Author's Note: Well, you will learn something new here about Hinata and why her father came. This is something I think we need answer from Kishimoto and my other story A Twist In Turn is currently being updated. I hope you can read it while waiting for Desert Lily. It's another nice twist in the life after Gaara's demon get extracted. Will he be loosing his power or not?
And...I realized I got very little review for the last chapter. Wah, please review or I will think my story is getting less interesting and attention.
[EDIT-Sorry for all the grammatical error. Guess I have to read it thoroughly when sending this.
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Chapter 29
The Truth Within
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As usual, Gaara got up early in the morning to do his daily check up on his village. He walked out of his living quarter and onto the street. The villagers were setting up their stall, greeted him and went back to their own business. The red head enjoyed his walk every time as he got to spent some time away from his work.
'I should ask Hinata to spend a walk with me sometime.' He thought. As he turned a corner, he performed some hand signs.
Instantly, the younger Hyuuga shouted at him to stop. "It's me, Hanabi."
Gaara narrowed his eyes and relaxed. "I realized that you have been following me for the past few days now. Is there something you need?"
Hanabi straightened up in shock. "I...Uhm...Well, I want to thank you for that time. If you weren't there and if my father knew about it...He will put up extra training for me...and..."
The red head put a hand in front of her. "That's alright. The person was captured and it's my job to see you save now go home."
Hanabi nodded and did as she was told. When he saw her retreating figure, he headed to his destination. 'I think Hinata would like a pot of gloxinia.' He smiled.
Hinata smiled awkwardly at the chunnin holding the pot of flower. "Thank you so much." She took the plant and admired it. She sighed and smiled to no one in particular. All she said was that she loves flowers and he got different kind of flowers for her everyday. Not that she don't like what he gave. Actually she loves handling plants and see the result out of her work.
'I think I should get Gaara something back but what will he likes? I don't think I recall him liking anything.' Hinata puzzled over the thing she should get for her husband. She paced around the room, still holding the purple plant at hand until she heard a knock coming from the door.
"Uhm...C-Come in." She said as she moved to the door to greet the person at the other side. Hyuuga Neji stepped into the room and looked around at the hundred type of different flowers displayed. He raised an eyebrow and Hinata smiled. "Gaara got all this for me."
"So...You seem happy with him." The way he said it sounded more like a statement than a question.
Hinata sighed and put the pot of plant in its place. "A lot had happened between us but now...We understand each other more and thus..."
"HInata-sama, do you plan on producing a heir with him?"
That struck Hinata at the right place. She closed her eyes and breathe. "I know I was not supposed to and I'm..."
"We are here to take you back to Konoha you know that. You will leave the Kazekage before something we couldn't comprehend happen. Having a defected child..."
Instantly, Hinata cut him off. "Stop it Neji-nii-san, stop it. I don't want to hear about it anymore."
Neji shut his eyes painfully. "We should have gotten here sooner."
"No, no! Do you know that the first time I'm here, I had to go through the difficulty of being blind. It was because Gaara was here that I don't feel deserted. I tried going away that time. I thought my feeling for Naruto can make me leave him once and for all but I can't. I felt that I was finally belonging in a place where someone needed me...to make them happy. Gaara...He needed me and I needed him. Maybe it won't be as bad as..."
"Enough Hinata-sama. No one from our clan has marry someone out of our clan. The byakugan should not be passed out and no one know what type of children will be produced with someone without a byakugan."
HInata kneeled on the floor as she heard what Neji was saying. She knew this day will come. She was prepared for it. She don't want to commit too much in case she will have to leave Gaara later. She don't want to end up in serious injury over this. She avoided all possible intimate relationship with Gaara. She thought she can leave him and go back to Konoha to find someone else. She knew this was her fate. She never had an eyes for anyone from her clan before, not ever. Since the first time she loved Naruto and now the man that loved her more than anything, Gaara. Her father had always told her not to get too involve into something, never get to committed into something you are not sure to last. She saw a lot of example of failed marriages and it was always the women who paid the price.
Neji walked over to Hinata and comforted her. Little did they know that their conversation was being heard. Gaara rubbed his eyes tiredly at this.
'This is not happening...Not again...No...' He clawed his hair as he thought of the possibility of Hinata leaving him again. Now he finally realized why Hinata avoided love making with him. He walked away from there and into the open air. He needed to have a minute to think about it and clear his mind. He is the Kazekage and matter like this shouldn't be bothering him. He could have any women he wants and they will be marching up right to him whenever he wanted but he never did just that. He wanted someone who really liked him for who he is and he finally found it through a marriage that wasn't even his planning in the first place.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Gaara blinked twice to clear his mind and looked down at the children who called him. They were orphans that lost their parents who died during missions. He used to visit them when he was free. He knew how they liked to be with him and once in a while you can see the Kage of the village playing with them. It was something he didn't get to do when he was younger. Being around them make Gaara really understand what a real father should be. He had always thought both of his parents loved him when he was young but when his uncle told him all that, he had lost the most precious things in his life. He longed for that parental feeling and most of all, he wanted to proof that he will be a better father than his father could ever be. He wanted to tell everyone that he was nothing like his father.
"Kazekage-sama, you look sad." Said one of the three kids.
The red head smiled at this and pat them on the head. "No, I'm alright. So, how's your ninja training? I'm counting on all of you to be my subordinate in the future."
All of them nodded in unison and hugged the surprised Kazekage. Gaara couldn't help but smiled at this. "Kazekage-sama can count on us."
Gaara chuckled and nodded to them. "Yeah I know I can. Come on, let me treat you all for some nice ice-cream. Nothing like getting something cold on a hot day."
The sun was beginning to set into the horizon and tonight, Hinata entered the kitchen to prepare a special meal for her family. It's been long since she cook for them. It brought back memories when she used to be in Konoha. Just as she was chopping on the board, Hanabi entered the kitchen, greeted her sister and sat on the chair.
"Nee-chan...Can we talk for a moment?"
Hinata turned to look at Hanabi and smiled. "Sure, it's been long since we have our little chat." She put down her stuff, wiped her hand clean and took a chair to sit next to Hanabi. The younger Hyuuga tapped her fingers on the table nervously, trying to find the right words to say.
"I-I kinda...You know...I don't know...I'm so confused." She pulled her long brown hair in frustration. "I think I might have developed a little crush on... Gaara-nii-san." She fidgeted with her fingers.
HInata's eyes widened in shock and giggled. "Tell me how it started." Hinata went and get the rest of the stuff out of the cabinet.
"Well, Gaara-nii-san kinda, save me from that horrible guy and...and I could have beaten that guy but...and then Gaara-nii-san, he looks so nice there and...and...Nee-chan, why are you crying? I'm sorry I shouldn't have said this."
Hinata clamped her mouth. "No Hanabi, no...F-Father needed me to leave Gaara. I can't, I just can't. He was...He was everything to me. I couldn't just leave and break his heart again." Hinata sobbed as Hanabi gathered her into a hug.
"Nee-chan, why would father do that? I didn't know anything like this is going to happen."
"A Hyuuga will have to marry to a Hyuuga. That's why my marriage to Gaara was a mistake in the Hyuuga council's eyes.
Hanabi patted her sister with words of comfort. She knew her sister was strong and she wouldn't cry no matter what the circumstances be but this time, she knew that Hinata was really depressed.
Hiashi was enjoying the evening sunset on the balcony of the Kazekage tower when he felt someone coming. He never moved an inch as the person stood beside him. "Is there anything you wish to say Kazekage-sama?"
Gaara narrowed his eyes as he looked at his father-in-law. He respected him and tried to act as docile as he could in front of him to give him a good impression that Hinata would be save with an ex demon host. He wanted to prove to him that he can make Hinata happy but now he needed to settle up the score if he wants Hinata to be with him forever.
"How sure are you that our child will be born defected?" Gaara asked, eyes narrowed as he glared at the Hyuuga leader.
Hiashi quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh? So you knew?"
"Hinata will stay here with me." His fist was clenched. "I will never let her follow you back if it means that I have to fight you."
Before he knew it, Hiashi was heading up right towards him in a fast pace. The red head leaped away to avoid his attack and summoned his sands before him. The Hyuuga leader took a defensive stance as Gaara's sand hissed dangerously like a snake ready to attack.
"You are a fool to fight me." Hiashi glared dangerously at Gaara but the red head smirked.
"You are the fool to fight the Kage of another country."
Hiashi clenched his jaw together in anger. "Hinata will follow us back." As he said this, he launched his attack to the Kazekage.
The fight going on on top of the Kazekage tower drew a lot of onlookers below. All of them looked on with anticipation and concerns for their leader. Hinata was in the plant nursery room when she heard loud noises from outside the building. She looked through the window and saw that the whole village was looking up the building.
'Is there something going on up there?' She asked herself but soon she got herself an answer when Temari barged into the room telling her that her father and husband was battling it out on top of the balcony. She dropped her tool and ran straight up the stairs to the top. She opened the door when she reached there and was shocked to find them fighting each other without giving each other a chance. Without realizing it, she ran to the middle of the fight.
"Stop it!" She shouted but it was too late. They were too near her and there was no way to stop. Gaara quickly swirled her away in his arms but Hiashi's attack met his shoulder. He yelped in pain as the assault hit him hard.
Hinata was gasped and quickly examined his wound. "Gaara, are you alright?"
The red head smiled and caressed her face. "It's alright, as long as you are save." He pulled her into a hug with his healthy arm.
Hiashi realized his mistake and cursed himself. Temari and Kankuro rushed to their brother immediately. Neji and Hanabi ran to Hiashi as well.
"Otou-san, you can't force nee-chan away from Gaara-nii-san. You just can't." Hanabi pleaded.
Neji nodded in agreement with her. "Yes Hiashi-sama, isn't there any other way we can do this?"
The Hyuuga leader massaged his temple as he began to think about it. He sighed and looked at his daughter and son-in-law.
"I need the both of you to tell me what I should do." He asked them.
Hinata and Gaara was puzzled and looked at the Hyuuga leader. He walked to the edge of the balcony and looked toward the horizon. "The Hyuuga council members wanted me to take Hinata home. They considered it a mistake that I agreed on marrying Hinata to the Kazekage. They don't want any marriages out of the Hyuuga."
Gaara got up and looked at his father-in-law intently. "I just wanted to know, how sure are you that the child we are going to have will be defected? Has there been anyone who married out of the Hyuuga?" He said with a seriousness in his tone.
Hiashi shook his head. "No, there was no such thing. It was just an assumption seeing that our bloodline is very complex. We made sure of that that the bloodline will not be passed down. We were divided into the main and branch family to make sure that the our unique bloodline will not be passed to the outsiders. We take this seriously when it comes to passing on bloodline. We don't want any..."
Before Hiashi could finish, Gaara cut him off. "No matter how, I will take full responsibility to whatever happens to Hinata. I will take care of her and the child. Please Hiashi-sama." He bowed to him. Hiashi quickly urged him to stand up and agreed to his pleading.
"I will give anything to see my daughter happy. Her mother will never forgive me if I ever fail to make her happy and strong." Hiashi said as he smiled at the couple before him. He walked over to them and gave them a hug that wasn't expected by anyone as you can see in their shocked faces.
Hinata wiped her tears and hugged her father back. This was something she wished for a long time. She looked up into the sky and thanked her mother silently.
To Be Continue
Pandora: Well, how is it? I know all of you is expecting a lemon soon but I need to do my research. I need to collect some information.
Gaara: Please do.
Pandora: Geez Gaara, you anxious? And about Gaara kneeling, I changed it into a bow but wouldn't you think he will be a little desperate?
