Yeah, I know it's out of character to make Sakura not totally worthless, but I figure EVERYONE needs a break SOMETIMES.

Sorry that this is taking so long. I be sleepy and stuff. Between work and Videogames I have little time for myself.

So, yeah. It's been forever. I'm well aware of that. Sorry. I just couldn't get in the mood to write. But after seeing a NaruHina thesis, I'm raring to go again.

Chapter 28: Day in the Life

"We have a Konohaian diplomat suffering from an unknown chakra poison!" the med Nin yelled. "Out of the way! It's not too late!" They put Naruto on a stretcher and ran into the operating room.

Hinata had carried Naruto all the way to the Hospital from Yazu's hideout. Mind you, she was rollin without pantaloons. She sat outside the operating room in tears.

After nearly four hours, the doctors started coming out. Hinata looked at them with puffy eyes, hoping for good news; they all past her without glancing in her direction. The last person to walk out of the room, to Hinata's surprise, was Sakura.

"Sakura-chan…" Hinata hiccupped. "Is…he…?"

"He'll be fine." Sakura smiled. "It was a nasty poison, and he probably shouldn't be able to do much for about two weeks, but other than that…" Sakura paused and smiled. "We expect a full recovery." Tears of joy fell from Hinata's eyes.

"Th-th-thank you…" she managed to say between sobs.

"Hey…Hinata-chan…" Sakura said sitting down beside her. "I know it's sudden…but I'm DYING of curiosity…what happened between you and Naruto?"

"Well…" Hinata told Sakura everything that had happened that day. "…That's it…"

"Wow…" Sakura said scratching her head. "He finally stopped being a moron…" She sighed. "Then he almost gets himself killed on your first day going out…I don't know if that makes him more or less of a moron…"

"When can I go see him…?"

"Not today." Sakura said. "He needs rest."

"Oh…"

"In that case." Sakura said. "We can't have you running around pantless." She said with a smile. "Lets find you something to wear…huh?"

"Thank you Sakura…thank you so much…"

"Don't mention it." Sakura said with a smile.

Sakura and Hinata left the area. Shortly after, a shinobi dropped down from the ceiling. A black hood covered his face. He put his foot on the chair where Hinata had been sitting.

"So…Yazu failed." He grumbled. "I knew we shouldn't have let that amateur handle this…" He sighed. "Even so, I have to report this to the Leader. He'll be none-too-happy." The sound of footsteps and soft voices echoed through the empty hallway. "Feh, I don't get why I couldn't just take him now…it'd sure be a hell of a lot easier." Sakura and Hinata rounded the corner and took their places in the same, empty waiting area they had just been in.

"…yeah, but knowing Naruto, he'll be trying to escape by tomorrow." Sakura said, causing Hinata to giggle. After a short silence Hinata said,

"Thanks for waiting with me Sakura-chan…" she said with a smile.

"No problem, this is all I'm good for. I have not plot value whatsoever."

"Damn right Sakura, glad you noticed." Kakashi said as he walked out of a door reading, "staff only".

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!! YOU'RE NOT STAFF!!"

"So? They didn't notice me." Kakashi said with a hidden smile. "No blood, no foul." He glanced over at Hinata. "Hey, I need to have a chat with you kiddo."

"Eh…?" Hinata asked, pointing to herself.

"Yeah, c'mere." Kakashi motioned for her to follow. They went into the next hall.

"What is it Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata asked.

"Well I have bad news…and worse news."

"Umm…" Hinata sighed; she didn't like the sound of that. "Give me the bad news."

"Well, Hiashi-sama has decided you've been away for way too long, and wants you home."

"What? Why?" Hinata asked startled.

"Something about being the heir…or some such nonsense."

Hinata sighed. It wasn't good news…but she could live with that…the hardest part would be telling Naruto.

"And the worse news…?" Hinata asked.

"Well…" Kakashi sighed. "I have reason to believe someone wants you dead."

"What?!" Hinata said as closely to a yell as she could possibly manage.

"My resources tell me that there was a paper trail between Yazu and an unknown third party. They communicated frequently, discussing a plan of sorts. Several times, there was mention of a girl." Kakashi looked at Hinata. "Namely you."

"I don't…" Hinata stammered. "I haven't done anything…"

"Not consciously…no…" Kakashi said in contemplation. "Quite frankly, I don't know what it is you did. I do believe your relationship with Naruto has at least a minor consequence here…"

"Naruto-kun…?" Hinata asked puzzled. "What could that…" She thought for a moment until it came to her. "Oh." She said when she realized.

"The Kyubi." Kakashi said. "In other words, the Akatsuki for some reason want to get you away from Naruto." He sighed. "Once again, that raises the question 'Why?'" He placed his hand on his chin. "I don't know very much yet…" He sighed. "But I do know that the Raikage wants Naruto to stay here even after the mission is complete."

"What?!" Hinata yelped, rather loudly. "Why…?"

"I don't know." Kakashi sighed. "Keeping a diplomat here for negotiations and all isn't a bad idea technically speaking…but it's Naruto…who has the Akatsuki after him…" Kakashi's eye narrowed. "I don't like it. The Raikage was never told that Naruto was a Jinchuriki, but I think there's someone in the background pulling the strings…" He moaned. "There has to be something I'm missing." He patted Hinata on the head. "Don't worry too much about it. I'm having you, all the Konoha girls, and Temari, share a room from now on. No one will get near you."

"And Naruto…?" Hinata asked worriedly.

"After he's discharged he'll be living with Kaoshi."

Hinata sighed with relief. Kaoshi was at least someone they could trust.

"And Hinata…" Kakashi added. "Don't trust ANYONE who's not in our little group." He glared at her. "And I mean ANYONE."

"You got it." She said shakily.

"Oh, and I'm sending you home after the Chuunin exams, like your father requested."

"But…"

"While the Akatsuki may want you away from Naruto…their way of accomplishing that would be through death. I think it's wise to send you home. That's final." Noticing the tears welling up in her eyes, Kakashi added. "It's for the best Hinata, think of Naruto."

"Naruto-kun…?"

"How do you think he'd feel if he knew you were being targeted because of him?"

"I know he'd feel horrible…" she said with tears flowing down her face. "…but even so…I want to protect him…I don't care what happens to me…as long as he can live happily…"

"Don't say things like that Hinata." Kakashi said. "Do you really think sacrificing yourself for him would make him happy?"

There was a long, awkward silence.

"C'mon, lets go back to The Worthless Bitch…I mean Sakura." Kakashi said. Hinata was silent, but gave a slight nod.

The three headed in silence to the girls' lodging. Kakashi left the two girls and headed back to his own room. Hinata flopped down on her futon and was out cold. So much had happened that day and she was completely spent. She managed to sleep from 11 AM till 10 PM. A slight knock at the window woke her up. To Hinata's surprise, Naruto was crouching on her balcony. He had bandages and seals covering his whole left arm and continuing up to his shoulder onto his neck.

"Yo." He said simply.

"Naruto-kun?!" Hinata almost yelled in surprise. Naruto smiled and pressed his finger against his lips.

"Shhhhh!"

"Bu-but…you should still be resting!" Hinata scolded.

"Meh…" He sighed. "No matter what the injury, I've always recovered after one night's sleep. It has to do with the Kyubi." He explained. "Even the doctors told me it was okay to leave. I just can't do anything strenuous."

"Okay…" Hinata said worriedly.

"Don't worry Hina-chan." He said with his classic grin. "Everything will be okay."

"Okay…" She sighed. "But I'm still worried…" There was a short silence.

"…So…wanna go for a walk or something?"

"Sure." Hinata said with a smile. "But I'm still in my…" she looked down at the tank top and short-shorts that had become her sleeping outfit, then back at Naruto. She covered herself with a pillow and blushed immensely. "I-I-I'll n-need to ch-change first…" she stammered. Hinata ran to grab a more flattering outfit. Naruto chuckled.

"She's too cute…" he whispered to himself smiling.

"Y-You can wait in here if you want…" Hinata said poking her head out of the bathroom. Naruto chuckled again and hopped into the room. He looked around. Sakura was snoring on the floor a few yards away from Hinata's futon. It was an unpleasant site so Naruto threw a pillow at her.

"Dwah?! Wha? I don't…! Sasuke? Parrots?" Sakura mumbled in a confused daze as she was brought to her senses. "Naruto…?" She asked confusedly. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital…?"

"I am." He smiled. "At least a kage bunshin is." Sakura sighed.

"You know you really shouldn't do that…"

"Ahh shut up, you have no plotline value whatsoever." He said pointing at her. "So I don't wanna hear no shit from you."

"Touché…" She said moping.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata said walking out of the bathroom, now properly clothed. "Don't be so mean to Sakura."

"Fine." Naruto complained.

"After this walk you're going back to the hospital, okay?"

"Aww…Hina-chan…"

"Please Naruto…I'm begging you…"

"Urrgghh…I…guess…" Naruto said scratching his head. Hinata smiled and walked up to him and hugged him gently.

"Thank you." She said looking at him smiling through her flushed face.

"Yeah, yeah…" He sighed. Hinata grabbed onto his arm and the two started towards the door and eventually outside. Naruto closed the door behind them and inhaled the night air in deeply. "Ah…refreshing." Hinata looked at him and smiled. He gave her a sidelong look. "Eh? What'd I do?"

"Nothing…it's just…" She ran a few steps ahead of him and turned around. "I've…waited so long…for…" she paused and blushed. "And now that we're finally…" she paused again, and blushed more. "It just…makes me so incredibly happy…" Tears started to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry it took me so long Hina-chan…" Hinata shook her head and smiled.

"No…I don't think it would have been as special if I didn't have to wait…" She brushed away her tears. "Thank you Naruto-kun…for making me the happiest girl alive…" she bowed to him. Naruto sighed and walked up to her.

"Neh, Hina-chan." He said lifting her face and stroking her hair. "Don't thank me, I didn't do anything to deserve it." He smiled at her. "I just asked out the girl I like and it was only the best decision I ever made in my life."

"Naruto-kun…"

"Besides," He said with a grin. "Didn't you stop to think how happy this has made me?" He hugged her. "You accepted me, became a friend, and even dared to become my girlfriend…even though I'm the Kyubi's vessel. Even though you know that's why everyone hated me…people will probably think less of you…and harass you."

"Naruto-kun, as long I'm with you, I don't care." Hinata said as the author gagged himself with a spoon for writing that. Naruto smiled at her and pulled her tighter.

"You can just call me 'Naruto' if you want." He said and Hinata looked up at him smiling.

"Okay, Naruto." She said. Naruto smiled and leaned towards her and their lips met again for the second time.

Two kunai suddenly flew at them from above. Naruto jumped out of the way with Hinata in his grasp.

"So." An eerie voice said from a rooftop near them. "That's the one to capture…" he said pointing at Naruto.

"And that's the one to kill…" another voice said from the shadows referring to Hinata.

"Now, now." Another said, "We can't let you two have all the fun…"

"That's right." Yet another chimed in. "I want blood too."

"Shit…" Naruto cursed. This just wasn't his week.

"You two really don't learn your lesson do you?" the first one asked.

"It looks like we'll have to teach them well, won't we?" the third one giggled.

"It doesn't look like either of them even brought their equipment. What novices." The second retorted.

"Let's shut up and get to work." The fourth complained.

"Yeessss…" the others agreed.

"Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill…" they started chanting as they slowly moved in.

"Feh…" Naruto spit. "Another fucking one of these situations, eh? C'mon Hina-chan let's show em what we can do."

"But…" Hinata looked at Naruto worriedly.

"I'll be fine." He smiled. "After all, I can't look bad in front of my girl."

"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her blood limit. She smiled at him. "Then I suppose I should try not to look bad either."

"Let's go wild." Naruto said clenching his fist. The couple stood back-to-back, ready to face anything. "It's just another day in the life of a ninja"