Chapter 20

Sasuke stared at the hospital ceiling. Today was the most awkward, most boring, most hated day in a while...

Sasuke sighed loudly and looked with a frown out the window, hoping a certain someone would come by. No such luck... He sighed again and looked back up and after a moment began counting the tiles.

My back doesn't hurt anymore, why the hell do I have to be here? And what the hell is Hinata doing right now? Why isn't she here????

Sasuke closed his eyes and tried not to think about all the things she could be doing. It would only anger him to know that she had another priority other than him.

Ugh... I guess I'll just fall asleep... again... He thought keeping his eyes closed.

Just as he was about to fall asleep for the millionth time that day, the door opened with a loud bang and in came a stomping Tsunade. She stopped in front of his bed and stared at Sasuke with a grin. Sasuke was now sitting up and looking back at her with a frown.

"What?"

"Hehehe... Uchiha Sasuke..." her frown turned to a scowl, "get dressed, everyone's waiting for you..."

"Nani?"

"You heard me you damn gaki! Get up, get dressed and follow me..." she said loudly.

She was oddly enthusiastic today. Sasuke looked at her for about thirty seconds and then said with an annoyed tone, "well... get out... I'm not changing in front of you..."

Tsunade glared at him and raised her finger... "If you even think of leaving... you'll pay..."

"I'm not going to leave... now go away!" Sasuke's face was beginning to redden. He knew what this was about... it was definitely dealing with his punishment... He was especially anxious to find out what the hell it would be already.

Tsunade threw him one last glare and disappeared. He looked around. Okay... now what the hell am I gonna change into? He looked at the bureau set up beside the bed and saw a change of his old clothes... Those things aren't gonna fit me... He frowned, but to his surprise, when he approached it, it was his current size. He didn't put much thought into it however, since he seriously wanted to get moving...

About five minutes later, Sasuke stepped outside the room they were keeping him in to meet a still frowning Tsunade. When she turned to see Sasuke, she grinned and said "follow me."

Sasuke frowned. Why has she been grinning so much? Fucking bitch... I wonder what the hell she's planning.

Sasuke followed Tsunade up a flight of stairs. Tsunade stopped at the top and turned to face him. "Everyone is here to welcome you back, Uchiha, and of course, to hear what you'll get for leaving Konoha without permission."

Sasuke's frown deepened. He nodded without showing any emotion. "Ahhh. Not scared, huh? You always were a brave one, Uchiha." With that she turned around and walked down the empty, dull hallway until she reached a big door. She stopped for a second and then opened it. She turned quickly and motioned for Sasuke to follow. Sasuke looked down and then back up and began walking calmly behind her with his hands shoved down his pockets. His mouth dropped slightly at the size of the room, not to mention the amount of people inside. He looked among the crowd and spotted Hinata, who was looking at him with a smile. How can she be so calm about this?

Doesn't she know that my punishment is going to affect her as well...? He was appalled, but he sucked it in and kept following Tsunade, not taking his eyes off Hinata until about twenty seconds later when Tsunade reached a part of the room that everyone was facing.

Sasuke's eyes slowly darted back to Hinata, who seemed to be having a conversation with her cousin, Neji.

"Hinata-sama... can you please stop looking at the Uchiha, it's unbecoming of an heiress."

Hinata blushed deeply and said in a high-pitched voice "G-gomenasai, Neji-niisan."

Neji looked up at the Uchiha and frowned. Why the hell are they staring at each other? I knew I should've gone with her on her last mission...

Sasuke looked around and saw all the people he remembered in the front row. Shino, Kiba, that Sai guy, and everyone else. He looked down and then back up at Hinata who still seemed quite comfortable considering the type of punishment that probably awaited him. He looked at her a little longer and then noticed Neji and his glare. Sasuke glared right back and then looked at Hinata again.

"Everyone, today, we are here to announce the Uchiha's punishment, I hope you think it a wise decision, but either way," she grinned, "I'm the Hokage here."

There was a few smirks and some grunts in the crowd, but other than that no one seemed to disagree too strongly. "These choices were made after much deliberation, and they will hopefully accomplish two things," she turned to Sasuke who looked back at her with a calm expression, "One, that this will NEVER happen again! And two... that you become loyal to Konoha at heart... that will be done when you dedicate all your time to someone here in Konoha."

Sasuke's eyebrows went in separate directions. "Huh?"

"That's right Uchiha... you will be forced to..." she turned to him and grinned "marry within three years, when you turn eighteen years old..."

Sasuke's jaw dropped and Hinata blushed among the crowd.

"What?" Sasuke couldn't believe what Tsunade had just said. Marry? I guess there's logic behind it... but... marry... I never even thought about that...

"Well that's one, Uchiha... the other is the real trouble for you..."

Sasuke looked up at her... with an actually scared expression... What now?

"You will follow Naruto-kun's direct orders for two months..."

Sasuke was appalled... "EHHH????"

Hell no... that idiot's gonna make me do all sorts of stupid shit...

As soon as that was said, Naruto walked in with a huge smile and approached Sasuke. "Just wait till you see all the stuff I'm gonna make you do... teeheehee..."

Sasuke merely looked at Naruto with a scowl...

"Well, that's that... you can all leave..." Tsunade said and disappeared in the direction of her office...

Sasuke looked at her figure with hatred until he couldn't see it anymore and just as Naruto was going to start talking, Sasuke walked away from him...

"Oi! Baka! You're supposed to obey me!!!"

Sasuke looked back and glared at Naruto before jumping out the window. When he landed, he looked around... I need to find Hinata...

He was extremely nervous... but, if he was going to marry someone, the choice was obvious. He walked around a bit and spotted her, but he didn't go after her. He couldn't... He really didn't know if Hinata was willing to marry him... and then her evil cousin and the father's approval... It was just something he didn't think he had to accomplish until much later in his lifetime. Or never... I mean, he did have a goal and that was to revive the Uchiha clan, but he didn't think he would ever marry anyone... He blushed... Was I planning on being some sort of manwhore?

He looked up and saw Hinata and her family disappear into the streets. He knew he had to ask her... but it could wait... He turned around and began heading for his old apartment. Mann, it was gonna be dusty. He sighed and closed his eyes while taking slow, too slow, steps.

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Hinata's family had reached the Hyuga compound and they all stepped aside to let Hinata in first... She blushed and rushed inside. Being a heiress was something she was going to have to get used to.

Hiashi followed as Neji stood beside him with a bowed head, and then Hanabi went in and Neji followed.

"Hinata, I need to speak to you..." Hiashi said with his eyes shut and his expression serious. Hinata looked at him and smiled sheepishly. Oh boy...

She walked towards him and followed him into his study. When he got to the end of the room, he stopped and motioned for her to sit. Which she did, hard. Itai... Hinata bit her lip so she wouldn't make noise. Her father looked back at her and stared for a few moments then he shut his eyes and asked " Hinata, like I said before, it is your life, not mine... but I need you to tell me, do you think you'll be happy with him."

Hinata squeaked and looked down... blushing, man she was blushing. "Otosama... I never even knew I could choose... this is just too fast for me... I mean, if I married... wouldn't that mean that Hanabi would become heiress?"

"No..." Hiashi seemed stern. Was I really that hard on her? She seems to think of me as a boss rather than a father...

Hinata looked up, "Hontoo ni?"

"Yes, Hinata, I'm serious."

He went over and sat beside her. "Hanabi wouldn't be the new heiress... however, you wouldn't either... or should I say not only you would inherit the clan."

Hinata looked up, "What do you mean?"

"You and Sasuke together would lead the clan, as a wedded couple... I hate to say this, but the Uchiha clan did have a good name until that certain one came along. So, yes, the Uchiha would have more power than you regarding decisions that deal with the clan."

Hinata nodded. This is crazy... I'm already practically engaged... and at fifteen... Hinata put her hand to her head. "Was this all father?" Her head was beginning to hurt... bad.

"Hai..."

"Ja, shitsurei shimasu." Hiashi merely nodded as he looked at his daughter walk out...

Hinata was still holding her head when she reached her room. Standing by her doorway was Neji, who was throwing her a glare.

"Neji- niisan.." Hinata said and smiled curtly. Not now... my head hurts...

"Hinata-sama." he said dryly and bowed curtly. Then he looked up at her and said softly, "I just want you to know that that Uchiha will not be ordering me around... now or never..." he said calmly, yet you could sense the anger in his voice.

With that he bowed again and walked off.

Now my head hurts even more...

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As Sasuke approached his apartment building, he sighed... Man, is this nostalgic... He looked up at the tall building and continued towards the automatic door.

He walked straight through the entrance with his hands in his pockets looking as cool as ever. He was greeted at the door by the sight of a housekeeper, an new one... One he didn't know. She was pushing a cart full of laundry and a couple of rolls of paper towels.

Sasuke tried to seem casual, but, as he knew, when he passed by her, she stared. She didn't even try to hide it. He decided not to bother telling her off and continued towards the staircase. Good 'ol Konoha... He thought sarcastically... Girls back in Sound weren't like this... He stopped and put his hand to his chin, thinking deeply. Was there even any girls in Sound? If there were, he'd never seen them...

He thought about Hinata as he made his way up the stairs and smiled. Heh, the only girl that didn't like me here, does now...or so I hope... He shoved his hand back into his pocket and shut his eyes. He was trying to get to his apartment as slowly as possible since he knew what kind of condition it would be in...

When he finally reached his door, he sighed loudly and put his head down ready to be depressed at how much he was going to have to clean later on. He opened the door and the first thing he saw was Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo sitting on his couch, all extremely quiet... Sasuke's expression changed to a confused one and he muttered, "what... is the meaning of this?"

"Sasuke... you see... well..." Karin put her head down in shame and continued " I lied when I said that I had to go somewhere else when I told you I would go with you... I don't have anywhere to go... we... don't have anywhere to go..."

The other two merely nodded. Sasuke merely grinned. "Okay... but you all have to clean up... well, actually... is there anything in the fridge?"

"Nope... hehehe, trust me... I looked" Suigetsu said almost immediately.

Karin frowned at him.

"Well... you all can go get groceries, and I'll stay and clean..."

"Really? You're really letting us stay???" Suigetsu said with stars in his eyes. Sasuke merely looked at him and then pointed out the door muttering, "groceries, cleaning supplies... from you all's pockets..."

They all nodded and left. Sasuke went after them and shut the door... looking at his room... Mannnnnn, this is gonna take forever...

(A/N: Hi guys... hahaha yeah that's Sasuke's punishment... hope you're not disappointed... but yeah don't worry, he's going to get his... Naruto will make sure of it... anyway, sorry it took a while, but heh, I'm sure you all know I usually take longer. Yeah this chapter was meant to lay out Hebi's future as well as Sasuke's punishment. Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, you all are wayyy too nice... and yeah you're right Dark Wolf... you guys do deserve it, more of the story, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't boring you guys already... yeah i'll admit, it was pretty close to finishing, but... now that you all know that they'll be married in three years, you all have to wait and see the problems that will arise out of this and within that time... jealousy, pride, whatnot... yeah three years is a long time. Anyway, again, thanks you guys for waiting on me so often, hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you on the next, bye bye!)