Author's Note (Important): Hello everyone. I just wanted to straighten out a few things before you start. This story was once posted on fanfiction about 3 to four years ago. I had written it with another account by the name of Gaara'aLove I believe (if not, than it was close) that soon changed to NativeSpirit42. I had deleted the story and any other story I had written under my old account. I did this because I was ashamed of my stories. I was going through a rough period in my life, and saw my stories as merely something I used as an outlet. I hated them as a result. But, my best friend recently had given me a binder of one of my stories, my best, actually, of all of them. I knew she had kept up with it, but I totally forgot she had printed the whole thing out. At the time, I didn't understand why she would give this to me. I honestly was afraid to read it.

After going through the first few pages, I deemed it a horrible story, as I original thought ..that is, until my dad had gotten his hands on it, to my utter horror. He only read the first page before I finally snatched it from him. We talked for a while, and he basically told me that I should not cast out this story. It is a part of me. It doesn't matter if I was different or wasn't completely 'right on' when I wrote it, that period of my life made me who I am today. So after that, I decided to read it. To really read it this time. And to my amazement, I liked it. Obviously it needed revising and things altered, but it wasn't horrible. And I saw who I once was before through this story. So instead of running away from that, I decided to rewrite it, and actually finish it this time.

And it's funny, I've been having some severe writer's block lately. I mean, its been absolute hell. Until I was given this story that is.. And not because I have something to look at now, but because I've finally stopped running.

So I would like to dedicate this story to my best friend, Ashley, my dad, and every other person out there who has ever run away from themselves, whether it was their betters, or their worst.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I do own this story.

Another note. This story is a 21st century slash Naruto theme with a twist in everything else.

Spirit Awaken

Chapter I

Released

The night air stood still as a figure faced the edge, watching the life below her. She was so high..everything seemed so small and insignificant on the ground. There wasn't a care in the world down there, no great emergency, no need to rush.. All was peaceful.

Hinata stepped closer to the edge, entranced by what was happening down there. She didn't even notice the presence behind her, or how it had become suddenly cold. She didn't notice, that is, until the figure spoke.

"You're so close.." A voice called out behind her. She stiffened. The minute the voice called out to her, it seemed as if all tranquility and peace had left, and coldness and fear had come in place. Her eyes traveled back down to the ground. Cars and people no long littered the streets. It was desolated and abandoned. There was no life, only the memory of it.

"You're so close...to the edge. Can't you see it?" Her voice seemed to come close with every word. Hinata didn't dare look behind her, but simply looked forward. As the person behind her seem to come closer, the louder were her footsteps, and the more her body seemed to shake in response. Tears started to surface and fall from her pale cheeks. Fear radiated from her as stood there, still and unmoving.

The footsteps suddenly stopped, now standing directly behind Hinata. She gulped at the intruding presence.

A hand gently landed on her shoulder, and as it did, the feeling of this person's lips on her ear intruded her senses.

"It's only a matter of time Hinata..." The whisper brought goosebumps upon her, tingling her skin. The voice's other hand gently held her other shoulder as she leaned in forward, as if that when she spoke, it was only to be heard softly.

"All you need my hime..." The hands traveled down to the side of her arms. The hold though, didn't stay light. The hands started to grip harder, the fingers digging into her skin until blood seeped. "...is a little push!" The hands shoved Hinata right off of the tall building with a great, unnatural, force.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion then. As Hinata fell, a silent scream coming from her, her body turned to see the person who shoved her...only to see herself...

Time speed up again, and Hinata flew straight down, going faster and faster towards the street, and all she could hear was the sickening laughter of her murderer.

Closer and closer she came to the ground, until finally...

"NO!" She flung herself up, screaming into the night.

Labored breathing was all that was heard in the closed quarters. Beads of sweat dripped off of Hinata face, glistening in the moonlight that came from the small window. Her hands clutched the sheets, shaking slightly as her heart beat raced. Gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes, trying to block out her latest nightmare, but no matter how hard she tried, she could still see the face of her demise..could still see herself... She hugged herself for some comfort.

Hot tears started to flow from her eyes, staining her pale skin. She cried silently, scared and angry. There was no one to comfort her, no one to make sure she was ok. She had only herself. It was something she was used to, something that she had dealt with for years. But no matter how many times she told herself this, it never made things any better. If anything, it made it a lot worse. To know that your facing problems that was probably way over your head, with no one to back you up, really didn't comfort her in any way. But she has been faced with this truth ever since she was sent away from home. It might not have been a good home, but at least she had someone there for her.

Hinata sighed. She had finally calmed down, but refused to unleash her hold on herself. For her, it was as if she was keeping herself together. Her emotions clouded her mind to much, making her vulnerable. As long as she was calm and focused, she would be ok, and holding herself tightly was the only way she could remain calm at this moment.

Hours passed and Hinata never moved. She had refused to go back to sleep, fearing for another nightmare.

It wasn't long until the sun started to peek into the sky. A small amount of light seeped into the room through the window. Hinata glanced at the glass. Another night has passed, and another day has come.

How long has it been since she has had a full night's sleep? How long has it been since she was able to close her eyes without fear? Too long.

Something was going on. Her dreams were never this bad before, and never as frequent. There was no reason why her..problem..should be surfacing up this much.

Hinata mentally thought of everything that has happened of recent, anything that could of triggured all of this. She kept her emotions in check. It wasn't like she never showed them, but she wasn't over emotional as she used to be. It was too dangerous..

Nothing much in here happened much either..

Shaking her head, Hinata started to undo herself. Whatever it was, it couldn't last.

Her joints popped as she stretched herself out. Sighing into the feel of being loose again, she slid off of her bed and stood on the cool ground.

Her eyes traveled along the small room. It didn't consist of much. A bed, a small bedside drawer, a lamp on top of it, and a dresser on the far wall. It wasn't exactly a suite, but it was livable, and for Hinata, that's all that mattered. What else could she expect in a psychiatric hospital?

She smiled to herself at the thought. Who would have thought, the heiress to the Hyuga Clan, would end up in a mental hospital of all places? The smile disappeared though, at the thought of how she got here. Bitterness and despair raced though her at the memory.

Blinking hard, she turned abruptly and started making her bed, trying not to dwell on the past. It was hard.

Not much time went by before Hinata came out of her room, newly dressed and refreshed. Comfortable in her sweats and tee, Hinata started down the hall. Today before breakfast, she was to meet with her doctor. They did this every week, nothing special. She would be diagnosed whether she was still mentally ill, and then would be asked a series of questions. The routine really had no purpose. It didn't matter how 'sane' she acted, or much better she got, she would always be deemed unstable so she could be secluded here. Though the concept always confused her.

She was the longest staying patient they had, staying here for most of her life. It always irked her, but more than anything, it brung up the big question of 'why'. Why be in here for so long? She should of been released years ago. Trying to get out so many times before, she had come to the conclusion that it was impossible.. But that's the thing, getting out of here shouldn't be hard. She wasn't weak, not at all, but leaving here could be constituted as trying to escape a penitentiary, and it should not be.

But at the moment, Hinata didn't want to dwell on it. The concept has always annoyed her, and she didn't want to deal with it right now.

She finally reached a glass protected counter with a woman with big glasses behind it. Hinata lightly knocked on the glass to get her attention.

The older woman looked up at the younger girl and smiled.

"Hello Hinata, how are you today?" Hinata smiled back.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm here for my appointment?" Hinata inquired. The woman nodded her head.

"Yes, of course. She's ready for you." Hinata nodded her thanks and faced the double doors on her side. A big man, security of course, stood in front of the entrance, blocking any from leaving. His eyes went to the smaller figure and stepped aside so Hinata could pass. As she pushed the doors open, the man held the door open, watching her.

Hinata sighed. Of course he was only doing his job, making sure she didn't take off running somewhere, but it always seemed to her annoy her slightly.

Stopping at a large wooden door, she knocked before entering.

As Hinata emerged inside, she paused at the entrance. Instead of just her regular doctor, another person was here. A woman, obviously holding some kind of authority from the way she held herself, sat upright on a chair next to her doctor, a hard frown etched on her face. Her hand was clenched, and her fingers impatiently tapped the clip board she held. Everything about her screamed pissed.

The female doctor next to her also held a frown, but it wasn't anger, but worry. Her eyes caught Hinata, and a small smile came on her lips. Hinata's eyes narrowed as she stepped fully inside, closing the door behind her.

"Hinata, how are you today?" Came the smoothing sound of the doctor's voice.

"I'm ok.." Hinata said back, still wary of the extra presence.

The silence that came afterwards became horribly uncomfortable. The woman sitting on the chair decided to end it, and spoke out.

"Hinata Hyuga.." She stood then, facing the younger girl. "My name is Shei Takona." She out stretched her hand to the Hyuga heiress. Hinata looked at the hand, then back at the woman before finally shaking it back.

The woman sat back down and crossed her legs. She motioned to the seat across from her.

Taking the offered seat, Hinata sat upright, unable relax into the chair. She watched as the Takona woman pulled up her clip board, reading through it, and then finally glancing back at Hinata.

Sighing with frustration, Ms. Takona spoke. "Miss Hyuga, you were emitted here ten years ago under the prognosis that you were suffering from schizophrenia. Correct?"

Hinata nodded slowly, confirming her statement.

"Ten years.." Ms. Takona shook her head. "That's a long time Miss Hyuga. Most patients usually don't stay here any longer than three months." The woman kept her eyes on Hinata, making sure she could read every emotion that went across her face, but all that she saw was..nothing. She saw nothing, which, honestly, irritated her completely.

Hinata kept herself completely still and stoic. Whoever this woman was, she was looking for something. The way she spoke each word to the way her eyes stayed on her, trained and ready. But, what was the point?

Clearing her throat, Ms. Takona flipped a page on her clip board. "When you first arrived here at the age of eight, your symptoms were very easily shown. You were experiencing delusions and hallucinations, and it progressively got worse. Your behavior started to become more aggressive and the delusions became more extreme. In fact.." She flipped another piece of paper. "You were soon after diagnosed with multiple personalities at the age of nine, only a year after you were emitted here. Your mental illness was all but well."

Looking up from the paper, the woman glanced at Hinata, before looking back down. "Your reports soon after though, showed a sudden change." A sudden edge came on the woman's voice.

"Not long after you were diagnosed with multiple personalities, you regression in mental stability was reported to have...stopped."

Hinata shifted in her seat, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Your delusions and hallucinations were suddenly dying down, your aggressive behavior was simmering down to a calm, almost stoic, attitude, and your multiple personality diagnosis was being put aside. Less medication was needed and your stability was progressing at an alarming rate. And yet, you were never diagnosed as having a level mental stability." Ms. Takona stopped then, and looked at Hinata with narrowed eyes. Hinata merely looked back.

Another silence engulfed the room.

Hinata watched the woman in front of her, taking in her upset demeanor.

"What is the point of all of this?" Hinata finally asked, not wanting to be in the same room as this woman any longer.

Sighing, Ms. Takona uncrossed her legs and put the clip board down.

"Miss Hyuga... The reason for my being here..is to release you from this hospital." The woman stated.

Hinata stiffened. Release her? She would be released? A cloud of emotions started to overcome her. She has been here for ten long years.. She thought she would never leave this place, be forever imprisoned in a mental hospital. And now..now she could be free.

Ms. Takona watched as a wave of emotion seemed to cover face, the first she has seen since she started talking. Happiness splayed across her features. She seemed to radiate with joy at the news.

Hinata's mouth turned into a huge grin, unable to keep it away. It was just so unexpected, so incredibly wonderful! To be able to leave this place forever, to go into the world free. It's something she never thought a possibility.

Being here...she could never escape it. It didn't matter how much she tried, she could never leave this place. Whether it be security, or her problem, something always kept her. She had stopped trying a long time ago, thinking she would be in this place forever. But no longer! It was almost too good to be true.. Hinata's grin then suddenly dropped.

The woman watched the sudden change in mood.

Hinata frowned, no long smiling in joy. Her thoughts scrambled around, suddenly not liking this situation. It was too good to be true. Way too good. Something was up. Why, after ten long years, was she suddenly deemed to leave. She has been acting the same for years ever since she taught herself to hide her inner turmoil. There was no change, aside from her ever persistent nightmares. This didn't seem right.

"Why?" Hinata asked, now also narrowing her eyes. The woman leaned back in her seat, surprised at the sudden change.

"Why? Why do you care? Isn't the satisfaction of leaving good enough?" Ms. Takona question, perplexed. But then she thought, this girl... To her, she was unworthy of leaving, but she wasn't stupid. Maybe she caught on..

Hinata didn't answer, but waited for an answer to her question. The woman stared at the Hyuga for a moment before folding her arms. The doctor stood in the corner, watching all of this, and saying nothing. Her eyes stayed on Hinata, worrying for the young female.

"Listen Hyuga.." She started, going back to her annoyed tone. "When you came here, you were only supposed to be here for a few months. Your case came in court a few times, and it was decided, even though it goes against rule of conduct, that you were to stay here for a year because of how severely damaged you seemed to be. But..there was an influence that persuaded the judge that ruled your case to keep you in here until you were deemed sane.. As you can see, that diagnosis was never made...for some reason.." Her eyes shot to the doctor, and the woman looked down in response, ashamed. Her eyes went back to Hinata. "And now, it seems that influence wants you back home."

Hinata's eyes watched the floor as the woman before her spoke. She took everything in slowly, ingesting every piece of information that she was never aware of. Of course she had a feeling that something shady was happening around her all these years, but never knew exactly what it was. And maybe..this wasn't even the full extent.

She clenched her hands, letting her fingernails dig into her skin. Anger started to boil within her, making her face blush red with furiosity.

"You mean.. You mean my..." She couldn't even complete the question it burned her so much. How dare he!

"Yes, Miss Hyuga.. You're father requests your return." Just hearing it caused Hinata to lash out. She stood abruptly, knocking her chair over in the process. She could see her doctor in the corner step forward, preparing to call for help. Hinata paid her no mind, too consumed in this new information that surrounded her.

She bared her teeth, snarling at nothing. She turned her back, and started pacing. Her fists still clenched, if not harder, she tried her best to sustain her rising anger, but the more she thought of her father, the more she wanted to rip into something.

Something within her stirred, quivered even. She paid no mind to it, still fuming. Hot, angry tears threatened to fall. Her thoughts couldn't escape the white eyed man that infiltrated her thoughts, that littered and polluted her mind until she was nearly blinded by how much she truly hated him.

She hadn't felt this way since she was a child, hadn't felt the need to harm until now.

Her eyes suddenly widened as she halted. The stirring within her was growing, as if she could feel something within her trying to free itself. The angrier she got, the more she felt it. She could not continue like this.

More frustrated and pissed than ever, Hinata abruptly turned. Yelling out in irritation, she kicked her chair, causing it to fly across the room and crash into the far wall.

Hinata just stood there, breathing hard, with tears flowing freely down her face.

The tension in the room was thick. No one moved, with Hinata's hard breathing the only audible sound.

Feeling something wet and sticky on her hands, she looked down at them. Blood seeped from the gashes that she had made from her fingernails on the palm of her hands. Releasing her fists, while not even noticing the slight pain, she looked up and blinked. She hadn't even seen the doctor move across the room. She had the door open, with two big security guards at the entry way, ready to grab Hinata at any second. For some reason, this fact caused a flash of annoyance to come across her. Hinata bared her teeth at the intruding men, daring them to touch her. The both of them came fully in then, ready to grab. The voice of the woman halted everything.

"Another reason I am utterly irritated with the situation." Hinata looked away from the men and locked eyes with the now standing woman.

"Excuse me?" Her voice was rough and low, holding venom in it. Hearing it come out of her one mouth snapped Hinata out of her defensive mode. She didn't sound like herself, at all. A cold shiver went down her spine at the thought.

Shifting feet, the woman sighed. "I never thought it was right to have a child in here for this long. The thought just angers me.. But, I will not deny that there is something unsettling about you. Look at yourself...do you think you're any saner than the day you walked in?"

"What? You think I should stay?" Hinata snapped at her. Any and all calmness she had left her completely

The woman frowned. "The situation is a double sword. You've been here for ten years, way longer than you should of been. But.." She made sure Hinata held her eyes while she spoke. "I don't know what it is, but there's something...off, about you. For all I know, you might just need to stay here in a secluded area where you can't yourself...or anyone." Hinata bit her lip from lashing out again.

"Listen, all these years you been supposedly better, but I believe it was all bullshit honestly. No one gets better that quick. You've been holding it in all these years, and quite well actually...until now that is. But, it doesn't matter what I think. I'm just here to release you."

The woman strode across the room, Hinata's eyes never leaving her. When she reached the door, she turned to Hinata one last time.

"I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is, it doesn't feel right.. Be safe." As the woman was about depart, Hinata spoke up.

"Wait!" She called out, causing Ms. Takona to stop and look back. Hinata turned to face her.

"Why did you tell me all of this? You could of released me without another word?" Curiosity got Hinata.

Ms. Takona looked at Hinata. "Because considering everything you've probably been through to even be here, it wouldn't of been fair to you." That was all she said before finally departing. The sound of her clicking heels filled Hinata's ears as it slowly faded down the hallway.

All was silent afterwards, until Hinata sighed. It was time to go.

She sat in her on her bed, staring at her now bandaged hands. It wasn't a surprise that they had security follow her to her room and stand outside it after her little episode. Right now, they awaited for her to be ready so they could escort her to the waiting room in the front of hospital where apparently, someone was waiting for her. Probably one of her father's servants, a branch member. Maybe if she was lucky, she could escape this someone. Thinking it over, she was determined not to get sucked back into her father's hands. Going back home meant going back to hell for her. If she were to ever go back, it would be for one person, and one person only, and that person was her mother.

Sorrow pierced her as she thought of the woman who always cared and loved for ever. Hinata clutched her heart, feeling as if it were to burst as it ached. Though her mother never visited, she still missed her. She never expected her family to come and see her, but she had always hoped her mother would. But even though she didn't, and though that fact deeply hurt, she still longed for her warmth and love. She wondered how she was doing right now, if she was well...

Hinata looked out at the window. She had to be doing ok. It was her mom. She was strong, she could get through anything.

Standing, Hinata gave this place a final look. This was the last time she would be here, and for once, she wasn't sure how she felt about that. For years she dreamt of this moment, and now that the moment was here...

Sighing, she slung her pack of belongings over her back. Facing the door, and walked over and grabbed the knob. As she did though, a sudden chill slithered through her. She felt..colder. Pausing, she stood still for a moment, not liking the unnatural chill.

As she seemed to contemplate this, a feeling of eyes on her grabbed her attention. Definitely not liking the sensation, Hinata turned around, looking around the room.

Nothing.

'Maybe it's just nerves..' She told herself. Shaking her head, she left the room, and this time, never returning.

As the door closed shut, a figure came into view, watching, as she always had. A devious smile came onto her lips. Finally, it was time...

Thanks for reading. Please review.