A/N Okay, so here is the fifth chapterof the story. I realize that the story is getting a little slow, and I'm going to try to speed it up. Some of the chapters I have planned are a little shaky though, which is why I'm not so sure where this is going and there is no way that i can make definate promises. A lot of it is all based around them when their relationships are already formed, so I've got to get over that little lip of a hill. Anyway, here it is and I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own, yeah.

It felt odd, waking up and not seeing. For a split second my stomach had flipped with the surprise of seeing only blackness. But then it all came back easily. I was blind. But it still felt odd not being able to see sunlight streaming through the windows. It felt weird not even knowing if it was even light out. For all I knew it was night time and it was dark.

I sighed, and let my thoughts ebb away. I wasn't exhausted any more, just pleasantly drowsy. Maybe a little more than pleasantly drowsy, but I didn't think I was going to pass out anytime soon, and my chakra was starting to come back, albeit slowly. But still it was so lovely just lying in the soft bed, not having to get up yet. It was like waking up on a Saturday and knowing that you can just lie there with your eyes closed. I had always thought that that was the best feeling in the world.

Well, I had thought that before my wedding had been announced. Ever since then whenever I had woken up I would inevitably start crying. The thoughts of Neji and Naruto twisted around in my mind. Marrying Neji and never being with Naruto as I had always desired.

At these very thoughts a lump started to form in my throat. I would never be with Naruto. Being with Naruto had always been my dream…my duty had apparently out weighted my dream. And Neji's fate was even worse. He had never asked for this marriage, he didn't even have a say. I could give up my heiress right to Hanabi if I so chose. I just couldn't allow that to happen.

Neji though had no choice what so ever. He was just dragged along with my decisions, dragged away from the only one I had ever known him to love…because of me. How could I allow that to happen with a clean conscious? I should just give up on my dream of being heiress. It was obvious that I would only hurt the Hyuuga clan, and not only that, but I would hurt my beloved Neji-nii-san.

And here I was, always being so selfish about what I was leaving behind. I sniffled and wiped away tears that I hadn't even realized that I had shed. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and banished all of these thoughts. I shouldn't second guess myself like this. Every decision had its pros and cons and I had to choose one and live with it. If I went on like this then that would just make it all the more miserable and unbearable.

I shook my head trying to dislodge all those horrible reflections. I tried to regain the feeling of inexplicable pleasure as I burrowed deeper under the sheets and blankets. I sighed in forced contentment. My eyes were softly closed and I breathed calmly. I was so wonderfully warm under these covers.

"I see you're rather comfortable in my bed," growled a deep voice from beside me. The voice sounded more amused than anything else. But what surprised me the most was how close the voice was. It wasn't that far at all, it was in the same bed as me even.

I yelped in sudden surprise. I fell off the bed in shock and landed rather uncomfortably with a loud thud. I groaned as I massaged my sore butt, and gingerly climbed back to me feet. My face was flushed deeply with embarrassment, I was sure.

Kisame-san laughed. I was torn between being comforted by the sound and recoiling away. On one hand the laugh seemed easy and open, it also sounded so strong and firm that my natural tendency was to relax and let it fight away my fears. The more logical side of me was worried that he was laughing at me, and that he was having some joke at my expense, and it wasn't cheap.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, Kisame-san," I stuttered. I decided to play it safe and try to show as much humility as possible. No matter how sheltered this man seemed to make me feel, he was dangerous. I didn't even know why I felt like that around him. It was just something that happened. I didn't know him, but….just something about him. I sighed in my confusion. A creak from the bed quickly jerked me back from my thoughts. I gulped and waited for his reply.

"What were you doing in my bed with me," he asked suspiciously and cautiously. I shifted from side to side uncomfortably. I wasn't quite sure how to tell him that I had saved his life. It was such an awkward situation. But I was saved from the prospect of answering immediately because he continued. "I didn't….force myself on you…did I?"

I gasped and my head jerked up to him in surprise. My face heated up to what I was sure was a very unhealthy temperature. But by the tone of his voice, I wouldn't be surprised if he too had a bit of extra color in his cheeks. He was embarrassed and I think really worried about the prospect that he had forced himself on me. He was concerned that he had done to me what Itachi had tried to do. I found his embarrassment and unsure tone of voice to be ….endearing.

"N-no," I assured him gently. He heaved a sigh of relief and I heard the bed creak as he leaned back. I bit my lip as I debated about what to say next. Do I ask how his chest feels, or do I tell him about what happened? Or do I just stay silent? These worries were very acute as I strove to make a good impression.

"Then," he began in confusion. "What were you doing? I don't even remember getting here, and certainly not you sleeping with me." I fought valiantly and futilely against the blush that forced its way to my cheeks at his last few words. Even though I knew that he had not meant sleeping with him in that sense. Judging by his snort I think that he was saying things like that to purposely make my turn red.

"D-do you r-remember the b-battle, Kisame-san," I asked softly. I suppose it was best to start off where he knew and then I would fill in the blanks.

"Come here," Kisame-san ordered, suddenly. I was caught off guard and was totally taken aback. He had ordered gently though, so I moved forward to oblige. "Get back on the bed. I can't hear what you're saying. You talk too soft."

"G-gomen N-nasai," I replied, and carefully climbed back on to the bed. I perched innocently and demurely on the side as I faced towards him. I swallowed the awkwardness induced lump in my throat so that I could talk more clearly to him.

"Now," he began with a satisfied tone of voice. "Yes, I do remember the battle." There was a pause. I assumed that he was recalling something of the skirmish and waited patiently for him to continue. "I remember getting hit with the sword from that weak little mist ninja." He let out a bark like life, and I cocked my head at him. "That was careless of me." There was another unsure pause. "That's were it goes blurry…and painful. Breathing wasn't fun, I'll tell you that."

I nodded thoughtfully as I contemplated what he had said. It didn't seem like he knew the extent of the damaged that 'weak little mist ninja' had caused. I supposed that was the first step in explaining. So I took a deep breath and prepared for the explanation.

"The b-blade slashed through y-your chest," I began. I spoke louder and clearer, and tried hard to keep my voice level. I didn't have much success on the last one. "It sliced o-open your s-stomach, and e-even h-hit your l-lung."

"Whoa," Kisame-san let out a low whistle. I nodded my head in confirmation of just how bad the injury had been. "It was that bad, eh? Wow. I passed out pretty quickly, but I didn't think it was that serious. Is there a reason that I'm still here, if that's the case?"

"I-Itachi and D-Deidara thought that y-you were g-going to d-die," I continued. I had a little trouble getting that thought out. I really didn't like the idea of him dying. I quickly carried on my account of what had happened. "S-so I offered t-to h-heal you. I-Itachi d-didn't think that I c-could do it. I-it exhausted m-me, b-but you l-lived."

I finished off with a feeling of proud satisfaction. I had really done it. I had saved a man's life, even while blind. Even when every one thought that I would fail, Kisame-san was right in front of me, conversing normally; well I thought it was normal, but I didn't know how he normally acted so it was just on a whim. A wonderful feeling of accomplishment bubbled up inside of me.

There was a pause, and I began to feel my high spirits fall. Was he angry? Maybe he didn't like the idea that I had saved him. Maybe he found that offending. My head drooped and I fidgeted with embarrassment…and hurt. I was so proud of myself, and I was sad that Kisame-san wasn't happy with me.

"You," Kisame-san repeated in shock. I imagined his eyebrows shooting up in surprise and his eyes widening as he stared at me. But then again, I didn't even have the slightest clue as to what he looked like. I guess my subconscious saw him as big and strong and handsome. My involuntary mind saw him as my knight in shining armor, though I had nothing to go by. Was that a dangerous assumption?

My emotions cut over my thoughts effectively and I furrowed my brows with a bit of indignation at his surprise. Yes me, was it really so hard to believe? He quickly amended himself.

"I mean, no offense, but," his deep voice trailed off a little as I think he was searching for the right words to say. Kisame-san had such good manners. He wasn't I expected of an Akatsuki. He took care with his words. "You're just so….petite. You're small and, well, innocent looking. I guess I kind of took you as the kind that needed saving, not the other way around." He added as a bit of afterthought. "I'm not quite sure to be just plain grateful or to find it rather degrading to be saved by the little hostage girl."

"A-ano," I trailed off uncertainly. I twisted around on the bed, completely unsure about how to react to him. Obviously, he was just as unsure of the whole situation as I was. But, really, was there anything to be so nervous about. I had just saved the life of someone that I worried would die. There was nothing so awkward. So I took a deep breath, and spoke levelly to him. I slipped into medic mode. "H-how do y-your b-bandages feel?"

"Fine," Kisame-san answered automatically. I frowned in disagreement. I knew he was lying. He was just like Kiba. Whenever the dog shinobi was injured he would always put up a brave front and claim that he didn't feel a thing. I knew this to be a complete falsehood. I think Kisame-san picked up on my doubt, because he sighed and replied more sincerely. "I feel like someone is ripping my chest open with their bare hands."

I winced at that mental image: his well-developed torso being torn open, and his muscles ripping apart. A scream ripped through my mind and I hurriedly shook my head to dislodge the images. There was no need for that.

"M-may I t-take a l-look at y-your b-bandages, Kisame-san," I requested tentatively. It wasn't until after I had said it that I realized the ironic wording: take a look. I cringed as a wave of misery crashed over me. I gave my head another little shake and refused to succumb to it. It was not permanent, I reminded myself. I would see again, and at the moment, I still had a job to do. Just because Kisame-san was alive doesn't mean he was well.

"Go right ahead," he complied willingly. It wasn't exactly cheerily through. It seemed a bit grudging, or as if at this point he simply couldn't care less. He was in enough pain and didn't matter who did what as long as it made it feel better. I heard the creaking of the bed as he lay back down on his back.

I scooted a little closer and reached out timidly with my hands. I drew back with a little surprise as I felt a netting shirt over his chest again. He shouldn't have been able to get up and get that. As I was thinking this I noticed also that the sheets I had been so comfortable in before were not blood soaked like the ones that I fallen asleep on. I hoped he hadn't gotten up and moved around, that would make it all the worse.

"Tobi came in while you were asleep," Kisame-san explained as though reading my thoughts. I nodded my head thoughtfully. "He came in to cheer me up and help out a bit. He was also saying good bye, since he's going to be disappearing for a while now to go help Zetsu-san." He added the next part glumly. "I suppose the lair is going to go back to being dark and gloomy again."

"D-did he c-change the s-sheets," I asked. It seemed like such a nice thing to do. Almost as if Akatsuki actually had a little sense of goodness and moral. "A-and get y-your shirt?"

"Yeah," he replied. Moral, I mused to myself. I quickly squashed those thoughts. They could lead to me getting a little less jumpy and terrified, then I would do something stupid or get lax, and then things would all go wrong. He then continued with a bit of patronizing amusement. "Rather observant aren't you, Hyuuga-san?"

"I-I suppose," I ducked my head shyly. I wasn't used to getting any kind of compliment in anyway. From my team mates, yes, but I really didn't feel like those counted. They had just been saying most of them because they were my friends.

One thing bothered me though. He had called my 'Hyuuga-san.' He said it more affectionately and teasingly than respectively, but for some reason I didn't like it at all. I didn't like being referred to like that. It made me feel like a stuffy old counsel member and I didn't like that image. Mostly because, it was what I really was doomed to be. "P-please d-don't cal m-me that. J-just call me H-Hinata."

"Okay, Hinata," Kisame-san agreed. He seemed to find no problem with that. "As long we're on such friendly terms, just call me Kisame, no -san." I nodded. "Now, Hinata, you going to put me out of my misery or what?"

I was intrigued by his voice, I found myself thinking. His voice was rough and deep, but his words were amiable enough. Yet something about the way he spoke made me think deeper on it. It was like the teasing and good-humored nature only went so far down; as if it was all a mask, but there was something lurking underneath. My brow furrowed as I pondered this.

But then again perhaps I was just over analyzing, just because I couldn't see his expressions and I had only his voice to go on. And I suppose there was only so much you could learn from a person's speech. Yet it seemed you learned so much more. Now I was just confusing myself. So instead of think more I returned to my original task.

"C-can you r-remove you s-shirt," I asked, my cheeks heating ever so slightly. Somehow, this was not like the hospital at all. I was sitting on his bed asking him to take off his shirt. Plus there would be a lot more touching him, because I couldn't just use my eyes to see what was wrong. I shuddered a little in my anxiety. I hastily fought back my embarrassment and misleading thoughts. It was just like at a hospital, I told myself firmly.

"Trying to make a move on me, Hinata," Kisame teased, laughing as a blush adorned my cheeks. I ducked my head again; all the same though I heard the rustling of fabric as he took it off. I heard a few grunts of pain too, and every time I winced.

When I was sure he was done I scooted closer, until I could feel the heat from his side. I reached out and began prodding gently at the gash with my fingertips. I was sure to make my touches feather light, causing him as little pain as possible.

"It's w-warm," I noted frowning. "You'll p-probably g-get a-an infection." Other than that, I noticed that the wound was still oozing blood. It must look gruesome. For once, I was glad that I couldn't see it. I didn't want to see the carnage the gash had wreaked in his body. But I was sure that I could help heal that carnage, I had a tiny bit more chakra left, and surely I could use some of it to heal his wound faster. "T-this m-may hurt j-just a l-little," I warned ahead of time.

I carefully began tracing up and down the slash with two fingers. I sent chakra through my finger tips, and winced slightly as it stung the already raw skin. But with a feeling of satisfaction I noticed that the skin was very slowly beginning to knit itself back together. A small smile quirked the edge of my lip, even though I wore a very concentrated expression.

"That's enough," Kisame said in his resonant voice. I gasped in surprise as I felt his large hand clasp onto my own and pull it away from his chest. I turned my sightless eyes up to him in confusion. "You're going to exhaust yourself again. Do that too many times and someone is going to have to heal you."

Suddenly I heard the door open and light but imposing footsteps sweep into the room. I felt Kisame's hand tighten almost reflexively around my own. I was confused and curious, until I heard the newcomer's voice.

"Well, well, well Kisame, I hadn't known that you wanted our dear Hinata for yourself," drawled Itachi. I shivered as a surge of cold swept over me. Itachi snickered at my reaction, and I cringed.

"I'm glad to see you made it out of the battle unscathed, Itachi-san," Kisame said, seemingly ignoring Itachi's comment. What surprised me was the sincerity behind his words. He seemed honestly glad that Itachi wasn't hurt. I hadn't known that Akatsuki showed any loyalty to their partners.

"Hinata, it seems you actually did save him." Itachi's voice was directed at me this time. It was filled with surprise and displeasure. I don't think he was happy that I wasn't as weak and useless as he had originally thought. He obviously hated being proved wrong.

His voice also held so much malice, that once again I was glad that I could not see him. I didn't want to have to look at him and see the hate there. I drew in a small breath and shied away. I was shocked to feel Kisame's thumb brush over the top of my hand in a….reassuring manner. I hadn't even realized he was still holding it.

"Are you going to answer me?"

"Y-yes, I d-did," I managed to choke out. Somehow, the supportive bulk of Kisame next to me strengthened me. I found my voice. "B-but I t-think it is infected. D-do, you h-have a-any a-antibiotics?"

"I wouldn't know. You'll have to look around." Itachi's voice was cold and indifferent. I winced at the word 'look.' Itachi was so merciless. He wasn't going to help me either. Even when it would be helping his own teammate and partner. I felt a surge of frustration. Itachi didn't have to be such a sore loser.

"Where is Samehada," Kisame asked suddenly. His voice was laced with concern and worry. I cocked my head in confusion to his question. Who was Samehada, I wondered.

"It's still out there," Itachi replied with an edge of disgust and resentment. I frowned a bit in confusion as the use of the word 'it,' I had been under the impression that Samehada had been a person. "No one wants to touch that thing; we want to keep our hands."

"You just left Samehada out there, vulnerable to the elements," Kisame deadpanned. Kisame obviously cared a lot about this Samehada thing. But I was getting more and more confused with every sentence in the conversation. Then his voice rose in indignation. "How could you do that?"

"I told you," Itachi snapped impatiently. "We want to keep our hands. You know that thing won't let anyone else touch it."

"Stop referring to Samehada as a thing, or an 'it,'" Kisame told Itachi off. I found it a little amusing to hear them bicker like this. Even though it was near impossible for me to follow. "It is a sword, a tool, and my prized possession."

"Whatever you want to call it, you'll have to get it yourself," Itachi retorted. With that, I heard him leave the room. I also felt Kisame let go of my hand. It felt oddly chilled after the warmth left.

I worked in silence then. I could feel Kisame's irritation rolling off of him in waves. So I redid his bandages noiselessly, and scooted a little farther away. I sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do with myself. In the bout of nothingness, with nothing else to use up my thoughts, I felt the fear come up and choke me.

I was blind in an Akatsuki lair. All the heat drained from my face, and I curled up in a protective ball. Suddenly, I was terrified. I began shuddering. But just beneath was the terror, was annoyance: irritation at my own feelings. My fear seemed to come in waves or tides. One moment I was fine with just a dull pit in my stomach. Another time, it was compressing the air from my lungs and I was struggling to breath. Now was one of those times.

My breath was coming in shallow and soft gasps. I struggled to get a hold on my rampage emotions, but my so called sensible side was egging it on. Or maybe I was confusing instincts with sensibility. Either way, my consciousness was spiraling out of control.

"Oi, you alright, Hinata?" I was surprised to feel Kisame's hand on my shoulder, and to feel the bed shift as he moved closer. I gasped, but nodded vigorously, even though I wasn't. But I was going to be strong, and the sudden bout of fear would vanish. How right I was.

Kisame's reply was cut off my by his own stomach. It rumbled ominously. I felt Kisame turn away, and I was sure he was blushing. I knew I would be. I giggled, but quickly stifled it for fear that he would get mad at me. But then I heard Kisame's low chuckle, and allowed myself a small smile.

"Y-you're hungry," I said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Eh heh," Kisame chuckled self consciously. "Yeah." I nodded, and got up to go get him food. My feet had just touched the wood floor, when I realized that it was a stupid idea. There was no way for me to get to the kitchen. I didn't even know if they had a kitchen. I was absolutely no help, what so ever, to Kisame.

"A-ano," I stammered in embarrassment. In my haste to please, I had made myself look like a fool. I turned my face up to him, questioningly. I bit my lip.

"Walk straight down the hallway until you come to the third door on your left," Kisame told me. I detected the edge of amusement in his voice. He was laughing at me, not with me though. "That should be the kitchen. Deidara should be there. He's always down there grabbing something to eat." Kisame finished off about Deidara with a hint of patronizing aggravation.

"A-aregato," I nodded to him. I turned and took a deep breath as I walked forward. I was hoping that this was the way to the door, but there was no way that I was sure. I stretched my arms out I front of me. I didn't care if I looked like an idiot, as long as I didn't bash into anything. Then it would look worse, and hurt.

My fingertips soon brushed the wall. This posed yet another dilemma. Was the door to the right of me, or to the left? I was about to use a child's game to guess, but Kisame saved me the trouble. "Your right," he said, he didn't even try to hide his enjoyment at my antics from me.

I murmured my thanks and moved over to where he had told me. With one last 'glance,' I shuffled out the door into the dark unknown. My progress from door to door was painfully slow. I made sure to count every door on my left until I got to the third. I was very precise about my footing so as not to bump into anything, or stub my toes.

Through that whole waiting session, one thought nagged at the back of my mind. What if Deidara wasn't there? Then I would have to try and wing it in a kitchen I had never been to. I wouldn't even be sure it was the kitchen. If Deidara wasn't there, then I was screwed. In fact, I didn't know Deidara all that well. For all I knew I could be screwed even if he was there.

I shouldn't have worried on either instance.

"Hinata, you shouldn't be wondering blindly around Akatsuki lairs, yeah," came a patronizing but amiable voice from in front of me. I had just stepped through the third door on my left, and was relieved to hear Deidara's voice greet me.

"K-Kisame is h-hungry," I explained. I stepped in tentatively. I reached out to steady myself, and was thrilled to feel a counter top beneath my fingers. I edged carefully farther.

"So, you managed to save him, yeah," Deidara mused incredulously. He let out a low whistle, just like Kisame had when I had told him. "That's quite something, yeah. We may have to keep you around just to heal us, yeah."

"Oh," I gasped in surprise. I didn't think that Deidara had said that seriously, but the thought hit my like a punch to the gut. What if they did keep me as their personal healer? They would keep me here forever, and I would never go back home. The scariest part of that whole thing…was that I didn't dislike the idea entirely. I didn't have anything waiting for me back at home. So if I stayed here, I wouldn't be missing all that much. With a jerk of my head I squished the idea out of existence. That thought was wrong on so many levels.

"Hinata?" Deidara's voice broke through my inner turmoil and I jerked up to face him. "I didn't mean it, yeah. I don't really think we'll keep you, yeah. Even if it would be a good idea…."

"D-Deidara, c-can you h-help m-me a-around the k-kitchen," I asked him, changing the subject without really any attempt at subtlety. "K-Kisame is h-hungry, a-and I d-don't know w-where I a-am."

"Oh, right, yeah," Deidara said suddenly, as though he too had been pulled out of his thoughts.

"Erm, just give him some fruits, yeah. That's all we got left. I guess we'll have to rip off some more food pretty soon, yeah."

I didn't really like the method that the Akatsuki seemed to use to acquire their supplies, but I held my tongue. Deidara was nice, but like Kisame, there was something underneath their voices. It was the same thing that was in Itachi's, except that Itachi didn't bother to hide his under a cordial façade. I wasn't quite sure what 'it' was yet, but it seemed to me what separated them from the trustworthy ninja.

"S-sure, I'll g-get him s-some fruit," I agreed. I moved towards Deidara. I took tiny steps, but I was determined to move around like a normal human being with out being helped around wherever I went like a toddler of senior citizen.

"Of course, you can give him some fish, yeah. I'm sure he'd really appreciate that," Deidara said mockingly. He laughed at that; long and hard he laughed, as though it were some kind of joke. But it was utterly lost on me. Why wouldn't Kisame want some fish? It seemed like a good idea to me.

"W-why n-not," I retorted softly. Surely he would want some meat too.

"Oh, erm, I forgot, yeah." I could hear the frown in Deidara's voice, but I was still completely in the dark. No pun intended. "Kisame doesn't really eat fish, yeah. See, he kinda-"

"That's enough Deidara," snarled a harsh voice from the door way behind me. I whirled around in shock. It was a reflexive movement, because it really didn't actually do any good. I couldn't see who was at the door, but the moment they resumed speaking I recognized instantly.

"She does not need to know," Kisame said softly. His voice sounded pained, and just a bit pleading. It made my heart wrench, and I felt like embracing him. "I would rather she didn't…ever see me like that."

A/N Okay so there it was, please please please review. I thought it worth mentioning that the anonymous review is always enabled. Anyway, so there you go, time to review.

by the way, Kouta, I guess some people just can't see him like we do, they've got issues. but we Kisame fangirls have to stick together. ;)