Chapter 21

In town

The rebuilding efforts were going extremely well for the leaf village. About 3 quarters of the main town was destroyed originally, people who lived on the outside of town still had their homes, but all apartments and businesses in the village were destroyed. Captian Yamato rested for a few days in the hospital tent but as soon as he felt rested enough he got to work rebuilding all the areas of the village that he could starting with the hospital.

When the sand ninja arrived, a few of them had juitsus that could make sand structures and they used that to re-make houses, apartments and businesses. Usually Yamato would lay a foundation and the structure and the sand ninjas would fill in the walls and the remaining areas. They moved area to area daily fixing what they could and rebuilding everything else.

Although the businesses were demolished, many of the items to sell were imported from other villages and an open air tent market was used until the businesses were repaired.

Hinata was walking through the market to pick some things up before heading home. She passed the flower shop that Ino's parents owned, passed Ichi Racu Ramen, and passed Ten Ten's parents ninja supply shop. She needed a few items from the food shop when she ran into Kakashi.

"Hi Hinata," he offered "Lovely day."

"Yes, it is," she replied. "Is Naruto out of surgery?" she asked

"He is, the operation was a success, he should be back to normal in no time. If you were headed to visit him I have to tell you that he won't be waking up for quite a while, Sakura gave him some sleeping tablets that should have him out all night."

"Oh, okay. I will stop by tomorrow to see him." She looked at his left arm, he was carrying a book and had a package in his hand.

"What are you reading?" she asked although she thought she already knew the answer.

"Oh," he went to put his book away, "just some stories…" he returned.

"well," she said into the awkward silence "I need to get going, so I will see you later…"

They both nodded and went their separate ways, but she thought she saw a tiny light blue blanket in package.

She made her way to the grocery area and started picking out the items she needed. She paid for her items and headed home until she ran into Temari and Shikamaru.

Their faces were serious and they looked like they were looking for someone.

"What's going on, Temari, Shikamaru?" as she asked she began to feel more alert, maybe she should run back and get Kakashi.

"Were looking for Oroku, who came with us to the leaf to rebuild." Shikamaru answered.

"Yeah, I wrote to my brother because the way that he joined our party was odd. I got back his reply and we need to find him right away." Temari added

"I hope everything's okay? I've seen him rebuilding the village over the past few days, he seems like a hard worker."

Temari turned to face Hinata head on "Hinata, he isn't who he says he is, he was not sent to join us. He's a shinobi from our village that wasn't even sent to fight in the shinobi alliance, his parents were sent and both were killed. We don't know why he's here or what he wants, but we have to find him." She finished.

Shikamaru stepped closer to Hinata, "You rode with him on the way back, can you tell me what you talked about, anything might be helpful. Did he say why he wanted to come to the leaf?"

Hinata dropped her bag and started to run towards the hospital, "Naruto," she gasped "he came for Naruto."

Temari and Shikamaru ran after her, all determined to reach the hospital as fast as they could.

"You take the front door Shikamaru, I'm going through the widow." She announced

"Okay, see you up there. I hope you're wrong about this," he added.

When they made it to the hospital Hinata was able to make a few jumps to make it to his second story window, with her kuni knife out she peered inside. "Maybe I'm over thinking this," she thought as she activated her buyokigon.

When she looked in she saw Oroku in Naruto's room. He didn't look like he came for a friendly visit, Naruto was completely asleep and Oroku was approaching his bed with a kuni knife plunging toward Naruto.

Hinata had no choice, she acted on instinct and threw herself through the window and plunged her kuni knife into Oroku. The glass breaking had woken up Naruto. He woke up to see Hinata plunge a knife into a stranger and blood splatter his walls. After it was done Hinata sat over top Oroku breathing heavily as he was moaning in pain. Before he could ask any questions Temari and Shikamaru came into his room and pulled Hinata up and the pulled Oroku out of the room.

Hinata looked around the room at the mess she had made and then she noticed Naruto awake and staring at her.

"Oh, sorry to wake you Naruto," she said

"Do you mind telling me what the heck is going on? I wake up to you jumping through a window and maybe killing someone, and Temari from the sand village is here and Shikamaru and her taking someone out of my room. Someone I don't even know?!" he said with surprise.

Before she could talk he started again

"Maybe I'm dreaming, but why would I dream something like this? This glass is kinda making me itch." As he went to scratch himself he realized he glass all over him from the broken window and where he scratched started to cut him. He looked at the blood on his hand from where he was cut. "Is this for real" he asked Hinata.

"Yes, I…" she started before Lady Tsunade came into the room.

"I just heard from Shikamaru what happened here. The attacker was apprehended and we will be holding him for interrogation. Can you tell me what happened Hinata?"

Hinata told her the events that led up to and after she crashed through the window. When she mentioned the part about the window Lady Tsunade looked up and noticed the broken glass all over the room.

"If you hadn't acted as you did Naruto would probably be dead right now." She put her hand on Hinata's shoulder "Thank you Hinata." She looked at Naruto "I'm sending in a medic to move you to another room and Shikamaru will stand in as security until we figure out what's going on." She added.

"Lady Hokage, I would like to stay, if that's okay. I can stand watch and make sure he rests." Hinata offered.

Lady Tsunade looked her over and nodded her head. "Very well, the medic will be in shortly to move him." She added as she walked out of the room.

Hinata stood in the room looking at Naruto as he looked at her in shock.

"How are you feeling from your operation Naruto?" she asked him to break the silence.

He looked at her for another moment before answering "I…I feel fine."

She smiled at him, just glad that he was okay and that she got there in time. It was all so hard to believe. Oroku seemed so different on the ride to the village, she wondered what had changed.

"Oh, Hinata, you're cut," Naruto said as he pointed to a shard of glass in her leg. It was sticking out about 4 inches, blood was running down her leg. She looked down at her leg and began to brace herself to pull it out. Just as she was about to the medic showed up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sakura said as she watched Hinata begin to pull. Hinata stopped.

"Sakura, don't you ever go home," Naruto asked

"Lucky for the both of you I happened to be working tonight." She said with a smile.

"Hinata, if you come downstairs I can pull that out and stitch up your cut," Sakura offered.

Hinata still had her hand on the glass and pulled hard on it, taking out of her leg "thank you, Sakura," she said "but I'm okay." She got a wrap out of her bag and began bandaging her wound.

"Really Hinata, there's no need for you to do that." Sakura repeated

"I'll be staying with Naruto to make sure he's alright and gets some rest. I can get some stitches later." She said as she tied her bandage closed.

"She's great, isn't she," Naruto said to Sakura while looking at Hinata. Sakura could see that Hinata had no intention of leaving Naruto's side after what had just happened. Afterall, this was the girl that threw herself in front of Pain Nagato when he threatened Naruto's life.

"If you'd like, after we move Naruto, I can bring my supplies to you and fix your leg, that way you can still keep watch over Naruto." She smiled.

"Yes, I'd like that, thanks Sakura." Hinata smiled.

"Naruto, we need to get this glass off of you, don't move okay? Hinata," Sakura called "can you help me clear off this glass?"

"Sorry," Hinata said and she stepped over to help clear him off. She ran her hand over the cut Naruto had to make sure there was no glass in it. After he was all clear they moved him to another bed and wheeled him to the next room. Sakura left to go get her supplies to repair Hinata's injuries.

As she sat down to wait for Sakura she noticed Naruto kept staring at her. She was beginning to feel awkward again.

"um, Naruto," she asked

"Hmm," he replied

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" she said in a friendly tone.

"Like what?" after he replied he noticed it too, he was just starting at her. "Sorry, I'm just surprised. I know you're a strong shinobi, but that was awesome. I've never seen you like that before."

"That's okay," she said "I'm just glad that you're okay."

"Because of you, Hinata, thank you." He said.

She started to blush again. "You're going to need to get your rest Naruto, that was a major operation today."

"No way, not after what just happened, how could you expect me to sleep." He smiled.

Hinata smiled back at him.

Sakura walked into the room with her supplies "Are you ready Hinata?" she asked.

Hinata nodded, unwrapped her bloody bandages and pulled her pant leg up to her thigh above where she was cut. She pulled out her kuni knife and bit down on the wrapped handle to prepare for her stitches. "Please don't watch Naruto," she asked, embarrassed.

"Geez Naruto," Sakura said, "give us some privacy."

"I am," he yelled, his head turned to the side of the wall.

Sakura began to clean the wound and stitched it up quickly. After stitching she wrapped the bandages and was done. "Thanks Sakura," Hinata said.

"Can I look now? This is getting kinda boring, you know." Naruto complained.

"Boring is just what you need, you need to get some rest," Sakura complained right back. "I'm leaving now but I'll be back tomorrow. If Naruto doesn't listen to you Hinata just punch him in the head," Sakura offered.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata giggled as Sakura turned off the lights and stepped out of the room.