Chapter 28

The Room Of Second Chances

Gaara goes down on the ground. Sakura and Neji get Takara off the sand and Gaara seals up the sand. Sakura has not stopped pumping Takara's heart and she is still breathing, but not much.

"Thank you Gaara," Neji says.

Gaara bows. "It was no problem. Now, go save your lady."

"How did you know?" Neji asks with his face turning red.

"It's kind of obvious," Gaara says.

"Come on Neji," Sakura says.

"Right," Neji says. "Thanks again Gaara."

"Of course," Gaara says. "I must go report to Tsunade."

Gaara goes towards Lady 5th while Neji and Sakura bring Takara inside the hospital. Yui from earlier is at the hospital.

"Hey I recognize you two!" Yui says. "Who is the injured girl?"

"Takara Uta, she's dying!" Sakura says.

"Are you pumping her heart?" Yui asks.

"Yes," Sakura says. "Please stop talking and save her!"

"Yes, I remember you were quite rude," Yui says.

Yui then runs back to the operating room. She grabs a gurnee. Sakura and Neji get Takara on the gurnee.

"Okay, let's get her back there," Sakura says to Yui.

Yui nods. "You're only allowed back there because you are her life support."

Yui and Sakura roll Takara to the back. Neji watches his bloody dying girlfriend go back to the operating room. A tear comes out of one of his eyes. Neji then goes to a seat and sits down. He puts his head down and starts crying quietly to himself.

Just then, the hospital doors open. Neji sits up and looks over. He sees Tenten with Lee leaning on her shoulder.

"Tenten? Lee? What's going on?" Neji asks and wipes away his tears quickly.

"Lee opened the 8th gate," Tenten says while looking around for someone.

"The 8th gate?" Neji asks in shock.

Yui comes out from the back and sees Lee and Tenten.

"What happened?" Yui asks.

"He opened the 8th gate, help him not die!" Tenten says.

Yui nods. "Okay, follow me back."

Yui leads the way. Tenten guides Lee back to the hospital room.

Neji then lays back and takes a deep breath. "I wonder how the battle is going..."

Tenten comes back out with Yui. Yui goes back to her desk and Tenten joins Neji.

"Hey," Tenten says to Neji.

"Hi Tenten," Neji says.

"Listen, before you say anything, I want to apologize," Tenten says.

"For what?" Neji asks.

"For the way I've been acting lately," Tenten says. "Being mean to Takara. Lying to you just so I could confess my feelings to you."

"It's okay Tenten," Neji says.

Tenten sighs. "While battling, Naruto wanted to give one of his speeches to turn Eito good. Bee then turned it around and he gave Naruto a speech. He was talking about how Takara would scream and cry from flashbacks and nightmares. During the moment I could just feel Bee's concern for Takara and... I actually felt bad. I should have given Takara more of a fair chance, instead of being a jerk just because she stole your heart and I didn't."

"I'm glad you came to your senses, Tenten," Neji says.

"They're dead though," Tenten says.

"Who's dead?" Neji asks.

"Leiji, Leitangi, and Eito," Tenten says.

"Good," Neji says.

"Choji crushed Leitangi and then Shikamaru threw a paper bomb at him to make sure he was dead," Tenten says.

"How did Eito die?" Neji asks.

Tenten shivers. "He ran towards Lee and I threw one of my good knives at him and it went in his neck. I didn't think about it but he took the knife and kept using it on himself. Shikamaru then threw another paper bomb and... Eito actually ate it. He stabbed himself in the heart and then he… he... blew up. I don't think I can get that image out of my head."

"Leitangi lit someone on fire in front of Takara," Neji says. "She told me she can't get the scent and visual out of her head."

"Oh, man," Tenten says.

"Maybe you two can talk about those horrible images together since you two can relate. Maybe you can become friends with her," Neji says.

"I guess you're not wrong," Tenten says. "Where's Sakura?"

"She's in the operating room pumping Takara's heart," Neji explains.

"Like how she did to Naruto?" Tenten asks.

"Exactly," Neji says.

"Wow," Tenten says. Tenten leans back in her seat. "Takara must be really special."

"She really is," Neji says. "Since you're my friend I'm really hoping you two can get along."

"I can try to," Tenten says. "I'm afraid she doesn't want anything to do with me since I was a jerk."

"Takara is very understanding. Just tell her what you told me," Neji says.

Tenten nods. "Okay Neji. You know what, I'm going to go buy her flowers and a get well card. Do you know what flowers she likes?"

Neji smiles. "Purple pansies."

"Is that why her hair is black and purple?" Tenten asks.

Neji chuckles. "I haven't asked her."

"Oh," Tenten says. "I guess I'll wait for Ino to come home then."

Neji nods.

Just then, Ino runs into the hospital with Sai.

"Oh, speaking of Ino," Tenten says.

"How's Takara and Lee?" Ino asks.

"We don't know yet," Neji says.

"I need a doctor," Sai says.

"Wait, I thought Ino is a medical ninja?" Tenten asks.

"I can't heal his concussion," Ino says.

"Concussion?" Yui asks. "I can get you seen right away."

"Yes, please," Sai says.

"Okay, come with me please," Yui says.

Yui and Sai walk to a room. Ino sits down with Neji and Tenten.

"Hey Ino," Tenten says.

"Yes Tenten?" Ino asks.

"Can I go by your shop sometime soon and get some purple pansies?" Tenten asks.

"Purple pansies?" Ino asks. "You know that's Takara's favorite flower? Neji bought her a bouquet of purple pansies not long ago."

Neji blushes with a shy smile.

Tenten's eye twitches. "Yes... I know..." Tenten takes a deep breath. "I want to buy Takara some flowers and a get well card."

"I thought you hated her guts," Ino says. "That's what I've heard."

"I want to try to..." Tenten says until she swallows. "To become her friend."

"Oh that's great!" Ino says. "I'll open my shop now and help you if you'd like!"

"Okay," Tenten says. "Bye Neji!"

"See you around," Neji says.

Ino and Tenten leave the hospital.

Just then a surgeon comes from the back. "Neji, is it?"

Neji sits up. "Yes. Is Takara okay?"

"Yes, I actually finished her up," says the surgeon.

"Already?" Neji asks. "Can I see her?"

"Of course," the surgeon says.

The surgeon then leads Neji back to Takara's recovery room. They enter the room and Sakura is washing Takara's blood off her hands.

"I'll be right back," the surgeon says and he leaves.

Neji walks up to Takara and sits down in the chair next to her bed. Neji then grabs Takara's hand and squeezes it.

"You made it princess," Neji says quietly.

Takara grabs Neji's hand back.

"Takara?" Neji asks.

Sakura finishes up cleaning her hands and joins Neji. Takara then slowly opens her eyes and blinks a few times. Neji smiles. Takara looks around with confusion.

"Where am I? What happened?" Takara asks softly. Takara tries to sit up, but groans. "Why am I in so much pain?" Takara then starts tearing up from her pain.

"Takara?" Sakura says in a soft tone. "You're in the hospital."

"Hospital?" Takara asks weakly. "Was I kidnapped or was that a dream?"

Sakura looks down. "It was reality."

Takara sighs. "Of course."

"But they're dead," Neji says.

"Who?" Takara asks.

"Eito, Leiji and Leitangi," Neji says.

Takara smiles, still being weak. "Really? No way! Is this a dream?"

"This is still reality," Sakura says.

"But, how? There's no way this is true," Takara says.

"Well it is," Neji says. "I hate to say it, but you got hurt badly and nearly died. But Sakura cut you open and pumped your heart to keep you alive."

"I had to pump your heart while they performed surgery on you," Sakura says.

"Oh," Takara says. "I'm sorry Sakura."

"Why?" Sakura asks with a chuckle.

"You had to do something gross to save me," Takara says.

"I don't mind," Sakura says. "I've done it before."

Just then, the surgeon comes back in. "Oh, she's awake!"

"Oh, Dr. Yaketsuku Emica is here!" Sakura says cheerfully.

"Wait, what?" Takara and Neji ask.