Chapter Thirty Two

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Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

ITALICS ARE MEMORIES! IMPORTANT!

So many things were wrong with her... God, so many things...

She had so many fractured and broken bones that he couldn't even count even with the help of both of his hands and feet. And don't even get him started with the cuts that married her delicate, soft skin.

Apparently, she had a punctured lung; collapsed actually, three if not more broken ribs, a severe head injury, brain contusion, and a mild concussion resulting in a coma. But coma was the last thing she had to worry about for she was sent back into the surgery room not too long ago because of a missed blood vessel that wasn't cauterized making her stomach full of fluid. No one even got a chance to see her before she was sent right back to surgery. And when she was returned back to the ICU, he wasn't even allowed to see her then either. Like hell was he going to accept this.

"What do you mean I can't see her?" Onyx orbs glared at the petite nurse in front of him. "This is bullshit. I should be allowed to see her. She's my girlfriend - no, fiancee."

"I'm afraid that you can't do that." She replied sternly. Daring him to make her say another. Oh, and he was going to take that challenge if it meant him seeing Sakura. At that moment, he could care less of the price; whether it's a billion dollars or him dressed like a girl prancing down the hallway. He was going to see Sakura and he was going to make sure of it that it would happen.

"I can, and I will." He replied.

"I don't believe you will." She bit back, her jaw tight and clenched. "This my ward and you will follow by my rules." Waving her hand all over the place as her temper rose to new heights, she said, "I don't care if you're the freaking Prince or this hospital's CEO, the child in there needs to stay there without any interruptions or distractions bestowed on her. She needs to be able to heal and rest in a quite setting."

"No," Sasuke fought back. "What she needs is for me to be there beside her, to tell her that she can't leave this damn place because I'm still here waiting for her and that she needs to come back to me."

The nurse's eyes soften a bit at his comment, her temper residing. With a sigh passing her lips, she apologized, "I'm sorry but I can't allow you to do so."

Just as Sasuke was about to lash out at the small lady in front of him for not allowing his access, Mikoto stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Honey, come on. She's just trying to do what's best for Sakura in this condition."

"Okaa-san," he protested. He couldn't believe his own mother was siding with the wretched nurse.

"Sasuke, she's right." Mikoto said sadly. "I know you're worried about Sakura but she's not in any stable position for you to visit her." Pulling her son away from the nurse, whom she sent an apologetic smile over her shoulder, she rubbed his back. "She'll be fine, honey. She'll make it through it."

Unwillingly, the young Uchiha was pulled back into the waiting room. From across the room, Naruto lifted his head at him. Smiling bitterly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes at all, he asked, "No luck passing the troll's bridge."

Sasuke shook his head, taking a seat beside the blond. Leaning over, he place his face into his hands. Sighing, his voice desperate, "I would kill if it means seeing her."

"Toughen up, Teme." Naruto said, clapping his friend on the back. "Sakura-chan doesn't like a wimp. Dude, she's going through shit right now in that stupid ICU. And what she doesn't need is you going all crazy and bloody murder on her."

"Shut up, Dobe."

"Oh, don't be such a girl, Teme. Hell, even she's stronger than you at the moment and she's going through hell and back to remain alive." Naruto commented at his hunched over, slumped form.

"Don't even talk like that." Sasuke retorted at the blond's comment at her trying to remain alive. Scoffing, "She was always strong unlike you."

"Hey!" Shaking his blond locks, he said, "I am too strong."

It's been a week since the car accident, and no mystery solve nor improvement from Sakura. Not that he would know since he wasn't even allow to be near her room after his show the later that day. Saturday, he just went livid. After being denied so many times, the young Uchiha had to come to a breaking point. It took all of the guys, Naruto and all, with the help of his brother to haul him away from the poor nurse guarded by the securities; not that they could do much considering he owned the damn place.

Sunday wasn't any better, although he made sure to keep his temper in check. He promised not to make another scene and make a fool out of himself for both his and Sakura's sake. He knew, if she was there in his shoes, she would have stayed back and followed the nurse's rules.

Monday... was Monday, which meant all hell went loose. Sakura's BP and pulse ox dropped, causing the nurses and doctors in the ward to go 'Code Blue.' Sakura had causes quite a fright to everyone but later they found out it was nothing just her heart becoming unstable. Nothing too bad.

Tuesday came around just as fast as Sunday and Monday did. Nothing changed either. Sakura was still in a coma, showing no signs of waking up. The only thing that kept their hopes up high was the beeping beside her, connected to her heart.

Wednesday arrived and still nothing.

Thursday, the wound on her stomach opened back up, resulting in a run to the emergency room.

Friday happened and she was still unconscious, but her wound was closed up by the doctors.

And now, it was Saturday. Still unconscious and not able to see any of her visitors, Sakura laid quietly in the ICU.

Sasuke was about to go back up to the nurse that refused his request to meet Sakura and demand her approval but decided against it as he got up and left to get his daily dose of caffeine. Caffeine... it seems like it was the only thing he was living off of, for he didn't get much sleep in the pass week with him not being able to see Sakura, he's been on edge ever since.

"One large black coffee!"

Sasuke walked up to the counter, getting his hot beverage. Just as he was about to walk away, the girl shouted after him, "Hey! Sasuke, wait up!"

Stopping in his tracks, he turned around to face the silver-haired girl. If he remembered correctly, the girl was Sakura's co-worker and friend. Suki? Saki?

"It's Sayuki, Sakura's friend." She told him.

Nodding, he took a sip of his coffee, a silent message for her to go on.

"I...I-I heard Sakura got into a car accident...," Sayuki stammered out. "Is... Is she okay?"

Looking down at his cup, he frowned. "She's... She's alive...," at that, the girl sighed a breath of relief, "but... she's in a coma."

"Oh." Sayuki said. "Oh..."

"Hn...," he lifted the cup to his lips, his eyes still downcast. Oh, was a very appropriate response. Sakura was alive but she's in a coma. There wasn't any, 'Oh, I'm sorry for your lost' or 'Oh, that's great news!' It was just 'Oh.'

The bell attached to the door rang as another customer stepped in for their early morning dose of caffeine. From behind the counter, Sayuki was called to get back to work. Whipping her head around, "Uh...I better get that..."

Sasuke merely nodded. Turning around, he walked back towards the door. As he opened the door, he caught Sayuki's message, "Don't lose faith, Sasuke! She's strong, she'll come through!"

Letting the door shut behind him, he walked to his car and slipped inside. Taking another sip out of his coffee, his onyx orbs caught something written on the side of his cup. Turning it around in his hands, he saw what Sayuki had written in black sharpie. Just a little bit above his name was a message, 'Stay Strong For Sakura. She needs her Chicken-Ass to be there when she wakes.'

He looked back up at the coffee shop and smirked a little. He remember when a certain rosette had done the same thing and added a little note to his cup of coffee.

"Here you go." Sakura said as she handed him his coffee.

"Hn."

"Hn." She mocked, her tongue sticking out. Bluntly, she said, "A 'thank you' would have been nice."

Rolling his eyes, his tone laced with sarcasm, "Thank you, Sa-ku-ra."

"Bastard."

Calling over his shoulder, "I heard that." Under her breath, he heard her mutter, "Damn." Satisfied, and entertained, he retreated back to his seat, right across from Naruto.

Immediately as he sat down, Naruto stopped in the middle of his ramble, his eyebrows shooting pass his hairline. Shaking his head, he muttered jealously, "I seriously don't understand what girls see in you."

Frowning, "Dobe... what the hell are you talking about?" Following the blond's gaze, he spotted what the said blond was referring to. There on the side of the cup, written in black sharpie was, 'Call me ;), Sakura' with her number beneath it.

And that was how THE great Uchiha Sasuke got our dear cherry blossom's number.

Another week passed by just as fast as the first, the only difference now was that the wicked witch of the west guarding the ICU had allowed visitors for Sakura to come in. Of course, Sakura's parents and brothers were the first to enter, making Sasuke turn green with envy but he suppose it was right. Family was always first. Later though, he decided to let everyone visit her first before he went in. He wanted to be the last; the last to visit, see her face, and stay the longest.

"She's all yours, Teme." Naruto and the gang were the last to visit before he went. As they passed by, each one gave his shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze. Sighing deeply into his hand, he got up. With each step he took to her room, butterflies exploded in his stomach. It was just nerve wrecking but he guess he didn't care because now, he's allowed to see her.

On the way in, the evil nurse who denied his access earlier in the past weeks offered him a smile, patting him on the shoulder, she said, "Take all the time you need, Hon."

Sasuke nodded and muttered a quick thanks.

With the door closing behind him quietly, he looked up. There, laying in bed motionlessly, was Sakura.

He walked over to the side of the bed and slowly eased himself into the seat. Looking down at the stuffed animals in his hand, he placed it by the the foot of the bed. Letting them go, his fingers searched for her small hands. Finding them, he held them in his. Holding them up to his mouth, he blew on them. "Are they not taking care of you in here?" He asked her. "Your hands are so cold. Are you cold?" Rubbing her hands together in his, he attempted to warm them up as he pulled the white blanket up to her chin.

Glancing back up at her face, which was almost swallowed in bandage, he fought the burning sensation in his throat. Coughing, he tried to fight it away but it was no use. The doctors had done a pretty good job wrapping up her face, for the only thing visible to his eyes were her pink rosy lips. Brushing some stray locks out of her bandaged forehead, he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on it. Standing back, with his hands in his pockets, he gazed at her.

Sakura was still... well Sakura.

She was still in all her beauty, eye-catching, breath-taking, and heart-stopping. Pink locks fanned out around her; losing only a bit of its shine but her luscious locks were still beautiful as ever. Maybe a little dirty and gross for her own taste, but it didn't mattered to him. Her skin on the other hand, was deathly white, paling in comparison to her bed sheets. Her skin no longer glowing like it used too. And then, there were her eyes... Emerald orbs laid hidden behind shut eyes and dark lashes. Sasuke missed those fierce, vibrant orbs of hers. They were always so breathtakingly expressive... capturing her whole soul.

But nothing could compete with her forehead. Smirking bitterly, his fingers reached out to caress it. He seriously had no idea why her forehead was the most targeted thing to be made fun of. In his opinion, it wasn't large or huge. Nothing was wrong with it. "Nothing ever was," he mumbled into her head as he laid down another kiss.

Fingers trailing to her pink locks, he was shocked to find that the doctors hadn't cut it for the surgery. But gladly, from what he heard, she didn't get any wounds on the outside. Just stuff on the inside that couldn't be fixed, only time was her cure. He loved her pink locks. It was so different... so unique... so exotic. And he knew much she loved her hair too. She treasured it like it was gold; washing it every two days in fear of hair damage, never overheating, always taking care of it. At the mentioning of hair washing, he took a pink strand and rubbed it between his fingers; it was oily and dirty. Sighing, he knew how much she hated getting her hair dirty.

"Do you want to wash it?" He asked exactly the same time as the nurse. Shocked, he turned around to find the nurse standing right behind him. In her hands, she held a blue bucket and a bottle of shampoo. Repeating herself, she asked him, "Do you want to wash it for her?"

Still slightly shocked, he nodded slowly.

"Alright. Well here you go." Handing him the necessary items to do so, she said, "You have to unwrap her face and re-wrap it when you're done. Her bandages doesn't need to get dirty, filling her wounds with bacterial and crap. Just be careful with her wounds. Once you're finish, just set the bucket outside and someone will get it."

Without another word, the nurse left for the couple to be alone.

Looking down at the supplies in his hand and then at Sakura, he sat them down by his chair and got to work. Tucking her blanket in around her, he gently lifted her up in his arms. Careful not to tangle or disconnect any of the wires and tubes around her, he lifted her around so that her feet were against the head of the bed. Placing a pillow under her neck, he carried his chair over to the end of the bed. Moving the stuffed animals out of his way, he placed the bucket underneath her neck on the small table.

Taking the ends of her bandages, he began to unwrap them. One by one, ivory skin began to reveal itself until all of her face was uncovers. The once open cuts and wounds on her face were already beginning to fade away leaving pink streaks in their paths. But he knew they would fade away soon. Lifting her head into his hand, he began to rinse her pink locks with the lukewarm water. Lips curled upwards slightly, he shook his head as he planted another kiss on her lovable forehead, the one that he loved so much.

Kissing her on the cheek, he squeezed her shoulder, "I'll be back."

Sakrua nodded, "Hmm... alright." She watched as the young Uchiha disappeared behind the corner, heading towards the restrooms.

Scooping yet another spoonful of frozen yogurt into her mouth, she sat back, savoring the the creamy, sensible treat. The wedding cake flavor at Aunt Makemi's Frozen Yogurt Shop was still irresistible. As she went in for another scoop someone called her from behind.

"Sakura!" Everyone within a five feet radius of the yeller winced as her shrill voice threatened to break the glass windows.

Frowning, Sakura turned around to meet the newcomer. She barely managed to suppress a groan from escaping her lips as she came to sight non other than Hitomi.

Golden locks swayed behind the slender blond as she walked towards Sakura, heel behind heel, posture perfect. Classic red lips opened, revealing a set of perfect pearly, white teeth. Shouting, "Oh my gosh! It is you, Billboard Brow!" Sky blue eyes sparkled in delight at the rosette, promising a whirl-wind of gossip in her wake.

Not bothering to ask, Hitomi slid into the empty stool to Sakura's left. Throwing her purse onto another stood, the girl gasped, "Omo... it's been so long, Billboard Brow! Do you remember me? We went through elementary together! It's Hitomi!"

Through a false smile, Sakura gritted out, "Of course. I remember you..." 'How could I not, you made my life a living hell.'

"Oh, that's great!" Hitomi exclaimed, smiling in that disgustingly fake smile Sakura had always hated so much. "I wasn't sure if you remembered since I grew and changed a lot over the years." Leaning in close, much to Sakura's displeasure, she whispered, "Puberty's done a fine job for me." Winking, she leaned back as she gave Sakura a once over. "You... on the other hand... well... you look decent."

'This little... bitch...' Laughing forcefully at the comment, she muttered, "... Thanks..."

"No problem! That's what's friends are for!"

'Friends my ass.' Sakura though mentally, shoving some frozen yogurt into her mouth.

Across from the table, Hitomi wrinkled her silicon filled nose in disgust. "H-how can you eat that?" Putting emphasize on the last word, an acrylic nail pointed at her frozen yogurt like it was spoiled garbage or something. "It's so... fatten." Tugging at some invisible fat on Sakura's forearm, Hitomi said, "Well... you were kind of pudgy back them and had a serious sweet tooth." Shrugging, "I guess bad habits die hard."

Biting the insides of her mouth, she forcefully said, "It won't kill you to enjoy something sweet here and there."

Scoffing, Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Sure, just keep telling yourself that, sweetie." Flicking the rosette's forehead, she added, "Your forehead included. Seriously, how could you not grow out it by now. It's still enormously huge!"

Scowling like a five year old, Sakura nursed her forehead. Opening her mouth to protest, she suddenly felt a familiar warm, comforting hand on the lower part of her back.

"I don't think her forehead's huge."

As if she found out that she won the lottery - although she already had more than enough money for a lifetime, Hitomi's eyes widened to the size of golf balls with stars shining in them. In a sultry voice, she leaned across the table, making sure to bend low enough for Sasuke to get an eyeful of her cleavage as she asked, "And who are you?" Not bothering to look at Sakura in the eye, "Whose your smoking hot guy friend, Sakura?"

From the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw Sakura's lips curl upwards in distaste. Grunting, he replied, "Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura's boyfriend."

Hitomi immediately snapped out of her daze at the Uchiha's answer. Stammering, she gaped like a fish at the couple. "W-what? Boyfriend?!"

He nodded.

"B-but how?!" Hitomi exclaimed, disbelief mirroring her every word. "You're so... hot!" Flicking over to Sakura, "A-and she's so... NOT!" And that was when the crazed blond went on rambling, ticking off Sakura's imperfections with her fingers. "Her body's terrible. Absolutely no curves. Her chest is too small. Her unicorn vomit colored hair is just... so ugly. She's fat, pudgy. And her forehead's huge!"

Hurt flashed across the rosette's face, her complexion dropping, a frown marring her pretty face. It was something that neither Sasuke or Hitomi missed.

Wrapping an arm around her small shoulders, Sasuke tugged her closer to his body. Offering her a small smile, he squeezed her shoulder.

Turning to Hitomi, he sent her a glare. "I don't think me or my girlfriend appreciates the way you're bashing her." With a glare intact, he continued on. "She's perfectly fine all of her imperfection. It's what makes her beautiful. But I would beg the differ, I think Sakura is quite a beauty all on her own. I might be bias though, considering I'm her boyfriend but I don't believe I am."

Growling, Hitomi announced her disagreement, "I disagree."

His glare turned into daggers at the bitter girl's comment. "At least her beauty isn't filled by plastic." That certainly left the girl flabbergasted. "And Sakura's forehead is not large. It's perfect. Do you want to know why?"

Hitomi didn't say anything in return.

"Because there's always room for one more kiss." To prove his point, he kissed Sakura's forehead three times; one on both sides of her temple and then one in the center. After that, he proceeded to kiss both her cheeks and then chastely on the lips. Which was one that Sakura enthusiastically replied with as she began to kiss the living daylights out of him.

A/N: As promised, an longer update. Although I was actually planning on a longer chapter I had to cut it short due to it being like three in the morning and headache. Hoped you like it. And Ino is in the same condition as Sakura, I just didn't add it in... yet. Please review! I'm hoping to pass the 700 mark! And special thanks to all that gave me the prompts for the memories in this chapter. More prompts will be seen as we go on :)

{Thanks To:} YamiHinata, SkeleTonQueeN06, ILoveSxS, m1r4cl3, Dina Sana, FreeFalling2098, dark shadow400, 00 Sora 00, xXmysterious-unknownXx, BlueSakuraAC, DiamondDreams789FIFi, aria206, SaraiHyuga, BananaphoneBob, meriamdz, uchiha. sakura. 23, AnimeLover431, Desigirl-hime, sakura-sasukelove-forever01, PRiNCESS SLAYER o1o, Fienna, mandycandy, barrelracer009, Poppy-chan, 8melody23, and MeMyselfAndZafir.