Guardian

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Well for some reason I just wanted to get this chapter out to all of you. Knew you would be waiting for it. Just as a warning I am probably going to write a chapter for my other story for before I write another for this and I also have another one shot in mind, so don't expect a really fast update like this one again.

Not much else to say, love the reviews as always and I appreciate the helpful comments. As for the question I saw in the reviews about Hidan and Kakuzu being with the Akatsuki, yes I do plan to have them there, while I am aware of what has happened to them since I read the manga, they are way to bad ass to keep out.

XxXxXxXxX

-Last chapter-

"We of the Hyuga need a strong leader as you know. You have shown a great increase in your skills and abilities over the past year. Something that hasn't gone unnoticed. However we feel that even though you are now showing the strength…we feel you still lack the character As such we have come to a decision." At this he smiled brightly and looked at his son. "You are to have an arranged marriage to Diachi and he will become the clan head through marriage."

Hinata felt her world start to crumble and tears in her eyes as she looked down towards the ground.

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Blood and tears

-11 Months later-

She sat in her office, chair facing towards the city she was sworn to protect, her desk surprisingly clear of any paper work. She was looking at the full moon in the night sky. She slowly brought the sake glass towards her lips as she was lost in thought about the village and about the one she considered to be a little brother.

"Today marks the eleventh month he has been gone." She spoke to no one. It was more or less just a way to hear someone's voice. The silence in the room was starting to get to her. No it wasn't exactly that, it was the silence that had been in Konoha for the past eleven months.

Not one to call her baa-chan, no one to yell about better missions,…..no one around that had the ability to bring a smile to all present. It had been hard the first time he left with Jaraiya, but at least then she knew he would be safe, that he wouldn't be dealing with a seal that could change him for the rest of his life. But she had to trust in Katsu. He would bring Naruto back.

Tsunade let out a long drawn out sigh. Times were strange. No word had been heard about Orochimaru since the battle over Sasuke. While normally she would be happy to hear that the snake went to crawl into his pit, never to come out again, but she couldn't help but have a bad feeling about him going underground.

Then there was the Akatsuki. Ever since Naruto had disappeared there had been no word from anyone in Jaraiya's network of informants about the group. They had only gotten one message that was hidden in the home of an informant that wound up dead. Tsunade looked at the coded note again. 'The wheel strengthens itself and it's joining parts to take the path to the end.'

The note was blindly simple to understand and they were lucky that the note was well hidden enough for it to not be found. The wheel represented Itachi's eyes while the joining parts meant the rest of the Akatsuki. If she was correct then the whole of the Akatsuki were preparing to capture Naruto.

Tsunade was clenching her fist in front of her mouth as she thought. There was no way to get a message to warn Naruto and Katsu. For one they had no idea on when the Akatsuki were going to make a move, but they also had no idea where Naruto even was. Jaraiya was the only person with the ability to contact him through toad summons, but Jaraiya had been away since the first month after Naruto left to find out about the Akatsuki.

"We have a problem."

Tsunade's head snapped to the left to look at the person who spoke. There was Jaraiya crouched over at the window. He had a panicked expression on his face.

"What is it?" Normally Tsunade would had made a jab at Jaraiya, it was just their way when they were around each other, but the look on his face had her immediately cutting to business.

"It's Akatsuki, their on the move. I don't know how they have evaded detection for so long, but I will tell you this. They have all met and are all on their way to Naruto and Katsu. I don't know how they found out where they are, but they do."

"Where are they now?"

"Last I heard about at the border of fire country, but there is really no telling with their kind of speed and ability."

"Shit, I'll get everyone together I…" A massive wave of killing intent washed over her, so massive she almost collapsed to her knees. She knew the feeling that just washed over her; she had felt it nineteen years ago. It was filled with so much malice and hate. Looking out towards the moon again she saw it had turned blood red.

"N-no…"

The door busted open as Shizune ran into the room, a fearful look in her eyes. "Tsunade-sama what's happening?" She screamed out.

Tsunade turned towards Shizune slowly. Tears were starting to leak from her eyes, scaring Shizune even more. "Kyuubi…" Tsunade said slowly.

There was a gasp as she said the words. Looking towards the door they saw Hinata standing there. Tears running down her face and her hand covering her mouth. "N-no…he promised…he promised" She repeated to herself slowly, she subconsciously gripped the necklace he had given her in her other hand.

"Hinata…" Before Tsunade could even try to comfort the girl she disappeared in a puff of smoke. Tsunade could only assume that the girl had gone home to cry. Slamming her hand into her desk it shattered into pieces. "Damnit how could I have not noticed she was here."

She could here it now; there was panic on the streets. People that hadn't passed out from the massive killing intent were now in the streets panicking. All thinking that the Kyuubi had finally broken loose and was going to kill them all. It was nineteen years ago all over again.

Tsunade was holding her head, trying to figure out just what to do. 'Why did I take this damn job' She kept saying inside her head as she tried to think of ways to solve the situation. She was brought out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. Looking over she saw Jaraiya with a serious look on his face. "I'll take care of it."

Tsunade was in a daze. Did he expect he could defeat the Kyuubi? What was he thinking. She didn't know what to say until Jaraiya was starting to head for the door. "What?"

Jaraiya stopped and turned around and looked at her in the face with a sad smile. "I'll do anything the protect those I care most about."

The words registered in Tsunade's mind. Jaraiya had once told her those were the exact words Arashi had spoken before he summoned the death god for the Kyuubi. Jaraiya was going to go sacrifice his life. Tsunade sprinted across the small office and wrapped onto Jaraiya.

"NO. You're not going. I won't let you." She sobbed into his chest. Jaraiya was actually surprised, but did his best to hold true to his word. He would do his best to protect the village his student had died for.

As soon as he was about to attempt to pull away from her the killing intent completely disappeared along with the red on the moon. Everything returned to serene state it had been in just ten minutes ago. Everyone felt relief that the intent was gone, but a great about of fear the Kyuubi was loose now.

Tsunade stood in shock. The killing intent was gone, everything that she had remembered from the day the Kyuubi attacked happened and left in the span of ten minutes, how was it possible?

"Jaraiya what happened to the Kyuubi?"

Jaraiya's eyes were wide. The look of surprise on his face was completely evident and then the situation sunk in on him and he began to think. "I'm not sure. There's a number of possibilities."

"Such as?"

"Well…the Akatsuki could have captured it. Katsu might have done something to fix the seal and it temporarily released the Kyuubi's energy. Kyuubi could be dead…and then the Kyuubi could have gone into hiding as it makes its way here now."

Tsunade sat down in her chair in behind her destroyed desk. She placed her head in her hands with her elbows resting on her knees. All of the results that Jaraiya had given didn't leave good results for Naruto. It was possible that if Kyuubi died then so did Naruto. "So what do we do now?"

"I guess we prepare for whatever may come." Tsunade nodded her head in agreement and immediately started to make plans for whatever may come. She wouldn't let Konoha fall without one hell of a fight.

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-One week later-

Nothing….that's all he saw all around. Down the road nothing, in the woods nothing, in the sky….once again nothing. Smelling the air….nope once again nothing.

"Man if I knew this is what I would be doing when I became a Jounin I would of never taken the stupid exam last month."

Kiba stood relaxed at the gate of the entrance of Konoha. Casually watching for anything on the horizon. It was another boring day of watching the gates. Normally this would be the job for a Chunin, he had done it several times on occasion when he made the rank. But ever since that night a week ago they had been on high alert. There were more Anbu patrol, Jounins now watched the gate and patrolled the walls. Over all village security became impenetrable.

"At least someone is enjoying this." He muttered as he looked over to see Shikamaru sitting in a chair looking up at the clouds in the sky. The two were the lucky ones stuck with the midnight to noon shift at the gate. Absentmindedly Kiba petted Akarmaru who was next to him sitting.

"I already had a feeling, but I confirmed it last night." Kiba was a little surprised to here Shikamaru speak up. Most of the time the lazy bastard just lounged around. "I was right, it was the Kyuubi that we felt."

Kiba's attitude on the day immediately dropped. He had a good feeling that was what it was they had felt also. "Yeah I had that feeling also.

"Have you tried to see her?"

Kiba nodded his head in acknowledgment; he knew Shikamaru was talking about Hinata. "Yeah I tried again last night. She didn't even come to the door this time." Kiba let out a deep sigh before continuing. "I'm not sure what happened to her a few months ago, but whatever it is changed her. She doesn't go out anymore she only goes to the hospital to work and visit Neji then she goes home. She never even comes out anymore and this only made it worse."

Shikamaru hung on every word, but he wasn't exactly sure how to respond. He had heard how Hinata had been after the day Naruto left. But he still didn't get a real chance to help her even though he wanted to. He would never see her anywhere, and this just confirmed what he thought.

"She really needs him to come back."

"Yeah…"

The two sat there in silence for a little while. Dawn would be coming soon and then the merchants would start making their trips and ninja would start leaving for missions. The day in Konoha would begin. They sat in silence until suddenly Akamaru got up on all four and started growling madly his fur standing on end.

Shikamaru was up and off his chair immediately walking over to Kiba who had his nose pointed in the air. "What is it?"

A few moments passed with Kiba sniffing the air and then he had a look of disbelief on his face. He was looking around and blinking rapidly as if not believing exactly what he smelled. "What is it Kiba?"

"Blood. A lot of blood, from what I can tell its coming from multiple sources, but I recognize the scent of some Akatsuki members." Kiba spoke looking directly into his eyes.

"Shit." Shikamaru spiked his chakra, making sure that the spike would be detected inside of Konoha. It was the early warning that they had agreed upon in meetings before. "Where's it coming from?"

"It's coming down the road."

It was dawn and the sun was starting to rise now. Light could be seen on the horizon along with a figure slowly making its way towards Konoha. As soon as he came into view a squad of Anbu had arrived. Each standing side by side next to Shikamaru and Kiba. Next to arrive was Tsunade herself and Jaraiya. Then some of the sensei from their previous genin squads started to arrive along with more Anbu.

The figure was still coming at them slowly. They couldn't completely tell but he was completely red, but it was impossible to tell if it was the clothing or from dried up blood. They couldn't see his face because of the hair that covered it. Everyone was starting to tense up in anticipation of the new threat. Anbu were starting to slip into stances, Tsunade was craking her knuckles, and Shikamaru had his hands together trying to think of some form of strategy.

Then the unexpected happened. Everyone was waiting in anticipation, their nerves on end. When suddenly the man fell flat on his face. He made no move of getting up and his breathing was steady and slow from what they could tell.

Tsunade's eyes widened when she saw some blood start to pool out from the body. Immediately the medic in her took action and she ran forward towards the body. Rolling the body over she didn't pay attention to who he was, just what was wrong. She gasped at in surprise. There were gashes all over his body. He had hastily wrapped bandages around his torso, but it clearly wasn't enough as they were stained red. 'Shit I have to get him to the hospital.'

"OUT OF THE WAY!" Tsunade yelled as she picked up the body and immediately ran full speed towards the hospital. Everyone following in her wake to make sure everything was alright. All except for one Jounin who knew what would happen if the gate was left unmanned.

"Troublesome…."

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-Konoha Hospital-

She sat there next to his bed like she did every day. Silently praying that today would be the day he would finally wake up. Hinata looked at the cousin that meant so much to her, had protected her through hard times and been there for her when she needed him the most. Neji lay asleep there in a coma on the bed.

He was put in this condition three months ago by that monster of man Diachi. She stood up and started to rotate his muscles for him and move his body into different comfortable positions. If this wasn't done then his muscles would deteriorate and he could get bed sores. If she didn't help him he would be in even more pain….

Pain…she thought about it again and again. The pain that she had been through while Naruto had been gone had been overwhelming for her. It was something she couldn't stand. All she could think about was how much pain Naruto was now in. Something had happened with the Kyuubi and she knew it. Something had happened to her Naruto-kun.

Silent tears made their way down her face as she continued her work in Neji's room. She made sure he would be comfortable before she exited the door. Outside there was a lot of commotion going on down the hallway and a stretcher starting to make its way down the hall with a body on it. It had come out of the operating room; apparently a patient had been healed.

She couldn't see the person very well. He was covered in bandages around his body, but she could see that he was clenching something in his hand and it seemed to lay limply off the side of the stretcher. Just as it was about to pass her the arm shot up and shoved whatever it was into Hinata's hands. She looked over to the room that the stretcher was starting to enter and caught his eyes…they were blue like the noon day sky and looking directly at her with warmth and love. She gasped as she looked at her hand where the locket she had given Naruto rested.

Slowly she walked over to the room where he was just carried off into and opened the door. Not even acknowledging the presence of the Anbu guarding the door and walked inside. Inside were some of the sensei's along with Jaraiya and Tsunade looking at her with surprise. She completely ignored them and walked over to the man on the bed that had his eyes closed.

She slowly reached into her shirt and pulled out the necklace that Naruto had given her. Tsunade gasped in surprise and then looked directly at the person she had yet to give a second look. Hinata put the necklace around his neck and sat on the bed next to him. His eyes opened and he looked directly at her with all the happiness in the world.

"Hey Hina-chan." In response all Hinata could do was break down and cry into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his body.

He smiled softly at her form while everyone else just looked at the couple in surprise. She had stayed in the same clothing that she had been wearing for the two years before he left, but she had grown. She looked even more beautiful to him then she had before he left. He smiled softly at that but then noticed something that had defiantly changed. Her forehead protector was no longer around her neck; instead it was placed over her forehead.

Realization started to overcome him as he knew what this meant. Slowly with tears in his eyes he reached his hand down to her forehead protector and raised it from her head. She gasped in surprise and looked down ashamed. He brushed her hair out of the way and felt his heart sink. On her forehead rested the green caged bird seal of the Hyuga clan.

He wrapped his arms around her and as she cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry Hinata. I'm so sorry."