So, this story is back by popular demand. Ya know, I had a feeling people would want it full length. So, on with the next chapter!

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"Give me one sec." Hinata said, gently lifting Naruto's head up and removing the oxygen mask. His lung had healed enough to enable him to breathe without it. "Now, sit up for a little while." Hinata helped Naruto sit up. Tsunade had taken Naruto to the closest place for treatment because of serious his injuries had been. And that place was Suna, which was why Gaara was there when he had woken up for the first time.

"Thanks." He said weakly. His voice was a little weak due to a week of not talking. "Ah, this feels better." Hinata smiled.

"So, we ended up in Suna huh?" He asked, finally voicing the questions he had been bursting to ask but had been unable to because of that mask.

"Yes." Hinata told him. "This was the closest place. You and I will go back to Konoha when you're ready to travel. Tsunade-sama, though, has gone back to Konoha to report the situation. She told me to tell you to expect further hospitalization when you get back. Suna will provide an escort team to see us safely there, since you won't be able to fight."

"I'm sorry I worried you." Naruto apologized softly. "That was not my intention." Hinata shook her head at this.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose." She said with a smile. "Naruto, I'm just glad you'll be fine." She fidgeted in her seat.

"Is something up?" He asked. "It looks like you have something on your mind."

She nodded. "I've been wanting to tell you something. When you were...injured, I didn't think I would be able to tell you. See, the truth is I like you!" She exclaimed, mentally preparing for a emotional blow. "I've liked you for a long time. But you never noticed, or else didn't even care, which wouldn't be like you."

"Hinata, I also have something to tell you. And please don't tell anyone else. At least, not yet." Naruto confessed. "You saw me in the academy. Many people called me untalented. You see, that's not true. Many people hate me in the village still. So I played the part of a dunce, to convince them that I was not a threat. I actually understood our lesson's perfectly, purposely screwing up in class. But I'm actually a lot stronger than I let on."

"Why?" Hinata asked simply, shocked that Naruto would feel the need to do something like this.

"They hate me. They thought I was just a nuisance as a stupid kid. If they knew that I held back on purpose, or that I was a lot more to me than they were willing to see, they would have made my life even worse." Naruto answered.

"But why do they hate you?" She asked, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"Remember the lessons about the demons we had in academy?" He asked. Hinata nodded. "And you remember learning about theman who stopped the nine tailed fox demon seventeen years ago?" Again, Hinata nodded. "That man was my father. Unable to kill the demon, he sealed it into his only son, unable to ask someone to make a sacrifice he was unwilling to make himself. If they knew I know my heritage, it'd be bad."

"They hate you for something that wasn't even your fault?" Hinata inquired.

Naruto nodded. "Life in that village was so hard for me. But I finally remembered where and when we first met. After that, life became so much easier. But your father stopped our activities together, which is why we forgot our earlier friendship. Also, my life took a turn for the worse again." Realization dawned on Hinata's face.

"In the park?" She asked breathless. Naruto nodded. "You..were injured! I heard you crying and wanted to know who and why. So I approached you to see if I could help. It took weeks for you to fully trust me. And when you finally did, we became good friends. Now I remember. My father didn't like it, not one bit. After that, he made sure we never saw each other again."

Naruto smiled. "But he couldn't stop us at academy though. You instantly recognized me, even if it was only subconsciously. Back then, when I was five, you saw me first for who I was, not what I had in me. And even years later, you still saw me as me. But I didn't recognize you, so jaded by hurt and mistrust, even if I hid it very well. I'm sorry." He said. "Even after all these years, I only want one thing. Well, two things."

"And what are those?" Hinata asked, her voice trembling, so happy that Naruto had started to confide in her at last.

"I realized one of them only while unconscious. I was trapped within my mind, guided by someone who had actually always tried to be there for me." He paused for breathe. "One, which I was always aware of, was to be acknowledged. That's why I was a prankster early on. For someone to notice me. And two, and this I just realized, was to tell you my true feelings concerning you." Hinata gasped. "I always liked you. I just didn't know how to put when we were younger."

"And when you got older, you buried that feeling deep inside of you." Hinata finished. Naruto nodded. "Maybe I can help you there." Hinata answered softly, gently taking his hand. "I hereby acknowledge you. For your bravery and strength, both in ninja and personal matters, for encouraging me, even when you thought I was only a strange girl."

Naruto felt his eyes tear up. He had wanted to hear those words, true and heartfelt, from anyone his entire life. Hinata handed him a tissue. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone you cried." Hinata promised with a smile that reached her eyes. "And should you choose to tell anyone who you really are, I'll stand by you."

Naruto yawned. Hinata quickly helped him lay back down. "Hinata, if I have someone to help me, I think I will." He yawned again. "Before I fall asleep again, will you be my girlfriend? As soon as I can, I'll take you on a date." He promised.

"I would be honored to, Naruto. Now get some sleep." Hinata ordered. Naruto smiled a small smile and closed his eyes. "And I'll hold you to that date. So you'd better not be lying to me." Naruto shook his head. "Good. I'm in need of sleep myself. So I'll see you when I come by again." Naruto had already fallen asleep. She covered the rest of his body up and left the room, heading to the room that she had been given.

As she lay down in her bed, she couldn't sleep despite the fact that she knew she needed to get some sleep. I am officially dating him! She told herself excitedly, rolling over on her stomach. I won't let anyone else hurt him. Hmm, my father won't be happy to hear this. But right now, I don't care. I'll deal with him later. Hopefully it just wasn't the pain medication speaking though. She thought as she fell asleep.

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Four day later, Naruto was well enough to travel. Hinata now knew it had not been the pain medication speaking the night she had been asked out by Naruto, something she was very happy to know. Gaara and his siblings were the ones who were going to escort them home. Gaara had personally taken this mission, even going as far as to get a riding animal for Naruto to ride on. "I don't think you're in the need of physical exertion." He had explained, helping him up onto the riding animal. "Hinata, would you be willing to lead it while you walk?"

"Of course." Hinata said, taking the reigns from Gaara. "Naruto, you'll have to deal with my father once he finds out. He won't be happy to hear what we'll have to say soon. I'd wait until after you recovered for him to find out."

Naruto held back his laugh, as it still hurt him to laugh. "Right. I have to agree with you on this one." He was going to explain Kitsune's situation to Hinata while in Konoha.

"Right." Temari said. "We need to get moving." She and her siblings surrounded Hinata and Naruto. "On to Konoha."

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Tsunade had Shizune waiting at the front gate by the time they arrived in Konoha. Kankuro and Gaara helped Naruto down and took their leave, along with Temari. "Alright, Naruto, to the hospital with you. Hinata, would you help me?" Shizune ordered.

"Of course." Naruto made to the hospital supported by Shizune and Hinata. Several of the people seeing this grinned and mentally made plans to attack him while he slept. "I'll come by and see you tomorrow." She promised. "I won't tell my father until we're both ready." She said.

"Please and thank you. I value my life. And considering how close I came to death just recently, I don't want to risk it again soon." He said, only supported by Shizune now. They walked into the hospital, where an orderly walked up with a wheelchair. Naruto was helped into it and he was taken to a prepared room, where he changed into a hospital gown by himself, no matter how it hurt to move. He settled in for the night, sighing at the fact that he was stuck yet again in a hospital.