NaruHina: Technical Difficulties

Chapter Thirty-Three: I Know You Loved Him

Naruto had come back from his mission earlier than expected to help aide in the search for his comrade. He was in Tsunade's office giving his report when Neji, unusually, burst through the door.

"Lady Tsunade, I'm sorry for the intrusion, but Hinata informed us that she and Kiba found someone," Neji apologized and reasoned all in one.

"What are we waiting for?! Let's go check it out!," Naruto headed to the door.

"We need medical ninja," Neji looked to Tsunade who turned her head to Shizune.

"Call for Sakura."

"Right here Lady Tsunade," she knocked on the door, "And I'm ready to go."

Naruto, Neji, Ino, Sakura, Shizune, and Tsunade all met Kiba at the rock where Neji previously sat. From there Inuzuka took them to the place he and his teammate found.

"Naruto," Hinata smiled and walked over to him wiping tears off her cheeks.

"Is it him?," he asked and she nodded, causing him to pull her close as she continued to weep.

Kanai was sitting on her knees in front of the body containing Shikamaru's soul, holding her hands out and giving him the best treatment she could give. But it seemed hopeless.

Shikamaru was laying in bloodstained grass and his clothes were no different, only filled with holes from puncture wounds. His complexion was that of the already lifeless and he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Shika stay with me," Kanai turned to face the Hokage with tears in her eyes, "I can't do it, it's too bad."

"Kanai," Sakura squeaked out, but her teacher silenced her.

"What?," no one moved, "Don't just stand there help me!," she turned to the medically trained four standing behind her, all the while never stopping her jutsu.

"Hey," Shikamaru made her look back to him as he lay helpless on the ground, "Calm down. It's such a drag when you're loud," he reached up with a bloody hand to rest his palm on her water covered cheek.

"You're dying Shika," she quietly said, trying to fight back tears and shaking her head.

"I'll be okay, don't worry. I've been through worse trust me," he smiled and closed his eyes.

"Shika!," Kanai kept her ninjutsu going, "Don't leave me I need you!"

Behind her Hinata pressed into Naruto more as the others hung their heads. Ino couldn't watch, though. She had started crying and turned away a long time ago.

"Kanai," Tsunade stepped up from the line of sorrow behind her, "I think-"

"No!," she screamed and closed her eyes shut tight causing tears to fall, "I'm not giving up like you did!"

"Excuse me-"

"I'm doing for Shikamaru what you couldn't do for Jiraiya! We all know you wanted to save him, but you couldn't. You'd do anything for your friends, and so would I, but," she calmed as Nara's eyes slowly lifted open, "Shika is more than that to me. He's the one I love, the one person who really knows me. I'm not letting him go so easily."

"Kanai Otazowa," Tsunade sat beside her on her knees as well, "You can't bring him back to life by yourself," she beckoned to the other three before getting to work herself. Sakura, Ino, and Shizune all took the same position as the other two around Shikamaru's body and began healing him.

Two hours. The team of five worked for two straight hours before he was in a good enough condition to be moved. Shikamaru was taken back to the hospital and placed in the urgent treatment wing. He had to be hooked up to a machine Kanai would have protested if it wasn't keeping him alive. She thought it looked a little weird or suspicious, which one she couldn't tell.