Time Travel? What The Fuck?

Chapter 34: Exposed

The hospital was oddly peaceful as the sun rose over the village. After all the insanity of the past few days, what with Orochimaru and everything that entailed, it felt almost as though it were holding its breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

That wasn't to say it was going to, though. But it also wasn't entirely out of the question.

For team 7, the two days were full of uncertainty and worry. No one had come to ask them for their report. Naruto still hadn't woken up. They hadn't received any news on how the exams were going, if they were even continued at all. Overall, there were too many questions and no one giving them answers. For the two (conscious) time travelers, it was infuriating.

"You're already awake?" A soft voice mumbled by the wall. Looking over, Sakura saw Karin blearily blinking up at them, glasses askew from the awkward position she'd just woken up from. She had stayed both the first night and last night with them, sleeping on a chair next to Naruto's bed. Not that either of the two were complaining. For some reason though she'd refused to leave her cousins side whenever a nurse or doctor asked her too. She claimed she needed to be there for him, that family had to stick together. Which anyone could tell she meant.

But Sakura knew better.

She saw it in the girls discarded headband, and the scars along her skin. She had nowhere else to go. She was all alone.

"Yeah, just woke up," Sakura answered, noticing the girl shift to cover her arm. "You look exhausted," she pointed out. "Are you sure you don't want the keys to Naruto's place? You can sleep and take a shower there. He wouldn't mind."

Karin just grimaced, looking back down at her cousin. Her red eyes were filled with sadness and what looked like regret or grief. It was possible she was remembering something painful. Sakura didn't doubt it. From what she remembered about seventeen year old Karin, she'd had a tough life even before Sasuke. Sakura couldn't imagine what was going through her head at the moment.

"I don't want him to be alone," the girl finally muttered, hands fisting over her knees.

"He won't be. He has us," Sakura stated. "You both do."

A soft blush bloomed across Karin's cheeks, small smile forming on her lips.

"Thank you Sakura," she murmured.

Sakura returned the smile, eyes soft and kind like she knew Karin needed. "Of course."

Then it was quiet for a moment, sunlight from the rising sun spilling into the room and a peaceful silence hanging in the air. Until-

"Jeez, get a room you two."

"SASUKE!"

"EW GROSS!" The girls shreaked in unison at the now awake Uchiha, who was staring idly at them.

"Sasuke, that's disgusting," Sakura gasped. "She's thirteen and I'm-" Seventeen. She paused. "I'm twelve." A small flicker of understanding passed across Sasuke's face, but it quickly returned to its usual passive apathy.

"Th-that's not that big of an age gap," Karin exclaimed behind her.

Sakura had to physically stop herself from flinching. If only you knew...

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed, leaning back into his pillows. "Just stop being weird."

"You're the one being weird, asshole!" Sakura shouted back, veins bulging in her fist. Behind her, a flustered Karin sweatdropped.

"You guys are insane..." the poor Uzumaki muttered.

"Sadly this is nothing new," was all Sasuke said.