Sunagakure; 4 days till Sasuke's release
The next few days for (Name) were beyond draining - both mentally and physically. Even her team of med-nin were worn out. The trash can in the office the Kazekage ordered for (Name) to use was stuffed to the brim with barely eaten food. The bizarre look of her temporary office also showed that (Name) did not leave there for a while. Even the hotel Temari and Kankuro set up for her was abandoned. Pulling all-nighters were not a new concept to her, nor were they the first or last time she would ever do them. However, the lack of nourishment meant random, short naps that lasted about 1-2 hours throughout the day were not an option, but a necessity. In the small, uncomfortable little office chair that was provided for (Name) became where she decided to get some shut eye.
The numerous stacks of paper on (Name)'s desk was a huge eyesore for her. Her exhaustion was clearly reflected by the dark eye bags under her eyes and her greasy curly hair tied into a messy high ponytail. Quite frankly, she was more than happy Kakashi, Tsunade, or Naruto were not here to scold her for her lack of self-care.
The minor outbreak of Chicken Pox in Sunagakure was dealt with rather well. The vaccines helped significantly reduce the possibility of contracting and spreading the disease. Most of the people that were exposed to the chicken pox were just resting and recovering, except for one patient. Little Yua had alarming symptoms of pneumonia, a complication caused by Chicken Pox. (Name) feared this all along. It just added more to the already very long list of things she had to fix. It shocked her more than anything. Death was not foreign for an experienced doctor like (Name). However, Yua was a special patient. She felt so much for the girl. They were also very close and had known each other for years. They shared a bond.
(Name) remembered the look of horror Yua's guardian, Mrs. Miho, had when she mentioned this. For the millionth time in (Name)'s life, her heart twisted into painful knots at the sight. After that, she could not stop worrying about Yua. 'What will happen to her? Will she be okay? Who is going to care for Yua and Mrs. Miho when I get back to Konoha?' These thoughts seemed to plague (Name). She felt responsible for Yua's life. How could she live with herself if something happened to her under (Name)'s care?
It was currently 1:34 in the morning and (Name) had just awoken from her 1 hour nap. She blinked a few times, fighting back the strain in her eyes. She examined the dimly lit office and grimaced. It sure was messy as hell. She made a mental note to clean it sometime later in the day. Yawning, (Name) stretched out her limps until a satisfying 'pop' could be heard. She got up from the god forsaken office chair and picked up her lab coat she used as a blanket. Apparently, slipping on the coat was too much of a task for (Name)'s body. Her muscles seemed to scream out in agony, causing a low hiss to escape her chapped lips. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. A task that would have taken a second took (Name) approximately 4 minutes. An eternity later, (Name) made her way out the door of her temporary office and went on the look out for her Medical team. She was beyond guilty that her team was still working away in the hospital. (Name) did not want them to end up the same way she was at that moment. All disgruntled and tired.
Making her way down the long, dimly lit corridors, (Name) instantly spotted one of the talented med-nins she had teamed up with. Quickening her strides, (Name) was ready to scold the hell out of him. Standing in front of him, she jutted her chin out in an attempt to daunt him. "Touma-san, what are you doing here at this hour? Have I not made it clear to retreat back to the hotel at 11?" The said man perked up at the sight of his captain. "With all do respect (Name)-sama, I could ask you the same thing." The charming smile of his always seemed to calm her senses down real quick. She shook her head from side to side with her own grin and looked back up to Touma's profile.
"Never mind that, where is the rest of the team?" (Name) crossed her arms, already anticipating his answer. The latter stiffened and lifted an arm up to scratch his neck in nervousness. "Well, most of us were just in the lobby taking a bit of a break from the dreadful paperwork." He huffed quietly in exhaustion. This action did not go unnoticed by (Name).
Touma really was a handsome man, with medium length jet black hair that was parted in the middle and swooped outwards in such a manner. He was tall with broad shoulders and a fit figure of a ninja. In addition, his ability to concentrate chakra and manipulate it was extraordinary. Unlike most children, he was one of those lucky individuals who had parents growing up in Konohagakure. Even if Touma was a bit spoiled compared to other kids, he was sympathetic, cheerful, and kind-hearted with anyone he met. (Name) and the rest of her team were grateful for his bright personality. He always managed to brighten their days in peculiar ways.
(Name) felt even more weighed down by the guilt of keeping her comrades in the hospital for way too long. She sharpened her gaze to purposely intimidate Touma. "I will talk to the others, you can pack up and head back to the hotel now. Suna's doctors will take care of things from here. Be ready for any emergency and make your way back to the hospital at 7." "Sure thing, captain. Have a goodnight." He crinkled his eyes in a smile and patted (Name)'s shoulder playfully. (Name) instantly relaxed her features and replied with a 'You too' before taking a step towards the direction of the lobby.
Just before taking another step, (Name) was stopped abruptly. She turned around with curiosity, surprised by the large hand gripping her wrist. The look in Touma's eyes made (Name) feel quite uncomfortable, but she did not move. "You look quite worn out too, (Name)-sama. Promise me you will also return back to the hotel for the night?" (Name) nodded quickly, eager to stop the interaction between them. "I - uh, promise." Touma nodded in assurance and let go of her wrist with hesitancy. Without even looking back, (Name) took long strides towards the lobby, unaware of the heavy gaze that could have burned holes through her.
Quick and calculated steps could be heard throughout the hallway, nearing towards the foyer of the hospital. Scowling at the sight before her, (Name) picked up her pace and straightened her back to once again, intimidate everyone. 5 pairs of eyes all looked back up at (Name), the usual light in them replaced with pitch black darkness. "All right everyone, you can now make your way back to the hotel now." One of her female comrades, Sara, spoke up. "But, (Name)-sama..." (Name) raised her hand to silence the young woman and tiredly smiled up at her. "I do not want to hear it, you all have done a great job, but you need to rest. The rest of the doctors and nurses here will take care of things. We would not want any walking zombies taking care of patients now, do we?" That seemed to get to them as they hastily got up and replied with a 'Hai, (Name)-sama'. (Name) sighed in content, happy that she'd finally have the chance to properly rest. "Goodnight everyone, and make sure to return at 7 am sharp." Another round of 'Hai's' were heard before (Name) retraced her steps back to her office.
Just prior to heading back to her office, (Name) halted in her tracks. There was one last thing she had to do before packing up and heading out. (Name) took a right from her office, slowing her pace bit by bit. After walking through the rather long corridor, she took another right and locked her eyes on the door she was looking for. When (Name) extended her arm to the door knob, however, a woman beat her to it and emerged from the inside of the room with a distressed look. Mrs. Miho flinched back in surprise at the sight of (Name). She widened her eyes, feeling bad that she scared Mrs. Miho. "I apologize Mrs. Miho, I did not me-" (Name) stopped herself when she took another glance at the small woman in front of her. Mrs. Miho kept her head down, not daring to look at (Name) in the eye.
After a few minutes of silence, (Name) gave in and sighed in a hushed tone. This action seemed to ignite Mrs. Miho, as she proceeded to raise her head in a pleading way. To (Name)'s surprise, Mrs. Miho crouched down on her knees, bowing at the kunoichi's feet. Almost instantly, (Name) frantically tried to pick Mrs. Miho up by her arms, totally baffled as to the old woman's actions. "Please Mrs. Miho, there's no need to..." (Name) felt flustered, in all honesty. She picked the latter up by her arms, curiously eyeing her. Just as she was retreating her hands back to her sides, (Name) felt something wet and hot drip down on her fingers. In a dazed state, she looked back to the woman in front of her. Hot, glistening tears slipped from the ends of Mrs. Miho's eyes. "(Name)-san, promise me one thing. Promise me you won't let Yua die. It is all I will ever ask of you. Please..." (Name) felt as if she had been hit by a boulder. 'So this is what seemed to bother Mrs. Miho'.
She could not help but allow a few tears of her own slip down her cheeks. "I-I promise Mrs. Miho. Don't worry, I will not allow that to happen." The old woman stood silently before wiping her tears with the sleeves of her coat, then looking back up towards (Name). Crinkling her red and puffy eyes, she smiled, if it really was a smile, and nodded, as if trying to reassure herself. "Thank you, (Name)-san. I'm just going to make my way to the restroom..." (Name) nodded, grinning her own smile back at the lady to comfort her. Mrs. Miho trotted along the hallway and out of sight. (Name) quietly made her way in the room, shutting the door in the process. A few machines were hooked up here and there to ensure Yua would not have any difficulty breathing. The med-nin shuffled to the little girls bed, watching how her small chest rose up and down in rhythm.
Seeing Yua like this lit a fire in (Name). She would keep her promise to Mrs. Miho. Not only for her, but for Yua. This little girl had been through so much, and experienced things no one should have. She would do all that she could for the little girl to see the beauty in life. As a fellow shinobi and med-nin, she would not allow Yua to die. Even if her life depended on it.
X
Konohagakure; 3 days until Sasuke's release
"(Name)? (Name), are you okay?" The sound of Ino's voice jerked the med-nin's attention back to the group of people in front of her. (Name) just stared at the confused and worried states of everyone around her. She exhaled quietly, unsure of what to say. Team 7, 10, 11, and 13 had decided to go out to for a little reunion at Choji's favorite BBQ restaurant. It was of course Ino's idea in hopes to see how everyone was doing, but (Name) had a feeling that it was to really check up on how Naruto and her were handling the situation with Sasuke. Word eventually got out about the Hokage's decision to release Sasuke so soon, which started many uprisings. It was pretty stressful, as (Name) heard. After all, she was back in Sunagakure, and had absolutely no idea what was going on. Based on the endless rambling Naruto did with (Name), most of the hate was directed from the civilians of Konoha. It did make sense, (Name) supposed. The shinobis of The Leaf were not fools and knew that the extra help was from the raven-haired male was not something to take lightly. Apparently, in just a few days, the commotion eventually died down, which was good news. It eased (Name) and Naruto tremendously knowing that the citizens of Konoha were finally accepting the fact that Sasuke would be freed soon enough.
Ino crossed her arms with a huff. "(Name), your never yourself these days. I know Sasuke's getting release in a few days, but it seems to be more than that." All eyes landed on (Name), eager to hear her answer. She was backed into a corner, and Ino knew it, a devilish smirk taking over her features at her sly action. Silently admitting defeat, (Name) tried to hide a grimace with a polished fake smile that only Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino could see through. The 3 of them silently acknowledged her plead, and quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of Sasuke's release, has Kakashi-sensei invited you all to attend the briefing held on the day he's freed?" Sending an unnoticeable nod of gratitude, (Name) relaxed in her seat, to which Naruto comfortably patted her back. Shikamaru decided to speak up, eager to relieve the burden the conversation handed over to (Name). "The Hokage and Tsunade-sama forced me to attend, stating I had the brains to shoot down any stunts the elders would bring up. It's all pretty troublesome." The Nara crossed both his arms behind his head in an exaggerating manor. "I think you, Naruto and (Name) are the only ones attending." Tenten exclaimed, glancing back at (Name) and Naruto, not even able to begin to imagine how hard it must be for them to think about what happened with Sasuke.
It seemed everyone was thinking the same thing. No one had forgotten the heartbreaking scene of Konoha forces hauling Sasuke away from Naruto and (Name). Neither (Name) nor Naruto ever spoke about it, or even thought about it. It was a silent agreement to not ever bring it up again.
"(Name)-chan, how was the mission in Sunagakure?" Lee finally decided to speak up, bringing the attention of the whole group back to her once again. She crinkled her eyes, a soft smile appearing on her pink lips. (Name) felt relieved that the conversation strayed away from Sasuke's release.
She started off with a contempt hum. "Well, the vaccine did work for every patient, except one" As if on cue, (Name) deflated, feeling a surge of emptiness engulf her. Naruto immediately widened his eyes in realization. "Is it... Yua?" (Name) grimly nodded, not daring to look anyone in the eye. "Hold up, is it the Yua that you found on the streets of Suna, all skinny and boney?" Ino raised both her hands with a pained expression masking her disbelief. Suddenly looking up, you replied, "Yes, she's the one".
Everyone around the table, especially Naruto, all looked as if they had been slapped in the face. Hard. "What happened to her?" Naruto nudged (Name) to continue, to which she nodded in agreement. "She showed symptoms of... pneumonia. She needed to be monitored closely, so I volunteered to take care of her here in the Leaf at the hospital". (Name) felt relief to finally tell someone about the troubles she had to keep to herself. "Do you think we'd be able to meet her?" Hinata questioned with a gentle voice. "I um - I hope so, if her condition gets better" (Name) hated her pessimistic personality. 'If she gets better' she thought.
Kiba tried to brighten the mood, sensing the discomfort around the table. "Hey (Name), let us know if she can have visitors. I'll bring Akamaru with me" He grinned, to which the dog barked at. Appreciating the kind gesture, she returned his grin. "Thanks Kiba, it means a lot".