It had been another week before he saw her again, which was partly because he had spent two of them doing some out of town reconnaissance for Lady Tsunade. When he had returned with his report she had specifically asked him to check up on Emi before going home so he had headed over to the Konoha Inn.

He approached the door to her room and knocked lightly at first and then harder when there was no answer. He was just about to walk away and look in the village for her when he could have sworn he heard something from inside the room. "Emi?" He said it loudly enough that he hoped she would hear it. This time he was sure he'd heard something although he couldn't quiet identify what it was he'd heard. He tried the door but it was locked. He briefly thought about just pushing through, he was certainly capable of it but then realized he should get the manager.

He returned with said manager in less than two minutes time realizing that being able to interrupt the Hokage in the middle of work with impunity wasn't the only perk of his job. The manager let him in, "Thanks, I'll let you know if I need anything further." He dismissed the manager who was apparently used to ninja and their shifty ways.

The room appeared to be empty when he first entered. "Emi? It's Genma. I'm here to help if you need it."

"Shit." He heard her reply from the bathroom. "It figures it'd be you." She laughed.

"What can I do?" He realized that she was probably more upset about needing help than that she was in the bathroom.

"Just come in and help me off the floor."

He slowly opened the bathroom door and saw that she was sprawled on the floor just outside the shower, she'd probably fallen as she was exiting the shower. He grabbed a robe hanging on the wall and threw it down on her to cover her and offer her at least a shred of her modesty back. "Ok. How do you want to handle this?" He also knew that she was independent and would want to be the one to figure out what to do.

She looked up at him gratefully. "I think you'll just have to get behind me and lift me like you did last week. Is that Ok?"

"Whatever you say boss." Genma stepped over her and crouched behind her crumpled figure. He grabbed another robe off the wall and looped it over his hands so that as he lifted her she would be covered from behind with it. As he lifted her she gasped in pain, he moved as slowly as he could to help minimize it. Once she was standing on her own he wrapped the robe around her and waited, averting his eyes while she tied it.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much I mean that." She was quiet.

"Can I help with the pain?" Genma fought the urge to wrap her in his arms and comfort her, it was clear she was close to crying.

"Would you mind?" She looked at him with a little embarrassment. "I don't want to be a nuisance."

"Emi. I'm glad to be able to help." He followed her out into the main room and pulled a chair over by the bed indicating she should sit on it. "Did you want to get dressed first?"

"I probably should but I think I'll let you do your magic first." She straddled the chair and let the robe drop from her shoulders.

Genma sat on the bed behind her and began massaging her scarred back. This time he started at the top with her shoulders and worked his way down to her waist taking his time as he did. He also didn't fall over when she groaned with the relief of pain. When he was done she was hanging on the back of the chair, her head lolling to one side.

"Are you ok, Emi?" He leaned over to see if she had fallen asleep. She hadn't but it was apparent that she was close.

"Can you help me into bed?" She asked him this quietly.

He stood without answering and pulling her robe back up over her shoulders offered his arm. She took it and pulled herself up. Once she was standing she rested her hands on his shoulders and leaned on him, taking a few deep breaths as she did. "How long were you on the floor?" He asked as she caught her breath.

"Only about an hour." She grimaced as she tried to stand upright and sagged against him again. "I hate this." She ground out.

"I'm sure you do. What can I do?"

"I need to lay down. Can you just help me sit on the bed?"

Genma did that, supporting her weight as she shifted and sat back down. Then he lifted her legs and helped her put them on the bed too. Once there she rested back on the pillows that Genma helped to shift under her and closed her eyes, it was apparent that she still hurt some. "Did you need more massage?"

"No. This is residual from being on the floor so long. It'll pass."

"You've done this before then?"

"Several times in fact. But not since I got here." Her face was starting to relax as the waves of pain subsided. "I think I need to sleep." She shifted a bit onto her side which earned her a new wave of pain and showed on her face but once she settled it seemed to lessen.

"I'll go then." Genma pulled the blanket on the bed up to cover her. "Lady Tsunade wanted me to check on you and see how you were doing. I can come back later."

"No. Please. Stay. I don't want to be alone right now." She sounded sad as she said this.

Genma turned the chair she had been sitting in around and sat. "Or I could stay. I don't mind."

"Thanks." Her eyes drifted shut as she said this and it was clear in a few minutes that she was out. Genma sat back, chewing on his senbon and watching her sleep. She'd been through a lot, even for a kunoichi and he was glad he could be here to help her. He settled back and allowed his thoughts to drift just like he did when he was on a mission and had to hole up somewhere and be quiet.

As it was she only slept for about half an hour. Her eyes fluttered open and she watched him for a moment before speaking. "Genma."

He allowed a smile to play at the corners of his mouth ever so slightly. "Yes Emi?"

"Thank you."

"Like I said. I'm glad I can help."

"I'm hungry." She giggled a little.

"Well, that's easy to fix." He rose from the chair. "Did you want to go out in your robe?" He said this with a smile as she sat up on the bed and struggled to keep herself covered with the robe she was in.

"Thanks but I think I'll get dressed."

"I'll wait outside then." He went to the door and turned the handle. "Call if you need me."