- Pluck -

Part I

Chapter 14: The Notion of Half-Truths

"Sasuke Uchiha . . . is in love with me?"

Somehow, the salty air tasted sweeter when she whispered those words. How odd it was to hear something so revolutionary about someone she didn't know - well, did know, but didn't remember. What more, her heart hummed in her chest and her body went warm and light. All because this Sasuke Uchiha loved her. She didn't even know what he looked like, how he acted, what his character was. He could have been the cruelest man in the universes, but still, Hinata Hyuuga, at that very moment, was instantly hooked. The name rolled along her tongue, getting her mouth used to its presence, it's pressure, it's power. Did it always have that effect on her? Was it really possible for a mere name to take up her entire galaxy?

She was nudged out of her trance when Suigetsu readjusted her on his back, making sure she wasn't slipping from his grasp. "I know. Hard to believe, huh?"

Was it? There were a lot of things she was confused about: her past, how she got here, the Moon Man, her memory. But, strangely, Sasuke Uchiha was not one of those things.

Resting her chin on his left shoulder, Hinata glanced up at the sky. The sun had set fully, basking them in twilight's glow. It was beautiful. The sky was full of stars and galaxies, and off in front of them hung the moon, silver and constant. It was almost like they were walking to it.

"Why does he love me?" she asked.

Suigetsu snorted, the corner of his lips twitching. "How am I supposed to know?"

Right. She supposed it was a silly question, and she blushed at her inability to think before she spoke. "Sorry."

"Probably cuz you're so small." Purple eyes narrowed with thought. "Or maybe it's your eyes." Eyes? Hinata tried to look down at her reflection, but her position made it difficult to without causing some sort of imbalance on Suigetsu's back. What's so special about them? "Or . . . it could be your hands."

Now that confused her. She unhooked her left hand from Suigetsu's collar and lifted it to her face. It looked . . . normal. Five fingers - nothing strange about it. Her nails were short and dull, and her palm was thin. There wasn't anything significant about it, really.

"I don't understand."

Suigetsu chuckled. "You don't know it, but those hands of yours do wonders. I'm guessing you've already noticed it. The stickers." Without hesitation, her gaze snapped to the black mass on his gills. Ah, so that's what they are. "You're the only one who sees them, and when you pluck them off, people feel better. Calmer. Happier, usually. And Sasuke has his fair bit of problems, so I'm sure you've helped them with some of them. And without even knowing it, you swept him totally off his feet."

Again, her heart was racing, but for a totally different reason, this time. "P-Problems?" And, again, it was strange for her to react so strongly to someone she couldn't even remember, but the idea of this Sasuke Uchiha having problems made her chest ache. "What kind?"

At this, Suigetsu let the silence stretch for a while. The water sloshed under his feet, and the moon watched them journey through the night. In the corner of her eye, she saw the Moon Man trailing a bit behind, just close enough to catch her attention. He was quiet, and his eyes stared into the very thing they matched with a sort of heaviness in them.

"Many kinds," Suigetsu said, catching her attention once more. "Probably a bunch I don't even know about. He likes to act high and mighty - y'know, like he's above everyone and unconcerned with the general population - but he has this frustrating habit of letting things boil in him for too long. I've seen him snap. He goes a complete 360, and before you know it, he's back to normal and shutting you out again." He paused again, scowling to the side, before turning to meet her gaze over his shoulder. "Don't tell him I know any of this. He'll skin me alive."

She tried to smile. "You must be close to him."

"We've been partners for years. Going out there, risking your life with someone - I guess it's normal to get close to them." He shook his head and grinned. "But like I said, I don't know everything about the guy. Probably never will. I serve as a distraction for him - that's all. I don't fix problems. I don't sit down with him and talk things out. That's your job."

Her job.

And yet, here she was. Out in the middle of the ocean, back gouged and bleeding. That heaviness was returning, weighing her down, making her tired and worn. She rested her forehead on Suigetsu's shoulder blade, breathed in the saltiness from his clothes, and asked the one of millions of questions that had been nagging her since the name Sasuke Uchiha first appeared in her mind, ringing in her ears.

"Do I love him back?"

Suigetsu laughed, smirk very apparent in his tone. "What do you think, Hinata?"

Her stomach fluttered, and she bit her lips together to hide her growing smile.

...

In the distance, the sturdy form of a portal's marble gate approached. Hinata saw it first, as it took Suigetsu a few more yards to notice the figure standing near it. She felt every muscle in his back tense as his brisk strides took an immediate stop.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, taking slow, calculated steps back.

Hinata squinted, trying to make out some features of the figure. They were too far for her to really notice anything aside from the scabbard at their hip gleaming eerily in the moonlight. Hands curling into the fabric of Suigetsu's shirt, she leaned close to him, and whispered, "Is that Sasuke?"

"No," he said, eyes glued to the figure, "and thank Poseidon for that." Seeming to feel at a safe distance, he turned on his heels and dashed across the ocean's surface, nearly losing his balance when a wave picked up and caught his ankle. "Sasuke would have noticed us instantly."

Conflicting emotions battled in her chest. Though she was curious to meet Sasuke Uchiha and finally understand the kind of person he was, she also feared what that meeting would entail for Suigetsu. He didn't hide the danger he was. In fact, he made it quite clear he could quite literally be killed if he was caught by the wrong person or at the wrong time. Not wishing to rush him and bring more pressure onto him, Hinata kept her curious thoughts to herself. But . . . still, it made her wonder why, exactly, he was in so much trouble. Sure, he stole her. He didn't hide that fact, either. But to kill him for it - well . . . .

"Am I . . . important, somehow?"

Upon checking over his shoulder to make sure the figure at the gate hadn't noticed them, Suigetsu met her eye. "Important?"

She blushed at his tone. "I-I mean - well, it seems a bit strange to me." A wave of dizziness suddenly hit her, and she frowned and pressed her head against his shoulder, breaking eye contact with him, no longer able to see his physical reactions to whatever she said. "You said there are people searching for me - people who want to kill you. You stole me away - but from what? From who? And why?"

Far enough away from the gate and the figure guarding it, Suigetsu changed direction and made his way to, probably, another portal miles away. The new direction let the wind blow on her wounded back, and she flinched when bits of water would hit her.

"Yeah, you're pretty important, I guess," he finally answered, "and not just to Sasuke. There's lots of people out there who care about you - important people. Powerful people. People who can give the word and my head will be sliced off my shoulders without a moment of hesitation." He clicked his tongue against his teeth and gave a light huff that didn't match the serious topic whatsoever. "One of them is the Sun King."

The Apollo? A God was worried about her? "I know . . . the Sun King?"

"You know a lot. Him, the Moon King, the Sand King -" He cut himself off, letting the silence stretch out. Hinata was beginning to understand these moments of quiet. Suigetsu was a thinker, she supposed. He planned out their escape from Kisame, planned out where the portals were and how to get to them, and he planned out his own words. The thing was - she didn't know if it was because he was trying to find the right words, or if he was trying to hide bits of the truth. "Fuckin' Hell. I guess that's what started this whole mess, huh? Because you know all these people."

"I don't understand," she said.

"You shouldn't have gone to Sand," he continued, sounding like he hadn't exactly heard her. "You should have listened to me and stayed - but you're really stubborn, actually. Even when I named off all the risks, you still went. And for what? To help a man you didn't even remember?" She slipped a bit down his back, and when her ear pressed against him, she could hear his quick pulse. "And then you remembered Naruto. Of course you did. They're not under the fucking spell. If you had just not gone, none of this would have happened. You would still be at the bar, touching faces and helping people, and your memory wouldn't be totally washed. It would have been so much simpler. None of this was supposed to happen."

It was hard to comprehend his babbling, as he was scrutinizing a different Hinata's actions. She wasn't her anymore. She didn't remember her at all. But still, Hinata latched on to anything she could get from his ramblings. Things seemed to be affecting people beyond her. There was a set plan that she hadn't followed, and because of that, her memory was erased. All she knew was Suigetsu, and because he seemed to know the background knowledge of everything, he must have had some hand in that being the case. Maybe he was the one responsible for washing her memory -

But, not, that couldn't be it. The name Ino was mentioned to be the one responsible for such a deed.

So how did she manage to remember him and only him, and why?

Why? Why?

That seemed to be the only thing she could ever ask.

The cold stroke of blood dripped down her back, and she shivered. "I'm sorry. I won't go to Sand ever again."

He sighed, and when he shook his head, his hair tickled her cheek. "Too late for that. If anything, Sand will be coming to you, now."

...

The second portal they reached three hours later was also guarded, and Suigetsu's curse was more bitter and tired as he turned, again, and marched away. Hinata felt his exhaustion. It was hard to keep her eyes open. Everything in her ached. She just wanted to sleep, to slip away into a world that took her away from this pain and confusion. But she couldn't, and nor could Suigetsu.

So he kept walking, and Hinata stayed awake.

"You never answer that question."

"Which one?"

"Why did you steal me?"

His strides lagged and wobbled with the waves that pushed against his feet. It would be easier to just swim, but he never considered it out loud. "There's a reason for that," he said, hints of a smile lighting up the end of his tone. "I can't exactly tell you."

Hinata hummed. "Because you don't know?"

"I don't know all of it," he continued. "Just the basics. But that's not the main problem." His right hand lifted to tap his throat. "There's a lock on tricky subjects, and I don't have the key."

Her eyes zoned in on where he touched his neck. No stickers. But, still, she could tell he was speaking the truth. "Who has it?" she asked.

Suigetsu laughed. "The one who wanted you stolen to begin with. Your stalker."

Her heart clenched when that final word hit the air. "And you can't tell me anything about them."

"Not a word."

"Then what can you tell me?"

Another thoughtful pause. "That this is beyond just a few people. Tens of hundreds of people are affected by this. And it's all because you found out his identity nearly seven months ago."

Her heart sunk at the idea. "Sasuke's one of those people."

"Yes," he said.

"And so are you."

For a second, he stopped breathing. ". . . Yes."

Without much control of herself, tears trickled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged herself closer. "That's awful," she whispered.

The wind howled, tugging in dark clouds that slowly covered the night sky. They roamed and stormed and smoldered in the sky, in her chest, and in his gaze.

"Yeah. Most things are."

...

The horizon was ashen and glowing when they reached the third gate. Unguarded, without a single soul about.

And yet, Suigetsu stayed.

Hinata's legs were numb from being hoisted on his back for so long. Her eyes were heavy, along with the rest of her body, and her clothes were cold with blood and saltwater. Suigetsu's spine was bent at an uncomfortable angle to keep her in place. His shoulders sagged, and his breathing was ragged.

And yet, he didn't move from his spot a few yards away from the unwatched portal.

"How are you faring?" he asked, not even attempting to look back at her to see for himself. He probably didn't have the energy to do so.

And Hinata . . . knew what was happening. Her body was exhausted. The pain had broken her resolve. It was getting hard to fight, to not want just to give up. She hund over his back like a bag. Dead weight. That's all she was at that point. But he was probably considering a million things in his head, and she didn't want him to make a hasty decision that could get them both in trouble for her accord alone.

"I'm alright," she whispered.

"Just hang on a little more," he told her. "Let me think things over. If I go through that gate unprepared, things could get nasty."

She nodded, head laid between his shoulder blades, staring off at nothing. It was so quiet and cold and wet, but his back was warm. Comforting. She relaxed into it and wished for nothing more but to sink into that warmth.

"Stay awake, Lady Hinata."

For a moment, she thought that was Suigetsu.

But when she blinked, she saw the Moon Man standing there, right in front of her. He looked worried, mouth twisted and eyes narrow, as he watched her.

"Please," he whispered. "You can't give up now. You have to come back to Moon. You have to remember."

Moon?

Why would she need to go there?

Unable to keep her grip on Suigetsu's shoulders, she leaned further into him to keep from falling off, and murmured, "Suigetsu?"

"What is it?"

"Who's the Moon Man that keeps following us?"

His shoulders tensed. "No one," he said, head turning to the side, as if searching for the very person she spoke of. "No one important. Ignore him. It'll make things a lot easier if you just ignored him."

Her eyelids fluttered as she watched the Moon Man's expression fall into that of utter defeat. His white eyes shattered like glass, and when he turned away, he disappeared with the wind.

...

"Hinata."

So muffled was that name. Barely audible. Actually, maybe it wasn't even there to begin with.

She didn't know. She didn't care.

It was dark, and she was tired.

"Hinata."

It was warm, and she let the dark envelope her body and hold her close.

"Guppy!"

It was nice. This was nice.

And as she drifted into that darkness, she dreamed for the first time since waking up at the bottom of the ocean. Sasuke Uchiha was there. She couldn't see him, but she just knew he was there. There was something in the air. Something totally, completely him.

Something powerful, mighty, courageous.

Electrifying.

He went through his normal routine.

Wake up, wash his face, get changed, fasten the scabbard of his katana to his belt, and leave his room.

Sometimes, he'd have enough time to stay and eat breakfast. This wasn't one of those times. So he went immediately to the hanger by the front door, grabbed his cloak, and flung it over his shoulders. And, usually, as he fastened the front, he would already be shuffling on his shoes and going through that front door. Guards didn't have all the time in the world. Especially when something important came up at work.

And there was, indeed, something detrimental that he had to get to. There was no time to stray from his routine, to waste time, to pause and ponder.

And yet -

"You're staring at it again."

Sasuke Uchiha found himself completely incapable of ignoring something in particular on that shelf next to the dining room table. Something insignificant. Something that had nothing to do with the current mission -

Or, actually, it did. Sort of. A little. But it definitely wasn't crucial enough for him to waste time on it. But he did. For the past three days, he has been. And it annoyed him to no end - because he had self-control. He had better things to do. He had a damn bastard to hunt down.

And he also had a brother who was well aware of things. Too aware.

Blinking, Sasuke tore his gaze away from the shelf and focused on the front of his cloak. Itachi was somewhere behind him, most likely in the living room, watching his every move. He hated when he did that. Sometimes, he felt like he couldn't relax in his own home.

"I'll be late today," he said, moving to pull on his boots.

"I'm curious how you got such a pretty thing."

"Don't be surprised if I'm not able to even come home tonight." He wouldn't take the bait. It wasn't important. It wasn't important. "I'll try to send a letter to let you know if that happens, but I still -"

"When did you have the time to go to Moon?"

And despite himself, Sasuke took the bait. Tapping the heel of his boot against the floor to make sure it was on snuggly, Sasuke lifted his head and looked at it again. And every time he did, he went back to the ocean's surface, to the quiet, to Hin -

But that didn't help anyone. She was in trouble, and dawdling on things wasn't going to save her any sooner.

"I didn't," he said.

Itachi's hum drifted through the air. "Then how did you get it?"

"Does it matter?" He didn't mean to snap, but there was a lot of pressure on him, and his brother wasn't helping at all.

A short pause, followed by a quiet, approaching squeaking. "No. I suppose not."

Swallowing hard, he grabbed the handle and yanked the door open. "I'm off -"

"Sasuke."

He stopped, one foot out of the house.

"You're acting strange. I've noticed your moods have been jumping around lately." The squeaking grew louder, and Sasuke frowned as he stared at the grey sky outside. "One day, you seem happier. Then, all of the sudden, you're like this. Stressed. Tired. Distant. You haven't been eating -"

"I don't have the time, Itachi. I have a duty to uphold,"

"- And you've been coming home late, sometimes not at all." A large, warm hand found his and grasped his fingers. "I'm worried."

Sasuke sighed and gave the hand an assuring squeeze before pulling away. "Don't be."

"Talk to me, Sasuke."

Itachi's voice was low and desperate. Heart racing, Sasuke grabbed the side of the door. "I'll be safe."

And with that, he shut the door, locked it, and sucked in the cool, morning air that did nothing to muffle the fire in his lungs.

...

The portal from Cloud 8 to The Hall was as it usually was.

But when he stepped out of the colors and into the wide, dim hallway -

"Sasuke."

His body reacted before his mind could. His wings snapped out into the air, wide and ready to push him forward. His hand grabbed tsuka of his katana, which glowed with the electricity zapping through his fingertips. His head snapped to the left, where, just leaving the swirling blues and turquoise of the Ocean Gate, was Suigetsu. His eyes were wide and wild, skin pale and sick. He was approaching him - running over to him, really. Desperately, with a twinge of fear in his gaze.

Good.

He should be afraid.

He was about to rip every limb from his wriggling body.

Sneering, Sasuke fully pulled out his katana and moved to meet him in the middle. The light from his lightning blade took over Suigetsu's eyes, and he stopped and began to backtrack, one hand out, as if he were trying to ward off a wild animal.

"Wait - wait, Sasuke! Just gimme a second -"

The fucking gall the bastard had.

All hints of hesitation left Sasuke that instant.

I'm going to kill that fucking -

"Shit - for fuck's sake - Sasuke, hold on!" Suigetsu dropped to his knees. To beg? It was far too late for that. If anything, it just made it easier for him to be able to sink his katana into the back of his skull - "Hinata. It's Hinata! She needs help."

The name made him slow, but not totally stop. He was only seeing red, but when he pushed it away for a moment, he saw the figure on Suigetsu's back.

Hinata.

Immediately, Sasuke sunk the katana back into his scabbard and went to her side. She was unconscious. She was barely moving. And . . .

And her back . . . .

Sliced open and gushing blood, skin torn messily and awkwardly. The skin surrounding it was red with blood and possible infection. Pulling her off Suigetsu's back, letting her lean into him, he pressed a hand to her neck and checked her pulse.

To say he was relieved to find she still had a pulse, somehow -

But . . .

But that wasn't the only problem.

"What the hell did you do to her?"

Suigetsu looked ready to collapse, himself, as Hinata's blood dripped off his clothes and stained the floor. "Her wings -" he breathed, barely. "We tried to -"

"You're fucking insane." Sasuke stood, holding Hinata to him, making sure he didn't dare touch her back. It was hard to hold back. Lightning screamed and wailed in his chest, his ears, his fingers. He had to bite down hard on his tongue to keep any of it from lashing out. "You could have killed her."

And he could, too, if he stayed here any longer, boiling and buzzing and seething. Grabbing the back of Suigetsu's collar, he yanked him up and dragged him to the portal that would take them to the Guard. She was cold against him. Barely breathing. Barely living. It shouldn't matter. He's carried corpses before. It didn't bother him then. It was just a part of his job.

So why -

Well, he knew why. He wasn't going to deny that.

Because this has happened before. And the last time it did, he was powerless, worthless, helpless. There was nothing he could do but watch and beg and scream, and if that happened again, with her -

"Did it start?"

"What do you -"

"The wing process, you fucking dumbass. Did it start?"

Suigetsu huffed as he struggled to keep up. "No. No, I don't think so."

Another good sign, but Sasuke wasn't about to get his hopes up. "Count your blessings," he muttered, glaring at him, "because if she dies, I'm not the only one who would gladly have your neck."

...

He dragged Suigetsu down the halls of the Guard, ignoring the cheers of congratulations for catching the bastard. When he reached Karin's office, he shoved open the door, making her yelp as it slammed against the wall.

"Sasuke!" she hissed. "The hell are you -" She stopped upon her eyes falling on Hinata - or rather, the gaping holes on her back. "Oh good Gods."

"Tell Kabuto he's needed in the first wing for an unsuccessful wing process." He was already out the doorway, marching down the hallway, still dragging Suigetsu with him. "Come with him so you can take this bastard into custody."

"Suigetsu!" Karin yelled. "How -"

"Karin."

She quieted, and he assumed she had begun to do what he ordered.

It didn't take long for him to reach the first wing. Pushing into the first empty room, Sasuke quickly got to work. He sat her on the grey grey examination table, letting her lean against his chest so she wouldn't fall over, and pushed her hair out of the way of her wounds. Suigetsu was on the go, as well, as he went to the back wall and pulled out bandages and cleaning rags. He held the rags under the sink in the corner, wrung them out, then sat behind Hinata to start wiping the gunk and blood away.

Sasuke checked her pulse again, then held her face in his hands, trying to figure out how to wake her up. Sucking in most of the raging electricity in his chest, he let only a bit of it dance on his fingertips and buzz along her skin, giving her just enough of a shock to, hopefully, wake her up.

But she didn't.

"Come on, Moon Witch."

He did it again, watching her eyelashes bristle to the static in the air.

Nothing.

"Come on."

The door opened, and Kabuto, who was in the middle of tying his hair back, stepped inside. He eyed her back for a moment, then moved to the sink to roll back the sleeves of his coat and wash his hands.

"So you got the Moon Witch back," he mused, calmly. Like there wasn't a woman bleeding out in the room. "The wings haven't started emerging?"

Sasuke looked at Suigetsu, who shook his head.

"It was unsuccessful."

Kabuto hummed as he dried his hands before motioning Suigetsu away so he could sit behind her, fingers trailing her tattered, damaged skin. "Then we have a lucky girl on our hands."

...

A few minutes later, Karin showed up with metal handcuffs and a few extra Guards. Suigetsu was taken away without much trifling on his part, but Karin stayed by as he was dragged off to one of the Guard's many cells.

"Sasuke."

He heard her, but his name didn't connect in his head. His eyes were on Hinata's face, which twisted in pain as Kabuto felt around her back. She still wasn't waking up.

"Sasuke," Karin repeated, taking a step closer, finally catching his attention. "Who do you want me to send in to interrogate Suigetsu."

He frowned and met her eye. "I will."

Her mouth twisted, looking concerned, but she didn't dare say a thing. "I've already informed our Head -"

"Send notice to His Grace, as well," he said, turning back to Hinata. "The sooner he knows, the sooner Suigetsu's trial will start."

Again, Karin hesitated, but didn't speak her mind. "I'll do that as soon as I get to my office -"

"Then go now." Hinata's shoulders coiled, and he placed his hands on them, steadying her. "You're wasting your time here."

When she didn't immediately leave, he turned to her, glaring. Her eyes flickered between him and Hinata, darkening with wonder, before she adjusted her glasses. "Alright," she said, slowly making her way to the door, "but . . . you should be leaving soon, as well."

"I will."

Kabuto snorted, and Karin left with a perplexed line between her brows.

...

"She has an infection," Kabuto mused once he had thoroughly wiped her back clean, save the wounds. "Suigetsu didn't treat her kindly." His eyes hovered on Sasuke's face, but he didn't let a sliver of his boiling anger slip. "I'll have to clean it out first before I can do anything about sewing it up."

"You don't need to tell me this," Sasuke said. "Just do it."

Kabuto simpered as he stood from the table and went to the shelves in the back, pulling out tools and necessary ointment for the entire process. "Here." He threw a thin ribbon Sasuke's way. "Tie her hair. I can't have it getting in the way of my work."

Leaning in so that his torso would keep her steady, he gathered all of her hair and tied it with the ribbon. Bits of hair had blood stuck to it, and he grimaced as he let it hand over her shoulder. Kabuto placed his supplies on the side table next to the table, then settled next to Sasuke, pondering.

"That'll work." He knelt down in front of her and tugged at her ruined shirt. "It'll be easier to have this off and out of the way, too."

Sasuke frowned, but before he could say a word, a soft noise escaped Hinata. Her lashes fluttered, then lifted to reveal her foggy, silver eyes. They were bloodshot and dry, Sasuke could tell, and she rubbed at them agitatedly. When they focused on them, they went wide, and she leaned a bit away from him, gasping.

"Wh-Who -" Her head snapped left and right, searching. "Where's - where's Suigetsu."

Kabuto sighed and feigned a kind smile. "Hinata Hyuuga." Her shoulders jumped upon her name. Sasuke wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. "My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I'm a doctor, and I'm going to help you with your back. Please don't panic - you'll only hurt yourself more."

Those words didn't calm her at all. If anything, it only scared her more. "What d-did you do to him?" Hands clung to her chest, she tried to back away some more, if only to get a distance between them. "You can't hurt him. He needs to take me to Sasuke Uchiha!"

What?

Sasuke let her try to push away, while Kabuto shook his head.

"Hinata," he said, standing, gesturing to him, "you're here. You're safe. This is Sasuke Uchiha."

And, finally, she looked at him. Really looked at him. Even before all of this happened, she had never looked at him in such a way. Somehow, it always looked like she was looking at something else when regarding him, like there was something between her and him that he simply could not understand. She was always looking at parts of him, but never him.

Until . . . just . . . then.

Those wide, moon-like eyes of hers stared right at him, into him, tracing every inch of him with wonder and awe and - and -

"You're . . . Sasuke . . . .?"

Absolute elation.

Electricity roared in his mind, stealing away any thoughts or judgments he could make in that one moment, and without a word, he fled the room.

"I need you to take off your shirt, Hinata."

The room was white to a blinding degree. The walls were white, the floor was white; the drawers of the shelves in front of her were white. The sink in the corner that was running was white. And the coat of the strange man was white. He had said he was a doctor. This looked like a medical room, and the way he walked about the place with a familiar, confident strut was enough to convince her that his words were true.

And yet, no matter what, Hinata could not relax.

She didn't know him - that Kabuto. This was a strange place, and she didn't know how she got there. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep on Suigetsu's back in Ocean. This wasn't Ocean, so she assumed he must have gone through the portal and somehow had found Sasuke. It was scary, being without the one thing she remembered. She could have been in this room a million times in the past, and she wouldn't have a clue or feel comfortable because Suigetsu wasn't there.

He's not . . . dead, is he?

Her stomach churned and twisted, and she quickly shook her head.

No. It wasn't possible. There was no way they had killed him. Maybe he had escaped. Maybe he was just being held somewhere. But he wasn't dead. She wouldn't believe it.

"Hinata." Her name came in a long, agitated sigh, pulling her out of her fumbling thoughts. She looked up to find Kabuto in front of her, mouth curled in a pensive frown, specks reflecting the light in the room. "Are you listening?"

Not daring to say a word, her hands curled against the tattered fabric of her shirt. Yes, she had heard him. And she knew it wasn't anything strange. He needed to clean her wounds, and it would be easier to do so with her shirt off. That was normal.

But still -

She didn't know him.

Upon her silence, his frown deepened. "You'll bleed out if I don't help you." Hinata flinched, but his expression didn't change. "If modesty is that important to you, then you must allow me to leave. I have more important things to do than watch you die before my eyes."

"Damn, Kabuto, still as much of a smooth-talker, I see."

The door creaked open, and in walked a tall, blonde woman whose heels echoed through the entire room. Her wide shoulders protruded through the sleeves of her scarlet blouse, which matched the curled glimmer on her lips, and when she stood in the middle of the room, there was no way Hinata could look away. Her eyes were bright and startling, but under a few sweeping strands of hair, Hinata was sure she saw something dark and fluttering. Like the stickers on Suigetsu's gills, or the -

"Tsunade." Kabuto backed away, frown leaving his face for a more nonchalant line. He didn't look totally pleased - but then again, Hinata wasn't sure if there was anything that could please such a demanding, impatient man. Rolling his eyes, he turned away from the bright woman to dip his fingers into the soapy water in the sink. "What a surprise to see you here. Don't you have a bar to tend to?"

She snorted, hands perched on her hips. "Aren't you the Head Therapist now? What are you doing in the medical wing?" Oak eyes fell on Hinata, who didn't feel nearly as nervous as she did with Kabuto. That hard smile softened and shimmered as she walked over, slowly and carefully. "Oh, Hinata, I'm so glad you're alright."

So this one knew her, too.

Surely, this place must have held some importance to her.

"Sasuke called for me to take care of this one," Kabuto replied as he took a bucket from the floor and scooped up the soapy water. Then, he grabbed a rag, wiped the sides, and carried it over to the table she sat upon. "We all know my specialty lies with these things."

Tsunade blinked, then peeked over at Hinata's back. Gaping, face turning nearly as red as her blouse, she barked, "Who the hell did that to you?"

"Suigetsu, probably," Kabuto said.

'N-Not at all!" Finally finding her voice, Hinata locked eyes with Tsunade. "It was the other one - er, u-um, Kisame. Suigetsu saved me from him."

"Saved you?" The deltoids in those wide shoulders flexed. Crossing her arms, Tsunade seemed to ponder her words, weighing something in her head that Hinata couldn't even begin to understand. "Well, that's a surprise."

Kabuto, settling next to her, matched her posture as he looked down his nose at Hinata. "The details don't matter. I need to start working."

"Well, hold it. The poor girl can't remember anything. Of course she's not willing to drop her shirt for some creep."

He didn't even blink. "I take offense to your insinuation that I'd stoop so low as to ogle during a medical emergency."

"I ain't insinuating nothing," Tsunade said as she knelt down in front of Hinata, "just reminding you that she's a shy girl, Kabuto." Her left hand reached out, hovering a few inches away from Hinata's lap. Slowly, she took that hand, and Tsunade gave it a light squeeze. "It's alright, Hinata. Kabuto is going to be behind you the whole time. He'll be busy cleaning and stitching up your wound, so you won't have to worry about anything. Let's just get you fixed up, alright?"

She was still nervous, but Tsunade's calm tone was enough to cool her nerves some. She nodded as Kabuto moved behind her and sat on the examination table, carefully peeling the shirt over her wound as she pulled it off. The cold air brought goosebumps to her skin. The hair on her arms stood, and she squeezed Tsunade's hand harder.

"I'm going to start cleaning the infection." She heard water pour into the bucket as he dipped in a rag and wrung it out in one, swift motion. "First, with warm water, then with ointment. I'll warn you that the ointment is antibiotic, so you'll experience some stinging."

"Nothing our Hinata can't handle," Tsunade piped up, smiling. "You're a strong girl. This is nothing."

Those words were so strong and confident, Hinata had to believe them. "O-Okay."

With that small affirmation, Kabuto began to clean her wounds. It was an odd mixture of pain and comfort. The rag's rough texture hurt her sensitive skin, but the warm water felt good and helped relax her muscles. But it was an uncomfortable procedure, and Hinata wiggled in her spot as he worked and worked, slowly and precisely.

"Stay still," he told her, pausing for a moment. "I could hurt you if you move."

Hinata bit her lips together and stilled herself. "I'm sorry."

Tsunade, still on her knees before her, massaged the hills of her knuckles before taking her hands again. "Squeeze as hard as you need to," she said. "I can handle it."

So when Kabuto started back up, she did just that and tried to think of something to keep her from focusing solely on the pain. "W-We . . . know each other, Tsunade?"

The blonde grinned. "Yes. We've been friends for a few long years, I'd say."

"Am I from this place?" she asked, tilting her head to gesture to the door.

"Not at all," Tsunade answered, an edge of amusement in her tone that matched the twinkle in her eyes. "You belong far away from here."

Kabuto cleaned a particularly sensitive spot at the top of her left wound that made Hinata cringe and hiss through her teeth. Her knuckles turned white as she grasped those large hands, and when he relented after properly cleaning it, she let out a long, strained exhale.

"Is -" She gasped, and tried again. "Is Suigetsu alright?"

The oak in Tsunade's eyes turned dark and rich, almost mahogany. "I'm sure he's fine, Hinata." Her gaze flickered to the door, then back to her, smile now a bit strained near the corners. "He's most likely in custody. I overheard that Sasuke will be talking with him."

Sasuke . . .

Without consent, his image flashed before her. It had been so sudden. Her world was dark, but voices coaxed her to break free and return to reality. And she did, there was a tall, dark man before her, dressed completely in black, with brilliant, white wings folded along his back. It was like he was an angel waiting for her to wake up - enticing her, perhaps, with some sort of magic. There had been those dark stickers on his face, covering up a little more than half of it; but, somehow, that didn't bother her. Didn't scare her. She saw enough of him. His large hands were decorated with small, silver scars. His square shoulders looked strong enough to carry an entire dimension. She saw the highlight of his cheekbone and the curious twist of his brown and his -

His eyes.

Oh, Gods, his eyes.

"Are you hot, Hinata?"

Jumping in her spot on the table, hearing a whispered curse behind her, Hinata blinked and shook her flushed face. "N-No. Sorry. I was just thinking . . . ." Unconsciously, her gaze slid to the door - the very place he had rushed to, nearly as quickly as he had appeared. "Sasuke . . . won't kill Suigetsu, will he?"

Those red lips smirked, a bit of teeth flashing her way, as Tsunade snickered. "Oh, Hinata, dear. Killing him would be merciful, if anything."

The Guard's interrogation cells were the preferred places for such situations. They were heavily guarded, so slippery folk who managed to escape wouldn't get too far before being caught once again. They were dark and small enough to intimidate the captive, and (a personal favorite feature of Sasuke's) the walls were thick enough to keep noise from bothering the outside halls.

Which was preferable when you didn't want certain screams to be heard all about the Guard -

"Holy FUCK!"

Such as that one.

Because, really, Sasuke was a selfish man. He didn't like to share these little moments with the rest of the Guard. This was his time to shine. His moment. When he took the backs of certain people's heads and slammed them face-first into the steel table before them, those yells of agony were his. It was sadistic. Sasuke wasn't afraid to admit that. And, oftentimes, certain situations called for a bit of sadism.

This was a perfectly good example of one of those times.

A short melody of small, wet thuds waltzed through the dark, chilly room as Suigetsu raised his face from the table, groaning, one hand rubbing his temples while the other pinched his broken, profusely bleeding nose. Sasuke's eyes were trained on the puddle of red that grew and began to drip down the edge of the table, a tiny bit of satisfaction bringing some ounce of life to his broiling chest. It was hard to wipe the smile from his face as he walked to his chair on the opposite side, sitting with careful nonchalance, revealing just enough of his racing, twisting emotions to let Suigetsu see he wasn't even close to being satisfied.

"Okay," he groaned, pulling his hand away from his nose to reveal his bloody palm, "I deserved that."

"Not even close," Sasuke said, tone even. Complete opposite of what he was feeling. "You deserve a whole lot worse. But I suppose I'm just holding back."

Not even attempting to smile, Suigetsu instead sat back in the rickety, wood chair. The chain on his cuffs kept him from stretching out his arms, so he settled his hands on his lap and bowed his gaze. Coward. "Look, I know I messed up and you're pissed at me -"

"This has nothing to do with me, or Karin, or Juugo, or anyone. This is about you." Spine straightening, Sasuke towered over him, pinning him down with his hard stare. "And that's what we're going to focus on. You and your betrayal of the Guard, of your duty, and of the Moon Witch."

"I -"

"Don't try to give excuses, either. That won't save you."

Suigetsu fell into a stiff silence that agitated every nerve in Sasuke's buzzing body. Blood trickled down his lips and dripped off his jaw, staining his curled, twitching hands. His gaze was anxious and moving, jumping to the door, then to the puddle of blood on the table, then to the cuffs, then back to the door, then to Sasuke, then finally back to the door. He squirmed in his chair, huffed, then finally spoke.

"Is . . . Guppy okay?"

Without a moment of doubt, Sasuke's right leg shot out beneath the table and kicked one of the legs of Suigetsu's chair. There was such a power behind it that really boiled down to the sheer acrimony he'd been holding onto for days on end that the chair flew out from under him and slammed against the stone wall behind him. Suigetsu yelped as he collapsed on the floor, a rather loud crack ringing against the wall as something - skull, shoulder, back - hit the hard, unwelcoming floor.

"You no longer have the right to ask that question," Sasuke muttered as he stood to loom over him, battling with the itch to draw his katana. "The second you went along with this plan of yours, you lost every right you had as her bodyguard, including details on her personal health."

Not even bothering to get up from the floor, Suigetsu just laid back and stared at the ceiling. Blood ran from his forehead, matting his hair. Dark patches began to form around his lopsided nose, and his gills shivered and shrunk.

And yet, somehow, he still had the audacity to laugh and grin like he was the happiest man in the world.

"So she's alive," he all but gasped, eyes sparkling. "That's good. At least only one of us is dying in this crummy place."

The entire room cracked with lightning and static. His katana trembled in its scabbard, reacting to his anger, practically begging to be let out. And Sasuke was quite happy to oblige in any other circumstances. Bastards like him weren't going to let their captive make a show out of them. If Suigetsu was so ready and willing, Sasuke wasn't the type to prolong the inevitable. He wanted to. He knew he wanted to.

But . . . he couldn't.

Because he had a key testimony that they would have to quite literally tear from his throat. Because he knew Hinata's stalker, and that information was too important to let slip by so easily.

And because . . . he was Suigetsu.

He hated him, hated what he did. It was shameful, really. The one they were looking for was right next to them, and Sasuke hadn't a clue. The signs and signals were there, but he was so willing to let them sly - because he was Suigetsu. His partner for years. A trusted ally. Suigetsu wouldn't betray them. That's what they had believed, and it was what had led them to their biggest mistake.

A mistake that could have killed Hinata.

But no matter the anger or betrayal or shame Sasuke felt, he couldn't kill him.

And that was the most frustrating thing out of everything.

Back down, Sasuke.

Slowly, he stepped away, forcing his body to relax.

Today's not going to work. Wait until you've calmed down, then try again.

So he did just that. Walking past Suigetsu, he picked up the chair by the wall, placed it back at the table, and moved to the door, knocking so that the outside Guard would unlock it and let him leave.

"Excuses won't save you," he said to the cold, dark room, "but you better have a damn good one for the shit you've pulled."

Not a word, a noise. The door clicked open, and Sasuke stepped out, chin high and eyes steady. He was that cool, collected Guard everyone knew and feared. Not a single weakness could be found on his perfect, stone face as he marched down the hallways with long, impeccable strides. The only moment this facade cracked was upon a fork in the road, where one of the paths led straight to the medical wing. He paused and wondered, then, with a slug in his step, turned the opposite way and made his way to Orochimaru's office.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, but I really have to go."

A little short of an hour later, it was time for the ointment, and Hinata was shivering with anticipation. The worst part was that Tsunade would no longer be there to help her through it. She'd have to get through this - alone. No Tsunade, no Suigetsu, no Sasuke.

Only the doctor who seemed completely indifferent to whatever pain she was feeling.

It was scary. This was scary. She didn't want to do this alone.

"T-Tsunade -"

"What did I say earlier, Hinata? Do you remember?" For the last time, perhaps, warm hands covered hers and calmed her skittering pulse. "You're strong, alright? No matter what, you can get through this."

She nodded and tried to believe it, but when the blonde left, the room was freezing, and she couldn't stop shivering.

"I'm going to start applying the ointment," Kabuto said. A short pause, then, "Are you prepared?"

No. Not at all. Not even close.

But she knew she'd have to deal with it eventually, so she gave another, stiff nod, and squeezed her hands along the edge of the table.

The first feeling was cold and sudden, making her entire body tense. Then, as he began to rub it in, the stig began to gnaw at her. It wasn't as aggressive as a blade cutting down her back was, but her exhausted body still struggled to take it all as the pain grew more and more harsh. A tight, breathless sob escaped her as she shook her head again and again, trying to push through it. It was hard. It hurt so much. Her cold cheeks basked in the warmth of her tears that slipped down one by one.

"A-Are you almost done?" she asked ten minutes later, chest so tight, it was getting hard to breathe.

"Nearly," Kabuto said. "You're doing well."

Her body ached with tension and rolling, constant pain. The pressure behind her temples began to turn into a thundering headache, and her stomach knotted up and sent bile into her throat. Kabuto had to offer her the back, which she clung to like it was the only thing left in the world.

Another two or three minutes passed, and finally, it was done.

"Let it settle and breathe for a while," he said, twisting the cap back on the ointment jar before standing from the table. "In an hour, I'll check how the infection is faring. If the ointment is working, then we can start on the fun part."

A joke, she knew, based on the small smile he sent her as he passed her to reach the shelf. A joke - but still, her heart dropped into her gut, and she groaned.

...

The hour was long and tiring, but it eventually passed.

When he checked her back, a satisfied hum let her know the infection was dying down. Which only meant it was for the part Hinata was definitely not looking forward to. Her eyes trained on the tools Kabuto was washing for a third time - for extra measure, he had mentioned, but Hinata had a strange inkling it was to just scare her more. And it was working. She was no medical genius, but she knew what stitches entailed: a needle going through her skin and pulling the highly sensitive wound together. Just the thought of it made her sick and dizzy.

How was she supposed to deal with that?

Finishing cleaning his tools, Kabuto stepped in front of her and presented them to her on a white rag. She blushed and curled into herself, and he shook his head.

"I'm not looking," he said, "I just need you to listen so that you're not caught off guard with the suturing. I'll use the forceps to move the skin so that I can position the needle in a good angle. The needle won't go in too far - just a few centimeters, so it won't be totally painful. The hard part is pushing the needle into the skin on the other side, so I need you to stay as still as possible. I've done this a million times. I'll be quick and efficient. I will even use this cream to numb the skin slightly, so you'll just have to stick through it, alright?"

Words dying on her tongue, she could only nod. He wrapped the tools in the clean rag and moved to sit behind her once again. He applied the cream first and let it settle for a couple of minutes, then wiped it off and began to ready his tools.

Hinata's eyes were glued to the shelf, panic zapping through every bloodstream in her body.

"K-Kabuto," she whispered.

"Hm?"

"What if I can't handle it?"

The metal clicking of the tools sounded over her shoulder. "You have to."

Her eyes stung, because she knew he was right. "Do you have something I can hold o-onto, maybe?"

"You have the bucket," he drawled.

"Or, um, maybe bite?"

He paused for a moment, ripped off a piece of gauze, rolled it, and placed it in her mouth. "Will that help?"

Scared tears began to drip down her face again, but she nodded. "A-And -"

"What now?" He gave an exasperated sigh.

"W-Well . . . I don't . . . want to do this alone."

His fingers fell on her back, tracing around her wounds. "Tsunade can't come back."

She knew. But . . .

"O-Okay."

Well, it didn't matter.

Nothing was going to make this any better, so Hinata bit down on the rolled up piece of gauze and readied herself for Hell.

...

The cream didn't help at all.

Fiery, sharp pain pierced through her skin, and Hinata couldn't hold back the scream. It was like she was back on the beach, Kisame holding her down and plunging that damn knife into her over and over again. But this time, there was no Suigetsu around to help her or hold her as she cried and wailed in pain, and all she could do was cling to that damn bucket. Not even allowed to move in fear she'd cause herself more pain, she just sat there, gasping and groaning and sobbing. The needle sunk in and out, there was a snip, and string tied her skin together.

"K-Kabuto -"

The forceps moved down and pulled back another section of her skin.

"Kabuto, wait!"

He stopped. Thankfully. "I need to do this, Hinata."

She knew. Damn it all, she knew! But that didn't help anything at all.

"I-I can't -"

"Hinata."

"I can't do this alone," she begged, head falling forward, hanging in defeat and total exhaustion. "Please, can't you get someone? Please."

He sighed and pulled fully away from her back. "Like who?"

So desperate, she said the first name that came to her mind.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

A long pause, followed by a quiet, unusual chuckle. "Alright. I'll run and see if I can find him."

Relief nearly knocked her over as he slipped off the table and opened the door. A bit of her felt weird for making such a request. She didn't remember this man at all, yet was asking for him personally. Surely, this would be normal if she had her memory back, Surely, he'd come in the blink of an eye in any circumstance. Because, well . . .

And . . . yes, it would be awkward for her to be in such a state in front of him. It was awkward with Tsunade, and she was a woman. But Hinata had to tell herself this was fine, probably normal.

Because they loved each other.

Didn't they?

"What a coincidence. I wasn't expecting such a busy Guard member to be so nearby."

Two sets of footfalls entered the room, one beelining right back to his spot behind her, the other hovering near the doorway. If she had the strength to, she would have looked over to see why he was . . . hesitating . . . .

Is it . . . hard for him to see me like this?

She recalled how quickly he had left earlier and felt guilt pile up on her.

"S-Sasuke?"

Suddenly, he was in front of her, taking her arms and wrapping them around his torso. The bucket fell to the floor, long forgotten, as she pressed her face into the warm, soft fabric of his dark cloak.

"Hold onto me," he said, placing a hand on the crown of her head.

His voice was also nice, deep and even. Comforting.

She could see why she had fallen in love with such a man.

The forceps returned to her back, warning her of the pain to come, and Hinata grabbed the back of Sasuke's cloak and hung onto him as much as she could.

...

Hinata didn't know how long it took. All she knew was that it was finally done. Her back still hurt, and her eyes were dry and surely red, but it was over. She got through it alive.

Sasuke hadn't moved a centimeter, never voiced a complaint about her tight hold on him or how she would stain his cloak with her tears. He was sturdy, never losing balance as she would push against him and yank at his back. Sometimes, when she'd get too tired to even try to fight the pain, she could have sworn she felt something rub the back of her neck. Maybe it was her imagination. She wasn't sure.

But she was done, and that was more than enough for her to nearly collapse into him. His arms caught under hers, keeping her upright, while Kabuto stood and stretched.

"My, my," he mused, "wouldn't Orochimaru have simply loved to have been here. I'll just have to tell him how much of a gentleman his once cruel protegee has become."

Nothing left Sasuke. He was as silent as a rock.

"Sit up, Hinata," Kabuto told her, catching her shoulders as Sasuke suddenly let her go. He bent down, showing off his smirk, before turning to the proud Uchiha. "Would you like to stay and help me bandage her, then, Sasuke?"

"Not necessary."

When Hinata glanced up, he was already halfway out the doorway. Huh? "A-Ah, Sasuke!"

He stopped, not turning around, but not leaving, either. Smiling, she slowly turned to him, and whispered, "Thank you so much, Sasuke. You saved me."

And, of course, he didn't say a single thing as he shut the door behind him. Hinata blinked, and Kabuto, unwrapping the bandages, grinned.

"Indeed, Orochimaru would love to hear about this."

Karin has had about enough. First, Suigetsu had gone and screwed everything up, making a mess out of everything and creating a shame for the entirety of the Guard. Then, she had to write a letter informing the Sun King that his precious Moon Witch has been found with gigantic wounds on her back. And to make it all worse, Sasuke was not only acting strangely (which she could understand with the recent happenings), but he was never where he was supposed to be.

Where is he?!

She had a very important letter he needed to read over before she sent - the letter that happened to be the one he informed her to write. She had called for him to come to her office, and after five minutes of nothing, she was forced to go out and look for him herself.

Dear Gods, this is something Suigetsu would pull. Why are you doing this to me now?

She had searched nearly half of the Guard before she finally found him. In the medical wing. Why the hell was he in the medical wing!?

"Sasuke," she called, marching up to him. For some reason, he stood in the middle of the hallway, staring at absolutely nothing. The nerve. "Is this where you've been this whole time? Sasuke, the letter for the Sun King is ready, and you need to read it over before I can send it. I know Suigetsu really surprised us. I'm hurt too, and damn mad! But this isn't the time to slack off and . . . ."

She trailed off upon looking down at her bare arms and finding the hairs standing up completely straight. What? And now that she was thinking about it, there was a lot of static in the air. Did something happen?

"Sasuke?" Karin stepped up to him. "What's wrong?"

He blinked, then dropped his chin slightly, and she saw the pure lightning swirling around in his left eye. "Oh shit," he droned. "This is bad."

H-Huh?

But before she could even begin to understand what he could possibly mean, he swiped the letter from her grasp and began down the hallway, leaving her to sputter and wonder what the fuck could be wrong with him this time.

Chapter 14 - End