Where it Happened
part xxi

"Time of death: 0322."

Itachi's words rang clearly. Only punctuated by the steady flatline filling the otherwise quiet hospital room. He tried to ignore the way that single note echoed the hollowness ringing in his own chest. Like it was his own heart failing him.

The rest of the staff remained silent as they watched him. Waiting for what would happen next. Without a word, Itachi turned to the nurse beside him. He accepted the chart and signed off his name before he slipped out the trauma room without another word.

Up on the Cardiac Ward, all was quiet. This early in the morning there was only a handful of hospital employees. The charge nurse was behind the desk, observing vitals on the large, dual screen monitors. She glanced up upon his approach and handed him another chart without prompt.

"No change," was all she said.

Itachi said nothing before he headed into the room directly behind him.

It was utterly still. Everything exactly how he had left it less than an hour before. Only the heart monitor in the corner gave life to the otherwise stagnant air. Itachi stared at it unblinking. As if daring it to stop.

He didn't know how long he stood at the foot of the hospital bed, his eyes drifting from Sakura's still, still form to the heart monitor and back. She hadn't stirred, her figure so unmoving that he had to check the machine tracking her vitals again just to be sure she was still alive.

Still alive.

That single phrase was enough to make his own heart stop. Turn his blood to ice. Make his knees weak and collapse to the floor. Itachi didn't. He continued to observe the monitor silently.

At least until movement caught out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to find the sliding, glass door to the room lined with surgeons. Tsunade, Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, Naruto, Tenten, even Neji were all there. Surprising considering morning rounds were still an hour away. Half the surgeons were in street clothes. All were sporting worried expressions.

Steeling himself, Itachi peered at Sakura one last time. Still alive. Then he grabbed her chart and slipped out of the room. He closed the door behind him and held up his hand before any of them could speak. "She is still unconscious but stable," he told them quietly.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the group. The tension, however, still lingered. Questions of how and why and what were all playing on the tips of their tongues, but Tsunade was the first to speak. "What happened?"

"Sakura had a Pulmonary Embolism. It started as Deep Vein Thrombosis but the blood clot that formed in her leg dislodged and went through her heart and into her lungs," he explained. "I performed an ultrasound and found another clot behind her knee that was significantly larger. Had that one followed the same path as the first, she likely would not have survived."

If anyone noticed how his voice began to betray him at the end, no one hinted at it. Everyone seemed to be in varying states of shock. They were all surgeons here. They all understood the medicine, but it didn't make it any easier to process.

Itachi cleared his throat before continuing, "I have started her on an emergency thrombolytics to break down the clot, and I will keep her under close surveillance until it is gone."

Ino shook her head slowly. "I spoke with Sakura this morning. She was fine," she said. Her voice wavered slightly, prompting Shikamaru to rest a comforting hand between her shoulder blades. "How could a clot have formed that quickly?"

"She was at her desk most of the day," Itachi said.

"If she has a clotting disorder, sitting for that long could cause one to form," Kakashi murmured. His gaze turned from Sakura's unmoving form through the glass to look at Itachi. "What were her coags at?"

"Well outside the norm," Itachi told him.

There were still a few labs to review but it was looking more and more like Sakura had a blood disorder. She would have to take blood thinners the rest of her life. A discussion he would need to have with her when she woke up.

"Sakura doesn't have any family history, does she?"

At some point, Itachi's eyes had automatically drifted back to Sakura, but he glanced at Ino upon her question. Only to find she wasn't looking at him. Tsunade shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted quietly, like she was disappointed in herself for not knowing. "She's never said anything. Have we gotten all her labs back?"

"There are still a few I'm waiting on," Itachi said when the Chief turned to him. "But we should have more answers soon."

They all fell quiet after that, each in their thoughts. The combined worry, though lessened, hadn't faded completely from the small group. It lingered over them like the quiet after a storm when the worst had passed but the sun hadn't yet begun to peek out through the dark clouds.

This time it was Naruto who broke the quiet. "Someone should stay with her until she wakes up."

To Itachi's surprise, almost all eyes fell to him. He didn't know if it was because they were aware of his relationship with Sakura or just because he was the Head of Cardio. Likely a combination depending upon the person. Itachi wished he could but with Sakura out so suddenly, his workload was suddenly doubled.

"I have to see to Sakura's cases," he said.

"I'll stay with her," Kakashi offered without missing a beat. "It's my day off anyway."

The trauma surgeon met Itachi's gaze evenly, silent understanding passing between them. Itachi had the utmost respect for every surgeon gathered, but he only trusted Kakashi to watch over Sakura in his stead. She would be safe with him.

Itachi left the Cardiac Ward after that. He needed to head back to the office to check Sakura's schedule, but he found his feet heading in a different direction. He walked without purpose as his thoughts filled with all the what-ifs he had pushed to the back of his mind while he fought for Sakura's life. He didn't stop until he was out the front doors of the hospital.

There, the cool morning air washed over him. Each inhale of icy breath was almost painful in his lungs, but he didn't care. It helped distract from the agony growing deep in his chest.

For the first time in his life, Itachi's hands shook. He stared down at them and clenched them into tight fists, trying like hell to fight the wave of emotion threatening to overcome him. Sakura was out of danger, he had to remind himself. But she could have died.

Thirty percent of patients with similar symptoms and circumstances as Sakura's had died. And while thirty percent wasn't the highest rate of mortality, they also weren't the lowest. Things could have gone much differently and it was that cold, hard reality that settled in his chest, making each heartbeat a little more painful than the last.

Hasty footsteps reached Itachi's ears a moment before Shisui spoke. His voice was a little breathless, like he had just run from the parking lot, "I came as soon as I got your message. How is Sakura?" His cousin took one look at Itachi's face and paled. "No, she didn't…"

"She's alive and stable," Itachi clarified.

Relief passed over Shisui's face before confusion took its place. "Then what…?"

Itachi gripped the metal back of one of the benches lining the path to the hospital doors. It was chilled under his hands and unyielding. He rung it harder. "She almost wasn't."

His words broke in the middle. Like they couldn't contain the weight of emotion behind them. Shisui just stared, a little lost at seeing his normally resilient cousin look so distressed. He hadn't seen him this affected since his heart surgery when they were kids.

"Hey," Shisui said gently, resting a comforting hand on Itachi's back. "It's okay. She's okay. She's alright."

Itachi pinched his eyes shut and nodded, unable to keep a few tears from escaping the corners of his eyes. Shisui didn't say anything as his younger cousin drew a handful of ragged breaths, only continued to rub soothing circles against his back. Both as a means to comfort him and fight off the early morning air seeping into his scrubs.

It was some minutes later before Itachi pulled himself together. He took a controlled, albeit shaky breath before he wiped his face and straightened.

Shisui dropped his hand but continued to watch him. "You good?" he asked not unkindly.

Itachi nodded. "Yeah," he said. He raked his fingers through his bangs without glancing at his cousin. "I should head back inside. I have a lot of work to do today."

Shisui said nothing as Itachi turned back to the hospital. The Plastics surgeon couldn't help but remember the time all those years ago when they were young and just kids. When Shisui had been stuck in a hospital bed with a failing heart and Itachi had spent every minute he could spare by his side.

Itachi was the greatest friend - greatest family - one could ever have. It nearly broke Shisui's heart to see him so dejected. He only wished there was something he could do to help.

Like a light bulb flickering on, Shisui realized there was. After months of pressing the Chief, she had finally caved and agreed to stretch the hospital budget to hire him full-time. He was officially employed now. Which meant he had the authority to use the interns and residents as he saw fit. And they were all needed in Cardio today.

It was time Shisui had his cousin's back like Itachi always had his.

"Itachi," Shisui called, chasing after him. That weary look was still on Itachi's face when he caught up. Shisui rested a supportive hand on his younger cousin's shoulder. "Tell me what you need today. Anything. I'll make sure it gets done."

##

Sakura awoke groggily. It was a slow pull out of unconsciousness. Like the kind when she roused after too many hours in the OR and too few in bed. Her limbs were weighted like stone, her eyelids even heavier. The pressure in her lungs, though no longer unbearable, was still there. A low groan rumbled deep in her chest.

"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Even still out of it, Sakura would recognize Kakashi's voice anywhere. She heard the muffled scrape of the chair against the tiles before he rested his hand on hers. "Horrible," she murmured. "What happened?"

With her free hand, Sakura slipped her fingers under the familiar fabric of a hospital gown to gently trace the smooth skin of her chest. She breathed a soft sigh of relief when there were no surgical incisions sliced into her body or broken ribs. They hadn't had to revive her.

"You had a DVT which evolved into a PE," Kakashi told her.

Ah, that made more sense than a heart attack. That would explain the stiffness in her calf, why it had hurt so terribly much to breath and why her chest still ached. There was a blood clot in her lung.

Finally forcing her eyes open, Sakura blinked a few times before she focused on the ceiling. It was cast into shadows but not overly dark. Judging by the light streaming through the gaps in the closed blinds it was daytime.

It took her a moment to realize she recognized this room. Only normally she was the one standing at the foot of the bed while the patient laid where she was now. The rest of the Cardiac Ward was currently blocked from her view, the curtain drawn over the door for privacy. That she was thankful for. She didn't need the entire hospital seeing her like this.

Finally she turned to peer at Kakashi. There was a strange look on his face. A mix of deep concern and incredible relief. She shot him a reassuring smile even as the ache in her chest continued.

"I had a pulmonary embolism," she repeated softly.

His fingers tightened around hers. His own form of assurance. "Your blood tests indicate you have a clotting disorder. Itachi has you on clot busters, but you'll have to take blood thinners the rest of your life."

Sakura nodded, slowly absorbing all the information, but she didn't say anything. She still felt so sluggish, so weak. It would be so easy to just fall back into the weightlessness of sleep.

"Sakura," Kakashi began slowly, "do you have a family history?"

She heard his hesitation, like he didn't know if he was asking too much. Didn't know if he was overstepping by prying for her personal information. A little ironic considering he was the closest thing to family she had. Besides maybe Tsunade.

Still, Sakura was slow to answer. "My mother had a blood disorder."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Wait, you knew you had a condition? Sakura, why didn't you get treatment? You work - you own part of a hospital."

"Don't yell at me," she frowned.

Immediately his expression cooled but his anxiety-fueled frustration still lingered in his eyes.

"I didn't know," Sakura admitted. "I never got tested."

Kakashi looked like he wanted to chastise her again but he refrained with a sigh. Instead, he brushed a few hairs away from her face with the hand not still clasped around her own. "You're lucky Itachi was there."

Sakura's chest throbbed again but this time it had nothing to do with her current condition. Blood clots were frightening enough but for her to collapse on him like that...

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Doing a consult, I think. He's covering your cases so don't worry about those," Kakashi told her. "He stopped by a little while ago to check in."

"I want to see him."

Kakashi's smile widened faintly with understanding. "I'll have the nurse page him. Just rest for now, okay. We've got you."

Sakura smile her thanks before her eyes drifted closed. The last thing she felt was Kakashi's thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand before she slowly sank back down into the comfort that was sleep.

##

When Sakura woke again, Kakashi was gone but she wasn't alone. The room was darker than before, the light peeking between the blinds dim like sunset had just passed. The curtain over the door was cracked now, letting a sliver of artificial light slice across the tiled floor.

Itachi was sitting in the same chair Kakashi had been. Only now it was pushed back some feet, out of the way in case of an emergency. Itachi had one leg folded over his lap, his cheek pressed to his fist. He was simply watching her. An utterly unreadable expression on his face.

Sakura smiled softly, a warm but unnameable emotion filling her. "Hey," she murmured, her voice rough with sleep. She cleared her throat lightly.

Itachi took his cue. He stood to retrieve some water for her, filling the plastic cup provided by the hospital with the pitcher left on the stand beside the bed. She drank her fill and handed it back to him before she relaxed back against the pillows.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Sakura rubbed her palm against her sternum as she inhaled slowly. "It still hurts a little to breathe."

"The meds might take some time to break down the clot," he told her needlessly. "But I can prescribe you some pain medication until then-"

"No," Sakura said.

She made to grab him but without her normal strength, her fingertips merely grazed his forearm. Itachi stopped nevertheless and gazed down at her. She reached for him again, her fingers gently grasping the hem of his scrub shirt.

"Please don't leave."

He looked like he still wanted to get her something to ease her pain but eventually relented. Grabbing the chair, he pulled it closer. Close enough that Sakura could reach out and touch him if she wanted. And she did. She rested her hand on his forearm, enjoying the gentle warmth of his skin against her cooler fingers.

It always amazed her how much warmer he was than her. How much strength his body held and yet how gently he could suture a heart. How he was so smart and so humble. How he had faced his own battles and heartbreak and still held so much affection for her.

Itachi was still watching her when she raised her eyes to his. She only had flashes of what had happened, but if there was one thing she was sure of it was that Itachi had been there. The whole time.

"You were there when I needed you most. There isn't anyone I trust more to have had me," she said softly, as if afraid if she spoke any louder all her other emotions would drown out her sincerity. "Thank you."

That unreadable expression of his slowly cracked piece by piece. A furrow appeared between his brows before a frown tugged the corners of his mouth down. That was all Sakura saw before Itachi was suddenly standing over her, his mouth sealed to hers.

Surprised, she sat wide-eyed before her eyes eventually slipped closed. She was sure she had horrible breath, but none of that seemed to matter to Itachi. He kissed her hard, demanding. His fingers dug into her hair a little too sharply and his lips moved a bit rough against hers but Sakura didn't complain. There was so much emotion. Some of which she understood. Some she didn't. She kissed him back regardless. Pressure built in her chest again, overwhelming and aching.

When Itachi finally pulled back, he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed, his thigh pressing into her hip through the sheets. Emotion welled in Sakura's chest and threatened to spill out as tears gathered in her eyes. He merely brushed his thumb over one that escaped down her cheek. Smiling softly, she leaned into his touch.

"You cannot do that to me again," Itachi murmured. "I promised you I am not going anywhere, but you cannot either."

It was then that Sakura placed that look on his face. It was fear.

She could only imagine what she had put him through, abruptly collapsing on him like that. The last twenty-four hours must have been hell judging by the exhaustion and stress etched into his face.

Sakura reached out for him, taking his own face in her palm. "The only place I'm going is home with you when I leave here."

"You don't have to rush, Sakura," he told her, shaking his head. He pressed his hand over hers where it rested against his jaw. "You have gone through a lot in the last day. You can decide later. After you've recovered and you've had time to think-"

"I already made my decision. Before all of this," she said, her other hand vaguely gesturing at all the medical equipment. Silently she thanked whichever staff member had silenced her heart monitor for she didn't doubt the machine was tracking her steadily increasing pulse.

"I want to move in with you," she said. "I want to wake up every morning to you and I want to be late to work because neither of us wants to get out of bed. I want to make out with you on the couch and stay up all night in surgery with you. I want to share a bottle of wine and swap surgical stories. I just...I love you," she told him with unwavering certainty. "I want it all. And I want it with you."

Her heart was in her throat but her hands had never been steadier as the most loving smile she had ever seen spread across Itachi's face. "And you will," he murmured gently. "Let's get you better first. And then I will bring you home."

He kissed her forehead before he reluctantly caved into her pleading and climbed into the hospital bed beside her. They were both so exhausted, so worn down from everything that had happened in the last day - the last month. They were asleep within minutes. Her face pressed into the side of his neck, his arms wrapped securely around her.

And that was how they stayed until the nurse found them the next morning.

##

Eight weeks later...

A moan slipped out of Sakura's lips. She steadied herself with one hand on Itachi's stomach, the other on his thigh as she spread her knees wider. Beneath her, he rocked his hips up in time to her thrusts, his fingers tracing the sensitive skin of her hips and thighs.

Their bodies moved together perfectly, that easy rhythm stroking the fire between them. Sakura had woken Itachi early for this. She had gotten home from a late shift at the hospital only a few hours ago and she knew she needed sleep more than sex but she had wanted this more. She would be tired later but she couldn't complain. At least not about this.

Looking down, Sakura realized Itachi was doing it again. That one thing that drove her insane - and not in a good way.

She slowed her pace to a stop, her hips resting against his with his member buried deep inside her. "Stop doing that," she frowned.

He cocked his brow. "Doing what?"

"Touching me like I'm going to break," she said. She grabbed his hands and settled them fully on her hips before she bent down to kiss him. "My PE was two months ago. I'm fine. I'm healthy, Itachi. I'm not made of glass. Now show me that you want me or I'm going to stop."

Itachi met her gaze without speaking, like he knew he had been doing it and was inwardly debating about whether to stop or not. "Fine," he relented.

Then his hands tightened on her hips before he flipped them over. He pinned her to the bed with his weight, causing her to smirk with satisfaction. A moan took its place only a moment later when he pressed himself deeper. She didn't miss the smug look on his face before he picked up where she left off.

Itachi gave her three orgasms after that, just to ensure he got his point across. Her legs were like jello. She had to use him for support in the shower, that proud look still on his face.

As much as Sakura wanted to, she didn't go back to bed afterwards. She had an appointment before her first surgery and she was already running the risk of being late.

"I'll see you at the hospital?" Sakura asked, grabbing her keys.

Itachi slipped his shirt on and began fastening the buttons as he glanced at her. "Do not forget we have that transplant this afternoon."

A confused look passed her face before it cleared. "Oh, right. I have a consult after my ultrasound but I'll have enough time to catch up with you before then." She glanced at her phone. "Crap, I'm going to be late. I'll see you later."

She kissed him goodbye before she was gone. Only once the front door slammed behind her did Itachi pause.

Wait, what ultrasound?

##

Itachi cornered Sakura after she finished her consult. She was headed towards the breakroom, intent on grabbing a large cup of coffee when he grasped her arm and steered her to a quiet corner of the hall.

"Are you pregnant?" Itachi half-asked, half-demanded.

Sakura blinked, utterly blindsided. "Uh, what?"

"You just had an ultrasound with gynecology," he told her. "If you're expecting I want to know, Sakura. It's only right as the father that I help with the baby. I want to help. I want to be there for you, in every sense of the word, including this."

Silence met his words as Sakura stared at him like he had grown a second head. Then understanding flooded her before her lips curved into a slowly growing smile. "I had my IUD replaced last week. It was causing me a little discomfort so they did an ultrasound to ensure it was in the right place."

It was Itachi's turn to blink. "You're not pregnant," he said, more to come to terms with the fact that all the worrying he had done that morning had been for nothing.

Smile still in place, she shook her head. "No. But I have to say seeing you fret is kinda endearing. Maybe I should get pregnant."

"You're laughing at me," Itachi frowned.

"I'm not laughing at you," she told him even as she laughed again. She raised herself onto her toes to place a quick kiss to his still-frowning lips. "I just love you."

Itachi was still looking a little disgruntled as he followed her to the nearby breakroom. Ino and Tenten were inside sitting at the provided table, each with a cup of coffee in hand. Sakura smiled at them without interrupting their conversation as she headed to the far wall.

"Although, don't you think we should get married before we have children?" Sakura asked teasingly as she filled a mug.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Itachi shrug as his pager went off. "So we will get married then," he said casually.

Sakura stilled when his words sunk in. Slowly she turned to look at him, wondering if she had just heard what she thought she had heard, but he wasn't looking at her. He was frowning down at his pager.

"I'm needed in the OR," Itachi said.

Then he was out the door, leaving Sakura standing there with her coffee half-made and her mouth partially agape. Still stunned, she glanced at Ino and Tenten. Both women paused mid-conversation to listen to Sakura's.

"Did he just...was that a…?" Sakura stumbled.

Ino openly smirked. "Sounded like it to me. Congratulations, forehead. I'm happy for you."

The blonde winked at her before she downed the rest of her coffee and strolled out of the breakroom. No doubt to go tell Shikamaru was had just happened. Sakura already knew the rest of the hospital would all know in the next few hours. After all, Sakura was finding herself as the source of most hospital gossip ever since that nurse had accidentally discovered her and Itachi napping together during her stay as a patient.

Sakura was still reeling when Tenten finally stood. "Maybe I should go stop her. At least until you talk to Itachi."

Still trying to pull her fraying thoughts together, Sakura nodded. But she wasn't given any more opportunity to think as her own pager sounded. She was needed in surgery too.

To her surprise, Sakura was called down to the same OR as Itachi. He was already scrubbed and inside with Kakashi. Both surgeons were hands-deep inside the patient, working quickly but effectively as the patient's stats continued to decline.

Sakura scrubbed before she joined them. "You paged both of us?" she asked Kakashi. "What's going on?"

"Car versus bicyclist," Kakashi told her. "This is the bicyclist."

"His artery is shredded," Itachi said to no one in particular. "Let's get him on bypass."

Without pause, Sakura stepped up to the table. All her other thoughts and concerns vanished as her focus turned to the patient in front of her. She didn't see or think of anything else beside what was in front of her.

Just as they had time and time again, Sakura fell into sync with Itachi. Where she suctioned, he sutured. Where he retracted, she patched. No words were exchanged. She already knew his next move and he hers.

"I have the updated scans, doctor," a nurse said, stepping into the room.

Without prompt, Sakura took over Itachi's work as he stepped away. The nurse held up one of the hospital's new tablets for him to review the patient's digital scans.

It was a new system the hospital had put into place after receiving a very generous donation from an anonymous donor. Sakura suspected it had been from Mikoto to apologize for the whole Sasuke-Izumi incident. Sakura had asked Itachi about it but if he knew, he wasn't telling.

Sakura finished double checking their work as Itachi stepped back to the table. "Everything looks good on our end. How are you doing, Hatake?"

Kakashi nodded. "As good as it's going to get for now. General will have to go back in later, but we can take him off bypass if you're ready."

Itachi glanced at Sakura. When she nodded, he gave the order to the rest of the staff.

The OR was quiet as they waited. Not uncomfortably so, but just idle as they all waited for the systems to switch over. The sudden lack of activity caused Sakura's thoughts to wander. Automatically her eyes fell to Itachi.

He noticed her gaze after a few moments. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No," Sakura quickly shook her head.

Still watching the monitors, he briefly glanced away to smirk at her through his mask. "I can feel you thinking from here. What is it?"

Kakashi's gaze turned to them then, mildly curious now as well. She had half a mind to just let it go, but her curiosity was burning stronger each passing second and they still had a minute or two before the machines shut off completely.

"Did you propose to me?" Sakura asked after a long pause.

Bewildered, Itachi turned to look at her fully. "What? When?"

"Just before surgery," Sakura said like it was obviously.

When Itachi just stared at her in honest confusion, she wished she had never said anything. She suddenly felt dumb for even bringing it up. A feeling that only grew stronger when Kakashi turned his head to peer at her more fully. The rest of the OR watched on silently as well.

Opening her mouth, Sakura was going to tell Itachi never mind - to end this conversation before she completely humiliated herself. Only before she could speak, stark understanding washed over him.

"Oh, that," Itachi said, like he honestly hadn't meant the words at the time. "I suppose I did." Then he cocked his brow. "Are you saying no?"

Shocked, Sakura stood there feeling much like the first time she had stepped inside an operating room - not exactly knowing what came next but still so excited. Warmth and unwavering affection for the man across from her filled her from her fingers to her toes.

She was unable to bite back her smile. "No."

"Then I guess that settles it," Itachi said. Even beneath his mask, she could see his own smile spreading across his face.

This was wholly and completely unprofessional but Sakura couldn't resist laughing as the OR suddenly burst out into applause. Kakashi looked like he much wanted to join in, but he merely chuckled and nodded his approval before he returned to his work.

Itachi was all Sakura saw.

She couldn't help but laugh a little as it suddenly occurred to her that this was the very same operating room where they had first officially met. Where they had argued and traded backhanded remarks before they fought like hell to save a patient. And now here they were again, doing the very same thing. Only now engaged and about the spend the rest of their lives together.

It all came full circle. Here in this room, where it happened.

end

And here we are together, where this story draws to its close. I'm strangely nostalgic about it. I loved writing this. You guys are so amazing. Thank you all for dropping me comments and love. I feel like we've all gone through quite the roller coaster together. But this isn't the last you will see of me. There are more stories out there to write and I hope to see you all there.

If you want to listen, 'Still Falling for You' by Ellie Goulding was the soundtrack to this fic.

Until the next one!