Yeah, I know, I haven't been updating as rapidly as most of you have come to know me for, but that's all the fault of my damned writer's block. Ch3 is on the way... it just might take a day or three...
(Roughly one and a half years later)
"I hope it's a baby brother…" Hinata muttered for the tenth time that month, as if saying it would change the fact that Hikari knew it was a girl; she just didn't want to break her daughter's heart… She was so set on a baby brother for some reason… probably hoping that if it was a boy, it'd turn out like Naruto.
"If you keep saying that, it's gonna wind up a girl…" Naruto muttered. Hikari chuckled at that…
"So, Hokage-sama… what brings you here today?" She asked.
"As you know… Naruto is four years old now. Nearly five…" Sarutobi said solemnly.
"And you're worried that Naruto won't have anywhere to go once he's out of your care…" Hikari finished, at which Sarutobi nodded. Naruto was nearly too old for the old man to take care of, and both were worried that the local orphanages wouldn't take him, or worse, take him in and treat him worse than dirt…
"I was wondering…"
"…If Naruto could stay with us, here at the Hyuuga compound?" Hikari asked.
"So the rumors are true, you can read minds…" Sarutobi chuckled.
"Ohh, I don't think there are any rumors like- oh!" Hikari started, clutching her stomach. "She's been getting restless lately…"
"You have been feeling under the weather… are you sure you don't want to induce labor now, instead of risk your health in childbirth?" Sarutobi asked.
"Oh, this is nothing… just some flu…"
"A flu even our best medics can't cure?"
"Exactly…" Hikari muttered. "Nothing to worry about…"
The Hokage decided it would be best to change the subject, and so he asked; "Have you decided what to name her?"
"I've been thinking about… Hanabi." She said, gently rubbing her stomach.
"That's a good name…" Sarutobi said, in that way only an older father can.
"And if it's a boy?" Hizashi asked, winking to Hinata.
When Kumo discovered what happened to their ambassador, their council was furious, and demanded Naruto be turned over to them for trial, dead or alive. Konoha's council decided unilaterally that they would never turn over the Kyuubi to Kumogakure. It was a fierce legal battle, but eventually, Konoha won, and the trial was held in the Hokage tower. Fortunately, the murder was ruled as self-defense.
"If it's a boy, I'll let Hiashi handle the name." Hikari said, adding with a jump; "My, she sure is restless today…"
"Oh well, you know how children these days can be…" Sarutobi chuckled. "So, about Naruto…"
Hizashi stepped forward. "I don't see what problem there would be, unless my brother has a say in-"
"Sarutobi!" Hikari said suddenly, looking down. Whenever anyone said the old man's name outright, it was always bad. And this was no exception. As he made to ask what was wrong, she interrupted him. "I need to get to the clinic, now."
"Hizashi, Get your brother!" Sarutobi yelled, helping Hikari to the Hyuuga medical clinic. Quite a few of the medical personnel at Konoha General Hospital refer to the Hyuuga clinic as nothing more than a 'glorified waiting room', only good for scrapes and bruises, but it was currently the best place to go.
"Hokage-sama, what's wrong with mommy?" Hinata cried as she and Naruto followed them to the clinic.
"We'll talk when we get there Hinata…" The old man replied.
---
The Hyuuga clan head was sitting in his private study, going over what appeared to be several very official-looking documents. However, most people wouldn't notice that his Byakugan was active, the slight tinge of pink to his cheeks, or the small orange book he held open under his desk.
"Hiashi!" His twin brother yelled, opening the sliding door as he himself was still sliding to a halt.
"Such disrespect… not even using an honori-" Hiashi started, but shot out of his seat when he heard his brother's next words.
"Hikari is going into labor!"
---
While Hizashi was subsequently sent to Konoha's hospital to request medical aid, Hiashi ran to his wife, who was now sitting in a private ward while every Hyuuga medic fluttered around her in confusion.
"This makes no sense!" One of them said.
"The disease shouldn't have done this!"
"We need to speak to Hokage-sama…"
---
"Is mommy going to be okay?" Hinata asked.
"She'll be fine… she's just having the baby a little early." Sarutobi reassured her. "This happens all the time…"
"Hokage-sama?" One of the medics asked, walking out of the room.
"Yes?" Sarutobi answered.
"We have… a problem…" He said, looking down to the worried expression enveloping Hinata.
Sarutobi looked at the man solemnly before turning to the young blonde at his side. "I have a job for you, Naruto… Stay with Hinata and keep her company." He leaned in so only Naruto could hear his next words. "Cheer her up, ne?" As Naruto nodded and walked Hinata outside to play on the grass, Sarutobi turned to the medic. "What happened?"
His tone had changed so thoroughly in such a short time, the medic was stunned for a moment. "Hi-Hikari-sama… her illness is causing the premature birth, but we don't know why. Also, there's another matter me and the other medics wanted to discuss…"
Just then, Hiashi burst into the room, and through into his wife's private room. Activating his Byakugan, he reeled back slightly. "W-what is this red chakra?"
"Red chakra?" Sarutobi asked.
"Y-yes… The disease turned out to be, upon closer inspection, directly related to her chakra tunnels. Tainting the chakra and slowly destroying the internal organs…" The same medic explained.
"But what does this have to do with the damned red chakra!?" Hiashi roared, causing the man to flinch and cower slightly.
"W-we-well… uhm… it appears that a small… minute portion of the Kyuubi's chakra passed into Hikari-sama during the incident almost two years ago, and has lain dormant in her system…" Hiashi looked as if he were about to tear the man asunder as he continued wearily; "The Kyuubi chakra is interacting with the disease somehow, but we have yet to ascertain how or why…" By the end of this explanation, the man was literally cowering in a corner of the room under Hiashi's glare.
"So…" Hiashi said finally, his voice resonant with spite and rage. "This is the fox brat's fault…"
As the enraged Hyuuga turned to leave the room, Sarutobi grabbed his shoulder. "If you intend to harm the boy in any way, I will use everything at my disposal as the Hokage of Konohagakure to stop you." Sarutobi said, and as if on cue, four ANBU appeared in the waiting room between Hikari's room and the door Naruto and Hinata had exited through. Hiashi stormed into the waiting room, planting himself firmly into one of the chairs. "Thank you, Itachi…" Sarutobi said; the only ANBU without a mask giving a curt nod as the Hokage sat down beside the still-fuming Hiashi.
---
In light of Hikari's condition, Hizashi allowed Naruto and Hinata to stay with his son Neji. Interestingly enough, despite only knowing the boy for a little over a year, Naruto had already managed to befriend the depressing little Hyuuga boy. As such, Neji had no problem with it either, having become much more open with and closer to his cousin Hinata since he'd known Naruto.
The next morning, Hinata was introduced to her little sister, Hanabi, who was currently sleeping in her incubator. Earlier that morning, several doctors and medics from Konoha General Hospital arrived to aid in this delicate situation. Sarutobi and Hiashi were currently discussing Hikari's condition with one of the resident doctors from the NICU.
"It turns out the disease was the cause of Hanabi's premature birth. Not only was it affecting just her internal organs, but all of her bodily systems to some degree." The man said. "But, as soon as it tried to attack Hanabi in the same manner as her internal organs, the dormant chakra started to wipe out the disease, and the resulting internal stress must have caused this. We're not sure exactly why the dormant chakra didn't go to work immediately, or even dissipate before now, but my theory is that she subconsciously called on it to stave off the disease…"
"Subconsciously?" Hiashi asked.
"Yes." The man answered. "Sheer maternal instinct… a mother will protect her child any way she can, even with something she doesn't know she has…"
The three looked over to Hikari, who was sleeping in a bed beside her newborn daughter. "So, how is she doing?" Sarutobi asked.
"Well, we're not completely sure if the disease is gone, but we can't find any trace of it, or the Kyuubi's chakra anywhere in her system." The doctor answered. "But, I won't lie to you, this may very well leave her crippled, at least as far as being a shinobi goes… there's just no telling yet how extensive the damage to her chakra tunnels is…"
Hiashi sighed. "…And Hanabi?"
"We're going to transport her to the general hospital's NICU, where we're better equipped to care for her. We'll need to keep her there at least a week, to make sure her bodily systems function properly as well as make sure she doesn't have the same disease her mother had…"
"You're saying my daughter might die from something just after she's been born?" Hiashi asked, a hint of anger to his tone.
"Well, there are a lot of complications with premature births that could make that a moot point… One thing's certain though, if it weren't for the Kyu- I mean, Naruto… Hikari-sama and Hanabi-chan would probably have both died due to the disease, although Hanabi-chan may very well have survived…"
Sarutobi smiled. Naruto was already saving lives at his age, even if he didn't know it… Hinata then walked over to her father, Naruto and Neji following close behind. "Daddy, can I have a little brother next?"
Sarutobi let out a hearty laugh as Hiashi looked down at his daughter with an embarrassed, shocked, and almost pained look to him.
No, Hizashi did not die in this, since Naruto was prosecuted instead of Hiashi.
If you're wondering how Naruto got out of the trial without being executed, not only was he a child, but the ruling required a non-biased jurisdiction. The only option being someone who knew nothing of Naruto being the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki. (Hard as it was to find someone like that in Konoha, they did)
Also, if you're wondering why Itachi isn't all evil yet, I was under the impression that the Uchiha massacre occurred when Sasuke was around six or seven years old. Since he's five now, it hasn't happened yet.
NICU – Almost all pediatric hospitals and most general hospitals have a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) specifically designed to handle premature births. (I bet Konoha's no different) since Hanabi was born a good 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule, she needs this sort of special care to ensure her health. (She's still at high risk for a whole mess of trouble though)