Sasuke ran harder then he had ever ran before. Or maybe one or two times he had ran so fast before, chasing after Itachi.

He was confused, yet determined, running straight towards where that chakra was coming from.

If he was right about this, then that meant Neji was still alive.

And if Neji was still alive, then Sasuke was going to get to him.

He was worried what he would find though.

If he was wrong, he might just go crazy.

Those occasional waves of what seemed like Neji's chakra were taking him right to the Hyuuga compound, which made this all the more odd.

Something seemed off as well, because it was nearly empty, as to where most nights, the Hyuuga kept up high security.

Sasuke activated his sharingan, just to get a good look at everything and be prepared.

He made his way into the Hyuuga compound, hiding behind a tree.

All he wanted was to run towards the place Neji's chakra was coming from, but Sasuke had an uneasy feeling.

He sensed out other chakra's, but they weren't from any of the ninja part of the Hyuuga family.

Then he saw someone that looked like Neji, only a lot older, run off with some other clan members.

They seemed panicked and distressed.

Sasuke was about to follow them, when someone grabbed his arm. On instinct he nearly hit the person, until he saw her face.

He stopped himself just in time. She seemed startled at first, then her face changed to a scowl.

"Shhh." She said as she put her finger to her lips.

Sasuke recognized her. Wasn't she Hinata's younger sister? He'd seen her once or twice.

Although he couldn't recall her name, not having bothered to remember it before.

"Follow me." She said and turned around, looked left and right and then took off.

Normally, Sasuke would refuse to follow someone on a whim, just because they said so.

But if this girl was anything like Hinata, there wouldn't be a harmful bone in her body.

And if this was going to take him to wherever Neji was, he'd take the risk any day.

So he followed her, through the garden, then into the giant house that rested at the back of the compound.

She led him through corridors and hallways, then down a flight of stairs.

Sasuke never realized how large this one house really was.

Where the Uchiha all had their own houses, the Hyuuga lived in two main ones.

Now that they were close to Neji's chakra, Sasuke wanted to run towards it. But Hanabi seemed to lower her own chakra as they drew nearer and Sasuke followed her example.

He only now noticed that they were somewhere underground, in something that didn't seem quite like a dungeon, but something close to it.

It was colder here and empty. Although the floors and walls were made of wood and not from stone like a dungeon would, it still had the same feeling.

The Hyuuga were an old family of ninja, who knew what they used this for.

Then the girl stopped and signed for him to get next to her. Sasuke complied and when he did, he heard voices.

He looked through the small windshaft that the girl had led them to and saw another long haired Hyuuga.

This one was really old, although his chakra was strong. Only Hinata and Neji themselves had higher chakra's for as far as Sasuke knew.

Then he heard someone else talk.

"You can't keep doing this."

Hinata.

What was she doing here?

"You do not understand Hinata." The older man said.

Sasuke decided in that moment that he would not trust the man for as far as he could throw him.

"I do understand." Sasuke had never heard Hinata speak so firmly. "He didn't do anything wrong though."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he tried to see. He could make out the older man, but Hinata was further away.

She seemed to be blocking someone.

Sasuke had a gut feeling he knew who it was.

"That may be. But all I am doing is protecting our family values."

The old man again.

"But those values are old, we can change them."

"No." This time, the older man sounded more angry. "They are here to keep our family pure."

Pure? What did that mean?

"It'd be best if you left us alone now Hinata."

"No." This time, Hinata actually sounded angry.

"Hinata." The threat coming out of that word would've been frightening for most people.

Sasuke was surprised Hinata stood her ground.

"This does not concern you. Neji and I need to have a talk."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the mention of Neji's name.

So he was here? And whatever this guy wanted, it was not a talk, that much was clear.

Sasuke's instincts kicked in and as he activated his sharingan, he broke through the wall using susanoo.

The sound of the explosion was probably heard a long way into the city, but Sasuke would settle this himself.

As the smoke and dust cleared up, Sasuke looked straight into the surprised eyes of the elder Hyuuga.

But his focus shifted as soon as he had a clear view.

Neji.

He was standing right there, behind Hinata, looking only slightly surprised.

He was there, in the flesh. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat just from the sight.

Somewhere he had always hoped for this, but he had deemed himself crazy for even thinking it.

Now it was coming true.

"Sasuke." Neji took a step closer and Sasuke was about to do the same, before the old man stuck out his hand and Neji stopped.

Sasuke glared at the man.

Whatever he had done, it had scared Neji, otherwise he knew he would never stop in his tracks.

Sasuke was about to pull that old man's head off, his whole body felt like it was on drugs.

Sasuke was angry.

But before he could act, the old man spoke.

"Uchiha Sasuke. I recognize those eyes anywhere."

He folded his arms together, as if he was about to scold Sasuke.

Sasuke's blood was boiling, but he kept his calm.

"If only your family could see what a disgrace you are. "

That confused him.

"Being with another man. Surely they wouldn't want you to disgrace their family name even more."

So that's what this was?

Neji told him his family wouldn't appreciate them being together, but to go through these lengths?

Pretending Neji was dead? And to do what? Keep him here forever?

This man was crazy.

And Sasuke was about to kill him. That man had kept Neji from him, had obviously hurt him.

He was not getting away with that.

Sasuke drew his sword, but as soon as he did, the older man started to perform seals.

Before Sasuke knew it, Neji dropped to the ground with a scream, grabbing to his head.

It startled him.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke snapped at the man, but didn't waste time waiting for an answer.

He charged at him and kicked him in the head, sending him flying against the wall.

Whatever he had done, it had stopped, because Neji stopped screaming.

Although Sasuke could hear him panting, he kept his gaze fixated on the older man, who got up again.

Sasuke launched himself at the man again, but he was stopped in his tracks as the man spoke.

"One more movement and he's dead."

Sasuke stopped at the words. Could he really?

"For real this time."

If Sasuke hadn't been pissed before, he was now.

This man, he had to be stopped. But if just a few handseals could cause Neji such pain, then surely the man could kill Neji before Sasuke could reach him.

How was the man doing this anyway?

"Grandpa, you can't do this." It was the girl that showed Sasuke the way.

So this was their grandfather? What crazy old bastard would do this to his own grandchild?

"I must protect our family."

"By killing them?" This time, it was Neji that spoke and his voice send chills through Sasuke's spine.

He had never thought he'd hear it again, but there it was.

Sadly, he didn't have time to bask in the feeling it gave him.

"If that's what I must do to keep our family pure then so be it."

"If you kill him, you'd better believe I'll have your head not a second later." Sasuke spat at him.

There had to be a way to get rid of this man, without him killing Neji.

Sasuke looked around. He wasn't going to lose Neji again. Not this time. He had failed protecting him once, it was not going to happen again.

Being faster than a handseal was nearly impossible though.

He had to distract the guy somehow and get to him. That way he could easily restrain him and keep him from performing any handseal whatsoever.

But how?

He turned around, looking at Hinata, who had kneeled down beside Neji. He still seemed hurt.

And when he looked at Neji's face, he realized how this had happened.

He had vaguely heard it before, about the main and branch family of the Hyuuga.

Neji had told him the mark on his forehead was just a mark he belonged to the branch family.

But Sasuke now knew, it was a seal. And the main family could use it against him.

That's how the older Hyuuga did this. And Sasuke was sure he could kill Neji if he didn't stop him.

But what could he do?

"What the hell is going on here!?"

Sasuke turned to the whole in the wall he created.

To everyone's susprise Naruto was standing there, looking both confused as angry.

He must've sensed Neji's chakra as well. Although Sasuke hated to admit it, Naruto was a damned good ninja.

Just not as fast as him.

Then Sasuke turned to the elder Hyuuga. Just as he had hoped.

Naruto had distracted him.

Sasuke didn't waste another second.

He moved, as fast as he could and when he reached the elder man, he knew he had done it.

Sasuke no longer had to worry about the handseals as he kicked the man down and pulled his arms behind his back.

Normally, he might've gone easy on such an old man, but this one, he just made Sasuke feel things he had only felt in his darkest of times.

Touching him now, having that power over him, Sasuke just wanted to hurt him, the same way he had hurt Neji.

He could feel it, no matter what he did.

He wanted revenge.

Sasuke could feel Naruto's chakra coming closer, then taking the arms away from him.

"Calm down." He heard Naruto say and looked on as Naruto kept the man in his grip.

But Sasuke was anything but calm.

He wanted to see blood. One man's in particular.

Everyone knew what was coming, even the older Hyuuga, who was staring at him angry.

Still probably thinking his beliefs were the right ones.

Sasuke would show him what his beliefs were.

But just as Sasuke was about to set this guy on fire with Amaterasu, his eyes, the ones he was going to use, were covered.

For a split second, Sasuke was about to turn around and kill whoever had put their hand over his eyes.

He wasn't about to let anyone stop him from killing that man.

Until that person spoke.

"Enough Uchiha."

The Hokage.

"We got this."

Sasuke only now noticed how much chakra he was emitting and that his breathing was fairly rigid.

He calmed down only slightly when he heard some man call out Neji's name and apologizing.

And when he heard Naruto tell the Hokage that the older Hyuuga had done something to Neji.

The blonde was smarter then he looked.

He still wanted to kill the man though.

"You are under arrest for endangering a ninja's life, faking his death, abduction and torture." The Hokage spoke and Sasuke could sense the ANBU members taking the older man from Naruto's grip.

Only when the old Hyuuga was removed far enough by the ANBU members, did the Hokage remove her hand.

Sasuke's sharingan was still activated. He still wanted his revenge.

That man had to go, Sasuke felt it in his entire body.

But from the look on Tsunade's face, by all means he would not get it.

She really looked like a stern mother, about to scold her child.

Sasuke's rationality kicked in when he realized if he did anything stupid, there'd be a chance he would never see Neji again.

That was also the moment Sasuke turned to him.

Neji had gotten up and Hinata, her sister and what seemed like their father were around him, asking Neji if he was ok.

Of course Neji assured them he was. Neji might not have as much pride as Sasuke, or even Naruto, but he sure had a lot of it.

But Sasuke knew he had taken a hit. His chakra wasn't nearly as strong as it used to.

Then Neji turned to Sasuke as well and they locked eyes.

Sasuke tried to keep his composure, but it was really hard, finally seeing Neji again.

He vaguely heard the Hokage telling everyone to get out and have Neji checked up in the hospital.

But Sasuke couldn't care less.

His feet moved on it's own, taking him to Neji before they were standing close enough for Sasuke to feel his warmth again.

It felt overwhelming but very welcome.

Sasuke decided then and there that he would never let Neji go.

Losing him again would be the end of him.

He slowly pulled Neji into a hug, barely registering that this was really him. That this was really Neji and that he could touch him again.

If this was a dream, he hated sleep from now on.

He closed his eyes, Neji's hair getting in his face.

"I'm sorry." He finally whispered, feeling guilty.

How come he had not found him before?

-.-.-

Neji had only just wrapped his arms around Sasuke as well, when the Uchiha spoke those words.

From the words the Hokage spoke, Sasuke must've thought he had been dead all this time.

It broke Neji's heart a little, because knowing Sasuke, he must've been devastated.

Feeling the tight grip on his body confirmed that.

Neji could feel it clearly in his touch. Sasuke was angry, sad, distraught, felt guilty and scared at the same time.

He could only imagine how Sasuke must've been feeling all that time he thought Neji was dead.

Sasuke was slightly shaking, but the Uchiha had so much control over his body it was barely noticeable.

However, that control had been missing just a few moments ago.

Neji had felt it and he was sure so had everyone else.

Sasuke couldn't help it, Neji knew as much, but from now on, he'd do anything in his power to prevent it.

He would never let Sasuke experience such feelings again. He would never let Sasuke fall back into that darkness again and seek revenge until he had it.

That was not what Sasuke deserved.

Neji knew very well what that meant.

He could not leave. He could not die.

And he would make sure he'd achieve those goals.

In the mean time, he had to calm Sasuke down.

"I'm ok." He said.

He was fine really. For the past month he had been locked up in the Hyuuga dungeon, forced to endure long periods of pain.

His grandfather had control.

If only the branch family wouldn't have those seals, he'd have been able to escape.

But he couldn't. He couldn't even use his chakra, because he had been weakened so much.

It hadn't been until he complied and said he would leave Sasuke, had he been allowed to gather his strength just a little.

That was when he let it all go. He needed people to know where he was. That he was still there.

Hinata had arrived first, much to his surprise, even before their grandfather had.

She had kept him from hurting Neji further.

It hadn't been long until he had sensed Sasuke coming. And Neji was glad he did. Somewhere he had wondered if Sasuke would notice.

He could sense out Sasuke anywhere, unless Sasuke didn't want to be found.

Sasuke clearly could do the same.

It made Neji happy.

But Sasuke was anything but.

"How can you say that?" His voice sounded angry, but upset in a way.

"You've been here for over a month. You've been hurt for over a month."

Sasuke's grip on him tightened.

"But that's over now." Neji told Sasuke.

He could feel Sasuke's heartbeat racing.

He also only now noticed the rest had left them to themselves. They should be heading out as well.

"We should go home Sasuke."

Neji felt the shudder through Sasuke's body. He smiled sadly.

This must be pretty overwhelming. Thinking you'd never see or hear another person and then suddenly standing there and hearing him call your name.

Sasuke didn't respond otherwise, not releasing his grip on Neji.

He had never been like this before. Sure Sasuke could have the need to be close to him, but this time he was scared.

Scared not to be close to him. Losing him once more.

And Neji could understand. So he let Sasuke hold onto him as long as he needed to.

It took him a while, before finally, although hesitantly, Sasuke pulled back a little to look at Neji.

Neji looked into those eyes again and only now realized how much he had missed them.

How much he had missed Sasuke as well.

Sasuke didn't waste time and kissed him.

One of those desperate kisses, that said Sasuke needed him.

Neji needed him as well.

So when they finally parted and decided they should go home, they went outside.

Sasuke stayed intensely close to him the entire walk home, holding onto his hand tightly.

For a second Neji noted it was funny to see how this must seem weird to the villagers, seeing the two of them hold hands, but it was soon replaced by an overwhelmingly peaceful feeling.

Sasuke still seemed uneasy and Neji knew it would take a while before he was on his feet again, but Neji was just glad to be out once more and be able to live his life.

To be with Sasuke again.

Caring about someone was wonderful, Neji truly thought that now.

So he held onto Sasuke's hand just as tightly.

"Your house, it's been rented out." Sasuke told him.

Neji didn't care.

"We'll go to yours." He said and Sasuke nodded, the two of them walking on in silence.

When they arrived home, Sasuke told Neji to get to bed.

Neji complied and Sasuke followed him to his bedroom.

As Neji had freshened up, he sat down onto the bed.

When he looked up, Sasuke was standing next to him, a rather unusual look on his face.

Pure passion in his eyes, but hesitance in his body.

Neji smiled at him.

"It's fine Sasuke." He said amusing.

Sasuke sure wouldn't let Neji tell him that twice, as he was immediately pushed onto the bed, lips crushing his own.

Everything Sasuke did after that told Neji the same thing.

Sasuke had missed him. He was making up for lost time. He wanted to be close and never let go.

Neji felt the same way.

-.-.-

A/N: Well you didn't really think I'd kill him off did you! The whole reason I wrote this story is because I think this is what it should have been like (if I had my way, of course I liked how Naruto ended anyway). Besides, if I truly had killed Neji, Sasuke would've ended up horrible and that would make my story stupid ;). Thanks again everyone for reviewing, I kinda felt bad at how much everyone was so shocked. Sorry!