Chapter 2
Unexpected
...
Thump thump...
...thump...thu...mp..
If there is one thing someone can be certain of
it is that you can always expect the unexpected.
-Cedar Hill
XxXxXxX
So tired
This fatigue
Is wearing me down
The sleepless nights
And endless thoughts
The guilt,
The pressure,
The want and need
It all adds up
Until my head
Can't take anymore
An overload that is
Too overwhelming
Dizzy with thought
And so confused
Vomit is rising
Barely able to hold it back
Everything is fading
First gray, then to black
Ground rushes toward me
As I hear the faint echoes
Of a heavy smack
"Are we all in agreement?"
...
"Good. We shall release the virus. Tonight."
...thumpthumpthumpthump...
Sasuke watched Sakura hop back over the fence, noting the sudden change in her demeanor. He knew that look on her face quite well. The slight crease of her brow, a tilt on her lips: Her face simply screamed "worry."
But he remained where he was, his elbows resting casually atop the caps of his knees. After spending so many months with his team, he knew when a real crisis was on the horizon- at least the medical crisis's that seemed to unfurl every now and then.
A cool wind brushed past him, and Sasuke turned his head to stare at a group of older kids, scurrying off behind the wooden fences with a bundle in their hands. Multiple ones to be exact. One of the younger ones, having felt Sasuke's cold gaze, shifted his eyes to that of the piercing Uchiha's.
Immediately, Sasuke knew they were up to no good. The kid froze, his eyes widening into two, wide set saucers, before being pulled back by one of the older youths. For a second, Sasuke considered following them.
As soon as the thought surfaced, however, it was quickly buried under his wishes to remain stationary. Whatever it was they were doing- it didn't concern him; it didn't harm him. And as far as he knew, it wasn't harming anyone else. Not that it mattered.
All in all, there was no point for him to intervene. Despite this, however, Sasuke couldn't help but allow his eyes to follow in the direction they sprinted after. As soon as he saw the lead kid make a left, he knew they were going in the direction of the hospital.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed further. Shifting his sharp gaze over the shrill crowd (their voices rising with each burst of light in the sky), it appeared to him that nobody else had noticed the strange disappearance of the gang of kids. Looking at his right, it was apparent that not even Naruto's group of friends noticed, seeing how Ino continued to yell at Naruto for causing Kiba to trip onto Choji, who inevitably spilt his drink onto her skirt.
Sasuke scowled at the blonde. Typical Naruto.
Settling down, Sasuke made the reluctant decision to go and check up on the mischievous group, seeing how nobody else was going to do it. A thought suddenly flickered in his head. Where are the parents? It seemed natural to him that they would go searching for them, unless they were here by themselves. Which, in all likelihood, was a very plausible possibility. So Sasuke relaxed his posture, grunting in annoyance. He would wait.
If it came down to it, he would leave. Better yet, he'll just send the blonde after them. Naruto probably knew them anyways; it wasn't his job to play baby-sitter.
Annoying.
"Sakura-chan! Thank goodness you're here!"
Sakura slid to a halt in front of the receptionist desk. She looked around, half expecting to see someone fly out at her. But nothing of the sort happened. Everything was quiet. Coldness suddenly prickled her skin.
Turning back to the receptionist, she asked, "What's the emergency?"
The receptionist blinked, seemingly caught off guard, "R-room 212, second floor- I'm sorry, I thought you kne-"
Sakura never got to hear the end of her sentence as she whirled past the front desk, taking the stairs three at a time. Room 212... But that was-
She was suddenly brought to a halt by a shrill cry. There was no thought in her head, no feeling in her limbs. Only instinct. So she ran.
Pushing open room 212, she was met with complete chaos. Nurses crowded around a young woman, whose blood was currently spilling onto the floor. Next to her, two other nurses crowded around a shrilling pink infant, all working frantically to clear the small babe's nose, mouth and ears. She knew right then that reason for her being there was not because of the newborn- but the mother, whose heart monitor was beating frantically.
Shit.
Before anybody could approach her, Sakura rushed to the mother's side, laying her hands over the women's lower abdomen, green chakra blazing. She didn't need to be told what had happened- she could feel it through her chakra. The woman's tissues and muscles along her uterus tore, breaking blood vessels and allowing the crimson liquid to fall freely onto the tiled floor.
"Sakura! What do I-?"
"Blood." She breathed out, barely catching the nurse's words as she continued to concentrate on stitching the torn walls back together. Another nurse (caught off guard by her abrupt appearance) added her green chakra to Sakura's, placing her hands delicately next to one of the major rips. "We need blood." Sakura continued to mutter. Instantly, the young brunette was gone. Closing her eyes, Sakura forced more of her chakra into the woman, willing the cells to connect faster. The heart monitor jumped once. Twice. There was a brush of cold air, and Sakura looked up to watch the infant being hauled out, allowing room for other nurses to add to the mass of people around the woman's bed.
Don't die...Don't die...
"I've got the blood!"
Sakura glanced up, motioning for the girl to hook it up to the mother's vein. Another jump of the heart monitor sent goosebumps along her bare arms, her fingertips numbing. "You!" Sakura motioned to a nurse across from her, "She needs a blood clotter. Go." The nurse nodded and left in understanding. Sakura pulled her thoughts together, focusing on another tear in her uterus. Nothing was working- the blood kept coming out...
Don't die... please, please...
Think, Sakura. Think.
A sudden thought erupted in her head. Drowning out the cries of the nurses and the pulsing of the heart monitor, Sakura spread her chakra further, searching for any more damage that may have previously gone unnoticed. The woman's chakra, realizing her foreign presence, automatically began to block her healing path. Cursing, Sakura forced more of her chakra into the mother, pushing her way through the barrier so that she could get a better feel for the other body systems. Immediately, Sakura knew the reason why the mother kept bleeding. Her artery- her femoral artery- had ruptured.
As if on cue, the heart monitor suddenly went still. The constant, lone pulse filled the cavity of the maternal ward, blocking all other sounds from piercing her ears. She knew this sound well. She knew it, perhaps, better than any other nurse at the hospital did. It haunted her- followed her.
Don't die... you can't die...
"I don't know about thi- OUCH!"
The blonde kid was cut off by a sharp smack to the head. It was his older brother, who had just started the academy only a week ago. And already he was getting into trouble. "Calm down." The said kid grunted, crossing his arms indignantly in front of his chest. "It's fine. We're not hurting anybody, right?"
The little one sniffled, remembering the traitor's eyes on him. "No, but I still don't think we-"
This time a young girl whose blonde hair seemed to glow in the pitch darkness cut him off. "Don't worry Taro! Look, are you going to help us, or not?"
Taru hunched his shoulders looking at the ground. Then, with a solemn nod, he grabbed the other fireworks, handing them to the other three kids next to him. He watched as everyone finished huddling them in a knot in the center of their neighborhood, tying the long wicks together. "We're going to have the biggest finale ever! Nobody will expect it!" One of the others exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.
They all looked up as another pop burst in the sky, followed by a large round of applause. They were almost over.
"Everyone know the plan?" One by one, each of the six nodded. "Remember, as soon as everyone begins to return home, light the only a few fireworks, not all."
"The entire village will light up!" one of them exclaimed.
Taro suddenly felt curious at the amount they all were able to sneak out without notice. Turning to his brother, who was now practicing lighting the matches, Taro asked, "Hey brother, where did you find all these?" then, taking a step closer, he added, "They don't look like the other fireworks... see!"
Everyone looked at the bound casing tied under the giant bundle. The brunette gave an irritated sigh while the others snickered at the small boy, whose cheeks were now growing red. "I found them off to the side- away from the other piles they were taking." Shrugging, he continued saying, "My guess is that they wouldn't light- but with the extra wick I wrapped around them, that shouldn't be a problem. Now-" He began, hearing what sounded like the last strings of colorful bursts in the sky, "who wants to light the first one?"
"But- look! I don't think these are fire wor-"
Taro never got to finish his sentence as he was shoved back by the small crowd. The blonde girl with silver hair stayed back, however. Her eyes were peering at the other two round casings, a frown placed delicately on her lips.
"Hey." she said, causing the others to look up. Unlike Taro, everyone respected her. "I believe your younger brother is right Haru. These look like..." She shook her head side to side. They couldn't be, right?
She was never given time to announce her suspicions, however, as Haru lit the match on the wick. She paled, and immediately the gang fled.
"The blood clotter! Now!"
"It's here!" shouted a petite woman. Seconds later, the dosage was injected directly into the woman.
She moved her hand over the woman's thigh, pushing more chakra into her patient. Glancing up, she saw the other nurses' wide-eyed stare. "What are you doing?" Sakura bit out, angry. "Don't stop- keep working!"
There was a rush of motion around her, but Sakura was too focused on sealing the scrapped pieces of tissues. Her body was shaking, but she didn't care. She could feel her chakra levels dropping dramatically. But she didn't stop. Didn't dare remove her hands. Chancing a glance at the wound, Sakura was pleased to find the blood flow was lessening- thickening as it was supposed to.
You're a mother... Don't die... please, please, please...
Sakura's breath hitched as she heard the heart monitor beep. Once. Twice. The nurses around her all stared at the patient in disbelief.
"Stabilizing!" a voice called, relief thick in her voice. Taking another deep breath (more for calming purposes than anything), Sakura continued to work on the artery, making the final seal in the tissue.
Every pulse of the heart monitor calmed her; reminded her that she continued to live and breathe. The numbness that had isolated her limbs suddenly became nonexistence, bringing forth a sharp ache in her body from the chakra exertion she forced in the woman's figure. She could only imagine the amount of pain the new mother would be in when she woke up.
A voice suddenly broke into her train of thoughts.
"Sakura," Sakura glanced up to meet the eyes of a kind woman. She smiled, gently taking hold of Sakura's wrist. "We can take it from here. You have done more than enough tonight."
Sakura looked about ready to argue, but was cut off by another voice behind her- this one male. "She's right Sakura-chan. It's your night off, and the festival is almost over." Shrugging, the said male continued, saying, "If you leave now, you will be able to catch the last of it."
Reluctantly, Sakura made her way back to the exit, wincing as the aches in her body intensified. It was nothing new, anytime she had to expend a large amount of chakra in such a short amount of time, her body usually paid the price for it. "Alright- but keep me updated." Sakura paused, then, craning her neck over her shoulder, she looked at everyone, smiling. "Great job."
Outside, Sakura leaned against the cool wall, shaking.
Unfortunately, for her, Ino could not have been more wrong. She was not, as Ino had put it, 'In and out in no time.'
Shifting her eyes upward, Sakura watched the last of the fireworks burst in the sky. It was obvious to her that she was not up to the long trek back to the park. Her limbs felt like blocks of lead, her eyes growing heavy. After the long shift that morning, and a near death tonight, Sakura felt the need to go home.
With a small shove, the pinkette began dragging her feet across the pebbled pavement, in the direction she hence came.
Along the way, Sakura allowed her thoughts to drift to Naruto and the others, wondering whether they were having fun and enjoying themselves. She thought of Tsunade, and the heavy hangover she would have to deal with in the morning. She thought of Kakashi, and his cool attitude toward the world. Then, there was the thought of Sasuke.
Sasuke, whom she had loved, once upon a time. Sasuke, whom had tried to kill her once upon a time. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke...
Flashback.
"Sasuke?" She craned her head behind her, looking for the raven haired boy. "Can you pass me that book over there?" She indicated with her forefinger towards the top of a shelf. She turned back towards her paperwork, mumbling under her breath. Sasuke, snapping his book shut, rolled his eyes as he pushed himself off the couch. There was a muffled thump, and Sakura looked up to see the spine of the book atop a stack of papers. Taking the heavy novel, Sakura mumbled a quiet, "Thanks."
She cast a sideways glance towards her teammate. His cold, black eyes had attatched themselves to one of the photos in her office. It was a picture of her and Naruto. A hallow pang suddenly throbbed inside her chest, and she turned her attention back to her work, an awkwardness falling between the two of them.
"So," She began, racking her brain for something to talk about, "How are your eyes?"
Sasuke didn't answer.
The awkwardness intinsified. Sakura pretended like she didnt feel it, skimming over a patient profile. Chancing another glance at Sasuke, she watched as he pulled down a thick book from a lower portion of the shelf. Her eyes unconsciously drifted to the title of the spine. "Uncovering the root of Emotions: Volume III"
Sasuke arched an eyebrow, turning towards her. Sakura felt heat swell up in her face. "Oh- uhm.. I see you have found one of Sai's books," She laughed nervously, picking up the last of her stack and placing it with the other paperwork. A soft thump caught her attention, and she turned towards her door, saying, "Come in."
It was Naruto, wearing a cheeky grin. She smiled, relieved at having been saved from Sasuke's scrutiny. Another knock racked her door, and Sakura again called out to allow the unkown person entrance.
"Sakura-sama, excuse me-" It was one of the male workers, and he stopped at the sight of Sasuke. Scowling, the male ignored the Uchiha, turning his attention back to Sakura. "Tsunade wishes to see you for a sec." Sakura nodded, and said her appologies to her two teammates, before preceding out the door.
End Flashback
She scoffed. Sakura couldn't deny that Sasuke had become less cruel over the past few months. So much so, even small children would venture around him- though the parents were not far behind.
Sakura turned a corner, closing her eyes in contentment as the wind dragged dead leaves over the pebbled pavements. She listened to the hum of the insects, the laughter of the village as they began their trek home, and the scuffling of carts moving and swaying as the owners carried their possessions back to where they belong. As if to confirm what she already knew, she watched as a band of kids scattered in different directions to what she supposed was home.
She had almost turned another corner when an airy squeak caught her attention. She paused, turning her head in the direction of the unexpected sound. It was small and high pitched- like that of a child's.
No sooner had she turned her head did she catch sight of a shadow drifting behind one of the trashcans arranged beside the streets. If it were not for the desolateness of the area, she would have brushed the sound off as any of the many civilians. Only, that was not the case.
"Who's there?"
Blinking through the dim lighting, Sakura made out a small figure sitting tucked under the concealment of a fence and garbage bin. Every step she took towards the unknown presence, the clearer the image became until finally she could make out the outline of a child.
At the sight of her, the young boy went stiff, his eyes widening in what she could only guess as shock. She couldn't help but notice the paleness of his skin.
"Hey, are you okay?" Sakura asked, worry thick in her voice. Turning her head in expectance, she asked, "Where are your parents?"
No answer. Sakura watched as the boy's lips moved in silence.
Was he... was he counting down?
Again, Sakura attempted to get a reaction from the boy. "Are you lost?" Then, remembering the gang of kids, she added, "Were you with one of the other kids over there?" She gestured to the bare area beside her.
Still no answer. The child looked about ready to cry. Instinctively, Sakura slipped her hands under the boy's shoulders, drawing him in her arms in an attempt to comfort him. He made no effort to draw away, and so she continued with drawing small circles on the boy's back. "Don't worry," She said, wincing as her knees popped as she stood. "We'll find them."
As she stepped towards the area where the kids had disappeared, the boy let out a small groan. Sakura frowned. "What's wrong?"
The boy gulped. "I-I told them n-not to do i-it." The boy's voice was shaking.
Why was he so scared?
"Them?"
He nodded. She suddenly understood what he meant- the other kids.
"What did they-"
A blinding flare of light suddenly flashed in front of her, cutting her off. Sakura threw herself on the ground, covering the small boy beneath her arms just as the first explosion erupted in her ears. She felt the earth vibrate violently under its wake. The boy screamed, now fully crying. Sakura felt the rain of rocks land on her skin, scorching her from the high temperatures of the large explosion. She gulped in air, a wave of panic washing over her. The smell of smoke engulfed her, and she felt herself choking on the amount of dust in the air.
What was going on?
Quickly, Sakura scooped up the kid just as a second explosion rocketed the earth. The force of the explosion caused her to fall forward, and she quickly adjusted her body to land on her back. A loud, piercing scream suddenly rang out in the smoggy air. She didn't waste any time as she struggled to her feet once more. Dropping the kid behind a corner, away from the falling debris, Sakura said, "I need you to go and get help. Can you do that for me?"
He nodded. "Good. Now go!"
Pushing aside the pain in her arms and legs, Sakura raced in the direction of the scream. She dimly noted the warm, wet liquid sliding down her limb as she lunged to the side in order to avoid more of the flaming debris.
All around her, fire raged in a deep red fury. Smoke lied heavy in her lungs, and she pulled her shirt up to cover her nose and mouth. The heat of the flames licked at her bare flesh as she pushed her way deeper into the heart of destruction.
The flames continued to grow and expand, eating at the dry and brittle wooden housings. This summer has been one of the worst, and she couldn't help but think that the destruction wouldn't have been half as bad if it weren't for the drought that they had been experiencing.
"Is anybody there?"
Silence.
Despite the burning heat of the flames, coldness continued to rage through her veins. Slipping on her gloves, Sakura pushed a fallen beam away from her. Movement in one of the small buildings caught her attention.
She raced forward, jumping through the violent heat of flames, landing with a muffled thud on the cluttered ground. She stared, crouching low to avoid the thick cloud of smoke rising above her head. She clinched her eyes shut, trying to ease the sting from her eyes as she crawled beneath a cracked wooden beam. The roar of the fire filled her ears, drowning out the noises from outside. Heat engulfed her, and her skin burned in protest as the flames drew nearer to her form.
"Hey! Is anybody here?"
Nothing. Then a knocking from her left. Sakura turned sharply on her heels, bringing her hand up to shield her face. There, trapped in one of the burning corridors, was a small girl- her hair almost as white as the flames themselves. She screamed again, covering her head with the top of her hands.
Coughing, Sakura raced towards the crouched figure, pulling her into her arms. Ripping off the bottom fringe of her shirt, Sakura handed the girl the small piece of fabric, saying, "Wrap this over your nose and mouth." There was a large crack, and Sakura pulled back just in time to see the top of the ceiling crumble in a heap of flames over the area she had stood only seconds ago.
"We have to get out of here..."
The walls around her burned a deep orange as Sakura set the girl down, tugging her behind herself rather than holding her. She knew right then that she would have to make an exit for them. All around her, fire blazed wildly. A large 'CRACK' echoed around the two of them, alerting Sakura to the walls cavinging in.
"We're almost out, hang on," Sakura shouted over the roar of the fire, feeling the girl's grip tighten in her hands.
She could feel the panic now swelling with in her, and she tried desperatly to keep it out of her voice. The house was larger than she thought. Everywhere she turned, she was met with either a dead end or a patch of flames. The fire was spreading faster than she imagined.
She wasnt sure how many seconds had passed by; everything felt slower. She couldnt have been in here for too long, she reasoned, otherwise she was sure she would see other shinobi coming to aid the firey blaze. Sakura gritted her teeth as a third explosion rocked the air. The violence of the eruption caused her to fall forward, and Sakura, in an attempt not to lose the girl to the flames, pulled her under herself as she crashed on top of her hands and knees. The child screamed as another crash echoed behind them. Sakura looked frantically for an exit.
Luck, it seemed, was on her side that night. To her right, a small opening could be seen; big enough to fit a child through.
"There." she grunted.
Taking the petite hand in her own, Sakura jumped over the fallen tables and broken glass littered on the ground. Behind her, there was a large crack. A large chunk of the caving ceiling all of a sudden collapsed in front of Sakura, causing her to swerve to the side, but not before she flung the girl out of the way. "Go!" she breathed, watching in relief as the girl gave one last look before plunging into the darkness.
Sakura gave a small cry as embers scorched her skin. There was another loud 'POP,' and before she even had time to react, she found herself buried under the burning ruble, the cieling now becoming too much for the walls to bear.
Harnessing the last of her chakra, she created a casing around her flesh to protect her from the flames, but she knew that she couldn't do this forever. She could hear screaming, taste the black smoke as it closed in around her, feel the heat intensify as the flames continued to consume what was left of the house.
And then she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her shoulders. The weight of splintered wood gradually began to lift away from her form as she felt herself dragged back into a firm, muscular chest. The feel of cool skin pressed against her burning cheek as she felt herself being lifted off the ground. Sakura leaned away from the unknown presence, attempting to push herself up, but she was met with a stern, "Sakura."
At the sound of Sasuke's voice, Sakura's green eyes shot upward. He was the last person she would expect to be here.
Sasuke scowled in irritation. Why was it always Sakura who was caught in situations like this? More importantly- why was he always the one pulling her out of them? He didn't have time to contemplate before Naruto and Shikamaru showed up. Sakura gave a heavy sigh before relaxing into Sasuke's arms. She wanted to hand over the situation to somebody else; she felt like the living dead. Her body, aching, sore, and burnt, sought rest. Moreover, who was she to deny it? The village was more than capable of handling the fire; she knew she had done her part.
Sasuke tightened his grip around her as he watched her close her eyes, shifting her in a more comfortable position so that her head was pillowed against his chest. It felt so natural, having her in his arms like this. He had carried her like this a few times before; once being he found her asleep in the hospital. It wasn't anything unusual, except for the fact that this time, she was injured.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto panted, peering over Sasuke to look down at his teammate. "Sakura, hey, Sakura, are you okay? Saku-"
"Shut it, Naruto." Shikamaru cut in curtly, having caught up next to the hyperactive blonde. "She's fine." At this, the naru genius eyed Sakura, adding, "In a sense that her injuries are not life threatening. Sasuke, do you think you can take her to the hospital?"
Sasuke shook his head. "The hospital has enough to worry about- Sakura wouldn't want them fretting over her anyways."
"But she's hurt! You have to take her-!"
"Idiot," Sasuke scoffed. "I have enough medical knowledge to treat a few minor cuts and burns. She can heal the rest when she wakes." Memories of Sasuke reading Sakura's medical books surfaced, as well as the knowledge of Sasuke's training with Kabuto. Naruto growled, rubbing a hand behind his head.
"And you're okay with that?"
Sasuke eyed the pineapple head, scowling. A faded voice suddenly screamed, "We need help over here!"
Naruto grumbled, giving Sasuke a hard stare as if to say, "Bastard," but wasted no time in hurrying after the voice. Shikamaru gave a curt nod, saying, "Alright then, I could care less what you do. If you see any other injured, though, send them to the hospital, at the very least." With that, he took off, grabbing two other shinobi along with them.
He watched them retreat, and then turned his attention back to the pinkette, now fully submerged in sleep.
Typical Sakura; even after all those years, she was still as irritating as ever.
Yay, nay?
People, Please review! I was so disappointed by the number of reviews, I think my heart cracked a little :/ I don't mean to hark on y'all like every other author out there, but I feel that it's the only way to get you guys to just say... something! If you have enough spare time to read this story, then I'm POSITIVE you have a few extra seconds to say, "Yay." or "Nay."
Anyways, for the five that did review: You're my favorite, and I REALLY, really, appreciate your thoughts and input. This chapter is for you (:
;) All right- so, on another thought, are any of your schools decreasing the fine arts budget? T_T mine did.
Off to go complain to the wizarding community- Colani.
(See that little button right there that says review? Click it.)
