Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Naruto. Only the OC is my idea, her backstory, abilities, appearance, etc. I do not make any money from this story. This story is a sequel to "in your eyes", if you haven't read that, please do so first other wise this one isn't going to make as much sense. A bridge story in between them is "the best present."

"Get the medical team! Hurry! There's a critical injury," Naruto yelled as he picked up the brunette man in his arms to try and alleviate the pain he figured he must be feeling with those wooden spikes through his torso.

Neji had expected blinding pain, or something more than what he currently felt. Right now all he had was a sensation like someone had delivered him a hard blow to his back. What was it that Chiaki had called it 'adrenal shock response'? No that was something else, a lack of cortisol that could cause the body to experience shock like symptoms. Shock, that was the term for what his body was currently experiencing. His body was actively preventing him from feeling the pain of the attack he'd just taken. He also was finding it more and more tempting to sleep by the second. Hinata was frozen in place, but fell to her knees seeing her cousin's injuries. He was aware that the blonde man was now holding him in effort to keep him calm.

"No," he objected before revealing, "I think I'm done."

"Neji, no," Hinata whimpered, feeling her own tears welling in her eyes.

He struggled for breath as he advised, "Naruto, Hinata is willing—to die for you. So remember—you hold—more than one life in—your hands."

He saw Hinata's tears streaming down her face as he added, "and it seems—my life may have also been – one of them."

"But why? Why did y—you can't die here! You were going to change the Hyuga!"

Neji exhaled heavily as if his difficulty in drawing breath was exasperated by a desire to sigh in aggravation over the blonde's blindness to what the real reason behind his action was. If he didn't understand all he had to do was ask while he still had time to answer. He knew exactly why, long ago it was Naruto's words that freed him from the shackles of fate.

He could hear the anguish and tears in his friend's voice as Naruto finally asked the most vital question, "why would you go so far for me? Even give up your life—why?

"Because—you called me—a genius," Neji answered. Hinata tried to force her tears to stop and put on a brave face for her cousin as she saw the curse mark on his forehead fade from existence, meaning that the curse was performing its duty in sealing his byakugan—and his life was at its end.

Outside of his body, Neji noticed a small square at the center of his chest, with a long chain attached to it, although unlike the last time he saw it, the chain was no longer connected to his body.

His heart leapt when he heard a familiar voice calling to him. Turning on the spot he smiled broadly as he observed her. She was in her shinigami uniform, The sleeveless kimono top and shortened hakama that resembled a skirt. Her chestnut hair was pulled back in the same style that he'd last seen her with. The sides pulled back and held in place by her orange ribbon, while the back of her hair was down. She possessed a golden bird earring in her left cartilage and was wearing the golden bird pendant on a gold chain necklace that he'd given her for her birthday before she had left for her home in soul society. Along with it was a silver necklace with a yin symbol. He observed that she was currently wearing what could best be described as an ornate dark blue robe with a large upturned collar, on her feet were the wooden sandals. At her right side was a wakizashi in a dark red sheath, it had gold flame shaped tsuba and the handle was covered in orange wrapping. He recognized her immediately.

"Chiaki," He greeted her as ran over to her and stumbled, falling into her arms. She readily caught him and steadied him on his feet before acknowledging, "The first few times you move as a soul won't be easy."

Neji chuckled and looked to her for a second before embracing her tightly. "I missed you," he admitted.

"I've missed you too, but I'm working right now. When I heard about this battle, I pleaded for my father to let me partake with the group sent here," she replied.

"there's a group with you? Where?"

"They're off helping other souls," Chiaki answered.

"The explosion at headquarters," Neji realized.

She nodded and gave him a quick kiss, which he eagerly returned before she got to her feet and drew her Zanpakuto.

Neji blinked at the sight of the blade, having previously seen her cut down hollows with it but was relieved when she tapped the end of her handle against his forehead.

"A konso, or a soul burial is different than fighting a hollow. Truthfully, it's one of my favourite parts of the job," Chiaki confessed with a smile.

She smiled as she remarked, "Neji, look at your friends—they truly did love and value you."

He glanced behind himself seeing the bird formation that they were taking against the ten tails. His mouth gaped momentarily before broadening into a smile and gave a light chuckle as he remarked, "I didn't doubt that."

Chiaki gently squeezed Neji's shoulder before he became a small black butterfly that flew up into the sky.

"I'll see you soon Neji, and hopefully when we next meet I'll still be a daisy in your eyes," she bid to the ascending hell butterfly.

She then moved onto the next soul, knowing that she still had a long way to go before she could recall from the mission.