at Chewie Cookies: Thank you very much. I love the both of them too.

at Ayrmed: Glad you think they fit, I do too. As for your question...you're just going to have to wait, I'm afraid. Thank you so much for reviewing.

I don't own Naruto.

Enjoy.

-16-

The office was deadly quiet safe for the constant ticking of the clock. Although night had fallen, he hadn't bothered to turn on a light. Instead he just sat in his chair, wondering how everything could have went that wrong.

He heard the footsteps long before the door opened and he found only little solace in seeing her beautiful form in the door frame. The thought of what he had to tell her, sat heavy with him. He didn't want to see her reaction to it and fear gripped him.

"Naruto?" Hinata said in shock and stilled at the door.

Her eyes took in the scene before her. That man behind the desk didn't look like Naruto at all. He looked older…tired and grim. The shadows heavy on his face as the only light source was the bright moon behind them. Carefully she turned on the light and what she saw in his eyes made her heart drop into her stomach.

"Hokage-sama what happened?" She managed to compose herself enough to resume a professional approach, she had been called here on official business after all, but her voice was uncertain and shaken.

Naruto closed his blue eyes for a second and when he opened them again he had steeled his nerves.

"Something happened at the Kage's Conference." He said his voice raw.

Hinata settled down opposed from the desk, marveling at how different this was from the scene only three days before.

…

"Hinata-san, I have to thank you for your great and amazing work in the matter of the 'Cross Border Relationship Agreement'. This is sure to bring us closer to keep the peace within the United Shinobi Nations." His voice boasted with pride, as did his entire being.

Hinata blushed a soft pink at the praise, despite it being only the two of them.

"Thank you very much, Hokage-sama." He replied softly. "When will you be leaving then?"

"Tenten and I will leave early this afternoon. Sadly we'll have to travel by foot on the way there. Iron didn't let me place a seal on their property." He huffed in annoyance. "Anyway, I could do without the all the official signing stuff, but apparently it's mandatory – for the public or something. I was simply wondering if there was anything more to discuss if I have the other four Kages in one room anyways."

The head of the diplomatic department thought shortly about it. "I don't think there should be anything more to discuss. The negotiations for the contract have been finished and once you've signed it, the new rules will official be adopted."

"Oh good. Because, and this is in no way to be taken as an offence against you, but I can't wait to see my girlfriend. I won't be seeing her for almost a week." He complained and the twinkle in his eyes made her smile.

"I won't keep you then, Hokage-sama. I wish you a good journey." Hinata stood up and bowed respectfully before exiting the room.

She barely made it down the stairs before he caught up with her. She was about to take the last step when his arms encircled around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. She turned to him and was meet with a quick chaste kiss to her lips. He had, it appeared, thrown off his robe and sprinted after her.

"I've missed you." He murmured against her ear.

"You've only seen me this morning." She laughed and they started walking side by side, their hands interwoven.

"So how was your day so far?" She asked.

"Great, but I'm glad that I can spent the remaining hours before I have to leave with you, rather than the Head Diplomat." He grinned brightly at her.

"You don't like her?" She asked innocently.

"No, that's not it at all." Naruto shook his head and watched her out of the corner of his eyes. "I think she's amazing, beautiful and absolutely brilliant. If I didn't already have you, I'd ask her out."

His cheeky look made her knees go weak. "Are you trying to make me jealous, Naruto-kun?" She teased and played along with his game.

They had stopped at a corner and she turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. His eyes smothered hers and he stepped closer to her, smoothing his hands over her waist before they came to a rest at her lower back.

"I promise that there is only one other woman apart from you and the Head diplomat that I ever think about, and she's my best friend."

Hinata felt warmth rush through her and she bit her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud. Instead she tried her best at a scandalized look.

"How is that supposed to reassure me?"

"It really isn't." Naruto whispered. He stepped back from her and grabbed her by the hand. Together they started to run towards their apartment. "We have to hurry, we'll need all the left time for what I've got planned."

…

And now, only three days later, two days before his scheduled return, they sat in his office again. Only this time it appeared to be in a graver context.

"What happened?" Hinata hated how high pitched her voice sounded, panic creeping in it.

Naruto swallowed hard, beating down the desperate urge to reach out to her. Just to feel her skin against his fingertips, gather her in his arms and pretend for just a second that everything was alright. But he really couldn't give in to that desire, just yet. It would be easier if he told her in 'professional modus', at least he'd hoped so.

"At first everything went fine. The five of us meet up and we exchanged pleasantries." He had trouble keeping his voice neutral but found that once he gave in to his psychological exhaustion, it was easier. "It was funny really, everyone seemed at ease. And we talked about the contract, how all of the councils had approved and how this was going to bring the nations closer together. And then we started to sign, it was all official and shit… And that's when it all went to hell." His face darkened. "The doors crashed opened, and really I have no idea how he got so far undetected, and in stepped Orochimaru."

Hinata gasped in shock.

"Anyway, we attacked immediately, but that bastard evaded all attacks or more like they went right through him. Turned out it wasn't really him, but some kind of Genjutsu or Projection or whatever." He laughed humorously. "And then that jerk just stood there smirking, and the Raikage started to threaten him that we would find him and kill him. But Orochimaru was totally calm, he just stood there talking all big about some announcement that would make him reconsider signing the contract."

The nausea in her stomach got stronger and she dreaded his next words.

Anger flashed on his face but was replaced by exhaustion quickly. "He pulled out this scroll and threw it to the Raikage and then he just dispersed in thin air."

"What scroll?" Hinata asked her voice tight with fear.

"This one." Naruto handed it over to her.

"Why did you take it?"

"Because it belongs to Konoha…to you." He said emotionless.

Her hands were shaking as she opened it up. She felt her blood run cold, recognizing the scroll immediately. How could this have happened? Why didn't she realize it was gone? How could she have been so stupid?

"I guess he got it during the attack?" It was phrased as a question, but really it was more of a statement.

"I didn't even know it was missing." She whispered, her panic rising.

"It's not your fault." Naruto said immediately. He only now realized that the way he worded it could have come out wrong. "He would have found another way to ruin this."

But Hinata didn't hear him, her eyes trained on the scroll. The scroll where she had listed all known cross-border relationships… including her sister's.

"You can imagine what went down after that. The Raikage started to shout about Konoha and Suna using this to exchange the Byakugan and that we planned this to screw the other nations over. The Mizukage ripped the contract apart. And the Tsuchikage demanded his ambassadors to return, a request that the others followed immediately by the way, and simply left. I think the only reason we didn't start an actual fight was because Mifune was there." Naruto looked up at her tiredly. "I have already told Tenten to gather the ambassadors staying here in Konoha for tomorrow morning, they are to leave as soon as possible. I hope this proves that there's no reason for military action from anyone."

The woman still hadn't said a word. She stared blankly through him, through everything really. Her thoughts were racing, she felt the overwhelming urge to throw up and fought it down - but most of all she felt guilt. Intense, overwhelming and churning, screaming in her head, ringing through her body.

This was her fault. This mess - she had caused it. Because of her mistake peace was in danger. It wasn't unlikely that, considering the breach of trust, a new war would erupt. Blood had been shed for less than that.

Only that now was not the time to break down. The diplomatic training the Hyuga Clan had put her through, had involved learning how to mask her emotion, to suppress them and she barely ever used it. But if there was a time for it, it was now.

"Thank you very much for informing me about the situation. I will relay the facts to my staff in the morning as well. Of course I will also be present when you tell the ambassadors." Her face was an unmoving mask and it hurt something deep inside of him to see her like that.

The silence in the room thickened to the point of becoming unbearable.

"Hinata…" Naruto started hesitantly.

He had fulfilled his role as Hokage and longed for being Naruto. Being with Hinata and discussing their next move. His body screamed for him to go to her, take her in his arms and comfort her. She still hadn't looked at him, not really. Her face was blank and where it should make her seem strong and unyielding, to him she looked afraid and frailer than ever.

Without wasting any more time he got up and gathered her in his arms. He walked to the couch and carefully placed her on his lap.

"This isn't your fault." He repeated with more force this time. "Hinata look at me."

His fingers grabbed her chin and she hesitantly met his burning gaze.

"This isn't your fault." He made sure to pronounce every syllable with utmost confidence.

"You're wrong." Her voice sounded broken. "I-I was s-stupid. I thought if…if I wrote…if I knew ab-about any relationship. If I knew…I could- could use it f-for the negotiations. B-But in the end, I didn't – didn't need it. And t-then I f-f-forgot a-about it…" Her stutter increased with every second she tried to fight her tears.

Naruto really couldn't hear this, he couldn't see her like this. It broke his heart, the knot in his stomach intensified and he just had to stop her. He knew she hated it when she stuttered, she had always hated it, she found it weak, she found herself weak. He just couldn't let her feel that way. She wasn't weak, she had never been.

So he did the only thing he could think about when he saw her getting ready to talk again. To talk herself down again…He pressed his lips on her soft ones, in a desperate attempt to shut her up, stop her from hurting herself. She responded to him instantly, desperately clinging to the life line he represented. Her face was damp with tears and when they finally broke apart he used his thumps to stoke away the lingering lines of tears.

"It's still my fault. But thank you." She mumbled in his chest, her breathing had slowed and she got her voice mostly steady. "I don't even know what to do anymore. I have to let my staff know and then we have to tell the foreign… Oh no, oh no, no no."

Naruto felt her shaking once again, felt the panic rising within her.

She looked up at him with a haunted expression on her face. Her voice sounded breathless, "The ambassadors, they'll have to leave. Temari, Karui, Sakura… this can't be happening. Kiba and Shikamaru, Kankuro… They're gonna be ripped apart. – And Hanabi and Gaara…What have I done?"

She cried again and Naruto could do nothing. He had been aware of the dire consequences, but up until now he had blocked out the personal impacts on lives, only now it came crashing down to him.

He held her small, slime body close and kissed the top of her head. "We'll work this out somehow."

And he really hoped they could.

…

Hanabi had never been quite so still for quite so a long time. But as her world came crashing down around her, there was really no place for anything else. She couldn't speak, couldn't even breath and the only sound was the ringing in her ears.

Gaara had his back turned to her as he looked outside the huge window to see the skyline of Suna. His demeanor was calm, but Hanabi had always been able to see underneath the underneath. She noticed the way his shoulders tensed, the darkness in his eyes, his hands curled into fist, tightly interwoven behind his back, the way his jaw was set in a grim line. She noticed everything about him, she loved everything about him.

It took her a long time to find her voice and when it came it didn't sound like her at all. It sounded broken. "What does this mean? … For us, I mean."

Of course she was aware what it would mean for the nations, but how their relationship would proceed… she had no idea.

He turned around and her heart sank.

"I have to send all the ambassadors home, including you. The 'Skills exchange program' will be stopped for the time being…" His voice was even, betraying no emotions. It clashed heavily with the clouds storming in his green eyes. "I don't know what will happen. But considering the circumstances, I don't believe the other nations will take a continuation of our relationship kindly."

Hanabi gulped her mouth unusual dry. "So, we're…b-breaking up?" She asked tonelessly. Her insides burning and try as she might she couldn't help the tears from spilling.

For a few seconds Gaara let the words ring painfully in his head, rolled them in his mouth and mulled over them. He watched the woman he loved, her arms wrapped around herself in some odd attempt to comfort herself. His inside, his every thought was in turmoil. In reality he was fighting the overwhelming urge to take her away from here, run away and make sure that no one was going to take her from him.

But of course he wouldn't. He was going to do the responsible thing and work this all out and letting her go… temporarily, as he kept repeating to himself, reassuring himself.

Anything else would most likely cause a war and he couldn't let that happened. He loved his village; he had sworn to protect it.

But nothing would keep him from Hanabi for too long.

With a few movements he pulled her trembling body in his arms.

"We're going to have to separate for a while. At least officially." His breath brushed over her exposed neck and he rubbed careful circles on her back to soothe her. "I love you, Hanabi. That won't change. We're just going to have to wait until everything is sorted out."

Her fingers curled around the fabric of his tunic and she started to sob. "I don't want to leave. I don't want us to separate. I love you and I don't…I can't…"

His hold on her tightened. "This is a necessity."

She'd be angry at him but his voice sounded strangled and despite his uncaring choice of words, Hanabi knew what he truly wanted to convey.

"I'll leave tomorrow. After you tell everyone, I'll take everyone from Konoha and we'll be gone."

Gaara closed his eyes, blocking out the pain her words brought to him. Instead he picked her up and she wrapped her long legs around his form. If they only had tonight, they would make the best of it.

…

"I don't understand, Hokage-sama. What could have possibly happened that would require all of us to leave for an uncertain amount of time?" Chirii, the middle-aged ambassador from Kiri asked what everyone in the room was thinking.

"Exactly, I don't understand." Temari had trouble keeping her temper in check.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? She couldn't just leave everything behind; her life was here in Konoha…with Shikamaru. Looking around she saw similar thoughts pass through Karui's head.

"There has been an incident at the Kage's conference." Naruto started. He and Hinata exchanged quick glances. They had no choice but to let them know the truth. "Suna and Konoha have been aware of a cross border relationship, that the other countries weren't aware of and for now all diplomatic approaches are terminated for the time being."

"What kind of relationship would cause such uproar?" The diplomat from Stone wondered out loud.

"The kind, were the current…" Naruto gulped in anticipation of Temari's reaction. "…Kazekage is involved."

Right on cue everyone drew in a sharp breath and Temari exploded. "What?! My brother, the current Kazekage?"

"Yes."

"Gaara?"

"Yes, Temari. Gaara." Naruto answered simply.

"With whom?" She asked, completely shocked.

"Hanabi Hyuga."

"What?" Temari was too speechless to say anything more.

"Of course… The Byakugan." Karui whispered in realization. She could very well picture the Raikage's reaction.

"For the time being, we'd like you to pack up and leave the village as soon as possible to avoid any more bad blood. Today." He sounded calm, but inside he hated every word coming out of his mouth.

"What? Are you kidding? Today?" Karui stared at them open-mouthed.

"We are truly sorry about this." Hinata finally spoke up. "We hope this will only be temporarily and you'll be able to return as soon as everything's sorted out."

"What do you mean you hope?" Temari snapped out of her stupor.

Hinata looked down and gathered her courage, "For now, we're afraid that we can't tell you anything more. Thank you for your cooperation. It has been a pleasure to work with you."

"Likewise, Hyuga-san, Hokage-sama." The older woman from Suna spoke for the first time. "I do hope we can continue our collaboration shortly."

They exchanged similar courtesies with the others. The goodbye from Temari and Karui was warmed and accompanied with an apology, but there was nothing more the pair could do in front of the other three ambassadors.

When the door clicked shut behind them, Naruto buried his face in his palms. "I hate this."

"I know." Hinata attempted a faint smile but her wet eyes betrayed her emotions.

He reached out and pulled her in his lap, comforting her and taking comfort from her. "We'll sort this out. Somehow." He promised to no one in particular.

…

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