A/N: I would like to thank all of those who reviewed and followed the story and made it on their favorite list. I owe so much! :]
umnia, Sofya94, supremekikay24, ProjXPsyClone -psyiNoheart, aisha89, XpurplegurlX, harley944, and Serene-Aspiration723
This chapter is for all of you...
Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. is not mine.
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HEARTBEAT
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Chapter 2
A young man was resting peacefully on the couch with his right leg and arm dangling off the couch and a manga lying on his face, only spiky raven hair was visible. Another young man, probably a few years older than the sleeping one on the couch came near him. The elder Uchiha, who had long raven hair on a low ponytail, took the manga off his little brother's face and flicked his forehead with such force.
"What?" asked the now awakened younger sibling with irritation present on his handsome face.
"I just wanted to see how you will react when you are interrupted from your beauty sleep." said the older one who was trying to suppress his laugh.
"Go to hell." muttered Sasuke, and this time Itachi burst out laughing after seeing his little brother's scowling face.
"Come on, Sasuke! No need to be angry," said his aniki with a smile. "Yuki-chan wouldn't like to see his ouji-san with that face."
"Well, it's not funny, Itachi," Sasuke said turning his position to face the other side of the couch. "I was trying to get some sleep and besides, your son is not around to see his ouji-san scowling." he continued.
"I must tell you then that your nap time is over, little brother. Mom wants to see us in the office room. Now." Itachi said with a serious tone.
With his brother's words, Sasuke suddenly turned to see his brother's expression and he only got a serious look from Itachi which told him that this must be something serious.
'I wasn't involved to any fights in school yet.' Sasuke thought and stood up from his position on the couch.
"What do you think is it about, aniki?" he asked.
"I don't know," shrugged Itachi. "I think it's about you getting into another brawl with your blond best friend and my brother-in-law." Itachi declared with a smirk.
"Hell yeah! I haven't had a fight with Naruto and Kiba since middle school," Sasuke said ironically. "Things change, aniki. We're in senior high now and we already grew up from our childish arguments."
"You have matured indeed, if I remember correctly, you use to have a fight with them over a playstation game and also because they annoy you." Itachi chuckled while stating his brother's past with his blond best friend and the Inuzuka. "You were temperamental back then."
"I already told you, things change, Itachi." Sasuke walked ahead of his aniki and went in front of their parents' office room. Itachi smiled at his little brother's antics. 'I love teasing him.' he thought to himself.
Sasuke was about to knock when the door suddenly opened and their cousin, Uchiha Shisui, came out and smiled to them.
"Shisui! What brought you here?" asked the ponytailed Uchiha.
"Just relayed a message to Mikoto-oba." Replied Itachi's best friend and went away.
"You two can come in now." ordered Uchiha Mikoto to her two son with a huge grin present on her face and eyed her youngest one.
"Ohh, Sasuuuukeee~" she squealed. "What's with that scowl?" she asked as she pinched both of his cheek.
"Mom, stop it. I'm not a child anymore." Sasuke told his mother while rolling his eyes.
"Oh yes, he's already grown up!" Itachi exclaimed which got him a glare from his younger sibling.
"Really? So, are you going to introduce your girlfriend to us now?" queried Mikoto excitedly.
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke retorted back. "I thought you wanted to talk to us?"
"Sasuke's right, Mom, I thought you wanted to talk to us?" Itachi' amused expression now turned to a serious look.
"Oh right! Before I forget, as you have seen, Shisui came here and delivered an invitation for us."
"An invitation? For what?" asked Sasuke.
Mikoto showed the invitation to her sons and Itachi took it and read it silently.
"The Hyuuga's are inviting us for their heiress' birthday celebration?" uncertainty present on Itachi's eyes.
"Yes, and I want you two to attend the party with us." Mikoto stated with a huge beam.
"Why would we? I thought they hated us?" Sasuke's scowling turned into a surprised one. "We are their rival on business, aren't we?" he continued, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed we are, but both companies wanted to make an arrangement. So, they want us to be there." This time Mikoto winked to her eldest son and Itachi couldn't help but to look at his mother confusedly with his brow reaching his hairline, Sasuke also looked at their mother and knew something was up her sleeve.
"I can't come. I have a meeting with the student council for the school's upcoming spring festival." The young Uchiha said as he headed for the office door.
"I'll send Itachi to get you right after the meeting so you can come to the Hyuuga's party." The Uchiha Mistress said.
"But I promised Hana and Yuki-chan that I'll bring them over at the Inuzuka residence on that day!" whined Itachi because his mother-in-law, Inuzuka Tsume, wanted to see her eighteen-month old grandson since her daughter, Inuzuka Hana, had married Itachi both had lived within the Uchiha residences.
"If Tsume-san really wants to see our handsome little Itachi, you can drop him off at the Inuzuka's then take your brother to the party!" Mikoto insisted.
"Fine, I'll talk to Hana about this." Itachi sighed.
"Whatever you say, but I'm telling you I won't be available then." Sasuke retorted as he went out of the office room.
"Don't worry, dear! I'll find a way to make you attend the party!" Mikoto cried to her youngest son.
"So, mom, do you mind telling me what is this arrangement with the Hyuuga's?" Itachi asked his mother who was grinning like a madman.
"Promise me you won't tell this to your little brother." She squinted her eyes to him.
"I won't." and Uchiha Mikoto smiled wickedly.
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"What the hell are you doing here, dobe?" asked an irritated Sasuke. "This meeting is only for the student council members, class and club officers."
"I want to hear about the plans for the upcoming festival." answered the blond.
"Like you care about the event." replied the Uchiha.
"Hey! Sakura-chan asked me to give her a ride that's why I'm here." pouted Naruto.
"And what is the Inuzuka doing here?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes to Kiba's direction.
"Your brother, Itachi, who is also my brother-in-law, told me to meet him here and take Yuki-chan with me at home." stated Kiba non-chalantly.
"Yeah right, he's coming here to get me." Sasuke said while rubbing his temple.
"Why? You going somewhere?" inquired Naruto.
"None of your business, dobe."
"I was just asking." the blond said to his dark haired best friend.
"Yo, Nee-chan just texted me and said that they're already at the gates," Kiba said while looking on his phone. "I'll go now, aren't you coming with me, Sasuke?" he asked the Uchiha. "Your driver is already here." he smirked.
"No, I have to finish photocopying the plans for the festival and distribute them to the officers."
"Okay, I'm off!" Kiba took a run and went straight to the gates. "See you at the party, Narutard!"
"Why you?" called out Naruto, ready to go after Kiba while Sasuke only smiled at his friends' behavior.
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"NEE-CHAAAAN!" Kiba screamed at the top of his lungs while running towards his sister.
"Kiba! I missed you!" Hana said while hugging him.
"Are you trying to make me jealous?" Itachi butted in.
"I'm sorry, Itachi-nii, I didn't see you there." Kiba responded while scratching his head.
"Hello, Yuki-chan~!" he cried out to Itachi's mini replica who was held by Itachi. The little boy had the same eyes as the Uchiha but had chocolate brown hair unlike his father who has raven hair. Yuki giggled while Kiba took him from Itachi's arms.
"We're going to see baa-chan now 'coz she missed you so much!" Kiba cooed to the boy.
"By the way, Kiba, where's Sasuke?" asked Itachi.
"Oh, Mr. Heartthrob is still in the student council's office," he answered the elder Uchiha who only laughed at Kiba's name for Sasuke. "He's busy photocopying something for their meeting."
"Is my brother really that good looking for you to call him a heartthrob?" amusement present on Itachi's features.
"Hell yeah! All the girls in this school are going crazy over him!" Kiba exclaimed. "They even tried to get close to me and Naruto so they could talk to him!" annoyance now present on Kiba's face.
'Maybe that's the reason why he hasn't found a girl yet,' Itachi thought to himself, 'He doesn't want a girl to love him for his looks.' he deduced.
"Kiba, I think you should go," Hana told her brother. "I thought you're going somewhere."
"Oh yeah, I should get going! I have a party to attend to!" Kiba said loudly. "Say bye-bye to your kaa-san and tou-san, Yuki-chan." He bid them goodbye with mini Itachi and ran off to his car.
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"You done now, teme?"
"You can go now if you want to."
"But I still have to wait for Sakura-chan and she won't leave until the meeting is over." Naruto scowled.
"Then wait here, dobe," Sasuke said before walking inside the meeting room. "I'll just give this to them and then you and your pink-haired girlfriend can go." Naruto grinned on his best friend's response.
"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi asked, startling blond.
"Oh, Itachi! I didn't see you there." Naruto said, surprised by Itachi's sudden appearance. "He just went inside but he said he'll dismiss the meeting after he gives out the plans for the festival."
"Okay, can you please tell him to make it faster because we'll be late for the party if he won't finish early." Itachi smiled at the blond.
"Yessir!" saluted the blond at the Uchiha. The door suddenly bolted open which gave Naruto another startle and Sakura came out with Ino in tow.
"We'll just go to the restroom." she cried to her blond boyfriend.
"Okay, I'll wait for you here!" he waved noticing Sasuke walk out of the meeting room. "Yo, teme! Your aniki just came and told me you'll be late if you don't hurry." Naruto approached Sasuke.
"Yeah, I know." said the Uchiha while looking at his brother who was just a footstep away.
"So, what's the party all about? another business gathering?"
"No, just attending the birthday celebration of our rival company's heiress."
"Rival company?"
"The Hyuuga's invited us and my mother wants Itachi and I to be there." He eyed his aniki while Itachi just listened to the teens' conversation.
"Hyuuga… I think I've heard that name before…" Naruto said while scratching his chin, the two Uchiha's only looked him. "Oh! I remember! It's the same name with Ino-chan's boyfriend and her and Sakura-chan's best friend! And also Kiba's childhood friend!" exclaimed the blond which got the two Uchihas raise their brows at Naruto's revelation.
"Kiba, Sakura and Ino knew this Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked, his brows knitted together.
"Well, yes. They introduced her to me before but I haven't had the chance to talk to her because she was in a hurry." Naruto said non-chalantly.
"Naruto-kun, let's get going or we'll be late for Hina-chan's party!" Ino called out to Naruto.
"I'll go now, teme! See you at the party!" he waved to Sasuke and Itachi and went to the direction of Ino and his girlfriend.
"Hey, Mr. Heartthrob, you better hurry. We still need to get your dress." Itachi cried to his brother as they approached their car, amusement present on the elder Uchiha's face.
"We still have to get your attire at the boutique, Sasuke-kun." Hana smiled to her brother-in-law.
"So, Hana-nee, Kiba kn ows this Hyuuga?" he asked while Itachi looked at his wife waiting for an answer.
"Well, yes. They were childhood friends. They met in kindergarten before he met you in elementary." replied Hana. "I think that's what he was talking about when he said he had a party to attend to." She said referring to Kiba's earlier statement.
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The Uchiha's were on their way to the Hyuuga Manor when an unfortunate event was bound to happen. Sasuke sat comfortably on the back seat while playing with his phone when he suddenly heard a screeching sound and bright lights were suddenly on their way. Hana, who was on the passenger seat, called out to Itachi but it was too late, the car came crashing to them.
The next thing Sasuke knew, he was seeing red and shattered glass everywhere. He can see Hana's unconscious form with her bloody face and Itachi's head covered in blood. Sasuke tried calling out to them but before he could do so, everything went black.
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He was feeling groggy, Sasuke had been in and out of his consciousness and he felt he was being moved out of the car. He can hear people around him giving orders and the noise emitted by the ambulance's siren. Once inside the ambulance, the words he heard was that his brother and his wife were brought out of the crashed car but were suffering blood loss and again, Sasuke lost his consciousness as the medics tried to put the oxygen mask on him.
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The news about the three Uchiha in an accident finally reached the ears of Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku, while everyone in the party were in a panic state due to the heiress' fainting, Mikoto and Fugaku bade goodbye to Hiashi and told him that they need to attend their sons and daughter-in-law in the hospital. The two went straight to the hospital and were greeted by their nephew, Shisui.
"What happened?" asked Fugaku who was trying to keep his voice calm but his eyes told them otherwise.
"A car came crashing to them," Shisui told them straightaway. "Witnesses told the police that the car was overspeeding while in red light and crashed to Itachi's car which was on a slow move to the Hyuuga's direction."
Mikoto couldn't stop the tears in her eyes as she listened to her nephew's story. "How are they?" she asked the young man, her voice trembling.
"Hana…didn't make it." at this Shisui tried to strain the tears forming on his eyes. Mikoto sobbed while Fugaku held her tightly.
"How about Sasuke and Itachi?" he couldn't help but to ask about his sons' condition.
"Sasuke has been moved to the ICU… and Itachi is still in the operating room."
"I want to see my baby boy." Mikoto declared and Shisui brought her outside of Sasuke's room.
The Uchiha couple couldn't believe what they saw through the door's window, their youngest son was confined with a respirator attached to his mouth, a bandage wrapped around his head, and glass cuts on his face.
Tsunade, the surgeon in charge of the Uchihas, approached the saddened couple and brought the news about their sons' condition. They were still outside of Sasuke's room and Mikoto can hear his heart monitor's beeping noise while she and Fugaku waited for Tsunade's words.
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Beep…beep…beep…
"As what your nephew told you earlier, your daughter-in-law didn't make it. She died on the way here due to excessive blood loss, there were too many wounds she got from the car's shattered glass." Tsunade paused for a breather before she continued. She hated telling bad news to her patient's family especially when she's friends with them.
"and…I'm sorry to tell you… your eldest son, Mikoto… Fugaku…" she looked at the couple with a sad and hurt on her eyes. "Itachi didn't make it." Mikoto let out a strangled cry at hearing her eldest son's death and Fugaku couldn't stop the tears from falling. Shishui, who was standing behind them was appalled at his best friend's fate, he couldn't take it anymore and finally let out a silent sob.
"The severe head trauma he had from the accident gave way to cerebral hemorrhage." Tsunade explained to them. "We tried our best to stop the bleeding but his brain waves is not responding… I'm very sorry for your loss." She tried to console the female Uchiha.
"What about my baby? How is Sasuke?" asked the Mikoto.
"Your youngest son, he's on comatose…" Tsunade answered. "We don't know when he'll wake up." Mikoto wept for her sons' tragic fate.
"And also, Mikoto, I would like to inform you that there is already a recipient of Itachi's heart." The pale blond haired doctor told her friend, knowing Itachi had volunteered his heart for donation if anything happens to him and if he didn't survived.
"May I know the name of the recipient?" Mikoto asked Tsunade who was now standing beside her while both looked at Sasuke's direction.
"hmm…You were very fond of this girl when she was young," Tsunade smiled at the memory of Mikoto playing with the child years ago. "You wanted her so much for your son." The Uchiha Mistress' tear-streaked face now widened in mild surprise, she knew her, she was her deceased best friend's cute daughter. Mikoto turned to look at Tsunade.
"The recipient's name is… Hyuuga Hinata."
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End of Chapter 2
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Next:
"Good news, we already have a heart donor for you, Hinata-chan." said Shizune to the pale looking heiress. "You'll have the heart transplant as soon as your condition is stable."
Hinata couldn't help but smile at the news brought about by the doctor. She had a wide smile on her face and Neji couldn't help but smile back to her for the good news.
"Do you think it's possible if I may know the donor's family?" Hinata couldn't help but ask Shizune.
"I'm sorry to tell you but the donor's family wanted their identity to be private," Shizune told her. "but, you can write a letter to them if you really want to thank them, I'll just send it to the family personally." She continued when Shizune saw the heiress' gloomy expression turn into a bright smile after hearing her suggestion.
"I guess I'll start writing my letter to them…"
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That's it, chapter 2 is up. Sorry if I kept you waiting, I was just busy trying to review for my exam last week. And also, please bear with the characters OOC-ness, for the errors and also for the semi-long chapter (^_^;) I didn't know that I'll enjoy writing this part (^.^). I don't know when will I update again, if I'm not going to be busy this coming week I might finish writing chapter 3 and may be able to update next week on the same day. I hope you liked it (^_^)
Reviews? Queries, complaints, and violent are oh so much welcome!
