It Should Have Been Me

A/N: Thank you for all the hits everyone. I really hope you like this story. Just please review if you like it or even if you don't! I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
-Parys

Chapter two: Hinata-Chan be ours?

None of them understood why Hinata stayed so loyal to her crush on Naruto. He had been gone for so long now. It was to the point no one thought he was going to come back but she stayed strong. Shino and Kiba looked after her with longing as she merrily walked along the path to their secret training spot. The rain had stopped shortly after Neji had dropped her off at the academy with them. It really bugged them that Neji had already earned Jounin much sooner than the rest of them. He truly was a genius. So was Hinata in her own right. She works so hard, developed her own special Hyuga technique and still her father ignores her.

"Hinata how can you be so happy on such a dreary day?" Shino asked lazily trailing bugs behind him, like always, checking to see if they are being followed. Kiba looked over at him for a moment then turned his head away again and scratched Akamaru on the ears. Hinata turned around and began walking backwards so she could see her team mates.

"I suppose its because I have a good feeling that today is going to be a spectacular day! I woke up happy. Even though it started out a little bad it became better when Neji-San offered me help and brought me to the academy. I get to have a fun day training with two of my best friends!" Hinata said with a wide smile at the two boys and then turned back around to face forward. Kiba and Shino both had a slight blush creeping up their faces but quickly suppressed it. How is it she couldn't see how much they care for her? How much they love her?

"Kiba-Kun! Shino-Kun! Someone has invaded our training area!" Hinata announced as they made into the clearing. Kiba, who had been riding on the back of Akamaru, jumped off his Ninja dog to stand beside the purple haired Hyuga. Shino called his bugs back to him and walked slowly to a spot on the other side of Hinata. They then proceeded in watching for a moment or two the group ahead of them training in their secret spot.

"Hinata-Chan you didn't happen to tell Neji-San where we were going to be training today did you?" Kiba inquired rather angrily considering this sort of thing had never happened before. Hinata looked over at him and shook her head no.

"I made sure not to tell him Kiba-Kun! I did as you told me when people ask where we train!" Hinata said still shaking her head and looking at her feet while also twiddling her fingers (a habit she had yet to grow out of). Shino put a hand on her shoulder momentarily as if to reassure her that it was not her fault. It seemed the group had finished training for the moment and noticed they had an audience. They began to walk over to the slightly younger group.

"Dammit Akamaru I thought you marked this place so people would stay a way!" Kiba mumbled angrily at the large Ninja dog beside him. Akamaru growled low and then whimpered a little. Kiba then sighed. "Sorry Akamaru... It's not your fault..." He then petted the dog a little and shoved his hands in his pockets clearly not happy how the day had turned out so far. Not happy at all.

"Hinata-San why did you follow us?" Neji approached her slightly sweating and out of breath. Hinata looked up a blush on her cheeks.

"We did not follow you Neji-San!" She said very loud and hastily. Neji narrowed his eyes a little and stared at the group. They obviously hadn't followed them yet they were at the same spot.

"Then why are you here if you didn't follow us!?" Ten-Ten asked annoyed. For once it seemed they had found an unused training spot in the middle of the woods and here came a group of kids wanting to take it.

"Neji-San! Ten-Ten-San! How can you look down on your fellow Ninja who have the same spirit of youth to come on this very dreary day and train much like us! It is a crime to dampen such spirits and it shall not be allowed!" Lee doing a nice guy pose to other group.

"Actually this spot is ours if you must know Ten-Ten. We have used it since we first started training together." Kiba stated angrily.

"I don't see your names written on it." Ten-Ten said.

"Our names may not be on it but Akamaru's piss is." Kiba said this with a slight smirk as a look of disgust crept over her face. Hinata blushed again and Shino rolled his eyes though no one could see that because of his sun glasses.

"Alright would the three of you mind lending us your space just for just a little while longer?" Neji asked trying to be the diplomatic one.

"I would say that we practice together but we are all on different skill levels that only our other team members can know and we really don't wish to hurt anyone. Really or groups decision is up to Hinata." Shino stated bluntly knowing Hinata wouldn't want to practice her new move in front of Neji. Kiba and Shino waited patiently for the purple haired girls answer. Lee went off to practice by himself considering it was always more efficient for him that way. Ten-Ten tapped her foot impatiently beside the ever patient Neji.

"You can use it for a little while Neji-San, Ten-Ten-San." Hinata said softly a blush over her face. Shino smiled behind the collar of his jacket and Kiba sighed rather angrily which made her blush harder, Akamaru on the other hand was grooming himself.

"Thank you Hinata-San but why just Ten-Ten and I?"

"Because Lee-San ran off in that direction saying something about "the springtime of youth"." Hinata pointed just outside of the clearing and Neji sighed. Why did Lee always have to be so difficult in fact...

"Thank you Hinata-San he may have run off to his Dojo we may be able to practice there. Be safe and please don't get caught out in the rain again or I will have to tell uncle." Hinata hung her head low her hair hiding her face as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Kiba and Akamaru could smell this and growled lightly. Shino sensed it and all three became rigid both wanting to go to her. They instead said farewell to the two remaining in the clearing and as soon as they left went to Hinata's aid.

Hinata knew Neji only meant to do what was best but she couldn't stand it if her father thought even worse of her. She had to out do Neji there was no ifs ands or buts about it. She had to become number one in her fathers eyes so that she could be the same in Naruto's. She felt two arms sake around her shoulders and looked up quickly. Shino had his arm around her on one side and Kiba on the other. "I'm fine." She muttered trying to muster a smile but being her best friends they knew otherwise.

"Hinata...Chan..." They both seemed to say at the same time. "Please be mine. I'll take care of you. I promise."

****

Neji was upset, extremely upset. He had made Hinata cry and he knew this. He hadn't meant to. The words just kind of came out. He knew she wanted more than anything for her father to recognize her ability. Now he had made it even worse. It was all he could think about as he dodged Lee's fists and feet and Ten-Ten's many weapons. His mind was forever present on that thought of the unattainable. "Hinata," he thought, "One day you will be mine. One day. Then you'll forget all about that Naruto. We will be an awesome team Hinata. Just you...and I..." With that thought he smirked beat his teammates into submission, and called it a day.

While leaving the Dojo (after making sure Ten-Ten and Lee were alright of course) who he saw walking through the gate to Konoha nearly stopped him dead in his tracks.

"N-Naruto?!?!"


To be continued...

-Parys