Naruto woke up first the next morning. He looked at the dark haired girl sleeping peacefully beside him.

She's so beautiful. Hina-chan…

He frowned as he remembered the night before.

Why did she hide it from me? Doesn't she trust me? Does she think I can't handle it? I don't want her to do this by herself. She's not alone anymore.

Hinata's eyes fluttered open. Her purple eyes landed on Naruto and the corners of her mouth turned up.

"Good morning Naru-kun."

"How are you feeling?" asked Naruto anxiously.

"Better," replied Hinata.

"Naru-kun-" "Hina-chan-" They said at the same time.

"We need to talk," said Naruto. Hinata nodded.

"Where should we start?" she asked. Naruto didn't have time to answer because Tsunade entered the room. Both teens sighed. Their thoughts mirrored each other.

Now I have to wait to get him/her to understand.

"How are you feeling today Hinata?"

"Better thank you Tsunade-sama."

"Good. Let me see if the bruise has gotten smaller.

Tsunade walked over to the bed and gave Hinata a quick examination.

"Well your side was healing quite well up to this little setback but I expect you should be cleared for training in two weeks."

Hinata perked up at this.

"Really?"

Tsunade nodded.

I need to talk to Sakura again soon, thought Hinata. She still hadn't forgotten about her plans for Naruto.

"Now," said Tsunade breaking Hinata's thoughts. "What is this about Hiashi using the curse seal on Neji?"

"Hina-chan needed her clothes and stuff since she's living with me now and she knew if she went back there would be another fight with her father so she decided to ask Neji."

"Neji and TenTen know about the demon fox now too," put in Hinata.

"Oh yeah," said Naruto. "Forgot about that. We had to explain why Hiashi doesn't like me."

"What good does a law do if no one follows it?" muttered Tsunade. "How did they take it?"

"Neji-kun had already suspected something from the chuunin exams," explained Hinata.

"TenTen didn't take it that well at first but Neji convinced her," said Naruto. "She helped Neji get the stuff because she felt bad for reacting so badly."

Tsunade thought about this for a minute. "So what went so wrong at the Hyuuga estate?" A thought crossed her mind. "Was TenTen hurt too?"

Hinata and Naruto shook their heads and exchanged a small smile.

"Neji trapped her in the closet when he knew Hiashi was coming. He was worried that Hiashi might attack her."

"Father wasn't happy that Neji was also helping me… From what TenTen said it wasn't pretty."

Tsunade could see that both of them thought it was their fault. She could understand both their feelings because…

It's my fault.

"I must apologize to both of you," said Tsunade. Both Hinata and Naruto looked at her confused.

"I talked to Hiashi. I thought I had gotten through to him so I let my guard down. Neji helping you must have created some kind of 'me against the world' thought or something and Hiashi is fighting back."

She sighed. "This is a problem."

Hinata and Naruto nodded. A silence filled the room while they all reflected on the past events.

"Does Neji have a place to stay? I can't do anything to Hiashi for using the curse seal because it's considered a Hyuuga matter. I don't want Neji in that house, I can't protect him."

"He's staying at TenTen's," smirked Naruto. Tsunade did a double take.

"Dear god Naruto what did you do this time? Are they dating? What is it with you and relationships?"

Hinata laughed.

"I'm pretty sure TenTen isn't complaining."

Tsunade laughed too. "No I guess she wouldn't be."

"Baa-chan?"

"What is it Naruto?"

"Well the reason we wanted to talk to you was because we wanted to find out if there was a way to remove the curse seal from Neji. Hina-chan says there are documents in the Hyuuga estate but I don't think it's a good idea for her or Neji to go get them."

Tsunade nodded, frowning.

"You're right, it's not. I will look into this. I'll send for you if I find anything. In the meantime you're free to go home Hinata."

"Thanks Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade grunted in acknowledgement as she walked out the door, her mind already on the curse seal. Naruto turned to look at Hinata.

"Ready to go home?"

Hinata nodded.

"We can talk there."

After breakfast, Hinata and Naruto sat at the table, looking at each other. They both came to the realization that this wasn't just something they could figure out without words. Their communication had been disrupted.

It needs to be fixed, they both thought.

"We have a problem don't we?" asked Hinata. Naruto nodded.

"Why don't you trust me?" he asked.

Hinata was stunned. "Who said I don't trust you?"

"You weren't gonna tell me you were hurting. Don't you trust me to help you?"

Hinata stood up and walked around the table to him. She squatted so they were at the same level.

"That's not it at all Naru-kun. Believe me. Please."

"Then what was it?" asked Naruto raising his voice a little. But when Hinata looked in his eyes she didn't see one drop of anger. There was confusion and anxiety and worry, but no anger.

"I wanted to take care of it by myself so you would see I'm not a weak person."

Now Naruto was shocked. "Who said I think you're a weak person?"

"Well you're always-"

"Hina-chan," he said gently as he pulled her into his lap and giving her a small hug. "You're one of the strongest people I know. I've always thought that."

Hinata blushed.

"Did you see yourself in the chuunin exams or when we were searching for the Bikochu beetle? You were amazing."

"But both those times you tried to protect me," said Hinata a little doubtfully.

"Because I was afraid I would lose you," said Naruto chuckling softly. "Me and the demon fox were ready to kill them when we thought they had killed you. You're one of the things we always agreed on."

Hinata was dumbstruck.

"You talk to him?"

Naruto chuckled sheepishly.

"Yeah. Guess I didn't tell you that huh?"

"Who's hiding things now?" asked Hinata getting up and walking away nose in the air playfully.

"Awww come on Hina-chan," said Naruto, a plea in his voice.

"I'll forgive you if you tell me what he says about me."

Naruto blushed.

"For him it's always been… well sexual… you know that kind of thing."

Hinata stared at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe you should have listened to him a little sooner. We could have been dating a long time before this."

Naruto's jaw dropped. Hinata shrugged. "What?"

"Aw shut up."

Hinata's eyes narrowed. She wasn't happy.

"No not you," said Naruto quickly trying to repair any damage that might have been done. "I was talking to the fox."

"Really and what was he saying?" asked Hinata a little doubtfully.

"He said that he likes you even more now and that he was right, you would be a good mate for me."

"Mate?"

"That's what he calls any human couple married or not," explained Naruto then blushed.

"What did he say now?" asked Hinata suspiciously.

"He said umm… well… I can't really call you my mate yet."

Hinata tilted her head confused. "Why?"

"Well… because… I haven't… well… had… sex with you," he mumbled. There was silence for a minute then Hinata burst out laughing.

"Seems like he has a one track mind," she gasped out. Naruto started laughing too, relieved she had taken it this well.

"Besides," she said, finishing laughing and wiping a tear from her eye. "We can't do that for at least two weeks."

Naruto winced.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing. He's angry," then Naruto screamed and wrapped his arms around his stomach.

"Naru-kun! What's wrong?" asked Hinata, running to his side extremely worried.

"He's angry… trying to take over… stay away," he managed.

Hinata shook her head fiercely. "I won't leave you. You're stronger than him."

She was confused as Naruto started laughing. He raised his head, eyes closed. Hinata gasped as he opened them.

They were red.

AN: Dun-Dun-Dun!! Yes I know the fox can't really take over just go with it please? Pretty please????? Anyway I already have the next chapter written and I'm really happy with it. I know where the rest of the story is going but don't have it written yet. Thanksgiving break is in 2 weeks so I hope to catch up then as well as start the next story I have in my head. As of this point it's a ShikaTema story. But I may change it to something else maybe go back to Soul Eater. Anyway thanks for all your reviews I really appreciate them!!!