The Hidden Namikaze Princess

Tears

I laid in my hospital bed, staring at the white ceiling. The nurses and doctors could only help quicken my healing, but they couldn't regrow my arm and leg. I'm fine with it though. I'll just get artificial ones. It's all good.

I heard rapid footsteps, many pairs of them. The door to my room slid open with a loud bang and I turned my head to see my teams, temporary and permanent, standing in my doorway. Kakashi stood behind them all, staring sadly at me. Jok, Sakura, and Naruto all burst into tears, the last knucklehead jumping on me in a hug and sobbing into my shoulder, Reggie and Sasuke solemnly entered, standing by my bed with the crying Sakura and Jok. Kakashi slid the door shut behind him and quietly took a place standing by the bed beside my head and leaning against the wall, staring at me.

"Ka-Ka-Kakashi sensei said you were s-seriously injured!" Sakura sobbed. "W-What's wrong?!"

"You all are idiots." I smirked. "I'm fine."

"You're a moron!" Reggie shouted. He yanked Naruto off of me and pulled the blanket back. They saw my missing arm and leg and the three crying burst into a fresh batch of tears. "How the hell can you be so nonchalant?! Look at you! You look pathetic!"

"S-Stop it Reggie!" Jok choked out.

"No." I said calmly. "Let him get it out."

"I've got out all I want to get out." Reggie growled. They all silently watched my reaction.

"Then I'll tell you why I'm not upset about this." I said coolly. "It's because this happened while I was protecting Konaha."

There was a long silence following that.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again guys." I said, grunting as I pushed myself into a sitting position. "I'll die protecting this village and everyone in it, with no regrets. None what so ever. What is an arm and a leg compared to a life. I lost my arm to help gramps, and I lost my leg to save his life. Gramps is important to me, and everyone in the village. Two limbs are a small price to pay to preserve the hope and wellness of my home and family."

They were all speechless as I grinned goofily at them.

"You can yell at me, you can call me an idiot, and you can hate me, but no matter what you do, what you ask, I'm always going to give my life to protect my home. And if I could go back and relive losing my limbs to save gramps, I would. I'd go through that physical pain a thousand times and more before I stand by and do nothing."

~•~

It's night now. Kakashi and the others were literally forced to go home when visiting hours were over, and I still had to stay the night at the hospital so they could make sure my wounds were properly closed.

So I laid in my bed, listening to the sounds of the night drift in through my window, feeling the night breeze waft in. And eventually, hearing three pairs of feet gently land on the tile floor.

I opened my eyes and looked at none other than Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. All of them looked extremely guilty.

"You were right." Gaara whispered quietly. "Our kazekage was killed, and Orochimaru pretended to be him, tricking us into betraying your village's trust. We're truly sorry. I should have listened to you Kota. But I didn't, and now you're hurt."

I sighed and lifted my arm, signaling him to hug me.

"Why would you want me to hug you?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"Because you're my damn brother, now get your ass over here and hug me because I can't exactly come to you." I rolled my eyes. His eyes widened.

"What happened?" He demanded. Temari suddenly gasped.

"Kota-chan.... Your arm... Your leg..."

Kankuro ripped the blanket off me and the three stared in horror at the places my arm and leg should have been.

"What have I done?" Gaara whispered, taking a step back. I scowled.

"Gaara!" I hissed. He visibly flinched and looked at me, guilt clear on his face. "You did not do this! If I ever hear you say you did I swear I will kick your ass and you will be grounded!"

"But if I-"

He stopped as I gave him a challenging look, and began staring at his feet.

"Gaara, listen." I sighed, grunting as I pushed myself up. I swung my leg over the bed and pat the area on my left side. Not wanting to anger me, he sat down. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, holding him tight. "I already told you before, I knew this was coming, and I'm not blaming you. I'm blaming Orochimaru, because he killed the kazekage. He tricked The Sand into attacking The Leaf. He caused me to lose my arm and leg. You didn't. You nor your brother and sister. It's not your fault, it's Orochimaru's. Now I want you to calm down, hug me back, and tell me you understand what I'm saying."

I heard him take a deep, shuddery breath before wrapping his shaky arms tightly around my torso and burying his face in my shoulder.

"I understand Kota-nii." He whispered in that raspy voice of his. I smiled and kissed the top of his head, hugging him tighter as I looked at the other two, who had remained silent.

"Do you two understand too?" I asked with a smile. They slowly nodded and I jerked my head. "Then get over here."

They joined the hug, Kankuro hugging me tightly from my right and Temari hugging Gaara. Kankuro lightly kissed my temple.

"I'm sorry you got hurt." He whispered. I rolled my eyes.

"You all need to relax. I'll just get some artificial limbs. They've actually got the village blacksmith working on some automail for me. I'll be allowed out of the hospital tomorrow, and I'll talk to gramps and the council. I'll make sure there's no cold blood between our villages so you guys can visit in the day time. Now go home and sleep. I'll send a messenger hawk to Suna once I've got all this sorted out.

They nodded and whispered good night before leaving.

I then finally laid down and went to sleep.