The song is Behind Closed Doors by Rise against. An amazing song I suggest you listen to. Also, after one of you mentioned that you really liked my responses to you.. well I caved. I'll keep responding and deleting later ^^; Enjoy.. er.. well.. you'll see XD
"This is bad!"
"Crap, look at the ECG!"
"Where's Hiashi-sama?"
Voices echoed around in frantic panic from the other side of the door and all he could do was wait. Wait and stare at his hands and hope she was ok. Why hadn't he offered to walk her or something?
Oh ya.. because that would ruin his image. Damn stupid image
"I asked you a question, girl. DO YOU HEAR ME?" A voice echoed through the hall ways followed by horrid scream causing him to immediately cover his ears.
"What in the world.." He followed wide eyed trying to find the source of the screaming.
"Well? You stupid little girl? Do you have nothing to say for yourself. Or can you even talk anymore? Well! Respond!" The voice laughed and he winced. He knew that laugh. That was Mika's laugh.. and it definitely didn't sound stable. How was someone supposed to respond if they couldn't talk.
Then the screaming stopped. He quickly started looking in rooms one at a time. Some branch member was getting tortured to death right now and he couldn't even find them.
Finally he burst into the right room, watching in slight fear for himself as Mika looked at him with wide eyes, freezing on the spot. Then he saw her, it was no branch member. Shinobu's eyes fluttered shut and she lay still on the floor. The heat from her burning skin scorching the ridiculous outfit Gai had her wearing for training. Her hands gripped tightly around the leg of a chair and her teeth clenched shut.
"She's still in pain.. what did you do.." He looked up at Mika glaring for the first time in his life back at the member of a main branch.
"You can't talk back to me, boy.." She shakily growled, watching him warily.
"In this case I can, we were told to treat her as if she was part of the main branch. It's my duty to protect her, then, is it not?" He growled, picking her up and running out of the room before Mika could respond.
"Cousin Neji?" A horrified whisper caught his ear as he ran past.
"Hinata-sama.. go alert your father!" He simply yelled and kept running. This girl was not going to die, not while he was there. She was still breathing and he would not let that change. This wasn't her destiny, not today.
By the time he got to the hospital Shinobu's breaths came in short labored gasps and she had yet to open her eyes. Her fingers woven tightly into the material of Neji's shirt.
"Neji? What's going on?" A girl at the front counter asked in shock, she had normally known Neji from when he had come with his comrades. Lee was well known for over training and needing medical attention for it.
"Get emergency medical staff, now!" He shouted, continuing on straight to where he knew some of the main doctors in the hospital would be dealing with patients.
It wasn't long before one of them took her to a stretcher, forcing him to reluctantly let her go. She was quickly rushed behind closed doors where he couldn't follow, couldn't see her. All he knew was this was bad.
"Neji? Where is she?" Hinata called, tears welled up in her eyes, shaking him from his thoughts. Had this been another situation he would have been proud at how loud and clear she spoke. But this was not the time, instead he looked up with tired eyes and pointed to the closed door.
"They won't let me in." Neji sighed.
"Oh.." She spoke a little more quiet this time, slowly sinking into the chair beside him as the rest of her team showed up. Shino and Kurenai walking quickly while pushing an obviously complaining Kiba in a wheelchair.
"Has there been any news?" Kurenai asked, quickly silencing the irate boy. Neji simply shook his head.
"Hiashi-sama hasn't shown up yet and from what they've been yelling.. it's still activated." Neji growled slightly.
Without another word Hinata quickly pushed her way through the doors, ignoring the people trying to tell her not to enter. Walking up to the doctor she quickly explained the situation and he nodded before letting her take in the site of her teammate, looking with sad eyes as she released the seal and leaving the room again.
"What did she just do?" Kiba asked after a moment of silence.
"Hinata-sama is part of the main branch.. she can control the seal. She de-activated." Neji spoke after a minute, mentally cursing himself for not asking her to do so sooner. How many times has he screwed up in this one evening?
The room turned silent again, the only sound being the medical staff and a pair of running footsteps slowly getting louder as they came closer.
"Naruto?" Neji looked up.
"You know you can't go in-..." Kiba paused, Naruto was normally loud.. he had expected the boy to burst right in and interrupt the medical team. Instead the boy slowly caught his breath remaining silent before sitting on the other side of Neji and staring with all his might at the door as if willing the door to open, for Shinobu to walk out. His eyes looked oddly dead, the gleam had diminished and there was no flicker of amusement or a smile on his features.
"Naruto..?" Kurenai whispered, gently putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I should have known.. I should have paid attention.. we've just been so busy lately I haven't talked to her.. I.." He sighed letting his head fall into his hands.
"It's not your fault.. there is nobody to blame for this but Mika." A stronger voice said, Hiashi, walking from Shinobu's room. Nobody had noticed him enter. "She is currently being branded as a branch member and while she knows how to control seals activating anyone else's will in turn set off her own." Hiashi explained.
Neji looked up at his uncle with wide eyes. Nothing like that has ever happened before. A main house member with a branch seal? It was unheard of, not that he'd oppose. The woman deserved it. But.. what could this mean for the future of their clan?
"That's not what I'm out here to tell you, though. She's woken up.. but I'm warning you now.. this may very well be a different Shinobu then the girl you knew." Hiashi spoke with saddened eyes. "Only one can go at a time. We don't want to overwhelm her."
"Naruto.. should go first." Neji spoke quietly earning a reluctant but firm not from the members of team eight.
"Thank you.." He whispered before standing and moving towards the door to walk in.
Naruto POV
Shinobu looked tired, her eyes warily drifting around the room taking in her surroundings. Her entire chest along with the majority of arms and shoulders were covered in glowing bandages. They were specialized for burns, filled with chakra that constantly healed and soothed the wounds.
"Shinobu.. how are you feeling?" Naruto spoke, looking at her from the end of her bed. He wanted desperately to hug her but the idea of hurting her caused him to keep his distance.
"I.. um.. I'm fine.. but.. where's my nii-chan?" She spoke after a moment looking up at him with wide, vulnerable and innocent eyes.
"W-what do you mean?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"I want my brother.." She whimpered and he slowly moved forward to try and calm her down. "Who are you..! why hasn't he come in to see me?" She cried out pushing him away.
"W-what.. it's me. Naruto, you know? From the academy? We pulled pranks together? We're family.. forever? You live with me and we take turns buying ramen." Naruto stumbled over his words.
"I don't know what you're talking about.." She whispered. "Where's Sasuke nii-chan.. where's my mama?"
I'm really getting bad with these cliff hangers aren't I? Sorry if this chapter is short, if anything it's because I knew I had to end at that line. If I went on I'd be dragging. lol. Hope you enjoyed :)
Sango Higorashi (chapter 1): ya most of my chapters aren't beta'd and it's kinda hard for me to go back and fix certain mistakes. It takes time which I don't have. I'm glad you liked it and the descriptions and sorry I hurt your heart (well not really because that means I did a good job but you know what I mean :P
Alpenwolf(Chapter 35 & 36): Ya, the outfit is kind of horrible XD But to be honest I don't think I'd mind wearing it O.o Neji's humiliation was something I don't think we get to see too often so I just had to put it in there but I do understand him. Change can be difficult :/ lmfao. Thank you ^^ and I've decided to keep the review responses. Don't be a Neji, you CAN change it :)
Girl-of-anime: Heheh :P Or maybe not Hiashi? ;D I am definitely working on my update speed after that break. haha. thanks for the review :)
chibichibi98: Posssiiibly. :P Thanks so much for the review :D
OrionRedde(Chapter 35 & 36): Glad I can make someone happy :P I honestly think I could manage wearing it. It kinda sounds fun XD sorry for the cliffies. They just won't leave me alone O.o thanks for the reviews!
Hima: Thank you so much, while my computer isn't working I'm definitely doing my best to get back on track with updating :)
Remy987: Glad to hear this is one of your favourites! Thank you so much :P While it's not fixed I'm going to try to update again :P yay for paper copies.. urgh :P thank you.
