Hey, hey!

So, I labeled this chapter 'Darkness' because it's a lot of internal, intrusive thoughts going on between Sasuke and Naruto. Mainly Sasuke.

So, with that being said. Enjoy the chapter!

They've been in the forest of death for two days now.

Periodically Naruto would check Hinata's wound in between breaks as him and Sasuke walked throughout the woods.

It actually looked good. Hinata did one hell of a quick fix job and the other wound was not even there anymore. Which was a mystery in itself. Still, from her last mission injury, she must have picked up from what Kakashi had done to her. She paid that much attention. Still they were nervous she could be poisoned or something because the black veins were only growing.

Hinata was responsive though. Naruto didn't want her walking yet, not until they were in the clear, but in between her naps Hinata responded to them just fine. This only further brought Sasuke's mood down. Naruto carried Hinata the whole time. Sasuke knew Naruto had to have been in intense pain, but Sasuke could barely move and function without stinging pain burning through his body. Especially where he was bitten.

Sasuke couldn't be there for Hinata like he wanted to be and that was further putting him in a dark place. Naruto continuously had to save them. Naruto was progressing and Sasuke felt to be stuck.

Right there. Those dark thoughts right there. Sasuke thought he was over them. He was at one point. He told Naruto that night they got into a fight that he had jealous ways and that he was going to work on them. Yet now they were crawling back out of nowhere.

Where were these dark thoughts coming from? Why couldn't he shake them. He didn't want to feel angry towards Naruto. He loved him.

Even if Naruto didn't love Sasuke back, because Sasuke knew Naruto didn't care for him the same way that Naruto cared for Hinata.

Again. The dark thoughts kept consuming Sasuke and he didn't know why.

On the night of day two, Hinata was actually awake while they all ate. The silence Sasuke was giving to everyone showed he was bothered by what happened. How he froze up and needed support from Naruto and Hinata. How his teammates got severely injured from him freezing up.

Hinata sighed as she watched Sasuke. They all told themselves that the Chunin exams was not the place to be affectionate. Whatever happened during the exams, they would address it afterwards. "It's not poison."

Naruto looked at Hinata while he chewed on an energy bar. "You can see something like that with your Byakugan?"

Hinata nodded her head as she activated her dōjutsu, "I don't know what he did, but it is not poison. Seems like dark chakra. Aiming to reach the destination of my nervous system to control my normal chakra. We all have dark chakra, but this dark chakra surging through me is trying to dominate my normal chakra. It creates someone to behave chaotic. Uncontrollable."

Hinata looked over at Sasuke. She noticed how he was giving her a silent glare as she observed his body and chakra network. Any other time Sasuke would want Hinata to study him. Tell him things resourceful to help him better in advancing. Not this time. He looked at her with anger and frustration, because he wanted his privacy. He wanted his body and his weaknesses to himself.

He didn't want her to see him hurting. Sasuke felt like he looked weak enough during the exams.

Hinata frowned at seeing Sasuke's whole demeanor take a dive for the worse. "I don't know what that seal does to you, but a seal is what he placed on you Sasuke."

Hinata looked over at Naruto and he shook his head. "We'll go over it after we get out this forest. I already feel the difference Hinata. I don't need the knowledge in my head."

Hinata looked away slightly embarrassed and Naruto smiled at her. He bit his bottom lip as he contained the urge to comment on how cute she looked at the moment. Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and looked back at Naruto and Sasuke. "I'm sorry about earlier. I…was in a lot of pain. I p-promise it won't happen again."

Naruto looked at Hinata and the two shared a look. What the two of them did back there. How they just dived into the darkness and bathed in it. Thrilled with what they were doing. It wasn't right. Yet, this was Naruto and Hinata now. They hid it so well from everyone and they got a rush at knowing no one knew how dangerous they were.

Naruto's dark blue eyes gave the appearance of being pitch dark. Almost similar to Sasuke's eyes. "You relapsed." Hinata nodded her head as she kept her eye contact with Naruto.

Naruto gave a somber grin as he bit his bottom lip again. "I keep saying I'm going to work on my anger. With the nine tails and that I won't let it consume me. Yet I keep lying. Over and over again to you and Sasuke. I saw your eyes. How wild they got. I should have known, but I fed off it so I could go insane too Hinata. I feel like we both relapsed."

Naruto chuckled darkly as he continued to look at Hinata, "Me and you really are two utter failures. Perfect for each other. Yet, no one wants us to have each other." Naruto was still out Hinata's social class. The girl of his dreams, openly cared about him, yet he couldn't have her in societies eyes. This broken girl was just too good for him.

Not for Sasuke though. They'd let Sasuke have Hinata before even considering Naruto.

That burning sensation in Naruto's gut, that he knew was the demon nine-tails, laughed at him about this. Told him that he'd never equal to Sasuke and that Sasuke just wanted to take everything Naruto had. Just because Sasuke was selfish and evil like that.

It took everything in Naruto to ignore that demon in him.

Naruto cared for Sasuke too much to listen to that thing.

Hinata looked down from Naruto and mimicked his gloomy smile. He was right. "We are perfect for one another." They deserved to rot together, because the two of them always gave into their dark desires.

Sasuke looked between the two. He felt the shift and how he wasn't a part of their world right now. Not so much on a power scale. Just mentally Naruto and Hinata had taken a dive and even though Sasuke cared about them greatly. He wasn't willing to sink in the darkness any further.

Sasuke was fighting against it hard enough already.

Sasuke had to avenge his clan. They knew this. Becoming some evil, human being that rivaled his brother, Itachi was not what Sasuke wanted. It's what he thought he needed, but over time Sasuke saw that was the last thing he needed. He needed to stay steady with his village and grow as a person. Him living his life was another form of revenge until he actually sees Itachi again.

This bite on Sasuke was taunting him to follow after that Orochimaru man. To see what he had to offer him, but Sasuke was currently looking at the two people that he'd rather have around him. He didn't want to follow Naruto and Hinata, because it was a dark path they were falling in. Instead, Sasuke wanted them to follow him someplace better. He could give them better.

He just had to get control of himself.

Naruto and Hinata both should know this. That he could give them better. That Sasuke changed for them. Couldn't they see how important they were to him? How literally insane he'd go if he lost them.

Sasuke finally looked up at Hinata as he was eating his energy bar. "You should have never been put in that situation. Don't apologize. You had to save yourself. Again."

Sasuke growled at himself. He was sounding pitiful. What happened was over and done with. They'll deal with the repercussions later, but right now they needed to move on. "Let's ignore the fact some crazed man attacked us in the forest. We need to get an earth scroll. We need to go on the offense from now on. We can't be the hunted we need to go out and hunt."

Naruto nodded his head. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Sasuke watched as Hinata scrunched her face in slight pain as she reached over for her bag. She pulled out her healing balm and started to open it. He thought she was going to apply some on herself, but Hinata slowly crawled over to Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto shook his head. "No. You don't need to do that for me. I'm fine." Naruto flinched in slight pain as Hinata's hand grazed his back. He attempted a few more times to deflect her aid, but Hinata finally lifted Naruto jacket and shirt up to view his heavily bruised back. "This was no ordinary ninja like the others Naruto."

Hinata said this and Naruto let out a sigh when he saw the concerned face on Sasuke. Naruto unzipped his jacket and slid his shirt from over his head. "Is it as bad as it feels?" Hinata proceeded to clean Naruto's back. Seeing cuts and scrapes along it. She dabbed him with alcohol and bandaged where she could.

She flinched as she looked at his now clean back. "Yes. It looks bad." She started to apply her balm and Naruto relaxed in her care. He never really needed Hinata's balm, but now they went against someone that really did damage to him. It was a one-on-one fight and Naruto was outright destroyed.

Sasuke watched Hinata work. He's never seen Naruto damaged like this. This was the first time he felt it was proven Naruto was not invincible.

Hinata worked out Naruto's knots and sores and he groaned at her skills. Being beside a small fire, having ate something and having Hinata cater to him. Naruto was actually growing tired. His eyelids started to grow heavy and he sighed when Hinata finished. She folded his jacket and laid it down on the ground for Naruto to get comfortable. "Thank you Naruto-kun."

For everything. For saving her and Sasuke.

Hinata knew they promised to not show affection, but she wanted to let Naruto know how much she appreciated him fighting till the end and taking care of team seven.

Naruto smiled at Hinata. Gosh, did he want to do something to show her in some way he adored her, but he knew it had to wait. "No problem."

Hinata looked over at Sasuke who seemed to be on guard from any social interaction. He almost shriveled away from it. When Hinata first tried to advance Sasuke he shook his head. Silently telling her to keep her distance. "I am fine. In the future, as we progress and get assigned separate missions. I won't have you here to baby me."

She listened to him at first, but something willed her to push beyond her comfort zone and to touch him. Hinata got closer and the anger in Sasuke grew. "I am serious. Stop it."

"In the future. I wouldn't have you to wake me up from the darkness."

Hinata was referring to Sasuke dumping water on her. That was the jolt she needed to bring her back to reality and she appreciated Sasuke for that. She appreciated him for jumping back in the fight when he was too stunned to move. Sasuke did this for them, not for himself. Not so he could live and fulfil his vengeance against his brother. He did it for Hinata and Naruto.

Sasuke gripped Hinata's wrist when she tried to touch him. His Sharingan glazed in the night's fire. "I said stop. I will not tell you again."

Hinata's eyes moved to Sasuke's neck and she could see the mark on Sasuke expanding. It was ruining him. Hurting him and messing up his thoughts. Turning him back to that angry, dark person he was before he found his resolution.

Sasuke Please. Don't leave her. Come back. You can beat this.

Sasuke let go of Hinata when she pulled away. Feeling as if she understood now that he had rejected her advancement. He didn't need to feel sympathy. He needed to do better. Grow stronger. He needed power.

Hinata lifted up her jacket and shirt slightly. To show her bandaged stomach. Sasuke looked at the healing wound and his eyes grew slightly. That haze of darkness in his mind slowly started to clear because all he could see was Hinata. Exposing herself to him.

She was hurt like this because of him. She had to relapse because of him. She had to take care of herself and sew herself back up because of him.

Naruto was injured because of him. This was the first time Sasuke has ever seen Naruto this hurt and it was because of him. Naruto killed a giant fucking snake and Sasuke could barely defend himself. Sasuke was sick of himself.

How was he ever going to do better and defeat Itachi.

Sasuke hissed in pain and gripped the marking Orochimaru placed on him. He let some murderous stranger get close enough to bite him and mark him with a fucking seal. Sasuke felt pathetic right now.

Hinata inched closer to him and gave him a comforting smile. "Touch me."

Sasuke almost laughed. He's been waiting for Hinata to say those words to him for over a year. Now she picks this time to say that to him. Sasuke continued to look at the wound on her. Hating how he knew she would grow a scar. How her family would shun her further for marking up her body. "I'm still here Sasuke-kun."

Naruto smiled as he watched Sasuke's shoulders slump in defeat. She finally got through Sasuke's wall that he always kept up.

Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a defeated sigh. "You almost weren't." He felt Hinata touch his hand again and this time he didn't push her away. Sasuke could feel Hinata's bandaged skin and his brows knitted together. This was real. They almost lost each other in a matter of seconds.

Sasuke pulled Hinata to him and burrowed his face in her neck. A sob escaped him as Sasuke struggled to control himself. "This cannot happen again."

Hinata nodded her head and held him because even though Sasuke felt to blame. Even though they weren't supposed to show affection. Sasuke needed the recognition that this wasn't his fault. That something out of the ordinary happened and they had to push beyond it.

Sasuke felt his lap grow heavy and looked down to see Naruto resting his head on Sasuke's lap. Naruto was silent. Sensing that Sasuke didn't need a speech. He didn't need motivation. He needed security.

Finally Sasuke removed his top. Revealing a bruised body. He wasn't as damaged as Naruto or Hinata, but he was hurting. Hinata took her balm and catered to Sasuke's shoulder blades. Kneading him and feeling for anything out of the ordinary.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and his fingers trailed over the front of his chest. Sasuke had his eyes closed as he basked in the TLC from Naruto and Hinata. He flinched when Hinata got close to the marking. "It hurts the worse there."

Hinata furrowed her brows and activated her Byakugan. She watched as it seemed to be feeding dark chakra into him. Attacking his senses and soon would affect Sasuke's neurological way of thinking. "Please. Trust me Sasuke."

Naruto looked at Hinata and Sasuke braced his body. Hinata shook her head before she even did anything. "You have to relax. I am going to close your chakra points that the marking is feeding off of. You'll function at half, but you shouldn't feel pain or the effects from it. I can open it once we get out of the forest. It is only a temporary fix."

Naruto tapped Sasuke's cheeks. Gaining his attention. "Hey. Remember when you made the rule to not be affectionate because you said there was a time and place for everything. Now look at you. Being a big baby and breaking your own rule."

Sasuke gave Naruto an annoyed look. "So what? You're so-"

Sasuke hissed in pain when Hinata struck him. Naruto held on to his face as Sasuke gripped Naruto's wrists in pain. "I can't believe I fell for that." Sasuke grunted this out and Naruto laughed. "Oldest trick in the book teme."

Hinata now applied balm to the marking and Sasuke didn't react negatively to her. She watched with her dōjutsu to make sure it was cut off properly and would last for the next day or so. She could see the muscles around the marking start to relax as she kneaded the balm into Sasuke's skin.

Sasuke let out several breaths of relief. The marking was really starting to bother him and like Hinata said the dark chakra was starting to invade his thoughts. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at Naruto. His blue orbs shined as he looked up at Sasuke. "Thanks Naruto."

Sasuke was still upset. He wasn't in the mood to smile or be affectionate the way he wanted to with Naruto and Hinata, but this was close enough. He reached over to Hinata and pulled her flush against his back. Sasuke laid down with the three of them and this time he was the center of the sandwich.

He needed it.

For so long. Sasuke was the backbone for Naruto and Hinata. The mature leader of their team. Now it was time for Sasuke to let them protect him. To be his backbone to get the evil, dark thoughts out of his head. Even if it's just for this moment, Sasuke would show his weakness to them.

"I don't want you to do anything Hinata. Just recover."

There were ninja that had ended up finding them. A team that said they were there for Sasuke. So they figured more of Orochimaru followers. Naruto had stood in front of Hinata and instructed her not to move. "Listen to Sasuke. You need to finish the Chunin exams. We'll all finish Hinata."

Normally Hinata would object to such a request, however this time around she listened. Hinata leaned her head against a tree and took in sharp breaths as she slid down to her bum. Sasuke looked over at her and noticed how her veins were showing more and they were now almost all black. "You can't do what you did for me to yourself?"

Hinata slowly shook her head. "You have a curse marking. I…I don't know what he did to me. This is in my blood system. I do not know for how long, and if I wanted to stop it. I'd have to immobilize my whole body. I need a Hyuga, I need Neji."

Naruto growled at hearing this. This was just making his day worse and worse. Once again they couldn't actually help Hinata. "It's three. I'll handle two and you take the one that looks like the leader." Sasuke grunted at Naruto. Of course Naruto would want to take on the blunt of the work.

Hinata watched as Naruto and Sasuke advanced to the three ninja's. They had a scroll. The earth scroll. It was needed for them to advance.

How luck for team seven and unlucky for these poor souls.

Hinata jumped slightly when she sensed someone else coming from within the forest. "Mind if I join you?"

She whipped her head to the side and saw a man with whitish gray hair and glasses. He smiled at her with closed eyes and when he opened his eyes he saw Hinata staring at him with her Byakugan. "Umm…my name is Kabuto. Nice to meet you? I seem to have navigated from my team. I got the scrolls we needed and I'm looking to relocate my comrades."

Kabuto looked Hinata up and down. "Are you injured?"

"Who are you?" Hinata stared a hole through Kabuto, but this didn't seem to faze him. He even gave her an odd look because he explained this already. "I'm Kabuto. Do you need some help?" He reached over to Hinata but she shrunk away from him. Much too weak and tired to defend herself properly. "No. Please do not touch me. I'm sorry. I just do not know you."

Kabuto was silent for a moment. Studying Hinata's face as she kept her Byakugan active and stared at him. Studying him as well. Kabuto watched Hinata back away from him. It was very slow and she didn't want him to know she did it, but he noticed. "I could really help you. Ya know? I am a healer."

Hinata looked at him with hooded eyes. She was feeling worse by the second, but she wanted to wait it out till they exited the forest. No matter how painful it was to her body. Part of being a ninja was embracing pain. It was about endurance and she had to show hers. "I understand, but I am fine."

Kabuto held up his hand in defeat when he felt someone standing behind him. It was a menacing presence and he could feel the heat of fire behind him. Kabuto turned around and looked up at Sasuke, who was holding the earth scroll.

Sasuke exhaled smoke out his nostrils in frustration because he was sick of being in this forest and by looking at Hinata he knew they were on a time crunch to get back. "Get away from her or I'll kill you."

Kabuto stood up, still holding his hands up innocently. "I just offered to help is all. She clearly is not well. She looks like she is on the decline and you don't know if she'll make it to the next challenge in this condition. Look at least let me give you my first aid bag."

Kabuto reached the bag over to Hinata. "It's a fresh bag. It could tend to whatever you have wrong with you. It has antibiotics that attacks a lot of infections caused by cuts or whatever. I don't normally help people during these invents, but I was being followed by those guys until they eyed your team. So, this bag is a thank you."

Naruto approached the three of them after finishing off the last two opponents. He didn't look at Kabuto at all, he just focused on Hinata to see if she wanted the help.

Hinata was starting to shiver now. It was weird. Her wound was healing fine. She took the appropriate steps in making sure she cleaned and treated it. She's been making sure the wound started to scab up and everything. Yet internally she felt horrible. It was whatever that crazed man did to her.

Hinata covered herself more within her thick clothing as she looked at Kabuto. "No thank you. I do not need your aid."

That was enough for Naruto. He extended his hand out to Hinata and she took it. Naruto maneuvered Hinata onto his back and Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck. "She said she's fine. Thanks for the offer, but we have it under control. We'll see you at the finish line."

Naruto turned around and dashed at aweing speed to get out of the forest. Sasuke stayed behind briefly to look at Kabuto. He saw the concern on Hinata's face when she had her Byakugan activated.

This guy was lying when he was talking. He wasn't to be trusted, but why would he lie when he already had the scrolls he needed. Everything in this challenge has been bizarre and frightening. Especially since running across that serpent like man.

Now it seemed everything they came across was because of that man. The people they just fought and now this guy right here. Something was happening to the village and right now Sasuke's trust with people were very limited. "Don't talk to her again."

Sasuke didn't say anything else as he dashed to follow Naruto and Hinata. Not wanting to stay back to hear Kabuto's reply because it could fuel on to whatever Sasuke was suspicious about.

It was non-stop travel for what felt like hours. Hours after hours. Sometimes Naruto had to slow down so Sasuke could keep up to speed. Naruto didn't want to stop though. Even though his body was screaming for him to stop. Even though he could hear the battles and fights from people around him in the forest. Naruto didn't want to stop.

"We're almost there. Hold on Hinata." She replied back with a gentle squeeze to Naruto's neck and this was enough for him.

When they arrived at the end of the forest of death with the rest of the competitors it was day three. The morning sun was shining and Naruto was burnt out. He was in a haze, but Naruto remembered walking by a few teams that he knew belonged to Konoha. Team ten, team eight were there. Now team seven. He ignored the looks and stares and walked until someone familiar stopped him.

"Give her to me." Naruto's hazy eyes looked over and saw Neji, who was looking at his ill cousin. Neji took Hinata from Naruto and ushered them to go into the back room to be evaluated in private.

When Neji shut the door to the small treatment room, Kakashi was behind the door. Sasuke looked over at Kakashi, but quickly adverted his eyes. Guilt starting to eat at him again.

Naruto sat in the chair near the cot Hinata was on and leaned his head back against the wall as he took deep breaths. "There's some fucking monster out there. This fucking weird snake like man that came and mauled us as soon as the exams started."

Naruto pointed to Sasuke before pointing to Hinata. "He bit this weird mark on Sasuke and…he stabbed Hinata. She sewed herself back up." Naruto looked over at Neji, who was sending death glares at Naruto. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't-"

Neji interrupted Naruto as he unzipped Hinata's hoodie and lifted up her shirt to see the wound. "Shut up. This is something everyone on the panel and all the assistance are tracking. This person isn't part of the exams. They are investigating it, but he was beyond a Chunin and even Jonin level. So, I did not expect you three to hold a candle light to him."

Neji took the bandage off and looked at a clean, healed up wound. He immediately activated his Byakugan and examined Hinata. "You're healing fine, but this black mass has invaded in your veins. It's gotten to your liver and now it's just pushing it out to the rest of your body. You're heavily dehydrated, you need to flush your body. This will take days to fix, if this is even-"

Neji paused and closed his eyes. His Byakugan receding and his fist balled in frustration. Hinata closed her own eyes in pain because her body felt like it was on absolute fire. Every time she felt like her body was on fire, more of her veins turned pitch black. She reached over and held Neji's hand that was on her wound.

Neji let her take his hand and hold it for comfort. "Nii-san. It hurts."

Neji took a deep breath and forced himself to open his eyes. "I know it does, but I need you to be stronger Hinata."

Hinata nodded her head and squirmed a little more on the cot she was lying on. "I-I-I d-don't want to be a-alone." Neji actually smiled at Hinata. That comforting smile she would smile to others. His hand went to cradle her head. "You overthink everything. You're not going to be like your mother Hinata. This isn't the same. Fevers and being sick do not mean sudden death."

Neji reached behind him and untied his head protector. When it came down it revealed his caged bird seal.

Naruto and Sasuke had never seen Neji show his curse. His burden that forever tied him to the Hyuga clan as their slave. This is what Hinata was terrified of getting.

Hinata frowned as she looked at it, but Neji continued to smile at her. He leaned over and pressed his forehead to hers before his hand that was cradling her face went to her temple. He used his index and middle finger to apply just the right amount of pressure to put Hinata to sleep. "You need rest Hinata. I know you. You cannot sleep on your own like this. You can't sleep when you're too afraid too."

Neji sat up and looked down at Hinata. "I will watch over her until the second stage is complete. Is that alright Kakashi-sama?" Said person stood near the door with his arms folded over his chest. "That's fine with me, but you be honest with me Neji. Is she going to be fine? Or do we have to pull her to be treated?"

Neji ran his fingers through his hair. If Hinata needed treatment before the third stage then she would be disqualified. "Her condition is concerning. I am not a doctor. I do not know what these dark fluids are flooding in her body. However, I believe with a day or so of rest and Hinata pumping herself with liquids. She'll push through to finish the next stage. When she wakes up I will work with her on her mental mind frame. As you can see…she is scared."

Neji never, even when they were young children, liked to see Hinata scared.

Naruto closed his eyes and looked off to the side. "From what happened in the forest?"

Neji shook his head and looked at Naruto. "Her mother died from being sick. Hinata never left her bedside, even the day she died. Hinata watched her mother get sicker and sicker until she passed away. Hinata doesn't handle being sick well."

The older Hyuga rubbed his forehead before he ran his hands through his hair. "You don't know. Do you?"

Kakashi frowned at this and stared heatedly at Neji. "Know what?"

Neji looked at Kakashi before he looked at Naruto and Sasuke. "Hinata's mother. She was an alcoholic. She drunk herself until her liver failed."

Naruto's mouth dropped open and Sasuke's eyes widened and he stood frozen. That's…where she picked the habit from? That's where she learned to escape? Kakashi clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Shit."

This was hereditary. Hinata was doomed from the very beginning living in that cursed house.

Neji looked back at Hinata as he moved her bangs out her face. "Her mother became sick and in a lot of pain. Hinata doesn't handle sickness and pain well at all. Reason why she started her 'escaping', because the training was too painful. It got to the point she'd do anything to numb the pain. To answer your silent question, yes. She learned it from her mother. Yes, in the past I tried to stop her. Before…I became sealed. Everything went downhill when me and Hinata were separated from one another. When we couldn't connect."

Kakashi watched Neji as his focus went back on Hinata. The Hyuga clan wanted to separate Neji and Hinata. Why? What's the secret? They didn't want Neji and Hinata to be strong enough to voice something.

Neji re-applied new dressing and bandage to her healing wound. Hinata really did a good job on this. "I do not see Hinata accepting the pain it takes to sew herself together." Neji looked back at Naruto to search his face to detect if he would lie. Naruto shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly feeling defeated. "She downed almost half the rubbing alcohol."

Neji nodded his head at this and Kakashi let out a sigh. Whoever this monster was that attacked low level ninja's would surely have to have the guts to meet him. To attack ninja's during a Chunin exam was beyond low on Kakashi's level.

"She threw it all up though. She made herself. She's really trying."

Naruto added that in as he looked at Neji and Kakashi. Hinata wasn't trying to go down that road again, she was just trying to get pass the situation at hand.

Kakashi held up his hand to stop Naruto from rambling. "I'm just glad one of you knew how to stitch together an open wound like that. It could have been very bad for Hinata indeed. Moving on. What happened to you and Sasuke?"

Naruto pointed to Sasuke, "You should check him out first. He got it the worse. I'll be fine." Sasuke looked at Naruto. Why was Naruto always down playing his own injuries? "The man's name was Orochimaru. He did something to Naruto's seal."

Naruto blinked as he looked at Sasuke. "Yeah, but I feel fine. You were the one that needed Hinata to close off your chakra points around the seal because you started losing your fucking mind!" Naruto was quiet out there, but he noticed how rough and crazed Sasuke was acting towards them. Especially Hinata.

Kakashi walked in between the two before they started to fight. "Both of you. Come with me and I'll check you both out." He ushered Naruto and Sasuke out the room, both a bit hesitant because they didn't want to leave Hinata. However, Neji was seated right beside Hinata and looked as if he was assuming his original role as Hinata's guard.

Once Kakashi got Naruto and Sasuke out the room, they all laid eyes on the dark red-haired male as he watched them from across the way. Gaara had his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes left from Naruto and Sasuke to the door they came out of. An evil grin started to form on his face.

Naruto snarled at this. "I'll kill him."

So, Naruto and Sasuke's dark thoughts are starting to become problematic. Feeding off their insecurities. Naruto feels as if he can't have Hinata or even Sasuke. Due to his label in the village. Meanwhile Sasuke feels as if he can't have Naruto or even Hinata due to the fact that he's always boxed out. That Naruto won't accept him like he accepts Hinata.

Hinata's past in coming to light too. However daddy Kakashi is back with his kids! So, he can do some damage control.

This is the turning point for Neji and Hinata. Their bond will only get stronger from here on out.

See you Saturday!