Hey peeps. It's me! Lol. Ya, so here's the deal.

I wrote this as a SEED...something I'm thinking of working on but don't know if I'll have the time or the patience. Ya...anyway. I wanted to post this...the first chapter...and see if anyone liked it. If you find it at all interesting, please review. Or if you hate it and think it's absolutely the most idiotic thing you've ever laid eyes on...review anyway. Lol. Please?!

Yay...So. Here's the warning. This fic is a Neji x Hinata fic...and will have some added pairings later on...that's not up for debate...as you might read here, there's a seed of their affection. Ne...HYUUGACEST...so don't complain to me.

And obviously, the normal warnings apply...I don't own the damn characters...if I did, the Hyuuga clan would be reunited...Under the peaceful, love-filled rule of Neji and Hinata.

Let's Go!

"New Generation"

The screams of the dying, helpless victims woke Neji from his sleep.

Bolting upright in his bed, hair falling freely around his shoulders, his white-eyes shifted to search the darkness and shadows around him. He found no enemies there, only the panels of wood that separated his room from the woman he was bound by blood and honor to protect. It was through her design that he'd been moved out of the Branch house quarters and into this room, right beside her own in a lesser wing of the Head Family's side of the complex.

Hinata.

Was she all right?

A blood curdling yell had Neji jumping out of bed, clothed only in loose training pants; he kept one hand poised at his side, ready to strike as he moved toward the door. The hall outside would be dark, he knew, but he was determined to go see if his cousin was okay.

The screams were getting louder; men and women—Neji swallowed some bile that rose in his throat—and children. He could clearly hear those screams, higher-pitched then the others. The noise seemed distant—not too distant though—which told him it was somewhere in the complex, though not the Main House.

This didn't comfort him.

He opened his door quickly, jerking it open and scanning the darkness.

Nothing in the hall.

Nothing at all.

With soft steps, hurried with sudden unease, Neji stalked out of his room, turned left and traveled for five feet in complete darkness before his keen gaze caught the tell-tale but faint glint of the hand grip on Hinata's door.

Taking a deep breath and glancing around once more, he slid open her door quietly and entered her darkened room, silent as a ghost.

When he quickly surmised that there was no one—not even Hinata—in the room, Neji blinked, confused. What the hell was going on here?

Where was Hinata?

More screaming, this time closer then before. In the Main House...somewhere close.

Damn, damn, damn.

Neji turned and ran back out into the hallway. He didn't know what the threat was, but he was absolutely sure that Hinata needed to be found...immediately. It could be enemy ninja, though Hinata could defend herself well enough.

But it could also be any number of other dangers. A fire, an attack on the village.

The darkness of the hallway engulfed him as he ran down its length, taking turns and shortcuts, calling Hinata's name in the darkness. Main House rules stated he was unable to use his Byakugan within the compound, upon pain of death. However...in this situation...

"Byakugan!" He activated his blood-line limit and search quickly, looking for any sign of Hinata...

He turned another corner, rounded a block of rooms and then slide to a sudden stop as a hurtling form came at him.

"Shit." Neji deactivated his Byakugan quickly, allowing his normal vision to come back abruptly, leaving him blinded momentarily in the dark.

A hand grabbed his roughly—a small hand—and yanked him back the way he came. Neji ran quickly along, unable to do anything else.

"Wait a moment--" he was cut off as the individual halted abruptly and slid open a door, throwing them both into the room before sliding the door shut roughly behind them.

Neji's eyesight was returning now and in the near dark he caught the flash of pale eyes—Hyuuga, obviously. The figure was smaller then he was, smaller and thinner in the darkness—but it was the brush of hair, long and fine like silk, that told him more accurately that his silent companion was female.

The scent of lilac and lavender told him it was his charge.

"Hinata-sama...what is the meaning of--" again he was cut off as Hinata brushed past him in the darkness to go toward the slim, silver outline of a window. She pull back the sliding shade and moonlight filtered into the room, painting everything in its glow.

Neji glanced over his cousin with worried eyes, feeling even more uneasy about her silence. Hinata was not an overly silent individual in matters that provoked fear—and it was fear...he could see it there, in her eyes.

He moved forward, his hands reaching out to land first on her shoulders and to then sweep down her arms and sides, inspecting for damage. Her lack of proper attire bothered him only dimly—what was to be said about her thin blouse and shorts when he himself wore so little? Instead, he look for open wounds—but found none.

"Hinata-sama...what is wrong?" He questioned her quietly, firmly, desiring an answer from her.

Another round of screams—more children then adults this time—and Hinata's eyes shifted from what was beyond the window to Neji, holding his gaze to hers. She swallowed a little and kept her voice low.

"Neji-nii-san...not much time... they've—they've gone to the wing in which the others reside—and...the children ...they've reached the children now. They're coming closer...they know you're here..."

The disjointed sentences didn't make much sense to him... "Who, Hinata?"

She shook her head, unable to get all of it out at once, "The Branch House...they're working their way through...we have to go...they know you're here..."

"Enemies? Other shinobi?" He was taking a shot in the dark, not comprehending anything other then the fear in her voice.

"Enemies...Elders—Elders have--" She was cut off abruptly as a rally of screams went up again and there was something of what sounded like an explosion; the red-orange glow cast its light on Hinata's face; Neji, out of sight of the window, was untouched by it.

"Tell me, Hinata...what is so urgent? Who is attacking? Have they been identified?"

His cohesive, calm attitude seemed to upset her—frustrated by her own inability to explain it, Hinata grabbed him by the arm and dragged him with surprising strength to the window, pointing out into the night with a slim finger that shook.

The sight that met his eyes was something out of his nightmares. Across the expansive front gardens of the Head Family's wing was the Branch quarters...and a raging inferno the likes of which Neji had never seen. Bodies littered that side of the yard, draped over the railings and across the boards of the walkways...even coming out of their rooms. For once, Neji regretted the keen eyesight that was his from birth—the sight of a pyre, erected in a corner of the yard and heaped with the corpses of Branch family members was more the wished to take in. The old, the young and the children...even the oldest of the family, those who were too weak or crippled to work...they were all strewn about and cast ablaze.

All of them, save himself.

His own body shook, thought whether it was more from anger, fear or a suddenly rebellious stomach he didn't know; shinobi were not supposed to be afraid of bloodshed and gore—but this? This was an invasion of the worst kind—an unexpected twist. Why? Why this senseless destruction of cousins and brothers...old men and women and children? For what? To what purpose did this go?

And it was then that he understood Hinata's inability to speak; looking into her eyes now, he could read the stark fear there. Branch Family. They had massacred the ones they considered beneath them...

Elders...

Hinata said the Elders were the enemies...

Neji strung the thoughts together slowly, capturing what he hoped was a false picture. It was just wrong...inherently evil and ultimately malevolent. Something straight from a nightmare.

"The Head Family Elders...they...they've killed the Branch Family?"

For the first time since she'd run into him, Hinata's gaze seemed to calm and her lips parted. "Hai. They-they took over...Father and Hanabi have been locked up...for later, they said...for after they purged the bad blood. They thought I was away still...with Kurenai-sensei and ...they said they would deal with me when I returned...bad blood...they said I had bad blood as well."

"Bad blood?"

"The Elders said...they said the Hyuuga clan was growing lax...weak...and that it was because we had allowed for weak blood...bad blood...me...and all the Branch Family...it seems Father was going to...going to destroy the binding seals...he was going to free...free all the Branch family..."

Neji's eyes widened fractionally and in the distance there was a loud bang, like cannon fire; another plume went up in the distance, on the far side of the compound. Another pyre?

Hinata took a deep breath, "They ...they didn't know...I came back early...and I tried to get to Father and Hanabi...but...but...they sent me away...and they wanted me to leave and save myself...but you were still here...Neji-nii-san...you were still here and I couldn't let them...couldn't them kill you too."

For the first time, Neji understood his cousins full message; disjointed sentences or not, he heard quite clearly what Hinata was saying. The Elders were insane, rampant and enraged—they were killing the Branch family rather then setting them free to be normal members of the clan—rather then loosing their supremacy. And Hinata...the first and most dismissed of Hiashi's children...had a clear chance to get away.

They had to use it.

Making a decision, Neji stepped closer to Hinata and cupped her cheek with her hand, "Listen, Hinata-sama. I am your protector—that was a duty handed down to me by my father and your own...and not a duty which I take lightly anymore."

Her eyes were wide.

"Your father and sister will be safe—I believe...but we must get away from this place. It is your destiny to rule the clan...and mine to protect you until you can do so. As such, it would be a failure on both our parts if I were to allow you to perish. Hai?"

"Hai."

"Now...we will go out this window, around through the western garden, over the retaining wall and into the forest. We must avoid the guards and any one else who might be on the grounds. Hai?"

"Hai."

Neji gave a firm nod and glanced out the window, unconsciously keeping his hand to Hinata's cheeks, his thumb absently stroking. The grounds were still littered with bodies but the screams had stopped now...and that wasn't good. The extermination—kami bless, that sounded horribly—was probably coming to an end...eventually they would remember that Hinata had arranged for him to sleep in the quarters beside her own...and then, they would come to this wing and search until they found them both.

That could not be allowed.

His thumb caressed softness and his gaze jumped back, finding that in his absent thoughts, his hand had moved with a mind of its own. His thumb was brushing back and forth over Hinata's lips, smoothing and grazing over them; his cousin's pale cheeks were flushed a pale scarlet, even in the moonlight and for a moment Neji could think of nothing except how utterly entrancing that confused expression on her face was.

A rough voice, old and cracking, barked an order down the hall and the two of them snapped apart, eyes flying to the door way. That was it. They were here already. Releasing Hinata, he nodded firmly and made a gesture toward the window, turning his hand at an angle to impart his meaning.

Such a fine shinobi, Hinata nodded, falling into a loose stance; Neji nodded, and held out a hand. She grasped it, and stepped out onto the window ledge and glanced out into the darkness. Nothing—she gave him an "all-clear" sign with her free hand and then stepped down the short distance to the ground. Neji followed her, only reaching back to close the window shade once he touched down; no need to alert their pursuers as to which way they escaped.

Standing beside Hinata in the near-darkness, catching the barely perceptible sound of her breathing in his ear, Neji glanced over at her and couldn't help but privately marvel at her kindness; she came back to warn him when she didn't have to.

He tapped her softly on the shoulder...one tap...two taps...

She glanced back at him and nodded; she dropped to one knee and peaked around the corner of the building, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence by using the Byakugan. There was no one coming that way and she showed that to him with a hand sign. He tapped twice again and she ducked around the corner swiftly, him on her tail, both of them streaking across a small lawn to the secluded western garden. Bordered by tall oaks and an abundance of rock beds, it was an ideal place to wait for an opening.

Sneaking in beneath an oak, Hinata swung up into a branch and then hopped up to a higher, neighboring one; Neji followed, not a second behind, joining her on the same branch. They paused there for a moment, both holding their breath as they strained their ears for any hint of someone following them.

A moment passed...two moments...and Neji released his breath slowly through an open mouth. "No tails...yet."

"Hai." Hinata's voice was as soft and hushed as his own; Neji glanced at her to find her staring down at her hands, palms up. Pale, slim hands—like white doves in the darkness...

And he wanted to smack himself for thinking poetically in the middle of a massacre.

He reached out to grab one hand, holding it in her own; it was out of character for him to breach the code of non-physicality between them as protector and charge...but she needed to feel connect to him...and he had no other way of doing that right this second.

"Hinata, look at me."

She did—those big, pale eyes, so like his own.

"We are leaving everything we have ever known...and I'm not sure where we can go. Clan law states that members are governed by the clan...there's no hole for the Hokage to exploit...not even the Godaime could save us from them if they truly wished to continue this course. There is no place in Konoha to hide...no place where we would be save."

"Hai."

He glanced at her... "That means we have to leave the village, Hinata? Do you understand? It's me and you now...the Elders will most likely kill us if we leave...and no one could raise a hand to stop them."

"Hai."

"And you are fine with this? We won't be able to come back...not for a long while."

For once, she didn't immediately answer with a yes; instead, her eyes drifted shut and a single tear trickled down her cheek. Neji pretended not to see it—she needed to be strong right now...and he couldn't make that choice for her. She had to accept this. It was the only way.

When her eyes did open, it was so she could look out through the branches. The compound was there, in all its glory; wood and white-washed walls...all the home they'd ever known. Beyond that, cluster of still twinkling lights, was the main part of the village. Homes and restaurants and countless scores of people who weren't them; people who were tucked safely in bed, with no concept of the choice that faced two teenagers who were barely more then friends.

Bound together by blood and circumstance...what was really left for them to do?

Directing her eyes back to her cousin, Hinata nodded, "Hai, Neji-nii-san. We will do as we must."

Neji gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile but in the pit of his stomach he was feeling the enormity of what they were about to do. The two of them—still young for shinobi at eighteen and seventeen—against all the dangers of what lie beyond the village. Granted, as shinobi, they had better chances then most—however...

Enough. He couldn't contemplate this for now. They were still in hostile territory...they had to get out...

Nodding to Hinata, he glanced out through the cover of branches and leaves before hopping lightly onto a different, higher branch. Hinata followed. They made their way across the distance of the tall oak and Neji found himself thankful for its wide, expansive network of branches; the thick foliage of glossy green leaves helped to cover their movements between stops—Hinata was grateful that the sturdy branches didn't waver or else those same leaves would make their escape painfully obvious.

They reached the far end of the tree with only a few more hops and it was to their great relief to find that the rear retaining wall, which was bordered by a thick, little traversed forest, was unguarded and unsecured. No one in their way. Hinata breathed a sigh of thanks and sent a silent thankyou to heaven.

Neji was not so quick as to assume. He glanced out and around, checking for a possible scout somewhere on the grounds that might spot them when they made their final escape. When he searched thoroughly and found no one, he too sent up a thankyou. Somehow, in the midst of all this blood and insanity, there was someone watching over them.

Two taps on Hinata's shoulder and he was pointing down, in an arch. She nodded and went down first, landing lightly on her feet and keeping her hands for balance. When no one came leaping out of the shadows to grab her, she gave Neji the signal for affirmative and he dropped down beside her, cat-quiet.

Without pausing to take another break, they streak off together, into the forest, breaking through the stand of thick trees and then going straight up, utilizing a minimal amount of chakra to scale upward and take perches in the branches. From there it was a flat out race—their speed in getting away from the compound against the possible followers discovering their escape.

They jumped from branch to branch, passing fields, meadows and rivers—a deep lake and a ravine forced them to go around but then it was back up into the branches and they went straight out to the west until they came to a grove of tall, thin trees that had no branches to speak of and bore the tale-tell signs of being swept by wild-fire.

It was here that Neji chose to take to the ground; Hinata followed him wearily, eyes narrowed with exhaustion. Neji coaxed her to liveliness, knowing that it wasn't her fault. No doubt she was tired from her previous mission—and now, after the adrenaline-fueled awareness had left them both, she was slowly but surely wearing down.

They traveled North now, heading across open planes and hills that seemed to be made of green carpet rather then grass. The sky was turning a pale gray, hemmed with pinkish gold at the horizon. Sunrise.

They kept on for another hour or two, until the sun had fully risen just a bit above the horizon and then Neji decided it was time for them to rest. Hinata was nearly asleep on her feet, fighting valiantly to stay awake...and he wasn't far behind.

"We're out of Fire-Country and that's enough for tonight. We can take cover in that thicket over there and rest until nightfall."

Hinata mumbled a sleepy "Hai" and began to walk with a little more animation now that she knew rest was insight.

They made their way to a thicket of tall, thick trees that seemed to be distinctly out of place on these planes—and then they chose a meadow, just within the interior. No sleeping bags, no coverings of any kind...just themselves, splayed out under the trees.

Neji chose a spot that was covered in a thin layer of soft, young grass and put his head down, head between two raised roots from the tree behind him. Hinata made a noise, looked around and dropped to her knees to crawl over beside him.

"Neji-kun...will be safe here?"

"Hai...I think so...for now. We'll travel again tonight and get as far away from Konoha as we can." He yawned, suddenly feeling the weight of every mile they'd traveled.

"And...," Hinata yawned, "Do you know where we'll go from here?"

"No...but," he turned, lying on one side, pillowing his head on one arm, "We will have to decide that tomorrow."

Hinata made a sound of assent, seemingly so tired that she couldn't care overly much about their plans—or lack thereof.

She crawled over and laid down beside him...despite his better urges, he allowed her to spoon herself against him, her back to his chest; he threw one arm across her waist and then closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would come easily to his exhausted mind and body.

"Neji-nii-san...?"

He sighed, his breath puffing into her hair, "Hai, Hinata?"

"I'm glad...glad you were there tonight...that you could come with me..." She made a sound, "That I'm not alone."

Neji tightened his arm around her in a one-handed embrace, feeling her emotion in his body...it vibrated through him...painfully.

"Hinata...?"

"Hmm," she mumbled sleepily.

"I'm glad you came back for me. I don't believe I was ready to die."

She gave something like a drowsy chuckle, "Hai, Neji-kun...though I interrupted your rest. Sumimasen."

Neji said nothing, only tightened his arm around her again.

They drifted into sleep, wrapped around one another...cousins, little more then friends...

And now, outsiders...together.

Together.

So...whatcha think?

REMEMBER!!! This is only a SEED...a plot idea...the beginning if you will. As of now, it stands as a ONE SHOT...HOWEVER, it might be a full-fledged story later on if I get enough favorable reviews. I'll even take background ideas...if you guys have any favorite couples ((obviously not using my two main characters))...I MIGHT be inclined to include them in the rest of the story...IF I WRITE ONE.

Maybe that's an added incentive.

If you hated it, feel free to review...if you liked it...PLEASE review. I love reviews. I'm a review-hungry little fangirl.

Arigato & Ja ne.

-erena g.t. rose