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Most Recent Articles
Power Morcellator Lawsuits
The Unintended, though Deadly Consequences of Power Morcellators, the Basis of Power Morcellator Lawsuits
According to the National Institutes of Health, hysterectomy is one surgical procedure that many women in the United States will undergo in their lifetime. Presently, there are 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the U.S. every year, making it the second most common surgery after Caesarean section.
Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure wherein a woman's uterus or womb is removed. This is done for various reasons, such as to eliminate/remove or treat chronic pelvic pain, uterine fibroids or myomas (benign tumors growing in the uterus), tissues that cause cancer (like cervical cancer, ovarian cancer or cancer of the uterus), vaginal bleeding, uterine infections, adenomyosis, uterine prolapse and endometriosis.
There are different ways of performing hysterectomy. There is:
- Abdominal Hysterectomy – which is an open surgery that requires a 5-7 inches vertical or horizontal incision in the abdomen);
- Laparoscopic Hysterectomy – also known as minimally invasive surgery wherein four minimal (0.5-1cm) incisions are made. These incisions are passage ways for the laparoscope (a small camera that will allow a doctor to see inside the body and guide him/her in cutting the uterus into small pieces), the power morcellator (a surgical device used to cut the uterus or fibroids into small pieces), and other surgical tools;
- Vaginal Hysterectomy – wherein the uterus or fibroids are cut and removed from within the vagina instead of through the abdomen); and,
- Laparoscopically Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy or LAVH – a procedure that makes use of a laparoscope to guide the cutting and removal of the uterus through the vagina.
The introduction of the power morcellator in the 1990s gave doctors a device that could enable them to perform hysterectomies or myomectomy (removal of uterine fibroid), easier, faster, with lesser chances of complications, with less pain and blood loss, and through very tiny cuts that heal much faster, compared to the 5 – 7-inch abdominal incisions required in traditional (or open surgery) hysterectomies.
According to a power morcellator lawsuit attorney, "morcellators are particularly well-suited to remove certain noncancerous growths during a laparoscopic surgical procedure, as these devices can help break down non-cancerous tumors and tissues into smaller pieces. However, if a patient does have cancerous tumors or growths, it can spread this cancerous tissue. As such, the unintended consequences associated with the use of morcellators can be devastating and may include:
- Cancer growth, particularly Metastatic leiomyosarcoma, Uterine cancer, Uterine sarcoma, and Endometrial stromal sarcoma;
- The abnormal growth of tissue; and,
- Direct harm to healthy tissue" (http://www.williamskherkher.com/practice-areas/defective-pharmaceuticals/morcellators/)
Since 1995 the FDA has approved the use of power morcellator from different manufacturing firms, including those from Ethicon, Johnson & Johnson's power morcellator manufacturing division. Cases of women diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, a type of deadly cancer resulting from the spread of uterine sarcoma, have already been reported and lawsuits have also been filed against manufacturers of the device used on them.
Filing a morcellator lawsuit would definitely be the right of women injured by power morcellators as these legal actions can enable them to receive compensation (from the manufacturers or other parties responsible) that will cover medical treatment, pain and suffering and other damages that the court will recognize.Read More
Equipment Malfunction
Operators Lacking in Experience is never an Excuse in the event of Equipment Malfunction
Construction is progress, and progress requires fast action; but, as construction firms face the challenge of erecting taller and more complex edifices, many workers are forced to render longer work periods, resulting in fatigue which, in turn, often compromises safety in the workplace.
Heavy machinery is a must in construction areas as this help the construction industry accomplish more at a much faster rate. Heavy machinery may include cranes, road rollers, crawlers, excavators, caterpillar, loaders, forklifts, concrete mixer, and bulldozers. Due to their huge sizes, however, any of these can cause a disabling or fatal injury if operated wrongly or by an untrained and careless worker.
Recognizing the risks of accidents and injuries that employees, but most especially construction workers, are exposed to everyday the US Congress established in 1970 the Occupational Safety and Health Act (or OSH Act) which, in turn, gave rise to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
OSHA's task is to ensure the safety of all working men and women through the creation and maintenance of a safe and healthy working environment; it is charged to set and enforce standards that will keep the workplace, as much as possible, free from accident-causing injuries.
It is clear, however, that having an accident-free working environment is quite impossible for, despite OSHA's work, state laws and employers' efforts, the US Department of Labor still received reports of as many as 4,585 fatal work-related accidents for the year 2013.
Records from the Department of Labor also shows that being struck by an object and getting caught in or between objects are among the top causes of deaths in construction sites (falls is number one) and that more than half of all construction site accidents involve employees who are in their first year of employment.
The law firm Clawson & Staubes, LLC: Injury Group points out that "Construction workers frequently have to operate motor vehicles and heavy machinery while working on construction sites. Additionally, heavy machinery often involves coordination by multiple contractors and subcontractors involved in the use, rental, maintenance, and operation of on-site equipment. Understanding the duties and responsibilities of each contractor or subcontractor requires expertise."
This is why operators of heavy machinery lacking in experience cannot be an acceptable reason for an accident, especially since OSHA also mandates that all employees should receive training about their job. Though workers, who get hurt in an accident or develop an occupational illness, may claim financial benefits through their employer-sponsored Workers' Compensation Insurance benefit, this is never an excuse for any employer or anyone in the construction workplace to be negligent of his/her responsibility in helping keep the work area safe for everyone.
Consulting with a highly-skilled construction accident lawyer or personal injury lawyer may help injured victims understand their legal rights and the best legal action they may be able to pursue.Read More
Motorists and Bicyclists
Motorists and Bicyclists have Equal Rights on the Road
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration persuades every road user, especially motorists, to respect the rights of bicyclists on the road, as this is the best way to make a safe transportation environment. Legally speaking, bicycles have the same rights on the road as any other type of motor vehicle. Sadly, though, many drivers have refused bikers the space they need on the road, resulting in significant numbers in severely injured and dead bicyclists.
According to the website of LaMarca & Landry, P.C., there were about 51,000 injured and as many as 600 killed bicyclists in 2009 alone. These numbers have continued to increase in recent years, showing the great danger bikers are exposed to once they start to ride on US roads. And despite the bike lanes on busy city roads, many drivers still refuse to acknowledge the right of bikers on the road, rendering car and bicycle collision a common road site every day.
The most common causes of collision between motor vehicles and bicycles are:
- Motor vehicle drivers directly and abruptly turning in front of cyclists;
- Drivers, from parking areas or driveways, driving into traffic and cutting cyclists' right of way;
- Drivers failing to slow down at intersections;
- Drivers running a stop sign or traffic light;
- Drivers not taking time to double-check for incoming cyclists; and,
- Reckless driving due to negligence or alcohol influence,
Despite the number of bicycle accidents, riding a bike should never be a seen as a dangerous means of transportation or leisure activity. If only to keep away from the dangers that city roads present, many bicyclists have decided to ride along paths where they'll be safer and enjoy more.
According to Philadelphia car accident lawyers, in the state of Philadelphia, specifically, "1.1% of all auto accidents in 2014 involved bicycles, which also accounted for 1.6% of all car accident related deaths. Children ages 5-14 were the most susceptible to death and injury while riding a bicycle, though bike riders between the ages of 15-19 accounted for 15.5% of all bike injuries as well. Bicycle accidents occurred most frequently during daylight hours, though 17.3% of all personal injuries involving bicycles occurred when it was dark out. The majority of bicycle versus car accidents occurred at 4-way intersections."
As explained by a Georgetown personal injury attorney, "a bicycle collision involving an automobile can be incredibly dangerous. In the event of an accident, the massive weight and force of a moving vehicle against a bike that offers no protection from impact is likely to result in serious injury for the cyclist. Although drivers are legally required to share the road with bicycles and exercise caution in consideration of smaller vehicles, collisions resulting from a driver's negligence occur regularly. These accidents can be caused by a driver who veered into the bike lane, failed to check for oncoming bicycles when turning right, or otherwise acted inattentively when cyclists were present. While cyclists and drivers are both legally required to obey the rules of the road, damages from a collision are often greater for a cyclist, necessitating a greater duty of care on the part of the driver.
Injuries that can result from a bike collision can include: head or brain trauma; spinal cord injuries; lacerations, scrapes, bruises; broken bones; and, facial injuries.
The type of injury sustained will depend on the speed of the automobile, whether a helmet was used, and the degree of impact. If a cyclist was negligent in a collision by riding on the wrong side of the road, running stop signs, turning abruptly into traffic, or ignoring traffic laws, they may be unable to recover damages"; however, if the one at fault in the accident was the driver of the motor vehicle, the negligent or reckless driver at fault ought to be made to answer to the injury he/she has caused. With the help of a determined and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer, though, obtaining the compensation that the victim legally deserves is closer to possible than never.Read More
When a Bicyclist is Injured in an Accident
Many individuals ride a bike to go to work or for morning exercise. This is one way to keep them selves fit and healthy, as well as to enjoy the many other benefits of bicycles. However, like motorcycle riders, bicyclists should know that they too face higher risks of crash-related injuries and death compared to motor vehicle occupants.
In 2013, 900 bicyclists died, while an estimated 494,000 were rushed to emergency department due to accidents. In 2014, with the Educational Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety programs introduced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of fatal bicycle accidents went down by 20% to 720.
Separate studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveal the following facts:
- Adolescents and young adults whose ages range from 15 to 29 and adults 45 years and older are the
most common victims in fatal bicycle accidents.
- Children aged between 5 and 14 and those between 15 and 24 years old have the highest rates of non-
fatal bicycle-related injuries.
- The top two cities where the highest number of male cyclists get killed every year (in accidents involving bicycles and motor vehicles) are California and Florida. Add Illinois, New York, Michigan and Texas and all six cities account for 54% of all cycling fatalities from 2010 to 2012 which total to
2,023 (621 in 2010; ;680 in 2011; and, 722 in 2012).
- Two major contributing factors to bicyclist deaths are failure to wear a helmet and alcohol-impairment.
The most common causes of accidents between cars and bicycles include: cars that fail to yield to bicycles, distracted drivers, swerving drivers, drunk drivers, cars that fail to utilize their side or rear-view mirrors, and cars that fail to use turn signals.
Many states implement the bicycle helmet law for children and adults for the added safety a helmet can provide, which is reduced risk of head and brain injuries in the event of a crash. Despite wearing a helmet or being extra careful, however, some motor vehicle drivers are not concerned with the safety of bicycle riders, thus, they do not bother to check for the possible presence of one when they are driving.
Personal Injury lawyers, such as those from the Mazin & Associates, PC law firm, say, "Cars and vehicles are a valuable asset for independent individuals. They enable people to travel, earn wages, engage in social activities, and have the freedom of going wherever they please. However, car accidents happen far too frequently, resulting in expensive car repairs, lost wages, and even death or serious injury. When a car accident is the fault of one specific party, it is greatly unfair to expect the innocent party to waste their time and resources dealing with the situation, especially in the event of a wrongful death."Read More
5 Useful Skills To Succeed In Content Writing
For people who have a flair for words, content writing can be a lucrative career. It offers a wide range of benefits such as flexible working schedule, excellent pay, and an opportunity to meet and work with different kinds of people. If they put their heart into it, content writers can make a living from playing with words.
But having just a writing skill will not suffice if you want to be successful in your industry. More than just talent, you also need to possess other skills that you can use to take your writing to the next level. Just like content writers from Kinetic Word, you need to have the following skills to succeed in your field:
1. Mastery of Different Writing Styles
As a writer, you will be dealing with a plethora of customers with different writing requirements. They will ask you to write blogs, informational articles, website content, or white papers. For this reason, you need to have the ability to write using different writing styles, such as APA, MLA, and others. The more you can write in different styles, the more in demand and profitable you will become.
2. Ability To Write Random Subjects
It is understandable if there are writers who prefer writing in a particular niche. However, it will be much easier to get more clients, if you can write on a wide range of subjects. Some clients will ask you to write product descriptions, others will require how-to's, and others technology-related articles, if you can do all of these articles, much better. It will also demonstrate how well-rounded your writing skill is.
3. Can write original articles
Plagiarism is never tolerated even in the freelance writing industry. It can be bad for your reputation as a writer. You can read another writer's article to get an idea but you need to use your own interpretation of the topic.
4. Knowledge of SEO, HTML, CSS, and WordPress
Sometimes client prefer more than just writing articles. They would also want you to do search engine optimization, manipulate HTML codes, write title tags, and others. The good thing about these features is that they can be easily learned so you can have yourself writing HTML-coded or keyword optimized articles in no time.
5. Writers are also social media specialists
Let's face it. Social media has taken over the world of communication. If you want to relay important ideas, you can target more people via social media. Whether its individuals or businesses, the best way to reach them is through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media channels.
Content writing in itself is already lucrative but adding some more skills can make it even more worthwhile and profitable.
An Overview of Asbestos Exposure In The Workplace
For employees to be motivated and productive, the management needs to ensure that they have a safe working condition. After all, the employer is legally bound to provide a conducive workplace for their employees. The sad fact is that employers have failed in this aspect and put their workers at risk with unsafe condition. One of the risks that employees face in the workplace is asbestos exposure.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 1.3 million people in the US are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis. The website of Williams Kherkher revealed that asbestos can put employees at risk of suffering from mesothelioma. Asbestos is considered as a health hazard which is why it is highly regulated by both the OSHA and EPA. Exposure to the substance can lead to serious injuries.
A Champaign workers compensation attorney knows that such exposure can cause absence from work for a long period of time which translates to lost income for the employee.
Employees breathe in traces of asbestos almost every day being a naturally occurring substance. Exposure to asbestos can result to the formation of scar-like tissues in the lungs called asbestosis resulting to a loss of lung function which could mean disability or death. In addition, it could also cause mesothelioma, a fatal malignant tumor of the membrane lining the lung or stomach cavity.
As asbestos can be inhaled, short-term exposure to huge amounts of the substance can lead to breathing problems, coughing, and shortness of breath. It also causes other types of cancer such as lung, colorectal, and gastrointestinal cancer. Finally, it can result to abnormalities in the lining of the chest cavity.
Those who work in the construction, general industry, and shipyard employment are the most prone to asbestos exposure. For this reason, the OSHA has set-up standards in order to reduce exposure to the substance in these industries.Read More
How To File A Defective Product Lawsuit
When manufacturers sell something in the market, consumers will always assume that it is safe and ready to use. Before selling their product, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to have it tested to ensure its safety. But this has not been the case. Lately, there has been an increase in the number of defective product lawsuits. According to the website of Williams Kherkher, defective products can have serious and unexpected side effects on customers.
Defective products may be due to faulty manufacturing, defective design, or inadequate labeling. The sad fact about them is that they are not known until someone gets injured or killed. According to the website of Williams Kherkher, it could result to costly medical bills, lost wages, and long-term recovery. You can make the manufacturer liable for any injuries by filing a defective product lawsuit. Here are the steps on how to succeed with filing a defective product claim:
- Stop using the product immediately
As soon as you know that the product you bought is defective, stop using it right away. This is for your own safety as well as that of your loved ones.
- Check your state's statute of limitations
It is worth noting that filing of the case is covered by a statute of limitations. You need to file the case within the specified time limit or else you would not be able to receive any compensation for your injuries.
- Keep the packaging if they are still available
The original packaging of the defective product can be vital to the success of your case. It will bear the model and unit information, the date and location of purchase, and can create a paper trail leading back to the manufacturer. It will also show if proper labeling was implemented.
- Tell your doctor how you got your injury
The report of the doctor who treated you will indicate the nature of injuries. Without a medical record showing that you underwent treatment, it is going to be hard to win your case.
- Gather witnesses
If the defective product was witnessed by other people, get their names, addresses, and phone numbers so that your lawyer can get statements from them.
Selling a defective product is like cheating. Make the manufacturer suffer the consequences of their negligence by filing a defective product lawsuit against them. Follow these steps and you are on your way to success with your case.Read More
Alternatives To Filing For Bankruptcy
For some people who are struggling with their business, the first thing that always comes to their mind is file for bankruptcy. Although it has its advantages, it is not always the best option. According to the website of Bradford Law Offices, PLLC, businesses can get into debt for several reasons. While bankruptcy can give businesses a way out of debt, it is not the only option. In this article, we will look at some of the ways a business can regain financial control:
Credit/Debt Counseling
By submitting to credit or debt counseling, you can schedule regular payments to the credit counseling company who will then make payments on your behalf to the creditors. It will also help you get out of your debt faster
Debt Settlement
Another option you can choose is debt settlement. You can try negotiating with creditors to settle an amount that is lower than what you owed. The only drawback of this option is that it will show up on your credit report as an amount paid less than the agreed amount.
Asset Liquidation
By selling or liquidating assets, you do not have to worry about getting bankrupt. You can easily and quickly pay off your debts. However, it would be a bitter pill to swallow when you have to sell your possessions but it could be worth it especially if you become debt free.
Debt Consolidation Loan
A debt consolidation loan will help cover all of your debt. If you have home equity, you can use it to repay unsecured creditors. Just make sure that you settle the loan or else you could find yourself homeless.
According to the website of Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., it is normal for businesses to experience financial difficulties. Consider the above mentioned alternatives. Bankruptcy should be the last resort and not the first or only solution to your financial difficulties.Read More
5 Common Juvenile Crimes
They say that the "Youth is the hope of the future." For this reason, they are given the best education and sent to the best schools. But what if the so-called "future generation" is the one who is destroying their future by committing a wide range of crimes. According to the website of Flaherty Defense Firm, juvenile crimes can have lifelong consequences.
The website of Alexander & Associates revealed that conviction and criminal accusations can ruin a young person's life. As parents, it is important to understand the common crimes that juvenile offenders commonly commit. Here we will list down 5 of the top juvenile crimes:
- Petty Theft/Larceny 6
Petty Theft is considered as a misdemeanor offense and involves inexpensive goods, such as stealing apparel from a store or $50 from an employer. Sixth degree larceny, on the other hand, involves a property or service amounting to $500 or less. It is considered as a Class C misdemeanor.
- Vandalism
Vandalism involves various activities such as breaking windows, keying cars, or tagging structures with paint or other forms of graffiti. As long as you do not own a property or does not have the permission of the owner, any damage to property is vandalism, which could mean a fine of more than $500.
- Alcohol Offenses
Even though they are minors, juvenile offenders can still be criminally liable and if convicted, can be imprisoned, pay fines, or enrolled in diversion programs (supervised counseling which means dropped charges for those who will participate). Alcohol offense may also mean community service for several hours. State laws punish both the provider and the offender.
- Disorderly Conduct
In most states, children more than 14 years old are regarded as already capable of criminal intent. Most cases of disorderly conduct involving offenders 14 to 18 years old are adjudicated in juvenile court. However, there are instances when the youth offender can be tried in an adult criminal court.
- Simple Assault & Battery
This offense may include causing injury to another individual, attempting to cause injury to another person, threatening, or putting another person in fear of imminent harm.
What Conviction Can Do To Your Military Career?
As a member of the military, so much is expected of soldiers. They are screened and have to pass a rigorous standard when it comes to moral character. Aside from the initial screening, the applicant also undergoes a background check and a computer search for any criminal record. As such, getting convicted for any crime can have serious consequences on your military career.
According to the website of Flaherty Defense Firm, a criminal charge can leave your military career in limbo as well as possible dismissal from the service. Aside from being charged in a military court, you will also be tried in a civilian court. Your charges will be just like the penalties given to civilians aside from the sanctions or possible dismissal that the military court will impose on you.
When convicted of a crime, you will first be tried in a court martial, which is the equivalent of a criminal court in non-military convictions. As the accused, you will still be afforded your Constitutional and customary rights such as right to counsel, right to present evidence, right to confront witness, right to remain silent, right to a guilty or not guilty plea, right to a jury, and due process.
In a court martial, it is the finder of fact which will determine whether the military personnel is guilty or not guilty. If deemed guilty , they will also be the one to determine the punishment. The finder of fact can be a military judge or a panel of senior officers and enlisted soldiers. The accused has the right to choose the members of the panel.
As for the determination of punishment, the panel votes in secret and 66% vote or greater is needed for conviction. If convicted, the case proceeds to the Sentencing phase where the accused can once again present evidence and witnesses. The conviction can have possible consequences which can be any of the following:
Involuntary Separation
The convicted soldier will be subjected to separation under Army Regulation 635-200 for Enlisted Soldiers and 600-8-24 for Officers.
General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand (GOMOR)
The reprimand is usually issued to soldiers charged for alleged misconduct. The accused has the right to defend himself against such allegations.
Tab Revocation
Various service schools award tabs or badges to outstanding performers. A conviction in the military could lead to a revocation of any badges that the soldier has received.
Security Clearance Revocation
Alleged misconduct will result to a suspension of security clearance. This means that you will not be able to do your job or access your computer or files.
Relief for Cause
Conviction will also result to the soldier being fired from a position they are holding as well as a negative Evaluation Report or a Referred Report
Demotion in Rank
The accused will also be demoted in their rank for inefficiency or other reasons
Loss of Driving Privileges
When the soldier is convicted, they will also lose their driving privilege on a military base.Read More


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This Forum is Boring and Dead
No offense to anybody in particular, but this forum is basically useless now. If any news comes up with this game I will see it on IGN. For the past month there has been no news or any particular threads intersting enough to read. Ive even moved on from All Stars as it has lost its appeal to me, thou i will play it only when new dlc comes out or my friends come over. Cant wait for a sequel in the distant future. This will be my last visit and post to this forum . See you all in Playstation All Stars 2. Got to go play Persona 4 Golden and Megaman 10.
Re: This Forum is Boring and Dead[ Edited ]
By dead i mean that this forum has lost its informative and news like post's and turned into a reptitve social network of threads of the same topic's each day.
Re: This Forum is Boring and Dead
Just sayin'.
Do you play LBP2? If so, could you take the time to check out my levels?
Check out my LBP.ME
Re: This Forum is Boring and Dead
Hello Ari_Ownx, Your recent post has been removed due to non-constructive content. Please keep posts that are posted in the PlayStation® Community Forum respectful in the future. Any further infractions of the Rules of Conduct may lead to a suspension from posting in the community. Thanks! "CeliaBruise"

subset: commoncrawl


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Am I a candidate for a chin implant at age 17, male? (photo)
Doctor Answers 6
Candidate for Chin Implant
It is a very simple outpatient procedure typically done in the plastic surgeon's office or in a surgery center. It is usually done under local anesthesia with oral sedation or intravenous sedation, but can be done under general anesthesia if requested.
It is very important to select a highly-skilled, board-certified plastic surgeon, such as one of our doctors, to aid you in selecting the implants and insertion methods that will give you the best possible result.
Web reference: http://www.pacificcenterplasticsurgery.com/face-procedures-newport-beach/chin-augmentation/
Is a chin implant ok at 17
You are a good candidate for a chin implant.
You can have surgery without parental consent at 18.
Am I a candidate for a chin implant at age 17, male?
Web reference: http://www.beverlyhills-plasticsurgery.com/chin-implant-surgery/
You might also like...
Chin implant candidate?
Chin implant
Chin implant candidate
Web reference: http://chincheekimplantsseattle.com
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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AN – I'm back, and I brought fics! :) It was my 20th last Monday and I figured I'd update as a present to all those people who have stuck around, and it's a nice long one too so hopefully you'll like it :). I know I left it at an awful spot last time too (sorry!) so hopefully this will also make up for it a bit -crosses fingers- :). There's some graphic stuff in this one too so you may want to keep that in mind and decide whether you want to read it or not, it's not an scene of anything, only the aftermath but it is a bit... well, graphic... if you don't want to read it the most full-on stuff ends at the first liney thing, from there it's better... sort of... you'll know what I mean :). If after reading it you're concerned at all let me know but I can assure you I don't know of anyone this is happening to and if you do you should tell someone who can help (like an adult... or a ninja :)).
And as for the note on my profile, it's still true and this story's updates will be slower because of it (although hopefully not as slow as it was this time :)) but I'm at a better place in life right now so it will be finished as I always meant it to be.
I can't remember if I responded to all the reviews for last chapter or not, if I didn't I'm really sorry. I love every one and I know for a fact that they help all the time, whether it's encouraging me to write the next one or reminding me of something I've forgotten (which I would love people to continue doing if you think of anything :)) or giving me new ideas. They always make my day :)
I hope everyone I've missed in the last few months is well and happy and smiling heaps, please let me know :)
Last chapter:
Her feet landed softly on the floor with a quiet thud and she padded slowly to her wardrobe, counting under her breath the entire time. It took her thirty four careful seconds to get to the wardrobe, twelve to open it all the way without it creaking, only six to find the particular items of clothing she wanted as she had thought ahead to where each one would be, twenty four to take each one out - only two changes of outfit, she had to be quick but she didn't want to have to come back again tomorrow - and nine to close the door again with the clothes hanging over one arm. It only took a second for her to register the sound of a footfall directly behind her. She didn't register the pain as something heavy was brought down on her head. The previous eighty six seconds ceased to mean anything.
And now, enjoy :)
Masked Happiness
Chapter 24: When It Rains
Everything was a blur. Colours bled into each other in a horrifyingly dizzy mess that made her head pound uncomfortably. Sakura thought she was physically unable to bear the sickening pressure for even a second longer until she tried to focus and lift her head at the same time. The pounding became a vicious stabbing that pierced from the back of her neck through to her forehead like a white-hot poker again and again and again. Evidently she was able to bear it; or at least her body thought so, as she was still conscious. She really missed the black nothingness she had just left behind. She wanted to scream from the pain but all that came out was a gurgling moan. It took her a long moment to hear anything through the rushing noise in her ears that accompanied the pain in her head, but when she did she wished more fervently for unconsciousness. She could hear faint chuckling from somewhere off to her left.
She opened her eyes again, not realising she'd closed them, keeping completely still for fear of the pain becoming impossibly worse, and tried to see past the technicolour nightmare the world had become. Her eyes took a moment to clear and clouds seemed to linger at the edges of her vision but eventually instead of a messy, pain-filled rainbow, her eyes showed her a room - my mother's room, her brain belatedly supplied - and when she very slowly and very carefully turned her head an inch to the left, she saw her father leaning against the doorframe. The sight of him was enough to make her stomach churn but she wasn't able to tell if it was fear or revulsion, knowing it was more than likely both. She hated the way he leant against it casually, normally, like there was nothing wrong. She hated the self-satisfied smirk - so close to the fatherly smile she had loved once - that distorted his features. She hated him. And herself. Less than two minutes inside this house and all of her training, experience, and (admittedly meagre) planning had come to nothing. She came to nothing in less than two minutes in the face of this man. His voice made her stomach twist into tense little knots.
"'Bout time you woke up. You've been out for ages dear and I just couldn't wait." The smirk never left his face and that, more than anything else - more than his presence or his alarming words - left her frozen with fear.
Then the words broke through the haze properly, penetrating her mind and she shot up to a sitting position, having to fight to stay that way. She instantly regretted the movement, the pain was unbearable, but the fact that it wasn't confined to her head left her reeling so she desperately tried to see past the white that had once again engulfed her vision. She couldn't afford to lose any of her senses, especially not sight. Not with him in the room. She didn't take her eyes off of the man who stayed unmoving in the doorway, trying to keep him in focus despite the futility of the action. Keeping him in focus, keeping her eyes on him, wouldn't prevent what he had already done and probably wouldn't stop him from doing more if he decided to either. She didn't want to look at the new source of pain. Instead, she used her peripheral vision and focused her attention on the feel beneath her palms where they rested at her sides, taking in the fact that she was sitting in the middle of her mother's bed.
It sickened her to think that he had knocked her out and brought her to the bed of his wife, the woman he had kidnapped. She refused to consider the possibility that she might not still be alive. The fact that the situation was so much worse than that was beyond sickening and she tried not to consider the wetness she could feel for as long as possible, but eventually looking into her father's eyes became too hard and she could see quite clearly in them that he wasn't going to try anything for the moment; he was too confident to fight her now. He thought he'd won. As she looked down, Sakura had a hard time not believing it herself.
She was wrapped in a sheet. One he must have brought from the linen cupboard in the hallway because her mother's bed seemed relatively undisturbed beneath her. She was wrapped in a thin white sheet, and nothing else. Beneath it she was naked and she had never felt more vulnerable in her life. It took one long, endless moment for her suddenly stinging eyes to actually register the large stain of glistening crimson soaking through the white. Between her legs. Her legs were spread before her and in the middle was a large patch of red. Everything seemed to be taking too long, moving too slowly. Life had slowed. Her eyes moved over the area in a lingering, disconnected way. She couldn't quite comprehend the scene literally spread before her. The white seemed to make the bright red brighter, too bright. The scene tattooed itself behind her eyes and refused to go away no matter where she looked. Too red.
It wasn't until she shivered that she realised she'd been putting on a show. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting and trying to understand the situation but the entire time her father had stood quietly, contentedly, in the doorway, watching. The smirk had turned into a smile of genuine happiness - the kind that made her skin crawl - as he just watched, a solitary witness to the pain he had caused. She shivered again, barely covered as she was, and realised absently that she was freezing. Goosebumps rose all over her skin, arms, chest, legs, making them burn. Her legs were burning. Sakura winced, trying not to give her audience any satisfaction from her pain, and looked down. The blood must not have had time to clot because the patch on the sheet had grown in the short time she had been watching. Red spreading across white like a plague, tainting as it went.
Sakura felt entirely disconnected, far away, as though she wasn't really in this room with him watching, and so it was with an almost clinical purpose that she lifted the sheet from her legs with a steady hand - a steadiness she wasn't sure how she achieved - pulling it up to the top of her legs to reveal the deep gashes high on her inner thighs. Both of her legs were a bloody mess, many long, deep cuts littering the area, crisscrossing in long lines. A shiver ran through her, rocking her entire body like a cold autumn breeze through tall grass and raising the goosebumps further which in turn irritated the wounded, bloody flesh on her legs as it was automatically manipulated into the tiny pale bumps.
She didn't understand the point. The gashes weren't deep enough, they hadn't killed her. Wouldn't kill her. Probably. It wasn't his purpose for doing it. So why had he? And did that mean he hadn't...?
"Y-you... you didn't...?" Sakura said quietly. Her mouth was dry and she found it hard to speak for many obvious reasons, so the words came out stilted and with difficulty, yet somehow utterly emotionless. She couldn't finish the question. She couldn't say it aloud. She couldn't make the possibility any more real than it already was. He chuckled, a deep sound of sheer happiness that normally sent a thrill of terror or disgust or something through her and this time failed to. She was in sensory overload. A part of her was surprised she was still conscious.
"You'll never know for sure will you?"
He spoke quietly, seriously despite the lingering smile, and his tone reminded her of that which a doctor might use when speaking to a patient. She stared at him, entirely emotionless, face blank and eyes glassy as he continued to find joy in the scene before him. When his amusement began to dwindle he stood straight, pushing leisurely away from the doorway and moving a step toward the bed. She didn't recoil and didn't have the headspace to wonder why.
"I'm done with you for today. You should probably leave before I change my mind."
He sounded as though he was imparting some great wisdom, as though he was helping her the way a friend might. She wondered why it didn't break through the defences her mind had automatically put up to preserve her sanity from the shock, from the impossibly deep hatred and sadness welling inside her, just beyond reach. The emotionlessness, the blank face and mind. There was nothing there in that moment, and she was fine with that. She was fine. Fine, fine, fine.
She had to get out.
She pushed herself with difficulty to the edge of the bed. It was painful, but still in that disconnected sort of way, as though someone else was experiencing it. Numbness seemed to have spread through her body to match her mind, but her limbs shook and no part of her body seemed to want to obey her. She tried to stand on trembling legs and crumpled to her knees. The painful jolt it sent through her body reminded her oddly of Sasuke.
Everything had abruptly become too much to handle.
Fear, fatigue and lack of food made her knees hit the ground with a thud and more pain registered in her mind sharply because of it.
(end flashback)
But Sasuke wasn't here now. He couldn't help her. No one could help her, except her, and at that moment she was just too far away. Her father's laughter rang out around the room and she was certain the disgusting sound was echoing, though she was unsure of whether it was really rebounding off of the white walls or merely resonating in the confines of her head. She felt dizzy again. He'd moved back to the door and was leaning against it, watching her fall.
"Your clothes are where you left them." He said through his amusement. She could hear the smile in his voice.
She was completely detached, eyes downcast, looking at the floor as she moved past him. She had no choice if she wanted the clothes she had come here for in the first place - still in her room where she had dropped them - and she didn't want to go against him when he seemed as though he was in a rare good mood. She ignored what it took to get him there.
She wasn't in any shape to defend herself and if it came down to it right now she wasn't sure she'd want to. He knew that. That's why he wouldn't attack. He wouldn't need to bother. For the moment she was as broken as he could make her and he was satisfied. It didn't necessarily mean he wouldn't do more to her to prove a point though, so she wanted to leave quickly. She had to get out.
As she passed through the doorway, not feeling anything as her body moved on its own, she unavoidably brushed his arms which were folded against his chest, obstructing the narrow exit; and though her mind recoiled, her body didn't respond. She heard his foot move. She was looking down, she saw it, but she didn't react when he tripped her. There was no point. She fell to the floor and he laughed as she tried, failed, and tried again to stand back up using trembling limbs.
The kick seemed to come from nowhere and she simply went limp as her father's foot pummelled her stomach. Not once but twice, though that seemed enough for him. The vicious stabbing sensation she hadn't noticed before pierced her chest and she somehow knew she had been feeling it the entire time, she just hadn't noticed. It was too insistent to ignore any longer however and she coughed, spraying blood on the carpet beneath her cheek. She could feel a sickening swish in her stomach and several small creaks in her chest as she tried to move. She noticed absently that he was standing against the wall again, watching with that damn smile as she squirmed painfully at his feet. It took her a long time to move without the world going momentarily dark.
She used the wall to support herself. Sliding down the hallway with her shoulder against the cool smoothness as though someone were dragging her there with a magnet on the opposite side, she saw small, random smears of drying blood on the floor. No wonder her head hurt. He wouldn't have cut her - or done anything else to me, her mind absently supplied - in her bedroom, he would have waited until she was on the bed in her mother's room. He would have wanted to draw it out, enjoy himself. He would have liked the mess. No doubt he thought it artistic.
He had dragged her from her bedroom by her feet, her head left to trail on the carpet leaving blood behind from the head wound she could feel from where he'd hit her. She wondered if it was disgust, fear or blood she could now feel running down her spine. She fell to the floor again once she got to her room, crawling to the pile of clothes she had dropped. Gathering them up in a bundle, Sakura used her bed and her shaking arms to stand again, taking a moment to move to the window.
She had numbly climbed halfway through the gap she had made earlier with one leg in and one outside, hanging in the now heavy rain, when she looked back and saw him watching her, this time from her doorway. She stopped and his face remained unchanging, a small smile lingering at the edges of his mouth; his amusement– his euphoria – clear. They watched each other for a long moment, neither of their expressions changing. Then Sakura slipped the rest of the way through the window. She looked back again through the glass. Any other time she might have screamed upon seeing his face so close, looking back at her from less than a foot away, equally emotionless with weirdly vacant eyes. Not a hint of amusement left. It wasn't a warning, it wasn't a threat, it wasn't an order and it wasn't a question. Just words.
"Come back soon, let's do this again sometime."
Sakura turned and walked away, hearing the glass pane in the window rattle and the wood creak. A loud bang shattered the night around her like a gunshot but was quickly muted by the heavy moisture still smothering the air and she wondered if the glass broke when he slammed the window. It wouldn't be locked. He wanted her to go back. Sakura shuddered and fell in a heap once she'd reached the tree.
She was sitting in a deep patch of mud, though she suspected absently that after a full day of rain everywhere would be this muddy. The rain had her drenched in minutes and rolled off of her white skin and dripped from her hair unnoticed. She pulled the sheet tighter around herself - the only reason the white wasn't completely see-through was because she was small enough to be able to have wrapped it around herself several times. She couldn't deny that it had been more an effort to make herself as small as possible in the hopes of disappearing. Holding her knees to her chest and unconsciously rocking back and forth she stared blankly ahead at nothing. All of it, everything, who she was, it had all come down to nothing. One tear was all she had in her. The rest stayed inside her, a burning miasma in her chest that refused to be released. The tear blended with the rain and soon she sat, drenched and frozen to the bone but miles away, somewhere where she was still capable of crying, deep inside herself and out of herself altogether. Gone.
Sasuke walked slowly home that night. It didn't matter that it was raining; he didn't really mind the rain. It was actually helping to rinse off some of the mud that had been an unavoidable part of training. His stomach was full - uncomfortably so, Naruto had far too much of an appetite and it was hardly Sasuke's fault that a competition had begun. He was exhausted, too-full and covered in mud, but content for the most part. Other than the rain which he and Naruto had tried to wait out and had eventually realised was only getting heavier, he realised Naruto had been right, the night was quite nice.
He was in no hurry, it wasn't too late and he needed to wind down and clear his head. He was already drenched and he didn't see how he could possibly get any wetter so he didn't bother hurrying for that reason. It was nice to empty his mind and remember his goals, his ultimate goal. It had taken a back seat lately and he needed to stay focused. He hadn't taken the detour on purpose, hadn't meant to go so far out of his way that he found himself walking past Sakura's house. And he didn't notice when he did. He was focused entirely upon his thoughts, his plans, his future. He only had room for those thoughts in his head, his legs automatically taking him the longest way home he knew and his sight and hearing reduced only to what he absolutely needed to continue walking safely. He didn't notice any sounds - out of the ordinary or not - and didn't see even the faintest glimmer of white amidst the rain.
When he reached his front door he regained awareness and turned, scanning the darkness behind him, though he wasn't sure why. He put it down to over-sensitive shinobi perception and stepped through the door, closing it behind him and relishing the dryness of the room. He really needed a shower and his bed.
Naruto couldn't stop grinning as he walked home from his dinner - eating contest - with Sasuke. It had been nice. It would have been nicer if Sakura and Kakashi had been there. He may not have had to pay if they had been there. Then again, Kakashi... maybe it was better that it had just been Sasuke and Naruto.
His stomach felt comfortably full and his heart light as he meandered home. He didn't mind the rain. It was nice and refreshing to Naruto, like he was being washed clean of any negativity he'd felt earlier that night. Of course nothing had changed except his outlook on the situation but that made the world of difference. It was like his outlook on his own life. He had had no one and now he had a team, three people who were precious to him and who found him precious. Three people he had saved and who had saved him on more than one occasion. And they would again, he was sure of it. That was why he wasn't worried. Everything was looking up, becoming clearer with the rain as it washed away the negativity surrounding him and gave him hope.
He grinned and then scrunched his nose up and his eyes shut. Everything may be looking up, but I probably shouldn't, he thought as more of the fat raindrops followed the first into his eyes, blinding him and making him laugh at his own stupidity whilst simultaneously smiling up at the sky, enjoying the cleansing, invigorating effect that the water had on his face. Everything would be fine. He'd do his best to make sure of it.
Kakashi looked up at the obscured sky from his window, enjoying the quiet patters of the rain as it impacted and trailed down the glass, each drop choosing its own separate journey, some following the paths of others, some making their own. He realised just how long he had been standing there staring and contemplating and smiled beneath his mask. Nostalgia. Must be getting old, he thought to himself with a chuckle.
He sat heavily in an arm chair nearest to the window and continued to stare at the window and beyond it, seeing both and neither. Eventually he reached to the coffee table and picked up his book again. His thoughts and emotions stayed locked in his head, nothing except his small smile showing on his face and that was hidden by the mask. It was too early to speculate on anything. Anything at all in life really, he reflected contemplatively, long- or short-term. Too early to decide on anything. Too early to see the end. So he sat at the window and continued to watch the many separate, similar journeys the rain took as each drop found its way and he wondered when his students would do the same and what it would lead them to.
Sakura was lost to the world as she fell in and out of consciousness, nightmares plaguing her waking mind just as often as when she dozed. She sat numbly when she was awake and unknown tears, lost to the rain, ran unchecked as she slept; unstoppable but unknown. She couldn't feel her body anymore. The detachment had worn off - she felt the horror, the disgust, the pain, the fear, she felt it all - but the air was freezing and on her wet skin it was somehow unimaginably colder, numbing her entire body. She was a mass of broken emotion in a cold, disconnected shell.
The rain hadn't let up at all; just a long relentless shower and Sakura vaguely remembered her conversation with Gaara which seemed like centuries ago now. She had thought, just that morning about how she would spend tonight. Naive enough to think that returning to the house would be simple. In and out and it would be done.
'It would just be a cold, wet night'.
She knew better now.
She had spent so long trying to decipher her own thoughts and motivations. Her own limits. She had been asking herself; should she kill him? Was it wrong?
She knew better now, she had no answers but now she knew the question she should have been asking.
Had she really thought...?
Did she really think she could win?
It wasn't down to her at all. She had no choice in any of this. This had happened - probably would have done - whether she existed or not. Her mother still probably would have been kidnapped or perhaps might have taken her place tonight, or her parents would have had a different daughter who would have suffered the same thing. None of it would be any different. She was nothing. Her skills, her personality, her experiences, her life came down to nothing. Nothing at all. It was a truth she simply hadn't acknowledged before now and tonight had stripped her of any remaining doubt. Any remaining worth. She didn't even need to know what had happened while she had been unconscious. If he really had done anything or was simply trying to make her believe he had with the gashes on her legs. It didn't matter.
She rocked back and forth. She had never stopped, whether awake or asleep, needing to move, needing the movement. The semblance of action. She felt like all her ties to life were slipping away. Slowly but inevitably slipping from her, tickling her fingertips as they passed beyond them and there was absolutely nothing she could do to retrieve them. As her thoughts spiralled out of control, her doubts eating away at her more and more viciously, her personality - the parts of herself that made her Sakura - falling to pieces, ripped, torn and bleeding; she rocked back and forth, back and forth, faster and faster.
The numbness had returned. She couldn't feel anything again. Or maybe she was feeling too much. She wasn't sure; she just knew that the rocking was keeping her sane. She just couldn't stop rocking.
Out of nowhere, memories plagued her. Memories of the last few hours playing again and again, as if on repeat in her mind's eye. She cringed away from them, from herself, curling tighter into herself for protection, wanting to get away from herself to put some distance between the memories and her fragile mind. She wanted to disappear, or rip herself open and remove the contaminated parts. She was too far gone to realise that this was what he had planned all along. He wanted her to doubt what had happened. To invent the worst case scenario for herself in her mind and convince herself through doubt that that was what happened. But she couldn't think straight. Thoughts of cutting herself open sounded appealing for a second too long and she shrank away from the idea after a vivid imagining of it. But the thoughts of cutting triggered something else. For the first time she remembered that she had lost the clothes she had been wearing when she entered the house and that in them had been her kunai knives. All of them. She was completely defenceless and she would be until she got them back.
The thought made her shiver, irritating the skin of her thighs and setting them on fire again. Somehow the pain warmed her up, helped her think. It cleared her mind momentarily, slicing through the haze as the pain separated the concept of feeling from her emotions, allowing Sakura to think logically again. It was enough to convince her of one thing. She needed to find somewhere to stay before she lost her rationality... again. She needed to go somewhere. Somewhere she could think... or not think. She didn't want to think. Thinking brought back bad memories. But then they were back and she was helpless in the face of them. She curled tighter into herself and resumed rocking. She needed to think, but not think. She did the only thing she could think of. The only thing which had worked so far.
Sakura spread her legs out in front of her, ignoring the mud that sucked at her skin and squelched loudly with her movements and the rain which now had more skin to pound against like thousands of stinging, freezing darts. Slowly, putting as much pressure and what was left of her failing strength behind the movement as she could, Sakura dragged her fingernails over the gashes on her thighs. The blood which had been flowing sluggishly before began to pool and gush once again, mixing with the rain and spreading easily to cover her more completely in a new layer of red and to stain the ground she sat on.
She ignored the feeling of having her torn flesh and dried blood beneath her fingernails. The pain came in an excruciating wave seconds later that stung all the more for the rain beating down on the inflamed skin, but the pain brought with it another small piece of clarity. The haze was sliced and shattered and she felt cold and the sharp rush of adrenaline and sensation, she felt. Felt without feeling.
Ignoring the pain, pushing the distraction of the physical feeling to one side, Sakura used the brief reprieve from her fear of insanity and leant against the tree trunk she had been huddled against, using it to stand and wrapping the sopping wet sheet tighter around herself, grateful that she had thought to slip her underwear back on at some point. The soft, worn, slightly threadbare fabric was heavy with rain but she gripped it tightly until her knuckles were white; the ridges over her shaking fingers somehow becoming whiter than her pallid skin, an eerie, almost-green colour. She started walking, one painful step at a time as the newly irritated skin on the insides of her thighs rubbed against each other with the movement. She could feel the warm, stickiness streaming down her legs. It made her feel sick but it wasn't as bad as other things she had faced that night so she kept walking. Walking away from the house, her house. Her home. It wasn't now.
Sakura didn't know where she was going, her feet taking her down the street and picking a new direction on their own. She didn't actually care where she was going. She was on autopilot, thrilled that walking was even better than rocking had been. She walked faster, eager to get to her unknown destination and despite the pain that flamed through her legs and the new flow of blood that ran between them, she smiled. Then giggled. Her head felt light and the pain was reducing her ability to think of anything other than the feeling of it coursing through her body like blood, intoxicating as alcohol, setting all of her nerves on fire. The pain was no longer cutting through the haze in her mind, it was adding to it, making her delirious.
She tried to keep to the grass, some part of her turbulent mind in its complete loss of rationality somehow remembering not to leave a trail of blood too noticeably. She didn't want anyone hunting her down. She giggled again, losing her footing as her head swam and she fell into the mud. Her hands shot out to break her fall and the sheet nearly fell from her body. Suddenly she was terrified and held the sheet to her body so tight the fabric was digging into her skin, making a red line bloom on the pale skin of her chest as her shaking hands fisted the fabric. He'd already seen, no one else could see. She couldn't let anyone else see her.
She kept walking, carefully now. Each step tentative. She didn't know it, having lost any perception of time and its passing, but it took her twice as long to get to where she was going as it should have. It wasn't until she stood outside the door that she realised where she had been heading all along and she faltered. She couldn't ask him for help. She couldn't. She had plenty of good reasons why she couldn't, she knew she did. At some point she had. She couldn't remember them now but they were very good reasons.
But then, she had nowhere else to go and she couldn't stand here all night - if she wasn't walking or rocking or something she might lose this last piece of sanity she'd clung onto so tightly, tighter than the sheet she held to her body. The two things her world was reduced to; stay sane, keep covered. She couldn't let go, not know. Some part of her refused to give up. It was that part of her that forced her fisted hand to the door. It was the rest of her - the larger, dominant part that no longer felt human, simply... used - that made the fist simply drag across the wood instead of knocking. Her stinging, burning skin felt the coarse grainy wood against her knuckles and she swallowed hard, forcing herself with the last of her resolve - she had some after all, she simply hadn't been looking hard enough - to knock. Just once, that's all she could manage. If it took any more than that then this was well and truly beyond her.
As soon as the sound of her knuckles hitting the wood split the air around her - though it was immediately muted as all others were by the rain - her resolve shattered into too many pieces for her to possibly salvage and she turned and started walking away. Running away. That made her stop. She never ran away. The thought brought with it a little tiny bit of Sakura, more than all the pain in the world could have done and she thought clearly for a moment. A moment was all she needed. She didn't have to be afraid. Not of Sasuke. It took an effort to think and believe that, but it was true. And she really couldn't stand having her back to the door. Not when he might appear there soon. Her paranoia failed to worry her as it was a small part of the mounting hysteria that she'd lost track of awhile ago.
She stood in the tiny amount of cover that Sasuke's narrow veranda afforded, forgetting where she was as time passed, eyes vacant and glazing over as she fought. She was at war with herself. The ultimate war. She had been for awhile now but at that moment she was equal parts determination and cowardice. She wanted to leave, to leave everything, to not concern anyone else with her and her life. To leave the job of finding her mum, of facing her father, of life. She wanted just as badly to talk to Sasuke. To Kakashi, Naruto or Sasuke. But especially Sasuke. He... understood... somehow...
She wanted... help.
Unnoticed tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes and made their way quietly down her cheeks. She felt... she didn't know anymore. Nothing seemed to fit properly in her head and she couldn't force them to. She stood on Sasuke's doorstep in the middle of the night, benumbed by the cold as the rain fell like a thousand stinging bullets from above and she felt... defeated. She'd lost.
Sasuke was in the middle of a very long, too-hot shower when he heard a tapping sound, a knock that wasn't part of the noises he had been contentedly listening to, created by the rain. He blamed his over-sensitive hearing and what must be a stray branch in the wind and continued his shower. Once dressed and on his way to bed the thought niggled at him. If it hadn't been so short and quiet he would have thought it had been a knock at the door. But it was the middle of the night and he'd heard it just the once. Who would it be at this time of night and if they wanted to see him badly enough to come over so late, why only knock once? He sighed as his training took over and he went to the door anyway, the kunai always located on the small table near the door in reaching distance, just in case. He opened it somewhat cautiously and looked out through the small crack, opening it a little wider when he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing.
He saw the outline of her, he saw pink gleaming dully in the faint moonlight and he flung the door wide. He was momentarily frozen in that moment as he took in the sight of her. He couldn't quite comprehend what he was seeing and it rendered him speechless. Useless. He was unable to do anything except stand and stare at her, his mouth uncharacteristically falling open.
She didn't look... real. He felt as though he was intruding on something other-worldly as Sakura stood, clothed entirely in white, luminous and shining from the rain in the faint light given by the crescent moon. Her thin, white arms wrapped around her body tightly, as though she was desperately holding herself in one piece, and smears and flecks of mud blocked her brilliance, large dark smudges obstructing her luminescence and melding her with the night. Her hair, darker in the gloom of the hour and streaked with mud seemed almost red, a rusty colour that made her skin seem paler, and it struck Sasuke how macabre the scene looked. Everything paled in comparison to her; she shone amongst the darkness of midnight and the rain that was still falling. It was such a surreal sight that Sasuke soon felt light-headed having not realised he'd been holding his breath. It was amazing, beautiful and it made his heart ache. For all its beauty it was... wrong.
The white sheet she was wrapped in offered little modesty no matter how many times it had been wound around her too-thin body. Her fingers, clutching each other and the sheet underneath her chin, were clenching spasmodically in the fabric and their tremors were noticeable. Her fingers were white. Sasuke's eyes roamed over her slowly, still widened in shock. She was white. Deathly so. The sheet, the white on white made her look luminous. Inhumanly beautiful. Sasuke felt sick.
He noticed that the weather had no effect on Sakura. She didn't flinch as each stinging drop fell on her frail body, her head, dripping from the ends of her hair. He wondered how long she had been outside to be so immune to the cold. He could see she wasn't though, only her lack of expression made her seem so. She was swaying on the spot, shifting her weight from foot to foot, listing one way then the other. She looked as though she would fall with every soft breath she took. Then his eyes caught on hers. They were empty, utterly hollow and his heart broke that little bit more as he came back to himself. Sakura was drenched and on his doorstep in nothing but mud, a soaked sheet and her own too-white skin. Her stare was vacant and was trained on something beyond Sasuke. Stepping forward, just passed the dry warmth and illumination that tried to stretch from his house into the night and failed, Sasuke extended an unusually hesitant hand, denying the tremor in it and his voice when it was breathed into the cool air.
"Sakura?" It was a question. He wanted to know if she was really there, though not physically. He wanted to know if she was still there, in that body she wore so loosely. Her eyes flickered in recognition and he inhaled sharply – the frigid air prickling his nose and throat. "What are you doing here?" he breathed, his voice full of the disbelief he'd held in earlier. He wondered if she would answer at all and waited patiently as she opened her mouth a little, breathing in so much that her pale shoulders rose beneath her dripping hair. But then her eyelashes were fluttering and she was teetering, not shifting her weight but losing it and he lunged forward fast enough to catch her body as it crumpled in on itself.
In his arms in a heap, Sasuke could finally see just how small Sakura had become and he leant over her, covering her completely as his back bore the brunt of the harsh deluge showering him for a second time that night. He looked down into her face, so close now, and felt a sharp spike of concern in his chest at how immobile her face looked. As though it had never worn emotion or life of any kind. As though her eyes had never opened and never would again. She was so pale...
Lifting her with a hand at her back – the ridges of her spine digging into his palm – and the other behind her knees, he stopped when he felt warmth and lifted his hand from her legs to support them with his elbow so he could see his fingers over her. He saw red, literally this time. His fingers were coated in blood and it streamed down his upheld palm, over his wrist and down his arm in pink rivulets as the rain washed it away. But not from her. Fear spiked in his chest now and he lifted his precious, muddy, frozen bundle into his arms and stood, backing into the house and elbowing the door closed.
He was suddenly aware, in the harsher lights of his living room, that Sakura wore very, very little. The sheet was thin and even wrapped around her three or four times it was still thin enough to cling to her like a second skin, mud and blood plastering it to her body. Even with the extra padding of the fabric Sasuke could feel things he wasn't supposed to – ribs and spine and various other nubs of bone that should have been protected by flesh and were instead felt and even seen through the sheet. There was a niggling thought in the back of Sasuke's brain that refused to be quieted and for just a moment he allowed himself to stand with her cradled in his arms as he wonder why, of all things, why would she be wrapped in a bed sheet? The obvious answer was battered into submission and he pushed it away violently in favour of moving to take Sakura into his bedroom and lay her down once more on the bed. He rethought this when he felt the stickiness beneath his hand once more and changed direction mid-step, taking her instead to the bathroom.
Laying her down gently in the bath and cradling her head in his hand until he could slip a towel behind it to protect it from the unforgiving porcelain, Sasuke took a moment to prepare himself. No matter what he had seen before he somehow knew this would be worse and he wasn't sure for a moment if he could handle this. This was Sakura. Their Sakura – his and Naruto's and Kakashi's. His. What had happened? Was he actually able to see for himself? Berating himself as the worse kind of coward he took a deep breath and focussed on his hands as they steadied, plugged the bath and turned on the taps. He filled the water with soothing salts he sometimes had to use when he returned from missions and watched as the warm, cloudy water rose, covering Sakura slowly and making the ends of the sheet and her hair wave lazily in the water. It would have been a beautiful image if she hadn't been so pale. As it was she looked like a corpse. But she wasn't. and Sasuke had to tell himself that over and over and over again, frequently stopping what he was doing to check her breathing, her pulse; to convince himself she was still there and alive and breathing.
When Sakura was lying in a warm, soothing bath that covered her to her neck, Sasuke braced himself and set his shoulders – so focussed that he didn't have room to be surprised at his own hesitancy – and reached into the water, finding the edges of the sheet and pulling it away. He looked at it a moment, sparing it a brief disdainful examination and seeing the large stain of what had to be blood almost completely covering the saturated fabric at the back before flinging the sodden mess into the corner of the bathroom, content if he never had to see it again. Finding a soft sponge in the cupboard beneath the sink he brushed the milky water in small, soft circles over Sakura's cheeks and across her forehead, catching drips that came too close to her ears as he cleaned her face with a gentleness he had never used before or known himself capable of.
Any hesitancy he had still possessed was lost when Sakura moaned and shifted restlessly and he spoke softly, soothingly to her to quiet her, forgetting all of his previous nervousness as he cleaned the blood, rain and mud from her body beneath the cloudy water. It was with a sharp curse that managed not to wake Sakura that Sasuke realised the patch of discoloured skin on her neck that he had been gently washing wasn't mud but another large thumbprint and that the dark red and black splotches continued around her neck.
Lifting her carefully once her pale skin was free of grime, he wrapped her in a soft, blue towel and went to his room, setting her on the bed and retrieving the items he thought he might need. Sitting himself on the side of the bed next to her, he couldn't help comparing the small Sakura he had helped not long ago to the positively tiny one he watched over now. She still looked awfully white and the bruised neck was like a black collar, standing out starkly against her pallor, but there was a flush to her cheeks from the warm bath and her skin was pinker than it had been.
Though he felt a surge of hope at the sight of blood in her cheeks that proved that she would be okay eventually, he couldn't help feeling a little resigned as he reached for her arms and checked her wrists. The resignation turned to confusion, where had the blood come from then? Whoever had left the bruises, had they made her bleed too? He gritted his teeth and thoroughly checked her arms, shoulders, feet and legs and would have stayed confused if he hadn't seen the end of a deep gash reaching down to the middle of her thigh.
Lifting the towel he couldn't stop his sharp inhalation or the quiet string of furious expletives that followed. Blood was already pouring sluggishly down her legs from the wounds on her thighs and the skin around them was swollen and bruised and angrily red. It turned his stomach as he couldn't help but add that to his suspicions with the bed sheet she'd been wearing. It took a great force of will to push these thoughts aside for later when he didn't have an unconscious, still-bleeding Sakura on his bed. Taking up the roll of bandages and salve he had brought in with him, he set to work once more, fervently hoping this would be the last time he would have to see his friend this way. No, it would be. No more hoping. He'd make sure it was.
Are you all appeased? -Tentatively hides behind my big orange birthday balloon- please be appeased? :)
Like I said, this story may take me longer than I anticipated and updates will be... well, take them as pleasant surprises, especially since they will be pleasanter from here on, looking up now after all 'cos we have Sasuke :) (not to mention Gaara. Naruto and Kakashi who will not be happy when they find out as you can probably imagine)
Please let me know if you think of something I've forgotten or you think is important and let me know what you think! I feed off of opinions and the more anticipation from you for the next chapter, the more anticipation from myself and since I'll write it, hey presto! New chapter! (did I spell that right? Hey presto? Isn't that a kind of pasta? Damn, now I'm hungry... TT... Never mind :D)
I really want to thank every since person who has taken the time to leave a review for this fic and especially the wonderful people I've met who have encouraged me since I dipped my toes in the fanfic waters in - can you believe? – 2007 (yes, I take my time with stories... clearly lol :)) Thank you, so much. There is so much I owe to so many people on here, not least of which is the fact that I'm still writing at all. There have been so many times I would have thrown in the towel and stopped writing for good and you made sure I didn't, there aren't words for how grateful I am for those who have read what I've written and encouraged me despite that (even if they say 'because of' :)) Orange balloons filled with the best wishes in the world for everyone, you deserve them :)
My most heartfelt thanks to Daily-chan who takes the time to remind me I'm human as often as possible and somehow forces me to believe it :) *huggles!* :)
And now that the mush is over (for the moment :)) please leave a review and let me know what you think... even if it's that you're going to hide in my room and attack me with oreos the second I go in there :D (the oreos weren't my idea! I prefer blueberry muffins... hint hint :))
(By the way... nearly finished I promise :) – is anyone opposed to me uploading my harry potter fics from P&S on here? Some people seem to have author alerted me because of Naruto fics and I would hate to inundate you with alerts from those if you don't like them... I have another Naruto fic I'll be uploading soon if it helps? – I'm finishing it first to ensure regular updates, wont that make for happy little chappies? Okay, now I'm definitely done :))
Have fun x


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8 Pet Care Jobs Found
Cat sitter
Posted by Haifa A. on 5/26/2017
- Start date:
- Flexible
- 25 miles away (Houston, TX)
- $20/night
- 4+ pets
I have 5 cats one of them need to be pilled every other day it would be better petsitter stay with them overnight in my house but am flexible about it
Pet Boarding
Posted by Nisha S. on 5/24/2017
- Start date:
- 7/04
- 22 miles away (Houston, TX)
- $25/night
- 1 pet
Would like to leave pet at facility for boarding and socialization. He needs a lot of attention when we are away.
occasional pet sitting for 1 cat, 1 dog +...
Posted by Gary J. on 4/29/2017
- Start date:
- Flexible
- 22 miles away (League City, TX)
- $15/visit
- 2 pets
cat: Shiloh - thinks she is a dog (indoor-outdoor)...needs to be let out for play and bathroom break.......dog: Deano : 100-LB. Boxer/Lab (most gentle, laid back dog you will ever meet).....needs to be walked and visited during day......House sitting/check-in....Possible personal assistance (will... More
Dog sitter needed in Dickinson
Posted by Awi S. on 5/6/2017
- 24 miles away (Dickinson, TX)
- $50/night
- 4+ pets
One dog is inside the house and other 4 are outside. Starting at 8am; Their schedule is: go to bathroom and exercise 15-20 min in the morning before meal. In the evening: 5 - 7pm - go to bathroom and have 15-20 min for play before the small meal.
Vacation away
Posted by Thann D. on 5/2/2017
- Start date:
- 6/09
- 19 miles away (Kemah, TX)
- $20/night
- 2 pets
need care for 2 adult cats in my home and stay overnight. flex time between 6 or 7pm to 6-8am. They are quite loving but will get lonely and having someone to stay in the home in the evenings is ideal. Large home, Comfortable private bed & bath located near Kemah Boardwalk quiet neighborhood.... More
dog feeding and letting outside
Posted by Terry T. on 5/10/2017
- Start date:
- 19 miles away (Houston, TX)
- $30/day
- 2 pets
We need someone to watch our dogs on May 20th and May 21st. Two visits on Saturday and one on Sunday morning.
Occasional Cat Sitter
Posted by Mallori P. on 5/1/2017
- Start date:
- Flexible
- 20 miles away (Webster, TX)
- $15/visit
- 2 pets
I just relocated for work and will have to travel often for my job. I would like to find someone who would be able to check in on my two cats. They're very low maintenance and it wouldn't even have to be every single day when I'm gone; they just need their food and water filled and litter box... More
Someone to let the dog out during the day
Posted by Travis J. on 2/28/2017
- 23 miles away (Friendswood, TX)
- $15/visit
- 1 pet
My wife and I both work long hours and would prefer to have someone help let our dog out once per day until we can get home.


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text:
Maksimum Konuk Sayısı8
Yatak odası4
Boyut160 metrekare
Floor No.1
- Klima
- İnternet/Kablosuz ağ
- Balkon/teras
- Havlu
- Aile / Çocuk dostu
- Mutfak
- Havuz
Accommodation summary
|Sector, 07458 CAN PICAFORT, İspanya
|Mülkiyet türü
|Referans kodu
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
It is a two-storey house with 4 air-conditioned bedrooms with closet and 4 bathrooms. The kitchen is fully equipped. In the living room you can relax on the comfortable sofa. The chalet has WIFI, satellite TV and air conditioning in all rooms.
On the terrace there is a table with chairs and a barbeque so you can organize summer dinners outside with your friends and family. The pool will inspire all water lovers and there is sun beds around so you can relax sunbathing.
The area where the house is located is very quiet. Despite the quiet location you can reach the lively centre of Can Picafort and the fine sandy beach within walking distance. In Can Picafort you will find everything you need on holiday. There are supermarkets, gas stations, bars, restaurants, shops, banks and pharmacies. From the harbour you can take a boat for a day trip!
The beach of Can Piacfort is part of Alcudia Bay, a long coast where promenade and natural dune beach are alternating. You can explore Albufera de Alcudia, Capellans beach, Son Bauló and Sa Cánova. The old town of Alcudia with its romantic cobblestone streets can easily be reached by car or bus.
This is the perfect place to spend an amazing holiday with your friends or family!
Supermarket: 50 m
ATM: 800 m
Restaurants / Bars: 300 m
Playa de arena: 800 m
Airport: 63 km
Bus stop: 350 m
Train station Sa Pobla: 15 km
Golf course Alcanada: 14 km
Ev kurallarıCheck-in: 4 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Very late check-in (from 24 pm) has an extra cost of 50 €
Damage deposit: 300 EUR (will be returned cash on your departure day)
Pets are not allowed
|Check-in Saati (Sonrası)
|Check-in before
|Check-out Saati (Öncesi)
|İptal Koşulları
Bu ev sahibinin diğer mülklerine yapılan yorumlar
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
Dear Anna,
we loved our stay in your beautiful villa! We felt immediately at home. You were so kind to show us the entire house when we arrived to early. We will definately return some time when we have the opportunity. The ambiance was so cosy and the facilities where fantastic as well as the view.......stunning! Thank you so much for everything. Goodluck in the future. With kind regards family Bemelmans, family Esseling and family Willems from the Netherlands.
A very nice, big house in the old town. With arches from 1771! We enjoyed it very much.
The house is great. You have enough room, beautiful pool and everything is clean. Two minor issues: 1. The owner can only speak Spanish, so that can be difficult. 2. The bed in one of the rooms was clearly at the end of his life.
The service from 'Charming Islands' was perfect. They are 24hours available and the service is good and swift.
We had a great vacation.
Absolutely perfect stay. The apartment and location were brilliant , close to the beach and near to amenities. The owners were lovely. And the chalet/villa was lovely. Would highly recommend it!
one word description: AWESOME!
Beautiful house in a beautiful, quiet surrounding.
a lot of privacy and a perfect porch next to the pool.
very friendly people!
...aside from german neighboors, which complain about noise of beeping birds and some music, it was just a perfect vacation!
location is close to highway - 15 min to beach.
Only things missing: cooler, guitar and music amp
absolutely recommendable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very nice house with lots of space, well equipped kitchen and lovely garden. Walking-distance to the lively center of Valldemossa.
- Kalite güvenceli konaklama
- Her ev sahibi telefonla doğrulanmıştır
- SSL şifrelemesi ile güvenli ödeme


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GORGEOUS pierced earrings made with rare 1940's vintage German glass beads. Brilliant design, wear casual or dress up; either way you will make a fashion statement!!
Closing jewelry studio, fantastic SALE, 35% to 70% off retail price! Over 25 years exhibiting and selling in art shows and museum stores throughout the United States.
Oval German turquoise cabochon beads, stunning natural patina, and lot of dimension & depth. Vintage circa 1940's beads originated from old family owned German jewelry store. Photos do not fully capture exact color hues; wait until you see. WOW!
The German glass beads were made to look like real turquoise stones. Bead makers during early years were known for their excellence in imitating gemstones by using glass, made jewelry affordable and nearly impossible to tell them apart.
No two beads are exactly alike; that's part of their natural beauty. Pierced earrings measure approx 3/4" long by 1/2" wide, on hypo-allergenic silver plated posts. All components are new except vintage glass.
This European Art Glass jewelry collection combines antique, vintage and new glass in my original designs, available only at Tapestry Collectibles.
A note from Beth the artist: For over 25 years my art studies have taken me on different journeys; many designs inspired from world travel. I love using vintage and antique glass collected, designing a new piece that reflects natural beauty and preserves glass as ORIGINALLY made; yet brings forth a new statement of my own.
Will make a FABULOUS gift for yourself or someone special in your life!!
3 other shoppers have this item in their Cart or Wish List .
Antiquarian & Vintage Books, Artisan Jewelry, Fine Art & Quality Collectibles
EXTRAORDINARY Vintage & Antiques. Check often to see our fabulous new items!!


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Len Goodman has revealed that he would have given Louis Smith a ten on Saturday night, had his routine had more 'balance.'
The Olympic medal winning gymnast got one ten from Bruno Tonioli and all the other judges awarded him nines for his dance fusion routine, which mixed a rumba and a tango.
He and professional partner Flavia Cacace performed to U2's 'With Or Without You' and for most of the routine they danced the rumba, only moving into the more passionate dance at the very end of the song.
Head judge Len thinks they needed to have more of a mix of styles and speaking on It Takes Two he explained:
"They way they didn't wasn't that hard, because it was all rumba and then it moved on. If I was to critique it, it was a lot of rumba and not much tango but I understand it was the music."
Goodman continued:
"When you choreograph, you choreograph to the music and it was all very quiet and rumba-y and then of course it goes into that strong end which really feels like a tango. So I did actually think that was the right way to go, but for me if it had been a little bit more of a balance of the two dances it could have been a ten."
Louis meanwhile is just glad that he made it through Sunday's show and on to this week's semi final. He is still bookies favourite to win and thanked his fans tweeting:
"Big big thank you to everyone who voted for me and flavs.. We feel on a roll and we are so grateful to have made it through 🙂 big #crewlove"
He and Flavia will have to perform twice on Saturday and the practice is taking it's toll on Cacace. She wrote:
"Tough long day of training today and another tomorrow. Send us all your energy please 🙂 xx"
Are you a fan of Louis and Flavia? Do you think they can win? Leave your comments below…


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Brough Superior breaks sales record at 315000
SS100 Alpine Grand Sports beat previous record set by Brough Superior SS80
A 1929 Brough Superior became the most expensive of its kind to sell at public auction when it sold for £315,100 yesterday.
The SS100 Alpine Grand Sports sold at Bonham's Bond Street Sale beat the previous record set by a Brough Superior SS80, which sold for £291,200 in 2012.
Paul d'Orleans, a vintage motorcycle expert, said: 'George Brough was a genius of motorcycle design, and the SS100 is his masterpiece,
'It's no surprise his machines fetch such prices.
'Each was sold with a certificate guaranteeing it has been timed at over 100mph at the Brooklands racetrack.
'No other motorcycles was sold with such a claim, and this was a remarkable speed for a road bike in the 1920s.'
The Brough's namesake, the Alpine Trial, was a gruelling reliability run started in 1910. Taking in mountain peaks, chilling temperatures, and the twists and turns of Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and the infamous Stelvio Pass, it was a test of endurance and skill.
George Brough undertook the Trial in 1925 on an SS100, resulting in the award of six cups, including one for 'Best Performance'.
The design of the Brough Superior Alpine Grand Sports took inspiration from its founder's achievement, and was introduced to the market in 1925 for the 1926 season with a lower compression ratio, a small fly-screen and a pair of tool boxes as standard.
The British marque recently unveiled a new SS100 powered by a 997cc V-twin making a claimed 100-140hp depending on ECU settings. It's Brough's first new model in 73 years and is anticipated to cost around £50,000.
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This event is added by Kodoom Robot, We're waiting for final details from the organizer.
Azar Nafisi Speaks at Trinity PastTuesday, March 4, 2014 ,
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM- San Antonio, TX, United States
Azar Nafisi, Iranian-American and the international best-selling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, discussing human rights and women's education in the Middle East, and literature as a tool of social change.
The event is free and open to the public.
Book signing and reception follow.
Contact the organizer for latest event info. Kodoom.com is not responsible for any changes made in the above information. Report or Flag this event


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En Fuego
Tango originated in the late 19th century in the red-light district of Buenos Aires, developed by poor European immigrants who would literally dance it in the streets. In tango, the upper body must remain either in close or open embrace, while the lower half of the body moves at an exceedingly difficult speed. It requires acrobatic precision, strength and focus. You want a workout? Learn tango. It is an incredibly beautiful thing to witness, a true wonder to behold, given the technical physical prowess required. To see a dance company such as the Estampas Porteñas perform this centuries-old, immensely passionate dance will be a joyful celebration of music and the abilities of the human body at its best.
Sat., Jan. 26, 8 p.m., 2008
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claira1 Review
So Chic
This ring has quickly become my fvorite piece of jewelry, I would love to see more like it at the same price since I think its a stylish bargain!
- How did the image on site compare with the actual product? fine
- How accurate was the sizing? fine
- Please tell us about the quality of the product. fine
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