I do not own Naruto just the plot

Chapter Three

For the next few days Neji was assigned guard duty. He watched Hinata's bedroom door and recorded what happened each hour on a small scroll. Though Hinata showed no signs of leaving she gradually began to eat again and on the fourth day her bedroom door opened. Neji looked at his cousin in confusion. She still wore the black kimono with red butterflies and he wondered briefly how many of those she had. Knowing Hinata she had at least a closet full. She looked at him and without a word turned and walked down the hall. She left the mansion and then confidently to the training grounds fallowed by Neji every step of the way.

Once there, Hinata removed the kimono and let it drop to the ground revealing what she intended to train in. It was a short black skirt with a single line of cloth connecting it to the top. The top covered her chest and went around her neck where it connected to keep from falling. Her entire left side and stomach were shown because of this new outfit. Little red butterflies decorated the black being the only form of color available. On her right hip she had the pouch tat held all of her weapons. She looked back at Neji and smirked a very Uchiha like smirk.

To be honest this creped Neji out beyond belief but he didn't say a thing. Instead he sat down and began to take down notes. Hinata once more ignoring his existence turned to the training post. It had remnants of her blood from the night she'd fought it blindly. This made her quite angry. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she slipped back sliding her weight onto her back foot. She looked to Neji and smirked as something came to her mind. She turned her back from the post and looked to him "Neji get up." That was the only warning he received before he was on his feet defending himself from his cousin.

Hinata jumped back and activated her Byakugan and Neji did the same. They each took their stances and the fight began. Hinata was pulling out all the stops her hands coated in Chakra as she tried to close off her cousin's chakra flow. She was trying to pay him back for the earlier fight during the Chunin exams when he almost killed her. Of course Neji had changed sense then. He was kinder and not as stuck up and this was mostly because of the Naruto influence. But Hinata was still hurt from that incident. If not for the healing she'd gotten from the mysterious ANBU member she would have died

Hinata attacked fiercely and Neji was finding it hard to defend himself. It was strange he didn't remember Hinata behind this strong. Something caught the corner of his eye and he turned his head to see what it was but that was a bad idea because Hinata had her fingers at his neck her chakra licking his skin and she smiled sadistically. She pulled her hands back and took a step away. She bowed respectfully "Really Neji you shouldn't allow yourself to be distracted so easily." She turned her head and looked over at her Kimono. The wind had blown it up and because it was shaped to fit someone when it was blow off the ground it took the form of a person before it fell harmlessly to the ground.

Hinata walked over to it and picked it up and slid it back on. Neji gathered himself "What do you plan to achieve by this behavior?" he asked her as he picked up his scroll and jotted down a few things before tying it up and shoving it in his pocket.

"I'm going to show them" Hinata whispered "I'm going to show them that I'm not a weakling anymore. That I'm not someone who can be pushed around." With that she walked down the street.

Hinata walked for a long time aware that he cousin was about two yards behind her. She stopped at a gift shop. One of many in Konoha and looked around. She normally just looked but this time something caught her eye. She walked over to the stuffed animal. It was a panda. She picked it up and looked at it for a moment. It had two black circles around its eyes and she laughed as it reminded her of come one. But who? She bit her lip as she thought long and hard over it. The face of a very angry looking red head appeared in her mind 'Gaara' her mind said to her and she shook her head laughing. He was an interesting person but she had to admit he was cute now that she thought about him. She paid the shop owner for her new stuffed animal and walked out of the shop.

Neji blinked and stared at Hinata as he fallowed her home and then to her room. 'Why did she buy that?' shaking his head he turned and decide it was time he spoke to the Hokage.

Hokage's tower

"I know Shizune but please just one bottle. One bottle of sake and I'll do all the paper work I swear." Tsunade begged her assistant. When he Hokage was asleep Shizune had taken the liberty of raiding the Hokage's stash and hiding all her Sake.

"No Tsunade-sama you have to get this word done now ": she insisted for the fifth time this morning. A knock at the door was heard and Tsunade sat down ready to deny any begging

"Enter" Tsunade said as she cleared a space on her desk. Neji entered and handed the Hokage his report.

"She's finally left the house but she's well different. She's wearing all black with red butterflies and I don't know why but she bought a panda bear if that's of importance." He paused and looked slightly embarrassed.

"What else?" Tsunade asked looking at Neji with a slightly confused look on her face. There was something that Neji wasn't telling her.

"She spared with and beat me," He said sighing "I was distracted and she could have killed me in an instant. She refrained from doing so but I believe she is still quite unstable and I think." the door opened once more and said person walked in with her new bear. She looked at Tsunade and then to Neji.

"Hokage-sama I wish for a word" Hinata said and then added with quite emphasis as she looked to Neji "alone" Tsunade waved her hand to Neji and Shizune. The two left without a word and shut the door. "Thank you for your time."

Tsunade looked at Hinata for a second before speaking "Hinata your actions towards Naruto and your cousin will not go unnoticed. I ask that you try to gather yourself together." She looked at Hinata with curiosity at her new fashion statement. The same one that Neji had explained, "What happened to the shy Hinata?"

Hinata stared at Tsunade with an emotionless expression "She saw something she wasn't suppose to and her heart died." She answered the Hokage honestly "I'm here to request a mission. I understand my current situation and I will try to "re-gather" myself as you said. Because you don't' want to be along I won't mind working with Kiba and Shino but I will say this if you put me with Naruto I will hurt him, maybe not kill him but I will make sure he wished he were dead."

Tsunade looked at this new Hinata with shock, pain and maybe empathy. But for the safety of her blond she nodded slowly "I will tell Naruto to stay away from you"

With a pop sound, which startled Tsunade and made Hinata jump with surprise and armed herself, Kakashi appeared in the Hokage's office, smoke around his feet. "Tsunade" he bowed a bit and walked to her desk. He set a scroll on her desk and then disappeared the same way he'd come.

Tsunade looked down at the scroll and frowned. It had red edges and bore the Sunagakure seal. Slowly the Hokage opened the scroll and read it over. She bit her lip and sighed. Slowly she set the scroll down and folded her hands as she felt a headach make itself known "okay Hinata you wanted a mission here it is. Get Shino and Kiba and get yoru things together. Tonight you leave the village and will meed with some sand ninja half way between the village of leaf and sand. Once there you will escort the Kazekage and his two representatives here. Go"

Hinata nodded and ran out of the office to gather her friends.

Neji and Shizune entered the office and looked at the Hokage "Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked nerviously "what's wrong?"

Tsunade looked up at the two with a frown gracing her lips "Not only do we have to worry about Hinata attacking Naruto if he gets to close but the Kazekage…. Gaara… is coming to Konoha " she said in a quiet voice "he will arrive tomorrow afternoon."

Neji blinked at the Hokage "And you let Hinata go off to welcome him?! If she does something stupid he'll kill her. Or did you forget what he did to lee during the exams?"

Tsunade looked at Neji with dissipointment. "Neji that was all in the past. He has made up for that over and over again. He has saved Lee's life and his comrads safed our own Ninja so you should put that in the past. Now leave my office." Neji bowed and left.

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Naruto sat outside the Hokage's office. He had heard the entire thing. HE had to go apologise to Hinata. He had to make thigns right. She wasn't the only one hurt that night. When Sakura called out Saskue's name.. He shook his head and jumped down from the roof.

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Tsunade looked to Shizune as the woman spoke "so you knew he was there?" The Hokage nodded "and you know what he's going to do?" again the Kage nodded. "and you're not going to stop it?"

"I can't" Tsunade whispered "Even if I tried he is to stubborn to be stopped." Tsunade looekd at Shizune and shook her head slowly "He already lost Sasuke, he's not willing to lose Hinata as well." After a long pause Tsunade leaned back in her chair "can I have my Sake now?"

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TBC

Gaara-kun is in the next chapter! Hehehehe. I don't know if I want to hurt poor Naruto he was just an innocent lover boy oh well here goes nothing. After all a chapter a day keeps people happy.

R&R