Inbred

Another long chapter that (I don't like and) took a while to compose. This chapter has lots of talking in it and some of the readers of this story were looking forward to this so it was like alot of pressure to try and get the discussion to flow smooth;y while covering most of the issues (DRAMA) surrounding the characters. Also, because of the family thing I didn't get much chance to work on it since I wasn't home today or yesterday and that's why the update is so late. Well I hope you enjoy this chapter since alot of you were waiting anxiously for this moment...kinda. Anyway if I missed something or it doesn't meet it's expectations then I'm sorry.

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Chapter 30

Each person in the room held pieces to a very complex puzzle and while a few had been haphazardly tossed into the mix there were still alot of questions that were left unanswered. While it was mandatory that they all huddle together to connect the pieces and make sense of this conundrum there was something that took precedence over the revelation of the big picture.

Sasuke got off of Neji after he made his beloved promise that he wasn't going to attack Naruto again. The stoic Hyuga assured his lover that he wasn't going to lay a hand on the boy...today. Neji got to his feet and brushed himself off even as he glared at the blond but when his eyes rested on his cousin's disheveled appearance his countenance softened.

Pale, hereditary Hyuga eyes met and they shared a strained moment of silence. Neji called out to her and the girl ran over to him and threw her arms around his waist. The boy hadn't been aware that he had opened his arms to embrace her until he realized that they remained outstretched even after the girl began sobbing against his clothed chest. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek atop her dark mane, his tears christening her head.

Naruto looked away, once again feeling as if he were intruding upon a very private moment. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, then finding nothing else to do with his hands he stuffed them into his pants pocket.

Sasuke returned, no one was aware that he had left, and draped a thick blanket across the girl's shoulders. She wasn't cold and she was still modest but Sasuke knew that, for some reason, cocooning one's self into a warm quilt subconsciously made one feel safe. It had worked for him somewhat after the fire but Hinata was also fortunate to have her cousin's strong arms enveloping her and Sasuke wished that was a privilege he could have shared during that difficult time.

Neji pulled Hinata against him and into the couch so she could sit by his side and Naruto took an adjacent sofa that rested at a perpendicular angle. Sasuke had once again disappeared but Naruto heard him fumbling around in the kitchen and Hinata's little sobs were drowned out by the clattering of kitchen utensils.

The young people in the front house remained quiet. Hinata crying softly against her cousin's expensive, silk, pajama top while the older man stroked her hair and muttered words of encouragement against her forehead. Naruto sat with his arms between his knees and fiddled his thumbs together, he almost jumped out of his skin when the tea-kettle suddenly pierced the silence with it's deafening whistle.

Both dark-haired beauties seemed unfazed by the kettle's cacophony but Naruto watched as his friend switched off the electric stove then made a cup of tea to present to the young girl which she accepted with a gracious 'Thank you'. The Uchiha heir didn't like sweets and preferred to drink a variety of herbal teas instead, but after Naruto arrived he was forced to buy all manner of chocolate for the hyperactive blond who couldn't stand the bland and tasteless beverages. He was glad he did. The girl seemed to like it.

As she blew against the steam and sipped gingerly Naruto dragged his eyes from one Hyuga to the next and wondered why he hadn't noticed the resemblance before now. They both had that thick, healthy, waist-length hair that was of a rich, ebony hue; their skin was of that pale alabaster similar to Sasuke's but much, much lighter almost to the point where it appeared as if there was a deficiency in the pigmentation of their skin and Naruto wondered if he left them in the sun if they would tan at all.

They were both dainty and shared very petite and feminine features but the one thing about them that made Naruto feel like an idiot for not noticing before was the colour of their eyes. How could he have stared so longingly into Hinata's eyes and glared so menacingly into Neji's and not realize that they were exactly the same? He felt like such a dunce.

"So Naruto, this is the girl you were going to introduce me to." Sasuke spoke more matter-of-factly than inquisitively.

Naruto nodded twice and the older boy sighed then slipped into another sofa that also sat perpendicular to the one Neji and Hinata were in. He stretched one long leg before him while the other he brought up to rest on the cushion while balancing an arm over that knee and tapped his chin with the other hand. He looked very laid-back.

Naruto metaphorically tried to fit a piece into the puzzle.

"So...Hinata and Neji are...related?" this question was directed at the two in question but it was the Uchiha who spoke up.

"They're cousins."

Realization hit Naruto like a ton of bricks. "You KNEW?" he asked flabbergasted and Sasuke just shrugged. "Why didn't you tell me?" came the next question and his dark-haired friend gave him a look as if he thought he was crazy.

"How the hell was I supposed to know she was the girl you were seeing. You took your sweet time to introduce us, remember?" he shot back, the annoyance evident in his voice at the boy's absent-mindedness. "If we had met earlier I would have alerted you to the fact that she and Neji were related." He scoffed then, "But I'm surprised that you couldn't come to that comparison by yourself. Actually-" he shook his head suddenly remembering it was Naruto he was talking about. "I'm not that surprised at all."

Naruto pouted at the blatant jab towards his intelligence.

"So then, Hinata's a Hyuga as well?" Naruto's question was aimed at Sasuke but it was Neji that replied this time.

"No, she is not. Hinata has no family name, she is no longer considered a member of the Hyuga lineage."

Hinata stiffened at his flat tone and Naruto bristled. "You're lying! How can you say that Neji? She's your cousin for crying out loud."

Neji shot him a cold glance before continuing in that indifferent voice. "Hinata was banished from the clan when she was little and stripped of her family name. Check the records," he added with a wave of his hand. "You won't see her name on any of our family trees or even in the registry, to any member of the Hyuga clan, Hinata does not or never did exist."

Naruto suddenly felt cold and and his heart sank. How could Neji just sit there and say such things about his blood relative? Did Neji feel the same way? Did Hinata really not matter to him? As a Hyuga himself did he too believe that she no longer existed even though he had her cradled protectively against him?

"Wh-Why...?" He'd wanted to ask why Neji was such a prick, why he was such a heartless bastard, why he thought he could get away with treating the innocent girl like that. But the raven-haired boy misunderstood his question.

"There was something...that her parents commanded her to do that Hinata did not agree with and when she refused to obey they-" Neji closed his eyes and tried to force himself not to cry. "They decided to get rid of Hinata and give the responsibility to her little sister instead."

"How the hell could they do that?" his voice was a near-yell now and his tanned hands gripped the arm-rests so tightly that his knuckles shone white. "What was so important that they decided to throw away their daughter like some toy that no longer worked and just pick up the other one as if Hinata didn't matter?"

"You don't understand Naruto. In a family like ours the eldest, male child of the head branch is the one that becomes the heir and inherits the responsibility of maintaining the entire clan. Hinata's parents didn't have any sons but since Hinata was the eldest girl she was elected to be the heir. When she turned eleven she was to marry-"

"Neji!"

The Hyuga boy turned to look at the short-haired brunette who had called him by name. They exchanged a glance and Sasuke shook his head. Neji nodded in understanding then turned back to face the blond and Naruto got the impression that they were trying to cover up something.

"At eleven, her parents had arranged for her to be married but Hinata refused to go through with it. Her parents were...'impressed' with the boy's good genes and were determined to make him their son-in-law. But Hinata was the heir apparent and her refusal to accept the boy threatened the clan's lineage. Hinata's sister was their only hope but they couldn't make her the heir if Hinata was still alive so-" His smooth voice cracked but he didn't cry. "So they decided to kill her."

Naruto gasped and stared wide-eyed as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Some of the main branch members thought that killing her was too easy a punishment, so they stripped her of her family name and threw her into the streets and left her to die."

"You monsters!" Naruto found his voice at that moment and he yelled his disgust at the older Hyuga. "How could you discard a child, a member of your family, your own BLOOD like a piece of trash just because she refused to marry someone she didn't love."

Naruto didn't know the real reason behind the girl's refusal and Sasuke wanted to keep it that way. When Neji had told him the truth he'd felt sick to his stomach and he knew the emotional blond would go postal if he ever found out.

Neji shook his head. "You don't understand Naruto, it's common for old clans like ours to have arranged marriages all the time. It's tradition."

"IT'S BULLSHIT!"

"Naruto! Sit.Down." The composed Uchiha barked the order to his friend who was now standing with his fists clenched at his sides. They shook with uncontrolled rage.

Naruto slowly took his seat while he and Hyuga exchanged death glares.

A large piece of the puzzle had been filled in but more space became exposed as more questions remained unanswered.

Hinata leaned forward to put the half-empty cup on the living room table before her and as Neji watched her movements he noticed a red mark that covered her pale cheek. It was faint but from where he was sitting he could see it clearly.

"Hinata, what happened to your cheek?" he furrowed his brow and reached out to touch it but she brought her hand up to cover the side of her face that Kabuto had abused earlier, and that's when he saw the dark bruise around her wrist. He gaped at the ugly mark on her pale skin and went to pull the hand closer to get a better look but Hinata yanked it away.

"I-It's nothing, Neji-niichan," she whispered and Neji knew she was lying. He could always tell when the girl was trying to hide something.

He got up from his seat to kneel in front of her and cupped her face in his soft hands, he turned her head to face him but she avoided his gaze. "Hinata-chan, look at me!" came the terse reply and when she cautiously brought her eyes to meet his she was overwhelmed by the concern that was etched into his usually emotionless features. "Who did this to you?"

Naruto heard her mumble something then saw Neji stiffen and his concern quickly became anger. Naruto had wanted to ask Hinata to repeat herself but Sasuke spoke up before he did, apparently the Uchiha's hearing was better than his.

"Those two?"

Neji nodded and then slowly stood on his feet and it was all the boy could do not to tear the place apart in the rage that was boiling in is head when Hinata told him the name of her assailants.

That pedophile and his yes-man.

"Wha-What two?" the blond asked curiously looking between the other two men, waiting for either one to supply an answer.

"Orochimaru and his little eunuch," Sasuke sighed his reply.

Naruto had heard that name before. "Wa-Wait, Orochimaru of 'Sound Inc.'?" when Sasuke nodded Narto shook his head in disbelief.

Sound Industries Incorporated wasn't a common household name in Japan and was pretty much unheard of in the States. The company was a talent scout of sorts and while Orochimaru owned the entire business he usually had people do the interviews and draft the up-and-coming artistes themselves. The only reason Naruto knew who he was was because one of his favourite J-pop stars, Kin Tsuchi, was discovered by Sound. He had a major crush on her during her peak time and had researched everything about her on the internet.

He couldn't believe that a man like Orochimaru, the man that had been responsible for putting gifted individuals like Kin, Kimimaro and 'The Four Cardinal Gates' on the map would be responsible for doing something like this. Had they somehow misunderstood what Hinata had said?

Another space in the puzzle revealed itself.

"O-Orochimaru and who?"

"That blue-haired, dick-less twat that's always kissing his ass," hissed Neji and he suddenly felt like punching the image of Kabuto that popped into his mind's eye.

Sasuke elaborated. "Kabuto was a big fan of Orochimaru when he was little and to prove his loyalty and devotion to the man," Sasuke shook his head and chuckled under his breath as he recalled the outrageously stupid act. "He...castrated himself."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably in the chair as his testicles clenched reflexively against his body. "He...-" the boy broke off, he couldn't say the word. "But, but why would Orochimaru do something like that?" he asked and pointed to Hinata's red cheek. "He's the owner of a big and successful company, what would he have against Hinata?"

Naruto didn't know the truth about Orochimaru, but Sasuke did and so did Neji. Sound Inc. was just a front for the seedy little operations that Orochimaru ran underground. The company was successful enough as it was but the real money came from the black-market activity and when you owned a wealthy family business like Uchiha Corporations you can bet that you'd be presented with all kinds of 'personal deals' and be offered 'special treatment'. Sasuke had never met Orochimaru in person, he had his lackeys do his underground networking for him, but one of the guys was sloppy and Sasuke managed to trace him back to Sound Industries. He cut all dealings with that business after that.

Orochimaru had also extended his hand towards Hyuga Incorporated but they didn't share the same principles Uchiha did and had welcomed the man into their boardroom and into their household. Neji got a bad vibe the first time he laid eyes on the man and whenever he saw Orochimaru and Kabuto stopping by he always made himself scarce, but it was on one particularly long visit that Neji saw him for what he truly was.

Neji had to fight the bile that was quickly rising in his throat. Thinking back on that day made him want to vomit all over again. He felt so sorry for little Hanabi but the damage was already done and there was nothing he could do about it, the only thing he could do was make sure he didn't do the same to Hinata, so he warned his little cousin to avoid the man at all costs. But Orochimaru already had his sights set on the girl and although Neji hadn't told her why she should keep away from him she still wasn't foolish enough to be caught alone with him.

Neji and Sasuke both knew the real Orochimaru and they both reached the same conclusion about him. He was no better than a snake in the grass.

"Orochimaru, has..." Neji broke off as he searched for the right words to use. "Unfinished business with Hinata."

The dense blond became confused. Did Orochimaru want to make Hinata a star? Had he wanted to sponsor her as an up and coming performer? Did Hinata turn-down the offer and enrage Orochimaru with her refusal? He didn't get it.

"Oi, Hinata. I didn't know you could sing."

The room became dead silent.

Sasuke slapped a palm against his forehead and shook his head muttering something about 'a dumb blond'; Neji stared at the teen as if he had suddenly turned purple with yellow spots and Hinata blushed and twiddled her index fingers together feeling very embarrassed on Naruto's behalf.

"Dobe, don't be stupid," spat the annoyed Uchiha. "Orochimaru tried to rape Hinata."

Naruto paled and looked at the girl who kept her red face towards the floor. "Hinata-chan? Did, did Orochimaru really do that to you?"

She shook her head. "N-No, Uncle Oro-, I mean Orochimaru-sama didn't hurt me," came the honest reply.

"That little shit did this to you?" Neji screamed and Hinata flinched at the tone of his voice. Okay, the nerdy little mother-fucker didn't have any balls for Neji to bust open so he'd just have to settle for smashing his face in instead, glasses and all.

"Kabuto-kun...he was only following orders." It was a lame excuse, she knew but it was just typical of her to always come to everyone's defense.

Neji cocked his head to one side and gave her an incedulous look. "I don't care if he got his orders from the Queen Mary of the Scots, he had no right to lay his fucking hands on you, and dammit Hinata I warned you to stay away from those two."

"But they paid Hatsumomo for- for...my...services."

"Who.the.FUCK is Hatsumomo?"

Hinata shifted uncomfortably on the couch, perturbed by her cousin's outbursts. She mumbled her response but no one heard what she said.

Naruto suddenly remembered something, "Wait, didn't Hatsumomo-bitch promise not to make you do that?"

Hinata's blush deepened.

"Hinata...did Hatsumomo force you to have sex with Orochimaru for the money he paid her?"

She whimpered and her face became redder.

Naruto snapped.

"THAT BITCH! I'LL KILL HER!"

"WHO THE FUCK IS, HATSUMOMO?"

"WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT.THE FUCK.UP?" Sasuke roared and when the room suddenly became silent they heard Hinata sobbing quietly.

Neji furrowed his brow and sat next to the girl again to hold her in another comforting embrace. "Shh, don't cry Hinata-chan. I'm sorry."

The puzzle was finally complete and all the pieces fit together to reveal a melancholy picture.

Naruto shook his head at the amalgamation of emotions coursing through him right now. He felt anger, disgust and something he was sure was helplessness. These people, these people just thought they could play with other people's emotions and ruin other people's lives just because they had money or were important? Hatsumomo he could deal with and he planned on dealing with her very soon, but there was no way he could go up against a multi-national business like Hyuga Inc. much less a faceless corporation like Sound. But for Hinata, he was willing to try even if he had to pull them down one brick at a time.

"Oi Sasuke?" The dark-haired Uchiha looked over at his friend. "What happens now?"

He raised an eye-brow. "What do you mean, 'what happens now'?"

He gestured towards the girl in tears. "I mean with Hinata-chan."

Sasuke shrugged from his seat then sighed. "I dunno."

"We're not sending her back," he growled.

"I never said that," came the flat reply and is if knowing what his friend was going to say next he quickly added. "But she can't stay here, this is a boy's dorm remember and both my rooms are already occupied, but I-"

"What the fuck do you mean she can't stay here, you can't expect to throw her back into the streets?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Trust the emotional blond to jump to conclusions and Naruto hadn't let him finish.

"She can stay with me." Both men looked over to the Hyuga who had spoken. He was holding his cousin's hands in his own. "She can stay in Sasuke's old room."

"Hmm, that's good," nodded the blond. "But, are you sure you won't get in trouble, you know, this being a boy's dorm and all." Sasuke suddenly wanted to strangle the boy until his head turned purple and popped off from lack of blood and oxygen.

"It's no problem," assured the Hyuga. "I'm a girl and I've been living in this dorm for many years now. No one hardly ever comes on the third floor much less into my apartment and as long as we keep Hinata locked away in my room no one's gonna find out. And besides," he turned to look lovingly into his cousin's eyes. "this is something I have to do since I'm the only family she has."

"Neji-niichan," she squeaked and Hinata's heart melted as she threw her arms around Neji while crying tears of joy.

"Thanks alot Neji, it's so nice to see that at least SOMEone is willing to take risks," came the blond's tart response.

Sasuke tsked. "Whatever."

The three boys escorted Hinata into her new home. Neji got her some clean clothes and instructed her to take a bath while he kept a very close eye on Naruto. After she got cleaned up she gave each boy a grateful hug and thanked them profusely for all their kindness, her cousin showed her where she would be sleeping from now on and she said her good nights before turning in.

The three men stood in the front-house, neither saying anything. It was Naruto who finally spoke up.

"So, Orochimaru knew Hinata from before." Sasuke was impressed that he had managed to put two and two together.

"He's a 'family friend'," Neji replied while spitting out the last two words.

"What kind of family lets their friend molest their children?"

Neji stiffened, although the boy was speaking in general he knew the question was directed at him. It hurt, he felt offended, he wanted to come to his defense but he didn't. He deserved the barb along with the blond's disgust. "A family full of cowards." A family of which he was one. He wanted to tell himself that at that time he couldn't do anything, he wanted to argue that he was too young, he wanted to believe that he was too weak, but if Hinata went up against her entire family at the risk of her own life then what did that really make him?

Nothing but a coward!

"Damn that Hatsumomo," Naruto seethed and curled his fingers into fists. "Damn that Orochimaru, I swear...I swear I'll-"

"Do what, dobe?" Sasuke interrupted his murderous thoughts with a scoff. "Something stupid, as usual?"

"Fuck you, Uchiha!" the boy spat and Sasuke raised his hands in defeat. There was no negotiating with the boy when he was in this frame of mind and Sasuke knew that once his mind was made up there was no changing it.

"Fine, do whatever, see if I care, just try not to get your ass arrested again," he replied nonchalantly with a wave of his hand as he made his way to the door. While Uzumaki Naruto preferred the hands on approach, Uchiha Sasuke preferred to be more cunning. He'd make a few calls early in the morning and try to have this whole thing straightened out before Naruto got himself in trouble.

The door shut quietly at Sasuke's departure and Naruto huffed. Sasuke could be such a heartless bastard sometimes. He heard a strangled sob and turned to look at the only other remaining person in the room.

Neji's head was low, his chin pressed firmly against his chest as his hair fell in a curtain around his head and shoulders and although Naruto couldn't see his face he knew that man was stifling tears. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides and his chest heaved with each uncontrolled breath he took. Neji appeared to be suffering some inner turmoil.

The blond wanted to reach out to touch him, console him, let him know that everything was gonna be alright, and that no matter how long it took he was going to make those bastards pay. But he was afraid to get near to the older boy, he looked as if he were sprung tight and the slightest thing would send him into the rage he was trying to surpress. "N-Neji, are you al-?

"Naruto!" His voice was deep and it held a nefarious tone and as he slowly lifted his head, his face revealed eyes set in thin slits and a wicked grin that spoke of vengeance. He wasn't going to let his fear cripple him anymore.

"Take me to Hatsumomo-bitch and I'll take you to Orochimaru."