A big thank you for you all for reading and being so patient with me.

SS, Nina and DestinyBlitz – Your support, encouragement and words have really meant so much to me ...to make a change from saying thank you … Ta! :)

Chapter Eighteen.

Within 2 minutes, Naruto had stopped moving and Hinata felt unsure as he placed upon the wet, green grass if she should simply wait to see what happened or let him know what an idiot he was. The air was filled by the sound of rushing water and she realised the grass was wet from the waterfall she was sitting near. Slightly dizzy, drained from lack of chakra, she tried to avoid Naruto's glance and focused on the cool, running water in front of her.

"Do you remember where we are?" Naruto asked. His body was engulfed with fiery orange chakra, making his chest stick out and look like he was about to explode. Hinata felt her cheeks burn and she merely nodded. The less she said, the better.

"You guys were the best team, you know?" He said, smiling at her. "Sure, Kiba's annoying sometimes and Shino easily gets way too sensitive when he feels ignored… but you always stuck together. Never heard any of you fight or argue… not once."

She refused to look back at him, she felt his eyes burning into her head but she would not give in. The words he will use will truly be hard for me to hear … but I MUST be strong now. She remained passive and as she felt the anger start to rise within Naruto, she knew she had to say something or risk him becoming out of control again.

"Naruto-Kun… thank you." She tried to smile a little to convey sincerity but she was concerned about what could happen. The atmosphere had the feeling of tension and trying to shrug it off was going to prove tricky… but Hinata had an idea. "How is Sakura-Chan doing? Is Sasuke coping well?" She turned to face him slightly, but not so she was fully in front of him. An attempt to show she would communicate but would put up a boundary.

"Oh, they're fine!" He grinned and placing his hands behind his head, started to banter with her a little. The tension and pent up anger dissolved quickly and as long as she kept the conversation light, she should be okay for a little while.

"So she's expecting twins." Hinata's grin widened and she nearly forgot to avoid looking directly at Naruto but stopped herself in time. No form of encouragement. She told herself.

"Yeah, Sasuke won't admit it but he's so proud of her." He boasted.

"How many months is she?"

"Nearly 8 months, I think." He then took a small book out of his pocketand counting through it, looked up and smiled. "Yes, 7 months and 3 weeks."

"Nearly the same as Ten Ten-Chan." She commented.

"Yeah." He loved how well everyone was doing. "How's Neji taking everything?"

"Extremely well… he's very happy. The whole Clan is." Hinata smiled and decided to quickly veer the subject away from babies.

"How are they doing?" Hinata had only just at the moment realised how much she missed them all. Her family, her Sensei, her god child and students, her friends … her home.

"Your family is constantly at my office door; Neji, Hanabi and your father almost every day pester me into getting you back home early. Kurenai Sensei… well, let's just say both her and her daughter attempted to place me under a powerful Genjitsu to ascertain what you and the guys were up to. Everyone we know is doing alright and …" He looked at her, seeing her eyes slightly cast away from him. She looked so demure, so pretty. Her small smile spoke to him, wanting to pull him in and just…

"DAMN IT BRAT! GET ON WITH IT! TELL HER" Chorused the spirits within him loudly, getting frustrated at how stupid and how easily distracted sometimes he could be.

His eyes softened and walking towards her, sat on the grass beside her. Feeling the dampness on the seat of his trousers, he shot up. "Whoa! That is cold and damp! Why are you still sitting there?"

She looked up at him, concerned. Realising he was okay she just closed her eyes into her smile. "I'm fine, Naruto-Kun. I was wet from the rain just now in Kirigakure and it's a nice view from here." she was about turn away from him again when he quickly picked her up from the ground. She gasped; her mouth and eyes wide open at the sudden action. Just a little while ago, such an action would have made her faint or blush, but not now. Things had changed for her and she felt a little afraid.

She quickly wondered what to do and choosing to put on a fake smile, she quickly thanked him and pushed herself to the ground, standing and out of his arms. Naruto felt the 'politeness' from her and knew something was up.

"What's wrong?" He asked, feeling a bit peeved.

"Naruto-Kun," she had no choice now but to just say the truth. "I don't want to hurt you ever but if I don't tell you the truth, what kind of way is that to treat you. I don't love you the way I used to…"

He realised what was going on then and his heart sank. "The way you used to?" He questioned. Clearing her throat, she began.

"All I wanted to do was be by your side and hold your hand after the war. But that wasn't to be. You are the 'Child of Prophecy', the Hokage, Saviour of our world… there wasn't time for us. Years have passed now and I am proud to have watched you fulfil your dreams. You certainly inspired mine. However in those years I have changed too, Naruto-Kun…"

"I know," He said, smiling. "You have grown even more confident and strong without being a pain in the … neck like some other people we know. *Cough* Kiba *cough*." He then winked at her and she burst into laughter.

"No way! He's never a pain… he's caring, protective and isn't afraid to be himself. I like his way."

Naruto's grin snapped off his face as looked down at the ground. "I remember when you said my way was your way too when we fought Pein."

She smiled. "It still is. Love has many different forms. I love you in so many ways, Naruto-Kun. I love you as my friend, my leader and my 1st love…"

"1st love?" He said slightly darkly. 1st love? Then who is her 2nd love? "Hinata… did that pervy ex-Sensei of mine do anything he shouldn't?"

She quickly responded, smile also dropping and shaking her head. "No Naruto. He has never done anything he shouldn't with me. I love him."

"WHAT!" He couldn't control it, not only had the dirty, scare crow looking old man put his hands on her just now but it seems he's being a damn sight more. "You love him? Please tell me you didn't let him…" He couldn't say it so he merely pointed his fore finger in the air and stabbed the air with it. … "do that!"

She sighed. There was really was no going back now. He was totally going to freak. "No-not for a lo-long ti-ime…"

"HUH?" The spirits within him now were gobsmacked. Holy shit! She's done it with Kakashi… in the past! When? How? Well, maybe not how but …

"It was last year. Around the time you proposed to Ayame."

Naruto stopped being angry and now felt really confused. He scratched his head hard, trying to remember. "I proposed to her?"

Hinata nodded gently. "Yes. After she made you a special bowl of Ramen for your birthday. We all went there to celebrate. We arranged a tent to cover and extend the food stand for the party."

He then smiled as he remembered. "Oh yeah, the party! But Hinata, it was VERY good ramen!"

Hinata laughed and Naruto did too. "But it broke my heart." She said. "I rushed out as soon as it had happened. Shino, Kiba and Akamaru found me by the 3rd training ground."

"Yeah?" He sounded sad. "That was where I had my 1st bell test." A curve was made with her lips at his attempt to make the conversation lighter and show his care. She continued.

"Kami bless them, they tried hard to everything they could but in truth, it didn't work. They decided to give me some time alone and arranged to meet up with me the next day. It was just shortly after that I decided to go for a walk."

Hinata decided to not go into detail into exactly how much it had hurt her seeing him propose to Ayame. It was Hinata who had organised the party, everything. To see him after finally believing that maybe he loved her back, he proposed to another. It may have been just a joke but she realised for him to have done that … he couldn't really love her in the way she wanted. She needed.

"I was walking through when I saw the memorial stone, fresh flowers in front of it and a pair of goggles. Before I knew it I was in front of it, silently praying. Wishing I could change places. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I was terrified. I wasn't expecting that quick a response." Her smile widened and Naruto laughed. Shit! He thought. Why am I laughing? This is really sad, she wanted to die.

"It was Kakashi-Sama." THAT wiped the want to laugh straight away from Naruto. "He comforted me and escorted me back home. But before we got there, some things were said between us and for a while, we left it at that."

She tried hard to make it sound as everyday and unromantic as possible because it had been the best moment of her life. It was something that could never be taken away from her and made her stronger than ever. She could love and be loved at the same time without any pain.

"You two didn't get … together?" Naruto stated rather than asked.

"Not then." She said, bashfully.

His brain screamed to ask 'Then WHEN?' … but Kamara advised him to ask a different question.

"Why?"

"I was heart-broken over you, Naruto-Kun. How could I do anything with anyone if you were still in my heart?"

'Were'… bloody past tense! He was angry. How I come always find it so easy to cover my emotions and put on a face for Sakura but just loose it with Hinata?

The spirits again groaned and wished they could beat the crap out of him. Kamara felt he had to just spell it out for him. "Because you love her, knuckle head!" It made sense to him and even though Hinata didn't know what was being said to him inside his head, he nodded.

"But you have been with him." He grimaced as he said it.

She nodded and looked away.

"LOOK AT ME." He yelled and slowly, she looked at him. Her eyes were large and doe-like. Hell, what am I doing? He thought. But he couldn't stop himself.

"When?"

"Na-Naruto-Kun. Th-that's no-not you're bu-business." She was finding the attitude he had very aggressive and chauvinistic.

He snapped and grabbed her. "Don't do this TO ME!" He half begged, half screamed at her. ""I must know."

She looked pitying at him and gently touched his face. He still looked annoyed but he wasn't pushing her away.

"This is going to sound bad," He said and grabbed her shoulders. Looking at her straight in the eyes he was serious. "You are the only girl I have ever seen…" He bit his lip and paused for a moment. "The time I was here with your team and I saw you here by accident…" She started to blush. "I never forgot or could get out of my head. And they way you fought those Killer Bees… you saved us and again, you saved me from Pein. You always looked out for me, admired and respected me when no other girl would even look at me once."

"Naruto-Kun…" She whispered and her eyes closed in regret.

"When did you stop loving me in the way that I now realise I love you?" Her eyes clenched together even more tightly and he could hear her start to tear up and choke.

What can I say to that? Do I just try to say the truth? That's probably best. Be true to him, to Kakashi-Sama, to me.

"Not only do I seem to bring out the worst in you, but I love the way he loves me back so easily." She then broke down and collapsed back onto the grass where she had been sitting just a moment ago. Hinata did it. She knew she would always love her Naruto-Kun but it was too late for his Hinata.

Naruto was stunned. He was actually expecting her to say something like she still did love him in that way or at least say kind of stupid cliché like 'Things change over time' or something like that. But this? That fucking pervert won her from him because he loved her 'SO EASILY"?

"I'm sorry Hinata." He looked down, his fists tightly clenched and looking up, his eyes shone red. "I can't accept your answer."

"Naruto-Kun?" she said after sniffing quietly and taking a piece of bandage from her medical pouch dried her eyes. He can't accept my answer?

"You belong to me." He said it quietly, tenderly, factually.

"I belong to no-one, Naruto-Ku…"

"Enough!" He screamed and for a moment he almost sounded like Kuro. A little ladybird then landed on the hand in which she held her bandage. She counted its spots in an attempt to not enrage the Hokage further.

"You were always mine, Hinata. From the moment those stupid bullies put their hands on you when we were kids, from the time you gave me this…" He paused to rummage through his coat pocket and took out a small medicine pot… a Hyuuga styled pot. He put it back carefully into his pocket and started to move towards her. He then squatted down and put an arm around her shoulders and she shook violently, frightened at what he was going to do. "… From when you fought Neji at the Chūnin exams…" He pulled her towards him. "… And from when you and I went searching for that beetle and I saw you bathing here."

"It's called the Bikōchū." Shino answered.