Chapter 5: Broken ties to old loves

"You dare challenge us?" the elder Hyuga roared.

Koharu smiled and waved a hand.

" nonsense you old fools. All. im saying is that Hinata is my protégé and the war is not far from us. She could learn a lot more if she were under my roof!"

"And what if something happens!?" another elder shouted.

Koharu rolled her eyes. She was currently sitting in front of the Hyuga elders arguing with them about why Hinata should live with her. Koharu had to give Itachi his props, he was a smart man. With Hinata living with her, she could make sure nothing went wrong in her pregnancy and train her to be a better medic than tsunade.

"Quiet!" was Hiashi Hyuga's stern voice.

" Lady koharu. Do you think Hinata living with you is necessary?"

" I do lord Hiashi. This will benefit all of us. There has never been a hyuga medic in all of kohona's history. For Hinata to be the first, it would make the Hyuga shine. She will be able to see chakra networks and issues on the inside of the body versus having to do a lot of research. She could make your name great. Despite what you may think about me, I know how your clan sees your firstborn. you see her as kind and you see kindness as weaknesses but allow her to make her place in the world using that kindness as a strength."

Hiashi sighed. The murmurs of the elders trying to sway his mind. He put a hand up for silence.

" very well lady koharu. Hinata may go to live with you until the war. However, a guard will be checking in on her often."

" very well." Lady koharu agreed.

…..

"Well, your plan worked," Koharu stated as she and Itachi walked down the Uchiha district. To her surprise, most of the rubble was gone. In its place stood simple empty houses and shops.

" I thought you were going to wait to restore the district?"

" I was but Hinata got to me. I convinced some old friends of mine to help rebuild. "

"And you've managed to keep the anbu away?"

Itachi smiled.

" I used to be an anbu remember? I know all of their tricks. Besides, there is a shield that stops people from seeing in here that I put up. It will break when I die. I expect you to help Hinata in any way possible. "

" You know you make all this talk about death but itachi I must ask you really want to die?"

Itachi stopped and looked up at the sky.

" I owe Sasuke that much."

Koharu sighed.

" you were too young to carry that burden"

Itachi shook his head.

" it had to be done. they would have destroyed everything."

…...

"Shino! Behind you" Hinata warned.

Just in time, Shino was able to apprehend the enemy.

Her team had been sent on a simple delivery mission but along the way, they had been intercepted by some bandits.

"Thank you, Hinata," Shino told her as he held the enemy down.

"Let's tie these guys up and keep going." Kiba urged as he restrained another bandit.

Before Hinata could say anything, she felt someone behind her, she turned and struck them before they could ambush her.

"Woah. Nice hit Hinata." Kiba complimented.

Hinata felt tears come to her eyes, as she knocked out her enemy.

"uh oh.. what's up with the tears Hinata?"

Hinata wiped her eyes and shook her head.

"n-nothing Kiba. Im okay."

Stupid hormones, Hinata thought. You have to focus Hinata, don't get distracted.

Once their enemy was down, the group continued to the port where they were to drop off supplies.

"ahoy! You must be the Kohona convoy! We've been expecting you!" A crew member called out.

"yeah im sure you have been!" kiba grumbled.

As they loaded the supplies, Hinata was bent over putting a small box down when the nausea hit her.

She ran over to the edge of the ship and expelled her breakfast and lunch.

"yo, Hinata! You ok?!" kiba shouted.

Hinata couldn't do anything but puke again. plus she had to pee.

As soon as she was done, she stood up.

"excuse me, sir? Do you have a restroom I could use?" she asked a passing crew member.

The man blushed and mumbled his words but ultimately pointed her towards the bathroom. She was quick to do her business and rinse her mouth. She also put some mint leaves in her mouth that lady Koharu had given her.

When she came out of the bathroom, she froze in her tracks. Because their talking to Kiba and Shino was Naruto.

Oh no… oh no… I wasn't ready for this. I mean I knew there was a chance he'd be here but I was hoping we would be able to deliver everything and then leave!

Hinata sighed.

She would have to face him. She couldn't wait forever.

"hey, Hinata! Look who it is!" kiba smiled waving her over.

Here goes nothing.

" Naruto kun… hello." She greeted

"Hinata!" he practically screamed. " hey! How are you!"

Hinata smiled at his excitement.

"I am well Naruto Kun. How are you?"

" not ready for this boat that's for sure!" he laughed. "I'm going to be eating fish for a while!"

Hinata laughed with him and blushed when he stopped to stare at her.

"you know I never realized how pretty you are Hinata. Hey, can I ask you a question?"

Hinata's blush became deeper.

"of course."

Naruto guided her to the other side of the boat and turned to face her, a serious look on his face.

" Hinata… did you mean it ..back then with pain. When you said you loved me."

Hinata swallowed hard.

No. not now. Please not now. The one thing I've always wanted to hear him say and he has to ask me now.

"yes. I did Naruto. I do love you. you're an amazing person and from the first day I met you. I had always wanted to stand by your side. To fight beside you. to protect you like you have protected myself and our comrades. Your smile saved me when I was at my lowest. I will always be grateful for that."

Naruto blushed and turned away… a confused look on his face.

"hinata… I think you're amazing! And I am so glad you love me. to know that you are supporting me but to be honest… I have no clue what to say. or how to respond. I've never done this. The one girl I thought I loved never loved me the way I wanted her to. My only focus has only been being the Hokage and protecting my friends -"

"then you should keep that your focus naruto kun!" Hinata told him. She couldn't do this. She didn't want to lead him on or make him think that there could be hope for them in the future. She was the uchiah matriarch and that was her future.

Tears sprung in Hinata's eyes as she thought about her future. A future that could have been.

A future that she signed away when she married Itachi. When she became pregnant. Carrying her own future.

Hinata wiped her tears and put a hand on her stomach.

"hey. Hey Hinata. Oh no.. please don't cry! I-I don't want to hurt your feelings!-"

"no. no naruto kun. You didn't hurt my feelings. I just- my future has changed. I once thought my future was with you… beside you. but now my future with you has been sealed. My future with you is to be your friend, and comrade and to serve you when you become hokage. I will smile when your dream comes true."

Another sob tore through her.

To her surprise, Naruto pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, hey Hinata. Everything going to be ok. maybe we can … maybe we can try … after the war… i-"

"no. naruto. ..that is not possible. Im not crying because of us. im crying because things have changed and we are going to war and you have more important things to focus on than me and my trivial tears."

"your tears are not trivial! Cheer up Hinata! Everything will be ok!"

Hinata laughed.

"look at you encouraging me when you're going to be stuck on this boat for a while!"

The twosome laughed and turned when they heard Kiba calling them.

"give us a few more minutes!" naruto shouted back. " Hinata… maybe after the war…when things have settled. We can try. Take a chance you know. Probably won't be the best boyfriend.. but…-"

Hinat cut him off.

"im sorry naruto. We will have to just be friends. I want to tell you the truth… I think you deserve the truth… but after this, I want you to focus on this war. I want to help support you! the whole village does! We will fight as comrades."

…

Naruto stared up at the moon as the boat rocked against the waves.

Hinata was his friend and Sasuke was his brother.

He needed to make sure Sasuke returned to Kohona. He had to, for Hinata's sake. And if he didn't Naruto would beat him.

He made some quick hand signs and summoned a smaller toad.

"hey… I have a mission for you."

With that done, he went to his bedroom and collapsed onto his bed.

"We are going to win this war." He declared. " even if it kills me."

…..

"How was your mission?" Itachi asked as he sat the bowl full of food in front of her.

"simple," Hinata said quietly.

"is something wrong? You have black circles under your eyes again. Are you sleeping well?"

"I didn't sleep well on the mission. The baby kept me up through the night. I had to use the bathroom often and anything I ate kept coming up. This is typical in pregnancy."

"mmm. Anything else happens?" Itachi asked as he sat down. This time reaching out to touch her hand, and then gently tugging on a strand of her hand.

Hinata looked down at her rice saying " I ran into Naruto Kun… "

"ahh… how did it go…?"

"akward… I cried a lot and then he asked me if I meant what I said when Pein attacked our village. If I meant that I loved him. I told him I did and he told me that he didn't know what to say. so I told him he didn't have to say anything. He could go on and live his life. However, he asked me if we could try to date after the war when things calmed down and I…I told him no and… I told him why. I couldn't leave him thinking that he wasn't enough… I didn't love him but… things changed. And I felt so guilty. Here I am married to you and having our child and here I am crying for another man. Tachi, I am so sorry."

And of course, Hinata was sobbing once again.

Itachi reached over and wiped her tears.

"Hinata you have nothing to apologize for. We both knew that this sacrifice was going to come at a cost. If anything it is I that should be apologizing. You are only 16 and yet here you are with a whole clan on your shoulders. I couldn't ask for a better wife. Besides, i…understand your pain… i…I had a love once… her name was Izumi and …and I killed her."

"tell me about her." Hinata encouraged.

Itachi closed his eyes. his memories going back to the infinite genjutsu he had made just for her.

" I showed her the life we could have had.." he began a small smile on his face.