Disclaimer: The story of “Naruto” just like its characters is not mine.

Main parings: Sasuke x Neji, Itachi x Neji.

Rate: R to NC-17

Summary: (Sequel to “Because of you”) AU. Sasuke has an obsession with Neji, but if he has to fight against the past and his own ghosts to get closer to him, maybe then he would understand how much he’s hurting them both.

Notes: Just let met remain you all that English is not my mother language, I’m sorry about the mistakes.

Warnings: Angst, mentions of gore and blood.

“A Distant Cry”

By Yersi Fanel

(Beta, TenshiXXX)

Chapter 7: Alibis

Shikamaru was running in front of them, Naruto and Kiba beside him and Lee was beside Sasuke. The five of them had gained a considerable amount of distance. Time was against them so they needed to act fast.

Sasuke was deep in his thoughts while running. The day he found Itachi’s journal, he was looking for an explanation of why his brother had killed the clan. But he found instead Itachi’s obsession in Hyuuga Neji. He found himself feeling even angrier at his brother, because Neji was important to him and he didn’t want Itachi to take another thing from him. He had lost enough.

In his blind rage at his brother, Sasuke couldn’t see what he was doing, how much pain he was causing to someone that had never hurt him but in the past cared for him. He thought at some point that it was his right to take Neji, to not let Itachi do it. But after seeing the Mangenkyo Sharingan image, he knew how wrong he was.

Neji used to be his friend when they were little, but after the massacre, the Hyuuga barely talked to him. Sasuke himself shut from the world but the little voice in the back of his head always wondered why Neji just turned his back at him, and the same voice questioned why he never asked the Hyuuga.

Sasuke was so wrapped up in getting his revenge that his senses just fixed in that. But the childish voice in his head keep alive part of what he used to be. That was why he wore the forearms protectors that were a gift from Neji, and Sasuke somehow knew that part of what Neji used to be was still there too, because the pouch that Neji wore around his waist is not the one the got as uniform. It was the one he, Sasuke, gave to him that last summer before everything turned so wrong…

“Sasuke” dark eyes rose. Shikamaru was talking to him.

“What?”

“How troublesome…” whispered the chunnin “I really need you to recall more details about your brother You see he has some kind of con—”

“I told you! I. Do. Not. Know.”

“Troublesome” Shikamaru gritted his teeth “Let me finish!” Sasuke just glared at him. Shikamaru saw this over his shoulder and ignored him.

“Fine”

“Like I was saying” Shikamaru turned his attention to the road again “Uchiha Itachi could have some kind of connection with Neji…I have some information here. This is extra top-secret guys, but since we are in a mission to locate him, I’m going to tell you some more”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Besides the things he already knew, what was Shikamaru talking about? Sasuke jumped to run next to him.

“Talk” he ordered, Shikamaru just sighed.

“About four years ago, in the same date of the Uchiha massacre—” Shikamaru Waited for some kind of reaction from Sasuke, he got none. Good, he continued “—Neji went missing. He was found the next day by a group of ANBU that were investigating the direction Itachi took… he was in a catatonic state. The report says that he was apparently not injured but…”

“But what?” asked Naruto and Lee almost at the same time. Sasuke just stared at him and Kiba did the same.

“But he had some blood that was not his own, and not even the more experienced medic nin could snap him out of the catatonic state. He was under observation for two weeks until finally he reacted. He refused to talk, he stayed under observation for another week and finally got released from the hospital. Another week passed and he started to talk again. He said that didn’t remembered anything”

“I remember that month!” said Lee “Everybody was wondering where was Neji. The teacher told us something about a trip of the Hyuuga clan”

“He was in Konoha the whole time, but well, you heard me” answered Shikamaru “Anyway, they never actually prove any relation between Neji and Itachi, but well—”

“Same date, the blood and shock” Kiba said, completing his sentence. Shikamaru nodded.

“Man, that’s just bad! How old was he, nine?” commented Naruto. Sasuke just stared ahead, thinking.

The report that Shikamaru read was a light version of the real one; Tsunade didn’t want them to read the original report, the one that detailed that month, starting with the fact that “some blood” was in fact “covered in blood”. The original report also talked about the possibility of sexual abuse, but when Neji started to talk again he just repeated that he didn’t knew what had happened and asked many times to be left alone.

Neji was taken to a psychologist for a period of time after that. The diagnostic was that the boy suppressed his memory, creating mental lagoons. The reasons were unknown, even to the patient in question, but the medical nin also said that he could have ended in that state with not only of the traumatic experiences but it along with a psychological attack. Only Neji could tell the truth and this such thing was buried in his lost memory.

Sasuke was trying to understand, but he couldn’t get the picture right. He needed to talk to Neji. To understand and to apologise…

Fear invaded him. The possibility of losing Neji forever was there, more clear than ever. He committed a terrible mistake but he had to face the consequences of his actions and take the responsibility for it. There was no turning back.

-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --

A sharp lighting crossed the sky and the rumble of a heavy thunder reached Neji’s ears as the rain started to fall. White orbs looked into the grey sky as the rain drops touched his face. He sighed.

“Neji” the boy looked over his shoulder. Itachi was standing behind him. They were near a cliff while Kisame was down the road, watching them with a blank stare “Do you remember now?”

“Yes” he answered “I do…”

“Then you understand that you are not going back to Knoha, ever, unless I say so” Itachi was looking at his necklace hanging from Neji’s neck while talking until his eyes met silver-white ones.

“What if I don’t want to stay with you?” Neji narrowed his eyes. Itachi keep his calm expression.

“Well…have you ever wondered why Sasuke is still alive, even though he has attacked me twice?” Itachi smirked. The Hyuuga closed his eyes. If he decided to go against Itachi he would end in a pretty bad shape and the next time Sasuke confronted his brother, Itachi will surely kill him.

‘Do I care?’ asked Neji to himself ‘He betrayed me after all…’ The boy then recalled the reasons why he stopped talking to Sasuke. It was because he didn’t consciously remembered being his friend, not after the night Itachi took him.

Neji reached the pouch on his waist, opening his eyes a little, staring at nothing in particular

‘Why do I care?’ for some reason he always liked that accessory. Sometimes he felt even stupid for liking a simple accessory so much without a reason. But now he knew, there was a reason.

‘Why…?’

Itachi placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and then brought him closer towards him. Neji’s back was against Itachi’s chest; the Uchiha embraced the boy and rested his head softly over Neji’s.

‘I care because…’

The opal eyed boy was thinking about Sasuke. How sweet it was the last time he kissed him, how right it felt… He cursed his fate again. He had get over the habit of blaming fate for his problems but he couldn’t find another way at the moment. If only Sasuke had not harmed him before, things would be different. He found himself wondering if he had gotten his memory back if only Sasuke had acted different.

‘I care because once I used to care and never really stopped doing it…’

He was angry and disappointed of the younger Uchiha and yet he didn’t want him to die…

‘I care because I want to…’

Neji’s arms moved slowly, and placed his hands over Itachi’s arms. The Akatsuki shinobi smirked. The object of his inspiration was with him and he was going to make sure that the fact stayed sole.

‘I care because I’m an idiot and I don’t want to lose you…’

Neji had just realised how his soul was ripped apart once again by his own hand, and he wasn’t even sure if it was the right decision. After all, Sasuke would never know why he did it… why he surrendered to Itachi four years ago and why he kept the act to the date.

‘I care because of what we used to be…’

Neji felt that Sasuke didn’t care about him, that the Uchiha only saw him as a possession and yet the distant memory of how he cared for him years ago wouldn't allow him to turn his back on him.

‘I care even if you don’t…’

He cared for him…even if the feeling was not mutual, and that was probably what hurt Neji the most. A bitter smiled adorned his lips. He felt very foolish right now, giving away all he was for someone who turned his back at him years ago and then looked at him once again with mad eyes.

‘I care because you were, and still are, special to me …’

Neji almost laughed at his own foolishness. It had all turned so wrong, and it was because he chose it to be that way.

‘I care because my heart has failed me…’

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“They were here” affirmed Kiba while Akamaru barked in agreement. They had reached the clearing where Itachi and Kisame had stopped to rest the night before.

Kibas was using his strong sense of smell to catch their scent, but he suddenly stopped when he reached a specific area of the clear. His eyes narrowed.

Sasuke looked around; the others did the same, trying to find something, anything that may help them. The younger Uchiha stopped as his eyes fixed in a shiny object on the ground. He kneeled down and took it.

“Did you find something?” asked Naruto, reaching him. Lee followed shortly after, but the sharingan user did not answered them. He was staring at the object in his palm.

“Sasuke-kun?” asked Lee. He moved to see the object; it was Sasuke’s Uchiha pendant “What’s that?”

“Neji used to have this around his neck” said Sasuke while standing up, a dark aura surrounding him.

“Why would Neji have an Uchiha pendant?” Naruto scratched the back of his head and glared suspiciously at Sasuke. Lee’s eyes were half narrowed and his expression was serious. Too serious.

“Because I made him wear it…this is entirely my fault” Before Naruto could say a word, Lee’s fist connected with Sasuke’s face, sending him to the floor.

“What was that for!” exclaimed Naruto. Kiba was standing near were Sasuke found the pendant, his face showed a grim expression. Shikamaru was watching all this, his mind already searching for conclusions.

“Please do not interfere, Naruto-kun” said Lee, still with a calm tone, Naruto blinked in confusion “Sasuke-kun…about four nights ago, Neji was injured. In more than one way. Did you have something to do with that?” The truth was that the night he found Neji he suspected what had happened to his friend, but didn’t wanted to admit it. When Sasuke nodded at his question, the older genin had to use all his will to not kill Sasuke right there.

Lee was clenching his fist so hard that his arms were shaking. He moved very fast and kicked Sasuke, sending him against a tree. The younger genin did not move to dodge him at all.

“Lee, stop!” Naruto took Lee by the arm and the other genin forced him to calm down. Meanwhile, Kiba had took Akamaru in his arms and put him inside his jacket.

“Lee, if what I think that happened is right, you can beat the hell out of Sasuke later. We have to move” He said still in a grim tone. Shikamaru looked at him quizzically. The other boy sighed

“Kiba, spill it” ordered Shikamaru. The other boy closed his eyes.

“To be honest, I don’t like Neji too much, because he hurt one of my best friends. But Hinata told me that he had apologised to her and tried to make things better. They were actually getting better with each other… I don’t want Hinata to loose someone dear to her. She’s my friend and Neji’s important to her…and what just happened here, I do not wish it to anybody”

“What are you talking about!” Sasuke screamed almost in panic. Kiba opened his eyes just to glare at him.

“Your brother had, and still has, a taste for Neji, Uchiha” was all he said.

Sasuke’s eyes got wide in realization. Lee turned around to punch a tree as Naruto looked at Kiba then at Sasuke. He was not sure if he understood the situation. He walked to Shikamaru and asked him in secret. The shadow master nodded, confirming the blonde’s theory.

Naruto walked to Sasuke and took him by the arm, taking the boy away from the others for a moment. Sasuke just let himself be dragged by his friend, expecting to be treated just like Lee did. Naruto did punch him, hard, and pinned him against a tree but his face showed a depressed expression, not a mad one.

“How could you?” asked the blonde “Really Sasuke, how could you?”

Naruto let go of him. The Uchiha stayed against the tree, looking at his feet, not wanting to see the look on Naruto’s eyes, or anybody else’s for the matter.

“I made a mistake” he said “I just was… too stupid to look beyond, I just didn’t want Itachi to take him away… but…but I ended doing something so wrong…”

“Sasuke, you do deserve to have Lee beat the hell out of you, but I’m not going to let him do it now, because we need to find Neji. Your psychotic brother did take him, Sasuke, and he just—” Naruto gulped “—abused him... We are going to deal with this, but later, when Neji is safe”

Sasuke just pocketed the Uchiha pendant. Naruto looked to the others and waved his hand, giving the signal that they should continue and so they did.

The group ran faster than before, Sasuke ahead of them, not wanting to deal with their stares. He knew he deserved them, but at the moment he just wanted to reach Neji and take him somewhere safe, talk to him and receive every single trace of hate and bitterness the Hyuuga could give him. Just what he deserved.

He prayed for a second chance, even if the voice in his head was whispering that he was praying for an almost impossible thing.

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“Over here!” shouted the ANBU nin. The rest of the team and their captain soon reach him and more than one couldn’t help a gasp when the entered the abandoned station.

There was a boy, less than ten years old, sitting against the wall. He was hugging his knees and rocking back and forward, murmuring incoherent words. His clothes were soaked in dry blood, his face was stained and his hair was hard as the dry blood covered it too. His white eyes were wide open but he was not looking at anything.

“This is a Hyuuga child” said one the squad as an ANBU kounochi reached the boy. When she tried to touch him the boy started to scream and moved away from her. She took him in her embrace before he got away and hugged him tight. The boy was hitting her with weak arms and desperate moves, almost in animal instinct.

“We need to take him to the hospital” she said behind her mask. The captain nodded and indicated that her and another ANBU were to take care of the child and they were going to keep investigating.

The female ANBU and her partner arrived to the hospital and the boy was taken to the emergency room. The female ANBU was going to stay and wait while his partner went to the Hyuuga estates.

Less than ten minutes later, Hyuuga Hiashi and two members of the house council – an old Lady and her husband – arrived at the hospital. The female AMBU was filled with questions when the three Hyuuga saw the blood stains on her uniform.

“We don’t know anything yet. We just found the boy” she explained. She did not know more. The medic nin were not done yet.

“He went missing yesterday afternoon. We were looking for him everywhere…”murmured the old lady. Her hands trembling were against her chest “This is terrible”

Before she could utter another word, the medic nin was there and proceeded to inform the Hyuugas about the boy’s condition.

“He has some minor bruises and a heavy psychological trauma…all the blood that was covering him was not his own”

“What?” Hiashi moved closer.

“We are trying to make him react but we can’t. The boy is in a very deep catatonic state. We are doing everything we can. I am sorry, but for now you will have to wait”

Far away from there, a shadow was running, remembering the promise he made to the boy and their agreement…

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Itachi’s hand moved almost in slow motion. His index finger touched the metal plate of Neji’s hitai-ate and looked at him. Neji’s eyes were not making contact with him.

“You know that the seal will be your downfall” Itachi said “You know that Konoha will not do a thing to stop them…you will die in pain and misery by the hands of your own family, even if you serve them all your life. They only see you as a slave. That is never going to change”

Kisame resisted the urge to laugh out loud. The whole scene was too amusing for him. The Hyuuga boy was near him, his eyes half closed looking at Itachi’s feet while his partner was in front of the boy, talking in his unique way, taking the worse part of the boy’s reality and slamming it into his face.

Itachi was taking Neji with him and was going to make sure to break every single tie the Hyuuga had with no one other than him.

They were under the heavy rain in the middle of a valley. Soon they would reach forelands. Time was gold and he was going to make sure that when they crossed the border of the fire country his victory over the object of his affection was utter.

“The others can’t help you. They won’t. You know it” Itachi smirked and moved his hand from Neji’s temple “My poor little bird has his wings so broken that cannot even fly around his cage anymore”

Neji lifted his eyes. Those white orbs were filled with surprise. Itachi had used the words that hurt him the most. The cruel reality.

“The bars are so strong…you cannot get out, can you?” Neji’s hands started to shake “No one but me can get you out Neji…remember that when we made our agreement I told you that…that I would come back” Itachi moved his hand and placed over the boy’s head “This is not about Sasuke anymore, Neji. This about you, and the cage that your clan put you into. Konoha can’t take you out, your silly friends can’t take you out, my foolish brother can’t either…but I can, and I will”

Neji met Itachi’s mangenkyo sharingan eyes and his mind reached a lost memory.

Itachi was hugging him close. He was so broken right now. The tears were falling down his cheeks even with the blindfold. His face was stained with blood and his hair too and yet he looked so beautiful.

“I have to go now Neji…I cannot take you with me just now. I want to, but I can't. First I have to find a solution for this” the older boy touched Neji’s forehead, tracing the cursed seal with his fingers.

“I-Ita..chi..s-san…” whispered the boy

“Shsss. It’s okay…it’s okay”

Itachi placed him in the mattresses again and fixed his blood soaked cloths. He took the blindfold and looked into the boy’s eyes. His sharingan changed into mangenkyo then.

“I’ll help you to forget now…but when the time is right, you will remember” Neji just stared at him “Konoha cannot save you Neji…but I can…and I will. Wait for me. Wait for me and I’ll return with the key of your cage”

Neji’s mind when lost in a world of darkness. The darkness told him to forget and he closed his eyes then.

Silver-white eyes returned to the present, thinking in all the reasons and sides of the situation. Meanwhile, Itachi observed.

“Oie, Itachi” called Kisame “We have company”

Itachi looked over his shoulder. His brother and his friends had reached them. Kisame moved forward while Itachi stayed at Neji’s side. The boy was still lost in his thoughts.

“Neji!” shouted Naruto and Lee.

The five of them when into battle stance and got ready. Sasuke immediately tossed a series of kunais at his brother, who caught them and let them fall onto the ground. The battle started.

Kisame sent Lee, Naruto and Kiba out of range with his sword. Shikamaru was trying to reach Neji but was stopped by Itachi, who sent Sasuke at him with a kick. Neji slowly moved his head and watched all.

Lee and Naruto were screaming at him, but he couldn’t heard them. His eyes were fixed in the image of Sasuke being hurt by Itachi with almost effortless moves. The Hyuuga’s mind was filled with different memories mixed with the present and he could not heard a sound of the battle.

His father laying on the ground in pain. His father’s lifeless body being taken away from him and his mother’s heartbroken figure followed in death days later. The hard bars of the cage his clan put him in by tradition were almost so physical that he could touch them…it hurt.

At those times, Sasuke’s smiled helped him. Itachi’s guidance made him stronger, and he could keep walking.

But now Neji saw how his mentor –the person he admired the most once – send his friend and object of his affection –the boy who gave him a tiny hope a long time ago – to the ground, then grabbed him by the collar.

“You can’t win, foolish little brother. You know it, you are not strong enough. You cannot defeat me and you cannot have Neji for the same reason…” Sasuke shifted in his brother’s grip. Itachi was about to hit him again when a trembling voice reached his ears.

“Itachi-san” called Neji. All the figures there looked at him, even Kisame. Lightning crashed into the ground and the boy talked again “…that is enough”

Itachi smirked and let go of Sasuke. All the Konoha nin were staring at him with plain confusion. Sasuke moved to support himself on his hands and knees and saw how Neji was undoing the knot of his hitai-ate and took it off.

“Ne-e…ji?” asked the younger Uchiha in pain filled voice. The wind moved the Hyuuga’s hair in an almost violent way. His white eyes were fixed in the head band as Itachi walked behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Neji lifted his head and looked at Sasuke into the eye as his hands let go of the hitai-ate. It fell onto the ground with a dull sound.

Naruto watched this unable to move just like Lee. Kiba’s eyes were wide. The only one with a serious expression was Shikamaru, who was trying to catch the words that Neji’s lips were trying to say but his voice couldn't. His expression changed into one of disbelief when his mind reached the message.

Itachi took Neji’s hand and the trio ran from the Konoha nins, out of the Fire country.

Sasuke moved slowly and took Nej’s hitai-ate with trembling hands. He could heard his brother's laughter in his head and the sound of his own soul being ripped apart. It hurt more than he could take.

He screamed.

To be continue…

Authoress notes:

I think I am forgetting something…be I can’t tell what…anyway.

Thanks for take some of your time in read my story, also thanks to my beta (you’re so nice! –hugs her beta—) for her help.

Comments and questions, here I am!