LOSS [ sarada uchiha ]

02

     TW: blood, gore

Uchiha Sasuke, being the notorious shinobi he was known for, had never felt so utterly terrified and helpless since the Uchiha Massacre. His mind was racing, wondering how this could have possibly happened; wondering how someone was able to break and enter their apartment without being detected. Both Sasuke and Sakura were highly skilled shinobi and could easily pinpoint an individual's chakra signature, so what was it that hindered them from noticing?

     "Anata!" Sakura's frantic voice snapped him from his train of thought, "we need to get Sarada to the hospital, right now!"

     Without hesitation, Sasuke scooped his unconscious daughter into his arms bridal-style, utilizing his single hand to support her back and his stump to hook under her knees. They vacated the premises within seconds. Sasuke relied on his agility and speed to carry him to his destination as soon as possible, meanwhile Sakura had pumped chakra into her legs to meet his pace, for she was no where near as fast as her husband.

     As the Konoha General Hospital came into view, Sasuke spared a brief glance at Sarada, his heart plummeting at the sight of her. Blood seeped from the wound in her palm, the kunai still embedded in her flesh—Sakura informed him that ripping it out could reinforce more nerve damage and blood loss—and there was also blood running down the side of her head. Black, blue, and purple bruises scattered the expanse of Sarada's neck and her complexion was frighteningly pale. If her injuries were minor, Sakura could have easily treated them within the vicinity of their home, but she insisted that Sarada needed a CAT scan to check for any cranial damage as well as ensuring that her trachea hadn't been crushed. There was also the possibility of her developing blood clots from strangulation as well as permanent damage to her vocal cords.

     Sakura swung open the doors to the facility, and as soon as her presence was detected, a group of nurses rushed towards them with a gurney. Fortunately, Sakura was able to page Shizune before leaving their apartment. With the utmost of gentleness, Sasuke carefully set his daughter down. As soon as he released her, Sarada was taken at once. One nurse worked to check her vital signs, as another rapidly secured an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. The double doors leading to the staff and patient enclosed section of the hospital parted with ease, and as soon as the gurney had crossed the red line plastered on the tile flooring, the doors immediately closed.

     Sasuke and Sakura were completely and utterly dumbfounded, still processing the terrifying events that occurred in their home—their safe haven—of all places. He wasn't sure of the thoughts running through his wife's head, but Sasuke couldn't help feeling that he somehow failed Sarada. As her father, it was his job to protect her, and she was so terrifyingly close to being killed.

If he had been merely a second late, Sarada would have been dead. Sasuke's blood ran cold, terror and grief coursing throughout his entire being at the thought of him and Sakura finding her body, lifeless and cold.

The sound of a sniffle ripped him from his negative, intrusive paradox. Turning his head to his wife, Sasuke's stomach twisted in anguished knots at the sight of her tears. If there was one thing Sasuke hated more than anything else, it was seeing Sakura, or Sarada, cry. Tears cascaded down Sakura's cheeks as her bottom lip quivered. She clamped a hand over her mouth to relinquish any sobs.

"Sakura..." Sasuke's voice was strained, his stoic demeanor slowly, gradually cracking and falling.

"I-I don't understand," She crept a whisper, her voice trembling. Sakura glanced at her husband with the utmost of despondency, feeling helpless. Her viridescent irises were bright red from her emotional turmoil, still glossy with unshed tears. "Hours ago...she was laughing. We had breakfast together and she went to the festival, coming home just fine. And now, she's..."