Chapter 45: Reunion
It took the full two days for the medical ninja to finish their operation. They had to remove whatever Shikara was injected with and reverse the effect it had in her body. Her breathing became normal and the color returned to her skin. She was moved to a room until she regained consciousness.
The head medical ninja approached Shisui as he sat beside Shikara's bedside and offered him food and water. "You're going to end up in one of these beds if you don't eat something." He gave Shisui a gentle smile.
Shisui nodded and accepted. "Thank you..."
"That shirt you wear...I haven't seen that symbol for a very long time."
Shisui's eyebrow raised. "Really?"
"Yeah, I heard that the Uchiha clan was no more..." he laughed nervously, "anyways, you need to get some rest, too, young man. Your wife will need you to be strong for when she wakes."
A light blush appeared on Shisui's face and he grinned. "Yeah... hah... I will." He said with an awkward hand behind head.
The medical ninja gave another soft smile, nodded and took his leave.
Shisui watched him go and blinked. Wife, huh? He smirked. I'm right back at it again, she'll love this when she wakes. He turned his attention back to her, placing his arms on her bedside and rested his head in them. I can spare a few moments to rest...
...
I felt myself slowly come to. My body felt no pain and light. It felt like I was no longer burdened by the weight of the world. My eyes fluttered open and I was blinded by the lighting of the room.
Where... am I?
I squinted at the ceiling and blinked a few times, allowing my eyes to finally adjust. When they did I peered around and caught the sleeping young man at my side. My body stiffened nervously.
That's not Itachi... I slowly sat up, ppeering at the person. His face was buried in his arms but he was so familiar... then it hit me. I could barely make out the Uchiha symbol on the back of his shirt but I was almost positive now on who it was. My heart began to race.
It can't be...
My voice came as a stuttered whisper, "Sh-Shisui-sama...?"
...
There was a barely audible, sweet voice that called to Shisui out of his slumber. He slowly picked his head up to see Shikara sitting up, staring wide-eyed at him. He smiled. "Hello, Angel." He said smoothly.
Shikara seemed to become pale before letting out a sigh and falling off the opposite side of the bed. Shisui quickly stood and peered over to see Shikara passed out on the floor. "Oh...shit..."
...
I came to with a severe headache. I'm pretty sure my head hit the nightstand on my way down. I groaned and rubbed where it hurt and felt warm breath on the back of my neck. I realized that I was in the bed again and was being snuggled into by the man zombie behind me. I froze before slowly turning my head to see Shisui sleeping soundly, his arms were wrapped around me like he was a big kid and I was his teddy bear.
I took in a deep breath. It's just Shisui...don't panic.
His eyes slowly opened and he blinked a couple of times before a light smile crossed over his lips. "You're not going to pass out again, are you?"
My eyebrows creased a little as I turned in his arms to fully face him. "...How...? How are you here, Shisui-sama?"
"You tell me, Angel. You called to me, remember?"
I blinked in confusion. "You heard me...?"
His light smile became a slight smirk. "Loud and clear."
"This isn't a dream, is it?"
His smirk became more prominent. "Would you like me to pinch you?" His eyebrow raised.
I stifled a giggle, closing my eyes. It's definitely him... When they reopened my expression saddened. "You're not going to disappear... are you?"
His eyes were gentle as he peered into my own. "I don't think so. I'm not sure how your jutsu works...but I'd like to stay with you as long as I can."
His words caused my heart to melt and tears began to develop. I held onto him, tucking my head into his chest. "I've...missed you..."
I felt his sigh and his arms tightened around me. "I'm sorry for leaving you...I'm here now...so don't cry."
Just then, the door opened and a medical ninja poked his head in and blushed. "Oops, I'll...come back later..." He closed the door again and I looked up to Shisui with question in my eyes.
"What's up with that?"
Shisui smirked. "Because the doc thought you needed some alone time with your hubby."
My eyes narrowed. "Really...? You've just returned and you're already at it again...?"
He grinned. "It wouldn't be a proper entrance without embarrassing you."
I couldn't help but to return his grin. "You can embarrass me anytime you want, Shisui-sama."
His eyebrow raised, peering into my eyes. "Whoa...you did miss me..."
I blushed and hid my face, leaning my forehead against his chest. I still couldn't believe he was here right now, holding me and talking to me like we had never parted. I wanted to stay like this forever but the truth was that we needed to leave and figure out what we were going to do from this point on.
I slowly moved my head to look into Shisui's eyes. "I think we need to regroup. Will you come home with me?"
"Back to the village?" He asked.
I softly shook my head. "Do you remember Granny Yin?"
His eyes gleamed for just a moment. "Yeah, she let Itachi and I use her cottage whenever we were passing through." He had a sweet smile. "Why? You've met her?"
"Yes and that cottage you spoke of is my home."
Shisui's eyebrows creased and he sat up, releasing me from the embrace. "Konoha isn't your home?"
I sat up as well and closed my eyes, softly shaking my head again. I peered back at him, wondering how much he knew or didn't know. "I've been a rogue ninja for several years now, Shisui-sama."
"Several...?" He eyed me. "That makes you..."
"I'm nearly nineteen now, Shisui."
He blinked. "Some time has passed, huh?"
I gave a nod. "You look like you've grown as well." I peered at him, he looked about the age he should be as if he hadn't died.
He tilted his head at me. "When did you go rogue?"
"It wasn't by choice..."
"What does that mean?"
I stared at the sheets of the bed. "A lot has happened since you...passed..."
He cupped my chin. "Take me to your home and after we can discuss everything."
I gave him a gloomy nod. I now felt ashamed to be the one to have to fill him in. I had thought he would have known. I stood from the bed and realized that I was only in a gown and blushed. "Where are my clothes!?"
Shisui blinked. "What clothes?"
"You brought me here naked!?"
He stared at me for a moment. "The dress you were wearing was damaged and torn beyond repair... they had to throw it away." It pained him thinking about the blood-stained dress. The memory of how it looked reminded him of how much pain and suffering his sweet goddess must have gone through before bringing him back to the living.
I saw the look in his eyes as he spoke about the dress. They were pained and had sadness written within them. I crossed over to him and took his hand. "Let's go home, Shisui-sama." I closed my eyes and tilted my head at him with the sweetest smile I could manage.
He gave a gentle smile before standing. "I'll be right back." He released my hand and left the room, then returned after a few minutes with a nurse who was carrying some clothes.
"These might be too big for you, but it's all we have." She placed them on the bed.
"Thank you." I said, extremely grateful. She bowed before leaving. When I picked the clothes up I turned to Shisui, blushing.
"I'll wait for you outside." He turned and disappeared through the door, closing it behind him. I quickly changed and then met with Shisui, taking his arm with both of mine. "Ready?" He asked and I gave him a gentle smile and nodded in response.
As we walked out of the hospital and down the road, people were stopping to stare. Shisui observed everyone with a little reservation and then he peered down at me.
"We must make quite the couple." I laughed. People hearing this stopped their gazes and continued about their business.
Shisui smiled. "I hear that these people look to you as their hero."
I blushed thinking about it. "While I've been away from the village, I tried to make myself useful."
Shisui raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
I wondered if telling him that I had been a bounty hunter would upset him. "I chose to protect the people of this land...in my own way." I grinned.
Shisui blinked and saw that he wouldn't be getting any real answers...for now. We made our way outside the village and towards the direction of the cottage.
...
Shisui kept looking at Shikara from time to time. She hadn't changed all that much aside from her hair being dyed black, it looked good but he liked it more when it was her natural color. He realized that she had grown taller, too, the top of her head reached to his chin. She no longer had a little girl's body either. She had grown into a gorgeous young woman with curves in all the right places. He looked forward again with a slight blush as she peered up at him.
"Is something wrong, Shisui-sama?"
His blush deepened as he tried to come up with something to say. "I don't...think I'll ever get used to your hair color."
She blinked in confusion. "You don't like it?" She asked taking hold of a few strands and peering at it.
"You're beautiful no matter what."
She hid her face as she flushed red. "T-thank you..."
He arched an eyebrow. She's getting nervous...but why? Shisui faced forwards again as they approached the small cottage and stopped in his tracks, taking Shikara's wrist protectively. She looked up at him in question before peering over to see what he was looking at.
There was a person leaning against the front door with their arms crossed. The person then unfolded his arms and came out into the decending sun's rays.
"Itachi-sama!" Shikara appeared to become excited, releasing herself from Shisui's grasp and ran to Itachi, who's eyes didn't leave Shisui until Shikara embraced him.
...
Itachi looked into Shikara's eyes as he took her into his arms. "You're ok?"
She smiled at him softly. "I think so...actually...I'm better than ok."
"No thanks to you...Itachi." Shisui walked up to us, staring at Itachi with such lack of expression that Shikara's eyes widened.
"Shisui..." she whispered, letting go of Itachi and peering back at Shisui in confusion.
Itachi's embrace also fell and he walked around Shikara to face his best friend. "How are you here, Shisui?"
Shisui's arms folded as he peered at Itachi. "Angel called to me from the afterlife... it seems passing her care on to you...was a mistake."
Shisui scolded Itachi for the first time, ever and Itachi closed his eyes. "You're right. It was a mistake."
Shikara interjected. "This wasn't Itachi's fault...!" Itachi put out a hand to stop her from intervening. "Stay back...Shikara."
...
His voice was emotionless but gentle. My heart sank to see the two at a disagreement before having the chance to really enjoy the fact that Shisui was alive again. I've never seen Shisui this angry before and especially towards Itachi.
Itachi then did something that caused my jaw to pop open. He bowed down to the ground before Shisui. "Not only have I failed you but I've also failed her."
After a moment of contemplation, Shisui's arms dropped to his sides before he stepped towards Itachi and held out a hand. "It's good to see you again...Itachi." Shisui gave a small smile and a slight nod as Itachi peered up at him.
Itachi then stood, taking Shisui's forearm and returned the smile. "You, too...Shisui."
...
I sighed in relief, happy tears developed and I quickly blinked them away before the boys noticed. I turned to the front door and opened it, then faced them again. "Should we go inside?" They released their arm embrace and followed me inside. They made themselves comfortable as I scrounged about the cottage to find ingredients to make a decent dinner.
I listened to the two catch up as they sat at the table. I had a small smile as I did and prepared to make pastries and Itachi's new favorite meal. I peered over to them from time to time almost in disbelief that this was actually happening. Itachi kept his normal cool, however there was an unmistakable glint in his eyes while he spoke with Shisui. The conversation was starting to take a more unpleasant turn, however.
"You two seem to have gone through a lot since I've been gone...what happened?" Shisui asked and Itachi's gaze met the table top. Just then I glazed the now finished pasties and placed them on the table.
"Shisui-sama, you should try these!" I smiled.
"These look just like Granny Yin's." He replied, taking one and trying it.
"She taught me how to bake." I said with a giggle as he gave a look of bliss.
Itachi took one as well but I'm almost positive it was only to avoid and contemplate how to answer the question Shisui asked for a while longer. He gave me a quick glance of gratitude and I winked before turning back to finish the dinner. By the time Shisui finished the pastry, I placed the okonomiyaki, gyoza and rice on the table, along with noodles, just in case.
Shisui's eyes widened. "That's a lot of food."
I grinned, "after being gone for so long, I figured that you could use a good meal." I joined the two at the table. This would hopefully buy Itachi a little more time before we had to update Shisui on everything that has happened in the last several years.
