Naruto's house was messy as Sora's room, Rido noticed. Clothing and papers were strewn haphazardly against every visible surface. She had to catch herself as she tripped over an empty cartoon of milk blocking the way.

"Hey Rido," Naruto said after a while of heavy silence. He had his back to her and she couldn't read his expression, though he sounded like he had nervousness to his voice.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you staying?"

Rido thought vaguely to her tree slumber the past night and shuddered. "Um, nowhere really."

Naruto didn't say anything for a while; he just stood as if contemplating something. "Well, where did you sleep last night?" He finally asked.

"In the trees. That's where one of your village's ninjas found me…"

"What did they look like?"

Rido hardly saw how that was important, but she humored his curiosity. "He had dark hair, a menacing face, and a dog."

"Kiba," Naruto muttered with a laugh. He shook his head and then finally turned to Rido. His face was smiling but he looked very uncomfortable. "Rido…you could stay here if you want."

…..Whoa. Rido blinked. She shook out her long black curly hair and smiled at Naruto. Though Naruto seemed very uneasy to the new idea, Rido didn't. She did need a place to stay and this way she would be closer to him then ever. Perfect. "Thank you! A thousand times thank you Uzumaki-sama!" Rido gushed and then hugged Naruto tightly to her.

Almost immediately they both became uncomfortable and pulled away, clearing their throats and straightening out their clothes. But nevertheless, Rido was ecstatic. She would not return home a failure after all. In do time, she would have him.

Hinata shook as she stood outside Naruto's window, but not from the bone-biting wind; it was her heart that was shaking her, making her shiver so much she could no longer stand. She slumped against the wall of Naruto's home, gasping and trying to slow her racing heart.

Who was that beautiful girl? Hinata wondered in despair. She's so beautiful. Hinata clutched at her chest before daring to look back to the scene inside. They were still there, only talking now, but Hinata couldn't shake the haunting image of their embrace. I should have been stronger and told him how I feel. It's probably too late now. But…

Hinata turned away from the window again and started down toward her house. God, why couldn't she have been stronger? Why hadn't she told him? Why? Hinata sobbed violently as she raced back to her home.

Neji was sitting on the steps to the Huuga compound practicing hand signs when Hinata arrived. He didn't notice her at first, and probably wouldn't have if she wasn't crying so loudly. He stopped and looked up at her.

"What's wrong Hinata-sama?" He asked as Hinata slowly climbed the stairs.

"Oh. It's N-nothing."

Neji crossed his arms. "Yes, it is something. Tell me."

Hinata sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Well, alright…." She then relayed all the events of that afternoon leading up to then. Neji sat and listened with his eyes closed in silence. When she was finished he stood up to look her directly in the eyes.

"Hinata, to be honest, I don't know what you see in that idiot, but it's no reason to get upset because you don't really know what happened, right?"

She nodded.

"Right, and the cold hard truth is that even if it turns out that they are together it shouldn't upset you because you two are not going out. In reality what Naruto decides to do with his personal life has nothing to do with you at all."

Hinata nodded for Neji's benefit but she couldn't show how his words had cut her heart. Instead of breaking down she proceed to her home and to her room to think about why Neji was right. And of course he was right. But she couldn't do anything about how her heart burned as if lit on fire when she thought of him, or how her soul nearly jumped out of her body when she was near him, or how her heart bled as she faced the truth: that she loved him. With all her heart and more, but that would never change anything, not if she never had the strength to tell him.

Rido adjusted herself uncomfortably as she lay on the makeshift bed Naruto had provided her with. It was a nice gesture but it still didn't make up for the updraft that came up through the cracks in the floorboards or Naruto's snoring! If you could even call the sound a snore, it was much more of a cross between a buzz saw and a dying lion. She covered her head with her sheet in a futile attempt to block out some of the racket, but the sound seemed loud enough to wake the dead let alone her.

Rido propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Naruto. He had one arm hanging over the side of his bed and the most adorable look on his face that she had ever seen. She smiled despite herself and stood to go cover him up. He looked so peaceful, so innocent and cute. It sent a wave of pain through her soul when she thought of how she would use him. But she had to, it couldn't be helped.

She sighed and sat at the foot of his bed staring through the window at the black, heavy night. Naruto's snoring wasn't bothering her anymore but she decided that maybe a walk would help clear her head.

Outside the air was crisp and sharp with wintry cold and the sky had no stars. Just as well, Rido thought, pulling her hood up and starting toward the town's center. Along the way she noticed how close and quaint everything was. The whole village looked like a single home, everything flowing into the next.

She looked over the guard rail at the Hokage memorial. The breeze shifted suddenly and Rido sensed that something was amiss. She spun around and hurled a shuriken directly in front of her stepping to avoid the one that her enemy hurled first. She flipped back onto the railing and stood crouched, ready to spring when her foe revealed themselves.

A shinobi from the Hidden Soul stepped out of the shadows and into view. Rido climbed down, confused. "What? Why?"

Rido had remembered to put on her headband, not wanting a repeat of her earlier encounter. It was clear that they were from the same village. They may not have met before, but why would a ninja from her own village attack her?

The ninja glared at her and shook his head. "You're of that Mutsuhito clan right?"

Rido nodded, still on defense.

The stranger growled menacingly, "You people of pure lineage think that you can do whatever you want? You think that just because you're strong that makes this okay? All you're going to do is start a war between the Leaf and the Soul! But of course you wouldn't care. You Mutsuhito's don't care about anyone but yourselves!"

Rido stepped back, appalled at the man's harsh words. She knew all to well how much her clan was hated more than any other for the danger their power posed to the rest of her village, but how could he possibly know what her clan was planning? Their motives were top secret. Of course they had seen the possibility of war but it was worth the risk. The Uzumaki had to be taken. He had to be taken and killed.

The thought that she used to adore now made her feel nauseated. Kill him? Kill Naruto? Rido shook away her anxiety.

"Mind your own, if you don't mind." Rido snarled.

"Just as I thought! You Mutsuhito's are all devils and demons! You'll be the downfall of our entire village!" And with that the stranger disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A clone, Rido thought bitterly. She slumped down against the railing and sighed. She couldn't kill Naruto. She couldn't do that to him. But she had to. She had to.

"Not tonight though. I can wait. It doesn't have to be tonight."

Back at Naruto's house she came home to find Naruto awake and waiting up for her. He looked genuinely worried which sent another sharp pang of guilt and anguish through her.

"Where were you Rido-chan?"

Her guilt enlarged. Rido-chan? She looked away, ashamed and disappointed in herself. She couldn't hurt Naruto. In no way. She would never be able to bring herself to. She would have to face her clan's burning wrath and probably her own murder at failing to complete her mission, but she'd do it.

To protect Naruto.

"I'm sorry Uzumaki-sama." She whispered. "I was out on a walk. I didn't mean to make you worry."

Naruto smiled, "Its okay."

Rido smiled back before returning to her makeshift bed. It seemed much more comfortable now.

"Goodnight Rido-chan." Naruto said with a huge yawn. How long had he been waiting for her?

"Goodnight…Naruto."