Destined To Live
Chapter 2: Saved By An Angel
Damn, this was Death! He couldn't die; not yet, anyways. There was still too much he hadn't done in his short life, now was definately not time to die.
Pursing his lips together in a tight line, he spread his feet and stood his ground. He would fight and defy the Grim Reaper as long as he could. At least then he could say he tried to with stand Death.
"Hyuga Neji, it's you're time to go. Any efforts to attempt to stay alive will be futile." The Grim Reaper stated dryly and moved foward.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Neji yelled at the Grim Reaper and clenched his hands into fists, and braced his feet more.
"You can not defy me." The Grim Reaper hissed at him and out stretched one bony arm out to him, the black cloth shifting down to the elbow to reveal the grayish bones.
Neji was about to reply, but a sudden thought struck his mind. It froze his movements, and made his eyes go out of focus for a moment.
What if it really was his time to go? Did Fate and Destiney want him dead so soon?
If it was so, then who was he to judge what Fate and Destiney decided for him? Everyone had a time of birth, a time of living, and a time of death. And right now, he just supposed it was his time of death. He could do nothing to change his destiney.
Relaxing his hands, they fell to his sides limply, but twitched to be put back to use. Even his mind accepted his imminent death, his body was still unwilling to go to the land of the dead.
"May I ask you one question before you rip my soul from my body." Neji asked, his question souding more like a demand.
The Grim Reaper nodded silently, granting his permission to continue and dropped his arm as well.
"Have I already fulfilled my purpose in life?" Neji voiced his thought, his pale face turning grim.
"No, you have not. Destiney wanted you to live strong and grow old, only to die of old age. Fate had other plans, as you can see." The Grim Reaper explained flatly.
"I see." Neji mused to himself. "That was all I needed to know." Neji's statement confirmed Death that he was ready to go.
"Take one last look at you're loved ones. You will never see them again." The Grim Reaper told him, and waited for him to bid them one last farewell.
Without a word, Neji turned to his comrads and his family, which still only consisted of Hinata.
But not a word escaped his lips, for his lips were too tightly pressed together to unclench. His eyes contracted with his calm face; light lavender eyes swirling with many emotions he himself could not name.
Amoung the few he could name were sadness, regret, and longing. Memories came unbidden before his eyes, showing him his short time alive and all that he had done. Things both prideful and shameful, good and bad, joyful and depressing.
Shaking his head to rid himself of the tears stinging at the corners of his eyes, he turned back to Death with a solemn face.
"I'm ready now." Neji told him in a voice barely above a whisper, but the Grim Reaper easily heard.
Though words weren't needed, the Grim Reaper knew that he was not ready to die. His eyes didn't come up to look at him, but stayed down cast and glared at his feet. Hands were shoved his pockets, the buldging telling him that his hands were clenched. And a firm frown was set upon his face, showing his disappointment and displeasure.
Truthfully, he knew that the boy wasn't ready to die. After all, it was just as I said, he was a boy. Not a little boy, but a teenager who still had many years out for him. Or did, anyways.
His mind's acceptance to death was something to be admired, though. More than half of the people who the Grim Reaper visited struggled and put up a fight, unwilling to pass away without a fight. Few actually went with him peacefully, and they were usually the very old and/ or the very sick. None had been mere children.
"Let's go." The Grim Reaper agreed and turned his back on Neji, waiting for him to follow his lead.
Not one word fell from his lips, but as he tried to follow the Grim Reaper, he found that his feet were planted to the ground. His body's own way to objecting his decision to go with Death, screaming at him to fight it.
The Grim Reaper sensed his distress and turned back to him. But his eyes did not fall on the still Hyuga boy, but fell on a new occupant that entered the white hospital room.
If he had eyes and not empty eye sockets, the Grim Reaper would've rolled his eyes. Honestly, Fate had a strange way of twisting people's lives up, even when someone was so near death. It sickened him somtimes. Just when he was ready to reap the dieing person's soul, Fate decides to let them live.
"It seems that luck is on your side, Hyuga Neji. This is not you're time of death; the Fates have turned." The Grim Reaper announced to him without emotion.
Looking up to the cloaked figure with surprised eyes briefly, he too turned to look at the room behind him.
There stood a girl hovering over his unmoving body with her hands pressed against his chest. Even if he shouldn't have felt the touch, he still did. And it filled him with hope and made him anxious to see what she would do.
"Since I am no longer needed, I leave you." That was the Grim Reaper's farewell to Neji as he became one with the dark shadows.
Neji was about to say something when a gasp tore from his throat. It felt like he had been snapped back to reality from limbo, and now he had all of his senses back. And with his senses came the white hot pain that made every nerve tingle rapidly.
His throat was too dry to let out a normal scream, so all that came out was a scratchy screech that sounded like he had been screaming for quite a while.
"Hold him down!" They girl who was trying to heal him commanded someone and continued to try and heal the squirming Hyuga.
Hinata nodded timidly and clamped both hands on one of her cousin's thrashing arms. Her eyes rose to glance up at Tenten, Sakura, and Ino, pleading them to help her.
Verbal words didn't pass between them, but they understood and rushed to grab a flailing limb. Tenten held onto Neji's other arm, Sakura held on to one leg, and Ino on the other. Each appendage was held in a death grip, and it proved to succeed to stop his wild kicking and punching.
The unknown girl's hands which had been previously glowing a soft pink turned into a pure blinding white. The other occupants in the room squinted at the light that threatened to make them shut their eyes, but their curiousity overrode the slight irritation.
"Is he going to be alright?" A blond haired ninja with bright blue eyes asked worriedly, looking at the girl's face for answers.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" She answered him reassuring, but her voice sounded distant, caught up in her intense concentration.
"I think we should stay silent until she's finished, Naruto." Shino spoke up, and gripped Naruto's shoulder and pushed him back into his seat.
Naruto shot a defiant look to Shino, but did as he was instructed. In his seat, he fidgeted with the hem of his orange jacket and refused to look up to anyone.
"Almost...done...!" The unknown girl's told through grinded teeth, which made everyone perk up attentively.
A brighter light erupted from her hands and engulfed the room, making everyone's hands fly up to their face unconsciously to block out the light.
Clenching her teeth tighter, she continued to pump energy into the boy's body, even though her body protested to rest. Narrowing her eyes, she sent one more wave into her hands to his body, sure that this was going to fix him properly.
Eventually the light died down and everyone peeked out cautiously in case another light came forth. Fortunately, none did, and slowly they let their arms fall to their sides.
When they saw Neji's body, they carefully scanned him over, to make sure he really was alright. The many scratches from his body were gone, and so were the wounds the nin had inflicted on him. Only smooth skin remained, no signs showing that he was wounded or in a fight.
"I...did...it..." She breathed out tiredly, catching everyone's attention.
Before anyone could utter a word, the girl collasped in a gasping heap on the cold tiled floor. Her body convulsed and shivered violently, and they started to worry for the girl's welfare.
Immediately, Hinata fell to her knees by her side, eyebrows furrowing. Pushing over the shaking girl's body gently, it turned with ease to show them her face was considerably paler and blood was leaking from her mouth.
"She probably just used too much of her energy." Shino said quietly after the short silenced that had passed.
"Yeah, he's right. Let's just take her to a bed to rest or something." Shikamaru suggested lazily from his relaxed postion on an easy chair.
"I'll carry her." Kiba offered and stepped foward to pick up the shaking body.
"No, I will." Said a weak voice that they hadn't heard since the person was put in the hospital.
Flickering their eyes to the older Hyuga in the room, they saw he was no longer laying down stiffly, but sitting up with life shinning in his light lavender eyes.
"Are you sure, Neji? You were out for quite a while." Tenten asked timidly, concerned for her teammates health.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Neji waved her off and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Settling his feet on the white and black tiled floor, he set all of his weight on his legs. This was not a good idea because his knees buckled underneath him and he landed in a very indignant position on the floor.
"Neji-nii-san! Are you alright?" Hinata cried, turning her eyes to her fallen cousin.
"Fine." Neji grunted, angry with himself. He wasn't hurt, but his pride sure was.
With more cautious, he stood up again using the small nightstand by his bed to help him up. On shakey legs, he tried to give a defined pose and walk over as normal as he could. After that little stunt he just pulled, it would take him a while to regain his lost pride.
Upon reaching the girl, everyone's eyes trained on his every movement, he slipped one arm under her knees and one under her middle back.
Hoisting her up to his chest with his most commonly seen grace, he strode back to the bed and layed her on it gently.
Really, he couldn't remember being so compassionate with someone before. Especially someone he just met. He supposed he was just being nice because she saved him, probably nearly killing herself in the process.
"Do you know her name?" Neji question startled everyone, for he was so silent until then.
"No, she kinda just walked in here and helped you." Sakura replied uneasily because of the stern tone in Neji's voice.
"We'll find out later. I think you should leave now, the girl needs her rest." Neji ordered them, his voice holding no room for protest.
They didn't need to be told twice, and made a move for the door. Everyone said their good byes and their concerns for his welfare, and left the two alone in a long silence. Not like he expected her to talk after she collasped.
His eyes were still locked on the door, as if he could see through it and to his friends. Well, he could, but his Byakagun wasn't activated. Finally he let his eyes drift to the strange girl who had saved him without a thought in mind.
He surprised himself by thinking she was rather attractive. Long raven black hair that could rival Sasuke's that was spilled across the plain white pillows. The colors contrasted well with each other and he thought it looked...sexy.
A blush burned on his cheeks. He shook his head rapidly, trying to rid himself of the dirty thoughts that creeped slyly into his mind.
No! Neji told himself firmly. I refuse to think like a pervert! Like that perverted Frog Hermit!
Taking in many deep breaths, he finally cleared his thoughts, but still nevertheless looked back to the girl.
She had pale skin, as pale as his own, but a few shades lighter. Just like fresh cream...Mm...he wondered what she would look like covered in-
NO! MUST KEEP THOUGHTS PURE! MUST NOT GO INTO THE GUTTER! Neji's mind scolded himself, and once again, the blush reappeared on his cheeks.
This time, he took even more deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. He felt a cold bead of sweat roll down his cheek and splash on the tiled floor. Yes, he heard that, it was that quiet. Though it was beyond him how he heard it because his heart was beating wildly in his ears.
Growling to himself, he dared not take anoter look at her and quickly turned on his heel. Stomping away from the bed, away from the strange...but very cute...girl, he took one last glance at her. His eyes only lingered a small instant before he turned his line of vision around and slammed the door behind him.
Once he was outside the room, a heavy, relieved sigh escaped his lips and he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
Note to self: Go take a nice long cold shower and remember to never stand in a five mile radius of Jiraiya again.