Yellow! (yes, I count that as a greeting) Tj-san here, back with a new story! hurrah!

ah, I really hope there are still people out there who will read this. I'm about halfway through the whole story right now but just had the feeling of needing to post. Technically this is the prolog, just the intro to the whole thing.

Warnings: ah, well, let's see...Yoai, of course, most likely some sex in later chaps (it's me, we were expecting what?) swearing, suggestions of torture and all the normal warning that come with me and my general oddness XD

Also...the pairing - it's umm, well...going to be a threesome? *beams nervously*

Discliamer: you really think I own Naruto? I can't even afford a cup of coffee!

...

Pain. Everything hurts. What happened?

Slowly Iruka opened his eyes to be met with the sight of white walls and the sound of slow, high pitched beeping. Something covered his mouth and nose; it smelt plastic and sterile and was giving off soft whooshing noises.

A breath mask?

"Iruka? Iruka! Are you awake?"

A deep bass, slightly hesitant, sounded close to his ear before a huge scarred face filled his vision.

"Morino-san?"

Iruka tried to form the name, but with the mask and his dry throat all that came out was a muffled rasp. Quickly Ibiki reached out and gently removed the plastic device, giving Iruka a moment to prove he would continue to breathe on his own before setting it to the side and reaching for a glass and water pitcher.

Filling it he carefully hooked an arm around the chuunin's slender waist and pulled him into a sitting position so he could help him drink.

Gratefully Iruka slipped the water, forcing himself to go slow so he wouldn't spill and get the other man wet. All the while thoughts swarmed through his mind followed closely by garbed memories of trees, blood, cold walls, pain and Ibiki's horrified face.

What had happened?

As if sensing the question Ibiki set the glass down and piled the pillows up so Iruka would stay in the semi seated position without any help. Satisfied that he couldn't hurt himself Ibiki sat back, still on the bed but no longer in the sensei's personal space.

"You feel alright?" the black eyes swept over him, a small frown Iruka didn't understand on the thin lips "They said you might not wake up for another few days"

Iruka frowned "They? Umm Morino-san –"

"I've told you to call me Ibiki" the thin lips tilted into a sad smile "After everything we've just been through it shouldn't be that big of a thing to ask"

What?

"Oh, umm, alright I-Ibiki-san. It's just that – well. What did happen?"

The question didn't seemed to faze the big Jounin, he simply sighed "They said you might not remember – least not straight off. Memory Repression it's called, it's the minds why of dealing with shocking or traumatic experiences. You'll remember with a simple jogging – though if I had my way you'd never remember again"

The last part was said so quietly Iruka almost didn't hear it, he didn't get to dwell on it though as Ibiki started speaking again.

"What do you remember Iruka? Let's start with that"

Iruka tilted his head "Uhh, I has being sent out with you right? Recon mission and you needed a trap and wire specialist"

Ibiki nodded "Yes, you were wonderful by the way; I've never seen such skill in the area before. You're a great credit to this village"

Iruka felt himself blushing and looked down, though the action caused pain to shoot up his spine, making him gasp and Ibiki to move closer. Reaching out the big man gently pushed him upright while rubbing circles on his neck, the pain quickly receded.

Sitting back Ibiki's expression twisted back to something close to regret.

"I'm sorry, I'm staling. The mission was a success; we got in, got the information and had just handed it over to the backup team that had been sent to meet us. Then it all when to hell. The backups turned traitor and had led the Stone nin straight to us, they handed the two of us over in the middle of the night, they gassed us so we wouldn't fight then they took us to Stone's T&I"

Iruka blinked, nodding slowly as the memories started to flow back, standing guard, hands tight on intricate wire lines while Ibiki stole the scrolls. The leering grin of the Jounin leader of the backup team as Ibiki had given him the bag. Watching the Stone nin hand the bastard a roll of cash through a haze of drugs. The sensation of being carried by rough hands while Ibiki was dragged.

"The whole mission had been a trap, their target was me, they wanted information on Konoha's T&I but thanks to you and our other trappers they couldn't get into the building no matter how many times they tried. So they had found some wannabe turn coats and had offered them a ridiculous amount of money for the job"

Ibiki sighed and looked down at his hands "My biggest regret is that you got dragged into what you had nothing to do with and for it I'm sorry. Though you should know the Hokage and myself are very proud of you, you proved yourself to be stronger than many for our Jounin these passed two weeks"

Iruka's eyes widened "W-what? Two weeks? I-Ibiki-"

The black eyes gazed at him with tried sadness "The Stone interrogator sent to break me, his name was Sno'u Mobi. Mobi's specialty is physiological torture as it has been proven in the past I have a high tolerance for physical pain and I have too much training in resisting genjutsu. So he used the last and only thing available to him"

"What? I- I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand-"

"Iruka" a scarred hand brushed over the covered head before the black eyes turned back to meet the brown ones "He used you"

The dark eyes widened again as a wave of memories crashed over the young man. Flashing lights, screaming, tables and chairs with chains, fire, water, blood – so much blood – shining pointed objects that just the sight of them had made his skin crawl with fear before they were plunged into his body and the screaming began again.

A cell, dark cold cell, the sound of dripping water filled it, echoed around its small confines. A wall made of bars, that had been the only thing separating him from Ibiki, but it had been enough.

Iruka had understood even then that they had wanted to break the Jounin, that he was just the tool to them. They would drag Ibiki in and chain him in the corner, making him watch as they tortured his partner. Than after they would put them back in the cells, flinging the half conscious Iruka just that far out of reach to the big Jounin, placing him where he could be seen but not touched, not held or tended to.

Iruka started to shake, wrapping his arms around himself he tried to curl up into a ball, tried to stop the memories flashing behind his closed eyes.

Gentle arms wrapped around him and pulled him close. Opening his eyes Iruka found himself staring at the dark blue uniform that covered Ibiki's broad chest. Choking on a sob he clutched desperately at the soft material, not noticing when the big man shuddered and pulled him even closer until his was laying half way across the wide lap.

Soothingly Ibiki smoothed his hands over the chocolate hair as he held the younger man "Don't be ashamed of this. You didn't show weakness once while we were there. Not once did you ask me to make them stop. Even when they drugged you with some sort of hallucinogenic all you said was 'sorry for being a burden Morino-san'" Ibiki let out a snort "Polite even then, whoever taught you your manners was sure thrall"

Iruka gave a chuckle as he desperately fought more tears "That sounds like something I'd say alright. And it was a civilian grandmother, she took care of the clan-less orphans, she was very strict and proper. Heaven help you if she caught you swearing or bullying"

Ibiki gave a quiet laugh at that, tightening his grip when the chuunin sagged tiredly in his hold "I'm going to lay you down again ok?

Nodding Iruka tried to hide his wince as he was eased out of the big arms and settled back down in the bed.

"Think you can stay awake a bit longer?" Ibiki gave him a question gaze as he pulled the covers back around the slender body, when Iruka nodded he took in a breath and stepped toward the door "Ok then, I'm going to get Tsunade-sama, don't fall asleep"

Nodding again Iruka watched as the big Jounin slipped from the room, leaving him alone with the beeping machines.

Sniffing he wiped a hand across his eyes, still mildly embarrassed that he had lost it, but thankfully Ibiki didn't seem to think less of him for it. A sharp tug of pain drew his attention to the bandages he had just brushed.

He was starting to remember the past weeks but he still had no clue the extent of the damage, though it must have been bad if Ibiki had seen fit to stay in the room with him when the powerful man could have been elsewhere.

There were wrappings over one side of his face, though it didn't cover his eye, so he hadn't noticed it till now. There were patches on his left cheek and forehead, more wrappings on his neck, down his torso and arms; moving aside the blankets was harder than Iruka thought it should have been, but it revealed even more bandaging on his legs.

He was swathed up like a mummy; thankfully Iruka was the kind to laugh at a thought like that.

Staring down at his hands brought on the realization that they too were covered in white linen – and he only had three fingers, as it seemed his pinky's were no longer there.

Hun, that's – different.

Carefully Iruka raised one hand till it was level with his face, touching the side of his hand cautiously with the other and wincing when the sharp pain shot through it. He felt strangely calm, though the rational part of his mind knew it was because he was still in shock. It would kick in sooner or later.

He wasn't looking forward to that.

Turning his hand again Iruka sighed. Yup, he was defiantly missing his little finger, on both hands. He'd heard of that kind of torture before but had thought it was always the thumb or pointer they cut off.

Maybe they were trying to prolong the pain – they wanted Ibiki to break after all and the fear that they would make you cripple or handicapped would be pretty threatening.

Iruka gave a grim smile. From what Ibiki said neither of them had said anything that could have been used, and since it seemed they were back in Konoha then they must have been rescued.

The sound of the door being thrown open pulled him from his thoughts as he looked over to see Tsunade grinning at him.

"So you're awake, bout time. Your kids are driving us mad."

"Hello Tsuande-sama"

Iruka smiled at the blond as she strode boldly into the room, her heels clicking against the tile floor "Hello yourself. You gave us a scare there, shutting yourself down like that"

Iruka frowned "What?"

Ibiki re-entered the room a few steps behind the Hokage and had come to stand back beside the bed "Hokage-sama, he still doesn't remember everything"

The blond frowned but didn't stop in her report check "Ah that's right, though it's probably for the better yes?" the hazel eyes flicked toward the dark looking Jounin before she turned back to Iruka "Mays well tell you everything – fill in the gaps. You tried to kill yourself"

Iruka started at the blunt statement but Tsuande only pressed her lips into a thin line, a grim look in her eye.

"Let me rephrase that. You tried to kill all of them, by killing yourself. According to Ibiki, you had managed to pry a nail from the cell wall and stabbed it through Mobi's forehead the next time they brought you in for torture"

A gruff cough brought the attention back to Ibiki "You threw me a knife and then ran to the other side of the dungeon, making sure they followed before you tried to set off a suicide blast. Luckily, since your chakra was so low it didn't work, just scared them long enough for me to get free and take them out. That was their biggest mistake. They hadn't touched me, so none of my strength was gone"

If the dark look in the black eyes and the sadistic twist in the thin lipped smile was anything to go off of Iruka was very glad he couldn't remember Ibiki's revenge on their captors.

A glance at the blond healer showed the hazel eyes hard with hard satisfaction. The look sent a shiver down Iruka's spine and made him very grateful the dark desires weren't meant for him; though it did remind him.

"Umm, T-Tsunade-sama?"

The Sannin paused in her task of checking the beeping monitors to turn her gaze you him, the light eyes soften instantly, he could see relief there with a thin veil of fear lingering, he looked down again, once more wondering how bad it had been for it to scare her to that extent.

"Yes Iruka, what is it?"

Not sure which one of them to look at he switched between them "I-if one of you could tell me – the extent of the damage? I remember bits and pieces but that's it"

Tsunade sent a pointed look at Ibiki, clearly stating that if he wished to stay in the room, he would be the one to report. Sighing Ibiki nodded before stepping closer to the bed again.

"First off know that nothing that happened will cripple or handicap you, we have Hoakge-sama to thank for that. As for what they did – I don't wish to go in to detail, the base truth is – pretty much everything they could think of short of permanently harming or killing you, though they were getting close to that. Chakra poison, drugging, and wounds from needles, wire and burning will leave nothing but scars. The most worrying wounds were from a drug your body reacted violently to, and from a torture styled after a Grass method of growing bamboo through a person's body."

The black eyes wondered over the bandaged shoulder and legs before the big man continued "The Stone nin didn't have bamboo so they used white hot metal rods"

The brown eyes grew wide at the information while the blond beside him gave a shudder.

"They speared the rods through your right calf, shoulder and wrist, also one through your left hip. But thanks to Tsunade and her team there will be no lasting damage to your muscles or bones, you just have to take it slow for a while and let everything heal before going back to chasing demon spawn"

The thin lips twitched upward when Iruka glared at the Jounin "They are not 'demon spawn' Morino-san" Iruka knew the big man was bating for a reaction and couldn't help but give it to him, to make up for the worry he must have gone through "Their mini, undiscovered psychopaths"

A snort of laughter came from Tsuande as she gently applied a new needle of medicine to his arm while Ibiki coughed to hide his laughed. Grinning Iruka reached up his right hand to rub at his scar. The action brought his focus back to the other important question and the grin slipped from his face.

Ibiki, who had been watching the movement, stepped forward to take the slender hand his big ones.

"Toward the end they – they were getting desperate. Not only has I not breaking, you weren't breaking. After everything they'd done they expected tears, confessions, and pleading to me to tell them what they wanted, but you weren't even cracking and desperate men do stupid things. They were trying to scare us, that's why they started small."

"It's the one thing I couldn't fix; though as it was just your little finger it shouldn't affect you too much"

Despite the dark atmosphere seeping from the two powerful ninja a thought flashed through Iruka's mind and he couldn't help but chuckle. The looks he got for it were pretty great too.

"S-sorry, I just had a mental picture of the kids asking me where I put my fingers and how I'm going to put them back on" he grinned while his superiors slowly gained amused gleams in their eyes "Least, that's what they said to Cormo-sensei when he lost his hand a few years ago. It was the first time I've ever seen him laugh that hard"

Tsuande was chuckling low in her throat, a smile now back on her face as the tense feeling disappeared from the room while the blond sighed "Ah, I've missed you Sensei, we need you sense of humor around here. Though there is one last thing"

Tilting his head Iruka waited for the blond healer to continue, the look she gave him was somewhere between amusement and bracing for impact "I hope you weren't overly fond of your right ear"

Iruka frowned and slowly raised a hand to the side of his head "My ear? Well, besides being rather attached to it-"

The painted lips grinned while the Sannin rolled her eyes at the pun. Iruka grinned back for moment then sighed "They cut that off to?"

"Actually, it happened during the fight – great duck on your part though not quite fast enough"

Ibiki was smiling softly and had settled back into one of the little plastic chairs by the window. How the poor thing was holding the big man's weight Iruka couldn't guess.

"But" Turning his head he looked back at Tsuande "That's pretty much everything. I have to go – if Shizune finds me I'll be doing paperwork till next week. Ibiki" the blonde's voice rose and the big man in turn glared at her "The staff tell me you've only left once in the past five days."

The raised brow the interrogator was giving the short woman clearly stated he wished to know how that was her business but the blond paid no mind "Come on, you're going drinking with me"

The big man made no move to leave his spot by the chuunin's bed and the hazel eyes rolled in annoyance "Your coming. Iruka need's some rest and if you stay here that won't happen. He'll be here when you get back"

With that she marched over and forcibly pulled the much larger man from his chair – Ibiki only looking annoyed that the fact she was as strong as him and more powerful to boot. Iruka stifled his laughter as the smaller woman dragged the big Jounin to the door, pausing in it to order him to sleep more before she marched out, glaring man in tow.

As soon as they left two nurses filed in, giving him smiles as they did another routine check while replacing the pillows and blankets. Iruka tried to try awake a bit longer – just until the girls left at the least – but now that the demanding auras of Ibiki and Tsunade were gone, the darkness pulled him under quickly, the whispered words and giggles of the nurses the last things he heard before falling asleep.

...

sssoooo? interested?

Thought this up on a walk home from the grocer a while ago. I'm going for shorter chapters in this one. Fix My Heart was fun but the 10,000 word length chaps was taxing on my nerves... *twitch*

oh, and the bamboo thing is actually a real method used, awful I know.

love is greatly appreciated and I am not above begging. PLEASE REVIEW! OH PLEASE OH PLEASE PLLLEEEAASSSEE!

Shale: *facepaw* your pathetic

Ryth: *beams* but I'm cute! *waves* later!