The sound of a raised voice was shocking in the strange solitude of the ICU. Chihiro looked up with a start from the book her daughter had brought her, and exchanged glances with her. Yukari turned to look past her sleeping son towards the door.

"Stay with Ginta," Chihiro said, rising to her feet.

"Mother?"

"I believe it's the Hatake boy's... friend. Ginta asked me to send for him." She reached out and touched Ginta's hand. He didn't stir. Then she turned and stepped into the hall. At the side of the bed in the room across the hall, a tall young man stood stooped, face in his hands, as if in grief. He wore hospital scrubs, but Chihiro had no doubt it was the man Ginta had told her to send for. She'd seen Shibori's wife standing exactly the same way, looking at the corpse of her husband in a hospital ward.

Had Sakumo's son died with so little fanfare? No rushing medics, no urgent attempt to resuscitate him? She could see the monitor through the glass, still trailing a greenish blip over the screen, still counting out breaths and heartbeats, measuring chakra. Not dead.

Thank heavens. She hadn't wanted to bring the news to Ginta if it were otherwise.

"Young man," she said, standing in the door. "You are Tousaki Ryouma, I believe? I am Sakamoto Chihiro."

She frowned at Kakashi's still body, and the strange addition of a tissue over his nose and mouth. What was the purpose of that? Perhaps to monitor his breath? It fluttered delicately with each exhalation. Otherwise he appeared unchanged from the last time she'd stood at his doorway, the last time she'd stepped outside Ginta's room to stretch her legs.

"My grandson asked me to send for you."