When the lilac tainted pearls that were Hinata's eyes opened she did not feel the heat of the desert, or hear sand storms outside, or see her beloved Gaara, Temari, or Kankuro. No, she saw Neji placing her on the cold floor that she knew was the polished floor of the Hyuga manor, and in the corner of the darkness she saw Hanabi, looking smug and malice.

"You're in big trouble Hinata. Just wait till father finds out you're alive. He's going to kill you. How exciting."

"Quiet down Hanabi."

"But Neji-"

"I said shut your mouth. I'll report it to Hiashi, not you."

"But Neji I wanted to see his face when you told him!"

"You stay here."

Hanabi crossed her arms angrily as Neji walked to where Hiashi's study was. Hanabi ran over to Hinata and grabbed her by her hair which came loose from its bun in her hand.

"Why did you have to come back alive? Why couldn't you have simply died? Maybe I should kill you myself before father does. You've ruined my chances Hinata! I already had a good chance, if not a great one but I had the greatest opportunity when you left. Damn Neji for coming back with you."

The door to the study slid open and Hanabi let go of Hinata's hair.

"Father! Neji brought Hinata back! She defied us! What should we do?"

"Leave her to me. I will show her never to disrespect or dishonor us like this again."

Neji's cold hard glare remained, unfeeling, unwavering and he didn't care what happened to Hinata now but deep down he knew Hiashi wouldn't kill her so that made him glad in a way. He could now resume to dancing with his Hinata again. Hanabi watched Hinata being dragged away with great fervor, a malicious, heartless smile upon her face.

"Come Nii-san, let's watch."

She grabbed her cousins' hand and walked out to where Hinata would be punished. Hiashi allowed it, he wanted to make a spectacle of what was to happen if anyone defied the Hyuga name ever again. Hiashi stripped Hinata of her pretty dress leaving her in a pale yellow under garments with her hair tousled. He ripped out her earrings, causing her ears to bleed then he gasped. He saw the mark on her back.

"What is the meaning of this…disgusting thing?"

Neji recognized it, it was the same mark Gaara had on his forehead. Why did Hinata have it on her body?

"He…he marked me. This….this is his mark. It means I am his and he is mine…forever."

Neji growled. How dare somebody mark what was lawfully his? He did not realize he outwardly showed his deepest emotions until Hanabi looked at him curiously. He dismissed these emotions and went back to his stone-faced self.

"How revolting that you would let someone carve your precious Hyuga skin like this!"

"Precious? I am defiled in your eyes now? Heh….nothing has changed. I know not why I am here but if you wish to harm me then do so now. Without my love I am not happy, or free. As the saying goes….go ahead, make my day."

"You love this boy? How sickening. You've acted like a common whore instead of a lady of nobility. For that you will be severally punished."

Hiashi made a whip of chakra and continuously whipped Hinata's flesh until raw and bloody. Each whip stung but Hinata bit her lip to prevent herself from giving her father what he wanted, cries of pain. She locked eyes with Neji, her eyes burning with eternal hatred and screaming of vengeance. No longer did she hold any love for Neji as he watched her get unmercifully destroyed by the whip. She understood why he brought her home, out of love most likely but for what? Just to watch her get hurt again? Just to laugh at her pain? Just to call her weak and tear her away from her beloved?

Hiashi went from whipping to physical beatings of his gentle fist. Over and over, causing bruises and broken bones. Blood spurted from her rose bud lips but only a few light screams were heard along with a chorus of painful mews. They were watching her suffer and enjoying it. They wanted it. This caused such a fire in Hinata's soul as never before. Nobody loved her if they wanted this for her. Her comrades couldn't respect her wishes and thus they truly didn't care. For this Hinata would never forgive them. Hiashi strangled Hinata but before she blacked out, he heard him say that she would never see that boy ever again or leave the Hyuga compound without an escort. Again, she was in a cage, a smaller, tighter, more heavily guarded and heavily locked cage. With broken wings and a broken spirit Hinata was left on the ice cold floor, all alone. Hanabi leaned down next to Hinata.

"For now we let you live but you better watch out, sister, for now I will strive to defeat you and get what I want most, my beloved, dashing Neji."

Hanabi got up and ran away, skipping innocently. Neji now kneeled next to Hinata.

"You were a fool. You could have came back but you didn't. Are you that naïve? You were also a fool to think that demon could love you. He is not capable of love."

"If you think that….then you are the fool. I hold….no regrets. I will empty….myself of my soul. I will bend to your wishes…like a living doll….your puppet. Pull on my strings….make me move. I shall never love you….ever again. You have lost…my affections. My old Hinata is gone…my new Hinata has arrived but cannot be….fully recharged without its heart. My heart…lies in the Suna….with he of the red hair….and aqua eyes. You're a bastard….for bringing me here. You have been damned to hell by me personally."

"How dare you speak to me like-?!"

"Go ahead, my heart and soul are….broken so my body…should follow."

Neji's hand trembled in the air, his eyes shaking in the whites.

"You call me a coward? You cannot hit your own cousin? You have done it before now do it now!"

Neji struck Hinata with the gentle fist right on her Kanji. She lurched forward a bit, almost into the ground. More blood spurted out of her mouth but with it a sickening, evil laughter.

"Pain doesn't faze me anymore! It hurts but it's so dulling. I hate you now and will hate you until we die. I love Gaara! I love him only! Kill me if you must I am obviously defiled!"

Neji walked away with anger in his heart but also jealousy and despair. He knew, deep down, that Hinata could never love him the way he loved her. Still, this would not interrupt his plans. Hinata would be his, whether she wanted to or not, and whether she was a living doll with no heart or soul or a shy girl with the kindest heart and soul or a tough girl with a tainted heart and soul. Hinata was Hinata on the outside at least and her spirit, though broken, would lay dormant but he could still dance with her, dance until the day they were wed, dance until the day they were bedded together, that glorious day of days where he could officially claim her, and until the day she bore the first Hyuga, strong, beautiful, and brave. It would be a son, it had to be, it must be.

Hinata was truly alone now. Nobody cared about her, nobody loved her except for those that resided in the sand. Hinata's arm was broken and so were a few ribs, it seemed. She made a vow then and there that she would be just a shell without feelings. That is what they wanted, isn't it? They could have her body but the rest of her was buried in the sand of the Sunagakure while her innocence would be like a tumbleweed, catching the next hot gust of wind to roll away into the whirling distance.