"Take a deep breath for me." Sakura pressed on Hinata's abdomen, the healing chakra a gentle, insistent pressure. Hinata squirmed slightly under the touch, but whether out of the discomfort of her touch or the discomfort of laying still at nearly 9 months pregnant, Sakura couldn't say for certain.
"He's fine, Hinata." Sakura said gently, lifting her hands from Hinata's distended belly. "Any day now. Any minute now, really. Have you been feeling anything?"
"You're sure it's a boy?" Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister, said eagerly, gripping Hinata's hand as her elder sister lay on the examination table. "Take a look for yourself." Sakura laughed, amused, and the tell tale veins bulged around Hanabi's eyes as she studied her sister. The younger girl grinned. "Oh yeah. He's a boy alright." She laughed, and Hinata smiled weakly. She couldn't help herself; she had watched her son whenever she could. He had gone from looking like an unrecognizable lump to a beautiful baby, all in an impossibly short nearly nine months. She couldn't wait to hold him…except…
"He isn't back, then?" Sakura murmured, following Hinata's wistful expression. She had figured as much when it had been Hanabi who had come to accompany her to this, her last appointment before her due date and not her husband, Naruto.
"No." Hinata nearly whispered, placing a hand on her belly.
Sakura growled. "I didn't think he'd be stupid enough to take any missions so close to your due date!"
Hinata shook her head, allowing Hanabi to help her sit up. "It isn't like that Sakura; this was a special request from Lord Sixth! I told him he needed to go." Her eyes softened then as she looked at her friend and medical ninja. "You should sit, by the way. I know you're pretty uncomfortable yourself, and I know better than most how you feel." She smiled slightly.
Sakura blew a lock of hair out of her eyes, sinking into a chair near the examination table and smiling slightly, placing a hand over her own belly. "I still have a few months to go. Your son and my daughter should be in the academy together, though." She grinned, having asked Hinata to take a look at the gender of her child as soon as she figured there was anything to see. Hinata studied her friend, then said softly "Have you been in contact with Sasuke? He knows, doesn't he?"
Sakura's grin faded. "He knows, yes. Occasionally, I can get a message through to his dead drop sites. I don't think he's gotten the message that she's a girl, though." Sakura fell silent. It wasn't so unusual to have a husband who was more absent than not; as shinobi, husbands and wives were often separated for long periods. Naruto's current absence at this particular appointment only reinforced that. Still, the unusually long absences between she and her husbands' visits were not something that she liked to dwell on.
Hanabi cleared her throat, then glanced at Hinata. "You're okay to get home, right? Or are you coming to Hyuuga house tonight? You know mother would prefer it." "No, you go on Hanabi." Hinata said quietly.
The truth was, she hadn't felt fully comfortable in the Hyuuga compound. It had always been a difficult place for her with her father's views on her prowess. While her relationship with Hanabi had strengthened, that wasn't enough to draw her back to her childhood home; especially not after Neji's death. Despite their rough start early in childhood, she missed her cousin dearly.
Hinata said her goodbyes to Sakura and left the Konaha hospital, walking down the familiar streets of Konaha without thinking much. She passed Icharacu ramen and smiled as she always did when she thought of her husband. She almost went in, but decided against it; they ate ramen enough as it was when Naruto was home.
"Hinata." Iruka's voice was warm as he greeted her and Hinata smiled in return. "Father! What brings you here?" She smiled at his blush; ever since she had called him father before her wedding to Naruto, he flushed whenever she said it. "I was just passing by." Iruka shrugged, and Hinata's eyebrow rose slightly. She had "just happened to run into" Iruka or Konahamaru every day since Naruto left on his most recent mission. She shook her head. "I'm fine, Iruka sensei. I just left the hospital, and Sakura is pleased." "You went alone?" Iruka frowned, and Hinata blushed painfully at the thought of her former teacher accompanying her to her appointment, father of her husband or no. "No, my sister was with me. And really, sensei, I am fine. I don't know what promise you made to Naruto, but you don't need to watch me all the time…"
"Hinata!" Konahamaru's voice rang out and Hinata sighed slightly. She was too polite to express the mild annoyance this had become. Besides, it was sweet of Naruto to worry enough to ask two of the most important people in his life to look after her. But still; there was a limit. "I'm going home now." Hinata said quietly, bowing slightly. "Have a good evening, both of you."
Not long after that, Hinata sat at the kitchen table, staring absently at the clock on the wall. She couldn't sleep. She didn't sleep well when he was away anyway, but with the baby, it was harder. Before her pregnancy, she would be on missions as often as he was, after all. Sometimes, they would only be home together for a week or two at a time during the month. But those were always the happiest times.
Hinata started slightly as she heard a rustling noise. Silently, she activated her eyes, scanning the area outside her home, relaxing when she noticed the familiar shape outside. Quietly, she poured a cup from the tea kettle on the table, taking it outside. The retainer from her childhood was outside, keeping watch over the little house. She smiled wryly. "Tea, Ume?" She said quietly, and he slipped from the shadows, bowing. "No thank you, Lady Hinata. You can't sleep?" "Sometimes it's difficult, with the baby." She murmured. "Did father send you?" "Not explicitly. But he and your mother do wish that you would stay at the compound, at least while your husband is away."
Hinata sighed. It never failed with father. "Tell him that I am fully capable of protecting myself and my baby, Ume." She murmured. "And that Naruto will return as soon as he can."
Ume blushed. "Of course, Lady Hinata. Forgive me; we're merely concerned for your welfare."
Hinata nodded, choosing to drop it, and instead donned a sweater. "Lady Hinata…" Ume said uncertainly, but Hinata shook her head, tying her hair back into a low ponytail. "I'll be fine, Ume." She said softly. "Please, return to the compound."
As she always did when she needed to think, Hinata's feet found their way to the academy and the swing where she had so often seen Naruto as a child. She sat on it, pushing herself with her feet enough to drift lazily on the swing. She knew everyone meant well, but sometimes, the attention was suffocating. She rested a hand on her belly, smiling slightly as she felt the baby, her son, move slightly against her hand. He was pretty active in there.
She heard the running feet before she saw anyone. Wordlessly, she scanned the area with her eyes, not entirely surprised to see Konahamaru, but surprised to see him running. He stopped in front of her, breathless, his eyes guarded but obviously concerned. Her heart sank. "Lord Sixth is asking for you. I went to your house, but you weren't there!" He said in a rush, and Hinata grew even more uneasy. "How did you know where to find me?" She said quietly, standing and following him at a slower pace. "You always come here when he's gone." Konahamaru said simply, and Hinata nearly smiled, though worry bound her up a bit too much to really do so.
Though it was late, Kakashi was seated behind his desk, the lights in the office on. "I'm not saying that anything bad has happened to him." Kakashi said again, studying Hinata's face. "I'm only saying that we lost contact with his team and haven't been able to reestablish. It's been over 24 hours now, which is why I'm telling you. He's considered MIA until we can reestablish contact with him, or a member of the cell he's with." Kakashi was speaking slowly, gauging Hinata's reactions as he spoke. Konahamaru, still in the room, had a gentle hand on Hinata's shoulder. Kakashi was grateful; the young soon to be mother looked as if she might faint.
Kakashi continued. "Hinata, please understand, this is a formality. But as his next of kin, you needed to be informed and…" "I'm not worried, Lord Sixth." Hinata said firmly, the conviction clear on her pale face. "I'm…concerned that he hasn't been in contact, but I'm sure he's fine. I believe that he is fine." Kakashi blinked. "Of course, Hinata, I just wanted to keep you informed." "Thank you, sir." Hinata said softly, bowing slightly. She glanced up at Konahamaru, instantly understanding the tight set of his jaw. Obviously, Kakashi understood as well. "No, Konahamaru. We don't know where he is, and you have your own mission to leave for tomorrow." Konahamaru opened his mouth to protest, but Kakashi held up a hand. "I said no. Besides, he is one of the most accomplished ninja in the world, supported by each of the 5 Kage. As Hinata already said, he is fine; knowing Naruto, he just forgot to report in or something." Kakashi said lightly, though Hinata knew that the lightness was for her benefit. Naruto may have very well forgot to report in, but she also knew that Shikamaru and Sai were his companions on this particular mission, and neither of them would neglect that particular duty. Out of everything, this is what concerned her the most regarding the lack of contact; if they hadn't checked in, it meant that, for some reason, they felt like they couldn't.