Recommended Story: 'Kazekage's Right Hand' by Maevis Pas

Please check my post 'Hidden Bloodline Challenge' to hear something regarding a new poll I have in mind.

Chapter Eight

The sun was set and it was close to time to go to sleep, but no one felt like sleeping. Heck, Naruto didn't even feel like talking. Or being around the others. Right now he had walked away from the group and was sitting on a long hunched over, doing a pretty good brooding Sasuke impression right there sans the hate.

Despite his obvious wish to be alone, Hinata, Sakura, and Ayame were there with him hoping to soothe his bad mood in any way they could. The others were wisely keeping their distance from him, while Moegi just wasn't sure what to say or do here.

Sakura and Ayame were just hovering around Naruto, waiting for any sign he wanted to acknowledge them, while Hinata was sitting right next to him leaning on him. He did not object to her contact. "Let it out Naruto-kun, don't keep this to yourself. Let me help you."

The blonde sighed. "I just can't believe this. Why didn't the old man tell me? Why didn't he tell anyone else? Maybe then I wouldn't have been so hated." He paused for a moment, struggling to not cry."How many people knew, and still said nothing? Did nothing? Jiji? Baa-chan? Ero-sennin? Kakashi-sensei? Did they know? Why wasn't I told?" He shedded a few tears.

Ayame looked mad. "I find it very unlikely that the Sandaime didn't know. Now I respect the old man even less. Makes me wish I had done more."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

Ayame leaned against a tree, her arms crossed. "I used to be a chuunin, and a damn good one. I was also one of Naruto's guards when he was younger and targeted a lot more often. My teammates and I were diligent, and unlike the other guards who often just warned the idiots, we weren't afraid to use force in response to his harassers. Apparently some dumb-asses decided to press charges on us for inconveniencing and endangering them, and we counter-charged them for interfering in shinobi business and conspiring to murder a child."

Ayame closed her eyes and clenched a fist, the others easily feeling latent rage coming from her. "The matter was brought before the council, both sides, and naturally it became a tug of war between the two sides like it always does when Naruto's involved. This particular one got worse than usual, and I remember at least one civilian making threats at the shinobi side for not being obedient. I think he went so far as to claim that the shinobi were supposed to take orders from the civilians, though he probably said it a lot more derogatorily than that, and at least one more civilian supported the claim."

Her audience were wide-eyed to hear this, and Ayame opened her eyes. "It's been years since then, so I don't remember everything that happened in that hearing. But I never forgot what the results were. The Sandaime... settled with the civilians. Settled! The so-called strongest ninja in the village refused to put his foot down and instead compromised with people whose only weapon is pissing and moaning. After that, I was so disgusted I refused to take orders from him again and resigned. Though I refused to stop watching over Naruto even if I wasn't an active kunoichi anymore."

"What was the settlement?" Moegi asked, fearful of what the ramen chef would say.

Ayame looked like she was struggling to make herself answer that, or maybe she didn't know the best way to phrase the answer. "The civilians threatened a citywide boycott of every sale to every shinobi unless the Sandaime executed Naruto that night once and for all. The shinobi declared that was tantamount to treason and sabotage, and the civilians, to put it politely, told them to tell someone who cared. They even told everyone that they had a contingency plan set in place so that if they were arrested, executed, or removed from power the boycott would automatically happen until Naruto's head was on a pike for all to see."

Sakura looked like she wanted to throw up, but Hinata got up and ran for the bushes to actually do the deed. Naruto and Moegi both paled enough to look like they were Orochimaru's kids. "Seriously? What stopped them?" Sakura asked, almost frightened to hear the answer.

Ayame could not give anyone eye contact. "The Sandaime would not give them what they wanted, but he wouldn't risk calling their bluff. In the end, he..." Now she looked like she wanted to vomit. "He agreed to pardon all those that tried to kill Naruto and altered the law regarding him to be punishable by prison time rather than death."

Naruto immediately bolted to his feet. "HE WHAT?" The blonde didn't know whether to feel horrified or betrayed. "But... but he told me-"

"He told you what he thought was best for you to hear Naruto." Ayame sadly interrupted, her expression very empathetic to him. "He didn't tell you who your parents were, and he didn't tell you about you-know-what. Is it really that hard to believe he wouldn't tell you the real law about what happens to those that victimize you?"

"What law? There's a law that applies specifically to Boss?" Moegi asked as Hinata came back, holding her stomach and wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

Naruto and Ayame shared a look. "Nee-chan, could you... tell them the story? I... I just can't right now." Naruto asked as he slumped on the ground as if completely defeated. Hinata, Sakura, and Moegi all tried to hug him to make him feel better, but he practically looked suicidal.

"You sure about that Naruto?" Ayame asked.

The whiskered blonde nodded. "I just want to get it over with. Please Nee-chan, you're one of the only people I can trust anymore."

Each girl there felt their heart ache for the poor boy, and they all shed a tear for him. "Okay Naruto. Girls, there is a law that centers around Naruto. You see, there is a reason people treat him the way they do. Is it a good reason? Not by a long shot, but that doesn't stop people. And while I'd rather not have to reveal this under the circumstances, but if you're going to be on the lam with Naruto, you probably should know why Konoha wants him dead in the first place."

The girls listened with much interest, but none relinquished their hold on him. "You should know about the story of the Yondaime and the Kyuubi. Did the Academy ever tell you exactly how the Yondaime got rid of the fox?"

Sakura and Hinata shared a look before looking back at Ayame. "The sensei's said a very advanced jutsu was used that ended up killing the Yondaime was used. They couldn't say exactly which jutsu it was because no one was familiar with it." Sakura answered.

"If no one was familiar with it, then how did they know it worked?" Ayame asked.

Sakura was momentarily speechless. "Good point, but regarding Naruto?"

"The Yondaime got rid of the Kyuubi, but it didn't simply cease to exist. He put it somewhere to ensure the creature would never succeed in destroying Konoha. Unfortunately, the only place he could put it... was in a seal he placed on Naruto."

'It was fun while it lasted.' Naruto told himself, so completely certain the three girls would try to kill him now he'd bet every ryo he ever spent on ramen on it. He closed his eyes and braced for Sakura's shouts and fists, Hinata's cursing and juuken, and whatever Moegi come think up.

Nothing could have surprised him more than hearing them cry. In confusion, he looked at them, seeing their expressions filled with concern, sorrow, and confusion, but not ounce of hatred or fear. "Wh... why aren't you girls shouting and calling me a monster and trying to kill me?"

Hinata kissed his cheek. "Why would I do such a thing to my Naruto-kun? If a-anything, I should do that to myself for not telling you about me sooner."

"Boss, you saved my life once and cried over my mom's murder. No monster would do that." Moegi told him.

Sakura nodded. "Naruto, if you were Kyuubi, there's no way you'd let me hit you all those times. If you were I'd probably be dead by now. That alone proves to me you're not the fox."

Naruto was wide-eyed and frozen, his mind having a hard time processing this. Then suddenly he moved, and quickly broke free of their holds and backed against a tree, looking at them like he was frightened.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Naruto?"

"Boss?"

The three girls tried to approach, but he held up his arms defensively and shielded his face, making them stop. Ayame approached and gently pulled Naruto into a comforting hug, which he didn't reject but didn't relax from either. "Girls, it's alright. This isn't personal. You just need to know that Naruto is just so used to rejection that he has a hard time handling a situation where he's accepted. You scared him because that's not what he was prepared for."

"Is Naruto so traumatized that he expects even his friends to want him dead?" Sakura asked, feeling her heart ache more for the whiskered blonde. 'I can't imagine how much this hurts Hinata.'

Ayame nodded. "When Naruto tries to be nice to people, they either ignore him or try to kill him. When he tried to be nice to his classmates, they either gave him the silent treatment or insults. Even when he was put on a team they were quick to single him out, and when he went to see the Godaime she demeaned him and his dream too. Naruto has basically become conditioned to believe that everyone's first response to him is hatred or indifference, so when you three weren't that when he expected it the most, he didn't know what to think and got scared."

"How do you know all this?" Sakura asked. A quick glance showed Hinata crying a river and Moegi wiping her eyes. Sakura felt her own cheeks and found her own tears were starting to get heavier too.

"I'm someone Naruto knows he can trust. He tells me quite a lot about what he goes thru. He's learned to feel safe and comfortable around me, and you three are going to have to do the same with him."

"Hold on, what do you mean 'you three'?" Sakura asked. "Don't you trust us anymore Naruto?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." He quietly said, looking at no one.

Hinata came up to him and sat down in front of him, holding his face so he couldn't look away. "Naruto-kun, I want you to do something right now. I want you to remember your promise to me to beat Neji-oniisan. I want you to remember when you saw me in the hospital while I recovered. I want you to remember our talk before you went to the chuunin exam finals. I want you to remember the day you decided to give me chance." She paused for a moment and drew him into a kiss much like when she found him at the Valley of the End. "Now, do you feel like I'm wrong for not hating you?"

"Hinata-chan..." Naruto softly said, then got out of Ayame's embrace and hugged the Hyuuga heiress tightly, as if afraid she'd disappear if he let go.

Ayame smiled at the scene, then quietly got up and came to the other two girls. "Here's my advice you two: Give Naruto time to come to terms with your friendship with him, and do what you can to let him know you don't hate him. It likely won't take that long, but don't expect it to be quick. I don't know exactly how those two got together, but I'd bet my life savings it didn't happen by simply asking 'Will you go out with me?' Understand?"

Sakura and Moegi nodded. Sakura looked at the young couple and saw Naruto looked more relaxed, making her smile softly for him. "Hey Hinata, Naruto, while we have time, could you tell us what exactly brought you two together?"

Ayame smirked. 'Smart move girl. Give Naruto something positive to think about and he'll get out of his funk quicker.'

Naruto didn't look that talkative, but he did look at his pink-haired teammate. "Well... in a way I guess it started when I visited Hinata-chan in the hospital during the month before the finals. I didn't train 24/7 so sometimes when I had free time, I went to see her, and get more inspiration for kicking Neji's ass. We chatted and got to know each other a little more, but we... didn't start acting like this until after..." Now he cut himself off.

"After what?" Sakura curiously asked.

Naruto sighed and broke eye contact with the pinkette. "After I brought Baachan back to heal Sasuke."

'He sounded so hurt remembering that. Why?' Sakura asked herself. "Go on."

Hinata spoke next. "That day, I found Naruto-kun at that bridge your team always met at, just staring into the water, looking so forlorn."

-Flashback-

"Na-Naruto-kun?" Hinata said as she cautiously approached the young man.

He turned to her and smiled. "Hi Hinata-chan."

Hinata could immediately tell his heart wasn't in his greeting. "What's wrong? You brought the next hokage here and thanks to her those injured from the invasion are getting better treatment. Konoha can get stronger and it's all thanks to you. Why are you so unhappy?"

Naruto sighed and looked away. "Hinata-chan, you're the only person who's actually thanked me for doing this."

"What?"

He nodded. "It's true. No one's even said so much as thank you to me for what I did. The old lady didn't even want to look at Konoha and even though she told me I helped her change her mind when I saved her from Orochimaru, she never actually thanked me for doing it. Sure, she gave me this necklace, but she never actually said the words. Ero-sannin and Shizune didn't either. Heck, I thought at least Sakura would thank me for bringing the only person who could heal Sasuke to him, and... she didn't even look at me."

Hinata gasped but let Naruto continue. "What will it take? What do I have to do before someone finally acknowledges it? I protect my team on missions, but I only get insulted. I make us pass the first test of the chuunin exams, and I'm called an idiot. I save her life from the sand-user and the only person she or anyone else give credit or thanks to is the teme. And now, I brought the world's best medic to Konoha to heal everyone, and no one even says 'Good job Naruto'."

Hinata put her arm around him. "I thank you Naruto-kun. I know it's not much, but I am grateful for what you do for us all." Naruto tensed, but he didn't ask her to let go so she didn't. "I'm sorry Sakura isn't."

Naruto sighed. "I don't think I can take it anymore Hinata-chan. I think this may have been the last straw for me. If me saving her life and Sasuke's too won't get her to at least give me a little respect, what will? I have no idea, and I think I'm tired of trying. Do you think I should?"

That was a tough question for Hinata to answer. "Na-Naruto-kun, I... I can't tell you what path to take in life. Only you can do that. I just want you to be happy. If you feel you n-need Sakura to be happy, then... I w-will su-support your choice. But if you're having doubts about that, then m-m-maybe... you sh-should consider alternatives instead."

"Like maybe trying to have someone else be my girlfriend?" Naruto asked, and Hinata nodded. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should." He then looked at the Hyuuga heiress. "Hinata-chan, would you like to go get ramen with me?"

She blushed, and placed her hand over his. "Na-Naruto-kun, a-as m-much as I want to say yes, I h-have to s-say no right now. Listen first. I do want to say yes, but right now you're hurt and grasping for straws. Take some time to think it over please. Then if you r-really do want to try something wi-with me, ask again when you know you're not just trying to replace Sakura."

Naruto slowly nodded. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

Hinata wrapped her arms around his waist. "You didn't. I understand why you asked. The problem is I want you to ask because you want me, not because you can't have your first choice."

-End Flashback-

"After that we had to go to Tea Country so I had plenty of time to think things over." Naruto said to Sakura. "When Sasuke had to be treated again and you went off on your own, I found Hinata and told her I thought over things and decided that I did want to see what would happen if we tried to be couple. That time she accepted."

Sakura was silent for a moment, but Ayame smiled. "Looks like it was a good decision for you two."

"I can only hope so." Naruto said, but he now looked like he was feeling better.

"Naruto, did I really hurt you that much?" Sakura asked.

Naruto struggled to phrase it right. "Sakura, I'm not going to lie. Yes, you did. I could handle the hits and the insults because they actually weren't the worst I've gotten, but every time you ignored me, that I couldn't handle. It got harder to handle it when we were on a team and you wouldn't even hold a conversation with me. But when I brought Baachan to save Sasuke and you hugged him so lovingly while never saying one grateful word to me before or since, I realized I just couldn't take it anymore. I spent thirteen years being unloved, enough was enough."

Sakura scooted forward until she was right in from of her blonde teammate. She reached over and wiped a tear from his eye. "Naruto, I'm so so sorry. I was an idiot, in more ways than one, and I'm not going to ask you to forgive me because I know you can't just yet. But there's something I need to tell you."

"What's that?"

"The reason I'm here with you rather than with Sasuke now. And why I don't plan on ever being with him again."