Sakura's gloved hands were lit by green chakra. She touched his chest, searching for any reason that he coughs blood. His eyes watched her closely, half closed. His breathing was calm as he felt the warm chakra on his exposed skin. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail and her eyebrows furrowed. The trembling in her hands stopped but she couldn't stop her worry for him.
Suddenly, her eyes widened in fear.
"Nurse! I need a nurse!" she scremead,
A nurse named Mio slammed the door open to her office. Her eyes fell upon the pinkette and the patient on the examination table. Sakura turned to her with tears in her eyes.
"He has hemoptysis caused by pulmonary embolism. The blood clot is huge, we have to remove it right now."
Itachi listened carefully. He wasn't used to the medical terms but he could say that it was serious.
"Take him to the surgery room. I have to get lady Tsunade's approval. It's the first time that I will perform a surgery of this rank."
"But Sakura-sama... Our doctors are avaible. They can do it."
Sakura moved her gaze to the floor. "No, I have to do it." she said with her voice trembling.
She hurried on the hallway with her heels clicking on the polished floor. Behind the corner, she bumped into the exact person that she was searching for.
"Lady Tsunade!"
The blonde wore a faint smile on her lips. She analyzed Sakura's messy hair and stressed eyes. "Shizune told me about Itachi. Is he alright?"
"N-no... I have to perform a lung surgery on him." she put her hands in her pockets, hesitantly. "I wanted to ask for your permission."
Tsunade crossed her arms to her chest, lifting her boobs sightly. "Why? Aren't there any doctors avaible?"
"Y-yes... But I want to do it. You gave me the duty to care for him. Now let me do it until the end." the way she said the last words, made Tsunade think that there was more beneath the surface that she wanted to show. She has never been so worried about a patient ever since her genin days when Sasuke was in the hospital. Could it be? Her beloved pupil loving again and finding hope? There is only one way to find out...
"Alright. Do your best, Sakura. I trust you with my life, so I will trust with his too." she smiled.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." the pinkette bowed formally and ran through the corridor, towards the surgery room. She pushed open the double door, and grabbed a pair of blue gloves from the table. Itachi was already laid there with his oxygen mask on and IV. His dark eyes were watching her every move.
"You are already back?" a nurse asked.
"Yes, I met with the Hokage. She was heading here." she said, not taking her eyes from Itachi.
"Alright. We'll do a general anesthesia. Mio, you do the anesthesia and Maru, you keep an eye open on heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. If there is the slighest change, tell me." she ordered like a real surgeon.
The pinkette got closer to his face, caressing his hair in the most gentle way and looking into his eyes. His breathing was calm. "I am gonna cure you... I promise." she whispered. "I can't let you die... I... I lo-"
"Doctor Haruno, the anesthesia is done."
Sakura blinked a few times to get rid of the tears. She straightened her back and smiled at Itachi "Alright. Now is time for you to go to sleep. When you will wake, I will be next to you, I promise."
He felt his eyes heavy, until her image blurred and was lost in darkness.
She went to the table and gravbed the bistoury with her trembling hands. Maru grabbed her wrist.
"Are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to-"
"Do what I told you and leave me alone." she ordered angrily, shooting him a glare. He raised his hands in defense and took two steps back, directing his eyes towards the small monitor with the heart rate.
Sakura exhaled. "Alright... Let's do this!"
*
Sakura was working for hours now. Her gloves were strained with blood, the same as her coat. She made small and careful cuts, her eyes moving to his face from time to time to make sure that he still lived. If the surgery will be a success, she made a vow to tell him how she feels. Every last detail. But no, she doesn't expect reciprocity even if she saves his life. She does this for him, not for selfish reasons. Her love for him can be described as the purest and most selfless love.
"The heart rate decreased!" Maru screamed, bringing her back from her thoughts.
"What? How?"
Her eyes scanned franatically the lungs.
"Dammit, an artery has a hole. He's having internal bleeding. Quick, we have to drain the blood to not spread further and heal the artery." she ordered around. "You two, pump chakra in him as much as you can."
"Understood." they said in unison and moved to both sides of the table, placing their hands on his chest. Sakura took a clear tube which quickly turned red as she drained the blood.
"We're going on flatline." Maru screamed as a long beep was heard through the room.
"Damnmit, continue pumping!" Sakura screamed, grabbing the paddles.
The paddles are pressed against his chest. His body jerked upwards at the electricity that was sent through his body.
"Vitals?"
"Unresponsive..."
She tried again.
"Vitals?"
"Unresponsive."
Again.
"Vitals?"
"Unresponsive..."
Again.
"Vitals?"
"Unresponsive..." Maru's voice faded. The time stopped. Her breathing was caught in her throat.
The tears soaked her face and she could barely see anything. Her hands were shaking franatically on the paddles. "I have to try again..." she sobbed with her weak voice.
Maru grabbed both of her wrists, shaking his head. "It's over... I'm sorry."
"No, no, no, noooo!" she screamed, dropping the paddles on the floor. She fell on her knees, besides the table, looking at his peaceful face and his chest that wasn't moving. Her trembling hand caressed his black hair. "You can't go..." she whispered. "I love you..." her voice broke. "Itachiiii!" she screamed.
***
Itachi felt like he was sinking deeper into the darkness. What was happening? Was he dead? Death was so... Calm and comforting. Totally the opposite of what he imagined. His body was floating and he kept his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation.
"Itachiiii!" he heard a faint voice in the distance. It faded with every second. That voice... It was so familiar yet it sounded so sad... Sobs? He could hear sobs. He opened his eyes and the only thing that met him were Cherry Blossom petals. There were countless pink petals surrouding him in this void. This clolour was... Beautiful. It reminded him vague of something. The memories started to fade and he couldn't remember.
He caught a petal in his hand, studying it. It was so soft and pure. It reflected innocence. He clentched his hand around it and brought it to his chest, smiling. It must remind him of something that really made him happy when he was alive. This is the after life? No memories? You just disappear? Who was he? He couldn't remember his name. The petals flew around him, making him smile. He still held that one petal to his chest, hoping to remember for only a second.
"I love you..." he heard the same familiar voice. It was weak, desperate, hurt, sad.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
He felt a warmth in his chest, expanding to his entire body. His heart glowed bright red, reviving his entire body.
He remembered.
"Sakura... I have to get back to Sakura..."
***
His body jerked upwards, gasping for air.