A/N: Sorry I've been away for so long! This one's a short chapter, but hey, it's an update. The next one will come ASAP!

Perfect

Chapter 12: The Battle Begins

"Remember that asshole that attacked us?" Ino cried when I sat down at the cafeteria table.

I thought about that for a moment.

"He walked up to our picnic table after we saw that movie!"

"Oh yeah." I remembered that asshole now.

"He completely trashed Neji on TELEVISION!" Ino cried.

I blinked in surprise. Why did it take me this long to know?

"He was on ETK, and just started trash talking Neji!" Ino cried, explaining why I never found out: because I don't watch Entertainment shows.

"What did he say?" Sakura asked. Even Sasuke looked concerned.

Ino opened her mouth.

"If you really want to know..." Neji practically materialized behind me. I gawked at him. He was so quiet! "Hiashi said I was a defiant teenager, and I ran away from home to go to my druggie friends, and I've been mentally disturbed since my father died."

"HE DID WHAT?" I screeched. "Oh no he didn't!"

"Sit down, Tenten." Neji told me. I didn't even realize I had stood up. "Don't worry, okay? Itachi's going to do everything he can to fix everything. Also, I want you to meet someone." Neji turned his head towards the pillar that kept the ceiling of the cafeteria up. There stood a girl, leaning shyly against it, trying to hide, but at the same time trying to look interested.

"This is my cousin, Hinata. You've seen her before, but now you get to meet her in person." Neji stated.

Hinata stepped shyly into view, tapping her index fingers together.

"Um...H-Hi..." Hinata said softly.

"Hi, Hinata!" Naruto said with a grin.

Hinata flushed at the attention.

"Don't be shy!" Ino stood up and gently grabbed her shoulder. "Sit down with us!" She pushed her towards the table, getting her to sit down. Neji took the seat across from me.

"So why are you here, Hinata?" I asked.

"U-Uh...um..." Hinata bit her lip. "I-I ran away t-too..."

"Well good for you!" Sakura said with a smile.

Sasuke looked up. "I think that ass is going to do something else, though. I'm not sure what, but I think he will."

"I don't doubt it." Neji stated. "Neither does Itachi. He's going to defend us."

Sasuke smirked. "That sounds like my brother. He's funny that way."

"Huh?" Sakura looked at him.

"He's so protective sometimes. It's so strange, and yet, it's so Itachi that I can't question it."

Neji nodded. "Yeah that sounds like him."

.oOo.

CRASH!

Itachi leapt up from his desk. Caught off guard, he backed away from the intruder.

"Where's my daughter, Uchiha?" Hiashi roared.

"Probably at school." Itachi said, as if this was the most obvious answer.

"You and I both know that she damn well isn't at school!" Hiashi roared. "Now where is she?"

"Mr. Hyuuga, that's enough."

Itachi looked up at the new arrival. He was a cop.

"Mr. Uchiha, I hope you can understand that we have nothing but concern for Miss. Hyuuga who was last seen leaving this building with you." The officer stated. "Unless you can take us to her now, you will be arrested."

Itachi quickly ran over his options. Those kids needed him. He couldn't just abandon them in favour of not being arrested. They trusted him. He had to follow through with that trust. He couldn't abandon them.

"Hinata Hyuuga came with me of her own free will. She is currently attending the same school as her cousin Neji, and I assure you she is perfectly safe." Itachi told the officer.

"Mr. Uchiha, Miss. Hyuuga is not an ordinary citizen of Konoha. She is very well known, and her father needs reassurance as to her whereabouts."

Itachi sat down in his chair again. "I will not tell you their location, as they wish it remains secret. Just understand: They are perfectly safe."

"Itachi Uchiha, you are hereby under arrest for failing to oblige to a police request, and, for kidnapping Hinata Hyuuga." The officer pulled out his handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used with or against you in a court of law..."

The rest of the rights got lost in Itachi's mind as he was thrown in the handcuffs. His cell phone rang as he was being lead out of the room, making his heart leap. It was the ringtone he used if Neji called.

"Wait, that's Neji." Itachi stated. "I swear, it's Neji."

Hiashi grabbed the phone and flipped it open. "Neji?"

"Mr. Hyuuga, put it on speaker phone if you don't mind." The officer told him.

Hiashi did as he was told and placed it on the desk.

Itachi? Are you there? Neji asked.

"I'm being arrested Neji." Itachi stated.

WHY?

"I'm being arrested for kidnapping Hinata." Itachi stated.

WHAT?

"Mr. Hyuuga, we are looking for Hinata Hyuuga." The officer stated. "Do you know of her whereabouts?"

Yes. She's with me.

"Is she harmed in any way?"

No. Of course not. She's fine.

"Let me speak to her."

There was a few seconds of silence.

H-Hello?

"Miss. Hyuuga?"

Y-Yes?

"I am an officer from Konoha police force. Itachi is being detained for your kidnapping."

He didn't kidnap me! I went with him!

"Has he hurt you in any way?"

No! Let him go! He hasn't done anything wrong!

"Miss. Hyuuga, we are only concerned for your safety."

Then don't arrest Itachi! If you do, I'll have to go back to my father! HE'S the one you should be arresting!

"Hinata, don't say stuff like that! I have been nothing but a father to you!" Hiashi cried.

Shut up, you ass hole! I hate you! You're not my father!

"Can you swear to the innocence of Itachi Uchiha?"

Yes. He never kidnapped me. He's never harmed me in any way. Please let him go.

"Miss. Hyuuga, can I get you to come to Mr. Uchiha's office? I would like to speak to you."

S-Sure...

"Bring Neji too." Itachi told her.

Y-Yeah...

Itachi sighed as the line clicked. He grabbed the phone and flipped it shut. Things were getting too complicated now. Even so, he had a feeling that now that Hiashi had involved the police, he wouldn't get his daughter and nephew back. In fact, he'd probably lose Hanabi too.

.oOo.

"We're going too." I said sharply to Neji as he walked from the school, Hinata at his side. The entire group was following him, regardless of his protests.

"You've been involved enough." Neji stated. "I don't want to involve you any more than I have."

"Hell no!" I cried. "We're going!"

"Yeah!" Naruto cried, pumping his fist in the air.

"This isn't a war, Naruto!" Sasuke cried. "This is serious shit!"

"I'm dead serious, Teme!" Naruto growled.

Neji sighed. "Please." He looked at the group, his eyes pleading. "This is between myself, Hinata and Hiashi. Please, let us do this alone."

I bit my lip. "But Neji…We're your friends."

"I know." Neji gave me a smile that melted my heart. "And I appreciate your concern. But this is something Hinata and I must do. Please. I will give you the details tomorrow."

I glared at him.

"Neji, my brother is involved in this." Sasuke stated, his onyx eyes sharp. "I will not stand by and let my brother be arrested!"

"Sasuke, you can't do anything. Hinata and I can." Neji stated honestly. "Believe me, I will not let Itachi get arrested for kidnapping Hinata!"

Hinata shook her head. "Neither will I."

"Please, all of you," Neji scanned the group. "Let us do this by ourselves."

I sighed, but nodded. This was important to Neji. I knew it was. As I watched his dark brown hair swish behind him, determination in his stride, I knew that whatever it was, Neji too did not want to see Itachi go to jail for a crime he didn't commit.

.oOo.

Hiashi sat over in the corner looking irritable. The officer was very calm, regardless of the tension in the room. Itachi merely stood, feeling the officer's hands on his wrists where the handcuffs were biting into his skin. His ankles were beginning to ache from standing for so long.

Then, the door opened, and Neji walked in, Hinata right behind him.

Hinata's eyes widened at the sight of the silver handcuffs around Itachi's wrists.

"Please, you can't arrest him…" Hinata whispered. "He hasn't done anything wrong…"

Neji put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She trembled slightly. Neji glanced in Hiashi's direction. It took everything he had not to shiver.

Hiashi's lips were curled upwards in a smirk, daring him to say something. The look in his eyes basically told him to back off, because he had already won.

Neji gritted his teeth and. He was prepared to fight.

You give up Hiashi. He thought, glaring into Hiashi's cocky eyes. I will win. Just watch me. He turned away before Hiashi had the chance to change his expression.

.oOo.

I could barely sleep that night. I was worried about Neji and Itachi. I desperately wanted to know what was happening. The few times I did fall asleep were plagued with nightmares of the battle that went on at the park, and then some. I saw Neji being beaten to a pulp by Hiashi, Hinata screaming at the top of her lungs and Itachi trapped behind bars unable to do anything.

Then I would jump awake from my sleep in terror and attempt to steady my breathing. All in all, I had the worst night's sleep I had ever had that night.

.oOo.

"What happened?" Sasuke demanded, standing up the second Neji came into view.

Neji motioned for him to sit down. He had dark circles under his eyes, signalling he hadn't had a better night's sleep than I had.

Hinata sat down at the table as Neji took a breath to begin explaining.

"Itachi was taken to the police station last night. He was interrogated, and then charged with kidnapping. He's scheduled to go to court in the next month." Neji's voice was filled with remorse and anger. His hands looked like they were shaking.

Sasuke clenched his fists. "I thought you said you were going to protect him!"

"Sasuke, I tried." Neji stated. "But I already had a feeling this was going to be taken to court. Sasuke, I swear to you, your brother will not take one step into jail."

Sasuke whipped up and grabbed Neji by the front of his shirt. "If my brother ends up in jail, it's on your head. Got it, Hyuuga?" He hissed.

Neji nodded. "Yeah. I know."

Sasuke let go of Neji's shirt and left the cafeteria. Neji collapsed into a chair and ran a hand through his hair.

"Neji, don't fret." Hinata stated. "We'll win."

Neji sighed.

"We have too much against Hiashi. We will win."

He nodded. "All right."

I watched Neji carefully. He looked like he had all of his hopes and dreams crushed, and there wasn't anything left for him. In a nutshell, he looked like crap.

Neji sighed and let his head fall onto his crossed forearms. Just faintly, I heard him murmur four distinct words.

"And so we go."

A/N: Whew. I actually had this chapter half written for awhile. It's a short one, but I didn't know where else to go with it.

POP QUIZ.

Neji loves quoting things in this story. If you can tell me what Neji quoted when he said 'And so we go', you win a virtual cookie. I have plenty, so many people can win!

I'll give you a hint though: It's a book series.

The answer: In the next chapter!