A/N: Ok everyone...done with the super super long chapter of Hinata's Discovery. I apologise if there are a bunch of grammatical mistakes or something. I was just rushing this and trying to get it out because I just wanted to be done with this chapter and also I felt bad for making everyone wait so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Hinata's Discovery Part II

"Because I love you."

What Neji said was so unexpected that Hinata's legs suddenly could not support her and she fell. But he caught her so swiftly and all of a sudden she was sitting on his lap on that old swing, ensconced in his arms. She looked at him, shocked speechless while he seemed to be studying her intently as if trying to gauge how she was taking his declaration.

A loud creaking sound made both of them look abruptly up at the tree trunk that supported the swing before both of them leapt off it quickly. Hurriedly turning from him, her face flushed red, Hinata made some excuse about going to find someone to repair the swing in case a kid sat on it and it fell. But Neji would not let her go. He grabbed her hand just as she was about to walk off and said, "Did you hear what I said?"

There was a tone in his voice, a break in it that made her stop. It wrung her heart, the way he had placed his emotions out in the open must have been one of the hardest things Neji ever did because she knew he was an extremely proud and private person. Yet she felt that she needed some time to digest this information. This sudden revelation was so overwhelming that she could not give him any answer and even though she would very much like to make him happy, she could not very well lie to him or herself. She had always loved him, but as a brother. Not in this way. At least, not in the way he was implying.

Turning her rather flushed face to him, she said as clearly as she could because she was actually still rather shaky from the news, "Please give me some time, Nii-san." She saw his face close up and become stoic once more and she realised that that was his defense mechanism. Not wanting him to retreat back into his shell, she raised a hand to his face in an attempt to entreat him, "I have always seen you as my brother and this is too sudden so I need to think things through. Please."

He released her hand and nodded silently, his face still impassive, but she was relieved that he had at least accepted her small gesture of comfort. She gave him a weak smile before she left him standing by the swing.

Hinata had not wanted to return to the Hyuuga estate to think things over because the atmosphere there felt too oppressive, so she headed for her Team's training grounds. Today there was no one there. It was quiet. Kiba and Shino were both out on missions. Taking a seat on a familiar log that always acted as a sort of bench for them, she stared unseeingly at the training grounds.

Neji's confession was so completely unexpected that her mind kept replaying the scene that had occurred, as if she could not believe it had actually happened. She always thought he barely tolerated her but his admission of his feelings for her had just turned things completely around. If she agreed to the marriage, not like she had much of a choice, she would know that at least one of them would not be unhappy about it. If Neji chose to, no, if Neji wanted to marry her perhaps she should be glad that she would be able to help him fulfill at least one dream. At the very least, she would be compensating for his father's sacrifice.

Time seemed to fly by as Hinata sat at that familiar place contemplating the situation. Every which way that she thought, she always came back to the moment when Neji had said that he loved her, his eyes wet with emotion. It was the most unguarded she had ever seen him and it touched her. Perhaps she could learn to accept him and maybe, in due course, feel the same way as he did.

A sudden thought made her sit up. Did her father know of Neji's emotions for her? Was that why he picked Neji for her instead of her grand uncle or the other cousins? This strange thought of her father actually caring about their well-being was very disquieting. Deciding to confront her father, Hinata stood up and dusted her kimono off she began walking towards the Hyuuga district.

The sun was close to setting as she neared the Hyuuga district. She began to have second doubts about approaching her father as she remembered the weak and trembling thing she always dissolved into in his presence. Yet her legs continued to bring her ever closer towards her father's closed study door.

Pausing outside the room, Hinata stared doubtfully at the door. She had done this many times. Stand outside this intimidating door. Each time she built up the nerve to approach her father, she would head for this familiar door but once she was standing outside it, all her courage would suddenly disappear leaving her to feel weak and stupid. Eventually, after staring at the door for many minutes she would normally just turn around and leave. She had also placed her father on a sort of pedestal not dissimilar from Naruto's, but one built more on fear than admiration.

Just as she was about to back away from the door as she usually would, she heard Hanabi's voice yelling from within, "You knew about us all along!? Then you should know that I don't let my possessions go easily!" Hinata paled and took a step back. Before she could go further, the door was suddenly shoved open and Hinata found herself face to face with an immensely furious Hanabi.

Hinata saw Hanabi's eyes widened briefly as she took in the sight of her sister standing in front of her. Hanabi then turned back to look at her father for another second before roughly brushing past. Hinata was left staring dazedly at her father somewhat shocked at Hanabi's behaviour towards their father. Hinata knew that if it was anyone else from the Hyuuga household yelling at her father like that, that person would now be writhing on the floor from the pain of the activated cursed seal. Even Hinata, who was unbranded, was afraid to treat her father with disrespect. Her father was very good at disciplining his clan. However, Hinata was also fairly curious as to what could have caused Hanabi to have lost her temper like this. Hanabi, although fairly spoilt and used to getting her way, was never openly rude to their father. In fact, they usually got along very well. Hinata had caught on to the word 'us' in Hanabi's angry yells and wondered if her sister had a boyfriend behind their father's back.

At this moment, Hinata was finally pried from her reverie by her father's imperious voice commanding her to enter the room. Coming to, Hinata realised she was still standing in shock outside her father's open study, gaping at him. Shivering slightly, Hinata entered the room and turned to close the door quietly. She fully expected a lecture and possible punishment for being found standing outside his study. He probably thought she was eavesdropping. Taking her familiar position on the futon before his raised dais, Hinata greeted her father before bowing her head.

"What were you doing outside my study?" Her father wasted no time in getting to the critical questions.

Hinata was silent for a while. Now seemed like the most inappropriate time to ask if her father knew of Neji's affection for her. In fact it felt like such a trivial thing. She could not believe that she had actually gotten herself into such a situation because of such a trivial curiosity. Thinking hard, Hinata came up with an excuse to answer her father's query. "Otou-san, I…I j…just came t…to call you for dinner." Hinata rushed out the last bit of her answer which quickly made it obvious that it was an excuse but Hiashi chose to overlook it.

He pressed on, "How much did you hear?"

Hear? Hinata really did not hear much, but she was curious to find out about whom Hanabi's secret boyfriend was. Should she take a risk and pretend that she knew? Hinata decided to take that risk and replied, "E…enough." She was glad her head was still bowed because if her father saw her face right now, he would know that she was lying. In general, Hinata was just not a very good liar. Her face turned red and she tended to stammer a lot. Fortunately, usually when speaking to her father, she also tended to stammer; hence it was a rather good cover-up.

She heard her father sigh and held her breath. Was he going to mention Hanabi's secret boyfriend? "So what do you plan to do?" His voice sounded strained. Hinata wondered if she should peek at her father. He sounded different from normal.

"Do?" Hinata risked a peek and was surprised. Her father looked rather tired and grey. Did arguing with Hanabi really drain him that much?

"You know the truth now, so what do you plan to do?" Hiashi was looking her with disappointment but for once, Hinata felt as if the disappointment was not directed at her.

Deciding to ponder on her father's reactions towards her later, Hinata tried to think about how to answer her father. Right now he thought that she knew who Hanabi was going out with. "I…I..don't know," That was the truest answer she could give because she really did not even know what her father was asking her or what he wanted her to do.

"What about the marriage?" Her father continued looking at her.

"M..marriage?" Hinata stammered uncertainly, unsure of where this was going.

"To Neji." Her father gave her a weird look.

"Oh….to Neji…" Hinata could not for the life of her figure out why her father was going off on such a strange tangent. From Hanabi's outburst to her marriage to Neji. There was no correlation between those two topics. Hinata tried to swallow her puzzlement and answer the question as straight-faced as she could. Fortunately to her right now, the marriage was a factual thing whose answer they all knew so her answer came easily without the need to think of a lie. "I…it w…will happen w…when I turn 21 right?" Hinata's eyes widened as if seeking confirmation from her father.

Hiashi's reaction really confused her. Her father had suddenly sat up and was staring at her as if he could not understand what she was saying. Were the words coming from her mouth so alien? Was she talking in gibberish? "You don't mind?" he said and there seemed to be some astonishment in his tone.

Mind? What is he talking about? Thinking her father must have lost it after being yelled at by Hanabi, Hinata decided to take pity on her father and make things easier for him. One recalcitrant daughter a day was enough right? "I..I've decided t..to accept it. N…neji nii-san…i…is not a…a bad person." And even as she said that she was convinced that Neji was really not that bad.