AN: firstly, apologies for this being such a short chapter, but I just thought what I have written next needs to be submitted separately. This is just a little bit of waffle really so you don't all feel like I'm deserting you.

Now I'm back from festival land, I'm going to try my best to update more often, especially seen as the dance is fast approaching (VERY EXITING THINGS!).

Right, to clarify: this disjointed but single scene is happening around seven at night on the 22nd August- that's a day and a half after the last chapter finished, and the night before the dance (Temari's birthday).

Sorted…

Unmasked

Chapter 13- Unconscious

"Kurenai" Shikamaru called as he noticed her standing outside one of the hospital rooms.

She spun around to face him and immediately walked forward to grab her son, who had been clutching onto Shikamaru. "Asumu! Dear Kami I'm glad to see you. Arigato Shikamaru."

"Okaa, you hurt?" Asumu asked her, looking up at her blood stained uniform

She realized what he had seen and sighed, hugging him tighter. "No sweaty, I'm fine. It isn't mine"

Asumu locked his fingers tight onto her top to keep hold of her so she picked him up "Missed me too, eh?" then she turned to Shikamaru "He wasn't too much trouble, was he?"

Shikamaru simply shrugged in reply "I've been busy. Ino's been looking after him"

"Well make sure that you thank her for me" she began walking down the corridor a little way

"Of course" he nodded

Suddenly, someone ran passed them clutching cloths covered in blood, moving away from the room they had just left. Shikamaru stared off after them, and then looked over at Kurenai again. "What happened?"

"You haven't heard?"

"Yes, it's all over Konoha, but nobody has any details"

"We achieved the mission objective surprisingly easily, but we didn't realize the s-class Nin we were sent after had a following. We got to about 20 miles from here before we were ambushed. Kakashi made the decision that one person should stay while the others sent for backup, so of course he was the prime candidate; seen as we all had family to get back to. We really thought he could handle it, so we didn't question him, but by the time we got back…

"We only had a few medics and they were certain his only hope would be to get him back here to Haruno. A team has been sent out after the remaining ninja but we aren't too confident of his chances."

"Is it really that bad?"

"It's bad, but he's been worse. The difference I think, is that Sakura… she's just not herself. It's really a wonder she's even conscious herself. I almost wish she'd just save herself the heartache and let him go."

Shikamaru sighed "She'll never do that"

"No, but she might kill herself otherwise. Shizune tells me she's gone over 40 hours with non-stop chakra use. She's just called her roommate to try and take her home before she ends up in a hospital bed herself."

"You should get home yourself."

"Hai, I'll do that. Asumu will be tired soon anyway" she smiled softly as she stroked her son's head "I'll see you tomorrow"

"Alright, Oyasumi Asumu-kun"

They strolled off, just as a familiar, hyper voice filled the hallway "Shikamaru!"

He spun lazily to face the spiky headed ball of yellow energy "Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"Kaka-sensei, have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't"

"Don't lie! You have to know something!"

"Naruto…" he winced at his aching eardrums "I know which room he is in, but that's more or less all."

"Can I see him?"

"It's not likely; he's still in pretty bad shape"

"Well I'm going anyway" he stated as he began to stride off

Shikamaru sighed and went to follow him "Naruto, don't make a scene. It's too troublesome"

Luckily, he got distracted before he could walk in and disturb the medics working on Kakashi. Unluckily, he was distracted by Sakura slumping to the floor outside the room, leaning up against the hospital wall.

Naruto rushed up to her "Sakura!"

She didn't reply, but held up her hands in front of her, staring blankly at the blood covering them.

"Sakura; how is Kaka-sensei?"

"He's unconscious with a bloody great big hole through his torso, what do you think?" she mumbled unenthusiastically.

Naruto's eyes went wide at her negative attitude. "Is he going to…?"

She sighed heavily and let her arms fall down. "He's stabilized. Still unconscious, but not dead"

"But he'll wake up, right?"

"Maybe" she shrugged "Definitely not soon, but I don't know if eventually… maybe he never will though. It all depends on whether he really wants to…"

Naruto frowned and stood still in thought.

Shikamaru knelt down beside her "You look awful"

"No time for compliments Shika" she grunted

"I mean it. When did you last sleep?"

She looked up, trying to think, and with the hair out of her face, the rings around her eyes were even more visible "I uh… maybe Monday?"

"Ino will gut you if you look like this tomorrow night. You need to sleep"

"Tomorrow night…?" suddenly, her eyes went wide as if she had remembered something "Oh, the dance? I need to talk to Gaara!"

"Gaara will wait." Shikamaru reasoned.

"Sakura, there you are." Tenten's voice came from behind him "Shizune called me to take you home"

"Arigato Tenten" Shikamaru stood up beside Naruto to face her.

Tenten followed Sakura's gaze to the door of the room across the hall and gave her a despairing glare "Let the other medics deal with him Sakura."

"But…"

She crossed her arms over her chest "Sakura, if you aren't going to let me walk you home right now, I'll just knock you unconscious and take you home by myself"

"Just take me to my office; I have a bed in there" she struggled to stand up by herself so Shikamaru gave her a hand.

"Yeah, like you are really going to sleep in there." She laughed "You'll only walk off back to Kakashi. It is half seven already. You are going home, eating something, and sleeping there until nine tomorrow morning, no arguments."

"You're lonely, aren't you?" she smiled sweetly

Tenten didn't like what she was insinuating at all "Come on Sakura, you're going home"

She led the younger girl off, supporting her as they went, leaving Shikamaru and Naruto alone.

"Are you alright Naruto?"

"Wha- what did she mean when she said 'whether he really wants to'? I don't understand. Why wouldn't he want to wake up?"

"Are you blind or just stupid? He's all alone. No family, not many friends, and the only person he ever loved… well that's not important. The point is, he might not think he has much to live for. I think Sakura knew that."

"Is that why she's so moody? She feels guilty?"

"No, I'm sure it's just that for once, she can actually see his face. It's sure to make it much harder to stay professional." He smiled weekly at the younger boy "He'll be fine Naruto. Sakura wouldn't let him die. You know that"

He looked down at his feet as he shuffled them uncomfortably "Hai, I know. It doesn't help though"

"You shouldn't worry about it. You're coming tomorrow night, right?" he began to walk out of the hospital, Naruto following him.

"Hai"

"So you can get your mind off it and hopefully Sakura will do the same."

"What are you doing now?"

"I have wedding things to sort out with my mother." He fiddled with his earring as he walked

"Temari has been looking for you, are you going to see her later?"

"Not if I can help it"

Naruto laughed lightly "Hai, I can't wait to see what she does when she finds out about Ino"

"Ugh, I really can. My only hope is that neither of us are in the vicinity when she does find out."

AN: kind of crap chapter, but I'm out of practice. Next chapter will be the final one before the dance. Yay!

Also: ARIGATO to all of my reviewers, especially Raine of Tears who was the big shiny number 100! seriously, my target has been reached and i luffs you all for it. maybe i might get 150 by the end of the story?

Stay shiny and show the luff

Xx Belizma-chan xX