It was hard to concentrate when memories of just two weeks ago swept over his mind. She was wearing a form-fitting white tailored dress, with heels making her legs look a mile-long. There was something he was supposed to give her, what was it? Smirking, he thought maybe she was due for another round in the sheets. It was a mutual understanding, and it was supposed to just last the one night. But here he was, after offering to take back the paperwork to her, he wanted more of her. Damn, what was it he was supposed to do now that he was here? Right, something about paperwork…

"Is that for me?"

He looked stunned, "Ah yes, here you go," finally. He handed her the scroll, containing his nephew's new wife's will and testament. Along with a copy of the Hokage's marriage license.

Kurenai frowned, "But this says…wait, they got married!"

Asuma shrugged and nodded, "The very next day after I gave you three explosive…"

"I get it!" she snapped as he smirked, "Hm…" she started, looking over the scroll. "Looks like I just have to change her name. She was okay with everything else?"

"Looks that way to me."

"I'll change the name to Hanabi Sarutobi and then you can be on your way."

"Ouch. Feeling cold today? That's too bad for such a hot woman," he said.

She very lightly blushed, "It is nearly winter, move along now messenger boy. I have clients waiting."

Asuma raised a brow, "Messenger boy?"

She sent him a pointed look, "I'll be done with the changes by the end of the day."

He nodded, he knew a victory when it was right in his face. Messenger boy or not, he would still be taking her tonight. Maybe he could get her on that big cluttered desk, that would be interesting. Smiling quite happily, he moseyed on out of her office and decided to check in on an old buddy of his. Waste some time until he would return later in the day to taste more of Kurenai Yuuhi.

-SoH-

It really had been an eventful Sunday morning. First, she woke up in a room that wasn't hers. She barely recognized it as the room Sasuke was staying in. Then she realized his arms were around her, and that he was cuddling against her back, still sleeping. Panic immediately took over, what did they do last night! All she remembered was some scary movie and his perfect lips moving against her own. She took deep breaths and closed her eyes tight. She could still feel that she was wearing clothes. Good. That was a good sign.

She was able to get out of his grip and off the bed and sneak out without waking him, or she'd thought. When in reality, he let go of her and watched as she snuck out of his bedroom. He smirked as she quietly shut his door and moved to lie on his back. Unlike Hinata, he remembered everything as clear as day. She wanted to sleep next to him, kept complaining that it was too cold in her own room. She told him she missed him and she just wanted to be next to him, to feel that he was home again. He felt the joy spread through his heart and body, knowing that she felt just as strongly for him as he did for her. She might not have realized it yet, or maybe she has and not admitted it but she loved him. That knowledge shot through him with a piercing blow. It had to be love, there was no other way to describe it. He still thought that it might be too soon to tell her how he felt. Last thing he wanted was to scare her away from him. He was vulnerable when it came to her, he could admit that to himself. He didn't want to lose her.

Hinata went back into her own bedroom, but smiled as soon as she lay down. She remembered now, yes she recalled every kiss he gave her, how he silently gave in to her request to sleep next to him. She must have been tired to ask that of him, but put it down to just being honest and letting him know she missed him. Sitting back up, she decided to be bold and go right back into his room. Of course he had been awake as she made her escape, he's a ninja.

He was laying on his back with a small smile on his face. One could say Sasuke Uchiha was amused. His smile grew as his eyes took her in, and she grinned back at him before walking over and laying back down beside him. She sighed and turned over to rest against his chest. She knew it was bare, but managed to not even blush as her cheek lie against him.

"Good morning Hinata," he said as he pulled his arm down from behind his head and placed it around her waist.

"M-morning Sasuke. Did you sleep well?"

"Best night ever, and you?"

She giggled and he smirked, "I slept just fine, thank you."

"Hn. I wonder if Neji and Tenten are still asleep on the couch."

Laughing she replied, "I can't believe they fell asleep during the second movie, it was only nine o'clock."

"Guess they just can't last against night owls like us."

She smiled against his chest and then blushed, "Do you remember the movie?"

He was silent a moment, "Hn, my favorite part was when my girlfriend was kissing me."

"Silly," she lightly hit his chest with her palm, "I was k-kissing you the w-whole time."

"Oh right, how could I forget?"

He turned slightly and shifted his body down to her level, looking into her eyes. He wanted so badly to tell her how much he loved her, how much he cherished every second with her. Confess how she'd changed his life, how she'd saved him from the endless dark thoughts that used to always haunt his mind.

Giving her one of his rare true smiles, he lightly caressed her cheek, "You're so beautiful."

She flushed from the sudden praise and looked down.

He grabbed her chin, and made her look into his eyes again, "I mean it Hinata, you are the most gorgeous woman in my eyes. No one could ever compare to you."

She frowned just slightly, "I think we should talk Sasuke, I need to explain something t-to y-you."

He shifted just slightly, he remembered yesterday when Naruto told him that she was worried about something. He tried to not let the concern show on his face, but he was certain she could at least see it in his eyes. "I have some things I'd like you to know as well, but you go first."

She nodded and closed her eyes for a few seconds, "I know that I'm insecure. I don't feel very p-pretty. I'm n-not confident, I always s-stutter, and it seems I always fail at whatever I try to do. But Sasuke," she looked him in the eyes again, "Sasuke, you make me feel beautiful. When we're together like this, and we're alone, it's just you and you're here with me and its amazing. But I wonder when my insecurities will come between us a-again."

He closed his eyes for a second as well, then opened to say, "I don't think I'll ever be good enough for you. I have no family, I didn't have a life before you. Nothing mattered to me Hinata, I didn't care if I would have died on my next mission. In a way, we're both insecure. But can't we learn to deal with that together?"

She nodded and reached to hold his hand, "I'm scared of how much I feel for you, it's so soon. And I know that there are so many others who would be better for you. Like S-Sakura…"

"…I can't stand her. You need to know that now, there is nothing about her that I like. Nothing. Not even as a friend."

She frowned, "Not as a friend?"

He shook his head no, "You see Hinata, that's where we are different. You think about everyone, I only think of you."

She smiled with a small blush, "I do worry though, that the perfect girl will come around and I'll…I'll mess up again and…and, that'll be it."

He kissed her deeply before gazing into her eyes, "You can stop worrying she's already here. Hinata, you can't expect for every disagreement we have to be the end of our relationship."

She looked unsure, "You were angry with me before you had to leave."

Sighing, he draped an arm around her and pulled her even closer to him, "Not angry, just surprised that you would think that. I wish you could see the way I look at you Hinata, see what I see."

"I would like to believe that I wouldn't think that again, because I know that you care about me. But I can't promise that."

He blinked, "I wouldn't ask you to promise that, but I would ask that you talk to me about it. If something bothers you, I'd like to know so that I can try to help you. I know I'm not the most open person, but when it comes to you…"

She smiled, "I feel the same way."

"Do you," he asked the daring question.

She met him head on, "I do."

They stared at each other and then kissed one another passionately, to the point of making out with their hands holding each other so tight, to feel all that they could of each other. It was the closest they could come to confessing their very deep feelings for one another.

He groaned and pulled away from her, "Dammit."

She frowned, "What is it?"

He sent her a pointed look, "I'm a grown man with an amazingly sexy girlfriend, who kisses and touches me with no abandon."

She blushed and hid her head.

He chuckled lightly, "You're too much Hinata."

"I'm sorry," she squeeked out.

"You don't ever need to apologize for the effect you have on me," he whispered, kissing her temple.

"Um…there was something you wanted to talk about?"

He sighed, "Yeah, there is." He took his time trying to gather his thoughts, "Hinata, it's considered confidential." He saw her nod and he took a deep breath before he continued, "Remember when I told you about my brother, Itachi? I was told that he died, but it was just a cover-up. He's still alive."

She gasped, "You just found out, didn't you?"

He nodded, "I snapped in the Hokage's office, Neji was with me. I was in a rage, accusing the Hokage of lying and even accusing him of murdering my clan himself. Once I calmed down and your cousin talked some sense into me, the Hokage showed me the report Itachi gave after destroying the Uchiha. The man who used to lead the anbu division ordered my brother to wipe out my clan. There was evidence that my father, head of our clan, was planning on overthrowing the Hokage and taking over control for all of Konoha. Itachi had a partner, but he did go through with it. All but me, he spared me, even dared me to grow into hate and kill him when I had the skill. The Hokage showed me his secret mission report on my brother, the last mission he was given was to infiltrate a dangerous organization and rise among their ranks to eventually bring them down. The first part was a success, but now he's been compromised."

"So…Sasuke, you're brother is…he's been protecting Konoha this whole time."
He closed his eyes, "That's what I was told, yes." He opened them again, and he let her see the raw pain in his gaze. He was so close from having to do the same thing, too close.

"Compromised, that means he's in danger?" she whispered.

"That was the mission Neji and I were given, to bring Itachi back to Konoha. But we failed Hinata, we failed. I failed my first mission."

She hugged him tightly, and he slowly hugged her back. "Sasuke…"

"He's still alive, but on the run. The organization he infiltrated is hunting him, now it's down to a chase. Itachi's fate depends on who finds him first. Us or them," he felt a chill run through him, "I hated him for years."

She kissed him, slowly, showing him that she was here for him, "Sasuke he drove you forward, maybe it was his way of encouraging you to continue improving."

He trembled slightly, "Could be," he whispered. He was never emotional, he never showed emotion, or at least, not until Hinata came into his life. "I don't know what to think anymore."

She gave him a smile, and looked into his dark eyes, "He's your brother Sasuke…"

"He's also someone I thought was the epitome of evil. Not to mention the fact that he still went through with annihilating our clan, plus all the people he's killed since then for the organization."

She blinked slowly, he clearly had anger held deep inside, she thought she could understand. She wasn't sure how she would handle it should her entire family die in a single night, whether she was on good terms with them or not. She sighed and moved her hand to lightly caress his cheek and then to his shoulder, "But if it was for the good of Konoha, maybe there was more to it than what you are being told."

He looked into her eyes, "You think he's a hero, don't you?"

She stilled her expression, "Yes and no. Yes because of his own self sacrifice for our country, no because he left you to deal with everything instead of finding a better way. He shouldn't have killed your clan, I agree. But what if he hadn't? What if your father succeeded in overthrowing the Hokage?"

"At least I would still have a family. I would still have a father that I could be ashamed of. Now all I have is a cold sadistic brother left. And the Hokage wants me to save him, bring him home so that he can be guarded from the Akatsuki."

She didn't move, she knew he was frustrated, after all, he'd just told her the name of the criminal organization her brother was apart of. On one hand, it showed that he trusted her. On another, he was giving her more information that he probably should be. Even she recognized his earlier attempt to keep the name from her.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, then turned and pulled her tightly against him, "I'm sorry for troubling you with my problems."

She smiled and took the initiative to kiss him, taking her time and showing him how much she cared, "Please don't ever hide things like that Sasuke; we can take them on together."

He sighed and searched her bright eyes, holding her hip with one arm, while he supported his head with the other, "As long as I have you in my life, Hinata."

She smiled and blushed under his intense gaze, "I wish I had met you before this."

With a smirk he agreed, "Me too."

His dark eyes remained open as he descended upon her lips, watching as her lilac eyes slowly fluttered down as she returned his touch. He wanted to remember everything about her, the breath from her nose against his cheek and the way the morning light hit her hair just right. Eventually the moan that escaped her throat forced his eyes to close and to deepen the moment they were sharing. He couldn't keep his hands still as they moved over her, he felt every movement of her own palms taking in the feeling of his bare skin. She gasped into his mouth as one of his hands slowly slipped under the white shirt she was wearing. The silkiness of her stomach was intoxicating, so smooth and perfect.

Her hands moved over taut muscles on his back, as his lips moved to her jaw and neck. He had kissed her like this several times before, but still this was different. She felt every movement from both of his hands, slowly creeping along her body and the warmth of his mouth now on her collarbone moving lower.

So she was surprised when he suddenly moved from being over her, to lying on his back again, panting hard and his eyes tightly shut. She wasn't sure what she did to make him stop, and she just ended up not moving. Why did he just stop like that?

He opened one eye and saw her frozen expression and smirked at her, still trying to breath at a normal rate. "Sorry," he said in a gruff voice.

"Did I do something wrong?" she whispered.

He leaned over and kissed her roughly on the lips, before lying back down again, "No, I did."

She finally exhaled her breath, and looked at him with hesitation, "Y-you d-did?"

He nodded once then leaned on one arm again to face her, and moved back a couple loose strands of her hair to behind her ear, "Sometimes I'm not sure I can stop myself."

She looked confused for a second, then very heavily blushed, "Y-you m-mean…"

"…yeah…that's what I mean."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry."

She looked up at him again, blush still evident on her cheeks, "No, it's okay. I j-just would l-like for it t-to be, well um…s-s-special I guess."

He nodded, "I know, it will be."

She was ready to faint, never in a million years did she think she would be having this conversation. It was a promise! A promise that he would be the first person she would give her body to. But…she was okay with that, not right this second, but eventually.

"I can't help the way I react to you, but I promise that we won't go further until we are both ready."

"T-thank y-you."

He smirked, "Are you hungry?" Slowly she nodded. "Why don't we get dressed and go downstairs, maybe we can dump water on Neji to wake him up or something."

She giggled and rose from the bed they shared just last evening, "That's so mean!"

He shrugged, but remained where he was. "I'll meet you down there in a few minutes."

Nodding, she closed the door behind her, leaving him alone in the room.

He threw himself back onto the mattress; that was too close. They were going further and further each time, he really wasn't sure how much more he could handle. He knew he loved her, but he wanted their first time together to be perfect, besides it really was too soon. May the heavens help him and grant him patience. He'd never been intimate with anyone either, but he recognized the urges and he was pretty sure she did too. He couldn't help it, he simply became lost in her touch. He was doing his best to keep them both honorable for as long as possible.

Being away from her the past two weeks was hell, especially under the circumstances he was in with having to track down his phantom brother. He knew Hinata would see Itachi as a hero, he counted on her for it. She would be the only one to show him another way, a way that didn't involve in either his or Itachi's death. She would be there to guide, probably both of them, back into what was left of being a family. He did remember the good in Itachi, the bad just heavily outweighed it. But with Hinata, she could remind him that there was still good left in him. The woman had no idea that he was depending on her so heavily.

And he felt the guilt. The guilt of knowing that her little sister was being kept in hiding, knowing that he was lying to her, it hurt. He knew that Hinata already had it figured out that something was amiss. Hell, she probably already knew that Hanabi wasn't even really at college.

He did wonder though, if Hiashi Hyuuga had any idea.