(I'm late... I'm sorry. No internet where I am and my laptop's super mad at me for not getting my internet protection updated. But while I had started the chapter way, WAY long ago, I can't find my notebook that has the starter... oh well, wasn't that good of a start anyway.

Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, and watched this story. And without further ado...))

Chapter 2: The Proposal

Hinata Hyuga watered the garden behind her house carefully. She didn't want to hurt the plants by killing them with too much water. But not enough water was just as dangerous. Like the human body, a healthy balance was absolutely necessary. Thank goodness for her Kekkei Genkai, the Byakkugan. She knew exactly the right amount to put in and the flowers were blooming marvelously.

But if anyone would have looked in, the flowers wouldn't get as much attention as her wardrobe would. After all, it was almost 85 degrees and she was still in her typical bulky attire- a large cream colored coat with white fur and red symbols on the shoulders, dark blue skin-tight pants, and black wrap shoes. She hadn't cut her hair since the Chuunin Exams. It wasn't from laziness, she just felt that she'd changed so much since then... it would be a shame to cut it and somehow revert back to the way she was.

Okay, she was still very quiet, blushed deeply when it came to any mention of Naruto and his progress. But she got along a lot better with Neji. Well, at least he stopped glaring at her for being born in the main Hyuga line. And her father stopped thinking of her as a failure. She could fight as well as any Konoha kunoichi and had proven herself.

But lately... everyone was treating her different. Ino and Sakura were trying to get her coat off of her, Kiba was no longer talking like he usually did and Akamaru almost seemed to blush around her. Even Shino seemed to be looking her way more. Not that she'd caught him or anything. But she had the feeling that he was.

Sighing, Hinata put the watering can onto the ground and headed inside. It was times like this that she really... really wished it was night time. Then she could dance among the flowers. Well, she could do it now but she would have to take her coat off. And if someone saw her... oh dear, the thought was mortifying enough!

She planned to start supper but at that moment, the doorbell rang. Visitors? Perhaps her father was expecting someone? At any rate, it was not in her nature to leave guests hanging. She would entertain them as any well-bred Hyuga woman. Once at the door, she opened it and, with one simple look, slammed the door without a word.

Her face was bright red, pale eyes wide. What were the Sand siblings doing here?! And why were they in Konoha?! Was something bad happening again?! Her mind instantly went to Naruto and her heart sank. Who was their enemy this time...? Closing her eyes against her painful heartbeats, she jumped as the doorbell was rung again. She resigned herself to answering the door to some of the cruelest ninja she'd had the displeasure of meeting in the Chuunin Exams.

Opening the door, she kept her eyes on the ground as they passed into the entryway of the Hyuga compound. Temari Sabaku went in first, her dark green eyes deeply contrasting her spiky blond hair. Tall, statuesque, with the body of a war goddess, the very walls of the entryway seemed to bend away to allow her battle aura plenty of room.

Kankuro Sabaku. He was more light-hearted but hated "little kids". However, when it came to his outfit, it was both threatening and absolutely...adorable. Purple paint lined his face and was framed in a black hood. The hood almost gave him the resemblance of cat ears. Hinata absolutely LOVED cats and had a hard time not giggling at their first meeting. Until she'd seen him in battle. Apparently, kitty had claws... and a deadly puppet called Crow.

Finally, Gaara... Sabaku no Gaara. Hair as red as blood, skin as white as fresh snow, and seafoam eyes rimmed in black. He was perhaps the most terrifying guy she'd ever come across. And the fact that he held a demon, like Naruto did, made him that much more scary. He stood just a little taller than she was and his hair had grown, albeit not as much as hers had. His outfit was now red and brown... she liked it better than the one he had in the Exams. Not that he'd tell him that...

She quickly went to the front of the line and lead them to the main sitting room. "Um... I-I didn't k-know w-we were e-ex-expect-ting you... is th-there any-anything y-you would l-like t-to dr-rink wh-while y-you wa-ait for m-my father?" she squeaked, blushing deeply as her stammering only seemed to get worse with each passing moment.

Temari waved it off. "No, that's okay. We're actually here to talk to you. So we don't have to wait for him."

"M-me?" Hinata's eyes looked at them all, blinking nervously. "Why?"

Kankuro smirked as he slumped in a chair. "Congratulations. You've been chosen to be Gaara's lovely item."

Temari smacked Kankuro across the back of his head. "You idiot! We have to explain before she get's freaked out! You can't just rush into something like this!"

The bluenette backed away. "Wh-what's going o-on? L-lovely i-item?"

The redhead sighed. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk but it seemed like he'd have to. "I'm trying to get the people to like me... I want to be Kazekage but I've scared them for 12 years... To have a better chance at gaining the position, I need them to trust me to save them. Kankuro thinks that you'd make a good lovely item... er... someone cute who can counter-act my scariness. And Temari... well, she wants a girl around to dote on."

Hinata didn't know if she liked the explaination any better than the abrupt proposal. But at the sight of Temari's pouting blush... it made her want to. "I-I need to ask m-my fa-father... W-would y-you like t-to stay h-he-re? As our guests, un-til th-the mat-ter is resolved?"

Temari instantly brightened up and she grinned. "Sure beats staying in a motel! Let's get you out of that bulky coat and into something cute!" She quickly pulled a blushing Hinata out of the sitting room.

Kankuro tilted his head. "What about us...? Do we just sit here?"

((I guess so... Tee hee, now Temari's gonna be all pushy like Ino and Sakura. Jeez, that's a scary thought. Oh well, read and review!))