A Hole in One's Heart [Kakashi Hatake]

Chapter 77: I Remember

I'm having attachment issues... I cannot believe that this book is almost done now, and I'm just not ready to let it go yet. I've grown really attached to the plot and the characters. If you need me, I'll be off crying in a corner. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

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I was opening up my eyes, again. The first time was met with Naruto's concerned face, the second time with the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and I couldn't help but wonder what surprises would be awaiting me the third time. I don't know what I expected to see this time. Maybe the tent that I had fallen asleep in or more of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Maybe even a dark laboratory straight from one of my nightmares.

My eyes cracked open to a bright room. The walls were stark and the there was a small window leading to a little courtyard where the sounds of chirping birds sang. There was an IV in my arm, and the pulse of my heart was being translated into little beeps that echoed throughout the room and mingled pleasantly with the bird calls. I was back at the hospital of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

I blinked several times to get rid of the film covering my vision and tried to bring my surroundings into focus. I was getting to be a pro at this, this whole waking up from passing out thing. Actually, it's kind of sad just how good I've gotten at it.

My limbs felt like rubber or soft putty, and my back was unbelievably stiff like I'd never be able to bend over again. I must have been out for a pretty long time. Had the war officially ended yet? Had Naruto and Sasuke fought yet? I had no way of knowing for sure until I could find someone to talk to. Could I even talk right now? When I had fallen asleep in the medical tent, I couldn't. However, if I remembered correctly, Yugao had said that my vocal cords were simply in shock so they should be working by now.

"You're awake."

A soft voice came from my left, and it was a voice that I would have recognized anywhere. The corners of my mouth curled up as I tried to turn my head towards the source of the noise. Slowly, ever so slowly, my neck muscles started to work and my head twisted to the side until I could see a head of silver hair held back by a Leaf Village forehead protector and a mask. Two grey eyes gazed at me with gentle wonder. Wait, two grey eyes? That was right, Madara had taken Kakashi's sharingan, and Naruto had also used the same power that saved me to return Kakashi's original eye to him.

"What's it like to see things in 3D?" My voice was low and harsh with underuse.

He blinked dumbly, "Huh? Really, that's the first thing that you say after finally waking up? But since you're asking, it's pretty nice."

Panic constricted my air ways as he made it sound like I'd been out for years. How much had I missed?

"How long was I out?"

"About a week."

Well, that certainly wasn't years. A week was something that I could live with.

Kakashi reached over from his seated position by my bed and grabbed something off the side table. When I saw what it was, I could have kissed him right there. You know, if I could actually move anything more than just my neck at that current point in time.

The moment that he pressed the glass to my lips, I guzzled the water like I was dying of dehydration. Which I kind of was.

"Ana..." Fear flashed momentarily through his eyes, amplified by the fact that I could see both of them now. "Um, according to what Naruto said and Yugao's report, you had recovered after- after the barriers in your mind broke, but-" I heard his mouth snap shut as if he couldn't say another thing. This was first time that I had ever seen him at a true loss for words.