Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me.
Many many apologies for taking so long to update! I've been getting settled into law school for the past while and have just not felt that spark to sit down and write something. Yes, I've been horribly lazy so a HUGE thank you to all of you who are still hanging in there with me!
We're nearing the end of this story - there will probably only be one more chapter after this - so I really hope you enjoy it. And congrats to The Dark Hanyou: you guessed what would happen correctly! Back to the fic now...
"Come on, Hinata! Hit that prick right in the prick!"
"Kiba, don't talk like that in front of Hinata."
"Shut up, Shino. I'm just giving her some pointers!"
"Eiii, Sasuke-kun! That was amazing!"
Leaping backwards, Hinata lifted her arm to defend herself. The voices of her teammates and friends was distracting. Ducking to the right, she focused her attention on the flurry of attacks directed at her.
He's too fast and I don't have enough chakra to allocate to the Hyuuga fighting style.
The thought raced through her mind while her body continued to move. She could feel herself slowing down as the relentless shower of fists and kicks continued to assault her.
There must be someway out of this.
Unbidden, her hands formed a particular set of seals. Seals she should never have been able to use.
"Ninpon Karamon no jutsu!"
Her hand intercepted an incoming fist. Hinata felt a surge of energy rush through her body as chakra flowed from Sasuke into her. He stopped dead in his tracks. Hinata wondered almost absently why he was staring at their connected hands instead of breaking the contact, why the colour was draining out of his already pale face, why the sound of his breathing was suddenly so much harsher…
It was as if her actions were leeching out whatever life was left in him.
Hinata stifled a yelp as large hands roughly knocked her arm away before returning to yank her forward. Startled white eyes met hard red ones.
Now why does this scene feel familiar?
"Where did you learn that?"
The venom in his hissed question surprised her. "Sas…Sasuke-kun?"
"Where did you learn to do that? Tell me!"
The iron-grip on her shoulders shook her so violently that Hinata could hear her teeth clinking together. The question was so unexpected and seemingly out-of-the-blue that she couldn't formulate an answer in her mind. Her hands rose in an attempt to loosen his hold.
"Sasuke-kun…stop…"
"Sasuke!"
His grip on her was suddenly removed as Kurenai appeared next to them. Moving to stand protectively in front of her student, the dark-haired woman regarded the Uchiha warily for a moment before redirecting her gaze to the other jounin standing nearby.
"Hey Kakashi, don't you think you should step in here?"
"I think I should."
If the other genins present were surprised at the direct answer issued from the generally indifferent Kakashi, none of them commented. All eyes were focused on the bewildering scene unfolding between the Byukugan and Sharingan user; even now, Sasuke's body was rigid, fists clenched and eyes boring unblinking at the trembling girl in front of him. Kakashi strode over to the three in the centre of attention, his visible right eye glinting sharply.
"Hinata."
The girl looked up at him, her feet unconsciously scuffing the dirt ground.
"H-hai?"
"Can you tell us where you learnt that move?"
His tone was kinder than Sasuke's yet the undercurrent of steel warned her that it was a demand, not a request. Hinata thought frantically, trying not to shrink behind her sensei.
I should have never used it! I am so stupid…
"I…I…"
Kurenai frowned; she didn't appreciate the way the man was interrogating her student.
"Look, Kakashi, Hinata is under no obligation to reveal the secrets of her attacks. For all you know, it could be a clan tradition…"
"I highly doubt that, considering it is one of Uchiha Itachi's creations."
Sharp gasps could be heard from the others. Akamaru gave a small whine, sensing the overpowering death ki emanating from the other Uchiha. The one left over. Sasuke abruptly lunged at Hinata, only to be restrained by a long, lean arm.
"Let go of me! You…girl…Hyuuga," in his rage, he couldn't even recall her name, "where did you learn that? You've seen him, haven't you? Tell me!"
"Sas...Sasuke-kun...gomen..."
That was all she could splutter out beforea welcoming rush of darkness flooded over the sight of his pained expression as Hinata slumped to the ground in a dead faint.
-o-O-o-
"Why did you do it?"
Hinata looked up, dully acknowledging the boy who was now leaning against the wall facing her. She was not particularly surprised to see him but had yet to mentally prepare herself for this confrontation. Sighing, she glanced around again at her surroundings. The cell was dark, the dying rays of light slanting across the hard stone floor and glinting off the metal bars separating her from the rest of the world. She supposed she should be glad she wasn't chained up.
"I don't know, Sasuke-kun."
He merely stared at her, the deceptively relaxed posture at odds with the tension evident in his tense shoulders and jaw. She noticed that he had removed, or someone had removed, both the weapons holster around his leg and the pounch on his hip. Her mind registered that that was probably a good thing for her.
"What did he say?"
"S-say?"
Red eyes flashed dangerously at her. It was not a good idea to provoke him. Not a good idea at all.
"Itach...he...he didn't say much. Just trained me."
"Why?"
All of a sudden, he had pushed himself off the wall and was gripping the metal bars of the cell so hard that Hinata almost expected him to rip the door off with his hands. She involuntarily backed away from him, clasping her knees to her chest as she huddled up on the cold, stone chair.
"Why did he train you? Why you?"
She heard it. Not only the question, but the question behind it. Although she did not know the underlying history, she still understood.
Why not me?
"I don't know."
The quiet answer hung in the air between them. Keeping her eyes fixed on his, Hinata watched as the boy took a shuddering breath and visibly controlled himself. Stepping away from her, he resumed his original position against the wall, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"I would kill you, you know. If only this room didn't inhibit chakra and I had my weapons. I would kill you without a single shred of regret."
She nodded. She knew that.
"I...I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."
He stared at her, his gaze unflinchingly cold. Colder than the tiny cell she was sitting in, even colder than the hate she used to feel whenever Neji nii-san looked at her.
"You will never say my name again. You are not fit to do so."
Hinata finally dropped her eyes; her vision had become suspiciously blurry. She nodded silently. He was right. Turning his back on her, Sasuke paused before leaving.
"I was right. You can't prove anything."
The sharp click of the door shutting signalled his departure. Upon hearing it, Hinata rubbed at her eyes, expecting tears to fall. With a hoarse laugh, she realized there were none.
-o-O-o-
"You cannot do this. She hasn't done anything wrong; you have no right to hold her prisoner."
Neji's voice was as calm as always. He stood squarely in front of the Godaime's desk, his opaque eyes fixed unwaveringly on her face as if to force her to accept his demands. She sighed; it had been a long night. What with Kurenai's almost hysterical shock and Uchiha Sasuke's need to be restrained from ripping the truth from Hinata...Tsunade desperately wanted a drink.
"Actually Neji-kun, Hinata-chan has done something wrong. Very wrong, in fact. She knowingly concealed an S-class criminal on more than one occasion and for that, she is being held for questioning here. I've explained all of this to Hyuuga-san. Nothing has been done to her that is out of procedure."
Her mild appeal to the Hyuuga's innate obedience to the rules was not unnoticed but ignored.
"Hinata-sama did not conceal a criminal. She merely did not inform you...or was prevented from informing you...of his appearance in Konoha. Which, I might add, is the job of the ANBU and the current Hokage."
Tsunade bristled at the barely-concealed sneer in his voice.
"It is the job of the ANBU and the Hokage to ensure the safety of the residents of Konoha, whatever that might entail. In this case, it just so happens that it entails the holding of Hyuuga Hinata until ANBU interrogators can discuss the situation with her and verify what exactly has been going on between herself and Uchiha Itachi."
"What!"
She managed to choke down a snort at the look on his face. His pale face was taut with outrage and the corner of his left eye was twitching. The Hyuuga prodigy was so well-known for being composed that seeing him in a burst of anger was truly a rare and amusing sight.
"Hinata-sama will not be interrogated by ANBU! She is not a prisoner and will not be manhandled like one! I absolutely forbid you to..."
"You forbid me?"
Her tone was dark. Neji's mouth snapped shut and he inclined his head in the smallest bow possible, resentfully apologizing for his momentary lapse. Tsunade allowed herself a small grin when his head was lowered. It was actually a good thing that he was standing up for his cousin.
"You may go now. There is nothing else to discuss."
She held up her hand when he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Don't worry. Hinata-chan will not be harmed in any way. I have already talked to her and let's just say that she is held here for a very specific purpose. I'm sure that someone like you can figure out what I'm hinting at without my telling you. Of course, none of what I just said will be repeated to anyone."
The crease in his forehead deepened. Rolling that obscure statement over in his mind, Neji gave a stiff bow and exited.
The Godaime whistled softly. Contrary to what she had just implied, Hinata knew nothing of the plan she had devised with the help of several other jounin and ANBU members. True, she felt somewhat bad for using Hinata in this way, but it wasn't in Tsunade's disposition to be overly scruptulous about such things.
Yes, if all things go smoothly, this should prove to be an eventful couple of days.
A/N: Ok, so I'll definately try my best to get the next chapter up in a few weeks. I know that seems like a long time but I'm already behind on my school assignments and reading so all I can promise is that I'll try my best.
And although I probably shouldn't, I'm in the process of writing a new Neji x Hinata fic. Yeah, I know I shouldn't since I've been neglecting 'I want you to teach me,' but the new idea just really struck me, so there! Oddly enough, I've written the ending FIRST again...