I wrote this for myself mainly, but I put it up here for constructive criticism. That means if you don't like it, I don't really care as long as you explain why.

I don't own the Naruto series or its characters or ideas. I'm not posting this on every chapter, so if you miss it now and form your own assumptions, it's your own fault. That said, please contact me before using any OCs I introduce in this fan fiction.

She wandered in darkness. The black was thin and watery, but still opaque and endless as she cut through it slowly, aimlessly. A horrible, cold feeling clung to the back of her mind, as if something was watching her. She turned quickly - darkness behind her. All she could hear was the panicked panting and unintelligible, soft sounds she emitted as she shot around and looked the way she had been originally. A deep, deafening, rhythmic sound that only lasted a moment every few seconds resonated in her ear, in all of her being, over and over. The pace quickened rapidly as she tried to breathe. The air was smooth like night, but she was suffocating, it wouldn't enter her and bring needed relief!

Beige appeared in front of her, enormous, foreboding, like a barrier. A soft gasp escaped her soft lips, in between the all-consuming thumping of her heart beats. The two pale, lavender orbs inside her eyes adjusted to this sudden change, and raised to the top of the beige. There was the ovular, soft-tan face of a man. His features were soft, his eyes were just like her's, she realized, as he looked down upon her. His head turned, eyes casting away from her, his head lowering into his shoulders, eyebrows slanting up near the ridge of his nose, down towards his ears. Though softly spoken, the words filled her entirety, her body, her mind. 'I expected more out of you...'

"Otou-san!" She reached, and reached, straining her small muscles, trying to grasp him, stop him, show him what she's accomplished. But the giant image moved the opposite direction, its back to her, long, smooth hair never breaking its shape as he walked away with each step faster than her, then faded away.

The pitch black blurred as she lowered her hand. It raised as she sunk and stopped just as suddenly. There was a dull ache to her knees, and a hot sensation from the bottom of her eyes, down her cheeks and off her jaw. She raised her small, no, petite palm to her eyes. Realization crept up from the center of her, her heart, as the deafening sound of it beating began to subside. In front of her, in a few moments' sprinting distance was an orange shaped figure with a bright yellow, spiky top. Ease melted through her, from her shoulders to her slowly less throbbing heart, to just below in her stomach. The sensation continued to cascade down her entire being as she raised herself back to her feet.

The center of her throbbed again, almost painfully strong, and the suffocating sensation of air trapped in her throat occurred again. The figure in front of her raised its hand, its back facing her, and hit the darkness like an even wall, like it was trying to break down a door but without any spirit or will to do so. The person's head lowered and hung, easily detectable since the top of it was spiked. He turned slightly, resting his forehead against this unseeable wall, cheeks bewhiskered. A sharp ache cut through her heart as she saw his bright, blue eyes half closed, as he swallowed nothing painfully, trying to not let his feelings flow from the windows of his soul, his eyes. He was alone, he had always been alone, his love was unanswered. She knew exactly how he felt with the utmost intensity, the whole of her being, she had to lift away his suffering. He grew larger as she sped towards him, almost flying, reaching out, straining, just like for the man in a beige robe, with similar eyes.

A soft sound emitted from her. Could he hear it? "Naruto-kun(1). I.."

The boy turned to her, growing larger the closer she came. He closed his eyes and smiled, grinned, his white teeth showing. A slightly husky but definitely young voice called out to her, "I like people like you," and continued to echo through the darkness, never losing its volume, which seemed to be fading away, becoming grey, no, white. Very bright, it hurt behind her eyes.

The boy was fading away, hard to see. Grey transformed slowly into a soft white. The interior of a room. Stubborn rays of blinding light filtered through the blinds. Sitting up, bed sheets sliding down her soft, curved body, she blinked the blurriness out of her eyes. Naruto-kun. I..I have to tell you. You're suffering all alone, like I am.. "Naruto-kun..." she had to say it. It gave her strength, even if she could barely hear herself. Just issuing his name softly from her small, but plush lips brought her comfort and confidence.

It itched right between his eyes, just a little lower. He twitched his nose but to no avail. The itching was growing more intense, like a squirming something against the inside. Naruto turned his head and sneezed. He grumbled, angered at the state of not being awake but having to wake up. "Someone must've been talking about me..."

He strained his mind. What was that great dream he had been enjoying just moments ago? Someone kind, happy to be with him. It wasn't Sakura - he'd have remembered the bright hair. It was darker, and shorter, he remembered those beautiful, lavender, jewel-like eyes over the steaming bowl of the most delicious looking ramen being proffered to him by the young woman. Her giggle had been musical, soft, very effeminate. From behind the bowl, the soft, feminine voice reached his ears, "Itadakimasu(2), Naruto-kun!" Naruto focused really hard, closing his eyes. His eyes widened a bit, bringing clarity to his vision, as he scratched his forehead. "Why was I dreaming about Hinata..?"

A small, timid sneeze forced its way out of her soft lips as she pulled on her simple black shirt. "Must've been dusty. No one ever talks about me.." she thought, as she pulled on her white jacket that hid her curvy figure. Absentmindedly, Hinata donned on her equipment - shuriken(3) and holster, amongst some other small but useful items that could all be fitted into a hand-sized, strapped pack which she put around her waist, hanging snugly off her hip.

"Mm..I wonder what Tsunade Obaachan(4) wants. It must be a mission!" Naruto sat in his small, one-room apartment. His kitchen had a chair, a four-foot wide wooden table and a refrigerator and stove. In the handful of cabinets around the stove were mostly nothing. Nothing but packaged ramen anyways. The blonde youth set a cup down in front of him, waiting with great anticipation for his tasty treat. But the anxiousness drained a bit from his mouth and tongue as he recalled the most savory bowl that was being offered to him a short while ago, back in what should've been reality. He peeled back the cover, and stuck his chopsticks inside the contents but paused. "Why her though..how odd. Every time I see Hinata she turns red and our conversation usually ends after a sentence. Hm.." because she was so timid, they had hardly had any interaction, but Naruto liked Hinata. She was definitely the only one from his academy days who never belittled or attacked him, verbally or otherwise. Even if she kept to herself mostly, she seemed nice enough, despite the weird timidness thing. "Hinata..."

Hinata sneezed again, and moaned in her soft voice, "I hope I'm not becoming ill. It's going to make this next mission too difficult probably if I do." The young woman returned her gaze to the bright blue skies, laced with clouds here and there. So bright and uplifting, just like his eyes..

Eventually, Hinata found herself into the Hokage's(5) perhaps excessively expansive office. It may not have been that large, but all it had in it really was a personal desk and chair to go with it. It seemed like such..a waste. The voluptuous and youthful looking woman gazed over at Hinata and smiled benignly from underneath her small eyebrows. If only I looked like that. Maybe I'd have the courage to talk to Naruto-kun more..no..he'd come speak to me, and seek my attention. He's going to be at that age soon.. she trailed off in her head. Her thoughts were interrupted when a rough cough issued from Tsunade. Hinata focused her gaze on the Hokage.

"Well figures that your partner's going to be late. He's never reliable, that kid.." irritably, Tsunade rubbed her brow with the tip of her forefinger and middle finger. "Hinata, the mission I have for you today is ranked C. Normally I'd like to send one more, just in case something occurs to elevate it to a B ranked difficulty, but we're going to be understaffed for a long time - my apologies." To this Hinata simply smiled and nodded obediently. "Well then, what I need you to do-"

The energy waves of something large being suddenly banged against by thick, solid object passed through and startled Hinata. She gritted her teeth as the excitement began to escalate inside of her, quickly turning her back to the Hokage to see what was going on. She really didn't have to though..

"Tsunade Obaaaachan! What do you want today? Huh? Huh? It had better be a super A rank mission to bring back Sasuke! If not I'm going anyways, believe it! I - huh?" Naruto blinked a couple of times, staring at the bewildered girl in front of the Hokage. "Hinata, what are you doing here?" The expected and trademark rosiness crept from her nose to under her eyes. She bit her lip to keep it from quivering, but managed to let go of it shortly afterwards. Words slowly crawled out of her mouth, "Na..Naruto-kun, I..I..Tsu-tsunade-sama.." The rough cough interrupted her train of thoughts again.

"Naruto..Urusei(6)!" Tsunade grew a vein in her pretty forehead and shook her fist at the energetic, young boy. "I was going over your mission details with Hinata. For this mission it will be only the two of you, hm..." Tsunade skewed her lips, considering something. Her look changed back to its stern countenance having decided. "Hinata will be the leader for this mission.."

"What!" Burst out Naruto.

"Shut up and listen!" Tsunade huffed for a few moments, her hand splayed violently across the top of her desk, fingers arched and straining. Then with a sigh, she relaxed and continued, "Anyways, you two will need to travel a fair deal away - to deliver these communications to The Kusakage(7) of Grass country. Normally we'd have less experienced nin than you do this but everyone's hands are tied up right now..anyhow, I expect I can depend on you two, well, more specifically Hinata to do something this simple." Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Naruto and raised her hands in front of her mouth, knitting the fingers gently as she glowered at the blonde ninja.

With his emotions rising, so did the pitch of his voice. Naruto demanded while gesticulating roughly with his opened hands, "Oy oy, my average can't be so low. Why is Hinata in charge and why're you treating me like this, Obaachan?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed more. "Her success rate is over twice your's." Naruto jolted with an 'ngh' sound while making a motion like he was having an aneurism. The Hokage lifted herself a bit, sitting up straight. "When you two finish the mission, report back to me. There's still plenty to do - so don't goof around! Get this done quickly as possible. Dismissed." She released the two with a wave of her hand, haughtily. Naruto gritted his teeth, then with a 'hmph,' folded his arms above his head, hands behind his blonde hair and sauntered out of the room. Hinata suppressed a soft giggle, and followed him out.

Author's Notes

(1) This is a additive to a name for fond familiarity and/or respect. It doesn't translate well to English. It applies only to boys (typically males in other inhuman species).

(2) A traditional saying before one cracks their chopsticks apart and eats a meal. Translates along the lines of 'Let's eat.'

(3) Shuriken are small, metal, throwing weapons. Their designs are unique to each village or clan, described by the amount of points the aerodynamic projectile is shaped in (three pointed, four, five, etc).

(4) 'Granny'

(5) 'Fire Shadow'

(6) 'Shut up'

(7) 'Grass Shadow'