A/N: First off let me apologize for the late update as usual. I gotta kick that habit. Hopefully I'll be able to power through and get the next out before 2016! Secondly let me thank my newest readers/reviewers, sasusakusara7, Chikachoo, caslspirit15, and my guest reviewers as well. I appreciate the encouragement from the bottom of my heart and am glad to have you all on board and hope you will continue to enjoy what I have in store for this story. So let's get right to it!
Hour of the Wolf: Coda
Three days into the "incapacitated" Uchihas charade, the jig was finally up. He decided he was done lying in bed and enduring the prattle of the countless visiting nurses. He had counted the thousands of dots in the ceiling and absorbed the latest gossip for the last day. Granted, it was also because the doctor had caught him and Sakura in a heated conversation.
"So you're finally awake. Tell me, how are you feeling this morning Uchiha-san?"
Sakura bit her lip nervously as Sasuke stared down the unassuming physician who only smiled in return, seemingly unaffected by the dark gaze upon him. She wasn't one hundred percent sure how much strength Sasuke had regained, but she hoped it wasn't enough to hurt Dr. Shim.
"Fine." he responded flatly, his brow quirking when the doctors grin widened.
"Good, good. Now, how much pain would you say you're in on a scale of one to ten? Ten being excruciating and one being next to nothing"
"Zero." he responded almost immediately, much to Sakuras dismay. She may not have known the degree of strength he had, but she knew for a fact he was still in pain at times.
"Sasuke…" breathed the rose haired woman, shooting him a disapproving look in the process.
"That's good to hear Uchiha-san. Though if you wouldn't mind performing a small exercise for me I'll be out of your hair." the small man shuffled his way to his patient's nightstand and poured a cup of water before placing it on Sasukes overbed table. The dark haired man narrowed his eyes when he realized what the exercise was, "Please, have a drink. I insist."
Without hesitation he raised his arm, doing his best to contain his pained hiss. However, he was only able to lift it high enough to rest on the table with a heavy thump. His fingers slowly wrapped around the smooth plastic cup as he dragged it across the table and brought it to the edge. Despite Sakuras silent protests, he grit his teeth and bared the pain as he began raising the cup. Uchiha pride. She watched his arm shake and struggle as he tried bringing the drink to his lips. He was stopped however when Sakura had seen enough. Her hand caught his wrist and snatched the cup, bringing it to his lips. He was only hurting himself and for what?
"Let's call it a six then." said finally, making note of the exercise and his findings on his clipboard, "You hide it well but, that won't get you out of here any sooner Uchiha-san. We'll begin physical therapy tomorrow."
"Therapy? How long do you plan on keeping me here?" he inquired begrudgingly, only the cool liquid dulling his irritation.
"As long as it takes for you to recover…or until Agent Haruno and the others deem you fit enough to be moved." The raven haired man's face soured at the physician's response, but he spared the man his protests as he retreated and instead turned back to the pinkette at his bedside.
"I can't stay here forever Sakura. I won't." toned the Uchiha, reigniting their argument before the unexpected interruption.
"Sasuke, we've been over this. You need time to get better. And until Tsunade—"
"Don't be so naïve. She'd have me "escorted" to Lyon clapped in irons and thrown in a dungeon if she could. Hell, she just might." he spat, turning his attention to his fingers, trying his best to flex them.
"She's coming to hear us out." defended Sakura, feeling as if she had repeated herself for the hundredth time, and it wasn't even noon yet. "We can convince her let us continue our mission."
Sasuke smiled inwardly at the way she called it "our mission" but, on the outside he frowned. Was it the mission she had become so devoted to, or was it him? Even if she managed to convince her superior that Akatsuki was still a threat, did she plan on sauntering out of the hospital with a wanted man with no repercussions? Her intentions had always been pure, almost to a fault. It was the reality of what means she'd be forced to take to achieve her goals, those were always…less than wholesome. The most amicable solution would be for Tsunade to postpone his incarceration and conscript him like he had her agents. Hell would surely freeze over before that happened however.
"And when she refuses? What happens when she relieves you of duty and takes me into custody herself?" Sasuke asked, his eyes still avoiding her own. For good reason too. If he looked he would only find the conflict he knew she battled every day. The divergence between love of her duty and the love she had for her vigilante.
It was a rhetorical question, just something to get her to drop the subject if only for a few hours. Though his eyes shot open in surprise when she responded, her voice adamant enough to garner his attention. "I'll do what I have to."
"Agent Haruno, I hope you aren't planning something illegal?" he half mocked, shooting her a small smirk. Much to his delight her tough façade crumbled and gave way to a small blush.
"I-I can see the medication hasn't worn off completely." she returned, not one hundred percent used to the playful banter he was prone to while under the influence. Quickly she rose from her seat, despite the small sad frown that replaced his smirk, "I'll be back later to check up on you so don't hurt yourself. Or any of the staff."
"No promises."
"Sasuke-kun…" she warned lowly.
"Fine…just don't disappear for too long. I'm already feeling stir crazy." Sakura smiled at him when he huffed dejectedly and watched her vanish behind his door. As she traversed the hallways, Sakura eventually came upon her fellow agents enjoying their morning coffee or at least attempting to.
"Sakura-chan! How is he? Any better?" inquired the blonde enthusiastically.
"The same as always. Stubborn and impatient." she answered releasing an exhausted sigh as she accepted the lukewarm styrofoam cup of coffee.
"He hasn't tried escaping yet, a good sign. He must still be weak." deduced Sai, calmly sipping his beverage.
"He does want to leave before Tsunade-sama arrives though. We just need to keep an eye on him. That goes double for Kakuzu, who knows what Akatsuki might be planning." Sakuras chest tightened as she recalled how Deidara had mysteriously died in Gaaras custody. The similarities to the present situation didn't bode very well with any of them, even though they told themselves that this time was different. There were at least two dozen armed officers all throughout the hospital all keeping tabs on Sasuke and Kakuzu.
"Any word from Taka, Sai?" questioned Naruto, turning his attention to his silent partner.
"Suigetsu was obviously not so cooperative. Nor was Jugo for that matter. It didn't seem as if they were actively planning a rescue either. I was told however, that Karin has been absent for several days."
"And Gaara? Is he still skulking about with his siblings?" Sakura wondered aloud, cringing at the stale bitterness of her drink.
"He said he wasn't leaving until Tsunade-baachan showed up. He wants to file his grievances in person of all things." responded the blonde, tossing his empty cup into the bin of a passing janitor.
"I'm sure she'll love to hear each and every one of them too." muttered the female agent sarcastically into her cup. Unbeknownst to her, the parties in question deemed now to be the best time to appear.
"She'd do well to listen after how her hearing with Interpol's Board of Directors went." all eyes shot to the unexpected voice as Nagano's finest joined the three, clearly somewhat peeved by the way they were being spoken about. Gaara's impassive seafoam green eyes bore into their surprised faces, just as accusatory as they had been during their first meeting.
"Word is Danzo was less than pleased with how she has handled Akatsuki, not to mention her own agents." jeered Kankuro from the flank of his younger brother.
"Looks like you'll all be relieved of duty and then some, soon enough." mocked the eldest, her smug smirk forcing a low growl from Naruto. It was the same, day in and day out. They did their damndest to try and incite a fight or at the very least a slip of the tongue. There had always been a friendly rivalry between them when it came to joint operations and training exercises, Gaaras team being the "by the book" squad while Naruto and Sasuke had always played it fast and loose with protocol; but now that rivalry had turned bitter in light of recent events and not so recent alike.
"Leave the gossip to the tabloids, Inspectors." replied Sai nonchalantly. His simple quip earning the ire of the misanthropes, "You're out of line and in no position to be concerned with Interpol politics."
"It does concern me when I can't give the families of the dead in my prefecture the justice and peace of mind they deserve..." Gaara stepped forward at the challenge; his face as calm as usual, but his voice dripped with contempt, "Because of politics, and conspiracies, and officers sworn to uphold the law…that would rather protect a criminal than do their duty."
"Bickering like this won't solve anything!" shouted the rose haired agent, her voice carrying down with corridors. With her teeth bared and fists shaking at her side, she approached the man she at one time knew to be a respected colleague, "You say you're here for justice for your people, and I can respect that, but this isn't the way to get it. What we're doing—what we all are trying to do…Akatsuki is bigger than all of the pettiness and bad blood between any of us."
"That doesn't excuse—"
"Please, Gaara-san." interrupted the coral haired woman, her voice softening and eyes pleading for unspoken understanding, "Your people need you…and if we cannot work together without this constant animosity it'd be best if you returned to them. Fight for them at home."
The chief inspectors lips formed a tight line as he mulled over the words of the woman in front of him. She wasn't the bright eyed rookie cop hidden in the shadow of her counterparts any longer. Here she was, now Special Agent Haruno, standing before him vindicated and unabashed in both speech and demeanor. He could feel a pang of guilt in his chest and as he glanced at the adverted eyes of his siblings who no doubt were also feeling shameful for their harsh words. This was a hard life, a life they all chose; and to claim that they were doing anything other than what the unforgiving reality of their duty required, insulted the very oaths they had all taken.
"I…I never wanted to doubt you—any of you." he began, his eyes panning between the agents, "But it all pointed to you, and the Uchiha." Gaara could see the way Sakuras face shifted and she started frowning. Even after her former teammates fall from grace she refused to see him as anything less than what he used to be. "Maybe that's what he wanted, to drag your names down with his own. It doesn't matter anymore, all that matters is we do what's best for the people, like you said. For a moment I lost sight of that. I'm sorry."
He extended his hand as a sign of peace, and in the pervasive silence half expected he was going to be turned down, but instead was surprised when she threw herself on him enveloping him in her arms. He returned the gentle gesture with a pat on her back, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.
"We'll return to Nagano later this evening after tying up a few loose ends. Promise you'll take care of yourselves. All of you." added the auburn hair man pulling away from the embrace after some time.
"Promise." Sakura returned with a candid smile as he stepped back and straightened himself out. She was slightly taken aback when he stiffened and saluted. Naturally she and her companions returned the gesture, bowing as well before the other party made their way down the hall.
"Haruno, Uzumaki. This doesn't mean I'll be dropping my charges…only suspending them until further notice." shot back the chief inspector before he and his siblings had gained too much distance. Collectively sighing in exasperation, the agents leaned against the corridor walls; some things, obviously, would never change with Chief Inspector Gaara.
"He's as stubborn and persistent as you, ne Naruto?." mused Sai aloud.
"Hehe, you don't know the half of it." proclaimed the blonde, rubbing the back of his head still unsure about his shaky standing with the redheaded inspector.
"At the very least he'll give us some breathing room. Kami knows we could use it" sighed Sakura, sweeping stray locks behind her ear, "Still, we shouldn't let our guard down. Akatsuki is still out there."
"Unsurprisingly, Kakuzu has been less than forthcoming with information, much less anything other than the usual curses and threats." added the pale agent.
"We have to keep trying." urged Sakura, her brows furrowed and emerald gaze focused on the linoleum, suppressing the thoughts of her last meeting with the bounty hunter. "We'll try it together this time Sai."
"Eh? What about me?" questioned Naruto with a pout; feeling like the third wheel for the umpteenth time. Ever since they arrived at the hospital Sakura had taken the wheel for the most part, making executive decisions rather than crowd sourcing them as was the group dynamic. Part of him missed being the unofficial leader, but for the most part he was proud of the strides she'd made in the last month and a half. He just hadn't said so yet.
"Keep Sasuke company. We can't forget about him either." she suggested, smiling slightly at the way Naruto beamed and enthusiastically made for his best friends room. While the years and their ideologies may have torn them apart, they still were as thick as thieves, even though the feeling was not reciprocated outwardly by one half of the twosome.
As the duo made their way to the nearest elevator, they did so in silence. There wasn't anything abnormal about the interaction or lack thereof for the two. If Sakura wasn't down his throat about his frankness and he not asking personal questions out of the blue they would seem to be perfect partners. But this time Sakura could sense something, something Sai had actually wanted to say.
"Is there—"
"You sounded like him, you know." Sai interrupted, his eyes still glued to the closed doors of the elevator as it ascended to their floor.
"What? Like whom?" she questioned, studying his face fruitlessly. Why she even tried she'd never know.
"In your speech to Chief Inspector Gaara you sounded like Sasuke." he elaborated stepping carefully into the empty elevator as its doors parted for him. For a moment Sakura was stunned. So much so that Sai had to hold the door open as it began to close before she could regain her faculties.
"I—I was just trying to reason with him." she defended, finally stepping into in the elevator with a perplexed look on her face as she pushed the designated button for their desired floor.
"Sasuke used similar rhetoric the night we raided Sasori and his men."
"They're just words, don't think so hard about it." deflected the agent, casting her gaze straight ahead like her counterpart. "What the hell is he getting at?" she wondered inwardly.
"It isn't the words I'm necessarily concerned with Sakura. It's you." at the seriousness of his tone she couldn't help but turn to him, surprised to see something other than his stoic demeanor in place. His eyes were hard and critical of her, scanning her features and deeper even.
"You're being paranoid again Sai. Seeing things that don't exist in simple words." she dismissed, gaining a small reprieve from the impromptu interrogation when they finally arrived on their floor and she hurried through the doors.
"I'm only voicing my concern. I know you've become emotionally attached to him." he followed close behind despite the hasty pace she set, doing his best to make sure his voice was only heard between the two of them, "Has it ever dawned on you that he may be manipulating you; all of us, for his own sake?"
"Stop it Sai!" she barked, turning to show him her evergreen stare. She was livid, but perhaps that's what he wanted from her. They stood outside Kakuzu's room watching each other; each side weighing what their next words may or may not incite. "I…am not Sasuke. I never condoned his methods; always looked for a peaceful resolution, especially with Zangei. That alone should've been enough to tell you I haven't lost my way."
"But you insisted we follow him when he wanted nothing to do with us any longer. Knowing his plan could lead to his death, if not your own." his voice had become more accusatory, his words burrowing into her skin as if to sow doubt, if not extract it. "You risk everything you have for him. Would he do the same for you, for any of us so readily?"
"Yes." she answered almost instantly, doing her best to restrain the uncertainty she could feel rise in the back of her throat like bile.
"Do you love him?"
She shouldn't have been surprised by the boldness of his question; it was his forte after all. Even so, her mouth hung open drying in an instant as she gathered her thoughts. It seemed as if all she dealt with anymore was everyone around her second guessing her actions, as if she hadn't done so enough herself.
The words she half thought of to defend herself died in her throat as Kakuzu's door flew open. Out shot a bespectacled nurse with nary a look, much less a word to the two as she disappeared further and further down the hall. Her only defining features beneath the face mask being her crimson ponytail.
"We'll finish this later." spoke Sakura lowly, pushing her way into the room. Maybe a conversation with a murderer would lighten the mood; and there he sat scowling at the ceiling, same as every day.
"Just what I needed. As if having that creepy bitch of a nurse stare at me like some carrion for a vulture wasn't enough. I've got nothing to say to you lot." cursed the scarred man, emphasizing his disposition by struggling against his restraints. His metal cuffs had been replaced with thick leather straps, it minimized the damage he did to himself; not that the scars he gave himself bothered him.
"That's fine. We'll talk, and you'll listen." responded Sakura taking a seat adjacent to his bed. "Maybe we'll talk about Akatsuki."
"Tch! Not the subtle one of the bunch are you girlie?" he jeered, clearly amused by her bluntness judging from his jack-o-lantern grin. She pursed her lips at his condescending tone but did her best to keep her emotions under control.
"Sai, how much money was found at the scene?" inquired the pinkette noting how the tanned mans smile faded and his brow quirked.
"Approximately fifty-five million yen." he responded flatly, somewhat suspicious of her line of questioning.
"Fifty-five million yen for five bounties. Were they all worth the same, Kakuzu?" she mused, seemingly indifferent about the situation. She had known the deceased, if only briefly, she still felt all the lesser with their passing.
"Zangei is known for his sharp business sense; he'd never short the value of a wanted target, especially one as valuable as Tayuya. Surely she was worth more than the others." interjected Sai, finally able to suss out where she was going. Money was a trigger for Kakuzu, or so his dossier claimed.
"So what was she, Kakuzu? Twelve? Thirteen million yen alone? You must have salivated when the opportunity showed itself." goaded Sakura, a small smirk finding its way to her visage when his scarred lips frowned at her insinuation. She planted her elbows on her knees as she studied him further her gaze turning steely in the silence of the room. He was close, just a bit more prodding of the exterior.
"Fifteen." he spoke, almost smugly despite his position. His grin returned when he caught a crack in his rose haired interrogators façade, "And worth every bit of trouble. Had I collected, that is."
The woman had never been what one might consider kind to her personally, but Sakura still felt disgusted by the flippant way he spoke of selling her remains for profit. She collected herself and straightened her back as she locked eyes with the bounty hunter. He was daunting even in his subdued state, but she had been trained by the best to keep it all under wraps in situations as such. She had to press on, no matter how it made her feel, no matter what, "Fifteen million seems small for someone as seasoned as yourself. There must have been some other motivation."
Silence again. Inwardly she scowled at his restraint. She had pushed her luck and now she had to begin probing again, and quickly, or else he may coil back and reject anything and everything.
"It's no secret that Uchiha Sasuke was the intended target. Hidan said as much in your execution video." chimed Sai, his stoic tone once again jarring the rooms occupants from their battle of wits. Inciting the memory proved fruitful, at least from the way Kakuzus face soured further at the mention.
"He must have been worth a fortune compared to the rest. At least double the price of all five of them combined, no?" she wondered aloud. His attention turned to her again, heated olive gaze unyielding and smirk in place.
"You of all people should know how much your lover is worth." he spat, instantly catching Sakura off guard. How could he have known? Was it just a bluff? Despite her attempt to keep her demeanor in check, it was too late; he'd seen her falter and capitalized, "One hundred million yen for Uchiha Sasuke. Dead or alive."
"A fortune indeed. The kind that could fund a lofty lifestyle…or Akatsuki and their endeavors." cut in Sai, feeling a shift in the interrogation and exploited it before it collapsed on itself. Sakura turned her attention to her companion momentarily if only in thanks for the reprieve he gave her to collect herself. "If money was the only thing that concerned you why not hunt a larger quarry? Sasuke was a lesser target considering the grand scheme of bounty hunting; his misdeeds and surname only garnering him so much notoriety."
Once again his scowl appeared. They had gotten under his skin well enough, now all they needed was to provoke the proper response.
"Uchiha Itachi, surely a greater challenge. Not to mention an even greater reward for the Undead Duo. Tell me, what stopped you? Was it fear? Was it duty? Perhaps he outranked you and going after him would only mean your demise."
"If I was a betting woman, I'd say it was fear." added Sakura, reentering the mental joust with renewed zeal. Kakuzu's head bowed under the pressure, his hair obscuring his rough features as the agents waited for his rebuttal. He was almost broken; almost raw and drained from their cross-examination. However, the dark chuckle that erupted from the bed ridden man told a different story.
"Fear? What do you know of fear, girl?" he taunted, raising his head in defiance. Despite the stone faces of his captors, he knew he was in control for the moment. "Death is not something I fear anymore. Hidan never feared it. We lived it, day in and day out; understood that one day it would come for each and every one of us."
"Some sooner than others." Sai replied seeking to break the momentum Kakuzu tried to gain.
"Indeed, but when you've lived it like I have it's as natural as breathing. It follows you like a shadow, a solitary companion."
"You have no more companions Kakuzu. Hidan is dead. Akatsuki has abandoned you." declared the rose headed agent, her eyes hard and hateful.
"On the contrary. They'll come for me and give me my due. And when I fall, the dawn will be that much closer." he proclaimed, grinning ear to ear. That smile, no matter how many times she saw it, it still unnerved Sakura. Even more so than his nonchalant attitude towards his imminent death.
"So they'll come for you…who will be your executioner?" inquired the pale agent, suppressing the odd shiver that traveled down his spine at the bounty hunters words.
"That's life's great mystery. Those five never knew. Those agents and that woman who tried to defend Tayuya never knew. You'll never know." he responded darkly. They could tell he was done; he had said his piece and given them what little information he wanted. Sakura rose from her seat with her knuckles white from strain, and as she made for the door she did her best to avoid his face, she couldn't stand it any longer. "I do know that the Uchiha will be the death of you all though."
"That'll be all, Kakuzu." concluded Sai, swiftly following behind his partner. She was already half way down the hallway by the time he caught up to her, "Sakura, stop." She paid him no mind and continued blazing her trail, "If you let every little thing said about Sasuke effect you like this—"
"It isn't him!" she yelled, stomping her foot in anger as she spun to face him. Her jade eyes brimming with contained tears. Despite his usual impassive demeanor, when faced with emotional confrontations he tended to frown, a natural response to how uneasy it made him. "It wasn't what he said about Sasuke…it was Kin."
Sai had missed that small part of Kakuzu's exit speech having focused more on solving who Akatsuki would send to put him out of his misery. "Tsuchi-san…"
"She didn't deserve to be murdered…to be forgotten." The tears began to flow freely and the sobs long held within wracked her frame. To her surprise she was enveloped in a loose hug from her confidant, the lapel of his blaze0r soaking up her salty tears.
"There will always be innocent victims Sakura," those weren't the words she wanted to hear, but when she tried to pull away from her comrade's hold he only gripped her tighter, "but it's our duty to remember them…to keep fighting for them."
The words were awkward and unexpected, even more so than usual with Sai, but she could tell they were sincere. She sniffed away her tears and remaining discomforting thoughts before pulling out of the embrace. Sai wouldn't judge her for her weak display, but she couldn't help but mentally kick herself for not being more in control of her emotions. It had been two weeks since she ran out of her medicine, maybe it just an imbalance. You'd think it would be easy to get what you needed in a hospital.
As of late she was becoming an emotional wreck. She hadn't even began to conceive how she'd report the current state of affairs to her superior, not to mention the newfound leadership role she'd adopted was weighing just as heavily on her. She couldn't help but wonder how Naruto or Sasuke ever dealt with it.
"You're right. It's just…I can't help but feel like this whole mess is my fault," Sai dismissed the notion with a shake of his head, silently hoping her emotional display was over and done with. He was already feeling mildly uncomfortable after the hug. "I shouldn't have insisted…if we just left when he told us to…"
"He would have died, along with the others." assured the pale man, seeking to stomp out the doubt that was clouding his usually level headed partners mind. "You'd never abandon anyone. It isn't in your nature Sakura."
There was something comforting in his blunt appreciation for her stubbornness. Maybe it was the mutual respect they had for each other's short comings and quirks; probably why Tsunade stuck them with one another. They had a bond, a strength between them that only grew in the darkest of times. Sasukes deviation from this phenomenon was an anomaly however.
"Thank you Sai." she said doing her best to mask her sullen mood with a smile; the thought of the obsidian haired man never failing to sour her disposition. It wouldn't be before her frown matched his own. "We should get back to Naruto. Kami knows he and Sasuke are at each other's throats by now."
Her assumption wasn't far off either. When the duo arrived on the fourth floor, nurses were rushing down the corridor towards Sasuke's room, or his prison cell as he called it. Obviously that wasn't a good sign. Following the herd, they came to a stop at the small crowd that had assembled outside the glass partition to observe the spectacle. And what a sight it was. Naruto was clearly up in arms about something judging by the way he was flailing and soundlessly barking at Sasuke, who was…standing?
"Kuso…" breathed Sakura, hastily pushing her way through the pack and inside with Sai. In an instant they were bombarded by the roar of Narutos anger.
"You're getting back in that bed teme, don't make me rough you up to get you to!" he threatened, seemingly oblivious to the rooms newcomers in his rage.
"I told you. I'm not spending another minute in this room waiting for Interpols bureaucrats to decide my fate. I'm leaving, one way or another." returned Sasuke, his dark tenor almost overshadowing how unassuming he looked in his weakened state. He took a menacing step forward, his bare feet heavy against the tile as he turned and slowly made for the door. He locked eyes with Sakura briefly but never skipped a beat. Quickly sensing the spectacle the Uchiha was about to make of himself, Sai moved to lock the door and close the blinds to his room.
"There are more than a dozen officers in this hospital Sasuke, do you think they'll let you waltz out of here?" questioned Sakura sternly, making sure to block his path. It didn't deter him however, he only came closer and closer, his knuckles white with strain and face hard as stone.
"I don't care."
"Goddamnit Sasuke we're trying to protect you!" snapped Naruto, lashing out at the man with a heavy hand on his shoulder. To everyone's surprise he didn't collapse under the pain, he didn't even falter, most likely thanks to the pain killers and adrenaline. Instead he roughly jerked away from the blonde and continued on. Clearly he wouldn't stop with just a little manhandling.
Sakura threw herself at him, doing her best to hold him at bay by wrapping her arms around his arms and torso. When she began to lose ground against his superior weight Sai and Naruto joined in, successfully halting his advance momentarily. "We're the only ones who can protect you from Akatsuki Sasuke-kun! Please stop!"
"Don't you think I know that?!" he snarled struggling one last time against their combined strength before allowing himself to be escorted back to his bed. His raven hair obscured his eyes and much of his face as he hung his head low, clearly drained and defeated, "They're coming for me…I can't let you get caught in it when they do."
Sakura couldn't believe her ears. Never in a million years would there ever be a man who was so unpredictably selfless and yet utterly selfish at the same time as Uchiha Sasuke.
"Akatsuki would be crazy to pull a stunt like that…right Sakura-chan?" inquired the blonde, looking towards his rose haired partner for an answer as they situated the exhausted Sasuke back into bed. He felt his heart sink at the realization when her only response was to avoid his azure stare and bite her lip.
"Kakuzu claimed they were coming for him. It isn't farfetched to believe Sasuke's life may also be in danger." answered Sai matter of factly, noting his partner's reluctance. Kakuzus chilling words still stuck with him; perhaps moving Sasuke to a more secure location was for the best. "We can't take the possibility lightly."
"So we'll beef up security. Take shifts guarding them at all times. Maybe Tsunade-sama will—"
"Stop it Sakura." chimed the Uchiha, wincing in pain as he spotted the growing bloodstain beneath the bandages on his shoulder. He must have torn his stitches in his haste. When he turned back to face her he silently pled his case again, his dark eyes almost begging, let me go.
How could he ask her, or any of them, to do something like that? To turn a blind eye and let him escape, disappearing from their lives again. It'd be no better than letting him die outright. If Sasuke fell, Taka would follow, and the world would find a way to forget about those that had a hand in it. Akatsuki would win.
"We've beaten Akatsuki before. We'll do it again." Sakura proclaimed, taking one of Sasukes hands in her own and squeezing it. Her emerald irises spoke volumes to him, every aspect of her very being shining in the depths; her resolve, her compassion, her courage, her stubbornness. Each one he'd grown to admire more and more every day she spent at his side.
"Sakura-chan's right! They don't stand a chance as long as we're ready for them!" boasted Naruto fist pumping and all as he tried to rally his more apathetic comrades.
"I suppose if this is our best chance at confronting what remains of Akatsuki we should take it." reasoned the pale man, opening the shades and unlocking the door once the situation seemed to be contained for the moment. It wasn't surprising to see that the crowd hadn't thinned, but only grown. "Maybe we should handcuff him. Just to make sure."
Sasuke growled at the notion and tried to pull away from Sakura only to have her hold him firmly in place, sending him a disapproving glare of her own, "That won't be necessary. Will it Sasuke?" His grunt of reluctant consent was enough for her.
Just then the door shot open to reveal a fuming Dr. Shim, "Nothing is ever easy with you is it, Uchiha-san?" Naruto and Sakura shared sharkish grins before laughing at the unspoken irony of the distraught doctor's inquiry. If only he knew.
Sakuras plan of improving security was more extensive than either of her partners expected at first. One of them would patrol the entire hospital for one four hour shift while the other two remained on separate floors guarding both Kakuzu and Sasuke. Once the patrol was complete the floater would relieve one guard and they would take the others position. The only issue being the brutal eight hours one of them would have to endure in a stifling hospital room. Seeing as it was her plan to begin with she accepted the responsibility of the guarding their would be escapee for the long haul, while Sai endured Kakuzus company, and Naruto shirked his duties to stuff his face in the cafeteria, most likely.
"You're a mad woman Sakura." Sasuke grumbled as he stared at this evening's "food", if you could even call a bowl of undercooked rice and slivers of charred meat such, "Someone is obviously trying to kill me with this food."
"Don't be such a baby. It isn't that bad, see?" she contested, picking a bit of meat up with chopsticks and eating some herself. Needless to say it was more of a struggle to keep a straight face than it was to keep the food down. "Now eat. You need your strength."
His frown only deepened when she brought a piece to his lips, prodding them for entrance. Growling in frustration when he continued to refuse, she gently applied pressure to his shoulder with her free hand. The small show of force was enough to get him to gasp and be force fed his food much to her delight. She couldn't contain her laughter at the way his face contorted as he chewed on the tough meat.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she chided, playfully sticking her tongue out as she fed him some more; this time he refrained from refusing. Despite the small amount of humiliation she had subjected him to, he found it amazing how she could find anything to smile about in such dire times, and once he finished she was still all smiles. Everytime she looked at him like that he forgot about every dark thought that plagued his consciousness; the only thing that mattered was her. He was so wrapped up in his musings that he almost missed the way she cleaned the corner of his mouth of stray rice.
"You should've been a doctor." he thought aloud, idly watching her busy herself about her room. That warm fuzzy feeling had just started creeping into his being; the medication must've decided to start kicking in.
"Tch, you sound like my mother." she retorted, wheeling his table to the corner of the room before returning to her seat, "I get to save people before they're hurt this way. Besides I'd never had met you and Naruto."
"Maybe. Naruto and I always used to end up in hospitals after all." he half joked, shifting into a more comfortable position. He cast his eyes to his bed sheets when the thought of never meeting her crossed his mind, "You'd never be in this position… had we never met."
Sakura had a love-hate relationship with how the drugs made him act. Sometimes he was playful and amiable, while at others he was introspective and morose. "If I wasn't around you wouldn't have made it to this far." she joke, doing her best to counter his changing mood.
"You won't make it much further if you keep sticking around, Sakura." countered the tiring man, his head lulling to side as his limbs got heavier. Sakura pursed her lips at his comment, almost regretting humoring him as much as she had.
"I'll manage. Now stop worrying so much and get some sleep. I'll be here watching over you all night." she asserted, effectively ending their little back and forth.
"Pervert." Sasuke mumbled with a small smirk as his eyes dimmed and the world around him turned dark. The rose haired agent shook her head at his last words and released an exhausted sigh. He was a handful and a half and it was going to be an awfully long night.
Fifteen minutes into her second shift, Sakura had dozed off in her chair. Blame it on the monotonous clicking of the room's clock or the sheer tiredness from the day's events, either way she was out like a light. While outside the room it was business as usual. Routine check-ups, the occasional coding, unfortunately followed by the graveyard crew being called to duty.
"Room 807. No witnesses. No excessive collateral damage." ordered the shorter man of the duo, while his partner busied himself with the now deceased morgue workers corpses. He had just finished stripping them and was currently shoving their bodies into freezing units.
"Yeah yeah I know the drill. Room 807, put the old dog down, rendezvous back at the base." he reassured, shoving his clothes into a bodybag and onto a gurney as he slipped into his ill fitting scrubs, cap, and facemask, "I know I don't need to ask but, how do you feel about his one? I mean…"
"The same way I feel about all threats to the organization. My personal feelings have no place in the mission." he answered calmly, as he mimicked his partner's actions.
"Good to hear. See you on the other side Itachi." he said, flashing a sharp grin as he made his way out of the morgue, squeaky gurney and all. The dark haired man turned his attention back to the task at hand as he inhaled deeply of the pungent aroma of antiseptic and decay. It wasn't long before he too exited, wheeling his gurney in front of him. His own words resounding in his skull,
'My personal feelings have no place in the mission.'
And so it would go, as it always had.
He eyed a wall clock closely as he traversed the bright corridors. 12:20 AM. Everyone ignored him as if he was invisible. The slow moving gurney was most likely the reason. People typically avoided death by any means, even when they dealt with it on a daily basis. Being mildly distracted, he narrowly avoided a head on collision with two men pushing their own load on a gurney. They didn't exchange words, only a glance at most before going their own way.
'Death.' he thought morosely, before entering the empty elevator. It was time for death.
The halls were quiet now, quieter than any major metropolitan hospital should be. Surely the graveyard shift nurses were more than grateful for the blessing. Even the patients' rooms were solitary sanctuaries for the most part. Sakura herself had even found a comfortable position to rest her head in Sasukes lap. Clearly resting her eyes had turned into a full blown slumber.
Slowly the door crept open without a sound and in stepped the night's shadowy messenger. When he closed the door behind him and locked it, the room became his domain. Crimson eyes bore through the darkness that was his sword and shield as he drew on the two sleeping figures. He stopped at the unconscious agent and carefully reached for her with a latex gloved hand. He swept the cherry locks from her face and tucked them behind her ear. She stirred slightly, smiling in the dark at the touch.
"Sasuke-kun…" she muttered, turning her head away from the touch and resuming her otherwise peaceful sleep. The phantom hand didn't stop there however. Rather, it traced a fine line down the nape of her neck before coming to a stop at her throat.
"Sasuke-kun stop it I'm—gah!" in an instant she was swept to her feet and off them before being unceremoniously slammed against the wall on the far side of the room. Her eyes shot open as she tried to cry out, only to have the strong hand grip her trachea tighter. Her blurred vision cleared for a moment and her heart stopped at the sight she saw. Blood red eyes piercing through the shadows and her own panicked gaze.
"Haruno...it's been a long time. I should have known you would still be following my brother around like a lost puppy." he toned lowly, raising her higher into the air when she began struggling.
"Ita…Itachi…" she bit out with what little air she had captured. Her hands flew to his arm, doing her best to dig and claw at him with her dull nails, but to no avail. She began kicking frantically in an attempt to lash out at him, stomping her feet against the wall in hopes of stirring Sasuke from his slumber. Slowly she could feel her consciousness begin to slip; her eyes falling onto her lover for what would surely be the last time, "Sas…uke…"
"It is his fault you had to die here. Remember that." his words were just dull whispers as the strength quickly drained from her. This was it then. This was the end. Her heart thudded in her ears, slowing by the second; or at least what she thought was her heart. When suddenly she was released and slumped to the ground at the sound of gunshots penetrating the silent room and the locked door giving way with a crash.
"Sasuke I'm—!" she exclaimed, frozen by the sight of narrowed crimson eyes glaring at her. This was not Sasuke.
Itachi wasted no time dealing with the intruder, quickly crossing the distance despite the gun being pointed at him. Another shot rang out but it missed its target as the rogue Uchiha knocked the weapon from the interloper's hands and threw her to the floor. Having finally almost regained her composure, Sakuras eyes shot to her would-be rescuer, she had seen them somewhere before. Red haired nurse…glasses…
"S-s-security! Secuirty and all available officers report to the fourth floor! S-shots fired! Please help!" screeched a frightened nurse over the intercom.
When the woman rose to her feet with a scalpel in her hands, her facemask slipped away, and the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Of all people, Karin had saved her.
Itachi had seen enough. His cover was blown, the hospital floor was going to be swarming with security and officers any minute, but the mission remained. Swiftly he made his way to his brother's bedside, repelling the feeble attack the redhead launched at his back with ease. His brother was still struggling to maintain consciousness, having regained it during the entire disturbance, but still finding it hard to comprehend the happenings around him. Was it a dream? A nightmare? Just a drug induced hallucination?
"It's time, little brother." he declared darkly, staring down upon his sibling with cold eyes as he reached for his neck. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, his body still paralyzed with sleep.
"Don't you fucking touch him." warned Sakura, menacingly pulling back the hammer of her pistol as she rose to her feet. The agent steadied her hand, prepared to shoot at even the slightest movement. She promised to protect him; she would not let him die while she still could fight.
"You've already made yourself an enemy of Akatsuki, Haruno. Do not push your luck." advised the Uchiha, his hand still poised to squeeze the life from his brother.
"Shoot the bastard already!" urged Karin, scrambling across the linoleum to retrieve her own firearm while Sakura held him at bay. When she finally retrieved it, she wasted no time, "Fine I'll do it!"
Her shots missed and shattered the glass partition behind Itachi. Sensing the futility of his mission, the man did the only thing he could and fled through the new opening, making a mad dash down the hallway past frightened civilians.
"Kuso!" she cursed, rushing to the window to try and finish the job only to find that he had already disappeared. Quickly she turned her attention back to the matter at hand, "Sasuke! Sasuke come on I'm getting you out of here."
"Wait! You can't—" protested Sakura, or at least tried, before she became the target of Karins fury. Carefully she held her hands up not wishing to be shot, even though she'd most likely miss judging by the way her hands shook. "Karin, please listen. Sasuke…he's too weak, he'll never—"
"Just shut up! I'm not leaving him here with you." she seethed, doing her best to hoist Sasuke out of bed and keep Sakura at gunpoint. He stumbled slightly as she did her best to shoulder his weight; his mind still slowly recovering, but one look at the sadness in his lovers eyes told him that this was no dream.
"You'll never make it—its suicide!" urged the pinkette, taking a small step as they inched towards the door. Her eyes bore into Sasukes own dark pools, pleading with him to not go. Pleading not to throw his life away after all she'd done to protect it.
"She's right Karin. We'll never make it." croaked Sasuke, pushing her weapon away from Sakura and moving to stand on his own. He could hear the sound of rushing feet and shouting in the not so far off distance, "But I can't stay here any longer. We need to move, now."
Sakura bit her lip nervously, her mind racing a mile a minute in search of solutions to the otherwise impossible situation. Sasuke was right. Itachi had infiltrated a heavily guarded hospital and nearly killed all three of them without incident; who's to say Akatsuki wouldn't be able to do so again? There was only one way that avoided an all out gunfight in the middle of the hospital.
"Use me."
"Sakura?" he whispered, shocked by the sudden change in demeanor from her.
"You'll need a hostage…use me." she repeated, walking up to the two and handing her firearm to Sasuke. When he hesitated in taking it, she shoved it into his hands and turned around to face away from them. "If you want to make it out…it's the only way."
"They're almost here. We need to go now Sasuke!" hurried Karin watching from the shattered window as armed figures approached. It was now or never.
Carefully he laid his arm over Sakuras small shoulder, wrapping his bandaged forearm around her neck as he pulled her flush against his body. It wasn't until he raised the weapon in his other hand to her head that he realized he was shaking. Sasuke leaned in close and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair to calm himself, whispering in her ear, "Thank you, Sakura. I promise…I won't—"
"I know Sasuke-kun." she returned quietly, turning her head slightly to glance back at him. The look alone threatened to suffocate him with its tenderness, and at her words, his resolve nearly vanished, "I love you."
"Sasuke!" snapped Karin.
He didn't waste any more time. When he nodded in affirmation to the redhead they burst through the door and faced security that had almost reached them. Their weapons were drawn but he could see they were hesitant; none seemed ready for such a situation.
"Lay down your weapons. Don't make me hurt her." ordered the Uchiha, stepping forward with his hostage. When they paused in indecision, he tightened his grip on her, pressing the pistol more forcefully against her temple. He could feel her pulse quicken in her throat and it pained him all the more. She was sacrificing it all again, everything she had, all for him. Crumbling under the possibility that they could end up killing the agent or getting her killed, they begrudgingly dropped their weapons. With the threat deterred momentarily, Sasuke spotted a fire extinguisher in the corridor, promptly shooting it to distort the officers before following Karin down another hallway.
"There's a set of service stairs this way! I've got a car waiting!" Karin shouted back, brandishing her pistol at frightened nurses and orderlies as they hurried down the halls. As they rounded a corner they could hear shouting just behind them. One of the voices more distinguished from the rest.
"Teme! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Naruto…" Sasuke could hear the name escape Sakura lips as she half led him around another corner and into a dead end. Just as Karin shot off the doorknob to the exit, the voice made an appearance, huffing and puffing as he came to a skidding halt. The dark haired man quickly spun on his bare heels to face the blonde, his weapon trained on him in retaliation.
"You've gone too far this time Sasuke! Let Sakura-chan go, now!" barked the blonde, teeth bared and Smith & Wesson shakily aiming for the man he once knew, hiding behind his friend like a coward. This wasn't him, he'd never do something so heinous, so evil.
"You don't understand Naruto." defended the dark hair man, taking a step bad when his counterpart came forward, "It isn't safe. I can't stay here any longer."
"Bullshit! That's the same thing you said—" before he could finish his sentence, Karin had reappeared and cut him off with gunfire, pulling her leader into the stairwell as the blonde ran for cover.
"There's no time for this! We have to get back to the docks!" she ordered, ushering the two down the stairs, staying several steps behind to hold off the advancing officers.
"Naruto! The docks! I'll explain everything!" shouted Sakura up the stairs as Sasuke finally released her and allowed her to lead him down the steep steps. Needless to say, all of that bed rest had made him weaker than expected and in no shape to be leading the pack. Naruto called out to her again over the sound of bullets ricocheting off the concrete walls, but the words were lost to her.
Finally they reached the bottom to the stairwell, and without hesitation pushed their way through the last steel barrier to freedom. The night's air was hot and heavy, but it had been the first breath of fresh air Sasuke had in far too long, and he enjoyed it immensely. The moment only lasted a split second before he was brought back to reality, practically being shoved into the backseat of their getaway sedan by Sakura. Karin wasted no time revving the engine and flooring it just as soon as their pursuers appeared.
Sakura's heart was still pounding madly ten minutes into their clean getaway, constantly peering through the rear window expecting to see flashing lights and sirens close behind. She turned her attention back to the man quietly lying in her lap, his brow furrowing as he slept. His stitches had opened again in all the excitement and his fresh bandages were stained with his blood. She stroked his hair lovingly in the silence of the car, trying to ease his pain as best she could. He could have left her there in the stairwell; abandoning her and disappearing into the night like he had wanted. But he hadn't. She refused to abandon him in his darkest hour because of the love she had for him, and even though he never said the words, she could see in his eyes as she uttered them, he felt it as well.
There it is, and what a doozy if I do say so myself! I bit of drama, well a lot of drama, a bit of action, and a bit of sweet fluff that you all love oh so very much. Hope I hit everything with this chapter because I have to say even though it was difficult for me to write it was definitely one of my favorite of the story thus far. A real emotion roller coaster for Sakura, who's really come into her own so far, stepping out of the background and becoming more than just a love interest. At least that's what I tried to get across. So now that you know how I feel, tell me how you feel! Send in those reviews, critiques, appreciation, or what have you and let me know. Nothing more I love than hearing how people perceive my work.
Next Chapter: Lovers Respite
Until next time! Sayonara!