Together, We Love

Two weeks passed.

Sakura was discharged from the hospital and now she was recovering at home, with Sasuke's help. Hinata, on the other hand, was still in the hospital, unconscious.

Without her around, Naruto had to disperse his clones around the village to do the duties so he was very busy. He made some time to visit her everyday, but he couldn't stay for as long as he liked because he often had other matters to tend to.

It was very exhausting.

He was waiting both eagerly and patiently for her to wake up. A part of him was scared that she might never wake up, and another part was confident that she'll be strong enough to fully recover. He hoped that she would come to her senses soon...he needed to tell her his feelings. She's been having a one-sided love for him her whole life, and it took him this long, even after their marriage, to realize what he truly felt towards her.

She deserved to be loved. And when she wakes up, he'll be sure to remind her everyday of just how much he loves her.

As of right now, he was at the hospital again, with Tsunade.

"It's been two weeks. She should have woken up by now." Naruto reached for Hinata's hand and held it tightly.

"It's not something that we'll know for sure. It could be another week before she's conscious again...it might even be a month or a year. Her body's stabilized, her heart rate is normal, and she has enough chakra. At this point, all we can do now is hope." Tsunade explained.

"...a month...a year...?" Naruto's jaw clenched. That was far too long. He missed her so much. He wanted to see her open her beautiful eyes and he wanted to see her smile. He missed her voice and her laughter...he missed the warmth of her body next to him when they slept at night and he missed holding her.

He sighed and sat down, holding her hand against his forehead. "Come on, Hinata...don't leave me."

Tsunade's eyes saddened. She's never seen him this devastated before...at least, not towards Hinata. He must really love her.

"Hokage."

Shikamaru came in the room and bowed to the both of them. "Hokage, there's been a letter sent from the Raikage regarding the rebels. You should come and take a look. The Kazekage is also arriving today to discuss about the secret scrolls that you sent to Kumogakure."

Naruto sighed once again, irritated that he never got to spend a good amount of time with Hinata. He gazed at her for a moment longer before he stood up and walked towards the door.

"Don't worry, we'll notify you immediately if anything comes up." Tsunade reassured him as he nodded and then exited along with Shikamaru.

Naruto's eyes scanned over the letter and he felt relieved when he finished. The rebels were taken care of and many of them were imprisoned in the Kumogakure security headquarters. Fortunately, no rebels were able to make their way to Konoha, so Konoha and the neighboring villages were safe now.

"Pull back any remaining shinobi that are fifteen miles out of the village gates. We don't need anymore heavy security watch for now." Naruto set the letter down and looked at the time. "When will Gaara be here?"

"He should be here by tonight."

Naruto nodded and leaned back against his chair. "My proposal in the scrolls were a bit ambitious. Since Gaara's gonna be here today, I'm assuming he'll most likely agree with me, but I 'm not too sure about the other Kages."

"Your proposals were reasonable and it'll bring the villages together even more. There's no logical reason why they would oppose it...besides, every shinobi already acknowledged that they wanted to live in a world where all ninjas are united."

Naruto grinned. "Right? I shouldn't worry about it. We'll be able to ma

intain peace if they all agree to it."

"Other than that, is your health ok?"

Naruto's smile immediately dropped. "Geez, you always act like I'm an old man with no stamina at all. Don't you know who I am after all these years?"

"I'm just making sure. You're been working extra hard without Lady Hinata here to help."

"I'm fine. I have my clones, I have you, and a bunch of other ninjas who have been helping me out. It's been a bit hectic because I'm always thinking about her, but...I'll manage." Naruto shrugged as he got up and looked out at the village. "Go ahead to the security headquarters and tell them to pull back their shinobi. I'm gonna drop by to see Sakura and Sasuke for just a few minutes."

Sakura almost dropped her soup spoon when the door bell rang.

"Ah...what the hell?" She groaned and set down her bowl of hot soup before she went to the door. She opened it and her eyes widened slightly when she saw Naruto. "Hokage!" She immediately bowed to him, but Naruto only chuckled and stopped her.

"Sorry, I surprised you, huh. Is Sasuke here, too?"

Sakura invited him in and shook her head. "He left a while ago to go get a few of his things. He keeps insisting to stay here for a couple more days until he's sure that I won't randomly faint or something like that. I'm doing pretty fine, though, so I don't know why he's so worried."

"Well, he did almost lose you, you know. You can't even imagine how scared he probably was." Naruto sat down on the couch and Sakura followed after him, sitting across from him.

"Mm, I guess he was pretty scared, huh. It's just different because I'm still getting used to him being like this." Sakura sighed. "...what about you? Are you doing okay? I heard that Lady Hinata is still being hospitalized."

"Ah. We're just waiting to see when she'll wake up. It's been two weeks already, and I am getting anxious...but I know that right now, I just have to be patient and have hope that she'll come back to me."

Sakura smiled faintly at him. "When she wakes up...you'll tell her, won't you?"

Naruto smiled back. "Of course. That's the first thing I'll do. She's done so much for me so the least I can do is return her feelings...and even after that, I know I have to continue to cherish and love her more than I've ever loved anyone else."

"You really are dense...it took you this long to realize your feelings for her."

"I know." Naruto sighed and looked down at his hands. "I owe her a lot...and I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I can't even imagine living life without her now."

"I'm so happy for you. Let's just hope that she'll wake up soon. I also owe her a lot and I know Sasuke wants to thank her, too."

"Speaking of Sasuke..." Naruto narrowed his eyes. "...has he even asked you to marry him yet?"

Sakura was a bit taken back by the sudden question and she laughed softly. "Hokage, you and I both know he's not the type to propose or ask for my hand in marriage."

"Eeeh, but you know, he's changed now!"

"For now, having him return my feelings like this is enough for me. After all we've been through in the past, I'm more than happy to see this side of him. He's content with his life now, so I'm fine, too. Whether he wants to marry me or not, that's his decision. I'll always be here and I'll always love him, so I'll support whatever choice he makes. If he does ask me to marry him, of course, I'll say yes. If he doesn't, living like this beside him is also fine for me. Knowing that he loves me now, that's all that matters."

Naruto's gaze softened at her. He was so glad that both of his teammates were finding happiness now. Though they've been through the hardest trials and the darkest times...they still managed to be here today, together. He was always hopeful that Sasuke would return back to the village, but he never imagined for everything to fall into place so perfectly like this.

"I really do hope that he proposes to you, though. And not just a half-assed proposal, you know?"

Sakura laughed again and nodded. "Thank you."

Naruto looked over to the kitchen and he blinked a couple of times before pointing to the boiling pot of soup that was spilling over on the stove. "...isn't that burning?"

Sakura gasped and quickly ran over to the kitchen to turn off the fire. "Ah, damn it!"

Naruto also got up and walked to the kitchen. "Was that for lunch?"

"Yea, I was making it for Sasuke. It doesn't look too bad, right? I think I might've overcooked it...the vegetables are a bit too soggy."

"Aah, I think it's still fine. At least Sasuke gets to eat the food you make...I miss Hinata's cooking." Naruto sighed and leaned against the counter.

Sakura stirred the soup for a few seconds before covering the pot and setting it aside. She glanced over at Naruto and noticed his distant expression. 'He's probably thinking about Hinata...'

"Naruto."

Naruto looked up at her, surprised that she said his name. It felt kinda good to hear someone call his actual name rather than just calling him "Hokage."

"Yes?"

"Are you really ok?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I'm fine."

Sakura slightly glared at him. "Tell me the truth. I've known you forever, so I know something's up."

Naruto kept his eyes locked on hers and he figured that she'll probably be persistent in asking him until he answered her truthfully. If not that, then she'll probably get mad at him and throw a punch at him or pummel him to the ground. He totally forgot how scary she can be when she gets mad.

Giving up, he let out a deep breath and then lowered his gaze to the ground. "...do you think that maybe...she might not want to wake up...?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Why would you say that?"

"Well, because...all she's ever known in life...was pain. Her father never acknowledged her till now, her little sister is seen as the stronger one, Neji is...dead...and...and she's lived her whole life, loving someone like me, who didn't even look at her once. She's been looked down on for so long, and now that I think about it, that's something that's too painful to live with. Feeling like a burden to everyone and feeling like you're not good enough...maybe she might think it's better to not come back...and I'm scared of that. What if she doesn't want to wake up, Sakura?"

Sakura felt angry, but she couldn't even yell at him right now because of his heartbroken expression. He looked so lost and just so...so afraid. She just shook her head at him and sighed. "Why do you have so little faith in her? Didn't you just tell me a few moments ago that you'll be patient and have hope that she'll come back?"

Naruto clenched his hands into fists. He didn't even know how to answer that, because he was so torn. Yes, he knew he had to patient and have hope, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel like Hinata just didn't want to come back anymore.

"Hey." Sakura walked over to him and lightly placed her hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the Naruto I know. You're not someone who gives up so easily, especially on the people you love. Hinata has admired you all her life, and I've never seen her given up on anything...so what makes you think she'll give up on her own life?"

Naruto stayed quiet, because he knew that what she said was true. He shouldn't even be like this. And he knew damn well, that Hinata was a fighter. He let out a shaky sigh and then closed his eyes tightly. "...you're right. I shouldn't be like this. I have to-,"

Before he could finish, the door burst open and they both turned to see Sasuke standing there, slightly out of breath.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Sakura asked worriedly, seeing the look on his face.

Instead of answering her, his eyes traveled to Naruto. "...she's awake."

Naruto literally froze in place and his eyes widened. "She's awake...?"

"Yes, but..."

That made Naruto's heart drop. But? But what? Wasting no time, he ran over and frantically grabbed Sasuke's sleeve. "But what?!"

"...she's not in her room."

Naruto opened his mouth, but he couldn't find any words to say. She wasn't in her room? What the hell did that even mean? She was missing? She was in the ICU, with nurses and doctors, and even Tsunade, keeping a watch on her, so how the hell can she just suddenly not be in her bed anymore?

"Hokage, calm down." Sasuke shot a glare at him and took a step back when he saw the look on Naruto's face. Recognizing the immense chakra that was pouring out of Naruto right now, Sasuke knew that he was going to go into Sage Mode right now...probably because by doing that, he could locate where Hinata was immediately.

"Don't tell me to calm down when my wife is missing from the hospital." Naruto hissed at him.

Without another word, Naruto disappeared in a blink of an eye, leaving Sasuke and Sakura to stand there alone.

Hinata stood at the top of the Hokage monuments, looking down at the village. She changed earlier, so she was holding her hospital gown in one arm while she sat down.

Judging from how her nails grew longer and how her bangs were now slightly covering over her eyes, she knew she must have been unconscious for probably about two weeks or more. She felt ashamed...that's why she snuck out without anyone knowing. She felt guilty for not waking up sooner and she thought about how much Naruto was probably stressing out because he was worrying about her while doing his duties as well. She was surprised that she was still alive, too. She was so sure that she wasn't going to survive after doing two healing techniques at once like that.

'..they probably know I'm missing by now...' She thought. She honestly just wanted some fresh air and she knew the hospital staff and Tsunade would restrict her from leaving the hospital if she asked, so she figured she might as well just leave without permission. She was the Lady Hokage after all...she didn't really need permission.

She wondered if Naruto came to visit her while she was unconscious...and she wondered who he was more worried about when he found out about hers and Sakura's condition. She was sure that Sakura was fine by now, but she could just imagine Naruto's grief stricken expression when he heard that Sakura was poisoned.

Hinata clutched her hospital gown tighter and then stood up. She let out a quiet gasp when she suddenly felt lightheaded and her vision stared to blur...damn it, she got up too fast. She tried to regain her posture but she knew she was going to collapse before she could stable herself, so she close her eyes tightly and waited to hit the dirt floor below her.

"Hinata!"

She felt an all-too-familiar presence coming at lightning speed towards her and instead of falling on the hard ground, she felt a pair of strong arms catch her. Her eyes fluttered open to see Naruto panting heavily and he stared at her with a worried expression.

"...N...Naruto..."

Instead of responding to her, he pulled her close to his chest and embraced her tightly. "Hinata..." He felt so relieved and happy to see her awake, but yet, he was still worried because he knew she definitely was in no condition to leave the hospital yet.

Hinata blushed at how he was embracing her like she was everything to him. And how did he even know that she was up here? Gently, she pushed away from him and realized that he was in Sage mode. "Why are you like this? Did something happen?"

"I just...I needed to find you." Naruto muttered and then relaxed, returning back to normal. He kept looking at her, his eyes traveling over her face and body, to reassure himself that she was really here in front of him. "Why did you leave your room?"

Hinata averted her eyes away from him and she hesitated a bit before answering. "I'm sorry, for not waking up sooner. I just wanted to leave for a bit to get some fresh air and because I felt like such a nuisance for not being able to come back sooner. You must've been working really hard lately..." She reached up to touch his face, but he stopped her and gently grasped her wrist.

For some reason, he felt angry. Why the hell was she worrying about him when her health wasn't even good yet? Why the hell did she always have to put others before herself, like she didn't even matter at all?

Hinata was taken back when she recognized that angry look. Was he mad at her? "...um, if I did something to upset you, I'm sorry-,"

"Stop...just please, stop apologizing." He sighed. "Why are you worrying about me when you should be thinking about your own health? Do you even know how anxious and worried I've been these two weeks?"

Hinata was about to apologize again, but she kept her mouth shut and didn't say anything.

"And how can you just sneak out of the hospital when clearly, your body can't handle it yet? You just almost fainted right now!"

This was the first time Naruto ever scolded her and even got mad at her, so she wasn't sure what to do or what to say. She was about to just tell him that she'll go back to the hospital, but then narrowed her eyes because she couldn't help but feel irritated, also.

Her body can't handle it yet? The only reason why she almost fainted just now was because she got up too fast, so she got a head-rush. If she had enough stamina to get herself from the hospital all the way up to the Hokage monuments that overlooked Konoha, she was damn sure that her body was fully recovered now.

"I don't need to go back to the hospital."

Naruto slightly glared at her. "You have to, Hinata. You're going to be exhausted-,"

"I'm not that weak."

"I didn't say you were weak! I just don't want you putting herself in danger again."

"If you're referring to Sakura, you have to understand that I put my life on the line because I needed to save her."

Naruto clenched his hands into fists and tried to calm down, but he couldn't suppress his anger. "So you would just die without a second thought? You would willingly transfer that much of your life force to another person to the extent where you wouldn't even be alive anymore?"

"I did it to ensure that she'll live, Naruto!" Hinata couldn't believe this. She didn't ever think that she'll raise her voice at him, out of all people, but it just pissed her off that he didn't understand why she did what she did.

"I don't understand why couldn't you at least tell someone else on the team to lend their chakra to you. Was it so hard to ask for someone to help?"

"They were exhausted, too! I can't do that to them, not especially after they just fought off the rebels!"

"They are ninjas, Hinata! Capable ninjas who can each lend a little of their own chakra to help you heal Sakura! But you did it all on your own and you risked your own life so unnecessarily!"

"Unnecessarily? I risked my life unnecessarily? They are ninjas, but they are also my people, from my beloved village. I'd rather have them replenish on their chakra than give it to me! I had enough to manage-,"

"If you had enough to manage, then why the hell did you almost die?!"

Hinata opened her mouth to argue back, but she couldn't find the right words to say. She softened her gaze when she realized that she was staring at him so intensely and then she let out a small sigh. She might as well just say the truth about how she felt; it wasn't like it was going to make a difference anyways. "...I'd rather it be me, than her, Naruto. I'm your wife..." Hinata paused and then she gazed at him with an expression that just nearly broke him.

"...but she's the woman you love. So how can I not risk my life to save her, when she means so much to you?"

Naruto felt that wrenching heartache in his chest again. Her words pierced right through him and he almost felt like crying. Everything she did, every decision she made, was for him. Even in her last possible moments of life, she still thought of him above everything else, and yet, here he was, raising his voice at her and getting mad for stupid reasons.

"Why...why do you keep thinking that you mean nothing to me...?" He shook his head at her and he felt even more horrible than he already was when he saw that her eyes were getting watery. He didn't want her to cry.

Hinata's lips trembled and when she blinked, the tears that she tried so hard to hold back fell down her cheeks. She couldn't suppress the quiet sob that came out when Naruto reached forward and softly wiped her tears away with his thumb.

She knew her voice was going to shake when she spoke, but she didn't care. She wanted an answer now.

"Then what do I mean to you, Naruto?"

God, he loved her so much. And seeing how much she was crying right now, he finally understood how much pain she endured all these years when she had to stand from afar and watch him love Sakura. He leaned in closer to her and then wiped away her remaining tears. He placed a heartwarming kiss on her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and on her lips. His heart was pounding right now because the words that were going to come out of his mouth this instant were words that he's never said to anyone before. It was nerve-wrecking, but as a man, he knew he had to confess to her. She's been waiting for far too long and she deserved better.

"...everything." He embraced her in his arms and buried his face into her lavender scented hair. "You mean everything to me."

Hinata's heart was also racing...probably twice as much as his was. She was anticipating his every word and for some reason, deep down, she already knew what he was going to say to her. All those moments they spent together couldn't have been for nothing. All those times where he held her so intimately, where he kissed her on a whim, and where he looked at her so longingly was definite proof that he did feel something for her.

She just wanted to hear it from him. She wanted to know his true answer.

"All my life, you've been there supporting me, even when I didn't see it. You've loved me at my lowest and you've loved me when I was at my best. You're beautiful and strong, yet you still know how to be humble and virtuous. You were the reason why I remembered why I was fighting and you reminded me of my ninja way. You're all these things that I didn't even know I wanted..."

When he pulled away from her, he realized that she wasn't crying anymore and he couldn't help but smile when he saw a hint of anticipation and hope in her eyes.

"...so how could I not fall in love with you?"

Review :) Next chapter will probably be the last. Thank you guys for following through with this story and I hope you guys truly enjoyed it! Please take a look at my other stories and look out for new ones! ^-^