Shades of Grey

Chapter 45

It was a whole twenty-four hours before Kisame finally made it back to their home and headed straight for the kunoichi's room. When he opened the door, he was relieved to see that she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Itachi by her side carefully ringing out rags and replacing them on her head and neck. It was apparent that his partner had not even changed clothes since they got back. He still had blood on him from their recent battle.

"I'll take care of the kid." Kisame said as he stepped into the room. "You go clean up."

"I am not leaving her." Itachi informed him without taking his eyes off the sleeping woman.

"Look, you know how she worries about everything, the last thing that she needs is to wake up and see you looking a wreck." The large man reasoned. "You know that she will just blame herself."

"This whole situation is my fault." The Uchiha quietly replied.

"You know as well as I do that, she won't see it that way." Kisame reasoned.

"Fine." Itachi relented standing up so that Kisame could take his place. "Take care of her."

"You know I will." The large man assured his partner.

Kisame had only been in the room for about five minutes before the kunoichi began to stir.

"You alright kid?" The large man asked.

"My head is killing me." She replied. "Where is Itachi?"

"I sent him to clean up." He told her. "I don't think he has left your side since the two of you got back."

"I am sorry." Sakura said as she tried to set up.

"Easy kid." Kisame reached out and helped her into a setting position. "You need to rest. What are you doing?"

"I have to remove some of this poison." She told him. "The longer it stays in my system the more damage it could do."

"I thought that Itachi was taking you to the antidote?" The large man was confused.

"He did." Sakura confirmed. "But this is probably the strongest poison that you will ever run into. The antidote is not enough. It just keeps you alive long enough to get to a medic who is capable of removing it."

"Glad Itachi didn't know that." Kisame chuckled. "If he did, he'd probably be in a cell with Konoha after taking you to Tsunade."

"Will you move the basin of water closer?" Sakura asked as she smiled at the man's response. "Kisame which one of you threw that first kunai?"

"That was all Itachi kid." He told her as he watched her summon green chakra to her hand. "We each threw two more pretty much right after that."

"Why would he do it?" She winced a little as she worked on pulling the poison from her body. "I had everything under control."

"That is something that you would have to ask him." Kisame told her amazed as he watched the dark green orb of liquid growing larger in her hand.

"Done." She finally declared "Would you mind getting me something to eat? I need to let my chakra build back up, but I can't do that without some energy."

"No problem kid." He smiled down at the talented kunoichi. "You just take a little nap and by the time that you wake up I will have something here for you."

Itachi was stepping out of the bathroom just as his partner was stepping into the hall.

"Why are you not with Sakura?" The agitation was evident in his voice.

"She woke up a minute ago and removed the rest of the poison from her system." Kisame informed him taking a little bit of delight in the widening of the younger man's eyes. "Apparently the antidote is just a band aide until you can get to a medic."

"Why didn't she tell me that?" Itachi questioned.

"She was probably afraid that you would overreact." The large man goaded. "Not to mention think about how nervous me and you are about medics. Hell, she is one, she knows exactly what kind of damage they can do."

"Hn." The Uchiha agreed.

"Anyways I am going to get her something to eat." Kisame told him. "She had to use a lot of chakra to get that damn stuff out of her system. Do you want anything?"

"Whatever you decide on would be nice." Itachi nodded his head. "I will be in her room."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Kisame laughed as he made his way down the stairs.