Standard disclaimers apply.

Chronicle--

III. Mending Wounds

The hospital was unusually full for such an uneventful time of year. Sakura, who was still only in training under Tsunade had spent most of the morning doing whatever odd jobs were needed to the doctors. After lunch, when things seemed like they might have calmed down, another round of patients – injured ninja – were rushed through the doors.

In the middle of the chaos of a room full of waiting sick people and bloody chuunin one of the doctors pulled Sakura off to the side. Much to her surprise he slapped a stethoscope in her hands and ordered to look after the ones that he couldn't. He smiled and pointed to an empty exam rooms and Sakura didn't see him for the rest of the day.

In a chair closest to the door was an aged woman holding her arm loosely against her chest. She was calm and composed, and Sakura decided that if she were going to begin seeing patients there was no reason she shouldn't go first.

"If you'll just come with me," she said, touching the woman gently on her shoulder.

The woman looked up at Sakura, frowning ever so slightly as she followed the small, pink-haired woman for treatment. Sakura didn't inquire about the odd look, hoping that the woman was only in pain. But with the way that the rumors had been going, she knew that the woman was probably thinking bad things about her.

The relationship that she shared with Kakashi had begun quickly, in the middle of a dark street one lonely night. It had grown since then into a love that she had only hoped she would find as time passed. They knew that there were people who would look down on what they had, and so in the beginning things had been kept secret. Of course it hadn't stayed that way for long, and Sakura had endured a lot of criticism since then.

"Have a seat and I'll get your chart," she said pleasantly. "I'm sure we can fix you up in no time."

The woman sat on the edge of the bed carefully so she wouldn't jar her injury. She stared menacingly at Sakura's back as she scribbled on the medical chart sitting on the counter. When Sakura turned back around, she was face to face with the same glare.

"What seems to be the problem today?" she asked.

"Sprained my wrist," the woman grumbled.

"Let me take a look at it."

"Where's Doctor Yamagawa?"

"He's tending to other patients," she answered, thinking back on the doctor that had handed her the overflow of patients. "I'm Har-"

"Haruno Sakura, I know."

Sakura looked away from the woman's harsh face, instead choosing to tend to her job. She took the wrist and gently prodded at it until she got an affirmation of pain from her patient. Comfortable with the prognosis, she set out to fix the problem just as she'd done with her teammates dozens of times before.

"You're his student," the woman says suddenly, halfway though the healing procedure.

Sakura looks up at the woman, shaking her head slowly. She says with a very straight face, "Not since I was a child."

"You are a child," the woman contests.

With a humorless laugh, Sakura disagrees. "Not after all of the things I've seen."

A dozen patients and a half-dozen hours later and Sakura was exhausted. She had healed sprains, stitched cuts, and set broken bones until all of her chakra and sanity was gone.

When Kakashi found her she was laying on a bed with the sterile white sheet pulled over her head. When he had passed by the room the first time he had mistaken her for a body until the nurse at the desk had pointed out that specific exam room as hers.

"You dead?" he asked curiously as he stood a few feet away. Even though he knew it was her under the blanket it was still creepy.

She peeled the sheet down to her nose and peered at him out of the corner of her eyes.

"Is the coast clear?"

"Yeah, things are fine. Come out from under there."

She looked past him and at the empty hallway in front of the door before deciding to uncover herself. She had decided that since it was the end of the night and things had calmed down, there was probably not going to be an ambush when she got up to leave.

"Rough day?" he asked while she straightened her clothes and hair out.

"Something like that." She gave him a look that plainly stated the cause. It was a problem that he also faced on a regular basis.

"You shouldn't let them get to you," he said, pulling her tight against his chest. "What they think doesn't matter."

She buried her face in his neck, savoring the warmth and feeling of comfort that was associated with only him. His scent was familiar and calming, just the thing she needed after such a long and chaotic day.

As they walked through the waiting room moments later, headed toward the doors and eventually home, the nurse at the desk gave them an encouraging smile. It was only one person, and only a subtle gesture, but for them it was enough.

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Note: Not terribly sappy, but I wanted to publish something else in this collection at least. Hope you enjoyed it.

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