He felt like he was in a prison. Trapped by his own mind in a cage that left him with no freedom. His legs were useless, and his mind was breaking and fragmenting at the edges. Hinata knew he was putting stress on Nanami as well. The man was always lingering close by, hovering around Hinata like a frightened humming bird.

He didn't want to worry anyone. He didn't want his own mind to ruin the peace he had finally found. Kageyama was no better as he was never far from sight, always watching Hinata out of the corner of his eyes. It didn't seem fair to make everyone worry.

Hinata stopped in the hallway, staring down at his hands that gripped his new mode of moving around. Stupid useless legs, there was nothing wrong with them and yet... he couldn't get them to move at all! He hated being in this chair, hated not being able to walk and run.

He was also displeased by the fact he had not been able to return to school yet. Though his injuries hadn't been severe, Nanami still hadn't allowed him to go. Hinata knew it was partly because he needed to relax for a few days, and partly because he knew Nanami was afraid, afraid to let Hinata out of his sight for long periods of time.

Someone did try to kill him after all. That alone confused the boy. What had he done this time to deserve this? He wasn't cruel to people, he didn't bully anyone, and he sure hadn't done anything so horrible it made someone murderous.

Thinking about the why's alone gave Hinata a headache.

"Shoyo, what's the matter?"

Hinata jumped at the sound of the voice behind him. Frowning at his stupidity, he turned his head, forcing a smile towards Suga.

"Nothing, I just kind wanted to take a bath." Even if he had to struggle to get in it.

"Oh, you could have asked me for help." Hinata dropped his eyes to his lap, watching those limp thighs and legs. He just wanted to be able to move them. He wanted out of this god forsaken chair. He wanted to be able to get in the bath without needing help.

"I said something insensitive didn't I?" Suga whispered looking away. Sighing, the boy turned to head back towards the kitchen. Quickly Hinata turned in his chair hurrying after Suga. Why? Why did he have to hurt those around him?

"Suga, wait!" Hinata said, trying to hurry faster down the hallway. It was driving him crazy how slow he moved in this damn chair.

Rolling into the living room, he turned quickly towards the kitchen. He missed being able to run, to walk, to chase after those in front of him. He missed being able to jump.

One week, one week he had been stuck in this chair, and he already had enough.

"I'm sorry, Suga, you didn't do anything wrong," Hinata said breathless.

"Why do you keep saying sorry? You have nothing to apologize for, so why do you keep doing it?" Suga suddenly snapped, whipping around to look at Hinata.

Hinata flinched, eyes wide.

Suga open and closed his mouth as if just realizing he had yelled at the smaller boy.

"I'm sorry," Hinata whispered, his eyes falling. He turned in his chair then to roll back towards his room. He hadn't meant to make Suga angry. Hinata jerked to a stop, making him almost fall from his seat. Warm hands quickly reached around stopping him.

"Wait, I'm sorry Hinata, I didn't mean to yell." In seconds, Suga was kneeling in front of him, light eyes regretful. "I just...I want to help but, you keep closing me out, pushing me away."

Hands on Hinata's knees, Suga squeezed. Tears filled Hinata's eyes. He wish he could feel those hands.

"I'm not meaning to. I just... I'm upsetting everyone, and it makes me angry."

"That's okay, Hinata, it's okay to be angry. And it's okay that we are upset, it's even understandable. Something terrible happened again, and we can't do anything to stop it. It's natural, these emotions. But you can't close us out, you can't hide away in your mind, because that scares me. I can't help you when you retreat like that."

Hinata sighed. "Why do I feel like we have done this before?" Hinata asked, his voice annoyed.

Suga laughed lightly. "Does seem that way doesn't it." Those gray eyes were suddenly boring into Hinata's. "Now, I know you wanted a bath, so let me help you please."

The house was quiet once Nanami returned from work, the type of quite that unnerved him. On hurried feet, he moved towards the living room, quickly glancing around. When he didn't see Hinata or Suga, he rushed down the hall and pushed the door to Shoyo's room open. Nanami froze. Suga was sitting on Hinata's bed. Shoyo was tucked in between his legs sleeping while Suga read a book.

Suga glanced up, blinking slowly.

"You're home early," Suga said glancing at the clock on the nightstand.

"Yeah, I'm on shortened shifts for a while. Need to keep an eye on my boy there." Nanami leaned against the door frame studying the sleeping boy. There were clearly bags under his eyes and a pucker in between his eyebrows showing his discomfort while resting.

"We got into an argument," Suga muttered closing his book.

"What about?" Though the older man could probably guess himself.

"He's retreated again... into his own world." Suga glanced down, running his fingers through Shoyo's orange locks.

"I expected as much," Nanami said sighing. "He's stubborn, that one."

"We can't help him if he stays locked in his own mind," Suga said clenching his teeth. Nanami studied the older boy from where he stood. How much he cared for Hinata was undeniable, but it had to be hard on him trying to handle someone as broken as Hinata.

"The best we can do is be here for him, and for me to solve this shit as soon as possible." Nanami said, pushing away from the wall. "I'm going to start dinner. I'll let you know when it's done."

Slowly Nanami made his way towards the kitchen. To say he was stressed would be a serious understatement on his part. His investigation was getting nowhere. No fingerprints on the envelope containing Hinata's pictures. No trace was able to be done on the phone she had called from. The account she used to transfer the money was indeed that of a dead women.

Whoever they were dealing with was good at covering their tracks, which lead to many different question. Why was she doing this? What was her intention? Was it simply to hurt Hinata? If that was the case, then why? The boy was as innocent as they came. He wouldn't hurt anyone even if his life depended on it.

Why would anyone want to ruin something as rare these days as Hinata. So bright, loving and kind.

Why was some mad woman trying to crush what little life that boy had left in him? It angered Nanami. It made him want to rage and rip this world to shreds trying to find the one responsible. It was unbearable knowing he was in no way closer to finding out what was happening. Nanami couldn't trust anyone now, not when Hinata's life was at risk. Not when he had no damn clue who was behind it.

He needed something, anything to point him in the right direction. Just one small clue would do. Anything would do, as long as it led him to something useful. How was he suppose to save his son's life if he didn't have one small hint as to the whys? Shoyo didn't deserve this. He didn't need to fear for his safety every waking moment.

It was painful not being able to help his son.

"Hey dad." Nanami turned his head smiling down at the orange mop of hair as Hinata rolled into the kitchen.

"Hey, little man."

Nanami watched as Hinata bit his lip. "Dad, do... am I a burden to you?"

Nanami froze over the pot sitting on the stove. The wooden spoon in his hand whined as his hand gripped it so tightly it about snapped.

"Shoyo, why would you ever think such a thing?" It was hard for Nanami to keep his voice level.

"Your work hours are being cut short, and these stupid legs! They don't work, which means I need help with everyday shit that everyone else can do on their own! Doesn't that make me a burden?!"

As calmly as he could muster Nanami turned towards the boy, slowly making his way towards him. Those amber eyes were large and filled with doubt. Nanami should have known Hinata would think such things. He didn't like having to rely on others when he was in need. It was a flaw Nanami wished he could get rid of.

"Listen to me, my hours are cut because I wanted them to be. I need this for me. I need to protect you because I love you, not because you are a burden to me, Shoyo. As for your legs, we will get past this mental block and you will be soaring through the sky in no time. We cannot let doubt cloud our judgment." Nanami sighed as he ran his hands through those thick orange strands. "I never want to hear you say you are a burden again because you are far from it. You saved me as much as I saved you."

Eyes full of tears stared up at Nanami. "How did I save you?" Hinata whispered.

"I was alone, and I was perfectly fine with that or so I thought. Once you were here, I realized how much I needed someone, someone to love and be loved in return. Jun was my world, and once he was gone, nothing or anyone mattered. You gave me back something I didn't realize I needed, that connection to someone. I thought I could go the rest of my days alone, but you have proven me wrong. You saved me from a world of solitude."

"I can't imagine a world without you in it now. You brought so much light into my universe that if you were to be gone from it now I would be lost in the darkness."

"That's... really poetic." Nanami smiled.

"You're going to make fun of me now you little brat?" Nanami asked ruffling Hinata's hair.

"A little bit..." Nanami sighed turning back towards the kitchen. "Thank you dad."

Nanami paused before turning back towards the chair confined boy.

"Love you, little man."

He regretted wanting to come back to school. While he originally thought being around others would make him feel better, that definitely wasn't the case. Being bumped into and jarred by rushing teens made his stress level skyrocket. He didn't like being so low to the ground or having to look up at others as they moved past him.

He sat frozen in the hallway as kids rushed by, talking loudly and playing around. Maybe coming back to school wasn't such a good idea. He had the option of doing his school work at home, why hadn't he just done that? Being out in the open in public was making his anxiety hit an all time high.

His hands gripped the handles of the wheels so hard he thought he heard his bones crack. His heart was racing to the point he could feel it in his throat. The teens around him seemed to pay him no mind as he struggled to breath past his panic. The crowded hallway soon became empty as the bell rang for the start of class and there he still sat, his breath evading him, his heart pounding and the shrill laughter of his uncle's voice echoing in his head.

He was weak, small and useless in this chair. He was trapped by his own body.

The hallway in front of him blurred as tears swam in his eyes. Still he sat gripping his wheelchair. It seemed to take more will than he currently had in him to pry his fingers loose from the metal in his grip. With trembling fingers, he fumbled with his phone quickly hitting the speed dial for Nanami.

His teeth hurt from how hard he had his jaw set while he not so calmly waited for Nanami to answer his phone call. It didn't take long for the cop to swiftly answer.

"Shoyo? What's the matter?"

"I.. I..." His breath shuddered making it hard for him to speak. Loud laughter filled his mind, taunting him. "I need you," Hinata whispered.

"I'm on my way, little man. Just take small calm breaths for me okay?"

"I can't... I.. It's... to loud here." Hinata couldn't understand what was happening, this was not like a panic attack he had, had before. The walls seemed to warp in front of him, the floors shuttered and rolled. He bit his lip to keep from crying out as that laughter turned into an inhuman scream.

Hinata knew the voice wasn't real. He knew his uncle wasn't alive anymore to hurt him, but some small part of him didn't believe he was safe from his uncle's grasp. The phone he was holding slipped from his hand, clattering to the floor and making the small, scared boy jump. He squeezed his eyes closed trying to block out the hall in front of him that was growing dark. The steady sound of approaching feet made his heart pound more, the darkness seemed to swallow the world.

"Hi..na..ta." Shoyo flinched at the sound of his uncle's voice grow closer to him, the footsteps grow louder, faster.

The hand that fell to his shoulder made him scream.

Kageyama jerked his hand away from Hinata as soon as the scream let loose from his throat. The sound was so heart wrenching that, for a moment, Kageyama didn't know what to do. He stood in front of Hinata as he shuddered in his chair, his eyes closed tight, his breathing erratic, and his skin pale.

"Hinata, it's okay." The setter dropped down to his knees in front of the scared boy in his chair trying to catch his attention.

"Go away..." Hinata whispered past his shuddered breaths. "Don't hurt me anymore."

Kageyama wasn't good in these types of situations. He didn't know how to calm Hinata's panic like Suga or Nanami-san. Unsure of what to do, the raven haired boy reached into his back pocket, quickly pulling out his phone and dialing his Senpai's number.

He could probably get a different adult to help him, but he wasn't so sure a stranger was what Hinata needed at this moment.

"Kageyama, shouldn't you be in class?" Suga's voice was filled with disappointment at the idea of his junior skipping his studies.

"I need your help, Hinata is in full blown panic right now in the middle of the hallway at school and I don't know how to help. When I tried touching him, he screamed."

"Try getting him to focus on you first before you try reaching to touch him. He might not be aware that it is you." Though Suga's voice was filled with worry, it held a calmness to it that Kageyama was currently lacking.

"Hinata, could you look at me please?" Kageyama grimaced at himself. His voice was not the type to be soothing to those that were in need of warmth. His voice lacked the caring vibrations that Suga and Nanami had when they spoke to Hinata when he was having an attack.

When Hinata didn't look up at Kageyama, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Try not to get frustrated with him, Kageyama. I know this isn't really your strong suit, but you need to handle him like a delicate bubble at the moment."

The boy in front of him whimpered. His arms quickly snaked around his body, and his nails dug into the flesh of his upper arms.

"Suga! What do I do when he starts to claw at his skin!" Blood had already started seeping from his flesh as his nails dug deep into the tissue of his arms.

"Damn it," Suga snapped. "He's going to freak out, but grab his hands." Kageyama did just that. Quickly sitting the phone on the floor, he reached forward, taking hold on Hinata's wrist and pulling them away from his body.

When his eyes flew open, the amber orbs seemed lost, his scream tore from his throat making Kageyama jump. The scared haunting sound caught the attention of teachers and students in the rooms curious eyes were suddenly peaking out from behind doors.

"Kageyama-kun, what seems to be the problem?" Kageyama only glanced up from a moment to peek at his math teacher who was hurrying towards us his dark eyes worried as they fell onto Hinata. The boy was thrashing in the setters hold trying to pry his hands free from being caged.

"He's having a panic attack," Kageyama snapped, turning back towards his distressed friend. He needed to get him to calm down before the whole school saw him like this. Hinata wouldn't want that, he wouldn't want people to look at him with more pity than those around him already do.

"Get back to your class rooms!" Mr. Tosoma snapped as kids started pouring into the hallway wanting to know where the screaming was coming from.

"Hinata, I need you to look at me please," Mr. Tosoma said, his voice calm. Before Kageyama could even react, the man reached out and clamped his hands down on Hinata's shoulders. Another inhuman scream ripped from Hinata's throat, his back arched making Kageyama loss his grip on his arms. The setter fell forward having to use the wheelchair to catch himself.

Kageyama knew that if Hinata could move his legs, he would be kicking wildly as he fought to get away from them. Whatever the boy was seeing and feeling was something so beyond Kageyama's control to help.

"Stop touching him!" Kageyama snapped, pulling the teacher away trying to give Hinata space. The boy was panting now, taking in great gulps of air as if he was suffocating. One hand was tangled in his shirt gripping it so tightly his small hands turned white.

"Shoyo!" Kageyama's head snapped up at the distressed sound of Nanami's voice as he came barreling down the hallway with the school's dean hot on his heels. Though Hinata was still in full blown panic, Kageyama sighed in relief. Nanami knew how to handle these episodes. He would be able to make Hinata feel better in no time.

Picking his phone up off the floor, he pressed it back against his ear walking backwards to get out of the way while Nanami took over.

"Tell me what's happening!" Kageyama flinched at the distraught sound of Suga's voice. It must be hard on him only being able to hear Hinata have a fit over the phone and not being able to help.

"Nanami's here now," Kageyama breathed, watching as the cop leaned in real close to Hinata's ear talking in a hushed voice. He hadn't touched him as of yet, he knew to wait before making any skin contact with the distressed teen.

"He's trying to calm him." Kageyama watched closely, studying Nanami as he spoke, the way his body moved, how he stood off to the side ever so slightly as to not be directly in front of Hinata. His calm seemed to calm Hinata slowly, the timber of his voice was nothing more than a quiet hum. His breath was slow and even coaxing Hinata to follow suit and match his breathing with the older man's.

Ever so slowly, Hinata opened his eyes once more. They landed on Nanami in seconds, those amber orbs desperate for something Kageyama couldn't give him. Nanami reached out then, still standing to the side. His fingers gently brushed Hinata's cheek, brushing away his tears.

"I'm sorry," Hinata whispered closing his eyes once more. His breathing was still on the frantic side. His hand was still tangled in his shirt. "I'm sorry," he said again, hiccuping.

"Nothing to be sorry about, it's okay now. I got you," Nanami said smiling gently at the decoy.

"He seems to be doing better now," Kageyama said into his phone glancing away to look down the hall to make sure no nosy students were watching the scene in front of him.

"Good, tell Nanami I will be there tonight. I'll text you later to let you know how Hinata is doing. Okay Kageyama?"

"Yeah, I'll let him know and thank you." Kageyama hung up his phone and placed it back into his pocket. Slowly the setter moved forward, tapping the cop on the shoulder to get his attention. Those deep dark blue eyes met his, smiling sadly. The boy quietly informed Nanami what Suga said. The cop nodded his understanding before turning back towards Hinata who seemed to have exhausted himself into a fitful sleep.

"I'm going to get him home. Would you mind collecting his school work for the next few weeks for me and dropping it off at the house?"

Kageyama nodded. "Sure, I'll be by later."

Nanami smiled, nodding before pushing Hinata away. Kageyama sighed again, watching as they left. He had felt relived when Hinata said he was ready to come back to school, but it seemed his mind couldn't deal with the stress of everything happening right now.

It frustrated Kageyama that Hinata couldn't even get relief with being at school. He would have to talk to Senpais about escorting Hinata around school so he wouldn't get too flustered. Though Tukishima would probably throw a fit, he would still help out with Hinata.

Kageyama would also have to learn how to calm Hinata down like Suga and Nanami did. He would have to learn a lot of things to help his friend. The taller boy didn't like seeing his friend suffer so badly.

He needed to be helpful, he needed to be there for Hinata any way he could.

I am so sorry about the long break I took from my story! I had such a block on my writing that I was worried if I tried I'd write some horrible dribble. Hopefully you enjoyed the newest chapter and I hope to have another one for you soon! I can't leave my baby Hinata hanging like that he needs a happy ending... maybe! lol