AN: THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS> Ok, this will have some medical terminology in it. Don't worry, I've defined everything for ya. Onward.
When I encountered Shizune-san in the hallway, I wasn't all that shocked to see she looked just as bedraggled as the other medic nins in the building. Dark circles and bags had formed under her eyes and her hair showed signs of long hours of work. She glanced up at me, obviously surprised to see me here.
"Neji-kun, what are you doing here? You're not hurt are you?"
"No, no. Actually I was wondering if there was something we could give TenTen-chan to ease her mind. She's sleeping, but her body is restless."
She lifts up TenTen's chart and makes a tsking sound.
"Poor girl. Unfortunately, there is nothing really that we can give her. Our medications are limited and the Nara and Akimichi supplies have been destroyed. With TenTen-chan's change in condition, she just has to wait out the storm."
"The storm?"
"Yes, when she was stabbed, a lethal dose of poison on the kunai entered her blood stream. The person who stabbed her knew what he was doing. We assumed upon her initial surgery, that it was a common poison. We didn't know the extent of her injury until after we transported her."
"What kind of poison?"
"It's called BrugmansiaXcandida. It's from a common houseplant that, when ingested, or in her case, infused with her blood, it can cause dry mouth, warm skin, delirium, hallucinations, and tachycardia. Plus, this poison was mixed with a little bit of Wolfbane. This is one bad poisoning. I won't even lie to you."
"So, my closing of her chakra points did nothing?"
"Actually, your closing may very well have saved her life. With those chakra holes open, blood flows more freely throughout the body. The body uses this energy to give you chakra stamina. However, because the poison spread, we needed to shut down those holes to contain the poison. For her, fighting the infection and tachycardia is essential at this point. This poison was meant to kill."
"You keep saying tachycardia, what is that? Unfortunately, I don't know that much about the body."
"Tachycardia is an abnormal increase in heart rate. The normal resting heart rate is 60 beats per minute, but with this poison, the heart rate shoots up to a resting rate of 100 bpm. This is dangerous. It can lead to several things. The first is arrythmia, or erratic breathing caused by the lack of oxygen to the body. With this increase, the heart has to work harder to function and requires more oxygen to pump blood throughout the body. This increase doesn't allow the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, to fill completely, This slows blood flow and pressure, thus causing heart to work harder. This can lead to an infarction or ischemia. In a nutshell, she runs a high risk of having a heart attack, or worse, a stroke caused by the clotting of the vessels. Unless a blood transfusion takes place, her time is limited. Unfortunately, our blood blank is inaccessible right now. Debris is blocking our entrance and a team is out there right now trying to clear a path to the door. She needs clean blood. This condition is something we've never encountered before. She can't breathe properly, even though she has an oxygen mask on. The poison in her is causing the thrashing and the restlessness. Does she have any relatives? They should be here if she does."
"Gai-sensei went and looked for her father but couldn't find him. I have an idea as to where he might be. I will leave now. When those two wake up in there, tell them I will be back soon."
As I bolt out the hospital doors, I feel the fear that my partner may die. This wound was supposed to heal and maybe scar. Now everything hangs in the balance of getting to the blood bank and giving her a unit or two of new blood. Damn Kabuto. He knew exactly what he was doing. That kunai was meant for me, but I dodged it. I didn't know TenTen was right behind me. He got her in the back and was so stunned to have hit the wrong target, that I used his distraction to advantage. I used my sword and killed the son of a bitch. His medical knowledge was extensive, and he would be the only one to be able to concoct such a poison. I harbor no regrets now about killing the bastard. Because of him, I may lose someone very close to me. I run though the streets looking for her father. I double checked her house and his workshop and found nothing. I circle the forest of death and the market place still finding nothing. As I head towards the Hokage tower as a last ditch effort, I see the memorial stone and a lone figure standing by it. I approach slowly and see him. He's a tall man with graying hair and a bedraggled look about him. I see him just staring at the memorial. Then it hit me. TenTen's mom was a shinobi. TenTen told me that her mother had died on a mission to Lightning country and she never got to see her four month old daughter grow up. I let him finish with his ministrations and politely clear my throat. He takes a few more seconds, gathers his emotions and trns to face me.
"Sir."
"Hyuuga-sama, you're back I see. Have you seen my daughter yet. I keep waiting for her to return and I still haven't seen her."
"Yes, you will follow me to the hospital ward. TenTen-chan is in critical condition and you should be with her. We've been looking for you for a day and I am glad that you are safe. But, we must hurry, her time is limited."
"Limited? What? How?"
As we walked I described her condition as best as I could and he became eerily quiet. We walked silently next to each other and entered the hospital a few minutes later. I show him to her room and we scrub and suit up. When we enter, the smell of camphor and disinfectant was stagnant in the air. Gai-sensei and Lee pass a few comments with her father and we all leave those two alone for a few minutes.
When the door closed, I activated my Byukagan and saw a scene unfold before me. I saw him walk slowly up to her bed. Him not quite believing that it is her in the bed, face down and flayed open. He bends over the bed and runs his hand through her hair. I see the weariness on his face. He's pale and weathered and I see the stress lines. He uses his other hand to rub the bridge of his nose, thinking that this is all a bad dream. He takes note of the gashes crossing her back and marring her porcelain skin. He sits in an adjacent chair and grabs a hold of her hand. Suddenly a heavy sadness cloaks the air. I hear a choke of emotions and a whisper of her name. I turn off my ability after sensing the impending flood of emotions. As I turn around to report what I've seen, I see Naruto-sama enter the building. He got my message after all. After a hug and kiss from his wife, he bounds up to me and I make a sign of quiet. We head in the opposite direction of the others.
"What happened?"
I filled him in on the children and TenTen's condition as well as the poison. He sits there isn stunned silence. I can always tell when he's thinking. I can see the proverbial hamster running in his head and then he looks at me.
"Neji-kun, you are right. That reunion idea of yours just may work. No child will be left abandoned and forgotten by the village. Children whom have lost both parents, will be under the guardianship of the Hokage and will be given a chance to excel. Iruka-sensei will agree with me on this. From one orphan to another, he will understand and be able to implement this program. Talk with him and get the details straightened out then let me know."
"So, have you been in to see her yet?"
"Yes, and she's very critical." My hands shake as I take a sip from the coffee I just got out of the only working vending machine in the building.
"You're scared aren't you?"
"A little. After my mother then my father, the thought of losing a teammate scares me to death. She's fighting a losing battle in there and she needs blood we don't have accessible. It seems unfair. Those teams have been out there for hours trying to make a semi-clear path to the door."
"Well, you could always donate a unit of your blood, at least for an initial start. I can find someone with your blood type and we can get enough to get her through the transfusion."
"Unfortunately, I am a Hyuuga. Our blood limit is to be protected, otherwise, I'd donate in a heart beat. My uncle would kill me if he found out I gave her some of our precious blood. Sure, she'd have a few of my mannerisms for a bit, but they would fade. Gai and Lee don't have her blood type. Her father could be the other link. Let's find Shizune-san and see if this idea will work. I just have to hide from my uncle while we are doing this."
"Neji-kun, my father-in-law won't touch you. My sensei once said that those who don't follow the rules are scum, but those that don't take care of their team are lower than that. You are helping a teammate. If he has something to say about it, he will deal with his Hokage personally. This is a direct order from me for you to do this. You are trained not to disobey a direct order. Am I correct?"
"Yes, Hokage." For once in a long bloody while, I felt a wave of hope wash over me. Walking back to the room, I looked out the makeshift window and saw a rainbow in the sky. The storm was over. Fate was on our side.
AN: Hello again, after this chappy, things get happy. YEah, I can rhyme.