In Tsunade's office…

'This is your next B-rank mission' said Tsunade to Hinata and Kiba 'you two must go to the sand and protect the kazekage.'

She stopped for a drink of sake.

'Jiriya has informed us with his reliable sources that Akatsuki will be after a Jinchuuriki but he was unable to tell us who so your mission is to guard the Kazekage for the next 2 weeks.' Hinata and Kiba both nodded as they headed out. They headed down the stairs when a voice interrupted them.

'Hey!' Naruto called out as he ran after the pair 'I heard you had a new mission, what is it?' he asked. He had a new change of clothing has he had grown another few inches. This time he sported a chuunin vest and had his jacket wrapped around his side.

Hinata blushed and began to fidget with her fingers. Naruto was the boy she had a crush on. She usually didn't know why as he would most of the time act like an idiot and be called an idiot, but maybe it was the attractive blue eyes. The eyes had a zest for life and his way of speech would give someone hope.

Kiba, then, replied 'we're protecting the Kazekage.'

'Hmmm that sounds about right as Sakura and Lee having to protect me. Lucky me old lady chose Sakura.' He chuckled a little and blushed as he thought of perverted scenes with him and Sakura. (It was because of being with Jiriya all those years.)

'Ah well then catch you later' Naruto ran off, leaving Hinata and Kiba in shock at his fast arrival and departure.

'Well, Hinata I guess we'll just be heading off,' Kiba pointed to the stairs as Hinata nodded and followed.

A day later…

As the two ninjas arrived in the hidden village of the sand at dusk they were greeted by many smiling adults. They knew what the two were here for as Gaara's affairs never seemed private. Hinata timidly returned the smile, Kiba just kept on walking and talking to Akamaru. Soon they reached Gaara who was accompanied by his siblings Temari and Kankaru.

'You're finally here,' said Temari.

She then flew off with Kankaru. Gaara turned his expressionless face towards them then without a word walked off. The pair hurried after him.

'Sheesh he really knows how to stay quiet,' Kiba muttered. He hopped on Akamaru and pulled Hinata on too. Hinata blushed and looked down. They arrived at a cabin and the reception informed them that this was the place they were to stay at, Gaara stood in silence. Inside looked quite comfortable and roomy. Akamaru growled softly and nestled onto one of the beds. He yapped a note of approval and Kiba jumped onto the bed next to Akamaru and Hinata set down her jacket and sat on the chair.

The pair rejoined with Gaara, later in the afternoon and accompanied him wherever he went. To Kiba he seemed distant but he looked more vulnerable to Hinata just because there weren't large amounts of sand swirling around him waiting to attack and he wasn't wearing his sand gourd. The only time they had talked that day was when Kiba asked Hinata whether she was hungry or not, she nodded in response. The pair ate in silence while Gaara watched.

As the pair chatted a small creak was heard, Gaara stood in his position but Kiba jumped he suddenly said 'There's a new scent,' Akamaru roared and positioned himself in attack mode.

Sure enough Deidara of the Akatsuki appeared. Gaara had already reappeared with his gourd and asked in an expressionless voice

'Aren't you dead?' Deidara smirked and replied 'You really are naïve, do you think I would really say art is a bang if I wanted to die? I had only used the Kage Bunshin as a diversion you fools didn't realize at all did you? Now I just need to get rid of these two pesky ninjas and finish what we started.' As quick as a flash he sent out an explosive and it flew over to Hinata and ripped her jacket.

'Ah that was #1 pretty light, you seem very slow, well since you're the weakling I guess I'll go for the next.' Hinata cringed with pain and slowly fell to the floor. Kiba's eyes narrowed and he was angered 'Never call Hinata a weakling,' He fed Akamaru a protein food pill and attacked.

Deidara remarked 'This is too easy, Yeah,' He easily blocked the attacked and knocked Kiba unconscious using #10 explosive.

'Now to the next, Yeah,' Deidara turned to face Gaara. Deidara threw an explosive at him but Gaara easily blocked it and sent out a large torrent of sand at Deidara. Unknown to Gaara there's was an explosive underneath him, hidden under the floorboards. Hinata, who's activated Byakagun had spotted it rather easily pushed Gaara aside and barely missed being hurt by it. Gaara stood up again and said 'allow me to fight him,'

Hinata shook her head 'I am here to protect you'.

'A Byakagun user, Orochimaru told me about them,' Deidara commented 'a bloodline like me.' Deidara sent another surge of explosives to Gaara. Hinata began to attack the explosives. She forced her charka into the explosives causing them to be frozen and only explode after hitting the ground. She was soon out of charka, she panted as sweat dripped.

Gaara used his sand to shield her and pulled her close to him so she was easier to protect.

'Allow me to fight,' he said once more Hinata shook her head again as she remembered Naruto's words 'I'm not good at giving up.' Hinata replied to Gaara 'I must protect you at all costs because, that is my ninja way,'

However, unknown to them, Deidara had already disappeared as he had run out of explosives.

Hinata dropped to the ground as she had no energy left and whispered to Gaara 'help me, please,' Gaara bent down to pick her and Kiba up and headed off to the hospital.

In the hospital…

Kiba was resting and Hinata was being treating and Gaara was sitting and watching Hinata. He barely moved a muscle despite everyone's whispers and as there was no television, word spread like fire. 'The Kazekage has found his love' were the main words said.

'The only reason I sit here' he thought 'is because I want to say thank you to her later on and because she is a friend of Naruto,' There were other reasons that related to his duties too:

If the Kazekage was saved by another they would have to leave a present or thank you gift of some sort.

Gaara hated carrying things around because he already had the disadvantage of the heavy gourd so he decided that's his gift would be a simple thank you.

In Hinata's mind the events of the fight played over and over.

'Why couldn't she save Gaara and why was it that Gaara ended up saving her?'

She questioned herself over and over, so much that the events turned into a nightmare, she woke, gasping. She looked around her and saw Gaara sitting on a chair and Kiba being unconscious on a hospital bed beside her and Akamaru sniffing him. Hinata smiled, she should've known better, it was only a dream.

Gaara's face jerked up to meet her. His toneless voice muttered 'Thank you,' before his abrupt departure. Hinata was struck dumb. She was thanked for being saved? That wasn't the way it worked. Kiba on the other hand was waking and Akamaru was jumping around his bed barking excitedly.

Kiba yawned 'Well, that's sure the Kazekage; I'll make sure I thank him.' Hinata was flushed. He had heard Gaara thank her. She suddenly had the urge to respond to the kind gesture he had given her.

She suddenly stood up and said 'I'll come with you to thank him,'

Kiba smiled 'That is just Hinata,' he thought. He suggested 'How about we go tomorrow when we'll be better,' Hinata nodded.

The next morning Hinata and Kiba were flying to Gaara's building where he gave out missions. When they appeared before him, Gaara was busy assigning missions to a jounin. He didn't show a sign of greeting.

'Erm,' muttered Hinata

'We'd like to say thank you' finished Kiba.

Gaara, for the first time, smiled.

'Y..yes we do,' Hinata mumbled.

They were soon pushed out side due Temari saying that Gaara was busy. Kiba was disgruntled but Hinata wasn't sure what she felt. They hastily bowed and stepped outside.

'Thank you, Kiba,' Kiba looked at her

'For what?' Hinata began fidgeting 'for always being there for me.'

'Oh that, Nah that was nothing,' replied Kiba.

Kiba jumped on Akamaru once more and offered Hinata a hand, which she accepted. On arriving to the cabin they met Temari and Kankaru. Temari signaled for them to stop, Kankaru, on the other hand was on guard, with a puppet out.

Temari said to the pair 'I've never seen Gaara this open before, you know.'

Hinata was confused: Gaara never seemed open especially not now.

Temari continued 'This was the first time he said thank you or even smiled to a stranger,'

Kankaru nodded in agreement. Kiba shrugged but Hinata stood there with her head bent in thought.