A/N: Ok folks, this is the chapter I've eluded to all along. This is the final splash down at Space Mountain. There is so much desperation here, and all your questions will be answered. That is, until I pose you with another one. So, if you have to read this twice to "get" the emotion, do it. It's fast. This is a pretty big chapter because it has some really big action in it. Also, don't miss the tender moments that are thrown in amongst the chaos - those little spots will give you time to breathe. Enjoy!
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The explosion was heard all over Konoha. It couldn't be seen from some angles of the village though until the smoke rose above the treetops. As soon as it did, all three rescue teams re-directed themselves immediately toward where the smoke continued to rise.
Tsunade had a terrible sinking feeling, this can't be good. That explosion was too big. I'm afraid of what we'll find when we get there, if we find anything at all.
Naruto said, "Granny Tsunade, I'm going on ahead. I can't stay back when Kakashi-sensei might be hurt."
Sakura said, "But we're a team Naruto, we should all go together."
Tsunade said, "Go Naruto. Go find them if they're still there." Naruto nodded, produced two shadow clones and all three took off at double the speed they had been traveling at.
Tsunade turned to Sakura and said, "If he can find them first, then we'll know where they are. If we all get there and have to search separately, it'll take more time. He's going to be our bloodhound, even though that was a bad choice of words."
Sakura nodded, understanding that Naruto would end up saving them time in the long run if he did in fact find Anko and Kakashi, or any trace of them.
Gai, Genma and Shizune caught up with Tsunade and Sakura shortly thereafter. All were silent as they traveled quickly toward the explosion site. Eventually Asuma and Kurenai joined the rest and all traveled with great urgency. Kurenai broke the silence, "What if they're,"
Tsunade glared at her and said, "It's bad luck to assume someone's dead without proof."
Gai got a bit teary eyed at the prospect of his eternal rival actually dying. He said, "But if they are, they never even got a chance to get married."
Genma felt sick. They were getting married? I thought they were only moving in together!
Kurenai said, "Gai! That was a secret, and I never got to confirm it with Anko!"
Gai said, "You may not have a chance to now."
Tsunade turned to them and said, "Is this true? I was informed that they were just moving in together." Kurenai then explained what she'd seen earlier that day, and what Gai had almost heard Kakashi say. Tsunade said, "Then if the worst is true, they'll be buried together as if they already were married."
Sakura almost cried. Just the though of her former sensei's name being added to the memorial stone that he visited so much made her stifle back tears. And then she thought, Anko's name would be there too. Together in life and in death. She knew how much they loved each other, she'd known about them since almost the beginning. But to have two lives cut so short was almost more than she could handle.
The smoke filled air loomed closer and they could hear Naruto shouting. "Granny Tsunade! I found Kakashi-sensei and he needs help badly!"
Tsunade was almost relieved, but not quite. Naruto had trouble telling when people were actually dead, so she didn't know what she was going to find when she did get there.
The group broke through the smoke and saw Naruto waving his arms behind what was left of the building. They all leapt down and surrounded Kakashi. The exposed parts of his face were covered in scratches, and part of the bottom of his mask had been burned away. His ankles were still attached to pieces of wall by what looked like mostly petrified and incinerated snakes. There was evidence that blood had flowed from his ribcage, but had since stopped. The same was true with his shoulder. Tsunade opened his vest and pulled up his shirt. She held her hand over him and said, "He's still alive. But he's got massive internal injuries, a collapsed lung, as well as vascular damage. He's going to be a mess for a good long time if he survives this at all. Sakura, get started on his internal organs, I'll start on his lung."
Then she turned to Naruto and said, "Have you found Anko?"
Naruto shook his head no. She said, "Find her Naruto. Find her now. And beware, Orochimaru may be close." Naruto got a very determined look on his face and jumped up into the trees for a better look around now that the smoke was mostly gone.
Kurenai looked terrified. Kakashi looked so beaten and broken on the ground. And where was Anko? She was starting to panic at the prospect of losing her best friend. Asuma walked up to her and did something that she would have never normally permitted. He carefully put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She looked up at him with emotional all over her face, then fell into his arms and sobbed. Nobody said a word, and nobody noticed.
Naruto's voice rang out amongst the sobs, "Granny Tsunade! I found Anko! HURRY!"
Naruto wasn't far from them. They could see him and his two shadow clones just inside some shrubbery standing over what looked to be what was left of Anko's coat. Tsunade said, "Shizune, Genma, get over there. Asuma, help Genma bring her over here." The three sprinted to where Anko lie bloodied, burned and broken at the base of a tree.
The two shadow clones popped from existence as Naruto looked up in fear as his fellow shinobi approached. He said, "I think she might be, um,"
Shizune shoved him aside and immediately jumped down to assess Anko. "She's not breathing Tsunade-sama!"
Tsunade yelled, "GET HER OVER HERE NOW!" The shinobi picked up Anko as carefully as they could and brought her as quickly as possible over to Tsunade where they laid her down close to Kakashi. Tsunade yelled, "Begin CPR NOW! Shizune, check for broken ribs first, and then do the compressions. Genma, mouth to mouth. GO!"
Genma instantly feared for his life. But since Kakashi was unconscious, he wouldn't see him actually putting his mouth on Anko's – something that he'd wanted to do for so long, but not in this circumstance. He'd resigned himself to never having her to himself, but now he had to try and save her life. He had to return the favor for when she saved his.
Shizune quickly assessed Anko and found two broken lower ribs so she began compressions immediately. She said, "Genma, come on, you have to do the breathing!" Genma carefully put Anko's head into the correct position, and after looking at her unconscious face just a little too long, he took a deep breath and blew it into Anko's mouth. He saw her chest rise as Shizune continued her compressions.
Sakura and Tsunade continued to work on Kakashi. Asuma let go of Kurenai long enough to reach down and snap the charred snakes from Kakashi's ankles that splintered as if they were long dead twigs. Kurenai knelt down next to Anko's head and steadied it just in case she had a neck injury, so it wouldn't get aggravated by the CPR being performed on her.
Tsunade said, "Gai, Naruto, scout the surrounding area. See if there are any traces of Orochimaru anywhere. If there are, tell me immediately."
Gai said, "Yes Tsunade." And he and Naruto took off in opposite directions to see if Orochimaru left any signs as to where he was headed.
Tsunade barked, "Shizune, report!"
Shizune said, "No change Tsunade-sama."
"Keep working. Sakura, check Kakashi's head. See if he has any brain trauma."
Sakura put her hands on the sides of Kakashi's head, then opened both of his eyes and looked at them. "Both his pupils are normal size, and there is no evidence of a brain bleed. I do believe he has a concussion though." She began pumping healing chakra into his concussed brain.
Shizune and Genma kept working on Anko who showed no signs of life.
Kakashi groaned. Sakura pulled her hands away from his head and smiled at Tsunade. Tsunade said, "Go tend to Anko. Check her head and the rest of her too."
"Yes, ma'am." Sakura jumped up and knelt beside Kurenai. "Pardon me Kurenai, but I need to check Anko's head and neck." Kurenai moved aside as Sakura carefully placed her hands behind Anko's neck. She said, "OH," causing Tsunade to turn to her immediately.
"What is it Sakura?"
"Tsunade-sama. Anko has a broken neck. One of her cervical vertebra is broken."
Tsunade barked, "HEAL IT!"
Sakura immediately cupped her hands on either side of Anko's neck, concentrated her healing chakra, and poured it into Anko hoping that healing her broken neck would bring her back to them. But she knew that if Anko's spinal column and nerves had been injured, or severed, she may not come back at all.
Kurenai was still having a hard time holding herself together. She was a damn good shinobi, but the though of losing her best friend forever, for not getting to throw her a yui-no, for not being in her wedding, for not growing old with her, and having her to confide in every day, made her forget her training, and let her emotions get the best of her.
While everyone was busy looking at Anko, Kakashi rasped, "Get your lips off her you fuck." Kakashi was conscious, if just barely.
Genma turned and said, "You're in no shape to stop me, and just so you know, Tsunade ordered me to do mouth to mouth. I'm trying to help save your girlfriend's life."
Kakashi said, "Oh. Carry on then."
Tsunade said to Kakashi, "I'm patching you up the best I can right now, but guess where you're going?"
Kakashi whispered, "Hospital?"
"Yep."
"Anko. How's Anko?"
Tsunade said, "We're working on her now."
Kakashi turned his head slightly and saw Anko lying there motionless. Shizune and Genma were performing CPR on her, and Sakura was healing her neck. He looked down the length of her body and saw her hand next to her, bloodied, with some small burns. He tried to reach out for it, but the pain in his body wouldn't let him.
Asuma watched his friend struggle to get closer to the woman he loved. He said, "Tsunade, help me with something."
"Huh?"
Asuma said, "Just grab his legs."
Tsunade saw what Asuma was trying to do and nodded her head. "Gently now Asuma, he's pretty banged up."
They picked up Kakashi gently and moved him closer to Anko and lay him back on the ground again. After he winced through the pain, he turned his head to Anko again. Then he reached out and covered her upturned hand with his. He squeezed it gently, not knowing if it was broken or not, tears threatening to come to him. Then he unconsciously started drawing circles in her palm with his finger. Suddenly her hand jumped.
That's it Anko. Come back to me. I'm not losing you today or any other day. Come back Anko. I'm waiting for you. You tried to come back to me before the building blew. Come back to me now.
Kakashi drew circles in her hand again, and again it jumped. Apparently, Anko was a bit ticklish there.
Shizune said, "Genma stop a second." Genma stopped breathing for Anko. They waited for a second and everyone turned to look at Anko as she lay there. Kakashi drew more circles on her hand and she flicked it sideways and took a breath on her own. Shizune, Genma, Tsunade, and Kakashi all let out huge sighs as Sakura kept pumping healing chakra into Anko's neck. Kurenai broke down completely and sobbed. Asuma again, took the opportunity to offer her some comfort, which again, she accepted.
Tsunade said, "Everybody stay on your toes. We're not out of the woods by a long shot with either of these two. From what I can tell, they were both practically blown up when that building went up. They're going to both have a very long road to recovery if they survive today. We have to keep working, especially on Anko."
Kakashi was still worried about losing the only woman he ever loved, but he felt a little better now that she was breathing on her own. He knew that if they got back to Konoha that they'd both probably be in the hospital recuperating for a very long time. He hoped they'd share a room.
He reached out again and instead of drawing circles on her hand, he just gently clasped it. And to his surprise and great relief, she slightly squeezed his back.
For hours the three medical kunoichi worked on Kakashi, but spent the majority of their time on Anko. Tsunade being there was probably what ended up saving her. When she was satisfied that Kakashi was going to be ok, she did a thorough examination of Anko. Anko was very lucky to be breathing at all. She had sustained a ruptured spleen, a bruised liver, a broken neck that Sakura had repaired, spinal shock, and a concussion, as well as two broken ribs. The majority of her injuries were mainly internal and she had internal bleeding from so many places, all of which Tsunade was able to stem with her extensive knowledge of tracing blood loss to leaking chakra. It was a technique that she had perfected from many years of experience. Anko owed Tsunade her life. Tsunade figured she was just paying Anko back for the countless jobs she'd done well.
Tsunade sat back on her heels and wiped her brow. Naruto and Gai had come back hours before and reported that there were two sets of tracks leading away from the explosion area, but that they'd disappeared completely after a short time. Tsunade thanked them, and then called everyone in. The entire group of shinobi gathered around her, some sitting, some standing, some still working on Anko. Kakashi was fading in and out all the time, but he was in no imminent danger. Anko was still unconscious, but her breathing had been regulated, and she was quietly resting, Kakashi still holding her hand.
Tsunade said, "We almost lost two very important people today. I have every confidence that they'll both survive now, thanks to each one of you. I want to thank you all for everything you've contributed to saving these two. We are all like one big family, and we look out for our own. They'll both be stable enough to transport home soon. Again, thank you for all your help."
Sakura said, "And thank you Tsunade-sama for coming with us. We probably would have lost Anko if you hadn't been here." Tsunade smiled. It felt good to get back out and be useful in the field again.
Kurenai walked away from the group. She didn't go far, but she just needed to go breathe a bit. It was a lot for her to take in. Asuma got up and went to her. He said as he approached her, "Are you ok?"
Kurenai sighed, "I will be. I'm just so glad that both of them are going to be ok."
"Yeah, they're going to have a very long recovery in the hospital, but at least they're safe."
"Asuma, there's something Tsunade said that's sticking with me."
"What's that?"
"That we're all like one big family. I have an idea." Then Kurenai began to tell Asuma exactly what she had in mind. Asuma agreed that it was a pretty good idea. "I'm going to talk to the rest of the 'family' and see what they think."
Asuma said, "But first, let's get them back home before you plan anything."
Kurenai nodded and smiled at Asuma. "Thank you for being strong for me today."
Asuma hugged Kurenai to him and said, "You're welcome, anytime." Kurenai hugged him back, then let him go and headed back to the group, but not before reaching out to hold his hand.
The group of shinobi slowly and carefully transported Anko and Kakashi back to Konoha and immediately into the closest hospital for continuous care. Tsunade even made sure that they shared a room, because she knew that Kakashi would want it that way. They had a long road ahead of them, but at least they'd be able to walk it together.
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A/N: Ok, you can breathe now. Go ahead, take a few breaths. Because just so you know, we're not done yet. Two more chapters, and "Secret" will be complete.
Next up: Recovery, and a total surprise. See you soon!
