I do not own Naruto or anything associated with it.

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Hinata knows, despite the way some people subdue their conversations when she walks past, how the villagers make connections with the legendary Sanin team and Team 7. Some would consider it an honor to be compared to the team that achieved so much, but Hinata's not so sure. She tells herself that she wants Team 7 to be like those amazing people.

In a way she does, but mostly she doesn't.

It's true that she want what's best for her friends, but she doesn't think becoming like Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru is the best thing for one of the most promising teams their village had seen. While they had gained great power, it came with a price of madness and heartache that Hinata wouldn't wish on anyone, let alone some of her closest friends.

It's easy to see the similarities. She had noticed right away, without the villager's insight, as soon as Naruto departed in his mentor's footsteps. He was training under the toad sage, and when he returned she could see how alike they were if not in personality, then in spirit. She knew a good soul when she saw one, and it had nothing to do with her Byakugan.

Sasuke went to Orochimaru despite what everyone else wanted, and even though she didn't agree with his decision, Hinata still knows that it was choice to make and nobody could have stopped him.

Sakura is staring out at the land beyond the gate when Hinata looks at her, and she rethinks her previous thought. She was sure there was one person that almost changed Sasuke's mind. Hinata knows what it's like to watch and do nothing, and she knows that Sasuke watched her. Even if it was trivial to someone else, she knew that Sasuke took everything he did seriously. Hinata hopes for that at least, so maybe that once they finally catch up to the runaway, there is still something good left in him.

Sakura too, chose a mentor of her own, and Hinata admired her choice. The medic was strong like the Hokage, and that meant far more than just her fists. They had both seen their share of heartaches, and Hinata hoped that neither one of them would see any more. It was foolish to think that way, given their profession, but she could still hope.

That was something nobody could take away from them.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Lady Hinata?"

She nods resolutely at Neji as she spots Sakura glancing in their direction while pulling on her gloves. Hinata does the same before responding, and she feels a wave of confidence that she hadn't before because she knows they can make a difference this time. She sends Neji a small smile, trying to abate the worry she knows he feels for her. After all, some of them almost died the first time.

"We're going to bring Sasuke home this time." She is proud of herself for not stuttering, feeling her resolve wash over her like a security blanket. She has a good feeling about this trip.

Hinata sends her smile Sakura's way, and the pink-haired girl responds in kind. She especially wanted to succeed for Sakura because she deserved some happiness, and if Sasuke was it, then that's what they had to do. The two had become closer in the time that had passed, like all of them had. From the small gleam in her friend's eyes, Hinata knew she understood that underlying message.

"Yeah! With Hinata here, we're gonna find that bastard for sure!"

Naruto had come up beside her, slinging his arm over her shoulders in his enthusiasm. She reddened slightly at their proximity, but pushed it away with all her strength. She would be strong today. At the sight of his grin, she shared hers with him.

Finding Sasuke meant a lot to Naruto, so she would do this for him as well, and even for Kakashi, who was standing apart from the rest near the gates. Even if he didn't say anything, she knew the ex-ANBU missed his former student too. He always seemed so sad, and Hinata wondered if he thought of himself a failure for not being able to change Sasuke's mind.

"Yeah, Neji, don't worry. I'm sure Hinata will be fine." Tenten broke her out of her thoughts with a grin on her face. Neji paused for a moment before answering his teammate with a nod, and Hinata had to smile at them.

There were only four of them going this time, her and the remaining fragments of Team 7. Everyone else was either gone or leaving for a mission soon, and Sai was on a special project. She was surprised that Lady Tsunade had okayed the trip at all with them being so short handed. Then again, she supposed it wasn't every day that the Hyuga heiress requested something from the Hokage.

It had been her idea to give Sasuke's retrieval one more shot. She wasn't sure how many more times it was going to be allowed, since the Hokage had seemed a little hesitant to grant permission, but when Hinata had returned from her mission two days ago, she couldn't just let the information she heard go unreported. She went to Tsunade first, and she thought that maybe the older woman respected that.

They had heard of Orochimaru's death a long time ago. There was no doubt in Hinata's mind that Sasuke was the one to end him. They had heard nothing of him for a long time after that, until just recently. Itachi's demise had been confirmed.

Hinata knew her friends were wise enough to know that Sasuke probably wasn't going to come traipsing back through the gates once this had happened, but she had hoped he would for their sakes. He hadn't, of course, and she only wondered why for a short time. After having no more drive, she supposed he was lost.

Hence needing to go find him.

She had heard wind of a pale swordsman just on the other side of Rain, near the border of Bird and Earth Country. She didn't know why he was there, but if they hurried, they might make the northwest trip in time to catch up. She relayed the information to Tsunade, then boldly asked if she would allow them to go look. Now, here they were, ready to leave.

Hinata had thought about the idea during the whole return trip, and she had decided that she really wanted to do this. She realized that she didn't want Team 7 to end up like their Sanin teachers, and this might be one of the only things she could do to stop it.

Orochimaru was dead. He had been twisted by his own madness, his own desire to gain immortality. He had been driven, but it was in the worst way. Hinata didn't want Sasuke to turn out the same. He had been driven by his own goals too, but she could only hope that there was enough life left in him to save. Even if he had done some bad things (and more they didn't know about, she was sure), she didn't think he deserved to die. He deserved some happiness too.

Jiraiya had fallen, also at the hand of a former student. He died without achieving his goals of peace, leaving it in the hands of his successor. He had chased after Tsunade his whole life, harboring a love he wasn't sure was reciprocated, and never having the chance to act on it. Naruto reminded her of him, always chasing Sakura, even if he hadn't shown that in quite some time.

Sakura too, ended up just like Tsunade. She inherited her skill after working hard to earn it, and they both excelled in the same field. Tsunade had loved and lost, and then lost again when Jiraiya passed. Sakura had loved and lost, but so far it wasn't permanent. They could still fix it. Tsunade didn't have that chance anymore, and Hinata thought that maybe that was another reason why she was letting them go. Sakura and her mentor were close, and she supposed the older woman viewed her apprentice as a surrogate daughter.

Hinata couldn't be truthful and say that she was just doing this for them. She knew that if the three of them turned out like their teachers, she would also never get her happy ending. She also had to do this for herself. She wasn't sure if Sakura had feelings of a romantic nature for Naruto or not. It didn't seem so, but Hinata also knew that given time she was sure they could end up that way. It had been the same for Tsunade at first.

So now, in order to fix everything, Hinata believed they had to do this. Fate may have been a common theme in her family, but one thing Naruto had taught them was that they could make their own fate, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

She would track Sasuke with what was left of his team, and they would bring him back. She would bring a smile to Naruto's face, dry up the rest of Sakura's tears, and give Kakashi one less reason to lament by the memorial.

They were her friends, and for their happiness, as well as the chance at her own, she would help them. She could right things if she put her mind to it. Naruto had given her enough confidence for that.

"Ready to go?"

The silver haired instructor joined them again, and the four nodded to each other before waving goodbye to their friends as they departed. It was almost crazy, what they were doing, but once she had told them of her idea, they weren't going to say no. Kakashi had almost declined, but Hinata had the feeling that Naruto and Sakura had been…convincing. At least, that's what she assumed from the small purplish circle she could see peeking out of his mask slightly.

They had met with failure the first time they tried this, and some of their friends had almost died. The second time the team had encountered a cold Sasuke that had broken their spirits. This time would be different, and she wasn't sure where the feeling came from.

Hinata hadn't been with the last time. She wasn't overconfident in her skills, as a lifetime of growing up thinking you're worthless takes a long time to dispel, but she was comfortable with her own abilities and was glad to do something he was good at. Tracking came as a second nature to her. That was going to make a difference this time, she just knew it.

-

-

It was raining slightly, but Hinata barely noticed it over the shouts and clashes of blades. She swiped at her face as a trickle of blood ran down her, coming from a small spot where she had been knocked in the head. A shrill chirping sound filled the air behind her, but she didn't know from which Sharingan user it came from as she had to duck an incoming swing from a rouge.

They had only recently crossed over the border into Earth Country when Hinata had sensed who they came for. They continued due north from there, into the heart of the country. Sasuke hadn't seemed to be moving the whole time, and they soon found out why.

The cliffs and crags had made traveling difficult, and they had stopped when Hinata said they were close. Sounds of fighting had echoed off the rocks faintly, and they proceeded with caution. Sakura was on point lead when they had entered the valley, continuing carefully. Hinata had felt Naruto's chakra flicker in anticipation and frustration. She knew he didn't like to move slowly when something was happening, but even he understood that they were crossing dangerous territory.

Earth hadn't been very friendly as of late, and any outcasts they ran into weren't very likely to hear their story or care about the letter the Hokage had sent with them.

Sakura was only about twenty feet ahead of them when six rouges had cracked out of the ground. All four of them had stilled as more figures made themselves known on the tops of the rocks. All of them were hostile, the slashes In their headbands visible even in the overcasts from the stone.

Not a soul had moved until someone called out about a Hyuga and the Hokage's apprentice, then everything became a blur as they were jumped from all sides. Kakashi, who was rear guard, had tried to secure an exit for them, but the valley surrounded by high walls left them little options. Instead, they had opted for taking care of their attackers, and the sound of Sakura splitting the earth marked the start of their sudden battle.

Not soon after, there was more noise heard from above on one of the high cliffs. Before any of them could investigate, a large explosion sounded and half of one of the towering walls had been blown as rocks cascaded down on them, sending a familiar figure into the valley with them. Hinata had spun into a Kaiten almost immediately to divert the rocks, and she was glad Naruto had been standing so close to her. She didn't think any of them hit.

When the dust settled, they spotted Sasuke, but they didn't have time for much else as more ex-rock ninja joined them from the blown cliff. Sakura had noticed first, and she was the first to call out and respond as he became overwhelmed with his pursuers.

It was rare for so many deserters to be working together, but Hinata thought that perhaps they had figured out that it would take more than just one of them to take down a powerful ninja like one of them. They had probably seen one of their faces in the bingo book or recognized them by reputation. All of them were well known in some respect.

Sakura and Sasuke were still fighting back to back as they continued their fight, and coming back to the present, Hinata was grateful for Naruto's presence at her own. She could feel his distinct flickering chakra even without her Byakugan, and she liked having him within reach as they fought.

She chanced a glance behind her to spot familiar orange, and she didn't fail to notice how Naruto's eyes had changed color. The menacing red should have scared her, but she knew that rage was directed at their assailants, and instead felt sorry for the rock nin.

Hinata noticed that the group was thinning out as time wore on. As far as she could see, her friends were all okay, and that was a small blessing in itself. She had been worried at first when Kakashi was swarmed, but he now seemed to be fine. He had more experience then them, she knew, so she didn't worry so much.

Realizing that even in close quarters they were losing, the rogues started to run. With a panicked look, they tried to disappear before Sakura's foot crashed down into the gorge, kicking up a dust cloud larger than the explosion had.

The smoky air took long to thin than before, and Hinata noted the absence of any unfamiliar chakra. There were only five signatures in the valley, and Naruto stumbled up to her as the dust cleared, putting a hand on her shoulder has he coughed.

"Hinata, are you okay?"

She nodded back at him, discreetly looking for any injuries he acquired. Happily, she noticed he only had minor scrapes, and she relaxed as she spotted the familiar blue of his eyes. He smiled at her, and it was something she couldn't help but return.

His arm continued to wrap around her back and rest on her opposite side, and he just held her against him for a minute, resting his forehead on her shoulder. He murmured against her, and she barely heard it.

"Thank you."

"For what, Naruto-kun?" She spoke softly, and she smiled to herself when her words came out clear.

"Everything."

She looked at him in slight surprise, something in his tone suggesting that he didn't just mean suggesting the trip and coming with them. She couldn't read the look on his face, but her mind came up with a million possible answers to what he could mean. Helping retrieve Sasuke, guarding his back, wanting to fix things, always being there, loving him…

She chased away the thought, wanting to enjoy the moment here and now. There would be time for that later, she knew, when things had settled down. She could feel that something about her and Naruto had changed over the course of this week, and she was glad for it. It was a start.

Hinata smiled, and being brave, she slung her own arm around him so it looked like they were holding each other. She didn't think her smile could be any brighter as he didn't pull away.

"You two alright?" Kakashi landed behind them, and shocked slightly out of their moment, they both nodded. They didn't let go.

It was a little amazing that they were still alive, but Hinata wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The dust vanished, and she returned to the valley instead of her own cloud nine as she saw Kakashi looking beyond them. Up ahead, Sasuke and Sakura were visible, and without realizing it, all three of them stilled and held their breath.

While it was true that they had succeeded in finding him, bringing him back with them could be a different story. Hinata admitted to herself that she hadn't really thought that far ahead. It had just felt right that she, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi would go.

Now she wasn't really sure. None of them knew what was going to happen. Hinata supposed it was up to Sakura now. She was the closest to him, and if the worst happened, the three of them were too far to try and help if Sasuke got violent. Something in the back of her mind told her things would work out though, and she could only watch with abated breath as the scene played out before them.

Sasuke was leaning against the cliff face, one arm slightly propping himself up as he slouched. There was a gash in his other arm, but other than looking worn, he seemed fine. Sakura was more in the open, and her hands were propped on her thighs as she tried to catch her breath. As if they remembered where they were, the both looked up at each other for a second. Sasuke instantly looked down at his feet, and Hinata was a little amused.

It seemed Sakura was too, as Hinata could see a small smile on her face. Sakura had told her about their run-in with their teammate at Orochimaru's hideout when she had woken the medic from a nightmare. She had dreamed of their meeting, how Sasuke stood above them like a statue, indifferent and uncaring. Well, he wasn't looking down on them now.

It seemed like they were talking. Hinata couldn't really be sure because Sakura's back was mostly to them as she turned slightly. Sasuke staggered up straighter, and she thought that he must be really worn out or comfortable in Sakura's company to show any weakness at all. She was hoping it was the latter.

Then, it was all over as Sakura cried out something, and the next thing any of them knew, Sasuke was flown back into the rock, Sakura clutching him in a hug. He winced slightly, the movement seeming to jar is arm, but otherwise he didn't react. The three of them waited still, wondering how he would react. He didn't look like he would do anything, but if something happened to Sakura…

One heartbeat went by, then two. Finally, Sasuke closed his eyes and the three of them heaved a collective sigh. His injured came around to sit low on her back, moving it as little as possible, and his other came up to her head, threading his fingers through her hair. Hinata smiled as he set his head in the juncture of Sakura's neck, his whole body seeming to relax.

Hinata turned to Naruto with her smile still intact, and she found that he was grinning just as broadly. She even heard Kakashi chuckle behind them.

They rushed over to the two as Naruto grabbed her hand and lunged, and when Sasuke looked up, it was the most relaxed Hinata had ever seen him. When Sakura turned back towards them, she saw the tears in her eyes, but for once, they were happy. She laughed as she cried, and Hinata knew that her friend was as happy as she could get. Naruto struck up a conversation despite them all being tired, and she was surprised as his arm came around her shoulders again.

Hinata was a little puzzled by this but glad for the contact all the same. Her face was probably red, but it was hard to notice in the middle of all the happiness. Sasuke and Sakura didn't let go either, and Hinata was glad to see a true smile on the medic's face. Kakashi remained to the side, but he no longer seemed so detached. They would have a long way to go, and she knew that Sasuke would have a lot to make up for, but the future seemed a little brighter now. For once things seemed right in the world.

Hinata smiled again. They may have started out being similar to their Sanin instructors, but she knew in the end that they would be greater than their predecessors. Much greater.

They had each other.

-Fin

So, not exactly what I wanted to post for a first NaruHina either, but it felt so good just to write something again that I didn't really care. It's only slightly NaruHina anyway, but still. The second part came to me today, though Hinata commenting on the connection between the two teams came before. Things tend to get away on me. I'm lucky this one didn't get any longer. It was supposed to be a short little drabble as it was.

Obviously this one didn't happen, but it was fun to entertain the idea. I took a few liberties with Hinata's personality, but I figure after this much time she would be a little more confident in her own abilities. I probably didn't highlight that enough, but I may have mentioned it. Oh, and I like happy endings.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. Leave me a comment if you wish :)