The Beginning

Ichiru slumped onto his bed, breathing deeply. His face was smeared with dirt, and he had a large, sore looking scratch across his left cheek. He lay on his back for a while, staring at the ceiling as his breath wheezed out of him. Slowly, his eyes drooped a little, and his breathing settled down, until it became apparent he was asleep.
And Ichiru dreamt…
The girl is certainly beautiful. She dances, swirling, in the water. She seems to be hovering just above it. She smiles, a radiant sight. Her hair flies out around her, she is surrounded by glistening water. I reach out for her, and she comes forwards, her eyes luminous and wide. She brings her face closer to mine, and I can feel her breath, warm and sweet on my lips. A kiss, a kiss! Please, my love, a kiss… A wetness on my cheek tells me my request has been granted. Oh, but how I long for a kiss upon my lips… Dare I ask for one? But before I can ask, my wish has been granted yet again, as she kisses my mouth…

Haru bit down upon his hand to stop himself from crying with laughter, as Kibou continued to lick Ichiru's face. Ichiru murmured again, "A kiss…please…kiss me!"
The Inuzuka knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his face as he tried not to laugh too loudly. Eventually, a loud snort erupted from him, and awoke the exhausted Uchiha.
"Argh! Ugh! Gross…how could you…ugh…Kibou!" Ichiru spluttered, and ran to his small en suite to brush his teeth.
Haru jumped onto the bed while his friend was gone, leaning on one arm.
"So how did your first day of training go? I bet old Nara didn't go too hard on you really. Just wait till it's my dad doing it. Proper slave driver he is!"
Haru rolled onto his back as he said this, grinning up at the ceiling.
Ichiru stomped back into the room, having washed his face and applied a bandage to the cut. He half smiled as he sat down next to Haru.
"I now have a kunai, and I'm not afraid to use it." He said, menacingly.
Haru pushed him playfully, "As if you could fight me anyway! But I get the hint. No more pranks! Now… I'm off to Dai's in a while. Do you fancy coming along with me? He has the new xbox, it'll be awesome!"
Ichiru shrugged, "Yeah, okay. Let me get changed first though."
Haru nodded, and left the room, shouting after him to meet in 10 minutes at the entrance.
Alone, Ichiru tried to remember that short dream he had just had. The pale eyes…they could belong to anyone with Hyuuga blood running through their veins. The boy shook his head and began to dress himself, wincing as he pulled the clothing over grazes and bruises. Shikamaru-sensei certainly had not gone easy on them today.

The night was closing in as Hoshi arrived back in Konoha. Her teammates staggered along beside her, and she tried as hard as possible to help them. All around her was the stench of blood and decay. Her head was spinning. She'd really felt ready for this mission; thought the whole team was ready. But obviously they weren't. And neither was she. Each step closer to the gates was more painful than the last. Finally, her whole body gave in, and her legs gave way below her. The whole world went black as she felt the hard floor beneath her. The last thing she heard was the urgent voices of her team as they crowded around her.

*

Hyuuga Neji was a formidable man at the best of times, let alone when he was worried about his precious family. He charged through the corridors of the hospital, robes billowing behind him.
"I demand to see the person who has treated my daughter! I demand to know what's wrong with her!" He boomed, face like thunder.
A heavily pregnant Tenten waddled behind him, placing a calming hand upon his arm.
"Please, Neji. Don't shout. This doesn't help Hoshi does it?"
"I don't care Tenten! You should be at home resting! I can take care of this… I demand to see the insolent whelp who has been treating our child!"
"That would be me then." A voice came from behind him.
Neji's face fell immediately as he knelt on the ground in front of the woman who had spoken.
"Tsunade-sama!" Tenten exclaimed.
"I am so sorry, Tsunade-sama!" Neji said, kissing her hand as he knelt on the floor.
The woman laughed, "Neji, I refuse to have the leader of the Hyuuga clan kneeling before me on the floor. Now get up, and I shall explain what the problem with your daughter is."
The Hyuugas followed the 5th Hokage into a small, vacant room a little way down the corridor. Tenten sat down, as did Tsunade, while Neji paced the room.
"I am sorry you've had no answers about your daughter yet. I have only just finished treating her. I'm afraid the results are inconclusive at the moment. I'm struggling to find exactly what the problem is. What is obvious though, is that this was an attack targeting specifically at her. The other members of her team say they were hurt, but merely pushed to the side by the enemy, who then proceeded to inject Hoshi with a syringe." Tsunade spoke in a low, hurried tone, as if worried they may be overheard.
Tenten gasped at this, covering her mouth with her hand. Neji stopped pacing, his face paler than ever.
"I know this seems alarming, but believe me when I say I have my best medical team working on her right now. Uzumaki Sakura and her daughter Etsu, as well as Aburame Ino, are in their as we speak, trying to work out what your daughter was injected with. But there is something else playing on my mind." Tsunade paused, glancing out the door, "As you know, Uchiha Sasuke's wife – Sumi – is very ill. I have been treating her for years, but to no avail. All I can seem to do for her is make her comfortable. No one knows what this disease is that has stricken her. I am concerned that Hoshi's symptoms are very similar to those of Sumi in the early stages of her illness."
Neji sat suddenly on the bed, his mind full of the images of Uchiha Sumi, too weak to walk or talk, not able to breathe well; unable to communicate what was wrong with her. Was this the quality of life his daughter looked forward to? If this was the case, he felt he would rather she die an honourable death. He looked around at his wife, who stared blankly ahead of her, tears staining her cheeks. Tsunade rose from her chair slowly, and left the room, looking back only once to see Neji hold Tenten close to him.

Haru, Ichiru and Dai screamed at the TV screen.
"No, no! Go left, you idiot, left! No, that's right! Seriously Dai, you're as useless as a girl!" Haru yelled at his pink haired friend.
Ichiru laughed and earned a good smack on the head from Dai, who then lost control of his racing car, and crashed into a tree.
'GAME OVER: Player Two Wins'
"YES!" Crowed Ichiru, "That's what you GET!"
Dai surrendered the controller to Haru, his head bowed low.
There was a knock on the door and Dai's mother entered the room, her face serious.
"Haru-kun, Ichiru-kun. I think you had better go home. Something has happened to Hoshi-chan. She's at the hospital. Etsu and I have been treating her all evening."
Haru placed the controller on the floor, "What's wrong with her?"
Sakura shook her head, "We're not sure, but she's stable now. Your uncle is there with her."
Haru nodded, "Thank you for having us."
Ichiru followed suit, and they both left hurriedly, heading straight for home. Ichiru remembered his daydream from earlier. He was sure it had been Hoshi in the dream. Was it some kind of sign? He shook his head, wondering if she'd be okay, this mysterious Hyuuga heir, who he'd only met in passing.

*

Hinata sat next to her husband, her daughters at her feet. Haru appeared soon after they had first gathered there, and had sat with Ichiru on some mats. Sasuke sat near Kiba, with Kin at his feet - a maid was looking after Sumi. Eventually, Neji entered the room, his face worn and tired. He sat in his chair and cleared his throat.
"I've gathered everyone to let you know…to tell you… Hoshi… She's very ill in the hospital, and I'm not sure if she will make it." The Hyuuga leader obviously struggled to hold back tears.
Hinata, full of compassion as always, ran straight to her cousin's side, placing a small pale hand upon his.
"Neji-niisan, we will all look after you, Tenten-san and Hoshi-sama too. You will want for nothing."
Kiba stood up, nodding in agreement.
"Of course, of course. And I'm sure Sasuke will help in any way he can?"
The Uchiha stood up, nodding slowly.
"Yes, yes. And my sons too. Pardon my asking, but what ails her?"
Neji looked up, straight into Sasuke's eyes.
"That is something I wish to discuss with you privately."
The room was silent, as the Inuzukas and guests left.

*

"We don't get that many missions, to be honest. Not anymore that our country is at peace with most other shinobi nations. Also, many ninja have graduated in our age group. Most of the missions I get are rubbish stuff, like escort missions, and parcel delivery, you know, precious items and that." Haru snorted, Kibou looking at him mournfully, "But it's not like I'm rubbish or anything. I've trained really hard, and I'm of Chuunin level. I was thinking I might start teaching at the academy."
The Inuzuka shrugged, looking up at Ichiru. Ichiru smiled back absentmindedly, as he stroked Kibou's soft fur. The nin dog seemed to have taken a particular liking to Ichiru, although it made Haru feel a little uncomfortable.
Akane lay draped over her brother's bed, reading a book while Akako snuffled around her. Aiko had left half an hour before, as she had a mission. Kin had refused to join them, instead going to visit his mother and then do some training alone.
Now the teenagers sat around talking about nothing in particular.
Haru rose from his seating position on the floor.
"I'm going to have a shower. I'll be back in a bit." He said, leaving the room.
Ichiru sat back, leaning against the wardrobe. He faced the bed, and could see Akane perfectly. She lay comfortably on her front, her legs up in the air. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, framing her heart shaped face entirely. Her small, rosy lips moved as she mouthed certain words to herself, smiling slightly. Ichiru couldn't help but grin a little at how engrossed she was in this book. He felt heat rise in his cheeks, and, realising he was blushing, left the room, making excuses for himself.
As he closed the door, he could have sworn he heard Akane giggle at him.