ENDINGS
"Sasuke, do you think that you could get me tea?" Hinata had asked, one hand on his arm, the other rubbing her belly, large eyes staring up at him.
To get tea he'd have to run into town…A days run away. She'd be fine without him though that didn't calm the unease he felt about leaving her but she'd been sick lately and he knew the tea would calm her. So he agreed.
"I'll go tomorrow." He answered.
"Thank you!" She chirped stepping into his arms standing on the tips of her feet and placing a chaste kiss on his lips.
Dawn was just breaking when he awoke. He lay for a bit listening to the deep breaths Hinata took in her slumber, the birds chirping outside their window and the slowly dying sounds of the crickets. He knew peace then and it took every ounce of his will to break away from the moment. Leaning over he cupped Hinata's cheek in his hand and kissed her.
Her arms came around his neck first then slowly her eyes opened, a lazy smile crossing her lips, "Are you leaving already?"
"I'll be back by sundown." He promised, letting her go he rolled out of bed and got dressed. She stayed but watched him instead of going back to sleep.
"Did you drink enough water last night?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I made you a lunch last night, its in the fridge and there should be a pitcher of water there as well, it'll keep cool for a few hours at least."
"Alright." He said pulling a plain black shirt over his head and stepping into his pants. "Im leaving now."
"Sasuke." Hinata said leaning up on her elbow.
"What?" He asked finally looking at her directly as he slipped on his shoes.
She smiled as him, her eyes kissing his very image, "I love you."
He shook his head at her, "Me too." He answered with a smirk as he walked to the front door.
"Make sure you stretch!" She called from the bedroom.
Waving his hand, he walked into the other room, opening the fridge he pulled out the lunch she'd packed and the water. Placing it into his back pack he walked out the door. Shaking his head he slowly stretched as he looked up at the sky. The sun was already pushing back the clouds from the night before making way for a clear day.
Stretching his legs he took a deep breath and set off.
Hinata rose from their bed, her hair rumpled, sleep lines still imprinted on her cheeks. Opening the curtains to their bedroom window she peered out across the clearing at his retreating form. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
Looking over her shoulder she took in their room. His basic taste trimmed her classic touches to their home. They complimented each other, oddly enough. She knew it was a waste of effort but still made their bed, knew it was to no one's benefit but still took their clothes to the stream, washed then hung them. She knew it would all burn but still got down on her hands and knees and begun to scrub their floors.
She had just finished and was throwing the dirty water out into the small garden she'd started a few weeks before when she felt them.
There were dozens of them, they were everywhere. In the trees, in her home, behind her.
"Hello Hinata, long time no see."
He was a few miles out when he felt it. 'How did I not notice it sooner?' He questioned himself as he came to a stop. Activating his Sharingan he searched through them for her, seeking her feeble chakra form. 'She's not there.' He thought, '22, 23, 24..' He counted. '2 dozen. Alright then.'
Turning around he looked through the area surrounding them, 'Hinata…' He thought as his searched proved fruitless.
Then he heard it.
"Sasuke!" The cry was shrill, pain-filled and right on point. It was a cry meant to induce adrenaline to the named, a cry meant to boost the speed at which he was running…a cry meant to lead.
Feet moving too fast to see with the naked eye, he was a phantom slowly fading into the shadows cast by the setting sun. Moving from tree to tree he covered the land as quickly as they'd predicted. As this rate it would all be over within the hour. Again, as they'd predicted.
He knew they were there, he could feel and see every set of eyes watching him and still he continued on. Love makes you do things like that. He ran head long into the trap, sure of his strength, sure that they'd be the ones walking out…they wouldn't.
"Blackbird has entered the premises."
It was a field as least 100km on either side were barren of trees, they wanted to make sure he was out in the open, no hiding places, no surprises.
On her knees, body heavy in her advanced pregnancy, there she sat. Eyes puffy, nose running, dirt and blood covering her bare feet. Hands bound behind her back, gag loose around her bruised neck, the sight of her made his gut twist.
"Sasu-!" She screamed again, tears cutting the plea short. "It's a trap!"
"Sasuke Uchiha!" A man called to him his face covered by a white mask, cat like in nature it had three distinct red marks.
"Release her." Sasuke answered.
"As long as you surrender and come peacefully, Uchiha."
Sasuke stood beside the man an instant later, kunai in hand he lunged.
There were 5 on him in a split second. He had grown rusty but still, holding them off was not a problem for him. Every one of them had a mask, he knew it was going to be a long battle and knew he had to get Hinata out of there as quickly as possible.
Jumping far from the group Sasuke quickly set loose a hail of Chidori Senbons on them, they quickly fell.
Running to the post they'd tied Hinata to she cut the ropes binding her and stood to face the next wave. "Run, Hinata." He ordered.
A whirl of wind side swept him followed by a large man barreling towards him and a barrage of weapons. It was all he could do to dodge every kunai, star and needle.
He fought each opponent, singling out one person at a time while dodging the others. Cutting throats and sending kunai and chidori into multiple Anbu. Blood covered the ground, the night fell in favor of each side Sasuke could see clearly in it, the other ninja could use the element of surprise so long as they hid their chakra.
There were only ten men and women left now. They weren't as easy to take down as the rest, he could feel their Chakras, knew they knew how to use it, knew they were well trained and practiced.
"Sasuke!" One yelled, reaching up she removed her mask and green eyes met his, sad, angry eyes.
Another woman reached and took off her mask, cerulean blue framed by light blonde lashes.
Slowly each member took off their masks until he stood before most of his graduating class.
Sakura let out a wail as she ran at him, her fist leaving a crater in the ground he'd just stood on. Ino quickly followed up throwing punch after punch at him, missing a few and landing the others on his ribs, face and stomach.
Grabbing her arm as she swung once again he threw her into the forest, tree after tree fell as she slammed against them.
They continued on, hand to hand he knocked out Shino, Ino and Kiba. He was growing tired but kept on, blowing fire and using Chidori he continued to take out his old comrades, his mind set on seeking out Hinata, but still he was unable to sense her Chakra, he couldn't see her. Figuring it was a good thing, 'She's long gone, safe.'
Distracted by his thoughts he missed Sakura running at him, as a result she landed a clear shot against his side. He could hear the bones breaking as she got in shot after shot.
Blood poured from his mouth as he sank to his knee.
Lee came from the left, Sakura again at his right , Sai from the front and Tenten from behind. He jumped but found himself unable to move, looking up he found his shadow attached to Shikimaru's, the full moon providing enough light to cast and throw it.
He was hit full on with every attack.
Lying on the ground he could hear the blood rushing in his ears, feel every nerve crying out in pain, every broken bone, cut, scrape, gash he felt it all then. Pushing himself up out of the grass and dirt he began to summon Aoda.
"Byakugan!"
Looking down at his chest Sasuke took in the small hand encased in chakra shaped into a spear. Blood soaked his shirt down to his pants. He fell forward as she pulled her hand out leaving behind a large gaping hole in his chest.
"H-Hinata?" He got out through the blood flooding this throat.
"Blackbird is down, I repeat Blackbird has been neutralized." She said.
Sasuke watched her realization sinking like a slow freeze. He watched her pull her hair up into a pony tail and prep before healing the Anbu nin he'd taken down. He watched as she shook hands with Kakashi and nodded toward him.
He felt his heart begin to slow. Watching her he knew he'd been fooled. He could see her Chakra, feel it even from the distance between them, it was strong, almost as strong as his. She wasn't weak at all. She wasn't anything he'd thought she was. It was all a lie.
She looked at him finally and he knew then without a doubt that she didn't love him. Blank eyes gazed at his broken body, the fondness he'd come to expect was not there, the softness in her face was gone, in its place a hardened warrior. A stranger.
He looked from her face to her stomach, his child. He'd never know its name, if it was a boy or girl. He would know nothing and that final thought was what broke him.
Betrayed, beaten and broken. He felt death approaching as the world around him faded. He could no longer hear the flurry of activity around him, he couldn't see the bodies being moved, people hurrying about to heal and he couldn't feel her anymore.
It was there in the blackness that he found her again. Early morning, she lay asleep on their bed a baby next to her, his small body splayed out on a pillow as he slept, his small chest rising and falling. He took a step into the room and Hinata awoke. Looking up at him as she had that morning, love in her eyes. Real love.
"Come back to bed, Sasuke." She said sleepily.
Walking to the edge of the bed he pulled back the covers, slipped his shirt over his head and got in. Reaching out he pulled her body to his and fell asleep listening to the sound of his son's soft breaths.
2 days came and went as they made their way back to Konoha, Hinata couldn't run or jump and so she, accompanied by Kiba and Shino made the trek walking, the others had gone ahead taking with them Sasuke's body.
When they reached the gates of the city and Hinata felt the warmth of finally coming home envelope her.
After being let in the trio went their separate ways. As she made her way a guard stopped her.
"Miss Hyuga, we were instructed to tell you to report to the Hokage's Tower as soon as you got into town." The young man said.
"Okay, thank you."
Once there she was told to sit in the waiting room as the Hokage was in a meeting.
Sighing she sat in one of the many chairs, her feet swollen, stomach growling she could feel her energy being zapped as her child grew.
The Hokage came in as she rubbed her hand across her belly. The man stopped and watched, sad blue eyes took in her form. Rubbing his face he waived her into his office, "Hello Hinata."
"Hokage-San." She answered bowing as she stepped inside.
"You don't have to bow, Hinata." He said sitting down at his desk and taking off the large white hat that signified his status.
The silence between them was heavy, she knew he hadn't wanted to carry out the mission but had been ushered into it. She knew he still loved his former teammate as strongly as any brother could. Knew it hurt him to do that to Sasuke.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Sasuke Uchiha died at 10:36pm October 14th, the cause of death was massive organ failure and blood loss. He-"
"From the beginning, I mean." He said cutting her off.
Stopping Hinata nodded, "The mission was to get close to Sasuke, sir. Put him into false sense of security and as soon as he was, lure him into the trap."
"I heard how that went. You ended up closer than we expected and came away with a child." Naruto said looking down at her belly. "It's going to be tough keeping the scientists in the bloodline department away from you… What do you plan to do with it, Hinata?"
She sat quiet for a moment before answering, "This is my child, Naruto. I will raise it as my own, if studies need to be performed for the study of its unique Kekkei Genkai then we can arrange for them to be done. Otherwise, it is not a lab rat, this is my child."
Studying her for a moment, Naruto smiled and nodded, "I'm relieved to hear you say that Hinata." Looking out the window at the city he was quiet again.
Hinata could feel his sorrow and uncomfortably shifted in her seat.
"He was my best friend for a long time, you know."
"Yes, sir, I know that."
"I'll need a full report on the mission by the end of the month, Hinata. You can go."
"Yes sir." She answered, standing, she bowed and turned to leave when he spoke again.
"You aren't the same, Hinata. I mean from when you were young."
She stay quiet waiting for him to continue.
"When Sakura came home from the mission she said you were amazing out there. Even pregnant."
"Tell her I said, 'Thank you,' Please." She said walking toward the door, opening it he caught her one last time.
"Did you love him at all, Hinata?"
Turning back to look at her, Naruto waited for a response.
Taking a deep breath Hinata looked up at the ceiling for a moment. She didn't answer; instead she bowed her head and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her.
Four days later she went into labor.
Katsu Uchiha, a healthy baby boy was born.
SUENA: Thank you for reading my story, sorry about any mistakes in it, please R&R. I dont own Naruto.
