The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 69

Third Person's POV

The glass doors before Ashley slide open, the girl stepping into the increasingly familiar room and being immediately greeted by a chorus of good mornings from staff. Holding in a sigh, Ashley answers them all with one quick hello, before hurriedly turning down a hallway. She clutches onto the small bundle in her hands tightly, frowning a little as she heads towards a particular room, the girl seemingly on auto pilot as she mulls over her vague embarrassment.

By this point, it seemed that the hospital staff recognised Ashley. They greeted her by name and didn't even bother having her check in at the desk anymore. All things that meant that she had been visiting way too often over the last two weeks.

Kiba was only a few days away from being allowed to leave the hospital, and Ashley had been to visit him every single day. It was embarrassing that everyone knew she was visiting him so often, and yet, Ashley couldn't stop herself from coming.

There had only been one day where she hadn't been able to come, and that was only because Lady Tsunade has sent Ashley, Sakura and Naruto off on a somewhat easy mission. They had left early that morning and been back by late evening.

Even then, Ashley still would have gone to visit that stupid Inuzuka, if only the hospital's visiting hours hadn't passed for the night.

Ashley is unable to hold in her sigh this time, hanging her head and pausing with her hand in the air, about to pull open the same sliding door she'd been opening for two weeks.

"Ashley" someone suddenly addresses, causing the girl's head to snap up in surprise.

"Oh, Lady Tsunade" Ashley replies, not having expected to see the Hokage herself at the hospital. She blinks, as a head of pink hair peeks out from behind the woman. "Oh, hey Sakura. What're you both doing here?"

"I'm shadowing Lady Hokage today" Sakura grins excitedly, stepping out from behind the older woman, a clipboard and pen in hand. "I've already learned so much!"

Ashley tilts her head at this.

It had only been a week ago that Sakura had announced to Ashley and Naruto that Lady Tsunade had agreed to take her on as an apprentice. Both she and Naruto had almost choked on their ramen upon hearing this news, the two blondes secretly wondering if Sakura would survive working for such a woman.

Tsunade could be bratty and childish, with a wicked temper and monstrous strength. And yet, there stood Sakura, smiling so brightly, Ashley almost had to shield her eyes.

After a few moments, the blonde lets out a low chuckle and smiles back at Sakura in amusement. It was the first time that Ashley had really seen her friend smile since Sasuke had left, and while she herself didn't think she'd enjoy training with Tsunade, Ashley was glad to know that Sakura was enjoying it.

"I figured we'd run into you here" Lady Tsunade points out, something that immediately causes Ashley's smile to fade. She sends the older woman an annoyed look, though doesn't dispute the assumption. "There's someone who wants to see you."

"Huh?" Ashley asks, a question mark appearing above her head. "Who?"

"Come with us" Tsunade orders mysteriously, her caramel eyes twinkling as she spins on her heel and begins marching back up the hallway. "I'm sure you'll be relieved to see him."

'Him?" Ashley wonders, allowing herself to be pulled along by a still grinning Sakura.

The pink haired girl doesn't release Ashley's arm the entire way as they walk through the hospital, even when they enter through into the emergency ward. Ashley glances around in confusion, not at all sure who could possibly be asking to see her. Especially if it was someone here.