Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Call It Fate: Part XII

There she was.

Standing only a few feet away from him. Lifting up one hand, he offered it to her, beckoning her forward. A smile played on her lips as she shook her head playfully.

"Really, Sasuke-kun," The blue haired beauty before giggled, "It's snowing out there."

He gazed up at the blank sky.

How time had passed, he'd barely recognized it, but it was winter already.

She turned around and held back a flap into a teashop, "Come on, it's cold," glancing back at him briefly before entering.

He glanced at the disfigured teashop momentarily. For some reason, it didn't feel right. He just didn't want to go in there then. Opening his mouth, he called out to her, but a gust of snow blew right past him then. Pulling his jacket closer, he ran inside, calling her name.

At the corner, he saw her, and she waved, gesturing for him to come join her. Taking tentative steps, he came closer.

In a sudden blink of his eyes.

She had disappeared.

"Hinata?" He whispered, his voice raspy. His throat hurt.

"Hinata?" A little louder.

He couldn't move, but he continued to call out her name.

His body started to shake, rocking back and forth, as if he was going to fall over, but he didn't. This was when he started to yell and thrash. Something had a hold of him.

Itachi?! No…No…it can't be!

Lashing his arms out, he tried to strike the invisible enemy, if there was even one.

"Uchiha-san! Uchiha-san!"

He heard a distant voice.

It was a woman's voice, but it wasn't Hinata's. He continued to call out her name.

Suddenly the ground beneath him gave away, he was falling, and the sky above him darkened, as he felt a sudden thud.

Blinking slightly, he opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and the sounds around him seemed frantic. He could hear a whirring sound as something was on his face and his arm felt oddly numb.

"Uchiha-san!"

Her voice was more distinct now, and as his vision cleared he could focus on a white object above him.

The ceiling…? When did the hole…?

"Ah, Uchiha-san! You've awakened!"

He turned his head slightly to glance at the direction of the voice, his neck cracking slightly from its stiffness. A young woman stood beside him, dressed in a white…nurse uniform.

"Shizune-san! He woke up!" She stepped aside for a familiar raven-haired woman to come closer.

She smiled at him as she checked his IV and the readings, adjusting the needled in his arm and the oxygen feeder.

"How are you feeling, Uchiha-kun?" Shizune asked as she jotted down something on a clipboard and handed it to the nurse.

"…Cr…appy…" He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and his voice cracked.

"Well, you all had us worried there," Shizune cleaned up the mess of IV tubes lain out in case they needed to feed him more fluid, "But you're fine now, get some more rest."

She gathered up the equipment and exited as quietly as she had entered, his eyes trailing her.

The IV was starting to annoy him and Sasuke tried to lift his other arm to yank it out, only to find from his wrist to his elbow to be bandaged tightly in a cast.

"Pathetic, really."

His eyes immediately fell over to the corner of the room where the voice came from.

Sand swirled around as a red-head strode slowly up towards him, arms crossed.

Sabaku no Gaara

His eyes narrowed, following the Sand nin's movements.

"You know why I'm here, so let's save the small talk," Gaara glowered at the non-functioning body in front of him, "Hinata-san has shown her pick."

Sasuke mustered enough strength to frown at the other man, "…What…pick…"

Gaara raised his head and turned around, facing the door, his hand resting on the doorknob, "I will not fight you for it any longer."

…Hinata…?

All he could do but gaze intently at the retreating figure, listening to the man's every word.

"But if you ever…hurt her, Uchiha, I will come after you."

It took a moment to register what Gaara had said, and by that time, every last grain of sand was gone through the cracks, as the door slammed shut.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open again, interrupting the silence and Sasuke's intense fixation at the ceiling. His head swerved to the side to greet his visitor with a frown, only to struck off in surprise.

"…H…Hina…ta…" He managed to croak through.

This was the last thing on his list that he wanted Hinata to see him as. Weak and helpless, lying on a bed, unable to move.

She smiled lightly at him, "You're…awake…" She bit down on her lower lip as she staggered forward slowly.

That was when he realized, she was dressed in a light gray shirt and loose gray pants.

Hospital uniform…

"I just got message…from Shizune-san," She settled herself slowly on a chair beside his bed.

Silence set in as she sat there, staring at her bandaged hands; her smile was gone now, but there was no look of worry etched on her face. No worry or sadness that Sakura had when he had woken up from Itachi's trance or after Naruto brought him back from the Sound. Her features were blank, but he could feel the uneasiness in her, just by her actions. He gazed back up at the ceiling.

Hinata started, without waiting for the question to be asked, "Gaara-san found us. He brought us here, both in critical condition. Y-You had lost a lot of blood. Even before that. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't, it kept on pouring out. All I did was prolonged your suffering. If-If Gaara-san hadn't found us, I-I don't want to know what could've happened. The doctors said that, I probably could've come out, with a more critical condition, but you however…you…could've…"

She trailed off and sighed, waiting for an answer from him, anything, an acknowledgement of her presence and story.

"Don't…live in the past," His voice was barely above a whisper as he talked, telling her something that was told to him before by a certain friend.

He closed his eyes and started his own explanation, "Don't…dwell on what could've happened…just…remember…what did…"

"S-Sasuke-kun…?"

"You're alright…and I soon will be…"

Her features relaxed and she reached out for his hand as she grasped onto it.

"T-Thank-you…Sasuke-kun," Hinata rested her head down on the pillow, her head touching his as she closed her eyes.

I love you…Sasuke-kun…

Sasuke couldn't help but smile a bit, as Hinata's breathing slowed down to a lethargic rhythm, seemingly asleep.

"I…love you…Hinata…"

Unknowingly from Sasuke's angle, the tips of her lips curved up as she gave Sasuke's hand, one last squeeze before drifting off to sleep.

It's been…long enough. I…don't have to be alone anymore…

Complete: Call It Fate

(gasp) Can you believe it? It's done! It's DONE!

I am so relieved, I was scared that I might not be able to finish this story, but I guess I was just a really big writer's block I've had from all the other things I've been working on for school.

So, how was it? From what it seems, I don't think I'll be able to top 12 chapters…haha, and this story has a span of how many months? I've gotta thank you all for sticking with me up till now, it's been absolutely crazy…hehe

See you next ficcie!! (Though I have no idea right now what, any suggestions?)

Ame no Megami