Not Alone:

Chapter Ten

An exhausted Neji slumped to the dirt floor of the large clearing, fresh sweat running down his pale face. He had traveled the entire night, not certain of where he was going or how he was going to find his cousin. His natural extinct told him to run and not stop until he had found Hinata.

Neji brushed away a strand of starless black hair out of his ivory white eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to slow down his racing heartbeat. He had not eaten for a whole twenty-four hours; anger and hope had been his only fuel so far. But that was a miniscule obstacle to overcome. The only thing that would keep Neji from saving Hinata was death.

The boy sighed deeply and closed his eyes. What was he going to do when he found Hinata? Were they going to pursue the killer of the Hyuuga clan together? Were they just going to go back to Konoha peacefully and try to forget about the whole ordeal? What were they going to do when they got back anyways? Their family was murdered, and the only was to revive the clan was…

Neji grimaced. "No way. Hinata-sama is my cousin, not my lover."

He thought for a moment before reaching into his pocket and fishing out a crumbled photo taken nearly thirteen years ago. He unfolded the picture and flattened it out as best he could. Four year-old Hinata smiled shyly back at him with her hands folded neatly in her lap and slightly chubby cheeks tinted pink. In her short, dark hair was the cheap plastic hairclip that Neji had given to her for her birthday.

'She loved that thing…'

Neji squinted. He really hadn't given his cousin the respect she deserved. He had hated her for something she couldn't control: the family she was born to. He despised her for the blood that ran through her veins, the name that she had inherited. Now…she might've been dead. She might've died before she knew that Neji cared for her enough to try and save her.

'That won't happen. I won't let her die!'

With restored drive, Neji stuffed the photograph back into his pocket and stood up. He looked towards the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to rise, and ran off through the tall, swaying grass.

Hinata remained silent as she stripped off her sweaty, travel-worn clothes and slipped on the kimono, feeling slightly refreshed; the silky texture of the kimono felt much more pleasant on her skin than her dirt encrusted training clothing. She folded the left side of the kimono over the right and secured the obi in place right underneath her breasts. She turned her head and looked at her sides and back.

'I hate to admit it, but this really is pretty.'

Hinata straightened out the kimono and ran her fingers through her tangled hair, frowning. It had been quite some time since she had properly brushed and washed her hair, and she couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed that Itachi had seen her with her hair looking like a dead rat.

As Hinata hurriedly try to straighten her unkempt hair, a sense of self-loathe came over her and she immediately snapped her hands to her sides. Why did she care so much about what that bastard thought? If she looked ugly, wouldn't Itachi be less tempted to do anything to her? But then again…

Hinata exhaled. Though it seemed a tad bit immature, the attention that Itachi was giving her was rather flattering. No one had ever gone as far and done so many awful things just to get a hold of her. For most of her life, Hinata was pushed to the side, ignored. Now that she was getting this spotlight treatment, she felt like she was needed. It felt good…really good.

Hinata stole another glance at the beautiful blue kimono and suppressed a scream as she spotted something she didn't notice before. The entire bottom half of the kimono was stained with a large, reddish-brown spot that she couldn't help but think was blood. So maybe she wasn't getting great treatment after all; clothes covered in blood really didn't make a girl feel at ease.

Hinata closed her eyes, her stomach churning with nervousness. They were going to kill her. They were going to take her innocence, get a child out of her and stab her through the heart like they did her family. She was just a tool, no, a toy and nothing more.

Before Hinata could whip off the stained kimono, the door to her room slid open and Itachi entered. Her body tensed up as his eyes traveled from her face all the way down her entire body. He was sick…just plain, fucking sick.

Hinata gathered up her courage and cleared her throat, but her voice came out shaky and pathetic-sounding. "W-well, good morning to you, too."

Itachi slowly looked back at her face. "So I see that the nurse brought you the proper retire."

Hinata gestured toward the kimono, her voice now strong and clear. "Do you really think that I wanna wear this?"

Itachi smiled. "So you saw the stain?"

"How could I not notice a big, ugly thing like that?"

Itachi took another step towards Hinata and pointed at her chest, causing her feeble courage to melt away entirely. "That, Hinata-sama, is what happens to girls who don't listen to their man."

Hinata stared at him open-mouthed. He was talking to her like she belonged to him! Was she not even a human being who didn't deserve to be treated like a dog?

Itachi held out his hand to her. "Come, you are to be with me all day."

Hinata glared at the outstretched hand and reluctantly grabbed it with her own, making sure that her nails dug hard into his skin. Itachi chuckled and pulled the girl tightly to his side.

"Hinata-sama, stop denying your feelings. You don't know it now, but you are falling for me hard."

Hinata gripped his hand even tighter. 'When hell freezes over, you cocky bastard.'