A/N: Hey, it's Luna! I know I have been really MIA but I hope that if there are still readers of this that you enjoy it nonetheless and I do plan on finishing this very soon. Life has this way of keeping you very busy. Anyway to all readers I hope you enjoy and as always R&R (that's rate and review). Leave comments if you wish, I do ask the criticism be constructive. Thanks and enjoy!
Chapter 4: Scream Until Your Heart Stops
P.O.V: Naruto Uzumaki
He took a deep breath and tried to push down the fear and anxiety that tried to take over. Each step felt heavy and he fought to move it forward. She was right though. She told him what everyone else wouldn't, what people were afraid of mentioning. He had to make a choice, he couldn't wait anymore. He couldn't stand on rooftops waiting for the day that he decides that he was going to die.
The more he thought this, the more determined he felt. His pace picked up. He walked into the hospital. To his surprise his mom was waiting. He walked up to her and hugged her.
"I'm sorry Mom," he said as he held her tight. She returned the hug and tried to soothe him as he cried. He couldn't hold everything in anymore. He was afraid to confront the fact that his father was gone. He had let his life go by without him.
"I'm here Naruto."
They had moved to her office, Naruto's mom had a small smile. Naruto saw this and smirked.
"Why the smile?" he asked.
"You're finally making progress. And all it took was for you to meet that girl?" she asked as she gave him a look. A look that implied many things that made Naruto blush.
"Her name is Hinata," he said. He noticed that his mom's smile turned from mischievous to sad.
"I know her too well."
"What do you mean?" he asked feeling a little anxious.
"Hinata and her sister have a…very difficult home life. However that is all I can say, doctor-patient-"
"I know it's her father," he said cutting her off. He was more than agitated. "I just don't understand why she puts up with him."
"Well maybe if you got to know her a bit more you would understand."
"She was upset with me when I questioned her."
"Which is why I say get to know her."
P.O.V: Hinata Hyuaga
"Thank you Neji for letting me stay the night," Hinata said with a sigh of relief to be away from the house.
"You know that the door is always open for you," Neji said as he gave her something to drink. She saw the worry that was in his eyes. She tried to be strong, to show him that she could do it.
"Hanabi is in the hospital," Hinata said calmly. She watching his expression change from saddness to anger. "I was running late and he got upset."
"It is not your fault. I am sure that we can figure out a way to get her out. There has to be something, running away didn't work."
"It nearly got you a restraining order," Hinata said sadly. Neji was silent, most likely recalling the incident. "I don't think that we can. And if we can make a case she would most likely be put in foster care. I don't even have my own place, I still live with him. I'm sure someone would make the case of 'if it's so bad then why are you there'. How could I possibly win that case?"
"Her life being at risk should be enough," Neji said trying to control his emotions.
"I don't know what to do," she said as she started crying.
"We will get through this," he said as he put his hand on her shoulder. Her whole body shook as her frustrations came out in tears. Allowing herself to put down the walls for just this moment. Her mind wandered back to her meeting with Naruto and what she had said to him.
P.O.V: Naruto Uzumaki
-One week later-
Since seeing Hinata he had been trying to slowly get control of his life again, determined not to waste any more time. He had started helping his mom again at the hospital. He even started to go back out to his favorite ramen place. He was talking to his mom more about how he was feeling and what he thought he should be doing. She would give him paperwork to fill out and had him work with the children at the hospital. He enjoyed making them smile, even if it was for only the moment.
The one thing that he hadn't been able to bring himself to do was to visit his father's grave. He hadn't the stomach or the guts to do it. Today's the day.
Naruto got in his car and drove to the cemetery, his stomach doing flips and all kinds of acrobatic movements. He really wished it would stop, but he was nervous, extremely nervous today. His body knew where it was going despite his mental protest and attempts of coming up with an excuse to turn back. To run back to the car and just drive away from here. But his body wasn't letting him get out of this that easily. He stood in front of his dad's grave. A place he hasn't been to since the funeral, a place that he knew he needed to go to but was avoiding it. At the funeral he didn't want to believe it, didn't want to accept it.
He was thinking of what Hinata said, that he needed to take baby steps but he had to at least take the first step forward. He had started going back to the hospital, started talking to his friends again. But he knew, knew that he had to face the fact that his dad was gone. And nothing could be done to change that.
"I'm sorry dad," he started with a shaky voice, "When I lost you that day, I felt like I had lost part of me. My hero, my idol was gone. But I am thankful that I had you in my life. I'm very thankful to still have mom. I met someone, she kind of put things in perspective for me. I know she needs help, but I can't help her if I don't help myself." He sighed. He felt like a weight was lifted off of his chest. He hugged the gravestone and cried, "I miss you dad and I love you."
Naruto headed to the hospital to check on Hinata's sister Hanabi. When he got there he saw that Konohamaru was there and she was laughing and smiling.
"She does have a very beautiful smile," his mom said as she came up behind him.
"Yeah."
"The poor girl is always so sad but he manages to make her smile no matter what." She sighed. "She will be released tomorrow. I have done everything I can to keep her here as long as I can but unfortunately her father is asking for her." She watched as his fist were slowly turning white. "Have you spoken to Hinata?" she asked. The question caught him off guard.
"No, after that night. I want to be in a better place before I talk to her, I want to be able to help her."
"Whether you are at your best or your worst I'm sure she would like having someone to talk to."
As he was walking home he got a text message from Kiba:
We going 2 club want to come?
He thought about it, mostly about maybe seeing Hinata there as well as seeing his friends. He felt bad that he hadn't apologized to his friends for the way he was acting. He felt that it was wrong.
I'll be there.
P.O.V: Hinata Hyuga
It had been a week since she last spoke to Naruto. And since then she had been working double shifts whenever she could. Today was her only day off. She was very thankful that her sister was safe in the hospital, her father had been very irritable. She was sure that he knew where she was and why she was there but for some reason he did not seem fazed by it. She stared at her phone, she knew that she had to do something soon. That they wouldn't be able to make to Hanabi's eighteenth birthday. Maybe I could talk to Ms. Uzumaki, she is always very kind and helpful. Then an image of Naruto came to mind, she felt a little bad for yelling at him the way she did. She had thought that she was hard on him but at the same time she felt like he needed to hear it.
Brushing the thought away she looks through her phones contacts for Ms. Uzumaki's number. Due to the frequent visits Ms. Uzumaki thought it was best that she have it on hand.
"Hello, thank you for calling Konoha Hospital. Dr. Uzumaki Kushina speaking how may I help you?"
"Hi Ms. Uzumaki, it's Hinata."
"Is everything alright?"
"No…well yes…is it okay if I come in and talk to you? If it's not…if it's too late-"
"Hinata, it's alright. I'm looking at a long night anyway. You have work tonight?"
"I think so. They called and said that they may need me to come in because someone called out sick."
"Okay then come by afterwards then. What time did they say you should be out by?"
"Three, they don't want me working too much."
"Okay then I will see you then."
"Thank you very much Ms. Uzumaki," she said with a sigh of relief. She had been so nervous about the call even though she had no reason to. After a moment she called her job to confirm that she was coming to cover the shift.
"Again, I'm are very sorry Ms. Hyuga to call you on your day off."
"Really it's okay. I don't mind."
"I promise to get you out of here as soon as I possibly can. You know how it is with the rush."
"Yes I know. I will be there as soon as I can."
P.O.V: Naruto Uzumaki
"Hey! You showed up!" Kiba said as he got up from his seat to greet Naruto.
"Yeah I said I was going to, you know I never go back on my word." Naruto took a moment and really looked at his friends. He saw all of their smiling faces, people he considered special and like family. People he would have lost forever if he had kept continuing down the path he was going before. Hinata was right, he was surrounded by people who cared about him. He still had his mom and his friends. It was what he had been blind to, what he was ignoring. He had said that it was just grief but it was more than that. But he kept it bottled up inside and almost lost everything else. He was surrounded by so many people who loved him. And the thought that he would have hurt them nearly brought tears to his eyes.
"Guys I just wanted to say thank you for being my friends and for being there for me. I know I have been acting off lately and I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean to get you guys worried, but I'm getting better. I promise."
P.O.V: Hinata Hyuga
"Can I get another beer Miss."
"Coming right up," she said as she popped open a new beer for the gentleman. Her mind was wandering all over, her body full of a mixture of emotions. She was nervous for her meeting, anxious to know if she might see Naruto tonight, and afraid of her return home. She just hoped that whenever she got home it would be when her father was passed out. Though she stayed with Neji from time to time she couldn't be absent from the house for too long.
Flashback
"Where the hell were you?!" screamed Hiashi.
"I worked late."
"And if I call this place can they vouch for that statement."
"Y-yes."
"Then why didn't you come home last night?!" he asked, striking her before she even got the chance to reply. "You need to stop giving me reasons to hit you Hinata! Why are you a failure?"
"I'm not a failure!" she screamed. She immediately covered her mouth but it was not defense against her father.
End Flashback
Hinata was startled back into reality by the shouts of customers. She glanced every so often into the dance floor, hoping by chance to see his blonde hair.
