Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Hinata waited at the gate since nine. It was almost one at night and her father and Hanabi had still not shown up. Tsunade had done a good job at healing everyone but she was still scared that Neji wouldn't make it. Naruto had brought Tsunade, her knight in shining armor had brought the best medic in the world to become the Hokage and heal Lee, who had not healed everyone that had been wounded while trying to get Sasuke back. The village was quiet for now, since everyone was sleeping but she knew once they woke up, they would continue to blame Naruto for not bringing Uchiha-san back. The village had gossiped about it for far too long. It really seemed like there was nothing Naruto could do to get in their good graces.

Hinata POV

I looked through the gates one more time. Maybe I should go back to the hospital, I really hope Neji doesn't wake up alone. I rubbed my arms as another breeze seemed to pass through the area. But then that chakra signature, I knew it. Naruto. I looked up the only road that led out of the village. It was Naruto-kun…with a huge bag on his back. Was he going on another mission?

This late, no one but ANBU would leave this late. Izumi realized his presence too.

"Naruto!" Izumi waved his hand happily at him but Naruto didn't reply, he didn't lift his head and smile, nor did he yell back.

What's wrong with Naruto? Until I looked up and saw multiple Naruto's raining down on Izumi, pummeling him. Naruto was still walking closer and closer to me. You can't be leaving too, can you Naruto?

I activated my Byakugan.

"N-naruto-kun, i-it's so l-late? What are you doing here?" I stuttered

Naruto stopped walking and looked up at me. His eyes, his eyes were devoid of the happiness and sadness that they always held. Instead they were cold. I could feel myself shiver just looking at them.

"T-this is the only w-way out of the v-v-village. Do y-you have a m-mission?" I was hoping that he would say yes. That he just knocked out Izumi as part of one big joke

"You should go home Hinata-chan" Naruto said as he started walking closer to me

"Why are you leaving Naruto?!" I yelled, finally I didn't stutter, "I'm n-not l-letting you leave!" Crap my stutter was back, I bowed my head letting my hair cover my face. I saw Naruto's feet stop right in front of mine. I was scared to look up at him, I knew I was shivering visibly. I felt his hand on my shoulder

"Goodbye Hinata-chan," Naruto said was he tried to walk around me, but thankfully my subconscious was faster than me. I turned around and grab his sweater, he stopped walking

"I-I l-love you N-Naruto-kun! I k-know y-you never noticed m-me, but e-ever since you s-saved me from those b-bullies, I-I a-admired you." I knew by now my tears were streaming, they were so hot that they were starting to burn my skin. I really wished that the cold breeze from earlier could come again. Come on we can do it, we can speak faster. We have to make Naruto stay. I have to stall long enough for dad to come. Dad is strong enough to stop. If I can't stop him, dad can. No, Shikamaru's dad was with them, he could bind Naruto.

"And t-then s-slowly I-I started to fall in l-l-love with you. E-even though, I never m-managed the c-courage t-to g-go over to you and i-interact with you, I still watched you f-from the background. I know only S-Sakura exist in your world. B-But s-stay, I love you enough s-so that you'll never feel l-lonely again. I k-know you were always alone, but I'll change. I'll become stronger in order to stay by your side. I don't care whether you are the nine-tails host…" Naruto jumped. Is he going to do something? No keep talking, "or n-not. T-to me you a-are just N-Naruto. I love you!"

Naruto moved out of my grasp. No…he's hugging me. I feel like I want to melt.

Normal POV

Naruto hugged her from behind as tightly as he could, "Thank you Hinata, but I can't protect the village and everyone else if I stay. I…" Naruto hesitated. What was the point of telling her that he realized her feelings. His short travels with Jiraya had opened his eyes, "I love you too Hinata." Naruto knew he shouldn't have said that but it was true in some sense, he loved her as a sister. Maybe he could have loved her more had he paid more attention to her, but it was too late for that. Naruto let go of her slowly and began to step back. His hands dropped to his sides and he turned. To continue walking.

Hinata swiveled on her heels, "then take me with you! Don't leave me!"

Naruto flickered behind her and hit the back of her neck. Hinata started falling to the ground. Naruto catches her bridal style and leans her against the gates. Naruto brushes the tear streaks away from her face. He takes off his hiate and takes a kunai out and scratches through the Konoha symbol. He takes out Sasuke's own to and puts both in Hinata's pocket and stands up

"Forget about me Hina-chan…"

Hinata POV

My eyes, brightness. My eyes fluttered open. White? Why was the room white? I closed my eyes and sat up in the bed.

Naruto!

My eyes snapped open only to see Tsunade and Shikamaru looking at me.

"Your awake Hinata," Tsunade walked closer to me and puts her arm around me, "Can you tell me what happened to you and Izumi?"

"N-Naruto" I whispered

"Naruto?" Tsunade said in surprise, "What happened to Naruto?"

"H-he l-left…" I whispered. I didn't think she could hear me. But she did, in the next second she was already out the room. My tears had started again. I looked at Shikamaru.

"Sh-Shika-kun…H-he…" I started to sob. Shikamaru muttered his normal troublesome and walked over and put his arm on my shoulder. I opened my eyes slowly at the realization of Shikamaru's gesture, it was the same thing that Naruto did to me before he left. He said he loved me but he left. I could hear my heart breaking, I heard it clearly like the sound of a baseball hitting a window at full speed. I could feel the hurt, the pain. But for some reason that hurt, that pain. Was slowly turning into a cold, a numbness that I never felt before. My tears were slowing. He said he loved me right before leaving.

"Forget me Hinata"

He didn't love me. He only said that to get me to lower my guard. He used my feeling for him. He used me. Took advantage of me. I felt the line between hate and love merging. I hated him. I started to shake violently. I have my new objective in life. Become strong enough to kill Naruto. And get revenge for using me, using my innocent love for him.

I hate you Naruto

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Sakura POV

Sasuke and Naruto had left the village and all I could do was cry. A knock came on the front door. My mother answered the door. I really didn't want to go downstairs and see who it was.

"Sakura your friends are here!" my mom called up the stairs.

Friends. Both my best friends left the village.

"I don't think she's coming down, you could go up if you like. Both her teammates leaving has her very sad. Please cheer her up for me" Sakura's mom allowed the guest to go up the stairs.

Someone knocked my door.

"Sakura-chan"

That was Hinata's voice, but she didn't stutter.

"Come in" Wow my voice is shaky. When was the last time I spoke? Days.

Both Hinata and Shikamaru walked into my room. Hinata locked eyes with me and for I froze. Those weren't her eyes, they were cold, harden, and determined. They looked a lot like Sasuke's. Shikamaru closed the door behind them and they leaned against the wall. Something must be up, Shikamaru has never been close to Hinata or I. Why would he be here with Hinata? In my house, no less.

"Sakura-chan…" Hinata looked me straight in the eyes, "What do you want more than anything?"

Hinata's new voice was surprising, it was gentle and melodious but still strong. The stutter was gone. I was surprised more than anything more by her voice than by her question. What did I want more than anything? I looked over to the photo of Team 7.

"Them," I turned to Hinata, "I want them back" my voice slowly growing more determined. Hinata nodded her head

"Then the three of us, let's get stronger together. We'll help you bring Sasuke-san back but" Hinata paused, "You'll have to defeat me to bring Naruto back, because my new goal…" Hinata stops again

Her new goal? What could her new goal be that she wouldn't say that she would help me bring back Naruto. I would need to defeat her.

"My new goal is to kill Naruto" Hinata whispered

I jumped off my bed. I could feel my anger boiling. She even dropped the Kun from his name

"What did you say!?" I yelled, I wanted to punch Hinata. This wasn't Hinata. The Hinata I knew loved Naruto more than anything.

"He used my love. When I begged him to stay, I told him I loved him. Do you know Sakura? He said he loved me back. He hugged me. I almost melted but he used my feelings to leave, to make me lower my guard so he could knock me unconscious." Hinata's voice started to scare me. Did Naruto-kun really say he loved her? Did he really lie to her?

"I hate him, Sakura. I'm going to kill him. That's my new goal. So, let's become stronger together. Bring Sasuke back, then you and Shikamaru become strong enough to stop me from killing Naruto. Let's do whatever we can to become the strongest" says Hinata

"Shikamaru-kun. Are you hearing her?" I asked him

"It's a troublesome idea but Sakura-chan. I need to become stronger I need to make sure that other than just being a brain, I can protect the one's I care for. I couldn't do that with the Sasuke recovery mission Sakura. Sasuke-san and Naruto-san are precious to this village and so is my family. I'm going to make sure I can protect them. When it's time, we'll stop Hinata-chan and bring Naruto home Sakura-chan. We need you as part of this group." Shikamura said determined

This was asinine. Lazy Shikamaru was willing to work hard to get his goal done. And he just moved all of my resolve to tell Hinata that she was crazy. I dropped back on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. Maybe just maybe, I could grow stronger. Instead of standing behind Sasuke and Naruto, I would stand in front of them. I would save them. I sighed out loud. This was crazy, but Sasuke and Naruto were worth it

"Sakura-chan" Hinata called my name. I brought my gaze down and looked at her. Her hand was outstretched with to hiate's with slashes through them. I recognized them immediately and snatched them from her. Naruto-kun's and Sasuke-kun's. These were Naruto-kun's and Sasuke-kun's. I wanted to cry and I felt my eyes filling up with tears. But now wasn't the time to cry. I looked and Hinata and felt my new determination raising up in me. I'm coming for you Sasuke-kun.

"Hinata" She looked at me. "I'm not going allow you to hurt Naruto-kun"

Shikamaru closed his eyes and smiled, "This is going to be troublesome"