Torture

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

When Kakashi woke up, Sakura was still asleep, though she had somehow managed to become completely tangled up with him. He smirked and pulled his hand up lightly to brush her soft pink bangs from her face and tuck it gently behind her ear. After sitting there for a moment her heard a knock at the door and unwound himself from her arms and legs.

Standing and softly padding out of the room, he adjusted his mask and answered the door. Oddly enough there was no one there, Kakashi looked down and saw an ANBU notice, he picked it up and scanned over it quickly, Interesting. well not really, he actually rather expected this. Walking over to the gas stove he lit one of the burners and disposed of the letter. Pacing the room for a moment he then turned and made his way back to the sleeping kunoichi.

"Sakura... Sakura, I need you to get up. Can you wake up please?"

Sakura swatted at his hands and arms as he tried to gently jostle her awake. Blinking and bleary eyed she glared at him, "What the hell Kashi... I had a long day yesterday, you of all people should know that."

"Gomen Sakura, I need to take you to see Tsunade at the hospital."

Sakura bolted upright, "What happened? Is everything okay? More importantly, I everyONE okay?!"

Kakashi sighed, "Sakura, every one is fine. Tsunade wants to see you about Ibiki's findings..."

realization washed over her panicked features, "Oh, thank god. Well Lets go. She probably wants to tell me I am batty as early as possible so she can get to her sake."

Sakura got up and wandered over to her closet, pulling out one of her older outfits and looked over her shoulder at Kakashi who was still standing in the door way staring at her,

"I know it's not like you haven't seen it already, but could I have a little privacy please?"

"Oh yea, sure... sorry." Kakashi turned and closed the door as he left. he went and waited at the end of the short hall.

Sakura came out about 5 minutes later running her hand through her hair, "Let's go."

They walked out the door, Sakura turning to lock it and then they left.

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When they reached the hospital Shizune was waiting for them in the lobby. She led them down a large set of stairs and to the back of the building, Ah yes... the mental ward... Sakura cringed as the magnetically locked doors slowly slid open and closed behind them with a snap after entering.

As they walked down the halls Sakura could hear Juugo, the tall man who had brought Sasuke home that day so long ago now, screaming from his padded room, chains shaking, "Kill Kill, who should I kill next?" there was a pause and once they had passed the room he was being held in she could her the anguished pleading for his own death coming from behind the thick door. Sakura shuddered.

They finally reached the main office of this section of the Hospital and promptly went inside. Tsunade waiting behind the little desk, Ibiki seated in one of the chairs to the left side of the room, "So what's the diagnoses and prognosis Shisou?"

Ibiki's eyes widened almost un-noticably at her oddly bright demeanor, again he remembered that this was actually normal in a lot of PTSD cases.

"Well, we are going to start chakra therapy tomorrow at 2pm. You will have scheduled appointments twice a week. Kakashi has been assigned as your warden basically. You are not to go anywhere with out him, or some one he agrees to watch you. You will have to attend once weekly group therapy sessions down at ANBU's HQ, I do believe you know where and when that particular group meets seeing as you have had to accompany Sasuke in the past. Kakashi, Ibiki and the Therapist will give me bi-monthly reports as to your progress. Until such a time as we all agree that you are ready you are being removed from active duty. Is all of this understood?"

Tsunade looked around the room expectantly.

"Hai."

Tsunade nodded, "Well then, I guess you are all dismissed, I was informed that Tenshi wishes to speak with you. You are to go see her immediately after leaving here. Dismissed."

Everyone that was seated stood, all present nodded in parting and left the way they came.

Kakashi led Sakura out of the building and to where Tenshi was being kept at the ANBU emergency safe-house and stepped inside behind her. Tenshi stood and embraced Sakura,

"Haruno-san, I am so glad to see you are safe!"

"Yes, yes... I am safe as can be, tell me how are you doing? do you need anything?"

"There you go again. Even when you are the one in need of aid, it is always others before yourself. Truly, there should be more people like you in this world. If there were I have no doubt the world would be a much happier place."

"I don't know about that, I have a pretty bad temper among other things, but I do thank you for your gracious compliments."

"Sakura-san, I only have a short while left on this earth. I want you to know that you have made knowing that a little bit easier, your kindness and compassion have been a grace in my short life, and worth so much more than the condolences I garner from others upon learning of my condition... Thank you for treating me like the living, and not like the dying."

Kakashi watched on as Sakura and Tenshi spoke, she should have been a diplomat, she could talk her way into and out of almost anything when the situation warranted it.

When the two had finished their conversation and the goodbyes were said Kakashi escorted Sakura back outside where they were met by a group of five ANBU, "Kakashi-san, Kabuto was spotted just outside Otafuku Gai. We were sent to inform you of this and give you this. there will be 5 ANBU on call should he try anything."

Kakashi cursed under his breath and looked a Sakura who seemed to have shrunk considerably into herself, "Sakura, it's alright. Come on, lets get you home, ne? You can call Naruto and Sasuke... and anybody else you want to, 'kay?"

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Sakura nodded wearily and followed Kakashi back to her apartment. Damn did she ever need a nice couple of bottles of Sake and good banter. As soon as Sakura got home, she was going to call Anko, Genma and possibly Kiba over to drink themselves silly with her.

She knew from watching friends and loved ones who had suffered from PTSD before that she would have good and bad days... or as Sasuke used to say, bad days and worse days... either way, she needed to make the best of this. If anything else, her conversation with Tenshi had driven this point home. She would have to take it one moment at a time and work her way past all the bumps, that were glaringly apparent, slowly.

She watched Kakashi as he walked beside her, he looked to be deep in thought, he had Icha Icha out though, that was a good sign at least.