A/N: Alright! This is the FINAL chapter. Yes, this story is now finished, however there will be a sequel. The preview for it will be added at the end of this story. But in order to take a break from GaaraXHinata I'll be writing a short story about Hinata and Sasuke. It will be AU but it's just to take a break.
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto it wouldn't be called Naruto it would be called Hinata and everyone would love her.
Chapter: 51
Hinata woke up as the soft rays of the sun gently fluttered across her face. She looked around the dirty hotel room. Natsu slept with her head at Hinata's feet, her new prosthetic leg hanging off the bed. Temari was sleeping on a reclining armchair, her unopened bottle of wine hanging in her hand. Kurenai was passed out on the table. Sora, Rikku, and Kasumi were laying in a pile on pillows spread across the floor. Their limbs splayed hap hazardly but they seemed to still be cautious around Rikku's bulging pregnant belly. Yuki was leaning against the window, stoic even in her sleep.
She giggled and slid out of bed, sliding on some shoes and walking out the door. People waved and greeted her with smiling faces. No one looking at her strangely even though she was walking around in her P.J's. She slowly climbed up the Hokage monument planning on visiting her father's grave. However when she got there she was surprised to see a familiar person praying at her fathers resting place.
"Kazekage-sama!" she said gasping in surprise.
The red head turned to look at her before turning back and standing.
"Hello Hyuuga-san." He said formally. "How is your morning?"
"Well, it was such a lovely day I couldn't stop myself from coming outside immediately and sharing it with my father." She answered walking past him and kneeling at her father's grave.
"But it's overcast." Gaara commented, looking at the spongy gray sky in distaste.
"I know," she said smiling brightly. "But I'm positive that it'll get better."
"Your positive?" he asked,
She merely nodded and turned back to her father before clasping her hands together and praying. Gaara watched her for a few minutes before turning back to the ashen sky and was not at all shocked when he saw the sun and a patch of blue had pushed itself away from the other ominous clouds. He smiled and shook his head, turning in time to see Hinata finish praying.
"Would you allow me to escort you back to the Hyuuga manor?" Gaara asked like a gentlemen.
"Of course." Hinata said.
They both walked down the Hokage monument and through the streets of Konoha in silence. However it was broken when the Kazekage spoke.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
Hinata automatically touched her stomach where a scar was still present from the leader. She looked at him questioningly but Gaara shook his head no, and gently pushed her bangs away and let his hand trail over the Kanji of love still etched into her forehead. Smiling she realized what he meant.
"No, not anymore." She said softly closing her eyes as he dropped his hand back to his side.
The shadow of the Hyuuga manor loomed over them and both ninja stopped. Gaara turned and bowed to her as she did to him before she began walking through the gate.
"I will see you later I suppose?" Gaara asked.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama." Hinata nodded definitely.
The red head turned and walked away arms crossed. Hinata giggled before entering her house.
"Hello I'm home." Hinata called.
Hanabi poked her head out of the kitchen and gave her sister a small smile.
"Ohayo nee-san." Hanabi said softly.
"Ohayo Hanabi-chan." Hinata replied back grinning.
"Natsu-san is already here." Hanabi said. "Her and Neji are waiting in the tea room."
"Hai, Arigotou." Hinata said pulling of her shoes. "Is there anyone else here?"
"No nee-san." Hanabi answered quickly.
"Hey who's nobody?" Konohamaru asked wrapping his arms around Hanabi's waist.
Hanabi blushed crimson while Konohamaru laughed, Hinata only smiled softly.
"Alright, go ahead and go back to whatever it was you were doing…" Hinata said. "But remember the wedding starts soon."
She walked slowly to the tearoom and using her Byakugan peeked inside. Natsu and Neji were staring at each other both smiling. Slowly Natsu leaned forward to kiss Neji, whose face turned red. Hinata remembered that feeling and knew what was going to happen. Deciding to spare her cousin the humiliation she slid open the door making Natsu fall back with a squeak.
"Hinata w-what…It wasn't what it looked like!" Neji excused his face turning a deeper shade of red.
"Actually," Natsu said sitting up and leaning on the table, eyeing Neji warily. "It was exactly what it looked like."
Then it happened, Neji the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan, the most stoic unemotional man Hinata had ever met in her life, only second to her father when it came to the intimidation factor…fainted.
---Page Break---
"I'm here!" Temari cried, bursting into the tearoom.
She was taken aback when she found the Hyuuga genius being fanned as he lay on the table.
"What happened to him?" Temari asked.
"He fainted." Hinata answered.
"Why?" Temari asked.
"I…tried to kiss him." Natsu said embarrassed.
Temari laughed long and hard but soon stopped as the Hyuuga male stirred. She pulled Hinata to her feet and began to drag her out of the room..
"Come on Hinata." She said. "The wedding starts in a few hours."
Hinata nodded and looked over at Natsu who continued to kneel next to Neji, running her fingers through his long hair.
"Natsu-chan." Hinata said, scaring and embarrassing the girl.
"Yes Hinata?" she asked.
"Come and help when ever you get the chance." She smiled and left.
Natsu leaned over and looked at Neji who seemed serene in his unconscious state.
"You know." He mumbled scaring Natsu and making her jump back. "I don't think that this prince will wake up without a kiss from his princess."
Natsu giggled and leaned over him again, lifting one of his eyelids and grinning.
"Actually mister Hyuuga I think you got the characters mixed up. The prince is the one who kisses the princess to wake her up from her eternal slumber." Natsu said.
Neji twitched slightly and his face burned but his eyes remained closed making Natsu smile even more.
"Oh no!" She spoke dramatically. "My beautiful princess has fallen into a deep sleep, what should I do?"
"Are you going to kiss me or not!?" Neji growled.
"Of course!" Natsu said leaning foreword so that her breath flitted across his already warm cheeks. "I couldn't possibly let my princess down."
Neji pouted and cracked open an eye just in time to see Natsu's eyes close as she began closing the distance between them. However their joining wasn't meant to be as the door to the tearoom slid open to reveal Ayame, Anko, and Genma. Natsu squealed and landed hard on her butt. Neji sat up too quickly and immediately passed out again.
"What's going on here?" Anko asked suggestively.
"It looked like they were going to kiss to me." Ayame giggled.
"Care to say anything Natsu?" Genma asked.
"Thanks to you guys my princess will never wake up." Natsu said crossing her arms.
The three jounin only laughed.
---Page Break---
Hinata tugged at the sleeves of the pale yellow under kimono she was wearing, making sure a belt full of weapons was around her waist securely. Looking over her shoulder she saw her mothers lavender wedding Kimono that would soon be hers. A knock on her door broke her from her reverie.
"Hinata! Do you have your under Kimono on so I can help you get your outer kimono on?" Temari asked through the door.
"No…" She called walking over to her wardrobe and reached in, changing her under kimono to an off white one she quickly called Temari in.
"Hinata I thought you were wearing the pale yellow with the lavender wedding kimono." Temari asked.
"I've changed my mind." Hinata said reaching in to her closet and pulling out a different kimono making Temari's eyes water.
"You…want to wear that one?" she asked sniffling.
"Of course." Hinata said resting her hands on Temari's shoulders.
The blonde hugged her tightly before setting to work. She helped tie the obi around Hinata's small waist and made sure the kimono was situated properly. The Hyuuga looked in the mirror at her reflection and was astounded.
"Do you think it looks okay on me?" Hinata asked nervously.
"It looks gorgeous." Temari patted her on the shoulders. "I'll go now and be the bitchy maid of honor so that everything's perfect okay?"
"Wait!" Hinata called.
"Yeah?" Temari asked.
"Don't forget the finishing touch!" Hinata said smiling and holding out the white gold locket Temari had given her.
"How could I forget." She smiled clasping it around Hinata's neck. "I'll go get Ino and Sakura, they'll be excited to do your makeup!"
"No wait!" Hinata called once more.
"What is it now?" Temari asked exasperated.
"Don't let them touch my hair or make up!" Hinata said. "Could you get Kurenai? She was always like a mother to me."
"Of course." Temari smiled and disappeared out the door.
In moments Kurenai came in, cradling tiny baby Asuma. She looked up at her old student and smiled widely.
"Look at you, gorgeous as ever." Kurenai said softly. "Kiba and Shino wanted to come in but I refused, let them in later when we're done so they won't complain alright?"
"Hai…sensei." Hinata said taking her adopted nephew from her teacher's arms and laying him gently on the floor on a clean white blanket.
"Arigotou Hinata." Kurenai said. "You are the daughter I've always wanted. Doing the brides makeup on the wedding day is traditionally the mothers job…but."
"Kurenai-sensei you're the closest thing I have to a mother, without you I would have never made it this far."
"Alright then," Kurenai smiled. "Lets get started."
---Page break---
Shino and Kiba sat patiently outside Hinata's door waiting for their sensei to give them the okay to go in. Kiba glanced at his watch and growled, the wedding started in half an hour!
"Calm yourself Kiba." Shino said calmly. "She's almost done and will be out in a moment."
"How do you know?" Kiba asked looking at him warily. "Aww man you didn't!"
"I am merely doing it for Hinata's, Kurenai's, and Asuma's safety." Shino excused while pushing up his sunglasses.
"But still that's just creepy and gross!" Kiba cried.
"Kiba-kun." Hinata's voice came from behind them. "Shino-kun's bugs aren't gross or creepy." Before they could look up at her, a pale hand holding three kikachu bugs in her hand. "They are beautiful and a sign that shows Shino cares."
"Arigotou Hinata." Shino said as the three bugs flew onto their master's face and disappeared under his collar.
"Ow! Kiba cried as Hinata pulled something out of Kiba's hair.
"See." She said holding out another one. "You have one to!"
Kiba looked at it a moment before Shino held out his hand and took it from Hinata. The dog boy grinned and wrapped an arm around Shino's neck dragging the boy toward him.
"I love you to man." Kiba said.
"Let go of me." Shino grumbled.
"Now now you two don't argue." Kurenai said.
Both boys stood up and Kiba gasped as he caught sight of his old female teammate.
"W-wow." He stuttered.
"You look beautiful Hinata." Shino said.
Kiba still stood next to him choking on his words. Shino elbowed him and he was finally able to squeak out a ditto. Hinata giggled, making sure not to ruin her make up. Her face was covered in a thin layer of pale powder, giving her a healthy glow her own natural blush warmed up her cheeks. A little light lipstick was worn and she had light lavender eye shadow.
"Alright boys enough gawking we have to get Hinata down stairs." Kurenai stated.
They all walked down stairs Hinata sandwiched in between Kiba and Shino, Kurenai following them. Letting go of their arms Hinata began to walk to the tearoom where her and her brides maids would be waiting. But before she could walk away Shino caught her arm.
"Yes what is it, Shino-kun?" she asked.
"Kurenai, Kiba and I pitched in to get you a gift." He replied pulling out a medium sized box.
"Arigotou Shino-kun, but you didn't have to get me anything." Hinata said hugging him.
"I want you to open it now." Shino said.
"Yeah open it now." Kiba said.
Hinata looked at her teacher who nodded, she ripped the wrapping paper off the box and gasped at what was inside. She picked up the white gold crown and felt the tears gathering in her eyes. Kurenai handed Asuma to Shino and walked over to Hinata, placing the crown lightly on her head. Hinata practically tackled Kurenai in a hug.
"Arigotou okaa-san." She mumbled so only Kurenai could hear.
Kurenai let a single tear fall into Hinata's hair. She pulled away and before Hinata could suffocate Kiba and Shino with hugs Kurenai pulled her away and turned her towards the tearoom.
"You better get going, we'll see you at the reception." Kurenai said.
Hinata nodded and disappeared into the tearoom.
---Page Break---
"Alright we'll be walking outside in a moment Hinata-chan." Natsu said grabbing the smaller versions of Hinata's bouquet and passing them out to the awaiting girls.
"Hinata-san, I apologize." Yuki said after receiving her bouquet. "But I will not be at the reception of your wedding. Sasuke has a new mission; he has to go after his last remaining family member and has asked me to come with him. I'll be leaving right after the wedding."
"So will I." Sora said waving. "Jugo, Suigetsu, and Karin will be going as well, and I can't let my partner down."
"That's okay." Hinata said smiling.
The bride's maids filed out, but Hinata grabbed Rikku's hand before she could walk out.
"You don't have to go to my reception either, I owe you and Kankurou so much already, I don't want you to suffer by seeing what you lost out on." Hinata said softly.
Rikku patted her hand gently and shook her head before placing a hand on her distended belly.
"I'll be okay, besides, before Kankurou became an elder this little baby was made." Rikku smiled.
Hinata nodded and turned away, feeling nervous and anxious all at the same time. Rikku noticed and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready to try for a happy ending again?" Rikku asked.
Hinata turned and nodded smiling.
---Page Break---
Neji linked arms with his cousin as the wedding march began. Hinata looked nervously over at him.
"Ni-san are you mad at me?" Hinata asked.
"Of course not, why would I be mad?" he asked.
"Because I'm not wearing my mothers wedding kimono." Hinata said softly.
"No, besides I think this one suits you better." Neji said. "Are you ready?"
Hinata nodded and the doors opened. The backyard gardens of the Hyuuga compound had chairs lined along a cobble stone path where the groom, and the rest of the wedding
precession stood. They took a few steps together but froze as Hinata heard clapping and cheering from a seat on her left.
"Woo! Go Hinata!" Kankurou cheered.
She blushed a bit and continued walking, Neji kissed her on the cheek before stepping back as she turned and faced her groom. The ceremony was long and finally the vows came.
"Hyuuga Hinata, heiress to the Hyuuga clan, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Hinata stared into the bright happy blue eyes before her and couldn't help but smile.
"I do."
"You may kiss the bride."
They merely pecked each other as the entire crowed clapped and cheered. Natsu began crying from her spot on the alter; watching as Hinata practically glowed as Sakura blossoms littered her hair. In moments the bride and groom disappeared, heading over to the old training grounds for the reception in the large tent that was set up there.
---Page Break---
Hinata giggled as she ran through the trees, letting the pale blue light of the moon guide her to a familiar waterfall. Two strong arms grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to the ground. They both laughed and lay in each other's arms staring up at the moon.
"Thank you." He said.
"For what?" she asked, looking over at her husband.
"For wearing my mothers kimono." He said kissing the top of her head. "You don't know how much it means to me."
"It was my honor, Kazekage-sama." Hinata said, running her hands through his red hair and gave him a soft kiss.
---Page Break---
"Natsu, have you've seen my cousin?" Neji asked.
"Her and the groom ran off somewhere together." Natsu said standing.
"If he touches her I swear…" Neji trailed off.
"Aww leave them alone!" she whined. "Their married now."
"And you can pay for your prosthetic leg in full." Neji commented. "So you should be happy." He grumbled.
"Aww would you like to dance grumpy pants?" Natsu teased.
"No!" He said pouting.
"Come here you big baby!" she said pulling him up by the collar of his shirt and crashing their lips together before letting him go.
Neji stumbled back, cheeks red and his eyes glazed over making Natsu laugh.
"Dance?" she asked again.
He nodded and Natsu grabbed his hand before leading him to the dance floor.
---Page break---
"Do you think that skipping our own reception is bad?" Hinata asked.
"No." Gaara said.
"But what if people are looking for us?" she asked.
"They can ask lord Hokage." Gaara answered. "Naruto was the one who suggested it anyway."
"You're right," Hinata sighed. "Let him worry about it."
Gaara wrapped his arms around her more tightly and closed his eyes, resting for the first time in years.
"Hey Gaara-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Hmm?" he asked wearily.
"What happens now?" she asked, her voice curious.
He sat up a little and looked into her eyes, before leaning down and giving her a kiss.
"We live happily ever after."
A/N: Okay guys, this is the end. The preview of the sequel will be the last and final chapter.