The new hospital of Konohagakure did not differ much from the old one, and it was with a strange feeling of familiarity that Sakura entered it for the first time. It was a warm and friendly feeling. Still, it did not drown out the sensation of death lingering, lurking, waiting in every corner, every shadow, for the next soul to claim. When she had trained to become a medic it had been the desire, the deep and profound believe that from now on she would be able to help her friends, to protect them, to save them, that had driven her to train and become one of the best medics there were.
She had not set foot into an infermary since the war had ended. She knew, that she had to, that it was her duty, her responsibility. She did not need anyone to remind her, and apparently everyone understood that. Almost everyone. Eventhough it was only on rare occasions, and always with a casual „don't you think?", added, Kakashi had sometimes during the past year pointed out, that it might do her good to return to her old work.

In the cafeteria she met up with Ino, who greeted her with a hug so close and intense as if they had not seen each other for years.
„I'm sorry", Sakura whispered. She felt Ino's tears seeping through her dress onto her shoulder.
„No, I'm sorry", Ino replied, dapping her eyes. She sat back, bit her lower lip.
„I guess you had a lot to do, helping Kakashi..."
„Hm", Sakura shrugged. The truth was, though it was not untill now that she realised this, she did not believe that Kakashi had actually needed her assistance at all. He had given her tasks, so that she would not feel useless, but that was all. For the most time he would use any work at hand to keep himself occupied.
„Sure you're up to this?", Ino asked. Already her conscience was telling her, that she should not have asked Sakura for help, that Sakura had enough to deal with as it was. But Sakura nodded, a look of determination in her eyes that Ino had not seen for a very long time.
„Just...whatever he says, don't... I mean, most of it doesn't make any sense anyway, but if it does... I don't think he even knows what he is saying."
„I know, you told me", Sakura nodded once more reasuringly.
„I'm sorry... this is a really bad idea."
It was not, Sakura repeated, she really wanted to help.
„That's why I became a medic, to help my friends. I can't just stop, because I couldn't..", but she found herself unable to finish that sentence. She had to swollow hard to hold back the tears. Then she cleared her throat, gave Ino the most optimistic smile she could manage and asked her to let her in on all the information she had.
„It's not much, really..", Ino mumbled „no, this is no good. It's like...", her hands gestured in the air, trying to get a hold of the right words to use.

„It's like Madara took his mind, and shattered it. Into a milion pieces. I... I've spent one year trying to... and I couldn't help him one bit. And you... you don't even – you don't even know how to..."
„Ino!", Sakura firmly grapped hold of her friend's hand, pulled her back into the chair she had just abandoned, to pace up and down, hands flying.
„Dad might have known..", Ino whispered, and while Sakura still managed to keep her emotions locked away tight, broke into tears once more. She willingly accepted Sakuras comfort and embrace, and finally, after she had calmed down a little, agreed that, even if Sakura might not be able to help, she could still go and visit him.
Sakura waited outside his room. She was not sure what to expect, expected the most distubring sight, when Ino finally called her in. She had not expected this:
On his bed he sat, calm as one can be, legs crossed, thumps and indexfingers forming a triangle, his eyes fixed on the wall infront of him. He did not look any different from what she remembered him, except for the white pyjamas maybe.
Ino, who had seated herself next to him, lightly touched his shoulder.
„You remember Sakura, don't you?", she asked in a soft voice.
Shikamaru turned his head, and it was now that Sakura could tell the difference. His eyes, for the first time Sakura could recall, looked at her, wide and sharp and with a wild confusion.
„She's different back to front", he observed slowly, brows furrowed. Then he brushed Inos hand aside and got up.
As with his eyes, his voice too sounded sharper – in the same way that an aimlessly thrown breadknife was sharper than a tucked away kunai.

„Why are just standing there?"
Sakura invulontarily took a step back. She had braced herself for him to act different and weird, but she had not expected him to just start and shout at her out of the blue.
„You cannot just stand there, when they need you to -", there he stopped, midsentence, stopped and stared at her, shook his head, before he continued „help them. You're not supposed to just stand there", he went on, even as Ino wrapped her arms around him tightly and pulled him back and away from Sakura, while her hands, infront of his chest, were busy forming seals.
Once she had placed Shikamaru's half concious body once more on his bed, Ino looked up, she wanted to apologise about what happened, but Sakura was already gone.