Chapter One

Advice

He was right where he always was when not on a mission or with his teammates at the restaurant they frequented. Shikamaru was lying on a raised platform atop a the roof. Asleep apparently. A favoured pastime of his.

Hinata hesitated when she saw him. 'It would be rude to wake him…but I need his help…' She stood there in indecision for what seemed like a long time before she let out a resigned sigh and turned to leave.

"What do you want?"

The voice. His voice stopped her in her tracks and she looked back at him in surprise. 'Has he been awake all this time?' He was leaning on his elbows, his head raised to look at her with his usual bored/annoyed expression. It didn't help her gain the courage she needed to ask him what she needed to ask him. 'I cant back out now. I have to know that I'm doing the right thing.' She turned around and walked a few steps closer to where he was still laying down. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her.

"A-ano S-Shikamaru-san…I uhm need y-your help."

Shikamaru was a little surprised that she had come to see him of all people, but he was curious. 'What would make her come to me?' So he waited patiently for her to speak again. Her eyes met his briefly before she looked away again. Was that desperation he saw behind all that nervousness.

He sighed tiredly and lay his head back down. Hinata took this as a cue to continue. Hesitantly, she sat down stiffly on the platform about a foot away from he lay. They stayed like that for a long time, both of them watching the clouds pass by. Shikamaru almost thought she was not going to say what she wanted.

"I just want to know if what I'm doing is right." She spoke softly, sadly, still watching the sky. Shikamaru looked at her out of the corner of his eye as she continued. "My father is d-dying… There's nothing that can be done for him anymore. I am to become clan leader…but I'm not fit for it, I never have been."

She lapsed into a short silence as tears sparkled at the corners of her eyes. "I…I don't want to be leader. Maybe I'm selfish. My sister does, she's always been the one that should have been born first. There's one thing I can do to change all that…It will cause chaos in the clan though I will have my conscience clear…But is it right? Please, am I doing the right thing?"

She looked him in the eyes. He was just staring at her. She hadn't meant to get so emotional in front of him. 'I'm weak. Pathetic even.' She thought bitterly.

He could see everything she felt, it was clearly reflected on her face. Shikamaru wondered what to say. She had clearly already made her decision she just wanted confirmation. 'She's really going to do that? I never thought she had it in her…' Everyone knew about the problems in the Hyuuga clan, the gulf that split it in two. He suspected that she was going to try to bridge that gulf. It was a difficult path that she had chosen to follow. She only confirmed it when she told him what she was going to do. He was suprised. He hadn't thought that the Hyuuga girl would ever do something so radical. Shikamaru felt a new respect for the kunoichi.

"There is only one way to find out, nothing in life is certain. It will be hard, but it's for the best in the end."

It wasn't exactly the answer she wanted, but it would have to do. It want fair to involve other people in the messed up business of the clan but she had to ask and now she had her answer.He was telling her to go ahead. It would be hard, of course, but it would be worth it in the end. At least she hoped it would. She gave him a weak smile and self-consciously wiped her eyes dry.

"Thank you, Shikamaru-san."

She leaned forward, brushed her lips against his cheek softly and left as quietly as she had arrived. He sighed and tried to go back to sleep but soon found it impossible. His thoughts were filled with visions of the distraught white-eyed heiress.

"Eh…How troublesome." he said even as he touched his cheek where she had kissed him.

Hyuuga Hiashi died just two weeks later. His daughters each took his death in a different way. Hanabi broke down and cried incessantly, she was inconsolable. Hinata ,surprisingly enough, was the one who stayed dry eyed and strong. Over the years, Hiashi had softened towards his elder child to the point where they had an actual relationship. She missed him terribly but she would not allow herself to crack.

'I have failed you Father in many things, but I will not fail in this.'

Neji was concerned for her wellbeing. She did not laugh. She did not smile. She was cold and business-like. He didn't like it at all. Whenever he asked her if she needed anything or told her she was working too hard, that she needed a rest, she would brush him off coldly and continue with whatever she had been doing. It was as if she had a wall of ice surrounding her. Neji could not help but wonder if this was the way he had treated her all those years ago.

Hinata arranged everything. The funeral was strictly a family affair, as was the tradition, while a memorial service was held openly later in the day for all well-wishers. Both went off without a hitch. Hanabi hung from her arm both times while Hinata comforted her in a passive, borderline uncaring manner. Her friends and teammates were startled by the change in her when they came to pay their respects. They all wondered if this was the Hinata that they had known for so many years.

Later that night, after everyone had left and all the clan had gone to bed, Hinata lay awake in her room. She listened as Hanabi cried herself to sleep. Silently she begged her sister for forgiveness. 'I'm sorry Hanabi. I just don't have the strength to comfort you and still stay strong enough to do what I must do.' So she lay, quiet in her bed as the sobs gradually faded away into the night.

"Neji. Assemble the clan in the meeting room. I want everyone to be there, even the guards on duty. Everyone."

Neji frowned but he did as she asked. He was still deeply worried about her. Two days had passed since the funeral and she hadn't changed at all. When he looked into her eyes they were blanked of all emotion. It chilled him to see Hinata like that. All he could do was be there for her.

An hour later almost every member of the clan was in the appointed place. The Main and Branch house members sat apart of course on opposite sides of the room. Where there was no seating space, many stood along the walls. The room was more crowded than it had ever been. It fairly buzzed with whispered speculation, none there could recall a time when the entire clan had assembled in such a way.

Meanwhile Neji was leading Hinata and Hanabi to the meeting room. Hinata was dressed very formally in one of her white kimonos. Her long hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head. Her eyes were shining with determination. Neji glanced at her sideways taking in her body language. It was barely noticeable but there was a slight turning down at the corner of her eyes and mouth. Like she hadn't been getting much sleep or was really sad. Hinata must have noticed his look because she turned her head to look at him too. They were at the door now.

She placed a hand on his arm and then the other on Hanabi's.

"Whatever happens in there, I want you to trust me."

Neji frowned slightly. 'What is she going to do? I don't know if I like this…' He looked in her eyes and saw the absolute determination. It was not something he was used to, even after all these years, but he knew he had no say in the matter so he nodded his affirmation. Hanabi had also nodded though she wore a similar look to Neji's.

Hinata smiled ever so slightly and just with her eyes. Then it was gone and she looked at the door once more. Neji slid the door open and she swooped in like some avenging goddess. All conversation had stopped as they watched her take her seat gracefully. Hanabi sat to her left and Neji on her right. Silence filled the room. Hinata did nothing to fill it or make any move to explain why everyone was here. She contented herself with looking every single person in the eyes, apart from the two beside her. Some even grew uncomfortable under her gaze. Mostly those from the Main house. They were wondering what she was going to do to them. Would she take revenge for the years of harsh treatment. A lot of the Branch house were filled with hope when she turned her gaze on to them. It was a well known secret that Hinata did not believe in the separation of the houses and the infliction of the curse seal.

Finally she spoke. Her voice was calm and clear. The kind that you could hear even in a room filled with loud voices.

"I have made my decision regarding the future of the clan. As leader I can bypass the council and enforce whatever decision I make."

The fear and hope grew in the eyes of many as a general wariness filled the room. Even Neji and Hanabi wondered where she was going with this.

"Who do you think you are?" one of the older council member was looking at her with unconcealed scorn. His voice dripped acid.

"I will have no interruptions." A threat. She said it so calmly, so coldly that the old man was taken aback. She did not even bother to look at him. With that one statement she had dismissed him so easily. He settled into stunned silence.

"Now that that it out of the way, I will inform you of what I have decided. Neji, if you please."

Without looking at him she indicated that he should stand before her. Neji complied readily. Hinata looked right in his eyes as she made the seals to activate his seal. His eyes widened slightly and his lips parted in shock. He remembered what she had said. '…trust me.' Neji closed his eyes and waited for the burning pain of the seal but…nothing came. He opened his eyes and stared at her incredulously. Yes, she had made the correct seals but…nothing had happened. The silence in room was filled with wonder, fear and hope.

"Neji." She waved him back to his seat. "As you can tell, I have found a way to suppress the effects of the seal permanently." the same old council member opened his mouth to speak but shut it quickly when she levelled him a cold look. She was not to be trifled with.

"Now, this is not an invitation to take out all your past sorrows on other members of this family. I will have none of it. If I find that you have committed such an act I will not hesitate to act as well."

The whole clan was still stunned. Was this weak, shy, pathetic Hinata? Hanabi was the only one who was not surprised. Hinata had told her of this long ago.

"Hokage-sama knows of too." They knew what that meant. She had the backing of the legendary sannin and therefore the power of Konoha's ninja.

"Every member of the branch come to me to have their seal suppressed. Three per day. Until such a time as all the seals have been dealt with, Neji will assume leadership of the clan with Hanabi. Go on about your business."

Without preamble, she stood as gracefully as she had sat down and left with Neji and Hanabi in tow.

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(A/N) Hey people. My first fic up here on FF so please R&R. it had to be about my fave character Hinata. She's just sooo cute. About the 'pairings undecided', I am strongly leaning towards ShikaHina (soo cute -) but everyone else I haven't decided. Suggestions are welcome of course, I may not use them though because I dont like most cannon pairings. Dont let that stop you though you never know.