The Courage to Choose

Pairing(s): SasuHina

Rating: T

Author's Notes: This was an old story of mine and I made some alterations to fit in SasuHina. This is for the poll that I had put up on my account on Fanfiction guess what? Someone voted for SasuHina. I still have to write another 2 SasuHina stories, 2 ShikaTema, 1 NejiTen, 1 NaruSaku and 1 HashiMito. The poll is still up if you're wondering. So stay tuned for more!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto coz it belongs to Kishimoto-san

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"A-Ano... A gun?" Hinata asked nervously, pulling the sleeves of her jacket.

"A gun," he confirmed. "A Desert Eagle to be precise. It's important that you know how to take care of yourself. I'm not always going to be there to protect you."

"Don't say that," she told him unhappily. It was too hard to picture him in a ditch, covered in blood and staring sightlessly up at the sky. No, he won't die. Sasuke is strong. He survived this far. Surely he won't die... right?

Its how her sister, Hanabi had looked two weeks ago.

His expression was guarded but his eyes were weary. "Hinata, if you're not ready-"

"No," she interrupted. "I want to learn. I don't go back on my word."

Something changed in Sasuke's eyes. Somthing that she couldn't detect. "Alright then," he said, and handed me a small gun he picked up from the road a couple of days ago. Hinata took it, willing my hand not to shake.

"Take off the safety," he instructed, his presence behind her warm and reassuring. His large hands covered hers, steadying her grip on the gun.

"Line your sights up with the target," he continued, and she comply shakily, aiming for the crude-drawn bullseye half way across the room.

"Take a deep breath," He told her, correcting her posture a little before pressing his hands over her ears. "Hold it-"

There is a tense silence, then-

"Fire."

Hinata squeezed the trigger, and squeaked embarrassingly at the loud bang that follows despite his protection. The bullet missed the bullseye by a good five inches. She was actually happy with it, but it's better than nothing.

"Good," he praised, smiling. "Now do it again."

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The slingshot in Hinata's hands wasn't't much use against the dead. But it wasn't completely useless, but it's pretty handy for catching breakfast. She took aim at a nearby crow, her hands steady and sure. Take a deep breath, hold it-

And fire.

The crow drops to the ground with a pitiful caw. She kept her slingshot in her pocket and went to collect her prize. It took her only days of painful hunger to become adept at killing small game with her slingshot - before that, it was either Sasuke or Hanabi. She could never stomach killing animals but she have to. In order to survive. Rabbits, birds, squirrels - it wasn't much, but it's enough to keep them alive.

The Hyuuga wrapped some cloth around the crow and tied it with a string to her backpack. Then, she track back from where she came from. They had been living at the ruins of what used to be a hotel for a couple of days.

Hinata waved the makeshift bag when she saw him looking towards her way. She was about to place her backpack on the table when suddenly, Sasuke pressed close to a pillar, hissing, "Get down!" She did as she was told without question, her hand went to the gun on her hip. Sasuke forced her to keep the weapon on her at all times.

"Dead?" She asked him, trying to be brave. She was still scared of them no matter how many times she had seen them but the living dead weren't quite as scary as they were three weeks ago.

"Five of them," he replied, stealing a glance around the pillar. "That's five more than I'm comfortable with."

"Did we save our bullets?" Hinata asked, checking her own ammo. Five rounds left, one magazine in her pocket. Not much when up against a whole herd of living dead.

"Seems like a good idea," Sasuke replied, checking his own ammo and making a displeased face. He's running low too. "We'll have to sneak past them."

Hinata and Sasuke both have their guns out ready just in case the dead notice them sneaking around.

"Go for the stairs," he instructed. "Could be things worth salvaging up there."

"Right," she agreed, and move.

You would think it's easy sneaking around the dead but it's not. Somehow, the dead have ridiculously sharp hearing. She had to be extremely careful and when she was three feet away from the stairs when a crow invaded her vision, perched on the banster. It looked at her, cold and unforgiving. Don't you dare! Don't you dare, Hinata screamed in her mind. As if it was reading her thoughts, it opened its beak and caws loudly.

All hell breaks lose.

The dead heard the 'caw' and shrieked, running towards her. Sasuke leaped over the table they were using as a cover and shoots the nearest one right though the head. Hinata tried to help, but the dead are moving fast, making it difficult to aim.

Sasuke took out two more with his shotgun, and by some luck she managed to get one right in the eye socket. The last one, though, was very fast. Faster than all the rest, too fast for Sasuke or Hinata to shoot it. It roared and snapped its teeth at Sasuke, and he tried with all his might to keep it away from him. She took aim with her gun, her whole body trembling because she scared, scared that he'll become one of them, scared if she missed it and shoots Sasuke instead.

"Shoot!" He shouted. "Just shoot the fucking thing now!"

Hinata took a deep breath, hold it-

And fire.

The dead crumpled to the ground. Hinata nearly did the same in relief.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Hinata gasped, running to his side and heaving the dead body off him. And saw something that makes her blood run cold.

There was a bite on his forearm.

"No! Sasuke, no!" She sobbed, meeting his dark eyes in despair. "No, no, no..." her whispers trailed off into incoherent sobs as she laid her head on his chest, hot tears streaming bown her face as she listened to the heartbeat that soon will be no more.

"Hinata," he whispered, his uneffected arm coming up around her. "Hime, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Hinata cried harder and buried her face into his shirt, closing her eyes tightly. Wishing that she could just wake up from this horrible, horrible nightmare. But she know it's no dream.

"Hinata," he said weakly. "Hime. You know... what you have to do."

She gasped and hold on to him tighter. She didn't want to do it. She can't. I'm not strong enough. No one should have to do it.

"Hime," he tried again, but ends up almost coughing up a lung. The virus was taking, fast. Soon he'll be- he'll be-

"Please, Hinata," he begged, tears were beginning to stream down his face. "I don't- I don't want to become-"

"Shh, Sasu," she whispered back. "You won't. I- I promise."

"Thank you," he breathed, and pressed a kiss to my lips. "I love you, Hime."

"I love you Sasu," she told him. Then pulled away and stood up.

She picked up her gun, willing her hands not to shake.

She took the safety off and pointed towards Sasuke's head. His eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face. It was the same look that he showed whenever he was asleep.

She took a deep breath and looked away.

Her forefinger curled around the trigger, pulling it slowly.

And released the trigger.