Sakura's P.O.V.

I'm a bit scared. I don't know that I should be here.

The frightening appearance of the Hyuga compound was amazing. Sakura felt like she was breaking a rule by just standing outside the front gates.

Well if you're going to chicken out on me, you might want to be a little quick about it, seeing as how we are standing outside the home of about a million people with 359 degree vision.

You're right. I don't belong here.

Sakura turned away from the compound feeling a bit like a coward and saddened by this thought.

A couple of miles later, Sakura was almost back at the market place but still traveling in the trees of the surrounding forest.

Sakura slumped against a tree and slid down its course bark to become seated on the leafy ground.

"Why me?" a sigh escaped Sakura's lips, "...why him?"

Sakura buried her face in her knees, which she held tight.

"Should I be insulted?" said a voice from above Sakura.

She'd recognize that voice anywhere.

Sakura looked up to find Neji sitting on a branch of the tree she was presently leaning against. A smile spread across her lips.

"Are you sure you're not a stalker?" Sakura laughed as she walked her way up to the branch he was sitting on.

"I could ask you the same question." Neji's response was as vague as ever.

As Sakura made a final leap to land in front of him on the sturdy branch she said, "You've lost me."

"So soon? I was sure you would hang in longer than that."

Sakura took her seat in front of him as if she were riding side saddle.

"Whatever! Just dish it Hyuga."

"I saw you in front of my house."

Sakura blushed, "Of course you did," she chuckled bitterly, "You can't get anything past Mr. Knows-Everything-I-Do."

Neji chuckled and shifted himself on the tree so that his back leaned against its core and his legs were hanging off either side of the branch he sat on.

With his shift in position, Sakura got a pretty good view of a swollen, purple cheek and jaw on Neji's left side.

"Neji, what happened?" Sakura blurted immediately.

He seemed a bit taken aback but realization hit his face soon enough. She recieved no answer.

"Neji?" she tried again, this time, though, softly.

No answer.

"Come on. You can trust me not to say anything, if that's what you're worrying about."

Silence.

"...Well I suppose I can understand if you don't trust me. I do have a pretty big mouth."

Neji snapped his head in Sakura's direction and responded immediately, "You know that isn't true. You must. Its just...this is my punishment."

Sakura could tell that she wasn't getting many more answers from him.

She still whispered though, mainly to herself, "Who did this?"

As she spoke the words, she scooted closer and inspected his injury.

Neji did not answer, knowing that the question was not meant for him. He probably would not have answered if it were.

Neji's P.O.V.

He looked into her eyes as she inpsected his jaw. She was so hurt, he could tell, although she was trying to hide it.

"Did you bleed?"

Neji nodded.

"Any teeth come out?"

"No."

"Is this tender?" Sakura poked at his jawline.

"Yes."

"Alright then," she signaled the completion of her examination, "Mild damage. Not to severe overall, assuming that there are no other injuries." Sakura eyeballed him threateningly as she said this.

He shook his head to confirm that that was, in fact, his only injury.

"Well healing it should be cake." Her hands became faintly green as she said this.

An inch away from Neji's cheek, her wrist was stopped.

"Sakura you musn't." Neji's voice was callous.

The medic was plainly confused,"What?"

"This is my punishment. Did you not hear me? I must carry it."

"You must not! Well if you want to go down that road, healing is my gift, I must use it."

Neji remained silent. A sigh escaped Sakura's lips.

She looked so tortured that he ached.

Why are you doing this to me Sakura?

She scooted closer in between his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace by placing his arms around her mid section.

Neji could fell her petite form shaking beneath him. Her head was buried in his chest.

He knew that she was not crying. But he had also seen how hard she had been fighting them back before she hid her face.

"Why Neji? Just tell me and I could help you. I want to save you," Sakura mumbled into his shirt.

I want you to save me.

"Then let me," she had taken her face from his chest and rested her cheek on it instead.

Neji was shocked. It was as if she read his mind. Neji would have questioned her knowledge but her trembles were distracting him.

She still was not crying though her body language indicated otherwise.

He never understood why she cried without tears. Maybe it was a skill she had acquired. It didn't really matter, though, because it had always made him feel useless. What in the world could HE do to ease her pain. HIM? He didn't know, but he would give it a shot.

"Sakura-chan, it isn't your burden to carry. Be happy."

She looked up at him with a hint of a smile in her eyes.

She stretched herself up and placed a chaste kiss on the corner of Neji's mouth. Afterwards she looked up and smiled sweetly.

"It should not be yours to carry either," the words came out ten times lower than a whisper, but, of course, he caught every word.

Neji was about to object but became quite distracted when he felt soft lips touch the skin right beneath his earlobe.

She was propping her self up with his shoulder and his arms remained around her waist.

Her kisses made their way to the tender spots of his cheek and traced his entire left jawline.

She was teasing him, he knew it. But he just couldn't help but give in.

He pulled his jaw from her lips to replace it with his own. When her mouth opened as an invitation, he gladly accepted.

He pulled her as close as possible, given their position, but that wasn't close enough for him.

He broke their kiss and pushed her back momentarily to bring her leg over to the other side of the branch. Now Neji was straddling the branch and Sakura was straddling him.

He brought her in so that there was practially no room between them. Neji placed a hand behind her head while the other was still on her waist.

He brought his head down and kissed Sakura passionately. He felt her stop breathing when he brought his hand, previously on her waist, underneath her thigh to prop her higher.

He earned a sigh when that hand began to caress her leg entirely. Sakura's arms still lay limply around the Hyuga's neck.

If only we weren't in a tree.

Realization hit Neji like a lightning bolt.

...His jaw didn't hurt.

Neji stopped stopped in his tracks, causing Sakura to look up at him. There was a bit of fear in her eyes. And for good reason.

"Sakura, I told you not to heal me," his voice was callous once again.

"No, you told me it was you burden to carry," Sakura corrected him.

"You should learn not to tamper with things that are none of your concern."

"None of my concern! YOU are of my concern, Neji. Like it or not. I have tried so hard not to think about you, but it never works. For some reason, the day that you asked me to fight you seems like years ago and the thought of life without you is absurd," Sakura's voice was breaking so she paused for a second, "Whatever it is that you think you've done wrong, I know it didn't merit that injury. You are brilliant, you give everything one hundred and ten percent, you train to the extreme and if thats not enough, you're a kick ass boyfriend. The only punishment you deserve is for making everybody else look bad," Sakura now made her voice more playful now, "And I got that punishment for ya right here, handsome."

Neji sighed, "Sakura--," he was about to argue his case.

"Ah. La la la la. Im not listening. You dont deserve punishment, say it with me..."

God, she is so adorable.

Sakura was about to repeat the phrase for Neji to join in but was cut off by his lips. This took her completely off guard.

Neji broke the kiss and stared at a shocked Sakura and said, "I don't deserve you."

Blush covered Sakura. Neji never got tired of the sight.

"How did you do it by the way? Heal me, I mean. Your arms never left my neck."

"My kisses are magic baby," Sakura smiled widely and threw a wink his way. "Well I better be off. Im probably already late for work."

Sakura simply leaned backwards, seeming to have fallen off the tree, and landed on her feet smoothly.

"See you afterwards, Neji-kun," she said joyously while running off in the hospital's direction.

Now Neji watched as Sakura disappeared in the distance.

Absolutely beautiful.