I don't own Naruto.......

Sasuke was sitting in the ramen shop waiting for an early breakfast. He finally had something to do, a mission, and was heading out in a few hours.

"Hey! Sasuke! What're you doing here this early?" the most cheery of voices came from behind him.

"I wish I could ask you the same question." he replied simply taking a sip from his tea.

"I have a mission and I need to head out early."

"Ah. Finally back in the action, eh?" the blonde quizzed.

"You could say that."

"Hope you're not rusty." he smiled laughing.

A bowl was placed in front of each of them and they began to eat.

Naruto finished two bowls by the time Sasuke was finished his one and was already heading out.

"See ya later Sasuke! Don't get killed!"

"You doubt my skill? Do you not remember the last times we met in battle; my almost killing you?"

Naruto's face grew hard. "You don't have to take things so seriously all the time ya know." With that he left down the road shaking his head, hands in his pockets.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" he grumbled back, not acknowledging his surprise of Hinata's unnoticed appearance. She had at some point taken a seat a two stools over from his own.

"Being swelled by simple words trying to save your pride.

"How weak." she muttered this, her tone pitiful.

He tried to pay little mind, but her words cut deep. The worst part was he knew she knew mentioning his weakness was a weakness of his in itself.

He had to keep his cool, to be the Sasuke he wanted others to see. He took the high road only for that sake and walked away.

- - - - -

His assassination mission was a success. The target had been eliminated.

It was evening now, the sky shimmering hues of pink and violet.

After reporting to the Hokage he walked to the training grounds, not yet sure whether he planned to train or reminisce.

He had been given back his sword for the mission. It was wonderful to have his primary weapon back; to be carrying out missions, fighting, killing, it was refreshing to say the least.

Arriving at the training grounds Sasuke could only stand frozen in reverie. Memories came flooding back to him in waves.

He had detached himself from all of these feelings and now they were bombarding his barriers. Instinctively he drew his sword and struck out at one of the pells, beginning his counter-attack.

He had to remind himself why he was here. An Uchiha wrath would be cast upon Konoha. Too much had been done to prepare for that day, he wouldn't ruin that now.

Once he felt he had control again, he sat down leaning against the wood and closed his eyes, calming his thoughts and clearing his mind to his goal.

Then he wondered to the Trojan Horse of all dilemmas. Hinata.

She was so enticing, so inviting-to him and self-wise to his personal life. What to do about her.

He couldn't seem to get away from her. It seemed the woman was everywhere he went! Maybe she was sent by the Hokage to keep an eye on him, maybe it was just a coincidence. She could even be seeking him out on her own accord. Whatever the case was, he couldn't let her interfere with his planning.

- - - -

It had been a good four days and walking was much easier by now. Hinata was on her way to the nearest training area to test out her leg.

She had been keeping to the regular stretches Sakura had made her promise to commit to each day to help her muscles stay in shape while they healed and felt like she made sufficient progress.

In a grassy patch of open space, the injured ninja slowly stretched her body, bending all different ways to loosen every muscle she could. When stretching her leg she was carful to move steadily to lesson the tearing of the cell bonds as they tried to heal.

Feeling loose, the Jyuuken user fell into stance and began breathing exercises. Calmed she continued to venture further, moving slightly faster each time she completed each motion.

She began punches and jabs, getting used to the steps again; then ducks and squats-these she had to go much slower on, but she still got through them.

Risen to full height, Hinata turned and chambered for a kick with her left, but her right leg was unable to hold her weight and take the sudden turn; it buckled and collapsed. She fell to the ground and let out a small cry of pain before biting her bottom lip to restrain anymore sound.

'Stupid. I should have thought of the strain the twist would put on my leg. I hope I didn't do too much damage.'

She was about to check the muscles and tendons in her leg with her Byakugan when she heard rustling on the other side of the grounds.

- - -

A short, piercing scream awoke the Uchiha from his rest, being a light sleeper by necessity. His head instantly snapped toward the sound.

'Hinata?'

He had to admit this was getting ridiculous but he dropped the thought when he saw her on the ground. The sound he had heard now registered as one of pain and his attitude became serious.

Sasuke stood and paced over to her vicinity.

About to activate her bloodline to find the source of the noise, she now found she didn't need to.

'Of course. Of all people.'

He looked her in the eye. She snapped her head away from his gaze but she could still feel his eyes on her and his approaching presence. He stood next to her not making a sound.

"What do you want Uchiha?" she spat agitated with his lack of motion.

His response was only to sit down next to her on the grass, his legs folded under him.

She shot him a glare and turned immediately when he stared into her.

'What is his deal?'

"What's wrong?"

She couldn't help but blink. What?

When she didn't answer he asked again.

"Are you okay?"

Silence.

Sasuke wasn't exactly a patient man, but he wanted to prove her wrong on everything she thought of him, and for some reason, he felt like he had general motivation otherwise-if even only a little bit.

"Is it your leg? Has it been healing properly?"

He moved to lay a light hand on her limb, but before it was in range her hand bisected his line of movement in a swift motion. He caught her wrist and held it secure.

She reacted by instantly sending out a pulse of chakra, but he had expected as much and had already sent off his own to cancel hers.

Frustrated she turned back to face him, her expression angry. She tried to pull away, he pulled her closer, their faces now only a foot apart.

"What happened?"

It seemed she didn't have much of a choice now. He was stubborn and she would need help with her leg.

"I re-injured it." she gave in dejectedly.

"Can you move it?"

She tried, but when she disturbed it it hurt like hell. Biting her lip again she shook her head; the smallest of tears trickled down her cheek. She was embarrassed and ashamed by her actions.

With his free hand Sasuke wiped the drop away. "It'll be alright. I'll go get Sakura." He took off in a flash and started for the hospital.

Hinata touched her damp cheek with the arm he had held. Who was this man?

- - -

"Sakura!" he ran into Konoha Hospital in search of the medic nin. A receptionist at the front desk looked up at him as he came toward her.

"Sakura-sama should be on break now. I can have her paged if it's urgent?"

"Yes. Please hurry." he urged.

In minutes Sakura was coming down the hall at a slow jog.

'Sasuke?'

Before she could ask he filled her in.

"I found Hinata-san in a training area on the ground in pain. She can't move her right leg." he dictated calmly.

The pink-haired kunoichi could deduct the details on her own, but why was Sasuke involved?

"Lead me to her."

- - -

"So stupid." she muttered under her breath. She had checked into her leg with her Byakugan. The muscles that had been healing were torn back apart and she was bleeding internally.

She made sure that her eyes stayed open and performed deep breathing exercises to try to numb the pain.

"Hinata!"

It was Sakura's voice; thank goodness!

She looked up at the woman as she knelt down to her level to look at her leg.

"I tore muscle and I'm bleeding pretty bad."

Looking past her Hinata saw the man that brought her savior to her. He kept his distance but stuck around incase he was needed.

As Sakura began working on the leg she asked for the execution story.

"I was taking my time, slowly stretching and working my way up exercises, I made a quick turn on my leg and it gave out from under me. Sasuke found me and went to get you.

I should know better. I shouldn't have moved too quickly on my leg while it was still healing."

"Try not to beat yourself up about it Hinata-chan. It was a reaction you're used to making, you're not used to having a damaged leg while doing it is all. Accidents happen. Your leg'll heal."

Hinata just kept her head down, avoiding eye contact. The pressure on her leg was being lifted as the bleeding stopped.

"Hey, at least it didn't open up right?"

"Yeah."

Hinata watched as her leg muscles were expertly sown back together with chakra. After Sakura was finished she felt much better, but it still hurt to move her leg much.

"That's all I can do for the time being. Now you'll just have to wait for it to begin healing on its own." she said standing up. "Sasuke, could you bring Hinata-chan to her apartment? I have to get back to the hospital."

"Hn." He didn't have much choice.

"Keep your leg elevated for the next twelve hours and don't walk on it for at least twenty-four. Got it?"

Hinata simply gave a small nod and was surprised when she was lifted into the air with utmost care.

Sakura left through the trees at a reasonable pace leaving the two alone.

Sasuke then headed for her apartment without a word, already knowing the way.

- - - -

He sat down next to her on the bed after he laid her down, softly as to not disturb her leg. It had been propped up with pillows to help her circulation as instructed.

"Thank you." she replied with a slightly strained politeness.

"Hn."

He was about to stand when her question stopped him.

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you help me?"

He stared at her a moment before he replied.

"I couldn't just leave you there."

"Why not?"

He hadn't thought about that much. He had just acted in the spur of the moment. It really wouldn't have been out of character to just walk away and leave her to suffer, but for some reason he didn't want that to happen.

"I'm not sure."

"I think...you want to change. You don't want to be cold-hearted and full of hatred anymore. You want to live the life you would have before you changed your ways."

There was a pause between them and the air around them grew deeply serious.

"You know nothing of how it felt." he whispered darkly.

"How it feels to lose your closest family, to be betrayed by the one you trusted most?

"Heh." she turned her head slightly so that she was no longer looking into his eyes. "I wish that were true." The Hyuuga's pale eyes portrayed strong emotions of painful memories.

"I can understand why you would do many of the things you did to become the way you are. All of the hate, the anger, the grief."

Sasuke was staring at her with an intensity that was hard to match. He could tell this woman had truly felt these things by the way she spoke of them. He had never met anyone he could relate to so well.

Soon he found himself drawing closer to the girl.

They were so close. Their faces not two inches apart now.

He leaned in to close the gap, but her head shot down to her right before he could.

"Gomen it's just that..I...I've never kissed anyone before."

The Uchiha looked at her with a warm smile and pulled her head up with the side of his finger under her chin to face his again.

"Neither have I. Or rather, not on purpose." he smiled into the kiss.

Her lips touched his, soft and pulled into the slightest of smiles herself.

She remembered that day. It was the day of their graduation from the ninja academy when Naruto stole Sasuke's first kiss.

What a way to lighten the mood.

Slowly as the memory faded so did their smiles as they focused on the present.

The kiss deepened when Hinata found initiative. She parted her lips taking to his bottom lip. He matched her desire taking to her top.

His hand found her face, her arms draped around his neck.

Eventually Sasuke pulled back knowing they each needed their rest. She was unwilling at first and tried to hold onto the kiss, but gave in when he broke off.

He gave her one of his one-sided smiles and kissed her forehead before letting his hand leave her face.

Giving him a pouty frown she let her arms slide off his shoulders allowing him to stand up.

"Don't worry. I won't be far." he chaffed.

He took the long way around as to not disturb her healing leg.

Hinata heard her door click shut and turned onto her side.

Silently the Uchiha slid into his bed letting out a small chuckle seeing her back facing him. He copied her position and put his head down to drift off.

- - - - -

I'm SO SO SORRY I haven't posted!! I'm a lying lair face and I deserve to be stoned. Considering how long I took I should owe you guys more than this but it is the longest chapter I've written like promised. I just finished finals and I'm still working on a project in my sculpture class. I'll post a link to pictures of it when it's finished ^^

-Complicated.