Chapter 20: End of battle or…?

Hinata was staring at the figure that hadn’t moved for several minutes now. Was he dead? Was he really?
For some reason she hoped he was but on the other hand she hoped he wasn’t. In fact she was having a battle with herself because of all this. The old nice and caring Hinata hoped her father was still alive, but the side that had started to despise him had grown stronger over the last few years and wanted him dead.

Naruto walked over to the Hyuga clan leader and kneeled down. He laid two fingers in the man’s neck to confirm if he was dead or alive. A smirk appeared on his face.
“Playing dead, Hiashi?” “Urgh,” came as reply as the man tried to get up. “If you want to live I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Naruto said with a stern undertone in his voice. Hiashi stopped his trying. The blonde noticed though he was looking in Hinata’s direction.
“Hiashi, you care about her. I’m sure you do, but the way you treat her is just wrong.” “This is not about me…” “It is. It’s your life that’s on the edge at the moment. I understand you care about your clan, its secrets, its abilities and its members but SHE is a clan member too. And not just one; she’s your daughter.”
Hiashi turned to look at the blonde. “Then she should have listened to me and do what I say.” “Hinata-chan isn’t like you. She doesn’t want to fight if she doesn’t have to. She has a gently personality, a forgiving one.” “But the clan –” “Who’s the leader? You or…” Naruto turned to look a little to the side in the direction of the Hyuga clan council, “Those advisors? They used you Hiashi. More than you think. I don’t know exactly what they are planning, but they wanted to get rid of Hinata, you and Hanabi. Hinata was easy, you were influenced by this Hachiro person. Today was planned to get rid of you I guess, they hoped I would kill you. I noticed their faces the moment you weren’t moving for a couple of minutes. Victory was written on them.”
“What?” Hiashi whispered shocked. “From the moment I stepped into this fight I planned not to kill you, no matter how much you might deserve to be killed. Suffering is worse than death.” Hiashi looked over to the blonde with a confused face. “So you think they are trying to take over the leadership?” Naruto merely nodded once and then Hiashi slowly stood up. The blonde did a step backwards, went back into fighting stance while being on guard and looking at the Hyuga clan leader.
“You’re wrong. They will do what I say.” “Oh, you think so? Think again Hiashi. Who’s idea was it to kick Hinata-chan out of the clan? Who’s idea was it to kidnap my son and harm him even try to kill him? What did YOU do? Would you really kill your own grandchild while knowing at has blood of the Hyuga AND the fourth Hokage in it? Would you?”
Hiashi remained silent.
“I don’t give a damn thing about who’s blood it is, but I know some people, like you do. AND I know everyone would want to have blood of the fourth in the grandchildren if that was possible. Next to that why now? Why did you now kidnap Keiji-kun and not a couple of years back?”
“How should I know? Just because now seemed the best opportunity. “You’re wrong. There have been thousands of opportunities in the past, Keiji wasn’t always surrounded by others.” “I…I…” the man started to baffle as he tried to think of a reason and tried to understand what was going on.
“To the reason I can only guess but one thing I know, it’s because I happened to be alive and not dead.” Hiashi was still silent, had even dropped his fighting stance more or less. “Do you now see what I mean, Hiashi?” No reply came but Naruto was sure he was finally getting through the man so he continued. “Now look inside of yourself and look at what YOU want and not just as clan leader but also as father.”
Hiashi closed his eyes for a couple of seconds and then raised his hand. “You win Naruto.”

In the audience there was a silence for a couple seconds before they realised Hiashi had given up.
“See, I told you Naruto would win,” Tsunade smiled to her husband. Jiraiya smiled at her. Then the younger ones and the ones that supported Naruto burst into clapping and yelling.

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Somewhat later Naruto was in the nurse office of the stadium. He was sitting on the edge of a bed, somewhat exhausted. Not because of the amount of energy or chakra he had used but the whole thing of beating some sense in the Hyuga leader was the draining thing.
The door of the room opened which made the blonde look up. His son came rushing in and hugged his father. “Dad, are you okay?” Naruto smiled as he hugged his son back. “I’m fine, don’t worry Keiji. How about you, are you alright? They didn’t do anything to you did they?” Keiji shook his head. “No, I was always with uncle Neji or aunt Tenten.”
Hinata appeared, hugged Naruto as well and kissed him. She then looked over to her father, laying a couple of beds away from them. Naruto followed her gaze. “Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything that would kill him.” “But…” she turned her face back to her love, “it seemed like it.” “You really think I would do such a thing.” Hinata shook her head.

“After all the things I did you still worry about me, my daughter,” grunted the man at the other side of the room. Shocked she looked at him again. “Why would I…” she started but it didn’t sound convincing. “Even though you two are all the way over there I can still hear you.” He sat up and looked at the little ‘family’. “Naruto, like agreed; you can make whatever term you have and as many as you want. The Hyuga clan will do as you say.” The oldest blonde there nodded with a serious face. “We’ll talk about that until you are recovered.” “Hai,” Hiashi replied as Naruto placed his kid on the floor. “Let’s go home.”
“But dad, aren’t you hurt?” Keiji protested a little. “Not that much,” Naruto grinned as they walked over to the door.
“Naruto, I want to talk to you tomorrow. Please be at my place at 10 AM,” Hiashi then suddenly said. “You sure? I mean you look pretty bad and probably have to spend a couple of days in the hospital.” “Positive.” The blonde shrugged shoulders and then nodded, after that he closed the door behind him and the little family went home.

When there Keiji rushed over to his room shouting ‘YAY’ and started playing with the toys he had. Naruto and Hinata laughed about it and they let him play as they went to the living room. Naruto kissed his love and when letting go he gently pushed her on the couch. “Now you are staying here while I make us some tea with honey.” “Hum, sounds nice.”
He left only to appear a couple of minutes later with two cups of tea with him. One he gave to Hinata and the other one he kept himself as he carefully sat down, trying not to spill his tea. “Naruto-kun, are you really alright?” Hinata asked him a little worried. “Your father didn’t do much damage to me, I’m just somewhat exhausted but that is all, Hinata-chan,” he replied, drinking some of his tea. Yet he saw she wasn’t believing him completely so he placed away his tea as well as hers, getting a confused look when he got her cup, and then kissed her as he ran his hand over her back.
“I’m alright, promised.” “Hm-m,” came from the young woman who placed her arms around his neck before she was being kissed again.
15 – 12 (14th year of Godaime’s rule)

The blonde was on guard as he was guided to Hiashi’s room by one of the Hyuga main branch members. Reason for this was the expression the man had when he saw Naruto after opening the door.
After a short firm knocking on a door a reply came from the other side. The Hyuga main branch member opened the door and let Naruto in, after that he wanted to enter as well but was rudely told to leave by Hiashi. The clan leader was sitting in his bed, clearly still worn out because of the fight from yesterday. He would be like that for a couple of days, that’s for sure. He happens to be too stubborn to go to the hospital.
“Ohayo, Hiashi-sama,” Naruto greeted and was pointed over to a chair standing close to Hiashi’s bed. The blonde walked over to it and sat down.
“Are you certain about what you said yesterday?” Hiashi said without another thought. “Of course I am, why else would I say it. I won’t lie about such things. Now what I would like to know is what do you have against me?” “It’s not just you, but also your father.” “Ah… what about him?” Hiashi gave the young man a stubborn look that looked like one of those looks five year old have when he or she isn’t allowed to do something yet keeps on trying. “Your father always told me what to do. He didn’t agree with the Hyuga clan rules and told me to change them.” “Well, so do I.” “More reason for me to hate you.” Naruto sweat dropped at the comment, “please continue.” “Fine, clan rules are clan rules I told him but he always had to give the impression he was better than me. He kept on saying I was putting hatred in the hearts of those who are not in the main branch.”
Naruto let out a sigh.

‘Dad, you really said that?’

“Of course I did. I was just trying to help. I could see the hatred in his twin brother building up and I was hoping I could prevent worse.”

‘Neji’s dad, he died in order to safe the clan, but yes Neji then started to hate the main branch so I guess you are right.’

“Exactly, but Hiashi didn’t want to understand.”

“Don’t you know that is true from own experience, Hiashi,” Naruto said looking at the clan leader with a serious face. Hiashi merely looked at the blonde with the same stubborn face. “Don’t act all stupid, you know very well! It was that what made Hinata run away and she’s even a main branch member! All you cared about is that she lived up to your rules, your ideals. You didn’t even care about her feelings or her own abilities. All you saw was a person that did not live up to your idea and therefore she was a failure. Here’s reality Hiashi; YOU LOST from a failure! If it hadn’t beeen because of certain circumstances I would have let Hinata fight and she as well would have won from you. And you know why? Because she knows more than just Hyuga jutsu!”
During his ranting Naruto had jumped up from the chair he had been sitting on which was now lying on the floor.
“Certain circumstances? What do you mean?” Naruto’s anger subdued somewhat but he was still throwing the man in the bed glares. “That is information for later. What did you want me here for?” “I want to know your terms. I said you can make and as many as you want.” “I haven’t gone in too much detail for that yet, I made up the time I couldn’t be with my son, yet I still have to make up a lot for that since I haven’t been here for eight years,” the blonde looking Hiashi straight in the eye. “And I guess you have to make up with Hinata as well, unless you really don’t love her. In that case you and those clan council members should stay away from her if you want to live; this will also count for Keiji. Probably Neji and Hanabi will leave you alone then as well, for they chose Hinata’s side in case you haven’t figured out yet. In other words you will loose a lot.”
Hiashi eyes widened. “I don’t want to loose my daughters…” the man muttered and gained a sideway look from Naruto. “They are all I have left and also Neji, he’s my only nephew…” He turned his head so he was looking at Naruto. “I love my daughters both of them but Hinata is…” “Not like you, I know. But that doesn’t mean she is a failure. She is a great kunoichi, after all she managed to deal with me being gone for so long, thinking I was dead. She got a kid and raised it herself, protected it with her whole heart and killed S-ranked ninja for it. She’s not like you, neither am I like my father. But you cannot change the way she is.” “I just want to pass on the traditions of my clan, is that too much to ask?” Hiashi said some annoyance in his voice.
“Sometimes things need to change. And it will change since you said I can make as many terms as I want and about whatever I want.” Hiashi now looked somewhat shocked, realizing what that would mean. “Don’t worry too much about it. Just give me a list of the rules and I tell you what I think that should be changed; but realize that the caged bird seal will no longer be part of this clan.”
“But that is to protect the Byakugan!” Hiashi brought in, “don’t you know how my brother died for that?!” “I know, Neji told me when I was only twelve, still I think using that, especially only on branch members, is unfair and cruel. There are other ways for it.” Hiashi let out a long sigh.
“You’re as annoying as your father.” This comment made Naruto snort, “Maybe.” “You are, you have that ‘I know it better than you’ ‘you are second best’ attitude around you just like him.” Naruto gave Hiashi a look that made Hiashi back away a little. (think about that look Dory gave to the clown fish in Finding Nemo just before they go swimming in the darkness after the goggles fell down XD)
“Wait you mean you’re feeling like I give you the impression that I think Hyuga’s are below me or something?” “Eh…” Naruto sighed, “well anyhow Hinata-chan is in charge of me, if she forbids me something then I cannot do it and since she is a Hyuga…”
Naruto looked sideways at the man and grinned when he saw the small smile on Hiashi face. “So are you willing to accept me as her uhm… boyfriend I guess it is?” Naruto asked the clan leader. He gained a serious from the man. “Are you planning on dying again soon?” “Eh? No not at all. I don’t want to leave her alone like that ever again not that I can help it when I die in battle but dad forced me to remain hidden and I hated it and I really wanted to go back to her, I felt really guilty about not being able to tell her I was still alive and,” the blonde freaked as he waved with his hands, until he saw Hiashi raising an eyebrow, then he calmed down. “I will take good care of her for as long as I live. I love her, I really don’t want to loose her ever, please let me be with her.” “That sounds like you’re asking me for her hand.” “Eh well… uhm… yeah k-kinda,” the blonde stuttered uncomfortable as he turned red. He turned his face to the ground. “I mean I know you don’t really like me, and how you hate it I made her pregnant but I really didn’t know back then. Besides we used protection a-and s-such, but I think it was Keiji-kun that gave her strength to go through all those years.” Hiashi sighed. “It’s alright. I would be called crazy by other clan members if I would decline you as my daughter’s husband; you’re the son of the fourth Hokage after all.”
Naruto stared at the man with mixed feelings. Reason for this; he was allowed to marry the love of his life; however the man based his choosing on his heritage. “Hiashi-sama… don’t agree just because of heritage, it does not tell you everything about a person.” “So you are saying I need to say no to you.” “All I say is you need to look at what is best for your daughter and if she will be happy.” “Which she is not at the moment?” “Argh don’t confuse me like that!” Naruto freaked, “I just don’t want you to let me merry Hinata-chan just because I’m the son of the fourth but because ow never mind.”
Hiashi laughed a little, surprising Naruto by doing so. “You’re one weird person, Uzumaki.” “Uhm yeah… by the way if you promise me not to tell anyone I will tell you the certain circumstances.” Hiashi looked thoughtful but eventually nodded. “If everything goes right you’re going to be grandfather again,” Naruto blushed.
Hiashi stared at Naruto and then jumped. “You did it AGAIN?!” “OI! Calm down, it’s not like I’m gonna die soon,” Naruto tried as he pushed the man down again, “Besides we’re grown ups now.” Hiashi glared at Naruto making the blonde sweat drop. “I promise to take good care of Hinata-chan, Keiji-kun and the future baby.”