OH I am SO sorry for those who have really enjoyed this story and I have kept waiting. A long list of excuses include finals, work, blab la bla. You don't want to hear it right:P Anyway im back, and with a bunch of new ideas and characters to throw into the mix! So if you enjoy what you see make sure to leave a quick review, and your next chap will come out muuuuch faster. Without further A due… ENJOY!

Standard Disclaimer: sigh I do not own Naruto, or any of its great characters.

Destined To BE

Chapter 4: On the Run

"Can we stop now? My feet are hurting." She received no response from the almost painfully alert young man. "Are you even listening to me?"

'Could I have lost him that easily? Yea… no way he could have tracked me across the ocean even with his damn dogs. I'll have to stay away from civilization until I reach Sand country so he can't pick up my trail.' He was having an increasingly difficult time ignoring the hardly clothed princess.

Suddenly Naruto's strained hearing picked up a rustling about 70 feet to his right. He unleashed a shower or shuriken that would have made that strange girl from Konoha who wore those buns in her hair proud. Then he was instantly on the move forming shadow clones to leave no spot in the area unchecked.

Hinata was left slightly speechless at her captor's sudden onslaught on a bush, before frantically scouring the area. When he returned he was visibly pissed off.

"Wh-what was that?" She asked timidly

"C'mon. We've got to keep moving." Hinata took one more look at his all too familiar back and finally let go of the frustration she had been feeling.

"I have been walking for HOURS without a rest with a kidnapper who hasn't said a word, and randomly attacks a bush with enough force to kill an elephant! I am NOT taking another step!" He gave her a slightly bewildered look for a moment. Hell, she was amazed at herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had even so much as raised her voice.

The next thing she knew she was being carried fireman style again continuing the path. She felt highly embarrassed at being taken so lightly.

"W-what are you doing? I didn't ask for you to c-carry me. Put me down." She commanded in a weak voice. He turned his head and met her flushed face with a cocky grin he had perfected, which caused her to become even more flustered.

"So you would rather walk?" He commented lazily, as if carrying princess in a compromising position wearing nothing more than a light dress which became much too transparent for Hinata's taste when wet.

She instantly averted her gaze. "I-its n-not lady like…" she mumbled as she fidgeted nervously under his hand which held her upper thigh. Naruto let out a quick burst of laughter before deciding he couldn't help himself.

"Oh? I suppose your not used to a man's touch all cooped up in that castle." He almost sang. His hand began to slowly creep up her thigh while idly drawing circles with his finger. He chuckled at her increased fidgeting and embarrassed mumblings when she suddenly went… limp...

He stopped in his tracks confused for a moment before bursting into manic laughter.

"Ha-Ha she fainted! She must be even more high-strung than I thought. Fun's over but at least she wont nag me for awhile." Throughout the whole episode he couldn't shake that ominous feeling. That feeling that he was being watched. For the tenth time he reassured himself that there was no way Kakashi could have caught up to him so quickly. On top of that, there aren't many who can sneak up on Naruto with his enhanced senses.

Far above in a cluster of leaves, concealed eyes watched the episode impassively.

On the other side of the continent Ino was arriving at her master's designated reunion spot in the event of a raid. When she arrived she sensed no one, but knew that was not the case.

"The leaf that has fallen shall be returned to its limb." She recited.

"And you shall deliver it." The code was returned by Itachi as he dropped from the trees. "I see you made it out unharmed."

She felt a twirl in her stomach when she felt Itachi was showing his caring for her, but it was crushed soon after.

"Where is Naruto?" He asked intently.

"We were separated in the tunnels. He still had the princess." He seemed to think for a moment before resuming his usual impassive aura.

"I am not worried. Naruto will deliver the princess to our location in Konoha."

"But what about Kakashi? I saw him in the tunnels. Or Orochimaru? He will surely know the princess is not in our hands or Konoha's. He could have been the one to tip them off to our location just to-"

"That's enough. I does not matter that they have found our hideout, or if Orochimaru did indeed betray us." He silenced her plea with little more than eye contact. "It is true however, that Naruto may encounter resistance greater than even he can handle while hindered by the princess. I want you to find him, and make sure the plan is fulfilled."

Ino was immediately relieved. Naruto could handle himself, but there was no limit to the trouble he could drag on himself without her along. The thought of Naruto and that princess alone pissed her off, but she convinced herself that it wasn't jealousy. She just hated the way Hinata looked at Naruto even though he had kidnapped her.

"Understood." She was trying to avoid the eye contact with her master because she was sure he could read her every thought.

"Good. Wait for him at Sand country. You should arrive first since you are unhindered."

"Yes Master. I am glad to see your ok."

"I could not be destroyed so pitifully. That is all." And with that he disappeared.

'Naruto just don't do anything stupid until Sand country.'

Hinata opened her eyes to the starry sky and pondered for one bliss full moment where she was. It all came flooding painfully back when her muscles screamed in protest as she sat up.

"So you're awake. You must have gotten too worked up." He tossed at her playfully. She turned her head towards the fire in embarrassment as those memories came back to her as well. What she saw had her mouth watering. A small wild pig was roasting atop the flames and the aroma made her stomach growl most unladylike.

He laughed again. He seemed to do that a lot when he wasn't fighting she thought. Maybe hadn't become as cold as he seemed at first.

"The pig will be done soon." He used that emotionless voice again. 'How can he be so cold one minute and laughing the next?'

Naruto however was berating himself. 'Damn get a hold of yourself Naruto! You're not supposed to get friendly with her. Who gives a shit if I saved her once? That was then, this is now. She got me in big trouble with Master then too! She's nothing but trouble for me and I'd be better off if she were dead. She's way too innocent… and it doesn't hurt that she's got a nice ass… NO! Don't start thinking like that!' When he finally was finishing retuning his mind to keep on task he became aware of some bugs flying around him…

A lot of bugs! Naruto's danger sense kicked in and he leaped onto a tree before leaping again beside Hinata as Kunai followed him the whole way. The air was thick with bugs now.

"Why don't you come out and face me? I know you've been following me!" A shadowed figure emerged from behind the trees.

"Most impressive. There are very few who can detect any trace of my presence." The obviously male and toneless voice responded.

"And very few who could get the drop on me." Naruto replied while taking in his surroundings. The bugs were now hovering as if waiting for the call to attack.

"They respond to my will. Give up the princess or you will force me to kill you."

"It will take a hell of a lot more than a few bugs to take me down!" Naruto was still feeling out of his element with this type of opponent.

"Very well." Suddenly the bugs swooped on Naruto's location and he found himself constantly trying to evade them all. Every instinct in his body was telling him not to touch them.

He hastily formed a handful of shadow clones and tried to send them through the barrier of insects between himself and his unknown attacker. The clones were quickly dealt with, and he began to feel his energy slipping much faster than it should at the pace he was moving. 'What the hell? Why am I getting winded already?'

"My bugs have already begun sapping your chakra. You will not be able to evade for much longer." He said in a voice that was neither cocky, nor compassionate. That same stoic tone he had used the entire time.

"Fuck! How the hell do I get rid of these damn bugs?" When he tried to remove the ones that had already latched onto him more would just seize the opportunity. "Damn it. I can't play around any longer." He began concentrating any chakra not being used to fuel his legs into his palm. It increased in strength until he could feel the spiraling condensed energy. It wasn't like him to use his trump card so quickly, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

He charged through the bug barrier blowing the insects aside and connected with the stranger directly in the chest. "RASENGAN!"

The form suddenly burst into a swarm of insects that wrapped itself around Naruto's arm. "What the fuck?" The ball or swirling chakra was quickly dispersed as the bugs rendered Naruto's arm nearly useless.

"Bug Clone." Said the same annoying voice as he dropped from the trees. Naruto thought of rushing this one with his remaining chakra in an attempt to end it, but thought better of it.

"You're even sneakier than I gave you credit for." Naruto tried to ignore the bugs reforming around him as he strained all of his senses to find the real attacker. He couldn't be far…

"Surrender. This is your last chance. You can no longer use any jutsu. You have lost." The guy's voice was really starting to infuriate Naruto. Think he was helpless now did he?

'We'll see who's lost.' Finally deciding he had a vague idea of his attacker's location. He raised both his arms and formed his favorite seal. "Taiju Kage Bushin No Jutsu!" Clones formed not only within the circle of insects, but everywhere among the trees. They mobbed the area he was tracking, and he saw a shadow shoot in the opposite direction.

Using many of his shadow clones as a shield before what little chakra he had given them was used up. He ran toward a large bush he was sure held his attacker when he was suddenly leaped at. He was kept on a constant defense as shuriken barely missed his vital points.

'These damn bugs are slowing me down too much. I'm almost out of chakra, and my right arm is just about useless.'

'So why do you not take the power you need?'

'I DON"T need it. Stay the fuck out of my head fox!

'Your panic woke me. You're pathetic. Letting this weakling get the better of you.'

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Naruto roared out loud as he finally sent the enemy skyward with a powerful kick. Three of his remaining clones met him at the height of his flight and each delivered a crushing blow sending him downwards.

The sound of retreating insets were the only thing to be heard other than Naruto's heavily labored breathing. He only stood for a moment checking how long it would be before he regained the use of his arm. Then he suddenly looked franticly for the princess. He sighed loudly.

Hinata was running blindly through the woods. She was desperately lost, but she couldn't go back now. She didn't really know what to think about Naruto at the moment, but she didn't like her impressions of his master. He felt far too similar for some reason, and he frightened her. She had no desire to see him ever again. Then this bug guy comes out of nowhere and she doesn't feel like going with him any more than Naruto. Her distracted thoughts betray her and she trips over a fallen tree to clutch her ankle painfully. She was distracted from that too when a hand closed tightly around her neck, and she was pinned to the trunk.

"Where the hell did you think you were going? Did you actually think you would escape?" She fought vainly with his uncomfortable grip on her delicate neck. He then took the coldest voice his angry temper at that moment would allow. "Do you think we need you alive?"

Hinata stopped struggling immediately. She looked at him with fear and mild defiance in her eyes.

"I want your word you won't try to escape again or ill kill you here and now." He continued. She seemed to weigh his resolve for a moment. 'Damn I hope she doesn't realize I'm bluffing.' He thought, and his resolve almost did break as tears flowed from her nearly white eyes.

"O-okay…"

"So you swear it?" He released his hold on her neck.

"I-I swear I w-won't try to escape again."

"Good."

"Ow! What are you doing?" she asked painfully.

"Your ankle. You nearly broke it." He told her as she winced again. He began to force chakra into his hands. He never learned any healing jutsu, but he knew some tricks.

'Why does he even care about my ankle? He just told me he would kill me… Would he really do it? Wait… that feels good..'

"W-what are you doing?" she asked timidly. Her ankle was soothingly warm where his hands were, and the throbbing was slowing.

"These things would normally take weeks for someone like you to heal. I'm just speeding it up."

"W-why do you care?" Her eyes were searching to meet his. Naruto sighed inwardly again.

"I don't. I just don't want to have to carry you the whole way." Ignoring the eep she made, he picked her up and began carrying her. Only it was bridal style this time. She was avoiding his gaze once again. The moment was ruined however when…

His stomach growled like a starved bear.

Naruto had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. "You realize our dinner was destroyed…"

AAAAAHHHHH chap finally up. No cliffy this time, but many more ideas for future encounters. :D you may realize I don't give the names of most of them, but I think you can figure it out So anyway…Review! Tell me what you think, who you want to see, your prefferred pairing(s). So this time I really mean it… See Ya'll Next Time!