Disclaimer: I don't own the anime, manga or anything justly of naruto.

Chapter Six

It's Already Over

Something was nudging her side forcing her to blink open her lilac colored eyes. Hinata shot up her byakugan instantly activating itself out of reflex, was something wrong? She focused onto the only other person in the tent who was staring down at her, ready to go. Were all Uchiha early to wake? She recalled briefly of the younger brother Sasuke who was always in class before even the teacher. He was originally a very bright boy always enthusiastic then came the massacre; she only overheard her father talking about it once before she was caught.

There were even some girls back in her class who had walked (now that she thinks back wouldn't their way of walking have been a piteously done strut?) Right up to him and asked if he really was the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. After all even before then many girls had admired him, after the massacre it just seemed that he withdrew into himself. Unfortunately the girls had thought it was his way of showing he wasn't affected. But it had been the opposite hadn't it? Hinata thought remembering when she once tried to speak with him.

She had timidly asked if he were okay, he had shot her a sharp glare before ignoring her entirely. Of course she had given him a bento box anyway. She didn't expect him to eat it but it was her way of trying to help, surprisingly he had stopped her after class with a small almost unnoticeable 'Thanks'. She had been happy to help even so much as to bring him a bento until they graduated. She had thought back then if she could become familiar with such a dark presence she would gain the courage to give a bento to Naruto.

Of course things didn't always work that way for Hinata who at the time was hoping to have gotten Naruto in her squad, not that she wasn't happy with her current group. After all Shino (like her) understood the need for silence but also knew that you needed to break it once in a while so as to get an awkward silence. Oh how she dreaded those where she would try to start a conversation only to trip over her own words.

Then there was Kiba whom she had adopted as an older brotherly figure as at that time Neji had detested her, of course that was the past. She smiled at the first meeting of team eight, it was such a boisterous impression she thought lightly.

~Flash Back~

Hinata was currently walking to the grounds she was supposed to meet her sensei and team; she arrived but the two Shino and Kiba right? Were fighting rather roughly the one with shades cleverly maneuvering around the other boy with the dog.

Hinata had run out ignoring whatever second thoughts she might have had by shouting (if you could call that shouting.)

"P-Please! D-don't fight!" she hadn't even known what had started it but she was never a violent person to begin with. The two had both stopped and stared at her, she froze under their gazes. Were they scrutinizing her like the Hyuuga elders?

She hadn't guess that they were both wondering why such a petite girl was trying to be a ninja; she had looked too kind-hearted for that. It was only just after that their Sensei Kurenai had shown up.

~Flash Back End~

"Stop day dreaming Hyuuga." Itachi's voice snapped her back into reality she had gotten dressed and they had been packing the camp when she had apparently zoned off. How had that even happened anyway? It was only a moment ago that she was laying in her futon half-asleep, then again she had done this before at the Hyuuga household. She picked up her bag and used a water style jutsu to wash away evidence of their being there. It wouldn't be noticed after the storm they had just last night.

She involuntarily thought about when she had tripped into the tent, she would never stop being such a klutz would she? Then she thought about how Itachi hadn't thrown her off in disgust or freaked out. He had merely said he'd like his space back, which is best from what she could have, SHOULD have expected. She shook her head as they continued down the path only to nearly ram into his back.

"Shouldn't you have treated my eyes by now?" he questioned his dark eyes flashing with SOMETHING she just couldn't place her finger on it. Just as she was about to answer a low growl echoed from the left, she turned quickly dropping into her stance byakugan activated. Her stance vanished as soon as she got a good look at the chakra patterns.

"K-Kiba!" Hinata said as said dog ninja appeared with his giant white dog Akamaru following him. Kiba didn't smile at her though his sharp animalistic eyes pinned down on the uchiha. Akamaru's fur was fluffed up making him appear larger then he already was, a low growl emanating from the back of his throat.

"So this is why you ran off. Were you supposed too?" he questioned not letting his guard slip. Hinata gave a curt nod which caused kiba walk over to her akamaru standing behind itachi.

"I don't care if you are an s-class Akatsuki member. Don't you dare speak to her that way again." Kiba growled Akamaru barking in agreement. Hinata jumped a little before pulling Kiba down a little bit.

"P-please don't f-fight h-he's l-like that." She didn't think it would be smart to tell kiba about when she heard him shouting out in his sleep, she wasn't even sure if he remembered that. She shivered at the thought; she certainly wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. After all the past is best left as it is. The past.

"Just like Sasuke huh?" kiba snorted petting Akamaru. Hinata couldn't help but feel miffed at that comment even if it wasn't meant for her. Itachi and Sasuke were completely different people. She just knew it. But why was she defending him? Why both of them?

"Yes why indeed little hyuuga?" Hinata inwardly scowled she thought that she had merely imagined that voice before.

'What d-do you w-want?' she thought hoping it would leave her alone.

"Just to help little hyuuga! Your confused aren't you?" Hinata couldn't deny that she WAS confused but she wanted to know if she was still sane or not.

'W-who a-are you?' she received a bell like laughter and flinched gaining Kiba's attention.

"You're not hurt are you? I swear if you did anything to her I'll!" Kiba threatened before he was interrupted by whom he was just threatening.

"I did nothing inuzuka she is merely thinking." His tone was bored and dull sounding yet it sent an icy chill up her spine. She didn't like it. At all.

"W-we better g-go I-if we're going t-to reach the v-village." Hinata stuttered resisting the urge to hide behind kiba like she used to do so many times before her father had told her to stop hiding. Kiba scanned her face which heated from the intense look as usual.

"If we run we can make it." She said surprised that she had spoken without a stutter. Kiba scoffed and made Itachi start to run Akamaru on his heels with kiba on the left while she took the right. The silence was deafening and she thought she would suffocate if someone didn't say SOMETHING. She activated her Byakugan and focused on evening her own chakra hoping it would sooth her nerves.

"Ugh…" Kiba jolted to a stop startling Hinata and Akamaru "ack!" she turned to the center of their group and stared at Itachi who was coughing into his hand. Kiba gave her a questioning look which she pleadingly gazed back with her trademark hyuuga colored eyes. He sighed and he jumped into the low branch of a tree Akamaru by her side.

"U-Uchiha-san? W-we should c-check y-your wounds." He gave her a blank look but she led him near the river anyways, why was he so corporative with their group though? Most even in his condition would have fought back by now, so why didn't he? Why did he just listen? Not that she minded but from what little she could remember of the Uchiha clan shouldn't he have been the least bit more prideful or stubborn?

She focused and activated her Byakugan and began to unclog the chakra build ups and loosen the pressure on his lungs before pulling away satisfied that she was able to do that much at least.

Itachi inwardly smiled as her chakra contacted with his own paths shutting them off effectively, he hadn't felt a chakra so pure in a kunochi of such an age. It really was nice to see that at least one person wasn't effected by the Akatsuki so much that they changed their chakra.

Like Sasuke's his had changed so much from his innocent little brother he used to see tackle him at the door asking if they could play. If only he hadn't needed to shatter such beautiful innocence. Yet as a shinobi it was bond to be broken sooner or later. He preferred it later rather then sooner.

He felt something touch his arm and help him up; he stared in the hyuuga girl's direction. All he could make out was a blur of white where her eyes were and her long indigo colored hair. But that was all he would ever see from now until his death in konoha he knew. He hadn't even been able to see Sasuke's face as he had said goodbye for what he 'thought' would be his death.

Then SHE healed him. A Hyuuga. Hyuuga's held high grudges against the Uchiha and their suspicion was proven to be true, that night. Yet SHE didn't have any ill-will towards him, he could feel the glare from her inuzuka friend though. Could the girl even hate anyone? For some reason he doubted that, and he was happy. Happy that she seemed so incapable of such a strong and disgusting emotion. One that could easily lead you down the line into insanity. He only hoped that his little brother would do no such thing.

"Come on we're here." The Inuzuka said snapping him out of his thoughts, none of which he should be having. Tsunade will surely take his life after all he in the end is guilty of eradicating the entire uchiha clan. Driving his brother to orochimaru whom was stuck in the totsuka blade but still. He was worthy of no second chances his hands were stained with the blood of innocence no matter how hard you try to find a way around it.

Because in the end. He knew he had a choice. What he had chosen had saved the village's peace but forever scarred his brother's his precious little brother's mind.

Hinata knocked on the door where the hokage tsunade was waiting.

"Come in already!" Hinata walked in before bowing her head and waiting for her next departure. She heard the chair scrap backwards and was shocked when Tsunade walked right PAST her and to Kiba.

"Kiba leave I only assigned Hyuuga Hinata to escort Uchiha Itachi here. I appreciate your thoughtfulness but I only assign what I think my Shinobi and kunochi are capable of." Kiba looked ready to protest when Tsunade gave him a sharp cold glare. He gulped almost inaudibly but it was still heard in the now quiet room, well quiet to everybody else. Hinata was so nervous has she taken to long in getting to Konoha? She focused on the wind brushing the vegetation against the windows in order to distract herself.

"Yes Tsunade-Sama." Kiba muttered exiting the room with a miffed Akamaru. Tsunade walked past them and sat at her desk the paper work literally billowing in masses. There were even stacks on the floor! Of course she has seen this before but it never ceased to amaze her at the sheer amount of it all, and how quickly it needed to be done only to increase ten-fold the next day.

"Hyuuga Hinata you passed your mission. Here." She motioned for her to come to the desk which she did, Tsunade dropped a small pouch which held her pay. Before drawing her to where she could whisper something without being overheard.

"Come back in Thirty minutes. No more. No less." Hinata nodded and poofed from the room in a small plume of smoke.