Love Never Dies
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I think I finally have a more firm idea about which direction this story will take as it pertains to the war. Though I'm always open to suggestions and requests. Oh and don't worry. The big reunion is coming up next chapter. Happy reading.
Chapter Notations: Neji is Hinata's cousin, but she did call him 'brother' during the Chunin Exams. So that's why she refers to him as her brother in this chapter. There is also a section that squeamish readers may wish to skip. Doing so will not alter the plot. For those who choose to read it though, I do hope that you enjoy it.
Chapter 20
Seconds had turned into minutes. Minutes gave way to hours. Hours bleed into days and finally, days transformed into weeks. That's how long they had been searching for Sasuke.
"We'll make camp here for the night." Neji glances at Hinata. "I've already done a perimeter scan, but you might want to check again."
No one would listen to her. Well other than Tsunade, but even the Hokage had her limits to what she could excuse. Not searching for Sasuke was apparently one of them.
So Hinata nods her head and forces herself to smile at him. "Yes, Brother." She was doing a lot of that these days.
She was already seventeen and at the rate things were going, she'd be eighteen before Sasuke came back to the Leaf. He would come back though. She just had to be patient.
"Thanks, Hinata." Naruto grins at her as she takes off.
The team's spirits were rather mixed. Naruto and Lee were unwavering optimistic and Neji was pessimistic. Most people were leaning towards her 'brother's' view of thing though.
She smiles at the blond. "Of course." There were other murmurs of acknowledgement, but Hinata just continues on her way.
The bluenette didn't agree with this mission and she didn't have high hopes that they would find Sasuke, but she was a professional. "A mission is a mission." She sighs to herself while continuing her patrol.
They were in a forest somewhere and edging closer to what was thought to be the Akatsuki Hideout. A fact which was making the team nervous and Hinata couldn't lie, even she was growing more skittish.
"Byakugan!" Hinata's eyes take on the telltale signs of Byakugan activation as she checks the perimeter. "Hmm. No one is there." The veins surrounding her eyes had been enlarged to ridiculous proportions as was customary.
She had to make a show of it. While she hadn't sensed the chakra, her Byakugan had caught someone hovering on the edge of her vision. That had to be by design.
"I better hurry back to the others." Hinata turns around and half jogs towards the campsite again.
Had this been even a year ago, her Byakugan range wouldn't have noticed the shadowy figure on the fringes of her sight. They were clever, but not clever enough. Tsunade and her father had taught her well. She just had to make a grand show of this.
As predicted, Hinata had only made it about half a dozen steps forward before someone tried to swoop down and tackle her. The bluenette hadn't been expecting an aerial attack, but she was mostly ready.
"Gentle Fist!" Hinata slams her fist into the woman.
Definitely a woman. Hinata's fist struck into some cleavage. "Damn it!" She hisses as she jumps off and soothes her wings.
Yes, wings. The woman had wings that seemed to be made out of paper? That and she was wearing an Akatsuki cloak. Which meant there was only one person she could be.
"Konan." Hinata's eyes narrow.
They must have gone far too close to Akatsuki territory. The 'angel' probably wanted her eyes. Well, she wouldn't get them.
The criminal smiles at her. "I see introductions aren't necessary." Her stupid cloak must have shielded her somewhat from the hit, but Hinata could see she was moving stiffly.
While Hinata hadn't landed a direct hit, something had been hit. Hopefully, a chakra network.
"No, they aren't." Hinata reaches for her kunai. "Tell me where Itachi is and I won't have them kill you." Her hand was trembling slightly, but this was her best chance to find Itachi for Sasuke and she wouldn't ruin it.
Konan shakes her head and smiles at her. "I can see your hand shaking." Her eyes scan Hinata up and down. "You're not a natural killer. Your skill level seems adequate, but you wouldn't win this fight." How dare she?! "You'd hesitate to kill me and that would be the only opening I need."
Oh yes. This woman had spent far too much time around Itachi. The mind games were utterly infuriating.
"Or maybe, I'll just strike your heart and you'll go into cardiac arrest while you continue to babble." Hinata hisses at her.
Konan laughs and shakes her head. "A fair point, but I'm not here to fight you." She strides closer, still shaky on her feet and clutching her chest. "You and I have something in common."
They both had the unfortunate luck to have met Itachi Uchiha? Yes, Hinata supposed they did.
"Gentle Fist!" She charges at her. "For your sake, I hope that means you surrender."
The Angel manages to dodge and somehow flies up and lands on a tree branch. "We're both in love with someone who is a victim of circumstance." Hinata was tempted to jump up after her, but her words made her pause for some reason.
If she was trying to trick her, there were other ways to go about it. Tsunade had mentioned a look once and now, Hinata understood what she meant.
"What does that have to do with me and what do you want?" She could always kill the woman later, if she had to.
Konan smiles at her as if all was right in the world. "We both love an Uchiha." She pauses for a second. "Different ones, but still that does make us kindred in a way. The only difference is I know the full story behind the Massacre and you do not."
This had to be some kind of trick, but her eyes said otherwise. Hinata had already landed a somewhat disabling hit though. Logic told her not to believe a word out of this woman's mouth, but her heart said otherwise.
"What do you think you know that I don't?" She glares at the angel.
Konan nods at her sympathetically. "You're right in a way, Itachi Uchiha did murder most of the Uchiha Clan." Of course, he did! Everyone knew that! "But did you ever ask yourself why that was?"
What did she mean why? Itachi had told Sasuke that. How many nights as a child, had she heard Sasuke wake up screaming in the next room from his nightmares?
"He wanted to test his strength." Hinata spits in disgust, feeling bile rising in her throat. "Because he's a monster."
Konan shakes her head at her. "That's what he wanted you, Sasuke, and everyone else to believe." Why did she look as though she might cry? "In truth, he did it to prevent a war."
Weeks had passed since Itachi had his operation and he knew that he needed to get moving. First things first though, he needed a full report from Kabuto.
"I probably bought you at least a few months." The silver haired ninja nods at him. "Perhaps as much as a year, provided you continue taking the medication you were given." Good. That was more than enough time.
Kisame's eyes were following the medic suspiciously. Not that Itachi could blame him. Orochimaru's favorite follower didn't exactly inspire trust.
"That's suitable." Itachi nods at him.
In that time, he'd find Sasuke and his foolish little brother would finally know some peace. The sooner he left this life, the better things would be for everyone.
Kabuto smirks as though he was feeling terribly pleased with himself. "Yes, so I presume this means the two of you are going." That wouldn't last long.
He wasn't the only one smirking though. Out of the corner of his eye, Itachi saw that Kisame was as well and for good reason.
"Not quite." Itachi walks towards Kabuto and grabs him by the throat. "There's still one thing that I have left to do."
He had been brainwashed. Itachi knew Kabuto's story better than most, but that didn't excuse what he had done to Sasuke. What he had done to countless others in his bid to please Orochimaru.
"What are you doing?!" Kabuto tries to free himself from Itachi's grip.
It was to no avail though. The medic's procedures had worked wonders. Itachi was far from at his peak strength, but he was strong enough to end the likes of him.
Itachi slams Kabuto against the wall hard enough to make his head spin. "You know far too much about the Sharingan and be allowed to live." The medic struggles to rise to his feet, but Sasuke had already injured his leg. "That's in addition to your other crimes."
Kisame was enjoying this too much. Itachi could hear his words of 'encouragement.' The man could be such a beast sometimes.
"You wouldn't dare!" He tries once again to get up. "Without me, who will be there to tend to Sasuke? No one is better qualified than I."
That might very well be true, but that was only assuming Itachi trusted him. "You're not worthy to breathe the same air as my foolish little brother." He didn't. "I'll see you in Hell soon enough."
Warning Kabuto's Death Scene
That was all the warning Itachi gave him before he slams his fist into the other man's chest. While he preferred Genjutsu, the Uchiha was more than strong enough to literally rip Kabuto's heart out.
"S-STOP IT!" The Sound Ninja was begging and pleading.
Itachi didn't have it in him to be merciful. If Sasuke was ever going to restore their Clan, he couldn't allow someone like Kabuto to live. He simply knew too much.
"I'm afraid, that I can't do that." Itachi shakes his head.
He could feel blood gushing around his hand. For a second, the Uchiha hesitates as he feels Kabuto's lifeblood come pouring onto his arm. Itachi didn't have the luxury of mercy though.
"YOU'RE A M-MONSTER!" Itachi couldn't help, but feel pity for the other man at those words. "LET GO OF M-ME!" Not that such a feeling would stop him from doing what ad to be done.
"I will soon enough." Itachi grimaces as crimson red liquid stains the floor around them. "Though considering what is waiting for you in the next life, I expect you'll wish that I hadn't."
There was so much blood. Would that floor ever be clean again? Would Itachi's hands ever be?
Perhaps such things didn't really matter in the end. Kabuto's screams grew more and more frantic, but he was now coughing up blood. There would be no escape for him.
"Go to H-Hell!" Kabuto sits at him.
Kabuto screams and tries to move, but Itachi's hold was firm. Too firm for the medic to escape. It would be over soon enough.
"Oh I will." Itachi smiles grimly. "Just not quite yet."
"Damn." Kisame shakes his head at him. "What was that about me being too sadistic?" Though it was obvious that his partner was positively delighting in the gore.
"You being sadistic and my being sadistic are not mutually exclusive concepts." Itachi rolls his eyes at the other Akatsuki member.
Inch by inch, Itachi continues pulling until finally he had it. Kabuto's heart was finally in his hand and the medic's body had gone slack. He would never be able to spill the secrets of the Uchiha Clan.
End of Kabuto's Death Scene
"It was a fairly quick death." Itachi shakes his head. "More likely than not, it was a kinder one than the two of us will have one day." Neither of them deserved to die of old age in their sleep and they both knew it.
"I guess you're right." Kisame nods. "So what are you going to do with the heart?" That was a good question.
That and the body. "He was a puppet, but it wasn't entirely his fault." To some extent, everyone was. "We should at least have the decency to bury him before we leave."
After all, Itachi didn't actually know where Sasuke was. That and he had a lot of information to destroy or take with him. He had ripped Kabuto's heart out, but his research was still in the Sound Village.
"Pft." Kisame rolls his eyes at him. "I should have known that you'd turn into a softie on me."
He had his moments. Not that it mattered. Nothing truly mattered anymore other than finding Sasuke and ending all this. So why did an image of Konan flash in the back of his mind?
"Stop wasting time." Itachi scoops up Kabuto's body. "Let's just get this over with." With that being said, he walks off with his partner and tries to ignore the image as best he could.
Nothing else mattered. Whatever else might have happened, didn't. Which was really for the best. He was living on borrowed time anyway.
Sasuke was really starting to rethink this whole having a team thing, especially about Suigetsu. The idiot was well, an idiot. It was like Naruto and Kakashi had combined to form the ultimate annoying person.
"Seriously, every single time." Suigetsu rolls his eyes as he sips his water and some waitresses giggle in the background. "Why do all the chicks go for you?"
Sasuke shrugs. He didn't know. He didn't care. He didn't want a 'chick.' He wanted Hinata.
"Doesn't matter because I'm not interested." He never would be.
Speaking of not interested, Karin and Jugo should be coming back from finding them lodgings for the evening soon. Which was good. It meant Suigestu might shut up in the near future.
The violet eyed ninja raises an eyebrow at that. "Yes, why is that anyway?" That was really none of Suigetsu's business, but whatever.
"My Clan is a monogamous one." Very monogamous. "So I have no interest in those waitresses or any other woman that comes along."
His father might have been stern, but that was at least one area where Sasuke had never been able to find fault with him. Fugaku had been faithful and so had Mikoto. So had his grandparents and their parents. This could go on for awhile…
Sugietsu blinks and looks at him with wide eyes. "So wait monogamous means a one woman man, right?" Essentially. "So that means you've already got someone."
"Yes, Idiot." Again, it really wasn't any of Suigetsu's business.
Where were Jugo and Karin? They should be here any minute now and then Sasuke would haven't to endure this stupidity.
Speaking of Hinata though, it had been far too long since Sasuke had last seen her. He really needed to kill Itachi and then get back to the Leaf. Then everything could be normal.
Most women would hate him by now or be a sobbing mess. Not Hinata though. Sasuke knew that she wouldn't.
"You're back!" Hinata races towards him.
They were alone in the Hyuga Clan's training grounds. Something that shouldn't be possible given how big Hinata's Clan was, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was Itachi was dead and they were together again.
Sasuke pulls her into his arms and spins her around happily. "I told you that I would be back." He kisses her forehead and then over her jaw. "I'd never lie to you. Do you still have those ribbons?"
"Yes." Hinata's voice sounds breathless as she leans into his hold. "Always."
Soft and warm. Nothing like the Sound or the bloody battle that Sasuke had won. Holding her was like seeing the first flower bloom after a bitter winter.
He smiles at that thought and kisses her. "We should tell the others that I'm back and start planning." They were old enough now.
Young, but of age by ninja standards. He'd loved her since they were children. That wasn't going to change now that they were adults.
"Later." Hinata giggles at him. "I thought you wanted to see my ribbons." Well yes, but that was more symbolic. "I'll wear them again. Just for you though."
That was sweet, but Sasuke didn't really understand why the ribbons were restricted. Well, whatever made her happy.
"Good." Sasuke smiles as he caresses her cheek.
Hinata seems to notice his confusion. "I'll wear the ribbons for you and nothing else." Ohhh. "Don't worry about getting caught. Tsunade taught me how to do the Soundproofing Jutsu and my Clan wouldn't use their Byakugan's on someone's bedrooms."
Sasuke suddenly liked where this was going. A lot. The thought of Hinata laying in a bed, wearing nothing but ribbons was a tremendously appealing one.
"Good idea." The last Uchiha smiles at her as they lace their fingers together and Flicker to her room. "Actually, that's the best idea that I've ever heard."
"I guess that explains why you space out so much." Suigetsu smirks. "She must really be something to get his Royal Iceness that hot under the collar."
Sasuke rolls his eyes and smacks his teammate. "Just shut up." The criminal ninja had horrible manners.
He should be allowed to daydream in peace, but oh no. Suigetsu just wouldn't allow that.
"Yeah. Really, really, something." Suigetsu just wouldn't stop smirking. "So what's this girl's name and what she look like? What level are you at?"
Sasuke probably shouldn't have asked, but he would anyway. Mostly, because Suigetsu wouldn't shut up otherwise.
"What do you mean by level?" The Uchiha knew he'd regret this as soon as the words left his mouth.
Suigetsu snickers as if that should be obvious. "Well you know, Academy Students just kinda giggle at each other. Genin is like tame kissing." Right. That made sense. "Chunin is kissing and getting a little frisky with the hands and so on."
Sasuke rolls his eyes at that. He was going to get eyestrain at the rate things were going.
"It's none of your business." Sasuke smacks him upside the head. "Stop being such a pervert."
Chunin was the real answer though. Not that he was ever going to tell Suigetsu that. That sort of thing was between him and Hinata.
"I was just making Guy Talk." Suigetsu whines.
Well, he should stop making it. "I'm not interested in Guy Talk." Sasuke watches as Karin and Jugo make their way over to him. "What I'm interested in is killing Itachi." That and then he'd work his way into Jonin territory and eventually, they'd go for Hokage Level with a full Clan Restoration.
Not that Sasuke was going to tell Suigetsu that. Uchihas didn't 'Kiss and Tell.' At least not with criminal ninjas who had sword fetishes, anyway.