Only Time Can Tell

NOW...I'M GONE

CHAPTER 34

NOW...I'M GONE

INOJIN YAMANAKA

It was 3 in the morning when it happened. Sakura had camped out in Naruto's room, and I was sleeping in Hinata's when I woke up to sobbing. I blinked in the early morning darkness. I sat up. I had fallen asleep across the length of two chairs, and I had the worst possible kink in my neck. I squinted in the darkness. I was amazed when I saw movement. I rushed over to her bedside. Her shoulders were shaking and tears fell down her face.

"Hinata." I whispered. I reached for her wrist to feel her pulse, fearing that her heart had gone out of control. But I was surprised to find a steady heart beat. I sat down next to her, pulling my chair closer to her bedside. She was sleeping still, but...she was crying. "Mrs. Uzumaki." I reached out and held her hand.

If she had been awake it would have been awkward to hold her hand like this, but seeing her this helpless, stuck in the worst possible dream, reliving the pain and horrors of her past. To the point that it would cause to her to cry in her sleep. I squeezed her hand. "It's almost over." I knew that my words might not be true, but I hoped that they reached her and helped her through it. I had to believe that just like my papa and Sakura that she would wake soon.

Her tears stopped, and her shoulders stopped shaking. "There." I whispered. I wiped her tears for her. I smiled. Like this she looks so much like Himawari. "Hima's fine, I'm sure. She's more like Naruto than you think...but you would know that better than most anyone." I almost laughed. "It must be the strangest thing to be the Hokage's wife." I smiled. "I can't figure out if your life is the best or the worst. He's never home..." I brushed the hair out of her face. "And your love for him causes you so much pain."

Hinata sighed then. I didn't know if it was my words, but I checked her pulse again. Still steady. Was she waking up? "Nnnh." She moaned in her sleep. "Nnnh."

"Hinata-sama?" I said standing. "Please...wake up." I touched her shoulder, and began a silent prayer. Please. Please. Wake up.

"Nnaa. Nnnaaaruto." Her shoulders began to shake again with sobs and tears started to trace their way down her face. "Nnaaruuutoo. "

"Mrs. Uzumaki." I checked her pulse and it had started to beat faster, but not eratically, it was like her heart had been shaken out of a patch of ice and was starting to thaw and beat again.

"Naaaruto." She moaned again.

"Naruto?" I said leaning in closer to try and hear her better. "Naruto." I felt my expression softened. "He's okay. And you are too. All you need to do," I said holding her hand. "Is wake up. Your husband needs you now." And then slowly, I began to feel her squeeze my hand back.

I looked up and met her lavender eyes. She seemed impossibly tired, her eyes barely open. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something. "You're awake now." I smiled at her. "This isn't a dream anymore."

Her eyes clouded with tears and she broke down, reaching for me. And though I wasn't her child, and she wasn't my mother, I hugged her, and I was so happy for her. She did it. She was asleep for almost 2 weeks. And she's alive again. Her voice came slowly like a cherry blossom petal falling to the ground on a still spring day.

"Where....is....Naruto.....kun?" She struggled.

"He's in the room next door. Sakura is watching over him." Her hand moved to her heart and for a moment I was deathly afraid that she was slipping away again, but she just sighed wistfully. She reached for the sheet covering her and tried to pull herself free. But it seemed incredibly difficult for her. You would think that the sheet weighed a hundred pounds the way she struggled. Finally I reached for the sheet and helped her.