Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Crawling

…

She couldn't help feeling slightly guilty for what she was about to do.

Tsunade stood just a few steps behind, silently encouraging her.

Hinata braced herself mentally.

She was a medic-nin.

She mended people; glued back the broken pieces.

She certainly didn't break them, which was what she was about to do right now.

Shatter the already broken pieces of Uchiha Sasuke.

She regarded the dark haired man silently, wishing he'd show some type of emotion on his face.

Perhaps, then, there would be a spark of sympathy in the Godaime's heart, and Hinata wouldn't have to go through this.

But no.

The young man just stared at the clinically white wall of the hospital room blankly; his face indifferent.

"This will hurt a bit, Uchiha-san." She mumbled quietly, hoping he heard her.

She glanced over her shoulder once more, for reassurance from the voluptuous, blonde woman.

Tsunade nodded simply.

Hinata gently placed a hand on one of his bare shoulders, bit down on her lip, and did what she had to do.

…

"Uchiha-san? I've brought lunch." Hinata said softly, pushing the heavy door of his high security hospital room open.

"Ah…" Well, at least he made some type of noise, Hinata thought wearily, wishing she had never volunteered herself to have such a depressing patient.

"Sakura-san made it especially for you." Hinata said, in mock cheerfulness, as she strode across the room to open the blinds.

A little light would do anyone good.

"Hn" Was the only reply she received.

Hinata pulled up a chair next to the white bed Sasuke was currently lying on, and opened the lunch Sakura had so caringly made for her Sasuke-kun.

Sasuke still refused to look at the Hyuuga heiress. Was it because of what she had done just a mere week ago?

He ate silently, staring in the other direction, leaving Hinata with nothing to do but stare at her idle hands that were sitting in her lap.

Watching him, Hinata's thoughts wandered over to the pink-haired medic-nin who had prepared the meal for him.

Sakura had come to be a close comrade and friend to Hinata over the years.

When Hinata had asked why Sakura had initially rejected Tsunade's request for her to see over Sasuke, Sakura had told her it would be too painful seeing him in such a state.

"I don't think I'd be able to bear seeing him so helpless and tortured, Hinata. I still love him too much for that. I prefer sneaking glimpses of him here and there. I don't want to see him in pain."

Hinata understood her feelings. She hated seeing any of her friends or family in pain when they came to the hospital.

Hinata sighed softly, returning her focus to the man in front of her. While, she, obviously, had no real emotional attachment to him, she wished she could cheer him up – even if it was just slightly.

Of course, he'd always be upset – at least until he was in this state. Tsunade said she wasn't ready for him to go out on missions and into the villages, unsupervised.

So, under her orders, Hinata used a special medical technique to drain him of his chakra every week, rendering him weak and sickly.

While Hinata had never known anyone who had undergone such a procedure, she was positive that it would be painful and upsetting.

"I'm finished." He said flatly, his voice dead and disinterested.

Hinata's head snapped up, to look at him in the eye.

"Ah, Uchiha-san! Would you like anything else? Some other food or some reading material?" Hinata was eager to help him.

Let me do something; something to ease your pain, she thought desperately.

He looked away, breaking eye contact.

"No."

Hinata looked down, feeling useless and horrible. If Sakura was here, she might've been able to cheer him up with her bubbly, outgoing demeanor.

But she was just plain, weird Hinata who could only speak softly and seemed to blend in seamlessly with the gloominess of the hospital room.

…

"You're letting it get to you." Ino observed, toying with the straw in her chocolate smoothie.

Hinata averted her gaze.

"I just…want to help him. I want to - " Hinata started to say, but was then interrupted by Ino.

"Want to put him back together. Listen, Hinata, you're over your head with Sasuke. He's beyond repair – don't let his depression depress you." Ino said, her voice seemingly ordering Hinata to do as she commanded.

"I know, I know, Tsunade-sama's been through all that with me. But, I just can't help feeling bad about the things he's going through." Hinata attempted to explain her feelings.

"Hinata, he's a killer – he killed his brother, and while that was justified, what about the other, innocent people he killed to get there?" Ino asked indignantly.

Hinata just nodded, looking out the window wistfully.

She had heard all this before – she already knew all the reasons she should act dispassionately towards the last Uchiha, but she couldn't help but think how dark it must be in his world.

Hinata turned away from the window, forcing herself to focus on her conversation with Ino.

She only had one day a week off; she couldn't allow it to be ruined this way.

He was just another patient.

Hinata sighed, that was the problem.

Her patients weren't just patients to her. They were her responsibility, her job, her duty and she got easily attached.

"Hinata, are you listening?" Ino asked, waving a hand at her, trying to catch her attention.

"Ah – hai, hai, Ino-chan!" Hinata said in an airy tone, attempting to sound jovial so that Ino would drop the topic.

…

"What're you reading?" His voice was so quiet, and morbid sounding.

Hinata looked up, surprised at his sudden desire to have a conversation.

She glanced down at the book she was currently holding.

"It's…it's a romance novel." She said, blushing.

"Che…" He said softly, regarding the book as if it was beneath him.

Hinata felt a little insulted, but smiled anyway. At least he was talking, she thought happily. She knew, however, this odd, slightly cheerful moment they were having would be short-lived.

Tsunade would walk in any moment, supervise while Hinata drained Sasuke's chakra once again, and the small bit of life that was showing in his face now, would disappear.

"It's actually quite nice. The novel, I mean." She replied, looking at him.

He looked at her, with slight interest, and then responded,

"I suppose girls like that type of corny stuff."

"It isn't corny. You should read it if you get the chance." She said earnestly.

Sasuke looked away,

"You mean, if I ever escape this hell hole."

There.

It was ruined.

That happy – well kind of happy – moment was lost, perhaps never to be retrieved again.

Hinata wanted to say something comforting to the raven haired man, and after a minute of struggling with herself, settled for,

"You will, be patient, Tsunade-sama can't keep you here forever."

Sasuke looked towards her again, a new, puzzled expression on his face.

"I bet she'll try." He muttered, bitterness seeping clearly into his tone.

Hinata wanted to do something to lighten the mood. To take his mind off Tsunade, chakra draining, and the depressingly white cell that was this hospital room.

But she couldn't.

She couldn't think of anything.

Suddenly, feeling as if it was her fault for them having such a discussion that probably only sank him deeper into depression, she got up.

"I'm sorry, I really am, Uchiha-san." She whispered, as she exited the room.

…

Author's Note: Hi! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please review, I'd love to hear your opinion : )