Puzzle

Sequel to 'Broken Pieces'





Hinata sat at the desk in her room going over some papers of the Hyuga clan. It was all finances and policies and she thought it completely dull, but it had to get done. One of the advantages, she thought, of undertaking such a tedious job was that it took her mind off the situation with Naruto and Sakura.

She’d thought it over time and time again, wishing so much to talk to Naruto and make him understand the situation but the possibility of running into Sakura kept her away. The medi-nin’s words had hurt her feelings immensely and she felt betrayed by one of her few girlfriends. It also made it difficult that she was best friends with Naruto, and Hinata did not want to ruin one of his precious relationships. It’s what he treasured most.

And of course there was a chance that Sakura was right and Naruto was happy. And Hinata would never willingly, or on pain of death, ruin his happiness.

Naruto always came first.

So there she was, going over Hyuga paperwork and failing miserably at not thinking about Naruto Uzumaki. She was interrupted in her failings by a knock at her bedroom door.

“Hai?”

It was Neji. “Hinata-sama, Naruto is here.” There was a pause and Hinata caught snippets of a mumbled conversation. “He says he’s alone and he knows what happened…” He trailed off to measure her reaction.

She didn’t disappoint. “Let him in!”

The door opened and Naruto stepped in. Behind him Neji lingered only to gauge the atmosphere before leaving with a nod. Naruto walked straight over to her and got to his knees beside her chair.

She looked at him tentatively and tenderly. “Naruto-kun?”

He was gazing at the paper strewn across her desk and didn’t even look at her as he spoke calmly. “I found out what Sakura did and I gave her a piece of my mind. What I can’t understand Hinata, is why you listened to her.”

Hinata swallowed, it wasn’t like Naruto to be this calm and collected. “I-I didn’t really listen to her Naruto-kun. It’s just that…she was always around when I tried to speak to you. And truthfully,” She blushed. “Being in the same area as her m-made me physically ill. And I know,” She fidgeted in her seat, looking at the mass of blonde hair before her. “And I know I c-could have tried harder but…she was right when she said Team 7 was finally back together. I didn’t want to jeopardise that by interfering with one of your friendships-”

Naruto suddenly snorted with laughter, cutting off her rant. He finally looked at her, bearing the goofy grin she loved so much.

“Hinata, only you could be so selfless. And you and Sakura seem to have the same problem: you both don’t give you enough credit. What you both have to realise is that you have just as much place in my heart as Team 7 does. And you liked me back in the Academy didn’t you?” He paused and watched her nod in confirmation, making him grin again. “So if anything, you have more claim to my heart than Team 7.” A small squeak issued forth from Hinata and Naruto stood up. “But I’ve been without you for three weeks, c’mon, we’re going out!”
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Instead of taking Hinata to Ichiraku, like she thought he’d do, Naruto stopped into the small pizza place they’d discovered and then taken her back to his place. Naruto sat on the couch and spooned Hinata into his embrace before playing whatever movie was sitting in the VCR from the last movie night.

Once the pizza was demolished, the couple’s attention turned to each other rather than the movie. Naruto entwined the fingers on one of his hands with hers, admiring the difference in skin tone. He then buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply, making her giggle at the ticklish feeling.

“I missed you Hinata. Sure, I love my teammates, but I can’t do this with any of them,” He proceeded to hold her closer to him. “Because that would be uncomfortable for all involved. I can’t do this,” He ran a hand through her hair. “If not only because everyone on my team has short hair. And I certainly can’t do this,” He turned her head up to him and kissed her hotly. “Because that would be traumatising…and in most cases, would involve major lifestyle choices.”

His voice was serious but his eyes were teasing as he spoke, but when Hinata opened her eyes after the kiss and looked at him, his next words escaped him and the only thing that went through his mind was the urge to kiss the woman before him.
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Hinata woke the next morning feeling extremely light and happy and she cracked her eyes open with a smile. Her smile faltered when she realised she wasn’t in her room, and it took her a moment to realise she was in Naruto’s room. Over the time they’d dated, she’d only been in his room a handful of time, and all for innocent reasons.

She panicked for a moment, wondering what they’d done together, before searching through her memories and found that the last thing she remembered was feeling extremely comfortable in Naruto’s embrace on the couch. Sitting up, she realised she was clothed and alone in the room.

Hinata smiled as she exited the room in search of her boyfriend, thinking him such a gentleman for treating her the way he did. Upon entering the lounge room, she discovered Naruto asleep on the couch snoring away with an arm hanging off the couch. She leaned over the back of the sofa to watch him sleep, finding him incredibly adorable in this state.

Unable to help herself, she lowered a hand to his face and traced a finger over one of his whisker birthmarks. The next two seconds were a blur and the next thing she cognitively registered was that she screamed, and she landed unceremoniously on her rear on the floor. She blinked a few times to straighten out her thoughts and her mind cleared at Naruto’s voice.

“Ah Hinata! Gomen, gomen, gomen, gomen! I didn’t know…I didn’t realise!” He held out a hand to help her up. “Are you okay?”

Hinata laughed and nodded. “I’m fine Naruto-kun. And it’s my fault, I should know better than to disturb a sleeping ninja.”

Naruto still looked sheepish as he helped her to her feet and stowed his kunai away. He pulled her into his embrace as he apologised again for good measure. She patted him lightly on the forearm, telling him it was alright before giggling as his stomach rumbled.

He flushed. “Guess I’m hungry.”

“Would you like me to make you breakfast?” She didn’t wait for a reply as she pulled out of his hug and headed towards the kitchen.

Naruto grinned goofily as he followed her. “Breakfast by Hinata, I’ve been waiting for this!”
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While Hinata took a shower after breakfast, Naruto washed the dishes, smiling at his purely content feeling. Everything was right again. He had Hinata back, held her in his arms again. He decided he’d ignore Sakura for three weeks as her punishment, and then tell her he forgave her for what she’d done. Yes, she had tried to break up him and Hinata, but Sakura (and the rest of Team 7) were just as important.

His thoughts wandered all over the place, past, present and future, and as a result, his task of washing the dishes slowed considerably. So by the time he was putting the dishes away, Hinata reappeared, having had a nice shower and now fully clothed.

“Naruto-kun I’m sorry, I would have liked to have spent the rest of the day with you but I have a Hyuga council meeting I have to attend.”

Naruto pouted but he nodded. “Okay, but I’m walking you home.” He pulled her into a hug. “I wanna spend as much time with you as I can.”

He sealed his sentence with a kiss.
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As the two approached the Hyuga estate, their fingers loosely entwined on one hand, they noticed a great deal of traffic entering and exiting Konoha’s oldest estate. Naruto looked at Hinata curiously, but she seemed just as confused as him. Entering through the Hyuga gates and easily manoeuvring their way around carts that were either full of objects, or heading out, completely empty. Naruto spotted vases, rugs, scrolls, paintings and other assorted knick-knacks.

Neji. Hanabi and Hiashi were standing out the front of the main branch building, overseeing progress.

“Hinata, I was wondering where you were.” Hiashi said, pointedly looking at Naruto. “My daughter has been upset for weeks.”

“It was all a big misunderstanding Hyuga-san, I didn’t even know what was going on till yesterday. But I came over here to straighten it all out as soon as I did. We just talked, and then crashed at my place.”

“I hope you did not take advantage of my daughter.”

Hinata blushed bright red, but Naruto only rocked back on his heels, hands in his pockets. “I slept on the couch.” He said coolly.

No sense in blowing up at your girlfriend’s Dad.

“Um, O-Otou-san, what’s going on?” Hinata asked, after an awkward silence.

Hiashi gestured around him. “I’ve been buying foreign antiques. I haven’t been able to for a while because of all the conflict between the nations, but now that it’s over…” He rested his hands on the small of his back, chest puffed out importantly. “And I’m strengthening the relations between nations by buying all this. Enough though, Hinata, Neji, Hanabi, we have a meeting to attend. Uzumaki, I assume you can find your own way out?”

A rhetorical question if he’d ever heard one. So he leant downwards slightly and kissed Hinata goodbye on the cheek, not taking any chances on what Hiashi, and maybe even Neji, would consider scandalous.

“I’m sorry about that.” She whispered as her family headed inside.

He grinned. “I’ve been through worse. Can I see you tomorrow? We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Hinata nodded her head vigorously. “Of course. I have to give a guest lecture at the Academy, Can you meet me there at 11?”

“Sure, I can grace some snotty kids with my presence.” He struck a pose.

Hinata giggled. “That was us once Naruto-kun, remember?”

“You were never snotty. And I wasn’t either…I was a brat.” He crossed his arms indignantly.

“Hinata!”

“C-Coming Otou-san! Bye Naruto-kun.” She kissed him lightly on the lips then scurried into the house.

As Naruto meandered out of the Hyuga estate, he watched passed a large ornamental clock that struck the hour with a loud declaration. Naruto jumped in surprise and stumbled sideways into a cluster of rolled up rugs leaning against large boxes. His fall to the ground was neither dignified nor quiet, and he heard the snickers of the Hyuga Branch members who were herding the artefacts around the estate.

To nurse his male ego and restore some credibility, he used his chakra to make a dramatic exit worthy of the ANBU he was.

He reappeared in his apartment and sneezed, the dust from the rugs still tickling his nose.
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Naruto was called to the Hokage Tower in the early morning and met up with his team as they waited to be called into the Godaime’s office. Sakura stayed off to once side, pretending to be enthralled in the file she’d brought from the hospital.

“How is Hinata-san?” Sasuke asked quietly.

“She’s okay, we’re okay. We just talked it over and spent time together, she stayed the night-”

“Did you-” Sai interrupted.

“No! Why does everyone jump to that conclusion? No, we watched a movie, talked, made out a bit and then I took her to bed. And I slept on the couch!” He added hastily.

“And are you okay now?” Sasuke continued.

“Me? I’m fine-”

“You weren’t though baka.” His best friend continued somewhat tenderly. “You were in a downward spiral. You were like you were when we were young, hiding behind a mask.”

Naruto looked solemn. “Well I’m fine now. I just…I thought I was losing the best thing I had in my life. Not that you guys aren’t important! But-”

“We understand.” Sasuke said firmly. “We all do.” That was emphasised, and Sakura shifted slightly as she stood off side, almost dropping her file. “Hinata-san is fixing you, like Sakura did for me.”

Naruto’s eyes darted quickly to Sakura then back again. “Yeah, well…I’m good now. Thanks for worrying.”

“Hokage-sama will see you now.” Shizune said, poking her head out of Tsunade’s office.

“Thank-you all for coming, it’s only a short announcement to say that you’ll be going on a highly sensitive mission next week. It’s an assassination mission and while I would normally send Team 8, Kiba’s on a mission with his sister and Shino with his father. And the Hyuga are giving me a hard time even getting Hinata on the most basic of missions.” Tsunade sighed. “I’m glad this only happens once a generation. Anyway, there’s a traitor in the Flower Country’s government, and the Daimyo wants you to find out who it is and take care of it.”

Team 7 nodded collectively and Naruto cheered when Tsunade said he’d be taking point.

“Hey Baa-chan, why are the Hyuga giving you a hard time about Hinata?” He asked as he and his team prepared to leave.

“It’s because she’s the Heiress. No doubt the same thing happened when her father was an active ninja, but it’s a hassle. It’s not Hiashi really, he’s only concerned for her safety, but the elders just want her at home to play the porcelain princess.” She held up a hand as Naruto was about to talk…or rant. “And if she were of sub-average intelligence and skill, I’d agree, but she is a truly gifted kunoichi and a great ambassador.”

Naruto squirmed and bit his lip, angry at the Hyuga elders. Tsunade nodded at him gratefully for his restraint and then looked at Sakura.

“Have you looked at that case I asked you to?” She asked her protégée.

Sakura nodded. “Hai Tsunade-sama, it’s very strange. But you’ve figured out that it was a contact agent?”

Tsunade nodded as the young men looked on in confusion. “What’s going on Baa-chan?” Naruto asked, never one for secrets or privacy.

“Just a patient in the hospital. A Hyuga collapsed last night when serving dinner. Apparently she started convulsing with a fit on the floor, vomit and sweat everywhere.” Naruto’s eyes widened and she continued. “No, it wasn’t Hinata, or her sister. It was a branch member.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Sai asked as Naruto sighed with relief beside him.

“Acute poisoning brought on by contact with a foreign object.” Sakura said, skimming the case file in her hand. “The medi-nin established that the contact was made with her hand, but they have no idea with what, and what the poison was.”

“She’s still unconscious in the hospital, but her fits have stopped. I think the poison is working its way out of her system. The human body is amazing.” The medical worker within Tsunade was glowing with awe and pride.

“Well, I’ll go over there now and see if there is anything I can do.” Sakura said, bowing before leaving the room.

“I promised Nara I’d play Shoji with him.”

“And there’s a little pool in the forest I want to paint.”

“I’m meeting Hinata outside the Academy. I’ll say hello for you Teme. Seeya Baa-chan!” And he was gone in a flash.

Tsunade looked at the two remaining boys. “He seems better. But the team dynamic seems…” She didn’t know how to finish her sentence.

“He is better. Sakura did something selfish and foolish that hurt him, but it’s fixed now. We figure Naruto’ll be angry with her for a few weeks and then everything will be back to normal. But don’t worry Hokage-sama, it won’t affect teamwork, Naruto has more sense that to let it affect our safety. We still matter to him.”

Sasuke bowed and then left. Sai was left, looking at Tsunade.

“Sakura-san tried to break up Naruto and Hinata because she thought is ruined Team 7’s schedule.” He explained.

“Should I talk with her?”

“No, it is all fixed, as Sasuke-san said. Naruto and Hinata worked it out.” He turned to leave after bowing. “But they didn’t sleep together.”

Tsunade looked after him with a shocked expression. “What an odd thing to say.”
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Naruto had tried standing outside the Academy as he waited for Hinata, but his impatience got the better of him and he decided to visit Iruka and his old classroom. He laughed to himself as he walked down the familiar halls, remembering how everything had seemed so much bigger when he was young.

He looked through the viewing window of his old classroom and grinned. There was Iruka, giving a lecture to a class of bored 12-year-olds.

Iruka was trying to explain why the Bunshin technique was one of the most basic and helpful jutsu a Genin should know, when he saw Naruto’s grinning face in the door. Iruka grinned himself, Naruto always had a knack for arriving in the nick of time with an air of unexpectancy.

“And I have a surprise guest to help explain what I’ve been trying to drill into your head for the last 20 minutes!” He said, improvising.

He motioned for Naruto to enter the room and was not disappointed at the collective gasp from his students. That and the fact that they all sat up straight in an instant.

“Naruto, welcome. I’ve just been trying to explain why the Bunshin was such an effective tool for the Genin.”

Naruto grinned in nostalgia. He scanned the room quickly, a young girl was sitting where he once had.

“Hey guys!” He waved cheerily.

“Class, as you may know, this is Naruto Uzumaki, ANBU and former student of the legendary Sannin Jiraiya-”

“And don’t forget you, I was your student too. In fact, this was my classroom. I used to sit right there.” He pointed at the little girl, who blushed deeply. “The Bunshin huh? I hated that jutsu more than anything, could never do it.” The class gasped. “But I’ve realised since then that it’s because I have so much chakra, too much for a 12-year-old to master to create one measly clone. The remedy though, was for me to learn a harder jutsu. You’ve probably seen me do it at one point or another, the Kage Bunshin. I almost never create just one at a time, and it used a lot more chakra, easier to control when your using such a big chunk of messily stored chakra.”

One kid was bouncing in his seat with his hand up. “Can you show us, onegai?” He pleaded.

Naruto looked at Iruka, who nodded. Naruto brought his hands together and cried ‘Kage Bunshin no Jutsu’. The front of the classroom filled with Naruto clones, all making smart-arse comments and striking heroic poses to amuse the class.

“What about a transformation jutsu, my cousin Kiba says you were rubbish at those during the Academy.”

“Mutt-face would say that wouldn’t he? I’ll have you know I defeated Kiba during out first Chuunin exams using a Kage Bunshin and transformation jutsu at the same time.” He promptly turned two of his clones into Kiba and Akamaru, getting applause from the class. “And you may know Sasuke Uchiha, he was our Rookie of the Year.” Another clone turned into Sasuke. “The smartest guy, like, ever, was in our class.” One turned into Shikamaru. “But Sakura would give him a run for his money in the theory tests Iruka-sensei gave us.” Another turned into Sakura. “Our quiet achiever was the Hyuga heiress, Hinata.” The clone standing closest to Naruto changed into Hinata.

There was a knock at the classroom door and Hinata shyly poked her head in. “I-I’m sorry for interrupting.” She smiled at Naruto and his clones. “But I thought I felt your chakra signature Naruto-kun.”

“Class this is Hinata Hyuga, the one Naruto was just talking about.” Iruka introduced Hinata, inviting her into the class.

“Y-You were talking about me Naruto-kun?” Hinata blushed.

“Just that you were our quiet achiever during our Academy days.” He explained as all his clones, transformed or otherwise, vanished. “Well, me and Hinata are off.” He winked at the class. “We’re going on a date.” For added effect, he slid an arm around her waist.

The class hooted cheers and snickers, and Iruka shook his head. “Yes thank-you for disrupting the class. I thought those days were over.”

Naruto grinned as he and Hinata left the room, her face smattered with a violent blush.
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“Her name is Yumi, she’s a very nice girl. It’s horrible that this happened to her. I don’t know anyone that would want to hurt Yumi-chan.” Naruto and Hinata sat in Ichiraku eating lunch as Hinata explained what had happened at dinner the night before. “She just went pale all of a sudden and then collapsed.” She shook her head. “One of the elders, I don’t even know who, I was focused on Yumi, seemed more worried about the fact that she’d dropped the potatoes.”

“Baa-chan said her fits have stopped and thinks the poison’s working its way out of her system.”

Hinata sighed in relief. “And it was because of something she touched?”

Naruto nodded. “I’m just so glad it wasn’t you,” He kissed her hair in between mouthfuls of ramen. “I just got you back, I don’t want to lose you.”
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“The main thing is integration. You have to blend in Naruto-kun, and I know that’s going to be hard when you were born to stand out.”

Naruto was walking Hinata back to her house, and he pressed a kiss into her forehead at her last statement, again struck by how much potential she saw in him. He’d just explained that his mission the next week would be assassination, and he’d asked for her expert opinion.

He smiled. “You’re the only one who thinks that.”

“No, only the first. Promise me you’ll be careful, I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Hinata, you’re stuck with me now, I’m wrapped around your dainty little fingers.” He kissed them. “If you break up with me, I’m going to cling to your leg and scream and plead and make a complete baka of myself until you take me back.”

Hinata giggled at the image. “Well it’s a good thing I want you forever then.”

“Forever, I like that.” He paused as they stopped outside the Hyuga estate. “Can I see you again tomorrow?”

“I’m training with Lee-kun tomorrow-”

“Oh, I have to see that. Who’s going to benefit most from that, you or him?”

“It’ll help me with my endurance and Lee-kun will get more practice in for trying to beat Neji-nii-san. But you can decide tomorrow if you want. 6am start in training ground 14. Goodnight Naruto-kun.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it before kissing her forcefully. “Goodnight Hinata.” He whispered.

Walking home, Naruto’s mind was racing, he had been about to tell Hinata he loved her, before he caught himself and kissed her instead. He hadn’t realised the depth of his feelings before. He didn’t even know if you could fall in love with someone so quickly. He had to think about this.
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Naruto had beat Hinata to the training ground the next morning, and by 6.30 when she hadn’t arrived, he and Lee began a light spar. Hinata arrived 15 minutes later, out of breath and blushing from embarrassment.

“I am so sorry I’m late Lee-kun, Naruto-kun. Another family member has b-been poisoned. Another Branch member girl…” Naruto swept her up in a hug when he saw tears form at the corner of her eyes. “Kira’s only 14 years old, she’s done nothing wrong, who’d want to-to hurt her?”

“It’ll be alright Hinata, she’s in hospital now?” Hinata nodded. “Then Baa-chan and Sakura will look after her.” He would never begrudge Sakura her talent. “Has Yumi woken up?”

Hinata nodded again. “During the night, but she’d v-very weak, the poison took a lot out of her.”

“Everything will be fine Hinata-chan, Konoha’s Will of Fire burns brightly in both your relatives!”

“A-Arigato, I’m sure they’ll be fine. I only wish I could do more.”
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Two days later and two more Hyuga Branch members had been admitted to hospital with poisoning. Tsunade sat at her desk near midnight, going over the case files of all four victims and nursing a glass of sake. Shikamaru, Shizune and Sakura were in the office too, going over charts and data that had been put up on boards now littering the large office.

“This can’t go on, people are sick and now we’ve had one death.” Tsunade said, slamming her fist on the desk and fracturing it. “What do we know?”

“There have been four victims, one a day. Yumi Hyuga, Kira Hyuga, Hyumaru Hyuga and Aramai Hyuga. Aramai was today’s victim, and died by choking on vomit during a seizure.” Sakura said.

“All are Branch members who serve the Main branch on a daily basis. Yumi, Kira and Aramai worked as maids, and Hyumaru, the only male victim, is a guard. Kira and Aramai are biological cousins, Yumi and Hyumaru are engaged, and reports from other Branch members indicate that the four would pass each other in a normal day.” Shikamaru said, looking at a small notebook he kept on his person at all times.

“The poison is administered by contact. Yumi, Kira and Aramai contracted through the hand, and Hyumaru his arm. We have not identified the poison’s chemical compound, though it seems the poisonous properties of certain herbs and medical agents are used. There is also a protein strain that we cannot identify.” Shizune said, looking at a board.

“So, what can we say with certainty?” Tsunade asked, sipping her sake.

“Nothing Hokage-sama.” Shikamaru said. “We can say that Aramai’s death occurred due to complications caused by the poison, but not the poison itself. Although all the victims have been Hyuga Branch members, until we find a motive, we can’t conclusively say that it is an attack on the Branch family.”

“But we know the symptoms and process of the poisoning.” Tsunade pointed out. “Paleness, shortness of breath, and then unconsciousness accompanied by seizures-”

“Because the body is fighting the infection!” Sakura put in.

“Exactly. It takes about 2 hours for the poison to take effect, and the dosage, thankfully enough, doesn’t seem strong enough to directly cause death. And once the seizures stop, the victim remains unconscious for another…”

“Two hours.” Shizune supplied.

“And then the victim wakes up, the poison having worked its way out of the system. Do we have any clue on what the object is that’s making them sick?”

“Not yet, but all four are in the house all day, and the Hyuga recently acquired a large amount of foreign antiques…” Shikamaru let the insinuation hang in the air.

Tsunade groaned. “I don’t want this to be an attack by a foreign nation, not when communication and relations are doing well.”
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Naruto was standing in the waiting room as he waited for Hinata. Neji stood with him, keeping him company as Hinata got ready.

“Thank-you for taking her out Naruto, she’s been hit hard by these attacks, she’s stressing herself out and weighing herself down with unnecessary guilt. Aramai’s death is hurting her, Aramai was one of her personal servants…though she never treated her as such. Aramai was a friend that Hinata could talk to as the two cleaned her room.”

Naruto chuckled. “Only Hinata would help someone clean when someone else was perfectly willing to do the task. And it’s no problem, I love spending time with her.”

“Love?” Neji queried.

Naruto sputtered but was saved a response as Hinata entered the room, looking tired and downcast. Naruto gave her a soft kiss on the lips and hugged her, whispering soft words in her ear. They were about to leave when Hiashi entered the room, looking even worse than Hinata.

“Good evening Hyuga-san, I’m sorry about what’s going on. If there’s anything I can do to help, I will, don’t be afraid to ask.”

“Arigato Uzumaki-san,” The ‘san’ addition was new. “But I fear at the moment there is little anyone can do. My clan is afraid to sleep, fearing their pillow is poisoned, going over in their mind every single thing they touched during the day, wondering what’s cutting us down. And now there are conspiracies…”

“Those are a product of scared children Hiashi-sama, no-one thinks the Hyuga council is trying to wipe out the Branch family. As soon as I found out who they are, I will put an end to it.” Neji said firmly.

“Anyway, I’ll drop Hinata off at about midnight, I think it’s best to provide just a little distraction if I can.” Naruto said, taking Hinata’s hand.

Hiashi nodded. “I think that’s best. Have a good evening. And Hinata…”

“Yes Otou-san?” She prompted.

“You look lovely.”

It was clear to Naruto that the family crisis was bringing them all closer together. Tugging on her hand slightly, the young couple turned with a wave to the older man and the stoic younger male. As they crossed the threshold at the front door, Hinata stumbled and Naruto caught her in his arms.

“Hinata, hey Hinata, are you okay?”

“Yes, y-yes I’m fine, I just suddenly felt very weak. I must be stressed. Arigato for catching me.”

“Always there for you if you need me.”

She smiled at him, a beautiful smile he instantly fell in love with, and then her face turned unnaturally pale and her smile disappeared as her eyes drifted closed and she slumped in his embrace, unconscious.

“Hinata!”

Hiashi and Neji ran over, and the faces of the three men Hinata cared for most in the world looked down at her with similar fears of apprehension and dread.
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“Naruto, I know you’re worried, but we know how to deal with this now. As long as we keep her airway clear and strap her down so she doesn’t hurt herself during her seizures, she’ll be okay. The poison will work its way out of her system and she’ll wake up in about 6 hours.” Tsunade tried to reason with the shattered teen. “Go home and rest.”

“No, I’m staying here, she needs me. I have to leave in three days, I want to be with her for as long as possible.”
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Hospital hours never ran from 9-5, and from his many trips to the hospital for his own injuries, Naruto had come to expect the morning bustle as early as 4 am. It was now 6am, it had been a day and a half since Hinata collapsed. He hadn’t gone home in that time, despite Tsunade’s and his friends’ urgings.

Since Hinata’s collapse, no one else had, and little did Naruto know, that it worried Tsunade greatly. The pattern had stopped.

The room was quiet save Hinata’s breathing. Something was wrong, Naruto could tell. According to Tsunade, her seizures hadn’t lasted as long as they should have, and she’d yet to wake up. So as he sat there in the quiet, resting his head on her hospital bed, he became aware of voices outside the room.

“It’s been done Tsunade-sama, and it’s just as you feared, it’s Hinata’s blood.” Came Shizune’s voice, and Naruto was sitting up, listening intently.

There were a few quiet, male mumbles that Naruto couldn’t quite make out, but he caught the last few words of ‘not going to wake up’.

He was out of his chair and through the closed door in an instant. “What do you mean she’s not going to wake up?” He shouted.

Tsunade, Shizune, Shikamaru and Sakura were standing in a small circle outside the door.

“It appears, Naruto, that the poison was designed for her. We tested her blood against an unknown protein in the poison. There are matches in it that prove that this poison was designed so that Hinata’s body wouldn’t reject it. That’s why she had less seizures and she’s not waking up. Her body thinks the poison has a right to attack her.” Tsunade said calmly.

“That’s why the others experienced more vomiting and seizures Naruto, their bodies were fighting the poison. Hinata’s body is accepting it. And if she’s not fighting the intrusion like the others, she might not wake up. She might…” Sakura trailed off, looked deeply saddened. “Naruto…I never…I would never have wanted this, I mean…the way I acted-”

“Sakura, it’s fine, I don’t care!” He said sharply. “Just get that poison out of her. You saved Kankuro, now save Hinata.” He seemed to crumble. “Onegai.” He whispered.

Sakura disappeared down the hall and Naruto lethargically entered Hinata’s room again, ignoring the other three still standing in the hall. He sat back down and took her hand gently.

“Hinata, I’ve lost too many people in my life who I care about. I cannot lose you too. You have to fight this. I need you. I love you. Onegai…”
--------------------
By midday, Kiba and Shino arrived, having finally returned from their respective missions. Along with Sasuke, Sai, Lee, Choji, Neji and Shikamaru, they’d dragged Naruto out of Hinata’s hospital room to get some lunch. On their way back to Hinata’s room, where she remained unconscious, they started talking.

“So the poison was for Hinata, and the others were just…collateral damage.” Shino said.

“It seems that way.” Shikamaru said. “Although it seems that the perpetrator doesn’t seem to concerned about other potential victims. The only possible motive I can deduce is that it has something to do with Hinata being the Hyuga heiress. Whether they want her out of the way, or they want to throw the clan into disarray because lets face it, Hinata is the biggest lobbyist for equal rights between the houses. And if she dies…the hierarchy triumphs. That tells me the suspect is local, rather than a foreigner from another country.”

“That is only a small consolation.” Shino said.

There was a tense, thoughtful silence before Shikamaru spoke again, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “But where did the poison come from? How did everyone get sick? It’s quite a puzzle.”

The next thing he knew, he’d been pushed up against the nearest wall in the hospital hall by Naruto. The blonde was enraged.

“A puzzle? A puzzle! This is not a game! The woman I love is fighting for her life in there and you’re treating this like a game!”

For the first time in many years, Naruto saw that Shikamaru was genuinely shocked. Around them, friends, patients and medi-nin alike shouted in surprise and rushed over to help.

“No, it’s okay!” Shikamaru choked out. “Naruto, I’m sorry, that was very insensitive. I tend to distance myself from cases, since Asuma…”

Naruto’s features calmed down and he released his captive friend. Shikamaru rubbed his shoulder tenderly as he stepped away from Naruto slightly.

“I am sorry for what I said. I’ll get back to work, we’ll find the person who’s responsible for this. You go and stay by Hinata’s side, she needs you, you’ve always made her stronger.”

Slightly embarrassed for his outburst, but mostly because he did want to be by Hinata’s side, Naruto turned and ran the rest of the way down the hall to her room, rushing in and shutting the door behind him. He sat himself down next to her bed and looked at her with a wistful smile.

He watched her hopefully, with a romantic notion that she would wake up because he’d confessed his true feelings to her. He sighed after a while, realising she wasn’t going to wake up at the moment. He studied her face, wondering as he traced a finger over her cheek, why anyone would want to her Hinata.

There was a deep smirk that rumbled from somewhere in the back of his mind. It was a voice that had left him alone as of late.

“Maybe someone is trying to get at you through her.”

The thought was terrible. “Onegai, don’t let this be because of me.”

He laid his head down and wept.
--------------------
How’s she doing Baa-chan?” Naruto asked the next morning as Tsunade checked her vitals.

Kiba, Shino, Neji and Sasuke were also in the room, there to support Hinata (and Naruto in Sasuke’s case). Kiba and Shino had taken up the vigil at Hinata’s bedside while Naruto, Neji and Sasuke stood aside trying to figure out what to do. Tsunade looked at the inquisitive teens sadly.

“I’m not going to lie to you boys, it’s bad. She’s not rejecting the poison and it’s eating away at her. She’s dying.”

Sasuke and Shino were the only ones to keep their composure. “But Sakura saved Kankuro!” Naruto protested.

Sasuke got protective then. “Dobe, I know what she did was stupid, but Sakura would not intentionally let Hinata-san die!”

Naruto looked shocked. “I didn’t mean it that way. She saved Kankuro, she’s the best. So why can’t she save Hinata?”

“Naruto, the poison is integrating itself in Hinata’s system. For Kankuro it wasn’t, just sliding through his system like oil on water…possible to bring out with precise chakra control. But for Hinata, it’s in her blood stream. There’s nothing we can do.”

The silence was deafening and the pain was threatening to crush Naruto. Sasuke noted he was hyperventilating.

“There is one thing.”

Neji sounded tired and defeated and he drew the attention of all the room’s conscious occupants. Several cracked their necks from turning their heads so quickly.

“I don’t want to do that. It’s very risky.”

“What, what is it?” Kiba barked.

“They could give her an antidote. You know the poison’s chemical signature now Tsunade-sama, you could easily create one.”

“It’s extremely dangerous. Her body is already infected with poison; it’s not wise to give her another strain of poison that her body may reject. She’s too weak, it would most likely kill her quicker.”

Neji swallowed. “How likely?”

“I can’t say for sure because of the variables, but at a guess, I’d say there’s only a 20% chance she could live.”

“I have to speak to Hiashi-sama, but I would appreciate it if you started work on it.”

The Hyuga male disappeared in a cloud of smoke and Naruto moved over to Hinata’s bed, stroking her hair. Sasuke quietly excused himself to find Sakura, and Tsunade followed after, looking for her colleagues.

“She smells wrong.” Kiba said, breaking the quiet after a while. “Off…not as flowery.”

“Stale.” Naruto agreed.

There was a silence for a moment, before Shino spoke up with an undertone of excitement. “I have an idea.”
--------------------
Naruto, Kiba and now Akamaru, raced to the Hyuga estate, spurred on by hope and unwavering faith in their own abilities. Naruto’s thoughts were racing as fast as he was, thinking of all sorts of possible scenarios of beating Hinata’s attacker to a pulp. He and Kiba were just relieved to be able to do something.

Naruto pounded on the front door of the Hyuga main branch building consistently until it opened. It was Hiashi.

“Is Hinata alright?”

“Still in a coma, but there’s something Kiba, Akamaru and I can do.” Naruto tapped his nose. “We can sniff out the source of the poison and be one step closer to finding out who did this, and protect any further poisonings.”

Hiashi instantly let them in. “With the exception of Hyumaru, all of them had been in Hinata’s room recently. It would be wise to start there.” He led the way.

“Hiashi-sama, have you decided about the antidote?” Kiba asked politely.

Hiashi nodded. “Neji is taking my reply to the Hokage. She’s going to die if we do nothing, so if there’s the smallest chance she might live, I will take that option. You are both close to her, do you agree?”

Both nodded.

All four came to a sudden halt outside a door and once Hiashi opened it and they stepped in, it occurred to Naruto that he actually remembered being in her room. It was exactly what he thought represented Hinata. It was clean, blue, purple, white and silver, ninja scrolls and medical scrolls in the corner, backpack ready for any sudden mission, and a shelf of ugly knick-knacks she’d received from friends over the years and been too polite to throw out. Kiba noticed the inspection.

“Never been in here?”

“No…I mean yea, but it was straight after I’d found out what Sakura did, and I was focused only on Hinata. We left straight after.”

Kiba nodded and then turned his head with a sniff. “It’s around here somewhere.”

Akamaru and Naruto took a sniff and joined Kiba in the sniffing of the room. Hiashi twitched his nose as he watched the three work. He watched as Naruto inhaled deeply around Hinata’s bed and was struck by how offensive that would have been under normal circumstances, but now Naruto seemed to have no ulterior motives.

Then an amazing thing happened. Whatever way the three sniffers were facing, they all snapped their head towards Hinata’s adjoining bathroom. A fraction of a second later, all three were at the door into the doorframe and Naruto was bending down as he moved into the room.

“Don’t touch it!” Kiba snapped.

“Right, of course. Toss me a sheet!” Came Naruto’s reply.

“What is it?” Hiashi asked.

Naruto came out of the bathroom with something wrapped in a sheet. “A towel.”

Understanding flared across the older man’s features. “We must get this to Tsunade-sama. The culprit is in this house.”
--------------------
Naruto was amazed by the amount of information tacked up on the walls and boards in Tsunade’s office where he later found Shikamaru alone. The Hokage, Shikamaru told him, was still in the labs working on the antidote with Sakura and Shizune.

“I’ve followed up, and it’s all fitting together-”

“Like a puzzle?”

“-Nicely. Yumi took the clean towel from the closet. They were set down when she was called to serve dinner. Kira picked them up the next day and bumped into Hyumaru, who was worried about Yumi and not watching where he was going. Day four, Aramai took it out of Hinata’s closet and gave it to Hinata who then used it after her shower, before your date. My only question is: why a towel? Something only Hinata would use would have been more effective.”

“Maybe they wanted to take out as many Hyuga as possible or make it look random.” Naruto suggested, his eyes on Hinata’s picture among her other injured family members.

“Both good theories that point to suspects who don’t like Hinata or Branch Hyuga members-”

“The Hyuga elders!”

“We have to talk to Hiashi, he can tell us who has a particular hatred towards Hinata and the Branch members.”
--------------------
At 8pm that night, Naruto was pacing outside one of Konoha’s interrogation rooms. “I wish they would hurry up, I want to get back to Hinata.”

Shikamaru and Neji said nothing, although Neji’s foot was tapping the floor in nervous repetition. Naruto only stopped in his pacing when Ibiki stepped out of the interrogation room looking smug and satisfied.

“He confessed. And fortunately he’s one of those guys that likes doing their own dirty work.”
Naruto only stuck around long enough to hear the details, then sped off towards the hospital as if he knew it was fire.
--------------------
Shizune was exiting Hinata’s hospital room with a solemn look on her face. She was carrying a tray with a few medical supplies and an empty syringe.

Naruto paled. “You already gave it to her?”

Shizune nodded. “She wasn’t going to survive the night anyway, so we took a shot.”

Naruto burst into the room and saw that Tsunade, Hiashi and Sakura were already there. Hiashi gave him a grateful nod and then made room for the young man to sit by Hinata’s bed.

“Anything?”

Tsunade shook her head. “No, and if she doesn’t react soon, we should be prepared for the worst.”

Sakura was wiping at the tears forming in her eyes. “I-I have to go. T-Tomorrow…mission.” She paused at the door. “Whatever happens to-tonight Naruto, we’ll understand if you don’t turn up tomorrow morning.” And she left.

The only movement or sound for the next 15 minutes was Tsunade scribbling something on her clipboard and Neji arriving. As the minutes ticked by, the bile rose higher and higher in Naruto’s throat.

The heart rate monitor delivered slow, steady, almost rhythmic beeps. Like a slow waltz. Beep, beep, beep. When she woke up, he’d take her dancing, he decided. He’d twirl her and dip her in time with the music, slow when appropriate, and fast when the music allowed it. When the music was at it’s loudest, no matter where they were and whom they were dancing in front of, he’d kiss her hard, a pride would wash through him as he knew Hinata’s heart would be beating fast, just like it was now.

Naruto’s eyes snapped open, not having realised he’d closed them, and looked at Hinata. He’d never been so happy to see her looking uncomfortable. There was a crease in her forehead and a light sheen of sweat on her face. The heart rate monitor informed them that her heart was racing faster and faster.

“Baa-chan!” Naruto sucked in a hard breath.

“I know.”

Hinata suddenly convulsed slightly, then again and again, with the bucking getting stronger with each one. Naruto and Neji compulsively clenched their fists, eager to do something…anything to ease her comfort. Hiashi only through years of practice was able to keep his paternal emotions in check.

“Baa-chan…” Naruto said again, this time pleadingly.

“Just make sure her airway is clear.” She replied.

That was when Hinata started heaving, and thinking only to herself, Tsunade kept repeating that the younger woman needed to go through this to get better. After all, the worse the reaction, the more her body was rejecting.

With a shuddering gasp, Hinata’s eyes opened and she gagged.

“Hinata!”

Naruto was holding her hand, looking at her anxiously. Tsunade was also at her side, checking her temperature and pulse.

“Hinata, can you hear me?” She asked.

Hinata’s eyes rolled in the blondes’ direction and blinked heavily. She groaned in response to the question and licked her chapped lips. Naruto scurried away from the bed and grabbed a glass of water from across the room. Crossing back to the bed, he wondered how he could give her the drink, she looked so drained and even unable to sit up. Short of kissing her and feeding her the water, which he’d read in one of Jiraiya’s books, he didn’t know what he could do. Besides, her father and cousin were in the room, that’d be like committing ‘suicide by family member’.

Dipping his finger in the glass, he ran it over her lips to moisten them. She smiled at him slightly.

“Hinata, are you with us?” He asked.

She nodded ever so slightly, and the other four occupants of the room sighed a collective sigh of relief. “P-P-Poisoned?” She croaked.

“Yes, but you’re going to be okay now that you’ve woken up. I’ll have you started on an IV and a course of antibiotics. When I get back, I’ll give you a chakra wash just for luck. I’ll be back soon, rest up.” Tsunade left to gather her materials.

“W-Was…was anyone else…”

“No Hinata, after you collapsed, no one else did. It was the towel you used for your shower.” Hiashi said.

Hinata smiled. “I’m gl-glad it st-stopped with m-me.”

Naruto smiled and ran a thumb over her sweaty forehead. “Only you would be worried about others after being on the brink of death.”

Hinata looked shocked. “W-Wouldn’t anyone?”

“No Hinata-sama, you are unique.” Neji said. “Excuse me, I’m going to go spread the word to our friends, they’ve been worried about you.” And he was gone.

“Who…who was it?”

Naruto and Hiashi looked at each other for a moment, before the older man spoke. “It was Hyuga Hibi.”

He said it like it explained everything, and to Hinata, who knew the man, it almost did. Hibi Hyuga was an ambitious clan elder vying for the spot of Head of the Elders. He was in his med-fifties, but was a traditionalist, seeking to maintain the class distinctions between the Hyuga houses. He was always vocal about Hinata being ‘inappropriate’ for the position of heiress, and that Hiashi’s move towards clan unity was a mistake.

“I-I knew he d-didn’t like me…me but,” Her head drooped to one side for a moment, exhausted. “But…w-why did he do it?”

“Uzumaki-san, why don’t you enlighten us both, you were there for his questioning.”

“I wasn’t in the interrogation room. I’ve seen Choji eat, but I don’t think I could quite stomach Ibiki’s style of interrogation. Afterwards, Ibiki said that the bastard had almost gloated about it. He said he scavenged some of your bandages from the trash and used the blood to incorporate it into the poison he was making.

“He said that Hiashi’s timing in buying antiques from other countries was perfect, because poisoning would implicate another nation. He chose to use towels because he knew it would maximise damage. He didn’t care that it would ‘take out a few Branch servants’. So he poisoned them, sat back, and watched.”

“S-So, it’s my fault?”

“Nani? How do you figure that? You are least at fault here Hinata. It’s that bastard’s fault, not yours. No one would can blame you for existing.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “I know I don’t. Actually, I thank Kami everyday for you being born. It’s the one thing of your father’s doing that I approve of.”

“Uzumaki, I am right here.”

“And it’s true isn’t it? Hinata is one of the first things you did right.”

Hinata’s eyes, despite her tiredness, were wide.

“The second thing I did right. The first was marrying her mother.”

Naruto shrugged. “I guess I can’t argue with that.”

Hiashi looked at his daughter for a moment, then at Naruto, and he looked almost awkward. “I must return to the estate. I will inform the clan of your recovery and the discovery of Hibi’s treason. I will be back later to see how you are doing. Rest well Hinata, I’m glad you’re safe. Uzumaki-san.”

Hinata watched her father go with an open mouth, her mind fuzzy. “Are you s-sure I didn’t die, and th-this is all some weird limbo dimension?”

Naruto chuckled. “I’m sure you’re alive.” He kissed her. “And I’m so glad you are. You didn’t here me earlier, but I realised something when I thought I was losing you.”

Hinata looked curious. “Oh?”

“I love you. With all your infinite goodness, your smartness, your skills and…everything. I love you Hinata Hyuga. And I’m only sorry this couldn’t be an extravagant, romantic confession.”

Colour pooled behind her cheeks, which he hoped was a good sign of returning health. “I love…” She yawned. “I love you too Naruto-kun. And I don’t know, I th-think having Uzumaki N-Naruto at my bedside, telling me he l-loves me after my br-brush with death, is p-pretty romantic.”

As she whispered her last words, her eyes drifted closed in sweet, healing sleep, Naruto smiled tenderly. And finally, after days of worrying, Naruto surrendered to unconsciousness right by her side, relief and fatigue finally getting a hold of him.
--------------------
Sasuke, Sakura and Sai waited as long as they dared the next morning before heading out of the gates on their mission. They’d all heard of Hinata’s recovery the night before, and all respected Naruto’s decision to stay behind, even Sakura.

The majority of Team 7 was 10 minutes out of Konoha when a figure gained and caught up with them so quickly they barely had time to register the chakra signature. Naruto fell into stride alongside Sai, fiddling with his backpack straps.

Sakura looked at him carefully. “Naruto?”

“Hinata made me come, said I can’t neglect my calling. Besides,” He said. “Team 7 isn’t Team 7 without the complete set.”

Sakura smiled. “You’re the heart of this team Naruto.”

Sasuke nodded. “The last piece of the puzzle.”