A/N: Sorry for the delay but I started working on a new story and wanted everything set before I started hopping in between.

A/N: You'll notice that Hinata is a bit OOC in this chapter, the thing is you have to remember that she has a new tenant.

Treasures Ignored.

Ch. 6 A Hero We Don't Deserve

" What a hell of a day." Naruto sighed as he lay in his hospital bed staring at the ceiling. He was alone, with only the symphony of medical machinery to keep him company. It had been only one day since he woke up to find that all hell had broken lose.

FLASHBACK

Naruto awoke to the sounds of a scuffle, he opened his eyes to find, to his utmost surprise, Hinata of all people having to be restrained by Shikamaru. On the other side of his bed sat a sobbing Ino and a extremely quiet Sakura. Not much was technically being said between the four more like roars from Hinata, grunts from Shikamaru, sobs from Ino, and well nothing from Sakura. " What the hell is going on?" Naruto asked softly. Silence rained down upon them, that is until Hinata pounced on the now very confused shinobi.

" Naruto-kun! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have fallen asleep I should have protected you." cried a now sobbing Hinata.

" Stop crying Hinata you did nothing wrong."

" But I didn't do anything right either. I never do anything right." Her momentary lapse into sadness was brought to a halt by a flick to the forehead from Naruto.

" No more self-loathing o.k. Besides you've done right by me for as long as I've know you and if what you've been doing your entire life is wrong, then it's this screwed up world that isn't right, got it."

" H-hai." was all Hinata answered as she snuggled into an embrace from him. With Hinata still in his arms Naruto turned towards Shikamaru who was sending a death glare towards Ino.

" So does anyone want to tell me what's going on?"

" It seems everybody's favorite fools over there were messing with your mind compliments of the Yamanaka." Shikamaru spat out Ino's name obviously not pleased with his friend. But to everyone's surprise Naruto didn't blow up, he didn't yell, hell he smiled and laughed.

" Don't worry about it. If I know Kyu-chan, they have been punished enough."

" Naruto only you could call the lord of all hell 'Kyu-chan' and get away with it." Shikamaru sighed.

" Damn straight. So Ino, what do you have to say for your self?" Ino told them what had happened from the talk to the flower shop all the way to the meeting of the Kyuubi." So he showed you my memories, huh?"

Ino only nodded. " Which ones?"

" The one where your beaten by that mob." Ino's eyes began to water.

" Tons of those."

" One of your birthdays." She began to sniffle.

" Those are always fun."

" Sakura's birthday and the cherry blossom tree." Ino began to sob softly.

" Ah yes, who could forget that one."

" The fight with Sasuke!" Ino was now wailing. Before Naruto could respond Ino ran to his bed and threw her arms around him. " Oh god Naruto, I'm so sorry…sorry…forgive me…I was foolish…I'm sorry…"

Naruto gently released one arm from Hinata and turned to encompass both girls in a half hug each.

" It's ok Ino…really just no more crying o.k.?" The blonde girl only nodded slightly as Naruto rubbed her back trying to comfort her. " Look Ino I forgive you. Both of you. Now smile o.k.?" The blonde girl smiled and nodded, then, whether she did this knowingly or not is still unknown, she snuggled farther into Naruto and began to nuzzle his neck with her nose. Any other time Naruto would have been both flattered, and pleased, however he had seen enough fights over Sasuke when the were younger to know that Hinata wasn't turning red due to embarrassment.

The next sound heard throughout the hospital room was a resounding smack as Hinata backhanded Ino off of Naruto. It wasn't necessarily a hard strike but it sure as hell wasn't soft either. " Naruto-kun may forgive you but I don't. He's been through so much, for everyone but himself, and you still suspect, you still don't acknowledge that maybe he's as great as he is. Then instead of going the honest route and maybe talking to him like you would anybody else, you dig around in his mind like isn't a human being. You take away the one thing that this damn village can never take away, his humanity! Don't even get me started on the fact that your original plan was to mess with my mind. You want to know what I see? I like everyone else who has been blessed enough to not be cursed with your blindness, see a man who does everything for nothing, someone who protects the lives of those who swear on that same life to end his. I see a man who despite how he may act or what he may say has been hurt more than this entire village could ever make up for. But most of all I see a man who we should all be thankful for, someone that we should consider ourselves blessed for even knowing. A hero we don't deserve!!" By the end of her rant the young Hyuuga heiress was in tears once again, seeking comfort in the arms of Naruto.

" I must agree with you there Hinata." everybody turn to face the new speaker as she walked through the curtain.

" Obaa-chan! How long have you been here?" Naruto asked suddenly very nervous.

" Since about the time Hinata pounced on you." She then sent a glare at Ino and Sakura that set fire to their very souls. " You two I should have you thrown in jail and leave you to rot there. However I think I'm going to settle for a good old fashion beating." With that the Godaime Hokage stormed over to Ino who was now firmly molded in the fetal position. As the slug sannin and for all intents and purposes surrogate mother of Naruto raised her fist to deliver her maternal wrath she was brought to a halt by her 'son'.

" No. Baa-chan. Let them go."

" Huh? Why?"

" I've already forgiven them, so how can the village punish someone that the victim has forgiven?"

" Very easily, forgiven or not a law was still broken."

" Baa-chan look at them. They've had enough."

" Your to forgiving for your own good brat."

" I'll say-" a new voice rang out as the sound of a blow being landed echoed through out the room. The occupants of the room turned to see Sakura on the floor clutching her cheek, staring wide eyed at none other than Sabaku no Temari. " Hey pinky, I think me and you need to have a little chat about what you did to my Ototo."

Sakura wasted no time in standing up and fleeing out the only exit left, the window. As soon as she jumbed out the window and fled, the voice of Naruto's other newfound sibling rang out from outside. " Oi, bimbo!

Did you think being a coward will save you. Soon the forms of Kankuro chasing the fleeing Sakura blurred by the window.

" Later Ototo." Temari said rather happily for someone who was hunting another human being.

" Onee-chan."

" Hmm."

" Don't kill her."

" No promises." Temari sighed as she exited via the window and joined the pursuit.

" Well I guess that's punishment enough." Tsunade sighed breaking the silence that had enveloped the room. " So what to do about you Ino?" The blonde cringed and sank deeper into the fetal position.

" Baa-chan, leave her alone. Besides the moment they here that she used a move on the 'demon brat' there is no way the council will let you do anything to punish her. Hell she'll probably get the same royal treatment"

" Your probably right. Although…Ino your free to go but your clan will be notified of your actions and punishment will be left to them."

"Y-yes ma'am. I truly am s-sorry Naruto, Hinata thank you, I think you may have corrected my vision."

Before anybody could act the blonde walked out the door. After a brief silence Tsunade turned to the still clinging Hinata. " Thank you Hinata, this little bleeding heart always was to nice to defend himself." Hinata just nodded affirmatively and snuggled into Naruto's non-impaled shoulder. To which Tsunade couldn't help but smile. " Now if that's all done with I need to talk to Naruto…alone so if you two would be so kind as to give us some privacy. Although hesitant at first both Hinata and a now bored Shikamaru got up and exited the room.

Tsunade and Naruto sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity, just as Naruto was going to speak he was ensnared in a powerful embrace by the Godaime Hokage. " Uh…Baa-chan?"

" I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

" Sorry for what baa-chan?"

" I couldn't stop it, I was overruled."

A sickening realization dawned on Naruto, " I'm screwed aren't I?"

"Yes I'm sorry."

" Don't worry about itI put there little Uchiha in a coma I've been expecting this since I took a step through that gate. So just how bad is it."

" I was able to pull enough strings to avoid execution…Exile." The normally strong willed Sannin broke down sobbing, held in the arms of her 'son'.

End Flash Back

That was how he spent the rest of that day, trying to be strong for the distraught Hokage in his arms. So it was exile, banishment, he had a week to leave the village. What was he gonna do? Just up and leave, he couldn't bear saying a final good bye to his friends. What about Hinata? It's not like it mattered now but to say that he hadn't fallen in love with the girl on at least the basest of levels would be an utter lie. Should he tell her? No of course not that would be down right evil. Hinata I love now I can never see you again? He'd have to commit Hara-kiri if he ever did that to her. His raging thoughts where brought to a screeching halt with the rustling of his privacy curtain, and the entrance of the one person he both didn't and wanted to see.

" Naruto-kun"?

"H-Hinata-chan." Damn it.

There ya go I think there will be one or two more basic chapters and then I'll start on the endings. Posting time might slow down due to the fact that I am going to be working on my new story " New Light" while I'm working on this one. So I'd rather take a bit longer to post than to rush and post something that doesn't deserve your time. Hope you understand. See ya later.