Hi guys :D This is my first story. Feel free to help me improve by leaving a review

Summary of the first chapter: (can be read as a one-shot) I thought this out when I saw the scene in chapter 699 where Naruto and Hinata stand in front of Neji's grave or memorial stone. This is basically Hinata's point of view. Her reflecting on the war, mourning Neji and interacting with Naruto *-* NARUHINA ALL THE WAY.

Now a continued story :D

Please Enjoy

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, nor the characters.

Update: I totally forgot that Naruto and Sasuke are missing an arm at this point of the story :/ Sorry. Thank you SpinJoe and andreas aigalew for pointing it out :D I corrected it.

Neji's Memorial Stone

Today was the day that Konoha was celebrating the end of the War by remembering the ones that have fallen. The villagers have built a small memorial stone for every casualty. Here I was standing now in front of the stone with the name "Hyuuga Neji" written on it. He had died protecting me and Naruto-kun and his death was not in vain, because Naruto did save the world. I have never had a doubt that he would.

As I looked around I saw many grieving faces, around them I could spot all of my friends, head bowed, some crying, some composed, but all mourning. Even Sasuke-san was there. After Naruto had suggested it, his brother Uchiha Itachi -a now celebrated village hero- did get a memorial stone, so Sasuke had a place to grieve. Some villagers still called him a traitor, but no one could deny how essential he had been in ending this cruel war. I have heard rumors that Sasuke wanted to leave the village again for a road of self discovery and learn more about the world. Naruto-kun and Sakura were not too approving but I think they will understand. I truly admire Sasuke-san for everything he had gone through and how he still managed to take the right path in the end. A lot of that was of course Narutos doing.

My gaze then settled on the blond hero. He stood behind Sasuke, his left hand on his shoulder. They had both fought against eachother and lost an arm. But Hokage-sama was working very hard for a replacement. When I had visited Naruto in the hopital, after he collapsed from exhaustion and was knocked out for several days, I was shocked to see that their fight had gone this far. Naruto just wouldn't give up on his best friend and felt no regret. He would have given his life if it meant saving Sasuke. My admiration could not have been bigger, although it had pained me so much to see how far their battle had gone. As I looked apon his still bruised face, I saw a sad expression adorning it. It did not suit him at all. It made me think back to that day, when he had lost his faith after Neji-niisan had sacrificed himself for him. I have held his hand and stood beside him fighting. Back then there was no time to mourn the death of my beloved cousin.

Finally I looked at the stone in front of me. It was a plain small stone, only his name and date of birth to be read. It seemed insignificant compared to the many hundred other plain stones, but he was not.

Neji has lived a hard life. Both of his parents died when he was still young, his father sacrificing himself for his twin brother, who was head of our clan and my father.

He was marked as a branch member and had that label suffocating him for most of his life. When we were younger that label was the reason, why he hated the main family including me so much. Still he would spare with me on be halve of our clan leader, but he never warmed up to me, one time losing his patience with my weakness so much that father had to activate the binding. I could still see him crouching in pain and agony in front of my eyes, screaming for his life. That was something one could never forget. I did brew him pain reducing tea with herbs of my mother's old garden and made sure he couldn't see who served it, because I knew I was the last person he wanted to see. Afterwards we drifted apart even more.

I was repudiated by father for my weakness and my sister Hanabi became the heir of our clan. Back then Neji accepted a person's fate could never be changed, which was the believe of the elders of our clan, until he met a certain blond boy whose nindo had been the opposite. Naruto-kun started from the bottom and always fought for the approval of the village, who shunned him for being a jinchuuriki even though he couldn't help it. I always admired his way and so his nindo became mine as well.

During the chunin exams I had fought Neji-niisan, trying my best to prove to him that people could change and that I would never give up. Naruto-kun had encouraged me back then. But Neji had insisted that one's fate could never be changed. I was beaten pretty bad back then. Of course I couldn't defeat Neji, but Naruto could. In the final round of the exams. I had cheered for him, the same way he had for me and Neji saw that a person could achieve something and change his fate if he worked hard enough for it. That day our relationship had changed.

I used to train alone whenever I had the time. One day a few weeks after the exams and Orochimarus attack on Konoha, after I had healed fully, he was watching me train. He didn't say anything, he just watched. After a few minutes he walked up to me and corrected my stance. I had bowed respectfully and thanked him. From this day forward we would always train together if we had the time. He would help me train and perfect my new technique twin lion fists and I would massage his skull and brew him tea when the Seal caused him a bad migraine. We would always talk about how we were going to change the clan one day. He was truly like a brother to me and has helped me so much, and I never had the chance to repay him.

For people who didn't know him he had the aura of a cold person, never really showing many emotions other than annoyance with Lee and Guy-sensei. He was one of the few in our clan who had inherited the Byakugan to such an extent and with so much skill, that he was called a genius. He was justifiably a respected shinobi. But he was also someone who cared for the people around him deeply, always protecting the ones he liked.

And so he had died, protecting me and Naruto-kun. At the age of 18, died as a casualty in order to achieve peace. Never would he get to experience the peace he helped to create, never would he nod in approval for me when I completed a technique, never would he see the clan change, never would he be able to complain about his team anymore, never would he experience romantic love, never would he see anything again. He was gone and nothing could change that.

Tears started rolling uncontrollably down my face. It hurts so much to miss you Niisan.

I felt people around me walking, looking for other stones with names of people they knew to pay their respect. But I didn't -no couldn't- move. I stayed in front of the stone reading the name over and over again. Many people also paid Neji's stone a visit, his team, many Hyuugas and many of our friends. Kiba put his arm around my shoulder, Shino held my hand, Hanabi and Kurenai-sensei hugged my form while I did nothing but cry silent tears. Eventually they also moved to other stones as I stayed rooted to the spot.

I kept seeing him die in front of me. It should have been me. Why Niisan? Why did you jump in front of me?! I should have died. Not you! It would have all been so easy if I was the one with her name on that stone. Hanabi would be the clan leader and you her adviser. Together you would change everything. Why did you do it? You didn't deserve to die so young. I miss you so much. We all miss you so much.

Breathing became harder and I started sobbing unrestrained. I know I'm a kunoichi and I should not be losing my control, but it just pains me so much to not have you by my side anymore Neji-niisan. I had problems getting air into my lungs and began trembling, while teardrops kept rolling down my face.

Then I felt a presence standing behind me, I turned my face a little to the side and saw Naruto-kun with his head bowed, fixated on Niisan's stone and he too had tears adorning his deep blue eyes.

He looked up and his expression changed. His face displayed a combination of anger, pain and something else, maybe pity, at seeing my trembling form. I turned back around towards Niisan's stone, because I couldn't stand seeing him mourn over a death that should not have been. It should have been me. Why Niisan? Why did you leave?! I miss you so much!

I started shaking even harder, so I put my arms around me to try to keep still in a futile attempt. I felt a pressure on my shoulder, looked up and saw Naruto-kun's left hand gripping it rather tightly. His gaze bored deeply into my eyes and he began moving slightly in front of me while turning me in his direction so we where standing facing eachother. His eyes still held mine as I kept trembling and then he crashed me into his chest. His arm snaked around my form to control my tremor, and he held me really close against him. At first I was shocked at our proximity, but my thoughts wandered to my lost brother and so I gripped the back of his shirt with both hands, while I sobbed into his broad chest. His hold on me got even tighter as he bent his head to my shoulder, and silent tears escaped him. We stood like that for a while just crying and holding each other, both needing the comfort.

Not too soon I stopped trembling and the waterfall of tears slowly drained, Naruto-kuns hold also slackened, but he still held onto me. I felt his breath on my ear, which was making me shiver.

"There there" he whispered and started drawing comforting circles on my back, "Neji would not be happy to see us like this, ne?"

I didn't answer, because I couldn't trust my voice right now and really didn't know what to say either. So I buried my face in his chest needing his warmth. Neji would have been really upset if he knew how much I was beating myself up over something that could not be changed anymore. Still I couldn't help but feel how unfair it was for him to be gone. He deserved much more and -

"Hinata.." I heard him calling, pulling me out of my thought, so I looked up meeting his gaze, "I know what you are doing. Stop that please. Blaming yourself won't change anything. Neji wouldn't want that. He didn't die for us just to lose ourselves in sadness. We need to look forward, so we can change the Hyuugas together-dattebayo"

I looked down ashamed. Naruto-kun was right. Niisan would have never wanted us to drown in sorrow over his death, but it just hurt so much to not have him here.

I felt his hand boldly grabbing my chin moving my head so my eyes would meet his gaze directly. He had a small smile adorning his face and whispered, "I miss him too, Hinata, that's ok. But please don't break down like that again. I don't ever want to see you that way again. Ok?"

"O-ok, N-Naruto-kun" I stuttered with my still wispy voice.

"Promise?"

"Y-yes I p-promise."

He smiled his usual bright smile and let go of me. I already missed his warmth and strong arm around me.

"I'm going back to the others. Are you coming too, Hinata-chan?"

I blushed at the suffix and shied away from his gaze. "I j-just need a f-few more moments."

"Ok, Hinata-chan. See you later!" He said while turning to move towards where Sasuke and Sakura were standing.

"N-Naruto-kun?" I said before he can leave.

"Yes" He turned back around.

I managed to say "Th-Thank you for e-everything." while fumbling with my fingers.

When I looked up he was smiling softly and said "No need to thank me, Hinata-chan" ,waved and walked away.

I turned my gaze back to the memorial stone, bent down and whispered softly "Niisan, I'm s-sorry for falling apart like that. Naruto-kun is right, I know you w-wouldn't want me to blame myself. I-I just can't help it. I miss you so much, Niisan. " Again tears fell down my cheeks, but I continued nonetheless, "I promise you that I will do everything in my power to change our family. Your death was not in vain. I promise you Niisan. I never go back on my word that is my nindo" I touched the stone and traced his name with my fingers as more tears fell down from my cheek onto the stone. "G-goodbye Neji-niisan"

I stood up slowly, wiped the tears away and walked toward where Kiba and Shino were standing. Before I left, I took one last glance at Neji's memorial stone.

Sooo thats it. Please tell me if I should continue Naruto's and Hinata's Love story. I feel really pumped to write a story for them, although I'm not really sure about a plot.

About the Sasuke part.. I'm not sure why I put that there, it was really not necessary for the story. I just think that Hinata and Sasuke would make good friends for many reasons.

If I continued the story I would show Sasuke and Hinata somehow both visiting the memorials at the same time, and they start a conversation and afterwards I want Sasuke to ask Naruto about his feelings for her (Sasuke is smart he must know she's into Naruto), then Naruto would explain everything about the confession and all. I don't know about the rest...

On the one hand I think it would be interesting for Naruto to just try and date Hinata and then write a lot of fluff.

On the other hand maybe that's too easy. I would maybe like it better if he sort of rejected her first not being sure about his feelings, then there is a depressing part and I would go from there.

I mean if you think I should even continue xD I'm really bad at self reflection so maybe this one-shot sucked already so a continuation would be more than stupid. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK GOOD AND BAD 3

Also plot wishes and rating suggestions (T or maybe even M?) are appreciated.

Some of you might also wonder why I put such a big focus on Neji. That too I don't really know. I just started writing and it happened. I guess I wanted to show Hinata's thoughts and it just seems realistic for her to think of Neji more than Naruto at such a day. Also I have an older brother and we are really close .. if something happened to him I'd be more than depressed and would think nonstop about him.. I hope that makes sense.

PS: Is it Niisan or Nisan or Nissan? Same with Hyuga/Hyuuga ? Forgive my spelling mistakes PLEASEEEE