Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Special Thanks: goes out to McKazekage, The1CAMIEL, I like angst, shyprincess82, rao hyuga 18, QueenP19, and ssspooky for all your lovely reviews for the last chapter! Also thanks to those of you who have and continue to add this story to their favorite and follow lists. You all are completely amazing!
Author's Note: I decided to update this a day early since Christmas Eve is tomorrow and it's looking like it might be rather busy for me. I wanted to make sure I was able to get the new chapter out for you all, just in case I don't have time tomorrow. So thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!
*~Chapter XVII~*
~News~
Hinata woke early the next morning to the sound of an angrily cawing bird just outside her bedroom. Propping herself up on one elbow, she ran her hand through her unraveled night braid and squinted toward the doors leading into the garden, confused.
The door connecting her bedroom to the main room slid open, and Gaara shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry," he said as he opened the outside door. "I didn't realize a messenger bird would arrive from Suna this soon."
Ignoring her generally rumpled appearance, Hinata sat up fully as a hawk fluttered through the door and settled on Gaara's outstretched arm. Obviously irritated, the bird flapped its wings in the redhead's face before he stuck out his leg and let Gaara detatch the small scroll he'd carried all the way from Suna.
"Bloody bird," Gaara muttered, releasing the large messenger out into the garden before slamming the door behind it. "The Council must be really mad at me to send the most ill-tempered one we've got at our disposal." Coming across the room, he perched on the bed next to her hip, broke the seal, and unrolled the scroll.
Arranging the blankets around her waist, Hinata bit her lip to keep from asking what the scroll contained. Gaara was the leader of Suna, and undoubtedly it was important business meant for his eyes only. It was so nice of him to come with me for Father's funeral, since he's so busy in Suna. Remembering what he'd said about the Council and the bird, she winced. They're probably mad at him for coming here instead of staying in Suna and going about his business as usual.
Not wanting to distract Gaara, Hinata sat quietly and watched her husband's face as he read the communication from his home village. Over his shoulder, she could see a few black kanji against the white parchment, but forced herself to look away before she read and comprehended them. Instead, she busied herself by running her fingers through her hair, trying to unsnarl the tangles which had worked their way in overnight. It was a little late, since Gaara had already seen her bed-head, but at least it gave her something to do.
She jumped when Gaara suddenly let out a growl and released of the end of the scroll, letting it roll back up with a snap! "Interfering old geezers," he muttered.
The Council. "What d-did they d-do?" she dared ask.
Gaara shifted so he sat facing her, his jaw tight, mouth set in a grim line of disapproval. "They want to know if-" He paused for a moment, a tinge of pink crawling up his neck and around his ears. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing ominously with the motion. "They want to know if there's any hope you might have conceived an heir yet," he rushed out.
Bright red suffused her own face. "We've only b-been married for a c-couple of weeks!" she squeaked.
"I know," Gaara replied, obviously as mortified as she. "It's none of their business, anyway. They should be worrying themselves over other things."
At least now she knew for sure the Council didn't know they had not yet consummated their marriage. That would have been much worse. "What are you g-going to tell them?"
"Nothing. It's none of their business." Gaara slapped the scroll against his hand a couple of times, then shook his head. "Besides, there are plenty of other things in the scroll which need to be addressed. And if there happens to be no room left for an answer to this particular question..." He trailed off and shrugged, a devious smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Hinata found it quite easy to return his smile. She felt slightly in awe of this new Gaara, who was obviously making a concentrated effort to be more open and affectionate with her - at least in private. The small bit of hope inside her was blooming and growing, and before she lost her courage, she leaned forward so she could press a quick kiss to his cheek.
When she pulled back, Gaara was looking at her with a surprised expression, but then he smiled, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. He hadn't been offended by her taking the initiative, then.
Reaching out, he briefly brushed the side of her face with the edge of his index finger. Then he gifted her with another slight smile and stood. "I'll leave so you can ready yourself for the day. While you do that, I'll go about drafting a reply to this." He waved the scroll, then slid out of the room and shut the door behind him.
Allowing herself a moment to let her emotions run wild, Hinata flopped back against her pillows and grinned up at the ceiling. She felt warm all over, with her cheeks flushed, her heart fluttering excitedly, and her entire body lighter than air. During her growing-up years, she'd had fleeting moments of fancy, wondering what it would be like when she finally married. Granted, she'd imagined nothing like the past couple of weeks, but this was closer to what she'd pictured.
In fact, she was beginning to think she could say it was better. Even in her wildest, most secret dreams, she had never imagined anyone like Gaara as her husband. She didn't remember Sarutobi Hiruzen very well, but suddenly she felt very grateful towards him for arranging this marriage for her and Gaara.
After getting out of bed and completing her usual morning routine, she went to find something to wear for breakfast as she mused on her relationship. Honestly, she couldn't have found a better man for her, even if she'd tried herself. Her time with Gaara had not been easy, but each problem they faced, they came out with their relationship stronger. She could feel her bond with her husband growing more and more solid, and it excited her.
And even though the idea made her nervous as well as excited, she realized it wouldn't be much longer at all before she really became Gaara's wife.
When she entered the sitting room, she found Gaara standing at the door into the suite talking with a servant. When the two noticed Hinata, the servant bowed, then left.
"Something wrong?" Hinata asked.
"Matsuri sent the servant over to say she's feeling better, but still won't be able to help you today." Returning to the low table in the center of the room, Gaara rolled up the two scrolls lying there and tucked them into the leather pouch strapped around his waist, something she noticed he'd been wearing constantly since they reached Konoha. "Are you ready to go to breakfast?"
Hinata slipped her hand into the arm Gaara crooked in her direction. "I am if you are."
A few minutes later, as everyone settled around the table, Hinata noticed one of the usual group was absent. "Is Tenten all right?" she asked Neji.
Her cousin, sitting at the head of the table as the new clan head, took a drink of tea before nodding. "Morning sickness," he explained. "Sometimes it's worse than others. This is her worst bout yet, though."
Across the table, a pair of chopsticks suddenly rattled noisily against a plate. Hinata spun just in time to see Temari leap out of her seat and run from the room, not even bothering to excuse herself before she fled.
Immediately, Hinata got to her feet and went after her. Both Gaara and Neji called for her to stay, but she ignored them, intent on helping her sister-in-law. Had she caught the stomach virus from Matsuri, or was it just floating around the village, and Temari was more likely to catch it since she wasn't from Konoha?
The door into Temari's suite was open when she reached it, so Hinata didn't feel guilty about entering without permission. She went directly to the toilet room, where Temari was dry-heaving miserably.
"D-do you have Matsuri's stomach v-virus?" she ventured.
Temari shrugged since she couldn't answer verbally.
"Should I send to the hospital f-for a Healer?" If Temari wasn't sure, perhaps it would be better to be safe rather than sorry.
This time she received a head-shake in response as Temari slumped back against the wall. Her skin looked pasty and pale, and her hands shook as she wound her arms around her stomach.
Another explanation for Temari's sickness streaked through Hinata's head, as sudden and hot as a comet. "Are you p-pregnant?" Her voice squeaked slightly on the last word.
Temari flinched. "No!" she snapped hoarsely. "I've just caught Matsuri's stomach virus. Now go away and leave me to be miserable in peace!" She lunged for the toilet again.
Hinata backed away and left the room unwillingly. Even though Temari had said otherwise, she would send a servant over to the hospital to get a Healer. If nothing else, they could give her something to help with her nausea, even if she didn't have the same thing Matsuri did.
After tracking down a servant - one who had witnessed Temari's flight through the house a few minutes before and had remained nearby in case assistance was required - and finding out a Healer was already in the house since several others in the servants' quarters were also sick, Hinata returned to the dining hall. Neji and Gaara sat in silence, but the tension which had been present between them before seemed to have eased, even if it hadn't completely vanished.
"Is Temari all right?" Gaara asked as Hinata resumed her seat.
"I'm n-not sure," she admitted. "B-But there's already a Healer here for some others who are sick in the servants' quarters, so Temari will be looked at, too." She bit her lower lip, wondering if Matsuri had caught the virus from the Hyuuga servants, or the other way around. Thus far, returning to Konoha really hadn't brought many good things into being. More like an entire string of events mired in bad fortune.
The three ate in silence for a while, things unnaturally quiet since almost half their usual group was missing. Servants slipped in and out silently throughout the meal, bringing in and taking away dishes in equal measure.
Once the last of them had been carried off, Hinata looked to her cousin. "Have you heard anything about Hanabi yet?" she asked. It was still quite early in the morning, but she was hopeful.
Regretfully, Neji shook his head. "I'm planning on visiting the hospital after the emergency council meeting, though," he replied. "The Elders, apparently, have several things they want to discuss with me." From the expression on his face, Hinata presumed they wanted to lay down their version of the rules. She felt reasonably certain her cousin wouldn't let them walk all over him, as her father had been apt to do a few times in the past.
Hinata opened her mouth to say she'd go with him, but at that moment a servant knelt behind her and held out a small scroll. "This just came by courier from Inuzuka Kiba, milady," the woman said softly.
Surprised at how quickly Kiba had gotten back to her, she accepted the scroll and thanked the servant. Breaking the familiar wolf-head seal, Hinata unrolled the parchment and felt her lips part in surprise. "This afternoon," she murmured. "That was f-fast."
"What's this afternoon?" Gaara questioned.
"K-Kiba's organized all my friends for a g-get-together this afternoon," Hinata replied. "He knows I'll p-probably b-be leaving within the next few d-days, so he g-got everything together as quickly as possible."
"It will be good for you," Neji remarked. "You need some time with your friends. They've all missed you."
"I've missed them," Hinata said wistfully. "B-But what about Hanabi?"
Her cousin's expression clouded. "The last I heard, Lady Tsunade had her sedated in the psych ward." The words sounded ugly as they fell into the quiet air of the room, but Hinata knew there was no other way to say them. It was the truth, and it needed to be said. "I doubt you'd be able to see her, even if you did go." He smiled at her with obviously forced cheerfulness. "Besides, Gaara hasn't had a chance to meet several of your friends. This is a good opportunity."
Gaara made a soft sound which made Hinata think he wasn't quite as enthusiastic to meet her friends as Neji made it seem. "I suppose you're right," she said reluctantly. "B-But if you hear anything, will you send me a message?"
"Of course. Where are you going?" Neji's eyes fell to the scroll Hinata still held.
She glanced down at it, biting back her smile. "N-Naruto wanted us all to meet at Ichiraku, b-but the others managed to c-convince him Tomiko's was more reasonable."
"What's wrong with the first place?" Gaara asked, brow wrinkled in confusion.
Neji hid a laugh in his teacup, but Hinata managed to swallow back her own and take pity on her husband. "It's a ramen shop," she explained. "More of a stall, really. There are only seats for six at Ichiraku's, b-but it's N-Naruto's favorite, so he always b-begs to g-go there every time we all g-get together." Picking up her own teacup, she spoke again before finishing off the liquid inside. "The ramen is g-good, though. The stall is just too small to hold us all."
"Oh."
Hinata set down her cup with a sudden thump as another thought occurred to her. "Should I send K-Kiba a message and have him reschedule?" she asked. "D-Do you think Temari would want to join us?"
Gaara's lips compressed into a thin line, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't think so," he said. "At least for this visit, I think she'd rather just keep to herself as much as possible while we're here."
Trying not to feel disappointed by Gaara's reply, Hinata excused herself and stood. "Then I'll send K-Kiba a response c-confirming we'll be there." As soon as she did that, she'd check in on Temari. Hopefully her sister-in-law would be feeling better, but Hinata wasn't holding her breath.
From the look on her face when Hinata had followed her, Gaara was right. Even if she wasn't sick, for some reason, Temari definitely would rather be alone. The only thing Hinata wondered was why?
Curse her extended family and their secretive, reclusive behavior!
Since the group had timed their arrival to fall between the afternoon and evening meals, Tomiko's was mostly empty when Gaara and Hinata arrived.
Once inside, Hinata led Gaara directly to the back of the restaurant, where several low tables had been pushed together and most of the rest of the group had congregated. Tomiko had learned very quickly after the group first started coming to her establishment to seat them in the back, since they sometimes got - well, loud.
Naruto was the first to spot them. He grinned widely and waved as the two wound their way through the rest of the tables separating the duo from the group proper. "'Bout time you got here!" he declared when they reached the table.
"Temari's sick," Hinata said as she knelt on the cushion between Gaara's and Kiba's. "As are several others at the Hyuuga estate. I wanted to check in on them b-before we left."
"You're so nice to everyone, Hinata." Ino leaned around both Kiba and Shikamaru to speak, her face alight with a welcoming smile. "Good to see you. Sorry I didn't have a chance to talk to you yesterday at the wake."
Hinata nodded and greeted her former maid in return. "It's all right," she said. "Things were quite - well, b-busy yesterday."
"That's quite the understatement," Kiba muttered.
Unsure if she was supposed to respond to her friend's comment or not, Hinata chose to hold her silence and turned to her husband. "Gaara, I'd like you to meet the rest of my friends. Across the table are Aburame Shino, Akimichi Chouji, and Rock Lee. Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki N-Naruto, of course, you already know." Turning, she continued her introductions. "And on this side are Nara Shikamaru and Ino and Inuzuka K-Kiba."
"Am I late?"
Hinata jumped at the sudden voice behind her. She twisted slightly in her seat, feeling her eyes widen when she realized Uchiha Sasuke stood directly behind her. Whipping back around quickly, she closed her eyes and let out a long, shaky breath.
Kiba looked up with a grin. "Hey, man, glad you could make it."
"Hn." Sasuke stiffly moved around the table and took the last seat on the end between Ino and Lee, placing him directly across from Gaara. He looked like he didn't really want to be there, but now she was over her shock, Hinata was glad he had showed up. In her pocket she carried the two halves of the letter he'd torn up the day before, which she had managed to glue together, and she intended to give it to him at some point before the group broke up.
She'd been hoping for this chance, and now here it was. She just hoped Sasuke would be willing to stand still long enough to listen to her, since his reception of the very same letter she intended to give him now had been less than welcoming yesterday.
"And that is Uchiha Sasuke," Hinata murmured to Gaara under her breath while the others were busy greeting the latecomer.
"I figured," Gaara replied just as quietly. "I can see the resemblence to Itachi."
Hinata remembered Temari's words from the day before - and Sasuke's reaction to them -and winced. "D-Don't let him hear you say that."
"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto called down the table. "You met Hinata's husband yet?"
She felt her cheeks flush as Sasuke's dark eyes landed on her, then slid to Gaara. "No."
Gaara cleared his throat and tilted his head slightly. "Sabaku Gaara."
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke's head tilt was even more infinitesimal than Gaara's. Because of Gaara's kinship with Temari, and her relationship with Itachi, it was obvious Sasuke hated Gaara immediately simply by association.
Does he feel the same way about me? And, if he does, will he even bother listening to what I have to say? Hinata bit her lower lip anxiously. She remembered Itachi's look of extreme sadness when he spoke about his broken bond with his little brother, and she wanted to do whatever she could to help mend that rift. Even if it was permanent, she had to try.
As waves of tension rippled between the two men, Hinata wished she could slide under the table and disappear. Surely the whole meal wouldn't be like this?
Fortunately, Tomiko's appearance distracted everyone from the tense standoff across the table. Since the majority of the group were regulars in her establishment, she was able to list off what everyone wanted. After she took Gaara's order, she glided off towards the kitchen, the jeweled decoration hanging from her neat hair bun clinking musically, and her raised voice issuing orders was heard before the swinging door shut behind her.
While various conversations started up around the table, Kiba turned to Hinata. "How is life in Suna treating you?" he asked directly.
"V-Very well, thank you," Hinata replied. "Though the weather is quite a b-bit d-different from here, the p-people have b-been welcoming and have helped me feel at home there." Okay, so she wasn't telling the entire truth, but she didn't want her friends to know about her struggle. Things in Suna were improving, so what did it matter if she hid her rocky start from them?
Kiba stared at her for another long moment, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Hinata met his gaze squarely, keeping her expression serene as he debated her truthfulness. At last he seemed to decide she was telling the truth, and he turned cheerful again. "That's good to know," he said. "Akamaru and I have been worrying about you, way out there in the desert by yourself."
Hinata smiled. "I'm not b-by myself," she reminded him. "I have G-Gaara, not to mention my sister- and b-brothers-in-law."
Once again Kiba's expression darkened. "One of them being Uchiha Itachi, right?"
Sighing quietly, Hinata resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes." She had expected this reaction, naturally, since her friends were also friends with Sasuke. But it still hurt, knowing they wouldn't give Itachi the benefit of the doubt.
Then again, they hadn't met and spent time with him like Hinata had. But still...
"Itachi has b-been just as welcoming as everyone else," Hinata said, a tad sternly. "He is n-nothing like the rumors p-paint him."
Kiba looked surprised. "Oh." After her reaction, he seemed unsure of what else to say.
Taking pity on him, Hinata changed the subject. "How is Akamaru?" she asked.
Brightning at the mention of his horse-sized dog, Kiba once more became his usual animated self. "We've been training for search-and-rescue," he said. "He's always so quick to pick up on new things, I knew he'd be good at it. Sure enough, I was right!" Kiba glanced at the others, then leaned a little closer and lowered his voice. "By the way, I heard you know the group's secret. Is it true?"
Amused by how Kiba brought the matter up, Hinata smiled at him. "About b-being ninja, you mean?" she replied, keeping her own tone soft.
"Ah, so it is true." Kiba grinned. "I, personally, always wanted to tell you. Didn't think it was nice to keep it from you." He suddenly frowned, mood taking an uncharacteristic turn for the melancholy. "Plus I was always afraid you'd think we were talking about you, when you came in and we all had to stop talking."
Hinata felt her cheeks grow warm again. "I admit I d-did," she said. "B-But now I know why you all stopped talking, and I understand." Now that she knew the truth, she wondered how she could ever have doubted her friends. They'd all proven themselves many times over, and it had been extremely unfair of her to mistrust them.
The food arrived just then, forestalling any further conversation between Hinata and Kiba. For a while the only sounds were of people enjoying their meals - rice and sashimi, sushi and stir fry: the very best meat, vegetables, and spices to be found in Konoha. Tomiko's was a place of fine dining, something proven again and again each time the group ate there.
Eventually Naruto looked up from his food, bright blue gaze bringing Hinata's pale one up as soon as she felt it land on her. "So can you stay in Konoha for a while longer?" he asked. Everyone else looked up from their food, interest in her answer evident on their faces.
Swallowing the bite she'd just finished chewing, Hinata glanced at Gaara out of the corner of her eye. To be honest, she had no idea how long she could stay. When her husband had to return to Suna, she would go with him. They'd not had many opportunities to discuss such things, so she wasn't sure what to say.
Gaara cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him. "My sister and Hinata's lady's maid are both sick, so we'll stay until they are feeling well enough to travel," he said. "If I had to guess, though, I'd say we'll be here another three days."
Hinata gave him a grateful look, which he returned by slanting his head in her direction as his eyes warmed. She'd sensed his unease throughout the meal, and though she was extremely happy he'd come with her to meet the rest of her friends, she was sad he didn't feel comfortable.
Though, she thought to herself, now that I think about it, Gaara's not comfortable in social situations around those he knows. It's only natural being around people he doesn't know would make him even more uncomfortable. She bit her lower lip, wondering what she could do to let him know she was grateful for his coming with her.
After the last of their empty plates had been carried away and their teacups refilled, the group once more settled into comfortable conversation. Hinata relaxed, happy things felt like they had before she left for Suna. Now that she was no longer living in Konoha, and was married to the leader of the Sand on top of that, she'd wondered if her friends would treat her differently. She was relieved to find they weren't.
...Except, maybe, for trying to draw her into the conversation more.
Movement at the other end of the table drew her eye away from Naruto's animated face and gesturing hands. Hinata gripped her hands together tightly in her lap when she realized Sasuke was getting ready to leave. She had to make her move now, for she wasn't sure she'd be able to see him again before she left.
Naruto paused his narrative, and Hinata exhaled in relief. "I'm sorry," she said. "Excuse me for just a m-moment, p-please."
Ignoring the puzzled looks of everyone else as she hurried away from the table, Hinata caught up to Sasuke just as he was handing over payment to Tomiko for his part of the group meal. "Excuse m-me, Sasuke?"
Sasuke's dark brows drew down in annoyance as he turned to look at her. "What?"
Tangling her fingers together in front of her, she forced herself to hold his gaze as she said, "I n-need to talk to you. It's important."
He regarded her for a long moment, his eyes narrow, lips thin with disapproval as he thought about it. Finally, he jerked his head toward the door in a motion for her to follow him and turned to walk away.
Her heart pounding, Hinata stepped through the outer door, then turned as he followed. Foot traffic along the street neither paused nor paid the pair any mind as they moved a few steps away from the door so they wouldn't block the exit.
"All right, what do you want?" Sasuke asked, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his dark pants.
Grateful for the crowded street, since it made it seem less likely Sasuke would react in the same manner he did to Temari, Hinata reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter. In the time between breakfast and when she and Gaara left, she had carefully applied glue to the torn edges and pieced the halves back together. "Here," she said shyly.
Sasuke's eyebrows arched. "Is that a love note?" he asked.
She wasn't sure whether he was being sarcastic or serious. Flushing fiercely, she shook her head and thrust the letter out towards him. "N-No!" she protested, a little too loudly. Her shoulders rose in an effort to shield her tomato-red face as several people tossed her and Sasuke questioning looks as they passed. Oh, why does this have to be so difficult? I should have just handed it to him in the restaurant and gone back to the group.
...But she couldn't have done that. She needed to make sure he read it. She owed that much to Itachi, at least, for his efforts to make her feel more welcome in Suna.
His earlier scowl quickly reclaimed Sasuke's features. He made no move to take the letter, leaving his hands tucked firmly in his pockets. "Sheesh, I was just kidding," he muttered. Taking a step back, he eyed the paper, most particularly the patched tear. "That's the same thing your cranky sister-in-law tried to give me yesterday, right?"
Swallowing back her hysterical reaction to Sasuke's description of Temari, Hinata nodded. She made no move to withdraw it, instead leaving her hand floating between them, letting the presence of the letter grasped in her fingers speak for itself.
Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck, continuing to stare at the paper as if he thought it might bite him if he reached for it. "Have you read it?" he asked suddenly.
Hinata's face heated again. She hadn't meant to, but during her efforts to patch up the letter, she had seen a few phrases here and there. "I g-glimpsed a few words while I was trying to f-fix it," she admitted. "B-But I d-didn't read the whole thing, n-no."
Frowning, Sasuke sighed. "Neh. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me what it said, so I wouldn't have to read it. Because you're not going to let this go until I take it, are you?"
Standing her ground with a courage she didn't really feel, Hinata shook her head. To be honest, if Sasuke turned around and walked away, she probably wouldn't follow him. She wasn't even sure she'd make an effort to try to track him down again before she left Konoha.
But she had a feeling, deep inside her, Sasuke wanted to read the letter. He wanted to know what his brother had to say to him. She just knew, somehow, their bond wasn't as shattered as Itachi thought it to be.
At last, Sasuke sighed gustily and snatched the letter from her hand. Hinata bit her lip as she felt the paper slice two of her fingers, but she didn't say anything. At least the younger Uchiha took it. That didn't necessarily mean he'd read it, but it was in his possession now.
The rest was up to him.
Without another word, Sasuke turned to walk off. Hinata remained where she was, wrapping her arms around herself as he strode away from her...
...Then stopped, hesitated, and turned back.
"I have to know," Sasuke called over the distance between them. "Did you see a 'sorry' inside?"
Hinata hesitated for a fraction of a second. If I said I did, would he read it? Or would it make him throw it away without even giving it a chance? Clenching her hands into fists at her sides, she shakily called back, "N-Not that I saw."
It was at least partially the truth. She hadn't seen the word "sorry" in the little bit of the letter she had accidentally read. She had, however, spotted the word apologize. But she decided it was probably wiser of her if she didn't mention that little fact.
Sasuke nodded once, thoughtfully. He turned, took a step, then hesitated and glanced back over his shoulder. "Hey, Hinata?"
She blinked, wary of what he wanted now. "Y-Yes?"
The corner of his mouth kicked up in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "Thanks." This time when he turned and walked away, he neither paused nor looked back before he vanished around the corner at the end of the block.
Letting out her breath on a long, relieved sigh, Hinata turned and half-floated back into the restaurant. What do you know? I followed him, and he actually listened to me and took the letter. She smiled as she returned to the group, but the motion had a double meaning to it only she knew. And I get the feeling he's actually going to read it.
Perhaps she hadn't been meant to overhear the conversation between Itachi and Temari the morning they left Suna. But now she was glad she did, for it gave her a chance to try to mend the rift between the Uchiha brothers.
Now if only it were as easy to mend the one between her and Hanabi...
*~To Be Continued~*
Author's Ending Notes: I decided to update a day early since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and it's looking like it'll be a bit busy for me, so I wanted to post it now to make sure I got it up for you all. Also, for those of you who might have missed it, the oneshot prequel Sunshine is now up! The link for it is listed with the rest of my stories on my author's page. I really hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope to see you again for the next update! I hope you all have a blessed, safe, and Merry Christmas!