A/N: Hello once again to my amazing readers and reviewers! Here is the next chapter to the story. If you have any questions, make sure to pm me or ask it in a review. Of course, you can review anyway. It would make my day! Enjoy!(:

Hidden Away

Chapter Six

Gaara walked through the front door of his new house. "Hello, Hyuga," he greeted.

"Welcome back, Gaara," Neji Hyuga said to his roommate. "Back from your mission already?"

Gaara froze. His back was to the Hyuga, so he probably didn't notice the tension in his body, but Gaara still worried. Not worried, exactly. Gaara never worried. But he wondered . . . how much did the Hyuga know? "Yes, I am," Gaara answered. "It was . . . easier than expected."

Neji nodded and went back about his business. He was unpacking from a bag. "I just got back from a mission myself," he told Gaara. "I saw you, in fact."

Gaara cocked his head. "Yes, I remember."

"So did you deal with the spy?" Neji asked him.

Gaara was silent for a moment. "You see," he began. "It was not a spy. I had to make you that so that you would not interfere with my mission."

Neji stopped what he was doing and glared at Gaara. "You think that I would be a nuisance?"

"In this situation, yes."

That comment put Neji off of the deep end, so to speak. He walked towards Gaara, fists clenched, but did not attack. He knew it wouldn't work, yet that didn't repress the urge. "You're lucky to hand that sand of yours," he observed.

"If that made you mad, I'm guessing you don't know the details of my mission," Gaara said.

"I guess I don't," Neji said, sitting down on a chair by the dinner table. After a couple moments of silence, Neji said, "I guess now is as good as any of a time to tell you. Our other roommate isn't coming back. He's on a long-term mission."

"I see," said Gaara.

It was silent in the room for a long while. Neither boy ventured to talk. Eventually, Neji asked, "So what were the details of the mission?"

Gaara cleared his throat. "I would ask you not to kill me if I tell you, but I know that it is not possible. You could never kill me."

"That is beside the point," Neji said. "Just get on with it."

"Fine," Gaara said. "My mission was to receive Hinata Hyuga and bring her here, to our new village. If she would come of her own will, fine. If I had to kidnap her, fine as well. I just had to bring her here. And bring her here I did."

"What?" Neji asked, outraged. He hit his fists on the table in rage. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I was told to," Gaara stated blankly.

"But why Hinata of all people?" Neji questioned. "Why would you kidnap her?"

Gaara glared at Neji. "For one, you shouldn't care. When you came to this village, it was agreed that in return for extra power, you would sever all ties with your former village, family, and friends. You can not let emotions get in the way of orders. And two, never, ever, threaten me again. Because I might just might bite back."

Neji calmed himself down. "Okay. I give. But why do they want her specifically?"

"You couldn't figure it out?" Gaara said. "She's from the Hyuga clan, like you. The heiress, actually," he corrected. "Our leader guessed that if he held her hostage, her father would want her back. We could get things from the Leaf Village that way. Anything. Money. Scrolls. People. They would pay anything for the Little Hyuga Princess."

"But I'm a Hyuga, too," Neji said, confused.

"But you left the village. They don't want you anymore. You are a traitor."

"The Leaf doesn't know that . . ." Neji said.

"We don't know what they know," Gaara explained. "That is another thing we can gain from the Leaf. Knowledge."

"So how is this hostage thing working out?" Neji asked.

"They are taking her to a designated point for negotiations with Hiashi. If he doesn't comply, Hinata Hyuga will die tonight."

OoOoOoO

When Hinata came to, she felt wind against her face. She felt sweaty hands holding her a little too aggressively and roped restraining her a little too tightly. Even when Gaara had betrayed her, he was never this rough, never this cruel.

Even though she was blindfolded, there was nothing over her mouth. She could still speak if she wanted to. Scream, even. But she knew that she wouldn't. She would be strong. If they were going to kill her, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing she was afraid. Of begging. Of crying. Of screaming. All of which sounded like great ideas to her, but she would never do it. She would be a different person. If Hinata Hyuga must die, she would die strong. At least her father may be proud of that. On second thought, she doubted it.

Hinata realized that they must be running. But where to? Again, she would not ask. She would not talk to these monsters.

When Hinata thought the word "monsters", she immediately remembered a time a day ago. A time when her biggest problem was a red-haired demon boy. He was a monster, too. He betrayed her.

More time had passed since Hinata woke up, but she still didn't say a word or struggle. She wondered if anybody would care if she died. Maybe her father would find it convenient. If Hinata died, Hanabi could become the heir to the clan, just like her father always wanted. It would save him the trouble of banishing her or even killing her.

Then, Hinata thought of her teammates. Would they miss her? Hinata wasn't sure. Would they miss her personally? Possibly. But Hinata was sure that they would not miss the dead-weight on the squad. They would not miss the stuttering, nor would they miss the shyness. They could live on without her. They would live on without her.

What about Naruto? Sometimes, Hinata wondered if he even knew that she existed, let alone liked her. There would be no way that he would miss her if he never even knew her.

Nobody would miss Hinata. Her death would not be a great loss. It would even be convenient. This made the idea of dying easier to Hinata. She was leaving nobody behind. All of her hopes and dreams and happiness was in the future. In what she could be. If she died, there would be no could bes. There would be no Hinata, period.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the man (at least, she assumed it was a man) carrying Hinata stopped. She heard footsteps to the side of him land on tree branches and assumed that the man carrying her had reinforcements.

How many people does it take to kill one little Hyuga? She wondered. That was, until she heard a voice in the distance.

"Hinata? Is that you? What is going on? I demand to know!" It was Hiashi, her father, talking. His voice did not comfort Hinata. Why couldn't he just leave and let her be killed in peace?

"Ahh, Hiashi. Welcome." The man holding her spoke to Hiashi. His voice sounded familiar . . . it was the blue-haired man from the room! She realized with a start.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hiashi asked.

"Well, as you see, we have your little daughter."

Hiashi was fuming. "For what purpose?"

The man holding her's voice suddenly became very malicious. "For . . . negotiation." He drew out the last word.

"Negotiation for what? Hinata?" Hiashi asked.

"Of course! Who else? Now, for the right price, we may be able to return her with most of the hairs on her head still intact. No promises, though. Of course, a few scrolls and hidden jutsus may increase the chance of her safety. Along with gold, of course. Lots and lots of gold." The man holding her chuckled.

"You're insane, Akira!" Hiashi exclaimed. "You think I would trade for that?"

The man holding her, now labeled Akira, said, "You want to pay less for your daughter? I'm afraid that cannot be arranged. We want a lot, and a lot you will give us if you want her back."

"I think you misunderstood me," Hiashi said. "When I said that I would not trade for that, I meant that I would not trade for Hinata. The village's supplies and knowledge cannot be compromised for one girl. Especially one girl with absolutely no potential whatsoever."

Hinata gasped. She knew that her father hated her, but hearing it hurt worse.

"It seems like you have upset your daughter, Hiashi,"Akira said. "But I thought the Leaf Village was prosperous? It cannot spare one scroll, one jutsu, to ensure one heirs safe return?"

Hiashi paused. "You can keep her." It was obvious that he avoided the first question.

"Sadly, we cannot keep her. If you do not want to make the trade, we will not hesitate to kill her," Akira threatened. This did not scare Hinata. She already knew that she would die. She accepted it. At least she would die strong. Die brave.

"Go ahead," Hiashi said.

When Hinata felt something cold against her cheek, she sucked in a harsh breath. "You may not want to run away just yet, Hiashi." When the cold metal cut into her skin, Hinata had to bite down on her lip to stop from crying out. She would be strong. She would not cry. As a warm liquid fell down her cheek into the corner of her mouth, Hinata had to focus hard to keep her vow.

"Are you still sure about that decision, Hiashi?"

"I am sure, Akira."

Once again, Hinata felt cool metal on her face. This time, it went across her other cheek. "It is such a waste, Hiashi, to hurt such a pretty little face . . ." Piercing deeper into her skin than the last time, the knife cut into her cheek. But Hinata still stayed strong.

"Stop," Hiashi ordered.

Hinata felt hopeful. Maybe her father regretted his decisions. Maybe he wanted her back! Could she have proven her strength to him so easily? Was that all it took?

"Yes?" Akira asked, drawing out every syllable. "Are you ready to negotiate now?"

"Of course not," Hiashi responded. "Stop toying with her. Just end the game. If this is all a ruse, I will leave."

Hinata's heart sunk. She would fight. She would prove to her dad that she was strong, here and now. Some of her chakra had replenished itself while she was sleeping. If she could emit the correct amount from the chakra points in her arms and legs, she could free herself . . . .

Hinata's thoughts were interrupted as Akira spoke. "Okay. Hinata Hyuga will die, then. Remember, Hiashi, the blood is on your hands."

Hinata knew that this time, the knife would come towards her throat. No more games. Well, Hinata would not play along with the games anymore either. In the instant before the knife came down upon her throat, she released sharp points of chakra and broke the chakra ropes, pulled off her blindfold, and used a substitution jutsu.

She was a couple tree branches in front of her captor now, who looked down at the log with the knife in it with surprise. Nobody had expected her, the weakest link, to fight back. Their mistake. She was right in the middle of her father and Akira. Without a glance towards her father, she jumped up to a higher level of branches and started to run away.

Once again, Hinata Hyuga was on her own, but this time she felt confident. This time, she would be stronger.

She would survive, she thought as she journeyed deeper through the unfamiliar forest. Yes, she would.

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter! What did you think? Let me know in a review! You know, that little button under this text? Just click it. Seriously. Click it. Pretty please? Bye, readers, until next chapter!