A/N: I don't own Naruto, etc., don't sue. And yea, I made up Karin's surname. For those who don't know who she is, I'm in the same boat with you xD but since I've been reading fics, I've been spoiled rotten ( I have a pretty good idea what she's like). Don't worry, she won't have the possibility to be OOC since she's dead already xP.

Chapter 10 – Of Stalkers and Uchiha Pride


"Shika, have you seen Hinata?" Ino was freaking out. She had ran out on Sasuke half an hour ago, intending to find the shy Hyuga – with no succes at all. Shikamaru was the only one she could ask, since it would seem very.. unIno-like to go around asking people where the 'missing' girl was. Hell, no-one besides the pineapplehairdo knew that she had known Hinata before transferring to Konoha! (A/N: yea right, Ino..)

Shikamaru had been easy to find; he spent all of his free time on the roof of the school building since it was the only place he wouldn't be bothered – usually at least.

"Why do you ask? Suddenly got worried for her welfare because it was Gaara and not you who followed her after the whole awkward cafeteria incident?"

Ino was frozen for a second: Shikamaru spoke! Soon she reconnected her mind and body together and – for her utter disbelief and embarrasment – started stuttering.

"N-no, of course.. not.. I j-just.. a-ano.."

"They went to my room to talk in private", Shikamaru answered, not turning to look at the surprised blonde.

"Wh-what? Why would they go to your – " Sighing in annoyance, Shikamaru answered before Ino could finish her sentence, "I'm his roommate, Ino. He threw me out and went in with her."

'Hinata and Gaara.. alone.. in his room.. Shikamaru would have done something if he thought she would be in danger.. but.. darn it this is troublesome!'

"Gaara's not a criminal, Ino. He can manage his anger quite alright.. unlike you" the last he muttered to himself, and seemingly Ino hadn't heard.

"I.. Would it be alright to.. you know.. go there?" The blonde asked, still half-dazed about her earlier conclusions.

"No. Just leave them be, Ino. You used to be content with that, before" the Nara boy said, finally sitting up and looking at her, "but since you're that worried, I think it's alright if I finally claimed the room to myself for once. Gaara's been so darn sneaky about something, always throwing me out.."


After her 'chat' with Gaara, Hinata locked herself into her room. She wanted to be alone to think back on that day that she let an – more or less - innocent girl die.

It had taken her a few days to fully realize Makichi Karin really was dead, but when she had.. she hadn't felt any remorse. She had given into the hatred, but now..

.. now that she had confessed..

.. now that someone knew..

.. now that the truth had been shoved at her face..

A silent tear slid down Hinata's cheek. Maybe, just maybe the girl had had a reason for everything she did to her. Maybe she was in pain, too. Perhaps she had planned to change, to forgive her own abusers and make amends with Hinata. And because of that belief, Hinata closed her eyes and shakingly clasped her hands.

She prayed for Karin to rest in peace.


Inside, Sasuke was seething. Because of one girl, a fangirl, he had stooped to stalking. Uchihas never stalked anyone: anyone stalked them. Full stop, end of the story.

So, he was just casually leaning against the wall next to the staircase leading to the roof – stairs that a certain blonde had walked up just a minute ago. He wasn't waiting for anyone to show up.

Right.

When he heard two sets of footsteps instead of one, he knew Ino had probably convinced Shikamaru to help her with whatever she wanted to be done. Last time she had made him buy her tampons.. thank gods Sasuke hadn't been at the scene, she might have made him do it.

"Hurry up, Shika! Hinata might be –" the Yamanaka closed her mouth when she saw Sasuke. She was caught red-handed (for not planning for the Valentine's which meant she had been lying to Uchiha Sasuke of all the people..)! A tint of red appeared on her face. She was so dead..

"She's not in danger, Ino. Gaara's not an evil incarnate, unlike someone I know.. Oh, what's up Sasuke?" Shikamaru greeted his friend, not fazed or even surprised to see him there as if he was waiting for them.

Ino was panicking.

"Sasu-kun, did you follow me all the way here? About the Valentine's, I heard that Sakura, that damn bitch, already decided to make you something sweet so I thought that since you don't like sweets I would make something else! Right, Shika? And, eh - "

"Shut up, you're giving me a headache. I don't know the details but I'm not stupid, Yamanaka. This fangirl act is your attempt to hide your relationship with the Hyuga girl."

'Bull's eye', Sasuke thought when he saw Ino's rabid fangirl mask shatter.

"You would do the same, Sasuke, if you had ever dated Naruto.." she said to her defence, though it came out more like a whine. She grimazed as soon as the words left her mouth and turned away from the boys.

".. whatever, Yamanaka"


When Hinata opened her eyes, her clock showed 10.26 pm.

"Did I.. fall asleep?" she quietly asked herself, sitting up. But how had she laid down on her bed? The last thing she remembered was leaning on a wall in a sitting position, and praying..

A tint of remorse took over her mind. Tears began to gather behind her eyes. "I.. I regret it.." she whispered to herself, a slight smile gracing her lips. She wasn't an unfeeling bastard!

"Regret what?" a face suddenly popped into Hinata's line of sight. She had to blink a few times before she could recognize it. And even longer to convince herself that the person wasn't her own imagination..

"Ino-sempai?"

"Sempai?" another voice asked at loud. Hinata's head whipped to look at the source of the voice and saw – to her horror – Nara Shikamaru and Uchiha Sasuke, of all people.

"H-hai, Ino is a year older –" she started, but Ino's pleading look stopped her. 'So they don't know she had to stay a year behind?'

"A-ano.. what are you doing here?" Hinata quickly changed the subject, but noticed that Shikamaru's brains had processed the information already.

Damn, Ino was going to kill her..

"Yamanaka was running around the school, looking for you", Sasuke spoke for the first time, his voice betraying a hint of curiosity. He was clearly waiting for some kind of reaction.. Hinata didn't intend to satisfy his curiosity, however, and turned to look at the said blonde.

"I saw Gaara follow you when you left the cafeteria this morning.." Ino muttered, not willing to reveal her actual reason.

"She thinks Gaara's a criminal", Shikamaru bluntly explained to Hinata, who already knew that the redhead wasn't the innocent type. But to have done something to be considered a criminal? Well, it wasn't any of her business, having had a part in a girl's death and single-handedly blowing up a school..

"We all have our bad habits", Hinata answered, trying to seem as innocent as she could. One wrong move and Shikamaru – and why not Sasuke, too – might find out..

But how was it possible that Gaara had found out before Shikamaru? He had said he had an ability to find out things he was interested in, but did that mean he had a personal interest in the case?

Or her?

"I guess so.." Ino muttered, still not looking at anyone in the room.

"W-wait.. how did you get in?" Hinata asked, having just realized that there were three non-Sabaku persons in the room.

"The Sabaku girl came back a few hours ago and let us in", Sasuke answered this time, since Ino still seemed to be embarrassed about the whole worrying thing and it would have been too troublesome for Shikamaru to say such an obvious thing.

Wait, what happened to the Uchiha pride? He was no-one's messenger!

"O-oh.. okay then. A-ano, I wouldn't want to be rude or anything, but.. could you.. get out? It's late, and.."

".. you just slept the whole day, Hinata-chan", Ino pointed out. She suddenly was so comfortable talking to Hinata it reminded her of the old days.. the two boys noticed the change of mood immediately.

So did Hinata, and it was bothering her. Earlier Ino had wanted to be as far away from her as possible, but she had looked for her the whole day and now was talking to her like nothing had ever happened..

"But you didn't, and neither did Temari. She was out the whole day, she must be tired" realizing that the three knew she had just made that up, Hinata sighed and looked down at her hands.

"I- I don't want to be tossed around like a rag doll, Ino. Just.. make up your mind. Please."


1464. Not bad, not bad at all xD. I promise, Hyuga Neji makes his grand entrance in the next chapter!