Naruto AU: The Untold Story

Chapter 18: In Sickness and in Health

The next morning, Hisako didn't wake up feeling refreshed and well as she had hoped. For most of the night, she was up coughing and sneezing, shivering one minute and hot the next. It was miserable. But, what was worse, was being sick like this, made her miss her mother even more.

Back in the Glacier Village, when she was ill, her mother and father would drop everything to tend to her. They would be sure she was as comfortable as possible, they would hold her and comfort her. They would read her stories all day to distract her and change out the cold compress on her forehead. She missed their loving touch, their embrace when she felt so sick, weak and vulnerable.

The last thing Hisako wanted right now was to be stuck in bed sick while she contemplated how much she missed her family. Laying here with nothing to do, and being up all night, has given her time to process how much she truly missed her home and her family. Even though she was making a new life here in the Leaf Village, she didn't have a mother's loving touch anymore. She didn't have her father's warm hug to chase away the nightmares. She didn't have Takun to protect her from her daily troubles, and her heart ached so horribly that she thought she would die.

She looked at the time on the clock she had near her bed and her eyes widened in horror. She was late for her training with Kakashi Sensei! No, not just late, she had totally missed it! She sat up so fast her head spun and lights erupted behind her eyes. She groaned, swaying in bed her body threatening to collapse when there was a knock at her door. She craned her neck to look at the door wondering who it could have been.

"Come in," she answered, her voice scratchy and hoarse.

"Your instructor for your early morning training session is here, Kakashi informed me that you didn't show up for training today," Lord Hyuga announced.

Hisako's heart stopped, and her eyes bulged out of her head as she flung herself from her bed, trying to stand at attention as not just Lord Hyuga but Kakashi Sensei entered her room. She kept a wide stance to compensate for her spinning head so she could actually stand upright. Lord Hyuga and Kakashi Sensei were silent as they both observed Hisako standing in her room. Her nightgown was drenched in sweat, her face was red and damp and it was painfully obvious that she had come down with some sort of illness.

"I am so sorry Kakashi Sensei! I uh," she stammered, bowing to the two adults in her room.

The dizziness finally claimed victory in the silent battle, and Hisako swayed on her feet. Lord Hyuga saw what was happening and quickly went to Hisako's side, gently picking her up in his arms before she could fall. Hisako slumped into Lord Hyuga's arms, completely limp, her breathing heavy and labored.

"Well, that explains it," Kakashi Sensei murmured, observing Lord Hyuga as he gently placed Hisako back into her bed, pulling the covers over her as he stood up to face Kakashi Sensei again, "I'll inform the academy that Hisako will be absent for a few days,"

Lord Hyuga nodded in agreement, "I would appreciate that,"

Kakashi Sensei turned to leave and stopped as he saw Neji standing in the doorway, a confused look on his face.

"Lord Hyuga, what's going on?" Neji asked, stepping into Hisako's room.

"Ah, Neji," Lord Hyuga greeted, "Hisako has come down with an illness. Will you escort Kakashi to the main entrance and then send for a medic?"

"Of course, Lord Hyuga," he replied, bowing to Lord Hyuga out of respect.

Neji's voice was emotionless as he spoke to his uncle, and he kept his expected stoic expression as he turned to leave the room. He quietly escorted Kakashi Sensei out of the estate, and after he quickly made his way to the Hyuga's medical room. The Hyuga Clan was one of the largest clans in the Leaf Village, the Hyuga Estate was practically its own small town. They even had their own medics on staff that could handle minor illnesses and injuries.