Fear

NaruHina dedicated to Fumei-chan!

(Remember, all one-shots take place in the future.)

Uzumaki Naruto had never been more afraid in all his life. Sure, today started like any other day. He'd trained with Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei. He'd been to Ichiraku for some ramen with his teammates. Normal stuff. Until that very night. He was walking home from dinner at Ichiraku with Iruka when he saw it. Long purple hair, torn clothes, a trail of blood following the limp body. Hyuuga Hinata was near death as she was practically crawling foreword. Naruto froze with fear. It only took another second for himself to unfreeze and dash to her side. "Hinata-chan!" He cried, taking her shoulders in his hands.

Her clear lavender eyes barely registered him, and for once she didn't blush. Something was seriously wrong. And once he found out who'd done this to her, they'd pay. Big time. "L-let me go," Hinata hissed, blood dripping from her mouth. She fought against Naruto's hands. "I-I'll k-kill you." She warned, yet too weak to reach for her weapon pouch.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto raised his voice, shaking Hinata now. (But not too hard so he wouldn't harm her further.) "Who did this to you?" Naruto asked- animal instinct getting the better of him. The Hyuuga heiress gave him a dazed look in response.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Her delicate hand cupped his cheek. "How…?" Hinata trailed off as the Uzumaki lifted her without struggle and carried her, bridal style, toward Konoha Hospital.

"Sakura-chan will tend to you, Hinata-chan…" Naruto informed. His usual cheery attitude had turned solemn and his voice sounded chocked. "Just… don't die on me. Please…" He whispered out, before kicking the winding hospital doors- commanding attention. "SAKURA-CHAN! TSUNADE OBAACHAN!" Naruto yelled as loud as he could. Sakura Haruno, looking disgruntled at the sight of Hinata unconscious, appeared first.

Without even asking her blonde teammate what had happened, she called for her master. "Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura called, running down the seemingly endless halls to her master's office, Naruto carrying Hinata close behind. Upon entering, she spoke fast and clear. "Hinata's injured. Badly. As far as I can tell, her chakra points are closed off, she's unconscious, and she is suffering from heavy blood loss." Tsunade made no hesitation as she and Sakura took Hinata from Naruto, though at first he almost refused. Something inside him was incredibly protective of Hinata, but then he remembered her life was on the line, and let go.

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If he thought his fear was bad to begin with, it was growing even worse now. Uzumaki Naruto was being forced to wait in the waiting room. It was extremely unsettling. The Medics around here should try to make the waiting room a little more inviting. Instead, he had the nurse at the desk watching him wearily, buzzing lights making his ears ring, and little trinkets that he thought he could brake with his mind because of all the stress he was suffering.

Most would think his intense feelings for Hinata Hyuuga came from nowhere, and really- they did. But that's the way love is, he supposed. Almost all of Konoha suspected Naruto still loved Sakura, though Sasuke would kill him within an inch of his life if he did. But the truth was he loved Sakura like a sister. Nothing more. And he supossed it had always been a brother-sister relationship between them.

He'd been on many a mission with Hinata recently, and she and he had grown considerably close. Much to Hinata's father's dismay. Each mission he'd been on with her was just as nerve-racking was what was happening to him now. The fear. The knowledge that maybe, she might die, and he wouldn't have gotten a chance to say how he felt.

But the way of ninja wasn't always so bright as Naruto thought. And right now was a pretty good example of the dark times of being a ninja. At least being seventeen gave him some insight. "Heh, you all right, dobe?" Naruto halted his pacing to turn and see his raven-haired teammate smirking at him. Sasuke must've seen something different about the Kyuubi holder, because his smirk disappeared quickly. "… She's not… you know… is she?"

"No," Naruto responded, turning his gaze to his fascinating ninja-sandals. "But, Sakura-chan and Tsunade Obaachan are tending to her in the intensive care unit." A look of relief came across Sasuke's face.

"So it's not Sakura who's injured." Sasuke smirked. "I guess I underestimate her a lot." Naruto tilted his head at his best friend.

"Heke?"

"I thought Sakura was hurt. People in town were talking about you carrying a young woman over here quickly. They all said she was hurt. So I rushed over thinking Sakura was hurt." Sasuke summarized. Naruto shook his head.

"Not Sakura-chan. Hinata-chan." The Uzumaki said with a sigh, and sat on the uncomfortable waiting room chair. At least having Sasuke around made the room a little less unsettling. Sasuke narrowed his brows in confusion and took a seat next to Naruto.

"Well, in any case, I wanted to come and see Sakura anyway." Sasuke said conversationally. Naruto nodded emotionlessly. Sasuke frowned. He was hoping that by saying that, Naruto would tease him about loving Sakura. And in turn, he'd just smirk and retort with his Uchiha abilities. "… You're really scared aren't you?"

"What was your first clue?" Naruto chuckled out. He didn't notice until now, but his hands were shaking violently. And shortly after realizing this, his throat felt incredibly heavy. Tears welled in his cerulean eyes. 'Hinata-chan,'

Seeing Naruto like this made Sasuke panic. Whenever Sakura got this way, he would hold her close and whisper how everything will be all right. But Naruto wasn't his… well… Naruto was a man now. As was Sasuke. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Which made him jump at the contact. "Teme!" He shouted, startled. He rubbed his shoulder like he'd been burned. "What the hell?!" At least he wasn't on the verge of crying anymore.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke retorted with a sort of chuckle in his voice. Suddenly, the doors on the Intensive Care unit opened, and out emerged Sakura. "Sakura," Sasuke got up from his seat and walked over to her.

"O-oh, Sasuke-kun." Sakura stammered, awkwardly hugging him. Sasuke returned the hug with a soft smile. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. Now that Sasuke had returned, whenever Sasuke and Sakura spent time together you could practically feel the love they have for each other. She separated from him and approached Naruto. "Don't worry. She's just recovering. You'll have to wait a couple more minutes until Tsunade-shishou exits. She's just making sure Hinata-san comes to first." Sakura informed.

"Thank Kami." Naruto whispered as Sakura left to stand by Sasuke. "So… just a few more minutes then?" Slowly, a true Naruto smile formed on his lips when Sakura nodded.

"Then you can go and visit. Tsunade will be sure to tell you everything she knows about Hinata's condition… and her attackers." Sakura finished.

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Shortly after she and Sasuke left, Tsunade exited the Intensive Care unit with a nervous smile on her face.

"You may visit her." Tsunade held the door open for Naruto as he entered. The room was blinding with the white over-head lights. And behind himself he heard Tsunade call out: "Hinata-san, you have a visitor." Naruto could only see white curtains covering a bed, until Hinata drew them back.

Her violet hair was matted to the sides of her face. Either from blood or sweat. She had multiple scars across her face, and the hospital wear had splats of red in various places. She literally looked like hell. But not to Naruto Uzumaki. To him, she looked like heaven on Earth. The picture of aliveness. Because after being tormented with the thought of having to attend her funeral, he couldn't care less about what she looked like. "Naruto-kun," Something panged his heart at the weak tone of voice she had.

"Hinata-chan," Tsunade left with a small smile as Naruto embraced the injured girl carefully. He barely let his fingers touch her, afraid she would brake. Hinata's broken voice made something of a giggle. "How are you feeling?"

Seemingly perplexed by this question, Hinata scanned her mind for an answer that wouldn't worry the boy still holding her. "A-All right, I guess." She spoke in the end.

Naruto nodded. Taking in her answer, though inside he knew it was a lie. As long as she was still breathing he'd be all right. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" He asked, moving clumps of her hair behind her ears.

"Get me out of here?" Hinata offered weakly. It was obvious she wasn't all too fond of hospitals. Then he remembered her deadly fear of needles. And then he noticed the IV attached to her wrist. He winced.

"I wish I could've been here for you," Naruto barely voiced above a whisper. Hinata smiled at him as he took the arm that had the IV. "Were you afraid?"

"I was unconscious, Naruto-kun…" Hinata giggled out. "I didn't feel a thing." She added. "But… now that I'm looking at it and you bringing it up…" She trailed off as she stared at the IV. Naruto let go of that arm, and hugged her close once more.

"Don't think about it. Be thankful you're all right." Naruto suggested.

"Gomen for interrupting, demo, we need to go over this before I get anymore near-death patients." Tsunade interrupted, entering the quaint hospital room with a clip-board. Naruto let go of Hinata and nodded at the Hokage. "First off," She began, walking further into the room. "Hinata can't stay at the Hyuuga residence. It seems her father's off on a mission as is Neji. And I wouldn't trust only maids to be at her side in her condition."

"Do I have to say it?" Naruto asked with a smile. Tsunade nodded with a smile of her own. "You're staying with me, Hinata-chan." Naruto announced. Hinata blushed and nodded in response.

'As long as I can keep an eye on her, I think things will go smoothly.'

(A/N: I have nothing particular to say other than, review please! n.n)