"Naoshi!" Shishi cried, delighted to see me. He tried to rush forward, but the Mizukage held out an arm to stop him.

"Naoshi Uchiha…So that's where you've been hiding," Said the Mizukage. I hung my head and closed my eyes, prepared for the worst.

"Sungato, grab the little traitor," Commanded the Mizukage.

"With pleasure," Said Sun. He began to approach me and Neji jumped in front of me so fast he was nothing but a blur, even with my Sharingan.

"You touch her and you die!" Neji hissed furiously. Sun fell back, startled. The Mizukage was about to say something when he was interrupted by a loud explosion from the south end of the Hazy Pond. Someone yelled somewhere.

"Sunagakure is attacking!" the Mizukage screamed.

It seemed like everyone was suddenly mobilized. Every ninja in Kirigakure was making their way to the source of the explosion.

"Come on, let's help them!" Naruto said, rushing to join the crowd.

"Why should we help them? They want to kill her," Yumi said, nodding to me.

"We should help them, Yumi. They are not all bad…" I murmured quietly. She seemed surprised and she gave in. We all went to join the ninja of Kirigakure.

Sunagakure literally means Village Hidden in the Sand. Most of their attacks were sand based. Most of the ninja of Kirigakure, including myself, had mostly water-based attacks. Do you know what you get when you add sand and water? Mud. Lots and lots of mud.

I found myself in the middle of battle with a red-haired boy with black eye-liner. I had seen him using sand to encase or bury many ninja…but with me he just stood there staring. I was just about out of Chakra and my Sharingan was failing me. I was knocked to the ground from behind and I found myself at the red-haired boy's feet. I cringed, expecting him to do something, but he didn't.

"Why aren't you attacking me? I have almost no Chakra left and I am exhausted. I am destined to die anyway…why aren't you attacking me?" I asked finally.

"Most of my attacks aren't mine. It is the sand, choosing to help me. But the sand refuses to hurt you," The boy said in a voice that was eerily monotonous and sent shivers down my spine.

"Why won't the sand hurt me?" I inquired.

"I don't know. The sand will not hurt you," He repeated. His outward appearance seemed uncaring and I wondered what he really thought on the inside.

"You're not from Kirigakure," He said suddenly, his eyes wandering to my Konohagakure headband.

"That's right. We were here helping Kirigakure solve a little problem with a rogue ninja…" I said quietly. I struggled to my feet.

"Mashi…" Said the boy.

"How did you know?" I asked, surprised.

"He lives in Sunagakure," He said simply. It was strange…The boy sounded monotonous and creepy…but also sad. My heart went out to him in his silent misery and I wanted to know more about him.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Gaara of the Sand," He replied without emotion.

"My name is Hoshi…"

At that moment I was hit from the side again and this time I was only thrown part of the way down. A weird bed of sand caught me and kept me from hitting the ground completely. I got to my feet carefully, surprised at the turn in events. I turned to face my attacker, a man with long black hair and brown robes. The sand that had formed the thing that caught me now formed a large sand ball and launched itself at the man, throwing him backwards. The man struggled to his feet and glared at Gaara.

"Why are you helping her?!" The man shouted angrily.

"I am not. The sand is," Gaara said in the same monotonous voice.

"What the-?" The man was thrown backwards again and the sand covered him completely.

I spotted Neji a little ways away, fighting another of the sand ninja. He knocked him to the ground and smiled at me.

"You alright, Hoshi?" He asked, panting slightly.

"I'm fine. The sand is helping me," I said awkwardly. Somehow it didn't sound right coming from my mouth.

"What does that mean?" Neji asked, startled.

"I don't know, I- Neji!"

At that moment a shruiken came flying out of nowhere and imbedded itself in his back. He let out a sharp gasp of surprise and three more shruiken hit him.

"Hoshi," He said staggeringly, and fell forwards onto the ground.

"Neji-kun!" I screamed loudly. It seemed like the world had stopped spinning as I ran to his side. All the ninja that were nearby stopped battling and watched as I fell to my knees beside him. I rolled him over gently and saw his eyes were half-closed.

"Neji," I gasped softly.

"I'm…fine…" He said shakily, but the grimace that followed his words told me he was not.

"You're not fine, Neji. I have to get you to a healer…" I whispered.

"No. It seems…so much easier to stay here," He replied softly, closing his eyes. His breathing stopped and I shook him.

"No, Neji!" I said, shaking him awake, "Neji?"

He opened one eye and looked at me wearily.

"What?" He asked weakly.

"You…You promised you wouldn't leave me. Remember?" I asked quietly.

"Of course I remember. Naoshi Uchiha…" He said softly and he closed his eyes again. This time his eyes were closed in rest.

Using an impressive bit of Chakra I didn't know I had, I sort of bade the sand to help carry Neji back to the village. The ninja had all stopped fighting now, and they all watched as I took him to a healer. Gaara followed behind me at a distance. It was his sand after all.

It was nighttime when I emerged from the healer's house. Neji was resting, a peace treaty had been signed between Kirigakure and Sunagakure so all the sand-ninja were being healed as well, and everything seemed good. It was only then that I went to my grandmother's old house and climbed up onto the roof like I used to every night when I lived in Kirigakure. I had used the roof for star-gazing…and someone else was using it now for moon-gazing.

"Gaara? What're you doing up here?" I asked, surprised that the roof-top was already occupied.

"I am looking at the moon," He said simply, in his depressed monotonous voice. I sat down beside him and he glanced at me briefly before looking back up at the sky. I looked up as well at the millions of stars that twinkled above us.

"Gaara? Why do you seem so sad?" I asked without looking at him.

"I'm nothing but a military weapon for Sunagakure…I'm not allowed to have emotions. I only have sand," He said quietly.

"But that's ridiculous! You're human, aren't you? Of course you have emotions."

"Sometimes I wonder about that. I don't know what it's like to feel pain…to hurt…What is it like to hurt, Naoshi?" He asked me. Everyone had reverted to calling me Naoshi after Sungato's revelation. Gaara's question was sadistic and a little disturbing.

"Pain? Pain hurts, Gaara, it's…unpleasant. Wouldn't you rather feel joy and happiness?" I asked him.

"Joy and Happiness? And Love?"

"Yes. Joy, happiness, and love," I replied. Then he did something that startled me. Gaara leaned over- and kissed me!

It was enjoyable for a moment, but it wasn't right. It wasn't…Neji. I tried pushing Gaara off of me, but he was stronger than I, whether he realized it or not. So I did the only thing I could do- I bit him, just like Yumi did to Kankuro the first time he tried to kiss her. Gaara released me, startled, and fell back on the roof. Sand swirled around us threateningly but I got as far away from him as I possibly could so that he wouldn't be tempted to try the same thing twice. Gaara was just sitting there. I watched as he opened his mouth and let blood drip from his tongue into the palm of his hand.

"Interesting," as all he said in his same monotonous voice, "I've never been bitten before."

"Hmph."

"I've never kissed anyone before, either."

I felt really bad for Gaara. He had been rejected by his village since he was little and he'd never known what it was like to love someone. …but I loved Neji. Gaara couldn't love me.

"Gaara-…I'm sorry. I love Neji, and if you can't tell this then you're an idiot," I said blatantly.

"Of course you…love…him. But have you told him that?" Gaara asked quietly.

"Well…no."

"I apologize for my actions, Naoshi, …but I cannot be blamed for trying," Gaara said, and with that he stood up and climbed off of the roof.

When he was gone I let out a sigh and left my rooftop. I went back to the healer's house and into Neji's room where he still appeared to be sleeping. I sat down in a chair by his bed and he opened one eye and looked at me.

"Hoshi?" He murmured.

"I'm here."

"I know. What's wrong?"

"Gaara kissed me," I said quickly. His face showed no emotion and he didn't seem surprised or angered by my confession.

"Did you kiss him back?" He asked calmly.

"At first. Then I realized he wasn't you and I bit him," I replied shamefacedly.

"You bit him."

"Yep. Made him bleed, too. He won't be tempted to try that again…I think," I said quietly.

"That's good."

"From now on the only person I'll be kissing is you," I promised. I moved over to the bed quietly and kissed him. He made a weird face as we broke apart.

"You taste like sand," He said.

"Neji!" I said with a frown.

"I'm only joking, Hoshi," He replied, smiling slightly. I kissed him again and lay down beside him on the bed.

"Kirigakure and Sunagakure signed a peace treaty," I said quietly.

"Good. Maybe now we can leave peacefully."

"Or not."

"Why not?"

"Because they know who I am," I replied softly.

"Oh. Haven't you been to talk to the Mizukage yet? I'm sure if you explained about your leaking Chakra he might be more considerate."

"I can't do it now- it's almost three in the morning!"

"Oh. I'm so tired…Goodnight, Naoshi," He said as I lay down beside him.

"Goodnight, Neji-kun," I whispered, kissing him.

The next morning I went to visit the Mizukage. Sungato had been injured in the battle against the sand ninja so his negativity wasn't there. Fortunately, the Mizukage looked rather happy to see me…and Shishi was there as well.

"Naoshi Uchiha- you ended the battle with Sunagakure," the Mizukage said when I walked in.

"I did?" I asked, startled.

"Yes. When your silver-eyed friend got hit with the shruikens the ninja of Sunagakure ceased battle and followed you to the Healer's house. They saw that you could control sand as well as water and you became a pact between the village of Sunagakure and Kirigakure…a sort of peace keeper. A prodigy. So, instead of being executed for abandoning your village you will be honored as a peace maker and given a ninja headband…though I see you already where one from Konohagakure," He replied. Shishi walked forward and handed me a ninja headband with the Kirigakure ninja symbol on it.

"If you wish to return to Konohagakure, you may," He said to me, "But you will always be welcome here, Naoshi."

"Thank you, Shishi, and thank you Mizukage. I will return to Konohagakure when my friends are better, but I will wear this headband," I said quietly.

"I'll miss you, Naoshi," Shishi said, embracing me.

"And I shall miss you, Shishi-sensei."

I returned to the Healer's house only to find that Neji was sleeping so I made my way to the practice field where an un-harmed Kenai was practicing by himself. He looked up when I approached and smiled sadly.

"Hey, Naoshi," He said to me.

"Hey Kenai. How's Sungato doing?" I asked him.

"Not good. The doctors aren't sure if…if he'll make it," Kenai replied, keeping his head down.

"Oh…" Was all I could say, "..Hey! I know something that might cheer you up!"

"What?" He asked curiously.

"I'll teach you a move that I taught myself. It's an easy way to stay underwater for a very long time. What you do is, using your Chakra, you pull the oxygen out of the water and form a bubble around yourself or just around your head, depending on what amount of energy you want to use," I said to him.

"Okay, teach me!" He said enthusiastically.

I spent most of the afternoon teaching Kenai until Yumi brought me something to eat as the sun was going down.

"Why aren't you with Kiba?" I asked her as she handed me a bowl of rice.

"He was tired," She said with a shrug, "Why aren't you with Neji?"

"Same reason. He was sleeping and I didn't want to wake him up," I replied.

"Oh. So what did the Mizukage say?"

After I explained to Yumi what had transpired I finished my food and returned to Neji's room. He was sleeping still when I got there so I sat down in the chair by his bed. I sort of wanted to wake him up, but he needed to sleep. Another part of me wanted to crawl in beside him, but he might wake up if I did that. Still it would've been nice…

Neji opened his eyes, startling me out of my thoughts and causing me to jump slightly. He smiled at me.

"What're you doing, Naoshi?" He asked quietly.

"I was just thinking…I didn't mean to wake you up," I replied, blushing slightly.

"You didn't wake me. I wanted to wake up anyway. …I really want to get out of this stupid bed," He added as an afterthought. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and made an attempt to get out of bed. I held out a hand to steady him as he got to his feet shakily.

"Let's go for a walk," He whispered in my ear.

Leaning against me to help keep him from falling, Neji and I made our way out to one of the lakes. It was unnaturally clear and mist-free for some reason and I could see the full moon shining above our heads.

"It sure is beautiful tonight," Neji remarked, sitting down on the ground. I sat down beside him and held his hand.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

"Where's all the mist at, I wonder?" He asked.

"The air is getting warmer so there isn't as much mist as there normally would be," I replied automatically.

"What does the air temperature have to do with the mist?"

"Water is almost always cooler than the surrounding air. When the air is warmer so is the water and there isn't as much mist because the temperatures aren't that different."

"What if the water is warmer than the surrounding air? Is there mist then?" He asked curiously.

"That would be steam. Not mist," I corrected, "…and that'd probably only ever happen at a hot springs."

"Steam, mist, fog, haze, cloud…you're giving me a headache, Naoshi," Neji said with a faint smile.

"Sorry. It's just one of those things I'm good at," I replied sheepishly. Neji winced slightly as he stood up.

"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I just need to walk around a little bit. I can't sit still for very long," He replied as I got to my feet, "Care to join me?"

"Join you? I have to lead you. It's still misty around the paths and I'm not letting you get lost without me," I said with a smile. I kissed him gently before we continued to walk around Kirigakure.

Later, instead of going back to the Healer's house we went back to the house that had been provided for us. We made our way quietly past Naruto, who was sleeping on the couch, and to my room. Kiba and Yumi's room was empty because Kiba was still at the Healer's and I suppose Yumi was with him. Neji lay down on the bed and I lay down beside him. He wrapped me in his arms and held me close to his chest, kissing my forehead gently. It was then that I remembered what Gaara said Of course you…love…him. But have you told him that?

"Neji?" I asked quietly, "I need to ask you something."

He opened one eye and looked at me.

"What is it, Naoshi?" He asked.

"Do you…Do you love me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course I do. You should've been able to figure that out by yourself," He replied with a smile, kissing me on my forehead.

"Oh. Good. I…I love you, too," I whispered.

"I know that," He said with a low chuckle, pulling me close to him. I felt relieved to know for a fact that he loved me and I closed my eyes, feeling warm and safe in his arms.

The next morning I was awakened my Yumi knocking on the door. She stuck her head inside the room.

"Naoshi, did you steal my brother from the Healer's house?" She demanded.

"I didn't steal anyone. He left on his own," I replied, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Well, then, why didn't you stop him?" She asked. I peeked my head out from under the blanket and looked at her.

"I have no illusions as to my control over your brother," I answered calmly, "I couldn't have stopped him if I tried."

"You frighteningly underestimate your power over me," Neji whispered in my ear so only I could hear, making me feel warm inside.

"I guess I'll have to tell the Healer he's with you so I can get back to Kiba," Yumi said, heading back out the door. As soon as she was gone Neji wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply.

"Let's go outside," He said, getting up.

I followed Neji down to the training field where Kenai was sitting at the edge of the water, looking very sad.

"Kenai, what's wrong?" I asked, sitting down beside him.

"My father…He died last night," Kenai murmured, turning his face away from me.

"Oh…" I said, embracing him. Kenai sniffed and wiped at the tears that had started to form in the corners of his eyes.

"He wasn't always very nice, but…he was still my dad and…I still loved him," He said quietly.

"Of course you did," I said softly, "Children always love their parents."

I thought of my own parents who had abandoned me and my heart constricted painfully. All the guardians who were supposed to love and protect me had abandoned me in some way or another.

"At least I still have…a mother," Kenai said quietly.

"You should probably be with her, Kenai. She needs you now more than ever, I am certain of it," I replied. He nodded his head and stood up.

"Thank you, Naoshi," He said, smiling slightly before walking off.

Neji came to sit beside me at the edge of the lake. He kicked off his shoes and let his feet trail in the water.

"That was nice of you," He said, kissing my cheek.

"Yeah. You were right, you know?" I asked him.

"Of course I was…but what are you referring to?"

"You said that no matter what I was still Naoshi Uchiha. You were right. I can have as many aliases as there are stars in the sky, but I'll always be the same person," I said with a sigh.

"Is that such a bad thing? To be Naoshi Uchiha?" Neji asked softly.

"I suppose not, but…Sometimes I wish I could forget a lot of things. Like how my parents abandoned me. I wish I knew why…"

"That is something you may never know, but there is no excuse for them leaving you like that. At least not one that I can think of. They are at fault. If they would have stuck around a little longer they would've realized they had a wonderful, brilliant daughter."

I blushed slightly and Neji smiled at me.

"So, how are you feeling today, Neji?" I asked him, changing the subject.

"Better than yesterday, though my muscles are still quite stiff," He replied.

"Hey that gives me an idea," I said brightly, jumping to my feet.

"What?" Neji asked, getting up slowly.

"Follow me and you'll see," I said with a secretive smile.

I led Neji down one of the hidden paths in the mist that not even most of the Kirigakure ninja knew about. I had found it on my own and had told very few people. My Great Aunt Hiromi had been one of the people I told, and Shishi had been the other.

"Naoshi, how much further? I can't see anything and this mist is moving," Neji said from behind.

"That's because it's not mist," I replied gleefully.

"Oh, no, not this again," He said, but I heard a smile in his voice, "If it's not mist then what is it?"

"Steam," I answered, grinning.

"but you said that only occurs around hot springs."

"uh-huh."

I was surprised to find that he actually paid attention to me when I carried on about the discrepancies between mist, fog, haze, etc.

We came to a stop beside a natural hot springs that I had found late one evening when I was still training in Kirigakure.

"I found this place all on my own," I said proudly to Neji, "I was trying to make a mental map of the hidden paths in the mist when I stumbled across this place. Shishi told me that there are plants that grow around here that makes the water have healing properties."

"Amazing," Neji said with a contented sigh as he stripped off his clothes and slid into the water. I smiled and got into the water as well.

"With this water you'll be better in no time," I assured him, "It's restorative not only of your body, but of your mind and spirit as well."

"Good. The sooner I get healed the sooner we can go home…back to Konohagakure."

"The sooner we can get back to training," I added with a sigh.

"Don't worry, it won't be so bad now that there aren't Hunter-nin after you," He said with a smile.

"Yeah. You're right. …but I am not looking forward to explaining this to the Hokage."

We left Kirigakure a few days later when Kiba was all better. I said farewell to Shishi who now had a delighted Kenai as a student, and we boarded the ship home.

As soon as we reached Konohagakure the Hokage requested to see me in her office. Sakura delivered the message as I was walking in the front door of the house I lived in. As soon as I dropped my stuff off I walked towards the Hokage's office. Neji met me on the way there.

"Where are you going, Naoshi?" He asked me.

"Lady Tsunade wants to see me," I said anxiously.

"Oh. Well I'll come with you," He assured me. I smiled at him as he took my hand and we continued to walk towards the Hokage's office.

I caught sight of my reflection in a solitary rain puddle and saw that my brilliant purple eyes were no longer hidden with jutsu. My hair still wasn't as long as it had been, but there was no mistaking it- I was definitely Naoshi Uchiha.

We walked into the Hokage's office and she looked up at smiled at both of us. She brushed her hair out of her face and stared intently at me.

"Well… Naoshi Uchiha was hiding amongst my ninja," Lady Tsunade said to me. I bowed my head in shame.

"Forgive me, Lady Tsunade," I said quietly.

"She had to hide somewhere. Please. You can blame her, Hokage," Neji said quickly.

"No. Perhaps I should blame the four ninja who knowingly allowed her into our village? One of which was a Jounin," She retorted.

"You can't blame them either!" I protested, "They were just helping a fellow ninja in need!"

Lady Tsunade looked at me skeptically and smiled as if faintly amused.

"I guess I can't blame anyone, can I?" She said with a smirk. Neji squeezed my hand tightly and smiled at me.

"Of course I knew who you were the moment you walked into my office the first time. I allowed you to stay because, by birth, you belong in Konohagakure. You had the permission of the Fourth Hokage to go and train in Kirigakure when you were younger. A lot of that was forgotten after what happened to the Uchiha clan. Either way you belong in Konohagakure and I for one am glad to have you here," Said Lady Tsunade with a smile.

"Thank you, Hokage," I said, smiling at her.

"You are most welcome, Naoshi Uchiha. You may leave now," She said. Neji and I turned to go, but she held up her hand.

"Neji, will you please wait a moment?" The Hokage asked. He hesitated and I smiled.

"I'll wait for you outside," I said quietly. He let go of my hand which he had still been holding the entire time, and I left the room.

On my way out the door I bumped into Kakashi Hatake, who was once again reading and walking at the same time.

"Oh! Sorry, Naoshi," Kakashi said, getting to his feet. I was speechless for a moment and he held out a hand to help me to my feet. I took his hand gingerly and he pulled me up. I brushed the dirt off the front of my clothes as an excuse to look away from him.

"No lasting damage, I hope?" He asked.

"No. I'm fine. Uh…you knew that I was Naoshi Uchiha?" I asked blankly.

"Of course. Who else could you be with Sharingan? Not to mention I could see through your Genjutsu…though it wasn't yours, was it?" He asked coolly.

"Uh, no. My disguise was courtesy of Neji," I replied, blushing.

"I thought so. It was very good Genjutsu," Kakashi remarked before turning and walking away.

I stood outside the Hokage's office with my back to the door, waiting for Neji. From where I stood I could see the training fields where a bunch of Academy-level ninja were having mock battles. I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone wrapped there arms around me from behind. The immediate warmth of his body heat told me it was Neji.

"Neji! You scared me," I stammered, turning to face him.

"Sorry," He said smoothly, kissing my cheek.

"What did the hokage want? You're not in trouble, are you?" I asked anxiously.

"No, not at all. She wanted to congratulate me on a job well done in Kirigakure. She also said that I was still in charge of you and in making sure you feel at home in Konohagakure," He replied, smiling.

"Oh. Neji, I already feel at home in Konohagakure. It's the only place I've ever really felt at home," I said quietly.

"I know. I'm glad you're here, Naoshi, and I'm glad you feel at home here. Wanna go for a swim?" He asked, changing the subject and grinning wickedly.

"Sure," I said, blushing. He laughed and kissed me again before taking my hand and leading me off towards the woods. As I turned to go I noticed the Hokage looking down on us from her office window and smiling. I smiled to myself, knowing that for once, everything felt right and I finally felt wanted. There was no argument - I belonged in Konohagakure.

THE END