Sorry for keeping you hanging too long.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Im really sorry it took so long. I've been looking for a job so I frequently have no time to write. And most of the time I forget the scenes that I have thought earlier. HOPE this chapter would be enjoyable to all of you.

I don't own Naruto.

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"Well, what's your plan now that you've learned that Sasuke's back?" Ten-ten looked at Sakura intently.

"Yes, Sakura-chan… you should have a plan, are you going to pursue him or are you going to leave him alone now?" she heard Hinata speak. She was happy that even though Hinata has her own problems she still has the heart to help her friends.

"Naruto must be really dumb not to figure the great character of his wife" she thought. "That's right but I suggest you should leave him alone first and not let yourself run to him with open arms again or else you'd be in the same water just like before" she said facing her pink-haired friend again.

"I don't know… Since I've learned about his home coming I got confused. I don't even know what to feel" she could see Sakura is really miserable now.

"Now, now you two… don't you believe in the power of love anymore?" she said. "I believe that those boys will soon recognize that they were meant for you and to no other. Just look at Neji for example, he doesn't like me before. All he thinks it that I'm a wimp and a burden to him during missions. But look at us now; he had fallen head over heels for me that I could even cut his most precious hair without getting to the hospital like before."

"Do you honestly think that could also happen to us?" Sakura was somewhat hopeful.

"Well… I don't think so. After what he did to me, I don't think… I don't think I'd like to be with him anymore" the brunette said referring to her husband. But Ten-ten can hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh Hinata-chan, I think that Naruto already realized that he loves you. You should give him a chance; I strongly believe that being together with him would be the only way to have your happiness" she said.

"And besides, don't you know that loving doesn't mean being love, loving means giving love not taking love. When you love you don't expect that the love would always be returned right?" Sakura chimed in.

"Right" she smiled at Sakura seeing the renewed faith showing on her face. "Now all you've got to do is to make him realize how special you are and everything will be all right."

"Yeah, thanks Ten-ten-chan!" Sakura smiled at the same time embracing her.

"Well I guess your right Ten-ten-chan. He has done many sweet things lately, maybe I could try to be friendly with him at least but that would be all. I won't go confessing my love to him again" Hinata said with conviction.

"I think that would be a good start. After what happened to the two of you, you still don't want to forgive him don't you?" she said with a teasing voice.

"What happened? Did that dumb husband of yours did something wrong again Hina-chan?" Sakura butted in, her face ready to pound anything.

"No Saku-chan…" Hinata said. Ten-ten could see drops of sweat starting at the side of her friend's face that she could help but smile.

"No Saku-chan, it's something better!" she said excitedly.

"Ten-ten-chan!" Hinata was hysterical but her graceful self would not allow to show it.

"What?" she asked, her face looking more quizzical.

"Well, our friend here", she positioned herself at the back of Hinata, placing her face just above her shoulder to looked at Sakura "just spent a wonderful night with her most precious husband last night. Isn't it great Saku-chan!?"

"Oh, Hina-chan that's great! How was it, did you had a hard time? Your tummy is already big so it might be a hassle." Sakura spoke continuously, poking her side from time to time. Ten-ten was giggling at their side.

"Nn-no it's not. I--I can say that I e-enjoyed it, but I'm still ashamed of what I did. I don't even no why he did that" Hinata's face was red like a tomato.

"Hmn, this is new… Hinata would never admit things like this in public. Even though it's true she would never say private thoughts even to close friends" she thought with confidence.

"Well it's final then, you enjoyed it, and I am very, that is VERY, sure that Naruto enjoyed it also. So I think, we should wait and see if there would be more than what fate can offer,neh?" she said with a gleam in her eyes.

"Yeah, I hope my love story would be as great as yours Hinata-chan! You're so lucky!" Sakura said beaming.

"Well I should be going now; father might think that I'm wandering outside the city again. Lately he'd been more protective than usual" Hinata said.

"He's just excited for the latest addition to the family that's why he always wanted to see you to be sure your safe. It makes me excited to, who would the baby look like! Oh, I can't wait!" Sakura said.

"Okay, be careful on the way. I'd go with Saku-chan, I wanted to shop a little in the market downtown. See you later Hina-chan" she said as she kissed her friend goodbye.

"Oh I'm sorry Ten-ten-chan. Lady Tsunade is expecting me tonight. She said that she has an assignment for me. I feel bad that I can't come with you but I have been requesting Tsunade-sama this assignment for I haven't gotten one since I had duties in the hospital." Sakura said.

"Oh it's alright I can do it by myself. Some other time I guess. Take care" she said.

"You two Ten-chan and you, I could feel something good will happen to you tonight!" Sakura said winking at Hinata.

"I hope so. Bye you two and be careful" their hyuuga princess said chuckling.

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In the hokage tower…

Sasuke? Teme you're back!" Naruto was really shocked. A smile as wide as Canada tore his face.

"When did you arrive? Where's Orochimaru, what about Itachi?" he was in a daze seeing his best buddy back.

"Whoah dope, slow down" Sasuke can help but smile. His old teammate was still the same. He loved the feeling of being back to Konoha.

"Sasuke-teme you're really here! I can't believe it" Naruto jumped up to Sasuke just to end up crashing with him on the floor. In return Sasuke gave him a light blow in the face but he dodged it in a flash.

Everyone in the room was smiling. It's like they could see the two as the young ninja's who roam the streets of Konoha before. Even Tsunade had a snicker on her face.

"Wow that was quite a move. I can see your ability has changed but your attitude is still the same" Sasuke said chuckling.

"Oh you haven't seen the rest of what I can do. We should train from time to time." Naruto was really happy to see his old friend.

"Well you could do that after his reinstatement in Konoha Naruto. Right now we have to question him. I don't like to hear gossips that because he is a friend to the successor Hokage he did not undergo the proper process for rouge ninja's." Tsunade said. She still has her youthful-look, like she was never aging.

"But Baa-chan!" Naruto countered.

"Don't Baa-chan me. I told you to stop calling me that in public. You can have your orders once you're the Hokage but for now I will be the one in charge." Tsunade said looking a little pissed but everyone knows that she was only saying that.

"He would be under probation for three months before I allow him to be given assignments. And if he passed the needed requirements he would have the rank of a chuunin even though he would not have to take that exam. I know he's too strong for that now. That's all for today, Neji will bring you to your supervisor. She will see to it that you will be guarded 24 hrs a day."

"Arigato Tsunade-sama" Sasuke said bowing to Tsunade. He fully understands that it's not that easy to go back in Konoha after what he did in the past. He was already thankful that he was even allowed to enter the gates of this city. But to be given a rank of chuunin, it was a blessing.

"Would that be all Hokage-sama?" Neji asked with a smile on his face.

"He was not so serious like before. Maybe a little influence from her bubbly wife Ten-ten" Tsunade thought.

"We would leave now if you please. I'll send the reports as soon as possible Hokage-sama" Neji bowed before leaving as well as the others.

"See you tomorrow Sasuke. Well I guess I should also be going now." Naruto was already eager to come home after remembering his wife.

"Yeah, we shouldn't be keeping you Naruto. You seem you will kill if anyone will hinder you" Jiraiya teased.

"Shut-up toad" he said chuckling and he was gone in a wink.

"You're not coming with them" Tsunade asked Jiraiya after sensing that he was not eager to leave like the others. He was still sitting on the table facing the window.

"What? Wanted to get rid of me that fast?" he chuckled as he looked at her.

"Okay, out with it, I have much paperwork to do. I know you wanted to ask something. You're not so cute when you try to be at times so stop that" she smiled. She knows that Jiraiya was already flirting with her. She relaxed on her chair and placed her feet on the table.

"Oh, so you think I'm cute sometimes" he continued to tease her but stopped when he saw that she was now serious. "Okay, okay, I just wanted to know what you wanted to do with the kids. You're threading on dangerous grounds, hime."

"I don't know what you're talking about" she countered.

"Of course you do, do you think that your student won't get hurt again with this kind of set-up" he said.

"I know what I'm doing, this is also for her"

"If you say so! I should be going now; I won't delay you any longer, hime. See you!" and he was gone.

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"Naruto, um, what are you doing here? Isn't it late for you to go home?" Hinata's shy and meek voice was coming back. After talking with the girls she realized she's not mad at him any longer.

"Well I twisted your father's arm until he allowed me to stay and occupy the room next to you. That is if you don't want me to sleep beside you." his eyes had a glint of merriment in them as remembered the earlier encounter with her father.

Flashback…

The hyuuga guard was surprised to see Naruto by the court gates. "Lady Hinata is not here at the moment"

"I'm not here to see Hina-hime. I wanted to see Hiashi-sama, is he there?'' he asked.

"Just a moment"

After a while, the guard let him in telling him to proceed to the tea room. The tea room was large and had simple decoration yet it portrays the elegant taste of the hyuuga clan. Hiashi was not there when he entered but a lady from the branch house served him some tea.

"The Hyuuga milk tea is really great but I guess Hina-chan's mixture is the best" he said.

"Right, and you did not even realized that before it's too late" Hiashi spoke from somewhere which caught Naruto off-guard. But no surprise can be seen on his face not even his fingers betrayed his emotion. He heard the sliding door on his left open.

"I guess Konoha trained you to be one of the best ninja's eh, no emotions to show even if you came here just to beg?" Hiashi was taunting. But he's not mad at Naruto anymore. Actually, he is glad that the love of her daughter had finally realized what he should have months ago. He believes that Hinata still had that strong love for his son-in-law. He just doesn't know how to make her daughter let her guard down.

"That's right Hiashi-sama, I came here to beg. I wanted to stay here in your house so I could protect my wife and at the same time make her fall in love of me again" he negotiated.

"Well all depends to my daughter, if she would allow it, then I would let you stay" Hiashi said.

"I don't have any other choice so here goes", Naruto bend down as low as he could. He was sitting in an Indian sit position so it was not very easy. His head was almost touching the wooden tatami floor. "That is why I'm here to beg Hiashi-sama. This is the only way I could think of. If you would allow me to stay I would serve the main house like a branch family member. I would even clean the whole house if you want me to" he said. And then he heard Hiashi chuckle.

"I was only teasing you Naruto. Of course you could stay; if that would mean my daughter's happiness then I would gladly give my blessing. It's about time you do something to fix your marriage." Hiashi suddenly said.

"Arigato Hiashi-sama. Domo arigato gozai masu" he felt really glad. So glad that he didn't noticed that he looked stupid bending up and down in front of his father-in-law. He was just very glad, he felt like his heart was going to come out of his chest.

"Just promise me you'll take care of my daughter's heart and never leave her side. By the way, you'll be occupying Neji's room. He no longer lives here so it's vacant. I'd be going now; I have other things to attend to. You can move in today" Hiashi said as he was already standing up.

"And one more thing" Hiashi said not even looking back at Naruto, "call me Father."

"H-hai Father!" he realized that it was just then that Hiashi gave his blessing to him and Hinata.

"I will try my very best not to disappoint you father!"

End of flashback.

Naruto was at the door with a huge smile plastered on his face. He was wearing a traditional hyuuga robe but it has a branch family symbol at the back so she knew he only borrowed them.

"Your father allowed me to stay here in his house. Hiashi-sama said I could occupy the other room beside you. He said it was Neji's but I could use it if I like. I asked your cousin's permission anyway and he said yes."

"He allowed that?" she was really flabbergasted. Her huge pearly white eyes were now wide with amazement. "I don't believe you!" Hinata marched through the corridor to her father's room but she then froze after realizing that Naruto won't be inside the house and smiling like he won the lottery if it isn't true."I can't think why you should want to see me again when you know how much I dislike you...and always shall"

"Always is a long time, hime-chan." he said all the while inching nearer and nearer to his wife, until he was in front of her and looking at her beautiful face. He couldn't believe that however he smiles he couldn't show fully how happy he truly was. Having a chance with her was like a gift straight from heaven. "You know what they say: never say never. To predict that you'll always feel the way you do at this moment is a little rash, don't you think?"

Hinata just couldn't accept it. Here was Naruto, his face just inches apart from her, and telling him that he would always be there for him. She was sure her resolve was dissolving. But she just couldn't let herself fall for him again. She couldn't think of anything to hide her emotion so just she ran back to her room and closed the door.

"It's alright hime-chan, sleep now so you won't get too tired. Just call me if you need anything" she heard Naruto say behind the door.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 The next chapter might also be the ending so I'll try to do my best so that you won't be disappointed. Jane! Until next time! Luv yah readers!