In the trees another of the Sannin was silently retreating. There was nothing he could do at the moment, not with so many leaf shinobe around, but he hadn't given up yet. Oh no, not by a long shot.

'Soon Sasuke-kun. Soon you will again be compelled to seek me out, and THIS time that blonde brat won't be around to stop you. You've just made sure of that!'

It was a slow and sad procession that met the eyes of Hyuuga Hinata and Haruno Sakura. The two of them had been sitting in front of the gates to hidden leaf. Three days ago, Kakashi had appeared, given the 'All's clear' to Haishi, and left again. The only things that the two girls had managed to pry out of him were the facts that Orochimaru had orchestrated an attack using Sasuke, and that he and Tsunade would be returning with the remaining shinobe.

Hinata was the first to notice six figures slowly approaching.

"Sakura? Sakura! I think it's them!"

"Hinata, you have been jumping up and down for every trader, shinobe, lord, and animal that has traveled that path for the last three days. What makes you think that they are coming now?"

Hinata however was in no mood to stay and chat. She was polite enough to yell back over her shoulder.

"HIS COAT!"

After one startled glance, Sakura too was off and running, for striding down the road were two tall Ninja and four short. The short figure in Orange seemed to stand out anywhere, the bright coat giving him away.

That has GOT to be Naruto. Sakura thought to herself, but where is Sasuke?

Tsunade looked up the road; she couldn't help but frown as she saw two young women running toward her. Tsunade bent over and whispered into the ear of Gaara of the sand.

"I need you to stop them at ten feet, can you do that?"

Gaara looked startled for a moment, and then his eyes returned to their usual expressionless stare.

"Of course Hokage-sama, anything I can do for one of Naruto-san's precious friends."

Hinata had been slowing down as she approached the incoming group of travelers. This wasn't because of the sand Shinobe that were accompanying Tsunade, but because she was becoming nervous again. The very thought of talking to Naruto slowed her step and caused her to blush slightly. The closer they came, the more nervous she got. In fact, she had just started looking for a tree to hide behind when she suddenly found that she was unable to move. Thick strands of sand had risen out of the ground and were now holding her in place, startled Hinata was about to warn Sakura when…

"DAMN! HINATA! WATCH OUT FOR THE…… oh, you found out the hard way too huh? Oh well."

Then came the shock, there was indeed a young man wearing bright orange, but it wasn't Naruto-kun, it was…

"SASUKE" Yelled Sakura "what are YOU doing wearing Naruto's coat?"

Sasuke briefly turned his eyes to her, but there was only the slightest glimmer of recognition behind a face filled with perfect sorrow. He then turned his eyes back to the road. Sakura couldn't help but notice that he walked like a man who had seen hell, and perhaps couldn't return from the grave.

Hinata was in shock, from the gates she had been certain that her beloved Naruto-kun was walking down the road. It wasn't until the orange clad figure had gotten closer to where she was held bound that she noticed it wasn't him. Looking over the four young people she saw Sasuke, Gaara, Tamari, and Kankuro. Where was Naruto-kun? It was then that she noticed a bed trailing along behind the group, it held perfectly still, suspended in the air in exactly the opposite way a brick does, and out of it, shone Golden hair… Golden hair above an ash gray face.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata found her voice. She had never been the type of person to speak out in a crowd; she usually tried to be invisible, a difficult task considering the fact that she was heir to the Hyuuga Household. "NARUTO-KUN, ANSWER ME!"

The golden haired young man didn't as much as twitch. Everyone else however had stopped to stare at her. In a calmer, and much more controlled voice, Hinata turned to the last person anyone would have expected.

"Gaara, what happened to Naruto-kun?"

Gaara looked uneasy, but said nothing.

"Gaara of the Desert, you WILL answer me!" Yelled Hinata

Gaara opened his mouth, and then stopped and shook his head. Having done this he walked past without a sound, carrying the blonde behind him.

To say Hinata was shocked is an understatement of epic proportions. She had been certain that Gaara at least, would be willing to tell her what happened. He was the only person in the group that feared nothing, the only one who cared for nothing. As Tsunade walked past her face was set in a blank expression and she said only two words.

"I'm Sorry."

At the sound of those two words Hinata broke down. There on the side of the road she cried as though the light of the sun had been denied her. In a way…. It had.