Hinata was walking with Hanabi through the village doing some after Christmas shopping even though she wasn't in the mood. Hanabi had begged her and she said ok after Neji threw her covers in the snow.

Neji had become more playful lately. He was laughing and always smiling now. It was probably because TenTen had accepted his proposal. Her father had approved Neji's request to do so and was also starting to inquire on Hinata's love life.

"So have you found someone special Hinata?" he asked one night at dinner. Hinata just shook her head. Naruto had never said anything after the Pein incident. "Did you ever figure out who left you the flowers and note that one day?" Neji asked. Hinata shook her head again. "I bet it was Naruto. It was there the day before he left." Neji said trying to give Hinata some hope. She turned red and continued to eat in haste. In truth Hinata believed it was Naruto.

The sunflowers that were at her front gate when she returned home one afternoon from the reconstruction where bright yellow and the note had read 'I'll be back for you'.

She never let anyone read the note though. She had waited and waited for months but Naruto never returned until she heard the news while wandering the shopping district with her sister that day.

"Hey Hinata! Doing some shopping with Hanabi?" Kiba asked. "Umm…y-yes. They h-have seem to have g-gotten me out the h-h-house." She said looking up at her long time teammate; he looked a little too excited for a regular day. "I have gotten excellent class S news." Hanabi's ears perked" sorry kid Jounin and higher only." Kiba said patting her on her head. "You're never any fun. I'm going buy some pretty shoes with your money Kiba." And she took off to the shoe store across the street after snatching Kiba's wallet. "Hey come back! Ugh! Never mind."

"So what i-is so imp-portant?" she perked up at Kiba. "Madara and Kabuto are dead."

"WHAT!"

She shrieked catching the attention of some bystanders. She regained her composer and nodded for Kiba to continue. "Yeah and that's not even the best news, Naruto and Sasuke are the once who brought their heads back to Konoha. The Hokage is making a special announcement tonight to the whole village. Sasuke had our back the whole time." Kiba explained while petting Akamaru. Hinata was so excited, she couldn't contain it.

"Do you know where Naruto is? I must speak with him!" Kiba laughed as she activated her special bloodline looking for him; also he noticed she didn't stutter on that statement. "Hinata! Calm down, Anbu has them until everything is put on file then they can go out in public after the speech tonight." "Oh" she said blushing a vibrant red.

"I'll see you around Hinata ok?" "Bye Kiba!"

'Naruto's is home. I can't even think straight. Should I go to him or will he come to me.' Hinata's mind was in a jumbled mess that she didn't even hear her sister yelling her name to get her attention. "Hinata, I'm talking to you. Earth to Hinata!" Hanabi yelled poking her sister in the back of the head. Hinata snapped back and shrieked at the sudden touch. Hanabi just shook her head and took her sisters arm leading her home.

When they got home there was a delivery man with a bouquet of sunflowers ringing the front gate to the compound. Hinata's eyes widen in what almost looked like terror.

"Can we help you sir. This is our residents." Hanabi spoke up since her sister looked like a deer in headlights. "I have a delivery for a … Hinata?" "That's her over there but I'll take it for her, she's not doing too well right now." They both looked at the frozen girl a few feet away with a helpless expression on her face. "Ok just sign here… and…thank you very much and have a nice day."

Just before Hanabi looked closely at the bouquet, Hinata had already took off into the house with the card that was attached and went straight to her room, locked the door and went into her bathroom to read the card.

'I'm back! '

She melted into what felt like a gooey puddle. Naruto really was back and he wanted her to know that exclusively. She still didn't know when she would see him but she was still excited and couldn't wait. She didn't know what to do, until she realized her lesson plan was never complete for next week at the Chunnin Academy.

Tsunade began the Chunnin Academy so newly recruited Chunnin could specialize in certain areas like medical, scouting, assassination, retrieval, ect… This created well developed and stronger Jounin and Anbu. The new academy was on the outskirts of Konoha and was treated as somewhat of a boarding school to the new Chunnin so they would also learn to take care of themselves and to live in close quarters with their teammates.

Hinata taught about medicine and herbs. She became quite well known for her many new uses for herbs and healing remedies she created herself. Medicines she produced were even being used at Konoha's own hospital and around the Shinobi world. She also helps out Sakura when necessary at the hospital and as a result they started becoming close friends.

She was on her way to the Chunnin Academy the next morning when she saw a flash of yellow in front of her. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Hey!" Said the blond a little too loudly for her ears, but with the biggest grin she had ever seen him with. She had to play it cool or she would pass out and she didn't want that. Mostly with a class of students that depended on her presence today.

"Welcome back N-Naruto. I heard Th-the announcement last night, T-thank you f-for saving the world h-hero." She gave him a polite bow and smiled.

'That smile.' Naruto just looked at her. He always admired Hinata after the ordeal with Neji back when they were young. No matter how she was different from her family she altered herself her way to fit.

He never had any real romantic feelings for her, or really for any girl. He had thought he was in love with Sakura but that was a giant fluke. But Hinata was always encouraging him and when she was the only one to defend him against Pein it had stabbed him deep when he thought Pein had killed her. He promised himself that when he killed off the evils of the Shinobi world he would get to know her better.

"aww...Thanks Hinata. That means a lot coming from you. Where are you off too this morning?" Naruto said falling into step with her. "I-I have a class t-to teach this m-morning at the Chunnin Academy. I-I teach the art of medical herbs and there u-uses." She said more calmly. She felt herself becoming more relaxed with him next to her. "Wow… that's amazing, you so amazing! I heard about the new academy. That was a good move by granny; did you know she actually put me on probation for 6months with Anbu watch?" He made a silly face that made her giggle a bit. "Well, you did d-disappear without a w-word. A lot of us w-were worried." She looked up at the sky and continued. "Life kept m-moving while you weren't around and a lot of people have changed but we are older and its o-our time to take over Konoha, don't you think "next-Hokage?"" she winked at him. "Well Mr. Hokage I-I've got to get to class a-and I will hopefully see you around m-more." With that she walked through the giant steel doors to the new academy.

She had left him speechless. Hinata had grown. She barely stuttered and kept up a whole conversation without passing out. He really didn't know what to make of it.

She stood behind the cold steel door catching her breath. She did it. Hanabi had drilled into her all last night about having confidence when speaking to people, even if it's fake. She hoped it would become easier as time goes by. But with the thought of spending more time with Naruto she found herself on the floor of the main hall.