Authors Notes:

I do not own Naruto.

I encourage all feedback. I can handle the flames, though they won't be necessary.

This is my first fanfiction in awhile and my first decent Naruto fanfiction. I try my best to stay in character but I will admit that some characters are easy, like Neji, and some are hard, like Hinata. So let me know if it gets to ridiculous.

I will try my best to get a chapter up almost every day. The longest will be a week. I plan to have the story finished this summer.

Hinata woke up to find herself in a hospital bed. As a kunoichi, this wasn't incredibly rare. She closed her eyes and tried her best to remember how she ended up there. She shivered as she remembered and she felt her side sting a little since it was still recovering from the wound. She and her peers had arrived at the sight of battle against Tobi. For the most part she stayed out of the way, providing assistance only with her byakugan. But she found herself spurred into action in order to defend Naruto. She remembered being certain that she would die, but happy that she was able to help Naruto to defeat Tobi.

She was in Konoha's hospital. She had to be. It looked so familiar. That meant that the war was likely over. She had no idea how long she'd been out. She turned her head to the size and let out a soft noise as she saw Naruto asleep in a chair next to her. On the other side of the bed was a table filled with cards, candy, balloons, and other gifts. She almost started crying because of how much she appreciated everything. But before she could the door to her room opened and a small group of her friends, with coffee and other drinks in their hand were estatic to see Hinata awake.

The noise startled Naruto and he fell out of the seat. Hinata was overwhelmed by the group and they could tell. So most of them left, leaving her with Neji, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, and Naruto. She looked up to Shino for an explination. She didn't have to say anything. They were close enough that he understood what her expression meant.

"The war's over. You've been out for almost a month." Hinata was shocked at how long she'd been in the hospital. Shino took a break in his explination so that she could take in everything that he was saying.

"A lot has happened. The shinobi world is weak and many of the villages are still fighting amongst themselves. There've been a rise in rogue shinobi and they've been taking advantage of weak clans." Shino paused once again. It took Hinata some time to put together why he would mention rogue ninjas taking advantage of weak clans. It must mean that her clan was weak. She looked up at Neji and could see the sadness in his eye. His eye. Neji had lost one of his eyes. She stared wide-eyed at him and he sighed sadly, reaching one hand up to touch the space now covered by an eye patch.

"Only five members of the Hyuga clan remain." Neji whispered. Hinata's mouth hung open and emotions quickly took over. Two of the remaining Hyugas were in this room. She sobbed openly as she spoke for the first time since awakening.

"W-who's left?"

"You, me, Hanabi, Hitomi, and the Hyuga Elder." Neji answered. He didn't allow a pause like Shino. "You're the head of the Hyuga Clan. And you and Hanabi are in danger. Three kidnapping attempts have already happened. Sai and Sakura are on duty to watch over Hanabi. Naruto here is supposed to watch you." he said, nodding in his direction. Somehow Naruto had fallen back asleep, now on the floor.

"Though sleeping on the job isn't good." Kiba noted.

Hinata could barely hear what Neji was saying, everything was happening so quickly. She remembered her clanmates, Ko, her father. It was a familiar pain, loss. She'd lost her uncle and her mother during her childhood. But nothing like this had ever happened. Hinata cried quite loudly, awakening a very concerned Naruto who rushed to her side. Hinata was so upset that she didn't even seem to notice who's shoulder she was crying into. She didn't even care.

The rest of the group became incredibly uncomfortable. They decided to leave and come back later to answer more questions. Before Kiba left he got the box of tissues from a table on the other side of the room and placed it on the bed next to Hinata.

The kunoichi cried until she feel asleep. Naruto's comforting arms were around her, but she felt as if she couldn't even feel them. Nothing in the world could've preparred her for this.

As Naruto felt the girl in his arms relax and drift to sleep he began to cry softly.

"I'm so sorry." he whispered.

Please review. I need you guys.