A slight gasp of pain escaped Hideki's lips and her hands shot up to cover her face in the sudden brightness of the sunlight. It was the first time in three years that she had been out side. When a pair of cold hands closed around her wrists she began panicking and twisting, forgetting who was holding her " No, not again! don't take me back in the labs!"
"Easy, easy." Hidan coaxed but she threw her hands up and accidentally hit him in the face. "Calm the FUCK down!"
She gasped and her hands fell to her sides, and she looked into his eyes. " H..hidan..."
The bags under his eyes almost looked like shadows with the sun peeking out from behind the trees, his hair casting strange shadows over the ground. Kimiko looked the same, worn out and tired. Sasori looked perfectly fine, standing over Hideki in his gray cloak.
"That's me", he replied rather sheepishly as he smiled back at her.
She gave an exhausted sigh and buried her face into the side of his neck and sobbed slightly. " I... I .. w..what took y..you guys so l..long?" She was extremely light in his arms and he could feel her bones through the thin clothing she was wearing.
Kimiko sighed lightly and looked at her daughter. " It's a long story darling.. but for now we need to get you somewhere safer than where we are right now."
Sasori looked around at the surroundings. "Which forest is this?"
" We're about two miles from the northern gates, we have to give the mission report and get Hideki to the hospital for a check up." Kimiko replied.
"Very well. Lets move." Sasori nodded.
"Are you okay?" Hidan asked as he helped Hideki stand.
She stumbled slightly and shook her head " I haven't been outside in three years... a..and I haven't eaten in six days..."
"Are you good to walk?" Hidan prompted, eager to get going. Sasori started walking away slowly through the woods, mumbling to himself.
" I don't think so.." she responded.
"Can't you just teleport us?" Hidan asked, holding Hideki's weight and staring at Kimiko.
With in a few seconds they were all standing in the office of Naruto the Rokudaime Hokage, with the exception of Hideki, who was Hidan's arms.
"Ack!" Naruto shrieked, nearly jumping out of his chair. "How many times have I asked you not to do that?" Naruto stood and put his weight on his arms which were holding him up from his desk. He narrowed his eyes at Hideki and paused for a moment. "You finally found her?"
"No shit." Hidan snapped.
"What did you just say?" Naruto countered.
"You heard me, blondie."
"Hidan..." Sasori sighed.
Hideki gave a soft cough " H..hidan.. s..stop p..please"
Hidan rolled his eyes in annoyance and gave everyone in the room a look. "Fine."
"Did you pursue Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.
Sasori slowly shook his head.
"What? Was he there?"
"We didn't see him." Hidan offered.
Hideki shook her head coughing, a bit of blood coming from her lips.
There was a sudden, polite knock on the door.
"Come in." Naruto said, noticing Hideki's condition for the first time.
"Naruto, there's -"
"Get her some medical attention!" the Hokage ordered the pink haired girl as she slowly stepped in. As if on some kind of stimulant, Sakura threw the door open and rushed over to Hideki as Hidan slowly lowered her to the ground. Sakura carried her to the side and focused, her hands glowing green.
The young immortal had several broken ribs, was suffering from internal bleeding, and severe malnutrition.
"Perfect timing." Sasori mused when another Leaf ninja walked by the open door, had orders yelled at him by Sakura and ran back from the way he came. Naruto walked around his desk, leaning back on it when he crossed his arms. "What happened since you last checked in?"
"There, that should do it for now." Sakura nodded and looked towards the door just as two medical ninja came running in with a stretcher. "Get her into Intensive care, mind her ribs and get her onto some fluid!"
Within seconds they were out the door, leaving Naruto with Sasori, Hidan and Kimiko.
In intensive care, the doctors were working rapidly placing different needles in Hideki's arms, to replace the blood she had lost, along with the fluids. Hideki's eyes were wide as one of the nurses came at her with a syringe with a sedative in it. " N..no! k..keep i..it a...away!"
"Get her legs!" Sakura ordered as she held down Hideki's arms, someone else holding her legs.
She started to thrash weakly her eyes wide. " N..no! d...don't!"
The sedatives didn't take any longer than a dozen seconds to take affect when Hideki's blinks gradually took longer and longer each time, before she closed her eyes.
Once her eyes closed for the last time, her breathing returned to a slow pattern, and the vital monitors, were slowing down, returning to normal.
Kimiko's fists were clenched and tears of rage were peaking at the corners of her eyes. " That bastard... what the hell did he do to her..."
"Everything." Sasori mumbled, turning to leave.
"When will she be able to talk?" Naruto asked and Hidan glared angrily at him.
"Can't tell right now." Sakura said, checking the IV drip.
Twelve long hours had passed and there was suddenly a commotion coming from Hideki's room, Sakura was the first on the scene. Hideki was fighting against the restraints that had been placed on her to prevent her from injuring herself or any of the medics on staff. "Let me go! Where the hell am I?" she screamed tears flowing down her cheeks, she was beyond the point of being frightened, and was at the point of pure terror.
"Hideki!" Hidan shouted as he held onto her hand from her bedside, having been resting on the chair next to the bed. Her mother was also present, standing beside the man.
Hearing Hidan's voice caused her to calm down instantly and look up at him. "H..hidan.."
"You're safe..." Hidan explained in a soft tone, Sakura was checking the restraints before she nodded and left.
She looked at the restraints " Why..do they have me restrained?" she questioned softly.
Hidan's brow pinched, turning his head slightly away from Kimiko as tears pricked at his eyes. "You started thrashing... getting violent..."
She looked up at him and gave a soft smile, that didn't reach her eyes. " I'm safe now... aren't I?"
"We're in Konoha." Kimiko added when Hidan clenched his jaw and remained silent.
She had opened her mouth to speak when Naruto suddenly entered the room.
"Was Orochimaru at the hideout with you?" the blonde asked, not wasting any time.
"She just woke up. Leave her the fuck alone." Hidan warned through clenched teeth.
"We need to know as soon as possible. Hideki?" Naruto prompted.
"Leave. Her. Alone." Hidan hissed, letting go of Hideki's hand and reaching for the scythe on his back.
Naruto's right eyebrow shot up.
She coughed slightly " S..sit me up please"
Naruto looked from the bed to Hidan expectantly.
"Just because you're the fucking Hokage doesn't mean everyone else has to.."
"Oh shut it." Kimiko interrupted Hidan as she inclined the bed. Naruto's eyes narrowed at Hidan.
Hideki looked at Naruto and felt a shiver going up her spine from the cold look in his eyes.
Sakura entered in time to see this. "He's been worn out with the war against Madara, please forgive him." she explained.
"Sakura..." Naruto began but stopped when she eyed him.
Coughing Hideki began speaking. " H..he w..was there, b..but left before Hidan, Sasori or my mother could get a lock on him..."She looked at Sakura. " Could you please remove these restraints on my wrists..."
Sakura shook her head. "They're for your protection."
"Orochimaru was at that hideout?" Naruto asked, seeming to grow excited, "the others didn't think he was... I'll send several teams out right away." With that, Naruto went bolting out of the room.
" Please take them off me... I've been chained up for three years..."
"I'm sorry," she began, looking up at the other two and shook her head, "as long as they will be responsible for you." Hidan nodded almost instantly and Sakura released the restraints.
Hideki gave her a soft smile and folded her hands in her lap. " Thank you."
Sakura nodded smiled sympathetically.
"Does your Hokage really expect to catch Orochimaru by sending teams out after him, after his hideout was exposed?" Sasori asked from the doorway.
"I thought you were more interested in .."
"Sitting around while she slept is pointless," Sasori interrupted Hidan, "now that she's awake it wouldn't do any harm in checking."
"It wouldn't hurt to look." Sakura argued, turning to face Sasori and flinching in surprise.
" Look at what?" she questioned
"Searching Orochimaru's hideout." Sakura sighed.
Rubbing her wrists Hideki blushed as her stomach gave a loud growl.
Hidan kneeled beside the bed and grabbed Hideki's hand in his own. "I'm so glad that you're back."
"You will be wasting your time." Sasori insisted.
"We won't know until we get there." Sakura grumbled as she left the room.
Hideki blushed and leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against his. she pulled back and looked at him. " I missed you Hidan"
"Me too." he smiled at her before meeting gazes with Sasori, who was on the other side of the bed.
Blushing Hideki turned and smiled before giving the red head a hug " I missed you too Sasori"
Sasori's eyes widened in sudden surprise and he stared at Hidan, unsure of what to do. Hidan and Kimiko laughed as Sasori awkwardly patted Hideki on the head.
She sighed softly and closed her eyes.
Sasori glanced down at Hideki before taking a very small step back.
"Can you lead us there?" someone asked before Naruto emerged from the doorway.
"I can." Sasori replied, facing him.
"I'm going too." Naruto told him and Sasori nodded.
Hidan's eyebrows rose up. "The Hokage can just fucking leave?"
She shook her head" I just got away from there..."
"I wouldn't expect you to," Naruto glared at Hideki unintentionally, "after what that bastard did to you... I don't blame you."
She flinched slightly at the sight of his glare and looked down at her lap. " I.. i'm sorry if I said something to o..offend you.."
The blonde blinked and shook his head. "It's not you." he explained as sorrow washed over his face, focusing his attention on the ground.
" You miss Sasuke.. don't you?"
Without answering the question, Naruto left the room and gestured for Sasori to follow him. Sasori closed his eyes and took an unnecessary sigh before following the blonde.