Hinata walked across the garden through the darkness. It had to be at least midnight, if not later. After talking with her father, she had gone to her room and cried for what seemed like hours. Her eyes were probably still puffy and red.
She didn't know why she came for a walk through the Hyuga gardens. Maybe because it was always peaceful here. Maybe because she could forget about her troubles when she was surrounded by the fields of luscious flowers and plants. Maybe because Neji was leaning up against that tree…wait, what!
"Hinata, have you been crying?" Neji said after he had appeared at her side.
She turned her head away from him, biting her lip, and wiping her cheeks again with her sleeve. "No." She squeaked out the lie.
Neji's eye's flashed dangerously, willing to unleash hell on the person who made Hinata cry. "Was itHiashi? Did your father make you cry? What did he say to you?"
"N-Nothing. Really, I'm ok." She turned her face back to his, and forced herself to smile.
"Don't even try to lie to me Hinata." He growled out.
"I don't want to talk about it." Well, at least that part wasn't a lie.
Neji pulled her down onto one of the white stone benches scattered across the garden. "You can tell me."
Hinata smiled for real this time. "No, I don't want to talk about it right now." Her hand went around Neji's neck and pulled his lips into her own. She pulled him closer, wanting to be nearer to him. Neji broke off the kiss after several minutes.
"Hinata, we need to talk about this. What did he say to you?"
"It's not that important." She remembered what her father had said. "There will be an announcement to the clan tomorrow."
She didn't want to ruin the time she had left with Neji. She wanted, no needed, to be close to him tonight. Feeling his body pressed against hers was all that could keep her going right now. She got up from the bench, and took his hand, pulling him up with her.
"Hinata where are we-" Her soft eye silenced him. There was something else in her eyes. She needed him right now. Her eyes were telling him that she needed him now, more than ever.
She gently tugged on his hand, and he let her lead him back into the Hyuga mansion. They found their way back to Hinata's room, where she gently pushed him down onto the bed, and to Neji's great surprise, snuggled up next to him. No kissing. No loving. Just to be close.
Neji wrapped his hands around her waist, and pulled her closer into his chest. Hinata let out a content sigh. Neji smelled of the forest. The soft smell seemed to envelop her, and drift with her into sleep.
"Hinata." It was Neji's voice. Why couldn't she see him? Where was he? Hinata seemed to be surrounded by some kind of thick fog. She activated her Byakugan, trying to piece through the suffocating mist. She still couldn't see through the haze.
"Neji! Where are you?" She yelled into the vapor.
"Hinata! Don't worry, I'm coming! I won't let them take you!" What was he talking about? She was fine. Well, if you don't count the whole surrounded-by-fog thing.
"Neji, what's this fog?" She yelled into the nothingness again.
"Hinata! I won't let them take you from me!" She heard a crash, and a distinct whirring sound that could only be the Kaiten.
"Neji!" She ran into the fog, clearly hoping for the best. The fog seemed to swirl around her, and eat at her very being. She closed her eyes, and screamed at the top of her lungs. Then suddenly, she fell, flat on her butt.
Her eyes flew open, to see that she was now in a forest. Was she in a forest the whole time? Had the fog just cleared? How had she gotten here? "Ah, Hinata, you are late." It was her father. How could he not be upset about that freaking fog! It almost ate her!
"Father, what is going on?" Hinata asked, distress clearly laced into her voice.
"Hinata, I've already told you. You're getting married."
Hinata sat up with a start, covered in a cold sweat, shaking like a leaf. Her quick movement immediately disturbed Neji, who had been sleeping next to her, holding her close to his chest.
"Hinata, what's going on?" He demanded, although Hinata could see that he was still half asleep when he sat up next to her.
"I-It was nothing. Just a bad dream." Great, now her stutter was back to.
"You're shaking." Neji stated it like a fact, not a question. He pulled her back down to him, wrapping his hand around her waist, and nuzzling into her neck. "You want to tell me about it?"
"N-No. It's o-ok. I'll be fine in the morning." Hinata felt him pull her closer to him, sharing his body heat like they had the first night they had been together.
"You sure you're ok?" She nodded. But she honestly felt anything but ok. Neji's breath evened out, and she knew that he was falling back to sleep. Hinata to fell into a fitful sleep, only comforted by the fact that Neji was holding her close.