I had spirit week last week and seeing how I have no school spirit, it defeated the purpose of spirit week and is just an excuse to get out of class. LOL. Yes, I'm really that apathetic. On with the new chapter!
Disclaimer: Do not own, not that I could.
Ch.26: A Broken Man
Kakashi wandered aimlessly in the halls. He started to wonder what had happened and where he was when the memories started flooding back.
FlashbackSasuke and Naruto stood in shock. "No. This can't be happening! No!" screamed Sasuke.
"S-sakura-chan? SAKURA-CHAN!"
Kakashi ran down the side of the building and caught Sakura, gently laying her down. "Kakashi?" she asked.
"Sakura. Sakura, please keep awake. Please. Sakura, stay with me."
Sakura reached her hand up to stroke his face. "Kakashi. I love you."
Her hand fell and her eyes closed. "No. No. No. Sakura, don't leave me. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go! SAKURA!"
Yumi smirked at her handy work while Naruto ripped out his cell phone and called for help. Sasuke jumped down and applied pressure in hopes to stop any further blood-loss while Kakashi was paralyzed with shock. Yumi smiled at the scene before her. Her sister was laying beaten in the trash and Sakura was now slowly bleeding to death. "Pity, I was hoping to get my sister, but this is so much better."
Sirens rang in the air and Yumi slipped away into the night. The paramedics picked up Sakura's pale form and laid her on the stretcher, her friends climbed in with her and rode off into the night.
End Flashback
Kakashi roamed dazedly in the white, sterile hallways of the hospital. All was quiet except for the beeping of monitors and the silent whirring of the machines. He searched the nameplates on the doors, finding nothing. He turned left into the intensive care unit. He looked at the door. "Room 32. Haruno Sakura. Honda Ayame." He moved his hand hesitantly towards the knob and slowly turned it.
The door opened. Ayame lay on the bed with bandages on her body and a heart monitor by her bed. "How is she, Naruto?" he asked.
Naruto had a sad smile on his face. "Doctors say she has a concussion, some internal injuries, and a few broken bones. She'll live, but she'll be here for a few days." Kakashi nodded. Compared to injuries on the field, this was like getting a few cuts and scrapes. "What about Sakura?"
Naruto's face became solemn and grim. He turned to pull the curtain behind him. Kakashi vaguely realized his knees giving out from under him. "Sakura?…" he uttered in disbelief.
What he saw was the whole reason why he hated hospitals. Sakura was in the bed attached to an I.V. and heart monitor. Tubes and bandages were all over her pale body. A respirator stood next to her. She was walking the line between life and death.
Kakashi bit back the urge to throw up, but knew he wouldn't last long so he pulled down his mask. Stepping away from the trashcan, he wiped away the residue on his sleeve and walked over to her bedside. his eyes were darkened with unlabeled emotions and unshed tears.
What Naruto saw tore his heart. It was the desperate urge to take back the sands of time and do things over again. It was the hollow look in his eye, like what happened to Sakura broke him in some irreparable way. In a way, it did. You could hear it in his voice. "W-what? Why?"
"She protected Ayame. If she'd moved, Ayame would be dead. She took three hits in the torso. One hit an artery and the other two each damaged a vital organ. They did all they could, Kakashi. It's up to Sakura now."
Kakashi collapsed by Sakura's comatose figure. He rested his head on her bed, gripped her hand, and began to cry. "I'm sorry. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I should have protected you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please wake up. Please?" he whispered over and over again.
Naruto and Sasuke's hearts began to crumble. They'd never seen Kakashi so sad and desperate. Naruto pulled back the curtain to give them some privacy. "Sasuke."
"Hn?"
"Watch them for me. I gotta make a call. They'll all want to know." Sasuke nodded grimly and watched Naruto leave the room.
Naruto walked over to the payphone and inserted some yen. He punched in a number and waited for the other line. "Hello?"
"Hinata?"
"Naruto!"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Naruto, what's wrong. Did something happen?"
Naruto paused and took a breath. "It's Sakura. She's in the hospital."
Hinata fell dumbly on the couch behind her. "What happened?"
"She's been shot. She's in a coma right now. Don't faint on me, Hinata. I need you to do something for me."
Hinata steadied her pale, swaying body. "Yes?"
"I need you to get everyone over to Crystal Hyacinth Village. It's a day away from Konoha."
"Hai."
"And Hinata."
"Yes?"
"Hurry." The receiver went dead and Hinata hung up the phone before her legs gave out and fainted.
Naruto inserted some more yen and punched in a number. The phone rang several times before a voice came up. "Hi, it's Saita. Listen, I can't come to the phone right now so leave a message and I'll call you when I can."
Naruto slammed his fist into the wall next to him. "Dammit!" The beeping tone sounded on the other line. "Saita, it's me. Naruto. Listen, Sakura's in the hospital. Get here as soon as you get the message." He hung up.
He fished around his pocket for some more change. He dropped it into the slot and dialed a number. "Hello?"
"Hiro-san, it's me, Naruto."
"Naruto-san? Oh! Any news on where Sakura-san is?"
Naruto inhaled deeply. "She's in the hospital," he said softly.
"WHAT?! How'd this happen?!"
"Kisa-san?!"
"Tell me what has happened!"
"Calm down Kisa-san, don't stress yourself." Naruto braced himself against the phone. "The note was a setup by Yumi to get rid of Ayame and Sakura. Ayame was going to be killed and Sakura saved her. She's in the ICU now. It's not looking good. Listen, come tomorrow morning, I don't want you to get hurt. Yumi is still out there and I don't want you to get hurt. I need to check up on her Ayame and Sakura. Please. Don't fret about this. Sakura will get better."
He hung up the phone and looked toward Sakura's room. "At least, I hope she will."
Kisa dropped the phone and slumped into the chair. Tears leaked into her eyes and she bent forward, sobbing in her hands. Hiro hugged her and she began sobbing into his chest. "Why?! Why is it her?! They don't deserve this fate! Why can't the story end happily for once?! Why?! Why?! Why?!" she screamed as she feebly pounded her husband's chest.
He held her tight against him and ran his hand through her hair. "Kisa, we'll visit tomorrow. I don't think Sakura-san would appreciate you being so worried about her and not think of your own health. Come, I'll make you some tea." Kisa nodded dumbly and followed Hiro.
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Sasuke stared at the unconscious figure lying in the bed. He watched the heart monitor next to her bed. His heart ached when he saw her figure like that. "Ayame." he whispered.
Sasuke's eyebrows raised in shock, then confusion. Knitting his brow in thought, he pondered. 'Why am I thinking about her?'
'Well, she's in the hospital and you like her.'
'I love Sakura.'
'Well, you do, but let's review the feelings. Look over at the curtain.' Sasuke did as his inner said. 'Does your heart hurt? How does it feel?'
'Rage, sadness, like I got stabbed by a thousand kunai.'
'Now look at Ayame's bed. What do you feel now?'
'Rage, sadness, but it feels different from Sakura.'
'How does this compare with Sakura?'
'With Sakura, it feels like when my family was murdered. I felt so angry and sad. With Ayame, it feels different. The same feelings are there, but more intense. I know she's going to be okay, but still…'
'Because your feelings have shifted. You do love Sakura, but it's starting to be like how Naruto feels about her, as a sister and best friend. You love Ayame too, but as a friend and a woman. That's why you feel so strongly about her being hurt.'
Sasuke thought about this new information and smirked at himself. 'I guess I do love her.'