A/N: So, this chapter skips around a lot and is really short, but it's setting up for the next arc, so... well, there's that! XD

"I'm fine."

"You had two broken ribs, lost about one-fourth of the blood in your body, and had a hairline fracture on your skull which had in turn caused a concussion. You're supposed to wait till the end of the week--"

"Had. Had is the key word here. Medical ninjutsu is some pretty amazing stuff. "

"Jun--"

"Ka-zue," he retorted, his fingers tightening around the sill of the window he'd perched himself in. "Aren't you supposed to be helping Hisoka out? I'd been under the impression that you hadn't left his side since he got the news. Well, his or Miki-sensei's."

Kazue locked her jaw, studying the stubborn boy before her. His eyes were bright and his signature cheeky smile on his lips, but everything else was off. Despite his having announced that he was fine staying in the hospital until Tenten was released, Kazue had walked in on him climbing out of the hospital window. If it had been the old Jun, Kazue wouldn't have been surprised. She'd realized upon their return- however- that there was a distinct difference between the Jun she'd known and the Jun that existed after all this time.

The difference was Tenten.

The boy himself might not have realized it, but he'd changed around her, perhaps even for her. She wasn't all that certain that Tenten had noticed it either- Kazue figured that perhaps the only reason she had was because it'd been so long since she'd been around Jun. When he was with Tenten... that grin was almost real. She'd noticed it when Jun had teased Tenten while they'd been recovering. He would slip out of his room and deposit himself in the bed across from her, talking to her as brightly as ever. The old Jun would have escaped from the hospital the second that he was able to run.

Just as he was doing now.

With an irritable sigh, Kazue crossed the room and seized the boy's sleeve.

"Get back in here you damn idio--"

"Kazue-sama, Miki-san is trying to... oh, perhaps I should--"

"No, no," she replied irritably, turning to glance at the blonde nurse standing in the doorway. "What is it?"

The girl ducked her head, but snuck a glance up at Jun's predicament as she spoke.

"Miki-san's attempting to check herself out. She's not listening to anyone, but I thought..."

"She might listen to me," Kazue finished when the girl trailed off. Her gaze flickered to Jun, eyes narrowed. "Dammit, I swear to Kami... What is it with you two? Can't you listen to a damn doctor?"

Jun's lips split in a wide grin.

"Of course we can," he announced. "But you're not a doctor, Kazue-chan! You're not even a chuunin!"

"Jun..."

At the warning tone in her voice, his grin only seemed to grow. Snatching his sleeve from her hands, he released his hold on the window and slipped back. Before Kazue had realized what he was doing- and could grab ahold of him again- the boy had fallen out of the window.

"Dammit!"

She grabbed the sill, eyes searching the ground for any sight of where he'd gone. When she saw nothing, Kazue narrowed her gaze and spun to the surprised Asari girl still standing in the doorway.

"Go tell whomever you think'll listen to you that Jun is most likely somewhere in the hospital. I think Tenten's room is a floor below this one... so check there first. If you find him, I want him dragged back here and cuffed to his bed. That'll show the damn jackass. I'll be convincing the other idiot not to leave."

That said, she hurried into the hall. It only took her a few moments to reach the check-out desk. Standing there, both hands settled on the desk, was a certain red-head. Her choice victim looked far from giving in, meeting the stubborn woman with an equally stubborn expression.

"I have the right--"

"No, you don't," the woman cut in. "Hokage-sama said you're confined to the hospital, so you're not checking out."

Miki stared at the woman for a moment, her lips pursed. Within seconds she seemed to have come to a decision and started for the door. Apparently the woman had decided that if she couldn't get released, she was just going to pull a Jun and leave. With a frustrated sigh, Kazue moved so that she stood between Miki and the door. When Miki stopped, furrowing her brow in response to the "sudden" appearance, Kazue simply crossed her arms and cocked a brow.

"Ignoring Tsunade-sama's orders again?" Kazue questioned. "It almost seems like you're asking for trouble."

"I don't see why--"

"Because you're not a doctor," she interrupted.

Miki frowned.

"I'm fine. My leg is fine. I sho--"

"You went into premature labor," Kazue cut in. "You're still extremely early. In a month, that baby will have a forty percent better chance of survival. You can go home then."

Miki studied Kazue for a moment, her arms moving to mirror the stance Kazue had taken. Her fingers curled over one arm, the ends tapping against her elbow.

"One month is a long time."

"Which is why it increases the baby's chances of survival."

"I can lay in bed at hom--"

"You were given that chance."

"I had a good reason!"

Kazue sighed, moving one of her arms so she could pinch the bridge of her nose. Having both of the world's worst patients in the hospital at the same time- with both of them being on her team- was pushing the girl to her limits.

"Good reason or not, you went against orders. So, you're confined to the hospital. Go... go visit her if you need something to do."

Miki stiffened in response to the words, her eyes narrowing to thin slits. When Kazue didn't back down despite the obvious spark of anger that she'd caused, Miki muttered something illegible beneath her breath and spun on a heel.

"Fine. One more day."

"One month!" Kazue called out.

To no one's surprise, the woman didn't even bother to care about the correction.

_____________

"Holy-- Jun!"

One hand still clutching the top of Tenten's window, Jun saluted the girl with his free fingers. Settled atop the of a white bed-spread was Tenten, a book clutched in her hand. A quick look-over revealed to him that the brace that had been holding her leg in place was missing.

"Tenten~"

"Where did you...?"

"It's a secret," he quipped in response. "Hey, you know how that story bothers you?"

Tenten narrowed her eyes.

"What story?"

"The one about how we got arrested!" Jun announced chipperly.

"... yes?"

"Well, how about we make another one of those. Well, perhaps minus the getting arrested for visiting my cousin without permission part. The whole 'leaving the hospital when I'm not supposed to' part, though, let's do that one. You in?"

Tenten hesitated.

"C'mon, you know you want to~" he pressed.

Snapping her book shut, the girl swung her legs around so that they hung over the side of the bed. She studied him for a moment, brow furrowed, before slowly sighing.

"You'll go on your own if I don't come, right?"

He grinned.

"You know me so well."

Tenten simply rolled her eyes and stood as the sound of footsteps and calls of 'hurry' in the hall met her ears. She rose a brow in his direction and Jun simply broadened his grin.

"It's part of the fun."

Not bothering to justify the comment with a response, she simply shifted her weight as to test her previously injured limb. The medical-nin had removed the brace earlier that day, saying that it should be perfectly fine at this point. When it didn't collapse beneath her, Tenten took it as a sign that the shinobi had been right.

"Alright, let's go."

They escaped the building just as the door burst open. Tenten couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at the comically shocked looked the medical-nin showed upon seeing them climbing out the window. Within seconds they'd hit the streets and begun weaving their ways through the mid-day foot traffic. If she closed her eyes, she could have remembered a simpler time with far too much ease. As it was, her mind was half focused on the way his fingers clasped her wrist. He'd taken it upon leading her out the window and she was far, far too aware of the fact that'd yet to let go.

"Where are we going?" she questioned, forcing herself to focus elsewhere.

At this Jun cocked his head, his fingers loosening around her wrist as he came to a stop.

"Hm... well..." he mused. "That's the question, isn't it?"

"You didn't think about it?" Tenten demanded.

He grinned.

"Naw. Where would the fun be in a planned adventure?"

"Jun!"

"Fine, fine," he replied, snickering. "The... training grounds? Just to hang out? It'll be awhile till Kazue-chan thinks to check there."

"... fine," Tenten agreed. "But... you'll owe me."

Confusion flickered over his features.

"Huh?"

"You'll owe me," she repeated, a mischievous edge to her smile.

"Yeah, but... why?"

"Simple. Any other boy sneaking a girl out of a hospital would give her a date," she announced, watching for the flush she knew would heat his cheeks. She was rewarded instantly. "So, you'll owe me one."

"A d-date?"

"Oh, Jun, did you just stammer?"

"I didn't!"

"If you say so," she replied, laughing. "The training grounds?"

Jun hesitated, rubbing his hands over his cheeks as if the action could force the red from them. When Tenten rose a brow, he forced himself to drop his hands and start walking again.

"... right. The training grounds."

____________________

Miki was rather certain that the last time she'd had such difficulty entering a hospital room it had been after that mission. She hadn't been able to hesitate- then- however. Hikari had been at her side.

Now, she could only stare at the dull brown door as if that would make it any easier to push it open. After a long moment she forced herself to suck in a breath and slowly clasp the door-handle in her fingers. Even then, she couldn't turn it right away. Rather, she stared at it as the image of what she would see flashed through her mind.

Medical-ninjutsu could work miracles, but the human body could only take so much.

When she'd managed to take the next step- opening the door- Miki's eyes instantly focused on the prone figure lying in the bed. Slowly, she crossed the room to sit in the only free chair- as the other was currently occupied by the dozing figure that had yet to leave the room ever since he'd received the news. As she took the seat, the words flashed through her mind.

"Time will tell. Her body will heal, but her mind is another matter entirely. There is every chance she could wake up today or tomorrow."

"Hey... Hikari."

"Or never."

A/N: *smiles* Not what you were expecting, huh? Well, anyways, told you it was short! :3 We're diving into the next to last arc (the last original arc for sure) in the book with this next chapter! Hope you guys are ready for some drama~