Welcome to CHAPTER FOUR! Sorry it took so long to update. / I've been having trouble making Melissa give me back my notebook! oo Anyway...please enjoy. More fluff! xP REVIEW PLEASE.

Scroll Four — Understanding

It felt strange to be with someone again. She was able to smile and laugh. She felt light. For some reason, it made her feel normal. Hinata had never acted like this around anyone else. Around Naruto, she was always nervous and stutter-y. Of course, she had gotten over her crush on the boy almost two years ago, when she had finally realized that he was beyond her reach. It hadn't been worth her trouble.

Neji glanced over to the dark-haired girl and stared for a few seconds. Hinata was busy setting up camp for the night. It was nearly dark outside, but she ignored that completely, continuing to set out the blankets in the large, conveniently placed patch of dirt under a huge tree. She stood up and brushed herself off, admiring her work

"Neji-niisan...it's getting late. We should probably go to sleep." For a moment, Neji didn't answer. He stared at her with intensity before nodding.

The two had spent the last few days repeating this routine. Hinata set up camp while Neji cooked. Yes, she made Neji cook. They would then eat, perhaps talk for a while, before going to sleep.

Hinata thoroughly enjoyed this. It unfortunately fell apart a few days later when Neji came down with a slight cold.

"Hinata..." the boy complained weakly, his voice hoarse. "I don't feel very good."

Hinata sighed. "You shouldn't have been so reckless." she replied, pressing the back of her cool palm against his warm curse-seal, before getting a blanket and thermometer. She stuck the thermometer under his tongue before helping him wrap the blanket around his shoulder. She took a rag and placed it in cool water before wringing it out and pressing the cool cloth against his forehead.

"There. Your temperature is 100.4 (Farenheit.) Promise me you'll rest, okay?" Hinata said a few minutes later, after removing the thermometer.

Neji sniffed and said, "Alright, I promise." before lying down and falling asleep.

Hinata made herself dinner before dousing the fire with cold water. When the rag on Neji's forehead had dried out, she darted as quickly as possible to the nearest stream to get a fresh bucket.

Though unwillingly, Hinata fell into a restless sleep, waking in the early morning. She yawned and opened her eyes, glancing around the camp. Neji wasn't there.

Panic started to flood her mind. What if someone had come and kidnapped him in the middle of the night? Hinata began yelling his name again and again, but the only reply was the chirping of the crickets and the birdsong. She fell weakly to her knees, tears stinging her eyes. How could he be gone? They had only been together a few days, but her heart was aching horribly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, she was in too much pain to both trying to stop them.

"Hinata? Why are you crying?" Someone's hands gripped her shoulders and she lifted her head to look up. Neji was kneeling in front of her, frowning. "What's wrong? You look devastated..." However, he didn't wait to hear her reply. Carefully, he wiped away her tears, before pulling her into a warm hug.

She didn't resist his pull, but instead continued to cry, though they were tears of joy by now, wrapping her arms around his neck. For a few long minutes, they stayed in this position. Neither Hyuga seemed to understand their feelings. It was like holding on for dear life.

It could have been just a few seconds, but it felt like it had lasted a few lighted days. Neither of the Hyugas knew when to let out. Finally, Hinata did, and stood shakily.

Neji lifted his gaze to stare at her. She stared right back. "Hinata—" Hinata noted he was no longer calling her Sama — "Why were you crying?"

She blushed softly and stared at the ground. "Because...I didn't know where you were. I was worried that you were still sick and someone had stolen you away or something..." Memories of something of the sort happening to her when she was a child came back to her and she felt her heart twist, remembering that Neji's father had been sacrificed for her father's sake. "For all I knew...you were dead. And that scared me! I didn't want you to be gone..." Her words started coming out without her thinking about it. Hinata gasped inwardly and clapped her hand over her mouth. 'Did I...really mean that!' she asked herself. She wasn't really sure.

"I'm so sorry..." Neji said, and he truly looked it. "I meant to be back before you woke up. It was stupid of me. I suppose I must have miscalculated. You weren't supposed to wake up for a few hours."

Hinata sniffed and said quietly, "Promise me...Promise me you won't leave unless you tell me." Neji smiled.

"I promise." he replied, before wrapping his arms around her back and grasping her into another hug.

Sure, she didn't understand why he was hugging her, but she also knew, in her heart, she didn't really mind. Not only was he feeling better, and being much nicer, but he was — what exactly was he? It had occurred to her, just vaguely in her mind, that he meant to kill her. That seemed impossible, somehow. It was just too easy to be with him.

None of that seemed to matter. Returning the hug, she laughed, finally at ease.

End Scroll Four

Squee! So, what'd my faithful readers think of Scroll Four? This might be the longest chapter I've written. GA-GASP! I should be updating HinaxSasu soon...If I made typos, please try and ignore them! They shouldn't be that harsh.

Much Luff,
Simoneh