CHAPTER 13- Blackout
"Stop dozing off, Haruno."
Sakura looked up from her Salad to shoot Tsunade who was sitting in front of her a halfhearted glare.
"I am not dozing off." Sakura protested before she stifled a yawn. "I am merely resting."
Tsunade looked at her, clearly unimpressed by her lame excuse as she took a bite off her cookie. "Pull yourself together, you only got two more hours to go until you're free whereas I still have to take care of some paper-work after you leave." The Godaime told her student with a grim expression.
Sakura rested her cheek on the palm of her hand and poked her salad with a sigh. It's been a rough week filled with emergencies, noisy patients that seemed to be getting more rude by every visit and with hours of working overtime.
During this week, Sakura barely managed to leave the hospital and even spent a night or two in her office, trying to catch some sleep before her shift would once more begin. It went like this ever since Itachi had dropped her off at home when she had fallen asleep in his office and the pinkette hadn't seen him ever since.
She couldn't complain because the Uchiha heir could certainly be a pain every once in a while but somehow, she caught herself thinking about how smooth things were progressing between the two of them at the most random times.
It was an unexpected yet pleasant surprise that the two of them were finally getting somewhat along with each other and Sakura admittedly feared that this would change at the next given opportunity.
"Well, how do things go with Itachi?"
Sakura's eyes snapped up to catch Tsunade's honey orbs curiously gazing at her. For not the first time Sakura felt as if the Godaime could read her mind and couldn't help but wonder just how Tsunade always managed to have the perfect timing.
"Surprisingly well, actually." Sakura admitted as she plopped a cherry tomato into her mouth, trying to look as nonchalant as she could. "I think we finally entered neutral grounds, though there still are times when I feel like wringing his neck."
Tsunade rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her seat, not the least bit surprised at Sakura's answer. "Sounds promising. When do you plan on going on missions again?"
Sakura in return shrugged. "I'm not sure yet, but I planned on taking one sometime next month. Whether it's a solo one or a mission with Team 7, I am not quite sure yet."
Tsunade nodded her head, knowing how hard it was to be an active kunoichi whilst working at the hospital. Sakura however now had it even harder because she was the Hokage's advisor and as Itachi's advisor, she didn't have as much time to go on missions as she may have had before.
"Just try to stay active, even if it means that you take a c-rank mission so that you don't get out of shape." The blonde Hokage advised her as she took another bite of her cookie, allowing the sweet taste to take some of her stress and worries away.
Sakura gave her teacher a curt nod. "I know. It's just that-"
Before Sakura could end her sentence however, the door of her office was thrown open, revealing a concerned nurse. Her skin was pale and her eyes were wide, her usually white gown covered in smears of blood as she held a hand over her chest in order to calm herself.
"Tsunade-sama, Sakura-san!" She panted, droplets of sweat running down her forehead as she looked at the surprised duo with urgent eyes. "There's an emergency!"
Sakura and Tsunade exchanged a curious look before the two instantly abandoned their food and rushed out of Sakura's office, following the distressed nurse.
"What happened?" Tsunade asked as the three rounded a corner, her voice stern as she rolled up her sleeves.
"There was a fire in the civilian part of the village. There are six patients in a critical condition and five others who are seriously injured but stable." She swiftly explained as they reached the Hospital's entrance, and at the sight that greeted her Sakura felt her heart drop.
The entire hall was packed, nurses and medics were rushing from side to side as they tried to calm distressed family members or treated the injured.
"Damn." Sakura heard Tsunade curse under her breath before she turned to look at the antsy nurse. "Get Ruko-san, Yura-san and Mito-san. Tell them to meet me in the ER. Sakura, you and the rest treat the less serious injured. After that, meet me in the ER and lend me a hand." Tsunade commanded, and Sakura nodded before she darted off.
The pinkette did as told and moved to help the other medics and nurses out when a small, abandoned boy at the entrance door caught her eye.
He seemed to be not older than five, his large, terrified eyes taking in the sight in front of him as silent tears streamed down his face. Sakura's heart gave a painful jolt as she walked over to the young child, careful not to make any sudden movements to scare him.
When he caught sight of Sakura approaching him he took a few steps backwards, clearly frightened as the pinkette slowed down.
"You don't have to be scared." Sakura gently cooed, expression softening as she went into a crouching position. "I am here to help you."
Sakura extended her hand with a soft smile and watched how the young boys eyes moved from her face to her hand and then back to her face.
Just when Sakura thought that he wouldn't take it and was about to lower it, the young boy's face scrunched up into a pained expression before he threw himself at Sakura with a cry, holding her with all his might.
Sakura instantly held him close to her as the young boy buried his face into her neck and cried his little heart out. She rubbed his back comfortingly and gently shushed the child, feeling his rapid heart-beat through his chest.
"Shhh, it's okay you're safe now." Sakura hushed the young boy, her heart breaking with every sob that rocked his small little body. "I'll take care of you."
The young boy continued to wail and vehemently shook his head, clinging onto her doctors gown with his tiny shaking hands. "No, you have to save them first!" He wailed, taking Sakura by surprise.
"Save who?" Sakura asked as she slightly pulled back to look at his tear-stricken face. His eyes were red and slightly swollen from all the crying as he looked at her, still clutching her clothes.
"Mommy and Yuma-chan!" He choked out, hiccuping right after. "They're still there together with Aiko-kun and uncle Saito!"
Sakura's eyes flashed dangerously as she realized what the young boy was saying. It seemed like his family was still stuck somewhere in their home and the young boy somehow managed to escape on his own to call for help.
Sakura knew that chances were high that they wouldn't make it until the Hokage would have sent out a team to rescue them but after taking one look at the child's tear-stricken face, she knew that she had no choice but to go there on her own.
"Can you tell me where you live?" Sakura asked the young boy who wiped his eyes with his forearm and gave her a small nod.
"I live close to the market, right in front of the great Fountain." The boy told her, and Sakura nodded as she offered him a small smile before she turned around to call for a medic.
A middle-aged woman called Rika-san, if Sakura remembered correctly, rushed to her side upon hearing the pinkette's call. "Yes Sakura-san?"
"I'll need to go and check on his family. Please have someone tell the Hokage that I need back-up and that the fire is located close to the Fountain at the Market in the civilian part of the village." Sakura told her and Rika instantly nodded before her eyes fell onto the still shaking little boy.
"Got it. I'll take him somewhere we he can calm down and call the Hokage right after." Rika informed her before she reached out to take the child from Sakura's arms.
The pinkette offered him one last reassuring smile before she darted out of the Hospital and right towards the civilian part of the village.
She fastened her pace with the help of her chakra and rushed through the busy streets of Konoha, mentally preparing for what may expect her.
It would take her ten minutes until she reached the Fountain if she kept her speed up and maybe another five to find the boy's family. She just hoped that she wouldn't be too late and would reach them before the fire did.
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura's head whipped to the right as she caught sight of Shisui a few meters away from her, looking at the pinkette with a concerned frown as he fastened his pace to catch up with her. "What's gotten you in such a hurry?"
Sakura jumped on a roof and mirrored Shisui's concerned expression, inwardly grateful that she stumbled across the Uchiha as she turned to look at him. "Fire in the civilian district. Some are still stuck at their homes waiting for the rescue team."
Shisui's expression turned grave as he as well fastened his pace. He as well knew that it would take some time until the Hokage would be notified and able to get a rescue team to the location of the fire. If the fire wasn't in the civilian district, passing Shinobi would have already managed to get there and help to put it out themselves but since it was rare for a Shinobi to be in the civilian district, it would take some more minutes for the Hokage to gather them and for them to reach it.
Shisui and Sakura kept on running in silence until Sakura finally caught sight of black smoke in the far distance. She pushed herself to go even faster, Shisui following her like her own shadow as they reached the source of the fire not too many minutes later.
Sakura slowed down when she noticed that it weren't just two homes that were on fire, but instead around five that were being swallowed by the flames. Sakura and Shisui exchanged a look before they jumped down onto the ground next to the Fountain where a group of villagers have gathered, all of them either trying to treat the injured ones whom they haven't been able to take to the hospital yet, calming their crying children or looking for their family members.
Sakura quickly scanned the crowd to ensure that no one was seriously injured before she scanned the burning homes with a heavy heart. The little boy said that his home was the one right in front of the fountain and if it was the one she was currently looking at, they would have to hurry.
"Everyone, calm down!" Shisui called as he tried to gain the villagers attention, his expression grave. "I need you to tell us if there are people still stuck in the houses so that we can get them out!"
It seemed to work and the villagers turned to look at the duo with wide, hopeful eyes.
"I think that no one is left inside, but we're unable to put out the fire! If we don't hurry all of our homes are going to burn down!" A woman yelled as she held her infant closer to her chest, eyes filled with panic before Shisui nodded.
"Get away from the fire, backup is on their way to get you to the hospital. We are going to check if anyone's left inside and try to put out the fire." Shisui informed them and watched in content as the villagers didn't waste any time to do as he told them to and moved to get to the outer part of the district.
Sakura shot Shisui a small yet grateful smile before she turned to look at the house in front of her. "This is the one where they are still stuck in. You check out the remaining ones to ensure that no one is left while I'll try to get them out of there." Sakura told Shisui and he instantly nodded, his eyes turning red as the Sharingan bled to life.
"Take care. If you need any help, call me and I'll be right there." He told her before he took off.
Sakura didn't waste any time and did the same, determinedly running towards the burning house.
It still wasn't fully engulfed by the flames and the only part that was on fire seemed to be the right half. Sakura only hoped that the boy's family wasn't in the burning part as she kicked the door open and covered her mouth in order to inhale as little smoke as she could.
Here went nothing.
Sakura entered the home after she took a deep breath and scanned her surroundings. The smoke was shrouding her vision but so far, she couldn't make any person out as she walked into what seemed to be the living-room.
"Is anyone there?" She called as she rushed through the hallway, pushing the doors open one by one in hope of finding anyone but so far the house seemed abandoned.
Sakura felt the smoke scratch against her throat as she walked deeper into the house where the fire was located at. She covered her mouth with her forearm, trying to inhale as little smoke as she could in the process and scanned the fire-lit end of the corridor.
Mentally cursing, Sakura thought of a way to stop the fire from spreading but when a muffled cry reached her ears, her body tensed. It couldn't have possibly been her imagination, Sakura was sure of it and scanned the corridor.
It sounded like the source of the cry was right behind her but when she turned around to look, she couldn't make anything out. Just as she was about to turn around and look through the rooms once more, another cry, this time louder, reached her ears and this time, it sounded as if it came from right below her feet.
Sakura's eyes fell onto the wooden floor as the realization hit her and without wasting any more time, Sakura channeled the chakra into her right foot before she slammed her heel onto the ground, successfully breaking it in the process.
The pinkette prepared herself as she jumped through the hole and landed on the ground with the grace of a cat, a series of gasps echoing through the small basement as she did so.
Sakura's eyes instantly snapped upwards and when her eyes fell on the scene in front of her, they widened out of shock at the sight that greeted her.
Huddled in the corner of the room was a young woman who seemed to be in her late twenties, her wide, frightened eyes fixed on Sakura as she tightened her hold on the injured boy in her arms.
He was still breathing but it looked like he got wounded by the knife as well, if his blood-covered clothes were anything to go by.
Standing in the middle of the room was a man, his blonde hair tousled and eyes wide with fury upon seeing Sakura. He was holding a young, blonde-haired girl that looked no older than ten by her throat and had a knife pointed at her chest. She seemed to be close to loosing conscious and Sakura knew that if she had come mere five seconds later, he would have already dug the knife into her small body.
"Who the hell are you?" The man hollered as he pulled the girl closer so that he was right in front of her, the knife now pointed at her back. She was looking at Sakura with swollen eyes, her vision unfocused as she fought to breathe and when the man shifted the girl in front of him, Sakura was able to make out another man on the ground right behind them.
"Release the girl." Sakura returned as she channeled her chakra into her fists, ready to strike at the next given opportunity as her eyes sparkled dangerously in the dim light. "Now."
The man in return shook his head, a Cheshire grin tugging his lips upwards as he released a high chuckle. "You actually think that I would let you take away my source of entertainment? How naive." He warned Sakura, eyes burning as he openly sized her up as his tongue wetting his lower lip. "Then again, I am always open for a trade. I am certain that you could entertain me just as well, if not even better than this whore did."
Sakura heard the woman in the corner whimper as she looked at Sakura with pleading eyes, the pinkette not looking the slightest bit affected by his words as she held her ground.
"I don't like to repeat myself." Sakura told him, trying to stay as composed as she could for the girls sake. "If you don't release her now, I will personally ensure that you won't leave this house alive."
The man merely continued to grin, his eyes darkening out of pleasure upon hearing her words as he hummed.
"Challenge accepted."
As soon as he uttered these words, Sakura's eyes caught sight of his grip on the knife tightening and it was then that she darted forwards. Just as the tip was about to bury itself into the poor girls back Sakura was able to pull her body away from him, his choke-grip on the small blonde only slightly loosening as Sakura used the opening to kick him in the ribs.
The man grunted as he stumbled a few steps backwards and let go of the shaken girl, Sakura instantly moving her behind her as she looked at the woman that was holding the injured boy.
"Get behind me." Sakura called as she once more charged towards the man who was trying to get to them, moving in between them as she blocked the knife that was swung at them with her forearm.
She hissed slightly as the knife sliced through the flesh of her forearm, leaving a deep gash as she punched him straight in the face with her free hand. He was hurled at the wall with a yelp and dropped the knife in the process, the metal object sliding over the ground into the left corner, out of reach.
Sakura used this moment to kneel down in front of the injured man on the ground, moving him onto his back. Blood was oozing out of a wound close to his chest and Sakura swiftly checking his pulse. He was still alive, but if she wouldn't hurry he wouldn't make it.
"Sakura-chan!"
The distant call eased Sakura's heavy heart as her head snapped to the hole in the ceiling. "We're down here!" She called, and not even a moment later Shisui jumped through the hole that she had created, Sharingan activated.
"Are you alright?" He asked, concern lacing his voice as he took in the sight of the mess in the basement. The woman was standing a few meters next to him, carrying the injured boy and holding the blonde girl tightly against her body as her eyes fell on the Uchiha.
"I am." Sakura assured him as her eyes moved to rest on her attacker who was trying to pick himself up. He was holding his bloody and most likely broken nose as he tried to move back on his feet. "He attacked them and injured both him and the boy."
Shisui's eyes narrowed as he looked at Sakura's attacker and took in his current state. Judging by the way he barely managed to remain standing on his two feet without the wall's support, he wouldn't pose any actual threat anymore.
"Got it, but we should hurry and get out of here before the fire reaches this part of the hallway." Shisui told her, earning a nod from Sakura as she tried to move the unconscious male onto her back so that she could carry him out.
Shisui turned to the woman and allowed his Sharingan to fade out of existence so that he wouldn't further scare them. "The only way out is back through the hole. I'll need to carry you to get out so that your son can get his injuries treated."
He could see the hesitation in her eyes before she reluctantly nodded. "Please, take the children first." She whispered, handing him the boy with shaking hands. Shisui moved him so that he was leaning against the right side of his neck before he knelt down and scooped the young, still visibly shaken girl up into his strong arms.
"I'll be back in a moment."
And with that, he jumped up and out of the basement, leaving Sakura behind with the woman and the injured man that she was carrying on her back. She moved to stand next to the woman and offered her a small smile which she didn't return. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the man on the opposite side of the room, who was still struggling to shake off his dizziness.
"Monster." The young mother breathed, tears rolling down her bruised cheek as her body started to shake with fury. "You sick monster!"
Sakura pursed her lips as she looked at the man that was now looking at the duo with a bloody grin. Whereas she could fully understand the woman's anger that was directed at their attacker, it was not a good idea to provoke him when they were still not safe especially since Sakura was on her own now without Shisui here to help her in case he decided to attack again, regardless of his current state.
"Come on, let's not provoke him." Sakura mumbled as she moved to stand in front of the woman so that she could shield her from his eyes. She could sense the way the woman tensed but reluctantly bit her tongue, much to Sakura's relief.
It seemed like the damage was already done though, for an eerie chuckle suddenly echoed through the basement, causing the two women to stiffen upon hearing the sound.
"You fool. Do you actually think that I'll let you go that easily, love?" He asked, the sudden shift in the air causing Sakura to mentally prepare herself. "If I go down, so will you."
Sakura was protectively standing in front of her, prepared to fight him off if he decided to come at them once more but when she suddenly felt a chakra signature brush against her own, her eyes widened.
"Don't!"
The moment she turned around, intending to move the woman out of harms way it was already too late. He was already standing behind her and within the split of a second had his knife rammed into her back. The woman gasped as the metal slid through her body, wide eyes fixed on Sakura's equally shocked face as a hot, searing pain washed over her.
The man grinned as he twisted the knife, earning a chocked yelp from her before he removed the knife from her body. The woman instantly collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air as the man took a step towards Sakura, who was still holding the injured man on her back. She needed to get them out of there as soon as she could but now that she knew that the one in front of her was a shinobi, this task would prove to be harder than she initially thought.
"Now to you." He said, eyes gleaming in the light as he moved towards her. "I can't wait to watch you beg for your life, sweetheart."
Sakura steadied herself as she tightened her hold on the man's arms that were wrapped around her neck from behind, making sure that he wouldn't slip from her hold as she channeled her chakra into her feet.
She would have to fight him with some extra baggage it seemed, for she knew that if she would place him somewhere on the ground, their attacker would most likely take advantage of him as well.
Sakura knitted her brows, intending to charge forwards before the man in front of her suddenly stilled, his earlier smug expression falling before he fell onto his knees, revealing Shisui behind him.
"Shisui." Sakura breathed, grateful for his timing as the Uchiha's eyes fell on her.
"The back-up has arrived, they'll take care of him and the fire. Let's get out of here."
Sakura nodded as she shifted the man's weight on her back and jumped through the hole right after Shisui. The duo swiftly made their way out of the burning house, careful not to inhale too much smoke before they reached the exit.
As soon as they were back outside, Sakura and Shisui moved towards the group of medics that were already expecting them, the children that they had previously saved getting already treated by two of them.
"Haruno-senpai!" One of them called as Sakura and Shisui landed several feet away from them, the pinkette slowly easing the injured man onto the ground. Shisui followed suit and the group of medics instantly went to work, trying to patch the injured duo up as Shisui turned to look at the squad leader that Itachi had sent as back-up.
"There is a man in the basement. He is under a genjutsu and to be locked away for interrogation." He told them, and the squad leader nodded before he signalized his man to follow him inside.
Shisui then moved to stand next to Sakura who was kneeling on the ground next to the two injured bodies and informed the medics of what exactly happened.
Shisui rested a hand on Sakura's shoulder, causing the pinkette to look up at the Uchiha with tired eyes. "We should get them to the hospital, they'll take care of the rest." He told her, and the pinkette instantly nodded, knowing that it was the best thing to do.
Sakura informed the medics and together, the group transported the small group to the hospital where a group of nurses and medics were already expecting them.
For the following six hours, all Sakura did was perform emergency surgeries with Tsunade and Shizune's aid. It was beyond exhausting but in the end, their hard work paid off. They successfully managed to keep the trio away from death's door and even though it was a close call, all that mattered was that they managed to save them.
When Sakura finally left the surgery-room, Tsunade and Shizune having left an hour ago already, she slid down the wall next to the door. She had a nurse tell both the boy that had informed her about the fire and his sister that they managed to free that their family was safe and would recover so that she could take a small break. The nurse would watch over them until either their mother or their uncle would wake up and Shisui had left hours ago to report everything to Itachi.
Sakura pulled her knees upwards so that she could rest her forehead on top of them, closing her eyes as a small groan left her lips. She would have to write a report about today's incident as well and knowing Itachi, he would probably want it as soon as possible, what would leave her with very little sleep.
In the end, Sakura figured that the best thing to do was to write the report as soon as possible. If she were to finish it within the next hour, she would be able to have a good night's rest without having to worry about Anbu guards waking her in the middle of the night just to reminding her that Itachi needed her report.
The pinkette reluctantly picked herself up from the ground and made her way towards her office, determined to take care of this stupid report in order to get some rest.
As soon as she reached it, Sakura sat down behind her desk and went to work. What she originally hoped would only take her an hour turned out to take her even more and after two hours, Sakura found herself only halfway through, much to her dismay. She already felt her eyelids droop as she struggled to keep her vision focused on the paper in front of her, holding the pen firmly so that it wouldn't slip.
A knock echoed through her office and assuming that it was probably just another medic or nurse that wanted to inform her about another patients status, she called them in without bothering to glance upwards.
When the door opened and closed right after however, Sakura found herself compelled to look up just to come face to face with the last person she expected.
"Mikoto-san?" Sakura said, surprised at the rather sudden visit of the Uchiha matriarch as she placed her pen onto her desk and shot the black-haired woman a small, surprised smile. "I didn't expect you this late."
Mikoto smiled as she made her way towards Sakura, dark eyes taking in her office before they fell back on Sakura. "I was actually looking for Tsunade-sama but I just found out that she's already left, so I decided to pay you a visit instead." The Uchiha matriarch explained. "I hope that I am not bothering you this late."
Sakura swiftly shook her head as she run a hand through her long locks, hoping that she didn't look as a mess as she felt. "Of course not, Mikoto-san. Please have a seat." She said, motioning towards the chair opposite of hers.
Mikoto sat down onto the chair and shot Sakura a kind smile. "Thanks dear. I heard that you've had quite a rough day, shouldn't you get some sleep?" She inquired, concern etched onto her features as she looked at the pinkette that was sitting across of her.
"There are still a few things that I have to take care of before I can get some sleep." Sakura told the Uchiha matriarch, a small sigh passing her lips as she briefly glanced down at the report in front of her that was innocently laying on the surface of her desk. "Things that I'd rather get over with as fast as possible so that I don't have to take care of them tomorrow morning."
Mikoto offered her a small, knowing smile. "Sounds familiar. I take that tomorrow is your day off then?"
Sakura nodded. "As long as there are no emergencies that Tsunade-shishou can't take care of herself, it is. I have to give my report about today's incident to the Hokage tomorrow morning and knowing Naruto and Sasuke, they probably already planned on abducting me to the Training field right after I did." She told Mikoto, a small fond smile playing on her lips as the thought of her teammates.
It's been quite some time sine she had gotten the opportunity to actually spent a whole day with them without having to worry about any emergencies or calls from the Hokage, but she knew that they probably were just as busy as she was.
Sasuke with Clan-business and Naruto with his training to become the next Hokage.
"You three really are inseparable." Mikoto mused, happy that her son had such reliable friends that he could always count on. She wished that she could say the same for her eldest son, though. "Have you-"
Mikoto got cut off by the sudden flickering off the light before everything turned dark, taking both women by surprise. Sakura remained still, waiting for the electricity to return but when it didn't, she frowned.
"It seems like there's a blackout." Mikoto mumbled as she turned to look at Sakura, who looked out of t he window with a concerned expression.
"Only that we are the only ones affected, it seems." Sakura told Mikoto and as the Uchiha followed her gaze, she was surprised to find that the rest of the village was as bright as ever. Sakura swiftly stood up from her seat and clenched her fists.
She had a really bad feeling about this. If the electricity was indeed cut and wouldn't return on its own, she needed to keep the hospital in check. There were patients that were attached to machines that monitored their vitals and without electricity, they needed to be under the supervision of a nurse or another medic.
"Mikoto-san, please stay here. I have to inform the other about our current situation." Sakura told Mikoto, who merely shook her head in return as she stood up from her seat.
"I'll accompany you." Mikoto told her, lifting a hand as Sakura was about to protest. "This way, word will spread faster and besides, even though I know that you are a capable kunoichi I would like to offer my help."
Sakura didn't like the thought of Mikoto coming with her. She had a bad feeling about the electricity cut and since the pinkette attracted trouble, she would rather have Mikoto safely locked away in her office.
"Alright." Sakura eventually yielded, though reluctantly. "Please stay close, I feel like there is something off about the entire blackout."
Mikoto nodded, giving Sakura a grateful smile before the duo left her office. They made their way through the empty corridors, Sakura extending her chakra to scan the rooms for any abnormalities as they made their way towards the workers-quarter.
Whenever they passed a medic or a nurse, Sakura was pleased to find that they already tended to the patients mostly affected by the blackout and told them to keep a close eye on everyone until the power returned.
"It's remarkable how calm and sorted the hospital staff acts in such a situation." Mikoto noted as they rounded a corner, her eyes falling on another nurse that was helping a patient back to their room. "Not to mention how they listen to every order of yours without any complaint."
Sakura shot Mikoto a small smile. "Most of the staff was trained for situations such as this and well, I am very fortunate that they trust my word to such an extend." She confessed, not catching the way Mikoto's eyes gleamed with approval of her answer.
She had halfheartedly expected Sakura to say that they merely listened to her word because of her status as Tsunade's apprentice, as she had done many times in the past, but she was pleasantly surprised to hear that the pinkette finally acknowledged her own skills and position, regardless of her relation to Tsunade.
They were almost done with checking the second floor and intended to go up to the third when all of sudden, the speakers turned on and emitted a humming sound.
Sakura instantly stopped dead in her tracks, extending her arm in front of Mikoto as her narrowed eyes lifted to the speakers. The noise increased, echoing through the hospital floors and causing everyone's attention to snap up before it died down into a small buzzing sound.
First, there was nothing. Then-
"Haruno-san, Uchiha-san." The speakers cackled, causing Sakura to tense. "It's an honor to finally meet Konoha's most valuable women."
Sakura clenched her fists, emerald eyes burning as her expression turned serious. "I wish that I could say the same, but I am afraid that I don't know your name." She spoke, voice loud and clear.
She didn't know where he was, nor how he was able to see them, but she knew for a fact that he was able to hear her just fine.
This turned out to be true for the speakers emitted a deep chuckle, the sound adding to the eeriness that the darkness of the hospital emitted.
"As much as I would like for you to know my name, I am afraid that this is not the right time for you to know yet." He drawled and Sakura merely lifted a brow, indifferent by his indication that they would meet in the future once more.
"I take that there is a reason for your little show, so why don't you tell me what you want so that we can already get it over with?" Sakura told him, not even bothering to beat around the bush. She was tired, had her staff and patients to worry about and needed to make sure that Mikoto would stay unharmed.
She didn't need to play along to whoever it was that caused this blackout's little game, she liked to take the more direct route.
"But where would be the fun in that, Sakura-chan?" He asked, and Sakura stiffened. "I would merely like to get to know you and Mikoto-san better."
Sakura felt Mikoto rest a comforting hand onto her shoulder as the Uchiha matriarch moved to step forwards, expression clearly showing her displeasure.
"And what would your reason for your interest in us be?" Mikoto asked, her voice calm and yet her words were laced with an underlining threat. "I fear that you may get disappointed."
The speakers once more hummed, the one behind them clearly pleased by Mikoto's words. "I doubt that one of you could disappoint me, though Sakura-chan once came close." He admitted, and Sakura frowned.
The duo remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate and when he did, the smile in his voice became audible.
"She survived."
And with that, his voice disappeared and a shrill siren-like sound echoed through the speakers, causing Sakura and Mikoto to cover their ears. The red emergency-lights of the hospital brightened the dark corridors and Sakura instantly grabbed Mikoto's forearm before she pulled her towards the stairs.
"Everyone, stay inside the rooms!" Sakura yelled over the noise, the nurses and medics instantly doing as told as Sakura and Mikoto rushed down the stairs. She trusted the other medics to tell the ones on the other floors to do the same but knowing them, they already did so the moment they heard the strangers voice over the speakers.
"Where are we going?" Mikoto asked, easily keeping up with Sakura as they entered the ground floor.
Sakura heaved a breath of relief as the noise finally died down and the Hospital was once more drowned with silence, the red lights still blinking in a steady rhythm.
"I'm trying to get you out of here. Whoever the one behind the blackout is, is also the one who poisoned me and tried to get to Itachi, so I need you to tell him that he mustn't come here, regardless of the circumstances." Sakura told Mikoto, who in return seemed not too fond of her words.
"I won't leave you alone. If he really is the one who poisoned you, he will most likely use your life as a leverage and if he does so, my son will waste no time and come to get you out of here." Mikoto reasoned, and Sakura shook her head as she turned another corner.
"That's exactly why I need you to tell him to stay away. Tell him to send Sasuke, Naruto or Kakashi instead so that they can back me up while I'll try to take care of whoever it is behind all of this." Sakura told her, and at that Mikoto pursed her lips into a thin line.
Whereas she didn't like the idea of leaving Sakura, she did see reason in the pinkette's words so she decided to remain silent.
When the two finally reached the hospitals entrance, Sakura was not surprised to see that the doors were shut close, most likely locked even.
The medic released her hold on Mikoto's forearm and channeled her chakra into her fist, the bright green glow that engulfed it mirroring her burning eyes.
Sakura then hurled it at the glass-door and when her fist made contact with it, she found herself surprised at it's resistance. The door didn't budge and her fist was met with a chakra barrier that blocked it from her.
"What's wrong?" Mikoto asked as she watched Sakura remove her fist and how her chakra slowly faded out of existence.
Before Sakura could answer Mikoto however, the speakers once more came to life. A tsk-ing sound filled the entrance hall and Sakura, now beyond annoyed, straightened as she glared at the speakers.
"I am sorry, but I can't allow Mikoto-san to leave just yet." The voice told them, not sounding the least bit sorry and instead, rather mocking. "Though your effort is noted, Sakura-chan."
Sakura didn't bother to hide her displeasure as she clenched her fists out of anger. "If you want to use us to lure the Hokage to the hospital, I'll have to disappoint you. He is not as easily fooled as you may think."
He once more made a disapproving sound. "We'll see about that. How about we play a little to pass some time, hm?"
And with that, Sakura suddenly felt the ground beneath her feet violently shake, almost throwing her off balance as she pushed Mikoto onto the ground, the kunai that was aimed for her head just barely missing her.
The shaking didn't stop and when a series of Shuriken and Kunai were flying towards them, Sakura knew that she needed to get them out of there. She looked to her right to see that Mikoto was already looking at her, expression determined as a silent message passed through them.
With one small nod from Sakura, the two moved back onto their feet, channeling their chakra into their soles as they darted back towards the right wing of the Hospital.
Kunai's and Shuriken continued to fly out of seemingly nowhere and even though Sakura tried her best to shield Mikoto from them, she was swiftly reminded by none other than Mikoto herself that she as well used to be a kunoichi.
The dark-haired woman dodged the weapons with the grace of a feline, leaving Sakura to watch out for herself as they reached the door that lead to the emergency rooms. As soon as they reached it, unharmed, Sakura intended to shut the door behind them but when she moved to push the door, a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a death grip.
The pinkette's eyes snapped up to see a masked person in front of her, a chakra scalpel in their hand as they aimed it at Sakura's neck.
Sakura's eyes widened for the split of a second before she blocked the knife with her forearm, pushing against her attackers wrist long enough for her to lift her knee and harshly ram it into their stomach.
A grunt followed her move but Sakura didn't waste any time and slammed her elbow down onto his neck before she gave him another kick that sent him flying against the wall.
She turned around to look for Mikoto just in time to see her slam her fist into one of her attackers masked face, causing him to stagger backwards and Sakura to smirk.
It seemed like not only was Mikoto a kind mother, but also a total badass kunoichi when she needed to.
"We should go back to my office. This is one of the most secured rooms that I doubt he can break into and once there we can try to figure out what to do." Sakura suggested, earning a nod from Mikoto before the two of them started to make their way back towards her office.
When they wanted to go up the stairs however, they were greeted by another group of masked attackers and slowly but surely, Sakura was really getting annoyed by them.
"You know, I am really not a fan of your little minions!" Sakura called as she channeled her chakra into the heel of her foot and slammed it back onto the ground, causing the entire floor to shake.
Almost instantly, the small group of five scattered and each charged towards them. Sakura channeled her chakra back into her fists and blindly grabbed the first one she could get her hands on before she roughly hurled him into the stairs.
She then dodged a fist that came flying towards her right cheek and planted her palm onto the ground before she swiped her leg over the ground and knocked the next one down.
A grunt of pain caught her attention and Sakura's head whipped to the right to see that Mikoto was holding her right side with a pained expression as she fought off one of her attackers.
Sakura swiftly darted towards her and swung her fist at the one that attacked Mikoto, the kunai that he was holding covered in what she guessed was her blood.
In these moments she wished that she could use her jutsus but since it was too dangerous to use them whilst being at the hospital and with Mikoto, she would have to rely on her chakra only.
Sakura moved in front of Mikoto and fought off another masked minion, growling as she kicked one of them right in the ribs, sending him flying several meters backwards.
"Sakura, behind you!"
Sakura swiftly grabbed the wrist of her attacker and twisted it before she used her free hand to punch him straight into the face like Mikoto has previously done. Just when she was about to release her hold on him and tend Mikoto however, she felt the air getting knocked out of her lungs and her body being thrown against the nearest wall.
Sakura inhaled sharply as her body harshly collided against it, her head hitting the wall first before her body slid down the wall.
Her vision blurred and a sudden stinging sensation spread itself in her abdomen as she fell onto the ground. She gritted her teeth and tried to move back onto her knees by supporting her own weight on her elbows but as soon as she moved her body for even the smallest of bits, the dizziness only increased.
"Sakura!" She heard Mikoto's concerned call, her head throbbing as she tried to make out the dark-haired woman's location through her blurry vision. When she finally caught sight of Mikoto who was now backed into a corner, Sakura knew that she needed to act.
Quick.
"Duck!" She yelled and when Mikoto did as told, Sakura slammed her balled fist against the wall next to her.
The entire ceiling started shake until parts of it broke and Sakura used that moment of distraction to force her protesting body up once more and to charge towards them. This time, she allowed her mind to shut down and trusted her instinct as she roughly grabbed one of the minion's back of his shirt and pulled him away from Mikoto. She then rammed her left elbow into the others ribs and twisted her body so that she could properly kick him into his stomach.
The remaining two were instantly floored and Sakura swiftly crouched down next to Mikoto, who looked at Sakura with a mixture of relief and concern. Sakura's temple was bleeding and her lip was split and even though Mikoto knew that she herself was not in an all too god condition either, her son's teammate had just saved her life once more.
"Let's go." Sakura whispered, voice slightly rough as she wrapped Mikoto's arm round her shoulders and made her way up the stairs as fast as she could.
They managed to reach the second floor with no more incidents and with the exception of Mikoto's occasional wince whenever Sakura's white coat brushed against her wound, there was only silence.
Sakura then led Mikoto to one of the labors where they analyzed the blood samples and locked the door behind herself even though she knew that they could easily break through it if they wanted to.
She gently helped Mikoto sit onto a chair and sighed as she run a blood-covered hand through her rosy locks. They needed a plan. Fast.
Sakura examined the injury and was glad to see that it wasn't as serious as she had feared it was. The tip of his kunai had only slightly cut into the flesh and Sakura knew that even though it probably hurt, it would heal on its own.
"It's nothing big, but it still needs to get bandaged." Sakura told Mikoto, her voice barely above a whisper as she offered the Uchiha matriarch a small smile that she didn't return.
Mikoto seemed beyond concerned and didn't even bother to hide it. Sakura knew that her concern was directed at her and even though she wanted nothing more than to tell her that she was fine, she knew that lying to her wouldn't help the matter at all.
"You should treat yourself first, you seem more hurt than I." Mikoto told Sakura, but the pinkette merely shook her head.
"I can't." She confessed, much to Mikoto's confusion. "If I waste my chakra on healing myself, it'll leave us with more problems that solutions."
"You have a plan." It was more of a statement than a question and Sakura couldn't help but smile at Mikoto's attentiveness.
"I do." She admitted before her smile turned grim. "Though I am pretty sure that you won't like it."
At that, Mikoto arched a daring brow. She accepted the compress and placed it over the bleeding kunai injury, the blood that soaked her usual dress having already ruined most of it.
"Well then, enlighten me dear."
"Did you take care of him?"
The shinobi in front of him straightened as he gave Itachi a sharp nod. "We did. He'll stay in Konoha's dungeon until he's been interrogated and judged by the council." He informed the Hokage, and Itachi gave the man in front of him a nod.
"Very well then, have Hatake interrogate him." Itachi ordered as he leaned back in his seat. "I expect his report by dusk tomorrow. You are dismissed."
"Understood, Hokage-sama!" The man in front of him returned before he gave him a short bow and left his office.
Itachi exhaled deeply before his eyes shifted to the other person in the room, his usual stoic expression slowly fading into a more relaxed one. "What do you think?"
The other person merely sighed as they slumped into the seat in front of him, the dark shadows beneath his eyes not going unnoticed by Itachi. "I don't know. It may be a coincidence, but it could have also been planned. Whereas he did attack Sakura, she wasn't his main target and when he revealed that he possessed shinobi skills and stabbed his wife, he never tried to flee the scene before the squad-leaders arrive with the help of gen- or nin-jutsu."
Itachi pursed his lips as he carefully took in his cousins words. The involvement of his advisor seemed to be a mere coincidence and yet, he wondered just how she always managed to get dragged into such situations.
For the past few hours all Itachi has done was listen to the medics and back-up Shinobi's reports whilst ensuring that every injured and non-injured villager was being taken care of. He had to make sure that their homes would get rebuild as soon as possible whilst trying to find suitable accommodations for every family that was affected by the fire.
It sounded easier than it actually was and even though it was a task that he was not unfamiliar with, it still costed him a lot of nerves and bit at his patience.
"Maybe we should-"
"Hokage-sama!"
Itachi and Shisui both looked to the door to see one of the guards enter his office, expression grave. Under normal circumstances Itachi would have not appreciated such behavior but once he took in the way the guards eyes failed to meet his own, he knew that something was wrong.
"Speak." Itachi curtly ordered as he straightened in his seat. Whatever the guard wanted to tell him seemed important and judging by the way he hesitated, Itachi most likely wouldn't like the news either.
"The emergency button at the hospital has just been pushed, Sir." The guard told them, seemingly uneasy as his gaze darted between Shisui and Itachi.
Itachi narrowed his eyes as Shisui frowned, the temperature in the room dropping palpably. The emergency button was only to be pushed in the most dangerous situations and when the hospital needed back-up but so far, it never occurred.
That was, until today.
"Who pushed it?" This time it was Shisui who asked, knowing very well that the only ones with such a button attached to their desks were Tsunade and Sakura. The mere fact that someone pushed it in the first place was unsettling enough since both were very strong kunoichi that usually managed to solve any problem thrown at them on their own.
This time, the guard visibly gulped and clenched his fists behind his back to the extend that his knuckles turned white, and Itachi felt a sense of apprehension settle over him.
"The button in Sakura-sama's office was pushed." He started, and Itachi narrowed his eyes sharply, the alarm bells in his head ringing loudly. "But according to the chakra signature we received, it wasn't her that pushed the button."
At that, Shisui looked concerned. "But aren't Tsunade-sama and Sakura-chan the only ones who know of the buttons?" he asked, looking at Itachi for confirmation who merely nodded in return.
"They are." Itachi confirmed, his voice deadly calm as he kept his eyes fixed on the fidgeting guard in front of him. "Who was the one who pushed the button?"
The guard closed his eyes, seemingly preparing himself for the worst before he deeply inhaled. He knew that his words would most likely cause an uproar and he could consider himself lucky if he were to survive the following five minutes.
He inhaled, then-
"Your mother, Uchiha Mikoto pressed the button Hokage-sama."
At that, Itachi's eyes bled crimson.
Sakura bit her tongue to prevent herself from crying out of pain. The hot searing sensation that shot through her veins together with the steadily humming sound that the speakers emitted was the only thing that kept her conscious.
"Let's see how long it takes for the Hokage to finally join your little friends outside." The voice in the speakers boomed as Sakura glared up at them.
Apparently, Tsunade and the rest of her team were already outside and tried to think of a way to get in and whereas there was still no trace of Itachi, Sakura doubted that he would actually come.
"I told you already." Sakura rasped out before she spit the blood that filled her mouth onto the ground in front of her, expression grim. "He won't come and get me now that he has his mother back."
Another zap shot through her and this time, Sakura pulled against the metallic shackles that kept her immobilized on the chair, gritting her teeth as she closed her eyes and took the pain.
It went like this for the past hour ever since they managed to catch her on the third floor in the southern wing of the hospital.
At first, they demanded to know where Mikoto was and when Sakura refused to answer, they started this entire thing. When they searched the entire hospital and couldn't find her, they put one and one together and eventually concluded that Sakura used last of her chakra to teleport her out of the hospital and back home with the help of a jutsu.
"I did strike you as bold, but not as naive." The voice mocked, clearly taking joy out of seeing Sakura suffer like this. "Do you actually think that the man that carried you all the way from Suna back to Konoha just to save your life won't come this time?"
At that, Sakura stilled and remained silent.
"I see that you finally begin to understand." The voice once more spoke, this time more serious. "Let me tell you one thing, Haruno. Uchiha don't like it when others take what belongs to them so let me assure you that he will come, if only because your life is his responsibility."
When Shisui and Itachi arrived, Team 7 and Tsunade were already outside in front of the hospital waiting for them.
Sasuke looked livid, his Sharingan activated and spinning steadily while Naruto was emitting the kyuubi's chakra in waves, red daring to take over the white of his eyes as Kakashi kept both of them calm by placing a hand on both of their shoulder.
He looked calm, but Itachi knew him good enough to know that behind his blank facade Kakashi as well was tense. Then there was Tsunade who was pacing from left to right, dressed in her usual attire as she was muttering curses under her breath. Shizune was standing some meters next to her, scanning the entire scene with nervous eyes as she tried to offer calming words.
"We're here." Shisui announced as they made their way towards the small group, their attention instantly snapping to the Uchiha duo.
Itachi and Shisui's Sharingan's were activated just like Sasuke's and yet, whereas Shisui's expression displayed his anger upon hearing that his aunt and his little cousins teammate were being held hostage, Itachi's expression was as blank as ever and didn't give anything away.
If one looked closely and knew him long enough however, they would notice the way Itachi's crimson's eyes promised blood and death, his aura emitting authority that no one dared to defy or question.
"What do we know?" Itachi asked, his voice cutting through the air like a knife as Tsunade pursed her lips, honey orbs filled with flames.
"Your mother pushed the button but it seems like Sakura is the only one being held at the lobby." Tsunade told them, her hands curling into fists as she averted her eyes from the duo to fix them onto the hospitals entrance. "Judging by how they treat her, she probably managed to get Mikoto off their radar."
Itachi felt some of the burden that previously settled over his heart lessen. It was a great relief to hear that Sakura managed to get his mother into safety but now, they needed to localize her and then figure out a way to get inside so that they could free the hospital from its infiltrators.
"Sasuke, Shisui, I want you two to check every window and look if she is in one of the rooms." Itachi curtly ordered and even though Sasuke looked less than happy about having to leave, he did as told.
As soon as the two Uchiha cousins left, Itachi turned to look at Kakashi. "I need you and Naruto to wait at the hospital's exit so that you can get inside and clear the hospitals of the attackers once I managed to get in myself." He told them, and Kakashi nodded before he moved and dragged Naruto after him.
That only left Tsunade, Shizune and himself.
His eyes moved back to Tsunade. "I take that they blocked the hospital's entrance."
Tsunade nodded grimly. "A chakra seal. Whoever it is that keeps Sakura and your mother inside the hospital probably is the same one behind the attacks with the chakra scalpels."
Itachi remained silent and kept his gaze locked onto the entrance. For them to attack them directly in their own village was unacceptable, and Itachi would make sure that he would personally ensure that he would not let something like this happen a second time.
They knew that by using his mother and Sakura he would have no choice but to personally come and meet them and whereas he was certain that his mother's presence at the hospital was a lucky coincidence for them, Sakura being there wasn't.
"I went too easy on them." Itachi mumbled, his words laced with venom as his eyes flashed crimson. Today would mark the last day that they managed to get this close to Konoha, to its citizens and to his family, he would personally ensure that and once he had set his mind onto something, he wouldn't rest until he managed to go through with it.
"No one could have predicted that they managed to infiltrate Konoha." Tsunade commented next to him, her expression grave as her eyes caught sight of Sasuke running towards them. "So let's just settle on calling this a one-time thing."
Itachi remained silent and as Sasuke returned, his expression not having changed from before Itachi didn't even bother to ask.
"We need to get them out of there." Sasuke growled, eyes flashing. "Sakura won't last much longer if the muffled cries that I heard through the entrance windows are anything to go by."
Itachi gave Sasuke a curt nod, agreeing with him as he narrowed his eyes. "Go join your team members at the Hospitals exit. I'll make sure to get you in so that you can free mother and rid the others from the infiltrators."
"Wait." Came a familiar call and just then Shisui landed between them. All eyes fell on Shisui as he straightened and looked Itachi dead in the eye, the ghost of a smile hovering over his lips. "I found her. She's locked in Sakura's office but apparently, whoever attacked them believes that Sakura managed to teleport her out of the hospital."
Itachi once more found himself pleasantly surprised by the pinkette's cleverness and hummed lowly, obviously approving of her tactic.
Sasuke seemed equally relieved, though the tenseness never left his body. "I'll join Naruto and Kakashi and tell them." He muttered before he took off and disappeared into a black blur.
Itachi then turned back to Shisui, determined to put an end to this. "I trust you and Tsunade-sama to take care of the rest." He told his cousin, who gave him a casual salute in return.
The Uchiha heir then turned to face the entrance of the hospital and made his way towards it with confident yet small strides.
It was time to greet their visitor.
When Itachi was standing in front of the grand entrance doors, he halted, knowing that whoever it was that expected him was already aware of his arrival. Itachi used his Sharingan to see through the windows but it seemed like no one was in the lobby.
He frowned. The others have told him that they kept Sakura in the lobby but it seemed like they have moved her. Just as he was about to use his Sharingan to examine the chakra-seals on the door, a silhouette materialized itself behind the door.
Standing in front of him not too many heartbeats later was no other than Sakura, the glass door being the only barrier between the two.
Her eyes instantly met his and for a moment, no one moved. He took in the way her face was covered in small bruises and scratched, no doubt from their fight, and he didn't miss the dry blood that covered her temple either. The tips of her rosy locks were covered in dried blood, her lip had a small cut and she looked beyond exhausted.
What affected him the most however was the way her eyes softened with concern upon seeing the activated Sharingan in his eyes and the way his jaw was ever so slightly clenched. Despite of her exhausted appearance she still held herself upright and kept her head held high, silently signalizing him that she was alright before she offered him the ghost of a smile, the worry that briefly flashed in her eyes betraying it.
Itachi instantly noticed it before his eyes caught sight of the silhouette behind Sakura that was steadily approaching her. His eyes flashed dangerously in the darkness, serving as a warning to whoever intended to get close to Sakura before a gleaming chakra scalpel was pressed against Sakura's throat, the pinkette never breaking his gaze.
Don't worry. Her eyes screamed as they softened upon seeing that Itachi's Sharingan slowly started to spin in his eyes. Go back.
"Ah, so the Hokage finally came for his advisor." A voice suddenly boomed through the speakers, the pleasure that laced his words clearly audible. "Though I am quite disappointed that it took you this long. I hope that your mother made it back safely, she seems like a really nice woman."
Itachi didn't move, his expression remaining impassive at his provocation as he kept his eyes focused on the pinkette in front of him who visible tensed upon hearing his words.
She probably didn't know that he knew of his mothers hideout in her office and feared that he would blow her cover, but Itachi knew better.
"I received her well, though I am afraid that there is still someone in your possession that you have yet to return to me." Itachi merely returned as he watched Sakura's body relax ever so slightly, much to his satisfaction.
"Ah." The speakers once more cackled. "I am afraid that I cannot return her just yet. How about we talk about this inside, Hokage-sama. I am sure that Sakura-chan would like some moral support inside of the hospital."
Itachi tried his best to refrain from frowning upon hearing him use her given name this leisurely but judging by the way the scalpel that was pressed against Sakura's throat dug slightly deeper, causing her to bite onto her lower lip, he failed to hide his obvious displeasure.
"Very well then."
Itachi watched them demilitarize themselves once more before the door opened with a small clicking sound. The Uchiha slowly pushed them open and entered the hospital before he heard the doors close themselves behind him once more, leaving him standing in the middle of the hospital's entrance with Sakura and her masked attacker standing several feet in front of him.
Itachi swiftly scanned his surroundings with his chakra and as he found what he was looking for, he swiftly allowed it to fade once more, his attention now solely fixed on the pinkette in front of him.
"Wouldn't want the entire village to listen in, now would we?" The speakers once more echoed through the hall, earning a sharp look from Itachi. "I take that you already know who I am, Uchiha-san?"
"You are the one who attacked my men and poisoned my advisor in Suna." Itachi curtly confirmed, instantly cutting the chase. "You are also the very one whose life I shall take with my own hands when we meet."
At that, a chuckle echoed through the speakers and Itachi felt Sakura's chakra waver. It seemed like all the hours without sleep, the multiple surgeries and now the fight against them took a toll on her body.
"Ah, you don't disappoint me Hokage-sama." The voice drawled. "I look forward to the day I get to meet you in person then, though I am afraid that you won't like the circumstances under which we'll meet. The day I'll reveal myself to you will be the day of Konoha's downfall, so take this as my warning, Uchiha."
The scalpel that was pressed against Sakura's throat drew blood and Sakura winced as she forced herself to remain as silent as she could.
"It's time for Konoha to have a taste of its own medicine, and you get the honor of being the first, Uchiha-san. Fortunately for you, this time has yet to arrive so until then, I bid you and your enchanting advisor farewell."
With that the speakers went silent and Sakura found herself roughly pushed forwards. Itachi instantly moved forwards to catch her, his Sharingan eyes fixed on the silhouette that was previously behind her just to find it gone. His eyes scanned the entire lobby but to his surprise, there was no one to be found. Itachi tightened his hold on Sakura from where he was standing and helped her to move back on her feet. She was still slightly wobbly on her feet so he didn't release his hold on her and instead, went into a crouch and gently lowered her onto the ground.
Once she was on her knees, Itachi kept his hands on each side of her waste to steady her. Sakura carefully held her own head and closed her eyes as she tried to shake off the wave of dizziness that overcame her.
"Where did they go?" Sakura asked as she opened an eye to expectantly look up at Itachi, who frowned, not quite sure as to how to answer her question himself.
"They left." Was all that he finally offered her as an explanation and Sakura, getting the silent message merely let out an annoyed huff.
"All this trouble for nothing." She muttered before her head suddenly snapped upwards, eyes wide with concern. "Your mother-"
"Is already with Sasuke and Naruto. They made their way towards your office the moment the front door got unlocked." He calmly explained, and Sakura heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't know how Itachi had done it, nor did she have the strength to actually ask him but one thing was for sure, she was beyond glad that the day was finally over.
"Thank you." Sakura eventually whispered after some small moments of silence passed between the two of them. She then heaved a sigh before she offered Itachi an apologetic smile and continued."I had hoped to be able to take care of this without you getting involved but it seemed that I always pull you into the mess with me. "
Itachi allowed the Sharingan to fade and tilted his head ever so slightly to the side as he took in the sight of the bruised and battered pinkette in front of him. Even in her current state she never ceased to surprise him with her words and even though they were said lightly, he knew that they weighted heavier than she wanted him to believe.
Itachi gently extended his hand to place his index and middle finger onto her forehead, gently tapping it as his expression softened for the smallest of bits. During the attack she had acted in a way he didn't expect her to and yet, it was so like her that he was not all too surprised.
It was then that he realized that there would have been no better choice as his right-hand man than Sakura and that maybe, he really needed her more than he believed, just like Tsunade had told him all these weeks ago.
"You did well."
Sakura's mildly surprised expression faded upon hearing his praise and her lips curled upwards into a weak yet genuine smile, eyes shining with content as she relaxed under his touch.
No words were needed for him to know that she appreciated his words and when he removed his fingers from her forehead, she actually found herself mildly disappointed at the sudden loss of contact.
She swiftly brushed it off and blamed it onto her exhaustion and gratefully accepted the hand that Itachi offered her. She slipped her petite into his larger one and allowed him to pull her back onto her feet. Just as she managed to properly stand on her own, she caught sight of Tsunade and Shisui entering the hospital, followed by an obviously relieved Shizune.
"Haruno, what were you thinking?" Tsunade bellowed, earning a sigh from Sakura. She would never stop it, would she? The blonde slug-princess moved to stand in front of the pinkette and crossed her arms above her broad chest. "I believe that I told you to merely keep an eye on the patients and the staff, not to get yourself nearly killed again!"
Sakura rolled her eyes at Tsunade's dramatic words before she offered the blonde a small smile. "Thanks for your concern, Tunade-Shishou, but as you can see I am fine and, most importantly, still alive." Sakura returned, mildly aware of the fact that Itachi was still standing in arms reach, probably to make sure that she wouldn't pass out right then and there.
Tsunade snorted as her honey orbs openly scanned Sakura from head to toe. "Doesn't look like you're fine, it looks like they got you quite good. Let me patch you up so that you can go home and rest because I certainly won't let you go home looking like this."
Sakura slumped her shoulders and, knowing that Tsunade wouldn't yield, gave her a reluctant nod. Just as the blonde turned to Itachi, a new voice echoed through the hall that Sakura could never mistake.
"Sakura-chan!" Was the only warning that she got before she felt herself getting picked up from behind.
"Naruto!" Sakura called in protest as she tightly gripped his forearms that were wrapped around her waist to keep herself steady. Her blonde teammate put her back onto the ground before he pulled Sakura into a bone-crushing hug, his familiar scent filling her senses and causing her entire body to relax in an instant as she slowly wrapped her arms around his middle.
"I was so worried!" He exclaimed as he tightened his hold on his teammate, who in return smiled into his neck.
"I'm sorry, but it wasn't really planned." Sakura replied as she pushed against his chest to lock her eyes with his vibrant and bright blue ones. "Where are the others?"
"Yo." Came Kakashi's familiar voice from behind Naruto and her eyes instantly found his crinkled ones as he made his way towards them. "You okay?"
Sakura offered her sensei and teammate a nod as she gave Naruto's shoulder a gentle tap, signalizing him that he should release her, what he reluctantly and rather slowly did.
Kakashi placed a gloved hand onto the top of her head and gently ruffled her hair. "Well done as always kiddo."
Sakura swatted his hand away and run a hand through her hair in hope of taming it but judging by the way Kakashi's gaze turned mischievous, she probably only made it worse. She was just about to ask where Sasuke and Mikoto were when the duo emitted from the right corridor and upon seeing the pinkette, Mikoto's entire body visibly relaxed out of relief.
A smile made it's way onto her lips as Mikoto hurried to Sakura and enveloped her into a tight hug.
"Thank god." The Uchiha matriarch whispered. "Do you know how worried I was?"
As Mikoto pulled back, Sakura offered her an apologetic smile. "I apologize, but it was the only way to keep you safe Mikoto-san" She told the elder woman, who in return merely sighed, knowing very well that Sakura was right.
Mikoto's gaze then turned to look at her eldest son who was silently watching the exchange with Shisui while Kakashi filled Tsunade and Shizune into what has happened while they were outside waiting for them.
"Are you alright?" She asked and upon getting a small nod in return, she heaved a breath of relief. She knew that her son was not easily harmed and yet, whoever it was that targeted them seemingly was someone of his and Sakura's level and that was reason enough to worry about him.
"Well then." Tsunade once more spoke up, her voice instantly gaining the attention of everyone present. "Kakashi, I expect you to find a way to turn the electricity back on. Sasuke, Naruto, you stay here until I patched Sakura up. I expect you to bring her home while Itachi and Shisui accompany Mikoto-san back home." The Godaime commanded and Itachi's eyes met Sakura's once more.
The Uchiha heir held her eyes for a second before he answered. "Very well then. I expect you at my office tomorrow after you got some rest, there are still a few things left to be discussed." He told her, and Sakura gave him a small nod in return.
Mikoto gently squeezed Sakura's shoulder and offered the pinkette a small smile before she pulled her back into a hug. "Thank you." She whispered as she tightened her hold onto the pinkette for the split of a second. "For everything."
Sakura smiled as she returned Mikoto's hug before Shisui pulled her away from the pinkette, not before he gave her a hair ruffle on his own.
Itachi passed Sakura without another word, his eyes fixed on his mother as the Uchiha trio left the hospital, leaving Team seven, Tsunade and Shizune on their own.
"Well, I should go and take care of our little problem as well." Kakashi sighed, clearly not too happy about his task as he also took off.
Sasuke and Naruto instantly moved to stand next to Sakura, Sasuke shooting her a disgruntled frown that she merely returned with a smile. Sakura looped her arms through theirs and rested her head on Sasuke's shoulder, a pleased sigh leaving her lips.
Tsunade watched the trio with a fond smile before she moved towards the emergency room, the three of them instantly moving to follow Shizune and her, though at a slightly slower pace.
"You have a knack for getting yourself into trouble lately, it seems." Sasuke muttered but other than that, didn't protest as they followed Tsunade and Shizune.
"Well, lucky me that I have an awesome team that always backs me up." She merely returned as she lifted her head off his shoulder, Naruto instantly jumping upon hearing her words.
"You bet!" He called as he wrapped his arm around both Sakura and Sasuke to pull them closer. "Though it looks like Itachi is doing quite a good job at it as well."
At Naruto's rather innocent comment, Sasuke made a noise that sounded similar to a growl. "Don't remind me." He mumbled, and Sakura gave him a small, disapproving nudge.
"Calm down. He's still your brother and it's true that he did help me out quite a few times already." Sakura told him, but Sasuke still didn't seem all too pleased. He wisely remained silent nonetheless and Sakura couldn't help but smile as she tightened her hold on both Sasuke and Naruto's arms, glad to have them by her side and beyond grateful that she has been blessed with the two of them.
Almost instantly, she felt the two of them squeeze her arms in return.
She smiled.
Yes, she was grateful and blessed indeed.
A/N: I am back! I apologize for the delay, but I caught a really bad cold and well, it really wasn't what you would call a pleasant experience!
Anyways, this was a slightly longer chapter but I hope that you enjoyed it nonetheless! I sincerely thank you for all the reads, favorites, follows and reviews so far. You really don't believe how much they motivate me to write faster and better so I hope that you will continue to support me as much as you did so far!
If you liked this chapter, I would be happy to read which part or scene your favorite one was so please leave a comment and tell me what you liked and what you would like to see in the future!
As always, please take care of yourselves and I hope that you'll have a great day!
Until next chapter!
Love,
Sara.