A/N: SO when I said a few days, I meant almost a year. Sorry loves, but here is the next chapter. Your reviews are what prompt me to do more and work harder. I truly do appreciate them. So, once again. READ. REVIEW. FOLLOW.

Koka rubbed her eyes, feeling a migraine pulsing behind them and in her temple. She had been training herself, holding visions longer and longer on command, but the headaches always came back. The blue eyed girl stilled however, when a second pair of hands were placed on her temples.

Tensing briefly, Koka relaxed more as Itachi's fingers made soothing circular motions, easing the tension there. She sighed in appreciation, dropping her hands. Blue eyes met spinning red ones. Itachi's own hands stilled as smaller, softer ones cupped his own. Carefully he drew her forward until Koka was pressed against his chest, tucking her head under his chin. With one hand he held her, the other resumed its place on her head.

Koka did not ask what had happened, and he did not say. Just as he did not ask what she had been doing and she did not speak of it. They knew, without words, what the other had been doing and why. In their own respective ways, the two were fighting for their futures.

Kaede was not sure how long she and Shisui held each other, but eventually the tea kettle let out a whistle, jarring her. The Uchiha huffed a small laugh into her hair, causing the blond to scowl and swatted at his chest. The laugh was louder this time as he moved out of her reach before the hit landed.

Shisui brought the kettle over to the cups and poured in the hot water as Kaede spooned in the tea. While she was well versed in making tea properly, the group often used ground up brews to save time.

Arms were around her waist again she Kaede gently stirred the drinks and she allowed it to happen. Shisui had always been tactile, even when they were younger. Usually it was small things, the occasional brush of the hand against her own, sweeping hair out of her face and light touches to the center of her back. Always careful and gentle but almost as if he was reassuring himself she was there.

Occasionally, however, they were different. After long missions or particularly hard ones there had been times he had come sweeping in, startling her with his sudden appearance. Those times he would pull her against him, holding her close as he buried his face in her hair. The holds were tight but never enough to hurt. Once, though, it had been different.

It had been only a few months ago and she never told Koka about it and the younger girl never brought it up. It was one of the few times in her life Koka had not foreseen. Kaede had finished a house call to a new mother. The call had gone on late, with the new mother having been worried and unsure about being able to care for the baby properly. Kaede had stayed and appeased the woman's fears, showing her tricks and things she herself had picked up in her life at the shrine.

When Kaede finally left, the sun had long since disappeared and the air had begun to chill. Kaede had set off towards the shrine, but only a few minutes into the journey, the hairs on her neck began to tingle. She began to pick up the pace but as she passed by an ally, rough hands had reached out, grabbing her and pulling her into the shadowed ally. She had struggled, kicking and trying to scream but there was a hand over her mouth as more pulled at her hair and her kimono. Kaede kicked something solid even as she managed to bite down hard on the hand over her mouth. There was cursing but her her own scream was cut short by a blow to the side of her head. It did not knock her out but it had been enough to daze her. Hands started pulling at her again when suddenly she was released.

Kaede clutched the front of her kimono, it having been loosened in the the struggle. She watched in rapt awe as the men, five of them, who had grabbed her, were brutally and efficiently dropped by Shisui. He held back, but barely. The men who fell did not rise back up, even though they still lived. It was over just as fast as it had begun.

When Shisui walked over to her, the shrine maiden could only stare up at his blazing eyes before he crouched down before her. Wordlessly, Kaede had been lifted into his arms and moments later they were back at the shrine in her own room. She had been let down to her feet, but still dizzy from the hit and of kilter from the speed at which they had moved, Kaede had stumbled, falling into Shisui's chest as he caught her. He had tensed but when she had clutched his front tightly, Shisui had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

Kaede trembled in his arms as tears began to fall. She sobbed into his chest.

"I was so scared." She cried and he tried to sooth her. "I couldn't get away and I thought no one was would find me and I was so scared."

With one arm, Shisui had released her and held her chin, tipping back her head so he could see her face. Kaede looked into his swirling sharingan in surprise.

"I will always find you. I swear, Kaede, by all that there is, I will always, always, come for you." And then warm lips had sealed over hers. After a surprised moment, Kaede sunk into it, closing her eyes and she reciprocate the gesture.

She had shivered when his hand ghosted over the side of her neck and he released her. Her Kimono had slipped, still messed up from the struggle and exposed her shoulder. As tender as always he had placed a light kiss on her shoulder before adjusting the kimono so that it covered her properly once more. When Kaede had smiled at him, Shisui once again cupped her cheek.

Since then, neither the shrine maiden or the shinobi brought up the incident or the kiss, but neither of them danced around it either. Their bond remained as steady and true as always. The touches had returned to light, almost non existent brushes and reassurances. But every now and then when Kaede was making house calls, or even late at night when she knew Shisui was busy, she would sense his presence. Just the slightest brush on the edge of her senses, but enough to know he was there.

Now she relaxed against him, teaspoon still in hand as she thought about their encounter months ago, and about what the upcoming future held. Setting down the spoon, Kaede turned in Shisui's arms, just like earlier. She cupped his face in one hand.

"Shisui, you know, no matter what, I will always be there for you too." She was rewarded with grateful eyes and warm lips on her own.

Review my lovelies, you give me strength for the up coming fights.