Finally back to it all for the summer! School can be so unrelenting. *sigh*

Disclaimer: Even after all this time, I still have yet to acquire ownership of Naruto. I have officially come to terms with this fact. *hides sadly in corner* Yup, completely okay with it now...

Song used in this chapter is: The Journey By Greg Maroney. It can be found here: " www .youtube / watch?v=pn9reHTq3jA" Just delete the spaces. Or just search it on youtube if you prefer. It's a beautiful piece!

"See what you two did now? And you wonder why I never once brought home any female friends." Naruto scooped the tiny woman into his arms and carried her into the living room, settling her down gently onto the couch. "This is unbelievable. I'm probably going to get fired after only having the job for two hours."

"Kushina dear, would you mind finishing up supper? I'll tend to our guest." Minato disappeared into the back of the country-style home and reappeared moments later with a small first-aid kit. Kushina scurried off sullenly into the kitchen, her bright red hair swishing around her back like dismal flames.

Minato settled into the cushion of the army green wrap-around sofa that took up most of the living room area and removed Hinata's glasses gently. "Ya know son, you could've given us a heads up. It would've been appreciated." He set to work checking out the forming bump on her head.

Naruto rubbed at the back of his neck and let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah, I know Pop, sorry. It was kind of a sudden decision." He glanced at his pretty young employer and realized that even compared to his father, who was a slightly below average sized man, she still looked incredibly like a tiny, fragile porcelain doll.

Hinata's eyes fluttered open slowly, her light eyes darting around the room in confusion before her gaze settled on an embarrassed Naruto. She let out a quiet groan, and Minato stood to give her some room, closing the first-aid kit and once again disappearing into the recesses of the house. Naruto hadn't even been aware of the fact that they had a first-aid kit.

"How're you feeling Ms. Hyuga?" Naruto sat down on the wooden floor beside the couch, resting one hand on her forehead. She blinked a few times and drew in a deep breath, her pale face slowly regaining color.

"I-I'm fine." Naruto gave her a disbelieving look, but didn't press the matter when she gingerly touched the bump on her temple.

"You know, you really gave us all a scare Miss. Can't go falling out on folks just because you get a bit nervous. Shoulda just told me and I wouldn't have forced you to come." He helped her sit up on the plush seat, then sat down as carefully as he could beside her, still managing to jostle his employer despite his attempts at being dainty.

Hinata just let her gaze remain downcast. "I wanted to come." She really had. It'd been weeks since she'd last been out of the house, and even then it had just been to go down the street to the grocery store with Neji when he'd come to visit. Hinata made to stand and accepted the hand held out to her graciously.

"You probably shouldn't get up quite so soon."

"It's fine, I'm stronger than I seem." She cursed the blush that rose to her cheeks and let out a heavy sigh. The sudden silence of the room was broken when Naruto's stomach growled loudly and the sheepish chuckle that left his lips a moment later.

He put his arm around her shoulder gently and steered her back down the hall. Her feet made a quiet pitter-patter sound as she made her way slowly over the wooden floors she already acquainted herself with, and she grimaced when she saw where she'd fallen. It was a shame she'd ruined her first impression, they'd seemed like such nice people.

"Hey sweetie, are you alright?" The redheaded woman bustled around the kitchen for another moment before wiping her hands down on her dirty apron uselessly and then approaching her.

"She's fine Mom," Naruto mumbled, managing to get his boss out of reach of his mother before she could poke and prod the young mistress. "Is the food ready? I'm starved." He led Hinata around the corner into a cozy nook of the kitchen where the table had been set for supper and pulled out a chair for his slightly disoriented employer.

"MINATO!" Hinata jumped when Kushina yelled into the hallway, her only response a slight thud from one of the back rooms and a quiet call of 'Coming!'

Naruto shook his head, an embarrassed blush lighting up his face. "Oi, Mom, relax! We have company, remember?"

"I-It's fine, believe me. I d-don't want to intrude." Minato finally appeared from around the corner and hustled over to the table, taking his seat at the head after pulling the chair for his wife and tucking it back under the table. They gave a quick word of thanks before digging into the meal.

"It's not a problem at all Ms.-" Minato paused with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Hyuga." She shook his hand delicately. Kushina suddenly choked on a sip of water and the rest of the table looked at her oddly, aside from Hinata who struggled to stay in her seat and not fret over the redheaded woman.

"As in the world renowned talent agency? Like, Hiashi Hyuga?" Hinata nodded warily. Kushina slammed a hand down on the table and pushed her chair back to stand. Leaning over everything, she stretched her arm out to their trembling guest and enthusiastically shook the young woman's hand before settling back down. "It's an honor." Hinata's blush deepened as she spooned a steaming bite of stew into her mouth.

"Do you know my family well?" Hinata dabbed at her lips with a napkin before settling it back into her lap. Kushina nodded enthusiastically.

"I worked for you for the longest time. Before I met these two, that is." She pointed nonchalantly at her son and punched the arm of her husband. Naruto managed an eye roll at his mother's eccentricity over the whole situation.

Not wanting to pry, but her curiosity getting the best of her for once, Hinata asked, "Met them?"

Minato beat his wife to the punch, taking her hand in his on top of the table. "I married Kushina when Naruto was about two. I'm pretty sure the only reason she agreed to date me was because she just found him so irresistible." Naruto, who had been silently scarfing down food and doing his best to ignore his family, blushed a deep red and glared at his father.

"That is so not true!" Minato's grin spread even wider than before, his eyes closing as his shoulders shook with his quiet laughter. Kushina smiled at her son and headed towards the kitchen to refill her drink, kissing the ruffled hair on top of Naruto's head as she passed him.

"Yes it is." Hinata hid her smile behind her hand and forced herself to take another bite. Naruto dropped his head to the table with a groan. Why had this been such a good idea again?

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Thank you again for such a pleasant meal Mr. and Mrs. Uzumaki. It was w-wonderful." Hinata offered her hand in turn to the both of them before sitting down on the couch she'd been directed to in the living room. Naruto soon sat down beside her and offered her a weak smile.

"No trouble at all dear!" Kushina's voice drifted in from where she was placing the dishes in the sink, her occupation made obvious by the constant clinking of dishes. Minato poked his head into the living room, drying his hands on a dish towel.

"Naruto, can you give me a hand in the garage real quick before you go? I can't get my engine to start again." Naruto rolled his eyes and glanced questioningly at his employer for permission. He wasn't perfectly comfortable leaving the woman alone with his mother, but at her look of approval he stood and followed his father into the recesses of the house.

Hinata got to her feet and absently wandered around the room full of comfortable furniture and family photos. Picture frames- minus the typical glass covers, she noticed with a smile -littered just about every available surface. Most were filled with photos of a young man with brilliantly blue eyes, a magnificent smile, and dashing blonde hair. It was quite obviously Naruto, yet it was hard to recognize him without the adornments he currently favored, namely the tattoos and piercings. He was still just as attractive as he was in the pictures despite the different aura he radiated, yet, somehow, he still managed to pull of a positive vibe.

Turning away from the pictures, Hinata shuffled over to another corner of the room that was lined with bookshelves filled with several well-worn novels. Tucked into the corner of the room, partially hidden behind a door that led out into the foyer, was an antique piano. Hinata smiled fondly.

It was simply beautiful, despite the layer of dust that covered it. She ran her fingers over it gently and pulled the seat out of from under it. After lifting up the wooden bar that covered the keys, she placed her fingers onto the perfectly white keys, and began to play.

. . . .

"It's the same problem as last time Pop, you just need to fix that leak. I told you once, now I'm gonna tell you again. Quit being cheap and just buy a new damn hose and your car'll be fine!" Naruto slammed the hood of his father's vehicle down and wiped his hands on his jeans. His father just frowned lightly and sighed.

"I know, I was just hoping that maybe the tape had held and it was something else this time. Oh well." He sighed again and turned to head back into the house, but froze in the open doorway.

Naruto pushed his old man into the house, and quickly became aware of the music that was echoing from the piano in the living room. A small smile tugged at his lips. The two men hurried as quietly as they could into the living room from the back of the building, only daring to stand in the doorway, afraid they'd break the serenity of the music flowing from the ages-old piano.

Hinata had her eyes closed, unaware of her audience, blissfully unaware of anything at all. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keys, almost too fast for the two pairs of wide blue eyes watching her to follow. Her shoulders hunched over, her long hair flowing down her back and curtaining around her face as she lost herself in the piece. The mood of the music turned darker, and her fingers punched the keys with more force, her shoulders bouncing with the movements.

Her glasses were on top of the piano, Naruto noticed. But then he, too, closed his eyes and leaned against the door frame to simply enjoy the music.

Hinata continued, never wavering or faltering as the song progressed. It was a dance across the keys, flying over white and black in a harmonious mixture that was indescribably beautiful in the ears of the listeners. Everything was smooth, not an error or mistake daring to disrupt the beauty of the moment. Kushina was settled on the couch, a pillow hugged against her chest as tears flowed down her cheeks. Minato went to her wordlessly, and she clung to his arm when he sat down.

It was then that the song ended and Hinata smiled gently as the last note rang out. She adjusted herself at the piano, only then realizing that she probably should've asked for permission before playing. She unfolded her glasses and set them back onto her button-like nose and stood, quietly pushing the bench back under the piano. She jumped when she saw the entire family staring at her eerily, and she backed a little further into the corner.

"Again, you astound me." Naruto clapped loudly, the familiar grin stretching widely across his boyish face. "Bravo." Hinata blushed.

"T-Thank you." She turned to the couple watching her from their seats and lowered her head respectfully. "I apologize for playing without permission, but it was such a beautiful piano, I couldn't help myself." Kushina wiped at her eyes and hurried over to the younger woman.

"Do you have prior arrangements for tomorrow?" The redheaded woman clutched at Hinata's hands, holding them tightly in her own. She was practically buzzing, tears still present in her eyes.

Hinata fumbled over her words for a moment, before eventually giving up on an intellectual response and settling for a simple shake of the head. Kushina's eyes glittered happily and her entire being radiated her excitement. "I want you for my show tomorrow!" Hinata paled.

"Mom, you can't just do that to her! She's my employer!" Naruto stepped in, doing his best to disentangle his mother from where she'd practically leeched herself to Hinata in a vice grip.

"But Honeeeey! She's incredible, and I don't have a lead act tomorrow. I promise, it'll just be this once." Kushina pouted and clasped her hands together in front of her, glancing between Hinata and her son. Naruto frowned at his mother and crossed his arms over his chest.

A small hand touched his bicep cautiously and Hinata peeked around the large blonde. "I'll consider it." Kushina's face lit up instantly.

"Fantastic! Let me know by tomorrow morning then." Hinata nodded, and was then led out of the home.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I'm real sorry 'bout all of that." Naruto smiled sheepishly at Hinata and opened the car door for her to step out. Together, they made their way into Hinata's home. She just shook her head with a minute smile playing on her lips, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her thigh.

Naruto stopped to take his shoes off at the door and aligned them neatly beside Hinata's. Inwardly, he allowed himself to grin at the size difference between her tiny black flats and his size 13 boots. He followed the quiet patter of her feet into the main living room of the mansion and turned off all of the lights, watching her as she made her way up the stairs.

"Do you need any more assistance?" He called politely up the stairwell, his voice booming despite his attempt at being quiet.

"No, I'm alright. You can retire for the night," Hinata's gentle voice drifted down quietly after a moment. He glanced at his watch and instantly agreed with her advice. Without a second thought, he wandered through the rest of the building, shutting off the lamps and lights as he went out of habit. Naruto finally made it back to his room and threw himself into bed. It'd been such a long day, but not altogether unpleasant.

He pulled his shirt off over his head and kicked his jeans off, throwing both into some corner of his room. Tucking himself under his covers and sliding his arms under his pillow, he replayed the events of the day in his mind with a smile.

Tomorrow was bound to be interesting.

. . . . .

Hinata lowered herself into the steaming tub of water she'd drawn. She settled into the comfortable seat made of gel on the floor of the tub with a sigh, allowing the heat of the water to soak into her tired muscles. It'd been such a long day. Even still, despite her soreness, her fingers tapped away at her thighs as she played an imaginary piece, she, herself, was planning to compose in the near future. It would be fantastic if it worked out as well as she planned.

But it seemed that maybe she'd be able to complete her work on it sooner than she'd planned. A blush lit up her face, and she sunk a little further into the clear water of her bath.

"I want you for my show!" Hinata allowed herself to smile. She reached for the bar of soap on the side of the tub and dunked it into the water in front of her. She'd known the answer to the woman's request the moment she'd asked it, but of course Hinata had been unable to accept the offer. Damn shyness.

For years, Hinata had wanted to play. And now it was practically all she could do without worry for herself or without others worrying about her. Playing became a thing of expression, passion; a thing of love. Alone in the warmth of her bath, Hinata suddenly felt cold. It was where she felt strong.

She finally allowed the tears she'd been holding back to fill her eyes and slip over the rim. Holding herself, knees scrunched up to her bare chest, and her sniffles silenced by catching her lip between her straight, white teeth, she let the overwhelming feeling of gratitude radiate from her. She wasn't useless, unable to do anything. She'd prove it to herself and do the one thing she knew she'd always be able to do. Kushina had given her a chance, and she'd take it no matter what. Hinata shook, unable to hold back the ache in her heart. She just wondered why she felt the sudden desire to prove herself.

And to her butler, of all people.

. . . . . . . . .

End of Chapter 3.

1. I don't have much to say except for, "I hope you enjoyed this!" And the piano piece in it. Personally, I love it.

Read and Review, Love, AMB11!