Chapter 11

A certain grey haired shinobi sat in the chair next to Ritsuka, arms folded and a scowl planted firmly on his face.

"Oh don't be like that. I'm sure you're not going to lose all the skills you have by missing one day of training. And we can work extra hard another day… well, you can." Minato rolled his eyes as he watched the sulking boy try to pretend he didn't care about Ritsuka's well being. A sigh escaped as he leant against the far wall, secretly doubting that she was going to make it. Apparently they had found that, including all her already discovered injuries, she has a collapsed lung, and her body isn't taking well to the medic-nin jutsus. Things seemed to be spiralling downwards. Poor girl. She would have made, correct that, she is a great shinobi.

Days went by, and still no sign of Ritsuka waking. Her father visited regularly, and sometimes stayed over to keep her company. He would talk about arrangements that he had made for her, like how he bought a new bed for her, some clothes, and even stocked his kitchen up with food she liked. He would also talk about a friend that might also be moving in, asking if she would mind much, but as expected, not getting an answer.

Minato had stayed to make sure her father didn't do anything, but the Hokage had assured him that things were different. Her father was attending counselling, and apparently was getting better with leaps and bounds. So eventually he had left her father to be alone with her, his mood remaining positive and lively.

Kakashi had of course objected to it all, having figured it out the moment he had heard the news. Minato had offered no lie to hide her father's misdeed to Kakashi, though he had kept quiet when others talked about it. No one needed to know the truth.

Hopes were beginning to wear thin as time went on. Even Kakashi had openly admitted he was worried.

It was the ninth day since Ritsuka had been brought to hospital. The sky was black, and the moon was full. The streets of Konoha were empty, and all that could be heard was the sound of the rain as it fell from the skies and beat hard on the ground.

The rain was making some racket as it bounced off the window of Ritsuka's hospital room. She lay in her bed feeling most frustrated. For days she had been desperately trying to communicate with the people that had visited her. Her body just wasn't responding. She had tried talking, twitching, moving any part of her body, but all was in vain. Even the idea of her will power giving her telepathic and telekinetic abilities if she tried hard enough had crossed her mind

She could hear every word clearly as people spoke. She enjoyed listening to their voices, grateful for the comfort they brought, but after a while, she was beginning to miss talking back. She wanted to assure everyone she would be fine, but she was beginning to doubt it herself. Was this what it feels like to be in a comma? She had heard so many horrific stories, she really hoped it wasn't.

The wind started to pick up as the night went on, and Ritsuka desperately tried to move. Every ounce of will power she had left, she mustered up, trying to throw herself off the bed. She concentrated hard on one place at a time, starting with her fingers. Even if she could just get one to move, she would be overjoyed.

After much concentration and hard work later, she was rewarded by her index finger lifting off the bed. She inwardly sighed with happiness as she tried to get the rest of them moving. It slowly became more and more easier as she went on, first her fingers, then she managed to move her hands, then arms and toes and feet and legs… soon she was able to sit up from the bed, though it was very clumsy and took a few frustrating tries.

Talking was still a problem, and her eyesight was incredibly blurred. As far as she could tell, no one was in the room. She sat still for a while as she got used to gravity pushing down on her shoulders again. She had been lying for way too long, and was now beginning to feel sick from dizziness.

Maybe it hadn't been such a great idea to sit up.

Once her body adjusted to the new position, she placed her foot gently on the floor. Pain shot up her body when she tried to put weight on it, and a small voice inside cursed and begged to be placed back to horizontal, but she continued to push herself. She placed her other foot on the ground and stood for a moment, waiting until the pain died down before she tried to walk. Unfortunately, the pain just seemed to get worse, and before she could sit back on the bed, her legs gave way in exhaustion, and she crashed down onto the floor.

Her energy seemed to leave her quickly, and she found herself unable to move again, the voice inside annoyingly reminding her that it was right after all. She just had to go that extra mile didn't she… she tried a few more times to lift herself back onto the bed, but found her body not cooperating again. So she spent the night lying uncomfortably on the floor, tears streaking her face.

The next morning, Kakashi made his usual 'before training visit'. Of course no one but the nurse knew about it. He slipped into the room quietly, totally unprepared for what he saw. His immediate thought was that she had been kidnapped in her sleep, but scrapped that when he saw the window was shut and locked. (He had personally made sure the night before). He noticed that the covers were half on the bed, as if she had fallen out, so he quickly ran round to the window side of the bed.

And sure enough, on the floor was a rather uncomfortable looking Rituska, fast asleep. Kakashi quickly picked her up best he could, and laid her clumsily back on her bed. She whimpered slightly when he tried to remove his arm that she was currently lying on.

"Ritsuka?! Are you awake? Can you hear me?!" Kakashi stopped what he was doing immediately, and stared hard at Ritsuka's face. Her eyes closed tight, and she nodded her head slightly, gasping in pain when she did so. "Don't move! I'll get a nurse." And with that, he pulled his arm out swiftly and headed out of the room.

He ran down the hall and grabbed the nearest nurse, dragging her rather roughly back to the room as he explained Ritsuka's condition. She checked the girl's vital signs, and then sent someone for the head doctor. Ritsuka had begun to breathe heavily, and her heart rate had risen quite a bit. Kakashi was feeling himself panic, but crushed it down when two doctors and the previous nurse entered the room.

"Kakashi-kun. Wait outside." The first doctor didn't even look at him as she started administering medic nin-jutsu. Kakashi did as he was instructed and waited outside.

Needless to say, Kakashi missed his training for that day.

Ritsuka sat in her bed, boredom tugging at her mind. She had assured doctor after doctor that she was ready to go home, but something about watching her vital signs and brain patterns was stopping her. She sighed long and hard, trying to fill the silence that clung to the room. The white walls were driving her to distraction and she often found herself pressed up against the window, cursing Kakashi for keeping the key. He knew her too well apparently.

Kakashi entered her room quietly, his eyebrows knitted in annoyance. There was a hint of a blush just creeping from under his mask which confused Ritsuka. And then all was clear.

"Ritsuka! My gawd! I just come back from an extremely long mission and I find my prized student is here!" Jiraiya's voice boomed through the room before he had even entered. Kakashi scowled slightly at the tall ninja, seeming to curse quietly under his breath. "And then I find this one sneaking about outside your room! Is there more to this tale than I have been informed?" Jiraiya winked suggestively and Ritsuka couldn't help but giggle at his flamboyancy. How she had missed the pervert.

"I'm so glad your back! And I'm fine honestly. Just a bit bashed around the corners is all!" Ritsuka giggled again at the relief that had come across her sensei's face. "And Kakashi has been keeping me company. Nothing else." Kakashi nodded his head in agreement, his blush finally beginning to recede slightly.

"I don't believe that for a second!" Jiraiya's voice once again boomed throughout the room, further removing the uncomfortable silence. He elbowed Kakashi hard as he winked again. "You dirty scamp!" He continued to harass Kakashi with a giant grin on his face, bringing with it the warmth that Ritsuka had missed so much. " Well anyhoo… I need to make this little meeting quick. Apparently being gone for months is not enough for the old gaffer. Now I have to do mission reports on paper and verbal! What is the world coming to… Maybe my doodles weren't making sense anymore." Jiraiya continued to analyse the Hokage's decision as he hugged Ritsuka softly and left the room, his cheery goodbye putting Ritsuka in an even better mood.

Kakashi had however stayed, causing a sigh of relief to leave Ritsuka. How she had missed his company.

"So how are you really feeling?" His question had startled Ritsuka, though she had no idea why. He seemed to read her like a book, and it was beginning to bug her a little.

"Really? I'm fine and I want to go home!" Ritsuka mock pouted as she pretended to throw a mini tantrum. This almost made Kakashi laugh. Almost.

"You know they just need to make sure you are okay. What if you were to leave and then take a turn for the worst, but there is no one there to help you this time, and your stranded in the forest, and you have forgotten the way home in your strange dilutions, that's because you have become very dehydrated due to the suddenly humid, hot air, and that's not all, you have to remember that out there in the world there are some nasty people, what if - " He cut himself off when he saw Ritsuka's incredulous face. Had he really taken it too far? "What?"

"I've just realised why your hair is grey." Kakashi could honestly say that was the most random and unexpected thing Ritsuka had ever said to him.

"I'm sorry?" he needed to double check that she had actually said it.

"You know what I said. You worry far too much, and over analyse, and stress yourself so much that you are already grey with worry." She nodded her head in agreement with herself, a smile tugging at her lips. Kakashi just looked at her dumfounded.

"I see… well now that that mystery has been solved…" Ritsuka giggled, annoyed that she couldn't keep her face straight. "I told your dad you were awake." Ritsuka stiffened at the mention of her father.

"Is he okay? I can't imagine he's coping well with me being in here. I mean he probably doesn't even know what happened…" her words stung as she spoke. How could he forget?

"Well, he knows what happened. And he 'says' he's sorry. Why didn't you tell me?" For the first time in a long while, Kakashi had shown raw emotion, and it pained Ritsuka. His eyes prickled at the corners as he felt rage and frustration, but most of all, hurt. Hurt that Ritsuka, the girl he cared far too much for couldn't talk to him. Hurt that she had lied all this time. Hurt that they both knew that he knew she was lying, but she still kept up the pretence. Hurt that she felt she couldn't trust him with something like this. Hurt that it was probably his own fault that she had decided not to tell him.

Ritsuka stared at her hands which had suddenly become very interesting indeed.

"It wasn't something I could have just come out and said. You would have told someone because it was protocol. I wanted to so much… but… you stick by the rules. And I wouldn't have you any other way. You would have done what was right in the situation, but not what had been right for my situation." Her words cut like a finely sharpened kunai. He was right. It was his own fault. He felt a pain in his chest that he knew all to well and was becoming very good at ignoring.

"I see." Was all he said before he sat on the bed dejectedly.

"Please understand that I wanted to so much. But it wasn't fair for me to put you in that situation. Made you choose between your beliefs and me." Kakashi felt himself snap.

"You would always be on top!! You would always be priority!!" Ritsuka pulled away, shock clearly evident in her face. Never had she heard Kakashi shout, and she was gutted that it had to be her he shouted at.

"I'm… sorry… I…" Her words were coming out in breaths as she felt her chest clamp down. Kakashi was by her side in a second.

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have shouted. I shouldn't have lost control." Each word he spoke grew harder and more fierce. Anger spiked in him as his mind raced, his ideals and feelings conflicting loudly. He had to get away.

And Ritsuka found herself suddenly alone in her white cell, her heart aching from a pain that could not be fixed by any jutsu or drug.

All that was left was the cold and suffocating silence.

Herro! and wow number 11! so yeah now we start to see Kakashi's thoughts and feelings begin to show themselves properly. Shame that it's all blown up in their faces, but they are so young!

Well let me know what you think and i hope you've been enjoying everything so far! Thanks again! XD