It had only been half a day since the events at the Uchiha compound transpired. In some great act of benevolence, no one had died and a great rain storm had crossed the forest, extinguishing the fires, as night fell. Within the confines of the Hyuuga compound, we were quietly preparing to receive our wounded. True, some would pass through the normal hospital first, but they would convalesce here. I held several blankets in my arms as I crossed the compound, Hanabi following quietly behind me.

"Is it true?" she asked, suddenly.

I nodded once. Yes, Uchiha Sasuke had returned to Fire Country to retrieve a book from his family's compound. His subordinate had eluded capture until an ANBU squad determined his weakness. They, in turn, came face to face with his master. It had been a harrowing experience for all, but for our family in particular when we realized who the remaining ANBU had been.

I looked towards the Branch part of the compound and pondered, once more, going to check on my cousin. Sakura-san had moved him out of the hospital almost as soon as he was tended to. His wounds were minor, some burns but nothing that we couldn't heal ourselves. All I knew was that threats were issued and that she had bluntly stated either he rested by his own volition or she would force it on him. He chose to have it forced on him. I am thankful, in moments like this, that his sensei and teammate are strong enough to bring him home rather than the added indignation of having the medics drop him off with a few scrapes.

I went to the door as soon as the blankets were dropped off. I checked down the street with Byakugan, looking for the medics who were bring my cousins home. One had been guarding the defector, the other had been on an ANBU squad. The medics had assured us they would recover, but I couldn't help but worry over their condition. As soon as I caught sight of them, I went to meet them.

"Hinata-sama," one of them said, looking as if he would try to stand up out of the stretcher.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, quickly putting a hand to his shoulder to stop him while examining his wounds.

"Haruno-sensei did an excellent job," he replied.

"That is good to hear." I glanced at the other patient and found him fast asleep.

"He should wake up in the hour," the medic said. I briefly discussed with him their care, taking note of their medication and restrictions. I sighed mentally at the restriction on training. Hyuuga love to train, it would be difficult to follow that order through. I'd have to enlist several family members to make sure it was enforced.

We arrived at the compound and I quickly handed control over to the people waiting there. I searched for my father but found he was not on the compound at the moment. An elder informed me he was enlisted to help with the search for the enemy party.

"Shall we serve dinner soon?" the elder asked me.

I paused, trying to hide my surprise. In the past, when my father was away, the elders would just assume control. This is the first time they asked for my opinion on something. Even if it was something as trivial as this, it was still a significant move on their part.

"The main dining hall in twenty minutes," I replied evenly. It was what my father usually said and I saw no reason to change it. The elder bowed slightly and disappeared quickly.

Dinner was promptly served twenty minutes later and I was ushered to my father's seat at the front of the table. I received the first serving of food and the others waited until I began eating. As soon as that occurred, conversation bloomed and the buzz at the table was about Uchiha and speculation about what the book might contain. Some assumed it was a secret, forbidden jutsu. Some joked it was the Uchiha family's secret cookie recipe. I listened to all the talk, taking in the sounds as I do the sights when Byakugan is active. Most people were relaxed but there was an underlying sense of concern.

News about the book was in abundance. News about Tenten-san was not. I turned quietly to Hanabi.

"Can you go to hospital after dinner and ask them for additional burn cream?" I asked.

She looked at me and read the hidden meaning of those words. "I will."

After dinner, I made sure to deliver plates to the two wounded Hyuuga. I sat with both to make sure they had eaten it all and that they had taken their medications before leaving them to rest.

"You've grown," one of them said, and I stared at him puzzled. I wasn't aware that I had increased in height recently.

Finally, I prepared a plate to bring to Neji-niisan. I knocked once but received no answer. I paused at the door, marveling at how what I was about to do would have been impossible only a few years ago. I opened the door and walked in.

He was sleeping, though not restfully. Whatever Sakura-san had used was still working but its effect was not as peaceful as she would have liked. I placed the food down, making sure the cover was intact so that it would not cool too rapidly. Sakura-san had promised eight hours of sleep but it wouldn't surprise me if Neji-niisan woke up before that. I quietly pulled the blanket straight and spotted the kunai tangled in the sheets. I frowned as I drew it free before noticing the owner's signature carved into the metal. I carefully placed it on his bed stand so he could find it easily.

When I left his room, I heard the commotion at the front door. I quickly made my way there, finding several elders huddled in front of a small group of shinobi. They wore gray and black, tell-tale signs of Torture and Interrogation agents. I made my way towards them and the elders fell silent.

"How can we help you?" I asked, politely.

"Hyuuga-sama, we require a Byakugan user to help us unlock the Uchiha book," the one who was in charge stated.

I nodded once. It did not surprise me that the book was locked. And more often then not, chakra was used to keep it so. Byakugan would see how it worked, allowing the agents to eventually unlock it. I looked around and determined that I was the best choice for this matter. My Byakugan may not have been the strongest, but my father was away and Neji-niisan was sleeping.

"I will go," I said.

The agents shifted nervously. "That is... kind, Hyuuga-sama. But we thought someone with more... experience would be better."

"My father is on mission."

"We are aware of that." When I didn't reply, he continued. "But your cousin is..."

"Resting," I interrupted.

"That may be, but this is of paramount importance and..."

"Something I can handle," I finished. The group of assembled Hyuuga had gone silent save one.

"Hinata-sama's skill has increased in the past months," one of the elders said.

"That may be the case," the agent replied, "but I still think Hyuuga Neji is the one we need."

I did not need to look to see the annoyance that played across the elder's face. She was right to be upset. You did not enter the Hyuuga house and dismiss their suggestions and orders. If you came and asked for assistance, we would most certainly comply as best we could.

"So, if you don't mind," he said, taking a step forward.

I thought of Neji-niisan, how Sakura-san had to force him to sleep. I could only guess at what he was going through, having reached Tenten-san only just in time. And I understood that even if it hadn't been for Hokage-sama's order, he still would have gone. This was not the time to force him to do anything but rest.

I stared at this man who tried to gain entrance into our house and felt something well up inside me. It had been there when I stood at the council meeting and saved Sakura-san's group, my group, from elimination. It had been there as I walked with Kazekage-sama in the rain. It burned even harder now as I sensed a threat to my cousin.

"Who are you to demand something of Hyuuga?" I said, my voice even and without emotion.

Everyone froze. Not just the agents at the door but my family behind me. They had never heard me speak like this, I didn't think it was possible up until this very moment. Because as I continued, I realized I was using the same exact tone my father would use in situations like this.

"I meant no disrespect..." The agent started.

"I will accompany you," I stated firmly.

The agent paused for a second more before acquiescing. As we walked out the door, I saw that Hanabi had returned. She had an odd look in her face as I passed. If it had been anyone else, I would say she looked a little afraid, a little sad. I nodded at her, silently asking about Tenten-san's condition. She nodded once and I felt better leaving.

We took two steps before I finally understood why Hanabi looked somewhat distraught. In acting like the head of the Main House, in receiving the recognition of the elders... It was a foolish thing to think. Hadn't Naruto-kun promised he would eliminate the restraints of our house? But I suppose she didn't have the same faith in him as I did. I turned to her and caught her eye.

"Please watch over the house until father or I return." A bit of relief flooded her features and she bowed.

The headquarters of Torture and Interrogation were about as pleasant as expected. The rooms were all cold and without color or much light. The room with the book in it was no better then the rest and I regretted being here with only a yukata on. I looked across the assembled group of agents and recognized none save Ibiki-san. He gave me a passing glance before looking up at the agents that escorted me here.

"We will give you a few minutes to prepare," Ibiki said, leaving the room with his subordinates. Likely, he was less then pleased to find me in my cousin's stead. It became more important that I prove them wrong.

I activated Byakugan and the room lit up. The book was exuding a large amount of chakra, drenching everything in a soft ice-blue hue. I didn't know what it was at all. I wanted to panic, fearful that I had accepted too much responsibility too quickly. So the elders let me set up dinner and eat at the head of the table. What did that really mean in the long run? Father could have just ordered them to ask.

I took in a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. In the months I had trained with Sakura-san, Ino-san and Tenten-san, I had felt stronger. As Sakura-san had suggested, I had even applied for a jounin exam later this year. So why was I so afraid now?

I thought of Ino-san and Tenten-san lying the hospital. I thought of Neji-niisan forced to sleep and still fighting it. Carefully, I reached out a hand and touched the web of blue. A single thread of chakra followed my finger as I moved it back. I glanced at the thread with surprise.

"What do you see?" Ibiki asked, standing at the doorway.

"It... it is chakra," I replied, "but it acts like a thread." I carefully pulled it and watched as knot emerged. I took in my hand delicately and examined it. "There are knots."

Ibiki was at my side. "Can you undo them?"

I pulled gently at the thread and watched as it released from the knot. "Yes, I think I... oh." It had only been a second but the knot had returned. I pulled again and then held onto the other thread, pulling at it until a second knot appeared.

"I've read about these," Ibiki said. "You need to pull in a certain order, quickly or else it will reset."

I deactivated Byakugan and looked down. The book appeared completely normal to the naked eye. "All right," I said, reactivating Byakugan to try again.

It took several hours before I was proficient in grabbing each thread and seeing where it connected. I was almost thankful for the lack of windows in this room as I was sure the sun had already risen. I wondered whether my father had returned or Neji-niisan had woken up, but as neither had come to replace me I assumed they were as I left them.

I sat down in a chair and took in a deep breath. My chakra limits were not in danger yet but I was definitely tiring. My stomach rumbled a bit and I looked down at it. Dinner couldn't have been that long ago. I closed my eyes and tried to meditate. It always seemed to help Neji-niisan push away distractions. All it made me do was smell ramen.

I woke up and found Naruto-kun two inches from my face. I could feel my entire face turn bright red and I let out a small squeak.

"AH!" he said, smiling broadly. "You ARE awake."

I nodded quickly, wondering exactly how long he would stand this close and finding I didn't mind if it was forever. I saw a steaming cup of ramen in his hand and my stomach growled towards it like a lion who caught sight of a wounded zebra.

I paled in embarrassment but Naruto-kun just laughed. "The old hag was right. She said you'd be hungry!" He held the cup out until I took it from him. "Eh... sorry it's just ramen. It's all I had."

I held the cup like it was the most precious thing in the world. Because right now, it was! Naruto-kun had given me, ME, something. Something he loved dearly. And... and... he was staring at me. I started to eat. "Ano... have you heard anything about..."

"Everyone's fine," he said. "Man, I wish I had been there. Stupid pervert with 'special training'." He pulled up a chair and sat down. "I could have kicked his ass this time."

I nodded as I chewed on some noodles.

"I knew you'd agree!" he smiled, leaning back in the chair. "I learned this great new technique. Sasuke-teme wouldn't have even seen it coming. It would have been WHAM... BAM... into the... woah!" The chair he was on pitched backwards and landed on the ground.

"Naruto-kun!" I said, jumping from my seat. I put the ramen on the table and knelt down next to him. "A-are you okay?"

He looked up after a second and laughed. "Well, it would have gone better then that." He sat up on the floor so that he was just inches away from me. "Hey, is that the book?"

I stood up quickly, putting some distance between us. "It is."

"What's in it?" he asked, holding it up and examining it.

"I-I don't know yet," I said.

He looked at the book in his hand very seriously. "You'll figure it out!" he said, as if it was foolish to think of it any other way. I smiled at his enthusiasm and nodded once. He handed me the book and his stomach growled. He put a hand to the back of his head and looked sheepishly at me.

"So... are you going to finish that ramen?"

Naruto-kun sat in the chair, eating his ramen while I examined the book. I had achieved a good rhythm, pulling each thread, undoing the knot and finding the next one. It was monotonous and one single mistake meant restarting the entire process. It was inefficient, like searching only a few inches of a town at a time when the target could be anywhere

That thought led to another, something my father had once said. "To see a single leaf in all its detail is not our goal. It is to see the entire forest in perfect clarity all at once."

"Byakugan's greatest strength is in seeing everything at once."

I stared at the book and concentrated on the first string. I followed it's path without touching it, seeing the first knot and following to the second thread. I repeated the process, following each thread on its path, starting to see where it fit into the lock as a whole. It wove into a beautiful pattern of light blue. I saw the details in the curves of each thread, I saw the way some formed their own sub patterns. In an instant, the entirety of the lock became known to me.

I moved for the first thread, quickly undoing the first knot before moving to the second. I felt my arms move in a steady rhythm, fast, until they became a blur. Chakra thread unwound quickly, falling away and disappearing. I think I heard Naruto-kun call my name once and then Ibiki-san's. I couldn't stop, the knot was unraveling, chakra draining for me as I forced Byakugan to its limit. Until finally, I saw the final knot and pulled. There was a flash of light and I was blinded for a moment. As soon as I could see again, I noted that the book lay open on the table.

I looked over at the door, chest heaving from the exertion. Ibiki and Naruto-kun both looked shocked and I smiled, just in time for the exhaustion and lack of chakra to catch up with me and send me dropping to the floor.