Run Away and Pursue

Ch. 13 "Encounter."

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

Hinata had been enjoying Wednesday night potluck at the church for the three years she had been living in Sendai.

It was even something she looked forward to.

It was a middle-of-the-week break from her teaching job and the college courses she needed to take in order to keep her job.

It was a time of fellowship with her made friends and neighbors, the ones that she had been avoiding lately.

The matter of fact that Keiji and Naruto were going to be there this night shouldn't have changed anything, but somehow, it did.

Naruto had kissed her.

And as much as she denied it, she had kissed him back.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, no matter how hard she tried to distract herself and willed for the memory to be erased.

She ran a brush through her hair, her reflection in the bathroom mirror, eliciting a sigh.

There were deep circles beneath her eyes and fear had gauged hollows beneath her cheekbones.

It looked as if death had just spit her up after chewing for quite a while.

Sasuke hadn't called again, but each time the phone rang she jumped, nearly giving herself a heart attack, terror beating a hard, hollow rhythm in her chest.

That had been his plan all along.

To leave her wondering when he'd call her again, when he might show up behind her at a grocery store or outside the window at the school she taught in.

It was meant to make her wonder if she'd find him in the backseat of her car, hunkered down and waiting for her to get behind the wheel.

Maybe she would see him in her rearview mirror, staring at her from a car right behind her on the road.

Hinata shuddered, turning away from her reflection.

Kiba had assured her that Sasuke was still in Okinawa and that the local police there were keeping an eye on him. He continued to believe that Itachi had been working alone when he'd gone after Hinata and tried to shoot her down both at her house and in the lot just in front of Kurenai's house.

Hinata wanted desperately to believe that Kiba's theory was correct.

But she couldn't.

The tentacles of Sasuke's drug business were far reaching, and there was no doubt in Hinata's mind that he had either hired Itachi or found someone who would.

Doing so would have been as easy for Sasuke as creating a lesson plan for Hinata.

Maybe eventually Itachi would admit the truth, but until he did, Okinawa police could take no action against Sasuke, and Hinata would continue to jump at every shadow, wince at every creak and groan of the old house and freeze whenever the phone rang.

She set the brush down and grabbed her purse, coat and the butter cake she had made for the potluck and hurried outside.

It was getting late, the sun sinking low behind the mountains.

Soon it would be dark, the shadows blending together, hiding anyone that might be lurking around nearby, and waiting for an opportunity to pounce on her.

She shivered, holding her coat close as she hurried to her car.

She fumbled in her purse, wishing she had thought of having her keys already in her hand when she had left her house.

Wasn't that one of the rules of safety?

Not having the keys in her hand would save her from a bullet.

Hinata glanced around, a warning humming along her nerves as she finally managed to pull her keys out from the bottom of her purse.

Was someone hiding in the shadows and watching her?

Was he going to attack as she got into the car?

Force her to drive some distant location where he'd—!

No! She pulled her thoughts to a stop. I will not go there!

She wouldn't let herself dwell in the fear.

She needed to remember that.

Her fists gripped the steering wheel as she drove to the church, all the tension from the past week tightening the muscles in her neck and shoulders. Her stitches itched and pulled. Her head pounded and she wanted to turn the car around and go back home.

She would have, if Keiji hadn't been expecting her to go.

But he was, and she didn't have a bone in her body that wanted to disappoint him.

Especially after he had told her at recess that he and his father were making rice crispy treats to bring and that he was going to wrap one especially for her.

He was such a sweet kid.

She would miss him when he went back to Tokyo.

She would miss Naruto also, but that was another thing she refused to think more about.

As soon as she arrived at the church, she spotted several people walking from their cars to the church as Hinata pulled into the lot.

She grabbed the cake and hurried to join them.

There was safety in numbers after all.

If Naruto and Keiji had already arrived, she didn't see them as she set the cake down on the dessert table.

Maybe Naruto changed his mind about bringing Keiji along.

Hinata ignores the twinge of disappointment she felt at the thought.

Keeping her distance was the best thing she could do for all of them, and she should be happy if the two didn't bother to show up.

Should be.

But she had enjoyed Sunday afternoon, had even found herself imagining what it would be like to spend more time with Keiji and Naruto.

As much as she wanted to deny it, Naruto had been right when he had said that they seemed to fit together.

Not just Naruto and Hinata, but the three of them.

They were a team, working together to make something wonderful out of a difficult situation.

We need each other.

That's what Naruto had said, and Hinata wanted so much to forget and deny it, but she just couldn't.

"Ms. Hyuuga!" She could hear Keiji call out. "We're here! And dad said we can sit together if you want us too."

Hinata turned to face him.

He looked adorable, his red hair mussed, the freckles dotting his cheeks and nose.

Naruto was a few steps behind, carrying the plate of promised rice crispy treats.

He searched Hinata's face as he approached, and she wondered if he'd spent much of his time thinking about her as she had about him.

Her cheeks heated, but she refused to break the eye contact by looking away.

"I would love to sit with you guys. I was starting to worry that you guys weren't going to show."

"We would've been here sooner, but Grandma and Gramps thought they might come." Keiji offered as small smile. "Then Aunt Senna got sick again, and they decided to stay home."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She met Naruto's eyes again, her heart doing a happy jig. "Was the doctor able to give her any idea what might be wrong?"

"She has the flu. The doctor said it'll take a week or so before she's back to normal."

"Is there I can do for her?" Hinata felt guilty that she was here happy as can be just by being near Naruto while his sister was suffering and was probably needing Naruto in her company.

"She would love to meet you, but I think that can wait until this flu blows over. Wouldn't want you getting sick, now would we?" Naruto held up the plate with the treats. "I'm going to put this with the other foods, if you and Keiji want to find a seat, I'll be joining you two later."

He gave her a small wink before he headed towards the table where housewives gathered, trying to sort and place the food everybody bought.

"Where do you want to sit, Keiji?" Hinata tried to still the wild beating of her heart.

"Anywhere is okay." Keiji shrugged. "Oh! Before I forget, here you go."

Keiji reached into his coat pocket and pulled a plastic-wrapped marshmallow crispy treat. "I asked my dad to cut one out special just for you." He smiled as he offered it to her. "See? It's a heart shaped one."

Hinata's heart danced as she gladly took the item from the young boy, though, this dance was more pleasant rather than the nerve wrecking jig it usually did when it came to Naruto. "It's wonderful. I love it."

"Are you going to eat it?" Keiji beamed.

"It's too special to eat." Hinata eyed the item softly, wishing she could keep it forever.

Keiji made a face and gave a small laugh. "But it will go bad if you don't."

Hinata gave a playful wink as she placed the treat in her purse. "Not if I put it in the freezer!"

"The freezer?" Keiji didn't sound convinced, and Hinata just giggled, ruffling his red mess of hair.

"Yeah, so that when I'm feeling down in the dumps, I can take it out and look at it." She guided their way to a long table and pulled out a chair, gesturing for him to take a seat. "So I can remember that someone cared enough to make it and give it to me."

The boy said nothing but just grinned, sitting down on the offered chair.

"Here," Hinata handed her purse to him. "Place it on the seat next to you to save your father a seat."

"But he might want to sit next to you."

Hinata halted, her arm aching at the weight of her purse. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you're a woman and he's a man." Keiji gave his famous shrug. "That's the kind of thing men and women do."

Hinata suppressed a chuckle. "Have you been talking to Kurenai again?"

"Nope!" Keiji shook his head happily. "Grandpa Iruka was explaining things to me while we played shogi."

"What kind of things?" Hinata peered slyly at the child.

"Like how come your face turns red when my dad smiles at you."

"My face does not turn red when your father smiles at me!" Hinata said much too loudly, her face heating up a bit. But it does, and you know it.

"Yeah it does! Like right now!" Keiji snickered. "But don't worry, you look pretty. Not like Megumi when she turns red and she looks like a steamed lobster!"

Hinata gave a slight frown. "You didn't say that to her, did you?"

Keiji stopped smiling and looked down. "I was going to, but Grandpa said that girls don't like to hear that kind of stuff."

It was all she could do to not burst out laughing.

"Hey!" It was then that Keiji looked alerted. "Where'd dad go?"

"He went to go put the treats down on the table, remember?" Hinata raised a brow, not really understanding why the boy seemed to be on edge. "Why?"

"I don't see him anywhere!" His voice cracked a bit. "He's gone!"

Hinata turned to the tables and saw that Keiji was right. Naruto was nowhere to be seen. She stood up and searched the crowded room.

"Do you think he went home and left me?" Keiji sounded panicked, his eyes wide with fear.

Hinata snapped her attention to the boy and sat down, placing her hand on his back. "Of course he didn't! Maybe he left something in the car and went to go get it."

"Like what?" Keiji grumbled.

"Like," Hinata racked her brain for something—anything. "Like his cell phone. He's been worried about your aunt. He wouldn't want her to be unable to reach you guys if something happened."

Keiji shook his head violently. "It's always in his back pocket."

"Then maybe his wallet? Or—." Hinata couldn't think of anything that made any sense. It was strange that Naruto was nowhere to be seen, but she knew that he would never leave his son. She took another scan of the room and saw no trace of Naruto.

"He's probably mad at me." Keiji's voice broke. "He probably doesn't want to be my father anymore."

Hinata pulled the boy in a one armed embrace and began to rub small circles on his back. "He's not mad at you. Even if he was, he would still very much like to be your father."

"But I'm difficult." Keiji sniffed, a lone tear escaping his right eye. "My moth—Sakura said so. She said I was lucky to have her because no one else would want me."

"She was a very confused woman, Keiji. And that had nothing to do with you." Hinata made another round in looking for Naruto, getting more worried when she didn't spot his blonde hair anywhere in the crowd. Where is he? "Whatever she told you, they were not true."

She was ready to stand up so she and Keiji can walk around and ask people if they had seen Naruto, but she stopped herself when she saw him enter through the main doors. Her face brightened up. "Look, Keiji, there he is."

Keiji followed the direction Hinata's finger pointed, the anxiety in his expression eased as soon as he caught sight of his father.

"I told you he would never leave you alone." Hinata's voice was barely above a whisper. "It looks like he was helping with bringing the food in."

The boy just nodded, ignoring everything else she said, picking at the tablecloth and avoiding Hinata's stare.

Keiji was embarrassed, and so Hinata knew he was ready to drop the subject. She had to tell Naruto of what happened, but some time later; not when the boy was there.

The seat next to Keiji was pulled back and there sat a Naruto. "Sorry I took long, some lady asked me to help her bring her share."

Hinata gave a nod. "You made it in time for the pastor to give his blessings."

Naruto patted his stomach as he smirked. "Good! I'm starving!'

Hinata saw the tension thick in the atmosphere surrounding the father and son. Keiji was still upset at the scare Naruto had caused.

The pastor had finally given grace and the congregation immediately stood and lined up to the buffet of food.

"I thought you guys were hungry! Come on! Let's go!" Hinata knew she sounded way too cheery, but the two males didn't seem to take note. Instead, they just stood with her and joined the line.

Hinata gave a small sigh when she saw that the tension was clearing as soon as the cheerful humor of the crowd seeped its way to the two.

"Hey Keiji!" A dark haired boy ran up to them, a wide smile on his face. "Wait up!"

Hinata recognized this boy as Sarutobi Konohamaru, a boy in her class. He was friends with everybody and she observed that he tried his best in including Keiji with the whole class.

"Hi." Keiji shyly inched backwards.

"I didn't know you went to church here." Konohamaru seemed to not notice Keiji's movements.

Keiji looked uncomfortable. "We just started coming."

"Cool!" Konohamaru grinned. "Hey, do you want to come sit with me and the other guys?" He motioned towards a table not far from where Hinata, Naruto and Keiji were originally going to sit.

Keiji looked up at his father, who gave a subtle nod. He turned back to Konohamaru. "Sure."

"Great!" Konohamaru grabbed two plates, one for himself and Keiji. He handed the paper plate to the boy. "Guess what? My mom made hot wings. I heard you liked hot wings, so be sure to get some! They're amazing!"

Keiji gave a timid response of, "Okay."

The two boys continued w to exchange opinions about food as they stacked their plates with them. As soon as their plate seemed to no longer be able to carry any more food, the two boys went to go and sit down.

Hinata smiled at the scene and was glad to see Keiji socializing with children his age. She grabbed two plates and handed one to Naruto, who accepted. It was then that she realized that both she and Naruto were going back and eat without Keiji.

She certainly did not expect for this to happen this evening.

Hinata frowned, stabbing a piece of fried chicken with a fork and shook it to make it fall on her plate.

"Wonder what that chicken did to make you stab it like that." Naruto observed, stating wryly.

Hinata gave a light glare but kept her response light. "I think I have a bone to pick with just everybody right now."

"Rough day?" Naruto followed her, amused.

Hinata sighed. "Rough week."

Her plate looked fairly full so she decided to go and sit down at the table, very well aware with Naruto following her closely behind.

"I have some news that might make things better." Naruto beat her to her chair and pulled it out for her. She was caught off-guard and hesitated a bit before sitting. Naruto then took the seat that Keiji originally had.

"Oh, really?" Hinata settled her plate on the table, a fork already in her hand. "Do tell."

"I found some interesting information about your ex."

Hinata froze from her process of digging in. She placed her fork down and faced Naruto. "My ex?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. Used-car salesman to some, drug supplier to many."

All air seemed to have escaped from Hinata. She narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you find that out?"

Images of her old ex-boyfriend flashed through Hinata's thoughts.

Sasuke had been helpful. So very supportive when Hinata's sister Hanabi had died. It had been too easy to fall his muscular pretty face and mysterious charm. She'd failed to see his dark side until it was almost too late.

The too tight grip on her arm.

The faint hint of leashed menace to his voice.

The fact that he fell to obsession and control.

He once laughed it off, saying that she was still confused and mentally grieved at the loss of her family, that he was only taking care of her, but Hinata knew better.

The day she had come home late after a flat tire on an isolated road, he'd flown in a rage. He had angrily demanded that he know where she was at all times.

When she had retorted that she was leaving him, he slammed her to the wall and threatened to do worse. Saying that he would never let her go.

The next day, she had found her favored pet dead on her front steps.

Hinata shook these thoughts from her mind.

"The sheriff and I had an interesting talk after we left your place on Sunday." Naruto pushed away his plate full of food.

"And he told you his name was Sasuke?" Hinata's head pounded. I will never trust Kiba ever again.

"No, Sheriff Inuzuka just told me that he had things under control." Naruto could feel her negative emotions. "I wasn't content with the brush-off so I decided to do some research of my own."

"So you invaded my privacy?" Hinata snarled, her stomach twisting with anger and dismay. He had no right investigating her past, but he violated it and dug for information anyway. Now, he knew it all; the life she led; the mistakes she's made. The person she'd once been.

"I would never do that!"

Those words were spoken to deaf ears. Hinata shut her eyes tightly and stood up.

"What do you mean you would never do it? You did." Hinata hissed, picking up her plate and purse, walking blindly across the room to a nearby trashcan and dumped the plate with all the food.

She was halfway to the door when Naruto grabbed a hold of her wrist.

"I found your ex to protect you, Hinata." Naruto's voice had a pleading tone to it. "Your past is your business."

She snatched her arm from him. "It was my business! Now it's yours. Next it will be everybody's."

"That's not true, and you know it." He refused to let her go, her wrist still in his grip.

She did.

Of course, she did.

Naruto wasn't that kind of person that spreads information that was meant to be private.

But that wasn't the point.

He had dug into her past. He found out everything there was to know about her life before Sendai, and just thinking about it made her cheeks flame.

"Let go of me." She pulled away and took a big step towards the door.

"You don't need to run away, Hinata." Naruto didn't bother following her anymore. "Nothing has changed between us."

Hinata stopped and glanced behind her to see if they weren't attracting attention. That was the last thing she needed. Humiliation stacked upon humiliation. "Everything has changed."

"You had already told me parts of your past." Naruto's words were soothing, and his blue eyes were clear with sincerity and compassion. Hinata could barely look at them. "Eventually you would've told me everything."

"Maybe I would've. Probably I would've." Hinata looked forward. "But you didn't give me that option. And now—."

Her voice trailed off.

"What?" Naruto took a step forward.

"For three years, I've spent being Hyuuga Hinata, a resident of Sendai, a do-gooder in the eyes of the people, a person with a past and a teacher-in-training." Hinata gulped the lump that was forming in the back of her throat. "Now, I'm suddenly Hyuuga Hinata, the big dreamer for a better life, family dead to drugs and someone who always manages to make a mess of things."

"Hinata—." He reached for her hands, regret seen in his eyes. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He would never hurt her!

But she was hurt.

Maybe not by him as much as her own failures and mistakes, but by the truth of her life laid bare for others to see.

"I need to go. Tell Keiji I'm sorry and I'll see him in class tomorrow." She managed to choke before she turned and ran.

From Naruto's compassionate gaze.

From the easy laughter and conversation being held in the church.

From her past and all that she wished she could change but can't.

She ran to her car and angrily pulled the driver door open, settling in it.

She turned the ignition and pulled out into the road, her throat tight with tears she refused to shed.

The road was empty and dark, and she thought she could drive for hours, days, even weeks and never escape what she was running from.

Herself.

The person she'd been and that she she'd promised herself she would never be again.

Headlights appeared behind her, pulling out of the church and into the road.

It was coming at her fast.

Hinata squinted at the rearview mirror.

Naruto?

No, he wouldn't have been able to get Keiji and get into their car so quickly.

The headlights drew closer and Hinata stepped on the gas on impulse, unconsciously trying to put space between her and whoever was coming. The car behind her sped up also, pulling so close that it was nearly bumper-to-bumper with her car.

She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that the interior light was on in the other vehicle.

She saw dark hair.

A pale, swarthy face.

Her heart stopped and started again, her foot putting more pressure to the accelerator. Her car jolted forward, Hinata's hands losing grip of the steering wheel, trying to get it back as she tried to steer around the steep curve in the road.

Her car fishtailed, and Hinata's grip tightened, strangling her steering wheel.

Don't let it be him. Please don't let it be him!

The car pulled out from behind and pulled up beside her and Hinata looked.

She had no choice.

She had to know.

There he was, grinning from the other car, his eyes deep, black sockets in a semi skeletal face.

It was every nightmare she'd ever had, every fear she'd ever experienced.

She screamed, jerking the car to the side, hearing the metal grind against each other as she hit the guard rail.

The steering wheel nearly slipped from her hands yet again, but she grabbed a hold of it just in time, managing to control the car before she violently hit on the brakes.

Sasuke's car sped ahead, swerved in front of her and kept going, flying into the darkness, disappearing around a curve in the road just far ahead.

Gone as quickly as it happened.

But not gone for long.

Hinata was sure of it.

Her hands shook as she rummaged through her purse and searched for her phone. As soon as her fingers curled around the familiar thing, she immediately flipped it open and dialed the police.

They had assured that help was on the way and that she should stay put and lock the doors.

Was Sasuke out there somewhere? Creeping towards her car?

Was he easing through the pine trees that lined the road?

Would he kill her before help arrived?

Hinata's heart pounded as she gazed at her keys. Should she drive away or stay?

She didn't know and couldn't decide.

So she waited, staring at the dashboard clock, counting the minutes and the wild thump of her heart until a familiar flash of red and blue appeared to be coming closer to her.

The car stopped and a police came out.

Her heart ceased pounding then.

Thanks for reading!