To all my readers..

I am so sorry that I was not updating as I promised. A lot of things had happened that really messed up my motivation to write. But for my New Years Resolution: I am back, and will be writing more frequently. I have a lot of stories that I neglected and I am officially back!

All the mistakes are mine. I do not own Naruto or the characters only this plot!

Enjoy~

I Will Prove Myself

"So Hinata? How long has he been like this?" Kiba asked while munching on his toast. His arm was wrapped her shoulder, with his eyes peering over her head. "He's been looking like a complete ghost these past few days."

Sasuke had been pacing the floors for about an 2 hours now, grumbling to himself while furiously scratching his head.

Hinata rolled her eyes and laughed at Kiba's affectionate gesture, "I might've dropped the news that my father wants to meet him."

Kiba started to gag on his toast, before he patted his chest and looked at Hinata like she grew a third head. "Are you crazy?!"

"Am not! My father wants to meet him. And yes that worries me too, but I really don't understand why Sasuke is like beyond terrified than I am right now!" Hinata said exasperated her hands flailing around. SHe turned to the dishes and started to clean the dishes, feeling slightly annoyed at her father's prodding.

Temari tumbled in the kitchen rubbing her eyes from sleep, "Whaz going on?"

"Oh god youre here Temari, its kinda like a no brainer here but please explain why Sasuke is freaking out about meeting the Hyuuga head?"

Temari rubbed her head, and moaned, "Its too early for this! But honestly Hinata, Sasuke just wants to redo his first impression. No offense but I know you guys are all happy and cute now, and its honestly giving me a toothache on just how lovey dovey you are, but Hinata ever since the last incident, your father is doubtful."

Hinata's eyes dulled, she stopped washing before turning around and crossed her arms almost curling in on herself, "I guess your right…"

Temari gave her friend a small smile, "Sasuke is terrified because he has to do it all over again, and not to mention he was already in bad light with your father since that day."

"But he's better now!" Kiba protested getting a little bit defensive of his long time friend, "I saw him get better, his a lieutenant now of all the police force in Konoha. He's sober and he- he"

"Kiba-"

"He's just better now. Isn't hat something?" Hinata mumbled.

Temari motioned to Sasuke who didn't seem like he could hear anything because he was too caught up in his mind.

"I have no doubt in my mind that he is better. But your father has a right to be a little bit doubtful. And as much as you want to tell him that he has nothing to worry about, it's a bit of his own battle you know?"

It was silent after that. Kiba knew he wanted to protest some more, but Hinata cut him off with a firm hand.

"I get it Temari. I do. But I believe in him. He wont hurt me like that ever again, because he grew up, and he owned up to his mistakes. Not a lot of people can say they did that, that he did get sober, that he did pay for his misdemeanors. He's stronger than that now, and he proved it to me."

Temari and Kiba had to smile at that confession, Hinata was obviously in love with him to see all of that.

Hinata sighed and looked at them seriously, "Isnt that all my father needs to see?"

Temari and Kiba couldn't give a reply.

"He's not any different to any other person who went to through stuff like he did. Everyone has that. He's not alone in that. I just don't want my father to give him a hard time for things that already happened. It shouldn't define him now, because his actions now define his character and my father should see that!" defended Hinata who was now on the verge on a major ranting mood. Temari and Kiba tried not to laugh at her rant, she was nearly stomping her foot at her speech.

Kiba whistles, "And see? This is the reason why I love seeing you guys together!"

"And that's the reason why I love you."

All three heads turn around to see Sasuke looking at them with gratitude in his eyes, "Hinata…Temari is right, and even Kiba is right, it is my battle. It is something that I would have to do myself."

Hinata looked a little hurt but Sasuke walked toward her, with his hand lifting her chin, "But I know I need you by my side to do it. You are everything to me. My world revolves around you now, and id be a complete idiot in messing that up again."

"I want to continue making it up to you."

His eyes looked so sincere but was laced with internal struggle. But his voice and eyes seized her soul with a tight grip, it didn't even feel like there was anyone in the room right now.

"Sasuke-" She tried protesting.

"Let me. Because I didn't cherish you the first time." Sasuke said fiercely, his eyes nearly pleading, "I didn't cherish you the first time, and I did nothing but hurt you. I wasn't a man then."

He motioned to Kiba and Temari who were comically dabbing their eyes with tissues, "These guys were my motivation to get help because I nearly died doing stupid shit. I was hollow. I still didn't care who I was hurting, I was sober but empty. But you…these past weeks…I wanted nothing more to prove that I am better now."

He took their joined hands and pressed them to his chest. "My hands, I swore I will use these to protect you. Love you. Hold you. Never lay a hand on you like I did.

He pulled her closer and laid small kisses on her teary eyes, her cheeks and her lips, "My lips are meant to tell you that I love you forever. Never to speak with such hateful words."

Hinata was crying then, trying to hold it together. Her voice was reduced to little whimpers which he found adorable but now wasn't the time. He had to make sure that she knows that what he feels about her is the truth.

"And lastly my heart, is meant to be yours forever."

Even when she cries, Sasuke thinks she is the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Hinata I know you said that I didn't have to make it up to you. But in my mind I cant accept that. Id spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Id spend it trying to regain your father's trust in me, because your it for me." Sasuke admitted,"I'm not going to be that stupid kid again. But I know that with you by my side, always there encouraging and seeing such good in me, I will believe I am forgiven, and everything will be okay."

Hinata threw her arms around him and held o, whispering, "I love you so much."

"Thank you for loving me. And all that I am. For making me a better man."

Sasuke smiled and nuzzled her hair, tightening his hands around her waist. He could feel her body tremor a little bit from crying, but he kept his tight hold. Over her shoulder he could see Kiba's proud rougish grin, and Temari's thumbs up. He said thank you with his eyes, and both of his friends smiled.

He still has a long way to go, but man he did come a far way.

He has friends, a loving girlfriend.

He wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Its a bit of a tease for the next arc of the story :D

But I hope you enjoyed it~

Next chapter: Sasuke meets the Parents Round 2!

Questions? Concerns? Feelings? Thoughts? Issues?

Let me know~

On a side note...this is an important message I should share.

I lost a friend recently. His name Steven Liu.

He was a victim of bullying and he committed suicide. I never though that I would be feeling this empty and this sad, because I honestly thought he was a happy, joking around, being a little bit of a goofy guy, he was always making a smile on my face and he was a good friend.

But a lot of people didnt think so. And well...

November 1, 2013 I will never forget. But I will always admire his ability to make anyone feel like they were never alone. And Im sorry I wasnt there in your darkest hours..Thank you for letting me in your life.

As a public announcement: Be there. Be there for people who are struggling. You never know how someone is feeling, and you never know what words can do to someone... You don't even have to talk, standing by them, giving them a pat on the shoulder, or even smiling at them can change their day or even save their life.