Stand By Me
Chapter 23 - Leave My Body
''I'm gonna be released from behind these lines, and I don't care whether I live or die.''
Sakura had mulled over Temari's case for hours, she hadn't followed Sasuke home as she'd promised. She became distracted by what medical files she could find. All generic coma cases. No clues. She'd worked with coma cases before, at the hospital, but Temari's case was rare and severe. Back in Konoha, during her training, she'd studied this type of coma. In Konoha there had been 4 cases, none of the patients survived. Within six days it had become clear that their brains had shut down and in the two days following their bodies had deteriorated fast. Various methods had been tried, everything from a shot of adrenaline directly to the heart, powerful bursts of chakra to the brain to reactivate mind functions -which had gained a minimal result- and even shocks to the heart. Nothing worked. In theory, all of those should have worked, but then again, Sakura had no idea what kind of trauma all of them went through that led to their comatose states. With Temari, she guessed it was due to the interrogational drugs and extreme strain/stress. The drugs would be out of her system by the afternoon, which meant Sakura had until then to come up with new theories. Shizune and Tsunade were good places to start.
x-x-x-x-
''Report.''
''Just before we got out, I met someone. I have a message for you, Baa-chan.'' Naruto said, strangely serious.
''What happened?'' she asked, leaning forward, a frown on her face.
''I met that guy; Ibiki.''
Tsunade sat forward, urging Naruto to continue.
''Tobi's forces are made up of Jounin and ANBU from all the villages.''
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, not missing the way Naruto had said it. Firstly, all the villages meant Konoha too, and secondly high level ninja - It was worse than she'd suspected.
''Ibiki said that some of them were recruited during the war and others were selected before the villages were taken out.''
Tsunade's eyes widened and Naruto hurried on before she could get the wrong idea. ''Most of them were...manipulated.''
''Manipulated...how?'' she asked.
''Some kind of Genjutsu. A seal in their minds.'' Naruto nodded to himself, he wasn't always good at explaining, but Tsunade seemed to understand.
''I can see how Ibiki broke free...'' she murmured.
''He said that only someone with a bloodline limit can see and turn the Genjutsu off.''
Tsunade cursed, knowing that the team she'd sent out was now mostly useless.
''I'll have to call the team back.'' she said, ''but tomorrow. We don't want to draw any attention here tonight.'' she said, not missing the way Naruto tensed.
''You'll be pleased to know that the Uchiha brat came in earlier to inform me he'll be part of the guard tonight.''
Naruto's eyebrows rose. ''I'll have to keep an eye on him.''
''No, I've decided that you won't be out tonight, you'll be here.''
Naruto rose from his chair, ready to make some kind of protest but Tsunade shook her head. ''This is not up for discussion, Naruto. I'm fairly confident that Tobi won't even find this place. If anything should happen we'll deal with it from there, but for the time being - the plan is that you'll be here.''
''I don't like this.''
''You don't have to. Tomorrow, we'll discuss new teams, one of which will escort you to Cloud to begin your training with Killer Bee.''
There was a knock at the door and Tsunade called an 'enter' command.
Sakura pushed the door open and gave Naruto her usual smile and greet. He muttered a reply and ducked out of the office. Sakura stood, awkwardly, for a moment, not sure how to react. She closed the door behind her and took a seat.
''Shishou, I wanted to hear your thoughts on Temari's condition.''
Sakura ignored the knowing look in Tsunade's eyes.
There was a pause before Tsunade fell into it, ''Sakura, in my life as a medical ninja, I've only dealt with this once, and that's saying something. With the little time given in these cases, there isn't much time to test all the possible theories - without of course setting the patient through enormous strain. In theory, everything that has been tried should have worked, I have two thoughts about that, one - the shocks may have been two weak and two - the radius of the shocks or bursts didn't reach far enough. As you may have realized in all the cases, some kind of controlled shock was used. The adrenaline having been, yes, a thrill for the entire system, spread too fast as far as I can gather.'' Tsunade sighed, ''These, of course, are just more theories. I apologize for not having something more concrete.''
Sakura shook the apology off with a small smile. ''Shizune said mostly the same things.'' Sakura gave a slight shake of her head. ''Im not ready to give up. Somehow, I just have to save Temari.''
Sakura stood up, and paused, ''Its the full moon tonight.'' she said, as if it just came to her.
''It is.''
''Will he come tonight? For Naruto? For me, Temari?'' Sakura asked, her back to Tsunade.
''I...doubt it.'' Tsunade said, ''It will take him considerably long to get any of you - possibly the entire night. It would be...rational for him to wait another month.''
Sakura nodded and moved to the door, dread squeezing her heart. With a hand on the doorknob she said, ''I hope you're right, Shishou. We both know he's not a very rational man.''
x-x-x-x-
For Sasuke, the day passed by in a rather boring fashion. He'd sat in Sakura's apartment most of it. Everytime he stepped outside the villagers would practically trip over their own jaws when he passed, and as much as he ignored them - they annoyed him. Naruto - surprisingly - hadn't dropped by. Could he be ignoring Sasuke? The Uchiha wasn't sure why Naruto would do that. Naruto didn't seem the type to be bitter about what had happened between Sasuke and Sakura, and admittedly, Sasuke still wasn't sure what he planned on doing about what was happening between them and for the moment he was simply going with it. A strange notion for him, yes. It did unnerve him that he hadn't - and wasn't planning this through. For the first time in his life - since he'd lost everything - he wasn't planning something he was involved in, it was refreshing and it also scared him. He'd told himself that he would just see how things turned out, and that it did not change his ultimate decisions - he would not return to Konoha. Never.
x-x-x-x-
Sakura had been around the hospital a million times by sundown. She'd surveyed all her options, and none of them seemed plausible. A nurse had entered her office and given her the dreading news that Temari's vitals had given a slight drop and for a while after she left, Sakura sat there - trying desperately for something, anything to cross her mind, as the room darkened.
The door opened right before the sun went down and she met the intruders dark eyes.
''Hey,'' she said softly.
''Im going to join the patrol.'' he told her, not because he think she needed to know, or anything, but so she wouldn't not-know where he was. Yeah, made sense.
She didn't react the way he suspected, though.
''Good. I'm glad you're going.'' she said with a smile and then stood. ''Don't get me wrong, I'll worry - but I know how capable you are.''
Hesitantly, she placed her hands on his chest and slid them up to his shoulders. He didn't stop or encourage her, but his eyes had a mischievousness burning in them. Sakura stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, softly and tentatively at first and then Sasuke drew her in, heating her up and deepening the kiss. Sakura's hands grabbed his hair as their bodies connected and a slight shock went through her as it always did. His body moved against her's earnestly, neither really knew what they were doing, but they knew what felt good on pure instinct.
Suddenly, with her hands in his hair, something occurred to her, the reason his hair stood as it did. He was Lightening based.
Sakura pushed away, her eyes wide. ''I need your help?''
Sasuke frowned, and Sakura grabbed his arm, pulling him out of her office and down the hall. Sasuke felt a warmth go over his hand. ''Sakura...'' he hissed and tried to pull free as she turned into Temari's room and locked the door behind them. ''I can't have you pulling free while I'm busy Sasuke. Please, relax.''
Sasuke tried to resist, but with Sakura's strength he was pulled across the room and to Temari's still form. Sakura got onto the bed effortlessly and straddled Temari's waist.
''Sakura, what are you-'' and then he felt it, his chakra, being pulled from him. Not a basic chakra, Sakura was chanelling his nature element.
''Stop! Sakura, you don't know what you're doing!'' he snapped, trying to pull free again, but somehow he was stuck.
Sakura braced her hand on Temari's sternum just as a tremor shook her body, Sakura yelped, but quickly shut her mouth. Beneath her, Temari began to twitch and Sakura had no time to feel happy, the pain was immense, like she was electrocuting herself. A scream worked its way through her clenched teeth as her tears ran down her face.
''Sakura, stop this, right now!'' Sasuke sounded faraway and...panicked?
A sob wracked through her, blood dripping from her gums down onto Temari's hospital gown, mixing with her tears.
Temari was twitching still, they needed more juice. With a groan, Sakura yanked more power.
''Sakura!'' Sasuke reached forward, grabbing her wrist, sparks rose from her arm, her hair lifted and her face paled. Temari began jolting beneath her and Sakura's head fell back, a sob screaming from her throat. It was then that the flashing began. The ceiling turned into a blue sky and back again, as it changed again, she noticed someone familiar. Itachi, he was looking past her, his face tight with shock. She flashed back to the hospital room, she was sure she wasn't breathing and then just for a moment - she crossed over.
''Itachi?'' she said hoarsely.
''Sasuke...'' he whispered and Sakura turned to look next to her. Sure enough, he was there.
''Nii-san...''
and then everything began to blur, she felt like everything was spinning.
''Whats...happening?'' Sakura whispered into the clearing.
''Sasuke!'' Itachi snapped, ''Shes dying!''
Darkness took her then and her body slumped onto Temari, who attempted to catch her.
Sasuke blinked, his hand finally free and grabbed Sakura from Temari easily. That's when everything became chaos.
The door burst open and three nurses ran in, one gave Sakura a look.
''Get Shizune-sama!'' she snapped, coming forward and reaching out, placing two fingers on Sakura's pulse.
''Shes not breathing...'' she said and then turned, ''set her down on that bed.''
Slowly, Sasuke looked down at Sakura. Her face was pale, blood ran from her parted lips and her cheeks were wet with tears.
''Uchiha-san!'' the nurse yelled, just as the doors were slammed open again.
''Sasuke-san, give her to me.''
The Hokage's attendant was holding her arms out, she gave him an assuring smile but her eyes were alarmed. Sasuke went past her and put Sakura on the empty bed.
''Thank you, Sasuke-san.'' she said and then turned to another nurse, ''Get him out of here.''
Shizune pulled Sakura's shirt apart and took two white bandages from the nurse, sticking them to Sakura's chest.
''Please come with me, Uchiha-san.''
''No.'' he pushed her away.
''Clear.'' Shizune said and Sasuke couldn't see around her but Sakura's body jerked upward. He heard everything, but none of it processed.
''You need to leave, Uchiha-san, now!''
The nurses spoke and Shizune nodded. ''Clear.'' she called again, and Sakura gave another powerful jerk.
''Come with me.'' someone took Sasuke's arm and pulled him from the room. He tried to pull away. ''Sasuke, Sakura wouldn't want us to see her like that.'' Kakashi said, his face looked pale.
''Don't.'' Sasuke said, pushing Kakashi away. His eyes didn't leave the scene in front of him. The same kind of gravity kept him here. The gravity he'd felt that night, when he'd been pulled to his house, his heart hammering as he called for his parents. He knew - he saw Kakashi's hand - but he did nothing to stop it, and he welcomed the darkness. He knew it was what a coward would do but...he just couldn't do this. He hated feeling this again.
''Come on, Sakura!'' was the last thing he heard as the darkness claimed him.
x-x-x-x-
When Shizune stepped into Tsunade's office a few hours later into the night, she hadn't expected Naruto there, her face was tense as she set the folder in front of Tsunade, who frowned and flipped it open. For a moment, Tsunade took in her student, her eyes were red as if she'd been crying. Shizune rarely cried.
''Temari's awake?'' the blonde grinned, deciding now was not the time to ask. ''Sakura's done it!''
Shizune opened her mouth to speak, but instead shut it, remembering Naruto in the room.
''Shizune, please go and let the Kazekage and his brother know.'' she paused, ''And relay the information to Shikamaru too, that boy has been tense since they returned.''
''..Hai...Tsunade-sama.''
''Is there something else?'' Tsunade asked, warily, her eyes flicking to Naruto who was watching, eyebrow high.
''Read the file, Tsunade-sama.'' Shizune said, her eyes downcast before she left the room.
The ANBU guarding Tsunade's office pointed her in the Kazekage's direction and she immediately took off towards the south borders.
x-x-x-x-
Tobi paced in front of the Statue. Shikaku stood silently off the the left.
''How many?'' Tobi asked. ''How many have you recovered?''
''We lost the sacrifices for 5 of the beasts.''
Tobi cursed, the hissed word filling the cave.
For a long while they stood in silence and then Tobi spoke. ''I'll commence with the Jutsu anyway.''
''You know that if you do this, the infinite tsukuyomi will be impossible.'' Shikaku said slowly, unsure if Tobi would retaliate.
''I'll find a way around it.'' Tobi's voice was strained, but somehow doubtful.
''You cannot lose site of your ambition, Tobi-sama. The infinite tsukuyomi will bring what we all seek. You cannot be blinded by the Uchiha's lust for vengeance. The bigger picture will be enough revenge.''
For another while, Tobi stared up at the Statue, before he turned to Shikaku, ''We're leaving. Begin preparations to invade Kumo immediately. I want the Raikage's head on a platter!''
Shikaku bowed low as Tobi passed and followed him out of the cave.
''Yes, Tobi-sama.''
''Im losing blood, I'm gonna leave my bones and I don't want your heart - it leaves me cold.''
Oki, short chapter, yes lol sorry. I've been a bit busy but I'll try and have an update by friday for you :) depending on reviews of course lol! Which reminds me - Thank you guys! Wow all the reviews 3
And I absolutely love when someone new reads the story and review almost every chapter, love you, sankyu!
So...chapter by friday?
Zana-Lee
xoxo