Broken Helix: part VI: Torture

"So," Tsunade sighed deeply as she sat back in her chair. "They have him."

"Yes," Gai nodded. "He came back of his own free will. Neji was never one to run away."

"How long does he have?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," Gai said, trying to remain calm. "They won't let anyone see him. For some reason they say they have new information that allows them to skip his trail completely."

"I see," Tsunade sighed again.

"I should be going now," Gai said. "Things to do…."

He turned and walked to the door.

"Gai," Tsuande said.

He stopped and turned to her silently.

"I'm sorry," she said, her eyes sad. "I'm so sorry. I know he's innocent. I know you taught him with all of the values you hold to yourself. And yet I can't do anything."

Gai turned away again. "The Hokage must be fair and just at all times," he said. "Favoritism can play no part in being just. Justice must deal with facts, not feelings. And for Neji, we can't prove anything."

Gai opened the door and left, not wanting to talk about it anymore. He still felt like he failed. He not only failed Neji but those who cared about him.

The Hyuuga clan was so vast and old that they had many things most other clans in the village did not. For example, they had their own small prison for people of their own clan. It was in the forest, in an area few people tread. It was cold, dark, severe, and eerie, even to the strongest of hearts.

Neji sat on the freezing cold, hard floor of his cell, meditating. For two days now he had been in this place without food or water, and there were no windows that allowed him to see the sunlight. A thick, heavy metal collar was around his neck, and it was chained to the wall. Some of his blood had been drained from him, his chakra weakened with wards and medicines. He knew they would keep him in here to suffer. To break his spirit before they killed him. But he was not so easily broken.

Light flooded the corridor as a door opened at the end, and he heard footsteps approaching. As his eyes were adjusting to the light he heard a voice on the other side of the cell bars. A cold, unfeeling, eerie voice.

"Enjoying your stay?" the older Hyuuga asked coldly.

Neji said nothing. He heard a key unlocking the cell door and looked up to the evil man in front of him. Neji could sense it. His darkness, evil, and disgusting heart. He never did like having to call this man "uncle."

"That collar suits you."

Again, Neji said nothing. He sat there calmly.

"How many times did you take Hinata?" his uncle continued. "How many times did you think you were worthy of that right?"

Neji shut his eyes and appeared to be meditating again.

"Did you like the taste of her?" his uncle smirked. "Did you like tainting her with your filthy hands?"

Neji's sat there in tranquil silence, and it started to infuriate the older man. Even though Neji's clothes were smeared with dirt, his long hair tangled, and his features pale from the lack of what his body needed, he was still strong and radiant, much to the disappointment of his uncle.

"Tell me, to clear your own conscious," his uncle asked, still trying to look calm. "How many times did you bed Hinata?" He felt the green of envy spreading through his body.

Neji opened his eyes and looked up. His uncle's hatred doubled when he saw no trace of anger or malice in those eyes.

"I never touched or harmed Hinata," Neji said calmly. He then closed his eyes as if meditating again.

"Lies!" the older man roared. "I know you two fornicated behind closed doors. You will tell me the truth!"

Once again, Neji gave nothing but his silence.

"How many times did you touch her soft skin?" his uncle said with a dark smirk. "How many times did you hear that whimper she tends to make with you fondle her too hard? Or the way she chokes when your cock reaches too far down her throat?"

Neji's eyes started to open slowly.

"She tends to bruise easily, doesn't she?" the older man smirked as he held up his hands. "You can see the marks of your own fingers on her skin. It is unsightly. But she makes up for it when you see the view of her head bobbing up and down on your lap."

Neji's fists clenched until his nails dug into his palms.

"We take for granted how flexible female ninja become," his uncle continued darkly. "The positions Hinata can bend and stretch into, all for a man's viewing pleasure, are a sight to behold."

Neji's rose slowly until he was standing, his head lowered so that his uncle couldn't see his eyes in the dark cell. His uncle stood just out of reach.

"Tell me, Neji," the man said. "Why did you think you were allowed to keep your hands and eyes and that filthy appendage in your pants? Do you really expect me to believe that Hinata would offer her body to spare you the torture if there was not something more than friendship between you?"

Neji kept his head down, he was breathing more heavily.

"I could just have you killed now, but then who would pleasure me every night? I'm going to get as much use out of her as I can. So far she has only taken me into her mouth, but there are other areas to explore, aren't there? As long as you're alive, I can take her anytime I want. One more reason for you to meet death willingly for her. Don't bother trying to tell anyone. No one would believe you, especially with all of the evidence stacked against you. Now, if you'll excuse me, she should be in my study about now, waiting spread-eagled on my desk as I've asked."

Suddenly Neji's eyes snapped up and met his, and he felt himself shaken, because there, on that normally tranquil face, were eyes burning with rage so intense that the hottest flames paled in comparison. The older man stepped back out of harm's way, then attempted to compose himself, trying to laugh it off. But then, Neji took the chain that connected to his collar, and broke it effortlessly as though it were made of fragile glass.

"Guards!" the older Hyuuga yelled as Neji slammed him hard against the bars of the cell. Even with his body so weakened by the abuse in this cell, Neji still persisted. Although the older Hyuuga was trained in the same fighting style, he was soon to find that his speed was far below Neji's, and in the seconds it took for the guards to reach the cell, he had been hit dozens of times. Fortunately for him, Neji didn't have the chakra left to damage his internal organs too heavily. Unfortunately for him, Neji's attacks were still inhumanly powerful. The young man was fueled by pure rage now.

Four guards dove onto Neji and tried to pull him back, but he easily flung them off and charged at his uncle again. And now Neji spoke, his voice no longer gentle or calm or patient.

"IF YOU INSIST ON TAKING MY LIFE, I WILL INSIST ON GIVING YOU A REASON!"

His uncle suddenly positioned himself to activate Neji's curse seal, but Neji grabbed his wrist, and easily broke it, a sickening snap heard throughout the cell before Neji was tackled to the ground. It took ten men to restrain him, and they were still being exhausted by his efforts to rise again.

"Please wait to activate the seal in a proper execution so that everyone may see," one of the guards said angrily while he tried to hold Neji down.

The older Hyuuga stood with help from people who didn't want to get too close to the struggling captive, and escorted him from the prison.

"Couldn't wait to get another crime under your belt, could you?" one of the guards snarled.

A needle was stabbed into Neji's leg, and five times the dosage necessary was emptied into him before he finally lay still.

When his eyes opened again, he didn't know how much time had passed. The cell was always dark and cold. He was lying on his stomach, and once again there was a cold metal collar around his neck, but he knew he couldn't summon the strength to break it again. His robes were tattered and torn, and he could taste blood. His body felt like a cold weight against the hard prison floor. His insides were screaming for nourishment, and his entire body felt dry from his lack of water. He tried in vain to push himself into a sitting position, but with the poison flowing through his body now, he could hardly tell which way was up.

Once more, the corridor flooded with light from the prison entrance being opened at the end. Once more he heard footsteps, though this time the echo hurt his ears. A key unlocked the door and someone stepped inside. But his eyes refused to focus or adjust. With all of his strength, he pushed up from the floor and managed to seat himself, sitting back against the wall for support.

His uncle was there now, glaring down at him, his arm bandaged but mostly mended with powerful healing techniques. He had bruises from Neji's attack.

Neji's face was cold and stoic, mostly because he didn't have the energy to build rage. But he felt his heart drop into deep sorrow when his uncle pulled from behind him a very frightened looking Hinata. He pushed her back against a wall, back where Neji couldn't reach him, and kissed her roughly. And Hinata didn't struggle. She knew her uncle had a blade in his robes, ready to torture Neji if she started to resist him.

She flinched when Neji rose and tried to get to them. But he nearly fell to the ground, his balance completely off. His vision was blurry and his body begging him to stop struggling. But he didn't stop. He tried to break the chain that bound him and started to grow more and more frustrated at his lack of strength.

Hinata felt her uncle's tongue reaching far into her mouth and she felt disgusted. His hands roughly grabbed at her breasts and she whimpered softly into his mouth.

"Stop…" Neji said, his voice nearly failing him. He could hardly manage that one word.

"We're going to put a little show on for your dear cousin," Hinata heard her molester whisper into her ear. His hand slid between her legs, and Neji watched helplessly as she started to wince in pain. Again and again he ignored his excruciating pain and fatigue and tried to break free.

"Get on your hands and knees" Hinata's uncle told her.

She obeyed slowly, half wishing that Neji would pass out from his pain so that he wouldn't have to watch or hear what was going to happen to her. She couldn't bare having him see her like this, but she needed to buy him whatever time she could. She knew that one of her friends, someone… anyone… would find a way to save him.

"Look away," she said softly, when she saw Neji's eyes begging her to stop. Begging her to fight back. "Don't look at me…."

Her uncle reached for her and slowly started to pull her pants over her backside when Neji spoke up, forcing his voice through his throat.

"Take them," he said, his voice hoarse. "My hands, my eyes, anything. Take them and leave her alone…."

Hinata looked up to see Neji on his knees, his head bowed. Her uncle moved away from her and stared down at Neji with dark satisfaction.

"Hinata," the cold voice said. "Remain my slave and I will allow him to remain imprisoned for most of his life. He will be given a cell with food, water, and sunlight, but he will remain in this place for years and years. Or, refuse and he will die as planned."

"I'll do it," Hinata said before Neji could get a word out.

"And if you ever refuse me, he dies horribly," he continued.

"I won't refuse," Hinata said, holding back her tears.

"Speak your last to him," her uncle laughed darkly. "You will never see him again."

And her uncle left, knowing that allowing them this time would increase their suffering. Knowing that Neji might later condemn Hinata for letting him live like that. Knowing that Hinata might start to hate Neji for living. He had an evil smirk on his face when he left the prison, telling the guards that Hinata had five minutes to see her cousin.

Inside the cell, Hinata threw her arms around Neji and held him tightly. "Don't hate me," she cried against his shoulder. "B… but we just need time. We need more time. We'll save you! I know it!"

Neji sat there silently, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Cousin Neji, please," Hinata wept. "I only accused you because he was going to torture you if I didn't!"

"I'm not your cousin," he said softly. "Don't call me that anymore."

Hinata said nothing more, her heart breaking. He hated her now. He refused her love, and now even their friendship. She slowly pulled away from him and looked down at the cell floor between them.

"Let me die, Hinata," Neji said.

"No!" she cried.

She looked up to see his face, but was shocked into silence at what she saw there. He looked at her, his face calm except for his eyes, which held utter grief. A lone tear slowly made its way down the side of his face.

"I'm not worth this," he said. "Even if they find a way to get me out next week, the week you suffered will not have been worth it. A fraction of a second wouldn't be worth it. I can't sit here knowing that he's hurting you."

"Neji--"

"Go tell someone right now," Neji said. "Tell someone what he's doing to you. It's over for me. I don't matter anymore."

"You matter to me!" she cried.

"Then let me die!" he said. "Let my spirit rest. That is something it can't do while I'm alive and you're in pain."

She started to cry, and his heart broke even more.

"Hinata," he said gently. "Let me make this choice for myself. I wish to die. I want you to live on for me, and I will continue to watch over you in death. You will find happiness, and that will make me happy."

Suddenly guards rushed down the corridor and came into the cell. "Time is up," they said as they started to pull Hinata away.

"No," she cried. "Wait!"

"We're sorry, Lady Hinata," one of them said. "But he's out of time."

"Goodbye, Hinata," Neji said. He was smiling gently at her.

Hinata fainted in the arms of the guards, and then she was taken away. Once again the cell was dark.

Kakashi stood facing Neji's friends on the riverbank. He looked down sadly, as if forming his words, then returned his eyes to them.

"Neji's execution is tomorrow," he said. "Neji has named me as his witness."

He saw Gai, Tenten, and Lee look up in shock, and he explained, "You were closest to him, and he didn't want you to see him that way."

Everyone was looking down now. Sadness. Anger. Tears.

"Can we see him?" Chouji asked.

"No," Kakashi said sadly. "I thought something like this might happen, which is why we had you say goodbye to him already. I haven't seen him either. I was summoned by the Hyuuga clan just recently. They won't even tell me where the execution spot is. They will escort me, blindfolded, tomorrow."

"They can't do this!" Naruto yelled. "They won't even let us see him! I don't accept this! They can't do it!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi began.

"I agree with Naruto," Sai said. "Naruto fights to bring back Sasuke, who is not innocent. Why is it so wrong to fight for Neji, who is?"

"Neji is bound by the rules of his clan," Gai said. "And he is also bound by the rules of this village. Tsuande can't intervene because there is no evidence to support Neji's innocence."

"If we ran the village according to our feelings and not our laws and logic, there would be chaos," Kakashi said. "Remember that." He turned away from them. "Dismissed. You have missions to do."

Slowly, sadly, they left… but only to talk about things elsewhere. Gai, however, stayed until they were gone. He walked over to Kakashi and stood with him.

"Don't you hate having to tell them things you aren't sure you believe yourself?" Kakashi asked sadly.

No one could sleep that night. All thoughts were on Neji. Even those who weren't that close to him couldn't get over the injustice of it all. He had worked so hard to better himself after the mistakes of his past, and yet he would die at such a young age in such a horrible way.

Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba all had the same mission in mind as each of them stared at their ceilings. The mission where they went to retrieve Sasuke. Neji had been the final addition to the team, and while they were all able to breathe easier because of his talent, they also felt uneasy. The mission happened recently after Neji nearly took Hinata's life, and he had always been so cold and hateful. None of them knew what to expect from him. But they were soon to find that he had already become a different person. He wasn't cold anymore, but rather… serene, yet determined. Silent, yet strong. And above all, self-sacrificing. That was the first time Neji had faced an opponent truly stronger than himself… and he almost lost his life protecting those he cared about.

Tenten and Leewere eachcrying against their pillows. Their teammate would be dying tomorrow. Murdered by his own clan. They each loved him like a brother. At first, he didn't seem to like them. He seemed to hate being part of a team and often sat away from them, looking into the distance. He was arrogant and mocking and pessimistic. But over the years, he grew to love them. He went through many events that changed him. He also allowed them to take a strong hold in his life. He became humble, gentle, and even more reliable than he already was. The strongest of them all, he would forever be theirs. Their friend, their brother, their beloved teammate.

Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai sat on the edge of their beds, thinking of the loss of one who had so recently join their ranks as an elite ninja. The first of his peers to reach the honored level of Jounin, he was hard-working, passionate, and caring. But obviously, none of them suffered as much as Gai. Gai had known Neji since he was twelve years old and just out of the academy. Over the years he grew to love all of his students, and vowed to always protect and guide them. And now… he had already lost one. Not to fighting or war or destruction… but to something much more pointless.

Naruto buried his face into his pillow. He felt lost and confused. When he first met Neji, they hated each other. Neji thought Naruto was nothing but a loser… a dropout. And then Neji lost a battle to Naruto, not because Naruto was stronger, but because Neji was too overconfident in his own abilities, underestimating what Naruto could do. But instead of hating Naruto even more, Neji started to respect him. With him, a friendship grew between them. And Neji paid Naruto the highest compliment that he could ever pay anyone. "You have better eyes than me," he said. Neji had said it just before he almost lost his life while Naruto ran to catch up to Sasuke. Neji was one of Naruto's most trusted friends. But now… confusion. The news Shikamaru and Sai had brought…. Naruto was lost. But looking back over it all, he knew he couldn't let Neji die.

If they could all hear each other's thoughts… if they all knew what one person could mean to all of them at once… each of them might have guessed that they weren't the only ones shedding tears.

It was three hours before sunrise. Three hours before the sun would rise, signaling the rise of many, and the fall of one. The air was cold, and it looked as though rain might fall. The clouds were grey and a mist was hanging in the air. There were many who hadn't slept at all. Many who felt anguish and loss at the coming of the sun. But there were also many who remained oblivious to the feelings of death and sadness the dark clouds brought with them. There were some who were blissfully unaware and in the dark. But for how long?

Neji was escorted out of his cell, ready to feel the rain for the last time.

---To Be Continued---