Back in Japan, Neji posed a question for his uncle: "Lord Hiashi," Neji began during a clan lunch. Hiashi met Neji's eyes. "Why don't you want Hinata and Naruto to..." Neji paused, searching for the words, "be together." Hiashi swallowed and put down his chopsticks.

"Neji, I will tell you something but you must promise not to tell this to anyone else." Hiashi said solemnly. Neji nodded.

"Yes, of course Lord Hiashi."

Hiashi cleared his throat quietly. "Naruto's father was the governor of the prefecture." Neji froze in shock.

"Namikaze Minato!" He whispered.

"Yes. Namikaze had a habit of taking care of criminals in the prefecture first hand and when the criminal known as 'The Kyuubi' broke out of the Uchiha Prison, he went to fight it. But you know all this." Hiashi sipped some tea and continued. "Namikaze was seen with a child during the fight but few people know that child was son. That is where Naruto gained the scars on his jaw. 'The Kyuubi' was apprehended but Namikaze died during the fight. Some say that the blood shed during that fight has infected Naruto with the Kyuubi's vicious spirit." Hiashi gave Neji a stern look. "I'm not a superstitious person but I do know there's a dark side to Naruto - a violent side. And if and when that side comes out, I want my daughter to be nowhere near him." A leader of a lesser clan branch approached Hiashi and greeted him with a low bow. Hiashi turned away from Neji with a slight nod and began talking with the lesser clan branch leader. Neji left the table quietly.

"Hinata..." He sighed. "Please; don't go to France..."

--

"So Hinata," Naruto said as they stared out at the flickering lights of central Paris, "what do you think of the trip?" Hinata smiled at Naruto, a soft blush rising to her cheeks.

"It's wonderful Naruto." She whispered. "I'm so grateful I could come." Naruto smiled.

"Y'know," he laughed, "I almost brought Sakura but she was so hung up over Sasuke she wouldn't come!" Hinata turned away from the view and stared at Naruto.

"Wh-what?" She murmured.

"I know! What was I thinking?" Naruto grinned.

"No!" Hinata cried. Naruto turned to face her, finally hearing the distress in her voice.

"Hinata?" He asked, taking a step towards her. "What's wrong?"

"I-I-I'm j-just s-some silver medal Sakura replacement?" She exclaimed, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Y-you only chose me b-because I was second-best - y-you didn't th-think I was any better than some girl who d-doesn't even care about you? Who is s-so in love with someone who sh-she may never see again that she can't p-pay attention to anyone else? You-you think I'm no better than that?"

Naruto gaped at Hinata and took another step. "N-no! Hinata! I - it's not like that!" He protested. Hinata pushed him away.

"Yes it is Naruto! It always was like that!" Hinata looked at him, a sudden somber calm falling over her. "And it a-always will be." Naruto opened his mouth to reply but Hinata cut him off. "No. Don't waste your words on second-best." She stormed out of the apartment leaving Naruto to realize what he had done.

--

"Lord Pein."

The criminal turned at the mention of his name. His subordinate Zetsu knelt before him. Brushing off his black jacket slightly he nodded to the man in recognition. "Yes?"

"I've located Hyuuga Hinata in Paris. Should we move in?"

"Yes. Go."

Zetsu nodded. "Roger."

"Lord Pein." Pein turned. His partner Konan stepped out of the shadows. "Are you sure this will work? Hyuuga Hinata is with Uzumaki -"

"Uzumaki Naruto is a capable fighter but he won't be able to defeat our team. Besides, the ransom Hyuuga Hiashi will pay will be most beneficial to our cause. Uzumaki Naruto will even be a bonus - yet one more fighter to make our weapon." Pein replied coolly.

"Should I follow them?" Konan asked. Pein shook his head.

"I'd like to talk to you - face to face."

Konan bowed. "Yes, Lord Pein."

--

Naruto put on a burst of speed. The dilapidated bike was barely able to make it through his daily commute but he wanted to suprise Hinata by picking her up. He had gotten cinnamon rolls which he had just recently found out was her favorite food. He couldn't lose her - not after all they had been through; not after the way she had made him feel. He saw Hinata standing at the bus stop on the edge of the small suburb. A dark figure was walking towards her, barely visible in shadows. As Naruto drew closer he noticed more encroaching on her. "Hinata!" He shouted. She turned but it was too late. Two men stepped out of their cover of darkness and grabbed her. Her shrill scream pierced the night and aroused something deep and feral in Naruto - something from his muddled past that was never supposed to be known. The bike's tires popped loudly and he spun into the curb as the bike flew out from under him, it's tires flat. Naruto struggled to his feet, bruised but not seriously injured. One of the men held a knife to his throat.

"Don't move." He said in fluent Japanese. Naruto felt himself tensing. Something wasn't right. He had felt anger before, even rage but this was a new emotion. It went deeper than human reason or even the human mind at all. Deep in his heart something was stirring. "If you move, I'll cut out your voice box."

Bloodlust.

"Naruto!" Hinata screamed. The knife-wielding man pushed the blade into the handle, pocketed the weapon and grabbed Naruto's neck.

"Hey Itachi!" He shouted. "What do I do with this one?" Naruto looked up. The name was familiar.

"Get him out of the way. He'll come." One of the men holding Hinata called back. The man holding Naruto grinned.

"You heard the man." He tightened his grip on Naruto's neck, cutting off the oxygen and carried him over a wall. "Bonne nuit." He chuckled and with one sweep of his arm slammed Naruto into the building. Naruto's vision cut out before he fell unconscious but he could still hear Hinata's screams as they pulled her farther and farther from him.