Hinode General Hospital
Hinata
Let me teach y'all this as a doctor.
Being the chief of the ER, a general surgeon, a mother and being three months pregnant with another. It's the best combination from hell to have been invented. I know I have four other doctors I could count on to take some of the responsibility off my shoulder but I can't help but feel guilty if they do.
When Kazuki and Hisao-senpai found out I was carrying a child...let's just say they wanted to pull Naruto back from whatever country he was stationed at to murder him themselves. I guess their little protective instincts never really went away.
Despite being in love with completely different women.
Speaking of my boyfriend, he's been gone for about...a month and a half right about now? He missed Hajime's first month birthday but he did call which gave me the reassurance that he was alive and well. He also told me that he might actually hit that two month maximum because the war doesn't seem like it's ceasing at all.
But I haven't heard a single peep from him since.
"Paging Dr. Hinata Hyuga to the lobby," the intercom suddenly sounded throughout the ER. My head lifted from the thrown back position it was in.
At the same time, Hanako and Hisao-senpai walked by as they were heading off on their lunch break. They both looked at me, confused with the sudden announcement.
"Another visitor, Hina?" Hisao-senpai raised an eyebrow. "Did Sakura and Ino come to return Hajime because they realized they're not ready to handle a baby yet?"
That is very true. As much as those two deny it, taking care of a child is a little overwhelming for them. So one day, I called a familiar friend who had also went to Konoha University with us but a grade older.
And my older cousin's wife at that.
She agreed to help them watch Hajime and check in on him on a daily basis.
Which reminds me....
I haven't told anybody from my family about another Hyuga coming their way. My father was absolutely furious when he found out about Hajime. He only relaxed when I told him that Hajime wasn't biological. That still didn't settle him a bit though.
And that didn't stop him from chasing Naruto around the Hyuga mansion with a shoe...
Maybe I should just keep this one a secret from the family for a few more months...
"Well," I sighed heavily, standing up. "I better go see them."
"Want us to come with?" Hanako-senpai asked. "You might need some company."
I shook my head with a smile, "I'll be fine."
Hisao-senpai grabbed my shoulder gently with a small smile before ushering his comrade away just as she was about to say something else.
Finishing what was left of my coffee, I told the nurses at the station that I'll be taking a fifteen minute break. That's the least I needed to see whoever thought it'd be nice to visit me during office hours. Not that I don't mind the distraction that is.
"Hey, Hina-senpai!" Kazuki's bright greeting woke me from my dazed state just as the elevator doors slid open. No surprise; he was traveling with Minako.
They're not together but they got to a point of...understanding? I honestly don't know what's going between them but whatever it is; they're back to their old selves.
Selvesish.
"First floor," I said, as I stepped foot in. Mina yawned loudly as she pressed the button.
I looked at her through the corner of my eye, "Long night?"
"Exactly," she sighed. "Heading home now and taking a long ass nap after three bowls of ramen."
"You know that's not good for you, right?" Kazuki chuckled.
Mina looked at him, "Then how about you buy us breakfast, then?"
The small blush on Kazuki's cheek did not go unnoticed by me as he shuttered, "R-really?"
Of course, Mina cluelessly nodded, "Nothing better than a free meal."
Lucky for the dorky doctor, the elevator sounded announcing our arrival. I bid them farewell since the employee parking lot was in the complete opposite direction from the main lobby and main entrance. I watched them, Kazuki walking a little ahead then turning his head; he said something probably stupid which earned him a smack on the back then his comrade pushed him forward the rest of the way.
I sighed. Someday; we'll get Mina to realize that he's worth everything in this world.
Someday.
"Dr. Hyuga?" a nurse walked up to me, holding a clipboard.
I nodded, "What is it?"
"There's a man in the parking lot waiting for you," then in a lowered voice she murmured. "He looks a little down, too."
"Seriously?"
She replied, "Yeah."
Well there goes the hope for good news or that my visitor is either Sakura or Ino complaining about my son.
Patting the nurse softly on the shoulder, I made my way towards the front parking lot. I greeted the valet men as well as some of the patients entering and their families. The parking lot didn't hold more than maybe twenty-five cars but my eyes couldn't make out any familiar faces...or any faces at that.
Hm, I stuffed my hands in my lab coat. Is this some kind of practical joke? Karin has been up to her stupid pranks ever since she found out about Naruto and me so this could just be another one of them.
When I get my hands on her -
"Hinata?" the strained voice stopped me half-turn.
Once more, I scanned every car and ever inch of the parking lot.
Only this time there was for sure the man the nurse promised coming out of a small silver Nissan car. But this man -
"S-Sasuke-kun?!" I rushed over to the deputy to help him the rest of the way. One of his arms was wrapped in bandages. The other -
I gasped making him stumble a bit.
"W-what happened?" I demanded as he leaned against his own car for support. He grunted once and sighed loudly. "What happened to our arm?"
Or better question: where is his arm?
I leaned against the red trunk behind me; waiting for him to speak. I'll be lying if I said I wasn't nervous as hell. I've seen Sasuke hand-train the soldiers back in Eskon and I'll admit that he's one hella of a good fighter.
And for him to end up in this condition.
I can't imagine what Naruto looks like.
"There were bombs," Sasuke let a raspy breath out. "Gunshots. A-and I had no idea what was going on. I just lost this arm so I think I might've fainted form all the pain so I can't remember everything clearly."
He moved his dark eyes away from me. Not like he was looking me in the eye in the first place.
I have to be calm. I have to be calm. Just because Sasuke is in this state; doesn't mean Naruto is. He might just be writing a report back at the military base as healthy as ever.
"W-what do you remember, Sasuke-kun?" I asked as softly as I could.
The soldier shook his head once then shut his eyes completely; his mouth opened but no words came out.
I stood up straight, not liking this one bit.
"S-Sasuke-kun?" I nearly weeped. "W-where where's Naruto-kun?"
He shook it once more but didn't say anything.
I gently grabbed his shoulders, "He's okay, right?" My vision of Sasuke's pained face completely blurring out. "Naruto-kun is o-okay, right? Right?"
"Hinata," his voice cracked and he never opened his eyes.
"Is he at home?!" I could hear myself becoming more and more desperate. "He's at home writing a stupid r-report, right?"
Sasuke still didn't say anything.
My heart, no. My entire body was breaking down; my mind trying to tell me a thousand times that if I got in my car and drove home, my boyfriend would be at the computer cursing and smacking the keyboard with his head. Healthy, annoyed but happy to be home.
He'd look at me with those crystal blue eyes and I could make out the annoyance becoming the familiar warm emotion of joy that appears every time I came home either from work or even a connivence store shopping trip he couldn't go on. Naruto'd rush out, kiss me all over then enveloped me in one of his biggest hugs ever.
Welcome home, Hinata.
"Please Sasuke-kun," my grip tightened. "T-tell me that he's okay."
The deputy looked to the side then back at me for the first time since our entire conversation.
"I'm sorry!" he suddenly exclaimed, his entire cool demeanor I always saw on him through college and up until now completely dissolved now.
No, no! Don't lose that demeanor now! That means something is terribly wrong! Nothing can be wrong!
I grabbed the collar of his black jacket with whatever was left of my strength, "S-Sasuke-kun."
He bowed suddenly, I see his shoulders vibrate roughly and his sobs stinging my ears.
"I'm sorry, Hinata! I'm so sorry!" Sasuke bellowed. "I couldn't protect him! I couldn't!"
What the hell is he saying?!
"I'm sorry, Hinata!" the deputy repeated again.
"Sorry for what, Sasuke-kun?!" it's not true.
It can't be true! Naruto promised he'd come home. He promised that when he comes home, we can live together happily with Hajime and with our newborn baby coming in about seven months.
He promised.
However the deputy spoke the words that not only broke the promise...
It broke every single bone in my body because I couldn't support myself at all anymore.
"Captain Naruto Uzumaki, the soldier that you love so much was killed in action."
"No," I murmured, looking all over his face for any sign of a joke that he can rarely usher up.
"He fought bravely," Sasuke continued.
"No," I said a little loudly.
"But in the end," the soldier continued. "He gave his life to fight bravely for our country."
"No!" I shouted, the anger a-and and the disbelief tangled together.
"Hinata, I'm so sorry."
I hit his chest once, "He promised."
Twice more, "He promised to come home."
Three, four, five, "He promised to come home to me."
Si- "He promised then said he loved me! Then why the hell will he leave me and his kids?!"
"Kids?" Sasuke choked, his black eyes widened before he said softly. "Oh god. You're pregnant."
"He promised!" I cried, looking up at the deputy. "He promised, Sasuke-kun! H-he promised!"
Either I reopened one of his wounds or Sasuke knew that I was completely unstable right now. I don't care what the reason was.
Whatever it truly was, I found myself with my face against his chest and his one arm around me pulling me impossibly close to him -
It only made me cry louder than I have ever before.