A/N: I realized I have yet to write a complete one shot for the Naruto fandom. Most of my stories are multi chapters in progress but after listening to some music for the night it gave me an idea for a one shot.
This will be set in the modern world, Just to see if I can manage a decent one shot for you lovely readers.
Enjoy!
5:45 am.
What the fuck could Hanabi want at 5:45 in the morning? She barely calls me anyway so what could be so important this early.
Neji Hyuga groaned as he rolled over and answered his cellphone, Even though they were not siblings by blood he considered Hanabi and Hinata to be his sisters. His uncle had even adopted him once his father and mother passed away in a tragic accident on his fourth birthday.
He had grown up with those girls and his uncle had been the only father figure he'd made a lasting bond with. So by right he was well within his rights to want to strangle his adoptive kid sister but he figured he'd answer just to see what was happening.
"Hello?"
The eldest Hyuga was met with sobs and rushed words, He couldn't even understand Hanabi for the most part. It was rare that the girl ever cried and for her to be openly sobbing over the phone it had to be something pretty bad.
"Hanabi breathe! You have got to calm down." His voice wavered a bit as he thought the worst.
It seemed like hours before the "baby" Hyuga could slow her tears and hiccups enough to explain to him what happened.
"I was driving Hikari and Hineko to school, We weren't even a few blocks away from there when a truck slammed into my-"
Neji cut her off having already been making his way to the closet to grab clothing to change into.
"Where are you? I don't care what happened, Tell me where you are." He demanded placing the phone on speaker while he got changed. The next words out of his kid sister's mouth stunned him.
"Neji-nii it's Hina, They flew her to the hospital and wouldn't tell me why."
He stopped short, Using his right hand to steady him as he slipped on sweat pants and tried to remember to breathe. He and Hinata had a tense relationship growing up as siblings but she always did her best to make sure he was okay.
Really deep down even back then Neji knew she was too pure for this world. No matter how badly anyone treated her she could find the good in everyone including him.
"I'm on my way." He hadn't even bothered to tell Hanabi goodbye as he grabbed his phone and keys completely forgetting about shoes as he raced out the front door.
It usually took him at least an hour to get back to his childhood home from his apartment, but surprisingly enough when in a hurry Neji learned he could turn an hour into thirty five minutes flat.
He'd reached Hiashi in record time and the two were flying down the road in Neji's beat up VW bug. He had no earthly idea how he managed to get the thing to go 90 in a 50 but he did.
He was about to try to reassure his adoptive father that Hinata would be fine when a flash of blue and red lights caught the corner of his eye.
Fuck, Just what I need. A god damn cop. Neji thought furiously as he pulled over to the side of the road tapping his foot and waiting for the cop to reach the car.
Maybe luck was on his side for once, As he rolled down the window and saw it was none other than his old childhood friend Rock Lee.
Neji had quickly explained to Lee what was going on and even though law mandated that Lee was supposed to give him a ticket but he didn't. Instead he got back in his patrol car and gave his long time friend a police escort.
He really didn't have to but Neji was glad that he did. The car was barely in park before he threw the driver side door open and ran into the hospital Hiashi and Lee not too far behind him.
Usually when visiting the hospital he made it a point to be poliet as he had once had a fling with the woman at the front desk. TenTen was one hell of a woman but the two had very different plans for the future and had broken it off but still kept in touch here and there.
Silently he pleaded with whatever god or gods that were listening that this was just a little scare and Hinata was fine. As he made his way up to the desk tears slowly falling at the thought of losing yet another member of his family he held on to the small hope that Hina was fine.
"TenTen how is she? Where is she?" Neji knew within a matter of seconds that it was more serious than he had originally thought.
The chestnut haired woman in front of him could barely look him in the eye, That was not a normal TenTen characteristic. She stood from her desk and quietly lead the three down the hall to watch Neji thought was his middle sister's room.
During that walk he thought that maybe Hanabi had been over reacting, He couldn't wait to see Hinata. He'd been meaning to come for a visit anyway, He had so much to tell her and let her have her go at him for being such a crybaby when she was clearly fine.
Those hopes were dashed when TenTen opened the door and there was nothing but a few leather chairs and a stupid coffee table. He had turned to ask the woman what exactly was going on when he realized she was gone.
In her place stood three women he knew sparingly from his past, Doctor Tsunade Senju a woman that his aunt/mother worked with on a daily basis.
Sakura Haruno a nurse and friend of Hinata and Neji from back in their highschool days. Still with the same pink hair and green eyes that made her seem like a cartoon character to most including Neji himself.
Bringing up the rear was Ino Yamanaka, Tsunade's right hand and assistant. They had all three explained that the bleeding had been more than they originally thought.
No matter how hard they tried the three women could not do anything to stop the damages that had been caused by that damn truck. Neji had learned the rest of the story from Sakura who explained that the truck had hit the passenger side of the car going at least 95 miles per hour.
No...No...No...Hina...No
Neji started thinking to himself as he shook his head, His heart was beating so rapidly that he had barely heard the blonde Yamanaka speak.
"I'm so sorry Neji, Hinata didn't make it."
Just like that, Neji was sure everyone in the room heard his heart shatter. Things had been tense between him and Hinata for awhile when he was adjusting to being their big brother and no longer their cousin. He'd been openly harsh to the girl and everyone in their small circle knew it.
He braced himself and turned to face Hiashi and explain it to him but seeing the tears welling up in the man's eyes he had already figured it out. Hiashi spoke more Japanese than English but actions and facial expressions clued him in on the fact that he had lost his oldest daughter in the worst way possible.
A flurry of things were swirling in Neji's head as he thought about the very reality of the fact that Hinata was no longer around.
How was he supposed to break that news to his mother? Hisako had taken him in and cared for him like she was one of his own. He couldn't even begin to fathom being the one who would have to break her heart and tell her that her sweet angel had passed away.
He was also at a loss of how to tell Hanabi, After all she had been driving and she had kids of her own to worry about. This was not her fault but he knew that she would forever blame herself. He wouldn't let her though he would not allow her to completely shut down.
Poor Himawari will have to grow up without a mother...
The two year old girl had more bad luck than anyone he had ever met, She was the most precious toddler he head ever met. Though her father was a complete and utter jackass who ditched Hinata after she was born.
Ino offered to let him see her, Hiashi had decided it was too painful for him to do and had agreed to let Neji take the lead. Lee offered to stay with his father until he returned and for that he was grateful.
They had covered Hinata from her shoulders down and managed to clean the blood from her cuts. It was almost as if she was just sleeping and in a way she was.
But the reality that she would never awaken again hurt Neji more than anything else in the world right now. He made a vow to Hinata standing at her side, a vow that he would never go back on.
"I swear to you Hinata, Hima will be alright. I know she's not my daughter but I'll treat her like she's mine."
He swore to the sleeeping princess in front of him. Himawari Uzumaki would be taken care of no matter what. Whatever she needed Neji would make sure she had it, Just like Hinata made sure he was alright growing up.
He wouldn't let the burden of raising a toddler fall on his aging mother and father, He'd take on the task and be the father that little Hima never got to have.
As he took one last backwards glance at the girl who made him realize it was okay to let other people in there was only one thing he wished for more than anything in the world.
I'm so sorry Hinata, I wish I could go back and spend one more day with you.
End.