Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters

Thanks for all the reviews! I'm sorry it took me so long. I have to pack 'cause I m moving

Essiej: Yes Besha and Sasuke are cousins

Tentenrox: Thanks

Chp 3

That cold glare

Sakura was pulling Atsuki towards the Hyuga Manor, towards Neji and Hinata. She would have to confront them…eventually. Right now she could get free of Sakura's grip, that girl was too strong!

She had to think fast "Wait Sakura-chan" both of them stopped; finally she could break free of the pink haired girl.

"Huh?" The Sakura turned around to face her.

"If it doesn't bother you I would like to go on alone. I think I can remember the way" Atsuki was cold, different from the warmth that Besha showed.

'Why?" Inner Sakura wanted to ask. Sakura could control herself. She just stared "Sure Atsuki-san" the girl bowed and left Atsuki to her own thoughts.

The white haired girl wasn't planning to enter the Hyuga Manor, she just wanted to look at it from a save distance, but curiosity took the best of her. "It cant do harm to look" now she was thinking like Besha, most times Atsuki herself had to stop her friend from spying on others. She approached the garden, making no noise. In there were two people; she could feel their auras moving. Backing up she stepped on dry leaves making a noise that to her sounded like thunders, still it was quiet, but Neji and Hinata herd it.

The black haired genius turned around first, a weapon already in his hand. His cousin was slower, taking a few seconds to finally turn around and shyly look at her. Those were awkward seconds for the three cousins.

"Atsuki-san!" Hinata wasn't going to be shy now. She tried her best and spoke Atsuki's name in her lips sounded very sweet. She slowly went towards her cousin but before she could embrace the younger girl, Atsuki dropped to her knees "I'm sorry Hinata-sama" (A/N: Yes! Atsuki is part of the branch family). The kunoichi meant every word of it, she had failed Hinata-sama before.

The purple haired girl made Atsuki stand up and took her, well almost dragged her to the house. A stiff Neji followed behind, staring at the floor, deep in his thoughts. Once inside the long lost girl bowed "Hinata-sama, Neji-niisan"

What she was going to do would take courage and she hoped she had enough of it. "I know I ran away many years ago without regarding my responsibilities toward the family, specially towards you Hinata-sama. I swore to always protect you with Neji-niisan, but that day I just…I didn't…"

Neji stopped listening, he remembered that day well enough. He had thought that it meant nothing to him but now he realized that it did meant something, no, a lot to him.

-flashback-

"Neji-san, can we go to the forest?" two girls ran towards him. Yeah he was seven then. Hinata and Atsuki were waiting for his answer. Atsuki was the smallest one back then, always hiding behind her hair, she was one of the few white-haired Hyuga's.

He hugged both of them "Atsu-chan…Hinata-sama" he pretended to be thinking about it for a moment " Pleasseeee!" they begged him. The forest was their favorite place to play in

"Sure, lets go" he remembered being very happy back then

At the forest they played hide and seek, after some hours Hinata got tired and Neji told her he would take her home so she didn't have to walk alone. Atsuki was supposed to stay there waiting for him to come back so they could keep playing like they always did. That time it took him too long to get out of the Manor after leaving Hinata in, when he finally did it Atsuki wasn't there anymore

End of flashback-

"That day when we were playing in the forest and both of you left I found Be-chan and we played for a while. When she left I stayed a while longer waiting for you Neji" The black haired ninja looked at her, his gaze blank. Hinata couldn't believe all this, her cousin was back and now maybe Neji would open himself to the world again. After all Atsuki was his favorite cousin, and Hinata couldn't blame him. They were so alike, quiet, intelligent, sarcastic and strong, not like herself. That was the reason of why they had the duty of taking her of her.

Atsuki looked healthy enough, she was wearing a white skirt torn at he sides revealing black shorts. She was wearing a creamy lavender shirt under a chunnin's jacket, and the common ninja shoes, but hers were black. A pearl colored scarf covered her nose and mouth. Her eyes the same as hers and Neji's, but they had a glow that both dark haired cousins missed. Her hair was up in a ponytail, she was taller and skinner, Hinata noticed that she had a bracelet with five pearls. All around her was calm, just as Besha almost had lightning going out of her.

"…After that we just ran away like mindless children that we were…" She had missed the whole story! "…We trained alone at the sand village, where people wouldn't bother us. Last year we herd about you guys passing the chunnin exam so we decided that it had been a long time, and like our scars had already closed we came back." She bowed to Hinata "I am ready to fulfill my duty to the family as long as I am alive"

The three cousins sat there, staring at one another while memories of pain, joy and sorrow filled their minds and was reflected in their eyes. At last Neji opened his mouth "Welcome home" he took both of the girls hands and smiled for the first time in a long, long while. For Atsuki it had been ten years since she had seen that smile, her cold glare melted.

A/N: It took a long time and I am sorry…I was moving.