Chapter Seven Part Two
Red.
Awareness seeped in like the growing light of the day outside, bringing nothing he could comprehend and thus come to the conclusion that he was in no danger, but slowly Sasuke became aware of voices. At first he cringed, expecting the raspy, derisive voice of Naruto's brother, but presently he realized the voices were several, and among them was his captain's. He forced his eyelids open even though white burst across his vision and his retinas screamed in protest at the abuse. Immediately the voices became closer, soothing, comforting.
"Sasuke? Sasuke, are you awake?" Captain Kakashi. He screwed up his face as he tried to squint to see his boss. He caught a glimpse of white - white hair, more people. He felt as though he'd been in a train wreck and his head hurt like the fires of Hell. It hurt like someone taking ten knifes and slowly shearing away, replacing them for still more pain. Again he groaned as he tried to raise a hand, but he was too weak. It dropped next to him.
"The light," he managed through dry, cracked lips, and then the room went mercifully dark. He propped open his eyelids. "Kakashi..." he mumbled, his voice dry, his mouth feeling like cotton. "Where am I?"
"Hospital," his boss informed him, gently bringing a glass of water to the parched detective's lips. Sasuke drank gratefully. "Someone found you and a young woman in the alleyway
close to the suspect's house. The woman is dead."
"I have.... I have proof," Sasuke managed, "Proof. Naruto's not... the murderer. Not the killer - Gaara is..."
"Gaara?" Kakashi repeated, puzzled. "Who's Gaara?"
"Gaara," Sasuke murmured, then: "Proof. Gaara. Proof Gaara is murderer."
"Where is the proof, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked gently, laying a hand on Sasuke's immobile arm. Sasuke struggled to speak, but was obviously too weak, and Kakashi said, "Rest, Sasuke, just rest. I'll talk to you later." Quietly the man got up, trying not to disturb his detective too much, and left the room.
Sasuke opened his mouth - no - he had to clear Naruto's name. His head felt like every nerve was on fire, and he felt more exhausted than he ever had in his life, more than after hours of working out or running or training. He was weak as a kitten and his vision was blurry. Distantly he wondered how his head looked, what damage Gaara had done to it. Would he still be able to keep his job, be able to do the things he'd taken for granted? Or would his life be forever changed, perhaps confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life or....
He forced his mind away, to concentrate on something else. Something important. Gaara. Naruto. With difficulty he moved his hand over, to his side, feeling with numbed fingers. He would've cursed if he could have found the strength as he felt a hospital gown. Where was his clothes, his belongings? Where? His hand fumbled clumsily until he found a cool, plastic remote-like object in his hands and he pressed something, a little button, and a light blinked on. Sighing, he let his entire body relax, feeling his tensed-up muscles attempt to unwind. He closed his eyes, feeling as though he hadn't gotten sleep in a year, and inhaled slowly, then exhaled. Think, he told himself. Think. What happened after that?
He recalled, the panorama in his mind's eye as vivid as if it were being replayed before him, the events of that night. That night. He could see the monster - Gaara, as he was called - he could see him clearly, as he'd first spotted him through the window in the apartment, stalking the young girl. He'd bolted down the stairs and out of the building, not even bothering to lock up or even close the door to the suspect's apartment, but he'd still come too late. Even as he raced across the street, he heard her scream and he saw her slip from the monster's arms to fall limply to the pavement below. He'd cursed himself - damn stupid fool, if only he'd known.... but he knew it was too late for the woman, that poor woman, whose only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and instead concentrated on the fiend before him, shouting impulsively at him to freeze. But the inhuman thing had disappeared, vanished with the shadows as though he was a part of them and Sasuke, disregarding his own safety, had barralled after him, concerned only at catching this creep and putting him in a place where he would never kill again. He evoked the terror he'd felt, but then the complacent calmness that had taken over as he spoke to the darkness, spoke to the animal that lurked within its depths. Honestly he didn't know what came over him as he was talking; it was almost as though he was experiencing the thrill, the same adrenaline rush Gaara did as he played cat-and-mouse with his prey. Behind his seemingly-sleeping face, he grit his teeth. He would never forgive himself for that, for giving in to the temptation he had spent his career fighting against. And then they were talking. Jeering, really, at each other. And the words - those words falling from Gaara's mouth, they weren't from a normal, sane human being -
"Mr. Uchiha-san? Are you awake?"
Annoyed to be interrupted, he opened his eyes and cultivated a nasty reply to tell the concerned-looking nurse bending over him, but the retort failed to pass his lips. Instead he nodded. "I need," he said, trying to find the breath and the strength to speak, "My things. My belongings... my clothes."
"But why, Mr. Uchiha-san? You can't possibly be planning to checking out against medical advice," she replied, her pretty, large brown eyes wide with the trepidation that was apparent on her face. She was exceptionally pretty, with soft black curls bouncing around a pale face with high cheekbones and soft, pretty lips, but as usual he ignored appearances. At the moment, he ignored everything but the goal before him: getting his things back.
"I just need them," he told her. "Please. I'm not going to check out, I promise." He caught his breath. "I just need them. Everything. Make sure everything is there..." it was the most he'd spoken since awaking, and it was sapping his strength rapidly. "Please," he repeated in a near-whisper, his voice hoarse.
"Of course." The nurse moved discreetly away. "I'll be right back."
He waited with impatience, which struck him as rather funny because it looked like he was going to be here for a while anyway; he cursed himself for his stupidity. He'd been so, so close to catching the killer... and now look at him, stuck in a hospital bed, helpless. How many more had to pay before that degenerate was stopped? Checking out against medical advice was beginning to be a pretty good idea and he was composing his exit when the nurse returned, carrying a small cardboard box. Seeing her, he tried to lift himself into a sitting position, but collasped back, his arms unable to support him, and she rushed forward with a, "No, no, Mr. Uchiha-san... here, let me." She took the remote-like thing connected to his bed and pressed a button. The bed began to rise, only the top half, until Sasuke was in a comfortable sitting position. "Is that better?" she said, smiling at the man, who nodded and looked pointedly at the box. Getting the hint, she lifted out the objects for him to see. He recognized them all as she showed him: his pants, shirt, belt, socks, shoes, phone... she presented a last object, small and rectangular, and he took it, holding it in his palm and staring at it. It was still here. It was safe. He wasn't going to let it out of his sight until Kakashi returned and he could give it to capable hands.
Because, in his trembling palm, lay the only proof of Gaara being the murderer, or even existing at all.
A/N: Ha-ha, I leave you with another cliffhanger. I want to get 50 reviews for this story! Or more. That's my goal. Invincible is on Chapter Eight, but I have to say it's dying... because I've come up with at least three other different Naruto stories. They may all be posted or not, depending on if I ever get around to writing them. Lol. I've started one, a SasuNaru called Be My Whore, about them falling in love but they can't be together because Sasuke, as a traitor, has to find a wife in six months... so please look forward to that posting!!! Thank you and please review so I can update even faster. ^^ Yes, I'm bribing you. What're you gonna do about it? You can start by reviewing...
Well, hope you enjoyed!
SBP
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Chapter notes: My goal for this story is 50 reviews. I hope I get it, because this story is almost completed... so, review, ppl! Thank you. Also look forward to other stories being added, because I've come up with a zillion ideas and the ones I put down will be posted! Someday. I hope. Enjoy, SBP
And please review!!!