The Bug Queen

We Can't Force Her To Live - Shibi

He returned to the house to find Shino laying in the couch, Ino wrapped in his jacket, laying on him. He could see the anxiety on Shino's face. Shibi scooped her up from his son's arms without even asking.

"We're going to the hospital with her. Now."

They left quietly, Shibi walking beside his son, carrying Ino. She was so thin, she felt incredibly light compared to a normal person.

It was miserable, watching his youngest go through so much pain again. Their little family had already seen so much misery, and now Shino was inviting more in. But as his son walked beside him, watching the ground, he could see a lot of Kaede in him. His late wife was always so caring and loving, it was no wonder Shino was the same. He carried her spirit within himself, whether he knew it or not.

It was why Shibi came along tonight; he couldn't let his son do this alone.

They entered the hospital and Shino turned to his father.

"Dad, I can take her-"

"I've got her. Just go and find someone."

Shibi carried her straight to the infusion room. Although this was a different one than he had sat in with Kaede, it was mostly rebuilt the same. Two horrible weeks with her while she was dying, while his family had their two little boys.

The weeks that had begun with determination and, by the end, they knew they had to make a plan for her departure. Before she was admitted and never returned home. This place made his skin crawl.

As he waited for his son to return, Ino began to scream in his arms, thrashing weakly. He held her against his chest, rocking her and shushing her as she sobbed. Shino ran back into the room.

"What happened?!"

"I think she had another night terror."

And then, Ino gazed up at him, no look of recognition in her eyes as she weakly clung to his jacket. My god, she has Inoichi's eyes, he thought to himself.  But she was so thin, and so sick. How in the fuck was she still alive?

Shino scooped her up from Shibi, cradling her as he sat in the recliner next to his father.

"Did you find someone?"

"Shizune will be here soon. She's getting supplies."

Shizune returned a minute later with armfuls of supplies, setting them on a side table. Shibi helped him move Ino, sliding an arm out of the jacket so the healer could insert a saline lock into her forearm. The inside of her arm was lightly bruised, a sign of healing that was about to be undone.

She was so weak that he wasn't sure if she was even conscious. Shizune hooked her to a bright yellow bag and opened the tubing.

"I'll bring her a warm blanket. She's going to shake soon."

"Thanks."

She was so pitiful. Shizune returned with a warmed blanket, covering her and tucking in the corners.

"Ughh..."

Shino shushed her gently, pulling her up into his lap further. She began to tremble as the cold saline reached her system.  Shizune warned Ino but she was really warning all of them.

"We're keeping this one in. Don't take it out after you leave, you hear me? Or Sakura will have some things to say to you."

But Ino was too out of it to listen, looking as if she were on the brink of unconsciousness again. Shibi pulled the blanket up further, covering her unjacketed shoulder to her neck as she shook in his son's arms.