Chapter 14: The Unforgotten Memory

"You did well, Sakura," Tsunade said comfortingly as she patted her distraught pupil on the back, "He didn't know it was you, though, did he?"

Sakura inhaled with a shudder; her sobs had made her breathing pattern irregular, "N-no, he didn't realize a-at all. I-I feel terrible."

"If it makes you feel any better, I told you to not reveal your identity, so you didn't have any choice," Tsunade reminded her gently, "Sasuke understands the importance of obeying orders."

Sakura nodded dumbly and sniffed a couple times. Shizune approached her and handed her a handkerchief.

"Don't worry, Sakura-san," she said comfortingly, "We are going to do everything we can for Sasuke."

Sakura took a deep breath and calmed herself; Inner Sakura was screeching 'Damn right we'll do everything we can!' within her mind. Clutching the kerchief in her hand tightly, Sakura stood up slowly.

"We're going back to see him now, right?" she asked, trying to get control over herself again, "I think I'm ready to go now."

Tsunade nodded slowly, "Alright then, we're going now. Shizune, please clean up the papers here for me and go and grab my medical books on the human eye and bring them back here."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," Shizune gave a curt nod.

"Come, Sakura," Tsunade said as she left the room, her back straight, her face serious.

Quickly Sakura scampered after her, and wiped her eyes with the handkerchief as they waited for the elevator. It hurt to see Sasuke in such reduced circumstances, and she knew it must be difficult for him; being an Uchiha, whose bloodline ability was the Sharingan, he relied heavily on this vision. She felt her heart go out to him, wanting to help him any way she could.

They stepped off the elevator and Sakura tucked away Shizune's handkerchief, filling herself with calm. If she was going to help with Sasuke's rehab, she needed to be strong for him—she couldn't waste time crying.

Tsunade led the way to the room and Sakura followed quietly behind, keeping her head held high, and her shoulders back. Tsunade paused at the door when they arrived in front of Sasuke's room and looked at Sakura, who nodded in return. Tsunade opened the door and entered, her pupil only a step behind.

Sasuke had not moved at all since Sakura had last seen him; his head was turned away from them, facing a window that he could not see and probably didn't even know the existence of. He looked so helpless lying in the bed, his clothes in tatters and his hair still stiff with blood; a clean white bandage was wrapped around his head, covering his eyes. Sakura looked grimly at him and clenched her fists determinedly.

"My apprentice tells me that you have agreed to the terms which we have offered to you," Tsunade said, her hands on her hips.

"I have," came his straightforward reply, turning his head towards the sound of Tsunade's voice, "But you should know, there may be some things I can not tell you. Before I was tortured and left to die, Orochimaru had parts of my memory erased in case I survived."

"I see," Tsunade replied, but Sakura could tell that she didn't believe him—after all, why erase the memory of someone who was expected to die? "We shall see how much memory remains, but that will have to wait until you've regained your strength."

"Hn."

"To get right to the point, your eyes have not completely healed yet," Tsunade stated bluntly, "You will have to go through a daily healing process with a skilled medical ninja, during that time you will also be working on rehabilitation. We have an offer of three choices of which type of rehabilitation you will work with. The medical ninja who will heal you will also help you become accustomed to that choice and eventually will leave when you become more independent."

"What are the choices?" Sasuke asked passively, his facial expression unreadable.

"First choice is to get the Inuzuka clan to select a reliable animal that will be your seeing-eye dog," Tsunade told him patiently.

"I don't like animals," Sasuke said brusquely.

"The second choice would be to train you with a cane."

"Out of the question," Sasuke turned his head so that he was facing the ceiling. Sakura knew the concept of using a cane was unthinkable for Sasuke, and it would harm his pride immensely.

"Then you have chosen the third and final choice," Tsunade said, closing her eyes, "Once you have finished with the healing of your eyes, the medic who set aside time for you will also be taking up residence with you, teaching you how to rely on sound, smell and touch in order to get by. When you are comfortable with this on your own, the medic will leave, and you will be left by yourself."

The was a long pause from Sasuke, "Very well."

"I have already assigned our most skilled medic to be your caretaker. Until your are able to live on your own, she will assist you, guide you, and teach you," Tsunade's voice was gravely serious, "Only under certain circumstances will you be allowed to leave her side—she will also be serving as a kind of supervisor, monitoring your behavior. Consider it a sort of probation, if you will."

Another pause, "Who have you assigned?"

Tsunade turned to Sakura and gave her a proud smile, "My apprentice, and this hospital's most talented medic, Haruno Sakura."

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