AUTHOR SAYS: IT'S ALMOST TIME. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ARE A PAIN.. BUT IT'S LOOKING BOSS. HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS NEW CHAPTER. AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD CHRISTMAS. I KNOW I DEFINATELY WILL. CATERING FOR 100 PEOPLE :) YOLO!

R&R PLEASE - REALLY

Legend:

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

"Jutsu"

Previously...

Kakashi cut Kankuro off, "Temari was forfeited. If it's not by the choice of the Jounin themselves, then by their appropriate village head. The Kazekage pulled her from the fight, which gave Hinata the pass."

"That Uchiha did all that just to make her pass? That's sick." Kankuro murmured. He was referring to Temari who was being tended too by Ino.

"No." Gaara cut in, "It's brilliant."

'He's good, I'll give him that.' Shikamaru thought, 'But I'm better.'

Chapter Twenty Six

Don't Touch

"How is she?." Neji asked.

Tsunade closed the door behind her and sighed, "She's fine. All she needs is rest."

Neji sighed. He never wanted to see such a horrible sight like the one he'd witness earlier today. When Hinata had taken off earlier, many of them were ordered to follow her. He was amongst the seven of them who went to retrieve her from the Uchiha Compound. Kiba and Akamaru followed, with Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi and Tsunade. Once they got their, Neji didn't know whether to feel angry or upset.

"They look...peaceful." Shikamaru said.

Naruto didn't care to look at the beauty of the two but he did notice when he saw them for the first time. They truly did match. Sasuke's arms were wrapped around Hinata's waist protectively, his legs entwined with her own, and his face looked somewhat peaceful compared to the stoic look he normally wore. As for Hinata, she looked stunning. And in a sick but beautiful way the blood from Sasuke's eyes had fallen to her eyes giving her a tearful expression.

"He used up to much chakra." Neji pointed out, he noted the dark circles around Sasuke's eyes and wondered inwardly if the Uchiha ever slept.

"That damn bastard." Kiba said, taking a step forward, "Who does he think he is putting his hands all over her?."

Shikamaru shoved passed Kiba, "I'll grab Hinata. Naruto, you get Sasuke."

Kiba frowned, "I say we leave the bastard."

"Now's not the time." Kakashi ground out, "We have to get them to the hospital."

"In case you haven't forgotten, he almost killed...-"

"Kiba." Naruto snapped. Kiba winced at the way his friend said his name. "That's enough." He said, lifting Sasuke up onto his shoulder. Shikamaru held Hinata bridal style.

"Let's go." Kakashi motioned.

Now here they were. Almost everyone had left once they were told of Hinata's condition. Almost everyone. Ino was the first to leave. Neji stayed behind, so did Hanabi, Hiashi was somewhere around the hospital. Kiba and Shino had gone only because they were ordered to. Kiba wasn't happy about where Hinata's bedspace had been put. Nor had Neji, but he decided not to go against what Tsunade had suggested. If what she said was best for Hinata, then he had no choice but to abide by it.

'Still.' He thought, annoyed.

"Couldn't they have put her somewhere safer." Hanabi mumbled beside him.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, "You heard Tsunade-sama." Neji retorted, "Her bedspace was to remain beside that Uchiha's for the duration of her stay."

"What if he hurts..-"

"He won't." Shikamaru said, coming over to stand with them. He overheard their conversation after he finished speaking with Tsunade, "I don't know if you're both being ignorant or blind, but their relationship should be obvious to you both." He explained, looking at Neji in particular, "Your eyes afterall, almost never, miss a thing."

Neji crossed his arms, "Hn."

Hanabi shrugged her shoulders, "So what? It's not like they're married."

"Who knows." He stated, "It's all troublesome if you ask me."

"Yo!." Kakashi said.

Naruto smashed his head against the brick wall once more before turning. The wall behind him cracked and Kakashi sweat-dropped. "How's your head?." He asked.

Naruto sighed and wiped for blood, but their was none, "It's ok."

"You acted like a true Hokage today, Naruto." Kakashi said kindly. He ruffled the blonde's hair.

Naruto gave a small smile, "I did, huh? ." He whispered, "I don't know If I'm suited to be Hokage."

Kakashi rolled his eye and his ruffling turned into a punch to the blonde's head. Naruto yelped and started rubbing, "What the hell was that for?." He asked.

"Don't underestimate yourself." He said, "All Hokage's have their moments of weakness. It's how you turn that weakness into strength, that will help you go further."

"But what If I can't?. What If it's a weakness I'm powerless against? She doesn't..-" Naruto stopped himself their.

Kakashi knew what Naruto was about to say and sighed, "I won't tell you what to do, but you need to think about the people around you before yourself. Hinata-sama has made it perfectly clear that she wants to be with Sasuke. I can bet she's willing to go as far as giving up her title as heir to her clan to be with him."

"I know." Naruto replied quietly.

"If you know, then why do you keep trying to pursue her?." Kakashi asked, "For seventeen long years I clearly remember Hinata-sama always glancing at you when others weren't. She was always polite to you, kind, and soft spoken when it came to you."

"Why tell me what I already know?."

Kakashi wasn't finished, "She finally grew up and found someone who could return her love. The love she had with all her heart hoped you'd return, but never did." Kakashi started walking towards Naruto's door. "You need to move on, Naruto." He said.

"But I never..-"

"Ah, I know..." The door was closing slowly behind Kakashi, "...You never give up. But this time it's not about giving up, it's about letting go."

Naruto was left standing their alone with his fists clenched.

"INO! HEY INO!."

Ino turned, "Sakura?."

A panting Sakura stopped just in front of her, "I...just heard..." She said breathlessly, "Is...Sasuke-kun ...ok?."

Ino nodded her head, "He's fine." She replied. She didn't want to go into detail with Sakura. Since Sakura was technically a civilian, their was only so much Ino could tell her now. Sakura sensed this and smiled sadly.

"You can't tell me the rest, can you?." She asked.

"Gomen, Sakura. I wish I could, but I can't." Ino stated honestly.

Sakura crossed her arms, "I didn't think Sasuke-kun would go for Jounin." She said, trying to spark up some type of conversation. If their was one thing Sakura learn't from being around Shikamaru alot, it was how to use reverse psychology.

Ino grasped what it was Sakura was trying to do and smirked. "He wanted a challenge." She lied.

Sakura smiled, "That sounds just like him. You know, I only found out Sasuke-kun had participated because I asked Sai."

Ino tensed. 'Why is Sai talking to Sakura?.' She thought. "Oh really."

"Yeah." Sakura said giggling, "You know, I never noticed how friendly his smile is. He's just started calling me gorgeous too."

"That's funny..." Ino retorted with a giggle of her own, "...I'm pretty sure he's only ever called me that."

"I'm a civilian now." Sakura said, shrugging her shoulders, "I was always working so we never had time to properly talk, Sai and I. Thanks to him It's only now that I'm starting to notice the opposite sex. It's a good distraction from Naruto and Sasuke-kun."

Ino told herself to be calm. She wouldn't let Sakura get under her skin, even if the pinkette dared to talk about Sai to her. Ino forced a smile on her, "I gotta go Sakura, I just remembered I had something to do."

Sakura fake whined, "But our conversation was just getting interesting."

Ino had enough. She waved and disappeared on the spot.

Sakura grit her teeth together, "Dammit." She muttered.

"Yo!."

She turned, "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?."

Kakashi shoved his hands into his pocket, "That was pretty cruel, Sakura." He said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, blinking confusedly.

'You still won't learn.' He thought, not falling for her bullshit facade. "So, you and Sai?."

Sakura shook her head, "No, we're just acquaintances."

"That's harsh." Kakashi said softly, "You were team-mates and yet you call him your acquaintance."

Sakura realized her mistake and started walkling away, "Gomen, I start work soon."

"Yeah." He whispered, "I guess I should go and check on Sasuke and Hinata."

Sakura paused in her step. Though Kakashi couldn't see her face, he could very much picture her eyes wide at this moment.

"He'd do anything for Hinata." Kakashi said, "Even going as far as almost killing Temari from the Sand village. You remember what it felt like to almost die by his hands, right?."

"W-what?." Sakura stuttered. When she turned Kakashi was gone.

Meanwhile...

"Hime."

Hinata rubbed her eyes, "S-sasuke-kun."

Sasuke pulled her into his chest. "Open your eyes, hime." He whispered.

Hinata blinked her eyes a few times before her sight adjusted on the male holding her. Judging by the blue thin robe he was wearing, they were in the hospital. She didn't need to look down at herself to know she wore something identical. She worked here and often placed patients in similar gowns.

"Gomen." She whispered, turning her head from him.

Sasuke caught her chin and raised her face so that she looked into his eyes. Hinata noticed the war raging within him just by looking into his eyes. She let a tear slide down her face and Sasuke brushed it away gently. "Don't cry." He said.

"I can't help it." She said and more tears followed, "You must hate me."

Sasuke, ever so gently, brushed his lips against hers, "No, I don't." He replied. He straightened himself out some more, so that she rested comfortably between his legs. Hinata rested her head beneath his chin and sighed.

"Gomen." She said again.

Sasuke clenched his teeth, "Stop it." He said, "Just relax."

Hinata wiped her eyes then linked her fingers with his. She coughed alittle, then her sniffling finally stopped. Sasuke pulled her in even closer and licked her ear. Hinata shivered beneath him. They went silent after that. Not an awkward silence, but one of understanding, trust.

One minute.

Two minutes of silence.

Sasuke brushed her ear with his lips, "I'll die for you." He whispered seriously.

Hinata bit her lip, "I'll die for you." She said, she brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his bruised knuckles.

"You make me want to kill." He stated.

Hinata trembled, "I know."

"Do you?." He growled. "Do you really? Hime."

"I do." She replied.

Hinata removed her fingers threaded with his own and started to sit up. Sasuke tried to reach for her but she moved out of reach. He narrowed his eyes at her and for one simple reason, she was crying again. Since being with her he hated it when she cried. It thoroughly pissed him off because he couldn't kill the cause or source of it. Most of the time she cried for silly reasons and even then he wanted to blame it on something so he didn't feel useless.

"Hime." He said, ordering her with his eyes only to go back to him.

Hinata stood on wobbly legs at the end of the bed and looked at him sadly. Sasuke felt something in his stomach twist. Why was she looking at him like that? It wasn't a pitiful look like so many he'd seen. He pulled in a memory from when he was younger and remembered Sakura giving him a similar look. The look of loss and pain, the look of losing someone close to them.

Sasuke tensed. "Hinata." He said, coating his voice with what he hoped was anger.

Hinata looked away, "Gomen." She said.

"Stop apologizing and come." He ordered. His voice was beginning to raise.

"I love Sasuke-kun." She whispered, holding a hand over her heart, "But you can kill without remorse and It frightens me."

Sasuke shifted on the bed, "Hime." He said low. He fell to his feet and the cotton thin material slid from his body, exposing all to her eyes.

Hinata took a step back as a hand reached for her, "No." She said, "I think...I think we should..-"

Sasuke grabbed her roughly around the waist and pinned her to the hospital bed, "Are you trying to leave me?" He growled, "Not. Happening." He said between clenched teeth.

She tried to push him off of her but Sasuke pinned her wrists above her head. "Why would I leave you?." She asked. "Why do you always think that? I don't ever want to leave you."

Sasuke just blinked. He thought she was going to leave him, "What are you trying to say?."

"I just..." Hinata looked away from him, "...I just want us to think about the future and about our children? We don't want them to be exposed to..-"

Sasuke mashed their lips together, stunning the lavendar-haired girl beneath him. He then tore at the material covering his eyes from her body and purred. Hinata went from crying, to crying with a heated blush on her face.

"W-we can't..." She stuttered, "...We're in a public..-"

Sasuke cut her off by kissing her tears away, "How many children?."

Hinata's blush deepened, "I-i don't know."

"Let's start." He said, rubbing himself against her. He wanted her, now.

AUTHOR SAYS: WAHOO, HALF AN HOUR UNTIL CHRISTMAS. HAVE A GOOD ONE EVERYONE! I KNOW THIS WAS SHORT, BUT I THOUGHT I'D BE A GOOD GUY AND POST THIS. R&R