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Sorry about the delay. Been swamped. And my pc's keyboard went caput.
Typing with the on-screen keyboard sucks.
Sakura’s body stiffened instantaneously at Tsunade’s last words.
“I’ll kill that damn Uchiha. How could he? How could he take Kakashi away from me?!”
Tsunade’s head snapped up. She’d been too wrapped up in her own emotions to notice Sakura’s misunderstanding. Her former apprentice had picked up a tray set by her bed and flung it against the opposite wall. An array of medical instruments clattered to the floor.
“Sakura!” The younger woman failed to comprehend that she was being called and stomped her way past the bewildered Hokage.
“Sakura, stop it. Listen to me!”
Sakura once again ignored her mentor and slammed her fist into a cupboard in the farthest corner of the room. It was quickly reduced into a pile of splinters and the aquamarine eyed woman turned her anger to the wall behind it.
“Damn you Madara!”
Tsunade hit a pressure point between her student’s shoulder blades and thankfully, the chakra points in both her arms were cut off. She grabbed her beloved student from behind and held her still against her.
“Sakura, listen to me. He’s not dead. Kakashi did not die. Did you think that I would allow him to? Especially since I had you, the best medic to ever walk the streets of Konoha, banned from the operating theatre?”
She felt Sakura relax beneath her hold and released her. She looked into her green eyes.
“You understand why I had to keep you away from there right? I couldn’t let you work on him when you held such strong emotional ties to him.” Sakura knew it was the truth. She’d probably have been reduced to a crying mess at the sight of her former sensei and would have been a nuisance to the team of medics. She nodded and asked to know what had happened.
Tsunade repaired the damage she’d done and watched as Sakura rolled her shoulders.
“From what Sai said before we had to put him under sedation, they had completed the mission and were returning when it happened. They were ambushed. He said the brunt of the attack fell on Kakashi and he held on pretty well till Madara showed up. He was exhausted and had used the Sharingan for a while before Madara’s appearance. Whatever else happened is unclear as Sai had his own battle farther away but what is certain is that Madara thought Kakashi was a thorn in his side and that he did not deserve to carry the Sharingan. So he simply took the eye, claiming it was family property.”
Sakura gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth in a bungled attempt to hide it. Tsunade went on.
“His body was badly damaged. We spent nine hours working on his collapsed lungs and perforated heart. I had to pull shards of bone from his spine. Thankfully, his wasn’t as bad as Lee’s case. The rest of it was mainly broken bones and took fairly little time to fix. For now, he’s being mechanically aided in breathing and his heart is being monitored in case of failure.
“He’ll be in intensive care for the next week or so and then he can go home. I have asked a psychologist to see him, Tanakora Maseko. I hear she is already familiar with him so he’ll be fine.” She hugged Sakura to her and cupped her cheek.
“He’ll be alright Sakura. You can go and see him now…you know I usually wouldn’t allow it so don’t make me regret sending you up there. ”
The words were barely out of her mouth when Sakura made a mad dash for the door and up the stairs. There was no time to wait for the elevator. She made it to the required floor and was startled to see Tsunade waiting for her at the nurse’s station. “Come on I’ll take you in to him.”
“Honestly, running up the stairs when there’s a perfectly good elevator. And you didn’t even know what room he was in.”
Tsunade opened a door and motioned for the other woman to enter the room but made no move to follow her in. Sakura obviously needed to be alone with him.
Sakura walked further into the room and spotted him, lying on the bed, looking everything like the wounded soldier. Even though his mask was off, his entire body was wrapped from head to toe in bandages and a huge patch of gauze covered his left eye.
Obito’s bequest…
Gone…
Taken by a traitor.
She grabbed the medical chart attached to the bed and scanned it for more information. Ruptured spleen, damaged liver… The man had shown no mercy.
“And you will show him none when you get your hands on him.” Sakura leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Kakashi's cheek. A tube currently ran down his mouth to a respirator and everywhere else was covered up with bandages. The report had said that his entire body had been covered in deep lacerations. She pulled a chair up beside the bed and held onto his large hand.
“All I can do now is wait for you to wake up.”
Slowly, Kakashi cranked his right eye open and found himself staring into the most beautiful green eyes he’d ever come across. They held concern in them and were slightly watery.
The young woman leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. Kakashi stared up at her, surprise etched on his visible features. “Sakura” he thought, “How?...” And then it hit him.
The smell of disinfectant, the green tile, he was in the hospital.
He heard Tsunade’s voice and nodded when she told him she was going to remove the tube from his throat. It only took a second to tilt his head back and for her to pull it out while he took a deep breath.
“Don’t try to speak yet. Your throat will be raw. Sakura will be monitoring you for a while. It seems we can’t get her to go home so we may as well make her useful.”
Tsunade placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back with us. You really had us worried for a while. I’ll be back to answer all your questions later.” With that, Tsunade turned about and left the room.
“Kakashi” Sakura’s voice was barely above a whisper and it surprised the both of them that he’d heard her. She held an oxygen mask in her hand and moved forward to attach it. Satisfied at her work, she sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at him, tears already threatening to fall.
The older man pulled the mask aside to permit him to speak.
“Sakura…” His voice was raw and raspy. Almost like he’d had battery acid poured down his throat. That was her breaking point. Sakura practically threw herself at him, although thankfully minding his wounds.
“I thought I’d lost you.” She said as she cried her eyes out and Kakashi found himself concurring with her but on a different level. A slow smile made its way to his lips, disguised by the oxygen mask.
“Looks like I got the girl.”
“Can we talk outside?” She nodded and followed him into the corridor.
“Sakura, I wanted to speak to you before word got out.” The Uchiha stared down at his feet.
“I’m getting married.” He heard the sharp intake of breath. Ignoring it, he went on.
“The council has ordered that I marry and the deadline is coming up for when they’ll force a woman on me and…”
“That’s why you approached me.” Sakura’s hands fisted by her sides and she stared hard at the man before her. “I should have known there was some reason behind your actions.”
“No, Sakura. It was nothing like that. Everything I said was the absolute truth. The last reason I had for not proposing sooner was this very one. That you would think it was because of the council’s orders that I was approaching you. It’s not. I thought about leaving the village again but I realized Sakura that I couldn’t leave you again. I have two more weeks till they pick a woman for me but I won’t give them the satisfaction. I have picked someone and she has agreed. I would like for you to attend the ceremony with Kakashi.”
Sakura let the words sink in and sighed.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there. I just hope it isn’t one of your fan girls.” Sasuke sweat dropped and Sakura sighed in disappointment.
“It can’t be helped. I wish you all the best Sasuke. I’m sorry that it had to turn out this way.” The two friends hugged and walked back into the room where Kakashi was talking to Naruto.
“Well apparently the only reason Danzo wasn’t able to get a replacement eye was because his receptors were destroyed. They weren’t able to repair them in time. Tsunade says mine are fine so they’ll get me a new eye in about a week’s time. I’ll be able to leave this place once they’re done.”
Sasuke coughed. “I believe you’ll be leaving sooner than that.” He walked up beside the bed and ignored the surprised looks of his comrades.
“I know Obito wanted with all his heart for you to possess the Sharingan. I also know that it won’t be the same without it after all these years and no eye will be quite the same.” Sakura blinked several times. Was Sasuke trying to comfort his team mate? That was highly unusual. Lately he’d been making longer speeches as opposed to his earlier single word ones of “Hn" but this was still unexpected.
“You may have started out as just my instructor Kakashi but you have turned into more than that. You have been the closest thing to a father figure for me and more of a brother than mine ever was…”
Sasuke turned red and finally locked eyes with Kakashi. It took a lot for the proud Uchiha to admit his feelings.
“I would like to offer you a new eye. It’s in excellent condition as I’ve had Tsunade work on it and it will suit you well.” His next words caused everyone to gasp.
“I have thought this through. I am offering the eye of Uchiha Itachi.”