Weakness

'"Look past the smile, it could be a lie, ask the person. See if he is fine? Cause even the most strongest will cry."

She had been wroking at the hospital for approximately, three years now. She was becoming more and more efficient with her work and grown to be a very skilled medic and surgeon operater. Ofcourse she wasn't as skilled as Ino or Sakura in the field. But she had grown and proved she was very capeable. She was 19 years old, and had rose to the rank as a jounin having taken the exam three times but the third she passed with little diffuctly; they say third time is the charm.

"A-Ano..Ino-chan?W-Where is Sakura-chan?"Even when she was older that stutter would pop up once in awhile, but she tried controlling it.

The platanium blonde smiled up at Hinata, and arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow."Oh, she went on a mission with Naruto to the Wave country. Ahah, I guess she forgot to tell you,neh?MMhhmm, what did you need from her?"

"Oh, I just..needed her to sign something..one of her patients left today..."She said clutching the bright yellow envelope to her chest.

"Oh, just put it in her mailbox, she'll get it..eventually."Ino said, pointing to it. Hinata nodded and placed it in a rectanngular shaped cubby.

"Arigatou, Ino-chan..."Hinata smiled.

"Oi!Hinata-chan I almost forgot!"Ino scurried over to a pile of paper, and hurried back to her a smile on her face."Ano, hinata-chan!I need a huge favor just for today and maybe tommarow."

Hinata smiled and nodded."Hai..Ofcourse."

Ino handed, her a clipboard."It's Sakura's afternoon and evening patients, Tsunade-sama said I had to do it, but I have somewhere to go with someone..."Ino blushed. Hinata smiled a little, she knew who she was talking about, ever since she had gotten over her crush on Shikamaru, she had been asked out by Sai; Hinata really didn't know him well and what she did know wasn't really good he was sarcastic and a very sneaky person but he was a former ANBU; and Sasuke's replacement for team 7. Hinata took the clipboard, and looked back at Ino."It's only like 7 patients some are kids, and you like kids don't you?Anyway, thank you Hinata!I really really appreciate this!"Ino said giving her hug of much appreciation.

"N-No..problem Ino-chan."

Ever since Naruto had taken him back forcefully to the village , Sasuke had been on probation. He had already figured out there was several ANBU watching him and waiting for him to betray everyone again. But he wasn't -- he didn't have to..atleast not anymore. He had finished his goal. He had elimanated Itachi, but it wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would have been. He didn''t feel content like he thought he would have been.

At first he had just wanted to take his own life; his goal was accomplished what more did he need? What other reason did he have to live? But later on he decided to just go with Team hebi and just wander around, taking jobs for moeny sooner or later he knew he would die, he just didn't have the courage to do it himself; he was still afraid of death.

On an assasiantion job to the Water country, they had been ambished; by Naruto. The whole rookie 9 to be exact well 8 and that new member he had fought when him, Naruto and Sakura had been reunited, for a battle that he had easily won.

They all looked pissed but Naruto and Sakura looked furious, angry..hurt, at first him and his team were winning and it almost seemed impossible for them to be beaten but the table turned, first to die was Juugo in the hands of Neji and Lee who were pretty beaten up, Suigetsu was taken down by Kiba, Shino, and Chouji with Shikamaru as thier instructor. And Karin next, Sakura and Ino with some two other girls he had't really reconized had taken her down.

It was only him left.

And he knew they were all just going to watch and let him and Naruto fight. They knew it was thier battle.

And they were right that was thier battle.

Sasuke stared at the white chipped wall. His thoughts were clouded, he didn't know what he was going to do. He couldn' stay at the hospital forever. Eventually he had to go home. Home or what used to be home. He wasn't ready to go back to the Uchiha manor . He didn't want to go back. That place just gave him unwanted and unneeded memories.

He heard a soft knock on the door; it was Sakura's time to examine him. She was the only one he'd actually talk too with the acception of Naruto and once in awhile Kakashi and Tsunade but that was it. He was mute or harsh towards anyone else.

"Come in..."His voice was raspy, and his throat felt itchy, he licked his lips it was dehydrated.

The door squeaked open, and small white shoes stepped inside than the whole person;

This definately wasn't Sakura.

It had taken all the courage she could have possibly mustered to even do a single knock. When Ino had asked her for the favor, she thought it was going to be simple. Just 7 patients. It was supposed to be a no biggy, and it was all for her friend's love life. But she hadn't thought was that she was going to have to take care of him.

She didn't really have anything against him. It was just that he intimated her and made her infuraited at the same time. Naruto, Sakura and everyone else including herself had risked thier lives trying to rescue and bring him back. Yet, he still never thanked anyone. She really didn't know the whole story, but still.

She gulped, her palms were becoming moist. She knocked hestitantly on the door, a couple of times very softly afraid that he was sleeping and to make it was soft enough not to awake him.

"Come in.."The voice was raspy and cracked. She sighed, and stepped in the clipboard tightly gripped around her chest, the pessure she was putting on it was enough to crack it.

When she was fully in, she met with a cold yet heated stare. Her whole body felt peralyzed any moment now she thought she was going to turn and run. But she made a promise and if it's one thing she learned from Naruto and Sakura's determination; was to always keep your promises; like they did, when they brought him. She looked down afraid that if she stared to long at him; she would just go insane.

"Who the fuck are you?"He asked, his voice was dark, low and dangerous and more than anything she wanted to leave.

"A-Ano..I-I, I-I'm Hi-Hinat-ta.."She said, her gaze still fixated on the floor.

"Where is Sakura?"He asked, Hinata didn't have the courage to answer, he just forced herself to stare at him."Can't you speak?"

Suddenly her whole mouth, seemed dry, the words were stuck. She wanted nothing more than to tell him about Sakura's mission and Ino was the one who had asked her to take care of him and more than anything she wanted to tell him how she didn't want to be here.

" Just get out."He said turning his face away from her; his back faced to her. She wanted to take that offer it was just so tempting; but she knew she couldn't she had gotten herself into this and well she had to finish it.

"U-Uchiha-s-san, p-please I-I n-need to ex-examine y-you h-healing pr-progress..S-Sakura-c-chan had l-left on a m-mission..."She said clucthing on the clipboard, her nails digging into the wood.

He didn't budge.

She was going to have to take a risk. She knew he was a stubborn person but she had to exam him; the faster the better. She wasn't used to people like him.

She took a small step closer to him."A-ano..U-Uchiha-s-san..I-I have to take your examination..i-it's v-very...i-important."

"Didn't you hear me before?Leave. I don't give a damn, what your supposed to . Leave."He said, almost like a warning,a threat.

Hinata didn't know what to do, she felt helpless. She knew she couldn't just examine him by force, he way to strong for her far to strong. She decided to be persistant and try asking him again; maybe be more kind if she hadn't been already and try to make him understand.

"P-Please..i-it'll only b-be a m-minute..ano..i-it won't t-take lo-"

"Your still here?"

Hinata stared at the back of his head; who did he think he was? Yes, she was kind and patient but this?No, she wouldn't take it. She was done always being treated like trash; she aleady had that from her family. She didn't need him doing it also. She cleared her throat, and just glared at his back. She was angry at him and with herself she actually thought she could take care of him. But obviously she was wrong.

"U-Uchiha-san..I'm leaving, obviously you don't want me here..and I'm not going to stay somehwere I'm not wanted."She said clenching her fist, and turning around on her heel. Tommarow she was going to tell Ino, she couldn't do it anymore. It just wasn't worth it. He didn't like her.

And she didn't like him.

The nurse had left, and he was glad. He really wasn't in the mood, maybe he had been to harsh. But Uchiha Sasuke was never one to say sorry or feel sorry for that matter.

"What are you going to do now?" A distant echoing voice was heard. Sasuke stood in the middle of dark abyss, he couldn't see anything except for the darkness that engulfed him. he turned his head around trying to find the it wasn't just one place..it was everywhere..

"Your all alone..."The voice seemed faded but he could still hear it.

"What do you want?"He asked, tring to sound brave but instead sounded like a little kid; scared. Just like he was on that night. "Show yourself!"He demanded, but his voice trembled, it didn't have the commanding sound it always had. The voice just laughed mocking him. He felt angry. He couldn't do anything, he couldn't fight..nothing.

The voice laughed; bitterly."Coward."

"WHO ARE YOU?!"He screamed. But the bitter laugh continued, and he felt sharp pain around his whole body, like a thousand knives being shoved into his body and being drowned at the same time.

He screamed..and screamed...

But the voice kept laughing, and laughing..and laughing.

Sasuke's eyes shot open, his hospital room was dark only the moon casted a dim light. His breathing was slow, that dream he didn't understand, in that dream he was scared just like he was that night, his chest heaved he almost felt out of breath.

He felt something moist on his face. He touched his cheeks;

Tears?

It was Hinata's turn to do the night shift, and she felt tired. She knew she couldn't fall asleep; but she was tired. a blanket was draped over her body, she was sitting on her desk area.

She tried to keep her mind occupyed with something other than dozing off. She thought about her training session with Neji and how he had complimented her for the first time in so long. She thought about her and her old team's reunion at the ramen shop, and she thought about him. She didn't know why, but just something about him irked her the wrong way.

She was one to usualy let stuff like this go, but she had tried to be very understading about it, she had learned from Tsuande about his clan's massacre and knew she'd be in turmoil if that ever happened to her family. No matter how horrible they had treated her in the past, family was still family. But she thought he had been very unreasonable. When she saw Ino again tommarow she was just going to tell her she couldn't do this; she couldn't take care of him.

But part of her couldn't help but think of how strong he was. Sure he had chosen a wrong path but he still made it this far. He had achieved his goal and she still couldn't do the same with her's. She envied him and his strength.

Hinata looked at the clock; 12:30 her shift was over at 2:20. She sighed, it was going to be a long night. Hinata stood up from the chair, suddenly feeling dehydrated, she walked slowly in the halls, it was dark, but she could still see. She went over to the bubbler, and bent down pressing the button, she was going to take a sip of the warm water, when she heard soft whimpers.

At first she thought it was a little child, but when she read the room number. Her mind was sent in a frenzy.

Room 189 was..Sasuke's room.

Was he the one she heard whimper or was she mistaken. She really didn't know but curiosity took hold on her and she activated her byakugan. She was right, it was him.....

She didn't know what to do; her mind screamed 'LEAVE' but her body just wouldn't listen, she contoinued to listen.

It didn't even sound like Sasuke, it sounded like a lost child. Not knowing what to do, not knowing where to go.

Some part of her told he to go comfort him, even if he was a jerk he still human and he had suffered greatly, another part screamed 'Leave, run don't worry about it.' the sane part atleast.

Because if she was sane, she wouldn't have touched the doorknob and turned it.

With a click, the door opened.

Hinata stepped in slowly, but Sasuke didn't seem to notice, his body was unmoving she only heard him whimper. So he was crying in his sleep?Was he having a dream?

A nightmare?

What was it about that, could make even him cry. She stopped about a foot from his bed, but she could still see his face; it was pale and tear stained. She remembered those nights when she cried too, because she was to weak and because she couldn't really do anything about it, hope seemed lost to her. Maybe her pain wasn't as great as his, but she understood atleast a little...

His body was uncovered, the blanket was only covering his feet.

Since hinata was accustomed to taking care of the kids at the hospital she had grown a motherly instict. She took the blanket and slowly draped it over his body afraid of waking him up.

He looked like a child when he was sleeping, it was very heart-warming all the times she had ever seen him he always had a cold exterior and he was very emotionless, always wearing that mask, but when he was sleeping it just semed to fade, to melt away, it was unusual for her to seem him like this.

So even the strongest ones cried?

He felt cold, but he didn't seem to have enough strength to pull the covers back. He had fallen back into the his unwanted sleep. It was like a rewinded tape. It just kept showing the blood..it was everywhere..and the laughter...and the pain was greater everytime.. he felt cold inside and out, but something warm wrapped itself around him. He couldn't open his eyes, he didn't know who or what it was.

He was hoping it was an enemy, ready to kill him, he just wanted the pain to stop.

He opened his eyes, and found foreign eyes staring back at him, the pair of eyes were shocked, and scared. He quickly sat up, and the person moved back quickly, he could make out that she was female. The body was petite and small.

"A-Ano...U-Uchiha-sa-san..Gomensai..."He reconized that stutter, that girl from before that he had warned to stay away and leave him alone. Why was she here?Didn't he scare her off?

He just looked at her, those lavendar eye's stared back, he saw fear in them, he looked at the blanket that was draped around him, he was sure it wasn't like that before. She must have done it. Even after what had happened before, she was here and had covered him.

"G-Gomensai..I-I thought y-you w-were c-cold..a-ano...I-I..sh-should b-be going..."She bowed, and turned around.

He didn't know why he did it, or why he said it. Maybe it was because he felt vulnerable at the moment, he just didn't want to be alone...

"Wait..."he spoke, she stopped."Stay."Usually he would command someone, but right now he was asking, almost pleading. He knew she would reject, especially after the way he had treated her. But he didn't know why he asked. He just....

She looked stunned for a moment, and was having a battle with herself not knowing what to do, she just nodded slowly.

For once; in the longest time.

Sasuke was grateful.

A/N:Neh..I think they were in charater..anyway I hope you guys enjoyed it and such, but please review (: