SasuHina Fanfic

Sorry for the long pause, my readers. School has been tight… but every chance I got, I added on! Again, I should remind you that I'm not a big fan of this couple, but I love writing about them. Enjoy the read, and thanks for your time!

The day they set out

"You are our only hope for this village to ever thrive again."

Those words and more would not leave the boy's thoughts. He packed his things quietly in a knapsack given to him by Tsunade, the fifth Hokage.

It's the least I can do for this village, thought Sasuke.

He didn't turn around to see who walked toward him when he heard steps on the dirt. It was early in the morning. No one would or should be awake.

"Are you ready for the journey, Sasuke?" Asked a woman with a deep voice.

"Ready or not, I have to do this." Replied the boy. "It's the least I can do…" he trailed off. Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder. "I told you, it's not your fault." She said softly. Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head in disagreement. After that, it was silent. The fifth Hokage kept her hand on his tense shoulder. She could feel he was anything but relaxed. "Sasuke," she began after a moment. He didn't respond. "You're still sore, aren't you?"

"It doesn't matter. This pain is nothing." The boy said this in such a convincing tone, he sounded angry. Tsunade held back a smirk at his stubbornness.

"Stop what you're doing for a moment." She commanded. Sasuke paused before placing a brown packet of dried food in his knapsack. He turned his whole body in the woman's direction, and looked her with an expressionless face. With a smooth motion, Tsunade wrapped her arms around the Uchiha boy, who was now about her height. She dug her chin into his shoulder. Sasuke flinched in slight pain and surprise. "Tsunade, what—"

"You're still sore." She interrupted. "This will make you feel better…" It was silent before Sasuke felt comforting warmth overcome his body. He saw a faint glow of green surround him, and closed his eyes to take it all in. It felt like his mother was holding him… and so he wasn't in a rush to get out of Tsunade's hold.

In minutes, the blonde woman released him, and looked at the boy with a slight smile. "Are you still sore?"

Sasuke circled his shoulder as if warming up for a race. "You used a healing jutsu on me." Tsunade nodded. "Well, my job here is done." She patted his back. "I'm gonna go check on the others, and you can go on packing. I'll see you later." She took a step then paused and looked back. "By the way, your outfit brings back some memories." She stated. Then, with her usual bright smile, walked away into the direction of a small, orange tent. Hinata and her team must be sleeping there, he thought before he zipped up, and locked his knapsack. He took a good look at what he was wearing before fitting the bag onto his back. It was a taller version of the suit he wore during his chuunin exam. He remembered that his fight was against Gaara, and it never got finished because of some problems around the village. He smirked, then walked towards the gentle sounding river.

The orange tent where Shino's team slept was a head shorter then Tsunade. She could hear team eight shuffling as they packed the things they needed for their upcoming journey.

From the entrance of the tent, she heard a zipping sound. A head poked out from the entrance, and smiled timidly. "W-we're done packing, Tsunade-sama." Stuttered Hinata. The fifth Hokage turned to her and returned a gentle smile. She watched as the team slipped out of the orange tent, one by one. They stood casually next to each other. Kiba rubbed the back of his head as he eyed the tent with an irritated expression on his face. "I guess I gotta wrap up this tent, too."

Hinata smiled at him in amusement, then looked at Tsunade. Shino nodded at the dog-boy. "Alright, we'll meet you at the river, where that big boulder is." He said, then turned and started to walk. Hinata seemed to have squeaked, and her face flushed in slight pink. The boulder's not there anymore, she thought as she followed after him.

Tsunade eyed all three of them. Nostalgia slowly came over her. They were so grown up… maybe not much has changed about their personalities, but they were much stronger. Maybe wiser, too. And not to mention, their new looks.

Hinata used to have the hairstyle a boy would have. Her jacket was baggy, and only one color. Now, although her clothes are still equally baggy, they contrasted and suited her very well. Her arm sleeves were a lighter color then what covered her body from her chest to her hips. It was quite stylish. And her hair was gorgeously long. It was what made her different from her childhood. It showed her maturity. Also, since it was given to her, she still wore her Konoha headband around her neck.

Shino had always been cool-looking. With his shades over his eyes, and spiky, brown hair. And the collar that covered his mouth. The Konoha headband worn where it should be, over his forehead. But that was him then. Now, Shino had more things covering his face. A green hood from his baggy jacket over his head, a different collar from a black shirt over his mouth, and shades with thicker frames over his eyes. He looked even more mysterious then he did years ago.

Kiba, who was fumbling with the tent, was probably the only one who almost completely changed his style. His clothes this time were more loose. An open dark shirt revealed tight fishnets underneath, exposing his abdominal area. You could tell he was in very good shape. It's a wonder how he doesn't have a girlfriend yet. His pants were dark as well, matching the color of his shirt. And his Konoha headband covered his forehead.

Tsunade sighed. Oh how grown up these children had become. She could almost cry.

Her eyes widened as a thought came into her head. "Hinata," she called out.

The timid girl stopped, and looked back at the fifth Hokage walking towards her.

Tsunade stopped in front of her. Her face was expressionless but Hinata could sense some doubt, and worry. This green gem might not even exist, yet these adolescents were sent out to look for it. The theory was only Hinata could sense it, but what if she couldn't? What if there was no green stone?

The woman placed a firm hand on Hinata's shoulder. She looked at her with eyes impossible to break from. "Be careful, Hinata."

After a pause, Hinata nodded. Her face was more determined this time. "I'll do my best." She said.

Tsunade smiled. "Glad to hear."

Kiba had finished packing the tent and was now walking towards his group.

"Tsunade-sama, when we all meet, do we go back here?" he asked in an almost complaining voice.

Tsunade looked at him amused. "No, I'll meet you all by the boulder after I find Naruto."

"Okay." Replied Kiba. With that, team eight proceeded towards the river.

Tsunade looked back at the camp. She rubbed the back of her head and sighed.

"Where is Naruto anyway?"

Sasuke paused as he saw a large, dark spot of dirt where the boulder used to be. "I don't know how that happened either," said Neji, interrupting Sasuke's thoughts. He was leaned against a tree. "I think Naruto threw the boulder into the river yesterday." Saying that, he proceeded into staring at the gentle river.

Sasuke sighed, shook his head, then went towards a smaller boulder, next to the dark spot of dirt. He placed his knapsack down, and sat. Without looking at the Hyuuga boy, he asked, "Where's Naruto?"

Neji didn't respond until Sasuke looked at him. The Hyuuga looked up at a thick branch. There seemed to be a body on it. An arm looked like it was dangling down.

He's sleeping, thought Sasuke, looking annoyed. On impulse he grabbed a small rock, and made a motion to throw it at the body.

PUTT!

But someone did it before him.

"Wake up, lazy-ass! Tsunade-sama's lookin' for ya!" called Kiba, as he walked towards the river. He paused when he spotted Sasuke, and glared. Sasuke glared back.

Hinata looked at her team mate, then the Uchiha boy. She looked apologetic.

"W-what…? Oh—AH!!!—"

THUD!

Naruto had fallen between team eight and Sasuke. Hinata perked up in that instant. "N-naruto-kun! Are you okay?" she ran to his side, and helped him up.

"Don't bother helping him Hinata. He'll be alright." Said Shino.

"Shino, you threw that rock didn't you!?" shouted Naruto. His voice echoed into the morning air.

"Naruto, if you keep shouting like that, you'll wake up the village."

The yellow-haired boy turned to see who stated that fact to him. His facial expression dropped when he saw who it was. "Sasuke." The Uchiha was standing, one hand rested on his hip. Naruto slipped out of Hinata's hold. No other words escaped his mouth.

"What would you care about this village, Sasuke?" spat Kiba angrily. Sasuke shot him a look with his dark eyes. But he didn't say anything.

"Kiba, calm down." Said Shino coolly. "Remember, he wasn't there—"

"Exactly!" interrupted the dog boy. "He could've helped. He's one of the strongest ninjas I know!" Kiba took a step forward. "You didn't show up then," his voice was quieter this time. "You shouldn't have shown up at all."

The words hit Sasuke like a bullet in the chest. He gritted his teeth, and looked away. Neji eyed him, studying his reaction. Why isn't he doing anything about what Kiba said? He thought.

Naruto was quiet. All he could do was stare at his former best friend.

"Screw this!" exclaimed Kiba. "I'm not traveling with that bastard." He turned, but Shino didn't move. "Get outta my way, Shino." He commanded. Shino stayed still. "No." he replied.

"This has nothing to do with you."

"It has a lot to do with me, as team captain."

Hinata looked at them both helplessly. "Kiba-kun, please—" a raise of Shino's hand interrupted her. She looked down, discouraged.

"You're not my captain anymore."

Shino said nothing.

"We're not a team anymore."

Shino didn't reply.

"Move." Commanded Kiba more angrily. He gritted his teeth, fighting back the urge to punch his team captain.

Shino kept his eyes on the dog boy's. They glared at each other for a long moment, until Shino moved aside. Hinata gasped, and Naruto looked back surprised. Neji, was quiet, but his eyes were wide with shock as well.

"Hmph." Kiba took two steps forward, then stopped. It looked like he was shuddering. Fighting to move. "Kiba?" said Shino in a concerned tone.

"I… I can't move." Said the dog-boy. Everyone tensed up, except for Neji and Naruto.

"You can't just leave Kiba, especially when our journey hasn't begun yet." Said a voice in the shadows of the trees.

"Shikamaru!" called Kiba through strained lips. "Let me go."

Shikamaru stepped out from behind the tree Neji leaned on. His hands were in jutsu position. A dark shadow stretched from his feet to Kiba's.

"A lot of people died, and it could happen again." He said as he walked towards the dog boy.

"This is probably our only chance to save them. To make our village thrive again. And you're just gonna walk out, because you don't wanna work with one guy."

Kiba didn't reply. Shikamaru continued.

"The one guy who wasn't there, the one guy who probably feels more pain then you. You've lost your family, you've lost Akamaru, but Sasuke lost all trust."

Everyone stared in awe at Shikamaru as he spoke. It was very rare for him to say so much.

"Look, I'm not too keen on this whole thing either, but Tsunade needs us. She trusted all of us on this journey. None of us can back down. We couldn't do anything then, when the massacre happened. So we should risk our lives to do something now. Our village needs us."

Kiba seemed to have stopped struggling.

Shikamaru didn't say anymore. He let his shadow stretch back to its original shape, and let Kiba free. The dog-boy didn't look at his group. He simply walked past Shikamaru, and leaned on a tree next to Neji's. Everyone stared at him as he did so. His head was bowed, causing a shadow to cover his eyes.

Hinata looked at Shino and Kiba with a worried face. She watched as Shino walked and stopped beside Sasuke, staring at the river. Sasuke caught her glance, and held her stare for a moment. She looked away, slightly embarrassed, and went to stand with Kiba. The Uchiha watched her as she did so, and caught Naruto's glance. Naruto continued to stare at him with confused eyes. Was he glad? Was he angry like the others? They held each other's eyes for moments, not knowing what to do. Shikamaru studied them both as he stood beside Neji. "It's gonna be troublesome for them." He said quietly so only the boy next to him could hear. Neji nodded.

"I see you're all getting along well." Beamed Tsunade as she walked towards the group. They looked up at her in surprise. None of them heard her approach until she spoke.

"There you are, Naruto. I was looking for you."

Naruto looked her confused. "You were?"

Tsunade had a determined smile on her face, but it faded and left her with determined eyes. They seemed to glow under the sunlight of the morning.

She took something out of her side pocket. A scroll.

"This is a map. I've marked the places where you all should go. First to last."

She threw the scroll at Naruto, who caught it easily.

"You all must protect each other in this journey." She continued. Her eyes scanned each person, then settled on Hinata. "Especially Hinata. I have a theory that only she can sense the gem's presence." Everyone nodded.

"The gem must be given to Sasuke, if not Sasuke, then Naruto." It looked like Kiba was about to object, but Shino looked at him and shook his head in disapproval. The dog-boy stayed silent.

"Any questions?" asked Tsunade. "Yeah. I have one." Everyone looked at Naruto.

"Why give the gem to me, or Sasuke? Or why not just me?"

Tsunade looked at him with a slightly irritated expression. "That's two questions, and I need you or Sasuke to absorb the power of the gem. Only both of you are strong enough to handle that. In this journey, you never know who might live, or die."

Hinata gulped. She was scared, but excited.

Naruto nodded. "Okay, I get it."

Tsunade nodded back. "Alright, the first place you all have to go to is the Hidden Village of Mist. Just follow this river," Tsunade traced the flow of the river with her finger. "And you'll reach the sea. You should be able to see land on the other side. That'll be an island that is not owned by any village. Beyond that is the Hidden Village of Mist. There are row boats at the beach area. That's how you get across."

The group looked at Tsunade with the utmost attention.

"The rest is on the map. The whole of Konoha is counting on you. Let your journey begin."

And with that, they all leapt onto the tree branches and were off.

It was night by the time they all got to sailing. The boat was a row boat. It wasn't very big, but some how it managed to contain all seven of Konoha's to-be saviors. Hinata seemed to shiver as she looked around her. It was very dark. The stars seem blocked by thick mist. Aside from the sounds of four boys rowing, and water moving, it was unnaturally quiet. And the water, it was still. She sat at the centre of the row boat. The boys of Konoha surrounded her. She shouldn't feel scared, but it seemed impossible to feel comfort in such an eerie place.

"Hinata," called a voice quietly to her. Hinata turned to its direction. "S-Sasuke-kun." He sat behind her to her right side.

"Are you okay?" It was unusual for Sasuke to feel concern. But he didn't question it. He gave in.

The timid girl nodded. Then turned again to face the front, the bow, where Shino was sitting in watch. How can he see anything with those shades, especially in this dark? She wondered.

Behind her to her left side was Naruto. She could hear him grunting as he pushed the paddle against the water.

"Neji, do you see any island yet? This is getting annoying." Complained Naruto. Hinata almost jumped to the sound of his loud voice.

Neji stood at the stern, which was the back of the boat. His Byakuugan was activated, so seeing through this darkness and mist was not a problem for him.

Hinata turned to look at him. His face was so concentrated. She noticed his eyes narrow. Then after a moment, they widened. He saw something.

Seeing that, she turned to face the front and activated her own Byakuugan. Everything seemed clearer. Accurately, she could tell how far the island was if she wanted to. At first, nothing seemed unusual aside from still waters. But after a short while, a mound of shadow seemed to appear. And she could hear some kind of shushing. Like a wave…. A wave! Hinata sharpened her Byakuugan to take a better look at this mound. It was coming towards their row boat quickly. Like it was rolling in.

"Everyone, get ready! There's a huge wave coming this way." Commanded Neji.

Hinata gasped.

Everyone dropped what they were doing and stood at their spots in the boat. Neji at the back was already in his usual battle stance. Shino at the front, readying his insects, already crawling on his wrists. Naruto and Sasuke were behind Hinata, standing ready. Their guards way up. Kiba and Shikamaru stood in front, but behind Shino. Also in their battle stances.

Not wanting to be a burden, Hinata stood as well, and readied herself. Her eyes were burning with determination. This wasn't an ordinary wave.

It came rolling in fast. Then suddenly, when it seemed like it was about to fall on the boat, it stopped. All seven adolescents looked up in surprise. A figure stood casually on the wave's tip. Time seemed to have stopped. Mist was thick in the air, and a wave stood before the small row boat. Yet it was still rolling. The water's motion hadn't changed.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "A jutsu…" From the looks of it, it looked like it was from one of Orochimaru's minions.

Neji sharpened his Byakuugan to see the figure standing on the wave clearly. A figure in a black cloak with clouds… he could see the figure's eyes. They were small, like beads. Not human. Neji could also make out a wide toothy grin. The teeth were sharp like a shark's… Suddenly Neji realized who it was.

"Kisame?" Sasuke said it for him. Neji abruptly turned to him, and saw the anger and surprise in his pale face.

Naruto faced the Uchiha as well. "Why is an Akatsuki member…--"

Without warning, water that took the shape of an outstretched arm came rushing down towards the row boat. It passed Shino, Kiba and Shikamaru, and went straight for Hinata. Within seconds, she was captured in a ball of water.

"Gak! Ah--!" The timid girl choked and struggled to get out of it, but it was useless. It was just water all around her. Nothing to hit, nothing to hold on to. It was all liquid.

As soon as Hinata was secure inside the ball of water, the arm drew back, too fast for any of the boys to catch it.

"Hinata!" they screamed almost at the same time. The ball joined the large, still wave, and the boys watched helplessly as Hinata with a devastated face disappeared into the dark blue without a trace.

"You bastard!" exclaimed Naruto. "Give her back! She has nothing to do with you!" His eyes seemed to glow red, and his nails turned into claws. Sasuke looked at him surprised.

With a battle cry, the yellow-haired boy sprang forward towards the figure with claws in front. Kisame seemed to grin. Without another second passing, he sank into the wave, and disappeared. In turn, Naruto missed his shot. The wave crashed down onto the boat. It was too wide for any of the boys to avoid it. Only Naruto fell into the dark sea safely behind the wave.

He felt a rush as he fell into the cold, dark water. It hit his face hard, and he didn't know which way was up anymore.

After a few moments of suffocation, his head finally broke the water's surface. It was still again. Everything was quiet. Nothing seemed to be on the water but pieces of wrecked wood from the row boat, the paddles in halves, and other useless items.

"Neji! Shikamaru!" He called out. His voice echoed through the quiet space. The mist seemed to have given way as well. The night was a bit clearer.

"Kiba! Shino!" His heart was raising. It felt like his legs were going numb from the cold water as well. Despite that, he struggled to keep his head out of the water.

"Sasuke! … Hinata!" It felt difficult to call Sasuke's name, but he was part of the group now. Leaving him out would just be immature.

After a few moments of useless and desperate wading, Naruto finally called out some chakra and made himself stand on the water's surface with ease. He's trained this technique so many times, it was second nature to him.

As soon as he stood on the surface, he heard bubbling of water in different directions, then finally splashing. He quickly looked behind him, and Shikamaru, supporting Kiba rose from the water, drenched.

"Shika! Kiba!" called Naruto in relief. He turned around again, and kneeling on the water was Neji, and not long after, Shino, who was way behind Neji, came walking almost casually towards the group.

Sasuke was standing near some boat wreckage behind him.

Naruto looked at all of them with a relieved look. He looked around some more for one more person. But she was no where to be seen.

"Hinata…" he said softly in shock. "He took her…"

"What would the Akatsuki want with her?" Kiba demanded.

Sasuke looked blankly at the dark water. He was dripping wet like the others. And very tired.

"Let's discuss this when we reach the island." Said Shino.

"Byakuugan!" said Neji. He looked around to make sure he knew which direction he was going, then began running forward. "Follow me."

And so the group did.

It was very dark, and cold. Moving seemed difficult.

"Is this the girl?" asked a deep, cool voice.

"She's as Orochimaru-sama described. It was quite easy capturing her." Replied another.

"Hmph. She doesn't look like much." The cool voice sounded closer.

"It's the same with Naruto-kun, is it not?" said the other voice. It wasn't as deep as the first.

Hinata struggled to lift her heavy eyelids. She gasped as she realized where she was. Her back was laid down flat against a long, bed-like rock. She noticed nothing was wrapped around her. Why is it that she couldn't move?

"Oh look, she's awake."

Hinata turned to the direction of this voice, to her right side. Her eyes widened in shock. This figure didn't look human. His eyes were like beads. Under them were slits that looked like gills. His smile contained sharp teeth. And to make things more unusual, the figure's skin was light blue. Like the ocean. The girl started to hyperventilate. Her heart raised, and beat hard against her chest. She could almost hear it.

The figure sat on the stump of a rock, grinning like a nightmare. "I think she's scared of me."

"With that look on your face, I wonder who wouldn't be." Stated the cool voice.

Hinata turned to its direction on her left. This figure looked more human. Although the bottom half of his face hid behind the large collar of his black cloak, she could see appealing features. But his eyes. They were what struck her the most. They looked down on her with no emotion at all. And they were red… she couldn't help but think that this person, this man, looked familiar.

"He looks just like his brother doesn't he?" said the shark-figure to Hinata's right.

She turned to him as a response. A questionable look on her face. She couldn't speak. Her body was almost completely paralyzed.

A name was trying to find its way into her head. The name of this blue man looking at her. Seemingly guarding her. Ki… Ki… it started with a Ki. That's all she remembered.

"Itachi, why did Orochimaru-sama want this girl again?" asked the blue man.

Hinata struggled to look at the man to her left called Itachi.

Itachi… he sounded familiar.

"Something about her being a threat. He had an unusual dream." He said in such a relaxed way.

If she could, Hinata would gasp in surprise. A dream? Like the one she had?

"If she's a threat, shouldn't we kill her, here and now?" Hinata looked to her right in shock. She saw the shark-man lift a large object slowly into the air. It looked too thick to be a sword.

This girl was sure her heart could be heard by these men now. It beat rapidly.

"Don't tease, Kisame. Orochimaru needs her." Commanded Itachi.

Kisame, that's his name. Thought Hinata. She looked at Itachi. Her face was puzzled. "And I myself am curious as to what this girl is capable of." He continued.

Kisame lowered his weapon down. He looked disappointed.

"Why don't you call him Orochimaru-sama like all of us do?"

Itachi was quiet for a moment. Then he looked away.

"No one is my master." Was his reply. Kisame seemed to sigh.

Taking the opportunity, Hinata twisted her head around to observe her surroundings. It was a large cave, lit brightly by some light powered by what seemed like chakra hanging from the high ceiling. A hideout? Thought the girl.

She heard wet footsteps coming towards her. Her head couldn't turn to its direction. So she stayed still, and let sweat form on her already wet skin.

"Orochimaru-sama." Said Kisame as he stood and bowed. Itachi did the same.

"We've caught what you've asked for."

Hinata could feel Orochimaru grin. She heard him walk even closer towards her, and finally, saw him hover over her, getting a good look at her cold face. A lump formed in her throat. Her chest started to hurt. Her mind seemed to scramble.

"Hinata-san, I didn't expect that you'd be useful for something." Said Orochimaru casually. He walked to her left side, and took Itachi's rock seat.

"I'm sure you've had an unusual dream as I did. About a green stone with immense power." Hinata responded by looking away. She would shiver if she could.

"The only reason you and your group would be traveling alone is because of this green stone."

Hinata's eyes widened in shock. How would Orochimaru know?

"From a source, I know you're looking for this stone to stop me. To give power to the strongest ninja, and fight me for the sake of your pathetic village."

Hinata closed her eyes. She wanted all this to be over.

"I don't want you to find it for Konoha." Continued Orochimaru with his cold voice.

"I want you to find it for me."

With disbelief on her face, Hinata opened her eyes and looked at the snake-man to her side.

"I know you won't do this willingly, but I have my ways. If you don't do this for me, you and your friends will suffer horribly. Go through different calamities. Die slowly."

The girl's eyes widened in shock. Could Orochimaru really do that?

"On this island, I am God. I've gained control over anything, and everyone. This is my territory, and soon, the larger islands will be, too." His voice made Hinata sick. She wanted to spit. And anger for her was unnatural to feel.

"Your friends are here. I'll give you until tomorrow morning to decide. And that is in about…" he seemed to look outside. Then back at her. "… five hours. Choose wisely." With a horrible smile, he walked out of the cave.

"Why were his feet wet?" asked Kisame.

"He was at the beach making sure you were dong your job. He was quite pleased." Replied Itachi coolly.

Kisame sighed. "Orochimaru-sama doesn't trust me enough yet. I guess it's our fault for almost killing him. At least he's agreed to spare us and share with us his power when he's gained enough."

It was silent before Itachi replied.

"Do you really believe that's the truth…? He's killed all the Akatsuki members except for us… It's suspicious." Itachi sounded almost angry as he said this.

Kisame didn't respond. He merely sat back down on his stump, and looked at the cold stone floor.

Hinata closed her eyes in agony and confusion. Why me? Why do I have to choose?

Her choice would be Hell either way. And she only had five hours to decide. She could feel tears sting her eyes. Her heart felt heavy, and ached.

Help me… Sasuke-kun… Naruto-kun….

Each boy rested on the beach in their own way. Sasuke walked inches away from cold water before dropping his pack to the side and falling on his knees to rest. Naruto took off his bag before slumping down on the sand as soon as he felt solid earth. His wet back soaked the ground underneath him. Neji half knelt on the sand, panting. Shikamaru and Kiba the same. Shino pressed his hands against his knees and panted. His feet were still in the water.

"Alright, we need to set up what we can for the night." Said Neji, almost breathless.

Shino stood up right to respond. "Yes, we need to rest as much as we can for our chakra—"

"NO!" interrupted Kiba and Naruto almost at the same time.

"What about Hinata!? Are we just gonna ignore the fact that she's been kidnapped from us?" exclaimed the dog boy angrily.

"Yeah, we gotta go look for her! We gotta find her." Naruto was almost shouting. The moonlight reflected off his eyes revealing them to be red. He was standing with fists at his sides. Sand that stuck to his back slid off in clumps.

Neji dropped his bag and stood up in defiance.

"I know how you feel, but think about it. Where would you look for her? Where would you start?" he said. The Uchiha of the group looked up at Hyuuga as the words left his mouth. He thought, She's on this island… I feel it. But if I tell them, they'll just get the wrong idea of me.

Neji continued, "Besides, we're all tired. We'll look for her as soon as we get our energy back."

Both loud mouths looked down in defeat.

Sasuke sat still on the sand, looking up at the boys. He felt their worry. From behind, he could see their fists shake slightly.

It was quiet for a moment before Shikamaru broke the tension. "Why would the Akatsuki want Hinata anyway? Do you guys think they know about the stone?"

Shino looked out at the dark ocean in thought. He was still dripping wet, but didn't seem bothered by the fact.

"I heard from a source that all the Akatsuki members were killed… so that makes me wonder…"

Sasuke flinched slightly as he heard this, though it wasn't obvious. He stood up and took out a soaked paper bag that carried something heavy from his knapsack.

The sound of the shuffling made Kiba turn to him. His face seemed to have lit up in anger. Without warning, he had caught Sasuke by the collar with two shaky fists.

"You! You must know something!" he said with a shaky voice.

"Your brother is in the Akatsuk, right!?"

Sasuke seemed to have flinched. He dropped his paper bag and returned Kiba's intense glare.

"Kiba," Naruto placed a firm hand on the dog boy's shoulder.

"I know nothing about the Akatsuki, and could care less about my brother. Like I am to him, he's dead to me." Said Sasuke coldly.

"Kiba, let go of Sasuke. There's no point in taking all your frustration out on him." Commanded Shino. Kiba ignored him.

"It's your fault we're in this mess…" his voice was getting quieter.

"Kiba, that's enough." Naruto kept his hand on his companion's shoulder.

Sasuke looked away from him. He still felt the blame. Although Hinata had somehow lightened his heart, it still felt the pain of guilt, and was heavy of it.

"Shika.. maru…!" Kiba sounded like he was struggling to speak. The boy he held in his grasp looked at him in surprise. Behind the dog boy, Shikamaru had extended his shadow to control him. Sasuke felt the shaky hands loosen its grip on his soaked, black collar, and saw them drop to Kiba's sides. After that, Shikamaru made his shadow turn back into its original shape.

"You're acting like a child, Kiba. Don't make me waste my chakra again. It's becoming troublesome."

Kiba turned to glare at him. Then he gave Sasuke one last glance before stomping towards the shoreline of the beach, and sitting on the wet sand.

Naruto didn't know what to say. All he could do was sigh was he watched Sasuke silently pick up the small package he had dropped.

As Sasuke stood up to walk, they locked eyes for a moment, then he continued to walk to the center of the group. In that one moment, Naruto could feel the sting of Sasuke's pain. And the familiar sense of betrayal from their last battle. He looked down at the dark sand in discouragement. He wondered if Sasuke could still be considered a dear friend.

The Uchiha boy knelt down and placed the packet onto the sandy surface. He did his hand gestures to form a jutsu, and after a while, blew out a small ball of fire. The wet paper bag lit up in flame almost at once. All boys looked at it in awe.

"Special coal from the Country of Fire. Lights up almost as soon as it comes in contact with friction and heat, even when wet. Can stay alight up to five hours." Stated Shino. Sasuke nodded. He wasn't surprised about Shino's knowledge.

"Good thinking, Sasuke. Now we can warm up and dry." Said Naruto, speaking to the Uchiha for the first time since they left the island. Sasuke looked at him with appreciation clear in his eyes, though he didn't smile. Naruto shrugged and prepared to unpack what he had near the warm blaze.

Each boy stripped off their wet, outer clothes and placed them near the fire. Only Kiba sat away from the group, sulking while staring at the dark water. The view of stars reflecting off its black surface calmed him down a bit.

"Kiba, you'll be too sick to continue the journey if you don't come sit here." shouted Shikamaru.

"Yeah Kiba, don't be a burden!" teased Naruto with his raspy voice.

Kiba looked back to glare at both of them. Then lowered his head to look down at this wet clothes. He sighed in exasperation, and stood up to join his group.

Neji looked behind him towards where Konoha would be. "The sun will be rising soon. Rest as much as you all can."

The fire burned quietly, and glowed with the warmest orange. The boys of Konoha slept around it almost in a circle. Naruto was sleeping half out of his sleeping bag. Drool trickled from his mouth, which was gaping open as he breathed. Everyone else slept in a perfectly normal position.

Sasuke's eyes opened to a light sound. With a jolt, he sat up, and twisted his head to look at his surroundings. He noticed that the fire was fainter then it was hours ago, and the horizon seemed brighter. The sun was coming.

"Meow." He heard the sound again. It took him a while to realize what the sound was, and where it was coming from. Next to him, out of the group's circle, was a white cat of good shape. Its eyes were a dazzling shade of light green, and it had a patch of pink fur on the top of its small head. The toes of its feet were pink as well, like it stepped into something. "Meow."

All Sasuke could do for those few seconds was blink. What was a cat doing here? Did it belong to someone from the Mist Village? Questions kept on popping into his clouded head. On instinct, he petted the cat. His hand caressed it from its head to its tail. You faintly remind me of someone… he thought. Sakura…

From the thought of her name, his heart seemed to have been pricked by a needle. The cat meowed again, then with a smooth motion caressed its cheek against the side of Sasuke's almost-dry inner clothing.

Suddenly, it ran forward, and stopped to look back. Sasuke blinked. What was the matter with this cat? It seemed to be ushering him to follow. The Uchiha took a glance at the sleeping boys. They seemed to be sleeping deeply, and peacefully. No point in waking them up.

Grabbing his dry, black shirt, and awkwardly putting it on without making a sound, he quietly slipped out of his sleeping bag, and walked on the soft sand towards the white cat. It looked satisfied, then began running forward, and into the trees.

This could be a trap, set by Orochimaru. Thought Sasuke. His guard was way up, though he looked calm. If you'll lead me to him, cat, I'll follow.

He couldn't help but feel silly, following a random cat into the woods, but this seemed quite suspicious. After minutes of trudging through almost completely dark woods, the cat had led him to the mouth of a seemingly large cave. The entrance was big enough just to walk through. The inside looked like it was lit by something. He looked at the cat, and petted its head again.

"So you were of some help after all."

The cat purred, then ran off. Sasuke watched in surprise. The moment the cat disappeared into the bushes, he swore he saw Sakura, smiling like her job was done, and playfully running off.

His concentrated, dark eyes seemed to have softened, and he looked away from the direction the cat ran off to.

"Sakura…"

The light from the ceiling seemed to have dimmed, but the same time, a little bit of light has seeped in through the cave's entrance.

"Looks like the sun's almost done rising." taunted Kisame. Hinata whimpered slightly. She still couldn't move, and has been in the same position for hours. Her mind would not rest. Her heart would not calm down. Although she was dry, sweat kept her wet. The sun, not the sun. She thought desperately. Her decision had not been made yet. Help Orochimaru, or make her companions suffer, along with herself? Her head throbbed. Why couldn't she move?

Itachi looked at the poor girl laying on her back, on a flat, bed-like rock.

"I doubt she's made her decision yet." He said with his deep, cool voice.

Kisame chuckled. "It doesn't look like she's able to move yet, either."

Itachi stood up, and took a step closer to where Hinata lay. He saw that her eyes were wide open in fear. More sweat broke on her forehead when she looked into his red eyes.

Gently, Itachi brushed the sweat off her face, and pushed her chin up so that she had a better view of him. Hinata gulped.

"Do you know why you cannot move?" He asked.

Hinata would have shook her head.

Itachi continued, "When you were unconscious, Orochimaru put a drop of a drug he's made into your mouth. That one drop has various substances that paralyze, and his essence."

Hinata felt the blood drain from her face.

"When I mean his essence, I mean his whole being. He put drops of his own blood into the drug, and mixed it with his own Chakra."

Kisame looked on in amusement. "Look how white her face is."

Itachi ignored him.

"Putting this drug in your body, Orochimaru can make you do what ever he wants. Unless your will is strong enough, he can take complete control of you. Your body won't be able to refuse him. When the drug takes effect, you will be able to sense if Orochimaru is near or not. You'll know the drug is working when you start to move again."

Itachi caressed her pale, soft cheek, and traced her skin with his finger from her neck to her shoulder. She almost shuddered from the feeling.

"After he's done with you, your energy becomes his. Your abilities become his. And your life," Itachi hovered over the girl so his face shadowed her own. "Your life is sucked away." Saying that, he leaned back, indicating the one-way conversation to be over. He sat back on his rock stump, and looked out at the entrance.

"So either way, what ever she decides, she really has no choice." stated Kisame.

"That's what Orochimaru meant by 'having his ways'." Said Itachi. "By the time the sun has completely risen, you'll be able to move again, Hinata-san." said Itachi politely.

Hinata's chest started to hurt once more. It was like a heart attack. Her breathing was heavier as well. In minutes, she would become Orochimaru's slave, and there was no way out of it.

She felt tears sting her eyes. Her vision started to blur.

There was no hope. No hope at all. Everyone is going to suffer. All because of her.

You can't do anything right! She thought to herself. You're too weak… Familiar pain hit her hard. She closed her eyes in agony, and felt hot tears trickle down.

At that moment, she wished to never move again. Somehow, she wanted to end her life. Or just disappear… Anything to get away from this horrible world.

Her head throbbed. Its beating synced with her heart. Nothing could be done. All she could do was lay there, still, and wait.

Though Hinata did not notice, Itachi suddenly stood up.

"Let's leave her to her sorrow." He said in an even, low voice.

Kisame stood up as well. "Alright, I'm getting famished anyway."

They both started to walk into the dark hallway that lead to the cave's opening. On the way, Hinata could hear Kisame's taunting voice bounce off the rock walls, causing it to echo. "It's not like she can run away, anyway."

Sasuke had to force himself not to move or breathe at all for two reasons: To strain himself from not being noticed by the two men in black cloaks, and to control himself from attacking the man he hates the most.

He glared at Itachi with rage burning in his eyes as the man walked away unknowingly. Of course, the idea to kill him now hit Sasuke on the head like a large brick. But the memory of his brother's power still haunted him, and stopped him from doing so. He knew that now was not the time for revenge. He has come this far into the woods, he's left his companions at the beach, and before him, a mysterious cave opened its wide mouth to him, beckoning him to go inside. It wasn't just curiosity that yanked his attention towards the cave entrance. A feeling in his gut made his whole body seem to tingle. His heart raced. Just staring at the cave entrance was making him anxious. It was like a magnet, pulling his body towards it. He dare not fight it. He knew what was in there. All he needed to do was find out for sure.

"Hinata…"

The hallway seemed to have lit up from the rising of the sun. It wasn't very long. On the other end, Sasuke could already see a light room, and the figure of a person lying down. Though, with the perspective he was in, he couldn't tell for certain. Slowly, he entered the light room, not daring to make a sound. Every few minutes he would turn his head back to see if someone was behind him. He's had the distinct feeling that he was being watched since he entered the cave's mouth.

"Ugh…" the sound of a groan stopped him cold. He stayed still in the shadow of the cave's hallway. Unmoving, and breathing every so softly, he watched as the figure struggled to sit up. Sasuke held back a gasp. He noticed long, dark hair trail down from the figure's head. Unsure of what to do, he stood his ground, and continued to watch.

Hinata's tears wouldn't seem to stop flowing. She sat on her rock-bed, and started to sob. "No…" she said with an agonizing voice. "No, no, no, no!" she shook her head in an attempt to get out of this nightmare.

Her hands rose and pressed themselves against her face. Heavy sobs made it hard for her to breathe. "I'd rather die, I'd rather die." She chanted to herself repeatedly.

"Don't say that." Said a voice, momentarily distracting her from her sorrow. She gasped, and looked to its direction. Her mind scrambled. Seconds flew by before she realized who it was that spoke. Before she realized who was walking towards her out of the shadows. "S-Sasuke-kun?"

Without thinking, she jumped off her rock bed. The impact affected her more then expected. Though she was on her feet, balance did not come. She staggered forward, and saw the ground rush up towards her.

"Oof!"

Soft but firm, his heartbeat faster than usual, Sasuke had caught her before she hit the ground.

"If you die, then this whole thing would have been wasted effort." He said evenly.

"And I don't know what I'd do…" he trailed off. Hinata's body was against his chest, her head cushioned against his shoulder. His arms were around her, supporting her. The seemed to hold her tighter as Sasuke's last sentence escaped his mouth. It was an embrace.

He didn't know what came over him. His purpose was to prevent her from hitting the ground, yet it felt so right to have her there. His arms fit around her perfectly. He could feel her heart as it started to beat faster, as did her breathing it seemed. Her warmth engulfed his body. Burden didn't exist at that moment. It was just her, her presence, her being. Letting go did not cross his mind.

Hinata could feel her face start to burn up. She was embarrassed by the fact that she was being held by a boy, and by the fact that he could probably feel her fast beating heart. As anxious as she felt, she didn't fight. She knew she needed this. She needed this comfort at this very moment. Her tears kept on flowing, and her eyes started to feel sore. She closed them slowly. Taking in all the different feelings that swirled in her body. Her heart still beat rapidly, but anxiety wasn't so obvious anymore. She was cold, and still somewhat wet, so Sasuke's warmth was more then welcomed. Every moment, she savored it. The seconds extended. As she rested her tired, quivering body on his, she lifted her own arms to put around him. Such security she felt. Never again did she want to let go.

They held each other there for moments, not caring about the time, or anything. It was very quiet. But this time, the quiet between the two was not from awkwardness. Hinata felt so comfortable…

Her eyes flew open as a the image of Orochimaru's hideous face popped into her head. Along with the feeling like her gut was being pierced slowly. Her stomach churned. With a gasped, she let go of Sasuke, and fell back against the wall. Her hand gripped her chest, and she started panting.

With tears still streaming down her cheeks, she looked up at the confused boy in front of her, and said, "He's coming."

Sasuke looked at her in confusion. He did not understand the emotions that engulfed his body a while ago, and now this girl, who has been missed, is breathing heavily and looking like she saw death. Suddenly, he realized.

"Orochimaru, what has he done to you!?" he demanded. His voice bouncing of the cave's rocky walls. Pale hands gripped the girl's shoulders. He asked again, "What has he done?"

Hinata wrapped her arms around her stomach and slid down, making herself go into fetal position. Her hair covered her face.

"I can feel him. He's coming closer." She muffled with a quivering voice.

"Sasuke-kun, g-get out of here!"

Sasuke looked at her with bewildered eyes. He turned around behind him, and saw no one at the entrance. Then he turned back to Hinata. He leaned over, making his face closer to hers. She was sobbing, and seemed to be cringing in pain. Anger burned in the Uchiha boy's gut as he saw her state.

"No." Was his reply.

His hands rose from her shoulders and cupped her face, forcing her to look up, into his dark eyes.

"I-I might… hurt you." Stuttered Hinata through her sobs. "Orochimaru has d-drugged me…"

At that, Sasuke's eyes widened. He bent his head so his hair shadowed his face, and stood up, letting go of Hinata's face.

"Let him come." He challenged as he turned to face the cave's entrance. His fists clenched into tight fists at his sides.

On the other side of the rocky hallway, a dark figure came walking towards the pair, chuckling softly.

Kiba felt so stupid. Sneaking around, spying, and not making a sound. Watching as Sasuke entered the cave, and sitting there for a while waiting for something to happen. And now there was his main enemy—Konoha's enemy—who had entered the cave as well. Orochimaru. Just his name made the dog-boy grit his teeth.
What was he to do now? What if he was expecting Kiba to come? It could be a trap. Maybe Sasuke was working for the snake-man after all.
Negative thoughts scrambled in Kiba's head. "Ah, damn it," he rubbed his forehead in irritation. "That's it." The pupils in his eyes seemed to have formed into cat-like slits. Quietly, he leapt off his spot behind a tree, and landed in front of the cave's mouth. Taking a deep breath, he started to walk towards the dark hallway.
"What is it you want from us, Orochimaru?" Kiba stopped in his tracks as he heard Sasuke's demanding voice. He scuttled forward a bit more, to get a better view of what was happening on the other side of the cave. But also, he made sure that his presence was still in the shadows.
He heard Orochimaru chuckle, and stopped. The distance between him and the chamber on the other side was enough for him to see what was going on. He could make out Orochimaru as the figure standing with his back turned towards the cave entrance, and the long dark hair. Sasuke was obviously the one he was talking to. The one in the black suit… but there was another person with him.
A girl huddled against the wall, looking in pain.
Though the light was dim, Kiba held back a gasp as he realized who this girl was by the color of her long her. "Hina…ta…"
"Answer me, Orochimaru!" ordered Sasuke.
"I only want what you want, Sasuke-kun." Said the snake-man calmly. His voice made the hairs on Kiba's back stand.
"The gem… is that what you're after?" asked Sasuke.
Orochimaru laughed. It sent a chill down Kiba's spine.
"Why don't you ask your friend over there? It's the reason she's in such a state."
State? Thought the boy hidden in the shadows. He had the strongest urge to take the girl and run, but fear unusually gripped at his gut. Things were going to get worse. He just knew. So he didn't dare move.
Sasuke looked back at Hinata, shivering with her knees to her chest.
"You bastard…" he turned his eyes back to Orochimaru. They seemed to be glowing red under the dim light. "What did you do!?" he took out a Kunai knife and lunged forward. "I'll kill you!"
The kunai slashed at nothing. Sasuke stared in awe as he saw that there was no one in front of him. His eyes scanned the area. He noticed something in the rocky hall way.
Kiba sat still in shock. In Sasuke's return, he had never seen the Uchiha lash out like this. He didn't know how he should react.
The boys looked at each other in what seemed like minutes before they heard Orochimaru's smooth, lazy-like voice. Sasuke spun around immediately.
"Hinata-san, take out your kunai knife." commanded the snake-man.
Still shaking slightly, Hinata stood, and hesitantly slid her hand into her small pouch that clung to her right thigh.
"Hinata… what are you doing?" asked Sasuke in disbelief. Orochimaru stood next to the girl, and looked satisfied.
"I'm s-sorry… S-Sasuke-kun…" said Hinata through strained lips. Her eyes were red from all the tears.
"P-please… run away." Her left hand seemed to be forcing her right hand to stay down. It gripped her wrist tightly. The kunai shone under the dim light. It looked brand-new, like it had been polished recently.
"Hinata, stop it." Urged Sasuke. He took a step forward in concern and as a warning.
"I… can't…." struggled Hinata. Kiba gritted his teeth. What was he to do? He felt the skin over his knuckles stretch as he formed his hands into tight fists.
"Now, Hinata-san, attack Sasuke-kun please." Said Orochimaru in a sickly polite voice. From there, time seemed to speed up.
Sasuke found himself flat on his back on the floor with a blood pouring out from a deep cut on his right shoulder. Hinata's kunai knife in it, digging deeper. She was kneeling on his stomach, putting pressure on Sasuke's new wound. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" she chanted with a shaky voice as tears fell from her wide, silver eyes.
Sasuke gritted his teeth from the pain. His hands were both over Hinata's, preventing the blade from getting any deeper into his shoulder. Breathing was a challenge. She was much stronger than he had expected. Or maybe he was just weakened by the fact that this girl is the one assaulting him.
Orochimaru laughed again, momentarily snapping Kiba back to reality. He hadn't realized that all he had been doing was watch his companions in the safety of the shadows. It made him sick to the stomach.
"Hinata-san, I'll leave things here to you. You can kill him if you want." Chuckled the pale-faced man. He took a step back, and making a symbol with his hands, disappeared, leaving an echo of his evil laughter in the cave's chamber. Kiba bit his lip. He flinched as he saw Hinata jerk her kunai out of Sasuke's bleeding shoulder. As she struck down, Sasuke took the opportunity to grab her wrists, and, although his stomach was knelt on, he used his abdominal muscles to help push her down. She fell back with a thud.
"Fight it Hinata!" commanded the Uchiha. "Fight it, dammit!"
The throbbing of his fresh wound could not be compared to the pain he felt at the sight of Hinata's petrified face. One hand still clutched the kunai rather tightly. He saw as the blood from his shoulder trickle down his right arm, and stain Hinata's hand as well.
"I'm sorry." She said again.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. He didn't know what else to do.
Suddenly, the ground started to rumble, and particles of rock from the cave walls hit the hard floor with soft pitter patters. This didn't distract the Uchiha boy. His hands kept Hinata pinned to the floor, and his eyes never left hers. The intensity of their stare made the girl look away with a heavy heart. She shut her eyes in an attempt to escape, reality. Against her will, she struggled against Sasuke's hold.
"You two, we have to get out!" shouted Kiba through the sound of falling rocks. "This place is gonna collapse—" The rumble of the ground seemed to have shifted to violent shakings. It caused Kiba to fall back, interrupting his words. Before he could regain his balance, the ceilings had dropped large rocks between him and his two companions. In panic, he scrambled to his feet and ran towards the exit of the cave, boulders and rocks creating a wall behind as he did. As soon as he saw the opening out of the cave, he leapt out, rolling as he landed onto his back. He could still feel the shaking, but noticed it become less violent each minute. As if the cave was set to self-destruct when the time was right. From where he lay, he could hear the collapsing of the rocks all too well.
"Damn…"
He pressed his hands against his brows in frustration. The shaking was a little weaker now. With legs that trembled slightly, he got up on his feet, and looked at the solid mass in front of him with wide, disbelieving eyes. As the cloud of dust settled, he saw the remains of the cave. Just a pile of rocks and boulders. His hands balled into fists and he gritted his teeth.
"No…" he said quietly as he approached the rubble. "Hinata…"
Weak from the shock, his legs gave up on him, and caused him to fall on his knees. "Sasuke…"
His heart started to race. He could only feel devastation and guilt. With shaky hands, he started to dig through the pile.
I could've done something! What was I thinking!? He scolded himself in his head.
His hands started to move quicker with the digging. It was useless effort, he knew. But what could he do now?
He's lost his loved ones before. He won't lose anyone again. Tears stung his eyes, but he fought them from coming. No point in crying now. It would just make him weaker.

It was dark. Pitch black. There was no sound. No other sound but his breathing… and someone else's. He sat up suddenly. Blinking rapidly as to get a better view in the dark. "Hinata!" he exclaimed. His voice echoed through the walls. He scrambled to his feet, a hand pressured onto his wounded shoulder.
"Hinata, where are you?" he relied on his senses to find the lost girl. It surprised him that he wasn't crushed by rocks from the ceiling. He could even stand up straight.
His steps were slow, and dragged on the floor. A bloody hand stretched a few inches away from his body in case he bumped into something. Then he felt it. The wall of fallen boulders and rocks. The tunnel, he thought. It had been blocked completely. That was why no light was getting through. Before he began to dig, he dodged something sharp that stabbed into the rocks beside him with a clang, causing particles to fly about. He closed his eyes, took a few steps back, and went into his fighting stance.
"I'm sorry!" said Hinata in a whimpering tone. It was easy to tell she was crying.
Sasuke felt his ears twitch as he heard her charge forward. Activating his sharingan, he dodged again, back slammed against the smooth rock wall of the chamber. Even with the sharingan, he couldn't see in this dark, but it heightened his senses ten times more. Not only would he be able to hear Hinata's approaching well, but he'd be able to feel it.
"Just kill me now." Pleaded Hinata. She slashed violently in Sasuke's direction.
He ducked and kicked the knife out of her hand. Heard it clank against the ceiling.
"No! I won't!"
Before he could grab her, she herself dodged, and pressured a hand forward, like she was pushing something, into Sasuke's chest. He dodged to the side, the hand barely touching him, but the force was enough to rip the clothing over his skin. He made no reaction to the slight pain inflicted on him as he skidded on the floor.
It was the Hyuuga technique. The skill that made their family unique. If that hand had actually pushed itself against his chest, his heart would have stopped, or at least receive a bloody impact, causing him to cough out blood.
"Hinata, fight it. You're stronger then this!" commanded Sasuke sternly.
"I-I can't!" panted Hinata as she lunged forward, another hand ready to strike.
"My will isn't strong enough." Her voice was shaking. Either from her charging or crying. Sasuke attempted to dodge her attack, but stumbled, and found himself lying on the bed Hinata was on. He closed his eyes at the sudden impact, and froze when Hinata seemingly missed her shot, and hit the space next to him, denting the rock greatly. Sasuke heard her whimper. Before she could strike again, he took the opportunity to grab the wrist next to him, and with guessing, grabbed onto the other wrist that was about to push itself on neck. Then mustering all strength, flipped over, pushing himself off the rock bed, and landing on top of Hinata, pinning her to the hard ground. He could feel her begin to struggle, and attempt to kick him off.
"You can fight it, Hinata." Said Sasuke with a gentle, but strong tone.
"No, I can't, I can't. I'm too weak!" whimpered Hinata, thrashing her head from side to side.
"Shut up!" commanded Sasuke. His voice struck Hinata so hard, she couldn't help but stop, and with her Byakuugan activated, look up at him. Even if her vision showed him in black and white, she could see the color of his feelings rise up on his almost expressionless face. The clearest emotion she could make out was pain. Somehow she thought it was not from being shunned by the surviving villager, or hurtful words from Kiba. More tears stung at her eyes as she realized it was pain from her. For losing her, for being attacked by her. She kept her mouth shut, not knowing what else to say.
"You''re stronger then you think. I can feel it." Said Sasuke, a little more quietly.
Hinata felt her body ache, craving to feel the Uchiha's blood washed over it. Her legs kept on kicking against her will. Her hand struggled to set themselves free from his grip. Even though she knew in her mind that it was useless, but her body wasn't hers at the moment. It was Orochimaru's.
"I'm not letting you go until you find your strength."
She saw his hovered face lean closer to hers. As fast as her heart was already beating, she felt it beat with greater speed. It was like her chest would explode any second. She tried her best to slow her panting, but no success. Her breathing was still heavy. More tears came.
"I can't…" she closed her eyes, and fought back Orochimaru's hold.
"You can." Said Sasuke. He leaned his sweaty forehead against hers, and closed his own eyes as if to concentrate.
She tried to visualize something, anything, that would distract her from giving in completely to Orochimaru's drug. Her eyes were closed tightly. The lids over them felt like they were crushing her eyes, but she didn't care. She slowly inhaled a heavy chunk of air, and breathed out. It was an attempt to relax her body. If it weren't for the beating of both Sasuke's and her pulses, and their heavy breathings, the chamber would have been completely quiet.
They stayed that way for a while, Sasuke's hand pinning Hinata's wrists to the floor, his forehead against hers.
Then there was a warmth. Neither one of the two opened their eyes, but they both felt it. It was like low heat was slowly radiating from Hinata's body. Heat that removed all negativity from a person's being.
That wasn't all. As Hinata kept her breathing even, she could see through her lids faint green light. It was comforting. She could feel her hair start to flow upwards as if a wind was blowing her from behind. Realizing how that would be impossible, she quickly opened her eyes and gasped, causing Sasuke to open his own eyes and draw back. He looked at her with bewildered eyes.
As he turned his head to look around the rock chamber, he realized that soft, green light bounced off the walls, and what seemed like fireflies hovered over head. He turned back to Hinata, about to ask what was happening, but his jaw dropped from the sight of her.
Hinata herself was too shocked to speak. She could feel the warmth radiate out of her, as well as the light. This Hyuuga girl was glowing. Her long hair flowed as if she were in water. Suddenly, she was relaxed. Her heart felt lifted, and her tears seemed to have stopped coming. She felt light. With bright eyes, she looked at the Uchiha.
"Sasuke-kun…"
Hesitantly, Sasuke got off of her, and took a few more steps back as if more were about to happen, and more did.
As Hinata sat up, she began to rise from the ground. She was levitating.
Sasuke looked on in awe. Like in the forest on the way to camp, when he saw her with the fireflies. Burdens didn't exist. Hinata was the firefly princess.
No. She was an angel. The way her hair flowed, the way soft, green light radiated out of her, the way soft spots of greenish-white light floated all around her, it was celestial.
"Sasuke-kun…" she said his name with such warmth. Sasuke took a step forward.
"Hinata…"
For the first time since they arrived at the island, the girl smiled.
Suddenly, all the light disappeared. Hinata's hair began to drop, and so did her body. Sasuke caught her in time before she hit the ground. The light may have been gone, but the warmth was still there. Hinata's eyes were closed, as if she was resting. Sasuke's lips twitched at the sides to form a slight smile. He carried the girl, and gently placed her on the rock she was found on.
Moaning softly, Hinata opened her eyes. It was dark, but she knew where Sasuke stood, and looked up at him. "What was…" her voice was weak.
Sasuke brushed a lock hair off her face. "Hinata," he began gently.
"Along with your strength, I think we found the jade stone."

"What the hell is this?" exclaimed Shikamaru in shock as he saw Kiba digging at a mound of rocks uselessly. He noticed the dog-boy's hands were bleeding and blistered. "Kiba, stop! What are you doing?" cut in Naruto as he leapt to Kiba's side and began pulling him back.
Shino and Neji stood idly by, watching with confused expressions on their faces.
"That earthquake from earlier must've caused this." Said Neji.
"It must've. But why is Kiba digging so desperately?" wondered Shino, pushing his glasses further up his nose. Suddenly, Neji felt something in his gut. He twitched at the feeling, and sprinted towards where the other boys where. Shino was left standing by himself, unsure of what was happening.
"Who is in there?" asked Neji sternly. Kiba gave him a bewildered look, and pushed Naruto away. "H-Hinata, and Sasuke…" he stuttered with a desperation in his voice, a finger pointing towards the mound of rock.
"They're in there. I couldn't save them—" he cut himself off and began digging again.
"Kiba, rest your hands, damn it!" commanded Naruto, pulling him back again.
"We'll do the rest of the digging!"
Kiba let out a growl and pushed Naruto back. "Leave me alone, this is my fault! I'm fixing it!" Kiba was too lost in guilt. He couldn't think straight anymore.
Naruto fell on his bottom with an "Oof!"
He threw Kiba a glare, and gritted his teeth. "Kiba, you idiot!" he shouted, standing up, a fist raised, ready to impact. Before anything could be done, Shikamaru activated his jutsu, stretching his shadow towards Naruto, so the Uzumaki could not move. Neji pulled Kiba back, and held him down.
"This is no time to be horsing around." Said Shikamaru, his tone harsh and commanding. "Everyone, start digging."
Shino summoned all his insects, telling them where to go and what to do. They were to loosen the rocks and report what was happening in side. Naruto mustered up all strength and punched at the boulders, causing them to explode and sent rock particles in all direction.
"Careful! You might make it worse with that." Commanded Shikamaru. Naruto held back another punch, and began digging, throwing huge boulders to the side, and small rocks behind him. Neji activated his byakuugan to see inside. Shikamaru kept on digging with Kiba, hauling rocks and boulders from side to side.
"This is useless! What if they're already—"
"I can see them." Cut Neji before Naruto could continue.
Shino picked up a small insect from the ground and nodded at it as if in conversation. He reported, "They're tired, and bleeding, but they'll live."
Kiba looked at Neji with wide eyes, then turned to Shino. "They're alive?"
He then began to dig faster, not caring who the rocks would hit behind him.
"Alright, let's do this." Said Naruto. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" he shouted when he put his two hands together for a technique. In seconds, the area was surrounded by yellow-heads, all pumped and ready to dig.
"Narutos, go!" he commanded, and the Uzumaki's did as they were told. The other boys looked on, momentarily forgetting about their jobs from the shock.
Great, more idiots. Thought Shikamaru as he proceeded with his digging. Though, he was relieved that there was more help.
They could hear them on the other side, and felt the impact of the boulder Naruto had punched. "They're here." Said Sasuke, approaching the wall of rock.
"Hinata, stay back." With that, he took a breath in, and began beating at the walls, cutting them clean like a knife through butter. It was so fast. Hinata looked on in awe, sitting up from her hard bed.
In what seemed like hours, light began to seep in from a little crack into the cave's chamber. "I see something!" said a Naruto clone. The wall finally collapsed, and the people on either side were both revealed. For moments, all they could do was stare at each other. It was silent. Then suddenly, Kiba broke the silence.
"Hinata!" he called, approaching her with rushed steps. He hovered over her, panting. "Are you okay?"
Neji followed after him. Then Shino.
Sasuke looked back at them, relieved. His hand was unconsciously over his shoulder. Shikamaru called, "Sasuke," The Uchiha turned to him. "Get over here. You're bleeding." Sasuke shrugged and approached the boy. Naruto stood by, preparing a roll of bandages. "Thanks," he muttered, cutting a long strip of bandage and handing it to Shikamaru.
"Shouldn't I be the one thanking?" replied Sasuke, slipping off the top part of his clothing.
Naruto pouted, "Would you shut up, and let me be nice to you for one second?"
Sasuke smirked, satisfied by the reaction. "Alright, alright, dobe. You're welcome."
"Hmph." Replied Naruto, handing Shikamaru a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
He didn't flinch as he felt his wound being dabbed by cold alcohol. Suddenly, he was feeling faint. He placed a hand against his forehead, and closed his eyes.
"What's wrong?" asked Naruto, suddenly concerned.
"He's lost a lot of blood. Plus, he's been moving too much for his own good." Replied Shikamaru like a professional. He wrapped the long strip of bandage around the Uchiha's shoulder, and tied it securely, making a small ribbon on Sasuke's back.
"I'm fine," said Sasuke, standing up. "Go look at Hinata, she's the…" not even taking a full step forward, his vision blurred, his head swam, and his legs betrayed him, causing him to tilt over to the side.
"Sasuke!" Naruto caught him. "You idiot, don't force yourself when you're obviously—" He stopped when he noticed the Uchiha's eyes were closed, and his breathing was even.
"Carry him to the camp. We'll rest up, then head off later, or tomorrow if things get worse." Said Shikamaru. He waved at the other boys, and walked back with Naruto, taking the first aid kit with him.
"Is Sasuke-kun alright?" asked Hinata as she watched the boys carry him away. Kiba would not keep his eyes off of her. "I'm sure he's fine." He replied gently. "Let's go. You need to rest." He began to take hold of Hinata's hand, but she drew back, and held her hand like an injured pet against her chest. She began to shiver slightly. "I-I hurt him…" she said with a shaky voice. "He was trying to save me, and I…" guilt rising to the surface, she placed her face in her hands and began to sob. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry." She mumbled. Kiba looked on helplessly, unsure of what to do. "H-Hinata…" he began, but held back, not knowing what to say either.
"You can tell him that when he wakes up." Assured Neji. Hinata looked up at him surprised. "Neji-nii-san…" she was touched by his sudden comforting. He smiled warmly. "Let's go." He said, turning around and preparing his back for her to ride.
"I'll carry you back."
She hesitated, her hand reaching for Neji's shoulder, but drawing back.
"It's no problem, Hinata," said Shino. "Take the ride. We're all waiting for you."
Kiba only nodded.
Hinata looked at her teammate behind the shades, and could feel tears begin to sting again at her eyes. She realized they didn't care what she did. They'll always accept her, no matter what.
So as not to burden the boys more, she quickly placed herself on Neji's back, and placed her face on his shoulder, so the tears wouldn't be so obvious.
"Thank you…" she mumbled. Kiba smiled in relief. Shino did as well, though it was hard to tell with the collar over his mouth.
With that, they walked off, towards their camp on the beach.
A circle of sleeping bags with a burnt out bonfire in the center. That was what the camp consisted of, and it relieved the team how nothing had changed about it since they left to search for missing others.
Sasuke was unconscious on Naruto's sleeping bag. The top part of his suit still around his waist. Blood seeped into the bandage enough that red was be visible. Naruto sat next to the body, cross-legged, with eyes that seemed to be analyzing it. His cheeks rested on the palm of his hands.
"Enjoying the view?" joked Shikamaru, rolling up his sleeping bag. Naruto shot him a glare.
"Shut up." He hissed.
"Why else would you be staring at him so attentively?"
Naruto's expression softened. He turned his eyes back to the Uchiha, replying,
"I don't know… I kinda sense something about him. Like, he seems different."
"He's been away for years. Something's bound to change." Shikamaru tied up his roll of sleeping bag securely.
"No, I mean from yesterday."
"How so?"
"How would I know?" The words came out more frustrated.
Sasuke let out a soft groan, then turned his head to the side. His lids over his eyes tight.
"He's still in pain." Said Shikamaru, dropping his bag and approaching the scene. "Man, he's still bleeding."
Naruto turned to his teammate with a worried expression.
"Why hasn't he stopped yet?"
Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head in agitation. "That wound's really deep."
He reached out a hand and slipped it between Sasuke's back and the sleeping bag. With some effort, he forced the boy to sit up.
"Hold him for a moment. His bandage needs to be changed."
Naruto nodded, and helped support the limp body.
Before Shikamaru could cut the blood-soaked strips off, a call interrupted him.
"Yo!" It was Kiba. The others behind him. Shikamaru sighed and lazily waved back.
Hinata lifted her head off of Neji's shoulder, and her eyes, red around it from crying, widened at the sight of Naruto holding Sasuke against him. An unfamiliar feeling shot through her body. Something like jealousy, or relief. Maybe a mix of both.

Hastily, she slipped off of Neji's back, surprising the Hyuuga boy. He stopped walking, and let her move.
"How is Sasuke-kun?" she asked, her voice shaky from half-waddling towards Naruto, and a sense of self-consciousness.
Shikamaru replied, "He's fine. I just need to change his bandage." Naruto nodded in agreement.
Hinata slumped herself on her knees next to the Uzumaki. Just as Shikamaru made another attempt to cut the blood-soaked bandage, Hinata interrupted, "C-can I…"
With a sigh, Shikamaru stopped and looked at her with half open eyes, waiting for her to finish her request.
"Can I be the one to s-support him?" her own voice surprised her. Each pair of eyes in the group except for Sasuke's widened from the unexpectedness.
"Y-yeah, sure." Replied Naruto awkwardly, shuffling to the side so that Hinata could take his place.
His body felt so warm against her own. He was breathing so evenly, like he was only sleeping. It felt so comfortable, she didn't want to move from her position. His head against her shoulder, her cheek on his head. Shikamaru proceeded with his task in silence as the others looked on.
Naruto sat right next to the pair, observing them, though they did nothing but sit there. Somehow, he didn't feel comfortable about the two of them being together. It was hard to swallow.
"What's gotten into them, I wonder." Whispered Neji to Shino, sensing some static in the air.
Kiba's hands balled into fists in his pockets. He definitely didn't like the scene. Feelings of regret began to surface. But Shino's voice broke through his negativity:
"This is the most at peace I'd seen her since the massacre."
Those words made the dog-boy take a better look at what was displayed. Through his own selfishness, he saw the warmth in Hinata. Although it was only a view of her back, he noticed her shoulders weren't so tense anymore. Her breathing was even as well. The fists in his pockets softened. He let out a sigh.
"Done. You can set him down now." Said Shikamaru as he packed the first aid back into its kit.
Hinata didn't want to do as she was told, but she knew she had to. She felt that she put Sasuke through enough already, and didn't want to make it worse.
As she began to lower his body, something gripped at shirt on her back. It made her wince and yelp in surprise.
"He's awake?" asked Naruto, shock in his voice.
"No…" replied Shikamaru. He leaned in to take a closer look at the situation.
Sasuke's hand had seemed to have moved on its own, gripping Hinata at the back so she wouldn't let him go. He nuzzled his cheek against her shoulder gently.
This caused the Hyuuga girl to blush. Her face burned red. Naruto gritted his teeth subtly.
"He's still unconscious," said Kiba rather bitterly.
"Hold him the way he is, then." Advised Shikamaru.
"It would seem that Sasuke is much more at ease this way." Added Shino. Neji nodded, his eyes holding a sense of awe.
Hinata felt sweat begin to form on her skin. Eyes were on her, and in her arms was the body of … she wasn't sure what he was to her. Either way, it was downright embarrassing. Moments of silence passed before Kiba spat out, "I'm going to the beach." And stomped off.
"You're at the beach already." Called Naruto after him. "I'll be along the shoreline then!" called back Kiba.
Neji looked at Shino in puzzlement. Shino only shrugged.
Hinata suddenly realized that Naruto was one of the people watching her. Her crush. The one she's wanted to spend her whole life with. Without looking at him, she mumbled, "N-Naruto-kun…"
"Huh?" Naruto didn't make an effort to get a better hearing of her words. His eyes were half-open, as if he was annoyed.
She slowly turned to face him, but at the sight of his expression, turned away quickly. Her heart began to pace faster.
"C-could you please … check on K-Kiba-kun?" She spoke a little louder, enough for Naruto to hear.
"Hm?" said Naruto, tilting his head to the side.
Hinata lowered her head, her eyes shut tightly.

Finally, Naruto understood. He got up to his feet, and began to walk away. "Yeah, got it..." He said, making his way towards Kiba.
"Oi, give this to Kiba, will you?" requested Shikamaru as he threw a roll of bandage at Naruto. The Uzumaki caught it with ease and without looking back. He kept walking.
"I'm sorry…" whispered Hinata, guilt weighing down on her heart again. Yet, despite the guilt, she didn't regret.
Shikamaru was now fixing the dead bonfire so that it could be reused. "We need resources," he said, while digging into his pockets for a switch knife.
"Got it. I'll gather some wood." said Neji, who was gone in a flash.
"I'll hunt for something." Said Shino, as coolly as always.
"But we already got food." Said Shikamaru before the bug-boy could set off.
"I know." He replied bluntly, then disappeared.
"… Alrighty then." Shikamaru set aside his sleeping bag and rolled up his sleeves.
"You two, we'll rest for a while. When Sasuke wakes, we'll set out. Our mission isn't finished." With that, he stood, and approached two grumbling boys along the shoreline, the first aid kit in one hand. Hinata nodded, grateful for being left alone, and savored her time with a slumbering Sasuke. His arm didn't limp back to his side. It stayed on her back, keeping her from letting him go. She had no plans of doing that. Hinata was content about where she was, and who she was with.