Chapter 4: A Hardened Heart and Bitter Sweet Memories
Konoha Hospital, 11:00 am
Sun shone through the open window as its rays danced upon the bed sheet. The room was cool and quite as thoughts and memories flooded a mind so sorrowful and heartbroken…Hiashi's eyes were closed as he remembered his wife. She had been beautiful…innocent…perfect. As Hinata was now.
Chihiro…
"Hiashi! W-we are n-not going t-t leave this man t-to d-die! He's…he's injured! He won't do us a-any harm!" Hiashi grabbed his young dirt stained wife by her arms and dragged her away from their captive.
"Chihiro, our mission was to bring him back dead or alive! Not to pity and heal him!" Chihiro jerked out of his grasp and crossed her small arms over her chest.
"The m-mission was t-to bring him b-back alive! D-dead if we h-had t-too! He's been w-well behaved and h-hasn't c-caused any t-trouble! Let me h-heal him!"
"Absolutely not!"
"He's been th-through so much, Hiashi! Please!"
The man's name was Urahara Sainime. His village had been attacked by a group of rouge shinobi. His family had been killed and everything he had had been either been stolen, or burned along with the village.
As a result, the man went insane and began hunting the ninja; he eventually killed them all… and their families. The Bird Country had asked Konoha for their assistance in capturing him, afraid he would start killing innocents.
Chihiro was kind-hearted and felt pity for the man…
And that's why she died…because she was kind, because she felt pity, because she was weak! I won't let that happen to Hinata…no matter what it takes, even if it hurts her…I won't. Hinata forgive me… But I will not allow you to do what your mother did. No, you will be strong and will have no relations to this emotion…love, kindness…Hinata I'm sorry. I never meant for things to be like this…please, Hinata, forgive me. But I must…for your sake…I must…
That night when he and Chihiro were asleep, after she healed the man, he had escaped. They had woken up to the sound of water and a cry of pain. Hiashi and Chihiro immediately went out looking for their man. He had fallen in the lake by their campsite. He was drowning, and his arms were flailing as he called out for help.
Chihiro threw off her outer shirt, getting ready to dive in after him. A tight grip on her upper arm stopped her.
"Hiashi! L-let me h-h-help him! He's d-drowning! Let g-g-go! P-please!"
"No! Let him be! It doesn't matter, he should have never tried to get away!"
"Hiashi!"
"Chihiro! I can't let you…" Chihiro looked up into her husband's white eyes…he stared into her brown ones.
"Please."
Hiashi looked up at the ceiling…Hinata…Chihiro…
He felt warm liquid falling down his cheek and reached up…tears…how long had it been since he had wept? Since he had let his emotions show on his face? Not long enough. Not long enough.
--
"So you probably don't have a place to stay?" Sakura asked. Hinata shook her head.
"I don't know what father is thinking now…he's probably so mad at me! And Neji…look what I've done!" Hinata covered her face and cried in her hands. Naruto lifted her tears stained face and kissed her softly.
"Hinata-chan…even if you don't have a place to go, I'm sure you can live with one of us! Right guys?" They nodded.
"But where?" Sakura quietly mused. She closed her eyes and thought deep.
Hinata can't stay with Naruto…he'd probably kill her with his clumsiness…she could stay with me! But with me working at the hospital…hardly anyone will be there to make sure she's alright…ummm…Sasuke-kun is surely not an option. Surely not Sai… Poor Hinata would wish she was back at home if she had to deal with his remarks…Ino-pig? TenTen? I got it!
Sakura mentally snapped her fingers. She had the perfect solution.
"Sasuke-kun, can I talk to you outside please?" Sasuke looked from her to Hinata.
"Hn." They walked out the room and down the hallway to the opening of the hospital deck.
"Speaking of outside…I have to go. See you kids later." Tsunade waved and exited the room.
"Paper work and all." Naruto smirked. Yea, paper work, right.
--
"Well? What is it?" Sakura bit her lip…she wasn't sure if this was going to go over with him well or not, but it was for Hinata. It was worth it.
"Sasuke-kun…about Hinata not having anywhere to stay…well…I think the safest place would be at your home." Sasuke raised a brow.
"B-but Sasuke-kun! The manor is so well equipped and it would safer if she stayed with us…" He frowned.
"Us…?" Sakura gulped. She wrung her hands together.
"Naruto and I would be staying there too…" Sasuke knit his brows together. He closed eyes; sighing deeply. He looked at Sakura to Hinata's room window. He saw Naruto and Hinata talking earnestly, he couldn't hear what they were saying.
"For you…Naruto…and Hinata." Sakura's eye widened…did Sasuke really mean what he just said? Was he serious?
"Sasuke-kun? Are you sure? I know how feel about your family's house…I don't want-" Sasuke touched Sakura's face softly, and kissed her forehead.
"It's fine. Do you really think I'm so heartless as to turn her out? Shame on you Sakura." Sakura grinned.
"Ok! Well let's go tell Hinata and Naruto the good news! Thank you, Sasuke-kun! Thank you so much!" Sakura threw her arms around his neck and kissed him lovingly.
--
"Oi! Naruto, Hinata! We have a plan!" Sakura walked back in with Sasuke, a big smile planted on her peachy cheeks. Naruto gripped Hinata's hand and looked at them hopefully. Hinata bit her lower lip…
"Naruto," Sasuke began.
"Hinata will be staying with me at the manor." Naruto's mouth dropped open to the floor and Hinata's eyes had never looked so big or terrified.
"B-b-b-b-b-b-but Sasuke-kun!" Naruto ran to Sasuke and grabbed his shirt, shaking him.
"What are you trying to say, Sasuke? How come Hinata can't stay with me?!" Sasuke pushed Naruto off him and smirked.
Sakura slapped him upside his head. Hard.
"Sasuke-kun! Don't be so mean to them! And after all Hinata's been through!" Sasuke grunted at her and rubbed the back of his head.
Damn, that had hurt. A lot.
"Fine, I'll do it right." Sasuke turned to Hinata and began to explain.
"You, the baka and Sakura are going to stay with me. You, because we don't know if your house is stable…Sakura because she's a girl and will be able to take care of you, Naruto…because he doesn't have a life."
Naruto opened his mouth to retort, but Hinata gave him a pleading glance.
--
"Sakura…how is Neji-niisan? And father? I've been worried about them…" Sakura wrung her hands and smiled.
"Your father's fine and Neji's ok too! Both of them should be able to leave by tomorrow…their injuries weren't that bad…a few broken bones and such."
"B-broken b-b-bones?!" Hinata gasped. Sakura laid a hand on Hinata's shoulder.
She smiled.
"I went to go see him…I told him about the plan for you living with us…he agreed."
Hinata smiled.
"That's good…I was so unsure. B-but what about father?! Does he know, you didn't tell him did you?!"
"No! NO!" Sakura exasperated, waving her hands.
"I didn't tell him anything! Really!"