Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto vs. Sasuke The Aftermath ❯ Sakura Visits Naruto and Hinata Erupts ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9 Summary: Sakura finally visits Naruto at the hospital, which has deep ramifications on their relationship as well as Naruto's health. Hinata learns of the visit and reacts in a way that shocks everyone. Her reaction also has ramifications towards Naruto's relationship with her?

 

Naruto vs. Sasuke The Aftermath

 

 

Chapter 9: “Sakura Visits Naruto and Hinata Erupts”

 

As Sakura reached the front entrance to the Konoha hospital, she finally stopped running and tried to catch her breath. Her heart was racing at a great pace, and not just from the sprint to the hospital, but also in fear of the Hokage. The look Lady Tsunade leveled on her when she told the Hokage of her failure to visit Naruto sent a chill down her spine. It reminded her of many of the looks she got from her friends the day Naruto was brought back after his fight with Sasuke. She wished she could have explained to Lady Tsunade, that it wasn't from indifference why she had not visited Naruto; it was more out of a sense of shame. Sakura realized she had said some very hurtful things to Naruto that day in the hospital. She had no valid reason as to why she did it? She had said to herself that she was just upset over Sasuke and what had happened, but that was no excuse for saying what she had to Naruto. Since that day, Sakura had remembered all the times Naruto had stood by her and saved her from countless dire situations, all in the act of trying to be her friend. However, she had never reciprocated those same feelings to Naruto, even though deep down she did consider him one if her closest friends. Sakura realized that the reason she hadn't visited Naruto was borne solely out of the one emotion she had been feeling this past week, fear. Or to be more specific, the fear of the unknown within her life and future, and of what might happen when she and Naruto finally spoke again? Sakura took a breath before entering the hospital. She felt this was one of the hard decisions Lady Tsunade had spoken to her about. Sakura had decided that she wanted to keep Naruto as a friend and anxiously hoped that he would still feel the same about her, as she approached the nurse's reception desk.

 

“Hello, I'm here to see Naruto Uzumaki.” Sakura said to the nurse behind the desk.

 

“Ah yes, I believe he is finishing up lunch. If you'll follow me, I'll tell him he has a visitor.” The nurse replied as she motioned to Sakura to come.

 

As they reached the door of Naruto's room, the nurse asked Sakura to wait a moment while she collected his lunch tray, and inform him of her visit.

 

“Hello Naruto, I see you've made good progress on finishing your lunch. You see, it's not so bad once you get use to it.” The nurse cheerfully said as she gathered up his tray.

 

“Actually, it's still pretty bad, but if eating this slop will get me out of here that much sooner, then I'll do it. No matter how bad it taste.” Naruto replied.

 

“Well, whatever it takes to get you to eat is fine with me, I'll be bringing you dinner in a few hours, but until then you have a pretty girl waiting outside to visit you.” The nurse said as she exited the room.

 

“Hinata!” Naruto exclaimed with glee in his voice.

 

`Hinata?' Sakura thought to herself, as she paused a moment before entering the room and stammering slightly said.

 

“Um no Naruto, It's me Sakura. Hi, how are you feeling?”

 

The smile that had been ear to ear on Naruto's face disappeared when he saw his former teammate enter the room. He slowly laid back into his bed and turned his head to look out the window before coldly answering.

 

“Hey Sakura, I'm alright I guess? Why are you here?”

 

Sakura had seen Naruto's smile disappear when she entered the room, and when she heard the tone of his reply, she suddenly felt sick to herself. Naruto always had a smile for her in the past, and his voice was always one of warmth and friendliness. Now the smile and happy voice, she had always secretly enjoyed from him was gone. The fact that Naruto wouldn't even look at her as he spoke was like a kunai to her heart. Sakura masked her pain as best she could and answered.

 

“I'm here to see you Naruto, I'm glad your ok.”

 

Naruto continued to stare out the window and didn't respond to Sakura. After several minutes of silence, Sakura nervously asked.

 

“You are ok aren't you Naruto?”

 

Naruto finally turned his head from the window and looked directly at his ex-teammate before saying.

 

“No Sakura, I'm not ok. But I am getting better. Not that I believe you actually care.”

 

“Of course I care Naruto, I wouldn't be here if I didn't care about you.” Sakura replies in a voice that is beginning to quiver with anxiety.

 

“Don't lie to me Sakura. If you cared it wouldn't have taken you over a week to visit me. I guess I'm suppose to feel grateful that you finally did is that right? I seem to remember hearing when your precious Sasuke-Kun was brought in after his fight with Itachi, that you practically stayed by his side day and night. But then he is the magnificent Sasuke Uchia and not some how did you put it last week, a loser who can't do anything right. Well Sakura, you've done your duty, your conscience is clear. You made your pity visit to your former dobe of a teammate. You can go home now and continue planning out your fantasy life with Sasuke, just like you always do. Actually, you should feel pretty happy. Since Team #7 is gone, you won't ever have to deal with me anymore after this caring visit.” Naruto sarcastically replies as his anger is beginning to rise within him.

 

“Naruto, I'm, I'm sorry about what I said to you and I meant to visit you sooner. I've just been upset over Sasuke.” Sakura meekly says in a remorseful tone.

 

“Same typical Sakura, always with the one track mind and always about Sasuke! Everything and everyone be damned, especially me! Is that what your saying?” Naruto sharply replies, the tone in his voice rising in intensity.

 

“No Naruto, I'm truly sorry about what happened, especially to you. I was just confused that day in the hospital because I didn't know what was going on? So I lashed out at you, but I didn't mean any of it I swear!” Sakura pleadingly says.

 

“Yeah right, your sorry! The only thing your sorry about is that it's not Sasuke here with you right now instead of me! And don't tell me you didn't mean any of those things you said, it's not like I haven't heard them before from you!” Naruto responds angrily.

 

“Please Naruto.” Sakura says, as tears are beginning to well up in her eyes.

 

“Please what Sakura? Are you still confused? You still don't know what happened? Fine, go ahead ask me a question about what happened out there! I'll be happy to tell you what that bastard Uchia and his new friends tried to do! Although knowing you, you won't believe any of it! You just want to know so you can begin to make up excuses for him just like you always do!” Naruto replies even more angrily, as his blood seems to be boiling, and unbeknownst to him his recently mended wound is beginning to softly glow red underneath his hospital robe.

 

N, N, Naruto I don't want to do this. You're getting upset, please Naruto stop this.” Sakura says almost begging in her tone.

 

“No Sakura! I know your just dying to hear about your beloved Sasuke-Kun! Go ahead ask me something! I want to hear it right now!” Naruto says as his voice is beginning to rise in decibels, and his wound is glowing even more pronounced than before, as he repeated.

 

“Now Sakura, right now!”

 

Sakura didn't know what to do? Naruto's voice had taken on an angry and menacing tone the past few minutes and it was beginning to scare her a little bit. She was so suddenly taken aback when Naruto shouted for a response again, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

 

“Was Sasuke being controlled by Orochimaru when you attacked him Naruto?”

 

Naruto's body became rigid with shock or anger when he heard this. He blankly stared at Sakura, as his face showed no reaction to her query. However, internally Naruto's body that had been building up in stress and anger seemed to kick into overdrive upon hearing this. After a moment, Naruto began to shake with rage and his wound was beginning to not only to glow red, but also to slowly leak red chakra. Finally, in a stammering voice filling with rage, Naruto said.

 

“Wa, was Sasuke being controlled by Orochimaru when I attacked him? When I attacked him! That's what you think I did! I went out and attacked Sasuke, your unbelievable Sakura you know that! My mission along with the others was to retrieve Sasuke, not attack him! But that didn't stop your boyfriend and his new buddies from attacking us! No Sakura! That snake bastard wasn't controlling Sasuke. Sasuke was more than happy to try and kill me and the others all of his own free will! And he did all of this for the sake of gaining more power! He doesn't give a damn about honor, loyalty, or even friendship! In fact, as I stupidly let Sasuke plunge his hand into my chest, I came to the realization that Sasuke only cares about one thing, Sasuke! And in case you still haven't figured it out yet Sakura, he doesn't care about you either!”

 

“Please Naruto, don't say that. It can't be true?” Sakura woefully wails as tears begin to roll down her cheeks.

 

Watching Sakura cry was the last straw for Naruto. He bolts up in bed and begins to shout at Sakura, as his wound is leaking chakra at an even faster rate.

 

“That's real nice Sakura, no tears for me, no tears for your friends that almost died! But mention that your traitor teme of a boyfriend doesn't give a damn about you and look at the waterworks flow! You're so pathetic Sakura, it makes me sick! You want to know something Sakura, as I laid there in the Valley of the End bleeding to death. I actually believed that you would feel bad about my death even though I wasn't able to bring Sasuke back to you like I promised. Now I realize, you wouldn't have cared if I had died trying to keep that promise, if it meant your precious Sasuke-Kun was alive and well!” God, I'm such an idiot for believing that you ever gave a damn about me!”

 

“That's not true Naruto. I care about you a lot. It's just different with Sasuke. You and I are friends, why would you say such hurtful things?” Sakura asked through her tears.

 

“Friends, friends? Yeah I foolishly believed once that both you and Sasuke were my friends. But one of the benefits of laying in a hospital bed 24 hours a day is that it gives you time to think about many things. Tell you what Sakura, let's take a trip down memory lane of our supposed friendship and of how much you care about me!” Naruto shouts, as he clutches his hand to his chest in discomfort.

 

So upset is Naruto, he ignores the pain and says to Sakura with contempt.

 

“First off, how many times growing up and on Team #7 did you verbally abuse me every time I tried to be friends with you. And if you weren't satisfied with insulting me, how many punches to the head did you deliver to me during that time. Yeah, that's real friendly, you really care about me? Let's think back to our team's first mission together in the Country of the Wave, protecting Tazuna the bridge builder. Right after Sasuke and I battled Haku, did you ever check or even ask how I was? No, all you could do was run by me to check on Sasuke. You didn't give a crap that I was all torn up and bleeding from the fight! All you cared about was his condition! Oh yeah, how about all the times I saved your life like when Gaara was crushing you with the Shukaku sand demon! Tell me my good friend Sakura, who was the first and only person you thanked for saving you, even though he didn't do a damn thing! Would you like me to cite more examples of your friendship and of how you care so much about me Sakura? I can give you dozens of more if you like? But why don't I give you a more recent one. How about when Master Jiraiya and I brought Lady Tsunade back and she healed Sasuke. Did you show me any kindness or even gratitude for doing that, even though I almost died on that mission as well? I don't know why I thought that you might care whether or not I died on this mission, you didn't then, why should it be any different now!”

 

Sakura couldn't even look at Naruto as he spoke. Everything he was saying was true and it cut her like a knife with every word he said. All she could do was hang her head low in shame and guilt crying. Naruto just stared at the young kunoichi that he use to care about with all his heart, and felt nothing at the moment. However his rising anger had not subsided and he spoke once more.

 

“Nothing to say Sakura? That's fine, I'm sure if you said anything it would be nothing more than some lame excuse or reason to justify yourself of how you treated me! In fact, now that I look upon our friendship over the years, I now realize we never had one. I did everything I could to prove to you that I was worthy of your friendship, only to be rejected time and time again. But no more, it ends now! I was just deluding myself into believing that you did care about me like I cared about you, but it was just a stupid fantasy on my part. However, for you to sit there and tell me were friends is insulting Sakura. In fact, I would have more respect for Sasuke if he was here right now, because he certainly wouldn't lie to my face and call me a friend.”

 

Sakura looks up at Naruto, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces at his words and openly crying stammers out.

 

“It, it isn't true, I'm not lying Naruto. I am your friend and so is Sasuke!”

 

“Oh yeah! Would a friend to do this!” Naruto screams as he rips open his robe and bandage.

 

Sakura is appalled as she sees an ugly jagged scar running 6-7 inches vertically on Naruto's chest, a mere couple of inches from his heart. She can see the chakra sutures that have closed the wound, but the sutures appear to be glowing red and a red mist is emanating from the wound. As Sakura is looking, one of the sutures burst and blood shoots out and splashes onto her dress as Naruto screams in agony. Sakura is mortified as Naruto writhes in his bed in pain and she sees another suture give way and more blood begin to leak around Naruto's hand, as he clutches it to his chest. A shocked Sakura watches this in horror for a moment, before in a panic stricken voice says.

 

“Hold on Naruto, I'll get help!”

 

“Ju,u,ust go Sakura, I don't care anymore. Look at it this way; at least I've given you something to talk about with Sasuke. The life and death of that loser teammate Naruto, who actually believed we were all friends. What an idiot he was!” Naruto replied, the pain evident in his voice before he screamed once more as another suture gave way, and he passed out from the pain. As Sakura saw her friend collapse, she screamed.

 

“Naruto No!”

 

Just then a Medic Nin and two nurses came rushing into the room. They immediately went by a shaking Sakura to check on Naruto. After a moment, the Medic Nin shouted.

 

“He's gone into shock and is barely breathing! The chakra sutures are being eaten away by this red chakra and he's bleeding to death! I've got to try and re-suture and strengthen the remaining ones or he's going to die!”

 

Sakura gasped when she heard this and began to silently pray that Naruto would be okay. As she watched the Medic Nin begin to channel his chakra and attempt to restitch Naruto's wound, she heard him shout again.

 

“It's not working? I'm barely slowing the damage down and my chakra isn't doing anything to repair the broken sutures! This red chakra is too strong for me, and the existing sutures are resisting my additional chakra to strengthen them! We need one of the original Nins who created the sutures to fix this, or this boy will die in half an hour maybe less! Nurse, who was the Nin who originally created these sutures?”

 

“I believe it was Lady Tsunade who worked on this patient and perhaps her assistant as well?” The nurse quickly replied.

 

“That makes sense, only her chakra infused sutures could possibly hold up against this strange red chakra. Where is the Hokage? I can't keep this boy from dying without her help! Nurse, call for more medic support and find the Hokage! I need as much chakra as we can get to keep him alive!” The Medic Nin says in a frustrated voice.

 

“I know where the Hokage is.” Sakura says from the back of the room.

 

“Well, what are you standing there for? Go get her! I'll do my best to keep your friend alive in the meantime, but you need to hurry!” The Medic Nin said, as he turned his head to look at Sakura.

 

“Right!” Sakura answers, as she bolts out the hospital room door to retrieve Lady Tsunade.

 

Meanwhile, a cheerful Hinata had just entered the hospital for her daily visit to Naruto which always brightened her day, when she noticed several medical personnel run by her towards the direction of Naruto's room. She then saw Sakura who had tears in her eyes and what looked like blood on her dress, race by her and out the main doors of the hospital. Hinata began to feel very uneasy as to what was going on and she immediately began running towards Naruto's room to see if he was ok? When she reached the doorway of his room, she nearly cried out at the horrific sight that beheld her. Naruto was surrounded by several Medic Nins and nurses, who were frantically attempting to halt the blood that was spewing forth from Naruto's chest, in ever increasing amounts. She then heard the lead Medic Nin says in a panicked voice.

 

“It's no good, we can't stop it! It's taking all of our combined chakra just to maintain the remaining sutures. The ones that have already given way are causing this boy to bleed out!”

 

“Can't you do any repairs on the broken sutures?” Another Nin asks.

 

“No I can't! Without knowing the pattern Hokage Tsunade used in creating these sutures, I would just be wasting my chakra and time that this patient doesn't have!” The lead Nin answers in disgust.

 

When Hinata heard this she shouted at the doctors,

 

“I know the pattern Lady Tsunade used, I assisted her in the operation! Please let me through, I can reseal the broken sutures if you can continue to maintain the remaining ones!”

 

“What do you think? She's only a kid.” One of the Nins said to the leader.

 

“We don't have much choice! I'd hoped our combined chakra could slow the rate of bleeding until the Hokage arrived. But it hasn't worked and this boy will be dead in a matter of minutes, if we don't try something? Let the girl through!” The lead Nin says, as Hinata rushes over to Naruto.

 

Hinata showed no noticeable emotion as she began to channel her chakra into a ruptured suture to repair it. The pain she felt inside at seeing Naruto like this again was almost too much to bear. However, she knew that if she didn't keep it together, Naruto would die and she simply refused to let that happen. As she began to pour more of her chakra into the broken sutures to repair each one, the lead Nin who was helping her noticed the increased chakra flow from the young girl and said.

 

“Please be careful miss, you are depleting a great deal of your own chakra in making these repairs.”

 

Hinata glanced up a moment and glared at the Nin before saying in a very stern voice.

 

“I'll do what I have too, to save Naruto's life! You just mind what your doing and don't get in my way or you'll be sorry!”

 

The lead Nin was about to reply, when something in the tone of the girl's voice and the look on her face, told him she was deadly serious in what she said. However, after a few minutes, he noticed that this young girl had managed to re-suture the majority of the broken ones and the bleeding was lessening with each repair she made. After a moment, Hinata was working on the last broken suture and when she had finished, the remaining red chakra had dissipated from the wound. In fact, after the suture was tightened, the wound seemingly began to seal itself, to the shock and awe of the Nins watching. They didn't know that once again the power of the Kyuubi was in effect to help heal Naruto. The lead Nin checked on Naruto's vitals and to his amazement found they had virtually returned to normal, though he was still unconscious from the ordeal. He then turned to look at the young kunoichi who had saved this boy's life, and found her shaking as she stared at the blood on her hands. Out of concern, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said.

 

“Are you all right miss? Perhaps you should lie down, you used up a lot of your chakra.”

 

Hinata barely registered the doctor's touch and words, as she continued to stare at the blood on her hands when something snapped in her mind, and she pushed the Nin's hand off her shoulder and angrily said.

 

“No, I'm not alright, and I don't want to lie down! I want to know how this happened?”

 

“I'm not sure I'm authorized to discuss this patients medical treatment with you miss? The Nin replied.

 

“I'm authorizing doctor, I am the first born and future head of the Hyuga clan, and a personal friend of the Hokage! You will tell me what's going on, unless you would like to explain to Lady Tsunade, why you withheld the information from me!” Hinata said in a voice filled with anger, but also with authority.

 

While the lead Nin silently debated what to do, the nurse next to him spoke up and said.

 

“We don't know what happened? A young pink haired girl was here visiting with Naruto, when we heard a scream and came in to find him unconscious and bleeding badly.”

 

“The pink haired girl, where did she go!” Hinata asks in a voice teeming with rage.

 

“She went to go get the Hokage for assistance.” The lead Nin answered.

 

“That's all I need to know!” Hinata replied, as she raced out of the room hot on Sakura's heels.

 

As Sakura arrived at the doorway of Lady Tsunade's office, she paused a moment to catch her breath. Her legs were on fire from the sprint to the office, and felt as though they could give way at any moment. Ignoring the pain, Sakura began reaching for the doorknob to enter when she froze at the sound of her name being shouted by the Hokage speaking to someone.

 

“None of you is willing to accept Sakura as a student on your team?”

 

“Hokage-Sama, it is not that I am not willing to accept Sakura. The girl indeed has great potential as a Shinobi. However, your predecessor asked me to develop a cohesive fighting team that is able to maximize their abilities with one another. The addition of another person into my team would disrupt all the training I have done to achieve that cohesive unity and weaken their fighting ability as a unit.” Gai Maito solemnly says.

 

“And you Asuma, what reason do you have?” Tsunade asks.

 

“My team was specifically chosen by Hokage Sarutobi to become as formidable strike team as their fathers team was. If you recall Lady Tsunade, all three of my student's fathers formed one of the most deadly three man attack squads this village has ever seen. The addition of a fourth member would be like Gai said with his team. It would ruin all the training they have gone through to work effectively together as a fighting unit. Besides, I already have one spoiled diva on my squad in Ino, I have no desire to add another in Sakura.” Asuma calmly replies.

 

“You damn men are such a pain-in-the-ass at times! What about you Kurenai?” Tsunade asks the lone Jounin kunoichi.

 

“I'm sorry Hokage-Sama, I too must decline. I fear that there are extenuating circumstances involved with my team that would prevent Sakura from being accepted as a member.” Kurenai politely says.

 

“Extenuating circumstances, what the hell are you talking about?” Tsunade demandingly asks.

 

At that moment, Sakura remembered why she was there and cursed at herself for pausing while she overheard this conversation. Immediately, she burst into the office to the shock of everyone inside and frantically shouted.

 

“Lady Tsunade, you must come quickly! Naruto is in trouble!”

 

“Sakura calm down. What are you doing here? What did you say about Naruto?” Tsunade says to the panicked kunoichi.

 

“I apologize Hokage-Sama, I was visiting Naruto and his wound reopened. The Medic Nin sent me to get you. He is unable to repair the sutures and Naruto is bleeding to death right now!” Sakura quickly replies, the fear and panic evident in her voice.

 

“Oh God No! Tell me quickly Sakura, what happened? Tsunade asks in a voice teeming with anguish.

 

“I, I, don't know Lady Tsunade? It seems to have something to do with this strange red chakra that is leaking from his wound? The doctors were unable to do anything to combat it and sent me to find you! Please Hokage-Sama, you must hurry! They said he doesn't have much time without your assistance!” Sakura answers, her voice laden with desperation.

 

“Yes, yes, I understand. Sakura grab that medical bag by the door and bring it to me. We'll leave at once, the rest of you this meeting is adjourned.” Tsunade anxiously says.

 

As Sakura picks up the bag and begins walking towards the Hokage, a certain white-eyed raven colored hair girl appears at the doorway a few feet behind her and shouts with murderous rage.

 

“Sakura!” Which was quickly followed by another shout of “Byakugan!” as she charged at the pink haired kunoichi.

 

Sakura automatically turned around at the sound of her name, only to see a chakra filled hand heading directly towards her chest. She barely twisted her body in time to prevent the blow from hitting her heart chakra line. Even so, when the strike impacted her chest, the right side of her body immediately went numb from head to toe and she crumpled to a heap on the floor. As Hinata raised her arm to deliver another crushing blow, Yuuhi Kurenai appeared behind the Hyuga princess and pinned the girls' arms behind her back and shouted.

 

“Hinata, what are you doing? Stop this! Control yourself, you could have killed Sakura!”

 

“Let me go Sensei! This whore did something to Naruto! He was fine yesterday, and one visit from her and he almost dies again! I don't care if she dies, if I wasn't so drained of chakra from saving Naruto, my first blow would have done the job! She deserves what she has coming!” Hinata screams with vengeance for everyone to hear.

 

Sakura could barely look up, but what she saw scared her immensely. The look on Hinata's face told her that this girl was ready to kill her, and there was nothing she could do about it.

 

Needless to say, the other Jounin, Tsunade and Shizune were shocked beyond words that this was the same sweet Hinata that they knew, who was saying and doing what they had just seen. Lady Tsunade finally gathered herself enough to order the young kunoichi to cease and explain how Naruto is?

 

“Naruto isn't going to die Lady Tsunade!” Hinata answers, as she glares at Sakura while still struggling to break free of her Sensei's grasp.

 

“I was able to re-suture his wound and the red chakra that was leaking from it is contained again. He's unconscious, but I think he'll be all right. No thanks to this slut! Hinata says with venom as she turns back towards Sakura and continues.

 

“What did you do to Naruto, Sakura? What was it? Did you decide that since your scumbag traitor of a boyfriend couldn't kill Naruto, that you would finish the job for him! I hate you Sakura! You were so lucky to have someone as good and kind and loving as Naruto to care about you! But all you could see was that unfeeling Uchia bastard who never did anything for you, and not who was right there by your side always! All Naruto's ever done is love you and try to be your friend! You on the other hand have done nothing but insult, bully and abuse him whenever you could. Tell me Sakura, how many times has Naruto saved your life? In return, did you ever show him any gratitude or kindness for risking his life for you or your teme boyfriend? No, you didn't you selfish bitch! The only thing you ever cared about was you and Sasuke! I wish Naruto would show me the kind of love and caring he gave to you, because I certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to throw it away over some traitor who never gave a damn about you anyways!”

 

“Hinata, if you feel this way about Naruto, why haven't you told him?” Kurenai shouts at her student.

 

Hinata stopped struggling after hearing her Sensei's words and looked up towards her teacher with tears in her eyes and said.

 

“Your right Sensei. I've waited too long and been too afraid of doing that, but I can't wait any longer. Naruto needs to know how I feel. I won't watch him almost die anymore without him knowing!”

 

Hinata then deactivated her Byakugan, and Kurenai slowly released her arms and Hinata quietly bowed to the Hokage and apologized before making her way towards the door. As she was about to leave, she turned around and glared at Sakura once more before saying.

 

“Stay away from Naruto Sakura, you've done enough to hurt him! I swear if you ever hurt him again in anyway, I'll kill you!”

 

Hinata then exited the room leaving a stunned group of people behind in her wake trying to grasp what they just experienced. After a moment, Kurenai spoke up and said to Lady Tsunade.

 

“Does that qualify as an extenuating circumstance Hokage-Sama?”

 

Yeah Kurenai, I guess it does.” Lady Tsunade replies as she secretly revels in the fact that someone cares about and loves her grandson as much as she does. Her attention then turns back to Sakura, who is still on the floor, paralyzed on the right side of her body. Tsunade turns to her assistant Shizune and says.

 

“Shizune please help Sakura, and reverse the chakra point Hinata struck on her, so she can move again.”

 

“No I will not!” Shizune angrily answers back, as she looks at the Hokage with disdain.

 

“Shizune, what do you mean you won't help her?” Tsunade asks, surprised at her assistants response.

 

“You know exactly why I won't help her! I can't believe you would dare ask me to do such a thing! As far as I'm concerned, I'm sorry the Hyuga girl wasn't able to finish the job!” Shizune says with malevolence, as she storms out of the office leaving the Jounin's and Hokage even more stunned than before.

 

As Lady Tsunade watched her friend leave, she silently berated herself as she remembered the reason why Shizune would refuse her request. She would apologize to her assistant later for her stupid forgetfulness. But right now, everyone seemed to need a cooling off period. She looked back to Sakura and sighed before saying.

 

“I need a drink!”

 

“Here! Here!” Asuma exclaims.

 

“Who said you were invited Asuma, get out and go train your expert fighting team!” Tsunade sarcastically says to the bearded Jounin.

 

“Yes Hokage-Sama, we'll leave immediately.” Asuma replies, as if speaking for all the Jounin in the room.

 

No Asuma, Gai and Kurenai may stay, you leave now!” Tsunade annoyed at his response says, as she slumps down into her chair.

 

“As you wish Lady Tsunade.” Asuma quietly replies as he exits the room.

 

“I appreciate the offer of a drink Hokage-Sama, but I refrain from alcohol as I feel it would hinder my dynamic energy.” Gai says to Tsunade.

 

“Not to worry Gai, you weren't going to be staying either. Take Sakura to the hospital and see that the Medic Nins take care of her.” Tsunade replies.

 

“Consider it done, Lady Tsunade! Come young kunoichi, you're in for a treat, as you get to experience the legendary speed of Gai Maito! I'll have you at the hospital in no time!” The green clad Jounin says, as he picks Sakura up in his arms and speeds out the door.

 

“Sit down Kurenai, while I get us something to drink. I don't feel like drinking alone, and quite honestly you didn't annoy me nearly as much as your fellow Jounin did.” Lady Tsunade says to the Genjutsu master.

 

“Thank you Hokage-Sama, I am honored.” Kurenai replies as she watches the Hokage leave to retrieve the refreshments.

 

Meanwhile, back at the hospital Naruto has awakened to learn from his doctor what happened? After the Medic Nin spoke to him, three visitors came knocking on the door as all of Team #10 has come to see their friend. They were taking advantage of the absence of their Sensei to take the afternoon off and visit Naruto. Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji knew something was amiss as they saw some nurses cleaning up the remnants of some bloody bandages from around Naruto's bed. They all looked at one another nervously before Ino asked.

 

Are you ok Naruto? Did something happen?

 

“Yeah, I'm alright. I got a visit from Sakura and I kind of lost it when she asked if Orochimaru was controlling Sasuke, when we attacked him. Or I should say when I attacked him.” Naruto solemnly replies.

 

“That ungrateful bitch!” Shikamaru angrily says.

 

“Don't let it get to you Shikamaru, or you either Naruto. Billowbrow isn't worth the effort you guys.” Ino says to both of them.

 

So what happened Naruto, what's with all the bandages and blood? Chouji asks.

 

“According to the doc, my wound reopened and they were having a hard time stopping the bleeding. He said they finally did with the help of this young Hyuga girl who re-stitched the wound by using a lot of chakra. It had to be Hinata! I can't understand why she would risk her life doing such a thing when I told her not too!

 

“You still can't figure it out Naruto? God your dense!” Ino says with frustration.

 

At that moment, Hinata arrived at the doorway of Naruto's room. She saw Naruto was awake and immediately began walking towards him with a determined look in her eyes. Naruto saw her coming towards him and said.

 

“Hey Hinata, What do you think you were doing, risking your life for me again? I thought I told you never to do that again!”

 

Hinata for her part reached the side of the bed and silently stared at Naruto, not hearing anything that he was saying. As Naruto droned on attempting to scold Hinata, she suddenly grabbed both sides of his face and pulling his head towards hers, kissed him fiercely, much to the shock of everyone in the room including Naruto himself. After a moment, she broke off the kiss and while Naruto was gasping for air, she turned to her friends in the room and said.

 

“I apologize to all of you, but if you could please leave. I need to talk to Naruto in private.”

 

The Team #10 members just looked at one another and at the Hyuga princess unsure of what to do, before she followed up her request with a resounding.

 

“NOW!”

 

“Um sure thing Hinata, we, we got to go. Come on guys!” Ino stammers, as she begins to quickly push her teammates out the door.

 

Hinata then turned back to a stunned Naruto who was looking at her with puzzlement and said.

 

“Naruto, we need to talk.”

 

 

 

Authors Note: I want to thank everyone who has sent me reviews of the story. I'm pleased that everyone seems to be enjoying it. Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 will be posted in the next 2 to 4 weeks. I have the general outline of the chapters in my head; I've just got to get it written down. To all of you out there, take it easy!

 

Kingkakashi