A/N: Sorry for the late update! Hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Chapter Eleven

Rescue Plan

"You're lucky you're okay," Baki said, after we explained what happened with Orochimaru. "It was stupid, taking on Orochimaru alone. He could have killed you."

"What choice did I have?" I asked. "He was right, I was the only one who stood a chance. I hate to sound overconfident, but he would have wiped the floor with your men. At least with me fighting, someone would have been able to get away and warn you."

"You should have used some of them as back up. They could have distracted Orochimaru while you attacked," Baki countered, but we both knew he was just being protective of me.

"We have more important matters," I said, quickly changing the subject. "I heard Hinata was captured. Again."

"We need to go after her, or else all my work with Neji to destroy his original data will be for nothing, " Kye added.

"We can't rush into anything," Sakura said. "I agree we need to rescue her, but we can't risk lowering our defenses here. In my opinion, we need to send a small, skilled team after her."

Baki nodded. "I agree. I want to send Kye, Akito, and Kiri."

"Shouldn't someone from Hinata's team go?" Sakura asked.

"Normally, I would agree; however, Kye and Akito have already proven their skill against Orochimaru, and Kiri needs to guide them through the desert. Honestly, I would prefer to send two, the team is already bigger than I would like."

"What about Kye, Neji, and Kiri?" I asked. "Kye and Neji worked together to destroy the information Orochimaru had on the byakugon." I looked to Kye so she could back me up, but she was shaking her head.

"Neji wouldn't go against Orochimaru, he's too… logical for that," Kye said. "I mean, I'm sure he would if we asked him to, but he's skilled, and we need him her, just like we need the rest of Hinata's team here. Their skills are needed her more than mine or Akito's. I agree with Baki's team."

We were all silent for a moment while we contemplated what she said. Finally, Sakura and I nodded.

"It makes sense," she said, and I nodded in agreement.

"There, it's settled," Baki said. "I'll send for Neji, Shino, and Kiba. They've been really worried."

"I'll get Neji," Kye quickly volunteered.

"I'll get Shino and Kiba," Akito said.

Baki nodded, and said, "Hurry."

I watched my friends leave.

"Sakura, can you go get Kiri? She's in her room," Baki said. Sakura nodded, and left after she got directions.

I watched Sakura leave, and then turned to Baki. "B aki, I have a request. Well, a question. It's not entirely my place, not yet, maybe not ever, but I was wondering if I could see some of the villager records. Well, specifically for a boy named Eren. Now's probably not the best time, but I met him in the training fields. He said he had no family. He… he asked me to train him."

Baki opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. After a moment of hesitation, he looked out the window, and said, "I think this is something you should talk t Gaara about. Not because of the timing, not because it might not be your place to ask for this, but for other reasons. Reason's only Gaara can make the decision to share."

Before I could ask him what he meant, the door burst open and we were rejoined by Kye, Akito, Neji, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru.

"Now we just need to wait for Sakura," Baki said, still staring out the window. Finally, he looked at everyone, and said, "I've called you here to let you know that I am sending people after Hinata; however, I'm not sending any of you. We need you here. We're sending Kye and Akito, along with Kiri as their guide."

"Why can't Shino or I go? Or Neji for that matter?" Kiba complained. "She's our teammate, and his cousin!"

"Kye and Akito are better suited to fight Orochimaru." I looked over, surprised to hear Shino talking. "Of course, I'm with you, Kiba. I want to help my comrade, we are teammates, after all, but Orochimaru would kill us in a second. Yes, there's a good chance of Kye and Akito being killed, but they have a better chance than us. They've fought him before. They've even worked with him before."

Baki nodded. "Well said. Also, we can use your skills here. More so than Kye and Akito's skills."

"So then everyone's okay with this?" I asked. Everyone nodded, some more reluctantly than others.

Just then, Sakura and Kiri came through the door.

"Good, you're all here," Baki said. "Kiri, you are to be Kye and Akito's guide through the desert. Help them anyway you can in rescuing Hinata. Now all of you, hurry up and go!"

"Yes, sir!" Kiri said. Kye and Akito nodded, and they were jumping out the window.

"You all can go back to your rooms for a bit and rest," Baki said to the rest of us left in the room. "I'll send for you when I need you."

We all nodded and headed in our separate directions.

I went to my room and laid down on the bed there, suddenly exhausted from the days events. As soon as I was on the bed, I passed out.

A/N: Sorry for the late update, I've been super busy with school and work. Plus, on top of school and work, my boyfriend and I broke up. Basically, we were gonna take a break, and I totally would have gotten back with him, but I found out that, at most, two days later he was seeing someone else, and I'm pretty sure he cheated on me. But I'm over it now. So, sorry it's kinda short, I hope you guys liked it!