Sweets: ...sooo tired...

Shikamaru: get some rest then.

Sweets: HELL NO! I'm totally devoted to my fics!

Gai: ahh...the power of youth.

Sweets: If I owned NAruto, I would put Gai and Lee in normal clothes...obviously...i don't own them

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Chapter 4

Tsunade was not very happy. Her well-earned sleep had been disturbed, right when she had drifted off. Along with that, it was an ungodly hour and already, half of the town was awake. Lights had flickered on and there was hushed talking among the villagers.

Shizune burst into Tsunade's office. The 5th lifted her head wearily and to her surprise, a few white-eyed citizens crowded into her office. She spotted Hiashi in the front with Neji and Hanabi.

'Hyuuga...dammit. Where's Hinata?' she wondered.

"Alright, explain your business. I want to sleep." Tsunade said, annoyance tinting her voice.

For a moment, no one said a word. Hiashi threw a piece of paper in front of her, his hands trembling. He was leaning heavily on his stick and he looked so weak and helpless. Hanabi was clutching her father's robes and tears leaked out of her eyes. Neji's arms laid by his side, his hands clenched into fists.

Tsunade eyed the paper and gingerly picked it up. She began to read, her eyes growing wider with every word.

My dearest father,

It is with a heavy heart I must write this letter to you. For years on end you have been telling me I am weak; unworthy to carry the name Hyuuga. You constantly remind me that I cannot even measure up to Hanabi who has already passed me. You expect me to be like my cousin, Neji, who is without a doubt, a genius within our illustrious clan. And here I am, Hinata, the heir to the family name, a weakling. A nobody. I fear I have ruined the name 'Hyuuga' forever.

So, I have decided there is only one thing to do.

I have gone off to train and become stronger. Maybe then you will see that even I, the weakling, am not worthless. Even I, Hinata, the unworthy heir, can be someone. Maybe you will see, and one day regret not knowing, that I was commendable all along.

I leave you now, with these final words. I will return. I will return, changed and powerful. I will have become strong and smart. When I have finished training, I will be able to beat and or tie, any of my fellow classmates and friends. This is a promise I will sign in blood.

Don't worry. I'm not alone. I'm with intelligent people. You have no need to come after me and chase me down. If you attempt to find me, you will fail. This I know. Why?

The Akatsuki said so.

Hinata.

There was a stunned silence. Tsunade observed that Hinata's name was signed in blood and that the letter sounded so unlike the quiet girl every one of them knew. This letter voiced the opinion of a strong female, bitter and determined. Was this the real Hinata?

Hiashi suddenly banged his hands on Tsunade's desk in anger. Hanabi unclenched her tiny fists from her father's robe and stumbled backwards.

Neji looked at the floor. He would never admit it, but tears began to shine in his eyes and drip down his pale face. He was indeed crying. The great Neji Hyuuga was crying over his cousin...the same cousin he had tried to kill only a year ago...

"We need to find her." Hiashi ordered. "Send out a search party."

Tsunade began to pace around. A headache was beginning to form and the mention of the Akatsuki didn't help. She turned back to the letter.

"She says not to follow her." Shizune stated the obvious, reading over Tsunade's shoulder, her brow furrowed.

"TO HELL WITH WHAT SHE SAYS!"

Hiashi smashed his fists back onto the desk. Tsunade couldn't understand his worry and concern. One minuet he was hitting her into unconsciousness and the next he was attempting to find her when she ran away. From him.

"But she is right." Tsunade murmured.

Everyone looked up. Tsunade continued.

"It can be concluded from that Hinata is indeed with the Akatsuki. If that is so, then she is not only under protection, but under a very good cover."

"How can you be so sure she's being protected!" Neji shouted, abruptly.

Tsunade gave a false smile towards the young Hyuuga boy. He looked so lost and confused...so worried and angry.

"If the Akatsuki have accepted her into their organization, she will be protected very well. It is a tight knit group, like a family, but more dangerous then you could ever imagine. I expect she is under Itachi himself. He will look after his new charge like a hawk. But that's just me." Tsunade continued, sitting down at her desk.

Silence was broken by an incoming shriek.

"Is it true!"

Some of the Hyuuga members had left out of sheer weariness and in their place was all of the original teams and their sensei.

Kurenai was looking devastated. Her hands were clenched and her eyes shown with unshed tears. Kiba and Akamaru looked broken and lost. Akamaru was curled up and whining in Kiba's hood. Shino was stiff and rigid. Hinata's old team was just itching to find her.

Asuma and his team were assembled...sorta. Choji was dozing on the spot, and for once he didn't have a bag of chips with him. Ino was attempting to stay awake but kept drifting off onto Shikamaru's shoulder. Shikamaru, to the great surprise of many, was the one who was fully alert.

Kakashi entered with Sakura. She looked worried and upset. Next to her was TenTen and Lee. Gai was with them, his hands covering his eyes. TenTen was holding hands with Sakura. She was pale and shaking. They seemed like sisters...Lee was unusually quiet, fingering his bandages.

"HIANTA!"

Naruto barged in through the doors with Sasuke right behind him. Both were pale but had hate in their eyes. They skidded to an impressive halt in front of Tsunade.

"Where is she!" Naruto demanded, nearly knocking over Hiashi.

"Where is my brother!" Sasuke hissed, standing next to Naruto.

"Ahem." Tsunade signaled to their sensei.

Kakashi pulled both boys back and restrained them. Gai, Asuma and Kurenai stepped foreword next to Hiashi.

"Is it true? Did Hinata really-" Gai began.

"Yes. It's true." Tsunade muttered, looking at the letter again.

"But-but...the letter could have been forged! Itachi could have copied her handwriting and forged it! Hinata could have been kidnap-" Kurenai began helplessly.

"No. This letter is real." Tsunade murmured. "Only Hinata could write like this. I can tell she is determined to gain power."

Sasuke clenched his fists.

"Power... Is that what she wants! Where's Itachi! He tricked her!" he shouted.

"He's long gone, kid." Asuma said, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

There was a silence. Hiashi motioned to one of the maids who stepped foreword wearily.

"Take Hanabi home." he ordered.

The maid took Hanabi's shaky hand and the two went out together. The information was beginning to sink in finally.

Hinata had gone rogue and went off with the Akatsuki. She wanted power and skill. She would return one day...but that could be any time...

"But why-why would she do such a thing?" TenTen asked, squeezing Sakura's hand.

Ino sleepily moved next to them and laid her head on the wall, her eyes half lidded and looking at the ceiling. The girls were especially disturbed. They had all bee like sisters...tight friends. Guilt rose in them...Maybe they should have looked harder, listened to the quiet Hyuuga more often.

A few glanced at Hiashi as the question was posed. Kiba could take it no more. His eyes burned bright and he shouted,

"It was you! You drove her to do this! You and your idea of worthlessness! You've just about killed her now! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL Y-"

Just as Kiba lunged at Hiashi, Kakashi went behind the Inuzuka and hit him sharply on the back of the head. Kiba fell down unconscious. Kakashi handed him to Shino who supported him wearily.

"I think the kids should leave." Asuma began, taking another drag.

"NO!"

The band of teenagers turned to their sensei with pleading looks in their eyes. Shikamaru was the first to speak.

"Are you sure she's untraceable?"

"Unfortunately..."

"Can't we at least try to look for her?" Sakura began but was cut off by Gai.

"No. The youth should not have to look for her. Hinata is a rogue and is now labeled a missing nin." he said, firmly.

"No!"

Several of them turned furiously at this answer, including Hiashi.

"There is nothing we can-" Lee began but stopped when he saw Gai shaking his head. Kakashi sighed.

"Well, you should all head back to your homes now. It's late. We can't really worry about Hinata now. She's 14 and I think she can take care of herself." he said.

The others groaned and filed out one by one. Neji and Hiashi were the last to leave.

"I've got to try to find her!" Neji muttered.

"No." Hiashi commanded, sharply. "No." he said again, wearily, shaking his head.

Neji hung his head and slowly walked out.

There he met up with Shikamaru, TenTen, Lee, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Shino who was still supporting Kiba. They all seemed to be waiting for him. They were leaning on the railings, not talking or discussing that nights disturbing and shaking events.

"Neji." TenTen said quietly.

He looked up. Naruto and Sasuke were very quiet. Sasuke's eyes burned with hatred and Naruto's, with worry. Shino was fidgeting and delving his hands into his jacket pockets while keeping Kiba up. Shikamaru was looking at the ground and seemed to find the concrete most interesting. The girls seemed close to tears. Lee, however, was looking at the sky.

"It's very clear out." Lee murmured.

The group looked up.

"Look at that moon." Shikamaru whistled.

No matter how hard they tried to put the events and the letter into the back of their minds, one prayer was running through all of their heads.

Be safe, Hinata.

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Sweets: So she took off...she's gone...REVIEW PLEASE!