Hello everyone. This is a companion fic of my oneshot Bandage. It initially was supposed to be an oneshot fic too but it came out to long so it will be a two part or three part fic. I hope everyone will like it. I am sorry for taking so much ti,e but I really wasn't satisfied with how it came (still am not actually) so I tried to make it better but I fear I haven't. Also, no one's has checked it so all mistakes are mine. If someone feels up to being a beta reader and correcting, I'd be gratefull. XD

This is also part of my unoficial attempt to complete the 50_shinobi challenge and this particular story is inspired by theme 41: Rivals

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me obviously. XD

Itachi woke up two hours later, he rolled to his left and noticed that he was not alone; Hinata was sitting on the chair next to his bed. He raised his hand trying to catch her attention without talking. He touched somehow her shoulder and she reacted immediately to his touch.

"Itachi?" she asked and took his hand into hers. He hesitated before squeezing slightly her hand with his. "What is it?" Her tone was concerned, a fact that for a reason made him insanely happy and illogically. Why did those feelings occur around her?

"Tell me." he simply said and she looked confused at him. He was upset as she understood and the reason of his behavior right now was due to that.

"Tell you what?" she asked confused.

Itachi didn't speak for a moment and he let go of her hand feeling now irrationally sad. Why did he expect that she should have understood what he thought? It wasn't like they knew each other that well. But he felt nearly betrayed by her ignorance. For a moment he debated whether he should explain himself, wait for her to understand or just let the matter pass by. But honestly he couldn't do it. Even if he had tried to keep his mind away from the past, he couldn't forget it. And he couldn't also forget that until very, very recently Sasuke was the center of his life. He was ready to die for him. He had to know. Whatever he told her, it must have been something connected to him and not Hinata. So he took a big breath as he was turning his head to his right, "My brother" he said softly. This made Hinata gasp and jump up.

"Oh yes! Of course! I didn't tell you yet?" she exclaimed and placed her hand on his as she sat, nearly lay next to him. It was weird… but enjoyable at the same time. She was warm and it had been sometime since he had been in a bed with someone. And her tone, it betrayed her enthusiasm, so something good was going to happen. Something good about Sasuke. "He asked to meet you!" she said and nearly giggled in happiness. Itachi at first didn't know how to react to that. True, he had inwardly wished that for once Sasuke would take the initiative for their relationship. He wouldn't blame his brother if he didn't ever take it but from the moment he woke up that day and realized that maybe, just maybe life would get better for him, he had been in such a selfish mood which he didn't want anyone to spoil. It was actually surprising that his foolish little brother wanted something like a meeting. Did he know the truth? Had someone told him even though he had asked not to.

Hinata quieted down seeing that he was not happy as she had wanted him to be. What if she had made a mistake and he didn't want to see him? What if instead of getting closer, they got even further away? Something was making Itachi keep a distance with Sasuke after all. What if things went ugly and beyond repair because she had involved herself in businesses that were not hers. What if…

"When?" he questioned after a moment and put an end to Hinata's inner turmoil. Maybe he wasn't that against it, just not sure how he should feel.

"Sometime tomorrow" she told him and sat again on the chair. "He said that he wants this meeting to take place only if you want." she added after a moment giving him the opening to back away in case she had assumed incorrectly about his desire.

He shook his head and sighed. "No, it should take place. Actually, it should have taken place weeks now but I allowed myself to become so selfish these past few weeks that I forgot my duties and responsibilities." he muttered slowly more to himself than to Hinata. "I owe him an explanation, at least". He paused for a moment before asking something else. "Will we be alone?" He honestly didn't want to have people listening to their first conversation after so many years. The last conversation they actually had took place before the massacre.

At this question Hinata paused and hesitated. She knew that she had to tell him she would be present and admit her involvement but she felt slightly afraid to do that. He wouldn't hurt her; she knew that after being with him for so long. Her fear was that she would have disappointed him, she would lose his trust. It was stupid of hers to think that way; they weren't that close after all but she wanted to please him. The better she got to know him, the more she wanted to be close to him. It was so selfish of her but somehow, he had become the center of her life and she felt important by that, by being the only one who took care of him. She had been a disgrace, a failure to her father, her clan, to everything in a way that seemed important. She wouldn't stand it if she became a failure to him as well. "Not exactly…"she started. He tensed at that. "Your brother re..requested my… my presence." she blurted out while she looked on the floor. He didn't speak but she heard the change in his breathing, it became sharper, frequented and more uneasy, he was annoyed. She was certain of that as she watched him clench his hands. "At least in the beginning of the conversation." she added in a futile attempt to calm him down.

Itachi was annoyed by what she had just told him because of two things. One they would not be alone, they would be watched and their personal conversation would be also for someone else to hear, even if that someone else was his medic. And the other reason, which surprisingly was the basic cause of his irritation, was that Sasuke had asked HIS Hinata to be present. Why? Did they know each other? If yes, then how well? It would be perfectly logical if that pink haired medic was asked to be there since she was Sasuke's old team mate and his medic now but Hinata was his medic. Suddenly a thought passed his mind. How did Sasuke know that Hinata was his medic and he had asked previously her especially? They must have had a meeting then before the one yesterday… or they were close and he didn't know it.

"Do you know my brother personally?" he asked before he could control himself. What had happened to him? Why did he react so emotionally around her all the time? Where was Uchiha Itachi, the merciless shinobi? It was like he was changing bit by bit everyday he spent with her, getting closer to her. And the feelings he felt made no sense. He had never been so possessive of anyone in his life, of anything actually. A part of him also felt a sting of jealously at the idea of Sasuke and Hinata being close, talking, her taking care of him, changing his bandage, of all the things she actually did for him out of duty. That was the sad truth; she was there because of her duty, for he was a job, a patient. He didn't like the idea of them being close and him alone.

"No, actually our first conversation took place two days ago." she informed him. She paused and he sensed her nervousness. She must had done something. Suddenly everything made sense. Hinata wanted them to meet and talk, try to get along, forget the past and restore their relationship.

"You set up that meeting?" he said to her slightly annoyed. She guiltily looked down and touched slightly his hand. He slowly took it into his and lifted it a little trying to feel it and imagine how it would be. Hinata, taken aback by his actions, allowed him to do that and moved a little closer to him. She felt warm and content, somehow she was fully accepted by Itachi. No one had ever done that to her, not even her father. He took her hands and placed them on his face, a tear escaped and ran down his face. At the site of him crying, she felt such a strong sting of pain and immediately whipped it touching his face with her hand.

"I'm sorry I made you sad" she husked and tried to take her hands away from him but he held them on his face.

"Don't." he whispered. "You have never hurt me." He pressed her hands on his face and slightly smiled. "I like your hands, they are very beautiful." Hinata blushed at his comment and smiled awkwardly at him.

"You can't even see them." she whispered and took a big breath ready to cry from happiness.

He shook his head and let go of them "I don't need to" he answered.

To say that Itachi was nervous was an understatement. He was very close to panicking right now and just jump out of the window to avoid Sasuke. It was stupid really; this wasn't him. He didn't panic or let emotions overrule his judgment. Somehow though today he was acting like that. Hinata had tried to reassure him that everything would work out and that since Sasuke wanted that meeting, it must mean that he wanted an answer. "To try to understand you and your actions Itachi" she had said. (After their little scene concerning how beautiful her hands were to him, they silently decided to use each other's first name.) Was it possible for Sasuke to comprehend why he did what he did? Most Uchihas wouldn't and Sasuke was a lot like most Uchihas. He considered the clan to be above everything. He believed of course that their clan was good and loyal to the village, the excellent example of being a ninja. In terms of strength and war, they were but in terms of peace, loyalty and cooperation they weren't. He had briefly discussed that with Hinata and after he voiced this exact argument of his, she told him that they weren't the only ones at fault since the village had not trusted them so they could trust it back. They shunned them and pushed them away only to use them for war. If they had been treated differently, they wouldn't have a reason to rebel.

A knock was heard and the elder Uchiha tensed. He took a big breath as Hinata along with Sasuke entered the room. "Itachi." Sasuke said in an emotionless tone.

"Sasuke" Hinata lead the younger brother to a chair close to Itachi and she leaned to a wall as far away as possible to give them their much needed privacy. For a couple of uneasy minutes, they were both silent and Hinata felt the tension between them. One of them had to make the first move towards each other but it seemed that none of them was willing to throw away his pride. She looked away and caressed her neck.

Sasuke raised his eyes and looked at his brother intently. "So now you've lost both your family and your eyes." he muttered and trembled from the anger he felt. Everything happened because Itachi wanted to test his eyes and now he had lost them. He wanted to let loose and hurt him, do something to ease him from the emptiness he felt from the moment he understood that nothing was over. No, that wasn't the problem and the cause of his emptiness; it was the realization he had, for the few moments he believed Itachi was dead, that he wasn't happy and had nothing to live for. His second goal, to revive the clan, was so invisible to him. He looked at his brother hatefully again; without him, he was totally alone and lost. Even after everything that had happened, Sasuke was still depended on Itachi and that thought infuriated him to no end.

"Sasuke" Itachi said and tried to get up, to go closer to his brother and eliminate the distance between them. Hinata moved to help him while Sasuke reflexively got up and got into a battle stance.

Seeing how things were turning out to be, gathering her courage, she touched Sasuke's shoulder and felt him tense because of her touch but stay still. "Uchiha-san, please sit down." she told him and rubbed his shoulder slightly "Itachi is not going to do anything to you." she turned to the elder brother smiling "Isn't that right, Itachi?"

Sasuke turned and looked at her with the corner of his eyes and suddenly moved away from her touch. He sat down and waited for Hinata to move away. "Why did you say those words before you collapsed?" he asked in a low tone.

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He took a big breath and tightened his fists in an attempt to force himself to speak. "They were the truth." he finally managed to say clearly uncomfortable. What was happening to him? He was losing his personality day by day, becoming soft and hesitating. He had never hesitated after the clan's massacre.

Sasuke shook his head violently and glared at his brother. "No! No!" he got up from his seat and trembling from anger approached his brother. "You lied to me from the beginning. These words were part of your ploy, your act." he looked at Hinata. "You've fooled her as well, making her think you are a good person but lost or I don't know what she thinks of you" he looked at his brother again and raised his hand to hit him. "You don't deserve to live as I don't deserve to be depended on you to live. For the past days I have been like shit, even before I learned you were alive. Do you know why?" When Itachi didn't answer, he grabbed him from his shirt and shook him. "My life is empty because you are the only thing that has existed in it for the past eight years!"

Sasuke trembled with anger and looked away from his elder brother. Hinata, feeling sorry for him and guilty because she made them meet, walked slowly and silently closer to him and touched his shoulder. Immediately he went a step back and glared at her. They kept staring at each other and Hinata could feel her heart beating loudly inside her chest.

"You…" he said and raised his hand close to her face, without touching her. He slowly shook his head and let his hand fall down. He gave his brother a last look and marched towards the door, ready to leave and never return.

Itachi sat up and took a big breath. "There are things you don't know, Sasuke." he said and tried to get up, to show his brother, that despite his state of blindness, they were equals and his baby brother shouldn't underestimate him as an opponent. Hinata ran to his side to help him but he gently pushed her away and slowly got up on his own. Sasuke stood at the door, his hand ready to open it. "Would you like to learn about them?"

Sasuke turned to look at his brother with a suspicious expression. "Lies." he muttered. He looked at Hinata and shook his head. "All he told you is lies. He did it so you will trust him and become easy to use. But he won't need you forever… He will betray you."

Hinata opened her mouth slightly and left Itachi's side. "It's not lies, Sasuke-san."

"It is." he insisted in anger.

"It's not." Itachi said. 'But it's a very unpleasant truth… equally unpleasant with the lies I had told you that night." he said calmly. He wasn't angry at his Sasuke's stubbornness. He just was tired and wanted the truth - or at least some of it - to come out and then he could go rest. He could go and try, although he didn't really deserve it, to start over somehow.

And deep down, he wanted his brother back. The boy who idolized him and asked him to train him whenever he had time – only that Itachi never had time then and it was already too late when he realized how limited their, Sasuke and Itachi's, time was.

Very late.

…But perhaps something, somehow, could be done now and they could get along… Sasuke wasn't a kid anymore, he was older and much more complex now, but he was still his brother, the only family member he valued enough to risk his village's safety.

Sasuke stared at him with an angry look and slowly opened the door while shaking his head. "Lies." he repeated and then looked one more time at Hinata, giving her an angry glare that made her look at the floor. She always did find the younger Uchiha intimidating, unable to understand why the rest of her female classmates at the Academy were so obsessed with him.

Itachi sat on the bed again and let his head fall back. He slowly searcher for Hinata's body and after a while he felt her hand take his and hold it. "I'm sorry." she apologized to him in a calm and sad voice and he could feel that she was ready to cry. She was such a sensitive little creature.

The dark haired male didn't like it. He uncharacteristically felt the need to somehow comfort the young medic and desired to further their physical touching.

He could hug her and let his arms roan over her smaller form, while he lay her beneath him and he could enjoy her body's warmth to its fullest. Or just move his hand to her body and be able to guess how she looked like, have a slight idea of her appearance. If the rest of her body was as well made as her hands and soft skin, then Itachi had a feeling, he'd really like the rest of her body as well.

He squeezed her hand, knowing that these type of thoughts were not permitted; Hinata was the closest thing he had, right now, to a friend, and he didn't want to lose that because he couldn't control his manly needs.

Plus, she deserved someone that could look at her that was not blind and did not need a nurse for nearly everything he had to do. Hinata deserved a husband, not a patient for the rest of her life. He had started to care for the Hyuuga woman to the point that her needs and her future were more important than his urges.

"Don't be sorry, Hinata." he told her in a low voice, trying to hide what he was currently thinking. "I know Sasuke well enough to be sure that sooner or later, he will come to ask about the truth… even if he rejects it at the end."

"Again, Itachi, I…I was the one wh…who insi..sisted when maybe you wer…weren't ready…" she stuttered. Although she had made vast progress with her self-confidence, there were still times that she couldn't talk straight. Times that she was very emotional, like this one.

"We'd never be ready, Hinata." he interrupted her and let go of her hand as he slowly lay down and covered himself with his blanket. He felt her shifting the blanket a bit more, making sure he would be warm and light running a hand on his face and through his hair.

She silently marched towards the door until his voice stopped her. "Hinata?"

"Mm?"

"If my brother calls you, please inform me."

Hinata smiled at that and nodded. "Sure." She opened the door and slowly walked out of the room. "Rest Itachi" she whispered against the closed door and closed her eyes tiredly.

Sasuke was lying on his hospital bed, glaring outside of the window. It was a beautiful, summer day with a bright blue sky and a warm sun.

He didn't like it. He didn't like how the world around him was so cheerful, so ignorant of his pain.

A pain that was caused by none other but his own brother, his own blood. The only human being in the world left to be called family. He hated that.

He hated Itachi for stealing everything, for ruining everything and he hated himself too. Because the few hours Sasuke had the feeling that he had killed Itachi there was joy but also emptiness because he had no dreams for the future, no purpose.

He did want to restore his clan but that was a very general plan with many aspects, he found unappealing.

Like finding a woman to restore the clan. Doing all the necessary steps to restore the clan – that he had to admit may not be totally unpleasant – and staying at the village. He'd have to be with Naruto and Sakura again and he would have to do annoying, stupid missions. The young Uchiha was not sure if he wanted that.

The only thing he actually wanted to do was lie down and face the ceiling in complete silence, uncaring about what happens to the world around him. He wanted to just look at the white wall until one day, he'd just wake up and find something to do.

But with Itachi alive still…. He hadn't fulfilled his basic life-goal; to kill the murdered of his clan, who had somehow convinced everyone around him that he was not what he really was.

"Stupid" he mumbled and turned to face the door of his room.

Everyone was stupid in the village for believing his lies. They should have let him die, not cure him and give him the Hyuuga for a medic.

While he was stuck with Sakura, his annoying teammate that believed could understand how he felt and make him feel better.

Why couldn't he have gotten the only girl that wasn't in love with him? Sasuke was sure that Sakura wouldn't behave fangirlish to Itachi.

…. And if she did, then Itachi would suffer, something that wasn't such a bad idea.

But NO! The Hyuuga, the silent, nearly acceptable to be around Hyuuga was Itachi's nurse. How was that fair?

He didn't particularly like the girl but he knew he was safe with her because of her undying love for Naruto. The only girl in the village that preferred Naruto's sunny, over-happy and energetic character than his, Sasuke's looks. The girl had some problems for sure - otherwise why did she prefer Naruto - but her problem was not bothering him… it just made him wonder.

The fact that she had so loyally stuck to his brother's side, so devotedly tried to help him and convince Sasuke that Itachi was not who he thought he was, that they should try to forget the past, only made him angrier at her.

And convinced him that she had a big problem along with her obvious stupidity.

He let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the door…

Could she really be so easily fooled? Or did she really know something he didn't? And if there was something he didn't know…

…did he want to learn it?

Hinata stood outside of the younger Uchiha's door, wondering if it was wise of her to get involved like that again. She had already done it once and it didn't end well. She didn't want to cause an even bigger rift between the two brothers or make Itachi feel that she is not worthy of his trust.

His opinion mattered.

She didn't know why or when it started to matter on such a personal lever but it did. A lot. She didn't wish to destroy her relationship with him.

She looked at the door again and slowly walked back and turned away walking towards Itachi's room. She smiled and entered the room to find him sleeping.

She felt her smile becoming softer and gentler, she felt herself drawn to him. His face. He had such a beautiful face. She walked slowly towards him and sat at his side without touching him.

Although he seemed calm and serene when he slept, she knew that his sleep was troubled. It was just because of some light, sudden moves like his eyebrow twitching or his finger moving. He was an amazing shinobi, he covered what he thought and felt even during his sleep.

Had he ever opened up to anyone after the massacre? Had he ever been himself without feeling that the people around him would hurt him, would want, perhaps, to take advantage of him?

She slowly raised her hand and caressed his head and soft hair. The few who knew the whole truth about the massacre thought that she felt pity over him and his life, but that wasn't truth. She felt admiration, a different kind of admiration than the one she had for Naruto.

It was difficult to explain but she felt like she had to take care of Itachi, that their places in life could have been the same; she was the heiress of a clan and she could have been forced to choose between her clan and the village, if her clan planned to overthrow her Hokage.

If that ever happened, if that had ever happened, she would have chosen like Itachi.

At least she hoped she would have the courage to do that.

Someone knocked on the door interrupting her thoughts. She turned her head and as she was ready to take her hand away from Itachi's head, his hands held her and placed her hand on his face. Was he awake? And if yes, why hadn't he said anything? She must have woken him up with her presence….

Or he woke up because of the door knock…

The door knock! She turned her head again at the door, without moving her hand and smiled a bit. "Yes?"

The door opened and Sakura came in with a weird expression on her face, one that nearly screamed at Hinata dislike, an expression the pink-haired medic had never directed at the Hyuuga. What could she have done to make the medic feel so angry with her?

"Sasuke wants to see you, Hinata." She said and it was easy to tell for her tone that she was indeed annoyed by Sasuke's request. Hinata didn't blame her; she had spent so many years trying to find him, had tried so hard to approach him and the Uchiha didn't even talk to her politely while he sought Hinata.

Even though he sought her for Itachi.

But Sakura didn't know that and it was logical for her to feel suspicious over her and Sasuske's relationship.

"Ok." She said to the other girl, who gave one last look at her and Itachi, noticing her hand caressing him and left. Hinata turned at the Uchiha next to her and slowly took her hand away from him. "I…" she started but he raised his hand and placed it close to her mouth, in an attempt to silence her.

"Did you go to talk to him again?" he queried.

Hinata shook her head and then mumbled softly "No." she bit lip, feeling suddenly very warm inside as Itachi's hand went down to her neck and then left her feel cold at the places he had touched her. "I thought to do it but…" she stuttered. Taking a big breath, she managed to control herself and continue. "But I was afraid that you wouldn't like if I did anything and it wasn't really my business so…"

"So?" he asked after she had stopped talking.

"So I didn't do anything because I didn't want to lose your trust." She finished, feeling as the moments passed stiff and nervous, extremely anxious about his reaction.

It had been so long since someone could affect so much, since someone's opinion of her mattered so much.

She didn't want to lose Itachi. They weren't friends or anything special but she didn't want to lose her place in his life. She didn't want someone else to take care of him, she realized feeling nearly possessive of the man next to her.

"I won't go…" she started saying with a trembling voice, "If you don't want me to, Itachi."

He sat up and touched hand. "Really?"

She nodded as she took his hand with her own. "Really." They sat like that for a few moments without talking, just holding hands.

"Go." He said to her after a while. "You should go."

Hinata tightened her hold of his hand and got up. She smiled at him and relaxed as he slowly let go of her hand. "I'll be back." She promised him and paced slowly towards the door.

So that's the first part. I know it seems like a repeat of what happened before but I promise I will do my best to spice it up.. so don't give it up now.

Also... Attention here please! I am trying to ressurect a LJ community about this couple by hosting a writting challenge for this couple. We don't have so many fics about it and that's actually why people bothered to read my fic, because of the few fics there are compared to other couples so I thought I should do something to bring more fics. I know that sometimes you may want to write but not be confident in your ideas or in your ability... so it is always a nice way to start writing because of a challenge because it gives you a basic idea about how to start a story... Do I make sense?

Anyway... if you are interested you will find it at my profile the link about some challenge ideas I have, please go there and tell me if you are interested or if you have more ideas or anything related to Itahina... also this may be a writing challenge but artists could help by creating banners or even better an artwork for the winner of the challenge inspired by his work... but even if we don't find an artist to do anything, I don't think it really matters since Fanfiction is fiction made of FANS for FUN. XD Thus we have to write a disclaimer in all chapters and stories.

A review would be nice too...if you are not tired by reading all of the above mumbling I wrote. XD

Have a good day!