Say it.

Running fast Naruto was soon able to overtake Neji as he ran back to the Hyuga compound, his heart was hammering in his chest and his brain was running wild with ideas of how Hiashi might hurt Hinata.

It was so unfair that Hiashi was the type of father that would hurt his daughter for just trying to be happy. Naruto knew he didn't deserve Hinata, he knew he was no where near good enough but he made her happy and she made him happy. Why should that be wrong? If there was anyone in this world that deserved to be happy it was Hinata, and he was going to make damn sure she was happy.

First he just had to make sure she was safe.

(NaruHina)

Left alone with the unconscious Hinata Sasuke felt completely clueless as to what he should do. His first thought was to pick her up and run with her to the nearest hospital, his second thought was what would happen to her things if they left them just lying on the floor. He knew what it was like to leave everything you ever loved behind and he knew that she would probably place more value on her belongings than she logically should right now.

He had just decided that Hinata's health was more important than her material goods when a blurred orange and black figure appeared on the horizon. The figure soon became more obvious as his friend and other figures soon became apparent. Relieved Sasuke gathered Hinata up into his arms and ran towards the small group.

"Hinata!" Naruto didn't even seem to see Sasuke as he took Hinata's limp body into his arms. "What's happened…?" his eyes fell onto the green mark on her forehead immediately rage filled him "How dare he" he spat angrily his voice rising in volume "How dare that bastard…!"

"Calm down Naruto" Sasuke's command had very little affect as Naruto's blue eyes began to seep into a dark red.

"Naruto!" Neji exclaimed trying to recall Naruto to himself and make him aware of what was happening. They all began to back away fearful of what was about to happen. The anger Naruto felt could actually be tasted, it tainted the air around him growing more sickly, more cruel and the area it covered increased to the point that Kiba and Shino still a few yards back froze unable to come any closer, Neji and Sasuke found themselves backing away though they still called out to their friend.

Kiba turned to ask "What do we do?" as Neji moved back he came side by side with the Inuzuka, he shook his head despairingly.

"We need to calm him down but right now… short of a miracle I don't know what we can do."

Staring down at Hinata's limp body he could feel himself becoming more bitter, more angry, more ready to hate, to kill, and to destroy. Naruto knew he was giving in to the darkness but he didn't care, the one person he had ever truly and completely cared about, the one person that had ever truly cared about him was lying seemingly lifeless in his arms.

"I'll kill them" his voice was not his own, it was filled with unbearable fury and he meant every word, he wasn't even sure who he was going to kill right now, he just had a bloodlust that he had never experienced before, all he wanted was death, to cause destruction in the world around him. Just as his power was reaching his crescendo a small sound reached his ears.

"I have never feared you" the voice was soft, as was the hand that reached up to caress Naruto's cheek "These actions don't show me how you feel my love."

"Hinata?" still possessing his hateful red eyes Naruto turned to look down at the pale ones staring back up at him, her eyes were tired and heavy but he could see the love and worry in them. There was no fear from her, only concern for him.

"I love you" she whispered struggling to say the words, the pain in her head was beginning to overcome her again, the pure evil leaking fomr the man she loved was making her body ache, closing her eyes she winced as she began to feel faint again. "Don't forget that, don't ever..." Naruto dropped to his knees still holding Hinata in his arms. He bowed over her pressing his lips to her forehead as she passed out.

"Naruto?" moving forward through the air still lingering with spite and malice Sasuke placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, immediately Naruto's head shot up and Sasuke was relieved to see that once more his eyes were their amazing sky blue.

"She needs help" he managed to mutter.

"We'll get her some" Sasuke promised, he could have taken her himself but he daren't leave Naruto alone here so close to the Hyuga compound "Come on, you need to take her to hospital, you're the fastest."

"I am" he nodded dazedly half questioning and half affirming Sasuke's statement.

"I'm going with him" Sasuke informed the others, "you three grab her stuff and bring it to the hospital. "Come on Naruto"

He managed to help Naruto to his feet just as Hiashi and a team of elders arrived at the front gate. They had been drawn by the little group and strange spike in chakra, upon seeing them Naruto's anger returned, there was no danger of the Kyubbi being released this time but his anger was palpable the air was heavy with the threat of what he could do.

Turning he looked every inch a Hokage as he stared Hiashi down.

"If she dies, if what you all did to her means that her life is in any way damaged, or lessened by all this, then I will come back here, and I will wipe every single damn Main house Hyuga off the face of the earth!"

"You ruined her" Hiashi told him coldly "you are the cause of her pain."

"I am the source of her happiness" it sounded bigheaded, he knew that but it was true, he wasn't going to let Hiashi send him into depression thinking all this was his fault.

"Lets go Naruto" Sasuke grabbed his friends sleeve and the two of them began running towards the hospital.

(NaruHina)

"Is she going to be ok?" Naruto asked as he stared down at his girlfriend, she looked so small and pale against the white sheets of the hospital bed that it scared him. He had always known that she was infinitely weaker than himself but most people were and it didn't bother him, but here, now, looking at the girl he loved, he was terrified.

He had never had anything himself that he really worried about losing before, anything that he lost could be either found or replaced. Money could be earned, food and necessities could be brought but Hinata… the idea of losing her scared him so much he felt sick to his stomach.

"She'll be alright" Tsunade assured him her hands glowing green as they hovered over Hinata's head "you did the right thing bringing her straight here."

"I almost didn't, I almost lost it" he sounded so broken hearted over his own failing that Tsunade dropped her normal tough façade and placed a calming hand upon his shoulder.

"That's kind of natural Naruto, you're not the only one to have 'lost it' when someone they love is hurt."

"Yeah but I'm the only one who could destroy the town by losing my temper." He muttered angrily "You didn't see what was in my mind, you don't know what could have happened."

Sighing Tsunade could see that it was going to be pointless to argue with him, she placed a kiss on his forehead and gave him a loving one armed hug.

"She's going to sleep for a while, there's nothing more I can actually do right now." Tsunade told him moving away from the saddened young man "Shizune you stay and monitor her, I'll talk to the others outside. Maybe Neji can give me some more information on what to expect!"

Staring at his feet Naruto sighed, if he had any sense he would have ended this long ago when he realised how deep his feelings ran. If only when they had argued they had broken up then she wouldn't be here rght now, he might not care so much, he shouldn't have pushed her, he shouldn't have made her tell.

"I just heard" the voice surprised Naruto but he was pleased to look up and find one of his 'family members' standing there "How is she?"

"Iruka san" Shizune frowned "It's family only, and right now even they aren't allowed"

"Let him stay, please" Naruto begged looking up at Shizune hopefully

"Fine, but if I let him in then Kurenai will have to be allowed to visit at some point soon" Shizune looked at the two men noticing a slight vibe, she decided that she ought to leave them alone "I'll go find Kurenai, you two just call if you need anything."

"Are you ok?" Iruka asked the moment Shizune had left, he had heard about Naruto's Kyubbi moment and had been worried.

"Iruka?" Naruto looked up at the man his face completely expressionless "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course" the dark haired man smiled and sat down opposite him "Ask away!"

"Do you think that someone like me..., a jinchurikki, should have a relationship?"

"I don't understand"

"When I found out Hinata had been hurt I almost lost it" Naruto admitted with a sorrow filled expression, he didn't feel that 'lost it' was a sufficient description for the way he had acted but it was the best he could do.

"I know, I heard about it, I also sensed the chakra."

"You were nearby?"

"Not exactly…" Iruka didn't tell him he'd been on the other side of the village at the time, the boy felt bad enough about it all.

"But what if it happens again? I get insanely jealous if some guy even looks at her in the street, I worry about her pretty much all the time. I have never had this before, I used to think having a girlfriend was an impossibility, I wasn't even sure I could... I could have…" Naruto paused blushing, for him this was the substitute to talking with his parents about the subject "I wasn't sure I could have sex until I got drunk and ended up in bed with someone. I thought I might hurt the girl." Iruka smiled understandingly trying not to show that he was amused at how embarrassed Naruto was about this. "Then when I found out I wouldn't hurt the girl I got pretty..., I really liked… I was…"

"Insatiable?" Iruka offered

"Um..."

"It means you had an unquenchable thirst for something, it's usually used when talking about sex or money."

"Right, I was insatiable, I liked to do it a lot."

"Most men do"

"Most men don't have my energy or chakra reserves. I barely get exhausted after training all day unless it was really tough. I can train for three days straight without sleep."

"I see" Iruka couldn't help but be amused but he kept the smile from his face "and that has translated to the bedroom" Iruka wondered if Naruto would have ever attempted this conversation with his other senseis, given their literary tastes he doubted it.

"Pretty much, one girl said she'd never known a guy last as long as i do."

"And you worry that all this will have a bad affect on Hinata?"

"I'm just worried that we can't have a future together, I want to give her everything and… because of what I am, I'm not sure I can. I know she'd like kids, a family but how do we know if my children will be affected by what I am?"

As he spoke the door opened and Kurenai walked into the room, her face was tearstained and tired, she took in the scene and went straight to the bed. "Hinata? Oh Hinata you poor girl" she spoke quietly to the girl in the bed and then turned to face Naruto "Do we know anything yet?"

"No, Tsunade and Shizune are talking to Neji about it all" Naruto stood up "I'll leave you alone with her for a while"

Kurenai nodded gratefully "Thank you Naruto"

(NaruHina)

"I still don't understand why Hinata has had such an adverse reaction" Tsunade said to Neji, he had explained the seal in detail but it gave her no clue as to why Hinata had lost consciousness. She couldn't bare to see Naruto sitting outside Hinata's room looking all dejected and sorrowfl, she had, had no clue that the two of them were together but from what she'd seen of her she liked Hinata and thought that maybe the two of them could be happy.

"The sealing of an adult is very unusual in the clan. You see… the seal can be dangerous and it needs to be done whilst the brain is still developing, it's usually done when they are around the age of five and it takes a full week for them to completely recover. However it has been done at other ages. The younger the person sealed is, then the sooner they bounce back, in fact babies sealed at the age of one and younger seem to be fine the next day, however children who have waited till their tenth birthday to be sealed have taken weeks or months. That is the clue to why Hinata has reacted so badly, adults who are sealed often don't survive, it is thought that with most people the brain finishes maturing at around the age of 21, anyone sealed long after that has died. Luckily Hinata is only just under that so she has a good chance at living but… it's going to be a long time before she can use her Byakugan well or even fight properly. No doubt Hiashi decided that sealing Hinata now would be a worse punishment for what she did."

"I can't believe Hiashi did this!" Tsunade shouted as she paced the corridor outside Hinata's room "he knows the rules, he knows all the rules, he is never allowed to let clan politics get in the way of my shinobi's doing their job. This little act of his has put Hinata on the sick list at a time I really needed her around."

"It's my fault" Naruto muttered unhappily "I've been trying to convince her to tell everyone about us for ages and she kept on warning me that it was dangerous but I just didn't listen..."

"She loves you Naruto" Neji spoke up trying to comfort the depressed man "and she only ever does what she feels is right, she wouldn't have told Hiashi if she wasn't ready to."

"I made her do this, I should have thought about the repercussions but I didn't!" Naruto practically shouted at Neji, he wasn't going to let the Hyuga take his guilt away from him.

"For gods sake stop talking like such an ass!" Neji responded just as angrily.

"No, I forced this on her, I forced all this on her." Naruto was just beginning to sink into depression again when the door to Hinata's room opened and Kurenai walked out looking a little mad but at the same time more than a little relieved.

"She's awake, and with all the shouting you were doing I'm not surprised."

"Is she alright?" Naruto asked nervously

"She seems to be fine, I'm no med nin but from what I guess, she'll be stuck in here for a few days and off duty for weeks but I can safely say that she'll make a full recovery."

"Oh thank goodness" Naruto sighed tears of relief filling his eyes

"She's asking for you" at those words Naruto jumped to his feet and immediately walked to the door. He was about to open it when he paused... his hand was on the door handle but he made no further movement.

"This is all my fault, how can I face her?" he turned back to look at the group "It would better for her if I just left."

"Actually Naruto that's the last thing she needs right now" Kurenai said decidedly "she is going to want to see you and then what's going to happen when she leaves here? She's going to have to find a place to stay, and she'll need looking after. Are going to desert her now? When she really needs you? That's pathetic" She didn't tell them all that she had already offered Hinata a place to stay with her and Asuma, she wanted to see what naruto would do and how he would react to this situation.

"It's not a question of deserting her, it's saving her."

"Answer me this" Tsunade said with a small smile "being completely selfish for a moment, think about you, and decide can you live without her? I know that you may think she'll be better off without you but will you be better off without her?"

"I... no, I don't want to be without her." Turning back to the door Naruto opened it and went in.

(NaruHina)

"Naruto" Hinata tried to sit up as he entered but she immediately lay flat again her vision blurring as she tried to move and her whole body feeling dizzy.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked striding across the floor and leaning over the bed "You should be resting, don't even try to get up."

"I'm fine, just a little tired"

"Kurenai says you're to stay in here until you're better and then when Tsunade say's it's OK you're coming to stay with me."

"I can't put you out like that" she argued unhappily "I'll get in the way..."

"Hinata you've been at my apartment almost every night or day for months"

"But I've always left quickly, I never hung around to get in the way or... or put you out"

"And I hated it." He told her with a smile "Listen Hinata…, you've told me something that no one else in the world has ever told me before. I want to say it back, I feel it back, but I can't say…, I don't know what's stopping me but something is. Now we've agreed that until I can finally say those all important words that we'd let my actions speak for me. Looking after you is just another way of my showing you how I feel. So, you are going to let me care for you."

"Do I have any say in this?" Hinata asked with a smile

Seeing her happy face Naruto grinned back "None whatsoever" he responded kissing her forehead, his eyes fixed onto the seal for a while.

She frowned as the dull ache in her head reminded her of the cruel mark across her forehead "It looks awful doesn't it?"

"No. Still the only thing stopping me from destroying your father is the fact that you're alright. Of course if he ever tries to control you with it..."

"Please... don't hurt him, he is still my father."

"I won't hurt him unless he hurts you."

"But..." Hinata was stopped from saying anything else by Naruto insistently pressing his lips to hers. Mere common courtesy compelled her to return the kiss and any conversation remained impossible for a long time. Naruto for his part lost himself in the moment, he was so afraid, afraid for her, for their future, for everything that was going to happen to them but right now he had Hinata in his arms, right now he would forget his problems.

*~*~*

I know it's been forever since I last updated but I've been busy!

Please R&R