A/N: Hey! Sorry for the long update, its just there's so much homework for me and I've become all maniac-ish. Hopefully it doesn't affect my writing : (
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Naruto. It is rightfully owned to Mr. Masashi Kishimoto!
Chapter 8The full moon shone brightly in the dark blue night sky. To Sakura it looked a whole lot bigger as they were in the mountains. And indeed it sure was big to her, even as she was looking out through the hospital window. She felt she needed to see the shades of the dark blue sky out, like she did even in Konoha, as everything in the hospital was white. Sometimes it hurts her eyes.
Sakura traced the file with the name Kahiko Raigunjo on it. She reread the information again and again. That's what she was supposed to do, become a temporary nurse for Kahiko, and in case if the killer strikes, she would have to protect Kahiko, and herself. While…Kakashi has been hanging around the village, mostly drinking inside the bar these few nights. He told Sakura he's investigating around town, asking questions here and there. It's been three nights now since their stay at Hidden Hills. So far, no one seemed to be suspicious.
Perhaps it was someone from the hospital, Sakura had suggested to Kakashi, obviously he had thought that option too. Kakashi decided that he would pretend to want to know everyone in the hospital, preferably the women-no surprise there- and invite him or her for a drink and get information about what they know. Sakura and Kakashi both agree that for Kahiko to be brought away, there must have been an accomplice that actually knew Kahiko, and lure her to a suitable situation where she can easily be brought away.
And so, tonight, Hatake Kakashi was supposed to have a drink with Hana, the doctor that kept on flirting with Kakashi and Kakashi seemed to be flirting back. Although she can't blame Kakashi for taking advantage of the situation, according to other males she have talked to, Hana is one hot smoking babe in this small minute village. And yet, she was annoyed…
She remembered their little bickering this morning, of her and Kakashi. She didn't know why she was so bothered, okay, Kakashi had asked many women before Hana for drinks in order to investigate more of who the culprit it. Perhaps as she was pretending to be a nurse, she had to take care of other patients as well and at the same time watching for Kahiko, perhaps it had tired her out.
" So, tonight, I'm going to ask Hana for a drink." Kakashi told her that morning.
Sakura who was going through the list of medicine for a few patients just gripped her clipboard tighter. Kakashi noticed the sudden change of mood in the air surrounding the pink-haired girl in front of him.
" I thought it'd help to actually talk to someone who actually knew Kahiko." Kakashi continued on.
" Well you seem eager enough. I suppose the fact that she's one hot babe helps your motivation." Sakura rolled her eyes.
" Yes. What's your point?" Kakashi said dumbly.
Sakura didn't answer and just kept scribbling on the clipboard. She felt warm hands on her shoulders and she heard his serious voice, which never fails to send shivers down her spine.
" Sakura, are you okay? Why are you so…snappy?"
" I don't know… I'm sorry…" Sakura grumbled.
She shook her pink hair and yawned loudly. She shuddered at the coldness of the room and looked at the time. It was pretty much the time she had to check up on Kahiko. Sakura decided to wear the nurse's uniform over her white top so she wouldn't be so cold. Then with her clipboard and her kit she made her way to Kahiko's room. She pushed the slightly heavy door and closed it behind her slowly. She saw Hagami, Kahiko's father, sitting on the chair beside Kahiko, had fallen asleep.
Sakura gave a meek smile to no one and gently shook Hagami awake.
" Hagami-san, I think you should sleep on the visitor's bed, you're very exhausted and she'll be fine." Sakura suggested.
The older man grumbled in his state of being half-asleep.
" Uh..um..fine…" Hagami mumbled.
Hagami went to the visitor's bed near the window and lay himself down.
Sakura opened her kit box and checked Kahiko's blood pressure. Kahiko just woke up from her slumber and was watching Sakura with her eyes half-closed. Sakura found the blood pressure and recorded it on her clipboard. Next, she took out a needle and a syringe and injected the medicine in Kahiko's IV. Kahiko's face contorted with pain as the concentration of the medicine was reacting with her blood stream. Kahiko's face turned red and a croaky shriek came out from Kahiko's throat as she tried to scream.
" It's the medicine, Kahiko, relax, it'll go away soon." Sakura explained.
Sakura gently massaged her arm to ease the pain away. Sakura waited and watched until Kahiko's body was no longer tense as the pain subsided in her body. Her face was no longer twisted and red with pain, it simply went back to its pale and bluish hues due to being ill. Kahiko's eyes were closed again and pretty soon Sakura heard the sounds of deep breathing coming from her. Kahiko was asleep again.
Sakura rubbed her eyes and envied the girl's peaceful slumber. She put another blanket on Kahiko's sleeping form and left the room. Once out of the room Sakura returned back to the nurse's room where she sat down and once again her thoughts trailed back again to Kakashi. She wondered what Hana and Kakashi would be talking about?
Sometimes she felt guilty when she found herself to be very, very curious about Kakashi. But she blames it on the fact that she had never actually dated anyone, not counting the ones with Lee. Lee had tried his best for their date when she would agree if he asked her out, but to Sakura, Lee will be nothing more than a close friend.
She decided to try and stop thinking about unimportant things, and just focus on the investigation. And Sakura had to admit, she was definitely at a dead end. First of all, she hasn't been anywhere besides the hospital and the hotel, and second of all she doesn't know anyone well enough to point out accusations and carry investigations on them. She could only say that no one looks suspicious, or everyone looks suspicious. She just couldn't think forward as she couldn't place accusations based on the 'suspicious' aura of a person.
The only thing she could do, is probably be alert and be ready to protect Kahiko from the killer and at the same time, following the philosophy of killing two birds with one stone, surround him or her so they won't get away, and save the remaining medics that were on their list, and her life too.
The sound of the heavy hospital door being pushed open startled her out of her thoughts.
Hana closed the door behind her and gave Sakura a timid smile. Sakura returned her smile but wondered why Hana was so anxious. And one more thing, wasn't she supposed to have a drink with Kakashi? Perhaps she did, and now she's here.
" Hana-san, why you scared me…" Sakura said.
" Oh, sorry. Well I was just in a- well how is Kahiko?"
" Her vital signs are stable, she's a bit dehydrated so I told the other nurse tomorrow and added in the medic folder to add pure water as part of her IV routine." Sakura replied.
" I see…well I'll go and give her medicine now." Hana gave Sakura the same dry smile, got the utensils and was out the door in seconds.
Sakura was much more confused than ever. Hana should have known that if Sakura had already done the check up on Kahiko, it would have meant that Sakura already had injected the medicine inside Kahiko, which Sakura did but Hana…she wasn't even on duty tonight. Something clicked inside Sakura's head.
The next thing she knew she ran out of the door as fast as she could to reach Kahiko's room. She pushed the door open.
And Sakura was right.
Hagami's unconscious form was lying on the hospital floor; there was a broken vase near his head. He had been knocked unconscious as she saw there was a small cut on the back of his head. Hana and Kahiko was nowhere to be found in the room. Sakura saw a trace of blood on the white sheet of the bed. Sakura presumed the blood was from Kahiko's arm as Hana pulled out the IV in order to free her. The window was opened wide.
" Shit! That woman!" Sakura cursed and with that she too jumped out of the hospital window.
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Kakashi rubbed his stubby rough chin he could feel under his mask, which he badly needed to shave. He was sort of –shocked- at himself for thinking about Sakura, for a much longer time he would rather think about his friend, she occupied his mind pretty bad for what happened this morning, despite it was a little fight. He took one more gulp from his sake and decided not to take anymore. After all, he still is on a mission and unexpected things could happen at an unexpected time. He decided to remember the conversation he had earlier with Ms. Hana.
She was quite a woman, young to achieve many things in the medical area. She arrived promptly at the required time for them to meet and she immediately decided to talk about herself, even without Kakashi using his flirtation as a guise. He decided there was nothing to be suspicious about her. Except, something didn't quite add up about her. He had met with a young man, whom worked as a receptionist at the hospital. He informed Kakashi that when he checked the shift times and registration the night before Kahiko was kidnapped, there were a few doctors and a few nurses on the shift that night, two were definitely Hana and Kahiko. Hana had said she was not at the hospital during the time of Kahiko being kidnapped. And what's more, the young man had also said that Hana had signed in late to work the next day at the hospital.
Kakashi decided that he should find out more about Hana.
He left the bar and began making his way to the hospital by making the short trip shorter just by leaping on buildings. He first silently leaped up to the roof of a house, then on to higher buildings. As he was in the air, something caught his eye. Someone was jumping building by building as well. Someone with pink hair…
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Sakura was still hopping from one building to another and tried to jump higher each time, hoping to find out the location of Hana and her hostage. Hana probably was quite skilled, as no one except ninja's would dare jump outside of windows like that. Sakura scanned the view in front of her, it was a small town, she could have seen Hana by now if she was leaping like Sakura.
Then Sakura saw it, a blur of white leaping from the buildings on the north end of the village. Sakura turned around and leaped to another building to catch up to her. Someone else was leaping around from behind approaching her .She could sense his chakra
" Kakashi!" Sakura yelled.
In a matter of moments, Kakashi had already caught up with Sakura and now both of them are jumping at buildings as if they were trampolines.
" It's Hana. She's got Kahiko!" Sakura yelled.
" All right. Let's get faster!" Kakashi said quickly.
Sakura pumped her chakra so it could flow around her body much faster. She increased her speed and with Kakashi they both followed the white blur jumping around, trying to escape from the village. They were no more than 100 metres than Hana, Sakura thought, and if Hana were a ninja, she'd have sensed her and Kakashi by now. Then she saw her silhouette in the moonlight carrying an unconscious girl as they landed on a red roof.
Sakura felt her senses sharpening as by seconds she saw a series of kunai's thrown in their direction, she immediately bounded to the side. She gave a silent gasp as the series of kunai's disappeared. It was an illusion. Sakura gave a loud yelp as she looked forward another series of kunai's heading straight towards her. They were real kunai's this time, Sakura figured it out, and jumped over it. Kakashi already had leaped before her and was making his way towards the running figure.
Yep, a ninja, unfortunately she's quite good.
Kakashi was getting faster, Sakura could see he was catching up and almost landed in the same building as Hana. Hana threw some more kunai's at him but he dodged it with ease. Sakura too ran as fast as she could. She made one final jump and landed swiftly on the roof where Kakashi and Hana-who seemed to have stopped- was standing. There was only silence as Sakura landed. Hana, Sakura observed, no longer was wearing the doctor's uniform, she wore a black suit and her red hair was no longer red, it was dark purple and her eyes only showed malice and coldness.
" Hana, give her to me." Kakashi said calmly.
" Ch, no…" Hana gave a smirk.
" You don't want to do this." Kakashi said.
" Yes I do. Like you, I am also on a mission, and I am not about to fail it with a so called copynin and his amateur student" Hana said grimly.
" Me? Amateur? Why you-" Sakura's anger immediately sparked, but maturity of the whole situation took control over her thoughts. And she calmed down. " We just want Kahiko back."
" You are stupid. Both of you. If the stupid little girl hadn't realized it in the nick of time, I would have gotten away with it like a ghost. If I hadn't planned to make it tonight, no one would have ever known it was me. And you, Kakashi, you even flirted with me." Hana explained coldly. " After all I'm just a doctor who's especially good at fighting."
" Why did you decide to sign in with whoever you are working for? And who-" Kakashi asked quietly.
" That I can't tell you." Hana said. " I do indeed, have a motive on why I decide to offer my services to him, this stupid little bitch was in my way." She roughly tugged an unconscious Kahiko. " And then when I found out someone wants something from her, and kill her afterwards, I said I'd gladly do it."
" In your way? What, some kind of love triangle-" Kakashi asked some more. Sakura raised her eyebrows on what he was doing, but then she realized Kakashi was trying to buy time so she won't escape and also for Sakura to make a move to get Kahiko.
" Love triangle. Psh. I could get men much more than her. Her so-called genius just overtook the whole medicine league higher, and after the head medics met Kahiko, they didn't want to see the rest of us. And I worked my ass off for years, just because she was quite young and a genius she was going to make the head medic, and what was I? A regular doctor limited only to treatment and examination."
Hana suddenly stopped talking. She leered at Kakashi in a superior way.
" It's not going to work." She said softly.
And Sakura heard, as she was invisible and was jumping heading towards Hana for an upcoming surprise attack another mass of chakra overtook her and gave her a blow to the stomach, and pulled her away. Sakura's eyes bulged out from the pain and she felt her senses to the world blurring, but she knew this force was strong as it dragged her away and she saw Hana with Kahiko following this person who was carrying her. Carrying her away from Kakashi, who seemed to be under some kind of jutsu, as she saw he was standing on his knees looking at them. She was too tired to see and to think.
Sakura yelled Kakashi's name before she fell into a dark world of unconsciousness.
TBC
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A/N: Sorry for the long delay. Review onegai!
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