A/N: So first I just want to say thanks for all those that replied… I have no idea what other couples will come of this story as I'm still making my way through the anime. I don't really dislike any of the characters so I won't be bashing any of them… at least not for the moment anyway. I have decided that I will tamper with the timeline somewhat and create moments that weren't seen in the anime that I believe could have taken place… as you will see in the second part of this chapter. Hopefully you all will come along for the ride. Thanks so much and as always; replies are always appreciated!

Fallen Sparrow

Chapter Three Part One: Have I Been Here Before?

"Hokage… is she… will she be alright?" Naruto asked as Tsunade exited Hinata's room. The heiress had been brought in over six hours ago. To say that she was surprised was an understatement. She had expected Naruto to go after Sasuke. They were from the same team… they were friends as well as rivals. So when the blond had disappeared a week ago along with Sakura and Ino she didn't think twice about it. But Hinata… her absence hadn't registered with anyone it seemed least of all her family. That would need to be addressed!

The blond stared down at the younger man before her, flanked by Ino and Sakura. There was so much that had yet to be explained… so much that had to be told but at the moment it had to wait. It all would have to wait. The life that hung by a string would change everything no matter what the story was now.

"I have sealed the wound and extracted some of her pain without creating more damage to it. The medical Nins will monitor her progress. Blood loss was excessive, added to her previous injuries from years before inflicted by her cousin in the Preliminary Chuuin exams… well we will have to wait and see." By the looks in their eyes she could tell this was not the answer they were hoping for but when dealing with life and death situations such as these news like this never was. "I will go and inform her father of the matter." She remarked realizing that in all the excitement no one had bothered to. Walking by them it was Sakura's voice who stopped her in her tracks.

"Is there… is there anything that I can do?" All her years of training for situations such as these and now when it really counted it seemed as if she should be able to help.

But Hokage shook her head in a negative manner. "The injury is too severe… intricate care had to be taken… even if you were ready Sakura-chan, there is nothing else to be done. It is in Hinata's hands now. I am sorry." Placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder she gave it a small squeeze. "We will talk later." She stated and as he looked up into her eyes he knew what that meant. There would be no getting around it. Blame eventually had to be dished out.

"It's my fault." Naruto stated once the Hokage had left the three of them alone.

"No!" Ino cut in.

"Naruto…"

Leaning against the far wall he slammed his fist into it in frustration. "It was my idea to split up and search for Sasuke. It was my stupid idea to go and look for him and bring him back… and now… Hinata… I should have known that she wasn't ready."

"Hinata wanted to come. She wanted to help! She wouldn't take no for an answer! You can't blame yourself!" Sakura reminded him. She had been told first hand of Hinata's brief moment of solid will.

Naruto looked away from Sakura feeling a weight on his chest… "I shouldn't have let her come." He remarked watching the sun set on Konoha. Its last rays dying out as it descended beneath the world.

"In situations like this… You couldn't have stopped her. You had faith in her Naruto… don't forget it now." Sakura attempted to remind him.

"Hinata is strong… she's trained… she's gotten better… out of all of us… other than you and… and Sasuke her abilities have increased the most I think… But even so… it still seems wrong." Ino remarked softly still staring at the ground feeling as if somehow she had let down her friend. She knew that it was foolish but with Hinata it was always hard to just consider her just another ninja. No matter what, she would always seem smaller, more delicate… in need of someone's protection and somehow none of them had been there! She understood Naruto's feelings better than she wanted to.

"Ino…" She looked up and both blonds shared a long stare. Unspoken words, feelings were communicated between them.

Meanwhile…

He had watched them for a long time… all three of them keeping vigil in front of her room. He had grown somewhat weary from the day's events but still alert. Perched atop an adjacent building leaning heavily on the stone wall he exhaled a heavy breath. He would wait them out, even if he had to wait all night. Eventually one by one they all left the hospital. Sakura had been the first… and then Ino… it was Naruto who had stayed the longest. He assumed the dobe would have stayed all night had Tsunade not come and made him leave. His insistence to stay had been adamant but not overruling. The Hokage's will had one out with a promise that he could come back tomorrow and even sit with her in her hospital room. For a millisecond he wondered where her family was. None of them had come. The thought struck him as odd… people like her seemed to always be surrounded by friends… family. He watched as the hall grew desolate… the overhead lights the only sign of life. But he knew better. There were guards even if they couldn't be seen with a normal eye. He smirked feeling the redness bleed over the velvet of his pupils as he sought them out. An hour more passed before he made his move. His steps were light but slightly less agile in their movements with his pending injuries. His ribs were still broken. He knew that. His shoulder had been dislocated and had taken almost ten minutes to be set. It was sore and tender but not life threatening.

He came in through the window smirking at how cliché it all seemed. The entire room was silent in the ongoing night. The only sound was her faint breathing. Crouched on the sill of the window he stared at her pale white face… white as rain, the comparison had caught him off guard but it was accurate. He should know. It seemed as if he had spent most of his life in the rain… turning his head slightly he sniffed… and tonight wouldn't be any different. It was in the air… the way the very atmosphere itself was heavier somehow. Rain would come.

Taking the room in a few strides he was at her bedside in mere moments, staring down at her. The moonlight creating dancing shadows across her face as the clouds moved through the night sky. She looked almost ethereal. Watching her breathing… it was labored almost as if it hurt. For a moment he got the strangest feeling of deja-vu. It seemed as if he had been here before… but that wasn't possible; was it? Pulling back the sheet covering her from the chest down he saw the bandages wrapped around her midsection. It seemed his hand moved on its own, reaching out and covering where the wound had to be. His fingertips barely grazing the white cloth across her flesh and suddenly he was frozen!

Something inside him clenched, twisted and began to ache. He gasped at the pain and felt something inside him shift… images from what felt like another lifetime took hold of him… his mind aching to recall something that his body had wanted to bury… a memory…a memory…

'The taste of blood on his lips mixed with the warmth of another's skin.'

"Nani…" He gasped as his mind seemed to swell within the confines of his skull and time began to move backwards.

'…Give as much as you receive…'

The words echoed loudly in his ears. He would have clasped his hands over them but his hand was still on her body… her body… her lips…

'The smell of lavender and tea was in the air… her smell… surrounding him… inside him… one with him…'

"Remember… remember…" He heard the whisper and it took a moment before he realized that it was his voice… his own voice asking… pleading for him to remember.

"What… what is this… what is this feeling?" He breathed out into the stillness of the night. His free hand went to his forehead and then slipped down to the cursed seal at the base of his neck by his shoulder. It was burning, as though fighting against his own mind… his own need to remember. He looked up seeing the unmistakable hue of power emanating from her body. Her body's chakra was coming off her in waves as was his… mixing together creating distorted images that began to take shape before his eyes… becoming larger and larger, filling up the room till he thought they both would suffocate…

"Oh God… was is this… was is this?!!!" His voice faded into the spell that he and this girl were creating…