Sakura sighed in happiness as she settled herself down into the tub of warm water for the first bath she had been allowed to take since the end of the war.
After Naruto and Sasuke completed their fight, Tsunade had Yamato repair the damage to the walls and furniture of the room while she injected the both of them with a strong sleeping medication. Her shishou stated she didn't want to hear anything from the two of them for a while before she walked off angrily. For the final blow to the two men who had angered her so badly, she forbid anyone to heal them. Of course, their injuries weren't so grievous that they wouldn't heal properly, but it would be a few weeks for the injuries Sasuke had to heal. Naruto would heal much quicker thanks to the kyuubi once his chakra was fully restored.
As soon as she gave the order, she made Sakura follow her to another room and immediately gave her a full check up. Tsunade didn't ask any questions, to Sakura's surprise, as she finished healing the slight whip marks that adorned her student's back. Finding her still malnourished and exhausted, Tsunade ordered her to rest for a couple of days while preparations were made to begin moving the shinobi back to Konoha.
Sakura sunk her head underwater once again to wet her hair before relaxing against the back of the tub. She really tried to enjoy the last moment of peace she would probably have for a long time, but there was so much going on in her mind she simply couldn't.
When they arrived back at Konoha she would immediately have to go to work in the hospital. So many were still wounded and there were not enough medics to deal with the level of injuries they possessed. While the most grievous ones had indeed been stabilized, their continued healing would have to take place back home. Faces were all a blur to her and as everyone had been wearing the Allied Forces symbol, she couldn't tell if the wounded shinobi belonged to Konoha or not. There were deep abdominal wounds, amputations, head traumas, and injuries to vital organs that would require treatment. As Shizune would be too busy to help much in the hospital due to her duties with Tsunade-sama, the hospital would once again be under her watch. Not that she minded terribly, but she did feel the weight of that responsibility heavily.
What would Itachi do now?
Kankuro had come to visit her briefly while Gaara was speaking to Naruto. He explained to her that Chiyo-baa-san's soul had been put back to rest; apparently in the same manner Sai had described to her. Seeing the leader of Suna fighting alongside the son of her enemy to protect all the hidden villages put a smile on her face that Kankuro admitted to never seeing before. Sakura could imagine that smile on her face as she held both Gaara's and Kakashi's hands as her soul laid to rest once more. How she only wished she could have been able with speak her.
Thinking of Chiyo-baa-san made her wonder what Itachi would do. He was dead. That was an undeniable fact and one he himself seemed to have wanted. While it was true Sasuke had, albeit reluctantly, agreed to return to Konoha, Itachi's soul still lingered. What could he be waiting for? What was tying him to this world? The thought of having to bind Itachi's soul was not one that sat well with Sakura. She resolved herself to speak with him about the matter and find out what his plans were.
She wasn't sure how Sasuke's return to the village would impact her immediate future but she would have to interact with him sooner than she liked at the moment. Tsunade's order to not heal him or Naruto was only for a couple of days as another punishment for the both of them. As soon as she finished her bath and ate she had to go check on their injuries and heal them accordingly.
Sakura was no fool. Sasuke might be returning to Konoha but that didn't mean his animosity was gone; nor did it erase the criminal acts he'd committed in the past few months. Tsunade was being quite about his punishment for now, leaving everyone to wonder just what she had in store for the last Uchiha. Sakura herself was still very anxious about everything. How was she supposed to act around him when she'd been so hostile towards him the past few days? All the anger she'd been building up, that even she refused to acknowledge, had come pouring out of her when they'd met again. She could still remember the look in his eyes when he held her by her throat and prepared to run the kunai through her chest.
Yes, the kunai had originally been hers and she had made the decision to kill him, but-
But she couldn't do it.
She couldn't make herself plunge that kunai into the back of her former team mate, the man she was in love with...
If that scenario were to happen again would she be able to carry out her plan this time?
She didn't know.
Too long had she loved him. Too long had she devoted her life to getting stronger in order to help bring him back. Too long had she cared about what he thought of her.
He wasn't being taken back as a prisoner, he was coming back willingly and she would act accordingly. If he could just show, even a very small bit, that he wanted to change and make amends for his actions then she would...
Stop that Sakura!
No, she wouldn't do this again. Time after time she got her hopes up only to have them swiftly shot back down.
Not again.
She stood from the tub before wrapping herself in one of the large fluffy towels and leaving the private bath in her room. As much as she said she wouldn't mind using the public bath she was glad they had given her a private bath in the room she was using. Even to herself, the varying emotions she was going through while arguing with herself was a little crazy. She was glad no one else had to witness it.
Things would just have to play out as they would. Sakura refused to build up her hopes again just because Sasuke was coming back to the village. He could still be a violent, raging man even though he was going back to Konoha. Time would tell and until then, she would just go along with whatever Tsunade-sama had planned for him. Trying to handle Sasuke with her heart hanging on her sleeve had only brought her pain. This time, she was going to act like the intelligent kunochi she knew she was.
A knock at the door broke her musings.
"Sakura?" she heard her shishou call through the wooden door.
"Just a moment shishou." She left the bed and opened the door carefully, making sure she was safely hidden while allowing Tsunade into the room. "Sorry, I just got out of the bath."
"It's fine Sakura. I just wanted to talk to you for a moment." Tsunade said as she sat on the side of the bed.
"What about?"
"I'm leaving for Konoha today with the majority of our shinobi."
"Today?" Sakura asked while she quickly got dressed. "What about Naruto and Sasuke? They haven't been healed yet. Are they fit for travel?"
"That's why I came to talk to you."
Sakura watched her shishou with questioning eyes. The tone of her voice indicated there was a reason coming that she might not particularly like.
"I think it will be in everyone's best interest if you stayed to heal those two idiots and left for Konoha in the next couple of days."
And there was the part she didn't like. She'd already been traveling with Sasuke for a few days before they came in contact with everyone and she wasn't exactly itching for a repeat performance.
"Tsunade-sama..."
"I know you probably aren't fond of the idea right now. Especially considering the recent violent history between all three of you." Sakura couldn't stop the shame at the truth behind those words. "However, considering Itachi will be traveling with you this will be the safest option. No one else knows about his continued existence right now. To everyone else, he's still an S-class missing-nin who murdered his family and is a threat to Konoha. I don't think it wise to allow him around the rest of the shinobi do you?"
"Of course not Tsunade-sama. May I ask what your plans are for him?"
Tsunade sighed heavily. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm not sure what plans I'm supposed to make for a dead man who has lived his entire life in a lie for the safety of Konoha."
Sakura nodded solemnly in response. She knew exactly how her shishou felt in that aspect.
"Actually, I'm hoping you can help me with that problem as well."
"Huh?"
"Well, you seem to be on the best terms with Itachi. I want you to talk with him and find out what his agenda is."
Sakura gaped at her mentor. "H-H-How am I on good terms with him?" she asked incredulously.
Tsunade chuckled. "You talk to him pretty openly and quite often as well. From everything I've read and heard about Uchiha Itachi I'd say that in itself is an accomplishment."
Sakura honestly didn't know what to say to that. While she'd already made the decision to speak with Itachi herself, to think her shishou thought she was 'friendly' with Uchiha Itachi was mind blowing.
"I'll speak with him Tsunade-sama but I really think you're over-exaggerating my status with him."
"Mmmmm...perhaps." Tsunade said with a small smile. "Then again perhaps not. You were the one who freed him from Kabuto's control. Which, by the way, was most impressive. In fact, some of the things Itachi has told me about your time spent with him were amazing to hear. I look forward to reading your report on the matter."
"Report? But Tsunade-sama, I didn't think we would have to write up reports since this was war time." Sakura said in a near whine.
"True, most won't. The commanders as well as individual squad leaders will have to do so. Sakura, you were taken hostage." Tsunade's eyes were both serious and gentle as she gazed at her student. "You were tortured for information. I know we haven't spoken about it yet but we will have to. There's just been so much going on that it hasn't been a priority. However, there are protocols that we have to follow."
"Yes Hokage-sama."
"Regardless of all else, I just want to be sure you're okay. From the injuries Itachi described to me..." Tsunade just shook her head as she allowed the sentence to trail off. "You are okay aren't you?"
Sakura smiled at her shishou. She was touched beyond words at the level of care and compassion shining in her eyes. "Yes, I'm okay. I wouldn't have been if not for Itachi-san. He truly saved my life."
"And that's one of the main reasons I'm allowing him to remain free and return to Konoha beside Sasuke, albeit secretly."
Tsunade pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Sakura. "This is another reason I came to see you. Many of the shinobi were affected by various poisons during the battles. While Shizune was able to figure out most of them, there simply wasn't time for her to continue on that. While you're waiting for the idiots to recover within the next few days, can you continue analyzing the poisons and preparing antidotes for them?"
"Of course shishou."
"Excellent. I'm leaving you behind several ANBU as well as the list of patients effected by the poison. When you have a remedy ready, just have the ANBU deliver it to the appropriate hidden village. The most critical cases are on the top of the list. Their own medics are doing what they can to slow the poisons but that will only buy them a few days or so."
"I understand fully. I'll begin working on them right away." Sakura said.
Tsunade nodded her head. "I'll see you in a few days then. Be careful Sakura, and watch after those idiots of yours."
-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-
Sasuke was slow to come awake from the, thankfully, peaceful dreamless sleep he'd been under. Remembering that he was still locked inside a room in the Allied Forces base with his former team mate, he forced himself to remain motionless in the bed until he had fully woken up. He tensed his muscles and was surprised to find none of the pain from the past few days lingering about his system. That bitch of a hokage had ordered everyone to 'leave them in their current state' and thus he'd been forced to lay around, unable to do much of anything thanks to the wounds Naruto given him.
Fighting Naruto at that moment in time had been foolish of him; he recognized that. Although he'd been mostly healed from the fight with Madara, wounds like those were deep and no amount of healing would instantly cure everything. So in fighting Naruto, he'd re-opened some of the wounds he already had. Pain was not a new thing for him but on top of being almost out of chakra, exhausted, and hungry, he'd been unable to do anything more than lay around and allow his body to heal. The only consolation he had was that Naruto was in much the same state as he was.
He could feel Naruto's chakra coming from the bed nearby. The steady pulsing was somewhat different than it used to be. Of course, Sasuke was sure that was because of his new found ability to control the kyuubi's chakra. Before he left the leaf, Sasuke could remember how violent and malevolent Naruto's chakra would sometimes feel. Now, it thrummed out a steady beat; it was a perfect balance of Naruto's chakra and the violent beast he housed.
Being bed bound also forced him to listen to the hyper active ninja's ravings. Sasuke never said anything as he droned on but that didn't deter his former friend one bit. And while he never said anything, that didn't mean he didn't listen.
Naruto spoke about his training with Jiraiya – who Naruto continued to call ero-sennin for some reason – and his death. He spoke about Gaara's death and resurrection, the battles he'd had with Akatsuki, Asuma-sensei's death, meeting his parents...and almost completely transforming into the kyuubi.
While Sasuke wanted nothing more than to be away from the man laying next to him, he couldn't stop thinking about the pain Naruto, and the village, had been through in the past few years. At one point Naruto spoke about meeting the man who'd killed his sensei. He admitted to wanting revenge against the man but he didn't do it, saying he wanted to break the cycle of hate. The concept was a foreign one to Sasuke and he thought Naruto was a fool. How could he stand in front of the man who killed someone so important to him and yet do nothing about it?
Of course, if what Naruto said was true, if he had killed him most of Konoha would still be dead.
He found himself briefly wondering what Sakura had done while both he and Naruto had been away.
His fists clenched beside his otherwise still body. This is why he couldn't afford to be in Konoha. He didn't even have to speak yet Naruto's words would continue to play in his head and make him think of things. Having sympathy for someone else was only a weakness and he couldn't have any weaknesses. He couldn't defeat his brother if he was weak.
But he'd already done that.
Itachi was dead...Madara was dead...the Akatsuki was dead...
What was left to do?
He fought the urge to sigh as he tried, unsuccessfully, to clear his mind. Being around Naruto made him think about things he'd rather not.
A scraping sound from across the room had him quickly opening his eyes and activating his sharingan on instinct. Sakura sat at a desk along the wall, hair pulled up on top of her head, mincing herbs into a bowl.
He'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts he'd failed to detect her presence in the room. Sasuke shook of the slight disgust at his lack of awareness as he studied her.
She took the herbs she'd been working on and added them to a flask simmering over a small burner before adding a note to the open book at her side. Taking a dropper out of the drawer, she withdrew a small amount of the liquid and placed it on a scroll in front of her. In a few seconds, he saw a small plume of smoke arise and a smile erupt on her face. She divided the mixture into separate vials before taking out a new batch of herbs.
Sasuke was at least familiar with the sight of the equipment she was working with. Many times in Orochimaru's hideouts, he'd seen Kabuto working with the same kinds of equipment. Obviously she was creating a new medicine or perhaps a vaccine of some sort. He already knew she was a med-nin but he wasn't sure how talented she was. After she'd awoken in the cabin Itachi led them to, he watched her as she healed the injuries to her body. While he didn't want to admit it, he was impressed with the level of skill she showed that day.
There were many injuries to her body and most of them appeared to be deep. Not only that, but there was evidence that some of them were partially healed. For that to be true, she must have been healing herself while Madara had her captive. Itachi had gathered herbs he said Sakura would need later to prepare an anti-dote to the chakra blocking drug they'd given her. Being able to manipulate what small amount of chakra she could still draw from was impressive.
But, then again, she'd always had the best chakra control out of the three of them so perhaps it wasn't that great a feat. Although he could also recall how the other med-nins of the Allied Forces followed her command when she joined them in the healing efforts.
Sasuke could vaguely recall seeing her face after the battle with Madara. He was exhausted, wounded, and unsure of where he was but he could remember feeling a warm, soothing presence surrounding him. It took a while before he could open his eyes enough to see what was going on and when he did, the first thing he saw was vibrant pink hair. The strands were blurry but visible. He blinked a few times and her face came into focus, eyes shut in concentration as she leaned over him.
So she healed him then and apparently now as well given the fact that the majority of his pain was gone.
How hypocritical of her. Screaming at his face one day then healing him the next? Typical leaf shinobi.
From the corner of the ceiling he saw a familiar chakra signature flicker. Before long, a thin stream of water began flowing silently down the wall, puddling in the corner of the floor. Sakura never noticed the newest intruder into the room as her back was still turned and head down in concentration. Suigetsu stood slowly as his body took back on a solid form. Sasuke said nothing to his arrival, preferring to see what plans his team mate had in store. Suigetsu moved silently towards Sasuke's bed, their eyes met quickly in a silent acknowledgment of each others presence. When the mist-nin was half-way across the room, a senbon came flying towards him. The speed at which it was thrown was so great, Suigetsu had no time to avoid it. Fortunately, due to his abilities, the senbon simply passed through his neck and traveled onward until it hit the door.
Both Suigetsu and Sasuke turned their head to see Sakura, arm still extended, facing the mist-nin with narrowed eyes.
"Did ya miss me blos..." Suigetsu's words abruptly stopped as his body once again dissolved to its liquid state.
"Apparently I didn't make it clear before." Sakura said as she stood slowly and moved closer to Suigetsu's position. "I don't like that name."
"Wha..." Naruto said groggily as he sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He took in the situation quickly and tried to jump out of bed but Sakura stopped him with a swift glare.
"You stay put! I just got done healing you and I will not have you re-opening your wounds."
"But Sakura-chan, you're gonna need help with whoever this is that managed to get into the base."
"No I won't." she said resolutely. "And unfortunately, it's a familiar face." she turned once again to glare down into the warped face of Suigetsu. "Do you see what you've done? You woke up my patients who desperately need their rest."
"Sakura." Sasuke's baritone voice called as he too sat up in the bed. "What did you do to him?"
"Nothing much. It's just that the senbon was dipped in a paralytic poison. Sorry about that Suigetsu. Even if you can liquify your body, the poison would have transferred to your cells as it passed through your body. You still got a dose of it." Sakura said with an obvious fake smile on her face. She stood there, arms crossed, observing the puddle with Suigetsu's distorted face floating in it.
After a minute had passed, a minute Naruto sat in the bed watching quietly with fear because he knew Sakura was pissed, the watery form on the floor began to once again take shape. Pale skin took the place of the clear water as Suigetsu's features became visible once more. He stood grinning cockily at Sakura and it took everything she had not to blush fiercely – seeing as how he was completely naked.
"What?" Suigetsu said with a grin that showed his pointed teeth. "Is something the matter Sakura-chan?"
She wanted to run at him and punch the look right off his face but...since he was naked and grinning a little too much like the perverts she was already, unfortunately, familiar with, she decided to stay where she was.
"Who the fuck are you?" Naruto demanded heatedly. "And how do you know Sakura-chan? And why the hell are you naked! Dear kami-sama, put some clothes on will ya? That's the last thing I wanna see." Naruto waved his hand in Suigetsu's general direction while he averted his eyes.
"Why?" Suigetsu replied. "It sure doesn't seem to be bothering her. Not even a blush Sakura? I guess you're not so innocent huh?"
"Baka, did you forget already that I'm a med-nin?" Sakura said as she crossed her arms over her chest. She forced herself to hold his gaze and keep the emotions off her face. Inside her mind, she was shouting every obscenity she could think off towards the mist-nin along with multiple promises of pain.
"Of course not, but I didn't think medics were that familiar with the body."
Sakura once again ignored the grin on his face. "Perhaps not field medics but I also work at the hospital. There's nothing about the human body I don't know. Including an area on your back that I would only have to hit once with my chakra scalpels to ensure that which you seem to be so proud of," she heard Naruto's gasp at that "would never work again. So I suggest you cut the bullshit Suigetsu and tell me why you're here."
His violet eyes studied her a moment more before he threw his head back and laughed loudly. Sakura could only watched, stunned, as he held his stomach with the great heaves of laughter.
"S-Sasuke...holy shit I like this woman!" he proclaimed loudly. "Why the fuck did you have to pick a bitch like Karin when you knew her all along?"
Sakura refused to even look in the Uchiha's direction with that statement. Memories of a dark night in Konoha when she pleaded with him flooded her mind before she forced them away.
"Suigetsu..." Sakura growled.
"Alright, alright." he conceded as he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "I just came to check on Sasuke. Wasn't sure if the fearless leader got himself captured or what."
His grin towards Sasuke at that statement was so teasing she couldn't stop the giggle that escaped from her lips. She felt Sasuke's eyes dart towards her but she continued to ignore him.
"So what now Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked. Though the grin was still on his face his eyes held the seriousness of the question.
While the idea still did not please him he knew he had already made his choice.
"I am returning to Konoha."
Sakura saw Naruto's face split into a large grin that proved to be contagious. Times would definitely be hard and she was sure absolutely nothing would be easy with the Uchiha but to see Naruto this happy made it all seem a little better at the moment. He was a man she held so much respect and trust in that she couldn't begrudge him the happiness he felt with his best friend once again.
"Huh...well, hearing about Itachi changed your mind before so I guess speaking with him did the same thing this time?" Suigetsu said and took a step back at the dark glare Sasuke threw him. "Okay...okay, I get it."
"How did you get in here Suigetsu?" Sakura asked once it was clear he was done speaking with Sasuke.
"I'm talented, what can I say?" he said with another grin. "Why? Wanna come with me?"
"I think not." she deadpanned. "Though I will give you credit for your audacity – to just break into the Allied Forces base like you've done. Funny, you don't seem to be worried about getting caught."
Suigetsu spread his arms wide as he spoke. "Hey, you wanna come over here and forcibly stop me from leaving I'm all for it blossom."
Her only response was to narrow her eyes at him.
"I've heard about enough of your shit." Naruto said from his position on the bed. "You will not disrespect Sakura-chan like that."
"Whoa...calm down. I was just playing." Suigetsu said as he held his hands up in surrender. "She knows that right?"
"Mmm." The audible sound was the only response she gave as her narrowed gaze stayed on his.
"I'm leaving anyway. I've got some swords to go find; with everything that's happened they can't be too far away. See you 'round Sasuke." he nodded to the Uchiha before turning back to face Sakura once more. "And I really hope I see you again Sakura."
"Oh, I'm sure you will." she said with a slight tilt to her pink lips.
His cocky grin split his face once more. "Maybe next time I can surprise you in the bath. You do know I can merge my body with water right?"
The control she'd had over her emotions flew out the window with that remark and she ran at him with a chakra laden fist. He laughed before liquifying his body once again and slipping through the cracks of the floor.
Sakura was forced to allow the chakra in her fist to dissipate before she felt the urge to pound the wall in frustration and ruin all the work Yamato did. She settled for glaring at the spot he'd just vacated and cursing him. "Stupid pervert!"
"I still don't get why he was naked." Naruto said in confusion.
Sasuke opened his mouth to answer but, surprisingly, Sakura beat him to it.
"Come on Naruto, do you think clothes would slip through the cracks as he just did? It's obvious he took his clothing off in order to move around in that liquified state undetected."
"Oh. But how do you know him Sakura-chan?"
"He's a member of Sasuke's team. They traveled with Itachi-san and I once he took me from Madara's base."
She stomped back to the desk and grabbed her penlight from the drawer.
"But why did you let him go?" Naruto asked.
Sakura chose her words carefully. "I was returning a favor. Besides the perverted talk he just displayed, he was actually kinda nice to me. Considering the state I was in when Itachi-san rescued me he could have done whatever he wanted and I would have been powerless to stop him. He didn't do anything but help me and be kind to me, in a round about way but still. And he did fight with the Allied Forces against Zetsu's army, even if it was for his benefit in the end. I suppose I just decided to let him go for now to return the kindness. Besides, if what he said was true we will be seeing him again."
"What do you mean Sakura-chan?"
"Well, it was obvious he was talking about the swords belonging to the Seven Swordsman of Mist. What he doesn't know is that after they were all defeated, the swords were gathered and taken to the kages. Only they now know where they are and if they're even together. Once he finds that bit of information out, I'm sure we'll cross paths again."
She walked back over to Naruto's bed and had him lay down for her. "Since you're up I might as well examine you."
She checked his eyes with the aid of her penlight before scanning his body for any further injuries with her chakra covered hand.
"About Madara taking you Sakura-chan..."
"Not now Naruto."
"Huh?"
Sakura sighed heavily as she continued her examination of him. "Can we please not talk about my capture yet? I know you want to know everything that happened but I haven't even spoken with Tsunade-sama about it yet."
Naruto captured her hand as it moved over his chest once again. "I'm sorry Sakura-chan. I wasn't there to help you and you got taken. I'm just so sorry." his voice cracked with the emotions welling up inside him.
"Stop that." Sakura said with a little force as she wrapped her other hand around his. "It wasn't anyone's fault and it's over now. I'm fine and he's dead, thanks to you." she said with a smile. "Besides, I'm glad it was me there and not you."
"What? Don't say stuff like that Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed loudly.
"Why not? If he had taken you he planned to rip the kyuubi from you. That would have killed you Naruto! I can protect you too ya know!"
His cerulean eyes softened as he squeezed her hand. "Thank you Sakura-chan but I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt because of me."
She returned his smile and was glad the conversation was over; for now at least. Thinking about what she had to do next made her tense up again and she decided to tease Naruto a bit to help her unwind once more. She removed her hands from his and slapped his shoulder playfully. "You're all healed now baka. Just try and take it easy for a couple of days. Regardless of the kyuubi's healing powers, I want you to allow your body to rest a bit."
"I'll try Sakura-chan."
"I could always get Hinata to watch you for me." she said with a mischievous glint to her eyes. The shade of red Naruto turned rivaled those of the very heiress she spoke of. While she didn't think Naruto and Hinata had spoken after Pain's invasion, she clearly understood why Hinata had jumped in front of Naruto that day. The thought of not having Naruto always there for her was painful but he deserved love so much. If Hinata was willing to sacrifice her life for his, Sakura knew her feelings ran deep and true.
"I-I-I don't kn-know what y-y-you're talking about S-Sakura-chan." Naruto stammered out as he fidgeted in the bed and looked away from her.
She chuckled lightly and allowed the matter to drop as she rose from the bed. Gathering her courage about her, she walked towards the side of Sasuke's bed. She met his steady gaze with her own. "I need to examine you now Sasuke."
He didn't say anything in response but simply turned his head slightly away, which she took for a yes. Her chakra covered hands began sweeping over his chest as she checked his injuries. Having to examine him while he was awake was even more of a jolt to her nerves than when she met his gaze after healing his eyes days before. She was acutely aware of every move she made. Her hands stayed well above the defined muscles she knew lay hidden under the borrowed clothes he wore. She didn't feel any anger coming from him but neither was he happy about the current situation he found himself in.
As her hand came to rest over the wound he had suffered to the upper portion of his thigh she felt his gaze swing towards her. She looked up into his narrowed eyes and the clinical justification of what she was doing pushed aside any nervousness or embarrassment she might have felt.
"You had a deep wound to your thigh which I had to repair. I'm just making sure there's been no further damage to the area after you and Naruto's little fight in here the other day."
His eyes remained narrowed in suspicion but he nodded tersely and allowed her to continue.
Naruto had completely healed thanks to the kyuubi's assistance but she'd had to heal Sasuke when she first entered the room. She re-checked each of those areas again to make sure everything was repairing itself as it should after her work. Satisfied his body was once again healed she moved her hand upwards towards his eyes. His hand immediately snapped out to catch her wrist and stop her movement.
"I just need to check your eyes."
"No." he said strongly.
A look of exasperation came into her eyes. "You do realize I've already healed them once?"
"And that was enough." he spat before dropping her wrist.
She stood from the bed and walked away. If he didn't want his eyes healed properly then that was his problem she told herself. Sakura gathered some items from her desk, put them into a bag, and walked to the door to summon the ANBU Tsunade left behind. However, before she could reach the door, Kakashi, Sai, and Itachi walked inside.
"Oh, your patients are up. How are they feeling?"
"They'll make it." she said, unable to keep the clipped tone from her voice. Kakashi raised his eyebrow but said nothing in return. "What are you still doing here Kaka-sensei? I thought everyone else left earlier this morning?"
"They did. We're your escort party." he said with his cheerful tone.
She looked into Itachi's stoic face and read the truth of Kakashi's words there as well.
Somehow she didn't feel this would be a peaceful trip home.