AN: So since the last chapter was a little dreary… I'm going to liven things up a bit.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Hinata woke early in the morning. She carefully snuck out of her bedroom. The guards were stationed around the Hyuga estate; tonight, or rather, this morning she'd have to be extra cautious. A noise sounded around the corner. She quickly jumped into the bushes and hid. When footsteps went by she silently prayed that it wasn't Neji, or her father. Whoever it was, passed. She sighed in relief and ran toward the estate walls. She threw her bed sheet up and around it and smiled in delight. She was going to make it….

"Hinata." She cringed… maybe not. "What do you think you're doing?" Neji seethed. Hinata turned around, but remained silent. She looked away and twittled her thumbs nervously. "Hinata. I'm not going to ask you twice. Answer my question."

"I… uhh… I was doing my laundry." She said quietly. She mentally smacked herself. 'What kind of an excuse was that?!' Hinata gulped. Neji looked unconvinced. Of course, he wasn't stupid.

"Hinata, I'm not stupid. (See?) Why are you trying to sneak out?" Again, she remained silent. He took her silence as an offensive answer. "Damn it, Hinata. You're sneaking out to see that dobe aren't you?! Hinata, he's not good enough for you so why do you even bother? He's just a waste of time and-…" Her fist clenched.

"Neji… shut up!" She yelled. Hinata might've been shy, but the time she spent with Naruto really had an affect on her. Although, she was still a little timid, she could speak a little bit better now. "Don't tell me what to do…"

"I can when it's a decision that affects the family and your safety." He spat.

"Just… oh… just butt out will you?! I can… I can do whatever I want to-…" It was beginning to get difficult for her to speak. "Why are you so overprotective anyway? You know Naruto is a good person… he's strong."

"That's not it Hinata." He said lowly. The images in of their battle in a chunnin exam replayed in his head. "I'm not convinced he's over Sakura and I don't want him playing around with you like that!"

"Naruto would never… and he's over her…" Hinata said unevenly.

"Hmph, and you're sure about that?"

She looked up at him confidently. "Yes. He is. Naruto may care for her, but somehow… I think he accepted that she loved Sasuke."

"Ha… and what does he feel about you? What is that idiot to you anyway?!"

"I… I don't know. I… 'I love him…' I care for Naruto-kun… in the same sense Tenten cares for you…" Neji's eye twitched.

"Quit being a whore Hinata and leave Tenten out of this conversation. Just give up! It's a waste of time!" Hinata's rage was boiling. How dare he call her a… whore and tell her what to do. Who does he think he is controlling her like this? Her fists clenched tighter. Neji began to speak again, but as soon as he opened his mouth and made a peep, she leapt out and punched him. Neji spun and fell on the ground. He got up and wiped his mouth. His eyes widened. He almost lashed out, but controlled himself. She glared at him.

"Don't… don't accuse me of such things! I don't know how Naruto feels about me, but he… he affects me a lot Neji, and maybe if I can get to know him better and he gets to know me some more… maybe he can acknowledge me the same way I acknowledge him. I… I just want to try and I can tell he is too… I know what I'm doing… so quit being so over protective. I'm not a child!" She turned around, "Maybe if you quit jumping to stupid conclusions like you have been... you can learn from him too..." She grabbed her bed sheet, and began to climb. Neji got up, but remained silent. He glared at her retreating back. 'damn…'

"Idiot." He muttered. A rock from the other side of the wall hit his head. His eyes snapped up, and then he realized, Hinata's sheets were attatched to his feet. A sudden tug pulled and he lost his balance and fell. "Hinata!! Why that little..." He snarled.

Hinata smiled and ran toward the local ramen bar where she knew a certain blonde haired boy would be... Her grin got wider... She made it...

Sakura woke up two weeks later, but still wasn't in any condition to train. Tsunade forced her to stay in bed for the next few days to make sure she would regain her strength. Her mother, as well as Tsunade, Sasuke, and Naruto have been acting weird. She couldn't help but think that they were hiding something from her. She shrugged it off all the time though.

Occasionally, Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, and Jiraya would come check on her. That way, they made sure she didn't go anywhere. She sighed; the sun shined against her face. It was taunting her. She looked at her alarm clock and growled, 10:30 a.m. Sakura forced herself out of bed. She wouldn't be able to get back to sleep anyway. It was already late. Deciding to relieve some of her grogginess, she headed toward the bathroom and hopped into a nice, long, hot shower.

Sasuke walked agitatedly toward Sakura's house. Kakashi sent him to get check on her before they resumed their training. It was near noon, and the other three (meaning Naruto, Jiraya, and Kakashi) agreed to meet Sasuke there and then head to lunch after. He was beginning to wonder why Kakashi sent him, and him alone. But when he was about to ask, Kakashi waved good-bye, and walked toward Jiraya, muttering something about "gathering-data, and Come Come Paradise Vol. 6. " Naruto was nowhere to be seen for the moment.

His eye twitched. He knocked on her door, half expecting her to fling herself at him and yell "Sasuke-kun!!" But… that didn't happen. He knocked a couple more times and received no answer. Now, he was beginning to feel a little nervous. 'Why isn't she answering?! Damn it...' He tried knocking again and then, 'Oh… screw this…" He began to walk away, but something occurred to him. 'What if she's in danger? What if that… seal… hmm.' He spun his heel and walked toward her door. He turned the knob and realized the door was open. Now he felt extremely nervous. 'Shit…'

He heard a loud thud upstairs and immediately ran toward it. 'Hmm… where was it… second door to the right…' He gulped. 'Sakura…' He opened the door cautiously and looked in, his knees almost gave out, his throat closed up, and a brief re-enactment of the fear Orochimaru shot through him occured.. Sakura was standing before him utterly naked, and currently had one foot out of the shower. She gaped and looked at him with wide eyes.

It took a while for the two to actually register what was going on. They both blinked. And then… A high-pitched scream echoed throughout the entire house… and perhaps the entire village of Konoha. His ear almost burst. Sasuke gaped and ducked the bowl Sakura threw at him. He somehow tripped over his own feet, rolled down the stairs, and landed painfully on his back. He growled. Sakura's surprise turned to worry in a matter of seconds.

She quickly ran down the stairs, clad only in a small white towel. "Sasuke?!" She went to his side, helping him sit up. "Are you ok? I'm sorry-…" He grunted and rubbed his back. He looked at her. He almost couldn't speak. Her strands of pink hair were dripping wet and her towel wrapped tightly around her, showed the curves. She was leaning over him with an extremely worried look on her face. 'Aa… this is what Naruto was talking about…Wait a minute… does that mean he's seen her-…' He thought irately. Her voice snapped him out of it. "Sasuke?! Answer! Are you ok?" He tore his gaze away from her body.

"I'm fine." He said simply.

"Gomen, Sasuke. I… I was just a little startled that's all. I didn't exactly expect… that." She got up. "I'll get you some ointment. That sounded like a nasty fall." She walked toward her medicine cabinet. He shrugged and got up. As soon as he did, his legs stiffened up and pain shot through his back. He rubbed it slightly. 'Damn… it was worse then I thought. Stop being so careless Sasuke.' He scolded himself and walked toward her, but stopped. She was having difficulty reaching a top shelf, and her towel began to rise up slightly. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and tore his eyes away… again.

"Sasuke, can you help me?" She asked. Sasuke was slightly taken back. He cringed, 'That… almost sounded cute… Since when did I take interest in Sakura anyway?! What the hell is wrong with me?!' He shrugged it off. 'Arrgghh…damn it.' He grabbed the medicine needed. "There, that should help…" He nodded. She smiled slightly. "I'm guessing you're here because Kakashi-sensei sent you to check up on me." He nodded again. "It's near noon, shouldn't you guys be getting lunch or something?"

"Aa… we're all going to eat lunch later." He said uncomfortably. Still noticing that all she had on was a towel.

"I see." She answered abruptly, blushing.

"Are you going to come?" he asked almost in a whisper. She gaped at him. She really didn't expect Sasuke to ask her to come along with them. She smiled and nodded.

"Perhaps… Sasuke, if you don't mind…" Sakura cleared her throat slightly. He gave her a weird look. "Do you think you could wait outside for a little… while I get ready?" He quickly nodded and went out.

Sasuke sighed in relief. Right now, all his feelings were mixed. He tried desperately to wave off the feelings and images of her away, but no matter how much he tried… his cheeks were still warm, his palms were still sweaty, his mind was swirling and perhaps for the first time in his life he was afraid Sakura, and whatever he was feeling toward her. He sat on the porch steps.

Three shadowy figures walked toward him. Naruto ran toward him with Kakashi and Jiraya not too far behind. Jiraya laughed. "What's so funny?" Sasuke asked irritably.

Jiraya looked at him closely. "You're blushing." He answered. Kakashi's eye widened in surprise and he leaned closer to see also. "Aa…"

"Really?! Where?!" Naruto leaned in. "Ohhh, ahahaha Sasuke!" He pointed.

Kakashi nodded. "I know that look." He stated.

Jiraya agreed. "I know that look too." Naruto looked at the two senseis questionably. "Look closely Naruto. Don't you see it?" Jiraya pointed.

Sasuke gave them an extremely uncomfortable look. Naruto smiled widely. "Oh…" Yes, Naruto felt dirty. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"What?!" Sasuke asked angrily. Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"Sasuke." He began, "You…"

Jiraya spoke next, "Saw…." He placed a hand under his chin.

Naruto finished, "Sakura naked didn't you?" He asked in a low, calm voice and then burst out laughing uncontrollably. Sasuke leapt out and grabbed his collar. Jiraya and Kakashi began laughing too.

"Deme… shut up Naruto!" He clobbered him. Naruto was still laughing… and partially gagging.

"Ok… ok that's enough." Kakashi stepped between the two still, slightly chickling. "Let's go already."

Naruto regained his composure, stepped away slightly and nodded. "Come on Hurry!!"

"Oi! Naruto!" Jiraya called out, "what's the rush?!" he shrugged

"Ramen!" Naruto leapt excitedly and ran toward the noodle bar before anyone could protest. Jiraya shook his head and chuckled, "Always the same..."

"Well… ramen it is then." Kakashi said dully. "Sakura's coming too right?" Kakashi always seemed to know these things... without the information given to him. Sasuke nodded. Jiraya started to walk. "Go on ahead Jiraya, we'll wait for Sakura." The perverted hermit waved back and kept going. "Someone's got to keep an eye on Naruto." He shrugged. Sasuke remained silent.

Moments later Sakura came out of the house. Fully clothed to Sasuke's relief. Kakashi grinned under his mask. "Well? Kakashi-sensei? Sasuke?" She asked, "Shall we go?" The trio walked toward the ramen shop… oblivious to a rumble in the distance.

Naruto ran excitedly toward the ramen shop, for some reason, today, he felt extremely anxious to get to the bar as fast as possible. It was just a hunch, but something really good was going to happen to him. He laughed out loud, almost manically and then... he tripped.

TBC…

AN: Bad place to end huh? Well, a little comedy tidbit. A dénouement after the mini climax… more things to come later on… that's about it. Hope you all wait around for the next chapter…

Ahh, and if you didn't notice, in Naruto, whenever they mention a great technique they always say "It's 'that' move" or "Is he going to use 'it?' I found that amusing so I added a bit of that in there.