Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 50 – The doc is in

8-8

"You're safe." I say, for the sixth time in three days. My final patient has awoken at last. "You passed out from your injuries and blood loss. We brought you to my home so you can recover in a safe environment." Ferret, Sarutobi Chinatsu, age thirty-two, suffered a severe spinal injury. Her spinal chord is still swollen from the injury, she won't be able to feel her legs at all.

"Who're you?" She asks, her brain is still rebooting.

"Namiki Aya. Codenamed Wolf." I tell her plainly. Her eyes widen slightly, before they narrow and she nods. She understands what I'm talking about. "Can you tell me your name, just to make sure I put you back together properly."

"Sarutobi Chinatsu. Codenamed Ferret, second in command of Team Gamma." Good, good. "I can't feel my legs." There's a slight panic in her voice.

"I know. I had to reconnect your spinal chord. The feeling should come back as the swelling eases." I tell her honestly. "I'll be keeping you here until it does."

"Where am I?" She looks around, obviously noticing we're not in the hospital.

"Namiki residence. I told you I brought you to my home." I explain calmly. I slowly walk over to her. "I swear to you, you're safe here." I offer my right arm to her, like I did with the others. She takes my arm by the elbow, holding me firmly.

"How's my team?" She asks.

"Worried about you. They're downstairs killing off all the booze." I tease. She doesn't even crack a smile.

"How long was I out?" She's still not letting go of me.

"Three days." She nods slowly, not too surprised by that. "I have you hooked up to a catheter, so you don't need to worry about going, just go. I just need to take this crap out of your nose." I slowly grab the tubing for the liquid food and pull that out. She winces, but doesn't complain.

"Thank you, Namiki-sensei." She grips me a little tighter. There are tears in her eyes, even though she's looking around to make sure no one else sees it but me.

"Just Aya is fine." I wave it off. She nods.

"What's the prognosis, Aya-sensei?"

"Chinatsu, seriously. Just Aya. I'm not a doctor." I tell her, annoyed. I've been saying that over and over again. "And we won't know until the swelling eases. I'm cautiously optimistic though. Yours wasn't even the worst case I had to deal with that day."

"Good…" She lays her head back down. She's tired, worn out, even though she's been unconscious for days. Recovery isn't a fun stage to be in. "Thanks, Aya-sensei." She lets go of my arm, fast asleep once again. I shake my head, updating her charts and moving on. Anbu Operatives are just so stubborn!

8-8

"Yo, doc! I got my toe to wiggle!" Kurama Hikaru, codenamed Eagle. He's the one that had me the most worried, seeing as I had to reconnect his spinal chord is four places. I roll my eyes at him.

"How many times do I have to tell you idiots to call me Aya? Just Aya." I walk over to his roommate first, who's still sleeping. I sit on the bed next to him, my hand ghosting over the side of his face. He's been sleeping a lot, but I'm not too surprised by that. He always wakes up for meal time, anyway. He's too much the Akimichi not to.

His eyes flutter open, focusing on me. "Hey." He says, a smile in his eyes.

"You do realise I'm going to kill you the second you're back on your feet." I say, my eyes a bit watery.

"No you won't. You'd find it too bothersome to put me back together again." He grins this time, his hand reaching for me, cupping and rubbing my cheek gently. "Your sister's an excellent cook by the way."

"You hungry?" I ask, my hand cupping his, even as I muzzle it and enjoy his calluses. He has such rough hands, but his touch is always so gently.

"I could eat." He says, grinning. "If it's not to much trouble?"

I lean in, kissing him. "You're never too much trouble, Chouji." I say, smiling warmly. We share another brief kiss. "I'll have Maki bring it up for you. I really need to report in."

8-8

Once downstairs, I groan. Momochi-san, Mitarashi-san and six Anbu idiots are in the visitors' sitting room, drinking their troubles away. I swear, if any of them make another scene, I'm kicking them out myself!

"Yasu-nee, I nee to report in. Chinatsu woke up. That means she has to start on soups until her stomach is a bit stronger. Maki, you know who's peckish again. You mind helping him out? And please don't either of you tolerate those idiots if they start anything. I swear, I'm going to stop letting them in!" I make sure they can hear me too!

"Oi! Doc, don't be like that!" That'd be Hyuuga Hitomi, codenamed Rabbit. I snort. That woman's been here ever since the invasion. She's pretty much been part of the furniture. I hear footsteps coming my way. Hitomi's scent is getting stronger. Gee, I guess I've got my usual shadow then. "I'll come with you. You know Boss won't like it if our little princess was alone for more than five seconds."

I snort. Tsume's as bad as the rest of them! Not that Hitomi even needs an order to shadow me. I swear the entire Anbu organization might as well move in here!

"Hey, Aya-chan. You reporting in?" Hana asks. I sigh. Tsume all but begged for Hana to stay here to give me a hand, seeing as I have five Anbu Operatives in my care (the ACTUAL patients, I mean). Hana's one of the few Anbu Medics, so she knows just how annoying most Operatives are.

"Nn. You know Dragon would flip her lid if I don't report in on time." Hana laughs, not bothering to deny that. Her mother's… a bit intense.

"You already did the rounds?" She asks, her tone far more professional now.

"Nn. Chinatsu woke up. I updated her charts, and I informed Yasu-nee. Chouji woke up for a bit. Maki's bringing up food for him now. The others are already showing progress. You may want to tell that idiot Hikaru not to over do it again. He's busy wiggling his toe. And bragging, if you could believe it." I say that last part in a compete deadpan. Hana laughs, knowing Hikaru well enough not to bother wondering about that.

"Alright. I'll talk to him, again." She smiles and rolls her eyes. We both know he won't listen, but we can't not say it. She heads upstairs without another word. So I start my trek to the gate. I run into Sakiko and company. They're busy training with Minori and Haku, who are correcting any little mistakes in their stance as they run through a kata. They all wave to me, but Sakiko blows a kiss. I blow one right back at her, teasing a pleased blush and a smile from her.

"Ah, Remi-san! I was wondering where you were." I say, opening the gate for her. She's weighed down with bags – she simply refused to let anyone else do the grocery shopping, knowing that her Chou-chan is going to need the best possible ingredients while he's recovering. The kids all run over to come give her a hand bringing it into the house.

"How's he doing?" Remi-san asks me.

"Not much change. He's still sleeping a lot, only waking up to eat." I tell her honestly. "I have to report in though. Hana and Maki are upstairs with them." With that I close the gate behind me. Hitomi and I body flicker, hoping to make it to Anbu HQ before Tsume gets impatient.

8-8

"Oi, you here too?" Naru-nii says, rubbing the back of his head. What's he doing at HQ?

"Yeah. Someone likes daily updates." I say, rolling my eyes. He laughs, but doesn't bother asking for details.

"I've got a mission coming up. The old perv and I need to head out to find someone." He says vaguely. I shrug. If it's something I need to know, he'll tell me. Otherwise, I have enough to worry about, so I won't care not knowing. Besides, as stupid, annoying and unwaveringly idiotic, Jiraiya wouldn't let anything happen to my Naru-nii.

"How long will you be gone?" I ask as we nod to the two guards stationed at the door.

"Dunno. Maybe a month? Maybe longer? This person has to be found, so…" I shrug again. "Asami's coming with me." So they took my advice huh.

"When are you leaving?"

"After the wake." His voice is lifeless this time. I don't blame him. Losing the Third has been hard on everyone, but Naru-nii was especially close to him. Poor Konohamaru's been on the verge of tears every since. Thank Kami-sama he has a net to catch him each and every time he falls. Saki's been especially supportive – every time I catch him crying, it's either Yasu or Saki holding him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm positive Asami would too, but she's mostly holed up in her room crying. Haku's been stalking the girl to make sure she doesn't go crying by herself.

We make it to Tsume's office, so I knock. "In!" She announces, probably already knowing it's us. "Report." I barely open the door before I'm demanded to spill the beans.

"It's nice to see you too, Dragon." I drone, unimpressed. Naru-nii closes the door behind him. "Ferret's awake. We're starting her on liquids before we start working her up. Eagle's being…" I go through the motions, giving her every single change in my patients since yesterday's report.

"Good. I assume Akimichi Remi is still doing the shopping." Dragon doesn't ask. She never asks. She orders or makes statements that can be taken as questions.

"She is."

"What about Dog?"

"He won't be allowed to start even rudimentary training until at least the end of the month." I inform her. "Maki however is doing much better. And her team is already helping Hana and me with our rounds whenever they are able."

"Good." She nods, finally satisfied. "You've earned quite a name among the ranks. Not too many medics that can hold their own in a fight."

"Hana?" I remind her. She chuckles, and I can imagine there's a proud grin behind her mask. The worst cases were brought to me, but from what Hitomi told me? Hana took the bulk of the cases right there in the field.

"Can't argue there. She's turning into an amazing kunoichi. As are you." I shrug, not caring. "I'm bringing by some presents tonight. Everyone pitched in to thank Wolf for saving their hide time and time again. Tell Hana I'll be bringing hers as well."

"I d-"

"This isn't a negotiation. Anbu has far too few medics as is. Let alone medics that open their own home to fellow Operatives for their rehabilitation. Usually they spend the first few weeks clawing their way out of the hospital." I believe that. Kakashi is every bit as bad. "You have yet to report a single escape attempt."

"There hasn't been one. I keep them on their needed sake and junk food." I wink, smiling at my own words. Tsume snorts, knowing at least one of my patients really would demand that.

"My point exactly. They are safe, and they feel safe. The hospital isn't a place they can claim to feel that way about. I mean, Dog has yet to try escaping! If that isn't a miracle, I don't know what is!"

I shrug. "Whatever you say, Dragon. Was there anything else?"

"There is, but I want to discuss that later. That's why I'm coming over."

I shrug again. "Alright, just know that you aren't the only one who'll be there. And if you're missing a few of your operatives, they're probably passed out on my back porch.

"They've earned the right." She says seriously. Not arguing with you, but I've earned it too and I'm still sober and dealing with stubborn as sin Anbu Operatives! "The Shinobi Council will be calling a meeting after the wake. They're going to want a report the invasion. Be prepared, they'll want to speak with you."

"Oh?"

"It's standard procedure." No it isn't. "Oh, one last thing." I'm tossed a scroll. "Fox tells me you have a thing for unique jutsus." I look at the scroll, but it's unmarked. I open it, finding two A-ranked sound release jutsus described within.

I roll it back up. Don't mind if I do. "I have a request."

"Nn?"

"I want to teach Hana sound release. And any other Anbu medic that's willing. If there are so few, I want to make sure they can survive anything."

She just gazes at me, silent for a long moment. "That's what I was hoping to ask tonight."

"Good. I have enough going on in my home anyway, so having a few extra medics just hanging around will be a blessing." I wave and see myself out, my two shadows coming with me.

8-8

Dinner time is really turning into an event in the Namiki household. We have six patients upstairs how are still very much bedridden. A minimum of six out of uniform Anbu Operatives that are constantly here in case… I dunno, a battalion of enemy shinobi break in? Daddy, mom, Remi-san, Chouza-san, Inoichi-san, Mariko-san, Ino and Shika-nii are always here for meal time too. Shika-nii only eats at Chouji's bedside though. I don't mind too much, my heart can't take seeing him like that too often – no matter how guilty I feel that I'm not by his side twenty-four hours a day.

Tonight we have Tsume and Kuromaru here as well. Shocking, I know. Dragon says she'll come, and Tsume shows up. You might almost think it was a coincidence, right?

Hana is of course here as well, along with her three partners. Inuzuka-san decides he can join us, which Tsume has to end up begging me to let him. I mostly just glare at the idiot every time he opens his big fat mouth.

I make sure to keep daddy and his friends entertained with their sake after dinner. Kami-sama knows those three need a drink after a hellish few days. I haven't seen Sarutobi-sensei or Yuuhi-sensei since before the invasion, but I figure he just needs some time and she's there with him.

Momochi-san doesn't complain that I keep bringing him more sake as well. Though I never check to see if he actually drinks it. Just like Kakashi, I assume that if the bottles empty, he drank it and wants another one.

Mitarashi-san has been pretty chummy with me, constantly mussing my hair and hugging me when she's had one too many. I don't mind too much, I'm just glad she survived.

"Oi!" Mitarashi-san is at it again. "A toast! To our amazing little brats that just never know how to give up!" She raises her sake filled saucers to me and Naruto-nii.

"To Naruto and Aya!" Daddy agrees, and the others all raise their saucers as well – especially the Anbu Operatives.

"OI! AYA! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE!" Maki calls me from upstairs. Hana and I share a look and we rush up in half a heartbeat.

"Hikaru just flatlined again." We nod rushing into his room, taking turns to undo the damage his idiocy inflicted this time. The worst part is, we can't even put him in a coma, because the moron keeps waking himself!

Five minutes later, we have one embarrassed looking idiot, who's smiling and thanking us for the third time today. "Oi, numb nuts. Try to remember that you're supposed to be taking it easy! Forcing yourself to recover quicker is only making this worse!" Hana gets on his case.

"Seriously, one more screw up and there'll be no more junk food for you until you recover!" I add. He looks sheepish, apologizing once again.

"I'll be good. I promise." He tries. But we're not buying it.

"So how was dinner?" I ask Chouji, motioning for Shika-nii to scoot over so I can check on… crap. He's sleeping again. I pick up his and Shika-nii's dishes, Kiss Chouji on the forehead and make my way back downstairs.

8-8

"Everything alright, princess?" Daddy asks, worry in his eyes.

"Yeah. Hikaru was being an idiot again. Hana's up there giving him hell." I explain. Everyone shrugs – this isn't the first and this won't be the last time one or both of us is rushed upstairs to deal with him.

"Aya, before I start drinking…?"

"Nn?" Daddy and mom make some space between them, so I take my seat, wondering what's going on this time. "What's up?"

"The first thing is your paycheck for not only your part in the invasion, but your capture of the Sound Siblings." I'm handed a paper. I don't bother check the amount on it – it's not like I'm hurting for money right now. I just shove it in my pocket, deciding to go over details like that another time. "As well, with Naruto's help, we've identified your kills and I've taken the liberty of cashing the bounties for you." I'm handed another slip of paper. I roll my eyes, putting that in the same pocket as the last.

"Tsume, I-"

"Hush now. I'm not done." She instructs. "This is a present from the guys, for constantly having to put them back together." She places a rather large but flat(ish) box on the table, sliding it over to me. I open the box, finding twin wakizashis. Custom made, from the look of it. Pink and with violet butterflies all over the sheaths. I take out one of them, finding the blade to be bubblegum pink. I smile, shaking my head in amusement.

"They're chakra conducting, but these aren't reverse edged like your kodachis. The boys figured you could use something like this, and Hana happened to know about your love for pink and butterflies." Tsume explains.

"I love it." I slide the wakizashi back into the sheath, hugging it to my chest. Tsume smiles, but the smile quickly fades. She places another box, a much smaller one, on the table and slides it to me. I open the box, finding a more than familiar mask inside. A wolf mask. Mama's mask. Tears fall before I can hope to stop them.

"I…" Words fail me.

"Your parents met because of a similar situation. Miwako was messed up from a mission, constantly trying to escape from the hospital, so your father took her home with him. He took a month off from work and tended to her." Tsume explains seriously, a sad smile on her face as she thinks about mama. "After that, he was the only person allowed to tend to her. And she got messed up during missions a lot. I'm sure you can understand how things went from there." I nod.

"Thank you." I say, meaning it.

"You've earned it, Aya." She says, her tone serious. This isn't just an honorary gift. This means more. I narrow my eyes at her. She nods solemnly, knowing what I'm asking. Wow. Thirteen and a full member of Anbu. I guess it helps that I kind of saved quite a few of their members –of my colleagues, I guess– during the invasion.

I close the box, place my new wakizashi back with its twin, and close that box as well. I sigh, unsure how to even feel right now. This is… major! Oh so major!

"One last thing. Since you've agreed to train Hana and the other medics… I wanted you to have this as well." Tsume soldiers on, placing a third box on the table and sliding it to me. I narrow my eyes. This one is smaller still. Almost a jewellery box.

I open it, finding the most GORGEOUS pair of pink gem earrings (Tsume is quick to point out that they're actually sapphires) I've ever seen! Dangly ones, with thin, teardrop stones as long as my thumb! The gold the stones are set in is simple, almost understated.

"Kami-sama! Tsume, they're gorgeous!" I take out the earrings and show them to mom, who gushes over them just as I am. "Now I just need to get my ears pierced! And I need to get invited to a royal banquet." Everyone laughs at that, but no one disagrees.

"Aya, you've done your parents proud. To have defended our village in her hour of need. And to have saved countless lives, including six doctors at the hospital." Tsume says.

"All of my parents." I agree, leaning into daddy's shoulder. Mom is quick to hug me, and daddy sandwiches me in.

"Oi, Aya. I was wondering." Inoichi-san begins. "Would you mind teaching Ino as well? I mean, I doubt I'll buy you that expensive a thank you gift for it, but…" Everyone laughs at that. I just roll my eyes.

"What do you think, Hina-nee? Should Ino be allowed to join the club?" I ask, teasing the blond a bit.

"Aya. That isn't very nice, you know." Hina-nee gets on my case.

"What? You'll be working her in, so I think you should have a say in this!" I point out. Hinata-nee thinks about that for a whole second, maybe a second and a half, before nodding. Father and daughter smile, thanking us, but I just wave it off.

"As well, Aya. I'll be stationing Hitomi here until further notice." Tsume gets my attention again.

I snort. "Like you could order her to leave? I'm amazed I'm allowed to go to the bathroom alone!"

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Hitomi complains, sticking her tongue out at me. I roll my eyes at her.

"Just calling it like I see it." I wink at her playfully. "You do realise that means you'll be dragged into whatever insane trainings go on in this house, right?"

"Like that'll sca… wait… Anko's here every day isn't she…" That gives Hitomi pause. Then she whimpers. "Fine, but I'm not training with her! That woman's crazy!"

I snort. "No arguing there."

8-8

Once the madness dies down, I head back upstairs. I make my rounds, making sure everyone is comfortable, before… before finding myself at Chouji's bedside once again. I go over his charts, finding that the Hana agrees that the swelling is going down. And yet, when I tickle the bottom of his foot, nothing happens. I run my fingernails over his bare feet a second time, hoping that maybe he's just overly tired and will react this time.

He doesn't.

Kami-sama, I… I don't know what to think, to feel. Did I mess up? Did I reconnect the nerves wrong? Did I ruin his life? Will he hate me for it? Does he hate me already? Is that why he's 'sleeping' whenever I'm in here? Is he just avoiding me?

"Hey." Chouji reaches out, taking my hand. Even with his eyes closed.

"Hey." I echo, tears falling.

"I'm sorry." He says, his eyes fluttering open. "I… wasn't strong enough."

More tears fall. And there's a tightness in my chest that wasn't there a second ago. "You're alive." I say, no longer fighting the tears. "The rest we'll just have to figure out in time."

"But…" He looks away from me.

"But what, Chouji?"

"What if… I never walk again…"

"Then we'll just have to set up a room for you downstairs. And get you a proper wheelchair so you can move about freely." I tell him. "I mean… it's the least I can do when…"

"Aya… come here." He tugs me towards him. I climb into his bed laying my head on his chest for the first time since he woke up two days ago. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for you."

No, you'd be walking around if it wasn't for me.

"Can I ask you something?"

"N-nn."

"Do you mean what you said?" I look up at him, questions in my eyes. "That you'd take care of me if I could never walk again."

"What kind of a silly question is that?" I wiggle myself up so I'm at eye height with him. "Akimichi Chouji. I love you." I manoeuvre myself so I'm straddling him. "All of you." I lean in and wrap my arms around his neck.

"I wouldn't blame you, you know… if you were to-" I silence him with a kiss. He tries again, so I kiss him again, and again, and again.

"So long as you love me." I kiss him again. "So long as you treat me right." I kiss him again. "So long as you pick me up when I'm feeling down." I kiss him again and again. "I won't stop loving you."

"Then why were you avoiding me these last few days?" He asks, pain in his eyes.

"Because… I'm… scared." I admit, not wiping away the tears. "I'm scared I… screwed up. I'm scared I didn't put you back together right. That… I… That I'm the reason you can't feel your legs."

He rubs my cheeks with both his calloused hands. "Get it through your skull, Aya. I would be dead without you." He says, his voice gentle, his eyes warm and welcoming. I hear him, I understand his words… but will he still think that in ten years if he really can't walk? "Besides, Hana checked. That Mogusa guy checked. That Kitou guy checked. You didn't do a perfect job, but you put me together as well as possible."

I hug him. Worried for his future, worried for his prognosis. Worried that he's just lying to make me feel better.

"I… Aya, I…" He pushes me back gently. He looks me in the eyes, cupping my cheeks with that gentle touch of his once again. "I love you, Namiki Aya." His eyes are fluttering again. He's going to fall asleep.

I lean in, kissing him one last time as he falls asleep.

"I love you… Chouji…" I shift over towards the wall, not wanting to hamper his breathing as he sleeps. I lay my head on his arm, praying to whatever Kami is listening, that Chouji will be okay… that I can make him okay…

"Akimichi Aya…" Isn't there some law against having a family name and given name being so similar, or something… And did I just say that out loud?

8-8

End Chapter 50

8-8

A/N: