Run Away and Pursue

Ch. 10 "Naruto: Church and a Bit of Realization."

I don't own Naruto, but I wish I did.

A/N: To get this over with!

Naruto sighed. He was bored out of his mind.

Church was never his thing. Though in his line of work, he sits in a cramped room full of cases and scattered papers, Naruto was never the one to sit still for a long period of time.

Even in the hours cramped in a room trying to solve a case, he could stand up and pace around to help his creative juices flowing.

To be honest, the only time he had gone to church in the past years was for the funeral of his late 'wife.'

Naruto was never married; at least, he never had the chance to be.

His fiancé overdosed herself on the day of the actual wedding, leaving him with a three month old Keiji.

He had Keiji out of wedlock with his high school girlfriend, Shion, due to a stupid one-night stand. Though, he was surprised that she didn't abort the child.

Glad, more like it.

He was only sixteen, just weeks before he had turned seventeen, and the parents of the said girlfriend insisted that they were to be married, following family traditions.

It hurt Naruto that Shion would've rather taken her life than spend the rest of it with him, but he can't change the past.

He gulped, the church suddenly getting stuffy as he had troubles breathing.

He was quickly feeling as if he was connected to something much greater than himself, and he hated that feeling.

He felt restrained.

Not given much freedom.

To his right, Naruto could see that his son was sleeping, leaned on Hinata, who was trying to ignore the child leaned on her and was staring intently at the pastor.

Naruto wanted to tap him on the shoulder and wake him up so that he could pay attention, but what would be the point?

It wouldn't mean anything, and it would only put more of a rift between them.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and tried to ease some on his tension.

Being around Keiji was like walking a tightrope.

Everything was a study in balance.

Too far one way or too far the other might send them both spinning out into a freefall to their pending doom.

"'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I shall give you rest.'" The pastor's words reached his ears.

A certain word struck to him.

Rest.

That sounded great to Naruto at the moment.

He had barely slept in the past few days, and in the years preceding those sleep had often been restless and filled with nightmares. His need to know what had happened to Keiji, why it happened, had overshadowed every other thoughts he held.

Rest.

It wasn't an easy thing to find when your mind was filled with worries and your stomach churning with sorrow.

That was one thing Naruto had learned in the past five years.

Something he had come to accept.

He had been too lost in thought that it dawned to him that the sermon ended when Hinata's fingers brushed his on the way to his forearm.

He wanted to grasp her hand, hold it forever, but he knew she would pull away.

Dressed in a slim black skirt and a fitted shirt, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she looked lovely, young and serene.

Only the wariness of her lavender eyes gave away the truth of how she felt and what she was thinking.

She must've sensed his staring at her, so she turned and met his gaze, her cheeks turning pink, a frown marring the smooth skin between her brows.

Obviously, she wasn't as enamored of Naruto as he was of her.

Enamored?

Bad choice of words.

He wasn't enamored.

He was—intrigued by her beauty, kindness, and her lack of the care on other's opinion.

"Is it over, Dad?" Keiji whispered, and Naruto jerked his attention from Hinata and back where it belonged.

"After this song, and then we're done."

"And then back to the hotel?"

"How about we talk about this after the song, okay?"

Keiji shrugged, and Naruto bit back a sigh.

This seemed to be their pattern.

Keiji would ask a request of Naruto that Naruto couldn't give and then would fall silent when his wishes weren't granted.

Was being sullen a normal nine-year-old thing? Or was sullenness a product of Keiji's deep unhappiness at the situation he had found himself in?

Either way, Naruto was worn from it.

As soon as the song was sung, Keiji tried to sidle past Naruto.

Instead, he found himself being grabbed on his arm by his father, holding him in place, afraid of losing sight of him in the crowded sanctuary.

"Hang on there, buddy. There's no rush!"

"Sorry." Keiji mumbled, holding still while Naruto slid the hymnal under the seat and grabbed the paper cup that Keiji had left on his chair.

"There's a side door over this way, if you want to leave quickly." Hinata's voice carried over the cheerful cacophony of the departing congregation, and she gestured at a door near the front of the sanctuary.

The crowd exiting through it was less dense than the one streaming through the middle aisle, and Naruto nodded.

"Good idea. Thanks."

He kept his hand on Keiji's shoulder, following Hinata into the side aisle, trying not to notice the graceful way she moved, the slim curve of her waist, the raven fall of her ponytail.

Tried not to.

But not noticing Hinata was nearly impossible, unless you were blind.

No, even a blind man would notice her.

She glanced over her shoulder, offering Keiji a sweet smile, and Naruto's pulse leaped when her gaze met his for a brief moment.

Keiji shrugged out of Naruto's hand and hurried forward, trying to match his pace with Hinata as she stepped outside.

"You want to come again on Wednesday? We're having a potluck." Hinata inquired, lightly giggling at the boy's antics.

"What's that?" Keiji excitedly tried to grow closer to her.

"Hmmmn, well it's when everyone brings something to eat, then we all share it and talk and get to know each other." Hinata tried her best to make it simple for him. "There'll be lots of kids there. You know Sarutobi Konohamaru from class? He'll be there. His mom always brings the best dessert!"

"I don't think my dad will let me go." Keiji answered, as if Naruto wasn't just behind them, a couple of steps away.

"Why not?"

Naruto asked when they stepped near Hinata's car.

Surprising the two, they both turned to look at him.

Hinata flashed an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I should have thought to ask you before I brought it up to Keiji."

"No, it's okay." Naruto grinned. "I think it's a good idea!"

A time to take out some stress!

"Great!" She pulled open her car door. "I'll see you both, then."

She hopped into the car and probably would've closed it shut, if Keiji weren't in the way.

"I'm going to be at school on Tuesday." He innocently stated. "Will you be there, Ms. Hyuuga?"

Once again, she gave an apologetic smile. "Until the doctor tells me to, I have to stay home and rest my shoulder."

Naruto's phone rang while Keiji began what threatened to be a very long monologue about a book report that was due on Friday.

"Hello?" he flipped the phone open.

"Naruto, it's Mom."

Ayame was one of the calmest people Naruto knew, so when his mother sounded frazzled or scared, he knew something was seriously wrong.

And that's exactly how she sounded.

Frazzled, scared, and maybe even a little frantic.

"What's wrong?"

Hearing this, Hinata looked up and Naruto could instantly see the question in her eyes.

"They decided to admit Senna." Ayame said much too quickly. "The doctor is concerned that there might be something more going on than a stomach bug."

"Like what?" Like his mother on the other side of the phone, Naruto was on his way to panicking.

"He wouldn't say." Ayame's voice grew soft. "Senna is thinking the worse."

And so am I.

The last words were remained unspoken, but Naruto knew it was what his mother was thinking.

He was thinking the same thing.

"I'll be there as soon as I can!"

There was a pause before she responded.

"But what about Keiji?"

Naruto hesitated, peering at his son. "I'll bring him with me."

"And have him around a bunch of gloomy, worried people while they wait to find out whether or not his aunt's cancer has returned?"

Leave it to Ayame to suddenly think of others before herself.

"I don't think so! Naruto, I know you're his father but—!"

"No, you're right." Naruto sighed, knowing that he wouldn't want to be in the place anyway. "That's probably not the best idea. I'm going to go back to the hotel and wait for you guys to call. Tell Senna that—tell her to stay strong and not to give up. Everything's going to be fine."

"Don't worry about. I will."

Naruto hung up and shoved his phone into his pocket, more alarmed than he wanted to be.

Senna's cancer nearly killed her, but she fought hard and she won.

Or so they'd thought.

Was it possible that she was sick again?

That the cancer that they thought she had beaten was back?

"Is your sister okay?"

Hinata had gotten out of her car and was holding Keiji's hand, facing Naruto.

They could've been mother and son, the two of them. Their bodies tense, head cocked to the side, and eyes wary.

"They're admitting her. They want to run a few tests."

He didn't offer more. There was no sense in giving Keiji something else to worry about.

"You want to be there with her."

It was more of a statement than a question, but Naruto answered it anyway.

"I would like to, but I don't think the hospital is the best place for Keiji." He ran a hand through his hair as he gave out a drawn out sigh. "Besides, we had plans to have ice-cream sundaes this afternoon. Right, buddy?"

Keiji nodded his agreement, but didn't look excited anymore than when he had asked him earlier.

"If you want," Hinata bit her bottom lip, and Naruto's gaze was drawn to the fullness of her lips.

"What?" It was his turn to bend his head slightly sideways.

"Keiji and I could go for lunch and ice-cream while you go to the hospital."

"I couldn't, Hinata!" He was surprised she even insisted.

"Why not?" Keiji asked, and Naruto bit back impatience.

"Because Ms. Hyuuga has other things to do, Keiji!"

"Actually I don't." She offered. "I usually spend my Sunday relaxing, and what could be more relaxing than eating ice-cream and friendship?"

"There are still reporters around, Hinata." He made a lame attempt to turn down her offer. After all, she had done so much for them already. "If they see you and Keiji together, they'll be snapping pictures and asking questions; all the things that you wanted to avoid."

"Worrying about that now is like worrying about spilling milk when it's already on the floor!" Hinata argued. "It's too late. My photo was on the news, and I can't change it! So I may as well stop worrying."

Naruto softened his tone, seeing that she was getting angry. "Are you still worried your ex will come after you?"

"I-I don't know."

She sounded defeated.

"He's got a long memory and whether Kiba or the other cops believe me or not, I'm sure Sasu—." Hinata's voice trailed off and she shook her head. "You're right. It's probably best if Keiji and I don't go get ice-cream. I wouldn't want anything to happen while we're together."

"How about your house, Ms. Hyuuga?" Keiji didn't like what he was hearing.

"We can't put Ms. Hyuuga out like that, Keiji." Naruto frowned.

"It's alright. If Keiji wants to spend the afternoon at my place, I'm happy to have him if you're okay with it." Hinata's frown disappeared to a soft smile.

Was he okay with it?

"Please, dad?"

Naruto hesitated, trying to imagine every worse-case scenario.

If Hinata's ex came by, he wouldn't want his son anywhere close by.

"No, Keiji. Sorry, but that's final." Naruto could see his son instantly slump his shoulders as his face fell.

Hinata looked as disheartened as Keiji did.

"Why don't we all go together?" Naruto felt guilty and came up with a compromise, not wanting to be made the bad guy in this argument.

"That kind of defeats the purpose, Naruto." Hinata said quickly. "I was going to have Keiji come over so that you could be at the hospital with your sister."

Naruto had the distinct feeling that she would rather do just about anything but spend time with him.

"But we'll still have ice-cream!" Keiji looked up at Hinata and Naruto wondered if she had the heart to say no and avoid him.

"Keiji," Hinata hesitated then sighed. "That sounds good. We'll go back to my place, have lunch, then ice-cream."

"Thank you!" Keiji threw himself into her arms.

She laughed, accepting his hug, and Naruto's throat tightened.

Maybe things weren't as dire as they seem to be.

Maybe Keiji just needed some time to adjust, because at that moment, he looked a lot like the little boy Naruto remembered.

Happy, smiling and excited about life.

"You're welcome." She got in the car, this time, managing to close the door quickly and rolled down her window. "So how about we get going?"

"Come on, kiddo. Let's go."

"I could ride with—!"

"No." Naruto put a hand on Keiji's shoulder and steered him to the SUV. "I'm your father and I want to spend time with you."

He expected Keiji to go back to his solemn, sullen silence, but Keiji looked Naruto in the eye as he climbed inside the SUV and offered a shy smile.

"I want to spend time with you too, but you're not who I remember."

Naruto blinked, his heart beating hard against his ribs.

He didn't want to say the wrong words and do anything to stop Keiji's words form flowing.

"I didn't think you remembered me at all."

"I remember!" Keiji eagerly nodded his head, ready to prove that he did. "I remember we played catch together! I remember you used to make pancakes for breakfast! Chocolate chip ones!"

"Almost every Sunday morning." Naruto gave a choked chuckle, his eyes tearing up a bit.

"I remember I was sad when mo—Sakura told me you didn't want me anymore."

Naruto held back the tears. "I'm sorry Keiji. I wish thing's could've been different."

Keiji just shrugged, buckling his seatbelt and turned away, ending the conversation as quickly as it came.

Naruto was both relieved and disappointed.

Relieved because hearing about Keiji's life was like having a knife thrust into his heart. It was painful to hear.

Disappointed because despite the pain, Naruto needed to know what kind of life Keiji had been living with Sakura if he were to ever gain a full understanding of the boy.

So far, Sakura wasn't talking, and though the officials had traced much of her movements during the past five years, they couldn't speculate on how she treated Keiji.

His cell phone rang for the second time today and he answered it as he pulled out of the church parking lot.

Maybe it's mom or dad.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Sharo."

Stevens Sharo was one of Naruto's best investigators. A half Japanese-American, former New York City homicide detective who joined Naruto's team after his sister had been by her estranged husband. He's been on the team for three years now.

"What's up? Anything new?" Naruto tried to make himself sound casual, looking at Keiji from the rearview mirror.

"That's what I was calling you to ask you. I phoned into the office, and Yuki said you'd run into some complications."

Complications? Naruto pouted. "Nothing I can't handle."

"She also said the woman who helped you find Keiji was shot." Sharo continued, completely ignoring Naruto's previous response.

"Yuki talks too much."

But she was a great investigator. That was the only reason why Naruto had asked her to help find information on Hinata.

She had come up empty as he had.

"She's only worried."

"Well, she shouldn't be." Naruto rolled his eyes. "Things are cool here."

Trying to change the topic, he asked, "How about you? Find your brother-in-law?"

Sharo had taken a week off to fly to Canada with his new wife, Tsume. They were hoping to track down the brother Tsume had been separated from when she was a child when the Yakuza came to collect the debts owed to them by her father. Adopted by different families, Tsume and Kiseki hadn't seen each other in two decades. The team had just gotten word on Kiseki going to Canada for his business trip, him being a representative of the large owning corporate in Japan.

"We haven't been able to locate him yet. Seems like every time we show up at his condo, he just left." Naruto could hear the bitterness in Sharo's voice. "At least that's what his neighbor says."

"You think he's hiding?"

"I don't know, but I'm not going to give up until Tsume gets a chance to see him face-to-face. If it is Kiseki, she needs to know. Whether he wants the reunion or not."

Naruto chuckled when his colleague used his motto. "Well, keep me updated."

"I will. Anyways, how are things with Keiji?"

"As well as can be expected." Naruto glanced at the rearview mirror again, only to see Keiji look out the window when their eyes met. It didn't mean he wasn't listening.

"Well hang in there buddy. Good luck!"

"We need it." Naruto admitted, though he didn't want it to be true.

"And do you need me? Tsume and I are willing to fly there if things go badly."

"No, it's okay!" Naruto practically shouted. "Plus, what would it be for?"

"Support?" Sharo seemed to have chuckled. "More manpower?"

"What you mean is more weapon power." Naruto sighed.

"That too."

"I'm good for now. I'll let you know if things change." He lied. He didn't want to bother anybody else with his problems. "Now, you better go back to looking for Kiseki."

"Thanks. Take care, boss." Sharo hung up before Naruto could tell him to knock off the 'boss' thing.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket as he pulled up in front of Kurenai's house.

Hinata was standing on the porch, her ponytail falling over her shoulder in a silky rope.

She looked nervous and uneasy, shoulders tense, and Naruto wondered what it was about him that made her so uneasy.

Was it the fact that he was a private investigator and she had secrets?

Was it the fact that there was obvious chemistry between the two?

Or was it because Naruto was simply a man and Hinata had been abused or disappointed or both by men one too many times in her life?

"Ready to eat?" She smiled brightly when Keiji bounded up the stairs, but the nervousness was impossible to hide from him.

"What are we having?"

"Pizza sound good?" Hinata opened the door. "That's easy to make and I have all the ingredients."

"You can make pizza?" Keiji's smile widened. "Wow! You're amazing Ms. Hyuuga!"

"Aww, that's sweet, Keiji. Thank You." Hinata hurried inside. "Now let's hurry so we can cook it while we play a game."

She hadn't offered Naruto more than a brief glance.

Maybe she wished he'd change his mind and go to the hospital.

He knew he wouldn't.

There was too much at stake.

Keiji's safety.

Hinata's.

Until Naruto knew for sure that Hinata's ex wasn't coming after her, he'd make no assumptions and take nothing for granted.

He scanned the empty street, searching for danger but found nothing.

The day was peaceful and silent.

Of course, things could change in an instant.

He learned that the hard way, when Keiji disappeared.

It was something he would never forget.

He silently followed Hinata and Keiji up the stairs and into her apartment, lost in thought.

The ending is set!

Just about seven more chapters left!

I threw a lot of information in here, though I still have to figure out where they will end up in the final.

This is a sorry for waiting.

Thanks for reading!

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