a/n:

How many centuries have passed?

Oh God! I am very sorry for the super late update. The semester is over (Finally!) and I managed to crawl out and survive. It's safe to say that I passed my subjects with flying colors...(the others, I think). So I am very sorry for the delay and the mini hiatus! I hope I could make it up to you guys with this chapter. :) I hope you all like it.

As always, thank you so much for my hardworking beta Serious Sam-san! Make sure to check out his work, My Precious People.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

But I shipped and cried so hard while watching The Last. The greatest feeling of all time when you see your mothership officially a canon. Right straight in the kokoro!


VIII. A place to return to…

"And without you, yes – the world would still turn. The sun would still rise, and the moon would still set.

But I will never be the same, for you see… you are my sun, my moon and all my stars.

Just because the real world will remain the same, doesn't mean mine won't crash and fall apart."

– J.S.

Three weeks later…

It was a peaceful afternoon in the Hidden Village of Leaf, and it had been for quite some time – ever since the overly rambunctious, hyperactive and noisy Hero of the Leaf had left for the mission to Suna.

The Rokudaime Hokage, Hatake Kakashi normally prayed for moments like this.

Usually during his afternoon tea break that he spent in his office, Naruto would barge in and demand an A or S-class mission, ruining whatever peaceful tranquility he'd managed to scrounge together. It had been almost a daily occurrence, and he no longer wondered why Tsunade began to show wrinkles around her eyes, even with the jutsu she used to maintain her youthful appearance.

At least now he didn't have to worry about Naruto pestering him about Sasuke, like back in the old days.

He was broken out of his daydream by a knock at the door. Kakashi placed his empty cup down on the table and pulled up his mask to cover his face, telling whoever it was to enter.

His assistant, Wakaba walked in carrying a teapot. "Would you like a refill, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage shook his head. Wakaba cleared the table and politely excused herself, leaving Kakashi alone once again to stare at the scrolls laying side by side on the top of his desk, along with a small stack of paperwork.

It was three weeks ago when the scrolls arrived at his office. On the same day and from different places, but with almost exactly the same content.

One was from Shikamaru's team that he'd sent on that mission to Sunagakure. Written in the report was the result of their findings within the abandoned laboratory the Suna ninjas discovered in the desert. From the seal on the door, they assumed it belonged to the missing Sannin Orochimaru and Sasuke had verified that the Suna nin were correct.

As he'd expected, the place was littered with dead bodies and things were strewn about haphazardly, without any semblance of order. The whole place was in complete chaos, which was very unlike Orochimaru who was always very measured and organized. Why would the Sannin would leave the laboratory in such a state and seal it if there was nothing but corpses left?

But he'd gotten his answer when the team discovered a girl, kept alive in the deepest part of the laboratory. She'd been suspended in a cylinder full of nutrionic fluid – at least that's what Shikamaru called the substance – for six years, and had been suffering under the bane of Orochimaru and his experiments for almost fifteen years.

Hyuga Hinata was her name.

She was the Hyuga's firstborn whom everyone thought had been swept over a waterfall and fallen to her death when she was kidnapped by Kumogakure ninjas a few days after her fifth birthday. Naruto considered her as a very important friend… and coincidentally, he was on that team that discovered her existence after fifteen years.

Kakashi wondered how long his teammates and Gaara would be able to Naruto at bay…

He propped his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers in front of his face, indicating that he was in deep thought.

Interestingly, the second scroll arrived on the same day. It was from Neji, and his teammates Tenten and Lee reported that the Hyuga prodigy left without their consent. When Kakashi read the scroll, Neji had been vague as to why he suddenly left, however the Hokage noticed an additional portion was under a genjutsu that only he would be able to dispel and read.

Neji knew that his cousin was alive. And the reason behind his sudden departure involved Kabuto and Orochimaru.

Kakashi felt a nearby presence in his office that disrupted his Disrupting his deep thoughts. "Report." He ordered.

Sai, along with three other ANBU suddenly appeared on one knee in front of him.

"Hyuga Neji is still nowhere to be found, Hokage-sama. We expanded our search and found no traces of either him, or Yakushi Kabuto." Sai stated.

"I see," the Rokudaime replied, "Continue your search. Neji noted in his message that he would be leaving signs once he realized he would need backup. It could be any day now, so keep your senses sharp. After all," Kakashi paused and looked directly into Sai's emotionless eyes, "he took on a very dangerous mission."

.

.


Hyuga-san,

I sincerely apologize for not being available to pay you a visit in these past few days. I have been very occupied by my work, but I will continue to ensure that you receive the best care in our village hospital. I have heard from my sister Temari, and Sakura that you have been making a remarkable progress with your health and physical therapy. I am very much delighted to hear about that.

I was only able to read your letter the other day, and I must say that I am thankful of your care and concern. It has been also a very exhausting week for me, but I would ask that you don't worry so much about my state. Temari is always here to ensure that I get enough rest and keep from straining myself too much. Indeed, I do have the tendency to overwork and push myself to extreme limits, but I would ask that you think of yourself first and focus on recovering as quickly as possible.

One day soon, I promise to visit you. I noticed you have developed a special liking to the desert lilacs I brought to you when I visited last time. I will bring some fresh ones when I do so again.

Sincerely,

The Kazekage

o.o.o.o.o

The soft smile on the Hyuga maiden's lips never left as she read the letter from the Kazekage. Sakura, who'd just finished checking the girl's blood pressure, couldn't help but feel elated as she looked at her recovering patient. Indeed, Hinata and the Kazekage had started to develop a friendly sort of relationship over the past few weeks since he had been visiting her, to make sure she was receiving all the treatment she needed. Gaara had promised Naruto that the Hyuga girl would be safe in his village. All of them understood how much Hinata meant to the great Ninja Hero, so they promised to treat her with the utmost care.

After all… Hyuga Hinata had been kept prisoner by Orochimaru for fifteen years. That statement in and of itself held more horrors than most people would experience in a lifetime.

Sakura tried once to ask about Hinata's experiences, so that she could help her cope with any traumatizing memories but the girl didn't even have the strength to talk about it. The kunoichi understood all too well, and she wouldn't force Hinata to say anything until she was ready to speak about them.

"You've been doing really well, Hinata-san." Sakura said encouragingly. "Your blood circulation is fine, and your vital internal organs are getting stronger every day. It's like life is coming back to you again…" she added softly with a small smile.

Hinata neatly folded the Kazekage's letter and placed it on the nightstand. Her dull pale skin now radiated a much healthier skin tone, her slightly sunken cheeks had filled out, the purplish-blue color of her fingernails and lips were pink once again and her thin, malnourished body had was now fuller. On top of all that, she could stand and walk on her own again – although not for very long. She needed help after about twelve feet, which of course Naruto had provided for her every single time.

She had come very far from the girl they had found in the abandoned laboratory.

"It's all thanks to your care, Sakura-san…" Hinata said gratefully, "You, Naruto-kun, Gaara-sama and the others had been constantly giving me strength to carry on. I will never forget all the care and kindness you have given me since the day I was found." She paused and solemnly looked down at her white knuckled fists, "If you hadn't found me there… I'd still be trapped in that nightmarish place…"

Hinata closed her eyes and tried to push all the painful memories away. She decided early on not to break down and cry from all the bitter and tragic experiences she experienced before. Instead, she decided to be strong since she considered this a second chance to renew her life and change herself…

Sakura noticed the pained expression on Hinata's face. There were times when she'd seen the girl in deep thought, and the first week of her recovery was one of the worst cases the medic had dealt with in her entire career. The degree of Hinata's trauma was to such an extent that she would render herself unconscious for an entire day, and then as soon as she wakes up the process repeated itself all over again. Naruto had been there to comfort her and make her feel safe, but even if Hinata found solace in Naruto's presence, it was the psychological damage they had to contend with. Her complete physical recovery would probably take less than a year, but her emotional state would take far longer than that.

"Everything's all right now, Hinata-san." Sakura said gently as she placed a hand on the frail girl's shoulder. "You're safe with us… and that's all that matters. Naruto never breaks a promise, I assure you. He said he'd protect you and he'll do just that, even if it kills him."

The tension in Hinata's body relaxed and her pale eyes opened again.

They have given her care. Shelter. Protection. Safety.

Everything she ever wished for since that day Orochimaru had slaughtered those ninja who'd tried to kidnap her and took her for his own purposes.

All those years she had suffered, feeling as if she was nothing more than a puppet. Orochimaru's marionette, is what they called her. Every thought, every movement manipulated by the snakelike man pulling the strings.

But now she was free, safe, and cared for… and she finally started to feel human again.

"Arigato, Sakura-san…" Hinata said softly as she looked up to meet her caregiver's green eyes. "Honto ni arigato…" A small, bright smile formed on her lips.

Sakura experienced a warm feeling rising in her chest when she saw Hinata smile at her. She shut her eyes and wiped at the tears forming in her eyes.

Hinata stared at her in shock, her eyes growing wide. "What's wrong, Sakura-san? Are you all right?"

Sakura sniffed and smiled back at Hinata. "I-I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm just really happy… that you finally smiled at me. Maybe this is the feeling doctors get when their patients express their deepest gratitude." She chuckled. "I'm grateful that I've been such a huge help to you, Hinata-san."

"I see." Hinata said, "You know… th-this is the first time I've talked to someone my age. I'm glad I could share this moment with you, Sakura-san. I may have not known you for very long, but… I genuinely appreciate all the care you've given me."

Sakura waved her hand nonchalantly. "Don't mention it, Hinata-san. It's what I do… and I did promise Naruto, too. You're very special to him, so I'll do everything I can to help you recover."

Suddenly, a knock interrupted their conversation. The door opened and Temari walked in. "Sorry to interrupt you guys, but Hinata has an important visitor."

Temari stepped aside and the two girls saw a red-haired man standing behind her.

In his hands were some of the most beautiful flowers that Hinata had ever seen in her life.

Sakura bowed politely as the man strode across the room.

He was none other than the Kazekage, Gaara.

.

.

"How have you been doing lately, Hinata?" Gaara began as he watched the bedridden patient adore the beauty of the desert lilacs he promised he would bring her. Temari had dragged Sakura out of the room to give her brother a private moment with Hinata. Sakura had protested but Temari was rather firm and insistent, saying that the Kazekage deserved some privacy as well, but her actions were like an open book to him. He knew Temari was desperately hoping for him to find a girlfriend – and she thought Hinata would be a good match.

His sister could be very meddlesome and foolish at times, but he appreciated her efforts nonetheless.

Hinata smiled at him. "I'm feeling very good today, thank you. It's all due to the care that your hospital and Sakura-san have given me."

"I see." Gaara said, "I am glad to hear that."

Whenever Gaara visited Hinata and they were left alone, they'd spend most of their time in silence. Usually, Naruto was the one who talked, telling Hinata stories about his adventures with his late master Jiraiya. Gaara also enjoyed his friend's interesting stories, and being the quiet, private person he was, he hardly ever spoke about his life. Both Naruto and Gaara both wanted to make her feel comfortable and safe, so that whenever she felt scared or was haunted by her painful memories, she could always seek comfort and protection from them.

"You've really given me so much care since I've been here, Kazekage-sama and I'm very grateful for that. I don't know how I can ever repay you for all your kindness and hospitality."

"You have nothing to worry about." Gaara replied, "Your recovery is of the utmost importance. And please, do not think that you've been a burden to us. I am very much willing to offer you protection and safety, not only because Naruto considers you a very important friend, but because I also want to offer you help."

Hinata gave him a questioning look. "Why is that…? W-we barely knew each other, Kazekage-sama. Y-you've already done so much to help me."

Gaara stared straight at her. "You may not understand… but you remind me of my old self." He said softly. "For many years, I dealt with everything myself, unwilling to share my problems with anyone because I felt that no one could ever understand the burdens I carried, until Naruto came along and woke me up from my despair. I never want anyone else to experience what I've been through."

Hinata's eyes grew wide as she heard Gaara's words. His deep crimson hair… his green eyes… the kanji for "love" written on his forehead…

She remembered all of it. That was why he seemed so familiar to her… She remembered him.

The Kazekage was that boy. The one who'd said those words to her when they were eleven years old, and Kabuto had brought her to Suna.

"In this world… I need no one. The only one I can live for… is none other but myself."

He was that lonely boy she saw in the middle of the streets of Sunagakure… that same, lonely boy who she'd seen walking all alone through the village, being reviled by the people surrounding him. She remembered the fear, hatred and disgust on their faces – and she could feel the emptiness the boy felt inside.

She knew at that moment… they were both suffering. She'd hoped the next time they saw each other, they would both be smiling and free from all the loneliness and suffering in their lives.

"And you remind me of a girl that I met when I was a child."

Hinata froze.

"That girl hoped for something that I'd forgotten a long time ago. She made me realize that deep down, I was seeking freedom too. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been woken up by Naruto's words. That girl helped me the way you have helped Naruto." The corners of Gaara's lips played into a small smile. "You remind me of her. She was as lonely as you are, and like I was. I've been searching for her, to let her know what I've become and how her words helped me back then." He paused and stared hopefully at her. "Or maybe perhaps…"

Hinata waited patiently, unsure of what to say to the Kazekage.

"By any chance… could you be that girl?"

Hinata's breath was caught in her throat. He remembers me as well, Hinata astonishingly thought to herself.

Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage was the boy she encountered on that lonely night. After all these years, they reunited and that once lonely child was gone. She now saw exactly what she'd hoped for that night – the lonely boy she remembered was now free and happy. Hinata gripped the vase of the desert lilacs tightly…

…because he was everything she wasn't. She was the same girl he'd met several years ago. Weak, fragile, lonely.

She was nothing compared to him and what he became.

"I'm… afraid I'm not the person you're speaking of, Kazekage-sama." Hinata replied hesitantly, "I don't recall meeting you before I arrived in the village a few weeks ago… I'm very sorry."

The hope in Gaara's eyes faltered. "I see…" he said disappointingly, "I apologize for making such assumptions. I'm afraid it's time for me to leave." He stood up and took his gourd of sand from the table, where it had been sitting next to the letter he sent her. "If you need any help or assistance, do not hesitate to ask me."

"Thank you very much…" Hinata said, inclining her head in respect. Gaara walked towards the door, however before he could pass through it, Hinata called out to him one last time.

The Kazekage stopped and turned to look at her.

"I am sure… that you will find her one day, Kazekage-sama. I know that in time… you will."

Gaara nodded in agreement. "I will keep on searching…" He gently slid the door closed behind him, as he softly whispered to himself, "…until she's ready to be found."

.


That night…

Naruto and Sasuke finally returned to the village after performing another exhaustive examination of Orochimaru's abandoned laboratory. For three weeks, they'd been searching for clues to where they might find Kabuto or Orochimaru but much to their frustration, they didn't find anything. According to Shikamaru and Sakura, if Orochimaru and Kabuto had to continuously replace the oxygen and nutrient supply attached to Hinata's tank, the two missing nin should be back around within a few weeks.

A part of Naruto wanted to find them immediately and beat the two bastards to within an inch of their lives, but the more sensible side of him knew getting Hinata back to Konohagakure where she would be safe was a higher priority.

After that, he'd find them and fucking beat them up, making them wish they'd never messed with one of his precious people in the first place.

For all that time Naruto thought that his friend was dead, he'd never be able to forgive Orochimaru or Kabuto. After fifteen years, he'd found her floating in that tank like she was some sort of experiment – a lab rat put on display only for them, like a trophy of sorts.

She'd felt nothing but fear. He could feel her shaking when he held her, after they'd removed her from that tank. He wanted to let her know that he'd make sure nothing like that would happen to her, ever again. She was so terrified – it tore his heart to pieces. He never wanted to see that again.

Naruto leapt on top of a nearby pole, giving him a perfect view of Hinata's hospital window where he could watch over her. When the hospital's visiting hours were over, he'd come to this spot and keep watch over her until she fell asleep. She may be getting better physically, but he knew everything that happened to her while she was in the laboratory still haunted her, giving her nightmares.

It was something he could relate to. Nightmares were something he knew all too well.

The first thing that triggered her fears was the hospital room she'd woken up in. From his examination of the laboratory, he knew it was frighteningly similar to the room where Orochimaru performed most of his experiments. However, much to their relief she was able to understand the difference and adapt to her new surroundings.

Her treatments progressed much faster after that. .

For three weeks, she has been doing her best to recover in the hospital. And thanks to that, Sakura told him her condition would be stable enough for her to travel back to Konoha in the next four days. That was definitely great news.

Suddenly, Naruto thought of something.

He smirked to himself and leapt down from the post, making his way to the girl's window.

.

.

Hinata enjoyed reading at night. This was one of the few hobbies where she'd found solitude in that horrible place. The library was the only place where she could hide and have a moment to herself, so that she could lose herself within an imaginary world. She and Madoka usually snuck in the library to get a few good books to read at night and much to their relief, they hadn't been caught once.

Her eyes softened as she stared off into the distance, momentarily forgetting about the book resting in her lap. Madoka-san… it had been so many years since she last saw her. Madoka was the only person who ever cared about her when she was trapped in place. Madoka was one of the reasons why she strived to live.

I wonder where you are, Madoka-san… Hinata thought to herself as she turned her head to stare out the window. Wherever you are… I hope you are safe.

As she took in the view of the village at night, a yellow haired figure suddenly appeared hanging upside down from her window.

"Yo, Hi—"

Her reflexes suddenly took over, and she threw the book in her hand like a weapon towards she used the book in her hand as a weapon and threw it towards the weird head.

"Oii-aaaaah!"

The head dodged the book by merely inches, but then it fell down from where it had been hanging.

Hinata blinked as she realized what – or rather, who he was. She quickly stood up and exclaimed, "N-Naruto-kun!"

Naruto pulled himself into the room, and back to his feet. "Hey there." He greeted her casually. "You got some good aim there. You would have hit me right in the face if I wasn't able to sense your movement." He laughed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"A-are you okay?" Hinata asked concernedly as she briefly stared out of the window to see how far the fall would have been if she'd beaned him with the book. The view reminded her she was on the fourth floor, so it would have been a very long fall.

"I'm fine." Naruto replied, "How did you learn to throw like that? It was impressive."

Hinata suddenly blushed and looked away. "I—I was trained for long-range combat since I wasn't very good with taijutsu. Kabuto-san thought my Byakugan would be useful for that. He was the one who trained me how to fight. And I specialized in medical jutsu too." Upon mentioning the subordinate's name, Naruto noticed Hinata became much more melancholy.

Hearing that asshole's name made his blood boil too, but he chose to keep it to himself. Seeing his rage would only scare her, and he didn't want that. Deciding to lighten up the atmosphere, he grinned at her. "Oh, you're really impressive, Hinata! So you're also like Sakura-chan? She's a great medical ninja and I'm sure you two will get along very well."

"Y-you think so?" Hinata asked hopefully, "I-I've never had any friends except for you, Naruto-kun. I just wish that…" she paused and vaguely scratched her arm, "…she wouldn't find me weird because I've been with…"

Naruto scoffed. "Trust me. Sasuke's way weirder and as well as being a tremendous pain in the a—" he paused, trying to be careful of his language. "I mean, you're definitely better than him. He's been with Orochimaru too, but Sakura still has this huge crush on him." He said.

"R-really? I like Sakura-san… she's been so nice to me."

"Yeah, lucky you." Naruto winked, "All right then. Time to get down to business." He walked closer to Hinata and scooped her up in his arms, catching Hinata off-guard.

"N-Naruto-kun? What are you-?"

"Ssshhh." Naruto whispered to her, "I'm sneaking you out of here for a little bit. I wouldn't want to get caught, especially by Sakura-chan. You don't want her to beat me up, right?"

Hinata shook her head. "I w-wouldn't want that. But where are we going?"

Naruto smirked re-adjusted the frail maiden in his arms. "It's a surprise, but I know you're going to love it." Then he leapt out of the window, unnoticed by the hospital staff and took off over the rooftops of Suna, stealing away the Hyuga maiden.

They left the walls of the sand village and entered the desert. The faster Naruto ran, the tighter Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck.

"We're almost there," Naruto said comfortingly as he continued to run across the desert, making sure to take extra precautions and avoid any areas that might have quicksand. He wasn't going to be known as the idiot who walked into them twice – not when Hinata was with him. There was no way he was going to risk her safety, and he didn't want to look like a fool in front of her either. He already did that earlier, when she nearly hit him with the book.

Within five minutes at best, they came upon a small oasis in the middle of the desert. However, there was something unique about this one – and it captivated Hinata's gaze from the moment they arrived.

Naruto gently set her down on her feet, right next to a palm tree. He was elated to see the look on her face.

The scene before her took Hinata's breath away. There was a small waterfall, which emptied into a pond that had yellow lotus flowers floating on the surface. Hundreds of fireflies illuminated the surrounding area, while small flowering cacti grew underneath the trees.

It was the most beautiful thing she'd seen since she was five years old, when she last visited her mother's garden.

When the fireflies sensed her presence, she instinctively stepped forward and reached out to the small beautiful creatures flying around. She held out one finger and a lone firefly landed on it, emitting a gentle glow across the elegant features of her face. Instead of succumbing to their natural instincts of shying away from a human presence they clustered around the girl, seeming to trust her as if she was one of them.

Standing only a few yards behind, Naruto seemed captivated as well by the sight before his eyes. He was enchanted not only by the scenery, but also by the Hyuga maiden that stood in the center of it all. The scene before him caused his heart to skip a beat as he stood there, staring at her in awe.

Hinata gracefully turned towards him, her indigo hair shining in the light of the fireflies surrounding her. For the first time in a very long time, a tremendous warmth filled her heart and she smiled, grateful for the feeling.

"This place is beautiful, Naruto-kun. Thank you so much for bringing me here." She said gratefully.

Her voice brought him out of whatever enchantment she had unknowingly put him under. He gulped and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Y-yeah. Do you really like it?"

Hinata's smile brightened even more and she nodded. "Hai."

"I found this place a few weeks ago when I was looking for a… quiet place where I could think." Naruto explained as he took a few steps closer to her. "I know… you've been in a place that didn't have a lot of nice things around." He didn't want to mention all the horrible things she might have seen – those memories needed to be as far away as possible right now. "And for three weeks, you've been trapped in that hospital, where everything smells like disinfectant and the only thing you have to listen to are those machines that keep beeping all the time. If I were in your shoes, I'd feel really suffocated and irritated having to stare at the white walls of your room all the time. So I decided to bring you here. I thought being around a little bit of nature might help… relax your mind."

She nodded in understanding. "Thank you so much, Naruto-kun…" Hinata said sincerely. Her eyes softened as she stared into his mesmerizing blue eyes "I wish… that I could tell you everything."

"It's all right, Hinata. You don't have to force yourself if you're not ready." Naruto replied, "I just want you to know that I'm here now. And you won't be alone anymore. Ever. If you're sad, scared or lonely, you can always call for me and I promise that I'll be there. We're all your friends – Sakura-chan, Gaara, Shikamaru, and even Sasuke-teme… we're all here for you."

"You're always so kindhearted, Naruto-kun. You've always been that way, ever since we were kids."

"I never forgot about you, Hinata. You were the first friend I ever made. You saved me from my sadness. I owe you so much more than you could ever imagine."

Hinata's eyes grew wide at his words. Then again, she was lost in the beauty of his azure eyes. Unbidden, a voice echoed in her mind, reminding her of the most painful words she'd ever heard when she was a child.

"No one wants you to come back. No one cares about you anymore. To them, you are nothing more than a gravestone among many others in the Konoha cemetery."

She remembered those icy words Kabuto had told her.

"W-would… anyone in Konoha want me to come back?" Hinata asked in a shaky tone as she looked down the ground. No one wanted her. No one needed her. She was weak and a failure of an heiress.

Naruto knew what she was really asking. She was still haunted by so much of her past – especially that of her family. He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Everything's changed, Hinata. If there was anyone who wanted you back more than anything else, it would be your family. Old man Hiashi, Haruka-sama, your younger sister Hanabi and Neji. Every single one of them would be happy to see you return."

The fear that lined Hinata's face disappeared in an instant upon hearing Naruto's words. He always had that effect on people – and she felt safest when she was with him. Gently, Naruto pulled her towards him and hugged her warmly.

"And I'll always be here too. You can always return to me." He whispered earnestly.

She clutched at his shirt, tears streaming down her cheeks. She nodded weakly, believing in the sincerity of his words.

.

.

.

Sakura had a very nice day. It was the end of her shift to keep check on Hinata's condition and she couldn't wait to tell her shy, soft-spoken patient that Sasuke left a note on her desk earlier, asking if they could spend some time together when they got back to Konoha. Indeed, Sakura had squealed unprofessionally and it made her look and sound like an obsessed fangirl.

But as she neared Hinata's room, something felt different. Frowning, she opened the door to reveal her patient sitting in her bed, reading the book Temari had lent her this morning.

"Good evening, Sakura-san." Hinata greeted her politely as the medic entered the room and shut the door behind her.

Sakura walked across the room and hung her medical chart on the end of the bed. "Good evening, Hinata-san." Then the smile on her face disappeared and she glared dangerously at her 'patient'.

She knew this jutsu. And she wasn't falling for it again.

"Sasuke-kun. I know you're the one responsible for this. And you better have a damn good reason for why you're using a genjutsu to make it look like Hinata is still in bed." She scowled dangerously.

In the blink of an eye, the illusion of the girl faded and Sasuke flipped through the open window. "It's not my fault Naruto's taking so long to bring her back." Sasuke said defensively.

"Where did he take her?"

"Out." Sasuke shrugged impassively.

"So you're part of this scheme to kidnap my patient?" Sakura crossed her arms in front of her chest and began tapping her foot in anger. "You should be thankful that her body is in good enough condition to cope with the desert weather, or else I'd punch you and Naruto into next week."

Sasuke had experienced many dangerous threats in his life, so one more from Sakura was nothing special. "Yeah, sure." He scoffed, not feeling very scared.

"You don't really know much about girls, do you Sasuke-kun?" She asked with an arched brow, "If you think your fangirls can get scary, then you have no idea what the real thing can do. You better hope that Naruto didn't screw up Hinata's recovery, or else you'll be spending that time you asked me about when we get back to Konoha with yourself."

With that said, Sakura angrily stomped away from the Uchiha.

…And for a moment, Sasuke regretted helping his idiotic friend.


.

Four days later…

It was the day Hinata had been looking forward to for some time. After staying in Sunagakure for nearly a month, her body was finally strong enough to journey back to Konoha and continue her treatment there. She was both excited and anxious yet to head home and see her family. She was curious how they'd react when they saw her again… they had no idea she was alive, since Kabuto and Orochimaru went to great lengths to make it appear she was dead.

Would they be happy to see her alive? Would they accept her with open arms? Or would they be scared to see her, after thinking she was dead all this time? Those questions had been circulating in her mind, over and over again for days, like they were stuck in a loop.

"And I'll always be here too. You can always return to me."

That memory from few nights ago played in her mind once again. Recalling Naruto's words instantly made her blush and she couldn't stop her heartbeat from accelerating. The way he'd spoken those words to her lifted her spirits, as well as the load that weighed upon her shoulders. His azure eyes mesmerized her, as if all she could ever feel at that moment was peace, and the way he held her in his arms that night seemed to take away all her fears.

His mere presence was enough to make her feel safe. It was enough to make her feel that she was human.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her trance. "You may enter!" Hinata replied as she arranged the sheets neatly on her hospital bed, making sure they were folded and not wrinkled. It wasn't much, but it was all she could do right now to show them her appreciation, but she promised to repay everyone in the hospital who helped her as soon as she could.

Temari entered and beamed at her. "Just as I thought," she said, smirking proudly, "It looks good on you."

A light pink dusted Hinata's cheeks and she smiled appreciatively at Temari. The clothing she was wearing came from Temari. Initially she'd refused, but the sand kunoichi insisted on lending it to her. The Kimono was very elegant and hadn't even been used yet. The dark violet fabric designed with Sakura petals along the sleeves was finely made, and the indigo obi was neatly tied in a simple taiko musubi knot courtesy of the shift nurse who had cared for her earlier. It elegantly hugged her figure and the knee length skirt revealed just the right amount of her smooth cream-skinned legs.

"It's all thanks to you, Temari-san. I didn't have any clothes with me – and it's been a very long time since I've worn something as pretty as this." She

"Don't thank me. I'm glad I could help." Temari replied. "Consider it as a gift."

Hinata blinked owlishly. "A… gift? Y-You're giving this kimono to me? A-are you sure?"

Temari nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure. I haven't used it yet and it was a present from some feudal lord when he visited the Kazekage."

"But it's obviously very expensive! I can't just-"

Temari held up her hand, stopping her protests. "Just keep it. The guy probably gave it to my brother because he was trying to marry me. I've… got someone else in mind regarding that, so I think it's best if I give it to you."

"Well, that… and it doesn't fit her anyways." Someone interrupted, causing Temari to roll her eyes. She'd forgotten that someone had come with her. Matsuri insisted on seeing Hinata off, because she was someone very important to the Kazekage – and the Kazekage was very important to Matsuri. Besides, she knew that once Hinata left the village there would be less… competition around.

"You got it wrong, Matsuri. The feudal lord just made a mistake with my measurements." Temari retorted. "It was a real shame – not that I would have worn it for him anyways."

Matsuri walked into the room and right behind her was the most important man in Sunagakure.

"Ah, Gaara-sama," Hinata promptly bowed before the Kazekage. "Ohayo gozaimasu."

Gaara walked past Matsuri and Temari as he nodded at Hinata, acknowledging her greeting. "How are you this morning?"

Hinata straightened and smiled back at the Kazekage. "I feel worlds better, Kazekage-sama. I've waited for so long to be able to return home, and if it weren't for your care… everyone's care, I wouldn't be standing here today." She replied earnestly. "I will never forget all the help and kindness you have given me during my stay here at your village. Hontou ni arigatougozaimashita."

Gaara watched the girl bow again in front of him. Ever since Temari opened the door and walked inside, he couldn't keep his eyes off Hinata. The aura surrounding her seemed incredibly pure and in all honesty, he was captivated by her beauty. Her indigo hair complemented the dark violet color of her Kimono, and her fair skin contrasted with her clothing.

Hinata blinked innocently as she noticed his lingering gaze. "Kazekage-sama?"

A pair of brown and dark blue eyes watched the two as well. Temari also noticed how Gaara was looking at Hinata. It reminded her of how Shikamaru stared at her when she dressed in one of her formal kimonos for important occasions. She knew very well what was behind that look.

But the pair of brown eyes didn't view the exchange in the same way that Temari did. Temari wasn't stupid – she knew exactly how Matsuri felt about her brother. She stared guardedly at the younger ninja, who was watching the scene before her.

Gaara held up his hand, forestalling her. "It is of no consequence. If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know."

Suddenly, Hinata's shoulders tensed and her bright eyes dimmed. She stared at the ground and clutched her hands together, taking a deep breath.

The Kazekage didn't miss the change in her demeanor. "Is something wrong?" He asked concernedly.

Hinata looked crestfallen as she rose her head to stare back at him. "If… If it's not too much trouble," she pleaded, "there is something else I'd like to ask for…"

.

.

Later that morning, Naruto and the rest of his teammates gathered at the front gate of Sunagakure to say their farewells to Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.

Naruto extended his hand. "Thanks for letting us stay in the village, Gaara. I really appreciate everything you've done, especially for Hinata."

Gaara smirked as he spared a quick glance towards the girl standing beside Naruto before shaking his hand. "Do not mention it. Our villages are allies and in addition to that, I will always offer help to my friends when they need it."

Naruto grinned back. "I knew we could count on you. But don't forget that Konoha is willing to help you back, so don't be afraid to give us a call for any more missions."

Gaara nodded. "Of course."

Naruto and Gaara released each other's hands and Hinata walked up, gently clasping the Kazekage's hand between her own before bowing politely. "Thank you again for everything, Kazekage-sama. I promise to visit again soon, and from the bottom of my heart, I do hope that someday, you will find the girl you've been searching for."

A warmth spread through Gaara's chest. He blinked slowly as a gentle wind brushed over him. "Arigato." He said appreciatively.

Everyone watched the heartwarming exchange between Hinata and Gaara, but Naruto seemed very uneasy. He felt a brief sting in his heart when Hinata took Gaara's hand in hers, but he pushed it away since he knew Hinata was grateful for his friend's help.

For a moment, Naruto was confused as to how he felt. Or maybe the better term was… what he felt.

"Well when you do, make sure you bring Shikamaru along with you. He still has to be subjected to Temari's cooking." Kankuro interrupted with a teasing chuckle.

Shikamaru on the other hand suddenly looked queasy. "Don't you dare bring me into this. Mendokuse na."

"I'll make curry next time." Temari said as she turned to stare threateningly at her puppeteer brother. "And you better be there when I do. No more last minute missions as an excuse."

Kankuro cringed. No way in hell, he thought to himself. He swore her cooking could be used as chemical weaponry if they could find a way to bottle it properly. For some reason though, Gaara seemed to like it but then again, his brother also enjoyed eating such things as gizzard, liver and tongue.

"You can come too, Hinata. It'll be nice to have someone else there who'll appreciate my hard work and creativity…" Temari was interrupted by a coughing sound from the pineapple haired ninja.

"I think it's time for us to get going. The Hokage expects us back in three days tops, so if you don't want to ruin all the hard work and effort we put into getting Hinata back to normal, we should leave and make you promise never to cook the curry." Shikamaru bowed quickly and walked quickly through the front gate.

"Oi! What do you mean by that?" Temari called after him, as an angry tic developed over her left eye. "Shikamaru! Get back here!"

Everyone except for Sasuke chuckled at Shikamaru's antics. They wondered what could be so bad, that he'd risk a beating from Temari by saying that and practically running out of Suna…

After saying their final farewells, the rest of the Konoha ninja followed after Shikamaru into the desert, so they could begin their journey back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Hinata waved goodbye to Gaara and the others, as she walked side by side with Sakura and Sasuke, while Naruto brought up the rear.

Before they could completely leave, Gaara called for Naruto one last time.

Naruto stopped and turned back to look at the Kazekage. For a moment they stared at each other; the expression on Gaara's face was calm and collected, but the glint in his eyes was enough to express how serious he was.

"Take care of her." Gaara said flatly. "Don't let anything happen to her. Ever."

Naruto grinned and gave his friend a thumbs-up. "I will. That's a promise." He gave Gaara one last wave before catching up with his teammates.

Gaara remained at the gate as he watched them depart, his green eyes solely focusing solely on the indigo haired girl's departing figure.

I'll find her someday. I know I will. Gaara thought to himself, only deciding to head back into the village once the team was out of sight.

Finally, it was time for Hyuga Hinata to head home.

To be continued…


a/n:

NaruHina. ShikaTema. SasuSaku. All canon pairs in one chapter. Woot woot!

So well here's a little problem... I might take mid-year classes(or the so-called summer classes but since there was a calendar shift in our university so yeah)... that means I would go back to the University soon. I cry. Slower updates. Ugh, I hate this. :( I apologize in advance, my dear readers! But I will do my bestest just to update the story. It has been a real rough semester for me again and I tell you there wasn't a week that I did not shed precious tears. But I managed to crawl it out somehow. Haha.

So there you have it! I hope your satisfied with this chapter and look forward to the next installment! Mystery will slowly unravel from that moment on... Chuckles.

Vocabulary

Arigato- Thank you

Honto ni arigato- Thank you very much

Hai- yes

Ohayo gozaimasu- good morning

Mendokuse na- so troublesome