In the dark Akatsuki cave…

The members with the symbolic red robes spoke in hushed whispers.

'Damn, that Hinata is annoying,' said Deidara.

'What are you going to do?' growled Hoshigaki Kisame 'You should kill them, you fool.'

'That's right, yeah, kill that weakling that that's one less ninja I've gotta worry about,' thought Deidara. '

'I know your thinking about killing that Byakagun, I've a better idea, bring her here as bait so that Gaara might come for her then we'll get the Shukaku… nothing will stop us now,' hissed Itachi through the darkness.'

'A good idea,' said Deidara, while fingering his stiched-on-hand's ring. Deidara always listened to Itachi and thought of him as a human that was closest to god.

'I'll be back right away,' Deidara scampered out.

The cabin was a peaceful place. The only sounds that could be heard were a soft breathing. Deidara crept in, as silently as the wind; he took Hinata in his arm and bound her quickly with his clay. He flew out, however, was unaware of Temari's watchful eye.

Temari quickly jumped inside the cabin and shook Kiba.

'Kiba, Hinata's been taken,' Temari tried to wake him up.

'Zzz Uh Whaa?' Kiba's words came out in snorts and grunts.

Temari slapped his face and repeated what she had in a much louder voice.

'What! There's no way!' Kiba jumped out of bed frowned at Temari. He wasn't going to let her go without a fight. He demanded to know where she was. Temari indicated a far away place.

She blushed as he jumped out of his bed with only his boxers on. When Kiba realized he too blushed and hastily jammed on a pair of pants and a t-shirt.

She signaled for him to follow her and told him that they'd be going to find where Gaara was.

Temari climbed into her room and shook Kankaru awake, whilst being accompanied by Kiba.

'Wake up, where's Gaara?' Kankaru rubbed his head.

'He could be anywhere, you know how he is.' Kankaru growled, annoyed at being awoken at this hour. Temari started to be agitated.

'Hinata's gone we need Gaara to help.' Their attention was then drawn to a light stepping and Gaara appeared from the hallway.

Kiba shouted 'We have to save Hinata! Why are you acting so calm?'

He was angry, he expected better of the Kazekage.

Gaara replied 'I really can't go, I belong here you also know that they want me.'

That was Kiba's breaking point. Kiba threw himself out of the window and went to where Temari had pointed and told him where Hinata might be.

Kankaru knew that his brother needed some talking to, if he was to go after anyone, as flying for him took up a lot of energy as he never practiced taijutsu.

'Isn't Hinata important to you?' questioned Kankaru.

'She is Naruto's friend; I know that I'm not very close to you but listen to your brother for once.' Kankaru explained in his most brotherly fashion.

With that Kankaru flew out the window with Temari. Gaara thought about it for a while, his stomach twisting in confusion and the minutes ticking by...

Under the evening moonlight…

The wind was cold; it blew at his face as he sat on Akamaru that was rapidly covering up the miles. He was thinking of what might've happened to Hinata.

'She could've been killed' were the main thoughts that were gone on in his head, He knew that he was slow as it had been a few hours since he left that window sill.

'You don't know the way at all do you,' Gaara's low voice came from behind Kiba.

'She's 10 degrees to the west,'

Kiba turned around in surprise.

'Where were you all along?' joked Kiba.

Gaara's eyes turned to him then returned to facing forward.

'I'm coming with you,' was all he said until they reached a cave entrance.

The cave mouth had many traps around it including a genjutsu which Gaara easily dispelled. There were a lot many explosive notes and large animals that proved to be worthy-Akatsuki distractions. After an hour of fiddling with the distractions they were finally able to reach the inner part of the cave.

'There's no one in here,' Gaara whispered, as they entered the cave's dark mouth.

In the cave…

Kiba rubbed Akamaru and reassured him that it would be okay. Then he turned his attention to Gaara.

'I'll stay guard, because I have a good sense of smell and sight and I'll be able to spot the enemy from far away. You go and find Hinata,' Kiba told Gaara.

Gaara simply nodded. He felt drained because he wasn't the taijutsu type and he had been flying for a long time. He crept in and examined every cell and carefully looked around for hidden traps whilst doing so. When he inspected every one and found out that Hinata wasn't in a single one. He went to find Kiba.

'I couldn't find her,' he reported.

'Can't you tell? She's under the floor. My nose sensed that right from the beginning. ' Kiba replied.

'Byakagun,' came a small sound from the ground. Gaara looked around in surprise. Hinata was close. She was under the floorboards. He bent down to look at the ground and found that it was sand. There was no problem in getting her out. He summoned his charka and started to form and charka-like vacuum which took in all the sand and fed it to the gourd. When couldn't suck in anymore he found a box where he knew Hinata was. He bent down to free her.

'Not so fast,' Kisame stepped out of the shadows.

'A cute little boy, how nice,' he murmered with an evil glint in his eye. He unwrapped his Samehade and prepared himself ready for battle. Gaara didn't want to show Hinata his Shukaku's body parts so he stood ready to defend himself. Kisame raced forward with his Samehade but Gaara's sand easily stopped him. He released a large quantity of sand which enveloped Kisame in and instant.

'Not good enough,' Kisame with his Samehade had already sucked in all the Chakra in the sand. Gaara kept throwing attacks at him using his own Chakra and soon he had used all his chakra.

'Shukaku lend me your Chakra' Gaara spoke inside himself. Soon he felt a strong surge of red chakra in his body. With it attacked Kisame and was able to knock him down. Poof! That was a kage bunshin. Kisame's real self was much stronger. It appeared and ran at Gaara. It pentrated Gaara's shield with ease. Now Gaara was really in trouble.

Gaara was hesitatant about showing Hinata (who had activated her Byakagun) his shukaku body but he knew without it he was doomed.

'Shukaku lend me your body,' Gaara told the monster inside him. His arms started to grow into shukakus's sandy ones. He heard Hinata gasp. Soon his body was slowly turning into shukaku's true form. The body had the advantage of strenght which was Kisame's specialty so he was able to defeat Kisame easily.

He told a blow at Kisame's head. Kisame stopped it with his Samedi but the Shukaka's special ability was to be able to deconstruct and reconstruct. He folded his arms around the Samedi and gave it a tug. Kisame wasn't able hold it anymore. Gaara then hurled it away, smashing it to pieces. With the Samedi gone Gaara could use his Chakra. He then penetrated each of Kisame's body cells with a grain of sand. It took a lot of chakra but finished him off.

Gaara slowly sat as he was at his limit. He didn't want to face Hinata, he knew she'd be scared of him now. Suddenly he heard a crack. Hinata was standing amongst the remains of the broken box, in the gentle fist stance. Hinata, too, sat down as she was covered with cuts and bruises. Gaara slowly went to Hinata expecting her to run away in horror from him but she stayed where she was.

He was puzzled 'Aren't you afraid of me?' She turned her head to him 'Should I be?'

'Hey, Gaara, is Hinata alright?' Kiba's voice came echoing from the darkness. Gaara decided to answer back.

'Yes, we're okay just bring us to the hosptial,' he called back. They heard a pitter- patter of light footsteps and were greeted by a shady image of Kiba on Akamaru. Kiba walked over to the injured pair and placed them comfortably on Akamaru.

'I'll bring you to the nearest hospital,' Kiba voluteered.

He took one of Hinata's hands and flew to the hospital with Gaara following.