Hello & Welcome!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this fic and my little introduction. I just wanted you to keep a few things in mind while reading the chapter: This chapter is a prologue and the format it has will not be followed by other chapter, what I mean is that it won't feel as choppy. The chapter starts with the Forth Ninja War progressing in time 'till the time period where the movie "Naruto: The Last" happens. I know that it may leave you with some questions but I aim to answer as the story goes along.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Also, English is not my first language and I have dyslexia, I worked hard to catch the mistakes but if you find things I hope it doesn't ruin the experience.

Enjoy!

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Chapter One:
Prologue

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Many of the words that Neji spoke at the time were not being processed by the Hyūga Heiress. She tried to focus, to pay attention, after all … This could be his last words. However, understanding the importance of the moment did not help her concentrate. Her ears were ringing with the sound of her own heartbeat, and she tried to read his lips but the blood that slipped from them was far too distracting. Don't cry Hinata… Her subconscious told her, funny how her subconscious sounded exactly like Neji…

Neji Hyūga could see the shock in his cousins eyes, not that it took a genius to figure that out, but it took a lot of mental power to keep calm and come up with the best words possible knowing they were his last. He had a great sense of reality, and most would chalk him up to be a realist but the Genius was an Idealist at heart. Despite his idealism, he was intelligent enough to know his wounds were mortal ones, so he stopped trying to say words for his cousin to hear; but rather the person who was most important to her. Trying to take care of her 'till the very end … This is it … He thoughts to himself as his vision was becoming darker and darker. His white eyes on Hinata, he was glad that it was her, despite the tears and sad look on her face, that he got to see last.

The first thing he [Neji] noticed was a bright light, and the second thing was pain. Unbelievable pain that made him scream out, which only made it worse.

"You guys have to do a better job at holding him down!" The pink haired healer barked orders as she did her best in trying to keep her comrade alive. "Shizune, quick get something to sedate him, or else he will just worsen the damage that has already been done" Out of the corner of her eye she saw a dark hair coming closer. Originally, Sakura had thought it was Shizune ready to distribute the sedative, but it had been Hinata and Sakura quickly reacted "Hinata please, I can't work with you around here looking at me like that" She was already feeling the pressure to save him, as he had been labeled already a war hero seeing that his sacrifice was the reason why Naruto could keep going and finish the fourth ninja war.

"I'm here to help" Hinata quickly stated as she moved towards Neji's head, putting herself in his line of vision. Slender hands took a hold of his face "Neji nii-san" she called to him. His eyes latched onto hers, and she knew, she had his attention.

He visibly calm down, but still his body remain rigid and tense form the pain. "Hi-Hinata-sama" He choked out her named as the metallic taste of his own blood became something he was now painfully aware of. He had been mentally prepare to die, and in his final moments of death he felt a freedom unlike any other … Now, however, he felt fear. Neji Hyūga was scared, he did not want to die specially when Hinata called out to him. He was still needed.

"You have to stay still, let them heal you" She pleaded to him, and this ugly selfish feeling crept up. A feeling that had begun to take root the moment he sacrificed himself for her. After all of that, here she was still asking him to do more for her because she didn't want him to die.

As Neji looked up, and Hinata looked down, her hair became a dark curtain that shut out the world and it was only them. Despite the pain, and chaotic nature of the current scene there was only him and her; unknown to him that the sedative was currently being distributed. While the pain went away, the heartache he felt as Hinata's tears rained down on him, was still there "Hinata-sama … Please don't cry" He said before everything went black again.

"Hinata, go home and sleep, I would have Ko get you if Neji wakes up" Hiashi's suggestion came out more as a command than anything else. His usually obedient daughter did not even look at him as he spoke those words, her eyes glued on a sleeping Neji. "Hinata" The Hyūga Clan head spoke one more time, this time touching her shoulder.

"I'm not leaving him" Spoke Hinata, her voice hoarse as she hadn't used it in more than 24 hours. "He almost died because of me, the least I can do is stay by his side while he heels"

"He would understand if you went home to rest" Hiashi countered.

"Yes … He would" Hinata quietly agreed. But that was exactly why she would not move from his bed side 'till he opened his eyes.

Hiashi let out a frustrating sigh, wanting nothing more than for his daughter to listen to him but that was not happening. In the midst of his frustration towards her, he still managed to feel a certain pride as his daughter remained unwavering. Her quiet determination was one of the qualities that made Hiashi fall for Hinata's mother despite their marriage being arranged. "Very well, but I will have someone come bring you food and I expect you to eat it. Give me at least that compromise"

It was as if she could not escape her own selfishness, her current narrowed view that focused on Neji made her disregard the worries of her father who did love her despite how bad he was at showing it. "I will eat whatever you send, Otōsan" she finally looked at him, and gave her a small kind smile, a smile that she didn't know put him at ease.

The impassive leader let his lips twitch slightly, and if you paid attention and did not blink you would have caught his short lived smile "Send for me when he wakes up" After those words, Hiashi took his leave and left the future of the Hyuga clan in each other's care.

1 week, 7 days, 168 hours, 10080 minutes, 604800 seconds …

However you looked at it, it felt like eternity to Hinata Hyūga. Sakura has reassured her that Neji was fine, that he was going to be fine. Recovery would be hard work seeing as he injured his spine, but he was going to wake up when he was ready … That's what scared Hinata. She was not worried about Neji putting in hard work, anyone that knew him also knew that he had no problem putting his blood and sweat into something. Nevertheless, last time he closed his eyes he did so thinking he was dying so Hinata worried he accepted that and this comatose state would be his permanent state.

Once again she found tears filling her eyes, at this point even she worried about reaching dehydration due to crying. Neji was so much more than this, than him in a comatose state. This blatantly insults the way he lived but Hinata had to live with this sad truth: he would have been better off dead than in this sad limbo. No dead, not alive either "Please wake up" Once more, she found herself asking him for something despite him being the weaker one at the moment. Asking him for things so her pain would come to an end, yet his would just begin if he did what she told him to do. Her heart currently shattered, broken because she mourned him and torn because she didn't even know how to feel. She leaned into his bed, letting the sheets lightly muffle her cries. She just wanted her cousin back.

It was so like him, to be responsive to her cries even in a subconscious matter. His hearing, that was the the first of his sense that came back. He heard muffled sobs and that has a domino effect in this other sense as they began to react to that sound. She had cried around his motionless body before, so there was no way to point out what was the reason behind him reacting now. All that mattered was him finally reacting. His vision becoming clearer and clearer as he took in his surroundings. They were back in Konoha, the wooden walls of a incomplete hospital were surrounding them. He saw Hinata's head buried in the sheets of the bed, near his hand. Neji did not yet trust his voice, so he relied on his actions, his shaking hand lifted and reached forwards to land heavily on her head. It was meant to be soothing, but his lack of strength at the moment made the landing if his hand upon her hand a lot rougher than calculated.

Hinata's head lifted up instantly, and in doing so, Neji's hand naturally traveled from it's original place down and along the side of her face. "Neji nii-san?" She couldn't trust her eyes. Had she cried herself to sleep again? Was he a figment of her imagination? Had her grief and guilt finally driven her mad?

"I told you to not cry anymore, Hinata-sama" He struggle to make his words audible enough. It was when his managed to speak that the Heiress began to cry.

Hinata left his side only to get help and so that he could get checked by the doctors. Her lungs now capable of inhaling deeply again once they announced that Neji Hyūga was out of danger. Silence filled the room again once the medics took their leave. Hinata's eyes not looking at Neji. She tried to put sentiments to understandable and complete sentences "I'm sorry, Neji" Started Hinata.

"Hinata-sama" Interrupted Neji, knowing where she intended to go with this and he was not about to let her.

"No, Neji, let me say this" With a shaky voice she insisted, staying silent for a little bit, waiting for a protest that never came. That's when she began to express herself again "I couldn't really hear you, that day… I couldn't really understand what you were telling Naruto-kun. Everytime I closed my eyes to sleep, that moment replayed over and over again and it made me realize something … Naruto-kun was not the only one that held someone's life in his hands" She paused momentarily, giving herself a minute to take a deep breath anticipating her stutter "We are responsible for the people that love us, and I ignored the responsibility I have with you. I was selfish, only thinking of my love for Naruto-kun and not thinking of the one that vowed to protect me. When I realized that, all I thought of was one thing … That I killed you" Her hand moved up to cover her lips as tears following their course down her cheeks and down to her hand that currently covered half her face.

"Hinata-sama, am I dead?" Neji simply asked

"No" she managed to choke out some words as she silently cried.

"Than you did not kill me … We are, were, at war. If anyone's deserves the blame is our enemy, not you" His words meant to be of some comfort and Hinata saw that. But the fact that he was barely alive and still comforting her only fed this feeling of selfishness she had inside. However, she only nodded and tried to ease her cries for him. So he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore.

One Month Since the Incident

It was a miracle the way Neji Hyūga had survived. A true testament of the medical skills of Konoha. Once he was awake, Sakura did a couple of more healing sessions while Naruto lend her chakra for maximum healing. There were two major places that he was hit: on his left lung and spine. Thanks to Sakura and Naruto, his lung would be able to recuperate fully as long as he did his breathing exercises. His problematic wound was the one of the spine. Thankfully the wound had been low enough that it only affected his legs, but it would take physical therapy and more healing sessions to get them to how the use to be.

"Come on Neji nii-san, you almost have it" Said Hinata, as she assumed the responsibility of his physical therapy and caretaker. A lot of members of the clan ( mainly, elderly main branch members ) were not too pleased to see her 'lower' herself to branch member duties. Despite them not wanting her to be heiress, they also did not want her to take up such duties … No matter what she did, they were not happy. However, there was a big part of the clan that looked at them and felt nothing but happy. Those members looked upon them as if they were a window of the future of the Clan. Neji and Hinata being two of the most influential people in the clan, and they were the picture of harmony between the main and lower branch. They embodied the hope of a better clan.

Neji struggled with his exercises, he was laying on his back with small weights strapped into his ankles. The exercises was simple enough, he was to bring his knee as close to his chest as possible. He was to do this five times on each leg, switching back and forth. This was the last of his exercises, the feeling of exhaustion settled in his muscles and aching bones. His brow, along with his neck, were lightly coated with sweat as a grunt escaped his lips. He was pushing through the pain. Never did he complain; never did he give up. He did what he had to do no matter the level of difficulty. Once done, he was left panting on the floor; and Hinata rejoicing furiously over what he believes was a minuscule victory "I don't understand why you are so happy, a two year old could do this. In fact, I am pretty sure they bring their feet all the way to their mouth"

"It's progress, you are did it faster than last week" She explained "This is very good" She reached for the towel to wipe the sweat of his brow. His hand caught her wrist, preventing her from doing as she intended, before nearing his face. Yes, Neji had been cooperative nine times out of ten. He had done things without complaining and had recognized the times he could not do something by himself. But there were moments when it was just too much for him and she saw that.

He was proud, he went from being the genius, the most skillful of his clan to this … Hardly an easy transition to endure. He was meant to take care of her, not the other way around. Even though he found himself in this position due to fulfilling that duty, it did not make anything easier. So Neji tried to do the things he could do, like: wiping the sweat of his brow. There was a slight tension in the room as he held on to her wrist, palpable tension. Thankfully they both knew that it was not directed towards her. He let go, took the towel, and she occupied herself with something else "Hinata, we could assign someone else to this. You should be out there, going on mission, being a Kunoichi"

"All the nations are at peace right now, missions are pretty limited and they are all within the village. Believe me I am not missed, but I promise that if they request me specially for a mission I will go" She tried to ease his mind, and internally hoped that they never ask for her, so she could focus on him.

One Year since the Incident

Hinata sat on the wooden floor, serving tea, as she watched Hanabi and Neji spar. As predicted, Neji was healing nicely and he surpassed the expectation of Tsunade and Sakura with his progress. He no longer needed crutches or a cane to walk, but his speed was still not what it use to be. The times he has overworked his legs, they became stiff and needed a day of bedrest. "Okay, let's take a break" Hinata called out to them, knowing that they would keep going if someone didn't stop them.

Instantly both Hanabi and Neji lost their fighting stance and headed towards Hinata. "Hinata nee-chan, why don't you join us?" Hanabi asked as she, very ungracefully, took a seat next to her sister.

"Because this is yours and Neji's training session" Hinata simply replied.

The contrast between the Hyūga sisters was not a small one, noted Neji. Here was Hinata, sitting properly, and every move that was created by her body exude nothing but grace. If Neji could get still frames from her day to day; he had no doubt that every frame would be filled with the lady likeness and poise she was aight since birth. Hanabi on the other hand, looked a little more careless, not for lack of control. She simply did not find the important of being proper 24/7. Yet, if he had still frames of her during one of her battles, he was sure he would find perfect, proper form. "You could have joined"

"I know… I was okay with just watching for now" Replied Hinata as she reached for the sweets on the plate. They were mainly for her. Hinata was the only one with a sweet tooth out of the three.

"Nee-chan … All those sweets and no practice will make you increase in wideness" Taunted Hanabi playfully. It was the big sister's job to taunt the younger one, but since Hinata did not assume that role Hanabi happily took it.

"Ha-Hanabi!" Exclaimed Hinata, alarmed by her sister's bluntness. Face displaying that popular shade of red her skin wore from time to time.

"Just saying, you are build differently" Hanabi poked on as she made crude gestures about her sister's breast.

"Hanabi-sama, behave as your position in this clan demands it" Scold Neji, knowing his words would make the younger Hyūga stop, and they did. It just didn't erase the smirk on her face.

"How do your legs feel, Neji nii-san?" Asked Hinata, dying to change the subject to something more important.

"Better, which is good but I would prefer the progress to be a lot better" He spoke in a monotone, void of any feelings which told Hinata that he was disappointed and was trying to hide it.

"Any progress is good progress" She knew her words were obvious, but she felt the need to stay them.

"Hey, Nee-chan, why don't you ask me about my progress?" Hanabi teased. The always so observant little sister picked up on the mood the conversation had taken. A joke seemed to be like just the thing the situation called for right now. Her questioned gained a giggle from Hinata and a chuckle from Neji.

There they were … The future of the Hyūga clan, getting along harmoniously over tea.

Two Years Since the Incident

"Neji Hyūga, I am happy to say that you are officially completely healed" Tsunade delivered the happy news from the office at the Konoha Hospital. "If I were to do a physical on you, I never would've guessed anything happened unless I looked at your file. I will send word to the Hokage that you are finally cleared"

It had been a long road, but finally Neji was officially back. While he didn't make a habit of broadcasting his emotions, he couldn't help but let it show a little. Neji Hyūga was happy "Thank you, Tsunade-same" He said before leaving her office. Hinata sitting, and waiting outside for him.

"So?... What did she say?" Hinata eagerly asked, standing up and moving closer to him.

"I am back to normal, my body has finally fully healed" The happy news made the timid Hyūga tear up which in turn made him give her a small smile "Silly … This is happy news" His hand patting the top of her head.

"I am happy Nii-san, I'm very happy" She dried her tears and smiled up at him and with that, they headed towards the Hyūga compound

Three Years since the Incident

Hinata, Hanabi and Neji found themselves in the Hyūga gardens in the middle of the night with a bottle of sake. Each of them having something to celebrate.

"So how does it feel Neji? To be an ANBU Captain?" Hanabi asked, with a certain longing but not jealousy.

"It was always the position I wanted" Admitted that male Hyūga.

"You're so lucky … Both of you" Said Hanabi "Father let me take the jounin exam because he wanted me to have that title but he has no intentions on letting me go on A and S rank missions because I am too important for the clan" Hanabi, along with Hinata, were both celebrating becoming Jounin. The sisters were happy to have gotten those titles together.

"Hanabi, being clan head, it's so important. It is an honor. Something he believes you deserve to have" Hinata tried to comfort her sister with her words.

"Well, I don't want it Nee-chan, I hate all those diplomatic meetings. I want to do things for my village not the clan. Besides, you are a lot better at it than I am. You always know what to say, how to make people feel comfortable … I don't want to pretend to like someone because it's for the good of the clan" Hanabi drank her sake a little too fast, and was reaching for more, but Neji intercepted.

"Hanabi, what are you saying?" Asked Hinata.

"I'm saying… Help me convinced the old man to put back as Heiress, I don't want it. I want to be an ANBU captain like Neji one day. He made up his mind about you a long time ago, but you are different now, we are both Jounin's now. We can show him that you and I are at the same level. Besides, you never wanted to be an ANBU, this way everyone wins" Hanabi's words came to a shock to both Neji and Hinata.

Hinata looked at Neji, as if trying to find some answers in his eyes. What was the proper way of responding? Has anyone ever rejected the position of clan head? She opened her mouth to speak but her unspoken words were cut off by the ones that Neji's spoke.

"Clan head … That was always Hinata-sama's birthright. We could make a strong case to give your father and the elders if it was something you both wanted" His eyes didn't look away from Hinata's because he knew it was something Hanabi wanted. But did Hinata?

"Yes! What do you say Nee-chan?" Hanabi's enthusiasm showed, as she was now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for her future.

"I-I…." She had stopped visualizing herself as clan head a long time ago. She loved her family, her clan, there was nothing but honor attached to the position but she renounced that dream a long time ago. "You really think it's possible?" The tone of her voice gave her heart's desires away,. There was a part of her that still wanted it and the fact that she could help her sister achieve what she wanted aswell only made up her mind even more

"I do, Hinata-Sama" Neji spoke confidently.

Her body reacted to her thoughts before she gave them voice, as she nodded yes "Then I want this too, I want to be the head of the Hyūga Clan"

"Then we have some preparing to do" Neji's mind already strategizing, creating a mental picture of all the elders and who it was that they would have to really sell this idea to.

"Now we can really celebrate!" Cheered Hanabi, which made both both Neji and Hinata shush her "You guys are seriously too young to be so old" Her complains made the two oldest laugh.

Later that night, Neji and Hinata found themselves heading towards Hanabi's room quietly. Neji carried Hanabi, and Hinata the glasses and bottle of Sake. "I really hope this does not become a habit for her" Hinata expressed concern as they entered Hanabi's room.

"I think she has more sense than that" Replied Neji as he placed the youngest Hyūga on the bed. "I'll wait outside" He let her know, knowing that Hinata would changed Hanabi into something more comfortable. He closed the door behind him and did as he said he would, wait outside quietly. Not much time passed before Hinata came out. "Hinata-sama, I can leave those in the kitchen and you can go to your room"

"Don't be silly, I can drop these off myself" Said Hinata as she began to head to the kitchen "You can go to bed"

But Neji didn't, he followed her silently. As she disposed of the bottle he finally spoke again "It's not going to be easy, Hinata-sama, convincing the elders seeing as they made up their minds a long time ago. They will put you under a microscope, and they will pick at every flaw … Not to say that Hanabi is perfect and you aren't, but they will use your shortcomings against you, as if you are not capable of learning from them. Are you ready for that Hinata-sama?" He didn't doubt that Hinata was perfectly capable of being Clan Head. Limitations were things that people placed on other and themselves … There aren't truly there.

"Do you think I can do it, Nii-san?" There was hurt in her voice, he was suppose to see her the way no one else in the clan did.

"That's not what I said" Neji quickly disclaimed.

Hinata remain silent for almost a whole minute before she spoke again "I never liked confrontation … But I guess it can't be avoided. I want to change this clan Neji nii-san, whatever means necessary" She may lack a lot of things, in the eyes of other and even in hers, but she had determination and a vision for this coven. But she's never been brave enough to act on it, never thought she would ever get a chance to see it realized.

"Then you are ready" He was quite content with her reply, and it was moments like this that made it so apparent that she was Clan Head material "Let's go to sleep"

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End of Chapter One

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I hope you guys enjoy it and stay tuned for next chapter (will be trying to post weekly)

Remember that the next chapters won't look like this, this is just the set up for the story.

I welcome the reviews, they fuel me really.