Everything was pitch dark, but the dark didn't feel cold at all. He didn't feel lost in this gigantic space or desperate – no, he felt warm and peaceful.

He let the warmth surround him, embrace him, let it soothe him. There was nothing else, just the darkness, the warmth and himself.

Then she appeared before him, slightly transparent. She smiled in the same way as she always did.

The only thing that was able to melt his frozen face.

She squatted, still right in front of him. The girl laid her hand on his cheek and silently stroked it.

Hinata...!

He tried to say something but the words didn't come. The warmth somehow seemed to restrain him from talking.

While continuing to stroke his cheek she kissed his forehead.

"Neji-nii-san..."

Time seemed to pass slowly in that space, but he didn't care. Everything was so peaceful there that he wouldn't mind to remain there forever.

Neji hugged Hinata, not knowing what else to do. He hugged the only one he would open to and cried his heart out. He knew it had to be something more than a dream.

Hinata resumed her sentence. "It's my fault that you have so much mental pain...but it'll heal someday, I'll make sure of that. Trust me."

Neji looked up as he felt a breeze touching his body. He saw how all of the darkness melt, making place for a beautiful scenery that somehow felt very familiar. It was a spot on top of a mountain, trees standing proudly left and right. There was a view of a wonderful sunset in front of them. Hinata let go of him and looked around, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Do you remember...this is the place where we hung out a lot. The place where a lot of memories were born."

It suddenly came back to him. All the moment they had spend together. He stood up and enjoyed the wonderful feeling of the sun in his face, the breeze that was there every now and then, the nice smell of grass and trees, but most of all, the feeling he wasn't alone, that he had Hinata at his side.

Neji sat down, next to Hinata. They were quiet for some time but after a while she cleared her throat.

"Neji-nii-san...can I ask you something?"

He nodded in agreement.

A faint blush appeared as she was about to ask what she was going to ask.

"Why...why did you like me back then? I know you did...but please, tell me why."

"Do you really want to know?" He smiled at her. She was so shy again all of the sudden. "I...most probably liked you because you were the only one who was capable of seeing how I really was. You were the only one who knew that behind that pessimistic and antisocial mask there was someone else, hiding from the world, not wanting to get hurt once again.

She beamed as she heard his words but did not interrupt him.

"And...you always knew a way to make me smile. And I just enjoyed your presence like I do now, even if it's just a dream.

Wings made from pure white feathers sprouted from her back.

"If something seems unreal it's not always a dream. Sometimes it's more, Neji-nii-san."

More than a dream...

Her smile grew bigger than it usually did. Neji looked a few seconds at her in awe but shook his head after. He still had some things to ask her himself.

"Then I ask you the same question, Hinata-sama. Why did you like me? It wasn't like I was always that friendly towards you."

The wind touched her wings which in turn gave way. She did not look him in his eyes, no, her eyes were set on the sunset before them.

"When we used to be little, I appreciated your presence. Then I began to admire you...and that slowly but surely turned into love. I'm sorry, I can't explain it too well."

Hinata hugged her knees and laid her head upon them. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the quiet moments that followed.

"Hinata..." Neji began after some while. "You were and still are my life. How am I supposed to live without my life?"

She moved her body next to his and laid her head on his shoulder, which gave her the option to whisper in his ear. And so she did.

"I'll make sure you're going to be happy again. I'll stay by your side until I'm sure of that. That's a promise."

Her arms hugged him, pushed him closer to her. He was again at loss for words...as long as it was Hinata who said it, he'd believe her.

"Thank you, Hinata-sama..."

"I have to go now, Nii-san, but you'll surely find me again soon."

".....Okay."

And the next thing he knew, he was lying in his bed, still surrounded by the warm feeling. He touched his cheeks and felt that he had cried in his sleep.

Hinata-sama...you're with me at this very moment, aren't you...

To Be Continued.

A/N: I hope you all liked the chapter. Thank you all ) Updates make take some while now ;)...