It was the voices that first called her back to consciousness. Next was the smell. It was blood mingled with earth—reminding her of the events she wished to push aside in her mind.
Again, the voices.
They clouded her already-hazy thoughts as she attempted to clear her head. They came and went like ebbing ocean waves. She had could only catch bits and pieces of their hushed conversation.
"...how is he doing?"
"..Tsunade tells me that they are doing the best they can...."
"...damn, never thought that pansy Hyuuga would be done in like this..."
"...I'm not sure how she'll take this, especially if he is d--"
"Let's not jump to conclusions! It's still too early...."
"..how are the babies?"
"...surprised, huh?...they are doing as well as can be..."
"..to say the least..."
"...you got some swimmers..."
"...inappropriate, Kiba..."
"Shh! You two! She's coming around!"
Tenten's eyes fluttered open. She could feel Sakura's fingers on her wrist as warm pulsations of chakra flowed into her body. It made her feel relaxed--soothing the tension in her body. Why was she so tense? She couldn't quite remember...
"How do you feel?" came the familiar voice. It was the voice that had put her at ease many times before.
"S-Shino?" she asked weakly, her confusion written in her features. She looked around at the concerned group. Kiba grinned sheepishly, even winking at her. Despite his happy demeanor, she could still sense a sadness about him. Sai was both serious and quiet, only nodding at her, slightly.
"Are you comfortable?" Sakura softly asked. Tenten nodded.
"Any nausea? Vomiting? Cramping?" Sakura asked. Each question was answered with a shake of Tenten's head.
Tenten felt Shino squeeze her hand. She smiled warmly at him, "I-I feel so stupid. I can't believe I fainted."
"It happens," Sakura smiled. "You've had quite a day." Her green eyes wandered over ANBU's prisoners.
Tenten looked to her right, she could see a handful of Kumo-nin restrained and unconscious as they sat perched upon the back of one of Sai's creations. She had done that, hadn't she?
"I'll say! First she kicked all their asses, then she finds out she's having more than one of that jackass' offspring," he indicated Shino. "That'd do anyone in!"
"Kiba..." Sakura groaned.
Tenten's eyes widened in realization as she quickly looked at Shino. His face showed nothing as she searched it for answers. She suddenly remembered what Sakura had told her a few moments before. "T-twins!" she whispered.
"Tenten, please relax. It's not good for the babies if--" Shino tried to calm her, his voice low and steady.
"No, screw that!" She quickly pushed herself onto her rear as she glared around at her four companions.
Sai avoided eye contact. "I'm going to have a clone take these prisoners to headquarters," he murmured.
"Tenten," Sakura smiled awkwardly, "I know this is a surprise."
"A surprise?" she repeated. "Surprise? This," she pointed at her stomach, "is not surprise. Surprises, I can deal with. I just found out that I'm not carrying one child. I'm carrying two! How the hell am I supposed to deal with that?"
"You will deal with is just fine," Shino interrupted.
"Easy for you to say," she growled. "You have a family and money. I have nothing! How am I supposed to raise two kids like that? I won't be able to work!" Shino looked like he had been slapped in the face. Tenten would have regretted her words had she known the effect they truly had on her former lover.
Kiba whistled, "Man, you came all the way here to apologize, and she just rejects you. Ouch, man, ouch."
"Kiba, unless you would like to be the target of a paralyzing jutsu, could you please not open your mouth," Sakura rubbed her temples.
"Fine," he grumbled. "Jus' trying to help."
Tenten stared at Shino in shock. Had Kiba been speaking the truth? Had Shino come all the way here to apologize for his behavior these past few months? She almost wanted to ask the bug-nin, but she reminded herself that he would have to do more than that to make up for the way he behaved—even if he did have good reason.
His fear of his mother's death did not make up for the rejection he pushed upon Tenten. She still seethed from his half-assed marriage proposal--it had been more of a demand than a proposal! Regardless, right now, she was just hit with some very unsettling information: she was about to have two kids! Two! The fear that washed over her at the overwhelming thought of being a single mother of two children helped forge her resolution. No, she would not forgive Shino that easily. He may be the donor, but she was the carrier of two, very precious items.
Shibi had been the one who pushed her to turn down Shino's marriage proposal. He had told her he was disappointed in his son's reaction, fearing that Shino's happiness was being clouded by his parent's undoing. He wanted his son to marry out of love, not a sense of duty—even if it would upset the clan's elders. Shibi valued Tenten as a potential daughter-in-law, and had come to her with these thoughts. She had been humbled by his welcoming nature and warmth—something she never expected from the elder Aburame. He would make a fine grandfather, she had no doubt, and wanted nothing more than to see his son happy in his family life.
She had been the one to tell Shino she was choosing to end the pregnancy and moving out of the Aburame compound. She had been angry and hurt at his not-so-excited reaction to her pregnancy announcement. She had wanted to impose some of those same feelings upon him when she stormed into the manor that day. When he hadn't even showed so much as an ounce of concern toward her, she had truly believed he didn't love her. That was when she began to ponder the idea of terminating her pregnancy, but she knew it would devastate Shibi. She made a promise, then, to provide a grandchild—an heir—for him, even if she had to do it alone.
"Tenten?" Shino whispered.
Tenten blinked, realizing she had been lost in her own thoughts. "Huh?"
She glared at the hand he had placed on her arm. He swiftly removed his hand as he cleared his throat. A look of pain crossed his face. Was she disgusted by him? he wondered. He had seen that look on many people's faces when he came near them.
"We should get back to Konoha. Sai has already taken the prisoners," he gestured toward the giant bird, where the real Sai was perched. It was large enough to carry a small army.
She nodded, pushing herself off of the ground without his help. He watched her carefully as she quickly strode toward the creature, leaping onto its back with ease. Sakura watched their interaction with a quiet calm. She knew that Tenten was overwhelmed. It was only natural.
Shino raised an eyebrow as Sakura stood next to him. She quietly whispered as Sai jumped down to help Kiba onto the bird's back. "She'll come around. It's just a lot to handle right now, Shino."
Shino nodded softly as Sakura continued past him. He knew Tenten was trying her best to ignore him as he sat next to her, and part of him couldn't blame her. He wanted to speak with her, but knew that their privacy was limited at this point in time. Hopefully, after they returned to the Leaf Village, they could find time to speak.
***
***
Tenten had managed to remain quiet the entire trip. Sakura spoke to her in a hushed voice, no doubt informing her that she would need to be examined upon their return. Tenten nodded stiffly, as she picked at her fingernails. Shino could see Tenten's sidelong glances, though she never looked at him directly.
They arrived at the top of the Konoha Hospital. Tsunade, Shizune, Ino, and Hinata were waiting for them. Kiba's face lit up when he saw Hinata standing on the rooftop next to the three medics. Tenten couldn't help but feel sympathetic toward the young man, as he had just had one of the worst days of his life. Tenten assumed that Sakura had informed her fellow medics of the situation through the linked scroll she had been furiously scribbling on. The five shinobi approached the waiting party, as Sakura and Shino walked on either side of Kiba, helping him walk on his injured leg.
"Kiba-kun!" Hinata briskly walked toward him, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry!"
Kiba held out his still-bandaged hands, cupping Hinata's face. Instead of saying anything, he just leaned forward and buried his face in her hair, his body shaking with silent sobs as they held one another. His two escorts silently departed.
Tsunade stepped forward, "Sakura, well done."
Sakura nodded, "Thank you. But, Kiba's leg is in need of immediate repair. His anterior thigh muscles have all been severed to the bone, as I have informed you. His hands are healing, though the top layers of skin need more work. I'm sure Ino could handle that."
"Is that agreeable, Ino?" Tsunade asked the blonde.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Ino bowed her head. Sakura smiled.
"How is Neji?" Tenten interrupted, her face pale with concern. Tsunade glanced at Sakura. "I can handle it, I need to know!" the pregnant kunoichi's voice began to rise.
The Hokage spoke slowly, "He is alive. We have managed to repair the wound to his abdomen, but he is still unstable. We are doing the best we can--"
"Is going to die?" Tenten whispered as she lowered her eyes. She knew that there were no promises in medicine, and Tsunade and Sakura were the best there was. If they couldn't do anything, then....
"I cannot answer that," the Fifth spoke honestly.
"Can I see him?" Tenten whispered, silently screaming for a miracle. When no one answered her question, she looked up to find the the women looking anxiously at one another.
"I'll take her, Tsunade," Sakura spoke softly.
"Fine, but he is no condition for visitors. You may find him in a....surprising state," Tsunade warned. She looked over Tenten. "You will report to Shizune or Sakura before you return to ANBU Headquarters, do you understand?"
Tenten blushed. "I-I understand!" she bowed her head.
"I will receive the full report from them, and we will discuss your duties pending the results. Ibiki has no say in this matter whatsoever. Is that clear?" the Hokage's eyes flashed as she barked out her demands.
"Y-yes, Hokage-sama," Tenten whispered. "I understand your orders."
"Good." Her eyes fell on the embracing forms of Hinata and Kiba. "Let those two have their time, Ino," she whispered, her voice and eyes much softer than before. "We can give him that."
"Yes, Hokage," Ino quietly replied. She chewed her lip as both she and Shizune followed the Fifth into the hospital.
"Commander," Sai spoke from beside Tenten, "I will report to Ibiki, and let him know that you are here. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, Sai," Tenten replied softly.
She looked over the young man. He had been in ANBU long before she was, and yet she had surpassed him in rank. She knew that he had wanted her position of leadership, though he had taken the overlook with as much grace as a man could. Tenten made a mental note to speak to Ibiki about Sai's future, especially after his help today. He was a valuable member of ANBU and deserved to have that recognized. She would most likely have to resign from her position if she were going to be able to take care of the unborn children she was carrying.
"Dismissed," she ordered. Sai nodded and disappeared in a flash.
Tenten realized that Shino was still standing there, watching everything with mute interest. She suddenly felt a sadness as she remembered Kiba's earlier words. She glanced at the young man, who was still holding Hinata close, though he seemed to have regained his composure. He softly kissed Hinata's forehead as she closed her eyes and spoke reassurances to him. There were tears falling down her face. It was obvious that she shared his pain for the loss of Akamaru.
Tenten's eyes returned to Shino's dark glasses. "You coming?" she murmured as she fell into step beside Sakura.
She ignored the smile on the medic-nin's face as they entered the hospital.
***
***
Shino quietly followed the two women as the trio weaved through the blank halls of the hospital. Sakura led them to the end of a long corridor, turning to face them outside of the room. She looked over both of them with bright green eyes filled with concern.
"This is Neji's room. For the time being," she confessed.
Tenten nodded, but Sakura stopped her before she could continue further. "You will see tubes and lines connected to him. These are what is keeping him alive."
She pushed open the door, allowing Tenten and Shino to walk past her. She could hear the sharp intake of breath from Tenten as she took in Neji's current state.
"What's going?" she frantically whispered.
Sakura stepped into the room, looking at Tenten sadly. "The tube connected to that machine," she pointed out, "is allowing him to breathe."
"He is unable to do it on his own? So if he is taken off of the machine--"
Sakura nodded, "Yes, he will die. Eventually. It may be anywhere from seconds to hours. But he is unable to breath on his own."
Tenten could see a much smaller tube snaking from under the sheets into a cylinder behind the bed as she approached. The mixture was dark and thick.
"What is that?" Tenten asked, horrified that it may be coming from Neji's body.
"He had extensive injuries to his stomach. Tsunade was able to repair his bowel and stomach, but the contents had already spilled into his abdominal cavity." She gently touched the tube, "This is sucking out the blood and fluids from that injury. These are things that shouldn't be found outside of bowel, and it's important to remove it."
"Will it get better?" Tenten asked, eyeing the tube with disgust.
"It will, once all of the fluid is removed. But, it's a long and slow process. He was very lucky that his spinal cord or the large artery and vein running behind his abdomen were not injured. He would have bled out in minutes," she informed Tenten.
"What about the burns on his head?" Tenten continued to ask questions. It helped her pretend that Neji's wasn't as bad as he looked.
"Easy fix," Sakura confessed.
"I thought he was dead when I found him," Tenten whispered as she ran her fingers over the white sheet covering the Hyuuga's body. She looked down as Shino reached for her hand, squeezing it for reassurance. She smiled weakly.
"Well, he had a ton of air in his stomach from that huge wound. That would be enough pressure to stop his lungs from working properly, as well as his heart. It would be enough to make anyone think he was dead," Sakura whispered.
"What gets me," Tsunade suddenly interrupted before Tenten could ask another question, "is that his injuries were so severe that he shouldn't have lived this long."
"What?" Tenten asked, jumping at the Hokage's sudden appearance.
"I'm trying to understand what happened," the older woman admitted. "He couldn't have survived with that much pressure on his heart and lungs. Not even with Sai's speedy delivery." The Hokage crossed her arms as she stared at Shino, her expression filled with amusement, "There was obvious repair to his airway."
Tenten looked at Shino—whose face was its usual stony facade. She glanced at Sakura, who seemed equally as confused.
Tsunade spoke again, "Shino knows what I am talking about. Why don't you share?"
Shino remained silent, his ears turning slightly red. "Shino? What is the meaning of this?" Tenten asked softly. She had never known Shino to possess medic abilities. Nor would she expect him to risk his life to help Neji.
When Shino said nothing, Tsunade held out an open palm. In it was a jar of iridescent insects as they lazily moved about their glass prison. Tenten had never seen such insects before.
Shino cleared his throat, "They are mine, yes."
"I assumed as much," Tsunade held up the jar, eyeing the insects with interest. "But how did you get them to burrow into him? I thought that was purely an Aburame trait?"
"What?" Tenten's jaw fell open? Shino's bugs in...in...Neji??
Shino sighed, "It began when Sakura used Katsuyu to heal me, months earlier. It just happened that I had larvae forming, and, I think, that the chakra from the slug somehow affected the development of my kikkai."
"Hmm...interesting," Tsunade mused. Sakura's brow was knitted in concentration as she looked at a monitor next to Neji.
"I think that it imposed a healing quality on some of my kikkaichu, since I noticed that any wounds I sustained in battle healed much more quickly than they normally would," Shino guessed. "I had wanted to speak with Sakura about that, but hadn't found the time."
"So you experimented on the Hyuuga?" Tsunade raised a finely shaped eyebrow.
Shino nodded, "Why? Because time was limited. It was a theory, yes, but I had to go on something, I suppose. I merely commanded them to burrow into Neji, and they followed my command. Just as they normally would."
Tenten stood there in complete shock. Tsunade smiled, "Interesting, Shino. Do you mind if I study these bugs for further analysis?" She shook the jar.
"Not at all, Hokage-sama," Shino bowed his head, avoiding Tenten's stare. "I would prefer that this be kept between us, however."
"Request granted," the Fifth nodded. "He would not have made it had it not been for you, Shino. These bugs are really something—that is, if they do what you say."
Before Shino could answer, Sakura yelled, "Tsunade! Now!"
Neji's body began to convulse, as his eyes fluttered open and closed. Blood began to pour out of his mouth. Buzzers and other odd sounds began to fill the room, as uniformed bodies crowded around the bed, knowingly performing the required duties amidst the chaos.
"Shit! He bit his tongue!" Tsunade roared as Sakura tried to focus her chakra in her hands as they resided on either side of his head.
"I think I found something," Sakura grunted, her eyes forced shut.
"We missed something?" Tsunade attempted to suck the blood from Neji's mouth, despite the continued seizing.
"What's going on? What's happening?" Tenten cried, looking at Neji frantically.
"Get her out of here, Shino!" Sakura commanded, her eyes still closed.
"I'm not going anywhere! I'm staying here!" Tenten argued. "I'm not leaving him here!"
"Dammit, his oxygen saturation is dropping!" A nurse who had found her way to the monitor called out.
"What's that mean?" Tenten wailed. "Is he gonna be alright?"
"No! He's gonna die if I can't concentrate!" Sakura hissed, as she opened her eyes. Sweat was running down the side of her face as her hands glowed a brighter hue of blue. "Shino, get Tenten out of here! NOW!"
"Tenten, leave! Before I make you," the Hokage commanded as she quickly pushed a syringeful of something into the Neji's IV. Neji's eyes flew open as another seizure took over his body and more blood ran from his mouth.
"Shit!" Tsunade cursed. Her glowing hands began to hover around Sakura's.
"You see it?" Sakura grunted.
"How did we miss this?" Tsunade asked, though no one answered her.
"Nurse! I need a drill," Sakura commanded as she sliced through Neji's scalp with her chakra scalpel. Blood began to soak through the white linens on his bed.
A uniformed woman scampered across the floor, handing a tiny instrument to Sakura. The pink-haired medic immediately turned it on, and the sound of metal on bone rang out through the room as Tenten stared in wide-eyed horror.
"S-she's cutting into his h-h-head!" she stammered. Blood spurted onto Sakura's uniform and the floor—it was the last thing Tenten saw of her best friend before she was bodily dragged from the room into the foreboding halls of the hospital.
*****
Hope everyone had a nice holiday! I've decided that no alcohol (for me) + badly behaved kids = migraine.
Simple equation, don't know why I didn't figure it out sooner.
I think my cat is traumatized from being carried around by his neck. He didn't sign up for that!
On a happier note, new chapter! Story is getting close!!
Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!