I was bored in English IV class, and this is the end result of said boredom. It came to me very randomly and very persistently. So I wrote it down on notebook paper and then went and typed it up here. This is a Sasu/Hina...(yes another) :) more for my pleasure and hopefully other people will like it.

This is an AU to my 'Time after Time' fanfic, so it has no involvement to my other story whatsoever. I suppose it's relatively closer to the original naruto-universe. Some of you might not get it, since the anime shows small bits and pieces of sasuke's past and doesn't show the whole picture till the 'sasuke retrieval' arc. Ehh, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. It's not super gushy romantic as I usually like them, but I do have to make it a bit realistic in the sense that sasuke won't fall in love with hinata at first sight. (though I wish it every day lol.)

I bring you my one-shot 'It started with a dream.' Please review if you enjoyed :)

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to kishimoto-sama, who is making me get confused big time with the uchiha brother fight lol.

It would happen every night. The same thing. The same place, same road, same face, same screams, the same blood. And then she would wake up, her hands holding tightly onto her sheets. Her wet hair stuck to her pillow. Sweat and tears rolling down her face. Her breathing rapid and shallow. After a minute or two, she would get up to prepare for the day, as if nothing had happened.

Hinata, was having nightmares. For two whole months since her return from the mission with team seven, she has been having these 'visions.' She wouldn't be so bothered by them if it weren't for one distinct fact. Those nightmares...weren't hers. Yes, she had them, and saw them, and reacted the same way any normal person would from a horrible nightmare, but it had no involvement of her whatsoever. It was as if she was watching someone else's life through her dreams, and quite frankly, she didn't like them.

It was the same repetitive dream. She would open her eyes and find herself in an empty road, surrounded by empty buildings. The moon was always a ghastly red color. Like blood. She would walk around aimlessly, trying to find some kind of human contact. This would go on for minutes, and then she would see 'him'. A little boy with a black long sleeve shirt on, khaki shorts, and his hair and eyes a distinct color of bluish-black. For some reason, this little boy would never see her, no matter how much she tried to touch, talk, yell, at him. The little boy would always look around, like he too noticed the lack of people. Then, he would start to run, yelling for anyone to respond back to him. This is where hinata's dream would get more violent. The little boy had spotted an old couple lying dead on the ground, he touched the old woman first, yelling out 'Auntie' as much as he could. He would then continue running, realizing his aunt, was already gone. Hinata's own heart would pound nervously with the boys, knowing full well that he was concerned for his parents. Afraid they too, had fallen victim to what his aunt and uncle had gone through. The boy would reach, what hinata assumed, was his home. His dark eyes would dart from room to room as he ran yelling out for his mother and father. He reached a large door of the house, and the little boy would gulp and hesitate for a moment, before pushing the doors open to look for his parents. What he saw, shocked both him and hinata. It was always the worst part of her dream. The little boy's parents laid on the floor of the room, dead. Blood from their deep wounds flowing into the wood planks. Hinata would try to reach for the little boy, she wanted to comfort him from such a difficult realization. But she could never touch him, just like before. All she could do was watch as the shadow of a bloodied man made itself known to the small boy. It was apparent the boy knew who he was, but for hinata the man was a blur. It was during these moments, that hinata is allowed to touch the boy. Every dream ends this way. She kneels beside the boy and touches his head lightly. His tear-filled eyes would look up at her with fear and surprise. She repeated the same words to him. 'It's ok, I know it hurts and that you're scared because you don't know what to do. You're blaming yourself too, aren't you?' The little boy would automatically attach to her torso and sob. Through his hiccuping, he would tell her. 'I...I-I just don't wanna be alone.. please...I-I don't know who y-you are, b-but don't leave me alone...l-like they did.' hinata would feel sympathy for the frightened boy in her arms. He was so terrified of what was happening around him, he didn't even care who he was holding, even if it was her. 'I-I'll protect you l-little one..' She repeated to the boy. The boy would look at her with a desperate hopeful look in his eyes. But that's when she'd wake up. The little boy in her arms gone, replaced by her sheets.

Hinata had gone with a doctor for her problem. The only logical conclusion they could come up with, was she must have some sort of side-effect to a genjutsu she had encountered during her mission. At first hinata had believed this was the truth as well. After all, she had been on a retrieval mission, to find and bring back Uchiha Sasuke. She was surrounded by two genjutsu masters in the final battle of the mission. Perhaps itachi or sasuke had side-tracked their attacks and had hit her to some degree. That was her conclusion a month ago. But she too knew of genjutsu attacks, and knew this had lasted far more than a normal genjutsu should last. Her dreams went a lot deeper it seemed. She also knew a genjutsu always is at its peak of intensity when near the source of the illusion. Hinata had been around sasuke after he was brought to konoha countless of times. For the inspection of his weapons, helping sakura-san heal his wounds, and for the punishment he would receive. Not once during those times had she reacted to him.

No, whatever it was that was giving her these dreams, were no genjutsu.

So, the dreams continued. She was now almost three months into her troubling visions, and she saw no end to them anytime soon either. Hinata had woken up in the middle of the night, the dream unusually more intense than normal. It was so intense, hinata now found herself in the bathroom, vomiting her dinner. She had to find a way to end this, now. Of course she needed to calm down her nerves first, before she could think of a plausible solution to her problem. She closed her eyes and imagined the events from the past evening. Naruto being yelled at by sakura, after he had made a rather rude comment about girls being too touchy for their own good. Sakura's hidden smiles as she watched naruto pout for being punched, and sasuke trying to hide his amusement through a blank look on his face. Yes, as much as it hurt her to see naruto and sakura together, they did make her feel a lot more calm, even with their loud talking. Her nerves finally calmed down as hinata opened her eyes and looked around her bedroom. Her clear eyes in deep thought.

It was then she realized something. Why was it, that her dreams always became more intense right after she's around sasuke uchiha? It was that exact reason, that had made her believe in the beginning that perhaps it was a genjutsu, but never paid that much mind to it after she concluded that it wasn't a genjutsu effect. After his punishment had been given, sasuke uchiha had returned to his empty compound to continue his life. Hinata had seen him four times since then, whenever she was invited by either naruto or sakura to hang out with them at ichiruka's. Was it possible that perhaps her dreams were really visions? And that somehow the uchiha knew who the little boy was, and what had happened to him? Was that why she dreamed more intensely to the point that it felt real, when she saw sasuke? And if all of that is true, then why is she the only one affected by these dreams? Why is sasuke not affected by the same dreams, if he might know the little boy better than her? Or does he and is just better at hiding his worry than she is?

Then again, since his return to konoha the man hasn't even shown of sign that he has emotions. Besides anger, annoyance, and impatience. He also killed his own brother, and a legendary sannin, not once showing a sign of regret or glee. Hinata concluded that sasuke, was a master in disguising his emotions.

As she kept thinking, Hinata's eyes widened in realization as she plopped back down to her pillow. Of course! It was so obvious now. If all her assumptions were correct, and sasuke knew the little boy in her dreams, then the little boy must have died in the uchiha massacre. It made sense after all, she was around two emotionally intense uchiha in the mission. The boy must have been haunting one of them since who knows how far back. When itachi was killed, perhaps the little boy attached to hinata in order to give her his message. He wanted to find peace from the never ending cycle of his family's death, and then his own. Or she could be thinking too much again.

In either case, it was worth a shot. If the little boy wanted to rest in peace from the awful events of the uchiha massacre, then she had to at least try.

Hinata went to sleep, deep in her mind hoping her theory was right, and that the little uchiha boy that has been haunting her dreams would find some peace after she completes her plan for tomorrow.

Hinata left early from her home, intent on fulfilling her own self-promise. Give the little uchiha boy in her dreams peace, so she could have her mind's peace back as well. She walked down to yamanaka's flower shop, hoping to find ino so she could ask directions to the uchiha compound, and perhaps to find some flowers. Though the blonde girl was a bit shocked that the shy hinata was asking directions to the now dubbed 'traitor of konoha' sasuke uchiha's compound, she didn't complain. Sasuke was out on a mission as many have heard, and hinata had no romantic interest in him. Smiling hinata thanked ino for the direction and then asked.

"Ino-chan, c-could you help m-me with something?"

Hinata now walked in the direction of the uchiha compound, just as ino had told her. In her hand she held a large bouquet of snowdrops, golden yarrow, and light purple sweet pea. Ino had helped her choose these to leave a message to the person she was hoping to find in the uchiha memorial site. Determination glittered in hinata's clear eyes as she turned to the corner and found herself face to face with the entrance to the uchiha compound. Taking in a deep breath of air, she entered.

The moment she looked at the empty road and empty buildings of the uchiha compound, hinata knew her theory was proved correct. It was the same path she took every night in her dreams, and the last path the little uchiha boy took before he passed away. The young hyuga began to walk again, already familiar with the road. The memorial was just down the road and to the left.

Her hands tightened on the bouquet. It wasn't because she was nervous about seeing the uchiha. Though he did intimidate her quite well. Besides hinata also heard that sasuke was off on a mission with kakashi-san, and wouldn't be back until later on in the day. No, she was worried that perhaps she was wrong and that her visiting the graveyard wouldn't make the little boy rest in peace, but make it worse. She wanted to help. Really she did.

Hinata stopped as she turned the corner and could see the entrance into the uchiha memorial site. Where all the uchihas murdered on that dreadful day so many years ago laid. Her eyes grew slightly darker as she bowed in respect to the dead, before walking down the path to enter the area. Hinata wasn't surprised to see the memorial covered in moss and broken twigs from the trees above the headstones. After all, sasuke was the only one left, and he had left konoha over three years ago, and just now returned. She didn't know where exactly to place the bouquet, since she wasn't sure the little uchiha boy even existed. So choosing her second best choice, hinata placed the flowers on the headstones of the uchiha matriarchs, fugaku and mikoto uchiha. Hinata bowed her head in respect, before looking up again to see the rest of the headstones. To believe, one of those headstones might have the name of the little uchiha boy in her dreams, carved into the hard exterior. 'I hope this will help you realize that you can rest in peace, and that everything will be all right little one.'

"What are you doing in here?" the voice of a very agitated man rang through hinata's head as she spun around and found herself face to face with uchiha sasuke.

A blush of embarrassment covering her face, hinata quickly stood up from her spot on the grass and bowed to the uchiha. "F-Forgive my intrusion u-uchiha-san. I-I'll leave now b-before I cause you a-anymore trouble. Excuse m-me."

"You didn't answer my question, what are you doing here?" hinata shivered as she was pulled back harshly by sasuke's tight grip. "What the hell gave you the idea you can come into MY property without my permission...hyuga??" The uchiha's eyes widened slightly as hinata turned around to face him, and nodded slowly.

"G-Gomen..I-I didn't mean to be rude by coming h-here without a-asking first. But umm, I heard y-you were in a mission, s-so umm." hinata rubbed her sore arm as she was let go by sasuke.

"It was canceled. So I'm training for the next one...now, answer me hyuga. What are you doing here of all places?" sasuke looked behind her to find a fresh bouquet of flowers placed neatly on his parent's graves.

"I...I-I was just paying my overdue r-respects that's all u-uchiha-san." hinata poked her index fingers together as her eyes darted from one grave to another. She was bent on not looking into his eyes.

"...What's the real reason hyuga? I know you're lying. You think I'm a traitor just like every other damn person in this village. I doubt you'd do this out of goodwill." the harsh mocking tone sasuke spoke in, angered hinata for a moment, before she realized sasuke was using his sharingan against her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, hinata turned to look at the many uchiha headstones. Without turning back around, hinata asked the impatient uchiha a question.

"Do...D-Do you feel them u-uchiha-san?"

"What the hell re you talking about hyuga?" sasuke raised an eyebrow at the petite girl. 'what a strange girl, and to believe she's actually the normal one out of the rookie nine.'

"W-When you come and v-visit them...do you feel your f-fallen kin...u-uchiha-san?" hinata continued to look ahead, her voice a mere murmur.

"I don't. All of them are dead, and I've avenged them. I have no more need to come here." hinata shouldn't have been surprised by his cold and distant answer. As much as he hates to admit it to himself, their deaths still hurt him deeply.

"Is that so? Hmm, w-well then I suppose t-that makes perfect sense." hinata turned and gave a shy nod and smile. "I just c-came here to h-help a f-friend from a l-long time ago, that's m-my reason uchiha-san."

"A friend? Is that so?" the uchiha was already growing bored of the conversation and looked back towards the entrance. "If that's all you came for then you can go hyuga, I'm sure the dobe or sakura can keep you company not some empty graveyard."

Hinata nodded and bowed to the gravestones again, not noticing sasuke as he rolled his eyes in annoyance, and began to walk towards the exit. As she passed the uchiha hinata blushed, and turned to look at him.

"What is it?" he asked, ready to kick out this pestering girl who trespassed on his property.

"C-Could you..umm, p-perhaps do me a huge f-favor u-uchiha-san?" hinata asked timidly as she tried to not look directly into his dark eyes. Though she couldn't help but notice how familiar they looked to her.

"Does it have something to do with the dobe?" sasuke asked, finding it obvious of the hyuga's crush on naruto since even a tree could figure it out.

"Uh..umm n-no..." she blushed at the comment.

"No?"

Shaking her head, hinata pointed to the flowers on sasuke's parents graves. "T-Those flowers were meant f-for someone else, but I can't seem to f-find him.

"You knew another uchiha? That's kind of hard to believe hyuga. Your clan's never liked us after all."

"H-Hai...i-in my dreams...u-uchiha-san."

"In...your dreams?" now sasuke officially knew this girl was weird.

Nodding hinata looked back at the flowers again. "I've been having the s-same dream for almost t-three months n-now. I'm in the uchiha c-compound..and I always f-follow this little b-boy. I know n-now that the long sleeve black shirt he was wearing was a t-traditional style for most u-uchiha boys. H-He also seemed to have l-lost an a-aunt and uncle in my dream...he always goes to a l-large mansion and searches for h-his family. He finds his m-mother and father d-d-dead on the floor of their house. And h-he seems to know w-who killed all of t-them. W-Which mens he m-must have met i-itachi, and i-itachi must have killed him too. I-I just want the little boy to find some p-peace u-uchiha-san. So he can leave my dreams in peace a-as well." this whole time hinata remained in her spot, staring at the gravestones of fugaku and mikoto.

Hinata didn't notice the shocked look on sasuke's face as she spoke. Or the pained look when she told him she wanted the little boy to have peace.

"My d-dreams always intensify whenever I'm n-near you u-uchiha-san...so I-I believe the little b-boy knew you when you w-were smaller. That's w-why I'm asking you to p-please if it's n-not much trouble, place the flowers in the l-little boy's grave for me? I don't want to s-see him cry in m-my dreams...a-anymore." Hinata finally turned to look at sasuke, only to be surprised by the rather calm look on his face. Much calmer than it's ever been since his return to konoha. "U-Uchiha-san?"

"Why?" he asked flatly as he stared at her.

"W-Why what u-uchiha-san?" she blinked with worried curiosity.

"Why did you do this for that little boy, if you've only ever seen him in dreams?" his voice slivered with slight bitterness.

"...W-Why not?" the question given to sasuke by the small hyuga woman surprised him.

"What?"

"Why not? H-He was clearing in p-pain in my dream u-uchiha-san. His family was taken from h-him unfairly and in the cruelest of ways...j-just like you uchiha-san. I t-thought the l-least I can do for h-him is let him know h-he's not alone. Whether h-he agrees w-with me or not."

Tense moments pass after hinata spoke. She nervously waiting for sasuke to say something, and sasuke thinking very deeply in his mind.

"You should leave hyuga, your family will probably not find it 'appropriate' for a heiress like you to be around a traitor like me." sasuke passed by her as he made his way to the exit.

Her eyes widening, hinata stumbled after him. "U-Uchiha-san! P-Please will you p-place the flowers in the b-boys grave for me..." hinata bumped into sasuke's back as he abruptly stopped.

"If I do that will you leave my property?" sasuke turned to give the hyuga an annoyed look, but was stopped as he saw the beautiful smile on the girl's face.

"H-Hai! I'll l-leave right now! B-But please, give h-him those flowers f-for me...s-so maybe he'll smile in m-my dreams tonight, t-that is if he shows up." hinata bowed to the uchiha over and over again. In her sign of gratitude she didn't notice the small smile forming on the former avenger's face.

"I will now get out hyuga." sasuke pointed in the direction of the doors leading to the outside road and turned to continue his training.

"Arigato, u-uchiha-san! I-I won't bother y-you again." bowing one last time hinata turned and began to jog her way to the exit, but was stopped by sasuke's voice.

"Hyuga!"

Turning around hinata replied. "H-Hai?"

"I'm sure he'll smile for you tonight...and...arigato...for understanding." with that sasuke nodded his farewell and began to run towards the private training areas of the uchiha property.

Hinata stood there dumbfounded. "...A-Arigato? F-For what though? Did h-he really know the l-little boy after all?" Placing a finger on her chin, hinata walked out of the uchiha compound slowly, confused as to why the 'traitor of konoha' had thanked her, when her only deed wasn't for him, but for a complete stranger. A little uchiha boy. "I suppose it's not worth thinking too hard on." So hinata left it like that, and went on her way.

In the uchiha memorial site, sasuke uchiha leans against the gravestone of his parents, watching the wind blow the flowers from the bouquet the hyuga heiress had left behind. He disinterestedly grabs a snowdrop from the bouquet and stares at it.

"A snowdrop huh? The meaning of consolation and hope. Seems the hyuga put thought into her choice of flowers." the uchiha spoke to no one in particular as he continued to swirl the flower around. "Hinata Hyuga. She seems interesting, especially if my brother's last genjutsu caused her to see something like that..." the young man's eyes darken with sadness for a moment as he trailed his fingers down his mother's gravestone. "She reminded me strangely of you mother, trying to blindly help out a complete stranger. And her kindness...yes, she's definitely interesting...to say the least." sasuke's eyes looked up from the flowers on the ground and stares at the clear sky above konoha. A small ghost of a smile on his face.

Hinata Hyuga sneezes as she makes her way home, hoping she doesn't catch a cold from being at the graveyard for too long.

I'm sure everyone knows who the little boy hinata dreamt about is right? cause I tried to not make it real obvious, but at the same time not too hard. I was gonna add some more, but then I felt it would ruin why I was trying to say, which is love is very slow to start, and has strange ways of appearing, but it's not impossible between two strangers. lol yes, I knwo very corny.

Please review! and thank you for reading!