Ch. 16 The Pain Makes Me Say False Things

Neji's face scrunched up with agony as he lowered himself back to the floor. Then with a low growl, he raised his fist in the air, bringing it back down to the floor with a smashing punch. He was a monster, a repulsive demon. He only wanted to love her, he only wanted to make her happy, he only wanted her love, he only wanted to keep her safe. And now…she would hate him forever, scared of him, remembering the time that jealousy and lust had taken over him. He killed her, raped her. Neji curled up in a small ball on her floor, wishing to die as punishment for hurting and destroying his sweet and innocent little cousin.

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Hinata stumbled away from the compound as quickly as she could, but it hurt to walk, it hurt to move, it hurt to think. She could feel the sudden cold and wet drops of rain hit the top of her head and slowly fall down the side of her face. It seemed even the sky was crying for her, for her pain. She couldn't really see, her vision blurred, but her feet continued walking. Unaware of her surroundings, Hinata didn't notice that she had stopped under the same tree where she had healed Sasuke's arm, months ago. And even if she did notice, she didn't care. She couldn't. It was like the life was sucked out of her, leaving her soulless, and empty husk. The light in her eyes was gone, leaving them dull and lifeless, like a porcelain doll.

Her body shivered from the cold in her heart as well as from the rain. That was all she could feel, just the cold, the pain, the darkness; a void in her heart and mind. Her body cached and she was sore, unable to forget the pain her cousin had caused her. Memories of what just happened played over and over in her mind like a broken record. She couldn't remember anything else, no joy, no happiness, no love, no warmth. The world around her didn't exist, happiness didn't not exist. It was all an illusion. Every warm feeling, every hope, every joy wasn't real; it was never real.

Hinata could feel a small part of herself desperately trying to hold onto her joys, her hopes, her dreams, and beliefs; but she could feel them slip through her fingers. It was like trying to cup water in her hands; every drop, every hope that fell, she felt. The pain was ever constant, latching itself onto her tightly, not ever relaxing its hold on her. And the darkness, the black void closed in on her, drowning her, suffocating her, choking her. She cold barely remember a time when she would fight against it, but now…she didn't. Allowing it to engulf her, fill every cell in her body and for once, embracing it.

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Though his body was exhausted, his mind was wide awake and filled with excitement and joy he had never felt before. She loved him, she said she loved him. Sasuke could never remember wearing such a wide and bright smile. It was like everything in the world was suddenly right, she had transformed him. His heart was light, his mind filled with happiness, and his soul full with love. They loved each other, they were in love together. He had never thought it was possible, but it was.

Unable to lie still to fall asleep, Sasuke got up and left his apartment. Walking throughout the village, he gazed up at the stars, so small yet so bright. They reminded him of the light that Hinata brought into his life. In fact, everything he saw reminded him of her. It was as if she was everywhere; easily he could imagine her beautiful smiling face. Even when clouds began to cover the sky and the air became moist, he was happy. However, once the rain began to fall he started to head back, if he got sick he didn't want to give his cold to her; which meant he couldn't kiss her, couldn't get close to her. On his way back, his sharp eyes could see a huddled figure under a large tree. Sasuke frowned, the figure almost looked like…Hinata.

Racing over there, his suspicions were confirmed. Hinata was lying in a fetal position on the wet ground, soaked to the bone. Her curled hands covered part of her face, but he could see that her lips and fingers were blue.

"Hinata? What's wrong?" he asked her trying to mask his worry as he slowly reached out towards her. She didn't respond but when his arms were closer to her, her eyes that looked glazed over in a daze, widened with fear and panic as her body flinched, scooting away quickly. Worried a lot more than he'd like to admit, he tried again.

"Hinata…tell me what's wrong?" he asked her gently, his arms once again reaching out to her. But with quick and scared movements, she sat up and flinched away form him again.

"Don't touch me!" she screeched, making Sasuke pull away form her quickly.

"Hinata…"

"Get away from me!" she screamed, her eyes wild, darting from side to side as she began to hyperventilate.

"No. Hinata, tell me what is wrong." He demanded with a hard voice. Hinata blinked a few times, her eyes coming back into focus.

"I hate you." she murmured as her cold white eyes pierced his. Sasuke's eyes widened as her words struck his heart, making his mind go numb.

"I hate you!" she cried as she buried her face in her hands. "They were all lies! You made me believe, but it wasn't real! None of it was real!"

"Hinata…what are you saying?" he asked her trying to keep the pain he was feeling out of his voice. She slowly looked up so that only her cold angry eyes showed.

"Now you're the naïve one Sasuke. Did…you really think I could…love someone like you?" Sasuke's world froze in place, the cold and darkness that had once taken over his life, rushed back to him with a vengeance.

"You…you played into my plan perfectly." She said, making him narrow his eyes in anger. "You…made Naruto very jealous, especially…when he found out about last night…now he regrets ever betraying me…t-thanks for letting me…u-use you to get b-back at Naruto." Hinata said with a cold smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Sasuke's hands curled into tight fists at his sides as he lowered his head. He could feel himself fill with anger, hate, and pain. So it was all lies. Everything she said, everything she did…was a lie. She had used me to get to Naruto. Her smiles, her laughter…were all fake. She hates me. She hates me! With lightening fast movement, Sasuke had her pinned to the tree, his hand wrapped tightly around her throat. Hinata's eyes widened in shock as blood red eyes started hatefully at her.

"You bitch! You fuckin' bitch!" he growled with anger. Hinata wriggled under his tight grasp as she tried to loosen his grip, but he only squeezed tighter. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, letting out a silent scream. But when she opened her eyes again, Sasuke could see a soul-deep sadness in them. Seeing the pain he was feeling reflected in her eyes surprised him enough to let her go.

Hinata fell to the ground coughing and gasping for air. Her hand touched her throat gently, she could almost feel his hand still there, squeezing off her oxygen supply. Tears quickly formed in her eyes, his reaction had shocked her out of the drowning darkness in her mind. Looking up, she could see Sasuke standing and gazing down on her as if she was an annoying bug he wanted to step on.

"S-Sasuke…I…I didn't mean…" her voice slightly raspy was cut off from him.

"Come near me again…and I'll finish what I started." He threatened with his icy cold voice before he turned to walk away. His retreating back blurred as tears filled her eyes. She knew this was going to happen. She knew from the beginning that she was going to end up hurting him in the end. Being with him was a mistake, a big mistake. And now she lost him, she completely lost him…forever.

Hinata curled back up in a ball as she cried. She wished death upon herself for hurting him with her false words. She cried desperately for death to take away her sorrow, to take away the cold, to take away her pain.

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The sun was just about to rise when Naruto reached the training fields. He always like training in the early morning when it was cool and no one else was around. Inhaling the morning air he sighed, things were better, he felt better. Hinata forgave him, at least he thought so. She didn't hate him, that's what he was fearing this whole time. Scared the she would hate him for the rest of their lives. But thanks to Sasuke, she was healing from the wounds he had given her. She was willing to be friends with him again. It saddened him knowing that he could never have her back, but he could be at least a little happy knowing the two most important people in his life were happy together.

Setting his pack down, he looked for a good place to leave it so it wouldn't get in his way. Scanning the area, he spotted someone asleep on the ground near a large tree. Chuckling to himself, remember that many times he fell asleep in the training fields, he walked over there to wake them up. But when he got closer, the dark hair, the petite body, made him rush over to her quickly. Gathering her in his arms, he gently shook her.

"Hinata…Hinata, wake up." He said softly, studying her tear stained face that look scrunched up in pain. What the hell happened?

"Hinata…" he called to her again, shaking her in his arms. Suddenly she started to stir, her eyes fluttering open.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he asked her urgently, when her eyes reached his, seeing that they were dull and filled with pain.

"Naruto?...Oh it's all my fault!" she cried as covered her face with her hands. Naruto looked at he with shocked eyes.

"Hinata…wh-…what…"

"It's all my fault! I…I don't deserve to live!" Naruto gripped her shoulders tightly as he shook her hard.

"Stop that! Don't say that!" He yelled, she was scaring him with her dark words. Hinata shook her head, not listening to him, too wrapped up in the painfully sharp lies she told Sasuke.

"I knew it…I knew I should have never gone out with him." She whispered, tears falling from her eyes. Naruto frowned darkly as stared to fill with anger.

"Did he do something to you? Fuckin' bastard!" he growled, angry at the idea of Sasuke hurting her in any way, shape, or form. But Hinata quickly gripped Nartuo's shoulders, stopping him from getting up to search for Sasuke.

"No!" she cried, surprising him. The only times he's ever heard her raise her voice was when she was fighting and warning her comrade of danger.

"No…it's me. Don't you see, it's me!...I…I hurt him." She whispered sadly. Naruto froze, shocked at what she said. But Hinata would never hurt anyone, unless something happened.

"Hinata…I need you to tell me what happened." Naruto said purposefully as his blue eyes held her teary gaze.

"You…you have to promise not to hurt him." Hinata said with her watery voice. Naruto paused, thinking about her request, then nodded his head, agreeing to promise her. So with her lips quivering and the sadness that filled her eyes, she told him everything. From when she saw him having sex with Sakura at their wedding to the hurtful things she said had said to Sasuke only hours before. Naruto was quiet throughout the whole time she spoke, touching her arm lightly to encourage her to continue whenever she paused for a while. However once she was done, Naruto jumped up with anger.

"That bastard! That fuckin' bastard! He's a dead man!" he yelled loudly as he was about ready to run off and kill the man that hurt her so.

"No Naruto! Please don't hurt him!" Hinata cried as she tried to stop Naruto.

"That fuckin' bastard raped you and you want to protect him?" he screamed, angry with her for not allowing him to at least hurt Neji. Hinata lowered her gaze to the ground.

"H-he's my cousin…a-and…it was my fault." She said with a heavy heart.

"It is NOT your fault Hinata! Quit saying that!" he yelled, about ready to shaking her again for putting all the blame on herself.

"But it is…we…we started getting closer, he grew to be…one of my…best friends. I should have told him…I should have told him that I was going out with Sasuke. I should have told him that I only saw him as a cousin and a dear friend." She said sadly, guiltily. At that, Naruto did shake her again, grabbing her shoulders tightly.

"Damnit Hinata, how many times do I have to tell you that it's not your fault! You could have said all those things and he still could have raped you. Just because you tell someone you're not interested doesn't mean that they stop liking you or stop wanting you." he said softly, then quickly pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Let me avenge you Hinata. You didn't deserve this at all, it was never your fault…not even the things you said to Sasuke." He whispered to her urgently, it pained him so much to see her like this. Hinata wrapped her arms around her friend and continued to cry desperately. But once the tears stopped, she slowly slid from his embrace.

"Y-you promised Naruto." She reminded him softly. He looked at her with hard eyes for a while before sighing in frustration.

"Damnit Hinata, I hate this. You know how much I want to help you." he said impatiently. She nodded her head as her eyes lowered to the ground.

"But…nothing you do can fix this." She said sadly.

"I don't want you to go back there, it's not safe for you there." Naruto said sternly, wanting to do something for her.

"Where can I go?" Hinata said hopelessly. Naruto crossed his arms as the thought; he was going to have her stay with him, but that would probably be a bad thing.

"What about Ino? Aren't you and her good friends?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"She's with Choji right now…I don't want to bother them." Hinata said shaking her head. Naruto gently lifted her chin with his fingers, making her look up at him.

"Good friends are always supporting and helping one another. If she's a good friend, she would want to help you." he told her softly before putting his hand back down. Biting her bottom lip, Hinata slowly nodded her head, agreeing to stay with Ino for now.

"And don't worry about Sasuke…I'll see if I can knock some sense into him." He said with his normal grin.

"Don't tell him what happened!" Hinata suddenly cried, as she clutched the front of his shirt.

"What? Why? Surely he would understand that that's why you said those things, because you were hurt and in pain." He asked her, perplexed.

"Promise not to tell him Naruto." Hinata pleaded.

"But, Hinata…"

"Promise me! Please!" she demanded urgently.

"Okay, okay, I promise!" he cried with his hands up in a defensive manner. The grip she had on his shirt began to loosen as she nodded her head.

"Come on, let's go find Ino." He said as he gently steered her away from the training grounds.

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"Hey Choji, Ino with you?" Naruto asked once Choji opened his apartment door to the two of them. He looked at the pair curiously, he was also there at their wedding and saw what happened, it would be interesting to know under what circumstances had brought the two back together. Stepping aside, he invited them in, then turned his head.

"Hey Ino!" he yelled.

"What?" a yell responded from further in the apartment.

"Naruto and Hinata-san are here to see you!" he yelled back, closing the door and heading into the kitchen for more food. Thundering steps could be heard as they waited in the living room for the blond. Ino rushed in, panting with breath and wide eyes at the sight she saw. Naruto and Hinata sitting next to each other on the couch. But upon further inspection, she could see that they both looked like they were going through hell.

Ignoring Naruto, Ino moved and sat next to Hinata, gently brushing her hair out of her face, seeing the stains of tears on her face.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"I need her to stay with you at your place." Naruto answered instead. A smart ass reply was on the tip of her tongue, but seeing his bleak expression and the deep sadness in Hinata's eyes…this was a touchy subject.

"Alright…for how long?" she asked, looking to both of them, not sure who would answer. But both were silent, until after a few minutes, Naruto piped up again.

"For…uh…for a while." He said softly, looking worriedly at Hinata. Ino was busting with questions, but bit her lip to stop from asking them. There was a time and place for such things to be answered, and she knew that neither of them would open up and answer her anyways until they were ready. Putting her arms over Hinata's shoulder's, she pulled her friend close to her.

"You can stay as long as you want." Ino said quietly, slowly looking up towards Choji, but he just nodded his head, silent. She knew that he understood, he was the one who taught her how important friendship is in life, making her realize not to take it for granted. "Come on, let's start heading over to my place."

"Thanks, Ino." Naruto said standing up, heading towards the door.

"Wait Naruto, where are you going?" Ino called, as he was walking out the door.

"To tell Sasuke-teme just how stupid he is." Naruto said seriously, throwing Ino off. What he had said was nothing new, she knew that they argued and fought all the time, but Naruto usually would have a smile on his face when he would say that he was going to tease Sasuke…but now, there was no teasing smile. Suspicious and curious as ever, Ino was wondering just what on earth was going on.

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AN: I know! Such a sad chapter! Bet you guys never saw that coming either. I was listening to Hoshi No Suna by Gackt, and suddenly I had the urge to write something sad, so I wrote this. I know, it's so terrible for Hinata to say such things, but seriously…once that has happened to you, I'm sure you'd be untrustful as well. Plus you know, misery does love company. Okay so since you guys got two chapters so quickly together, you have to gimme some time to figure out how to patch all this up. Hehehe so we still have a while before this story is going to end…I'd say…maybe I dunno, no less than five chapters left…maybe more. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the sadness, and no Naruto and Hinata aren't going to get together again or anything…he's just a friend and will remain so for the remainder of the story. So see ya all next time, ja!