Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto characters

Author's Note:

I... am.... so..... SOOOOORRRRRYYY!!!!!!! I went away to camp for two weeks and when I came back I didn't like this chapter at all so I ended up redoing it except for the fact that I ended up changing a lot of the main plot along with it!!!! I promise that I will do my best for this to not happen again!!! At least this chapter is long.... and includes SasuHina-ish stuff... well the beginnings at least.... WELL IT INCLUDES SASUKE TIME SO THERE!!! Anyway, on with the actual story!!!!

- - - - -

Ch. 2 - How to Save a Life

Hinata had just walked through the front door after practice. She had taken longer than she normally did and she knew she would pay for it.

She was right.

Instantly Hiashi was on her. Pulling her hair and screaming at her. Hinata didn't know what to do, her muscles all ached from earlier strain and her father was clearly angrier than usual.

Her eyes moved around, frantically searching for Hanabi. She didn't want her sister anywhere near the mad man.

Her father yanked on her hair, causing Hinata to release an involuntarily yelp. Her hands went up, hastily trying to cover her mouth, wishing she hadn't allowed the horrible noise out. But, it was too late. Hiashi had heard, and he didn't like it when she made a fuss.

His eyes crazed and mind clouded, Hiashi grabbed Hinata's arms. With a slight lift of his arms he pushed her against the wall. Moving a hand to her head and the other to her pinned forearm, Hiashi began to repeatedly hit Hinata's head against the wall.

Tears silently streaming down her cheeks, Hinata bit her lip, trying to keep her cries in her throat. When blood started to trickle down her lip, Hiashi started to beat her abdomen. Yelling for her to "SHUT UP," Hiashi assaulted her midsection further, using what nails he had.

Suddenly, he let go and backed away, allowing Hinata to crumple to the floor. Grumbling about how he hated his daughter, Hiashi headed for the door, most likely to wander the town and search for a bar he was still allowed entry to.

Hinata spluttered up blood as she coughed, just before Hiashi left.

Again he was on her. Kicking her repeatedly as she feebly tried to protect herself with her arms. With a grunt, Hiashi gave Hinata one last kick and stumbled towards the door, slamming it when he left.

Hinata heard his slow steps on the sidewalk, as he headed towards the street, slowly begin to fade.

When she was certain she could no longer hear him. She began to weep, unable to keep silent any longer. She tried to push herself up off the ground and lean against the wall, finding it to be difficult.

When she finally was able to lean her back against the wall, she stiffly moved her legs towards her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Then she moved towards the staircase, trying to crawl towards her room, as she found herself doing so often.

Not expecting any sort of answer, she asked "Why?". Hoping her mind would provide an answer as to why she had to endure this.

Bent over, crying on the steps of the stairs, Hinata hadn't heard the door open up again. Nor did she hear the weighted steps nearing her.

"Why?" she cried out.

"Because, I HATE YOU!"

Hinata had just enough time to brace herself for impact. Her father grabbed at her leg, pulling her towards himself. Then, he snatched at her arm as she moved her other hand to shield her face.

His other hand snatched at her hair and pulled. Hinata found herself looking into the eyes she hated, with malice and the will to kill flowing from them. "I'm going to kill you," he hissed.

He pulled on her hair, thrusting her into the wall -

- - - - -

Hinata lurched forward in her bed, eyes wide and flitting about her room, a scream on her lips. She knew the rest of that dream, because it was no dream, it was one of her many experiences with her father.

Sighing, she stiffly removed herself from her bed. Trying to wave the nightmare off, she rubbed her head, her short hair rustling about as she did.

Still not quite used to the darkness of her room, Hinata rubbed her eyes, hoping to be able to see some of the shapes in her surroundings.

Searching for the cool metal surface of the lamp beside her bed, Hinata came in contact with just the opposite.

"So you're finally awake."

Normally, at the low thrum of a person's voice in her room, Hinata would jump, shriek, and lash-out and hit them. However, Hinata knew that voice.

"Took you long enough Gaara," she mumbled, grasping the chain of her lamp and pulling down. Dim light pushed back the immediate shadows surrounding the two teenagers. Hinata's eyes scampered over to her alarm clock, noting the late- or rather- early hour, 12:56 AM.

Hinata stood, moving towards the side of her room where shadows still remained. Some shuffling sounds could be heard, as if she was searching through the clothing on the floor for what she was to wear tonight.

Suddenly her head appeared from the shadows. Gaara looked at her expectantly, not sure what she wanted. With a circular movement of her hand Gaara understood. "Turn around" she was saying, in other words, "I'm changing and I don't need you to watch". Gaara rolled his eyes at her innocent request but none the less obliged.

A few more shuffling and shifting and one bounce noise later, Hinata was ready. She came out of the shadows to reveal her alteredlook. Her usual dark black visor like sunglasses, lined by white, was intended to hide her eyes from her enemies,the easiest way to discern a piece of her identity. A light purple hoodie, with the bottom cut off, over a loose tank top covered her torso. Accompanied by a mini skirt with shorts underneath and, her now trademark, striped socks with over-sized soft-leather boots, their buckles undone and touching the floor.

Her clothing for "activities" was to offset her daily attire, so no one would recognize her, also to make movements easier for her, although her shoes did restrict movement, she took them off for fighting anyway. Her hairstyle didn't matter, by night, her hair would be so disheveled and an absolute mess that she hardly looked anything like her day-self.

Altogether, she looked almost feminine.

"Well," Gaara said, "that should do nicely," deciding not to comment on her studded belt or scattered skull and cross bone symbols across her attire. Last time he had gave her trouble about her ensemble he had to deal with an emotional breakdown, he was guessing it was one of those days for her.

"You ready to go," he asked tentatively, watching her scoop up various weapons on the floor. 'Is that really necessary?' he thought slightly irritably. The chances of them fighting any gangs tonight, after gaining an entire sector the night before, was slim, very slim. Knowing that he had to be the leader of the gang Shukaku, show a good example for his followers, and be prepared for the unexpected, he too had taken his own assortment of weapons he deemed necessary, he just didn't see the point in her taking some as well.

The two, stood still, waiting for the other to report of any trouble had occurred in their current territory. When neither said a word, Gaara gestured for Hinata to lift up her sleeves.

Sighing and irritated, Hinata ripped the left sleeve off her hoodie, just so that a strip of her bicep showed. The design was based as three jagged lines, it's colors red and black, to create a mark similar to the remnants of an animal attacking with its claws, just like Gaara wanted.

The symbol that labeled them as Shukaku, as they had all decided, the mark was made so that it would only be noticed if the person was searching for it, but could be covered by a bandage or simply makeup. No one wanted any extra trouble after "active" hours, so the decision was easy to make.

"Let's go," Hinata stated, turning off her light and opening her bedroom window, gesturing for Gaara to go first.

"Ladies first," he said, a smirk on his face, sweeping his arm and bowing humbly: causing his black trench coat to sweep about him and around his slim but strong frame.

Hinata nodded at his dark form, and leaped out the window, not looking back for a second.

- - - - -

For Gaara and Hinata, the relationship they had started in eighth grade, had changed so that they knew each others' abilities almost as well as they knew their own. As a result they found the others' short comings and secrets as their friendship grew.

Hinata had found out that the Sibaku siblings had family issues too, however, theirs weren't as severe, no matter how they tried to look at it. Gaara too had heard Hinata's past, unlike Kurenai, he asked her what she thought of it. With the way he said it and the fact that nobody else had asked, she told him the truth.

"I honestly don't know what to think."

Eventually, the two found each others' gifts they had gained by accident. For Hinata it was experience with injuries and being able to still be able to work through them, and for Gaara it was his obvious gift of riding and driving any sort of transportation.

Like they were now.

Riding on Gaara's bright red Suzuki motorcycle; tricked out, personally, by his brother Kankuro, who also happened to be the maker of all their sources of transportation.

The two were heading for the usual meeting place, an abandoned warehouse in downtown Konoha. However, since their group had been established, it was not so abandoned. Now filled with anything and everything they need on the inside, and looking positively condemned on the outside.

The gravel beneath the bike's tires stirred about as it came to a halt in front of their warehouse. The two slowly released their grip from the cycle and pulled off their helmets', reminding themselves of the sensation of being still; Gaara wasn't exactly a law abiding driver, causing their experiences to always be interesting and fast when trying to get from point 'A' to point 'B'.

Stepping away from the bike and towards the warehouse, Hinata appraised its outlook. To the normal passerby it looked like any other gray building covered in graffiti tags and slowly crumbling on the outside. To someone who knew the entire building like the back of their own hand, it was obvious the entire gang was already here.

"Come on, they'll be expecting us," Gaara mumbled, passing by Hinata en route towards the warehouse and their waiting teammates.

With Hinata following Gaara's coat tails, he swept the back door to the warehouse open.

"What took you so long?" whined Kiba, a tan dark-haired boy with bright red snakebite piercings, one stud on either side of his lower lip, jumping down from his standing point on a rafter's pipe.

Normally, Hinata would gasp in surprise at someone falling from the sky. For Kiba though, this was typical, especially in the warehouse.

The trio, continued through the debris filled back room, pushing through old car parts and plastic bags of old clothes or plain old garbage. The whole time trying to keep the offensive smell of dead somethings from reaching their noses. Using the familiar textures of their surroundings as a guide, they navigated their way towards the right corner wall, searching for the small hole in the wall near the floor.

Each taking their turn, they pushed their way through the three foot tall gap, heading toward the light on the other side.

"You know," a gruff male voice on the other side began, "they're taking a lot longer than they normally do."

As Hinata emerged from the other side, she was greeted by the hearty laughter of her only fellow female in the entire group. "Calm down Kuku," the female continued through giggling, "they'll be here any minute."

"They're here now," a soft baritone replied as the trio entered the room to see they're main room.

"Sorry for the delay," Hinata said softly to her team, feeling solely responsible for her and Gaara's being late to the patrol meeting.

"Oh no, no Hime, its okay, I'm sure it wasn't your fault," the gruff male voice of Kankuro said, sitting at his work station across the room, his hands working meticulously on his latest upgrade for their rides.

"It was most likely Gaara's fault Hime, he has been moving rather slow lately..." Kiba said hoarsely, trying to make it so only Hinata heard him and failing miserably.

"What did you say... metal mouth?" Gaara growled, taking a step towards Kiba across the cement floor, leaning in towards his victim.

"W-we-well, you-you ha-have been ac-acting ki-ki-kinda strange.... lately...."

"Is that so," Gaara said, his voice monotone but expression indignant, even if it was subtle.

"Yea GaaGaa," Temari jumped in, trying to clarify Kiba's attitude, "you usually take way less time then that to go and pick up Hime," she continued, tilting her head to the side while all four blond, red tipped, ponytails dipped down with the movement.

Kiba lean against the nearest wall and slipped down, knowing very well that Gaara was in fact a force to be reckoned with. With a sigh Gaara went across the room, past Kankuro's station, and toward his own back room, slamming the door behind him.

"Whatever," Kankuro grumbled to himself, hurt slightly by everyone's interest in everything except his current project, "at least he brought Hime with him this time."

"Wha you say Kuku?" Hinata asked, tilting her head slightly as she walked around the table at the center of the spacious room and towards the irritated teenager.

"N-nothing Hime."

Hinata just nodded her head at his response and resigned herself to redirecting her course and sitting on the beat-up black couch with Shino, a quite boy who also wore sunglasses at night and a high collared canvas jacket, making it difficult to see his face.

Tilting her head back so it barely balanced on a pillow, Hinata sighed and tried to erase all the bad memories and feelings her dream had drudged back up. She definitely didn't need to have an emotional breakdown in front of everyone here, seeing as she was their "Hime", as they put it.

It wasn't like they would actually see her loose her cool though. For one, no one could see her eyes through the black glass. Two, she had become a master of controlling her emotions. It paid to go from living with Hiashi to living with Kurenai. One only observed your face in search of any shed of happiness, while the other searched for any source of pain and sadness. Pretty much all bases were covered so that amongst her friends and her enemies, no one would see her wall fall down. No one would see her healing scars or her new wounds. No one would see anything unless she permitted so.

"Hime," the soft baritone said beside her ear, "we need to go."

Hinata stood straight up, not missing a beat, her eyes going wide in fear before she realized there was nothing to fear. The voice was from none other than Shino, one of the few who would never hurt her.

"R-right..." Hinata fumbled over her words and headed towards the open stairwell, "I'll go out and patrol the southern quadrant, you and Kiba go to the eastern quadrant and stay together. Gaara'll take the northern, like always, Temari and Kankuro will go separately through the western quadrant. Remember to keep the lines open until your check-in or in case something happens. See you later."

With that rather long speech, for Hinata anyway, and her shoes at the couch, she was gone from the stairs, on the second level, and running through the hall and towards the window. With one jump towards the window, she was outside the warehouse.

And she was free-falling.

- - - - -

Twisting and turning through the sky, Hinata was moving as swift as death and just as silent. This was her trick, her gift, and no one could top her.

Flipping from building to building as she checked for new tags, her arms became legs and legs became arms and vice versa.

Her body twirled and twisted through gaps in structures, and pushed off them with enough force to make a hole where she pressed, yet soft enough that you could hardly tell the dust unsettled.

Sky became land and land sky with mixing lights and colors as she spun, propelling herself through the space in the night.

She loved this feeling. This adrenaline rush that she got every time she experienced this type of movement, this kind of rhythm. Nothing else was quite like it, and she wasn't sure anyone else felt it, but she knew it was amazing, she knew it was special. Not only that, her sister had died for this feeling.

If this feeling, this rush, hadn't felt as it did, if it didn't intoxicate her this way, she wouldn't have practiced longer. She would never have been late getting home. She would never have been too late to protect her sister, to save her life.

This feeling came with a price and she had paid in full. She had felt the pain of loss and falling through nothing. It wasn't quite the same as falling through empty space, falling through nothingness that is. You couldn't feel anything. Not a thing. Not even the horror of it all. Just.... numb. And not even knowing it.

This feeling, this rush, for Hinata was both good and bad. According to Shukaku she was dancing on air. According to common knowledge she was free-running. According to herself... she was numbing and exploding all at once. Erasing everything in her path.

SKIHISS-

Hinata slid to a halt, her feet grazing over an unfamiliar smooth surface. It felt liquid cool but thicker then blood. Hinata's gaze left the sky above, and moved to the wall below her feet that she was gripping with her hand.

An alley in the dead center of their southern quadrant had been tagged.

"Shit."

- - - - -

Gaara, riding his bright red Suzuki north on the streets of the northern quadrant, jerked his hands across his grip at the unexpected buzzing in his ear. His calculating gaze slid across his bars, his eyes hesitating on the violently green numbers reading 2:23 AM.

If the buzzing from his ear bud was any indication, the person contacting him should be none other than Hime Hinata. However, he knew her and he knew that without fail, she would only ever call at her designated calling time, 2:30 AM, not a minute before or after. If Hinata was calling him at 2:23 AM, seven minutes before her time, either she was in trouble or he got the buzzing wrong. He's never wrong.

Gripping the throttle and slamming down on his gas, Gaara twisted the Suzuki around suddenly, heading towards the southern quadrant. "What's wrong?" Gaara asked, his tone slipping up.

"Gaara..."

"What? What is it? Come on, you know-"

"We've got a fresh tag on our turf...."

"Are you positive?"

"Gaara..."

"I'm on my way, call the others."

- - - - -

"I will..."

The dial tone was already in her ear before she could even tell him, the opposing gang was already within her site. Close enough to their tag of a large hawk that she could jump right onto any of the members' heads.

"Damn Hebi's..." Hinata muttered, pressing her ear piece again so she could contact the rest of the team.

Hinata waited for the device to put her through to her other teammates, hoping for the device made by Shino to hurry up. The "bug" in her ear, as Shino had named them, made a quiet clicking noise, letting her know she was connected to all of Shukaku, excluding Gaara.

"I've got some Hebi's in the South quadrant in the back alley of West Broken Boulevard. Gaara's on his way, whoever's closest, get here soon."

Hinata waited for her fellow Shukaku to buzz in, hoping to hear confirmation on receiving her order.

"Kiba and Shino here, we'll be there in twenty-five minutes! Don't worry Hime, we'll take care of it!" yelled an over excited and extremely pumped Kiba.

"You dumb ass, she said WEST Broken, not EAST! You'll take way the hell longer than either Kankuro or me, just keep patrolling your area and -"

"Who the HELL do you think you are Temari?!" roared Kiba through the bugs, "Unlike SOME people, I'm willing to give it my ALL, ALWAYS, no matter WHAT the -"

"OH! You can shove that bull shit up your f-"

"Really..." Kankuro interupted, rather reluctantly, "Temari, is that really necessary. I mean, I'm the closest so why don't -"

"Okay all of you need to calm -" Hinata tried to intervene.

"What did you just SAY YOU BI -" Kiba ranted to Temari.

"That, is quite enough. Kankuro, where are you exactly?" Hinata asked dejectedly.

"SAYS THE DOG-LOVER! I MEAN... what the FUCK, YOUR SUCH A F -"

"I'm on 31st Street, I can be there in fifteen minutes Hime," Kankuro answered confidently.

"WHO YOU CALLING A F -"

"See you then Kuku," Hinata whispered into the bug. Pressing down on the piece twice, Hinata ended the roar of voices. With a small smile tugging at her lips, she almost giggled at Temari and Kiba's hotheadedness. Neither could ever seem to out yell the other either. After about a year of training with and knowing the two, it was always the same when they both thought they were right. 'I'm surprised, usually Shino steps in before they start out right calling each other "fuck-ups",' which really was useless. It could be said that actually being a "fuck-up" was a requirement to even be part of Shukaku. 'Hence my high-ranking,' Hinata thought, her small smile leaving her face, like a change of tide.

Hinata's eyes shifted over the Hebi group once more.

They were about to leave, heading for the alleyway's entrance.

"Well shit," Hinata muttered, and, with a jump and a 360 flip, she was running after them.

- - - - -

The team Hebi wasn't one with many members. Unlike Akatsuki and Kyuubi, their method of action to attack opposing gangs wasn't numbers, they used powerful abilities to out-do other gangs, finding it more beneficial. Not as many to keep tabs on or keep remotely safe. Much easier for Sasuke Uchiha, their leader, to deal with.

This (cruel) logic, was all part of Sasuke's plan, with encouragement from his second in command Karin. Well, she was a self-proclaimed second in command, but she proved to be useful so Sasuke allowed her illusion to continue. However, their reasons were completely different from the others'. Sasuke didn't want to have to deal with people in general. Karin, however, didn't want anyone of the female persuasion anywhere near Sasuke. She happened to be extremely possessive, even if he wasn't her's to feel possessive for.

That never stopped her from throwing herself at him before. Or like she was now.

"Ouji," Karin called to Sasuke, batting her eyes and flipping her unusual red hair.

Sasuke, his ebony eyes roaming the alley and pretty much anywhere but Karin, was completely irked by the irritating girl. Without so much as acknowledging her presence with a glare, Sasuke gave her a disinterested "What?" to shut her up.

"Catch ME!!!" she yelled, running towards him and leaping for his arms.

Sasuke ignored her and moved clear out of her way and towards the wall.

Suigetsu and Juugo, the other two members of Hebi, were entirely accustomed to this behavior. So, they completely ignored it whenever it occurred. At the moment, only Suigetsu had to endure the ridiculous behavior.

"Tell me, why, again, did we tag on the Shukaku territory when they're newbies and nobodies?" Suigetsu whined, his arms crossed and back leaning against the brick wall.

Sasuke sighing, motioned for Suigetsu to lean towards him, to which Suigetsu obliged.
"Because," Sasuke began, his manner mild, "Shukaku is-"

"Come on Suigetsu," Karin whined, "Sasuke's told you twice already, they have some delirious Hime person so we have to kick their ass before they become a problem, jeez!" Karin yelled, picking herself up off the ground.

"Besides, quit hogging Ouji to yourself."

"Shut up, you dumb broad," Suigetsu hissed, his eyes sharpening.

"Oh, so you wanna go-"

'I don't want to deal with your bull shit tonight,' Sasuke thought, tempted to rub his temples.

"We came here to provoke them and see if this so called 'Hime' would show up," Sasuke said, his tone never fluctuating. However, his dark depths for eyes clearly showed he was by no means happy. He clearly wanted to cause the two some serious physical harm, however, he knew very well that they had value.

They were resources for him to dry up for now, weren't they? You couldn't go around leaving your resources unusable when you would most likely need them most. For now, it would simply be sufficient to gear his anger towards their current objective and enemy Shukaku.

"Come on, lets go check the streets to see if we see anyone with their symbols walking around," Suigetsu whined at their inactivity.

"Fine," Sasuke made a gesture for the two to go out and scout while he laid in waiting, simply leaning against the wall in the shadows.

"Ouji," Karin called, flipping her hair about as she turned back to face him, "why do I have to-"

Her question was cut off my Sasuke's simple arch of his brow. Any remote change in his features around his eyes was always bad. This particular change clearly showed he was in no mood to deal with Karin and her whinning.

"Never mind Ouji," Karin sighed, turning back around.

Sasuke tipped his head back, hoping the sight of black abyss would get him to calm down somewhat. He could still hear Karin and Suigetsu's arguing, however, and as he tried to tune out their noise, another entered his hearing.

SFWISSSH-

Sasuke's eyes snapped open to see a girl flying over his head. Literally flying. 'How the hell is that even possible?!' Sasuke stepped out of the shadows to see that she was not flying at all, only appeared to be. Rather, she was gracefully falling, and flipping. 'Is that even physically possible?'

Sasuke watched in complete surprise as the girl landed on her feet and went running after Suigetsu and Karin.

"Fuck," he muttered, he had been distracted when he should have shot at the girl. Now he would have to save those "asses" he called teammates.

- - - - -

Hinata quickly caught up with the redheaded female and silver haired boy. When she knew they were within her limits, she pushed her feet off the ground and propelled herself towards the boy.

However, moments before her body came in contact with the back of his head, the girl turned around, her eyes wide behind her glasses.

Hinata dropped to the ground as the boy turned around, she knew very well that at this speed and angle, a frontal blow to the boy's head would do much more than knock him out, it would kill him.

Karin, out of her daze, snarled at the girl on the ground. Her snarl, however, quickly changed to laughter when she saw, from the girls position, that she wasn't wearing any shoes.

"You're kidding right," she snorted, "what the hell happened to your shoes you dumb ass?"

"Don't need them," Hinata whispered, flipping her body over and pushing off the ground with her hands. With a snap and crack, Hinata's sock covered feet landed on the girl, one on her face, the other on her ribs.

The girl fell back with a thunk, her eyes behind her shattered glasses frantic. "Wh-who de-deh fuhgk are-are yough?!" she snarled, her nose and part of her mouth under Hinata's foot.

"It's better if you don't know," Hinata sneered, her unhappy smile the only feature visible on her face.

The scorned girl opened her mouth to protest, but Hinata was already jumping towards the boy.

The boy had stood shocked by the display, no one had ever done that before. The fact that a girl had done it shocked him further. 'A hot one too,' he thought, a playful smirk coming to his face when Hinata decided to attack him.

The boy reached for his blades behind his back, only to find they weren't there. In fact, they were strewn behind him in the alleyway. Suigetsu turned around hastily, a curse on his lips, dodging Hinata's kicks at him as he did

For Hinata this was usually how it went. She first did her best to disarm the people who she was attacking until all they could do was rely on their own fighting skills. This usually ended in her knocking them out or them leaving quickly. However, she always started out easier, she didn't actually want to cause them permanent damage. She knew all too well what that was like.

Hinata swiped her legs at Suigetsu's ankles, hoping to make him off-balanced. Pushing her hands on the ground and swinging her legs up when he started to slip, Hinata leaped after Suigetsu, landing right atop him where he fell.

Suigetsu 'owff'ed all his air out of his lungs. Even if the girl felt almost weightless on his back now, she clearly knew how to move around so her weight distribution worked to her benefit.

When the girl straddled his waist and pressed her palms against his neck, he found himself smiling 'She's really hot,' he decided, trying to get a better glimpse of the girl in the skirt. Suigetsu started to laugh, this was both awkward and awesome at the same time for him. "Hey Angel," he said, trying to get the girls attention, "wanna go for a ride?"

Hinata's face flamed up, she hated fighting dudes because this tended to happen. The easiest way to take-out a bigger opponent, for her, was to pin them. However, at times like these, some creepers seemed to like it. 'FUCKING SICK-O!!!' Hinata's head screamed.

She growled in her frustration, and before Suigetsu could insult her further, she crabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him up with her. The blush across her face now fueled by anger instead of embarrassment, was hidden by the shadows when she pinned him against the closest wall.

Her fists shaking as they gripped his shirt, Hinata brought her face up to his. "What did you say ass-hole?!" she spat out, her face reddening by the second.

"Aww," Suigetsu cooed, "even cute when flustered. Did I bristle your feathers Angel? I can fix that-"

"Pig!" Hinata deemed him and silenced him with a punch to his jaw.

"Not bad Angel," he sneered, leaning forward towards Hinata, "but you'll have to do more than that to take me out."

Hinata slipped backward, trying to get away from the teenager she was trying to take out, and landed on Karin again. Causing the girl severe distress.

"Bitch!" Karin coughed up. Hinata replied by banging the girls head against the ground so she blacked-out. She didn't particularly want to deal with to irritants at once.

Hinata hopped back up so she could go after the boy again, only to find that she was the prey this time, not the other way around.

"Heh heh," Suigetsu chuckled in her ear, "Gotcha Angel." Hinata struggled against his grip, finding that he was using pure muscle to keep her locked in position. Each of his arms locked into place at her armpits, one wrapped around the back of her neck and gripping his other forearm.

Thinking of her current situation, she couldn't help but think she was in trouble. She needed to either distract him or squirm until she got enough leverage to release herself from his hold. She tried to think of all the ways to distract him, but all ended in her somehow feeding into his creepiness. "Damn."

"What's that Angel?"

"I said," Hinata began, bringing her arms up so that she could touch the back of her head, "SUCK IT!!!" she yelled, meshing her fingers together so that she was able to snap her arms back and nail him in the face.

"Ah F-!"

Hinata twisted out of his hold as he released her and tended to his bleeding nose. Spinning around to face the distracted Suigetsu, Hinata leaped into the air and double kicked him in the face.

"Take that," Hinata said when he fell to the ground unconscious, "you fuck-up."

Hinata started walking back towards the tagged wall, hoping to meet up with Kankuro and head back to the warehouse. About to leap towards the fire escape to her left, Hinata froze in position, hearing someone clapping behind her.

"That," a deep voice congratulated, "was quite a performance Hime."

Immediately Hinata's heartbeat accelerated, fear suddenly running through her veins like ice, piercing every part of her body. That voice sounded sickeningly similar to her father's. Just as condescending, cruel, and pissed, as her father's voice always was.

Her body rigged, nearly trembling, Hinata searched the alleyway behind her, searching for the source of the voice. Her eyes frantic and wide, landed on a figure shifting in the shadows. Her mouth moved to ask 'Who are you?' and 'What do you want?', only her voice made no such sound. All she could do was stare, every fear she's ever had in life and in her dreams reawakening in this living nightmare.

"You are the 'Hime' right?" the voice questioned, only this time it belonged to a body. The body of a teenage boy walking out of the shadows. Hinata let out a breathe she didn't know she was holding and relaxed her tense muscles. It was probably another one of Hebi's members. Hinata turned around slowly, facing the teen.

"Aren't you?" the boy asked, his voice hinting irritation.

"Yes, I am," Hinata clarified, her eyes searching for some recognition on the boy. However, she got no sparks of memory. Not from his tousled and messy black hair or his endless pits of black for eyes. Nor did his dark attire of a black t-shirt, black jacket, and dark jeans. However, the white outline of wings on the back of his jacket, symbolizing him as the leader of Hebi, should have been a dead give-a-way as to who he was. All she noticed though, was the small outline of a feather on his neck, just beneath his ear.

"So you are part of Shukaku," the boy sneered, tilting his face to the side so his split bangs covered parts of his face.

"Well, duh," Hinata sighed, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Too bad."

'Huh?' Hinata wanted to ask, but the boy was already on her, grabbing both of her forearms in one of his hands and pinning her against the wall. Behind her guard, her eyes widened in utter fear, this boy wanted to kill her.

Fear practically wafting off her body, the boy smiled with his eyes hidden in shadow, making him seem eerie. For the second time that night Hinata froze. This brought back way too many bad memories, brought up way too many hidden scars. She was terrified. The fear years in the making released. She had finally found someone who scared her more than her father, and could also kill her, much, much easier.

"Heh," the boy laughed, bringing Hinata out of her reverie and right back to her despair, "so much for being an unstoppable weapon, huh, Hime."

Shaking, Hinata found herself looking away from the boys evil smile and to his eyes, finding ebony where she had expected ivory. Instantly her fear left and was replaced by simple irritation. Black was the one color she always trusted, found fitting for angels, the color she figured to be the best. The complete opposite of her father's white.

Hinata lashed out and slipped out of the boys grip, freed of her fear. "I don't know about unstoppable," Hinata remarked, moving into a comfortable position of attack. She shifted her legs against the gritty pavement and moved to leap at the boy, only to be halted in mid-air by the boy grabbing her shoulders and slamming her against the wall.

"I have no interest in fighting you at the moment," the boy clarified, moving his hands away so that one was near either side of her head. "Have you not noticed the time?" he asked, arching a brow, "It's nearly 3:00 AM, and seeing as this fight was not planned ahead of time and decided, we must end it about hear, that is, until next time."

The boy slid his hands down the wall and walked away; back down the alley.

The surprise of what just happened wavering, Hinata ran after him and made to swipe his legs out from under him.

Before she could react, he was on her. Grabbing her ribs roughly and smashing her against the wall. "Don't tempt me," he snarled, pressing his palms harder against her ribcage and abdomen.

Hinata let out a choking cough and tried to pull his hands off her while trying to kick at him.

Snarling with irritation, Sasuke, pushed her further up the wall so that the two were at eye level. "I'm not merciful, nor do I do people favors without expecting compensation," Sasuke said, his voice low and jaw locked, "seeing as you are already injured and that your friends are on the way, I'll only leave a mark."

Hinata, unable to move and finding it difficult to breathe, shut her eyes, too scared to watch. Waiting for him to take out a knife and leave a scar or break a bone, Hinata was surprised when all he did was grip her wrist.

Her eyes snapping open to watch what he was actually doing, Hinata saw that he was, in fact, leaving a bruise on her wrist. "What the hell?" Hinata muttered, not seeing the point in leaving a bruise.

"Hime, you seem to bruise very easily, especially on your arms. So, all I have to do is leave a mark on your left wrist that'll be there long enough that I'll be able to find you in day light," the boy set her down on the ground and started walking away, heading the opposite direction of where his followers lay.

"Besides, why would I injure something that I want to end up in my own gang instead of Shukaku? I could end up being the Rogue with you on my side," he mumbled to himself as he entered the crowd of people just outside the alleyway.

Hinata's eyes followed him as he left, her body slumped against the wall. She couldn't find the will to follow him and attack again. She was officially drained of all energy. 'Besides, by now it should be 3:00 AM,' Hinata convinced herself.

'Where's Kankuro?' she wondered absently, her eyes slowly closing, too tired to even worry about herself or the Hebi members only a few feet away. The only thing she could find herself worrying about were the graffiti-ed words on the wall "how to SAVE a Life" and how did someone really go about saving someone else.

And as her surroundings faded to gray and then to black, as she waited for the rider on the Suzuki motorcycle that had jusr pulled into the alley to pick her up and take her home, she wondered, 'Does anyone really know how to save a life?'

- - - - -

Author's Note:

So, originally I had planned to make this longer but I really felt that I should end this chapter here, I think it fits best. Anyway, thanks to Gerkyhen, Sayomi-hime, x-kags-x, jenniebennie, White Rose Of Oddity, hinata2233, itachisgurl93, for reviewing my story.

OK, I'm gonna answer some stuff real quick.

Sayomi-hime - To your question about meeting the gangs... well yes actually she'll meet all of them, even some I haven't mentioned yet so hehehe.

Jenniebennie – OK so, you suggested chaging it to GaaHina, well... I really like SasuHina and GaaHina is nice and all but I think I'm gonna stick with SasuHina. HOWEVER, I wasn't planning on GaaHina before, but I think I'll throw pieces in to make it interesting.

ALSO, for some reason, the first review I got... I was SOOO excited!!! I was really surprised I got any reviews and then I got update soon thingys(I always thought that would irritate the crap out of me but really I was soooo happy, it actually got me to type faster) ALSO, I had no clue how to use anything so when I got stuff sent to my e-mail I kind of freaked out.... Soooo it turned out someone had favorited my story and I immediately freaked and started typing more.

So, REVIEWS MAKE ME WAAAY HAPPIER THAN I THOUGHT THEY WOULD...... especially since I thought I wouldn't get any.....

Anyway, I'm working on chapter 3 and all, and it'll be up asap. Again, I apologize for the wait. Oh, and itachisgurl93, I laughed really hard when I saw your review cause I had been planning all day that I would update today....

I'll update again soon PINKY PROMISE.(i keep to my pinky promises)