Chapter 6: If Time could Heal

Disclaimer: pfft owns nothing

Summary: Nobody told Hinata that Neji was just a plain playboy, luckily she found out. It's rare to lose a Hyuga and gain a friend, soul-mate and lover named Sasuke on the same day. Who can she trust?

Ratings: T

Pairings: Sasuke/Hinata. Slight Tenten/Neji

AN: OK. I let Hinata live...for now. Here are some answers to your questions dear readers:

You can't kill Hinata because the genre is romance/humor. Um I can easily change to romance/tragedy if that's what you want.

Why is the genre humor? Because there's a LOT of ironies ironically: Hinata thinks Sasuke is her savior, Sasuke is an assasin. 'nough said.

Do you need ideas on how to finish the fanfic? Of course I do. Every writer needs inspirations and ideas. So don't be shy: share your ideas through reviews or PMs

Why does Orochimaru need Hinata dead? You guessed right, it has something to do with the Byakugan. But you're not going to find out yet =P

Grammar/Spelling? Most times I'm OK. I just don't proofread. SIGH. I really should be...since I'm currently a FULL IB candidate.

The moment their eyes locked, a chill ran through the Uchiha's veins. His eyes glowed red and she was unconscious again in an instant. Images flashed through his skull. It began with the night he was racing through the dim streets of Konoha late from training. He clutched his satchel and peeked through the window frame to see bodies submerged in pools of blood.

"Ottousan…Okasann." Then the bold, armored body of his own brother. The images melted away and he was now at Ichiraku paying for a petit girl who slurped her ramen loudly. He caught sight of her blue hair that was court but carried the same scent as the person in front of him. Sasuke's knees hit the ground with immense force and he was clutching his raven hair gasping for air. DAMN IT. What's wrong with the curse mark now? I thought I can control it 100%, but why….? He was shaking while he glanced at the innocent girl. It's her eyes...she's making me remember everything from the past. My past. Our past.

When he finally stilled himself, he reached again for the kunai in his pocket, but couldn't. Her facial features had reminded him of his own mother. Her bangs, her silky hair and her eyes especially – though not onyx like his mother – had the same worried and hurt look.

He cursed Hinata first, then Orochimaru for assigning him the ridiculous mission, and at last he cursed himself for everything.

Hinata woke up in a haze. Her head was throbbing, her eyes clouded with debris and an especially stinging pain near her spinal cord. But aside from all that she was now staring into a pair of ebony eyes that traced the unevenness in her breath. The boy arched an elegant eyebrow and removed his hand from his pocket. Suddenly, staunch arms closed in on her waist and he swiftly moved her frail body into his arms. Hinata panicked and tightened her hold on his sleeve stained with blood.

"W-where are you taking me?"

The boy's eyebrows were stiff as he moved her closer to his body, "We're going home."

Hinata paused but couldn't help asking, "Your home?" her winced when he lifted her off the ground "Or mine?"

The boy didn't speak but just looked down at the weird girl, leaving the mystery unsolved.

Sasuke wandered across the lawn and through the threshold with the feather-light woman in his arms. Upon his entrance, two maids had already positioned themselves on either side of the Uchiha heir, but with the infuriated glare, they retreated for the kitchen leaving the man alone to hoist the unconscious body up the marble staircase. As if he was lifting a mere pillow, he effortlessly reached the second floor and positioned her on the mattress in his room. But the oldest Hyuga was in no condition to sleep so she dangled her feeble legs over the edges of his bed, staring up at him as if a lost puppy. A cherry-red blotch caught his eye and he watched the modicum expand on the white bed sheets.

"Wait here." He left the room for a minute or so and was back with a soaked towel in one hand.

"Take off your shirt," he said stoically.

"W-what?" it came out as a squeak.

"Your bleeding," he focused on her stained shirt unable to account for what had happened before he saw Neji knock her unconscious.

"I can do it myself," She interjected and began to rise up to meet Sasuke's glares.

That was when the youngest Uchiha decided to meet her feminine independence with his male dominance. He leaned forwards; a little close for her comfort.

"I don't care if you can do it or not," his voice lowered an octave. "Take. It. Off. Now…"

"No." She glared right back.

"So you want me to do it for you," he rolled his eyes and clutched the hem of her grimy shirt.

"I'm…" She stopped his hand in horror and gulped. "…self-conscious." Ah, that answers the question.

"Then hold your shirt to your chest. I'll turn around." He leaned back and Hinata heaved a mental sigh as she watched the prodigy did what he said.

She was shivering when her spoke again, "I'm done." Tentatively she watched him turn her around by her shoulders and begin dabbing around her wound. The water wasn't piercing cold as she had expected. Hinata was relieved for a short time before disaster struck again.

She let out a shriek from the back of her lungs as the soaked texture glided over her injury. Hinata hugged her legs and moved five inches away from the worried Uchiha. He gave her an encouraging look as if to apologize.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, with more care this time he worked around the wound and was even patient when the girl closed her eyes and bit her lips feverishly. He would wait for a few seconds after she whimpered and continued until her back was relaxed. Hinata felt a rush of gratitude for the boy beside her. Ever since moving out of the compound, she had felt depleted and paranoid. Always on the move, always hiding and always afraid that if she revealed any weakness, there would be consequences. But with Sasuke, she didn't have to hide because he'd take her for who she was.

She felt safe. She felt cared for.

Once the ointment was applied and bandaged. He shut the first aid kit and watched her lie back down on his pillow and fall into an uneasy sleep.

This time, you win…But next time, you won't.

His lips curled into a smile.

Hinata rubbed her eyes open when the alarm beeped irritatingly. She had such refreshing night; no hunter to fear, no 'hide and seek' game to escape from. She slapped the alarm clock – at least what she thought – and met a handful of ebony hair. The Hyuga gaped at the Uchiha Sasuke in shock. She had forgotten they were still in his room.

".Hell." He half-whispered in his sleep. Her hand retreated fast, but his was faster. He brought the long, pert fingers to his sight and narrowed his eyes at them.

"You have got some guts," he talked to her hand.

She laughed and wiggled her hand away, "Oops. I guess I burst your bubble." She replied nonchalantly.

Sasuke was surprised, but he resumed his famous smirk, "You're good at acting, you don't even blush." But, he leaned over her head to check the alarm clock – his face alarmingly close, Hinata could have sworn her eyelashes would touch his nose. "But you're not that good." If slapping him didn't do the job, this did; she was a strawberry when he announced the time.

"Time for school," he smirked as he exited the room. He had more experience dealing with the opposite gender than Hinata will ever have in a lifetime. By the time they got into the Ferrari for school, the unpleasant encounter with Neji had already vanished into thin air.

By the time she arrived in Chemistry, Tenten had already reserved a seat for her near the back of the room so they could talk as they please. Despite the fact there were labs to complete; Hinata always looked forward to the one class without a certain Hyuga jerk seeking revenge. She tied her dazzling navy hair back and opened her lab instructions. She was just about to peruse through them when she noticed a pair of chocolate eyes examining her strangely.

"…Tenten?" She said tentatively.

"Yea," she snapped straight. "I was wondering about that-" Hinata followed her gaze to her puce-colored mark on her neck. Damn it. Why was I so careless? I should've at least worn a collared shirt.

"-Oh just a little bruise after walking into a pole yesterday," She smiled falsely. "Silly me…"

She couldn't imagine a worse excuse than that. If I only had an Uchiha brain… Not only did she wear a white-blouse, but flats…flats! That would make any lunatic wonder where she had been. Any lunatic in a school for the gifted – she reminded herself. Oh why oh why. A neck bruise was hard enough to explain, but an ankle bruise? She wondered if she could get through the day without at least a dozen eyes fixed on the patches of brown and purple. Oh the joy.

Before her curious partner had a chance to respond, a flash of green exploded in front of them and little confetti greeted the Chemistry class. Hinata mentally thanked the intruder for saving her from a series of prodding questions. There could only be one explanation…

"Good morning my YOUTHFUL students, I can not tell how much I've missed you from those days in the Academy," the voice of none other than their hyperactive Gai-sensei shook the walls. "Oh how you've GROWN." The front row synchronized in a ten-centimeter retreat. Being the classic nerd, Tenten prepared her notes and was too busy goggling at her Genin teacher to shift her attention to the troubled Hyuga.

"Your assignment today will be to analyze the effects of alcohol and medications on the chakra system," he clapped his hand passionately. "Your instructions are on the board."

The usual process was repeated; the brunette obtaining the materials, while the white-eyed girl made notes on the side. Once Tenten returned with a handful of different leveled alcohol bottles, she sat down beside her friend.

"Let's see…pour two milliliters of 40% alcohol in the graduated cylinder and…" she stopped short and almost choked on her spit. "c-consume."

Hinata released her pen and looked up at the mortified girl. "I thought this was a zero-alcohol tolerance school?"

Tenten's hand shot in the air and watched while the man in green jumpsuit skip over to her desk, "Yes, my ever-inquisitive pupil?"

She pointed to the instructions, "consume professor?"

"Of course, how else would you conduct such an experiment?" Gai looked bored. "If you're worried about that," Tenten followed his pupils to where Naruto was staring slying at a bottle of 80% rum."Switch the drinking between you and your partner." The brunette exchanged anxious glances with her partner, but did as she was told.

After recording the first trial, the blue-haired kunoichi reached hesitantly for the two militer of 60% alcohol, but another hand was faster.

"Tenten…it's not fair if you have to be the text object for all the trials.."

"No," She said gravely. "Look at you…you can barely stand." She indicated to the blemishes around her ankle and chugged the contents in the graduated cylinder before the Hyuga could ask.

"I appreciate it…but I'm perfectly fine." Hinata knew the lecture was about to begin. The expression on her lab partner's face was icy and bitter, unlike the Tenten she knew.

"Hinata," She said through clenched teeth. "What aren't you telling me?" When Hinata pretended to pour the next bottle of liquor into the beakers, her brows furrowed and her voice shook a little. "We've been friends every since grade school. If there's one person on this planet that deserves to know what's going on – it's me!"

The silver-eyed heiress let the beaker land harshly on the wooden counter with a clang and couldn't avoid her gaze any longer. "It's really just…"

The weapon mistress was on her feet now. "Oh don't even get me started. You crashing into a pole? How explicit."

Color rose to her angelic cheeks as she brushed the navy bangs from her eyes. She felt ashamed; ashamed that out of all the people in her life – she had deliberately decided to lie to her best friend. Out of everyone, the ones that left her to suffer, should have been undeserving of the truth. But time after time, she has let them for impunity, when they should have been made to regret the little lies that hurt her the most. But Tenten! Tenten! Hinata was bleeding a little inside. She should know! She knew her friend deserved every word of the truth. She was moral and considerate. Yet no matter how intimate their friendship was, Hinata did not dare let her thoughts slip. The oldest Hyuga had observed the way her friend had looked at her own cousin. Was it admiration? Or was it trust?

Although she could not understand, she knew that several years of training between the brunette and her own cousin had bonded the two unlikely souls. Tenten was altruistic, while Neji was arrogant and selfish. While she was solicitously looking for a lover, he was a renowned playboy. If she was a dove, he was a hawk; a hawk that would deposit the carcass after use….But regardless the mismatch, her friend was new to the concept of love and lust. And despite the dismal facts, he would continue to blush at his smirk, laugh at his jokes – no matter how dull, and freeze in the hallway beside his locker. The quandary shook her sanity so much, the blue-haired kunoichi retreated to the washroom.

Her friend's happiness or hers? She ran cold water over her cheeks and stole a look at her reflection in the mirror. To her astonishment she was finally going to forgive all the prying eyes in the hallway; her naturally lavender cheeks were blanched with a ghostly glow, her bangs were oddly tangled and her eyelids resembled that of a panda.

Pathetic. She concluded. Why was she letting her cousin leave this much of an impact on her? What happened to the Hinata that held her head high even when Naruto bluntly rejected her love? No, she wasn't about to let Neji ravage her friend's life as well.

Tell her.

Feeling like her brain lost a few pounds, she exited the washroom. She was maybe two steps out the door when two chocolate buns brushed her cheeks.

"Look," she tackled her into a hug. "I'm sorry about being so nosy."

"N-no not at all! Actually-"

"Actually," she finished her sentence for her. "I was thinking if you'd like to come to Ichiraku's after school." Hinata blinked. It was a brilliant idea – she could tell her about her worries for the past month; the eventful detention, living with the Uchiha prodigy and everything.

She smiled for the first time in weeks.

"Sure, it'll be great...just like old times." Tenten beamed back, but frowned a little. "Actually, I told Neji to come too…"

Hinata watched her friend tap her index fingers together like she had done so many years ago. But everything was too late. Her heart sank and the light from her cheeks dimmed.

"I don't think I can go…"

"Please! I can't go alone. I'll trip over myself or end up doing something worse!"

"Then he'll help you out." Like hell he would. Hinata told herself.

"But I don't need him," the brunette looked frantic now. "Don't you get it? I need you."

Her friend just sighed and bowed her head. She had just sworn to herself that she wouldn't let Neji have any impact on her life and now…it seems the deal was already off. She was afraid to meet him at a ramen stall. She wondered what questions he'd ask her and what foul revenge he had in mind this time. But Hinata's mind had clicked into place; she was going to meet every one of his glares with her own. She had never been so ready to prove that without him, her life was going to be a charm. Oh Neji-ni, what will you do now?

"I could say the same about you," she brushed her blue locks over her shoulder and smiled. "See you after school." She turned on her heels, leaving her friend to wonder what had caused the change in attitude.

4:00 pm at Ichiraku's

"Is my hair alright?"

"Oh for god sakes, we're here to eat ramen, not entertain your boyfriend."

Though Tenten had said they were meeting at Ichiraku's, Hinata had long doubted that this was far from a relaxing, social event. The brunette's hair was glossed with the unarguable scent of rose and aloe, a kimono was neatly tied with a red sash and a gold heart pendant adorned her neck. Tenten never wore jewelry. This was perhaps the one day out of the year she would dress like this. Hinata remembered her friend mentioned how jewelry was unpractical, slowing her training and distracting herself more than anyone else. But here she was…the blue-head just amused herself with the way the weapons mistress shifted uncomfortably in the tight clothing and nodded at every complaint she had. If it made Tenten happy, she would readily comply.

"He's should be here…any minute now." If checking her clock didn't make her more nervous the sight of a tall, brawny shadow leaning on the wall next to her did.

"Ah Tenten."

"Neji-kun," she whipped her head around and gave him a toothy smile.

"Two bowls please," he nodded to the cashier and resumed his attention to the girl in her kimono, but his eyes caught another pair of pearly, transparent eyes.

"Well, if it isn't Hinata," he grinned cynically. "Another bowl please."

"There won't be any need." Hinata said icily. "I can't possibly eat after what happened yesterday."

Neji stopped grinning and sneered, "Then may tomorrow's events regain your appetite."

The brunette in the middle glanced from her friend to her lover clearly confused. "Oh and what would be tomorrow?" She asked timidly as she looked up from her ramen.

"The autumn formal is tomorrow," the Hyuga heir responded as if anticipating his cousin's glare. "A prestigious ball for freshmen."

Instead of returning his bitterness, Hinata was deep in thought. What did Neji mean when he said "tomorrow's events will regain my appetite?" Did the fool expect me to attend? What a joke. He knows I don't go…so what's the point? Was it mockery?

"Tenten," his husky voice distracted her thoughts. "Someone like you can't possibly miss the formal."

The girl was practically speechless and just gazed away from the pair of pearly eyes. "But I…"

"You," He emphasized with a tilt of his chin. "Are going with me."

By her heated cheeks and reflective eyes, Hinata braced the worst for her friend. If there were any doubt of her crush before, they were long gone now. The blue-haired girl just narrowed her eyes at her cousin, reading between the smirks that seemed to say – you've lost…again.

"Oh yes! I would love to…" Hopelessness. Folly. Regret. It was something Tenten would never understand until the day Neji betrayed another innocent soul.

"I have to go now…" was all the silver-eyed girl could say.

"See you at the formal...by yourself." Was her cousin's last words. Full of arrogance and vain. Did someone like him deserve to be a Hyuga?

She wandered back to the mansion alone, heavy from the week's events. She took the back door into the manor, not wanting the owner to see her in this state. Having him treat her injuries was worse enough; it just proved her weaknesses more. Her hand hastily jerked the doorknob open and leaning against the marble staircase was the man she least wished to see.

"You're an hour and thirty seven minutes late." He acknowledged.

"Yeah well, I don't see you having the patience to wait…" She muttered under her breath. Most times, she wouldn't dare defy anything he said, but today was different. Sensing her ill mood, Sasuke unfolded his arms and took several steps closer.

"If you consider one hour in the parking lot a lack of patience." He took three more steps…

"Then you really are…" Two more steps...Hinata sensing this backed up several inches but to no avail. Her back reached a solid wall and shuddered at the chill it sent through her veins. The Uchiha was ever so close…

"Toying with me," he finished locking one hand on the wall to the right of her head. But she was flexible and swerved to the left. Sasuke glared, not liking the fact she was able to escape and this time locked both his arms on the wall beside her head so she was trapped under his onyx eyes.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" He arched an eyebrow. "Or shall I convince you?"

Hinata winced at how close he was to her cheeks, she could feel his lukewarm breath tickling her nose and neck. "Fine."

With slight hesitation, she finally blurted out all her miseries with her cousin. So many times, she would pause and shudder at the grueling memories. She had tears hanging at the corner of her eyes at times and was swallowing them back at others. When she was finished, she sniffled and gazed back into his obsidian eyes, wondering if she had sounded like a consummate idiot. But she saw nothing in his eyes; they were unprejudiced, untainted with any hint of mockery or distain. He just looked into her eyes.

Then after the longest, loudest silence, the youngest Uchiha clasped her wrist and turned towards the entrance.

Hinata still had tears on her cheeks, and she wiped them away with her other hand.

"Sasuke- where are we going?"

He captured her eyes again; this time reassuringly. Living with Sasuke had taught the kunoichii the art of reading people's eyes – this one said: trust me.

"We're going to make every man in Konoha drool at your feet."

AN: Possibly the last chapter before I go on Hiatus. No one's even on fanfic anymore, people either shadow read or not all all aka looking for fluff.

IS MY STORY THAT BAD?

Life goal #23: get 100+ reviews on fanfic :O maybe if i reach this goal, I'll update. but for now...it's a goodbye?

Your one and only...

Kiritori