The Lotus and The Deer (Shikamaru x OC)

Chapter 28 - Take Care

Hina POV

Choji helps Naru-chan up, making our way back to the village the sun peaks through the clouds to shine on us. Standing in front of the Hokage, we're ordered to the hospital for a full examination. Naruto protest of course.

Nodding, I grip Sakura's wrist before she could punch him for his verbal disobedience. Giving him a cold smile, she shivers before looking elsewhere. "He'll be at the hospital, don't you worry."

She smiles, "Now for the rest of you, I order you to take a few days off. Give your minds and bodies a rest. Got it? Dismissed."

Leaving the large office, our teams hit a crossroad, giving Shika a small smile, we say nothing as we go our separate ways. Dropping Naru-chan off at the hospital, I leave heading back home. Night falls, looking out my window with a cup of tea in hand I grow lost in thought.

Hearing a faint knock on my door, my attention shifts. Putting down my cup of tea, I open the door; meeting a pair of cool, calculating eyes. Smiling I move out of the way to let him in. In a standstill, I tilt my head a bit in confusion. Closing the door, I don't have time to process Shika's actions as he places his lips on mine. Relaxing in his touch, he picks me up, making me yelp. Keeping his lips on mine he places me on the bed gently.

Parting I catch my breath, keeping me close I feel him rest his head on my chest. Smiling, I relax, drifting off I listen to his faint loving words.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

No POV

The Akatsuki are still oblivious to Hasu's actions as the tailed beast slowing dwindling down by there hand. She continues her missions with her team, now have gained the 5-tailed beast in a gem. Sending out another for the 6-tail beast, she remains steps ahead of them.

With team 7 and 8 out looking for Itachi, hoping to find Sasuke along the way, Hasu decides to leave a clone in the leaf for the sake of training and research. Sitting under the shady tree, Jiraiya makes his presence known.

"Who are you?"

Hasu's clone puts her scroll down, turning her head slightly to meet Jiraiya's gaze. He continues, "I've read your file, and I can't find anything about your life before you came to the village, so who are you? Why are you so fixed on protecting Naruto? Why are you so strong?"

Hasu rolls up her scroll, putting it away, "You know I can't tell you anything, so why are you asking?"

He remains silent, making Hasu frown, "I see. While I don't care for your sour attitude, I don't doubt how much you care for Naruto. And if Naruto sees you as someone he can trust, someone special; then I can make an exception just this once."

Placing a seal on the ground, a thin bubble surrounds the two. She stands facing him, "As you know, I am an Uzumaki; while this is new information to me, I never grew to knew my parents since they were killed sometime after I was born, much like Naru-chan. Being left in the world alone didn't last long as the 9-tail fox saved me and took me in as his own. Which now made me his daughter."

His eyes widen, she continues, "He took me to the fox sage world, raised me there with my Jiji, the Great Fox Sage. He would leave for the human world and come back frequently. One day he left, and never returned; I only a little girl, thought the worst. Maybe he died, someone took him, or he didn't want me anymore. Jiji quickly found out what happened, explaining to me that he was captured. From that point on, Jiji raised me on his own, training me, becoming stronger to reunite with him. When the time was right, I left my home in the sage world and came here."

He steps forward a bit, "Do you know?"

She nods, "Of course I do, and so does Naru-chan; he knows everything. He's been very sweet about it. Oto-san and him have come to a neutral understanding; he's even helping him control his chakra slowly. Naru-chan's still getting used to it, but I can see that there slowly becoming friends."

He looks down, as the realization strikes him hard. Looking at her, she destroys the seal knowing he on a path of death, "Jiraiya, you need to come back. You know what this could do to Naru-chan, don't be stupid!"

He smiles a bit before walking over to her. Placing his hand on her shoulder he meets her gaze, "With someone like you around, I won't have to worry as much. Take good care of him, ok?"

"Wait, no!"

She turns her head but he's already gone, not feeling his chakra, she frowns, "No."

Falling to her knees, she poofs away, along with the other clone who completed there mission. The original Hasu gaps, with the 6-tail now in her grasp and the news on Jiraiya, she grows worried. Hoping that he makes it out alive, hoping that he won't leave Naruto.

Weeks go by, and they return from there mission, without Sasuke and the new information on Itachi's death. With the others, minis Naruto at the Hokage's office, Tsunade shares the tragic news of Jiraiya's death. A tear falls from Hasu's face, already knowing the road she's about to walk down. Knowing how this will affect him. Hearing the door open, she feels Kakashi's and Naruto's chakra, keeping her head down the others stare at his confused demeanor.

As Naruto shouts at the old frog about calling Jiraiya a boy, Tsunade snaps at him, only for her right-hand woman to inform him that he was once Jiraiya's master. Frowning the old toad gives the news of Jiraiya's death in battle.

"What, what are you talking about?"

He continues, "I know this is very sudden, and I understand if you don't believe me. For some time now, rumors have been circulating that the leader of the Akatsuki was operating out of the Villiage Hidden in the Rain. Hence, Jiraiya-boy went there in person to verify if this rumor was true. Jiraiya-boy encountered Pein, the leader of the Akatsuki; however, Pein was a former student of Jiraiya's many many years ago. I don't know him particularly but Jiraiya-boy called him Nagato."

While the others wonder how he was defeated, Hasu and Naruto stay silent, the old sage explains, "It's because he possessed the Rinnegan. Its power was supposed to be beyond anything you can imagine, but there's more; there were six of them."

Showing the message he left on his back, the writing in code, the room grows silent.

Naruto finally speaks up, "You let him go. Is that right, granny?"

"That's right."

"Why would you ever let him do something so risky?! You know pervy sage better than anyone granny! HOW COULD YOU SEND HIM SOMEWHERE SO DANGEROUS ALONE!"

Kakashi steps up, "Stop Naruto, you of all people know Lady Tusnade's feelings."

He turns away, "Dammit if the pervy sage had been the 5th Hokage, he wouldn't have let Granny Tsunade take a risk like that. Never."

Leaving, Sakura calls out for him, Hasu grabs her wrist. Looking at the brown skinned girl she stares shocked at her teary eyes.

Hasu speaks a bit below a whisper, "Don't."

Hasu POV

Letting her go, I leave as well, making my way to my safe place, the hill. Sitting alone, the pain in Naru-chan's voice replays in my head. As the tears come to an end, night falls, my steps guide me. Knocking on the wooden door, I wait for it to open.

I look into Naruto's dry eyes, the light once in them are dim. I hold out my arms, staring at me, he falls into them and crumbles. Tears pours down as he cries silently. Holding him close, I let him release every ounce of his emotions.

Feeling him grow heavy, he lifts his head. Eyes puffy and red, I lead him to his bedroom. Helping him down, I leave briefly to make him a cup of tea. Drinking it slowly there's a comfortable silence in the air. Telling me about his walk, I smile at the hope and strength in his voice.

"Can I spend the night? Just like old times?"

Looking at me and nods, grabbing a spare blanket from his closet, I sit on the bed next to him. Staring at the night sky as he slowly drifts to sleep. His peaceful expression rest on his features as a single tear, I stroke his hair gently.

"Don't worry, Jiraiya; I'll take care of him."