She stared at the man with blank white eyes, her pale face rosy with fever. It was gray and pouring out, clouds covering the sky and turning everything dark.

"She's insane," Karin remarked as she adjusted the umbrella, trying to keep Sasuke dry at the same time as herself.

"She has the Leaf Symbol, you recognize her Sasuke?" Jugo asked his eyes flickering with concern for the girl.

"Looks like a Hyuga," He said indifferently and the woman twitched at his voice but gave no other sign of being okay. The raven haired man gazed at her trrying to block the memories that had started flooding his mind when he first saw her wandering around the wet woods.

"Kind of hot," Suigetsu remarked earning a glare from Karin. "What? Look at the way her clothes are clinging to her curves, wish you were that attractive.."

"I AM WAY PRETTIER THAN SHE WILL EVER BE!" The red head shrieked.

"Right.." He snorted with amusement and Jugo walked closer to the dark haired woman that stood there, drenched.

"What do we do?" Jugo asked, he was now holding a black umbrella over the lady's head, uncaring that he was now getting wet himself. Sasuke hesitated, which he never did. Personally he wanted to just leave her and forget he ever saw her but that human part of him was screaming at him not to.

"Bring her, she may be useful" He decided and continued walking in the tormenting rain with Karin hurrying beside him. Jugo gently guided her after him. She followed without any hint that she knew what she was doing.

"She's probably useless" Karin complained as they walked. "Look how delicate she looks, I bet she never worked a day in her life!"

"Do you not see a headband? She's a ninja so of course she's worked" Suigetsu snarled as he peeked an appreciative glance at the woman's soaked body.

"Pervert!" She hissed.

"Quiet down, we're here," Sasuke said coldly. His black eyes raked over the sick ninja and he nodded at Karin. "Give her a bath and into warm clothes" She opened her mouth to complain but as she looked at the Konnoichi her gaze softened and she gently led her into the small cottage in the middle of a forest.

"What's your name? Can you hear me?" She asked as she got the hot water running. "What's happened to you? Are you alright?" But the pale woman gave no sign she heard.

"Okay, let's take off those wet clothes, shall we?" Karin tugged at her jacket and she obliged, slipping it off without looking at the red haired girl. After a few minutes, Karin was struggling not to cry as the long haired young woman sat in the tub of hot water. The body was covered with recent wounds. Long and jagged, infected and oozing yellow pus. Her arms were cut and bruised a deep purple and her legs were sliced deeply. What had happened to her? Karin lightly washed the silent Hyuga with a soft sponge, careful not to touch too roughly.

"OH crap," She swore as the girl collapsed, wrapped in the towel. She was not strong enough to carry her. Karin rushed to the kitchen where she knew she would find the boys.

"Whats wrong Karin?" Sasuke asked observing her with his dark eyes.

"She- she passed out in the bathroom and I can't carry her out," She said breathlessly.

"Jugo, go help her" Sasuke said but Karin hastily shook her head. Some of her wounds opened as she hit the floor, now it was sort of bloody, it might set the big guy off. He nodded and stood. "Never mind, I'm done"

"Oh." Sasuke didn't mean to utter that sound but seeing her broken body lying on the floor, in her own blood, sent images up to his head.

"Get her into my bed, I need to try to get her to bite me," Karin said leaving the room to get ready. He shook his head, Why was he so scared to touch her? Why did her broken form leave a painful throbbing in his heart? He lifted her easily and carried her to the room they all shared. He placed her down on Karin's bed and took a step away but kept his eyes trained on the woman's feverish face.

"mmm" A mumble sounded from her lips and he flinched. It's been so long since he heard her voice.

"Hey, can you hear me? You're going to be fine," KArin murmured kindly and the others came in, curious. Karin placed a disinfected finger into her mouth and with her other hand, pressed the girl's jaw. She gritted her teeth as the skin broke.

"Holy crap," Suigetsu's eyes widened as he saw the woman's wounds on her legs close slightly. They left ugly pink scars.

"Hinata, can you hear me?" Sasuke asked, taking a step closer to herbed side.

…... Hinata's POV

What a nice dream… to hear his voice again, that sweet voice from the early days of my childhood. When mother was still alive, and I was still happy… I wonder where you are now, Sasuke-kun, I heard Itachi is dead. Has that made you happy? I haven't thought about you in a while, I had so many things going on. So many things you don't know about since you cut all your ties from me after that night, saying I don't understand. We were such good friends, and I miss our friendship so much.

"When will she wake up?" Your voice again. It sounds so much more grown up, do you really sound like that or is it my imagination?

"She took enough chakra to get rid of her fever, I don't think all of her wounds are gone though," Hmm, not a voice I am familiar with, who is she? Wait….

"Hey there, you look really nice even with the cuts on your body," a man with a shark resemblence said as soon as my eyes opened. What did he just say? I tried raising my head but that made me dizzy so I stopped and just laid there, feeling eyes on me.

"I'm Karin, we found you walking around in the rain, Are you alright?" A pretty red headed lady loomed over me and I forced a smile on my face, What was going on? How did I get here?

"Where am I?" I asked shakily, scaredd to look around. "How am I here?"

"You are actually pretty far away from Konoha, I don't how you did that, in the state you were in. but we won't hurt you," She seemed sincere, but who is "we"?

Then his words sank in. I was in a towel. A towel only, where my injuries could be seen. In a flash, I was sitting up and bringing my knees to my chest self consciously. My face beet red, but that's when I saw him.

"Sasuke-kun?" I blurted. It wasn't just a dream, he was actually here.

"hn" He gazed at the ceiling and I felt hurt creeping it's way through my already injured chest.

"It's been a while," He said unexpectedly and I noticed the others leaving quietly.

"Yes, it has," I said keeping my voice even with effort, That's all he had to say?

"When you're better, you should go," His black eyes met mine, and I almost cried at the lack of emotion I saw in them. Ones that used to shine with excitement when he showed me his brand new kunais, ones that used to be so kind when he found me crying alone after one of my father's scoldings.

"Is this really you?" I asked impulsively nd he seemed surprised at my boldness.

"Yeah, I guess, Im not who I once was," He said cooly. And I nodded.

"I know," I thought of Naruto, how could he even think of bringing such a man back to the village? Someone like this, shouldn't have so many good people wasted on him.

"So, get some sleep, " He smirked without any friendliness, "And some clothes on," He's changed so much, Why did that hurt so much?

- Sasuke POV

When I saw her eyes filled with so much contempt and scorn, it felt like my hear t was ripping to pieces. She still didn't understand, and I never expected her to. But her eyes were filled with so much hurt and sadness. It made me want to ask her what was wrong. Why did she judge me so harshly? She was pretty wounded. It made me want to punch down a wall. Who would do that to her? But it wasn't any of my business so I left it alone.

"She a friend of yours?" Karin asked me guardedly. And I shook my head and rolled my eyes as if that was a stupid question.

"No,"

- Neji POV

"Have you seen her anywhere?" I asked Kiba frantically and he shook his head with a panicked expression. "Damn it!"

"She still hasn't shown? It's been three days Neji! We have to report this," He said raising his voice and I gave in wearily, I wanted to try to find her without bringing in too much attention but it was impossible. Ever since that incident with her father… she ran off in the middle of a storm and hasn't appeared since. I tried tracking her but the rain washed away any evidence of her. Damn you Hiashi,

"Go tell Lady Fifth, I'll go ask around some more," I rold him and he vanished in a cloud of smoke. Now, I just needed to check with Sakura. The two weren't exactly close but it never hurt to check. I ran to the hospital, fear for my cousin rising up in my chest. She was very injured when she ran off. My stupid uncle had me tied up with stupid chakra hand cuffs. Hearing her screams, made me hate him even more. Sweet Hinata, who endured so much she didn't deserve.

"Neji, I'll come with you," Tenten smiled supportively as she caught up. I nodded gratefully. She always seemed to know when I needed her.

"Sakura-san, Have you-" I stopped as I saw her handing me a patch of Hinata-sama's coat up to me wordlessly. It was covered in blood and I felt vomit rising up inside me but I forced it down.

"I was taking a walk, looking for some medicinal roots, when I saw this on the edge of the border. I searched around, but I couldn't find any other trace of her." HEr green eyes were watery with tears and I held the piece of cloth to my chest. Tenten grabbed my arm but I barely felt her. Hinata-sama, Where are you?