Sanctuary

chapter 21

Incomplete

"Hinata's with who?" Naruto yelped as he and Kakashi ran to the Hokage's tower. The Hyuga girl was with a group of the Hyuga elders at the Hokage's tower. This made Naruto uneasy. Everytime Hinata and the clan elders were in the same place something bad happened, it was as if they were out to get her. Pushing chakra to his feet, Naruto out ran Kakashi heading towards the center of the village.

Tsunade led the group of Hyugas to a conference room and sat down.

"Would you like to tell me what's going on?" Tsunade asked as she looked at each face at the table, her hands folded in front of her.

"Yes, lady Tsunade this ignorant girl has forsaken her clan and has cast it aside. By doing so she gave up her rights as the heiress of the clan along with her sister Hanabi, who must be sealed to protect the Byakugan." A female elder said, adjusting her robe. Tsunade simply raised an eyebrow at the older woman.

"No, Hinata was removed from her father's care by my choice, and mine alone. Because it was for her best interest, I went over her head in this matter, especially seeing how she was unconscious at the time." Tsunade turned towards Hinata.

"Have you ever publically forsaken your clan?"

"No Lady Tsunade, I just wish to follow my mother's dreams for me by becoming the next clan head, however the clan elders are denying my birthright to me which I feel is inappropriate. I willingly returned to my clan, I have never slandered them, nor have I renounced my relation to anybody in the family. I don't see what the problem is here aside from the fact that their letting their corrupt ways affect their leadership of this clan. As the only heir of age, I have the right to have some amount of control in the clan, especially seeing how in two years I will be eighteen. Hyuga law claims that the heir of the clan gains complete control of the clan at the age of adulthood."

An older man cut Hinata off.

"You have proved to be an incompetent heiress. You no longer have any rights in this clan."

"Actually I am the one who makes that decision." The group turned to see Hiashi Hyuga, the current leader of the Hyuga clan.

"Hiashi."

"Father."

"Tsunade, Hinata." Hiashi said nodding towards the two women.

"I apologize for my lateness in arriving to this meeting. I was not told it would be taking place or I would have arrived accordingly." he said glaring at the group of elders.

"Hinata has every right to be a member of this clan, and she has every right to put a claim in for her birth right. She has excelled magnificently over the years. The girl you claimed would never become a shinobi has become a chunin. Yes most heirs are jonin when they claim their rights, but Hinata has two years to become the perfect heiress. It can be accomplished, and it's rude to snoop by windows girl!" Hiashi said turning towards the only available window in the room. Immediately Tsunade rushed over to the window, catching the eavesdropping Sakura who had tripped trying to get away.

"Sakura Haruno! Wait for me in my office NOW!" Tsunade snarled at the embarrassed pink haired girl.

Hinata watched with her Byakugan as Sakura made her way into Tsunade's office and sat down.

"There are many things to be discussed for the future of this clan, namely who will take over when I am no longer able."

"Lord Hyuga, that will be a very long time in the future, by then you could have produced a competent heir with your second wife." Hiashi simply smiled at the elder.

"That would be impossible, I would simply be leaving more children parent less, and as for Mikoto and I, We have decided in a mutual separation. She keeps her main branch status and nothing more." Hinata was in shock at her father's words, but it was not the declaration of divorce that shocked her.

"What do you mean you'd be leaving more children parent less father?" Hinata asked hesitantly. She could only hope that her thoughts were wrong. Hiashi faced his oldest child, sadness on his face, yet he smiled.

"I am dying Hinata. My heart is not as strong as it used to be."

"B-but you can't die! We- you-" Hinata sputtered. Why now? why when they finally got along, when they could act like a father and daughter did fate chose to rip those bonds to shreds? To burn them before any good could come out of the matter?

"How long do you have left?" Hinata felt so defeated. Though Tsunade didn't seem as surprised by the news. Hiashi had been suffering a heart condition since a young age, and though he had hidden it well, it was not something that he could hide forever.

"A bit more than two years, I'm sorry I have not told you sooner." Hiashi said facing his saddened daughter.

"However, I will take it upon myself to train you in the special arts of this clan. I have shunned and pushed you away. It is because of me that you lack such skill in our fighting style. Your training will begin in two weeks time, but for now you will gather your things and return to the Hyuga compound if you wish to do so." Hiashi stood as well as the elders who followed.

"Lord Hyuga, there must be rules for her return. We don't wish for her to simply abandon us yet again." Hiashi sighed roughly.

"Fine, make rules. Nothing that will hamper her training, nothing that will affect her in any way negatively. Am I clear?"

"Yes Lord Hyuga" The clan elders chorused. The elders were beginning to plot. They would have their way, one way or another. Hiashi left the conference room and the elders followed. Hinata and Tsunade sat alone together, and eventually the Hokage spoke.

"Hinata, what in the world are you thinking? They're going to flay you alive! Why in the world would you risk so much?" Tsunade was truly worried, the Hyuga clan was one of the cruelest clans in Konoha, and Hinata was far too nice for her own good. Something was wrong with the picture here, why would she do this?

"Naruto loves Sakura, he's always loved Sakura. I-I was just enjoying it while it lasted. I knew it wouldn't last forever..."

"Hinata don't lie to me, what is going on? What in the world is the real reason behind all this?" This couldn't be from some simple misunderstanding right?

Naruto climbed the stairs and ran right into his pink haired team mate.

"Naruto, Hinata and Lady Tsunade are in a meeting. Apparently she's going to live with the Hyuga clan again. She said that she never willingly left the clan, that she lived with you against her will. Why would Hinata lie like that?" Sakura's words were twisted and manipulative. If she could make it seem truthful and even sound curiously disturbed, maybe Naruto would begin to see her in that special light again. Naruto was floored as he listened to Sakura's words. Would Hinata really lie like that? There was no way it was all fake, it couldn't be the emotions were too real for it to be a lie. Pushing his way past Sakura Naruto continued onwards to the Hokage's office, passing the conference room in which Hinata and Tsunade were situated. Everything was rushing through his mind, this was going way too fast, first he was on cloud nine and suddenly it was as if his world was coming to an end. Why was this happening? Bursting through the door, Naruto was greeted with an empty office.

"It looks like they've already left. Hinata's going to live with the Hyugas again, she's probably taking her stuff from your house right now. Everybody knows that you're out looking for her." Again it was Sakura, hoping to fill Naruto's heart with doubt however the blonde had finally had enough.

"You know what Sakura? I liked you once, and I did have a crush on you. But not any more! To me you are nothing more than a sister, and that is something that will never change between us. At one time I was in love with you. But now I only love you as Sakura my team mate and sibling. I love you like how I love Granny Tsunade, how I loved the third Hokage, how I love my friends. I love Hinata a different way. I love her for her laugh and smile, her personality and that shine in her eyes, the warmth and grace she carries where ever she goes. I love Hinata in a special way, I love her like I love everybody else, and I love her more than that as well. So if you're going to help me, then help me, but if you're only going to hurt me, then just leave Sakura. I have plenty of precious people who would never try to intentionally hurt me." Sakura was aghast. Now she was lumped with everybody else, she was just part of the group. And the realization had sunk in that Hinata had won this unannounced fight. The silent stuttering kunoichi had won where the vibrant and bold Sakura had not, and it made her sick. Was she really becoming this? How was it possible that she had sunk so low on Naruto's radar? Sakura bowed her head as she stepped out of the door way.

"Their in the conference room down the hall. The elders just left, apparently their going to make rules that Hinata will be forced to obey, and knowing the Hyuga elders they will be rules that will keep Hinata from all of her friends. You mostly." With that said, Sakura sat in the chair in front of Tsunade's desk.

Naruto walked from the office with out even giving Sakura a passing glance. He was glad that she was finally seeing reason, but disturbed that she would ever go so far as to lie to him like she did. As he neared the conference room the door opened revealing an indigo haired girl, and the Hokage, both who stopped and stared at the blonde.

"Naruto. Please don't."

"Hinata I can't, I can't just forget. I carry you in my spirit, when you're gone, I can't stop thinking about you, I care more for you than I care for myself. And your eyes, and smile, they make my world right. Please, Hinata don't do this, I don't want us to become a distant memory, please." Naruto stared deep into Hinata's eyes, praying for the best to happen, hoping that above all else it was just some kind of twisted trick. But the look in her eyes scared him, it was as if he'd lose her any second. Hinata stared into Naruto's pleading cerulean eyes. Her heart was breaking, glancing past the blonde before her Hinata noticed one of the Hyuga elders lingering in the hall, staring at her, making no effort to hide himself. Hinata took in a shakey breath and looked back at Naruto taking a step away. Her eyes filled with tears. Doing the best for her sister, her father and going after her mother's dreams for her was going to be the hardest thing She had ever done. Drying her eyes Hinata looked away, she knew the look on his face would kill her.

"I'm sorry you don't want us to become a simple memory, but I do." Hinata could barely breath. Turning she walked over to the Hyuga elder her head bowed as she went. Naruto and Tsunade watched as they walked from the building, the Hokage's hand, cleched on the heart broken boy's shoulder, keeping him in place. Naruto's world had come crashing down all around him. Hinata's love was ripped away tearing his heart to shreds. What was left for him now? He could only stare as the pieces of his heart were blown and scattered away. That same day, Hyuga servants arrived at Naruto's house to collect Hinata's belongings, only the ones that had once resided in the Hyuga compound. When Naruto arrived home, her room was an empty shell, but what hurt the most was that everything he had given her lay upon the bed in a neat pile. As much as he hated to accept it, Naruto had come to terms later that evening with a difficult fact. Hinata was gone, and by the looks of things, she wasn't coming back.

Well, I was really stumped about this chapter, so instead of dealing with writer's block I wrote the chapter ahead of this one instead! It was kind of difficult to come up with this, but I'm trying to keep the general reason for Hinata's leaving a mystery until, the right time. I mean, I'll let little bits and pieces come through now and then, But I want it to be something you guys figure out, ya know? Thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews! : )