Thanks to everyone who reviewd. You're awesome.

chrysant: One more chapter to go and a then Shikatema moment will be coming your way.

Chewie Cookie: I love their bond too. I think Neji is really important to Hinata and vice versa. Glad you liked the Naruto Hinata interaction... more in this chapter.

Arymed: You're not entirely wrong, but before that I few happy moments in this chapter.

I don't own Naruto.

-8-

"So, we've got the green light from Shikamaru. He'll come and work with you to convince the council." Hanabi stretched her limbs. "He must really love your sister, because he'll support the proposal while knowing we are together."

"I should hope so." Gaara sighed and sat down on the couch.

Lazily Hanabi strolled over to Gaara and took a seat in his lap, like it was the most normal thing in the world…which it was – for her anyways.

"I'm not entirely happy to let go alone." Gaara entangled his fingers in her hair to play with her dark locks.

"I won't be alone. Hinata and Inuzuka will be there and besides your brother will be with me too." She snuggled against him and smiled tiredly.

"This is partly what worries me." He muttered silently.

"Because your brother takes along with me?"

"Yes. He tends to get distracted a lot."

"Let me guess. Women?"

Gaara just shook his head in annoyance. He knew Kankuro was the best choice to go with her, he was after all the strongest shinobi in Suna, next to him. In addition was it the puppet master, who had great connections to the Stone. For him to negotiate the deal, it should be a given that the son of the Sandaime and current Tsuchikage would agree,

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that anymore, though." Hanabi grinned.

"Meaning?"

"Let me put it that way. When was the last time Kankuro brought a woman home?"

"I guess like two weeks ago."

Her expression showed that she was clearly waiting for something more. And with a nod she encouraged him to think further.

"I do suppose that it is a rather long timespan as opposed to his past intervals."

Hanabi was running out of patience and just told him. "Of course, because it's obvious that he is totally into Sakura!"

"They seem to dislike each other." Gaara pointed out.

His girlfriend shook her head at this. "No, that would be their way of getting rid of the sky rocking sexual tension." She grinned happily.

"I highly doubt that." He smiled at her enthusiasm and gave in the temptation to touch her. His fingers ran up and down her arm. "I wonder how Naruto will deal with Hinata gone for so long. He was complaining about it the minute we left your father's house."

"Mmhh…" Hanabi hummed. She shifted uncomfortable in his lap.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing really." She said slowly. "I'm just being stupid for worrying over nothing."

"You're worried that the plan won't work out?"

She laughed softly in his chest and he smiled at the pleasant vibrations it caused in his body. "No, it is funny how I'm not worried about that too much. I guess I do have faith in our combined abilities."

Gaara frowned slightly; he wished he could share her optimism. Nuzzling her neck he urged her to continue.

"It's silly, but I am a little worried about Hinata, I guess." She squirmed a little while she was searching how to put it in words. "She's been into Naruto ever since she was like, I don't know twelve or something and … I'm just afraid that she will go out of her way to please him. I mean what if he asked something of her that she rather not do and that she would be too afraid to tell him and …" She trailed off, unsure how to proceed with her trail of thoughts.

"You think Naruto would force her to do something she doesn't want?"

"Not exactly. More like she wouldn't let him know and he wouldn't get that she dislikes it. Like she'd make a compromise or accept something she wouldn't want only because he wants it."

"I doubt that'll happen." His green eyes held hers.

Hanabi shrugged and leaned into him. "It's just because I've seen her pinning after him all of her life and he only recently discovered his feelings for her. Don't get me wrong, Gaara, I know he loves her…"

"But you're afraid she loves him more than he loves her."

"No, well … maybe. I don't know it's hard to put it." She told him frustrated.

"Because you've known of her feelings all your life but not of his, it makes sense." He mumbled into her hair. Gaara picked her small frame up and set her down. Surprised she looked up at his tall figure.

"I have to show you something."

Trusting her to follow him, he left the room. She hurried to catch up with him, but her confusion only increased when they crossed the small path outside that led to the Kazekage building.

"Are we finally going to have sex in your office?" She asked exited.

Gaara blinked twice before the corners of his lips twitched ever so faintly. "I did not know that option was on the table."

"You do now!" She smiled brightly as she looked up to his face.

He pushed the door to his office open and motioned for her to go in ahead of him. Hanabi had no idea what they were doing so late at his office but Gaara seldom did things with no deeper meaning. She pushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear as she watched his lean muscular form looking for something in his desk. When he pulled out a stack of letter, Hanabi pulled her brows together in response, with no idea what he was planning. Clearly this was going nowhere near as physical as she had initially thought and secretly hoped.

Gaara was pulling out random letters and scanned them with one look. After he had found what he was looking for he stood up and offered her the seat behind his desk.

"Read it and you can also read the ones who are dated later than that one."

Silently and with no clue where this was going her delicate hands picked up the first letter he had showed her and the one after that and the one after that.

Her eyes widen at every word and she smiled gently. She set her hand down with the fifth letter still in her hands. "Thank you, Gaara."

"He keeps going on and on like this in every letter since two years ago." He told her, referring to the correspondence between him and Naruto. "He wrote so much about your sister; it felt like I was writing with her rather than with him."

"Thank you." Hanabi said earnestly.

Gaara nodded, "I thought it would make you happy. He might not have realized it, but he's been in love with her for quite a long time."

Hanabi got up and threw her arms around his neck, "It's not just that, but the way he's writing about her. Like he watches her every move, he understand every detail about her and sees what she wants even if she doesn't say it. I guess I really was very wrong." Her lips softly connected with his and she kissed him deeply. "Thank you so much for showing me this."

She sighed happily and took a step back; she had taken three steps towards the door before his sand overtook her and slammed the door shut. With an eyebrow raised she turned back to him.

His tall figure leaned against the table casually and her breath caught in her throat at the intense burning in his eyes. "Now about that option you mentioned before."

…

Snow white fingers interlaced in a relaxed manner. Orochimaru rested his head on top of his fingers pleased with the latest report.

"I see you have already received the news."

"Indeed I have. Not only do we get to take out the main ambassador of foreign affairs of Konoha, but also her second in chain, who also possesses the Byakugan."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "Still, the Inuzuka will be with her and the course of the course of their journey worries me. They are taking detours in order to visit the countries in a certain order. Not to forget that we have no information of the purpose of their journey. Whatever it is, they want to keep it a secret. It might be worth investigating."

The Snake Sannin nodded. "Indeed, you are right. Send out some people to gather more information about it. Tell them to do whatever it takes."

"Should we still proceed as planned?"

"Of course, Kabuto, the plan still stands." Long black hair covered half of his sinister smile.

"Who do you want to send?"

"I cannot risk another disaster like with Sasuke-kun. It was luck our plan was not revealed. Maybe next time we won't be so lucky. This time I will make sure everything goes smoothly and secure myself a Byakugan on the way."

Kabuto smiled. "You can count on me, of course Orochimaru-sama. The group is supposed to leave Suna after only a two day stay and take the shortest route to Kumo." He smoothed out a map that was lying on the table. "It would be best to take them out quietly and fast. The best place to do this would be in the Land of Lightning but long before they reach Kumo. I'd suggest we do it in the mountains."

"It is decided then!"

…

"Hey Karui, could you open up, I just got out of the shower!" Kiba yelled out of the bathroom as he slung a towel around his torso.

"Igi sit." Karui ordered the dog as she got up from the floor. She had spent the last twenty minutes playing with her cute puppy and trying to teach her manners. The dog with fur as golden as her eyes wagged his tail happily and jumped around her excitedly.

"I guess, we'll have to work on that some more." She sighed and opened the front door. "Neji? To what do we own the pleasure? Please come on in."

Neji nodded courtly and hid his irritation at the bouncing puppy that barked furiously at him. In the corner Akamaru growled lightly at being woken up from his slumber by the whelp.

"Good afternoon Karui. I was wondering if I may be able to speak to Kiba."

Karui looked at him in surprise, in all the years she had been in Konoha not once had Neji wanted to talk to Kiba in private.

"Kiba! Your wanted round here!" She shouted toward the bathroom door.

Instead of a verbal response the bathroom door flew open to reveal her very sexy boyfriend in nothing but a towel. His hair was still damp and he rubbed another towel through it.

Neji was momentarily rendered speechless. It had never occurred to him that someone would greet their guests clad in nothing but a towel.

Meanwhile Karui had stepped closer to Kiba and traced the muscles on his chest with her fingertips. He grinned down broadly at her and swept her up in a kiss.

The loud clearing of a throat made him break the kiss and he chuckled when he spotted a very irritated Neji in the middle of his living room.

"Neji, what brings you here?"

"I have something to discuss with you."

"Alright then." Karui clapped her hands together, at which both dog's ears perks up. "We'll be going for a walk then."

Kiba flopped down on the couch and finally figured that Neji would not take a seat unless offered. After the Hyuga head had also sat down and refused Kiba's offer of a drink, Kiba asked what he wanted.

"Kiba, could you please put on some pants before we have this conversation."

"Right!" He sprung up from the couch and returned only minutes later with comfortable sweat pants and a grey hoodie.

Neji wasted no time and asked him in the same direct manner as he had asked Shikamaru. "Do you have any plans on marrying Karui in the future?"

Kiba almost spat out his drink and his black eyes widen. "What the…? Are you serious? What's with this question?" He shifted on the couch.

The silent penetrating gaze from unmoving pupil-less eyes made Kiba groan. "I guess that if the time is right, I wouldn't mind."

"You do realize that Karui is from Kumo?"

Kiba raised a dark eyebrow, "You don't say?" He said sarcastically. "What does this concern you? … Oh!"

It had finally occurred to Kiba; marrying Karui would not be possible because she was from another village. Somehow this thought made him seethe, she was his and even if he hadn't really thought about marriage he knew she was the only one for him. If he wasn't able to marry her then… Then what?

"I see, you have understood the position you are in. What do you intend to do?"

Kiba growled. "I'm not an idiot Neji. Obviously you are here because you have a solution."

Neji smiled lightly, Kiba might not be as sharp as Shikamaru but he certainly got a grasp on the situation fast. "I have indeed. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that Hinata rather than I has come up with a solution."

The male opposed from him leaned back and waited for Neji to continue. The Hyuga head pulled out a scroll and presented it to Kiba. "This is a contract that specifies all relevant aspects for cross-border marriage. It has to be passed by the Clan council as well as the village council."

"I don't have a seat in either of those." Kiba took the scroll reluctantly. He was already demotivated by the amount of pages.

"I realize that. And you should not concern yourself with the village council, however your mother, as the current Inuzuka Clan head could vote for the new law to pass."

A deep groan left Kiba's mouth, "I'll have to get my mother to sign this? As in talk to her and convince her and stuff?"

Neji shook his head, "Of course not, only if you want to marry Karui."

Kiba glared at him.

"There would be another matter." Neji continued.

"Oh, joy:" Kiba muttered sarcastically under his breath.

He was ignored. "This contract also has to be accepted by the other Hidden Villages. Hinata proposed that you be the one to accompany her and Hanabi to Kumo."

"Why?"

"Because you are in a relationship with a Kumo kunoichi and if the Raikage sees that he will profit from this law he will be more willing to agree to it."

"So not only do I have to talk to my scary-as-hell mother, but I also have to ask the Raikage for permission to marry my girlfriend?" Kiba rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "The things I do for this woman."

His interlocutor chuckled lowly.

"Tell Hinata that I'm in."

"I appreciate it Kiba. Naruto will come back to you with the details."

…

"Don't make me." Naruto whined as he tried to pull his blanket back. "Just give me a few more minutes."

Hinata let go of the blanket huffing in minor frustration. She pulled back the curtains instead and let the sunlight filter in the room.

"No! Why would you do this to me?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes groggily. The sunlight shimmed in his golden hair and Hinata blushed at the sight of his bare muscular chest.

"It's already ten o'clock, Naruto." She avoided looking at him because she didn't need another scarlet blush to plague her and moved again to pull on the blanket. "You have to go to the office."

"No I don't. I left a shadow clone there!" He complained and watched her trough half lidded eyes. To his major annoyance Hinata was already fully dressed. She also had the beautiful dark hair he loved to play with, put up in a high ponytail. It did have its perks, because that way Naruto got a good look at her slender neck.

Hinata was a little indignant at his attitude regarding his office work for the past few days.

Naruto couldn't help the smirk that crawled up his face and her disapproving pout. She was just too cute and he absolutely refused to spend any more time apart from her than absolutely necessary. He didn't want to think about the time when she would be gone. He was used to waking up next to her, he was used to being able to hold her close in his sleep while breathing in her sweet scent of strawberries and vanilla. He couldn't imagine coming home to an empty apartment without being welcomed by the delicious smell of her homemade cooking and by a warm chaste kiss. It was simply her presence in his life that made him feel at home.

His hand circled her wrist in a surprise attack and Hinata found herself staring up at two deep blue eyes. "N-Naruto, we really can't s-stay in bed, we…"

He drowned the rest of her sentence with his lips. His strong hands pulled out the hair tie and her waterfall of darkness framed her beautiful face. He dragged his hands down and smoothed down her sides and they slipped under her blouse.

Hinata moaned quietly. "N-Naru-Naruto, we really can't…"

His lips caressed her neck and he nuzzled his nose in her shimmering blue hair. In his opinion she didn't sound like she was complaining much. "Can't you just stay in bed for a little while longer?"

Her long slender fingers massaged his skull. "Naruto, is something wrong?"

"I don't want you to leave." He complained.

She smiled down at his face hidden under her chin sadly; she didn't want to leave either. The thought of being away from Naruto for so long, made her want to cry. She loved him so much, he was always there when she needed him and truthfully she was afraid of that trip. There was so much pressure weighting down on her and one single mistake could not only cost two people their happiness but also cause a rift between the villages. If it was up to her she would have wanted him to be with her. But he was the Hokage and his first priority had to be the village and not her insecurities.

Hinata felt his hold on her tighten and hugged him back. "I'll miss you."

Naruto's deep blue eyes captured her eyes and he pulled her in for a kiss. He hated that he was going to have to let her go. And that there was nothing he could do to keep her here. Sure it was only a diplomatic journey but he wouldn't be able to protect her. When she was with him he could make sure that she was safe and sound.

Thoughts of lonely days and nights without her plagued his mind. She was always there for him and he knew that if something happened he could count on her support. His insecurities were always pouring out to her and she lifted him up when he was feeling down. He, who had no one to care for him for so long and had only himself to depend on, had become so very depending on this woman.

"Why can't I visit you? At least from time to time." He asked as his fingers traced over the tender spot behind her left ear where he had marked her with his Hiraishin seal.

She trembled at the feel of his fingertips. "Y-you have to stay in Konoha. I'm sorry but I don't want you to use so much Chakra on this. You are the Hokage, you have responsibilities here."

"I have enough Chakra to travel all over the world with ten clones every day!" He bragged jokingly.

Hinata had hoped that their argument had been resolved. "I'm sorry, but you just can't."

He was silent for a few moments. "Hey Hinata you said that you would always be my best friend and if I had trouble with my girlfriend I could always talk to you as my friend, right?"

Hinata eyed him suspiciously. "Yes."

"So, can I talk to you as my best friend? Not my girlfriend?"

Hinata nodded in surprise. At this his face lit up.

"Alright, so you see, my girlfriend is going to leave for a very long time." He sat up and his eyes turned from playful to serious. "And it feels like she doesn't want me there at all. I'm always trying to come up with ways we can meet but she doesn't want to see me at all."

Shocked she sat in bed, her head was spinning. Hinata had no idea that he saw it that way, she hadn't meant to hurt him, never.

"I'm sure she doesn't mean it like that, Naruto." She started to tell him quietly. "She's just trying to look out for you in her own way. It's not only a about your chakra but what if shinobi from another country see you together? It may cause an international conflict if the Hokage is seen in another country without permission. It could be viewed as an act of war. You have to consider your position more. Naruto, you are no longer a normal shinobi." She hesitated at the next part, but maybe this was how they could communicate with each other in complete honesty. "Also it's not wise to let people see that you care about her especially. An enemy could use this knowledge against you. I'm sure your girlfriend doesn't want to be leverage against you. Maybe she just doesn't want to make you weak."

Bewildered his blue eyes widen. He was glad that they could talk like this, only now he understood her completely. It had never occurred to him she could be afraid of being his weakness when all she ever did was give him strength. Also he didn't particular like her trail of thoughts; he didn't want her to think she could be anything but his support. He needed to talk to her about this, but maybe not now. He needed to think about what he would say to make her see, that she was his strength and never his weakness.

Despite all of that, it had helped him to see her point of view. "I'm glad you're my best friend." He smirked and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Man I hope my girlfriend cooked something. She really is the best cook."

Hinata laughed, glad that he had rid them of their tension. "I take it you're hungry?"

"Yes! Food!" He grabbed her but stopped before he kissed her. "Wait, are you my girlfriend again?"

She nodded and he didn't hold back to pull her into a passionate kiss. "Now should I make breakfast?" She attempted to wiggle out from under him.

"Initially that's what I thought, but I rather have you here in bed. So I'll handle breakfast." The one kiss had not be enough for him.

Hinata rolled her eyes when her boyfriend brought his hands up to form a hand-sign that she knew all too well.

"Breakfast in bed for two please." Naruto ordered smugly from his Clone.

"I don't see why I should make breakfast when you get to snuggle in bed with Hinata." The Clone complained. "Why don't you make us breakfast?"

Naruto was about to retort when Hinata spoke up. "Naruto you really shouldn't use your chakra for unimportant tasks like this. I'll just…"

"I'm on my way!" The Clone hurried out the door, not wanting his Hinata to have to work.

"Well, aren't you a smart one!" Naruto rolled to his side and peered down at his innocent little girlfriend.

"Naruto I know you have an amazing amount of chakra, but you shouldn't…"

"Hinata please stop worrying about something like that. You of all people should know just how much chakra I have. If you doubt me you can always just use your Byakugan."

She turned to him and smiled softly, "Sorry for annoying you. I just don't want you to overdo it. You have the tendency of wanting to do all by yourself because you hate burdening people."

He quirked up an eyebrow, "Well, doesn't that sound suspiciously like someone we know?"

Hinata blushed aware that they both shared that very same tendency.

Naruto brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Hinata inched closer to him and he stroke down her side.

"Two months is a long time!"

"Maybe it won't take that long." She leaned her head against his chest hoping she was right.

Thanks for reading and tell me what you think.