Because I forgot it in my earlier chapters…I do not own Naruto or any of its related characters. Nor will I ever for that matter…(weeps in a corner)XD

Chp. 3: Revelation

Naruto stepped into the shower, quickly throwing his clothes to the floor and closing the curtains around him. He guided the metal faucet towards him and turned the silver knob in front of him to the right, letting the hot water fall down his form. His mind was clouded with questions, emotions, and things he never would have thought about before. He couldn't get Hinata off his mind the entire time.

"You know, for being such a shy and frightened girl, she sure is one hell of a kisser."

Naruto chuckled and said, "You know Kyuubi, for once, I completely agree with you one hundred percent."

"But you know what our problem is going to be now, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Does the name HIASHI HYUUGA ring any bells in that thick, empty head of yours, almighty Hokage?"

Naruto swore under his breath. Hiashi…he had completely forgotten about Hinata's father. Sure, Naruto was Hokage…but Hiashi was never known for judging people by titles alone, and he also knew that Hiashi would probably jump off the Hokage monument before he'd let his eldest daughter, and heir to the entire Hyuuga clan, be involved with someone like him. No family, no inherited wealth…hell, he didn't even have a bloodline limit.

"So what? You're the Hokage, and you know you two wish to be together, right?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"You can order him to let you two be together, it's really no more complex than that."

"Hiashi doesn't think like other people, Kyuubi. And when I say that, I mean he doesn't use logic when he probably should. You saw the stink he put up last time he was in my office."

"Well, it didn't help that you questioned his abilities as a father and a ninja, moron."

"He deserved it! He treated Hinata terribly when she was young…besides, I've tried to be nothing but nice and respectful to him and he still gives me lip! Crotchety old fogey…"

"All I'm saying is, you shouldn't think so lowly of your chances. You might find you have more leverage over him than you realize…"

"What?"

"…I shouldn't have said that…I definitely should not have said that…uhh, never mind, boy."

"You know something about me, Kyuubi? Something, that maybe I don't?"

"It's possible…but I can't say. It's not my place…"

"Spill it, what do you know!"

"Sorry kid, it's something you need to discover for yourself. But take my advice…find out quickly. And by quickly I mean BEFORE Hiashi has a chance to marry off your girl to someone else."

The Kyuubi fell silent after that. Naruto stood absolutely confused in the shower, wondering what the fox could possibly know about him that he didn't already know… after thirty minutes he decided to emerge and quickly got dressed, remembering Hinata was still downstairs.

Hinata sat at the kitchen table, staring into the bright blue sky through the window, waiting for her beloved to come back downstairs. She was happier than she had been in a long time. But honestly, who could blame her? The man she loved for well onto six years now finally admitted that he loved her back. Now she just wanted to find a way to get past their first obstacle…her father.

As if in response to her thoughts, Naruto's voice called out, "Hiashi will kill me if I don't get you home soon. We better get back to your place quickly." Hinata looked behind her and smiled, seeing Naruto dressed for another day as Hokage. The long white trench coat and blue and orange jonin suit underneath were very becoming of the boisterous blonde.

She kissed him lightly and said, "You've done enough for me, Naruto-kun. I can get home by myself. You need to get to the office, fast." Naruto smiled and kissed her back. "Don't worry Hinata-chan, I'll figure out some way to get to your father, I promise that we will be together, and soon." She smiled as he dashed out, making for the center of town with blinding speed.

Hinata went down the familiar roads through the marketplace of Konoha, eventually returning to the Hyuuga compound. As she casually walked in the front door, her stomach dropped upon seeing her father standing there, a very irritated glare in his eyes. "And where exactly were you last night, Hinata?"

"P-papa…I…I w-was…"

"Silence. You are never to ignore your obligations to this clan, and that includes your curfew, is that clear, Hinata?"

"Y-yes, papa…"

"Now, listen carefully. You are 18 now Hinata and now is the time where the heir would normally take their place as the head of this clan."

"Yes, p-papa…"

"However…certain things have come to light…certain things concerning your mother."

Hinata froze and for once, looked her father straight in the eye. He never, ever mentioned Hinata's mother. He had forbidden her from doing so ever since she had died. Why was he bringing her up now? "P-papa…I d-don't understand…"

"Come with me Hinata…I need to tell you something about your mother's final wish…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Naruto sat at his desk, staring at the pile of paperwork on his desk, his mind completely off in another world. He barely registered Sasuke sitting next to him, attempting to report the results of his last mission, but Naruto didn't hear or care about anything the stoic Uchiha was trying to say.

"Dobe, wake up."

Sasuke smartly smacked Naruto upside the head. That got his attention quite rapidly.

"Oy! I could have you punished for that, Sasuke-san!"

"Whatever. Look, you're obviously in no condition to be doing any of this today. You need some air."

"Yeah…maybe you're right…you can give me your report later Sasuke-san…I'll be back sometime later, I need to figure a few things out."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow as Naruto rose from his seat and disappeared in a flash of smoke. Naruto usually didn't agree with him, ever, on anything.

Naruto reappeared on top of the Hokage monument, sitting atop the newest head to be added to it, his own. "If the Kyuubi knows something about me that could help my chances with Hinata's father…he said my chances weren't as bad as I thought…but if the Kyuubi knows something, the only person he would've heard it from before getting sealed was…The Fourth Hokage!" Naruto remembered what Kyuubi had told him earlier… "The Hyuuga house is second only to the House of the Fourth Hokage."

Naruto instinctively made his way to the head of the Fourth, on the other side of the monument. He looked down at the face carved into the rock and muttered, "You're hiding something…but what…what does your house have to do with me?" He placed a hand on the smooth rock of the top of the Fourth's head, and barely registered what happened next. The rock seemed to crumble beneath him, causing him to fall into the monument, landing with a sickening thud in the dark hollow chamber inside the Fourth's stone head.

He looked up and saw that he had fallen quite a long ways; he must've been all the way at the bottom of the mountain that the monument was carved into. He picked up a light scent coming from all around him, the scent of…fire, burning wood.

As if in response, torches flickered to life all around him, and his eyes found a strange layout in the center of the room. There was a large circle drawn in the floor, surrounded by candles. In the middle of this circle was drawn a very familiar sign… "That looks just like the seal holding the Kyuubi inside me!" And in the very center of this swirling seal, was a small crib, padded with hay and covered in torn cloth, it looked as if it hadn't been used in ages.

His ears picked up a sound and he whipped around, just in time for the room to suddenly fill with light, spinning wildly and driving him unconscious as he hit the floor…

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Hiashi and Hinata were currently seated in the main audience chamber of the compound. Hinata was listening intently as Hiashi explained.

"Your mother always knew that you would…become the way you are. You aren't shy because of physical weakness, not completely at least. Part of it was from your mother. She was always a very soft spoken woman…she figured you would be too. When your mother died, she made me promise her one thing…she made me promise than once you turned 18, if you did not wish to become the head of this clan, than you would be given a small amount of time to find a suitable husband."

Hinata's jaw dropped. She had an escape route out of this place all along! If only she had known before…

"However, you must find this man within the next week."

"What!"

"Like I said, your window of opportunity is small. The official ceremony where you take my place as head is next week on the sunset of the final day. If you do not find a suitable husband before then, then you must fulfill your responsibilities to this clan and take my place."

Hinata decided it was now or never. "Papa…there is a m-man that I believe w-would be a fine husband."

"Who is he?" Hiashi asked, although judging by the look on his face, he already seemed to know.

"H-Hokage Naruto…papa…"

Hiashi sighed. He knew that was coming from a mile away.

"Hinata…"

"P-please, papa! Please give him a chance! I k-know you will find him as honorable as I d-do!"

Hiashi looked at his daughter through narrowed eyes, but much to Hinata's surprise, his expression softened ever so slightly. Her eyes grew wide as she saw his head nod slowly. "Very well my daughter. Bring him before me before the end of this week, and I will see if he is worthy of your hand." Hinata completely forgot her manners and hugged her father tightly. "Thank you papa…I'll go find h-him right now!" Hinata ran out quickly, before Hiashi could say anything else. The old Hyuuga stood there somewhat taken aback for a minute, but a small smile crept onto his face. He returned to where he was sitting and began meditating, hoping that his daughter knew what she was doing.

A/N: Well, looks like old Hiashi is finally softening up a little! And what is Naruto going to find out in the monument of the Fourth Hokage? I'll never tell! Not until the next chapter at least! Stay tuned for the next chapter of this little story of mine, "The House of Yondaime." Thanks to all who have reviewed so far!