It was a week after they started they journey again when they reached the border of the Land of Earth. They haven't walked fast but the way was tiresome. They've been walking in the direction of the Land of Wind so the surroundings were still not the way they wanted. The air was still dry and there weren't a lot of interesting things to see there. It wasn't her favorite place to be and she thought about skipping this part of the world but decided not to because there was still this conviction that every place can be beautiful and she just had to look for this beauty.

Once they were in one of the unnamed countries they were lost. There weren't any maps of this lands and they didn't know where were the villages. Not that they especially needed to be in one but it was nice to see how the people here lived. They decided to stay here longer this time. In the desert that was out of reach of the Hidden Villages. They wanted to rest from the journey, after all they've visited four countries in less than a month and they were both tired by it. Staying in one place for more than a week could also give them the opportunity to train and he wanted to jump into it right away. He had a lot of hopes for the type of weapon he's chosen for her. He's never trained anyone and hoped to be good teacher for her. When they decided not to search for a village they stopped and set out a tent. He hunted a bird for them to eat and made a fire.

Ever since that time they've spent at the greenhouse Hinata felt a different type of vibe from Sasuke. He was more confident when it came to her. He's searched for contact every time there was an occasion for it. Sometimes it's been by simply holding hands, other time it was a brief side hug. There definitely has been a change in his attitude. He also smiled a lot more, usually at her. And these smiles have always been warm and genuine. It was a change that was not that drastic but she still felt as if something's happened and couldn't remember what it was. It also affected her in a new and interesting way. She blushed a lot more than she has for the last year, she felt that she was being observed and… loved? There has never been this much affection in her life and it felt strange in a good kind of way. He also wanted to know more and more about her. While they've been walking he's asked her about her sister, something he's never seemed interested in before. She's told him about their difficult relationship and everything she could think of. She wanted to ask him about his family but it was a touchy subject and didn't know how to approach it.

One thing was different in this part of the world. The sky had much more stars on it and all of them were shining bright. She loved looking at the night sky, especially when it was this clear. It induced her to think of things she never would think about. Things like outer space and time. When they were in academy they'd leaned how to look at the sky to tell where the north was for example, but that was it. They'd been trained to be shinobis and that'd been it. Nobody'd taught them anything that wouldn't be useful in their future job. She got why it was like that but there was a silent wish that she could learn other things about the world. She's always been a strange material for a shinobi. She was timid, quiet and too gentle. She started thinking what she could be if she wasn't a kunoichi. Working in a cafeteria wasn't something she could do for a long time. Maybe she would be a good writer or a good botanist. There has been a time she's been thinking to just give up the occupation she had completely but she liked it as well. She was trusted to protect others and could make a difference in someones life. These were the good things about that and they overbalanced the pain that she felt. Being a shinobi was not for egoists.

„What are you thinking about?" She almost jumped when he asked. She's almost forgot that she was not alone.

„Worth of being a shinobi" she answered and looked back at the sky. But he was looking at her. She was curious little thing. If he was to guess her job without knowing it he would have never guessed it to be a ninja. Most of these people were more tough looking and had a different demeanor than her. He was a good example of what a lifetime of pain and fighting did to people.

„And is there any?"

„Helping others" that was such a Hinata answer he just smiled. It was true though. „How long, do you think, it's before we'll have to fight again?" Peace was not a stable thing. Especially when it came to the ninja world. Fighting for power, territory and wealth was a common thing and when it started the war was a sure thing.

„Not so long, people are dumb creatures" he knew for a fact that nobody would try to fight Naruto right now but small skirmish between two countries was inevitable. „There are still a lot of enemies out there as well" for one there were countries such as this one, outside of the reach of any Hidden Village where hostile shinobis could gather.

„I thought so" she exhaled loudly. She felt tired from the weight of that thought. There was no rest for anybody and war came after the other. Even if there was any peace it was unstable and people ruined it quickly. There wasn't a single generation living that couldn't remember at least one war. Heavy and tired she watched the sky that has always been a witness to it all.

When they were asleep Hinata had a dream.

It was about Neji as always. But not about his death. It was one of the times they trained together. He was in a good mood and they joked around. There was no sign of the war approaching and they were finally feeling good in each others company. She felt peaceful and purely happy at that moment. She knew it to be a dream from a start and the feelings flushed over her. If she could she would stay there forever. But she couldn't and it was a harsh reminder when the dream fast forwarded to the next memory. They were in hospital, she in bed and he next to her. It was after Pain attacked the village. His eyes were stern but she could tell he was hurting.

„You cannot do such things" he was angry that she's almost sacrificed herself. „You are a heiress and you have to take care of yourself, think about others sometimes" she knew that he wasn't really angry, he was simply hurting from her actions and it felt worse. But she knew as well that she would have done the same right now.

And she almost did a few months later. The dream changed drastically. They were at the battlefield and they were losing. There was Naruto, defeated, down. And she saw those things coming his was. It was no choice for her when she jumped in front of him. There was no way she could change the course of the attack so she made an unconscious choice to be a live shield for him. She looked at him waiting for the hit that never came but those blue eyes were full of horror. The next image she saw was going to hunt her forever. Neji, her cousin impaled, bleeding and on his knees. His eyes fixed on her. There was emptiness in her that she's never felt before. Naruto thought Nejis sacrifice was for him but she knew it to be for her. And she wanted nothing more than just to change this outcome, but he warned her about this. He was dead because she was too weak to take another action. She was weak. And he was dead because of that. She saw his dying face and wanted to scream, wanted to just bring him back.

She didn't wake up just then. There was one last time jump. She was standing further away from her family. Behind her was Naruto. Both were broken but she couldn't care about anybody now. She didn't care about anything, she was empty and the only two feelings she had were unbearable sadness and anger. She was angry at herself.

When she woke up it was sudden but she didn't wake Sasuke up. There was no way she would go back to sleep that night so she carefully got out of the tent and sat next to it. She had no strength to go anywhere now. She felt the tears on her face and let herself cry them. She hid her head in the knees and surrounded them by her hands. She felt pathetic.

He woke up when he felt that she wasn't there. He felt her presence just outside the tent and went out to see what she was doing. When he saw her his stomach tightened. She looked small and somehow defeated. She must have had a nightmare. There was no other explanation. When he touched her shoulder she just shook her head. She didn't want anybody near her right now but he was not going away. He sat next to her in silence and let her cry alone. She was getting angry at him. Why couldn't he just go away?

„I want to be alone" she said, her voice shaky but stern. He looked at her and pondered if he should go.

„I'm not moving" he was in a similar position once. When his whole family was murmured he was alone and wanted to be alone but there was that one stubborn person that kept on showing up and irritating him. Now he was his best friend, his only family in the world. Naruto was probably the reason he was still alive. He was not going to leave her now.

„Go away!" She screamed at him. Her head now up and hey eyes fixed on him. They were full of hatred and anger. But they changed quickly once she's realized what she was doing. „Sorry. I need a few minutes. Please let me be alone" He inhaled and got up. He went into the tent once again and waited for her to calm down. He hated it but there was nothing he could do now.

When he was out of her sight she felt guilt. He was just trying to show her support yet she was pushing him away. She took a few deep breaths in and got up. The sky was now brighter, another day came. She had to apologize to him.

„Sasuke, I am so sorry for yelling. I sometimes need a time alone" she said when she was in the tent. He just looked at her. He didn't blame her for her reaction, he understoo what it meant to hurt that way. He couldn't expect her to be in a great mood always.

„Suffering alone is never a good choice. It will only bring you more suffering. Trust me I tried that too" his voice was calm. She knew it wasn't good but that has always been her way of dealing with things.

„I'm not the most outgoing person there is and I never will be. A thought that there is somebody I can go to is usually enough for me and I know you are here. That means a lot" she wanted to smile but it felt weird now. She hugged him and felt his heartbeat. „Wanna train today?" She asked out of nowhere.

„Sure" he was hugging her back and wanted to hug all of her nightmares away.