Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.
~ Anonymous
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Ch. 7: Her Grave
Naruto put down his guitar with a sad sigh, but with a feeling of accomplishment. He had finally finished the song he began writing after the death of his loved one. He noticed that he had not seen Hina-tenshi in a long time, so he decided to go look for her. "Hina-tenshi? You there? Answer me if you can hear me?" Naruto called out. Hinata gasped when she heard Naruto's voice. She quickly wiped the tears that fell from her eyes and made her question who she really was. Naruto was on the verge of entering the room Hinata was in when…
Ding Dong.
"Huh…wonder who that could be?" Naruto wondered out loud as he walked away from Hinata's hiding spot. The lavender-eyed angel let out the breath she had not realized she was holding. She shook her head in an attempt to gather herself. She did not want Naruto to see her like this. She was HIS guardian not the other way around. She thanked God that the doorbell rang and got Naruto's attention away from looking for her.
Naruto opened the door and was shocked to see his visitor. "Neji?" Naruto asked thoroughly confused as to why the Hyuuga was at his door. Neji nodded a greeting and Naruto motioned him to come inside the house. "What are you doing here? I mean not that I mind, but shouldn't you be at college?"
"I came down for the weekend. I'm staying with my uncle, and Tenten came down as well." Neji answered. Naruto nodded in understanding as the two sat down at the kitchen table where Naruto made some tea for them.
"So what brings you down so early? You normally don't come down until next week." Naruto said as he sipped on the tea.
"I know, but I have a business exam next week and I can't get out of it, so I decided I would come down this week to pay my respects. I was wondering if you would like to go with me?"
'Yeah sure I'll go with you. I still don't think I'm ready to go alone anyway."
"Same. I feel like if I go alone I'm solidifying the fact that she is gone; which I don't think I really believe." Neji said. Naruto raised an eyebrow in curiosity and confusion. "
"You don't think she is dead?"
"No I know she is, but I don't think she is gone. It's almost like I can still feel her presence sometimes."
"Like a ghost?" Naruto practically stammered out. He was terrified of ghosts and the thought of her being a ghost scared the crap out of him.
"Not like a ghost, Baka. More like a….hmm." Neji rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he tried to come up with the word he was thinking of. Naruto looked at his friend and then up at the ceiling trying to help Neji find the word.
"Angel." Naruto whispered softly, but Neji heard him.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking of. Anyway, let's get going shall we?" Naruto nodded as he looked towards the direction of where Hinata was sitting in the room. He wanted to call out for her but couldn't at least not in front of Neji, so he grabbed his jacket and left with him hoping that Hinata would follow. Hinata could see it in Naruto's eyes that he wanted her to follow, but she was not yet composed enough to follow, but she would eventually. It was her duty to protect him, and she would not fail him in this.
"It's almost time." God said as he sat in his large golden throne room. Michael perked up his head and looked over with a curious look on his face.
"Almost time for what?" Michael asked with a hint of worry in his voice. God smiled in an almost sad fashion as he turned to look at the confused angel.
"For everything to fall into place. It is time for the battle." God said as he stood up. "Call all the archangels, we must prepare for the upcoming battle. Kyuubi won't go easy on us; not that we would go easy on him either."
"What about Naruto? The human key?"
"He is already going to have enough to deal with. We will alert him at the last minute possible." God said as he turned to leave the throne room.
"What do you mean?" Michael said in almost a panic. He worried about Hinata and even for the human boy she was caring for. God smiled caringly at the angel.
"Don't worry. Everything is going according to plan." God said as he left the grandiose throne room. Michael nodded and shook of all his worries. God always knew what he was doing, so there was no need to question him. Michael flew off to get the other archangels to prepare for battle. It was going to be a long day…he could sense it.
"Thank-you" Naruto said when Inochi gave him the lilies that he bought for his visit to the cemetery with Neji. Inochi nodded with a sad smile on his face, knowing full well what the flowers were going to be used for. It was, after all, around that time of year. The two boys left with flowers in their hands and headed towards the cemetery. "So, Neji, hows college?"
"It's been crazy, but good at the same time." Neji answered simply. Naruto nodded. He remembered how him and Neji bonded when she died. Neji was her cousin and saw her as a little sister, while Naruto saw her as so much more. They were the ones to take her death the hardest, and in some ways they still haven't fully recovered from her death. Neji started to eat cinnamon buns because those were her favorite. Naruto stopped playing the guitar because she was the one who inspired so many of his songs, and was the one who encouraged him when he hit a writer's block of some kind. They both suffered after her death, but they bonded to each other with the common grief of loss. They were good friends before her death, but they became closer afterwards.
The two arrived at the grave and as always Neji was the first to "talk" to her.
"Hinata-sama, life at Konoha University has been absolutely crazy, but I am glad I decided to go there with Tenten and Lee. They have been very patient with me since I haven't been the same since you left. It is odd to think that when we were young, I did not like you, and now you are one of the most important people in my life, and I am so sad that you are…gone." Neji said with unshed tears welling up in his eyes. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
"Naruto?" Gaara asked as he opened the front door to the empty house. "Guess you are not here." Gaara mumbled to himself as he locked the door behind him.
"AHHHHH!" a shrill broke through the silence of the house.
"Hinata!" Gaara yelled as he bolted towards the scream. He threw open the door to find Hinata writhing on the floor in pain clutching her head in a feeble attempt to soothe the pain. "Hinata-san, what's wrong?" Gaara said in a slight panic while his usual emotionless façade still in tack. Hinata was in too much pain to respond to Gaara. Memories of what seems like a previous life were flooding through her head at such intensity that she could not handle. Emotions tied to the memories were running wild in her heart. She didn't know what to do.
"HINA-TENSHI!" Naruto screamed from the other room, no doubt he heard Hinata's screams. He bolted in the room and slided to Hinata's other side and held her in his arms. Naruto looked up towards Gaara with worry clearly on his face. "Gaara, what the hell is wrong with her?" Naruto asked in desperation. Gaara shrugged. Naruto brought his attention back to the angel in pain in his arms. He felt completely helpless. What could he do to soothe her pain?
"Ah, so it's started." A familiar voice said. Gaara and Naruto looked up to see Gabriel floating in the air.
"What do you mean it's started?" Naruto asked in frustration. Gaara looked sympathetically at the blonde before returning his attention back to Gabriel.
"Hinata is no ordinary angel. In fact, she really isn't an angel at all." Gabriel said in an uncharacteristically serious voice.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto yelled. Hinata seemed to stop writhing in pain and seemed to be sleeping now. "Huh, oh she stopped. Thank, God!"
"That's because most of her memories have returned…except for her last one." Gabriel said.
"Her last one?" Gaara asked curiously.
"You will soon see."
Hey everyone sorry it's been awhile since I have posted but being in college it's hard to find time to write, but I am trying. So I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next chapter will explain Hinata's past so get pumped! HA I can't wait to write it :D anyway review please they inspire me to write and make me happy lol
Lexar
