Hi everyone. This chapter is on the shorter side so we don't end up with another 7k chapter. There was a clean break here so I took it. I"m currently working on another meatier chapter after this, so get ready for some serious fallout. Things are really busy for me right now, so I'm only able to carve out tiny chunks of time to work on the story. For those of you who have been leaving reviews and sending me words of encouragement, it really helps. It really truly does, and I appreciate every one of you. Feel free to ask questions and PM me any time. If you have an account, I'll try to get back to you within 24 hours. If you are a guest, I'll answer your questions here in the "Ponchoninjax3 Rant" section of the story. In the meantime, enjoy some serious stuff.

Hinata weakly reached up and looped her arms around Beki's neck. Hinata couldn't help but notice how soft Beki's skin was. It was smooth and nearly blemish free. Hinata really wanted to kiss it. She shook her head. Beki was barely in better shape than Hinata, but she managed to scoop her up and carry her inside. True to his word, Hideki had cleaned the place up nice on the inside. Paper lanterns cast a soft glow along a path to the room he had intended for them.

"At least he thought of everything," Beki grumbled as she followed the trail of lights.

"We both need medical attention," Hinata realized. "We should try to get home immediately."

Beki kept heading toward the bedroom.

"Hinata, it's nightfall and we are at least two hours from Konoha. The road is unlit, the only horse available is one that doesn't know us, and neither of us are in enough shape to navigate the way home," she explained. "It would be smarter for us to do field medicine on ourselves, bunk up for the night, and head back into town in the morning."

"Do you think we'll be safe here all night?" Hinata asked.

"I think Hideki wanted the two of you to be left alone," Beki reflected.

They arrived at the suite. It was romantic but very traditional, with a plush double wide futon, warm blankets, a half dozen softly glowing lanterns, rose petals, and a tray of strawberries. The two stared in uncomfortable silence for a moment as the unmet purpose of the room hung over them. Hinata could feel herself getting warmer from the inside. It was kind of sexy in here.

"Well," Beki set Hinata down gently on the futon. "I'm going to check out the bathroom."

Beki walked through the sliding door into the great marbled bathroom. There was a tub for two, a toilet in a separate closet, a shower, and a bottle of champagne chilling in the sink. She walked over to the bottle and took a look at the label. Beki whistled.

"What is it?" Hinata asked from the futon.

"Expensive champagne."

Hinata heard Beki pop the cap.

"I'm having some to take the edge off the throbbing in my face," Beki called out. "You want some?"

Hinata gulped. She should be terrified and traumatized after everything, but somehow this was all exciting. She shook her head again.

"Beki, you have a head injury and I was just drugged with god knows what," Hinata clenched the sheets. "I don't think we should be drinking."

Beki was quiet for a moment, then she called out:

"Fair point."

Beki started the water and stared inside the shower. Water came down from a panel in the ceiling, so it would be like standing under the rain. Surprisingly, it got hot and steamy very fast.

"What are you doing, Beki?" Hinata had felt the way Beki's legs strained under Hinata's weight as she carried her in. It probably was a bad idea for Beki to try to shower.

She heard the door open and Beki climb in before she responded.

"I have never felt so cold in my entire life," Beki's voice was faint from more than just the noise interference of the water. "I…I don't know if I can ever feel warm or clean again."

Hinata's heart was racing. She needed to get in there with Beki. Half of her was terrified Beki would be in trouble and collapse in the heat, the other half just thought it would be exciting to share a shower. After a moment of internal struggle, Hinata called out.

"Beki, you can't be in there alone. I'm coming in."

Beki didn't protest, which Hinata took as consent. She stripped down and climbed into the shower with her. Beki was slumped against the wall of the shower as the water streamed down over her body. Bruises were starting to form on her face, her chest, and her sides. Hidiki had really done a number on her.

"Are you alright?" Hinata reached out and gently touched the swelling on Beki's cheek.

Beki's eyes fluttered and she began to tip forward. Hinata caught her mid fall and held her in her arms.

"Beki? Beki!" Hinata shook her until her eyes opened again. "Beki, you have to stay awake."

Hinata shut off the water and carried Beki to the futon. Their clothes were still soaking wet, so she wrapped Beki in a towel and lowered her into the bed. Every time they made skin to skin contact, Hinata's heart skipped a beat. It had to be that damned aphrodisiac, Hinata thought. She climbed into bed beside her friend and pulled up the blankets. It had begun to rain, which dropped the temperature and played a lullaby outside. Hinata pulled Beki into her arms and shook her gently; her eyes had been closed again.

"Beki, you can't fall asleep."

"Okay," Beki's voice was slurred like she was drunk.

Hinata was scared. Help was sure to be coming soon, but what could she do for Beki if she slipped into a coma? Beki was her best friend. She had come out to save her when she was barely able to stand and had almost died for it. No, there was a chance she would die for it. The thought that she might lose her friend and that it would be all her fault made her eyes sting. Tears spilled out onto Hinata's cheeks.

"Hey," Beki drunkenly reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "We're okay. We're safe. Don't cry."

"Don't die, Beki," Hinata cried. "Please don't die."

"Shh," Beki snuggled Hinata. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?" Her eyes drooped. "Not going…anywhere."

"Beki?" Hinata shook her again, but this time there was no response. "Beki! Please wake up!"

Hinata shook her and shook her but nothing was working. Panic and despair gripped at her heart.

"Beki! Please don't leave me!" Hinata tried shaking her again, then she tried slapping her face gently. Hinata's heart raced as she ran out of options. She remembered how Beki had saved her only hours before with the kiss of life. Hinata decided that trying something crazy was better than doing nothing at all, and so she leaned in and kissed Beki on the mouth. At first there was nothing, but at last she felt Beki stir. "Beki?"

"I'm awake," Beki said weakly. "That's like, the third time you've kissed me today. Shouldn't you buy me dinner or something?"

Hinata laughed in spite of herself. Even on the brink of death Beki was cracking jokes.

"I'll buy you dinner once we get home," Hinata cradled her. "We'll go home tomorrow, so you have to stay up tonight."

"Talk to me," Beki shook her head gently. "It's easier to focus when you're talking."

"Okay," Hinata smiled through her tears. "Let's see. What do you want to hear about?"

"Anything," Beki sounded a little more with it, but not enough for Hinata's worry to pass.

"I could tell you about the time Naruto and his friend Sasuke accidentally kissed when we were in school?" Hinata offered.

"Ooh, that sounds like a good one," Beki smiled weakly. "Shoot."

…

The next morning, the girls woke up shortly after sunrise. Groggily they rose and put on their still slightly damp clothes. The lanterns had burned out but the sunshine was bright enough for them to find their way outside. They both avoided looking at Hideki's graying body.

"Should we do something about that?" Beki felt her bruised face self-consciously.

"No," Hinata shook her head. "Leave it like it is. The police will probably want to come out and investigate."

"Good point," Beki sighed as she hopped onto the horse. She extended out an arm to Hinata and pulled her up behind her.

"You look terrible Beki," Hinata touched one of the deep bruises on her face.

"Well, they'll take us pretty seriously then, huh?" Beki tried to smile, but winced. It hurt to show emotion.

Beki led the horse back onto the main road. The rain the night before had turned the dirt into a deep sloshy mud. No wonder they haven't found us yet, Beki thought. She kept the horse at a slow steady pace. Any time she tried to speed things up, both Hinata and Beki felt aches and pains all over. Beki sighed with frustration. It was going take hours for them to get home.

"Do you think they're looking for us?" Hinata asked.

"Probably," Beki replied. "If nothing else, the Hyuga clan is on the look out for us."

After a long pause, she said:

"I hope they sent word to my dad," Her face was set, but Hinata could tell something was wrong. She gave Beki a reassuring squeeze around the waist and put her head on her friend's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay Beki. We're safe now."

Beki didn't say anything but Hinata felt her let out a soft sob. As they trotted along on that lonely woodland pass, the traumatic events of the night before started to catch up with Hinata too. She remembered the fear and helplessness she had felt, the horror at watching her friend trying to defend her and being beaten so savagely, and she started to cry, too. They rode on for twenty minutes like that, each girl silently crying for her own reasons, trying not to disturb one another. Once the tears were out of their system the exhaustion and hunger set in. They moved forward, glazed eyed, for the next few hours, until a patrol caught sight of them.

"Hyuga Hinata?!" They heard called out from the trees.

Hinata looked up and called out:

"Yes?"

A three man squad leapt down from the treeline in front of them. They were all wearing the standard Konoha uniform of a green flak jacket and blue shirts and pants. Beki recognized one of them as the gate guard she had met on her first day in down.

"Tsukimori Beki, too," He gasped. "Are you two alright? Everyone is looking for you!"

"No," Beki shook her head. "We-" She shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath to keep back the tears. "We aren't alright. But we will be now."

"Let's get you two home," The guard she recognized from the gate approached them gently and took the reigns of the horse. "You can explain on the way."

The girls took turns explaining the story. Hinata told her portion of the abduction, then Beki. Then they explained the mansion, the drugging, and Beki's near murder. The guards were all shocked into silence. One of them shook his head and asked:

"But if he drowned you, then how are you-"

Beki looked him dead in the eye with a face set as hard as stone:

"I came back and I killed him."

"Kenji Hidiki is dead?" Another asked.

Beki got very quiet and looked down at the horse. Hinata could feel her friend's distress so she spoke up instead.

"She had to do it. He was about to-" Hinata bit her lip. She was feeling ready to cry again.

"It's okay," The gate guard shook his head. "You two don't have to talk anymore. We'll be home soon."

Home, Beki thought. If only that were the case.