Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Unbeated.

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Sasuke's Persepctive

Before she could fall sideways out of her chair he reached for her, bracing her dead weight against his chest as he gathered her into his arms. Sasuke knew there would consequences because of the decisions he had made but some things were simply more important and he was willing to bear the fallout even if it made the path back to each other rockier.

However, the Uchiha wasn't one to pass up on unforeseen benefits and took the chance to admire his wife up close. She was so lovely, her dark lashes fanned out casting delicate shadows upon her cheeks, her soft supple body pliant against his. All the tension and wariness had been replaced by a gentle peace and vulnerability.

He had only stolen a few moments but, time was precious and Sasuke couldn't afford to indulge his whims so rising carefully he tucked her head into crook of his neck support her back and her legs exiting the kitchen through the back entrance towards the waiting sedan. It took just under an hour to make it to a private airfield on the outskirts of Konoha. Once there he carefully carried her up the steps leading to a private chartered jet that would fly them to their next destination.

Once they were off the ground he breathed out a relieved sigh, so far his plan had gone off without a hitch, they had successfully left the city without raising any alarms. Of course he knew it wouldn't be long before their disappearance was noted when that happened it was crucial that Hinata was already safely sequestered away before putting the final stages of his plan into effect.

For the next hour and a half he occupied himself with carding his finger through her silky tresses, amused by the contrast between the paleness of his skin and her dark strands. Sasuke tried not to give thought to Hinata's reaction when she awoke, they would only have a couple days together at most before he left to return to Konoha to settle his affairs. After this stunt, despite his good intentions things weren't looking too optimistic, he had betrayed her trust by drugging her. Sasuke had deceived her and taken away her choices and he regretted the hurt he caused her because of his underhandedness but he would not take back his actions.

Forcefully he reminded himself that her presence in his arms did not close the rift between them. Hinata was adamant in her refusal to come back to him, she'd spent all her time trying to convince him it would be better for them to stay apart. She simply couldn't accept that he loved her and he knew it was his fault for not telling her that every single day, for not building her trust and confidence in his complete commitment and devotion to her.

While he was sure if he applied enough pressure her resolve would crumble and she would respond to him physically with all the pent up desire and passion that simmered beneath that steely-eyed surface, it wouldn't erase the fear and uncertainty in her heart. Sasuke knew that ravishing her wouldn't get him very far, she'd clam up even tighter than before and erect her every last defenses against him. Hinata wouldn't trust him, but more importantly she wouldn't trust herself around him and though he had been patient and bided his time such a setback would make his reckless and impulsive in the face of disappointment.

It was trying though, the stress and frustration and the misery whittled away at his self-control and his patience, but his resolve never weakened. She was so close, he could actually reach out and touch her, but that meant very little when she refused to believe in him and was intent on fighting him every step of the way. Of course things were looking up, having her this close for the first time in two years was a miracle, when some days he despaired tormented by the fact he had no way of knowing if she was alive, or injured. There was nothing he could have done for her and it pained him when he imagined the countless experiences she'd endured alone, without him or his love or his support.

Hinata was strong, stronger than she'd been before and he couldn't be prouder. He marveled at her transformation, the fire in her eyes and her fierce will and unyielding determination. His beloved had blossomed and come into her own and he had had no part in it. Without a doubt he applauded her success and what she had become as a result of her own actions, but still it felt like she was even further out of his reach.

He had weathered the storm and devoted all his time and resources into getting her back, because without her, he felt bereft. The basis of all his hopes and dreams lay with her. Yes he had carried out with his life, but he hadn't really been living, very little in his life during those past two years had held joy for him, knowing that she was somewhere out there on her own.

Now at the last stages he couldn't afford to leave room for doubt or indecision, there was no going back, there could be no other outcome for him. Even if he had to spend the rest of his days trying to prove his love for his wife over and over again he would do so willingly because their fates were tied together. There were meant for each other and soon enough he would remove ever last ounce of fear and uncertainty in her heart, Hinata would know with every fibre of her being that he belong to her, that she had ensnared him completely.

There would never be anyone else for him, but her.

XXX

Hinata's Perspective

It was daylight. Though she had yet to open her eyes, there were bright shifting colours and that indefinable sensation behind her closed lids. She could also hear the birds whistling in nearby as well as other unfamiliar sounds that she couldn't fully identify, though at one point she thought she heard running water.

She'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for a while, thought she couldn't have pinpointed exactly how long this had gone on for. At one point Hinata had finally felt she had enough strength and awareness to open her eyes at last, fighting off the last vestiges of a deep weary sleep. Several times over, she'd lost the will to fully awaken as the lethargy settled in her limbs and the soothing darkness beckoned her to return.

On shaky arms she propped herself up, surveying her surroundings. It took her only a moment to realize she didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there in the first place. Glancing out the open window she immediately noticed the trees, in fact it appeared she was in the middle of a forest, though the greenery did not remind her Konoha and in the distance she could see a range of rocky mountains.

It was very unsettling not knowing what had happened to her, but she knew Sasuke was responsible for her confusion and worry. Hinata was angry, angry enough that she actually considered lashing out at the minute she saw him, but mostly she was hurt and confused. Why would he drug her of all things then whisk her off to God knows where?

This entire trip seemed like a terrible dream, spinning wildly out of her control, too surreal and bemusing for words. She'd never expected something like this to happen, it was supposed to be a simple, clean break. All she had returned to do was get the divorce papers signed and filed and that was it, the worst complication she had planned on dealing with were her own unruly feelings, but if the universe was feeling particular nasty towards her then a run in with her clan.

This however was ridiculous!

Slowly she made her way towards the door, stumbling and tripping over her own feet as she tried to find her balance. Leaving the room she clung to the wall before making her way down the stairs stopping halfway to take a rest, the darkness creeping up on her. She promised herself she would only pause for a minute, but when she came back to herself the weary woman knew she had drifted off for a while. Still seated on her perch Hinata let her eyes wander as she scanned the modest household. It was sparsely furnished, but there were several sculptures occupying the open space in return. In fact, it seemed less like a home and more like a showcase, Hinata mused while admiring the craftsmanship. It was obvious they were all made by the same person and for some reason she got the feelings these were special pieces, not meant to be sold or put on casual display.

Once she had regained her energy and her balance was no longer an issue she continued her exploration. The layout of the ground floor was pretty basic, she'd explored the living area, the kitchen, the bathroom and what she assumed was the laundry room. She hadn't encountered anyone yet, but her next stop was to venture outside. Stepping out the front door unto the porch she noted how isolated her surroundings were, she expected the closest neighbor was at least a couple miles away and the driveway appeared to be a rather recent addition.

While she was no closer to discovering where she was or why she had been brought there Hinata didn't think she was in any immediate danger and it seemed like a bad idea to wander away from the house until she had more information. So she decided to sit on bench set out on the porch and wait till someone showed up. It was unlikely Sasuke would have just left her here alone for any extended period of time, surely he had some kind of motive and would be back eventually to get whatever it was he wanted from her.

And it seemed she was right. Not an hour later she again woke from her napping to the sound of an engine running and soon a non-descript grey car came into view parking in front of the house.

When Sasuke got out Hinata couldn't stop her heart beat from picking up, but she couldn't tell whether if it was because she was anxious to see him or if just the sight of his handsome face pissed her off. She followed him into the house as he walked with his hands occupied by grocery bags towards the kitchen.

It was seriously beginning to annoy her that he hadn't acknowledged her presence yet or at very least started apologizing for being a complete asshole for pulling a stunt like this in the first place. Hinata didn't intend on staying quiet either, but she wasn't quite sure what words would come out of her mouth and whether or not they would make the situation even worse which was hard to imagine at this point.

"What do you want for lunch?"

The question came out of the blue, startling her from her thoughts as she noticed he'd finished packing away the stuff he'd brought.

Shaking her head in disbelief she stared at him, "What do I want for lunch? You can cook? Since when?"

"I can follow a recipe. Don't expect everything to be the same way you left it, Hinata," he admonished her.

Could her life get any stranger? The Sasuke she knew had never seen the need to learn because he'd always had someone else seeing to those needs. The couple times in the past she'd invited him to join her in the kitchen he'd scoffed and said, "I'm not going to stand over a pot waiting for water to boil. If I need something I'll call the cook or order it myself."

While she'd thought that was a stupid answer and she privately reasoned he didn't want to try and possibly mess up in front of her she let it go to save his pride.

Now here he was offering to make a meal for them, though she was probably expecting too much. Lunch could just be sandwiches he was willing to put together.

Growling internally Hinata could have smacked herself, she couldn't believe she was allowing him to unsettle her, getting so easily distracted. She'd given in previously, figured it was best to bide her time until he was willing to explain himself freely and look at what that had gotten her. She'd been drugged, and carted off to some unknown location with only Sasuke for company yet he expected her to converse with him pleasantly as though he hadn't taken a sledgehammer to her trust in him.

She wasn't going to play his game and she wasn't going to wait on him anymore. She needed her answers now!

"Sasuke," she said, calling his attention to her, "what you did was low and deceitful and a complete betrayal of my trust and I want to know why. I deserve to know why you would do something like this to me."

He had moved towards the kitchen sink, his back turned towards her, his hands griping the edges.

"And what about what you did to me, Hinata? What about your betrayal of my trust? Didn't you pretend the entire fucking time I was gone that you were still at home waiting for me to come back?" His sharp, biting words was like a slap in the face.

And he didn't give her a moment to recover.

"You left me. You left me, Hinata after you promised not to! You let me believe that I had gotten through to you, that everything was going to be alright. You let your godforsaken sister mess with your head and abandoned me without even saying a proper goodbye to my face."

His breaths were quick and shallow and it shocked her how worked up he was becoming. She hadn't anticipated such a fierce reaction from him, even in the past he would rarely let such raw emotion slip through. Hinata knew she wasn't guiltless, she's made plenty of mistakes and she'd hurt this man in front of her. She had caused him such pain and she would answer for her actions.

"You're right," she admitted quietly. "I did betray your trust, I was weak and foolish and I let Hanabi get inside my head, but that doesn't change the fact that I needed to leave. We were both fooling ourselves thinking we could have made it work and I knew you would have never let me leave unless I lied to you. Face it Sasuke we were never going to last, I couldn't give you an heir, both our families were breathing down our necks, your position was jeopardy and by the time you realized what a huge mistake you were making by staying with me our lives would be in pieces and you were going to hate me for dragging you down."

Hinata angrily swiped away at the tears running down her cheeks, refusing to look away from the gaze he'd pinned her with.

He'd moved away from the sink and was now only a couple paces away from her.

"You had no right to take that decision away from me," he snapped, his mouth twisted into a savage snarl. "I could have never hated you and I couldn't give a shit what the clans thought and I still don't."

She gave a bitter chuckle, "You're engagement says differently, Sasuke. They still have a hold over you no matter how much you try to deny it."

Her declaration seemed to agitate him further; he closed the gap between them in the space of a heartbeat, invading her personal space, his voice curling like whispers of smoke in her ear.

"You assume too much. Nothing is as it seems," his dark piercing eyes boring into her.

"Enlighten me then. I feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark here Sasuke. Just tell me what's going on," Hinata pleaded feeling at her wit's end. "Explain it all to me, the cryptic comments, drugging me, the house in the middle of nowhere. You're right I don't understand anything because there are so many damn layers of lies and deceit and I can't get to the truth."

Her plea appeared to work, his anger deflated and his body visibly sagged, Sasuke's forehead was rested on her shoulder as if there was a huge weight pressing on his shoulders. Hinata didn't even pause to consider her actions, there was an instinctive need to comfort this man no matter how tumultuous their current relationship might be she couldn't stand to him so weary and burdened.

Her arms moved of their own accord wrapping around his back, pressing her form against his more fully as though her smaller frame could brace his own.

XXX

Sasuke's Persepctive

It took a moment to register the soothing power of her embrace as he reciprocated tightening his arms around her, inhaling deeply as he allowed her delicate scent and her body's warmth to act as a balm on the raw wounds.

It wasn't enough though, it just wasn't, not after all this time he needed more. Just a taste. Sasuke just had to know if she still tasted the same, if their lips fit together as perfectly as he remembered. His mind was convince that the act of taking her breath as his own was the only thing that could revive him, that could keep him going. Nothing could deter him from this fixation, he needed to kiss her.

Slowly he lifted his head, drawing his hand up to cup her cheek before tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. Her eyes were soft and tender, but that hint of reservation and wariness lingered. His palm was pressed against the base of her spine, ensuring their hips were flush together, he dipped his head closer letting his lips ghost against hers briefly, waiting silently. The Uchiha let her decide, gave her time to welcome or deny his advances, but he hoped, he burned in anticipation for her to accept, to let her defenses lower just this once.

Then Hinata pulled back and his eyes shut as the wave of disappointment and sadness broke over him, he tried to hide his pain from her so she wouldn't realize how desperate and needy he was. It shamed Sasuke that he couldn't reign in his own impulses that he let his hopes raise and set himself up for disappointment.

He only just held himself back from flinching when her warm hand brushed his hair off his forehead before trailing down his cheek caressing the line of his jaw as she scrutinized him.

"I need answers Sasuke. I won't let you keep me in the dark any longer," her voice gentle but unyielding and he knew there was nothing to be gained from keeping his plans a secret from her any longer so he nodded his head in acquiesce.

Her resulting smile was so dazzling and shone with unfettered joy he felt that flame in his core immediately flared up and begun blazing with such awesome heat and radiance. Maybe it wasn't too early to hope for more.

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A/N: I'm back. I had more planned for this chapter but who knows when it would have been completed if I stuck with the original plan so here you go. I've decided maybe doing shorter chapters in terms of length might speed up updating, we'll see how it goes, but no matter I am determined to finish this story.

My life keeps on changing and it's taken me some time to get my bearings, but hopefully its smooth sailing for a while, I don't think I can handle anymore adjustments at this point.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and please tell me what you think.

Sincerely,

CharmGirl24.