Hi, hello. I'm Aj. This isn't my first story on here, I used to have an account and I am revising this story I wrote. It was intruiging from what I can tell from the old reviews but I feel as though it could have been better written so I'm rewriting it in. I never had an ending in the old version of this story so as it progresses the chapters will be coming slower (that and chemistry this quarter is murdering me). I do not own Naruto or anything I may have based this story off of. Enjoy!

The Oldest

Hinata

One of the first lessons a new nin is trained in is pain management. You're taught how to keep going with a broken limb, how to think responsibly with a concussion, and most relevant in my opinion, how to position your body if you're outmatched and getting attacked.

It is recommended, though rarely heeded, that nin take a class to control their minds as well. You're taught how to block out certain memories as well as how to hide your consciousness, to tuck it away in a shell so you don't have to witness your body being betrayed. That's the class I used the most, honestly. Being able to hide myself away so I don't have to see his hands on me, being able to get up an hour after the crime, bathe, hide the bruises and move on as if you're not broken inside.

There's only so much you can do, though. The mind was meant to store things, not burn them. You'll get to a point when even your brain turns against you, where you have no choice but to remember, to think about it. To hate yourself.

Even a body trained to maintain, to store energy like most bodies store fats can run empty. I was on empty now. I was curled up on the floor, remembering my lessons in these kinds of situations. Protect your head, your precious eyes, and your ribs if you can but he was done at that point.

I watched in disgust as my uncle's hand's softened as another appendage of his hardened. I tucked my consciousness away as best I could but I could not keep my eyes from following him. My shyness had gone, I was a pretty apathetic person now but I could not deny the hate and rage in my eyes. Neither could this monster I had trusted as a child.

My rage amused him; I could see it in his sneer. If emotions could push a person, he'd be dead by now. But my body was finished, exhausted, and all I could do was lie there and wait for him to turn my white skin purple, to bruise and tear my most tender places.

People knew about this, I'm sure. I hid it at first but came out to my father. I was dirtied, no longer a maiden but I shivered at the thought of his hands on my sister. Neji's father would protect him from our uncle but all Hanabi and I had was our father. Or rather, all Hanabi had was me. Father didn't believe his older brother could do something so horrible to his own niece even after I showed him the blood and the bruises.

Kurenai tried, I'll give it to the woman. She stepped forward, she raged and screamed but she had no proof. After all, a ninja with bruises and broken bones was not proof enough to send a powerful man of a powerful family to jail.

It was well known in Konohagakure about this man, for what's it worth people tried to take me away. I was tempted, I won't deny it but I refused to leave Hanabi to this man. She was small, still fairly flat and hadn't drawn his attention yet. If my supple chest and feminine hips were all that protected her, so be it. As if father would make me an heir now anyways.

We were in my room, a large, mostly empty room with smooth hardwood floors. There were blotches where I had bled it had stained the wood. The man stood over me, one of the few Hyuga members with short hair, and undid his robe. I was repulsed instantly, turning my eyes to the window looking for the stars. I was bleeding but due to my training was conscious, aware. I was aware of the black sky, I was aware that I was losing too much blood – and not enough at the same time- I was aware of this disgusting man at my side. I was aware of a strong, unfamiliar chakra nearby.

I blinked, edging just enough of my mind out of the shell so I could pay more attention. My uncle had settled himself on top of me, bruising my wrists and not paying attention to our surrounding. My eyes caught movement at the window, the blackness shifted into the room and soon I could see stars.

I'm not proud of my wandering mind but after what I've been through, I became damaged. I focused on the stars, let my mind wander into the cool space so that my uncle and I both yelped in surprise when he was ripped of me and thrown against my bedroom wall. He had had such a firm grip on my wrists that I was forced into a sitting position, topless, to witness him slide down the wall.

Orange and yellow was in my vision suddenly. In the mental state I was in I didn't bother to cover myself, I had on modest panties and my sweet, torn fur hoodie. Neither were doing much to cover me. My uncle was in shock and intruder strode to him, forcing him against the wall again.

"You will not touch her!"

I blinked and more of my conscious mind resurfaced. Naruto? My situation was well known in the village but no one had made the move to physically step in. The blond had positioned himself behind me, no bigger than me but so much stronger, so much angrier. I slowly turned my head to my closet door, a floor length mirror attached to it.

There was more blood than usual. Both my lips were busted and my wrist seemed to be at an unnatural angle and blotchy. My breasts and ribs were both badly bruised with small cuts. You could just make out scratches on my neck and shoulders. A nin was used to be wounded but not like this, not by someone you once loved.

Often the abuse did not get this bad. Uncle tended to wait until Hanabi was asleep and Neji was out. There was not much Hanabi could do to save me though Neji did all he could. He made himself a constant visitor in my room, going so far as to sleep on my bedroom floor on the nights when father was out. But Neji was a few levels higher than I and even he couldn't be there always. He had been sent on a mission, gone for ten days and uncle had taken advantage all of those days. Neji was back tonight. Uncle was probably getting his fill before Neji could step in again.

Naruto had interrupted this.

My attention was drawn back to my current situation as Uncle reared back and slammed a fist into Naruto's head. I let out a strangled moan, wanting to help but not being able to move. I had never seen him hit anyone but me. He swung at Neji on a few drunken occasions but never laid a punch. There was a crunch of fist on bone but Naruto did not step down.

"You filthy little reject! How dare you come here without an invite! Do you have any idea whose rage you are invoking? Leave! Now!"

Naruto spread his arms, hiding my body from Uncle's hungry eyes. I watched him for a moment before tilting my head. The soft thump of shoes echoed down the hallway before my door slid open. Neji stood, panting in my door way. His brown hair had escaped their band was sticking to his forehead. He had a long cut on his cheek and the telltale signs of a mission just finished. I smiled dizzily at him. I was popular today.

He blinked at me and turned his blank eyes towards our uncle. I watched him as he made the connection between my naked, bruised body and his furiously red uncle. Quietly he stood next to Naruto completely hiding me from view.

"Uncle. You will stop."

"You will betray your own family?" he roared at his nephew.

"You are the one betraying us! You touch your own family simply because she knows better than to fight back! You have turned our family into a disgusting joke," Neji sounded almost pleading. He was torn between the famous Hyuga pride and protecting me. Poor guy.

Uncle looked embarrassed, furious. He opened his mouth to argue, blushed red and stormed from the room. Always he must say the last word. Though he eyes couldn't find me his words were for me, and me alone.

"You are garbage. Impure, disgusting garbage. I will make your life in this village very horrible and very short."

As he slammed my door shut, Neji turned and warmed his arms around me. I whimpered, I was hurt so he let go. Naruto stayed with his back to me as Neji found a soft, silk long sleeved shirt and helped me into it. After I was mostly decent Naruto finally turned and studied me. I was still in my panties but all my shame was spent. I didn't so much as blush as his eyes traveled up my damaged legs to my bruised and battered torso. "She can't stay here," he said without looking at Neji. Neji looked up from the small bag he was packing for me. He was slightly red in the face as he packed me some undergarments but nodded in agreement.

"She can stay with Tenten. She lives alone and can defend herself if Uncle comes looking," he said and he swung my pack over his shoulders. "Can you walk?"

I didn't reply, I was virtually dead to the world. I could not be bothered. Without a word and as gently as he could, Naruto urged me onto his small back lifting me up off the ground. It was a great relief to be off the unforgivingly hard floor. They walked down the hallway, Naruto a bit stiffly to keep me from shifting too much. Neji opened the front door, waited until we were through and shut it behind us.

Once we got to Tenten's small apartment, the boys decided to stay with us. Tenten was furious by my appearance, lending me some too long leggings to cover up my sore legs. Neji whispered to her, at one point holding her so she wouldn't bolt out the door. Eventually they just retired to her room, shyly as if we didn't know. I got a soft couch and Naruto curled into a ball on the floor. He whispered to me for a while, reassurances in that brave, brutal way of his. He tried but the boy was young. Not all demons could be tamed with chakra and force. Very quickly everyone but me was snoring but my eyes were still open, searching for demons in the dark. I found none but that meant nothing. They were there and I knew my fragile sanity could take no more abuse, I knew my eyes could see no more cruelty.

I sat up, my powerful eyes being able to pick out Naruto's form in the dark. As softly as my aching muscles would allow, I reached down and touched his scarred cheeks. I felt a flash of fondness for the brave boy. It somehow touched my heart that the boy ran hot when he slept. I touched his hair next surprised by its softness. I've seen how to villagers treated him. We both had our demons though mine were ignored and his were attacked. He tried so hard to be approved of in a place that didn't deserve it. I pressed my sore lips against his cheek.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice cracking. The first words I'd spoken all day.

He was awake, I know he was. Though it was much too dark for him to see me, I could pick out his blue eyes staring into nothing. He lay still as I stepped over him, breathing slow and relaxed. I picked up my pack and slipped into a pair of Tenten's smaller shoes. She wouldn't mind and I couldn't run for very long barefoot. He must have known what I was doing, I'd never seen the boy so still, but he made no move to stop me. I paused for a moment at the door and watched him for a moment. I inhaled deeply and got a hint of his scent; noodles, trees and warm soil. I'd miss that. But I believed Uncle when he said he'd make my life horrible, and short. My sanity was already quivering and fragile. It wouldn't take much of a push to shatter what little control I had over myself.

"Don't let them bring you to your knees, Naruto. You are the best that will ever be."

I quietly shut the door behind me, repositioned and my pack and took off. I wasn't sure where I was going. I was just trying to outrun my demons.