BB: -on bended knee- PLEASE FORGIVE ME -sobs-

Alleanye: Get up, you're embarassing us.

BB: But it's been three weeks since I've updated. -sob- I'm sorry.

Illiana: It's been beyond your control. You've been sick.

BB: YOu're right -wipes her eyes- I'm really sorry though. I was sick the first week with the flu. the second week I had to do my finals. And last week I was sick again with a cold. And on top of it all, I had a writer's block.

Shayshaymura: Then how didyou write this chapter?

BB: My mom. Most of it was my mom's idea. So really, today, I don't even own the idea, let alone Naruto.

It didn't take long for the Naruto and Hinata to get their food. Ayame and Teuchi left them alone, slipping into the back room. Naruto noticed the small smile on Ayame's face, and the worry in Teuchi's eyes. Naruto knew that the old man thought of him as a son.

Hinata sipped politely on her noodles, nothing spilling from her chopsticks. Naruto was quietly amazed at her skill. He always made a mess eating.

"This is a nice place." Hinata said quietly. Naruto blinked.

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged, glancing around. "It's need a lot of work though. I've offered to pay for the remodeling, but the old man is stubborn. He doesn't want me to pay for anything, even though I end up being his only customer." He looked back at Hinata. "Ichiraku doesn't get a lot of business. When I worked here, all I pretty much did was talk to Ayame."

"You worked here?" Hinata was shocked. Naruto watched her eyes widen, and her chopsticks pause on the way to her mouth.

"Yep." Naruto nodded, taking a bite. "One of the best jobs I ever had. I did it mostly for free anyways. I didn't need the money, and I really didn't work."

Hinata blinked. "You did everything for free? When did you work here?"

"In high school. I did it after school let out. It kept me out of trouble when my grandmother was out of town. She wanted me to get a job, and I've loved this place since before my grandmother found me."

"Found you?" Hinata questioned. Naruto noticed that her eyebrows came together slightly when she seemed puzzled.

"I kind of don't want to talk about it." He muttered apologetically. Hinata blinked and nodded understandably.

They ate in silence for a while, before Naruto couldn't help himself from asking. "What's up with you and your sister?" He asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Hinata's hand stilled. Her voice was wary, making Naruto really wonder about the relationship with her family.

"Why were you staring at her at the party? And why did you turn so quickly?"

Her eyes, usually so open with emotions, seemed to slam close. A quiet coldness blankness seemed to creep in her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it."

Naruto kept a smile off of his face. It seems both of them had some secrets they didn't want to share. Silence reigned again, until this time, Hinata spoke.

"Why do you have a law degree, and an art degree?" She asked. Naruto glanced up, and could see the curiosity in her eyes.

"The law degree, I really don't want to talk about, but I got the art degree, because it was something to do." He shrugged. "I really didn't have a reason. Why do you have a degree in writing?"

Hinata blushed bright red. "I don't want to talk about it. Why do you hate Sakura Haruno?"

"I definitely don't want to talk about that." Naruto grimaced. "How did you know Sakura?"

"You don't want to hear about that, and I don't want to tell." Hinata said with a shake of her head. She smiled slightly.

Naruto couldn't help it. He laughed. "It seemed we're saying that a lot, doesn't it?" He looked her in the eye. "So what do we want to talk about?" He questioned. Hinata blinked.

"I have no clue." She whispered lightly. Her violet eyes seemed to burn into his. Naruto had to look away, and he did so with a dramatic sigh. Hinata looked puzzled.

"I have a dog." He announced, at lost for any other topic to talk about.

Hinata blinked in surprise, and then started giggling. Naruto grinned at her giggles.

Once her giggles had subsided, she looked at him. "May I ask what of kind of dog?"

"Sure, you can ask, and I have absolutely no clue what kind of dog he is. I picked him up off of the side of the road when he was a puppy. He's big, though." Naruto took a bite of chicken, chewed, and swallowed quickly. "You know how big Akamaru is? Ky's about three inches taller, and has less fat on him. Even though I rarely get the chance to take him out to just run around, Ky's pure muscle." Naruto grinned. "Well pure muscle and really fluffy fur."

Hinata laughed. "fluffy fur?" She asked, placing a piece of pork onto her tongue.

"Yeah, fluffy fur. Ky's really proud though, so you can't really pet him. But he has rust red fur, and it's kind of fluffy." Naruto smiled. "So have you got any pets."

Hinata sighed. "Does a daughter count?" She asked.

Naruto shrugged. "No idea, does she?"

Hinata nodded. "At times, she does. Like when she gets into fights with senior boys."

"Seniors? According to Neji, your daughter is eleven. What's she doing with senior boys?" Naruto asked, confused. He knew Neji had said something about it, but couldn't remember.

Hinata smiled proudly for a moment. "Lena is extremely intelligent. She is a freshman in high school, and almost top of her class. Her principal and the guidance consular are talking about her graduating by fourteen." Hinata's smile slipped slightly. "I have no clue what I'm going to do with her if she does. She's definitely smarter then I am, and I don't know anyone who would be close to her level of intelligence."

Naruto nodded, understanding a bit. "I doubt she's smarter then you. But if you want to introduce her to someone who's close to her level, get Sasuke or Neji to meet her. Both of them could've graduated early, if they hadn't been trouble makers. Well, if I hadn't been a trouble maker and roped them into my evil plans." Naruto grinned at her.

She seemed surprised though. "You think they would take time out of their busy day, to meet with an eleven year old?" Hinata asked. She shook her head. "I don't think they would."

"Hinata, you don't really know them, do you?" Naruto asked. "I have a feeling Neji would love to meet Lena, especially if she's smart. She is part of his family, as you are. Neji, though he acts like a cold hearted bastard, pardon my language, takes family very important."

Hinata just watched him. "How do you know?" She asked. "No Hyuuga takes family important." She covered her mouth with a hand, as though she had said too much.

Considering what he knew about the Hyuugas, he could understand her thought process. But he'd known Neji since high school, and had been there when the Hyuuga's father had died. He knew how much family was important to his friend.

"Ask him someday, see what he thinks." Naruto challenged.

Hinata sighed, and looked dejected. Naruto bit his tongue, regretting what he had said. He decided to change the subject. "So, back to your daughter. She's smart, but is she fun?" he asked.

Hinata smiled. "Extremely fun. She likes to play video games like any other child, and she also is an excellent dancer. I don't know what I would do without her." Hinata looked slightly sad as if she was contemplating that matter.

Naruto glanced down, and noticed her empty bowl. "Are you done?" he asked, nodding towards her bowl. Hinata nodded. "Cool, I'll be back." He said, rising, and grabbing her bowl. He grabbed his own, and walked towards the back, where he knew the dishwasher was.

As he placed the bowls into a sink, he sighed. He was tired, and worried about more then one thing. He was also curious about how Hinata had acted at the party, but considering how many times the phrase 'I don't want to talk about it' had been thrown around, he couldn't ask.

He wondered if he really wanted to know the answer.

--

They both were silent in the car, except when Hinata told him where her house was. They couldn't seem to think of a subject that wasn't taboo. Hinata glanced over at him, as they were nearing her home.

His blue eyes were on the road, and he seemed tired. He seemed really exhausted actually. She wondered what was making him look like that. She tried to remember if he had seemed like that during the week. The only time she had noticed that exhausted look in his eyes was the day she had slapped Sakura Haruno.

"That's my house." She said quietly, pointing to the small house. He nodded silently, and pulled into the drive. Hinata noticed that only Pem's car and her own car was in the drive. They had driven to Demon Eyes in Shay's car, and Tenten didn't have a car.

Naruto slid the car into park, and turned the key off. Hinata looked at him in surprise. Naruto caught her look, and smiled lightly. "I'm not letting you walk up there by yourself. My grandmother did beat manners into me."

Hinata mentally wondered if he really meant that, but nodded with a small smile. She got out of the car before he could open the door for her, and fell into step with him as they walked up the drive.

She quietly built up her courage as they walked, and by the time they got to the porch, she could say what she needed to. They stopped on the porch, and Hinata turned to him.

"I don't date my bosses, as a rule." She said, as strongly as she could manage. "I only did this because I owed you. You didn't tell Neji I was the one who spilt coffee on your desk, and killed your computer."

Naruto seemed surprised. "I told you, I spilt the coffee." A small smile played along his lips. Hinata felt the need to gulp. "And considering most of your past bosses have been family, I can understand your decision."

Hinata blushed, and was at a lost for words. Before she could recover, the front door swung violently open. Lena stood on the other side, grinning evily.

"Momma and her date, standing on the porch, Getting ready to K-I-s" Lena stopped at her mother's glare. Hinata was embarrassed beyond belief at her daughter's actions, and was about to apoligize when she heard Naruto's laughter. She turned to look at him.

Naruto looked down at Lena, and grinned just as evily. "Hey, aren't you the one who beat a bunch of senior boys?" He asked, almost innocently.

Lena's back straightened, and she blinked "I don't want to talk about it." She snapped.

BB: So what did you think? I hoped you liked it, and it makes up for the wait.

Illiana: Please reveiw, if only to yell at us.

BB: please don't give them ideas!