Gravity

Chapter 30: A Talk with the Dead

Izumi was feeling a bit murderous at the moment. She found herself often daydreaming of Orochimaru, murdering him slowly, clawing out his eyes and tearing out his tongue and torturing him for what he did to their pup-

Her Omega was furious and murderous. Izumi felt the same way, but they had to stay here for Sasuke. He had to wake up. If he didn't...

No. He was going to. He wouldn't leave her alone. He wouldn't make her the last Uchiha. She couldn't handle that. It would kill her. Izumi gripped her hands, and bit her lip. She wanted a drink. Something that would take the edge off, but she knew that was a bad road to go down on. Alcohol could be a nasty business, and Izumi indulged in it too much already when it came to Itachi.

Izumi heard some shifting from the bed. She chucked aside her thoughts and turned to Sasuke who was struggling to open his eyes. Izumi purred, soft and soothing, laid a hand in his hair and grinned.

"Good morning, Sasuke," she said softly. "Welcome back."

Thank kami. Thank kami. Thank fucking kami.

Sasuke blinked sleepily at her, eyes glossy, but his eyes were open and he smelled healthier. He smelled stronger. Izumi tucked him into her arms, hugging him tight. Sasuke's arms shakily wrapped round her, although he did grumble.

"Why are you hugging me?" He groaned. "You stink..."

Okay, maybe she did need to go home and get cleaned up, as Kakashi had suggested several times. But she hadn't wanted to go back home. Not without Sasuke. It was too quiet and lonely.

Izumi huffed. "You do too."

"Where are we...?" Sasuke slurred.

"In hospital. You've been sleeping off that curse mark." Izumi shifted, tucking herself against Sasuke's back, letting him sit up. She handed him some water to sip at, which he drank slowly.

"Right..."

"I'll get you caught up to speed when you're a little more awake," Izumi said softly. "But first how about you relax before we're bombarded by medics?"

Sasuke settled against her. "Yeah, I'd like that..."

.::.

"Are you sure about this?"

Kakashi frowned at Tenzo. He glanced over at the memorial, took in a deep breath, and nodded. "Yeah, I've put this off for long enough," he said. "I need to tell Obito."

He passed by Rin's, Minato's and Kushina's graves. Tenzo remained at the edge of the graveyard, while Kakashi sat down before the memorial with Obito's name engraved upon the stone.

"Hello, Obito. Sorry I haven't been by in a while. Everything's gone a little crazy."

.::.

"Izumi, what's the date today?"

She and Sasuke had talked for hours, she had told him about the exams, how Sakura was finally taking the ninja life seriously and putting in a good effort to train, how Naruto was training with a Sanin, how Kakashi was and how his pregnancy was going. She told him about the other third exam contestants, how Lee was poisoned, how Gaara had cured him. Her throat was sore by the time she stopped talking, and she had to sip plenty of water to soothe it. She grimaced at the question though, then sighed.

"It's our anniversary. Fitting we'd both be sitting in a hospital right now," Izumi said blankly, snorting harshly.

"Damn him..." Sasuke hissed, and much to her frustration, he clutched the curse mark. Izumi snatched his hand away.

"That wouldn't help," she said firmly.

"But what if it could? What if it could let our clan rest peacefully because I kill him with it? It could stop him from killing anyone else-"