WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

latibule-(n.) a hiding place; a place of safety and comfort. english.

The steady beeping with the hushed sounds of a busy hospital was almost calming in all it's chaos. The background sound was distracting, so much so that the click was softly drowned out until he heard the squeaking of shoe soles on polished floors. Cracking an eye just a sliver open, black, thoughtful eyes greeted his.

"I hear hospital food is among the wonders of this world."

The man was slouching with one hand in his uniform pocket and in the other a plastic bag. It was swaying, twisting and untwisting around his curled fingers. For a second he thought of closing his eyes but the smell was getting to him. He was too sensitive for that anyway.

Kakashi still wore a frown but he looked much better rested, the bags under his eyes less severe. He didn't wait for Sasuke's response, pulling a chair over he spun it so he could straddle it instead.

Through the door the medical machines and the low hum of people seemed much louder. Sasuke watched Kakashi place the bag on the side table and pull out take out containers. He hesitantly took the offered chopsticks and container.

"Tsunade would kill me if she found out I brought you food"

Sasuke almost rejected the food out of stubbornness, but the food is terrible in this place.

"You don't seem to be in as much pain, must be feeling better"

A silence fell over them and Sasuke could see Kakashi fight with himself while twirling the chopsticks.

"Suigetsu's parents car...while wrecked, is still salvageable, so we are going to have to pay for the repairs...now, as a minor they are not going to press criminal charges."

Sasuke almost snorted, as if they would.

"In lieu of criminal charges though, they want you to make it up to them in some way. They are still thinking of a suitable punishment and they will get back to us when you are released."

Now that, Sasuke wasn't really expecting would happen, what would they want from me anyway?

Resent rose up within him directed towards Kakashi. The shiny noodles no longer caught his attention so he placed the container off to the side.

Kakashi's frustration was louder left unvoiced anyway.

"I think Iruka might stop by later to bring you dinner if you want"

Kakashi got nothing for his bait.

"Sasuke-"

"Now!"

Tsunade barked at someone, bursting through the door to find Kakashi slouched in the chair and Sasuke looking at the tv.

"Kakashi, wasn't expecting to see you right now...and you brought takeout. You know my rules, you bring food, you bring me some, you know how horrid this place is."

"Ah, Tsunade, still scaring the orderlies I see"

"The only fun I'm allowed around here."

"Sorry about that...here, looks like Sasuke isn't hungry anymore"

"God kid, you'd take hospital food over takeout? No wonder you got yourself into this mess. Lacking a bit up here, aren't we?" Tsunade tapped her red painted finger against her temple and smirked before picking up his charts. The boy glared at her, big mouthed bitch, but she payed him no mind, he looked much less intimidating in a hospital gown bruised, beaten and swallowed by all the white. She scoffed,

"What are you doing here, Kakashi"

"I came to see my favorite doctor of course"

The look she gave him made him chuckle.

"I had a breather in between all the piles of paperwork"

"How's that going" Tsunade only looked over Sasuke's charts again and checked the state of the bruises covering his body.

"It's a process just like anything. The Akatsuki are going on trial in two days, the stations practically swinging from the ceiling. We're tracking down a lot of the kids parents which is also good."

"The old man?"

"Not doing a damn thing"

"See he's taking my advice to heart"

She had a playful look lighting up her face and pulled the flashlight away from Sasuke's face. It always stood out to her how dark his eyes were.

"Well, you're healing faster than I expected, you'll be let out faster than previous thought."

Kakashi nodded and she snatched the container on her way out,

"Your friend keeps asking to see you, she even bit a nurse...Orderly! That is not how you use that" She glanced at Sasuke pointedly before barking orders at some poor fool as soon as she opened the door, blonde pigtails fluttering behind her.

~OoOoO~

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasu-"

"What" his voice is harsh and low and in between the syllables were unvoiced threats and the distant echoes of crying children.

"Good. I thought you were ignoring me for a second. I've been looking all over for you! How have you been?...oh my god your face!"

Karin's head was no longer merely peeking in from behind the doorway. Out of his peripheral her wild red hair came bouncing closer and closer until she was close in his personal space, she might as well have been examining the red scrapes on his face with a magnifying glass. Some of the other kids were giving her strange looks. She was oblivious, as always.

He almost growled at her, leaning away from her curious fingers and watched the stupidly over exaggerated comedy with growing disinterest. Karin didn't get the point, she never does, and sat down besides him, curling her arms around her knees and leaned against him.

She had bruises littering her body and a couple of scratches but besides that she seemed perfectly fine.

Both sat on a couch in the lounge area, Sasuke had been forced to come after Kakashi practically dragged him out of bed, 'if you're going to be here you might as well interact with some of the other people. Who knows maybe you'll make a new friend?'

Of course, Sasuke didn't agree with Kakashi.

The lounge area was bright and colorful with over the top cartoon animal decals, board games, a TV, big couches, game consoles, floor puzzles and kids games decorating the floor. They even had bookcases. It was obnoxious.

Sasuke pushed a pouting Karin away.

A blur of color caught his attention and looked up and into the hallway to see a blond boy creeping around and hiding behind a potted plant before ducking into the elevator.

This gave Sasuke an idea. Who's going to stop me anyway? Impassive and rising from his seat Karin looked confused. He was walking out the doorway when a body collided with his own and arms locked around him.

"Suigetsu!" He heard Karin holler but the only thing he registered was Jugos enormous frame and his orange hair.

That's when he realized he was being hugged. And Suigetsu was blubbering like a fool.

"-o idea! I was so worried and my parents were so pissed and I thought if you ever died I would-"

"Get off me" he growled and pushed him away forcefully, making him bump into Jugo.

"I'm fine" he said coldly and found himself back at the couch. Karin yanked him down, he couldn't get away just yet.

~OoOoO~

"Excuse me, are you lost, little boy?"

"Little boy? Who you calling little boy lady? I'm fifteen and no I am not lost."

The woman looked absolutely appalled and recoiled, as if struck, the other people in the elevator shuffling away from him or ignoring him altogether.

"Oh, well my apologies"

Naruto's eyes narrowed at her for a second before he nodded, accepting her sorry. The elevator music filled the awkward silence and his foot began tapping impatiently.

Eventually, the elevator opened up on his stop and he climbed out with several people. The office floors were much calmer than the actual hospital itself.

After following the tiny map that labeled Naruto as a red star reading 'you are here', Naruto found himself in a lobby type area. There was a receptionist and he went over to the plaques on the wall, tapping his finger down a list of names until he found the one he was looking for. Ah ha!

Whistling and walking nonchalantly Naruto sauntered past the receptionist, winking at her and rousing a questioning expression from her as the elevator doors shut in her face.

The top floor it is.

He almost pressed all the buttons out of principle but restrained himself. Soon he found himself on the top floor surrounded by a bunch of different offices. The quietness of the place was almost unnerving.

Then he found himself in front of the doorway he had been searching for.

TSUNADE SENJU M.D.

CHIEF OF HOSPITAL AND HEAD OF PEDIATRICS

Without knocking Naruto found himself in a silent waiting area, with no receptionist present. Ha, someone's gonna get fired. Disregarding the rules of privacy he opened what could only be the old bats unlocked door and flicked on the lights.

Her office was cushiony and everything was made of fine wood and had plants all over. Naruto went about inspecting all the knick-knacks in the room, tapping and poking at what interested him and observing the plants. He plopped into her chair and picked up her phone,

"Hello, why this is the old hag Tsunade" he said before he let it slip from his hands onto the desk, uninterested. Drumming his hands on her desk he went through some files lying about, not able to understand the medical jargon. A smile crossed his face when he found her radio. He fiddled with it, face screwed in concentration until he found something that he liked. Stretching, a yawn escaped him and he crossed his arms behind his head and crossed his feet on her desk.

This is how Tsunade found him two hours later...

"What in the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Naruto woke in alarm with a snort, clambering around like the place was on fire.

"Huh-wha-itwhasbntmi"

His eyes grew wide until he registered where he was, amusement making him huff, "oh, it's just you"

"Just me-just me, what the hell are you doing in my office!"

"You're receptionist let me in?"

She looked unimpressed and snatched the paper weight he was playing with right out of his hand.

"Hey I was just looking at it" he whined

"What makes you think you can just barge into my office. What if someone had gone looking for you, you would've lead the staff on a wild good chase"

"It's boring there, there's nothing to do all damn day so I figured I would see what you were up to"

"Why me"

The boy shrugged. Tsunade watched him for a bit and he put his face in his hand, unwilling to back down from the silent wager.

"Fine, you're still in trouble you can never do this again or not you will get into trouble with security, you hear me, brat"

"Yea, yea loud and clear"

"Okay, now move. Have you been sleeping this entire time?"

"That's a comfortable chair you've got there" Tsunade rolled her eyes and shooed him away, so he threw himself on the couch, sighing contently.

"So, what do you do in here?"

"It's an office, I do work in here"

"Boring paperwork stuff"

"It's necessary"

"Where were you?"

"Meetings, rounds, things of that sort" There was a moment of silence, the controlled clicks of a keyboard the only noise.

"Did you eat lunch already?" He asked and she watched him observing her fish.

"No, why?"

He grinned at her, "I haven't either...you know, there's this great ramen shop downtown that does delivery..."

Tsunade gave him a withering look but approximately half an hour later there was a delivery made from Ichiraku's to Konoha's General Hospital.

~OoOoO~

A shower was always soothing like nothing else so after one Sakura always felt relaxed and sated. Even though she had been in the hospital for three days she was already feeling much stronger than before, she could feel it in her muscles and in her stamina, she felt sturdier, more grounded, the head of her shoulder wasn't as prone to rolling away anymore. The little girl she was playing with was enraptured by the puzzle but Sakura didn't miss the entry of the boy. He was one of Yahiko's ghosts. Apprehension rose in her because he was pouting, being pushed in by a disgruntled Shizune. There was something wild looking about him.

"Stay in here, Naruto. Tsunade told me the stunt you pulled yesterday, you're on close watch"

"That old hag wasn't complaining much yesterday!"

"Naruto" Shizune growled and he flopped down gracelessly on the recliner, defiant and childlike.

"Fine"

Shizune gave him a long look and then left, smiling lightly at Sakura.

For a second longer Sakura observed the boy while he had his back to her, his wild sunny locks the only thing facing her. He was frowning at the tv with his arms crossed, a million angry thoughts passing through his mind and clear for display on his face. He must have felt her watching because his head swung and looked around, Sakura ducking her head and engaging the girl in a conversation. She could feel him stare at her for the briefest of moments.

The energy in the room seemed to calm down again, settling back into small talk and the diluted voices of the tv. Sakuras eyes kept moving back to the boy, the bravado he wore on his face and the unimpressed squinting look he looked at everything with. The mute little girl tugged on her sleeve again and Sakura rejoined their one sided conversation.

She almost missed when the man came in.

The man stood slouched and relaxed but alert at the same time. The man was also escorting a disgruntled boy. It's the officer from the park. What is he doing here? She almost would've missed their presence altogether if it wasn't for the loud girl that was almost wrapped around the boy's arm.

Sakura looked up at his smokey gray hair and his unassuming black eyes, to find him watching the blond boy with mild amusement while the boy looked like the cat who had caught the canary.

The girl dragged the boy with spiky hair the color of shadows into the couch and he pushed her away, scowling. The sight of the boy made something warm and flutter and swell within her. She swallowed and the boy eyes followed the man approaching the blond one,

"How's the hospital"

He crossed his hand behind his head and smiled

"Why hello officer, it's been awhile hasn't it"

"Yes it has"

"The old bat's been treating me alright, they won't let me go outside though so it gets real boring real fast"

"Old bat?"

"Tsunade"

Sakura scowled at the way he referred to her how rude, and the man looked like he was holding back a bark of laughter.

"Does she know you call her that?"

"Yes she does, you should see how red she gets when I call her that" the man smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets, his face sombered slowly and he scanned the room. His eyes quickly found Sakura's green and she realized she must have looked like a deer caught in headlights, being caught both eavesdropping and staring at the boy he had come in with.

He looked just as surprised to see her and he made his way over, crouching beside her. He gave a small lopsided close mouthed smile,

"Wouldn't imagine to run into you here"

It was a strange feeling seeing the man crouching right next to her, real and solid. Sakura was used to seeing him in the far distance, being the backdrop of the park, him and his dogs a reoccurring but necessary part of her routine part of0 her life with Yahiko. The foreign feeling of being out of place caught her off guard, and she found herself staring and being stared at. She was acutely aware of the girl and two other boys staring at her. She made eye contact with the boy with the dark eyes, I've seen him before,...where have I seen him before?

The boys face turned into somewhat of a scowl and she turned her face back to the man, face dusted with the red of embarrassment.

"How are you doing"

"Good" she rasped and he looked to the little girl besides her.

"I almost didn't recognize you without your hat or braids...And this is?"

"That's Shion...she doesn't say much"

"Tsunade keeping an eye on you?"

This roused Sakura's suspicion-how did he know-and she felt her eyes narrow at him. He seemed to realize what he must have done and picked up a puzzle piece Shion was trying to force.

"Lemme see that, you've got that in the wrong place, you have to turn it and then, it'll fit" his agile fingers worked to fix the piece and Shion stared at him with something akin to wonder.

"You played with my dogs so many times but you never told me your name"

"Sakura"

"Hello, Sakura, I'm Kakashi."

She nodded and went back to the puzzle, focusing on it rather than the intensity of Kakashi's eyes.

"What was the other guys name?" She murmured looking sideways at him. It took a second for the gears to turn and she was amused by his confused expression.

"Ah-oh! That's Iruka" he said clasping his hands on his knees.

"Well, Sakura, it is nice seeing you again. Maybe I'll see you next time"

Her green eyes searched his face before she smiled slightly and went back to Shion. Kakashi went back to the boy and murmured something to him and the girl, calling his name. Sasuke.

"Don't give Tsunade too much trouble, Naruto" he threw over his sauntering shoulder and the boy snorted looking very self satisfied.

"Sakura" Shizune called.

When she walked by she locked eyes with the girl and she knew she roused the blond boy's attention. When she looked at Sasuke he ignored her but Sakura still found herself holding her breath, feeling dizzy like she was on clouds.

~OoOoO~

The cold metal made her toes curl as she watched Tsunade read the scale.

"You know, you've been making very good progress" he said and scribbled on her clipboard.

"I feel stronger already"

"Well, deficiencies in essential nutrients can do that to you" she chuckled and Sakura hopped off the scale.

Tsunade was checking her ear when she asked into the side of her face,

"So you're going to be leaving soon you know that?..." She breathed deeply, "I talked to the chief of police, Sarutobi-lazy old geezer, and he said that they're coming to pick you up soon..."

"Really?" A tightness constricted her chest and she focused on the ripples in the hospital curtain.

"Yes, unfortunately they couldn't locate your parents so you're going into foster care, for now, at least..." she slowly drifted.

~OoOoO~

It was both incredibly disappointing and equally liberating and infuriating to hear what Tsunade had told her. Sakura liked to think her mom would find her again sometime again, because she was her mom, she had a very near and dear place in Sakura's heart,...but those hopes were slowly fading away. It's been three years already, whats another couple more. It was somewhat sad to know she was leaving the hospital, she liked Tsunade and she liked Shizune and she liked the sick kids she played with.

So the rest of the day Sakura spent talking to the nurses and following Shizune around.

~OoOoO~

"-for now..."

"Why? I don't want to"

"Don't be rid-...,it could be beneficial" Naruto didn't fail to notice how she restrained herself, picking her words carefully.

"How? I hear what they say about those types of places!"

"You can't be dumped out onto the streets, Naruto"

"Why not?"

"Because you're not of age"

"I've done it before and I can do it again, what do you even care"

"You're my patient, of course I care" she murmured

Naruto laid on the comfort of her leather couch, arms crossed over his stomach, frowning deeply at the ceiling. After Sakura's departure Naruto had left the room, not wanting to deal with the volume of the redheaded girl who was talking the poor suckers ear off. Naruto was alright with not fighting, the movie held no interest for him anyway. So he hid in Tsunade's office again, and somehow she must've known because the lights were on, the door unlocked and the paperweight and other files were missing from the desk. Everything else was also locked. So he waited for her to show up in her chair and she eventually did with a dramatic sigh.

She had also just told him that they hadn't found his mother, of course, always gone when you need her the most. His hands were curled, his fingernails digging into the softer skin of his palm. The system had only failed his so far, why would I need it now?

"You don't have much of a choice either" she said and Naruto's jaw hurt from locking so tightly. "At least you're doing better, much better now" she reconciled quickly.

The boy said nothing, choosing the silence and the low pleasant music in the background to help calm himself. After an hour or so he eventually drifted off to sleep.

Tsunade didn't say much else besides make a call to Shizune and Ichuraiku's. She didn't leave her office, having dinner with Naruto and staying much longer than she really needed to. Oh well this work isn't going to finish itself she thought to herself looking at the lightly snoring boy. Lights off had been over an hour ago.