Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

AN: Thanks for the reviews. I changed the chapter title =)

Chapter 3: Caught in the rain

Naruto sprang up even if he felt extreme pain. He pushed Hinata aside and…

"…Argh!!!" The blade hit him in the chest. He fell down on the ground

"…NARUTO-KUN!!!"
-
Sasuke and Lee were running at the forest. They leapt form tree to tree to avoid some of the Sound-Nins that were running after them. Sasuke stopped and turned around.

"Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu" Sasuke then inhaled air and let out a stream of fire, the Sound-Nins who were unprepared were decimated.

Meanwhile, some sound-Nins caught up with Lee.

Lee stopped for a while and he got in his fighting stance. One Sound-nin threw him a kunai and he avoided it, when he was recovering from his dodge, a Sound-nin jumped towards him and tried to stab him. Lee spun with all his strength and he delivered a powerful heel kick. The Sound-Nin who jumped toward him was thrown back.

"Konoha Gouriki Senpuu" He flashed his enemies his signature grin. He then began to attack them.

"Looks like we have to fight them…" Sasuke said after he approached Lee.

"Yeah…"

"But I think the two are in trouble." Sasuke said. He began fighting the other Sound-nins.

"And I think we'll be here for quite a while fighting them…" Lee said when he saw more Sound-nins arriving.

"I agree. I have estimated that there are like hundreds of them here." Sasuke then formed some seals. "Katon…"
-
Naruto coughed some blood. He fell on the ground. Hinata noticed the he was paler and his breath was very irregular. His vest was soaked with his own blood and there was also blood on the ground. Hinata covered her mouth with her hands in grief. Anytime now, if she didn't act fast, Naruto will leave her forever…

Hinata got up, she was very angry. He got on the Jyuuken stance. She charged at the man who hurt her Naruto-kun and gave him a death blow at the chest. Five ninjas then arrived at the scene. She looked at Naruto for a quick span of time; he looked like he was really dying. She then charged at her other opponents and gave them a death blow at the chest too. All of them were defeated for only a short time.

Naruto saw what she did and, damn, he was impressed. Hinata is really scary when provoked… he thought and he smiled. 'At least she'll be able to protect herself when I'm gone…' Naruto thought. He felt that his life was quickly ending. He clutched his wound and he felt nothing. His senses were numb, his eyesight was failing, his sense of hearing was failing, his breath was very irregular, and he felt cold… he felt dead.

"Hinata-chan…" He murmured her name with all his heart and he closed his eyes.

Hinata heard her name being called out and she rushed by Naruto's side. She sat down and gently raised his head. She placed it in her lap and she caressed his head with all her love.

Despite his numbness, he could feel Hinata's love and her warmth. He opened his eyes and he was only able to open it a little. Hinata looked at him with deep loving and worry.

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered.

Naruto raised his bloody hands and he touched her face. The air was humid. Hinata felt his cold hands touch her pale skin and it frightened her more. She didn't want to lose him…not now…not ever.

"Hinata-chan…you take care of yourself…" He coughed out blood.

"Naruto-kun, please don't speak! Reserve your strength…" Hinata said. She started to heal his wounds again.

"No, Hinata-chan, it's no use…" His hands fell in the ground. Hinata was now very worried. Naruto felt no energy at all; no heat only the coldness of death. "…I'm a goner…" He added. He coughed out blood. The rain started falling. It washed away the blood in Hinata's face.

Hinata cried while she healed Naruto's wound. '…Why won't it heal, Why won't it stop bleeding?!' She thought. She felt lost but she didn't want to stop trying.

"Hinata-chan, don't try anymore…you'll only waste your chakra… there will be more of them…" He coughed out more blood.

"What are you saying?! You WILL live Naruto-kun! I won't give up, never! I won't let you die!" Hinata said while she cried.

Naruto slightly smiled, he could really feel Hinata's love.

After a few minutes, Hinata's effort seemed like it was only wasted for Naruto's wound was not healed and did not show signs of healing at all. His blood continued to flow out of him. He grew paler and every irregular breath he would take would make Hinata feel grief.

It was raining hard. Naruto was staring at Hinata. He looked up at the sky, now he really felt his life was ending…slowly.

'Oh Kami-sama, please let this rain wash away all her sorrow…' He thought. His eyesight was more terrible. He gathered all of his remained strength and searched for Hinata's hand which was over his wounded chest. He caught it and gripped it hard. He felt Hinata's warmth, her soft skin.

"Hinata-chan…this will be my last words to you…"
-
The forest was calm and wet. Sasuke and Lee felt great sorrow in the raindrops and in the forest's atmosphere.

'It's unusually silent…' Sasuke thought and he felt worried about Naruto and Hinata.

'I hope those two are alright…' Lee thought.

"Hey Lee, we better search for them…" Sasuke said and they started to leap again in the trees.
-
"Stop saying that Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed. "Whatever you say…it won't be the last things you'll be saying tonight…" She sobbed. She felt drained and yes, her chakra was low. Naruto removed her hands from his chest.

"Stop that… save your strength…" Naruto whispered. "If you continue this…you'll chakra level will be zero…" He coughed out blood but lesser. "What if someone comes here and you're unable to fight? I won't be able to protect you in this condition!" He said.

"I don't care! If you die, I'll have to die to!!!" Hinata said. She placed her hands over his chest again and she started her healing technique again. But she really felt lost… She cried more… she closed her eyes and hoped that a miracle would happen. She stopped her healing and took Naruto in her arms. He embraced his almost lifeless body…if he was going to leave him at least… she would be able to embrace him… even for the last time…

"Naruto-kun…" She sobbed.

"Hinata-chan…" Naruto whispered in her ear.

"Let me tell you one thing…before you leave me…" Hinata said it with pain in her heart. "I love you…" She said in his ear. More tears fell down her cheeks with the rain. Tears fell from Naruto's eyes too.

Naruto moved his head and he caught her lips. He kissed her with all his love, hoping that she would be able to feel it. They remained like that for a few seconds and they broke the kiss. They both stared at one another's eyes, wishing that this wasn't the last time they would see it. Naruto's heavy breath accompanied the sound of the big raindrops.

"I…love…you…too…" He whispered and he smiled.

Hinata leaned down and she kissed his tender lips once again.

Hinata felt his heartbeat, it was quickly fading…

So there they were, caught in the rain, waiting till it will end… still hoping that it won't…

And then at a snap of a finger, his heart stopped. He was lifeless…dead…
-
Naruto drifted in his mind, he opened his eyes and saw the dark corridor. He stood up and he felt the cold water that touched his feet. He felt the air that was given off by a certain creature's breathing. He walked in the corridor, he made his way through it and he found his way inside a room. He found the cell with a creature resting in it…Kyuubi.

He approached it.

Are you giving up, kid?

Kyuubi asked him.

"I thought I'm dead… why am I here?"

I'm giving you a second chance…

"Why?" Naruto asked. Kyuubi glared at him.

I told you already kid; I'm won't last forever… as you can sense… heaven is calling you…
giving you a second chance… but this conversation
Kyuubi said.

Naruto thought deeply. Is it true that Kyuubi is giving him a second chance? Or is it a trap that if he said yes, he would fall down in this pit and Kyuubi would take control of his body and destroy his beloved village? He then felt a cold surge of wind. He felt something was pulling him and indeed he was being pulled out of his own mind. He looked up at the ceiling and it was rumbling. Soon, a small hole revealed a blinding light. He looked at Kyuubi once again and the fox seemed weaker than usual.

So kid?

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to live again. He wanted to hold Hinata in his arms once again. He wanted to feel her love, her warmth. He wanted to see her smile, hear her voice. He wanted to tell her how much he loves her. He wanted to tell her that he'd love to be with her forever. He wanted to tell her that he'll protect her while he stands and lives. He wanted to marry her. He wanted her to be the mother of his children. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her…

No matter how much pain he'd bring her, he would be there by her side, he would try to take it all away and give her the happiness she deserves… He had no doubts now… no more…

He felt like he was floating and yes he was.

Kid you have to decide now…

"I…" -
Sasuke and Lee finally arrived at the spot where Hinata and Naruto were. Sasuke felt his knees weaken when he saw the lifeless Naruto in Hinata's arms. Lee cried.

"…Naruto?" Lee asked. "Don't tell me you are dead!" Lee shouted.

"You have to live, you idiot!" Sasuke said. "I won't lead this team back to Konoha until you stand up and walk back home with us!" Sasuke fell to his knees. "You stand up, Naruto, you baka!!!" Sasuke's voice echoed through the forest.

There was silence.

Hinata raised her head. "It's no use…" She brushed her fingers through Naruto's peaceful face. His eyes were closed and he had a slight smile in his face. His skin was pale and there was still blood left near his mouth. Hinata cried again. The rain stopped. The night was silent again. But the atmosphere brought about a feeling of grief, and death.

Lee and Sasuke stared at the grieving Hinata. They pity her for what happened, but they sensed that at least, Naruto said something that enlightened her a bit before he left…
---

Hinata sat there, on the wet ground, Naruto was still in her arms. He looked like he was only sleeping…Hinata wished it that he was really only sleeping. Hinata wished that he'd wake up when that sun rises. That he'd smile at her and greet her 'good morning' when the sun rises. She wished that he'd walk back home with them.

"So…sitting here…won't do anything at all…" Sasuke said with his face down. A shadow covered his eyes. "Nothing will do anything…nothing will bring him back…" He whispered. "I guess…" He stood up. He approached the sitting Lee and he tapped Lee. "Let's leave her alone for a moment…"

"She'd catch a cold here…"

"Then let's find something we can burn…"

"It just rained, Sasuke…" Lee said. "But then I guess… we should leave her alone…" Lee stood up. The two Leaf-Nins left Hinata with the "resting" Naruto.

Hinata was still staring at Naruto's lifeless face. She could never believe that he, the hyperactive ninja, Uzumaki Naruto, is gone. She never did imagine that this sad end would come this early. She had always dreamed that he'd be there on her side till time ends…that they would both grow old with one another's company. She was very sad, very angry at the same time.

'Kami-sama, I know that I don't have the right to ask but… why did you have to take him? Why now? Why did you take him from us, from me this early? Did I do something wrong and his death is the consequence? Why, Kami-sama?' She asked inside her head. She was still crying.

Flashback:
"Don't cry, please…" Naruto said. He took Hinata in his arms. Hinata rested in his arms, sobbing. "What happened anyway?" He asked.

"I didn't pass the Jounin exams, father would be disappointed…" Hinata said. Naruto wiped away the tears in her face. He smiled at her warmly. Naruto passed but she didn't.

"No big deal to me…" He smiled once again.

"It may not be a big deal to you but it is for my father…"

"Hey, there's always next time, Hinata-chan…" Naruto said while stroking her blue hair gently.

"You're right…" Hinata stopped crying.

Naruto smiled at her.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked.

"You look better…" Naruto whispered. Hinata flushed. "Hinata-chan, promise me…" Naruto smiled once again. "Even of there is a very big problem in our life, promise me that you will always smile… because you look so much better…and I like it when you smile…"

"I promise, Naruto-kun…" Hinata smiled.

End of Flashback

She now had her hands covering her face. Naruto was lying on the ground.

"There would be no one to smile for…" She whispered.

Silence

Sorrow

Teardrops

"Stop crying…" A slightly warm hand touched her hands. It removed her hands form her face. And then she saw who it was…

"Stop crying…" The man repeated.

An:

S

U

E

Me

I am prepared for the flames that you'll give me...

Is this the end?

No I don't think so... still thinking...

Next chapter: Recovering...