-1 Treasures Ignored

Ch. 2- An Angel Indeed.

Naruto woke to the feel of someone gently touching his face. As he opened his eyes the world was blurred badly. 'Damn crying my self to sleep' he berated himself. As his vision began to slowly return, Naruto only saw a soft white light, save for the beautiful girl looking down upon him. Eyes like pearls and silky blue hair hanging down, softly grazing his face. Her soft and tender hands were tenderly rubbing his cheeks, soothing the gashes in his cheeks with a warm touch. " So that's it, I'm dead huh? Well at least I died keeping a promise Hey maybe this is for the best. I won't have to se everyone move on with their lives and have their happiness crammed down my throat. Wish I could have said good bye to some people thought. Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba are gonna be pissed. Garra and his brother and sister were pretty cool to. Iruka and Kakashi-sensi, Tsunade oba-chan, Shizune nee-chan and even Ero-sennin, I'm gonna miss them all. Oh yeah and Hinata-chan I'll definitely miss her. Thinking back I should have talked to her more. It's just that between Neji's threats and her penchant for fainting I couldn't tell how she felt about me. I mean she could have just faked all that stuff so that I'd leave her alone, but then again when we did talk she seemed like far to nice a person to do something like that." At this the angel's gentle I mean she is the heiress to the Hyuuga clan and I'm just the Kyuubi brat as her father likes to call me. Well joke or not Hinata's nice, she's always there with some sort of encouragement, I just wish others could see just how special she is. I mean she's as pretty as Ino but doesn't flaunt it, as smart as Sakura but doesn't lord it over everybody, and she is the most genuine person I know. Most people treat her way to harshly or overlook her, her father that bastard has her scared out of her mind, yet she still stands up every day and does what she has to do. Hmm, wow I guess some how at some point in time Hinata became a really important person to me." Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of something wet falling on him. " Oh I'm sorry angel-chan, please don't cry. I was so wrapped up in my memories I completely ignored you please forgive me." Naruto reached up and gently wiped the tears from the eyes of the angel, hoping not to poke her eye due to his still hindered vision. " Angel-chan thanks for listening even though I apparently bored you to tears. Also thank you for the comfort your so warm, this may be the warmest I've ever felt, then again this heaven so I guess it's to be expected." Naruto blinked a couple of times trying to speed along the return of his vision. " You know angel-chan, you look exactly like the girl I was just talking about." A tinge of pink formed on the cheeks of the angel. " It makes sense though, she always had this angel on earth sort of vibe to her. I'll miss her." Naruto sighed.

" What an idiot." A voice grumbled beside Naruto. The young blonde turned his head to find one Shikamaru Nara sitting in a chair next to him. Naruto rubbed his eyes furiously.

" Shi-Shikamaru your dead too?…Awesome! Now you can keep me company!"

"I'm not dead Naruto no Baka!"…Although I do appreciate you letting me know how much you would enjoy it if I was…I think. Anyways I'm not dead and neither are you, and that beautiful and caring angel-chan is Hinata you reject." Shikamaru snickered as Naruto turned to see the now scarlet faced "angel".

" H-hello Naruto-kun. H-how are you feeling?" The young Hyuuga heiress was no trembling noticeably.

"3...2...1...and she's gone" Shikamaru chuckled as the now unconscious Hinata Hyuuga descended on Naruto, her head slamming into the chidori wound in his shoulder.

" Yah!!! How the hell do the Hyuuga's have such hard heads!" Naruto yelped and fidgeted at the pain shooting up and down his arm. Suddenly his eyes widened in a horrible realization, he slowly turned to Shikamaru visibly frightened. "Shikamaru was I talking out loud?"

"Yep."

" How much did I say out loud?"

" All of it."

" Seriously?"

"Yep."

" Do you have a kunai on you?"

" Why."

" I suddenly feel that Hara-kiri is appropriate."

" Then you'll have to do the same speech over again."

" True"

" Should I take her home." Shikamaru asked motioning towards Hinata.

" Nah, it's fine." Naruto stated looking at the sleeping Hyuuga on his shoulder. " If it isn't to troublesome do you think you could go grab an extra pillow? I highly doubt she would enjoy waking up on my bloody shoulder."

" So troublesome" Shikamaru sighed as he left the room. While Shikamaru was gone Naruto couldn't help but admire Hinata as she slept. He couldn't believe how much he truly thought she was and angel just a few moments ago. " If your gonna kiss her and confess your undying love for her you should probably wait for her to wake up."

"Shove it Shikamaru!" Naruto bellowed as he gently tucked the pillow under Hinata's head. " Hey Shikamaru? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the visits but why are you guys here?"

" I dunno." The chuunin genius shrugged. " You're a friend, a dear friend, I can't let you rot in this place alone." Shikamaru noted the look of recognition on Naruto's face. Truly Naruto was his closest friend save for Aszuma, Choji and Ino in the few hours a day she isn't whining about something. " Besides someone has to protect you from the rabid Uchiha fan girls, incompetent ANBU, and Plotting villagers right?"

" You mean the usual?" Naruto smirked.

" Yep."

" The really do hate me don't they?" Naruto's trademark grin was unable to mask the serious tones in his voice.

" They don't hate you, they hate the thing in you, there just to foolish to differentiate between Kyuubi and Naruto Uzamaki."

" Not all of them. Sakura hates me…and me, me not the Kyuubi."

"Yeah so forget Sakura. You've been nothing but nice to her and she's been nothing but a frigid bitch to you since day one." Unbeknownst to Shikamaru Sakura had entered the room to check on Sasuke and had heard everything from behind the curtain. She was about to walk in and give Shikamaru a piece of her mind when Naruto spoke up.

" I can't be mad at her. You don't know her like I do. You look at her and see a pretty face and an ugly attitude. I see someone with so much warmth they could melt ice.

" What the hell are you talking about?" Shikamaru was becoming annoyed at his friends naivety.

" When I was five years old and was just wandering around town. I was walking near the park when I saw the prettiest girl I had ever seen crying her eyes out under a tree. Her kitty had climbed up a tree and couldn't get down, I really couldn't have cared less about the cat but something about that girl couldn't let me just watch her cry. Before I knew what was happening I was climbing the tree and getting the cat. When I got out of the tree that same girl wrapped her arms around me and held me close to her. I had no idea what was going on, all I knew was that it felt so warm, so comforting. Shikamaru… that was the first time I was ever hugged as a child, and the person to share their warmth with me was-"

" Sakura." Shikamaru answered understanding swimming in his voice. Naruto only nodded.

" From that moment on I decided that I would live for the warmth of this person, I know I always say that I live to be Hokage and that is the truth. As Hokage I will truly have the authority to do anything in my power to see her happy. I wanted that hug to last forever and as I grew older I realized that feeling was love. I loved Sakura. When I realized that it could never be I just decided that it would be easier to just be there for her, forever. But I couldn't even do that right, I dunno Shikamaru, maybe I should move on. It's one thing to love someone who doesn't acknowledge you, loving some one who hates you is entirely different. I'm scared though…what if I never get over this pain? Would it be fair to someone to tell them I love them, when I'd still be completely in love with Sakura? It seems pretty damn selfish to me, I am a monster"

"No your not" Sakura thought to herself remembering that day.

" Wow that was some strong stuff huh?" Inner Sakura asked.

"Yeah…I had no idea." Sakura answered mentally.

" You wouldn't, now would you. So busy chasing old gloom and doom over there."

" But I love Sasuke-kun."

" Do you love him or the idea of being with him?"

" I love him…I think."

" Well I don't know if you love him or not. But I do know that Naruto-kun loves you, it's not everyday you hear someone say they live for you and your warmth."

"I know, or maybe I don't, I don't know what I know." With this Sakura retreated from the hospital room a single tear rolling down her cheek.

" Idiot." Shikamaru said as he walked over to Naruto and began rustling his hair. " Don't talk like that. If you're a monster than the rest of these people are evil incarnate. Look Naruto, I can't say I know what you feel cause I don't. But if I had had the childhood you had I could understand living for warmth. But baka, there are other forms of warmth I seem to recall you being ready to melt a few seconds ago in the hands of our little unconscious angel over there." Before Shikamaru could continue Hinata began to stir on Naruto's shoulder. She instantly became pink at the realization that all eyes we're on her. Her blush only increased when she realized the position she was in.

" I'm s-so v-v-very sorry N-Naruto-kun." Tears began to well in her eyes at the embarrassment of inconveniencing her crush.

" No problem angel-cha… Hinata-chan. Just put away those tears okay?" Hinata nodded grateful for his understanding. " In fact I should be thanking you for visiting me."

" I-it really isn't a p-p-problem. H-however, I sh-should be g-going." The young Hyuuga began to leave when she stopped and fished a familiar tub out of her coat pocket. " H-here you go Naruto-kun."

" Is this what I think it is?" Naruto asked. She nodded in confirmation.

" Y-yes it's the healing balm I made." She answered as she began twiddling her fingers.

" Awesome! Thanks Hinata-chan! Shikamaru this stuff Hinata makes, out of this freaking world. I'll take this over any medicine this hospital can dish out. Really Hinata thank you…for everything." Hinata only blushed deeper and waved good bye as she ran out the door.

" An angel huh?" Shikamaru asked as he to began to walk out the room. Naruto only stared at the tub in his hand.

" Yeah…an angel. An angel indeed."

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Thank you to all those who gave me advice and reviews. I hope your enjoying the story. I will hopefully have the next chapter up by Friday at the absolute latest.