Triple the Love, Triple the Trouble

Chapter 21

"Hey, wake up!" Bob exclaimed, shaking Naruto and Sasuke, urging them to rouse from their slumber. The trio needed to hurry, aware of the impending urgency. Hanabi, still groggy from lack of sleep, stretched lazily, trying to awaken herself. The time was four in the morning.

"What's happening?" Hanabi inquired, still in the process of waking up.

"We must leave immediately," Bob urged, taking the lead. He explained the situation, disclosing that he had planted several bombs, necessitating caution. The sound of explosions grew nearer as they raced ahead.

"Run!" Bob shouted, prompting them all to sprint. Suddenly, a bomb detonated right beside Hanabi, striking her in the head and causing her to lose consciousness. Sasuke cursed softly under his breath but swiftly turned back to scoop her into his arms, carrying her as fast as he could, surpassing Naruto and Bob. As he ran, the wound on his leg reopened. He muttered curses under his breath, but pressed on.

They heard shouts behind them, "They're escaping! Get them!" Their hearts pounding, they pushed themselves harder, striving to elude their pursuers.

---

Hinata leaned over the toilet bowl, the taste of bile rising in her throat. Today was shaping up to be the worst day of her life, and it was only just beginning. As she retched, the sound of Toneri's angry voice carried from the bedroom. "Can you shut up? Some people are trying to sleep here," he yelled, his irritation clear. Hinata glared at the porcelain bowl, her mind cursing the situation. Toneri's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You're sick or something? You've been throwing up a lot these days," he asked, annoyed. "Let's hope you're not because we are not postponing the wedding." She tried to ignore his callousness as she stumbled to the sink to rinse her mouth. The sound of his voice made her feel even more nauseous. "Hinata? Answer me!" She retched again, the acrid taste filling her mouth. "Fuck," Toneri cursed, irritated.

After finally managing to fall asleep on the toilet, Hinata was woken up a few hours later by her father yelling her name from the living room. Reluctantly, she found her way to her feet and leaned against the wall, trying to stay upright. Her father's eyes widened in shock at her state. She had lost weight and looked like a ghost. This was the first time he had ever seen the look of worry in his eyes. She managed to smile slightly at him, trying to reassure him.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his concern palpable. "Just a little sick," she said, pinching her thumb and pointer finger together. He helped her walk to the couch and tried to talk to her, but her eyes started to cross as she felt like she was going to faint.

"Hinata!" her father held her shoulders, shaking her awake. "Let me get you some water." She nodded weakly, feeling like she was in a daze. The prospect of getting ready for the wedding, especially given her current state, felt overwhelming. But she knew they had to do this for Hanabi's sake.

---

After what felt like an eternity, just as Toneri was about to kiss her, a sudden interruption echoed throughout the entire church. "WAIT!" a voice shouted, causing her eyes to widen in shock. She looked towards the entrance to see Sasuke, Naruto, and Hanabi, all of them looking disheveled and worn out. The police were following closely behind them. "Toneri Ōtsutsuki, you are under arrest for kidnapping and attempted murder," a police officer declared, approaching Toneri. Sasuke and Naruto ran to Hinata, giving her a hug. "Let's go home," Naruto whispered gently in her ear, offering his hand to help her up. But she collapsed again, feeling weak and exhausted. Sasuke scooped her up into his arms, carrying her out of the church in a bridal style while Naruto walked beside him, whining that he should be the one to carry her as he was wounded.

---

As the breaking news about Toneri's arrest blared from the TV, Sasuke switched it off and turned to Hinata, his tone gentle. "You shouldn't be listening to that kind of stuff," he said. She smiled at him and patted the seat next to her. He sat down and looked at her. "Thank you for caring for me, Sasuke. I'm sorry for everything that happened," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. Sasuke poked her forehead and leaned in to kiss her lips. She smiled at him but quickly got up and rushed to the bathroom, throwing up the food she had just eaten.

She sighed, hoping that the sickness would go away now that she was safe.

Sasuke followed her into the bathroom and held her hair back. "I called Naruto to get you some meds," he said. She thanked him weakly and stood up to wash her mouth. "If this goes on longer, we should probably go to the hospital," Sasuke said, looking at her with concern. "I'm sure it's nothing serious," she said with a smile. "Probably just some leftover jitters or fear from being around Toneri."

Sasuke gave her a skeptical look but didn't push the issue further. They both knew that her sickness could be from something more serious, but she didn't want to worry him or anyone else. She just wanted to focus on moving forward and leaving the past behind.

The next few days were a blur of rest and recovery. Sasuke went to the hospital after his wound had opened once again. Naruto took care of Hinata, bringing her food, and making sure she was comfortable. She appreciated his care and attention, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still not quite right with her body.

One morning, she woke up to find herself covered in sweat and shivering. Her stomach was cramping, and she felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She knew then that she couldn't ignore her symptoms any longer. She had to go to the hospital.