Neji and Hinata are NOT Half siblings as in the anime: Neji is a distant cousin. They are also partners in a mildly romantic sense as will be further explained as the story progresses.

This Author does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!

As brood parasites, cuckoos do not raise their own young, instead laying eggs in the nests of other birds, which raise the chick thinking it is one of their own. The cuckoo bird does so by changing the color of their eggs to match the ones in the nest. When it hatches, the chick will push out the others from the nest to ensure they are the sole center of attention, before devouring everything.

Konoha City was known for its super powered human-kind descended from Ninja of old, but it was also notorious for crime and street violence. There were always at least three arrests in less than an hour, druggies lining the sidewalks, homeless struggling for pocket change, and most importantly, gang wars.

The gangs in Konoha ran the city with an iron fist, being that every member was a Shinobi: powerful people with access to an ancient power called chakra which would allow them to perform jutsus. They could create clones, walk on walls, summon talking animals, and even bend the laws of nature to their whim.

These members would randomly visit houses and walk the streets to protect their territories and keep the people in line. Regular humans, or, Civilians, were not allowed to cross into different areas of the city unless they were given explicit permission. They were constantly under scrutinization and swiftly punished if they were suspected of being spies.

When wars broke out, the people took cover, hiding in their houses and locking up their shops to protect themselves from the violence and rage. Rebuilding the aftermath tended to last weeks, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and casualties for anyone unfortunate enough to be involved.

The people were afraid, the police were powerless; but despite everything, no one left and no one challenged them. They didn't know how to leave or where to go.

One of the most notorious gangs was the Akatsuki. They were slightly calmer and not easily antagonized, some would even say they were quiet, but they were not strangers of violence and brutality. Their leader, Pain, was patient but not a saint. Their red clouds served as a reminder to anyone who crossed their way, that they made the skies rain with blood.

The Mangekyo were a family oriented gang, made up of primarily Uchiha clan members. They were traditional and old-fashioned in their ways and had a reputation for making people disappear without a trace. Their leader was Uchiha Madara and he was feared throughout the city. The Mangekyou symbol was a black and red eye with a six pointed star in the center.

The Sound was less powerful but no less cruel than the others. A lot of the people in the city were afraid to cross paths with them, choosing instead to stay inside. They were all misfits who desperately followed their leader, Orochimaru, and his commands to the very end. His symbol was a snake curved into a music note.

Finally, there were the Jinchuuriki, a young, new gang with the same amount of ferocity as the rest, if not more. At first, no one took the two leaders seriously, (they were young after all) but over time, they began to run the streets red with blood and took control faster than anyone had ever seen; and so, they were respected. Their well-known symbol was a swirl inside an ancient seal, seen almost everywhere in their territory.

These gangs were made up of cheaters, thieves, murderers, and worse. They committed unspeakable crimes without reason, unprovoked or otherwise. They ran this city, and it seemed that there was nothing that anyone could do about it.

But for Hyuga Hinata, things were about to get far worse.

The streets were always quiet around this time, especially with the biting cold from the last winter snow before spring made its own appearance. It was currently 2:37 am. He was late. Hinata looked outside into the cold, snowy city and worried her bottom lip. Neji was supposed to be here by now, so what was taking him so long? Surely his job wasn't keeping him? Or maybe he fell asleep? Hinata peered further out, her beautiful twin lavenders searching for the familiar figure that was her cousin.

Neji Hyuga was punctual, strict, and direct. He was always worrying over Hinata or his education. He worked hard, going to school full time and working as a store manager for a small men's suit store. Sometimes he found himself working longer than necessary or going home and falling asleep from exhaustion. He wouldn't be late unless it was for a good reason, or maybe…

Hinata didn't want to finish the thought, shaking her head and clutching her purple scarf tighter in her hands. She couldn't wait any longer, she had to get home before Tsunade found out she was without an escort.

Putting on a brave face, Hinata squared her shoulders and walked into the brisk cold, suppressing the shiver trying to crawl up her spine as she began the long trek home.

Hyuga Hinata was just finishing up her internship as a nurse, having no actual training except for the head doctor, Tsunade, who took her under her wing. She had one apprentice before, but no one knew what happened to her after her training was complete. Hinata didn't expect her teacher to take on another student, but Tsunade always said she felt something special with Hinata, not that she was complaining or anything.

Once Hinata was done with her internship, she was going to work with the hospital as a medical assistant and get her doctorate in pediatrics, while Neji was going to graduate with an impressive law degree. They were so close.

Hinata was close to home now, maybe just a few blocks away, when she noticed a man leaning against a brick wall, smoking a cigarette and waiting. It was too dark to make out his features under the hood of his jacket, but something about him put Hinata off. There was a vibration in the air, something close to electricity, that seemed to surround this strange man.

She quickly ducked her head and threw her hood over her hair, shrinking to walk by unnoticed. The man, however, looked straight at her, as if stalking prey. Hinata turned away this time, picking up her pace to make it past. She could feel his eyes following her, his hands reaching out to grab and pull her into the dark alley-

Hinata squeaked as she ran into someone's chest. She looked up into familiar white eyes and a displeased frown marring the otherwise handsome face of her protector, Neji.

"Hinata," He whispered harshly, grabbing her hand and pulling her into his embrace. He shot a cautious look at the stranger who turned away, uninterested and waiting for something else.

He turned back around and led his charge back to their home, "Hinata, I thought I told you to wait for me in the hospital. How am I to live with myself if you get hurt or go missing?"

Hinata hid her face behind her hair, "I'm sorry," She sighed, "I just didn't want anyone asking questions. I'm tired and need rest before they call me back to the hospital tomorrow." Her face was asking for forgiveness, which of course Neji couldn't resist. He sighed to himself and gently caressed her face before cupping her cheek, "I will be on time if you listen to what I ask of you, deal?" Hinata smiled and nodded.

She was about to say something when the sound of screeching tires behind her cut her off. A black expensive looking car was swerving down the road behind them, windows rolling down and a gun pointing out.

"Get down!" Neji pushed her into an alleyway and covered her body with his, holding onto her tightly. Hinata hid into his shirt as shots rang in the air, people began shouting and yelling profanities before driving off, leaving a trail of smoke in their wake.

The two Hyuugas waited for what felt like an eternity. The silence of the night settled over the street once more and for a moment, time was still. Neji slowly stood, looking around with his sharp eyes for anything threatening. Hinata followed, shaking and tearful as she peered over his shoulder into the street. He poked his head from the alley and looked both ways down the road before grabbing Hinata to usher her home as quickly as possible.

A sudden groan startled both of them, causing them to jump and whip around, ready to defend. The man from before was slumped over and bleeding, groaning in pain as he attempted to stand. Hinata felt her heart go out to him in that moment, and against her better instincts, she ran over to help, slipping out from Neji's grasp.

"Hinata!" He hissed after her, but she paid him no mind, looking over the man instead. She sucked her teeth as she examined him, pulling at his shirt and finding at least two holes in his body. He was likely to die from the cold or the blood loss, a fact that was breaking Hinata's heart. "We have to help him!" She nearly cried, turning to her cousin.

Neji's frown contorted into a scowl, "It's none of our business, Hinata," He hissed, "We need to get going before they come back."

"Neji, please! I can't leave him here in the cold! He'll die!"

"That is not our fault, Hinata, we need to go now!"

Hinata struggled against his pulling hands and planted her feet, "Neji!" She slightly raised her voice but it was enough to make the young man stop to look at her.

Her brows were scrunched together and her lip trembled in their pout. His mind flashed back to Hinata panicked over a baby bird who fell from its nest. He remembered her crying that it would die, that it had no one just like them. He gave in and helped her nurse it back to health. She looked exactly the same as she did then, with eyes full of tears and begging to help.

Neji turned away and sighed in frustration, "He leaves as soon as he's able to walk." He instructed her, "You're not to do this again Hinata, it's too dangerous." Hinata smiled gratefully, hefting the man's arm over her shoulder and lifting him. He loudly groaned and cursed under his breath, struggling to breathe and walk with Hinata supporting him.

Neji rolled his eyes and took the stranger from her, practically dragging him away to their apartment before whoever fired those shots decided to come back to finish the job. The walk was short but the trio was out of breath as they made it to the top floor of the complex.

It was rundown and small, but it was a roof over their heads and walls to keep the chill out. The electricity was often unreliable and the pipework was close to awful. Most of the furniture was old and dusty and their carpet was dark from the years of wear they had suffered. No one could deny, though, that despite the thin walls, horrible neighborhood, and poor condition the apartment was in, it was comforting, and Neji would swear that it was Hinata's doing.

The woman quickly opened the door and watched as Neji hefted the injured man into a chair, curling his lips in disgust as he wiped foreign blood from his face and hands.

She rushed to her room, gathering her first aid kit and any supplies she managed to sneak from the hospital for situations like this. She never imagined she would have to use anything, but she figured it would be good to have. She thanked whatever god was watching over her that she thought to do so in the first place.

Neji had taken off his jacket, tossing it into a tub of cold water to wash the stains out. He stood in the kitchen and watched closely as Hinata got to work, slipping on her gloves.

She checked the man's heart beat and lungs, listening for a puncture or abnormalities. Other than the slow speed, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She put on her gloves and shoved a few tylenol into his mouth, tilting a cup of water to his lips for him to drink, which he did greedily.

He seemed to wake up a bit more and under the dim lighting Hinata was able to see his face better. He was quite good looking. Three whisker marks were tattooed onto each of his cheeks and stood out starkly against his tanned skin. His sunny blonde hair was stained red with blood and hanging over his face. He was certainly fit; Hinata could feel the muscles under her fingertips as she cut off his shirt to remove the bullets.

"What?" He muttered, "What's going on? Where am I?"

She gave him more water for his scratchy throat, "I'm sorry," She said as he drank, "I know this is less than ideal, but I saw what happened and I had to help you. You've been shot." Her eyes roamed his person and noticed that it had been three times; once in the shoulder, the next in the ribs and the last in his thigh. Luckily, none of them had been fatal or seriously wounding. He would be fine.

A dark, pained chuckle sounded in the room, "That wouldn't be the first time."

Neji was right behind Hinata now, his hand on her shoulder protectively. She took a deep breath and forced herself to be brave. He needed help.

"I brought you to my home so that I may help you. I have to get these bullets out of you before…" She didn't bother to finish and the man seemed to understand.

He nodded his consent and leaned back in the chair, "Just get it over with." He growled out, closing his eyes.

Hinata bit her lip as she raised the pliers in preparation, "I'm really sorry." She said before shoving them into his skin to dig the metal from his body. The man grunted and squirmed but otherwise made no indication of pain. She felt her heart twist as she pulled the first one out and again as she pulled the other two.

"If you can," She gently called out to Neji, "I need a bowl of hot water and a washcloth please." He hesitated, not wanting to leave Hinata alone with this stranger, but he did as he was asked, glaring at the man before he left.

It was quiet for the moment as Hinata cleaned up and prepared her sutures. The stranger was looking around, his shaded eyes taking in everything for the time being. He looked at Hinata then, who was too occupied with her task to notice. He studied her, remembering everything he could. He noticed the color of her eyes and almost smiled. They were really pretty, like pearls.

He licked his lips and grinned at her, "My name is Naruto," He said suddenly, causing her to jump in surprise.

Hinata looked at the young man who smiled at her encouragingly, and she blushed slightly when she noticed that his eyes, the deepest blue she had ever seen, were fixated so intently on her. She smiled back at him, "Hello, Naruto." She greeted, "It's nice to meet you."

Hinata knew better than to give him her name, and she could tell he knew from the smirk he was giving her now. "Is this going to take long?" He asked, "I need to get going. My fiance is going to kill me if I'm not home by morning."

Hinata giggled to herself, "I'll try to have you fixed up by then," She said, "But I can't make any promises, though you seem to be doing better. Once we get your wounds closed, we can get you going."

"Thanks a lot," He sighed in relief, "You're an angel. How can I repay you?"

Hinata hesitated and shook her head, "That won't be necessary," She replied, "I don't need to be repaid."

Naruto leaned forward and grinned, "Of course you do!" He insisted, "You dragged me out of the snow just to patch me up and you're being really nice to me. I have to pay you back!"

"If you want to pay her back then you can leave as soon as you're able and never return." Neji came around the corner with a steaming bowl and washcloth as requested, scowling at Naruto who grinned back unafraid.

"I mean actually paying her back," The blonde teased, "She deserves something at least."

Hinata shook her head, "Please, Naruto," She smiled nervously as she wet the rag and dabbed at the blood on the man's skin, "If you really want to pay me back, just do as he says. We don't want any trouble."

Naruto seemed to deflate slightly and he leaned back in his seat, "Fine." He pouted, "If you say so." But despite his easy resignation, Hinata couldn't help feeling uneasy at the mischievous glint in his eyes.

After a few small stitches and some bandaging, Naruto was finally good to go. "Hey, thanks again for helping me." He smiled happily, "No one outside of my family has ever treated me so well. I wish there was more I could do to thank you."

Hinata waved him off, "No, please, there's no need. I'm happy to help. You may want to go to an actual hospital soon, they'll help you out more than I can."

Naruto shrugged with his good shoulder as he struggled on his thick coat, "No, that's ok." He muttered, "I don't really like hospitals; they give me medicine that makes me feel weird. I think I'll be fine. I really have to get going though, or else my fiance will worry." He limped towards the door and opened it.

A sudden chill cut through the room, but it was different than the winter air breezing into the warm apartment. Naruto slowly turned around and glanced over his shoulder at Hinata and Neji, who nearly clung to each other as they stared back bravely. Naruto's mouth twisted into a mischievous, deadly grin and his eyes darkened into something different. Hinata thought it was the lighting, despite her instincts telling her otherwise, but his cheerful blue eyes looked red as blood.

"Thanks again." Naruto said, "I'll see you around." And suddenly the chill was gone and the door was shut.

Neji cursed under his breath and ran to lock the door, leaving a shaken Hinata behind to stare after him.

"I told you, Hinata," Neji began, "I told you we should mind our own business! Now there is this psycho who knows where we live. He could bring his friends back and do God knows what. How am I supposed to protect you? We have no place to go and-"

"-Neji," Her voice was firm, despite the soft tremble. Neji looked up to see Hinata's calm and strong determination. Despite his growing worry, Neji couldn't help feel at ease at the serene expression, as if she flipped a switch in him. He waited as she gathered her resolve, speaking softly but steadily, "Everything will be ok. Trust me."

Neji knew better than to question her. Hinata somehow always knew when things would work out or fail. She was always strong in her beliefs and this time was no different; He knew that everything would be okay.

Neji sighed tiredly and nodded, "Fine." He grumbled, earning a soft smile in return.

Hinata then walked to the kitchen and turned on the burner, preparing some rice for the leftover chicken in the fridge. Neji knew to go to the bathroom to wash up before their midnight snack and to dry his now-clean jacket.

Hinata waited until Neji sat and took the first bite before starting her own meal. The silence was comfortable and even a bit scared, but Neji trusted Hinata and Hinata trusted him in return.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, listening to the disgruntled mutters of his fiance as she unwrapped his wounds. He smiled fondly down at her, resisting the urge to push her messy hair out of her face. Such an affectionate action on a grumpy, sleepy Sakura would not be appreciated.

"What the fuck did you do?" She growled out, as she finished unwrapping his leg.

She was pleasantly, though worriedly surprised to see the bullet hole stitched up instead of cauterized like the other wounds he had received. She quickly unwrapped his shoulder and torso to find the same thing. Sakura had never seen this before. Her green eyes glanced up to Naruto's knowing smile.

"What the fuck did you do?" She asked again, standing up straight and crossing her arms, glaring down at him with a stern, yet curious expression.

Naruto grinned wider, "I got help." He said vaguely. He wanted to see that cute vein pop up on her large forehead as she reined in her temper.

Sakura took a breath and gripped Naruto's shoulder, pressing her thumb against the wound. Naruto squealed out as she added pressure, "Who the fuck stitched you up, Naruto?" She asked, "I know you didn't go to a hospital, so who was it?"

The injured man squirmed in his chair, "It was this girl!" He yelled out, "She has white eyes and blue hair! She saw me get shot and her brother or something pulled me into their place and she got me fixed up! Please let go!"

Sakura smirked and released him.

"What's her name?"

The pinkette jumped at the sudden question, turning around to meet a pair of seafoam green eyes in the doorway, staring them down. She nervously turned to Naruto who smiled at his friend lingering in the shadows, "Hey Gaara," He greeted happily, "I'm sorry for waking you up."

Gaara ignored the welcome and moved closer. Sakura hastily moved out of the way and hid behind her boyfriend.

"You said she had white eyes, right?" Gaara said. Naruto nodded, noting the seriousness of this sudden questioning. Gaara stared at his best friend, who stared back knowingly, "I don't know her name, man. I told her I wouldn't give her trouble."

Gaara's eyes glinted gold for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips, "It's not trouble if we're saying thank you, now is it?" He asked in return.

Naruto knew he wasn't winning the battle, and so he sighed and grinned back, "I guess not." He conceded.

The red head turned suddenly, "Good." He chuckled, "I want you to take Kiba and Shino for reconnaissance tomorrow. Be sure to stop by where you met these mystery siblings and have Kiba and Shino watch over them. We need them before anyone else figures out they exist in this city. Is that understood?"

Naruto nodded, eyes glinting red, "Consider it done. Let's go to bed, Sakura, I'm beat."

He stood and grabbed his fiance's hand, leading her to their shared bedroom for rest. She glanced back at Gaara and watched as he walked back to the direction of his office.

Gaara sat at his desk, writing up plans and looking over the map of the city. The shooting of Naruto was definitely planned and the discovery of the Hyugas was a surprise. Despite this, he was pleased.

If he got his hands on a Hyuga, there was no telling what he could do to protect his gang and gain control of the city. He would be sure to pay her a visit personally, and thank her for helping his partner in crime.

A slow grin painted his face as Gaara leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. This is going to get interesting.