A/N: Since their was a mistake with my last chapter, I'm going to be double checking before uploading from now on. If you read the original messed up last chapter...I apologize...but I fixed it...so if you didn't see the fixed chapter go check. (It's in the right format and actually had the ending to it. lol) Anyways...hope this chapter doesn't suck. It's now almost midnight and I can't sleep...so since I never get around to sitting down and writing I figured now would be a good time.
Two and a half months passed by rather quickly for Kiku. It wasn't hard for her to hide her new job from her mother and sister. It seems they had far too many other things to worry about. The two of them were constantly running about, leaving on trips to other villages in the land of wind. Kimi was getting closer to marriagable age, and their mother was trying to get her noticed as much as possible. She had already completely forgotten about her youngest daughter.
Kiku could understand why, though. Her mother was becoming desperate for money. After her father died, Kiku's mother continued to spend as much money as ever. However after several years she realized that those within the council are no longer payed when they die and the money saved from her husband's family inheritance and work was dwindling away rather fast...she had maybe 5 more years of her lifestyle left and then the whole family would be broke.
Kiku never cared when her mother informed her daughters of the necessity that they both marry soon and marry well. Her mother and sister were foolish and greedy. If they were unwilling to live a more humble lifestyle then they deserved the downfall they were inevitably going to get. Kiku would be fine, she knew. Her work as a genin at the hospital payed a decent amount of money. She knew that in the next few years she was going to move away from her childhood home and live her own life separate from her mother and sister. Her life wouldn't be full of luxury, but she always preferred things to be simple. A small appartment full of flowers with enough money to eat...that was all she needed.
Kiku sat at Suna's hospital, simply thinking of the events of the past two months. She'd recieved 5 letters in total from Okarina, describing the events at the Chunin exams. Her cousin's best friends seemed to have made it through alive, which was great...but whenever her cousin spoke of Gaara and the things he'd done while there it made Kiku's heart ache. Okarina knew of her cousin's feelings and tried to make it sound less terrible than it really was, but Kiku could see through her words that it wasn't the full truth.
There were gaps in her story and she left out details that Kiku thought would be important. Even when Kiku sent her replies asking for clarification, nothing came...just more news continued from where the last letter left off. By the fourth letter Kiku stopped asking.
While the letters were somewhat frustrating, Kiku found her escape at Suna's hospital. She was now allowed to care for small injuries on her own. She had quite the affinity for healing, it appeared. She loved being able to help the villagers and she put her heart and soul into every attempt at healing them...the children especially. The way their eyes lit up when she fixed their cuts and bruises, though it was the easiest task given to a medic, made Kiku's heart swell with pride. Their gratitude was worth more than any amount of money she could recieve from her work. Their smiles gave her purpose.
"Kiku-chan!' Aya's cheerful voice sounded out through the halls as she walked towards her seated friend. "Emiko-sensei says to go to room 3. There's a patient that's requesting you."
"Oh, be right there!"
Kiku stood from her chair, and passed her friend. Aya flashed her a smile.
"You're really getting good at this, you know." she said.
Kiku stopped in her tracks and turned for a moment back to Aya.
"Thanks. I promise I'll keep working hard."
Aya smirked.
"You better...don't go letting us down after you've come this far."
Kiku shook her head. "I'd never think of it."
With that she head off towards room 3. She opened the door and had taken only a single step into the room when she was attacked.
Three small bodies had flung themselves at her, little arms latching onto her middle. She looked down and found herself staring into three matching sets of brown eyes.
"Oh...Kiku-chan...I'm so sorry! Guys...let her go. It's not nice to surprise the medic like that!"
"Hi...Sana-chan..."
Kiku looked at the face of her old childhood friend...Her old scapegoat for meeting Gaara. She'd grown up quite a bit, just like Kiku. They'd both lost touch with eachother after Sana accidentally given Kiku away to her mother. Sana had seen a brief glimpse of Kanako's temper and she never cared to see it again. Neither girl had spoken much since then. Seven years was a long time...Kiku had never known Sana had three younger brothers since then. She only found out recently when Sana brought in the youngest to the hospital to check up on his healing arm. It had been quite a shock to both girls.
Kiku had treated all three boys on several occasions. They were training to be ninjas already and were quite rough with their practice. They constantly showed up covered in scrapes and bruises and they frequently requested that Kiku treat them. They thought she was sweet...she thought they were too.
"So which one of you got hurt this time?"
Kiku scanned the faces of all three of the kids and they turned to face their sister.
"It's me this time..." Sana smiled nervously and ponted to her leg. Kiku noticed the small gash below her old friend's knee and went over to her, looking it over.
"How'd you do that?" Kiku asked.
"I fell on a rock during practice today. I was trying to help my brother's with their taijutsu and ended up making a total fool out of myself." Sana sighed and stared at the gash. The boys giggled and the eldest spoke up.
"At least now we know how NOT to land on a rock." he said with a shrug.
"Yeah Kaoru...I guess now you do" she said with a chuckle.
Kiku held her hands over the wound.
"You'll be good as new soon, Sana-chan." she said as she focused her chakra towards the wound. Slowly Kiku allowed it to pull the skin together and to begin healing. A few minutes later she backed up and inspected the area. There was still dried blood along her leg, but the wound itself was gone.
Sana looked down as well and smiled.
"Thanks a lot Kiku-chan. I knew you'd be able to help me out...especially after getting all the practice from these guys."
Her brothers beamed up at the two girls as if visits to the medic were a thing to be proud of. Kiku chuckled and stood up. She pat each one on the head and told them to be more careful and to help their sister out. They agreed and Kiku turned toward the door, her job all done.
"Ummm...Kiku-chan. There was something else I had to tell you." Sana got up from her seat and walked over to her.
"Oh...what is it?"
Sana looked around nervously.
"I just wanted to warn you. There's been some talk around town about you working here. A lot of people that I know have started to bring you up in conversation the past two or three days. It's a bit of a hot topic right now...considering nobody ever thought they'd see you with a Suna headband...especiallly with how your mother is..." Sana cut off, vaguely remembering what happened when she sas a child.
"I just wanted to let you know that there's a chance that she might hear the talk or someone might approach her about it...so just watch out. I know how she gets...unless she's gotten better?" Sana looked at Kiku hopefully. Kiku shook her head 'no'. If anything her mother had gotten worse since since they were children. Sana sighed.
"Well...just take this as a warning then. I don't want it to surprise you if she confronts you later...I felt I at least owed you a heads up this time."
Kiku nodded.
"Thanks for the heads up." she said with a small smile. "I'm ready for when she finds out."
Sana smiled back and ushered her brothers towards the door. The five of them left the room but Kiku stood in the hallway waving as they left the hospital. She stared blankly at the door for a moment, thinking about what she was going to do, before shaking her head. She knew her mother would find out eventually, but now faced with the real reality of it, she wasn't sure if this was something she wanted to deal with.
'I'll be fine...' she thought. 'Even if mother is mad...even if she's furious...none of that matters. Once you're a ninja, you're a ninja for life...and I've been given an important job from the Kazekage. She wouldn't dare try to object to one of his decisions...would she?'
Kiku shook her head again to dismiss the thoughts. She had a busy day ahead of her...she couldn't stress over useless worries. Kiku walked back to her desk. She had work to get done...and withing minutes Sana's warning was no longer lurking in Kiku's mid.
A/N 2:First off...sorry this chapter sucks...really tired right now...not in the best writing mood, but wanted to finish something...but it should get back on track in the next chapter or so. Secondly... I'm going to start drawing some more pics for this and my other story on here and put them on deviantart. They're under the name forgotten-promise if anyone's interested in looking at em. :) Also have a new story planned for Kiku's Cousin, Okarina (her life before Suna, her time with Kiku, and the things that happened to her when they went their separate ways.) I'll be posting that soon if anyone's interested in that too. ^^ Anyways...thanks for reading! :D