I'm kind of sad. It's been a fun ride, but this fic is over.
Iron Threads
Epilogue:
Fifteen Years
Hinata kept her eyes closed despite the stirring around she heard going on in the room. She was tired and she didn't want to move. She ignored feel of her husband's hands as he brushed the hair away from her face. What she found that she couldn't ignore, was the feel of his palm flush against her stomach. Her eyes shot open because of the memory it invoked.
Not more than a few months after Naruto gave his speech at the New Year's party, war began. It wasn't an easy time. While not all of the Cloud Ninja were spectacular, there were many formidable enemies. Hinata and Neji were part of Shikamaru's team and they helped him assess situations and areas so he could form practical battle plans. Lee would come with them on occasion if there was a particularly strong chance of being detected and a fight ensuing.
It was during one such mission that they encountered a rather strong opponent. Hinata, in an attempt to save her exhausted cousin, took a nasty blow to the lower left side of her stomach. Lee ran to her as she began to bleed profusely. She remembered looking up at him as though she were going to live her last moments. He pressed his hand over her wound and Hinata winced in pain from the pressure. She knew what he was trying to do, collapse the blood vessels around the wound to slow the bleeding, but the pain was almost unbearable.
"Lee, it's no use," she told him, "I'm going to die here…"
"No…" Lee replied his hand flush against her stomach, "You will make it home."
Hinata didn't quite remember how they managed to defeat their enemy. She didn't remember how they got back to their base of operations. All she knew was that she woke up the next day with Lee at her side. Somewhere in the middle of all the confusion of the war, they got married. The Hyuga clan only requested that Hinata and her children retain the surname of Hyuga, and Lee agreed to it. A year and a half later, as the conflict was winding down, Hinata found herself pregnant.
They named their first child Gai, after Lee's beloved teacher. The older man was so touched by the gesture, that he cried tears of pure joy and visited Hinata and her new baby boy every day. Hyuga Gai had inherited a deficiency for most ninjutsu and genjutsu. The only things that his chakra would bend to were the use of the byakugan and Jyuken techniques. Although the younger Gai had his mother's eyes, he had his father's bizarre eyelashes, and determined frown. There were times when he trained with Maito Gai that his face so closely resembled his father's it brought a bright smile to the older Jounin's face. The legacy of youthful ninja would continue. Gai may have taken after his father in looks, but outside of fighting, he was as shy and soft spoken as his mother. Sometimes when he was especially uncomfortable, he'd press his index fingers together and blush uncontrollably.
Second, and born four years after her brother Gai, was Hyuga Himeko. She was almost an exact clone of Hinata, physically at least. Personality wise, she was Lee through and through. Himeko had no deficiencies for any sort of jutsu, and used all of them as much as she pleased, although it was quite clear she didn't care how she won as long as she won fair and square.
Finally came Hyuga Tsuki. Hinata remembered when she was first born and how Neji had told her it was beyond his comprehension how any sort of child that had Lee as a father could end up adorable as his cousin Tsuki. That was not to say that the other children were ugly at all, but she was his favorite. Tsuki was the middle ground of the family. She had her father's confidence, her mother's peaceful nature and seemed wise beyond her years. The youngest of Hinata's children often trained with Tenten in the art of swordplay. Being that Tenten was now Neji's wife, it meant Tsuki spent a lot of time with her older cousin.
For some reason, Hinata wasn't at all surprised when all of the children had rather thick eyebrows. They weren't nearly on the same level as Lee and Gai, but they were certainly thicker than normal. She also wasn't too surprised that they all inherited the byakugan. The clan had been worried that her children would be born without it, but they underestimated the strength of Hyuga genes.
Hinata's trip down memory lane was interrupted by Himeko jumping on her bed. The younger Hyuga girl smiled at her parents. Now ten years old, she was a Genin under the watchful eye of Moegi, Konohamaru's friend. She gave her father and mother a tooth paste endorsing smile and gave them a thumbs up.
"You can't stay in bed all day!" Himeko cried, "We've got to go to Hokage-sama and Sakura-san's fifteen year anniversary party today!"
"Himeko…must you be so loud…" a soft male voice said from the doorway. In it stood Hyuga Gai, his lazy white eyes still showing signs of sleep. Gai was now fourteen and was among the favorites at the Chunin exams. He passed the exams with very good marks and celebrated with older Gai by running a few hundred laps around Konoha, just to keep himself in perspective. He still had to work hard.
Last to enter the room was Tsuki, only six years old, who quietly glided past her brother and sat on the edge of her parents' bed.
"I think you should let Mother and Father rest for a while," Tsuki said in a calm tone, "They've worked so hard for so long, it's only fair."
Lee and Hinata smiled at all of their children and turned to each other.
"Hey, Hinata," Lee began, "When Naruto and Sakura are married fifteen years, where will you be?"
Hinata smiled at the question. He had asked her that so many years ago, in the darkness of the training grounds. Back then she had no idea what was to become of her, but now she had an answer. Hinata slipped her hand into his.
"With you," she answered.
Fin
It's really over this time. I might go through it and tighten up a few grammatical errors here and there, but unless someone points out a specific flaw in the story, it's staying the way it is.
I'm going to be shot for naming Hinata and Lee's first child Gai, I just know it. Haha…:)
Grimmylocks: SakuLee is the only couple I would probably be very upset about if it didn't happen in canon. I hope to read your story when you start posting. Oh and thank you for all your kind comments!
Pyrinsomniac: Well, as you can see, no fight scene. I haven't written one in ages, but I'll have to for my next Naruto epic. And yes, I was dying to write a scene in which Neji sees Hinata's nice girl pose. I just wanted it for the reaction factor.
Dementa: Wow! You're so sweet:)
endolphins: You know, your review really made my day. Thank you so much!
Harpygirl91: I'm kind of sad too. I had a lot of fun writing this.
AJ: Thank you:D
Alandria: I think the first step in properly writing a crack pairing, is to admit that it will never happen. Thank you for reading!
Thank you everyone who's reviewed so far and everyone who might review later. You guys make me so happy!