It took some time for Misoka to wake up again.  The doctors had their work cut out for them with all the patchwork that was done on her.  So many grazes and cuts that covered her body.  They told me none of them were severe enough to leave a permanent scar.  Except for the spot where she was stabbed.

On her stomach were many bandages that had to be reapplied a few times.  The doctors had sent her to surgery when they had first taken her in.  The stab wounds having torn up her insides pretty bad, there was a lot that they had to seal back together.  Fortunately, she was under great care.  And just to make sure, I had demanded to be in the operating room.

Just because there was peace between the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Sand didn't mean they wouldn't be saddened if she'd died 'accidentally' while in their care.  I remember one doctor tried to call for security to escort me out but I had stunned his ass with my bo staff, causing his legs to fall asleep and send him straight to the ground.

I laughed thinking about it all now, as I filled out the extended stay form for one of the nurses.  They had been nice to us at the least, especially the one that stood waiting for me to finish the form.  I smiled at her as she smiled back, taking the completed form and wishing all three of us a safe trip back.

That was one thing, almost everyone here kept mentioning for us to head back.  They never stated it outright, except for the doctor I had tazed, but they'd always hint at it with simple phrases just as the nurse had by wishing us safe travels.  It was understandable, I thought, seeing as we'd taken out several people within their village.  Even if they were bad, it was still a large death toll for one event.

My eyes traveled over my shoulder towards Misoka.  She'd really put everything on the line.  There was nothing more from her to be expected.  She'd given her all not just for the village, but for those kids that had been taken.  My smile softened as I watched her slow, steady breathing.  Then it was as if my eyes were playing tricks on me.

Did she just move?!  I turned completely around to pay closer attention.  Her eyes stirred behind her eyelids and then with a quick, natural jolt they were open.  My mouth opened in shock and my hands went to cover my mouth all without thinking of it, all of my attention on Misoka as she finally came back to consciousness.  She turned her head to the right and looked at Kazuhiko resting beside her in his own bed.

I was so thrilled for her to be back again that I nearly jumped on to her bed as I raced to her side.  "Misoka! Misoka!" I was nearly screaming from excitement as I tried to turn her attention from Kazuhiko to me.  "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!"

My hands submerged under her, squeezing between her back and the hospital bed as I tried to give her a hug.  There were too many emotions for me to hold back.  Everything about this was against what my brain was telling me to do.  My training of keeping facades and masks, of hiding true emotions and facial expressions were all cast aside.  I had forced myself to express the joy of having her back to being well again.  She needed to know that I truly was glad to see her, not having some fake face look at her and lie to her no matter how skilled I had become from all the years of learning the Eye of the Heart.

After all she'd gone through, she deserved some honesty from me.  "I'm so sorry, Misoka, for all of this." I started.  And for the first time in a long while, my eyes began to water up with real tears.




By the following day, both Misoka and Kazuhiko were well enough to leave.  I thanked the doctors for that much at least.  We took a slow breakfast, eating our fill and enjoying us all being conscious and in each other's company.  Kazuhiko was happy to see us both, and glad that the ones behind the threats towards Suna were dead.

They left together.  Kazuhiko coming home with us now that his identity of being a Suna-nin was obvious.  It would be too dangerous to leave him there now that his role was compromised.  Misoka and I boarded a ship to return us back home, Kazuhiko already heading back to the cabins for some much needed rest.  I took a moment to steel my stomach.  Sailing was still not my forté and I was dreading the trip, but having Misoka standing next to me made things better.  The future was going to be better too.

Travel WC: 600/600 COMPLETE
244

She wasn’t prepared for Suzume’s reaction. Not prepared didn’t even describe it in the slightest; Misoka could do nothing but stare at the Kazekage in awe as the woman wrapped her arms around her, muttering cries of relief and apologies, which did not seem justified.
Why…? Why was Suzume sorry? She hadn’t done anything wrong. Neither of them had known what they were getting into. It wasn’t her fault.
And then Misoka felt something else rise within her, a feeling that warmed her heart: gratitude.

Her voice overrun with emotion, she hesitantly returned the embrace and said, “Thank you for worrying about me, Suzume-sama. I thought I was…” She trailed off, not sure why she started the sentence in the first place. Somehow she felt more vulnerable than ever right now and there was the need to express that. “I thought I was going to die.”

The truth.
After lying so many times about her feelings, it was strange to be so open about them all of a sudden.
I was on the verge of death. This time for real. I guess… it changed me. A little. Maybe a little more than I think.  
“But we did it, didn’t we?” A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips while the tears were flowing freely now. Tears of joy. Or relief. Or sadness. Or confusion.
She herself couldn’t tell, but the fact that she could clearly see Suzume’s own emotional expression made up for any hint of embarrassment she might have felt at that moment.

In the course of a few days, in the course of this lethal mission, the success connected them, brought them closer. On day one, they had been hardly more than strangers and now… they were crying in each other’s arms.
And it didn’t even feel weird or wrong.
It was comforting.
Suddenly Misoka believed that they were similar in a way, that they could trust each other, that they were becoming… friends.
A friend, she thought and swallowed. A female friend I can confide in. It’s been so long since I had that privilege.
Her former squad mate Jezzi appeared in her mind. Jezzi who had been killed on Team One’s first C-Rank mission. Jezzi who had been the second death she’d witnessed.
Misoka squinted her eyes shut for a moment, trying not to dwell on the ugly details of the massacre.

It’s alright. It’s alright now. I was young. I was weak. I couldn’t help her.

But I’ve changed.

She didn’t know how long Suzume and she stayed like that, communicating without words.
At one point, Misoka began to talk. They talked about each other's past, their fears and hopes for the future. It seemed impossible to spill all these secrets at first, but as time went on, it actually became comfortable.
This mission had bound them together. And both of them knew that.

~

The next day, they could leave the hospital and make their way back home. Misoka was wearing thick bandages around her abdomen. The wound hadn’t healed completely yet and it would definitely leave a scar. She couldn’t help but smirk a little at the thought of her grandparents. A scar! They would be devastated. Her grandfather would have to lower her price at once.
High time she finally brought an end to that. The clan had to be changed as soon as possible. She’d promised.

A true smile formed on her face as she threw a glance at Suzume beside her. It was hard to believe that she had gained a friend in Suna after so many years of living in solitude and isolation.
Slowly, but gradually, the pain in her heart was fading.
It would never go away, no. She was aware of that.
Contrary to common belief, time did not heal wounds.
But it made them bearable.



[Exit]
[Travel Complete]

[OOC: Hope that's alright!! :D I thought that way we can return to Suna more quickly! If we want to have that emotional talk between them in detail, we can always make a flashback thread after all. :)) ]