Chapter 6:

One morning while I cried over Sai a little more I felt a touch on my head. At first I thought it was Sakura trying to cheer me up but no' one was behind me. Then I looked down at Sai and his eyes were opened. He was awake. "Thank you God!" I yelled in relief. I reached out to hug Sai not caring who saw me or heard me. Now I was crying even more now. Only this time these were happy tears. Sai slowly petted my head again and tried speaking but I quieted him. "Don't speak, you've been through a lot and I don't want you to strain yourself right now." He didn't argue with me. Instead he kept running his fingers through my hair while I laid closely beside him so he wouldn't have to reach far. When Sakura came in she smiled. She was happy to see Sai awake too.

"It's about time you woke up Sai. Ino was nearly nothing when you were gone. Her parents giving her hell about arranged marriages, keeping her faith of you waking up. Well anyway, can you point out any painful spots in your body?" Sai shook his head. "That's good that means you have no broken bones or anything like that. Any pressure around your head?" again Sai shook his head. Sakura nodded "Okay, well get some rest while I make your medicine." Once Sakura left Sai looked up at me for answers. Then stroked underneath my eyes where I had bags from lack of sleep.

"I'm fine Sai" I tried assuring while setting his hand back to his side.

"Arrange...marriages?" he choked out.

"Forget about it, I'm not getting married or nothing like that. You're the only one for me." I kissed his head and climbed onto his bed to cuddle with him. He put his arm around my shoulders and kept me close to him. "The only one for me" I mumbled again before I drifted asleep. It was easy to find sleep when I was with Sai. Everything was easier for me when I was with Sai.

The next morning I was getting awake by soft kisses around my face. One by my eye, another one on my chin, next was the corner of my lip. When I slowly started opening my eyes I had Sai smiling down at me. He was leaning on his side, watching me sleep. "Good morning" he said in his usual low voice. I rubbed my eyes to get the sleep out until I realize I was still at the hospital. My parents would be furies if they knew I was still here. I jerked over at the door and hurried to gather my things. Till Sai caught my hand. "Don't worry; Sakura is taking care of your parents. She told them I needed someone to look after me for a week or so and she couldn't do it. Then she told them you have the basic training to know to stay with me. She promised them that you wouldn't be doing anything stupid but just watching over me."

"Really?" I had to ask to make sure I was hearing this correctly.

He nodded. "So please don't worry anymore."

My eyes grew in that quick second. "You heard me when you were in that coma, didn't you?"

"Bits and pieces of it I didn't, but majority of it I did hear" he admitted. "But let's go home today, okay?" 'Home' that word sounded so nice to my ears. I wrapped my arms around his neck and repeated "home" in his ear. Sai grinned and told Sakura he was feeling well enough to head home today. He told Sakura this while holding me in his arms. Sakura just gave us a neko smile that meant she knew what was running through our minds. She didn't say anything about it as she allowed Sai to check himself out of the hospital. I let him lean on me while we walked slowly to his house. He groaned a little when we had to hurry our speed up for crossing streets. He was sore and I knew it as I tried helping him keep his balance.

Sai's house was just the way I remembered it the last time I was here. It was only a little dustier but that was it. Sai wanted to rest so I took him down the hall to his bedroom. I let him rest while I made lunch for the both of us. It was ten minutes later when I heard Sai call my name. I hurried back to his room and he was wide awake. He stared outside his window that showed a beautiful sunset.

"Did you want something Sai?"

"Can you just keep me company for a little while" he asked quietly.

"I'm making lunch though."

"I'm not hungry anyway" I rolled my eyes as I made my way to his bedside. "Thank you Ino" he took my hand and kept it in his while he returned to staring at the sunset. I rested on his shoulder and listened to his slow beating heart, the heart I once heard go still. This all seemed perfect. It was till we heard knocking at the front door. I got up to answer the front door while I could feel Sai's eyes on my back. When I opened the front door I was surprised to see my parents.

"You're coming home now Ino" my dad ordered.

I crossed my arms "didn't Sakura give you..."

"We don't care, you're not going to stay here with that guy!" my dad shouted as he pointed down the hall where Sai was.

"I'm not going anywhere; I'm old enough to make my own choices!" I countered. "Besides, that guy..." I copied my dad's point and said "...is the other half of my heart. He needs me and I will not turn my back on him. I refuse to turn my back on him. So just leave!"

"What can he possibly provide for you, he barely makes enough money to provide for himself, he lives in this small shack of a house?"

I tried not losing my temper but I was afraid it was already too late. "That stuff doesn't matter to me. He gives me happiness, love, isn't that enough for you because it is for me?" I yelled. "Leave!" Before either one of them said another word I pushed them out and locked the door behind them. I slid down the door and covered my face as tears fell through my fingers. I had to pull myself together, but it was hard right now. Sai would be wondering what was taking me so long. I tried wiping away all of my tears as quickly as I could. Once I thought I was alright I headed back to Sai who was staring at the door I entered from. "It's fine, they won't be coming back" I whispered as I went back to laying on his shoulder.

Sai studied my face for a few minutes until he finally said "you know it's alright to cry in front of me, I'm here for you, always."

I nodded "I know, but I see crying as a sign of weakness and I don't need to be weak."

"It doesn't show weakness, it shows that you care about the people you love. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that, just get your rest for now. We'll talk later" I advised. Sai was tired and it was clear in his eyes. He was trying to fight it back though. Sai still tried fighting it but eventually he gave up and went to sleep. I watched him sleep for an hour or more. Then I quietly headed to the kitchen to finish preparing food for him. Once he woke up I would serve it to him. Then I walked over to the living room to rest myself. It was nice being this close to Sai. I wished it was like this every day with us.