A/N: I finally have gotten all of my stories off my old computer. So, I decided to go back and edit all of them. There are some things in each of my stories that I didn't put in there, and, in retrospect, I should have. Here is the edited first chapter of Black and White. I'll be going in alphabetical order.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Obviously.

Chapter 1:

"One word can warm three winter months."

-Japanese proverb

It was winter in the Fire Country and the Village Hidden in the Leaves was covered in soft white snow which was rare. Usually the country was very hot, the climate growing mild during the winter, but this year the weather decided to change. The snow made the shinobi stronghold seemed like a quaint, civilian village. Konohagakure was far from a quaint little village in the middle of nowhere.

The village was active year round with various missions; many times to the neighboring countries. It was filled with various shinobi families and clans. It was also the home of one blond loud mouthed shinobi known as Uzumaki Naruto.

Hyuuga Hinata sighed as she regarded her village with fondness. It was home, and the snow made it look so picturesque. Deep in her imagination, Hinata pondered what would happen this winter. Maybe she would chalk up her courage and finally confess her love for Naruto.

She loved Naruto dearly, but he never really noticed her. This knowledge stung Hinata's heart to the quick. Naruto wasn't aware that she had always been cheering him on from the sidelines. The girl couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy whenever she thought about Sakura and Naruto; or even talked to Sakura.

Naruto only paid attention to Sakura, always asking her out on dates. Well, she was just the little mouse hanging around the fringes of his eyesight. Even though it stung she was content to watch him from afar. She had been happy with this prospect for several years now.

They were seventeen years old now and Sasuke had finally come back after much forceful convincing on the part of Naruto. When he had returned with his rival, Hinata had felt her face burn from his bright smile. He had looked so happy walking through the gates of Konoha with his friend's arm slung over his shoulder as he helped him walk.

Now he was currently enjoying some quality time with his rival in the hospital. They had gotten into a fight about something trivial…again. It had ended with both of them giving the other critical injuries. And now she found herself walking into the Yamanaka's flower shop to buy some flowers for Naruto. Something about them had a way of brightening those sterile rooms.

Hesitantly Hinata entered and looked around at the winter plants. Ino was sitting behind the counter with a magazine in front of her. She looked extremely bored.

"H-hello, Yamanaka-san," Hinata greeted softly. She always felt uncomfortable in front of Ino. She always felt like the blond was planning something that involved her.

"Hinata-chan! Are you looking for some flowers to bring to Naruto-kun?" Ino asked standing up to help the Hyuuga find something suitable for her infatuation.

"Y-yes, h-how did y-you know?" asked Hinata, pink tinting her ivory cheeks.

"Please. Hinata-chan, it's been obvious that you've been head over heels in love with that twit ever since we were genin," Ino replied, laughing at her mortified expression.

Hinata's horrified face turned into a sheepish smile. The two women looked around the shop, Ino telling her the names and meaning of the flowers. With her assistance, Hinata found the perfect flowers. "Hinata-chan, would you mind bringing these to Sasuke-san?"

Ino brought over a simple, yet beautiful, arrangement.

"D-do you still l-like him, Yamanaka-san?" asked Hinata.

Ino laughed again. "No, Hinata-chan. I realized that I liked him for all of the wrong reasons. These are just a 'get well soon' gift for him from a friend."

"Al-all right, I'll t-take t-them to h-him, Yamanaka-san," Hinata replied giving her a tiny smile.

She paid for the flowers for Naruto, and scurried out of the shop as quickly as she could without seeming rude. Hinata trudged through the snow and reached the hospital, her pale cheeks flushed from the cold. Hinata struggled to open the door with the two bouquets in her arms. Hinata had to admit, Ino had good taste. She had chosen stunning flowers for her arrangement. They were irises that grew in the snow and were a deep shade of purple.

Sakura saw Hinata walk in and knew immediately who was receiving one of the bouquets, but the other was a mystery. Neither Shino nor Kiba were currently in the hospital.

"Hello, Hinata-chan," Sakura greeted her with a cheerful expression.

"Oh, k-konichiwa, Haruno-san," Hinata replied feeling the normal pang of jealousy.

Sakura continued to smile. "You're here to see Naruto-kun, aren't you?"

Hinata nodded timidly. "I'll show you to his room; I was just on my way too. By the way, who is the lucky receiver of those irises?"

"U-Uchiha-san."

Sakura stopped walking, staring at Hinata with a shocked expression. She didn't notice her mouth hanging open. Sasuke? The Uchiha Sasuke?

Hinata stared back at her, favoring her bottom lip. Sakura's continued staring was making her uncomfortable.

Her pale skin was a little flushed from the cold and her indigo blue hair was windswept from the chill wind outside. The Hyuuga was beautiful, very beautiful, in fact, with her lavender-white eyes. Sakura hated to admit it, but she was a little jealous of the Hyuuga heiress.

"Um…Ha-haruno-san?"

Sakura shut her mouth, and smiled again. "Oh…right…let's go!"

Hinata followed the pink haired kunoichi down the gruesome white hallway. Shouting could be heard from the room at the end of the corridor. Sakura looked irritated about something and Hinata hoped that they weren't fighting again. The medic opened the door with a loud bang just in time to see Naruto lunging at Sasuke. Her face darkened.

"TEME!"

"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!" screamed Sakura causing Naruto to freeze at the sound of voice. The jinchuuriki then lost his balance and fell onto the floor.

"Itai..." he moaned in pain. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Naruto shot him another dark look. Sakura helped him back onto his bed. Hinata bit her lip and looked down, embarrassed. "You two are horrible. Stop fighting, you have a visitor."

The two boys looked over to the door and saw Hyuuga Hinata standing there looking sheepishly at the floor. She bowed to them.

"G-good afternoon," she mumbled.

"Hinata-chan, I'll go get two vases for you," offered Sakura, leaving the room with a smile.

Sasuke stared at the Hyuuga girl as she stood there keeping her eyes carefully trained on the floor. Hinata felt his eyes on her and looked up at him before quickly looking away. The Uchiha terrified Hinata. His eyes seemed to burn everything that fell under his scrutiny. She felt like he could see through her every intention and word. It was intimidating to look at him.

"I-I brought s-some flowers f-for you, Naruto-kun," muttered Hinata as Sakura came in with two water filled vases.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically. "But why does the teme get flowers?"

"T-they're from Yamanaka-san," Hinata explained, blushing. "S-she s-said the flowers are a 'get well soon' gift f-for him as her fr-friend."

Sasuke blinked. Ino sent him flowers? He watched the Hyuuga carefully set each of the flower arrangements in a vase, setting each one on their separate bedside tables.

"S-sayonara, Na-naruto-kun, U-uchiha-san," Hinata said, bowing and hurrying out, blushing.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Naruto called after her.

Sasuke looked at the flowers; they were irises. Those particular flowers were his and his mother's favorites. He had no idea how Ino had realized.

Ino had forgiven him for betraying the village. She had been angry with him at first. When he had been brought back, Ino had burst into his hospital room and started screaming at him. If the ANBU hadn't been there, she probably would have tried to hit him, and he had been in no condition to fight back.

After he had healed, Tsunade had had him placed on probation but had allowed him to attend the jounin exams with Sakura and Naruto. They had all passed.

Sasuke tore his gaze away from the flowers feeling the familiar bite of regret. Recalling everything was still painful. Naruto's voice brought him crashing back to reality.

"Sasuke-teme, you could have at least thanked Hinata-chan for bringing you of all people flowers," Naruto snapped at him. How could he thank her? He had nearly killed the man she loved.

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke replied, leaning back on his pillows and closing his eye, pretending to be asleep. He didn't feel like talking, and Naruto never seemed to be at a loss for words.

Naruto stared at his teammate sleeping beside him. He highly doubted Sasuke was actually asleep. It was interesting how he had been watching Hinata. His gaze had never left her.