A Possible Future by Jason Corley

Author's Notes

I was asked to explain why Hinata was upset after what Naruto said to Sasuke.

Sasuke asked "Jealous?"

"No." Naruto quickly answered.

Sasuke glanced at Hinata then looked back to Naruto "That's too bad. If you must know, Hinata and I are just out for a walk. We are taking a little break from training."

Naruto responded "Getting lazy are you. Not only taking a break from training but after training with her. Wait. I didn't mean to say that." Naruto's eyes got as big as saucers "I'm sorry Hinata. I didn't mean to say it that way." Hinata looked down. The smile that had been on her face was gone.

First, Naruto's response implies that he is not jealous that Hinata is with Sasuke. So Hinata may assume Naruto doesn't like her. Second, when Naruto says Sasuke is getting lazy and taking a break after training with Hinata, implies that Hinata isn't good enough to require taking a break afterwards. After reading over that section I can understand the confusion. I didn't make it clear. Hope this clarifies things.

Chapter Ten

Hinata walked through the gate and into the Hyuuga manor. She walked up to the main house and inside. She went unnoticed as always. She walked down the hall to her room. She slide the door open and looked around. She was trying to decide if she really wanted to leave this room for one at the Uchiha manor. Hinata decided she would decide after she packed. She walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a duffle bag out of the bottom drawer. She took out all her clothes that she wore for training. Which weren't that many because she only kept a few. She had been use to getting new ones when she out grew the old ones so she only had a few sets. She didn't even have a kimono to call her own. They were all family kimonos. She decided to leave those. And the few other clothes that were in the wardrobe she was going to let her little sister have anyway even though she had never seen her sister in one of her old pairs of clothing. Hinata opened the draw with her undergarments and only put the ones that fit into he duffle bag. Hinata didn't have possessions that she was attached too. She looked around the room and realized that there was nothing she wanted to keep. She decided it definitely didn't feel like home here. She slug the duffle bag onto her back and crept down the hall. Hinata opened the door to leave and she heard her fathers voice behind her "You have brought shame to our family." Hinata didn't respond. Hiashi continued "If you stay we may be able to repair the damage to our reputation you have caused."

Hinata thought for a minute then asked "Will I be able to see Sasuke?"

Hiashi replied "No. I've already told you not to hang around him."

Hinata thought for a moment then took one step forward but stopped when her father said "If you leave, you can't come back." Hinata's hand was still on the door and she was visibly shaking. She was afraid. For her this was a life changing decision. If she stayed she would have to give up Sasuke again and life would return to the way it was. But if she left she would never be allowed to return and things would never be the same again.

The next morning Naruto woke up on the training grounds of the academy. He yawned and stretched before getting up. Naruto looked up at the sun and could tell by its position that he was extremely late. Naruto knew he had to show up even if he was late, so he walked to where he and the perverted hermit always trained. When he got there Jiraiya was no where to be found. Naruto decided to wait for a bit to see if he would return.

Temari arrived back at the country of the sand. She still had the rest of the day off but she would be back on guard duty the next morning. Even though she grew up in the desert she still hated it. She didn't dare admit it to any of her countrymen that she preferred the forests of the country of fire. She hoped that Shikamaru could convince someone to come out here so she could return to the hidden village of the leaf. And if no one else came she hoped that Shikamaru would. A smile formed at the thought as she walked into the building where she and her siblings lived. She walked by Gaara's room and saw Gaara sleeping. The sand was circling him. Even though she had seen this often it still bothered her. She knew what the sand was capable of. She walked past Kankuro's room without knocking on the door. He was often in his room working on his puppets. She often wondered why her brothers didn't enter the Chuunin exam after she made Chuunin. Gaara himself didn't care. He only entered that second time because she wouldn't stop talking about it. Temari often wondered if Kankuro felt humiliated after fighting Lee in the second Chuunin exam. If Kankuro had kept his cool he would have made Chuunin even though he lost. Lee fought off all the puppets but each one Lee was surprised to find that it was a puppet instead of Kankuro himself. Kankuro's patience had worn thin and he started sending more and more puppets at Lee to stop him. Lee continued to fight them off relatively easy. The puppets were no match for his speed and strength. Lee was decimating them but they just kept coming and new ones would start to form from the pieces. Lee stood back and watched the puppets for a bit. He saw they all wanted to be turned somewhat, so he looked at them to determine where there backs all faced. When he was confidant he knew where the puppet master was he ran at full speed to the spot, where he found Kankuro. Lee kicked when he got to him. Kankuro flew into a tree and fell. Lee saw pieces start flaking off and he knew it was another puppet. Lee had been sure that was the real Kankuro. Lee turned around to scan the area. Then he felt an arm come around his neck and an arm press against the side of his head. Lee knew he would die if he didn't act quickly. Lee put one arm up to the other side of his head to keep his neck from being broken. He also hoped this was the real Kankuro. Lee reached down and right behind him. He thrust his arm back and grabbed tightly. Lee felt the arms around his head loosen slightly and he knew he had the real Kankuro by the balls. Lee squeezed hard. And with Lee's super strength meant it was very hard, which caused Kankuro to squeak in pain and let go. Lee let go and jumped away. He watched as Kankuro fell over. Kankuro was on the ground with drool coming out his mouth and looked like he wanted someone to kill him. The examiner declared Lee the winner. A couple of medic-nins made there way between the trees too help Kankuro. Lee looked around and saw that the puppet he hit last was gone. Lee realized that Kankuro had made himself act like a puppet getting hit. Even though Lee made Chuunin that time he didn't feel that he deserved it. Temari thought about the incident some more and thought maybe Kankuro had been injured worse than she thought. Perhaps Kankuro lost his drive to compete. Kankuro still seemed as hot headed as usual but he did seem to lock himself away and work on his puppets more than he use to. Temari shrugged and pulled down one of her books off her bookshelf to read.

Sakura was still up from the previous night. She knew that Tsunade would reprimand her if she gave up trying to save the animals. She had saved the rabbit easily. She had decided that she could save the fish quicker having had so much experience with keeping fish alive. After she finished healing the fish she moved on to the boar and saw that its condition had gotten worse. She from the previous night to that morning she was continuing to work on the boar. She had never worked on a boar before and wasn't sure if she was healing it right plus the number of wounds it had was extensive. Sakura didn't know if she could stay awake long enough to heal it but she had to try as long as she could.

Neji was training with Hiashi. They had both worked up a pretty good sweat and decided to take break. They walked over to sit on the porch. Hanabi was sitting there and looked up at her father. Hiashi looked down at her and said "It's all up to you now."

Hanabi looked a little confused and said "But haven't you always said it was up to me."

Hiashi smiled at her and said "Yes. Yes I have. I don't know what I was thinking."

Neji looked at Hiashi with a neutral expression. Neji had learned to always keep a neutral expression around him and Hanabi. Neji no longer hated the branch family like he once did but he still disliked Hiashi. Neji was nice to Hanabi and trained her in his spare time. He felt it was his duty to help the next head family member become as strong as she could. She was the only one left to carry on the head family after all. Neji thought back to what happened the night before.

Hinata stood in the doorway thinking. She thought about her choices. To stay and struggle to improve, where she would never be good enough. Or to go and be welcome weather or not she improved. She lifted her head up and stepped outside. Hiashi said "I see you've made your choice." Hinata turned slightly to close the door. Hiashi continued "There is just one more thing." Hinata stopped from closing the door and looked up to look her father in the eyes. Hinata saw a flash of movement but before she could do anything someone had grabbed her from behind. Hinata struggled to get free. She turned her head to see who it was. It was Neji.

Hinata looked at him and said "Let go." Neji looked to Hiashi for instructions.

Hiashi looked Neji in the eyes and said "If you use your Byakugan to watch this I will use it on you next." Neji nodded and watched as Hiashi activated his Byakugan. Hiashi then quickly and expertly hit a series of tenketsu on Hinata's body. He finished by hitting the tenketsu on the sides of Hinata's head. Hinata stared her father in the eyes as a burning sensation started to rise in her body. Hinata's breathing increased. Hiashi stepped back and said to Neji "You may let go. It is done." Neji let go of Hinata and she fell to the ground. Hinata started to pour out sweat. Hinata looked up to her father and saw a look of disgust. Hinata looked to Neji and saw something of concern.

Neji looked to Hiashi and asked "What did you do to her?"

Hiashi answered "I sealed the Hyuuga bloodline limit. She will never be able to use her Byakugan again and if she has children they will not carry the ability to use the Byakugan. She is no longer of our family."

Neji looked back down at Hinata who looked like she could barely breath. Hinata looked back up to see a look of fear in Neji's eyes. Hinata didn't care, her whole body felt like it was on fire. But she had learned long ago not to cry out in pain. She still had her duffle bag on her back which reminded her she was leaving. She was hurting and she knew she wasn't going to get help here. Hinata thought that if she could get to Sasuke that maybe he could help her. She stood up and stumbled away from Hiashi and Neji. Neji started to go after her but Hiashi stopped him by saying "Let her go. It doesn't matter what happens to her now." Hiashi closed the door leaving Neji to stare at his cousin who had just been disowned. He wondered what would become of her. After all, what could she amount to if she didn't have her Byakugan.

Hinata staggered down the streets of Konoha. No one was out on the streets at this time. There was no one to help her. She just kept moving. She could feel the weight of her duffle bag weighing her down. She pulled the strap over her head and dropped the bag. This made her feel she would be able to make it to the Uchiha manor now. She got to the entranceway to the Uchiha manor and propped up against it. She stood there trying to catch her breath. She felt like she had been running for hours. She thought she was going to pass out but she was so close now. She stumbled down the main street of the Uchiha manor. When she got to the house that she and Sasuke were staying at she opened the door and collapsed upon entering. Sasuke was up and at her side in time to keep her from hitting the floor. He rolled her over and leaned her up in sitting position on the floor. She lifted her head to look Sasuke in the face. Her eyes frantically searched his features. Sasuke asked her "What happened?"

Hinata reached out her hand and grabbed Sasuke's shirt then said with a fearful quiver in her voice "Sasuke. I...I...I can't see."

Sasuke remained calm and repeated his question "What happened? Tell me what happened."

Hinata steadied her voice some, though it still had a fearful tone when she said "Father sealed my Byakugan."

Sasuke asked "How?"

Hinata sounded like she was about to start crying "I don't know."

Sasuke said "Tell me what he did. What do you remember him doing?"

Hinata swallowed hard than said "He...hit some of my tenketsu in my chest and stomach. He also hit the ones for my eyes. I...I can't see." Sasuke picked her up and ran into the bedroom with her to lay her on the bed. Hinata chocked out "I...can't...breath." Sasuke unzipped Hinata's jacket and put his ear against her chest. He could hear her heart beating a lot faster than it should and it sounded like it was speeding up. Hinata then said in a voice that sounded like she was crying "Sasuke...I...can't...even....cry."

Sasuke didn't respond to what Hinata was saying "Hang in there."

Hinata responded with a quiver to her voice "Sasuke..." but Hinata's voice cut off.

Sasuke pulled a kunai out of his leg holster and cut the front of Hinata's shirt open. He saw the bruises where she had been hit. He continued to cut her shirt searching for all the bruise markings. He saw one just under the waist line of her pants. He pulled at it and saw part of another. In an effort to reduce the time looking he pulled off her pants. Seeing none below he hip line he turned Hinata over to check her back. He didn't see any markings on her back or on her arms. He only saw the ones on the front of her torso and on the side of her head next to her eyes. He activated his Sharingan and looked at her body. He ran his hands along her chest in an effort to figure out how the attack was done. He determined it was just one finger for each attack. From the side he wasn't able to get the angles he needed to figure out the pattern. He straddled her hips to get to where he could get the angle needed to figure out the attack. Sasuke ran his two forefingers along Hinata's body causing Hinata to shiver at the feeling it was causing in her. If Sasuke wasn't trying to save Hinata's life he would have smiled at the way she reacted to him but as it was he wasn't even really aware that to him that he was running his fingers around her breast from one bruise to the next. Sasuke was finally confidant he knew the angles for each and every attack. With the third mark on is Sharingan he was able to recreate an attack from looking at the resulting damage. From what Sasuke had read in the scrolls he stole from Orochimaru a tenketsu was like a switch. If you push it one way to turn it off you push it from the opposite way to turn it on. He was also assuming that you had to do the procedure in reverse. Sasuke burned a physical image of Hinata's body in his mind as he turned her over. Sasuke took care for his first strike which was to be to both sides of Hinata's head at the same time. He drew his arms back and struck. He didn't notice a change but felt he was doing the right thing. He looked at Hinata's back and prepared himself. He pulled up the image of her chest in his mind and thought about the sequence for the attacks on her chest. He then reversed it for her back. Having the reversed pattern in his mind he drew back his arms ready to put his plan into action. He released a series of finger tip precision attacks on to Hinata's back. When his last attack stuck Hinata started coughing. Sasuke got off her and rolled her over. She rolled her head to the side and continued to cough. He watched her with concern for a bit. He leaned forward and put his head to her chest to listen to her heart. It was no longer racing like it had been. It was faster than it should for someone lying down but it was still slowing down. He leaned back and felt she was safe for the time being. He pulled the cover of the bed over Hinata. She turned her head to the other side and cough some more. Since Sasuke had done everything he could think of he stood there looking at Hinata with a worried expression. Hinata finally opened her eyes. She blinked a couple times then focused her eyes on Sasuke's face. Hinata spoke between coughs "Sasuke..I can..see again." Sasuke was slightly relieved but was still worried. Hinata had not stopped coughing.

When Hinata sat up Sasuke asked "How do you feel?"

Hinata took this as concern and said "I'll be fine." followed by a fit of coughs.

Sasuke said sternly "Tell me how you feel."

Hinata lowered her eyes and said "I can see..I feel..tired..like I..am catching..my breath..from a..long run." Hinata started coughing again. She then continued "I'm..fine."

Sasuke wasn't going to let it go at that. He pulled the cover off Hinata and tossed her, her pants and Jacket. He then told her get dressed. He turned away while she got dressed. After Sasuke heard the shuffling of fabric and the long zip he turned around. Hinata started coughing again.

Sasuke said "I'm taking you to the doctor."

Hinata shook her head and said "I'm fine."

Sasuke didn't believe her and didn't feel like putting up with resistance so he walked over and swept her off her feet. She clung to him and tilted her head down when she coughed. Sasuke walked out of the room and out the still open door. Sasuke proceeded to jump along carrying her the way he had after their first training session.

When they arrived at the hospital the receptionist called for assistance. Sasuke set Hinata down on her feet. Two nurses came lead Hinata away. Sasuke was forced to sit in the lobby filling out paperwork. He had decided he was going to pay for the medical expenses. Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan having forgotten about it. Leaving his Sharingan active for so long and performing such a precise series of attacks under such stress had worn him out. While waiting Sasuke fell asleep. After a couple hours Sasuke woke up to his name being called. He looked up to see Shizune standing there with a smile on her face.

Shizune said when she saw that Sasuke was awake "That was pretty good work. Hinata told me what happened to her. And how she felt after what you did. She couldn't tell me what you did but it seems to have worked. I read a medical report on what happens to a member that leaves the Hyuuga without permission. They usually die painfully. Other than a few residual injuries you seemed to have stopped the effects if not reversed them. Bringing Hinata in was also good thinking. We were able to heal the residual injuries. I don't know how you stopped the effects but it seemed to have worked. She's the first reported to live from this."

Sasuke turned his head to look at Hinata who had a blush on her face. He turned his head back to look at Shizune when she resumed talking "I think you would make an excellent medic-nin. Who did you learn from?"

Sasuke turned his head away when he said "Kabuto."

Shizune's eyes narrowed at the name and then noticed the line through Sasuke's forehead protector. This reminded her that Sasuke had run away to join Orochimaru. She decided that since he saved Hinata's life that she could forgive him for leaving but Shizune wasn't going to trust him yet.

Sasuke stood up and said "Are we done here?"

Shizune said "Hinata's wounds have been healed she's free to go."

Sasuke nodded and walked towards the door. Hinata looked around the room to see if anyone would have heard what Shizune had said to Sasuke. When she didn't see anyone nearby Hinata said to Shizune "Please don't tell anyone about what happened."

Shizune looked down to Hinata and said "I have to tell the fifth. Other than her I won't tell anyone."

Hinata bowed to Shizune and followed after Sasuke. Hinata ran up to walk next to Sasuke. After walking for a ways Hinata's feet started to hurt from walking barefoot on the ground. She looked at Sasuke's feet and saw that he was also walking barefoot. Hinata looked at Sasuke's face but he didn't seem to mind. After walking some more Sasuke could tell there pace had slowed so he glanced over at Hinata and saw that he expression showed discomfort. He asked her "Do you want to take a little rest."

Hinata replied "I'm ok. I can keep walking." Sasuke caught the implication and decided he to sweep Hinata off her feet for he second time that night. Hinata grabbed hold of Sasuke's shirt when he jumped with her in his arms. This was the first time she had been fine when Sasuke carried her like this. Hinata noticed that Sasuke was jumping higher and further than she could. She enjoyed the sensation. Hinata didn't feel the jarring impact that she would feel if she was jumping like this. Each time they touched down Hinata felt slight shift of her weight before launched skyward again. She wondered if this felt like flying. Hinata leaned her head against Sasuke's chest and enjoyed he ride home. Home, a place Hinata now found at the Uchiha manor. Home was no longer the Hyuuga manor. In fact she decided she would never return there even if she was welcome in the future. She had chosen to leave and her father tried to kill her for it. When she arrived at Sasuke's he immediately helped her and he said she would always have a home at with the Uchiha. She felt like something was finally going right in her life. As they traveled along the fluid motion of the horizon, the gentle movement, and the peace she had when with Sasuke put her to sleep.