Many thanks to all of you that replied! I really didn't think this story would get much credit, but I hope it works out alright!

Ne, someone wanna help beta? '

Chapter 2

Hanabi and Hinata walked under the shaded part of the road, talking back and forth about the maids back at the compound, and their Father's actions, and even Neji. Even though they spoke happily, and often at a rushed pace, (along with the occasional gesture), both of them had long ago activated their Byakugans, ready to kill anything that moved to attack. They had already mistaken two deer and a number of squirrels as enemies.

They had started that morning with plans to move slightly further east, towards the beach. After the attack earlier, Hinata and Hanabi made the obvious decision to head more south, since, according to Hinata's tracing, the nins that attacked had left evidence of being staked further south. Hanabi had stood confused for a few seconds before Hinata had explained that if the enemies had already gotten so far south, chances were they were spread along the northeastern boarder. If they could create a strong enough Genjutsu to fool their comrades, they should be able to make it back to Konohagakure before the jutsu wore off.

"Until then," Hinata continued under her breath, "we need to figure out how big the area is that we need to cover with the Genjutsu." Hanabi nodded in confirmation.

The two of them continued going over the plan quietly under their breaths, while the changed their topic to that of team 7. A very slight blush managed to find it's way back to Hinata's cheeks. Hanabi gave a glance sideways at her sister, and listened to her go on about 'Naruto-kun'. She smiled, but tried, unsuccessfully, to hide it from her sister.

"W-what is it, Hanabi-nee-chan?" the youngest could practically hear her sister worrying her lip. She shook her head, "Nothing, Hinee-san." Both of them smiled at Hinata's new nickname. It felt strange to Hanabi, and the first few times, she paused before saying it, but she was growing accustomed to it.

Hanabi, like so many other people in the village, had noticed Hinata's love for the blonde. Hanabi was certainly not the first to notice, but she obviously noticed before Naruto. The boy, himself, had only started to realize Hinata's love for him, though he wasn't doing much about it. It had almost made Hanabi punch him. It didn't matter whether or not she loved her sister; you never let anyone's love for you go unnoticed.

She didn't punch Naruto. She didn't do anything at all. It would have been improper. Instead, she shunned him. It aggravated her still. He didn't notice. She never really did pay attention to him.

Kami, she hated him though. No one outside of their family was allowed to mess with any Hyuuga member. Naruto was only exempt from this because Hinata cared for him. At least, that was Hanabi's excuse. Neji had taken a liking to Naruto, so he wasn't worried about it, and everyone else in the compound really didn't care that much about the goings on of Hinata.

In truth, there was nothing Hanabi could really do. Well, besides tease her sister with the far too obvious crush. Even then, Hanabi refrained from doing it. Why should she bother? After all, she was the one who had to marry a member of the Hyuuga family.

Hanabi still shivered at that fact. Ever since it was obvious that Hanabi would be a better heir, the rest of her life and how she was to live it folded out before her. There was no changing it.

"H-Hanabi-nee-chan, are you sure you're okay?" Hanabi could hear the worry in her sister's voice overflow. She turned to her sister, giving her the best smile she could muster. "No worries! I'm fine!" she lied.

That night was odd, unfamiliar to Hanabi, while Hinata slept so peacefully in the tent next to her. Hanabi had always preferred taking first watch. She was never one to go to sleep right away, so she would be awake anyway. It was better if she got first watch, that way she could go to sleep later. Her sister was always the one who was up early in the morning, moving around, cooking. It always seemed like she was hiding any evidence of the night whenever she did that.

Hanabi watched intently as the fireflies flashed in the treetops above. When she was young, it had become a habit of hers to watch the fireflies in the garden before bed. She would watch them dance in the Orchids that her Aunts had planted, lighting the delicate flowers. She never stayed long, her Father always sending her to bed too early for her preference. She always obeyed, regardless of her dislike of the command. It was her duty as one of the daughters of such a powerful clan.

She shook her head. She had to stop thinking of that now. There were more important things to be worrying about.

She blinked, her eyes burning. The fireflies had long ago abandoned the trees, leaving her alone to think of her family. It wasn't a topic she was too keen on thinking about either.

She glanced up, checking the positions of the stars. 'Surely it's been long enough…' she thought before quietly getting to her feet. She winced, gently straightening her back and stretched. 'I didn't know I'd been stuck in that position for that long.'

She mentally berated herself for not paying attention and checked the area over again, making sure no one had taken advantage of her lack of attention. Relieved that she hadn't spent all that time, just to mess up then, she turned to fetch Hinata from the tent, only to jump in surprise at the smiling face of her sister.

"Calm down, Hanabi-nee-chan, it's just me." Hinata's voice rang in Hanabi's head, her ears still trained on softer noises. Hanabi nodded and headed for the tent. 'I must really be tired…'

She slipped into the bed roll, not caring to change, her shoes placed by her head, and curled up in the warmth still left from her sister. Shivering, she rubbed her feet together. She shifted slightly, lifting her head for a moment, and dropping it. Only then did she notice how truly nice it was.

She couldn't make out what her dream was about that night. All she knew was that her sister was there, and that she would be safe as long as Hinata would wrap her arms around her.

Hanabi's body awoke her, telling her that something was wrong. Her mind still fuzzy from sleep, she attempted to push the feeling aside. There was a ripple around her, of what she wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it shook her enough for her slip from the bedroll as quietly as possible. Crouching low, she hooked her fingers around a kunai lying under the pillow. In the time it took her to reach the exit of the tent, her Byakugan was activated.

Reaching up with her kunai free hand, Hanabi pulled the flap open ever so slightly. She moved just enough so that she could peek out to where her sister should have been standing watch.

Should have been…

Alarmed at the absence of Hinata, Hanabi started to panic. Quietly, she slipped out of the tent, kunai still at the ready. Using the shadows from the full moon to her advantage, she managed to slip across the camp to where she had stayed during her watch.

And there she found Hinata.

There she found her cousin, Neji, also.

There she found them kissing, her sister held firmly against a tree.

"... Ne, Hinee-san..." Hanabi blinked, "Please don't tell me Father taught you that technique..."