Areina looked up at Jiraiya in horror. No one was supposed to know that she was alive. No one was supposed to recognize her. She had worked so hard over the past six years to make sure that there was never any chance of someone who she knew crossing her path. And she wasn't going to fail now.

Jiraiya leapt back to escape the fangs that narrowly missed sinking into his arm. In the seconds that it took for him to recover from the shock the kunoichi broke through the hotel window and fled into the daylight. Her breaths rasped in her throat and her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest. Areina cursed her luck that both her shoes and her weapons had been left behind but those could eventually be replaced, her life however, could not. She turned a last corner and left the town for the surrounding woods, her bare feet slipping on wet leaves and mud. She could hear a creek ahead, her spirit lifting at the chance to hide her tracks and scent. Light reflected off the water, she could hear it gurgle as it flowed over smooth stones…

WHAM!

A heavy weight crashed into her back, knocking the kunoichi off balance and away from the escape offered by the creek. Areina snarled as she turned to see what had hit her, but never got the chance. The snarl irritated her already sensitive throat, tipping her over the edge and into an endless coughing fit. She couldn't get enough air into her lunges, nor lessen the ragged coughs that tore from her throat. Areina fell to her knees, the thick mud sucking at her legs as if to drag her under. Dimly she could hear someone shouting in her ear and shaking her, but nothing seemed to make sense anymore. She needed air, needed oxygen, needed to live…but then again…did she really? What was the point to her living again? She had no family, no village, no friends, nothing. Wouldn't it just…be so much easier…if she just…gave in? Stopped fighting the exhaustion that dragged at every cell of her being and allowed death to take her into his cold embrace? It was so tempting an idea, she wanted to give in so very badly but…was this really how she wanted it to end? Coughing her lungs out in the mud of some forest in the middle of nowhere? No, this was not how she was going to die!

Areina gasped for larger breaths, trying to stop the coughs through sheer force of will. As more air entered her lungs the fog that had obscured the world around her began to lift, allowing her to finally see where she had ended up. She was being held tightly against a broad chest and was wrapped in a thick cloak. A warm hand rubbed firmly between her shoulder blades, easing the tightness in her chest and allowing her breaths to gradually even out. It felt like she knelt there for hours just trying to draw in a breath without triggering a cough. Areina trembled against whomever held her as her exhaustion threatened to pull her back into oblivion. She couldn't afford to fall unconscious yet, she had to stay awake to see who it was that held her, to make sure that they weren't a threat, but she couldn't seem to be able to muster the strength to lift her head the few inches that it would take to see their face. As her breathing evened out the hand that had been rubbing soothing circles on her back moved under her chin to lift her heavy head to face the person who held her. It was Jiraiya, worry evident on his face. When she moved to speak, he placed his thumb against her lips.

"Let's go back kiddo, we can talk once we've got this fever of yours under control." Areina nodded her consent, finally allowing herself to slip into the slumber her body desperately needed. Maybe, just maybe, she had found someone worth trusting again.

When she woke up, she was back on the soft futon with the soft light of sunrise just beginning to peak through the windows. Areina glanced around and saw Jiraiya at the other end of the room passed out on his own futon. As she watched him, he gave a loud snorting grunt and rolled over, turning his back on the ill kunoichi. Exploring the room further with her eyes the kunoichi spotted the door to the bathroom just past Jiraiya's large bare feet. The kunoichi pushed back the thick blue blankets that covered her thin body and silently rose to her feet. With some embarrassment she noted that she had been changed from her damp and mud-spattered clothing and into what must have been one of Jiraiya's spare shirts, the huge green shirt almost drowning the female wearing it. She took wobbly steps towards her destination, trying to be silent while also battling with her fever-hindered balance. She had just reached the feet of her helper when Jiraiya suddenly stretched in his sleep, his much larger feet tangling with hers and sending the girl tumbling to the hardwood floor. Areina landed hard with a grunt and heard the corresponding groan of Jiraiya as he woke up. Hoping that he would just go back to sleep Areina attempted to just crawl the last few feet to her destination but was stopped by the sleepy voice of Jiraiya.

"What are you…yawn…doing?"

"My apologies for waking you up Jiraiya-sama. I was just trying to get to the bathroom." Areina blushed when Jiraiya chuckled in response. She heard the rustle of cloth moving before strong hands gripped under her arms and lifted her back to her feet.

"Do what you need to do, I'll see about getting us some breakfast. Don't leave the room alright?" A hand shoved her into the bathroom before she could respond and the door shut in her face when she turned to look. With a sigh Areina saw to her needs and tried to lessen the chill in her bones with a hot shower. When she exited the shower, she found a new set of clothing waiting for her by the sink along with a brush and small vial of orange liquid. She blushed slightly at the thought that the man had been able to sneak into the small room without her hearing him, but then again if he had wanted to do anything to her, he had had plenty of opportunity to do so when she was unconscious. Shrugging off her mistrust Areina slipped on the new clothes, almost purring in delight at the feeling of the soft cloth against her skin. Jiraiya's underwear choice for her had been a little…odd, but then again, she was rooming with the author of the Icha Icha series. Once she was fully dressed and refreshed Areina stepped out of the bathroom and looked around to see Jiraiya just finishing with setting up breakfast. He looked up when she entered and raised an eyebrow when he saw the vial of liquid in her hand.

"Still don't trust that I'm giving you medicine and not poison?"

"I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to take the entire vial or not," she drawled in response. If he was going to poke at how cautious she was then it was about time to remind him that she wasn't a small child. She walked forward, keeping her head high but her attempt at bravado was ruined by a couple of coughs that bubbled up her throat, forcing her to pause and quickly swallow the medicine that she had been given. She flushed, again, when Jiraiya chuckled at her This man is seriously getting on my nerves! Areina frowned at him and sat with a huff. It was childish sure but if she was going to start coughing at every attempt at being serious then there wasn't really much point in even trying. Ignoring the still chuckling man in front of her she looked at the table to see what he considered breakfast.

A large steaming bowl of miso soup was slid in front of her, the tan liquid barely visible through the sea of tofu and mushrooms. She gratefully took a sip, almost sighing as the hot liquid soothed her irritated throat. Her body remembered just how hungry and starved she was and it was several minutes before she surfaced again. Meanwhile Jiraiya slowly tucked into his own rice and pickled vegetables, carefully watching Areina to make sure that she didn't choke on her food. Once she felt sated, Areina sat back from the table, nursing a small cup of tea that warmed her chilled fingers. She watched curiously as Jiraiya reached into his hanten and pulled out a small notebook and pen before looking up and grinning at her.

"So, do you feel well enough to answer questions now or do I need to get ready to chase you down again?" Areina looked away guiltily. He had shown her nothing but kindness and how had she repaid him? By running off and breaking things. He had likely had to pay for the window that she had broken, he had bought her food, medicine, clothing…her debt to him was larger than she liked, but she had no means to repay him. Yet some part of her couldn't help but be suspicious about his motives. Had he really only been hunting her for her story? How could she be sure that he wasn't after any of the many bounties on her head? He hadn't made any moves to harm or kill her but… She started when a large hand griped her shoulder. "Maybe you should just lay down and rest. Your body needs it."

With a small nod Areina allowed him to guide her back to her futon. She would just lay down and wait for him to sleep or leave the room, then she would make her move. Someday, when she had the money, she would repay him for his kindness, but the world was too cruel for her to trust that he really wanted to help her. Areina was just settling down when she began to feel the slight burn on her shoulder. With a curse she struck back at Jiraiya, trying to stop the seal before he could complete it, but once again his greater size and strength won out. She could only snarl and curse at him as the chakra seal took effect, proving once again that in the world of shinobi, no one can be trusted.