Written by Weirddramagirl

Edited by Lys

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

Lonely:

Chapter Six

Hinata POV

I have been sitting in my room for god knows how long; finally, I hear a knock on the door. The news has gotten out and many people are up in arms. Naruto and Lee are at my door asking what happened and how. I can't say anything. I break into tears again. Naruto reaches out to hold me. At any other time I would have fallen into his arms in utter bliss, but not now. I back away. I still care for Naruto and I am grateful for the strength he has given me but I don't want to be touched.

They walk me downstairs where Neji's body is being prepared for the funeral. Tenten is there, in tears. Sakura is trying to comfort her in vain. Tenten doesn't even notice when we walk in. Lee seems worried for her.

"She hasn't left his side since we got here." Lee says looking at her. "The whole way here she didn't believe it. When she got here she just collapsed and wouldn't stop crying."

Sakura stands up and walks over to Lee. They leave to talk about something. Naruto now turns to me.

"We are going after him," Naruto says looking me in the eyes. "I will avenge your cousin."

Part of me wants to scream no but the other half doesn't know what to do. Gaara has killed so many; his own village wants him dead.

"I want to go with you," I plead.

"No. I don't think it would be good for you," Naruto tells me.

I don't feel like arguing with him. Shikamaru, Choji and Ino show up. Ino goes straight to Tenten, yet another useless attempt to clam her. Shikamaru begins to talk to Naruto about the mission. It seems they have not even talked to the Fifth about it. I can't believe all of them would go behind her back like this. I suppose they assume that she will delay the mission or cancel it all together. Everything seems blurry as I watch Naruto, Lee, Shikamaru and Choji head off. Sakura tries to tell me something reassuring but I don't hear it. I feel numb.

Sakura and Ino headed home a while ago. At one point Shino, Kiba and Akamaru came by but I don't remember much of what happened. They are gone now. Only Tenten and I are here anymore. She finally looks up.

"Why?" She asks me in a hoarse voice.

"I… I don't know…" I tell her honestly.

She finally stands up a heads outside mumbling something, I only catch one word.

"… love…"

What does love mean? I begin walking back to my room, past my father's office. The house is traditional with paper walls so I happen to hear something.

"… I told him if he lost to the sand boy then he was useless to our clan and he would be forfeiting his life. I never thought for a moment he would lose. I needed to motivate him somehow. When I saw the battle was decided I had no other choice then to activate the seal..."

Am I hearing right? I can't believe my father would do such a thing! He is often cruel but that is just wrong! I feel a rage building inside me. I want to kill him, but then I would be no better then him. Oh god, and they are going after Gaara! They are going to kill him! I run out of my house, not bothering to grab any necessities.

Gaara POV

The trip home is silent. Temari and Kankuro know better than to try to talk to me right now. Part of me wants to go on a killing spree, destroy everything in my path and revert back to being a heartless demon. But for some reason another part of me doesn't want to. Even if it hurts I want to hold on to the memory of love.

Suddenly I sense someone is approaching. No, wait, there is more then one person. Temari and Kankuro must have caught wind of it too, they have stopped. We take a defensive pose as four ninjas jump out of the trees. Naruto? What is going on?

Hinata POV

I am running as fast I can. My feet seem to float from tree to tree. I am nearing the edge of Konoha. Four guys on the road try to stop me; it seems they are looking for a "good time". They are ninjas from another village.

"I don't have time for this!" I say out loud, more to myself.

I activate Byakugan as two of them come towards me. I block one of their attacks while kicking the other hard in the stomach from behind. With lightning fast movements I would not have been capable of some weeks ago, I close off some of the first guy's vital chakra holes.

Two more come at me. One wields a large sword. As he raises it to take a strike I move in under him giving him a hit near the heart. He drops his sword, falling to the ground coughing up blood. The next tries to come at me from behind with some kunai. I dodge easily and use combination moves to render him unable to use chakra. The last guy just stares at me. Did he think I was weak? Easy prey? I give him death glare and, without saying anything, continue on my way.

I feel the adrenalin pump through me from the fight; I pick up pace.