Chapter Seventeen: Conflicts

Her arms were moving wildly, spinning the wheels faster and faster until she reached the hospital room. They're back, they're back! Excitedly, she threw the door open and sped into the room and didn't stop until she was at a distance where she could jump on his bed. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed happily and landed on his bed, throwing her arms around him. He made a sound, surprised to see this puppy-like girl.

"Why are you in that thing?" he asked, his voice horrified…or the way Sasuke would express that anyway.

"Just a little precautionary thing before my operation today," she said quickly and smiled at him brightly. 'Precautionary' was always her safe word when explaining any sickness. "But who cares about that! How did the mission go?" she asked, almost bouncing as she sat next to Sasuke over his covers. But then, his eyes sharpen and his fist tightened. She blinked, her eyebrows pulling together and stopping slightly. "What's wrong?"

His eyes seemed dark, and completely dead as he stared at his hands. "Sasuke?" She called out his name, tilting her head and trying to get at an angle to look at his face but he turned away. "Are you going to answer me or…" But he didn't. Instead he slammed back into his bed and rolled away.

He was angry. Pissed off. Everything was revolving around Naruto – the stupid fool that Sasuke once was so confident that he was stronger than – had defeated every opponent that Sasuke couldn't. It was maddening. How could it be? He was getting stronger each day – stupid Naruto with his new jutsu, and the toad and that strange red chakra. Even Itachi wanted Naruto – and not him. "Not now, Rei." He muttered, almost growled, tersely. She stared at him for a bit longer, but she wasn't like Sakura who was a puppy by his side. She knew when she was needed, and when Sasuke should just be alone.

"Fine." She got up from his bed and sat down on the wheel chair and left. It was only once he heard the sound of her wheels squeak fade into the background that he realized how much he regretted his words.

0-0

"Hey, Lee!" Rei waved as she met the taijutsu specialist ninja and the Hokage on the terrace. The two genins were her high priority patients right now, both undergoing serious surgery soon. Rei was first up, hers beginning this evening and Lee soon after. Tsunade's operation on Rei involved using special medicines as well as Rei's own chakra to be constantly soothing her lungs, to open up the passageways. That was Rei's root of her problems after all – she didn't get enough oxygen and her blood practically clogged her veins, therefore her brain, her heart, her muscles were weak and that led her to unable to do much. It wouldn't be an easy operation, but it would be a straightforward one.

As for Lee's condition…his was a lot more complicated. That was the one Tsunade worried for.

"Are you two sure you want to continue as a ninja? There are still risks…and you may not survive." But even as she said this, she looked at the two young ninjas – at their eyes – and knew that nothing would be stopping them.

"That's insulting to think that we'd back down, Lady Hokage." Rei piped in. Tsunade couldn't help but smile at the girl's' confidence. "I just…can't wait to be able to help everyone again." And she was staring up at the blonde lady with a rare, genuinely good desire that caught the Hokage off guard. Tsunade heard stories of her – of her parents, of her sickness and all the times she arrived unconscious at the hospital. But she also heard stories of all the lives Rei saved during the Invasion. At age 12, it was more than impressive. It was true talent. Talent that Tsunade wouldn't mind moulding and shaping herself.

Such ambitious children seem to come from this village.

0-0

She rolled around in her wheelchair that evening, knowing that today will be her last day in the stupid machine. She was so caught up in happiness that when Sakura came running out of the hospital, the last thing Rei expected was the girl to come sobbing about a fight between the male members of their team.

"That idiot," Rei groaned. She ditched the wheel chair and limped her way around the village, wondering where that jerk Sasuke would be.

0-0

"You're not the only one who knows what it's like to lose somebody." Think about Rei, Sasuke, how has she dealt with everything? "So it looks like neither of us have led a charmed life, exactly, have we? Still, we're not all that bad off. At least you and I have been lucky enough to find new comrades to help fill the void." Kakashi paused, staring down at the Uchiha, hoping it would sink in. He continued when Sasuke's face did not lift, when he was not able to meet his sensei's eyes just yet after hearing the revelation that this usually composed and mysterious jonin had just revealed.

That everyone Kakashi loved was dead.

And to learn that after Sasuke threatened to kill them all.

How could Sasuke possibly look up at him?

"Anyway, I do know how you feel. With the chidori, you've been grated the gift of awesome power. It's not a power to be used against your comrade or to seek vengeance. I think in your hard of hearts, you know what it's for." He turned his head slightly, hearing the sound of an approaching person. Great timing. "Okay, end of lecture. You decide whether what I'm saying hits the mark or not." With that, Kakashi left Sasuke for Rei to yell at.

Surprisingly though, she didn't. Rei took a step on the branch and sat in front of Sasuke, leaning in and looking at him closely. "Sasuke...you are the epitome of horrible comradeship."

"I know." His voice was lifeless. She smiled and continued. "But it's okay, because you have an excuse." She let out a sigh. "Don't try to ruin my mood. You've already done it earlier today, and now…just try to listen. I know that you feel like Naruto is a competition to you but really, I think you two are just…really close friends."

He looked up at her and she just nodded knowingly and tapped his shoulder. "Yes – friends. So you can stay here and sulk and brood or you can just let go of all that pain and try to be I don't know," she shrugged, "happy?"

"You say it as if it's so easy," he said through his teeth, glaring. She stared at him and then laughed a humourless one.

"Seriously?" Her brown eyes were wide. "Kakashi's right - we all have our own troubles. You out of everyone should know mine. Every day I get weaker and weaker. I've seen countless of ninjas die when they're still in my hands and –"

"It's different!" Sasuke shouted, "You're not angry at anyone! You don't have the hatred –"

"I hate myself!" She screamed back and her voice crack. She didn't want to cry or stomp around and fuss – but she was furious now. "Do you think I like being weak? Being kept apart from the rest of you – hell, I couldn't even compete in the chunin exams! Have you ever stopped to wonder how I felt about it? I hate myself. I hate that my body isn't as strong as yours or Naruto's or Sakura's - and never will be no matter what I do - and although there isn't a person I want to kill, resisting the urge to kill myself everyday isn't a walk in the park either."

What?

"Kill…yourself?" Sasuke echoed. Never before had she ever brought it up. Never before had he thought of her as suicidal. She blinked, surprised at her own words. She breathed deeply closing her eyes and rubbing her face. When she pulled her hands away, she seemed to recover from her outburst but she was emotionally worn out now. She didn't have it in her to yell at him. She knew that she shouldn't be angry at Sasuke after everything he's been through. Her eyes softened and she sighed, thinking of a way to lighten up the moment.

"I'm just asking you to please, consider what it would be like to just let Itachi go and be a part of our team. Okay? You said you were an Avenger and that you want to kill 'a certain someone'. That's great. But remember part two? Restoring your clan? That's even better. Let's start with that – me and you. We can restore your clan all you want." She was joking and the sheer playfulness of what she said surprised the darkness out of the Uchiha. She grinned, holding his face up and then leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips. Needless to say, he wasn't expecting that either. It was the first time she ever made the first move, and although it was more like a butterfly kiss, just the touch of her lips sent chills down his body.

She pulled back, her cheeks red and an embarrassed smile.

Right. Because the girl who could joke about having kids with a guy would blush from a little kiss. That was Rei for you.

"Just consider it, alright?" she asked, her face scrunching up in that hopeful way of hers. Then she took his hand and placed something cold in it. He spread his fingers to see a chain and a fine, clear shard on it.

"That's a handmade necklace," she told him, "that piece is a part of my ice, you know, as a constant reminder. It shouldn't melt or anything as long as I have the chakra to keep it up."

Feeling that she said enough to make him want to stay, she stood up and rubbed her hands against her legs. He closed his fingers tightly to it, wondering how ice can feel so constantly cool to the touch, unchanging. He stared at it for a while, until Rei had a smile playing on her lips and she poked him to get his attention back. "You owe me a present, too." He didn't respond so she sighed.

"Well, I should get ready for the big operation. Promise me you'll come by later?" she asked with earnest hope. "And if you're still angry by then, we can spar it out all you want," she promised as she poked his chest. But she was smiling still and practically glowed.

"Sure," Sasuke agreed quietly but sincerely as he stood up. In that one word, Rei heard all sorts of emotions - vulnerability, relief, a final peace within. And the deep, deep truth was that he had never cared more for anyone than he had for Rei, even if it didn't look like it in everyone else's standard. To him, Rei would always be his Rei because she was strong, and happy and the exact opposite yet the very same as him. She stared at him a bit longer and bit her lip.

"No revenge?"

He couldn't say it out loud, but a nod was enough for her. When his dark eyes flickered up to hers, he was caught off guard by the obvious happiness that shined through her eyes, the hopeful expression, the way she just looked as if she sincerely, and wholeheartedly cared for him. "Swear…on me?" She said, pushing it a bit further and wrapping her arms tight around the Uchiha, resting her head against his shoulder. He felt her warmth, her heartbeat, her. Burying his face into her hair, he said quietly, "I swear."

She sighed. She knew she was asking a lot from him so she squeezed him extra tight as she whispered, "Thank you, Sasuke, for everything."

Thanks for reading!