Spoilers from chapters, oh, let's say 436-440. Basically, be up to date or something will be ruined. You have been warned.
Once, Neji had almost killed Hinata.
At the chuunin exams, he had beaten her so badly that upon every exhale, her blood sprayed the floor. He had never asked for her forgiveness; he had tried to. Once. He had stood there for an hour, staring at her unconscious form.
Staring at the state he put her in.
She had woken up as that hour ended, starting as she noticed him. The question was on his lips as he opened his mouth to ask it.
What escaped him, however, was barely more than a sigh.
It might have been her name.
He had looked away then, staring resolutely at her water pitcher.
"It's okay, Neji-nii-san," she had said, her voice more feeble than he could have ever imagined. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes, heart constricting at the honorific she still used. "I think I would have done the same. I'm sorry. My father should not have sent you."
"He didn't."
It was true. Hiashi hadn't even blinked an eye upon discovering what his nephew had done. He wasn't sure what disgusted him more. Hiashi's complete disregard for his eldest daughter or the fact that Hinata was apologizing to him.
He kept the disgust from his face though. Hinata was already confused and disheartened; she didn't need to be frightened too.
Instead, he kept his face completely blank, using a neutral expression that he hadn't bothered with in a long time.
He had sat beside her for the rest of that day and each day the following week. It was his penance.
He had almost killed her.
Now Hinata lay bleeding and unconscious in the crater formerly known as Konoha and it reminded him so much of that day, that awful, cruel day, that Neji had almost killed Hinata. It reminded him so much of that day that Neji opened his mouth, finally ready to ask for forgiveness.
Once again, the only thing that escaped him was her name.