Yes, I'm feeling a bit woozy from writing so much in a day…why do my holidays never turn out like holidays…not that I didn't enjoy writing this…
Reviews and Favs are the single neutrons that cause radioactive chain reactions to Uranium molecules to make a whole lot of energy…
Chem. midterms are getting to my head…
The disclaimer: Think of it this way, if I did own it, Kakashi Gaiden would be out in anime from constant nagging and threats…although that could happen anyways without me actually owning the series…whatever, I don't own it. Don't sue me.
Bon Appetit!
Chapter 2
Sakura ran into the room, hardly stopping to close the sliding door labeled 145, and saw him on the clean white bed. At least, what used to be a clean white bed if hospital standards hadn't been changed. The 'clean' white bed that was the minimal treatment for most of the overnight patients was stained crimson red in the lower right corner.
Holding back the grimace, she got to work on the reopened wound immediately, using a blank scroll, a myriad of hand seals, and some intricate brushwork.
Where's that insolent artsy bastard when you need him? She thought as she tried to write out the complicated kanji by memory. Closing her eye over the slight mistakes and suppressing her perfectionist side for once, she cut off a snippet of hair from the tip of the lopsided mess he called hair, and brought it to the leg-wound.
She looked at the unsightly wound with dismay. It had opened up again and would be painful when the jounin awoke. She mentally patted herself on the back for healing the bones yesterday. She checked over the wound and healed the main leg muscles to the point where there shouldn't be constant throbbing.
Wouldn't, she corrected herself, I'm not the second-best medic in the village, for nothing!
While effective, this form of healing was extremely complex and Sakura only knew how to heal the main muscles without a full medic team with back up. She stitched the wound up, manually this time, making the tiniest stitches. He hardly twitched.
Better tell Moegi to work on closing up wounds. Ebisu's brats aren't getting enough injuries for Moegi to practice her medical jutsu. Even so, I should have been able to fix it when I looked it over.
She knew she was being too harsh on herself, knowing that bone injuries, whether they were fractures or full cracks extending to the marrow, were hardest to heal. Heck, she was surprised that she had actually finished healing the cracked tibia by herself, after her shift at the hospital, and when shinobi were low on chakra…people tended to make questionable decisions and actions. She felt like she wanted to put the blame on someone.
Damn Chuunin who carried him…looked like he couldn't carry a stretcher properly without shaking all over, if his life depended on it…it's like he'd never seen a patient before. I swear, either he's got hemophobia, or he's just scared of ANBU…
Somewhere in the village, Hotarou sneezed. Again.
She decided to heal the rest when he woke up because she didn't want to interfere with the body's normal healing too much and there really wasn't much she could do except alleviate pain. She rolled the scrolls up and decided to just rest a bit, at least until her former teacher awoke.
He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping.
Psh, peaceful? That's what you think? I'm telling you, he's H-O-T, HAWT!
Sakura tried to ignore it. Is that all you think about?
Touché. But that doesn't change the fact that he's hotter than anyone else you know. Why don't you admit it?
He's supposed to be in good shape, being a shinobi, and all. Why am I debating against my inner self? Where's that other one, the nagging one that always tags along?
Beats me. Good riddance, if you ask me.
No one asked.
So cold, and towards yourself too… Sakura, you're turning out to be like that emo ice-cube of a guy, the one you brought back half dead, with the infuriatingly exasperating excuse for a ninja.
Excuse me? They're my friends. You do NOT talk like that about my friends. The ice-cube just so happens to be the very last remaining Uchiha who is trying his best to melt the ice, and the excuse is who no doubt will be the future Hokage. I'm just…
Just what?
Lucky to be with them and I won't tolerate you insulting them.
…well, technically, you can't really do much.
Technically, you are me, so they're your friends too…Why can't you be nice to friends for a change?
Stop fighting. We cannot have such disturbance among spirits that share a common body.
Heh, well now you're here too. Join the party. Hypocrite.
Still, I'm telling you. What part of HOT don't you understand? Let's see, he's sexy, hot, strong, mysterious…
Sakura decided to ignore the rambling voice that sounded kind of like Ino on one of her rants, and wait for her patient to wake. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she stared at the trademark mask. She did wonder what he looked like. A halting hand hovered towards the piece of cloth when her conscience stopped her.
You are not supposed to do that. He would not like it.
Bah, humbug. Like you care anyways. Go on, I'm curious.
Remember what happened to Higuchi-san when he tried?
Yeah, but it's Sakura, here. She ain't some random medic. He's known her through most of her shinobi-life.
True, but it might have to do with reflex, and-
Reflex my ass! He hardly moved when he was getting stitched up.
I hate it when you guys fight, but I guess it's better than you fighting me…
It wasn't hard to figure out why they did fight. One was uptight while the other was…similar to Tsunade or Ino when they were drunk. They were worse than Naruto and Sasuke when it came to fighting, and that was saying a lot. One would think that they'd have matured a bit more after the fight and what happened, but she wouldn't have them any other way. At least that's what her heart told her. Her sanity was a different matter altogether.
The real mystery was the fact that they were there in the first place. The whole conscience thing was new. She imagined that it looked like her mother and acted like Lee. She decided she didn't like the combination.
Her hand retreated as she shook away the thought and studied the covered face. It seemed normal enough, with no telltale indentations or bulges. She sighed. She wouldn't stoop to Naruto's level by trying to peek at Kakashi-sensei's face when he was unconscious. Besides, being the genius he was, he most likely would find out.
Hell, he probably has it booby-trapped.
It is not pleasant to say such things about others behind their back.
Shannaro! Doesn't matter! You know you want to look.
Shut. Up. Now. Or else. She didn't know of anything she could do to possibly harm them without harming herself, but she was pissed. She just wanted to threaten them, to somehow get them to shut up. She was just damn tired, physically and mentally. The voices finally realized this and withdrew. She let her head drop to the bed.
I'll just wait until Kakashi-sensei wakes up so I can tell shishou. Just like this. God, the bed's so nice and soft, like a cloud. I guess rest and sleep really are the best nurses. Maybe I really should live in the hospital, like Naruto said…
Her eyelids gently closed as her shoulders slumped, drifting off into peaceful slumber.
A/N: Yes, by now, I realize that most of the chapters end with Sakura floating off to dreamworld, but what can I say? I'm not too good at endings. Don't worry, she'll be a bit less fatigued in later chapters.
I also realize that Bon Appetit is a French term used mainly by a chef or a waiter before the diner dines, but I really don't care. Heck, I just wanted to say it. I hope no one misunderstood that and ate the words…