A/N: Yo! You guys have been great, and I just wanted to thank you all for sticking with me to the end. Seeing as this will be my first multichapter fanfiction that I've completed, I don't know how the ending came out… (That's why it took so long to update this time).

Anyways, please read and enjoi!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

0—Misinterpretations/Fifteen—0

All eyes were focused on the small wisp of a dog that suddenly froze in the middle of the street, the animal's ears perking up as if it had heard something. Its pudgy limbs were stiff for a moment before it sprung into action, taking off straight ahead with a sense of renewed determination.

"Has he found a new trail to follow?" Neji asked as he attempted to keep up with Kakashi and his men.

"One would think." The silver haired male's mask crinkled around the edges where his mouth should be, informing the long haired teen that the man was smiling. "But then again, it could be another dead trail like a few moments ago, Neji-kun. Please don't get mad at Pakkun if this one turns out to be so, ne?"

The gruff Hyuuga male released a small sigh before giving the elder man a brief nod. "Hai. I won't take it out on your mutt. I just hope that we'll find Hinata-sama soon."

"Don't we all?" Kakashi chuckled lightly at the sudden scowl creasing Neji's face. "Oh my, Neji-kun! You're looking quite fierce with that red nose. Should I start calling you Rudolph-kun?"

A pale hand shot out to cover his nose self-consciously before sending Kakashi a fierce glare. "This is hardly an appropriate time to be making jokes, Kakashi-san!"

"Iie, but it just so happens that it does help to lighten up your gloomy aura."

Neji opened his mouth to offer a scathing retort, but paused as he saw one of the silver haired bodyguard's men stop a few paces ahead. "Kakashi-san!" The unknown footman called back. "Up ahead! Pakkun's come to a stop."

The silver haired male sobered up immediately and his body tensed as if to take off into a sprint, but paused, glancing at something over Neji's shoulder briefly before staring at the confused Hyuuga.

The young man half-turned to see what had captured Kakashi's attention, only to be held still by two pairs of arms grabbing at his own. Neji moved to shake them off, only to gasp lightly as the pressure on each arm tightened. "What the hell is this, Hatake?" He snarled, whipping his head up to stare at the man in question.

"I'm afraid that this is as far as I'm allowed to take you, Neji-kun." The professional tracker stated, his single visible eye creasing with what Neji believed to be actual regret. "I just cannot afford for you to come along. If the enemies are armed and threaten Hinata-chan, I have no doubt that you'll just dive into the fray. I cannot protect the both of you." Kakashi ignored the teen's glare and patted him on the shoulder briefly before nodding to the two men at the Hyuuga's side and taking off towards the front of his group.

Neji watched and waited until the group was around the corner before examining his enemies, his eerie white eyes critically examining the men guarding him. I don't care what you say Kakashi-san. Hinata-sama is my responsibility and will remain as such if I have anything to say about it.

0—Break—0

The sharp pain of the small cluster of nerves ripping and tearing under the force of her pushing against the rough rope was almost enough for Hinata cry out. I… I can't allow them to hear me. She thought determinedly, ignoring the watering of her eyes as she bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood. I have to focus on breaking my thumb so that I can pull my hands free of these ropes.

"Oi, Kin! Why don't you act like a real woman and fix us up something to eat? I'm starving!" The sound of Zaku's footsteps informed the blindfolded Hyuuga that the rude male had entered the room in which she sat. Soon following the question was a crash, startling the Hyuuga enough to jump slightly, wincing as the movement jarred her tender thumb.

"What the fuck did you just say, Zaku?!"

"Here we go again…" Dosu's dull voice came from somewhere to the right of Hinata. She kept quiet as she heard the sounds of yet another scuffle—the third since they've entered their base of operations—and of Dosu exiting the room.

If I can manage to break my thumb while they're fighting and if Dosu's out of the room, I can probably escape without them noticing! Hinata bit her lip as she adjusted her hands within the rope, making sure that her thumb was kept at an awkward angle. It's only a temporary pain. She thought before taking a deep breath and pushing her arms down with all of her strength, the sharp sound of the bone snapping filling the suddenly silent room. Oh no… She ignored the sudden nausea that hit her and instead focused on the sounds of footsteps drawing closer.

"Well, well, well…" Kin's voice sounded so close to her that she could feel her warm breath on her ear. A hand shot out and yanked the back of her head so that she faced the ceiling from her neck up. "It looks like the Hyuuga-hime wants to leave our happy abode prematurely."

Zaku's harsh laugh sounded on the opposite side of his female partner's. "Well, Hyuuga, you've gotten yourself into quite the predicament." A pair of hands wandered down to her wrists, lingering there for a good moment or two before landing on her broken thumb, the nimble digits digging in harshly. White hot heat flashed through Hinata's hand, and despite the gritting of her teeth, a wretched cry was torn out from her mouth.

0—Break—0

Neji waited until the men relaxed their hold to attack. His hands snaked out of their grips and immediately struck several pressure points, ensuring their quick incapacitation before he bolted down to the end of the street, pressing himself against the building. Okay… They should be somewhere near, but I don't know how close they really will be… I'll have to be careful to avoid them.

The long haired brunette steeled himself up, inching his head closer to the corner before he was finally able to glance down the street that awaited him. There they are. Neji's hands clenched into fists as he spotted them a little ways down the street, standing before a ragged looking shack. That must be where those scum are holding Hinata-sama. His lips curled up with disgust at the state of the kidnappers' hideout, outraged that they dared to hold the Hyuuga heiress in such a repulsive place.

No time for that. Neji shook his head to dislodge all thoughts of the state of the shack and onto the matter at hand. There's no way that I'll be able to get closer to the hideout without managing to capture anyone's attention… I'll have to go around and get in through the back. He thought with creased brows.

The young man glanced down the street, ensuring that no one was looking, before dashing across the way, his sprint longer than before. I have to get there as fast as I can! Hinata-sama… Please hold on!

0—Break—0

A sharp shudder raced up Sakura's spine at the scream that tore into the silence. Her hands were frozen before her opened mouth. That voice… That was Hinata-chan! The pinkette's brilliant jade eyes flicked to her right, off in the direction that Lee had gone in order to search for a way in via the roof. He hadn't been gone for longer than a couple of minutes, but that cry…

I can't ignore it. Sakura gnawed lightly at her bottom lip as she attempted to calmly assess the situation. She was pretty confident that she could formulate a plan; after all, she wasn't ranked first in her class for nothing. Lee-kun went off to find a way in through the roof for the element of surprise. The chances of him finding a way in are very high, but then he has to come back to find me, help me up there, and into the hideout as well… But… Hinata-chan sounded like she was in pain. They could be torturing her and if Lee-kun has to help me through all that, we might be too late…

"So I need to find a way in myself." She concluded. I'm no match for them though. The pinkette attempted a couple of steps forward, wincing at the sharp pain shooting up her leg. Especially with my leg messed up… The Haruno heiress' head snapped up as a sudden bout of inspiration shot through her mind. She couldn't help the smallest of smiles when her wide hues landed on the rusted strip of fence that lie forgotten in the corner of the alley. It should be easy enough to get something of use from that…

She quickly hobbled over to the half-rusted fence, scanning it for weak spots. There. In the corner. She carefully climbed over the useless bits the best that she could before allowing her good foot to press down into the top right corner of the bar where the rust seemed to be in its more advanced stages. It was fairly easy to dislodge the single slip of bar; she merely had to shift the majority of her weight to the foot resting on the weakened metal and it snapped as if it were a twig.

Sakura tested her makeshift weapon a couple of times by swinging it before her much like a bat. The weight felt uneven in her hand, making her efforts a little sloppy, but that was easily shrugged off. She didn't have enough time to waste being picky—she stilled when there was yet another scream, this one not nearly as loud as the first one but just as intense.

Sakura swung around to face the building once more, her jade hues widening. "Hinata-chan!"

0—Break—0

Neji stilled at the sound of Hinata's shriek before speeding forward with renewed vigor. The only thought that was going through his head was that his heiress needed his help. He made it to the rooftop of a nearby house before leaping down onto the roof of the shack, his eyes immediately searching for entry points. When they finally rested on a couple of skylights, he couldn't help his small sigh of relief and strode over, not really paying much attention to his surroundings.

He was about a foot or two away from reaching his destination when a firm voice caused him to pause in his step.

"Halt!"

The Hyuuga glanced over his shoulder, his brows lifting ever so slightly at the sight of a slender male with thick eyebrows and an unusual fashion sense standing behind him, striking a combat pose.

"I cannot allow you to interfere with Sakura-sama's rescue attempt. I am afraid that if you wish to take a step closer to that window, you will quickly find yourself in a fight with myself!" The silly looking male had an unusual bowl cut and wore it with confidence.

Neji's lip curled in contempt for this newcomer keeping him from rescuing his cousin. Hinata-sama needs me as soon as possible! I can't waste too much time on this guy. "Very well. Then it seems like we're going to have to fight, stranger. My name is Neji." His face morphed into an unapproachable mask as he quickly moved into the Hyuuga style stance.

The strange male eyed Neji's stance with a brief flash of familiarity before sending the long haired Hyuuga a too-bright grin. "And my name is Rock Lee." He uttered with his strange way of speaking before taking one step forward and launching himself at the brunette.

0—Break—0

There had been a small window on the ground that led to the basement. Sakura took full advantage of that fact and promptly used her weapon, hitting the glass in to the other side. She took a minimal amount of time clearing the remaining glass clinging to the frame before getting down on her knees and pushing her way into it.

Hinata-chan! Sakura cringed when another hoarse scream escaped the room above, leaping down to the ground in her rush.

"Gyah!" Sakura gasped, her hand immediately going for her injured leg. It was throbbing much more than it was earlier, and despite the heat that the basement provided, it didn't do much to keep the cold from sinking into her already chilled bones.

She would've given herself a little more time to recover, but the sound of a door creaking open caught her attention. Her jade orbs widened as she caught sight of one of the goons from before, the one with the bandages covering the majority of his face, entered the room.

He caught sight of her almost immediately, his single visible eye narrowing. "I had wondered what that crash entailed..." He muttered, before taking a step forward. "You were very foolish for coming here." He strode forward, closing in on the pinkette with unexpected speed.

"And you're very foolish for underestimating me!" Sakura screamed back adrenaline pumping through her veins. She lifted her makeshift weapon and slammed it into the male's shoulder. She had been aiming for the male's head, but she must've telegraphed her move, for he was able to dodge what would have been a crippling blow.

He grunted as the metal came in contact with his flesh, snarling lightly under his bandages before quickly grasping the thin pole in a deathly tight grip.

Sakura tugged briefly on the weapon, and when she deduced that she wouldn't have the strength necessary to pry it out of her enemy's hand, she quickly took the next step. She slammed her fist into the male's throat, effectively closing up the male's pathway for a few seconds. The strike had been hard enough that the male's grip slackened, and the pinkette quickly took advantage of that fact and wrenched her weapon out of his hands before planting it in the side of his head.

She watched with mild fascination as the male's eye widened briefly before rolling into the back of his head, just as gravity began to take hold of his body. One down… Two to go.

She curtly nodded to herself before moving to step over the fallen thug, but a strange sensation went over her body as the adrenaline from the scuffle began to wear off. Her vision began to waver ever so slightly, and the pain that had gone unnoticed for the few moments she fought returned. Oh shit. She gasped heavily and winced as another wave of pain crashed over her. Her jade hues flickered up to the door briefly before rolling to the back of her head. Gomen… Hinata-chan…

0—Break—0

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that our little Hyuuga-hime likes pain; wouldn't you, Kin?" Zaku snickered as the indigo haired heiress cried out once more as he applied pressure to the rest of her fingers, delighting in hearing the loud snaps filling the room.

"I don't know, Zaku, she seems to be crying… Did it really feel good enough for you to cry, Hyuuga?" Kin smirked lifting a single finger and dipping it through the heiress' tears, which were falling free by now.

The petite female's bottom lip was trembling, and her cheeks were flushed with the effort of keeping the threatening bile down. She had never felt anything as painful as having three of her fingers breaking at once; in fact, if she hadn't been trained properly in martial arts, she knows that she would have passed out long before that moment. Hinata managed to crack an eye open, desperately staring at the door that Dosu had disappeared into a few minutes prior to her escape attempt. Out of the three, he was the sanest, despite his appearance. She was almost positive that he'd force his comrades to stop, or at the very least, tone it down…

"Oh dear… Something's wrong with the Hyuuga-hime's fingers… They're bent all wrong." Zaku faked a sympathetic expression before a dangerous light shined in his dark gaze. "I know! Maybe I should do her a favor and bend them the other way!"

Hinata's eyes widened at the male's implications, already fearing the pain that would come with the male bending her abused fingers in a different direction. Since they were broken, moving them without the aid of surgery would only serve to damage her nerves and bones even more. She shuddered as the male loomed closer, flinching when his hands slinked their way down her arm and to her wrist… She closed her eyes, awaiting the male's promise of agony.

"I wouldn't do that, boy." A deep familiar voice startled the three inhabitants of the room.

"Oi! Who the hell—!?"

There were brief sounds of a scuffle, and before Hinata could manage to crack her eyes open once more, a pair of gentle hands grasped her arms and held them in place as the ropes holding her down were cut. Hinata slowly lifted her head as her arms were carefully guided to the front of her body, the person doing the lifting making sure to be mindful of her injuries.

A deep breath of relief escaped her as her lavender orbs rested on the familiar sight of a blue mask and a wealth of silver hair. "K-Kakashi-san." She murmured, noting that darkness swirled at the edges of her vision.

His lone visible eye was warm as it fell on her face. "You're safe now, Hinata-chan. I'll be looking after you. You don't need to worry anymore."

She wished to search for her captors, to ensure with her own eyes that they would no longer be a threat, but her eyes just would not cooperate. They were getting heavier and heavier…

"Rest now, Hinata-chan. We'll take care of things from here."

That was the last thing she heard before she promptly passed out.

0—Break—0

Three weeks later…

"Hinata-chan!"

The indigo haired female stopped in her tracks and half turned towards the familiar voice, a genuine smile already spreading across her lips. "Sakura-chan. How are you this afternoon?" Hinata asked, waiting patiently for the Haruno heiress to wheel herself over on the wheelchair that the pinkette's father demanded her to use instead of crutches.

"I'm pretty good. Tsunade-sama decided that I was fit enough to go for little… strolls around the hospital." Sakura came to a stop beside the pretty Hyuuga, her jade hues momentarily flicking to the sling that held Hinata's injured hand before moving back up to her heart shaped face. "And you? How are your fingers?"

"They ache every once in a while, but Tsunade-sama prescribed me some medicine if the pain gets to be too much." Hinata's gaze slowly drifted to the ground as her smile began to melt away. "I've spoken to my family… They won't hear anything about me officially transferring to your school…"

Sakura blinked slowly as the sorrow began to take over her girlfriend's face. "Aw… It's okay Hina-chan." She reached out and grasped the paler girl's good hand with her own, smiling up at the reddening female and squeezed lightly. "I can always ask tou-chan if I can transfer, and if that doesn't work out…" She motioned for the indigo haired female to lower her head down enough for her to whisper into her ear. "We'll elope."

"You most certainly will not." A deep voice sounded from behind Hinata, startling the Hyuuga into standing and the Haruno into straightening.

They both glanced behind the Hyuuga heiress to see a lightly put out Neji, who was marching over to the pair with his usual slight-frown on his face. "Hinata-sama, how many times do I have to tell you? You're supposed to tell me if you want to go somewhere. I'm to escort you whenever you go for walks, even if it is to meet up with Sakura-sama."

"Ah, how true, Neji-kun! We can keep the ladies entertained by having that rematch!" Lee came strolling around the corner, immediately gravitating towards Neji, Lee's newest 'rival'. His mind had been blown when yet another Hyuuga beat him in martial arts that fateful night and had not gone a day without challenging the brunette for a rematch.

Neji rolled his eyes at the green loving teen's antics and crossed his arms over his chest. "Not likely, Lee. I doubt that would keep five year olds entertained, much less two young women."

"Ah! You doubt me! I assure you that I have been training nonstop since the last time we met in battle."

"…That was only a few hours ago Lee. I doubt that your skills have changed drastically enough to reap different results."

There was a slight fluttering sensation in Hinata's stomach when Sakura's hand once more grasped her own, and she couldn't help the deep flush that claimed her cheeks when the pinkette motioned with her head for them to sneak away. Since she didn't trust her voice, Hinata gave her girlfriend a small nod before lightly releasing Sakura's hand and moving to the back, grasping the handles and slowly turning them away from what she was sure to be an ensuing fight.

Once they were out and in the courtyard, Sakura leaned back and peered up at the Hyuuga heiress, smiling when the female flushed and blinked back in surprise. The pinkette closed her eyes and puckered her lips, her request silent. She felt the heat of Hinata's face before the soft pliant lips met her own, and it was then that Sakura felt a burst of warmth crowd her heart. She was in love, and it was reciprocated… It didn't matter that Hinata wasn't 'Ryuu'. It didn't matter that Hinata couldn't be her bodyguard anymore. Hell, it wouldn't even matter if they couldn't go to the same school. This was love, and it knew no bounds.

"I love you Hinata-chan." She murmured when the Hyuuga pulled back.

"A-And I love you, S-Sakura-chan." Hinata smiled the smile that Sakura loved, the one that showed off her cute little dimples. She leaned in, to kiss the pinkette once more, only to pull back in surprise as a loud crash echoed throughout the courtyard. The females looked up, only to see Lee standing unscathed in a pile of glass, and Neji at the frame of the window, a haughty look on his face.

"Very well, Neji-kun, I concede my defeat for today, but you should be prepared, for I will not go easy on you next time!"

Sakura sighed heavily and shook her head. "Those guys… Ruining the moment and everything."

Hinata glanced down at the pouting female; she felt a brief spark of bravery before quickly leaning forward and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "T-That should hold y-you off for now." She whispered before hastily retreating back behind the wheelchair.

Hm… You sure have gotten bold, haven't you Hinata-chan. Sakura grinned lightly before leaning back and allowing her eyes to drift shut. For once in her life, everything was perfect. And as long as Hinata-chan is by my side, it will stay that way.

Always.

0—Misinterpretations/End—0

A/N: It's done!

Thanx for reading!