Again, very very sorry about the wait and any errors. Enjoy
Left Outside Alone
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Word travels fast, especially in a village full of ninja.
It didn't take long for Sakura to find out that they were bringing back two of the team that went after Sasuke. She had spent the last two days locked in her room, only coming out to get something to eat. The entire encounter with Sasuke, and then later, the confrontation with Ino, was just too stressful for her to deal with. She swore she could still feel the stinging of the slap Ino delivered to her that day, and tears welled up in her eyes at the memory of it all. She still couldn't come to grips with it. Or the knowledge that Ino had been right. She had been right all along, and Sakura turned her away.
But now, she was going to have to face the music. She was going to have to own up to Ino's words.
She didn't know where she found the strength to do so, but she crawled out of bed, took a shower, dressed, then went down stairs to eat something. It was just enough to ensure that she wouldn't pass out on her trip. She only told her mother that she was going to the hospital to see who the two downed Genin were. There still wasn't much information about what had happened. All that was known that the two downed gein were, as all that was known that was they were two of the pursuing party that Shikamaru had led out. It was assumed that Rock Lee had come across them and sent word, somehow, back to the village to be dealt with while he continued to catch up with the others. Her determination was viritually nonexistant, so it took her some internal coaxing to actually step out the door.
She was afraid.
The walk to the hospital was long. She tried not to dally, but she still ended up stalling every so often. She didn't know what she was going to encounter. She didn't want to face it. Ino's words continued to plague her. Sakura hadn't felt so torn in her life. She loved Sasuke, but... she knew Ino was right. And it wasn't that she was just right in the fact of what would happen if anyone got hurt, but the fact it would be justified. The last argument that Ino left her with to think over still hadn't been defeated in her mind yet. Ino won that round, even though Sakura refused to admit that particular defeat.
The hospital loomed before her, and it took more calling of that nonexistant courage to step through the doors and look around. Several concerned shinobi were already about, but not many. She saw several of the higher ranking Ninja that remained for the purpose of protecting the village around, probably to keep peace and keep anyone from being to insisting on confirming rumors. Having already visited the hospital repeatedly, she made her way to the intensive care part of the hospital, having a feeling that if those two who were brought back were anywhere, it would be here. Or the morgue, her mind shot back. The sentiment was tossed aside, not wanting to consider that option. As she drew closer, her mind played over who would be best all around for it to be there. Despite all the breakdowns her mind came up with, the only "best" conclusion was that it was Sasuke and Naruto. Or Sasuke and anyone. As long as Sasuke was there, then he could answer for the idiocy that possessed him.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but you can't come through here." A voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she blinked up at the people before her. A pair of... either Chuunin or Jounin, she couldn't remember. She recalled them, though. They were the two that woke her from the bench after Sasuke knocked her out. She tried to figure out which of the pair spoke to her, so she didn't immediately respond. She was only marginally aware that it looked as if she was gawking at them.
The one that had something wrapped about over his nose, Koteshi, Sakura thought his name was, coughed into his hand for a moment, attracting her attention. When she looked at him, he offered, "We know you're concerned, but you can't see them. I'm sorry."
The other one, Izumo, shifted for a moment, and then offered, quietly, to her, "If you're curious, neither one of them are Uchiha Sasuke..." He looked surprised at her afterwards, mostly because she was certain that he wasn't expecting the expression of shock on her face. Not the relieved kind of shock of knowing that a loved one wasn't hurt so badly, but the kind of shock that came with fear. Again, Ino's words came back to haunt her. No, no, NO! This can't be happening. It's supposed to be Sasuke. Sasuke has to be there. It's the only way things won't go really bad for us!
She couldn't understand why her mind was shouting those things. She loved Sasuke, she really did. So why was she hoping that he was behind the closed doors that these two were guarding, prossibly on his last leg? Because her mind, logical and rational even underneath the unpredictable nature of being female, knew that that was the only way things would remain something resembling normal. Because it wasn't Sasuke there, and if anything permanent happened to either of those two individuals, if he ever came back, it would be hell for the ones that knew him best. And Sakura knew, with those words the higher ranking ninja gave her, that the lives of the ones around him were forever changed. She didn't know how, exactly. Just that they had.
"Sakura-chan?" It was Izumo speaking again.
Sakura paused, then shifted nervously, and took a step forward. The two closed the distance between them, indicating that she wasn't to go past them. But they relaxed their stance when she stopped, just inside their personal space, and gave a pleading look to them. "Has anyone been told who they are?" She asked, a volume set so only they would hear.
Koteshi nodded, his voice matching the tone Sakura set, "The families have been notified. I believe a liberty was taken to notify their teammates as well."
There was a pause on Sakura's part, and then she risked another question, "Are they..."
Izumo sighed, interupting the question before it was asked, "One is in critical condition. They're not sure if he'll pull through. The other...."
Sakura's heart sank. She felt suddenly cold. She didn't need for him to elaborate. She waited for them to shoo her away, but they were waiting for her to ask the question she was trying to find courage to ask. She wondered if they were actually going to tell her. She searched their faces, searching for any indication she would be blamed for whatever was beyond those doors. But it was just nothing but pity for her. She hated it, in a sense. "Who....who are they?" Her voice was barely audible.
The two exchanged glances, before they quietly answered her question, each saying a name.
"Hyuuga Neji," This was said in a way that Sakura just knew he was the one still alive.
"...and Akimichi Chouji."
She left the hospital shortly after her knees buckled underneath her, and the two ninjas had to pick her up off the floor. It was just the shock, she knew. They couldn't understand why she'd react to the names like she had done, just as they couldn't understand that she actually wasn't all that happy that Sasuke wasn't part of the casualties. Somewhere between when Sasuke left, and today, Ino suddenly became more important than the boy she loved. And it was the realization that she had just lost her best friend, perhaps forever, that caused her to react as she had done.
Sakura just couldn't come to grips with it. She wondered if she had any more tears to shed after crying for two days straight. She hardly knew Chouji, but the other day, even though she knew Ino teased him about his weight, just as everyone else did, that the boy was exceedingly important to her. If one of her precious people... She echoed Ino's words to herself, and her face twisted up with anguish and rage. She wanted to tell herself that Ino wouldn't blame her. Ino was irrational, impulsive, but she knew where her priorities lied. After all, Ino, until Sakura called rivalry on her, never felt the need to let a boy come between them. Even though she liked Sasuke for years, her priority was with Sakura. But the emotional side that Sakura always fought to control, that went so far as to be another voice that talked back to her, didn't see it. She just had this gripping feeling that Ino would put as much blame for her teammate's--no, her friend's--death as she would on Sasuke.
And that thought was tearing Sakura apart.
She was vaguely aware of running into someone, and she murmured an apology. She blinked when thin, but remarkably strong fingers curled around her elbow and pulled her back. The fingers had callouses, heavy callouses. In all the right places for handling weapons a little to often than what was considered healthy. She was pushed back from her path enough to look into the unyeilding stare of Tenten. Her eyes widened, and she became aware of the girl that was standing next to her. Tenten had apparently gone into "mission mode", a mode that Genins often commented was needed to take care of the really harsh missions that Chuunin and higher were subjected to. As long as she was in that mindset, nothing would actively phase her. However, as she regarded the other person, Ino was obviously a complete, and utter wreck. Her eyes showed signs of crying, though right now, they were reflecting that famed Yamanaka temper.
Liberty was taken to notify their teammates....
"Uh..." She couldn't find anything to say. They just kept staring at her. Both stares were detached, as if they were meant for her, but weren't. No words were said, not from Sakura, nor from Ino or Tenten. It was a too long moment that Sakura alternated between trying to find courage to stand here and take whatever they were going to throw at her, or run away screaming, and hope that now closed chapter of her life never caught up with her. She was so certain now, that the heated, hated stares she was given were truly meant for her. Especially from Ino. Her mind, somehow, translated Ino's words of never forgiving Sasuke to never forgiving her.
Tenten, she was surprised, was the first to speak. She angled her chin towards the hospital. "You were there, is there word on Neji's condition?" Her tone ordered an answer from Sakura, but it still sounded detached. As if somewhere along the line, the sternness, the anger and grief at such injury of a teammate, wasn't really meant for her in the first place, though she was subjected to it just because she was there, and she was the cause's teammate. Sakura gave her answer in the form of an unsteady shake of her head. Tenten merely snorted and looked forward.
Sakura finally risked looking at Ino, and still, that stare was fixed on her. Tears were being held in check, barely, as if Ino was relying on her anger and rage to keep from completely breaking down. Again, Sakura balked and wanted to run away. But she couldn't find the strength to tear away from that gaze.
Again, Tenten spoke, and again, Sakura was surprised. "Ino's a bit distraught," Tenten began, her voice still stern, and commanding, but it was unsure. As if she was unsure of what to say, or perhaps, unsure if she even wanted to talk to Sakura in the first place. Sakura's self-battered self-esteem took the latter reason. "We're going to...um...find Hinata and find somewhere to wait for the others." Sakura felt that the weapons master took too long to get to the point. Too long because she was becoming lost in the unwavering gaze that Ino kept on her. Why is she staring at me like that? Her train of thought was interrupted when Tenten finally offered, "You're welcome to come along. You've got teammates to wait for, too."
Sakura was shocked, shocked enough that she actually looked at Tenten. She merely just coughed and regarded Ino. Sakura noted the tones of understanding underneath the stoic exterior. Tenten turned away, and waited for Ino to join her, but Ino stayed rooted to the spot, still staring at Sakura with that stare. Sakura watched Tenten put her hands on her hips and wait for whatever conclusion this was going to come to. Sakura regarded Ino again, and she wondered what to do. What to say?
"Ino..." And then she finally found the momentum to move. The neverending pained gaze of a friend finally caused her will to buckle. But even she was surprised when she threw her arms around her childhood friend and held on as if her life would end if she ever let go. "I'm so sorry, Ino! I'm... I'm sorry..." The apology was repeated, as if they were the only words she knew at the moment. They were broken by sobs that decided to join in on the emotional display. Ino was stiff in her arms, posture rigid, just how she was standing when she was staring at her. But Sakura wouldn't let go. If she let go, she would lose the only other person, outside of Naruto, who ever really stood by her. Who ever sought to understand her. Who even, in the fear of losing those closest to her, sought her out to comfort her. Because she felt her friendship was more important than a boy. A stupid boy that wanted revenge so badly he was corrupted by that wish.
Just for a moment, she wanted an indication that things would be fine... sometime in the future. She didn't care what sort of looks Tenten was giving them, she wouldn't dare open her eyes. Then, she felt Ino move, and her arms tightened. She knew that Ino was going to push her away, she just knew it. She blamed her her for her friend's death. She was going to take the punishment for Sasuke, because Sasuke wasn't here to take it himself. The fear compounded when hands were on her shoulders. Please, pleasepleaseplease don't turn me away...I'm sorry, Ino... I was the stupid one... I was the pigheaded one.... Yet, despite her pleading, she wasn't expecting to get hugged back, just as tightly.
"Stupid forehead girl....took you long enough."
And it was then that Sakura, for the first time in three days of mentally beating herself senseless, felt that things perhaps would be alright.