Chapter 6

"Hinata! Breakfast is ready!... Hinata?"

Naruto opened her door. "Hinata?"

He saw her lying on her bed, taking shallow breaths and sweating profusely.

"Hinata!"

Naruto ran to her side and put a hand on her forehead.

"Hinata! You're burning up!"

Hinata opened her eyes and tilted her head. "Sorry… I'll get up now…" She slowly started pushing herself into an upright position.

Naruto put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down gently but firmly. "Don't be ridiculous! You are staying in bed. I'll go get a damp rag to cool you down. Don't move, I'll be right back!"

He came back less than a minute later with a damp rag, a glass of water with several pills, and a few more pillows. He started dabbing the rag on her face, wiping up all the stray beads of sweat. He handed her the glass of water.

"Here, take small sips and sweat this out under the covers. I have to go call the school and see if I can get a doctor down here…"

Naruto stood up to leave but he stopped when Hinata grabbed his arm. "Wait… Don't call the doctor."

Naruto smiled. "Why not? It'll be fine. They'll come down and check up on you to make sure that-"

Hinata lost her patience and screamed. "No!" Naruto flinched at her volume. "Sorry… just… I really don't like doctors." Tears started forming in her eyes. "Just, promise me you won't call a doctor?"

Naruto couldn't stand to see her cry, so he wrapped her in a tight hug to comfort her. He felt so stupid, he should have known she hated doctors having spent so much of her life in a hospital with them telling her how sick she was every single day.

"Ok, I promise I won't call a doctor. Now drink the water slowly and get some rest, I'll be right back after I call the school and let Sakura know I won't be in school today ok?"

The girl nodded and started sipping the glass, falling back into a fitful sleep.