When I saw that Hinata wasn't breathing, I froze. My heart stopped and I couldn't seem to force air in and out of my lungs. I didn't come back to reality until Sakura nearly pushed me out of the way.
"What's going on?" I yelled, my voice ragged with fear.
Sakura turned around an shook her head.
"She's gone," Sakura said.
Without a word, she closed Hinata's eyes and pulled a sheet over her. That's when I began to scream. I felt as if everything that had made me happy in my life was gone. I had never felt this way before. I couldn't imagine a moment without my Hinata.
I blacked out then. When I awoke a few hours later, Temari was sitting on the edge of the bed, the baby in her arms. Her face was red and swollen.
"Temari, please tell me…" I began, stopping mid-sentence when Temari shook her head.
"She's gone," Temari whispered, her voice rough from hours of crying.
I closed my eyes again.
"The baby?" I asked.
Temari smiled.
"Look for yourself," she said.
I opened my eyes and was shocked when I saw the baby, a boy, with thick red hair. I gently took him from Temari's arms and held him to my chest.
"What's his name?" Temari asked.
"Akihiko," I whispered.
"Bright prince," Temari replied. "I like it."
I sat on my bed for hours, holding Akihiko in my arms. Temari sat with me until late that night, when I noticed that Temari was nearly asleep. I told her to go on to bed, that we would be fine.
I'm not sure how I got through the first night without Hinata. I kept glancing over to check on her, although I knew that she wouldn't be there. Every time that the pain got to bad, I would hold Akihiko closer to me. He was the only thing that I had left of Hinata. I wanted to make sure that nothing happened to him.
The next morning, Temari brought me fresh clothes and took Akihiko from my arms. She told me that the funeral would be later that day and that I needed to get ready.
I bathed, my hands going through the necessary motions, although my mind was miles away. I dressed myself and walked out into the front room, where mourners were already arriving. I saw their faces, but I didn't comprehend anything that they said. I remember Kurenai putting her hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged away from her. I knew that I had hurt her feelings, but at that moment, I didn't care.
I could tell that they were talking about me and Hinata. They always stopped their hushed whispers when I walked into the room. Each time that this happened, I held Akihiko closer to me. Finally, I found some silence in the kitchen. I wanted to be with Hinata, but the mourners were gathered around her casket.
I bounced Akihiko in my arms when he began to cry and warmed up a bottle when he was hungry. The only people that came into the kitchen was Temari and Kankuro.
The day wore on and little by little, everyone left. When the house was empty, I went into the room where Hinata lay in her casket. I took her hand in mine and pressed it to my cheek, wiping away a tear. I placed her hand back on her stomach and kissed her cheek before closing the lid.
It was then that I heard a knock on the door. Temari, answered it, thinking that it was another mourner. Instead, it was Neji.
He walked in, a smirk on his face.
"So, did you kill her? Monster?" Neji asked.
That was when I lost it. All the pain and anger I had felt over the past few days seemed to take over me. I nearly threw Akihiko at Temari when I felt the Shukaku take over my body.
All I remember from the next few minutes was the feeling of warm blood on my face.