Men of the Sea
Chapter 13
It was a slow awareness, her coming to. She opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was in a hospital room with Sakumo, Kakashi, Fugaku, Mikoto, and Shizune all present. Sakumo was beside himself when she gained consciousness. He tenderly wrapped frail arms around her. He was beside himself with relief. "Kakashi, get the nurse! Sakura, how are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"
Hurt?
Ah, yea. A lot hurt, actually. The entire right side of her body. It was now that she looked at her hands, arms, and gingerly touched her face. Everything was wrapped in bandages. What happened? Then it came to her. Right, the accident. She suddenly remembered everything. The drink with Itachi at Ai Lounge.
Of Kisame…
"Where's Kisame?" she asked. It took a moment for recognition to filter on Sakumo's face. "The man that saved you? He's in this hospital within the ICU." Sakura released a relieved breath she hadn't realized she was holding. 'He's alive,' she thought to herself.
"And his condition?" "Severe. He's gone through multiple surgeries within the last few days. A doctor has confided in us that he has immense brain damage." Guilt overcame Sakura. Kisame saved her. In truth, Sakura didn't think she was worth saving.
"How do you know him?" Sakumo asked.
Sakura thankfully didn't have to answer her Dad.
With impeccable timing, Kakashi entered her room with a nurse in tow. Within minutes a doctor followed. A woman with honied eyes and blonde pigtails. She referred to herself as Tsunade-Sama. Immediately the beautiful busty woman asked for the room to be cleared so that she may run some tests on Sakura. Said tests turned out to mostly be a series of questions she politely asked once they were alone.
"You looked a bit overwhelmed." "Yea…" "When you were first admitted here, you were asking about the man who saved you. The shock of the accident gave you a sudden fever, and you had a concussion so I am sure you don't remember. But Hoshigaki-San is fine."
Hoshigaki…
Sakura for moment recognized that name. But couldn't put two and two together.
"I heard he has brain damage," she said, suddenly getting back on task. "Yes, he does. But we're hopeful he'll recover and grateful that most of the physical damage can be mended." "Is there a chance he won't recover?" Tsunade-Sama sighed. "It's always a possibility. But physically, we think he'll be able to continue on with life as it were."
'As it were?'
Her head suddenly ached.
Thoughts of Australia suddenly conjured forward.
A brilliant bright sun, gorgeous white sand, and gentle clashing waves. The scent of salt surrounded her.
She placed both hands to her eyes, she felt nauseated. Yet even in the darkness of her hands, she could still see his rich dark brown eyes and crooked grin. She could practically feel his muscles and warm body against her.
Kisame loved to surf. Would be able to surf again once he recovered? Why was he in Japan? Why did he save her!? "Dammit."
She felt her eyes sting.
Why was she crying?
"He is alive, Haruno-San. For this you should be grateful." Her doctor gently patted Sakura's clasped and shaking hands. "I'm told that you likely would not have survived the ordeal if he had not pushed you out of the way."
'Would that have been so terrible? For me not to have survived?'
Kakashi's POV
It had been nearly a week since Sakura's accident. She was thankfully only physically scathed. The man that had saved her wasn't so lucky. Kakashi was told that he was in intensive care. While awake, he was incoherent. "Severe brain damage," the doctors said. He seemed to know his name. But he was not to far off from being on par with a young child as far as understanding.
Admittedly, Kakashi was curious of the source of Sakura's savior's selfless act.
"Ma' am! You can't!" "He's here, I know it!' "Ma'am!
'Speaking of Sakura…'
Kakashi watched in bewilderment as Sakura limped down the hall. Multiple nurses were trying to subdue her to no avail. Sakura's emerald eyes were feral and determined. "Where is he!?" "Sakura?" His voice was commanding but not cruel. She looked at him. "Kakashi, the man that saved me. Where is he? I'm tired of waiting to see him!"
"You are not permitted to see him!" Said a nurse who Kakashi was sure was not sharing this information to her for the first time. "But I must! He's here! I just… I just need to talk to him!" she pleaded. Having been in martial arts and Brazilian jiu jitsu for as far back as Kakahsi could remember, she easily maneuvered out of the multiple holds of the nurses. She limped to him, arms open wide. Her eyes pled with him, "Save me. Help me."
He grabbed a hold of her. "Why isn't she permitted to see this Kisame-San? I know he's still admitted here." One of the male nurses sighed. "The main reason is because Hoshigaki-San is in a bit of state himself. We're still assessing his case. Until we have a better grasp of his condition, only family is permitted to see him."
"But I must see him," Sakura insisted. "If a member of his family clears your name, than it can be done. Within reason, of course. As mentioned before, the situation at hand is delicate." "Sakura, go back to you room. I will see what I can do."
"Hatake-San," the nurse began to plead. But watching Sakura he suddenly shut his mouth. It was obvious this was potentially his one chance of his patient complying with his demands.
"Sakura, go back to your room. I'll be there shortly."
Kisame POV
A listless gaze, another lost hour with a drab all white hospital room.
'Where am I?" He thinks to himself, his body covered in uncomfortable casts. His head swimming in pain. He's asked this question to himself many times now. He knows, but doesn't know that he's in a hospital. He's aware but does not understand. It's like a curtain has shut out logic and information from his brain. Or, at least, all comprehension.
"Kisame?" He turns. A woman is in front of him. With dark skin and long raven hair, he thinks to himself that she is beautiful. "Kisame?" But why is her tone of voice filled with pain? Just listening to it caused pain to him too. He was right here! Why did she sound as if he were lost?
"Kisame? Do you know who I am?" No, he didn't. But she felt familiar. Warm and pleasant. Except her voice. Her… Voice…
Pain.
Was he hurting her? If so, how? He was simply there. Not doing anything. There. Here… Where was "here"? He felt overwhelmed at trying to decipher these emotions and thoughts. Said frustration must have filtered to his face because the woman before him suddenly became concerned. "Don't worry, Honey. You'll remember in due time."
Remember?
'Remember what?'
What was it that he had forgotten?
"Pardon me for interrupting ..." The two turned their attention to the door, a blonde pig-tailed woman who wore a long white coat had entered the room. "Hoshigaki-Sama. You are looking much better today than yesterday." Kisame said nothing, for he could think of nothing to say, and so he simply stared. The doctor cleared her throat.
"Ah, well. I am not here to linger. I just wanted to let you both know Haruno-San has awoken." The woman beside him bristled. Her tone was not in the least kind when she said, "Good for her."
Kisame, however, felt an inkling of warmth at the surname Haruno. "S-Sakura." He sounded out clumsily. Both individuals within the room turned to him. "Kisame?" the woman beside him breathed. "Sakura." he said again, this time with a certainty of pronunciation.
"Wonderful! Perhaps I should bring her around and see what that'll do to improve his cognitive-"
"YOU KEEP THAT HARLOT AWAY FROM MY SON."
"Hoshigaki-San, with all due respect, as my patient I must take the best course of action to ensure a speedy recovery. He's hardly spoken since his brain sugery. Surely, as his mother, you are keen to see him improve."
"Recover?" she laughed. It was a bitter and cruel sound. "He's like this because of her. That Bitch seduced my son and made him like this." Kisame furrowed his brows. 'Seduce?'
'Sakura?'
Flashes of lights suddenly erupted in his head. He squinted. "Accident." He sounded out. The woman turned to him. "What?" "It was an accident." He repeated.
"Clearly the subject of Sakura is stirring up recognition. He hasn't spoken one word since he's been admitted until now. Hoshigaki-Sama, please consider what this could do for your son long-term. Would it be so terrible to have them see one another?"
The woman chewed her lip in thought.
Defeated, she said with a sigh, "Fine. Do what you think would be most helpful to my son." Victory to the doctor. Though, Kisame was unsure what that meant for him. Would he see this Sakura?" He closed his eyes, his body still wracked in pain, still full of fever and soreness. But thinking of green eyes suddenly made it all bearable.
'Sakura Haruno.'
Would she be brought to him?
Author's Note:
I know, I know, I know! This is such a short chapter. But I figured it would be cruel to leave too much time between updates since the last chapter was such a cliffhanger. I'm starting school today (woo! Junior year of college!) and am not sure how that'll impact my writing. I'm thinking smaller chapters might take place from here on out to accommodate you guys and this shift in my schedule. Despite the brevity of this chapter, I hope that you enjoy it. I hope everyone's enjoying their Summer! Till next time!
Xoxo
-Jazz