Sorry for the late update -_o I left it on my work computer on accident. Here is a long chapter to make up for it :D

Sasuke could feel his arms bound behind him and sky was patchy with tree branches. They were moving at fast speeds. His cheek was sore from Naruto's punches, and his lips were swollen and caked with dried blood. All he could think of was the dread that engulfed him upon seeing Hinata take the brunt of his attack. She's gone. Uchiha Sasuke was in and out of consciousness as he was riding on the back of one of Kakashi's tracker dogs. Sometimes he would be brought back to the memory of being at his home with his parents. He could hear their happy laughter and it made that warm feeling in his body return. Other times, he was walking with Hinata down their usual path. He could smell her vanilla scent and even though he didn't show it, he was amused when she squeaked out a sneeze. At this point, Sasuke had lost all track of time, their location, and of his own mind.

Her face was always so soft. Her eyes always looked at him with such emotion that it made him want to stare into them for eternity. Sasuke had never been in love before. He never had the time or the want to form another bond with anyone. Itachi ripped out everything from his heart, including the relationships with his family. Now he could only blame himself. The only person who didn't look at him like he was a monster and was genuinely trying to help him was her. And he had killed her, or so he thought.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said as they flew through the trees. "How much farther?!"

"Almost there…how is she doing?" Naruto frowned and looked down at the Hyuuga girl in his arms. There was blood everywhere, but the first aid treatment that Sakura had given earlier seemed to be helping keep her alive. Her brows were furrowed in pain and her breath was shallow and it made Naruto very nervous. Sakura, who was close by to keep an eye on Hinata's wounds, could see the newly renovated Hokage Mountain coming into view. She held the Uchiha box in her arms tightly.

"Tsunade-sama might be the only one who can save her." Sakura said as the wind whipped through her hair. They had traveled all day at fast speeds, and had made great time considering Naruto had to be careful not to make Hinata's wounds worse. It was early evening when they reached Konoha.

"Sakura, get Tsunade-sama right away." Kakashi ordered as they ran through the entrance. Sakura nodded, and sped forward towards the Hokage building.

"Naruto, you know where to go." Naruto looked over at his sensei with unusual fear in his eyes. They always knew that being a ninja had its cons; one could get severely injured or die. And sometimes one would lose a comrade. Naruto never once thought that he might lose Hinata, but he shoved all those thoughts aside. He nodded and ran with the injured girl in his arms towards the hospital. Kakashi stopped and looked at his tracker dog.

"Thanks for your help. I've got him from here." Kakashi said and untied the Uchiha from the back of the dog. He nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke didn't struggle as Kakashi dragged him by the arm to an abandoned alley way in the village. He threw Sasuke down against a wall and knelt down to look him straight in the eyes. Sasuke refused to acknowledge him.

"Sasuke." Kakashi said sharply and slapped his cheeks gently. Sasuke's eyes slowly looked up to his sensei's face. Kakashi frowned under his mask and hung his head. "I know you didn't mean to do it."

Sasuke could hear the words, but his brain couldn't process it. His head rolled down to look at the Uchiha pendant hanging from his neck. Father… maybe I am a failure after all. I couldn't defeat Itachi. I couldn't rebuild the district. I couldn't do anything! He remembered Orochimaru's slippery words from his dream. No one wants to love a failure. Maybe that was why Hinata never kissed him. Emotion stirred in his chest for the first time since his battle with Naruto. But it was sorrow instead of the usual anger.

"She is alive as of now but-"

"Let me go, Kakashi." Sasuke interrupted quietly. His sensei shook his head.

"I can't do that. Tsunade-sama is going to want to interrogate you." Sasuke stared into Kakashi's half-lidded eye. His face was emotionless, but Kakashi could see the sorrow in his eyes. It was a usual thing to see as those dark pupils always seemed to be void of any emotion but anger.

"I won't be a burden to this village anymore. Let me go." They were both silent for a long time. Kakashi observed him very closely. Although it had been a very long time since Kakashi had seen or interacted with his pupil, he could see the emotion in his eyes. Sasuke wasn't a danger to anyone—he had nothing left to fight for. Kakashi theorized that the boy just wanted what was left of his brother and he understood that. Kakashi sighed and sat in silence for a moment trying to decide what he wanted to do.

"And where will you go, Sasuke?" Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, adjusting his posture from having his hands bound behind him. Her face kept appearing in his thoughts and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Anywhere but here." He said finally. "Tsunade said I needed to rebuild my life. She was right, but…" His voice faded and he was quiet for a few seconds. Kakashi's gaze lowered to his feet.

"Sometimes, you need to rebuild somewhere fresh." His sensei completed his thought and Sasuke felt his eyes swell up with tears. He had worked so hard on changing and living a normal life. There was nothing normal about him—his entire family and clan were dead. He had no friends except Hinata and he basically tried to kill her. For the first time, Sasuke didn't care if the tears slipped past his eye lids. He didn't care if he looked weak in front of anyone because he felt weak. Kakashi scratched the back of his neck and thought for a moment.

"Well. I'm going to get a good scolding for this but." Kakashi leaned down with a kunai to cut the ropes that bound Sasuke's hands. He reached out his hand to help his pupil up, and then he put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you the past few months." Sasuke furrowed his brows and looked away as more tears fell. He didn't respond. Kakashi continued, shaking him a little to pay attention.

"You are a good person. You are a good ninja. And you are a good friend." His voice was soft and he then pulled Sasuke into a hug. It would normally have been something completely out of his comfort zone, but the pride and ego he wore so openly was long gone. He welcomed the embrace and felt a little embarrassed as his tears stained Kakashi's chuunin vest. After a few silent moments, Sasuke pulled back.

"I'm sorry." The words felt strange leaving his mouth as he rarely said it. "Please tell her…I'm sorry." His voice croaked and then he was gone. Kakashi sighed and put his hands in his pockets. Kakashi knew better and he knew that the Fifth Hokage would not be happy. But he also knew first hand about accidents. He couldn't help but feel like he had been in Sasuke's position.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura burst through the door to the Hokage's office, which startled everyone in the room. Shizune dropped a box of papers on the floor in shock as she stumbled in.

"Sakura…!" Tsunade exclaimed and noticed blood stained on her clothes. "What happened!?" Sakura raced to her desk to put down the Uchiha box and she held back tears. Tsunade remembered teaching her to keep the emotions held back, especially when it came to being a medical ninja, but she could tell that this was different.

"It's Hinata..." Tsunade's eyes widened and she slammed her fist down on the desk. She had a feeling that the presence she felt when she was briefing Team Kakashi was Sasuke. What the hell did he do!? Tsunade looked up and nodded. The entire sprint to the Konoha Hospital was filled with panic. Tsunade felt at fault for not acting on her instinct to continue her surveillance on the Uchiha. She just hoped that she wasn't too late. Tsunade burst into the entrance of the hospital and was met with frantic nurses who had taken Hinata in intensive care. Naruto was pacing in the lobby with a blood stained jacket when they arrived. Sakura had pulled herself together; she was a strong individual and trusted not only herself, but Tsunade. Hinata was in the best care in the land. They followed the nurses down the hallways until they got to a special room and Tsunade turned to look at them.

"Sakura, I'll need you. Come with me." The two women entered the surgery room, leaving Naruto to sit dumbfounded on a bench. He wasn't one to sit around and wait. Naruto was the most impatient person in the world, and he felt sick. It's my fault. I should have saw it coming.

Sasuke had slipped unseen back to his district after Kakashi let him go. He walked through the entrance to see his house half built. A lump in his throat formed and he tried to will it away. Everything I have done… I have failed at. He was right. Sasuke's thought became angry as Orochimaru's words echoed in his brain. He didn't belong here. He didn't fit in as a Konoha resident anymore. Sasuke always felt like an outsider ever since his clan was taken out. Everyone would whisper their pities for him to each other and he would ignore them. Even though they all thought he was a genius, it didn't give him what he really wanted; love and acceptance. Sasuke suddenly hated everything about Konoha, especially his own clan. For the first time, all the pride of being an Uchiha was gone.

He reached up and squeezed the pendant around his neck. Sasuke didn't even feel like he had the right to wear the Uchiha symbol, let alone walk around with his father's chakra. You're an Uchiha, so you will be nothing but great. His father's words looped over and over again. Sasuke ripped the necklace off and threw it on the ground. Sasuke took one last look at his district and turned his back to leave. Where was he going to go? He had no idea. Konoha wasn't his home anymore. There was nothing here for him. Hinata was gone… and if she survived, she would never look at him the same. She would never love him because who could love a failure?

Sasuke didn't even know why his heart longed for her so much. Their interaction was minimal, especially as children. Perhaps it was because she was everything he could ever ask for—someone to train with, someone to meditate with, or someone to just enjoy the silence with. All of these feelings were new to him and it was certainly overwhelming. It was also strange how she had been right underneath his nose the whole time. His mind went back to her smile and the way her cheeks would flush. It made him feel at ease. But then Sasuke remembered the blood and the electricity and he felt sick. He was not a very spiritual person, but he prayed that she would be alright.

Thoughts of his former team also squeezed into his mind. Sasuke always knew that they just tried to help him throughout the years while he was on the run with Orochimaru. They and other Konoha ninja risked their lives just to show they cared, but Sasuke wanted nothing to do with it for specific reasons. In order to kill mercilessly, one had to completely shut out everyone. He would need to hate and use the anger to fuel his revenge. Sasuke no longer had that excuse, one that he used almost too much in years prior. He burned every bridge and it ended up being pointless since Naruto eventually was the one to kill Itachi. It was an accident... He didn't want to believe it.

Sasuke ran until his legs could no longer stand it. He was just outside the village when he stopped to rest and he took one last look at the place he used to call home. If anything Uchiha Sasuke would become a rogue ninja again considering he almost killed the heiress to the Hyuuga Clan. He could only imagine Neji and her father's reaction and even wondered if they would berate her for being so weak. It only made him feel worse, so he turned his back to the village. Sasuke would need to be very careful in his travels now especially if he was going up against the Byakugan. With one last look behind his shoulder, he disappeared into the early night sky. You deserve better, Hyuuga…

"That was foolish." An unfamiliar voice echoed and Hyuuga Hinata looked around. She wasn't sure where she was. Every direction she looked was darkness. Even the infamous Byakugan wasn't of much help and Hinata tried to remember how to speak.

"W-Who's there?" There was silence for a few moments and Hinata brought a hand to her chest. She felt like she was being watched.

"Sasuke never was good with telling anyone how he felt." The voice came back and Hinata frowned at hearing his name. She must be in a dream again because she was fine—there was no wound on her chest. A sudden sickening feeling took over and she thought maybe she was dead. There was a dry chuckle and Hinata tried to search desperately for whoever was there.

"You're alive, Hyuuga." The way the voice said her name was familiar, but the voice itself was not. The thought of being alive calmed her, however, and Hinata stood up straighter.

"You know S-Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked quietly.

"I know him more than anyone, even you." That confused her because even though Hinata spent a good amount of her time with Sasuke, he never revealed anything about himself. "You are a good observer and a good judge of character. Even though Sasuke is stubborn in allowing someone to form a bond with him, you have." It was as if the voice could hear her thoughts. Hinata frowned and remembered the blast of the Chidori. He didn't mean to. It was my fault I got hurt!

"I don't know what to do…" She whispered. Hinata suddenly felt a presence behind her. She whipped around to see Sasuke's older brother standing before her. Hinata wanted to be afraid but she wasn't. She remembered seeing Itachi that night he attacked Konoha and how scared she was of him. But he stood before her and his eyes were no longer the menacing Sharingan. In fact, Sasuke resembled his brother more than his father. Hinata bit her lower lip. Everything felt so surreal. Uchiha Itachi was one of the strongest ninja in the world and here he stood before her. She usually would have felt as small as a mouse, but in that moment, she felt like they were equal.

"Be strong. Find Sasuke and continue to be that bond he needs." Itachi said simply. Hinata felt her cheeks flush and she looked down at her feet. She had yet to address her feelings officially for Sasuke. Even though he almost killed her, Hinata couldn't blame him. She was the one that stood in the way. Hinata looked back up at Itachi and he was gone. In fact, the blackness around her was beginning to dissolve. Her chest suddenly felt like it had a ton of bricks on it, and Hinata tried to open her eyes.

"Hinata? Can you hear me?" On her third attempt, Hinata finally lifted her heavy eye lids. She could see Tsunade with a look of relief. The Fifth Hokage smiled as she stood next to Hinata's bed at the Konoha Hospital. "Welcome back." Of course, Hinata felt groggy from the pain medication that was pumping into her veins and she thought quickly about seeing Sasuke's brother. She opened her mouth to say something.

"Where is Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was soft and it felt like knives in dry throat. Tsunade's smile disappeared and she exhaled while taking a seat next to her bed.

"He got away." Tsunade was always one to be blunt and honest, even if emotions were a factor. "Hinata, you've been recovering for a full week. Do you remember what happened?" Hinata felt her eyes tear up as the memories flooded in her head. She nodded slowly. Tsunade crossed her arms. "I know you've just woken up, but I will need a statement from you eventually." Hinata looked over at her Hokage as the tears spilled over the edges.

"Don't…" She tried to say and Tsunade stood up. Hinata could be stubborn as well and she would go to hell and back if it meant that Sasuke wouldn't be caught and imprisoned.

"Hinata, I have to file a report anytime there is an attack during a mission. If Sasuke is what you're worried about, well then don't." She paused watching Hinata's confused reaction. "We're unable to locate him." It was true. Tsunade sent a team of ANBU after the trail of the Uchiha, but even they simple couldn't trace him. Everything from his scent to his chakra presence was completely wiped out. She suspected they wouldn't have much luck when Kakashi mentioned the forbidden jutsu he used in order to simply vanish. This was of course after she threatened to put the sensei on a suspension. Tsunade knew that he had let Sasuke go on his own because Kakashi was rarely careless. She remembered watching him shrug his shoulders when she asked if that was what he wanted. Kakashi was always loyal to his comrades, even if it meant that he would suffer the consequences.

Tsunade waited for a response from Hinata, but when she said nothing, the Fifth Hokage frowned. Even though it had been a week, there was still a lot of Hinata's mind. She decided to change the subject.

"Your father is out in the waiting room. I will let him know that you are awake." Hinata wanted to plead her not to. The last person she wanted to see was her father and having him see her in such a weak state. Before she could muster up the words, Tsunade left the room.

Hinata tried to shift her weight a bit, and it only brought pain. Her whole body ached, especially her chest. She could feel the bandages around her underneath her shirt and it only made her heart hurt more. Sasuke-kun…Hinata had missed Sasuke before, but it was only because she hadn't seen him in a few days. But this feeling of missing him was so much stronger. There were so many things that Hinata wanted to tell him. There were so many times before where Hinata wanted to help him but couldn't. She wished he was there; his presence always made her feel more at ease as if he was her silent protector. The door to her hospital room slid over and she looked over to see her father walk in. His face always carried the same emotion, which was strange because he never really had any emotion to him. Hinata avoided his eye contact as he sat down next to her bed. She expected a lecture or something about how she was again hurt from a mission. Instead her father held her hand tightly.

"Hinata…" He said softly and she moved her head slowly to look at him. She had only seen her father cry once and it was after the passing of her uncle. It made her lip tremble seeing her father so vulnerable.

"Father…" Hinata whispered. He squeezed her hand and offered her a very small smile.

"I'm just so glad you're awake. We weren't sure if..." His voice trailed off and he paused to stop a sob right in its tracks. Hinata furrowed her eyebrows. Hiashi always had such high standards for Hinata and it was very hard for her to meet them. Every day she felt like she had to start over to gain his acknowledgement. He was like a stone statue; never losing balance or grace. And he here was crumbling right before her eyes.

"I'm sorry, father." She managed to say. Hiashi shook his head and smiled gently. Hinata wondered if she was dreaming again because this was very unlike him. She recalled the countless days where he would push and push her to train harder, almost to the point of collapsing from exhaustion.

"No. We are happy you are alive. Neji has been visiting you daily and even blaming himself for not being there with you on your mission." She felt her cheeks get pink and something inside her chest stirred. Hinata was relieved her father wasn't angry with her, but it also made her realize she had to be on her death bed for her own family to show compassion. That was just how their clan was.

"Once we find Uchiha Sasuke, we plan to see that he gets the correct consequences." Hinata's stomach dropped upon hearing that. She shook her head slowly.

"No, father, he didn't mean it. I-It was my fault." She tried to speak louder, but her voice was so hoarse. Hiashi frowned and released his daughter's hand.

"Hinata, I know that you had been spending time with him." She turned her head to look away from him and once again tears were making her surroundings blurry. Had been… Those words left her feeling numb. The days of visiting Sasuke at the district were gone. The evenings spent walking down the old paths to their districts were also gone. Uchiha Sasuke was gone. Hinata felt exhausted even though she had been bed ridden for a week. Perhaps it was more mentally than physically. Her father was silent for a while and he watched a tear escape. Hiashi's stern expression softened and he exhaled.

"You are getting to the age where decisions are getting more important. As the heiress to the clan, I will let you make this decision. I know you have your mother's heart." Her father's voice sounded defeated and she closed her eyes. A number of emotions came over her like a tidal wave: shock, sadness and disbelief. They sat in silence for a while, the only sound coming from the machines she was hooked up to. He watched his daughter slip into another deep sleep and he reached up to brush a few strands of hair out of her eyes. Hiashi was known for his stern and traditional behavior. After almost losing his older daughter, he thought of all the things he had yet to pass on to her. Even though Hinata wasn't strong off the bat, she had done everything she could to reach the level that he deemed appropriate for a Hyuuga. Hiashi thought of his late wife and how much Hinata took after her. They both shared a kind heart but a strong will power. In a rare moment, Hiashi stood up, kissed his daughter's forehead, and left her to sleep on her emotions.

The next few days were in and out for the Hyuuga heir. Even though she was awake from her recovery, everything would be slow. Hinata remembered Tsunade asking her if she knew why she was alive. Hinata was confused because she figured that she was alive because of the quick thinking of her team in getting her back to the hospital. Tsunade had smiled at her and crossed her arms. Hinata was alive because before Sasuke's Chidori made contact with her chest, she had covered her body in chakra. It didn't stop the attack, but it softened the blow and making it less fatal. Hinata didn't remember releasing chakra, but the Fifth Hokage said sometimes the 'fight or flight' instinct can create heavy chakra flow from within the body. This weighed heavily on her mind. Sasuke really could have killed her if it wasn't for the barrier of chakra she released.

Hinata had many visitors, but her visiting hours were limited due to the extent of her injuries. A lot of emotion could disrupt the healing process and Tsunade was being stern with her about trying to relax. Of course her team mates had visited her; Kiba, Shino and Kurenai-sensei made sure to see her every morning after their training. Hinata was secretly relieved that she had some time off from training and missions. Other ninja stopped to visit including Ino, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei and of course Naruto was there to see her every afternoon. On this particular day, Hinata had a request.

"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata said as she eased herself up in a sitting position. Naruto, who was picking at a thread on his jacket, glanced up at her. He thanked Hinata every day for saving his life, although it was probably unnecessary. Naruto would have been able to survive the blow with the Nine-Tailed Fox spirit inside of him.

"Eh?"

"Um… well, first off thank you for s-stopping by. You really don't need to every day." She said softly. Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. Sorry Hinata but you're stuck with me here." He grinned, which caused her cheeks to flush a bit. Old feelings were being poked at, but there was something else inside her heart that stirred and put out that flame.

"Ah… well, I was wondering if…" Her voice trailed off, and Naruto frowned boyishly.

"What is it? I owe you one, so whatever is it, I'll do it!" Hinata formed another polite smile and stared at her folded hands in her lap. She had thought long and hard about it, and she knew that it might not even be something possible. If Hinata was well enough, she would already be out there doing it.

"Can you find Sasuke for me?" She finally whispered. Naruto's face softened and he stared glumly at the floor. He knew damn well that it would be difficult. If the ANBU couldn't find the boy then how could he? Naruto thought back to the promise he made to Sakura about finding the Uchiha and how he had failed to do it. He wasn't sure if he could keep his promise to Hinata either. But Naruto had never been one to say no to a request. He looked back up to her and grinned.

"I'll find him no matter what, Hinata. I promise." She looked over at him and smiled sadly.

"T-Thank you, Naruto-kun. I wish I could help." Naruto nodded and stood up.

"Don't worry! We found him once, and we can do it again. That damn guy just won't sit still, will he?" Naruto folded his arms behind his head and smiled. He also missed his best friend. Tsunade made sure to keep them apart while Sasuke got back on track. But now it was no excuse—he had to find him again to drag him back. Naruto turned to leave, but he stopped and glanced back at the girl sitting on the bed.

"Sasuke is a lucky guy to have you by his side." And with that, he left her there to bury her head in her hands. The phrase 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' rang very true for her. But Hinata was a strong person, and she would do her best to ensure that when Sasuke came home that he wouldn't have to be alone anymore.

"Absolutely not." Tsunade said as she leaned back in her chair.

"Why!?" Naruto said extending out his arms dramatically. The Fifth Hokage sighed and closed her eyes. The Academy was finishing its repairs and missions were coming in left and right. The ANBU gave up after a week of looking for the Uchiha and even a group of Hyuuga ninja that Hiashi ordered out were unsuccessful.

"We have more important things for you to be doing. That's why." She said and opened her honey colored eyes to stare down Uzumaki Naruto in front of her. He cursed under his breath. "Besides, we've tried to find him. What makes you think you can do better than the ANBU?"

"They don't know Sasuke like I do! We've found him before, and we'll find him again. Besides, when I make a promise I follow through on it." This got a small chuckle from Tsunade as she stood up and folded her arms across her chest. Naruto was always so eager to jump blindly into something.

"Oh? A promise, huh?" She figured it wasn't Sakura since her affections had shifted. Tsunade smiled softly, and the slight thought of romance brought her to remember her own past. Ahh, kids… Naruto frowned during this silence, because he didn't want to throw Hinata into their conversation. The Fifth Hokage let out a sigh that turned into a scowl. This boy always knew how to get underneath her skin and walk all over her.

"Fine. Who all are you considering to take?" Naruto grinned as if he was almost keeping score of his won arguments with Tsunade. Before either could blink, Shizune burst into the Hokage's office with a few scrolls in her arms.

"Shizune! This better be important!" Tsunade snapped and her assistant bowed slightly as an apology.

"Tsunade-sama… this is something I think you should see." Tsunade's irritated look softened slowly as she was handed a scroll. They both looked intently at the information within it and began whispering to each other. Naruto's frown became more apparent, and he lazily folded his hands behind his head.

"Tsunade-Ba-Chann!" He said irritably. Naruto didn't like being cast aside when there were important matters at hand. She ignored him and looked into yet another scroll from Shizune and a smirk spread across her pink lips. Her eyes looked at Shizune with approval and then gave her a slight nod.

"Well, it will take some time. She is in no condition to learn such a jutsu at this point. It will take months for her to even heal enough to begin." Tsunade said, her eyes settling on Shizune again. "But, I think with some motivation on both of our ends, we could make it work."

"Tsunade-Ba-Chann!" exclaimed Naruto as if he were a child who wasn't getting the attention he wanted. Tsunade had almost forgotten about him and she heaved a sigh. A drink… that's all I need!

"Right, Naruto… there has been a change in plans."