Recovering From Battle

Neji waited for her to open her eyes as she woke from her unconcious state. He smiled down at her. "Feeling better?"

"Hn? Oh-I guess so. Where-am I?" she spoke softly unaware of her whereabouts as she glanced from him to the door. She tried to sit up and pulled off the oxygen filter from her face but quickly forced it back on feeling the oxygen stop passing through her lungs. Her eyes darted his way as if asking what was wrong with her. She had forgotten the blow she had taken in battle.

"You need to rest your lungs. I damaged your organs with my gentle fist tecnique."he said,apologetically.

"Oh..." she muttered into the mask and rested her head back. Her eyes widened and she turned to him and grabbed his hands to check them. She had almost forgotten the damage she had done to him. "I am sorry-cough-leaf ninja!"

"It's really okay. I can handle it."he shook his hands. "Don't worry."

She touched the hand she wounded softly feeling sorry she hurt him and then asked, "Leaf ninja...your eyes....is there something they are capable of? They are-cough-truly beautiful but I felt as if they could...see right through me..." she was hesitantly making eye contact with him but felt a bit more nervous since they were the topic of discussion.

He pulled a chair from against the wall and moved it to next to the bed. "Yes. With these eyes,I can use my family's kekkei genkai,Byakugan. I can see 360 degrees around myself and I can see chakra and chakra points inside the body."

"So then...that is how you were able to close mine right? You could-cough-see them and then you-cough, cough-closed them to weaken me correct? I found your hands the biggest threat since they were the ones being used to close my chakra points. But that means-there are more of you with those eyes?"

"Yes. But not so many have much skill with the Byakugan as I do."he said.

She smiled, "You are very powerful. I am glad to have seen you in action. I am sorry for not taking it as seriously as I should have. I just did not really want to hurt you. I have killed many to protect but in this case, I just wanted to have fu-cough, cough, cough!" she winced.

"Okay,but quiet down and rest."he said and laid a hand on her shoulder.

Lee obediently laid back and looked down at her shoulder where his hand was. It felt comforting when it wasn't be used to strike down somebody and she looked at him wondering what he intended to do with it. Would he leave it or hit her or something else? It was all a mystery to her having no real social time. Her eyes trailed up his arm back to his face. She liked looking at him and it helped her relax to a point where she was cozy again.

He nodded. "That's better."he patted her shoulder and his hand returned to his lap.

Her eyes flickered occassionally and to keep herself awake in his presence she asked, "Where are my belongings...my ripped bookbag? Are they still out on the field?"

Kakashi walked into the room, reading his Make out Paradise, as usual.

"Neji, I need a favour of you."

"Your stuff is fine. They are with the nurse who took you. She'll give them back."he was saying and then looked at Kakashi Hatake. "Yes Kakashi sensei?"

She nodded and somewhat hid behind Neji when a strange man entered the room. Her face was hidden behind his shoulders. Unaware of who the person was or if he had come to be mean about her pass, she watched over his sleeve. But wait-where was her pass? She began digging through the blankets searching for it hoping it wasn't where she thought it was.

"In the river..." she whined miserably and hung her head but scrambled towards the edge of the bed to go search for it before she got in trouble.

Neji grabbed her shoulder and looked back at her. "I told you to rest. Lay down. I'll look for it if you like."

She shook no, "That ninja asked for your help first so pay attentio-cough,cough,cough!" she stopped and lay flat on her stomach knowing full well she wasn't leaving the hospital now.

He nodded and looked back at Kakashi.

Kakashi handed Neji a newspaper reading: LEAF NINJA SQUAD KILLED IN SHADOW VILLAGE

"Your job right now is to round up a squad and investigate what happened there. And I-" He stopped and looked at the young ninja in the bed. He hummed in thought and glanced at her.

"Neji, who is this girl?" He asked curiously.

Neji looked at the newspaper grimmly. He then heard the question and looked at her. "Um, she is.....a friend?"he bit his lip.

Lee perked up aroused by the word directed at her but slumped back down beneath the quilt on her tummy and held the mask close to her face when she felt her lungs close up again.

Friend? she thought. I am his...friend?

"Yes...We're friends."he nodded and looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi hummed in thought. "Well, since you seem all jolted up and ready for action, you'll be helping Neji with the investigation." He said as he looked at Lee.