CCNote: Enjoy

Disclaimers: Rated M. Don't own anything. I highly recommend rereading and Loss, Warmth, and Discomfort to get a refresher on the events mentioned in this chapter.

Father

It smelled like antiseptic and death, two things he never wanted to experience again. Itachi hated hospitals ever since he was made to come to identify the dead bodies of his parents. He'd hoped that we would never have to cross the threshold of a hospital again, yet here he was.

When the news had first emerged that a plane had gone down somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, the eldest Uchiha had paid no attention to it. It wasn't like planes fell out of the sky every day but these things did happen. There was constant coverage of the flight's sudden disappearance on the news and by coincidence, it had been blaring on his television when he had gotten that call. It was a call that made his blood run drain out of his system only to be replaced by white hot anger. Sasuke had not shown up to his branch of the office in over a week. Their intelligence officers informed him that they had found the receipts of his booking of a flight on his computer, tickets for the flight that had in fact disappeared. It seemed as though fate was determined to make him the last Uchiha.

Although there was a strong possibility that his brother had died in a horrible crash there was something in him that thought otherwise. Call it intuition or naivete but he just knew that he would feel it if his foolish little brother had somehow perished. He poured an innumerate amount of resources and time into assisting the search for the missing plane but after two months, the family members of many of the passengers had given up hope of finding out what happened to their loved ones. Instead, they had taken to turning on the airline that the flight belonged to and now the Sand Corporation was up to their necks in lawsuits and legal injunctions.

Embroiled in the middle of the controversy was Hisashi Hyuuga, a man of immense influence and wealth who just so happened to have lost everything for the second time in his life. Itachi couldn't fault him, he remembered the day that he had overheard his father discussing idle company gossip with a business partner. Hisashi had just lost his wife to childbirth only a few days ago and his twin brother had been murdered in a robbery gone wrong. There was a heavy cloud hanging over the Hyuuga household and as ever the opportunist, his father was capitalizing quickly on what was sure to be Hisashi's imminent departure from the business world. Unfortunately, that day never came. Instead of closing in on his sorrow, the man threw himself into his business to the point that he wondered if the Hyuuga patriarch ever spent time with the family he had still living.

Itachi rubbed his chin as he looked through the glass at the woman lying on the hospital bed in front of him. According to the limited records he had seen, she was only a year younger than his brother and there was a strong chance that she may know of his whereabouts. Currently, she was curled into a ball with her back to him, legs tangled up in the white hospital sheet. Maybe the Hyuugas were not as cursed as he had thought. This one was certainly lucky. With any luck, she would be able to clear up the questions he had about the whereabouts of his brother.

He pressed the button that would slide the glass open and walked into the sterile room. The woman immediately sat straight up with he entered the room, clearly taken aback by his appearance and he had to admit that he was surprised as well. Hisashi was not an ugly man by any means but it was rather interesting that he had managed to sire such an attractive daughter. Her skin was certainly pale for being on an island for so long but the paleness seemed to suit her. Her ample chest was the first thing her noticed, pink nipples erect from the cold temperature of the room. His eyes shamelessly memorized the sight and trailed downward. The thin hospital sheet, albeit barely, covered the place he was most curious about but he still enjoyed the sight of her voluptuous hips and slender legs. Yes, Hisashi most certainly had a beautiful daughter. She was a bit too thin for his tastes but that was nothing that a few weeks on a proper diet couldn't fix. Large white eyes looked him up and down as well and he felt himself chuckle as she tried to mentally piece together who he was.

"Hello, Ms. Hyuuga." He said and somehow here large eyes grew even bigger. "I'm Itachi Uchiha."

"Uchiha?" She said breathlessly and he nodded. It took a few seconds for her to fully register what he said before she remembered that she was naked. Itachi held back a smirk as she frantically tried to cover herself with the hospital sheet.

'How amusing.' He thought. Uchiha men were all endowed with very good memories and he undoubtedly would not forget the innocently sensuous nature of her body anytime soon.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, her voice slightly muffled from the sheet being pulled up all the way to her nose.

"I know that you have been through quite the journey up to this point but I need you to endure for just a bit more." He said, completely ignoring her soft-spoken apology as he approached the side of her hospital bed. "Can you do that for me?"

The Hyuuga woman nodded but scooted a bit away as he came closer. Her blush wasn't subsiding and he wondered fleetingly if the blush reached down to her breasts as well. Pushing the thought aside, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a wallet sized photo he had kept on his person for nearly five years. His little brother always protested to taking photos but he couldn't get around the fanfare that came with coming of age and stepping into his rightful place in the family business. In the photo, Itachi stood impassively next to Sasuke who wore a dark gray suit and blue tie, his black hair was mussed from Itachi messing it up and clearly didn't want to take another hundred pictures. His glare at the cameraman spoke volumes. Itachi had to suppress a chuckle, his brother was a little shit but he wouldn't have it any other way. The eldest Uchiha passed the photo to Hinata who seemed to have stopped breathing as she held it gingerly.

"Sasuke." She whispered and Itachi quirked a brow. So she knew who he was. Itachi perched precariously on the edge of the bed beside her and she looked up at him with determined eyes, unperturbed now by his proximity. "You're his brother aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. " Itachi said with a small smile on his face as he noticed the way Hinata continued to hold the picture close. "He's mentioned me?"

"No," Hinata said softly, her eyes returning to the picture. "He doesn't like to talk about himself much."

'That sounds about right.' Itachi mused.

"So based on that response I'm guessing that you knew my little brother. I hope he wasn't too mean. He has a tendency to always show his ass." Itachi said, probing for more information. She smiled and brushed her thumb over Sasuke's scowling face.

"Actually, he's the reason I'm still alive." She whispered.

"Is he?" Itachi asked and relief instantly coursed through his veins when she nodded her head. That was all the confirmation he needed. It didn't matter how much money it would take nor how many resources he had to burn. He would find his brother and bring him home.

"I don't understand what is going on or why I'm being treated this way but we have to help him and the others," Hinata said hurriedly as she finally stopped staring at the photo. She reached out and gently touched his hand. "Please. We have to do something. Anything. There isn't much time."

"We-" Itachi began, taking her small hand into both of his own. "Are not going to do anything. You are currently under quarantine and will remain so until the hospital deems it clear for you to rejoin the general population."

"But-" Hinata protested. Itachi felt the signs of distress begin to roll off of her in waves. He absently noted the countless angry red scratches that marred the pale skin as he rubbed small circles on her hand with his thumb.

"No buts, Ms. Hyuuga. There is nothing I can do about that, unfortunately. Now in regards to my brother and any others who may have survived, I will do everything in my power to get them back." Itachi said firmly and Hinata visibly relaxed.

Itachi felt his eyebrow twitch as he heard the glass door slide open once more. It appeared that his time was up. He would have liked to have more time but he had gotten what he wanted.

"Itachi? What are you doing here." A stern female voice asked. Itachi turned and smiled at the busty blonde woman in the doorway.

Behind her was none other than Hisashi Hyuuga sending him death glares. Inwardly he smirked, how long had they been standing on the other side of the glass? Both of them were wearing protective gear and he had to wonder to himself just what they were afraid of. It was a bit of overkill.

"I will be taking my leave now Ms. Hyuuga," Itachi said smoothly and placed a short kiss on the hand he was holding, just to get under his business rival's skin.

He could see the rage that flitted through Hisashi's eyes from that small interaction and did his best to hide his own contentment. He moved to get up from the hospital bed but Hinata held onto his hand firmly, she was much stronger than he would have previously given her credit for. He looked back at her curiously. She motioned for him to come closer and when he did, allowed the hospital sheet to fall and pressed her chest close to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into what appeared to the bystanders to be a rather intimate hug. Her warm breath tickled his ear.

"163, 9."

…..

"I really need to beef up my security if he got here first. Looks like someone will be getting put on bed pan duty." The blonde woman with her father sighed as she watched Itachi's receding back. "In any case. I'm Tsunade, the head of this medical facility. I heard you made one of our nurses nervous?"

Hinata didn't respond to Tsunade's question, instead kept her eyes on her father who's face was unreadable. Tsunade looked between the two Hyuuga's silent exchange and cleared her throat.

"I will return to finish your examination personally in fifteen minutes, that's all the time I can give you." She said although she knew her words had most certainly been ignored and backed out of the room.

Silence enveloped the sterile room with Tsunade's departure, a feeling of unease settled into the pit of her stomach. When was the last time she had been alone in a room with her father? How would he react when he found out about Hanabi? She pulled her knees up and clutched the thin sheet to her chest.

"Hinata." Her father began, his voice calm and stern. He had never been one for greetings.

"Father." She replied softly.

Hisashi's footsteps echoed off of the walls as he made his way closer to the bed. Hinata looked up at his approaching form, feeling smaller and smaller as he got closer. He stopped at the foot of the bed but did not attempt to sit.

"You, your sister, and your cousin have been missing for many months." He began. "You all have worried many people but it will all be over soon."

Hanabi

"Neji has just gotten out of surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery when he regains consciousness. He will be brought to this room soon."

Hanabi

"I understand that on the plane you were only able to bring three people. The Sand child is currently being questioned as we speak but I've been informed that there could be others. Is Hanabi among them?" He asked, none of his mannerisms betraying whatever emotions he felt inside. Hinata bit her bottom lip but did not look away.

Hanabi

"No...she-she died on impact." Hinata answered as steadily as she could. The corners of Hisashi's mouth dipped slightly but returned to an impassive line.

"I see."

"Father-"

"You will both remain here in quarantine under observation and when it is seen as appropriate, I will bring you home."

"Father, please, I-" Hinata began but a red light began flashing overhead and Tsunade reentered the room with a pissed off Temari. Hisashi spared the new entrants to the room a curt nod before swiftly exiting. Hinata watched her father's retreating back regretfully. When her mother and uncle passed, a large piece of her father had died with them. It appeared as though with the news of Hanabi's demise, another piece of him was to be lost forever as well.

'Oh, father.'

…..

On the Island

Sasuke let out a long breath through his nose as he stared up at the night sky. The moon was nothing more than a faint sliver of a silver crescent, allowing the stars around it to shine more brightly than usual. Everything was quiet and although he was someone who preferred to be alone, this kind of silence was unwelcoming. At times like these, he would have been agreeable to Naruto's presence but he had not seen even a wisp of blonde hair since last night.

'He must have found something better to do.' Sasuke thought with a knowing smirk playing over his lips.

According to the sounds he'd unfortunately been subjected to, it appeared as though his best friend had finally become a 'man'. Maybe all of that extra energy would be spent on more productive endeavors. Behind him, he heard a rustle in the bushes and inwardly prayed that it wasn't Sakura trying to sneak up on him. With both Neji and Hinata gone, the group didn't see a need to continue to restrain Sakura. She appeared to be pretty shaken up by the last twenty-four hours anyway. The woman had kept her distance from him which was a pleasant change but he doubted that the change would stick. The sound of someone retching into the buses made his stomach turn. He was going to have to find a new place to hide soon. After a moment, the person gasped for air and the sound of vomiting subsided. Footsteps crunched over charred debris as they walked over to his location.

"Oh, hey." A surprised Tenten said as she found him sitting at the base of a tree. She looked at him nervously and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Sorry, you had to hear that."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and wondered when the woman would take her leave.

She didn't. Instead, she fancied herself being privileged enough to take a seat next to him. Sasuke tensed at the intrusion. Tenten smirked at his discomfort as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Don't tell me that the Playboy Uchiha is afraid of being alone with a girl now?" Tenten teased.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Sasuke asked dryly and Tenten just rolled her eyes.

"Yea I have a hair appointment down the street. Can't miss that." She replied sarcastically. "I actually have something I need to talk to you about."

"I'm not in the mood to talk." Sasuke grunted and stood up from where he had been sitting for far too long and stretched out his cramped limbs.

"Well then just listen!" Tenten said frustratedly as Sasuke continued to leave. "It's about Hinata!"

That statement made him pause. When Tenten didn't immediately begin talking, he let out an exasperated sigh and looked over his shoulder to let her know that he was listening. The woman stared back at him with hard eyes. Sasuke turned away but did not proceed on his path to leave.

"The night before everything happened. Hinata came to me in tears." Tenten began, He could feel the holes she was boring into his back with her eyes. "She didn't tell me why but I'd bet money that it had something to do with you...

"He...he saved me, Ten." She said softly, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"What do you mean?" Tenten asked and the smile that had been working its way to the surface vanished.

"The day after the crash. I-I I tried to kill myself." Hinata said, her voice distant as though she were reliving the memory. "I thought I deserved to die. How can I, a useless waste of space, still continue to breathe when so many others have died? When, when Hanabi is dead...why?"

When she paused, Tenten placed a hand on her friend's shaking shoulder and Hinata leaned into the warm touch. Tears began to slowly streak down her face as she recounted her emotions she had probably locked inside of her for so long.

"Sasuke, he didn't even know me but he didn't hesitate to jump into the water to save me. He didn't question my decision, he didn't try to make me feel better. There was no sympathy. I felt so small and pathetic, I still do but he's helped me realize that I want to be useful. I-I want to be stronger."

"For him?" Tenten asked and Hinata just smiled and shook her head.

"No, for myself."

"...When she told me that story about you too I was shocked. I'm not going to lie, you never struck me as the 'help another person type'. I won't tell you what to do or how to feel but I care a lot about Hinata. She was my first, hell probably my only, friend. I have known her for over ten years and in that time I have never seen her change so much in such a short span of time. She doesn't realize it yet but this version of herself that somehow you managed to play a part in unearthing, the one that runs head first into fires to save people who wish her harm. That's the true her. I don't want her to regress. Look at me, I'm rambling now. I don't even remember what my point was...ugh...excuse me!"

The sound of Tenten making a hasty exit and the subsequent vomit that followed reverberated through the dark jungle. Sasuke sighed, turning back around to go after the sick woman to ensure she didn't drown in her own puke. He could already imagine the disappointed look in Hinata's eyes if she knew that he left her rambling friend alone in a time of need. At that thought he paused. Why should he care if Hinata was disappointed? He shouldn't. He didn't want to. Yet an unease settled into the pit of his stomach when the thought of those big white eyes welling up with tears over something he did. He had made countless women cry without a second thought but Hinata's tears unnerved him. He clenched his fist and turned in the opposite direction. He'd be damned before he allowed himself to become inextricably attached to another person. It would only hurt him in the long run to do so. The sound of another round of vomiting emitted from behind him and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

'Dammit Hinata.' He thought before quickly walking back to help.

CCNote: Well there you have it. The action picks up in the next chapter! Also keep an eye out for my next SasuHina fic: Sleeping with the Enemy! Until next time.