Author's Introduction
This story is set approximately five years after the time-skip (the start of Naruto Shippuuden). All facts found in the manga hold true to this story until such time that any part of the events I myself have set are contradicted by the newer releases.
Chapter I
An Eventful Meeting
They hit him as if they were pieces of senbon, pelting his sensitized skin continuously – achingly. Then, they ran a course through his body, penetrating inside his clothes, coating anew his already soaked skin. Their icy temperature mingled with the warm combination of blood and perspiration that covered him.
His body unconsciously shivered.
He stood there, immobile, while the cold and bitter wind slapped against his body and the sharp drizzle slowly cleansed him of the blood and sweat that covered him.
He stared at the barely breathing body lying on the ground a few feet from him for what seemed like an eternity.
"When are you going to be satisfied, huh?"
He had done it.
"Is this all you are still living for?"
This time, he went all out.
"Teme!"
Yet, he gleaned no satisfaction out of it.
---
They both felt it. It was like a blast of dry, hot air passed had them at the speed of sound. On a cold, rainy afternoon like this, never mind that it was only drizzling; it was so foreign to feel something so dry that it was almost alarming. It was strong – so strong that it momentarily stopped the beating of their hearts and it caused the enemies in front of them to pause with their advances.
Another wave washed over them. This time, they were able to discern that there were two distinct chakra patterns instead of one which they assumed when they first felt it. But then after that, they feel the other chakra dissipate into nothingness.
The two of them exchanged looks, even with the distance that separated them. Hinata and Sakura arrived at the only obvious conclusion – Naruto. Some time before, he had fled the fight that was transpiring between the Sound-nin and them.
Hinata could feel apprehension wrap over her fast thumping heart. Her Byakugan was currently eyeing the chakra flow of her opponent, but she changed her view in favor of her Kekkei Genkai's ability to see more than a hundred-and-fifty feet away.
With her Byakugan activated and with her hands formed in a seal to intensify her chakra, she focused her gaze on the direction where she felt the source of chakra coming from. Concentrating on her task, her eyes went past the dense trees that divided her and Sakura's dueling area and into Naruto's. It felt like minutes as trees magnified before her eyes and swept past her line of view until she arrived at a clearing when in actuality it only took a few seconds. She felt her breath stop when she saw that Naruto was lying on the ground – unmoving.
However, those few seconds were critical because as soon as she was able to track Naruto down beyond the dense trees, almost invisible chakra strings wrapped around her upper body down to her foot. Her Byakugan immediately deactivated as she received a strong upward kick to her solar plexus. The force knocked all the breath out of her and was strong enough to lift her to the air.
Her opponent smirked, took out a kunai from his holster when gravity started to pull her down, and aimed it towards Hinata's chest.
Hinata swallowed the bitter bile of panic that lodged on her throat. She cut through his binds, pushing out condensed chakra from different points on her body that was covered with the strings as if they were knives. Thank God for Neji-niisan! She heaved her body vertically and forced chakra onto her left foot and used it to block the attacker's kunai. As soon as her foot connected with the kunai, she dug her foot in, using it as leverage as she swerved her right foot to kick her opponent's head.
The Sound-nin grabbed her foot before it could do any damage. He removed his hold on the kunai in favor of grabbing her other foot.
She felt him tug her ankles upwards, successfully inverting her upside-down. Unbeknownst to him, this was a fatal mistake – leaving her hands free while his were not. With her Byakugan already activated, she released chakra into a point on both sides of his outer thighs, causing his legs to buckle and paralyzing them for some time. As she had hoped, his hold on her feet loosened as he started to topple to the ground with a painful grunt as his legs gave out. Using her hands as leverage, she flipped over and away from him.
"Hinata!" Sakura called to her, worry lacing her voice.
"Sakura-chan, Naruto… he's unconscious," she answered the unspoken question with an amount of trepidation. It didn't go unnoticed to her how Sakura's fingers had twitched at her words.
"Let's lose them," Sakura stated while she ran over to her companion's place to face her struggling opponent. She wasted no time and deftly grabbed the Sound-nin's arm, hefted him over her head as if he weighed like a sack of feathers, and with chakra-filled hands, threw him onto a pursuing shinobi behind her.
Being Sound-nin, it wasn't that easy to pin down the enemy. Even if his comrade was flung at him at a dangerously fast speed, he evaded the thrown body easily.
"Tch," Sakura's tongue curled as she eyed the pursuant. "Hinata-chan, you should go – I'll catch up with you before you can say Ichiraku Ramen!" She said rather smugly at her opponent, getting the desired reaction of angering him.
Hinata nodded in acquiescence, turning away from Sakura and entering the forest. She hadn't gotten far yet when she felt the ground before her tremble; she had no doubt that the epicenter was none other than her pink-haired friend. A little over half of a minute in, she could already sense Sakura running behind her.
Feeling slightly relieved with this knowledge, she used her eyes to examine Naruto's chakra coil system – or lack of it, she realized with distress. She faltered on her steps but she righted herself before her mistake could do more damage. Naruto—much as she'd like to tell herself that it wasn't him—was lying on the ground almost lifeless.
She focused her eyes on Naruto, fearful of the infinitesimal amount of chakra that emanated from his body. Her view was blocked by Sakura's own body that she reluctantly switched back to her normal, yet highly sharp eyesight. But this time, her eyes noticed a man in a black yukata sitting inconspicuously on the crevice created by the big roots of a large tree.
Could that person be…? Shimatta! Uchiha Sasuke! She wasn't sure that the person was him since she didn't have any basis – except for his vague fifteen-year-old face she remembered when she last saw him on a particular anti-climactic event best left forgotten. She then looked at Sakura who was running for Naruto's direction, which was unfortunately also the way to the Uchiha's position. To make matters worse, he was standing up, and from the looks of it, was going to walk towards Naruto.
"Sakura-chan! Sakura! Stop! Wait!"
Sakura's distance between them had grown rather large, given that Hinata was the first who broke for a run towards Naruto. Besides, her voice was being swallowed by the wind. Most probably, Sakura's attention was focused on Naruto alone that it was impossible for her to know that his 'companion' was still in the vicinity. Please, be careful!
Hinata finally arrived at the clearing, slowing down as she did. Sakura was already there, kneeling in front of Naruto and was currently turning his body over. She forced her gaze away from them, fighting against the desperate urge to aid him. She was saved from trying too hard to get her attention off of them when a flash of white rays hit her eyes.
Uchiha Sasuke… was taking something shiny out of his yukata. Leaving no room for second thoughts, she went on her offensive stance and rocketed off, activating her Byakugan as she did. She was aiming for the pressure points on his arm but other than that, she threw some shuriken at different parts of his body to mask her objective.
Her precaution was left for naught; it was either because the barrage of shuriken were too slow for him or he was too fast for the shuriken. Still, she went on. As soon as she reached her target, he slapped her hand away as she swept past him. However, she didn't expect him to grab her wrist afterwards and yank it hard to his left. Her body, which wasn't immune to the laws of physics, jerked around to face him as he simultaneously faced her. With quick reflexes expected of the Uchiha, he had grabbed her other wrist, making her arms useless. His eyes looked at her with silent intent. Then she saw his knees move.
Reading through his next movement, she molded a thin layer of chakra onto her stomach, just in time for the deadly kick to make contact with it. He had let go of her arms as soon as he had kicked her, so the force of it sent her backwards. Deadly, it was not, much to her surprise, but it was still strong enough that it was sure to send her flying quite some feet away. And took flight she did.
Hinata bent her body and dug her heels on the ground, her fingers following, impeding her movement and carving lines on the muddy ground as she did. She eyed the Uchiha warily as he silently watched her, an arm still in the inside of his yukata. She jerked up when she saw that he had already drawn out his sword – his Kusanagi, which she just noticed was held on his left hand. Her eyes narrowed as she prepared for another offensive. However, before she could make any move, the Uchiha had just suddenly thrown his own weapon in front of her, a feet away as it stood proudly on its muddy foundation, droplets of rain dancing on its smooth surface.
She understood the significance of his actions, maybe too much, but she didn't care. She knew for a fact that he wasn't going to attack them, but she knew for a fact that he wasn't going to surrender either. She stood up with relieved and grateful eyes. She walked towards the surrendered weapon, not moving her eyes away from him. She then bent and pulled the Kusanagi out of the ground when she was on level with it. He had backed away as soon as she picked it up and had taken to sitting in between the large roots of the tree where she had first found him, his head resting on it with closed eyes.
She ran towards Sakura whilst holding a firm hand on the Kusanagi. She came to a halt a few feet away from her destination. Tears of shock pooled around her eyes as she saw the actual devastation that was wrecked on his body. His clothes were bloodied. Deep, crude slashes were all over his arms. And, there was a gaping hole on his stomach. Aghast, she whipped her face to where the Uchiha was sitting, searching for his eyes, wordlessly demanding that he open them.
It was as if her resentment of his actions physically reached him across the distance between them because his eyelids moved, until finally, they were open. When he had them open, she locked gazes with him, her eyes accusing – silently conveying, 'How could you?'
Exactly what she was looking for, she didn't know… guilt, maybe. But, it was disappointment that was flickering in his two black orbs. And, she still couldn't believe it, sadness. And then it struck her. Her head turned slowly towards the unconscious man behind her.
Naruto… how can you be so childish?
"H-he… he stopped breathing!"
Hinata stopped breathing altogether. She could hear Sakura sobbing and softly calling out his name. She couldn't stop her knees from weakening. Anytime now and they were going to give. She tried to move, to walk towards him, but her legs refused her will. But then, she heard her friend gasp.
"Wait!"
"Sakura…?"
"I… I still feel a pulse!" Sakura exclaimed frantically, suddenly tearing through Naruto's clothes after her outburst. "I-It's faint but its enough."
And it was enough for Hinata to start moving. She crouched beside Sakura, looking at Naruto's pallid face. She was tense as she watched her friend's chakra-imbued hand hover over the large sword wound on his stomach.
"Not to worry, Hinata-chan. Naruto won't leave you like this," Sakura consoled Hinata, and inwardly, herself.
She bit hard on her lower lip to stop herself from bursting into tears at such a critical time. She was about to offer her aid to her friend but she dismissed it upon seeing the fierce concentration on her eyes. And, looking at Naruto's destroyed state was taking a heavy toll on her. She released a sigh. At times like this, she could really feel her uselessness stand out. She glanced back at the Uchiha, noticing that he still had a hand inside his yukata. Her brows furrowed. But then again, the Uchiha was still human. It was stupid of her to think that he couldn't get injured.
Standing up, she made her way to the tree he was resting on. She reached inside her weapon pouch, feeling for her homemade topical cream. He is a shinobi of Konoha after all, she reasoned with herself. She hesitated when she was a feet away from him. When it brooked no reaction from him, she took the final step and knelt in front of him. She opened the container she was holding.
Sasuke's eyes opened when the container popped, the sound resounding in his trained ears. Wordlessly, he watched as Hinata tugged at her undershirt and tore off a small piece from it. She then folded it in half a few times. Then, her hand went towards him. He stopped her with his own hand when hers went to the opening of his yukata, his eyes issuing a silent warning.
"Onegai shimasu." Please.
He looked at her with his eyes veiled by his long lashes, wondering why she was humbling herself to him. Her hand was insistent – but so were her eyes. He conceded, letting go of her hand but looking away from her. If she wanted to make a fool of herself by helping him, so be it.
A long moment of tense silence passed between them as she moved his robe aside to administer first aid.
"Uchiha-san," she called softly. The honorific didn't go unnoticed to the Uchiha, judging from the way his lips had tightened in response when she spoke.
"I don't know the exact details of what happened between the two of you, but what I know of you, and of Naruto, I think… the both of you… have acted stupidly," she told him with the straightest voice she could muster while she cleaned the wound on his chest with the cloth she had torn up from the sleeves of her clothing. She felt him tense beneath her hands.
She waited for a stinging retort for him, but there was only silence that ensued. Relieved by this, she relaxed. She continued with her ministrations, now applying the medicinal cream on the lighter wounds on his chest. Going towards the seriously damaged wound that she had cleaned, she noticed the familiar pattern it created – Rasengan, though, it wasn't as deep as she thought it should have been. Still, her eyes dimmed at what Naruto and the Uchiha had gone through.
She tensed when she felt something familiar close around the area they were at.
"Uchiha-san," she started to speak though she did not looking directly at him. "There are two other Konoha-nin with us. I-I think they–"
"I can sense them."
"Oh, ah, s-sorry, I mean – aren't you um…" She couldn't end her statement. How could she say that she wanted him to leave? Not when Naruto clearly did this to make him go back to the hidden village. But she didn't like the fact that the Uchiha had taken the bait.
"I'm staying."
-----
"What in hell is going on here?" Neji questioned with barely controlled vehemence. He thought his eyes were deceiving him at first when he saw his cousin administering first aid on Uchiha Sasuke – missing-nin and, even after all these years, was still considered by many as a traitor. He locked gazes with the Uchiha, who in turn looked back, but had nothing shown in his eyes or his face to hint at his feelings.
He was tired. The Sound-nin had been very persistent, even if the attackers weren't that large a number. Considering that the Hokage had sent only five of them to protect the border for the night had been a headache. What the Hokage was thinking was beyond him at this moment. Then this…
"Neji!" Lee exclaimed, moving in-between Neji and the other two with arms raised to his sides. "I would advise against making any unnecessary moves on the Uchiha. It does not seem that he poses a threat to us."
He raised his right brow. "I suppose Naruto barely clinging to life doesn't pose as a threat," he said with sarcasm on his voice.
"Ah," Lee looked behind his back; he caught the eyes of Hinata, to which the latter nodded in seeming agreement. He released a deliberate cough to clear his throat, "You see, Neji–"
"He's badly injured," Hinata intervened.
Neji scowled. "Hinata-sama, I think your trust for the Uchiha is undeserved, misplaced if you will."
No, Neji-niisan. She made a quick glance at the Uchiha. I've noticed it since I got here. His eyes… they have the same light after your fight with Naruto on the Chuunin exam seven years ago.
"I've stabilized his condition!" Sakura informed loudly enough for all of them to hear. "We have to get him to the hospital, stat! I don't have the proper medical equipment to help him further," she continued as she stood up shakily, a side effect from the exhaustion of a large amount of chakra. She was about to cave in but Lee was there in a blink of an eye to support her.
She summoned a weak smile. "Arigatou, Lee-kun."
"Lee," Neji called on the green beast, who had taken to helping Sakura in holding Naruto's body upright.
"Hai?"
"Carry Naruto and escort Sakura back to Konoha."
"Roger!" He said, using his free hand to give Neji a salute as his teeth flashed.
Sakura helped Lee carry Naruto onto his back. When she deemed his position secure, she gave the signal for the both of them to leave. She looked back behind her, shouting for a safe journey for the two cousins.
"A-anou, Nii-san…" Hinata looked at her cousin hopefully.
"Hinata-sama, you are coming with me. We will be marshalling the Uchiha back to Konoha," he ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. His lips tightened as he heard her hesitant and unenthusiastic affirmative. He looked away from the disheartened eyes of his cousin, knowing full well that her heart and her mind were on Naruto's welfare. His gaze landed on the Uchiha. His eyes narrowed.
"Uchiha, stand up."
"Nii-san…?"
"I'm going to close off most of your tenketsu. Nothing vital," he informed for his cousin's benefit who had been about to protest.
Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly in response.
"It's still going to be painful."
Hinata bit her lip.
Sasuke sent him a bland stare. "Do as you will."
-----
They had been walking for half an hour now, and Hinata was as fidgety as a bee trapped in a bonnet. Her worry was eating her away. If she knew that her cousin was going to separate her from Sakura and Lee she wouldn't have spent those moments treating the Uchiha's injuries. No, she wouldn't have done that. That would just be against her principles. She sighed. Besides, she didn't have the right to complain. The setup her cousin had organized had been thoroughly logical.
"Render me unconscious."
"What?" Hinata exclaimed. Had she heard the Uchiha right? She whirled around, being the one in front of the walking group. Was this some sort of joke? That had gotten her hopes up.
"Both of you wouldn't need to walk if I was unconscious. You would get to Konoha by the end of the day."
That just notched her hopes up tenfold. She couldn't stop her eyes from twinkling even after biting her lip. Without notice, Sasuke suddenly jerked forward and slumped onto Hinata's unsuspecting body.
"Neji-niisan!" She said with surprised eyes at what she completely believed to be her cousin's abrupt act, pushing the Uchiha's body away from her with effort but taking care not to push too much that he'd fall to the other side.
"He has a point," Neji heaved the unconscious young man from his cousin and carried him on his back. "But it would be better if you get there first. I doubt if Sakura and Lee would have the time to warn the Konoha officials of Uchiha's… return," he paused, at a loss at the proper word to use for the unusual circumstance they were in.
She stared at her cousin in stunned silence.
"Please go ahead, Hinata-sama."
"You'll be alright?"
"Hai," Neji couldn't stop his mouth from twitching. It was not as if he had any other choice, he thought to himself. He will suffer this in silence, because, as much as he hated to admit it, the Uchiha had shown more compassion for Hinata's feelings than he did.
He watched his cousin fade into the distance. Grimacing, he adjusted the Uchiha's unconscious body on his back and started the faster-than-usual trek back to Konoha.
Disclaimer: This fiction is written for entertainment purposes only, thus, the authoress will not be profiting from this. Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishomoto.