Moriko's POV

To take my mind off things, I had shut Sachi back in her cage and left my apartment, locking it behind me. Walking had always been a good way to clear my mind. I had been wandering around the streets of Konoha for nearly a half hour and every step I took, I realized more that I should not be here.

Children were practicing things I, more than double their age, could not do. Older kids fighting each other and men and women with headbands like Ten-chan and all her friends she had introduced me to. I was nothing like these people. I watched them walk up walls and jump rooftops, two at a time. Who was I to invade this village? Even the Hokage had called me to her, ensuring I would not send anyone from the village to deal with my less than happy family matters and had me agree not to try to draw attention to myself.

How could I not draw attention to myself? Everyone in this village had super powers compared to me. I usually felt that I was a burden to everyone but in this village that feeling was magnified. I couldn't help but wonder if everyone was simply being kind to me because they pitied me. Maybe I should wait until tonight, gather my things and go back home. Ten-chan would be mad, but I was ashamed beyond anything I had ever felt before to walk into their village and have them take care of me.

Lee's POV

When we arrived at Moriko-san's apartment, the sky was beginning to dim. There were no lights on. I turned to face Tenten-san. Amaya-san stood very close by me and Gai-sensei had left for training as soon as we walked back inside the village gates.

Tenten-san knocked and tried to open the door, but it was locked. My friend raised her eyebrows at me, a gesture to tell me she was alert. I could only guess what her true thoughts on the situation were. I realized that she was probably lost, if she had left her apartment. Before I could mention this to Tenten-san, she surprised me.

"Amaya-san, I've just thought... Would you like to surprise your sister? It seems she went for a walk and we will have to find her but it won't be as fun as it would be to hide you in her apartment and lead her back here." Tenten-san chirped happily, but she could not fool me. She was still furious about the beast we had taken the girl from, not that I blamed her. Amaya-san seemed a bit hesitant.

"I would be a little scared on my own... Do you promise it's safe here?" She asked. I gave her a bright, reassuring smile.

"I promise you will be safe here. This village is full of people like us, we are often needed to protect people, so we are very good at it. You could be in no better hands." I promised her and gently pat her shoulder. "You can also take the time to wash up... You have dried blood on your neck." I pointed out and felt a muscle in my cheek twitch as I suppressed my anger. I hoped the girl would think as I did and bandage her neck, so her sister would not see the marks their father had inflicted on her sister. At least we got the girl out of there.

Amaya-san nodded with a smile, she seemed convinced. Tenten-san pulled a spare key from her tool pouch and unlocked the door. She poked her head inside.

"Mori-chan! Are you here?" She called into the apartment. Motioning for us to follow, she walked inside. We left the front door open, standing just inside the doorway, in the living -san walked upstairs where the bedroom and bathroom were sure to be. I glanced toward the loveseat against the wall to my right and realized I had left the poor girl as soon as she stopped crying. What if I ran off before she was emotionally stable, because of my excitement? Should I be worried that Moriko-san was not in her house? What if she ran away, embarrassed that she had let me see her cry?

Tenten-san returned with a role of fresh bandages and a cream to prevent infection, handed them to Amaya-san and we left, assuring her we would be back soon. I was alone with my team mate and a pestering thought popped into my mind.

I could ask her if Moriko-san really cannot speak, but that is not a question I should ask Tenten-san. A question such as that was best answered by the person I am asking about. I kept myself unusually quiet, as I had been since my ordeal with the girl's father.

Moriko's POV

I exited the pet store in a much better mood than I had been in for hours. I had secured a job for myself and would no longer have to depend on Ten-chan and no longer had the urge to run from the village. I may be the only normal person in a sea of shinobi, but at least I could take care of myself, now... Assuming the pay was enough to live off of.

I had stumbled upon the store by accident as I explored Konoha. As I walked, I hoped in the direction of my apartment, I took a deep breath as if I was exhaling all my sadness from earlier. While I did not allow myself to think about it, I could remain happy. Walking passed a brilliantly green front yard, something pink bobbed in the corner of my vision and I had to see what it was.

Turning my head, I realized it was hair. A girl with pink hair and red dress was weeding the garden with her back to me. I recognized her as Sakura-san, Ten-chan had introduced me to. Walking up to her, I tapped her shoulder, gently. I hoped to make up for my lack of greeting, yesterday. She looked over her shoulder at me and a look of unmistakable pity crossed her face before she could replace it with what I was sure, was a fake smile.

"Hello, Moriko-san. How are you?" She asked and as soon as the words left her lips, I saw her regret it. She was obviously unsure of how she could communicate with me if I didn't speak back. Determined to keep my smile as real as I could make it after the pitying look she had given me, I gave her a thumbs up and pointed back to her. Sakura-san's smile seemed slightly more real and relieved. "I'm good... I'm pulling weeds for a mission." She explained and I nodded my understanding. Feeling helpful, I motioned weed pulling and pointed to myself, still grinning.

"Oh... You want me to pull yours, too?" She asked, her face falling. I shook my head quickly, pointed to myself and then got down on my knees, next to her and pointed to the weeds she was pulling. "Oh! You want to help!" She realized and laughed a little uncomfortably. "I couldn't ask you to do that, I just need some extra money, so I'm doing a low level mission." She explained. It was nothing like my 'conversations' with Ten-chan who knew exactly what I was like and what I meant by the vaguest gestures. I shook my head again but did not have time for another gesture before I heard a familiar voice over my shoulder.

"Sakura-san, Mori-chan was asking if she could help you, but she isn't the type to want money. She was just being friendly." Ten-chan laughed. Looking over my shoulder and sweeping my blue ponytail out of my way, I saw my best friend and Lee-kun beaming down at me. I felt my mood soar, I wasn't surprised to see Ten-chan smiling down at me, but I was very relieved to know I hadn't scared Lee-kun off for good. I glanced at him to be sure and noticed him giving an odd look to Sakura-san who waved back, nervously. "But Mori-chan can't stay, we have a surprise for her." Ten-chan said.

"Okay. Thank you, anyway, Moriko-san." Sakura-san waved with a dirt smudged hand before Ten-chan and Lee-kun led me away. I was worried about what surprise I had, but nether of them would tell me anything. I hoped they had not bought me anything else, I would feel terrible. At that point I remembered I had a job, starting tomorrow and motioned this to Ten-chan.

"Good job, Mori-chan, I'm surprised you went on your own, but I'm glad you have a job... I thought you might die if you had to live off me for longer than a week." She joked and laughed as she pushed my back and I realized I was standing on my doorstep. I looked over my shoulder at the grinning Lee-kun and happy Ten-chan, skeptically before turning the unlocked doorknob.

Chapter End Notes:
Oooooh! Moriko saw Lee giving Sakura 'a look,' But that was a pretty boring chapter, sorry guys... And sorry for taking so long, I went into a depression and lost my will to write for a few months... Plus I lost my laptop. _ Loads of drama... But I'm back! It just may take a while for me to really get back into the story.