I'm sorry for the long wait, but so many obligations came up in the last little while and I've been so tired that I hadn't really had time to churn out the second chapter. I may be coming back to edit it because I am sure there are mistakes, but it's late and I'm tired and I just want you guys to have the next chapter and give me your thoughts. I won't lie, I'm moving slowly right now but I promise it will pick up soon.

No Itachi in this chapter - or is there? - but he will show up again in due time.

Again, I would love to get some feedback. You're all the best! Enjoy.

Edited 05/14/2017

Seemingly out of nowhere, a kunai shot through the misty air. Hinata deflected it with her own kunai just in time, but this left her open for the onslaught of punches that came her way. Grunting in pain, she rolled to avoid any more fists landing on her body.

Activating her Byakugan, she got on her feet and lunged to the right and swung her left leg across to kick the arms of her attacker out from under them. Neji barely faltered as he landed flat on his feet before throwing out a series of open palm hits. Hinata blocked every one, moving back, and ducking with each movement of Neji's arms in her direction. And then she felt it. The uneven wall of the wooden house hit her back, and she had nowhere to run. Squaring off against her cousin, she knew she would lose if she couldn't disable him in the next few moments.

It wasn't a situation in which she could use her gentle fist as she was cornered with little space. Her aim would be off if she attempted the technique, and without accuracy, her attack would be next to useless.

"Eight trigrams, sixty four palms." Neji beat her to it.

Pain flooded her body, and Hinata found herself lying on the ground.

Neji bent down next to his fallen cousin. "You're excellent at defense, Hinata, but you can only run for so long."

"The minute you couldn't run anymore, you lost. " His voice was a perfect tone of composed masculinity. Not a syllable wavered. "You never attack me offensively, even when you have the perfect opportunity."

The gentle mist now contained the occasional fat droplet of rain Hinata noticed as her face laid in the dirt and she breathed with heaving breaths.

"Thank you for letting me know, nii-san." Neji frowned. The words were so feminine, and soft, and so very Hinata but they lacked emotion. He was noticing that she had taken to speaking in this manner more and more. Her words were suddenly so empty, and he wondered why she had stopped caring.

"Of course," He said, keeping his voice even. "It looks like it's going to rain. We should head back in."

The Huuyga princess didn't move from her splayed position on the ground. "You go first, nii-san. I'll follow soon." Again, that tone that held nothing.

Uneasily, Neji walked towards the eaves of the compound and headed in after throwing one last look at Hinata. His expression remained calm as always, but his eyes were anxious. He was watching something break inside of his cousin, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Hinata could feel the frequency of the fat droplets increase as they hit her exposed skin, and wet her clothes. The ache of the fight was still working it's way through her body, but she didn't get up and head towards the medic nin waiting for her in the compound. Instead, she rolled her shoulders lightly, moved her legs, and clenched her abdomen. A searing pain flared up as she contorted her injuries – all internal at this point – and she bit her tongue and smiled a mockery of a smile. It started off bitter, jaded, but twisted itself into a saccharine caricature before fading. It was unnerving.

Managing to sit up cross-legged, Hinata stretched her arms above her head and her body responded with anger. Hinata ground her teeth together, and continued the movement of her body. There was a dark pleasure that she got from enduring the screams of her nerves. It was her way of telling herself that she could endure. By now, a downpour had started and wetness seeped through her lavender and beige jacket, and her black training pants.

"What the hell happened to you?" Kiba yelled when Hinata showed up at his house the next night.

She hadn't allowed the medic nin to fully heal her yesterday. Though out loud Hinata had voiced that her injuries weren't bad enough to require so much of the medic's attention and had lightly ushered herself out of her bedroom before the other woman could say a word, in reality she had wanted the marks from her training to stay with her. She wanted proof of her loss to Neji to stay with her. It had been a while since she had been beaten that badly and she wanted something visceral to remind her of defeat.

If heavily inquired about, Hinata likely would have explained the bruises away as motivational memories pushing her to train hard and push forward, but she knew there was more to it than that. The green and yellow splotches, specked with purple, branded her defeat on her body; they etched her shame, punishment, and incompetence into flesh. She used to put so much effort into hiding these marks - it was a sharp reminder to her that everyone knew she was lacking (as a shinobi, as a daughter, as a Hyuuga) and whenever someone's gaze would linger on her bruised skin, she couldn't help flinching. But in the past few weeks, she had started choosing to wear them like a banner, the discoloration contrasting starkly against her paleness. In the back of her mind, a tiny voice asked if she wore them in defiance or as a perverted notion of self-punishment.

But for now, the heiress smiled sweetly back at Kiba and reassured him. "It's nothing to worry about. I was just training with Neji yesterday."

"That bastard." He growled.

Again, Hinata simply smiled. "It's okay Kiba. I needed the practice."

Kiba huffed in resignation. "Fine. Let's get going."

They were headed to Konoha's hospital to visit Shino who was currently under medical watch in the restorative care wing of the building. Their last mission, which seemed easy enough initially, had been to solve the kidnapping of political leader's daughter in a nearby village. But as luck would have it, their mission led them to encounter a band of rogue nin in the area, who were more than eager to take a shot at slicing off the chunins' heads as soon as they realized the trio were leaf shinobi. While the rogue ninja were eventually defeated, it came at the cost of complete chakra depletion for Shino, which greatly upset the symbiosis inherent with his kikaichu.

The halls of the hospital were lit with an unnatural too-bright light that cast everything in a slight yellow-green tinge. The air was smelled sterile and slightly stagnant giving off the ironic impression that the place bore no life, only a suffocating stillness that was interrupted by the pair's clacking footsteps. It was late, but Hinata had rarely seen the place so empty. A feeling of wariness swept over the kunoichi.

Upon entering Shino's room, the two Team 8 members found the final member of their trio deeply unconscious just as he had been during their previous visits. The medical ninja had explained that while chakra depletion is easily overcome with proper rest sped along with basic healing jutsus, the Aburame were a special case. Unlike others, they would need to recover enough chakra for themselves and millions of other little creatures that reside in their body. The rest and relaxation that was ordered for other shinobi who experienced a drained storage of chakra became an inconvenient coma-like state for the bug-wielders whose restored chakra would be distributed to their insects first. This really slows down the replenishment, the medic had said, because the process occurs almost exponentially. As you regain chakra, it becomes easier and easier for your body to create more. Hinata and Kiba had been coming to see their teammate for the past couple of days in the hopes that he would awaken, but it seemed to be that Shino had been pushed past his limit in that last fight.

Hinata stared at the collected expression on her teammate's face. It was the same stone mask he wore when awake. The boy never gave himself away to vulnerability, even when knocked out, she remarked. And with a poorly stifled giggle, she pictured her stoic friend unconscious in the hospital bed with drool dripping from his open mouth as he remained in his dreamless sleep. Kiba glanced over with eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as he questioned her silently with his eyes, not wanting to be kept out of the fun.

"I forgot to buy flowers." She realized. The room was utterly depressing with its large brick walls painted over with a slightly nauseating mint green, and lack of windows. Biting down lightly on the tip of her tongue, Hinata decided that this wouldn't do; he needed something alive in here. "I think the store downstairs is still open. I'll be back." And with flip of her hair, she walked out of the room leaving Kiba to stare cluelessly at his sleeping teammate. In all honesty, Kiba didn't really know what to do without Hinata in the room to keep him company, so he sat in the plastic hospital chair with Akamaru seated by his feet, and they both waited patiently for the Huuyga to return.

Walking down the sickly hallway, the feeling of suspicion steadily grew as Hinata failed to encounter a single person. Unease weaved its way into Hinata's movements. She had not thought to bring any form of weapons with her to the hospital. Turning left, she headed towards the floor's west wing. A genjutsu was installed by the doors leading inwards to the patient rooms; a simple thing meant to discourage visitors by planting a subtle suggestion that the person not enter, and go somewhere else. Training with Kurenai-sensei had its benefits, and being able to spot basic illusions was one of the most useful. With a flick of her hands, Hinata dispelled the mind trick just long enough to pass through.

Curiosity had been getting the better of her these days, and though she knew she shouldn't been snooping in secret affairs, she was starting to develop a bad habit of doing things her mind told her not to. Like how she had been sleeping in a meadow for the past week, and how she had come home one morning to find her father waiting for her outside her bedroom. Without so much as a word to her, he had taken in her knotted hair, wet with morning dew, and her skin that stained with rolling in dandelions and smelled of grass and dirt. "You are too unsteady to lead." He had said, before turning his cold dark eyes from his daughter and walking away. She had stood there, left with the unsavory taste of shame and guilt in her mouth, and wondered why she had let herself set foot outside of the compound whenever the silver glint of the moon rolled through the windows.

Low, hushed voices were heard in further room on the left. Treading softly and keeping in mind to hide her chakra signature, Hinata strained her ears to hear. The occasional stream of conversation was intelligible, but the door muffled the words, and all she could clearly make out was the tension in the room.

"You can't expect… he won't… forgive you or …." A male voice, tight with anxiety.

"..nothing I could do…where were you?..." Another male, angry, pleading, desperate.

The door flew open without warning to reveal someone dressed in all black, sword strapped to his back, with a porcelain mask of an ox firmly on his face. Hinata held in her breath as her eyes widen with surprise.

"Well, what do we have here? Someone stupid enough to walk past our jutsu." The anbu towered over her, and she quickly rescinded from the threatening figure.

It was then Hinata realized the simple mind trick was not meant to capture shinobi in its grasps; it was to serve as a warning to those skilled enough to understand, and deterred those who did not notice its presence.

"Careful." The other anbu said from inside the room. "She's a Huuyga."

With those words, the man in front of her stiffened. His demeanor changed from one of intimidation to one of forced respect. Clan politics still reigned in the village, though in a diminished fashion from older years. The Huuygas were a proud, noble breed, respected for their power and notable kekkei genkai. Even now, no one went around antagonizing a Huuyga clan member, especially one from the main house.

Though the academy taught Anbu as the end-all power position before becoming Hokage, or a council member, the textbooks never quite catch the subtleties of the position, and the subtleties are what matter. They're like thin wisps of translucent thread weaving around you with every move you make. You feel no resistance as you move in the direction it wants you to – but the moment you break off, sidestep into the unknown, the threads reign you in and force you to remain on the path it provides, lest you risk being shredded to pieces by those thin, sharp subtleties. The nuanced whispers of never provoking a powerful clan such as the Huuygas were like wind passing through a willow tree, willing you to listen to its soft command.

"My apologies Huuyga-san," the tone was tight, and only sincere in conveying his caution. "But you should not be here."

Willing herself to be confident, Hinata made a conscious movement to straighten her back, and say steadily but softly, "And what is here, Anbu-san?"

The man grunted. "I am sorry Huuygan-san but that is not in your privilege to know." And swiftly, he made a move to close the door in her face. The slam of the door echoed in the empty hallway.

"Byakuugan." A silent whisper.

The chakra outlines of each man in the room shone bright through the now seemingly paper-thin walls. The anbu who had engaged her at the door was storming to the other side of the room, where his comrade stood. A heated discussion seemed to be taking place; their bodies were at odds, all twisted gestures and tense muscles and stilted movements. In the hospital bed next to them lay a figure. Hinata grimaced as a wave of mild disgust spread through her. He was badly injured, evident by the way his one arm laid at an unnatural angle to his body, and the minute flow of chakra through his networks which pooled by his lungs and lower abdomen. Broken ribs, punctured lungs, stabbed through the intestines, Hinata surmised.

The man turned slightly so his head was angled towards her, and Hinata saw the gathering of chakra in two hollows of his skull. It was the distinct signature of the Sharingan. An Uchiha.

And then she felt it. Snapping her head up, a irrational wave of fear washed over her and she broke out in a cold sweat. How had she missed the fourth chakra signature in the room, she asked herself in a panic. Impossible. It stood out now, spread its presence throughout the small space, and towered over Hinata. Startled, she took an instinctive step back to distance herself from this feral chakra, and those eyes.

Those eyes tore through her with predatory intentions. It couldn't be helped when Hinata's heart raced and her skin broke out in goosebumps, as a second pair of Sharingan orbs bore into her own milky pearls through the hospital walls.

She tripped over her feet as she rushed home that night after saying goodbye to Kiba. Cursing her bad luck, her first instinct as she fell forwards was to grab hold of the solid fixture in front of her for support. The fixture's first instinct was to let her fall, but instead, he landed both hands on her hips to steady the stumbling girl.

Looking up at man, she almost screamed. If the Sasuke was startled by her reaction, he hid it well.

"Hyuuga-san." He greeted coolly, as he righted her on her feet. His sharp eyes noted the bruising on her cheek, above her eyebrow, and down her neck, which disappeared in the tan jacket she tried to hide in.

She was shaking ever so slightly, but attempted her calm herself. "Sa-sasuke-kun. Please. Call me Hinata."

"Hinata-san." He amended. His face displayed no interest in conversation, but her hands firmly grasped the front of his cotton shirt so he had no choice but to stand there, waiting for her long, slender fingers to let go.

But she didn't let go. In fact, she didn't even seem to notice her iron-hold on him as she looked at him in a manner that was reminiscent of an antelope, caught in the gaze of a panther. It was almost comical how she locked eyes with him while her muscles of her body seemed to grow rigid, like a corpse, as if thinking that he might not notice her if she just stood still, even as she held him close.

"Hinata." He said again, this time a touch of ironic amusement in his thin voice. With hands that were far too forceful to be delicate, but movements that were too thoughtful to be irate, he freed himself from her grasp.

Her cheeks flared a bright shade of red that flushed down her neck, and turned the skin covering her collarbones into heated pink flesh that prickled onto her chest. "My-my apologies, Sasuke." Bowing her head, the curtain of her hair fell around her face, hiding it from view.

"What happened to your face?" He asked without interlude.

She averted her eyes to the ground, and bit her bottom lip. "Anou, I … I was training."

"You were beat that badly?" He deadpanned.

The veil of her dark hair fell forwards to block her face from his view, but he could sense the embarrassment rolling off her.

"Ano, Neji is extremely skilled." She said with a hint of pride towards her cousin.

"Perhaps it is time for you to become more skilled." Sasuke replied sardonically.

Hinata flushed a deeper shade of red of one-part further embarrassment and two-parts anger.

"You-you're rude." She stuttered out. "I-I just... don't enjoy.. hurting people." She finished lamely.

Sasuke himself was taken-aback by his comment. Manners had been drilled into him from a young age. He wasn't the nicest person you could meet, but he was by no means ...rude. Until now. But what she had just said was ...

"Ridiculous. At least I'm not ridiculous." Being a shinobi wasn't about hurting people, it was about life. Your life versus theirs. "What kind of a fool would rather let herself be hurt instead of learning to fight back." It was said mockingly, a jab that made a joke of her gentle heart.

"Good day, Uchiha-san." Hinata said, her head still cast down, but her voice was even and hard. Without sparing him a second glance, she skittered off.

"Hn." It was the most non-committal reply that could have been given, and one that Sasuke had picked up from his older brother. But looking at the Uchiha, one would argue that he was not so unaffected as his words would imply. Surprisingly, Sasuke's face held a light flush - damn his pale skin, he would think when he caught a glance of himself in a window reflection. Through all the years that Sasuke had known Hinata, and had decided not talked to her when not necessary, he had never seen her be anything but sweet and caring. Her meanest teases toward the Inuzuka were filled with mirth. She was anything but ruthless in battle - likely why she was put on a team meant for reconnaissance and back-up rather than frontal assault. There was even a rumour that she cried over enemy bodies once after having slit their throats.

Yet somehow, he'd manage to anger her enough in a 1-minute conversation that she actually insulted him and then ran away.

"I'm... not rude." He said to himself, feeling rather idiotic. Besides, she seems to like idiots as evident by her obsession with the dobe.

Obviously, a large deal of what shaped Sasuke into being the cold, ruthless ninja he turns into in the Naruto and Shippuden series has to do with the Uchiha massacre, which doesn't happen here. He doesn't have the same kind of life experiences behind him which would push him to develop into that same kind of character that he becomes in Naruto, so here, he's just your typical moody teenager who loves angst and is not quite as smooth as he would like to be.