"The kidnapper wants Sakura to deliver some of the ninja scrolls," Shikamaru reported. "It seems that they're the same bandits that attacked the hospital as they talk of getting revenge on the old woman that beat them up."
"Old?" Sakura said outraged then realised that wasn't the big issue at hand. Ino hide her smirk by turning her face sideways but Sakura caught it with a glare.
Shikamaru picked up a scroll and unfurled it like a table cloth. It settled lightly on the table and two ANBU officers put paper weights at each corner in silence. "This is the meeting point," Shikamaru placed his index finger in the centre of the surrounding forest of the village. It was about two hours travel from the front gate at a running pace. Sakura nodded grimly "they want you to take the scrolls there alone. Another point has been set up for collecting Temari and Shika. I plan to send a squad to each point with a third in reserve. The distance between points means that back up will not be timely so I will be asking for at least ANBU members for the mission."
"That's all well and good," Ino cut in "but how are we getting them back?"
Shikamaru shot her an annoyed glance but continued on "Sakura will go to the meeting point. A team will follow you at an hour's distance. You were told to go alone without weapons. We will be behind you if anything happens. The hour delay should ease their minds about followers but they will still be suspicious since your earlier defeat of them revolved around trickery. They may post guards or blindfold you, either way be cooperative at all times. Keep them talking long enough for us to rescue you."
"That's their only demand?" Sakura said with a frown. Something about the plan just didn't seem right.
"They just want you. It is possible that your victory over them has hurt the leaders pride which might cost more than material," Shikamaru said but didn't seem to give it much credit. Sakura held up her hand and cut off Shikamaru smoothly "where's the note?" she could sense that she wasn't being told everything.
Shikamaru pined an ANBU officer with his gaze when he shifted like a guilty school boy. She knew there was something that wasn't right. She held her hand out to the ANBU officer wordlessly demanding the goods. He swallowed nervously but followed Shikamaru's silent orders. She turned with a frown "what are you hiding Shikamaru? It's your family in danger."
"…Not just mine," he admitted reluctantly looking at Ino.
The two team mates stared at each other intently having a thousand conversations. Eventually Shikamaru threw his hands up in disgust and turned away with his usually grumblings. The ANBU officer handed Sakura the note. She read it and her brow furrowed. "He doesn't just want me to deliver the scrolls he wants a one on one fight with me. If I don't show he'll kill Temari and Shika."
"Hell no," Ino said immediately.
Shikamaru turned his head enough to snort at the blonde in a distinctly smug fashion. Sakura recognised that he was trying to protect Ino by keeping her safe as well as his own family. She was glad Ino had someone to care for her. They were still team mates. She buried the painful clench of her heart and became business like "it's simple and easier. It won't be risking too many people-"
"-It'll be risking you!" Ino snapped "they're bandits Sakura! They're going to cheat!"
"I didn't say we should be stupid. Shikamaru can have a team following me with the hour delay. I can beat a hick bandit. And if there's too many off them then that's what the back up is for," Sakura shrugged fully confident in her own abilities. She didn't think she would really need the back up but she said it just to comfort Ino.
"No, lets just all go in there and pulverise them!" Ino glared around the room looking for support. Most hide behind their masks.
"The most likely thing to happen is that the full bandit force will be waiting in ambush for Sakura. That will leave the meeting point clear. Rescuing Temari and Shika will be much easier and it also increase their chance of survival if the bandits think we're agreeing to their slaughter," Shikamaru said quietly. His soft voice cut through the room and brought to mind the possibility that Temari and Shika might already be dead.
The silence weighed heavy on everyone's shoulders but it was Ino who broke it "okay. If it increases the likelihood even a little we'll do it."
Shikamaru gave Ino a small smile and Ino beamed back at him. Though they were on opposite sides of the room their closeness wasn't doubted. Sakura had to look away, it felt like she was intruding in something private. She missed her family so much.
"You're not going," Shikamaru finally said shattering the tender moment spectacularly.
"What?!" Ino thundered "of course I am! It's my friend and godson on the line not to mention my Sakura!"
"You're pregnant," Shikamaru stated the obvious.
"So? I'll stay behind the lines like I usually do! I'll take over someone else so as not to injure my body!" Ino waved away his concerns though a tinge of panic fevered her words.
"You can't use Chakra," Sakura broke in.
"You'll only slow us down or give away our presence with your complaints," Shikamaru said.
Ino looked from Shikamaru to Sakura then back. She looked like a cornered animal. "Shika…" she pleaded softly in a message meant only for him. Shikamaru's eyes flicker to Sakura briefly before shaking his head. Ino looked wounded before she gathered herself up. "You can't stop me!" She snapped at last "I know where the meeting points are and I know where this one sleeps!" Ino jerked her thumb to Sakura "I'll know when you plan on doing anything so you can't stop me following!" She stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Sakura sighed deflating suddenly. She felt both sorry for Ino, understanding how helpless she would be feeling but she also wanted to ring her neck for entertaining the stupid idea in the first place. What good would she be on the battle field? The only people she would hurt is herself and the twins.
"She's right though," Shikamaru said slightly disgusted "we can't stop her if she decides to come."
"I'll just give her something to make her sleep before I go," Sakura said not really worried.
Shikamaru seemed to sneer at her "you obviously don't know Ino. What she sets her mind on doing something or getting someone, nothing can stop her." He looked meaningfully at her but she didn't know what he seemed to be implying "that's probably the last time we'll see her. She'll be hiding out until the mission."
"She's not going," Sakura said again to emphasises how against the idea she was. "It's a stupid idea. She'll come around."
"The only person that can stop Ino is Ino," Shikamaru said "and since when has she ever seen sense?" And he gave her another meaningful look.
XxXx
"I heard what's going on," Sakura stopped packing her pouch to turn towards the door. Tenten leaned against the doorframe twirling an ANBU rabbit mask. "I'll be right behind you."
"When did you join ANBU?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll have you know that this mild mannered librarian can kick ass," Tenten grinned.
Sakura laughed "Shikamaru is in charge of the teams."
"I've cleared it with him," Tenten nodded coming into the room. She stared at the pouch in Sakura's hands. The worn green was frayed and stained with years of use. She looked at the rest of the pouches on the bed waiting to be filled and sorted "it's been a long time…" and she let her sentence hang.
Sakura scooped up her throwing starts and stacked them neatly in a row. Tenten didn't need to finish her sentence. "I threw mine at the bottom of a lake. It was just outside the wave country. As soon as I could stumble out of the medical shack after the final fight. I tore open the stitches on my stomach and Lee had to carry me back to a doctor. I couldn't carry it anymore. It was too heavy." Sakura placed the stars in their places. They fit perfectly into the dents even after all these years. She swallowed hard. Tenten went on "Lee never carried one but Neji is still strangled by his. He should have just burned it."
If it were only that easy to let go. Sakura had kept her empty belt and pouch in her closet's fake bottom. She couldn't throw it away no matter how much she yearned to. She never really accepted the peace that Naruto had given them. The heavy weight of countless lives taken by those weapons burdened her home. Hidden, out of sight but never forgotten. She forced a laugh "you're so grim! It's a few bandits not a war!" She strapped the belt around her waist. The lock clicked into place with a ghostly echo of finality. Sakura ignored the new weight. The dragged down feeling was all in her head.
"What's really in your head, chibi-doc?" Tenten asked seriously.
Sakura looked at her sideways for the use of the nick name. She did not need the reminder of Shizune at that moment. She turned away before speaking "Shikamaru's smart enough to know that Temari and Shika are probably already dead. The second meeting point is just a diversion and we're sending out kids to do adults jobs."
"Shikamaru is still a family man. He might have a great brain but in this type of situation he can't be blamed for having a little hope. And those ninja's are ANBU, you don't get that title easily," Tenten tried to sound comforting but it fell flat.
Sakura scoffed "they're little kids. The war took most of the real fighters and they got promoted due to shortage nothing more. So they've been in a few little fights no big battle has been fought in years. Shikamaru is playing with toy soldiers when he needs real ones. This mission depends on them being able to do a lot more than hide behind some animal mask." Sakura finished the jutsu that would camouflage her bag rendering it almost invisible. She had been told to come unarmed but she didn't get to this age by being stupid.
Tenten just watched her grimly and followed her outside. Sakura jerked to a stop and her jaw dropped wide open. Amassed outside her door was what seemed to be the entire village. Each person wore ANBU masks either on their face or in plain view on their person. They seemed to be waiting on her.
"We're right with you chief-sama!" Yelled Yuki an er nurse from her hospital. "We won't let those bandits get the best of us!"
"Yeah! Leads us Haruna-san!" An old man called from the crowd.
"We'll beat those bad guys to a pulp!" A little kid chanted and his friends backed him up with what they thought were impressive scowls.
"Kei!?" Sakura shouted at her secretary who was in the front of the crowd gingerly holding her own mask but looking no less determined to march out the gate with her. Sakura turned scandalised eyes on Tenten who was grinning sheepishly at her "aren't you the only shop in town that sells ANBU masks?" She growled.
"Sakura, it's demand and supply theory of economics! When business comes to your door you don't turn it away," Tenten said wisely.
"How did they hear about the mission?!" Sakura snarled showing her teeth.
"I might have told Kei, who told the hospital, who then told the rest of the village…" Tenten admitted with a pathetic chuckle. Sakura's murderous look frightened her.
"Lets go Legend!" Someone shouted and the crowd liked the sound of that. They became to chant it like a mantra. Sakura was furious, Shikamaru was going to kill her. She glared at Tenten again.
"SHUT UP!" A powerful voice boomed over the crowd. People were startled into silence as Ino pushed her way through the throng. She glared at the bodies that fell back in spite of their superior numbers. Most knew the wrath of a pregnant woman was not to be trifled with. "I'm going to speak to the father of my children and then she is going to go on her damn mission, and you are not going to cause her any hassle, got it?!" The crowd nodded hurriedly. Ino gripped Sakura and pulled her back into the apartment and slammed the door.
The door quickly opened again and Tenten was thrown out into the street before the door was once again slammed in affront. Ino rounded on Sakura lividly. Sakura recoiled, she was pretty sure that Ino was going to kill her. "Give me you hand!" Ino demanded.
Sakura stretched the limb out slowly like she was offering it to a hungry lion. Ino snatched her hand and placed it on her swollen stomach. The anger in Ino's eyes drained away to leave an intensity that made Sakura's breath catch. She stepped closer because she couldn't not. "This is stupid and dangerous and I hate the fact I can't be there to help you." Ino said calmly. "You can't die. You have to come back because I need you. You promised me that you would be there to help me with these monsters. You have to come back."
"I would have came back for you anyway," Sakura answered honestly and felt like an idiot. She flushed red and stuttered to think of something less embarrassing. Ino cute her off and pulled her into a hug. Sakura was oddly contorted around the beach ball stomach but wouldn't have chosen anywhere other than Ino's arms to be.
Ino jerked as Sakura felt something tap her middle. She broke away and looked down in confusion. A light went on and she jerked up to Ino "they kicked! One of them kicked me!" She said joyously.
"You felt that?" Ino said with a smile sharing her joy.
Sakura nodded furiously placing both hands on Ino's stomach. "They're trying to say hello before I go," Sakura couldn't stop smiling.
"I don't think that's-" but Ino stopped herself as she couldn't ruin Sakura's delight. "Yeah, that's right."
Sakura knelt and placed her cheek against Ino's belly like a kid would do in an aquarium to better see the fish. She felt another light tap on her cheek and grinned and pressed in harder to get closer to her children "you came to say good luck to your daddy didn't you? You know I'm going on a mission," she said sappily.
"Ow!" She fell back as instead of a light tap her cheek was kicked with surprising force.
"They must think this is as good an idea as I do," Ino said dryly watching as Sakura rubbed her cheek. She idly patted her belly as that kick had also hurt her.
Sakura felt the side of her tooth with her tongue. Her cheek still throbbed. She glared at Ino's belly "I'm going to find out which of you that was," she threatened pointlessly. Ino rolled her eyes as Sakura got to her feet. Ino opened the door and the crowd jerked and pretended they all had important business in the area. They were not in fact listening hard with their ears pressed against the door only moments ago. Ino waddled at Sakura's side all the way to the gate. Shikamaru stood with an ANBU squad and eyed the crowd in annoyance. Sakura smiled sheepishly but was really relying on her importance to Ino so the other man wouldn't kill her.
"Are you ready?" He asked sternly.
She nodded grimly and went to move forward. Ino grabbed her hand and pulled her back. She lent down and kissed Sakura's cheek then glared "remember," she threatened. Sakura nodded and tried to stop her blush because it wouldn't do to go on a mission bright red.
A little kid slid up to her then shot a fearful glance at Ino before daring to whisper softly "we're rooting for you Legend." He quickly shuffled back into the safety of the crowd.
Sakura left the village with a smile. Despite the grave task ahead of her she had never felt more supported or connected with her fellow villagers. She didn't know she was so loved.
XxXx
She was nearly at the meeting point. Shikamaru should be close to the second meeting point by now. He would be rescuing Temari and Shika. Unless of course the leader of the bandits decided to bring Temari and Shika to the fight and have them hanging from the trees like morbid banners.
"Temari! Shika!" Sakura called before she could stop herself. She at least managed to stop herself from running directly into the clearing. She surveyed her surroundings but could only make out one figure in hiding.
Temari and Shika struggled against their bonds. They were hanging by their wrists a few feet above the ground. Both were gagged and had matching looks of fury on their faces. Temari looked the worst for wear as her face was bruised and her clothing ripped. Shika's right eye was swollen and it was clear he had been crying. Sakura felt her fury mount and she clenched her fist. She threw a throwing star and Temari crumpled to the ground. She had tried to land on her feet but they gave out, Sakura knew this was a bad sign. She didn't cut Shika down as the fall was much further for his small body and she wasn't sure how the fight would go.
"I thought you were told not to bring any weapons?" A male voice called calmly from the forest.
"And I thought you were going to release the hostages," Sakura shot back surveying her surroundings. She wasn't sure she could make it to Temari's side before the voice showed itself.
"I let them live didn't I?" And the voice seemed like it genuinely believed it had did her a favour. "Where's my scroll?"
She untied the scroll from the strap around her leg. Instinct made her rolled to the side just as a blurry blue cape blinked in front of her. She came up on her feet a good distance away from her original spot. The leader of the bandit group couldn't be mistaken for any other member. Her had dark skin and giant gold hoops dangled from his ears. He was much taller than her and well muscled. He was younger than her but she could see he had lived just as long. His eyes had the same coldness of her own. He draped himself in dark silk trousers and a royal blue cloak that covered his chin. His heavy boots were studded in sparkling sliver.
"You can use Chakra," She said coming to her feet slowly.
"It's not limited to you pyjama freaks," he said with a sneer.
"That at least explained why you wanted the scrolls," she could feel the Chakra rage through him like a torrent. It was strong but it wasn't controlled. Bits of the stream seemed to be siphoned off like wastage "that explains why you were able to take down Temari."
He smirked "was she supposed to be hard? Grab her child and the mother is useless. That's why you'll always be the weaker sex. You're just pathetic."
Sakura rolled her eyes "lets just fight. I'm sick of hearing villainous rants. And God insulting women with all that weaker sex crap is such a tired cliché. What's the matter, your mother breast fed you to long or she gave her attention to the good looking sibling?"
The bandit grew annoyed at Sakura's mocking tone and lunched at her. She dodged his first flurry of punches narrowly. She hadn't seen speed like that since Lee! She flipped backwards to avoid a right hook but to her horror her hip flamed in pain at the impact of her landing. Her ankle's were too stiff to compensate for the pain and she fell. The bandits heavy boot bludgeoned her side with all the force of an angry work horse. She hit a tree and feel on all fours.
She gasped for breath still shocked. She looked up quickly to see the bandits meaty hand grip her by the throat and slam her against the tree again. It was in that moment staring at the smooth brow and unlined face of the bandit leader she realised how old she had become. When she was younger she would have had little trouble dodging his attacks. Her joints and muscles weren't as limber as they used to be. She infused her right arm with her legendary strength and brought it down hard on the bandits arm. She was immediately released as the limb broke and she quickly brought the same arm up to whack the side of the bandits neck.
She felt him divert his Chakra to his neck at the last moment panicky shielding the area. Instead of dying he was sent reeling into the air. She rubbed at her neck breathlessly still trying to recover. She might have gotten old but she wasn't done yet. She glared venomously at the Bandit who was getting to his feet.
His right arm hung limply at his side and his glare was infuriated hatred. But she could see his dark eyes gleaming with a new weariness. He didn't expect her to hurt him so bad. She mentally sneered at his arrogance. She wasn't a Legend for nothing.
Her victory didn't last much longer as the bushes rumbled and shook. Voices called out harshly as the rest of the bandits made themselves known. "I may not know a lot of jutsu but I know who to share my Chakra," the leader spat at her "instead of a half trained rabble I can control them all with my Chakra."
"Afraid of me so soon?" Sakura said lightly but inside she didn't feel as confident.
"I'm going to tear you apart," the leader promised "with all my hands!"
And suddenly fists, feet and weapons were attacking from every angle as the bushes exploded like a jungle rage. Sakura defended herself against the weapons but the punches hit her from all sides. She started blocking and lashing out indiscriminatingly but blow after blow rained down on her and she couldn't think. A steel staff connected solidly with the back of her skull and she crumbled to the floor.
Her blood soaked the grass turning it to mud beneath her. Dully she could still feel the impact of distant blows. Her head rolled to the side with the force of a kick and she saw Ino sideward's sitting on a fence. A warm blanket settled over her back and protected her from the painful rain. Ino beckoned to her and she stood in front of her. She liked it when Ino smiled at her softly. She looked like sunlight in her white dress.
"This won't do at all," Ino shook her head. Ino reached out and tapped Sakura's fore head. Her skull flared with pain. "You're too old to beat the world Sakura. Tsunade has already shown you how to run the hospital."
Sakura couldn't seem to speak but she placed her hand on Ino's flat stomach in question. Ino smiled beautifully and nodded behind her. Two little figures walked hand in hand towards her but they were a blinding white. All she could see were golden curls. One little figure broke away and came to stand before her. It gave her a savage kick to the shin and she punched the ground hard.
The ground buckled and the resulting sonic boom made the attacking bandits fly away from her. She quickly forced herself to her feet tearing her face from the blood soaked muck and running like a crazed savage towards the leader.
The bandit leader was startled but squatted down ready to fight. Already his men were on their feet and responding to his orders to stop Sakura. He blinked and she flickered for a second before he felt light taps all over his body. Her speed amazed him.
Sakura stumbled back with a wide grin as she saw the confusion wash over the bandits face as his left leg jerked backwards. His right arm came up to slap him in the face. The bandits around him copied dumbly "I've confused your nervous system. And since you've linked yourself to your men I've confused theirs as well," she gave a tired smile before she viciously punched the bandit leader and watched as he and his men fell like dominos to the ground. "You should leave puppeteering to the professionals."
"Sakura."
She turned to see Temari walking towards her with fresh bruises. "Hey, when did you get untied?"
"I was the one stopping them from killing you in that pile until you threw me across the clearing," Temari seemed to be angry with her.
Sakura was really fed up. She had just saved Temari and she was all hostile towards her. But Temari was always angry maybe she needed to see a therapist. Or a prostitute. Anything to get her to loosen up. She would recommended it to Shikamaru… "oh so you were my blanket?" She said and silly Temari forgot to release her shadow clone.
There that expression was much better than anger. Temari's face was slack with shock as she reached out to Sakura but she didn't want to reach back. Her legs were really tired. She was too old for this. When did the sky turn black? It couldn't be nigh-.
"Sakura! Sakura!"
XxXx
"I swear she better wake up or I'll kick her ass!"
"Temari, don't let Ino hear you say that."
"How did you get her to leave? Last time I was in here she had all but chained herself to the bed."
"I told her stress will bring on early labour and then slipped a sleeping pill in her coffee when she was yelling at me."
"That's why you're my husband…"
Sakura wished she had chosen to wake up a few minutes later as she would have missed the nauseating display of affection between Temari and Shikamaru.
"Mmf!" Temari broke the kiss and shoved Shikamaru out of her way when she noticed Sakura awake.
Now if only Sakura could get Ino to do that with Mina her life would be great. She smiled weakly at the couple before lifting her arm to indicate Temari's bruised face.
"The idiots tried to beat me ugly. I told them they wouldn't be able too but they tried anyway," Temari smiled and Sakura laughed but it came out as a wheezing cough and hurt to much.
Temari gently lifted her head and fed her an ice chip. "-ika?" She tried to say.
Shikamaru and Temari traded worried glances before Temari gently lowered her head back to the pillow. Dread clutched at Sakura's heart. She wasn't in time, she didn't make it- "calm down Sakura!" Temari snapped glaring at the heart monitor "we wouldn't be standing over you if he wasn't okay. He's slightly beat up but luckily the bandits were more interested in torturing me than him."
Sakura relaxed "He's just very withdrawn since the incident. We've left him with some of his friends to hopefully draw him out." Shikamaru said with a frown.
Sakura nodded feebly and didn't notice that she had drifted back asleep.
XxXx
"God I hope she doesn't wake up."
"Tenten!"
"What? You saw how Ino ripped Shikamaru a new one when she found out how he tricked her!"
"You're the one that slipped the pill into her sandwich!"
"Yeah that's because she's been guarding her coffee like Sakura's going to come alive and take it from her! The sandwich was the only thing that wasn't guarded!"
"But all this tricking of Yamanka-san, the chief wouldn't want that…"
"Seriously, Kei, your obsession with Sakura already cost you one girlfriend don't push it."
"I respect the chief greatly! It's not like that!"
"I'm sure-Sakura!"
Tenten noticed that she was awake before she even fully realised it. She blinked stupidly and tried to sit up. She was proud that she didn't need as much help as she thought she would. She noticed the glass of water at her bedside and moved to drink it. Tenten quickly snatched it out of her hand "sorry but that's contaminated. We tried to get Ino with it but she was too smart that time," Kei disappeared then came back with a cup of water from the cooler.
Sakura drank gratefully "can I see my chart?" It wasn't really a question as she already had her hand held out waiting.
Kei shifted awkwardly and seemed to try and hide behind Tenten. Tenten just tucked the blankets around her and side without eye contact "no, I was told not to let you doctor yourself."
"By who? I'm the damn chief of this place so if I want my chart I'm going to damn well-ack!" Sakura broke down coughing as her indignation took up to much energy.
"Calm yourself chibi-doc," Tenten laid her hand gently on her shoulder and offered another cup of water.
Sakura drank deeply and sighed. She glanced irately at Tenten. If she could just get her out of the room she was sure that Kei would fold quickly. "Can you find Ino for me?"
Tenten smirked as she knew what she was doing "no, she's resting."
"What about Shika and Temari how are they doing?" Sakura asked.
"Good," Tenten shrugged but Kei wasn't as good a liar as she was and was shifting guiltily in the background.
"How long have I been asleep?" Sakura said.
"You took a band beating but you've only been out for six days," Tenten said and Sakura cursed. She was getting old if it took her that long to recover from a fight.
"My er!" Sakura said suddenly shooting up "the follow up was supposed to be done! And the nurses were threatening a strike if I didn't get more recruits!"
"Shhh," Tenten forced her down on the pillows "it's all being taken care off."
"By who? It better not be one of those young idiots!" Sakura said trying to pull out her iv "I'm the only person that can keep this place from falling apart no one else has the experience! And the annual big health and sanitary check is coming up soon! I don't have time to be in bed especially if I'm going to take maternity leave!"
"I know how to run a damn hospital Haruno! Now get your revealed ass back in bed before I put you there!" Shizune stood framed in the door way with a white coat, stethoscope and a scary scowl.
"Shizune-sama," Sakura gasped freezing all movement leaving her in an awkward half in half out of the bed.
"I told you to stop flashing that bare ass at me!" Shizune snapped picking up her chart.
Sakura realised that her ass was indeed bare to the rest of the room and quickly sat down with a blush. "But how? Didn't you leave town?"
"I-I took the liberty," Kei stepped forward hesitantly "I notified the temporary chief Makawasa-sensei of your mission just before you left and she came to help imm-"
"-Your secretary is irritating. I've been trying to get her to call me Shizune but I think she'll swallow her tongue first," Shizune said taking no heed of Kei's actual presence in the room.
"Like Tsunade always tried to get you to cal her Tsunade instead of lady Tsunade or Tsunade-sama?" Sakura cocked her eyebrow. It was too easily to fall into the same pattern of joking with Shizune even though there was a strained tension in their words.
"You keep sassing me and I'll give you a prostate exam," Shizune didn't have to pretend to threaten Sakura knew she would do it. "Has she seen her chart?"
"No, sir uh, Shizune," Tenten answered quickly trying to retreat.
"What the big deal?" Sakura said getting increasingly annoyed.
"Your internal injuries need time to heal. I've patched you up but now you need to take it easy before my stitches come undone," Shizune said "we're out of the danger zone so I'll let you have a little exercise tomorrow. Oh and as for not letting you see your chart? I'm just doing that to annoy the hell out of you." And Shizune turned with a whish of her white coat and exited holding Sakura's chart hostage.
Sakura glowered after her.
XxXx
When Sakura woke again she saw Ino fussing with flowers on her bedside . The blonde hadn't noticed her yet and was talking away to the twins presumably. "-dy is an idiot. You're going to have to help me keep her under control because she to noble for her own damn good. I don't even know how she does it. She's locked herself in this hospital for years and now she suddenly comes out to beat the world its stu-Sakura!"
Ino hugged her hard and Sakura laughed but it hurt so she stopped quickly "hey Ino," she said calmly.
A muffled tirade was screamed into her neck as Ino tried to chastise her without letting up on her hug. Sakura felt a slightly lazy smile on her face as she enjoyed being hugged. Eventually Ino pulled back and Sakura used the opportunity to hug her bump. She felt one of the little buggers kick at her arms but she ignored it glad to be with her family.
"I missed you," Sakura confided in Ino's tummy.
"Oh, sure you missed them," Ino huffed.
"That was directed to all of you," Sakura pulled away but kept rubbing Ino's bump. A tiny fist of foot followed her to strike at her hand. That kid really didn't like her.
"Well, it's just nice to hear it," Ino sniffed trying not to be so easily won by Sakura's smile.
"I had a dream about you guys," she just remembered.
"If it was me kicking your ass if you do anything this stupid again it might be a premonition," Ino threatened. Sakura laughed, she couldn't really recall all the details of the dream but there seemed to be an importance attached to it.
"Help me out of bed," Sakura asked sitting up mostly under her own power.
"You're not leaving this hospital," Ino said firmly.
"I know. I was told I would be allowed gentle exercise and I want to go for a walk," Sakura said sitting up but stopping as a blush crept up her neck "ah, there's a supply closet down the hall can you get me a set of scrub bottoms?"
Ino raised her eyebrow smugly "what? The chief makes everyone else show their ass but won do it herself?"
Sakura glowered and Ino waved it away "I'm going," she said airily waddling out of the room.
XxXx
"I didn't know the hospital had gardens on its roof," Ino said as they sat on a bench sharing a sandwich.
"Yeah I had them put in a few years ago to help the long term patients de-stress. We run tai chi and yoga classes here at the weekends," Sakura munched through her meatball sandwich. Old Man's sandwiches were much better than any hospital food.
"It's nice," Ino said and Sakura nodded since her mouth was full "being alone like this," Sakura choked.
"Are you okay?!" Ino asked urgently patting Sakura's back.
"I'm fine," She coughed "went down the wrong way, that's all."
"Though I suppose we're not exactly alone," Ino cast her head back at the three nervous interns that were ordered to follow their chief around. Kei hung behind them with status reports that Sakura had demanded. "But at least they can run errands," Ino allowed.
"Seriously how have you been eating since I've been in here?" Sakura screw her face up as Ino shook another sashay of brown sauce onto her side of the sandwich. That was like the seventh one.
"Oh, please there's barely any in here, the packets are too small," Ino complained. She clicked her fingers and held her hand out behind her. One intern nearly fell over herself to hand Ino another sashay. Ino smiled widely. She like being treated like a queen.
"That's it you have to stop scaring my interns I'm going back now so they can actually learn about medicine," Sakura heaved herself up of the bench and another intern jumped forward to seat her in a wheel chair. She was sick she deserved a little papering, she internally defended herself against Ino's knowing look.
"Shika's been a little reserved. Do you mind if I bring him round to see you?" Ino asked seriously.
"Sure," she had been concerned about the little boy since everyone had said how weird he was acting.
"Good, now give me that sandwich," Ino tried to take half of Sakura's lunch. Sakura held it away defiantly. "Hell no, this is an Old Man beauty I aint giving it up!" She urged the intern to wheel her to safety "quickly! She waddles fast when there's food at stake!"
"Sakura!" Ino called angrily after her retreating form.
XxXx
The hospital was always busy. It was when it got quite that something was seriously wrong. It was for that reason that Sakura never woke when doctors and nurse started to scream and yell orders while interns pissed themselves trying to keep up and not kill anyone.
It was amidst all that madness that Kei burst into her room and woke her from a nice dream. her secretary started pulling at her and flipped her blankets away. Sakura was still dazed and only half paying attention to the brunette whiz. It was when she felt her hospital gown being pulled over her head that she jerked awake. "Whoa! Kei what the hell are you doing?!"
"Forgive me Chief-san but this can't wait," Kei kept tugging at Sakura's clothes.
"Kei get the hell off me I don't care how long you've waited I can still kick your ass from here!" Sakura fended off Kei's advances.
"But Ino's in labour and you need to get change! You can't go into the delivery room half naked!" Kei pleaded with her.
"Ino's in labour?!" Sakura said stunned then unashamed started to strip "get me some scrubs!" She wasn't going to meet her kids with her ass handing out of a hospital gown.
XxXx
Thanks for the reviews and for those that commented on the length of the last chapter this one should shut you up. A great pic was drawn by Dalyn for the story .com/art/Call-Me-Daddy-101610977 go check it out and if you haven't seen kirbygirl13's pics for the story you should go there right now!