The Great Medic (discontinued?)

16: The Light of My Life

A/N - Apologies for this chapter taking fucking forever! I kept getting sick/not feeling too well - still not covid related; I think it was just the changing weather that was making me feel bad and stressed, but I'm always stressed. That and half of this chapter was deleted at one point with no recovery so I had to rewrite this chapter! For those in the server as well as my best friends, Luc and Codex, you all know how frustrated it was for me to try and rewrite this... that's why it took so long because I was so overwhelmingly mad that I had to rewrite a chapter I'd nearly finished.

And the final reason behind my absence is because I just got hired at a new job - yay! - and I wanted to take my time to learn the job and how to do it properly. It is physically and mentally exhausting, the job I have, so I've been tired more often and I didn't have the energy nor time to write. So, yeah, sorry for disappearing and I hope you like this chapter! Don't worry, everyone, we're almost to the next arc!

...

Shikaku entered the hospital, a disposable coffee cup in his hand as he made his way towards the in-patient facility. He lifted his head, waving towards Ashido, the sweet receptionist who had helped to guide him to Naruto's hospital room when that fateful night happened four days ago. She waved back politely as he approached the desk, "Are you picking Naruto up?"

"I was told that he was allowed to leave now. Dr. Teruya sent one of the ANBU agents looking over Naruto my way to let me know." He mentioned, laying a hand on the counter, "Has he been alright while my wife and I were gone? And my son?"

"They're doing alright." Ashido smiled softly, turning around in her swivel chair towards a filing cabinet, pulling out the blond-haired genin's file. She handed it over to the Nara clan leader, "Naruto's practically been sleeping on and off for the past ten hours. If you look at his charts, though, he was able to manage to keep down some food around lunchtime. We didn't give him anything for dinner since he was going to be discharged soon."

Shikaku eyed the file carefully, trying not to let his mind read too far into the boy's severe injuries he'd sustained that night, "Yes, well, Yoshino and I will make sure he gets something to eat tonight."

She folded her hands carefully over the counter, humming to herself, "I'm sure Dr. Teruya can give you a better idea of his condition since waking up than I can, you know since I'm behind a desk." They shared a short laugh before the woman motioned him towards the stairs that would lead him to Naruto's room.

"You've been very kind, Ashido-san." Shikaku bowed his thanks, getting a flushed 'thank you' from the receptionist before heading towards the staircase. There was no need to ask for directions; after that first night, he had memorized the route in preparation for the days that lief ahead. Shikaku let his mind wander back to that night, his son's face plastered into his memory.

"Dad?! Do you think he's o-okay?!" Shikamaru's face dissolved into fearful tears, eyes wide with his hands shaking by his side, "He has to be okay!" He scratched painfully at his face as his breath quickened in his panic. The Nara heir's hair was slipping from the boy's ponytail, framing his face in his distress. It had been so long since Shikaku had seen his son's hair down.

The older man was quiet as he pulled his son close as they waited in the intensive care unit, ICU. There were couches and chairs all around them, a warm atmosphere created by the decorations and yellow lightning, intent on keeping people calm while they waited for their loved one to make it out okay. Shikaku has been here plenty of times, waiting on a friend to get out of surgery, but it felt different this time around.

He tried to get his son to take a seat, noticing the boy's shaking knees and hands, but Shikamaru's anxious pacing kept them standing as they waited on any word about Naruto. He smoothed down the boy's hair, pushing it behind his ear, "I'm sure the doctors are doing their best."