~*****~

I didn't remember when, but I ended up on the ground, laying in my own self pity and exhaustion. Warm arms wrapped under my body, and lifted me up. When I came to, I was back in Konoha. I gazed over at the IV hanging limply at my bed side. My room was silent. Empty. Flowers sat at my bedside, and I vaguely wondered who had sent them before slowly sitting up. My stomach heaved, and I immediately grasped a trash can besides the bed to vomit. The bile burned at my throat and tongue. I wiped at my mouth silently before heaving again. Alarms went off as I slipped from the bed and cradled my midsection on the floor. "Ren!" I hear Shizune cry out as she enters the room. "Easy now," She coos as she helps me sit up. "The toxins are almost out of your system. That nausea you're feeling is an unfortunate side effect of your body fighting against the toxins."

I remained silent as I gingerly rubbed my lips clean of any bile. "How is everyone?" I croak softly.

"Everyone's okay. Choji and Neji's conditions have stabilized since we brought them in. Shikamaru only had minor injuries, and Kiba had more serious, but not life threatening." Shizune explains. My gaze drops and the tears burn at my eyes. "You're not to blame for this, Ren, you have to know that."

I heaved again, and let out a harsh sob as I tried to expel everything foreign in my body. "How can I forgive myself?" I ask after I stop dry heaving. "How can I even look at them after this? How can I even show my face to everyone while knowing I had been taken captive because I was too naive! I was such a fool!"

Shizune just sighed softly as she continued to rub my back, and pull my hair from the crossfire. "You trusted him. There's nothing wrong with putting your trust in your comrades. Ms. Ren, you're not a fool." I hurled again before slowly sitting up, and turning my gaze on Shizune. "No one would ever call you a fool for putting your trust in your friends."

"I'd like to be alone now, please..." I muttered softly after being silent for a few moments.

"Of course..." Shizune hummed, and helped me back onto the bed. I turned my gaze on the opposite wall, and delved into my own personal insecurities. "Lady Tsunade will be in after a little while, okay?" She coos as she brushes my hair back and pulls my blanket up higher. I hum in response before she walks out.

The clock on the wall ticks aimlessly, giving some semblance of sanity to the small, white room. My curtains are drawn. I know it's day light, thanks to the sliver of sunlight peeking in. I sit up again, waiting for the bile to rise up again, but I'm left with the discomforting feeling of my stomach clenching. I pulled my knees upwards and let out a soft sigh as my face buries into my knees. My door rattles softly, and a familiar voice echoes from outside. "Ren?" It's Shikamaru. My heart thumped painfully as I kept my face buried. My shoulders bunched up as the door opened slowly, and shut. "Hey," He hummed as he took a seat on my bed. "I know you probably don't want to talk, but I just came by to tell you that it's not your fault." I didn't move. I wasn't giving an inch. Shikamaru's hand rested atop my head and kept it there as he spoke. "I won't leave until you lift your head and tell me to. I know you probably need a friend right now."

I hesitated as I lifted my head. I expected my lips to move and tell him to leave, but instead, I let out a strangled sob as I dove head first into his arms, and sought out the comfort of my closest friend.

~*****~

Shikamaru left as soon as Lady Tsunade came in to check on my progress. The toxins were finally out of my system, and my chakra network was on the mend-- all though, I was not allowed to exhaust myself for a week or two while they healed, and I was instructed to stop by the Hyuga compound every day to have them notate the chakra lines that were still faulty. I sat alone in my hospital room as I waited to be discharged when Jiraya walked in. "Hey, Kid." He chimed.

"Master Jiraya!" I sat up straighter and went to stand.

"That's all right, you don't have to move, Ren." He mentioned as he took a seat besides me. "I've just come from Naruto's room-- and I have a proposition for you." I hummed in confusion and cocked my head. "I've learned from my recent investigations, that the Akatsuki's targets, are you and Naruto. I'm planning on taking the two of you on a training trip for two years years. It won't be soon. I have a few more leads to follow. In the mean time, I want you to learn some new jutsu, relax, and go about your normal life. Hell, even take the Jonin exam."

"Pft-" I chuckled. "Me? A Jonin? You must've hit your head or something." I giggled. "Someone like me can't be a Jonin."

"Someone like you?" Jiraya hummed as he raised an eyebrow. "Listen, since I know everyone is going to tip toe around it, I'll just be frank- stop whining like a child. You took a calculated risk approaching Sasuke while that toxin ravaged your chakra system." My shoulders flinched as embarrassment flooded my face. "Moping around like some sorry sack, thinking you were weak to avoid fighting. It's useless. Now quit feeling sorry for yourself- for gods sake, you're ticking me off."

"Y-Yes, sir...." I muttered as the door opened.

"Okay, you're ready to go home-" Shizune smiled. "Oh, Master Jiraya! Will you please make sure Ren gets home okay? Despite the toxin finally out of her system, she'll still have some grogginess. I would go myself, but I have to look after the others still in recovery."

"No problem," Jiraya smiled brightly before helping me stand. "Come on, Kid, you need your rest!"

~*****~

A few days had finally passed, and I was able to train regularly. I hadn't seen hide nor tail of Sakura since the day before Sasuke had left the village. I wanted to reach out to her, but every time I got close, she'd disappear into the crowd of the village. I stood in front of Hinata's father for my daily check up. "Your chakra lines are healing well. There's little to no damage. Pushing yourself  during training would not impede it's recovery time, either."  Hiashi mentioned softly. His eyes closed slowly as the veins around his eyes disappeared.

"Thank you, Hiashi," I bowed softly and started nervously picking at my nails. "I have a question actually..." He hummed softly. "Would I be able to learn the Gentle Fist?"

"Learning the Gentle Fist would be impossible without the Byakugan," Hiashi snapped sternly.

"I don't mean any disrespect. I've been wondering if someone could learn where each chakra point was, that maybe someone apply the Gentle Fist technique without the Byakugan." I explained.

Hiashi stared before humming in thought. "I've never heard of anyone memorizing each chakra point for this kind of training." His eyes close again and he sinks deeper into thought. "Very well. You'll arrive every day, at four in the morning to study over diagrams, and charts of the chakra network. And after, we'll teach you the gentle fist technique and teach you to apply it in combat."

"Thank you," I bow again before turning to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, then!" I smile back at Hiashi as he nods his head. I leave the Hyuga compound with my mind feeling a little lighter.

"Ren!" A familiar voice calls out from behind me. I turn my head and gaze at the pink haired kunoichi running at me. Her face is contorted in excitement, and a new life I had yet to see in my own. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you- But I had to get my thoughts in order." She gasped softly as she hunched over in front of me.

"You were avoiding me?" I ask sarcastically. "It's okay. We all needed some time to get out minds in order." I giggled.

"It's not okay! I've been so upset about everything, that I couldn't come out and say what I wanted to say!" Sakura gasped as she stood straighter. "I knew- About you and Sasuke. I tried to get past it. I thought that if Naruto did bring him back, that I'd be able to properly tell you I knew, that it was okay, because you're my friend!" I thought I was done crying, but Sakura was making me emotional. "I've always been so jealous of you, and I've always wanted so bad to be just like you so he'd notice me!" Sakura grasped my hands tightly. "But I'm done trying to be like you- I've decided that I won't be dead weight anymore. I've requested to be Lady Tsunade's apprentice. I'm going to learn medical ninjutsu!"

"S-Sakura!" I gasp out happily. "That's amazing! You and I are going to be training harder now! And it's a promise, that the three of us will bring him back, no matter what." I explain softly.

"And we'll always be friends, till the end." Sakura smiles happily. "Now let's go out for some food! It's high time we've had some girl time!"

I giggled happily. "Deal!" Sakura looped her arm though mine, and arm in arm, we traveled down the lonely road.