Cancerous Misunderstanding

Six long months ago felt like a long blur for Hinata Uzumaki. Hinata did her best to visit Neji's grave as often as she could. With her husband working hard in his office and both children in the academy, she started to visit Neji a lot more often. A lot had happened in those six months. It all started with intense stomach pains. Days later, the stomach pain only worsened and she started to get sickness and diarrhoea and there was always bits of blood. It started to become a regular thing, so she went to the doctors.

They took some samples and within a few weeks the doctors told her something horrific. "You've got stomach cancer, Mrs. Uzumaki."

The words hit Hinata like a ton of bricks. She remembered gasping and clutching onto her stomach. For the next six months, Hinata did her best to follow the medical advice that the doctors had given her. The doctors had promised that she would get stronger, but Hinata found she only got weaker. People in town noticed how much weight Hinata was losing and ordered her to eat something. Every time somebody said that, she said to herself, "If only they knew what was going on?"

Nothing was ever the same again. The final resting place of Neji Hyuga had become Hinata's favourite spots. To others it just a cemetery, but to Hinata it was a home from home.

"Hey Mom!" Himawari cried out. "You've barely even touched your food. What's wrong?"

Hinata shook her head. "I'm fine, I'm just not very hungry." Eating was a daily struggle. Even the smallest of portions would make her feel bloated. She looked up to her husband and son. She predicted that Boruto and Naruto would often fight over the leftovers. "You either of you two like to finish it off?"

"Sure!" Boruto cried out, sliding the heavy plate over to his direction.

"Hey!" Naruto pulled the plate towards him. "Save some for me, son!"

Hinata did her best to carry on with her daily routine, but she found even the most simplest of tasks hard to get through without coughing up blood and the medication only made her feel ten times worse. She knew that she was going to die, but she just couldn't bring herself to tell her family. The only person that knew was Neji's spirit. Hinata knew that Neji was watching over her, protecting her whenever possible.

Visiting Neji's grave suddenly became a daily task. Whenever somebody wanted to look for Hinata, they would always find her in the cemetery, sitting by Neji's grave. Himawari found her mother and ran towards her.

"You should go to a doctor," Himawari told Hinata. She knelt by her mother and grabbed onto her skirt. "This isn't right!"

"I will see him tomorrow," Hinata promised her daughter. She patted her head and smiled. "Don't worry, I will be just fine."

"Mom!" Himawari yelled. "You're not okay! You never eat. You're always coughing up blood and you're always here. We never do family things anymore."

"I'm having lunch with Sakura tomorrow," Hinata informed her daughter. "I think it will be good."

"You should go out more often instead of sitting here all way," Himawari suggested. "You can't stay here all day when it's raining or if it starts snowing."

There was nothing Hinata could say. All she did was hug Himawari as if her life depended on it. She really wanted to tell Himawari the truth, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it. She didn't want to add any stress to her and her family. She saw the doctor the next day just as she promised. There was nothing the doctors could do for Hinata now.

She had lunch with Sakura just as she said she would. The academy were doing a stage production and the children were really looking forward to it.

"You've lost so much weight," Sakura told Hinata. "You look so amazing. I need to know how you've done it. What diet are you following?"

"I'm not really on any diet," Hinata admitted, patting her flat stomach. "To be honest, I haven't been feeling very well lately."

"Oh!" Sakura pondered. "Time of the month?"

"You could say that."

"I hate them," Sakura admitted. "The stomach cramps are just so unbearable."

"I went to the doctors today," Hinata told Sakura in a soft voice.

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "You did? What for?"

"I went for a...general check-up." Hinata gulped and forced herself to smile. "They said I was absolutely fine. The doctor said I should eat more."

"I'm glad things went well for you," Sakura said with a smile on her face as she gulped her sake.

Hinata only managed to eat half of her lunch, but it was a personal achievement for her. At home she's lucky if she could manage a quarter of her food. Sakura and Hinata enjoyed a good natter about the past and what their children were like when they were smaller. It made Hinata's heart feel alive for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer.

Now that Hinata knew that she only had at least another six months left to live, she needed to tell somebody. She had been facing cancer by herself for such a long time. At the same time, she didn't want to become a burden to her family. After lunch with Sakura, Hinata decided to stop taking all her medication. She tiptoed to the nearest supermarket where there was a bin and one by one, she tossed the pill boxes out.

Hinata couldn't stop thinking about the future. It wasn't a pleasant sight for her. All she could imagine Naruto and the kids taking time out to look after her and make sure she was clean and well fed. She couldn't bare the thought of stopping her husband and her children following their dreams because she was sick. She couldn't have that. She made a trip to the cemetery, knowing that it would not be long until she would see her cousin again. If she had the choice, she would die today. Becoming bed-bound in a hospital bed, probed with needles and medication was the last thing Hinata wanted.

"We'll be together again..." Hinata said to Neji as she pressed her lips against his tombstone.

The heavenly light began to fade beneath the dull clouds. It was too light to be called night and too dark to be called day. Beneath grey clouds laid the final resting place of Neji Hyuga. His cousin, Hinata sat in front of his tombstone and planted more sunflowers in the pot. She took a deep sigh and snatched her purple phone from her pocket. The phone greeted her with a screenshot of her with her husband and two kids. She couldn't help it, but she laughed for a few moments. It was one of her favourite pictures.

Hinata flicked her dark hair behind her ear and called Hanabi, her younger sister. Tears rolled down her face as her heartbeat pounded in time with the beeps of the phone.

"Hey Hinata," Hanabi said through the telephone, sounding surprised. "I thought you were going to see Fiddler On The Roof tonight?"

"No," Hinata shook her head. "I'm not feeling very well."

"Where are you?" Hanabi asked. Hinata could only just about hear her through the sound of the whirling wind. "I can barely make out what you're saying."

"Hanabi... can you meet me by Neji's grave?"

"Sure," Hanabi replied. "But... why there?"

"It's where I feel safe. I've found something...terrible." Hinata couldn't tell who was crying harder, herself or the sky. "I don't know how to tell Naruto or the children..."

"What is it, sis?" Hanabi yelled through the phone.

"Ah!" Hinata couldn't stop coughing up red droplets on the grass. She felt pain all over her body as blood dribbled all over her body. She felt as if someone had stabbed her a dozen times in the stomach. She clutched onto the phone with all her might as she slowly grasped for air. She muttered, "I don't know how long I've got left...If you see father, tell him I love him too."

The phone slipped out of Hinata's fingers as her body imploded against Neji's grave.

"Hinata!" Hanabi screamed. "What's going on? Say something."

The sky roared as thunderous rain continued to shower the land. Hinata's body lied lifeless in the cemetery.

"HINATA!" Hanabi squealed. "What have they done to you?"

"Hello?" A lady passing by had ran across to check if Hinata was alright and heard Hanabi's pleas as she approached Hinata.

"Hinata?" Hanabi sobbed through the phone. "Is that you?"

"No... it's Sakura."

"What have you done to Hinata?" Hanabi yelled. She yelled so loud it was as if Hanabi was right by the grave.

"I-I've only just got here," Sakura responded. She rolled Hinata over and could feel no sign of life in her. No pulse, no heartbeat. "Hanabi...Hinata's dead."

"Sakura... what have you done? YOU MURDERER!"

"No..." Sakura muttered as she shook her head. "Hanabi...It's not what you think."

The authorities arrived quickly. A tall man in a trench coat marched towards the grave with a small army of policemen. The detective grabbed Sakura by the arm and lifted her up. "Sakura Haruno, you're under arrest for the murder of Hinata Uzumaki."

"NO!" Sakura shook her head. Tears exploded from her eyes. "You've got it all wrong."

"I don't think so," the detective shook his head as he continued to speak. "I think I've nailed the case. You were the last person to see this woman alive. You were the first to find her body. It makes perfect sense. You were close to the victim's husband. You killed her so you could have him for yourself!"

"No!" Sakura continued to defend herself. "I'm innocent I tell you."

"I hope you've got a good lawyer," the detective said. "Cause you're going down for your crime."

This fic takes place before the first case of May's Justice.