The sterile hospital room is dimly lit, with morning sunlight barely filtering through the curtains. Everything felt hazy but the soft sounds of machines beeping caused long blonde lashes to switch and hazy blue eyes to be revealed. Everything came back to her memories of the kidnapping, the explosion, and Hinata then Haku...

Confusion and worry are etched across her face. She scans her surroundings, trying to piece together the events leading up to her current situation.

Naruto's heart races as she struggles to remember the details of the explosion that rocked her world. She clutches her chest, feeling guilt and concern weighing her down. Naruto tries to get up but can't breathe and comes in quick, shallow gasps.

"Naru my baby! You're finally awake" Without warning she felt arms wrapped around her but the urge she felt sent chills down her spine as she pushed her mother away. She fell onto the ground in fear as her body shook.

Kushina and Minato held Naruto as she rocked her and kissed her blonde hair lightly. "Naruto sweetie it's okay, Mommy and Papa are here everything is alright.".

"Kushina, please give her some room" Tsunade Senju, her grandmother comes to her aid as she helps Naruto get up. Despite being a dominating woman, she was an omega. For some reason, Naruto felt safe as she was held by her grandmother.

Naruto tried to speak but Tsunade stopped her. "Don't worry, you won't be able to talk, your lungs are injured." Naruto nods as she grabs Tsunade's hands and writes the letter H. Tsunade looks at Naruto with gentle concern, understanding the turmoil inside her.

"Naruto, you need to calm down. Your friend Haku... he sacrificed himself to protect you. "The explosion was caused by an enemy attack, but it's all under control now".

Naruto's eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat. Her hands tremble as she steadies herself against her parents.

Swallowing she felt her throat burn as the roughness could be heard as she spoke in steady breaths. "But... is Haku... Is he okay? Is he alive?"

Tsunade's expression softens, realizing Naruto's emotional turmoil.

"I'm sorry, Naruto... Haku... he didn't make it."

Naruto's world shatters instantly. Tears well up in her eyes, and her body shakes uncontrollably. She sinks to the floor, hyperventilating. Tsunade rushes to her side, holding her tightly, comforting her.

The other omega held the blonde as she whispered in her ear "Shh It's okay to grieve, Naruto. He was a true friend to you, and he won't be forgotten. Take your time processing everything.

Naruto shakes her head as she grabs Tsunade's hands on her own. Naruto's sobs echo through the hallway, her pain and anguish pouring out like a torrential storm. Tsunade and her parents remain by her side, offering solace in her despair.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that Naruto breathed heavily. Her tear-stained cheeks were red as she closed her eyes letting more tears fall as the name Haku left her lips she fell asleep letting out soft snores.

Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating Naruto's peaceful room. Naruto slowly opens her eyes, groggily waking up from deep sleep. As she sits up in bed, she rubs her eyes and glances around, feeling uneasy.

Naruto's memories flood her mind, transporting her back to danger. She is trapped in a dimly lit room, panic evident on her face. The sound of an explosion fills the air, and debris is scattered around her.

Naruto's heart races as she remembers the intense fear she experienced. Clutching her chest, she tries to calm her racing heartbeat, her mind still caught up in vivid memories.

Within the chaos, Naruto's eyes focus on Hinata, her crush, rushing towards her with determination in her eyes. Hinata's voice echoes in Naruto's mind, filled with unwavering resolve.

"Naruto, hold on! Everything will be okay! But we keep going."

Hinata lunges forward, shielding Naruto from the explosion's impact. The blast engulfs them, but Naruto feels warmth and protection from Hinata's heroic act.

Naruto's eyes well up as she remembers Hinata's selfless bravery. The emotions overwhelm her, a mix of gratitude, admiration, and affection.

Naruto took a deep breath, inspired and determined. She realized that Hinata's actions had ignited something within her. She needed to find out how he knew where they were.

Naruto had just been released from the hospital a few days ago. She was allowed to talk but the bruises on her skin were still very visible. She wasn't allowed any visitors until she was more stable. Her grandmother requested it. Naruto was grateful because the only person she felt like seeing was Tsunade.

Although Naruto had so many questions about what happened and why it happened the day she was allowed to speak, her parents, Minato and Kushina, sat facing her with serious expressions.

"What's going on, Mom? Dad? You both look serious."

Minato looked at his daughter as he took a deep breath. "Naruto, there's something critical we need to tell you about. It's about our family's history."

Naruto leans forward, her eyes widening with anticipation.

Naruto was intrigued. Was this the day her parents told her about their secret past? "What do you mean? What kind of history?"

"Naruto, your father, and I... we come from a different world. We are members of a powerful organization involved in criminal activities. We are mafia crime lords."

Naruto's eyes widen in shock, disbelief, and confusion wash over her face. She struggles to process the information.

Naruto knew there was something, but she couldn't help but be shocked as she stuttered "Wait, what? You're.. a crime... lord?"

Minato nodded and looked serious. "Yes, Naruto. It's true. But we decided that life was too dangerous for you when you were born. We wanted to give you a normal, safe upbringing."

Naruto's mind races, memories of her childhood flashing before her. She thinks about her best friend, Haku, and their close bond.

Naruto looked at her parents and 'Yet you decided to hide it from me. If I had known, maybe Haku... Are you saying his parents were part of this too? Is that why we were attacked?"

"Yes, Naruto. Haku's parents were once our closest allies in the organization. They were deeply involved, just like we were.

Tears well up in Naruto's eyes, and she clutches her chest, feeling betrayal, fear, and sadness.

"I can't believe this... How... how could you keep this from me for all these years?"

Minato's eyes softened as he whispered while raising his hand to push back a hair strand. "Naruto, we want to protect you. We didn't want you to be burdened by our past or live in fear. We thought that by keeping it a secret, we could give you a chance at a normal life."

Naruto absorbs her parents' explanation. She looks at them, her expression shifting from anger to understanding.

Naruto looked away from her parents, crossing her arms in the process. "I appreciate your efforts to protect me, but secrets come out. I want the truth from now on. You can't expect me to pretend this is all okay. I need to know what happened to Haku.

Her parents exchanged surprised glances, seeing strength in their daughter's eyes.

"Naruto, we love you. We never wanted this life for you. If you're willing to stand by us, we'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

Naruto takes a deep breath, wiping away her tears, her determination strengthening.

"Then let's start by making things right together. No more secrets, no more hiding. We'll face the truth head-on, and we'll find a way to make amends, not just for ourselves but for Haku's family too."

Naruto stands up, her resolve shining through. Her parents, though still filled with remorse, find solace in their daughter's unwavering support.

Minato and Kushina explain that Haku's family had been targeted by the Taketori because they wanted to take down Haku's family for money and a higher ranking on the mafia pyramid and that nobody from the Kushina clan didn't survive.

Not even Haku's parents survived.

~~~

Knock, Knock, Knock

Naruto whispered a soft "come in" as she turned her head towards the window as her body wrapped in a cocoon of blankets and pillows.

"Hey Brat, how are you feeling?" Turning her head, Naruto sat up as soup was placed by her bedside table with a glass of water.

"Better..." she said softly as she took sips of her water, Tsunade looked at her granddaughter, her hazelnut eyes filled with concern.

"Your friends are asking about you, especially that Uchiha kid and his family seem to be the ones to visit the most" Naruto nodded feeling guilty as she thought back to her birthday she was so rude to Sasuke and his family.

"There's someone else who was asking about you, I would like to know how?" suddenly Naruto's heart stop at the site of the phone Hinata gave her she went to grab it as the phone turned on with the site of her and Haku together immediately she started balling as she held the phone.

Tsunade's eyes soften as she wipes Naruto's eyes. She hugged the blonde very close. Turning around towards her grandmother she gripped her hands, her light blue eyes wide, her heart beating so fast that she felt dizzy.

"Baa-chan, I need you to take me to Hinata's house. He was the one who saved me! I don't know how he knew we were there but I need to talk to him please!"

"Okay I will, I just need you to calm down first I'll let your parents know" Tsunade was about to get up but Naruto shook her head as she grasped the other blonde's hand.

"No! He was the alpha I was with the day on my birthday, they're going to make me take another exam!" Naruto said in a panic voice as he felt her body start to tremble at the thought, which made the older blonde narrow her eyes in anger.

Tsunade calmed herself before grasping Naruto's small hands into her own hazelnut eyes to determine "Naru I won't ever let that happen again do you hear me? Your parents should have never made you go through that"

Naruto nodded as she pressed her forehead towards Tsunade's shoulder as she whispered words that caused Tsunade's heart to break.

"You promise?"

"Of course, this will just be between us, your parents won't find out" Naruto smiled as leaned up to press a kiss against her grandmother's cheek, Tsunade smiled as she helped Naruto up.

"Go take a shower and I'll go convince your parents to let you out" Naruto nodded as she went to take a shower. As the bathroom door closed Tsunade's smile fell as she messaged her temple. She looked at the phone that was on the bed and the recorder in hand.

"I'm sorry son but I can't let you do this' ' crushing the tape Tsunade replaced it with a new one. She walked out of the room to go into the living room where Men in uniform were standing with Uchiha crests on their backs alongside her son and his bright-haired wife.

"So what did she say? Anything about the phone?" shaking her head, Tsunade gave the tape recorder to the policemen.

"No, just that Haku gave it to her on her birthday, she was still looking gloomy so I told her I would take her out of the house maybe some fresh air will make her feel better"

Kushina and Mikoto both brighten as one clapped her hands together as the other smiled brightly.

"What a great idea, oh we could take my Naru-chan baby to the mall," Mikoto said with a smile while Kushina nodded.

"Yes and then we could go shopping, oh it's going to be a great day" Kushina continued as she linked her arm with Mikoto before they could continue Fugaku opened the window revealing the rain and the dark skies.

"In the rain?" The two women made a face that symbolized each other then they looked at Tsunade who raised an eyebrow.

"Naruto loves this type of weather, it's written all over her face every time it rains besides that Naruto is still pretty upset with you two. I think she would prefer it if it was just us" This seems to make Minato and Kushina look even more guilty.

"Ready to go?" a quiet voice said before everyone turned sharply to Naruto, who was standing just inside the doorway, her hair down and adorned with a black eye and dark blue and purple markings around her neck and her face.

Naruto saw the looks that everyone was giving her and pulled up her pastel pink turtleneck sweater that belonged to Haku. The baggy gray joggers are going to keep her warm from the weather along her shoes.

"Hey, sweetie feeling better?" When Kushina went to remove some hair from Naruto's face, she was pushed away by the blonde.

"It hurts when you do that" Kushina gulp then nodded with a tight smile as she stood back, it seemed like Tsunade was right about her little girl being mad..but she'll get over it.

"Naruto the police have to get your statement once you're back with Mother" Minato said but the dazed look that was over his cloudy blue eyes spoke more words. Naruto nodded as she rubbed her wrist a sign that she was having a flashback

"Okay," Clearing their throat the policemen stepped forward. Causing Naruto to look up at them taking her attention away.

"It won't be long just enough time for the press to see that you were the witness and then they can stop bothering you" Naruto nodded but one thing went through her mind she looked them over before looking towards her godparents.

"You're all a part of it too right?"

Naruto's voice trembled as she confronted her godparents. A mixture of shock and confusion filled the room, as her friends' parents exchanged uneasy glances. The weight of the revelation hung heavily in the air.

Her godfather, Fagaku Uchiha, hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Yes, Naruto, we are part of the mafia," he admitted, his voice laced with no emotion.

Naruto's godmother, Mikoto Uchiha, joined in, her tone somber. "We never wanted you to get involved in this dangerous world, but fate had other plans," she confessed, her eyes filled with sorrow. "We tried to shield you from the truth, but now it's time for you to know."

Naruto's mind raced, trying to process the magnitude of the situation. Suddenly, everything made sense – the secretive conversations, the late-night meetings, the unexplained absences. Her godparents, along with her friend's parents, had been leading double lives, fighting against the forces of darkness as part of the mafia.

"So you all hid it from me" she choked out, her voice quivering with a mix of hurt and understanding.

The sound of the hard falling rain against her shoulders was all Naruto heard as her father and Fugaku tried to intervene. During this time Tsunade was dragged outside into the rain by Naruto as she struggled with the keys.

"Mom! Please bring her back safe" Tsunade waved her hand and nodded as she opened her side as Naruto sat in her passer seat.

As they drove off gave Naruto a sideways glance as Naruto faced the window, her blonde hair wet from the rain soaking into the car seat.

"Naru you can't blame them for hiding this from you, your parents just wanted to protect you from the dangers" she heard the blonde scoff but her trembling had stopped.

"Where are they going to hide this from me till they force me to get married? As they did with Haku!" she started to laugh in a mocking tone as she gripped the end of her pants.

"And you know what's funny the only reason I sort of knew they were a part of something dangerous was because of Hinata! He knew and decided to tell me because he was worried for my safety"

"Naru..." Tsunade voice faded into the background as Naruto looked out the window Haku's words repeating in her mind

"I just need to tell you that...I have feelings for you. More than just friendship, I mean."

Taking a deep breath, Naruto instructed Tsunade to take her to a cafe while Naruto grabbed the phone and texted Hinata the location without responding.

~~~

Surrounded by a delightful assortment of cakes and cookies, the air is filled with the sweet aroma of freshly brewed tea and rich coffee. Naruto sips her beverage occasionally, enjoying a delectable treat. Her eyes darted towards the entrance, anticipation gleaming in her gaze. The ambiance is serene, with soft music playing in the background, creating a tranquil atmosphere for her to pass the time.

Her cheeks warmed up against the warm air as her heart sped up ten times as much. This was when the soft bell rang throughout the cafe, signaling someone had entered. Naruto looked up and saw Hinata with his jacket wet from the rain and his breath was ragged.

He was greeted by one of the servers. He nodded as he walked towards Naruto and in a rush hugged her close as he pressed a kiss against her forehead. Naruto breathed in his scent hugging him closer.

"Thank Kami you're okay" he whispered as he let go. They sat on the ground and Naruto couldn't take her eyes off his bandaged face. She laughed as she rubbed his cheek.

"You look like you're in a gang or something dumb" Hinata's eyes softened as he reached out for her hand as pressed his lips to her warm palm. His eyes warmed seeing her as he pressed soft kisses against her bruises and cuts. The blonde swooned. It was just like in her romance books but at this moment it wasn't the time.

The cafe suddenly felt dimly lit, casting long shadows on the tense atmosphere.

Naruto leaned away as she pressed her glasses onto the table, her reddened eyes showing anger.

"How did you know where we were? How could you let Haku die?" Hinata, with sorrow and determination in his eyes, takes a deep breath before responding.

"Naruto, I did what I had to do. The situation was more complicated than you think," he said in a whisper. Naruto's eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling with anger.

"Complicated? You expect me to believe that? Haku was innocent!"

Hinata leans forward, his voice growing more intense and desperate.

"I know. And I understand why you're angry. But please let me explain. It wasn't just about you and Haku."

Naruto hesitates. Curiosity begins to override her anger. She leans in, signaling Hinata to continue.

"There's a broader plot at play here. A rival mafia family infiltrated ours, planning to eliminate both your family and mine. They saw the potential in you, Naruto, and wanted to use you against us."

Naruto's eyes widen in disbelief, but she senses the truth in Hinata's words.

"Are you saying I was targeted? That Haku was just collateral damage?" Naruto whispered.

Hinata's face is pained as he nods sadly.

"Hai... Naruto. They knew your friendship with Haku would make you vulnerable. To protect you, I had to choose. Betray my family, deceive them, to keep you safe."

The Taketori clan has close ties to my family due to our distance. I didn't know when the attack would occur until I got home. I tried to call you but you didn't answer.

Due to our distance, my family has close ties to the Taketori clan. I didn't know when the hit would happen until I got home. I tried calling but you didn't answer then it happened to Naruto. His anger wanes, replaced by confusion and gratitude.

"But why? Why bother to go to such lengths for me?" Hinata reaches across the table and gently grasps Naruto's trembling hands.

"I care about you, Naruto. More than anything, I couldn't bear to see harm come to you. I knew the consequences of my actions, and I accepted them."

Tears stream down Naruto's cheeks as she realizes Hinata's sacrifice. She squeezes his hand, warmth filling her heart.

"Thank you, Hinata. I never knew. I'm sorry for doubting you. However, please do not take any further risks for me. I don't want something to happen to you...I can't lose you too" Hinata's eyes soften, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"It's alright, Naruto. And you won't lose me because nothing will happen to me. After all, you don't know anything that happened that night...I can't lose you either." Naruto nods. She gets up to sit beside the Alpha and lays her head against his shoulder feeling the warmth spread thin.

"I'm sorry that things have to be this way, Hinata it's all my fault...Haku oh god Sawyer he must be devastated" Hinata hugged her close, stopping her from talking as he released his phenomena to calm her down as she hiccupped.

"Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault...Naruto you don't deserve this life or the tragedy that comes with it. You lost someone precious to you because of this whole family flued. It's not fair" Naruto started to breathe heavily as she clenched her shirt as tears flowed freely.

"You don't either, Hinata, I don't know how this will change you. You have such a kind soul that it hurts to see you becoming like this just to please your dad" she said with a teary look that made the raven overlook the dad part.

"We could run." He whispered, her light blue eyes meeting his lavender ones as she turned to look up at him.

"We could tell no one, but how would we do it?" Hinata chuckled as he pulled her close, his cheeks red.

"You're just ready to run away from me, aren't you?" Naruto blushed but nodded in agreement. She turned to kiss his cheek.

But then Suddenly, the door of the café swings open, and a stern-looking blonde woman enters, her eyes scanning the room. Spotting Hinata and Naruto holding hands, a mixture of shock and concern spreads across her face. She marches toward their table, her steps heavy with disapproval.

"Naruto! Is this boy? Mind telling me who he is?"

Naruto's face flushes red, her heart pounding with fear. She looks at Hinata, her eyes silently looking at Hinata for an answer.

"Good afternoon, Miss Senju. My name is Hinata. I'm a friend of Naruto's...and, um, we...we kind of like each other.

Tsunade's stern expression softens as she takes a closer look at Hinata. Recognition dawns in her eyes.

"Hinata? As in Hinata hyuga? the heir to the Hyuga Corporation"

Hinata nods, relief washing over him. Naruto looks at her grandmother, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"Hai, Baa-chan! Hinata was the one who saved me when that accident happened. He's always been there for me, and I...I like him Baa-chan."

Tsunade's face transforms from worry to admiration. She places a hand on her chest, her eyes glistening with pride.

"Thank you for saving my granddaughter's life. But you two know the consequences, You have my blessing but I'm not sure your parents will"

Hinata nods with understanding " I know and that's why this is going to be our last time seeing each other just until everything blows off. Thank you so much, Tsunade sama. Your support means a lot"

Naruto stays quiet but ears fall anyway as she hugs Hinata once last time before kissing his cheek. "I'll see you later, don't worry I'll call you back this time" he nods with a smile before hugging her close.

Tsunade smiles, her heart swelling with joy as she watches the young couple embrace. The café around them seems to fade away once again, once the two let go Naruto leaves with Tsunade.

It wasn't until later that day Naruto learned that she had to go to Haku's funeral...