I decided I didn't want to leave you all with the last chapter - this one does give some hope for Kasumi, and I thought that'd be nicer for you all. As per usual, I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to give any feedback!

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, and you have no idea how sad that makes me.

Chapter 4

Kasumi lay curled in on herself, exactly where she had been left. As soon as she heard the door to her father's room click in place, she shakily stood up. She didn't bother to go to the bathroom and see the damage; didn't even think of disinfecting the wounds and trying to do something for the pain.

She just slipped into her sandals, struggled to get a thick jacket on as her left arm hurt and didn't want to respond to her body's commands, and snuck out of the house as quietly as she could. She wasn't even sure where she was going – usually she went up to the memorial stone and cried herself until she was so exhausted that she just fell asleep.

But that wasn't what she wanted to do – not this time, she felt. She wanted, no needed, to seek comfort from someone living. Not the ghost of her mother; not this time.

She walked slowly through the streets, glad that it was dark – and late – enough that few people were out and those that were (patrolling shinobi or friends out to a bar) couldn't see the state of her face.

Soon she found herself in front of Naruto's apartment building and wondered if he would get mad at her for coming round in the middle of the night. She bit on her bottom lip and was about to turn away, when something inside her laughed in the face of her indecision and forced her to stroll to the entrance of his rather rundown flat.

None of the lights were on. She knocked timidly on his door, and then belatedly wondered if it was loud enough to wake him.

She was away to knock again when the door opened reluctantly.

"Yes?" A tired and yet tense voice drawled. Kasumi recognised it instantly as – albeit a weary – Naruto.

"Naruto-kun? It's me, Kasumi." At that, the light hanging above his door and ones inside came to life and the door fully opened.

"Kasumi-chan? It really is you! What'cha doing here at this time of night?"

Bleary blue eyes that blinked several times and widened as they took in her appearance met her.

The next time he spoke, it was softer and more hesitant, "Kasumi, are you alright? What happened – it wasn't those men earlier, was it? Are you in pain? Do you want to talk about it?" He then seemed to finally remember himself, and his manners, "Oh! Sorry – please, come in!"

He took her gently by one elbow - careful not to touch her other arm that looked unnaturally limp - and led her inside when she made no move. He locked the door behind her and guided her to one of the seats at the kitchen table.

He set about making two cups of hot chocolate but was distracted when he heard small sobs behind him. He turned to see Kasumi struggling to take her jacket of and crying in frustration at her uselessness.

He rushed over, pulled it off gently and then gasped in horror when he saw the weird, squared-off edge of her shoulder.

"N-Naruto, I-I think it's dislocated," she gasped past the pain, her voice trembling.

Shit, what the hell happened? His mind was in chaos – how was he supposed to deal with this sort of thing? - and, after taking a deep breath and drawing a few blanks, he asked shakily, "Is… Is there anything I can do?"

"Help me pu-put it b-back where it's supposed to go?" She suggested with a weak smile, looking wan. "We've been taught basic first aid – what to do out in the field. I," she swallowed, "I know what to do. Can you remember?"

Naruto shook his head; it had probably been on one of the days that he wasn't able to go into school or after some teacher had dragged him out of the class to falsely accuse him for some disaster.

It would also make it much harder.

"Okay, okay," she tried to ignore the coil of fear that had settled in her stomach and the pain that raced through her nerves. "I-I'll just have to talk you through it beforehand."

She took several deep breaths, steeling herself for what was to come. She closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose between her right thumb and index finger, and tried to dredge up strength from within that she didn't know she had.

After mentally preparing herself, she opened her eyes again and started giving him her orders.

"Right, can you get two towels? And, if you don't mind, could we put your duvet on the floor? And we'll need scissors – this t-shirt is a mess and anyway, I don't think I'll be able to get it off of my left arm. So it'd probably be best to cut it."

Naruto rushed around to comply and finally ushered her into his room. He cut a huge circle from the neck of her top, down and around her side, back up her back (but avoiding the shoulder blade) until it reached the neck seam again. He then cut right down the seam on the same side so he could just slip it off of her, rather than get her limbs in a tangle.

Thank Kami, he breathed out in relief, she's wearing something underneath it. At least it won't be that awkward then.

But she didn't give him time to recover, "Okay, the next bit. I doubt I'm going to manage to take you through it step-by-step, so I'll tell you what to do now." She took one of the towels from his hands and folded it into a long, thin strip. She lay down and then motioned for him to sit beside her.

"R-right, so. You-um f-fold that towel and then pop it in my oxter, s-so that the fold is facing out towards you. You'll be p-putting your l-left foot in there. See the position my arm is currently in?" He nodded; it was lying away from her side, angled outwards, and palm facing up. "W-well, you should hold it above the wrist and k-keep it in th-that position as best as you can. Got it? C-can you do that-t?"

Naruto did as she had told him and then licked his lips nervously, "Okay, now w-what?"

"Y-you," she panted and then clenched her teeth; "you'll straighten your leg out and then lean your body back. Slowly! But you need to keep your leg and foot where they are."

He nodded carefully and she looked at him, taking the other towel and getting ready to bite on it, "Okay, do it."

She bit down hard on the cloth and, for the first few seconds, watched his technique, making sure he was doing it right. He kept her arm where it was, unbent his leg and then slowly tilted backward, pulling her arm gently with him and putting pressure on with his foot.

She could feel the bone move slowly, agonisingly under her skin and the pain that came with it was excruciating.

White spots danced before her eyes, the edges of her sight starting to fade to black and she screwed them shut, clenching her right hand so that her nails were digging into the flesh of her palm. I am not going to faint, she thought fiercely.

And then, after what had felt like years but was less than half a minute, she felt her humerus pop back into place and gasped around the gag, breathing heavily through her nose. Naruto had stopped after he had seen the bone move so dramatically, swearing and looking decidedly nauseous.

Kasumi spat out the towel and just lay there exhausted, content to fall asleep right where she was. She was dimly aware of Naruto moving around and was rudely awakened from her doze by the sting of antiseptic against the swelling on the side of her face.

He gave her a look, "I need to treat the rest of this and then you're going to tell me what happened." He trailed off, pensive, "Ah, no. It'd be best if I take you to the hospital."

"What? I-I c-can't go there! How w-would I explain this?"

"You're a ninja-in-training. No doubt they have plenty of people in who have pushed themselves beyond their limits, who fall or injure themselves whilst sparring. You're smart, make it up." His tone brooked no argument and so grudgingly she conceded.

"Fine."

Naruto made sure that Kasumi took some painkillers, and drank the hot chocolate he had made, before they left. The walk to Konoha's hospital was silent and awkward, and she was glad when they finally reached the doors and saw the lights on inside.

She had had the irrational hope that perhaps it would be closed but had clearly forgotten that it was a hospital and that the iryō-nin worked shifts all through the night.

They walked up to the front desk, and tried to catch the attention of the single woman who was manning it.

"E-excuse me?" Kasumi called. The woman looked up, and her eyes narrowed darkly when she noticed Naruto. She never even took notice of Kasumi, despite her being the one to talk.

"I'm sorry – we're not a vet's. You must have the wrong place," her pointed comment was directed at Naruto, who scowled at her.

"It's not for me," he snapped and then indicated Kasumi with a jerk of his head, "it's for her."

The woman glared at Naruto, a look of disgust on her face but turned her attention to Kasumi nonetheless. Kasumi, who was currently trying to keep herself in check, when everything within her wanted to punch the secretary.

A horrified gasp made its way past the woman's lips, which just a second ago had been curled in a sneer, as she properly looked at Kasumi. "Oh my dear, whatever happened?"

The blush that flared in her cheeks wasn't from embarrassment but outrage, yet she tried to suppress her feelings – it certainly wouldn't do to assault one of the hospital staff. "I, uh, I was t-training, but I w-went a little far. I lost balance and c-collided with a log; next thing I knew, I was c-coming to, my f-face was sore and stiff and my left shoulder was dislocated."

The woman's eyes widened and then narrowed as she gave her a look over. "It doesn't look dislocated to me," she stated, the accusation clear.

Kasumi's eyes narrowed in turn; "I do go to the academy here. I'm a ninja-in-training; I have s-some knowledge of emergency first aid – as does Naruto-kun who helped me p-put my arm back in place."

Her eyes bulged out of her head a second time as she glanced over at Naruto, who found it hard to let the scathing remark – "What? Because I'm a monster, I can't help people?" – die on his tongue.

"R-right, I'll… I'll call a doctor up here immediately."

Kasumi just smiled, both gratefully and exhaustedly, "Th-thank you. I appreciate it." She linked her right arm through one of Naruto's and sat down on a nearby seat.

After a moment of silence, she murmured, "And thank you Naruto."

He looked shocked, "Ehh? What for?"

His remark received an incredulous stare from a pair of electric blue eyes. "Uh… Because you didn't complain about me appearing at your door at ridiculous p.m. and you tended to my injuries. And because you made me feel b-better."

He blushed, scratching at the back of his head in a self-conscious manner. "It-it was nothing. I just did what anyone would do."

A tender smile graced her lips and she was about to reply when she heard a deep cough and someone say, "Excuse me?"

She looked up and was instantly met by what looked like a civilian doctor flanked by a medical nin. "Ah, yes?"

The doctor looked a little uncomfortable, but Kasumi had no idea why. She just blinked at him, smiling. He cleared his throat and said, "My associate and I are here to give you an examination. To make sure you didn't injure yourself too badly, is that correct?"

"Ee. And I also w-wanted to find out about the level of internal damage that might have happened when my shoulder dislocated. And miss," she asked the iryō-nin, "would it be possible for you to h-heal some of this?" She indicated her face and left shoulder.

"Of course," was the cheerful reply, "I'm used to ninja coming in here all the time, in all states of injury. But you're young – you shouldn't push yourself too hard or you'll end up in here constantly like some of the old fogies." This was said with a cheeky grin and a wink, and she added, "You'll be able to go to school tomorrow just fine, and no one will know the difference."

Kasumi smiled and bowed her head to convey her thanks.

The young woman knelt beside her and gently touched Kasumi's shoulder, a green nimbus springing to life around her hands. Her eyes shut, as if she was trying to conjure up in her mind eye what her chakra was showing her. A light frown creased her brow as she moved one hand slowly down the arm, over her scapula and the other around her shoulder blade.

Her eyes fluttered open again and she smiled, "Seems like it isn't that bad – I can heal it and, as long as you don't stress the tendon, it'll be fine. Even after this, I suggest you don't do any strenuous exercises or spar for at least a fortnight, understand?" A nod. "Good. You can always come in and make an appointment for some physiotherapy, if you're worried about it possibly dislocating again – although if you follow my instructions and rest your arm, it should heal well enough. Anyhow, I'll just get started on that and you can go back home. I'm sure your parents are worried about you, ne?"

The only response to her question was a non-committal hum.

The medical nin positioned one hand on her shoulder and the other hovered over her face, both with green chakra streaming from them.

Five minutes later, she was deemed fit to go. As she was leaving, she turned around to thank the medic again when she caught the animosity on the male doctor's face – animosity aimed at Naruto.

She was away to shout at the man, ask him what the hell did he think he was looking at, when she was suddenly jerked outside.

As the doors swung shut she turned on Naruto, her eyes blazing with ire, and was about to give him a piece of her mind when he put up a hand.

"Please, don't. I knew all along," he paused, sighing and shaking his head, "I wasn't going to say anything because then he might throw us out, and you needed to be seen to." His mouth tried to smile but the blue eyes above were sad. He turned his back on her and started to walk down the street when he heard a choked sob.

"How?" He seemed surprised and perplexed by her vague question, but she rushed on, "How do you do it? How are you so strong? How can you still smile, when…?"

The look of shock in his eyes turned tenderly aching and sorrowful, and before she knew it the words were tumbling out of her.

"Please, teach me. Because I don't know if I can go on like this! I just don't know anymore!" She bawled and felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, although he was careful not to hurt her. To be honest, Naruto was completely baffled as to what he should do to comfort her.

"Shhh, it's alright. C'mon, let's get you back to my place. That sound good?"

For the second time that night she was seated at Naruto's kitchen table with a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of her.

"So… Do you want to tell me about what happened?"

She nodded hesitantly and stated, "But I'm not sure if-if I'll manage to."

"Just tell me as much as you can, okay? I'll help you," he soothed.

"Eto… Where sh-should I start? Well, my mo-mother was k-killed in action, when I was seven. Before that, all the memories I have are of us being a n-normal, happy family. But afterwards, my dad didn't pay any attention to the world or me. I had to make meals for the two of us; alth-although he didn't really eat them. And then he started drinking."

She shuddered and lifted the mug up to her lips to take a sip. "It wasn't much at first, but he steadily got worse and worse. I would often come home after lessons to find him passed out on the floor. He got t-time off of work, for as long as he needed – his boss was nice like that. It was only until he-he had spent almost all of our money on alcohol that he went back to his job. B-but when the money started flowing in, he showed up less and l-less, and then eventually he was told never to come back."

She squeezed her eyes shut, her bottom lip trembling at the effort to keep the tears at bay. Even just remembering was hard for her, and she wasn't even at the worst part.

She felt a gentle touch on her shoulder and she opened her eyes to see Naruto looking at her, concerned. "It's alright, okay? You can stop if you don't want to; don't push yourself."

Kasumi shook her head, and gave him a shaky smile, "N-no, I… I need to g-get this off m-my chest." She then took several deep breaths before she felt ready to continue, "After being fired, he got worse. I would h-hear him cursing and spitting at thin air, crashing about. But he didn't just get violent towards inanimate objects, he—"

She couldn't hold back the sob that welled up, or the ones that followed, "He s-started beat-t-ting me. F-for the tiniest things, for things I h-hadn't even d-done!"

Naruto was at her side in a flash and he gave her a soft hug, pressing her face gently against his chest. He let her cry, knowing that she had bottled up the emotions for a long time and that she would feel better once she'd let them out.

"Hey," he started to speak cautiously once she had quietened in his arms, "I may not have much space here but…" He bit his bottom lip, "You can stay 'round if you want. We can sneak to your house; get some clothes, your pyjamas, whatever you need for school. Only if you want to, though."

She looked up at him and gave him a weak smile; "Thank you. I-I don't know if I could face going home."

"Okay then. So," he added with a mischievous grin, "you up for sneaking in through your bedroom window?"

The trip to her house was thankfully uneventful and despite their fears that her father would discover them, they never even heard him make a sound down the stairs.

Soon they were making up a makeshift bed for her on the floor in Naruto's training room, so that she could have a little privacy. She disappeared into his bathroom quickly to change out of her clothes and into a pair of long-sleeved Chinese style pyjamas.

All the while, she was troubled by a question she had wanted to ask. And after emerging from the bathroom to see Naruto in the kitchen area, making two cups of instant ramen (she hadn't eaten after all, and he could make room for ramen at any time of the day), she blurted it out.

"Naruto, I—" She took a deep breath after he'd flinched and turned to face her, looking quizzical. "I've seen h-how people in Konoha treat you. I…" She was startled to feel tears roll down her cheeks and wondered vaguely how someone's tear ducts could manage to keep up with crying so many times in one night.

"I've done it before, but I don't know if-if I still can. Please, teach me, help me – how do you keep smiling everyday? How? How can you be so strong?"

His smile was empathetic; he knew exactly how she felt as he had been in the same boat before. Obviously this latest thrashing her father gave her has knocked what little confidence she had left. Am I even able to help her? He thought despairingly. Then something in him hardened, No, I can't think like that. I'll help her in any way I can – I've got to help her. She's the closest friend I have, and right now… She needs me.

And anyway, he added as an afterthought, she believes in me. That alone gave him confidence and filled him with a delight that he had never before experienced, and hadn't known existed.

"Kasumi-chan," he softly called, walking over to the table with the pots and two pairs of chopsticks; after laying them down, he motioned for her to sit beside him.

When she did, he watched her and tried to figure out what to say. It wasn't easy, dissecting the way you lived and coped with things, and giving advice based off of your way of living. Or it wasn't for Naruto, who had never had to do such a thing before. But I'm not going to give up. I'll give it my all!

"First of all, you need to be sure of yourself – even if someone hurts you, you can't let them know. Be tough. You must be proud of yourself and… And realise that no matter what they say, it's all lies unless you want it to be the truth. But, you see, ummm… If you try really hard to be happy and smile, whenever you feel sad, you can always cry around me. Because I know that you will have done your best. You got that?"

He scratched at the back of his neck nervously and gave her a sheepish grin, his eyes squinted. On the inside he was panicking, hoping that he had managed to convey what he had wanted to say properly.

When he didn't hear a sound from her, he opened one eye and peeked at her, only to see tears rimming her eyes. He started to cuss mentally – crap, totally wrong thing to say! – when she almost threw her arms around him. He could still hear her sniffling a little but it wasn't too long before she quietened, getting her crying under control again.

"Thank you so much. That was j-just what I n-needed to hear!" She chirped earnestly.

Naruto blushed a little, turning his head away so she couldn't see. "Well, um," he stuttered self-consciously, "uh, eat your ramen up would you? I made it for you, so it had better not go to waste!"

"Okay!" And before they went to bed, the early hours of the morning was filled with the clack of chopsticks, the slurping of noodles and laughter.

Glossary

Iryō-nin: medical ninja
Ee: a more polite way of saying "yes" (if I remember correctly)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, everyone! Look forward to the next installment, and - if you have the time - please leave a review! :3