Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.
( Hinata is OCC in this fanfic just to let you know, she still has a crush on Naruto though ;D)

Naruto walked through the village deep in thought, as the people of Konoha worked busily around him. "Aww...Why haven't I become a chunnin yet? Everyone else in the rookie nine are chunnins exept me." He whined.

'Get over it brat.' snarled the Kyuubi.

'Shuddup fox!' yelled Naruto in his mind.

No reply.

'Heh, that's what I thought.' He thought satisfied.

Everything was silent for a moment.

A sudden uproar of noise shocked Naruto back to reality as the Hyuuga complex ruptured into a demolished heap. The people crowding the streets turned and stared gasping. "Oh no, Hinata! " He shouted, darting in between people crowding the streets as he made his way twords the Hyuuga place. 'Hinata, please be okay...'

Meanwhile....

Hinata lay on the floor of her room thinking of the blonde haired ninja she'd been in love with ever since they met at the academy two years ago. She had gone through a major change since then. She now had more confidence in herself, and she looked completely different then she did. Her short indigo hair now hung down to her lower back, and her pale whitish eyes she had when she was younger took on a slight purple color. And now she had the Hyuuga household all to herself. Her father had died of a sickness and Neji moved in with Tenten. Her little sister Hinabi seemed to have walked off the the face of the Earth. She heard a rumor that she was in the wave country, training with a former Hyuuga that had betrayed the clan and dissapeared, after being sentenced to execution.

Hinata turned on her back and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath in and huffed it out. 'I wonder what Naruto-kun's doing.'she thought. She started to play with her hair humming happily at the thought of him.

Hinata's eyes snapped open when she heard a creaking sound coming from the roof above her, dragging her out of her daydream. She propped herself on her hands, supporting her back as she sat up. She threw her head back and let out a scream of pain as the ceiling cascaded on top of her, sending debree on top of her and crushing her lungs. She lay there for a moment still processing what had just happened as conciousness slipped from her.

Naruto watched in disbelief as the Hyuuga compound crumbled into piles of wreck that were scattered everywhere. He ran blindly, as fast as he could. Instinctively he began tearing into the destruction.

His vision grew burred as his eyes brimmed with tears. He blamed himself. He always blamed himself when these things happened to his friends. But it was a freak thing, right? He cleared his mind of all thoughts and concentrated on finding Hinata.

Later he came upon a hand that seemed lifeless. 'Oh no, I'm too late.' was Naruto's first thought, until he heard sharp breathing underneath a sheet of drywall that covered the body that the hand belonged to. He removed the drywall effortlessly and gazed at the bruised and bloody form of the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata. He knelt down next to her and stroked her cheek trying to wake her up. Unfortunately his attempt failed which left him in agony. "Hinata!" he cried, cradling her limp body to his chest. No answer. " Please..... just don't die...don't die. Wake up for me... wake up!" Naruto wimpered. Eyes filled with salty tears, he began to sob into her shoulder, tightening his grasp around her and shaking rapidly. He'd never thought this would happen to a person like her...especially her.

"Naruto-kun...I can't...breath..."Hinata whispered, still in shock. Naruto sighed with relief and lifted his head to see her beaming up at him. He stood up carrying her bridal style and ran to the hospital, where Lady Tsunade was at this hour.

The hospital doors flung open as a blonde haired shinobi flew into the waiting room of the hospital, and ran to the the front desk where a pink haired kuniochi sat peacefully, doing her paperwork she'd been assigned to. She looked up as Naruto darted off. "Naruto you BAKA! This is a hospital for goodness sake!"she screamed running after him. Her ears sere smoking and her face was blood red, holding the expression of a killing intention.

Naruto bolted into a hospital room, Sakura hot on his trail. She came into the room and punched him dead on the head. "Naruto if you ever come into this place like that again, I'll-" "Sakura-chan please help her." He said looking down at Hinata who had fallen asleep on the way."Naruto what happened?" Sakura asked motioning him to lay her on the bed in the corner of the room. "I was walking through the streets when the Hyuuga compound just crumbled out of nowhere. When I got there she was under a pile of drywall." Naruto said swallowing the painful lump in his throat, holding back tears.

"Hinata," Naruto cued waiting for a response," c'mon wake up already!" He was beginning to become impatient. When he didn't hear a reply, he sat in the chair next to the bed she lay. "I'm soooooooo boor-" He was cut off by a giggle that came from the supposedly unconcious, Hinata. He turned his head to where he could look at her, and saw she was still laying down, trying to stay as still as possible. Naruto smirked when he noticed it wasn't working out very well. "You know, I was also a prankster when I was little so any trick you have I've already seen or done myself." he said playfully."Awwww, how did you know I wasn't sleeping?" Hinata said pouting. She sat up, and stretched her arms and legs. "Well you gave yourself away with that giggle you let out." he stated jokingly. Naruto stood up from his chair, held out his hand, and helped her out of bed. She took it greatfully and landed gracefully on the floor. "Sakura said whenever you wake up you could leave the hospital," he told her,"so do you want to get something to eat? You look pretty hungry." "No it's okay, I'm not hungry." Hinata said softly, as her stomach growled. Hinata grabbed her stomach and wondered if Naruto had heard it. "Looks like your stomach disagrees." he laughed. "Fine you win..." She said in defeated tone. She ran out the door leaving a slightly confused Naruto behind and shouted, "But, you have to catch me first!" Naruto smiled his trademark grin and shot after her laughing uncontrollably.

Hinata ran down the stairs, and entered the lobby. Naruto soon came after her gasping for air. She then shot out the double doors of the hospital and found herself in the courtyard. Hinata glanced behind her to get a quick look of Naruto summoning shadow clones. 'Heehee, is he that desprate to find me?' she thought, smirking. Suddenly Naruto grabbed her hand, pulling her into him. She let out a shriek when he started to tickle her. "Naruto stop, *gasp*, please, heehee, that hurts!" she managed to say between laughs. Hinata tumbled into a soft patch of grass, breathing sharply. Naruto knelt down next to her and leaned over to where he was face to face with Hinata. "I win... again." he said enjoying his victory. Hinata then went limp refusing to get up. Seeing this, Naruto lifted her up and flung her over his shoulder. "Hey, that's cheating" Hinata complained. Naruto ignored her and yelled, "To Ichiraku's!!!"

Halfway to the ramen shop Naruto started to feel homesick. He hadn't been home in awhile since he spent the night at the hospital. Then it hit him like a kunia knife. Hinata's home had just been destroyed, and she had nowhere else to stay. He could possibly let her stay with him, but it would be kinda wierd having another person stay at his house due to him being so used to living alone for all his life. Especially since she was a girl. He shook the thought from his mind. ' Just because she's a girl staying at my house doesn't mean anything will happen.'
' Hey, brat.'

' Dammit Kyuubi! You just have to pop up now of all times!'

' Yep. I just like to torcher you with my presence, when you least want me to be there.'

' Well, go away.'

' Who's the girl? Is she your mate?'

' Don't change the subj-.... Wait mate?!'

' Yeah, what else would she be?'

' She's not my mate! She's my friend and comrade.'

' She's pretty.'

' Yeah I know that she's pretty.'

' Well then.... if you think she's pretty why don't you make her your mate?'

' We're not like that! Your starting to act like Ero- sennin! Now go away!'

' Whatever brat'

Naruto gently pulled Hinata off of his shoulder and started to say something when he noticed she was asleep.' I guess that means your going home with me.' he thought chuckling.

Naruto walked up the steps to his apartment and shifted Hinata over to where he could grab his house-key and unlock the door. Hinata stirred in his arms, making him worry that he woke her up. Naruto sighed in relief when he saw that she was still sleeping peacefully. Watching Hinata sleep made him feel sleepy himself. Naruto walked to his room and layed her on his bed. He wanted to wake her up and tell her to change into a night gown, but he couldn't find the heart to even touch her. She looked so peaceful laying there. He wanted to just crawl next ot her and fall asleep himself....' Wait, did I just think what I thought I just thought?' he thought. He lifted her head to where he could unzip her jacket and remove it before she got overheated. Naruto pulled the covers over her body and kissed her forehead." Goodnight Hinata" he whispered and hurried to his closet to pull out a spare blanket and pillow. Naruto glanced at the girl sleeping in his bed and smiled as he shut the door.

Naruto stumbled down the hallway and made his way to the living room. He crashed down onto the couch as thoughts of Hinata flooded his mind. He was happy to be living with someone...and with that he drifted to sleep.