I don't want you to ever let me go...

You make my heart swell with a feeling I've never felt before...

I feel so safe in your arms, so safe.

Don't ever let me go, please don't ever leave

I want to keep this wonderful feeling...

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As the Sun Rises
Prologue – Part 3 –Explanations
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

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Silence ensued between the three, awkwardly filling the space where nobody had anything else to add. Hinata turned and faced Naruto, his cerulean eyes providing her comfort and warmth, confidence and courage. She then turned to his father, and offered him a shy smile, as if apologizing for all the harm her father had done. The older, in turn, returned the smile, giving her more courage and confidence to tell her tragedy.

"I – I'm sorry for keeping it from you," she timidly began.

"It's fine," Naruto urged.

She smiled and leaned against the wall for support, tightly clenching her fists and closing her eyes.

"My father – your father works for him. My father, he's – he's a murderer. He murders people he believes will try to claim his power from our clan. Our clan, we're of royal blood. If ever the Hokage – or the Royal Family does not find an heir to the throne of the Land of Fire, we are next in line for the throne.

"So that being said, my father has a lot of shinobi and kunoichi and whatnot to protect him and kill prominent clans to reduce their power and influence on the throne. Your father, he worked under him. I – I hope you take no offense, Namikaze-san (at this, Hinata offered a bow of apology, which Naruto's father returned with a smile), but, Naruto-kun, your father was my bodyguard. I was always so scared of him, knowing that if I tried to run away he would be able to follow me; and when he caught me, he would report me to my father, and – and -"

"Hinata," Naruto began, but was stopped by a quick shake of his father's head.

Hinata bit her bottom lip in frustration, drawing blood and letting it slide across her lips. Tears began to pour from her eyes as she tried her hardest to control her violent fit of sobs.

"-And Naruto, my father isn't like yours. He – he's horrible. Ever since I was little, he would use me as a brag tool and – and he would abuse me, and throw me into this horrible room when he was finished. He even did that to my mother and – and I hated it when he made her cry. I felt so weak, so useless, because we were always cast away like rag dolls when we were done! And then – and then, he killed my mother. My fa-father, h-he killed her!"

There was a moment of silence before the heavy air was filled with Hinata's violent sobbing and hiccups. Naruto stared at the girl for a few moments, as if in a trance; but instantly, oddly, he quickly jolted to her side and held her, shushing her with his gentle words and mutterings of 'It's okay, Hinata, it's okay'. The Namikaze looked at the pair with sad eyes, his lips formed in a soft smile.

"It's okay, Hinata-chan," his voice came, "You're with me now. I won't let your father hurt you any longer."

The girl looked up at him with her sad pools of pearl, a genuine smile gracing her tearstained face.

"Thank you, Namikaze-san."

He offered her a toothy grin that much resembled his son's.

"You can call me Minato."

At this he gave the couple one last look before disappearing into the kitchen, most likely to prepare an early dinner.

The two were left in complete silence, only the faint, dying sobs of Hinata filling the air between them. Naruto still held the girl in his arms, comforting her with his warm touch and presence, saying nothing except for the occasional 'Shh, it's okay, Hinata, it's okay'.

"Na-Naruto-kun, I-I'm sorry," she whispered through her sobs, "I shouldn't have kept it a secret."

He offered her a sonorous laugh, the vibrations shivering through Hinata's body.

"It's fine."

She lifted her head to look at him with her puffy eyes, drowning in his endless pools of cerulean. He offered her a smile, which she timidly returned. He cradled her tighter, as if scared that she would fly away if he were to let go, not releasing her even until after she was finished crying. She returned the embrace, inhaling his intoxicating scent of ramen and forest air. She smiled against the loose fabric of his t-shirt, snuggling into the warmth of his embrace, her heart swelling.

Naruto-kun...

...Please don't ever let me go.

As if sensing this, the grip around her fragile body tightened, his head buried in the crook her neck, her purple locks cascading around him and tickling his skin. She felt him smile against her skin, fighting back the urge to giggle from the tickling sensation.

I won't.

I promise.

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A/N:Hey everyone! Haven't updated this in a while.
So, you may or may not have noticed that I changed chapter 2 & chapter three to parts of the prologue.
I have a clearer storyline in my head now, so the past 3 chapters were all part of the prologue.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter ...
And I'm sorry it was so short! I promise the next chapters will be longer!

Thanks for reading!