Healing Hands and Tedious Fingers

Chapter 3

(NPOV) I awoke to a knock at my door. It was still pretty early, maybe 7am.

"Come in." I tried to yell, but it was more like a groggy croak.

Shikamaru came in with a half-smile. "My, you sure are beautiful in the morning." He laughed.

I smiled half awake, and sat up rubbing my eyes. "What can I do for you?" I asked stretching.

"I got some good news this morning from Kakashi." He said sitting down in my desk chair and leaning back with his arms behind his head.

"Oh yeah?" I asked as I stood up wrapping my blanket around my shoulders, and then sitting back down on my bed in a little cocoon.

He smiled at me again and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.

"Temari is on her way here, she should be here in a day or 2 depending on how fast she wants to get here." He chuckled to himself. "Kakashi ordered me to be Temari's guide for the time she is here, which is only a couple of days but still." he said blushing and looking out the window.

I not surprised that he came so early tell me, no one else knew. He always had this serious attitude, but inside he was a gentle guy. He had been my close friend ever since we were young students.

"Plus, her younger brother Kankuro is coming as well." He raised his eyebrows at me a few times with a creepy smile.

I laughed, "Oh please," I said rolling my eyes thinking about Kankuro. I had forgotten that Temari was his sister. I thought about the couple of times I had met him. First at the chunin exams, and one time on a mission to the sand village. He always made advances toward me; he was usually just a perve, or being sarcastic. On the lighter note, I hadn't seen him in about a year.

"I wonder what he looks like now a days?" I thought out loud thinking about his face paint and cat ear hat he used to wear.

"That's the spirit!" he joked.

"Whelp," he said like an old man as he stood up and stretched. "I've got a mission to do today, I have to make it a fast one, to be back in time for Temari to get here." He walked over to me patted me on the head as I laughed.

"I'll see you in a day or so." He waved as he walked to my door, " Oh," he said stopping at my door way and turning his head slightly. "The night they get here, I'm taking them both out for dinner and drinks."

"Oh well that sounds like a blast." I said laughing, as I thought about poor Kankuro having to be a third wheel to his sister and Shikamaru.

"Yeah the 4 of us are going to have a great time!"

"Wait, what?" I asked as I almost chocked on my own breath.

"Yep! You will be joining us for the night." He winked at me. "Wear something nice." He smiled and left me there with my mouth open and speechless.

All day at work that's all I could think about, going on a double date with Kankuro. How did he feel about it? He probably just wanted to get in my pants.

I sighed as I grabbed a few new sheets out the closet, and headed back to my station. I made the beds, washed the old sheets, and cleaned all my patient rooms in a couple of short hours. I worked at the hospital part time, while I was still a student. They assigned me 3 rooms today, yet I hadn't had a single patient.

I heard a familiar laugh down the hall. I knew it was Naruto. I'm sure he did another stupid stunt and hurt himself again. I walked down there and peeked in the room.

"Oh hey Naomi, what's up?" he asked smiling at me with his eyes closed, as Sakura was healing a gash on his right arm.

"It's going alright, I'm actually pretty bored. I heard you though, and came to investigate." I said as I walked in and took a look at the gash on his arm.

"You know Naruto," Sakura sighed. "Always getting himself into trouble."

"Oh it's no big deal," he objected. "I'm fine." He said as flinched a bit.

I laughed. " If you say so." I stood and walked to the door, " Oh, Sakura?" I asked turning around. "There is something I want to.." I swallowed nervously. "To talk to you about when we get off."

"Oh?" she said grinning at me. I had a feeling she knew something was up.

I turned and left before Naruto could start asking questions. The rest of the day went by pretty slow, I had 2 kids come in for minor cuts from their kunai knifes, and one pregnant woman for a checkup, and help with her back pain.

They let Sakura and I leave early for the night, so we headed over to the tea shop and sat in a small booth. She eyed me as I ordered us some hot green tea and an order of sweet dumplings.

"So spill it." She said as soon as the waiter turned around.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Alright so, Shikamaru invited me to dinner with him and Temari tomorrow night."

I smiled at the waiter as she dropped off our tea and dumplings. I sipped my tea and studied her face.

"That sounds strange to me." She admitted with a weird look. "Why did he invite you?" she asked grabbing her own tea cup.

"Because Temari's not traveling alone," I said looking out the window and laughing a bit. "Her brother Kankuro is also going, and Shikamaru is taking both of them out for dinner and drinks. He said I have to go, and to dress nice."

She burst out laughing, making me to wish I hadn't told her.

"Shut up," I moaned dipping my head down a bit to avoid people staring at us.

"You know," She said tapping her cheek as she thought for a moment.

"I saw him without his face paint, I actually had to save his life. He was dying of a poison attack, and I had to extract it for him." She smiled at me playfully "He sure has grown to be a handsome man. And a talented ninja." She winked at me.

I blushed, trying to hide it by taking another long sip of my tea.

"It's ok Naomi, don't be shy. I can tell by your eyes that you're interested." She chuckled.

"I've met him a few times." I admitted to her. "He always acts like a fool." I said looking annoyed.

"I just saw him a couple of months ago." She said with a devilish grin.

"When was the last time you saw him?" she asked interlocking her fingers, and then resting her elbows on the table.

"A year." I said smiling a little.

"Give it a shot." She said sternly. "Besides, I think you're in for a nice surprise."

Just then Kiba walked by the window, he stopped and smiled big at me. Giving me a big wink. Sakura laughed out loud as I frowned at him, and pulled the shade shut over his face.