Chapter 24: Injured

Once the Konoha Senshi had eaten dinner they all moved out onto the back of the house where a line of trees began.

"Well," Sakura said. "Who goes first?"

"Oh, oh, oh! Pick me, pick me, pick me!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the over enthusiastic blond. "We just fought dobe."

Naruto scowled. "Not each other. Besides, you're just chickening out 'cause you know I'll win."

Sasuke frowned. "As if dobe." He tapped his thumb against his bare forehead. "You won't even touch my forehead."

"That's it! I'm gonna beat you to a pulp!" Naruto suddenly launched himself at Sasuke while the girls rolled their eyes and sat on the porch to watch. Sasuke stood his ground with a smirk and coiled his muscles to leap out of the way at the last moment when he suddenly flinched, his face scrunched up in pain.

Without a chance to prepare, Naruto's fist unexpectedly, to all four corner kids, crashed full force into Sasuke's already wounded solar plex and the blond felt the dark haired boy's muscle tear under the heavy pressure of the hit.

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That night as Itachi lay next to Hikari in their bed he couldn't help but puzzle on how his ditzy wife had managed to come up with a, completely crazy, plan that would most possibly work out to the advantage of everyone involved.

He had to admit that when Hikari had first suggested telling Orochimaru the locations that she had sent their charges he had been ready to commit her to a mental hospital, if there had still been one anyway. Now though Itachi had not only agreed, but he was also impressed by what Hikari had come up with. Smiling slightly he placed a light kiss on the back of his wife's shoulder blade before he pulled her closer and fell into a nearly restful sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is he alright Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he leaned over the unconscious Sasuke.

Sakura sighed as she sat back on her knees and brushed her hair from her face. "The damage wasn't too bad but both hits were pretty strong. His lower ribs are a slightly cracked and his diaphragm is having a quite a bit of trouble expanding. He'll have to take it easy for a few days."

Naruto nodded; his face serious. "How long will he be asleep?"

"Knowing Sasuke-kun, not very long; which is why I am going to do this." The pink haired medic pulled a syringe from her medical bag and inserted the needle into Sasuke's arm.

"What was that?"

"A sedative. The moron would be up and training the second he woke up, even with his injuries. He'd say, 'If I can't overcome this then I can't overcome anything' or something else just as stupid." Sakura put the needle back in her bag. "The injection only lasts for six hours and he'll have to be immobile for seventy-two hours before the damage to his insides will be healed enough to fight. That means that you, Hinata-chan, and I are going to have to take turns watching over him. The two that aren't watching Sasuke-kun will go to the bridge and watch over Tazuna-san."

"Okay, I'll go get Hinata-chan so we can decide who is staying when."

"And so I can teach you how to use the needle properly."

Naruto was almost out the door when he stopped and turned to face Sakura. "Ne, Sakura-chan. Can't you do anything with for him?"

"You mean like use my power?"

Naruto nodded.

"Not if the damage is internal," Sakura said with a shake of her head. "I can't inject my blood because our blood types are incompatible; his immune system would reject it and that could possibly make him worse then he is."

"I see," Naruto said. "Then I better go get Hina-chan now so we can learn how to take care of Sasuke-teme. I have a feeling we're gonna need his help really soon."

"So do I."

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"So what do you think it was? It couldn't have been your cousin and her teammate could it? I thought Kyo-sensei said that they were dead."

Ichigo turned her head in Gaara's direction despite the fact that she couldn't see him. "He did say that but what else who else could it be? People have their own distinct chakra prints, you can't just copy one."

Gaara nodded slowly as he rested his chin on his fist. "I can understand that but it still doesn't make any sense. You said that you felt both of them in one signature."

"I thought I did, but now that I think about it, it felt like both of them but it didn't feel like either of them…that's the real part that I don't understand…"

Gaara's back straitened and he turned his wide eyes to Ichigo and he grasped her tightly by her shoulders. "Ichigo!"

Stunned by her friends sudden action Ichigo gaped at him with wide, sightless eyes. "Wh-what?"

"You said that it felt like both of them right?"

"Yes…"

"But you also said that it didn't feel like either of them right?"

"Yes. Didn't we already cover this?"

"Don't you remember?" Gaara pressed.

"Remember what?" Ichigo said in exasperation.

"When you first met Akira! Don't you remember what it was that you said?"

Ichigo shook her head slightly her eyes still wide. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Ichigo! Think!" Gaara said as he shook her slightly by her shoulders. "What was it that you said?"

"I said that he felt like his parents," Ichigo said with a shrug until what Gaara was trying to get across suddenly clicked in her mind. "Oh. My. Gosh. They had a baby!"

"Who had a baby?" Kairi asked as she came out onto the porch where the two were sitting. "What's going on?"

"Kairi-sensei," Ichigo said. "Gaara found out what Kyo-nii-chan and I were feeling last night. It was a baby. Itachi and Hikari's baby."

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Kaemon paused so suddenly that Mitsu ran hard into his back. Irritated by her boyfriend's sudden lack of mobility Mitsu did what she did best; she whined.

"Kaemon! What did you do that for?" Mitsu said before Kaemon clamped his palm over her lips.

"Shh," He whispered. "Do you hear that?"

Confused Mitsu listened in absolute silence until she shook her head in confusion. Half way through her denial the greatly muffled sounds of a fight reached her ears and her head's shake turned into a vicious nod. Her eyes wide Mitsu pulled Kaemon's palm from her mouth before she spoke in a near whisper.

"Who do you think it is?"

"How in the world is he supposed to know that?" Jeiken hissed. "He's not all-knowing."

Mitsu scowled at her twin. "But I suppose Heitsun is?"

"Hey now!" Heitsun whispered. "Don't drag me into all of this."

"Quiet," Kin said. "We need to get closer."

The others, minus Kisho, all nodded in agreement and they all put to good use the stealth that they had been taught back in their now charred village. Not a leaf rustled beneath their feet as the band of six raced through the trees in the direction of the sounds. Landing soft-footed on a large tree overlooking a clearing the group found the source of the disturbance they had first heard.

Down below them a man with black hair did his best to fend off what seemed to be an army of attackers. They had no doubt that on his own the man would easily finish this without much effort, however, the frightened man he was trying to protect seemed to feel more protected by getting in his guard's way rather then allowing him to do his job.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Mitsu whispered. "Can I go help him? Pleeeaaase? I wanna fight too!"

Kaemon sighed. "We're on a tight schedule as it is, Mitsu. We can't just stop and help every random stranger we come across."

Mitsu pouted. "Oh, but I never get to have any fun, Kei-koi."

Kin turned to face the team leader. "We are already here," he reasoned. "Besides, I am sure that we would all appreciate the practice."

"Except Kisho," Heitsun said. "He just wants to kill someone."

Kin shrugged. "To each his own."

Everyone turned to face Kaemon, aside from Kisho who didn't care for his opinion and was already transforming into his monstrous fusion form. Out numbered, and already being over looked, Kaemon rolled his eyes and conceded to his companions.

"Fine, but don't take to long." Kaemon said firmly. "We have to find Tsunade-sama before Ichi-chan's remaining time is gone for good."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Looking down at the paper in her hands, Sakura nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, here are the instructions for how to use the needle incase you forget and remember, if you don't give him the shot just before he wakes up you won't get another chance to get him to take it. He is very stubborn like that."

"I understand, Sakura-chan. I won't let you down."

Sakura smiled at Sasuke's current caretaker. "Of course not, and I trust you completely." Once she left the room Sakura breathed out a sigh before she turned to her remaining companion. "Shall we go now, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto grinned wide as he folded his arms behind his head. "Just say the word, Sakura-chan!"

"The word."

Naruto rolled his eyes with a sarcastic laugh.

"Oi! You kids comin' or what?" Tazuna yelled up the stairs.

"Keep your shorts on gramps! We're comin'! Geez!" Naruto said while waving a fist.

"Calm down Naruto," Sakura said as she grabbed his arm.

"Hmph," Naruto huffed. "Fine." He paused for half a second before his eyes turned to the door. "Can I go say good-bye to Hina-chan one more time?"

"No," Sakura said as she began to drag him down the stairs. "You can kiss her on your own time, but for now we have work to do."

"What!" Naruto said; his face a bright cherry red. "I-I don't wanna k-kiss her! She's my friend!"

"Whatever you say Naruto-kun; whatever you say."

End Chapter 24

Kaliea: Sorry it's so short, I just couldn't think of any thing else to put. Love ya'll!
Review Answers:

fRenZ4EveR: Unfortunately this update doesn't really tell youmuch about that but I think the next one will.

Sharingan-x-blossom: Thank-you! I'm flattered!

Tears like Crystals: Yeah, the poor little baby is going to be put through the wringer for a while, but don't worry it gets better for him...maybe...

Susa-chan: Hey, I wrote that ItaHika story, I don't know if you've read it yet or not but anywho, tell me what you thought of this chapter kay?

krista: ...If you did that I couldn't really update right?...Right?...(gulp)

SunshineandDaisys: Two Ichigos...huh? And Mitsu is Kaemon's girlfriend. She was part of the group that helped dig Kyo out of that building. Oh wow! You wrote so much! Well as I'm sure you've guessed I can't answer all of your questions though I can say that Hikari's baby wasn't in the prolouge for a reason. What that reason is...Anywho, incase you were wondering Haku is a BOY in this fic so, think what you will of that (just to tell you though, I don't do yaoi). As for Hikari being intelligant...(cough)...yeah sure...let's go with that...

Princess Ren: I'll do my best!

So-kun: This one wasn't much better though...sorry!

Dragon Man 180: Well I hope you enjoy what comes of it. Thanks for the review!

Jays Arravan: I will sooth your fears for the baby just a little and tell you that eight months from now Hikari and Itachi name him Kane, what happens after that will just have to remain a secret for now.

Danny-171984: No the baby will not die other then that though...And yes, the corner kids are almost three times as strong now as they were in the Anime at this point.

Shinobi Darkbeak: Thanks, keep reading!

Kaliea: Sorry about the long wait, I've been out of town college hunting or whatever you call it. I'll be back for a while now though so hopefully the next chapter will be faster, but no promises! Keep reviewing and I'll keep writing! Till next time, ja ne!