Healing the Scars

Chapter two

A/N – Thanks so much to all my reviewers! It's so nice to hear from you guys and hear the response from the story. I appreciate it all! I'm trying to stay consistent with the updates, I'll be out of town next week without a computer so I'll try to update a bunch before then. You're the best!

Sakura's POV

I had just walked home and taken off my lab coat and plopped down on the couch when I heard pounding on the door. I groaned "What NOW?" As I opened the door, I saw the familiar ANBU mask of Neji Hyuuga staring back at me,

"Your presence is requested at the hospital for a major surgery." He stated.

"Isn't it always?" I mumbled as I grabbed my lab coat and ran straight back to the hospital.

Narutos POV

I saw Sasuke on the collapse to the ground and as I ran to him screaming his name, I watched his eyes close hesitantly. I saw the amount of blood and knew that he needed to get to the hospital quick.

"Hinata, run back to Tsunade and tell her we're coming with Sasuke. He needs help." I barked. She retreated and I grabbed Sasukes arm and slung it over my shoulder. I tried to run back as fast as I could, but I almost didn't want to. I had rehearsed in my head this moment, and he wasn't unconscious when I imagined it. I wanted to kill him for killing Sakura's family. She was so happy, and then Sasuke had to come and steal that emotion completely away from her. I hated this bastard, and I didn't understand how Sakura was going to take his rescue. She was so….distant. She was there, but not really there. Part of her was missing entirely and I didn't know how to bring it back. Tsunade-baa chan had done everything she could, and I recalled her asking me to just do anything, in a rather desperate matter, to bring Sakura back. We needed Sakura back now, not Sasuke. Kakashi told me team seven would never be the same again, and I knew it was true.

Sasuke started coughing up blood and I ran faster, Kami knows why I started running faster. The gates were in sight and Genma and the other guard who swooped over and audibly gasped as I rolled my eyes.

"He needs to get to Tsunade-sama." I stated.

"But he's…." Genma trailed off.

"I'm fully aware of who he is, now quit yappin and let me pass!" They both turned away as I ran straight through them, all the way to the emergency room where Tsunade-baa chan stood there, ready to take him.

"Is Sakura…?" I asked.

"She's coming, but she doesn't know it's Sasuke." Hinata whispered as Sakura promptly ran through the door. I saw Tsunade position herself so that her arm was masking Sasuke's face, making sure Sakura helped heal him before she revealed his identity. It was going to be a long night.

Sakura's POV

As I crashed through the door to the operating table, I glanced at Naruto, who looked pale and nervous. Hinata smiled weakly at me and I ignored Naruto and started assessing the wounds on the John Doe we had on the table.

"Deep gashes on his left side, narrowly missing his organs. Severe blood loss and trauma to the left fourth and fifth ribs. His wrists are fractured as is his right ankle. Minor stab wound in his shoulder, I'm guessing from a kunai. Start on the gashes, I'll start with the bones." Tsunade barked. She seemed agitated and nervous, and she angled herself oddly over the man's body. I couldn't get a good look at him, but decided to keep focused on the job ahead. We worked for about an hour, and I knew I didn't have much left in me. Tsunade had backed off while I finished, stealing glances at Naruto, as if she was trying to tell him something. I looked at her, then looked at Naruto, noticing how Hinata had stepped out. Then I looked at the face of our "John Doe."

I immediately backed away from the operating table, knocking down a steel tray with scalpels and equipment. I gasped and my eyes went wide as Tsunade grabbed my arm.

"What is he doing here? You had me HEAL him?" I screamed. "YOU LIED TO ME, YOU BOTH DID!"

"He had to be healed, Sakura, come on, you're going to wake him and the rest of Konoha up." Tsunade whispered.

"I don't give a damn if I wake him up, hell, let him find out where he is, maybe he'll go murder a few children while he's enjoying his stay!"

"Sakura, take a deep breath-" Naruto said,

"YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke stir, and before I knew it, everything was black.

Sasuke's POV

I woke up to a searing pain across my body and I groaned at the feel of it. Nobody noticed though, because I could hear shouting throughout the room.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" I heard a girls voice scream. I heard another voice saying things softly to her, but she obviously wasn't having it. I wanted her to shut the hell up, my head was throbbing with pain. I listened closer when I realized I knew that scream. 'Sakura?' I thought. I inwardly winced, realizing where I was.

"I don't give a damn if I wake him up, hell, let him find out where he is, maybe he'll go murder a few children while he's enjoying his stay!" That was rough, she was obviously screaming about me. I couldn't move, but I wanted to scream back at her, have her realize that I could hear her. I knew she was talking about me, she must not have known I was here until now. Who found me? I suddenly remembered the flash of orange. Naruto, so he brought me back here, just like he had promised. The room went silent after one last, "YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH!" I slowly willed my eyes to open, and what I saw was just plain strange.

Sakura was in Naruto's arms, on the floor, which was a weird case of déjà vu for me. She was always getting hurt, and Naruto always caught her. Tsunade was boring holes into my skull with her eyes, and Naruto was looking at Tsunade, then at me, then at Sakura. The Hyuuga girl walked in, gasped, and ran over to Sakura.

"N-naruto?" She stammered, then turned her head to look at me. The room was silent, and disappointment was evident. Naruto lifted Sakura up and walked straight out of the room, meeting my gaze for only a moment. Hinata followed until only Tsunade was left.

"What the hell happened to you, Uchiha? Orochimaru get upset at his apprentice?" She asked, obviously holding resentment.

"Hn."

"You better start talking, Uchiha, you're in a major pickle and you know it. Only Kami can save you now, and I have a feeling he doesn't want to come to your rescue."

"Orochimaru is dead." I stated.

"You killed him?" I nodded towards her, trying to sit up,

"Kabuto as well." I answered, successfully sitting up without showing the amount of pain that coursed through my body. I felt like I was being burned from the inside out.

"That'll help your case, but it won't with everyone, and you know that." She was referring to Sakura. I didn't expect her forgiveness, but I also knew I couldn't stay here unless they forced me to. Itachi was still out there, I needed to complete my revenge. Tsunade walked out silently and left me to my thoughts. They won't kill me now, because I did their village a great favor by killing Orochimaru and Kabuto along with select Akatski members and missing nin. I had a feeling that they wouldn't be merciful other than that with the punishment. They would try to keep me here, and if I left, they would chase after me. Naruto would chase after me, with his dreams of being team seven again. As for Sakura, I couldn't say. I've done many horrible things, but she needed to know the truth about that night. I would make sure she knew the truth about that night.