A/N: Hey guys, long time no see. I have a term paper due December 3rd so that should be the only thing standing between me and this story lol. I've been adding stuff here and there. Not sure I'm completely satisfied but when is an author ever completely satisfied? Anyways, thanks so much for the reviews and follows to me and my other stories as well as the favorites. It means so much to me you don't even know! I will be adding chapter two right after this one so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Notes: Shimogakure: Frost Village; Kirigakure: Mist Villaget; Otogakure: Sound Village; Kusagakure: Sound Village

Chapter One: My Chance

"Hinata," A strong voice called to her, causing her to react quickly and snap her head up from her daze. For some reason, her father had called her to meet with him and Hanabi, her sister. Her younger sibling sat erect, her eyes focused at nothing but she was clearly listening to what their father had to say. Hinata focused her eyes on Hiashi as she made certain that her mind was there in the present.

"I'm listening, father." Hinata confirmed. She was listening, but she wished she could close her ears. She wished that she could shut him out or ignore what he was about to tell her. She knew exactly what this was going to be about and she wanted to make sure she had the strength to be able to handle it, to show him that she had as much worth as her sister.

"I need you to show me that you are prepared to become the head of the clan. I cannot hold this position for much longer and with Neji…" He trailed off and gathered his thoughts, "I have to consider you as next in line. Hanabi isn't old enough and I need you to step up as Hyuga." Hiashi stood to his feet and made his way out of the room, leaving Hinata behind and Hanabi to follow him. Hinata sat there in silence as she took in the information.

Over the years as Hinata developed as a woman, she had jumped through many hoops and pushed past the obstacles that had been thrown at her. It had been difficult coming up in the main Hyuga house. As the first born of Hiashi, she had many expectations to fulfill.

Not only expectations, but shoes—Neji's shoes.

As a person that she respected, she found it difficult to find the median of staying true to herself and not mimicking his ways. She always wondered if she was going down the right path and if her father had a choice other than herself, would he choose Hanabi instead. Her own insecurities always seemed to get the best of her. So much had been going on and things had been moving so fast that she didn't know if she was here or there.

The Hyuga pinched the bridge of her nose and then stood from her kneeled position. How was she going to step it up? How was she going to prove herself to her father? The only thing she could think of was to talk with Tsunade and see what she could offer her. The thought if this made her feel uneasy, because she had never done anything other than one A-Rank mission.

Insecurities.

Insecurities were invading her mind again. She couldn't let it do that to her. There was so much at stake and she had been working hard to earn the respect of others. Hinata supposed that the best she could do was to speak with Tsunade and go from there. She had to be hopeful about it and show that she was more than just an introvert and that she absolutely capable of taking on heavy tasks. All it took was to take the first step and head over to her office.

Yeah, it would be just that easy.

Hinata fought with herself at the base of the stairs leading into Tsunade's office. She couldn't be afraid anymore and she had to push herself. "Yes, I can do this." She muttered to herself as she walked up the stairs and stood in front of the door. The Hyuga took a deep breath and knocked gently against the door. She waited for a few moments and could hear a stir before the Fifth responded,

"Come in."

She stepped inside of the room and looked around to see that Tsunade was the only one inside. There were many documents on her desk as there had always been and Tsunade's expression had been filled with distress and exhaustion. Who knew how long she'd been working and toiling away, but there were things that needed to be done. Tsunade had been working to rebuild Konoha and there were even still parts of the village that needed tending to. They had a long ways to go and communication with other countries had become a strain on her.

There were many treaties that needed to be signed and people she needed to follow up with post-war. They were short-handed and the decisions that had to be made had to be made right then. Still, Tsunade felt as though some people weren't ready for the tasks that needed to be taken care of and if she had to, she would have to figure out alternative ways to get them done. The blond looked up from her cup of tea and smiled at the Hyuga. For some odd reason, just seeing her brightened her day. Hinata had been so gentle in her eyes and was filled with so much potential. As Hinata stood before her, she had come to realize that she had grown to be a strong kunoichi. Tsunade turned her gaze back to her work in front of her and began signing off on a few pieces of paper.

"What can I do for you?" The Hokage inquired, her eyes focused on her paperwork.

"Ah, yes. I was wondering if you had any work for me to do. I mean, if you had any missions that I could take on." Hinata replied rather quickly and then exhaled to calm herself. It was fine, she tried to remind herself.

Tsunade paused for a moment and then said, "I don't have anything too urgent right now. I do have a few C or B-ranked missions that you could handle, I'm sure." She continued to sign and stamp a few papers.

Hinata stood there feeling insulted. C or B-ranked missions? Is that what Tsunade thought of her? Is that what everyone thought she was capable of doing, only those low rung missions? This wasn't enough to show that she was capable of handling the Hyuga clan as the head. This wasn't enough to fully show her potential. But then again, if the Hokage thought that she wasn't ready, then perhaps she wasn't ready. She stood there for a few moments in silence, thinking of her options. Maybe it would just take some time and she should accept what was given to her.

While she was deep in confliction, she heard a knock on Tsunade's door. It was no surprise to her seeing that people came in and out of her office all the time.

"Come in." Tsunade said, breaking the silence between them.

Before Hinata could turn around, she was jumped by the large beast named Akamaru. He barked and wagged his tail gleefully as he covered her face with drool. She couldn't help but laugh at his ticklish tongue and pet him on top of his head. Of course this could only mean that Kiba was to be followed after him. He seemed serious for some reason and called Akamaru back to his side to stand at attention. Hinata turned back to Tsunade, wiping away Akamaru's kisses and returned to her thoughts.

"You asked for me, Lady Tsunade?" Kiba raised a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. Instead of his usual banter, he seemed focused. Whatever task Tsunade had for him, must have been something he felt that he had to take very seriously. Everyone picked up missions every now and again, but when it came to Konoha and being a shinobi, whenever the Hokage called you in to take care of a task it was important to come in with a leveled and focused mind.

Tsunade hesitated to answer and looked at Hinata with apprehension. Hinata looked between Kiba and Tsunade. It didn't take a skilled ninja to understand what was going on. She opened her mouth to say something, but Tsunade went first, "What about Shino? Where is he?"

"Shino is off on another mission remember? I don't think he or Chouji will be back for a few weeks," Kiba went on to explain. Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. Of course, how could she overlook something like that? She'd been swamped with so much work that she forgot about all the things she'd asked the other shinobi to do. The blond rested her elbows onto her desk, fingers laced, and forehead pressed against her hands.

"What mission is it?" Hinata interjected, causing them both to look at her and then look at each other. Kiba said nothing as Tsunade leaned back into her chair.

"I can't disclose that to you." She replied simply.

Hinata frowned, taking in what she'd just said and then looked to Kiba. He didn't look directly at her and as a matter of fact he avoided her. He wasn't sure what he could say to her and especially with how delicate the information was. The Hyuga looked back to their Hokage and furrowed her brows. She was certainly displeased with this situation and didn't quite understand why she wouldn't just allow her to take on the operation. The boldness inside told her she was able to take it and this would be a perfect chance to show everyone that she could handle whatever could be thrown at her. As future head, she had to be able to do these things and she couldn't do them if no one gave her a chance.

"With all due respect Lady Tsunade, I am more than capable of taking on this task. I assume that his operation is of either A or S-rank. I want to take on this opportunity because I know I can do it." Hinata had strength in her voice and Kiba watched her with awe. It was surprising to see her speak like that, especially someone higher up than she.

"Hinata, if Tsunade felt like you were capable she would've chosen you to begin with. I think her actions are justified and I think if we just need someone who knows how to handle it." Kiba sounded a bit cocky. He brushed her off as if she was a genin. Hinata could feel the anger boiling within her. She had taken a lot of insults and she refused to be stepped on any longer. If there was one thing that she gained, it was some self-respect for herself.

"Kiba, I don't need you to tell me what I am adequate enough to do. I know what I can do and I have shown that I possess the ability to show you all what I can do. I am not some weakling that can only stand back and watch her comrades move forward. I want to move forward too!" Hinata caught herself. She had to calm down and knew she'd raised her voice at him. She didn't mean to be that way, but she was tired of everyone treating her like a child. She could do it and if everyone just took her seriously, she could show them.

Tsunade pushed her chair back and stood from her desk. She grabbed a scroll from her desk and handed it off to Hinata. "I think you're more than capable. I apologize for making you feel doubted Hinata, here." Hinata looked from Kiba to Tsunade and reached for the scroll. When she had it in her hand, she stared at it for a few moments in shock.

"I—I don't know…" Hinata stared at the scroll and looked back to Tsunade who'd leaned against the desk, her arms folded.

"Listen to me, the both of you. What you read in that scroll, here in this office is between us and no one else. These are the instructions for your mission. It is an S-ranked mission and it requires transporting this important scroll to Shimogakure in the Land of Frost." Tsunade looked at them expectantly. Kiba grabbed the scroll from Hinata's hands and opened it. She moved near him in order to read the requirements of the mission.

The requirements were acceptable and expected. The contents of the scroll mostly included shinobi rules and who to give it to. It also required that the mission be fulfilled without returning to the village. Returning to the village without having completed the mission meant dishonor and much worse than that—it meant that the scroll fell into the wrong hands. Hinata took a deep breath and put together her thoughts as if it were a puzzle. She had decided to take on this task in order to show her strength, however it was her first. It was the first time she had ever received an S-ranked mission and she would have to go at it alone with Kiba.

There would be no one to cover for her other than him and this mission had no room for error.

"Understood," the both said simultaneously.

"Good. Be on the lookout for other ninja in the area. My resources tell me that there are others that seek out this piece of information will attempt to intercept you. Once there, you will meet with a shinobi from Kirigakure. They will then be responsible for handling the rest. Until then, you will take care of this with your life. You must be willing to die for this mission. If you do not have the will, I need to know now." Tsunade's words were firm. The air around them was heavy with the seriousness of this mission. Hinata's chest felt constricted with worry and fear.

"I understand." Kiba answer immediately as he looked directly into the eyes of the Fifth.

Now wasn't the time to second guess herself. She had said that she wanted to do this and now there was no looking back. "I understand as well," Hinata nodded finally.

"Good. The mission starts now. Information tells me that you might be able to avoid being ambushed before reaching the borders of the Land of Fire." She pushed herself into a standing position and headed back to sit in her chair. "You are dismissed."

Both Hinata and Kiba bowed before they pivoted and left her office. When they'd reached the outdoors, they'd said nothing at all. Hinata's mind was filled with thoughts of what-might-happens and what-if scenarios. She also had to think of different things to carry with her. She knew that carrying too much could hinder her, but if she forgot anything important the what-ifs came to mind. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Kiba stopped and turned to her.

"I guess I'll meet you at the village gate," He sounded unhappy about it. Hinata bit her lip, unsure of what to say other than,

"Okay." The canine turned from her and headed to his place. She watched him for a few moments and then headed in the opposite direction.

Saying nothing was probably the best she could do for now.

Ko, Hinata's bodyguard, helped with her packing. Although she did try very hard to get him not to, he insisted that he help her with it. As they packed in silence, she couldn't help but feel hopeful that the mission would go by quickly. Her inexperience with S-ranked missions would probably play a huge role in their success. She didn't want to hold Kiba back. She continued to fold her things and put them in her bag and while she did this Ko moved to place a hand on her shoulder. Hinata looked up at him, trying to wipe the worry from her eyes.

"Lady Hinata, I wouldn't worry so much. I think you will do fine. This is a great opportunity to show your father how hard you've worked," Ko looked at her with encouragement. She smiled and nodded. She didn't know why she kept riddling herself with those kinds of thoughts. It was a bad habit that she wasn't able to shake. She sighed and grabbed a few more things before reaching to slide her door open when her father stood at its entrance. She stepped back and bowed her head respectfully along with Ko.

"Hinata, I hear that you're going off on your first S-ranked mission. I hope you've prepared yourself for what you may or may not face. The conditions of this kind of mission are nothing compared to what you've challenged yourself to before. I know that during the war you did your part, but I hope you've realized that it was never going to end there." Similar eyes looked into hers and although it seemed like he was scolding her, these were his words of encouragement.

"Yes, father, I understand. I will hold our honor and I will not let you down," Hinata said with conviction. Seeing her father just before leaving meant a lot to her. He focused much of his time on Hanabi, even after the war. It seemed as though sometimes no matter how much she pushed, she would never reach the height that her younger sister was at. So with a personal send off like this, she had to count her blessings that he still cared.

Hiashi's eyes softened and then he nodded before taking his leave. Hinata turned to Ko with a soft smile. "Don't worry, everything will be fine and I'll be back in no time." The Hyuga and her bodyguard exited her room and exchanged their goodbyes and Hinata made her way down the dirt path.

When Hinata arrived, Kiba had been waiting for her at the entrance of the village. He was preoccupied with Akamaru, as they laughed and barked at one another. As Hinata neared him, he stood to his feet and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He gave her a sideways glance and fixed his mouth to speak, "You're awfully late. We could've gone ages ago."

Normally a person would be taken aback by the way he spoke, but Hinata had been around him for so long that she was used to his mannerisms. But saying that she was used to his mannerisms didn't change how she acted around him. As she normally did, she started to feel a little guilty. "I'm sorry. I spoke with my father and I was caught up in packing all of my things." She tried to explain, although she knew that this excuse would probably not be enough.

Kiba stared at her for a few moments and frowned. He looked as if he wanted to say something else but resigned. He turned and began to lead the way with Akamaru right behind him. Hinata stood there awkwardly for a few moments and heaved a sigh before following after him. Kiba had always been the type to be the leader. When they'd been on missions when they were children, he always told everyone what to do. The odd thing about it all was that from the beginning they trusted his instincts and allowed him to be the 'leader.'

Sometimes she wondered if they'd really trusted in him or was it because neither of them wanted to argue. Shino had never been the type to bicker about anything. He complied with most things but he was fully capable of speaking up if he didn't like something. Speaking of, Shino had been busy on his own mission. Lately the former Team 8 had been separated. They spent a little less time together than they used to, but somehow seemed to get together when all them had the time. Kiba usually did most of the talking and Hinata managed to get a few words in, but Shino would always be Shino. He only spoke when he felt like he needed to.

There was always something special about Team 8. They were a strange trio and somehow they managed to work through even the toughest times. She had been the weakest of the three and over the years, Kiba seemed to lighten up on how tough he was on her. Maybe he saw that she was actually trying? She assumed that she should probably leave it to the fact that he'd just been too busy to worry about what everyone else was doing.

She wondered what he improved on and what he lacked. Maybe she should've thought about that before she went on this mission with him. Maybe that was why he really didn't want to go on this mission with her.

Maybe she should stop thinking about all these maybes because she was starting to get a headache.

Kiba glanced back and slowed his pace to even with hers. He watched her carefully for a few moments and then said, "You should stop thinking so much, you're worrying yourself to death."

Hinata opened her mouth then closed it. He'd caught her doing one of her old bad habits. This then got her to thinking:

Maybe he had been paying attention?

Again, she caught herself overthinking the situation again. It wouldn't be possible. Besides, what possible reason could there be for him to worry over her so much?

As they walked in silence, Kiba kept himself ahead of her and Hinata continued to walk two steps behind. This situation was already starting to become extremely uncomfortable and they hadn't really gotten far enough from the village to really put a dent in the mission. Hinata began to wonder if it was always going to be this way while they were together. If it was, she didn't like the idea very much.

"So, what exactly have you been up to Kiba?" The air between them was frigid and what used to feel like a strong companionship between the two of them felt like they were complete strangers.

"Nothing, I've just been busy making sure I'm strong enough to take over the clan. I've been rebuilding a lot of things with my family and I've also been helping some of the civilians rebuild their homes." Kiba explained as he slowed to walk beside her. She smiled a bit to herself. This was much better. At least now they could walk together and chat together like real friends again.

Their conversations seem to go along pretty smoothly, up until Hinata began to question the mission and his reasoning as to why he had objected to her coming along as his partner. Kiba had grown quiet and had actually picked up his pace. His back was to her again and now she was walking two steps behind him. She was now at her starting position.

She wondered if she had said something wrong.

Perhaps she should go at this with a different approach? If this didn't work, she didn't know what would or if she would really be able to handle the rest of this mission alongside him. But, she wanted to look on the bright side.

Kiba wouldn't treat his friend like that would he? At least he'd never treated her like this, until now.

AN: It's a start lol. Um leave a review or something. Let me know what you think and how you feel about it. All forms of criticism are welcome as long as you're not rude xD. Again, big thanks to those who have taken the time to like my previous stories and especially Hot Minute. I read that last night and was like, "Wow, I really wrote this?" xDD Anyways, see you next chapter. I'm putting it up right now! -LumiWolf