here's the next part. slight warning here: I give reference to episode 234 (Naruto's Faveourite pupil!) and I give my thoughts on the "flash back" Hinata had in the manga chapter 540.

I like this chapter cause it has NaruHina interaction. so I hope you like it too! ^^

"talking"

"thinking"

"flash back talking"

(I do not own Naruto. Kishimoto does)


Hinata sighed, her face still burning bright red as her feet shuffled along the ground towards the loading docks. She was embarrassed beyond belief! Not only did she lose herself in a day dream about Naruto and herself, but she got completely carried away in front of Neji's team.

She bit her bottom lip as she hoped she didn't mumble his name and pucker her lips. Steam began to radiate off the young girl's face as her blush intensified. 'I probably did!' she cried inside her head as silent tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, she wasn't going to show her face to the three of them anytime soon.

Her feet came to a sudden stop as she heard the bustle of the village before her. People from all sorts of places had come to help rebuild the village that had been reduced to nothing but rubble. Even though it had been a couple of months Hinata knew there was still a lot of work that needed to be done before things would settle back down.

"Hinata-Chan" the mentioned girl looked forward as she noticed a young kunoichi with bubble gum pink hair walk towards her carrying a large box within her arms. Sakura smiled over at her whilst adjusting the box in her arms again so she didn't drop anything. "Glad you could make it" she greeted gaining a smile for the young kunoichi.

"Hello Sakura-Chan, what can I help with?" she asked looking at all the boxes that lay outside a large metal crate. Sakura sighed as she looked back over her shoulder at all the work that needed to be done.

"Well you can help carry boxes from inside the warehouse. Kiba and Shino are already inside, maybe you could give them a hand" she smiled whilst turning back around and sorting the boxes into the crate.

Hinata nodded, her smile never leaving her face as she walked into the warehouse. "Hinata!" she was greeted from a cry up above as Kiba and Shino both carried a large box down the stairs being careful not to trip.

"Hello Kiba-kun, Shino-kun" she greeted whilst walking up to her friends. Kiba sighed as he dumped the large box at the front of the warehouse whilst wiping away the sweat that formed on his brow with the back of his hand.

"Are you here to help too?" he asked whilst turning around to face her. Hinata smiled she hadn't missed the slight pleading tone to his voice as she nodded her head in the affirmative. "Great" he cheered as he walked over to a stack of smaller boxes and handed them to her, making sure she had them probably before letting go. "Can you take those outside, be careful though, Sakura said some of this is breakable"

Hinata nodded as she turned back around and carried the boxes to an annoyed Sakura who was busy yelling at Konohamaru and his friends for something she didn't quite understand, but seeing the terrified looks on their faces and the furious look on hers she didn't really want to find out.

"If Naruto-nii san were here he would let us!" Konohamaru screamed whilst pumping his fist forward followed by hesitant nods from his friends Udon and Moegi. Hinata stopped at the mention of the blonde's name as her eyes fell to the floor with a sad expression.

'If Naruto-kun…was here?' she mussed in her head as she remembered her training session with Neji this morning and all the previous times before that. Her expression darkened as her hands balled into tight fits by her side. She had been working on that one attack for almost 4 weeks now and still she had yet to perfect it. There were times when she felt like giving up, throwing in the towel, she was truly useless, wasn't she?

"You can do it Hinata!" her fist slightly unclenched as she remembered him screaming for her during the Chunin exams. Even then… even when she felt at her weakest, he still believed in her, he wouldn't let her give up so easily. "Kick that bastard's ass! Hinata!" she smiled, maybe it was too early to be giving up so easily.

Her eyes narrowed with a new found determination as she strode off into the warehouse and grabbed another box to be moved outside. "I'll do my best" she chanted to herself as she carried it back outside. She wasn't going to give up, not this time. She wasn't going to be a burden to her clan, her village or to him.

It had taken another 2 hours before they had moved all the boxes they could from the warehouse and packed them into the large crates outside. Hinata gave a relieved sigh as she rested her back against the wall whilst welcoming the feel of the cold concrete against her hot body.

"Thank you Hinata-Chan" Sakura smiled catching the purple Kunoichi's attention as she nodded her head standing up straight to talk to her friend.

"You're welcome. I hope…I hope this helps" she forced a smile even though she was really dreading the upcoming events. Sakura sighed sensing the girl's trail of thought.

"Yeah… me too; But don't worry Hinata-Chan; Tsunade-sama, Shizune-nee san and even me will be there to make sure we all make it through" Hinata nodded in agreement.

The two waved to each other as they went their separate ways. Hinata was no medical ninja, she knew only the basics when it came to treating people, she wouldn't be as helpful as Sakura-Chan or Tsunade-sama.

Her feet kicked up the loose dirt behind her as she continued to walk, her long waist length hair swaying back and forth as she continued forward. Her eyes closed briefly as her hands gripped her arms as she slightly cradled herself. 'Naruto-kun…I wish you were here' she continued to walk letting her feet lead her to wherever they wanted. 'You'd know what to do, you'd tell everyone it was going to be alright and smile confidently as you vowed to win'

"Sado-kun, are you alright?" Hinata stopped as she looked up at a young couple with a man scratching his cheek with a mischievous grin. As the woman looked at him suspiciously

"Yeah I'm fine…it's just..." his hand dropped by his side as he locked his gaze with hers "Thanks Nina, I love you" he grinned. The young woman blushed whilst looking away but was quickly pulled into a tight embrace and dragged off down the street laughing without a care in the world.

Hinata smiled as she looked down at her hands. 'That reminds me of that time with Naruto-kun' she reminisced blushing slightly at the memory.

Her cheeks darkened in colour as her violet pearl like orbs trailed up his form. He was perfect she decided in her head. She could feel her heart throbbing in her chest as she tried to take another step forward.

She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully whilst shaking her head and standing up straight. Why was she hiding? She had already confessed her feelings for the blonde so what was stopping her from walking up to him and saying 'hi'?

She nodded her head firmly as she stepped out around the corner of the newly built building and slowly approached him. Her legs felt like jelly and the weight on her shoulders was as if she was trying to haul a mountain over to the sun kissed teen. With the combination of the two plus the incredible painful butterflies fluttering around in her stomach it made it that much harder to approach him.

'Thump, thump, thump' her heart was beating so loud she could have sworn he heard it by how close she was to him.

His back stiffened slightly as he spun around slowly locking his eyes with hers causing the pair to freeze for a brief moment before a massive grin lit up his face causing her heart to skip and beat and practically stop beating.

"Hey Hinata!" he greeted cheerfully turning fully around to face the girl before him. Hinata smiled her cheeks reddening slightly as his eyes lingered on her face. 'God why did he have to stare at me like that' she couldn't help her fingers twiddling against each other as he continue to watch her intently his smile never diminishing

"H-hello Naruto-kun?" she flicked her eyes up to meet his and smiled sweetly trying to say that she was glad to be seeing him again just with her eyes. Naruto's grin turned into a warm smile as the tension around them seemed to ease.

His eyes widened slightly as his lips made an 'o' shape whilst he punched his fist into his hand. "Guess what Hinata? Granny Tsunade's sending me on a super classified 'S-rank' mission" he grinned cheekily as his hands flung behind his head. "I guess she's finally starting to realise my potential; after all I am the 'hero of Konoha!'"

Hinata's lips curved into a smile. She was so glad that he had finally made a name for himself, just like he claimed he would one day. To be acknowledged and accepted by everyone just like he dreamed. She couldn't help but feel giddy for him. "c-congratulations Naruto-kun" she said mainly for fulfilling part of his dream.

Her eyes softened on his, her faint blush permanently stained on her cheeks. "Be careful Naruto-kun" she spoke without a stutter surprising the pair of them. Naruto's smile slightly fell as he watched her every move as if he was caught in some kind of trance.

She looked up at him tilting her head to one side as she shone him an adorable smile that caused his heart to skip a beat and his cheeks to redden slightly. "Do you best!" she cheered for him, not once mumbling her words or hiding behind her hands.

Naruto stood shocked, looking down at the girl before him. His cheeks slightly red by her words; He felt…happy or more like grateful for her encouraging words. Naruto smiled down at her causing her blush to darken slightly "yeah…I will" he silently vowed, owing her that much since she was the girl that risked her life for him and practically saved him.

Hinata smiled at his words, the pair seemed to be lost in their own world as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes desperately searching for…something, anything that would tell them how the other one felt.

Naruto was snapped out of his daze as a small sharp raindrop shattered against his head. He stared up at the angry swelling dark grey clouds above his head whilst Hinata followed his gaze to the heavens above.

Rain slowly fell from the sky soaking the two slightly as they remained frozen under its embrace. "I-it's raining" Hinata mumbled feeling her jacket growing damp against the millions of rain drops that splattered against it.

Naruto's attention fell from the sky as a smile brightened his face. He quickly grasped the young girl's hand and dragged her away from the middle of the street, ignoring her protests.

Hinata gasped softly as Naruto pinned her against one of the buildings back walls shielding her from the rain. He loomed over her petite figure keeping his gaze locked with hers as his hot breath caressed her face sending chills down her spine. "N-Naruto-kun..." she stuttered whilst looking up at his grinning face. His eyes widened suddenly, his smile fading as he leapt away from her and stood beside her under the small roof, shielding himself from the rain as well.

Hinata stared at his face with a puzzled expression as his cheeks took on a new colour of pink. "We'll just wait here until the rain dies down" he informed her without properly looking at her. Hinata was slightly hurt by his lack of eye contact and nodded slowly as she looked out at the falling rain.

Naruto's Safire blue eyes travelled up the girl beside him. He didn't know what came over him, all that was going through his mind was 'get out of the rain' when suddenly he had her pinned against a wall looking up with those beautiful pearl like eyes of hers. His blush darkened at the thought as he shook his head.

Ever since the pain invasion he couldn't say he was the same boy as before then. A lot had changed. The village had been destroyed and only a few buildings stood in completion, he had become the hero of Konoha and… he found out that his plain looking, dark, weirdo friend from their time as genin…loved him.

Naruto lowered his eyes at the thought as a small smile crossed his lips. To say he was surprised would be an understatement, to say he was expecting it…would be given him WAY too much credit. He looked back at his side to see Hinata staring up at him with a soft blush dusting her beautiful porcelain cheeks before she notice him staring back and turned away quickly.

Naruto smiled as he turned to face her, part of his sleeve getting soaked by the rain since the small gutter of the roof which they were under didn't shield it. "Hinata…" he began catching the girl's attention. She looked up at him with wondering eyes as she waited patiently for what he had to say.

"What you did for me…everything…with Pain…" he paused for a moment allowing it to sink in to both their minds as he smiled down at her. His eyes softened on her as he gave her a sincerely grateful and loving smile. "Thank you Hinata"

Tears welled in the corner of her eyes as she smiled back at him. She had waited so long for him to acknowledge her, for him to see her for who she truly was. He thanked her for saving him, which means he hadn't forgotten what she was willing to do for him, how she was willing to fight just so he could live and smile one more time.

"You're welcome Naruto-kun" she grinned causing him to chuckle at her teasing behaviour.

"Naruto-kun" she whispered aloud. Her face brightened as she nodded sternly. If Naruto was willing to give his all, then so could she. Without wasting another moment she took off racing towards the training field with nothing but blonde hair, blue eyes and a foxy grin playing over in her mind.


A/N: well what do you think of the second part? are your eyes hurting and are you sick of seeing 'bolded words'? (then I'm sorry your reading the author's note ^^) well the next chapter is the final part -sort of- and it's a fairly short chapter too.

hope you enjoy! don't forget to reveiw!