Chapter Five

The sun was low in the sky when Itachi awoke. The air in his room was humid even with the fan blowing in the corner and he kicked the sheets off before he relaxed back against his bed, willing his mind to give him only a few more minutes of rest. He was still so tired.

It seemed his wish was on the verge of being fulfilled as he lulled somewhere between dreams and reality when the downstairs, front door opened with a bang, abruptly rousing him out of his rest. With a muted sigh, he dragged a hand over his face before he swung his legs over the side of his futon and stood. He stretched slowly, doing his best to agitate his lungs as little as possible, before he changed into a fresh shirt and a pair of lightweight pants, and exited his room.

With habitual stealth, Itachi padded downstairs to the kitchen where he could smell his mother preparing an early supper while his brother complained, "She's avoiding me. I just want to talk to her."

"Perhaps she needs more time," Mikoto replied calmly as he entered the kitchen.

"More time for what? She should be saying sorry to me."

"You cannot make someone apologize, Sasuke. Allow her her space. Sakura is a smart girl; she'll come around."

At the mention of the pink-haired medic, Itachi's interest piqued. It seemed his little brother was yet again butting heads with his teammates, something he had been doing since his early days as a Genin. Itachi had warned Sasuke against doing so, but it was only too apparent when it came to his younger sibling that some habits were hard to break.

As Itachi entered the room, Sasuke and their mother's conversation stalled. She looked up from the pot she was stirring to smile warmly at him and he greeted her with a kiss to her cheek. "Itachi, I'm glad you rested for so long. Are you hungry? I'm making tempura udon. It should be ready soon"

"I am. Thank you, okaa-san," he murmured before he retrieved a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water. He leaned against the counter as he sipped generously only for his gaze to land on Sasuke as his younger brother continued to pout. "You appear more irritable than usual."

Sasuke glanced up from where he was kneeling at their family table to eye him with a deep frown on his face. "I didn't know you were home, nii-san."

"I returned early this morning. Pray tell, what did you do to your teammate this time?" Itachi asked, not allowing his brother to change the subject. It had always been a small form of entertainment to him to tease his brother when he was in one of his moods.

"What do you mean this time? What have I ever done to her?"

He arched an amused brow, his answer only too ready on his tongue. "I recall the time you made her buy you and Uzumaki dinner on her birthday; the time you made plans to meet with her for training and instead left with Uzumaki. You also-."

"Okay, okay, all right, I get it," Sasuke interrupted. "But this time I didn't do anything. She attacked me in our sparring match, and nearly killed me and flattened the entire village. Even the Hokage wasn't happy with her," he defended. "It took Yamato over three hours to reverse the damage she did and-."

Itachi hid his surprise at the information, but his gaze shifted to his mother as she rounded on Sasuke with one hand on her hip and her spoon pointed threateningly, "Uchiha Sasuke, did you really make that poor girl pay for her own dinner on her birthday?"

"It was like two years ago!" Sasuke justified as he shot his older brother a withering look. Itachi openly smirked in reply. "Besides, the point of this conversation is that I didn't do anything and she's avoiding me like I'm a plague!"

"I have always thought you to be a little parasitic," Itachi countered.

If possible, his younger brother's glare darkened but their mother sighed before he could sneak out a scathing retort. "Boys…"

Itachi's smirk widened, but the presence of another in the entryway of the kitchen drew his attention and he turned his head as their father stepped into the room. He was dressed officially in his Jounin vest with the symbol of the military police stitched into his shoulder, but it was his firm expression that gave Itachi notice as his father's gaze fell on him. "Good, you're home. I need a private word with you, Itachi."

Curiosity tugged on him and without hesitation, Itachi nodded before he quickly finished his water and left the glass in the sink. He could still feel Sasuke's glare as he exited the kitchen, but he didn't pay his younger brother any mind as he followed their father down the hall and to his study at the back of the household.

Upon entering, Fugaku requested he close the door behind him and silently Itachi obeyed before he stood before his father respectfully. "Otou-san."

The dark eyes Itachi had inherited roamed over his form briefly. "How did your mission go?"

"It was a success."

"Good," Fugaku nodded. "I'm glad you have returned. There is a matter that has come to my attention that is most upsetting."

Itachi straightened at his father's words, but he said nothing as he waited for him to continue.

"Uchiha Izumi is missing. I spoke with her parents the night before last and they told me she had left on a mission about the same time as you and has yet to return. She had been expected back to the village nearly four days ago."

Itachi pursed his lips together at the news. With his father's expression and ominous aura, he hadn't been expecting a pleasing report, but the information that Izumi was unaccounted for didn't settle well in his stomach. He had grown up with the pretty brunette and knew her to be a capable kunoichi, even if she still ranked at Chunin for being in her late twenties. If he was being entirely honest with himself, she had been his first real crush as a child and he still held a soft spot for her, even if their relationship was purely platonic. He didn't want to believe that anything bad had transpired, but she was rarely late coming home. Still, it was too early to jump to conclusions, which is why Itachi already knew what his father wanted from him.

"Has the Hokage been informed?"

Fugaku's shook his head. "Until we can further investigate, Izumi's parents and I have agreed to keep this within the clan. We do not want to make a show of one of our own disappearing until we have a firmer understanding of what happened."

Itachi kept his expression in check as surprise rippled through him. It made no sense to keep the information from the Hokage, especially if it meant that she could help provide the resources to find her. "I am not sure that is the best course of action," he began slowly. "If Izumi is already four days late returning from her mission then she is already a concern of the Hokage. We should bring it to Lady Tsunade's attention now so we do not waste any more time in locating her."

"No," Fugaku said firmly. "We will leave Lady Tsunade out of this. Izumi's mission was not sanctioned by the Hokage and until we have drained all of our resources, there is no point in informing the rest of the village of our issue."

Annoyance flared in Itachi's chest. He wanted to remind his father that Izumi was not an 'issue' but rather a beloved member of their clan, but he refrained. His father was not only his senior but also the head of their clan, and if Izumi's parents had agreed to keep the village out of their business, he would respect that decision. For now.

"What do you need me to do?" Itachi asked monotonously.

"Inform Shisui. I want you both to investigate."

"I cannot deny the Hokage's order should she issue me another mission."

Fugaku nodded. "That is fine. For now I want the pair of you to head out tonight to Izumi's last known whereabouts and see if there are any leads you may find. Scout the area and report back to me."

"Tonight?" Itachi repeated.

"I understand you just returned from your mission and are still recovering, but this is of the utmost importance."

However, his recovery wasn't what gave him pause; it was his meeting with Sakura. He had agreed to return to the hospital that evening to undergo an examination and healing session with the young doctor and she would be furious if he cancelled on her after she already felt so taken advantage of. The best he could offer was to leave afterwards. Hopefully that would satisfy both parties.

"There is something else I must attend to this evening. Shisui and I can leave at midnight," Itachi said, his face a perfect mask.

A lie was already forming on his tongue in preparation of his father's questioning of his whereabouts, but it faded as Fugaku simply nodded. "Very well."

With his dismissal, Itachi bowed before he left his father's study. His mood had turned somber with their discussion and silently he crept back into his room to prepare his pack for that night, his mind heavy with thoughts of Izumi, and his pending meeting with Sakura. The last thing he wanted was to leave the village so soon after his return, but he couldn't deny his father's wishes. He was the Patriarch of their clan and any arguments to remain a few days longer would not only allow Izumi's trail to further turn cold, but would bring up questions of things he refused to discuss. All he could hope was for Sakura to understand his position.

After preparing his pack, Itachi returned to the kitchen for a quick meal with his family before he took off into the village. His steps fell unhurried as he trekked through the busy streets, his mind heavy from the most recent stresses pressed upon his shoulders.

He understood his father's desires to keep Izumi's absence quiet from the Hokage, even if he disagreed with them. Hostilities between the Uchiha Clan and the rest of the village had remained tense even since the Kyuubi's attack over two decades ago. The last time a member of their clan had disappeared, it had been Uchiha Madara - the very person believed to be responsible for the horrible attack. By keeping their leader in the dark of the situation, it could lead to further conflict should the information later be discovered by another party.

In his opinion, it would be wise for them to gain the confidence and aid of Lady Tsunade. She could easily provide them the necessary resources to locate Izumi. Inuzuka Hana and her dogs were the village's best trackers – far better than Itachi would ever be – and sending him out for a job that could be accomplished much faster and much easier by another felt like nothing more than a waste of time and energy on his part. He could already feel a headache beginning to pulse behind his eyes as he considered what fears his father may harbor for keeping the village in the dark.

Even through his frustration and fatigue, it wasn't long before Itachi felt a shadow begin to follow in his footsteps and his stress faded some as he recognized the familiar chakra. "Shisui."

"You didn't tell me you were back from your mission," his cousin said as he fell into step next to him, a small whine in his voice.

"I only just returned this morning." He glanced at the older male as a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I would have come to see you, but I had assumed you were still recovering from your hangover."

Next to him, Shisui slid him a curious glance. "How did you know I was hungover?"

It was only Itachi's mastery over his emotions that kept him from faltering. His mind had been so preoccupied that he had temporarily forgotten that he only knew of Shisui's apparent binge drinking because of his conversation with one Haruno Sakura the previous night. Inwardly he scolded himself for nearly letting slip his meeting with the kunoichi and he recognized he was far too distracted if Shisui had almost pulled information out of him without even trying.

"I let myself into your room this morning to find you wholly unconscious and utterly reeking of alcohol," he lied smoothly.

Shisui shrugged before he ran his hand through his damp locks. He smelled freshly of soap and Itachi silently thanked his cousin for taking the time to shower the alcohol out of his pores before finding him; his headache was still pulsing faintly.

"I didn't mean to get so drunk," he muttered. "I felt bad Sakura's friend had ditched her so I offered her some company and the next thing I knew we were doing shots. So many shots…I'm never drinking again."

It wasn't the first time Itachi had heard those words.

"Haruno Sakura?" Itachi echoed. "I was not aware you were acquainted with her."

"I wasn't. Not until last night anyway. She's actually pretty cool. Sasuke doesn't give her enough credit. She talked about you," Shisui added as they continued further into the village.

"Did she?" Itachi asked, mildly curious.

"She thinks you're an asshole."

Blinking in surprise, he glanced at his older cousin. "What makes you say that?"

"The fact that she said 'he's an ass'," Shisui quipped. "What did you do to piss her off?"

There was a smirk playing on his mouth as if he found the situation amusing, which in turn caused Itachi to frown. "What else did she say?" he asked, redirecting the subject.

"About you? Nothing," Shisui said as they continued down the dusty street. "Hey, did you know she doesn't get hangovers? She uses her medic magic to make them go away."

Itachi hummed noncommittally. He didn't know if he was more relieved or disappointed Sakura hadn't said more. He must have underestimated how frustrated she was with him for her to openly insult him to his best friend and a small frown settled upon his features at his own inconsideration.

It wasn't normally like him to be so self-centered but if he was being honest with himself, perhaps he could admit if only to himself that her presence made him uneasy. Itachi wasn't used to others knowing about his personal affairs and the fact that she was aware of his disease when he had not even revealed its presence to Shisui of all people, put him on edge. That being said Itachi had no right to treat her like he had been. She had learned of his condition through chance and she had not yet betrayed his trust. It was only fair he returned the favor.

Beside him, Shisui kicked a rock across the dusty road before he glanced around. "Where are we going anyway?"

"ANBU headquarters," Itachi replied. The hospital had been his intended destination upon leaving home, but with Shisui at his side, he turned one street early. "I need to complete my mission report and get it to the Hokage. You are more than welcome to join me."

As Itachi expected, Shisui drew to a stop. "Hell no. I spend enough time there as it is. You have fun with that and I'll catch up with you later. Sparring tonight?"

Itachi paused with his cousin as his light mood grew heavy once more. Shisui must have sensed it for he straightened his relaxed stance as his brows drew together in concern.

"Unfortunately no," Itachi said. "We are leaving the village tonight. There is a matter I need to discuss with you. However…" He trailed off as a group of ANBU members passed them on their way to their designated tower and he waited until they were out of earshot before continuing, "However, I am not comfortable going into full detail here."

"Itachi, what happened?" Shisui asked, his voice low and worried.

The younger male cast a brief glance around to ensure their conversation couldn't be overheard, but there was only a small group of children playing with a ball nearby and the team of shinobi were already fading out of sight. Still, Itachi hesitated before answering, "Izumi is missing. We need to locate her and bring her home if possible."

Shisui hadn't missed the implication of his words and a frown settled over his features as sadness briefly passed behind his eyes. "Are you okay? I know you two are friends-were friends."

"I am fine," Itachi murmured. "We just need to focus on bringing her home."

A moment of silence passed between them before Shisui nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Midnight. I will meet you at our training grounds at twenty-three hundred. "

His cousin nodded, but he stopped Itachi before he could walk away. "Hey," he said. He hooked an arm around Itachi's shoulders as his dark eyes met his unwaveringly. "We'll find her. Maybe not tonight, but we will."

Itachi let out a long but soft breath before he nodded. "I know."

But in what condition he wasn't sure. Shisui seemed to sense his concern, but he refrained from saying what they were both thinking and after a silent moment, the older male released him before he murmured a promise to meet him soon. Then he flickered out of sight.

Itachi waited a moment after he was gone before he retraced his steps to the main road and continued towards the hospital. His headache hadn't faded and his mood had not improved much by the time he reached Sakura's office. The door was closed, but he could feel her chakra signature pulsing softly inside and he knocked lightly as he let his own chakra flare to announce his presence. She granted her permission immediately and he pushed the door open only to find she was not behind her desk but rather on the floor with a myriad of open books and notes scattered around her.

She was playing with her pencil as she read and he couldn't help but notice the vast difference in her attire from the night before. Rather than the casual jumpsuit, she was now dressed in a pair of light blue scrubs with her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. She seemed engrossed in what she was studying, but eventually she pulled her gaze away to look up at him.

"Uchiha-san," she greeted.

He regarded the many notes surrounding her. "Should I return at a later time?"

"No," she said as she returned her attention to her work. She placed her notepad inside her book before she closed it, marking her place. "Let me just put this away and we can get started."

Without any sense of organization, Sakura stacked her notes and texts together before she stood and set them on the edge of her desk. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a different, bound notebook before she gestured to the door. "Shall we?"

His brows furrowed minutely. "We are not to do the examination here?"

"I have a shared office, which means that Shizune could walk in at any minute and since we are trying to be discrete, I figured perhaps we should move to a more private area."

Her sensitivity surprised him and gratitude swept through him but he said nothing as he retreated out of the office. Sakura closed the door behind her and left it unlocked before she walked briskly down the hall. He followed without a word.

They stopped before a door around the first bend from her office and he watched in interest as she quickly scanned the long hallway to ensure they were alone before she slipped her notebook under her arm and performed a series of hand seals. The seemingly ordinary door remained unchanged, but she grasped the handle and pushed it open before she ushered him inside.

Itachi found himself in a fully functioning surgical room. His gaze roved over the operating table in the center and the overhead light that was currently off before he eyed the myriad of surgical tools lining the walls. There was a separate room off to the side where doctors could scrub their hands before beginning their work, but his focus shifted back to Sakura as he heard the door close. A lock slide into place before the unique sound of a chakra perimeter filled the air and settled over them seamlessly.

He remained outwardly indifferent as appreciation came over him. She was doing him a courtesy by securing the room. Perhaps she did understand the extent of his desires for his disease to remain unknown.

"We normally use this room for surgeries of high-value patients like Kages and other high ranking officials," Sakura explained absently as she moved to the opposite side of the room. She set her notebook on the counter before she removed her white coat and laid it down next to it. "But it's been months since anyone else has even stepped foot in here so I figured this would be the best place for us to do your treatments."

She wandered to the adjacent wall as she spoke and flipped a switch that caused the overhead light to flicker to life before she finally turned back to him. "Shall we begin?"

Itachi said nothing but he followed her silent direction to sit on the table. Sakura pushed up her sleeves and reached for the stethoscope tucked into her pocket before she situation herself across from him. Now that he was specifically looking for it, Itachi didn't miss the tension in her shoulders or the adamancy in which she avoided his gaze. For such a well-renowned kunoichi, she was rather expressive. It was only too apparent that she harbored strong, unfavorable feelings towards him, and he couldn't help but regard her. She must firmly believe that there was more she could do for his condition if she was willing to look past her personal opinions.

"Shirt off please," she requested.

Silently Itachi grasped the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head before he dropped it onto the end of the long bed. Once it was out of the way, Sakura pressed the metal disc of her stethoscope to his chest and listened.

"You said your breathing was uncomfortably but not hindered earlier," Sakura said after a pause. "Is that still true?"

"Yes." He breathed in slowly, noting that the pressure on his chest, though uncomfortable, was not preventing him from filling his lungs.

Sakura was quiet as she moved the metal across his chest, listening to his lungs from different angles. A small, thoughtful pinch appeared between her brows but she said nothing before she walked around the table to stand behind him. He had expected her touch, but he still tensed as her palms came to rest on the curve of his shoulder blades and he made a conscious effort to relax. Her hands were warm against his skin and even though her pressure was light, he could feel the strength and power in her fingertips.

"I'm going to heal the worst of the damage right now before I begin the examination," she informed him. "Try to relax. If anything starts to become uncomfortable, just let me know."

Itachi nodded faintly and a moment later, her chakra press into his body. Just as it had felt the last time, the foreign sense of another's chakra in his system instinctively put him on alert, but as it shifted into his lungs and slowly relieved the heaviness in his chest, the stiffness of his shoulders lessened and unconsciously he leaned back against her palms as his eyes slipped closed.

There was a pleasantness about her chakra he hadn't noticed before. It hummed in his cells as she worked and cooled the soft, burning pain he had long ago come to associate with his disease. It felt...comforting.

It wasn't until Sakura withdrew her chakra and eventually her touch that he realized how far he had reclined back against her. Where her touch had previously been was suddenly cold and he straightened as she stepped away.

"Well the good news is I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary during my examine. Your condition hasn't accelerated or mutated since the last time I saw you," Sakura said as she stepped back around the table to face him.

"Are you able to help?" he asked.

She hesitated. "Honestly, I don't know. Your disease is so rare it is either completely unknown to the medical community or there are only a few documented cases of it."

"That is what you have been researching."

There was no question to his tone as he realized in muted shock the documents she had been tirelessly poring over had been all for him. However, Sakura misinterpreted his comment for a flicker of disappointment passed her face before she turned away to retrieve the notebook she had brought with her.

"Yes, but there's a few older medical journals I still need to review and now that I've been able to do a proper examination, I have a better understanding of what I'm looking for."

Her gaze remained downwards as she flipped through her handwritten notes, the sudden quiet broken only by a soft sigh from her and the rustling of pages. Itachi observed Sakura for a moment before he eventually turned away to reach for his shirt. He pulled the material over his head before he slipped off the examination table, immediately noticing the change in his body. He felt almost weightless with the easy draw of his breath, and he savored the painlessness as he inhaled deeply and slowly.

The sound of her notebook closing drew his attention again and Itachi turned to gazed at Sakura as she crossed her arms over the pad of paper. "If I'm to figure out what's causing the damage to your lungs, I'm going to need to know a few things."

"I am not sure there is any more I can tell you," he answered honestly.

"Actually there is," she said not unkindly. "When did you first begin noticing your symptoms? Did the pressure in your chest start a few years ago or was it more recent than that?"

At her questioning, Itachi hesitated, causing her to sigh out her nose. "If you sincerely want my help, I need you to stop fighting me."

"Why do you need to know?"

His tone came out cooler than he had intended, but Sakura didn't back down. "Because I need to know if this disease has been breaking down your body for some time or if it has been accelerated recently. I don't want to cause you concern, but I need a timeline of how much longer you have, of how quickly I need to figure this out. So how long have you known?"

"Seven years."

She blinked, shocked. "You've known for seven years? And you didn't think to get help?"

Itachi held her gaze calmly, unsurprised by her outburst. "I was told there was nothing that could be done."

"By whom?"

"That is not the point."

"Then what is?" she asked sharply. "Why did you even agree to let me help you?"

Itachi exhaled slowly. He wanted her to understand, but he feared his explanation might offend her and he took his time to find the appropriate words that may help her see his reasoning. "When I came to you those weeks ago, I wanted you to treat me. But it has never been my expectation of you to find a cure. I simply want more time. But not for me."

Just from her expression, he could see Sakura was struggling to grasp his reasoning. A number of emotions flickered crossed her face from anger and annoyance to sadness; the last of which surprised him.

"You're trying to protect your family," she finally concluded.

Itachi said nothing but his answer was clear enough.

A weighed silence passed as they regarded the other. Then Sakura straightened as a hard look of confidence settled upon her face. "I won't give up on you."

Determination hardened her expression but Itachi was unable to match her tenacity. For so long he had fought his disease and handled it on his own. For so long he had kept his condition secret from the world and made excuses to Shisui, his mother, his brother and his team. To have Sakura learn of the truth and refuse to back down no matter how much he resisted her was so foreign to him.

It seemed he had finally reached a crossroads, one that Sakura had presented him many weeks ago in her office. Itachi was aware that he could no longer manage his disease on his own. It would continue to eat away at him until he finally lost the battle, but openly admitting it was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done.

From a young age, his father had drilled into him how to be a self-sufficient and independent shinobi. It was as if he had forgotten how to accept help from anyone.

But here Sakura was standing before him, resolve sharpening her jade eyes and her expression unwavering. She was a fighter, more medic than shinobi but no less dangerous, and he got the impression she would not submit even if he told her no.

Itachi stared at her then, as if really seeing her for the first time.

Over the years, he had heard the high praise surrounding his little brother's teammate but he hadn't understood the dedication and perseverance it had taken her to rise to the mastery level she had achieved until this moment. A newfound respect for the kunoichi came over him and against his better judgement, hope for a future without this horrible disease rose from the ashes and began to bud and bloom.

"What do you need?" Itachi asked eventually.

A small, relieved smile crossed her face as the tension drained from her shoulders. "Just one thing. I need you to stop seeing that healer in Kusa."

His expression remained neutral, but inwardly surprise rippled through him. Years had passed since he had first begun seeing a medic on the outskirts of Grass Country to receive pain medication and cough suppressants. They had worked well for him so far, but how Sakura knew about the older healer, he had no idea.

She must have sensed his burning curiosity for she continued, "I told you, I did a system cleanse of your body when you came in from your poisoning. I saw the medication and I noticed your missions began increasing in Grass Country around the time you said you noticed your condition," she explained simply. "If I'm going to help you, I need to know everything about your body, including what medications go into it."

It appeared her she had already begun digging into his background if she knew about the locations of his missions, and he smirked faintly. She was rather resourceful.

"Okay," Itachi finally relented.

"Okay," she repeated quietly as a small triumphant smile crossed her face. "Come back and see me in a couple of days and I'll reassess your progress. In the meantime, please try to do as little as possible to avoid overstraining yourself. No sparring, no hard running, no rough sexual activity."

Itachi nearly chuckled. She was very assertive now that he had granted his consent. However, the amusement quickly faded as he recalled his father's mission. He was unsure how long he would be out of the village and he did not want to confirm an appointment with her if he could not guarantee he could keep it.

"Unfortunately we may have to push our next meeting back," he murmured softly.

Sakura's expression immediately shifted to one of confusion. "Why?"

"I am leaving on a mission tonight and I am uncertain of when I will return. I apologize for the inconvenience-."

"A mission?" she interrupted. "You just returned from a mission. Did the Hokage order this?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. It is a matter of my clan."

"Your clan," she repeated. Her voice was a mix of surprise and incredulity. "Your clan must know you just returned from a mission. Your lungs are already strained enough-."

"My clan is aware," he interjected. He understood her frustrations but this particular mission came before everything else, including his own health. "I understand this may worsen my condition, but I must go."

Sakura opened her mouth, but her words failed her as if she couldn't fathom what was so important that he would jeopardize himself consciously.

"You can't be serious," she finally said, more in disbelief than anger. She uncrossed her arms and set her notebook on the counter as she straightened and gave him her full attention. "You do understand that you will destroy the damage I just healed. Right now, your lungs are like wet paper. If you push yourself even a little too hard, they will tear and you will bleed internally. All the work I just did will not only be reversed, but you may end up in worse shape than when we started."

Itachi nodded slowly. "I understand. And if it were any other circumstances I would respect your opinion and advice. However, this is unavoidable."

Again, she was at a loss for words.

Her discontent thickened the air and pressed down upon him as if her prediction had come true and blood had refilled his lungs. But he remained still and unmoving as he waited for her next move. He had heard the stories from his little brother of his teammate's anger and the rumors around the village of her short-temper, and mentally he prepared himself for her to lash out at him and tell him how idiotic and selfish he was being.

But her argument never came.

Instead she turned away to collect her notebook and her lab coat before she made for the door, her gaze purposely avoiding his, as she stepped past him. "I have other patients I have to see to."

It appeared she was going to leave the room without another word, but as she reached the door, she hesitated. Even with her back to him, he could tell she was fighting inwardly with herself, and eventually she half-turned back to him before she spoke: "Just…try to come back in as few pieces as possible."

Then she was gone.

Guilt settled in the pit of his stomach like a punch to the gut. He was only too aware how deeply he had offended her, but he didn't move to chase after her. He doubted she would want him to anyway. The best thing he could do right now was to meet with Shisui as they had planned. He wanted their mission to end successfully, but he also prayed their journey would not keep them from the village for too long.

He could only hope Sakura was true to her word and would not give up on him.

to be continued...