CHAPTER TWO

"HINATA!"

Hinata was almost knocked off her feet as Naruto rushed into Tsunade's outer office, where she was waiting with her father, Neji and Hanabi. "Hinata, I just heard about the attack last night! Are you alright?" Naruto had his hands on Hinata's shoulders and he stared into her eyes.
"Y-yes Naruto-kun." Hinata managed to say.
"Are you sure?" Naruto's hands slipped down to her hands and he squeezed them comfortingly. Hinata winced before she could stop it, and Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Hinata, what did you do to your hands?" He took her hands in his and turned them so that he could see her palms, then frowned. "Hinata! You told me you were okay!"
"Oh! These are chakra burns Naruto-kun. I got them in the fight."
"The fight?!?"
"Hinata fought off two attacking ninja's, and defended her little sister." Neji said suddenly. He wasn't blind, he knew about his cousin's crush on the ambitious blonde ninja. He didn't like it, but he approved. Naruto grinned.

"Really?!? Hinata, that's great!" He pulled her into a hug that almost stopped the poor girl's heart. "I'm so proud of you Hinata!"
"T-t-thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered, her face red. Naruto released her and she struggled with something to say. "Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?"
"Hm? Oh, Tsunade sent me a messenger asking me to come to her office. I heard about the attack on my way over here. The messenger who was walking back with me told me you were already here."
"Tsunade-sama asked you to come here?" Hinata asked, confused.

"Ah, Naruto, I thought I heard your voice." Tsunade said just then, opening the door to the inner office. "Come in, all of you." The five ninja's entered their leaders office, all of them confused as to why Naruto was there. Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi took the three chairs, while Naruto and Neji stood, Neji at his uncles side, and Naruto right behind Hinata's chair with his hands on the back of the chair, his fingertips brushing Hinata's back and causing her to blush. Neji was valiantly holding in his laughter, but he hoped Tsunade hurried up so he could go lock himself in a closet somewhere and laugh himself sick.

Tsunade looked at all of them seriously.

"I've asked all of you, especially you Naruto, to tell you something very disturbing to me. As all of you know, the ninja that was captured last night by Neji and Hinata was turned over to the ANBU interrogators. He revealed that they were sent from the Land of Grass, and that Hinata, and only Hinata, was their target. They were ordered to break off if anyone came to Hinata's defense, and that they could only attack another member of the family if it lead to Hinata letting her guard down."

Hinata gasped at this, and Naruto frowned. He reached out and gripped Hinata's shoulder.
"Shh, it's okay." He whispered. "Don't worry. We can protect you now that we know."

"There's more." Tsunade said. "It seems that this will not be an isolated incident. The prisoner also informed us that they had someone on the inside of the Hyuuga compound, someone who could manipulate the guard's rotations so that they would not be around Hinata's room at any time during the night."
"Impossible!" Neji objected.
"No Neji, it explains exactly why there where no guards around Hinata's rooms. I personally spoke to the guards myself, and discovered that they themselves were not at fault, but that someone had indeed manipulated their rotations and positions so that Hinata's room would be unguarded."

He frowned at Tsunade. "So they are going to attack again?"
"We believe so, yes."
"You 'believe so'?"
"The prisoner managed to kill himself before we could get anymore information out of him."

Tsunade lifted her gaze to Naruto's blue eyes. "And that's were you come in Naruto. I have decided that the safest place for Hinata is away from the Hyuuga compound, and someplace that they would never suspect. She would also need a bodyguard that no one would suspect, and you and Hinata are known to be classmates, sometimes teammates, and friends. It is not unusual to see you together in the village . . ."

"You want Hinata to stay with me." Naruto interrupted, growing irritated with the way Tsunade avoided the point. Tsunade blinked, yet hid a smile.
"Correct."

"Now wait a minute!" Hiashi burst out. "Lady Hokage, I respect your judgment, but I don't think that boy is an appropriate bodyguard!"
"Oh for Kami's sake Hiashi!" Tsunade finally lost her temper. Naruto idly wondered what had taken her so long. "That boy, while still officially ranked a genin, is one of the strongest ninja's in the village! The only reason he is still a genin is because he missed the exams in order to do some private training with Jiraiya! That means he's an apprentice of a Sannin! Jaraiya's practically adopted the boy!" She scowled at Hiashi, such a frightening sight that everyone in the room cringed. "So quite being so high and mighty and realize the Naruto is the best person to keep your daughter alive! Hell, he's probably the only person who can keep Hinata alive right now!"

"So, I'm going to be staying with Naruto-kun?" Hinata squeaked. Neji stifled a laugh when he realized his cousin looked like she was going to faint. Naruto rested both hands on Hinata's shoulders and leaned forward to lean over her shoulder.
"I'll take care of you Hinata, I promise." He said. "Besides, it might be fun, having you stay with me." He grinned mischievously, and Hiashi, and Hinata, almost choked. Neji frowned and swiped at Naruto, who grinned and jumped away. "Hey come on Neji! I meant that as innocently as possible! I'm not that much like Jiraiya!"

Tsunade made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a muffled giggle, and Naruto ducked under another swing from Neji, dropping low and sweeping Neji's feet out from under him. He winked playfully at Hanabi, who was staring at him wide-eyed, then grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Come on Hinata, let's get you some stuff and get you settled in at my place!"
"Naruto, make sure that you're not seen moving Hinata into your house!" Tsunade warned. "That would defeat the purpose!"

"I know, I know." Naruto said, waving her off. Hinata was in a daze, Naruto-kun was holding her hand, so she didn't realize it that Naruto was heading for the window, his favorite method of exiting Tsunade's office. He had picked it up from Jiraiya. But come to think of it, it had been the Fourth Hokage's favorite way of exiting his office as well. Hinata suddenly realized where Naruto was heading.
"Naruto-kun!' Hinata protested, digging in her feet. But Naruto seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, because he just scooped her up in his arms and kept going.

"NARUTO!" She wailed, completely eliminating the honorific.
"Hinata!" He teased, still heading for the window, which Tsunade had left open especially for him.
"Don't you dare!" She warned, beginning to struggle. Naruto just tightened his grip on her and kept grinning.
"Why Hinata, I don't know what your referring to." He said.
"Naruto, don't you dare take me out that window!" Hinata screamed, as Naruto got within two steps of the window.
"Oh, you mean, like this?" Sprinting the last two steps, Naruto was up on the sill and out the window in seconds, and falling toward the back alley.

"NARUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hinata wailed all the way down. Neji couldn't take it anymore, and Tsunade was a witness to one of the most serious ninja's in the village having a laughing fit, which set of Hanabi. The childish giggles of the young girl were enough to set off Tsunade, and soon even Hiashi was smiling and shaking his head.

"Well, maybe that boy is good for her." He admitted.

NARUTO&HINATA&NARUTO&HINATA&NARUTO&HINATA&NARUTO&HINATA

"Naruto! Put me down!" Hinata ordered in her best Hyuuga voice as Naruto sped through the streets of Konoha, with her still in his arms. He just grinned at her and winked.
"Oh come on Hinata! This is the fastest way through the village, you know that! Besides, no one can possibly follow us when I'm going this fast! Just relax!"

Hinata opened her mouth to protest again, then gave up and shut her mouth. Besides, she was in Naruto's arms! She'd have to be crazy to protest. And he was right; this was the fastest way back to her house. Naruto's training with Jiraiya had not only matured the boy and made him stronger, but also much faster. The wind was whipping past so hard that Hinata had to yell to be heard, and it was stinging her face. She finally gave up protesting and just buried her face in Naruto's neck, telling herself it was to protect her face from the wind, and to protect her family's dignity in case someone saw them. It was also to hide her blush. It was most definitely not so that she could feel the warmth from Naruto's skin against her cooled face, or to smell that smoky, woodsy smell that was completely different from anything she had ever smelled before, and yet was completely Naruto.

Naruto smiled when he felt Hinata hid her face against his neck. Her skin felt slightly cold against his, but quickly warmed up, and the feeling of her breath on his neck had him suppressing a shiver. To tell the truth, he was glad she had stopped protesting, because he liked having her in his arms. She wasn't heavy at all, and when she curled up against him she seemed to fit his arms, like they were two parts of a puzzle that had suddenly been snapped together. Naruto was suddenly glad that Tsunade had chosen him to protect Hinata. He wanted to keep her safe, wanted to make sure that no one with violent intentions ever laid eyes on her, let alone touched her.

He turned his head to touch his lips to her hair, as lightly as a butterfly's wings. Don't worry Hinata, he swore silently. I'll protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise.

AN: A+ for me! Two chapters in two days! Don't get used to it, I've got finals coming up. One is at eight in the morning! Sorry, I'm just not a morning person. Anyway, review and tell me what you think, and if my muse calls me, maybe I'll have more for you soon.