Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in it.

II.

- One Of Those -

Fridays. Was there a person on Earth who didn't like them? The day when your agony finally ceases and you can… go back home quickly because loud parties were a history. Should a party occur somewhere in Konoha, the police took care it's ruined with everything they could. Everyone went through a check-up, what they wear, what they carry, does it represent a danger or not. Searching in the building, making sure it's safe enough and no one plans to strike on civilians. With all these complications, making up a party in the first place was an impossible task.

Anyway, Sakura usually spent the Friday nights over a book or a movie in order to get her mind off work. She couldn't wait for the night to come. Only that ten hours separated her from her bed and book. Ten hours of gray hospital walls and paperwork.

The good thing was that she had a wonderful view through the window in her cabinet. Looking through it allowed her to rest her eyes a bit and think about various side problems she was currently in the middle of. Usually, she liked facing her problems simply because running from them was like throwing a boomerang – they always came back and hit her harder. She had a hard time accepting her outer appearance and somehow, whenever she thought she had it all fixed, someone came and destroyed her confidence. It was a tough battle. 'Only if' theories never helped either.

Whatever she did, it didn't seem to be enough. Because no one saw a counter of how many lives she saved, what people most likely saw was a bright-colored mistake. She didn't blame anyone, though, if she was a patient, a pink-haired youngster was going to be the last person she'd want to trust and rely on.

There was this other problem; she couldn't get a certain person out of her head. It was the hardest task she had ever placed upon herself yet forgetting such eyes was not in her power. It was as if electricity struck her at that moment, she just couldn't shake the memory off. There was something magnetic in that darkness he carried.

Sakura glanced at the newspaper Ino dropped earlier on her desk.

"Fortunately, the Second Lieutenant is saved, were the words of Konoha's CEO Tsunade. "It is an honor for us to serve our country by saving and taking care of these soldiers. Our Hospital is a refuge for everyone in need; it has always been and will be." Tsunade refused to give answers to further questions about the condition of the soldiers or whether she's aware of the reason for that sudden, if it may be called that way, visit, of the Special Forces in Konoha's Hospital. A detailed report of one of the Hospital's attending doctors on page 7."

Fortunately, everyone was saved, yes. What was also fortunate was that they managed to come off with a whole skin in that bloody situation. No one hurt meant people could still rely on the institution. Their name remained clean and they met everyone's expectations. At least that was good. What was also good was the fact that she hid every time a journalist dared trail after a nurse or a doctor in order to get an interview. And at the end of the day, she managed to escape through the back door, the hood of her jacket over her head so that the chance of someone spotting her hair is zero.

Today, the annoying bunch still hung around, buses taking the parking places; cameramen adjusting their tech. It seems the sensation wasn't going to pass soon.

"Sakura," Ino dashed into her office and she almost jumped in surprise.

"How about you knock on the door before coming in?" Sakura furrowed at her. "You always scare the hell out of me. Pig."

"Hades is having complications," Ino announced, hands in the air. "Thought you might wanna know."

"Who?"

"Your guy. He's coughing blood."

Sakura stood up right away and wasted no time, heading straight to the emergency room. "Hades, Ino? Seriously?" Sakura murmured.

"Why didn't you tell me he's so hot?"

"I was busy saving his life? Self-control, have you heard of it?"

"Come on, I'm only trying to liven up the atmosphere. Everyone here looks depressed. You need help?"

"Actually, yes. I might use your help."

They entered the emergency room where most of the patients lied asleep now. A small group of nurses had gathered around the bed in the far end and Sakura hurried to them. "Yakushi? What happened?" Sakura asked, pushing gently the other two nurses so that she could see.

"We stabilized him," Yakushi replied right away, seeing Sakura's concerned face as she laid eyes on the man, lying unconscious with a cold compress on his forehead.

Sakura checked his pulse, then his temple and furrowed. "Gosh, he's burning."

"He coughed blood."

"Yes, I know that," Sakura exhaled sharply, grabbing a syringe. "You can leave now, I don't require your assistance."

She took a few milliliters of blood from his hand and squeezed it out in a tiny, narrow flask. The other nurses left, continuing with their work over the other patients quietly. "Ino. I'm entrusting you with this. Go to the laboratory and examine the sample. I'll wait for you here."

"What do you think it is?" Ino took carefully the flask.

"I'm almost sure it's some kind of poisoning. If they won't give us the answer, we'll find it ourselves." Sakura left the syringe on the tray next to the bed. "Please, hurry. I'll be here."

"Coming right away." Ino nodded and left.

Sakura remained still for a second, estimating the situation, then neared the bed. Coughing blood was never a good sign. There were several options. The gunshot could've triggered it but it was not likely. Pneumonia? Could be, he was feverish and barely breathed. The list went on and the suggestion became only worse.

Sakura wondered what his story was, though she assumed it wasn't something far from the stories she heard. Usually, soldiers of that class were people who had nothing to lose. Mostly orphans. Orphans made the perfect warriors. What surprised her was that... the whole group, they were her age. While she had both parents living and breathing, some fought real battles with no one to call should something happens to them. A wave of compassion washed through her, brows wrinkling.

Her hands reached for his and slowly turned it, detaching the strap of the watch. The movement seemed to wake him up because he recoiled from her touch, not quickly but enough to let her know what she was doing was not to his liking. She looked up at him for a moment. His eyes were half-open, glaring at her.

"Good morning," she smiled, unaffected.

Her hands took his again and continued with the detaching. Freeing his hand, she placed the watch on the bedside table and raised her eyes to meet his. "I'm not stealing it. It obstructed the normal blood flow."

He inhaled with difficulty, casting a murderous gaze at her.

"Alright," Sakura sighed and turned around. "I'm leaving."

"Wait," Sasuke groaned and she raised a brow, facing him again.

"Yes?"

"Is Naruto alive?" he breathed out.

"Yes." Sakura paused, "...it's not pretty but he'll make it."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a second, visibly relaxing at the news. Sakura tilted her head a bit. Curiosity corroded her from the inside. But she wasn't an investigator, she was a doctor.

"The pain has gotten worse, hasn't it?" she asked evenly. "I can't give you anything until I'm sure what's actually wrong with you."

The silence extended for one long moment.

"You're one of those." Sasuke drawled.

"Those?"

"Hate-to-lose." A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Predictable."

"I am what I am, if you don't like it, I can transfer you to another. You can get Ino if you want. No man has ever rejected that offer." Sakura folded hands.

"She's not my type."

"You have a type?" Sakura squinted, deciding to use his trick. "You look like one of those to me."

He looked at her, intrigued. But Ino interrupted their conversation, showing up from behind. "Sakura, come here for a second." She dragged her backward until they were at a safe distance.

"What is it?"

"Battle poison," Ino's expression was of heavy concern, lowering her voice. "But it's not any I know, it's stuffed with some very heavy metals. Didn't you make your degree on antidotes for something like that?"

Sakura grimaced. "I did, but... antidotes for those are rare. After days of struggles, I ended up concocting a few drops of it."

"I can see if we have anything in store to counter this for now," Ino offered.

Sakura nodded.

"I'll bring you whatever I can find. Don't have much fun without me." With these words, Ino disappeared once more and left Sakura hanging. She returned to the bed at a quick pace.

"We figured out what's wrong with you, lieutenant. Which means we're going to rid you of that pain."

"I don't want… a medicine," he uttered.

"Excuse me?"

"I am not taking any medicine."

Sakura stared at him as if struck by a lightning. "What do you mean? You refuse to take it?"

"Yes."

She swallowed. What was with him all of a sudden? "Do you realize how serious the situation is? You are in an advanced phase of poisoning. It's lethal."

"I know."

Sakura was at a loss. Her feet suddenly dragged her away, to the door. She left the room and headed to the other wing, with every step more and more surprised. Two corridors further. Room 110, 111… that one. Sakura knocked three times and waited.

"Come in."

Sakura opened the door sharply and closed it. Tsunade raised her eyes from the documents in front of her.

"I'm very sorry for the sudden intrusion."

"It's fine. Something wrong?"

"Yes. There is something wrong." Sakura started, realizing her breath was short because she nearly ran her way to the office.

"How can I help?"

Sakura stared at the floor for a few seconds before taking a breath again. "Is there a way to cure a patient without their consent?"

"I'm afraid you can't," Tsunade replied, brows slightly furrowing. "Not without their consent."

"No?"

"No, you can't."

Sakura tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. Just as she suspected.

"Sakura, who's the patient?"

"I…" Sakura looked to and fro before she stormed out of the office just as quickly and exhaled. What the hell happened on that mission? And would she allow a patient of hers to die like that? Her head was a mess and she needed rest. Her gaze fell on her watch. Alright. Lunch break.

"Sakura, come sit with us!" Ino shouted from the other side, on the cafeteria side. It was a crescent-like small restaurant just outside the hospital where usually she and her colleagues gathered for the breaks.

The skies were metallic blue, seemed like another one of these autumn rains was going to pour down on the city in the late afternoon, bringing that evening chill, characteristic for the season. Konoha's winters weren't that harsh but the autumn was unpleasant. Ino was sitting at a table next to two other girls Sakura didn't know. The one on the right caught her attention for she had the most intriguing sad, silvery eyes and long dark hair. There was something mystical in her air as if she was from another dimension. As for the girl next to her, her eyes were a dark, rusty metal; she seemed lively and more determined than her companion.

"I don't wanna eat this, you want it?" Ino offered her a small plastic cup filled with spaghetti. The restaurant and the cafeteria were two parts of one and offered a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables.

"Sure," Sakura took the only empty chair and smiled at her. "Thanks."

"This is Hyuga Hinata," Ino said, presenting the girls as if on stage. "And this is Kusabe Tenten."

"Pleased to meet you," Sakura offered her hand first to Hinata and then to Tenten. "I am Haruno Sakura."

"You must be a nurse," Tenten noted, scanning her white overall.

"A doctor, actually," Sakura corrected. "Are you two a part of the Elite Soldiers?"

Tenten had black trousers and a black polo, which made her easy to guess. "I am," Tenten confirmed. "She's a friend."

"I just came here to…" Hinata's voice trembled. "Can I… can I see him now?"

"Do you have a close relative in there?" Sakura asked carefully.

"Yes. He's… not exactly a relative," she gave a mirthless smile.

"Girl, you've hit the jackpot. You gotta tell me how is it to have a boyfriend from the army," Ino leaned back in her chair. "Must be pretty cool. All those abs and stuff."

Hinata's skin instantly acquired a dark shade of red, her eyes so captivating that Sakura caught herself staring.

"That dumbass Naruto," Tenten snapped, taking a sip of her coffee. "She's always worried sick about him and he keeps hurting himself?"

"I'm sure he doesn't do it on purpose," Hinata looked down, sighing.

"I'm afraid he'll need to rest for a week or two before you can see him. He's hurt pretty bad," Sakura explained quietly.

"Serves him right," Tenten murmured.

"Tenten, please," Hinata pleaded. "I know he wouldn't hurt himself on purpose."

"He didn't. It was worth the risk." Tenten's eyes were staring down at her cup but Sakura was fixed on her.

"What risk?"

Tenten raised her eyes to her.

"I'm not at liberty to say. Sorry."

"Right. I assume there were explosions. The shrapnel pieces in your second lieutenant's body confirm it," Sakura paused, Tenten's penetrating gaze fixed on her, a tad surprised. "Modern battle poison is usually airborne, so there was a lot of smoke too. To me remains a mystery why only your first lieutenant has that condition and why is he the only one refusing to heal."

"Refusing to heal?" Ino's voice echoed after hers.

"I am not sharing information of any kind, I'm sure you understand, I have been ordered to do so… doctor," Tenten replied slowly. "However, why my comrade is refusing to heal I can't say simply because I don't know the answer."

"Is an order more important than your comrade's life? Death by battle poison is one of the most painful ways to die — it gets into muscles and destroys cells — and he will die in a three or four days or so if all of you keep the truth to yourself." Sakura realized her tone was too loud so she hushed. "You won't be happy, we won't be happy and the Government won't be happy too."

"Are you deaf? I said I don't know," Tenten glared at her and stood up sharply, leaving them.

Sakura furrowed.

"Did you have to do that?" Ino raised a brow.

"Yes, I did," Sakura snapped. "What's with her anyway?"

"She had already lost a comrade," Hinata's quiet, unearthly voice dragged the attention. "Someone she loved."

Sakura closed eyes, rubbing her nose tiredly. "I screwed up again. I'm coming right away." She ran in order to keep up with Tenten who was pacing quickly back to the hospital.

"Tenten? Will you stop for a second?" Sakura caught up with her just a few meters from the entrance. „Please?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to apologize. I am sorry for my tone back there," Sakura's voice lowered.

Tenten looked at her in silence. She made the impression of a person who had no intention to forgive anything to anyone but her features softened a bit after a long inner battle. "It's Uchiha, right? The one refusing to heal?"

"Y-yeah," Sakura replied with uncertainty. "How'd you know?"

"He's the only drama queen in the squad. Someone's gotta beat the hell out of that boy. That's the only way he'll come to his senses," Tenten huffed and made her way into the building.

The hours to the end of the shift dragged painfully slow but eventually, the sky darkened and she was already closing the door to her cabinet. She left it open because Ino said she'd need some of the files in there, for tomorrow. To her great surprise, Tsunade told her she could take a break this weekend since she and Ino were going to be around. Which meant she could actually visit her parents as planned. But now she wasn't really sure if she wanted to.

Sakura walked down the corridor absently, heading to the locker room.

She'd have to lie to her father again, that everything was alright. And try to take no notice of the passive-aggressive remarks of her mother, concerning how badly she treated herself, to what danger she was putting herself to, living alone, which would lead her to the matters of why her daughter's boyfriend-list was frighteningly empty throughout the years, which in its turn would suggest some psychological defect on top of the physical one she carried already. Then her father would begin to defend her. And that cycle of meaningless quarrels about her future and life continued until the moment she had to leave. Then, all of the accusations melted away, transforming into a pure form of love and support. The one she visited them for. They gave her the courage that she had lost along the way and reminded her to keep fighting. That's why she always came back, no matter what they said or did. Better have them, quarreling, then missing or dead.

The Hospital was almost empty. Most of her colleagues were likely home already and the ones who worked the night shift were probably still on their way. Sakura absently pushed the door and soon reached for her locker.

"I could break that neck… so easily."

Sakura was startled at the unexpected presence and turned sharply. "W-what are you doing here?" She managed to form a sentence over the feeling of her heart beating vigorously from that surprising appearance. "You should be lying in your bed."

"Exactly," he made a step to her, leaning on the lockers.

"You can't just take off the system and walk around. You can't function properly without—

"Shut up."

Sakura stilled. "You plan on going home? How about I tell the guards you're here?"

"Do any of this," he took another step, finding himself a pace away from her, "and I'll kill you with my bare hands."

Sakura slightly leaned backward, fear crawling underneath her skin. He sounded serious and there was no reason she wouldn't believe these words. On the other side, letting him escape would lead to hundred problems. If Tsunade found out she had let him go, she'd be fired. What could she do to stop him, though, he had the aura of a walking thunderstorm. Opposition seemed a laughable choice. Did he realize that he looked like he's been hit by a bus with that torn uniform? A thought sparkled in her mind, coming up with a reason why he was here in the first place. She opened her locker and took off her coat only to offer it to him.

"I could give you some morphine," she said, at last, still waiting for him to take her cloth. "I've got some pills in my cabinet."

He clearly didn't expect a reaction of the sort and furrowed. "It's cold outside. Take it." Sakura insisted on the coat, ignoring his eyes.

Sasuke slowly took the overcoat from her and she proceeded to gather her things, without looking at him. She heard his steps toward the exit and raised her head.

"Battle poison," Sakura said out loud and he froze. The truth could change his mind, so it was worth a try. "It's a painful death."

In one long moment, they both stood still and silent. Then the steps renewed, followеd by the sound of the door opening sharply.