Hinata moaned painfully as she was shocked awake by a sharp pain in her side. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, seeing a hospital room. It was completely white. Why did they always make hospital rooms so white? It was depressing. She tried to sit up, but fell back down as the sharp pain evolved into an agony. She touched her side where it hurt, a huge gash could be felt through the gown they had donned her with, and it stung when her fingers grazed it. It had been bandaged well, and healed to an extent. She guessed it was deep enough that they would need several more treatments before the medical ninja's could sew it up completely.

'NARUTO!' The name suddenly stuck in her head. The last thing she remembered was him swiping at her violently. Was he okay!? She knew he wasn't himself when he tried to hurt her. He was the fox… she learned it the hard way. She rolled out of her bed, grunting at the almost unbearable pain in her side. She had to bear it though… for Naruto.

He was always in the same room, and Hinata knew this. She had always visited him when he was unconscious. She just had to make it to the room now… she had to see if he was okay. She began stumbling down the hall, gritting her teeth through the pain. Her heart hurt more than her side anyway, she needed to know he was okay. She leaned on the wall as she moved through the hall.

When she got to the room Naruto was always in, she opened the door; Sakura was inside talking to Naruto. Hinata fell in the doorway, her midsection finally giving out in an attempt to stop her pain. She started to lose consciousness, but forced herself awake, this was too important.

"HINATA!" Sakura almost yelled as she moved to help Hinata. She lifted her to her knees and placed herself under Hinata's shoulder on the left side, the side that barely worked. She began lecturing Hinata on why she should stay in bed, but Hinata wouldn't have it. The look in her face told Sakura everything. "Fine, you have 5 minutes, you probably won't open any wounds, but be careful, and in 5 minutes I'm taking you back to your own room."

"Arigatou," Hinata smiled at Sakura. As jealous as Hinata had always been of Sakura, Sakura had always been polite to her. She was just a nice person. Hinata stumbled away from Sakura as she hit the bed for a checkpoint. Naruto stared out the window, seeming not to even notice Hinata in the room. He just stared.

Hinata moved to him, muttering his name softly to get his attention, but he ignored her. When she finally made it to him, she touched his shoulder, and in one fell swoop, she was against the wall, pinned between it and Naruto. Naruto's eyes penetrated through her, they were so sad that it scared her and an overwhelming feeling of despair washed through her head.

"Now you know what I am," Naruto said, depressed and angry at the same time. "You know I'm a beast!" He was raising his voice. "Are you going to run away too!?" Hinata shook her head nervously. "Well you should. I'm just a monster. Look at your wounds; those are all my fault, you should go away before I hurt you again." Hinata tried to stutter something out, but Naruto interrupted her. "Don't tell me it doesn't matter, because it does!" It did, Hinata knew it. "I'm just the host for the fox, I'm nothing else. Why don't you just run away!? Why not!? Go! Run!"
Naruto pushed against her harder to the wall, making it more and more impossible for her to run, even if she wanted to. She didn't though. She didn't see the anger that most people would. No. She saw the sadness, the agonizing misery, neglect, fear, loneliness. She could see that he was afraid. Afraid that she would leave him. He continued to shout.

"What is that look for?" Naruto asked as he noticed the sadness in her eyes. "Are you scared!?" He pushed against her harder, her side beginning to sting more and more. "Are you afraid of the big bad fox!? Huh!? Want to leave yet?" Hinata couldn't stand him like this, and she couldn't think of anything to do. How could she make him feel better? "GO! Leave me like the rest of them! G-" he was cut off by Hinata's lips.

In a cry of desperation, Hinata had done the only she could think of. She needed to shut him up, and her hands were being held behind her by Naruto, so her lips were the only option. She kissed him, softly, gently, lovingly. Every feeling she had for him was expressed, every thought, all the love she held so dear in her heart, so hidden, was told. Her lips were like an open closet for Naruto to see the skeletons that Hinata tried to hide. As her lips pulled away from Naruto's tears had rolled slowly down both of their faces.

"Aishiteru, Naruto-kun…" Hinata muttered through her hoarse throat; through the tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't pity me," Naruto growled sadly, but smiling secretly. "I don't need your pity."

"It isn't," Hinata pleaded, although she knew he didn't believe it either. Her hands were still held behind her, and she was still against the wall, but with a weakened resolve from her captor. She moved her hands slowly from behind herself and to Naruto's shoulder, then around him in a tight embrace. "Aishiteru..." She let her soft lips graze his cheek.

"St-still?" Naruto asked softly, tears dripping from his eyes and his arms limp at his sides. Hinata's face moved against his in a nod. He wanted to ask why, but not only was he afraid of the answer, he was sure he would get the same answer Sakura had given him about Hinata. She admired him.
"Naruto-kun, I'll never hate you, and even if you can never love me... I hope you feel better, these wounds are temporary, but I'm glad I know who you are, because now I love you more." She moved around Naruto after tapping her lips to his once more. She limped away to the door and cringed as she opened it, the excruciating pain returning full blast to her side.

"Arigatou…" Naruto muttered, barely loud enough for Hinata to hear as she met Sakura in the hall. He would go visit her later. Maybe she was different from the others… just maybe.