Chapter 9

Dedicated: Kayla12000 because she's a good follower and I feel as if I was a jerk last chapter. You're awesome! =D

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Only the storyline.

Warning: This chapter is pretty dark. I'm sorry for that but it's necessary. If you don't want to read I understand.

Note: I got inspiration for this chapter while watch "The Missing" last night. It's a fantastic movie on of my favorites actually you should go watch it if you can.

The rain pounded mercilessly on the roof of the small hut Neji was sitting in. The weather did nothing for his foul mood, his scowl deepened as his finger traced a jagged red line on a map.

Trails.

The map was littered with them, red lines that ran across the large map that Neji had been studying for days now. Running all over spaces of land big enough to hold a small town, each one an estate that somewhere on the thousands of acres of land there is a small house, this belongs to the owner of the estate. Despite the size and seemingly vacant stretches of land they are difficult to get through or by without being noticed. Riddled with detections and traps from the last ninja war, the men who owned these estates knew what they were doing, and they didn't play around.

This whole damn time he had been searching and he hadn't found one trail that lead to TenTen's attacker's estate. He had been down countless trails, asked countless people both far and wide.

He was beginning to think that this Akio Sato wasn't actually his name after all. With how invisible his estate was on the map, Neji guessed he probably had a couple names. Along with a couple estates…Neji inwardly cringed as he thought about the possibility of countless girls locked up on multiple estates. Neji thought he might even have an entire slave trade on his hands.

That damn bastard.

He was running out of time, and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed help.

Konoha lied in the distance, shining bright behind it was the fading glow of a sunset. Neji subconsciously relaxed when he got inside the gate. It was nice to see familiar sights when he had been gone weeks. People who knew him called out small greetings in passing to which he would nod his head accordingly. A little girl ran by, her hair in two buns. Neji watched her intently before she disappeared around the corner. It was a reminder that the bun-headed kunoichi was not inside waiting to challenge him in sparring or beg him to take her out for ice cream. He remembered how that day the brunette dramatically got on her knees to beg in front of him, emphasizing her need for sweets. Thinking of it, the corner of Neji's mouth quirked up in amusement.

"Sugar is my only weakness, I'm a slave to its powers please Neji pleeeaaaase." After he consented to getting her a double scoop triple chocolate and moose tracks ice-cream cone she hummed and smiled in contentment the rest of the day.

Her smile was branded into his brain.

It had been there as long as he could remember. She first flashed him her pearly whites in a gesture to be friends, long ago when teams had been put together. All though he had harshly declined the offer her smile was in his mind forever. Unwelcomed at first, but then as time went on Neji saw it more as interesting. The way it seemed to flood all the way up to her eyes, making them sparkle. Or the way her nose would crinkle if she was laughing really hard. At one point – Which Neji never really knew when it happened – her smile became a crutch for him, especially on the days he was broody, her smile would pop into his mind and remind him that maybe the world wasn't so demanding and harsh as he was led to believe.

Now the memory of her smile plagued him like a nightmare, reminding him that TenTen was not smiling. That the world had plucked yet another person he cared about from his watchful gaze. Worry, regret, and a sense of loneliness started to flood into Neji's chest. His mind began to wander, thinking of what could possibly be happening to TenTen at this very moment.

He shook his head quickly to rid his imagination of the possible tortures TenTen could be going through. Pushing aside his feelings of helplessness Neji started off towards the training grounds.

When he got to there, the two people he hoped would be there were indeed calling yells of youth and abundance while sweating to the beat of their almost music like sparring style.

"Nice, Lee. Again!"

"Again!"

"Your youth knows no bounds! Again!" Neji watched as Gai-sensei and Rock Lee pounded everything around them. When they had noticed that he was there they stopped immediately and smiled wide at him.

"Neji! How great to see you again!" Lee said while running over to hug the young Hyuuga who deftly stepped away from the green spandex clad lad.

"Gai-sensei, Lee, I have come to ask your assistance on a mission." Both of the exuberant ninjas perked at the sound of a mission.

"Ahhhh young Neji, we would love it very much. But where is the youthful TenTen who has so successfully been your partner in the past?" Gai said inquisitively. Lee cocked his head to the side and looked at Neji's expression of distaste.

"Are you and TenTen arguing again? "

"No, but TenTen is in great need of our help. She has been kidnapped by a man of the name Akio Sato. I don't know where he is, and I don't know how strong he is but he took TenTen down in her own home before taking her. I need your help to get her back. "

Gai and Lee's faces showed matching shock as they took in the information that Neji had just revealed to them. When Lee spoke it was barely above a whisper.

"Our beautiful flower…" Gai who had a more serious look on his face looked at Neji with suspicion.

"How long has it been since she was captured Neji." Neji exhaled slowly

"One month, 1 week, and 4 days." Lee gasped loudly

"Why have we not known about this?" He exclaimed loudly, his face in a menacing scowl now matching Gai-sensei's.

"Because you were gone on that mission for most of it and I got so caught up in trying to find her that I completely forgot that you two were here or even able to help." Neji stated tiredly, Lee's scowl only deepened, he walked right up to Neji looking him in the eye.

"How could you not tell us? We're the other half of your team, how could not tell us when such a vital part of our lives has been kidnapped? TenTen is our dear friend and your own personal sparring partner! HOW COULD YOU HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN TO HER!" Neji was shocked at Lee's anger towards him, but could come up with no rebuttal. Lee was right, it was his fault that TenTen was gone, that she was even exposed in the first place. She was forced to be on her own, and by that happening it weakened her. It was like she was put out on a platter waiting to be plucked up by the next person who was hungry. In turning his back on her Neji abandoned his teammate and brought defeat down upon her. The accusations came crashing down onto Neji, melding with his guilt, regret, and even fear of losing TenTen. He looked squarely into Lee's eyes. Swallowing back the large lump that had formed in his throat he answered.

"I failed her Lee, and I cannot continue to fail her. Please help me." Lee's dangerous demeanor left him quickly; it was replaced by a cautious disappointment with which he regarded Neji.

"Neji, we know you have done everything you could to find TenTen. That is an incredibly large burden to take upon. We will do everything to bring back our beloved kunoichi." Gai said, Neji looked over and nodded.

"Right, I'm sorry I didn't inform both of you earlier, I was consumed in just finding her." Lee stepped away from Neji and assumed an at ease stance.

"So, tell us what you know. We have to start as soon as we can."

"Not so fast Lee, we should start in the morning. We'll all do better with a good night's rest before heading out." Lee nodded an affirmation at his sensei before heading out of the training grounds without another word. Gai came over to where Neji was standing, confused at Lee's behavior.

"Lee looks at you and TenTen as his brother and sister, he's expressing his worry in the only way he can right now. He's shocked, and hurt but he'll get over it." Neji looked up at Gai-sensei

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He stated bluntly. Gai looked affectionately at his young student.

"No, it's only supposed to give you information so you can figure it out yourself. No one can control you but you Neji. Now get some rest before you fall over dead." Neji watched as Gai also started to leave the training grounds before following after them.

TenTen stared blankly at the dress lying on the bed. It was black and silk, she rolled her eyes at the man's gross obsession with silk. She didn't want to touch it. It implied so many things that she hated and secretly feared.

That he had won.

That she had to obey him.

That she was literally his property.

She hated that she was female, she hated that she was attractive, that she was weak, frail, pale, rosy, soft, helpless, but most of all she hated that she was scared out of her mind. The ever impending fear that he could come in and take what he wanted weighed on her constantly. He hadn't forced himself on her yet, but that's what this dress implied. It said she was his that he had her and she couldn't escape. TenTen continued to stare at the dress door opened and her spine tingled, knowing he was coming into the room whether she liked it or not. She crossed her arms and stared at the dress daring not to look at the man who had come up behind her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, fear and revulsion gripped her, she had to swallow to keep the bile from coming out of her mouth. Her stomach churned as he spoke four words to her.

"Put the dress on." Tears flooded up to her eyes but she kept them at bay, she clenched her teeth and refused to look at him.

"No." A hand slapped her face, causing her head to snap to the side and an angry red welt to appear on her cheek. She stumbled to the ground, her strength long gone from her almost daily beatings. Her ear ringing from the blunt force of the hit.

"Put the damn dress on." She looked up at the man, pure hatred in her eyes.

"Go to hell, you bastard." The tears that she had kept in had finally started trailing down her cheeks, partly because of the blow but also because she just couldn't hold them in any longer. He chuckled and kneeled before her.

"Precious, put the dress on or I'll put it on for you. Just like before." Her memory switched back to the time he had humiliated and violated her while dressing her. She forced herself to get up again, and went towards the bed.

"Leave then." She said as strong as she could, the waver in her voice reduced the dangerous quality though. He chuckled again.

"No." She turned her back towards him and began to slowly undress, her tears now slipping free of their own accord.

"Uh-uh precious, turn around." Refusing to do so she continued to undress.

"I said turn around!" He gripped her shoulders forcefully and spun her around so she was open to his eyes. She closed her eyes, and continued to undress, the tears now rapidly falling she pulled the black silk dress over her body as he watched.

"Very good precious, now clean up your face we're going to dinner." With that he left her. As soon as the door clicked shut TenTen slowly slid to the floor. Crying tears of pain all over again. She hated herself for doing what he wanted; she hated herself for not being brave or strong enough. She let out a groan of frustration and pain through her tears. She didn't have much longer before she completely broke under this monster.

OK! Like I said this was a dark chapter. I was close to crying writing this one. I almost didn't publish it because it was really hard for me to write. But I hope you guys enjoy and just know that this bastard is going to get what's coming to him.

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