Gone Again

Kurenai's home was cozy and lived in. Mirai had art supplies spread all around working hard on her project for the birth of Shikamaru and Temari's child. She insisted on making a homemade gift for the couple who were her family.

Kurenai sat talking to Hinata. After spending so long talking about Mirai, Hinata finally opened up about what she was going through.

"It's entirely my fault," Hinata began, "I wanted to be with Naruto-kun so badly that I missed out on what could have been with Kiba-

"Stop Hinata. There is no point to this. Believe me I have played the, what if game myself and it leads to nowhere," Kurenai said.

"We are all going to be together again on this mission Kurenai-Sensei. I won't be able to be the girl who loses again. This time…this time I want to be the woman walking down the aisle," Hinata said determined.

"Kiba doesn't know your feeling have changed," Kurenai said.

"I know and it is just like before…I am a complete fool," Hinata started to cry.

"You don't still wish that Naruto-

"No, no I know that Naruto-kun is with the right person. I've never seen him so happy before. I'm sure they will raise the most beautiful babies and everything will be just fine. I know it is selfish of me but I want to get married like the rest of the women my age are doing," Hinata said.

"Don't just get married because of that reason. Live life you are plenty young enough," Kurenai said.

"Pretty soon Hanabi will pass me up," Hinata complained.

"But do you really love Kiba or is it just that you want to get married like everyone else," Kurenai asked.

"No it isn't how it sounds. I truly love Kiba. I've seen enough…experienced enough to know he is who I want to spend the rest of my life with," Hinata said.

"What about the young man your clan has chosen for you," Kurenai asked.

"That's certainly not love," Hinata said wrinkling her nose and shaking her head.

"I see."

"I must seem like a teenager to you," Hinata sighed and continued, "things have changed for me. I'm no longer the girl I used to be. I've spent a lot of time with Kiba. We are best friends. None of us know how long we get…I worry about him always but I am happy everytime he comes around. I've matured and it isn't a crush. He treats me so good and I know I love him without a doubt. You know how it feels to be in love with your soulmate," Hinata said.

"Like Asuma…," Kurenai trailed off.

"I didn't mean to bring that up," Hinata said feeling guilty about bringing up feeling of Asuma.

"I know you didn't. I'll always think of him in some way. It isn't a bad thing. Eventually all of us suffer loss. Death is the great equalizer. As unfair as it felt for me to lose Asuma I can't imagine what life would have been without our time together," Kurenai said.

Hinata looked down in her lap fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry," Hinata apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Are you sure that Kiba can return your feelings?"

"I can't lose him and I know that there could be…I know about the other woman out there who he…I know things and I just…I sound so stupid I don't know but I can't give up that easily," Hinata said.

"I don't think anyone would try to take him away from you," Kurenai said.

"I-I meant like…I meant that I don't want him to die," Hinata said.

"Nothing is going to happen to him," Kurenai said.

"You don't know that Sensei," Karin said.

"Kiba is a young man now. We are all much older and he is quite capable of going off on his own and taking care of himself. You shouldn't fear the worst. As Shinobi the world is harsh so you should seize every opportunity to enjoy your personal lives free of worry. At least that is how I see it from my perspective. If I worried every time anyone left the village I'd really go crazy," Kurenai reasoned.

"There hasn't been a threat level in the village so high since the war. We are under attack and I don't want to lose anyone the way that I lost Neji-niisan. I just can't do that…," Hinata tried to complete her sentence but just ended up sobbing at the thought of her dead cousin.

"You really were ready to go off to another village when Naruto couldn't return your feelings and now you wouldn't leave this place for the world because it revolves around Kiba," Kurenai said.

"It is serious. Has been for quite some time. I feel like I can share my secret with you but I want to wait for the right time," Hinata said.

"Don't let him get away with that," Kurenai said.

"No. Truthfully it is a secret worth keeping," Hinata said with a tone of sadness. It was soon to think this way and there was no guarantee that Kiba would ever settle down anywhere. There were other women that he was interested in for sure. Besides she didn't help her cause out being obsessed over a certain blonde all that time.

"I guess I really don't know him as well as you do," Kurenai stated.

"We each know him differently…in different ways sensei," Hinata said pushing her hair out of her face as she stood up from the couch.

"All of this stress over a boy we know so well. Yet there is something serious happening in the Shinobi world aren't you worried at all about what is happening," Kurenai asked.

"I can't talk much about it. I worry all the time…and when you say it like that it does sound incredibly stupid to love a boy," Hinata said sadly.

"I didn't mean it like that," Kurenai said.

"A little bit," Hinata suggested.

"No. I still remember him as the boy with the puppy on his head sometimes that is all I meant by it. You are adults now," Kurenai said.

"Sometimes it doesn't feel like we are," Hinata said and stood looking out the window at nothing in particular.

"I suppose it never really feels that way," Kurenai said and chuckled.

"I want to get my friendships back to the way they were…well some of them anyhow. I need a special gift for Shikamaru and Temari to start. I haven't spent much time with them but I know they still see me as a friend and then-

"What happened Hinata," Kurenai asked.

"It is nothing…I should have supported someone more when I had the chance to is all," Hinata said not turning to face her Sensei. She didn't want to talk about Sasuke or Karin. Or worse she didn't want to think of the little girl that they were taking care of on the run basically because of the leadership and she had to be included in that equation. Hinata was now apart of that leadership.

"Do whatever you can to support them now if it makes any difference," Kurenai suggested.

"Thanks I am…I will," Hinata said. See the smile on her Sensei's face she felt she didn't deserve it and she added, "There are many people I've ignored over the years. I am surprised I have any friends left at all."

"People do change and the concern you have now is proof of that," Kurenai said.

"Not that it makes me feel any better," Hinata said.

"I know," Kurenai replied. She knew it wasn't easy to face the darkest parts of you.

"The enemy knows our weakness and they will use the fact that I have been distant with people against us. I have to work to make stronger bonds not just as a friend but as a Shinobi. Naruto would be tough to fool because he works so hard to keep his bonds strong. All this time he's never given up on any of us. That is how I must be," Hinata said.

"Yes I somewhat agree with that but be Hinata first," Kurenai said.

"Of course," Hinata giggled. She once wished that Naruto be the one to fix her clan but maybe she had to power to shape and mold her clan into what they should be. At least she could see if she had to power to help one friend. If not what good was it to be Hyuuga princess anyway.

000

Hinata played with Mirai as Kurenai talked on and on about the girl's numerous achievements. It seemed as if Kurenai's daughter with Asuma would become a bright young lady.

"We must have talked for hours just look at the sky tonight," Kurenai said looking out the window.

"The sky is beautiful this evening," Hinata said.

"A night like tonight would be a perfect date night," Kurenai suggested.

"Um…Yes it would," Hinata said uncomfortable with the sudden shift in conversation. They had somehow landed back on her love life a subject she was never comfortable with.

Kurenai smiled at the shy young woman and added, "I've noticed you with Kiba obviously. Tonight has opened my eyes up to the thought of you two being more than just teammates and friends."

"Everybody knows about us it is a little embarrassing," Hinata said.

"But not all the time," Kurenai said.

"Exactly…sometimes it seems as if I'm the only person in his world and then it goes back to him being the center of everything," Hinata said.

"Yes he is a standout," Kurenai said.

"The whole world knows him and I'm just...," Hinata trailed off. His teammate who is always the quiet one…then they never think I can be his girl…

Kurenai placed a hand on her former student's shoulder and said, "You're well known yourself."

"Because of the clan," Hinata said. Everyone knew her because she was the heiress who possessed the Byakugan but she hardly stood out.

"I think it is more than that. You have to give yourself more credit than that Hinata," Kurenai said.

"It is alright. I am fine with the spotlight on other people you know," Hinata said.

"As long as you don't fade away in the shadows," Kurenai said.

"I don't think I'll fade," Hinata laughed.

"You know what I mean," Kurenai said.

"I know what my role is and I'll step up when it is appropriate," Hinata said.

"Good already thinking like you are a couple," Kurenai said.

"I'm going to go home and eat dinner. You are welcome to come with Mirai-chan if you like," Hinata offered.

Kurenai thanked Hinata for the invitation and gathered her belonging to stop by the Hyuuga compound. She needed to get out of the house. Hinata knew that tonight they would be serving so much food so she needed to invite guest.

Some times the Hyuuga compound was lonely to carry so many people. Kurenai was no stranger to the place in recent times. Hinata invited her Sensei to dinner, tea and many social events. Kurenai was amongst the few social connections Hinata had to society. The only other person outside Team Eight she invited more would probably be TenTen.

There were happy moments when Hinata would find TenTen watching a group practice on the private Hyuuga practice site and she would smile remembering Neji. Other times Hinata would find her teary eyed staring at a place where TenTen and Neji shared some secret together. Everyone had a different way of mourning her cousin; for TenTen it was a quiet way.