Chapter 7: Of Family

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." -Lao Tzu

Hinata

'Poison?'

It takes a moment for the word to fully sink in, to realize what Sakura has done.

"What's her name, the girl you poisoned?" Naruto questions.

"Karin, I didn't get much out of her but I know for sure she is one of Sasuke's current partners on a newly made team he's created." Sakura relates, scrunching her nose at the memory of their conversation.

Hinata watches as Sakura shifts herself seemingly in discomfort at the recollection, but it is more than just that she knows from the way her emerald eyes shift away from Naruto.

There's something else she's not telling them or at least doesn't want to tell Naruto.

She purses her lips, she'll have to ask her a later point most likely when Naruto isn't around.

But for now her muscles scream at her to rest, laying her head back into her sleeping bag as sleep pulls at her once more into darkness. When she awakens the sun is a sliver on the horizon, sky turning a familiar golden-violet that reminds her of mornings training back at the manor.

"I'm thinking of looking into Konoha's central library once I unpack at my house later on today." Naruto mentions to her as they get back to traveling, quietly shuffling his hands through his air.

And it is at his prolonged stare she realizes he is wondering if she will come along with him, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks.

"Oh! Ah okay, I'll just need to check in with Father and the others at the compound. We can meet there around noon or so." She suggests, trying not to sputter or tumble over each word.

Naruto smiles, relaxing his hands back into his pockets. "That works for me; we can go get lunch at Ichiraku's!"

Sakura scoffs at their antics, rolling her eyes. "You two are as about as smooth as these rock formations!" She announces, gesturing to the last of the jagged stones and rocks they will see until they are finally fully out of the Land of Lightning.

Naruto mutters something under his breathe that she doesn't catch. Instead of gazing back to him though she twists her focus to ensuring no rogue shinobi are tracking or watching them from the shadows. As it stands though the terrain is quiet in all directions, a bit eerily so after all the destruction and mayhem they saw just hours ago.

Konoha is just as busy as they would expect for an afternoon when they finally arrive, citizens shuffling about either helping with the reconstruction or checking around the marketplace.

"I need to check in with Lady Tsunade before she leaves her office. She spends longer hours wandering about if Shizune doesn't keep an eye on her." Sakura mentions looking again at the center clock, clearly antsy and eager to get away from the way she stretches out her arms.

Before Sakura can slip away into the crowds though she catches her arm. Naruto is still distracted by Kakashi and Yamato-sensei discussing his next plans, he isn't looking their way...

"What else is there to know about Karin?" Hinata asks quickly because this will probably be her best chance to force an answer from Sakura before work at the hospital and her other assorted duties get in the way and bury it to the back of her thoughts.

Sakura blinks before her jade orbs turn a shade darker, lips straightening on the edge of a frown. She follows her eyes back to Naruto rapidly to make sure he still isn't focused on them before sighing.

"I'm not 100% sure, but I believe she hails from the Uzumaki clan." She mutters back just as fast.

Hinata lets her go then, nodding.

Just that alone trails into another assortment of questions.

When she twists back around Naruto is already peering at her and she tacks on a smile.

He doesn't ask what they were talking about, only mentioning he'll see her at Ichiraku's.

And so they part ways temporarily, Ko greeting her outside the manor.

'Where is Father? He wasn't in the study, his office, or any of the training halls.' Hinata wonders, roaming through another empty hall. Neji and Hanabi had already greeted her, Hanabi indulging in a light snack in the kitchen while Neji was on his way to do a training session with his team. Neither had seen Father since the early morning at the dining table.

She finally finds him meditating near the back of the gardens, resting near a patch of blue hydrangeas and yellow azaleas. It's an unusual time of day for him to meditate...

He pats the stone next to him, opening one eye to look at her upon approach.

"Ah, Hinata. We have much to talk about I'm sure."

-X-

Naruto

"The man on the far left ordered a Miso ramen and a tonkotsu ramen to go. The woman in the middle wants a shoyu ramen with extra mushrooms!" Ayame calls out an array of orders to Teuchi.

And like clockwork Teuchi gives a nod of confirmation, blending the herbs, spices, and of course noodles that are Ichiraku's specialty for each patron.

"It's busier than normal." Hinata notes, glancing around at the full tables to the seats beside them. Perhaps it's just the lunch rush or it could be just that noodles are a fast meal to eat on the go especially with all the construction workers milling about.

"Naruto! Brought your girl with you for a lunch date, huh? If I remember correctly, Hinata ate even more bowels of ramen than you during our last all-you-can-eat contest!" Teuchi laughs as he comes out of a waft of steam, greeting them properly once all the previous orders are filled.

He winces immediately at the connotation, he's never brought anyone here on a what could really be called a date. Sakura had once told him Ichiraku's didn't fit the qualifications of a proper 'date' location what with the smell of grease to sweat sometimes in the air and he imagines knowing Hinata's Hyuga background that she will think much the same.

"It's not a-" Naruto begins only to stop himself at seeing Hinata's smile as she takes in the atmosphere. She watches a nearby young couple feed their toddler son noodles for perhaps the very first time, beaming at the ruddiness of his chubby cheeks, of his curiosity and excitement trying to hold his chopsticks properly like his parents.

'She didn't hear him.' Naruto realizes as Hinata looks back his way, noting Teuchi's presence in front of them.

"Oh, are you ready to order now?" She asks and Naruto simply nods, swallowing down his earlier thoughts.

Maybe this is a date.

Ayame nods knowingly at Naruto's usual order of miso ramen while Hinata orders the same with an extra egg. If this is a date, he needs to pay! Crap, how much ryo does he have on him?

"I have no idea what the Hyuga women sees in you if you're becoming this much of a wreck just to get some noodles." Kurama remarks.

"Shut up!" Naruto growls, tuning out his snickering.

He knows truly where he needs to go next after resting for a few days, away to Mount Myoboku to train with the toads or better yet find out of if Killer B truly is dead like the rumors say...

Because his gut feeling tells him he is only in hiding, that he is far better connected to his tailed beast than he currently is with Kurama.

"What do you hope to find at the library by the way Naruto?" Hinata questions when the noises surrounding them have died down to a quieter hush of conversations.

Naruto looks away from his broth, working to find the right words to explain what he wants to do. His mind drifts back to those few dark seconds in his fight with Pain where he teetered on the edge of releasing Kurama, his vision twisting to red consumed with a rage and upset he'd never felt before.

His heartbeat thrums to life in his ears, the very reason for his wound up feelings right next to him.

"Not here." He eventually whispers. There are too many curious onlookers on him now since Pain's assault, eyes that used to treat him as invisible...

'Stop thinking like that.' Naruto scolds himself.

Hinata looks ready to push him to go on before nodding in understanding and Naruto swallows down tiny knots that even without words he can communicate so well with her.

The library is thankfully quiet once they arrive, surrounded by books towering to the ceiling lost to time and dust.

"What did Sakura say to you before he left?" He lets slip abruptly once the librarian lets them be and at Hinata's telltale darkening cheeks, he smirks. He'd seen them talking and send fleeting glances his way, it's not like he was completely absorbed in all that Yamato and Kakashi-sensei were telling him which was only the usual spiel of staying safe and cautious of the Akatsuki.

Of Sasuke.

"Nothing." Hinata answers breezily, but she's just as bad a liar he is and she squirms when he leans closer to her even scraping his chair across the wood flooring.

"You're blushing you know!" Naruto observes, poking at her cheeks in emphasis until she gently swats his hand away in mild annoyance. Now that he is taking note of it, only he can bring this glow to Hinata's face, get her to react in ways reserved only for him.

"I'm not!" Hinata counters, taking to study the wood designs of the table.

"Getting possessive?" Kurama questions.

He pointedly ignores him.

"Is it about Sasuke?" He pries and Hinata purses her lips, shaking her head. His name alone brings a frostiness to her expression, he is miles away from here plotting to kill Danzo and then strike Konoha they both know.

"I...I wasn't going to hide it from you Naruto, I just wanted to do a bit more research on it before I discussed it with you." Hinata eventually says, gazing at him properly.

He catches her hand then before she can place it back in her lap, squeezing gently until she fully intertwines her hand with his.

"Just tell me now, you know how impatient I can be you know! And...it's quiet here, so we don't have to worry about nosy people." Naruto pulls on his award-winning grin just to prove it and Hinata let's escape a giggle before wincing as it echoes across the empty aisles.

"Let go of my hand for a moment, I need to reach that old history of Konoha's clans and neighboring regions to your left. I think it's one of the only books here that may have information on the Uzumaki clan." Hinata mentions, gesturing to the worn textbook on his opposite side.

Naruto pushes it to her with his free hand instead, puzzled as to why she wants to know about his Mother's side of the family. His purpose for coming here was actually to learn more about his Father's background. In those dark few minutes where Pain made him feel utterly hopeless, where he was ready to break the seal to release Kurama he had came to him. The little he had to go on wasn't much, but it was a starting point.

And maybe in this searching he could get an idea of what his Mother looked like, her likes and dislikes, who she was in her short life...

"From what Sakura determined, Karin may come from the Uzumaki clan as well." Hinata murmurs.

Naruto stills then, azure eyes shining with an intense curiosity before clouding over again at Hinata's shake of her head.

Even if this is true he doubts Karin even knows who is Mother is and based on Sakura's description of their interaction, she doesn't care to know him.

Hinata presses on the knuckles of his hand, regaining his attention.

"Hey, there's still a lot we may learn here! The secrets Konoha's past Kage and advisors have kept buried still linger within these pages, are still in the memories of the elders." Hinata boosts him up.

Naruto nods, straightening up. He never did ask Pervy-sage enough about his parents, how they met or even if they all spent a lot of time together (did they get on him for his perversions and his Make Out Paradise books?), too much else was going on to ever ask of their connection...

But that doesn't mean there isn't anyone else he can ask.

'I need to have some long overdue conversations.'

-X-

Sakura

"In Room 5 Mr. Agawa's last bag of his blood transfusion is about to finish. I just gave him his antibiotics for the foot infection which podiatry reviewed and cleaned around 3:00 pm. Oh and Room 6 said her IV looks like it's blown though Haruki just changed it an hour ago. I think she's drug seeking for another dose of pain medication." Keiko relates with a light scoff, giving her an update on her hall of assigned patients.

'It's non-stop.' Sakura breathes, nodding her thanks and picking up the pace. Night shift is not the quiet of empty halls and sleeping patients that Day shift assumes from their snarky comments to teasing.

All this chaos however is just how she likes it; just what she needs.

Because in this slew of buzzing machines, of potent disinfectants, and even of the smell of blood and infected sores she feels a comfort she hasn't felt in days. There is a rhythm to her work that keeps her mind off of all she's witnessed back in the Land of Iron, of the poison she injected that will soon have Karin exhibiting the same symptoms she's seen time and again rush into the ER.

Nausea, vomiting, sweats and those will just be the milder problems starting out.

'Is Sasuke going to care?' That one question keeps bubbling up no matter how much she tries to stomp it down (Ha, if only her feelings could so easily be beaten down). If Karin is truly his teammate and most likely the healer of their team will he be worried? Try to seek out a cure for her?

Or will he like he did to her and Naruto simply see her as a weakness and abandon her to her pain?

It's nasty of her, but a tiny part of her hopes for the latter. If just for Karin to see how truly monstrous Sasuke has become.

She is on her feet until nearly 11:30 pm, Shizune approaching her with two bottles of water.

"Ino is right, you're going to end up becoming one of these patients if you don't take a proper break." She sighs, though she appears to be as winded as she is telling from the haphazard state of her hair.

"Another orthopedic emergency?" Sakura guesses as she plops down beside her.

Shizune fans herself with her hand, smiling lazily. "I wish; it was a complicated injury he sustained from a construction accident involving a wood plank piercing his side. Too many shinobi and civilian getting heat stroke from long hours trying to finish building up lost businesses without breaks like a certain somebody I know. You were gone for nearly 2 weeks though I don't imagine you took a proper break during that whole time you were away."

Moonlight settles over her features then, obsidian eyes growing thoughtful. Curious. "You saw a lot out there. Lady Tsunade would've understood if you needed to take a few more days off."

'What and be trapped in my circling thoughts, endure more of Mom and Dad's worried looks? No way.' Sakura nearly snorts at the suggestion.

She knows they're just trying to look out for her though her goal is to one day become head of this hospital, open new departments to better treat the needs of their pediatric and psychiatric populations. There is no experience gained sitting at home or trying to gather knowledge from simply a textbook alone.

And truly the real beauty of this job is that the problems of her patients make her own seem miniscule.

Shizune takes a long gulp of her water, shifting herself back up after a quick glance to her watch.

"Lady Tsunade has been waiting for you to take a break so head over to her office before returning back to your unit." Shizune notes before twisting back in the direction of the OR.

'She's actually in her office?!' Sakura wonders in surprise. At this time of day she's usually off in a gambling area or dozing from the warmth of evening and afternoon sake coursing through her.

Amber orbs are bitter and piercing as soon as she comes into her view, gesturing for her to sit. Part of her imagined she would at least be a little hung over, but there is no telltale flush to her cheeks.

Before she can pull out the chair though Tsunade pulls her in, squeezing her into a hug as if she'll disappear.

"You're a bigger idiot than I was at your age." She huffs by her ear.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made you worry, made you think I wouldn't return home.' Sakura thinks, blinking back the sudden prick of tears in her eyes. Even if Lady Tsunade smells like booze or the ink of papers she is a familiarity; a reminder of home.

"So...based on what Kakashi has told me you had quite an eventful journey. Wouldn't exactly call that a vacation." Tsunade begins when they sit down properly.

Sakura shrugs, Kakashi-sensei told her everything there is to discern from their Land of Iron trip. From their encounter with Sasuke's cohorts to Danzo's apparent deceptions finally coming to light putting him now on the run.

The only thing she hopes Kakashi-sensei left out is her poisoning of one of said cohorts.

However, Lady Tsunade wouldn't call her here if she wasn't suspicious of not getting the full story. Did she check all the medicine cabinets, do a surprise inventory check of each herb and vial that had been used over the last week?

They stare each other down for a painfully long few minutes and Sakura feels as if she is 13 again, about to endure a grueling session that will push her bones and muscles to the point of snapping and tearing only to be healed a moment later to repeat the cycle over.

And finally she breaks, pushing herself away from the table.

"I didn't take anything from the hospital if that's what you're worried about, but I did mix the vial in one of the labs." Sakura concedes.

Tsunade blinks, slow grin curling at her lips. "I must say I was sure I was going to have to get you to somehow drink some of my sake or initiate a bet if I was going to get you to start talking!"

'Ugh, maybe I should've taken my chances with a bet.' Sakura curses herself, but then again her chest feels lighter not having to hide her secrets from her mentor. She grins at her cheekily and Sakura can't help the laugh that escapes her after how busy the night has been.

"So what was your toxin of choice? I imagine it needed to be something strong enough to induce visible symptoms, but not potent enough to kill." Tsunade asks curiously.

Sakura nods, memory shifting back to that night in the lab waiting until all the workers had gone home. Ino hadn't given much question to why she wanted to know more about and buy the most poisonous plants to herbs her family kept hidden reserved only for the most dangerous missions, only telling her to handle them carefully and make sure the target she used it on was worth it.

Monkshood or Lily of the Valley were her first ideas despite how poisonous they are, but reading further on them they would've put Karin into a delirium and sent her heart into a fatal arrhythmia mere hours after being injected.

"Just what are you trying to pull here Forehead? I don't condone you having to murder unless it truly is your final option!" Ino hisses, tugging her into the supply room away from any of the shop's regular customers hearing them.

In the back it smells even more of the Yamanaka's best flowers ready to be shipped out or put on display. Ino whisks her through a row of white gardenias and spiraling purple wisteria. They reach a mini workstation in the back, a batch of pink roses on a wooden table soon to be made into a bouquet and Sakura moves to sit at the stool opposite while Ino takes the chair.

"I'm not looking to kill anyone lest I have to. Come on Pig, surely you have a toxin here that isn't going to outright cause death after ingestion or being injected. I just need something on standby, just in case I run into some trouble." Sakura explains.

Ino fidgets in her chair, azure eyes wary before sighing.

"Okay, I can think of one that should work." She determines.

"I used a blue Iris mixed with the crushed seeds of some paralytic agents, nothing too strong or too weak." Sakura speaks once more.

When indigested the Iris can create mild symptoms of nausea, vomiting, headache, and fever, but she was concerned more about the external side effects it would mainly have.

Tsunade hums thoughtfully. "You gave it subcutaneously, enough that she should receive skin irritation from the effects as well."

"Yes, I'm wondering now though if I should've used a plant with a stronger toxicity. I don't know exactly how her body works, but she appears to be the healer of Sasuke's team." Sakura mulls over.

Tsunade shakes her head. "The other plants you looked at most likely would've caused hallucinations then led into an irregular pulse in hours. With this it will at least diffuse through her body slowly."

Tsunade twirls at her pen, hazel orbs growing serious once more.

"So, what's the estimated time of her noticing you fucked up her body?"

Sakura scoffs, leaning back in her chair. "You don't have to say it like that!"

"Tomorrow will be the peak of her symptoms, I'm sure our paths will cross again before the month is over." Sakura muses, gaze roaming towards the open window. The night sky is clear, moon full and bright over the the village.

"I would bet you are right in that regard." Tsunade agrees, proud of her apprentice despite her methods. Jiraiya was right when he said the next generation was indeed moving to surpass them...

Sakura smiles back, switching gears to discuss what all she's missed at the hospital.

Already she can picture Karin's pale skin littered with blotches and rashes the same shade as her hair. Her partners will regard her in a mix of puzzlement and disgust (because she honestly doesn't seem that close to them no matter how much she sang of Sasuke's praises), they'll wonder if perhaps she is dying. Her mind will become fogged, rewinding through where she's been and who she's been in contact with.

And then it will click to her.

Yes, Karin will come back to her they already know for one reason alone.

'An antidote.' Sakura smirks.

-X-

Naruto & Hinata

"You desire this woman more than you want to admit." Kurama mentions, barely veiled amusement in his tone.

"I can't concentrate if you don't be quiet!" Naruto retorts.

The deep rumble of Kurama's laughter greets him in return. Still this is better than his constant mockery, of him keeping him up late until morning reminding him of all of his hate of humans.

"I'm not the one who fell asleep while trying to 'concentrate.' Kurama scoffs.

And at this, Naruto jolts awake.

His apartment is still and dark, it must already be way past the middle of the night.

He can't remember which one of them fell asleep first, Hinata had been dozing off midway in reading a section she found on Uzumaki clan during the Warring States Period he recalls but after that he had wanted to rest his eyes for 10 minutes.

10 minutes turned into an hour!

'Hiashi won't be mad if Hinata sleeps over again, right?' He wonders dazedly, right before they went into study and reading mode they had changed into more comfortable wear for indoors. Now that he thinks about it Hinata's own sleeping clothes have become more and more mixed in with his own when he reminds himself to do the laundry.

Naruto stretches out the crick in his neck, looking fully over to Hinata's position. She's rested her head against the open page of the textbook in an angle he recognizes will leave it feeling sore if it stayed that way until morning. He can move her to his bed without waking her he determines; she's light enough.

But Hinata stirs as soon as he loops her arm around his neck and he gulps at the way her body lulls into him, breasts pressing right against his chest. Looking down gives him a view of her cream colored bra and he winces at feeling heat immediately pool in his chest and downward.

Shit.

"Naruto..." Hinata moans out his name softly, burying further into him.

"Yeah?" Naruto questions after he gathers his nerves, voice croaky and dry.

He's greeted with silence in response and he realizes from the pattern of her breathing she is still asleep.

'Okay, I can do this; don't panic!' Naruto cheers himself on.

He squirms at the thought of her feeling his growing erection before reaffirming his hold on her properly and moving for his room. Hinata tumbles easily into his sheets, she was far more exhausted than she let on to him.

He should go back to the living room now or maybe take a cold shower until his skin is completely numb, but rather than doing any of that he loiters by his bed. The last time he was this close to Hinata was back at the hotel in Kumo, though the circumstances were completely different from now.

'I'm just going to lay down for a minute, wait for my heartrate to calm.' Naruto decides.

The excuse sounds pathetic even just thinking it, though nothing will happen. They've slept next to each other plenty of times before now just fine.

This time isn't any different.

Though his heart refuses to stop pounding in his ears, drumming twice as loud when Hinata rolls over close to him to stay warm. They've spent a chunk of this day trying to find out about his parents, however now in the quiet of his room he thinks about his future, of the family he wants to create.

Naruto looks down to Hinata, sighing as he brushes violet locks out of his face.

'Could we be parents? Have kids of our own?' Naruto considers.

Inevitably he thinks of Pervy-sage's lessons and Hinata shifts one eye open feeling his index finger pressing too hard against her cheek.

"Hmm?" Hinata asks drowsily and quickly Naruto shakes his head, retracting his hand back.

"Sorry! Go back to sleep." He orders gently before sighing.

'Yeah, I'm going to need that cold shower after all.'

-x-

This chapter is brought to you by insomnia! But really, let me know your thoughts. I took some liberties with the use of a flower's poisonous mechanisms of action. Sasuke and his gang will appear more in the next chapter!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!