Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters… damn, this is quite messy…

Chapter 6: Why?

The next morning, Naruto woke up, and noticed that Hinata's breathing was quite more calmed, as he could felt it in his neck, tickling him a bit. Actually, this feels really good. Naruto noticed how she woke up and raised her sight to watch his eyes:

- G-good morning, Naruto…

Naruto saw her smile, blushed, and gave her a tender kiss in her forehead. Hinata's blush turned scarlet, and Naruto replied to her, smiling:

- Good morning, Hinata…

Hinata stood up smoothly, sighing with calm joy. Naruto-kun kissed my forehead… so tenderly… As she washed her face and mouth in the bathroom, Naruto detailed her body shape. She was, put simply, perfect to his eyes; she was not fearsomely strong as Tenten, or amusingly attractive as Ino. Her lavender eyes were magical, a lot more than Sakura's green eyes. And only now I realize that… Her smile made him daydream, and the blush in her face charmed him. Her body was very well shaped: her curves where they had to be, toned up but not big muscles, her thigh joints as wide as her shoulders, her waist delicately slim, breasts and buns well proportioned, and toned up and slim legs and arms. Naruto would've never noticed any of these things if, first of all, he hadn't spent those two and a half years with The Pervy Sage, Jiraiya; and last but not least, if he had allowed himself to be misled by the wide clothing Hinata used to wear (and that still wears) daily. Kyuubi talked to him, in a serious tone:

- I did what you asked me for, kid. Hinata was victim of a Genjutsu that affected her through dreams.

- Dammit! Now it's mentalists?

- Yeah… I've seen this mind-control mark in the Hidden Leaf…

Naruto suddenly thought of one person and got shocked:

- Ibiki Morino???

- No… it looks a lot more like Clan Yamanaka's trade mark…

- Ino?

- Not her, but someone from her family…

Hinata's voice interrupted, all of a sudden:

- N-Naruto… t-the bathroom is v-vacant now…

Naruto noticed Hinata's expression, and realized she was quite a bit worried. Yes, it's the third time, at least as I could count, that she found me motionless, while I talked to Lady Kyuubi. Guess I'll have to explain her later what happened to Kyuubi. As he returned a smile to her, calming her down a bit, he thanked her and jumped from the bed, reaching the bathroom and washing himself too. As they got dressed, they decided to go and have breakfast outside in the village. They found a small place and had their breakfast peacefully. A figure was watching them, hiding behind a wall, as they left the restaurant, talking quite freely for being them. Usually, their conversation meetings were one-sided… What's going on here? They started to walk, backpacks in their backs, and she moved closer to them, stalking them. This is really weird: Usually I was there, trying to get rid of Naruto at all costs, while Hinata used to sneak upon him… Now Hinata is out there with Naruto, quite happy and relaxed, and I'm the one who sneaks upon him… even with some jealousy… As the chance came by, the couple had to turn to their backs, alerted to the voice they heard echoing through the muddy streets:

- Naruto!

Both turned and checked on the attractive pink-headed girl, her green eyes checking on both of them, a lot worried. Hinata saw the way she looked at Naruto and frowned. Is this thing I'm feeling… jealousy? Naruto checked the red-dressed girl with a strange look, something that made her nervous, and scanned her expression seriously. Then, he covered Hinata's shoulders with his arm, in a protective gesture that Hinata thanked with a hug. The other girl asked:

- Finally I find you, Naruto! Can we chat for a while?

Naruto looked at Sakura, and then glanced to Hinata, frowning. Then, he turned to Sakura:

- No, not at all. You're putting us in danger, Sakura.

He completely eliminated the Sakura-chan already?? Since when did this happen?? Sakura felt a bit shattered in her chest, as the only guy she considered as a friend, even when she used him quite a lot, was treating her so coldly. Hinata, also in quite a serious gesture, supported Naruto's statement:

- I escaped on my own free will, and I-I s-saved N-Naruto… from b-being k-k-killed in the fire o-on… - Hinata hugged Naruto, wanting to protect him: - o-on his birthday…

Sakura was a lot shocked and shattered now. Hinata talking to me like that… and Naruto treating me so coldly… This doesn't seem prepared at all… She asked, tears forming up in her eyes:

- B-but… Why??

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other and nodded. Hinata replied, simply:

- Y-you wouldn't understand, S-Sakura…

- Then explain me!! Hinata!! Naruto!!

- We can't take chances, Sakura, we need to disappear first.

- But-

- If y-you promise not to t-turn us in… w-we might t-tell you…

- But-!

The couple turned their backs on her and started running towards the southeast. Sakura, painfully, observed how her annoying teammate and her weird kunoichi partner, totally serious and compromised to each other, ran away further ahead. As she knew they were being followed, she started checking the surroundings, and found a white haired guy, with his long hair tied in a huge ponytail, concealed inside an apartment. That's Inoki Yamanaka, the one of the nightmares… I should keep track of him. As Naruto and Hinata abandoned the village, Inoki started to move, jumping out of the window quickly and stealthily. Sakura followed him. I must match his pace to protect them from his Genjutsu. Hinata already suffered the effects… and I don't really want to see what'll happen if he ever considers entering Naruto's head. As she saw them get lost in the woods, and that, a while later, Inoki followed them, she rushed to follow them.

In the way, Naruto spoke to Hinata, softly:

- Hinata, last night you were under a Genjutsu… that's what caused you that terrible nightmare…

Hinata opened her eyes wide and turned sad:

- I-I… I've been… marked…

Naruto asked Kyuubi if she could do something. She replied:

- I can get inside her chakra and heal the mark that Yamanaka left in her head, but you must make sure no one can get to us.

Naruto opened her eyes and stopped running, Hinata stopping next to him. He made his usual hand position and eight shadow clones showed up. He spoke:

- Watch this place, I must help Hinata.

- We'll do! – The eight clones replied full of energy.

As the eight clones jumped to the branches of the surrounding trees, in guard positions, Naruto sat Hinata on the floor, having her lay her back on the tree. He said to her, softly:

- Take a deep breath and relax, Hinata. We'll heal you from that mark.

We'll heal you?

- O-okay, Naruto…

Hinata breathed deep and relaxed, and Naruto fixed his eyes on hers. Then, he focused Kyuubi's chakra on his index finger, and touched Hinata's center of the forehead with his fingertip, both feeling after that how the warm chakra flowed from him to her.

Sakura, noticing that Inoki had stopped, drew three of her shuriken out from her pocket in her thigh. She suddenly saw two Naruto clones run to the Yamanaka, who got easily rid of them with his shuriken, and then he jumped, killing six more clones with a spiral slice of his sword. As he fell, she saw him arm several seals, and then he turned to make a hand position well known for her: index and thumb fingers making a rectangle, aimed at Naruto. This is the hand position for the Mind Body Change technique. She prepared to attack, but then her movements were completely restrained as she felt a kunai too close from her neck, even drawing a drop of blood with its pointy edge. A deep male voice said:

- The Twelve of the Leaf will die, just like that old hag, the Fifth Hokage, just did.

Sakura got surprised and desperate when she heard the words "Fifth Hokage was dead". She saw Inoki fall down to the ground, and no one picking him up, as she feared for her own life, but noticing how he had three kunai piercing his back as he fell down gave her hope. The man, with the distraction, suddenly felt a great hit on his back, and a scream relieved her:

- Fang over Fang!!

Sakura, while being released, jumped to the ground, healing her neck with her Medical Ninjutsu immediately. The man received one impact, then other, and other, and other, and so on. At the tenth impact, the aggressor fell on the ground, dead, and two spinning young men landed beside her. One of them turned to a white-haired dog, and the other one said:

- Let's hurry to Naruto!!

- Right, Kiba! Let's move!

The trio ran to Naruto and Hinata, and saw a group of seven Jounin group beside the couple. One of them was a Hyuuga, who made hand seals and got ready to do something to Hinata. Kiba took some senbon he had and threw them to him, piercing his hands, and drawing him out of concentration. Kiba and Akamaru attacked fiercely, and also very quickly, while Sakura used her supernatural strength learned from the Great Sannin Tsunade to attack some of the other Jounin, caught by surprise. After a short and fierce battle, the Hyuuga ninja ended up dead, so as three of the Jounin, and two ones who got wounded carried the also dead body of the leader. One of them screamed at them:

- You're all traitors to the Hidden Leaf Village!! The Sixth will know about this!!

The survivors left, as the kids were tired enough to stop them. Kiba fell on the ground, with a kunai in his arm. Sakura ran towards him quickly, using her Medical Ninjutsu to close the wound as she carefully retrieved the kunai. Naruto and Hinata were still there, focused and immobile. Kiba complained with growls, but after a few seconds the kunai was pulled away, and the wound got closed. Kiba said then:

- Thank you, Sakura…

In that moment, Naruto and Hinata returned to reality, and Sakura, without even noticing that, said:

- It's the least I could do for my boyfriend.

- Kiba is your boyfriend????

Sakura turned to see a perplexed and tired Hinata and a scandalized Naruto. Both Kiba and Sakura had their full backpacks, and both got blushed. Sakura said, quite nervous:

- Well, it's just that; as Sasuke-kun left, I ran to my second option! – Kiba's face showed a mixture between anger and sadness as she spoke those words, forcing her to correct the situation quickly: - But it doesn't matter anymore! Kiba's my boyfriend, and I love him! That's all!

Sakura kissed Kiba's cheek smoothly, making him change his expression. He asked:

- And what about you two?

Both blushed furiously:

- E-eh, u-um, i-it's just t-that-!!

- I-I don't see why this is any business of yours!!

- Now it is, we'll travel with you, guys.

Naruto glanced to Hinata, and noticed she was as nervous as him. Both replied, at the same time:

- U-um, w-well…

- The truth is that…

- We need protection, and you two are the strongest between the Twelve of the Leaf

Naruto saw a disappointed Hinata and felt the same disappointment too, but he cleverly found a solution:

- Okay then. But, for the sake of privacy, we should travel separately. When it's prudent, we shall meet.

Kiba, checking on Sakura's malicious and attractive grin, replied:

- So be it. Let's go, guys.

Hinata sighed, relaxed, and Naruto lifted her up, with his hands holding her waist. She asked, casually:

- And… and, why d-did you r-run away?

- I went out on a mission for Lady Tsunade… but I cannot return now… - As Sakura's eyes turned glassy, she said, sadly: - I've just heard she was murdered…

The three of them got shocked. The death of the Fifth Hokage fell over them like a wall of bricks. Kiba said, while Sakura hugged him, crying:

- And… and I decided not to leave Sakura alone, even less now. Screw the village!

Naruto nodded, and, holding Hinata's arm delicately, said:

- Hinata and I are heading to neutral lands, to the southeast from here. We want just to live in peace. If you want, you can come with us, but you're free to part ways whenever you desire it.

- We'll go with you. – Kiba's voice was final, expressing also Sakura's new desires for her. Naruto replied:

- Let's go then. But don't forget the agreement.

Kiba and Sakura nodded, and let them run first, following them to a distance that allowed them to keep a close eye on both without bothering their privacy.

End of Chapter 6.