/UPDATE/

Yes, I had uploaded this chapter on 4/2/10 and taken it down on 4/3/10. There is a reason for this. I had received a review of sorts from a reader and what they wrote shocked me:

Someone ACTUALLY critiqued what I had put up! OH LORD, HALLELUJAH!

Admittedly, I've been slipping these passed few months, I know I have. It's a combination of a lot of things that have been going on in my life and the want and desire to write has diminished greatly and I'm just starting to feel like my writing is worth something again.

But here's the thing, I was trying so hard to get a chapter out to you guys that I abandoned probably the one thing that means the most to me: quality. Therefore, I am not angry with this person for pointing out holes in my timing (esp since timing is something I need to work on). In fact, I thank them for doing so. I, in actuality, am tired of all of the positive reviews.

? !

Yeah, I am. I want reviews that actually point out what needs to be fixed and changed. That's the only way I can improve. Tell me what I'm doing wrong. Which is why, the next time you decide to review this story, take time to think of one thing that I can improve for chapters and stories to come.

/END/

Apologizes, no matter how many I type, can express the sadness I feel when I say this: It's been like, 200 years, hasn't it? I'm sorry for such a very long wait. Schoolwork, stress, tiredness, and lack of confidence (!) got in my way of updating all of my stories. I can not promise that I will update quicker, that would be unfair to all of you. I do want to say that my updates will be more bulky; so even if you have to wait a long time when you finally do read it will be long and hopefully worth the wait.

Thanks and enjoy.

There were many people that Sasuke Uchiha could go a lifetime without seeing again. He didn't like many people to begin with and sometimes conversations with those people would only deepen his resolve to never speak to them again. He never said this to Hinata, but she wasn't one of those people. Sure, her self esteem was low and she was too shy and timid, but, she never talked to him without a reason. Well, there was that one time about ten minutes before now in which she dragged him outside and then told him about things he really didn't care about. Then she lied. But, it was only once and the Sharingan user was willing to let it slide. Anyway, the bottom line is there were few people he liked and many that he could do without meeting again.

Unfortunately, two of the latter type of people showed up in Hinata's kitchen and avoiding them was impossible.

"Hinata!" Neji Hyuuga shouted for the younger woman after spotting the injured soldier strolling freely around the home.

Ergh, Hyuuga Neji. Damn.

The Uchiha didn't like this Hyuuga. He was cocky and arrogant. He was some "prodigy" or whatever and people worshiped him. He was some sort of genius and his skills with his Byakugan were above average so because of that, he received much praise. Really, he wasn't much different than Sasuke, but even then something about him didn't rub the right way with the Uchiha.

Behind him surfaced another person that he could seriously live without seeing again. In fact, he preferred, for her sake, that she wasn't there. Anyone but her.

"S-Sasuke?" the pink-haired kunoichi stuttered, not believing what she was seeing. The injured Sharingan user sighed. He wanted to scoot out of town on his wheelchair, maybe crush a few of Neji's toes on his way out of the door, but no, whether he wanted to believe it or not, he still needed Hinata. He'd just have to sit there and listen to Haruno Sakura cry about him breaking her heart or whatever that was about.

"How could you just leave him there, Sasuke?" the woman shouted at the cripple (apparently this wasn't about her this time), "How could just leave N—" she was cut off by Neji's icy glare and a jab of his elbow to her side. Whatever this was about, Sasuke felt that the elder Hyuuga did not want him to hear it. Or, at least not this way.

Hinata appeared in the home moments later and Hanabi had just come downstairs, both were wondering what was going on and what Sakura was doing there with Neji. She seldom came over and when she did it was to supply medical supplies to the Hyuugas or talk to Neji. They were both fighting the same war after all and they were both on the same side and communication between them was crucial.

"H-hello, Sakura-san," Hinata greeted the kunoichi as she walked towards her.

Sakura made no effort to shake Hinata's hand or make eye contact with her. The pink-haired woman's eyes were locked on Sasuke's facial features. Hinata looked at Sakura to try to understand why her fellow Konoha citizen was looking so dazed, so out of it. The Hyuuga noticed that her eyes were locked on her and Hanabi's new roommate and reasoned that Sakura must have known him from somewhere.

"S-Sakura-san?" Hinata called the woman quizzically. She had to do so a few more times until Sakura finally responded.

"I-I'm sorry, uhm, hi, Hinata," she replied weakly, "h-how are you?"

"F-fine," which was all Hinata said for that matter, "what's wrong?"

Sakura only looked to Neji, which made Hinata flinch a little. She couldn't help but be skeptical and worried. No one was telling her anything and it was nerve racking. It was a few more seconds until apparently Sasuke got bored or something and rolled away into his room. Sakura almost chased after him but Neji stopped her with his arm, shaking his head. Sakura seemed to let go of the need to pursue him after that.

"N-not to be rude or a-anything, but why are y-you here?" Hinata asked once she had heard Sasuke's door shut.

"I'd prefer if we continue this conversation outside, Hinata," Neji said. Something about his voice made Hinata agree immediately. It wasn't his usual cynical and arrogant tone; it was like…his tone of voice when he told her that Tenten had died.

Hinata and Sakura followed Neji to the backyard and Hanabi felt that she could follow. That is, until Hinata stopped her.

"Uhm, Hanabi, it might be better if you stay inside. Go see if Sasuke needs anything and go…play with some friends or something."

"Uh…" Neji almost objected, but then shut his mouth before anything else could escape.

"First of all," the oh-so-sassy Hanabi began, "why do I always have to make sure he's happy? Do I care? No, I don't! Secondly, I'm not befriending anyone in this rinky dink town! The girls are stuck up and the boys think they'll be Hokage some day! Since that Uzumaki guy is Hokage now it'll be pretty hard for street-trash like them to live up to expectations-!"

"Hanabi!" Hinata raised her voice in anger. It wasn't often that Hinata became exceptionally angry but whenever she did you could be certain that all lack of confidence within her would be erased for a few seconds.

"I don't ever want to hear you talk about anyone like that ever again! Even the lowest of people can be great someday! And certainly the most privileged of people can become lowly! Do you understand me?" She said that last sentence with much gusto and used every bit of confidence she had.

Hanabi had never heard Hinata scream at her like that and Sakura didn't know that the timid girl had ever had that sort of strength in her. However, Neji knew this side of her well. A few years ago was a bad time to confront the former heiress with anything negative and oh-so-negative Neji obviously had to say something to her about something and when he did…all Hell broke loose. She screamed at him and rage-fueled blush covered the entirety of her face and her Byakugan had involuntarily activated. It was certainly a sight Neji would never forget. Feeling a pang of anger and embarrassment, Hanabi ran upstairs and slammed the door.

"Hinata?" Sakura said, hoping the former kunoichi calmed down.

"I'm fine," Hinata said hastily, "I mean…she will be okay. She always is."

Hinata sparred no time with pointless conversation and led both of her ninja friends out into the backyard. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, casting a blanket of light over the flowers in Hinata's specially made garden. The wind blew softly, but with…purpose. It was like it was lightly trying to relay a message to her, maybe that the rest of her day would be just as beautiful as the scenery outside.

"So what's wr-wrong?"

Neji sighed and glanced at Sakura, whos head was down. Hinata stood before both of them and felt more and more uneasy with each passing second. She wanted to scream at them and demand to know what they were too scared to tell her. What, did they think she was going to jump off the nearest cliff if they so much as hinted at a sick relative or a bad tactical plan gone wrong or…a death?

"What?" Hinata exclaimed, almost screamed.

"N…Naruto," Sakura choked, "he's gone, Hinata."

Hinata's world seemed to crash around her. Her heart skipped a beat and her mind was flooded with the terrors of his death. He meant the world to her and though he thought infrequently about her, she thought every day about him. She was the happiest woman in the world when she had discovered the love of her life had achieved his life goal and his dream. He was a symbol of courage, confidence, and absolute godliness in her eyes. The mortal, however, was mortal after all and no matter what she thought Naruto could never achieve true godliness. Maybe that's what killed her about this whole thing the most.

Hinata looked down at that once beautiful green grass and the luscious flowers that filled her most happy thoughts now looked ugly and filled her with disgust. She dared not look into either Sakura's or Neji's eyes. She was afraid she see the despair in them, too, proving her worst nightmare to be fact.

Hinata sighed, "How?"

Neji decided to answer that, "Killed in combat. He wasn't supposed to be fighting though, but something…something happened seven days ago that landed him in the hospital and then…"

"And you think Sasuke did it?"

Sakura's head snapped up, "We never said—"

"I'm not stupid," Hinata said maliciously, "you both come in here screaming for me like there's a fire when all there is is an unarmed boy in a wheelchair. Obviously, you know him Sakura and apparently you do, too, Neji. Well…S-Sasuke doesn't remember anything, he hit his head pretty hard, doesn't know how he got it."

"Well maybe he said that he lost his memory because—"

"He didn't know I knew Naruto," Hinata interrupted Sakura. She could feel her anger mounting.

Sakura said not another word to Hinata; she understood the sadness and anger she felt. She knew it all too well. Sakura had felt that same sadness when she had received word of Naruto's death. Hinata had loved Naruto from the very beginning, so Sakura knew the amount of pain she must have been feeling. But then again, she didn't, did she?

"He…he couldn't have killed Naruto," Hinata said.

Neji scoffed, "You know this how?"

Hinata finally felt up enough to look Neji in the eyes, "He's not that type of p-person."

"Hinata, you've only known him for less than a week! How could possibly fathom what exactly Sasuke is capable of?"

"It can't be h-him," Hinata cried, "It just can't, Neji."

Sakura couldn't take it anymore, "What, Hinata, do you know about him? I don't want to believe it either, but he was there when Naruto disappeared. He and Naruto have had encounters like this before it was only a matter of time before one of them took their rivalry too far!"

"Y-you, of course, given your…reputation, probably only saw his looks and th-thought nothing about how he actually is! He's a good person, I know he is!"

Sakura was hurt if nothing else. She had never heard Hinata speak to anyone like that. She never imagined her to actually speak her mind to people and this was completely uncharacteristic of her. The kunoichi continued to blame her behavior on the recent news, though her gut guessed otherwise.

"I," Hinata began, noticing her error, "I apologize S-Sakura; that was completely out of l-line." Sakura only looked at her.

Hinata spoke again, "Okay, what if I ask him about it? About Naruto, I mean. Maybe what he says will convince me."

"No," Neji interjected, "he may be crippled, but that doesn't mean his brain has gone to mush. You'd have a better chance at taking him to the funeral and have him take a look at Naruto, thus either revealing his guilt through his facial features, or having his amnesia about the events alleviated."

Hinata smiled. She knew he was being sarcastic, but the idea was just too good to pass up.

"I'm going to bring him to the funeral."

Sasuke waited for Hinata come bounding into his room like she always did, preparing to talk his ear off about his recovery speed and her garden. However, for a long time she never came and when she did, Sasuke could sense something was wrong with her. She was sad and...didn't look at him the same way. He couldn't figure it out. Had he done something that he wasn't aware of? Hinata Hyuuga usually looked bubbly and happy when she looked into his eyes, but now...there was only a mild sense of happiness.

"Hinata," he said as she changed his bandages that night, "did I do something?"

Oh, he chose his words all too perfectly.

She looked at him, "Did you do something to make you think that I think you did something?"

Ugh...I hate it when people do that, he thought, just like my mother.

"No."

"Then no," she said and went back to her bandaging.

At least...I hope that's a no.

In the few days past, Hanabi had warmed up to Sasuke Uchiha and his personality and Sasuke had really come to respect and feel less contempt for Hinata. Hinata had remained how she had been ever since he had first met her. She was kind, caring, compassionate, yet timid and soft-spoken. Hinata still changed Sasuke's bandages and sometimes helped him get ready for a very uncomfortable bath, but he was getting used to the feeling and was learning how to do so without her and she felt that in no time he would no longer need her.

For some reason, this discouraged her. She guessed it was because she actually enjoyed having him around. He had an attitude and he didn't really talk much, but he listened and was always willing to help her with whatever she needed help with, within his limitations of course.

"Uchiha-san," Hinata said one evening, as the three tenants of the home sat down and ate breakfast together, "you seem to be recovering nicely. D-do you want to go back to your platoon?"

He barely looked up from his plate, "You're asking me if I want to go back to the smell of sulfur and mustard gas. If I want to go back to the deafening sound of paper bomb explosions and the screaming of the injured. You're asking me if I want to go back to starvation and feverish cold. That's what you're expecting me to just welcome with open arms, 'Come and get me war! I love you!'"

Hinata wanted to say, "I get it! Damn!" but she held her tongue and said, "Sorry..."

"Sis," Hanabi spoke up, "I don't know why he's complaining, taking care of him has been much harder than war."

Hinata laughed and Sasuke scowled at the young girl from across the table.

Hinata came into Sasuke's room after dinner that night to check his wounds.

She looked dully at him as she undid the bandages already wrapped around his healing head.

"You said," she began as she combed through his hair with her hands. She was hoping to observe the progress in the healing of her head wound, "that you did not remember h-how you got this, right?"

"Right."

"Do...d-do you remember anything else about that day?"

Sasuke actually put thought into this. He was wondering the same thing himself. What did he remember about that day?

Sasuke! Come back! Sasuke...

"A voice...that's it. Someone was calling me. I don't know who though and I don't recognize the voice," he replied.

The Hyuuga nodded in acceptance, willing to move on from that, but then Sasuke had a question of his own.

"Why?"

Hinata, for once, could not answer this question of his with either a truth or a lie.

"Curiosity, I suppose," she said finally.

"Hn. Maybe there's a reason that I can't remember what happened that day."

Hinata looked up in surprise. That was the closest she had gotten to a deep, thoughtful statement from the stoic ninja. She started to wonder about that very same question. There was always a reason for everything right?

"Uchiha-san," she said after she tightly wound the bandage on his head, "do you know about the Hokage? The new one?"

"Yeah, Uzumaki Naru-"

He stopped cold. Something about that name resonated in his mind, but the two things would not connect. He sat there for a good ten seconds, mulling over the name in his mind.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"I...don't remember him," he said finally.

Hinata looked at him quizzically, wondering what was wrong with him. She left him alone in the room and turned off the lights.

The funeral would be tomorrow.

...Returning to the Hidden Village...

Yeah, that Hanabi rant thing was just a little something to increase tension, hopefully leading up the question that's been on everyone's mind. So, stay tuned if you can wait long enough.

Ah, I think I need help. I'm in love with SasuHina way too much.

~M.o.t.C