It Was Never Meant to Be
Snow softly falling for the first time in mid December. Neji sleeping in drugged sleep was violently shaken awake by Hinabi.
"Neji-nii, Neji-nii—Hurry it's Nee-chan, Nee-chan!"
The eyes of the new head opened slowly. It was the first time in weeks since he entered into such a deep sleep. Day after day, Neji had carefully watched Hinata's womb grow. Month after month, carefully watching, catering to her every whim, her every need. They had lost three, his greatest fear, greatest fear—was losing this one as well.
"Hurry! Hurry!"
4 YEARS AGO
Leaning heavily against the wall, Neji's limp body sunk to the ground. Sakura walked out of the labor room, her eyes failing to disguise sadness turned towards him.
"Neji—,"
"Don't touch me!"
Kiba, Shino, Lee, Tenten walked in. The brought presents, candies and such to celebrate. Lee bounded in front of Sakura.
"Boy or Girl? Boy or Girl?" he cheered.
Kiba caught the heavy smell of blood, anesthetics, of disinfectant, the scent of tears, the scent of a dead, slowly rotting corpse.
His sharp eyes narrowed as the bouquet of flowers fell scattering the hospital floor with it's petals.
"Hinata!" He shouted beginning his sprint, but Shino's arm grabbed his shoulder. Turning back he saw Shino slowly shaking his head. Sakura wanting to be discrete, huddled the four new arrivals outside the labor room, away from Neji's ears.
Sakura slowly shaking her head could only mutter, "Still birth."
"But why?!" demanded Kiba, "What the fuck went wrong?"
Tenten cupped her mouth her lips trembling.
"Most importantly, Hinata, how is she?" Shino asked.
At this Sakura smiled a bit, "She is fine, more shocked than anything else."
"Let me see her!" demanded Kiba baring his fangs.
"Calm down Kiba, we are just as worried," reassured Tenten.
"Where is Neji?" Lee asked.
At this, Sakura was a bit shocked. Had they not noticed him? He was there, he was there, the whole time. Lying at the ground against the wall nearest the labor room entrance staring blankly into empty space. So still, so quiet that not even his presence was not felt?
"Neji is in the waiting room," Sakura replied. She sighed wearily, "Please console them, emotionally, they are both equally distraught."
Tenten immediately dashed in. It was then, when she saw him. The man that she had so deeply admired, so secretly loved, destroyed. She slowly approached him and saw the stains of blood on his clothes, wet spots here and there. She could see that there were the heavy creases and wrinkles around his sleeves and parts of his robes. Tenten's mind could see Hinata's pale hands grabbing grasping where those creases were. She could see Hinata's tears wetting falling into his clothes.
They say when a husband is deeply involved with his wife's pregnancy, he too, gives birth. He too, felt all the pain, the emotional stress. The urge to scream, the shortness of breath. He too, gave birth to a dead child.
"Neji, Neji—it's okay. It's me Tenten. I'm here Neji, I'm here," she whispered tenderly. She reached for him, crouching down to his level. Wrapping her arms around him, Neji fell unto them and rested quietly. Not a single tear ever fell.
Kiba burst in the room with Shino silently following. Hinata sat up, eyes glassy, her small sweet lips etched into a shadow that was smile.
"H-Hinata…" Kiba whispered. His heart wrenched in sorrow.
In her arms rested her beloved child. Wrapped carefully, she cleaned him, tenderly, with so much love.
"Kiba-kun, Shino-kun," she cooed to them. Her voice low, warm and very soft, very light, "Look, look, my baby, he's sleeping now. Only sleeping."
"Hinata," Kiba cried weakly.
"He looks just like him, he looks just like him. Kiba-kun look, look," she beckoned.
Kiba and Shino approached her bedside. And both former teammates gazed down towards the lifeless babe. He was pale, thin, frail and weak. His little ribs were visible and he weighted almost nothing at all. He wasn't all that pretty, but Hinata cooed and sang to him, held on to him.
"Me and Neji, we have a name."
"Stop it, Hinata," Kiba began.
"If it was a girl, we were thinking something soft and simple."
"Hinata."
"But since it's a boy, it has to be strong, yet still tender."
"Hinata."
"Neji is so happy, he was so eager for a boy."
"Hinata!"
"I wonder where is—,"
"HINATA!" cried Kiba, grabbing her shoulders, "Stop it, stop it, Hinata. Hinata, Hinata, Hinata. He's dead, Hinata. The baby, he's dead."
Hinata's eyes widened, she desperately looked at Shino. Her eyes saw the young man moving his gaze away from hers, his clenched fists stuffing in his pockets.
She shuddered involuntarily and her lungs sharply drew in a sudden intake of air.
"EIIIYYAAAAAA!!!!"
Lee rushed in and saw Kiba holding on to her. She wailed and cried and screamed. And Kiba held on to her. Shino sat at the foot of the bed in silent contemplation, depressed, thinking with a clear mind.
Did you hear?
Yes, yes the Hyuuga first born son is dead.
They are too closely related.
Their fathers are twins—that makes them almost half siblings, correct?
Oh, you know what I heard? The Hyuuga Head had a second still born son.
Another one?
The internal organs are all a mess
The child was deformed…
She died.
I thought she'd live for sure!
Who?
The Hyuuga Head's newborn daughter, she is their third child.
She was so fragile.
It was better this way…
Their blood is too strong.
They shouldn't have married.
You think?"
Hey, didn't she go head-over-heels for Uzumaki?
Yeah the Hokage!
It was never meant to be…
End Chapter