In Time She Will Be Happy Too

(Chapter 2)

Lorelai Kline

A/N: I must warn you. This chapter is sort of graphic... and really angsty. I'm not too thrilled with it, but it had to be done to set this story in motion. I know it's boring and I know there's a severe lack of fluff, but I WILL make it up to you. This chapter basically explains stuff... Consider this fic an AU since it only bears some resemblance to the actual storyline. Just have faith in me and at least try to enjoy this chapter. I know it isn't fun, but things will improve! BELIEVE IT!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I wish I did. I also wish I owned trillions of dollars. I'm thinking both may be a little beyond Santa's reach.

Hinata wasn't surprised that she hadn't seen Sasuke since that stormy night when he had been the one to say the words she had longed to hear all her life. It was a bit of a shock to her system to say the least, and she was grateful for the time to re-collect herself and attempt to organize her jumbled thoughts. So much had changed around and inside of her since the battle for Konoha and she never realized just how long it had been since she had simply taken the time to stop and think.

In that horrible time of bloodshed she had gone against everything she was being molded into. Instead of joining her fellow ninja in the violent battle, she had taken it upon herself to heal those who had fallen. There was a desparate need for skilled healers at the time and without medical support the warriors of Konoha would've been overwhelmed. Hinata remembered the disgust and hatred turned upon her by members of her clan when they saw that she was not fighting. The Hyuuga philosophy was that of survival of the fittest, a philosophy that Hinata disagreed with.

But it wasn't just the fact that she had been healing instead of hurting in the battle that had changed the way people looked at her so drastically. It wasn't just the warriors on her side that she had aided. When Hinata saw that Sakura and Tsunade were getting things under control with the Konoha troops, she ventured into enemy lines and began to assist those whose injuries were potentially fatal. Her actions were an open betrayal of Konoha, but at the time she hadn't cared. What mattered was that people were dying that didn't need to be.

As she healed the enemy she paid no heed to the men that stopped to watch her. She didn't hear them debate on whether or not they should kill her when she was saving one of their own. She was too busy saving a life. It wasn't her concern that this was the life of an enemy; A life was a life, and to her all life was precious. She hated this meaningless conflict in the name of power, she loathed the fact that this fight was causing so much pain, and she was disgusted by the fact that she was intended to be a part of the suffering.

In that time, as she worked to halt the gushing of blood from a deep wound surrounded by the sounds of war and sorrow, she had an earth-shattering epiphany. She wasn't meant to be an heiress, a ninja, or even a Hyuuga. She willed back the tears that stung her eyes and licked off the blood from her lip that she had been biting. She forced herself to wait until the fighting stopped or she was killed before she would let herself dwell on the matter any longer. Now was not the best time to have a revelation.

As she wrapped the wound that she had successfully mended a hand fisted itself in her hair and dragged her up from her knees. She stared into the eyes of a desparate and angry man who shook her a few times before half spitting and half screaming in her face.

"You will help him!!!" The man shouted. It was not a request, but it didn't need to be. Hinata bit her lip and nodded firmly, even though it meant that her hair was pulled painfully in the man's fist.

The stranger let go of her hair and roughly grabbed her by her upper arm, bruising the skin and smearing her sleeve with the blood that was caked on his hands. Hinata stumbled along, mentally trying to prepare herself to fix whatever damage that had caused this man to turn to an enemy for assistance. In her heart she knew it would be gruesome, but when she was shoved to the ground next to a spasming body she had to bite back a scream. It wasn't so much the body, which was covered in deep wounds that were oozing blood while it convulsed in unfathomable agony, as it was what was fisted in the body's hand.

Orochimaru's head, blinking up at her and mouthing silent curses, completely detatched from its body.

Hinata shivered and choked back rising bile as she forced herself to focus on the man in need of her help. She was able to transfer some of her own chakra into the seizing form, replenishing enough to stop the seizures. She quickly set to work on the deepest wound, a ragged gash on the right side of the neck that had nearly severed the jugular vein. As she wove tissue back together she realized that the wound was self-inflicted, and it was made by the victim clawing at his neck with ferocity. As she mended the final layer of skin back together and stitched it in place she saw an unusual scar that looked almost like tribal markings where the assault on their personal being had been most frenzied.

Hinata mentally shook herself and shoved the curiosity to the back of her mind as she raced against time to save the stranger before her. She sliced open the front of the bloodstained shirt the person was wearing and took note that her patient was a male around her age of considerable physical prowess. This comforted her in that it would mean healing would be easier than in other cases. Another brutal gash dominated the man's stomach, looking as though it was meant to pierce through the body. Hinata shuddered as she lost more chakra while healing such intense injuries. Soon enough Hinata had mended the most dangerous wounds to the best of her ability. However, she was suffering from expending so much chakra at once and she was feeling lightheaded and nausiated.

She looked at the head still firmly grasped in the man's bloody hands and swallowed more bile. In a bold guesture, she began to remove the head in hopes of burning it. In an instant all she could see were two swirling red eyes glaring at her. It happened so fast that fear came as an afterthought. Hinata coughed and let out a hoarse shriek as her wrist was grasped so tightly in the man's hand that she could feel the bones fracturing.

"NO." The man stated in a rhaspy but firm tone. A tone that Hinata instantly recognized with mounting dread. Apparently the man recognized her as well as his eyes widened a tiny fraction before narrowing again.

"Hyuuga..." He stated.

Hinata was hypervhentilating and her head was pounding, but she managed to cough out the name of the man she had saved.

"Uchiha... Uchiha S-Sasuke...".

Sasuke appraised her and hid the shock he was feeling from showing in his expression. "What are you doing? Have you betrayed everyone too?!" He barked.

Hinata was afraid, but she was also concerned, and her concern gave her the strength she needed to speak. "I... I was healing you... A-And trying to g-get rid of that," she pointed to Orochimaru's head," And I'm no traitor. I simply did what I f-felt was h-honorable".

This seemed an acceptable answer to Sasuke and he nodded grimly. " I'm afraid I need this", he held up Orochimaru's head for better viewing, making Hinata cringe and look away, " So that I may redeem myself" he whispered.

Hinata somehow was able to smile regardless of the storm of emotions she was feeling. "I-I never knew y-you would seek re-redemption for d-doing what you felt was right..." She said softly.

Sasuke took another good look at Hinata, as if he were trying to see into her soul, but was surprised to find her looking right back at him. This was not the same girl he knew so long ago and he wondered if everyone else had changed as much as the brave young woman who stared back at him. With that thought his eyes rolled back into his head and he slipped into unconciousness.

Hinata watched Sasuke a few moments longer before letting herself breathe again. She was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She would have so much to answer for, and just as much to question. She too felt herself slipping away, and she welcomed the blissful darkness; Knowing that when she awoke from it things would never be the same again.

Hinata sighed as she let the memory slip away. Her heart ached and she wept softly. Things had changed, and she felt herself being ripped apart as she wondered how life would have been if she had just done what everyone else expected her too. Her sobs got stronger as she remembered everything that had happened after she had awoken in the hospital to the furious expression of her father, the scandalized look on her cousin Neji's face, and her sensei, Kurenai's, look of dissappointment and hurt.

Her clan had excommunicated her and had beseeched the Hokage to banish her. She had been aprehended and imprisoned by ANBU for treason and insuboordination. She had been interrogated by Tsunade herself and although her crimes were forgiven Tsunade had told her "You have dissappointed not just myself, your family, and all of Konoha... You have also grown, Hinata. Now all that is left is for you to learn what you are growing toward". She had cried, screamed, and made herself sick countless nights as she questioned her exhistance. She had thought of ending everything and giving up. Her friends had distanced themselves to let her work things out, stopping by rarely to check on her and offer small bits of encouragement and support. She had let Naruto get away...

Hinata ran to the sink and emptied her stomach before cleaning herself up and trying to stop crying. The pain was unbearable. It just seemed like too much to take on by herself, but she wasn't one to burden others with her woes. Feeling her tears begin to slow and her breathing coming in painful hiccups, she walked to her bed and lay down to stare at the ceiling and attempt to calm down.

She was fortunate that Tsunade had decided to house her so that she could be watched for any signs of disloyalty, otherwise she would have been homeless and broke. Tsunade and Kurenai had taken pity on Hinata and offered her a small salary for teaching medical jutsu to academy students. The war had made it clear that healing was just as integral as force. All in all things could have been much worse, but Hinata had yet to fully pull through her depression.

It would take time for her to be happy, but there was hope and there was someone out there who wanted to bring it to her.

A/N: AND IT'S OVER!!!! There... hopefully that wasn't too bad. Again, I'm sorry you had to suffer through that. Don't give up on me, folks!!! Happy Holidays, hope you get what you want. AND DON'T GET SLOSHED ON NEW YEAR'S!!!! December is Drunk and Drugged Driving Month. If you can't say it, DON'T DO IT!!!! Stay safe, people.

Oh... and you know what would make a great gift? A review!!! So... Santa, baby... won't you please grant my Christmas wish? REVIEW!!! FOR COOKIES AND MILK!!!!