Temari smiled at him weakly, her eyes showing how unsure and scared she was, of this sudden change of moods.

Naruto sighed deeply gathering air in his lungs and courage in his heart, "There is no simple way to put this so I'll just tell you straight out," Looking into her eyes caused his eyes to water, and he was forced to gaze at the ground to keep his voice stable. "Seven months ago I was engaged to Hinata, we had been going together for almost a year. She seemed so sure that this was the perfect life she had always wanted. Her constant talk about marriage made me feel guilty. I knew her father was expecting something from me, he knew Hinata was not a powerful ninja and Neji would not always be around to care for her. So I proposed, I could almost feel the happiness glowing off of her. Days later I was still waiting to feel that utter and complete feeling of happiness and peace that people call love. I tried with all my power but it just wasn't there. I knew it had been wrong to ask for her hand in marriage, and I felt horrible for doing it. People congratulated me all the time for marring into such a noble family. Making me feel worse, I avoided the whole thing by volunteering for missions whenever possible. As weeks passed I knew I couldn't just keep avoiding it, with a heavy heart I told her that I wasn't the one for her, that she needed and deserved better. Of course her family completely rejected me in every way, what little friendship I had with Neji was lost and most likely will never return. Her father raged at how a bastard child like me had the nerve to reject someone higher then himself, I tried to explain why I had done what I did, but I was only chased off there property and told never to return. A week later I was approached with the idea of an arranged marriage. Feeling as if I would never find love anyway I agreed to it."

Naruto looked up from the ground to see Teramri staring at him intently, tears stinging at the corner of her eyes threatening to fall at any moment.

Naruto grabbed her hands in his, "Please understand Temari, I only ended it because I felt nothing when I looked at her. I am not a man that jumps from woman to woman."

"How do I know you wont just end this at any moment, you already have no love for me what's stopping you? Or am I just a form of sympathy you take to your bed?" her words came out in a hiss, as she pushed his hands off of hers.

"Temari…" Naruto was about to finish his sentence but was silence with a punch in the face. He staggered back a bit, not totally surprised at her actions. Bending over he watched as fresh blood dripped from his nose and lip. The copper colored liquid slowly gathered on the wood floor. Naruto found himself staring into dark eyes, when a gentle hand raised his head, her eyes were shining with tears that she was stubbornly holding back.

Temari placed a wash cloth under his nose dabbing carefully as not to irritate the already swollen injury. "If you don't mind I would like to be alone for a while," She said simply, handing the cloth over to him.

Nodding Naruto closed the door. The cold night air hit him, catching his breath in his throat, and goose bumps to cover his exposed arms. Sliding down the door, he rested his head against the faded green wood. His eyes closed as his brain tried to process what had just happened. Tears started to flow from his eyes, before his brain even had time to react; it seemed his heart had figured it out first.

On the other side Temari finally let her tears fall now that he had gone. She didn't understand why this was upsetting her so much. It's not like he had cheated on her or anything, hell she didn't really feel love for him. Did she?

Dragging himself up off the ground with great difficulty, Naruto started to head downtown. Tears still staining his cheeks he kept to the shadows, and out of prying eyes. Houses came and when without him even noticing, his feet treaded threw puddles soaking his sandals. He didn't even feel how cold it was getting. His mind felt so hollow right now, all he wanted was to sleep and wake up to a perfect day with Temari beside him.

Suddenly he found himself standing outside a ruff looking building, its bright neon sign flashing red in the night. Naruto knew what this building was, and he couldn't help but laugh to himself that his feet had brought him here.

As soon as he pushed the old wooden door open the smell of smoke and strong alcohol filled his senses. The bar was oddly empty for a Saturday night, only a few men sat in a corner booth nursing there drinks only gazing up once to see who had entered before returning back to their conversation.

Music played low in the background, hanging and drifting on the smoky haze that almost cause Naruto to cough. Sliding his feet heavily on the worn wooden floor he sat at the back of the building in a booth that had a broken light, hiding most of him in shadows.

"What can I get you?" a woman asked bluntly.

"Umm, just get me a beer for now, thanks," Naruto replied picking away at a scratch on the table. He felt wrong being here but he had seen many people drink away pain and it seemed like a temporary relief. Sliding his head protector off he set it down on the table, running his hands threw his hair he closed his eyes, the sound of the sad song playing met his ears. So many times he had heard sad songs about love and hurt. But now he realized only when you felt that hurt could you really understand them.

Moments later he had finished half of his beer, he didn't even like the stuff but it sure tasted like the antidote for heartache at the moment. He knew he should have said something to Temari about he and Hinata, but at the time or the arrangement he never thought it wasn't important. It was in the past, what he had with Hinata was a wonderful memory nothing more.

Sighing deeply Naruto spun the now empty bottle on the sticky table, "Where the hell am I going to sleep tonight?" he thought out loud.

Walking out of the bar he stumbled down alleys that all looked the same to him in his current state. The streets were dead now; his only companion was a stray tabby that had followed him for a while before loosing interest and finding something in the trash more appealing. Walking to the stadium where he had competed years ago, he climbed up the side and dropped down onto one of the seats, looking around at the empty stadium to make sure no one was there he jumped down into the arena itself. It was covered in puddles and most of the ground was slippery with mud. He always would go here when he was younger; it was the only place within the town's limits that the stars were not drowned out by the street lights.

Laying in the middle of the worn ground on a patch of grass, Naruto looked up at the sky, it was clear the moon bathing the arena in a pail glow silueting the half dead trees. His head was spinning a little from the alcohol, but it did give him some distraction of his situation. A strong gust of air blew threw the arena, singing its low song as it rushed past what few trees stilled lived there, before biting Naruto's face with cold. His head felt thick, almost like he was underwater, like he was drowning.

Ignoring the wind, and his thick head, his eyes followed the many patters of the stars, each one sparkling like a drop of water caught in the sun.

How I envy the stars, they never have to worry about being alone. Each night they come out and find the exact same star shining next to them.

Slumped lazily on the windowsill Teamri busied herself watching what few people still lingered outside. Her mind had been running in circles like some stupid dog chasing its tail. Naruto had been gone for the past five hours and she was starting to get a little worried. At first she promised herself that she wouldn't go looking for him, but now that the anger had worn off that promise was getting harder and harder to keep.

A chill ran threw her skin, closing her eyes she could almost feel the warmth of his body pressed against her and the smell of his skin as his arms would wrap around her protectively.

The more she thought about it the stupider it seemed for her to be angry with him. It wasn't like he had run off with some other woman. She was just a little upset that he had not told her this right away, who knows maybe he was scared to tell her knowing that she would get angry and possibly ruining the marriage right away.

A sudden crack of lighting filled the sky jarring her out of her thoughts. In her country this was a warning for possible fires. How many nights when she was a child had she listened to the sound of low thunder roiling across the endless sand taunting the inhabitants of the land with the promise of rain, but only leaving bush fires from numerous lightning strikes.

Closing her eyes she tried to sleep hoping everything would be over by morning.

Naruto's head shot up quickly when he saw lightning flash across the sky, like nature was setting of her own fireworks. Sighing heavily he got up slowly knowing he was going to have to find a place to sleep tonight.

The sound of gravel crunching under a foot caught his attention; scanning the shadows a form of a person could be seen. Slowly they started to walk towards him, their body and face materializing in the light.

Gasping Naruto watched as Hinata stepped forward her head slightly down, but her eyes still meeting his.

"I heard what Neji did," she said her voice so soft it could have been carried away by the wind. "And I'm here to apologize for his actions; he still gets hot headed sometimes."

Walking over to her Naruto lowered his head so he could look her straight in the eye, "How did you know to find me here?"

Avoiding his keen gaze she fiddled with the buttons of her jacket, "I always saw you go here when you were younger and upset about something, so it only seemed logical that I look here first."

Nodding Naruto accepted her answer, silence took the stadium ground in an uncomfortable quiet. The wind again blew, allowing natures hands to mold it into a low howl, it moaned across the rooftops of the arena, whipping Hinata's cloak like a banner driving thin clouds across the sky blocking the stars.

"Hinata I would have told you, it was not my intentions for you to find out threw gossip," Naruto spoke suddenly not being able to stand the silence any longer.

"It's alright, I know how people are they always poison words to make them sound worse then they are."

A small bit of relief flooded over Naruto now that he knew Hinata was not angry, but looking at her he could tell she had come other then to apologize for her cousin.

"I remember what you told me," Hinata said barely loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"Told you what?" Naruto questioned his interest clearly evident in his voice.

Hinata looked down at the ground, finding it easier to speak to a clump of grass rather then him, "The day you ended it between us."

The breath in Naruto's throat got caught suddenly, making him feel like he couldn't breath. That sick feeling washed over him again just like that day was happening all over again.

"You told me you were not going anywhere. And you were only happy that I wouldn't get dragged there with you."

Looking at her head bent low he could almost hear his own voice as he said those words, and the soft sounds of her sobs silencing the sound of her heart breaking into pieces. The inevitable tide of guilt creped once more about his ankles. Enough to throw him slightly off balance, but not to drag him under.

Her white eyes shot up suddenly catching his blue ones and holding them, "But I look at you now and see the man I always knew was there. And it makes me sad not to be the woman who found that man."

"I'm sorry Hinata," Naruto whispered, his cold hands reached out and held her tightly "Its not that were bad together were just better off apart. Even though it never worked I still feel love for you, you know that right?"

A blush spread across her face, much like the first time he had kissed her. "Thank you Naruto-kun." Tears slowly formed and ran across her pale porcelain like cheek.

Reaching up he wiped away the tear with his thumb, "Don't cry, one tear can drown an entire world. Plus Neji would hate me more knowing that I made you cry again."

Laughing softly Hinata covered his hand with her own; a slight tingle ran down Narutos arm at the reminder of how soft her skin was. "Don't worry Neji will not bother you again I already spoke with him."

"I appreciate that," Naruto replied, sliding his rough calloused hand down her silk like cheek.

With sad eyes Hinata gently dragged his hand to rest on his chest and with shaking fingers let him go, "Go to her Naruto, it's to cold a night to be alone."

Smiling back at her weakly he took off, the shadows swallowing him up into the night.

This chapter was so freaking hard to write and I don't think its very good and its short to! Oh well hope next one is better.