Say it.

Bonjour, Hola, Guten Tag

Europe was fantastic, I have never enjoyed myself more, two of my life long dreams realised, I saw the Eifel Tower and the leaning tower in Pisa! I gotta say that was an amazing holiday even with my little brother driving us all crazy.


~*~*~


"I don't want to go…" Naruto moaned his arms wrapped around Hinata as she stood at the oven, he kissed her neck teasingly but for once she managed stand firm, turning around she pointed to the table with her fish slice.

"Sit down and wait for your breakfast"

"I don't normally fuss this much with breakfast" he pouted childishly but she just shook her head.

"Naruto I am not letting you go out on a mission after some of that awful noodle stuff, e-especially not a long one like this. I'm going to give you a good meal so you can't wait to come back to me" her tone was playful but she was sure he had heard the slight tremor in her voice.

"I already can't wait to come back to you… and I haven't even left yet!" he dropped into a chair looking glum as he contemplated where he'd be spending the next few nights. The idea of tents and lonely cheap hotel rooms that never bothered him before seemed intolerable after spending all his nights beside his beloved Hinata. The girl in question merely laughed at his statement and continued grilling some very delicious smelling fish.

"Well I'm still making you a healthy breakfast." She started to serve up the food flushing a little "I hope you like it, it's my own recipe."

"Of course I will" he grinned as she turned to face him. "You made it."

"You're so sweet" she told him placing a plate of fish and a small dish of rice and natto in front of him. She was about to move away when Naruto pulled her into his lap and rested his chin upon her shoulder.

"I'm worried about you"

"Don't be, I'm a shinobi of the leaf just like you. I can fight my own battles."

"Your battles don't usually involve an entire clan within your own village, and you've only just been given the OK to use chakra again. You can't tell me you're not out of practice."

"I'll be fine"

"And that danmable seal, I really thought I could have gotten rid of it by now."

"I'll be fine"

"I should have told Granny Tsunade that I wasn't taking any long term missions as all this was goin…"

"NARUTO" Hinata turned in his lap to face him "Stop it, we are what we are. Shinobi. Our lives stopped being our own the day we got these headbands. Tsunade needs you to be the best you can be and you can't be that if you're worrying about me."

"I'll never stop worrying about you."

"Ditto, but that's just how it is. Ninja in love need to be more emotionally controlled than usual, you just need to work on it."

"I guess I've always been an emotional kind of guy."

"I prefer the term loving" Hinata kissed his nose affectionately "but yes, you need a little more training in that department."

"Unlike you Hyuga who are sooo mysterious. Blushing and fainting all over the place."

"You think that's showing how I feel? You never knew what it was all about. Everyone else in the village did but you couldn't figure it out. And I can hide my emotions, it's just you that makes me act like a nervous schoolgirl."

"Not anymore though, and while I miss your cute blushing ways" he grinned happily "I like how things are now. The way you act."

"Good" turning Hinata picked up the dish of natto and using the chopsticks lifted some of the food towards his mouth "Now eat up like a good boy and maybe you'll get a reward before you leave."


~*~*~


"So you'll be with her like… every day?" Naruto plagued his sensei for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"I promise, I'm even, as per your request, moving into your living room whilst you are away. I'll be with her as much as is physically possible, when I'm not there I will make sure that there are ANBU guards with her."

"Ok." for once Naruto didn't feel the need to warn his sensei about acting like a pervert, it was actually like their relationship had matured somewhat during this serious time. It wasn't as though they'd never been able respect each other before, respect had always been there, right from the very beginning. It had been the annoying quirks that they both had that had driven them crazy, with such a monumental problem hanging over them they managed to act like the team they needed to be.

Standing at the gate he looked at his team, Shikamaru and Choji were standing together one looking bored and the other looking hungry. Because it was Gaara Naruto knew he had to go, the current Kazekage had always had trust issues and had long ago decided that any negotiation that was to happen between Suna and Konoha he wanted Naruto there. If it weren't for Naruto's understanding of Gaara's situation he'd be more than a little annoyed at his being dragged away, still he couldn't wait to see Gaara he was the closest thing he had to a brother and not being one for letter writing he hadn't shared his good news in it's entirety.

He and Gaara had often spoken of the potential in their lives to love and be loved, they'd wondered if it would ever be possible or if their tenants, and their lack of affection in their childhood had destroyed their hope of being normal. It would be nice to get Gaara's opinion on his inability to tell the woman he loved that he loved her. He was supposed to be the brave one, the one that wore his heart on his sleeve and allowed everyone to know his feelings.

"Try not to worry about it Naruto" Jiraiya interrupted his thoughts misinterpreting the frown on his protégé's face to be still more worry for his girlfriends safety.

"I'll try, I'll be back as soon as possible" Naruto allowed himself to grin as he remembered how he had left his gorgeous girl that morning, she had wanted to come to say goodbye but Naruto had known that if he turned back and saw her standing at the gate he'd probably run back to her more than once, it was safer to say goodbye and then close the door behind him. So he had bid her goodbye in his living room, pressing her soft body against his and proceeding to kiss her senseless. Turning away from his sensei he joined his team mates and began the long journey to Suna. Just a few days there, a little time to talk things over and then a few days back. Barely anytime at all.


~*~*~


Back at home Hinata was already missing her boyfriend, she knew she wasn't safe here in her home town and the security he had offered had been comforting. Now she was suddenly struck by the overwhelming situation she was in. Sitting down on the bed she took a pen and paper in her hands and began to write

Dear Naruto


~*~*~


It took a long time, not to plan or think through, just to wait for the right moment. There were Hyuga guards and paid mercenaries covertly watching every single movement she made. They could afford to hire large numbers of people knowing that the more people watching, the less likely it would be for Hinata, Jiraiya or the ANBU to notice the watchers.

They were waiting and watching for that small window of opportunity. All they really needed was for Jiraiya to leave her be, an ANBU was relatively easy to incapacitate for a small number of Hyuga, and to remove them in such a way that no one would recognise that it had even been done.

Then Hinata was merely a matter of course.


~*~*~


"I'm going to have to be in the office with Tsunade today" Jiraiya told Hinata as she served up one of her delicious breakfast's. He hadn't been too happy when Naruto had demanded he sleep on the very uncomfortable couch in his living room bubt the food certainly made up for it.

"Oh… anything important?" Hinata cocked her head to one side.

"Just stuff from before I came back here"

Standing in the middle of her usual training ground Hinata felt almost exhilarated at being partially free of watching eyes. Having had Jiraiya following her around all week had been nerve wracking on so many different levels. Naruto's stories about his sensei had made her very careful, with careful adjustments she made sure that not even the Byakugan would be able to see into the bathroom and so she made sure she was never naked except inside the bathroom. Currently her only observer was an ANBU of complete anonymity to herself so she felt less embarrassment or worry around him.

Pummelling the post with precise movements she revelled in being able to train again. Until recently all Tsunade had allowed her to do was a few stances and the occasional chakra forming exercise. This was the first time she'd been allowed to use her Byakugan and train.

"Hinata?"

Turning to the voice with a happy smile Hinata greeted her cousin. "Neji! I thought you were off on a mission?"

"We returned early" his mouth curled into a slight smile making Hinata smile wider.

"I'm glad you're back, hey maybe you could help me with some training"

"Of course… can we lose the eyes?" he turned to the ANBU and Hinata shook her head.

"Sorry no, I promised Naruto that I'd have at least one protector every day, he prefers it to be Jiraiya."

"And the sanin isn't around today."

"No" Hinata noticed Neji's expression changed as he spoke "But you already knew that didn't you? Neji's not back yet."

"No"

Despite already knowing what was going to happen Hinata's heart sank as she watched her bodyguard jump to his feet and get into a battle stance "Don't hurt the ANBU, he's just under orders. He has no real part in all this"

"He will be incapacitated, we will not anger the Hokage more than we need to."

"Yeah cos she's gonna be thrilled by what else my father has planned" Hinata muttered under her breath, looking down she realised that her hands were shaling. Clenching her fists she determined that she would act with dignity


~*~*~


Ok this took some time getting out because my editor (and oftentimes joint writer) has yet again discovered that there are real dumbasses in the dating world. I swear if anyone cheated on me I'd be out there with a California Bander before you could say 'Thieving Pig'. Look it up if you don't know what a California Bander is, and then feel afraid. The next chapter may take awhile as she is the person with the ideas in this story, wish us luck, tonight Ben and Jerry and Jacobs Creek make another fortune! If only they'd put alcohol into the icecream it'd save us time.

Please R&R