People who are Important: Book One

 

Chapter 2

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KNOCK..KNOCK..KNOCK…KNOCK! 'Leave me alone…' Shia thought in her sleep. The banging continued against the door. Flipping over, the young girl pressed a pillow over her ears. KNOCK…KNOCK..KNOCK! The bangs were furious and frequent. Shia opened her weary eyes to stare at the digital clock on the nightstand. 3:00am! 'Oh dear Kami! I am going to kill whoever it is at that door!' she thought angrily. Shia was not a morning person, and most definitely not a 3am morning person!

"Shia! Please wake up! It's urgent!" she heard Temari's voice scream in between the banging. The young brunette dragged herself out of the comfortable bed, and threw a robe over her short nightdress. The banging only intensified as Temari's voice got more desperate.

"SHIA! There's something wrong at the hospital! He's stopped breathing! Please! Wake up!" the young sand nin yelled trying not to burst into tears. At that, Shia hurriedly opened the door. The tired, worried, tear streaked face of Temari greeted her. She put a hand on the older girl's shoulder.

"Let's get moving, you can explain on the way," Shia said. The other girl nodded as both of them walked swiftly out of the hotel towards the hospital.

"I don't know what's going on, but when Kankuro went to visit Gaara, he found him writhing in pain. He was sweating, and groaning, and his face was extremely pale. Then he just stopped breathing," Temari said, concern dripping off of each word. The blond looked at the younger girl next to her. Shia's face was contorted in frustration and confusion. The green eyed girl could almost see her dark eyed friend weighing out all possibilities in her mind.

"From what you're telling me, it sounds like he's very ill. That doesn't make sense because when I checked him this morning he didn't show any signs of illness. All of his internal organs seemed fine. That leaves only one option. He's been poisoned," Shia said knowingly. She saw the other girl's eyes widen in fear. They all but ran up the hospital stairs and into Gaara's room. Shia went immediately to work, acknowledging the brunette boy leaning against the wall, tapping his foot nervously on the ground with a nod.

She put a hand to Gaara's clammy forehead. He was burning up, and he wasn't breathing. Deciding to figure out the symptoms later, she placed a hand on his chest. She quickly rid the red haired Sand-nin of his shirt, and laid her ear against his pale bare chest to listen to his lungs. 'Nothing' she thought. She channeled some chakra through her hands, a light green glow emitting from them. Placing her palms against his chest, she prepared to heal him. After a few seconds he still hadn't started to breath. Her hands stopped glowing, one going up to the side of his pale neck to feel a faint pulse against her fingers.

'I have to get him breathing now!' she thought frantically.

On the outside she showed nothing but composure, so as not to worry the boy's siblings. She placed both hands down on his chest and pumped three times. Holding his nose, she opened his mouth and covered it with her own. Blowing air in, she quickly got off and repeated the process. She was going to save his life damnit! If it killed her! She'd never lost a patient, and she wasn't about to start now. Again she pumped his chest with her hands, covered his mouth with hers and blew air in. This time when she got off, she screamed across the room to a nurse who was standing nervously in the corner staring at her as if she were crazy to want to save Gaara's life.

"You! Take a blood sample and do a test for all the common poisons. I want it here in five minutes and no less!" she ordered. The nurse nodded and rushed to carry out the orders. Shia continued her work, trying desperately to get him breathing. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as her mind became clouded with anxiety. 'Please breath!' she thought.

Finally, the boy coughed violently into her mouth, gasping for breath. She shifted him into a position that was easier for him to breath in. His breaths were shallow, so she moved her mouth over his again, blowing in once more, trying to coax his lungs into functioning stronger. The other nurse rushed back in after two minutes with the blood test.

"I've got the results miss!" she exclaimed, more in fear than anything. Now that Gaara was breathing, Shia took a second to look at the chart.

Gaara

I felt two hands push firmly down on my bare chest. They pumped my lungs, and then something soft and wet covered my mouth, breathing life into me. I coughed and gasped for air, unable to open my eyes, or regain full consciousness. 'Tastes like cinnamon' I thought, as I fought to remain at least a little conscious. Shukaku roared for freedom, furious with the state of 'his' body, but I suppressed him with every bit of strength I had.

Shia

"Arsenic…" Shia mumbled as she glared hatefully down at the chart. She wracked her exhausted brain trying to remember the exact herbs needed to counter. Quickly she scribbled something down, anxious to make sure Gaara was still breathing, and examine him further. Something was not right about this. People don't just come down with arsenic poisoning like some kind of sickness. The thought of a medic poisoning one of their own patients disgusted her. She shoved the paper at the reluctant nurse in the room, who seemed to be wondering why Kami would bring her such bad luck.

"This is the list of herbs I'll be needing. Gather them quickly and be back here within five minutes, this is serious," she ordered sternly.

The nurse nodded fearfully and rushed away. Sure the hospital probably had an antidote, but her clan's medicine had fast, if not instant effects, so she decided to make it her way. Shia turned back to the redheaded shinobi on the bed. His breaths were shallow and labored. She reached for an oxygen mask, fitting it over his wheezing mouth, and sighing in relief as it resolved his struggle slightly. She could now focus on other things. Like getting the fever to drop. She turned to Temari and the brunette boy, making sure her face hid any signs of concern.

"Temari could you get me a bowl of cold water and a couple of clean cloths?" she asked. The blond shinobi nodded and hurried out of the room. Shia returned her attention to her patient. Again, she lifted two fingers to the juncture of his neck right beneath his chin. Not satisfied with the weak pulse thumping against her fingers, she glanced at the clock. Only three minutes had passed, but the nurse needed to hurry.

Temari hurried back in, with the cloths and water sloshing out of the bowl slightly. Shia muttered a quick thank you, placing the items on the night side table, and dipping one of the fresh clean cloths into the cold water. The icy coolness sent small tingles through her submerged hand, reminding her of just how hot she was, but ignored it in favor of placing the cool towel down on the demon vessel's heated forehead. She looked down at his strained features. He was in pain.

'If that damned nurse would hurry up I could end that pain!' she thought angrily. Suddenly she felt a soft towel against her sweaty forehead. She looked to see the brunette boy dabbing her gently. She nodded and smiled in thanks, thanking the gods when she finally saw the nurse scurry back into the room.

"Boil some water quickly," she ordered, kneading the herbs together swiftly. She had to get this antidote into him as soon as possible. The nurse looked confused. Shia growled in frustration.

"Listen, if you're going to be useless just leave! Take a bowl of water, and heat it with your chakra until it boils. Then hand it to me," Shia snarled, taking the now warm cloth off the boy's forehead and adding a fresh one in its place.

The girl nodded, rushing off again, but returning only seconds later with the small bowl of water. Once Shia saw the nurse's hands glow with chakra she turned her attention back to the herbs she was currently grinding. Another minute passed, feeling like forever because of the situation at hand. By the time she saw the steaming water bubble to a boil, the herbs had been ground to a fine powder. Thrashing her open hand out violently, she took the bowl and poured her herbal mixture into it making sure to stir it well. When all of the powder dissolved into the hot water, Shia looked around for a cup. Her eyes rested on the empty cup on the nightstand.

"Could you lift his head, and take the oxygen mask off for me?" she asked the brunette boy, "and Temari, could you take that glass in and run an arsenic test on it?" Temari nodded, and hurried away with the glass.

The older brunette Sand-nin lifted the mask off his brother and gently lifted the boy's head off the bed. He watched as Shia took some antidote into a small paper cup (like the ones for your bathroom) and lift it to Gaara's pale lips. She tipped the cup, allowing the warm liquid to slide down the boys throat. He swallowed, and she gestured for the tall brunette to lay him back on the bed. Satisfied with a job well done, she allowed herself to relax a little knowing that the antidote would kick in soon.

"So?" the brunette said, his voice laced with worry. Shia sat down in a chair next to Gaara's bed and let out an exhausted grunt. She smiled up at the tall boy, slumping tiredly against the chair.

"The antidote should be kicking in soon. His breathing is returning to normal, and his pulse is slowly getting stronger. I wouldn't worry, he'll be up by tomorrow," she said, glancing over to the sweating patient on the bed.

"Tomorrow? What time do you think?" he asked. She looked back into his worried dark eyes.

"Around midday. I'll remain here for the night to watch over him, and make sure he doesn't relapse. He shouldn't, so you can wipe that worry off your face. I know you and Temari want to stay, but I'm the only one with clearance to stay here overnight. I'll send you word of his condition in the morning," Shia explained. She smiled as relief washed over the older boy's features. He let out a long sigh as Temari returned to the room.

"Baki-sensei is going to test the glass over night for finger prints or any clues of who might have done this. It tested positive for arsenic," she said, angrily. Shia frowned knowingly. She was positive it was that doctor from before. 'Though he probably didn't touch that glass at all if he could help it,' she thought to herself.

"Well, whoever did it had to have been someone working in the hospital. Obvious, I know. When I got here the poison had progressed significantly through his body. That means it's been in his system for a few hours. The poisoning probably took place a little bit after we left Temari. We have to get a list of all the people working the night shift, and run through who would have a motive…" she said, but was interrupted.

"They all have a motive!" Temari screamed in fury, "They all want him to die!" the brunette boy placed a hand on his sister's shoulder to calm her. Her shoulder's relaxed a little. Shia remained quiet, calculating everything in her mind.

"You two should go home and rest. We have a big day tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I know who did this, but I'll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, get some rest, because I think it should be you two who interrogate him," she said evenly, still in deep thought. Both sand siblings nodded their agreement, and the boy stepped forward extending his hand.

"I'm Kankurou by the way. I'm afraid throughout this whole crazy night I didn't get the chance to introduce myself," he said smiling friendly at her. She lifted her tired navy eyes to meet his onyx gaze. Smiling she took his hand and gave it a firm shake, giggling at his surprise.

"Shia, Akito Shia," she said.

"That's some grip you've got there. That's good though, shows you're strong, and confident," he said, smiling, and not missing her dark eyes falter for a moment. It was gone as soon as it appeared however, leaving him to wonder if it was just his imagination. He suddenly felt like he was missing something about this girl. The eldest son of the late Kazekage brushed it off,however, feeling it was better he left it alone. He grabbed his older sister by the arm and proceeded to drag her from the room.

"Thanks for doing all this. I know it's late, or rather, early. It means a lot," Temari said, yanking herself away from him.

"Yeah, I guess I should thank you too. You truly did everything in your power to keep our brother alive…you're okay," he said with a sly smirk. Shia smiled, waving her hand dismissively.

"It's my job. I'm a medical ninja. I can't sit and watch somebody suffer. You two get some sleep, we'll get to the bottom of this tomorrow," she said, yawning quietly.

The two siblings nodded and Kankurou finally succeeded in pulling his sister from the room. Shia looked at the boy in the bed. He looked like he was in less pain. 'The antidote must be kicking in' she thought. He was not asleep, it was more like a strange state of consciousness that allowed him to rest, but allowed him to fight the demon inside him as well. The twelve year old medic felt her eyelids becoming heavy. After a few futile attempts to fight it she let sleep take her.