Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

A New Hyuga

The scrolls.

They are gone...

Midnight

"Oi! Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Orochimaru." The sannin grinned by how he effortlessly took out the 2 members of the team. He knew he was taking a huge risk, relying his trust on these but he knew that they were the only one on pair with the other Guardians, and with a little enhance from the crystals he had, they would completely annihilate the Guardians and bring him the needed ones.

"You really think this will be enough to defeat your opponents in the Chunnin Exams? Let me tell you something, they will put you up against the 12 Guardians."

"Those?! Why? They are on a whole other level than a genin?"

Orochimaru licked his bottom lip as he saw a spark of interest from the only one standing. He could see how thirsty he was to try these Guardians out. Got him. He showcased 3 circular shaped objects, each with their own color. The figure in the middle was particularly fond over the red one, it somehow expressed his inner desire to defeat whoever stood in his way and yet at the same time something else that he could not put words to.

"Without these, you will not stand a chance against ANY of them. But I'm willing to make a deal." He said, once again licking his bottom lip.

"What?"

"He he he. Very well."

I... I... I don't want you to say goodbye...!

The young heiress never thought she would think this, but she wished that the doctors hadn't discharged her so soon. She had not even been there for a whole night, the unison between her and Sasuke's crystal had apparently healed the majority of her wounds. She could not say the same for the remaining Guardians though, especially Sasuke. Thinking back to the time when they reached the hospital and Sasuke falling flat on the ground as soon as she slightly lightened her hold on him. She remembered the panic she was in as it seemed to her that he was not breathing.

The young heiress was sitting on the rooftop of Kurenai's house. She sighed down on her knees she had been hugging the entire time. She remembered how desperate she wanted to check up on Sasuke as well as her teammates, but their crystals were in need of special treatment. Her crystal had apparently healed on its' own from the bright light from when she woke up to Sasuke's face after their match. Those marks that covered Sasuke had put too much pressure on his crystal, which took a lot of energy from him. She was told that the light from the battlefield was only a temporary help, which actually sucked the remaining energy and chakra Sasuke and Hinata's crystal had left while it provided the healing. Hinata sighed once again. Since he did most of the fighting, it makes sense that he was the first to fall.

She gazed at the stars for comfort. Hinata took a deep breath as her thoughts wondered off to her and Kurenai's walk to her house. They had to go to her household to gather her belongings. She did not get to say a proper goodbye to Nana as she was no where to be seen, which made a part of Hinata crack. The other part was shattered, knowing that she would not see Sasuke after this day. But deep inside, she knew that she would not let this day be the last day she sees Sasuke. As much as she did not want to admit this, Sasuke was the only thing she had in mind. Even her teammates became a distant memory at the back of her head.

Her recalling of todays events was interrupted by the figure walking past her. His velvet coloured hair was impossible to miss, as well as that large sand gourd on his back. Hinata did not know how to explain the aura he illuminated, but it felt like nothing but hurt and loneliness. Something Hinata felt at this very moment.

The shinobi Hinata had been unconsciously starring at looked her way, which made the former heiress flinch. She awkwardly tried to smile and wave the situation away but to no avail as he turned around and continued his peaceful walk. As soon as it was only his back she could see, she let out her held-in breath. "That was scary."

The young ninth decided on going back inside to her room. She lay on her bed, thinking of all the events again. For some reason, she did not want to forget this day. Sasuke and her finding out that they were Mitsu and Kurai all along. She could finally unlock her Armor. Those marks that covered Sasuke's skin. Everything. But she knew that thinking too much about the outmatch would make her eyes teary and eventually lead to her sleep, and it did.

"Kurenai-sensei, how are Kiba-kun and Shino-kun?" Hinata asked while staring down at her cup of tea. She had not even touched her cinnamon bun, which is her favourite treat of all time.

Her sensei looked at her student in dismay. Hinata had been asking this exact same question, in that same position, and same tone every morning for the past week. She was no longer the shy girl she once knew, she was still quiet but not in the way Kurenai remembered. Not once had she shown any concern for Sasuke or even Naruto. Whenever Kurenai came back from her duties, she would find Hinata in her room or at the rooftop with an expression that longed for a special someone.

"They are going good. I heard that Team 7 is being discharged this evening." As Kurenai finished her sentence, she saw Hinata's head flinch.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun is?"

"I knew it. You have been thinking about him this whole time, right?"

"Why can't I live with him?" She sobbed, trying to keep her tears in. Even she was surprised about how much this actually hurt her, the thoughts of never waking up in Sasuke's bed, watching the peace his face expressed while sleeping emptied every single hope she had in herself.

"Hinata, you can't and you know that. What happened at the forest was pure bad luck on our side." Kurenai hated telling the bitter truth to her students, but if that was what it would take then she had to. She saw Hinata stand from her seat, thank her for the food that she had not even touched once, and walk upstairs to her room.

Hinata could not explain why she felt her heart churn from what Kurenai said. She wanted to see Sasuke, and nothing could stop her from seeing him today. She had not yet thanked him for everything he had done for her, not only as Sasuke but as Kurai too. Believe it or not, but Sasuke had created a special place in her heart that even Naruto had not. Naruto's spot had slowly grown inferior to Sasuke's spot, which was something Hinata never thought would or could happen, ever.

Hinata looked outside her window and saw as the sky had been painted with an array of pink, orange and yellow. It is not long before Sasuke and his team are discharged.

Since Hinata was not a Hyuga anymore, she always found herself in an identity crises when choosing her wear. Almost everything she had collected from the household bore on the Hyuga crest on the back. The only cloth that was crestless were the fishnet ones, but Hinata was not comfortable enough to go in only that. As the young kunoichi looked searched her closet, she fell upon a crop-top looking shirt. She took it into her hands and a tiny tear drop found its' way down her cheek. This shirt bore on memories from when she lived with Sasuke, but would she dare put it on again?...

The Yin Guardian stomped down the stairs and bid a quick farewell to Kurenai before storming out the door.

"Huh? Hinata!" Kurenai did not know where to start, she was speechless. From Hinata's attire, to the crest on the back of the crop-top that revealed much of her tummy. "Hi-Hinata..." However, instead of chasing her, Kurenai remained on her seat with a tiny smile on her lips.

"Yosh! Have you all recovered well?" Team 7 nodded in unison. Naruto stretched his arms behind his head with his usual grin.

"What's our next task as Guardians?"

"Not so fast. Just because you recovered does not mean that you are ready to use your crystal in a fight." Kakashi said, grinning behind his mask from the disappointed look on Naruto's face. "I won't let the incident in the forest repeat, therefore we will continue training until I announce the next step."

Naruto groaned in annoyance. He glanced down on his crystal that looked in well condition to him.

"By the way, Kakashi-sensei. Since the scroll with the test was interrupted due to that incident, what will we do now? Will we take it over again?" Sakura asked eagerly.

"Wha- No way! That scroll was a monster! I REFU-"

SMACK!

"Urusai..."

Sasuke looked at the reaction Kakashi gave, it almost seemed as if he was too terrified by the thought of the scrolls. Kakashi's response was even more suspicious. "You don't have to worry about the scrolls... You passed..!"

"We did!?" Sakura and Naruto cheered.

"Can we go home now?" Kakashi looked over at the impatient looking Sasuke and sighed in amusement. Not having realised that he had closed his eyes, Sasuke opened his one eye to see a slim, curvy figure running as if her life was on the line towards them. Wha... As the Uchiha got a closer look at what she was wearing, his eyes could not leave her body.

"Is that one of your fangirls, Sasuke?" Naruto pointed out as he noticed her too. He must admit that she looked cute with her hands in the air, waving at Sasuke. She had even bought him a present, which Sasuke would most likely reject.

Kakashi looked behind him and grinned to himself from the joke he could make. "Huh? Isn't that your girlfriend, Sasuke?"

"Wha- GIRLFRIEND?! SASUKE-KUN GOT A GIRLFREIND!?"

"You are so noisy." Sasuke groaned as he rubbed his ears, she was standing right beside him.

"Heh.. so you are not denying that she is-"

Hinata felt her legs giving up on her as her panting became heavier. Hinata felt the adrenaline rushing down to her feet by the sound of Sasuke's voice, even though she did not hear what he said. She even bought him some tomatoes on the way as it was his favourite food.

She saw that they began chatting again, possibly about her. But they seemed not to recognise her. She even heard Sakura bursting into tears, almost fainting. Naruto was there, too... It felt weird but, Hinata was more excited seeing Sasuke on his feet again being the same old cold Sasuke everyone knows. It was as if Sasuke was the only one at sight, she could not see anything else and that was why she kept running. Nobody else was going to see the big hug she was going to give him when she reached him, and the thought of this grew a huge smile across her face. Sasuke-kun!

However that was until...

THUMB! SQUASH!

Team 7 witnessed as Hinata tripped over a pebble and fell flat on her bag with the now squashed tomatoes on the ground. Sasuke, without second thought, rushed over to her followed by his teammates.

The Yang Guardian kneeled down to her, and waited on her response before doing any hasty movements in front of the others. Hinata quickly got on all fours, shaking the dirt off herself. Sakura asked her whether she was okay, and in all honesty Hinata did not know. She did not know why she cared so much about whether Sasuke was okay or not. She could not explain why she was so incredibly happy to see Sasuke before her, kneeled down to her level. And she could certainly not put any words to what she was doing now, which earned a spiteful hiss and taken aback expression from Sakura, astounded facials from Kakashi and Naruto, and a silent 'huh' from Sasuke.

She was hugging him. Her arms had a firm grim around his neck, and it only tightened by the scent from his cologne. She could only utter 'I miss you' since she was fighting to hold her tears back. The Uchiha felt his arms freeze in mid-air around her petite body. The smell of vanilla and lavender invaded his nostrils, but what astonished him even more was the clothes she wore. Her tummy was on full display and she did nothing to cover it up. His eyes fell upon her the symbol on her back and his eyes widen by the sight. That's the...

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Well... I will see you all tomorrow, then." And with a poof, he was gone.

Sakura unconsciously stretched her arm out, wanting to yank Hinata off of Sasuke. She knew that Sasuke hated this much physical contact with anyone. "A-Ah... Hinata, Sasuke-kun doesn't li-"

"Oh no! Y-Y-Your t-t-tomatoes.." She eyed the ruined present she was so excited to gift him. Again, Hinata did not know why she was so upset about not having anything to give Sasuke for his recovery. "I-I-I'm so-sorry." She apologised, her hand reaching for his.

Sasuke, still caught up from the hug, unconsciously stopped her hand by grabbing her wrist. He stared right into her pure eyes before yanking her away from his teammates by skipping onto a ceiling with her behind him.

"Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura noticed the symbol on Hinata's back, which left her dumbfounded. "The U-Uchiha crest?"

Hey minna-san ^^ Thank you for the support on the first story. I decided to continue the story as I couldn't contain the excitement of a possible sequel ^.^

I hope you liked first chapter :) And if any characters seemed a bit OOC, please tell me so I can correct it. I wouldn't want the characters to feel rushed. Especially Sasuke and Hinata ;)

And yeah... we are starting from where we left off in the first story.