Hi! This is just a little side story that takes place in my Expectations Universe, in the first segment of Himawari's chapter. It's...angsty and dark. Just fair warning. This does follow the canon ending, so if you didn't like it, that's fine, but please be respectful.

Disclaimer: I own nothing


What I Wouldn't Do

Chapter 1: For You

The world could be falling to pieces around him and Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't have noticed. Everything was spinning; colors blurred, sounds mashed together, scents churned and rotted until all he could smell was iron. He didn't know how long he had been standing there – it could have been seconds, it could have been hours – just that his legs felt like an impossible mix of jelly and lead. It was a strange sensation, but without it he'd probably be running – to where and at whom he wasn't certain. He did know he was speaking. He could feel his mouth moving and noted somewhere in his brain that people were following orders; he assumed they were his.

It didn't really matter. The world was still spinning, the air was still buzzing, and he was starting to taste the iron on his tongue. It was a decidedly unpleasant taste, not one he was unaccustomed to, but one he normally associated with the aftermath of serious fights. Had he fought anyone today? There were bodies lying cold and still on the grass around him, but whether he killed them or someone else did, he couldn't quite remember. Perhaps it was a mix of both.

There was flurry of pink to his left. His eyes involuntarily followed the color, wondering what it was, until he realized it wasn't a 'what' but a 'who,' and that 'who' was Sakura. She was kneeling on the ground, her face focused and her hands covered in green chakra, shouting out orders to the medics surrounding her. Red splatter littered her shirt, but she paid it no mind; she was solely focused on the person lying prone on the forest floor.

It was a child – a young boy no older than seven. He didn't move, even when the medics wrapped and padded and pressurized the wounds littering his body. There wasn't even a twitch to signify life. The boy was pale, his blond hair dirty and matted brown. His clothes were torn and bloody, his limbs awkwardly splayed. It was a perfectly pitiful sight. Naruto wanted to look away, but found he couldn't.

That child…his child…

The world came to halt. Movement came back first, his shinobi rushing past him to and fro as they went to follow his orders. They moved in groups; teams heading out in different directions to scout the surrounding forest, others rounding up surviving prisoners for interrogation. He felt the ANBU spread out to form a protective barrier.

Sound returned next. There was a roaring in Naruto's ears before he was finally able to make out individual words and shouts. Sakura was screaming words he didn't understand and Shikamaru stood behind him yelling out more orders to the scouting teams. In his head, he could hear Kurama growling and spitting. His own throat hurt. He must have been yelling, too.

Scent came last. Iron was still the predominant smell, but now there was also smoke and the faint aroma of morning grass. It was still early, he noted, barely nine. Most people had only been up for a few hours. Sun shone through the leafless trees, and it would have been a perfectly happy setting if not for the mess. Gouged dirt, destroyed trees, bloody grass and splatter ruined the otherwise picturesque setting.

Naruto couldn't bring himself to care. He still couldn't move.

"Hokage-sama," someone said in his ear. He felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. "Hokage-sama?" There was a sigh. "Naruto."

Naruto started, his eyes flickering this way and that, before landing on Shikamaru. The other man looked at him with a mixture of resignation and concern. Naruto wanted to tell him to look away.

"Shikamaru," the blond mumbled, his voice hoarse from shouting.

The Nara examined him for a moment, his eyes assessing his friend for any possibility of breaking. He must have been satisfied because after a few seconds he indicated his head behind him and said, "Kiba's back. Says they think they found the rest."

"Think?"

Shikamaru sent him a look and Naruto forced himself to calm down. He nodded for his advisor to continue. "Shino's team is still out, but Kiba reported they haven't found anything. Ino wants to know if she can take the prisoners back to The House."

Naruto looked down, nodding his head in contemplation. He bit his lip. A part of him wanted Ino there as an extra pair of medical hands, but another, larger, part wanted her to start her interrogations. He warred with himself for only a few seconds, his gaze highlighting upon the prone body a few meters away. His eyes hardened and he clenched his fists as he turned to his fellow blonde. She straightened up, saluted him and waited for orders.

"Yamanaka-taicho," Naruto began. "Take them Home. You have free reign."

If Ino was surprised she didn't show it. "Yes, sir."

Naruto nodded. "Good. Go." She was off, her team following quickly behind her, each one holding a prisoner to be taken to interrogation. Naruto turned to Kiba. "Has Sai radioed in?"

Kiba shook his head. "Not yet, but he's farther away. Shino and his team are coming back. No new prisoners or information."

The Hokage nodded again. It felt like all he could do was nod. These people were doing this: good, got it, next. This team was here: okay, thanks. Nod, nod, nod. His feet still wouldn't let him move. It was probably for the best. If he moved he might destroy something.

"Is there anyone else missing from the Academy?" He asked, directing his question to Shikamaru.

"No," the Nara said. "Boruto was the only one. All the students have been dismissed and sent home on lockdown. Shino made sure all his kids were picked up personally before he came here."

"Good," he mumbled. A though occurred him then and he wondered at how long it had taken to strike him. "Hinata?" His eyes widened in worry. "Where are Hinata and Himawari?"

Shikamaru touched his arm to try and reassure him. It didn't. "They're both at the tower. Hinata's taken control of the council."

Naruto's lips twitched, but he didn't have the energy to smile. "Figures she would."

"She's also taken in Sarada. The ANBU are watching them. They're alright."

"Do they know?" Because Naruto didn't know what he would do if Hinata found out some bastardized version of events from a secondary source rather than him, and he didn't want Sarada or Himawari to know at all.

Thankfully, Shikamaru's answer was negative. "No. Hinata knows the basics and I'm sure you can guess it's all Konohamaru can do to keep her there. Himawari and Sarada are oblivious, though I wouldn't put it past Sarada to be suspicious. Girl's as troublesome as her parents."

"She is," and that made Naruto look over to his pink-haired old teammate even though he had been trying so hard not to. He didn't want to see the panic rising in her eyes or the increased amount of blood splatter on her outfit. He also didn't want to see the scrambling of medics as they tried to stabilize the child for transport. It hurt. It hurt worse than anything else he could imagine.

"Hokage-sama…Naruto," Shikamaru sighed, concern brimming in his eyes. "Maybe you should go home. We can deal with everything here."

"No," Naruto said quickly. He immediately realized how desperate it sounded and took a deep breath to calm himself. "No. I can't-I can't leave him here alone, Shikamaru. He needs me here."

Shikamaru would have liked to tell his old friend that he couldn't do much and that Boruto was far too out of it to notice anyone, but he couldn't. Shikamaru knew that if it were Shikadai lying there on the ground, fighting for his life, he wouldn't be able to leave either. The thought itself was almost too painful to contemplate. So he just inclined his head and acquiesced to his leader's decision. He didn't move and stood next to his friend as they both watched Sakura and her team ready the child for transport. It was some of the most agonizing moments of Shikamaru's life and he couldn't imagine what Naruto was feeling. He didn't want to.

"Ready?" Sakura shouted, her hands supporting Boruto's neck. "One, two, three, lift!"

The blond child was quickly transferred from the grass to the waiting stretcher. He was strapped on and, at Sakura's command, immediately lifted by two waiting runners.

"Go, room G-E1!" Sakura shouted. The men were off, the other medics following them and surrounding the stretcher to help keep Boruto stable. The pink-haired medic then moved quickly over to Naruto and bowed her head.

"Hokage-sama," she said, her voice soft and her eyes searching.

"Uchiha-sensei," Naruto returned, not really looking at her. His eyes were still glued to the patch of red mud where his son was not a moment ago.

Sakura exchanged a tense glance with Shikamaru and then turned back to Naruto. She grasped his arm. "I'll do everything I can."

"I know." He still wouldn't look at her.

"Hey," she prodded, reaching up to touch his cheek and force him to look at her. "He'll be okay. He's too much like his parents not to be."

"Yeah," he whispered. He turned blue eyes to her and Sakura's heart shuddered because this was Naruto – dorky, hyperactive, wonderful Naruto – and he just wasn't supposed to look like that. "I know you'll do your best."

She managed a small smile. "I'll do better. I promise, and you taught me not to break promises."

Naruto chuffed, but it didn't bring out the grin Sakura had been aiming for. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"No problem, knucklehead," she then straightened up and returned to her previous no-nonsense attitude. "I'll keep you updated and let you know when he's out. Tsunade-sama already radioed in. Everything's ready for him."

When Naruto didn't respond, Shikamaru said, "Thank you, Sakura-san."

Sakura nodded and, with one last concerned glance at her old friend, disappeared into the foliage. Naruto gave no visible reaction to her departure, his gaze returning to the red patch. Kurama was still murmuring death threats in his head and Naruto was half inclined to listen to him. The urge to kill every single person involved in this was almost overwhelming. He clamped down on his chakra, repeatedly telling the fox to calm down. Kurama's rampaging was not helping his own shattered nerves, and right now they needed information not a slaughter, despite how much they both would love it. The Kyuubi quieted, but it was a small victory; Naruto could feel his anger – it bubbled beneath his skin, churning and hissing with a need for revenge. Had he any less control, Naruto wouldn't be able to contain it.

There was a rustling sound behind them and Naruto tensed, his hold on the Kyuubi almost slipping. He was just able to reign himself in when Shino and his team leapt from the trees, presenting themselves before him.

"Hokage-sama," Shino began. "Scout Team Xi reporting. We have found no new assailants within sixty miles west of the village. Evidence suggests they did not arrive from Kusa or Ame because there is no disturbed terrain or chakra residue. I have taken the liberty of distributing my colony along key routes in the event of suspicious activity."

"Good," Naruto stated. "Your team is dismissed. I expect a report in one hour."

"Hokage-sama," Shino said as his team bowed and left. He moved to follow them when Naruto once more called out to him.

"Shino." The Aburame inclined his head in askance, taking in his leader's clenched jaw and twitching fingers. He waited patiently for Naruto to say what he needed, understanding now was not a good time for his friend and it wouldn't be good to ask unnecessary questions. The blond eventually pried his mouth open and asked, "Could you go and gather Himawari and Sarada from the tower? I don't want them to hear anything they shouldn't."

Shino tilted his head to the side, surprised, but also oddly honored at the request. "Of course, Hokage-sama."

"And Shino?" Naruto spoke again. "Tell Hinata to meet me at the hospital."

"Sir," the Aburame shifted, ready to jump, and then said, "Should I prepare the children for an…extended visit?"

Naruto paused and then, "For Sarada, no. I'll tell Sakura where she is once she's finished. For Himawari…she shouldn't be too suspicious of an impromptu sleepover."

Shino nodded, understanding. Himawari would be staying overnight. There was no way Naruto or Hinata could watch over her, keep her calm, and stay with their son at the same time. At least, not tonight. The first 24 hours were always the most critical in these situations and Shino would happily protect Himawari if it would help out his friends.

Besides, if any of more assailants attempted to hurt the girl, Shino would happily assuage them of the idea. Seeing Boruto as he did had left Shino with a quiet anger burning in his chest. He'd hoped he was wrong when the boy didn't show up for class that morning, but Hinata always made sure her son was in school and she always informed Shino if he wasn't going to come in. With no word from his old teammate and an absent blond, it had been enough for Shino to alert the Hokage. He was glad of his quick action. Any longer and Boruto would have either been dead or carried over the border to some, as yet unknown, foreign village. His kikaichu rumbled at the thought.

"Hokage-sama," and he was off, bounding through the trees at a faster than normal pace.

"Yo, Naruto-sama," Kiba called. He was standing a bit a ways away, his hand on Akamaru, who seemed more animated and terrifying than Naruto had seen in years. His other hand stood indicating the recently arrived Sai. "Yamanaka found something."

Sai bowed his head and dissolved his ink creations. His face was a perfect mask of disinterest, showing no emotion or thought. It was Sai's default face and it scared Naruto to the core. "Hokage-sama, we found tracks coming north from the border of Oto no Kuni."

Naruto started and Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Oto? Are you certain?" The Nara asked.

"Yes," Sai said. "We didn't go past the border, but the trail indicates they came from that direction. Shall I send out a reconnaissance team, Hokage-sama?"

Naruto thought for a minute. The ramifications of sending out a team to go past the border without an official invitation were numerous should the team be caught, especially considering the current peace treaties. But Naruto needed to be sure, he needed evidence, in the event that he decided to bring this crime up before the other villages. Naruto knew eventually he would have to. The attempted kidnapping and assault of his son would be seen by the world as a personal attack on the Hokage and Konoha at large. It was a political move, and if Oto no Kuni or Otogakure were planning something, the other villages would have to be alerted. He didn't think he could put a lid on this anyway, not with Temari and Karui already somewhat in the know. Gaara and Darui would probably know within the week. Technically, he could forbid them from dispensing such information, but he didn't really want to. If it spread, all the better for the other villages to know Konoha was provoked.

His gut churned just thinking about it. Naruto suddenly felt dirty and sick for thinking so callously about his son's attack, but if it helped him get swifter retribution he wouldn't complain too much. He didn't want to term it 'revenge'. A sudden thought occurred to him.

"Send out Team Nu; have them wait ten miles from the border."

"Hokage-sama?" Sai questioned, not understanding where Naruto was going with this.

Naruto didn't offer an explanation. Instead, he did a quick handseal and a small toad appeared before him. He then removed a notebook from his pack and wrote a quick message before handing the paper to the toad. Naruto leaned in and whispered something to it that none of the others could hear. The summon saluted and poofed away. It was done in less than a minute.

"Tell Nu to wait for orders," Naruto said, as if nothing had happened. He straightened and looked at Sai directly in the eyes. "If they hear nothing within five days, they are to return immediately.

Said didn't question him. He saluted and uttered a clipped, "Sir," before rushing off into the trees and back towards the ANBU headquarters.

"Team Nu?" Kiba asked from the side, obviously wondering just what had happened and where his old friend was going with this. "You think they're ready for something like this?"

Naruto's lips quirked upwards for a second. "You trained them."

"And they're damn good, but do you really want them to infiltrate Oto?"

"Like you said Kiba, 'they're damn good.'"

"Tch," Kiba bared his teeth, half embarrassed, half pleased. "As you say, Hokage-sama. I'd better go have them run some drills then."

"Don't tire them out. They need to be on their toes."

Kiba waved the words away. "Yeah, yeah, they'll be ready."

"One hour, Kiba."

"Make it hard for me, why don'tcha." Kiba smirked, and even Naruto managed a slight grin. Internally, the Inuzuka felt rather good that he was able to wheedle a smile out his friend. Naruto would need all the good humour he could get in the next couple of weeks.

"You'll have less time if you don't leave now," Shikamaru noted.

"Yeah, I know when I'm not wanted," Kiba said. His smile slipped a bit and he looked at Naruto more seriously. "Keep me updated, 'kay?"

Naruto inclined his head. "Yeah."

"Good," he said. "One hour."

And he was off, taking the rest of his team with him and leaving Shikamaru and Naruto standing alone in the clearing. Well, not completely alone. Scene processors were still combing the area, but they were of little consequence when Naruto had so many other things to think about.

He patted Shikamaru's shoulder and shouted out to one of the men, "Bring everything you find to Yamanaka Sai. I want a detailed report as soon as you're finished."

"Sir!"

Naruto tightened his grip on his friend and signaled to leave, the two soon jumping through the trees and back towards the village. He could see the hospital in the distance; the large building standing out like a beacon. It made his heart race and nausea settled in his stomach.

He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about everything that happened in the past hour and he didn't want to think about everything that was going to happen. All he wanted was to go back to this morning when he was eating breakfast with his family and everything was normal.

Gods, how was he going to face Hinata? The very thought sent a shudder through his body. He knew she was already going to be tearing her hair out with worry at all the things she had conjured in her mind, but the reality was so much worse. He should have let her come. Why the hell hadn't he let her come?

Naruto shook his head.

He knew why. Himawari needed to be kept safe and calm. Sending her off with the ANBU alone wouldn't have been good for her. Besides that, both parents couldn't in good conscious leave their child without one of them there. They trusted their friends, but they just couldn't burden them with such a responsibility, not now when they had their own families to protect. Who knew whom these people were targeting? So Naruto left, and Hinata stayed, and now both of them were stuck in a nightmare they never could have imagined.

How the fuck had this happened? Naruto clenched his fists tightly, feeling them sharpen and bite into his skin, drawing blood and then healing in a continuous cycle of punishment. How could he have let this happen?

Fuck! His thoughts raged and his emotions bubbled under his skin. He wanted to destroy something. He needed to tear something apart – anything! – whether it be as simple as a piece of paper or as bloody as a human being. Naruto didn't care. He just needed somewhere to put all these terrifying, awful, bloodthirsty emotions.

Kurama was of no help, his own bloodlust continuing to compound Naruto's own and making it harder to control himself. Luckily, the fox had stopped shouting, but Naruto could feel the fox's chakra festering under his skin. He wanted to tell Kurama to stop, but he understood far too much how the fox felt. So he endured the anger and the growls; at least he could take comfort in the mutual desire for blood.

He saw the hospital get closer. Only a few more seconds and he'd be there – a few more seconds and he be surrounded by the scurrying of medics, the cries of the wounded, and the ever pervading scent of blood. How he hated the hospital. He didn't understand how the medics stood it; he didn't have that kind of strength.

Naruto landed on the stone pathway perhaps a bit heavier than was normal, Shikamaru not a second behind. They walked purposefully on quick feet through the hospital entrance, not sure what awaited them beyond the doors. Upon their ingress, the two shinobi were met with a nervous tension. There were no running doctors or screaming instructions, no flustered nurses or bloodstained floor. If anything, everything were perfectly calm, unnervingly calm, terrifyingly calm, and Naruto tensed.

He'd been prepared for shouting, for rushing, for anything that wasn't this. He'd been ready to see blood tracking the floor, but the linoleum was as blindingly white as always. Normal patients sat waiting in their chairs, nurses stood at their stations, and there was only the occasional doctor. Naruto didn't know where to go, whom to ask. He was normally the patient and very rarely the visitor.

"Hokage-sama?"

Naruto turned towards the deep voice and was met with a giant, hulk of a man that almost eclipsed him in height. He wore the standard nurses uniform and had a head of dusty blond hair that sat shabbily on his head. He kept having to brush the bangs from his eyes. Cautious brown eyes stared at him, making eye contact and then staring at the floor in a repetitive cycle. The man clutched his clipboard tightly and Naruto didn't really appreciate it. It spelled bad news.

The nurse's nametag read: Atsudachi Mamoru

"Hokage-sama?" The man said again. "Uchiha-sensei has instructed me to bring you to the Green Ward."

"Has my wife arrived yet?" Naruto asked as he began to follow the nurse out of the entranceway. He sincerely hoped Hinata wasn't there waiting for him.

"Not yet, Hokage-sama. We'll bring her to you as soon as she arrives," he replied.

Naruto nodded, not feeling up to conversation, but he had to know just one more thing. "Has there been any word?"

The nurse shook his head and Naruto's heart sank. Atsudachi wouldn't meet his eyes. "No, Hokage-sama, not yet."

The trio continued on in silence. They moved through hallways and down corridors, past the children's ward and the emergency department. Naruto knew the path only vaguely. Kakashi had taken him here before he was officially inaugurated to have his and his family's chakra introduced to the seals. It was a special area, designed specifically to confuse and befuddle anyone not familiar with it. Only the Hokage, his family, and carefully selected medical personnel were permitted entrance. Everyone else had to be escorted.

They reached the first checkpoint within a few minutes. The regular hallway opened up into a small square room with only a single set of doors to make it interesting. Two ANBU stood on alert, offering perfect salutes to their leader. They checked the seals on Naruto's wrist and, once satisfied ushered the trio through the doors and into another long hallway. It was rather surreal actually. The white hall seemed to go on forever, just one continuous corridor with no windows and no end. Had Naruto not known, he never would have suspected it was a genjutsu.

What seemed to be an endless white expanse was really a maze of stairways and halls that spiraled downwards. The group walked forwards, down and down, until Naruto was very sure they were far below the hospital. They walked straight, left, right, and even appeared to go in circles. It truly was a marvel of engineering and genjutsu.

The three men soon reached their destination: a large, unlabeled waiting room with six doors positioned around them. Three of those doors, Naruto knew, lead to recovery rooms. The one directly to his left was the entrance to the morgue. The lasts two, positioned directly ahead, lead to emergency rooms. The sign above one shone a bright red, indicating it was in use. Naruto closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Hokage-sama?" Atsudachi prodded. "With your permission, I will return and escort your wife."

Naruto nodded. "Yes, of course, thank you, Atsudachi-san."

The nurse looked like we wanted to say something else, perhaps an offering of condolences or sympathy, but thought better of it. He bowed his head. "Hokage-sama, Nara-sama."

And he was off, leaving the two men on their own.

Shikamaru wasted no time. He immediately spun around and pinned Naruto with an intense stare. "Alright, Naruto, what are you planning?"

"Sasuke."

Shikamaru blinked. "Okay, and?"

"Sasuke's last letter came near the border of Yugakure. He knows Oto better than anyone here. I figure he can get in undetected and see if there's anything odd before the ANBU can. Depending on what he finds, the ANBU will be his backup."

The Nara nodded in consideration. He then looked closer at his friend and his eyes narrowed. "That's not everything. What aren't you telling me?"

Naruto held out for a second before he sighed and turned to stare at the occupied emergency room. "Sasuke's the only person who knows where all of Orochimaru's bases are. He knows how Orochimaru thinks. That could be invaluable."

"O-Orochimaru?" Shikamaru sputtered. "Naruto, you can't think-"

"What am I supposed to think?" The Hokage cut him off. He glared at Shikamaru and shook his head. "Orochimaru disappeared after the war. We could never find him, and then suddenly, out of the blue, my son gets attacked by shinobi coming near the border of Oto? You should know nothing is ever a coincidence, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru only stared, his eyes searching for something, anything, to tell him this wasn't the right answer. He found nothing. Naruto was convinced Orochimaru had something to do with this and Shikamaru couldn't say the thought hadn't crossed his mind. No one had seen or heard from the man in years; who was to say he hadn't been planning something in all that time.

But why Boruto? Shikamaru didn't want to think it, but why not Sarada? Orochimaru had always coveted the Sharingan. What had triggered the desire for Boruto instead? Was it a mistake?

No, impossible. The differences in the two's appearances could never be mistaken, even without taking into account their genders. So, Boruto was the target.

But why?

The idea was confounding. It brought up too many other questions and scenarios that made Shikamaru nauseous with implications. But then, what if it wasn't Orochimaru? What if it was some other country using Oto no Kuni as a diversion? What if this was a completely unknown adversary? Shikamaru wasn't sure which would be worse.

He sighed. "We can't assume anything just yet, Naruto. Let's wait until Ino gets something out of them first. We'll work from there."

"But we can plan," Naruto murmured.

Shikamaru nodded. "Yes. And prepare."

The two didn't talk after that. They stood in silence, not making any use of the numerous chairs carefully positioned throughout the room. Both men were far too caught up in their thoughts to note the passing of time. They could have waited minutes or hours before they once more heard someone walking down the hallway. Atsudachi and Hinata appeared in the entrance, both seemingly calm.

Hinata walked a little bit further into the room, allowing the men to see her better. She looked very composed, her outfit still pressed to perfection and her hair done up in a simple bun. Her hands were clasped together, but not so tightly as to indicate anything was wrong. Were it not for the fact that they knew her so well, they never would have seen how her hands trembled or the tightness of her jaw. To any outsider, she would have appeared to be a picture of serenity.

When she got closer she nodded to the Nara. "Shikamaru-san."

"Hinata-sama," the man said, bowing just slightly further. He straightened and bowed to Naruto. "Hokage-sama. I'll go see if Ino's made any progress."

"Of course. Thank you, Shikamaru."

"Mah, I just want this done. I'll let you know if she finds anything," Shikamaru said, waving a lazy hand in dismissal. He nodded once more to the two and followed Astudachi back through the winding hallways.

Naruto and Hinata waited a few moments to make sure the two had gone far enough, before finally looking at each other. The two stood for a second, neither moving an inch as if afraid doing so would break whatever control they had. It created a rather tense atmosphere, the air growing heavy around them as they fought to keep their emotions from overtaking them.

Hinata broke first.

She leapt from her spot, swiftly crossing the distance between herself and her husband, and threw her arms around his neck. Naruto was quick to respond, wounding his own arms around her middle to hold her closer. They both started to shake involuntarily with repressed sobs, though not a tear fell from their eyes – they refused to let it. They tightened their grips on each other and Naruto buried his face in his wife's neck.

How he wanted to pull her hair free of that infernal bun and bury his hands in it. He wanted to take comfort in the familiar sensation of silk, wanted to smell the lavender in her shampoo. His fingers dug into her shirt, bunching the cloth and ruining the carefully ironed fabric. He could feel her own nails clutching at his cloak like a lifeline.

Naruto's throat convulsed. "Himawari?"

"With Shino," she replied, and Naruto shuddered in relief. At least one of their children was safe.

His wife choked out a sob.

"Naruto," she gasped, her voice thick with fear. "Tell me he's alive. Tell me I can see him."

Naruto swallowed hard. "He's alive."

"And?" She asked, pulling away and looking up at him with shiny eyes.

"And that's all I know," he whispered. Somehow, he was unable to talk any louder.

She let out a shaky breath. "They haven't told you anything?"

"No," Naruto shook his head. "Nothing, yet."

And wasn't that horrible? The thought of not knowing what was going on inside that room made Naruto want to scream. He wanted to barge in there and demand answers. He wanted to go and pull his son in close, hold him tightly and never put him down. Naruto would keep him safe; he'd always keep him safe. No one could hurt him as long as his dad was there.

But he couldn't, he wouldn't, because to do any of that might mean his son would die, and that thought was more painful than anything else. Naruto pulled Hinata back into his arms and she didn't resist. If anything, she melted into him. He could feel her warm weight against his chest and he noticed every tremor that wracked her body. She still wasn't crying, but Naruto knew it was only a matter of time before one of them broke.

He gritted his teeth. There was a pain festering in the back of his throat, but he ignored it. It was of little consequence.

"I need him," Naruto heard her whisper into his chest.

"I know," he murmured into her ear, moving to place one hand on the back of her head.

"I need to hold him," she keened.

Naruto choked. Oh, how he understood. "I know."

He felt her hands bunch at his back, fists shaking at the tightness, and her jaw trembling against him. "Do we know who did this?" She asked, steel apparent in her voice as her anguish turned to anger.

"…No," he said, debating on what to say. "But we have some ideas."

"What ideas?" He didn't speak up. "What ideas, Naruto?" She demanded.

Naruto sighed and felt his shoulders fall. "Oto."

She wrenched back, staring up at him in shock. "W-what?"

"Sai found tracks leading north towards the border of Oto. He didn't go beyond it, but I sent Sasuke a message with Gamadoro. If anyone can find out if Oto's involved, Sasuke can."

"You have a theory," she stated.

"Yeah."

"What is it?" Her eyes begged him to tell her, but he didn't want her to know. He didn't want to worry her if he was wrong. But if he was right then she needed to be prepared.

"…Orochimaru."

She gasped, her eyes widening. Half of her had probably expected it, but the other half, the half that didn't want him to say it, couldn't hold back surprise. "…A-are you sure?"

"No," he whispered. "But I can't think of anyone else."

Hinata slumped and moved to rest her head on her husband's chest. "What are we going to do?"

He didn't know. Fuck, he really didn't know. Naruto couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this, if he ever had. He held her tighter and rested his chin on top of her head. "We'll think of something."

Hinata nodded, though it was more of an acknowledgment to their shared lack of knowledge than in agreement with his statement. She bit her lip. "What are we going to tell Himawari?"

Nothing, he wanted to tell her. Himawari would never know. But even Naruto knew such a plan was unrealistic. His little girl would ask questions; she would want to know where her big brother was, why he wasn't home. They would have to tell her something. Himawari was precocious. If they didn't tell her, she would find out through someone else, and the thought of that was even worse.

"We'll tell her the truth," he finally managed. "We'll tell her a bad man hurt Boruto and that baa-chan is taking care of him."

"And what if-" she swallowed harshly before allowing herself to continue. "A-and what if he-" She couldn't; she just couldn't say it.

She didn't have to. Naruto knew exactly what she was going to say and he didn't want to hear it, didn't even want to think about it. "We won't have to tell her that. Boruto will be fine. He'll be fine and running us ragged just like normal. Everything will be fine, Hinata. He will be okay."

"You promise?" she moaned, her voice barely a whisper and drowned by suppressed tears.

Naruto's teeth clenched and his jaw tightened. He clung to her, pressing swallowed lips to the top of her head. It took him a moment before he could speak, but when he did, it was with conviction. "I promise."

There were no more words said. There was nothing left they could say. Their thoughts were too chaotic for words, their emotions too wild for reason. So they stood there, clinging to each other, hoping that when they let go the world would be right and everything would stop spinning.

At some point, the two gravitated towards the chairs lining the walls. They sat there for hours, neither moving nor speaking, just taking comfort in the others' presence. Hinata's head rested on her husband's shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. Both their free hands grasped the others'. ANBU eventually began filing in, bringing report after report for Naruto to read. It helped pass the time, but Naruto honestly couldn't remember most of what he read. Occasionally, a nurse would come out of the room to give them updates on Boruto's progress; how well he was doing, if things were going well, questions about how much he had eaten that morning or if he had had something on him before he left the house. The questions were endless and draining and they had given up on hearing that Boruto was out of danger. At this rate, the surgery would never end.

Twilight was upon Konoha before the light above the emergency room door finally went off. Being so far below ground, neither Naruto nor Hinata noticed. They did feel the stiffness of their limbs, though, and the ache from the chairs they had spent so long in. They paid no attention to their discomfort. All they cared about were the somber looks on Sakura and Tsunade's faces as they exited the room.

Naruto's legs felt like jelly. Hinata went pale. They stood up stiffly and prepared themselves.

Tsunade spoke first. "Well, he made it through the surgery," she said, and Boruto's parents visibly slumped in relief. "But," they tensed again, "he's not out of the woods yet."

"But he's going to be okay, right baa-chan?" Naruto asked, desperation lining his voice. When Tsunade didn't respond, he leaned forward and held up a hand as if to beg. "Baa-chan?"

"Naruto," Sakura spoke up. The blond looked at her and it wasn't hard to see that she was struggling to find some way to let him down gently. "Naruto, we don't know."

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" He yelled, frantically looking between the two solemn kunoichi. "How can you not know?"

"Naruto," Hinata urged from his side. Her jaw was trembling and her fingers held his so tightly he could no longer feel them. He ignored her words.

"No," he said. "No, I want to know how they hell you can spend hours in there only to come out here and tell us that you don't know if our son is going to fucking live!"

"Well, what do you want us to say, Naruto?" Sakura asked, desperation clouding her own voice.

"I want you to say he'll be okay. I want you to say he'll wake up and everything will go back to normal. I want you to tell me my son is going to live."

"But we can't tell you that," Sakura admitted. She looked at two of her best friends as if she wanted to cry.

"Why?" He whispered. His head was starting to fill with fog and he felt dizzy.

"Because it would be a lie," Tsunade replied. Her own heart felt heavy with the knowledge. She hadn't spent seven hours operating on her honorary grandson to give them this news. "Do you want me to lie to you, Naruto?"

Yes, Naruto wanted to say. Yes, he wanted her to lie and tell him all the things he wanted to hear. But the lies wouldn't help him – they wouldn't help anyone – and Naruto had never like liars.

"No," he found himself saying. "No. I'm sorry, baa-chan, Sakura-chan." He shook his head and straightened. He finally noticed how tightly Hinata was grasping his hand. "What else did you need to say?"

The two medics exchanged looks. Tsunade turned to them and said, "I'll spare you the details, you don't need to hear them – no, don't argue – but suffice to say whoever planned this either wanted Boru-chan with them or with no one. Sakura described the scene for me. My assumption is that when they noticed you closing in on them, they decided to cut their losses. We've managed to halt the process, but Boruto's going to have a hell of a fight on his hands," she summarized, her hazel eyes piercing, urging the two to understand just how hard this was going to be.

She cleared her throat. "Without going too far into it, he has a broken leg and a broken arm, numerous cuts to the torso, abdomen, back, and legs – most probably caused by debris from the explosion you witnessed – his scull is fractured and we'll be monitoring that very closely. He lost a lot of blood and we're treating him for shock. Anything else, I ask you to respect the fact that I'm withholding it. Don't argue with me, Naruto," she sent him a severe look. "If necessary, I will disclose more information. I will also put it in my report, but I advise you not to read it unless you have to. Do I make myself clear?"

Naruto couldn't speak. He dumbly nodded his head barely noticing as Tsunade's face softened. He didn't even realize she had cupped his cheek until she was forcing him to look at her.

"Hey, baby-brat isn't going to die that easily," she said softly.

"But he still could."

"Yes," she didn't sugarcoat it and Naruto found he rather appreciated that. He hated the words, but now he was glad she didn't lie to him. She pulled her hand away and her gaze intensified, highlighting upon both parents. "I don't want to see you two give up, you hear me? That boy's going to need all of your strength right now. I know you have it; I've seen it enough times."

"And either Tsunade-sama or I will be here the whole time. He won't so much as sneeze without us knowing."

That did make Naruto feel somewhat better, but not by much. It wasn't the news he wanted.

"I-is he awake?" Hinata asked, speaking up for the first time. Her voice was thick and shaky with emotion, but she held herself steady, mindful of Tsunade's words.

Tsunade sighed. "No. Due to the head injury, there was some swelling and bleeding in his brain. We managed to reduce the swelling and stop the bleeding, but it caused Boru-chan to slip into a coma." Naruto and Hinata inhaled sharply. The Nanadaime opened his mouth to demand why she hadn't told them this sooner when Tsunade held up her hand. "I don't want to hear it, Naruto. We were going to tell you before you saw him, anyway."

"And h-how long do think h-he'll be like t-this?" Hinata spoke up again, her stutter returning and becoming more pronounced in her worry.

Sakura shrugged one shoulder. Her face was apologetic. "We don't really know. Comas can last anywhere from a few days to even years – we don't think it will last that long," she added upon seeing the terrified looks on her friends' faces, "but we honestly can't judge how long. He's strong though, and he's got your hard head, Naruto. I have faith he'll wake up soon," Sakura stated, trying to add some humour into the somber affair. It didn't really work, but she took comfort in the slight curling of the duos' lips.

Naruto sighed. He stared at the two medics with half fear, half desperation, and asked, "Can we see him?"

Tsunade nodded her head. "We've moved him to his room and he should be all set by now."

"How did you move him without us noticing?" Naruto asked.

"Two of the recovery rooms are connected to each of the emergency rooms just in case. It's good for secrecy and in the event that immediate action needs to be taken."

Naruto didn't want to hear any more. "But we can see him now, then?"

"Yes," Tsunade repeated. "But you have to be quiet and mindful of what you touch. He's in a very precarious position right now. Understand?"

Naruto and Hinata nodded, clenching each other's hands quickly in reassurance. Tsunade seemed to accept their answer and was soon waving them towards the door closest to the first emergency room.

"He's in here. I'm taking the first shift, so if you need anything or if anything happens, call me. I'll come running," she stated, opening the door and walking inside. She held the door open for the two and they entered on lead feet. Sakura remained outside, saying something about retrieving Sarada. Naruto vaguely remembered he was supposed to tell Sakura that Shino had her, but figured someone would let her know. He honestly couldn't speak at the moment; his eyes were too focused one what he was seeing.

Were it not for the machines and the occupant, it would have been a remarkably cheerful room. There was a soft, brown couch situated against the far wall with blankets and pillows already set for long night stays. Bright sunlight splayed through the window, displaying the pinks and purples and oranges of twilight. Naruto briefly wondered how such a spectacle was possible so far below ground, and then remembered the genjutsu from before and surmised it must be something similar. Frankly, it gave the room some much-needed life.

But he could admire the room later. Boruto lay pale as sheet beneath the thin hospital blankets. His hair had been washed of blood and his clothes replaced by pale green hospital robes. Bandages covered him from head to toe, leaving very little skin for Naruto to see. Only the tips of his fingers were really visible and they were covered in wires and tubes, pumping in blood and nutrients. A ventilator sat next to Boruto's bed. He could hear baa-chan pointing out the various tubes – words like endotracheal and nasogastric going in one ear and out the other – but he caught the general idea.

These were keeping his son alive; don't touch them.

He didn't really notice when Tsunade stopped talking, but he did hear her close the door, leaving the two parents alone with their child. Naruto didn't know what to do.

Hinata moved first.

She walked on shaky legs to the chair on the opposite side of the bed and plopped down with a sharp intake of breath. Her hands spasmed, the desire to reach out and hold him warring with the knowledge that such action would be unwise. She was even afraid to touch his hand.

"There are so many tubes," she muttered to herself. A desperate laugh bubbled from her chest. "I don't know where to touch him." She turned imploring eyes to him, begging him to give her an answer. "Naruto, I don't know where to touch him."

Naruto could only stare back. He had no answer. The thought made him sick and dizzy. Nausea bubbled in his stomach and even Kurama was quiet. But he couldn't let Hinata down. She needed him to be strong. Boruto needed him to be strong.

He managed to lift his feet and walk over to the opposite chair, facing his wife so that he might be able to give her some comfort. He didn't know if it worked, but looking at her helped him, so he could only pray he had the same effect on her.

"Well, I guess we…" he trailed off trying to find somewhere he could touch. Their son just looked so fragile. Naruto was afraid contact of any kind might hurt him.

He looked at his son's hands – at his tiny, tiny fingertips, the nails chipped and damaged. Naruto reached out to them, paying extra attention not to jostle the tubes. His own fingertips traced along his son's, as if testing to see if they would break. They didn't and Boruto continued his mechanical breathing.

"I guess we can hold his hands," Naruto finished. He gently twisted his large fingers around the underside of his son's tiny hand and held on. The warmth was incredible against his skin and Naruto almost starting sobbing right there.

Across the bed, he saw Hinata do the same with Boruto's other hand and watched the relief take hold of her face. She sniffled back a cry and wiped at her eyes, before reaching out with her free hand to cup his bandaged cheek.

She let out another choked sob, but somehow still managed a smile. It looked dazzling. "Hi sweetheart," she began, her eyes roving every inch of his face as if trying to memorize it. "It's mommy. I don't know if you can hear me, but I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and how much I can't wait to see you open your eyes again. I know you can fight this. I have faith in you. And when you wake up, we'll be here to see you. We'll be right here, so you don't have to worry about fighting a-alone. M-mommy and d-daddy are here to help you. We'll be here every s-step of the way. I promise, sweetheart. I promise, and we d-don't ever go b-back on our promises, r-right?"

She began to choke up and Naruto took over. "Hey buddy, you listen to your mom, okay? She's usually right about these things and I know you can do it too. You're my brave boy. You're so strong, Boru. One of these days you'll be stronger than mom and I. You just-you just gotta get through this. I know it'll be hard, but we're gonna be here with you. So, you don't have to be afraid. You have so many people willing to help, so you have to wake up soon and let us know you're okay. Can you do that?" There was no response, but Naruto hadn't really expected one. Still, there was a twinge in his heart he didn't want to think about. He smiled bitterly. "That's okay, you're tired. It's been a long day. You just sleep, okay? You sleep and mom and dad will be here to protect you. We'll keep you safe, Boru. I promise, we will keep you safe."

Naruto couldn't talk anymore. His throat was convulsing and his chest felt tight. Any of the words he wanted to say failed to escape. He wanted to tell his son so much. He wanted to tell his son just how much he loved him – just how much seeing him brightened his day. He wanted to tell Boruto how strong he was, how brave. He wanted his son to know he was proud of him, so very proud. But the words wouldn't come. All he could do was sit and watch – watch for any sign of life beside the beeping of machines and the sound of the ventilator. He held his son's hand like a lifeline.

"He's so still," Hinata finally muttered after a stretch of silence. It was startling to hear her at first – like a siren going off inside his head. He looked over at her. She was staring at their son in longing. "He's never still when he sleeps."

"No," Naruto choked out. "No, he's usually too busy rolling around."

"He got that from you."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, though that whole curling up into a ball thing at the end he got from you."

"True," she smiled. The grin gradually fell the longer she looked at their son. "I don't like him still."

"Me neither," Naruto agreed. It was unnerving.

There was another length of silence as the two just basked in the feeling of Boruto's warm hands. Hinata carefully stroked his cheek with her thumb. She ignored the sensation of the bandages and hard plastic and just reveled in the warmth. Naruto compulsively counted his son's fingers. He'd done it when the boy was a baby, amazed at how perfect he was. Now, he did it to reassure himself. His son was growing, would continue to grow. They'd get past this. Boruto would be okay.

"What are we going to tell Himawari?" His wife spoke up again, her gaze still lingering on their son's face. The question hadn't seemed as dire before, but now it appeared to take on a whole new meaning as they saw the reality of their situation.

The thought worried him. What were they going to tell their daughter? Naruto's head shook involuntarily. "I don't know," he mumbled, his words falling like a heavy weight on their shoulders. He continued to count the fingers.

One, two, three, four, five. Five perfect fingers. He repeated the cycle. Over and over he repeated his count, trying to keep the anger at bay. What were they going to tell their daughter? They couldn't show her this. She would have nightmares for years. And what if Boruto didn't make it? What would they tell Himawari then? Naruto didn't even want to entertain the idea.

Boruto would be fine. He would wake up and everything would be normal again.

But nothing would ever be normal again. Naruto would always be looking over his shoulder, wondering if anyone had it out for his children. He would worry over every mission, over every play date, and every class. His naivety was gone, and the very real danger his position and legacy posed for his children was exposed. He would have to be very careful about what he did from now on.

But first things first. He would have to meet with the ANBU and set up watches. One team was already set on Himawari and another on this area of the hospital. More would have to be spread out throughout Konoha. He also had to meet with the council; they would have to be informed in the event Orochimaru was involved or if some new enemy was making their move. After that, well after that was a whole slew of international relations, scouting expeditions, interrogation reports, and then the inevitable quiet panic from the civilians. It was going to be a long few weeks and he wasn't looking forwards to any of it.

He rubbed his thumb along his son's hand. He didn't like the bandages; they reminded him too much of his own prosthetic. He ignored them for the sake of his sanity. He also ignored the way he had to awkwardly stop and twist his hand so as not to dislodge any of the needles. It made him shudder.

Who would do this to a child? Why would anyone do this to a seven-year-old boy? Boruto had never done anything to deserve this. Just thinking about all those men and women over in interrogation made his blood burn with hatred. Who gave them the right? What monster told them it was okay to hurt a child like this? He had to consciously fight to keep his hand from squeezing his son's too tightly, though he had no such control over his prosthetic. It clenched together, fraying and tearing at the bandages. Naruto didn't care.

He wanted these people dead. He wanted them to feel the same pain he was feeling right now. He wanted them to know the pain they caused his family, the anguish they caused his son. And he wanted them to see it coming. He wanted to look them in the eyes and see their fear. Perhaps then, they'd understand what they'd done.

Most of all, he wanted to find the person who ordered this, whether they be Orochimaru or some other monster. He wanted to see the fear on their face, the knowledge that they had caused their own demise. Naruto was a forgiving person, but even he had limits. To hurt his son like this was unforgivable.

Anger bubbled inside him. His face set, his jaw clenched, and his teeth ground sharply together. His eyes began to turn gold. Naruto took a deep breath and forced the anger back – back into the depths of his mind to fester. Now was not the time for anger. It had no place near his son. But later, he would need it. He would build it up, save it, and keep it at the ready. It would be motivation.

Because Naruto would find the person who did this…

And he would destroy them.


I did a thing...

Well, I hope you enjoyed and that you don't think I'm a maniac. I'm not, I promise. I seem to have set myself up for a sequel, so I may end up writing one because angry-Naruto needs resolution. He's toeing a bit of a dangerous line, here. But we'll see.

Anyway, please review. I appreciate constructive criticism, but keep your flames to yourself. They don't help writers improve and are unnecessary. Thank you very much for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day!

~Alabaster Ink