Of Hearts and Scars
Chapter 5: To Die Together
Summary: 15-year-old Hinata is abused and sexually harassed by her father. It gets too much for her so in the cover of night, she disappears without a trace. Three years later a mysterious masked girl and her friend come to assist Konoha against a dangerous threat.
Disclaimer: I don't own any shows, I am not low, and I don't own Naruto!
For the first time in over 3 years, Hinata's eyes met Naruto's. It obviously had more of an effect than she was prepared for because she was just as frozen as Naruto. With the mask on and her Byakugan activated, she could only see the outline of the body so it has been a while since she looked at those beautiful eyes. But Hinata wasn't the same girl she once was. She wouldn't blush and stutter, or turn red and faint. No, this Hinata had seen men more handsome than even the gorgeous Minato can vouch for. Women more beautiful than the most perfect rose. Naruto was definitely more handsome now but still was nowhere near them. She hissed and slipped down his back, him being too stunned to stop her. She started stomping into the trees towards where the hollow was, past a barely conscious Sakura when a tanned hand rested on her shoulder. (A/N If you didn't catch that, Sakura fainted and everyone else is spazzing) Hinata was so very close to biting it when the hand forced her to turn around. She glared at Naruto, daring him to hold her back any long. What she didn't expect was for him to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hug her tightly.
"Hinata…my Hinata…you're back…your still alive…thank Kami your still alive" he whispered.
She winced and closed her eyes tightly. This Hinata, this older, better, newer Hinata had long ago hidden the young Hinata away but she was resurfacing. The inner Hinata, the child who had been destroyed by the man that brought her onto this earth, was begging her to hug him back. To stroke his hair, nuzzle his cheek, tell him everything was going to be okay. To show him the love that she so badly wanted to show him before. 'He belongs to Sakura' she thought dimly. Those urges canceled themselves out with another urge to get as far away from Uzumaki Naruto as possible. She gripped her mask tightly and looked away, over Naruto's shoulder.
"I always knew you would end up with Sakura. Even if Sasuke-san never left" she said softly.
Naruto visibly balked and he instinctively back away from Hinata, as if she'd smacked him. Her pale eyes flickered to Sakura with distaste and she turned her back on them.
"Pick up Pinky" she said, tying the mask back around her eyes. "We're going back so Erhen can heal me and her. Then we're going after the Sound…" she hissed.
And with that, she promptly vanished, the sound of the air rushing to fill the area she made a pop!
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"Someone's coming" said Erhen's his golden eyes flickering off Tenten's wound and out of the hollow.
Neji was up in an instant and out of the hollow. After a few seconds Nata followed by Naruto carrying an unconcious Sakura. Neji's eyebrows flew up as he took Sakura from the emotionally weak Naruto.
"What…?" he started but Nata waved a hand at him.
"She's fine. Don't worry, Neji-niisan" she said.
"Nii…?" asked Neji, his eyes flickering to Naruto.
Hinata pulled up part of her mask and winked at Neji with one creamy eye. Neji froze and almost dropped Sakura, forcing Naruto to take the girl back.
"Erhen is Tenten done yet?" Hinata called softly as she pulled the mask back over her eyes.
Naruto's sapphire eyes flickered to her legs. The blood was still flowing freely at an alarming rate. He looked at her face and gasped. Her creamy complexion was now a deathly white. Sakura groaned and slowly open an emerald eye.
"N-Naruto…hey baby…is H-ouch!" she yelped.
As soon as he saw Sakura grained consciousness, he dropped her onto the floor and swept Hinata off her feet just as her brain went into off mode. Ignoring Sakura's jealous glare he started towards the hollow when a kunai flew past his cheek, cutting it slightly. He whipped around, instinctively putting Hinata on his back away from danger. In front of him crouched a smiling Kabuto with… a frozen Neji. Neji's arm was up in the pose of one who'd just thrown something. Naruto's mouth fell open as Tenten and Erhen came out of the hollow. They all balked as if they had been smacked. Neji was twitching and his muscles were straining, as if he was fighting against an invisible force. Tenten seemed most surprised at it.
"Neji-kun….?" She said slowly. Kabuto laughed.
"Hello Sakura-chan, Tenten-chan and Naruto-kun. It's been a while hasn't it? Who are your friends?" he asked casually.
Sakura frowned. "This is Erhen Furst and…Nata" she said slowly. "Neji-kun…what's wrong with you?"
Neji groaned and closed his eyes, opening them again slowly. He was starting to sweat. Kabuto giggled like an excited girl.
"Neji-kun…what happened to Neji-kun? Well, I messed with his nervous system. Now he's like my little puppet. Isn't he cute?" purred Kabuto, nuzzling Neji's cheek. Neji looked ready to chew his nose off.
Tenten's eyes flashed and her arms blurred for a moment. A second later, both Neji and Kabuto jumped back as 6 kunai and a shuriken flew at them. Well…not Neji, Kabuto but since they were connected, they both jumped. Tenten was, simply put, furious. Kabuto smiled again.
"You know what would be fun?" he asked, glancing at the rings on Neji's and Tenten's fingers. "I could leave you two to fight each other while I attack the others. That'd be fun!"
Sakura gapped as Neji started fighting of control of his body once again. "But…but they're married! There more in love than anyone I know!" she yelped.
Kabuto nodded giddy. "Exactly what I'm trying to do…Neji can only attack but he has control of his head so he can either attack Tenten, saving himself but killing her. Or he can allow her to kill him, leaving his fiancée all alone!" he smiled.
"That's a lose-lose situation" hissed Erhen darkly.
"Quite, Erhen-kun" Kabuto replied, standing up. "I must leave you now. Have to set up a few traps for you! Toodles!" and with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Neji closed his eyes and his body visually relaxed. Tenten's eyes watered in relief and she took a step towards him. Neji looked up with a jerk and a kunai sliced into Tenten's shoulder. She yelped in pain and jumped back. Her chocolate eyes flew to Neji and gasped. He was crying. He was staring at his fiancée like she was an angel he didn't deserve and tears were streaming down his face. Everyone just stared, except Erhen, stared at Neji. They had known him their whole life and only once had they seen him cry…when his father died. Neji turned those wet eyes on Naruto, Hinata, Erhen and Sakura.
"Go. Kill Orochimaru…let him feel the pain I'm feeling right now…GO!" Neji yelled, his body making a jerky movement for some shuriken.
Erhen jumped forward and put a hand on Hinata's legs, not healing them completely but stopping the blood. He put a pill in her mouth, which she quickly chewed. Naruto nodded dumbly. An iron pill…she needed to replace the blood she lost. Naruto felt wetness and looked at the Hyuuga girl on his back. She was sobbing as hard as her cousin. Naruto's heart shattered and he unconsciously rocked her and turned to the forest.
In a cracked voice he whispered "Come on guys…"
Sakura followed behind him silently and Erhen was right on her tail but he paused. Tenten was staying still, holding her bleeding shoulder and smiling lovingly at her soon-to-be groom. Erhen's eyebrows went up.
"Tenten-san…we need to go" he said slowly.
"Tenten…" Neji whispered, in pure admiration.
"I'm going to stay with my husband Erhen…" she said, almost in a daze. "You four go on ahead. If fighting to the death is the only way we can save each other, we'll fight. Right, my love?" she said with a soft smile.
Neji reached up a shaky hand and touched Tenten's cheek. "Yes my love. We must fight…"
Erhen nodded as Tenten jumped back just as Neji's hand made a grab for her throat but the look in their eyes didn't change. Neji completely adored Tenten and Tenten could never be more in love with anyone as she was with Neji. They willing die for each other…or with each other. Erhen bit his lip and gently kissed Tenten's cheek, letting his chakra flow through his lips and heal the wound on her shoulder.
"Good luck Tenten" he whispered and ran after the others.
Tenten took out her scroll, still smiling softly. Neji activated Byakugan and took out a kunai, smiling as well.
"I love you Neji Hyuuga…" she whispered.
"I love you too Tenten Hyuuga…I'll follow you when you go" he replied.
"What if I want to follow you?" she said, smiling through the tears.
Neji chuckled, his nose running and his eyes bloodshot from the crying. "Always the stubborn type…god I'm in love you"
Then in the blink of an eye, they ran at each other
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Erhen caught up with Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura; Hinata had lost consciousness. They turned to look at him and gaped.
"Where are Tenten and Neji?" asked Naruto.
"They are with each other" Erhen said, staring ahead.
Sakura stopped running. "They're fighting!? You let them fight?! We have to go stop them!" she screamed, tears leaking out of her eyes.
Erhen stopped too, just staring straight ahead as Naruto glanced at Sakura with a sigh.
"Sakura, there's nothing we can do. That's a permanent jutsu Kabuto placed on Neji. There's only one way to cancel it out. Tenten's doing it. No doubt if Tenten dies first, Neji is going to follow her and vice versa. They lived with each other, Sakura-chan. Let them die with each other" he murmured, still rocking Hinata.
Sakura's eyes rested on Naruto then to Hinata. That was the first time he had called her Chan since they started dating. She nodded numbly and started running, not really paying attention to where she was going, just following the yellow blob that was Naruto's hair. Hinata shifted on Naruto back so her face was near his neck. Naruto shivered as her breath floated along his neck.
"Thank you Naruto-kun" she whispered
Naruto felt the wetness of her tears again but this time he didn't face her. He let her cry to herself for the cousin that had protected her life 3 years ago and for the weapon's mistress that had always tried to be something more to everyone.
Woot! Look at the comeback from this horrible, horrible writer's block! I am so great. Thanks for all those compliments my dear. Everything is fine so no worries. Unless I get stuck again… . Enjoy
Blackiecatty
