Chapter Two: Arrival

A/N: So sorry for such a late update! My homework is piling up on me. Thanks to all my awesome reviewers who reviewed! You all rock!

Sasuke came to a rude awakening that morning by none other than Naruto, who woke up to catch some fish for breakfast. Sasuke already hated Naruto enough, and would continue hating him for the whole mission, but to wake him up from his peaceful slumber? Especially when his dream had been about a certain white-eyed girl…

"Naruto.." Sasuke mumbled, rubbing his eyes open. "Don't make me have to…"

His threat was empty, because out of nowhere came her voice.

"Naruto-kun, are you in here?" Hinata asked softly. She was standing outside the tent obviously unaware that he, Sasuke, was not Naruto and never would be. But at that moment, he wished he was, so Hinata's calls would be directed towards him.

But what to say? During this whole time, Sasuke had not talked to Hinata. Heck, Naruto had, and Sakura said a word or two. But him? Heck no. This wouldn't leave a good impression.

But what to say? He asked himself again.

"Uh…Naruto's not here right now…" Sasuke mumbled, and he could see in his mind Hinata turning red.

"Oh, I'm sorry, never mind…" she said softly again. Sasuke heard her feet scramble away. Sasuke sighed, something he had been doing very often nowadays. He had messed up his only chance to talk to Hinata.

The sullen Sasuke stepped out of the tent and stretched. Today was going to be a long day. He noticed Kakashi-sensei sitting by a campfire, reading Icha Icha Paradise, and Sasuke wondered if that book was somehow endless. Shouldn't he have finished it by now?

"Ohayou, Sasuke. Good morning. You have finally waken up, I see." Kakashi said with a smile. The mask Kakashi wore may have covered up his face, but the bond student and sensei shared was so deep, Sasuke felt Kakashi smiling, more than saw it.

"Good morning," Sasuke returned politely, although his mind was on other things. "Naruto has went to catch breakfast? Where is the river?"

"Naruto and the others went that way." Kakashi instructed, pointing with his book northward. "Naruto is putting on some sort of show for them while he catches fish.."

Kage Bunshin…Sasuke thought as he raced towards the river. "Thanks!" Sasuke told his sensei. Kakashi only nodded, engulfed in his book.

Sasuke had predicted correctly. Dozens of Naruto clones were tackling fish in the water, just like he had did in the Forest of Death. Sasuke sighed, remembering how he had only caught three fish that day. Not wanting to reduce himself to eating only one fish for breakfast, he walked over to the group, pulled a kunai from his back pocket, and waiting carefully.

He made no acknowledgement about Sakura, and he tried his best to ignore Naruto and his clones, but when Hinata looked over at him briefly, and gave her a smile, which made her blush. Feeling triumphant, he tossed his kunai into the water, and sure enough, it had stuck to a fish.

His cool-ness was coming back to him, not like how he had lost it when Hinata approached his tent. Naruto, all of his clones, Sakura and Hinata all looked at him in amazement. Naruto had been splashing around for hours, but Sasuke caught a fish with one swish of his hand.

"You idiot, you'll never catch anything if you go swimming in the water like it's some sort of party, you have to be quiet." Sasuke said smoothly. "Get the kunai out of the fish and bring it on the shore… I'll take care of the fishing from here."

Grumbling, Naruto made his clones disappear and brought the fish to the shore. Sasuke smirked at him, which made Naruto growl again. If Naruto was going to try and take Hinata away from him, the least he could do was make him mad.

A dozen fish were caught by Sasuke seven minutes later, which made Naruto even more frustrated, which made Sasuke happy. Cooking the fish carefully, they each helped themselves to two, except for Kakashi, who ate four, claiming that reading so much required brain food. After letting their food settle, Kakashi told them to pack up camp, and that they were heading out to the Mist Village again.

"Naruto-kun…how long will it take to get there?" Hinata asked the blonde ninja softly. But Naruto was too busy thinking about how he was the one who should have gotten to eat four fish and not Kakashi. Sasuke swooped in on his cue.

"It shouldn't take too long." he told her, while picking up the sticks everyone had used to roast their fish on. "I've been there before, and it hasn't taken too long to get there."

"Oh…thank you, Sasuke-kun…"Hinata said, toying with her fingers again.

Did you hear that? Sasuke screamed in his head. She said, 'Sasuke-kun!' She said my name!

Coming back to reality, Sasuke dared to keep talking.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you going there anyway? Is it something to do with you dad?"

Hinata turned bright red, and looked down at her feet. "My father...doesn't want me to talk about it…"

"But surely you can tell us, I mean, we are the ones escorting you after all."

"I'm sorry…I can't…" Hinata said, backing away. "I have to go…" and with that she ran off to pack her sleeping bag away.

Sasuke felt like stabbing himself. He had gotten too cocky and screwed up his chance at talking to Hinata. With a sigh, he fished up packing and joined up with the rest of his teammates. With a slight nod, Kakashi told them, "We're on the road again, keep alert for any dangers on the way."

Sasuke was silent for most of the walk. He was too engulfed in his thoughts to even pay attention. If someone killed him now, he probably wouldn't even notice. Sakura came up to him a couple of times to say something, but Sasuke didn't take notice to her either.

Finally, the team came to the same boat they had used to get the Village Hidden in the Mist last time they had went. Silently, Sasuke helped his sensei row it.

Hours passed, the sun set, Naruto feel asleep, mumbling about ramen. Sasuke was in his own world, where Hinata and him were together, alone, and filled with joy. He finally brought out of his trance by Hinata's voice.

"It's beautiful!"

"Wha…me…?" he mumbled to himself. He then realized that unfortunately, Hinata wasn't referring to him, but to the Village Hidden in the Mist. You couldn't see it too good, since the mist shrouded most of it, but it was certainly beautiful, and much better looking now that Gatou and his goons were gone.

Or maybe it was the fact that Hinata and Sasuke were in the Hidden Mist Village together. Maybe that's what made it more beautiful.

A/N: YAY! Chapter2 is done! Some familiar faces will be coming up soon! Also, keep on reviewing! It makes me feel happy and special. Oh, and don't forget about the killer rabbits!