In Sickness And Health ~Shikamaru~

Chapter 48

~Reira~

~Three months prior~

Hmmmm... I'm hungry. But this room is strange. I'm not really sure how long I've been sitting in the corner, just kind of chilling, but it's getting old. Where the heck are Hanzo and Atari? They better not have gotten hurt, idiots. It wouldn't surprise me if Atari got himself thrown in a hospital for pissing someone off and then being to lazy to face him.

Seriously though, about that food. I lifted my head and looked forward. Three people were milling around a bed in the middle of the room, all wearing white hospital gear. Now how on Earth did I get here? I stood up and looked around me. There was all kinds of neat hospital gear around me. Big lights, scalpels, one of those heart monitor machines. To my side is a wall of glass. On the other side I could see a man with all of his black hair pulled back in a high tail. His face is very narrow and he really has some sharp features. Well hello there, how you doin?

My own reflection was cast back at me in the glass. Ugh! My hair is almost to my shoulders! Note to self. Get hair cut. Hey, cutie on the other side looks... kind of anxious. His gaze it pretty well set on something behind me. Is it the hospital people around the table? Turning, I realized there was a person on the table.

"Three cuts of mesh needed, first mesh going in." The man at the head of table said. An operation? Wow, now I really wonder how I got here. Maybe I should find my way out and see if I can't find my friends. Turning back around, I meant to go for the door. But the boy on the other side stopped me again. Do I... know him? He looks really familiar...

My reflection caught my eye again. Hey! Is my hair growing at some weird speed?! Stop! It was past my shoulder now. It's not much loner but still, I don't want long hair. It's just annoying. Screw this. I'm going to find Those idiots and get this chopped off. I touched the door and felt a shock run through me. Ow! Why... why do I feel like... something is wrong...? Why... do I feel so alone?

There was a wild sound behind me, but the weird feeling in my chest prevented me from investigating it. What is this? Slowly the feeling subsided. The glass next to me... that man is at it now... he looks so... disbelieving... I swear I've seen him before...

He crumpled to the ground and I lost sight of him for a moment. He screamed. He screamed hard. What the heck just happened. The hospital people around me looked forlorn and hung their heads. ....Who is that on the table... I raised my hand to scratch at my head, only to find my hair longer yet again. I don't even care anymore, you're getting chopped off. Grow all you want you bastard.

The girl on the table. She has long black hair... kind of like mine. She's really pale, and tall looking. I stepped closer and looked down on her face. She looks like me. A lot like me. Maybe a few years older though. The flat line came to me now. Oh... she's dead.

Why is that man's screaming hurting me so much? What is this? I know him somehow. Once again, I went to the door and left to the next room. The man was curled up with his back against the wall under the windows. There were two other people now. A man and a woman. I know them too... How do I know these people? But my first priority was the other man.

I kneeled down and looked at him. His tears are disturbing me... I feel really afraid right now. "Hey." I said. "It's going to be okay..." But he didn't seem to hear me. Who are you? Are piece of paper in his hand caught my attention. Something was sprawled across it in...my terrible handwriting... Shi...ka..maru... Shikamaru... Shikamaru!

Memories bounced around in my head like a rubber ball some asshole kid had thrown way to hard. This me I am... it's the old me. This me died. and the new me was born when this man... this fantastic man came into my life. I know now... I know why he's so broken... I'm dead. And I know this is what I wanted... so I wouldn't have to hurt him anymore with my illness... but I can't let him stay this way... I need to show the same strength he's been showing all this time.

I reached out and gently touched his face. "Hey." His eyes popped open in surprise. But not because I spoke to him. Because the heart monitor let out a single sound. "It's going to be okay." And everything vanished.