Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto

A/N : A big thank you to BlackSnowPetals, JSai, LoveKibaAndShinoForever, Maned Wolf Goddess and Inume-blue. My first five reviewers.

Recap

Hinata looked up, to see his fingers brush away a few stray tears.

"But, I can tell you this. As long as I live, you will never be alone, and as long as I stand on my own two feet, I will make sure that you can be strong,"

He reached out his hand, and this time Hinata took it.

The soft shuffle of feet could be heard.

Hinata and Naruto slowly made their way down the stairs. Hoping that they wouldn't bump into anyone.

Naruto cursed his luck. He hadn't thought of how he would escape. Currently, he was using Henge no Jutsu on himself, and thankfully, Hinata knew how to do the same.

They both had taken up the appearances of servants, but should they come across Hiashi - or anyone else for that matter - the gig would be up.

Their only chance was to get out of the mansion unnoticed, and they had to do it fast.

He quickly pulled Hinata's hand, as he rushed towards the exit.

Hinata.

He had never expected to see someone like her, locked up.

She looked vulnerable, and she had been abused.

When he pulled her up from her cell, he noticed palm like bruises on her hand. He was disgusted.

It hadn't improved his impression of the Hyuuga's when he saw the clothing she wore.

She had been wearing clothes that were clearly too small for her. A small dress that hugged her chest tightly, and was mid-thigh long. It had been torn in various places.

Her hair looked like it hadn't been cut in years, which yet again, didn't surprise him.

His grip tightened around her hand.

"Naruto-kun? Is there something wrong?" Hinata meekly asked as they tip-toed around the servant's quarters.

"No, don't worry. Nothing's the matter. Hinata-chan? I think we're going to have to jump the wall. Is that alright with you?" he whispered back to the raven haired girl.

"Um… Na…Naruto-kun?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know how to jump over wa…walls," she whispered back, her face looking at the floor.

Naruto mentally smacked himself.

Of course she wouldn't know how to do that, considering she had been locked up for ten years...

When they finally reached the large barrier, they both paused.

Finally Naruto tuned around to face Hinata, who looked at him questioningly.

In one quick motion, he scooped her into his arms, carrying her bridal style.

"Na… Naruto-kun!" she blushed as she tried to wiggle out of his arms.

"Don't worry. I won't drop you," he whispered back as he held her close to his chest.

Hinata's blush deepened. Not trusting her voice she nodded her head instead.

Naruto leaped up the wall and landed directly on top of it.

"Wow. I…I've never seen such a beautiful view, but I think he vie…view on top of the Hokage monuments are, mu…much better," Hinata commented as she slowly looked around at Konoha.

"EH! You've been on top of the Hokage monument?" Naruto asked as he turned his head to face the lady in his arms.

"Yes, my mother once took me there before she got ill. After… When she couldn't take me, I went there alone just to think. It was so beautiful when I last saw it," she replied, closing her eyes as though she were reminiscing the past.

"Well, it sure hasn't changed much. I know! I'll take you there someday! Then you can see for yourself!" Naruto exclaimed forgetting about the situation they were in.

"I'll look forward to that," Hinata nodded, giving me a small smile.

The two of them looked out at the scenery which lay before their eyes. Just taking in it's beauty.

It seemed surreal until, "HEY! SOUND THE ALARM! THE YOUNG MISTRESS IS MISSING!"

Naruto cursed silently and jumped off the wall landing with a "Thud,"

He began running, to get a head start on their escape. Within a few minutes, they had reached Ichiraku, the ramen stall.

A guard searched the premises for the escapee. Looking in the garden he searched high and low. While looking around, he saw something that astounded him.

21 bowls of ramen, lay stacked up near a tree.

"UNCLE TEUCHI! AYAME!" the blond boy called out as he entered the shop, still carrying Hinata in his arms.

"What is it…Hinata-chan! How have you been?" Teuchi said as he came out from the back of the stall.

"Uncle Teuchi… I'm fine… It's been a l…long time hasn't it?" Hinata replied as she gave Teuchi a smile. Her hands still clung to Naruto's neck, where she had placed them when he carried her.

"EH? You know her?" Naruto asked bug-eyed.

"Baka. Who do you think told you about her?"

"Well, you did. OH. Right, slipped my mind," Naruto grimaced at his forgetfulness.

Hinata giggled at him.

"Um… Naruto-kun?"

"Yup?"

"Well, um… yo…you can put me down now," she blushed yet again, as she reluctantly loosened her hands from around his neck.

"Oh yeah! Sorry! My bad," he exclaimed as he gently lowered his hands, so that Hinata could jump out of his hands. A blush slightly, coloured his face.

Teuchi snickered to himself as he saw the two blushing teens in front of him.

"Naruto! Your back! How did the 'kidnapping' go?" he heard Ayame scream from the back of the shop.

"You can see for yourself!" Naruto called back as he waited for her to see his prize.

Which in this case was Hinata.

"I'm guessing you couldn't bring her … back," Ayame stuttered as she pushed back the curtain that separated the back of the stall.

"Or you did…" she muttered to herself as she looked at the pale girl.

"Well hello there! I'm Ayame! I'm my father's keeper, and caretaker. Did I mention I run the shop too?" she smugly reminded as she bowed to Hinata.

"It's a pleasure to me…meet you. I'm Hyuuga Hinata," she smiled back as she bowed ever so gently back to Ayame.

"Why didn't I get a daughter like that?" Teuchi sobbed as he banged his hand in the counter.

This earned a glare from Ayame, while Naruto and Hinata sweat dropped.

Muttering something about ungrateful fathers Ayame placed two bowls of Miso ramen in front of the two.

"Eat up. We expected you would come back here," Ayame exclaimed as she went back to the back of the stall.

"ALRIGHT! RAMEN!" Naruto yelled, clearly excited and dug into the bowl of freshly served noodles.

Hinata simply sat down and just stared at the food.

"Say ah Hinata!" Hikari smiled as she held in her hand a bowl of Ichiraku ramen.

The pair was currently sitting in the Ichiraku ramen stall, sharing a bowl of miso ramen.

"AHHH!" Hinata opened her mouth, as her mother fed her the delectable dish.

Hikari smiled as she too, scooped a bit of soup and savored it's taste.

Hinata looked at her mother, who in turn, looked back at her and gave her a brilliant smile.

Hinata did the only thing she could.

Smile back.

"Hinata-chan! Hello! Anyone there?" Naruto asked as he waved his hand in front of her eyes.

Hinata snapped back into reality, and looked at the blond next to her.

"Eh? Wh…What?" Hinata stuttered as she jumped back on her seat.

"Well, you haven't touched your bowl of ramen, and we have to leave in awhile," Naruto stated as he pointed at her dish.

"Oh right," she realized as she picked up her chopsticks and spoon and began to eat.

The taste was still the same. Nothing had changed. Nothing except now, her mother wasn't here with her to eat the bowl of ramen. Her lavender eyes welled up with tears.

"We'll be traveling to Suna! That's the only safe place for both of us at the moment," Naruto stated as he gulped down some soup.

She looked up, momentarily having forgotten her traveling companion. Naruto. This mysterious boy who had said he would never leave her alone. He would help her get stronger.

'Yes. Mother isn't with me now,' she thought as she looked at the young man who was currently ordering his third bowl of ramen.

'But, now I have him. Naruto-kun,' she smiled. Then, suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. He said they were going to Suna.

"SU…SU…SUNA?" she jumped up as she slammed he hands on the counter.

Naruto and Teuchi looked at her.

"Yeah. Why? Is something the matter? IS THERE A HYUUGA CLAN IN SUNA?" Naruto asked as the thought suddenly occurred to him, pulling his hair at the thought of that.

"It…It's not that. It… It's just that…It's so… so far away. It could ta…take us days to get there," she blurted out, poking her two index fingers together.

Naruto stood stock still, blinking at her.

"Eh? Oh! We aren't going there by foot," he said as he stood akimbo.

"We're not?" Hinata questioned.

"You're not?" Teuchi leaned forward as he stared at the two expectantly.

"No we're not. I am meeting a group of friends outside the Konoha border. We'll be taking, um a type of transportation,"he whispered the last part to Hinata so that Teuchi couldn't hear it.

"That's right. Leave me out of your conversation," Teuchi nodded as he resumed his work.

"It isn't as though I don't want to share it with you, but the less you know of us the safer you are Uncle," Naruto said as he leapt of the chair and taking out his wallet, paid for the meals.

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Teuchi, sighed as he took the money from Naruto.

"What do you mean? Are the both of you doing something illegal?" Hinata asked, astonished at the two of them.

"ILLEGAL? HAHAHA!" Teuchi laughed but was cut of by Naruto's hand as he clamped it over his mouth.

"Well, um it's not what you think it is. So! Do you want to go to Suna with me?" he asked her, swiftly changing the topic.

She paused for a while contemplating whether it would be a good decision. If she went to Suna, what would happen to her?

Se did not have much time, or many choices. It was either Suna or going back to the Hyuuga mansion. Where she knew she would not last long. Her father would probably kill her for escaping.

She didn't want to go back. Back to where only death awaited her. Back to where she would be alone. It would be like taking a step backwards, and she wasn't willing to do that.

Not after coming so far. She was going to stride forward, and whatever her future thrust at her, she would face it.

Besides, she wasn't alone now.

She could do it.

"Al…Alright. I'll come along," she said.

"Well then, let's go," Naruto exclaimed as he stepped out of the stall and onto the street.

Hinata got up to leave but was pulled back by a hand. She turned around to see Ayame gripping her wrist.

"Hold on Naruto. You really don't expect Hinata-chan to go out looking like that!" Ayame motioned to Hinata's clothing.

Hinata blushed, she had forgotten about her attire entirely, and from the looks of it, so had Naruto.

"Aww man. I totally forgot about that, and look at the time now! No shops in Konoha will be open," Naruto said, snapping his fingers.

"I have that part covered. I'll loan you some of my clothes, and I'll fix up your hair," Ayame smiled as she pushed Hinata behind the stall, to a small interconnecting house.

Naruto impatiently waited for the two girls to emerge from the house. He sat down on a chair tapping his fingers on the counter.

"WHY, are they taking so long? All Hinata-chan needs is some clothes and perhaps even tidy up her hair. So, why has she been with Ayame in your house for TWO HOURS?" he screamed in frustration.

Ironically, Hinata and Ayame came out of the house right at that time.

Naruto was struck speechless. She looked so different.

Her hair had been cut short, showing her beautiful lavender eyes and she wore a light purple kimono, which had been adorned with white lavender petal patterns

She carried a small backpack on her shoulders.

Naruto looked at the bag questioningly.

"Ayame-san gave me some extra clothes to wear for different occasions," she quietly murmured.

"Yes. Now she looks suitable. Naruto! You had better take care of her properly! Oh yeah! When you reach Suna please buy her some new clothes!" Ayame stated as she came out from the house.

Naruto nodded and grabbed Hinata's hand as they headed out of the stall. Both waving their goodbyes, they walked to the border.

It was pitch dark, as it was in the wee hours of the morning. Both of the teenagers had barely gotten any sleep, and it seemed especially evident on Hinata's face.

Her eyelids drooped as they walked on.

Naruto looked behind to see Hinata half asleep. He smiled but didn't say anything.

They finally reached the border. Naruto looked around for the guard and caught sight of him.

Slouched, on the floor unconscious.

'Guess I knocked him out real good when I entered Konoha. Wonder why nobody noticed him?," Naruto snickered as he pulled Hinata past the guard and they easily got out of Konoha.

Naruto looked around for his friends, but saw nobody.

"I'm guessing that we're still early. Why don't you sit down and rest while I keep a look out for them?" Naruto suggested.

Hinata nodded. She walked over to a tree and propped up her bag on it. She then used it as a pillow to sleep on.

Naruto just smiled as he waited for his friends to come. He didn't have to wait for long. Off in the distance he saw three figures, that seemed to be on horseback.

He waved his hands in the air, signaling to them where he was. The horses immediately swerved in his direction.

When they finally reached him, he gladly looked them over. All of the riders appeared to be the same age as Naruto and Hinata.

One of the riders was a young woman, with pink hair. Her name was Sakura. She was wearing a red sleeveless top, with a with skirt that was split at sides and in the middle, and under it she wore short black shorts.

The second rider had black, messy hair. He wore a black sleeveless shirt with the symbol of a red fan behind it. His pants were black and baggy with many pockets. He swung a katana (grasscutter) across his back. His name was Sasuke

The last rider had short red hair. He wore black pants and a black shirt. A large cylinder-like object was swung across his left side of the shoulder, while a white sash hung from the right. He was the infamous Kazekage, Gaara.

"Hey guys! How was the journey?" he asked as he caught the reigns of Sakura's horse.

"Wonderful! If you like sand and dust flying into your face every second of the journey and not getting a wink of sleep at all!" Sakura exclaimed as she hopped off her horse and stretched.

"Uhum," Gaara cleared his throat as he glared at Sakura.

"Oops! He he. Sorry! Forgot you liked sand," she mumbled as she rubbed her head.

"So dobe, how was the recruitment?" Sasuke asked as he jumped off his horse still holding on to the reigns.

"I have a name you know! It is Naruto! Think you can remember or are your brain cells incapable of understanding it?" he heatedly said, glaring at Sasuke.

"I would think that nobody would be able to understand anything you say,"

"I dare you to say that again,"

"I'm sorry! Did I speak to fast for you?"

"That's it! Let us settle this the old way. By FIGHTING!"

"Alright. Let's take this outside!"

"You baka! We ARE outside!"

"IDIOTS! Can you please stop fighting?" Sakura interjected as she pushed the two apart.

"HE started it! Anyway, it went pretty well. I got a few more supporters, and you're not going to believe this, but we have a new friend who's going to be helping us," Naruto smugly exclaimed.

"Really? Who?" Gaara asked, not moving off his horse.

"Hinata-chan!" he answered as he motioned to the girl who had dozed off.

"A girl! Way to go Naruto! Now other than Ino-pig, Tenten and Temari I have someone else to talk to!" Sakura slapped Naruto on the back as she yelled excitedly.

"How old is she?" Gaara asked glancing at her.

"She's the same age as us. Eighteen," Naruto answered for the sleeping girl.

"Why did she decide to come with us?" Sasuke asked, clearly interested with the newcomer.

Naruto grimaced at the question.

"I think she should answer that question herself. When she wakes up that is," Naruto smiled, happy at the answer he had produced.

"Alright. I think we had better get going. Unless you want Orochimaru to find out about us," Gaara cut in, as he turned his horse around in the direction the three ninjas had come from.

"Right. Naruto, you take Hinata-chan and get on my horse. Sasuke, I'll have to share the horse with you!" Sakura exclaimed starry-eyed.

Sasuke gulped. This was not going to be an enjoyable return trip.

Naruto walked over to where Hinata lay asleep. He gently nudged her awake. She rolled over and mumbled something Naruto couldn't catch.

He sighed and finally just scooped her into his arms and slung her bag over his shoulder. He walked over to the horse and attached her backpack to the saddle before jumping on with Hinata in tow.

He positioned her in such a way that her head was leaning against his chest.

'I wonder why she was locked up in that room. I never did ask her about it. Perhaps she will share her past with us when we reach Sunai. Man, when I looked into her eyes, she reminded me so much of well… the old me. Darn that Hiashi. How could he lock up a girl for ten years? No way is that humane. Darn him and the whole council of his!' Naruto thought as he snapped the reigns of the horse and galloped off, following his comrades.

Unconsciously, his grip around Hinata's right hand, which he held with his own hand, tightened.

Hinata was sleeping peacefully. It had been so long since she had, had a dream that had not been plagued with her visions.

Visions.

It was rather irritating that she could see the future of anyone else, except her. She had been infuriated when she found out that little fact.

To think, she had to go through so much, just for this so-called 'gift' and it really did not benefit her at all! So much for justice.

Not that she didn't know what was in store for her anyway.

She was going to die. That was her destiny. So what was the use of having such a good life. Her destiny was set, and she couldn't do a thing to change it. Besides, destiny can't be changed.

Can it?

She was still in the middle of her thoughts when she felt someone nudged her. Not wanting to leave her dreamless sleep she rolled over, hoping that the person would go away.

Instead she felt herself being lifted up. She didn't move. She heard the rustling of something before she felt herself being lifted in the air again, but the grip of the person who was holding her never left.

Gentle movements positioned her in a comfortable position, and she felt her head lean against something warm and hard.

Finally she heard the hoof of horses, and felt herself being bumped up and down. 'So, I'm on a horse, but who carried me and what am I leaning against?' she curiously thought.

After a few minutes of pondering, she slowly peered open an eye. Absorbing in her surroundings she realized she was leaning against somebody's chest. She stole a quick look upwards and inwardly gasped when she found out who it was.

Naruto-kun.

She blushed several shades red and fainted. None of which was noticed by Naruto.

When they finally reached Suna, half the day was gone and it was already late in the afternoon, judging by the Sun's position.

Naruto hopped off his horse, Hinata in hand. He slowly unlatched her backpack and grabbed the reigns before handing it to Gaara.

"I'll go back first ok? I need to settle Hinata-chan in, and when she does wake up I'll bring her to Gaara's office immediately, alright?" he asked his friends.

It was then that he caught sight of Sakura, who too, was asleep in Sasuke's arms.

Sasuke shrugged claiming that she fallen asleep halfway through the journey.

Naruto chuckled and walked off to his home.

Alright. That's all for now. Hopefully there will be another chapter by the end of this week! Please review!