Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Closer ❯ Chapter 25

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

At camp breakfast, her team sat around a low burning fire. Choji was making breakfast, Shikamaru was going through his bag to count everything he had and Ino had her back pressed against a tree, brushing her hair and staring absently at Asuma-sensei. He looked really distracted these days and she knew it wasn't just because of their mission. Akatsuki was a big threat but she knew it wasn't why his head was in the clouds. Sometimes he looked really sad and then would look really lost and once she swore he was sweating in panic.

When they left the village under Lady Tsunade's orders, he moved slower than usual. Shikamaru told her that the guy the Akatsuki killed, Chiriku, was someone close to Asuma. An old friend. She felt his chakra darken so suddenly when the temple monk told them of his demise. Poor Asuma Sensei. She didn't know what she would have done if one of her friends had died.

Team Ten left the village together (one of twenty platoons) and would only spend this night together before the others would join them. A plain faced guy with a wicked scar across the left his face, Raido Namiashi, a guy who always wore sunglasses Aoba Yamashiro and the main gate watches (and Hokage's errand boys) , Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.

"We're meeting up with the others from Leaf." Asuma announced after everyone was finished eating and packing. "From there, we'll separate. Shikamaru is with me and Choji and Ino, you'll be together." They didn't have to wait long for the others to join. She and Choji left without a word with Raido and Aoba. She found out quickly that their leader Raido was a cautious guy and he didn't say much to them. He would bark an order to keep formation once in a while, but other than that he was a silent warrior. He was a sensor too. Not as good as herself (she would never tell him that) but she would feel something ripple seconds before him so she was alerted when he would have them hide or stalk. It was like that for two days before Aoba became leader. They would switch off time to time after that.

A messenger bird appeared late in the afternoon on the third day. They came to a halt when Aoba whistled it down. The Akatsuki were heading to an exchange point to gather their sizable bounty on Asuma's friend Chiriku and her team was close to one. When she first began the mission, the idea of coming face to face with Akatsuki wasn't very daunting. But now that they were so close, her hart began racing. In part with fear, but the other part was anticipation. No one knew who the members were and one of them could be Itachi. If she faced him, what would she say to him? Would she even be able to speak?

A heavy warm hand fell on her shoulder and Ino looked behind her. "It will be okay Ino. If we do what Asuma-sensei taught us, there's nothing to be afraid of." Choji told her in comfort. She managed a smile. "Naww, just kidding." Choji said awkwardly. "But that's what Shikamaru told me on our last mission." He grinned. Ino gave him a playful swat on the arm.

"Choji!" But his little joke broke the tension building like a dam in her and she felt better. She still didn't know what to do if it was Itachi, but as long as Choji was with her she felt safe.

The check point was a bust and they only managed to capture a low life bounty payer but not the boss. And there was no request for back up as of yet. As the day wore on, Ino couldn't help the small trickle of dread that was slowly growing. The longer they searched, the more Akatsuki infiltrated. They were getting closer to Naruto.

Sakura had told her what happened to Gaara and Akatsuki. Once they extracted the one-tailed from him he died. She couldn't let them get close to Naruto. The knucklehead, the prankster, the number one hyper active ninja. Sasuke's best friend and Hinata's devotion. Sakura's life line and Kakashi's prodigy. Iruka-sensei's salvation and Lady Tsunade's successor. Naruto was so many things and important to so many people. She would do whatever she could to keep him safe.

A shrill whistle brought her from her thoughts and another message bird arrived. Aoba paled a little after reading it. "We're needed as back up. Asuma's team found them."

They all jumped into action with chakra infused speed. She prayed fervently that Asuma and Shikamaru were safe. Her hand wandered to her kunai leg strap, her finger tracing three engraved stars. And then it wandered to her arm. To the seal that had been sealed. She could feel its power churning in its cage so wild and deeply attached to her own chakra network. She never used it since it had been sealed but against Akatsuki, she would have to. They were strong and she had to be at her strongest even if it meant tapping into that chakra.

Her team came upon Asuma's team half an hour later. She saw Asuma on his hands and knees bleeding from various wounds. A strange looking guy with white and black skin was standing over him with a three pronged scythe embedded in his stomach. She was still far from being close, but she could smell blood thick in the air. It smelled of rain too. Dark clouds had been gathering from the morning and were settling over them, heavy and dark. Foreboding…

She could hear yelling from Shikamaru. To her side, Choji flinched with the anguish laced in his cry. Asuma's name had never held so much pain. Her heart was squeezing. Something bad was happening, something horrible! She had to get to them fast! She hitched her bagpack higher on her shoulders and sped up.

"Choji, get to Asuma. Ino, Shikamaru." Raido instructed before Aoba when through some hand seals and Raido had a summon scroll in his hand. A swarm of black crows charged ahead of them, giving her and Choji some time to get to their teammate and leader. She made it safely to Shikamaru's side and placed a hand on his arm. She felt him trembling and when he looked at her she saw so much hurt and fear.

"We're here to help you." She murmured in her calmest tone, her eyes searching his.

"Ino…" His voice cracked, filled with unshed tears.

"Ino, get Shikamaru somewhere safe." Izumo told her with his eyes trained on the Akatsuki members, rubbing his neck. Together, they left to join Choji and Asuma on the roof by Aoba of the checkpoint building. Some dilapidated station that looked to be cracking from its corners. Shikamaru bolted from her as soon as the landed, hovering over Asuma and placing a head against his chest. Ino fell to her knees, looking at her Sensei, bloodied and burned. She felt so helpless at the moment. How had this happened?

"He's still alive! Ino, you and Choji take him back to Leaf, to the hospital!" He was breathless and anxious. And so full of fear, she could feel it rolling off of him in waves. Ino scrambled to her feet, knocking her bag over in the process. She then stilled when a masked member of Akatsuki jumped to the roof, hunched like a gargoyle.

"I'm not giving up my bounty." He said. His eyes were so strange, glowing electric sea green with red where the whites of the eyes should be. His skin looked like leather. This was Akatsuki? Her sensors were throbbing in warning.

"Shit!" Shikamaru stood over Asuma protectively.

"Stay back. Ino, Choji, take care of Asuma!" Aoba charged at the Akatsuki member. The fight didn't last long, both members stopped what they were doing.

"Are them communicating with someone?"Aoba muttered under his breath. Ino didn't care, she knelt by Asuma with glowing green hands.

"Don't." Asuma choked out, blood dribbling from his pale lips and into his small trimmed beard. "I'm…done for. You three should realize it too."

Anger, desperate anger exploded in his chest. He was just giving up? They could try!

"Shut up! Don't talk like that!" Shikamaru yelled, looking at her with the same feelings she was feeling. "Ino!"

She nodded, intensifying her healing abilities. Here, and here too. Her hands shook as she moved her chakra to get a better feel of his internal wounds. They got four vital organs…There's nothing more I can do. Tears escaped her eyes, but she didn't stop what she was doing. If only I had gotten here earlier, if only they had called as soon as they spotted them. Darkness covered them and Ino closed her eyes, unable to look at any one. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the smell of rain intensified. Blood and water. She looked to the side and saw her bag slumped and its contents spilled. Her back up clothes and her weapons and food stuff. And her scrolls…her red scroll.

"I think I finally understand why the Third did what he did…but like always I took too long to figure it out." Asuma's voice sounded so weak and yet she still didn't look at him. Her red scroll…when did she put that in there? She didn't…her red scroll was supposed to be at home…

"Red scroll." She whispered.

"Ino, Choji, Shikamaru…I have one last thing to tell you…"

"No!" Ino shrieked finally putting her thoughts in place. "Get me my red scroll! Aoba! Get it!" She yelled and the man jumped and ran to her bag. "Unroll it to the first name." She instructed. She only needed to keep him alive long enough for the jutsu to work.

You're not going to make me do that jutsu are you…she remembered asking Kabuto that. It seemed so long ago since she first looked at the Soul and Body Exchange jutsu.

No I won't make you do it. I'll let you make the choice…

This was her choice. Kabuto-sensei knew it was too tempting to pass up. Shoji Eto. His name seemed bigger to her for some reason. The well manicure young man who eagerly brought her tea and protected her from Mintobi and Yasuo. She halted her healing duties and bit her thumb and dragged it across Shoji's summon circle.

"Ino what are you doing?" Shikamaru was looking worriedly at Asuma.

"Shut up and let me do this!" She snapped, watching anxiously as the summon circle glowed. She did some hand seals, remembering how she memorized them in her room when Sasuke was gone and she was left alone. Her hand slammed down and the summon smoke cleared. Shoji's body was pale and bruised. The only thing he wore was his underwear. His black hair was still in a flawless ponytail hard with gel. She touched his cheek and he cracked one eye.

"Shoji…I need your help." She whispered stroking his temple with her cold fingers. At that moment, everyone else faded around her. Her whole body was filling with warm, tingling chakra.

He stared at her with warm brown eyes. He was still under her Mind Surrender jutsu she realized. Once Kabuto took the charms from them she thought her jutsu would fade as well. "You're okay…I'm glad." He hummed, closing his eyes at her touch. "I'm tired but I can try to help."

"Ino!" Shikamaru hissed at her when Asuma's breaths began to rattle. She brushed a hand over Asuma's mouth and his blood coated her hand.

"Shoji only you can help me. All you have to do is open your mouth." She said in a shaky voice, giving him a wobbly smile. He did and Ino rubbed her hand across his, coating his lips with Asuma's blood. "You can sleep now." She whispered and brought her hands together in a loud slap, summoning as much chakra as she could. Her own burned away and then her seal began glowing. She could hear both Shoji's and Asuma's heart beats in her head and she counted until they synced and slowed. She didn't feel the rain on her or hear the men around her murmuring to one another. She drowned herself in their heartbeats just like she had read in the jutsu scroll. Her chakra continued to grow, past the first stage and into the second. She never went into second stage, but this feeling, this vibrating in her coils felt limitless. It churned wild and free deep inside, stripped her of all her weaknesses and troubles. It felt warm, like the sun on a cool autumn day. Was this the power Sasuke felt? It was addicting. She felt invincible. Was this the power he cultivated to defeat Itachi? She opened her eyes and saw a bright image blossoming in front of her.

"It's the Death God!" Someone said. She didn't know who. The omnipotent being Shinigami floated in front of her with beads wrapped around his left arm and a knife between his teeth. His white robes fluttered about him as he stared at her with black eyes behind the curtain of his spiky white hair. He was waiting she realized. She could feel the weight of his glaze rake through her very soul, like he was reading all that she was and all that she was going to do. It was intimidating and thrilling. She was in the presence of someone so very powerful and she, Ino Yamanaka summoned him!

One soul, one deal. That was what Kabuto said. There is no second deal on a soul. Shinigami's crossed his arms and Asuma's body jerked as he took his last breath, the same as Shoji. Ino waited, she closed her eyes and waited for Shinigami to say something. It came to her like a lovers caress, stroking the inside of her soul. Accepted. And then the light faded from her. The warmth she felt from her second sage was quickly shriveling up as the jutsu sucked her chakra from her.

"You can really sleep now Shoji. Thank you. Thank you so much." She sobbed. Holding herself tight. Anything…anything for you…and that was the last thing she heard before her energy left her. She fell on top of Asuma's new body while the others looked at his old with confused, baffled expressions on their faces.

She woke up with a throbbing headache while someone stood over her with glowing green chakra.

"S-sakura?" She managed out before her throat clenched and she began coughing. Sakura helped her sit up with a concerned look on her brow.

"Take it easy. You shouldn't move at all considering how much chakra you used." She pressed a cool glass of water in her hand and Ino took a few hurtful swallows. The glass was taken from her and the pink haired medic gave her shoulder a little squeeze.

Then sudden panic gripped her. She pushed Sakura's restraining hand off of her shoulder. "Asuma! Is Asuma alright?" She asked hurriedly. Sakura frowned.

"He's alive but I don't know about alright. Ino, what did you do? Everyone is wondering. Shikamaru and Choji as well as the others tried to explain, but Lady Tsunade wants to hear it from you."
Ino sighed, and rubbed her brow. "Can I see him?" She asked, throwing her blankets off of her legs without waiting for an answer. She had to see what had happened. If the jutsu worked like it was supposed to then…

"Ino! You shouldn't be getting up! Your chakra coils…"

"Sakura just help me okay. I have to see him." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I need to see for myself." She begged, grabbing Sakura's wrists.

Sakura sighed. "Fine. I'll help but only for a little while. You should be resting." Sakura slid an arm around her waist and Ino put hers around Sakura's neck. She slipped on some slippers and gingerly made her way to the ICU.

It was late and the halls were empty so no one stopped them as they entered. In the darkened room she saw her Sensei tucked in his blankets breathing evenly. His face was free from the burns his old body suffered but he still looked ghastly. Kurenai was curled on a chair next to him, a pillow tucked under her head with a blanket snuggly pulled to her shoulders. Ino gazed down him, a sudden euphoria taking over her. It worked…she succeeded in performing the Body and Soul Jutsu. A forbidden jutsu…something whispered to her.

"How is he doing?" Ino asked Sakura softly, running her pinky over his brow ridge.

"He's stable but unresponsive. His wounds are a concern but nothing that we can't handle. Right now we're just waiting until he decides to wake up." Sakura whispered to her. Ino nodded. That was to be expected.

"A-and his…other body? Where is it?" She swallowed hard.

Sakura sucked in a little breath before answering. "In the morgue. Where else? The injuries to that body were too severe to be repaired."

Four vital organs…she knew all too well. It had been so close. If she didn't have that red scroll she would have lost him. The thought alone made her sag against Sakura. She didn't protest when Sakura took her back to her room. She was dizzy and her body was aching. "How long have I've been out?" She asked as soon as she was comfortable in her bed. She was tired again.

"Two days, but you're recovering rather quickly. Your chakra was nearly exhausted but at least you didn't push yourself like Kakashi-sensei did that time with Akatsuki." Sakura slumped on a bedside stool. Ino saw that her pink haired friend looked tired too. Her jade eyes were dull and she looked like she lost some weight.

"Are you okay? You look horrible." Ino turned on her side.

Sakura gave a little smile. "I'm just stressed. Naruto's training has me working fervently on my soldier pill recipe and then you came here unconscious. I was really worried." She yawned behind her hand.

"I'm fine now and Naruto is going to be fine too. You shouldn't stress yourself so much or people are going to be worried about you too." Ino scooted over and patted a place beside her. "Come on. It'll be a hospital sleep over." Sakura's slippers hit the floor with a soft plop and she crawled beside her and pulled the blankets over her shoulders. Ino settled on her back and closed her eyes. Poor Sakura…

The next day she was strong enough to be released from the hospital, though the Hokage kept a strict eye on her. An ANBU was shadowing her every movement Ino knew. Try as they might to conceal their presence from her, she was just too sensitive and could feel them.

The Lady Hokage gave her a few hours to shower and dress before she was summoned to the Kage Tower. Anko, Shizune, Ibiki and her father were waiting. She knew what they wanted to know so she patiently waited for the bombarding questions.

"Ino, what kind of jutsu did you use on Asuma?" The Hokage began, leaning back in her chair and templing her fingers under her chin. So told them what kind of jutsu it was and how it worked and how she learned it. She told them everything they wanted to know and when she was finished, a thick silence fell over the whole room.

"That's a forbidden jutsu. One of the many Orochimaru stole before his defect." Ibiki sighed, rubbing his temple. Ino knew this. Kabuto told her many times, as if gloating for Orochimaru.

"What are you going to do with his…other body?" Ino asked.

"Have a funeral." To Hokage answered quickly. "He's in a bad state right now and I don't know when he'll wake up. For now, it is agreed to hold a funeral so that his enemies and Akatsuki won't come looking for him. Your team told me the high bounty Asuma has on his head."

Somehow Ino wasn't too surprised. The Hokage was right, Asuma was vulnerable now. One soul, one deal…Shoji I hope you find peace. "He'll wake up eventually right?" Ino asked quietly. There was no change since she last saw him. Kurenai was by his side constantly.

"Eventually." The Hokage admitted after a brief pause. Her caramel colored eyes locked onto Ino's. "As for the jutsu, you are never allowed to perform it again. It is forbidden for a reason. We have confiscated your red scroll so don't try and find it."

Ino felt trapped into agreeing. They took her scroll? Those people Kabuto sealed were her responsibility! Especially Giro and to a minor extent, Ume as well. She would have to get it back somehow. She clenched her teeth to keep from protesting and gave a curt nod. Everyone in the room took that as her submission on the matter but not her father. The look he gave her said he wanted to have a long long talk later.

"The services are going to start at seven tomorrow morning." The Hokage told her as she and her father turned to leave the office. "Put on your best mourning face." She felt a little better once they were outside, walking away from the Hokage Tower.

"Shikamaru and Choji are on their way to the house. They want to talk to you too." Her father told her, draping an arm across her shoulders.

"Who doesn't?" She muttered, rubbing her eyes wearily. The boys were waiting outside her house when they arrived. They both looked subdued and pale, but their eyes lightened when they saw her. Shikamaru shoved his hands deep in his pockets and leaned his head back to look at her. Ino self consciously ran a hand down her ponytail, knowing she still looked just as pale with dark circles under her eyes. Choji gave her a warm, snug hug and asked how she was feeling.

"Better. Come in." Her dad held the door open for them. They all congregated to the kitchen where she began making tea to keep her hands busy and her mind off of the distressing news that her red scroll was untouchable. Her hands were shaking so much that her dad stopped her with a gentle squeeze to her shoulder.

"Let me. You still need to rest." So she sat and looked at her team's solemn faces.

"Have you guys seen Asuma-sensei yet?" She finally broke the silence. "Sakura says he's doing okay but hasn't woken up yet." Her voice cracked. Kabuto did something to Shoji's body. Whatever it was, it was taking the medics a lot of time to figure out.

"We go and see him every day." Choji said softly. "But Ino—"

"Are you really okay?" Shikamaru asked for his best friend. "Really?"

Ino nodded. "I'm alright. Sakura and Lady Tsunade are keeping a close eye on me and my Dad is making sure I take all of my medicine." She assured them. Her dad finished with the tea and left them alone. Ino waited until she heard his footsteps fade from the hall and then leaned forward, locking eyes with Choji and then Shikamaru.

"When are we going to go?" She urged. They weren't surprised by her question. Sure they came to check on her, but she knew the real reason why they came to her house. She had been thinking about it since she first woke up and saw Asuma in his coma. The boys didn't say anything to her about it when they visited, but she saw the question behind their worried smiles and words. Her chakra coils were still recovering, but she would be damned if they left her behind and set out to find Akatsuki without her.

"Get your stuff ready after the funeral tomorrow. We'll leave early the day after. Make sure you shake that ANBU following you and we'll meet at the gate"

She nodded, taking a sip of her hot honeyed sweetened tea. Choji looked over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone before reaching down, into his deep pockets to pull something out. Ino almost dropped her porcelain cup when she saw what it was.

"Choji…" She reached out and tentatively touched the red scroll. "How did—"

"Raido had it but I managed to get it back from him before we came back. The one they have locked away is a forgery." He told her. Ino frowned.

"But they did tests on it and—"

"Just…don't ask how we did it okay? And keep it safe." Choji whispered to her. Shikamaru's caught her wrist when she tried to take it.

"We'll give you this on one condition. You have to make sure at least one of us is with you if you decide to do this jutsu again. And you can only do it if we all agree it should be used." He told her. Ino's fingers tightened around the scroll.

"Promise."

The funeral was depressing and somber like a funeral should be. The common villager was left out of the secret that Asuma was really alive. But the tear she cried were real. If it hadn't been for the red scroll and Shoji's sacrifice, he would have really died. He would have left Team Ten on their own. He would have left Kurenai and his baby…The news still warmed her. Her Sensei was going to be a daddy. She felt so happy for them. Still, despite the joy she felt for them, she was still wondering how the scroll ended up in her bag. She had left it at home in her closet, she knew she did. It couldn't have gotten there by itself. But who put it in her bag? Who knew she would need it?

Now, standing shoulder to shoulder with Shikamaru and Choji in the ICU, she felt her heart swell and her determination steel itself. They were alone with the beeping of the monitors and his soft breathing. Ino set a basket of flowers on a side table, next to his bed.

"Sorry we're late." She murmured to him.

"What we're about to do might be completely insane, but you'll watch over us wont you?" Shikamaru asked. Ino slid between her two teammates and grabbed each of them by the hand to give them a squeeze. They took one last look at Asuma before slipping quietly out of the hospital and into the darkened morning. No one was awake save for the night guards, but they easily avoided them and made it to the gate. She managed to shake her ANBU watcher before they met up at the hospital to tell Asuma what they were doing. The early kiss of sunlight had yet to reach the horizon when they stepped across the Leaf Village West Gate.

"Hold it!" Ino's stomach dropped and her team whirled to see Lady Tsunade and Ino's ANBU standing behind them. Damn it, she thought they were took perfect caution not to get caught! "Where do you think you're going?" She shot Ino an individual glare before turning it to Shikamaru and Choji.

"Your orders are still in effect." Shikamaru spoke up. "We regrouped with different team members and are going to continue our mission."

The Lady Hokage scowled and took a step forward. "I don't tolerate selfishness!" She stalked forward trying to reign in her temper. "Shikamaru, I'll add you to a platoon I've organized personally. I'll deploy you once we've come up with a sound plan." She reasoned.

"Just send them as back up later." Shikamaru almost scoffed. "I've already got a plan worked out for the three of us." He told her stubbornly.

"Enough!" The Hokage yelled making her and Choji jump at the heat. "Asuma won't be there. It's just the three of you now!"

Shikamaru sighed. "Asuma is still with us."

Ino smiled at that before the Hokage's little growl made it evaporate. "You're putting revenge before common sense? This isn't like you at all. You'll die out there!" The Hokage protested.

Ino felt Shikamaru's irritation darken his chakra. "We're not stupid enough to go out there planning to die. It's just…" He reached into his pocket and pulled something shiny and small.

"It's just what?" Lady Tsunade prompted.

"If I let it go like this, I'd live the rest of my life regretting it." Ino glanced down in surprise at Asuma's lighter in Shikamaru's possession. He lit it and the small flame bathed his face in light. She could see the hardness in his eyes and the look of confidence. "And I can't think of a more troublesome way to live."

Lady Tsunade's eyes softened a little. "Grow up. Ninja will always be surrounded by death and close call deaths. Some deaths are harder to deal with than others, but you have no future if you can't get over them."

Shikamaru closed the lid and the light cut out. "Carrying this lighter that Asuma-sensei gave me, I feel like he's nearby and not stuck in a coma. He's watching us and protecting us. I feel like he won't ever wake up unless we've settled things."

"Get real. There are only three of you!" She tried again. Ino knew she wasn't at her strongest, but Shikamaru took everything they were into account. He told them his plans and what could happen. Her team stayed up all night to go over and over and over his plan. She knew they were constricted, but they had to try. They had to trust Shikamaru and his brilliant strategic mind. Asuma would have. "Platoons are a four man cell—" She felt him before he spoke. His chakra was a lot like Sasuke's was before his cursed seal. Steady, controlled, deadly quiet.

"So you just need a fourth member, correct?" Kakashi's low drawl perked her ears. She flushed a little when she remembered the way he sounded when he told Anko-sensei that she smelled like cherry-vanilla. She remembered the way his fingers moved across her flesh when he sealed her mark. A little smile pulled at her lips. He was always late according to Sakura and Naruto, but to her, this was good timing.

"Kakashi-sensei?" She looked into the shadows and saw him casually leaning against a pillar with his arms folded. He pushed off and walked slowly to them. "I'll serve as captain for Team Ten. How's that sound? "

"Kakashi what are…?" Lady Tsunade eyed him.

"They're going to go anyway. If you assigned me as their captain, I'll keep an eye on them." He leaned down to whisper to the Hokage, but her team could hear what he said. "And I'll make sure they don't do anything drastic." Like last time…Ino scowled at the way that unspoken phrase hung in the air. Gods, they needed to get over what she did. She would do it again if she had too! She would never regret what she had to do. She would always remember Shoji's sacrifice and always be grateful to him for keeping her sensei alive.

Lady Tsunade sighed. "Fine. Do what you want." She almost pouted. Het team smiled at one another.

"Kakashi-sensei, is Naruto going to be okay?" Ino asked. Sakura was still diligently working on her solider pills just like Naruto was working diligently on his new jutsu. Kakashi held out his arm in response. It was bandaged and looked a little swollen. Ino frowned, wanting to heal him herself.

"He won't need me around. I left him with Captain Yamato. So, Team Asuma ready to move?"

Of course they were! She grinned at her team and gave a wink to Kakashi. Akatsuki would pay for what they did to Asuma. And maybe Shikamaru was right. Maybe he would wake up once they were taken care of…