RECAP: HELLO

The next morning Tsunade woke up before most of the sleeping patients as usual. The night shift was going into the on-call room trying to sleep some seeing as even though they were the night shift Tsunade needed them to stay hours into the morning until the next shift got there. When she walked out the entire staff was still night shift and pretty sluggish. She was very tempted to go right back to sleep but she had to check on Naruto's team. The guilt was eating her alive.

She walked into Kankuro's room first and saw that he was awake.

"Why're you up so early?"

"This freakin' leg brace a nurse put on me. I got like five hours of sleep."

"Well I have to take it on to put the antibiotics on it so you can sleep then."

Tsunade unwrapped his leg and started applying the antibiotics. She then realized just how bad Kankuro had been hurt. The guilt continued. She finished his leg and wrapped it back up and Kankuro tried to get more sleep. She then went to check on Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura was still sound asleep on the cot with one hand on Sasuke's bed. She then went and checked on Naruto and Gaara. She expected to find Naruto in the cot. He was still wrapped tight around Gaara and both were sound asleep. She went to go organize the nursing staff after that. A few hours later Gaara woke up and so did Naruto.

"Did you have another bad dream?"

"What?"

"Remember last night you woke up from a bad dream."

"...Must've been sleep-talking. Is that why you're in bed with me?"

"...You don't remember?"

"Like you said I probably shouldn't worry it's just the meds."

"Right...well last night you said you wanted Tsunade to give you a brain exam, still wanna do that?"

"Did I...it's starting to sound like I did more than sleep-talk...yeah we better go see Tsunade..."

"Alright but um...I'm just going to page her."

"Naruto you don't have to watch me."

"I know I just want to stay here with you."

Naruto paged a nurse who then brought in Tsunade. Naruto got out of bed to talk to her so they were out of earshot of Gaara. That of course worried him but he calmed himself down.

"Granny Tsunade, he's been forgetting things. We were hoping you could check him out and make sure everything's OK."

"Yeah sure. So what kind of things has he been forgetting?"

"Well he forgot he had that cut on his chest and he woke up last night and we talked for like ten minutes and he doesn't remember any of it."

"Don't get all worried. It's probably just a side effect from all those medications we have him on and all the stress."

"OK..."

Tsunade went back into Gaara's room and started with her chakra looking at his brain. Naruto was smiling at him and squeezing his hand the whole time. He had to lie perfectly still. Once she'd finished Naruto was trying to read her expression to see if it was good news but he couldn't read Tsunade. She then started talking.

"Well it looks like he has had a hit to the head in that fight but it should heal pretty soon."

"What's the worst possible outcome?"

"The absolute worst would be some slight short-term memory loss. Nothing more than forgetting where you left the TV remote. But until then you'll probably forget a few more things so don't worry."

"Thanks Granny."

She left and went to check on Sasuke. Naruto kissed Gaara's forehead.

"See, it's nothing."

"Mhm. I guess I lucked out."

"Sure did."

"Naruto could you go get me some breakfast."

"Yeah of course."

Naruto left and Gaara quickly got a nurse to page Tsunade. She came in pretty quickly.

"Something wrong Gaara."

"I've been forgetting things."

"Yeah but it'll be gone soon."

"No it's not...look I was losing memory way before this happened. I started keeping a journal and I'd write in it then read the day before and some things I had no idea I'd done. The fight must've made it worse, maybe because I died but now I can't keep this secret from Naruto. You need to give me something, this won't just go away."

"Losing you're memory? But you're not even twenty yet."

"I know but I guess that's what fighting does. So give me something to keep this under control."

"I'll give you medication if you let me do a more thorough brain exam."

"No, Naruto'll notice I'm gone."

"Why won't you tell Naruto?"

"Why should I worry him?"

"I'm sure he'd like to know things like this."

"Just run the test."

"Are you sure you don't want Naruto with you?"

"I do but I don't want him to worry."

"Gaara, you'll both feel a lot better if he's there."

"...Fine but tell him you want to do them just...just because...and don't tell anyone else about this either."

"Alright, I think I'm going to get the MRI for this one just to be sure OK?"

"...Yeah."

Naruto came back with breakfast. Tsunade told Naruto they'd be giving Gaara an MRI. Naruto reluctantly agreed and Tsunade went to ready a machine.

"So what did you guys talk about?"

"Nothing much."

"Why does she want an MRI then?"

"...She feels guilty about my memory."

"Oh, well OK."

They talked for a little while longer before they got Gaara in a wheelchair and into the MRI room. They got Gaara up and into the machine. Tsunade left them and went into the computer room. She reminded them to stay as still as possible over the mic. Naruto could see Tsunade looking very pensively at the screen which made Naruto worry so he started talking to Gaara.

"You staying still?"

"Mhm. Getting a little claustrophobic though. Will you hold my hand?"

"I can't hold your hand but I can hold your foot."

"Ha, perfect. Ask Tsunade if this is almost over."

"TSUNADE! IS IT DONE!"

She came over the mic again.

"Just a few more minutes Gaara."

A few minutes later they were done. She got him out of the machine and back into his room with Naruto. Before she'd even said anything to them she did about three followup tests. Later when she had the results she found a time when Naruto was with Sakura to go talk to Gaara.