Title: Half past twelve to half past one

Rating: Action

Pairing / Characters: Hyuuga Hinata, Hyuuga Hiashi, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten, Umino Iruka, Haruno Sakura

Word Count: 1, 168 words

Warnings: Nothing

Summary: Hinata, Chouji, Ino and Iruka aid in the defence of Hokage Mountain, Lee, Neji and Tenten are ordered to assist them, Sakura loses another leaf shinobi

A/N: Whew, seven hours down, only a few more to go…

Hinata sagged against the wall, trying to catch her breath.

It had been foolish, she knew, moving so fast after she had only been healed, but she hadn't wanted to appear weak in front of her cousin, or her fellow team mates and genin.

Dropping her kunai limply, she pressed a hand against her stomach, wondering how much chakra she had left, and then dismissing the thought almost as soon as she'd had it. There was no time to think about it, no time to consider what she could and couldn't do.

Just then, she heard footsteps, and she stiffened, scrabbling on the ground for her kunai. Only when she heard a voice did she relax.

'Hinata!'

Hinata let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding – but stiffened for another reason.

'Chichi-ue…'

Her father took her by the shoulders. 'Where have you been?'

'I – I was fighting...'

Hiashi's sharp eyes took in the blood stained jacket she wore, and said grimly 'what happened to you?'

Hinata hung her head in shame. 'I was injured,' she admitted softly. 'Sakura-san healed me… but I can still fight!'

Hiashi's expression softened marginally. 'You're low on chakra, Hinata. Your fight is over. I'm taking you to Hokage Mountain. You'll be safer there, and –'

'No! I can still fight, I can –'

'Hinata! Let me finish my sentence. Not only will you be safer there amongst your friends, but they need several shinobi to defend the civilians gathered there. Your skills are perfect for that, because you are offensive and defensive.'

Hinata's eyes widened at the unexpected praise, and Hiashi took her by the shoulder.

'Stay close, and don't lose sight of me.'

'Hai!'

Tenten nearly fell over Neji before she actually saw him. He moved swiftly, steadying her, silver eyes taking in her disheveled condition.

'Are you hurt?'

Tenten fought to catch her breath. 'No. I just saw Tsunade-sama – she's ordered our team to Hokage Mountain. We're needed for defense, apparently. Wait – where's Lee?'

'Here,' Lee answered. 'Are any of the other genin teams being called to the mountain?'

'Shikamaru's team is there already, and we've only just been ordered – Shikamaru is needed in the field.'

Neji nodded. 'Because of his tactical abilities,' he concluded as they ran.

Tenten shrugged. 'Quite possibly. ANBU members are on the move as well, and we're not as experienced as they are.'

'No, I doubt that,' Lee said suddenly. 'If they need us at the mountain then civilians are being targeted.'

'And there's no time to waste,' Neji said, activating his byakugan. 'Let's move.'

Ino and Chouji stood atop the mountain, glancing down into the village. From their vantage point, they could see the destruction that had taken place in the last six hours, and it broke Ino's heart to see her village in ruins.

'It's not as bad as it looks, Ino.'

'Iruka-sensei!' Ino turned to look up at him as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Iruka's voice was gentle. 'In the morning you'll see it for yourself, Ino. I know how it seems, when it looks like everything is burning and all you see is bodies, but this is the way it is in a shinobi village. Shed your tears, grieve for those who are lost, and rebuild. We've lived through worse, and I dare say we'll live through this.'

'It just seems so… sad,' Ino ventured. 'In just a few hours they've managed to destroy everything.'

Iruka laughed suddenly. 'Actually Ino, I think you'll find we helped them do it.'

Chouji grinned. 'Yeah, I guess we did.'

Iruka squeezed Ino's shoulder reassuringly. 'Come on, we've still got work to do. The night is far from over.'

As they walked back down, Ino and Chouji exchanged glances at the sight of Hinata and her father walking up the stairs.

When Hinata stepped into the light, Chouji blanched. 'Hinata, you're hurt –'

Hinata went red. 'No… I'm fine, Chouji-kun.'

Hiashi bowed to Iruka. 'Please take care of my daughter. She can assist you, but as you can see, she's been injured. I want her to stay here, out of harm's way.'

Ino took Hinata by the arm. 'Come with us, Hinata. We need to check on the people in the caves.'

Hinata nodded, and bowed to her father. 'I'll do my best, Chichi-ue.'

Hiashi touched her hair. 'I know you will.'

Reddening yet again, Hinata followed Chouji and Ino down into the caves.

Sakura leaned against the wall, tears streaking her tears. She wiped them away, not realizing that she'd left a smear of blood on her skin. Keeping her eyes averted from the body of the leaf shinobi on the floor, she struggled to get her emotions under control, but it was difficult.

For the third time that night, a leaf shinobi had died under her hands before she could do a thing to help.

What good was being a medic nin when she couldn't do anything when it mattered, she wondered tiredly.

She was, despite her excellent chakra control, slowly becoming low on chakra, having used it to heal as well as to defend herself, and she wasn't sure how long she could keep up her strength. Sniffing in a valiant effort to regain her composure, Sakura knelt down and closed the young man's eyes with a hand that shook.

'Sakura-san, we need to continue,' Hideo said quietly.

Sakura nodded and pushed herself up, keeping up with the older medic as they strode through the dark streets. A groan caught her attention, and she paused, searching the bodies that lined the streets. It was a woman, a kunai embedded in her shoulder and several gashes on her cheeks and arms. Her leg was twisted awkwardly beneath her, clearly broken.

'Help me...' she gasped.

Sakura moved forward, seeing the hitae-ate strapped to her right arm. In the pale moonlight, the leaf pattern stood out clearly, and Sakura knelt down, clasping her hands together.

Her blue green eyes hardening, Sakura gathered her chakra together and without hesitation, slammed a fist into the woman's chest. Hideo cried out in shock at the brutal treatment, until the woman's features seemed to shimmer, morphing into the flat, harsh face of a mist shinobi.

Lips drawn back in pain and fury, he gasped 'how… could… you… have… known…'

Sakura's voice was calm. 'Next time, complete your illusion first. No kunoichi in Konoha has hands like yours. It stuck out straight away.'

She reached into her kunai holster, but found herself weaponless. Grimacing, she pulled the kunai out of the shinobi's shoulder, and grabbed a hank of hair, jerking his head backwards to expose his throat before she slit it.

Hideo let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. 'You're one tough genin,' he remarked carefully.

Sakura got up. 'My master would be appalled if something like that fooled me,' she told him, surprised at how hard her voice was.

'Let's go, Hideo.'

'Right behind you,' Hideo answered with alacrity.