I don't own Naruto or anything because if I did...well I wouldn't be so salty about canon. ^_^
Chapter 1
When it all started, she'd never thought her life would turn out how it had. She was sure, absolutely certain, that she'd marry her first love and live happily ever after.
Needless to say, that's not what happened.
Hinata Hyuga was and still is for all intents and purposes, a simple woman. She was happiest when her most precious people were happy. She felt loved when she saw the bright smiles of those who meant the most to her. Most of all, when they were all recuperating and recreating a life post-war, she was content to know that the sacrifices of some of those precious people were not in vain. They were safe and happy.
Everything stayed mostly the same and she'd even been able to kindle a bit of magic with her heart's desire. She'd been prominently employed as a medical ninja in recent months leaving behind, for the most part, her work as a combat ninja. She preferred a healing touch but could always kick ass when needed. She was a pacifist not weak or inferior.
Her family respected her-finally-and she'd begun to create a life for herself that she could be proud of, out of the shadow of her one and only and into her own as a woman and a professional.
Hinata never deviated from the plan; she followed every order to the letter. She had no reason not to when her Hokage were just men and women. Her teammates loved her with an adoration that was borderline obsessive but she loved them for it. There were times that they were the only ones who loved her at all. Her sensei had become her mother and she'd spend the occasional Sunday afternoon in the company of the elder woman seeking the maternal advice and guidance lost to her for much of her life.
She had no reason to believe that her life would turn out differently than she'd dreamed.
That is until the day the note came.
—
Sasuke Uchiha is, for all intents and purposes, a complex being with simple tastes. He knows exactly what he wants and exactly how to get it. Postwar recuperation in the Leaf was stifling for him. Everyone, including his best friend and lover, knew it. So Sasuke Uchiha did what he did best: he left.
He embarked upon a journey that would lead him to redemption. This time away would give him the opportunity to, not only prove he was a changed man but to ensure that whatever family he had in the future, would not be targeted as his family of the past had.
He'd often wondered exactly how he had adjusted so well to village life. His best friend had had the same, or relatively so, upbringing that he'd had—orphaned and alone.
I suppose that's the difference between light and darkness. When had he turned so poetic?
Nevertheless, he tried to emulate the kindness he'd always received from them and moreover, tried to give back a little more than he'd taken.
Is that even possible at this point?
He continued to move from village to village throughout the five nations learning and growing. He'd collected many jutsu with his Sharingan and had the ability to do nearly anything with his Rinnegan. He had to get better for his future—for their future.
During a month-long project in a small village outside of Rain Country, Sasuke had not anticipated an early return to those who were waiting patiently back in his hometown for him. They loved him enough to wait and he loved them, albeit in his own way, enough to stay away and repent for what he'd done.
She was the best part of coming home and the worst part of leaving. She never questioned him and always believed he'd return to her no matter the length of time that separated them. This, and many other reasons, was why he'd decided to finally give her the part of his heart that'd she'd been longing for since they were children.
His plans were concrete and definite, even if his timeline wasn't.
That is until the day the note came.
—
HINATA-SAN—
URGENT.
TWO SHINOBI HAVE FALLEN ILL WITH A MYSTERIOUS VIRUS. WE NEED YOUR SKILL ALONG WITH YOUR BYAKUGAN TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE THE PATIENTS INFECTED. PLEASE COME IMMEDIATELY.
TELL NO IS AN S-RANK MATTER.
T.S.
—
UCHIHA SASUKE—
URGENT.
TWO OF YOUR COMRADES HAVE FALLEN ILL WITH AN UNKNOWN VIRUS. WE NEED YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIVE NATIONS ALONG WITH YOUR SHARINGAN TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE AND CONTAIN THE OUTBREAK TO THESE TWO SHINOBI. THE PATIENTS INFECTED ARE OF YOUR HIGHEST REGARD.
PLEASE COME IMMEDIATELY.
T.S.
—
Hinata was unaware of the spiraling events that would unfold and lead to her life ever changing. She donned her necessary gear and made haste to the hospital to lend her skills and bloodline to the cause of helping patients in need. Such was the medical ninjas' way. Such was her way.
While racing over rooftops in the village she'd known as her home for the entirety of her twenty years, she'd wondered just how severe this virus was. There were always more skilled mednins than her and mostly she was on the roster for the more mundane tasks that most of her colleagues preferred to pass on. So why now, when there were even others of her clan with stronger eyes than her own, did they seek her help so desperately?
Is it so severe that Sakura AND Tsunade are unable to diagnose?
So lost in her thoughts, she stumbled through the hospital doors causing everyone to stare in her direction. It seemed to be just like any other day at the hospital. Genin in for preliminary physicals. Children in for sniffles or check ups. All the mundane tasks that she was usually very happy to take.
Hinata then felt the weight of the stares on her and this lead to what she knew would result in quite the impressive blush.
"G-gomenasai. Tsunade-sama sent for me."
The nurse on duty pointed her in the direction of the ward designated only for high profile patients. This whole situation was both bizarre and unnerving.
What is going on?
When the sounds of shuffling papers, hushed voices, and wet coughing came into hearing range, she hoped beyond all hopes that this was just a simple blockage her Byakugan could find and resolve. That she'd use her eyes to fix the problem and everyone inflicted would be able to return home safely to their families.
The feeling in her gut; however, reminded her that she knew better than to trust in optimism in her line of work.
She'd tried to always stay positive and cheerful; caring for others became her life's work and joy. She also knew that with happiness came sadness and sometimes that sadness was so shuddering, so painful that it sucked the air right out of your lungs. She prayed to all the gods and goddesses that today was not one of those days.
Upon finally reaching the room, she knocked softly at the door before opening it.
"Good, your here. Shizune will brief you and we'll wait for our other…erm, specialist to arrive. Then we'll begin."
"Hai, Tsunade-sama."
Shizune motioned her in the direction of the table with the various papers and supplies. Having served in the last war, she was used to the smell of death and disease. She'd had more than her fair share of heartache to associate with those two. This time, what caught her off guard the most was the stench of illness followed by the various sounds that often accompanied it. She'd not paid much attention to the actual patients identities, however, she did hear them. Wheezing. Wet coughs. Sighs. Gurgling. Blood spittle. She could taste the metallic in the air from all the blood in the room. She'd only experienced the "metallic air" sensation one other time in her life: as she held her cousin Neji while he died.
Is this really just from two people?
"Shizune-senpai, has there been any headway on a cure? Or even a vaccine? Sakura must be working on it now if she's not. . ."
Hinata instantly realized one ultimate truth when she finally took notice of the two patients:
The gods and goddesses didn't give a damn about her prayers.
—
Sasuke never, not once in his life, gave a damn about sick shinobi. He was not a medic nor did he care to be one. He had her and she was caring enough for them both.
This time, I'm going to do it. I'll make her happy and make her mine. She's waited long enough for me. It's time.
He hadn't intended on doing it this way, and he knew she deserved a public display; however, that's not who he was nor could he ever be. And the best part of her love for him was: she didn't care. She loved him through his hell and in spite of his demons.
For this reason alone, he was returning to Konoha. Sure, he'd been summoned but he wasn't returning for the Sannin's sake. He was returning for her. He didn't particularly care for the village but he did and she did so by default he had to. Reluctantly he made his way down the familiar path that leads to the gates.
"Uchiha-san!"
Does that guy ever take that stupid senbon out of his mouth? And why is he always on gate detail? Must be slow in peacetime. Good. That's good for a family.
"Hn."
"Still as talkative as ever I see. Heh. Well, the Godaime has requested you meet her at the hospital as soon as you stepped foot in the village so…"
"Hn."
With a small nod, he made his way through the too familiar streets, past his too familiar childhood home, and to the place, he knew she'd be waiting. Not for him necessarily, because when she was working, she was like a hurricane. She was both chaotic yet magnificent. Furious in her pace but calm in her spirit. She'd found her place, her purpose and he'd secretly thanked all the gods and goddesses that she'd chosen to stand beside him regardless of anything, or, anyone else.
Sasuke Uchiha entered the sterile, ammonia-filled prison—okay so prison is a harsh word but he hated hospitals—past the duty nurse and toward the familiar chakra signature he'd memorized as Tsunade. There were four others with her. Two he faintly remembered as ones he'd seen during and after the war and two he couldn't quite make out as they weren't emitting enough chakra to identify.
Sighing deeply, he turned the doorknob and silently begged for whoever was listening to let this be over quickly so that he could find her and finally start the future. He approached the women standing near the bedsides. What he saw took the breath from his lungs and the fire from his gut.
Please. Please no. Not again.
As he prayed to whatever deity would listen, he realized with absolute certainty:
No one gave two shits about Sasuke Uchiha's prayers.
Hope that wasn't too bad. And most of you probably know what's coming next...or do you? Mwhahahahaha. Anyhow, thanks for reading and if you'd be so kind as to review that'd be just awesome. Until the next installment my lovelies...