Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Curative Career of Kaori the Ninja Nurse ❯ Kaori and Kakashi ( Chapter 31 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Kaori and Kakashi

After weeks of relative peace, chaos now reigned at the hospital. All staff members were on call. All leave was canceled until further notice.

Akimichi Choji and Hyuuga Neji were in critical condition. Choji's entire body was experiencing cellular breakdown due to the side effects of the special pills he took which were not only toxic, but also not meant for such a young shinobi. Dozens of wires, which were hooked up to various monitors, ran in and out of his body. There was little the medical staff could do for him except monitor his vitals, give him sedatives to sleep and analgesics to ease the pain.

In intensive care unit 7, eight shinobi medics attended to the pride of the Hyuuga clan. Four of them sat at the corners of a complicated seal system drawn on the ground. The other four stood behind them. The group within the seal, led by Shizune (at Tsunade's request), channeled their chakra in unison to mend the gaping wound in Neji's shoulder. Three hours had already passed and the four medics were at their limit. The medics on standby switched off with those who could no longer channel enough chakra to aid the critically injured patient. Hyuuga Hiashi had made it a point that the Hyuuga clan would not be happy if anything happened to their strongest progeny, even if he was from the branch family. Fortunately for all, the hole in Neji's shoulder gradually started to mend.

There were other less critically injured shinobi, like Inuzuka Kiba and his little dog Akamaru. They still had to stay in bed but were luckily out of danger. Shiranui Genma had been released, but his comrade Namiashi Raidou was forced to stay behind another day as his injuries were more serious.

Hokage Tsunade was unusually studious and industrious these days. It was always a tragedy when one of their own died on a mission, but it was a worse tragedy if they were brought in alive and nothing could be done to heal them. She, the legendary medic nin, was not going to let anyone die on her watch, especially not the young shinobi who represented the future of Konoha. She consulted her medical texts over and over, calling for various ingredients including deer antler and exotic herbs which she ground together. She added solvent to extract the active ingredients, and then reduced the solvent to concentrate the solution. There would be no time to test the antidote for Choji's condition; Tsunade prayed that it would work.

Head Nurse Kuchiki Kaori always felt useless at times like these. She had neither the chakra or talent to truly help with the critical cases. All she could do was run errands like getting Tsunade her esoteric ingredients. Still she did the best that she could to keep everything running as smoothly as possible, which included scheduling breaks for her staff and rotating people, having some of them rest, but still on call for any further emergencies. She made sure the less critical patients were taking their medication regularly, and were comfortable and had everything they needed. She tried to keep their spirits up by being cheerful, patient and understanding, even though she nearly bit through her lip when dealing with the presumptuous and demanding Hyuuga clan.

What distracted her from her perfect work were the rumors. Uchiha Sasuke had left the village, became a missing nin, and those critically injured boys currently on the verge of death had been trying to bring him back. Were their lives worth less than that selfish brat who thought nothing of his village and comrades, who yearned only for and lived only for revenge? Whispers blamed his sensei who did not see it coming, who did nothing to prevent it. Just like all those years ago when Orochimaru left. There were those back then, and even now, who blamed Sandaime. If only he had killed his former pupil, then Orochimaru would not have returned just months ago to wreak further havoc and destruction. It was one of the very few, but very black, blights on Sandaime's record as hokage.

“Did you hear? Uchiha-Sasuke's gone rogue!”

“Uchiha Sasuke? That poor orphaned boy?”

“Who was his sensei?”

“That Hatake Kakashi. You know, the one who got his teammate killed and stole his sharingan.”

“So he ruined another Uchiha?”

“What was Kakashi doing with him all this time?”

“Probably left him alone mostly.”

“Some sensei he is. Probably corrupted the poor boy. Reading those porn books in front of him. Shameless!”

“Didn't watch over the kid at all. That lazy bastard's always just concerned with himself.”

Kaori had to keep her temper around those who dared to say bad things about Kakashi. Despite her resolve to give up on him, she couldn't help having lingering feelings. Each time she heard something negative about him, her feelings were magnified. She wanted very badly to defend him to his detractors. How could they blame him? The boy was disturbed, ever since the massacre. It was noted in his Academy records, and the medical records recommended counseling. But no one had the time or expertise to counsel trouble young shinobi. The only thing they did at the Academy was give a general class on how to deal with death. What did they expect? It was not in Kakashi's job description to be a psychiatrist. She was sure he did the best that he could under the circumstances. But Kaori said nothing for fear of getting into a heated hysterical argument and for fear that people would think she was in love with Kakashi. She could not help but worry about what other people thought of her, what they said about her. So she bore Otoha's and others' gossip in silence, but she hated herself for lacking the courage to defend the man she still loved. She was a coward and she knew it.

The most recent rumors were that Kakashi was now in pursuit of his wayward genin. Of the team sent to pursue Sasuke, all but Naruto had returned, and all injured. There were speculations that the idiot Naruto had been done in by his superior teammate. Kaori prayed for everyone's sake that Kakashi would find Sasuke and Naruto and bring them back safe and sound, and prove to all his naysayers that he was a good, responsible sensei, not the lazy indifferent, irresponsible slack-off that he was purported to be.

It was now well past dawn. Kakashi had been gone almost an entire day. Kaori was already at the hospital looking over the most recent reports. Akimichi Choji and Hyuuga Neji were now in critical but stable condition. It seemed that the Hokage's ad hoc remedy had worked and Choji's cells were regenerating. Shizune and the team of medics were finally able to close the wound on Neji's shoulder. He was expected to recover nicely despite the great lost of blood and muscular damage.

Kaori sighed in relief. Despite not being fond of either clan (The Akimichi clan had the worst, most horrific table manners and the cafeteria was always devoid of food after their visits. The Hyuuga clan would have made ideal medics, but healing was deemed a lowly profession compared to being shinobi.), the two patients were young and full of great potential, which always made it doubly difficult for her in the event of death.`Thank the heavens for the return of Shizune and Tsunade-sama,' she thought. `Now if only Kakashi would return with…'

The main doors opened and a team of medics rushed in, followed by Kakashi carrying Naruto, who was still unconscious in his deep healing slumber. Kaori quickly ran over to see how she could help. The medics called for a gurney which Kaori immediately provided. Two of the medics took the unconscious boy from Kakashi and rolled him into the ICU where there were more medics and nurses standing by.

Kakashi stayed outside the door silently contemplating what to do next. His head and back were bowed despite having been relieved of his 90 pound burden. He looked tired, defeated, and alone. He let out a long sigh that seemed to carry years of regret.

In that moment, Kaori realized that she genuinely loved this man. It was not infatuation as her sister and Shizune had suggested, nor was he the product of her fantasy as she had argued to herself. She loved him for who he was, faults, failings, idiosyncrasies and all. And he seemed to have quite a lot of them.

Breaking the silence, Kaori ventured to say, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Kakashi nodded and stood straight. “Please watch over him. I have a mission now.” She did not ask where the other one was, and for that he was grateful.

“Of course,” she said gently, wanting very badly to say something else, something more comforting.

He turned to leave.

“Wait…” She took a step toward him then hesitated. “It's not your fault,” she finally said.

He looked back at her as if her presence just registered in his mind. The pretty little nurse with the red-brown hair pulled back in a bun, it seemed she was always there at the hospital, each time he had occasion to visit. She was always ready to help, always composed, always offering words of comfort to her patients. “You would say that,” he said with a small smile. He turned back and disappeared from her sight without another word.

He knew he should have said “Thank you” instead, but words like hers were meant for someone who deserved it.

-…-…-…-