Sorry for the long wait, but you know how it is: School, teachers, parents. Well I read the summary of the latest Manga. It's getting great. It seems Sasuke only has one eyeball now.

Chapter 8

Sasuke stood in shame and embarrassment, as the "Flying Dragon Restaurant" burned to the ground. The restaurant that had been around since the early beginnings of the village was engulfed in flames.

'This will be the first and last time I willingly take Naruto anywhere ever again' the Uchiha thought dismally, as he stood paying the owner and profusely apologizing for everything.

'I only have myself to blame for this. I knew better, but I just had to have my way.'

His eyes drifted to Naruto who was being comforted by Hinata and Sakura. Naruto is the constant thorn in my side, Naruto the guy who keeps besting me in every fight, now he's Naruto the fire starter.

Flashback

To say Naruto was ecstatic that they were going out with Sakura was an under statement. I kept the part about Hinata to myself knowing the fool had a crush on the heiress. After that I wrestled and fought with him to get him out of that orange getup, which took almost two hours. By the time I was through with that chore, I was tired and didn't feel up to going, but this was the chance I needed to get some much needed time with Sakura.

Meeting the girls at the restaurant, Naruto almost bolted at seeing Hinata. Before he could make a run for it, Hinata grabbed him by the arm dragging him in. I escorted Sakura in, while we both shared a laugh at the expense of our friend, who was muttering death treats to me.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was very alluring. The dinners they made were divine. They also had a tendency to show off, one of the reasons why they went up in flames.

Hinata was teasing Naruto mercilessly. He was stuttering, with a light perspiration covered his brow to answer her questions. Sakura thought his fidgeting was cute by the way her smile reached her eyes as it had in the past.

She even gave in to giggling as Naruto was about to eat a hot piece of meat with his chopsticks, when Hinata stopped him.

"Naruto it's too hot to eat, you'll burn your tongue off." She told him softly. "Here let me help you."

Hinata brought his hand across the table, bent her body forward, and blew on the meat to cool it. Hinata bent her body to give Naruto a view of her cleavage, and being Naruto he stared shamelessly. His big blue eyes alternated between her lightly painted lips to the curves of her chest.

I kicked the idiot to stop his drooling. It was considered a sin to look at heiress like that. In the past it was a quick way to die. Once that was taken care of he went back to stuttering foolishly, and I turned my sights on Sakura.


I even tried to make conversation with Sakura, which wasn't easy. What was I to say? 'Hey Sakura welcome back, why the hell did you move in with that bastard Sai?'

Luckily, for me she started the conversation.

"Hey, congratulations I heard you're getting married, I'm happy you found that special person." She smiled cheerily.

"Happy?" I mocked. "This coming from my number one fan girl, the girl who loves me with all her heart is happy for me. I smirked arrogantly at her.

"First of all deflate the ego, you really think too much of yourself. She teased coyly. "Second I stop being one of your loser fan girls the moment I realized how foolish it was to hero worship… well…you."

"You make it sound like a sin." I said knowing what she was getting at. "By way Ino's gossip is out of date. I'm not getting married. It was arranged by my parents, but since their death I was permitted to break it."

"I see."

"Are you having second thoughts of being my number one fan girl?"

She scoffed. "You wish."

'I do wish.' I thought. I was glad she bought that up so I could get the record straight.

"So?" I started again.

"So what?"

"There's a burning question in your eyes. A question everyone desires to know." I told her. He could see the same question in her eyes that he saw, from all the villagers. "Was it worth it?"

"You still presume too much of yourself. There is a question I would liked answered, but as far as your defection, I have no questions or accusations concerning past events." She answered thinking of her own indiscretions.

Apart of me thought she was lying, but being around Ororchimaru has taught me to detect liars.

"So what's your question?"

I could tell she was debating, wondering if it was the right place to ask. Yet before she could ask, screams filled the air.

I looked up to see Naruto missing from the seat next to me. I stood and scanned for Naruto, and then I wish I hadn't. Ignorance was bliss sometimes.

Naruto was trying to put out a flame from one of the waiters serving tray, but the waiter fell. His still flaming tray, hit the ground, ad slid into a wall clothe in fine Japanese fabrics. Immediately the cloth caught fire as well, which Naruto only made worse by throwing an alcoholic beverage on it. Now the whole wall caught fire.

By now most of the patrons had fled.

Seeing it was time to step in I noticed Naruto's shadow clones all holding drinks to put out the fire, and all of them held some type of alcohol in them.

End Flashback

I stood listening now to a soot covered Naruto saying he was sorry, as I called him the usual idiot, and other horrid names.

It wasn't till I felt the sting of a slap did I stop my onslaught. I peered angrily into the eyes of Hinata, who stood stiffly with her hands on her hips.

"It was accident, he only tried to help." She said "You're supposed to be his best friend, but yet you look down on him when it's convenient for you, or when he makes you look good. If you're going to be his friend, then please do so, but you make up your mind."

I could tell a warning was hanging in the air. She turned and walked Naruto away from the scene, to help him forget the night.

"Tough one isn't she." I heard Sakura say. "She really isn't accustom to you and Naruto's relationship. She doesn't know that it's routine for you two to say anything, and five minutes everything's forgiven."

I began to walk Sakura to Sai's apartment, still shell shocked, from the slap I received from the seemingly shy Hyuuga.

"I take it you don't like this new Hinata?" Sakura asked

"Its not that, I just never, expected that reaction from her. From you maybe." I added.

"I the number one fan girl hit my lord." Sakura curtseyed

I took her by the hands and pulled her close until out bodies touched. "I knew my number one fan couldn't resist returning to the ranks."

She laughed as I spun her until her back was to my chest. It was an intimate setting beginning the only ones on the street. For a moment it was perfect. She had let her walls down, and it seemed we genuinely made a connection, until the bane of my existence shattered the moment.

"Sakura. Uchiha. The intruding voice called.

"Sai." I gritted out. "I thought you were on a mission."

"Not that it was any of your business, but our mission was a false one. Just a couple of rouges wanting to play ninja. Of course you'd know all about those rouges wouldn't you."

Sai was deliberately trying to goad me into looking bad in front of Sakura, but I didn't give him the satisfaction of my wrath. It'd be a waste of my talent. Yet, he did accomplish what he set out to do. I could look at Sakura and tell her defenses were back in place. So I played Sai's game for now.

"Sakura it's late since my compound is on the other side of the village, and since you've taken up temporary residence for the time being I'll let Sai see you back safely."

"Okay" she complied.

I turned and start heading back the other way, but turned back to see Sai trying to get information out of her. I called her name to get her attention, and just to annoy Sai.

"You had a question, you wanted answered earlier, I never caught it."

Sakura looked to Sai back to me. "Um some other time perhaps."

"Of course." I answered, heading back.

That was last week Sakura almost asked Sasuke the question about the1 truth of her mother's death. Had Sai been right, about Sasuke in his involvement, or was it the case of wrong place, wrong time. She wanted to know, but the way she acted with Sasuke a week ago told her to stay away as far as possible. She had let herself go with him, and for the briefest moment she felt the baggage she was carrying around lighten.

She wondered if it was residual feelings from her childhood that made her act that way. Since she didn't know she spent the whole week avoiding him and Sai.

Now she stood in Hinata's room helping her get ready for tonight's ceremony.

Hinata was fuming. The clan hadn't said anything about the ceremony since she wiped the floor with their spoiled brat.

"I don't know Sakura they've all been quiet the last few days. It like they all have some big secret they're keeping.

"Well it could be many things, but one thing you know is they can't go back in their agreement. Hanabi agreed as did they, so I don't think you should worry.

"Perhaps," she said tapping her finger on her chin in wonderment. "But every gut feeling tells me they have something planned."

Sakura didn't want to upset Hinata further, but she also noticed the smug looks on some of their faces every time they saw Hinata.

"Maybe your right, so just incase we should be on the look out for anything out of the ordinary."

Hinata looked to Sakura as she slid a kunai pouch up her thigh under her kimono. She also start making adjustments to both their dresses if they had to be removed promptly.

"I wouldn't put it past the elders, to hire an assassin." Hinata bit out.

"What of your father? Surely he wouldn't allow that." Sakura mused remembering the look of pride he held when she beat Hanabi.

Hinata shook her head. Her father would never let that happen unless he didn't know.

Seeing Hinata's haunted look. "Hey, I'll be right there with you." She vowed.

Hinata smiled and nodded as they finished the alterations for their weapons and dresses.

That night Konoha's clans, and prominent members of society were their once again to witness the exchange of title.

Sasuke had brought Naruto since he would have tried to sneak in, to where he wasn't invited. He had wanted to go speak with Sakura, but noticed her heightened alertness. Her eyes would scan the crowd like a pro for anything suspicious. She even looked to the rafters as if looking for an assassin to jump down. He also noticed Hinata doing the same.

He did a sweep himself and noticed no one could get in or out, unless they were already here. Sakura's paranoia was enough for him to believe, so he kept his own eyes peeled for them.

Hinata sat at the family table with Neji, her father, and Hanabi. She noticed Neji never met her eyes when she spoke to him, neither did her father. The only one who acted if all was well was Hanabi.

She cast a nervous glance at Sakura who was sitting in the guest area. Sakura nodded her a reassurance.

Now it was time for the passing of the title. Her father stood at the podium, making his speech.

"Now I give you the new leader and future of our clan my daughter… Hanabi."

Hinata's lips parted in a gasp. She craned her neck to her sister who smiled smugly at her, as she got up from her seat and approached the stage.

She turned to Neji who found the floor very interesting. Finally she turned to her father who refused to meet her stare.

Hanabi was on the stage accepting her title. She turned to the elders who didn't look at her, but who clapped and praised Hanabi. While everyone one was up clapping, she glanced back to her father who now stared at her sympathetically.

Hinata turned away from her father for the final time, ignoring Neji's attempts to make her stay.

The now former lord looked into the thunderous eyes of his other daughter. He knew she wouldn't be pleased but the hate that now resided in her eyes for him, told him he'd never be forgiven.

Now she was walking out of his life for good, as calmly as walked out the ballroom doors with Sakura in tow.

Well there you have it. Please Review!!