Astrocam: Hey, so it seems a few of you are getting confused. I told you in the beginning, this is a sequel to another story that I had written, called "Summer Paradise". So if you don't understand what's going on in this story, perhaps you should check the other one out so that it will make sense. Anyway.
Thanks to anyone who liked it, and who has been following me since my other story :) I'll be sure to keep the fun going.
Chapter Two - Hopelessly Lost (Hinata)
Hinata pulled into the driveway of her apartment building. She loved being married to Gaara, however she felt sorry for poor Naruto. The guy was obviously deprived. She racked her brain, trying to think if she knew anyone who was single that he could hook up with.
Gaara was waiting for her at the door, crossed arms and tapping his foot. "Where were you? You didn't answer my text."
"I'm sorry. I was with Naruto. We were watching a movie."
"Is that all?"
Hinata rolled her eyes. "If you don't trust me by now then why are we married? Does my hair look like I just had sex? Is my make up smudged all over my face? I don't think so. I got your text and I came home right away. If I was having sex, I'm pretty sure I would have ignored your message. So stop doubting me every time I see him! I know I kissed him once when I was with you, but that was way back when I was confused. I love you, and I love him, but I love him in a different way."
He sighed, his eyes softening. "I'm sorry. Stressful day again. I should have quit back when I wanted to. I'm really thinking about it now. I'm tired of seeing people die."
Hinata immediately felt bad for snapping. "W-who now?" She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"A baby and a mother."
"What?!" Hinata gasped, looking up into his eyes. She saw his eyes begin to fill up with tears.
"Car accident. We were the first on the scene, since we were the closest to the site of the crash. I got there. The car was smashed into a tree pretty bad. The mother wasn't very responsive, and I knew she wasn't going to make it. I reached into the open window to hold her hand. She told me to please save her baby, then she died just like that. I looked into the backseat, and saw the baby covered in blood as well. It wasn't crying, it wasn't moving. I think it was already dead before I got there, and maybe the mother didn't realize it."
"Omigod, I'm so sorry," Hinata squeezed him tightly.
He embraced her, then she felt his shoulders begin to shake. He was crying.
"I'm really tired of this. Then I have to put the burden on you when you come home. I came home earlier than I expected, the guys knew that what had happened bothered me so they let me go. The place was pretty slow after that anyway. I want to quit. I think I will put in my two weeks notice tomorrow. Then I'll look for a job. I have enough hours that I can get unemployment if I need to. But really, I thought I could do this when I first joined but I'm just too soft. Especially now that I'm married to you. I'm worried that I'll get shot, or something."
"But what kind of job would you look for after this?" Hinata was worried about him. He did often come home stressed or upset, or angry at something. She didn't like his mood swings. And she didn't like the things that he had to see while he was at work, either.
"I don't know. Maybe I'll follow Naruto's footsteps and go to college. I already took that course in the police academy but...I just want to be able to spend time with you and not have to worry about if I'm going to die everyday on the job. When's the last time we went on a date?"
Hinata had to admit, it was probably back before they'd gotten married. "I-it's been a while."
"Exactly, just because we're married now doesn't mean that we should stop having dates. In fact, going on dates while you're married is a good thing. Keeps things from getting too boring. Not that I would ever get bored of you. It's just a nice break from the routine." Gaara sighed, kissing her on the forehead and running his hands through his hair, his eyes now free of tears. "But while I'm going to college again, I don't want you to have to pay for everything. I'll get another part time job to at least be able to help."
"I make a l-lot of money, don't worry about it," Hinata could fend for herself if needed. Plus her father wouldn't hesitate to help them out, if things went wrong for the two of them financially.
"But the guy is supposed to be the provider, the protector, and I'm not doing a good job of that," Gaara protested, breaking away from her and heading towards their bedroom.
She followed him, wanting to break him out of his funk and have him be that carefree person she had known when they'd first gotten married. And sometimes even sexy time wouldn't cure it in the long run. She hoped he wouldn't suffer from post-traumatic disorder after he quit.
He sat on the bed, reaching his arms out for her. She fell into them, and he pulled her close, kissing her with a renewed fervor. Hinata gasped, it had been a few days since he'd kissed her like this. She poured everything she had into the kiss, wanting him to know how much she loved him.
It didn't take long for their clothes to come off.
Gaara was on top of her, pounding into her mercilessly. Hinata cried out, reaching both of her hands behind her to hold onto the bedposts. She thrust her hips up to meet his, forcing him deeper and deeper into her. She loved when he was rough and to the point, but she also loved when he was soft and gentle with the lovemaking. His hands reached down to massage her breasts, flicking and teasing the nipples, never stopping his motion.
"Gaara!" Hinata cried as she came, the first time she'd ever called his name during sex.
He spilled himself into her at that moment, breathing hard, his face sheen with sweat. He gazed into her eyes as he pulled out of her, kissing her gently on the lips. "You're so hot when you say my name," he grinned playfully, and Hinata wished that he was like this all the time. He used to be.
They no longer used a condom since they were married, however Hinata was on birth control because they still weren't ready for a child yet. So far they hadn't had anymore accidents.
"See? This time with you makes me feel much better. I just don't want to have to put you through stress and worry every time I come home," he sighed, laying down beside her and draping an arm around her stomach. They were still naked.
"I-I know. Both of us working shift jobs is s-stressful," Hinata agreed, turning so that she was facing him and curling into him.
"I love you," he whispered, softly kissing her forehead.
She closed her eyes, listening to his heartbeat, and soon was asleep.
The next day, Hinata hung out with Naruto again while Gaara was at work. She trusted Naruto now, especially after he'd stayed in control last night while cudlding with her. Gaara knew they were hanging out but warned her to keep her distance.
Hinata and Naruto were walking in the park. The weather was chilly since it was still March, but it was a beautiful sunny day.
"I love these days," Naruto commented. "It means that spring and summer are coming."
"That's true," Hinata agreed. "It's a nice time of year."
"For sure. How are you and Gaara, by the way?"
Hinata shrugged. "I-I guess we're fine."
"You guess?"
"Gaara has been talking about leaving his job for a year now, but he hasn't left it yet. It can get on my nerves. He can't handle people dying in front of him, and w-who can blame him? But I'm a nurse, I've had people die too. I've had this old lady who was so sweet, but she died a few hours after I was in her room for the last time." Hinata sighed wistfully. She remembered Ino's death as well, the image would always haunt her.
"Maybe yours is different. Gaara has to go right to the scene, where they are bloody and beaten and whatever happened to them is fresh. Then they come to the hospital and are treated by doctors. After the initial surgeries, clean up and whatever, that's where you come in to care for them while they are there."
"I suppose. I haven't actually seen a person die, yet, besides...well, um. It's just heartbreaking when someone you cared for didn't make it." Hinata stopped walking, then reached down to pick up a handful of light, fluffy snow. It was cold, but she was wearing gloves.
Naruto stopped as well, also picking up a handful of snow "It's hard, yes. Believe me, I know."
"S-sorry." Hinata knew that Ino's death was still a touchy subject for him.
"It's ok. I haven't heard her voice since yesterday. Maybe I was just delusional, I don't know." Naruto sounded almost sad, as if he didn't want Ino's voice to leave him. "I miss her, still. A year and a half later."
"Of course you will. You'll always miss her. She was your girlfriend." Hinata let the snow trickle through her fingers, watching it catch the sparkle in the sunlight.
Naruto tossed his handful of snow to the ground. "I'm still so angry at myself. If I had've paid more attention then I would have been able to avoid that stupid drunk driver. I can still see the look on her face when the other guy hit us. That was the last time I saw her alive."
"Shh, it wasn't your fault." Hinata walked up to him and rubbed his back. "We all agreed that it's not your fault, even her parents didn't charge you. They don't blame you, either."
"It's so hard to deal with, everyday. I know it's not my fault, but I keep feeling like I killed her, you know?" Naruto looked up towards the sun, the rays catching his blond hair. Then, Hinata felt his body go stiff. His eyes darted around, but he didn't move.
"What's wrong?" she asked, startled by his weird behavior.
He paused for a few seconds, as if he was listening to someone talking to him who wasn't Hinata. Then he finally spoke. "Ino just said...she said that I didn't kill her."
Hinata blinked. "Y-you heard her voice again?"
"Yeah..." he trailed off, his body relaxing. "She also said I need to stop blaming myself because it wasn't my fault. And she is glad that I can talk to you about her. She's glad I have a good friend such as you. God, I even sound insane to myself."
"No, you're not. I believe you." Hinata didn't doubt Naruto for a second about hearing Ino's voice. He wouldn't make something like this up just to get attention.
Naruto suddenly smiled, though a bit sadly. "Thanks, I'm glad you don't judge me. If I told this to Sasuke, however, he would look at me like I'm an idiot. He's my best friend but some things I just don't tell him. I tell you everything, so you are my best friend too. You're the only one who knows about this, and it will probably stay that way. Unless you tell Gaara."
Hinata shook her head. "I won't, unless you want me to. Maybe you could get a male's point of view. Not saying you have to. Just an idea. I know Gaara wouldn't judge you, or laugh at you either."
He shrugged. "Maybe. I'll see."
"I-I was thinking that maybe you have some sort of gift. Like, remember the show Ghost Whisperer, where Melinda can see the ghosts? And her friend Eli can hear them? Maybe you're like Eli," Hinata suggested, with a bit of humor in her voice.
Naruto grinned. "Maybe. But I only hear Ino. And she's not a ghost. It's more like she's guiding me."
"This could just be a start. Never know."
"True. I like talking to you. You just know how to make me feel better." Naruto reached over to give her a hug.
Hinata hugged him back, closing her eyes and laying her head on his chest. She loved these moments with him. Even if they could never be together, she would always be his best friend. That was enough for her.
"I still feel bad about being an asshole to you when I was dating Ino. I swear that the next girl who comes along, I won't be like that." Naruto gripped her waist, as if he never wanted to let go.
"I know." Hinata sighed.
They stayed embraced, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. The warm sun beating down on them, the air chilly around them besides where their bodies connected. The sparkling snow all around them, only disturbed by their footsteps. A few birds were chirping.
It was perfect, almost magic.
"I still love you." Naruto suddenly murmured in her ear.
And, because she didn't know what else to say, Hinata whispered, "I love you, too."
She could feel Naruto's grin against her hair. At least she made him smile.
"I know we can't be together. I'm glad you're with someone who cares for you and protects you. I would do the same, but if I can't then at least he can." Naruto ran his fingers through her hair gently, twirling it around his fingers. "I'll settle with being your best friend."
A sudden whirl of emotions bubbled up inside Hinata, something she hadn't felt since she'd made the decision to date Gaara over Naruto. No, don't start feeling for him again. Keep the feelings down like you have for so long. Don't ruin the moment.
Reluctantly, before she could think anymore errant thoughts, she pulled back from him, out of the embrace. "Well, it's about a two hour walk back to the car. M-maybe we should..." she trailed off, looking up at him smiling down at her. He didn't make a move to kiss her or anything, he was just grinning and it made her smile back at him. She couldn't believe how mature he was now compared to his high school self. How much they had gone through, how much he had changed.
He placed his hand on the top of her head and mussed up her hair. "Imagine Gaara's face if you walked in with hair like that," he snorted, laughing at the thought.
Hinata's eyes widened, and she made a grab for him, but he dodged it and banged his head into a low tree branch that he hadn't seen before.
He grabbed his head. "Ouch! Damn that smarts."
"A-are you ok?" Hinata ignored her now messy hair and went over to Naruto, gently pressing on the top of his head where he had hit the tree. "It's just a bump, you'll be fine."
Naruto smiled at her tenderness. "I know you're a nurse but you don't have to check me every time I get hurt."
Hinata blushed, something she hadn't done around him in a long time as the butterflies returned suddenly. "S-sorry. Habit."
"I think you should do something about that awful sex hair, or Gaara will be pissed when he finds out what -" he was cut off when she started chasing him.
She chased him for quite a while, laughing all the way, but sadly he was faster and finally she gave up. Once they slowed to a walk, they realized they had not gone towards the car as planned, but instead had run away from it.
"I-I don't recognize this area of the park," Hinata admitted, a bit nervous and out of breath after her run.
"Shit, me either. I'm sure if we turn around and go back where we came, we'll eventually find the way out of here. It's not that big, right?" Naruto bent over, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "Damn. I haven't run like that in a long time. Makes me realize how out of shape I am."
"M-me too," Hinata panted, leaning against a tree.
After a few minutes of resting, Hinata was ready to go again. It was early afternoon now, the sun high above their heads. Surely they wouldn't be lost. It was a park in the middle of a city. If they walked in any direction, they should make it out somewhere in a couple hours at most.
"I'm thinking that way," Naruto pointed in the direction in which they had come running from.
"Yeah, that would be a good place to start." Hinata agreed, and they set off down the forested trail, the rays of sun at their backs.
"Ok, why the hell is this taking so long? We didn't run that far..." Naruto groaned about a half hour later.
Hinata sighed. "M-my feet are tired. Can we sit down?"
"Sure, there's a bench up ahead," Naruto noticed, and they headed towards it and sat down.
"What's more alarming is, I-I haven't seen a person yet," Hinata commented after a few minutes.
"True. It's cold out, but people like to come here for walks and exercising no matter the time of year. Why haven't we seen anyone?"
Hinata plucked her cell phone out of her pocket. She had one text message from Gaara. But she couldn't reply back because she no longer had service. She checked the message anyway.
It said, Hey babe, how is your day with Naruto? I'm here at work, bored, wishing I could be with you now. See you after five, ok? I don't have a night shift tonight, thank God. And they assured me they won't call me back in, we're not very busy today at all.
Hinata couldn't help but smile at that. Gaara didn't have a night shift, finally! It had been what, a few weeks since he'd come home at a decent time?
"You got a message from Gaara?" Naruto poked at her.
Hinata poked him back. "Y-yes. No night shift tonight, and he'll be home after f-five. But it's already two in the afternoon. I have no service so I can't text him back. He'll be worried until I write back."
Naruto also held up his cell phone. "I don't have any service either. Damn, are we that far away from the car? What time did we get here?"
"Around eleven in the morning. We've been walking for three hours," Hinata calculated quickly.
"Well, I guess we have nothing to do but keep going. We'll get out of here eventually, let's not panic just yet," Naruto decided. "Are you ready to keep going?"
"Yes."
They stood. Naruto lead the way and then Hinata fell into step beside him.
"Dammit, what the hell? It's like this damn park goes on forever!" Naruto cursed another hour later.
They were still no closer to civilization and they had not seen a single person. The magic from earlier was gone now. It was eerie, almost spooky and frightening. Even though the sun was still shining, it was starting to dip below the tall trees, casting shadows over everything. Hinata felt jumpy, cold, tired, hungry, and just wanted to be in Gaara's arms.
She still hadn't answered his message, because she hadn't had any signal. He was going to be really worried. He'd probably even be angry when she got home, but when she explained what happened he would understand.
She briefly wondered if anyone else had gotten lost in the park. And if they were ever heard from again.
Naruto was frustrated. "I don't understand! Why don't I recognize anything? It's like it's a whole different park!"
Hinata stopped walking, wrapping her arms around herself, shoving her cold hands under her arms. "I-I don't know, but I'm cold."
Naruto sighed, bringing her into an embrace. "I'm cold, too. This sucks."
They stood, shivering together for a few minutes. Hinata snuggled in as tight as she could, trying to ignore the brisk, cool air around her.
"I-I'm afraid we may have to walk the rest of the way like this," she admitted sadly, not wanting to let go.
"I agree." Naruto started to shuffle forward, and at first Hinata thought he was joking, but then realized he was serious.
She shuffled along with him, but they made very little progress. Sadly, she knew she'd have to break apart from him if they hoped to find their way out of this maze.
Naruto sighed, breaking the embrace. "We need to think about this. We can't just keep wandering aimlessly. Does anything look familiar at all to you?"
"No," Hinata stepped back from him, feeling his warmth leave her and shivering again.
"Me either. Ugh, now what?"
"I-I guess what else do we do but keep going?" Hinata shrugged, wishing she had cell phone signal so she could let Gaara know that she was ok.
"Yeah, you're right. There's not much else we can do. Let's just walk some more. Maybe something will look familiar to us." Naruto started forward again, Hinata keeping pace but slowly growing weary.
They had to find their way out of this park. They just had to.
Astrocam: It seems like they got turned around. Will they find the way out?
