A/N:

To quote the viral question: "Why are verbs so tense?!"

I'm training with them though... to calm them down a bit. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Anyways, let's have a little math.

Formula: a + b = x

Equation 1: a/you = awesome

Equation 2: b/me = grateful

Solution by Substitution:

awesome (you) + grateful (me) = x

And x = Another chapter!


Chapter 5

Beginnings


The events that night to her mind, were like ocean waves to the shore.

A month had passed since they happened. And still, they remained vivid. What they evoked within her couldn't be labeled as pity or sympathy. She had no right to think that. Empathy wasn't even enough to describe this feeling. It was more than that.

Those memories were unstoppable. They were currents that never got tired of coming back.

The party that had been going smoothly turned into a complete disaster. The celebrant was kidnapped. Guards scattered around the backyard to search for possible suspects. The guests list was being reviewed. Everyone was panicking. And she was not an exception.

The head doctor, Tsunade, immediately sent them out of their table and into the hospital. Just in case more people would need medical attention tonight. Just in case there would be a need for additional nurses.

She was on her way to the front door when he called.

"Rin!"

"Obito? W-what happened? How was she taken?"

"Long story." He took a deep breath, then started racing with time. "The CCTV connection was hacked and the monitors remained still for a minute. But it was expertly done so no one noticed. The guards at the gates were knocked out. We found them behind the bushes. Someone must have sneaked in over the fences and into Sakura-chan's new car. And when she got inside, it took off!"

Another intake of breath. "But don't worry 'cause a tracking device was attached to that car and we're now on our way to follow it!"

Rin blinked. "I-I see."

"Yeah, so you shouldn't go outside! It's dangerous."

"I'm heading to the hospital, with Dr. Tsunade and the others."

"Just be careful. Oh! And can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, what is-mph!" Two hands held her head in place as a pair of lips muffled her next words.

Obito pulled back after a few seconds and scampered out the door. "Thank you for the good luck charm!"

For a moment, she was rooted in place. Before she came to her senses and ran after him outside. "Hey! You…"

He was already inside the car. It sped off as her eyes followed its movement along the driveway. That was unexpected. That was the first time he did that. He had always respected her personal space. She just shook her head and let it go.

"Hey Rin! C'mon! Dr. Tsunade will explode if we don't follow them to the hospital right away."

To her right were the rest of the nurses who attended the party. They were all inside a white van parked near the porch.

Had they been there all along? Why hadn't she noticed that van before? She jogged to the sliding door and settled inside.

Obito's feelings for her were not a secret. Actually, he practically announced it at the hospital the first time they met. He had sprained his elbow from falling off a trampoline while playing with Sakura; and Rin had been assigned to treat the injury. The gratitude and proclamation of love echoed through the hallways.

It was just a crush, she told herself then. So, she hadn't paid much heed to his feelings. But there was something pleasing in the knowledge that someone was infatuated with you. That someone saw something in you that no other person or even your own self could see. Obito was the first person who made her feel that way. And judging by the 'good luck charm' a while ago, it didn't feel like it was just a crush anymore.

Since she came from a broken family, she never experienced love from her parents. And all the suitors were just ignored, because she wanted to focus on career. But maybe now, she could make an exception…

She raised her hand and stroked her lower lip. Maybe she would give him a chance. He had been pursuing her for five years now. And maybe she had already developed a soft spot for him. Maybe she had fallen for him as well.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, the nurses changed into their uniforms. Being under Tsunade also meant being a girl scout. You always had to be ready either within your shift or under her orders, if you want to keep your work or your current salary.

Rin stepped out of the dressing room and was on her way to the nurses' station.

"Rin! We need help! Hurry!" Another nurse called.

They wasted no time and dashed to the emergency room. Three bodies greeted them. Two were severely wounded. One of which had a knife stuck to the chest.

Rin was at Obito's side almost immediately. Together with Tsunade and three more nurses, they took him to the operating room. He needed surgery; since the knife was in too deep, it punctured his right lung. The surgery lasted for hours, but Obito's condition was still critical. He was brought to the intensive care unit.

Rin was sitting at a table in the employees' lounge. Caffeine was a nurse's best friend, and she needed it at the moment. The worry for Obito took over her thoughts. She couldn't rest, knowing his life was still at stake. But the faith that he could survive this never left her.

People can live with only one lung; some were even born as such. Many had survived a lung puncture and continued to live. From the patients in the hospital, there were those whose one lung had collapsed; and yet they remained healthy and alive until now. So, even if Obito's right lung would cease to function, he could still live with the left.

Yes, he can survive. He will live. He will.

Unlike Obito, the two other patients with him were stable now. Genma had only sustained a sprain to the ankle. His injury was the least serious among them three. Kakashi, however…

*Paging Nohara Rin, please proceed to the nurses' station. Paging Nohara Rin, please proceed to the nurses' station.*

The intercom snapped her out of her thoughts. She didn't have rounds at the moment. So, why was she needed?

"Rin, the patient at room 401 requested for you." A nurse said, as soon as Rin arrived at the said station.

"But isn't he supposed to be asleep?"

"That's what we thought."

"Okay, thank you."

She walked down the hallway, making her way to room 401. Just as she swung the door open and peered inside, her eyes stung at the sight.

On the bed was Obito, with the various tubes connecting his body to the machines around him. The machines that indicate he was still breathing, that his heart was still beating. Under his nose was a nasal cannula; a plastic tubing wrapped over his ears, like eyeglasses, with two hooks that fit into the nostrils.

Rin slipped inside and gently closed the door behind her. In careful steps, she walked to his side and sat down on the seat beside him. All the while, the eyes that she longed to see at this moment were hidden from the world. She almost thought he was unconscious until he broke the silence.

"R-Rin?..." The voice was raspy and low; way different from the usual loud and energetic one.

"I'm here." She whispered back, as he tilted his head to her direction with eyes still shut. Just then, his eyelids lifted and revealed two black circles adorned with her reflection.

"Rin… I'm so h-happy you're here…"

"Shh… Don't force yourself to speak. It's not good for your lung right now."

"H-how's Kakashi?..."

His own life is in danger, and yet he still thinks about his friend. "He's fine now."

"H-he better be… I saved his ass for a h-hundredth time now, y-you know…"

And he even manages to smile at a time like this. "Yeah? Well, I can't ask him about that since he's currently asleep, which reminds me… You're not supposed to be awake so soon. You just had undergone an operation for the past hour."

"H-heh… Guess that j-just proves I'm stronger than he is… Wh-what about that gash on his face?"

There's no stopping him from talking, is there? "His eye was damaged, and I'm afraid we can't do anything to fix it."

What was up with this man? He should be more concerned about himself. Didn't he realize the situation he was in? Didn't he care about his own life? Didn't he care about the people worried about him? Didn't he care about her?

There was a warm sensation over her hand, which she discovered, was unconsciously gripping the bed sheet. A hand covered hers, and it was pierced with a tube that leads to the IV.

"L-listen, Rin… I may not be a d-doctor… But I've watched things like this in m-movies… If ever I c-can't survive thi-"

"Don't say that! You can, I know you can."

"Yeah, b-but just in case…"

"It won't be the case!"

"Just h-hear me out, p-please…"

"…"

"If that h-happens… Can I ask y-you a favor?"

"That depends… Does it involve kissing?"

I like that smile. The smile that makes his eyes appear smaller.

"H-heh… If you w-want to take advantage of me… I w-won't object..."

Despite the situation, a soft chuckle escaped her.

Rin just finished her hospital rounds. Most of the patients were still asleep, but she had no choice but to wake them up and check their blood pressure. If she were to do things her way, she would let the patients get the rest they deserve and just perform a check-up once they awoke on their own.

The hallway was quiet, and this rarely happens at the hospital even when it's dawn. Emergencies occur anytime of the day after all. She passed by the window near the nurse's station. The sky already gained a faint light, and soon the sun would come out. It would symbolize the beginning of a new day, and of hope…

She paused and peered outside. The possibilities had been running in and out of her mind, until she finally arrived at a conclusion. Now, she was certain about her feelings for Obito. She was ready to let him into her heart. The reflection on the glass window startled her a little, for she wasn't aware that she had been smiling.

Fast footsteps reached her range, making her turn to the hallway. Nurses with shocked faces were running past her. Curious, she caught one's arm and inquired.

"What's wrong?"

"It's one of the patients in the ICU!" Then the nurse took off again.

Rin couldn't move. There was only one person in mind of who could that be, and her stomach almost dropped to the ground at the thought. But adrenaline rushed to her system and she sprinted to room 401.

Speakers were connected to her heart, and the hospital could hear its hammering. The walls were getting blurry; but she kept on running as she rubbed the liquid off her eyes. She wished, hoped, prayed that it wasn't him. Finally, room 401 came into view.

Who was she kidding? Of course it was him…

She was frozen at the open door. There was no bed inside. The tubes from the machines hung freely without the body they were previously connected to. The dim lighting was turned on for no one.

The first rays of the sun were already peeking out the horizon. But he wouldn't be able to see it… because Obito was in the operating room.

Rin shook her head, as if doing so would remove the memories from her mind. Hadn't she cried enough? Maybe she was a masochist. Maybe she wanted to be reminded of the hurt.

Or maybe she wanted to relieve the memories of him… the first few moments of them as being more than just friends and less than lovers. The irony of it? Those were the last ones too.

Just as she was starting to return his feelings, she found out it was already too late.

The sandwich she'd taken three bites from and the half-full milk carton on the table stared back at her. She took the tray as she stood from her seat, then walked over to the trash bin and disposed its contents. Her break was over and it was time to do her rounds.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Without waiting for an answer, Rin turned the knob and walked inside. The sun's rays had passed through the windows and entered the room way before she did. There was the lone bed, with its head portion inclined. And rested on it was the patient, his side view to her.

"Good morning Kakashi-san, it's nice to see you're awake."

Kakashi was looking outside the window to his right. He then turned to her as the greeting reached his ears.

"Good morning… can't sleep."

She walked over to the foot of the bed and retrieved the records. "I see."

He turned back to the window. "I can say you're in the same predicament."

The pen was lifted off the paper for a second. "Yeah." Then, she walked to the bedside and checked the IV. After that, she checked his pulse rate and began to get his blood pressure. She was wrapping the cuff around his upper arm when he spoke.

"Did you talk to him that night?"

"…"

"Dr. Tsunade said that you're the one who told her about the operation."

"I did… He asked me to inform Dr. Tsunade about it, since she was his surgeon." The cuff started to inflate as she started squeezing the rubber bulb.

"Had he mentioned anything about me?"

She allowed a small smile. "He said he saved your life a hundred times."

Kakashi's right eye creased at the side. It was the only part of his face that could be seen, for he was still wearing the usual mask.

"He was wrong… I'm pretty sure it was more than that."

From that statement alone, Rin realized she had been selfish. She wasn't the only one who had lost a special someone. Obito's decision was now clear to her. And maybe he had known then what would be his fate.

It turned out Obito's left lung suffered an internal bleeding too. Based from the bruise on his chest, the cause was most probably a kick, a strong kick at that. So, the added puncture to his other lung caused him more difficulty in breathing. Until everything had led to what it was now.

She had no right to question Obito, because she didn't knew him well enough. He had his own reasons and she would respect that. Everything that happened was just a proof of how good his heart was. The heart that had just began to successfully capture hers.

Even if it weren't rational at this point, even if it was a masochistic thing to do, or no matter how tragic it may look; she found herself falling for him even more.

She gathered the apparatus and stood from the chair beside the bed. "Well, you're good. But you have to stay here for a while for further observations."

She put the records back at the foot of the bed and walked to the door. Just as she gripped the doorknob…

"Rin, thank you… for everything."

She turned her head to him. "No, Kakashi-san… thank you." Then she walked out the door and closed it behind her, before a drop travelled down her cheek.


Kakashi resumed looking out the window once Rin had stepped out of the room. All the nurses and Dr. Tsunade said he needed rest. But how can he completely do so when his mind was on his friend? They wouldn't allow him to leave the hospital grounds. He hadn't even got the chance to attend Obito's funeral. What kind of a friend was he?

He raised his hand on the bandage over the upper left part of his face, aligned with his right eye. There was now a blind spot in his field of vision, but proper training could fix that. It was all a matter of getting used to, the same as his friend's absence.

What did he do to deserve Obito's kindness? They had always been arguing about the smallest things. He rarely went along with all his bantering. No matter how much he sent him away and ignored his presence, Obito had always remained by his side, always ready to help. And although he recognized Obito's abilities, he had never let him know about it.

But somehow, Obito had been a brother to him. Yeah, maybe that was it.

Obito had mentioned that he hadn't been close to his brother, Fugaku. Obito had just been five when Fugaku moved out and attended university. The following year, Fugaku came home with his girlfriend, Mikoto, who was already pregnant at that time. After Mikoto gave birth to their first son, they got married and Fugaku continued with his studies.

After three years, Fugaku had graduated and the couple had another son. Obito and his parents hadn't heard from them since then. Until one day, they received news that the family had died in an accident. Eventually, Obito's parents also passed away. And that led a lone teenager to find a friend in an army boot camp.

Both of them had no family left, and that was an advantage in their chosen profession. The less people they would leave behind, the easier it was to risk their lives. And since they both had no one, maybe they had found a family in each other, a brother.

Kakashi raised a hand to stifle a yawn. The mask already covered his mouth, but he still did it regardless. There was really nothing to do in a hospital, or at least if you're the patient. The four white walls weren't very interesting and the scenery outside was slowing down at every second.

The entertainment he requested over the phone was taking years to arrive.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kakashi turned to the door as it creaked open a few inches, before a hand holding out a paper bag slid through the opening.

"Just get in." A murmur.

"Shhh… Why can't you keep quiet when you're supposed to?" A whisper.

"Hn."

"Ahem. Special delivery!"

Kakashi just shook his head. "I know it's you, Sakura."

"Damn! It's all your fault!" The door swung further and Sakura stepped inside, only to turn around and face the person at the hallway. "Stay there!"

"No." The same murmur.

SLAM!

Sakura quickly locked the knob. "Ha! You don't have a say to it!" Before turning on her heel to finally face Kakashi.

"Good morning Kakashi-sensei!"

"Who was that?"

Sakura walked over and sat on the chair beside him. "The new 'temporary' bodyguard. Oh! Here's your book."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "I was beginning to think you forgot about this. This place is not a hospital. It's prison."

After he peered inside the bag, Kakashi reached for his favorite piece of literature. He was about to turn the cover when he remembered something.

"Hey, you don't seem to treat your new bodyguard very well."

"Correction, 'temporary' bodyguard… just until you get your ass off that bed." She shrugged. "Well, he started it."

His bodyguard instincts kicked in. "Why? What did he do to you?"

"…Nothing… He just said something that really pissed me off is all. Anyway, how's your eye?"

It's not mine. "Better." He faced his book then, signaling that he didn't want to continue the subject.

Sakura was humming to herself to fill in the silence, while observing invisible patterns on the opposite wall. After a few moments, she let out an audible sigh.

"It really is boring here. Now, I know what you mean. Even I could resort to reading that book if it's this quiet. You have a nice view of the park from here, though. But I guess you're already sick of looking at it for a month now."

"…"

She looked at her sensei. "Hello?... Oh, so I'd just been talking to myself all this time."

"…"

"Even the 'temporary' could speak more words than you right now, you know."

"…"

She was quiet for a few seconds. "I miss having a backup in situations like this…"

Kakashi looked up from his book at that. Sakura's head was bowed to the floor.

"Hey."

She met his eyes.

"You're not the only one."

There was another knock at the door. Sakura whipped her head to its direction and glared at it.

"Sakura! This is Tsunade, open up!"

She stood up in an instant and ran to the door.

"Hi! Aunt Tsunade."

"There's no need to lock your bodyguard outside, Kakashi doesn't have a disease or something." Tsunade said, as soon as she stepped inside the room.

"I know, it's just tha-"

Another figure slipped through the door.

She threw him a murderous glare as he situated himself beside the door. "…never mind."

"Hn."

"What is it Dr. Tsunade?" Kakashi spoke from the bed.

"I just need to borrow Sakura for a moment, may I?" Tsunade faced Sakura and raised a brow in question.

Sakura nodded. "Sure, will it require the company of a bodyguard?"

"I don't think so, we'll just talk in my office, and it's a 'girl thing'." Tsunade winked at her before walking out the room. "We'll be right back!"

Sakura walked after her, but not before stopping to speak.

"Oh right! Where are my manners?..." She looked pointedly at the person beside the door. "You, that's Kakashi-sensei." Then she turned to the patient. "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke. He's Obito-san's nephew by the way."

She faced Sasuke once more. "You heard aunt Tsunade. If you think you're straight, you'll stay in this room." Then she was out with another door slam.

What Sakura said picked Kakashi's interest. He's Obito's nephew?

He stared at the young man. "So, you're an Uchiha?"

Sasuke's gaze shifted to him. "Yes."

Something wasn't right. How could that be? Obito had only one brother. But Fugaku and his family were dead a long time ago. Who could this person be? Was he an imposter? But he did look like an Uchiha. What if he survived the accident? He looked about Sakura's age too, if not older by a year or two. So, he must be Fugaku's younger son then. For now, there was only one way to find out.

"By any chance, do you have an older brother?"

Sasuke's expression remained indifferent, but Kakashi caught the slight narrowing of his eyes. His fists clenched at the sides and his eyes didn't waver.

"That's none of your business." He growled.

That only doubled Kakashi's suspicions. He didn't trust this kid's aura. Sasuke was up to something, and he would find out what it was. But he had a feeling it had something to do with Sakura.

Kakashi would keep an eye on this kid… literally. And in a way… so would Obito.


A/N:

Well, what can I say?... couldn't let Kakashi have the "sharingan eye" any other way.