Games of Fate

You think you gave me life..
But in reality..
With your death sweetie..
You take away everything lively..
That I hold dearly..
Will I ever see you again..
Will you appear for me in my domain
My heart breaks my love..
I'm smiling with burning sorrow..


2


She was a serene woman..
In all her life she followed only one man..
Till death never did she stopped..
It only took that pertinent bastard..
Her one last smile..
To know the depth of love that she hold..

Now she'll never know..
What a big blow..
Did she caused..
To his heart..
For now..
Where did she go too? Who know..


~Uzumaki Naruto's POV~

I remembered well of that one last time, the way she looked at me, what did she wanted to say, which the words her cold, dry, detached lips held prisoner. They were the three words that I yearn to hear in all my life for someone to say it to me. Have I cast her away? Was I selfish on my own goal? Was I blind to not to see her yearn for me too? I didn't know the answer. But, my guilty conscience is making its best out of me.

When I heard my mother say those words to me, I felt far beyond happy to hear those from her. I felt light. When Sakura-chan told them to me, I felt excited, and then I composed, I learnt the bitter truth underneath her lies, which could also be true.. I wasn't satisfied. When I hear it from her, Hinata, I didn't feel anything, except surprise and shocking revelation. And then the next second, she was taken out in front of my very eyes, to which I snapped. I felt anger, for her apparent death, anger at myself that I couldn't figure out the answer to Pain's riddle. I was suffocating.

Drowning in that anger, pain, sorrow, darkness, I was suffering to get myself free. When everything came clear, when otou-san came by and told me what I should hear, I knew what I was supposed to do. And I did it nevertheless, I won. Against Pain and.. against my own pain. I never again faced her, until one time, to when I felt to say that I was sorry, I was unable to return her feelings for me, because my heart is already occupied, with Sakura-chan. I felt she has the right to know the truth.

Now then again, she wept on my shoulders, when we were on the journey to find my true friend, a family which I consider a brother without blood ties. I felt her pain, yet I said nothing. For I was there, for her when she needed a cushion and a tissue, my arms were her best comfort, I knew. Ironically, Sakura-chan said nothing but kept an eye on her. I felt the tension building around me, the two women I care about were with me, and I didn't know what the best word to say in that situation is, so, I chose to stay silent still. We reached near to him, I could sense him, feel his chakra, and even smell his scent. He was nearby, that only clue led us to her death.

By that moment, when the bridge started to rock us, back and forth, hanging faintly from fall in between those two cliffs, I prayed so that no one I love would be endangered. Heck.. I was panicked, my hands and legs, my whole body shivered, the height in between the failing bridge and the river was enormous; it was a strike of pure luck if anyone could survive, if they fall. And there she was hanging far lower than me, or Sakura-chan. The gravity of her lower weight started to pull the bridge down towards its ruin. She never faltered, with a simple smile, she let go of the last string of life she had connected with, just like that. Her eyes were as determined, clear and white as the bright divine light; her face was peacefully lit with the most beautiful yet saddest smile I've ever seen.

Then I realized with my heart clenching, breaking, crushing, and crumbling to nothing but dust, that the one I loved was safe in my arms. Instead, the greedy god that I prayed took away her life in front my own eyes. I couldn't except it, I trembled, my heart sank low, my sane deteriorated, my reasons faded, my emotions overwhelmed. I yelled her name in fear of losing her, I yelled, I shrieked, I roared..

'Perhaps.. am I the one who is greedy?' my conscience mused at that one distraught moment.

The only thing she did in response to all of my howling was.. to look at me with those eyes as she floated down below, travelling in strange speed colliding with thousand particles of air, to her doom. Her silent, chord-less words reached me, piercing straight through my soul. As painful as it was.. those lovely words. They came from her once again, yet this time, it was unbidden with her soft, gentle voice, but she told them with her eyes.. That one last glance from her that stored up an eternity worth of love in her eyes.

'I LOVE YOU..'

My heart stopped beating. My eyes drained with sore, salty, painful tears. I hated myself for being who I was. But she loved that me. She loved me! The only wrong she did, was to love me and she paid the price with her life to save my ass twice! All I could do was to watch that moment end. Agony, despair, pain swallowed me, leading my whole being to tremor. My heart shattered into millions pieces, her demise as I and Sakura-chan had witnessed stabbed through my eyes, my nerves jerked at the every dreaded second of it. Memories of her last moment saved itself on its own involuntarily into my bird brain cells. I hyperventilated. I felt Sakura-chan trembling as she tried her best to cool my nerves but failed miserably at that. She knew, I will never forgive myself. EVER. Her red blood that mixed with the transparent water below filled my eyes, that red.. filled my whole body with the last of Kurama's chakra shroud. I transformed into that golden boy that this whole village came to admire. My pain was there, still having the thought to bring Sakura-chan to safety I leapt to the other part of the cliff.

The winds howled, the birds wailed frantically flapping away and the sky grumbled, pouring mammoth amount of water droplets from the darkening sky mourning for her loss. Even they knew, what is her worth.. How could I be so blind? I cursed myself of my own stupidity. Will I ever have the chance to lay my eyes on you? Will you ever let me see you? Could I be fortunate enough to have your affection once again?

'Hinata-chan..' my mind whispered hollowly with much despair.


"Are you CRAZY?! Baka! Its too dangerous! No!" she yelled in her hoarse voice, after crying for so long.

I walked away silently, from where I sat. I ran straight to the cliff and took the flight down to the river.

"NO! DON'T! NARUTOOOO!" Sakura-chan yelled, terrified for my own safety. She cared that much.

Despite Sakura-chan's warnings, I straight away jumped into the river, plunging into the ever dense water, where she had landed. I didn't care, I had to find her. I must. Even if it would cause my own life, I will. It would have been me who should take her place, for she was a fragile, innocent woman. I could've stayed alive even if I had jumped in, but.. instead, she took it on her for me and Sakura-chan. She wanted to save us, she wanted us alive. She valued us over herself, over her life. I am a man, I wasn't a chicken. If this tides are gonna kill me now, then let it be. I didn't want to be a coward, Hinata-chan wasn't a coward as what she had thought, she was someone even daring, braver, and stronger than me. She is a woman beyond it all. Her heart was solid as steel, she took in everything for all these years, which I knew nothing of. She needed to be saved, she has to be alive.

There was a twinge in my heart, when I saw her white, marble eyes flickered at me. I could never forget those eyes, I will be taunted by those eyes in my dream if I didn't even try. Her affection wasn't meaningless, her sacrifice wasn't pointless, she's a hero. My hero, a woman I would always look up to. My friend that I would always protect, she has a part of me in her heart, even without my knowledge. I can't let her die! Her will of fire must burn! She knows, if I let her die, I will never be able to forgive myself! Hinata-chan! Wait.. wait for me! Return to us! Come to me! Just.. please, please.. please.. please.. I beg you, stay alive!


A/N: a small detail here.. all of them were 18 in this fic.. after this time skip, they are 21.

~Normal POV~ (Time skip)

3 years had passed from that dreadful incidence at Otogakure. It was Naruto, and Sakura's last mission with their friend Hinata. After Naruto had plunged himself into the water, he did not return for more than a week. They had to prepare a search party to search for him. They found him unconscious at the bay of a forest river, he looked blue, both from the cold water temperature, lack of sleep and food. It seems the blonde had been searching for her non-stop. He had followed the trail of the Hyuuga ex-heiress's blood from her body, and found bits of her tattered clothes, her hitai-e, bit of her black sandals but nothing more. Her body remained not found. The evidence to her death couldn't be proven found.

This disappearance was still a mystery to them. Naruto who had jumped into the water, wasn't injured too much, but the injuries that Hinata had sustained from Sakura's point of view, it would be better if she's dead, if she's alive, she would be suffering from many clinical ailments. Her backbone most probably would have been severely broken with the impact inflicted by the rock she had hit, and the skull must have gotten a serious injury, lots of blood loss, blood clots in her system could've cause system dysfunctions, furthermore, she had fainted. That would be an evidence to say, that she might have died drowning in the water. If she was alive, that would be a miracle.

Naruto was unlikely to give up. He continued his search for both Sasuke and Hinata. Sakura knows that he won't rest or heave his final breath until he had found them. They hoped so much for Sasuke to be alive and to be back at Konoha, and apart from Sakura, Naruto was really hoping that woman, should be alive, he trusted her that she would, he believed that she must. He didn't give up on her. Sakura knew of his determination.

Apart from that, Naruto had attained the Hokage title a year ago. The blonde had persuaded Haruno Sakura to marry him, their wedding was on that very day he had taken upon the Rokudaime Hokage's title. She had gave birth to his first child Kasumi-chan, and is now expecting his second child. Sakura has taken over Tsunade-sama's duty at the hospital and became a renowned medical kunoichi herself. Tsunade-sama is now enjoying her retirement with sake, playing poker and shougi with Shikamaru. The Nara himself had married Sabaku no Temari of Sunagakure, the 5th Kazekage's elder sister, he is now the right hand to the Hokage, to lead Konoha Military force. Ino had married Sai the Anbu Captain, Ten Ten had settled down with Rock Lee, Neji is the Hyuuga clan leader and was married to a girl named Hyuuga Hitomi of the main house, Hanabi is an Anbu, Konohamaru is now officially Naruto's apprentice, Moegi and Udon are still jounins who had taken up a team for themselves. Kiba has been appointed as Inuzuka clan leader, he had married a girl named Inuzuka Rokuro, and Shino is Naruto advisor as Shikamaru.

All of them had moved on, from grieving for the precious lost. But still held on to her memory as if it was etched on a milestone, she was a person worth remembering. At the least, that is what they could do to keep her alive. Only one out of the many, still stands at the Konoha's Memorial stone, looking, staring or drilling holes for hours under the rain at a particular kunoichi's name on her birthday on 27th December, and also on the day of her departure, 3rd June. Each and every year, the Hokage relieves himself on for these two days, to be in complete silence to stare at the carved name on the memorial stone with a kunai-shaped structure, a monument in Konoha that lists all of their ninja that were killed in action. It is located near the Third Training Ground, where Team Hiruzen and Team 7 were known to have undertaken their first bell test.

'Hyuuga Hinata..' his mind mused, "I wonder where you are.." he whispered.

Standing there drenched in spine-chilling cold rain, it was a typical torture that Naruto had brought upon himself for not being able to save her life, the one woman who had stood by him in the shadows, hoping for him, praying for him, thinking of him, loving him with all her heart.

Sakura was there under an umbrella few yards away behind him with her assistant Yaru-chan, a mist kunoichi who had joined to Konoha in hopes to excel and horn her skills in medical jutsu. She was short, brunette, with shiny pinkish orbs. She was 17 years old by now and was accompanying her shishou to look for her husband, the Hokage-sama. She was quite proud to be there, with Sakura, learning from a strong kunoichi and the wife of the village Hokage made her proud of herself to having to reach thus far. She was curious, why had Hokage-sama, not in his usual Hokage attire, wearing only his black suit, standing lone at the memorial stone watching it.

"ne.. Sakura-shishou.. what is Hokage-sama doing? Why does he stand in rain like that?" Yaru asked.

The question earned a much detached reply from her sensei, "he's looking at the name on the memorial stones.. those who died protecting Konoha..".

After a long silence the pinkette said, "most particularly at a woman's name.. that should be here in my place right now, she should be giving him a family instead of me..".

Yaru widened her eyes at her master and choked her surprised, "a-ah! Wh-what? Sakura-sama.. wh-what..-".

Sakura cut the girls' words by her own void ones, "she died saving both mine and Naruto's life in a mission.. she loved him.".

Truth stumbled in words hit the pangs in heart as she herself mused at her own words accordingly, her heart still held the memory of her friend's departure as she watched with much horror, the dainty woman smiled bitter sweetly at the memory, tears filling her own jade green orbs, threatening to fall. She felt too horrible at how foolish she was to actually suspect Hinata of bearing ill intention for her and Naruto, she felt ashamed of herself. She knew, how much her death effected Naruto's heart and in exactly what way, she knew, the Hyuuga had set his heart in a void for long before he musters his last tidbits of strength to get out. Sakura knew, Hinata meant something to Naruto and she understood from what way it was. She never hated the fact that Naruto love her too, with all his heart, he had yearned to see the pale lavender eyed Hyuuga again, as much as he wanted to confront Uchiha Sasuke.

She berated so much, unknown to Naruto whom she tried to console so much, she berated and blamed herself for the kunoichi's death. But both of them knew, it was too late to do anything, but only hope. That their efforts even now, to bear fruits. They never ceased sending search troupes for both of the missing doujutsu users, in little hope to find them bring back, settle things with them, hoping so much, that their lives should be spent here, within the gates of Konoha, with Sakura and the legendary knucklehead Hokage.


The rainy cloud soon started to lift from the sky, wind pushing away the water vapor ripened clouds away, to have shines of sunlight back on the earth. Birds chirped happily to the change of the weather. Naruto moved away from the stone, turning away to meet his wife in few steps distance. Drenched in wet rain, he was cold and clammy; his attire clung onto his body. The Uzumakis walked the way out to their residence, with Yura accompanying them. Unknown to the current Hokage and the pink haired diligent medic, there was a huge commotion gathering the attention of the villagers at Konoha gates, right that very moment.

"OI! COME BACK HERE!" he yelled with his deep, dark voice, tinted with anger or annoyance.

"NO!" she yelled and ran away, escaping from that human with menacing aura surrounding him.

She didn't like him one bit, he had this cocky attitude, he love to tease her, bully her, taunt her, and she hated him the most (but she actually didn't know she could hate this much, let alone she couldn't harm an ant). Man! He's the worst! She didn't just understand how did she just liked him in the first place!

"I hate YOU!" she pointed her finger at his face, she ran passing through the gates, having him to follow her reluctantly.

He didn't know she can grow this mad at him just for simple words and man she's acting like akid for a 21 year old, th maybe three years of being together with her, she still hides few important things from him. But whatever it was, he cannot let her slip away, she's just more than an annoying acquaintance to him, to which he happens to revive, making her his subordinate and umm.. cough, cough had been cough.. *blush* i-i-i-intimate.. eh-hem.. re-recently. He didn't really know what he feels about her, if this is really what they say *the forbidden word* then he doesn't care about it one bit. Hn? He knows of this village. Owh! Yeah.. this was his village. The one that brought his clan down, hmm.. Once he catches that woman in his arms! He's gonna severely punish her for dragging him all the way to this place, she's gonna pay. He's gonna make sure of that! Owh, hell yeah!


~end of chapter 2~

*1 BIIIIG.. ANNOUNCEMENT.. THE STORY IS GOING CHANGE IN GENRE SOON AFTER THIS CHAPTER.. I AM GONNA ADD HUMOR TO THE HURT/COMFORT/ANGST/ROMANCE, WHATEVER BLA BLA STORY..*

THIS IS VEEEERY IMPORTANT, SO TELL ME IF YOU LIKE SOME HUMOR IN THE STORY? I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU, SO PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IN YOUR REVIEW.. MUCH NEEDING IT!

WANNA FIND OUT WHO THAT COUPLE WAS, AND ALSO ERM WHAT IS THAT FORBIDDEN WORD? WELL, SAY, GUESS IT OUT! COMING NEXT CHAPTERS WOULD REVEAL WHAT HAD HAPPENED ALONG THE 3 YEARS.. TO UCHIHA-Brat.. WHERE IS OROCHIMARU AND ALL.. SO YEAH, IT HAS INNER DETAILS AND SOME ROMANCE WILL BE GETTING IN (soon).. THE STORY IS JUST GETTING HEATED, RATING MAY CHANGE, WARNINGS BEEN GIVEN.. SASUHINA ON DE WAY!

I thank those who has been kind enough to leave a review! Thank you so much ; )

(umnia, poprockwitch, wapulos, KawaiiKURLY) Love you all! *hugs* REVIEW PLEASH! X REVIEW = X UPDATE HM?