened her mouth.

"Thank you… For this and everything." Clearing her throat, she looked around and ended up focusing her attention in her coffee mug. Taking a sip of his tea, he sat on the chair that was still next to the bed.

"Like I said, it's the least I could do." He chuckled. "As for the coffee, I realized that you are barely functional without it, so I thought you would like one before leaving the compound."

She never discussed her likes and dislikes with the man but he obviously observed her more than she thought the past month if he could tell how bad she needed her coffee. Sipping the amazing liquid slowly she closed her eyes in pure bliss. Just the way she liked it. He was a surprising man, to say the least.

Seeing the way she held on to the cup, he knew he was right about that. A small laugh shook his shoulders and she stared at him with something he could not quite describe in her eyes. Then she took another sip and he could see a small smile stretching the left side of her lips. She was beautiful, even in the morning. Gazing at her a bit longer took a sip of tea. I could get used to this... Her. Here... Before his thoughts brought him farther on the subject, he pushed them aside. He honestly would have rather stay in his bedroom with her all day, but they both had things to do, so he emptied his tea cup and cleared his throat.

"I was going to see Hashirama this morning but waited for you since I thought you might like to go as well." She nodded and her happiness disappeared. Her brow furrowed.

"Yes, I want to check on him and I still have to analyze the poison and create the antidote..." Her attention focused on the coffee cup again like it held all the secrets of the universe, she stopped talking.

"What is it?" Her head snapped up when she heard the softness of his tone. Blushing slightly, she sighed and appeared to be unsure.

"So.. hum. Hashirama was good when I passed out, right?" Tobirama saw the wheels turning in her head and heard the hint of fear in her voice. Did she think his brother was still in danger or that she had not been able to finish the job? Observing her reaction, he saw her chewing her bottom lip and swiftly took away her cup to put it on the nightstand. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand with both of his and tried to have her look him in the eyes.

"Sakura, look at me." She did not, but then Tobirama squeezed her hand. She raised her eyes to meet his. "Hashirama is doing just fine. He only had bruises left when I got in the room. You saved him."

Remembering how strong she looked in the OR when everything seemed helpless, it was his turn to be lost in his thoughts. Without her, there was a lot of things that could have been different, lots of people would have died… It would have been horrible.

Sakura, seeing his inner turmoil looked down at his hands holding hers. She moved hers so her palm could face his and wrapped her fingers around his. Startled by the somewhat intimate contact, his head snapped up and looked at her, unguarded.

"Thank you…" She was so genuine that it almost hurt. Tobirama tried to appear unaffected by her touch, but a slight blush betrayed him.

"Don't thank me when you are the one who did all the work." His eyes lingered on her face and he relaxed, enjoying the feel of her skin."Now, let's get to the hospital." Still holding her hand, he pulled her up on her feet effortlessly as he stood. Not expecting this, a giggle escaped her. He smiled down at her and her breath caught in her throat. Looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity, she took a step back and stretched, suddenly nervous.

Clearing his throat, he went to his drawer and grabbed a shirt. He rapidly pulled it over his head and opened the door. He waited for Sakura to get out of his room and then lead the way out of the compound. Once they reached the entrance, he stopped, realizing that she was stalling behind. About to question her, he caught the eye of a few clansmen giving them weird looks. Or rather, suggestive looks. Turning back to face her, he cursed his foggy brain. She was wearing men's clothes, following him out of his bedroom. With her morning hair. And his hair was not in better shape. Of course people would think they were fooling around in bed together... Meeting his eyes, she blushed and averted her gaze. She was uncomfortable. Glaring at his men for their lack of decency, they all went back to their daily tasks.

Tobirama walked back towards her and grabbing her shoulder, he transported them to her house.

Once on her front porch, he had to stabilize her when she almost fell. Still quite dizzy, she looked up to him shyly.

"Sorry about that, they are not aware of what happened to my brother and your involvement in all of this. I will make sure to set the record straight." Still uncomfortable, she nodded. Tobirama was leaned against the door frame. "I will wait for you here. You can go and get what you need."

Unlocking her door, she went inside. What a weird morning she had! You mean, what a weird few months! Rolling her eyes, she made her way to her bedroom, opened her drawers and set out her long black pants and her red sleeveless shirt. She sighed. Now everyone would think they were sleeping together. Somehow, Sakura could not be angry at the men. No one knew why she was there in the first place. They would understand later. She also could not find it in her to be angry at him...

Tobirama was so much different then he had been the past weeks and she did not know how to take that change. He was… Charming. Really charming. This morning, everything felt so simple and yet so right when they were talking and just being silent together… Now she would have to listen to the gossips about her and the Nidaime. Surprisingly, she did not mind. She was quite curious about the man. His hands were warm and the way he lifted her on her feet like she weighed nothing was kind of... Exciting. How would it feel to have his hand touching her and... No! You are not going there, uh-uh!. Shaking her head she put on her clothes rapidly. Grabbing the discarded ones, she started to fold them but the smell stopped her. Burying her nose in the shirt, she inhaled deeply. Her heart fluttered and her shoulder relaxed. How could he smell so good? Realizing what she was doing, Sakura brusquely opened her eyes. What the heck? Why am I having those thoughts?!

Embarrassed that his smell could trouble her the way it did, she dropped everything on her desk and exited her room, face flushed. Grabbing a fruit in the bowl situated on her table, she hesitated and grabbed another one for him. Breathing in deeply, she opened the front door and got out of her house, locking it behind her.

Looking up at the man, she threw him the fruit and he caught it effortlessly, nodding her way to thank her. Somehow, seeing him so relaxed on her front porch made her feel all kinds of weird. Like there was lava in her veins. Maybe it was only due to her previous thoughts about him.

"Ready?" His voice startled her.

"Yes, we can go. But if you don't mind, I would like to walk. I am still not used to this transportation thing, it makes me feel nauseous." He gave her a small smirk and she cursed inwardly at the gods for what the small tilt of his lips did to her.

"Which is why you should do it more often. Your body would get used to it at some point." She huffed a laugh at that.

"Still, I prefer walking, thank you very much."

Rolling his eyes playfully, he shrugged and started to walk next to her. The way to the hospital was made in a comfortable silence. Their arms were brushing here and there and it got Sakura thinking.

She never realized how tall he was until now. Her head was barely higher than his shoulder. He was basically towering over her small frame. That realization made her feel even safer when she was around him. She would definitely have to be on her tip toes if she wanted to... Realizing what she was thinking about, she could not help the bright smile that found her lips. No way, like this is going to happen!

Tobirama, on the other hand, was extending his sensor abilities to make sure nothing was wrong in the village. He was ashamed to say that the previous day, he had been distracted and did not scan the area as much as he wanted to. He had to make sure she was recovering first. Watching Sakura from the corner of his eye from time to time, he felt this warmth again in his chest. She looked so relaxed and happy walking beside to him. Like she belonged there. The last forty-eight hours made him realize how much she grew on him since her arrival. He honestly could not imagine what life would have been like if she were not there. She was so passionate, someone they could rely on, strong... Unique.

Like she heard his thoughts, a smile graced her lips and his heart stopped beating for a moment. Seeing the light that radiated from the kunoichi made him want to be closer to her. Life had been so dark, but since she appeared out of nowhere, his life was somehow brighter… Shaking his head he tried to stop the flow of distracting thoughts but failed every time he was looking her direction.

They arrived at the hospital soon enough and once inside, they were greeted by silence. Paying attention to her surrounding, Sakura realized that her staff was eyeing her warily. Like she was dangerous, somehow. Frowning she was about to call them out on this but a flash of her behavior during the surgery came back to her and she stopped herself. She had been quite a lot to handle. The pink haired kunoichi could admit as much. Giving them an apologetic smile, she continued her walk to Hashirama's room that was situated at the end of the corridor.

Tobirama opened the door for her and she had to admit that it was still strange for her to have him acting so considerately with her. Putting on her medic face, she took a step into the room and saw that Hashirama was not alone. Madara and Mito were both next to his bed and the Senju leader was bright awake, laughing and smiling brightly. The only thing showing that he wasn't feeling at his best were the dark circles under his eyes and the color of his skin that was slightly paler than usual. Otherwise, he looked great and it almost made her cry. She did not fail.

"Sakura-chan! Madara and I had a brilliant idea. Listen to this." Hashirama was quite loud considering what he had been through in the previous 24 hours, but she could not help the relieved smile that tugged on her lips. He looked over to Madara, but the Uchiha shook his head and rolled his eyes. Hashirama shrugged and smiled brightly. "We will name the village Konoha. Isn't it pretty?! Madara came up with the name!"

Sakura went to the end of his bed and grabbed his charts. Eyeing the numbers and the notes in the file she had to breathe in deeply when she heard the name. Her heart twisted and a small smile graced her lips. Seeing Hashirama's eager face, she sighed.

"It's perfect, I love it." Her voice sounded weaker than she expected, but no one would notice. Turning around to drop the chart on the table behind her, she closed her eyes tightly. Konoha. Getting her composure back she eyed the numbers again. Happy with what she saw, she faced the four people in the room and smiled down at her patient. Reaching to him, she squeezed his hand gently.

"Hashirama, I am really glad to see you feeling better today." Her mood changed and she poked him hardly on the chest, dark green eyes boring into his soul. "But don't you dare try to die on my like that again! You scared me for a hot minute yesterday!"

Hashirama laughed lightly and meeting his eyes, she could see that he was grateful for what she did. His brown eyes held a fondness and warmth that almost made her choke under a wave of emotions. Mito, seeing how emotional the kunoichi got, stood up and grabbed her hands. Not being able to contain her own feelings, she engulfed Sakura in a warm embrace. The pink haired medic froze under this display of affection.

"Thank you so much for what you did. You are the one who scared me when Tobirama had to carry you out of the hospital!" That explained some of the looks I got. Meeting his eyes above Mito's shoulder she gave him a pointed look. You could have told me. Not that she was actually angry about it...

Blushing, Sakura patted the Uzumaki's back awkwardly. She had to admit, this hug was making her feel slightly better. It was far from being the bone crushing kind of hugs that Naruto gave. It was more like a mother's embrace. Her eyes met Madara's who was quiet in the corner of the room. She saw him smirk and she did not pay attention to him. Focusing back on Mito, she smiled softly.

"I am fine. Glad I could help..."

Mito scrunched her nose and getting closer to Sakura, inhaled deeply near the crook of her neck. The kunoichi took a step back, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Looking at the Uzumaki with a questioning look, she heard Madara huff behind her and saw Tobirama frowning.

"New perfume? Smells quite unlike you! I swear I smelled similar thing before..." Sakura looked at her with a frown. She did not change soap or anything... Then it hit her. She did not take a shower after getting home. She was smelling like Tobirama. Face flushing bright red when she remembered her own thoughts about the man, she took another step back, quickly meeting his crimson gaze trying to get some help. Tobirama to his defense looked as flustered as she was and he could only look at her with a blank stare. So much for getting help.

Hahsirama's teasing smirks did not go unnoticed by the pink haired kunoichi so she quickly opened the door and clasped her hands together.

"Even if I removed all the poison, I still need to create the antidote for you to recover quicker. So… I'll take my leave! I am glad to see you are ok! Mito, Tobirama, Madara.." Nodding quickly to the three other people in the room, she left without a glance behind her.

With an embarrassed flush still on her cheeks, Sakura cursed inwardly. Of course, they would notice something stupid like that! And of course she would react that way! She almost laughed when Tobirama's flustered face appeared in her head. The man had been at a loss of words. Making a detour to her office, she grabbed the box containing the poisoned needle and made her way to the lab. Guess I'll work the humiliation off…

With her sudden departure, the three of them shared a look and then stared at the white haired man pointedly. Tobirama crossed his arms on his chest, which for some reason made them laugh. He looked like a small child getting caught doing something bad.

"I don't see what's so funny about the situation." Tobirama positioned himself next to Mito and Madara, eyeing the door.

Madara nudged him in the ribs and smiled mischievously. His brother was definitely rubbing on the Uchiha. Which could be considered as a good thing but was pretty bad in this situation. The kind of situation where people were making fun of him.

"Since when are you and Sakura on a first name basis, Tobirama." It was the first time he heard Madara teasing someone. He could honestly say that he did not appreciate the fact that the Uchiha was teasing him.

Tobirama opened his mouth to reply and realizing that she did not add the sama or san after his name, nothing came out. Warmth was spreading slowly on his face.

"Well that's a first, I've never seen you speechless, brother!" Hashirama barked out a laugh and Mito could not repress the giggle bubbling in her throat.

Seeing Tobirama Senju, speechless, fidgeting and blushing was something she never thought would happen in her entire life. Good to know that he was still a human under his cold appearance! Tobirama glared at his brother who was still laughing and slapped him behind the head. Huffing and not able to find anything to reply he mumbled.

"Shut up." And Hashirama's laugh got even louder. Tobirama started to regret his decision of rescuing his brother right now. No, he would never regret it because somehow, it made him closer to her…

Seeing how Mito was laughing and holding his brother's hand, his eyes softened a little. How could I regret this? Shaking his head, he left the room. A smile spread on his lips when he heard Madara join the laughter when the door closed behind him. This day could have been way different if they had not made it on time… and if Sakura did not land in their life like she did back then...

Even if he was laughing, Madara saw how Sakura's body language had changed at the mention of the name they found for the village and the way she had to turn around to regain her composure... This and the memory of her sudden departure when they had breakfast the other day made him frown. He would get her to tell him what was wrong. He knew it was only a matter of time. For now, he was just enjoying the fact that his oldest friend was alive and healthy. Thanks to this pink haired girl who was now as important to him as a sister could be.