Mysterious Kunoichi (Part 1 of 2 in the MK Series)

There was a silhouette in the black void before me, a man and a woman, backs to me and walking away from me. I tried calling out to them but they either didn't hear me, or didn't care. I tried running after them, but it was as though I wasn't even moving. The second they finally looked back, they disappeared in a blinding light. I felt myself falling, just like I did in the cave before I woke up.

My body fell quickly and freely, the black void was swirling now and the scream I let loose never reached my ears. The breath was knocked out of me, but there was no impact to explain why. I scratched at my throat, clawing away, sucking in air as I did so. Eerie silence filled my ears before I heard the faint beep of a monitor. The hospital. I made it home. I lived.

I tried moving my legs but there was a heavy weight on them. I wiggled my fingers and found my left hand free, my right was clutched tightly by someone. My eyes blinked, focusing on my legs, Rowan, my vision blurred again as I was relieved to see him. I cut my eyes over to see an expectant Kakashi peering down at me, a mix of a laugh and sob fell from my lips. I went to sit up, Kakashi stopped me by falling to me, his arms warm and safe. Home.

"Thank, Kami." He mumbled into the fabric of my hospital gown.

I wrapped my arms around him, he had no vest and I could feel his back trembling as he silently cried into my neck. My tears fell freely as well, eyes burning as they did. I let my fingers brush through his hair and I pulled his hitai-ate from his head. I found his face and moved the fabric of his mask down, his head still buried into me. There was some stubble on his face, but nothing like the time I found him a disastrous mess in his apartment.

Rowan jumped from the bed and sat guarding the door as Kakashi laid on the bed next to me. We simply lay there, holding onto one another, afraid that this wasn't real. The moonlight was streaming through the window and offered a little light to the dark room. Kakashi finally pulled away slightly, letting me see his face, his entire face, he was exhausted and worried. How long had he been sitting here waiting for me to wake up? I wanted nothing more than to kiss him and let him hold me until we fell asleep, but then I remembered why I was here in the first place. I felt sick and wanted no one to touch me, I was disgusting and filthy.

I shrank in on myself and rolled away from Kakashi, facing the door. Kakashi moved and I felt his arm wrap around me and under me, pulling my back to his chest. I thrashed for a moment before he gripped me tightly, making me whimper from the pain of the pressure against my tender body. He loosened his hold but refused to let go, nuzzling into my hair, and breathing deeply. I sobbed into the quiet night, my blurred vision focused on Rowan, those bright blue eyes staring back me with regret. He feels like he failed me, when in truth, I failed myself. Kakashi's embrace never faltered through the night, no matter how much I fought him, he refused to let go.

Morning came and the three of us were in the same position as the night before. I don't think any of us slept at all, if we did, it wasn't a peaceful sleep. Rowan trotted to me and nuzzled my hand that was hanging from the bed, I opened my palm and and he licked it, offering an apology. I stroked his muzzle for a moment before petting his head, letting him know that no apology was needed. There was a knock at the door and I tensed, Kakashi went to move but I clutched onto his arms.

"I don't want to see anyone."

"It's either Sakura or Tsunade, no one else is allowed in." Kakashi assured. "Come in."

The gasp was what I heard first, the clipboard falling to floor came next, then the hurried footsteps before I was pulled upward and into a tight hug. Tsunade's scent wafted into my nose, tea, sake and ink, and I felt myself calm slightly. She wasn't even trying to hide her tears as she cried on my shoulder. Kakashi removed himself from the bed and made his way to close the door, but remained in the room.