Fern had protected Naruto.

Justin stared at Fern as he slowly took out his fist from her stomach. Fern fell onto her hands and knees. Justin scowled at her disapprovingly as she coughed up blood. The braids that were once around her neck fell to the ground lifelessly. Sasuke, who was at the front of the crowd, quickly picked them up and stuffed them into his pocket.

"Get up." Justin growled. She struggled to stand up, blood trickling down the edge of her mouth to her chin, she just managed to keep her balance. Instead of facing Justin, she had her back to him, still trying to stand, but her back was hunched forwards.

"No...no more..." She managed to whisper before pulling up Naruto along with her. Naruto could only stare at her as they took hold of each other's arm and pulled themselves up. He still couldn't move yet he wished he could at least help himself up.

He treats her like dirt...Sakura thought, glancing at Fern. Her black hair covered her face and her head was still bowed, but everyone could hear her pain filled breathing through the silence. No one dared to move. Fern pulled Naruto's arm over her shoulder, despite the fact that she was in the worse condition, she was trembling and could hardly stand. She took steps forward, her knees nearly failing, after all, that was a very powerful blow.

Justin didn't move, he just watched as she led Naruto away from the fight. His eyes seem confused at first, and then anger, then he returned his usual composer and didn't even bother with helping them. Fern managed to take a few steps when she felt someone else take the weight of Naruto. She was surprised to see Sasuke, but she couldn't read his expression because his eyes were closed. People now made a path for them as Sasuke gave them a death glare.

Sakura followed closely behind and watched as Fern collapsed and coughed up more blood before falling unconscious.

"Sakura, help her up we go to go to the hospital." Sakura nodded and helped her up before catching up with a running Sasuke to the hospital.

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"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to remove these braids from her wrist and ankle if I am going to be able to diagnose what's wrong with her, they always glow and the machines go crazy!" The medic-nin told Justin. He looked at Fern who lay unconscious in the hospital bed before slowly nodding.

He walked to her and muttered something before taking off the braids. Naruto, who sat in a chair next to him, stared at what happened once he took them off. Her left arm blurred before showing her real arm. A slender, metal arm. There was no change at all more like her skin changed colour. The fingers were long and slender, and it was basically pure metal. Naruto shuddered. Then he saw the same happened to her right knee cap. The medic-nin wasted no time in helping her.

Justin sat on the opposite side of Fern, and his eyes were full of regret as he looked down at the metal limbs.

"You did this too?" Naruto growled. His own wounds were counted as nothing, so he didn't need to stay. Sasuke and Sakura stayed too. They sat in the seat next to Naruto, whereas Justin sat on the other side, next to her normal arm.

"No. I didn't do it."

"Don't you care? You just knocked her unconscious and all you do is sit there? You don't give her freedom and treat her like an object! She isn't invincible!" He remained silent for a few moments before answering. Quite calmly as well.

"She has no external wounds," The medic-nin said. "Just internal bleeding. Nothing that a good long rest can fix."

"Thank you." The medic-nin nodded before leaving.

"Fern has always been like this. Always protecting others without a care for herself. Even when I first met her, I was about five years old. My parents' enemies planted a bomb in my house. My parents didn't suspect anything, but it was too late by then. Fern was passing by our house when she saw the hidden bomb, and she saw me with my parents so she ran inside just before the bomb was about to explode and shielded us for she couldn't get us out in time. We were all safe, none of us harmed but my parents were poisoned just in case the bomb didn't work, so they died anyway.

Fern had lost her left arm protecting us but she already had the metal knee cap. I begged her to stay with me. She looked at me with the most emotionless eyes I ever saw, then seeing my fear, she stayed." Justin looked at her sleeping form in what seemed like regret, or resent. Even sadness. Naruto's anger died down and he too looked at Fern.

"After that, I swore to protect her from anyone or anything. It was the least that I could do for her. She hasn't changed at all since then. She looked the same and acted the same as now. She already had her heart ripped out so I attempted to control her. I made sure that she was protected by everyone. I tried to break her habit of saving people. I thought I did it, but obviously she couldn't stand watching you getting beaten up, Naruto." Fern stirred slightly in her sleep, which caught attention, the medic nin then left and they could talk in peace.

"The main reason for the fight was to see if Fern still had that old habit in her if she watched. I guess I've been getting over protective of her. She's looked after me my whole life and I have always felt that I should protect her..." Justin smiled. SMILED. It was a weak smile but it was there. Naruto nodded in understanding.

"We all sometimes go crazy to protect the ones that we love. But I still don't see why you don't want her to remember or feel?" That was when his smile faded.

"When her heart was ripped out, it was possessed. So if she were to get it back, then there is still a possibility that it would be tainted. Something happened one night when I was 8 years old. The day before the entire Uchiha clan were killed. Fern somehow got a feeling. But that emotion was tainted. I don't know how she got it, but one night she went out, and when she came back, she was covered in blood and a smirk was across her face. Her emerald eyes were purple and menacing looking. I took out that piece of heart when I found the entire Uchiha clan were killed. Ever since then I have been extra careful with her. I didn't want her to remember that again."

"Look at her, Justin! She is feeling again and there is nothing wrong with her! She is normal! Besides, I've heard the rough version of her life before, and I know for a fact that there is nothing wrong with remembering it." Justin stood up and balled his fists.

"Naruto...?" He turned and looked at Fern who was waking up. "Justin...?"

"It's okay, you're in hospital. You're safe." He told her softly, sitting back down. Sasuke left the moment that she woke up and bolted out of the door before anyone would say anything. Fern looked down at her metal arm to see tears falling endlessly down onto it. She looked up at Sakura.

"I'm sorry..." She said wiping away the tears. "I just...just...your...I don't know!" She was still amazed about everything that Justin had said. "I'm sorry for being weak..." Fern's metal hand reached out and gently took hold of Sakura's hand. (Friendly way ppl FRIENDLY WAY!!)

"You're not weak, Sakura." She whispered. "You just haven't found the right strength." She let go and shifted to a more comfortable position before closing her eyes.

"Go home Naruto, Sakura. You can see her at school." Justin's voice was a whisper. He thought of refusing, but then seeing the look on his face he left silently, followed by Sasuke and Sakura.

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Justin looked at the clock. 12:30AM. He got up to go to the bathroom. He walked down the darkened hallways with his hands in his pockets towards the bathroom. Just as he was finishing, he felt a presence that made him smirk.

"You can't control her forever." Justin's smirk widened.

"Ah, but Kakashi. I'm not the one that you're meant to suss out, am I? Fern's your mission. But trust me, you won't find out anything."

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Sasuke slowly opened the hospital door seeing that Justin wasn't in there. He slowly walked over to Fern, who was still sleeping. His gaze fell to her metal arm and then back to her face.

"What are you?" He silently whispered, his fingers playing with the broken braids in his pockets. Fern slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

He stood close to the bed, and they only stared into each other's eyes. Sasuke couldn't move. He was lost in her eyes.

"We are alike you know, Fern." He whispered, reaching out to caress her cheek. "I lost everyone that I love and I am unhappy. You have people who love you," He looked at the gifts that people had bought her later that day and sent it to the hospital then back at Fern, who was still looking at him. "And yet I can see you're also unhappy." She said nothing and only looked at him.

"Love." She repeated. "What is love?" She whispered. Sasuke heard a noise and he made a quick hand sign before leaving.

Justin walked in and closed the door behind him, thinking it was odd that she was awake. He sat down and sighed before going to sleep.

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I hope Fern gets better soon... Naruto thought to himself. I noticed Sasuke-baka giving her a glare on the way out. But then again, he always gave her a death glare...which is kind of weird because he doesn't know her...sigh...WHY CAN'T I GET TO SLEEP?!

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