The Wounded Deer

Chapter Twelve

Author Note: Wow, I'm really surprised. The Wounded Deer is on the What's Hot list? I'm really honored... I couldn't have done it without all the support and love I've received for this story. Thank you soooo much!

"Ow!"

"Hold still Kaede!"

"But it huuuurts!"

"There, all finished."

Ino stepped away from Kaede, allowing her to stand up from her spot in the chair she sat on to stare at herself from the bathroom mirror. Her gray eyes stared back at her slightly swollen lip that was sporting a small bruise on the lower half of her lip. Thankfully it wasn't very noticeable. Ino had put some antiseptic cream to help reduce some of the swelling as well as the throbbing pain.

"So how long will it take for this to heal?" Kaede mumbled, gently caressing her lip with the tip of her index finger.

"You can't rush these things Kaede, but it shouldn't be more than a couple of days." Ino replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"You do realize it's your fault I'm like this right?" Kaede frowned.

"What, how the hell is it my fault?"

"You were the one that forced Shikamaru and I to go in the closet. If you hadn't we wouldn't have-"

Kaede cut herself off, too embarrassed to finish her sentence. Her pale cheeks flushed a light shade of red as a mental image of the closet mishap with Shikmaru flashed into her mind. Unfortunately for Kaede, the kiss was more painful than it was enjoyable.

"Pft, if anything you should be thanking me. I mean c'mon, you've always wanted to know what his lips felt like against yours right?" Ino teased, nudging Kaede playfully.

Kaede scowled, gently pushing Ino's elbow away from her side. 'You already know the answer to that…' Kaede thought with a mixture of anger and sadness.

"Hey, don't you have to go to work today? It's almost nine." Ino reminded her.

"Crap, I almost forgot!"

Kaede rushed out of the bathroom and down the stairs to slide on her shoes that stood beside the front door along with her white lab coat she wore over her medical ninja uniform.

"I'll be back before supper, don't wait up!" Kaede shouted before shutting the door.

"S-Sensei, are you serious?" Kaede gaped, staring up at the large pile of books sitting on her desk dumbfounded. "Tsunade-sama wants me to study all these?"

"I'm afraid so, Sakura just finished reading these just a few days ago and Tsunade wants you to look through these books as well. Fortunately, they're all mostly short reads. She had been meaning to give these to you yesterday, but I told her you were out celebrating your birthday. So she decided to hold it off for you until tomorrow. Well today anyway…" she replied, laughing sheepishly.

'Great, happy late birthday to me…'

Kaede sighed before stepping on the top of her toes to grab one of the books from the pile and opening it. "Well, guess I better get started huh?"

"She actually requested you'd finish this in the library since this room has already been reserved for a few jounin for a meeting. Sorry…" Shizune smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry about it sensei. I'll get right on it. The last thing I want is Tsunade-sama chewing my head off for putting my work on hold for too long."

"Excuse me, huge pile of books coming through. Make way!" Kaede grunted as she moved left and right trying while trying to avoid running into anyone in her way. The fact that the books were blocking what was in front of her didn't make her job any easier, if not more tedious.