::Hyuga Mansion; Neji and Hinata::
The older Hyuga said nothing to Hinata as he carried her muddy body away from the messy puddle she had been in all night. No doubt she would be sick for a few days and because of her Neji now would be confined to the Hyuga Manor to care for his fiance. He hated such a term for a woman he had loathed for so long. Just the thought of having to marry her made him sick to his stomach. If there had been another Hyuga as strong as he, he would have committed suicide the night Hanabi had also died. However, under such circumstances he was the strongest of the Hyuga, even more powerful than Hiashi now. And he, Hinata's father, was the reason why Neji could not kill himself. If Neji had died with Hanabi, Hinata would be forced to marry her father. Neji might have been heartless and hated the Hyuga heiress in his arms but he could NEVER allow Hinata to have to face that kind of fate. After all, he had promised his deceased lover he would also protect Hinata with all the power he had within him. Sure it was his duty because she was of the main branch family but he would do it because he wanted to make Hanabi happy in this life and the afterlife. Would his beloved be in the afterlife be enraged over the wedding with her older sister? Or would she be happy?
::Hanabi Scene::
Back at the autopsy room in the hospital. The two medic nins who had called for Sakura to stop silenced themselves when they saw the fifth Hokage walking in. They knew better then to get on the blonde's bad side.
"Good morning Lady Tsunade!" Both yelled in unison, only to get an annoyed look shot to them on her face. Clearly she had only recently been woken and not given any information about why she had to rush down to the hospital to see what all the commotion was about. Upon stepping into the room Tsunade was greeted by the other medics who had already set up everything that Tsunade might need. Laying in the center of the room on, a metal surgical table, was a body covered in a white sheet. Under it laid the body of Hanabi.
"Why was I called in so early? Can you not perform a simple autopsy by yourselves?!" she yelled at the two.
"L-Lady Tsunade," once said very fearfully. He took a nervous gulp and continued. "T-Tsunade-sama this was an emergency. Hanabi Hyuga." He could no longer put his words together correctly. Instead he raised his hand and pointed towards the dead body on the table. Tsunade herself was surprised. How did the Hyuga die? She rushed to the bed side and pulled back the covers of the sheet to see that sure enough, Hanabi was dead.
"What happened?"
Both men shrugged. "Lord Hiashi said that when he found her she was already dead. He said it was a heart condition or something."
Tsunade ignored the men. She turned and looked at the young girl with disbelief. Her body had already gone pale and turning shades of bruised blue and black.
"What does Hiashi plan to do about the Hyuga Clan now?" she asked. She spun on the balls of her feet to stare at the two men for an answer.
The second was the first to reply back to the demanding woman. "Lord Hiashi has said that Lady Hinata is now to take the lead of the Clan."
"And Neji?" Her eye brow quirked up causing both men to look at each other for a moment and gulp to steady their nerves.
"He is to marry Lady Hyuga in three days."
Tsunade released a painful sigh hearing what she did. He knew all that went down in Konoha. There wasn't a single thing that went on above or under the surface that she did not know about. And if there was it took less than twenty four hours to find the answer.
"Engaged? ENGAGED! How could my father possibly allow my sister to marry MY Neji." The ghost of Hanabi yelled loudly. Being in her ghostly form her screams went unanswered. Hearing news of her beloved Neji had caused her rested spirit to rise from it unsettled grave. For now, she had no idea she was dead. The female blinked slightly and looked around at the people in the room. She tilted her head to the side in confusion when seeing the fifth Hokage there."Tsunade-sama?" When Hanabi turned her head around and looked down at her dead face her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "I'M DEAD!?!?!?!"
::Hyuga Mansion; Neji and Hinata::
Neji dodged past all of the waking Hyuga's. Many of which stared at the young couple as they walked past. Some whispered softly causing Neji to shoot them a disgusted look that made them slither into another corridor or room to avoid that deadly look of the Hyuga Prince. The boy's temple was throbbing with a massive head ache from stress and anger. When he finally made it to Hinata's room he pressed his bare foot to the wooden frame of the paper sliding door. He easily slid open the door with his toe and walked into bamboo matted flooring. He blinked a bit at the odd feel of the stiff bamboo on his feet.
"N-N-Neji-kun?" Hinata stuttered. Instantly Neji was pulled from his distraction and stared down at the female with a scowl. It caused Hinata to turn her eyes away from his shyly as a response. Hanabi would have yelled at him for looking at her in such a way but Hinata, she was the complete opposite. He released a sigh and turned his eyes away once more. He closed the door behind him as he had opened it to give the two some privacy.
He said nothing to the lady in his arms and started to walk away towards the bathroom joined to the room. He ignored the mess of her room and headed into the bathroom where he placed Hinata into the tub and then turned on the water to the tub. (Strangely ninja fought using the style of old but had electricity and running water.) After turning on the water he placed his hand under the water to make sure it wasn't too hot or too cold. Getting a good feel for the water he then placed in a rubber stopper where the pipe drained so the tub could fill. He said nothing more to her and turned to walk of the bathroom. The male finally closed the door joining the bathroom to the room only to then plop himself down onto the ground outside the bathroom door. Neji sat outside the door cross-legged; his eyes stared out at the wooden walls.
After ten minutes had passed Neji heard the water shut off followed by what sounded like Hinata removing her muddy clothes and tossing it out of the tub. It was exactly what she had done.
"Hinata-sama," Neji spoke out.
Hinata froze in the tub and wrapped her arms around her bare body. Her head turned towards Neji's direction very slowly and she then took a nervous gulp. Before she could reply Neji spoke once again. "You don't want to go through with this either, do you? You're in love in with Naruto."
"Neji-kun?" she questioned, a bit confused. Was this really her cousin?
"Admit it Hinata. I know you are in love him as I was with Hanabi. Everyone thought it was all an act but I truly loved her. I do not want to go through with this, and I know you don't want to either but we have to for the sake of our clan and of village. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes Ni-sa..." she was cut off.
"Its not brother anymore. I'll be your husband in a few days, just call me Neji."
At the same moment, both of them turned their heads down to their laps. Both stared at their hands. How could they go through with this this. They were both in love with someone else, and her lover was still alive...
Unable to stay in the room any longer Neji pushed himself up to his feet, causing Hinata to get startled and jump slightly. He heard this and sighed once again. His head turned to look at the silhouette created by the morning light. The slender figure of the female sitting in the tub was casted against the paper styled wall separating her bathroom from her room. The shadowed beauty of the female was burned into his vision. Quickly he turned his head and stared at the ground, at the same time his steps could be heard as he exited the room.
"Come to my room when you are done, we need to speak with your father." Neji stated loudly as he exited the room, but adding to it he whispered in a soft voice. "If it could be Naruto instead of me I would step down, I just wanted you to know that Hinata." After he spoke he vanished out of the room and closed her door behind him then headed down to his room which was right below her own.
His words might have been faint but Hinata heard each and every one of them. Her only response: "I k-know…"