Neji stepped out of his room onto the wooded hall, he was smiling. It was early in the morning, he was barely getting up for his morning exercises. He hadn't smiled in what felt like too long. Naruto had finally become Hokage. Neji never knew how much he wanted this until Naruto actually became Hokage. He had just realized that he was finally going to be set free, from the cage that kept him from what he always wanted, Freedom. His house was on a small hill, so he had a view that saw most of the Hyuuga compound. Neji looked across the court and saw that Hinatas door was open. Alarmed that another spy ninja had kidnapped her, he walked quickly and quietly across the court to her room. Kunai in his left hand, he pulled the door open quietly. He was always looking after Hinata, even if she was fully capable of looking after herself.
"HInata!" he called quietly, but the only sound that came from the room was the sound of soft breathing.
He called again, this time louder. No answer. He opened the other sliding door that led to her bedroom, and there she was. Sound asleep with headphones stuck in her ears. Neji loosened his grip on the kunai but didn't drop his guard. He looked into her closet, and thought ' I have never seen so many sweaters in my whole life.' No one was there, he turned to find Hinata looking at him with a sleepy look in her eyes and smiling.
"Go back to bed" he whispered softly, kneeling next to her. She looked at him confused, then she pulled out her headphones. She asked
"What's wrong Neji?" noticing how tense he was.
"Nothing, you just left your door open, you have to be more careful. Remember what happened last time?" he said, in a much too grown up voice.
She giggled, "Kiba just wanted to know if I wanted to go on a walk with him, we were only gone for an hour. You really didn't need to send out a search party." He pushed a lock of hair that had fallen over her eyes.
"Hinata, do you remember that promise Naruto made when we took our first Chuunin test?" he asked.
Hinata was silent for a moment, "Of course I do." she said finally, in a hushed tone. " He promised you that he would change the way of the Hyuuga clan, you... you've been waiting for that day ever since."
He looked at her, "Do you remember when I said that the feelings that I had for you were just from the curse?"
"Yes" she replied, looking at him now.
"Well we'll finally find out if thats true or not." he said. She looked into his eyes, afraid that if it was the curse that kept them bonded together like this, that when Naruto finally got rid of it that he would leave her. She loved him so much that the thought of Neji leaving her side was bringing tears to her eyes.
"I resented you that day, when you said that the feelings were just an effect of the curse, but then I forgave you because I loved you too much to stay mad at you." she said sitting up in her bed.
"But you still have to remember that if it is the curse that I'll still be here, next to you." he said, wrapping her in his arms, wanting to sooth the sadness he felt in her emanating chakra. She couldn't stop the tears that were rolling down her cheeks, couldn't stop the sobs as she tried to regain control of her emotions. He held her close to him, he didn't let go until her tears stopped.
"Are you okay now?" he asked her, she was still flush from the sudden surge of emotion.
She nodded, "Hey scoot over" Neji said to her. She moved so that Neji had enough room to lay down next to her. He laid down next to her, they were face to face. "Once upon a time..." he told her a tale of a cage bird who so desperately wanted to be set free but he met this girl she laughed and treated him like and equal, when the bird was finally given a chance to be set free... then he forgot the rest of the story. He was halfway through the story when she fell asleep he had planned to leave as soon as she fell asleep. Finally he heard the soft sound of her breathing. The sound of her breathing were so peaceful, that he wanted to fall asleep too but he didn't. He studied her face, she had no worry lines or any kind of blemish on her face. He shifted to leave, but then felt her reach out and grabbed hold of his shirt.
"Don't leave me.." she whispered sleepily. He studied her face for a hint as to what that meant, but found none.
"I won't." he replied knowing that she didn't hear it. He missed his morning exercises that morning, because he just laid there studying her face.
To Be Continued...
The next chapter is called Destiny Calls

Love is not blind, it sees more not less;
But because it sees more it chooses to see less.
~ Unknown
Okay, walking in on Naruto and Sasuke making out wasn't really how he saw his new life starting. But it became part of the foundation his new life was being built on. Sasuke, with all his stature and all his potential power, was week at the knees, head over heels, in love with, Naruto. And he wasn't ashamed to show it, but what about me? I'm a coward, hiding behind family love, in a perverse kinda way.
But after that, I learned something else, about the ritual... I'm going to be blind, it will take about a year to heal. And in that time i'll... i'll forget everything, everyone, every moment of my life. As pitifil as it was, it was still his.
I just need time to think this out, time to let it settle. Then when I've thought about it, i'll tell every one else... i'll tell her how I feel too.
God, when did my life become so complicated?!

Neji walked silently down the dirt road, consummed in his thoughts. He walked passed the dock where Sasuke trained as a kid. He walked passed the swing where Naruto had sat to think and watch his fellow students graduate. He walked passed where Sakura had just fallen to the floor and cried because whe was teased for her big forehead. Passed the training hall where he had watched his father fall, fall during a training session with him and Hinata. He walked into his room, thinking of when he and Kiba had discovered Kiba's cousins 'medical pictures'. He had lived a good life, all he needed now was to find a love. Someone to share that 'good' life with. Maybe doing this, taking all the memories away would help him find our who he was. He suddenly had an idea and ran to his desk. He took out a legal pad and a pencil and started to write.

Four-five legal pads later...

A soft knock interupted his thoughts and stopped the soft scritch-scrath of his pencil. "Who is it?" he asked causiously. He leaned back in his chair to find the face of the person who was peeking into his room. When his eyes met pale ones, pale but warm eyes, unlike his, he fell out of his chair. But recovered quickly, scrambling to pick up all of the papers he had thrown over his shoulder. He had untied his hair while writing, and now they fell like water around his shoulders. He moved a little faster, as he heard her giggle and step closer.

He shoved them into his basket trash can, and to hide the papers he sat on it.

"Neji, what in the world are you doing? You look like you've been through hell and back." She said looking at his tangled hair, which he started to chew at the ends. "That's a nasty habit, you know that right? Even I don't do that...anymore." She said, then she looked around him. "Why are you sitting on a trashcan?"

"I just...ehh...I wanted to...umm... do you want to go out for lunch right now?" He said, desperate to change the subject.

"Lunch? Neji it's midnight! What are you doing up so late?" He gave up trying change the subject. He scratched his head then combed it back his hair into it's straight ponytail with his fingers. He stood abruptly, and started to guide her gently to the door.

"If you're so concerned about the time, then you go to sleep." He said sliding the door open for her, and pushing her out of his room gently. "I've just a lot of work to do, is all."

"Then maybe I could bring you a cup of coffee, or hot chocolate?" She asked as she turned to him.

"Thanks for thinking about me, but I don't need anything right now. Just some time to think. Alone." He said gently.

"Well okay." she said feeling a little lonely as he said goodnight and slid the door closed. Neji slid down the wall next to his sliding door and sighed. He sat there for a few minutes, then stood and walked to what he had written on the legal pad.

"I love you, Hinata."

A.N.: Sorry if the text is too spaced out on this.