My Sunshine

Just In Time - Ino

Ino opened her eyes groggily. She was in the hospital. Even though she was too weak to turn her head, she could sense others in the room. She felt Sai's chakra next to her. He was asleep, but he was here.

"Hey, Ino-Pig."

"Billboard... Brow..."

"I'm glad you're awake; you've had a hell of an afternoon. Do you remember any of it?"

Her head was foggy.

"I remember... fighting a man... and then intense pain..."

Her throat was sore from screaming. She tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through her chest. It didn't matter: she was too weak to get up anyway.

"Ughh..."

This woke Sai up in a panic.

"Ino! How are you feeling?"

"Horrible...."

Sai gazed at her with worried eyes. He had been crying. She wanted so badly to comfort him, but she couldn't move. Sakura spoke as Ino gazed at her husband.

"Don't push yourself. The kunai you were sliced with was poisoned with Firethorn. All of the barbs are out, but the pain from the barbs and the weakness are going to stick around for a few days. The poison is still dissipating from your system."

Suddenly, she remembered why she was fighting.

"HARU!"

"She's okay. She's actually next door-"

"I'm okay. I love you, Ino!"

Ino wanted to cry. She could hear that her voice was almost raspy beyond comprehension when she responded.

"Love you!"

It was all she could muster.  She wished she could hop out of the bed and see Haru.  She wanted to know what happened between Haru and her former captor.  Sakura kept explaining the situation, but she and Sai were having their own silent conversation with their eyes. She could feel Sai's aura, which was shaky and upset. She was trying to put calm in her aura so he could pick it up.  Even injured, she was calmer than he was.

"She was about to be kidnapped, but she pulled her kunai and stabbed the asshole in the back. She punctured his spine, but she's a little beat up.  She also has a broken leg. Mizuka's keeping Ryujin alive, though. I think she wants answers. And I think she wants him to suffer."

Sakura stood up.

"Now that you're awake, I'm going to check on Mizuka.  Ryujin is on the seventh floor, heavily guarded."

She left, leaving the couple alone.  Tears began to well in Sai's eyes.

"You had so many tubes hooked to you... It was terrifying."

"I'm okay.  Just weak."

"Is it okay to touch you?"

"Yes."

He pulled her into the best tight hug he could muster, holding her amidst her IVs and leads from her shoulders.  Her chest was completely bandaged.  That asshole cut into her chest above her breasts, clearly trying to kill her.

"Did the man get away?"

She was doing the best she could to conserve her energy so she could speak to her husband.

"No.  I was already behind him.  Seconds after he sliced you, I slit his throat.  I couldn't get to you in time, but he's dead."

She hated the fact that her husband had to kill a man to save her, but that was shinobi life.  She was lucky he was there to save her.

"Thanks."

He kissed her cheek carefully.

"I would do anything for you, Beautiful."

She could still sense the turmoil inside of him, and she knew it was because he couldn't get to her in time.  He was blaming himself for her being in the hospital bed.

"This isn't your fault.  You saved me."

"I wasn't fast enough."

"You were right on time."

She laid there as the man she loved as he held her close.  Tucked into the crook of his neck, she was able to give him small, tender kisses of love and gratitude as she listened to him cry softly.  They hadn't had any major issues in the last couple of years, not since she was kidnapped.  Kakashi had been careful in this time of peace to keep the dangerous missions to a minimum for everyone.

That meant that this was the most traumatic thing that had happened to them in a while.  But, they would be okay.  He took care of her, and now she would heal and center herself and take care of him.

"Is Inojin okay?"

"Yes, he's with Might Guy.  They're probably having a great time, kicking pillows and screaming."

She smiled, completely out of energy at this point. Sai could sense it.

"You need to get some rest, Ino-chan.  If it's okay, I'd like to hold you as you sleep."

She smiled as she nestled into him, feeling safe and comforted.