Chapter 2: Follow me.

A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed. I hope you like this chapter.

2

Orochimaru's hideout~

Sasuke watched her with an expression akin to shock. He quickly stepped back as he didn't expect her to wake up so suddenly. He had been warned to not come too close to her as one touch from her would result in his certain death. Even though he had once held her in his arms in the past and had provided her comfort. She is not the same Hinata. She isn't human anymore. This is getting worse, he should have been careful. Letting his guards down near her was stupid of him and now he was almost out of chakra. The kunai fell from his grip, the metal clanking on the ground.

"How do you remember my name?" Sasuke asked her breathlessly.

This was not supposed to happen. She was not supposed to recognise him. She was not supposed to have any memories of hers intact. He was sure she would lose them just like every other Orochimaru's experiment did. After all, being trapped for so long and left alone to rot in this solitary confinement was enough to turn her into those mindless zombies and he thought killing her would be an easy task. It was always difficult to kill those with active memories because somehow the presence of memories proves they are still humans. People without memories are just ghosts in the shells. Sasuke didn't regret destroying shells because in his opinion they aren't living beings. At least that is what he makes himself believe.

Hinata tilted her head; her wild hair fell to the sides hiding her nakedness from him. She didn't have those short bangs any longer as her roots grew so long that it reached the back of her knees. She looked at him with unadulterated inquisitiveness. "Yes" She whispered.

Her voice was hoarse, probably because she hasn't spoken for a long time. She sat on the table peering at him with her large lavender eyes that were accentuated by her long fanned out lashes. Oh he was so mistaken when he assumed that her eyes would be like any other Hyuga but they were different. No Hyuga had eyes like hers. The experiments have changed her dull colourless eyes into an iridescent pearly eyes colour. He also remembered her hair to be black in the past but now under the moonlight a soft blue halo covered her head. He could very well be wrong about her hair colour because his own memories were fading with passing days. That is what people have to pay with when they become Orochimaru's subject. Losing your memories was the side effect of the snake's experiments.

"You have c-come to save me" She was barely audible and Sasuke caught it with difficulty.

Oh no! How could she even think he was here to rescue her when he was seconds away from jabbing a kunai in her throat?

Nothing made sense. He struggled to keep his focus on her. He could see her mouth moving but nothing came out of her lips.

Her voice distorted and her face blurred. Sasuke could see blackness covering the sides of his vision and he knew that he might soon pass out. He tried to remain conscious. Breaking that barrier took more of his chakra than he bargained for and he now struggles to even stand on his shaky legs. Sasuke dropped down on his knees and collapsed on the ground, succumbing to his injuries. His lungs felt heavy and his brain was shutting down. It seems like the luck was not on his side today because this was not the time to lose consciousness. As his eyelids dropped close, the last thing he saw was the face of the girl as she slid off the table where she was perched on like a bird and then she flew towards him just like the dove he imagined her to be.

Otogakure's boder~

If you ask Naruto what he could do for Sasuke, he would answer, "Anything". Naruto would die for Sasuke or in worst case scenario he would even kill for his best friend. Sometimes, Kakashi says that Naruto is blind to his own faults and he agrees. It was partly his fault that they are in such a big mess as of now, If only he had not been manipulated by those village elders.

Currently Naruto was leaning on a wall as he retrospects all his life decision of the past. Konoha is in danger and the world too. The whole world was in chaos and he wasn't strong enough to stop any of the pain that has enveloped the world.

Damn.

He couldn't even protect his own friend so saving the world would be a faraway cry. How could he stop a war that he himself started?

The nations were fighting for power, the people were fighting for life and everyone is just thirsty for blood and mass murder in the name of justice. Naruto couldn't fathom the reason for the world to be so bitter. Peace is not achieved through war. Why do people not understand this?

He had the hopes of so many people on his shoulder who believe in him and in the past one of them was Hinata and what did he do?

His foolishness was the reason that she was captured and currently missing and not to mention that every nation around the world has issued a bounty on her head along with Sasuke. It has been three years since she was handed over to Orochimaru by their village and the hunt hasn't yet stopped. It was only after Orochimaru's death that the nations all over the world have become restless to get their dirty hands on both Sharingan and Byakugan.

"Stop worrying yourself to death" Naruto got startled when Sakura barked as she turned around in her chair. She was tired of Naruto looking so solemn all the time. She knew he was worried about many things but she preferred Naruto to be the optimistic fool that he always was. He was beating himself to death for things that wasn't entirely his fault.

After the receding shock, Naruto calmed down and faked one of his smiles that he had practiced for days on end and that pissed off Sakura majorly because that was not what she wanted. If anything Naruto wasn't one to sham his emotions but nowadays that is what he does- giving her fake smiles.

Sakura was about to beat some sense into the Konoha's number one knucklehead but was stopped when Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder stalling the hot headed kunoichi in her track.

"Naruto what is it that you are thinking?" Kakashi asked because he knew Naruto bears the most burdens among them. Even though it is very easy for them to say don't worry, it is not something that you can willingly control, especially in such a situation like theirs.

Naruto sloppy grin dropped and he sighed. It is useless to pretend any longer. He couldn't keep up pretence in front of those who grew up with him.

"I am just tensed about Sasuke's whereabouts because he left so abruptly after the news concerning Hinata-chan" He knew there is something that Sasuke wasn't telling them and it has something to do with Hinata.

"I think there is something that he is hiding from us"

Sakura and Kakashi stood on edge. They have been thinking the same. They were stationed outside the borders of Otogakure in a makeshift wooden cabin for a mission. What mission you ask? Well it involves detaining all of Orochimaru's experiments that Sasuke stupidly set free into the world and now these freaks are out there killing innocent people, raping woman, kidnapping children and pillaging villages. They have descended havoc over the entire world. All these are happening in between wars and they have been trying to track down Sasuke under the guise of this mission. When they had received the news that Orochimaru was killed by Sasuke, they quickly sent a messenger toad to the avenger informing him to not set foot in Konoha ever again and they will come to him when the time is right.

After months of scouting, they succeeded in their pursuit of the Uchiha. When they had finally found him, he was already near the verge of death and they had to nurse him back to health. They still have no idea what or who caused the Uchiha to be on his death bed or basically propelled him to take his last breath as Sasuke refused to reveal anything to them. They have now stopped asking him.

They don't know how long it is until Konoha finds out of their betrayal against them and the rest of the world. They would be trialled too because protecting one of the world most infamous criminals was a good enough treason.

"You guys need to stop being so emotional"

Eyes turned towards the one who sounded so monotonous and carefree despite the worrisome affair. Sai looked bored as he picked dirt under his nails. Naruto's patience broke; it always did whenever Sai opened his jerk of a mouth. Of course he would have to say something like this in such a devastating time. He was the least close to Sasuke and so he didn't understand the bond that the members of original team seven shared. He was not a part of it.

"Shut up! I think you should be the last person to lecture us on being emotional. Do you even have emotions to begin with?" Naruto growled. According to Naruto, Sai is the ice king who didn't have any idea of social cues but he always felt the need to speak his mind when nobody asked for his advice.

"Well I mean being emotional would not help" Sai repeated the same sentence and he was not wrong. It was just that he said things in a way that sounded out right insulting and offending. The artist didn't understand why on earth Naruto Uzumaki was so obsessed with Sasuke Uchiha when the the avenger has hurt him so much in the past. Naruto was so fixated on Sasuke that he could not see that people around him are suffering because of the actions of his 'so-called' best friend.

Naruto was quick to snatch the collar of Sai's crop top.

"I will rasengan your face, if you don't close that shithole of yours" Sai didn't even blink at Naruto's threat because he knew Naruto would not hurt him because the Konoha hero considered him friend. Sai smirked at the blond, mocking his anger. "I dare you. Go on"

"Hey! hey, you two drop the act" Kakashi chided the childish behaviour of these two young boys. Their hot blood was boiling releasing steam and maybe they needed a good spar.

"Why don't you guys just go and cool off in the jungle with your fist?" Kakashi suggested whole heartedly. "You know talking with fists help"

Sakura didn't seem to agree with Kakashi as she stepped between Naruto and Sai, forcibly separating the two with her strength alone. The boys would not mess with her because she would pulp their face into mush and then heal them back to do it again.

"You guys make me sick. You want to fight and attract attention to our hideout. Just stop with your nonsense" Sakura was the only sane one to give some valuable advice. Kakashi scratched his face in embarrassment because Sakura was correct. They couldn't afford to reveal the location of their sanctuary.

Naruto closed his eyes and counted his breathing. Jiraya had taught him this method to control his anger. It worked like magic but now he felt devastated because his head got flooded by the memories of his late sensei. His throat closed off and his eyes stung. Naruto didn't want to lose any more people because of himself, just because people wanted to protect him and fought over the power he possessed.

Sakura doesn't understand because she hasn't lost someone to death while he has none left. Sakura doesn't know his pain and she can't even imagine the thoughts running wild in his brain. He felt her pressing her hands on his chest to comfort him but he swatted it away not caring if she was hurt. He turned to leave the cabin as the air around him was suffocating him to death.

"Naruto wait" Sakura stretched out her hands to grab him but she knew nothing would stop him this time. So she decided to murmur the last words to settle down his frantic nerves.

"Let us not repeat the same mistake again, Naruto"

Orochimaru's hideout~

Something wet as tickling the side of his face and some kind of weight rested on his chest. He could not breathe properly but could smell some sweet flowery scent. Slowly he opened his eyes and for the first time in Sasuke's life, his heat beat like crazy, thumping against his rib cage.

Hinata sat on him using her weight to keep his waist pinned to the ground. Her hair was spread all around her like a veil. The image was scary to look at; well at least it would be to any person passing by to witness it. The kunai that he had dropped off earlier was now in her hands as she twisted it around while watching the weapon curiously. She pointed it near his heart as she grazed his chest with the sharp end of the deadly kunai. The predator has become a prey.

Panicking, he tried to throw her off but to his surprise he could not move because his life force has already burnt off. He has no chakra left and his body has weakened. He has also injured himself in the way to reach her and now Sasuke cursed in his head for being a reckless moron.

He should have brought along his team but truth be told Sasuke has already done so many mistakes that he didn't want to drag along his friends any longer, especially Naruto. His hands were painted with the blood of millions and he had to right his wrongs or his close people will have to suffer the karma he called upon those around him. He had to repent for his crimes.

In his pathetic attempt of empathy, he had unknowingly released the evils into the world. Sasuke felt that he was doing good by letting Orochimaru' s slave have the taste of freedom so that they could have a second chance in life. In his opinion, they deserved it because these people were smuggled to Orochimaru for the sole purpose of power. When he had killed his master, he had promised to save those who had suffered under the snake's cruel, inhumane tests and experiments. They had begged Sasuke to let them be free and maybe it was their blood-curling screams of pain or maybe it was his own attempt in proving himself that he was still a human, he let these lab rats go and that he would regret for the rest of his life.

Hinata noticed that Sasuke woke up so she quickly traced back the kunai and but still kept it in her hands, maybe for self-defence. Sasuke had almost believed that he was going to die by the hands of the Hyuga but luckily, she wasn't behaving like any other insane experiments of Orochimaru. Sasuke knew from experience that those freaks would have jumped the guns and would have already slit his neck when he was out. This girl, though, didn't seem like she wanted to harm him or she would have already done so.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Okay. This girl was clearly something he had not expected. Maybe she still remembers everything and was no way a danger to the future but before he comes to that conclusion, he has to decide it with evidence. So he planned something in his head that for sure would give him his answers. For this she would have to follow him willingly and do what he needed her to do. He didn't have enough chakra to force her anyway and who knows what kind of power she yields as of now. It is better that he plays along the part of being her saviour and wins her confidence in him.

"Can you get off me?" He wanted it to sound neutral or polite even but what came out of his tongue was harsh. Some things just cannot be changed.

Hinata was alarmed as her eyes grew bigger. She almost seemed apologetic that she angered him somehow.

Weird.

She was not something that he had met as of recent because people were either there to kill him except for few who he could count on his fingers while others just wanted to pluck out his magical eyes. She was a fresh breathe of air as she wanted neither his eyes nor his life. On the contrary he is the one who is after her life. She just doesn't realise that or she would have finished him off while she had the chance to do so.

Slowly, the girl climbed off his body and while doing so she took all the pressure away from his chest. He could now breathe properly and he felt light. Hinata took the place near his head as she squatted down and observed him as he struggled to sit with his bloodied hands. At last, she grabbed his shoulder and helped him sit. Sasuke just stared at her like she was an alien or something because he didn't understand her atypical behaviour. May be she is because of what Orochimaru had once told him.

Do you know Sasuke that she is the descendent of an alien life?

He still remembered the way Orochimaru held that gleam in his eyes as he slithered his long forked like tongue out to lick his dry scales.

He tried to stand, flushing out the image from his hand. The girl still supported his weight. He then rested his back on the rough walls of the cave. The room was just so dilapidated, obviously because of lack of care. This place was not easily accessible to human souls as it is labyrinth. Once you enter this death trap, you won't be able to leave. You will die in this maze trying to find your way out but you won't find the exit until you are familiar with its convolution. The dust was all over the place as things were overturned and he made more of the mess with the shattered pieces of glass.

Sasuke without thinking grabbed his cloak and offered it to the Hyuga girl, unable to handle more of her bare body. Hinata looked oddly at the strange cloth.

"Take it. Put it around yourself" He doesn't know what made her do that but the girl grinned at him as if it was such a normal things to do and she managed to look so pure while doing so.

Some past memories flashed before his eyes. It always happened whenever he was near this girl. He had to leave because coming here alone was his biggest mistake. The place triggered so many memories and trauma that being here was enough to induce anxiety in Sasuke but maybe it wasn't so bad because now he holds what is considered to be the world most powerful weapon at disposal.

"Let's go"

He didn't expect an approval that fast as Hinata nodded her head furiously. Who wouldn't be desperate to escape after being imprisoned for years?

And the only one who she would follow is Sasuke as he is her saviour after all.

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