Heres the next chapter guys...Please leave a review! I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

Only Hope

The Remaining Saninns

Right Before the Operation, at Sakura's room….

"That was quite impressive….." A fairly deep voice called. "I didn't know you could actually hold yourself back." A low chuckle followed.

The Godaime grimaced at this. Her apprentice's surgery was due to begin in a few minutes, and she wanted to use all her remaining time to focus and relax until then.

"What brings you here in all places, Jiraiya? This isn't the spa you know."

The toad sage smirked. "I just wanted to visit my long time crush."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "This is no time for jokes you idiot! I need to get ready for the surgery, and you're—"

"You? Get ready?" He arched a brow, walking towards her. "How serious is this, Tsunade?" He asked, the humor of his voice long gone. "And who?"

She sighed, finally turning to see him. "This…." She put a scroll down. "….is extremely serious, Jiraiya. So please, let me get myself together before I have to begin."

He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you performing the surgery on, Tsunade?"

The thought of performing a serious surgery on a critical case, made Tsunade feel the slightest bit uneasy. But it worsened, knowing it was Sakura's surgery. She didn't trust her voice to speak, she knew it would only betray her and release her hard held-back tears. So instead, she pointed to the bed that was blocked by thick, heavy curtains, with her head down.

Jiraya studied her actions. He followed her pointed arm to the bed behind the curtains. Slowly opening the curtains, he stopped midway. "It's Sakura…?" His eyes widened. He finally opened the curtain, revealing the unconscious pinkette in her bed. "What the hell happened while I was gone?!" He yelled.

The Godaime laughed lowly at him. "You still don't understand do you?"

The toad sage turned to her, furious. "What are you talking about, Tsunade?!" He yelled through gritted teeth.

Slowly bringing her head up, she began. "We were losing the war…..too many good shinobis died…..we were at a disadvantage….."

Still needing more than that, he ran up to her and shook her. "Damn it! What did you do!?"

Raising her head, Jiraiya saw her tears. She cursed herself for the lack of self-control. "The forbidden jutsu….revived our fallen shinobis and brought down the enemy forces….." She simply said, voice quivering and tears unwavering from their continuous fall. "I was too weak…she wasn't, and she volunteered." She tried to smile, but failed. "And you," She paused. "You're one of those that was revived. Funny, huh? " She laughed. "…..so strong…." A frown tugged on her mouth, and unwillingly it followed.

Realizing what she meant, he pulled her close to a warm embrace, and unwillingly, his tears began to slowly fall as well. He didn't know the pinkette as well as the woman in his arms did, but he heard a great deal about her and her skills from Naruto and villages he visited. It amazed him that someone so young had surpassed Tsunade, one of the three legendary sannins. Let alone be her student. Then again, Naruto had surpassed him as well. The Uchiha too, surpassed the greatest of them three, Orochimaru.

He let go off her when she didn't respond to his embrace, only to be yanked back in. His eyes widened in surprise as one of the strongest women he knew cried into his chest and hugged him. Sakura, he heard, was like a daughter and sister to Tsunade. The pinkette valued her relationship with the Godaime, and the Godaime the same to her apprentice. Sakura was a family to her, and she loved her. But she's lost so much of that already. Her grandfather the first, her little brother, and the man she loved so much. He knew she couldn't afford to lose another…..

"Tsunade…." He began. "I think I should go….."

She looked up to him with teary eyes. "W-why?"

His eyes softened at the sight. "It's almost time to perform the surgery, isn't it?" He smiled gently down at her.

She looked away and simply nodded, letting go of the grips she held on the man's clothes. "…..Thank you for coming…."

He turned to the window, preparing to leave. But her voice stopped him. It was quiet, rough, yet gentle. "Where are you going?" She asked.

He didn't see her face, and he didn't bother to look back to see either. He was too afraid that if he did, he would cry yet again. "On some mission I guess." He simply said.

She didn't reply. He took the silence as an 'okay'. But before he could jump out of the window, a tug on his robe held him back.

He looked at the Godaime confused and was about to retort, but stopped, seeing that she was serious, and looked at him deathly. "Tsunade?" He managed to ask, masking the fear in his voice.

"Don't you dare get yourself killed again." She simply warned.

He was shocked. Was this her, trying to show her affection? He inwardly smiled, but looked at her indifferently nonetheless. "Huh?" He asked stupidly.

Her grip on his robe tightened. Seeing that the man still didn't get a thing she said, she said it again. "I said, Don't get yourself killed." She paused. "Because if you do….." Her eyes softened, as if she was about to cry again. "I'll kill you again." She said, laughing afterwards, still not letting go of his robe.

Jiraiya grimaced. He thought they were actually having a moment there. He waved a dismissive hand at her. "Alright, alright." He grumpily said. "I won't let the girl's effort go to waste even the slightest." He began for the window, forgetting that she was still holding unto his robe.

Suddenly, he was pulled back into a hug. He was shocked. It was the second time she hugged him today. He was starting to think that she was sick or slowly dying herself.

It was about time the surgery began, and for him to leave. "Tsuna—"

"I love you…." She whispered.

Now, he was more shocked. And no way on earth did he miss that. She loves him. It's been more than a decade since he confessed his feelings to her, but she simply laughed at him and has never returned it ever since. Until now.

He wanted to say it again. "Tsunade I—" He was cut off again. Only this time, she kissed him. He felt hot. He has loved this woman for so many years, but only admitted it once. Now, he's no longer afraid of a second confession.

"I know…" She whispered in his ear.

He was completely speechless. He was speechless now that she'd allowed him to speak. It was reasonable though, he was still in complete and utter shock.

Seeing that he wasn't going to snap out of it soon, unless she did something, she pushed him out of the window. She knew he'd snap out of it, once she pushed him, and he did. And after seeing that he landed safely, she closed and locked the window. She smirked when she looked up at him with a huge grin on his face.

People were starting to look at him strangely. He hasn't stopped staring at the window ever since he fell. But he didn't mind all the stares he got. He was having a lot of ideas. Like, a lot. For example, a new book…

A voice called out to him and he snapped back into reality.

"Yo, Jiraiya." Came a familiar voice.

The man almost jumped. "Kakashi! You'll never guess what happened!" He yelled like a kid.

After some small talk, he dragged Kakashi into a more private place to talk. He told the copy nin his ideas for his new book, and soon told him of his adventures at the hospital.

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