IT HAS BEEN TWO DAYS !

I swear I'm trying so hard to publish that damn chapter but the site doesn't want to work !

"Hinata-sama!"

The long shout could be heard from the gate of the estate as Yuri came running toward the young heiress. Three pairs of eyes turned toward the young maiden who was rushing with a scarf in her hand. The two guards at the door made a move to keep her from coming close to the heiress but she signalled them to not intervene. Several days had past since she last saw her and the young lady looked as she had been through hell. Her dark hair where all over the place, her bandages around her forehead coming undone letting her seal peaked out a bit and her skin less radiant and blemish around her eyes.

Coming to a halt, she bowed trying to catch her breath. Hinata looked at her alarmed. What was happening to the young woman?

"Are you okay Yuri ? Why are you in such a hurry?" She asked bending to help the woman up.

"Yes.'' She panted "I-I... I..." Her voice waver as she strangled a sob, panic in her eyes. Her hand clenched the scarf in her hand as she pushed it against the petit woman in front of her. Hinata understood. Something had indeed occurred to her. Something dark.

Taking the clothe in her hand, she, for a moment, lingered her touch, squeezing the young woman hands under the tissues.

"Thank you. I forgot sometimes to take it." She calmly told her. Putting the garnement around her neck. She watched the young servant at lost of words as her eyes communicated her fear. Two silver eyes zeroed on the loose bandages around her forehead. They didn't activate it, right ?

"You shouldn't run like that. Look at you! You are totally disheveled." She chastised gently taking a step forward. "Turn around I'll help you." Yuri obeyed with desperation in her movement. Her back to her, Hinata undid the bun on her head, letting the dark tresses cascaded on her back. It was common for Branch members to keep their hair at shoulder length. An other prohibited customary, long hair being traditionally exclusive to the Main side. Yuri should have missed her hairdresser appointment as hers were almost past the middle of her back. Brushing through them with her finger, Hinata looked for any injuries or any thing that could have caused pain but her head was fine. Putting them back up in a tight bun, she then, proceed to tie back up the bandages around her forehead. The young servant didn't react so she assumed it wasn't the seal. Turning her back to face her, she looked a last time at her face, inspecting it. Only fear and panic but no sign of any physical harm. At least, that was what she thought until she discovered the bruises at the base of her neck darkening her albaters skin. Her clothes were covering it quite well but the simple movement she made, exposed it. As gentle as possible she took her the hem of her top and closed it carefully around her neck. She saw it. She saw her.

"Look. So much better." She smiled reassuring. "Now, you look quite exhausted. Go back inside and drink some water would you? Also here." She put out a jar of ointment from the pocket of her sleeves. "Your hand are quite rough with the cold. You should put this on them. It is good for moisture and bruises. I have to get going now but take care of yourself. » The young woman shivered with emotion, looking grateful.

She waited for the her to shyly nodded before turning on her heels and head out to the Hokage Tower. As soon as she was out of their vision's field, she darted away. Her mind focused on her coming meeting. She didn't yield at her anger, focusing on doing the most important things instead of lashing out at those who hurt the poor girl. She wanted to scream out her frustration, to beat someone, to find a way to make those who wrong them, pay for it. She was out for bloody murder.

This raging violence was slowly building up. She didn't know where it came from but it was there. Sometimes less noticeable but steady, always lurking in the dark, engrained in her heart. She wanted to hurt people. To make them feel as much pain as they did to her family, to her. She felt it when they were insulting her, mistreating the Branch, vilifying her cousins' claims, treating her ambitions as mere childs' dreams. It was this cold rage wanting to explode, leaking in her words and hardening her glares. She was mad.

In a matters of minutes she was in front of the Hokage's office, waiting for him to finish his later appointment and greet her. Her hands clenched the scarf in a tight fist hidden in the large sleeve of her, once again, kimono. She was tired of wearing them all the time. Her body itched to be free to move and not to be constrict in tightly tied yards off frabrics.

She took a deep breath. She needed to calm down. She could feel her own chakra boiling, disrupting the ambiant calmness. Closing her eyes she let the air filling her lungs. 'Turn the anger into something productiv.' That was her mantra. Her eyes burned as tears collected under her eyelids.

A second deep breath and they were gone. No tears could help. She exhaled opening a focus stare on the door. She could do it. She just needed help.

The door opened and a sudden wave of brightness engulfed her. Her mind blanked for a moment. His blue eyes immediately founding hers and all the tension in her body seemed to leave. How much the cold had taken over her heart in comparaison to the warmth he exuded ? His smile was all she could see as her own lips curved almost instantly.

"Hinata !" Sakura's voice brought her back to the present. She bowed almost immediately, the greetings flying out automatically. The pink haired girl humored her out of good hearts.

"Are you guys coming back from a mission ?" The Hyūga asked looking at their obviously tainted clothes. They were covered in mud and had some tear away here and there.

"Yeah. Just finish reporting." Answered Naruto beaming at her a smile. She nodded thanking them for their hard work. Her heart missed a beat here and there.

"And you ? Here for a mission, a request ?" His eyes assessed her as he asked her the question. She wasn't wearing her mission gear but a very extricate and expensive looking kimono. In fact, she looked more put together than he ever saw her. He noted the bright yellow scarf around her neck was a bit odd with the rest of her outfit. And he couldn't recall seeing her wearing anything yellow until now. She looked hesitant for a moment before shaking her head no, the garnement in her head tinting with her movement. Her hands were hidden away in her sleeves but he wondered if he reached out he would see a small hands clutched a scroll or anything in particular. He had noted that she had small hands.

Suddenly, Shikamaru passed his head toward the door looking at them. As soon as his eyes met the one of the petit woman they clicked, looking more alive than before. That was very uncharacteristic of the usually stoic man.

"Oh you are here ! Right on time as usual ." He exclaimed passing right next to them to greet her. Her eyes harden as a new expression he never saw before flashed in her eyes. She seemed to morph into a colder person. The smile she addressed them before greeting the Nara was tight.

"Hokage-sama is waiting for us." He pointed out eliciting her to enter the room. The young woman agreed before bowing one last time to the Team 7, leaving them.

"Wait Hinata!" His own voice surprised him as she turned, a questioning look at him. Scratching the back of his blond locks, he looked baffled for a second. He shook his head quickly, grinning at her is usual smirk. "After that would you like to go take a bite at Ichikaru ?" He asked. He could feel very surprised eyes on him. That was out of nowhere he had to admit but he really wanted to talk to her. He remembered that night a few weeks back now.

He was ashamed to admit that he hadn't really seek to see her more even though he had promised himself he would. But to his defense, he had been busy with missions and trainings and he did not see her once, even in the street, since she had left Yakiniku. She had left his mind, as himself was running everywhere, but now that he saw her, this feeling that something was wrong with her renewed his conviction that he had to see her more. He was her friend. He could help her with any of her problems like she had with his.

However she looked hesitant not giving him an answer right away. She looked up at Shikamaru a silent discussion passing through their eyes. 'What was that about?' Naruto wondered. Again frustration and inadequacy.

"I mean with the three of us obviously." He added quickly. 'Why did I say that?! I wanted to see her alone!' He cursed himself. But now it was out there and he just smiled embarrassed, hoping she would say 'yes'.

"I don't think I can. Sorry." She finally declined. "Maybe another time." She gave them another polite smile as Naruto tried not to show his painfully blatant deception.

"Yeah sure I understand." He chuckled fully admitting the awkwardness of the situation. And with that she was gone. The door closed behind her back.

A deep growl escaped as he suddenly felt very defeated. His frustration flaring inside of him. Why did he suddenly felt like this with her ? That wasn't a very pleasant experience.

"I didn't know you were so eager to talk with her ?" Sakura remarked, a playful grin on her face. He frowned. Why was she making that face ?

"I haven't caught up with her in a long time. I thought it would be nice." He shrugged.

"You miss her." She sang walking away. He followed, Sai on his toes looking at the whole scene with a written interest on his face.

"I am not the one who practically jumped on her last time we saw her." He countered. She snickered, rolling her eyes. Who was he fooling ? He had practically jumped out of the window when he had saw the heiress looking lost in the street.

"Sure. And I am the one who looked like someone had just told me ramen was banished from Konoha. " She sassed back. He glared at her. Where did she wanted to go with that ? He didn't looked that sad! The image of this cold Hinata flashed in his mind. His expression went back to a serious scowled.

"She looks different." He stated. A mysterious shiver ran through his spine. Those eyes were so hard, so not Hinata. Sakura's playful expression fell too as she hugged herself looking on the side. She knew something.

"No one really saw her for a while. Those clan affaires are probably taking a toll on her." She thought out loud. "I guess it can't be helped." She didn't elaborate more, thinking about the situation. Naruto just nodded. He didn't know anything about those issues and he honestly thought that with the war, things will be a little bit smoother. He seemed to be proven wrong. Or simply maybe Hinata had in reality a lot of new responsibilities and she was stressed. In that case he could force her to go relax, to have her talk to him about what was on her mind.

"Shikamaru looks like he knows what is going on." Suddenly Sai remarked. Both his teammates turned toward him question marks in their eyes. He shrugged stating that both the heirs looked like they were awfully close. "I mean, Shikamaru went to the office only to see Hokage-sama with Hinata." He added.

It was true.

In the middle of their report, the man had entered silently and whispered something in Kakashi's ears before going in a corner off the room, looking at the street from the window not partaking in the meeting. If they had found it odd, they didn't comment. He was the assistant of the head of security since the end of the war and was on more secret cases than any of them could imagine. It wasn't a stretch to imagine that he had been in the office purposely for Hinata.

"Maybe..." Sakura trailed. "It is true that they seemed to be closer than I thought." She nodded. "He is less aloof around her."

"I thought he had a thing with Temari!" Naruto exclaimed. His sudden shout met dead stares from his friend. Okay maybe that was excessive, he blushed looking elsewhere. Why was he getting so bother by the situation ? What if they were a thing ? It wasn't his place to criticized. Shikamaru was a good guy in his books and he didn't recall him complaining about Hinata. And she was certainly very happy to be with a smart guy. And if he wasn't nice to her, he was sure she would Gentle Fist him to the moon and back. She didn't need protection. She was hella strong !

"What is Temari having anything to do with that ?" Sakura asked him confused.

"Well you said they were close !" He defended himself. Against what ? He wasn't sure but he felt like he needed to be more on the defensive.

"Yes, closer friend as she went to seek advise from him. I know for a fact that Shikamaru is dating Temari." She responded looking at him with a dead stares. He looked at her with equal confound. Since when where they friend ? As far as he knew they barely talked to each other.

"I don't know what is so astonishing to envisage Hinata having interest in anyone." He stated offhandedly. Sakura halted all-together, looking at him shocked and angered.

"How can you say that! You are really an idiot." She spat before taking her leave. He frowned. 'That was so uncalled' he thought.

"What is her deal ?" He wondered turning to Sai, pointing in the direction where their pink friend just left. Sai shrugged looking at where the kunoichi had take off with interest. He was so intrigued by all the commotion around the heiress. Never he would have thought the quiet and, from what he had judged, uninteresting woman would create such a fuss and diverse reactions among his friends.

"Maybe you should take Hinata's feelings more seriously." He recalled what Ino's once had said about him. His friends flinched.

"Was that supposed to mean ?" He glared. He definitely had a reason to be on the defensive. They were getting on his nerves with their cryptic attitude about the girl. Sai didn't answer, just shrugged with an enigmatic smile before taking off.

He was taking Hinata seriously. She was one of the people he took the most seriously. She was important to him. Maybe lately he hadn't shown it but he was settle on being there for her. They just needed to talk. And even with that they totally hang out ... Now that he thought about it they hadn't talked since... a really long time.

Guilt

He always felt a bit guilty when it came to the young woman. She was always so thoughtful with him and generally she would seek out if he had any trouble. Since the end of the war she had been less shy, more self assured. She had been a great help when he still hadn't received his prosthetic. She had listened to him, attend his need and made sure he was okay. Even in the first few weeks of having his arm back she had helped him with his chakra control and overhaul his re-education. She had been a great support, listening to him, his problems and fears. He knew she did all that because she was genuinely a great person and she didn't want anything in return but he wanted to do something back. He didn't really do anything for her. That bugged him. He couldn't bear the idea that the woman didn't trust him. She knew she could tell him anything right ? Maybe he didn't knew as much as Shikamaru but he certainly was as good as, if not better, listener than him. He just wished she had thought of him to share her burden.

Hell! Since he was back on missions schedule she was the only one who he hadn't at least spent some times with. He had seen Shino more than her in the past few months. That wasn't something he expected nor liked.

Turning toward the tower he looked at the bay window of the Hokage office. The sun was reflecting the glass in such a way he wasn't able to see anything. Not even Kakashi's back. He realized rapidly it was a jutsu. Kakashi had sealed the office the moment the door closed. His frowned deepen. His friend was obviously in a difficult position and he promised himself he would help her.

That was his promise to her. And he never goes back on his words. Because it was their nindo.