Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

The One

Chapter 10

Dreams and Dinner Dates

"Sasuke!" Itachi yelled at a younger version of Sasuke Uchiha. A fire blazed bright behind them. The frame of the door was falling down. They had no way to turn back to get whatever was behind the door.

"Come on!" Itachi grabbed his little brother's arm and pulled him towards the way out.

"But moshi!" Sasuke screamed, trying to break himself free from his brother's grasp.

"Forget your toy Sasuke." Itachi yelled back at him before he threw the younger boy over his shoulder and ran out of the house.

"Where is your mother?" their father asked them. He looked frantic because of the disappearance of his wife.

"I … I got Sasuke but I didn't –" Itachi stopped. Mikoto was still in the house.

"Mikoto!" Fugaku Uchiha yelled as he ran back towards the house. Once he reached the porch the fire exploded out at him, making him fall back onto the grass, and the house collapsed.

I woke up suddenly and stared up at the ceiling of my bedroom. According to my dream Mikoto died in a fire at her house. That did not make sense at all. I have seen Mikoto multiple times and none of them did she have any type of burns on her body. Usually a ghost first shows up in the outer form of their body when they died. When I first saw her she should have been covered in scars and burn marks. I sighed and pulled myself into a sitting position, trying to clear my head. What was I missing? Should I ask Mikoto? Or would that be too hard for her?

I threw the covers off of me and put on some clothes. Quietly I walked out of the house trying not to disturb anyone. As weird as it sounds I was actually thankful that our house is within walking distance of the cemetery. It gave me a way to see my mother though I have never seen her ghost. I did not need a flashlight tonight since the stars lit up the sky perfectly. I stepped along the sidewalk being sure not to step on the cracks.

"Don't step on the cracks Hinata." My mother advised. She held my hand as we walked to the cemetery. She told me that whenever she needed to think or time by herself she went to the cemetery, and on occasion before she died she began taking me with her.

"Hinata? Why are you out this late?" Mikoto was walking beside me right as I entered through the Roth Iron gate. "And here of all places?" she asked.

"Just need to clear my head." I replied, continuing to walk. My mother's grave was halfway through the cemetery, so I had some way to go yet. I still questioned myself. Should I ask her? "Mikoto?"

"Yes dear?" she passed through gravestones while I walked around them. Finally I reached my mother's stone. I took a seat in front of it and so did Mikoto.

"How did you die?" my eyes avoided her but settled on the name hitomi hyuuga.

"House fire. My husband accidentally left a cigarette lit and the house went up into the flames. I was asleep; I took two sleeping pills the night before since I hadn't slept in days. When it started my husband and sons were in other rooms…."

"Itachi saved Sasuke and Fugaku tried to save you but he couldn't get back inside." I finished for her. My eyes were still not on her but on my mother's name.

"How did you-" Mikoto started but she stopped when we both noticed someone walking through the cemetery. I moved closer to my mother's grave and hid behind it as the person passed. When I had the opportunity to look at who he was; I saw he was Mikoto's husband, Fugaku Uchiha. Was he here for the same reasons I was? Visiting a loved one? He came from a grave further back into the cemetery.

"Where is your grave?" I asked Mikoto standing up again, after I knew he was completely gone. She floated off without another word and I followed just as silently. About fifteen rows of graves back we went towards the middle and there it was. Mikoto Uchiha; loving mother and wife. Fresh flowers were placed in front of it. I swallowed the saliva that was building in my mouth and fell down on my knees. Flashes of memories passed through my brain, both my own and what I saw in my dreams. My mother's death and Mikoto's. Their screams mixed together until I couldn't tell the difference between the two, my head continued to throb. I breathed deeply to make it all stop, and thankfully it did, soon enough.

"I'm sorry. You left this world in a terrible way, Mikoto. It must have been painful." I whispered, finally having the courage to look at her.

"After a few moments the flames seem to cool down. What truly hurts was what I had to leave behind." She smiled at me, as if what she was talking about was nothing when it was the opposite. "My husband still blames himself, though I don't want him too."

"I would rely the message but he doesn't believe me." I frowned, pushing my two index fingers together, nervously.

"Hinata … I like you. You have become the daughter I have always wanted, which is why I want you and Sasuke to be together. But I will haunt you for the rest of your life if you don't make my husband believe you and tell him that I love him and it's not his fault. Because of your gift it is your duty to help me." with that, her face flashed to show me what I thought I should have seen originally Mikoto's face burned and melted. It only lasted a few seconds before her face returned to normal, but it was a second too long for me. She frightened me, which I never expected. I thought she was a ghost I would not have to be afraid of. "Besides, you promised." She added as if an afterthought with a smile, and then disappeared.

Now I really needed to straighten things out. Sighing, I rose and walked back to my mother's grave. Sitting down I got comfortable, too comfortable unfortunately. The rising sun woke me the next morning. My cell phone rang in my pocket. It was Neji.

"Where are you? Uncle is freaking out." Was the first thing he said, but that was all I needed.

"Be right there." I said, flipping the phone closed and stuffing it back into my pocket while I started running through the grass. I even jumped over a few grave stones just to reach the gate entrance quicker.

Sasuke walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. His onyx eyes stared in front of him as he walked along the sidewalk leading to the cemetery. It was still early but he liked to come see his mother this early. As he neared the entrance he saw Hinata Hyuuga jumping over a gravestone in the first row and continue running out of the gate without seeing him at all. He smirked as he noticed the way her hair flew behind her as she ran.

"Was that Hinata?" Itachi appeared out of nowhere, standing behind his little brother. He was using crutches to help him walk due to his injury. Itachi was released from the hospital less than an hour ago, and the brothers decided visiting their mother was the best thing to do.

"Yea." Sasuke managed to answer, still looking in the direction she ran off.

"Wow that girl can run." He said surprised. Itachi pushed past his brother and into the cemetery's gate.

"Make sure you make something good for dinner tonight. We are having guests." My father said to me. After I walked into the door he yelled at me for not being at home at the exact moment he wanted me to be, but now he has moved on from yelling to ordering.

"I will father, but I have other plans for tonight." I said after I remembered my date with Sasuke.

"Now you have different plans, Hinata." He said, leaving me alone in the kitchen with my anger. I guess nothing good can ever happen anymore. I sighed with a frown and pulled out all the ingredients I needed from all different places in the kitchen. After some time, I had the chicken stuffed and ready to go in the oven along with an apple pie. While I was peeling potatoes I yelled for Hanabi to set the table.

"So do you know who is coming?" she asked me as she placed the plates down on the mats.

"No. Father didn't say." I replied throwing the freshly peeled potatoes into the pot of water and letting them boil on the stove. I turned to face her, she had the table mostly set by now. We both sighed heavily as Neji walked in.

"Uncle said to set the dining room table instead, since there will be more room there." The frown deepened on his face.

"ughhhh!" Hanabi moaned piling all the dishes back on top of one another. Taking the pile she stomped into the dining to set that table instead.

"Don't forget the placemats." I replied, getting them together for her. Thankfully, Neji took them to her before she exploded.

"This should be a fun night." Neji said with a smirk after he returned to the kitchen. He pulled knifes and forks from the drawer, and put them on the table for Hanabi. He also got napkins and other things the dining room table would need. These guests must be important to father if we have to set the dining room table.

"You dressed?" Itachi balanced on the crutches that the hospital gave him, outside Sasuke's room.

"Yea." Sasuke pulled the door open, coming face to face with his brother. He wore his usual dark blue shirt with a pair of dark jeans.

"Ready for your date? You're so cute!" he squealed in excitement, like a little girl. Itachi reached out and pinched one of Sasuke's cheeks between his thumb and index fingers.

"Boys!" Fugaku yelled up the stairs at his sons. "Get into the car."

The Uchiha brothers exchanged confused looks, before they both traveled down the stairs and out of the house where their father was waiting for them. Itachi got into the front seat, giving his crutches to Sasuke.

"I have a …"Sasuke began.

"well now you don't." Fugaku glanced between his son and the car door behind the driver's. "in." he said, not allowing Sasuke to argue.

They drove two blocks down the road and stopped in front of a middle-sized white house. He pushed both of his sons towards the door of the house, and rang the doorbell. The three Uchihas heard a pair of footsteps approach the other side of the door.

I heard the doorbell ring. Grabbing the bottom of my apron I wiped my hands while I walked to the door. Opening it, I came face to face with the three Uchihas. I suppose they were coming to me now, instead of me having to find them.

"hello." I breathed out. My heart felt like it stopped. I looked like a mess while they looked perfectly put together. My hair was falling out of the messy bun that I previously had tied towards the back of my head. I also had a smudge of sour cream on my cheek, making matters worse. While Sasuke especially looked handsome; the dark blue shirt brought out his dark eyes even more than usual.

"Hello, Miss Hyuuga." Fugaku Uchiha nodded his head in greeting. "May we come in?" he asked, slightly looking behind me into the house.

"o-of course!" I said stepping back, so they could enter. I led them to the living room where my father was already sitting. "You can sit in the living room. Dinner is almost ready." I smiled and practically ran into the kitchen.

"Who was it?" Neji asked, stirring the mashed potatoes I just made. I just stared at him. The words couldn't leave my mouth. I was still too shocked. With his usual grunt he stuck his head out of the kitchen door and looked in the living room. I sat down at the table and waited for his reaction. In pure silence, he sat down in the chair beside mine and just shook his head.

"This is going to be a fun night." He frowned, but flicked my forehead playfully.

"Tell me about it." I sighed, finally wiping the smudge of sour cream from my face.

"Go get dressed and Hanabi and I will finish here." Hanabi came in from the dining room and nodded. Thankfully she did not see who our guests were yet. If she did, Hanabi would be in the living room being obnoxious to them about something or another.

I slipped past through the hallway hoping none of them could see me. I jogged upstairs as quietly as I could. I threw on the sleeveless white and blue flowered dress I had picked out the day before, and checked myself in the mirror. Everything was in place and my makeup looked okay. Honestly I thought I looked pretty. I smiled tucking some hair behind my right ear and walked back downstairs.

Once outside the doorway, I heard soft laughter. It seemed my father could still be funny when he wanted to be. I fixed the bottom of my dress one last time before stepping into the doorway. My eyes locked on to Sasuke within seconds. He was on the couch with Itachi and Hanabi. Father and Fugaku both sat in single arm chairs while Neji was lounging on the loveseat. I sat down next to him, with a smile, trying to listen in on what they were talking about.

"Everything should be ready. Just have to put it on the table." Neji whispered to me, making sure not to interrupt father's story. I nodded and rose again; I glanced at my sister giving her a silent 'get into the kitchen and help me' look.

"I don't understand why father would invite them over." Hanabi said to me as we started placing food on the table. "Not that it's a bad thing cause … Hina … Sasuke is cute!"

"Hm." I replied, gently tossing a spoon in the bowl of mashed potatoes. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hanabi roll her eyes at my lack of response to the truth. Sasuke and his cuteness seemed to always be reoccurring topic, both verbally and mentally, nowadays. I sighed and shoved her back through the kitchen and out into the hallway, so she could tell everyone dinner was ready. Father led Neji and the Uchihas to the dining room the long way, around the kitchen instead of through it. Suddenly I felt a fall in the pit of my stomach. Where did this nervousness come from?

"Aw. A family dinner. And I'm missing it." Mikoto appeared beside me with a frown.

"Oh god. This night is not going to end well." I muttered to myself. Hanabi looked up at me with confusion. I had no way of telling her Mikoto was here since everyone had walked in and taken their seats.

Dinner was full of polite and small conversation. Fugaku Uchiha, though I assumed he did not truly care asked about mine and Hanabi's schooling. My father of course jumped at the chance to show off his youngest and brightest child. … Not me, not that I really minded. If he would rather talk about my little sister constantly it was actually better for me. While all of this was taking place I was silently glancing between Sasuke and Mikoto who was floating to and froe behind her three alive family members. I noticed as her face flashed back and forth between her nice looking face and the scary one. She was not a happy camper …. Ghost.

"Tell him." I heard her say in my general direction. She wanted me to embarrass myself in the middle of dinner? She wanted me to date her youngest son didn't she? And because of all her pushing I actually want to date him. "I SAID tell him!" she screamed, slamming her hand down on one of the spoons in the bowl of mashed potatoes in front of Itachi. Mashed potatoes flew everywhere and according to the vision of everyone else no one touched it.

She appeared on my side of the table and glared directly at me. She was getting serious now. The next thing to flip over was the salad bowl. Without even looking I knew my father was glaring at me as well. Neji, Hanabi and him all knew what was happening, but they did not know it was Mikoto. I saw she was going for the larger dishes next; I had to stop this before she hurt someone on accident.

"MIKOTO! STOP!" I commanded, standing from my seat. The three Uchihas stared at me. I found Sasuke's eyes first. They were wide with shock while I noticed Fugaku looked entirely angry.

"This again?" he asked angrily. "can't you leave my dead wife alone."

"I'm sorry Uchiha-san. My daughter is confused." My father apologized.

"I am NOT confused." I exclaimed. I was getting tired of this. I turned to Fugaku and pointed a finger at him to emphasize what I was going to say. "You can believe me or not but your wife is here and I have talked to her. She wants you to know that it is not your fault that the cigarette started the fire or that you couldn't save her. She loves you and just wants you to be happy, all of you." After I was finished I just stood there, breathing heavily. I had just yelled at the top of my lungs at the boy I seemingly liked, his brother and his father after his dead mother threw food at all of us.

"That's good enough, dear." Mikoto whispered. She was still beside me, trying to read the facial expressions of her family. "I'm sorry I had to push you like that."

"Yea … I've done what you wanted to the best of my ability. It's time for you to move on." I stormed out of the room. I did not know where that came from. Everything seemed to explode, my angry at my father, and at Fugaku's stupidity, sadness at losing my one chance with Sasuke, and Mikoto's presence. … Even through everything that just happened Mikoto was like a second mother to me in this short time, and I would miss her. I walked into the hallway and out the front door, slamming it in the process.

"Hinata!" I heard Sasuke's voice, making me walk down the street even faster. "Hinata, stop!" just go away, go away, I mentally told him. I did not want to seem like more of a freak than I already have. Somehow he caught up to me anyway, and grabbed the top of my arm, turning me around to face him.

"I just want to talk to you." He face held a deep frown and his eyes showed something I could not place. … Great he was going to dump me before we even started dating.

End of chapter 10

Sorry for the wait, it has been more than a year. Please don't be mad T.T

I hope you liked this chapter it kinda gets everything moving towards the end of the story and I am thinking about a sequel but it's up to you guys. Either it would Hinata more grownup or it would be her children. maybe you all can help me decide.

anyway thanks for reading and please review! XD