Chapter Fourteen
The war was over. Konoha had won.
At least that's what Sakura had been told. She hadn't seen the aftermath herself, other than the shinobi and civilians that continued to pour through the hospital doors.
It should have brought her relief, knowing that the agents of Root who had tried so hard to destroy their beloved village had been stopped. But it didn't. She didn't quite know how she felt, but it certainly wasn't relief.
The steady beat of a heart monitor filled the hospital room. Sakura eyed the monitor again, studying the patterns displayed on the digital screen before recording them in the paper chart. She did her best to make as little noise as possible, trying not to disturb the man sleeping within the critical care room.
Uchiha Fugaku turned out to be as tough as he was rumored to be, having pulled through his surgery with flying colors. He had woken up the day before, but Sakura had decided to keep a close eye on him anyway, personally checking his vitals and recording his lab results. So far everything looked good. With a little more recovery, he would be plenty stable enough to leave the hospital.
After updating his chart, Sakura left the room. Unsurprisingly Sasuke was waiting for her just on the other side of the sliding glass door. Mikoto had left to get some rest less than an hour ago and as Sakura was quickly learning, Fugaku was not left alone for long.
"How is he?" Sasuke asked after she closed the door behind her.
"Well," Sakura said honestly. "His platelet count is good and he shows no signs of infection. The burns he sustained are improving nicely and should be healed with a few more sessions. My only concern is the mobility in his arm. The burns in his arm went deep but we won't know the damage to his nerves until he recovers more and can begin therapy."
Sasuke nodded but there was still an unsettling look on her teammate's face.
"He's going to recover, Sasuke," she said as she placed a comforting hand on his arm. "It'll take some time but he will. He can even likely be released within the next few days."
This time, his expression relaxed minutely. But there was still a stiffness to his shoulders, a tension in his frame that still lingered. Sakura understood it.
Itachi was still gone. Still off to hunt down Danzo. Sakura herself tried not to dwell on Itachi. There was too much going on here for her to spread herself any thinner than she already was. Itachi was strong and smart. She had to trust that he would come back safely.
To be honest, Sakura wasn't even sure how long ago he had left. Her life had become treating injured after injured with little naps thrown in where she could be spared for longer than two minutes and meals inhaled faster than she could taste. She never knew what time it was. Wasn't even sure what day it was. All she knew was the wounded were still coming in. There were people that still needed help in the aftermath and she would keep working until the demand for medics slowed.
"They said he faced off against two Root platoons," Sasuke said quietly.
He didn't look away from where his father was resting in the hospital bed. Fugaku was a proud man who never showed weakness, not even to his children. For him to appear in such a state must have shaken Sasuke to his core.
Sakura followed his gaze. She tried to block out the images that flickered into her memory of torn and burnt skin, and exposed muscle. She could only imagine the battle Fugaku had fought. Danzo had sent two platoons after her as well, but they had always intended to take her alive. Sakura had no doubts she wouldn't have come out alive if not for that very reason.
"He's a hero," Sakura said quietly.
Sasuke glanced at her. Something passed behind his eyes, something she didn't quite understand but he said nothing. Instead a silence fell between them that seemed to express and yet not quite say everything that he wanted to.
Still, Sakura felt it. She leaned against him, her shoulder pressing into his lightly before she straightened again. "How are you and Naruto doing?" she asked.
Sasuke nodded, his face stony. "We're doing alright. Busy. There's a lot to do in the village. Even the idiot had to stop to take a break last night."
The corner of her mouth twitched in a smile but it soon faded. "Things are that bad?"
There must have been a tone in her voice because he turned fully to look at her. "It could be a lot worse."
She supposed he had a point. Danzo could have succeeded. He could have killed, tortured or captured their shinobi. He could have burned their city to the ground. It was thanks to Shizune they had made an antidote in time. Thanks to Tsunade she had installed a village-wide alarm to alert their shinobi of an attack. Thanks to the Uchiha Clan for making it easier to identify their enemies.
But even with all of that, there was still that lump of emotion deep within her chest. That hardened ball that throbbed under her heart anytime she had a moment to herself. She tried not to think of it, tried to ignore it, but in the quiet times like this, it threatened to rip wide open.
"What about you?" Sasuke asked after a moment. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine," Sakura said a little too easily. "Just busy. So much to do here."
Her teammate didn't look so convinced. "Have you taken a break? I heard what happened at the Hokage's Tower-"
"Sasuke, I'm fine," she repeated quickly. The last thing she wanted was to think about it, never mind discuss it. "I'm sleeping and eating when I can. There's just so few of us and so many people were caught in the middle of the attack…" She trailed off, her eyes falling back to the resting Head of the Uchiha Clan. She watched his heart monitor again, using the numbers as more of a distraction than anything. When she continued to feel Sasuke's eyes on her, she glanced at him. "Don't worry about me."
They had been teammates long enough for him to see through her easy smile. But before he could call her bluff, the intercom system clicked on and request Sakura report to the Surgical Floor. Sasuke was still frowning when she turned away after promising him not to overdo it.
It wasn't until a few hours later that she realized how deep Sasuke's concern was when she exited the scrub room to find Kakashi leaning against the opposite wall, orange book in hand. Already, she knew he was here with purpose. Because one, as the interim Hokage, her ex-sensei was likely busier than her. And two, he had come willingly to his least favorite place within the village: the hospital.
Sakura eyed him as she pulled her scrub cap from her pink hair. "Kakashi," she greeted. "Or should I call you Hokage-sama?"
He shot her a flat look through his mask. "I'm only temporary Hokage. As soon as Lady Tsunade is back on her feet, I will gladly be stepping down."
Her ex-sensei had meant it as a joke, but she couldn't quite bring herself to smile. Not when only three floors above them, her mentor lay unconscious, still in the unyielding grasp of her coma.
"Are you here for the reports you requested?" Sakura asked, redirecting the conversation. "I finished the casualty report but I'm still working on the injury count. My only problem is there are patients still coming in and-"
"No, I'm not here on official business," Kakashi told her. He fell into step beside her as they moved away from the operating rooms and towards the surgical scheduling desk. "I came to see you."
Her brow arch curiously as she handed off her surgery notes to a nurse behind the desk. The man accepted them silently before he discreetly moved a respectable distance away. As soon as he was gone, Sakura turned to Kakashi.
She thought she had ordered the nurses to perform exams on all the high ranking officials after the worst casualties had been dealt with. Sakura knew her former team leader was stubborn but she had made it clear that he was to be evaluated as well. Standing before her, he didn't appear injured but she had seen him conceal wounds before.
"Is your sharingan bothering you?" Sakura ventured.
To her relief, Kakashi shook his head. "No, it's fine. I'm here to talk about you."
"Me?"
"It has come to my attention that you haven't given yourself a break," he said gently.
Sakura shot him a look. "Sasuke sent you, didn't he?"
Kakashi was slow to answer. "He's just concerned about you. He's been through a lot. You have too. You need to slow down before you burn yourself out. Just lay down for an hour or two-"
"I can't rest, Kakashi," she said, suddenly feeling ages older than she was. She raked a tired hand through her hair. "There's still so much to do. There's not enough staff and still so many patients."
"I know, but you have to," he said. "I'm issuing a direct order."
She deadpanned. "You have got to be kidding me."
"Sakura, right now your health is more important than anyone's. We need you at your best. You're the only one that can supervise the hospital-"
"I know that!" Sakura said, her voice abruptly pitching louder than she intended. She glanced around to ensure she hadn't drawn any attention before continuing, "You don't think that I'm acutely aware of that, Kakashi? That I'm the only one left who is trained to keep this hospital running? I'm very aware of what's happened. Don't confuse that for a second."
"I see," he said quietly, like something had just dawned on him. His face softened with sympathy. "Have you seen her?" When Sakura just stared at him in confusion, he clarified, "Have you gone to see Shizune's body?"
Sakura didn't immediately answer. She knew what Kakashi was doing. He was trying to start her grieving process. The first step was acknowledging that it had happened and by working herself nonstop, Sakura had done her best to push reality to the very back of her mind. She knew she needed to grieve. To accept what had happened so she could heal. But she didn't have time.
"I…" Sakura started slowly, not sure her voice was strong enough. She pursed her lips and gathered her strength before she met Kakashi's gaze unwaveringly. "I can't deal with this right now. I have a hospital to run. And you have a village."
He frowned beneath his mask before he spoke, his voice gentle but firm, "Go rest, Sakura. That's an order."
His tone left no room for argument. Only after she finally nodded in reluctant acceptance did Kakashi finally leave. Sakura watched him go before she called for the nurse waiting nearby and gave him orders to pass along to the other medics. After they had been received, she finally went for the elevator.
An on-call room was an ideal place to rest, where she could sleep in peace but be found easily in case of an emergency, but Sakura found her feet taking her to another room. Tsunade's.
On either side of the door stood a pair of black ops guards. They didn't move to stop her or even speak as Sakura stepped inside the dim room. Tsunade lay unmoving in the bed, the rhythmic beat of her heart monitor filling the utter, utter stillness.
Silently Sakura slipped into the chair beside her mentor. For a long time, she simply sat, watching the digital display tracking the older woman's heart function. It was still a slow but steady rhythm. The same as the day Mikoto had brought her in.
Sakura could still remember the moment she saw the Uchiha Matriarch walk through the hospital doors. It had been a few hours after it had been announced the war was won. Mikoto had arranged an entire platoon of real military police soldiers to escort her and Tsunade to the hospital. Sakura had been so grateful to see the Hokage had been kept safe and alive during the attack.
But that relief had been short lived.
Tsunade was still in a coma. There was little Sakura could do for her master except keep her comfortable. Tsunade would have to regain her strength on her own. And not even Sakura knew how long that would take.
"Shishou," Sakura called her name softly.
She didn't know what she was hoping for. Perhaps a twitch of a finger or a minute shift in her expression. Just anything to show that she was still holding on and still fighting. Sakura knew not to expect anything but she couldn't help the small twinge of disappointment when there was no change.
Lowering her head, Sakura rested it atop her crossed arms on the edge of Tsunade's bed. The urge to cry swelled in her chest but she was tired. So, so tired. Sakura was asleep within moments.
A minute later, a hand on her shoulder shook Sakura awake. Or at least that's what it felt like - like she had only closed her eyes seconds ago. The hand shook her again. "Sakura, wake up," they whispered quietly but urgently. "Come quickly."
"What? What's going on?"
She blinked hard. Her eyes focused to recognize Shikamaru. Notoriously lazy, the dark-haired male's face was unusually serious.
"Uchiha's team has returned."
##
Danzo had been found.
After the events in the Hokage Tower, the murderous traitor had hidden himself deep within Konoha. Hana and her dogs had tracked him into the deepest parts of the village, to areas that had all but been abandoned. Only before Itachi's team could move in, Danzo had fled.
With his plan foiled and his arrest impending, he had run from the village he had nearly cast into ruin. And Itachi had given chase.
For two days, Itachi and his team tracked Danzo, chasing him through the thick forest and lush underbrush. Root left false trails and double-backed, doing their damnedest to throw any followers off their trail. However, Hana was infamously known as the village's best tracker and once she caught a trail, she could not be thrown off.
They caught up to Danzo in the early morning on the second day. They made no strategic plan - just simply attacked.
With a flash of hand seals, Itachi and Shisui encircled the clearing with their clan's signature Katon jutsu. Fire roared through the thick forest, trapping Danzo and his men within the flames and leaving them with no choice but to turn and fight.
No words were exchanged. Just the sounds of battle raging over the roar of the flames. Metal against metal clashed over the snarls of Hana's ninken. There were no pleas for mercy, only gurgled cries and pained screams that ended abruptly.
Itachi's sharingan spun dangerously as he locked gazes with the Root agent directly in front of him. The man hit the ground, his eyes staring sightlessly at the sky and his fingers twitching as he engaged in battle with illusions. Itachi merely stepped over him, speeding through the handful of emotionless enemies until he reached his target.
Danzo didn't even try to run. He met Itachi head on, the sharingan on his arm spinning dangerously. But Itachi was faster and stronger and younger. And enraged. The fight was over before it began.
Itachi pinned the elder by his throat to the nearest tree, ripping the breath from him and rattling his old bones. Danzo wheezed but he was far too weak to fight against the tight grip around his windpipe. Instead he glared at Itachi, fearlessly meeting his gaze.
"Do it," Danzo sneered. "Kill me. Konoha still distrusts the Uchiha. That will never change. And the Uchiha Heir killing a Village Elder will only keep the distrust and hate alive."
"I have no plans of killing you," Itachi said softly. But his voice held an undertone that promised something much worse was still to come. "Yet."
Danzo paled but his eye narrowed. "You won't do it," he challenged. "You care too much for your pathetic clan. You wouldn't risk bringing dishonor to them."
The Uchiha Heir held his captive's gaze evenly, the crimson of his sharingan flickering ominously from the flames that roared nearby. Its soft heat only fueled the rage simmering in his veins. "You are mistaken. I come here on orders from the Hokage. And I intend to carry them out."
"You lie. Tsunade is as good as dead."
"Then you have once again underestimated Haruno Sakura," Itachi said cooly.
Even with his airway partially blocked, Danzo snorted. "That pathetic excuse for a kunoichi. Had I known what a nuisance she would be I would have made sure my men killed her that night in the hospital-"
The grip around Danzo's throat tightened as Itachi's anger spiked. Blinding rage threatened to overcome him but he forced himself to reign control over his emotions. This was not something he wanted to finish quickly.
"You will wish you had never touched her."
In the next instant, Itachi's sharingan sharpened into the distinct pinwheels on the Mangekyou Sharingan. Danzo's visible eye widened before he grew suddenly still, helplessly locked in the terror that was the Tsukiyomi. Neither of them moved as the old man was forced to live out every fear, every moment of suffering he had ever faced in his long life. Only this time, Itachi made sure it was amplified.
Behind him, the roar of battle slowly faded. The clearing quieted until all that was left was the crackling of fire and the soft pad of footsteps. Itachi recognized Shisui's chakra signature. He would have preferred a little more time, just a little longer to make this man suffer for all the wrongs he had committed, but he knew they needed to wrap things up and report back to the Hokage.
Even with that thought, Itachi kept Danzo trapped in his genjutsu a few moments longer, relishing in the knowledge that every second that slipped by for them lasted hours in the world of horror he had created. When he finally released Danzo, the old man fell to his hands and knees, shaking and gasping for breath. He didn't have the strength to speak but he glared up at them hatefully.
"What should we do with him?" Anko asked, coming to stand beside Itachi. Judging by her tone, she had her own opinions on what she would like to do but she voiced none of them.
There was no question what needed to be done. "We carry out our orders," Itachi said monotonously.
In the blink of an eye, he pulled a kunai and slit Danzo's throat with enough force to nearly severe his head from his shoulders. The village elder-turned traitor collapsed onto the dead grass with a sick gurgling sound from his torn throat and didn't move again, his blank eye staring sightlessly at the wall of fire.
No one spoke as Danzo's blood filled the forest floor. Itachi merely stared down at his lifeless body, caught between emotions. He had never enjoyed killing. Violence was not in his nature. It was something he did for his village and his village alone. But there was no denying the satisfaction of watching the crimson pool grow with each passing second around Danzo.
This was for the village, for the Hokage, for his clan. For Izumi and Sakura. For every person whose life had been uprooted by Danzo and his crazy plans for peace. Itachi would not long forget this feeling and in some sick, twisted sense he wondered if he ever wanted to.
Turning his back, Itachi directed his next order at Anko without looking at her, "Secure his body."
The kunoichi accepted his command with a silent nod.
Itachi's gaze then turned to the fire that was still raging around them. They would need to extinguish the flame before they left. He moved to the far end of the clearing and did just that, his hands pressing together into the seals for a water jutsu. It cooled the flames immediately, leaving damp, blackened grass in its wake.
That's when Itachi felt it. That unmistakable tightness in his chest.
He did his best to suppress it but he couldn't fight the unyielding need to clear his airway. He coughed hard into his hand and pulled his palm away to find it covered in red. Itachi stared at it quietly, only too aware of what this meant.
With his back still to his teammates, Itachi calmly cleaned the blood from his lips before he wiped his hand on his pants, erasing any evidence of what had just occurred.
Shisui appeared next to him less than a minute later. There must have been a look on Itachi's face for his cousin stared at him in concern. "You alright?"
Itachi merely nodded, fighting to breathe evenly through the pressure. The two stood side-by-side as they gazed at the bodies scattered through the clearing. There was a lingering feeling of triumph, that they had come out alive. But it was hollow. For their victory was without their teammate, without Genma. From the look on Shisui's face, Itachi got the feeling his cousin was mirroring his thoughts.
"Is Anko almost ready?" Itachi asked eventually.
Shisui glanced across the clearing to where Anko and Hana were working. "She's just wrapping up now."
Within minutes, they doused the rest of the fire before they left, leaving nothing behind but scorched earth and corpses.
By sunset, they arrived back into Konoha. The pain in Itachi's chest hadn't faded or even lessened, but it gave him relief to see the village still stood. The streets were still in a state of utter destruction and disarray, but the fires had been put out and reconstruction was underway. With the Hokage Tower no longer standing, Kakashi had moved all operations out of ANBU headquarters.
Itachi's team found him on the top floor, standing at one of the small windows overlooking the village. He turned expectantly upon the knock at the door and eyed them all. "I'm hoping you've come to tell me your mission was a success."
Itachi nodded at Anko and waited for her to drop the scroll on Kakashi's makeshift desk before answering, "The threat has been neutralized."
Kakashi stared at the scroll but made no moves to open it. There was the faintest show of a smirk beneath his mask, as if pleased with the outcome. But in the next moment it was gone. "I've never been one for paperwork," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "So I'll accept a vague verbal report on how you all were given no option but to use lethal force."
"It was all because of Itachi," Anko suddenly said before Itachi could even speak. "If it wasn't for the Uchiha Heir, I wouldn't be alive, sir. He saved my life."
Confused, Itachi turned to Anko sharply, but she was looking at Kakashi, a small smile on her face like she knew exactly what she was doing. Hana was quick to follow. "Shisui too. Root had cornered me and he jumped in and saved the day. They're both heroes."
Stunned, Itachi glanced at Shisui only to find his cousin was just as perplexed by this turn of events. Shisui met his gaze before he shook his head with a chuckle. Itachi couldn't help but share his amusement. And his relief. They wouldn't be alone in the fight to clear the Uchiha name.
"Well then," Kakashi said, "we'll have to ensure word gets out about the Uchihas' bravery and their sacrifice to this village. That's an order."
Anko and Hana bowed. "Yes, sir."
"In the meantime, there is still plenty to do," Kakashi proceeded. "Black ops is scouring the village block by block to ensure all Root members have been taken into custody. I want you all the help them with that."
Just then another knock sounded on the door. They all turned just as Nara Shikamaru slipped in, but he stood in the back quietly as Kakashi continued, "Shikamaru is taking point on securing our walls and borders. Until we can make an official announcement clearing the Military Police of any involvement in the attack, we will be using Jounins to help with the efforts. Afterwards, reconstruction and repairs are our main concern. We're going to need everyone's help to get the village back up on its feet."
Everyone in the room nodding, accepting their orders.
"But for now," Kakashi said, "Inuzuka and Mitarashi, go get some rest and report in tomorrow. Uchihas, I need a word with you both."
Both women bowed respectfully before they left the room. Shikamaru stayed behind but he remained in the back, a still and silent shadow just like the jutsus his clan was infamous for.
Kakashi waited to speak again until the door had closed. He looked directly at Itachi. "You are going to want to get to the hospital.
Itachi didn't react outwardly but surprise rippled through him. His first thought was Kakashi had somehow learned of his disease but that was unlikely. Instead, he waited for the Hokage to continued.
"It's your father," Kakashi said. "Fugaku-san was severely injured during the attack. I was updated that he is stable now, but he will be in for a long recovery. I'm sorry to have to deliver the news, but I figured you would want to know."
Itachi didn't immediately react. He had of course considered the possibility of his family being injured or killed during the attack. Sasuke had been his primary concern but his little brother had been out with Naruto before the assault had begun and he knew they would watch each other's backs. Worry for his mother had even crossed Itachi's mind, but his father...his father was proud and strong. It would have taken an unmovable force to injure him.
"Uchiha?" Kakashi asked when Itachi didn't speak.
Itachi opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The pain in his chest had built to a nearly suffocating pressure, and he realized a moment too late that it wasn't from stress.
A hacking cough ripped from Itachi's throat. And with it came blood. Dark and sticky. It stained his lips and clogged his airway, threatening his ability to breathe and making his head swim. Shisui was beside him in an instant, supporting his weight as they sank to their knees.
"Itachi, what's happening? What's wrong?" Shisui asked. Even fogging and choking for air, Itachi could hear the near panic in his cousin's voice.
Itachi could only brace a hand on the floor to keep himself upright while the other clutched his chest. He could barely breathe, nonetheless talk. But he managed to get out a single, ragged word: "Sakura."
"Get Sakura! Now!" Kakashi ordered Shikamaru.
The door opened and slammed closed again. Itachi remained where he was, his only focus trying to breathe and stay conscious. Just long enough for Sakura to get to him.
##
Sakura stood utterly still. She watched on silently as the surgical team rolled Itachi out of the operating room. Her fingers gripped her surgical hat tightly, wrinkling the soft material but she didn't loosen her tense grasp. Afraid her hands might give away how truly shaken she was.
Itachi was okay, she had to remind herself.
But he almost hadn't been. And that's what made her breath hard to draw.
"Sakura-san," Oyone said. Her voice was soft, nearly a whisper but it broke Sakura out of her trance and she glanced at her nurse. "I'm sorry, Sakura-san. Uchiha-san's family is in the Waiting Room. Would you like me to update them?"
"No," Sakura shook her head, finally releasing the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "No, I'll do it."
As soon as Itachi was gone, Sakura left the surgical floor. She took the elevator down to the main floor where she found Shisui, Sasuke and Mikoto all waiting for her. The instant they spotted her, they were on their feet. They met her midway.
"How is he?" Mikoto asked before Sakura could even come to a full stop.
She quickly shot the older woman a comforting smile. "Itachi is fine. I want to keep him under observation for a few days and he'll need some rest, but I expect he'll make a full recovery within a week or two."
Upon the good news, the tension visibly drained out of Mikoto. She placed a hand over her heart and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Sakura simply waited, giving her time to collect herself, aware that the Uchiha Matriarch had been through a lot since the beginning of the attack. The strong woman would never show it in the public eye, but Sakura had spent more time with the woman in recent days than she likely had in all the time as Sasuke's teammate. This war had put a great deal of stress on the caring mother.
"How did this happen?" Mikoto eventually asked.
Sakura hesitated, only too aware of the three sets of eyes that were watching her intensely. She had promised Itachi she would keep his secret for him. From the village and his teammates and his friends. And even his family. But with so many witnesses, she knew the truth could no longer be hidden.
"Itachi has a rare disease where the vascular cells of his lungs have thinned, causing blood to fill his chest cavity when he strains himself physically," Sakura said slowly. "It is similar to a condition commonly found in Cloud Country, but I'm not sure what the cause is yet. It doesn't appear to be hereditary or contagious, but I'm still looking into it."
"Wait," Sasuke said slowly. "You knew about it?"
She nodded, albeit a bit hesitantly . "Yes, I've been treating him for about five months now."
"Five months?!" Sasuke asked. His tone was somewhere between incredulous and angry. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"It wasn't my place."
"He's my brother!" he snapped.
Sakura didn't answer. She knew her teammate wasn't so much angry at her but upset he had been kept in the dark for so long. Mikoto sensed this too for she rested a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Sasuke…"
He ignored his mother, instead demanding, "I want to see him."
"Of course," Sakura said. "He's in the Recovery Ward. He should be awake within an hour or so, but try not to press him. He needs rest."
Her teammate didn't answer. He simply stormed off, only too familiar with where to go. Sakura watched him disappear as guilt chewed at her. She knew she had done what she needed to do by keeping Itachi's secret, but Sasuke had been her teammate for years and she knew he was feeling betrayed by her.
"Don't take it personally, dear," Mikoto said after her son was gone.
Sakura nodded but she couldn't quite shake her remorse. It was a moment before she found the strength to meet Mikoto's gaze. "You're not mad?"
The older woman released a long sigh but she shook her head. "No. Itachi has always been a very private person. Even as a child, he always kept things to himself. I tried to get him to be more open, but…" she trailed off quietly, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Then she blinked and focused on Sakura again. "No, I'm not mad. I'm grateful that he trusted you enough to help him. So thank you."
Sakura had to blink back tears when Mikoto wrapped her arms around her and hugged her. It was brief, but it conveyed everything the woman wanted to say. Sakura felt it down to her very soul. She was a little overwhelmed when Mikoto eventually pulled back and excused herself with a small but kind smile.
Alone with Shisui, Sakura turned to him and was suddenly struck with a sense of déjà vu. They had been in this situation before, months earlier. Only back then, Sakura had hardly known the man beside her. He was just a face and a name. Now, however, he was someone she considered a close friend. Someone she liked to talk to and hangout with. Someone she was comfortable with going to with problems or frustrations. Just like Sasuke, it felt like a betrayal to their friendship that she had kept something so important from him.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Sakura eventually said.
Shisui was quiet as he watched Mikoto walk away in the same direction Sasuke had left. It wasn't until she was out of sight that he finally shrugged, "It's okay. I already knew."
Bewildered, Sakura stared at him. "You did?"
"Well, I didn't exactly know what it was, but I knew something was wrong."
"How?" she asked.
Shisui paused as if trying to find the right words. "Itachi has always been a great shinobi," he said slowly. "He was the top of his class, graduated early and soared through the ranks faster than any ninja I've ever known. Shinobi like him don't just reach a certain level of greatness and stop. But Itachi did. I think that he was just always so good that no one ever really noticed that his skills never got better."
"But you did," Sakura pressed.
He nodded. "I always suspected something was going on, but he never wanted to tell me," he said. Then he turned to her with a hint of a smirk. "I am a little jealous he chose to tell you. But I'm glad he went to you."
She smiled faintly at that before she shrugged. "He didn't actually come to me. I found out by accident."
"But he still came back."
"Well sorta," she said sheepishly. When Shisui arched his brow curiously, she provided, "I may have blackmailed him."
"Really? I may have to try that," he said, his tone giving away his amusement. They both laughed before falling quiet. Sakura wasn't sure how long they stood side-by-side watching the everyday activity of the hospital until Shisui spoke again, "Anyway, I want to see how Itachi's holding up. You coming?"
Sakura shook her head. "No, I'll let you guys have your time alone with him. Give him time to explain things and rest. Besides, there's something I need to do."
Shisui didn't seem to entirely like her answer, but he accepted it nonetheless. "Make sure you come by. I know he'll want to see you."
Sakura made a noise of assent before Shisui too wandered down the hall. As soon as he was gone, the smile on her face faded. She wanted to be with Itachi. She wanted to be there when he woke up to see for herself that he was truly alright and apologize for not being able to keep his secret. For allowing his family to finally learn the truth.
But she couldn't yet. Not until she found a damn cure.
##
Nearly sixteen hours passed before Sakura came to see Itachi. It was late into the evening, the sun already having dipped beneath the horizon some hours ago. He was dozing when he heard the slid of his door and he cracked his eyes opened, half expecting it to be Shisui or his mother. Instead, Sakura slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind her.
In an instant, Itachi was awake. He pushed himself up in bed slowly, still a little sore and tired from the strain on his body, but he watched her intently as she crossed the dimly lit room. "Hey," she said softly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
Itachi only shook his head. "It is alright."
He hadn't realized how much he had been wishing to see her until she was suddenly before him. He hadn't seen her since the events immediately following the Hokage's Tower. Then she had been covered in dust and on the verge on exhaustion. It made him frown to see that even in the darkness, she didn't look much better off now but it did overjoy him to see she was safe. Itachi had the sudden urge to just pull her into his arms but he refrained. In the wake of the attack, she was undoubtedly busy. He guessed she only had a few minutes to spare. And she was still in medic-mode.
Itachi simply watched Sakura as she pulled his chart and compared his vitals. She marked a few notes but didn't speak again until she put the large file away. "How are you feeling?"
"A little lethargic," he admitted, knowing she wanted the whole truth. "But there has not been any chest pain or difficulty breathing."
"Good, I'm glad to hear that," she said softly. There was a small smile on her lips but it quickly faded. "I'm sorry your family found out about your disease. I know it was something you were adamant on keeping hidden and I apologize I wasn't able to do more for you sooner."
Itachi stared at her both concerned and confused. Her tone was so professional, so clinical like he was another patient. It was a moment before it occurred to him that she thought she had betrayed his confidence when in fact she had proven he was someone he could trust with his very life.
"It was not your fault," Itachi told her. "You warned me the consequences of taxing myself and I pressed my body beyond what was needed. I have kept my disease from my family long enough. It was time they learned the truth. Especially since I will be visiting the hospital more often until we have diagnosed my condition."
"Except you won't be."
Itachi stilled, her meaning not lost on him. Something akin to hope began to seep under his skin but he didn't allow himself to be overcome by it. Not until Sakura said it outright. "You identified it?" he pressed slowly.
Her pleased smile was answer enough but she nodded nevertheless. "I did."
In clear words, Sakura provided him its scientific name before she explained exactly what his condition was. He told him how it was a genetic mutation of Cloud country and though it was rare for someone living at a lower altitude to suffer from it, it was not unheard of. As it turned out, there were a few documented cases of it in the Sand Village.
"I reached out to one of my contacts in Suna and she said that they prescribed the same medication for patients with certain stomach conditions," Sakura continued.
She pulled out a bottle from her lab coat and passed it to him. Itachi took it wordlessly and reached over to click on the lamp beside the bed to provide more light before he read the label.
"It's not a cure," she warned him. "But it should slow the deterioration. I'm arranging to head out to Suna once things within the village calm down. Depending what I find there, I might even make a trip to Cloud Country. Now that I know what your disease is, it'll be a lot easier to find a way to treat it."
"Thank you," Itachi said.
He glanced up at her then. Only to freeze. In the semi-darkness, Sakura had been able to conceal herself from him, but with the bedside lamp casting a faint glow throughout the room, Itachi was able to gaze upon her unhindered.
Sakura looked horrible. There were no other word to describe it. She was still beautiful and strong but underneath all of that her skin was pale, her pink hair tossed up in a messy bun and there were shadows under her haunted eyes. Itachi couldn't remember a time she ever looked more not okay.
Itachi set the medication aside without looking away from her. "What happened?" he asked. His voice was quiet but his concern was only too evident.
Sakura didn't immediately answer as she looked down. She shoved her hands deep into her pockets and took a long, unsteady breath. When she finally spoke, her voice was so soft it was nearly a whisper, "Shizune's dead."
Cold spread through Itachi upon those words. His heart dropped into his stomach as renewed grief struck him like a blade through his chest. He had barely begun to process Genma's death. To learn Shizune had been taken as well was just another blow.
"They found her in Lady Tsunade's quarters," Sakura continued quietly, her gaze still downcast. "They think Danzo originally intended to kill the Hokage at home but found Shizune there instead."
Sakura sounded so lost and despaired that Itachi's heart broke for her. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her and take her pain away, but she still wasn't looking at him. She suddenly seemed so much older as if the entire weight of the world pressed upon her shoulders and she was struggling just to keep her head above water.
And she was likely was, he realized. Shizune was dead and Tsunade was in a coma. The hospital was now her responsibility. And yet she still made time to research his disease.
"When was the last time you slept?" Itachi asked softly.
Sakura shook her head, her eyes elsewhere. "I...I can't."
Her answer only worried him more. He held his hand out to her but she didn't move closer. He wanted to hold her and comfort her in ways that words couldn't express, but his mobility was still limited. She would have to go to him.
"Sakura, come here," he murmured.
She still didn't move. But then after a moment she finally slipped her hand out of her pocket and hesitantly rested her fingers against his. The instant he took her hand, Sakura's eyes flooded with tears. She covered her eyes with her other hand as large droplets of water fell down her cheeks. That's when the first broken sob slipped out of her mouth.
Itachi didn't say anything. He simply tugged her closer until he could wrap his arms around her. It was a tight squeeze but he maneuvered them until she was laying on the small, hospital bed beside him. He helped her shrug out of her lab coat before he held her tightly, her face pressed into the crook of his neck. Hot, wet tears fell against his skin and dampened the collar of his hospital gown but he merely soothed his hands up and down her back in a gentle caress while she gripped him like a lifeline.
And for the rest of the night, that's how they stayed. Until his whispered words of comfort finally lulled her into a deep, restful sleep.
to be continued...
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