Disclaimer
Naruto belongs to Kishimoto but the inspiration for this chapter belongs first to Serious Sam for offering assistance that I did not take when needed, then to Soulfistx and Crenshinibon whose dedication to making a story work well as a team made me understand it was okay to take needed help and finally once again to Serious Sam who wrote most of this chapter for me. You guys are what I love about Fanfiction.
Hinata had seen the Anbu many times over the last week. Initially she'd found it strange that her father, who was aiding Naruto with the rather impromptu wedding, was always accompanied by the same shinobi but she'd quickly changed her mind when she realized that the man seemed to bridge the gap between her reticent father and her outspoken fiancé. She'd assumed then that Tsunade had probably assigned him to make sure the two didn't kill each other and put no further thought into the matter.
During that week she had spoken to the quiet Tadao a few times as well, but quickly discovered that he seemed uncomfortable in her presence so she ceased her attempts to engage him in conversation. That being said, there was something about him that she was drawn to. So when Naruto had informed her that Tadao was, in fact the man who had cared for her during her time away from the village and that it had ultimately been him who had returned her home, she'd assumed that somewhere in that clouded period of time resided a memory of him and that's why she felt secure in his presence.
She'd wanted to meet the real him, the man behind the mask but Tsunade had refused, citing a rule that while on active duty Anbu are unable to reveal their face to anyone outside of their team mates. Disappointed, she had accepted the Hokage's words and had instead offered her gratitude to the man on one of her father's visits. He'd acknowledged her thanks with a slight nod and left, leaving her father to smile slightly at her as she watched him leave.
Now, as she watched him slowly remove his mask, she was struck by how familiar his words sounded.
"Where I always thought I was born to protect because that was my fate the truth of the matter was...I was born to protect because that's what family does."
She struggled to appear calm as the mask lifted. Though she had accepted Tsunade's words, she still felt an almost aching need to see the face and not just the mask of the one responsible for her current happiness.
Naruto smirked as he sensed the anticipation laced chakra that surrounded the slender hand enclosed in his own. Her fingers twitched in his grip and he had a sudden memory of a much younger Hinata, fingers tapping together as she stuttered out his name. The smirk morphed into a sheepish grin as he realized yet again how much of an idiot he had been. He tightened his grip slightly, releasing a pulse of calming chakra as he did so. Though her attention never strayed from the masked shinobi's face he felt the tension run out of her hand as her fingers relaxed into his own. Through it all, his attention never strayed from her face, wanting to see her happiness when she realized her cousin was alive.
He had originally arranged for Neji to reveal himself as a wedding gift to Hinata but had quickly realized there was a secondary and more selfish reason he had set things up the way he had. Whatever his feelings towards Hinata had been at the time of the war she had at the very least been a friend. He hated seeing anyone in pain, much less a friend and the sight of Hinata's face after Neji had died in his arms had haunted him for years. Today he hoped to see that vision gone forever, replaced instead by her joy when she saw his "gift."
Neji had been against his idea at first, worried that the shock might be too much but Tsunade had assured both of them that once Hinata had woken up she had seemed to become increasingly more stable in a remarkably short period of time. The only reason they were being cautious now was their concern about the baby and how the disease and its unusual method of treatment had affected the unborn child's development. Under normal circumstances they would have released Hinata with instructions to take it easy while they continued to monitor her condition with bi-weekly visits but because of their need to keep Hinata's presence in the village quiet it was decided that it would be best for her to stay in the secure ward until the situation with the Hyuga Council could be resolved – something they'd been assured would be taken care of by the time the baby arrived.
Feeling reassured after his talk with Tsunade, Neji had finally agreed to Naruto's plan despite the fact that he sensed the man's motivations were not as simple as they appeared. He, better than most, recognized guilt and it was blatantly obvious that Naruto suffered from a massive case of it. At first, this had baffled him. It wasn't something that the blonde usually dwelt on, and if the guilt was related to the surprise then he couldn't understand why he'd chosen to go ahead with his plans but then he'd caught a glimpse of his friend's face. He was wide eyed, reminding him of a much younger Naruto, one who had innocently believed in the goodness of the world. When he had first returned that look of wonder had been absent from the blonde, and though it had been slowly making its presence known, Neji had yet to see it in its full glory until this moment.
Then it struck him. The last time the three of them had been this close had been the day he 'supposedly' died. When he'd finally regained his memories, that day had become a source of pain that had stayed with him over the years. As much as he had felt pride at sacrificing himself to protect what was precious to him, the look of grief on Hinata's face had quickly overridden that. Before he could come to terms with what he'd seen he'd slipped into darkness. Months later, it had been one of the first things he'd remembered. It was as that memory came to mind that he'd considered his own reasons may have been a little selfish as well. Somehow though, he decided he could live with a little bit of selfishness as the hand holding the mask dropped to his side.
The elders had often insisted that Hinata's innocent and trusting nature made her too weak to be a leader but in fact the opposite was quite true. It was her innocence and trusting nature that allowed her to believe in the seemingly unbelievable, to accept the seemingly unacceptable. Both Naruto and Neji had been witness to that unfailing faith, yet they were still surprised when they witnessed her easy acceptance of Neji's return from the dead.
...
It took only a glance. The hair was shorter but the colour remained the same. Pale eyes met and Hinata felt warm tears blur her vision. Her dreams were all but fulfilled – a child with the man she had always loved, a wedding and her father's acknowledgment. She thought life couldn't get any better, but when he'd removed his mask a part of her heart she hadn't known was missing revealed itself.
"Neji nii-san," Hinata said joyfully as she reached out to grasp the brother she'd thought she'd lost.
Any reluctance he'd felt had faded as the strength in her arms and the warmth in her voice surrounded him. She had cried his name and for the first time in what seemed like forever he finally felt happy.
The room was silent as the others watched the two embrace, but there wasn't a face in the room that didn't bear a smile. Even the Hyuga head and the last remaining Uchiha softened their normally impassive features as they waited for the pair.
...
Hinata had long exhausted her tears but continued to hold her cousin close until a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her abdomen and she leaned back to stare at her stomach. Neji's joyful tears were quickly replaced by a worried frown, as his original concern about her health suddenly flared and he turned to Tsunade.
Naruto, who had jumped in to grab the bowl when the two hugged, quickly turned to set the flower aside and grabbed his wife's hand. Hinata shook her head at his worried frown.
"He's definitely your son." A gentle smile lit her face as she pressed a hand to her belly in an attempt to calm his activity. "I guess he wants to join in the celebration," she joked as another pain shot through her centre. He'd been a little more active lately and despite her improved health, she still hadn't returned to a healthy weight and the baby's growth had definitely challenged her weakened abdominal muscles. She wasn't in constant pain, but there had definitely been some prolonged periods of discomfort, most of which had occurred when she stayed in one position for too long. She shifted, trying to find a position that would relieve the stress. Finally, the spasm disappeared and in its wake she was left with an aching back and an urge to soak in a hot tub.
Neji eventually calmed down, but only after Tsunade had offered a brief and perhaps too detailed anatomy lesson. Hinata's assurances helped, though he still found his eyes following her as he finally took a moment to greet the other guests. Though the attendees had been aware of his existence he had not really had the time to speak with any of them and he'd been waiting to talk to Hinata's teammates ever since he'd returned. He knew they'd grown apart over the years. He'd listened to them speak about the night of the attack that happened months before and that despite their distance from one another, they'd continued to care for his cousin as if she were their own sister. For that alone, he owed them his gratitude and now seemed as good a time as any to take care of that outstanding bit of business. With a quick hug he excused himself from Hinata, leaving her with her attentive husband. He made his way to the pair that stood chatting amicably near the doorway.
Hinata watched Neji make his way across the room. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt firm hands on her lower back. The pressure relieved some of the ache and she turned to thank Naruto but any words she had planned on saying were cut off by a tender kiss. With a laugh and a light blush she pulled back, though she found it impossible to look away from his wide, expressive eyes.
Although her voice quivered slightly, the accompanying smile that lit her face was thanks enough. The words were unnecessary but the quietly uttered, "Thank you." still touched him and without hesitating he pulled her into his arms. She returned his embrace, clutching him tightly as she let out a sniffle and a giggle simultaneously.
"I'm sorry. I thought I had better control but here I am crying and laughing. I should be happy and I am, but..." He tightened his grasp as she took a deep steadying breath, calming herself slightly as she whispered her thanks once again. He looked down at her indigo tresses as she snuggled into his chest. A smile lit his face as he realized how much he loved the feel of her in his arms.
When he'd first come to the conclusion that he was actually in love with her, he'd been happy but he realized it was almost child-like in nature. He'd been giddy with excitement at the thought of having Hinata as a girlfriend, which was something he'd never had before. Then they had made love, and that one simple act – of giving yourself completely to another person, and in turn having that feeling reciprocated – had changed him dramatically. He knew right then that there was nothing he wanted more than to wake up next to her each morning. Life could not have gotten any better, at least that's what he'd thought. When he'd found out she was missing and pregnant, he'd gone from shocked, to thrilled and then back to shocked all within a matter of seconds. But he'd held it together because in that split second he'd come to understand the thought of having Hinata by his side, and a child who represented the best of both of them, was something he wanted more than anything.
So, he made a promise to bring her home, and once he'd done that he'd never leave her side. And even though he hadn't been the one to bring her home, he'd still kept his promise and stayed by her side. By then he was so ecstatic you couldn't have convinced him that it could get any better. So all things considered, with Hinata nestled against him and his arms wrapped around the life growing within her, he shouldn't have been surprised when the realization suddenly hit him.
The two of them were now officially his. The jolt that went through him might have surprised him yesterday or even the day before but not today. Today he understood that as long as they were in his life there could be an endless number of moments that would eclipse the one before. So when she offered her gratitude once again he responded instantly, with an honesty and depth that was unusually powerful, even for someone like him.
"No, Hinata… thank you."
...
Neji had spoken to Kiba and Shino. His words had been laughed off by Kiba and met with an uncomfortable moment of silence by Shino. He figured they'd be angry with him – he'd certainly been angry at himself, but then Kiba leaned over and nudged his shoulder with an unspoken "don't worry about it". He realized how much they'd all become like that blonde fool they once questioned and for reasons even a genius like himself couldn't quite conceive of, he finally felt at home.
The baby shifted and Hinata groaned quietly as she felt a familiar pressure build in her pelvis. A light blush colored her cheeks as she reluctantly she pulled away from the comfort of her husband's embrace.
Naruto heard the groan and he stared worriedly at her until their eyes finally met and his concern was replaced with a teasing grin. "I thought you were going to use the bathroom before the ceremony. Or did you drink too much water?"
"I did use the bathroom! And I haven't had anything to drink!" Her blush deepened. "Apparently I should have gone one more time, though." She added softly, and as much as he enjoyed how easily she became flustered he felt a wave of sympathy for what she was going through. He gave Tsunade a knowing look and after the barest hint of a nod she turned and spoke to the wedding guests.
"Okay, people! Ceremony's over, and Hinata needs an examination. So all non-essential personnel, get out!"
The shocked look on their faces made her grin, and Naruto suddenly worried that years of pranks on the old woman were about to come back to bite him on the proverbial ass. However, he quickly understood that her grin was all for show, because in a very businesslike manner she hustled everyone unnecessary out of the room and hurriedly made her way back over to Hinata.
"Let me guess… the baby's kicking extra hard?" Tsunade asked.
Hinata nodded. "Yes, I think...I'm not sure. The pains are different. They seem sharper, like contractions maybe but that can't be right. It's too early." A frown crossed her brow only to be replaced by a grimace as another pain gripped her abdomen.
"Well, let's take a look just in case. Naruto, I need you to get out from behind Hinata so that she can lie back in the bed." Tsunade commanded. Despite her calm demeanor she was worried. There were just far too many unknowns in this pregnancy. Naruto pouted, not liking being separated from his wife but he knew her health, and that of their baby took priority. He gave Hinata a chaste kiss before reluctantly slipping out of the bed but he remained nearby, holding her hand for support.
Tsunade smiled at the small show of affection before pulling back the sheet to start the examination, however the smile disappeared as she noticed a small spot of blood on the sheets.
"Hinata – have you been experiencing those pains for a while, or did they just start?" Tsunade asked.
"They started just a few minutes ago, when nii-san removed his mask. Why?" Hinata replied. Her voice rising a bit as she caught a touch of urgency in the woman's voice.
"Because you're bleeding." Tsunade quickly flashed through some hand signs, initiating her diagnostic jutsu. Her hands glowed green and she hovered them above Hinata's abdomen, looking for any signs of abnormality with the pregnancy. It didn't take long for her to find out what was wrong. "Damn!" The curse was more than enough to alert the newly married couple to the seriousness of the situation.
"You're have Placenta Previa. That's what's causing the bleeding." Tsunade said in a concerned voice.
"Plaserta Previous? What the hell is that? Is it dangerous?" Without asking he knew that something was drastically wrong yet he needed to hear the words.
"It's pronounced Placenta Previa and yes, it can be very dangerous. Something like this is rare and happens in less than 1% of all pregnancies. Usually the placenta is attached to the upper part of the uterus, but in Hinata's case it's attached to the lower part. The risk of complications in her pregnancy were bound to run higher, since she received an experimental treatment." The look on her face alarmed Naruto. He fought back the panicked jumble of emotion that threatened to overcome him and waited for Tsunade to finish her explanation. "Naruto, how much of those documents that I gave you did you read?" The look of shame on his face was answer enough. She didn't blame him though. The writing was highly technical and at the time he had been focused on Hinata's awakening and the realization that Neji was alive. "The treatment that Hinata received was essentially a mix of local herbs but with one non-herbal ingredient...Naruto it was tissue from the Ten-Tail. Orochimoru collected it at the end of the war...not that it matters now. What it boils down to is that though we know the treatment seems to have cured Hinata's ailment but we don't know what it might have done to a developing fet...baby."
Naruto had zoned out after the word "placenta", not understanding a word of what was said but he got the gist – the realization that he had missed something as important as the Juubi tissue filled him with guilt but he quickly understood that now was not the time to deal with that. The lives of both Hinata and their son were at risk there was nothing he could do to help. The reality hurt and he froze. Hinata understood almost immediately why the young blonde had not responded to Tsunade's explanation . Like him, she was still reeling from the news of yet another set back in her pregnancy but she had to know.
"What… What do we do?" Her voice rose, fear causing a slight tremor.. "My baby… We have to save…" The tremor increasingly obvious.
Tsunade cut her off before she worked herself into a panic attack. "Hinata! I know you've been through a lot and you've had your fair share of surprises today, but I need you to remain calm. Having your anxiety levels go through the roof is just going to make things worse."
"Shizune, I need you to get surgical team three up here as soon as possible. We can't risk moving Hinata, and it's all I can do right now to keep her stable. Have them bring three bags of A positive blood along with the usual amount of plasma. Go!"
Shizune nodded and in a blur she was gone, then Tsunade raised her voice and shouted, "Sasuke!"
The Uchiha poked his head into the room and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Go get Sakura and bring her back here immediately. You should be able to find her easy with your Sharingan. Move it!"
Sasuke frowned at her tone of voice but recognized the urgency behind it. A quick glance at his friend's frozen guise alerted him to the source of the urgency and a fraction of a second later he vanished from sight.
"Hey Baa-chan, what gives?" Naruto, finally able to speak, asked angrily. "You want to bring Sakura here, after what she did? I don't want her anywhere near…"
"You don't have a choice," she said, interrupting a speech that showed every indication of becoming a lengthy rant. "The baby is siphoning off more chakra than normal, probably a reflexive action to protect itself, and I'm supporting Hinata by letting the baby take mine instead of hers. If I stop, with Hinata's reserves as weak as they are still she won't last five minutes."
Naruto scowled, but wisely shut up. There was no misinterpreting that statement.
"Shizune is good, but with something like this Sakura is better. She gives us the best chance of saving them both."
...
Sakura was sitting alone at the tea house that sat across the street from Yamanaka Florist. She would have preferred some company, but her classmates – with the notable exception of Sasuke – had been avoiding her more often than not lately. It also had the unintended side effect of giving her plenty of time to think about how she screwed things up royally. It was something she had often attributed to her team mate more than herself. It was a disheartening thing to have to realize about oneself, especially given the cost of the realization.
She sighed and took another bite of her sandwich. She knew that the wedding was today since Sasuke had told her he was Naruto's best man, and that she knew that she hadn't been invited. Though she understood why she had been excluded she couldn't help wishing that she could find a way… any way to show Naruto and Hinata how sorry she was, and make it up to them. It didn't seem that she would be given that opportunity. Another sigh escaped her lips unconsciously raising her cup to sip the now tepid brew.
And then, just as she was about to sip her tea the door burst open, causing her to jump and spill her drink all over the table. She looked up, anger filling her. Just as quickly it disappeared as she spotted Sasuke in the doorway, his normally detached expression disturbed by what appeared to be worry.
His eyes caught hers and ran up to the booth, roughly grabbing her arm. "C'mon, we've got to go."
"Why? What's going on?" She asked, anger returning as she struggled against his grip. She hated to be manhandled. "Where the hell are you dragging me off to?"
"There's an emergency at the hospital," he said gruffly, tugging her arm insistently, "Tsunade needs your help. It concerns the dobe and his… family." He didn't use her name since they were still trying to keep Hinata, her condition and her whereabouts a secret.
Sakura's eyes widened momentarily before turning serious. She slapped some money down on the table to pay for lunch and said, "Let's go."
A moment later, the two of them vanished in a swirl of leaves.
A/N
Naruhina fans if you haven't read My Precious People by Serious Sam or Inherent Demons by Crenshinibon and Soulfistx check them out. Both are excellent stories written by some awesome people. Thanks again guys, I can't begin to explain what you have done for me. Sam you are, as always, one of the most real people I have met on this site. Thank you so much for the loan of your writing skills!
I'd like to put a call out there to those have some excellent stories as well that have been put on hold. Whether it's life, writer's block whatever...try to find a way back, even if it's just to read your reviews. Sometimes a few words on a screen do wonders.
In the meantime here are some wonderful stories I miss but I enjoy reading over and over again.
A Reluctant Return by gigiree123
The Fox and The Lioness by KittyKatChan96
Love Across the Ages by Kiki1770
Wait WHAT! by AquaZodiac
Sparks by tenneyshoes
Sanctuary of the Wounded by weirdismyname
Naruto's Flirtatious Feline by agitosgirl
White Kunai by Magma823
Your Smile is What Saved Me by UnqualifiedAuthor65
Dichotomy of the Soul by Solvdrage
Hinata: Sweetheart of the Allied Nations by xHinaLovex
Almost is Never Enough by Yurship-Sama
and last but not least Love Realized by The Lost Canuck. (I am so sorry this took so long. Hope to hear from you soon)
To be honest there are so many more I could list.
Just know if life is getting in your way, fanfiction is a way to get away!
