Run Away and Pursue

Ch. 12 "Closing In The Gap."

I don't own Naruto, but I wish I did.

Naruto stepped back into the kitchen, smiling as Keiji looked up from a huge plate of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Kurenai just sat next to him, drinking in a cup of coffee, a small piece of pie untouched on a plate just to her left.

"Had enough pie and ice cream, buddy?"

"Mrs. Yuhi said I can take it home if I can't finish it all." Keiji continued to gobble up the dessert. "She'll wrap it up for me and everything."

Naruto chuckled and ruffled his red head.

"Everything okay with your sister?" Kurenai stood, grabbing a plate from a cupboard and cut a slice of pie, handing it to Naruto without bothering to ask if he wanted some pie or not.

"She'd stable." Naruto grinned, he had just gotten off the phone with Ayame, "They're giving her fluids, but the test results are negative. No cancer!"

"Wonderful!" Kurenai clasped her hands together. "I know your whole family must be relieved."

"Overjoyed. After two years of chemo, she's ready for a reprieve and we're all crossing our fingers on that."

Naruto glanced around, frowning when he realized that Hinata wasn't in the dining room.

Where was she?

Hadn't she come back yet?

Naruto scowled.

Maybe the chocolate ice cream was her excuse to escape.

But she seemed as if she was enjoying herself. She had laughed and joked as she lost the Monopoly game, then cheered Keiji as he won.

That wasn't an act.

He could just tell.

"Is Hinata still upstairs?"

Kurenai looked around her as if she was realizing it now herself. "I suppose so. I can't figure out why though. It only takes a minimum two minutes to walk up the stairs and back down. I would have gone and checked up on her but—!"

"I'll go." Naruto stood up immediately. "Then Keiji and I will head back to the hotel. We've already taken too much of your time."

"Nonsense!" Kurenai dismissed him. "Hurry on along."

"Sure thing."

Naruto jogged upstairs, almost colliding to Hinata's closed door. He knocked furiously on her door and frowned when it creaked open under his fist.

"Hinata?"

He stepped into her small living room, grimacing when he saw the half gallon of ice cream lying on the floor, melting and staining the Arabian carpet.

"Hinata? Hello?"

Adrenaline pumped through him as he stepped down the short corridor, peering into the kitchen and later on the bathroom.

There was one more door that was closed.

Naruto knocked, his body tensing up with expectancy.

Something had happened, and whatever it was, he had a feeling it wasn't any good.

"Hinata, are you in here?"

"Yeah."

Her voice was muffled, and sounded like she had been crying.

"Am I allowed to enter?" Naruto pushed the door lightly. "Can I come in?"

"N-no!" She cried out. "I-I'm not—I'm not feeling well! Can you tell Keiji I'm sorry for missing out on the ice cream?"

"What's going on, Hinata?" Naruto swung the door open to reveal the interior of the room.

Hinata was sat, cross-legged on a bed, her face void of color, eyes wide with surprise.

"Don't you know you're not supposed to come in unless you're invited?"

Naruto gave a small grin. "Technically, I'm not in your room. I'm still out in the hall."

"And technically, I'm not angry, just completely annoyed." She muttered, not much of her spunk found in her voice.

"Sorry, but Kurenai was worried about you." Naruto's lips became a firm line. "So was I."

"You guys didn't have to." She scoffed. "I'm right here, on my bed, safe as can be."

"You said you weren't feeling well." Naruto stood there awkwardly.

She shrugged, getting up and walked past him out into the hall and to the living room.

He followed, watching as she picked up the ice cream and put it back into the freezer. She then went to the sink and grabbed a damn clothe to wipe the mess.

Her movements were tense, her muscles taut.

She didn't look sick.

She looked exactly what she had said.

Annoyed.

"Something happened." He didn't phrase it as a question, knowing that she wouldn't answer. "Heard from your ex?"

She seemed to tense up more, swinging around to face him.

"I heard from him. He called, just a few minutes ago." She hissed. "He said he planned to pay me a visit and pick up where we left off."

"And where was that?"

She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stared at him blankly. "What?"

"Where did you leave off?" Naruto was gnashing his teeth together. "Was he stalking you?"

"No." She just said.

"Abusing you?" Naruto's volume increasing bit by bit.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"So he was."

Naruto's blood boiled at the thought of it. He wanted to fly to Okinawa and beat some sense into the guy.

"I said I didn't want to talk about it." Hinata snapped, equally surprised at her outburst as he was.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, offering him a shaking smile. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault."

"I know you don't want to talk about it, Hinata, but if you don't tell me anything, how can I help you?" Naruto was close to desperate.

"I don't want your help." Hinata said, barely above a whisper. "How many times do I have to tell you that? All I want you to do is to take care of your son. Make sure he's okay, and not me. I'm nobody to you."

"Yeah Keiji's important." Naruto sighed. "But you're important, too. I'm not going to walk away from you. I'm not letting you face your ex by yourself."

Hinata frowned. "I talked to Kiba. He said I don't have to face him. He said my ex is still in Okinawa."

"And?"

"Leaving a message on my answering machine isn't a crime and as long as I wasn't overtly threatened, there was nothing that can be done."

Naruto's anger surged. He would have a chat with the sheriff and see what it was that was keeping the man from acting on the information Hinata had provided his team.

"Did you erase the message?"

"No. I'm not an idiot."

"Good. Can I hear it?" Naruto rushed to the phone even before she replied him.

Hinata hesitated.

"You already helped me out." He flashed a reassuring smile. "It's my turn to help you out."

He had taken her hand in his and squeezed it lightly, as another reassurance.

She tugged her hand away, took a step forward and pressed play.

Naruto stood by her as the thug's voice filled the room.

The guy was smart.

He didn't say anything threatening.

Not even a hint that he might have something else on his mind besides reconnecting with an old girlfriend.

But Naruto had dealt with men like him before.

He had met enough of them during his days as a prosecuting attorney to know a con man when he was encountered with one.

"You said his name was Sasuke." Naruto couldn't help but ball his hand into a fist after the message. "What was his last name?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does." Naruto felt his nails penetrate his skin. "If I have his name, I can find the guy and stop him."

"From what?" Hinata's eyes were glazed with mixed emotions. "He hasn't made any threats. Besides, you have a lot of things to worry about without getting mixed up in my situation."

"I'm already tangled up in it." Naruto gave a low whistle. "Our lives connected the day you went to the sheriff and told him what you suspected about Keiji. I keep tell you that."

"No, Naruto—." She began but was cut off.

"Would you change what you did for me and Keiji?"

"Of course not, but—!" She shook her head.

"And I wouldn't change that fact that you and I met and that a connection between us exists."

"There is no—." Her voice trailed off and she shook her head. "No, Naruto. There can't be."

"There is, Hinata." Naruto smirked. "You can't deny it any more than I can."

She paused before taking a breath and looked him straight in the eye.

Naruto can see the obvious fear and worry in her violet eyes.

"Maybe you're right." She broke the eye contact. "Maybe I can't. But admitting it won't change anything. It only adds more to my worries. If something happened to you, Keiji, or Kurenai, because of me, I would never forgive myself."

"Then we've got us a situation of our own." Naruto took a hold of her hand. "Because I would never forgive myself if something happened to you only because I turned my back and walked away when you needed me."

"I don't need you."

"You do." Naruto's other hand took her free hand. "Can't you see? We do."

"Feelings don't mean anything."

Her voice shook, and Naruto knew that she felt the same way.

She knew what he was talking about.

"They mean everything."

He pulled her to him and leaned down, doing what he had been wanting to all afternoon.

Let his lips press to hers.

Let his hands settle on her waist.

She stiffened.

Her eyes widened, but then slowly closed.

She relaxed, arms twining around his neck and pulling him closer.

He complied, hands sweeping up her back, tangled in her ponytail, tugging it loose so it fell around her shoulders.

Her sweet fragrance drifting around them, as he eagerly drank in the scent.

They broke apart, only for Naruto to catch her lips once again.

"Dad?" Keiji's voice carried up the stairs. "Ms. Hyuuga?"

"In here, bud!" Naruto called out, clearing his throat.

His voice had been husky; heart pounding crazily in his ears.

Hinata had pushed him away and swept her hair into a ponytail again, cheeks flushed.

"W-we," She gulped, fingers touching her lips before falling away. "We shouldn't have done that!"

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry that we did." Naruto said as soon as Keiji bounded in.

"What were you two doing?" Keiji asked, his gaze jumping from his father to Hinata and back again.

"J-Just talking." Hinata responded, offering the boy a quick smile.

"About dating?"

Naruto raised a brow. "Why do you say that, buddy?"

"You guys look all red in the face like you're embarrassed." Keiji looked thoughtful. "And I think that talking about dating is embarrassing."

"Keiji!" Naruto and Hinata spoke together.

Naruto just laughed, though Hinata didn't seem very amused.

But, he could swear he saw a hint of a smile on her lips.

"What?" Keiji answered back, a valiant attempt to sound mature. "Dating is a natural thing!"

"Uh-huh. And who told you that?" Naruto waggled his brows.

"Mrs. Yuhi."

"Figures." Hinata groaned, looking both horrified and fascinated.

Her pink cheeks and kiss-stained lips beckoned for Naruto to lean back and kiss her once more.

"We were wondering what was taking you guys so long!" Keiji whined. "She said she was going to give you guys ten minutes before she let me up and make sure you guys were not getting into trouble."

"She didn't!" Hinata sounded shocked.

"I did." Yuhi called from just out the door.

Hinata stomped towards the door and yanked it open.

"I cannot believe you sent a nine-year-old to chaperone us!"

"Chaperone? It was merely to check up on you two." Kurenai's eyes twinkled. "You guys got awfully quiet after that argument. Did you guys need it?"

"Kurenai!"

"What?" Kurenai laughed. "I'm a lonely old woman! I can't help myself!"

"You're not old, Mrs. Yuhi." Keiji grabbed her hand and patted it gently. "You're pretty beautiful and make the best pie in the whole wide world."

Whatever Sakura had done wrong, she hadn't been cruel to Keiji at all. The more time Naruto spent with him, the more realized that truth.

Cruelty begets cruelty, and despite his confusion and sometimes sullen demeanor, Keiji had a tender heart.

"Are you trying to sweet talk me into sending more pie with you, young man?" Kurenai laughed. "Because it's working."

"You could bring it to the potluck instead. Ms. Hyuuga invited us and we're going." On cue, Keiji faced him. "Right. Dad?"

"Sure, but right now, we have to go back to the hotel." Naruto reached his hand out for Keiji to take. "Don't forget we're moving into our house."

Keiji beamed, taking it. "Goodbye, Mrs. Yuhi. Goodbye, Ms. Hyuuga. I had a lot of fun today."

With that, they veered out the door and into the SUV.

Spending time with Hinata and Kurenai had been good for him. For the both of them.

The stress of their reunion and anxiety over Senna's health had taken its toll, but now they were just a thing of the past as of today.

They were back together again.

A family again.

Just the way Naruto dreamed they would be.

And he wanted to enjoy every single moment of it.

Outside, the sky was a deep cerulean, pure white clouds dotting the sky as the sun began it's descend.

Naruto took a deep breath and for the first time, felt utter peace.

Contentment.

The wind tickled his cheeks, reminding him of what had happened in her room.

The kiss they shared touched something deep in his soul and reminded him of what it meant to be truly connected to someone.

It was truly different that what he had with Shion, though she still took a place in his heart.

The kiss just made him more determined to find Hinata's bastard ex-boyfriend.

Days ago, he had told her she was family, but he hadn't realized then how quickly she had burrowed into his life, his thoughts and heart.

Before pulling out into the road, he pulled out his phone.

First, he would call up the sheriff and see what he had to say.

Then he would call up Sharo and get his team searching for any Sasuke who had been trouble in Okinawa, hoping that the list was short so they would track the guy down faster.

He planned to send in somebody to straighten him up so he would take a hint and not pursue Hinata.

He'd better take the hint because Naruto would personally hunt him down if anything were to happen to Hinata.

Scratch that.

Nothing was going to happen to Hinata because Naruto was going to find Sasuke before the scum had a chance to strike again.

Hinata hadn't admitted that she had been abused by the bastard, but she didn't deny it either.

Her ex was a criminal, pure and simple, and Naruto knew just how to deal with guys like him.

Dig up the dirt, turn over every rock, uncover every crime from shoplifting to murder, and then prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.

It would happen.

Naruto plans to make sure of it.

He smiled grimly as he flipped his phone open and dialed the sheriff's office.

I have resurrected from the dead!

Zombie apocalypse initiate now!

Happy Holidays!

Hope y'all stay safe into the next year!