Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Or the songs used. Ha.

Chapter Three: Damn Emotions

"He's lost a blood, but we have him under an IV and an oxygen mask," the doctor said, sighing as he flipped through his clipboard. Itachi nodded, looking even more stressed than he usually did. I was put in a small leg brace, and now I sat in a chair, my newly administered crutches leaning on the seat next to me.

"Arigato," Itachi said bluntly, and the doctor nodded sympathetically and left us alone here in the Waiting Room. He fell into a chair and rubbed his temple, tense, with his two index fingers and his thumbs. I tried not to make eye contact with him at all. It would make me feel painful somehow, much more painful in my heart than in my ankle. But then, he poked my shoulder gently, and I shot up immediately, and he smiled sadly at me with his perfectly sculpted, slightly aged face with obsidian eyes that had little flecks of red in them. I closed my eyes and they started to brim with tears again. I hated my emotions and female hormones. They always got the best of me in bad situations.

"You alright?"

To me, the statement seemed like a stupid question.

"Not really," I sighed, leaning back in the chair, my eyes closed. Itachi sat up a little straighter and faced me by turning around a little in his chair.

"Sakura, if you're blaming yourself, it's not your fault. You, Sasuke, or that young girl didn't even know this was going to happen," he said sternly. I stared back at him, my jade eyes glossy with wetness. I suddenly threw my arms over the elder Uchiha, which surprised him, and he tensed a little, but when I started crying, he softened, and hugged me back protectively. He was like my older brother too. I felt comfortable when I hugged him.

"But...I just feel like I wasn't hurt enough. Sasuke didn't deserve that," I said helplessly, letting go. "Like...he doesn't deserve any more pain."

The last sentence just slipped out of my mouth, and Itachi closed his eyes and stiffened. The age lines on his face seemed more prominent. He let go slightly.

"He's cutting again, isn't he?" he said in a small, cold voice. I bit my lip, trying not to say anything. My eyes darted away from him, and I let go of him completely, messing with my fingers. Itachi glared at me, and I could feel the ice of his stare on my shoulder. "Sakura, tell me the truth. He's cutting again, isn't he?"

The second time he said it stung me like a bee. I sighed, closed my eyes and shuddered slightly.

"Yes."

"Damn it..." Itachi swore, cracking his knuckles audibly; the nurse turned her head at the front desk. I raised my eyebrows in a worried look.

"Itachi-san, please, I told him I wouldn't tell you—"

"—Sakura, this is serious! He's my baby brother!" Itachi growled, standing up. I grabbed his arm helplessly.

"I know, Itachi, but please..."

He gave me a withering look. "Look, if you can stop him, I won't say a word, alright, Saku-chan?"

"Hai," I whispered; my voice cracking as he sat back down. The door to the hospital was barricaded by Katsuo and some police forces, since a shitload of reporters were trying to gain entrance into the building to get the news on Sasuke. Damn retards...I don't even know why the press was born. They just spread lies and gossip to practically the whole entire world, albeit the fact that I'm Sasuke's friend. That was the only thing I wanted to keep secret to avoid friends under false pretense. Itachi put his hands under his chin and closed his eyelids, probably in deep thought.

"Sakura," Itachi exhaled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," I said bluntly, picking up a random magazine. The cover read Teen Vogue...it was that stupid American magazine that promoted fascism for those who weren't fashionable. I definitely wasn't one of those model-like people, with the perfect makeup to match their skin tones and the colorful eye-shadow and Victoria's Secret underwear. It was just too much, and I bet my pink hair wouldn't allow me to get into that business anyway. Kinda retarded, actually.

"Uchiha-san?" a nurse called warily, "Haruno-chan?"

Her small voice made me jump, and I shot up immediately, forgetting I had to use my crutches, and I nearly crumpled to the ground before Itachi caught me at lightning-speed. I shuddered and rasped out a quick 'thank you,' and stood there, in front of the white-clad nurse with my best friend's older brother. "Hai?" I said warily, adjusting the crutches' sizes.

"You may see Sasuke-kun now," she said, checking her clipboard. Itachi nodded curtly. "Room D234, fourth floor," she added, before Itachi and I could ever ask. Helping me a little bit, me and the elder Uchiha brother walked silently down the hallway, having what Kairi would call a 'dot, dot, dot' moment. It felt awkward as we entered the elevator, and I felt slightly claustrophobic as Itachi pressed the button to bring us upstairs. Again, the silence crept upon us as we arrived on the D-Floor, the private rooms' floor of the Tokyo Hospital. Since it was nearly four in the morning—I was supposed to wake up in exactly four hours—it was dead silent, and half the hallways were pitch-black dark.

I gulped as we headed down the hallway that read D220-240, and each door was either labeled or had a fresh board ready for a new resident. When we finally reached the 30s section, we found Sasuke's door, with the letters in fresh Hiragana and Katakana, Uchiha Sasuke, written neatly on the door. Itachi knocked gently, and a very faint voice—I had to strain my ears—mumbled, "Come in."

Ita-san opened the door, and I nearly dropped my crutches again. Sasuke was in his all-black pajamas, and I could notice the bandages on the open part of his buttoned-down long-sleeved shirt tracing up to the bottom of his neck, and up to his wrist. He had a bandage around his forehead, probably for the whacks on the head the dumbass gunman gave him. He was attached to an I.V. and had a nasal cannula in his nose, probably to give him oxygen for shock. Earlier, the paramedics said his heart was beating faster than normal after he got shot in the shoulder, by his chest.

"Sa...kura...?" he whispered, looking over at me. I felt the tears brimming in my eyelids, and I hurried carefully over and I threw my arms over him, and he groaned audibly. I backed up and wiped the droplets, mumbling a quick 'sorry...'

I sat on the chair next to his bed, and I patted his head gently. "Y-You alright?" I whispered. He gave me a very weak smile.

"I've been better," he stated nonchalantly, "I hurt like hell, Saku..." he said in an undertone, giving me a soft grimace. I stroked his hair—in a friendly way—and he closed his eyes weakly, but he was still apparently awake.

"I'm sorry," I choked, hating to see him like this. He cracked open an eyelid and smirked the famous Uchiha smirk I loved from him. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke..."

"For...what...?" he said, taking soft, heavy breaths. His dull, tired eyes gazed at me with wonder.

For what? Oh, I know many reasons why I should be sorry. First, I was a fucking coward, not even brave enough to stand up to the gunman. Second, I watched you get shot. Third, Kairi had the scare of a lifetime, and I just met her. Fourth, I got hurt trying to defend you two. Fifth, I was a worthless crybaby. Sixth...I didn't press you to tell me why you harmed yourself. I was weak. I was useless. You were the brave one, letting it all happen to you piece by piece.

"Many things." I compressed all of my feelings into two, dull, mundane words that the average Joe would say.

"Come on, Sakura, none of this was your fault," Sasuke murmured angrily. His eyes were lulling slowly. I looked over my shoulder and saw Itachi still by the door, sighing, leaning on the doorframe. He looked disappointed as he gazed at me dully.

"How do you know that?" I said in a strangled tone of voice.

"Because you were there with me. You defended Kairi and me when we were in trouble," he said bluntly, without hesitation. He gave me something between a grimace of pain and a scowl, which pierced me harder than any of the words he had said earlier. He then gave me a pleading look. "Sa...kura," he said, breathing heavily; I fought back the usual tears. I bit my lip and nodded for him to continue. His voice grew quieter. "...you're the best person I've ever known. And for that, thanks, Cherry..." he whispered, and with that, he lulled into sleepiness.

I brushed some hair off his face and sniffed a little, wiping on my sleeve. I sat on the chair next to his bed, and looked at his peaceful, pale and worn face, wondering what the true feelings behind the mask were.

He hadn't called me 'Cherry' since the first time he became famous.

It made me feel worse.

--

When I woke up, I found out that I was home. Damn it, maybe Itachi drove me home. That idiot...he knew that I didn't like coming home. I woke up on my regular bed, my leg propped up on a pillow, crutches leaning against the computer desk-chair. I was still in my clothes from last night. I gazed over at the alarm clock, and my eyes widened to the size of the moon. "SHIT!" I screamed, noticing the time was half-past nine. I was already half an hour late for school. I jumped out of bed, gasping in pain, grabbing my crutches. I pulled off my clothes, changed my undergarments, and tossed on an old pair of jeans and my red Indy Japan 300 t-shirt, tied in the corner. I quickly brushed my tangled, messy hair, brushed my teeth, took my bag, and limped quickly out the door, grabbing my black sweater. My dad wasn't home, thank God. He probably left late last night.

I took the nearest train to my school, and after a few minutes waiting in line to buy a ticket from the machine, I finally got on; leaning against the chair, breathing heavily. Some people were looking at me oddly in the train, but I didn't give a damn.

Once I reached my station, I limped fast, down two blocks until I reached Konoha High. I knew what class I was in now—crap. Iruka-sensei's language arts class. He would put me in detention for sure. I threw my bag into my locker, grabbed Flowers for Algernon, my pencil case and binder, and dashed to class, my eyes tearing up from the pain in my ankle.

"Haruno-san," Iruka said sternly, sighing and looking at me, arms crossed. He had an Expo Marker in hand, and I think I interrupted something.

"I..." I mumbled. "I'm sorry I'm late, sensei." He sighed, opened his desk drawer, and pulled out a pink slip. I grumbled something under my breath as he signed the Detention Slip, and handed it to me. I snatched it, and limped towards my desk, scowling as I felt twenty pairs of eyes stare at me in bewilderment. Ino-pig was whispering something to Kiba, and they started sniggering quietly. I laid my crutches on the floor beside my desk and pulled out my notebook and began taking notes diligently, trying to ignore all the passed notes and words around me.

"Yamanaka-san!" Iruka-sensei exclaimed. Ino jumped in her seat, holding a folded piece of notebook paper. He stomped over there, grabbed the note, and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "'That pink-haired idiot is such a bitch.'"

Damn it. He said 'bitch...' out loud...

"'Yeah, I know,' Kiba states," Iruka continued, getting angrier and angrier. "'I bet she broke her leg trying to kill herself.'"

I sunk lower into my seat, my face turning a furious red. I hated that group, always talking shit about me behind my back. I just wanted to rip Yamanaka's head off and throw it to the sharks in Tokyo Bay, if they had any. Then I'd feed Kiba to the lions at Ueno Zoo up in Tokyo.

"'Yeah, that stupid klutz,'" Iruka ended, outraged. He tore the paper in half and crumpled it, throwing it to the floor. He slammed his hands on Ino's desk, his face red with fury.

"Miss Yamanaka, Mister Inuzuka, all of you involved—I want you ALL to go STRAIGHT to the OFFICE!" he shouted, pulling the door open. It opened with a rattle. Ino's face turned stark-white, and Kiba was shaking madly. The pair, followed by several other people in their group, dashed out the door, and down the hallway. Iruka-sensei slammed the door and sat at his desk, his face in his hands. Half the class was now down at the office, or they skipped class.

"Class dismissed," he growled, and everyone ran out, and as I limped towards the door, he motioned me to his desk.

"Sakura, I don't know what's gotten into you," he said shakily, looking at me with a pleading look as a sat in a desk in front of his.

"..."

I was dead silent. I didn't know what to say.

Yayes! Chapter three is finally done! I'm sorry it was so short; I've been freaking busy lately. But don't worry, I'll update soon. I hope you enjoyed it, at least. I have left you all with a buddy I call the CLIFFY!

Hmmmm...I wonder if Sakura's going to tell Iruka-sensei about the Sasuke incident...wait until the next chapter!

Review please!