Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind (Part 2)

A Week Long Journey

Within the murky grey area of consciousness that I momentarily existed in, almost asleep yet not quite fully there yet, mind drifting liquidly through thoughts that were between ludic and dream, I distantly registered a soft gasp, felt the weight on the mattress beneath my head shift suddenly. Kiba jerked up, breath catching, and I was pulled from my daze as his hand rested on my shoulder, shaking me frantically yet gently, "H-Hinata-"

I opened my eyes, blinking and sitting up. Did something happen while I was asleep? Did I miss something? Did she get worse? Did she- "Wh-what? What ha-"

Sakura was sitting up.

I blinked again, trying to process what was before me. She had her head clutched in her hands, breathing heavily before she lowered them, looking at them, turning them over, brushing her hair out of her face, looking around.

She looked at me, with bright green eyes.

"Sh-she's awake?" Kiba muttered, standing up disbelievingly, "Hinata, am I hallucinating or something?" Sakura's gaze snapped to meet his as he slowly climbed up onto the bed, "This- This isn't a dream right? She's awake? You're awake?"

I stood as well, reaching my hand out and brushing it through the ends of her hair, fingers trailing down the side of her arm, warmer, she was warmer. She was really sitting up, but she looked... scared.

Kiba held up a hesitant, shaking hand, scared to touch her, her staring at him before glancing back at me, that same sheer confusion and terror in her eyes, but he didn't seem to notice at the moment, "O-oh my god... you're awake?" he hugged her, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"W-wait-" she braced her hands against his chest, trying to push him away, "No, no, wait- stop- Don't hurt me..."

"Wh-what?" Kiba pulled her back a bit to look at her face, eyes beginning to water, and I climbed up next to her. No, no she wasn't okay yet, wasn't fully here yet.

She shook her head, "No, no, no this isn't real. This isn't real, I'm dead- I'm- please don't hurt me."

"S-Sakura?" Kiba's tone was heartbreakingly confused, "I-I'm sorry, did I hug you too hard? I don't-"

"Amor," I gently pushed him back so I could have better access to her, "She's in pain and confused. It's not you."

As soon as his grip loosened on her though, Sakura began to thrash, trying to leap off of the bed, "No! No this isn't real!" The terror in her voice was real, full of disorientation.

He quickly grabbed her again, pressing her back against his chest as I began to channel chakra into her, "H-Hina!? What's happening? What's wrong with her?"

Takumi jerked awake groggily, "H-hey, don't drain yourself, Tsunade should be here in-" he was on his feet in a second, "Sakura!?"

I shushed them both, then cupping Sakura's face in my hands and pressing my forehead to hers, her struggling coming to a stop as I focused on reducing her pain, strengthening her chakra flow, "Shh, it's okay. This is real. I'm here." Those words reflected back onto me just as profoundly. I was holding a living face in my hands again, living eyes peering back into mine with a pulse and chakra flow behind them. Her mind was there, I could see it slowly returning to her behind her eyes, fear and disillusion being replaced with awareness. Her soul was here, my soul.

Sakura raised her hands slowly to hold my wrists, eyes welling with tears, "H-Hinata."

"Yes, I'm here." I affirmed, my own eyes misting.

"I-I'm so sorry," she whimpered, "I-I died, I killed myself Hina, I killed myself, but you died and everyone was hurting so bad but I had no idea what to do because I didn't belong there anymore, b-but I-I-"