Who Would Believe

Disclaimer: No, really, I still don't own anything.

AN: Wow, I am so, so, so, so SORRY! I just don't know where my head's been. I just…totally forgot I had this story here and it's been so long, I know. I'm so stupid sometimes. You all have permission to charge after me with pitchforks and fire and an angry Sasuke. I just got caught up with life, you know how it is. Anyways, here's the chapter.

When Sasuke woke up, he was very confused. The last that he remembered he was walking through the falling rain, the darkened evening, cold to his bones. Now, he was lying down, warm and dry, in what looked like a hospital. Konoha's hospital, from the looks of it.

Confused and panicked, Sasuke got out of bed, ignoring the twinge of protest from his sore muscles and bruises. Where was Hinata? That was all that mattered at the moment. He had to find her. He wasn't going to lose her again.

—

Neji sat in the cell, trying to think of something other than where he was. But, he couldn't escape the truth that he had failed Hinata. By now, she was most likely dead, according to Hiashi's plan. There was nothing he could do. There was no way out of this, no way to prove anything.

He had failed Hinata, his cousin. No, she felt like more than just a cousin. Too many people would toss away their relations, choosing only to focus on the most immediate family. She was almost his little sister. He wanted to protect her completely, but he had failed. There was no point for him now. Nothing was worse than a superfluous shinobi.

He should worry about Hanabi, Neji thought to himself. But, he couldn't work up the energy to do that. Hanabi was smart and strong, though so much more innocent and naïve than her older sister. Still, Hanabi would survive. She wouldn't fall apart, wouldn't crumble into pieces. She knew which battles to fight and which to abandon. Hinata didn't know that. She picked battles she could never win and often got hurt because of it. Neji had pointed that out to her one day and her reply had been: "I don't fight because I'll win. I fight because it's the right thing to do."

Neji hadn't been able to understand what she meant, for he was only seven at the time. But Hinata, barely six at the time, had said that statement that he didn't understand until twelve years later, as he sat in jail, pondering what life would be now. Maybe if he had been able to understand sooner, when he was younger, maybe then he wouldn't have made all those mistakes. Maybe he would have gotten it right and then this situation wouldn't exist. However, this situation was real, his life was real, the state of affairs was real. He couldn't get over that.

What now? Would there even be a now? He had attempted to kill the head of the Hyuga House, a well respected family deeply engrain in Konoha's very being. Hiashi could easily get rid of Neji. Would that be his fate? For too long, he had judged his fate foretold, something permanent and unable to be changed.

The door opened and someone walked down the hall of cells. Neji judged it to be around midnight, maybe one in the morning. Who would be coming to visit the prisoners at this hour? And not accompanied by a guard?

When he looked up at the footstep passing by his cell, he saw Tenten standing there, arms crossed, looking angry, worried, sad, and tired.

She took a deep breath before talking in a voice barely above a whisper. "How would you feel if I had spent the evening with you and then kissed you goodbye, everything the same as normal, but later that night, you get a call that the ANBU have to come and arrest a very dangerous individual. When you arrive, you find out that the 'very dangerous individual' is me and you're expect to arrest me under crimes of attempted murder of my uncle."

"Tenten—"

"How could you do that? Neji, I know you're unhappy with the branch system but—"

"It's not that! Please, Tenten, let me explain."

She looked down at the floor. "I can't come into the cell with you. I already asked."

Tenten sat down outside the cell, staring at the floor still. Neji moved as close as he could to the door.

"He…he was making plans to hire assassins to kill Hinata."

Tenten showed no surprise. "Still, why kill him? Why not take the—"

"There is no evidence other than what I've heard. He's highly intelligent. He knows exactly how to do this without raising suspicion. I just…overheard him. But, it's too late now."

"What do you mean?"

"She's already dead."

Tenten shook her head slowly. "No, she's not."

"Don't lie to me—"

"Why would I lie about that?" Tenten reached through the bars and took his hand, smiling a small smile. "Hinata's still alive."

"She is?"

"Yes, she is. So, that's one problem down. The next is how to get you out of here."

"You won't be able to prove me innocent."

Tenten grinned. "I never said we were going to do it legally."

—

Sasuke had nearly made it to the door before his legs decided that they didn't feel like walking. He caught himself against the wall. He concentrated on breathing, willing himself not to fall. He wasn't going to fall. He had a mission.

The door opened, causing Sasuke to jump back, his muscle instantly putting him into a defensive position, though they ached at the movement. He watched the door carefully; unsure of what was going to happen next.

Sakura poked her head in and looked around, gasping when she saw Sasuke. "Sasuke! You're awake!"

She dashed over and hugged him before he could even consider dodging her. Naruto and Kakashi edged into the room. By the time Sakura had released him, Kakashi and Naruto had his arms in hand and had pulled him over to the bed, sitting him down. Sasuke attempted to stand up, only to be tugged back down.

"Sasuke, you need to—"

"I need to see Hinata. Where is she?"

The only one who didn't seem surprised at the statement was Kakashi. "If you see her, then will you rest?"

"I have been resting…what day is it?"

"Thursday morning," Naruto answered. "We got back here around midnight last night."

"The deal still stands. Take it or leave it."

Sasuke thought for a moment and then nodded. He stood up quickly. "Let's go. Now."

Kakashi gave Sakura a look that shut down her protests. He took Sasuke's arm and led him out of the room, Sakura and Naruto following behind.

—

Hiashi sat at his desk. The note on his desk stared mockingly up at him.

Hinata. Severely injured. Poison. Marks of surgery for eye removal. Will survive.

His plan, the assassins, had failed him. Still, he was not connected in any way. That was the only bright side. He would have to put together a whole new plan and it would be harder to put anything into action now.

—

Tsunade stood by Hinata's bed when Sasuke, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura entered. Hinata sat up in bed, looking up at Tsunade. Both sets of eyes darted to the door.

Kakashi tensed, holding up Sasuke now. Sasuke seemed to have almost collapsed from relief. Hinata was smiling at him. There seemed to be an unspoken conversation passing between the two of them that no one else in the room could comprehend.

Sasuke was helped into a chair next to Hinata. Sakura noticed the look he was giving Hinata. Adoring.

Tsunade broke the silence. "I know it's soon and both of you have only just started healing, but things have happened in Konoha that you have to be made aware of."

—

Kakashi was trying hard not to laugh as he escorted Hinata and Sasuke out of the hospital. Sakura and Naruto followed in stunned silence, unable to understand what had happened.

After Tsunade had told them about Neji's imprisonment, Hinata had jumped up and said that she had to go see him immediately. Sasuke, of course, wouldn't let Hinata out of his sight and said he would go with her. Tsunade had refused. The best shouting match then took place between Tsunade and Hinata, of all people, the shock value of which had most likely led to the victory.

As Hinata and Sasuke stood impatiently in the hall waiting, Tsunade had taken Kakashi aside and told him to watch both of them carefully, because she wasn't convinced they were as well as they said they were. Additionally, she wanted to get to the root of the assassins, in case there would be another attack.

Neither Hinata nor Sasuke noticed all the looks and whispering that was following them. Hinata was leaning mostly against him, holding his hand tightly. Both of them should be resting, but after the showdown, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura weren't going to argue the case.

Tenten darted across the street and stopped dead as she saw Hinata. She ran towards them.

"Hinata, please, you have to come with me right now, it's really—"

"We're going to see Neji—"

"Hinata, please come with me first. Do this for me?"

Kakashi looked to Hinata, as did everyone else. Finally, she nodded. "But, Tenten, they're going to…"

"I know." She smiled. "Let's go."

Tenten led them to her house. The only thing out of the ordinary was that she looked up and down the street before pulling keys out of her shirt and opening the door. Kakashi was watching carefully, unsure because something seemed off. Tenten looked nervous and jumpy.

She led them over to a closed door, but paused before opening the door. She kept her back to them. "Tsunade told you what's happened with Neji and your father, right?"

"Yes, Tenten-kun, what's going on?" Hinata asked. She was worried now about Tenten.

"Okay," Tenten whispered. She opened the door and walked into the room. "Come in."

Hinata, Sasuke, and Kakashi all tried to walk through the narrow doorway together. Somehow, they all made it in. Sakura followed before Naruto could.

Hinata gasped, tightening her grip on Sasuke's hand. "Neji-nii-san!"

She rushed over to hug him tightly. He still looked haggard, but was cleaned up. He helped Hinata sit down, clasped Sasuke's hand. He knew that Sasuke had saved Hinata's life and couldn't thank him in words yet.

Hinata and Sasuke sat on one of the couches with Kakashi next to Sasuke, watching him carefully. Sakura and Naruto sat in the two arm chairs and Neji on the loveseat across from Hinata. Tenten was hovering around nervously, looking exhausted and worried. Neji tenderly took her hand and pulled her to sit next to him.

"Neji-nii-san, please…explain."

"Tsunade-sama told us you were imprisoned," Sakura put in.

"That's because, for all intents and purposes, I am still imprisoned," Neji replied. "Doppelganger."

"But…how?"

Neji ran his thumb over Tenten's knuckles. "Tenten helped me break out. It was all her plan."

"Neji, they told me that you tried to kill Father. What's—"

"Hinata-sama, I heard Hiashi-sama contact three assassins."

"You don't mean…" Kakashi trailed off.

Neji nodded. "I have reason to believe that he is attempting to kill you, Hinata-sama. Forgive me for not doing better to protect you."

Hinata shook her head. "You did…more than you should have. Neji-nii-san, I don't want to believe you. Is there another way?"

Neji paused. He didn't know what to say, to reassure or to say the truth. Tenten saved him. "We're going to figure this out together."

Neji smiled at Tenten. Something had happened to the two of them that had melted the distance Neji usually preserved between them. Sasuke watched Hinata, noticing how her hand sought his out, the two of them seeming to match perfectly. He had to tell her…

AN: I'm going to get this story finished by the time I start school very soon. Okay, sorry about the delay. But, I found all my old note sheets for this story, so I should stay on track now.

Now, because I feel like I'm such a horrible author, I'm going to do shout outs:

izzybell117, Pinky Bulma, Sk8rmuzic, Kira Acumichi, Aquacharm, cloudwatcher-SL, sagesther, Sephiria Chronos, Kurumi-chan, onlyluna, AngieXRosyX, music-rox12, Kuroi-Sannaichi, Lilypipo, Miyu loves Sasuke, ImCutePoison, Akatsuki-Fan389, Crystal - Itachi's Gil, and nwyd, thank you all!