Author's Note: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter II

Caught Her Heart

Hinata was just a tiny girl when she met Naruto. Although she was young, Hinata had a caring and happy life at this time. Due to her timid nature, it made it harder for her to excel in her clan's techniques. Thus, lowering her approval overall.

It was a dark and dreary night when Hinata decided she to run away from her home. Her mother had died shortly after her sister, Hanabi was born. After that, her life had been hell for her. Constantly belittled by even her own father.

So she decided to run away. Run away as far as she could from her home. Eventually, her tired body fell into the snow that covered the ground. She got up to where both of her knees were under her body. Looking down at the ground she couldn't help but cry. She cried for her late mother. She cried from the pain she had endured. And she cried for herself.

"Hey what are you doing out here?" It was a voice. Hinata was startled, she quickly looked up and found herself under a lit lamppost. A small silhouette was walking her way. At first she thought it was a monster of sorts. But as it came into the light she saw a boy. He had spiky blonde hair, blue eyes as deep and blue as the ocean, and whiskers marks on his cheeks. "How am I supposed to know if you don't ask me ya' know?" The boy asked. "Where's your home at?" Hinata shook her head no. "Oh come on you have to have a home. Come on, let's go!" He said as he grabbed her hand and lead her in the way that she left a trail in.

Hinata realized he was making a beeline straight for her home; straight back to her misery. "P-please don't!" She cried as she tried to stop the boy. "I'm ugly, they don't love me there. P-please d-don't send me back there." "Oh come on now, you're prettier than most of other girls I know. A pretty girl should at least have some family that loves her. I have no family but I never cry." The boy said before flashing a smile that seemed to light up Hinata's darkness. She stared at the boy. She has to admit, she was impressed by his words and enthusiasm.

As they walked up to the Hyūga gate, Naruto looked at one last time. He banged the door twice before smiling, and running back to wherever he lived. It was Natsu who opened the door and found Hinata outside. "Hinata-sama, what are you doing out here? Come inside!" Natsu said as she escorted the Hyūga girl inside and to her father's room. Hiashi was not very pleased with Hinata. "Hinata, where were you? You were not in your room like you we thought. Do you know what could've happened?" Hiashi asked. "I-I was trying t-to run away father. All I felt was everyone just absolutely hating me..."

In Hiashi's heart, he was pained to hear his eldest daughter say something so much like what he experienced when he was a child. But that didn't stop him from scolding her. "Hinata, don't you dare do that again. Don't you remember what happened when you were kidnapped? I almost lost you and I wouldn't bare to hear your mother cry. I know I need to be hard on you, but you are the heiress. You must be able to defend yourself."

"Y-Yes father" Hinata said in a quiet voice. Her eyes glowed as she remembered the boy who found her and brought her home. Just then, Kō walked into the room and informed Hiashi that someone brought Hinata home. "Who was it that brought you home Hinata?" Hiashi asked with his anger threatening to boil over. "I-It was a boy with blue eyes and blonde hair. He said he was an orphan." Hinata said as she looked down.

Hiashi stared at his daughter. Only one person matched that description. "Hinata, go back to your room. And don't runaway again." Hiashi told his daughter. Hinata bowed before heading to her room.

On her wat back to her room, Hinata couldn't stop thinking about the boy that brought her home. His eyes bore themselves into her mind and heart. Those whisker marks that he had seemed to make him ten times cuter to her. She just had to get the chance and run her fingers along them if she saw him again.

As she landed on her bed, Hinata's heart began to beat faster at the thoughts she was having of the boy. His entire existence was like the sun coming out after a fierce storm. As she went to sleep, she didn't even realize that he caught her heart and was beginning to love him.

Hiashi sat in his personal quarters and thought about everything that happened. 'So Kushina's son is responsible for bringing my daughter home. I will make sure to give him some food and extra money... The poor kid, he didn't deserve such a cruel fate as being a jinchuriki.' Hiashi thought to himself. He glanced at the wall to see a picture of Hana and Kushina dragging him off to the market. Hiashi didn't have the time of his life with them because it was close to his wedding with Hana and he had to find an ideal outfit. He lay down and went to sleep.

Off in a run down apartment, Naruto sat there. "Why on earth did I lie to that girl? Just to make her feel better or to just brag?" He asked himself. In his heart, he knew why he said it though. He was trying to impress her because she was a very pretty girl at least to him.

He sagged down and let his depression creep over him. He hugged his knees to his chest and rested his head on them. He could've slept like that for the rest of the night. But as he closed his eyes, the girls eyes and face became all he could see. Although now she was older and had longer hair. Her eyes her eyes seemed to glow with affection.

He woke up after such a weird dream, completely clueless on what it meant and what he should do. He remained so until he finally went to sleep again.