You guys are going to sooo hate me after this chapter... (snicker)

Sasuke has been a wreck for the past couple weeks and not even he knew why. He refused to think about what had occurred and he did not want to dwell on anything nor would he waste his time on anything but training.

Naruto and Sakura insisted on bothering him and he refused to talk to them and made an effort on avoiding them.

What he decided on was to simply not care. It was child's play really, he wouldn't care about anybody's existence, especially his.

He didn't care if he ate, he didn't care if he was in pain because of the curse mark. He didn't care about Naruto or Kakashi or Sakura and he especially didn't care for Hinata.

He just didn't care.

And surprisingly, this comforted him. This was more or less the way he had been for the last six years and had become accustomed to feeling empty and that familiarity was what made everything okay.

He knew his refusal to go to the hospital and his refusal to be with anybody was going to catch up with him soon. Tsunade will realize that he no longer is willing to comply with her rules and will lock him up in fear that the rebellion was a sign of something bigger.

He knew Itachi was still out there. But what was more important was that Naruto was still in Konoha. Itachi's goal was to get the Nine-tailed beast within him and was to sooner or later, retrieve him. The village will be in utter chaos which will be the perfect opportunity to strike.

And then as soon as he was finished with Itachi, Sasuke would follow. His life did not matter, only that Itachi paid for his crimes.

And his revelation was all thanks to Hinata. If he hadn't noticed his sudden attachment to her, he would have never of noticed how quickly his goal was changing and done the necessary things to stay on task.

All he had to do was keep track of Naruto and everything else will come into play.

He really should thank her.

-

Hinata didn't know what to do.

For the first few days after the incident, Hinata hated Sasuke. She was so infuriated that tears would leak out but soon after it suddenly hit her. There was no chance, there was no way ever since the beginning and at that thought she was thoroughly crushed and she finally broke down. She had done whatever she could to keep her feelings to herself but everyone else was worried about her and for Sasuke who had completely refused to talk to anybody – not that he had done so much of that before-.

And then a week had past and she dreaded his visit. All she had hoped for was to be able to keep her emotions in check. But all that worrying was for nothing because in the end, he hadn't even shown up.

The weeks went by and Sasuke never showed up.

From then on she was constantly distracted because she couldn't stop worrying about Sasuke, what had become of him? Naruto and Sakura weren't getting anywhere and if they couldn't get him to talk who could?

What bothered her the most was that he was acting like he no longer cared.

And then, over a month and a half later she was walking on a random trail in one of the training fields completely distracted, -again- worrying about Sasuke.

-

Sasuke just knew that he had little time before he was apprehended. He felt many chakra signatures grouping together. So after walking out and closing the door he sprinted out and once again pitied the Anbu. With the stupid chakra cuffs taking half of his chakra, he was still able to out run them.

Pathetic.

They hadn't even noticed that he was constantly aware of his surroundings. Whenever it seemed like he was running away from Naruto or Sakura, he was actually looking for a certain person.

Why he was taking so much energy to see her was something that not even he was willing to acknowledge.

Sasuke ignored whatever he was feeling, controlled his expression, and appeared in her line of sight.

And as much as he wanted to prolong the moment, he had something he needed to say.

"I must thank you. Without you I would have never realized my true goal and I hope to never see you again." Sasuke said curtly. Perhaps he was pushing it with the formality but he couldn't do it any other way.

"W-wha-" Hinata could not get a word out because Anbu suddenly ambushed Sasuke. Two, one with a bird mask and another with the dragon, grabbed his shoulders and pushed him to his knees. Another, with a raccoon mask, did some hand seals. She could only catch a few but she would guess that it was for suspended animation.

And even though she was paying attention to the Anbu, Hinata could not keep her eyes off of Sasuke's for more than two seconds. And even though he was being captured, he did not once take his eyes off hers and maybe she was letting herself get carried away but at the moment she didn't care.

They looked at each other like nothing was surrounding them. And maybe, just maybe she was going crazy but... but he was looking at her... like he loved her.

And then it was over.

All four of them were surrounded by a swirl of leaves and they were gone.

Hinata didn't know how long she stood there. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours. It finally occurred to her that the sun was setting and that she needed to get home.

Her confusing encounter with Sasuke reminded her of a similar situation that happened with Sakura. Sakura always said that that day always haunted her and of course she never understood why but now that she experienced it for herself, it hurt.

But she pulled herself together and walked home.

-

The middle of November and it was cold. She liked the weather but lately the cold hasn't been so nice.

It wasn't just cold outside, it was cold inside too.

Sasuke still hadn't been released and Naruto never a missed a day on seeing him. He gave her feed backs of his progress but there wasn't much to tell. And she didn't understand why.

Why did he have to suddenly be like that, he seemed to be improving, becoming more social and then he just went and took two steps back and wouldn't even eat.

Just what the hell did he mean 'realized my true goal'? How could he accomplish anything in such a weak state?

"Hinata." She jumped and muttered an apology. She hadn't even noticed Naruto there.

"You mind coming with me?" Naruto asked softly. Naruto hadn't been doing so good these days, he refused to go on a mission for more than three days because the only one that could make Sasuke eat was him.

"Where?"

"Holding cells." Naruto said with an awkward smile. Maybe she could do something, the teme's sudden behavior baffled him, but he believed it was the equivalent of a tantrum.

"Why would you want me to go?" Hinata asked, they walked and she followed him anyway, whether it was futile or not.

"Maybe you can do something?" Naruto answered.

"What could I possibly-"

"You have more power than you realize, don't sell yourself short, Hinata." Naruto said cutting her off. Hinata blushed and the walk there was silent.

The holding cells were below the Hokages tower and they had to be searched. Anything and everything that could be used as a weapon was confiscated. Hinata was too worried to feel insecure.

They were led to a stairwell, one that seemed to go on forever. But they finally arrived and Hinata was surprised. It looked nothing like a holding cell. It looked like a hospital.

"Here." Naruto muttered, interrupting her thoughts. She froze and took a deep breathe. The door before her was like a wall. If Sasuke somehow managed to escape his holding cell, the door had seals, making it stronger, giving it traps and the like.

Hinata took a deep breath and opened the door.

-

Sasuke glared at his wrists with malice, the chakra cuffs overbearingly uncomfortable. He alternated between glaring at his wrists and his ankles, hating the newly acquired ankle bracelets. He fisted his hands, resisting the urge to scratch his neck, a choker he now adorned itchy -also absorbing his chakra-.

His shoulder jerked convulsively, the curse seal burning.

Each set took twenty-five percent of chakra. With seventy-five percent of his chakra gone, he wouldn't be able even be able to hold on to his Sharingan, much less any high level jutsu to help him escape.

It irked him but he tried not to dwell on it simply because everything about his situation annoyed him. It reminded him of an asylum. He wasn't treated badly, the room was well kept, -completely different to his previous holding cell- and the food was sprinkled with medication.

It made him relaxed, made him forget his worries, gave him the notion that it was okay to be in Konoha again.

From his seat on the floor -choosing to ignore the comfortable chair they so nicely acquired for him- he glanced at the table which held his breakfast. He looked at it in distaste, remembering Hinata's meal.

He winced.

Without knowing it, he gained a somewhat dependant relationship with her.

Already accustomed to seeing her. Accustomed to her touch that relieved the burn of the curse seal. Accustomed to her blush.

His shoulder twitched again. He blamed it on the curse seal.

And when he thought about her, the ache in his heart lessoned.

He had far too much time, his mind replaying the day at the hospital, his irrational anger, a mystery to him.

A mystery he had already solved. He would only acknowledge it in the back of his mind, where he kept the feeling, along with his memories of his family.

Love.

He had fallen in love.

Perhaps it was the hunger or the fact that he just might truly be insane but when he looked up, Hinata Hyuuga was standing before him.

I guess you could call this Sasuke's realization process. I needed to put him somewhere so that he could realize his feeling quickly and then this chapter happened.

As a warning this story is coming to an end (sob). On a happy note, I can assure you that they will be getting together in the next chapter -which I already started- so get your anticipation up!

But of course your reviews are always amazing motivation... which means you should review.... seriously, seriously review.

Till next time!!!!