Chapter Text
{inSANITY}
She was outnumbered.
Blood tickled the side of a blade that embedded under her lungs, mouth bubbling open and close as the hand tightened around her throat stole her airway. Even when she broke his wrist, the grip never lessened. She struggled to kick, her twisted ankles bonded by the accomplice. With rough movement, the bone in her feet snapped like a twig again. It took all her will power to resist the pain.
She was trapped.
Those sharingan eyes haunted her as they analyzed her every movement. How can she hope to win when Kaguya's descendants override her vision. How did they hid that long? Thick liquid poured out from her mouth as she lost grip with reality for a brief moment.
"Not yet." The smooth, devoid words rolled off his tongue had her struggle harder. Through her lashes, the alabaster skin tone, obsidian silky hair and flower shaped eyes gave her chills. She can see it, he wanted her dead. "It's not our time yet."
Her fingers reached each other's tips in a poor attempt to save herself but the man behind caught them, bending them in the opposite direction. She swallowed a cry, enduring the agonizing pain. "How- how- ARGH"
She gasped and gritted. Did Sasuke know about the bloodlines Kaguya's descendants were experimenting on? She stumbled upon thousands of sharingan users and her hundred seal couldn't bear the constant attacks from them all. They easily overwhelmed her with their numbers.
"H-He will find out soon! You can't hide!" she declared angrily. She won't go down without a fight.
"No...Sasuke Uchiha won't find me nor your body even if he tried." They let her go as gravity pulled her down to kiss the dust. Her pupils darted around at the island they dragged her into. It had a glass sphere encircled over it. She can see the edge, beyond the golden sand, the rushing of waves coming in and out, the tropical palm trees... but she couldn't hear a single sound. As if there weren't any life in here. No sound of nature, animals or plants.
His arms spread, a big bright light expanding. One hit of that could obliterate her. She had a year of chakra left in her but she knew it won't change the results. It took her most of her chakra to deal with this hidden army. She managed to secure a message about their number with utmost secrecy but being hunted by those who possessed the superior bloodline only resulted in death. Even if she healed herself... she won't survive. At least their attempt to silence her failed. She bit her lips as memories of her childhood until adulthood flashed through her head in that instant.
The bomb grew larger and larger, covering the sky with it's cloudy, purple swirl and blinding her from seeing anything. This was it... this was her death. Her hand staggered to do a hand seal, the bruised, crooked, fingers interlocked as she used all her chakra into one last jutsu. She never teleported using this much chakra before so she wasn't sure about the percussion. Maybe her body will rip apart? Or maybe she will die from it instantly?
Tears overfilled her vision, mixing with snot as she gave her final farewell. "Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-sensei, Sai, Ino... I'm sorry for leaving first. Forgive me."
She closed her eyes shut as she used everything in her chakra. Everything shook vigorously and the pain was piercing. She didn't know if she was hit by an explosion or if this was the effect of the substitute jutsu. It was fast and quick, her mind went blank as fast and she lost her sight.
The feeling of heaviness outweighed her. Shackled to the ground, never to be lifted. Limbs sore and fatigued. The struggle to open her eyes left her blind momentarily. The shadow leeched her edges, blurry and convulse. She blinked into darkness before brightening up to a brief clear vision. Her ears rang repetitively and the sounds blended together.
"DOCT-! SH-'S -AKE!" a phantom voice boomed, rapid taps faded away into nothings as unconsciousness once again took over her.
Time went by, she didn't know how long, but the consistent shuffling had woken her up. Soft, wet, squishy substance tickled, few droplets, down her forehead. She struggled to open her heavy eyelids. What happened to her? She remained unmoving, blanked in confusion. Her last memory was of her being at the brink of death, unable to be saved in time. She did the substitute jutsu but she can tell it didn't work the way she wanted. It was supposed to give her time to escape, not knock her out.
Sakura turned her head to the side to find a blazing, red haired man whispering to his companion before he landed on her, his expression switched to that of pure joy. Was he her life saver? "Sakura... you are finally awake..."
"LADY SAKURA WOKE UP! YA-WHOOOOO!" The people beside him created a ruckus when they saw her. They threw colorful stripes, swung around sparklers, blew on horns, and jumped in happiness. Two guys locked elbows as they rotated around in a dance.
What the hell was going on? Did they know her?
"You scared me there darling... I thought you were gone." Sakura noticed her hand held in-between his own and his lips lowered to kiss the tips of her knuckles.
All the grogginess she felt faded away as she became aware. She slipped her hands away and slapped him off with as much force as her weak body could. He fell off the chair onto the ground, the object followed him immediately, banging.
"Owww-" The red haired man gripped on the bed, pulling himself up on the surface. A high-pitched whine escaped his lips.
"I'm so sorry! I should have never ignored you-" His fingers held his nonexisting printed cheeks in agony before his slurring paused suddenly. The comically face seeped away. "You..."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME YOU PERVERT!" The towel on her forehead splat on top of the pillow, smudging it. The color darkened, moisturizing into maroon.
"EHHHHH?" The crew yelled, their jaws dropped at what they witnessed. They all froze, unsure what to make of this situation.
"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?" Sakura pointed an accusing finger, feet paddling backwards to the edge of the edge, looking around confused and tensed. The blanket remained seated in its place making Sakura notice her outfit. She wore a pure white strapped dress, her thighs exposed to all the men to see. She quickly bent, pulling it to her side, covering her whole body. What was happening? Why was she wearing a different outfit? Her eyes wildly looked around for any females but the place reeked of men. Did they also change her? Her body jittered, alarmed and scared of the possibility. She tried to control her shaking, as a shinobi, she is not supposed to show them her weaknesses. Her chakra was nonexistent so she wasn't sure how she will actually get out of here unscathed. They didn't look that powerful but her body felt too heavy and numb. She can barely tighten her fist together without feeling exhausted . This wasn't a good sign. Her adrenaline slowed down as she calmed down to reevaluate. She thought they might have saved her but now she was starting to think they were her predators. Maybe human trafficking?
"Someone call the doctor now." The shock finally left him and his tone went serious, almost threatening. They scurried out of there in a hurry. The man in dreads chased the crowd away, leaving behind only two of them. Sakura took in her surroundings. It looked like a bedroom, the bed she's on was king sized, with rosy sheets and crimson colored set adorned by a white outline of carnation flowers on the pillows and blankets. A cylinder lamp and drawer were on both sides. She wasn't sure how many layers it had at first glance but thanks to the identical one she's leaning on, it had three. A small, worn out leather journal lay on the top shelf. She looked behind her to see another door with a small window beside it... it was unguarded... maybe she can sprint out from there. The two men seemed to talk in hushed tones giving her an opportunity. She quickly stood up, twisting her ankle clockwise to her right.
Just for her to fall to her knees, bouncing back as her arm hangs off, threatening to fall out. The world spun and she realized she can't walk... what happened to her? She waited for the dizziness to die down as she contemplated.
"You shouldn't move yet. You have been in a coma for a year." The man got close to her, extending his hands towards her but she slapped it away, growling. "Don't touch me."
His eyes widened slightly before they averted. "Ah...sorry."
She once again pulled the blanket, pushing her back into the headboard. Her head snapped towards the door, keeping her attention to the new man entering with a black and yellow shirt. Tattoos decorated him, from his exposed forearm to his knuckles. He nodded in greeting before getting closer. She raised her fist to put them into place even though she didn't have any strength to support her claim. "Don't come closer or I'll punch you shannaro."
He seemed surprised, looking at the people beside him in confirmation.
"She doesn't remember me." Shanks's gaze lingered on his hand, rubbing it slightly. "Does she have amnesia Law?"
Sakura perked up at the words, narrowing in suspicion. She knew she had a reputation but this was the first time a bunch of strangers spoke to her with such familiarity, it was creepy. "I have my memories. I simply don't know you."
The man named Law stared at her briefly before he returned the fallen chair back to its position and took a seat. "Alright, let's start with a simple question. Do you know your name?"
Sakura wondered if she should answer honestly or not. She didn't even know these people so HOW would they know her outside of her name? Her lips pressed together before she decided. "Sakura Haruno."
He looked over his shoulder to the men behind him as if signaling something. Sakura tensed up, knowing she is at their full mercy. She didn't know where she was or how to get out yet. Her only comfort was the fact they also didn't have chakra.
"Do you recognize any of these men behind you?" He pointed at the two and she shook her head. "What else do you know about yourself?"
Again, she debated. Her mind going through inner conflict. She kept quiet, unable to reveal critical information to people she didn't know. They didn't look like they were part of the five nations so maybe they weren't shinobi?
"Okay, how about your last memory?" He crossed his arms. His intense observation of her had her wary.
"I was attacked by people possessing the sharingan-" Sakura threw a bait and noticed the confusion they had over her words. That confirmed her civilian theory and it helped her relax a bit. They weren't a big threat but they did outnumber her so she had to choose her next moves wisely.
"-and they almost killed me... I was sure I was going to die... I thought I had died... but I didn't." She trailed off at the memory, she used all her chakra from her hundred seal. She couldn't heal her wound so how did she survive? She looked at her hands to find them bandaged. Her finger tips scratched her neck, feeling them there too. Their doctor must be skilled to save her from that state. "At least Sasuke-kun knows about those bastards now."
They looked at her like she sprouted another head.
"Bastards..." Shanks rephrased in pure shock. Yassop almost hugged Shanks from fear. "Our Sakura doesn't speak like that!"
Law sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead from the headache he was getting. "Looks like Sakura Haruno's memories are distorted. She's suffering from confabulation symptoms, a condition in which someone creates false memories to fill in their lost ones."
What were these people talking about? Do they take her as a fool? She heard about those symptoms from those who experienced the Tsukiyomi during the war. Their life was distorted with their imagination but this wasn't one of them. She laughed out loud in humor. Law cocked an eyebrow at her reaction. "Excuse me, I'm the top medical nin of konoha. You think you can trick me with this nonsense?"
"Does Lady Sakura know medicine?" Law asked them and Shanks scratched his head, feeling her glare on him. "She had been studying medicine before her accident but she's still new to it."
Law nodded, writing notes about it on his clipboard. "So this might have influenced her memories."
A tick on Sakura's forehead popped out. He dismissed and ignored her completely. She wasn't even sure why she felt offended and why she even wanted to prove herself. She can't feel her chakra right now but she was sure she had her knowledge. "You can ask me anything medicine related, I'll be able to answer!"
He halted halfway through writing, his lips pressed together before he put it down and stared at her dead in the eyes. "I'll ask a hard question, do you know about the White Lead Disease?"
Sakura lips parted just to close. What the hell was that? She never heard of such disease in her life. Did he make that up or did such disease actually exist? When she couldn't answer, he sighed, shaking his head almost at himself rather than her.
"I know it's hard to believe but this is all in your head." His finger tapped his forehead to emphasize his point. Sakura frowned, boiling inside at the insinuation. "You can't even recognize your husband of ten years."
Sakura blinked. He said what? Husband? Her mouth hung open. Which one? None of them looked remotely like her type. Her head was about to burst from how confusing this charade was becoming. The worst part? She didn't sense any lies. These people believed what they were telling her. Was this a genjutsu perhaps? That would explain a lot like how she can't feel chakra but it was also possible they were all in it in this lie. She clutched her head at the increasing pressure she felt all over her temple. Her head wanted to burst out, the wrap unloosened from the tension. She gritted her teeth, reaching her limit.
"I think that's enough." Shanks worriedly glanced at her from his position.
"You are right. She needs to rest. Her memories will come with time." Law stood up to give her space.
Through her lashes, she can see the red haired thanking and letting the other two leave. She guessed he was the one who they were talking about if him kissing her hand was any indication. She shivered at thought. As much as she wanted to believe everything they said was a big lie she still was a doctor. She can confirm her coma. Her body was barely functioning well and that's because of her lack of movement. Unless they poisoned her... but she would need time to figure that out. The rest was bullshit. Married? She was only twenty two years old! How can she be married for ten years? She married him when she was twelve? It didn't make sense.
Her attention went to the back of the man who stood by the door, not moving an inch since he asked them to leave. Sakura briefly checked her body to see if there were any signs of assault on her body. She almost sighed in relief when she found no sexual wounds. They didn't do anything to her while she was unconscious.
He turned around and flinched out of nowhere, startling her. She, in high alert, kept her gaze on him as he hesitantly dragged the chair from the side of the bed, further down near the door. She didn't know what and why but her anger came in full mode when she saw his stupid face. How dare he try to stay here? She can't let him get close to her after that lie. Nothing was making sense and her brain capacity can't handle this anymore. "GET OUT!"
She picked up the pillow from beside her and flung it towards him. It hit him right in the face, bouncing to the ground as he stared at it lifelessly. "GET OUT! MARRIED WHO? I DIDN'T EVEN GO ON A DATE WITH SASUKE-KUN!"
She picked the second pillow and threw it so weakly that it bumped on the edge of the bed, slowing down its momentum. The staggering pillow flopped below, out of her sight and reach. She breathed out heavily, feeling very tired when she barely did anything. It's almost as if she had a month of hospital shifts without stopping. "GET OOOUT!"
Her voice came out hoarse and low, not conveying her full emotions. She felt tears well up at the back of her eyes but she held them back.
"Alright..." He turned the handle and walked out without another word. The fact he fulfilled her wishes flustered her. What was happening? She can't feel chakra so why were a bunch of civilians lying to her? Her emotions were overwhelming right now. If this was a genjutsu by the sharingan, then what was the point of it? It didn't make any sense. Was this a new type strategy to torture her? A slow, strange death? Similar to what Kakashi went through when he got caught by Itachi's genjutsu? Or was it more like the Tsukiyomi?
She listened for any footsteps but she heard none. Did he leave already? At this point, it didn't matter. Her eyes darted around the rest of the room, planning her escape. She needed to find out where that door led too. Probably nothing near what she would call an escape because they didn't seem that stupid but she still clung into hope.
She dragged her body using the headboard to slip off but the journal caught her attention. "Sakura's Journal" decorated the center. A frown made its way to her face as she scooped it up in curiosity, laying it on her knees. She opened it warily on a random page. A wavered breath escaped her lips at what she saw, her fingers tightened on the hard cover. This was her handwriting. Why was it here? Her pupils followed the neat, organized lettering.
"Shanks haven't been giving me attention lately. I know he is busy but I feel lonely without him. It's times like these that I wonder why he married me? I'm the only one on this ship without a purpose. I feel like a deadweight."
Sakura furrowed her brows at what's written, almost speechless by the content. She wrote this? All of a sudden, she can't recognize her writing anymore. She was starting to self doubt herself. This wasn't her. It can't be.
Her blood pumped, her heart rate sped as she opened the drawer to rummage for a pencil of sorts. Just her luck, there was an ink bottle accompanied with an antique feather pen with a very thin, curved needle. She pulled it and searched for a page where text didn't fill the whole paper.
"I'm learning medicine today. I want to be helpful to Shanks and his crew. I don't want to look at his back-"
She ignored the rest of the text and wrote on the bottom, underneath this person's writing. The words came like an exact copy of each other. The pen fell off as her body froze. No, no, no, she shook her head. This wasn't real. It must be part of the jutsu. They used it to copy her writing. That must be it. This was a genjutsu, one she can't dispel. Sakura flickered the journal on the side. She needed to get out... NOW. She sling her feet off, her toes feeling the cold tiles. Her lack of strength had her plop down, gravity pulling her upper body to the center. It was so painful and loud, the hit resonated in her ears.
The door flung open and that red haired was there again. He didn't approach her, which she was glad for or else she would be swearing again. She quickly tried to come up with an excuse to justify why she was out of her bed. They might hurt her for escaping so she needed to change her strategy. Since she had no chakra yet, she might as well play the obedient slave card well.
He shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of his head. "Do... you need someone to help you to go to the toilet?"
Sakura flinched. That was her cover up. Did he see through her? Or was she overreacting? If she appeared meek, her captives wouldn't suspect her escape. It took a lot of effort from her to play the part. "Yes...?"
Her innards were twisting in disgust as he approached her, lowering down. She came face to face with his exposed chest. The wide, unbutton v-neck of his shirt emitted a smell of musk, flowers and slight alcohol. A drunkard. She resisted scoffing. Just as he held her forearm, she muttered. "Don't touch me."
His outstretched hand let go of her as if he caught fire. He bit his lips and backed away, keeping distance. She felt like she could breathe when he wasn't near her. Her sigh wavered, knowing she failed as a shinobi. What kind of skilled, professional jounin like her can't do a simple mission of deception? "I want someone else to help me."
Anyone but him. Even if they were all her captors, she would rather be helped by someone else than the one who pretended to be her husband. Her eye caught his lonely arm and she wondered how he planned to carry her in the first place. What an odd kidnapper.
He nodded, his brows furrowed and lips frowned. "Of course... I'll find you a woman to help you... don't worry."
He forced a smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes as he quickly stridden out of the room. Woman, that was a preferable option. But why? Why would he do that? Did he want to win her over? Was this their new tactic? She won't fall for it. She would use it to her advantage instead. This genjutsu won't get to her!
She can't move now but once she does, he won't see her again. Sakura mulled in desperation and hope. It will take time but she will get there eventually.
She will win!
She will break out of it!
It was just a matter of time!
Right?
... right?
Sakura couldn't sleep at all. It's been forty hours and she still can't feel her chakra. The aggressive rocking and splashing was making her further unrest in unfamiliarity. Her thoughts weren't of any help either the moment she found out she was in a ship and her captor were actual pirates. The fiery lamp lit up the page she spaced out on. She wanted to gain information but she couldn't finish reading the journal. It was too much for her heart to handle in almost two days. Seasonal islands? Plants-eating humans? Pirates? What did she stumble upon? It didn't sound like anything she knew off. Can a genjutsu be this intricate? Can a genjutsu create a whole new universe? Can a user bring an illusion of things that didn't exist? Her slight tremors increased in volume, placing the thick, sturdy book on the drawer to continue reading when she had enough brain power to read that nonsense.
She didn't understand. Why didn't they just kill her? It's the easier option of the two. She didn't have chakra to defend herself! Why are they using this genjutsu to confuse her mind? It was hard to grasp their motive.
She blew the light away, letting the smoke wisp into nonexistence as she slipped underneath the covers, tucking herself. She turned and flipped, her mind wandering on this marriage. A lot of her writing had his name mentioned many times. The more she thought about it, the more anger built inside her. All her life she loved Sasuke. He may not have reciprocated her feelings but she always thought he was the one for her. To hear someone steal her love and claim it their own created deep seeded hatred for the red haired. How dare he claim her to be her husband? He wasn't even her type and never in a million years would she ever be with someone like him.
She rolled to her left, huffing in frustration. The whole situation was so absurd that it hurt her inwardly to think about it. She clutched the sheets, shaking from the force she put in, wrinkling it. She needed to calm down so she breathed in and out, focusing on relaxing. Then she closed her eyes to sleep. Dried wood, flowery fragrance and alcohol wafted into her nose. That smell... it smelled like him, that man. The fresh, strong scent meant he slept here each night. While her shampoo traces were in the pillow. Her blood boiled in remembrance. She must have slept with that man. He must have been sleeping beside her when she was in a coma. She feels... violated.
"I hate this..." she muttered, twisting and pushing herself off to her arms in support. Her pink hair surrounded her peripheral view and her lips pressed together, canine teeth bit down on the bottom lip. Blood dripped to the pink sheets and she screamed a suppressed one. "I hate this! I HATE THIS!"
She slammed her fist down, bouncing from the motion. The door opened, light reflected on the bed and she saw his shadow. Her worn out eyes narrowed from the brightness and she rose an arm to shade.
"Sakura... what's wrong?" The man approached with timid steps, almost as if testing the waters.
Her energy all dissipated and with a low tone she pointed at it. She was tired of her own roller coaster emotions. They were hard to keep in check. Her whole world turned upside down in a matter of hours. "I don't want those sheets! They-they... smell... like you."
"Oh..." He pressed his lips together. "I'll get rid of them."
She pushed herself away from him, slipping into the ground. Sakura let herself plop down ungracefully, enduring the stinging pain. She can feel his gaze boring into her as she adjusted to lean on the wall but he didn't say anything about it.
"I don't want red bedding sets. I hate that color." Sakura's words made him halt half way through and she swore she saw hurt flicker in his eyes. He averted them back, his finger worked fast, pulling the sheets and pillow case. "...I'll keep that in mind."
He was a genjutsu. He didn't have actual feelings. This was all an elaborate plan by her enemy to confuse her. Like giving her an identity crisis on what she is just to take her life at the end. That was the only logical explanation and if that was the point then she was bitter. Even she wouldn't torture her worst enemy like that.
"I also don't want you to replace them. Let someone else do it. I don't want your hands on them," she spitefully added.
He nodded quietly, his expressions placid. He muttered a low question, "Do you want pink...?"
She heard a sharp intake of breath. "Nevermind."
He quickly worked faster and she felt offended that he dismissed her this way. "Navy blue... it's Sasuke-kun's favorite color."
She waited, on the cool woodwork as he walked away. Why was she doing this when the results wouldn't change? She covered her face as tears started to pour out but she didn't want to give them the pleasure of seeing her weak. She wiped them aggressively. She was konoha's top kunoichi.
A silver haired man with a scar on his face strided in the room, replacing it with navy blue sets. She would feel him glance at her but she didn't care, she just wanted the day to be over. Just as quietly as he came, he also left. With a thud, the darkness came back, clouding her head.
"I... hate... him."
Ten days have passed and she still can't feel her chakra. Her sclera had reddened from the amount of sleepless nights she went through. The thought of sleeping for more than a few minutes scared her. Any minute this genjutsu could take a one eighty and turn into a torture session. She has heard and seen from Kakashi what it was like being in one and that was enough to keep her determined. This was an enemy Uchiha. They may want to kill her at any given moment so she couldn't let herself rest properly.
But at the same time, Sakura reminded herself she needed to get along with her captives so she let them talk to her without being difficult. The doctor would come everyday to brainwash her into thinking Konoha was an illusion while this was reality. She would internally laugh whenever she heard that. Nothing was more funnier than an illusion telling her that her life was an illusion.
"Do you remember this?" A polaroid picture of her holding a big fish with a shocked face, almost showing it off, greeted her. She looked older in this.
No, she didn't but she nodded. She had to pretend the genjutsu was working. Maybe this counter deception would weaken it? She was a doctor so she can trick this fraud.
"How about this?" Law swiped another on the table for her to see, her eyes trailed away from the "D, E, A, T, H" symbols on his fingers to the picture. She clenched her teeth, breathing in and out trying to control her movements. The picture was of her being carried by that guy. She couldn't bring herself to pretend to love him so opted with the safest option, keeping quiet. Law's head turned to the door, where he sat on the other side of the door. She can see his scarlet hair poking out from the corner. As if he knew exactly what the doctor would say, his voice cut through the air. "That was the day I became an emperor. We celebrated it by throwing a big party."
"Does it ring a bell?" Law asked and Sakura just shook her head. The memory talk was making her head hurt. She slid her fingers through her cheeks, under the messy locks of her hair. The pressure built up on her head again. Why does it hurt every time she is told to remember?
"Ehhh! Shanks! Pull haaaarder!" Pale hands were encased by a lone bulged arm. All it took was a single snap on a rod for a blue, giant fish to jump out. Her surprised gasp was all she could remember.
That was gone as fast as it come and it left Sakura befuddled. What the hell was that? Was this genjutsu trying to create memories for her?
"We will end our session here. I know it's hard to accept this and it's okay to feel wary but I assure you, if you give him a chance, you will remember him." Law started collecting the various pictures of islands, memories and unknown experiences she had.
Her head tilted, glaring at him through her bangs. She will never remember him because he is not real. He was not part of her real memories. A fake smile curved on her lips and her eyes crescent as she thanked the doctor. She needed to earn the trust of that guy to escape this hellhole. All she needed to do was remind herself to not snap at the red haired man no matter how much she hates him.
"You can come in." Her voice held an authoritative command and he looked over his shoulders, voice small, whispery that she didn't hear it. If she wasn't trained to lip read, she would have thought he never spoke. "Yes, you."
He blinked surprised and scurried to his feet, taking slow, small steps. He didn't keep an eye contact and stood a few feet away as if he was scared to approach. She didn't know what to talk about so she motioned him to take a seat as she grabbed another of her stacked journals. There were twenty of them, talking about her life. She opened one of the random ones she picked before on the bookmark she left and tried to appear nonchalant.
"Your name is Shanks right?" Sakura started the conversation first and heard a slight gasp as he nodded aggressively. All this time she had avoided using his name but this seemed like the perfect opportunity to appear like she "accepts" him. "How old are you?"
"Thirty eight." She didn't realize her mouth slackened for a long time until drool seeped down her cheeks. This man is almost pushing forty, older than her expectation. She was searching for intel but now she was regretting it. "And you are thirty seven."
"What?" She planned to ask this but she was glad he caught on into her line of thinking. "Thirty seven?" Not twenty two?
"Yes." His features were rather calm but the veins popping out from the back of his hand clutching his knees said otherwise. He never looked at her once.
"Hmmm... I see." Sakura went back to her second journal. She thought making small talk would be a good deception in making him think she was starting to accept him without actually accepting him. Now, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear any more. Was there any point in searching for information when all of it was fake? She didn't know what to say next so she let the strange silence fill the air. It was only the first day so she can take it easy as she plans her progress more thoroughly on how to earn his trust.
Sakura continued reading where she left off although she found herself stuck reading the same page over and over again, not comprehending the contents. Really? An island that pulled ships into the sky? The imagination of this genjutsu was downright ridiculous. Even the fake her was shocked about the existence of this island from the writing. She turned a page and tried to focus. Her attention kept drifting because she can feel him stare at her intensely now when he usually doesn't glance her way. She decided to break the silence. "Is there something you want to say?"
He leveled his gaze back to the bed. "Do...do you like this Sasuke guy?"
The question was so unexpected that it had taken her aback. She didn't know how to answer it. If she wanted to create a believable act it had to, at least, be consistent with her behavior thus far. "Yes, I do like him."
"... what do you like about him?" Why was he struggling to say this out? She reminded herself for the umpteenth time that she should get along with him. Her escape can't happen if she showcased her bitterness. She swallowed her hatred and masked it.
"I like everything about him. The way he didn't open his heart to a lot of people, his reservation... he was a man of few words but that made me treasure him more." She was spilling too much. She held her tongue immediately.
"So he is the exact opposite of me." He closed his eyelids, nodding as if it became obvious. She messed up when she spoke sincerely but she can't lie and cover it up either. It would be too suspicious.
"I'm sorry. Forget I asked." He stood up abruptly, leaving the room without much of a word. It wasn't a good sign to make him distance but she couldn't bring herself to call out for him. She won't submit herself to him. She's willing to pretend but she's not willing to go that far. That's the only thing she won't allow herself to do. She sighed in frustration. Sasuke... he brought out the one topic she was conflicted about for the past few days. What was she doing here, wasting her time when her friends were risking their lives? Just the reminder of being stuck, charka-less had her throw the journal at the wall in anger. She gripped onto the hope she would gain her chakra back but it NEVER did. She can't help anyone if she can't get out of this genjutsu. She hoped this was just a few seconds in reality for the safety of her sanity. She doesn't mind enduring this torture as long as that wish gets granted. The back of her eyes stung.. they must be worried about her... searching for her? Or maybe they were too busy saving the world to pay attention to her? Too busy fighting, bleeding, screaming- She pinched her knees and slapped her cheeks. This wasn't the time to think about them and make up fantasies on the "what ifs". She has to get out then worry about the outcome. There had to be a flaw in this genjutsu and she needed to find it if she wanted to help her friends. She stared at the door for a moment with puckered lips, her fingers drumming her knees until it suddenly stopped. A genjutsu usually loops so the answer has to be OUTSIDE. If she escapes, everything will turn back to normal but she knows they will never allow her to leave. She needs a perfect exit where nobody notices she's gone. Was that even possible when she's being watched twenty four seven? Probably not but she knew one thing.
She needed to get out of here.
FAST.
Shanks peered his worn out eyes open, taking in the wooden tile of the corridor. His mind wandered on that day. The day it all went wrong. How she must have felt when he ignored her. The reason why she took those extreme measures. He didn't remember when she first started it but he did remember when he began to notice.
" Shanks, can I talk to you?" He turned his head over his shoulders, her pink bob poking out the door ajar. He shook his head, signaling her that he was busy. He was preparing his meeting with the people who wanted to be under his grand fleet. He couldn't afford losing any potential ally.
How many times had she said those words to him?
"Shanks, can I talk to you please?" She sat across him, twirling her fork on the empty plate. The ruckus behind him distracted him a bit. He waved her off, chugging a barrel of beer. It was a competition he wanted to win. He couldn't speak.
If he only paid attention, he would notice her shoulders slumping. How many times did he reject her?
"Shanks, can we talk now?" He yawned, feeling tired as she nudged his back for attention. It was another long day. He just wanted to rest and not think at all.
"Maybe another time." That was his biggest mistake. He had many chances to listen to what she could have said but he didn't. All her attempts were delayed. He couldn't even remember when was the last time they actually spoke to each other outside of the basics? When was the last time he cared to hear more about her days and less about his? He only had himself to blame when he remembered those last words.
He could hear a soft sigh and the bed bounced as she turned her back on him as well. He heard her mutter. "This is what I hate about you."
He never saw her the next day, the day after or a week later. She went missing as if she vanished within thin air.
It only took one call from his fleet to make him invade territories he never, on a normal day, enter. He didn't care who owned it, any reports of sightings had him sailing. He remembered when he found her body a day after he got a call that someone saw her walking on this island. She was all bruised up, beaten with blood pooling underneath, her skin sickly pale, near death. A wound bigger than her head over her stomach and it was fresh. The way fear dawned in him as he carried her, screaming for help for the first time in his life. He couldn't afford to lose her. He didn't want to lose her.
Every possible top doctor was brought to save her. They all managed to slow the progress but they didn't know how to actually heal her grave wounds. She slept in immense pain for so long that he thought maybe he should let her go to end her suffering then let her live with incurable pain.
"I heard this new rookie, Trafalgar Law, is a good doctor." That was all it took. Any hearsay, ploys, anything, if it meant giving her a shimmer chance of surviving. He didn't hesitate to sail, chasing after some no name rookie. He didn't hesitate to beg. To this day, he never regretted that decision because that rookie saved her life and he owed him a debt of a lifetime.
Even though he was armless in his right and the tasks related to her proved to be difficult, he personally did them. Clean her? He did that. It was the basics. Cut her hair? He did that. She loved short hair. Feed her? He did that. His love shouldn't starve. Move her around? He did that. She needed to move so blood would circulate. Tell her bedtimes story? He did that. She loved hearing his adventures. Cry as he held her hand? He did that too. Never in his life had he spent days crying silently beside her, hoping she would wake up because everyday felt like she never would. He cried in grief that he would never tell her he loved her one last time. He would never get a chance to apologize for hurting her.
He bent forward, his back numbing from sitting all day. His sore legs uncrossed and he grunted when it cramped. He felt her moving with his haki, dragging herself off the futon and landing loudly on the ground. His body instinctively reacted, leaning on the wall. She fell again. Her frustrated cry can be heard as she crawled. He wanted so badly to enter, to be there for her but he couldn't. This wasn't the soft, gentle, sweet Sakura he was used to. The Sakura he fell in love with nineteen years ago. The one he met when he was still with his captain, Gol D. Roger, during one of their visits to an island in the Grandline. An Island that was enslaved by pirates that physically and sexually abused her before he rescued her. Her will to live didn't exist back then. She was scared of them but would always be polite and obedient, hoping they wouldn't get mad at all. It took her over a year to get comfortable around them. Once she shed those doubts, she was brighter and happier. Everyone instantly fell in love with her including him. When she first smiled at him, he knew she was the one.
Shanks blinked that memory off, standing up to wash his face off. To start his day afresh. He paced down the stairs with a slight limp. His injury was acting up from his recent fight with Kaido. The trip to the restroom was longer than usual as he neared the cannon arena. His shipwright had it made so air would ventilate out through the holes made there. He pushed the door open and left it open so light would come in. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. The tanned skin, the painful scar adorned his left eye, the blood locks. His eyes lingered on that color, letting water overfill the sink he plugged. He ducked his head down, holding his breath for a while until he could no longer breath before pulling out. His vibrant locks once again stood out as he let the water drain. It chased him around everywhere he went...
"I hate red!"
Everytime he would look at himself he would remember those words. Cool, icy droplets seeped his strands, sliding down the sink. Another memory overrides his.
"Shanks!" She laughed, pushing back her straying hair behind her ear, a trait of hers that he loved. Petals from the field of flowers swirled gently behind her. He thought she looked stunning in that white dress, he had never seen anyone as beautiful as her. She swung his lone arm around, interlocking them as she got closer to him, smoothing out his flattering hair. "I really love red on you."
The water streamed out in between the cracks of his fingers, pooling around the sink drain. He didn't move from his spot. His heart was aching bad.
"This is what I hate about you." He splashed the water on his face. His hand lowered to refill, scooping another pool-
"I hate red!" -and splashing it on his face. His movement became faster, frantic. It splattered everywhere, on the floor, his clothes, creating a mess. She didn't hate red... she hated him . He slammed his hand on the edge in a weak attempt to console his emotion. This was all his fault, all of it. He deserves to be hated. This was his punishment for what he did to her. His breath shuddered, trying to recollect himself. He grabbed the towel, drying his face. His lids were worn out from the sleepless and restless nights. He won't give up on her, he can't. Even if he had to bear her hatred, he wouldn't. Afterall, this was all his fault. All of it.
It's been two months since Sakura woke up and everyday Trafalgar Law would visit to counsel her to recovery. Shanks would watch Law give her a few lessons to rehabilitate her ability to walk again.
"You can do it, just a few more steps. FEW MORE!" Law pleaded. He was not a man of many emotions but the frustration and irritation would have been amusing to Shanks if he wasn't unnerved by her as well.
"I'm tired." Sakura insisted, fanning her face to prove how much effort she was putting into it that it was making her feel hot. Law was biting his tongue from bursting out on her too much. "You-you only did ten steps. TEN STEPS! How can you be tired already? It's been a month since our walking lessons!"
She pulled the most offended face he had ever seen her do. "I AM TRYING! You just don't know how hard it is to walk again after being in a coma for a year. It takes a lot more effort than it looks and I'm exhausted everyday from it. What kind of doctor are you forcing your patients to push their limits!"
She sat down with a big wham and turned to the side, laying down on the bed and pulling the covers to her face to prove how mad she was at his tone. "Please leave, I don't want your lessons anymore if you continue to act like this."
Law let out an insufferable sigh but didn't persuade her anymore. "Fine! It was my mistake. I'll let you rest today. We will continue our session in two days. Until then please make sure you do the exercises I showed you."
Shanks knew she would never do them so all he could do was stare for many, many days at her attempts... That's how his new daily life turned out. Filled with lies and deception. From her forced smile to those cold steel eyes. Even when she tried to speak with nonexistent respect to him, there wasn't any affection. It dripped with poisonous hatred. He wasn't the only one who noticed it. It seemed like everyone did but they weren't saying it out loud. Whether out of pity or respect, he wasn't sure. This was another day where he was talking with Law about her condition. That man was the only one who told the truth.
"She's purposely failing all my rehabilitation lessons." Law took a sip of his coffee as he looked across his table to where Shanks was seated. His lack of expression misled people into thinking he didn't care when it was far from the truth. "She doesn't want to recover and you are the problem. Sakura-ya is going even as far as to lie to me."
Shanks's finger curled around the handle, trailing over the books, notes, and messy placement of laboratory equipment. He looked around the iron walls, the submarine interior. The small circular window that showed the depth of the ocean.
He couldn't tell him. He couldn't tell him that she already recovered and that she wasn't trying to fail, she's pretending to fail. Every night he could feel her with observation haki working out rigorously. He couldn't tell him she was doing workouts that not even his average men do... their intensity was almost that of his right hand man but scarier because she was supposed to be fragile ... incapable... This illness was turning her into a whole different person. Who trained their muscles using a bed as weights?
"I'm sure you noticed but Sakura-ya hasn't been sleeping well either. It must be taking a toll on her body." She tried to hide it but her body couldn't. The symptoms were so clear to Law. If she continues to push herself like that, she will never stop being agitated and is likely to fall ill again.
Shanks, once again, refrained from telling him how she never slept more than an hour. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing by keeping all these information. Was he doing this to protect her? She must have a good reason on why she was keeping it a secret... or was he deluding himself into thinking she did? Out of fear of the actual answer?
"Is there anything I- you can do to return her back?" His nails lightly tapped the glass consistently, spacing out in thought. What he said next halted his spastic movement. His cup already stale and cold.
"We can try two methods, either force you two to interact until she gains her memories." Law added a few more scribbles into his report, wondering if he can heal the mind. That's one of the few things he wasn't good at. "Or have you stay away from her so she can relax."
None of the solutions sounded great. She couldn't stand being near him and he couldn't stay away from her because he knew she would leave him again if he did. He closed his eyes as a small pained smile crept up. "Guess I'm doomed to fail after all."
She was going insane. This genjutsu didn't make any sense for the thousand times. It was tedious and mundane with no purpose. Sakura squatted, doing her best to bring back her shape. She had been training like crazy to escape this hellhole for the past three months. All the torture and struggle of trying to walk on her own, she managed to pull herself together. Even if she can't use chakra, it doesn't mean she can't dispel it another way. That hope pushed her to this point.
Sakura grunted as she took the towel from beside her, patting her body of sweat. Her ears picked up footsteps and she listened intently. Were they delivering her food? Her hand moved faster, getting rid of evidence of her exercise and made sure the small window was open one last time, letting the ray of sunlight in before she dived, tucking herself in. She fixed her hair and calmed her heavy breathing to a normal level. The door opened and she looked up to see the goofy man come in with a grin on his face.
"Ta-Duh! I brought you what you requested." He sounded excited as he sat beside her, putting the tray on knees. It was a round, smooth, layer of pancake with butter. It had a drizzle of delicious honey staining the cake and plate in color.
Her pupils lowered to the culinary. A fork and chopsticks were set on the sides. Another failure... all these requests were ending up in failure one after another. She needed to get out today no matter what.
"I won't be able to cut this. "Sakura muttered, choosing her words carefully, hoping he got the hint. She had been treating him better in hopes for this to work.
His fist bumped his knees in realization and he stood up. "Right! Silly me!"
He rushed outside and she wondered if she should expect too much. When he returned, a smile crept up her face and she prepared herself. The red haired placed the knife down on the tray, next to the plate. He stared at her as she gracefully picked them up and ate in silence. She would shove the piece in her mouth, trying not to focus on him. She took big bites, trying to finish the meal as fast as she could. Her finger juggled the knife into her right hand with a sleight as she continued her talk of distraction. "Thank you."
His blank expression stayed there for a while before his cheeks turned chubby, his lips stretched widen as he scratched his head, cheeks reddening. The moment his eyes closed, Sakura sneaked the knife underneath her hips. "Anything for you my lady."
"Well, I'm done... I hope you can come back?" Sakura cut it as short as she could, giving him the tray to busy himself with. "I have something important to tell you."
"Important?" His voice became soft and cushy, hopeful. He tilted the tray under his lips, reminding her of how good this man was at acting innocent.
"Yes," Sakura gave him a curt answer and his face brightened up even more. She waited for him to leave, letting him skid past the door before she jumped out of her blanket. Her back pressed on the edge of the wall near the entrance, waiting for the right moment. She strained her ear for any signs of him. Her intuition told her the kitchen was underneath her room so it wasn't a long walk. It took a minute before she felt him stop a little before resuming. The door creek indicated his entrance and with great timing, she kicked him on the shin. He stumbled a bit from the impact into the wall. She shoved the sharp edge of the knife near his throat and held his arm into the wall, keeping him in place as her hostage. He didn't fret, he was rather calm for someone she held near death point.
"Take me out or I'll kill you." She threatened, leaking blood on purpose. Her face overlaid with malice. She was ready to slit his throat if he answered otherwise.
His lips curved forcefully and his eyes softened. He breathed out a whisper. "You would really kill me again..."
Again? She frowned at his puzzling words. Why did he sound so hurt? The amount of pain and misery he was showcasing had her annoyed. He never caused her harm in all those ninety days. If only he would just curse her already, if only he would beat her, if only he would just give her a justifiable reason to make her hate him, she wouldn't feel this way. Her breath wavered as she struggled to keep her killing intent. In her frustration at how light he was taking her warning, she stabbed his hand. He didn't even grunt. The blood stained the steel. His bigger hand wrapped around her smaller ones gently, as if he was afraid she would break.
"Don't touch me." She hissed and pulled them away from him, slicing his hand by accident. She was startled, almost worried when the blood dripped down to the ground...That's why she hated him. He let her resolve waver. Maybe he would hurt her now and then she wouldn't feel her insides eating her.
"I'm sorry." His earnest, droopy eyes had her look away. Her heart squeezed a little. That's not what she wanted. Those weren't the words he should be saying. He should be doing something an enemy would do.
"Just show me out or I'll- I'll kill you," she weakly threatened. Her head snapped towards the door signaling him to go out as she aimed the tip on the small of his back. The moment he took a step out, she walked closely behind him, trying to camouflage her knife from view. Her heart sped up as she walked the narrow hall towards the border where a bunch of stairs lead downstairs. Once at the bottom, the space became wider and intricate. Instead of heading there, he pushed the first door they saw, leading them towards the main deck.
It was raining. Pitter and patterning in a whiplash. Her hair and dress flew away and she lost focus. Trying to look around for her escape. The howling of the wind and the crackling of ice materializing then tapping on the ground had her confused. What was wrong with the weather? It was fine just a second ago when she was exercising. A looming shade reflected on the ground caught her attention and the wetness subdued. Heat emitted from him as he kept a distance but stayed within her space. His cloak covered the rain for her. She glared at him from her side. He couldn't meet her gaze, pupils lowering in the opposite direction. She noticed the way the rain tickled down his chin to his chiseled chest. He mumbled something she couldn't hear but her ability to lip read helped her decipher it. "I don't want you to get sick."
She scoffed at his nice guy act and pushed him away, the cool droplets returned, giving her shivers and goosebumps.
"I would rather get wet." Sakura hissed and stepped back, closer to the railing cautiously.
"Lady Sakura, you are finally walking...?" People were starting to gather below on the lower deck. They were puzzled, almost like they didn't expect her to recover. Sakura looked around for an island to land on. "It's dangerous out here. We are near-"
Sakura gasped, multiple amethyst lightning bolts struck down an island. The loud rumble had her flinch at their deafening applause. She couldn't believe her eyes as they struck in consistency as if it's part of nature. That can't be real. No genjutsu could be this detailed in imagery. This was all fake, this had to be fake.
With increasing worry, her foot rose to the edge and she crumbled the satin of her dress to her knees before she swung herself off, into the sea, sinking into the ocean. This wasn't real. There had to be a flaw somewhere. No genjutsu can be this perfect. She wiped the water off her face and parried her arms, relentlessly kicking. The waves crashed into her, swallowing her into their depth but she gasped, pulling herself out. She can't. This wasn't real! She stroked, her adrenaline pumping faster as her heart flattered. She can't... Her pants got louder, short, almost gagging and hyperventilating. She can't lose to this mind control. This is all an illusion by the sharingan... it had to be, they were experts at this... She can't give up. The water dived into her throat and noses with each sharp intake, burning her lungs. She stroked harder, getting closer and closer to the island. The force of the water pulled her unnaturally, her movements getting slower and slower. She turned to her side to see a swirl underneath, creating a hurricane. She was being pulled into a current. The bolts struck the darkened, almost bleak ocean. How... where was the flaw? Why was everything so detailed? Her wide eyes grew larger when it burned the water and she slackened into restlessness. She can't... no, she gave up. Sakura Haruno would rather die by this genjutsu than be its puppet.
The upcoming larger waves slapped her and her body moved along like a wind fluttering a paper to its will, aimlessly. She twirled round and round, sinking below the surface wildly, unable to get out. And she closed her eyes. The tears mixed along as if they never existed. Her lips curved down and she cried deep inside. She wanted to scream, to scream out loud for her voice to be heard. "Someone get me out of here!" Get her out from this reality that didn't make sense. Her only regret is not dying protecting her village. Kakashi-sensei, Naruto... Sasuke-kun...
The burning filled her lungs and she felt despair. Her consciousness almost slipped before she felt it... a warm, large hand gripping her hovered hand, pulling her. The surface air burned and she coughed, vomiting the content out of her stomach. The same hand rubbed her back, giving her warmth. He gripped her chin and made her face him. The red hair, three scars, and the sad silver eyes... those haunting images... Why was it him? Why him again?
"Let me go!" She thrashed, aggressively pulling herself away. Be an illusion... be an illusion... "Let me go! You are not real! VANISH! PLEASE JUST VANISH!"
"Sakura." His voice wavered and he sounded wounded but one tug was enough to pull her into his embrace as he peddled away. "I can't let you go even if you have to hate me for life."
"LET ME GO!" Sakura screamed, trying to shove him off. She had enough. Her sanity was slowly slipping away everyday. "LET ME DIE! YOU WIN!"
"Listen!" He violently shook her, losing his cool. "I don't want to lose you again. I-I WON'T GIVE UP ON YOU! So don't give up on yourself."
The back of her eyes warmed up and her vision blurred as his anger dissipated at the sight of her tears. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to yell."
She gripped at the now see through shirt and she broke before him, her voice cracked. "Please..."
His hand surrounded her back and her grip loosened. Her voice changed octaves and her body trembled. She was tired. "Please save me. Please."
She closed her eyes, begging him over and over again. He brought her closer to his chest. Shushing and assuring her, his fingers fisting in between her locks. "It will be okay. You will be okay."
But she had given up this fight. There wasn't any more will in her to continue this. She lowered her forehead into his shoulders. Her cold cheeks rubbed at the nook of his neck. He was so warm. She sighed contentedly, letting him take her away. She didn't care anymore what happened to her. She wanted everything to end. Peace, she wants that. A peace of mind that she wasn't spared during those three months. A mind that wasn't driven into insanity.
The soft crashing of waves had her ease up. The stiffness in her body relaxed and she closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat, soft breathing and vigorous swimming. His hand would keep the hem of her dress from running astray. The way he touched her wasn't discomforting. He held her close and he muttered softly. "Hold me close."
And she did. For once, she complied without too much complaint. His hand left her and she wrapped her own tighter around his neck. She felt sleepy like all her sleepless nights were catching up to her.
"It's cold." She whispered as she nuzzled into his necks, her eyes opened briefly to see them being heaved up by the pirates with a rope. As they reached the top, the tugging stopped, cool, cold fingers tapped on her neck.
"She has a fever, she is so cold." His voice was getting smaller and her heavy lids were getting worse by the minute. She can barely keep up what's happening anymore. Her attention drifted into darkness and she finally slept peacefully.
When…
When did he start feeling this way? Shanks never felt so dead inside. It's been ninety days and she still hasn't accepted him. How many performances was she planning to pull in front of him? Everything about her was a hoax.
Shanks sighed as he took small, reluctant steps to his inevitable doom. The silver knife in his hand glinted ominously. He halted when his observation haki let him know of another future. A future he had been avoiding a lot lately.
The moment he opened the door, she attacked him but he managed to block her surprise attack. Her feet pivoted into a roundhouse kick that he also blocked. She backflipped, backing away then dived in, her hand held strange precision as she switched quickly underneath him. He jumped but she was quick on her feet, the knife in her hand shoved upwards and he held it in place just in time before she hurt him, flipping their position around so that she was pressed on the wall. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I can't trust you." Her resolve and faith in her words pierced his heart. "Those skills- you are trying to hurt me! All of you!"
Shanks stared at the floor, all his emotions subdued into stillness. He felt empty inside. All his efforts were for naught. Every step he took towards her, she would take three more steps backwards. How many times has he seen her harm him? How many times has she stabbed him... how many times has she killed him in one of the future? Which is why he instructed the kitchen workers to leave the knife out. In her lowest moments, she tried with a fork and chopstick as well but he would leave before she did anything. His chest constricted in pain and clenched his teeth, hoping all this would go away with time. He let a wavered breath out as he regained his composure. His feet took a step forward as he headed towards her room. This time, he will show her his sincerity. He loosened his hold on the knife. He will take her pain with him. He will NOT give up even if it took years to regain her trust again.
Shanks will not let her down... again.
She didn't know how long her consciousness slipped but the sweating was enough to jolt her into awareness briefly. Her lids were still heavy, almost falling back to darkness but she enlarged them open. She turned her head to the left to see him leaning forward on her bed, his cheeks pressed up on his forearm. His back heaved in and out, the only indicator that he was asleep. This man kept her alive.
She felt a wet coolness and her hand tilted upwards, following her pupil movement. A white towel laid on her forehead, the temperature of it still fresh. He must have put it on not that long ago. She let her arm drop, lightly nudging on top of his. She didn't notice his was this close to hers. Her gaze lingered on it, the bandages wrapped around had her recall what she had done. Why did he want to save her this badly? She wasn't the person he knew but his unwillingness to give up on her made her surrender to him.
Her pads rubbed on his rough, calloused palms, feeling their texture and bandage. A few of the skin surface rose, proving its blisters and his tips had small little slits. She pulled her hand away, wondering what was wrong with her but she didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, her mind felt at peace as she slowly drifted back to unconsciousness. Her last thoughts were about how hardworking his hand felt.