my one in million

Chapter 7

Sasuke blinked repeatedly, listening to the monotone beep of the heart monitor and using its annoying rhythm to distract himself from the pulsing pain in his body. His arm was crushed, several ribs were broken, he could feel the stitches on his chest every time he inhaled from where a snake bit it's way through the flesh and bone. His head hurt, either he bumped it or he'd used his eyes for too long, he didn't know; what he knew was that the snake poison that had him reeling wasn't out of his system yet.

He'd gotten used to their poison, but Orochimaru's were always stronger, deadlier, and perfectly in synch because of the many years spent training with him.

Or whatever was left of him, anyway.

Sasuke blinked again, the image of the grinning Orochimaru-Kabuto hybrid still fresh in his mind. They'd attacked the village in broad daylight, suddenly and powerfully, nobody had expected him but Tsunade had planned well and within fifteen minutes, every available shinobi in the village had been on his case.

Apparently, he had been after Madara's body that had been kept safe with the Hokage, not even those close to her knew where she kept it and so she was the first target.

He worked in the tower and naturally was among the first to show up.

Sasuke sighed and shifted slightly to ease the pressure off his lower back where it caused his left leg to go numb.

He didn't even know why he showed up to defend a village he didn't care about or a Hokage he didn't care to follow, it was as if he was programmed to fight an opponent as long as there was one. He wasn't protecting Tsunade, he wasn't protecting the village and he didn't personally care if the creature lived or died.

And now here he was, hooked up to machines and wires and waiting for someone to come in and turn the lights on because he was too tired to get up and turn them on by himself.

Also, his leg was stiff and his toes numb, like blood had been cut off for too long or something…

At least now they have the comatose body of another enemy to add to Tsunade's collection. It took the combined effort of the old bag, her assistant, Sakura, himself and several others he didn't know the names of to take him down, it had generally been a good fight.

In a way, he was kind of proud to have been trained under such a strong sannin and lived to defeat him, but unfortunately, it wasn't all Orochimaru and so had new moves and jutsu unknown to him.

Sasuke sighed and squeezed his eyes shut in the darkness, uncomfortable with the burn of dry corneas and how, whenever he blinked, it felt like there was sand between his eyelids.

He'd probably lost a lot of blood, too. He remembered bleeding through the eyes, nose, mouth and several openings across his torso by the time the snake had it's mouth wide open over his breastbone. It was a little bit surprising to know that the old bag had bothered to heal him after everything was said and done, he always had the impression that she would leave him to die if she ever got the chance. His presence in the village was cause for much controversy and things would be easier if he disappeared, he was well aware of that, but then again he wasn't planning to do anything about it; he wasn't staying there for them, after all.

He was staying for Naruto, and until the boy officially became Hokage, he was going to support him in any way he could.

A door slid open quietly, bringing in the sound of humming electricity and a busy hallway, the sound ebbed away when it slid shut and a female stepped closer to his bed.

"Sakura." He said, knowing her scent. "Turn the lights on."

Her feet stopped by his side and she was quiet for a moment longer. "Would you like some water?"