Teach me to love ~Naruto~: Chapter 1

Chapter 27: Phone call

Sakura tightly wrapped my arm up as we sat in the inn. It's been a good month since we went after the Akatsuki, and so far we have taken down at least three of them. It's been a hard road, full of injuries and losses. We thought we had lost Hinata for a minute there just today. In the fight against Pein she had stepped in front to help me out, and got a face full. The words ran over and over in my head. The last words she said to me before fighting him. 'I have always loved you...' What she said... she's a good friend of mine. I've always cared about her. But I have Charlie waiting for me back home .I thought about her as Sakura looked over my older wounds to make sure they were healing right. I miss Charlie so much. I miss her sea blue hair and sunny eyes. I miss her laugh and the way she fusses over every little thing.

"Alright. You're doing pretty well. Just try to avoid getting hit in the arms will you?" She said sternly. I nodded. She looked at me saddly. "We all miss our family and friends Naruto. Charlie is doing fine."

"But she's so prone to pushing herself. And she hates going to the doctores. What if she stopped going to treatment?"

"You just have to trust her." With that Sakura left to take care of the other injured ninjas. Hard times we've fallen on. Real hard. I sometimes feel like we have thrown into hell, and are fighting to find our way out. But you can't escape hell. It won't let you. I layed back on the fouton and staired at the ceiling. A young messenger ninja knocked on my door and handed me a letter. It didn't have a return adress, just my name scrawled in perfect cursive. I tore it open and found a small peice of paper that seemed to have a phone number on it. 817-240-1062. I looked in the envolope for something else, like maybe who the number was from and found... a picture.

It was of Charlie, standing tall and proud, her hair down to her chin, and a big smile on her face. She grew out her hair... nice.

I ran down the hall and to the public phone in the lobby. After punching in the number on the paper, I prayed she would answer.

"Hello, this is Charlie." SHe said.

"Charlie it's Naruto."

"Oh my God! ARe you okay? Are you hurt at all?" I laughed at her worry.

"I'm fine. Really. No serious injuries." I hide my arm behind my back like she could see it. "Are YOU doing okay? Did you see the doctore recently?"

"Yes I did. He said i'm getting better. A lot better actually."

"That's great! How does he think it will take to clear it up?"

"Well, it is cancer so it grows, but he thinks it shouldn't take any more than a month by now."

I was so happy to hear her say that. SO happy to know she was doing well. "I miss you Charlie."

"I miss you too Naruto. DO you know how long you're going to be gone?"

"Two weeks at the most. We still have to take down the last remaining members. But if that can be done fast I'll be home early."

She sighed. "Good. I'll treat you to raman when you get home."

"You are the best person in the world!" She laughed at me and told me more about what she had been doing the month I've been gone. She was spending a lot of time at the hospital talking to the injured ninja who come in from the battle. They always seem to enjoy her and love to here how she puts history. They esspecially like World War II. I told her a little about the fight. She got really worried when I told her about Hinata (leaving out the ove confession of course) but only slightly calmmed down when I told her she was being sent home, alive, but in intensive care.

"Stay safe, okay? I don't want to get a call saying you're being sent home in a body bag." Charlie said.

"I'll be fine. I love you Charlie."

"I love you too Naruto." We hung up and I stepped outside. It's not often we get down time around here, so we soak it up when we get it. Because we know tomorrow is going to be even worse than the last and it won't get better until they are all dead and gone.