Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the tunnels.

Chapter One-

Hinata POV

My gaze flitted over the surrounding area before I jumped; the wind billowed through my midnight blue locks. Dark filled me up and swallowed me whole as I closed my eyes. The rush of wind and the scent of burning wood filled my senses and I blocked them out. Or at least I tried to. The remains of my village; gone. My family; gone, nothing else mattered anymore. Nothing except killing the one who did it. The snake that would forever haunt my nightmares.

I braced myself for the landing and tremors of shock ran up and down my legs from it. Opening my eyes again, I stared deep into the underground tunnels of Konoha. Only a few people knew about these tunnels, though the elders and the Hokage didn't. They never searched deep enough to find this, not even Haruno Sakura's Earth shattering punch could reveal them. A surge of pride ran through my veins as I delicately traced the fine lines in the dirt coated tunnel that I was in now.

I could no longer smell the burning of wood and flesh, nor hear the screams and pleas of the helpless villagers that were left in the wake of it all. Nor could I hear Neji's shouts, ordering me to go into the tunnels. I could no longer see my sister's dead body, which they left for dead. I could no longer see what was left of my father that they left hanging on a wall.

How sorely I wanted their heads right now. I could almost taste it.

My fingernails dug tightly into the dirt and scraped downward. My teeth ground together out of pure anger. I continued onward.

Why didn't he let me fight? Did he think I was too weak?

Just those two questions circled my mind along with—oddly—rebellious answers.

I just continued walking, until I heard soft whispers from a tunnel heading off from the east. The veins popping up around my eyes, my fingers curling around the opening to my kunai pouch. My brow furrowed.

"It's alright, Konohamaru." A voice said, it was rough and gravelly.

A whisper too soft for anyone else to hear sounded and I couldn't interpret the words, but I did feel more footsteps come in my direction. So I just made mine lighter and forced the weight into my arms, which made them heavy, so I refocused them to my torso. Twisting my foot, I pivoted to face whoever was there. My hands out in front of me, palms out, and my stance was very light footed.

Familiar faces fell into my mind and I tried to match these two to it, though none of them matched entirely. One was a boy with blonde hair, tanned skin and bright blue eyes stared at me skeptically until his eyes met my neck. Or my headband. I sought out his and found it on his forehead, typical. Though still a leaf ninja. My stance relaxed a little and I allowed my arms to drop to my sides. He was much taller than I had expected. His hair spiked out at odd angles. I don't think I've ever seen someone like him before. The only people I've really been around were family and a few friends, all girls.

The boy next to him had darker hair and was much shorter, with a more boyish looking face. A scarf wrapped around his neck and a hat on his head, he had a headband as well. Dried tearstains curled onto his cheeks. In all honesty, I couldn't really blame him.

"Who're you?" The blonde asked defensively, taking up a stance even though it was a little late for that.

"If I was going to attack you, I would have already done it." I snapped at him, I was no longer shy and meek like I was before. Seeing your village burn down before your eyes did that to you. That and being forced to watch your own sister die just so you can escape.

"Who're you?" He asked again, ignoring my snap.

"Hyuuga," I said to him simply, why should I give him my first name? He obviously didn't have the manners to deserve it.

"Both names." He ordered cautiously, though I think it was more along the lines of curiosity.

"You first."

"Uzumaki Naruto." He said almost proudly, his chest puffed up a little and I restrained a giggle from that.

"Hinata." I said softly, almost incoherent. I wasn't ashamed of my name, I was just afraid of betrayal. That was a time people used names. I should probably use a fake name, but that would take practice to respond to. Even a moment's hesitation to answering a name could give away suspicion. Dear god, this thing was making me paranoid.

My gaze flickered down to the younger boy, "And who might you be?"

He flinched and the chakra running through him seemed even more obvious, I quickly allowed the veins around my eyes to go back to normal. I knew I heard his name, but I wanted to hear it from him. The boy then straightened up and tried to make himself as big and as tall as he possibly could, which wasn't very much. He looked only about 15 and was short for his age.

"Kon-Konohamaru," He stuttered, still trying to stay strong, "Grandson of the Hokage."

"I see," I said, "Hyuuga Hinata"—I repeated—"heiress to the Hyuuga Clan."

Both he and Uzumaki Naruto stared at me for that. I briefly glanced at the ground, suddenly feeling the shyness edging back into my brain and caught a glimpse of the silver band that wrapped around my finger. It reminded me of the commitment I made to Neji, my husband, when I was 21. Who might not even be alive right now just because I wanted to stay behind and fight? My eyes began to sting and I blinked away the tears that wanted to fall so badly.

Looking back up at them, I met their stare. Though the one I actually met was the one whose height was closer to mine, Uzumaki Naruto's. My hands curled into fists and I straightened out my spine, standing at full height. My gaze focused onto his was completely and utterly defiant, as I wished it to be. My lips tightened into a fine line. The torn and ragged clothes I wore pushed and pulled at my skin in odd ways and made me extremely uncomfortable and just that much more aware of everything near me and touching me. Though only the clothes touched me, it still felt uncomfortable. Not necessarily weird, since I trained a lot, just different. Maybe it was just because it was the last time Neji and I could be together was last night. He knew this was coming, so he had me. Not that we hadn't done each other before, this time was just so different. It didn't feel like it was an assignment he wanted to fulfill. More along the lines of burning passion and the intensity of the last time. He knew he wouldn't survive and that made the bile rise in my throat.

I swallowed it and looked towards the dirt walls of the tunnels, "I'll be going now if you wish to follow."

They didn't say anything, much to my surprise, as I walked down the tunnel and past them. Though I did hear their footsteps behind me, following me as if I was the safeguard that they should be following. Why should they follow me? It was because of me that my entire clan was killed! They died so that I could escape and I didn't even have a say in it! If I had a say in it, I would've died with them! I wanted to die with my husband, but he made me promise to stay alive for him even if he died. That he made me promise on our wedding night.

I suddenly stopped and stared wide eyed at the rest of the tunnel. He knew all along.

"Hinata-chan?" Uzumaki Naruto's voice carried towards me and I shuddered, he sounded a little worried.

"I don't know you at all, Uzumaki-san, please address me as such." I snapped at him again, he stopped too. Obviously surprised by my tone, though I couldn't see why it would be strange since he was on the receiving end of my sarcasm before. I resisted the temptation of looking back at him; I could just imagine his blue eyes glaring at me right now even though I could already feel it boring into my back. A light sigh comes from me and I look back at him. My own glare challenged his.

"Have you ever been in these tunnels, Uzumaki-san?" I asked him coolly.

"No, I haven't, Hyuuga-san."

"Has Konohamaru-san?"

"No."

"Then…." I started out letting a breath out, trying to calm myself down, "you'll have to trust me if you want to find the exit. By the time the time we get to the exit, we will be at the very edge of the forest. These tunnels were made for wars between villages so that the villagers would be able to escape, though it turns out that it's an unfinished project and most of the tunnels lead to dead ends. For a while, I've been trying to continue them and push through, it's worked so far. Though there are many tunnels that I have not yet explored."

"How do you expect us to trust you?" Konohamaru piped up, "We don't even know you!"

"Do you want to rot in these tunnels?" I asked him harshly and he seemed to recoil away from me, "I thought so, if you want to survive, you'll have to follow me."

As soon as those words left my lips, I pivoted on my heals and began to rush down the tunnels, the forced wind rushed through my hair once again and I stopped about half way down, waiting. Uzumaki Naruto wasn't that far behind me, but Konohamaru looked as though he was struggling to keep up with our fast pace. I gripped the strap of the cloth bag on my shoulder tightly and waited for all of them to come to a stop near me.

"You have made your decision." I murmured before taking off again through the tunnels. I stopped every twenty minutes just to let them catch up, Uzumaki Naruto was already up to my speed and didn't need to stop, though Konohamaru still lagged and was panting for breath. I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in him, he was the Hokage's grandson and he couldn't run a couple dozen miles.

I sat down and leaned against the wall, both of my eyes half closed as I looked at both of them, "We're outside of Konoha and underneath the forest, I'm camping out here."

I began to pull out a rather large and expensive blanket made of a thick material and spread it out on the ground, then another one and a small pillow and curled up on it. It was big enough to fit Neji and me together, it would be possible if they would be able to fit as well. Though I didn't offer, they wouldn't take me up on it unless they thought I was insinuating something lecherous. Pulling the blanket up closer to myself I continued to allow my eyes to droop. My mind clock said it was getting close to midnight, but we couldn't exactly see anything from outside of the tunnels.

"Good Night."

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