Hi! Here we are again. I'm feeling a little better now but I still have the cough from my cold. Hopefully, I'll be all good before I go on vacation. And speaking of which, I won't be able to post new chapters for the next four or five weeks. That's why I've posted my three fics early because I've got some packing and stuff to do before I go.

I hope you like this chapter and I'm sorry that they will all be short from now on, but I have lots to do this week and I will be going to classes so I won't have as much time as I did before. Sorry to my Beta, but I had no time to have it done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto the anime or manga, just the plot of my fics using the characters from the Naruto world. This disclaimer goes for all of my previous chapters, the current and future chapters of all my fics.

Excuse and errors and R&R!!

Chapter 20: Reflection

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Sasuke walked Hinata through the hospital doors, his arm around her shoulders as he led her to his house. He couldn't help but think about the bruises on her ankle and couldn't help but wonder why she was protecting the person that did it to her.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw that her face was relaxed but full of concentration. That was the other thing. At all times Hinata was on high alert, even when she was sleeping and now that she was walking the streets, he could see that she was listening to everything around her.

It was like she had gone through some kind of extensive ninja training when she was kidnapped, but of course that was a ridiculous notion so Sasuke did not bother to think further on it.

As they approached the center of Konoha in order to get to the other side where Sasuke lived, Sasuke realized that they were getting more stares than he needed. He had not even though about the fact that the entire population of Konoha knew that Hinata was missing and would sooner or later stop them to ask questions. Questions he was not keen on answering and that he was sure that Hinata was not willing to answer either.

"Hina," said Sasuke, immediately getting Hinata's attention. "Do you mind if I carry you? It's easier that that way."

"Hai," agreed Hinata. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Iie, it's going to better to go over the roofs," said Sasuke. He stooped in front her and tapped her feet. "I'm down here, hop on."

Hinata got on easily and Sasuke got up, running up the wall of a shop to the rooftops. He couldn't really tell if Hinata was relaxed or not, but he did feel as though she was steering him and squeezing her legs to him as though signaling when he should jump. How could she possibly know when her eyes were bandaged?

Sasuke was tired of guessing so he decided to try out his theories. Without warning, he jumped too early and was heading towards a pole for a clothes line but before he was near it, Hinata tugged him to the right by the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, gripping his shoulders.

"Gomen," said Sasuke, feigning apology. "I was lost in thought."

Hinata hummed in understanding as she was still latched on to him. When they got to his house, he stooped to let her down and reached into his pocket to get his to open the door.

He walked right inside and Hinata followed without any problem, skirting around chairs and the table, walking behind him all the way to the spare room, which was where she had slept for a night the last time she'd been at his house.

"I don't have any clothes of yours here so you'll have to wear mine again," Sasuke told her. "Wait here."

Sasuke left the room and went to the next room to get the things she might need. He came back with a towel, a bar of soap, a toothbrush, a towel and a change of clothes. He found her sitting on the bed looking in his direction.

"Here," he said and put the things next to her on the navy colored sheets.

"Arigato," said Hinata. She inspected the items next to her then her head turned up towards him again. "What do you want to do now?"

"You should rest for awhile first. Neji and the others told me they'd come over to see you," said Sasuke.

"Hai," Hinata agreed, rubbing her eyes through the bandages. "These things are itchy."

Sasuke smiled. She looked so cute it was hard not to. "Hn, well I'm going in the kitchen so I can make you something for when you wake up."

Hinata nodded, flopping backwards with a sigh and Sasuke told her goodbye before going through the door and to the kitchen to fix something for them to eat.

Itachi leaped through the trees at breakneck speed, Hidan close behind on the way to Konoha. He probably would have been there already had not for Hidan's morning rituals and sacrifices that took up the hour needed to get to the village now.

"I don't see what the fucking rush is," said Hidan. "I'm sure the brat will be there whether we get to Konoha in an hour or not."

"The faster we get there, the sooner we can get or job done," said Itachi, his robes swirling around his ankle with every bound. "I'm sure you don't want to waste all your time 'babysitting.'"

"Whatever," said Hidan.

The rest of the journey was rarely with conversation except for the occasional swear word from Hidan as he complained about his mission.

Itachi really couldn't see what he was whining about all the time. A mission was a mission, no matter what it was. Even so, this time it was going to be much shorter, two weeks at most to get Hinata's sister wrenched away.

The two finally made it to the outskirts of Konoha and stopped to take off their Akatsuki robes so spying and getting the job done would be easier. They then sneaked around the river by the old campsite and made their way to the house where Sasuke lived.

Itachi and Hidan perched on one of the trees around the house right outside the spare bedroom and when he looked inside, he saw Hinata sleeping peacefully, bandages over her eyes.

Seeing that made Itachi feel the slightest thread of guilt but he knew everything would be fine in the morning.

"Hmm… well she's not bad-looking," said Hidan, scratching his chin then his gaze found another object. "But that one there is more my type."

Itachi glanced at who Hidan was talking about and saw two girls walking down the street arguing; the annoying pink-haired girl and the blonde. He looked back at Hidan with the tiniest amount of mirth to his features.

"I don't mean the flat one. She's too loud," Hidan corrected. "The other one with the ponytail."

As if the blonde was any better.

Itachi looked through the window again at the girl in deep slumber for another minute. "Let's go," he said to Hidan and they both went to a small inn on the edge of the village.

It was amazing that they were allowed a room so easily. He had shut off his Sharingan and Hidan spiked his hair and took off his protector for the non-existent country and they were in. Itachi couldn't help but want to scoff at Konoha's trust in strangers.

There was one problem though. There was only one room available and the two had no choice but to take it. At least it had two beds, but Itachi found it hard to deal with Hidan's rants that had calmed down at least.

He sat on the bed for a short while and then got up, walking to the hitched up door.

"Oi! Where are you going?" asked Hidan.

"To get some air," replied Itachi, which was partly true since he felt as though he was suffocating in the tiny room. "I'll be back later."

"I don't mind. It's time for prayer anyway."

Itachi left the run down inn and made his way to Sasuke's house, leaping and landing on the tree next to Hinata's room but not shutting off his chakra completely, knowing she would notice. He could watch her all day… his little weak spot.

Hinata stirred, feeling a familiar chakra near but when she tried to open her eyes the bandages were still there. She didn't mind though because she knew whose chakra pattern it was. It was Itachi's; her sensei.

She got up and walked in the direction of his presence unafraid and glad that she was able to feel him close again but anxious Sasuke might feel it too. Dropping her latter thought, Hinata stretched out her hand and her palm rested flat on the cool glass… then it was warm.

A broad smile as well as a blush spread across hinata's face at the fact that Itachi really was there and that she couldn't imagine him spreading his fingers against hers on a glass. She could probably see him breaking it instead but somehow, this was much nicer than actually touching him because they both knew nothing would come from them having an attraction to each other.

The glass was that thin barrier, in Hinata's opinion, that would keep them at a teacher- student level or friends because downstairs was Sasuke who was the right choice for her.

It was then that she felt Sasuke come through the door and the warmth as well as Itachi's presence vanished. Turning around, she nearly bumped into him. "Gomen," she said.

"What was that?" asked Sasuke and Hinata could hear the curiosity prominent in his voice. He had felt Itachi there.

"Nothing, I was about to open the window," Hinata lied but it seemed Sasuke bought it- or at least she hoped he did.

He held her shoulders gently and led her to the bed to sit. "I brought some sandwiches for you," he said.

"Arigato," Hinata said graciously and took a sandwich from his hands. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"About three hours," said Sasuke. "Kiba and the others will be here soon and I was about to wake you up but you were up already."

"Oh, well I should go and have a bath before they get here," said Hinata and she got up taking the towel and other things that were still on the bed. "Can you show me the bathroom?"

"Hai, this way," said Sasuke and he took her hand and led her to the bathroom. "I could stand outside the door and wait if you want."

"Arigato," said Hinata went into the room and closed the door with a sharp click, but before she could take off anything Hinata caught the presence of Itachi in the room and gasped.

"Hinata are you alright?" asked Sasuke, his voice muffled by the door.

"H-hai! I… nearly tripped that's all," Hinata replied. "I'm fine but I'd like some water when I come out." She heard his 'Hn' of understanding and his departing footsteps, and then turned in the direction of Itachi who took off her bandages.

"The people here pamper you ninjas way too much here," he said quietly.

Hinata opened her eyes to Itachi's crimson orbs. With a quick glance-over, she saw that he was dressed the same way as when she had first seen him. "Where are you staying?" she asked him.

"A rundown inn on the other side of the village," Itachi told her. "But I'm not here to tell you that. Listen carefully."

Hinata nodded, wondering what he was about to say.

"Since I let you go free, the leader has set a new mission," said Itachi. "As you know, there was the option of taking your sister in your place."

"Hai," said Hinata, unconscious excitement teetering on the edge of her mind. "Are you kidnapping her then?"

"We will."

"We?" asked Hinata. She thought Deidara was on a mission, unless his old partner was there.

"Hai, Hidan- the one you ran into when you tried to escape the first time you were at the hideout," said Itachi. "Anyway, about the mission. When will you be returning to the Hyuuga compound?"

"Tomorrow morning," Hinata said.

"Good because I need you in that house." He paused for a second. "We're not going to train her like we did to you though. Since this puts back Akatsuki a couple of weeks, we're doing this quick and easy."

In honest truth, Hinata hoped that meant that Hanabi's eyes would be out of her socket as soon as possible.

"What do I have to do?" she asked, not missing the glint in his eyes. "It's not that I'm eager but, the sooner she's out of my life the better."

"I would have never thought such a quiet girl could think the way you do," said Itachi. "Your father and sister must be monsters towards you."

"You have no idea," said Hinata. "They made my life hell and even before Hanabi was born, my father never liked me."

Itachi nodded in understanding and Hinata got the silent message that he was aware of what she had been through. She figured he would, seeing what Sasuke had to deal with while being in his shadow.

Hinata heard Sasuke's footsteps coming nearer and turned to the door then back to Itachi who reached out to put back on her bandages. She had not even fully realized they were off; her eyes were fine now.

"I'll be watching you," Itachi told her when the cloth was secured around her eyes, and then he was gone.

"Hinata are you done yet?" Sasuke asked from the other side of the door.

Her jaw dropped when she remembered that she was supposed to be in the bath. "Ano… I think I'll stay in here some more," she called. "I feel filthy."

"Okay," said Sasuke. "The water is on the dresser so I'll wait downstairs for you."

Hinata took off her clothes as well as the bandages and stepped in the shower cubicle, sliding across the screen and turning on the shower. When she was done she came out and collected her things after she tidied up her hair and brushing her teeth.

Looking in the mirror, Hinata saw a much stronger girl then when she had left. More confident even in the way she stood and surveyed her reflection, Hinata was proud of herself and hoped that when she got back to the Hyuuga compound her father would see it. If not, she'd be even more motivated to make him see that she was heiress and there was nothing he could do about it. When Hanabi was gone, he would have no choice but to see the light.

Even as she thought it, her face became set, determined to see him suffer. She was going to make his as well as Hanabi's life hell until Itachi kidnapped her and she was not going to regret it.

She knew it was wrong of her to think that way. She knew it was unlike her to let such thoughts infest her mind, but Hinata didn't care because as her eyes clouded with tears of anger, she knew what she was doing would put her mind at ease and set her free.

Swiping away the tears, Hinata turned on the tap and splashed her face, blinking in the water to stop the stinging. Toweling off, she put the squinted at the stream of evening light pouring through the bathroom window and opened the door.

After dressing and putting the bandage on, Hinata slowly went downstairs since she was not familiar with Sasuke's house yet.

When she reached the last step, Hinata was hugged tightly and a tongue tickled her feet that could only mean Kiba and Akamaru.

"Hina, you're okay," said Kiba, his voice full of glee. "I'm so glad you're back."

"I'm happy to be back too," said Hinata.

He led her to the living room and sat her down carefully as though she would break which made Hinata smile. He was always that way, thinking she was so fragile but in a good way, not for one minute thinking she was useless.

"Sasuke outside trying to fight off the others from coming in," said Kiba with a laugh. "He doesn't want Ino or Sakura anywhere in the house, so he had to tell everyone not to come in so it wouldn't look so bad."

"Who else is out there?" Hinata asked, not missing the circles being traced on her arm as he was still holding her. He still had feelings for her, even if he was not aware of it but she let it go as a passing thought.

"Not a lot, just Neji and Naruto along with Sakura and Ino," said Kiba. As though realizing what he was doing, Kiba released his hold. "Most of the others are out on missions or busy."

"Let's go outside then," suggested Hinata and Kiba got up, pulling her with him.

"Hai, let's go. I've just remembered you owe me a little pick-me-up spar to get you back into shape."

If only he knew.

I'm sorry I must end it here, but I hope you liked it.

To keep you sated, if you've never read Hinata the Vamp or A Happy Ending.

Until next update…

Ja ne!

Please review, I love it when you do!