Mending Broken Wings

Standard disclaimers apply…

bmg – "haunted" by Evanescence

Chapter One: Stuck

Where am I?

Am I still alive?

After some minutes of pondering unconsciously, her mind began to function though she was not yet fully awake. Hinata began to feel a wet substance on her body. Cold. She heard the roar of thunder and saw the light which overpowered the darkness for a brief moment. She was indeed alive and breathing. The scent of blood beneath her wafted through her nostrils as water droplets fell on her back. She momentarily closed her eyes and deeply inhaled. It felt as if she had not breathed for a century.

Her head banged as though there were little devils inside her brain. She badly wanted to move but it felt hard for her to move even a single finger.

What happened?

Where am I?

She opened her eyes, and saw a pair of legs standing right in front of her. Her heart pounded. When she looked up, she saw a man's face looking down at her.

Sympathy.

He never knew what that word meant. Maybe it was because he never felt it in his entire life. Never. His well-trained eyes examined every part of her. Her body was soaked in blood but a little part of it was washed with rain water. Her hair covered most of her back but it wasn't long enough to hide her severely wounded legs. She was prostrated on her pool of blood and only the half of her face was visible enough to look at. Pitiful. But not for someone like him. He himself created this artwork… This beautiful masterpiece… Although he still wanted to admire his work of art, it's about time to take her to his master. He knew that his master will be pleased for a job well done.

And so he lifted her from the ground and draped her exposed physique with a torn clothe to protect her from the cold. He held her close to him. So close that he could already feel her breathing on his neck. Feeling somewhat pleased, he held her closer and allowed his suit to be tainted with her blood. With her precious blood.

He then started traveling. He could not keep his master waiting. He could not wait to see the smile on his Orochimaru's face once he saw his gift. Perfect.

She studied his face. She badly wanted to ask him who he is but her lips would not part and say those words. And so she was left with no other choice but to enjoy leaning on his shoulder and doze off. However, she could not sleep while the rain water mixes with her blood and literally worsen the pain. She seethed but he acted as though he could not hear her. She clenched her jaws and mustered all the remaining adrenaline in her body. Then, just like magic, the words came out from her mouth.

"Who-who are you?"

For the first time, he took notice of her. A doll. She really looks like a doll. Then, he spoke, "A friend."

Friend? What is a friend?

Her eyes threatened to close but she fought the urge to fall asleep. Not when he began to speak to her.

"You've been attacked while doing a mission for our Master," he said as the lightning lit his face up.

Master?

"Knowing the people in Konoha, they will attack you every time they want."

Konoha?

"You can't blame them. You were in their territory," he continued to explain while leaping from one branch to another. "If I hadn't been there, you're definitely dead by now."

Dead?

"But don't worry," a smirk forced its way to stretch across his lips but he concealed it. Perfectly. "Our Master will take care of you until you're capable enough to serve him once again."

Serve? Him? Master?

Questions began to load her mind. She neither trusts him nor his explanations but she was left with no choice. Suddenly, he stopped moving. She saw him held his gaze on something in front of them. She wanted to see what attracted him but she could not move a single muscle of her neck.

"We're here. Finally," he said and walked a few steps.

Then, something creaked open and the surroundings became dark.

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"Damn it!" A punch on the trunk of an old tree was heard. "What kind of search dog are you?"

"Calm down Naruto," said a man with silver hair and dark mask. "We could find her tonight."

"We should." Naruto grunted and hit the trunk with his knuckle for the second time. Like him, Kiba, Akamaru and Kurenai were also in panic. Shino, who displays a very calm façade, was troubled as well.

"It's not my fault if her captor used a very strong genjutsu to hide her smell." said Pakkun, quite flabbergasted of the blond's actions.

"Shut up." Naruto muttered his usually grinning face now in a frown. "I'm not asking for your opinion."

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed as though she was scolding her teammate for being so impolite.

"Let's just find her." Shino whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear. "Hinata-chan is in great trouble."

They began looking for her again though almost everyone was losing hope. The group was enveloped in a complete silence as they traveled under the rain. Nobody tried to break the ice. Nobody did because all of them didn't know the right words to say.

"This is hopeless," said Kurenai, suddenly breaking the silence that enveloped them. "Neither Pakkun's nor Akamaru's sense of smell could trace Hinata's location." Tears fell from her eyes but no one noticed it since the rain hid it well. "I think we should go back to the village."

"I… agree." Sakura said rather unwillingly. It was too impossible for them to find Hinata. Even though they tried many times to dispel the jutsu, neither Pakkun nor Akamaru couldn't locate her. The hunt for the missing Hyuuga was to no avail.

Naruto suddenly stopped. Looking back at his companions, his electric blue eyes showed anger and disbelief. "I can't believe you lost hope." he spoke to Hinata's sensei. "Of all the people who would give this up, I never thought it was you." His features darkened as he stared at the branch beneath his wet sandals. "You know what? You should be the one who will push us to continue until we find her." he continued as his fingers curled to a fist. "Don't tell me that you're thinking that she's already dead…" He looked directly to the red eyed woman, rainwater streaming down on his face. "Because she's not!"

"We've been searching for Hinata-chan for almost four and a half hours." said Kiba, his voice filled with gloom. "But we didn't see a single sign of her."

"Then I'll continue searching for her even if it takes a year or a decade or a century!" Naruto replied coldly. It's like they were not talking to the 'REAL' Naruto. "Then maybe I'll be able to find her… alive."

Why is he acting like this? Kurenai asked herself mentally. Hinata-chan, is this why you admire him so much?

"Okay. Who's with me?" Naruto asked the group.

Silence. Nobody said 'yes'. However, nobody said 'no' either. But Naruto took their facial expressions as a 'no'.

"Oh," he said suddenly. "I guess I have to go and leave you here."

With that, everyone realized how serious he was in finding the Hyuuga.

Shino jumped near the blond and followed him to continue the hunt. Kiba followed as well as with his partner Akamaru.

"Well, I guess I have to join these kids." Kakashi spatted his decision out. "How about you?" He was referring to the three ninjas who were not yet making their decision, namely, Sasuke, Sakura and Kurenai.

Sakura gave Sasuke the right to decide for her. If he will come then she will but if he won't, then there was no reason for her to join the team. That was how dedicated she was to him. Whatever his decision was, she would follow.

However, searching for a worthless and weak Hyuuga did not appeal that much to Sasuke too much. Besides, two dogs and six people could handle this not-so-important mission. He'd rather go back to Konoha and sleep than do a mission that doesn't involve fighting with strong ninjas. This will not help him improve his skills.

"Neither will it help him in destroying Itachi nor avenging the Uchiha clan.

Sakura waited for Sasuke to say 'I'll come'. Actually, she wanted to join the team to search for her co-medic nin but if Sasuke will not come, she will go back to Konoha and wait for the team to tell her the news.

"I'll go," Sakura's heart jumped when she heard those words from Sasuke's lips. It's as if the sun had shone on her again.

He'll go with the team! He will! Sakura inwardly rejoiced and said, "I'll go with you too!" Happiness was too obvious in her voice as she spoke to her blond teammate. Sasuke will come with them. Therefore, she has to join too.

"back to Konoha."

Slowly, Sakura turned her head to look at the man she loved the most, her eyes widened. 'What… did… he… say?'

I'll go back to Konoha.

Kill joy. She told herself mentally. Sasuke will always be Sasuke. He will never change. Why would she think that Sasuke would be interested in searching for the lost Hyuuga? She blamed herself for hoping that he will go with them and pursue the mission. Suddenly, she felt as though she had nothing to say. She had just said that she will come and help but now that Sasuke would return to Konoha, she wasn't sure if she still wants to go with Naruto.

"I… I…"

"Go with them if you want to." Sasuke told her, his back facing her. "I don't need you anyway."

"I… I'll still come with you."

"I told you to come with them," he replied coldly and said a 'che' to himself.

"Am I talking to you?" Sakura bluntly shouted at the self conceited Uchiha. If you don't need me, I don't need you either.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was surprised to hear Sakura's words. But being the self centered man that he was, he convinced himself that it was only about time that for Sakura to have the sense to live him alone and go on with her worthless life.

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He walked slowly and the sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the long dark corridors. And as he strode, a candle on either side of them lit up as though they were rejoicing when he's in front of them. Then when he walks another step, the flame on the candles died like a revived corpse that returns to its grave once his life was taken away.

Somehow, she benefited from forcing herself to trust him. It was nice being close to somebody anyway. So warm… So gentle… Plus, the heat from a pair of candles would save her from shivering.

After a long walk on the corridor, he stopped and turned left where a more lighted area waited for her.

Feeling a hard surface beneath her back, the bruises on her skin stung as though they were complaining about being placed in a bed without mattress. She silently groaned and looked up at him, her eyes giving him an impression that she wanted to ask him why he placed her down. She'd rather be in his arms than lie here. Besides, he was warmer than the bed.

"You have to stay here and rest for a moment," she heard him say as he walked towards the exit. "I'll be back in a minute."

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Time passed too slowly for her and it was not good. She needed to get out of this room as soon as she could. She needed to get away from his grasp if she wants to stay alive. Although he told her that he saved her life, her human instincts told her that he lied. What he told her was not true. He was not someone whom she could trust her life with. He would kill her. She knew he would.

Her wounds stung badly and the rainwater worsened them. The water felt like an acid against her skin. It was painful. Too painful. She wanted to scream but she kept her lips tightly closed. She doesn't want anyone –including herself- to hear her crying in agony. She doesn't want anyone to tell her that she was pathetic.

Pathetic. She hated that word though she could not remember what it meant and why she hated to hear it. It's as though she heard it a million times and she cried a million times because of that word.

Someone's laughter echoed inside her head. Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic! She could hear the voice reiterating the word she loathed the most. The voice laughed even harder and tears began to fill the corners of her eyes.

Stop… Please…

Tears fell from her eyes and she felt as though her heart was twice as heavy as before. The voice triggered her so much that she broke into pieces. Pieces that she could not pick anymore. Pieces that she would never be able to fix once more. She was shattered… Totally shattered.

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Probably this was the most miserable moment in her life. Lying in a bed without mattress, your whole body bleeding and having a single candle as a source of light… What could be more gruesome than this experience? If only she could run away from this place and find a better place to live in, then she would not feel as wretched as this. But… Where would she go? Is there any place in this world which could be her haven? She doesn't know… Because she could not remember…

A few moments later, she heard some footsteps and light began to spread across the dark corridor. The footsteps were slow… Really slow… It was unnerving. Indeed, very unnerving. Feeling somebody else's presence was not really that good. Especially if you have an idea who that 'somebody' but you don't actually know who he really is.

Her heart skipped a beat. A hand holding a candle became visible as the ghost-like creature stepped closer to the open door.

Her eyes widened. The shadow finally revealed himself. He was her captor. The person who will take care of her. The man whom she was totally afraid of. The creature who saved her life. The 'somebody' who took her and told her lots of things which she couldn't recall.

He smirked and adjusted his glasses. "Missed me?"

His words seem to be too familiar to her. It's as if she already heard that line from him. Again, she could not totally remember him saying those words.

She only stared at him, her emotion-filled white eyes scrutinizing him from head to foot. She watched him as he placed a white box in the nightstand.

Although she knew that this was not the right time to inquire about him, she asked, "Who are you?" It was more of a request. Her head was filled with so many questions she wanted to throw at him.

He glanced at her and moved a little closer. Sitting at the edge of the mattress-less bed, he made sure that their noses almost brushed against each other. Then, he caressed her flawless face and leaned closer so that their lips were only a few millimeters apart.

His breath trickled her. "Don't you remember?"

Then, he pressed his lips against hers.

The moment their lips touched, she felt like a monster inside her was wailing, like her insides were churning. She doesn't want to share this moment with him. But seeing that she had no other choice, she allowed him with his desires.

It felt rather insulting… She doesn't like how it felt.

But then, she was stuck with him...

And she can't do anything about it.

To be continued…

Dear Reader,

I know how hard it is to wait for an update so I would like to extend my heartfelt apology to you, my dear reader / reviewer. By the way, the next chapter will flash before your eyes on a Friday the 13th here in my country. A very unfortunate day, I know. Unfortunate things will happen to you on that day. You have to keep a stranger inside your dwelling place and you have to bear with her presence. Though you find it somewhat annoying, you can't do anything about it.

Much love,

Kage no atsui