Second Chances.

Chapter Eleven

"No!." She exclaimed, hands gripping his shirt tightly, shaking her head wildly as big teardrops were flung on   both sides.
"Neji-nii no, I wouldn't do that, I have never supported that stupid slave mark to begin with, and my father has no idea I know about this, I promise you, I wont tell a soul that you're back."

Neji was finding it very difficult to believe her, a part of him did and a part of him didnt. Then again, her reaction towards him being back was different from what he expected,
He was expecting a bit more aggression.

"It seems that Naruto trusts her." Sakura said, she was standing there with Deidara, watching the interaction with keen eyes.
Sasuke and Hidan had amble away to the kitchen.
"If he says she can be told, then I'm going to trust him on this."

At those words, Neji's shoulders relaxed. 

"You...dont trust me?." Hanabi asked softly, eyes looking up into his.

"Its not that I don't trust you." He said, a hand coming up to tentatively rest on her head, the first touch he initiates since she had hugged him.
"Its your father I dont trust."

"I'm sure that her father won't be hearing a word of this." Sakura said leveling Hanabi with a look that had the younger girl nodding her head immediately.

"No, my dad wont be, I'll protect this secret." Hanabi promised, squeezing Neji in a hug again.

Said man, merely hoped she would keep her promise.

Wasnt I dead? Kisame thought, blinking his eyes up at the ceiling, squinting was more like it. What was going on? Is this a dream? It felt a bit to real to be a dream though. The steel table under his back, cold seeping into his skin felt to real for it to be a mere dream, then again could he be dreaming that he was Alive once again? It was possible, his mind was a bit fucked up.

"Sharkie, you're awake!."

Kisame's head snapped in the direction of the loud mouth blonde he would have known anywhere, seeing him standing at an open doorway, hands on his waist and a mega watt grin on his face that could only mean trouble for Kisame.

"Blondy. What the heck.."He stopped, now realizing how dry and scratchy his throat was.

Deidara made a face at being called blondy, he was however pushed forward before he could utter a protest. Kisame watched, eyes widening as The man he called a friend, the stupid man who  let his baby brother kill him, who was supposed  to be dead walk into the room with a tray that smelt heavily of medicine.

"...Itachi."

Said man quirked his lips up at the sides, giving Kisame a nod as he stepped further into the room.

"Kisame. " He spoke, Kisame stared.
"Perfect timing, Deidara go get him some clothes."
At that, Kisame was now made aware that he was wearing nothing underneath the blanket draped over his body.

Deidara gave a goofy ass salute as left, leaving Itachi to bustle around the room, Kisame watched him, still quite not believing his eyes.

"Is this the after life?."

To his surprise, the stoic man he knew snorted softly, snorted.
"No, we are currently in the hospital, inside the inner room of the woman who founded this hospital. We're in Konoha. "

"...Konoha." The blue skinned man repeated.
"Why?."

"This is my home. " Itachi responded, turning to face his old friend.
"The New Hokage." At this Kisame spotted the light shade of red dusting Itachi's cheek at the mention of the new Hokage, something he filed away for later.
"He isnt like the others to judge quickly, he welcomes us into the village with open arms." Itachi paused.
"Well, it also helps that my Hime is like a daughter to him."