Naruto 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Magicalmuggle here! This story was originally published by Kunoichi1331 as a collaborative by the both of us. However, we are both going to different colleges, so we had to transfer the story to my account so we can post new chapters more easily. Alas, I cannot copy and paste as I would wish, so I will being posting these chapters without our previous author notes...and these chapters might not be the most recent version *wipes away a tear* I will eventually go back and edit these chapters, but at the moment, if you find any grammatical errors, feel free to let me know! I hope we can get the follows to over 100 once more!**

Chapter One

Hinata sprinted through the forest, her indigo hair flying, the blood pounding in her ears overwhelming all other sound. As she nimbly leaped from branch to branch, she spared a glance behind her, instinct taking control despite her 360 degree vision. Her stomach plummeted at the sight that awaited her: five chakra entities, their electric blue bodies sharply defined and rapidly closing in. Hinata closed her pearl white eyes in frustration and grief. _Shino…_

"_It's no use. You guys are outnumbered, outmatched, and completely surrounded," the missing nin in front of them snickered, gleefully rubbing his hands together at the thought of the bloodshed he was about to inflict. The group had caught Hinata and Shino exhausted and unaware as they returned to Konoha from an escort mission to the Hidden Mist. They had decided to travel through the forest in the hopes of avoiding unnecessary conflict, for the Fourth Great Ninja War had left much instability in its wake, making the roads unsafe to travel. …And the woods, too, apparently. Now, Hinata and Shino were surrounded by five unfamiliar ninja of the jounin level and higher, stranded with little chakra, little chance of backup, and an even smaller hope of victory._

"_We desire no struggle with you. State your intentions so that we may fulfill what you wish and peacefully resume our journey." Shino had maneuvered himself so that he was standing between Hinata and their aggressors. As he spoke, the visible portion of his face remained impassive, his tense voice and deceptively relaxed stance the only indicators of his current distress._

_The leader of the group let out a cruel, almost maniacal laugh. "There is nothing you can do to resolve this peacefully. Unless you want to lay down and die right now," the man's face drooped into a pout at the thought of an uneventful encounter like that, "No, our orders were to capture that girl…and leave no survivors."_

_At this revelation, Shino's posture became rigid, and he stiffly replied, "I'm afraid I can't allow that to happen." In response to his agitation, Shino's bugs began to buzz in anticipation, slowly creeping out from his coat's sleeves and inching along the skin of his face and hands. Hinata also readied herself, dropping into her Jyuuken stance. However, at an almost imperceptible shake of Shino's head she stopped, straightening herself, a confused look adorning her face. In a voice that only she could hear, Shino explained, "If you fight, Hinata, you only increase their chances of success for their mission by opening yourself to capture. Let me hold them off while you escape; that way, we can prevent them from fulfilling whatever plan they have."_

_HInata immediately began to protest, "B-b-but Shino…I—" _

_He cut her off, eyes appearing to be trained on their enemy from behind his opaque shades the entire time he spoke. "Hinata. Please let me do this. It would be an honor for me to protect one of my precious people in this way."_

_Closing her mouth, Hinata meekly nodded in defeat. She knew that she could not change his mind._

"_When the battle begins, turn and run. Don't turn back, no matter what happens." With this statement, they both refocused on their adversaries._

_After hearing Shino's refusal, the leader's face had broken into a feral grin, and his frenzied excitement made him oblivious to the side conversation between Shino and Hinata. "Oh, what a pity," his eager voice devoid of any regret, "I guess we will have to use force… While we expected resistance, what we didn't expect was for the Hyuuga to be such a beauty…maybe we will have to have a little fun with her before turning her in to our employer." Hinata's eyes reflexively widened as several sinister snickers joined the leader, who began licking his lips in anticipation._

"_Go. I will see you later." Shino's outraged voice barely reached her ears. Before even finishing these words, Shino's insects began to leave his body. Hinata turned and ran. The last thing she saw before leaving the clearing was Shino's bugs swarming around him, attacking their foes and preventing them from seeing the direction of her escape._

A single tear rolled down from Hinata's closed eyes. She knew that Shino would rather die than to allow someone to hurt one of his friends, so she realized the implications of her situation. Her good friend was now gone. However, no matter how badly she wished to stop and mourn, she refused to let his sacrifice be in vain. Using her rage as an energy source, she picked up her speed, branches whipping across her face and exposed skin, biting into her and adding to the pain of her memories. While she did not lose her pursuers completely, she managed to increase the distance between them enough to feel safe deactivating her Byakugan. She wanted to conserve her chakra for the battle that she knew would inevitably come.

After running for some time, Hinata transferred from the trees to the ground and reactivated her Byakugan. Slamming her feet into the dirt of the forest floor, she flailed as her body fought the inertia forcing her forward past the forest edge, stopping inches from the edge of a massive ravine. Having no time to appreciate her close call, Hinata desperately searched for a way across, aware of the ever closer threat of her unknown pursuers. To her devastation, the ravine was impenetrable, spreading sideways as far as her Byakugan could see and too wide for her to leap across. At the bottom of the chasm, Hinata spied a river, the sound of rushing water faintly reaching her sensitive ears. Brushing her thick, midnight blue locks out of her face, she almost let an uncharacteristic scream of frustration escape from her mouth. _Have I run all this way for nothing? Has my teammate sacrificed himself for nothing? Am I going to prove myself a failure yet again? _Slipping her hand into her tool pouch, she began to rummage through its contents, half-heartedly attempting to find some miracle tool that would help her escape from her hopeless situation. After rifling through several kunai and multiple paper bombs, her hand closed around a small glass bottle. Hinata froze. _Well...I still have THAT substance… _The secret pride of her clan, the tool that enabled her body to disappear completely, protecting Konoha by protecting the secrets of the Byakugan. The substance that destroyed all remains, leaving no DNA or biological trace of the user. As she fingered the smooth container, a plan began to formulate. If I can't escape them, then I will just have to take them down with me…

Reaching the edge of the forest, Hinata's pursuers spied a figure at the edge of the ravine, her back turned toward them as she gazed down into the abyss.

Their leader cautiously stepped forward, creeping out from the shadows. "All right, sweetie. There's no way you can escape. You're trapped, and we have reinforcements coming, just in case you try any funny business with us. Just come quietly, and we promise no unnecessary harm will come to you," he began to chuckle darkly, "Well…not too much harm."

The girl slowly turned around, an unreadable expression on her porcelain face, the harsh wind around the canyon tugging at the material of her lilac jacket and tossing her hair like a whip. Her translucent eyes focused on him and narrowed slightly. "I w-w-would rather n-not go with y-y-you," she quietly but firmly responded.

He nonchalantly shrugged. "Suit yourself. I kinda like 'em feisty anyway." With that, he began to prowl toward the helpless girl.

Before he could even take a few steps, a kunai whizzed by, passing inches from his face before embedding itself in the tree behind him. Having watched its path, he once again turned toward the girl, mouth open to taunt her about her miss. However, at the sight of the small smirk that graced her regal features, he pulled up short. Before another move could be made, the world exploded. The kunai that had appeared to miss had embedded itself in a paper bomb saturated in an unknown chemical, one of many in a surprisingly elaborate trap that the group had failed to detect in their complacency from their assured success.

Not more than ten minutes later, the reinforcements stumbled upon a scene of desolation. The edge of the forest had been completely obliterated, smoke from the blast still lingering in the air. The only things that greeted them were piles of ashes, of which the closest to the ravine possessed a Konoha forehead protector, its tattered fabric fluttering around the half melted metal plate in the now gentle breeze.

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I forgot to do this last chapter but... I do not own the rights to Naruto...sigh...**

Chapter Two

"Kazekage-sama!"

Gaara reflexively turned to look for his father. Even though it had been seven years since the former Kazekage's death, his presence still lurked in the back of Gaara's mind, seizing any opportunity to remind Gaara of his dark past. Shaking his thoughts from the morbid direction they were taking, Gaara attempted to locate the owner of the voice, his eyes squinting slightly in the harsh glare of the desert sun. He scanned the crowded marketplace, with its bustling horde of people and plethora of commodities that bombarded every sense, each stall competing to capture the consumer's attention.

Had he been a more expressive person, a contented smirk would have decorated his shockingly pale face, for he couldn't help the feeling of pride that bubbled inside him as he watched the citizens in their daily lives. Despite the harsh climate, the nation of Suna thrived; they had always been resilient people, facing more than their fair share of hardships even before the Great War. And the Fourth Great Ninja War had left much chaos in its wake.

Before Team 7, with the help of the past Kages, could manage to extract the Juubi from Obito and use the Tailed Beasts' powers to defeat Madara, the two Uchiha had already created a large path of destruction, leaving marks that would take not only the people, but also the land many years to heal. However, faced with the harsh reality of the damages of the war, the hardened inhabitants of the Hidden Sand proved themselves once again, quickly rebuilding from the widespread desolation and re-establishing the village as one of the great powers of the shinobi world.

Unlike other villages, which were still struggling for normalcy in the war's aftermath, Suna had achieved internal peace and stability within these few years following the battle, even if this stability didn't exist too far past the great walls of the city. Watching a silk merchant dressed in vibrant colors, his fists waving animatedly in the air as he bartered with a customer, and smelling the pungent aroma of various spices and incenses wafting from a nearby perfume stall, it was not hard to see the general prosperity that the citizens of Suna had the fortune to live in.

_And it's my job as Kazekage to ensure the continued success of my people. _Gaara thought, as his eyes finished roaming the crowd, unsuccessful in detecting the voice's owner, while he continuously dipped his crimson head in acknowledgement to those respectfully bowing as they passed him in the congested street. He turned to his sister, Temari, to see if she had located his caller, but she merely met his questioning glance and shrugged, her blond, spiky hair bobbing as she completed the gesture.

Twisting to face forward again, Gaara began to continue his leisurely stroll through the bazaar, but a small tug on the lower part of his robes stopped him. Looking down, Gaara was met by a pair of huge, chocolate brown eyes eagerly staring up at him. Having grabbed the young leader's attention, the small girl shyly stepped back from him, her short burst of confidence gone as she faced his sea green eyes. Gazing at the ground with a newfound interest, she began to toe the sand at her feet, her small arms hidden behind her back.

"K-kazekage-sama… I…I made you something!" With these words, the little girl hastily brought her hands out from behind her, shoving an object into Gaara's face. Leaning back, Gaara examined the present. _A flower…? _Further inspection disproved that idea, as he stared at pieces of golden paper folded around a brown, central point at the end of a slender cylinder of wood.

"It's a pinwheel. See?" Yanking back the gift, she began to heartily blow, attempting to move the object's crudely made wheels. After several fruitless attempts, she abandoned the action and handed the toy out to him, her wide eyes watching him, anticipating his reaction.

"Thank you." He plucked the pinwheel from her grasp, appreciating the obvious work and love that the girl's chubby fingers had put into creating this gift. "It's beautiful…just like a sunflower." He gazed at the craft, a small, rare smile teasing his lips. Suddenly, two small arms wrapped around his leg, as the little girl happily pressed her face and body into his robes. Eyes widening, Gaara stared down in confusion at the brave child who had just decided to give the Kazekage, one of the most powerful men in the world, an enthusiastic hug. T

he visage of dark hair and pale eyes abruptly flashed across his mind, but he quickly stifled these images, fearing that another gruesome memory had been awakened somehow. Awkwardly patting the girl's head, Gaara turned his panicked green eyes toward Temari, silently sending a plea for help. While he had changed long ago, deciding to work for the love and trust of his villagers, the prior years of neglect and hate had not been kind to his social skills, and he still did not know how to react to many situations.

Thankfully, Temari noticed his discomfort. "Hey, kid. Thanks for the gift. It's really special and all that," she couldn't help but smirk, watching this gutsy kid hugging her now beet red brother, "Now run along, the Kazekage still has important stuff to do."

Stepping back once again, the little girl nodded, a large grin plastered to her face. "Bye, Kazekage-sama!" Giving them a small wave, she promptly skipped off, soon disappearing into the crowded market. After losing sight of the child, Temari turned back to her baby brother, who was still frozen in place, but now staring at the sky, an unreadable expression on his face. Glancing up, she noticed an indistinct smudge headed for the Kazekage Tower. _A messenger hawk…I wonder what's up… _Opening her mouth to ask Gaara if he knew, she returned her gaze back to empty air, a few grains of sand still swirling around from the Kazekage's hasty exit. _I hope nothing's wrong…_ Temari thought, a foreboding feeling in her gut as she sent a furtive look back at the tower, before immersing herself in the mass of citizens.

Gaara let the door to his office fall shut behind him, crossing the room in quick strides. Placing the pinwheel in the pencil holder on his desk, he made his way to the bird of prey impatiently tapping on his window. Sliding the glass open, he slipped the scroll off its scrawny leg before releasing it to go rest at the Communication Tower's aerie. Shutting the window, Gaara paced in front of his desk, contemplating the small document in his hands. _A red seal…this is bad…_ Each message delivered between villages followed a color system, from blue seals for regular updates to red, indicating tragedies, threats, or other events of important notice. Gaara prepared himself for the worst, taking a seat in the chair behind the table. Unsealing the scroll, he opened it and spread it out flat against his desk, quickly skimming the letter's contents:

_Hey Gaara,_

_I know this should be formal and all, but I just can't do it, not this time. Yesterday, one of my most elite ninja, and one of my best friends on top of that, was killed in combat. I don't know if you knew her, but her name was Hyuuga Hinata, heiress of the Hyuuga clan. She was one of the sweetest, most humble people I have ever met, and writing the details of her death sends a stab of pain through me with every word…so I'll make this as brief as possible, if only for the sake of staying somewhat professional… _

_Based on the report, a group of rogue nin attacked her and Aburame Shino on their way home from an escort mission to the Hidden Mist. Leaving Shino for dead, they pursued Hinata to the edge of a ravine on the border between your village and the Hidden Mist's territories. While we were able to recover Aburame Shino, who is now in our critical care unit, we were not lucky enough to save Hinata. To prevent the group from capturing her, she set an explosive trap, destroying her pursuers and herself. Our sources informed us that there was another group, possibly allies to the attackers, who reached the scene before us and then apparently left without disturbing anything. My ninja say that they were headed in the direction of Suna. _

_Please be on full alert…I don't want to lose anyone else to these monsters. Maybe with the combined efforts of our villages, we will be able to capture these ninja and make them pay for their crimes…I'm telling you this not just as a fellow Kage, but also as a friend grieving over a fallen comrade._

_Sincerely and Sadly,_

_Naruto_

As he read this, Gaara's breath caught in his throat. While Naruto's bubbly personality could never be hidden, even in his "professional" letters, the blond Jinchuuriki's hyperactive personality seemed particularly subdued in this note, much more formal than usual as a result of his grief. Gaara could feel his friend's pain through this letter, could imagine the tears he held back as his pen scratched across the document's rough surface. The redhead sat back in his chair, eyes shifting from the paper to the pinwheel lying on the corner of his desk.

Picking the pinwheel up, he lightly traced its contours as he contemplated the news. If these rogues had managed to take out a Hyuuga AND an Aburame, both from clans renowned for their prowess as shinobi, then these weren't just some ragtag bunch of troublemakers. No. This was a well-organized attack, its skill and efficiency nearly rivaling that of an Anbu team. And just like the Anbu, the group had apparently left nearly no leads to follow, an impressive feat considering its disastrous failure to complete its objective.

The possibility of such a threat entering his territory worried him. Gaara knew he had a capable ninja force, but so did Konoha, and look at what happened to them. _Maybe I will send Temari and Kankuro to handle this…I'd rather use their talent for other missions, but the village's safety comes first, and always will…What a drag… _

Gaara nearly smirked, belatedly realizing his resemblance to the certain Leaf lazybones who held his sister's heart. His good humor quickly disappeared when a stab of pain lanced through his head. Rubbing his temple with his free hand, Gaara left out a sigh of frustration. Even with Shukaku gone, he still suffered from frequent migraines, often elicited by the stresses of being the Kazekage. This new problem seemed to have triggered a particularly nasty one.

Desiring to prevent its full arrival, Gaara focused on the toy in his hand. Tapping its petal-like extensions, he watched as the pinwheel came to life, its bright edges blurring as they danced around the chocolate center, making the plaything appear even more like a sunflower. Watching the toy, he noted the irony of receiving the news of the Hyuuga's death on the same day as this toy.

_Hinata…that sounds so familiar…_

He rack his brain for a picture, a memory, _something _that he could link to the name. As he stared at the floral contraption, the images of midnight colored hair and eyes like pearls once again played at the corner of his mind. He quickly grasped onto them, falling into the memory long-buried in the recesses of his mind.

_Feeling the carriage come to a stop, Gaara glanced up from his teddy bear to his father next to him, wanting to ask his father if they had arrived, but knowing better than to speak unless spoken to. Ignoring the questioning look on his youngest son's face, the Kazekage stood up, motioning for the vehicle's other occupants, a young girl with two blond spiky pigtails, and a younger boy playing with a small puppet, to do the same. _

_Gaara followed his father and siblings through the carriage door, squinting against the glare of the midday sun that greeted him as he stepped out of the shadowed compartment. His wandering gaze was met by an intimidating sight: a large, crimson gate, at least several stories tall, surrounded by various shades of green plants, a crowd of people gathered at its foot. Having only known the harsh browns of the desert, Gaara was slightly overwhelmed by the abundant foliage and the multitude of colors it provided, and he had to resist hiding behind his father's robes, knowing the man would disapprove of such a display of weakness, even from a young boy._

_"Kazekage-sama, how good it is that you have arrived safely after such a long journey." A wizened old man with a hat like the Kazekage's stepped forward to greet Gaara's father, his movements surprisingly fluid for a man his age._

_"Ah, yes. The ride was uneventful, so it is pleasing to have finally our destination. Your village looks…well, Hokage-sama." The Kazekage ran an appraising glance over the mass assembled in front of him as he responded to the ancient leader._

_"Thank you, you look well also." If the old man sensed the Kazekage's disdain, he did not show it. "And I assume these are your children?" The head of Konoha nodded at each of Gaara's siblings, who returned the gesture, before resting his curious gaze on Gaara._

_"Yes. This is Temari," The teal-eyed girl stepped forward, her haughty gaze scanning the crowd while she bowed to the Hokage, "Kankuro," the older Subaku boy broke into a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his head with one hand while giving a small wave with the other, "And…Gaara." Gaara stood timidly peering up at the old man, unsure of what to do._

_The Hokage's face crinkled into a kind smile as he observed the boy's nervous appearance. "What a beautiful family. You must be proud." The Kazekage tensed at these words, tersely nodding in response to the old man's compliment. "Now, I will introduce you to the heads of Konoha's shinobi clans. Do not be afraid to ask anything of them during your stay here. They would be more than happy to accommodate any of your needs…The Uchiha clan, head, Fugaku…"_

_Gaara watched as a dark haired family stepped forward, the father bowing to the Kazekage as his wife and children observed. Gaara noticed one of the boys to be around his age, a skinny kid with dark eyes and hair resembling a duck's butt, and he eagerly awaited the other boy's eyes to fall on him. However, in response to Gaara's friendly stare, the Uchiha boy's onyx eyes slightly narrowed. _

_He grabbed his older brother, who was looking at Gaara, an unreadable expression on his lined face, and the family soon stepped back to return to their place in the crowd. Abashed by the harsh reaction, Gaara's eyes sank to the ground, where he contented himself by watching the feet of the different clans that came forward to greet the Sabaku family._

_"The Hyuuga clan, head, Hiashi…" Gaze still focused on the ground, Gaara scrutinized the shoes now in front of him. Even though he only saw the man's feet, Gaara knew he must be a man of much power, for he sensed the pride and authority radiating from him. Suddenly, Gaara noticed a small foot inching out from behind the man. Eyes widening, Gaara lifted his stare from the dirt, only to be met by a pair of large, pale eyes peeping out from behind a leg. Having been caught in the redhaired boy's sea green gaze, a girl around his age shrank behind her father even more, a deep blush rising to her cheeks. Finding no threat in the boy's curious eyes, she tentatively stepped out, shuffling forward until she was in front of Gaara, her hands shyly hidden behind her back as she returned his stare._

_"K-konnichiwa…" The girl stuttered, her indigo bangs sweeping into her eyes as she ducked her head. Gaara stared at her, unsure of how to respond. He had never been spoken to, much less addressed first by the children of his village. Any minute now, he expected her to run away, screaming about his monstrosity. However, she stayed rooted where she was, her short hair shifting slightly in the breeze. _

_"My f-father told me t-that the Kazekage h-had a boy my age…I w-was wondering if m-maybe you would l-like to be f-f-friends…?" Having asked this, she now peered up at Gaara, cringing slightly at his incredulous gaze and returning hers to the ground before continuing. "I m-made you something…I hope y-you will take it…It's o-okay if you d-d-on't though…" _

_Her words came out rushed now, dying off as she lost her confidence. Bringing her arms out from behind her, she presented him with her gift, the sunlight glinting off the object's bright edges. The pinwheel spun slowly in the wind, its vibrant colors reflecting those of a desert sunset. Taking the toy from her chubby fingers, Gaara stared at the gift in amazement. No one had ever given him a gift before; he held the precious plaything as if it were made of glass. _

_"F-friends?" The small girl's timid question broke him out of his trance. Tearing his gaze from the pinwheel, he met the dark haired girl's anxious gaze. Too stunned to speak, Gaara slowly nodded, a small smile adorning his usually stoic face. _

_At this response, his new friend's face completely transformed, her wrinkled brow replaced by a smile as bright as the sun. "T-that's good…I'm H-hinata…what's your n-name?"_

_"…Gaara…" His soft voice was barely audible. _

_"Hinata? It is time to go." Before their conversation could continue, the head of the Hyuuga summoned his daughter, his impassive gaze observing the two children at his feet, his harsh, marble-like eyes contrasting his daughter's kind glance. Nodding obediently, Hinata turned to follow her father back to their place in the crowd. As they walked away, she threw one last look over her shoulder. Meeting Gaara's gaze, she once again smiled, the joy of their newfound friendship clear in her eyes. Facing forward once more, she continued walking, her midnight blue hair shining in the sun. Gaara stared after her, still stunned. For the first time in his short life, he had experienced the gift of friendship. _

Eyes snapping open, Gaara brought his head into his hands. _Hinata… _The heavy sense of loss pervaded all his other senses, to where he could only focus on the pain developing in his chest. _I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry… _A tear slipped from his closed eyes, landing on the pinwheel in his lap, the gift now forgotten in the Kazekage's grief for his first friend.

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! **

**Chapter 3**

Hinata's head burst above the water's surface, gasping and spluttering, her open mouth sucking in the fresh air. She paddled over to the river's edge, crawling out of the water's icy clutches and dropping on the shore in a drenched, exhausted heap.

She had been journeying like this for a few days now, using her water style to run along the river's rocky bottom, only surfacing to eat and rest before immersing herself once again in the river's depths. While this method of travel had allowed her to escape detection, it quickly drained her of energy, leaving her alarmingly vulnerable if someone happened to discover her.

Dragging herself into a sitting position, Hinata shrugged off her jacket, laying the soaked material out to dry. Out of habit, her hands reached to adjust her forehead protector in its place around her neck, but paused when they encountered air instead of a cold metal plate. _Oh yeah..._ With a wrinkled brow, Hinata let her hands fall into her lap, index fingers nervously poking together as she recalled how she lost the Leaf headband.

_Hinata slipped the small bottle back into the pouch on her thigh, turning from the paper bomb she had just plastered to a tree. She had laid her trap, a line of bombs stuck onto a surprisingly large expanse of trees, each explosive spaced far enough to avoid arousing suspicion, but close enough for a domino effect to occur with the first blast. _

_She had laced each of the sheets with the Hyuuga clan's concoction; this was the most important factor for her plan. Her escape depended on the chemical's biological effect, and since this had never been tried before, she had no guarantee that it would work. However, if successful, the explosion would leave no identifiable remains, including her "ashes." While she placed little trust in the bottle's contents, she did not doubt the reliability of her work. Hinata was confident that once activated, her trap would be inescapable. _

_The only other worry she had was that it would be discovered before they reached her, for it was not hidden as well as she wanted as a result of her rushed job. Hinata hoped that her pursuers would be overly confident in her imminent capture, and knowing how easily complacency turned into carelessness, she had decided to risk the chance of discovery if success meant escape._

_She picked up the large stick on the ground next to her, also coated in the Hyuuga chemical, and began to make her way back toward the ravine. Exiting the edge of the forest, Hinata approached the cliff and dropped the branch in the dirt once more, peering down at the rushing water far below her. _

_She turned and examined the trees, spotting the paper bomb that indicated she was in the right position, and then, reactivating her Byakugan, she located her pursuers. They were a little less than a mile away, giving her around three minutes to finish preparing. She deactivated her dojutsu and circled to face the abyss._

_Reaching her hands behind her neck, she brushed aside her indigo hair and untied her forehead protector. She brought its fabric ends in front of her, her hands sliding together to grasp the metal plate. Lightly tracing the Leaf symbol engraved on the headband, Hinata let out a soft sigh, pale eyes glazing over as the emblem brought back memories. Her father's slight nod of approval when she presented the object to him on the day of her graduation from the Academy, a rare moment of happiness in her troubled childhood. Kiba and Akamaru tossing it between them, taking it and playing keep away from Hinata in order to cheer her up after a tough day at home. And, Hinata's cheeks burning at the thought, Naruto playfully attempting to swipe her forehead protector from around her neck after "temporarily misplacing" his…_

_Entering back into reality, Hinata shook her head, taking the memento and tying it around the wood she picked up from the soil by her feet. She held the branch over the cliff's edge, staring at metal glinting in the sunlight, unnerved by the feel of hair tickling her bare neck. Letting out another forlorn sigh, she released the branch, watching it morph into a small blur as it descended into the chasm. Without turning around, Hinata waited for her pursuers to arrive._

_She sensed their chakra before she heard them._

_"All right, sweetie. There's no way you can escape. You're trapped, and we have reinforcements coming, just in case you try any funny business with us. Just come quietly, and we promise no unnecessary harm will come to you...Well…not too much harm." Hinata could imagine the feral grin on the rogue leader's face as he slipped from the shadows, and she had to stifle the shudder that arose from this gruesome image.  
_

_Since he didn't mentioned anything about her trap, Hinata assumed that they hadn't discovered it... Good. Turning around, she molded her porcelain features into the impassive mask she had seen her father wear so much. "I w-w-would rather n-not go with y-y-you." She tried but failed to keep the stutter out of her voice, narrowing her pale eyes, internally cringing at the animalistic glee the man seemed to get from her helplessness._

_"Suit yourself," he licked his lips as he began to scoot forward, his narrow eyes devouring the sight of the attractive girl in front of him, her long tresses whipping in the wind, "I kinda like 'em feisty anyway."_

_Hinata flicked her wrist, releasing a kunai that flew within inches(not accidentally) of the man's face. Noticing the mocking gleam in the rogue's eyes as he turned back to face her and comment on her aim, she couldn't help letting a small smirk escape. Idiots. As his eyes widened in realization of what was occurring, she whipped her hands in front of her, performing a simple hand sign. Before the blast had even reached the edge of the cliff, Hinata was sprinting along the river's bottom, a piece of wood with a forehead protector attached burning where she once stood._

Pulling herself out of her reverie, Hinata ran her fingers through her tangled blue locks, her thoughts focusing on her current situation. It had been three days since her "death," so the village must know about it by now. However, they wouldn't just be mourning hers; Shino's sacrifice would definitely be a source of great sorrow, too. _Yeah, at least he was useful... They are probably relieved that you are gone so they don't have to look after you anymore..._ A small, sinister voice prodded her thoughts.

_No! I'm sure they will miss me... I hope..._ Thinking back on her time as a Leaf shinobi, Hinata recognized that although she had gotten stronger, she still seemed to hinder her team more often than helping them. Her team often was sent on missions that were of a lesser rank than their skill as Leaf jounin deserved because of her, and even then, she realized that her teammates usually placed themselves in compromising situations while fulfilling these jobs, just to assure her safety.

She could remember more than one occasion where Kiba or Shino had gotten injured jumping in front of some weapon, or deflecting a jutsu headed for her. While she always used her homemade healing ointments on their wounds, which greatly sped their recovery, and thanked them profusely for going out of their way, she could never deter the feeling of guilt that washed over her when she saw the scars, or the worry that someday, they would make the ultimate sacrifice to rescue her.

_And Shino did make that sacrifice, just to protect you, too weak to defend yourself..._ That same voice whispered, making her cringe as it reawakened the pain and grief from her friend's death, buried underneath her focus on survival. Guilt welled up inside her, threatening to overwhelm her every thought and render her useless.

Out of necessity, Hinata suppressed the feeling, and she promised herself that once she reached safety, she would properly mourn for her teammate, showing him the respect that her friends were hopefully giving to both of them back in Konoha.

And Hinata knew that despite her weakness, her friends would greatly mourn her death. _What about your clan, though?_ The voice insisted, slowly chipping her already small confidence away. Hinata visibly tensed at the thought. While she had worked hard to earn her right as the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata wasn't stupid; she knew that many of the elders still didn't support her, much preferring Hanabi as the clan's next leader. With her "dead," they probably had jumped on the opportunity and were most likely preparing her little sister for the role, even as Hinata sat there.

And Hanabi deserved that role. She had always been the stronger, more natural leader of Hiashi's daughters. The only reason Hinata had fought so hard to keep it was to prove her worth, to her clan, to her father, ...and to herself. Inspired by a certain hyperactive blond, she worked tirelessly to achieve her dream, and she did, just as he had achieved his and become Hokage. While she wouldn't officially fill her position until her twenty first birthday, this coming December, she was exhilarated by the fact that she had accomplished her goal and developed into a shinobi worthy of respect.

But her pride came with a steep price. By chasing after her dream, Hinata kept her sister from being able to fulfill any of hers. No matter how proud Hanabi was of her older sister, who was like a mother to her, she couldn't hide her fear and resentment of the future she now looked forward to: a life serving the Main House.

On December 27, Hinata's birthday and the date of her initiation ceremony, Hanabi's life would be drastically altered, but not for the better. On this day, Hanabi would be branded with the Caged Bird Seal, doomed to a life of service in the Branch Family, lacking freedom and, more importantly, her dignity. The thought of her baby sister living like that sickened Hinata to her core. Hinata had offered the position to Hanabi after proving herself, had even begged her to take it. But her stubborn sibling had declined, refusing to take something her sister had worked so hard for and not wanting to live with the guilt of condemning her to that same servitude.

Hinata realized the internal struggle her sister must currently be going through, the relief she must be feeling, followed by the guilt for that emotion. She closed her pearl-like eyes in sorrow, wishing there was a way she could preserve her sister's relief upon her return, a way she could save the girl from that horrible fate. But she couldn't, not while she was still alive to claim her birthright.

_Not while I'm alive..._ Hinata's eyes shot open. She could save her sister from that life, but only by a sacrifice of her own. She could continue faking her death; no one would ever suspect her of actually being alive, she was confident enough in her escape plan to know that. But she would have to ensure that she would never be caught. Granted, that would probably entail her leaving Konoha, forever. Her face fell at the thought of that, pale brow crinkling as she realized she would never see her friends or family again, never get to properly say goodbye.

_I'd never get to see Naruto-kun again..._ Sunny blond hair and sky blue eyes danced across her vision, only adding to her dejection. But her exile would be worth it... Right? Hinata pictured her fourteen year old sister's face, moonlike eyes lighting up as she laughed freely, dark hair falling across her unmarked forehead. A small smile, filled with love, crept onto Hinata's face. _Yes... _It was definitely worth that_._

The only problem was where Hinata could go to start her new life... She definitely couldn't go back to Konoha, she'd be caught in a second if she did. She'd rather not go to the Hidden Mist or Snow Country, their climates were too melancholy for her taste. Hinata pursed her delicate lips in thought. She wanted to somewhere sunny and warm, a place where she felt safe and free.

Dunes of sand and high stone walls popped into her mind. _Suna..._ It was perfect. Because of the strong alliance and trust between the two villages, Leaf shinobi were rarely sent there except for ambassador meetings, so the chances of Hinata being discovered and taken home were slim if she remained careful. In addition, she had traveled there with Naruto and her team on several occasions. Her knowledge of the city and its culture would allow her to easily blend in.

_Well, fairly easily..._ Having caught sight of her reflection in the river, she had spotted one flaw in her plan: her eyes. Her clan's kekkei genkai was a dead giveaway; if a Sand shinobi saw her translucent eyes, she'd be done for.

_Then I'll just have to find a fool proof way to hide them._ She nodded determinedly to herself.

Considering the various options running through her mind, Hinata decided on a surprisingly simple solution: a transformation jutsu. However, instead of her whole body, she would change only her eyes, using up less chakra and enabling her to maintain the jutsu with less effort. As a Hyuuga, her chakra control was impeccable, and she had honed this skill to near perfection in her journey to become heiress, something that she was extremely proud of. In fact, she was fairly certain that she was one of a very small percent of people who actually could pull this specific of a transformation off, making her even more confident in her disguise's reliability.

Hinata leaned forward, staring at her rippling reflection in the churning waters. _Now to decide my new eye color... _Staring at the river's bright surface, she was once again reminded of foxy grins and orange jumpsuits, of a young man with determination glittering in his eyes. Hinata smiled, having found, in her opinion, the perfect color. Crossing her legs, she made herself comfortable and brought her hands together, beginning the first of many changes that would accompany her new life.

Having eaten and rested, Hinata rose gracefully, grabbing the lilac jacket that had been lying next to her. As she slid it over her shoulders, she glanced up at the clouds, her indigo hair falling back and revealing eyes the same sparkling blue as the sky they observed. Zipping the coat up in one fluid motion, she turned to disappear into the river once more.

Hinata hesitated and, looking over her shoulder, scanned her surroundings, half expecting to see as drastic a change in the land as she felt in herself. Finding nothing, she waded into the water, a few ripples soon the only evidence of her time on the undisturbed shore.

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sadly, I do not own Naruto. **

**Chapter 4**

The harsh desert sun beat down on the dusty path, its intense rays creating waves of heat that writhed through the air, distorting the distant horizon. Hinata squinted as she marched through the shifting sands, regretting(not for the first time) that she couldn't use her Byakugan as she struggled to see past the blinding glare.

She tugged on her headscarf, pulling it over her azure eyes in an attempt to shield them from the piercing light. The charcoal grey fabric, stiff from the salt of evaporated sweat, grated against her creamy skin. She could feel the moisture being sucked from her body, could imagine herself shriveling into dust if she stayed exposed to the sun for much longer.

Like most desert travelers, Hinata had risen before dawn, choosing to begin her journey from the sand's edge to Suna before the night's shadows transformed into the oppressive heat of daylight. She had joined a caravan of merchants from the last town, where she had bought supplies and procured the papers that would allow her to immigrate to Suna as a civilian. She had purchased the papers from a leering, thin man, who had unceasingly stalked Hinata around the shop, stroking his greasy hair and offering her a myriad of "exotic" items of low quality despite her polite, but consistent, refusals.

While she doubted the solicitor's other...ahem, wares, she trusted the documents that he had given her would get her past the gate check, for every person she had talked to had recommended him. The fact that not even one person seemed to be surprised by her request increased her hopes of remaining undiscovered. Suna most likely had hundreds of immigrants, legal and illegal; as one of the few large, stable villages left after the war, people would probably flock to the city, and in turn, allow Hinata to disappear among the diverse population.

The hardest part for Hinata in her preparations had been choosing what information to record on her documents. She had decided to be halfway truthful, stating that she had traveled from Konoha in search of work. Hinata tried to convince herself that this was the most practical option, that she would be able to create a more convincing back story by using familiar material, but she knew that her true reason was because she could never see any village other than Konoha as home, no matter if she was only pretending.

"Gatecheck approaching!" The harsh cry flew from the merchants' dry throats as they passed the news down, causing Hinata's stomach to churn in both excitement and terror. The caravan began to slow down, the outer lip of Suna's intimidating stone fortress plunging the party into much welcomed shade.

Hinata kept an awestruck look plastered on her face as her eyes roamed the rock terrace, being careful to disguise her careful assessment of the shinobi hidden there. Even without her Byakugan, Hinata spotted twenty ninja of the chunnin level scattered throughout the levels, hidden to the untrained eye. They crouched in the shadows, bodies tense and ready for action despite their bored expressions.

Observing how well they were hidden, Hinata was surprised she had been able to spot them so easily. She had made it a point to train her eyes for battle with or without her kekkei genkai, a choice that had been met with loud protests from the Hyuuga elders, who saw the Byakugan as a Hyuuga's sign of superiority, and the only necessary weapon.

In contrast, Hinata saw that idea as a Hyuuga's sign of stupidity, a tradition that weakened her clan by stunting its growth and preventing versatility among its ranks, a trait much needed for military success. She had snuck out nightly for years now for target practice, often taking Hanabi with her to throw kunai after kunai in the moonlight and stumbling home, eyes stinging with pain from the unrelenting training. While she knew that her natural eyesight had sharpened, she was both surprised and pleased by the ease in which she had located her observers.

_What was that about unnecessary and illogical?_ She longed to rub her revelation into those smug, wizened faces. Part of her even wanted to turn and run back to Konoha, to blow her cover just to prove that she was actually right for once. But that was impossible, not to mention very rude. _They probably wouldn't have believed me anyway..._

Sensing that she was approaching the front of the extensive line, she began to fumble for her papers, hands moving as sporadically as a regular civilian's as she rummaged through her satchel, eventually "finding" the documents despite knowing where they were the whole time. Grasping them firmly, she turned and shuffled toward the checkpoint, staring at the ground, preparing herself for an encounter with a stiff, impassive guard.

"Awwwww c'mon! Guard duty?! You gotta be freakin' kidding me!" Hinata's head shot up as she heard a familiar voice ring through the air. She caught sight of a young man in dark clothing, his pouting face decorated with maroon strokes of paint, waving his arms as he raved at the poor subordinate next to him. Hinata inwardly cursed(well... almost cursed); of course her luck would be to have Kankuro, one the few Sand shinobi she recognized, as the gate guard.

While she doubted he even remembered that she existed, let alone what she looked like, she knew he was one of Suna's premier shinobi, and he would be paying close attention to everyone that passed, despite appearing preoccupied.

"I'm sorry Kankuro, sir. Gaara insisted for you to be scheduled for this task and that someone had to stay and watch you. Something about punishing you...?" The bewildered ninja timidly tried to placate the furious Subaku sibling, who had begun pacing back and forth, ranting about the stupidity of the mundane task he had been assigned to. However, at his subordinate's words Kankuro stiffened, his attention now focused on the intimidated man beside him.

Glancing around furtively, Kankuro leaned in, whispering at a volume that even Hinata, with her trained senses, had to strain to hear. "He, uhm, didn't tell you why I was punished, did he?" At the other man's shake of his head, he visibly relaxed and cleared his throat gruffly. "Ahem, ah, good…It was a minor infraction; you know how Gaara is about discipline…Anyway, I can handle it here, you don't need to watch me. Report to the Kazekage for your next duty."

Nodding obediently, the man leapt away, and Kankuro leaned against the rock cliff, muttering to himself as he sent his puppets to join the other guards in rifling through the incomers' bags. "I can't believe he's getting so worked up about this…It's not like I committed a crime, I just wanted a little peek…Tch, he can't tell me he wouldn't have thought about sending that "all-seeing eye" of his to check it out; I mean, what guy would pass up a troop of exotic dancers in the next room, and all going to take a dip in the town's only hot spring, too…"

Kankuro's disgruntled complaints dropped off as he spied Hinata, who was having her bags and papers checked by some of the other guards. She pretended not to notice him, praying that he would let her go by peacefully; however, her hopes were soon shattered. Within seconds, Kankuro had smoothed down his clothing and sauntered over to her, a grin plastered to his painted face.

"Welcome to Suna! I'm Kankuro." He tilted his head as his gaze traveled over her, his boyish smile exuding an innocence she knew he did not possess. While she knew he only had one thing in mind, she had to admit his beaming face was quite contagious, and she couldn't help the small smile that spread across her lips as she meekly nodded in acknowledgement.

In response to this, Kankuro's bright grin somehow became even wider. "So, is this your first time here? 'Cause if so, then I just happen to know an awesome tour guide who will give you a free—" A strong gust of wind rushed by Hinata, knocking her hood off and scattering dust into the air. Before he could finish his offer, Kankuro was knocked back into the village's stone wall, hitting it with a painful thud before sliding to the ground.

"Kankuro! Can we even let you be alone for five minutes without you macking on some poor village girl?!" A young blond woman approached, tucking a giant fan behind her. Scowling, she marched over to the dazed young man and heaved him upright, her steely teal eyes cutting into him as she began to let him have it.

_Temari…_ Hinata recognized the eldest Sabaku sibling, having seen the young woman walking around Konoha with Shikamaru. Watching her fuss at Kankuro, it was easy to see how the chuunin exams had been running so smoothly, despite having the Leaf's lazybone ninja at its head.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE you, you immature dobe! You are so embarrassing! Gaara told me what you did earlier, and you're lucky he didn't let me come after you 'til I had cooled off. I don't even know how you turned out like this, but believe me, I will not allow you continue to make us look bad! If I ever see you doing anything like that again, much less hear one word about it, I will personally…"

At these words, she grabbed his now uncovered ear and pulled him closer, ignoring his howls of protest as she hissed threats that only he could hear. They must have been pretty hefty, for Kankuro's face whitened considerably upon hearing them while he nodded meekly in response. Letting go of Kankuro, who immediately(and cautiously) began to smooth down his hair and adjust his hood, the woman turned to face Hinata. Upon seeing Hinata's furiously blushing cheeks, she shot Kankuro one last glare before transforming her features into a friendly smile, her golden hair still perfectly styled into their four ponytails despite the effort she had just exerted.

"Sorry for that. This baka here is my little bro, Kankuro. I'm Temari, pleased to meet you…?"

"H-hiromi…M-mochizuki Hiromi…" Hinata stuttered out the new name she had chosen for herself, her mother's name with one of the most common last names of Konoha. _Hopefully, I will be able to live up to this name… _She thought of her mother, kind and gentle, yet confident and strong. _Come on, Hinata. No more stuttering…It's time to turn over a new leaf. _Hinata squared her shoulders and lifted her gaze to meet Temari's, feeling a wave of unfamiliar confidence washing over her as she faced those penetrating eyes.

"Ok, Hiromi-san, welcome to Suna!" Temari's brows lowered as she gazed questioningly at the pale girl before her. "Say…Have I met you before? You look really familiar…" She raised a surprisingly delicate hand and tapped her chin thoughtfully, trying to place a location to the face in front of her.

"No, I don't think so…This is my first time to the village. I've come to search for work, maybe as an apothecary? I worked at an herbal remedy store back in Konoha, but I decided I wanted to see the world, hoping that I could used that as a source of experience here."

Hinata nearly broke into a grin when she had finished. While she had still spoken very timidly, she had not stuttered once during that whole statement, something she considered as a huge accomplishment. And while she hadn't technically worked at an herbal shop, she had plenty experience in the area, for she mixed her own remedies, which were well-known in the shinobi community as some of the best.

"Really? I could have sworn I've seen you somewhere before…" Her eyes narrowed slightly before relaxing as she changed the subject, "Well, if that's the case, let me direct you to one of the best apothecaries around, and tell them Temari sent you."

She ignored Hinata's soft protests, holding up a hand to quiet her before continuing, "It's the least I can do to repay you for putting up with this bonehead's harassment." Kankuro looked up, his mouth open in an indignant "O" as he prepared a comeback. However, taking in his sister's warning glance, he promptly shut it, shrugging while sending a sheepish grin to Hinata.

A few minutes later, Temari finished giving Hinata the directions, and the indigo-haired girl gathered her belongs to enter the marketplace. "Here ya go, everything looks like it's in order," Temari handed Hinata her documents, "Good luck with everything, and don't be afraid to contact me if you need anything."

Hinata nodded, surprised and touched by the woman's unexpected generosity. As she turned to remerge with the crowd, Temari stopped her one last time. "By the way, Hiromi-san, you have some of the prettiest eyes I have ever seen. Take care that you don't let any creepers bother ya, k?" Hinata giggled and nodded obediently, elated by the compliment.

The Sabaku siblings stood together, watching Hinata disappear in the crowd. "I hope she will be alright. She seemed like a nice girl… And I could have sworn I've seen her somewhere, I'm usually never wrong about that…" Temari's normally unreadable eyes were filled with worry as she glanced once again toward the crowd before turning to face her younger brother.

"Nah, she'll be fine, I'm sure of it… And so what if you were wrong, even geniuses make mistakes. You can't be perfect like me." Grinning, Kankuro dodged his sister's swat and stretched, placing his hands behind his head, his carefree stance completely contrasting his sister's tense posture. "Now what'll be weird is if she sees Gaara. He does like to stroll around the market at this time of day…"

At this statement, both Sabaku siblings locked eyes, looking doubtful as they considered this occurrence. Suddenly, they burst out laughing, their disbelief echoing throughout the canyon.

Temari shook her head amusedly, "Nah, there's no way that'll happen." With this statement, the two siblings turned to face the desert once again, and the seemingly endless line of immigrants, all waiting to make a new life in this desert oasis.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gaara strolled through the marketplace, immersing himself in the sights and smells of the various stalls. Judging by his personality, one would never guess that this would be one of his favorite places in the village. He was an introvert by nature, drawn more to the quiet peace of his office than to the hustle and bustle of the public.

However, Gaara found that wandering through the village could be relaxing, especially when he had faced a long day of paperwork in the Tower, like today. By losing himself in the lives of his people, Gaara gained energy himself, and through that, the inspiration to continue working to protect and improve their lives.

Turning aside, Gaara ducked into a shop, a bell announcing his entrance as he pulled aside the door curtains. He was welcomed by the cool interior, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the shadowy room after being in the bright desert sun. Shelves lined the walls of the shop, crammed with a diverse collection of jars and vials, full of various concoctions and creams. Gaara made his way through the store's cluttered tables, careful to keep his gourd from knocking anything over. Reaching the counter, he was greeted by a rather robust man, whose dark, friendly face crinkled into a smile as he spied the redhead.

"Kazekage-sama! How nice it is to see you!" Gaara nodded in acknowledgment, watching the round man as he searched through the haphazard mess behind the counter before grabbing a bottle and placing it on the surface.

"Thank you, Kenta-san. I hope you are doing well."

At these words, the shop owner let loose a hearty chuckle. "Ah, yes. Business is booming, as usual, but I always have the time to make sure your special order is prepared!"

Gaara laid a few coins on the counter in payment for the container, plus a tip. "Well, you do have some of the finest remedies in the land, so I would hope for nothing less for you." Picking up the bottle, Gaara gave Kenta an appreciative nod, gratitude shining in his normally expressionless eyes. Gaara had been a customer of Kenta's for years now, purchasing medicines to help with his frequent headaches. Gaara held the man in high esteem; not only did he mix some of the best herbal medicines Gaara had ever seen, but he also treated Gaara as a friend and equal, giving him respect but never sucking up to him like many other merchants in the village.

"Thank you very much, Kazekage-sama, and I hope you have a fine rest of the day." With those words, Kenta flashed another amiable smile, snatching a few ingredients from the shelves around him and disappearing into the back of the store.

As Gaara made his way to the shop's entrance, the bell sounded once again, and he glanced up to see who now entered. A petite figure pushed aside the curtains, illuminating the interior of the store as it cautiously stepped past him. In the brief seconds of sunlight, Gaara was able to catch a glimpse of the person hidden under the gray hood. Indigo hair framed a pale face, with thin brows and a small, delicate nose. Gaara, who rarely paid attention to appearances, had to admit that the young woman was attractive. However, her exotic beauty was not her most defining feature.

_Those eyes… _Cerulean blue eyes peeped up and met his sea green gaze, before returning forward to scan the shop. Gaara stiffened and hesitated at the doorway, glancing back at the young woman, who was now navigating the maze of tables on her way to the counter. A chill ran down his spine as he was reminded of eyes exactly the same color, a brilliant blue that had peered into his soul, challenging him to change.

Shaking his head, Gaara scolded himself for overreacting. _I must be really worried about Naruto…_ He exited the shop, re-immersing himself in the crowded streets of the market place. Squinting against the intense brightness, Gaara looked up at the cloudless sky, its sparkling aquamarine depths serving as a further reminder of a certain knuckle-headed Leaf shinobi. _I wonder how he's doing…_ He began making his way back to the Kazekage Tower, weaving through the throngs of people, absorbed in his worry for his friend and fellow Kage.

**REVIEW! It feeds my soul and ignites the flame of creation inside me!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: The rights to Naruto are not within my possession...still...**

**Chapter 5**

Naruto threw his pen onto his desk, leaning forward as he lifted his hands to his temples. His elbows almost disappeared in the mountainous piles of paperwork that concealed the wood's dark surface, his work as the Hokage unchanging despite recent events. Rubbing his forehead, Naruto released a forlorn sigh as he attempted to ease the migraine that afflicted him. _Man, no wonder Gaara used to be such a teme. Being an insomniac sucks… _

He hadn't slept in a week, plagued nightly by dreams of midnight blue hair and pale violet eyes, accompanied by a sweet voice, whispering, taunting him as it faded away. _B-because that is m-m-my ninja way, t-too… Because I love you… _

Naruto dropped his clenched hands onto the desk's surface as overwhelming feelings of guilt and grief welled up inside him, the echoing _thump! _and crunch of the papers reflecting the frustration he now felt. _Hinata… _

It had been almost two weeks since the discovery of her death, and he still couldn't believe that she was actually gone. Even now, he half expected her to report in, her kind face covered in that endearing blush as she stuttered out the details of her mission before flashing a small, shy smile as she turned to exit his office.

She had always been there for him, silently cheering him on as he had worked to gain recognition from everyone else…everyone else but her. She had loved him when all others refused to, had believed in him and his dreams. But he had let her down, pushing off answering her confession in the hope of achieving a relationship as unrequited as hers had been.

Now Hinata was gone, and he realized too late that she had held his heart inside of her delicate, yet deadly, hands. A single tear rolled down Naruto's whiskered cheek as he turned to gaze out the window, his anguish preventing him from doing much of anything, much less facing the mound of documents in front of him.

Hinata's death had hit the village hard. Despite being a bashful girl, she was well-known and well-loved by many. Her calm, friendly face could be seen in all parts of the village, smiling as she talked to an old shopkeeper about the weather, giggling as Akamaru tackled her and slobbered over her as she strolled through the streets with her friends, beaming as the children of the village surrounded her and vied for her attention. Over half the village had attended her funeral, the line of condolences for the Hyuuga family stretching for over a quarter mile.

Naruto had always taken his friends' deaths hard; he was constantly haunted by the faces of Jiraiya and Neji, always wondering what he could have done to prevent their passing. However, Hinata's seemed to have had the most effect, if only based off his reaction. She hadn't deserved to die like that. Naruto blamed himself. _I should have sent a bigger team…or someone to meet up with them…or SOMETHING else at least… _

After the first sleepless night after her death, he had gone to the bars every night, downing drink after drink before stumbling home and dropping onto his bed in a drunk, dreamless stupor. It was the only way he could get at least a few hours of repose, and the horrible hangovers were nothing compared to agony of staying awake all night, struggling with the memories and guilt. He had planned to continue this habit for as long as he needed to, until Konohamaru found him slumped in a barstool after a week.

_"Boss, there you are…" Konohamaru's eyes widened in shock as he took in Naruto's bedraggled appearance. "I think we need to talk."_

_Naruto squinted at Konohamaru, the dim lighting of the bar not helping his dulled senses. "Konohamaru, izzat yew? I didn't know yew came 'ere…" He scratched the back of his head, grinning stupidly at his young friend, his aquamarine eyes glazed over._

_"I don't… Let's take you home, Boss."_

_With these words, Konohamaru helped Naruto slid off his chair, wrapping the inebriated Hokage's arm around his shoulder as he walked him out the door— and threw him into the koi pond outside the bar._

_Naruto's head burst above the cold water's surface, the Hokage spluttering as he wiped his eyes and fixed his gaze on the young man in front of him. "Wut the hell wuz THAT for, you little twerp?!" He floundered to the edge of the pool, his coordination still hindered by the alcohol in his system as his glassy eyes searching for a handhold to pull himself out._

_"Boss, you need to get a grip on yourself. NOW." Konohamaru crossed his arms as he regarded the Jenchuuriki coolly, his trademark scarf shifting in the breeze. "This is a disgrace not only to yourself and the village, but also to Hinata."_

_At the mention of the Hyuuga's name, Naruto fixed the young Sarutobi in an icy blue stare, his eyes suddenly clear of their drunken veil. "Don't you dare talk to me about Hinata like that. You didn't even know her like I did—"_

_"Maybe I didn't know her like you, but I sure as HELL know that seeing you, her hero, like this would kill her! Especially if she knew she was the reason," Konohamaru rushed on, trying to take advantage now that Naruto's focus was on him. "Everyone in the village loved Hinata. Ask anyone. Even Shino, one of the toughest nuts I know, couldn't help but smile around her." By this time, Naruto had yanked himself out of the water's clutches, lying on the ground with wide eyes, curling into the fetal position and shivering from both the cool night air and grief._

_"However, we realize that she wouldn't want us to stop our lives for her. Hinata would want us to move on and be happy. So, everyone decided to work hard, live their lives to honor her. Everyone except YOU." With that, he pointed an accusing finger at Naruto, the shaking digit revealing the sadness and disappointment hidden underneath his fury. _

_"But… I can't" The unused words fell from Naruto's lips, his azure eyes staring pleadingly up at Konohamaru, begging him to understand his pain._

_Konohamaru's gaze softened at this, and he squatted by the vulnerable man lying on the ground next to him. "Look, I know it's hard. Believe me, I know," his brown eyes welled up with tears as images of the Third Hokage and Asuma flashed across his mind, "However, even if you can't get past it, don't let your grief take you over. The whole village is looking at you right now for guidance. What will we do if we lose you? You're our leader, our hope." He watched as Naruto processed his words, his face impassive as he let it sink in. _

_"I'm not asking you to forget Hinata. Take the pain you feel and do something with it. Honor Hinata by living, always keeping her in mind. That's the least you can do to repay her for everything she did for you."_

_At these words, Naruto's eyes filled with water, and he turned his tearful gaze to his friend. A small smile crept across his lips as he met Konohamaru's stare. "You know, you're pretty smart for a brat."_

_Konohamaru let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the familiar light of hope returning to the blond's eyes. Holding out his hand, he waited until Naruto clasped it before standing up, hoisting Naruto with him. "Well, I am your number one rival after all," he grinned, "now let's take you home for real this time."_

_"Oh yeah, speaking of that, I haven't forgiven you yet," Naruto turned his head slightly, a mischievous smile adorning his lips as he looked at Konohamaru._

_Konohamaru shot a puzzled look back at him. "What do you me—KYAAAHHHHHH!"_

_The Sarutobi was sent flying, leaving a clone of Naruto standing behind him, his index fingers pointed in the sign of a certain invasive jutsu._

After that, Naruto had worked harder than ever, not even complaining about paperwork as he buried himself in the duties of Hokage. Chuckling at the memory Konohamaru's shocked face, Naruto moved his gaze to the open window. The smile died on his lips as he observed the perfect day that lay out there, the bright sun shining down and illuminating the colors of the lively village, the breeze wafting through his office carrying the aromas of the various marketplace stalls. _Hinata should be here, enjoying a day off… _

His brows wrinkled together as he imagined the Hyuuga heiress walking through the village, stopping to appreciate the flowers or help an elderly person with their bags.

His reverie was interrupted by a sharp knock on his office door. "Come in."

The door slid open, a shock of pink hair alerting Naruto of who it was before she had even stepped through completely.

"Oh, hey, Sakura-chan." He plastered a half-hearted smile to his face, his cheeks not quite reaching his eyes. They both knew the sad attempt was fake, but neither commented on it.

Sakura studied him, a knowing look in her jade eyes. "Hey, Naruto. I just came by to drop off the test results." Naruto had asked her to examine the ashes of the other ninja that had been taken out by Hinata's explosion, hoping that they could find even a speck of DNA that would give them a lead of her murderers' whereabouts.

Hearing this piece of news, Naruto perked up hopefully. "Really? How are they?"

"Ummm…well…" Sakura hesitated, hating herself for having to say what came next. "They were all negative. Just like with Hinata's, ah, remains, we couldn't find any trace of DNA….I ran the tests multiple times, hoping I was wrong, but….I'm sorry." She cringed as she watched the hopelessness creep back into the blond's cerulean eyes, despite his valiant efforts to appear nonchalant.

"Oh? That's ok. I was hoping we would be able to get some sort of lead but," he played with his fingers as he gazed downward, "That's fine…We'll figure something out…" He trailed off, turning to glance out the window once again, the morose expression on his face making Sakura want to do something, anything to make that carefree smile she had grown to love come back into her life.

She had finally made up her mind; she was going to tell Naruto at the right moment, reveal that she, too, had started to have feelings for him. But then disaster struck. Hinata, sweet Hinata, was gone. And with her, Sakura's chance to confess, along with transforming her knuckle-headed baka into the depressed workaholic she saw in front of her.

She hated it; seeing him like this, hopeless, impassive, wore her down every day, to the point where she was about to break. But she knew she could never let that happen. If Naruto knew that he caused her this much pain, he would hate himself even more, and she couldn't stand the thought of it. So, she busied herself daily, working to solve the crime so that she could bring back her lost friend, the light who had brightened her world for so long.

"Look…Naruto… I just want you to know that I'm here for you. I know what you're going thr—"

"No, you don't." Sakura paused midsentence, her open mouth stuck in an "O," caught in the middle of forming the words that she wanted to convey. His brilliant blue gaze caught hers, their sorrow penetrating to her very core.

She swallowed, closing her eyes and fighting down tears as she carried on, "Yes, I do. Just like you, I've lost someone I loved. When Sasuke left, I didn't know what to do, I was so overwhelmed with grief. I know what you're going through, so let me help."

A slow, humorless laugh grated across her ears. Sakura's eyes shot open, catching sight of the grief-stricken man in front of her. His gaze of disbelief bored into her, a look of unfamiliar derision crossing his features.

"You say that lets you relate to me? That you have felt this pain? No, you haven't. Believe me, you haven't. At least you had told Sasuke how you felt. You made it clear how much you loved him, even if the teme didn't deserve it. But Hinata did deserve it. She deserved love, and kindness, and every sort of happiness. And _I _could have given it to her. _Me_," His voice cracked, tears now streaming down his face in self-loathing, "All she ever wanted was for me to be happy, and she hoped that maybe I'd love her one day. But I was cruel, and selfish. I took advantage of her devotion.

"It must have killed her to watch me chase after you day after day, but she never showed it. That just wasn't in her, to complain or cry. Then for her to die, before I answered her. I couldn't even give her the _respect_ to deny her, while she had given me her world. And now, when I finally realize what I had in front of me, when I know the answer would have been a thousand yeses, she's gone…So don't you dare tell me that you know what I'm going through 'cause you don't, and you never will."

Chest heaving, he watched Sakura as she stood in front of him, frozen in shock at his words. Her breath hitched as tears fell from her deep green eyes. Realizing he had gone too far, Naruto dropped his head into his hands, unleashing a sigh of frustration. "Aw, dammit. I'm sorry, Sakura, I just—"

The door slammed shut, and Naruto looked up from his palms, only to be greeted by empty space. _You baka… _He wiped his eyes and stood up from his desk, wandering over to the window. Observing the villagers as they went on with their lives, he marveled at how the world looked exactly the same, yet felt so different. _I wonder if things will ever be put right…_

He had hoped that by identifying the remains of Hinata's pursuers, they would be able to track down whatever organization had done this, and finally make them pay for what they had done. He knew Sakura had been working her tail off, trying just as hard as him to figure out who was responsible for this, and that knowledge only made him feel even worse about what just happened. _I'll make it right. I promise, Hinata. _He would start by finding those criminals and bringing them to justice.

Watching the sky with eyes of the same crystal shade, he spotted a bird of prey, gliding over the village in lazy, yet vigilant, circles. _And I know exactly who I'll get to help me…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hanabi angrily yanked out another weed from the dirt, tearing its roots with a satisfying _thwiip! _She hated gardening, almost as much as she hated medicines, needles, or basically anything hospital related. The only reason she put up with this was because it was Hinata's beloved garden, and the elders would let it die before they sent servants to tend it.

_Those assholes… _She leaned back onto her heels as she swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, her chest heaving with exertion. _Man, this is WAY harder than training…No wonder she started kicking my butt…_ Standing up, Hanabi wiped her hands on her pants, making her way over to pick up her water bottle.

It had been almost two weeks since her sister had died, but it felt like ages. As soon the elders had found out about it, they had started to prepare her to become the new heiress, not even bothering to act like they were sad at the girl's passing. Hanabi had been given barely any time to grieve before she was wrenched into a world of training, diplomacy, and, she shuddered at the thought, etiquette classes.

_Hinata was supposed to do this, not me…_ She clenched her fists, plastic crunching in her grip. Letting out a cry of grief, she turned and launched the bottle on a chakra-enhanced path toward the wall, where it shattered upon impact.

"Woah…should I come back at a better time?" Hearing the joking voice, Hanabi relaxed, a small smile settling across her features as she spied Konohamaru weaving through the colorful foliage, his hands held up in a placating gesture. Normally, outsiders weren't easily let in the Hyuuga compound, especially this far in, but being the grandson of the Third Hokage did have its perks.

"No, you're good, although I always wonder how you know where to find me…Are you stalking me?" She tossed him a playful look over her shoulder as she made her way over to a metal bench, its intricate floral design a clear indicator that it had been handpicked by her late onee-chan. She had no worries that she and Konohamaru were being observed; none of the other Hyuuga came this deep into the gardens of the estate now, either not wanting to remind themselves of the "failure" that was Hyuuga Hinata, or attempting to show her respect by refusing to intrude on the now almost sacred ground, the only visible remainder of the beloved girl left on the property.

Surrounded by the various flowers and herbs, the trees' leaves so dense that the light filtered through as a green shade, Hanabi could see why Hinata had loved it here so much, the quiet, enclosed space exuding a feeling of peacefulness and privacy that was rare to find in a compound full of all-seeing eyes. Coming here, Hanabi felt somehow connected with her sister's calm spirit, no matter how far away it might be now.

Grinning, Konohamaru followed her lead, plopping next to her on the surprisingly comfortable seat of the iron bench. "Nah…if I was stalking you, then you wouldn't know I was here." Hanabi playfully punched him in the shoulder, her pale eyes shining with mirth.

"Oh really? I bet Naruto has a different take on that." She grinned as he tried to play it cool and failed, a blush rising to his cheeks as he rose to the bait.

"Hey, that was a long time ago. I'm a pro now!" He huffed indignantly, crossing his arms as he peered over at her, his brown eyes fraught with worry.

"I'm just kidding; don't be such a baby." She sent him a flirty wink, kicking his heart into overdrive as he leaned back nonchalantly.

"Actually, I came to check in on you…How are you?"

Hanabi stiffened, reflexively transforming her features into the stiff Hyuuga mask, revealing nothing. "I'm fine." She glanced over to see Konohamaru staring at her doubtfully, his lips pursed into a challenging line as he silently dared her to continue lying to him.

Sighing, Hanabi relented. "I'm not sure I can do this anymore, honestly… I don't think I'm strong enough to handle it." She narrowed her eyes in frustration as they filled with tears, threatening to spill over and expose her as the weakling she was.

Konohamaru's features softened as he took in the Hyuuga's distress. "Don't say that. You are one of the strongest people I know. And I doubt Hinata would have left you here if she didn't think that either. She would have come back from the dead, if only to protect you."

Hanabi wrapped her arms around her torso, shaking with the effort of holding herself together, willing herself not to fall apart in front of another person. "I wish she would have come back… Being the next heiress is a living hell…Kami, I'm so selfish!" With these words, the tears began to pour from her eyes. Konohamaru opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off before he could try to change her mind.

"You know what was one of the first things I felt when I found out about her death? …Relief. Relief that I wouldn't have to live with a brand on my forehead, that I wouldn't have to spend my life bowing and scraping to people who I once looked at as equals…What kind of monster would do that? Who would be happy even for a moment at their only sibling's death?"

She rocked back and forth as the grief overwhelmed her. "She had offered to let me have the position, told me she would take the seal for me, that it didn't matter to her. But I refused because I couldn't condemn her to that life. I couldn't live with the guilt," she let out a bitter laugh, "I even had selfish reasons for that selfless act, while her intentions were always pure, always putting me before her…" She trailed off as her throat became full.

Konohamaru stared in awe at the disheveled girl next to him, before reaching out and pulling her into him. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, bursting into sobs as she let go of her self-restraint. _Damn, here I go again…Maybe I should just quit being a ninja and do this for a living… _Wrapping his arms around her, Konohamaru made soothing noises as he rubbed small circles onto her back.

"Shhh…It's ok, it's ok. A true monster would only feel relief, with no confliction. You, on the other hand, felt horrible for even letting that cross your mind, and I know you want to change what made you feel like that." He continued mollifying her, smoothing her hair and massaging her back until her sobs began to quiet. "So change it. Hinata gave you a great opportunity to be that difference in your clan. Work for equality. Use that freedom for the good. Make your sister proud…I know you can do it, and she did, too…" He trailed off, knowing that he could only say so much to comfort the grieving girl in his arms.

They stayed in that position for a long time, Hanabi relishing the comforting touch of his hands stroking her raven head. She eventually ceased her crying, the occasional hiccup wracking her body the only sign of her distress.

Konohamaru pulled away for a moment, looking into her eyes and seeing the fear, the grief, and the hopelessness that dulled her proud gaze. Grabbing the end of his scarf, he lifted it to her smooth cheek, wiping away all evidence of the tears that had trailed down her face. He gave her a small, encouraging smile before gathering her to himself for one final hug, relishing the feel of her completely abandoning herself to him.

As Konohamaru held her in his arms. Hanabi contemplated his words, resolving to do what he had proposed. He was right. Hinata had saved her from a life of servitude and given her the opportunity to change the clan; to do nothing with this chance would be a dishonor to her memory. Despite this truth, Hanabi still felt as though a part of her had been ripped away with her sister's death, the side of her that she never let anyone but her sister see, the part laughed and loved freely, without fear of any consequences.

She would never be able to bring the same love and kindness to the clan that her sister would have, never would be brave enough to be an open book to her both her clan and the village like Hinata had, and this fact made her feel even more helpless as she thought of the daunting task ahead of her. How could she change the clan if she was too afraid to even change herself? She wasn't ready to lose the security of her impassive Hyuuga mask, exposing her weaknesses to the wolf pack that was her clan. _If Hinata really did give me freedom, then how come I still feel so trapped?_

**One word: REVIEW! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Whew... It is harder than I anticipated it was going to be to get all of these chapters up tonight for you...but I will persevere! I must become stronger than I was yesterday! YOSH!**_

**Chapter 6**

_Chop! Chop! Chop!... Chop! Chop! Chop!_

Hinata worked in the shop's storage room, slicing up the various herbs and flowers that she had lain out on the table. The workshop was an organized mess, its overflowing tables reflecting the chaos of the shop's front. Counters lined the small, square room, but instead of being packed with assorted bottles and containers, they were brimming with green, leafy bunches, colorful petals, and exotic roots, all threatening to tumble to the ground with any wrong move.

Hinata grabbed a sprig of goldenseal, expertly wielding her knife as she severed the yellow root from the star-shaped leaves before cutting it into small pieces. She picked up the mortar next to the cutting board and slid her knife along the wooden surface, pushing the fragments into the small bowl. Crushing the roots with the pestle, she made her way to the corner of the room, where a strange contraption stood, a pot full of various saps sitting under its twisting pipes and shiny nozzle.

Glancing at the dormant machine, Hinata recalled seeing it in action for the first time, how she had become disoriented as she watched Kenta flip the various levers, handling the roaring machine with the ease of a master trainer disciplining a savage lion. She had marveled over how easily and quickly he had extracted sap, pollen, and other substances, when the same task had taken her hours to complete in Konoha.

_Konoha..._ She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't think about her home, miles away from this scorched wasteland where she now lived, and she quickly pushed the thought from her mind.

Kenta had definitely made her transfer easier. She had stumbled into his shop that day, wide-eyed and rattled from contending with the crowd as she had sought out his apothecary. Unlike Konoha, there were no signs hanging over the stalls and on the buildings. The merchants only depended on the effect their wares had on the consumers' senses as they advertised their products, their harsh, boisterous voices blending into the steady murmur of street life. It had taken her over an hour to locate the small building, accidentally walking past it as she attempted follow Temari's directions.

When she entered the shop, Kenta had been working at the counter, adding the finishing touches to one of his concoctions. His dark eyes had stayed focused on his task, his thick, silver brows hunkered down over them like storm clouds on a horizon. He ignored her, and Hinata had wondered if he was just oblivious to her presence. She had just worked up the courage to open her mouth when he had spoken.

_"The birth control's over there,"_ He didn't look up, "_on the table to your far right."_ She had let out a small _eep_ at that, her face going through progressively deeper shades of red as she stammered out protests. Despite her embarrassment, she had been quite impressed; the robust man had obviously been not only aware of, but also observing her the whole time, without her noticing at all.

After her awkward explanation of the reason for her presence, he had simply examined her, his eyes scrutinizing her professionally as he looked her up and down. _"Hiromi, eh?"_ Nodding, he then directed her to the back to organize his latest shipment of herbs. No questions asked. He had obviously already made his judgment of her, and for some unknown reason, she had passed his test.

Kenta's shop was his life, that was plain enough to see. He lived in the building by himself, on the second floor of the three-story shop; his wife had died when they were young, giving birth to a stillborn girl, and he had never remarried. Instead, he had thrown himself into his business, traveling the world in search of various remedies to add to his already vast knowledge. He was the best for a reason, his specialities ranging from all kinds of remedies for fevers, fertility, antidotes, and much more. He even had an ointment that would restore limbs from frostbite if used quickly enough, although Hinata wondered why he would sell that here of all places.

But Kenta was lonely. He mentioned her staying on the third floor of the shop soon after she had been hired. He had thrown it in as a passing comment, nonchalantly offering it amidst explanations of her new job. While his face remained impassive when she had agreed, she noticed a light enter his eyes, and he seemed to gain more energy as he demonstrated how to work the "juicer," as he liked to call the strange machine.

It had been over ten years since Kenta had had an apprentice, no one in town being able to withstand his intense training. He was tough, she had to admit, his training exercises structured very similarly to those of a shinobi. Kenta had worked her tirelessly, despite not letting her actually create anything for a week. He had made her organize a journal of every remedy she knew how to make and their ingredients, and on the day of the week where the shop closed, he had spent ten hours overseeing her as she made each one, intently studying everything about her methods and correcting the smallest details, from how she held the knife to the order that she added ingredients.

While he had already known many of her remedies, Kenta hadn't recognized quite a few of them. He had questioned her about them, and when she had politely replied that they were her own, he gruffly nodded with a _hmph_, but with approval glinting in his sharp eyes. Just like her father, Kenta rarely handed out compliments, adhering to the belief that there is always room for improvement. With his rough but patient tutoring, she quickly adjusted to Suna life, memorizing the layout of the city and befriending all his regular customers in less than two weeks.

But no matter how hard she tried to adjust, she couldn't shake the longing she felt for the Leaf. She ached for the rustle of the leaves in the spring breeze, the villagers strolling through the peaceful marketplace, the _pitter patter_ of a spring shower and the calming sensation of the cool droplets splashing against her eyelids and sliding over her upturned lips.

Now she faced not only a different environment, but also a completely new lifestyle. Instead of defying elders, she battled dry heat that sucked the moisture from her body, leaving her not just tired, but drained of energy as she dropped into bed nightly. She was jostled mercilessly as she weaved daily through the crowded streets to fulfill Kenta's errands, bruises from sharp elbows and pushy bodies replacing the ones she would receive from missions.

But perhaps the worst part, the thing that made her miss home the most, was the total lack of privacy. It wasn't the fact that she was living in the same building as a strange man, albeit on a different floor. Kenta respected her space completely, and she hadn't once felt threatened during her time with him.

Hinata tossed the goldenseal sludge into the pot of ingredients in front of her, taking a ladle that hung on a nearby wall and stirring the thick substance.

It's just... She never felt like she had a moment where she wasn't exposed. Like someone wasn't always watching, waiting for her to blow her cover. Even in her own home she wasn't safe. The only true doors she had were for her bathroom and the apartment's entrance; all other openings were cover by thick cloth, wood being too expensive for civilians of her and Kenta's class to use excessively.

But it wasn't the constant exposure that freaked her out the most. It was _him_...

She paused in her work, wrinkling her thin, dark brows as she contemplated the shop's most frequent visitor.

She should have known he would know about the apothecary. She had gotten the recommendation from his sister, for Kami's sake.

He had walked in the store a few days after she had been hired, the bell's soft tinkles echoing through the room. Hinata had had her back to the door, placing new bottles in their correct areas on one of the tables. She hadn't even bothered turning to see their new customer, assuming Kenta, who was working the counter, would address the person and eventually introduce her, as he had been doing with each regular customer.

_"Ahh, Kazekage-sama. How are you?"_ At the sound of her boss's casual greeting, Hinata had stiffened, her barely audible gasp met by the shattering of glass hitting the floor after slipping through her frozen fingers. She stood there for a moment, awkwardly wondering what to do as two pairs of curious eyes stared at her.

_"Gomensai,"_ she muttered, keeping her crimson face toward the ground as she kneeled to pick up the shards. Why is _HE_ here?

As she sifted through the fragments, picking them out from the ointment(for moisturized skin? She couldn't even remember at that moment), she noticed a pair of pale, sandaled feet appear in front of her.

_"It's all right,"_ the deep voice grew closer as the figure squatted next to her bowed figure, _"Let me help you._"

Glancing up, sky blue met sea green in a clash of color. The Kazekage's neutral features stared back at her for a moment before turning to focus on the task at hand.

He and Hinata quickly finished gathering the pieces, and she practically jumped up from her crouch.

_"Arigato, Kazekage-sama..."_ With a slight bow, she turned and fled from the room to dispose of the broken container, making sure to avoid eye contact as she left. She would clean up the ointment later. When she reached the back room, she had paused to let her breath out and heard the rumble of Kenta's deep chuckles.

_"That's Hiromi-chan, my new apprentice. Sorry bout that, she hasn't been that shy yet... Maybe the thrill of meeting the Kazekage got to her."_

_"You speak too highly of me, Kenta-san,"_ the redhead replied, oblivious to what the older man was insinuating, _"but if so, I am very sorry to have intimidated her."_ Hinata could sense his eyes staring toward the back, his dark-rimmed gaze seeming to follow her even as she made her way up to her floor.

She had hoped that would be a one-time occurrence, a rare outing in which the young leader just happened to choose her new home to enter. But she had expected too much. Gaara stopped by every week, and, if she wasn't imagining it, the time intervals between when he came to visit seemed to get shorter and shorter as time passed.

If it had been anyone else, Hinata would have thought nothing about it. But she couldn't shake the eerie feeling she felt whenever he was around. In fact, whenever he visited she made it a point to disappear as often as she could without appearing suspicious. She had never forgotten the ease with which he had mercilessly murdered their fellow Genin during the chunnin exam. And she had never felt more afraid in her life when his attention had turned to her team before his siblings convinced him to move on.

Naruto told her he had changed, had defended his transformation with his whole being. Hinata had even seen it herself in the war, watching him interact with, protect, and inspire her fellow soldiers as their commander.

But no matter how much she wanted to believe he had changed, the scared voice still niggled in the back of her mind, preventing her from forgetting the past and, deep down, from seeing him as a cruel, ruthless individual.

Not only that, but Hinata knew his prowess as a ninja; who wouldn't with him being the Kazekage at such a young age. Because of this, she loathed his time in the store, for every minute he was there was one minute closer to a chance of her discovery.

Finished with her stirring, Hinata lifted the ladle to her lips, flicking her tongue over its gooey surface as she tested the potency of her concoction. Satisfied, she nodded her head in approval, placed the ladle back in its place, and hoisted the small pot, trudging over to the assortment of glass containers lining the shelf near the doorway to the shop. She was able to fill three bottles with the remedy, and she carefully covered and sealed their open tops before gathering the glass to her chest and making her way to the dividing curtain.

Sensing an all-too familiar chakra, she hesitated behind the fabric, stifling the groan that bubbled in her throat. _You've got to be kidding me... This is the third time this week..._ She took a deep breath and steadied herself before pushing into the other room, determined to face this challenge head on. _I'm tired of running away. _

She was greeted by a spot of crimson, bent over a bottle as its owner examined the contents.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gaara glanced at the thick curtain separating him from the workroom while pretending to search through the chaos of bottles in front of him. He waited for the telltale swish of the sheet that would signal the entrance of a certain blue-haired apprentice. Gaara could sense her chakra as she worked in the back room and was frustrated that she hadn't come out by now. Despite being a regular civilian, she had an uncanny sense of knowing when he was visiting the apothecary.

He had been visiting the shop multiple times a week for a few weeks now, finding excuses to go by running errands for his siblings and the servants of the Kazekage Tower despite their protests. Kenta had even teased him about his "crush" on the new employee, a concept that Gaara found childish and humiliating. Crush or not, though, every time he came, Gaara barely interacted with or even really saw her; she always ducked out on an errand as he walked in, or let Kenta handle whatever request that Gaara had.

For some reason this frustrated him, and he didn't know why. He had promised Temari that he would keep an eye on the girl, and nothing more.

_"I don't trust her,"_ Temari had admitted after relaying the events of the gate check, "_I never EVER forget a face, and she seemed way too calm around shinobi for a civilian." _Her sharp eyes had narrowed with suspicion. "_That's why I gave her that recommendation. So she would be somewhere that we could easily monitor. I know leaving the office to do more work is the last thing that you'd want to do, but I'm never here anymore because I'm the ambassador, and I SURE AS HELL do not trust Kankuro with this. I need you to do this for me…if only to ease my mind…please?"_

She had turned her intense eyes toward him, looking at him like his refusal would shatter her world. It was times like those that Gaara almost wished to return to his impassive self from before the chuunin exams. It had been so much easier to resist Temari when he scared the crap out of her. He had let out a sigh, nodding in agreement.

Before he had even finished the action, Temari's face transformed into a satisfied smirk. "_Thanks bro, I knew you wouldn't let me down." _ She had given him a pat on the cheek as she strode out of the door, leaving Gaara standing there dumbfounded at how she manipulated him so easily.

Now here he was, left dumbfounded by the new girl. He guessed it was his competitive nature getting the better of him. He did NOT like having to actually put effort into missions; he usually didn't need to. But he might have met his match in this girl, even if she didn't know what she was doing.

Gaara refused to be outdone though. He had learned Kenta's schedule, watching and waiting until the man left on house rounds. It was just him and her; she couldn't just ignore a customer when she was the only employee in the building, especially since he was the Kazekage. He would get the information needed, he would keep his promise to Temari.

_Shink!_ Hiromi pushed aside the curtain and strode briskly into the room.

Gaara was instantly alert, but he continued appearing to study the pot in his hand, not really paying attention to the task. He took in her stiff motions as she placed some of her containers on the counter before moving out from behind it. Gaara peered at her from the corner of his eye, observing how easily she maneuvered through the store's complex organization system to place despite having been there for a relatively short time. _She's smart…_

"You do know that is cream for stretch marks from pregnancy, right?" A soft voice broke his train of thought.

Startled by this epiphany, Gaara scrambled to put the jar back in its place, knocking several others over in the process. His face was the same vibrant shade as his fiery locks as he turned his eyes to see her looking at him with…was that _amusement_?

"O-of course. I was just—ahem—curious." His voice cracked, and he crossed his arms in attempt to play off his discomfort. His pride was slightly wounded by his uncharacteristically clumsy reaction, but his face(thank Kami) had retained its usual stoic mask.

Hiromi merely nodded, her expression now indifferent, her brilliant blue eyes devoid of any emotion besides polite interest. "How may I help you, Kazekage-sama?"

"G-gaara-sama… Call me Gaara-sama," he blurted out, and then internally cringed as an incredulous look flitted across her features. _Smooth…Not suspicious at all…_

"I would prefer to give you the respect a person of your position deserves, Kazekage-sama." She reminded him of a porcelain doll, her face returning to an impassive mask as she denied his request, and he ceded to her wishes with a surprised nod of his crimson head. Motioning for him to follow, she turned and headed back to the counter. Upon reaching it, she looked at him expectantly, waiting for his order.

"Oh. I need something for a sinus infection." Matsuri was sick, but she refused to take the day off, working despite obviously feeling miserable. Gaara hoped that with this he could make her feel at least a little better, and maybe keep her from making it worse from lack of rest.

"Oh, you're in luck. I just finished a batch of remedy for that today." Hiromi's small hands wrapped around a container in front of her, one of the bottles that she was carrying earlier. She passed it to Gaara's outstretched hand, exchanging it for a few bills of money.

_This is it…My chance…_ Gaara took a deep breath to steady himself as she was rummaging through a drawer for his change.

"How do you like Suna?" She glanced up at him, surprise flitting across deep cerulean like a bird darting through the sky. She dropped the change into his outstretched palm and then clasped her delicate hands in front of her.

"It's very nice. Kenta-san has been a great help in getting me adjusted to your village and its culture. I have been truly fascinated by everything I have seen." Gaara strained to hear her small voice as she spoke, her words sounding almost like a practiced recitation.

"I'm glad to hear that…" He trailed off, unsure of what else to say. Small talk wasn't his strong point. The awkward silence stretched on for a few moments before he spoke again.

"Kenta told me you are from Konoha. Do you miss it?" The slight stiffening of the girl's shoulders did not escape Gaara's sea green gaze, and he noted this reaction to decipher later.

"Yes…but…Suna is very nice also." Hiromi began studying her hands with too much interest, trying to hide the pain that flitted across her pale features as she thought about her home. For some reason, this reaction made him want to backpedal, to take back what he said, to stop that expression from appearing again. _That's odd…_ He usually didn't care about the feelings of strangers, much less ones that were under his scrutiny. Trying to ignore his discomfort, he pushed on, reminding himself of the importance of the information. _I might not get this opportunity again…_

"I would miss it, too. Konoha is a beautiful village. I have visited for multiple meetings with your Hokage, Naruto, and I always regret leaving…" He noticed how her eyes had glanced up with interest at the mention of his fellow Kage and decided to continue in that direction, "Naruto is one of my closest friends; he saved me from darkness and is actually the reason for where I am today… Your Hokage is a great man, you know."

At these words, Hiromi's face softened into a small smile, her azure eyes—so much like the subject of their conversation—lost in thought as she nodded. "I know…" Her face was full admiration as she thought of the blond leader, the most emotion she had shown all day.

Gaara felt his stomach twist in an odd way, and he felt slightly irritated as he surveyed Hiromi's evident fascination with the current subject. He didn't know what about it bothered him, but, watching her, obviously thinking of happy memories, he couldn't shake his discomfort. _Maybe my gut's trying to tell me something's off…I always hear Temari and Kankuro saying that…_ Nodding to himself, he decided that must be the reason for this unfamiliar feeling. _Either that, or I maybe this is what being sick feels like…_ His eyes narrowed with worry at that thought, and looking at her, he grimaced as the feeling stabbed through his body again.

"Kazekage-sama, are you ok? Do you need anything?" Worry, along with another, unreadable expression, filled her cerulean eyes like water in a glass, and Gaara couldn't help but notice how dazzling they were even with this emotion.

"I feel…odd... Do you have something for a stomachache?" She nodded and disappeared into the backroom, returning with two small, rounded containers.

"This one is for stomachaches, and this one is for headaches," She explained, her eyes never leaving his as she handed him the jars.

Gaara reached into his robes for more money but hesitated as Hiromi quickly shook her head, her indigo hair shifting back and forth with the motion.

"Just take them. They…they are my own remedies that I made for Kenta's examination," She bowed her head, "…so they aren't worth you having to pay for them…"

He glanced from the top of her head, to the jars, and back before his gaze softened in gratitude. He was surprised and touched by her sudden kindness. "I am sure that is not true, but thank you, Hiromi-san."

She merely bent further at the compliment, her dark hair falling forward to hide her expression. But her thick locks couldn't conceal the light tinge of pink that crawled up her exposed neck as she blushed.

"Well, I must be going…" He twisted around and began to weave his way through the haphazard array of tables. "Have a good day, Hiromi-san."

Gaara received no immediate response, but he refused to look behind him as he approached the shop's doorway. However, pushing aside the curtain, he heard a small voice following his exit, so soft that she probably thought he didn't hear it. In fact, he wasn't sure if he hadn't just imagined it.

"You too…Gaara-sama."

Gaara let the curtain fall closed behind him, a small smile on his lips as he stepped into the bright light of the sun.

**Please review! They are like chocolate chip cookies for my writing cookie monster!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Man! It is amazing (and kind of embarassing now) to go back and see how my writing was when I first started the story (if you can't tell, it was my first one...so many revisions needed haha). It has slowly gotten better with each chapter... This is taking longer than I thought to reupload all of the chapters. I'm gonna skip the notes for the rest so I that can get you to the newest one quickly!**

**Chapter 7**

Torches lined the dark hallway, their dim light casting shadows that twisted and danced with each flicker of the flames, giving a sinister energy to the otherwise lifeless space. The deep void of darkness swallowed what little light there was, leaving small radii of pale yellow to battle with their relentless foe. The air was stale; it seemed to hover almost tangibly, a choking presence in the already confined tunnel. The stifling atmosphere did little to muffle the disembodied shrieks and moans that haunted the dim pathway from behind a wooden door.

The oppressive ambiance abruptly cut off, and it was quickly followed by the creaky twist of a doorknob as a dark figure slipped into the hallway, effortlessly molding into the shadows. Without hesitation, it strolled through the tunnel, its head bent over a clipboard.

_Subject 11...failed._ The words were written in an impatient scrawl. _Dispose of body_. The figure continued forward, letting out a sigh of frustration that seemed more pointed at the victim's weakness than the unknown experiment's harshness.

Brisk footsteps carried the figure- a young man-around a corner. Within minutes, he emerged from the hallway into a wide, low-ceilinged chamber.

The room appeared to be large, the open space extending into the darkness' gaping mouth. A line of lanterns stretched away from the entrance, but their feeble light did nothing to dispel the all-encompassing gloom. Rather, they only succeeded in casting a greenish shade on the surrounding feet, which quickly melted into shadow.

If it had been properly lit, the room would probably have felt spacious, even comfortable, if not for the oppressive, eternal night...and the cages.

Rows upon rows of cells filled the room, with narrow aisles parting an endless sea of bars. The rattle of chains echoed miserably as the man walked between the enclosures. Only faint movements were visible between the steel poles. The gleam of eyes, the flash of a hand raised in fear. The man continued on his way, walking purposefully as he studied the papers in front of him.

A hand shot out from the darkness and wrapped around his elbow with the grip of a python. Icy blue rings stared at him from the black depths like a cold solar eclipse. He was yanked sideways until he made contact with the cage, the cold metal digging into his ribs as his head smashed into one of the poles, white spots bursting across his vision. Papers flew everywhere.

Another hand slithered over his shoulder, and he was forced flat against the cage, his back parallel to the steel bars. The first hand left his elbow, reappearing within moments to hook a tan, bony arm around his neck in a surprisingly smothering chokehold.

The scientist struggled for breath as he fought to free himself from the prisoner's desperate clutches. His hand fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a long syringe, the vial full of a sickly green liquid. In one deft motion, he stabbed the needle into the lean bicep next to his cheek.

The limb tensed, completely cutting off his air before slackening, a hand falling limp across his chest. He felt a weight slump onto his shoulder and tilted his head to the left. A head of snow white hair lay hung over his back; blue tips could barely be seen in the dim lighting. A feminine face peeked out from under its blanket of snow.

The man roughly shoved the girl away, doing nothing to slow her quick descent to the floor of the cage. She landed face down with a sharp smack. He straightened his clothing before squatting to gather his scattered papers. As he did this, he glanced at the small plaque in the top corner of the cage's exterior surface.

_Subject 9, Mirā kōgeki_

Finished with his task, he fluidly stood and proceeded forward as if nothing had happened. He did, however, make certain to note that Subject 9's sedative dosage needed to be doubled.

The scientist let out a small sigh, brushing a stray piece of silver hair out of his face. So many experiments had gone wrong lately; it just seemed as if luck wasn't on his side. But that would change soon.

He reached the end of the far end of the chamber and stopped in front of a vacant cage.

_Subject 1, Byakugan  
_

He would get his hands on the Hyuuga girl. The Leaf shinobi were fools to actually believe a ninja of her talent could be taken down that easily. He had been watching her. While she did not have as strong of chakra reserves as others, or the fastest taijutsu, her cleverness and chakra control and manipulation skills were nearly unparalleled for a shinobi her age, at least for one who had never been trained by a saanin. They must truly have underestimated her for them to believe in her death so easily.

As for him, there was no way in hell he believed she was dead. The evidence was just _too _convenient. He didn't know how she did it, but the Hyuuga heiress had escaped him, leaving a challenge both irritating and thrilling at the same time.

One thing he did know, though, was that he would find her. She had only made it easier for him; now she didn't have the protection of a clan and village to keep her safe. There was no place she could hide forever, nowhere where she wouldn't be discovered. He _would _capture her and study the secrets of her eyes; it was only a matter of time.

A small smirk decorated his face, radiating smug confidence. He brought his hand up to his face, pushing glasses up the bridge of his nose. The lenses managed to gleam even in the dim light, momentarily hiding his dark, maniacal eyes. With one last glance, he turned to leave. The glare from his spectacles was the only brightness in the otherwise dark room, but the light provided no comfort to those who were there with him in that chamber of shadows.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Teme!"

Sasuke turned to see Naruto running toward him. The blond's hand was in the air, giving the Uchiha a spastic greeting as the Hokage sprinted forward.

He still wore that tacky jumpsuit instead of the Kage uniform, the black and orange clashing with the gargantuan green doors behind him. The tassels of his Konoha headband fluttered in and out of sight behind his blond head. In the distance, Sasuke could make out the stern visages of Hokage Summit. The newest addition's face, somber and respectful and prestigious, looked nothing like hyperactive display in front of him.

_Kami...I'm not even in the gate yet..._

He glanced over at the guards from the corner of his eye. Kotetsu and Izumo were stiff and wary with Sasuke, never letting their eyes off him. Their hands never strayed too far from their weapons, giving away the nervousness that their deceptively relaxed stances concealed. Sasuke nearly snorted in contempt.

Like they would have a chance if he actually decided to do something. He just ignored them; if he didn't even have to try to intimidate them, then they weren't worth his effort.

With Naruto's arrival, the two brunettes visibly relaxed. Tense shoulders drooped in relief as they now focused on the blond...and his stupid antics. The idiot was practically skipping over there, he had so much freaking energy. Who would have guessed this loser was the village head? He sure as hell didn't act like it.

He could see Kotetsu and Izumo forcing themselves to remain respectful. Izumo's mocking eye, the other one covered by his dark brown bangs, glanced between him and the Hokage, gauging his reaction to the rather...exuberant display. Kotetsu didn't even bother to hide his mirth. The guard shot him a gleeful smirk; his shoulders shook with barely suppressed laughter at Sasuke's expense. They knew how much the young avenger hated public displays of any kind.

_Oh great, they're laughing at me... Dammit, Naruto. Act your age for once._

Sasuke shot the two a death glare before turning to his friend, who had finally reached him and was now standing there, grinning expectantly. But... Something was off. The smile plastered to the blond's face seemed forced, and it did nothing to hide the dark shadows that hung beneath his usually sparkling eyes.

Sasuke had no idea what had happened recently; he had merely received a message from a toad telling him that the dobe needed his help for something. He had been wandering around aimlessly. After Naruto became Hokage instead of him, he didn't feel like staying to be the recipient of hostile glares, smug looks, and constant whispering. The bastards of this village loved rubbing it in that Naruto had been chosen instead of the Uchiha, and they weren't subtle with their preference. Sasuke himself knew the guy would do a decent job, even if he was a dobe.

Naruto had offered him Head of Anbu, telling the Uchiha that he was perfect for the job, that he could change the program for the better, but Sasuke let Kakashi take it instead.

He wasn't ready to be the head of the source of his misery, to lead organization that had forced his brother to kill the clan. Sasuke knew his old mentor would do the job better than he would at the moment, albeit grudgingly; the man was most likely irked that it cut in on his time for Icha Icha Paradise. Naruto was doing the guy a favor, though. That guy read way more porn than was probably healthy.

Despite Sasuke's refusal, Naruto was still determined to take care of him somehow, even though the dark-haired man didn't want his concern. The new Hokage convinced the other village leaders to let Sasuke do as he pleased, as long as the safety of the other villages wasn't compromised.

Sasuke would never admit it, but he was slightly grateful for that. Now he could go where he pleased, not having to answer to pretentious fools who thought they were more powerful than him because of some stupid title.

So, Sasuke had been traveling alone since then. Team Hawk disbanded after the war, having no purpose after the conflict ended. Juugo and Karin stayed in Konoha. They wanted to start over, begin new lives in the village free from the events of the past. Last Sasuke heard, Juugo owned a bakery in the village; something about the activity was soothing, and the peace-loving man had avoided any of his…incidents so far. Karin found a job at the Shinobi Hospital. From what Sakura told him, the pervy redhead worked hard, becoming an invaluable asset to the clinic. Sasuke was just glad to have one more fangirl out of his hair. Suigetsu was who knows where, doing who knows what, and Sasuke wasn't sure if he even really wanted to know. He just wanted to escape from the prying eyes of the village, and he didn't give a shit what the other members of Team Hawk were doing. Although he didn't protest when Naruto and Sakura sent him updates.

Sasuke had just started to consider coming back to the village when he received Naruto's message, and he had been glad for the change. The world was so...boring. Sasuke decided to come help the idiot because he knew it might finally get him on the village's good side. It's not like he actually cared about the guy or anything.

So Sasuke ignored the blond's obvious act. Even if he did confront Naruto, the man would be too proud to admit to anything, at least in front of the guards. "Kami, Naruto. You're the freaking Hokage, and you still manage to look and dress like an idiot."

To his credit, Naruto played along, even if his performance held less energy than usual. "No matter how I look, I'd still be able to kick your ass!"

"Dobe."

"Teme!"

"Dead-last."

"Doucheb-"

Naruto's insult was cut off by a leathered fist cracking across his skull. He collapsed for a moment before popping up, wiping the dust off his outfit and preparing to launch himself at the Uchiha.

"What the hell was that f-oh, hey, Sakura-chan. Hehe...how is your day going?" Green eyes glinted murderously as he slowly sidled away. He rubbed the back of his hand with one hand and nervously waved with the other, trying and failing to appear innocent.

"Can't I ever find you guys getting along!? It's exhausting having to break you bakas up!" She stood akimbo as she began to lecture the blond Jinchuriki.

Naruto was pinned by her dark glare. It was amazing; Naruto had faced two insane, genocidal men in the possession of one of the greatest weapons in the shinobi world without blinking an eye, but he was reduced to a cowering mess by just one temperamental kunoichi. It was actually kind of pitiful. However, instead of moving on to whining and hanging on the pink-haired medic like he normally did, Naruto merely raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan." Sakura stopped abruptly at the simple response, at a loss for words in the unususal situation. A fleeting look of sorrow flashed across her jade eyes, and he turned her attention to the Uchiha without saying another word on the subject. Her resigned expression shocked Sasuke. This must have been happening frequently.

_Kami...something's REALLY wrong here...  
_

"Hi, Sasuke-kun. It's so nice to see you." He was greeted by another fake smile. He was getting tired of that.

"Hn." He gave her a slight nod of acknowledgement.

She was unfazed by his brief answer and clapped her hands together in anticipation. "Ok, then. Let's head back to the tower to talk." She grabbed Naruto, who was conversing with the guards, and marched through the gate towards the village.

"Bye, Kotetsu! See ya later, Izumo!" Naruto exclaimed as he was dragged off with the rest of the former Team 7. As they walked through the village, the group was followed by suspicious stares and awestruck whispers. Citizens paused in their daily routines to observe the "village's hero" graciously spending time with "that Uchiha traitor."

Sasuke grit his teeth and resisted pulling the Sharingan out on the more abrasive speakers. While it would amuse the hell out of him to see the cowards' disdainful faces transform into expressions of terror and respect, he didn't feel like dealing with angry village elders jumping down his throat for "endangering the livelihood of Konoha" or whatever. The trio reached Kazekage Tower within minutes (with no incidents thank Kami) and made their way up the twisting stairs to Naruto's office.

Sakura shut the door behind them as they filed into the small room. Piles of paper covered the desk, the sunlight streaming in behind it giving the area a homey, lived in feel. And knowing the blond, he probably did live there. Most likely he only left to go to train, stalk Sakura, or eat at Ichi Raku, his home away from home. Naruto plopped into his chair, leather squeaking as he shifted into a comfortable position. Sakura strode across the room to the windows and seated herself on one of the sills. She pulled her knees to her chest, her gaze focused out the window, lost in thought.

Sasuke settled by the door, leaning back against the wall and crossing his ankles. "So, dobe, what did you summon me here for? Can't find the old hag's pig?" He crossed his arms across his chest, his impassive face belaying none of the curiosity that raged within him.

"Harharhar. No, teme. Something serious has happened… Do you remember Hyuuga Hinata?"

"That delusional heiress who treated you like you put the moon in the sky? Yeah." Oh, he remembered her all right. The stuttering weakling who pined for the blond idiot sitting in front of him. He had almost wanted to throw up every time he watched her around the young Hokage, pale eyes shining with admiration as she hung on his every word.

Although, Sasuke had to give her some credit. She was the only one of the Rookie Nine besides Naruto who didn't react when he had returned. The heiress must have expected it, must have supported Naruto's firm conviction that the Uchiha would eventually come back. And when he did return, she wasn't impressed at all by how powerful he had become. She only had eyes for Naruto. It had bugged the living shit out of him, but he had to admit it was pretty gutsy of her to ignore him and his efforts to intimidate her. There was more to her than met the eye for sure.

"Yes, the _kind_ heiress to the Hyuuga clan," Naruto looked at him reproachfully, "Well, she was… was killed a little more than a month ago, sacrificing herself to escape pursuers who were attempting her capture." Naruto dragged a hand down his face, a haggard expression on his foxy features. Sasuke noticed Sakura's attention had moved to the blond.

Infinite sadness could be seen buried deep in her jade eyes as she stared at the back of the Jinchuriki's head. "We think that there is an organization behind the attack, maybe some sort of resurrection of the Akatsuki... But we don't know what their motives are or where to begin our investigation. They are incredibly clever and have left us nearly no leads... And that's where you come in."

His blue eyes pinpointed Sasuke from across the room. "We need someone who can infiltrate the organization without any suspicion. Since you have stayed away from Konoha for so long, it wouldn't be extremely abnormal of you to show some interest in the group, especially since you used to be a member of the Akatsuki itself."

Sasuke met Naruto's intense stare. This subject was obviously dear to the whiskered young man in front of him, judging by how serious he had become. "So, you're asking me to infiltrate this group for information, to risk my precarious status in the world, all just because you weren't strong enough to save one pathetic heiress from some greedy kidnappers? People die. Get over it."

Sasuke decided to prod the blond, to see how far he could provoke him until he snapped. Just how important was this mission? He kept his face neutral and ignored Sakura's reproving glare. They both anxiously watched Naruto as they waited to gauge the Hokage's reaction.

Instead of rising to the bait, Naruto surprised them both by letting out a tired sigh, closing his eyes as he spoke. "I know it's a lot to ask, but there is more to this than it appears. Something big is getting ready to happen, and I want to stop it, or at least be ready for it when it comes. I can't deal with another one of my friends dying again, with me being helpless while it happens. Hinata was an incredibly precious person to me, and I live with the regret of her death every day of my life. As much as I hate to admit it, I need you, Sasuke. You're the only one who can help me put my mind at peace."

Sasuke watched his friend warily. Not only had Naruto ignored a jibe, but he had also admitted to needing Sasuke, greatly perturbing the Uchiha. This wasn't just another of the blond's emotional reactions. He had obviously thought long and hard about his response to the Hyuuga girl's death and decided that this was the best plan. She must have been pretty damn special to make Naruto act like this.

"Fine. I'll help."

Sakura's apple green eyes snapped to his, widening in shock. Naruto's mouth opened reflexively to continue arguing his point, but upon registering the dark haired man's words, it slammed shut with a _clack!_ Sasuke almost laughed as an incredulous look appeared on the blond's face. He now looked more like the idiot that Sasuke knew.

"What? Am I not allowed to say yes? I'm bored, and helping you would be better than continuing to do nothing." Not to mention he was still unnerved by the haunted look in the Jinchuriki's eyes. Nothing was worse than a sober idiot. "Besides, how could I pass this up? If I did this, you would never be able to live down that you practically begged me to help you." He threw the taunt in there, a wicked gleam in his onyx eyes as he challenged the man in front of him.

Naruto's face turned impassive for a moment. His eyes closed, shuttering off the crystal windows to whatever emotions he was currently experiencing. Then, the blond's shoulders relaxed with a sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted from them. In fact, Sasuke could feel the suffocating atmosphere of grief dissipate within seconds, and almost let out a sigh of his own. He had had enough pity parties for a lifetime.

Having obviously resolved some sort of internal conflict, Naruto's eyes shot open, and he sprung up from his chair. He pointed dramatically at the Uchiha in front of him. His blue eyes sparkled with determination once again, his unconquerable spirit revived by the promise of justice as he confronted Sasuke. "Oh yeah?! Like anyone would believe you, teme!"

"Dobe."

"Doucheb-"

"NARUTO!" Sasuke smirked as he witnessed the Hokage getting flattened once again. Sakura stood over Naruto as he nursed a swollen lump on his head, waving her fist and ranting about his immaturity as a leader. Her jade eyes found Sasuke's as the blond began defending himself, their verdant depths warm with relief and gratitude. Team 7 was back with a vengeance.

**While I might be skipping the A/Ns, don't skip out on the reviews please! I'll add the A/Ns later!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I do not own Naruto, etc.**

**Chapter 8**

_Gaara stared in horror at the bloody scene in front of him. The crimson liquid was everywhere, from the hissing sand returning to his gourd to the soaked parasol he held in his trembling hands. His green eyes flitted back and forth over his surroundings, taking in how the fluid glistened on the forest floor like puddles left after some sort of grotesque rainstorm. Massive trees stood guard over the small clearing, silent witnesses to the horrendous crime that had just occurred. Their disapproving stances loomed over Gaara as he stood frozen in shock._

His trance was broken when his hands moved of their own accord, shaking the blood off the umbrella before sliding it closed. Gaara watched the action with a confused expression. The pale, unblemished skin of his hands was a stark contrast to the gruesome mess shaded by the thick foliage. All sound had ceased, as if the forest was holding its breath, waiting for his next move.

Gaara felt the familiar, consuming bloodlust rise and begin to take control. He quickly tried to rein it in, but he wasn't prepared for the ferocity with which it awakened. After years of dormancy, it snarled from deep within his chest, a caged animal yearning to be released to unleash havoc on its suppressors. He was suddenly hyper aware; he focused in on the forest around him with a new clarity, searching for a sign, a sound, anything to lead him to his next prey.

Thick bushes to Gaara's right slightly rustled. The dark leaves quaked as if they registered the threat that stood before them. Gaara's heightened senses snapped into action in response. His hand—still not under his control—immediately stretched toward the plant, and a stream of sand followed instantaneously. Striking with the explosive power of a cobra, it plunged into the foliage.

Gaara battled to regain control of his body, but to no avail. It was as if he was only a spectator, disconnected from the action as he watched the scene play out in front of him. The sand retracted from the bush, bearing a struggling figure with it. Gaara could only watch and wait as the grainy imprisoner drew closer and closer with its prisoner.

As the writhing mass entered the soft light of the clearing, Gaara was finally able to catch a glimpse of what he had unwillingly captured. His eyes widened in shock; a figure from the past stared back him. Short, dark blue hair hung down, framing cheeks that held a rosy tint in their pale contours. Large, pale eyes shone with terror as they hovered over trembling lips. The young girl stopped struggling when she spotted Gaara, turning and focusing a familiar warmth-filled smile on him as he stayed frozen in front of her.

"G-gaara," Even in the midst of her fear, her voice held a calm, soothing note as she pleaded with the redhead, "Help me..." Her round eyes pierced into him, hope dancing in them as she talked to her old friend.

But Gaara could only stand and watch helplessly as the sand enveloped her more and more. His stomach dropped in a sickening plummet. He knew where this was headed, could tell by the patterns the sand shifted into as it wrapped around the young Hyuuga; he had seen it too many times to forget.

He fought desperately to break free of the unknown force controlling him, but he felt as if someone had given him some sort of sedative, leaving his limbs numb and unresponsive. The grains continued to snake upward on the girl's tiny body. As they climbed, she began to realize that the man, her sole companion in the forest clearing, would not be saving her.

Her innocent features transformed into sheer terror. She resumed her thrashing, laboring to free herself from the malignant sand. "Help me, please!" But she was only met with silence.

As the sand closed in on her face, she fixed Gaara with one last, accusatory look. Her trusting gaze was gone now, replaced by a look of utter betrayal. "You're a monster..."

Gaara flinched at her cruel words. She then was completely submerged, the minerals converging to cover her translucent eyes like clouds veiling the bright full moon.

His hand lifted to complete the gruesome task it had started. Its pale digits extended toward the shifting grains in front of him. Gaara could almost imagine that he was reaching out to her, that her small hand would burst out of the sand to latch onto his own.

But the sand remained undisturbed. All was deathly still in the clearing. No sound could be heard, no motion could be seen.

Then Gaara's hand clench shut, and the world exploded into chaos. Blood splattered everywhere. Gaara could see it cover everything around it, hear it splat against his clothing, feel it run down his face and-

Gaara sat up with a violent gasp escaping from his lips. The cool night covered his room like a blanket, surrounding him in total darkness. Sweat ran down his pale forehead and left a thin flim on his bare, shivering torso as he remained upright, chest heaving. He lurched out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom.

Wrenching the door open, he threw himself toward the counter and flipped on the lights and then the sink. The sound of the rushing water brought him to his senses as he leaned over and splashed the cool liquid onto his ashen face. He twisted the faucet closed and stood upright, letting the water fall freely down his body.

Gaara scrutinized his reflection. His weary image stared back at him, his face and exposed chest as white as snow in the mirror's depths. The only color he possessed appeared in the crimson shock of hair on top of his head and his troubled, sea green eyes—and the bags under them, but Gaara wasn't sure if the prominent shadows counted.

The distinct dark smudges stood out even more from Gaara's recent lack of sleep. While they never truly went away, his nightmares had come back with even more strength over the past few weeks, deepening his ever present shadows...and nearly all of these dreams had something to do with Hinata.

Maybe it had something to do with Hiromi. She was from Konoha after all, and she had arrived near the time of Hinata's death. And, although Gaara knew there was no way she could have really known the Hyuuga heiress (civilians and shinobi did not really mingle), so many things she did reminded him of the girl he had once befriended. The small, friendly smile on her face when she talked with customers, the gentle way she handled everything she carried. After interacting with her, he didn't know how Temari could see her as a potential danger; someone who was a threat wouldn't possess her docile demeanor and the caring way she served her clients, that would just be wrong. It was this quiet kindness that gave her such an uncanny resemblance to the Hyuuga heiress. She must have triggered some subconscious reaction within him, morphing his grief over Hinata's death into these gruesome images.

Gaara studied the way the shadows made his haunted eyes seem to sink into his face. His brows were narrowed, but no matter how he tried, he couldn't smooth the wrinkles, couldn't shake the nausea and self-loathing he had felt during the nightmare. His reflection stared at him like some sort of ghost, a weary spirit struggling to continue in the world. Gaara looked at his haggard appearance. _Kami, I really do look scary, like a monster..._

With that thought, the images from his dream awakened with renewed vigor. Suddenly, the washroom felt claustrophobic. The walls seemed to close in on him even as he stood there. His breathing quickened, his lungs desperately sucking in air as he tried to calm down. _I need fresh air...  
_  
Gaara exited the bathroom and crossed his bedroom, opening the wardrobe to pull out a black, skintight T-shirt. He pulled it over his sinewy torso and picked up his red coat. Shrugging it over his toned shoulders, he fastened it before grabbing his vest and heading out the door.

The young Kazekage made his way silently down the dark hallways, following the twisting pathways on a journey that took him increasingly upward. He soon reached the small door that opened onto the roof of Kazekage Tower. Gaara stepped out into the starry night, the cool night breeze a relief after the stagnant air of the tower's interior. He strode across the flat roof and settled into his favorite spot, an elbow resting on one knee while the other leg hung over the roof's edge. He began to look around, hoping to find something to get his mind off the reason why he was there.

Gaara looked up and cringed when he saw the moon-his favorite object of observation on sleepless nights- shining in the star-filled sky, a reminder of the shining orbs he had imagined only minutes before. It was too soon after his nightmare for him to gaze at its pale splendor like he usually did, and instead, he turned his attention to the lifeless village below.

Not a light was on; the buildings looked almost ethereal in the bright moonlight. Their sharply outlined surfaces held a bluish shade in the night, and the shadows from the moonlight wove in and out of the streets. The stillness and serenity of the scene made it seem as if Gaara was observing a lifeless picture on a wall, rather than a village full of living, breathing citizens.

A subtle movement in the corner of his vision caught Gaara's immediate attention. It came from the merchant district, and, as Gaara pinpointed the motion, he realized it was located at Kenta's shop. He let his knee fall, leaning forward with both legs hanging over so he could get a better look.

A small figure exited the third floor window, gracefully jumping into a back alley that connected to the main avenue. It began to make its way quickly through the streets; the lithe figure followed a route that almost certainly was unnoticeable by any of the shinobi on wall patrol tonight. The person stopped at various moments, the pauses indicating the care and precision with which the path had been mapped out. Long, dark hair waved behind it like a banner in the wind.

_Hiromi...?_ Gaara rose from his seat as he tried to keep the reticent apprentice in sight. Could Temari be right? While his recent interactions with had lessened his suspicion of the shy immigrant, this new development sparked his concern. Something was going on here, and he wasn't about to let one girl threaten the security of his village, even if only potentially. Gaara knew he had to follow her, had to solve this ever-deepening mystery.

Disappearing in a whirlwind of sand, he set off to do so.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hinata shifted gently out of bed. The sheets rustled quietly, but her feet made no sound as they hit the cold, hard floor. Her room was covered in darkness; the only source of light was the moon, its soft beams casting a pale square on the floor of the bedroom, which her thin shadow crossed as she made her way to the closet.

Noiselessly, she changed into a tight-fitting black turtleneck and added a black coat as another layer. It was only slightly chilly in the village at night, with the buildings shielding the citizen's from the harsh desert wind, but she didn't know how it would be out there tonight.

As she tugged her shoes on, she glanced over at the picture frame on her bedside table. The faces of her Genin team stared back at her from a picture that was taken at her last birthday. Their shinobi headbands were absent, for the team and its friends had not wanted to bring even more attention to the group when they went out to eat at Hinata's favorite restaurant.

Kiba had his arm wrapped around a blushing Hinata's neck, a wolfish grin on his painted face. Standing behind them, Shino looked as impassive as ever, but the tilt of his head and his hand on Hinata's other shoulder revealed his quiet pleasure. Akamaru's head was in Hinata's lap, and he was staring hungrily at the cake on the table in front of her. She held back a giggle as she remembered how the dog had snapped it up as soon as the picture had been taken, his humiliated master unprepared to save the dessert from the animal's well-timed attack.

Hinata observed how happy she looked in the photo and felt pangs of loneliness well up inside her. She missed the trio with the intensity of a starving man's hunger. She had made no close friends in Suna, too afraid of making herself vulnerable to discovery. She often thought about them as she worked in the shop, wondered how her friends were doing in her absence. _I sure hope they're fine..._

Tearing her gaze away from the picture, Hinata finished getting dressed and headed toward the window. She slipped through the fluttering curtains onto the sill, took a soft breath, and leapt down to the ground, landing silently. She immediately began creeping through the shadows on a careful, complex route toward the outer wall.

It had taken her weeks to chart out the patrols of the Suna shinobi. She had paid close attention as she ran errands in the market, or walked home late from an emergency delivery, or snuck through the village at night, always aware of the shinobi who kept watch, invisible to the other inhabitants of Suna. She had thought of every detail she could, from patrol routes and timing to shift changes to possible delays. The path she now took was the result of that intense research, and it had worked out so far.

Hinata tiptoed along her planned route, tracing over the mental image of the map she had so meticulously drawn. Her steps were careful, stiff, and precise, like those of a tightrope walker on his first real performance. She soon reached the sector of town that she had projected to be the darkest, based on the position and trajectory of the full moon, and approached the steep cliff of Suna's outer wall.

The dark haired girl quickly glanced left and right, confirming that the coast was clear before gathering chakra in her feet and sprinting vertically toward the rock top. She didn't slow down as she reached the peak. Instead, she let her momentum take her over the top and into a free fall toward the sands below. She prepared herself as the ground rose up to meet her and tucked into a graceful roll, dispersing the force of her plummet amongst the cushion of sand to prevent injury.

Standing up, she dusted herself off and sent a triumphant look back at the imposing cliff behind her. Part A...complete. She now had five minutes to get out of the range of vision of the nearest shinobi making their way along the patrol route. Hinata turned to face forward, her bright blue eyes piercing the darker shade of the desert night. She located the object of her mission, a dark smudge along the starry horizon, and set off at a sprint toward it.

She reached it in ten minutes. A large rock face stood before her, its intimidating surface so much like the one she just left behind. But it offered safety and relief instead of anxiety and imprisonment. She circled around its base until she reached the opposite side.

Hinata slowed down as she reached her destination. The moon light glinted off the glassy surface of a small pool of water. A group of small trees grew around it, the first green life she had seen in weeks. She let out a small sigh as she sensed the stirrings of small animals and heard the croaks of a few desert toads.

Hinata had searched for a hideaway like this the night before she left to cross the desert with the merchants. It was a good distance from any main paths, and not in the direction of any major cities, which was probably why it had remained undiscovered for so long.

The reason she had looked for somewhere like this was rather selfish, and she knew she shouldn't be doing this. But she couldn't resist; she had to keep at least one part of her life in Konoha intact. So she had decided to start sneaking out two times a week beginning tonight, coming here to train as soon as there was enough light from the moon. Besides, it wasn't like this was totally useless; she needed to keep up her skills, for who knew when she would need them again?

Hinata released the transformation jutsu on her eyes in preparation for her training. She closed them with a deep breath and settled into a balanced stance, feet staggered and shoulder-length apart. She then began her old warm up routine, going through simple positions of her Jyuuken. The movements felt familiar and comfortable, like a pair of worn-in shoes that fit just the way she liked. Hinata relaxed as her muscles immediately responded, and she instinctively flowed into the next sequence with fluid ease. She ducked and wove around imaginary foes, fists striking out mercilessly in a graceful but deadly routine.

Sweat poured down her face after only a couple of minutes. _Man, I'm out of shape..._ She paused for a moment to shrug off her stifling jacket. She moved on in her practice before it even landed in a crumpled heap behind her.

Her right hand shot out into a quick jab, retracting with just as much speed as she spun to lead with her left in a powerful assault. She side-stepped a pretend blow with an agile shuffling of feet and sommersaulted away. Her feet carved twin paths in the ground as she dug in her heels to stop her momentum.

Twirling through increasingly difficult moves, Hinata drew closer and closer to the hills of sand that bordered the oasis. She twisted on one foot and released a sharp left hook before leaping into the air. She twisted and turned in a complicated evasion technique as she glided downward with the speed and focus of a hawk descending on its prey. Then, with a fierce cry, she struck the ground in a lethal blow, the force of the hit causing sand to explode up around her fist.

Hinata let an exhilarated laugh escape her lips when she opened her eyes and saw her arm immersed in the sand up to her elbow. This was the most fun she had had in a while. She tugged upward, knees straightening as she made to stand. But an unexpected resistance yanked her back—_hard_—toward the sand. _I must have put more force in that than I thought..._

She attempted to get up again, putting more effort into the motion, but fell back with a confused expression on her pale face. It felt like a hand was gripping her by the wrist, refusing to relinquish its strong grip. As her pale eyes studied the ground, calculating how to escape from the sand's clutches, the hard grains began to curl around her arm, rising up to envelop her shoulder.

"Well, well, well, Hiromi... Or should I even call you that?"

Hinata knew whose rough voice that was. Panicked, she bent her knees and leapt away with explosive power- only to be thrown back to the ground with a pained yelp. The sand continued to wrap itself around her, lifting her surprisingly gently and turning her to face where the sound had come from. She immediately closed her eyes; she couldn't let him know who she was.

"Who are you working for?" His tone was angry and accusatory as he questioned her, so different from calm pitch she had heard so much lately.

"N-no one" That damn stutter was back again. _I guess old habits die hard..._

"I don't believe you!" The words fell harshly in the now still clearing. "Tell me who you are working for, and I won't have to force it out of you." The sand crawled over her as he spoke, buzzing like a nest of angry hornets ready to strike.

Hinata didn't answer. She scrunched her eyes closed even more tightly in anticipation of the pain that she was sure would come. The same fate that she witnessed happening to that genin would happen to her; it was only a matter of time.

She could sense him grow frustrated at her silence, fuming at her refusal to respond. "You came into my village, under my protection. I tried to befriend you, began to trust you even when my sister didn't, and this is how you repay me? By revealing yourself as a potential threat to Suna? It shouldn't surprise me, I guess. But as the Kazekage, it's my job to protect my people. I will not stand by and let you continue until I find out what your intentions are."

She remained quiet, with her pale eyes closed. Gaara finally snapped at her stubborn muteness, "For Kami's sake, Hiromi, look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. You at least owe that to me."

Gaara's voice cracked on these last words, and curiosity forced Hinata to open her eyes and meet his, taking in his expression. _Why is he so upset…? _His face was set into an uncharacteristic snarl, arms crossed over his chest in a demanding and intimidating pose. But he couldn't hide the hurt and betrayal storming in his sea green eyes.

As Hinata's translucent gaze met his own, the hateful look disappeared from his features, transforming into one of recognition and disbelief. He took a step back as if he had just been slapped. The blood drained from his face and washed away what little color he had; his bright eyes widened, a look of horror flashing across their green depths as he took in the sand-covered girl in front of him. The sand loosened its hold on her, not letting her go completely, but lowering her to the ground in the overwhelming silence. After what seem like an eternity, he spoke in a small, shaky voice.

"Hinata…?"

**Review please!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Usual disclaimer...blah, blah, blah.**

**Chapter 9**

Stars peppered the clear midnight sky. Scattered across the dark blue space, they lit up the shadowy background with fiery brilliance, a million sentries keeping watch over the earth. Their bright gaze dropped onto Gaara, a lonely silhouette in the cold, clear night. He stood atop a large mesa; arms crossed, lips tightened in a disapproving frown, he glared down at the figure below him, the girl he had started to trust...the traitor.

Gaara had wanted to give Hiromi the benefit of the doubt. As he had followed her, he had racked his brains for reasons why she would be sneaking out so late. Maybe she liked taking midnight strolls...? Maybe she was visiting one of the many bars in Suna? Maybe...she was meeting a lover...? Gaara had winced as the last thought crossed his mind, his stomach rolling over in protest as it had once before. _That damn medicine must not have completely worked..._

But when he saw her sprinting up the wall, dark hair flying behind her, the girl possessing the leonine grace and chakra control of an advanced shinobi, Gaara knew he could make excuses no longer. He had to confront this issue no matter how reluctant he was, for the sake of Suna's safety.

So, he had trailed her through the desert, unsurprised when she led him to this place. He had found it long ago, back when his father was alive. It was the perfect hideaway, one of the few places left completely undisturbed by the destructive clutches of man. Many times, it had served as his only refuge from the hateful glares of the villagers, or his father's harsh training. Gaara could still remember crouching by the oasis' twinkling surface, tears running down his pale young face as he stared at his blurry reflection, meeting a pair of haunting, lifeless eyes, endlessly questioning his purpose and loathing his very existence.

Standing there, Gaara felt far from sorrowful; he was mad—no, furious—as he watched the petite figure below. She had slipped into some sort of exercise, floating through the intricate steps with the grace and ease of a dancer in a beautiful but deadly number. Her slender arms shot in and out, up and down, while she spun and thrust to defeat imaginary foes. Dark hair whipped back and forth, giving only glimpses at a time of the girl's pale face before veiling it once again behind that dark curtain.

Gaara's brows knit in confusion. _Those moves look like the Gentle Fist..._ He could identify the unique style, having seen it from Konoha shinobi throughout the war. Peering even more closely, he could recognize some of the techniques, thrown in with a myriad of other styles. _She must be fairly skilled if she was able to copy that style outside of the clan. The Hyuuga jealously guard their secrets..._ His solid outline crumbled into grains of sand as he went to get a closer look.

Gaara reached the grove undetected and peered out from the shadows of the trees, surreptitiously studying her every move. Now that he was closer, he was able to take in fully all the details of her routine. Every jab, fast and precise, revealing the extent of her skill. Every twist and turn of her small feet, done with the confidence of one who had spent hours practicing and perfecting her art.

Her azure eyes were closed, her delicate brows furrowed in concentration. Hiromi flowed effortlessly through the motions-already complex for only practicing for a few minutes-as she continued to train. Only the sweat flying off her pale skin in glistening drops belayed the energy she exerted in the complex moves.

Gaara's eyes widened into an expanse of sea green when the dark-haired girl abruptly stopped and threw off her jacket, resuming her workout in a black, rather tight turtleneck. It hugged her figure like a thin sleeve, accentuating every line, every curve on her well-developed body.

He felt the warmth of a blush creep up the back of his neck as he took in the sight. Gaara knew he was there only to monitor the girl to protect the village, but he couldn't help but feel slightly lecherous watching the woman in front of him. He never expected, ahem, _this_ from the reticent girl. Hiromi obviously didn't like showing it off either, based on the baggy, covering robes she wore in public. Although she had betrayed him first, Gaara felt ashamed for stumbling onto this discovery; he had always prided himself on his courtesy toward women and their privacy. _Great, now I'm turning into Kankuro...  
_  
He knew Hiromi would kill him if she found him studying her like this, and, watching the ever increasing skill of her routine, it seemed she would have a better shot than most at doing so. Gaara tore his roaming eyes away from a rather risqué area-not without some difficulty-and forced himself to focus on the moves of the graceful shinobi. _Concentrate, Gaara, concentrate._

By now, she moved in almost a blur, twirling through a complicated dance. Gaara watched, completely entranced by her flawless kicks and ducks, striking with an accuracy that was almost scary. Whomever she was working for had found a valuable asset to their ranks, and this greatly perturbed Gaara. He didn't need any more threats to the world's stability than there already were, with the organization that killed Hinata already on the loose.

Hiromi's efforts gradually brought her closer and closer to the sand surrounding the small oasis. _Now's my chance..._ Gaara readied himself, watching and waiting for the moment to strike and to capture the mysterious girl.

Hiromi leapt into the air with the grace of a gazelle and spiraled quickly toward the ground. She threw herself into a series of twists that he wasn't sure if even the late Lady Chiyo could have accomplished and finished with a blow to the ground, an unexpectedly fierce cry escaping her lips. Her dark hair blew back as the ground exploded beneath her. Gaara noticed that her bright eyes were still closed and must have been during the entire exercise. After the debris settled, she still knelt there, arm half buried in the sand. Gaara took this moment to attack, taking control of the sand beneath her and sending it to capture her arm.

Just as he sensed the grains lock into place around her covered wrist, he heard a tinkling, carefree laugh coming from Hiromi, who knelt in a relaxed position, breathing heavily from her intense training. Gaara froze. The joyful sound was surprising...and oddly familiar. He stood for a moment, marveling at its contagious mirth. Then, coming back to reality, he shook himself and tightened the sand's grip. He had to be on guard at all times; the safety of Suna was no laughing matter.

Gaara observed silently as Hiromi made to stand in one fluid motion, only to be yanked down by her trapped arm. By now he was moving, approaching her back, her face hidden from him at this angle. She struggled to rise a few more times before stooping to study the sand around her hand. He ordered the sand to begin an ascent up her tense body.

"Well, well, well, Hiromi... Or should I even call you that?" He spat the words out venomously. She was going to feel his wrath and regret it.

She foolishly attempted to escape one last time but fell back, panic evident in her jerky movements and desperate endeavors to break free. He blanketed her body with the grains and carefully and gently turned her to face him. He might be angry, but he wasn't cruel, no matter how tempted he was to punish her for her deceit.

Her eyes were scrunched shut in fear, lips trembling violently as she awaited his next move. Gaara almost felt pity for her...almost. "Who are you working for?" He decided to get straight to the point; the sooner this was over with, the better.

"N-no one..."

"I don't believe you!" Like he was stupid enough to fall for that. He bit back a bitter laugh. Everyone had an agenda, an ulterior motive. Even if she really wasn't working for a specific organization, she had to have some plan, some personal goal to attain in Suna.

Searching for answers, Gaara switched tactics; Hiromi already seemed shaken, maybe he could scare her into giving him the information he wanted. "Tell me who you are working for, and I won't have to force it out of you." He would rather not have to resort to violence, having committed enough bloodshed for more than one lifetime. But she was definitely testing his patience. He watched with a strange sense of respect as she remained silent, the slight tightening of her eyes the only indicator of her distress. It was infuriating and inspiring at the same time.

He could sense the sand shifting eagerly around her body in response to his aggravation, clamoring for her blood to satiate its thirst. Gaara reigned in his anger. Fine, two could play this game.

"You came into my village, under my protection. I tried to befriend you, began to trust you even when my sister didn't, and this is how you repay me? By revealing yourself as a potential threat to Suna? It shouldn't surprise me, I guess. But as the Kazekage, it's my job to protect my people. I will not stand by and let you continue until I find out what your intentions are." Gaara crossed his arms, even though he knew she couldnt see the gesture, and glared pointedly at her. He would wait all night to get answers if he had to.

But the silence dragged on, sluggishly drudging along on leaden feet. Gaara could tell by the stubborn set of Hiromi's mouth she wasn't going to talk anytime soon. _Why is she being so damn selfish? _He didn't want to put her through any torture if he didn't have to. Did she think it wouldn't hurt him as much as it hurt her? That he wouldn't regret it for a long time afterwards, wondering if he could have gotten the information in any other way? Did she know that it would only confirm to him the never forgotten fear of truly being a monster?

After what felt like an hour of silence, he tried one last time to reason with her, desperate to avoid any violent means of questioning. "For Kami's sake, Hiromi, look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. You at least owe that to me." In spite of his best efforts to remain impassive, his voice cracked on the last sentence. This whole situation just hurt. A lot. Maybe if he didn't know her, hadn't talked to her or seen her gentle ways and caring smile, it would be different. But for now, he just wanted this to stop; it had happened too many times, someone he trusted betraying him. _Why? Why would you do this to me?_ The answer to this unsaid question held what little hope he had left in him for some sort of resolution.

Gaara watched the muscles of her face fall slack in response to his sudden display of emotion. Good, he had surprised her. He waited breathlessly as he saw her eyelids flutter and slowly crack open for her to meet his glare. What he saw made his heart stop.

Two pale ovals stared at him. Their translucent depths flashed with curiosity before becoming closed off, hidden behind a veil of slight(forced?) disdain. These were the same eyes that had haunted his dreams, had chased his sleep away. He had left the tower to escape his nightmare, only to experience it in reality.

Gaara felt a strange sense of déjà vu wash over him before feeling sick to his stomach, horrified at what he had almost done. He barely kept from falling to his knees on the soft sand, taking a small step back to steady himself. _This has to be a trick..._ His bright, questioning gaze remained trained on the pale girl, who was being gently lowered to the ground, the sand still keeping a possessive grip on her. A million thoughts raced across his mind. How? When? _Why?_ But they came to a screeching halt as he choked out one word.

"Hinata...?" The words left his mouth in a strangled gasp.

Hinata's eyes widened slightly before thinning in suspicion. They stood there studying each other in moonlit night. Gaara's mind floundered for other words to say, even for thoughts to think, but his mind was blank with shock. He had nothing. Like a hypnotist, her narrowed pearlescent eyes had captivated him, trapping him in an unbreakable spell.

Hinata was the first to breach the silence. "What are you going to do now? Send me back?" Her head lifted in a regal tilt, portraying a courage that was belayed by the slight tremble in her soft voice. "I won't go; I've made my choice." But he knew that she would go if he made her, no matter how much she didn't want to. It would go against her nature to displease anyone.

"And what choice was that?" Gaara asked, his curiosity piqued by the obscure statement. He wanted to delve deeper into this strange girl's motives for her odd decision.

"To stop being a burden on my friends and village. To give my sister the life she deserves, one free from the shame and servitude of the Branch House."

This blunt answer surprised Gaara. He had known Hinata for only a short time a long time ago, but he remembered that she cared deeply for her friends and family. He just hadn't expected her to give him such...reasonable explanations. Gaara knew from experience that more often than not, situations like this occurred in a fit of passion. But Hinata seemed to have put a lot of thought into whatever she had planned. A small voice at the back of his mind niggled at his conscience. _She obviously wanted to escape for a reason... Maybe you should respect her feelings...  
_

But he couldn't just let her get away, allow her to vanish from his life again. He wanted to get to know her once more and to see if she really was the girl he remembered. He realized with a fierce conviction that it would haunt him forever if he let her go without a fight. "What if I tell Naruto you are alive? What if I make you go back?"

Her answer had him questioning the stark difference between the shy, subservient girl he met long ago and the woman that faced him now. "You can tell them, but if I disappear again and they can't find me, who will believe you? You would just cause unnecessary chaos." She regarded him with resolve plastered across the pale expanse of her eyes. Gaara had seen that look before, mirrored in fragments of the sky—which he realized were identical to the ones she wore before. She would not give up, would not be conquered. She would find a way to pursue her goals and follow those dreams to the ends of the earth. This look of determination had changed his life before, and Gaara couldn't help feeling that if he got involved in this, his life would dramatically change again in an unpredictable way.

Responding to the challenge in her eyes, he turned his attention back to the situation. She had a point with what she had just said, but Gaara was not about to be defeated. This was his chance to protect his friend, to give her the hope and life that she had given him so long ago. He made a quick decision.

"You won't disappear again. you will stay here in Suna." The soft words popped out of his mouth before he could stop them. He quickly fabricated several reasons for this rash choice, realizing that a lack of rational explanations would look odd. "It is too dangerous for you to leave. The organization that was pursuing you is still out there, and I doubt that they would have mercy if they discovered you were still alive," He felt his blood begin to boil at that thought. _If anyone touches her, I swear..._ "You will come to live at Kazekage Tower, under the guise that I have asked you to be the Sabaku family's personal apothecary."

Confusion flitted across her delicate features. Gaara could almost imagine the wheels turning in her head as she reviewed what he just said, analyzing her situation. "But-"

"You have no choice in this matter. My mind is made up," he interrupted imperatively, slipping into the commanding role of Kazekage. He would be more likely to succeed in convincing her as an authoritative figure than as just a regular person. "This will be the safest option for you, especially if you are set against going back to Konoha." Gaara almost let out an exasperated sigh at the end of his sentence. He didn't remember her being nearly as stubborn as she was now. Eyes scanning the woman in front of him, he wondered again what else had changed over the years, besides the more, ahem, obvious characteristics.

Her face had hardened when he cut her off. "Why do you even care?" She snapped at him. Gaara winced at the venom in her voice. She obviously did not remember him like he recalled her. It probably would be best for now to keep that part of his motives a secret, based on her unwelcoming reaction. But why did he care? He mulled over various reasons, before picking out the most honest—yet believable—answer.

"Because... You are a precious person to a good friend of mine. It almost killed Naruto when he thought he lost you once... Do you think I could live with myself if I let you go and he discovered you really did die, and I could have prevented it? Do you think he would forgive me?" _I know I wouldn't..._

Her brilliant white eyes studied his face for a moment, gauging his words. They held no indication of what she was thinking, mistrust the only recognizable emotion that they revealed. What he said must have satisfied her somehow, for she let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll do what you say...for now."

Releasing the breath he had been holding, Gaara had to resist letting a small smirk spread on his face. He doubted Hinata would appreciate that very much. He didn't know why, but the idea of her living near him excited him. He could feel himself trembling, his stomach flipping in yet another weird, but nonthreatening manner. _Hmm...I guess I'm just glad that she wasn't a threat after all..._ But for some reason, he didn't feel completely satisfied with that explanation.

A sharp cough broke his line of thought. Hinata stared at him expectantly, her eyes traveling pointedly from the sand around her feet to him and back.

"Oh...uh, sorry." The tingling warmth coming from the tips of his ears alerted Gaara that he was blushing, and he promptly released the dark haired girl. He wasn't worried about her trying to escape; that would be an insult to her intelligence.

Her pale hands briskly dusted the sand off her body, working in aggressive, rapid strokes. Once finished with that task, she smoothed down her hair before glancing at him composedly, waiting for his next move.

"I guess we should head back to the tower..." Gaara attempted to cut through the awkward atmosphere, his words seeming to disappear in the thick tension. He strode over to Hinata's jacket, which was lying crumpled on the ground like a wilted flower, and picked it up, brushing off grains from its rustling ebony surface. He approached her and tentatively held the jacket out toward her. The piece of clothing hovered between them, a shy peace offering in the uncomfortable silence. This was his chance to rebuild a rare friendship, and he wanted to start it off right by showing her the respect that she deserved.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she roughly snatched the jacket from his outstretched hand. Without another word, she leapt away, taking off into the starry night. He watched her small form sprinting through the sand, exhibiting the same power, grace, and regality of a lioness. Gaara let out a sigh and proceeded to follow. It seemed that this would be harder than he thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hinata…?" Hinata stifled a gasp of surprise. _How does he know me…?_ She glared at him suspiciously, thinking about how to answer. The question hung in the air between them, the now still oasis seeming to hold its breath as it waited for her answer.

Of course this would happen to her; she should have expected it. _Father was right…I always mess things up…_ But as she thought about it, she felt anger begin to bubble up inside of her. No, this wasn't her fault. She had planned everything perfectly, had done everything within her power to ensure its success. It was his fault. If he hadn't been so nosy, so _stalkerish_, then she wouldn't be in this predicament.

Hinata glowered at the red-haired figure in front of her, growing more and more irritated with every passing moment. Instead of suppressing these feelings like she usually did, she let the emotions wash over her with the invigorating sensation of a chakra pill running through her system, empowering her and fueling the courage within her. As she raised her chin defiantly, she hoped she looked more confident than she felt.

"What are you going to do now? Send me back?" She internally cursed herself for the slight tremor in her voice. "I won't go; I've made my choice." She knew she wasn't completely convincing, but she didn't care. She would go back eventually if he made her, but that didn't mean she would go down without a fight.

She waited for him to yell, rant, criticize her for her rash decision. Yet he merely watched her with sage, green eyes. "And what choice was that?"

She thought about how to answer for a moment. _Might as well be honest... _"To stop being a burden on my friends and village. To give my sister the life she deserves, one free from the shame and servitude of the Branch House." There. See what he says about that.

"What if I tell Naruto you are alive? What if I make you go back?" He countered, still gazing at her with that unnerving expression, like he could see into her very soul...that jerk.

He had hit her weak point. She could the old feelings of longing well up inside her, yearning for the strong arms and brilliant blue eyes of her blond idol. Hinata ruthlessly quashed these thoughts; that would never have happened anyway, and never could now. Grasping at straws, she threw out a counter argument, desperate to have her way. "You can tell any one of them, but if I disappear again and they can't find me, who will believe you? You would just cause unnecessary chaos." She let the words sink in, exuding a conviction that she had never felt before. It filled her with a strange fire, lighting its way through her body and giving her an unfamiliar strength.

She studied him as he sat there debating how he would respond. His green eyes were lost in thought, He probably would tell her that she would go back no matter what; he did have the advantage here. _Well... You can't say I didn't try...  
_  
The next words that fell from his lips were so quiet that she wasn't sure if she had just imagined them. "You wont disappear again. you will stay here in Suna." His green gaze lifted to meet her incredulous one. "It is too dangerous for you to leave. The organization that was pursuing you is still out there, and I doubt that they would have mercy if they discovered you were still alive." Dammit, he had a point. "You will come to live at Kazekage Tower, under the guise that I have asked you to be the Sabaku family's personal apothecary."

This last part stopped her thoughts in their tracks. _Wait? Did he really just say that?_ She scrutinized him for any sign that he was joking, despite the gravity of the situation. But, watching the tilt of his chin, the set line of his mouth, and the determination gleaming in his sea green eyes, she knew that he was completely serious. Making sure to keep her exterior calm, she fumbled for words. How was she supposed to respond to an offer like that? "But—"

"You have no choice in this matter. My mind is made up," He cut her off. Hinata could feel her temper rising once more. She had always hated it when people did that, even if she had let it slide so many times before. This time, she didn't hesitate to let her displeasure show, sending him what she hoped was a look of haughty derision, "This will be the safest option for you, especially if you are set against going back to Konoha."Oh, so now he decided what she did and didn't do? What was and wasn't safe? Who had put him in charge? And why did it even matter to him?

"Why do you even care?" He looked taken aback by her accusatory question. She watched as he thought; his green eyes glazed over as he pondered the reason, almost seeming to ask himself the same thing. He nodded to himself, took a deep breath, and pinned her with a steady gaze as he answered.

"Because... You are a precious person to a good friend of mine. It almost killed Naruto when he thought he lost you once... Do you think I could live with myself if I let you go and he discovered you really did die, and I could have prevented it? Do you think he would forgive me?"

Hinata was dumbfounded. He honestly wanted to help her, and for some reason, she wanted him to feel that way. She was tired of facing everything alone. But she wasn't going to let him see the weariness that she was fighting even at that moment. "Fine, I'll do what you say...for now."

She watched him, gauging his reaction to her acquiescence. To his credit, he kept his face straight, but he couldn't hide the triumphant gleam that entered his green eyes, making them glitter like rare gemstones. _Asshole..._ She fought the urge to scowl. _Let him think he won this round.  
_  
Having achieved his victory, he seemed satisfied with letting her stand there, bound by the sand like an idiot. He stared past her once again, lost in thought. After waiting a few moments, Hinata's already threadbare patience snapped. She coughed to grab his attention, not caring how rude or disrespectful she seemed. He wasn't _her _Kage after all.

Gaara snapped back into focus, meeting her expectant gaze. His belated realization of her unspoken request triggered a blush that turned the tips of his ears almost the same shade of red as his vibrant hair.

"Oh... Uh, sorry." She felt the sand's grip on her ankles loosen, and she began to dust herself off, hoping to maintain what little dignity she had left in the situation. She may have been humble for a Hyuuga, but that didn't mean she had any less respect for herself as a person.

Hinata took her time, painfully aware of his constant gaze, watching every motion, every flick of her wrist. Smoothing her hair into place, she finished and turned her eyes to him. She felt the tension in the air, a presence that hovered like the humidity in Konoha after a thunderstorm, but she did nothing to help ease the awkward atmosphere. She just waited for him to indicate their next step.

His eyes lowered to the ground before shyly glancing up at her. "I guess we should head back to the tower..." His gaze shifted around, taking in a final view the oasis-the noise of its inhabitants now resumed-and settling on her jacket lying several feet away. Gaara quickly strode over to the discarded item and picked it up. He carefully brushed it off, quietly approached her, and gingerly held it out toward her, careful not to get too close.

Hinata watched silently while he did this, unsure of how to respond. His reticent gaze reminded her of a small child as he peered at her over the gift. Caution, respect, and, for some reason, hope danced underneath the sea green expanse's surface. He seemed so proud of the simple gesture, and it felt like he was expecting her response to be reciprocal. Her own eyes reflexively narrowed. If there was one thing she learned from her life in Suna, it was that her newfound freedom was rather enjoyable, and she resented the idea of being subjected to other people's plans and expectations once again.

Her hand shot out and wrapped around the smooth fabric. She ripped it from his loose grasp and leapt off without another word, not bothering to look back to see his reaction. A sharp twinge of guilt swept across her stomach as she sprinted across the sand. _Very mature, Hinata..._ She mentally stopped and berated herself for the thought. She couldn't afford to get emotional; she had done that too many times in her life, and it never worked out. Especially now if she did that now.

She sensed the red head's disappointment as he fell into step behind her, and she tried to not let it get to her. She would only stay in Suna as long as she had to. At the first opportunity, she would be through that gate, on her way to a new life. And the young man behind her would not be able to anything about it.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Naruto is not mine... :(**

**Chapter 10**

Sasuke's dark eyes scanned the room, searching for his target. He was seated in a bar in a small village not far from Konoha, the popular tavern a hive of activity. Waitresses buzzed among the tables, tight smiles plastered to their faces as they welcomed even the most boisterous of customers. A haggard singer crouched on the stage with a decrepit guitar. His lonesome wailing could be heard over the cacophony of other noises that pervaded the crowded room, yelps interrupting his sad melodies as the occasional beer can from the unimpressed crowd landed a blow.

Men lined the counter, sharing tattoos and comparing battle scars, cigarettes hanging from their protruding lips. Their complacent grins grew wider with each new glass, as did their rowdy boasting, the speakers ungracefully falling from their stools. Women prowled through the packed table tops with painted smiles as they sought a lecherous body to keep their beds warm at night. They roamed in packs, like less majestic versions of lionesses on the hunt. Upon finding potential tables, the groups greedily converged, attempting to claim suitable prizes, much like children squabbling over candy thrown from a parade.

Sasuke had left a few weeks ago to begin his mission, not bothering to tell Naruto goodbye. The doofus would know where he had gone; Sasuke Uchiha did not break his word. He had jumped from village to village, trying to gather information on the organization. But whoever they were, they knew how to cover their tracks. Sasuke left each new village more and more frustrated, this past time with only a few sentences of information: the name of the organization—Saisei, the description of a person who might be able to give him some clues, and the village where he would find him. And so here he was, another town, another sickening display of the shallow stupidity of man.

Somehow separated from the crowd's oppressive embrace, Sasuke lounged languidly in the corner of the smoky bar. Lifting a drink to his lips, he watched the scenes in front of him in disgusted apathy. It was pathetic, really, how easy people were to read. Even without the Sharingan, he could decipher every action and the meanings behind them; it was obvious, from the slobbering drunks leering at waitresses to the simpering women begging to get laid. The minds of the public were so simple and one-minded that Sasuke almost felt embarrassed for them.

His obvious disinterest in the scene in front of him did not seem to deter the idiots, though. A few of the women detached themselves from the mass of limbs, reeking with the stench of alcohol, eyes glistening with captured interest. Sasuke shot them a crimson glare. He was NOT in the mood to deal with fangirls tonight.

The women stumbled backwards in shock from the spinning black of his Sharingan. Glasses shattered as they knocked into the table across the aisle from his booth, the brackish contents leaking onto the dull, dirty floor. Eyes wide with fear, the hookers reeled away in search of easier, less threatening prey.

Sasuke smirked at the chaos he caused, only to have the condescending grin shift into a taut line of focus. A movement behind the scene had caught his attention, flashes of suspicious actions seen behind the failing arms and curvy bodies of the now absent women.

A man hunkered over something protectively, shielding it from the destructive clutches of the liquid dripping off his table. His hair was dark and slicked back into a greasy mass. Sasuke's eyes narrowed infinitesimally. _Bingo..._ Watery, beady eyes; bony limbs that jutted out like some sort of grotesque scarecrow; pointy nose, hooked like the beak of a bird of prey. The small, mousy man that crouched in his chair perfectly fit the description of the man he was looking for.

The person in question caught Sasuke's eye, a knowing look on his unaesthetic features. With a nod of acknowledgement, he made a show of tucking a scroll into his long, white sleeve before standing up, placing a payment on the table, and ducking out a side door into one of the taverns many side hallways. Sasuke was not even surprised that the man seemed to know who he was; it was like he wasn't recognizable anyway. He would have been more worried if the man had not have realized who he was.

Sasuke let a few minutes pass before he, too, made his move. Checking for extra chakra or any signs of a trap, he made sure the room and adjacent hallway to be clear before deactivating his Sharingan. He stood up in one fluid motion and followed. _This better be good..._ He wasn't sure if his already thin patience could take another dead end.

The shadows of the hallway engulfed him as the door swung shut behind him, the din of the bar behind him fading into a soft echo. The man stood at the end of a long line of doors. His white shirt seemed immaculately bright in the darkness of the hall. Various moans and giggles could be heard down the hall, muffled by the thick bedroom doors. Sasuke blocked them out with disgust and focused on the figure in front of him.

"I know why you are here. One of my informants told me you might come." Head high, shoulders thrown back, the pitiful man tried to look braver than his trembling body suggested.

Sasuke jumped straight to the point. No sense in wasting any more of his time. "Tell me all you know about the organization called Saisei," he smirked, "if that's even much at all."

The man bristled at the comment, his already tense shoulders raising like the hackles on a small, angry dog. "I can tell you almost anything you want to know," he snapped. Sasuke's eyebrow quirked up at his tone, and the man recovered himself, remembering who he was speaking to.

He slid a roll of paper out from his sleeve. "I've written everything I know about Saisei on this," He waved the scroll in front of him, "I'll give you this easily, if I can have some...motivation." A toothy, self-satisfied grin split across his features. Sasuke grew irritated at the sight; this man had some nerve calling him, Sasuke Uchiha, out there only to try to bribe him. Or he was just plain stupid.

Before the man could react, Sasuke had the man pinned up against a wall, his forearm mercilessly pressed against his throat. He could feel the hard bulge of the man's Adam's apple dip as he swallowed nervously. His eyes were wide as they met the red flash of the Sharingan, terror flying across their depths as they comprehended a bloody crimson that promised pain beyond his imagination, inescapable, endless torture. "Or I could just take it from you and kill you..." He snarled, taking pleasure in the tremors of fear that he sent through the man's quaking body.

"No!" The man thrashed for a moment before he whimpered in defeat, "Please...no... You can have the scroll, no problem." A hard, cylindrical object was shoved against Sasuke's chest. Sasuke wrapped his free hand's fingers around the scroll. He backed away from the wall and let the man unceremoniously fall into a gasping, twitching heap. Tucking the paper into his belt, he headed for the entrance to the bar without a backward glance.

"Wait!" Sasuke halted midstep and turned his head sideways, glancing back out of the corner of his eye. "There's one more piece of information I think you would be interested in..." The man stood up and brushed himself off, clasping his hands in front of him nervously.

"This organization, Saisei... It's lead by a man whom I think you know..." Sasuke turned to face him, attention fully grabbed by those words. _How the hell would I know him...?_ Head cocked curiously, he waited for the man to continue. The informant wiped his sweaty palms on the front of his white shirt.

"His name is-" The man's words were cut short as a crimson flower blossomed on the front of his spotless shirt, its gruesome petals surrounding the kunai protruding from his chest. With a sickening gurgle, he slumped to the ground and moved no more.

Instantly alert, Sasuke's hand darted to the hilt of his sword as he spun to face his attacker. His muscles froze in shock as he recognized the person who approached, but he kept his face neutral as the man walking toward him addressed him.

"Long time, no see...Sasuke."

Sasuke eyed him warily. The white scales that had covered the man's body were gone, his snakelike eyes reverted back to their original dark color. Even in the dark hallway, the lens of his glasses held a malicious gleam. He sauntered toward the Uchiha, two girls draped on his shoulders, giggling flirtatiously. Candlelight flickered through the crack of a now open door along the hallway. _Ewww..._ Sasuke tried to resist the urge to vomit as the man smiled smugly at the silent Uchiha.

"Hello... Kabuto."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Hinata gently laid the last folded piece of clothing into her carefully packed suitcase, its smooth, compact body barely adding to the exaggerated space of the luggage. She had taken her time collecting and organizing her belongings, meandering between the closet and bag, fussing over the clothes until they were folded to perfection, gazing out the window at the passing villagers below. They continued on their paths, blissful in the constancy of their daily routines. Hinata released a gusty sigh, her hands dropping to lie on her knees as she contemplated the completed packing in front of her. The recently placed article of clothing drooped forlornly across the top of her meager possessions, a taunting reminder of yet another change in her life that she was about to face.

She leaned forward once more to shut the suitcase. Her shaking hands caressed the smooth leather of the luggage-a going away gift from Kenta- before gripping the edge and pushing down. Her stomach fell with the slow swing of the suitcase lid, plummeting into a sickening lurch that matched the top's elongated arc. The click of the clasps echoed throughout the small apartment, the finality of the sound reverberating to Hinata's very core.

Rising gracefully to her feet, Hinata wrapped her hand around the handle and strode to the door. As she grabbed and twisted the doorknob, she glanced back at her home for the past few months. The room stood empty, identical to the day she had first stepped into its bare dimensions. It was funny how everything seemed to always come full circle.

Shaking her head, Hinata pulled the door open, made her way down the steps to the first floor, and ducked through the curtains into the front of the shop, where she sensed _his_ steady chakra waiting for her. She refused to glance over at him, mortified by the warm blush she could feel stealing over her cheeks.

She couldn't face him after being so rude last night. As she had gotten further and further from the oasis, she had become less furious and more embarrassed by her earlier behavior. She had never done anything like that in her life before; her father would have had a coronary if he had known. She could almost imagine his voice lecturing her, somehow maintaining its impassive tone while conveying his ire. _Hyuuga never stoop so low as to give petty reactions to those of common blood. You are an embarrassment to your clan._ No matter how mad she was, she should never have acted like that, and she couldn't shake the guilt she felt as she avoided the bright green gaze that was trained on her from across the room.

The awkwardness tacit in the air was suffocating. Hinata felt her chest rise and fall more rapidly as her breathing rate quickened, her typical reaction to social stress.

"Ah, Hinata, there you are. I was just about to come check on you," Kenta's booming voice rumbled from across the room. If he sensed the tension in the air, he didn't show it, "the Kazekage got here a couple minutes ago."

Hinata resisted the urge to tell him she had already known that. She had immediately felt Gaara's presence when he entered the shop, his chakra a distinct, powerful entity that could never be mistaken. She was impressed by the raw strength that radiated from it, even without the Shukaku's influence. But instead, she approached Kenta-who stood next to Gaara-silently, her face turned downward, eyes focused on the ground as she ducked between the familiar tables without a thought.

Reaching Kenta, she peered up at him with azure eyes. She had reestablished the transformation jutsu while heading back to Suna, her brief stint of freedom over in a flash. She hated lying to Kenta, the only person she truly trusted in Suna, but she felt the need to be especially cautious at this point. One person knowing the truth was more than enough for Hinata.

Kenta smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling from underneath his white beard, both features a stark contrast to the dark skin beneath it. He had said nothing to protest when she broke the news to him that morning at breakfast, merely nodded and continued to plow through his meal. But the slight droop of his shoulder, the minutely less than rapid pace of work that morning revealed his sadness. She knew it nearly broke his heart that he was going to be alone once more, and that fact was what made this change so hard, not any of the other effects.

He reached out toward her, awkwardly patting her on the head. "Now remember everything I taught you... You can't embarrass me now that you're going to Kazekage Tower." He gruffly cleared his throat and glanced away, obviously uncomfortable with goodbyes.

In that moment, Hinata felt overwhelmed with a fierce sadness not for herself, but for the large man in front of her. She wrapped her arms around Kenta, her safe haven for the past several months. She clung to him like a lifeline, pressing her face into the thick fabric around his shoulder. She felt him stiffen before strong arms enveloped her in a bittersweet embrace.

"Thank you... For everything." Her voice came out muffled from the folds of cloth. Letting go, she stepped back and met his eyes, sending him a shaky smile.

Throughout the scene, Gaara stood by patiently, waiting for her to finish her goodbyes. Seeing her begin to wrap things up, he spoke up in the somber atmosphere.

"Whenever you are ready, we can begin to make our way over."

She broke eye contact with Kenta to finally glance over at the young man next to them. His bright green eyes pierced her with a knowing, regretful look as he watched the teacher and pupil's sad parting. He spoke the words gently, tentatively, as if he was afraid of breaking her wavering resolve.

Hinata meekly nodded and turned to find her suitcase, only to realize that Gaara already held it in his hand. With a quick "arigato," she dropped her head and scrambled for the door, not wanting to make him wait any longer. As she approached the curtain, she heard the two men behind her exchanging farewells and paused to listen.

"Take care of her, son." Kenta's wise voice warned, layers of meaning fused into the admonition.

Gaara's response was simple, but firm, "I will... I promise." With those words, Gaara walked toward the entrance. Hinata ducked outside to hide her eavesdropping, though she knew that he realized that she had heard. Nothing seemed to escape him.

As they traveled through the marketplace together, Hinata couldn't help but be grateful that he was as reticent as she was. He didn't babble on needlessly, instead content to walk alongside her in a semi-comfortable silence. Hinata was glad. She wasn't sure if she could have handled an awkward dialogue.

She chanced a glance over at the man she would soon be living with. His crimson hair and ivory skin set him apart from the crowds of tanned, monochromatic Suna civilians, but not in a bad way. His sharp cheeks and strong nose complimented this exoticness, giving him a regal appearance. Just looking at him, you could tell he was a natural leader.

And Kami, his _clothes_. She knew that long sleeved garments were common desert garb, but the redheaded leader seemed to take it to the extreme with his long flowing jacket, topped by the vest. However, the thick material couldn't disguise the raw power evident in the toned body pressing against the taut fabric of the shoulders, or the sinewy sleekness of his uncovered hands, or...

_Woah, where did that come from?_ Hinata shook the direction of her thoughts. That wasn't even relatable, much less appropriate. Cheeks warming, she glanced away, ignoring the curious stare that burned into the back of her skull.

She refused to look at him the rest if their short journey, instead choosing to study the ever growing outline of the Kazekage Tower. Its gargantuan form loomed over them as they approached. It sat in the center of the village, standing guard over the smaller buildings fanning out from its sides, like a mother hen watching over her many hatchlings.

As they reached the tower's base, large oak doors swung inward, pulled back by invisible strings. Hinata let a nearly inaudible gasp escape from her lips at the sight inside.

A gigantic, circular room ascended toward glass skylight, the sole source of light for the massive room. More than ten levels of floors ascended around it, their balconied edges giving a ringed effect to the open space. A dull murmur provided a surprisingly soft ambiance, seeing as it was created by a constant flow of groups into and out of the room.

But the most amazing aspect of the room was not what rose above her. The floor was engulfed by a large mosaic, thousands of minuscule glass tiles coming together to form fantastic images. A magnificent sun sat in the center with an unimaginable array of colors streaming from the circle. Other pictures wove in and out of this display: dragons darted between the days, bright flames shooting forth from their mouths; desert scenes peppered the fringes, beiges and burgundies melting into the red of the light; spots of blues and greens appeared in the form of oases and forests that reminded Hinata of home.

In the midst of the color, a dark spot on the edge drew her eye. She examined the image, its shadowy simplicity contrasting the extravagance surrounding it. A small boy stood in front of a looming silouhette, the darkness appearing to be moments away from consuming the young child. A shock of red hair popped out, the only detail given to the faceless boy. With a jolt, Hinata realized what exactly the scene was depicting.

"This mural tells the history of our people." Hinata turned her head in response to Gaara's low, husky voice. His green eyes were distant, glazed over with an unspeakable sadness. He continued, "while our past might not be the prettiest, this mural finds the beauty present in everything and reminds us of it... Our past does not define us, or take away from what is happening now, wouldn't you agree?"

His verdant depths met hers, crinkled from a knowing smile that did not quite touch their hypnotic gaze. Unsure of how to respond, Hinata remained speechless, merely nodding, not breaking eye contact.

Thankfully, she was saved by shouts of greeting that echoed throughout the room.

"Gaara! Hiromi-chan!" The two shinobi turned to find the source of noise, aware that many pairs of eyes were now watching curiously.

Kankuro and Temari cheekily waved from several stories up before leaping down to join them.

Temari reached them first, her teal eyes glittering as she gave a small, welcoming smile. "Long time, no see, Hiromi-chan."

"Yeah, you're looking great," Kankuro fell into place behind his older sister, "Gaara told us you would be moving in," His eyes gained a mischievous glint, "don't worry, all the walls in the tower's living areas are soundproof, so you don't have to worry bout keeping us up—HEY!"

The suggestive sentence ended abruptly, leaving Kankuro rubbing his head, scowling at Temari, who stood by with arms crossed, her steely eyes daring him to say more. It was too late, though. By that point, Gaara and Hinata had already passed the scarlet shade of the Kazekage's hair.

She turned toward Hinata, the cold metallic hue of her eyes softening in a gentle blue sea. Her hands lifted in a placating gesture. "Gaara told us you were going to be our new apothecary," Hinata did not miss the meaningful glance Temari shot at the youngest Sabaku, "He never insinuated anything unprofessional, that was just Kankuro's kinky logic." Kankuro's protest was cut short with the threatening wave of a fist, "Welcome, and we are glad to have you in our home, Hiromi-chan."

Hinata bowed deeply in response to the wind mistress' own shallow one, praying that her face would return to its normal color soon. Temari had not acted like she had known Hinata's identity. Rather, she seemed kind of irritated at Gaara, as if she knew he was keeping something from her. And Kankuro sure hadn't acted any differently than the first time. _So he must not have told them... Interesting...__  
_  
"Temari-san!"

The company turned its attention to another one of the overhanging balconies, where a young chunin frantically waved at the spiky-haired blond. Upon capturing her focus, he jumped down in front of the group and gave a deep bow. Eyes wide, knees shaking, the poor thing appeared to be terrified of the woman in front of him.

The woman in question had lost her relaxed pose, squaring her shoulders and adopting a regal stance as she looked down on the young man. "What is it?" She demanded in a sharp bark.

"I-I came to remind you about the summoning c-class you have waiting for you... Baki-san sent me to find you..." He trailed off uncertainly. He warily watched Temari, his eyes gauging her reaction.

"Fine. I will be there," The terse answer seemed to unnerve the already tense boy, and he stood there waiting for more orders, "Go ahead and tell him I am coming. You are dismissed." With an obedient nod, he leapt off to fulfill his duty.

With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Temari turned back to the group. "Sorry, guys. I had wanted to help Hiromi-chan get settled, but it seems like I have to go teach some brats," She walked away, tossing her words over her shoulder, "See you later." With that, she disappeared from sight.

Kankuro returned his gaze to Hinata and Gaara. "As much as I'd love to stay and help Hiromi-chan settle in, I also have business to attend to. But I look forward to seeing your beautiful face around here now." He sent a flirtatious wink in Hinata's direction, seemingly oblivious to the slight narrowing of Gaara's eyes in warning, and darted off before the redhead could react.

Left alone once more, Gaara and Hinata sat in awkward silence for a moment before Gaara—studying the incredibly interesting ground near his foot—decided to speak up.

"I guess I'll show you to your room now... Follow me." He set off in the direction of the stairs, climbing several flights before exiting onto a level. Hinata began to feel overwhelmed as he led her through a maze of hallways. _Kami, will I be able to find my way around?_

As they walked along, Hinata debated whether or not to address her behavior from last night. She felt horrible, and she would hate for it to go unresolved, even if it was just on her part. She glanced at Gaara, who seemed to be lost in thought just as she was.

"Here we are." His unexpected words broke the silence, and he turned and gave her a small smile. They sat there outside the door for a moment, both seeming to struggle with wanting to say something.

"I'm sorry—"

"I apologize—"

They stopped and stared at each other, waiting for the other to continue. At Gaara's prompting nod, Hinata—head bowed down—proceeded, "I... I should never have acted like I did last night... I was angry and scared and upset... Can we forget it ever happened...?" She peeked up at him hopefully.

To her surprise, Gaara was staring at her in shock. "You don't have to apologize to me; I should be the one feeling bad... Any anger you felt toward me was justified." He stumbled onward, spitting out the words like he was afraid he would swallow them and choke if he didn't get them out. "I barged in there and...and just expected you to do what I said. I didn't give you much of a choice, and I don't want you to be resentful toward me or Suna...or...yeah..." He ducked his head and then looked at her with wide, penitent eyes, truly wanting to mend the situation, but seeming to be afraid of the worst. Hinata's heart went out to the frazzled young leader.

"It's ok... I will learn to love it here..." The words popped out before she could stop them. She knew that they couldn't be true though, no matter how much she wanted them to be true; she still planned to leave as soon as possible. Guilt welled inside of her as Gaara's face broke into an uncharacteristic grin, making her stomach flip in an unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant, manner.

"That makes me very glad..." He placed her luggage next to the door, "I... I'll leave you to unpack now," he took a few hesitant steps down the hall before turning back suddenly, "Oh, here are your keys...someone will be here around six to take you to dinner..." Hinata nodded, watching him make his way down the hall.

He threw one last, reluctant glance over his shoulder, his evident happiness and relief bubbling over and replacing his normal, collected self. "So... I will see you then, I guess?" At her shy nod, he smiled again, sending her heart pounding and her stomach into turmoil once more, before turning and walking away.

Hinata unlocked her door and entered her room, considerably smaller and darker than her apartment at Kenta's. A small bed was pushed against the far wall, a bureau standing opposite the bed, next to the door. Light streamed in from the left, revealing the small bathroom connected to the main room. There were no windows, but for some reason, she did not feel claustrophobic without them like she would have before. Instead, she felt just...private.

She dropped her bag by the door, letting it fall shut behind her and making her way to the bed. With a sigh, Hinata plopped back on the bed, throwing her arm over her eyes. She was unnerved by how...good it felt to resolve the issue with Gaara. She meditated on the feeling she got earlier, imagining and replaying Gaara's excited smile.

She was surprised to find that she felt as attached to him as she had to her friends in Konoha. He was much easier to talk to than other people for some reason, and this ease had caught her off guard, allowing him to slip past the barriers she had put around herself. _So much for not getting too close... _Her mind told her that she was getting into bad business; she needed to concentrate on getting through this. There was no time for anything else. Confusion and frustration welled up inside of her as she struggled to get a handle on herself.

Rolling over onto her side, Hinata grabbed the pillow and pushed her jumbled thoughts and emotions to the side. She didn't feel like dealing with this at the moment; the future would handle itself.

The last thing she remembered before drifting off was the sense of peace and safety she felt as she took a hand and followed an indistinct, crimson-headed figure into the realm of slumber.

**Review please! It is my inspiration!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The sharp click of footsteps echoing down the hall contrasted sharply with the distant moaning Sasuke could hear. He glanced at Kabuto's thin form as he followed the medic nin through a series of complex passages. The firelight from the torches glinted unevenly off his white head, making it seem as if the shadows there were living, writhing creatures, just waiting for the chance to escape from the translucent locks. Sasuke shivered in a strange feeling of déjà vu; while the medic nin had assured the last Uchiha that he had finally found his own identity-allowing him to escape from Itachi's Izanami-Sasuke couldn't help but notice how this place was eerily similar to one of Orochimaru's old hideouts.

The white-haired nin had not seem at all surprised by Sasuke's interest in Saisei. After dismissing the women—without some reluctance—Kabuto had immediately addressed the young man standing before him...

_"I've known you were tracking down my organization since the day you left Konoha," his self-satisfied smirk widened as he watched the Uchiha, "Granted, you aren't the first to show interest in my new project, so I already had been keeping tabs on that area. I knew it was only a matter of time before you would come to see me. As you can guess, I'm not chasing after Orichimaru-sama's dream anymore. I have a few...interests of my own to pursue now."_

He let out a low chuckle. "I'd be willing to let you see what I've been doing...if you wanted, that is," he regarded Sasuke cooly, "I'm not worried if you'll betray me; you'll join me when you see what brilliance really is." With that, the medic nin turned and sauntered toward the bar without a backward glance.

Their interaction in the hotel had been brief and, more importantly, unenlightening. Kabuto had left Sasuke with the same amount of information he had started out with, leaving Sasuke no choice but to blindly follow the other ninja from the bar. Kabuto obviously preferred to show off what he had been up to, rather than explain it, and Sasuke had a feeling that whatever it was, it wasn't going to be a world-changing cure.

A sickening green glow soon was visible ahead as the grotesque voices grew slowly louder. "Welcome to my humble abode," Kabuto's smug voice broke in among the now dominating sounds of discomfort. They broke into the light, their bodies now matching in the room's ghastly hues.

Sasuke silently took in the scene in front of him, same stoic mask present on his sharp features. His dark eyes darted back and forth as they observed the contents of the room. Cages pushed forward as far as his regular vision could see; even Sasuke had to admit that their immeasurable presence was slightly unnerving. _What has he been doing this whole time...and how were his activities not detected before now?_ Sasuke nearly snorted in derision. This was why he wasn't part of the village system anymore; their sheer incompetence was just insulting. No wonder they had loved him so much when he had been there: those idiots needed him.

But what truly bothered Sasuke was how many cages actually had occupants. He was used to seeing so many containers; one doesn't spend years with Orochimaru without becoming indifferent to caged misery. But at least the snake saanin seemed to have been less successful than Kabuto, if only in gathering his subjects.

Not one cage in his line of vision stood empty. Occupants whittled away in the confined quarters, howling and rattling the bars, staring dejectedly past the two onlookers, curling up in the corner in a depressed stupor.

Sasuke strolled behind Kabuto-who held his hands luxuriously behind his back-as they walked between the cages. He studied the labels paired with each cage: _Subject 84, Jinton; Subject 47, Hyōton; Subject 29, Yōton. _ Each of the names rang familiarly through his mind. Memories of hours looking through various books, copying pages of information on other villages and clans with his Sharingan, resurfaced_. Are these what I think they are...?__  
_  
"What do you think?" Sasuke's gaze snapped from the words to meet dark eyes as Kabuto glanced at Sasuke languidly.

"These are kekkei genkai. Not just from the Land of Fire." It was a statement, not a question. He knew Kabuto would answer any inquiries without him even asking. Sasuke's sharp eyes stayed glued to Kabuto's until the medic nin looked down, hiding behind the white glint of his glasses. Kabuto stayed in that position for a few seconds.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" With a quick shove of his fingers, Kabuto readjusted his glasses and met Sasuke's eyes once more, a feral grin adorning his pale features. "I've been very busy these past four years, if you couldn't tell." Sasuke remained silent as he waited for Kabuto to continue.

"Now, you're probably thinking, 'Kekkei genkai? Orichimaru-sama's been there, done that.' But you're wrong," He let out dark chuckle, "Orochimaru may have been a genius, but he never came anywhere close to what I'm accomplishing today; he was too selfish." They continued down the narrow path between the cages.

"What I'm doing is beyond what our master ever dreamed of. What I'm doing is making medical history. Orochimaru just wanted to utilize kekkei genkai for himself, and he could only do that by taking the bodies of his subjects, with a few exceptions found in his other experiments, like that Yamato... But in this experimentation, I've surpassed even Orochimaru."

Kabuto ran his fingers along the steel bars of a container, studying the metal cylinders with unnatural interest. "I've discovered not only how to isolate the genes of those with kekkei genkai, but also how to take this genetic code and implant it in ordinary ninja at a mass production rate. You could say I have the potential to create my own special army of sorts."

His dark eyes never left the cage as he spoke. Their depths held the glitter of neuroticism, that strange quality of controlled rabidity that only mad men possess. He continued to explain, sounding more like a child proudly describing a science fair project than a grown man discussing a grotesquely illegal breakthrough in medicine.

"Of course, there have been setbacks: the inability to capture some abilities, the difficulty in separating some genes, determining who's compatible for what. And we are still working out a few kinks in the transfer and gene therapy part... But you'd be surprised how many people are willing to pay for this power. I originally only did this for curiosity's sake, but with that added bonus, my plans have changed."

His fingers paused, gripping the metal's smooth surface with surprising intensity, "Now I've decided to start a business of sorts. You know, they always say you should do what you love for work. So I am... And this profit has allowed me to look at other special projects, ones that I won't tell you about for now." He released the bar and continued forward. Sasuke trailed slowly behind.

They passed multiple cages in silence until Kabuto paused outside one in particular. Sasuke skimmed the label before peering into its dark interior: _Subject 9, Mira kogeki_. He was surprised to find two electric blue orbs staring at him, with hatred as intense as his curiosity burning inside.

"I know teachers aren't supposed to have favorites, but I can't help it with this gem here," Kabuto let out a crazed giggle, "I look forward to seeing you two play later." Ignoring Sasuke's sharp, questioning look, he continued until the end of the cages, where the first empty container stood.

_Subject 1, Byakugan_

Its forlorn appearance mocked Sasuke; it was the cause of and a reflection of his own friend's haggard countenance, the reason he now stood there. It made his goal even clearer, giving him the resolve to continue in his charade, no matter how disgusting Kabuto was.

"As you probably know, I have yet to be successful with this particular one... I haven't given up on her, though. I know she's out there, hidden from me. I will keep looking, keep cutting down my options amidst all the dark-haired girls in this land until I find her…But all in time; good things come to those who wait," Sasuke wanted to slice off that smug grin with his katana, "Speaking of waiting, I've been looking forward to the day I could ask you to join me." Sasuke barely concealed his shock at the statement, while Kabuto continued on uninterrupted.

"I know we didn't have the best relationship while working under Orochimaru, but I'm willing to put that behind me if you are. With you by my side, success would be almost guaranteed," he kept talking, not letting Sasuke answer, taking the forced silence as confirmation, "Of course, you'll have to start out with small stuff. As much as I'd love to trust you immediately, I'm not stupid. And I don't want to let all these years of effort go to waste... You know how that feels, don't you?"

He grinned at the Uchiha with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. It took all of Sasuke's self control not to slit his throat then and there. If Kabuto realized how close he was to dying at that moment, he didn't show it. He turned away with a flick of his hand.

"With that introduction out of the way, I'll leave you now. I have many important things to attend to, being a corporate head and all... I'll have someone show you to your room."

And with those parting words, Sasuke was left alone in the dim glow of the laboratory, the events of the last few minutes barely registering in his mind, they occurred so quickly. As he sat there contemplating the severity of the situation, he stood face to face with a cage whose empty contents stared back at him, taunting him with the events and mistakes of his past, and warning him of the enormity of the task that was now placed on his shoulders.

**Review, por favor!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Gaara hovered to the side of the open door to the tower workshop, concealing his chakra as he remained hidden from view. He could hear the shifting of Hiromi—no, wait, of Hinata—while she worked on filling the various prescriptions that now dominated her life.

This was the first time he had come to visit Hinata since showing her to her room that initial day. Gaara had let Temari handle introducing Hinata to her workshop and explaining her job, still unsure of how to act around the dark-haired girl. He had been worried about seeming too eager, so Gaara had decided to avoid her for a while, if only to get his thoughts straight so he couldn't embarrass himself.

And so, he had made no contact with her for a week. Sure, he had seen Hinata at meals, had passed her walking in the hallway, had stopped by to pick up a couple of prescriptions. But their interactions had been only brief scenes: an awkward greeting, her quiet response, and a nod goodbye. Nothing big, to his disappointment...and relief.

But today was a new day. Gathering what courage he could muster, Gaara ducked into the apothecary. He was going to do it, was finally going to talk to her, to make a step in reestablishing their long-forgotten friendship. His stomach churned with barely contained nerves, exploding like the feeling he got when Naruto landed a rare left hook in his gut while sparring. But Gaara paid no mind; he had gotten used to it, and almost expected feeling like that around the young Hyuuga.

Hinata's head snapped up as Gaara walked in, her blue eyes expectant. Huh... She knew he had been there after all. He couldn't help but be impressed, although he kept telling himself that she was a jōnin-level ninja, despite her apparent innocence. Her head dipped slightly in acknowledgement.

"Kazekage-sama," Hinata formally greeted him as he walked, before returning her focus to the counter in front of her to finish preparing his medicine.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead grinding his teeth and inclining his head in response. What little progress Gaara thought he had made with Hinata and titles had disappeared as soon as she had started working in the tower. Even though Gaara had asked her several times to refer to him at least on a last name basis, she always resorted to that quiet, infuriating "Kazekage-sama." He didn't know if it was some twisted form of guilt for her small tantrum, or a show of respect to lessen any suspicions, but whatever the reason, it bugged the hell out of him. To Gaara, it felt like a wall, a defense mechanism just like his sand, designed to keep him from coming any closer to discovering her thoughts and feelings. But he wasn't going to stand that; there could only be one ultimate defense in these parts.

Gaara quietly sucked in a deep breath. He stared at the top of Hinata's dark head as she gathered the contents of his prescription; to any other customer she would have appeared completely absorbed in her task, but Gaara knew that her obliviousness was an act. She seemed to forgot he was a high-level ninja, too. She couldn't deceive him about this. Her slightly tense shoulders and taut knuckles on the knife grip betrayed her discomfort.

He wished she would look up at him and give him a shy, sweet smile like the ones he remembered from so long ago. But she continued in her task, deaf to Gaara's mental request.

Despite her unease, Hinata still seemed so calm, so focused, exactly the opposite of how he felt at that moment. And people had always called him impenetrable. For Kami's sake, he had led the Shinobi Alliance, had faced the edo tenseis of some of the greatest shinobi the world has ever seen, and yet this girl could turn his knees to jelly without even looking at him. Talk about a hit to your pride. Slightly rankled, he squared his shoulders. _This is it... Here goes..._

"How...how are you?"

Her slim body stiffened in surprise, and Gaara avoided the glance she sent his way, instead studying some herbs on the counter like they had just sprouted some legs and were doing a jig.

"Fine, Kazekage-sama. The Tower has turned out to be a wonderful place to live..." That damn title again, in that soft, calm voice. She warily watched him, as if waiting for him to sprout horns or something. Gaara huffed in annoyance. Was it really that surprising that he wanted to be social?

"Gaara-san, please... If not, then at least Sabaku-san..." To his surprise, she sent him a baleful look, her vibrant eyes piercing him. But she said nothing as usual, merely nodding in compliance, always the polite one if his memory served to be correct. So, Gaara let the topic drop, not wanting to take advantage of that well of patience.  
Floundering for words, Gaara searched his mind for the different conversation topics he had reviewed before coming. He found it better to be prepared when it came to being..."social"...

"Is the workshop here as good as the one back home?" He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the counter as he waited for her to reply. Maybe if he seemed to relax it would encourage her. At least, that's what Kankuro always told him when Gaara wondered why he made people tense.

Her face turned bright red at that, and she bowed her head as she mumbled a response, "The facilities here are amazing... More than I would ever have imagined for a desert village," she peeked up at him shyly in a way Gaara couldn't help but think was adorable, "But...the quality of Konoha plants is nearly unparalleled by anything here, as you could probably guess, even in the indigenous plants...Maybe it's just that Konoha plants are so fresh and alive..."

Gaara's mind sent up a red flag hearing those words. _Not as fresh...?_ _We have a greenhouse he—_ his thought cut off as he realized the implication of those words.

Temari didn't tell her.

They had a greenhouse here in Suna—not the small one for visiting ninja, but another, more extensive building. It was just a private one, its location known only by a small group of occupants in the tower(small as in the Sabaku family, certain Suna ninja, and medical personnel). There, plants from various locations were gathered and raised to replenish the limited supplies of desert plants. Gaara always was amazed by the vast array of plants with incredible medicinal properties, never seeming to have enough time—or the knack, to his frustration— to learn them all.

But it was a ninja's greenhouse, meaning that its contents were not all harmless. Suna puppeteers were known for their potent poisons; they had to get their supplies from somewhere. For this reason, not just the greenhouse's location, but also its existence itself was kept secret. Any ninja with even half a knowledge of rare plants who stumbled across this arsenal would pose a huge threat to Suna's safety.

The fact that Temari hadn't revealed this to Hinata, a new medical personnel trusted by even Gaara himself, spoke volumes. This was Temari's hidden warning. She obviously didn't trust Hinata, and apparently she was advising Gaara not to either through her silence.

But Temari didn't know the truth.

Storing the information he had just gleaned for later review, Gaara continued his conversation with the kunoichi in question.

"So... You're basically saying the Konoha plants are better?" He tilted his head at her, watching her with a cocked eyebrow; he wasn't offended, just honestly curious. If the fact was true, Suna needed to pick up the pace. He couldn't be outclassed by Naruto, even if the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki was his best friend. The man had beaten him with a head butt for Kami's sake.

Belatedly, Hinata realized she had made a potentially disastrous mistake, at least in etiquette. She ducked her head as her face reached an unhealthy shade of scarlet, choking out a mangled apology, "Gomensai... I... I meant no offense at all... You see-" She stopped as Gaara held up a silencing hand.

"You don't have to apologize; I've been to Konoha, and I have to say I agree. The plants there are quite beautiful compared to the rocks we have here..." A small smile stretched across Gaara's lips; those seemed to happen more and more often during the time he spent with this girl. He didn't really know what to think of that, but he wasn't necessarily bothered by the fact either. "But I do have to admit, I don't really understand... What's so different about the plants in Konoha? You end up in a workshop like this one there with them, regardless of the freshness."

Hinata paused for a moment, weighing her options before quietly speaking.

"Well... In Konoha...you get to experience the process before the workshop...You... get to feel the soft earth slide underneath your hands as you pull weeds to protect your plants... You smell the unique scent of upturned dirt, proof of the hard work you just put into planting your garden..." Gaara watched, fascinated, as her aquamarine eyes closed in rapture, a peaceful smile slipping across her delicate features, "You get to watch your seeds sprout and then grow under your guidance..."

At that, her voice trailed off. The smile fell from her lips and morphed into a small frown. Her brow furrowed as she opened her eyes. Their blue depths were glazed over with sadness before turning their focus to him, the calm blue sea that had been there before disrupted by a storm of emotions. A small sigh escaped her lips.

Shaking her head like a dog shakes off water after a bath, Hinata addressed him. A melancholy smile hung on her face, a mocking ghost of the joy that had been there only seconds before.

"I'm sorry.. I doubt you care to hear the longings of a garden hermit..." She tore her gaze away from him, staring in the distance, watching some distant memory. Gaara patiently waited for her to continue, but she remained speechless, her features falling even more with each second that passed.

In the quiet, Gaara began to experience a rare feeling: powerlessness. He had no idea what to do, how to handle this, how to stop it. This wasn't some military maneuver or issue of discipline; this was a young girl, with feelings: a new field to discover. Sure, he had dealt with Temari and her temper, but as far as he could tell, she wasn't like most other girls...or people for that matter.

Gaara warily watched the depressed girl. He could tell she was obviously trying to play her sadness off as thoughtfulness, but for all his social ineptitude, Gaara wasn't stupid.

Although he felt very ignorant trying to handle the issue in front of him.

_Think... Think... Every problem has a solution..._ He just had to think about it logically. If he had learned anything from watching Temari and Shikamaru, it was that. Gaara contemplated the blue-haired girl, reviewing their conversation in his head. He watched her fiddle with a leaf on the table in the silence. Flip and switch, flip and switch. Pale hands pushed the slip of green back and forth between them. Time seemed to stretch on in the silence, like fog creeping over the morning ground.

Then Gaara had an idea.

"Follow me." The command, soft yet authoritative, shook Hinata out of her reverie. He turned and began to leave the apothecary, not waiting for Hinata, who was conscientiously organizing her work area.

He knew he had commanded Hinata to come but couldn't help but worry that she wouldn't, so he held back a small sigh of relief when he heard her scurry to catch up with him, although he refused to look back at her.

Gaara led her through the twists and turns of the tower's hallways with ease, nodding to the various personnel they crossed paths with. Hinata trailed behind, the sound of her soft steps mingling with his.

The appearance of random servants decreased as they moved further from the main halls, until more than a few minutes passed without sighting anyone. The pair soon reached the quietest part of the tower, where the storage rooms were located.

Gaara stopped in front of a large tapestry, one of many adorning the extensive walls of the tower.

A festival scene stood before them, paper lanterns weaving amongst the village's inhabitants. Couples danced throughout the square in front of a castle gate. Unlike Gaara and Hinata's current location, green was the dominating color; plants hung from the town's windows, vines crept up the palace's stone walls, and flowers adorned the hair and garments of the people in the scene. The vibrant colors and lifelike details of the figures made them seem like they could jump out of the woven picture, into the sandy reality of Suna.

Gaara stretched out his hand toward one couple in particular, a willowy, blond, green-eyed girl with a sinewy, dark-haired boy, pointing toward the castle with matching smiles as they danced. He ran his fingers along the fabric's surface until he reached the white chrysanthemum tucked into the girl's golden locks. He traced its ivory petals, infusing chakra into the flower as he went.

Then he stepped back to watch his work's effects.

At first, the scene appeared to remain unchanged. But slowly, the castle's wooden gate grew, pushing the other objects in the scene out of the way until it had enlarged enough to cover the whole tapestry. It sank backward and thickened until melded into the wall, dispelling the genjutsu and revealing a wooden door that had been hidden the entire time. Gaara pushed the hinged entrance, and it swung inward to reveal stairs descending into dense darkness.

It was then that Gaara decided to finally look back at Hinata.

Her bright blue eyes were stretched to their limit, wide with apprehension. She stood there, body taut, chest discreetly but rapidly rising and falling. It was obvious that she expected the worst and was panicking, but desperately trying to hide it, barely under control.

Gaara couldn't blame her; if he had been in her situation, he would have already made a move to escape. Who knows what could be lying in wait for her at the bottom of the stairs? Imprisonment? Torture? ... Death?

All sad realities of the life of a ninja.

As he watched her, he almost wished that the circumstances were different, that they didn't live in a world full of danger and deceit, but instead a world of peace, where people weren't used as weapons. This wasn't the first time he had longed for that.

"It's ok," Her eyes shot to his, suspicion swimming in their aquamarine depths. He continued cautiously, "Nothing will happen to you... I promise." He nodded at her in what he hoped was an encouraging way. Gaara considered offering a hand to her. He wanted to do something, anything to make her unafraid. But he thought better of it. This was a powerful, competent kunoichi he was looking at; although he had good intentions, an offer like that might make it seem like he didn't believe she could handle this, and he would never want her to think that he saw her as weak. She was far from that.

Hinata stared at him for a moment, and he could see her internal debate. But something she saw in him must have convinced her, because her eyes filled with resolution, and she dipped her head slightly in response.

Without another word, Gaara turned and proceeded down the stairway into the shadows. The pair soon reached the bottom and continued forward along a path hewn from rock. They walked in silence once again, eyesight dimmed in the darkness of the tunnel. Only their soft breaths disturbed the stillness of the underground path.

After a couple minutes passed, the tunnel grew lighter, with a yellow square of light not far in the distance. The air grew heavy with moisture, the humidity almost stifling compared with the usual dry, desert air. Gaara and Hinata approached the exit and stepped into the sunlight. Behind him, Gaara heard Hinata's soft gasp.

They had reached the Suna greenhouse.

They were in a large rock cavern; hard brown walls rose on all sides, with mirrors lined in various spots, providing the optimum amount of light for the plants below—not the plants, the jungle. Green was everywhere, from the overlapping leaves of the underbrush to the gargantuan fronds of the various trees in the orchard. And amidst this verdant assemblage, it was like someone had taken the rainbow and deposited every color imaginable.

Bright hibiscus dotted the undergrowth, oranges, reds, and pinks clashing with their green background. Orchids covering a large spectrum of color were nestled in treetops and hung from various structures. Different species of vines crept along latticework, twisting through the wooden pieces. It was organized chaos. Plants were separated by indigenous location and species, with different areas of the cavern sporting the different temperatures and soils to support their plants, thanks to the chakra and efforts of the attendants. But no attempts were made to keep plants in the same section from overlapping, as long as it didn't inhibit their growth.

"This is the Suna greenhouse," Gaara looked back at Hinata, who was craning her neck back to examine the cavern, "Outside of the ninja population, only a select few in the tower know of its existence. As a medical personnel, you are supposed to have access after working in the tower for a few weeks, but I decided that since you are living with us now, your competence would be a great help, so I showed it to you prematurely."

"It's beautiful..." Hinata's gaze dropped to meet his, and she offered him a small smile.

They walked along the overflowing pathway, where Gaara led Hinata to the Konoha section of the greenhouse. Hinata's eyes lit up with recognition as they approached, but she stayed back, turning to look at Gaara for permission. At his nod, she smiled gratefully and rushed forward, with the same enthusiasm of a child entering a candy store.

She walked among the plants—unfamiliar to Gaara but obviously well-known to her. She whispered the name of each species, running her fingers along leaves and petals like they were old friends. Face flushed, eyes bright, Hinata had come to life, absorbing and reflecting the energy that surrounded her. Gaara could only stand and watch in awe.

She was amazing. Seeing her in her element, Gaara wondered why she had even decided to leave her home. A twinge of guilt shifted through him. It was obvious she belonged in Konoha, not here, in this harsh desert that sucked the life from her.

"Why did you leave?" The question that bubbled inside burst through his lips before he could stop it.

Hinata froze, hand extended toward the soft pink of the sakura blossom in front of her. After a moment, she closed the gap and stroked its feathery surface, staring at the ground as she replied.

"I... I decided that I needed to leave...for the safety and well-being of my friends...and my sister," This revelation surprised Gaara; he thought that something had forced her to leave her home. He never would have guessed that it was by her own decision.

Letting her hand drop, Hinata continued through the lush garden, with Gaara trailing behind, "My friends, they... They always were protecting me, always putting themselves in danger so that I could return home unscathed. My team, my uncle, my cousin... They all put my needs before them, even though I was weak and undeserving... After watching so many people get hurt...or die... I couldn't take it anymore. I wasn't worth this, so I had to put a stop to it somehow."

Gaara let those words sink in for a moment before remembering her stating another reason for leaving. "What about your sister? Why would leaving help her well-being?"

She glanced at him curiously before turning back to the plants lining the trail, running her fingers along a low-lying branch. "I guess you don't know much about clan traditions in Konoha, do you?" Her blue eyes found his, and he shook his head slowly.

"In the Hyuuga clan, we are separated into Main House and Branch House. Those in the Main House live a life of luxury, controlling decisions for the clan, while those in the Branch House live a life of servitude, caring for and protecting the members of the Main House. They receive a seal—the Caged Bird Seal—that...ensures that they obey the Main House, causing excruciating pain to those who rebel." At these words, Hinata's hands wrapped around the branch and tightened. White skin stretched across bone, contrasting the dark brown of the tree's bark.

"Obviously, there can only be so many in charge, so there is a limit placed on the Main House: only the eldest child of the Main House leader may become heir and stay in the Main House. Any other children must be sealed and placed in the Branch House."

Hinata's eyes hardened, becoming cold sapphires. She let go of the branch, turned, and kept walking, leaving the Konoha section of the greenhouse and entering the Suna area. "After our mother died giving birth to my younger sister Hanabi, I made it my goal to raise her in my mother's place. I remember holding her, immediately falling in love with the small bundle of life in my arms. However, as we grew, my father constantly pitted us against each other, trying to determine who was stronger, so that obviously placed some strain on our relationship... But after my...near-death experience during Pain's invasion, something changed, and my sister and I grew closer than ever, despite the challenges our father threw at us."

Hinata paused and glanced back at Gaara, the coldness of her eyes melting slightly as she continued, "I love my sister, more than my own life. So, I would rather die than watch her be forced into the Branch House...and that's what I did, in a sense... I promised her the first time I held her after she was born that I would keep her safe and happy, no matter what."

She closed her eyes as Gaara watched, fascinated. "And I never back down or go back on my word, because that is my nindo, my ninja way..." Gaara felt warmth crawl over him as he watched determination fill her features. The more time he spent with her, the more he grew in respect and awe of her. While she was still the quiet, polite girl he knew once, she had changed, too, becoming a loyal, capable woman who followed her beliefs. Besides Temari(and Lady Tsunade), she had to be the strongest woman he had ever met.

Hinata's eyes blinked open. She shook her head rapidly and looked down, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as if she just remembered where she was and whom she was talking to. "Anyway... Call it stupid, or cowardly, or weak, but... I do not regret doing this...if it means I can protect those I love..."

"You aren't weak," Startled, Hinata's wide eyes shot to his, "This act required strength that not many people have. And I find that the purest, most honorable bravery involves the ability to sacrifice your own needs for the good of others... Through doing this, you became stronger... You are right to not regret this decision." He let his gaze bore into hers, emphasizing every word to get his point across. He wanted so badly to make her understand that she needed to give herself more credit.

Hinata flushed a deep shade of red, nodded, and looked away, crouching to finger the branches of a small bush. Awkward silence filled the air.

Realizing he might have said too much and embarrassed her, Gaara fumbled for another topic. He looked around desperately, keeping his gaze off her in an attempt to keep his mind clear. He couldn't have any more rash statements like the one he just said.

He spied the plant she was examining—a small bush about as tall as his knee, dotted with medium-sized, silvery-white blossoms—and recognized it with relief. And then he almost laughed at the irony.

"That's one of my favorites: the Invalesco flower." Hinata didn't tear her gaze from the translucent flower resting in her palm. Eight petals—with rounded bases that eased into a smooth point—laid in layers around a shimmering silver center, where several golden stamen poked out, anthers covered with a light layer of pollen. It looked like a cross between a hibiscus, lily, and rose, along with possessing some desert wildflower characteristics, a unique blend of beauty and hardiness. Studying it, Hinata inclined her head toward Gaara as he spoke, indicating that she was listening.

"It's a rare flower that's indigenous to only the bases of the mountains that line the northeastern border of Suna..." He walked over and crouched next to her, reaching out to stroke one of the plant's palm-sized flowers. "While it has no medicinal properties, it blooms all year, and its petals absorb and reflect moonlight, making it a hot commodity among businesses that host nighttime events.

"But its most amazing property is not its aesthetic capability, but rather, its regenerative ability, which is why the greenhouse contains this plant for research. Branches of the Invalesco that hold a blossom can, when broken off the main plant," with this, he snapped off the branch he had been examining, "grow into another plant—roots, stems, and all."

Gaara glanced past the flower in front of his face at Hinata and found her staring at the flower, fascination shining in her blue eyes. Seeing them next to the flower's white surface, he thought of her natural eye color. He liked the Hyuuga's ivory hue better; it was soft and pure, like her.

"Instead of remaining the same in size or diminishing, the blossom grows larger and fuller after separation, eventually creating a plant bigger than the original. That's the reason why it is my favorite," Gaara held the branch—slightly longer than his hand—out to her, catching and holding her gaze, "I think the ability to survive and flourish after hardships is an admirable trait, no?"

He stared into her eyes, green clashing with blue, as she plucked it from his fingers. Gaara began to experience a most peculiar feeling. His stomach flipped in circles, and he felt heat spreading out from his center, reaching his fingertips and leaving them tingling. They both looked away and blushed. _This is weird…but a good weird…_

After a moment, Gaara cleared his throat, "Well, I have... Kazekage affairs to attend to. I trust that you will be able to find your way back, but if you need any assistance, there are attendants if you look for them." He didn't want to leave, but he was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would try something incredibly stupid. What exactly, he wasn't sure.

She nodded, and a flash of unreadable emotion danced across her eyes.

Gaara turned away and began to make his way back toward the tunnel. Was that...disappointment he had just seen? He stifled the hope bubbling in his chest; it couldn't be that, that's just wishful thinking.

But glancing back to find her holding the flower to her face, eyes closed, smelling the blossom with a small smile, he couldn't help but believe that maybe his wishes weren't completely ridiculous.

**REVIEW! *Puppy dog eyes***


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Come in."

Hiashi's authoritative tone beckoned her into the Hyuuga head's office. Hanabi ducked into the large room, taking a standing position to the right of the large oak door. Her bright silver eyes scanned the spacious compartment. Bookshelves lined the walls, but the bulky structures barely put a dint in the room's negative space. A tall mahogany desk stood as the room's focal point, dwarfing the two skinny wooden chairs in front of it. The office radiated power and made anyone who stepped into its recesses feel small. Insignificant. Weak.

Her father lounged in a leather swivel chair behind his gargantuan desk, reminding Hanabi of a spider lying wait for its prey. Cold diamond eyes-set in an emotionless porcelain mask-stared at her expectantly.

Hanabi stifled a shudder of loathing. For years, she had deeply admired, respected, and, despite everything he put her through, loved the man that sat in front of her. She had vied for his attention, competing with and pushing away her own sister, doing anything to earn a slight nod of approval, if even that. But as Hanabi grew closer to Hinata and witnessed the Council's cruelty toward her sister-sweet Hinata-and Hiashi's refusal to defend his own daughter, she began to doubt his deservance of that respect and, as a result, distanced herself.

Hinata's death had been the final straw for the strained relationship. When Naruto broke the news to Hanabi and her father that day in his small, round office, Hiashi merely paused, blinked, and proceeded to listen, as if the blond had just mentioned the weather. No tears, no regrets...no nothing. Hanabi, on the otherhand, had to be sedated to keep her from jumping the Hokage, convinced that he was lying. She bet that had been difficult to explain to the Council.

Even at the funeral, Hiashi had not shed one tear, and he had no problem joining the Council immediately after the ceremony to begin preparations for Hanabi's training as the new heiress-destroying any scrap of affection Hanabi felt for the man.

Now, she only saw him as another member of the Council, a figure to be hated and distrusted. In Hanabi's eyes, she was an orphan, her only true parent lying in the Hyuuga cemetery, covered by a bed of sunflowers. Every day, she only grew more in hatred of the man she once called her father, and she knew that it was only a short time until she snapped from the building tension.

Hanabi leaned against the back wall, waiting to be addressed. She hoped this wouldn't take long.

"Sit."He gestured to one of the seats in front of his desk.

Hanabi slowly came forward, purposely sitting in the chair adjacent to the one he pointed to. His finger twitched, but he gave no other reaction to her insolence.

"The Council has sent me a complaint about some recent behavior of yours." Hiashi pinned her with his steely gaze, obviously waiting for an explanation.

Hanabi resisted smirking. Ever since she had been named heiress, she had worked her hardest to make the Council's life a living hell. From "accidentally" saying harmless, yet embarrassing, things about clan workings at village functions, to being completely hopeless at etiquette and other aspects of her training, Hanabi found pleasure in making those old farts think that maybe she wasn't the perfect heiress they always hoped she would be. For now, they believed it was a the combination of grief and immaturity that made her unable to handle their rigorous training. The only people whom she was sure suspected her sabotage were the Branch members-who thought it was hilarious-and Hiashi-who could do nothing without making him look bad.

The only times where the Council became truly frustrated with her were the instances when she challenged certain clan traditions and ideas, the same ones Hinata had confided exasperation with to Hanabi. These conflicts mainly involved the clan's House divisions and, more importantly, the Main's treatment of the Branch. Hanabi had spent many nights listening absentmindedly while Hinata talked about restoring justice in the clan, never really believing it would happen because of her sister's respectful nature. Now Hinata was gone, but Hanabi refused to let her older sister's idealistic dreams die with her. Unlike Hinata, Hanabi didn't care about the opinion of the Council and, more effectively, was willing to forego politeness in her new mission. So she worked hard to begin what she knew would be a long process of counteracting tradition. She had wondered when they would finally say something about it.

"What have I done wrong, Otou-san?" Hanabi played dumb, widening her eyes into an expression of innocence. But she knew exactly what was coming.

Hiashi's sharp gaze told her she didn't fool him, "I have been told that you have been actively...campaigning against the use of the Caged Bird Seal as punishment, and you have even gone as far as ordering Main Branch members to stop if they use the seal in your presence... Is this true?"

Hanabi met his gaze and squared her shoulders, jutting her chin out defiantly, "Yes, I have."

"I have been asked to put a stop to this," His icy orbs seemed to grow colder, if possible, "I don't know if you realize it, but your actions are a danger to the stability of this clan. You need to be careful that you do not stir up ideas of rebellion in the hearts of the Branch members. There's no guarantee of your safety if anything happens." The warning hung in the air with the weight of a threat.

"I don't know what you are playing at, Hanabi, but I am not stupid. I know that you are purposely antagonizing the Council, and I just want to know one thing: why?"

Hanabi refused to answer, studying her nails in silence. He didn't deserve to know why; he wasn't worthy to hear about Hinata's inner thoughts and dreams. He had never even bothered to care while she was alive. Even when he repeated himself, she remained mute, just as he had remained silent watching her and Hinata struggle all those years.

He rapped his fingers on his desk, waiting for her response. She could sense him growing more and more impatient, but she didn't care. What could he do to her that was worse than the losses she had already faced?

Bang! His fist slammed into the desk's smooth surface. Hanabi's head shot up, shocked by the uncharacteristic display of anger. Hiashi stared at his curled hand as if it had betrayed him, seeming just as surprised by his outburst as Hanabi was. He took a moment to compose himself, taking deep breaths as his fingers slowly unfurled. He rolled his shoulders loosely before addressing her once more, his tone dangerously even.

"For the last time, Hanabi... Why do you insist on fighting against the Council?"

Hanabi met her father's hard eyes, still slightly unnerved by his earlier reaction. Because they are a bunch of idiotic, pompous old men who abuse their power. But she held her tongue. This was her chance to make Hinata's dreams a reality. She couldn't blow this. For now, she would play this little game of politics and respond to his demands...at least, she would try. Hanabi swallowed her hatred for the man in front of her and took a deep breath, looking her father squarely in the eye before as she answered.

"Because I'm trying to make a change... I'm trying to do what she was never given the chance to do..."

Hiashi's face went slack for a moment as he registered her words, several emotions flitting across his silvery eyes. Just as quickly as they appeared, they were gone, shuttered behind a curtain of steel.

"She...?"

Son of a... Did he really just go there? Hanabi felt bile rise in her throat as disgust for this man-no, this creature-returned with overwhelming spite. "...Hinata...? Your daughter...? The one who died a few months ago?"

Hiashi's face remained a blank slate."Ah, yes." His tone conveyed a sort of offhanded regret, almost like Hinata was some childhood pet he was just now remembering. But not nearly as affectionate as that. "Regardless, I must insist that this behavior stops. The Council will be tolerant for only so long." He moved on without a blink.

That. Bastard.

Hanabi exploded from her chair and slammed her palms on the desk. "Are you freaking kidding me? Your daughter is dead, and all you can do is sit there in your effing chair and pretend she never existed in the first place!" Hanabi finally snapped, "You are a disgrace to her memory."

His eyes blazed like polished metal. "Now listen here-"

"No, you listen. She spent every day working her butt off to try to earn your approval. It meant the world to her. I watched her train for hours and hours, pushing herself past her physical limits all in a sick attempt to impress you with her growth.

"She gave up her dream of pursuing medical training because she knew it would displease you. Instead of healing people, like her kind nature called her to do, she gained jonin and went through with a bunch of horrible things, like assassination missions. Hinata hated assassinations; she saw them as unnecessary. She sacrificed so much for you, but it never was enough, was it? You wanted more, so she gave it to you, despite the enormous burden it placed on her shoulders." The dam had broken. All of Hanabi's anger and grief overflowed in a raging torrent, with no way to plug the onslaught.

"You know, she told me before she left on that last mission that she hoped its difficulty would help you to finally notice her as more than the weak daughter you thought she was. She was so excited, so prepared to make you proud, but I knew in my gut that something wasn't right and told her that... But she insisted..." She closed her eyes, futily trying to hide from the pain that stabbed through her chest.

"I should have tried harder to make her stay... Because of that, I will never forgive myself. And I will never forgive you," His brow wrinkled in confusion before smoothing over. She should get a trophy for getting him so show so much emotion in such a short amount of time.

"You can blame her 'uselessness,' her 'weakness,' or whatever you want, but I will never see anything but your selfishness as what killed her. And I hope you suffer every day from the shame of causing her death."

She stood there glaring at Hiashi, chest rapidly heaving. He stared back, locked in a battle of wills. The air seemed to grow thicker and hotter, reflecting the staredown's intensity. They stayed there in the emotionally charged silence until a loud knock rapped on the door.

"Enter!" Hiashi's harsh bark was met with a sharp click as a masked figure stepped into the room. If the Anbu member sensed the tense atmosphere, his reaction was hidden by the fierce wolf mask hanging on his face. But Hanabi knew that behind the wooden surface, a sharp nose twitched between two red markings as its owner tested the air. He gave a shallow bow before speaking.

"The Hokage wishes to see Hanabi-san immediately."

Hiashi's face hardened, subtly enough that Hanabi knew only she could see it. He turned back to Hanabi, his steely eyes glittering with an unspoken promise. We will finish this later. "You are dismissed."

Hanabi shot him one final glare before turning to follow the Anbu out of the room, the falling shut behind them with a soft click.

I didn't need your permission anyway.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto rolled up the scroll he had been writing on and sealed it before tying it to the messenger hawk waiting on the window sill behind him. With a harsh cry, it shook its wings open and leapt into the air, leaving a pair of sharp blue eyes to watch its path across the sky. A sharp knock on the door tore the Hokage's gaze from the window, and Naruto quickly turned to greet his new guest.

"Yes?"

A dark uniform entered, followed by the contrasting white of Hyuuga clan attire. Hanabi's face held the same unreadable quality as the mask of her companion, her shuttered expression looking out of place on her young features. Behind the stony facade, Naruto could observe a barely noticeable tension present in her posture and set of her mouth. He released an inner sigh. She must have just left her father.

"Thanks, Kiba. I'll take it from here. "

The wolf visibly deflated, his shoulders sagging with exasperation. "Dammit, Naruto!" he whined, "What's the point of the mask if you just call me out anyway?"

Hanabi rolled her eyes at her sister's former teammate. "We all know it's you, Kiba. I hate to tell you, but you're not fooling anyone... And the mask choice doesn't help much."

"I know, but I still feel cooler if I think you don't know," he grumbled disgruntledly, "Anyway, I'll see you guys later." He ducked out the door with an indignant sniff.

Naruto hid a chuckle as he watched the Inuzuka leave. Turning back to Hanabi, he noticed that some of the tension had left her shoulders. Kiba always knew how to calm the Hyuuga girls down. He would have to thank the dog lover later.

But the minute relaxation did nothing to hide the effects of grief on the young girl's features, although she had managed to make these changes nearly invisible. Her shoulders dipped slightly with an unseen weight; deep bags lined huge silver eyes that sank into prominent cheekbones, giving her a skeletal appearance and making her seem years older than the tender age of fourteen. Naruto's heart went out to the Hyuuga, but he was careful to hide his thoughts. It would kill her pride if she knew that he could read her that easily.

"What's up?"

Hanabi snorted derisively. "Except for having a total dick of a father, not much." Naruto nodded sympathetically at the young girl. While he had never experienced parental issues, he had seen it enough and discussed it enough with Hinata to understand exactly what the younger Hyuuga was going through. "But enough about me, why did you call me in today?" She passed him and leaned against the window sill, staring at the bright day visible through the glass.

Naruto leaned back in his chair. "We have gathered reports about Saisei," he paused as she snapped to attention, her eyes zeroing in on Naruto with intimidating focus, "Apparently, they have been active, kidnapping girls from villages in every land, including ours.

"But what is strange is that despite coming from different backgrounds, the common element among all of these girls has been dark hair," Hanabi raised a brow, and he could sense her wondering what that had to do with her.

"I'm worried that this is somehow still connected to Hinata...and you. I wanted to warn you to be careful. I don't want you to take any solo missions, and even in the village, I would prefer if you avoided being alone as much as possible. I don't want to take any chances... Understood?"

"Hai." Hanabi nodded curtly, her short dark hair bobbing around her pale face. Sensing that the conversation was over, she headed toward the door.

But Naruto wasn't finished yet.

He wanted to check in on the young Hyuuga. Watching her these past months, Naruto knew just how hard the girl had taken her sister's death, and if Hinata saw her younger sister like this, she would be devastated. And he couldn't bear to live with the thought of that after everything that had happened. He would never forgive himself.

"How have you been?" Hanabi halted in her tracks, back going rigid.

"Fine," she said stiffly, still facing the door.

Bullshit. Like he'd believe that. Clearly she wasn't fine, and she knew they both saw through that lie.

"No, how are you really?" He watched as her shoulders began to droop. She turned toward him, ivory eyes bright with unshed tears. She stared forlornly out the window once more, gazing on the village with a faraway look.

"I've been better. It's been...hard, to say the least."

She fixed her sorrowful gaze on him, and they stared each other for a moment, until Hanabi cleared her throat and looked away. "But Konohamaru has helped me a lot, encouraging me, pushing me through it, and always being there, even on the bad days... I don't know what I would have done without him..."

"Yeah, he's definitely kept my ass in line throughout this whole thing." Naruto softened at the thought of his self-proclaimed rival. He was so grateful that Konohamaru had been present for this ordeal. The young Sarutobi had amazed Naruto with his selflessness, and Naruto had witness him work miracles with Hanabi, dragging her from grief's drowning clutches and inspiring her into action. He doubted anyone else could have done that in such a short amount of time, or even at all. When did that kid get so mature...?

They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Hanabi shook her head and turned to catch Naruto's steady gaze on her. Belatedly realizing her lapse in control, Hanabi's eyes hardened, and she turned to the door. She spoke gruffly, "Anyway, I'll see you later, Naruto."

"Hang in there, Hanabi." With a slight nod of acknowledgement, she was gone, the door closing softly behind her.

Naruto sighed and dragged a hand down his whiskered face. These past months had been hell trying to get a lead on Saisei. Successful, but hell. But unlike before, he wasn't going to let himself fall into despair, no matter what happened. He had a job to do.

He would have justice for Hinata, and he would give Hanabi and the village peace of mind. He would stop at nothing until it was finished.

They had better believe it.

**Need I say it? Review, please!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: One more chapter to go! The next one is the newest one, and I can't wait for you all to read it!**

**Chapter 15**

Gaara ghosted effortlessly through the deserted hallway, his light steps echoing softly. He walked with the grace and confidence of years of training, not even realizing the stealth with which he was moving. Not that he had anyone to avoid. He always gave half the staff rotations off on Friday afternoons. Gaara had started the tradition soon after becoming Kazekage, when he noticed how few breaks were given to the other, non-shinobi inhabitants of the Tower. While he wasn't social himself, he knew just how important it was to his staff that they were given time to spend with their families, go out with friends, or-if they were like him-for quiet meditation.

As a result, the usually bustling tower moved at a much slower pace today. Gaara had only run into three servants on his sojourn, and those meetings were decently spaced out. At that moment, the empty hallway stretched before him, and, without the hassle of socializing, Gaara's mind began to wander in the solitude, thinking about the events of the past few days.

Recently, he had received a letter from Naruto regarding Saisei, the organization responsible for attacking Hinata. The blond had promised to keep Gaara informed, and so he had, sending letters on the progress of the topic monthly. Certain leads the Leaf had found, the location of several bases near Suna, etc. Whatever information the young Hokage found necessary to tell Gaara. Most of the reports had been relatively uneventful, and Gaara had grown complacent, not expecting anything informative for a while, if ever.

However, the latest letter-received only that morning-was a cause for concern. A messenger hawk had arrived shortly after dawn, interrupting the cognizant Gaara, who was diligently making use of his insomnia, as usual. Gaara had unsealed the letter tied to the bird's ankle and opened it immediately. A small piece of fabric had fallen out, a rough, ashy gray scrap with ragged edges, like it had been fiercely ripped from its owner. Embroidered in its center was an intricate design: a fiery bird, resembling a cross between a bluejay and an eagle, its beak pointed up as it spread its wings out. Flames danced around its feet and licked its shimmering orange body.

Gaara had run his fingers over the shiny pattern curiously before turning to the letter:

Gaara,

Hope everything is going well in Suna. Things are about as normal as they can get here in Konoha. Tsunade baa-chan and Sakura-chan beating the crap out of me when I mess up, Kakashi still stuck in his pervy ways(you understand how that is, with Kankuro and all)...you know, the usual.

Now onto a darker topic. Sasuke's infiltration of Saisei has been successful so far. In this letter, I've sent the organization's symbol, courtesy of the teme himself; all members of Saisei carry it on their person, but it is up to the individuals whether they want it to be visible normally. The organization has been lying relatively low with the exception of one thing: the kidnapping of dark-haired girls. Saisei has been searching various lands and villages, abducting pale-skinned, dark-haired girls. Shinobi or civilian, no one has been spared. So far, several other hidden villages have fallen victim to this, and callings for action have slowly but surely begun. The other Kages have agreed to keep an eye on the situation, and we will be ready to talk about any more actions if necessary.

I just wanted to warn you before they came your way so you could give them a good ass-kicking for messing with our villages if you get the chance. Kami knows they need one. Anyway, let me know if you need me to do anything for you.

- Naruto

The letter was short and sweet, sounding more like the old Naruto, before Hinata's "death." That greatly relieved Gaara; while he seemed to have retained some of the maturity he gained from the ordeal, maybe Naruto had at least found some closure for the traumatic loss of his friend.

Even though Gaara felt slightly guilty. Hinata was alive, after all, and living with him no less.

However, Naruto's news was more than a little disturbing for him. Gaara valued his people's safety more than his own life. If someone began kidnapping Suna citizens, there would definitely be hell to pay. And if anyone so much as looked at Hinata the wrong way... His hands clenched as he abruptly cut off that thought. There was no way he would let anything happen to Hinata. Not on his watch.

If things didn't get resolved soon, though, higher powers would have to step in. They might even have to call a Kage Summit, outside of the yearly meeting they had as a result of the war. Gaara doubted things would get that far, but one could never be certain. He continued forward, lost in his train of thought. He let his feet carry him as he wandered through the labyrinth of halls.

A small eek jolted Gaara from his contemplation. He looked down to lose focus to a pair of wide blue eyes, which quickly morphed into smooth, pale expanse as the owner turned her gaze to the ground. She ducked down, scrambling to pick up her dropped belongings. Her cheeks blushed furiously like a pair of red apples.

Hinata. Speak of the devil...or angel, rather.

They were standing outside the apothecary's open door. He must have subconsciously headed this way while lost in thought. As his dying state of meditation escaped him, Gaara slowly became more aware of the details of his surroundings.

By now, Hinata had crouched by the doorway, meticulously picking up sheets of paper, organizing them, and laying them in the small, wicker basket on the ground next to her feet. They laid haphazardly across the floor, spread in a waythat could only imply they had been dropped. Gaara was surprised that he couldn't even recall them falling, but then again, he had been pretty absorbed in his thoughts. He must have accidentally snuck up on Hinata as she was leaving the apothecary.

However, what Gaara couldn't understand was how she hadn't noticed him coming, her being an advanced ninja and all. Maybe she had a lot on her mind, too. She must have been just as distracted as he was for him to have surprised her so easily. Either that or she just thinks you're scary...

Gaara felt his stomach sink at that thought, now incredibly worried by her startled reaction. He wouldn't blame her if she did indeed find him scary; he had more than earned that adjective from his bloody past.

"Gomensai..." She refused to meet his gaze, instead keeping her eyes lowered to the floor as she retrieved her scattered items.

Her shyness only made Gaara even more unnerved, and he frantically scrambled to amend the situation.

"No, it's my fault," by this time, she had finished reordering her papers before he could help, so Gaara settled for a small bow as she stood up, "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

Her blush deepened, "Oh no, you didn't disturb me at all," she shook her head assuringly and pointed to the basket, its handle looped over her elbow, "I was actually about to head off to the marketplace...to run some errands for the apothecary...and stuff..." She peeked up at him shyly as they talked.

"By yourself?"

At these words, Hinata's whole demeanor changed. She wilted slightly and looked crestfallen, as if she had been trying to forget this fact, only to have him bring it up. Gaara mentally facepalmed himself. Of course she's going by herself... Who's she going to go with, Kankuro? He winced at the thought of how eager his pervy older brother would be to spend time with the newcomer.

She shifted uncomfortably and looked away, "Ah... Yes, I'm by myself..." She trailed off, her already soft voice fading into silence. Her hands twitched up and toward each other instinctively, before she seemed to stop herself and returned them to her sides. They hung forlornly in place as Hinata sagged with emotional burden.

She looked so...lonely.

"May I accompany you?" He didn't even think about how she would react to his request... until he saw her eyes widen, her jaw drop slightly in shock. Confused, he replayed what he just said and stopped cold.

Oh...

Gaara clamped his mouth shut, cutting off the possibility of any further...statements. Eyes wide, he stared at Hinata to gauge her reaction, just as surprised by his forwardness as she seemed to be. What did I just do...? The words had just slipped out of his traitorous mouth before he could stop them.

Hinata blinked owlishly. Once. Twice.

"Um... Ok."

Gaara felt the tension leave his body smoothly, like the clean release of an arrow. He let out the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. Not trusting himself to speak, he gave a quick nod and turned to the side, gesturing for her to lead the way. He fell into step beside her as they strolled down the hallway.

They soon reached the front gate and stepped into the bright glare of a hot desert day. Gaara blinked rapidly in the intense rays, his eyes adjusting to the change in lighting. He glanced over at Hinata doing the same, and he couldn't help but be glad that he had asked to come.

Even if it had been slightly embarassing.

"So... Where would you like to head first?"

"Ummm..." She squinted at the papers she held in her hand, the sunlight reflecting off the white surface in a blinding glare, "Well... I need some new equipment... And the best shop for that is pretty close to here... If that's fine with you?" She glanced at him timidly, like a child asking for a treat.

Gaara's lips twitched with amusement. "That's fine with me. You are the expert here." His comment earned a slight blush, and he felt his stomach flip in response. "What sort of equipment do you use?" He was honestly curious about her profession...not to mention he liked hearing her soft voice. It had an oddly calming effect; he always felt himself relax upon hearing the soft inflections in her voice.

"Ah... Well, being an apothecary involves much more than just cutting up and crushing plants... You have to understand each leaf's use, each root's property, all the intricate details of the plant's anatomy... If not, you could take two perfectly harmless plants and create a result that only worsens your patient's condition... And then, you have to know what form of a plant part works the best and what tools to use to extract these substances from that plant..."

Gaara watched, fascinated, as Hinata moved on to explain the different equipment that she used. Eyes bright, hands motioning, she talked easily about the complex topic. Seeing her so relaxed filled Gaara with indescribable joy. The fact that she was opening up to him, out of everyone, amazed him, and he didn't take this moment for granted. Gaara hung onto every word she said, impressed by her vast knowledge. Once again, he couldn't help thinking that Konoha had a lost an incredibly valuable kunoichi.

They continued through the marketplace, so engrossed in their discussion that they almost passed by a familiar figure.

A deep voice boomed next to them in the crowded street. "Kazekage-sama, Hiromi-chan, nice to see you two young ones out on such a fine day." Kenta stood before them, standing akimbo outside the adobe exterior of his shop, his great beard stretched around a welcoming smile.

"Kenta-san!" Hinata squeaked as she bowed quickly, "How are you?" She smiled up at him, her cerulean eyes sparkling with happiness and concern.

"Good. The shop's doing well, although I have yet to find a competent assistant," he huffed in annoyance before turning to address Gaara, "And you, my Lord? How have you been? And you can't say you are doing anything but well if you have the luck to escort this young lady through the marketplace." He glanced sternly at the redhead as both younger adults turned bright red.

"I'm not her-well, you see-I...I'm fine, Kenta-san. Thank you." Gaara tried to ignore how Kenta's lips twitched as he tried to keep from laughing at their expense.

"Good..." His dark eyes stared at the couple, shrewd and calculating, "Well, I don't want to keep you two from running your errands." He waved Hinata off impatiently as her mouth opened in protest, "No buts; we both have work to do, and I'm not getting any younger." He stretched and cracked to make his point. He turned his attention back to Hinata, his sharp gaze softening for a moment. "Take care of yourself, ok kid?"

"Hai." Hinata nodded determinedly, peeking up at Kenta with a soft smile.

The large man cleared his throat, "Well now, get to it." Hinata turned and disappeared in the crowd, heading to her intended shop. Gaara made to follow.

"You've chosen a good one my friend... She's a rare beauty." Kenta's soft voice made him pause midmotion. He swiveled around to face the older man, confused.

"Don't act stupid around me. It's not you can say you haven't noticed how beautiful she is. Not to mention as sweet as an angel. If I were your age, I would be after her in a heartbeat," He winked, and Gaara's face heated up, "I know you like her, boy. Don't her slip away." Kenta looked at him sagely as he conveyed this advice.

.

Me... Like Hinata...?

Gaara pondered this new theory. He didn't know much about this feeling, never having been attracted to a female before. At least... He didn't think he had.

He honestly had no idea what this "liking" entailed. Obviously, he "liked" people: Temari, Kankuro, Naruto.

But he had a feeling that Kenta was referring to something completely different. Something...deeper. He sat there dumbfoundly as he thought about this obfuscating concept.

The older man seemed to sense the young Kazekage's confusion, chuckling heartily in response, "You may not understand right now,son, but one day, it will hit you... And you'll thank me for introducing the idea, believe me." Kenta patted Gaara's shoulder lightly as he moved to enter the shop, eyes twinkling in amusement. He vanished between the storefront flaps before Gaara could respond.

Gaara remained rooted in place for a moment, slightly perturbed by the conversation. If he didn't understand, then how would he know if he was actually feeling this...liking? Sighing, he rubbed his forehead absentmindedly, feeling the beginnings of another migraine pulsing faintly underneath his fingertips. If his throbbing head told him anything, it was that he needed to find Hinata-and soon. Her concoction-and her presence-seemed to be the only things with the ability to take his pain away for some reason. His hand dropped in defeat at yet another thought to add to his ever-growing list of mysteries.

Gaara's green eyes roamed the crowd for his absent companion. They flicked from person to person in search of shimmering indigo hair. Not finding Hinata in the immediate vicinity, he ducked into the crowd, feeling like this was only the beginning of many searches he was going to have to face in the near future.

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Hinata moved through the crowd with ease as she headed toward her destination. A quick glance behind her told her that she was alone, but she wasn't worried. Gaara knew where she was going, so he would catch up soon. She had just needed to get out of there. She hadn't realized how much she had missed Kenta, despite the short amount of time she had spent with the old apothecary. And Hinata could tell that he had missed her too, in his own, gruff way. If she would have spent one more moment there she would have started tearing up, something she knew they both would hate. So she hadn't been surprised or hesitant to leave when Kenta had dismissed her so suddenly.

Hinata seriously hoped her hasty departure didn't make Gaara think she had been trying to get away from him, because that was nowhere near the truth. Surprisingly, she had grown to enjoy his company. His conversations with her were always intriguing, and he seemed to make it a point to visit her realitvely frequently, putting aside time in his busy schedule to stop by for a few minutes when possible. His growing relationship with her helped to ease the loneliness in her heart; she looked forward to his visits more than she probably should, always interested in what new item of conversation the redhead was going to share with her.

But probably Hinata's favorite thing about spending time with Gaara was his attentiveness. In his own simple way, he always encouraged her to talk, to share her thoughts and dreams without abandon. And unlike so many of her friends in Konoha-who were always trying to force her out of her shell-he actually waited for her to speak when she was ready, and when she did, he listened to her. Not with the patronizing "mhms" and nods that the others used to give, treating her like some small child to tolerate; but rather, like a respectable shinobi, like what she was saying had the utmost importance

Strangely enough, in the few months she had spent in Suna, Gaara had come to know her and treat her better than probably half her friends from Konoha did, despite both her and Gaara's social awkwardness. And she couldn't be more grateful to him for his efforts to make her feel like she belonged.

Hinata spied her desired shop, its navy blue and silver canopy hanging over the medium-sized stall to her right. She wove through the crowd, cutting through Suna's dense population. She soon approached its wooden countertop.

The store's owner was visible at the stall's rear; he was bent over as he organized the store's contents, only his back and shoulders visible. Hinata patiently waited for him to finish.

He soon straightened up, turning around to reveal a barely wrinkled face with bright, brown eyes. He looked around quickly before his gaze settled on Hinata. Upon seeing her, his eyes widened, his face splitting into a wide grin.

"Hiromi-chan? Is that really you?" At her shy nod, he let out a bubbling laugh. "Well I'll be! It's been what, a few weeks? Where have ya been? I thought you might have been kidnapped or something!" The middle-aged man reached across the counter to give her a warm hug, which she returned with a small giggle.

"It's good to see you, Atsushi-san. Sorry I haven't come in a while; it has been really busy at the Tower."

Atsushi had returned to his earlier task, nodding sagely as he flitted from counter to counter. "I can't blame you. I would bet that sickness spreads like a wildfire in as populated a place as that." Hinata nodded exhaustedly in agreement, eliciting another small chuckle from the man. She began to search among the merchandise for her equipment as she continued the conversation.

"How are Akemi-chan and Hajime-kun?"

His face seemed to brighten even more-a feat Hinata though had been impossible. He turned from his task and rubbed his hands together. "If you give me a moment and watch the shop for me, you can see for yourself." He disappeared into the building behind him before Hinata could respond. Before a minute had passed, the door opened, and Atsushi returned, followed by a pretty woman holding a baby, who looked to be some months old.

The blond woman rushed forward eagerly to pull Hinata into a one-armed embrace. She pulled back with her hand still on Hinata's shoulder, her friendly eyes roaming thirstily over Hinata's face, drinking in her smile with joy. "Hiromi-chan, you look great!"

"Thank you," Hinata blushed deeply, "You look fantastic, too! Hajime-kun has gotten so big and strong now!" She played with the child in the other woman's arms, bouncing a fist whose grip closed tightly around her finger in response. The baby giggled and cooed with delight, face smiling with innocent joy.

Akemi laughed. "Of course he is, with that special concoction of yours... I never did get around to thanking you for it... So thanks! ...Do you want to hold him?"

Hinata's face lit up at the question. She loved babies, always had, and she was good with children, too. Something in their innocent demeanors drew her to them. Maybe it was the fact that she had acted as Hanabi's mother for as long as she could remember. Anyway, she knew without a doubt that if she had stayed in Konoha, she probably would have ended up quitting her missions and teaching at the Academy, nurturing the children of the next generation. And hopefully, sending children of her own one day.

Akemi gently handed the infant to Hinata, who held the child close to her. She carefully peered into his little face, noting the pink gums in his happy, toothless smile and the sparkling brown of his wide eyes, so much like his father's. How beautiful... As she stared at the tiny creature in awe, she couldn't help but wonder what her own child would look like. Would he have dark skin or light skin? Black or blond hair? Ivory or blue eyes?

"Hiromi-san?" She turned at the sound of her fake name to come face to face with a pair of eyes, as beautifully colored as a jade necklace.

Or maybe green...

It took Hinata a moment to realize what she had just thought, and when she did, she felt her cheeks heat up, mortified. I only thought that because his eyes are so pretty, right? ...This is awkward... She lowered her eyes in embarassment. Gaara looked back, surprised, confusion flitting across his regal features.

"Are you feeling ok? ... Your cheeks are flushed... You might be overheated..." His innocent observation only served to enflame her face even more.

"I...I'm fine... It's just that... You see..." Hinata stumbled around her words, unable to rid her mind of what had just happened to come up with a decent explanation. Thankfully, she was saved from the embarassing situation by none other than the source of her problem.

Hajime had suddenly developed an avid interest in the Kazekage. Eyes wide, mouth slack, he stared curiously at the redhead before trying to wiggle out of Hinata's grip, reaching toward Gaara with outstretched fingers. He cooed vigorously in an attempt to express his intrigue. The soft sounds caught Gaara's attention, and surprised, his gaze flitted between her and Hajime, unsure of what to do.

"Kazekage-sama, what a pleasant surprise!" Atsushi and Akemi bowed deeply in welcome and began to chatter between themselves ecstatically. It was a rare honor when the Kazekage stopped by a stall(with the exception of Kenta's apothecary), and the couple had the right to be excited. Gaara nodded back distractedly, eyes locked on the curious individual in Hinata's arms.

Noticing his uncerainty, Hinata smiled shyly, "Do you want to hold him?"

Gaara glanced at her hopefully, but then seemed to think better of it. He lowered his gaze. "I... I don't want to hurt him accidentally..." He lifted his eyes, and Hinata could see the fear and uneasiness dancing across their verdant depths. Her heart went out to the young leader.

Hinata's gaze softened with understanding as she spoke, "You won't hurt him, I promise... Here, I'll teach you how to do it."

She passed Hajime to his hesitant hold, helping Gaara to position himself with his left arm under the child and his right hand splayed across his small back, so that Hajime was leaning upright on Gaara's shoulder. Gaara accepted the child gingerly, his stiff hold on Hajime belaying his nervousness. But he relaxed as moments passed, and Hajime continued to wiggle unharmed in his arms.

Hajime's face broke into a toothless grin as he stared up at Gaara. Arching his back, he reached eagerly toward the Kazekage's bright red hair, his fingers grasping toward his object of interest. Understanding dawned on Gaara's face as he tried to keep the energetic infant from wriggling out of his grip.

Bowing to the child's unspoken request, Gaara inclined his head, only to be rewarded with chubby fingers closing tightly around a lock of his crimson hair. His green eyes widened with shock as Hajime yanked down with surprising strength, bending Gaara's head at an awkward angle. Hinata tensed, wondering what to do as she anxiously awaited the man's reaction.

Akemi gasped, " Hajime, no! We do not pull on the Kazekage's hair!" She made a move to help, gushing apologies to Gaara, "I am so sorry, Kazekage-sama! Let me help."

Gaara shook his head-well, as much as he could under Hajime's tyrranical grip. "It is fine. I've got it, don't worry."

Shifting his arm so he had a better grip on the infant, Gaara brought his right hand up, intercepting Hajime's curled fist. He gently pried the small fingers loose from his hair, catching the boy's hand between his thumb and index finger. His toy stolen from him, Hajime scrunched up his face, ready to cry in protest. But before he could start, Gaara caught his attention, skillfully distracting Hajime with the clasps on his gray vest. Gurgling happily, Hajime played with the buckles, Gaara's bright hair forgotten.

Hinata relaxed, surprised by the skill and tact with which Gaara had handled the situation.

He would be a good father...

As she thought this, Gaara looked up from the child and caught her eye. A small, shy smile spread over his usually stoic face before he turned his attention back to the infant, bobbing the squealing, laughing infant up and down in his arms. Hinata's throat constricted and her stomach flipped excitedly in response. Warmth flooded her body, sending shivers running along her spine and fingertips. What is going on...? She had felt this way once before, but only when she was around-she cut her thoughts off as images of blond hair and sky blue eyes flashed across her mind.

Confused, Hinata turned away from the man in front of her, facing the marketplace instead. Her eyes skimmed the crowd, passing over a man dressed in dark attire, with dark sunglasses and a strange bird design tatooed on his arm. Who was staring straight at her.

Hinata's head snapped back in that direction to find...nothing. People hurried on their errands, passing through the small gap where the man had just stood. Or, at least, where she thought a man had stood. Shaking her head, she faced Gaara once more to see him conversing quietly with Hajime's parents. I must be paranoid I guess... She rejoined the conversation, talking and laughing as she finished gathering the equipment on her list.

But as she paid for her purchases, waved goodbye to Atsushi, Akemi, and Hajime, and continued on her way, Gaara at her side, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

**Review! Per favore! :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I'M FINALLY CAUGHT UP! This chapter has taken FOREVER to write! I could never figure out exactly what I wanted to happen or how I wanted to say it, but I'm proud to say that I finally got it! Now, I know that it took a while, but I wanted to let you all know not to give up on me! I will finish this story, but I have a lot of school work (Biochem major :P) so my updates might not be regular...But I will finish!**

**Now...ON WITH THE STORY!**

Chapter 16

The huge wooden doors fell closed, a rattling boom sending reverberations echoing through the main atrium. The dying sunlight pierced through the tower skylights and flared over the mosaic floor, casting a fiery hue over the fractured images. The fierce rays brought them to life, the tiles sparkling with the intense glare of the sinking sun.

The sight was mesmerizing; scenes danced across the floor with an animalistic fury, rippling with incomparable majesty and grace. Images that were already captivating in the golden shine of the noontime sun gained a deeper, more ethereal air, as if the floor were some sort of looking glass into another dimension.

Creatures' eyes twinkled with a knowing glint; sunlight danced across the smooth, tiled skin of the mural's inhabitants, vitalizing their fragmented limbs; water sparkled with the dazzling reality of a mirage, beckoning to Hinata with a peaceful, promising gleam.

She drew to a stop along the edge of the mural, awed once again by the flawless craftsmanship. It seemed she would never cease to be amazed by the mosaic's timeless beauty, finding something new to marvel at each day she passed it.

She lingered for a few moments to ogle at the scene's untamed aestheticism before tearing her eyes away from the hypnotic sight. Gaara patiently waited for her in his place at the foot of the stairs, a hint of admiration glinting in his jade eyes, sharing her appreciation for the structure's beauty.

They stood there, silently admiring the tiled structure, until she felt she had made Gaara wait long enough. With one last glance, Hinata pulled herself away from the artwork and turned to join Gaara as they trudged up the stairs, emptyhanded; Gaara had already sent his sand ahead with the groceries Hinata had bought, deaf to her gentle insistence that she would be fine bringing them to the apothecary herself.

They climbed the steps in comfortable silence, each lost in his and her thoughts. Slowly, they made their way up the towering building's many levels. _Step, shift. Step, shift. _Floor after floor passed in a blur as Hinata lost herself in the rhythm of their ascent, reflecting about the day's events.

After her visit with Atsushi and his family, Hinata had moved on to explore the marketplace,content to immerse herself in the sights and sounds of the village once more. Gaara, of course had joined her, his reserved demeanor the perfect accompaniment as she wove through the crowded streets.

Aside from occasionally pointing out or inquiring about a piece of equipment he saw in the chaos of the plentiful stalls (which honestly amazed her, when his only knowledge of apothecary tools was her brief description of them as they left the tower), Gaara sat back and let her run her errands, not distracting her or drawing any attention to himself unless it was to help.

While many of her friends would have chattered endlessly throughout the duration of the errands, uncomfortable with the idea of spending it in silence, Gaara was content with just accompanying her while she focused on her objective, not feeling the need to force her to rack her brains for conversation topics. In fact, he seemed to shy away from idle chitchat, tending to only say what was needed to be said and nothing more as they meandered through the marketplace.

As a reticent individual herself, Hinata appreciated his less than enthusiastic approach to conversation; it was rare to find somebody comfortable enough to share the silence with her. Shino had been the only one back in Konoha willing to sit in the complete absence of conversation.

But despite his unassuming mien, Gaara's title of Kazekage prevented him from completely escaping attention, especially from the vendors of Suna. Hinata felt bad for him, but she couldn't say she didn't mind; the more attention drawn to Gaara, the less of a chance someone would think anything of her. No one paid attention to the hill when a mountain stood right beside it.

She was amazed at just how popular Gaara was with the villagers. Not surprised, to say- she had watched him lead the forces of the shinobi army with great skill-but rather, impressed. It was one thing to be a respected leader on the battlefield, another to be well-loved within your home.

Citizens called out to him in greeting, beaming in response to his small nod of acknowledgement; new arrivals stared in awe, amazed that they had the luck to see the Kazekage at all on their visit, and on their first day, no less.

Vendors swarmed around Gaara like ants around a demolished anthill, vying to gain his attention. To say the Kazekage shopped in your store was a huge privilege, and the shrewd merchants of Suna took advantage of every opportunity presented to them.

They surrounded Gaara, simpering vultures to unassuming prey. They clung to him, fawned over him, catered to his every nonexistent whim…it was disgusting. She didn't know how Gaara stood it, but the young Kazekage remained polite, if not aloof, throughout the whole spectacle, nodding slightly with each product's explanation, gently shrugging off too-friendly hands

Which he seemed to get quite often from the female merchants of Suna, along with many offers of "free samples".

But to his credit, Gaara was either very good at ignoring their unspoken suggestions or just incredibly oblivious to that kind of thing, because he remained unfazed-and uninterested-throughout his interactions with them, no matter how ridiculously flirtatious the women became.

Hinata guessed she couldn't blame them. Almost any woman in their position would probably do the same. But she had never understood how women could chase a man on looks or position alone.

Hinata had seen her fair share of it growing up, witnessing the abuse Uchiha Sasuke had endured throughout his time in Konoha. His fangirls had been relentless, constantly ogling him, following him everywhere, invading his personal space. It was almost no wonder he chose to leave the village so easily.

But Hinata wondered why a woman would focus on things that were temporary, that faded with the harsh blows of time. No matter how hard humans tried-unless they were Senju Tsunade-they could never prevent the carving of wrinkles into clear skin, the weakening of well-kept muscle, the slow creep of snow white into beautiful strands of color.

That's what had always drawn her to Naruto in Konoha. It had taken everyone else years to notice the things that made him so wonderful; his undying pursuit of his goals, his unwavering loyalty, his immeasurable empathy and forgiveness toward others, his determination to always keep his word-traits of a great man that she had always known and admired, long before anyone else.

Gaara also had so many great things about him that Hinata had had the privilege to learn about during her time with him, his love for the village being the most prominent.

Though he never spoke about it, Gaara's dedication to Suna manifested itself in many ways, from his relentless work ethic, to his selfless determination to protect his people at all costs. This love had nearly worked miracles, erasing the deep scars from his father's reign, the once broken village now making way for a thriving, united community.

And Gaara possessed many more subtle traits, ones that Hinata had noticed as she had grown to know him. His extensive patience, his ability to listen, his eye for detail, which enabled him to satisfy the needs-spoken or unspoken-of those under his care. These traits and countless more made Gaara a great man, one Hinata was truly grateful she had been given the opportunity to know and wished others could learn about, too.

If only the women of Suna would look past what their eyes-and greed-told them and discover the amazing man beneath his stoic countenance.

But she also couldn't deny the fact that they maybe did have a point. Hinata could see how Gaara could be attractive.

Her eyes darted to the side, examining the young man accompanying her.

Her gaze wandered down his handsome profile, following the sharp shape of his nose, dipping down to the curve of his lips. Past his slender neck, a rather..._applaudable _body trailed, its faint outline visible through the folds of his heavy robes, leaving much to the imagination.

Hinata let her eyes ascend, taking in the shock of scarlet atop his head. It crowned his pale features in an organized mess, tufts of scarlet sticking out with a tousled precision. The deep red brought color to his features, contrasting the smooth, white expanse of his skin, giving the young Kazekage an exotic, attractive combination.

But his most striking aspect was his eyes. Hinata had always been drawn to bright colors, so different from the cold ivory she had grown up surrounded by. And _those eyes... _They-

"Hiromi-chan."

The jade marbles in question met her stare, capturing her in their verdant depths. Hinata resisted the urge to rip her gaze away in embarassment, stifling the heat she felt crawling up her neck. She couldn't believe he had caught her, caught her..._ogling _him.

The warmth broke through the dam of her reserve, flooding her cheeks with what she hoped would be a light pink, easily confusable with a flush from the heat. The only man she had ever bothered to observe like that had been Naruto, and she had long outgrown the habit. While she still had greatly admired him, the act was for lovesick fangirls, not strong, disciplined kunoichi.

"H-hai, Gaara-sama?" One pale brow rose twitched up at the stutter, making her look away in humiliation, but Gaara chose-thankfully-not to question.

"I received a notice from Konoha this morning." Embarassment forgotten, she threw a sharp glance his way, which he met coolly before looking forward. She turned away again, thoughts rolling tumultuously.

_Konoha...? Why would he talk about this here...?_

Gaara knew the danger of her having any connection to the Leaf village. And Hinata knew that he, above probably anyone else in Suna, kept her well-being and safety in his mind as one of his top priorities. It was strange for him to even bring her home up in public, given his careful nature.

So what was he getting at?

"They sent me information regarding the development of a new hybrid of plant that could have a huge impact on your role here in Suna."

The development of a new plant? While Konoha was known for its prowess in medicine-what, with Lady Tsunade as its Head Medic-its research focused mainly on chakra applications rather than genetics. In her time volunteering at the hospital, Hinata had sometimes helped Sakura develop new poultices when not using her Byakugan to refine chakra techniques. But the only research on plant breeding that she knew of was being conducted by Ino, and the blond kunoichi-who often secretly came to Hinata for an outside opinion-claimed that she was at least a few years away from making any significant breakthrough.

Hinata glanced over at Gaara again to find him looking at her through the corner of his eye. His gaze captured hers with a surprising intensity, sea green burning as if...

As if he was trying to tell her something. A hidden message in his words.

She quickly reviewed what he had told her. He had received information from Konoha this morning on an important, apparently confidential subject.

_Development of a new hybrid of plant...huge impact on my role... _Obviously it would affect her, despite her distance from the village. Hinata reviewed her possibilities...and swiftly came to a conclusion.

They must have found information regarding the group that had attacked her.

She gave him a small nod, which he imperceptibly returned. His eyes slid forward, surveying the hallway with a calculated carelessness, surreptitiously checking for any unwanted ears even with the coded language. He continued speaking nonchalantly, as if the conversation held no deeper meaning than talk of the weather, despite its hidden nature.

"I thought that you, as one of our top apothecaries, would be able to look at the details about this discovery and give me your opinion on if it would have a significant effect on your job and the well-being of Suna."

"Hai." He gave a quick nod in response to her firm affirmation, and they continued in silence.

The pair reached Gaara's office within a few minutes. Gaara opened the door for Hinata, gliding in behind her as he pulled the thick wooden slab closed. Sand hissed into its cracks and the spaces of all the room's openings, sealing and, in turn, effectively soundproofing the room

Hinata opened her mouth-but closed it at Gaara's lifted hand. A few moments passed as she heard sand shifting about the room, searching every surface for unwanted materials or presences, before Gaara dropped his hand.

"You can never be too careful in my position; we can speak freely now." He slid his fingers under the desktop, out of the line of her vision. She heard a small click, followed by a shuffling sound. Gaara produced a scroll, which he wordlessly handed to her. With a flick of her wrist, Hinata unrolled the thick paper, already skimming the parchment's writing before it completely unfolded.

_Sasuke...Saisei...dark-haired girls...Naruto... _Word popped out at her as her eyes roamed the messy handwriting. A loud crunch signaled she was finished, the rolled paper crinkling in her clenched fist. Brow furrowed, head bowed, shoulders shaking, Hinata could only think one thing.

_This is all my fault. _

All these innocent people were being dragged into this mess, all because of her. No matter what she did, she couldn't escape being a burden to everyone. Maybe she should have just let herself be captured, maybe she could have saved Shino from sacrificing himself...

Maybe she should just turn herself in now.

"Hinata-chan?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of Gaara's quiet voice uttering her real name. He met her wide blue eyes with soft green ones, forehead slightly wrinkled in worry as he waited for her to respond.

Her words echoed her thoughts. "This-" Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat before continuing "This is all my fault." His eyes widened slightly, mouth parting to respond, but she cut him off.

"They are after me, not anyone else, yet I'm sitting here, hiding in the safety of the Tower," she shoved a hand through her hair roughly, "I really am grateful for everything you have done for me; I have no idea how I'll repay you, but I will, one day... But I should be doing something to help, not waiting for someone to take care of me like a coward."

Hinata paced back and forth now like a caged animal, "I could do _something,_ I just know it. I could do recon, or maybe act as some sort of distraction to help with a capture, or...or..."

"Or what, Hinata? Allow yourself to get captured to stop Saisei from causing any more harm?" Gaara's incredulous, yet calm, words-speaking her own thoughts-brought her to a halt, cutting through her jumbled mind. She paused in her path, listening to his soft voice.

"Will you allow the secrets of the Byakugan to fall into the wrong hands? Endanger yourself and every one of your precious people? Because that would be what happened if you were captured." He paused, letting his words sink in.

"... Turning yourself in wouldn't help, and you know that." Hinata turned to find him watching her with a neutral expression.

"Whoever's in charge of Saisei wouldn't stop with you. Soon, the next kekkei genkai would be a target, then the next, without end. Not to mention we have no idea what they plan to do with these targets, anyway.

"If you let that information fall into their hands, then they could use it to harm the Leaf, Suna, and every other village. The suffering _will not stop _with you turning yourself in; instead, the situation could possibly become worse. They obviously want you for a reason. Who knows how malevolent it might be."

Hinata's shoulders sagged with the weight of the logic in his words. Her head drooped forward as a wave of helplessness washed over her. "Demo... Maybe I could..."

"Hinata... Look at me." He leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the desk. Urgency filtered into his voice. "What you need to focus on now is staying safe. We need to uncover more about this threat before we do anything.

"Naruto and I are working to solve this situation. This isn't just your decision anymore. We have to think of the safety of Konoha, Suna, the villages that decide to become involved, and the communities that have been affected by this organization.

"The best thing that you can do right now is lay low. That is your role. That's how you will protect your family, friends, and the individuals involved in the investigation. Let us take care of it; we can fight this more easily than you by yourself. You can help us in this way."

His bright green eyes bore into her, willing Hinata to listen to his words.

"So are you willing to trust your comrades to handle this. To let them protect you and all of the other people endangered by Saisei?" _Are you willing to trust me?_

The unspoken question hung in the air between them, tense, waiting for resolution.

Hinata released a tired sigh, "Fine."

He scrutinized her carefully, weighing the truthfulness of her words. Satisfied, he gave a slight nod.

"Good."

Although there was no physical indication, she could sense the tension ease out of Gaara. He lowered himself into his chair, gesturing for her to do the same. He began to rummage around his desk as he proceeded with their discussion.

"So what are you going to do to escape attention?"

She paused midsit. "Nani?"

Gaara began shuffling and organizing papers, missing-or ignoring-her questioning gaze. She completed her descent as he explained.

"Saisei is targeting long-haired, dark-haired girls at the moment, meaning you could be one of the next possible targets. What are you going to do to change that? Cut your hair?" He stilled and thought for a moment, "I think dying it would also be a good option."

Hinata looked down at her hair, grasping the indigo locks between her fingers. She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of doing anything to change it. It was one of her favorite things about herself.

She knew it was silly and sentimental, but she was proud of her hair. The blue-tinted ebony color was a rare trait in her household, one of her only remaining reminders of her mother, and she had spent years growing it, painstakingly caring for it to keep it healthy, shiny, and strong.

Which was hard to do as a jonin-level kunoichi.

Hinata was rarely one to care about her looks, but this was a different case. It was one of her only things that she had kept from her old life in Konoha. And no matter how ridiculous it sounded, she felt it somehow kept her connected to the Leaf as a shinobi, as a citizen, as...well, as her.

She already had to give up her eyes. She felt that by giving up her hair, too, she would be completely cutting her ties with the village. It was stupid, it was emotional, it would probably be more hassle than it was worth, but...

Couldn't she keep this one thing for herself?

"I'd rather not, at least for the moment." Gaara lifted his gaze, brows raised. Hinata straightened automatically under his scrutiny, a small amount of defiance flaring at his questioning look. Like he expected obedience. Like he was her father.

She rarely, if never, would have resisted anyone back in Konoha; it just wasn't polite, and she still felt uncomfortable doing it. But that was the Old Hinata, and this was the new. So, by golly, she could ask for something for herself every once in a while.

She didn't know if Gaara was one for sentiment or not, but she did not want to change her hair and wanted to make that known, "I have already changed my eyes, so I would like to keep my hair the way it is, if that is possible."

He gave no reaction, just watched her, and Hinata could feel her resolve begin to waver, embarassment for her boldness creeping in to take its place, "If it becomes absolutely necessary, I'll do it, but wouldn't it be slightly suspicious if I randomly cut my hair and dyed it? Especially if I hadn't mentioned it or asked anyone for an opinion...?" She trailed off, holding her breath as she watched and waited for his reaction.

Gaara held her in his stare, his eyes trailing lazily up and down as he looked at her, taking in her firm posture, her uplifted chin.

"Ok." He plucked a pinwheel out of the cupholder on his desk and leaned back, watching her, absentmindedly flicking the craft to make it spin, "I trust your judgment on this. It is your hair anyway."

Hinata couldn't stop the warm smile that spread across her face, "Thank you, Gaara-sama," She rose from her chair, "Is that all that you needed me for?"

Gaara answered her with a small nod, the bright pinwheel a blur of color beneath his fingers.

With a bow, she turned and made her way to the door.

"Hinata-chan?"

She paused and looked back, outstretched palm hovering over the doorknob, "Hai?"

Gaara avoided her gaze, staring intently at the paper object in rotating in his grip, "I... I am also glad you are not changing your hair. It suits you."

"Thank you, Gaara-sama." She bowed jerkily and turned once more to leave. Cheeks burning, she exited into the hallway, quickly making her way to the infirmary.

But she couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face on the way there.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hinata hurried home underneath the starlit sky. The bright, scattered jewels twinkled around a silver sliver embedded in midnight background, aiding the dying crescent moon in casting a soft glow over the lifeless streets of Suna.

The dim light settled on the adobe walls that loomed over Hinata on her lonely sojourn, bestowing the scene with a hazy, dreamlike quality, the teeming shadows blurring the Hyuuga's path like ink smeared through water. Despite the low light level, she moved quickly and unhesitatingly, confident in the route that brought her ever closer to the gargantuan building towering over the silent village.

Hinata was returning from the late activities of her day off. Just like the other, normal servants of the Kazekage Tower, she enjoyed an extra free day with half of the staff every other Friday, and, as she always did on these biweekly occasions, Hinata had decided to spend the day with the closest thing to a family she had in Suna: Kenta.

Though the man differed in many ways from the Hyuuga, Hinata couldn't help but notice subtle characteristics that likened the elderly apothecary to the stiff members of the priveleged shinobi clan.

His strict demeanor, admirable eye for detail, and great pride and love for his craft-hidden under a confidence in his skill that bordered on barely concealed conceit-reminded the Hyuuga girl of her home, a place she once associated with pain and unhappiness, but which now elicited a sense-albeit small-of homesickness when it entered her thoughts.

And although Kenta's pride would never let him admit it, Hinata knew the aloof man was actually quite lonely, burying this solitude underneath the chores and research required for his level of skill.

For these reasons and many more, Hinata wandered-somewhat selfishly, in her opinion-down the path burned in her mind, traveling every other Friday through the streets of Suna to join her old mentor in his daily labors, easing the loneliness in both their hearts.

Hinata remembered when she had first decided to follow through with this plan, the coiling and uncoiling of her stomach as she approached his shop in the waking hours of sunrise, the pounding of her heart as she ducked through the front curtains (since Gaara's rise in the ranks of the Suna hierarchy, merchants rarely secured their shops extensively, due to the now low crime rate enforced by the Suna shinobi).

With trembling fingers and sweating palms, she had crept quietly into the workshop, heading for the still pristine, vacant countertop of her previous working area to begin preparations for her former routine.

Hinata, too afraid of a negative response, had not asked Kenta to come back and instead-in one of her rare acts of forwardness-had chosen to surprise him, preferring to risk his wrath in the moment than experience the humiliation of a outright rejection.

She guessed her time with Kiba had rubbed off on her more than she was proud to admit; the mischievous Inuzuka lived and died by the idea that it was always better to ask forgiveness than permission, and she gladly chose to adopt this motto in this circumstance.

So, following that tenet, Hinata snuck into the apothecary, praying to Kami that she wouldn't live to regret this decision.

As she had finished sterilizing her tools, Kenta had trudged down the stairs, releasing his perfunctory curses against the morning, his aching back, and basically everything he could think of before stopping short on the last step, noticing her meek presence in the workshop.

He stared at her a moment, impassively watching as she panicked and began to sputter. Stuttering profusely, Hinata had launched into a nervous explanation for her appearance- it was her day off, she still felt bad about leaving so unexpectedly-before Kenta cut her off.

_We need more of the sandrash lotion, _he grumbled, _A whole caravan of merchants arrived from the Village in the Rain yesterday, and soon we will have a flock of those idiots running in here because they can't dress properly, _He cracked his neck and raised interlocked fingers over his head, stretching his back with a bearlike yawn.

Kenta relaxed his body and released his hands, and they snapped back to his sides with a sharp, elastic jerk. Smacking his lips, he broke into a large grin, _Well, mornings might be hell, but they mean you have yet another day to get the job done, eh_, _Hiromi-chan? _ He winked and ducked out of the workroom without another word, leaving her to begin her new task. As if she had never left at all.

She had stayed the whole day, and the next time after that, and after that, both apothecaries enjoying the time they spent together. And Hinata looked forward to each of these days with increasing anticipation, waiting for the moment she could slip into their old routine, free from the stress of life in the Tower, grateful for Kenta's consistently steady presence in her consistently unstable world.

Today had been no different from before. She had risen before the sun's rays crept over the flat horizon, far ahead of those not on leave, beating even the early morning stirrings of the bakery and kitchen staff as she made her way to the small shop. From there, she had spent the day wrapped in the chaos of the marketplace, immersed in the blanket of familiar sights and smells that drifted into and out of the world of the busy apothecary.

Hinata stayed long after the last customer's retreating back ducked out of the shop, the dying light of the sunset trickling in past the curtained windows and door. Eating a simple meal of roasted lamb and wild onions, she and Kenta had spent their remaining time in silence, reading together by the pulsating lamplight of his simple living room.

The flicker of low fuel finally alerted Hinata of the late hour and, in turn, of her signal to leave. She had glanced over at Kenta only to find the old apothecary snoring gently in his chair, reading glasses perched on the edge of his nose, tome slumped in his lap. Hinata gently pried the book from his loose fingers and removed his spectacles to place them on the stand next to him, before soundlessly gathering her belongings, extinguishing the light, and exiting the house, making sure to secure what she needed to in the building as she went.

Hinata tensed as a small gust of cold desert wind danced across her exposed face, a trail of goose bumps raising behind the icy air ghosting over her skin. Clutching her headscarf closer, she shifted the smooth material higher up her wind-nipped cheeks, closer to her sapphire eyes, seeking refuge from the chilly night's biting sting.

_Just a bit more. _

Shoulders hunched, she quickened her pace, eager to escape the cold, intimidating silence of Suna's dark streets. Despite her training as a kunoichi, Hinata could not shake off the slight unease she felt from walking home this late alone and wished to take no unnecessary risks-especially after the recent news she heard from Gaara.

Gaara had asked her if she wanted an escort home tonight, concern barely visible beneath the surface of his stoic green eyes, but she had refused, not wanting to inconvenience anyone for such a short walk home.

She knew he was worried. Even though his countenance betrayed nothing of his emotions, Hinata had learned how to read even the most stoic of individuals throughout her life-how could she not, living in the Hyuuga household?

She could tell that even though she was a foreigner, Gaara truly cared for her as much as the other citizens of Suna, maybe even more-she was afraid to even hope that in case it wasn't true-as he had gotten to know her. Hinata knew he had no idea how much that meant to her, having someone care so far from home, and she wasn't sure if he ever would. She didn't know how she would ever be able to express that much gratitude.

But she already felt like a burden through her extended stay in the Tower. She did not need to add anything extra to the immeasurable debt she owed to the young Kazekage and his seemingly boundless generosity.

So, in a quiet, yet firm manner, Hinata eventually convinced Gaara to relax, that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself as a strong kunoichi in her own right.

And she knew that Gaara was not meaning to belittle her skill as a shinobi; years of experience had merely taught him to always overestimate the power of his enemy. He had a right to be worried about her safety and the safety of his people after everything he had been through.

But Hinata had promised herself when she came to Suna that she would not be a hindrance to anyone, anymore, and she would not turn back on her word now that she was feeling a little paranoid. She didn't want to ask for anything until she was sure she needed it, guards included. The shinobi of Suna had much more important matters to deal with than escorting girls who were afraid of the dark.

She ducked into an alleyway, beginning the last leg of her journey home, internally rooting herself onward. _Almost there. Almost there. _The mantra replayed in her head like a broken record, fast and furious and furtive in her tired mind.

The discordance was suddenly shattered by an abrupt revelation: her realization of the street's abnormal stillness. Her shinobi instincts spiked, making her pause her thoughts to examine the area.

_Something's not right..._

Her soft steps faded as she slowed down to a stop. Head tilted slightly, Hinata tried to gain a better read on her surroundings, muscles taut, ready to respond at any moment.

She spent a few moments standing there, not moving, barely breathing. She scanned the alley for any threats, missing the nearly infallible detection of her Byakugan.. It would have made her life so much easier in her search through the impenetrable darkness of the alley's edges.

The abandoned street stood vacant, lifeless under her intense examination. Thirty seconds passed, quickly morphing into easily over a minute before Hinata decided it was clear and turned to proceed home. Her relieved sigh almost overpowered a whisper quiet shift in the shadows.

Tensing, Hinata jerked her head to the side where she sensed the nearly undetectable motion. Following instinct more than anything, she leapt sideways, hissing in pain as she felt smooth metal slice through her wrist, releasing warm liquid along her arm.

So much for being paranoid.

With a quick glance, she noted that the hit had severed one of the major veins in her wrist, giving mental thanks that it wasn't an artery so she wouldn't have to worry too much about blood loss...at least, not yet.

Turning her attention back to her situation, Hinata landed in a crouch a few feet away, tense and ready to evade any more attacks.

She paused, debating whether or not to release her genjutsu to access her Byakugan. She could hold her own easily against these adversaries with the help of her clan's dojutsu, and she personally wanted to end this quickly.

But her instinct told her that these men were from Saisei, and she was reluctant to reveal herself so soon. There was a high possibility that one could escape and reveal her position, forcing her to be on the run again. Hinata couldn't risk that, didn't want to, not when she was finally getting used to her life in Suna.

But with her eye jutsu, she argued with herself, there would be no one left to be a liability.

Her moment of hesitation was enough to give her attackers the chance to regroup and continue their assault. Before she could decide to dispel her eye jutsu, Hinata felt another presence behind her. With an explosive motion, she sprang up in a roundhouse kick, clipping the attacker on the side of his head. Hinata moved on to her next opponent before his body even hit the ground, unconscious. Several more moved to take his place.

At least ten enemies surrounded her, not counting the ones she could now sense hiding in the shadows. Luckily, they didn't appear to be too skilled, maybe around the chuunin level. But she wasn't going to take them lightly.

Hinata slipped a hand into the folds of her civilian robes, grabbing a kunai as she turned to meet her next opponent. Luckily, years of secretly training herself without the Byakugan had prepared her for a situation like this.

Ducking and weaving, Hinata danced through the flurry of limbs, cutting down her attackers with no mercy. She couldn't afford to leave them alive if she wanted to escape unharmed.

One down, then five, then ten. But as she fought, she could feel herself slowing down, her limbs transforming into leaden weights with every step, every jab.

_Poison. _She let out a mental sigh of frustration as a sharp tingling sensation began to spread throughout her extremities, indicating a highly potent neurotoxin. The kunai that struck her earlier must have been laced with it. Guaging how quickly the poison had set in, she probably had three, maybe five minutes maximum to incapacitate her attackers.

She hoped she would at least be able to stop them and head for the Tower before losing consciousness.

She dodged an attack too slowly, a blow to her shoulder sending her spinning. Hinata missed her dojutsu for the second time that night. _As if it wasn't hard enough for me to take this many opponents without my Byakugan, now I have to do it within a time limit._

With a grunt, Hinata righted herself, spinning to take out yet another offender with a short stab to the throat. The tingling sensation had been replaced with a numbness that painstakingly began to spread up her arms, along her legs, throughout her body.

Chest heaving, she retracted her weapon with a quick jerk, the corpse dropping to the ground with a sickening squelch. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. The Hyuuga might be conceited, but their method of killing was at least a lot cleaner than what she was using now.

Not sensing anymore immediate attacks, she turned to survey her remaining enemies, straining against the deadened sensation invading her limbs. Three men stood across the alleyway from her, watching warily as they waited for her to attack.

She needed to finish this. Now.

And with that, she made a bold decision.

Hinata dispelled her eye jutsu and activated her Byakugan. She took her stance, dragging her leaden limbs into position, arms oustretched, fingers stiff. Her opponents' eyes widened, then narrowed into slits as they grinned ferally.

They had found their prey.

As she leapt to engage her first opponent, the other two dodged but made no move to attack, instead flanking her on both sides. They watched impassively as she battled their comrade, which struck Hinata as odd. She didn't have time to question it though, as she was under a rather... _pressuring _time constraint.

This enemy was significantly better than her earlier adversaries, or maybe his chances against her were significantly better due to her current obstacles. He took more time than Hinata had anticipated, ducking between her strikes rather than charging her outright. She was moving more sluggishly than usual from the poison's effects, her moves much sloppier and easier to evade, and he took full advantage of her weakness.

But eventually he slipped up.

Growing confident from her ever-weakening jabs, he let her close the distance between them with each attempt, until she was within inches of contact, before making his move. Hinata noticed and responded barely in time, grabbing the kunai by the blade centimeters before it plunged into her shoulder and rendered her arm useless.

Bright liquid dribbled down her arm as they remained in a gridlock. It was obvious who won the battle, a triumphant grin plastered to the man's face as his eyes met hers.

Which she returned with her own small smile.

His eyes bulged with shock, then darted down to his chest, where Hinata's hand was splayed across his heart, in a sick semblance of a lover's caress. Blood gurgled out of the man's lips as she removed her hand; he fell to the ground, never to awake.

One down, two to go.

Hinata took a step forward but staggered, falling to her knees, paralyzation abruptly and mercilessly gripping her body. She hit the ground with a hard thud, landing shoulder-first in the dirt, cheek helplessly, humiliatingly pressed into the sandy ground.

_The battle and chakra use must have sped up the poison's effects faster than I anticipated. _Hinata bit back a curse. _That's why those two were fine with waiting back._

She fruitlessly struggled to get her deadened limbs to respond, but she could only watch in vain as the man in front of her slowly approached, a gloating smirk adorning his sinister features. She could hear the other one snickering quietly behind her.

"Our boss will be so happy to see you," he squatted next to her prone figure, lifting a beefy hand toward her.

Hinata twitched as rough, clammy fingers stroked her cheek. "Such a pretty face..., " he chuckled evilly, "Maybe he'll let us have a bit of fun once he's done with you." A leering smile stretched across his face, dark eyes full of terrifying promise. An answering jeer sounded behind her as her vision began to blur from the poison and frustrated tears.

Before the noise was shortly cut off.

The man looked to the side, "What the...?" His eyes widened; he scrambled backwards, frantically turning to escape. His foot slipped in his attempt to flee, and he crashed facefirst back into the ground. An unseen force dragged him and lifted him out of her sight, but she could hear him struggling somewhere overhead.

"Wait, wait! Don't do this to me! I beg you! Don-" There was a gut-wrenching crunch, followed by dead silence. Warm liquid splashed onto her still figure, splattering onto her clothes, her hand, her cheek.

_Blood. _She thought groggily, her mind clouded by the neurotoxin coursing through her body.

Moments passed before she felt the smooth caress of grains shfting along her body, gently lifting her as darkness crept along the edge of her smeared vision, head drooping from her inability to fight gravity.

She heard a soft movement beside her before she felt herself being transferred into a pair of waiting arms, the blood being wiped off her face with a hesitant, soothing touch. She sagged against a firm chest as strong hands grasped her lightly, but possessively. A warm, musky scent-intermingled with a hint of the smell of freshly overturned earth-filled her head.

An overwhelming sense of safety washed over Hinata, easing the tension left in her body, taking all of her energy with it. Shadowy spots appeared in her line of vision like drops of ink dripping onto paper. Slowly, her senses began to fade, leaving her only aware of the warm grip that encircled her. Quick, careful steps rocked her gently, with the loving care of a warm embrace.

Hinata closed her eyes, losing herself in the soft rhythm before succumbing to the numb relief of the darkness dancing through her consciousness.

**Review, please! It will help motivate me to get the next chapter done relatively quickly haha!**


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