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Ch. 37 Family Reunion

Don looked up at his door in shock to see Hinata standing there, looking at him with sad eyes. Don stood up and just stared at her with his beat up face. Hinata ran to him and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Don, please, is it really you?" Hinata said as she began crying. Don hugged her back, "Yes Hinata, it's me, I'm still alive." Hinata looked up at him. "Why? Why did you leave?" she asked.

Don let go of her and turned around. "I, just couldn't stand being apart of this village. When I saw you and Naruto happily together, I figured my work here was done, so I decided to leave and start myself a new life." He said darkly.

Don and Hinata sat down on his bed. "I can see a bit why you left. You have no family here anymore; you never were given many chances to prove yourself as a ninja. I want to ask you something Don, are you happy in Suna?" Hinata said calmly.

Don looked up at her. "Yes, I am. A bit on the hot side, but yes, I am quite happy there. I have new friends, sure I miss you a lot and I probably won't be able to visit you as much, but most importantly Suna has become my new home and they can't afford to lose me."

"So, how has Naruto been treating you all this time?" Don asked. "Oh, well he has been treating me nicely. Thank you for helping me get over my shyness towards him." She said timidly.

"Hey, that's what friends are for." Don said hugging her. "Besides, I've known you since we were little, and you are wrong, I do have family here, you and your family. I do miss being with you guys. Maybe once I take the heat from Tsunade I could probably convince her to let me come visit every now and again."

Hinata nodded, "I would like that. You don't know how much I've missed you Don." Don smiled at her, "So I've been told." Hinata reached into her pocket and pulled out some medicinal cream and began to treat Don's wounds.

"You always have that stuff on you, and it always works. You're the best Hinata." Don said happily. They both got up. "I'll bring you back to my house. There you can rest." Hinata said.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Don said and he went to his nightstand and pulled out the small booklet and card Hinata had given him six months ago. He put it in his pocket and they left the house.

They walked in the empty streets to Hinata's house. Hinata and Don entered the open kitchen-dining area to see Neji sitting at the table. "Neji, guess who's home." Hinata said happily.

Neji looked up to see Hinata and don standing there. He smirked, "So you finally explained yourself. It's going to take a long time before any of us in this household can forgive you, you know that right?" Neji said.

Don looked down and frowned, "I know perfectly well what my consequences will be now that the whole village knows I'm alive." Neji got up and patted him on the shoulder. "Despite all that you have done, now that you have revealed yourself, you are welcome in this house once again. Hinata, fetch Don a drink."

Hinata walked to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher. Don looked over Neji's shoulder and looked at the drink Hinata was pouring into a glass. "Is that what I think it is?" Don asked. Hinata walked up to him and gave him the glass. "Yep, our special cherry blossom lemon aid."

They all sat down and Don chugged down his drink. "More!" he shouted and Hinata and Neji laughed at him. Hinata served him more of the lemon aid. "So Don, please do tell us what you have been doing all of this time." Hinata asked.

Hinata and Neji listened intently as Don told his story of what had happened over the past six months. "Aww, Don has a little crush on Temari." Hinata said. Don jumped. "It's not like that… I just like her a lot." He said with his face red. Neji and Hinata laughed at him.

Mean while, Don's squad looked for him until they finally found themselves at Hinata's house. They looked around the home and then spotted him through the kitchen window. They saw Hinata, Don and Neji sitting at the table talking and laughing up a storm.

"Woah!" Temari said. "What is it?" Don's teammates asked. "Don." She said in an odd voice. "Yeah, what about him?" Rain asked. "It's just, I've never seen him this happy before. Look at him, he looks so happy, he's actually laughing."

Rain and Gazu watched Don. It was like they were watching a completely different person. They couldn't believe that that was really Don sitting there laughing happily at the table.

Temari sadly turned around. "Come on guys, we're heading back to the room. We leave tomorrow. Don belongs here, with Hinata and Neji. Let's go." Gazu and Rain took one last look at their teammate and followed Temari back to the room.

"Don?" Hinata asked. "Yes?" Don replied. "The chunin exams have ended today and I suspect your squad will leave tomorrow, will you spend your last night here?" Hinata said. "Oh, umm, sure." Don said happily, "Under one condition."

What is that?" Neji asked. "I do the cooking. I haven't cooked for yall in a long time." Don replied. Hinata and Neji both smiled and agreed to his request.

That evening Don cooked a great meal for the three of them. As they were sitting and talking, something dawned on Hinata. "I almost forgot. I need to go visit Naruto in the hospital." Hinata said. Don jumped and chuckled a bit, then tossed a platter covered in foil to Hinata.

"Here, give that to Naruto. Not even a thick headed fool like him deserves hospital food." Don said. Then he got up. "I'll accompany you on the way. I have to grab my things from my apartment." Don said and the two left the house.

Don broke off from Hinata and quickly went to the apartment and grabbed the rest of his things. When he entered he found the apartment empty. He grabbed his things and left the room.

On the way back to the hospital, he passed by a restaurant and happened to see his teammates eating inside. Everyone was laughing and cheering that they passed the chunin exams, especially Rain. Though what caught Don's eye was Temari. She was staring down with sadness.

Don starred at her for a bit and then an idea dawned upon him. Don headed to the market place and spent some time there while he waited for Hinata as she spent time with Naruto.

"Now, now Naruto, you have to eat your food that Don was nice enough to let you have if you want to get out of here in no time." Hinata said calmly. "But Hinata, I don't want any of Don's crappy cooking." Naruto said arrogantly.

Hinata sighed, "Looks like I'll have to do this the hard way." She said. Hinata hit Naruto on the head hard making him yell. When his mouth opened she shoved the food in his mouth. "Ow, Hinata what did you do that for?" Naruto said.

"Now, are you going to eat or am I going to have to keep doing that to feed you." Hinata said calmly. Naruto's face went blank and a sweat broke. "No! No! See I'm eating!" Naruto said franticly grabbing the plate and utensils and scarfing down his food.

"Good boy." Hinata said calmly patting his head as he ate. "Sheesh Hinata, I thought you were the shy type, since when have you had that forceful attitude?" Naruto asked. Hinata blushed, "Well I guess when you've been best friends with Don as long as I have you get a forceful attitude."

Hinata got up and kissed Naruto goodnight and left the building to find Don waiting for her at the entrance. "Shall I escort you home Hinata?" Don said humorously. Hinata smiled. "Sure why not." She said.

They both walked back to her house and retired for the night.