-.-

Nope. Not saying it.

There may be some major time skips...

I'll let you know it they happen

Hinata was walking back to her house, carefully mulling over the conversation she had had with Sakura in the bath.

"You're being sent to war? Why? Why do they need you?" Hinata asked, desperate now.

"They need me because the healers on the front are wearing out. I need to train the new recruits." Sakura gave Hinata a weak smile, and squeezed her hand.

"But I need you. We need you, Sakura." Hinata placed Sakura's hand on her stomach. "I can get oto-san take me home after the baby is born. I can get him to make Naruto to divorce me. But, after that, I want to stay with you. I want to raise the child with you!" Hinata began to cry softly.

"Hinata,' Sakura kissed Hinata lightly to clam her, 'you know just as much as I do, that I can't turn down this mission. I have to go. I won't be on the front. I'll be safe, and I'll only be gone a max of two months."

Hinata looked at her stomach. By then, she would have to wear a hara-obi.

"I'll come back safe." Sakura reassured Hinata.

"You promise?" Hinata asked, pouting.

"On our love." Sakura kissed Hinata lightly, then passionately. In the bath Hinata and Sakura made love.

Hinata blushed at the memory, but needed to formulate a plan. Her hand strayed to her stomach, were it rested there protectively. Only a month ago, Hinata saw that child as a demon, as something not worth the trouble that it was causing.

But now, now that very same child was a promise. A hope. She stroked her stomach lovingly. This child would now have a chance at a happy life. Just like Hinata.

Hinata was at the door of the house she shared with Naruto, when she decided that she wanted to stay at the Hyuuga house until Sakura got back. She quietly entered the house, and left a note for Naruto. It read:

Dear Naruto,

I am sorry. Sorry for the pain I must have caused you. I am going to stay with my family for a few months. Please, please stop drinking. In fact, why not go find yourself a geisha? A geisha is the mark of a respectable, wealthy man. I don't care if you take one. Just, don't stay hung up on me. I am a lost cause.

Hinata

Hinata left that note on the counter, next to a fresh stain of pork broth. Apparently Naruto had stayed up, waiting for her to come back.

Hinata set up the rice cooker for him, with enough rice to last him a week. She even cut some vegetables for him, and placed some meat in a marinade.

Once done in the kitchen, Hinata went into the living room where she took her shamisen cds and placed them in her kimono sleeve. She braved a few steps towards the living room. She could come back during the day to get her kimono, but she wouldn't be surprised if Naruto stayed home so he could intercept her.

She inched the sliding door open little by little. When it creaked, she stopped, listen to Naruto snore a few times, than began again. When the door was open all the way, she tip-toed in the room. Her closet was by her bed, and Naruto has rolled off his futon and was dangerously close to her closet. She cursed him.

She opened the closet like she had the door, stopping every so often to make sure that Naruto was still asleep. When the closet door was open, she took her most favorite kimono, folding them carefully, and placed them in a bag. She did the same with her obi, and other various kimono accessories. She could always buy more kimono with her father's money. She may even treat Hanabi to a new furisode.

Just as she was leaving the room, she heard Naruto's snores stop. "We are married Hinata. Do not forget that." His voice was hard with anger, not laid down with sleep at all.

Naruto knew that she was home the entire time, preparing to leave.

Hinata's heart began to race, but Naruto made no move towards her. She gathered her courage, and walked out the door.

A servant answered the door. "Hinata-san? Why are you home?" His sleepy voice was new. He must have been hired while she was gone.

"Who told you about me?" Hinata questioned, handing him her bag.

"Hanabi-san. She said that you might come during the night with a bag." He rubbed his eyes. "I'll take you yo your room."

The servant lead her to her room, still filled with old childhood memoirs. Her kuni, some of her old training clothes, even posters about where the chakra points were. She couldn't help but smile when remembering the simpler days. He pulled out her futon, her pillows, and sheets. He made her bed, then helped her into a night kimono. When she lay down, Hinata could still hear the man, he was putting away her kimono.

"Shall I wake Hiashi-san and tell him you are home?" The man was sleepy, and so was Hinata.

Hinata yawned. "No, I will do that in the morning." And at that, Hinata slept the most peaceful sleep she had had in a long time.

In the morning, she awoke to Hanabi, already dressed in a beautiful furisode of fish in water, shaking her violently.

"Do you mind? You might hurt the baby!" Hinata yelled, swatting at her sister.

"Chichi(father, informal) is very angry with you. He's coming, so I suggest you get dressed."

Hinata's eyes widened. She had forgotten her father. Hinata jumped up, and quickly pulled on a light orange kimono with a dark blue obi. She quickly brushed her hair, and pulled it back into a bun. As she patted her obi flat, her father walked in.

"Chichi!" Hinata squealed, smiling. "I missed you!" She ran forwards, and gave her father a kiss on the cheek, hoping to drown his anger in happiness. It worked. Her father smiled, patting her shoulder.

"Hinata, you glow with pregnancy." He smiled, but then frowned.

Damn. Almost!

"Why are you here? Why aren't you with Naruto? Surely he will miss his wife."

I doubt it...

"You see chichi, I missed my family so much. I wanted to come home for a bit, maybe a month or two, to be reunited with them! Surely you can't begrudge me that!" Hinata pouted. She knew how to play her father.

"A month or two?" Hiashi was surprised, his hands squeezing her shoulder's lightly. "A week or two, I can understand, but two months?" He shook his head.

Hinata pouted, clapping her hands together. "But chichi! Surely haha(mother, informal) misses me! And I know she won't mind me helping out. And I can help train Hanabi while my stomach is still small. I don't take up too much room!"

Hiashi shook his head, but in the end gave in. "You can stay however long you want." He smiled weakly, and Hinata squealed in happiness, giving him another kiss.

"Thank you chichi!" She yelled, running from her room. If she was quick enough, she might be able to catch Sakura before she left.

Sakura looked lovely in her training clothes. She wore the same dark green jacket as everyone else, but beneath she wore a shorter verison of the red dress she had worn a few years back. She had on long black leggings, her pink hair was in a hair ponytail, and she wore her headband with the leaf village symbol on her neck. Hinata could only wave, for Sakura was already at the village gates. Nonetheless, it was a tearful goodbye.

One month later

Hinata's stomach had grown larger, and she had started to wear a hara-obi. On that trip to buy them, she took Hanabi along with her and she bought her a new furisode with an obi. It depicted flowers and fish, the obi was a replica of fireworks. Hinata just had to buy it for her.

Also, Hinata had began to walk with that 'pregnant waddle'. It annoyed her to no end.

Naruto wasn't bothering her as much as she expected. For appearances' sake, he came over at least once a week, ate dinner with them, and slept in the same room. On those nights, the house was the quietest.

Hinata was happier. She didn't need to worry about Naruto using her, or worry about the other things she had to do. Like clean, cook, wash. She was pregnant, and showing it, so she had a major reprieve on chores.

It was a lovely day out. The sun was shining, it was a good temperature, and a nice breeze swayed around, carrying the scent of wild flowers. Hinata decided to take a walk in a flower garden, to appreciate the scents and to remember the old days when she and Sakura would walk among the flower beds.

She was spending a great deal of time by the sakura trees, remembering her love. She even prayed that she would be safe, and come home in one piece. She prayed for Naruto, who had found a geisha. She prayed for her child, and for herself.

When she was done praying, she knelt at the trunk the tree, sitting in the soft moss. She put a hand protectively on her stomach, and soon fell asleep.

Hinata awoke sometime later, when the sun was setting. Cursing herself for sleeping so long, she stood and began to waddle at home. Several women, every now and then, would stop her and compliment her on the child and wish her luck.

Hinata felt so right. It had been so long since she felt this way.

She was enjoying the last of the spring breezes, when she heard geta slapping the road at a fast pace. She looked, and saw Hanabi.

"Hinata! Hinata! You need to hurry back home!" Hanabi shouted, pulling on her arm.

"Why? What's wrong?" Hinata asked, not truly concerned. What could have gone wrong?

"A group of rebels attacked an academy near The Land of Sound boarder! The school where your friend, Sakura, was teaching was destroyed!" Hanabi pulled harder on her arm. "Chichi wants you at the house, in case anything happens here."

Hinata's feet where dead weight.

"Sakura's school was attacked?" She roughly turned her sister around, shaking her by the shoulders, "Is there anyone alive?" She demanded.

"They don't know yet!" Hanabi's eyes were wide, staring at her sister in disbelief.

But then it hit Hanabi, Sakura was the one that her sister loved.

Hinata saw the connection, and suddenly grew very afraid.

YAY! 9th chapter I believe? I am soo happy with how this is turning out.

I want to shout out to Keen-Edge Blade for always giving me reviews! Without them, I wouldn't write as quickly.