Summary:
Sakura comes through to do a quick exam and give a test
Sakura's hair was long and tied back into a high ponytail. She looked slightly older than Sasuke remembered. She didn't have the seal on her forehead, and it looked as if she hadn't slept in days.
"Okay let's see." She had made Sasuke and Naruto exchange places. Naruto was preparing them a drink, and Sakura was examining Sasuke. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys that I suggest that you visit a doctor at the hospital."
Sasuke studied her. She hadn't blushed around him. Not once. It was strange to see his wife treat him this way. What was worse, it was clear that they weren't married and that they didn't have Sarada. A part of Sasuke's heart hurt.
"Did he relapse?" She asked Naruto accusingly. She was standing over him as Sasuke sat on the couch. Sasuke felt like a child.
"No." Naruto shook his head. "He's just like…well…I mean I guess…"
Sakura scoffed. "Stop covering for him! He's sunburned, practically naked, and he's completely out of it!" She looked like she was holding back tears. "You're not doing him any good by covering for him each time he—"
"I'm right here." Sasuke hated being ignored. "You can ask me."
Sakura looked back at him with a sneer. "As if I could trust a word out of your mouth!"
Sasuke sighed. This was taking too long. He didn't sense any chakra from her, and she seemed furious at him. He reached out and grabbed Sakura's hand.
Sasuke saw himself, obviously younger than he was now, being dragged out of one the contraptions he had seen outside earlier that day. She had her long hair loose and she was wearing green shirts and pants. He saw Ino in the distance standing in front of a clinic. Sasuke was fighting back as best as he could, but his small, frail, body wasn't listening to him. He saw the absolute hate in his eyes as he looked at her and he suddenly lashed out at her, about to punch her, when suddenly a group of men he didn't recognize rushed out and grabbed him before he did the unthinkable. Sakura started crying and just like that Naruto appeared out of nowhere, out of breath, sweating, he had clearly ran there, and he was screaming at the men.
"Let go of my hand!" Sakura snapped. "You're not going to smooth talk your way out of this with your pretty face." She looked at Naruto with anger. "And you're not going to keep covering for him. He could ruin his career with this."
"He's not high Sakura I promise you. The first thing me and Itachi did was check his eyes!"
Sasuke was confused. Had that been what they were looking for? Signs of drug use?
"You expect me to believe he just stopped taking his medication and that you call me here just to chat?"
"He isn't high." Naruto stepped into the living room and he was going to reach over to grab Sakura, but she slapped his hand away.
"Sakura…" he whispered, he looked painfully hurt.
"I brought a drug test." She looked at Sasuke. "You haven't done anything, right?" She pushed the packet at his chest. "Then prove it."
Sasuke looked at her and raised an eyebrow. This wasn't the Sakura he had wanted to talk to at all. "Fine." He stood up and leered over her. He walked by her and into the restroom. He could still hear her and Naruto arguing.
"Locked on the roof?" Her voice rang. "How stupid do you think I am?"
Naruto was pleading with her on his behalf. "He's not using anymore he's been—"
"A drug test is the first thing you should have done! You're enabling him again! You always do this!"
Naruto stayed quiet for a moment. "He's not using anymore Sakura. He's changed, but I need you to tell me if he's… stable."
Sakura sighed. "I'm not that kind of doctor."
The two continued bickering as Sasuke figured out how the hell to do what he was supposed to do with the drug test in front of him. It seemed self-explanatory but he still felt incredibly annoyed and invaded. Did the other him have to deal with this all the time?
Sasuke eventually walked out with the test and Sakura eyed him suspiciously. "It's your piss this time, right?" She looked at Naruto who opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it and he looked away embarrassed.
The minutes passed and Sakura looked at the results with confusion.
"You're clean?" She looked at Sasuke. "Then why are you like this?"
The two exchanged a firm gaze and suddenly Sakura's face seemed to crumble.
She sighed and placed a hand to her forehead. "Are the nightmares back?"
"Nightmares?" Sasuke looked confused. Naruto noted his confusion and quickly added.
"He had a stressful work week Sakura." He shrugged. "I don't think he's seeing things though. Just stress."
Sakura sighed and walked over to Naruto. She leaned in to whisper. "I'll schedule an appointment for him at Ino's clinic." Naruto looked at her with horror and shook his head no. She sighed, clearly frustrated, and turned back to Sasuke. "We'll get through this together, but we can't just ignore the red flags."
"I haven't had any nightmares." He wanted to feign a smile, but something told him if he did that they'd be more concerned about him. "I just got locked out on the roof and I… wanted to see you."
Sakura's eyes widened and she and Naruto exchanged confused glances. "I'll call a therapist." Sakura's voice was devoid of humor—she meant it.
"Is it that weird that I'd want to see you?"
"Yes." Sakura and Naruto answered at the same time.
Sasuke's mouth hung open.
Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're friends. I'm always here for you, but you hate seeing me."
"Because of the clinic?" Sasuke muttered.
Sakura looked away quickly in an attempt to hide the hurt on her face. That was all the answer he needed to have.
"I'm going to give you some pain medications, something light to get you by." She reached into her bag and pulled out a prescription. It had Sasuke's information already on it. "I'm sure you understand that you can't skip your other medication and…" She pulled out a lilac business card. He recognized the name on it—Ino Yamanaka. "And go back to seeing her, okay?"
Naruto tensed up and started stepping in between them, but Sasuke calmly took the business card and looked at Sakura.
"Thank you." He didn't know what else to say.
Sakura and Naruto looked visibly relieved. Sakura even smiled. She flicked his forehead. "We love you, Sasuke. No matter what."
Sasuke had to resist the urge to pull her into a tight embrace as she smiled at him and made her way to the door. "I left some aloe vera on the table. He's definitely going to start peeling. Soon." She looked to Naruto. "If he's having an episode, you know who to call."
Naruto nodded and embraced Sakura. "You're the best. Thank you for coming."
Sakura laughed and hugged him back. "That's what I'm here for." She held Naruto's shoulders in her hands and started tightening her grip. Naruto screamed. "But if you think I'm going to just forgive you for not giving him a drug test IMMEDIATELY after arriving and finding him in this condition. You're wrong."
Naruto had fallen to his knees before the tiny woman.
"You two owe me. Big time. My dad's been wanting to amend his will for a while now." She smiled wickedly at Naruto. "I'm sure my favorite lawyers would do it for free."
"Of course!" Naruto was shuddering. Sakura let him go and patted him. He winced in pain. "You're being a baby." She turned her head to the side. "It wasn't even that hard."
Naruto pulled down on his shirt to reveal an already disgusting bruise. "It's just… right over my other bruise."
Sakura's eyes shot open. "Naruto! I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" She reached into her purse again and pulled out some generic medicine. "Here use this for the pain. I'm so sorry."
Naruto laughed again and the two started to chat. Sasuke once again felt awkward. He didn't know why, but once more the heavy feeling of not belonging set in. He wanted to go home now more than ever, but there was nothing that could help him now.
