From Rags To Unwanted Riches

OK this is a chapter I've had written for a while, not all of it but the basic moments, it was one of those chapters where I knew the elements that needed to come together but had trouble getting them right.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Hinata was picking at her food, she didn't really like french food but the restaurant had amazing ambiance and  she knew the desserts were good so she'd have something she wants then. She was alone at this moment Michio had gone to take a quick phone call, he'd been apologetic but she was never one to expect a man to let his work slide.



"Hinata?" a voice behind her made her jump, she turned in surprise to find an old friend from her days at the casino.



"Lettie!" Hinata stood up to hug the girl "How are you?"



"Me? I'm amazing, I'm engaged" the girl held up her hand and Hinata gave the suitable reaction "Me and the girls are here to celebrate" she indicated behind her and Hinata's heart sunk a little, a few of the girls were some of the more bitchy workmates and they were the ones coming over to join them.



She welcomed them with a smile but one of the girls was quick to notice that Hinata still wore her wedding ring and pointed it out asking "I thought you and Naruto had split up?"



"Oh..." Hinata instinctively twisted the ring " we have, I just..."



"Oh Thank God!! With all those girls in and out of Naruto's rooms I thought it must be over, for a second you worried me."



Hinata felt her chest constrict painfully but before anything more could be said Michio returned to the table with a charming smile "Sorry about that darling..." he paused "Hello everyone?"



Hinata couldn't find her voice but luckily Lettie saved the situation "We're just friends of Hinata's, we have to head off now, it was so good to see you again Hinata" they hugged and then the happily engaged woman chivvied her friends away. Hinata's mind was in complete turmoil but she managed a mechanical smile and to force out a question about Michio's phone call. The question was a good one as it was to do with a conservation project he was involved in and launched him into a long talk about his work so she could just smile and nod.



"...and the way I see it is that the gardens need to be saved, they're an historic landmark. Hinata? Hinata?"



"Huh?" looking up Hinata was surprised to find that someone was talking to her, then she realised that she was still on her date with Michio and flushed "I'm so sorry, I have a lot on my mind"



Michio smiled, the woman across from him was fascinating, he'd always thought so, he watched her a lot, she was a strange mix of shy naivete and strength, always hardworking and never complaining. Though she never held him at a distance she was also not obviously trying to ensnare him. It was totally alien to him for an attractive girl not to be trying it on and he liked it, her distraction now was a little irritating but he could soon bring her attention back onto him.



"Well tell me about it, maybe I can help"



"I can't" Hinata shook her head, how could she tell her date about her worried over whether or not to divorce her husband and about how hurt she was that said husband might have moved on. "Anyway, you were talking about the project?" he smiled at her, she had such a sweet look on her face, usually he could depend on her to give him her whole attention.



"Never mind" he poured himself another glass of wine and went to top hers up but she put her hand over the glass shaking her head



"I'd better not, I'm not very good a holding my alcohol"



"I like you a bit tipsy" he offered her with a grin bur she didn't seem to appreciate it.



"No, I have to work tomorrow" he was disappointed but accepted her refusal, the entire night went well from then on but he noticed a certain amount of reticence in his partners behaviour. As usual he drove her home she never let him drive her up the driveway, instead she would always want to be left at her gate, to her mind it added some distance to the relationship and meant she felt better about her lack of feelings for Michio. They usually sat for a few minuted chatting in the car before Hinata bid him goodnight and he would kiss the back of her hand like a gentleman of old, in some ways tonight was no different, they sat talking about the meal and the restaurant but when she said she was going in he took her hand and kissed it but this time instead of them parting he kept hold of her.



"Hinata" he brought one hand up to hold onto her arm and pulled her in, cradling her head with his other hand he brought her in for a kiss but at the last moment she pushed him away.



Pulling herself out of his grasp Hinata shook her head "I'm sorry Michio I just...  it's too soon to..." Hinata cut herself off with a gasp as she looked up into Michio's eyes



"How Dare You!" he grabbed her upper arms and shook her "You honestly think you could do better? You're not much to look at and with all the baggage you carry around you were lucky I looked twice at you." his eyes glittered angrily before he forced a kiss onto her mouth. Struggling she managed to push him back, staring at him she felt angry, violated but more than that she was scared. Grabbing the car door hand she dashed out of the car, Michio followed her but the security guard seeing their odd behaviour had the side gate open  for Hinata in seconds before coming out to stand imposingly in front of the gate. Michio slunk back to his car and Hinata ran up to the house feeling shaken, if the guard hadn't been there would she have been able to get to the gate in time and what would he have done if he caught her?



She got into the house feeling breathless and close to tears.



There was only one person she could think of to call right now, picking up the phone in the hallway she quickly dialed the number she knew so well.



A bored sounding voice responded "Hello?"



"N-Naruto" Hinata wept into the phone,



Immediately he sounded alert "Hinata? What's wrong?"



"I need help, I... Michio he..."



"I'm on my way" the phone was slammed down and despite her wish to be dependent from Naruto Hinata couldn't help but feel relief, she knew she could depend on him always.



 

---

Naruto had been in his office for another long night of number crunching, he was alone tonight as he'd come in after everyone else had left so he could work in the peace and quiet. He had plans to spend a lot of time with his son tomorrow if he could so if finished this early he'd have all of tomorrow and Saturday with him. He was almost finished when the phone rang, not bothering to check who it was he answered, Hinata made him sit up, he checked the caller ID and saw she was calling from home, she stuttered out something but he could tell she needed him,  he stopped her from saying more telling her he was on his way, the tone of her voice and her struggle to speak was  enough. The name she uttered so tearfully made him angry and he was ready to beat the guy to a pulp after he'd seen Hinata.



By the time Naruto got to their home Hinata had obviously, she was a little tear stained but her face was clean of make up as she'd managed to clean herself up a bit, she greeted him at the door with a tentative smile and he walked forwards. She was wearing a pretty lace dress with a dark black jacket so he could tell she'd been on a date, he was gentle with her as he guided her to sit on the couch, he then sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders.



"Tell me everything" The security guard hadn't noticed anything odd till Hinata came tumbling out of the car so when Naruto had quizzed him on the way in he hadn't been too helpful.



"I don't know where to start, he seemed so nice, so gentle, very attractive" Naruto managed to keep himself from reacting to her words "But I didn't like him" Naruto tried not to smirk as Hinata sighed heavily " not like he wanted me to anyway. I just told him I couldn't be with him, I didn't say it was because I didn't like him, just that... that it was too soon and he lost it."



"He hurt you?"



"Not really"



"It's either yes or no Hinata." he noticed how her hand strayed to her arm and before she could do anything Naruto had rolled up her sleeve, the finger marks there enraged him. "I could kill him!"



"No!" Hinata clutched his arm "he just scared me, I don't want you to be in trouble over this."



Naruto took a long deep breath calming himself down "Alright but I can't promise I'm letting this alone."



"I shouldn't have called you... I just..." Hinata smiled at him "I just wanted to feel safe." holding her close Naruto pressed a kiss onto the top of her head, this would normally be the best time to make some sort of move but he just let it go keeping her close "Oh God... If he comes back then... I have Hanabi to think about, and Hiashi, he always talked to me about him, he knows how much he means to me. He was so angry and if he wanted to really hurt me..."



"Don't worry, this is going to be fine." he reassured her glad that once again he could be her hero



"Thank you" letting herself rest in his embrace Hinata found a peace that she hadn't felt in months, she was in the arms of the man she loved and he was going to solve her problems once again.



"Let me see your arm again" Naruto pulled out of the embrace and  helped her out of her jacket, once it was off he moved her arm with great care, there were definite marks that would bruise later. "Was it just this?" he asked wanting to check all possible abrasions.



"Yes" her voice was uncertain and Naruto easily recognised the tone that meant she was lying. Placing his hand on her cheek and moving her to face him he looked deep into her eyes and used his most gentle tone.



"Tell me Hinata"



"I didn't... I didn't want to kiss him, he wanted to kiss me but it felt wrong."



"He kissed you" he hated the idea of it but was pleased she hadn't wanted to kiss him back.



"It hurt, a really painful kiss" the phrasing she used really hit home to Naruto, by letting Hinata alone in the real world he had left her vulnerable to harm, if he'd never cheated on her she would never have gone through this.



"My poor girl" he stared at her lips knowing that he was no longer the last one to have kissed them. "I will take care of this, no matter what happens between us you are still under my protection."



 

---

"So what are you guys going to do to Michio?" Sakura asked her bed mate as they lay in a nice post coital state of relaxation.



"What makes you think we haven't done anything?"



Sakura gave Sasuke a smirk "Because there haven't been any news reports abut him being missing."



Sasuke laughed a deep laugh that only Naruto and (now) Sakura could coax out of him "Hinata asked us not to hurt him, we just paid him a visit and mentioned that the housing market was particularly good right now and if he was thinking of selling now was the time!"



"Sneaky" Sakura gave an approving nod "I like it!"



"All Naruto" he admitted "he's gotten smarter since Hinata came into his life"



"I really thought the Michio thing would bring them back together"



"Me too, Naruto has one too many cold showers these days"



"What do you mean?" Sakura asked rolling over to look at him



"I mean that guy hasn't done it in so long he's probably forgotten the basic principles, I'm surprised he's not walking fumy."



"But surely now he and Hinata are separated...?"



"Nope, he wants her back and as a result he's trying to prove to both her and himself that he can be faithful"



"But all my old friends from the casino say that girls leave him room all the time, I didn't tell her but some of the girls saw Hinata and they told her that..."



"No!" Sasuke sat up determined to correct her "There was one girl that even dressed up and made herself look really like Hinata, Naruto literally chucked her out. Those girls may be leaving his room but they haven't done anything whilst they were in there."



"Damn... well Hinata will be pleased to hear it. When she told me about it she looked like her heart was broken all over again."



"Ugh, there's too much drama with those two" Sasuke sighed "they should just get back together and have done with it."



"He hurt her Sasuke" Sakura's own eyes reflected pain as she spoke "That betrayal can be almost impossible to get past, its painful and they may never get past it. People deserve honesty and fidelity."



"Is that a warning?"



"Most definitely" she gave him a saucy look "but luckily for you it works both ways." his hand ran up her back making her shiver.



"So only I get to do this?" he asked letting his hand slide around the front of her torso to caress her breast



"For now" he gave a throaty laugh and pulled her down to rest alongside him.



"I think for now works for me"



Neither of them were anywhere near any sort of declaration but they both knew where they wanted to go and the terms their relationship would be under.





 

---

"And this is going to be the place where you spend most of your time" Ino told her son as she carried him through the closed florists "so pray god you don't get hay fever!"



"You've jinxed it now" Ten-Ten warned as she took the little boy from  her friends arms and held him up in the air "hasn't she? Silly mommy jinxed it."



"Great my kid is going to be brainwashed into thinking I'm a dumb blonde" Ino stuck her tongue out but laughed as her son yawned and snuggled up on Ten-Ten's shoulder "Look who's getting all maternal"



"Shaddup" Ten-Ten had been as much surprised by her maternal side as the others were, she's always thought she was a bit too boy like for something like that but Hiashi and Gou had proven her wrong.



"Nothing wrong with it Ten-Ten" Sakura spoke up next "most woman have that sort of thing hardwired in, we all want to have kids one day. And I" she said pressing a kiss to Hiashi's head "have that in spades"



"I'll tell Sasuke that right away" Hinata jumped in sticking up for her friend



"Don't you dare, we're still at that odd stage where we're kind of serious but not ready to go there, you know?"



"Not really" Hinata reminded them "In case you'd forgotten with Naruto it was pretty much all in straight away and Michio was a rebound thing."



"Hah, she admits it!" Hinata had always refused to countenance that was the case, she thought if Michio was a rebound it was using him rather cruelly,



"Well I  think given his behaviour last week we can think of him how we like" Hinata replied easily



"What happened to him in the end?" Ten-Ten asked, she was the only one not with a man from the business and so was a little out of the loop.



"All I know is that his house went on the market a few days ago and he's moved a couple of towns over" Hinata responded "Naruto told me that and given that his family haven't put him on a missing persons billboard I think that might be all that's happened."



"I'm surprised you called him that night, you could have called one of us"



"I was on autopilot, once I realised what state I was I took my hair down and got rid of the make up, I was going to get changed but I didn't think I had time. When I saw the marks he'd made I thought it was better to keep my coat on anyway."



"How is that now?" Sakura asked taking the arm and moving the sleeve out of the way, there were still some bruises but they were fading now.



"Fine, to be honest I think I was more scared than anything, that's why I called Naruto I guess... he just made me feel so safe" Hinata told them her eyes mournful "I'm so stupid"



"He'd have found out whether you called him or not, besides this way Michio is gone for sure."



"No not that... I wish.... I wish I'd acted differently before, I knew about that Karin Bitch and maybe if I'd brought it up before to him when I came face to face with her I wouldn't have been so hurt."



"He still did some other awful things" Ten-Ten reminded her knowing that she needed to remind Hinata of it, forgiving Naruto for cheating was one thing but it was going to take a lot from her friend to forgive the other stuff.



"I know but would I have ever moved into that house if Naruto hadn't forced my hand? I know I wouldn't have taken the job, I'd have been too proud. Then would I have ever dated him? Would I ever have had the bravery to sleep with him?"



"Probably not"



"You might have"



"No" Ten-Ten knew the answer better than the others, Ino might have thought there was a chance and Sakura might have thought there was very little chance but Ten-Ten had known Hinata the longest, she had a lot of pride, Neji might have worked for Naruto but she knew that Hinata would have insisted on still working at the casino and living in that crummy flat, "It would never have happened."



"Exactly" Hinata sighed "Not that any of this matters now, it's all over."



"What are you saying?" Ten-Ten asked sitting next to Hinata



"I think I left it too late" Hinata sighed and let her head fall onto Ten-Tens free shoulder "He's given me the divorce papers he did it ages ago" Ino and Ten-Ten looked at her with sympathy "and then there's the girls that have been seen coming from his rooms late at night. He's gone back to the old lifestyle, he doesn't need me anymore."



"No, Hinata that's just not true" Sakura cut in "Look Sasuke tells me stuff and he says Naruto is basically celibate now, yes those girls are trying it on but he sends them away every time. Sasuke says he's still loyal to you, he's letting you have the divorce because you want it but it doesn't mean he doesn't want you back."



"You think so?" Hinata couldn't help but feel hopeful



"I  know so, please Hina, just tell him the truth."



 

 

---

 

 

So I'm guessing that this chapter makes a few people happy Hinata is depressed but its because she wants her man back. the next chapter should be up soon but I've got extra hours at work this week and I'm visiting friends up north. but fingers crossed and all that Jazz!