Ermagerrrrd. Is it bad that I'm already starting to get ideas for another SasuHina fic? o_o I need to FOCUS...finish this one first and then take over with my terrible writing :o Oh enjoy Chapter 16 3

The air was sweet as he opened his eyes to see a patchy orange sky above. Sasuke found himself atop a grassy hill, underneath an oak tree. He stretched a bit and sat up. The breeze was warm and he leaned back on the palm of his hands, enjoying the view. The sun was setting behind the hills in the distance and everything was very peaceful.

"Sasuke," A womanly voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked over to see his mother standing next to him as he sat. Her smile was gentle; her eyes were calm. She sat down next to him gently and rested her hands in her lap. Sasuke leaned forward and looked over at her.

"Mother…" He watched her hair flow in the breeze and Sasuke felt at ease. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the moment. He thought about how Hinata mentioned seeing his mother in her dreams and wondered if that was a coincidence.

"I've missed you." Sasuke mumbled as if embarrassed. His mother turned her head to look at him.

"But you're doing so well." She said gently. "You've grown up to be such an incredible young man."

"I'm only doing well because of Hinata." He said with a disappointed tone. Sasuke picked at a blade of grass at his side and his mother's smile slowly disappeared.

"Yes, but you allowed her to help. And if I remember correctly, you were never quick to ask for assistance." Sasuke didn't say anything and he looked glumly at the ground as if he had reverted back to his youth in pouting. He didn't stay in a sad state for long—it was hard to with so much peacefulness around them. Everywhere Sasuke looked there was nothing but grass for miles. The only tree in the area was the one that they sat underneath.

"How come I only ever see you here?" He was curious. Sasuke had only seen his father in one place as well.

"This is the place I chose. It's where I'm happiest the most." His mother said and he looked confused. "It's where your father asked me to marry him." Sasuke felt his lips turn into a smile. His father wasn't a very touchy feely kind of guy. He showed his love in different ways so to hear of him being affectionate made him want to chuckle.

"Actually, it's not too far from the Uchiha District. It's in a secret area just a few miles out of the village." Sasuke thought for a moment before nodding. Then the dock by the water must be where his father was the happiest. He felt the breeze blow back his hair and he thought briefly about where Itachi might have chosen. His mother watched her son and noticed the pendant around his neck. "Your father would be so happy to see you wearing that." Sasuke's gaze turned to the pendant and he thought back to the dream he had with his father. He knew about his time with Orochimaru.

"Have you guys been watching me all along?" He asked. In fact, there were many questions he had for his parents. His mother heaved a gentle sigh, staring down at her hands. There wasn't much that she could keep from him any longer.

"Yes." Sasuke frowned and almost felt violated. They were watching him attack friends, kill innocent people, and worst of all…they were watching him plot against his own brother. He felt ashamed as his eyes squeezed shut. Sasuke felt her hand touch his shoulder and he didn't want to look at her. How could they love him or even accept that he was their son? Sasuke had done so many things wrong.

"Sasuke… we knew. We understood." His mother whispered. "We could never say anything because of the scrolls being hidden away, but now we can visit each other whenever we'd like." Sasuke opened his eyes and he was silent. If Hinata had never found the box… he would never have gotten to talk to his family again. She had done so much for him and he had done nothing in return. Had it of been one year ago, Sasuke wouldn't have thought twice about it but he really had changed.

"Mother, I'm sorry." Sasuke had noticed that saying sorry was a lot easier than before because he said it many times to Hinata already. He had never come to the realization of his mistakes until now. Sasuke knew that his family could have been ashamed about his decisions in life. They could have chosen not to approach him in his dreams, but they did. His mother squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Your father would have done the same. I would have done the same. We never once thought ill of you…however." Her voice trailed off and her hand returned to her side. Sasuke didn't want to hear the 'however' part. "Orochimaru was a terrible man."

"I knew what I was doing." He tried to defend his actions, but they both knew that she was right. Even though Sasuke was a great and incredible ninja, and that he put on a very good front, Orochimaru could have easier taken him out especially the first year or so. But he didn't for his own reasons of acquiring his body. That never worked out.

"I'm just glad it's all over with. I'm glad you're safe and happy." His mother said with a smile. Sasuke returned her smile and nodded. Sasuke was happy and he gave much of the credit to Hyuuga Hinata. It's not that he relied on her for his happiness, but she physically put him at ease. Sasuke never felt angry or annoyed around her.

"Glad to know that I'm still being talked about…" That menacing and slippery voice echoed around them. The sky began to darken and the tree behind him seemingly died right before his eyes. Sasuke growled and stood up. God Damnit…!

"Orochimaru!" He screamed as he tried to form the Chidori in his hand. Nothing was working, however, and he glanced over at his mother. She had her head lowered so he couldn't see her eyes.

"Mother…" Sasuke walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and she had wild eyes. Her sweet smile had turned into something that made his insides crawl as he backed away. The anger was coming back in quick bursts inside of his body. How fucking dare he use the people I care about… He recalled when Orochimaru would taunt him with Hinata and it made his blood boil. His mother cackled as she approached her son and she leaned up against his chest.

"Sasuke… why are you so scared? I'm your mother!" Sasuke wanted to push her away, but he didn't get a chance to. Her entire body turned into slithering snakes that crawled up onto him. He struggled, trying to throw them off but their grips on his arms and neck were getting tighter. Sasuke blinked and Orochimaru was inches away from his face. He fell back out of surprise and the snakes only got tighter. Orochimaru crossed his arms watching his former 'student' struggle.

"Sasuke-kun… You are not allowed to have a happy ending." His words caused a shudder to travel up Sasuke's spine and Orochimaru reached down to pick him up by the neck. Holding him up in the air, Orochimaru laughed. Sasuke could feel his airways being cut off as he tightened his grip on his throat. The nightmares never got this far… they never got this violent. Sasuke began to panic as his arms were being held back by snakes and he was unable to form chakra correctly. How am I supposed to repel it if I can't use my chakra!? Orochimaru's grin was the last thing he saw when he was suddenly thrown from the dream.

As if he had been underwater, Sasuke sat up with a start gasping for air. His Sharingan was spinning in his eyes as usual from these dreams and he was drenched in sweat. He didn't realize that he was face to face with Hinata as she had been leaning over his body.

"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata almost sobbed his name as she sat on her knees next to him. He rubbed his eyes and his Sharingan disappeared.

"Hinata…!" Sasuke was still trying to catch his breath as he stared at her with such confusion. "Where are we?!" Hinata frowned, a look of fear in her eyes.

"Um… we're in your bed room." She said with a hint of embarrassment. Sasuke felt his muscles relax and he looked around. They must have fallen asleep because the sun was shining into his window. He let his body go limp and he fell back onto his pillow. His hand rose up to rub his forehead as if it would help his stress. These dreams were getting to too realistic and he wondered if maybe he should go see Tsunade again. Hinata remained sitting where she was.

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said softly. "Um… you were stuck in the genjutsu. I had to apply chakra to your body to wake you up." He looked up at her for a moment and was silent. Hinata had saved his life, basically. Who knows what could have happened if the dream had continued further. He could feel his heart returning to a normal rate and everything was calm now.

"What happened?" She asked gently.

"Another dream…" He mumbled. "Tsunade gave me some bullshit advice to help me with them… didn't work." Hinata leaned forward a little bit and her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She appeared to be in thought.

"There should be someone w-with you just to make sure that… nothing bad happens." Sasuke heaved a sigh and took her words into account. Maybe he would ask the Fifth Hokage about it. When he didn't say anything, Hinata crawled out of the bed. Sasuke watched her with half lidded eyes. Her jacket was still unzipped and he could see that the tank top she wore had scrunched up a little bit exposing her stomach. Hinata wasn't a skinny girl like Ino or Sakura, but she wasn't fat either. She was what a normal woman was supposed to look like and he enjoyed it. Sasuke always heard Sakura mention her diets around him as if it was supposed to magically make him fall in love with her. Truth be told, Sakura was too skinny. Hinata was just…perfect.

"You slept overnight at my house." Sasuke said with a slightly amused tone. His smirk was hard to hide and she ran her fingers through her hair. She was awfully calm for having slept in the same bed with him through the night. Hinata pulled her tank top down much to his disappointment and she zipped up her jacket.

"Um, Sasuke-kun, it's late evening time." She said with a small laugh. Sasuke chuckled inwardly and he got up. He approached her and was glad to see her back to her usual self.

"Either way, you slept with me." He teased which brought a heavy blush to her cheeks at the way he worded it. She brought her hands to her cheeks and tried to hide her embarrassment.

"N-No, we just f-fell asleep! It was an accident!" Hinata squeaked. Sasuke felt a laugh come from his lips as he pulled her into his arms. It was a nice new thing… having someone to care about. Sasuke never thought it was possible to love someone because he never really thought about it much at all until he met her. He looked down at her face and her smile slowly faded. She avoided his gaze again remembering her predicament again. Hinata had to meet with her father in the morning to discuss what would happen with her up and coming birthday.

"I should go, Sasuke-kun." Hinata said gently and she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. Sasuke closed an eye when she did and watched her walk out of the bed room. He frowned and crossed his arms before following her out.

"You know, you were right." Sasuke said casually. Hinata brushed off her jacket and she turned to look at him curiously.

"Oh?" He nodded.

"I need someone around to make sure I wake up." Sasuke said, watching her reaction. Even though he was a jerk to everyone else, he got a kick out of making her fret over silly things. Hinata raised her eyebrows to this.

"Yes? W-Would you like me to ask Naruto-kun for you?" She asked innocently. Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and shook his head almost in disgust.

"What? No, no." Hinata frowned unsure what he was trying to get at. Suddenly her cheeks grew pink and she looked away. Sasuke smirked and nodded to the door so he could walk her home.

Hinata didn't sleep well that night for a few different reasons. The first and most obvious reason was the nerves of meeting with her father the next day. The second was feeling the void of having Sasuke next to her. She never thought that she would enjoy falling asleep next to someone. Hinata was a girl who liked her space and often times would toss and turn in her sleep. When she fell asleep with Sasuke that day, she woke up feeling refreshed and rested (of course until Sasuke almost pushed her off due to his nightmare).

She got up a little earlier than usual and figured some good meditation in the training grounds of the mansion would help calm her nerves. In fact, meditation was almost mandatory for her now, on account of the forbidden jutsu she used in order to find Sasuke. She would never tell him how the jutsu affected her day to day life now because she already knew how awful he felt. Hinata could only do what she could to make him feel less guilt.

Hinata put on her usual outfit and before she zipped up her jacket, she stopped. In the mirror, her fingertips lightly moved across the large scabbing wound on her chest. Even though her father had allowed her to learn such a risky jutsu and go in search of the Uchiha, it didn't mean that he approved. Hinata often wondered if the only reason he helped her with her training was to see how strong she really was. She frowned before zipping up her jacket and tying her forehead protector around her neck.

The Hyuuga mansion was quiet as she walked to the middle square outside. The sun was just starting to shine on Konoha and the dew on the grass was sparkling as Hinata found a spot to sit on the wooden walkway. It wasn't uncommon for her to come out here to get away, but it was rare to find it empty so Hinata took full advantage of the peace and quiet. Closing her eyes, Hinata tried to focus on her heart beat while taking steady breaths. But the pit of her stomach wouldn't relax and she heaved a heavy sigh.

"Your shoulders are too tense." Neji's voice about made her jump out of her skin and she turned around to see him approaching behind her. Hinata should have heard him coming, but she had been so distracted that her ninja senses failed her.

"Oh…Neji-niisan." She breathed and he stood behind her with his Byakugan activated. Neji knelt down behind her and began to work a knuckle into her shoulder blade where a chakra point was knotted.

"What has you so stressed, Hinata-san?" He asked dryly as she winced at the sharp pain. This kind of thing wasn't so strange to the Hyuuga's. Since the Byakugan could see one's chakra flow, it wasn't a big deal to work out knots amongst the clan. Hinata remembered crawling on her father's back as a young girl trying to test out her own Byakugan to see where the knot was.

"N-Nothing." Hinata made sure to add in her stutter so he wouldn't accuse her of lying. Neji worked his way to another knot up along the base of her neck. He moved her long hair to get better access and she felt a shiver travel down her spine.

"Your birthday is coming up." Neji mentioned after a bit of time and silence had passed between them. Hinata nodded and she could tell he was trying to pry the information out of her. Neji wasn't nosy like Ino was. He was more or less curious about how things would end up for him once Hiashi handed the reins over to his daughter. Once he was satisfied with releasing the tense chakra points in her back, he stood up and turned to leave. Hinata glanced over at him from behind her shoulder.

"Um… Neji-niisan?" He stopped and looked back at her. Hinata opened her mouth to speak but the words couldn't form. She wasn't really sure what sort of advice she wanted and she didn't feel like going over it with her cousin (who at one point wouldn't have hesitated to kill her). Neji's emotionless face waited for her response, but he watched her lower her head in defeat. He felt the sympathy growing and so he sat down next to her.

They sat in silence simply meditating together. Hinata always enjoyed the company and even though the two were never close, she felt herself growing more attached to her cousin. He was the older brother she never had and to Neji, she was worth protecting not just because she was from the Main House. After a while, the sun was finally up and Hiashi had come looking for his oldest daughter.

"Hinata," His voice was never soft or quiet like hers. It was always full of a mixture of confidence and arrogance. Neji looked over at her with a hint of support and she nodded. Hinata got to her feet and looked to her father.

"Y-Yes, father." She followed him back inside and they walked down the hallways silently. Her stomach wasn't settling well and her palms were sweaty. She knew what they would discuss, but she was still completely unsure of what to do. Hiashi slid open the door to a meeting room and Hinata took a deep breath before she entered.

"As you know, your 18th birthday is approaching in two weeks." Hiashi said as he sat down at the table. She sat down across from him and noticed there was tea waiting for them. Hinata tried to sit up straighter in hopes that it would help boost her confidence.

"Hai." Hinata replied, letting her hands rest in her lap. She could feel her heart beating fast in her chest as her nerves began to take over. Hiashi calmly took a sip of his tea and then crossed his arms.

"And because you are my eldest daughter, you are the heir to the Hyuuga Clan." He said his voice completely different from the time she was in the hospital. It was back to the stiff and uncomfortable cloud between them. Hiashi continued.

"Will you be ready?" He asked suddenly. It caught Hinata off guard and she nodded quickly even though she was unsure.

"H-Hai!" So did this mean that she truly was going to take over? Hiashi stared at her with those eyes. They looked like hers of course but the emotion within them was completely different. He frowned as he seemed to study her under a microscope.

"I don't feel as if you are." He said finally. Hinata thought back to when Neji seemed to read her mind at the Chuunin Exams. Everything he said about her was true—her lack of confidence and naivety was picked up as if he was searching for red flags. Her cheeks felt hot in embarrassment that her father still had yet to fully believe in her. She fought the muscles behind her eyes to not form tears as she looked down at her fingers in her lap.

Everyone always looked down at her. Even through the years of improvement and hard work, she was always failing to meet the expectations of not just her family but of her friends as well. She thought that if she became a Chuunin that it would be of some importance, but it was never enough. Even though Hinata lacked the self-confidence one needed in the Hyuuga clan, she knew that she was something worthwhile. She knew that she had to make her father proud. She had to make herself proud. Her hands formed angry little fists as she looked back up to her father.

"I have gotten stronger! I became a Chuunin and even learned a forbidden jutsu to help find Sasuke-kun!" She said almost as if she was in a fight with her own mind. Hiashi frowned upon hearing the Uchiha's name. Her eyes had more strength as usual, but his gaze seemed to over power hers.

"Hinata, as the leader of the Hyuuga clan, you won't be able to continue being seen with him." Hiashi said without showing a sign of empathy for her. She felt something shatter in her heart as she simply stared at her father. She shouldn't have been too surprised as the thoughts had crossed her mind, but hearing it in her father's voice and words seemed to make it sink in further. Hinata opened her mouth finally.

"Then why did you help me find him?" Her voice was quiet just like a mouse, but she did always wonder why her father was so willing to train her. Hiashi kept his gaze firmly on her.

"To see how well you could learn a forbidden jutsu." He said simply. "It's important for the leader to be strong and able to master powerful jutsus." Hiashi had challenged her new found confidence and then beaten it to the ground. Hinata wanted to say many things to her father, but the courage was gone. Instead, she nodded as her surroundings got blurry with tears. Hinata made sure to look down at the ground so he couldn't see.

"However," Hiashi said taking a sip of his tea. "If you feel you are unable to reach the expectations of a leader then perhaps Hanabi would be a better candidate." Her eyes got wide a bit as she looked up suddenly at that statement. A small tear escaped and she stood up.

"N-No! I…." Hinata was torn. She knew deep down that her little sister would make a much better leader than her. She also knew deep down inside that Sasuke needed her… Hinata had made a promise to his mother. But she wanted to prove to her clan—and to her father—that she could be something. She could be important and worthwhile. Hiashi watched her battle mentally in her mind.

"I'll do it." She whispered before she could stop herself and her father stood up.

"There is a lot for you to do before the ceremony in two weeks. There is a lot for you to study up on and learn. Expect to meet me here every afternoon. Be prepared." Hiashi said and left her standing there. She sunk to her knees and laid her head on the table. What am I doing? Hinata thought about all of her friends and especially about Sasuke. Her face scrunched up as she sobbed gently to herself. Hinata suddenly felt selfish; she worked so hard to help Sasuke rebuild his life and now she was almost abandoning him. But she was the heir from the moment she was born and it almost seemed unavoidable. Had she of passed it on to her sister, Hinata would have lost what respect the clan had for her. She would have been known as a failure her entire life.

Hinata watched as a pool of tears formed on the table underneath her cheek. She recalled a moment when her mother was still alive. Hinata was sitting on her mother's lap holding Hanabi as a baby. Protect your sister, Hinata. As the heir, you must be a strong and courageous leader. As if everything inside was breaking down, she squeezed her eyes shut. For anyone else, moving up in their clan would be a great feeling, but she never felt so scared of the unknown.

The wind was cold against her face as she walked slowly through the village. Hinata had been neglecting the memorial garden at the Uchiha District lately, and it was the perfect way to get her mind off of the morning's events. It was late afternoon and the sun was disappearing behind a few lone clouds in the sky. For the first time in a long time, Hinata just wanted to be on a mission. It was the best way to distract her from the problems in her life. She missed being around Kiba and Shino…and even her favorite pup Akamaru.

Her eyes began to fill with hot tears again as she realized she would see them even less than she already did now. Hinata felt as if she didn't have a choice. She always thought as a child that by her 18th birthday, she would be so much stronger and confident. Hinata still felt weak and she wondered if that feeling would ever go away.

Just before she was getting on the outskirts of the village, a large shadow loomed in front of her. She glanced up from the road and saw Masaru. His bald head gleamed and his smile made her forget all of the problems in her life as she smiled at him.

"Masaru-san!" She exclaimed and he put a big heavy arm around her small shoulders.

"Good to see ya, Hinata." He said and spit to the side.

"Oh, where is Taro?" She asked, glancing around to see the bounding little boy she learned to love so much. Masaru laughed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Took the kiddo home. He's still tryin' to convince his mama to let him attend the academy here soon." Masaru said. "Hey, how about I treat you to something sweet?" Normally Hinata would politely decline, but the relief of getting her mind on something more stable and familiar was welcoming. They went to a street vendor who was offering different assortments of candies and chocolates, and Hinata followed the old man to a bench to the side of the street.

"I do miss Taro… a lot." Hinata said as she sat down next to Masaru. She plopped a chocolate in her mouth and smiled. Masaru laughed and his belly jiggled along with him.

"He's a little shit, that's for sure." He said. "He asks about you and the damn Uchiha kid all the time. Speaking of…how is he doin?" Hinata frowned and looked down at the clear plastic bag of candies in her lap.

"Sasuke-kun is good…" She said. Masaru raised his eyebrow noticing her spirit dwindling.

"What the hell did he do to you? I'll kick his ass." Hinata felt her cheeks go red as she shook her head.

"N-Nothing! He hasn't done anything. He's been…wonderful." She said looking over at him. Masaru found that last line amusing and thought she was kidding.

"Well, then that's good I guess." Masaru said and yawned. "Oh, I heard through the grape vine you've got a birthday comin' up." Hinata frowned again, looking away.

"H-Hai. In two weeks." She said quietly. Masaru knew that Hinata was the heir to the clan and he knew exactly about what would happen on her birthday. He patted her on the shoulder and grinned.

"Aw come on. The only birthday you shouldn't look forward to is your 50th." He joked and she smiled politely.

"I am excited, I suppose."

"And you should be. Now is your time to shine, Hinata. Time to show everyone how kick ass you are!" Hinata had to laugh.

"Yes, I just won't be able to do a lot of the things I like to do anymore. I'll have to ask Taro to take over the garden for me. He did so well while I was in the hospital." She said sadly. Masaru frowned and crossed his big arms on his chest. He was silent for a while.

"And how is the Uchiha taking this?" Masaru asked as gently as he could. His voice was naturally loud and boisterous so it definitely took her by surprise. Their relationship wasn't really a secret, but they didn't flaunt it either.

"Um… well he didn't really say much when I asked." Hinata said watching a pile of leaves blowing past them. "B-But I could tell he didn't want me to." Her bangs fluttered in the wind. Masaru leaned forward on his knees and he observed her.

"Of course not. But if he really loves ya, then he will understand." Hinata felt her cheeks get rosy at the word 'love'. They never said it to each other because perhaps it was too soon. Or maybe it was because they were both kind of scared of the word.

"I want to be there for him… but I'm the heir. I feel awful." She said feeling tears returning back to her eyes. Masaru heaved a sigh.

"There is a way to do both, Hinata. Balance in life is vital because if you don't, you'll go bat shit crazy. Do what you need to do even if you have to bend the rules a bit." Masaru said. Hinata sat and thought for a while. Bend the rules… She smiled a little and nodded.

"Y-You're right." She said and popped another chocolate in her mouth. Masaru smiled to himself and leaned back. Ahh, young love. After a few more minutes of casual conversation, Hinata thanked the old man and she said her good-byes. She knew what she had to do.

Sasuke felt the cool breeze and it knocked him out of his meditation. He sat in front of the memorial stone in the garden as the setting sun in the distance seemed to be bidding him farewell for the day. He frowned and closed his eyes again. Sasuke thought about when he went to see the Fifth Hokage that day and she seemed to be more worried about the dream he had than he was.

"Hmm. Well, then that isn't going to work." She had said as she gazed out her window. Sasuke had nodded.

"Had Hinata not been there…er.." His voice trailed off as he brought the Hyuuga heir into the story. Their personal life really wasn't anyone's business. "Well, either way, something needs to be done." Tsunade snorted as she turned around.

"It's not a bad idea, honestly." She remarked as she sat back down in her chair. Sasuke put his hands in pockets when she referred to having someone there to make sure he didn't die in his sleep. But Tsunade had no new information. She had even asked Kurenai, the master of genjutsu, but came up short with little answers.

Sasuke opened his eyes and fixated his gaze on the memorial stone in front of him. He had thought about just not sleeping but every time he tried to stay awake, his body would long for sleep. Sasuke could deal with the nightmares but he couldn't with his life on the line. Sasuke wondered if maybe it was all in his head. Maybe Orochimaru really wasn't trying to reach him and he was just going insane. He dismissed that thought since Tsunade apparently didn't think he was crazy. Sasuke stood up and looked behind his shoulder to see Hinata walking towards him with the watering can. Just like a child seeing his crush, his stomach got butterflies and he smirked to himself.

"G-Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun." She said quietly and stopped in front of him. He nodded his greeting to her and watched her start to water the delicate flowers of the garden. Sasuke noticed that she was unusually quiet, though to anyone else, they wouldn't have noticed.

"So…?" He said impatiently. Sasuke wanted to know how the meeting with her father went. Hinata chewed on her lip as she kept her back to him. The water droplets gleamed in the sun and she sort of wished life was just as simple as watering the flowers. She wanted to say something but she felt more comfortable being silent. Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms; a sign of irritation.

"Hyuuga. I'm talking to you." He said and she tensed up hearing that. Hinata finally turned around and set down the watering can. She hoped that Masaru was right. Taking a deep breath, she approached him.

"I um… well." She mumbled and Sasuke stared at her without emotion. Hinata avoided his gaze. "I… I will take my father's place." Hinata was barely audible, but Sasuke knew what she had said. She braced herself for a cold stare or perhaps an argument to begin.

The news to Sasuke wasn't surprising. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but his days of being a selfish child were gone. As much as he had thought that perhaps maybe she would change her mind, she didn't. For some reason he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her or hold it against her. After all, Hinata had sacrificed a lot for him and he understood that. In fact, had the shoes been on the other foot, he would have done the same thing. Sasuke no longer had a clan to gain momentum with, but Hyuuga Hinata did. He felt he had no right to forbid for it. He had learned a lot in life and made a lot of mistakes. Sasuke didn't want to be the reason for Hinata to be sad again; he had done it too many times before. Perhaps it was the guilt or perhaps it was something more.

"Good. Maybe you can tell those older Hyuugas to take the sticks out of their asses." Sasuke said with a smirk. Hinata stared at him unsure how to take that statement. When she didn't smile or laugh, he pulled her abruptly into a hug. He let his chin rest on the stop of her head.

"I know you will do great." He tried to say it without sounding disappointing. Hinata felt a huge relief wash over her and she hugged him back.

"Um… I also want to help with your dreams." She said and he pulled her away. His face remained emotionless but she saw the confusion in his eyes. "I-I want to be there for you if you need to wake up…" Sasuke saw her cheeks were flushed and she couldn't have been talking about staying with him overnights.

"Your father would never allow that." He said and frowned. Hinata shook her head.

"N-No, but… he doesn't have to know." She said. Sasuke almost laughed thinking she was joking, but her face was serious. Who is this and what have you done with Hyuuga Hinata? This couldn't be the same girl who would always turn away in complete embarrassment when Sasuke got a little too excited or who blushed furiously when he'd take off his shirt during training sessions.

"Um…" Sasuke wasn't sure what to say. Hinata smiled.

"Only if it's okay… I don't want to i-intrude." She said. Sasuke felt himself smiling too and normally he would stop himself to return the usual thin line on his lips. But he couldn't help it… he was too happy to care.