Chapter 6: Silent tears

Sakura ground her teeth in frustration. She and Lady Tsuande were standing in the tent of a high-ranking official. The man had become a generous donor to their war effort allowing them to spend more money than they had. Therefore, they had to play the politics game and cater to the older man even if he was a jerk.

So here they were running tests on the man and giving him certain medications but nothing was working.

A sigh escaped Lady Tsuande as her brow furrowed.

Well if Lady Tsuande is frustrated then the situation must be serious. I mean neither one of us can figure out what is wrong with this man. We have done every test that is available to us at the moment and all the results are inconclusive. Sakura thought

"Mr. Takahashi. At the moment all of your tests have come back as inconclusive. Allow me and my mentee to step out and look at your charts and we will be back with a solution. "

The man nodded and turned on his side ready to fall asleep.

Sakura followed Tsunade and made her way to the main tent where they kept some of the supplies and makeshift offices.

Tsuande sat down and pulled out Mr. Takahashi's file.

" he has all these symptoms and nothing is showing on our test. I believe the man is truly sick but with what I have no idea. And all the medications we have given him seem to fail. I believe we need to call in an extra set of eyes. I think they may see something we are not. Shizune!" Tsuande called out.

"wait who else can we call my lady? Ino is out on a mission at the moment and even then she can't do much. I think we should continue running tests."

Tsunade shook her head and then turned to Shizune as the latter made her way in. Shizune approached Lady Tsuande and then whispered in her ear.

Shizune nodded and made haste to follow her Hokage's instructions.

"Sakura." Lady tsunade called

Sakura turned her attention to her mentor.

"yes?"

"what happens next please don't be alarmed. This is in no way a reflection of your work. You are a capable medical ninja but at times we all need help. Understand."

"yes. but who is going to help us?"

"They here lady Tsuande," Shizune announced as she came back through the tent.

Sakura turned to see Hinata and Lady Koharu following Shizune. She wouldn't lie and say that surprise didn't hit her. What could they possibly need Hinata for? Lady Koharu could understand but why Hinata?

She studied the Hyuga as her peer gave her a shy smile. Her normal lavender jacket with pants was gone and instead, Hinata wore a dark blue Komon kimono with a simple red obi. The colors were odd on her as the Hyuga were normally seen wearing gray or white clothes.
"Hinata, lady Koharu thank you for coming. We need your help."

….

Koharu could only smile with pride as she watched Hinata assess the man with her byakugan and then give a diagnosis.

She even held back a laugh as Tsuande looked on at Hinata in surprise.

"you have a biliary obstruction, Mr. Takahashi. Which is why you have been vomiting and itching so much. We will switch you to the correct medications."

Hinata then sat up and turned to Tsuande and Sakura.

"but how? He doesn't have jaundice and his urine came out normal. Matter of fact all of his tests came out normal. So how could this possibly be jaundice?" Sakura asked in frustration.

Hinata turned to the patient and asked " Mr. Takahashi, you take three different supplements correct?"

"yes, I do."

Hinata nodded and turned back to Sakura and Tsunade.

"I believe the supplements he was taking are interfering with whatever is blocking his liver. Therefore we couldn't see any outside signs. I hope this helps."

With that said, Hinata bowed and proceeded to leave the tent. However, Tsunade stopped her.

" Hinata! Wait! We are going to need you. Tomorrow you and Sakura will do Surgery on Mr. Takahashi."

…..

"How do you feel my dear?" Koharu asked her protégé. The elder couldn't help but start to have maternal feelings toward the young girl. Koharu never had children of her own, oh she and Homura had their love affair of course. Off and on again in each other's arms but she never took on another lover and her womb remained empty. And yet here she was having this maternal feeling towards this young girl.

Was this because of the things she had done wrong in her life? Was this her way of making up for it all?

"scared. I don't … I don't want Sakura Chan to feel like I am trying to take her place or that she is being outshined. I don't want any unnecessary strain on us."

"I think you should talk to your pink-haired friend. Women tend to make unnecessary assumptions. She's probably thinking the same thing you are."

"you're probably right. Are you sure I can't carry that bag?" her protégé questioned as she eyed the bag full of groceries.

Koharu laughed and shook her head.

"oh no you don't young lady. You will not be carrying any heavy items, especially with the news we found out today. When do you plan to tell Itachi?"

Koharu studied Hinata closely as the girl blushed. The blush quickly disappeared and a worried look crossed her face.

"what is it Hinata?"

"I don't know if Tachi will be happy. I mean… it seems as if he gets worse every day. He coughs up blood a lot and he thinks I don't notice. I want him to live just a little longer lady Koharu. Long enough to see the Twins take their first breath.''

They found out early this month that Hinata and I tachi were expecting twins. Hinata was now in her second month of pregnancy and Itachi's sickness was getting worse. However, Koharu had a plan.

" Don't you worry about that? He is going to be happy knowing the Uchiha will expand by two. And regarding his sickness. I think I may have come up with something. don't you worry?"

When the duo arrived at Kaharu's home, a surprise guest was waiting on her doorstep.

"Brother Neji!" Hinata exclaimed jogging to her cousin. He had been on a three-week mission and she hadn't gotten to inform him that she was moving out.

"Imagine my surprise when I find out you're no longer at the compound. Lady Hinata what is going on?"

"Hello, young man. Why don't you join us for some tea?" Koharu questioned as she ushered the two cousins into her home.

"lady Hinata why are you here?" Neji asked as Koharu poured the tea.

"I'm training to be a medical ninja under Lady Koharu. While you were accepted to be the leader of our clan in the war. I will be able to contribute just the same as a medical ninja. "

"medical ninja? But you haven't been trained that takes years! Lady Hinata you don't have to prove yourself to anyone." Neji argued.

"I am doing this for me Neji." Hinata told him sternly. " For me. This is my way of contributing to the war, this is the way I can contribute. I can use my hands to heal instead of hurting. So please just let me do this."

Neji sighed and reached for her hand.

"very well. I will support you."

…..

It was night when Hinata arrived home. The lights lit up the entrance to her new home brightly and of course, waiting for her was Itachi. He gave her a tired smile.

"how was your day?"

"it was full of surprises. " she began. " Lady Tsunade called for my expertise today involving a patient. I was able to diagnose him she also requested that Sakura Chan and I perform surgery on him tomorrow. however I am concerned for Sakura Chan, I don't want her to feel as if I am trying to encroach on her territory."

Itachi however shook his head.

"you shouldn't worry yourself about that. Everyone no matter what capacity they are in needs outside help. You are that help in this medical case. Don't stress yourself out over what people may think of you. you can be a valuable asset to the medical team alongside Haruno and not compete with her. do you view her as a threat?"

"no. I guess I viewed her as someone who Naruto held affection for and I was a little jealous when I was younger. I kind of thought she was mean for always hitting him but as I got older I noticed that she was really strong and she worked hard. I think another problem was I truly never got to know her on a personal level."

"you were intimidated by her," Itachi stated.

"yes. I suppose I was."

"I think maybe a few hours before the operation you should take her out to breakfast, or lunch. Sit down with her and communicate with her. you won't get to know someone until you communicate with them." He told her.

Hinata smiled at her husband.

"Thank you tachi. How did your day go?"

The couple had moved into the dimly lit bedroom where a futon lay on the floor.

"it was well. I had a few errands to run outside the village other than that all was quiet."

"Can I ask something of you?"

"of course my flower."

"Tomorrow when I am done with the surgery do you suppose we could go out for dinner?"

Itachi paused a look of discomfort on his face.

"I'm afraid that won't be the wisest choice Hinata. I'm sorry."

"that's ok. I understand. I suppose we should go to sleep now."

Itachi blew out the candles that lit their room, laying them on the futon next to her. The darkness settled around them. There was no moon to glow on them tonight.

".. it's the memories.." Itachi whispered. " sometimes I can see them. Hear them. My family. My clan. Walking up and down the streets of Kohona.. and then I found myself reaching out to them and no one's there."

Hinata reached for Itachis hand, gripping it hard as he spoke.

" I killed them Hinata. I hear them in my head, their blood is stained on my hands. Don't you get it? I deserve to die. I deserve the sickness that I have and to die at my brother's hand. There is no redemption for me."

Hinata didn't know what made her say it, maybe at the time she thought it would help and maybe it did. She would never know but she knew it had an effect.

"Itachi…there is redemption for you… were restoring our clan. We- we are having twins."

She gasped as she let Itachi bury himself in her chest. His shoulders shook, as wordless sobs filled his body.

The silence of his tears rang louder than anything in that room.