A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating!

Chapter 3: Daze

Hinata

2:07 am.

Panting, she rushes into the cottage-like glass building. The place is eerily silent and dark. Hinata runs down the hall, going from room to room but finding no one. A dim light floats from down the hallway, catching her eyes. She rushes to the source, bursting into the studio. Gaara is seated at a table, clay scattered about.

"Gaara-kun," she chokes out, gasping for air.

The redhead rushes to her side, abandoning his clay. He wipes his hands on his apron before gently wrapping his arms around her shoulder and leading her to the chair he was previously occupying.

"Hinata-kun," he starts, not even attempting to hide his concern, "what are you doing here at this time?"

"I-" she gasps, "Naruto…" her head falls.

Gaara opens his mouth but no words come out.

"I can't find Naruto….I didn't hear from him all day," she pauses to catch her breath, "He isn't picking up his phone."

Without saying anything, the redhead pulls out his phone from his jeans pocket and dials Naruto's number. No response.

Gaara frowns, "That's strange."

Hinata looks up at him, tears in her eyes, "I'm so worried Gaara-kun….I've searched everywhere….I…" she looks back down. "I need to find him."

"First thing's first, let's get you something to drink and try and get you to calm down…You shouldn't be getting worked up like this, it's not good for the baby."

"Thank you," she whispers, taking the cup of warm tea from Gaara.

The redhead gives her a rare smile. Sighing, he takes the seat beside her, "Better?"

She nods quietly.

"Is everything going to be okay with you guys?" he asks after a long while.

She opens her mouth, but the yes, never comes out.

"No." She hears herself say. "Father didn't…" her voice breaks, "I went to Naruto's school a few hours ago looking for him and ran into one of his professors who said Naruto decided to withdraw because school was conflicting with his job…But I know Naruto….He worked so hard to get into university…There's no way he would just withdraw like that," she pauses to sip from the tea. It warms up her insides. "So I went to his job and his manager told me Naruto had resigned…But he didn't look at me the entire time he lied to me…"

She takes another sip from the tea, "My guess is that he was kicked out from school and fired…He hadn't been going consistently because of me…This is all my faul-"

"No, it's not," Gaara cuts in, "you haven't done anything wrong Hinata. You can't keep blaming yourself."

"Gaara-kun…"

"You and Naruto haven't done anything wrong at all…Please stop blaming yourself."

Hinata places the cup down on the table before looking up at Gaara.

"Maybe my dad is right… We're still children…We can't take care of a child of our own. We're both unemployed now…"

Gaara stands up, running his fingers through his mussed curls. "Ah, I'll have to call my sister later on to confirm but I think her fiancé's family has an opening in the family business."

Hinata is instantly on her feet, "W-what is the job?"

"They're looking for a paralegal."

Hinata's hope vanishes as soon as it appeared, "Oh," she says simply.

"I'm sure they could train him," Gaara says with a smile. "I promise I'll do my best to at least get him an interview."

Hinata manages a smile. For the first time in a long time, she feels herself relax. However, something begins to nag at her, "Gaara-kun," she starts quietly.

The redhead looks at her, "Yeah?"

"W-why are you doing all this for us?" she asks, avoiding eye contact.

"Naruto is a good friend of mine…And I'll never forget how kind you were to me in high school," he says matter-of-factly.

Hinata looks up at him, a smile brightening her face.

Gaara gives her a small smile in return. "Here," he says, extending his hand, "Let's get you home. I'll go find Naruto."

Naruto

I fucked up badly.

Shaking, he stands up from the bathroom floor. The blond manages to limp out of the stall. He pauses by the sink, steadying himself against the marble countertop. Naruto opens the water and allows it to run for a few moments before placing his head underneath the faucet. The cold water shocks his entire system. Gasping, he lifts his head and pats his cheeks, drawing blood into them.

Heart racing slightly, he manages to stumble out of the bathroom.

"Another drink!" he slurs as he walks to the bar, slumping into a stool.

"Are you even old enough to be drinking kid?"

"Does it even matter at this point? You've been giving me drinks all night."

"I'm not responsible for whatever happens to you," the bartender mutters, sliding another glass over to Naruto.

I wonder how I'm going to pay for all this?

The thought of using the check comes to mind.

No.

He feels his head get heavy. Naruto struggles to keep his eyes open.

"Hey…kid?"

His entire body warms up. He feels himself enveloped by a calming sensation. Naruto tries to open his eyes but can't. An arm wraps around his shoulder, lifting him from the seat.

"Naruto what were you thinking?"

Gaara?

He tries to call out his name but can't open his mouth at all.

"It's fine, I'll pay for it."

Gaara?

"Hey, can you hear me Naruto?"

Gaara?

"Naruto?"

"Naruto?" her voice drifts into his ears, rousing him.

"Hinata?" he mutters, slowly opening his eyes.

His eyes come in contact with hers.

He slowly sits up.

"Ah," he flinches, his forehead bumping against hers.

She makes a small noise and grasps her forehead.

"Sorry Hinata," he says, pulling her into a hug.

She wraps her arms around his neck.

Neither one of them says anything for a while.

"You smell nice," Naruto murmurs into her hair.

"We were worried about you Naruto," Hinata says quietly.

He pulls back to get a look at her, "What do you mean you were worried?"

She smiles at him and takes his hands in hers. "Nothing," she says, a smile brightening up her face, "We have a doctor's appointment in a few hours," she says, playing with his fingers.

He stares at her, confused, "We do?"

Oh shit the baby.

Naruto lets out a groan and collapses back onto the bed.

"Hinata, I…."

"I know," she cuts in, still playing with his fingers.

He glances at her, "You do?"

Hinata smiles, nodding.

Relief washes over him. Naruto begins to chuckle.

"Huh? What's so funny?"

"We're screwed Hinata…I lost my job and got kicked out of school but you're so calm about everything."

"Naruto…"

He closes his eyes, "Maybe your dad is right…maybe we should…"

"No," she says firmly, "He's not right… Can we talk about this after the appointment?"

"Yeah sure."

Running his hands through his hair, Naruto walks into the living room.

Gaara is seated on the sofa, Rin snuggled up to him.

Despite his mood, Naruto manages a mischievous smile, "Did something happen last night?" he teases.

Startled, Rin hops to her feet, "I….I need to go water my plants," she mutters, walking out of the living room quickly.

"Plants?" Naruto asks, confused.

Gaara shurgs.

The blond glances at his watch.

"Naruto," Gaara starts.

The blond looks at his longtime friend, "What's up?"

"You don't have to pretend with me," Gaara says simply.

Naruto laughs a bit loudly, "What do you mean pretend?"

"You laugh but your eyes tell a different story."

"What are you even saying Gaara? Rin must be messing with your mind," he scoffs.

"You don't have to keep smiling for the sake of others Naruto…Sometimes it's okay to admit how you're really feeling..."

"Where is this coming from?" Naruto asks, still smiling, although his voice is wavering.

"You probably don't remember but you didn't come home last night. Hinata was worried and came into the studio at 2 in the morning. I had to search all over until I found you passed out in a bar in Akihabara…Hinata was worried sick."

The smile disappears from the blond's face.

"I didn't even know you still drank outside social situations," Gaara starts. "I thought you stopped drinking when you and Hinata started dating?"

"What do you know?! You have it easy. Even if you did get Rin pregnant, you wouldn't understand my situation Gaara. Sure, your folks may disown you guys, but you're both talented and smart. Money won't be an issue for either one of you. Me? I'm not smart enough…I don't have any special skills…Hinata is smart yeah, she could make it on her own if she didn't have me to think about…I'm a burden." He looks down at the floor, "I only laugh and smile for her sake. I don't want her worrying. You wouldn't understand at all Gaara."

Hinata

Smiling to herself, she pulls the hat down on her head before walking out of the room, heading toward the living room.

Our very own baby. I can't wait!

"Na-"

"What do you know?!"

She stops a few feet from the entrance to the living room. Naruto's usually chipper voice has an edge to it.

"…You have it easy. Even if you did get Rin pregnant, you wouldn't understand my situation Gaara. Sure your folks may disown you guys, but you're both talented and smart. Money won't be an issue for either one of you. Me? I'm not smart enough…I don't have any special skills…Hinata is smart yeah, she could make it on her own if she didn't have me to think about…I'm a burden." he looks down at the floor, "I only laugh and smile for her sake. I don't want her worrying. You wouldn't understand at all Gaara."

A burden?!

"Naruto," she hears herself say as she walks into the living room.

The blond looks up, a bright smile plastered on his face.

His eyes aren't smiling.

She extends her hand, "Let's go…We don't want to be late."

"Right," he nods, taking her hand, "See you later man," he mutters, barely glancing at Gaara.

They walk in silence until they are in the hallway.

"That's a cute hat," Naruto says with a toothy grin, poking at the pastel pink hat that sits atop her head.

Hinata smiles and blushes, "D-do you really mean that?" she asks quietly.

Naruto chuckles, wrapping his arms around her shoulder, "I'm guessing you made it?"

She nods quietly.

"You should make me one so we can match, then when the baby comes, you should make him one and then all three of us will be matching," he says excitedly.

Hinata giggles, "How do you know the baby is a boy?"

"Are you kidding me Hinata?! Of course our baby is a boy!" he says loudly as they walk out of the building.

"I think we might have a girl," she shoots back, a smile on her face.

"I know it's a boy Hinata."

"What makes you so certain?"

"Trust me, a man knows."

"I'll race you to the car," Hinata says before running down the stairs and across the lot.

"Hey no fair!" Naruto calls out running after her.

He instantly catches up to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly and picking her up.

Cheeks flushes, she giggles uncontrollably.

"I won!" he says, putting her down.

"You cheated," she breathes, her cheeks still flushed.

"Did not," he murmurs, pulling her to him. Smiling, he gently lifts her chin. His lips touch hers softly. Naruto goes to move back but she places her hand on the side of his face, kissing him again. He wraps his arms around her waist, breaking the kiss. Naruto takes in a deep breath, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you so much Hinata," he murmurs, his voice shaking. "I promise…No matter what it takes, no matter what I have to do, I'll take care of you and our baby."