Thanks for sticking until the end. :) This is the last chapter, but I'm thinking of writing a Naruhina version. We shall see how it goes.

XOXOXOX

It was around noon when a series of soft knocks came at her door. With a heavy heart, Hinata got up from bed. She wasn't quite sure who it would be. It had already been two weeks since then and not a word from Naruto...or Gaara. In a sense, she deserved it. She had hurt them both. The silence that had since filled her house was justified.

"Coming," she called out as she unlocked the door. Her eyes widened just the slightest at the man in front of her. "Shino? What brings you here?"

Shino stuffed his hands into his pocket and looked at the ground. "I need a favor," he asked gruffly. "If you are okay with it." Hinata nodded and smiled a little. Of course. This was Shino. She would never turn him away when he needed help.

"Come in. Sorry if everything's a mess," she said sheepishly. "I haven't done much cleaning recently…" Shino just nodded knowingly, but didn't move to come in.

Sensing his internal conflict, Hinata pulled him in gently. "Shino, what is it? What's wrong?"

For just the slightest second, he looked so lost that Hinata felt worried for him. He was always so strong. Or at least, he always tried to look strong. To see him so vulnerable was something she could never get use to, no matter how long they had been friends.

"I need to see Temari again," he finally admitted. "She won't meet with me, no matter what I do."

Hinata felt her mouth drop open. It had totally slipped her mind. She had returned home from that fateful day, on autopilot, and had spent the last few weeks moping and crying. She had been so consumed in her own feelings that she had forgotten about Temari and Shino and Shiro.

Surely...surely there was a way for them to come back together? Surely, everything wasn't broken beyond repair?

"What happened?" Even with all the questions plaguing her, it was all she could say. The secrets of Temari and Shino's past. She knew none of it, but she wanted to. She couldn't keep focusing on herself and her misery. The world was turning. Shino and Temari needed her. Shiro needed her.

If there was the smallest chance that the couple could reunite and the family would come together, Hinata wanted to take that small chance. After all the bitterness and heartache that the year had brought, surely, this time, fate wouldn't be cruel?

She listened attentively as the normally quiet man spilled the secrets he had kept bottled inside for so long. Meeting Temari in Suna. Falling in love with her. Wanting to be with her and know more about her. Loving how strong she was and at the same time, wanting to protect her from the future. Buying her a ring. How she had suddenly ended things and disappeared.

How he had taken to visiting Suna again and again, all for the chance that he would see her.

He never thought that he would see her again, much less with a baby that was the spitting image of him in the house of his best friend.

Fate was cruel and sadistic. There was simply no other way to explain it.

Try as she might, Hinata couldn't find the right words. How had he done it? He had carried his pain all alone for so long. Without realizing it, tears began to streak down her face.

"She told me...that she couldn't keep taking advantage of your kindness," Hinata murmured through her tears. "I understand what she means now. Y-you are too kind, Shino. You carried this sadness all by yourself because you didn't want to burden anyone." She wrapped her arms around him, allowing herself to freely cry into his shoulder.

Oh god. She wanted him to be happy. She wanted everything to be ok.

Gears began turning in her head. What could she do for them? What would be able to bring this family together again?

The shake of his head brought her out of her thoughts. "Even thirty minutes would be enough." His voice was low and thick with emotion, even though his face didn't show it. "I just want to see my family again."

Hinata nodded. Thirty minutes. She could do this.

"Give me a minute." It was so uncharacteristic of her to be this forward, but she was tired of fate and its games. She would change this pattern of bad luck.
When Hinata found herself knocking on Temari's door a few minutes later, with Shino in tow, she was prepared for rejection from Temari. What she was not prepared for was Gaara.

Even though it had only been two weeks, it seemed like she hadn't seen him in forever. He was gone when she woke up and she hadn't seen him since. Hinata felt something in her spring to life. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him. She had missed his small smiles and his piercing seafoam eyes and his black eyeliner. She had missed the way his warm hands had enveloped her much smaller ones.

But this wasn't about her. Looking like a goldfish wasn't going to solve anything.

"Are you here for Temari?" To her surprise, Gaara stepped back, as though to invite both her and Shino in. He locked eyes with Shino, his gaze piercing and strong.

When he spoke again, Hinata almost wanted to cry. "She won't admit it, but she's been waiting for you." Please make her happy.

It was really happening. Beyond that door was Temari and Shiro.

Hinata watched as Shino faltered, his hands shaking by his side. This was it. Beyond that door was the woman he had waited so long for. He was scared. He didn't want to be rejected anymore.

Sensing this, Hinata gave him the gentlest push. As though shocking him out of his insecurities, he moved forward, but turned back to give her a thankful smile.

"Thank you." The silent whisper that only she and Gaara heard before Shino rushed in hung in the air, as though suspended in time.

Her eyes locked onto Gaara's own seafoam eyes, and she shared a teary smile. "I'm glad," she confessed, "I'm happy that they can be together."

There was the briefest flicker of emotion in his eyes before he reached out to wipe away a tear that had somehow managed to escape from her eye. "I'm glad," he admitted softly, "Temari will finally be able to have a family that she's always wanted."

"She's always had you though. She's just adding more."

He didn't say anything else, but by the look in his eyes, Hinata could tell he was happy. She couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled from her lips as well.

Finally, things were starting to turn around, weren't they?

The sad times. The difficult times. They were finally over, weren't they? Sure, they would come again, but for now, it was ok, wasn't it?

With a quick wave from Gaara, the two tiptoed inside to catch a glimpse of the family.

"...just like you," they could hear Shino's low voice chuckle, although it was laced with heavy emotion. "Shiro. He's perfect."

"Yes," Temari added with a soft sigh, "every day, he begins to look more and more like you."

Silence. "I've missed you." Pause. "Won't you let me come home?"

"What do you mean?" Temari's voice was hesitant, guarded. Hinata unconsciously grabbed Gaara's hand, unsure of what was going to happen. He gave the slightest squeeze, but reassurance flooded her veins.

"I want to be with you again. To be home with you and Shiro." Another pause. "Don't run away from me anymore. You were never a burden."

"A-ah…." The faintest rustling of clothes caught her ear and Hinata snuck a peek from the doorway. The sight made her heart swell with happiness and she resisted releasing a happy sigh.

Shino was holding Shiro in one arm, the other around Temari's waist, bringing the two people he loved so much into a strong embrace. Hinata smiled before she turned away.

The faint promises that Shino whispered into Temari's ear were too quiet to hear, but she knew it was better that way. The promises were only for her to hear, to believe in. And Shino was a man of his word.

Hinata looked up at Gaara, a smile still on her face, only to see that he was staring back into her eyes intently, his seafoam orbs piercing and filled with emotion.

Again. That look. He looked like he was struggling with himself, torn between love and running away from her forever.

Finally, he blinked and it was gone. His face was a stoic mask when he released her hand slowly.

"Sorry," he murmured as he backed away from her, "that wasn't appropriate of me."

Hinata watched as he turned and walked away, all the while noticing the faint whispers that were beginning to run in her head.

Go after him. Hold him. Tell him that you missed him.

But she couldn't. She had hurt him on that day. She didn't deserve him. So why did it hurt so much to see him walking away?

"Gaara." He stopped, and Hinata saw how tense he was. He wasn't even willing to look at her.

The sight of his back towards her hurt more than she thought it would.

Without glancing back, he murmured, "I'm glad that you found your happiness. He is a good man."

"N-no," she stammered, taken back. What was he talking about?

He turned, his eyes piercing as always. "It's ok. I...I understand. I hope you both will be happy."

No. He was misunderstanding. He was wrong. She wanted to tell him, but the words weren't coming out. Instead, they had caught in her throat traitorously, leaving her like a fish with her mouth opening and closing stupidly.

She watched as he closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. Now, she wouldn't even be able to see those beautiful eyes of his? Heat pricked her eyes, the lump in her throat just getting bigger and bigger.

"Forget about what has happened between us. It was a mistake."

Was that what it was to him? A mistake? She didn't think so. The time that they had shared together. The kiss that he had given her. The way that he had made her heart bloom each time he had blessed her with his rare smiles. None of it was a mistake. Not to her at least.

He was walking away, wasn't he? Though her vision was blurred with hot tears, she could see his back getting farther and farther away. Would this too come to an end?

Would she be happy with that? To have him leave her forever?

No.

Never.

She didn't think before she ran towards him and pulled his arm back. Though he looked shocked, she couldn't stop. She wouldn't. Taking his hand, she led him next door, away from Shino, from Temari, from Shiro.

Slamming the door behind her, she glared at him angrily through her tears. He stared back at her, his gaze always so piercing and always so strong.

"Was it really a mistake to you?" She found herself whispering angrily. She diverted her gaze away, unable to look him in the eye lest she cry again.

Please say no. If it really was a mistake, then she would stop. She would stop this act of selfishness, no matter how much it would hurt her to watch him walk away.

"Yes." His tone was so cold. So detached. Not at all like the Gaara that had smiled so gently at her. That had been there, shielding her and protecting her. She missed him. She missed her Gaara. "It was a mistake."

The slap surprised them both. Hinata gasped at the stinging sensation in her right hand and at seeing his cheek redden. Still, the anger that was inside her wouldn't stop roaring its ugly head.

"I-I like you."

Green seafoam eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't give him a chance before she continued. "I know I'm pathetic. I struggled to confront the man that I loved. I couldn't get past my demons and my past. I was being selfish. But still….Still, I started to like you. I began to enjoy spending time with you. I began to like you. To want to be with you. W-when you kissed me, I was happy."

Her angry eyes connected with his lost ones. "You were never a mistake to me! I know I didn't deserve you. I was weak. I was a coward. But still, I wanted you. I-"

"Shush." His embrace. The anger that was roaring from the depths of her heart subsided to a faint whimper. All she could think of was his tight arms around her, of his scent that was invading her, of the faint way he trembled.

"I like you, Gaara," she whimpered pitifully. "I'm sorry. I hurt you. But still, I like you. I like you."

This time, the feeling of his lips on hers was wet with tears. She gasped as he kissed her passionately, as though she was the oxygen he needed and craved for. Her legs were going weak. It wasn't like the first kiss, which was brief and had disappeared as soon as it had started.

No, this time, he was kissing her desperately, as though if he stopped, she would disappear. Perhaps it was a dream. Hinata found herself kissing him back just as desperately, the feeling of his tongue against hers making her light headed.

Everything that had been wrong with Naruto's kiss, the feelings of sadness and inevitable goodbye that had lingered with the passion was gone in Gaara's kiss. In this kiss, he promised his love, his devotion. There were to be no goodbyes. Just more hellos and more kisses to come.

It felt right.

It felt too soon that they had to part for air, but each breath that they took served to prove that this moment was real. It was real.

"W-was I really a mistake to you?" She whispered into his chest. "A-am I a mistake to you now?"

She gasped as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. The love that was swirling in his eyes, that was written all over his face only made him look so much more handsome when he smiled. "Stupid. I've always liked you. Couldn't you tell?"

Hinata realized that she would be lying if she said she didn't. The way he had looked at her, the love that she had refused to acknowledge in his eyes until it was almost too late. In her selfishness to protect herself, she had almost lost him.

"But, what about Naruto?" He was afraid. It was evident in his voice. He was afraid that this would be a mistake, a heat of the moment type of event. She would realize that she still loved the blonde smiling man and one day leave him. After all, Naruto was the sun and he would never be able to compare. He was like specks of sand compared to his friend.

Hinata answered by kissing him again. Soft, gentle, reassuring. "Naruto was my past," she murmured against his lips. "But he will not be my future."

She pulled away, unsure as she looked into his eyes. "I can't promise you forever. I still have a lot of demons I have to deal with. I...I can't promise you that I am in love with you. But I like you. For now, I like you and I want to continue down that path. I want to be selfish….with you."

He sighed as he rested his forehead against hers, his soft breath tickling her skin. Hinata shivered. So much had happened to all come down to this moment. Looking at him, at the love that was written in his eyes, Hinata tried to remember this moment, to engrave it into her memory.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to just feel him and the thumping of his heart beneath her fingertips.

"I would love that," he whispered into her ears, "Let's take our time. There's no rush." A brief kiss by her ears caused her to tremble. His lips were so warm, setting a trial of fire everywhere they touched. "I'll wait for you, until you can fall in love with me."

Feeling his lips descend upon her once again, Hinata sighed happily into the kiss. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before that happened.

GGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNN

3 years later….

No matter how many breaths she took, she found that it wasn't enough. This was really happening. Hinata clenched her fists, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair had been done. Ino had patiently applied her makeup, making her look like the definition of a blushing bride. She was in the white wedding dress that she had picked after so many attempts and so many visits to different stores. It was really happening. She, Hinata Hyuuga, was getting married.

She glanced down at the modest ring around her finger and she found that she relaxed, just a little. Still, her nerves were getting to her. This was really happening. What if she couldn't make him happy? What if again…? What if there was another woman again?

"Hey beautiful," a soft voice came. Hinata gasped and turned. She hadn't even heard them come in.

"Naruto," she breathed, taking in the sight of the man in front of her. His eyes were still that marvelous shade of sky blue. The whiskers on his cheeks were still prominent, adding to his boyish charm despite his age of 28. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a blue tie. It somehow matched him, making his blonde hair shine even more brilliantly. He definitely looked ready for a wedding.

He smiled happily, although Hinata could detect the faint sadness in those glistening orbs. "It's really happening," he murmured softly as he allowed himself to just take in the sight of the beautiful woman in front of him. "I always thought that I would be the lucky man who got to see you like this." He chuckled fondly. "I guess I am since I'm here."

Hinata smiled as she turned around to face him. It had been quite a journey, filled with ups and downs. Throughout the journey, he had been there, smiling and laughing like always. "I'm glad you are here. Thank you."

He laughed. "I kind of have to be here, as Gaara's best man. I promised."

Hinata sighed as he cupped her face, his eyes softening. Long ago, she had thought that the man before her would be the man that she would eventually married. She had thought that he was her happiness. Today, she knew that to be untrue. He would always be in her life, but not as the man by her side.

Still, the way he caressed her face, so familiarly and so lovingly touched a part of her heart that she knew would never fade.

He pulled her into an embrace, his unique scent invading her nose. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to just listen to the familiar heartbeat in his chest. One thump. Two thumps.

"Just say the word," he whispered into her ear, "Just say the word and I'll give everything up to run away with you."

"That would be a problem." Sasuke's voice deadpanned. Hinata's eyes fluttered opened to see Sasuke, his arms crossed and not very impressed. "Considering that we're suppose to be up there in a minute."

Naruto laughed, boisterously and loudly. "Well damn Sasuke," he joked, "way to ruin the moment!"

The dark man let out of breathy huff before he grabbed the blonde by the collar. "Gaara is looking for you."

Hinata giggled as the blonde gave a cry and flailed, trying to escape. "Just give me one minute with Hinata!" He whined childishly. "Sasuke!"

Said man in question raised one finger, his eyes almost glowing crimson. "One minute," he stated. "I will be counting."

As they watched the man exit the room, silence once again filled the room before Naruto gave a low chuckle. "I meant what I said," he explained with a sigh, "but I already know your answer." He grinned, that fox-like smile that he was so famous for. "Gaara is a lucky man."

"Thank you," Hinata smiled fondly as he took her hand, "Ayame is also a lucky woman."

Walking with him, hand in hand, she felt her heart swell, her initial nervousness forgotten. So much time had already passed. She was happy. She was glad that Naruto had also found someone new, someone who was beautiful and amazing.

Hopefully, Ayame would be the person to Naruto that Gaara was to her.

Naruto paused as they stood in front of the big doors. On the other side stood her future. On the other side was him, with his red hair and his piercing eyes and his patient heart that had waited for her love. He squeezed her hands. "I meant it," he whispered, "Just one word."

Hinata shook her head, a smile gracing her lips. "I am happy."

He turned to her, his piercing blue searching through her milky orbs. Finally, he chuckled, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. "See you in a bit, princess."

Alone, Hinata took a deep breath. This was it. In a minute, the doors would open. In a minute, she would walk down the aisle, each step bringing her closer to the man that she had picked as her husband.

Was she nervous? Of course she was. The future was to be feared. She didn't have any idea of what to expect. Anything was possible. But she knew that as long as he was there, everything would be ok.

As long as he was by her side, they would get through it. Together.

The doors opened. She took a deep breath, placing the veil over her face before she walked towards him. With each step, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach soaring, higher and higher.

She didn't bother to wipe the tears when she linked arms with her father, who stood proudly for her. Walking down the aisle with him, she could see Hanabi and Neji waiting for her, their own proud smiles on their face. Familiar faces greeted her from both the bridesmaid side and the groomsmen. These were all her friends. They were everyone who had stood by her, supporting her through the years. She never thought she could be so happy.

Her eyes caught sight of Naruto's happy blue ones and she let out a laugh when he winked.

Finally, she caught sight of him. Gaara.

He stood, silently and handsomely in his black tuxedo. She could tell he was nervous by the way he kept his hands in his pockets, but his eyes sparkled wickedly, showing how happy and proud he was. Standing there, she thought he was the most handsome man in the world.

Gaara, with his flaming red hair and his eyes that she loved so much.

Standing besides him, she let out a happy sigh as he wiped away her tears. She could feel her heart drumming, faster and faster. This was it.

After so much hardship, after so many tears and heartache, she had finally found her happiness. She was finally complete.

"I love you," he whispered with that smile that he saved just for her. "I love you, Hinata."

As the distance between them closed, as their lips finally touched, as Hinata closed her eyes, she knew that she had made the right decision.

With him by her side, she would be able to face anything the future threw at them. That was a promise.

-end-

XOXOXOXOX
And so this love story comes to an end! Thanks to everyone who has supported me and stuck with me since the beginning! I would give shoutouts but jesus, that's a lot of people to call out! Just know that your words and reviews will always stay in my heart, never to fade! :) Did you like it? Did you not like it? I hope that this story was able to touch your hearts, even if only in the slightest. This is me, signing off! See you next time!