This is a new story that I have had in my mind for a time. I know that people are reading what I have been writing because there are quite a few hits on my stories. However, there aren't many reviews, so maybe my writing style isn't very good. If you could leave me some pointers to tell me what it is that I am doing that you feel could be improved on, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

They first met on her third birthday. He could remember it like it was yesterday. He had never seen her before which was, looking back, strange. After all, she was the heir of the Hyuuga, and their father's were twin brothers, making them cousins. He did not know many things back then.

It had been his first formal household celebration. Yes, there had been a celebration at her birth, but he had been too young to attend it. This time though, he was four and very happy to finally be able to attend a celebration with his father. At that time, he knew very little about the celebration, except that he was going with his father to see the heir to the main family. Back then, he hadn't understood what was making his father so mad or why his father had come home and shouted at him when he asked if he could attend with his father. However, father had apologized later and allowed him to come. Therefore, he was waiting in line with his father. That was when it happened.

He was looking around at all the people when all of a sudden, his heartbeat stopped. There, standing a few feet away from him, separated by a few people paying respects, was someone who looked exactly identical to father.

But that's impossible! Isn't father holding my hand? Whom is it holding my hand?

He looked at the face that was attached to the hand holding his and, to his relief, found the face of his father staring back. But then, what he had just seen…?

No way. That person looks exactly like father. But how?

Tugging gently on his father's sleeve, he tentatively asked, "Father, who is that man that everyone is paying respects to?"

His father's face contorted into a grimace for a second. It was only a second, but Neji caught it, along with a flicker of annoyance, despair and fear that passed into his eyes. "That is the head of our family."

"Father, why does he look like you?" Neji asked, slightly cautious.

"Because we are twins. I will explain it all to you later, after this is over, understood?" said Hizashi, clenching his teeth.

"Understood," said Neji wincing as his father's grip on his hand unconsciously tightened and stopped the blood from flowing to his fingers.

He distracted himself by looking at the man that looked like his father. Suddenly, a rustling movement near the man's legs caught his eyes and he looked down. What he saw made him inhale a silent breath in awe.

A small girl, of about three, was hiding behind the man's legs. She was dressed in a beautiful kimono. It was white, with gold and purple bordering. She had purple slippers, which were embroidered with gold thread. Her hair was a beautiful blue shade, one he had never seen amongst the Hyuuga. All Hyuuga members had long hair that varied in its shade of brown and white eyes, tinted blue-grey. But her hair was short and a navy blue, which somehow radiated warmth. Her eyes were lavender tinted and looked both powerful and gentle at the same time. She was hiding behind the man, who Neji assumed was her father. She was blushing, the blush tinting her cheeks a light pink each time she caught anyone's eye. Her shyness attracted Neji toward her. He found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her, afraid that if he stopped looking at her she would disappear. She looked like as if she was not of this world. She was looking at the huge line of people in awe and fright. As her eyes traveled down the huge line of people, they met Neji's own. The pink hue on her cheeks brightened until it was a deep red, covering her face. Neji refused to let her eyes go, and they started a silent staring contest. She was the first to break away, burying her face abashedly in her father's kimono. A few seconds later, she looked back at him, as though to check if he was still looking at her. On finding that he was, the process was repeated, until Neji and his father was one person away from the head of the line. On realizing that she was not going to vanish the second he turned away from her, he tugged his father's sleeves.

"Father, look," he said, nodding towards the little girl. "Isn't she cute?"

His father smiled forlornly at him.

"Do you find her pretty?"

"Yes!"

"That's good. She is the heir to the Hyuuga. You must protect her."

"Yes!"

Neji felt a small bubble of pride and joy well in his heart. The little girl was the Hyuuga heir! No wonder she was dressed that way. She was a lovely vision, though she looked scared by the great throngs of people. He was, he figured, probably the only child there close to her in age. All the other children would have either started ninja training or be still in diapers. Neji had started his ninja training with his father, but he wouldn't be going to the academy for a few years. As he finished talking to his father the people in front of him finished congratulating the man.

Neji and his father stood in front of the man and his daughter. Both parties bowed slightly to each other.

"Hiashi"

"Hizashi"

Both the children stared at their father's awestruck as they saw that they looked identical.

"Neji, don't forget your manners. This is the head of the main house, Hyuuga, Hiashi."

Neji bowed, and then his eyes riveted back onto the little girl's. She had, by this time, grown bold enough to stare back at him, though it was only her two little eyes that poked out from behind her father's kimono. Noticing that his child was piqued, Hiashi stepped away so she was left with nowhere to hide as he introduced her.

"This is my daughter, Hinata. Hinata, this is Neji and his father Hizashi."

Hinata smiled slightly before stealing a glance at Neji's father and her own. Her eyes then locked with Neji's again, and realizing that she was under his scrutiny once more, she hastened to hide herself behind her father once more. Later, he would dream of the little princess that hid herself behind her father. He vowed to protect her with all his heart.

And he held true to his promise for a while, until fate decided to take matters into its hands and tear them apart.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They first met on her third birthday. She could remember it like it was yesterday. It was the first time she saw him, but by no means the last time. It wasn't strange that she had never met him before. She was extremely shy of people and always hid whenever faced with strangers. She had been very shy back then.

It had been her third birthday and her father insisted that she be present for the formal presentation of her to the entire clan as his heir. She had been petrified. There had been many people. They all kept staring at her, but the minute she caught them and hid, they would turn away and not look back. She had been dressed up for the occasion. It was very pretty, but it did nothing to alleviate her fear.

She had been hiding behind her father's kimono for a white, overwhelmed by the volume of people that were coming up to greet her father. She would have been long gone if it hadn't been for the fact that her father had sat her down and told her that she had to do it.

He said there was someone my age…

Remembering her father's speech about someone who looked exactly like him, a reference to twins, marriage, protectors and the like, she frowned. She had understood neither what he had been saying, nor what it all implied for her. Most of the time she had been paying attention on making sure she sat up straight with her head up high and looked into her father's face no matter how much she was nervous and wanted to turn away. Evidently, her father had noticed her fear anyway, for he picked her up and sat her on his lap. Then he uttered the sentence that had piqued her curiosity to the extent that it overcame her fear. " You know, there's going to be someone near your age with a man that looks exactly like me…"

She wanted to see this person very badly. She was all alone most of the time, as there were no other children she knew that were close to her in age. The closest one was eight, and in the academy. He talked to her now and then, but he was busy a lot and she didn't see him much. Scanning the crowd of people coming to congratulate her father, she suddenly stopped as something caught her eye. It was a man that looked exactly like her father. She immediately looked at his arm to see the child that was her age and received the shock of her life.

There was a boy, of about four. It was like a godsend, a friend that was her own age. But he was such a handsome boy. At once, the insecurities and fears came to her full force and she at once felt that he wouldn't want to be friends with someone like her. Just like everyone else who ogled, he would look away. Of course, he would. Someone so breathtaking wouldn't want anything to do with someone like her. His long hair was a rich shade of brown. "Hyuugas grow their hair." Her father's words echoed in her ears. "It is a sign of our pride and status. Now you are shy and I will let you keep your hair short. But one day you will have to grow it. So you'd better enjoy your freedom now." Yes, he must be someone with a high status. It would explain the beautiful blue and grey kimono, and the pearly white ribbon that tied his hair, and the way his eyes glowed like pearls that had been gently touched with baby blue. Suddenly she realized he was looking straight at her. The blush that had graced her cheeks on looking at him suddenly blazed into a deep vermillion and she hid her head behind her father's kimono, embarrassed. She felt strength well into her. So what if she wasn't pretty? That was no excuse for people to stare at her constantly as if she were a caged bird. She stared back at him, figuring he would turn away in disgust, like everyone else had. But when he didn't, she grew shy again and turned away, burying her face into her father's kimono.

Again, she looked back at him only to find him looking back at her. Quick as lightning she buried her head back. Inside her head though, she rejoiced that he had looked back and not simply brushed her off after a glance. She continued to watch his progress through the line. She couldn't take her eyes away from his, but as soon as she realized he was looking back, she was overcome with a wave coyness and looked away. However, a smile graced her figures.

She remembered nothing more of the evening, only seeing her father and his face to face. They had looked so very similar. She had not understood why that night. All she could think about was how her father had stepped away from her and the boy had stared at her until she hid herself back. But not before she smiled at him. His own eyes seemed to be enthralled with hers and the corners of his lips had curved into an almost smile.

Later, he would come play with her. He would bring her flowers. They were always purple flowers. He said they reminded him of her eyes. He brought them to her every day. He became her friend, confidant, protector. She grew less bashful in his presence and smiled more. Until the day she was found by a new friend. That was the last day she saw him. The only evidence that showed he was there was a purple flower that she found. It had been in the bushes and if not for the wind that blew it at her feet, she would have never known why he left.

She tried to explain to him, but she couldn't find him before dinner. Moreover, after she went to bed, a chilling set of events was set into motion, one that would estrange them for years to come…