Naruto 1. Chapter 1

AN: Something out of my comfort level since I usually don't go for depressing but it's interesting. This first chapter will be KibaHina heavy for a reason.

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Hinata had found the love of her life, Kiba Inuzuka early in her life. She had been willing to throw everything away just to be with him, and she did.

She had met him when they entered high school and although initially drawn to his blond friend, had fallen for the loyal and caring boy soon after. Not wanting to ruin her newfound friendship, she stayed silent for almost three years before he confessed his own feelings. "Hinata, I know that you only see me as a friend but I need to say this. I've always liked you, ever since middle school. You didn't even know I existed because we didn't have any classes but there was something about you. Becoming your friend was more than I could ever hope for, but I'm being selfish because I want more." She was elated at his admission and responded with a kiss.

Her father had barely tolerated their relationship but a few months passed before he demanded that they break up before she went to college. Having gained confidence and courage from Kiba, she stood her ground. He took the act of defiance as a personal insult and threatened to disown her. Hiashi wasn't one to made idle threats and followed through after her high school graduation.

It had more financial repercussions than anything; not that Hinata cared much, Kiba was worth it. She would have to postpone college for at least a year until she had enough money. Kiba vowed to take care of her in the meantime in spite of her objections. His mother, Tsume, had offered Hinata a job at the diner to help with the bills. She accepted and juggled it with two other jobs. It was a struggle at the beginning and while their relationship was tested, they stuck by each other.

After a particularly harsh argument, they laid in bed together. Kiba hugged her from behind and voiced what had been plaguing his mind for a while. "I'm always scared that one day you'll see that I'm not worth giving everything up. You'll leave me and I don't know what I'll do."

Hinata turned to face him and tucked her head under his. "I'm scared that you won't put up with me anymore. I'm such a burden to you. I'm really trying to get more hours at work but-" He silenced her with a kiss.

"I know you're trying hard but I feel so guilty for taking you from such a comfortable life. You could be studying abroad meeting new people, seeing the wonders of the world." This time she kissed him back.

"I don't regret anything. If I had the chance to go back, I wouldn't do anything differently. Except maybe take some money out of my old bank accounts before we split." He laughed and it brought a warm feeling in her chest. Kiba calmed down and moved her in a straddling position. "I love you so much, babe." She blushed which he never got tired of. "But I still want to take you around the world one day. Maybe see some of sights like the waterfalls of Kiri or the mountains in Iwa. I want to spoil you, princess."

Hinata hated how he felt the need to live up to her old lifestyle. "Being with you is enough."

"But-"

She began to create friction as she moved her hips back and forth. "For now why don't you take me to bliss?" Kiba had a feral look to him and flipped them over, taking control of the situation. She giggled a little but soon their moans and gasps filled the room.

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Hinata was genuinely happy. She had someone to love her unconditionally and a family who treated each other differently than she had experienced growing up. Tsume and Hana filled the void created by leaving the Hyuuga behind. Akamaru was like a family member as well. The puppy she knew from high school had definitely grown up. For the moment, he was living with Tsume because their apartment didn't allow for pets. It was the only affordable apartment near to campus.

She entered college a bit later than her boyfriend, but they celebrated it as they usually celebrated many achievements, in bed. Balancing their studies and work, they treasured any time that they had to themselves. Kiba graduated with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, striving to work in law enforcement. He entered the police academy immediately and entered the force within the year. Hinata worried for his safety but wouldn't deter him from his dream. The increase of income had allowed them to finally move from the small apartment into a modest home. The best thing was that Akamaru could finally complete their family. Hinata had been aiming to work as a literature teacher and had nearly completed the program when everything changed.

They had been returning from their monthly visit to Tsume's home when they had the car accident. The drunk driver had run a red light and t-boned their car with so much force that the first responders were amazed anyone survived the collision.

She didn't remember anything aside from the soft whines that came from Akamaru after the impact. The lack of noise from her beloved scared her more than the burning pain in her lower stomach.

Upon waking up, she was greeting with Hana's grief-stricken face. Hinata immediately asked for Kiba and Akamaru. With some hesitation, Kiba's sister informed her that Akamaru hadn't survived the ride to the emergency veterinary hospital. As much as that broke her heart, she worried for how Kiba would react to the news of his life-long friend's death. She hadn't even processed that Kiba might had not fared as well as she had. He was her Superman, how would anything hurt him?

"Where's Kiba?" The way Hana avoided her stare made her worries rise. "Hana, where is Kiba?!" The brunette rushed over and took her hands to calm Hinata down.

"He's still in surgery, but I know my brother. He's stubborn and a fighter. He's gonna be okay. For now all you can do is focus on recuperation. He would be so upset to know that you stressed yourself over nothing. You'll see." Hinata couldn't help but hear the uncertainty in her voice. It sounded like Hana was trying to convince herself more than anything.

Every now and then, Hana's eyes would linger on her stomach while they made small talk. As far as Hinata could gather, she had only suffered minor lacerations, a concussion and broken leg.

Tsume joined her daughter in Hinata's room an hour later. She had gotten a coffee to calm her nerves. During their time together, Hinata noticed that it went untouched. Knowing how much both Inuzuka women were itching to wait outside the operation room, Hinata told them that she wanted to get some sleep. Although initially hesitant, they obliged. Hana promised to keep her updated on Kiba's condition and Tsume sent her a thankful glance before closing the door.

A few hours later, Hinata couldn't sleep at all. Her mind was racing with Kiba's well- being. She tried to assure herself that Kiba was okay because she hadn't heard anything from Hana all day. No news was better than any, right? Yes, all she had to do was figure out the best way to comfort her love after he learned of Akamaru's death. At the thought of never hearing the large dog's happy bark, Hinata began to cry.

She didn't know at what time fatigue had drifted her off to sleep but awoke in the early morning. Seeing that she was alone had given her a sense of relief. Taking it as a sign that they were in Kiba's recovery room, she rested a forearm over her eyes.

However, it was nearing noon and she had yet to see either woman. With shaking hands she pressed the button to call a nurse to her aid. Moments later, a nurse with short hair arrived. "Is anything wrong?"

"U-um, c-can you tell me the condition of my boyfriend? We were in a car accident yesterday and I haven't seen his mother or sister all morning. His name is Kiba Inuzuka."

The nurse suddenly looked sympathetic and nodded. "I'll send for Ms. Inuzuka." Hinata thanked her and waited while praying with all her heart for the best possible outcome.

As much as she tried to pray against the harsh reality that stood in front of her, it stared at her in the form of a heartbroken and grieving mother. Hana supported her mother while tearfully confirming everyone's nightmare. "K-kiba…he didn't…."

The pain of losing Kiba had been unbearable. Hinata hadn't even realized that she had been screaming until a couple nurses had rushed in and administered some medicine into her IV. She drifted into unconsciousness while calling out his name.

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The doctors had finally allowed her to be discharged a week later. They had wanted to monitor her concussion. It was during that week that she had learned why Hana stared so intently at her stomach. Unknown to Hinata, she was in the beginning stages of pregnancy. The key word being 'was', the devastation of the collision had caused a miscarriage.

It was the final straw and took whatever life she had in her eyes. The Inuzuka women were grieving as well and could not provide the support she needed. Her family had heard of the tragedy and without must resistance from Hinata or the other women, assumed responsibility for her care. Guilty as they felt, Tsume and Hana felt like it would be for the best.

They only time that they would see the broken Hyuuga again was at the funeral of the one person who kept them together. Few words were spoken but much more was conveyed with their eyes. It was the only day that Hinata showed any sort of emotion in the days after the accident. Much to her family's despair, it was mostly anguish.

Even after the dirt had filled the space above his casket, Hinata and the other two women stayed put. His fellow officers paid their respects; his superior spoke highly of the rookie who had brightened up their department. Tsume smiled sadly at him and Hana hugged his friends from the station.

Hinata could not move much, being in a wheelchair and all, but they offered her comfort as well. Perhaps more than she wished or cared for; any comforting words felt hollow to her. She rubbed her lower stomach, feeling an emptiness that threatened her stability.

Kiba had indeed been the love of her life and out of all the things she feared would take him from her, something like this never crossed her mind. His career was one of the deadliest and that's what she feared would take him. Even her father's attempts and power wasn't enough to separate them. But she was a fool to think that they were able to live happily ever after just because they had survived Hiashi Hyuuga's wrath. Financial struggle was hardly on the same level as death.

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Her father had moved her back into her old house and took care of the sale of the home she shared with Kiba. Belongings were split among the Inuzuka and Hinata, but she didn't take much with her. Most of the things she wanted fit in a medium-sized box. The photo album in particular was something she'd never want to part with.

Hiashi could have been sterner with her and chided her for leaving years ago but dialed back any biting words after seeing her broken state. For that, Neji and Hanabi were thankful; they had seen the change in Hinata and the last thing she needed was to feel worse.

Hanabi would offer to help her bathe, although they had maids. She just wanted to take care of her beloved older sister the same way she had all those years before her father had driven her away. They had maintained contact but having the occasional lunch wasn't the same as living together.

She had resented Kiba because he was the reason why she left. The man was now dead and, in a way, took her sister with him. Hinata had always been so kind, encouraging, and happy. The woman that inhabited the room across hers was none of those things.

At dinner, Hinata said nothing when their father mentioned how well the company was doing or Hanabi being top of her class. She just offered her younger sister a nod and returned to her soup. Not even a smile but a slow nod. Guilt hit her hard at the thought of still resenting Kiba, but she just wished Hinata returned to her.

Neji had wished he had a closer relationship to begin with but he had seen Hinata in the same way his uncle did. He had lost his parents at a young age and Hiashi took him in. It infuriated Neji to see any Hyuuga display qualities that his deceased father didn't value. Timid and a pushover all her life, they called her a weakling. The only resemblance to the others in her family was purely physical traits.

While they could easily mask emotions, her eyes always expressed emotions. He had seen them express doubt, uncertainly, and happiness. The only time he saw rage and fire in her eyes was when he had witnessed the blow up between the heiress and Hiashi. Although he would didn't tell her, he felt proud of her for the way she didn't waver. Of course he had seen how childish his vendetta was against her but a proud Hyuuga doesn't look back. While there was no relationship to rebuild per se, he could create the foundation for a new one.

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Hiashi frowned at the scene before him. The usually rambunctious Hanabi was trying her best to not cry while Neji was deep in thought. He tried not to stare at the reason for their demeanor; it was hard to look at the vacant eyes of Hinata. While he wished for her to break things with the Inuzuka, this was not the way he would have wanted things to end. Although miffed that she had left the family, he couldn't ignore the pride that she gave him by working hard to achieve what he threatened to take away. The ice that built around their relationship was thawing on his part. He would accept her, perceived faults and all.

However, Hinata was now the perfect Hyuuga they desired her to be. No cries or wails came from her mouth but neither did laughs. The warmth that made their home bearable to outsiders extinguished. It was hard to see his daughter because it was like staring at a reflection. When Haruhi had died soon after Hanabi's birth, he had succumbed to the darkness of despair. The difference was that while he displayed rage and callousness at the world, Hinata was just void of anything.

Tsume had unintentionally informed him of the blow to his own family while they talked about the divided assets. It broke him to hear that his grandchild had not survived but he hid it well. Decades of putting on that Hyuuga mask had helped. Hiashi knew that if, by some miracle, the child had survived she would not be in the state she was in now. The only time Hinata looked at him with the eyes that he had detested years ago was when she asked him to not tell anyone else. He agreed to fulfill her request and the same lifelessness returned. Hanabi and Neji would not know of the family member they had unknowingly lost. He didn't know if it was to spare their grief or hers.

A sniff brought him back to the matter at hand and wanting to get her to interact more, he asked her about her plans for her studies. Neji looked at him with judging eyes but Hiashi ignored them.

"I'm not going back." She continued eating as if he asked about the weather. In all honesty, she had been given the option of taking a temporary leave of absence but there was no point. Hinata didn't have the drive anymore; her dreams had died along with Kiba. The future that had her working as a teacher included him; she could not see herself on the same path without him.

Neji was apprehensive but voiced his concern. "Are you sure? Because I think that-"

She didn't look up. "I'm sure." Hinata continued eating and Hanabi excused herself in a hurry. Hiashi called after her and Neji went after Hanabi but Hinata only called for her assigned caretaker to help her with her crutches. Her father headed for his study and opened the bottle of whiskey that had become so familiar to him recently.

Hinata wanted to ask her sister what had caused her to leave in such a hurry and hobbled to the sound of her voice. It sounded like she was talking to her cousin in his room and Hinata struggled to reach the door. Before she could knock, she found out the reason for Hanabi's torment.

"I want her back, Neji. Whoever that is, she is not my sister. Can't she see that we are hurting for her?"

"Hanabi, we need to be patient. Tragedy changes people, and we have to be understanding. This is not something that can easily be-"

"I know, okay! I feel like an asshole but I can't help it!" Suddenly Hinata heard sobs. "I want her back!"

Hinata walked to her room in defeat. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone; she had felt like one to Kiba even though he protested at the notion. At remembering Kiba, she reached for the locket he gave her after they moved in together. She kissed it and soon went to the only place she could actually touch Kiba.

She didn't hear her sister's footsteps enter her room nor did she stir when Hanabi moved under the covers. The fourteen year old felt like she was five once more; having to sleep in her sister's room after a bad nightmare. Hanabi put one of her sister's arms around her and tried to fall asleep. Every time Hinata murmured his name, Hanabi would rub the arm that kept her warm. It tightened around her and Hanabi found comfort in it.

Sometime in the night, Hinata tried to shift her position and was startled when something held on to her. In the darkness, she tried to make out who it was but there were a small number of possibilities. She kissed her sister's head and tried to go back to sleep.

Hinata had made a decision before she drifted off; while she could not move towards the future she truly yearned for, she could move to another. A future shaped by her desire to help her family who was all she had left. Hinata would no longer be a burden to Hanabi, Neji, and even her father who had been uncharacteristically patient.

Regardless of the circumstances or what she wanted, she would be there for her family. It wasn't hard to put the needs of others in front of hers since her needs or wants were unreachable now. Before, she had left everything behind for the love of her life. Now closed off to any other love, she would be whatever and whoever her family needed.

The next morning, Neji had become alarmed to see that Hanabi hadn't slept in her room. He would have called her name but his uncle had stressed the need to keep Hinata comfortable and calm. He searched every room in haste but didn't try Hinata's room until last. Carefully and quietly, he opened the door to see Hanabi sleeping Hinata's embrace. He thought she was asleep as well until their eyes met. Before he could stop her, she stirred Hanabi awake.

Confused and disoriented, Hanabi struggled to remove the covers. Neji cursed himself for disrupting such a rare scene. "I think you can have a day in." Hanabi smiled and returned to her sister's bed. Hinata gave her a fake smile and laughed.

Seeing a glimpse of who she thought was her sister, she couldn't go back to sleep so instead she started talking planning their day together. "Let's have a girl's night in. Well, day but whatever. I'll get some movies together and we'll order pizza later. Unless you don't like pizza, we can order whatever you want!"

"Pizza's fine, Nabi." Her younger sister beamed at her nickname and hurried into her room to get some things together.

Neji noticed the way Hinata forced herself to smile and laugh but said nothing for Hanabi's sake.

It became the norm; she would fake her way through her interactions with her sister but less so when dealing with him or his uncle. They had all soon grown accustomed to her new persona but it didn't mean Neji liked it.

Hiashi had given up altogether, figuring that this is the way she was coping. As much as it pained him as a father, he was not going to tell her how to come to grips with her loss. Her mouth produced empty laughs and insincere smiles. But her eyes always reminded Neji and Hiashi of her loss; they kept the same gloom they grew to hate.

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AN: Yeah, it was hard to write. No Sasuke here, but will definitely appear next. This chapter was a huge set up. I can't give a set timeline for updates or chapter length since many other stories are calling my name. But I will complete it.

Thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

This story has been haunting me more than my school work. Thanks to those that viewed, reviewed, favorited, or followed. You're awesome.

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Hinata looked at her father in concern as he poured another cup. His drinking had become much more frequent, worsened by the current issue at hand.

"I thought Neji had projected substantial profits?" Hiashi shook his head at his daughter. "He was looking at the best possible outcome with everyone aboard. But the investors aren't as optimistic and aren't willing to put so much into what they believe to be a huge risk."

Hinata pensively looked over at the numbers for a fourth time. Although she hadn't focused on business while in school, these last three years under her father's tutelage had given her some insight to how he ran Byakugan, the top manufacturing company in the country. At least it was for the time being.

She had to give her cousin credit for the ambitious vision that saw them expanding into other countries. The Hyuuga name is notable but they would be out of their element and Byakugan would have to re-establish itself to a new culture and government. They were already on shaky ground with Kumo's officials thanks to a misunderstanding a few years ago; that country provides some of the largest deposits of minerals.

"We'll survive for now but if we don't get more funds in the near future, we're not only losing the expansion project but will have to look around here for cuts. Massive layoffs; it'll be a PR nightmare and who knows how investor confidence will reflect on our stock."

"Is there anyone we can talk to about becoming a project investor?" She looked at her father uncertainly.

"This is no small handout, Hinata. There's also the fact that we can't even say that this expansion will actually grow the company."

"Neji's not an idiot, father. If he thinks this is the best option for the company, we should trust him." Her eyes narrowed as she observed the long drink he took.

Hiashi sighed and massaged his temple. "Perhaps there is one person, but I already know his answer."

"For the sake of the company, you have to try." He frowned as Hinata placed his liquor back in its cabinet and walked out of his office.

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It wasn't a particularly nice day; it had rained nonstop since the morning and the wind howled but Fugaku was still smiled at the view outside his window. Hiashi wasn't his business rival per se as they both went into different fields of profession, it was more personal. Both came from well-respected families with history between the two. At one time they even vied for the affections of the same woman. Hiashi had won her over but Fugaku didn't consider it a total loss after meeting and marrying Mikoto, at least not initially.

The Uchiha saw right through the proud man's request for a meeting regarding potential investor opportunities. They hardly saw each other at all after their University days and he knew the Hyuuga was vulnerable which gave him great pleasure. The only question running through his head all week was how to use it to his advantage.

Power was always good and Fugaku believed one could never have too much. Their satellite communication system, Sharingan, is one of the top defense systems. However, if he could just get the military to officially turn to them solely for this service, they'd truly have conquered the competition. He'd accomplish it with Hiashi's reluctant help and without sharing the credit.

His intercom buzzed. "Mr. Uchiha, your one o'clock is here."

Fugaku sneered, "Let them in."

His doors opened to a tense looking Hiashi and stoic young woman who Fugaku realized was Hiashi's daughter, Hinata. They never actually met each other's families just knew basic information passed along their social circles. Following the pretty young woman was another Hyuuga who he recognized immediately due to his prodigy status. Neji had always impressed him, though Fugaku would rather drink poison than say it out loud. "Welcome, my old friend. How has life treated you?"

Stiffly accepting his handshake, Hiashi responded. "I've been well. This is my eldest daughter Hinata and nephew Neji." Both bowed towards Fugaku and Hiashi grew weary of the prolonged look he gave Hinata.

"Alright then, let's have a seat and sell yourself. Go." Fugaku smirked at the sight of the Hyuuga patriarch's jaw clenching. His choice of words was well intended.

Neji pulled out various documents filled with flow charts and graphs pointing to his quarterly projections for the next five years. He let the young man speak at length only nodding his head every now and then to feign interest. His own personal advisers had briefed him on the project and they weighed the benefits over the potential loss. In the end, Fugaku justified that as long as he got the government contracts, they'd stand to make much more money than lose investing in Byakugan.

Hinata could feel the weight of his stare on her throughout the meeting. It was uncomfortable yet she didn't crack. In the past, she would've hyperventilated and ran out the room but now there was hardly anything that moved her to such extremes.

"Okay, I'm going to stop you right now. I like what you're saying but I feel like I need insurance." Neji frowned and rummaged through his portfolio. "Actually, can you both step out for a few minutes? I'd like to talk to Hiashi privately. Don't worry, it won't take long." Hinata gave her father a knowing look while Neji opened the door for her and followed her out.

"It's certainly an adventurous idea. I have no doubt you'll have much success_ if_ I decide." Hiashi cleared his throat. "What kind of insurance are you talking about? Is it legal? Because I will never-"

Clicking his tongue, Fugaku toyed with his rival. "Do you consider me to be such a shady business man? I thought we were more than buddies, almost _family_. Wouldn't you say? Is Hinata seeing any-"

Hiashi abruptly stood, shaking the coffee table. "I would never hand my daughter to you. You're sick and I will never let you get your hands on her." His voice was laced with venom but Fugaku was unfazed.

He rolled his eyes. "Please, do you think me to be so deprived?" Fugaku licked his lips. "Although if she offers herself, who am I to-"

Suddenly slammed against the wall, Fugaku found it hard to breathe. "Keep your goddamn money. I will never ever do business with you. If I never have to see you or talk to you, I'll die happy."

He pushed the miserable man off and straightened out his clothes. "And if you ever speak about my family in a degrading manner in my presence, I'll kill you."

(Outside the office)

Neji looked at his watch. As time went on, the doubt in his uncle's ability to secure the investor had grown. His leg shook with nervousness only to stop when Hinata's small hand rested on it.

"Have faith, Neji. He wouldn't come all the way down here just to get rejected." Neji smiled at her encouraging words. "Also, we wouldn't like to shatter the public image of the Hyuugas, right? Stay cool and collected. They will not see fear or weakness." He noticed then that she wasn't looking directly at him but at the two men walking out of the elevator.

His uncle's sudden and brash appearance from Fugaku's office diverted his attention from the Uchiha brothers. "We're leaving." Neji looked back at the office door in confusion. "But-"

"We're leaving, now!" Even Hinata was shocked at her father's display before showing her disappointment. Hiashi pretended not to hear her sigh.

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Sasuke didn't hate work or the place he worked at. He had an issue with the people in it, from the women in the reception's desk all the way to the pretentious bastard in the CEO's office. It didn't matter if he routinely slept some of the women in the company, or that his father ran the daily operations, or that his uncle Madara was CEO. He hated them all, except for his brother who kept him sane.

He figured that most of his misery actually was indirectly attributed to his brother's success. Everything Sasuke did had already been accomplished by Itachi, sometimes even better or at a younger age, according to his dear father. It was hard to impress him with anything he did.

Yet he still went to the same University that every Uchiha attended, majored in Business as his father wanted, and worked for his family's company. There was the new project he was excited for and Itachi had other things on his plate but his father insinuated many times that Sasuke would not supervise it. Every single time, he was overlooked even when everyone knew he was the right man for it.

As he waited for his brother in the lobby, he played on his phone trying to ignore Karin's incessant attempts for his attention. He knew she was good in bed but clingy. He'd normally go ahead without his brother but he never wanted to be alone with his father. Things never ended on a good note; at least Itachi could be a buffer between the two.

"Are you ready, Sasuke?" He pulled his phone away and smirked at Itachi. "Are you ready to play peacemaker?"

They stepped into the elevator and Karin blew a kiss right before the doors closed. "When are you ever going to stop fooling around?" Sasuke turned to his brother and tilted his head. "Never, it's too much fun." Itachi ruffled Sasuke's head and laughed. "I hope you find someone who will bring you down to earth."

When the doors opened to their destination, Itachi was surprised to see two people waiting outside his father's office. More importantly, they were obviously Hyuuga which was confirmed after he saw Hiashi storm out. The other two quickly followed, paying no attention to the Uchihas. He shrugged and walked to the office, noticing Sasuke looking back at the elevator.

"Don't think about it."

Sasuke smirked. "What?"

"Unless you want to be renounced by father, stay away from them especially the girl." Sasuke put his hands up innocently which caused Itachi to scoff. Sasuke quickly put on a collected face and nodded towards the door.

Fugaku was fixing his tie. "Ah, my boys! I was just thinking about you."

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"Why aren't you saying anything? Uncle!" Hiashi turned away from his view of the garden. His wife had worked hard to create and maintain it until her dying days.

"Watch your tone, Neji." His nephew apologized but Hinata could tell he was furious. Neji gathered his portfolio and laptop, and walked out without another word. The whole car ride her father had ignored their questions only giving them a vague response, "We will not submit to his demands. I refuse."

Hiashi thought Hinata would have followed him out but she remained seated observing him with an unwavering look. "What?"

"What happened in there?"

"Hinata, please let me rest. I need to figure out a way out of this."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

Hinata stood but walked over to her father. "I don't know why you won't tell us. What's so bad you can't even say?"

"I don't want to burden you and it doesn't matter."

"If it doesn't matter then why are you so against saying anything?"

Hiashi had enough of her badgering and flung a paperweight at the wall and Hinata visibly flinched. The dent could be easily fixed but Hiashi had regretted losing his composure at his daughter in such a volatile manner. He sighed put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I don't want to trouble you. Let's just forget about the Uchihas."

She looked up at him and for a moment Hiashi could see a glimmer of insecurity. "What's so terrible that you can't even tell me?" Her voice stayed void of emotion but her eyes expressed her dejection.

Hiashi stepped away from her and ran his hand down his face. It was true that they shared secrets that they wouldn't share with others, especially Hanabi and Neji. "Please dad, maybe we can figure out a way to save the deal-"

"He wants you." Hinata froze and had a look of disbelief. "What do you mean he wants me?"

"You saw the looks he was giving you. When you two left, he implied certain things. I didn't let him finish because I would have killed him for even uttering another word." Hiashi began to rummage through his cabinet and poured a glass of whiskey. Hinata frowned at the sight and even more at the admission.

"Are you sure?" From what Hinata knew, Fugaku was married and something like this could cause a scandal for the Uchihas. Would he really risk it all to get his hands on her? She didn't think so. Not when he had more to lose than gain.

"Hinata, I knew him for many years. I know how his mind works." She nodded but still had her doubts. Determined to find out for herself, she told her father she was going out to lunch with a friend from school.

Hiashi's face brightened glad to focus on something positive. "That's good to hear." He figured seeing people from her past might be the first steps towards her recovery. "Do you want me to call the driver?" She shook her head and started walking out before glancing back with a faint smile.

"I don't want to burden him for every little thing. I'm a big girl. I'll take a cab. Don't worry; I'll be home before it gets dark." She shut the door and Hiashi felt a little relieved. Perhaps today wasn't so bad.

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"You're joking. Tell me you're joking!" Fugaku rolled his eyes at his eldest who rarely had outbursts like this. "This is wrong and we won't be a part of it."

With a raised eyebrow, Fugaku turned to Sasuke who was still trying to make sense of it all. "We? I only need one. I mean I doubt you'd both want to share her. She's pretty attractive." Itachi sighed and pinched his nose in frustration.

Their father was alarmingly carefree considering he's playing with the lives of not just his children but others as well, and for what? To gain political influence? "I assume your proposal didn't go well with her father and he rightfully put you in place?" Sasuke snickered at his now agitated face.

"Hn. Hiashi didn't even hear me out. He thought I was trying to get her for myself in some weird prostitution deal. 'All seeing Hyuuga' my ass."

"What about her? What makes you think she'd even agree?" Sasuke grew uncomfortable with Itachi's judging stare. He wasn't agreeing to anything, Sasuke was genuinely curious. Fugaku could see the cracks already and smiled.

"I don't know much about her, but I mean desperate times cause desperate people to do anything in order to survive. We have the upper hand. If they want to stay afloat, they'd have to play along." Itachi heard enough and stood up.

"There's no game to play and you're little scheming failed. I'm disappointed in you, father. Come along Sasuke." Fugaku scowled at the way Sasuke obeyed his brother. He never trailed behind Madara like a faithful dog. If there was one person he hated more than Hiashi, it was his brother. Madara might be making the final decisions in the company, but he would show everyone how powerful he can be. If he secures this and it works how he expects, he'll have effectively defeated both.

After his children left, he spent the next hour trying to strategize his next moves. Did he need the female Hyuuga? There were other candidates but no other family had the political connections he sought.

"Mr. Uchiha, you have a visitor." Fugaku wasn't expecting anyone else today. He had cleared his schedule in order to hopefully work out logistics with the Hyuugas. It was truly bad luck that Hiashi wasn't dead; he could have an easier time with Neji or even the girl with him out the picture.

"Who is it?"

"Ms. Hinata Hyuuga." Fugaku could see his plans were coming to fruition.

"I'll be happy to see her."

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.

.

"I mean could you believe him?!" Sasuke watched as his brother walked back and forth. He hadn't stopped complaining about their father. Of course Sasuke agreed with him but it was becoming redundant.

"I get it. But it's done, I mean you're not going to help him and I'm sure as hell not either. " Focusing back on his laptop screen, he suddenly felt a buzz in his pocket.

Sasuke looked down at his phone and saw a text from his father. He obviously didn't want Itachi to know he wanted to speak with him since he didn't phone him. "Sasuke?" He looked up and put it away.

"I remembered I have to meet with Suigetsu for a lunch meeting."

"Let me guess, you forgot and he just reminded you?" Itachi teased and Sasuke nervously nodded. He had to get out of there soon. He couldn't lie to Itachi for long before giving away cues.

On his way back to his father's office, he figured there was only one reason. But maybe if he stood up for himself and not rely on Itachi so much, he'd be seen differently by their father. Without a word to his father's secretary, he opened the door with authority. His determination began to fall apart as soon as he noticed the same young woman looking at him.

"Hinata, this is my son Sasuke." She nodded at him and he gave a slight wave. "Since everyone that matters is here, let's get continue. We'll need to have your father's cooperation, Hinata. He could ruin this all with his stubborn pride."

"Please refrain from using such a tone when referring to my father. He means well and if you're concerned, I will ensure his cooperation." Sasuke would have been impressed at her composure but he grew angry at being left out of the loop.

"Why the hell am I here, Fugaku?" They both looked at him; Fugaku was restraining himself from smacking him for his blatant disrespect while Hinata was puzzled.

"I thought you said he agreed. I'm not going to commit to anything if there is a hint of hesitation."

"Don't worry about Sasuke, he's perfect. Once he hears everything, he'll understand."

Sasuke suddenly understood perfectly and grew angrier the more they talked like he wasn't even there. He would make his stand here.

"I'm not marrying her. I don't want to be used as some sort of puppet and be anchored to her all my life."

Fugaku stood up and stormed over in a furious manner. If they came to blows, then Sasuke was ready. Hinata interrupted the glaring contest.

"You won't be. I'm not asking for a lifetime commitment. We just need others to see us as a married couple for a while. It'll benefit your family as well as mine. Mr. Uchiha will have access to key political allies-"

Hastily sitting across from her, Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Why can't you just introduce him to your father's political friends?"

Fugaku rolled his neck to relieve the building stress. "It's not enough. A friendly endorsement can only go so far, actually being connected to them in this way, can you image how many doors will open? Senator Fugaku Uchiha has a nice ring, don't you think?"

Trying not to lose his self-control, Sasuke stared at Hinata. "I get why he wants this so bad, but why do you?"

Hinata smiled at him and it reminded him of his weird cousin Sai. "Your uncle will not vote against your father's proposal to invest in my cousin's venture seeing as we'll be family. I hear that he values family very highly. By the time we'd divorce, Byakugan would have enough stability to do without the Uchihas. We'll do well enough by ourselves. I just need to secure the foundation."

She continued smiling at him and awaited Sasuke answer. "I'm not doing this."

Letting the smile fall off her face she returned to ignoring his presence and faced Fugaku. "Is there anyone else?"

"Itachi is not an option. He's more of a headache than ally to be honest."

"Do you have a nephew or cousin?" Thinking of Obito, he shook his head. He wouldn't trust his sister's idiot son with something delicate like this. Anyway, he'd have a larger presence in Hiashi's inner circle as his daughter's father- in- law rather than uncle-in-law, if such a thing is even recognized.

Sensing his son's agitation, he tried to plead with him. "Sasuke, we need you to be on board with it. You could be doing a huge favor for the company, this girl's family and your own."

"You mean you. Don't try to pretend it's for anyone else." Hinata put her hand on his father's shoulder.

"May I have a moment with Sasuke, please?" He worried that Sasuke would torpedo the deal if left alone but complied. Perhaps it was her resemblance to Haruhi.

"I'll be right outside."

The door closed behind him and he knew it was useless to try to listen in on their conversation. He feared eavesdropping and had these doors specially built to counter it.

Sasuke stared if daring her to try to convince him.

"I'm not asking for a lifetime commitment, nor am I expecting fidelity from you during out time together. I know that you'll have needs and frankly I'm not going to indulge you. However, if you wish to seek it elsewhere, I will not oppose it. All I'll ask is to be informed. I do not want to be oblivious of your trysts."

"Why does it matter if you know all the details? Do you really need to know I'm going to fuck a girl, isn't that weird?"

She didn't even flinch at his vulgarity. "I would prefer it if you tried some discretion but I need to know in case people get suspicious. We could play it off like she's an acquaintance of mine and no one would bat an eye at her being seen with you. Just try to choose you dates wisely. I'd still have to stick by you but it'd be hard to convince my family."

Now Sasuke was confused. "Aren't you going to tell them?" He thought of Itachi who would know immediately and how his mother would react if she were told.

"My father is the only one that needs to know. Neji and Hanabi wouldn't understand which is why they need to think this is genuine." It seemed like she had an answer to everything.

"What about children? Won't people wonder why we don't have any?" He initially suspected that she'd try to trap him for good.

Hinata quickly looked away escaping his scrutinizing eyes. He knew he hit something there. "We'll only be married for five years. If anyone asks, we'll just say we're not ready to expand our family."

"Why only five? Not that I want more but I'm curious."

"Five years is enough time to secure the funds. Maybe even entice more investors if they see the Uchiha as a part of it."

"This is all nice but it's not clear as to why should I help you. What do I gain aside from fucking outside marriage?"

"What do you want?"

"Nothing you can offer apparently, but I want my father to take me seriously around here. I'll play nice if he does." She nodded and went to open the door to bring him back into the conversation.

After getting Fugaku to agree, Sasuke suddenly remembered the one person outside this room that fully knew of the plan. "What about Itachi? How are we going to convince him not to sabotage this?"

"That'll be up to you. You'd do a much better job than I could." Sasuke felt a small victory at his father's realization that there were some things he was better at.

They decided that they would make themselves known as a couple as soon as possible. Fugaku suggested Mikoto's charity gala next month to be the perfect opportunity. They'd date for a few months before becoming engaged. The engagement would be a half a year, which Sasuke thought was too soon but that was dismissed by his father. "You'll act like you're deeply in love, everyone will believe it if you behave." He sent Sasuke a knowing glare.

The meeting didn't last long and Hinata looked at her watch. She'd have to return soon if she wanted to talk to her father without Neji and Hanabi around.

Fugaku offered to drive her home but she declined. She knew that he would just be antagonizing her father and as much as he looked down on his pride, Fugaku was blind to his own pigheadedness.

"Well what about you Sasuke, this will begin to show people the two together."

With a grunt, he motioned her to follow him and Hinata bid his father goodbye. "We'll be in touch."

The elevator ride was silent. As soon as they made it to the lobby, he put his hand on her waist making Karin's jaw drop. He could feel her tensed up but he gave her a look. "We have to make it real, right?" She nodded and he hid his smirk.

The car ride was uneventful and she had him drop her off in front of the front gate. "My father would ask too many questions and if he sees you, he won't listen to what I have to say."

Sasuke was more than happy to comply and sped off not caring if she made it inside safely. It went against what his mother taught him and if his mother knew, she'd be disappointed in him. But at the moment, he didn't care.

Hinata sighed as she walked up the long driveway to the house.

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"Father, I need to talk to you." Hiashi looked up from the papers cluttering his desk. His smile at her arrival faded as he saw no change in her demeanor. Sensing something went wrong he stood up.

"What's wrong?"

"I need you to listen to what I have to say and not interrupt. Just hear me out and I'll give you a chance afterwards to speak." Hiashi sat back down and Hinata tried to control her breathing. The last time she was in this position, he had cast her out but she didn't regret it.

"I went to see Mr. Uchiha-"

Hiashi quickly stood up and walked over to her. "What?! Hinata, what the hell is the matter with-"

"Just listen! I'm going to tell you everything but please listen!" Never before had she raised her voice at him, not even when he insulted her as she walked out of his home. "I went to see him because I didn't truly believe his intentions as you saw them. He would lose so much if that were the case and I was right."

Hiashi was breathing heavily. "Well what did he want then?"

"To create a union between the Hyuuga and Uchiha."

Clenching his jaw he muttered, "How?"

"His son Sasuke and I will-"

"No. I refuse and I am going to put a stop to whatever foolishness you agreed to. I'd rather be poor than sell you off to those bastards!" He went to his phone which was snatched away by Hinata.

"It's not just about you or me! It's about Byakugan and everyone that relies on it. We can save the company. It's only for a short while and he won't touch me. I made an agreement with him."

Her father tried to pour himself a glass of whiskey but his hands were shaking from rage. He threw it on the ground and this time she didn't wince.

"I just want you to be fucking happy again. I want to see you smile and laugh. But you won't find happiness if you're put in situations such as this. At least with Kib-"

"I do want to be happy." Sensing the hurt in her voice, Hiashi scolded himself for bringing him up. "But it's not easy, not anymore. But I'm trying. If I can help everyone else this way, I'll be happy."

"You need to be happy for yourself not everyone else."

"I want this, at least for now. Then I'll try my hardest to find my own happiness."

Hiashi hugged her tightly. "Promise me you'll really work at it. I might have not been the best father when you were younger, but I truly want you to be happy."

Sensing his reluctant yet final acceptance, Hinata disingenuously smiled at him which he chose to ignore. "I promise."

* * *

AN: Alright, here are my excuses for lack of updates. School has been a real pain in the butt. I had spring break last week but my sister hijacked my laptop for a presentation for work. I'll try to update whenever I can as I do have a sense of the story in my head but this chapter was surprisingly hard to get down. Don't expect much of the business aspect of things; it won't be completely ignored but I'll focus more on the relationship and reactions to it.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to those who left kind words.

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"If you're going to stare, please wear sunglasses. It'd be less obvious." It was a ridiculous suggestion seeing as they were seated inside the restaurant.

Sasuke turned to the woman seated in front of him. They had agreed to meet for lunch a few times a week in order to make it believable. They would be making themselves known to his side of the family at the gala soon. He didn't mind as Fugaku had arranged his work schedule around their 'dates.'

They made small talk and mainly discussed their families. It was nothing deep; just names, showed photos, and their general personalities. He was getting bored with their mundane conversation which felt like a pop quiz when he looked around and saw a blond wearing a very short skirt. "Can you blame me? She's hot and obviously single."

"How can you even tell?"

"She's not wearing a wedding ring."

Hinata let out an annoyed huff. "So? She might have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything. Anything can easily break them up. If she were married, it'd be different. They'd be more committed to the relationship and try to make it work." He noticed Hinata focus her attention on her phone. "Except for ours."

She quickly looked around and whispered, "Keep those comments to yourself. We can't afford to let this fall apart so easily thanks to your carelessness." Sasuke snorted at her paranoia and grasped her hands in his. If she wanted him to pay attention to her, then he'd do it. She tried to nonchalantly pull them away but his hold was tightening. The amount of force she would need to release her hands would undoubtedly draw attention to them.

"I love you so much, Hinata. Your eyes are so beautiful, they shine brighter than diamonds. And your skin is so soft I just want a taste." Without giving her enough time to react, he kissed her hands noisily. Mortified at his childish behavior, she kicked him under the table causing him to release her.

As Sasuke rubbed his shin, Hinata discretely pulled out her hand sanitizer to rid herself of his touch. "I'll see you later, Sasuke. Give your father my regards." He stood up to hug her which she did softly. To his surprise, she also softly caressed his face. Sasuke enjoyed it until he felt a slight but painful pinch. "Behave in public or else."

Hinata stepped away and waved goodbye. He sat back down when she was out of sight. He could tell that she was unamused with his behavior but smirked. "If she wasn't such a bitch…"

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Hiashi visualized Fugaku's death by his hands many times. But not more so than now when Hanabi was teasing Hinata about her frequent lunch meetings with a man she had yet to introduce. He had struggled to finish his meal as Hanabi gushed and Hinata played coy.

Neji was surprised at the sudden change in Hinata. She had never indicated meeting anyone significant. He hadn't considered that she might actually have acquaintances outside the family. However, since his uncle didn't show any concern, Neji figured he was just over analyzing things. This could actually be a good thing for Hinata. Perhaps enough time had passed and she realized she could possibly love again, at least Neji hoped so. If the man she fell for hurt her in any way, he would be more than happy to cause him extreme suffering. "Are we ever going to meet this mystery man?"

Hinata briefly looked at her father before answering her cousin, "Well, I don't want to scare him. It might be too sudd-"

Hiashi cleared his throat. They might as well get this over with. "It's Sasuke Uchiha." The reactions of the younger Hyuuga might've brought caused him to chuckle but Hiashi is not one to chuckle.

Hanabi choked on her drink and coughed violently while Neji threw his fork down forcefully and Hinata stayed frozen. She was planning on introducing him a day or so before the gala so their appearance together wouldn't completely shock the rest of her family.

"Him!? Why him!" Neji fumed.

"Holy cow, you bagged yourself a hottie!" Hanabi coughed in between her words and Hinata smiled while gently rubbing her back.

"Hinata, answer me." Hinata avoided his scolding and timidly returned Hanabi's high five. "Do you know what kind of man he is? What lies has he been telling you?"

"He's not as bad you think he is." Hinata didn't know if it was an actual lie. Sasuke might actually be worse than Neji feared but then who was she to judge?

"I like being around him." Another lie. "There's a side to him that draws me in."

Neji put his elbows on the table, forgoing manners and rubbed his temple. "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you're… getting out there but he is not the person for you. You should try to find someone like…. someone better."

"Hinata is old enough to make her own decisions, Neji. I trust her." Hinata sent a grateful look to her father but he didn't acknowledge it.

"Uncle, I trust her too but he might make things worse. If this relationship goes downhill, she'll be worse off-"

"Neji!" Hanabi shook her head at him.

"Hinata I'm sorry. I only meant-"

Hinata lightly smiled at him. "It's fine. I understand you're all concerned, but I have a feeling about him. If it doesn't work out, then at least I tried, right?" Hanabi smiled brightly and nodded in agreement. "Well, I'm tired. If you'll excuse me, I'll head up to my room. Goodnight."

Neji wanted to call out for her but refrained. Ashamed by his behavior he excused himself as well. As he paced around his room, he thought of how to come to terms with this new development. All his recreational reading on death and grieving had flown out his head when he heard the Uchiha's name. One of the more helpful books mentioned that when someone loses a lover or spouse, the loneliness is what pains the survivor the most.

As necessary as loneliness is to the grieving process, if not dealt with it can lead to depression, sadness and self-pity. There are two ways to conquer loneliness with a support network; help establish a sense of independence or be supportive if they were to find a new relationship that was equally viable. Her new relationship could be counterproductive and he'd be damned if he let the womanizing and arrogant Uchiha lead her deeper into the sorrow she tried to hide. He needed to have a talk with him soon. While he had failed to be there for her in the past, he vowed he would protect her now.

Hiashi listened as his youngest gushed about Hinata's new romantic interest. "I can't believe you guys didn't tell us earlier! We really should have him over, without Neji of course. He might scare him off." She giggled and joyfully ate her dinner. "What if they get married?! Can you imagine how big we'd have to make it! Only the best for Hinata, she deserves it!"

She was thinking optimistically but Hiashi almost choked on his food before forcing it down. He would need to consult with their cook. Perhaps it would be best to eat soup for a while, at least until there were no more surprises left. "Hanabi, please calm down. Why don't we just let them get to know each other and decide for themselves. Maybe she'll decide he's not the one for her." He only hoped that her interactions with Sasuke and the other Uchiha will force her call off the deal. He'd find the funds and investors somehow.

"C'mon Dad, don't tell me you aren't a little bit happy she's finally decided to look around. You think I'm thinking ahead? You're right. I'm already naming their kids!" As she giggled, Hanabi missed her father's sudden somber expression.

"Don't talk like that around her, please. It might be too much for Hinata." Hanabi could tell from her father's voice that he was serious.

"Alright, jeez I'm just joking and know this is a huge step for her. I'm not going to pressure her into anything." Hiashi nodded and they finished their meals in relatively silence except for a couple of content mutterings from Hanabi.

Hinata hugged her pillow close to her body. Her stomach ached from all the anxiety currently consuming her. She thought of her family's reaction to the news that she was just _seeing_ Sasuke. The quick engagement and wedding might be too much for Neji to handle. More troubling, she saw how much false hope she'd given to Hanabi. It's not like she didn't foresee this but actually seeing her sister's eye gleam in excitement almost broke her resolve. "Everyone, please forgive me."

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When Sasuke asked Itachi to come over to for dinner, he immediately knew his younger brother had something important to tell him. They were close but rarely had dinner together; usually it was at their parent's home. The last time Sasuke had invited him to his condo he had thought about switching majors and needed advice. Itachi fully supported him but his father put an end to the idea as soon as he heard.

"Dinner was good, Sasuke. I see you went all out." He smiled. "So with that out the way, why don't you tell me what's been eating at you?"

"Damn and I thought I was being slick." Sasuke joked but Itachi already saw his nervousness. "Okay, hear me out." Itachi sat back on his chair and motioned for him to continue. Sasuke took a deep breath. "Do you think dad's proposal is totally crazy and wrong?"

"Yes-"

"Because I think if we looked at the positives over the insignificant problems that _might_ arise, we could really come out winners. I mean-"

"You're seriously considering this?! Sasuke, whatever he told you is a lie. That man is a manipulator. I thought you were smarter than this." Sasuke felt like he was punched in the gut but it didn't hurt as much as it angered him. "Anyways, I don't think they'd even agree to it. They'd have more honor and respect than that."

"Oh yeah, well guess what? She did agree to it and so did I." His older brother's eyes widened. The silence was beginning to weigh heavily on them both and Itachi cleared his throat.

"Have you honestly thought this through? I mean isn't it suspicious how she easily agreed to it? What kind of woman would even agree to do this if she had no ulterior motive?"

Sasuke tried to lighten the mood. "Watch it, that's your future sister-in-law." Itachi wasn't pleased. "Hinata is doing this for her family. It won't be that long anyways, we'd be legally married for 5 years and only in name. She's given me permission to do what I want and who I want for as long as we're together for that time."

Itachi pushed his chair back and stood up. "If you wanted my support, I can't. I'm sorry but I can't support such a convoluted plot. Have you even thought about how mother will feel?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I figure she'd be happy. She's always pestering me about settling down anyways."

Itachi was baffled. "Are you not going to tell her?! What'll happen when the two of you divorce?"

"Well I figure we'd stage constant fights so the split won't come as a complete shock. As much as I detest the reputation that follows me, I'm aware of it. Mother will think that I didn't like being married and enjoy being single."

"I can't believe I'm actually hearing this from you of all people. I can see dad trying to pull this off but you? Sasuke don't be his puppet. Stand up for yourself! Be a man!" Itachi had grabbed Sasuke's shoulders but Sasuke shook him off.

"Be a man? Stand up for myself?! What do you think I'm doing? I agreed to this. Fugaku could have held a gun to my head but I wouldn't do this if I didn't want to. I'm not being taken advantaged of here. I'm getting what I want." Sasuke paused to stare deep into his brother's confused eyes. "I'm no longer anyone's puppet. I'm my own person and I'll get what I finally deserve."

For a moment, Itachi could see his father looking back at him instead of Sasuke and it broke his heart. "Fine, if you want to do this, I won't stand in your way but you'll have to do this without my help. I will not participate in this charade. However, I will be telling mother because only a heartless coward would keep this from their family."

Sasuke said nothing but walked towards his door to show him out. Itachi gathered his coat and poked his forehead. "I only want you to be happy." The door slammed behind him.

It was a few minutes before Sasuke thought it was safe to let his frustrations out without being heard.

"Fuck you Itachi! You think you're better than me?" He went through his phone and dialed Hinata's number. He paced around the living room as he waited for her to answer.

"Yes?" She didn't sound sleepy but it's not like Sasuke cared.

"Itachi knows everything but he won't help."

"….Will he try to stop it?"

"No, he might not agree with it at all but he said he won't."

"Then why are you calling me? This doesn't seem like a big issue and you could have waited until we saw each other in a few days."

Sasuke felt his face heat up and mentally scolded himself.

"Excuse me for trying to keep you updated. Next time, I'll call when it's convenient for you. I can't let my blushing bride lose her beauty sleep." Hinata rolled her eyes at his sarcasm.

"Look, it's not like I don't appreciate it." Sasuke heard her softly laughing and he felt embarrassed. "But you're calling me about something that doesn't seem very important and earlier today you were teasing me about my paranoia."

"Okay, okay I get it. I'll see you later." He hung up before she could reply and plopped onto his couch.

Why did he call her first and not his father? Maybe his instinct to call her first was just luck. The conversation would have gone so much worse had it been with his father.

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Neji had tried getting in touch with Sasuke but was always told that he was too busy to meet. Hinata had warned him during their next lunch date that the news was met with a mixed reception. She advised him to not find himself alone with her cousin. "Neji is incredibly smart and will analyze everything you say and do. Don't let him corner you."

Sasuke rolled his head back. "I've handled worse people than your overprotective cousin. I'm not scared."

She smirked at him, "You might want to be a little less arrogant when dealing with my family. Neji isn't above using physical force to put you in your place."

"I'd actually like to see him try." Hinata raised an eyebrow.

"You know what, maybe I wouldn't mind seeing that either."

He sneered. "You are just a lovely woman, you know that? I can't believe you haven't been snagged by a man by now. I'm truly lucky to be tied down to your delightful personality."

"Oh, no. I'm the lucky one. _The_ Sasuke Uchiha has chosen _me_? I feel like I'm living a fairytale with my very own prince charming." She pretended to swoon and Sasuke's eye twitched.

"Let's hope your story doesn't have a wicked stepmother or end with a poisoned apple."

They just smiled at each other while visualizing the other in pain. The sudden ringing coming from his phone broke their gaze.

"Yeah?"

"Get your ass back here, now! And bring her, too." Fugaku hissed in his ear.

"Why?"

"Because I said so and Madara wants to meet with me. The bastard didn't give me a heads up."

Sasuke "Fine. We'll be there in ten."

"Five minutes!" He hung up without another word and motioned for the waiter to bring them their bill.

"It's show time, princess." Hinata bit her lower lip and nodded.

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As they walked into the lobby, Hinata noticed the scowl directed her way by the red-head. She smiled in return. The elevator ride was a bit unnerving; Sasuke noticed how she clenched her hands and tried to control her breathing.

"Relax we're probably just going to make a quick appearance. I'll introduce you and we'll be done. It's not like he's going to interrogate you."

She didn't respond but he could see her muttering a few words. The ding caused her to exhale sharply and she walked out with the same rigid posture he was used to seeing.

He pulled her into his arms and held her. Hinata was horrified and whispered, "Let me go!"

Sasuke leaned closer to her ear. "I told you to relax."

"I was! This is uncomfortable. People are looking!"

"And?"

"Please let me go." Her voice was so soft and Sasuke thought he went too far.

"I'll let go when you hug me back."

"I hate you." He felt her shift her position and lightly put her arms around him.

"Well isn't this a sight!" They jumped away from each other and saw Fugaku beaming at them. Madara was behind him. "Sasuke, why didn't you say that Hinata was coming by?"

"You know me, I'm full of surprises." Sasuke grumbled.

His uncle looked at the curious sight. He had heard from his brother that Sasuke was seeing someone new but a Hyuuga? More specifically Hiashi's daughter?

The resemblance to her mother was striking. The young woman's face was slightly red as all the Uchiha stared at her. "Are you okay?"

She quickly nodded her head and Sasuke put his arm around her shoulders. "I was just teasing Hinata about something we did the other day and she got mad. She's so shy around other people but when I get her alone-"

Her eyes widened and she smacked his shoulder. Fugaku looked like he was going to strangle him but Madara chuckled.

"Now Sasuke, somethings are meant to be kept private. Wouldn't you agree, Miss?"

Her face calmed down. "Yes I do. Sasuke sometimes needs to think before he says things out loud." She quickly realized that they hadn't been formally introduced yet.

"I'm so rude! I haven't introduce myself yet." Madara put his hand up and shook his head.

"That's quite alright. I heard you're my nephew's girlfriend. Hinata, is it?"

She accepted his handshake. "Hinata Hyuuga."

"Madara Uchiha." She smiled at him and Fugaku couldn't help but feel great as they made small talk. Seeing his brother begin to fall for the sham was gratifying.

That feeling quickly went away once he noticed his eldest son walk out of the elevator and head straight for them.

Itachi looked at the group before his eyes landed on Hinata. "And you are?"

Madara was confused. "Haven't you two met before?"

"Not that I could recall." Hinata looked at Sasuke who glared at Itachi.

"You haven't met Sasuke's girlfriend yet?" Fugaku asked a bit too sweetly. Itachi made a shocked face at the revelation.

Sasuke held Hinata's left hand. "I haven't had the chance to tell you before since we've both been busy. Itachi, this Hinata."

She offered her free hand for him to shake which he did very tightly.

"It's nice to meet you." He quickly let go and turned to his father. "We need to get this meeting underway." Madara looked at his watch, and bid Sasuke and Hinata goodbye.

Fugaku held Itachi back as he tried to follow Madara into the office. "I didn't know you were a part of the meeting."

"Uncle told me that he was meeting with you about the new surveillance program. I merely offered my assistance and he agreed. Shall we go in?" Fugaku stormed into the room and Itachi glared at Hinata before closing the door.

Sasuke dragged Hinata into the elevator and pushed a button. "That's not the lobby."

"I'm quite aware of that. I need to go to my office."

"Okay." Hinata pressed the lobby button and Sasuke looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"You're not going home yet. I just know Fugaku is pissed but he won't be a total asshole if you're with me."

"Okay but can you let go of my hand?" Sasuke didn't realize that he was still holding her hand. "Your grip is hurting me." He quickly let go and she massaged both her hands. The doors opened and she followed him down a hall. He opened the door for her and told her the meeting shouldn't last too long.

"Fugaku tries to spend the least amount of time possible with Madara. With Itachi there as well, the meeting might be over even quicker than usual."

Hinata thought back to how cold he was to her. "You weren't kidding about him. He really doesn't like me."

Sasuke looked up from his desk. "Does that bother you?" She shook her head.

"Not really. He's not the one who can help me."

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.

.

"Couldn't you control your brother?! Why am I not shocked that you would disappoint me? I thought you would try to stop being such a screw up and gotten cold in Itachi's shadow by now." Sasuke lunged for his jeering father but Hinata stepped between the two and frowned at the Uchihas.

The meeting had lasted longer than anticipated and Sasuke had a feeling that Itachi did it deliberately. Fugaku had hoped to bring Sasuke's new relationship into the conversation but Itachi made everything so hard. Madara had briefly mentioned the Hyuugas during the meeting but Itachi quickly maneuvered the discussion towards the project which was nearly finalized.

"If you could both just calm down, we can find a silver lining with this." Hinata tried to get Sasuke to look at her but he turned away and walked to his window.

"How?" Fugaku asked her.

"Sasuke, have you introduced girls to your family before?" Sasuke didn't respond and Fugaku frowned.

"He hasn't."

"I have."

Fugaku looked at him doubtfully. "Who?"

"Sakura." Fugaku tried to remember but came up blank. Sasuke scoffed in disbelief, was his father that self-absorbed? "I brought her to dinner one time. She was the medical student."

"Oh, yeah her."

Hinata could see the tension building up again and quickly intervened. "If it comes up again, Sasuke could just tell Madara or anyone who asks that he wanted to make sure that it's the real deal before introducing me to his entire family."

"And why would Fugaku know before Itachi? Everyone knows that he isn't in my list of favorite people. Far from it." His father gave him a dirty look which he returned.

She pondered a bit then quickly got animated. "My father! We could say that he knew and mentioned it to your father when they saw each other."

Sasuke almost teased her about how proud she was with her quick thinking. "Replace 'mentioned' with 'confronted' and it might be slightly more believable."

"I think that's the best we can do. Good thinking Hinata. It's a shame you aren't staying for the long run, although seeing who you're stuck with-"

"Get out." Hinata thought he was talking to her and grabbed her purse. "Not you. Him."

"Watch yourself, Sasuke. I'm your only ally right now." Fugaku warned but still walked out. He would have slammed the door but he didn't want people to gossip.

"I'm sorry my presence didn't completely filter his thoughts." Sasuke looked at her before rolling his eyes. He went back to work and saw out of the corner of his eye that she was still getting her stuff together.

"I'm not kicking you out."

"I know, but I don't want to bother you while you're working. I've probably over stayed my welcome." She waved goodbye and opened the door.

"Hinata, just stay. I'm going to take you home but I need to finish this first. And don't argue."

Hinata knew how stubborn he could be so she gave up and sat back down.

An hour later they exited the building and got into Sasuke's car. He had cut his day early due to his frustration with his father. The ride was silent and Hinata wished he put on the radio. His phone rang and he checked it at a red light. He got angry and turned it off.

Taking a leap of faith, Hinata spoke up. "You might not believe me or even care but I do understand how you're feeling. Like Fugaku, my father wasn't very supportive of me when I was growing up."

"Don't patronize me with tales from your childhood. Your relationship isn't like mine at all." Hinata looked out the window but continued.

"Everything you would do fails to match his expectations. Comparing you to someone you admire, causing you to harbor some resentment towards them due to how others perceive you. I won't take anything away from Neji's accomplishments but father never saw the true potential in me."

Sasuke would have continued to scoff at her if she had not captivated his full attention. Her voice was the softest he'd ever hear but full of pain. He recognized that same pain.

"You're not as strong as he wanted you to be, never considering that strength comes in different forms." She tried to smile at him.

They stayed in silence for the rest of the ride and he pulled up to her front gates.

"Thank you for bringing me home." Sasuke was silent. She tried to open the door but he had locked it. "Sasuke? The door-"

"But at least Hiashi loves you." Sasuke responded; the conversation wasn't over yet. "I know Fugaku doesn't, or at least he hasn't for a long time."

He gripped the steering wheel, imagining his father's neck.

"I had my doubts, too. There a period of time where my father disowned me. Nothing and no one was good enough." He noticed her fiddle with the chain of her necklace, looking at her house almost in a trance.

"What made him change? He obviously welcomed you back. Your old man was set against this fake relationship yet you managed to get him to go along with it. Did you get tired of being on your own? You must've missed being a coddled princess." He meant the last part as a joke but she frowned not tearing her gaze from her house.

"No. Things just changed. I just changed." She might've smiled at him but her tone was dismissive and he knew that she didn't want to divulge further.

"Are you happier this way?" She nodded but somehow he didn't believe her.

He cleared his throat. "Thanks for listening to me." He found it hard to actually apologize for his behavior thus far but he didn't want to come across as a complete asshole. After all, she had opened up to him. They were in this together and he figured they might as well get along.

Hinata was taken back, "Oh, you're welcome." The door was still locked. She tried to check inconspicuously but he noticed.

"And you're not weak or at least not anymore. I don't know how you were back then, but I think it takes some courage to actually go along with this shit." Sensing how sentimental he was being, he returned to his cocky smirk. "Yeah, it's courage or just insanity."

She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe both?" He laughed and unlocked her door.

"He's wrong." Noticing his confused stare she continued. "Not just about your potential but about being your only ally. As much as you might hate it, I'm here too."

"Because you have to."

Hinata shrugged. "We're still in it together. For better or worse."

"Til riches do us part." They laughed again and Sasuke unlocked her door.

Hinata waved good bye and opened the front gate. Sasuke wasn't in a hurry to leave so he figured he might as well make sure she made it safely inside.

"Maybe being stuck with her won't be so bad. It's only for a short while." He mused, not noticing he was slightly smiling.

* * *

AN: I found a brief moment of free time.

Once again: Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews.

Meeting Mikoto will be next!


	4. Chapter 4

Even though I graduated and it's summer, I've had a lot of responsibilities put on my shoulders. Most of my free time has been hanging out with two of my younger siblings (mostly watching movies) and I can't really tell them to buzz off. I actually like them. I've had other stories on my mind as well but I'm torn between splitting my time between different stories. Eh, who knows?

But I did make edits whenever I could because you guys are awesome.

* * *

Sasuke had noticed the similarities between having dinner with the Hyuuga and his own family. Right down to the stuck-up patriarch who was currently ignoring his presence. Hiashi had merely introduced himself before completely closing himself off to their guest. However, Neji and Hanabi had been more than willing to conduct the interrogation.

Hinata sat nervously between her father and Sasuke with the other Hyuuga sitting across from them.

Her younger sister's questions were predictable. "So how' you meet my sister? How long have you been seeing each other? What's your favorite thing about Hinata? How many girlfriends have you had? Is it serious between you two?" Sasuke blinked twice before processing all her questions.

Hinata glanced at him, wondering if he would pass their first hurdle in their scheme. Neji's scrutinizing glare worried her.

"We met after a business proposal with your family. She dropped by after forgetting something she left behind and we just got to talking." His faux girlfriend nodded along while Neji skeptically shifted his eyes between the couple.

However Hanabi smiled with excitement as he continued, turning to Hinata. "Hinata has many lovely qualities, but I think it's her honesty that I admire the most." Sasuke smirked at his own jest and she chose to occupy her focus on her food, thinking of ways to get back at him.

Neji cleared his throat. "You're a very hard man to track down, Sasuke. I've been trying to get in touch with you to no avail. It's surprising that Hinata has been able to keep you occupied for so long with your busy schedule." Hinata opened her mouth to speak but Sasuke interjected.

"I'm a very busy man. Perhaps I should schedule you in for a proper visit. Maybe you'd get a second chance for your little project with my help." Sasuke meant well, he really did but Hinata wished he had used a different tone.

Her cousin clicked his tongue verifying that he did perceive it to be patronizing. "Well, it's strange that we didn't see you at the meeting with your father. He seems to be the one running things." Hinata sighed; it had been going well. As well as a meal between the two could be.

The Uchiha sneered at the truth behind the statement. "You _really_ don't know how right-"

"Neji, please behave in a manner befitting a Hyuuga. Uchiha, please have more respect for your hosts." Hiashi briefly ordered but both men continued to glare at each other.

"I'll be honest, I don't like you." Neji spat out with distain. The youngest Hyuuga tried to shush her cousin while Hiashi leaned back in his chair rubbing his chin. "I think she could do so much better. When you prove to be unworthy of her, I'll be there to make you regret it."

Unfazed by the very real threat, Sasuke stood up shaking the table. "I couldn't care less if you like me or not because I'm not trying to win you over. I'm not doing this for you." Hinata pulled him back down, frowned, and silently mouthed for him to stop.

"Who are you doing this for?" Hiashi inquired; only two other people knew the meaning behind his question.

"For us." Neji scoffed while Hanabi approved with a thumbs up.

"I'm going up to my study, Sasuke will you please follow me?" While stated as a question, it was obviously an order. Hinata moved her chair back but her father halted her movement. "Alone."

Snickering could be heard behind him and Sasuke really wanted to go back and clock Neji. Hiashi had an aura of power that commanded respect from most people yet Sasuke had long been immune from men like this. However, he didn't want to have another foe in this situation so he followed obediently.

He noticed a large family portrait behind the patriarch's desk. "That's a beautiful family-"

"When we're alone, stop being a fraud." Hiashi coldly uttered. "You insult us both."

"Fine." He really wasn't trying to be a smartass.

"I just wanted to ensure that you don't make this more insufferable than it has to be. You will respect my family and that includes Neji. I'm not happy with this arrangement but she'll do this with or without my approval. I'd rather be there to help her cope during this." Sasuke said nothing; he felt like he wasn't meant to be heard in this one sided conversation.

"I'll know all I need to know about the _arrangement_ from her. Your motivation doesn't interest me much because she hasn't voiced her concerns yet and I trust her judgement. But if she wants to get out this deal at any point, I'll make that happen." Hiashi narrowed his eyes.

"Neji is not the only one you'll have to answer to if Hinata is harmed in any way. Psychological, physical, emotional, I don't care the extent. All it takes is one tear and I will see to it that you will writhe in pain you can't imagine until you actually feel it." His voice was slowly intensifying as he spoke and taking a deep breath, Hiashi struggled to composed himself. "That goes double for Fugaku. You make sure he knows this. Do I make myself clear?" A lesser man would have trembled but Sasuke merely nodded. "You're dismissed."

Hinata waited in the hallway for Sasuke to appear. She didn't hear any shouting and he didn't appear agitated like he usually was after talking with his own father.

"It went well enough, princess." Hinata briefly smiled and escorted him to the foyer. At Hinata's insistence, Hanabi had dragged Neji to her room knowing that he wanted to see the Uchiha out. If they had gotten into a scuffle, it would have been a huge setback.

"Why did you feel compelled to antagonize Neji?" She pouted.

"I was being nice! He should just get that stick out his ass. At least your sister approves." He grunted. Sasuke was annoyed that she was chastising him as if he were a child.

"I hope meeting your mother goes better than tonight did."

"Don't worry, Mom's a sweetheart." Sasuke grinned. "It's easy sailing from here on out. Just look pretty and smile. She'll love you."

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Mikoto glared at the woman in a strapless long black dress. Her arm locked with her son's, laughing as if she wasn't living a lie. She had arrived with her father and his friends, Shibi Aburame and Choza Akimichi. Both men where big players in Konoha politics, at least that's what Fugaku enthusiastically mentioned to her as they got ready for the event. As soon as the group had arrived Fugaku and Sasuke had sauntered over and haven't left their side since.

"The silent auction will begin in five minutes, mother. Hopefully we'll beat the amount raised last year." Mikoto smiled at her son. He was the only one sane enough to see how outrageous the whole thing was.

She tilted her head while looking at Hinata who smiled at her which wasn't returned. "What do you think of her? Honestly."

Itachi took in the sight of the Hyuuga heiress. "She seems beautiful and submissive. I don't trust her. There's something she's hiding."

Mikoto agreed and walked away to tend to her event. Fugaku's delusion was making her ill. He knew how much she disagreed with her attendance but he blatantly ignored her objections. The perversion of an event like this to further their twisted agenda had caused a rift between the two. As if she didn't have enough of a reason to dislike Hinata.

Hinata had left the men to talk about politics and business which was Fugaku's intention since the beginning. After excusing herself, she headed towards some of the items at auction. Sasuke had eyed her pleadingly but she left him behind; served him right for that quip at her expense last night.

For the first time in a long time, she enjoyed herself in a large public setting. It was a really marvelous event, from the décor to the cause. She would have to commend Mikoto once they officially met, but Fugaku mentioned how busy she'd be.

She maneuvered around a group of women gawking at the jewelry towards some of the less showy items with smaller crowds. A weekend getaway to a vineyard wasn't something she was interested in but according to the auction slips, plenty of people were. Hinata, for one, hoped that her father wouldn't see it.

A large painting caught her eye sue to its vibrant colors. Hinata wasn't an art connoisseur but she thought it was lovely. It didn't have many bids, but she figured the night was still young.

"I would have thought that you would be more cautious about your expenses, dear. I hear your family isn't doing so well." Hinata diverted her eyes away from the painting and towards Mikoto's taunting stare.

"Excuse me?"

Keeping the smile on her face, Mikoto leaned in. "Women like you make me sick. You will not marry my son, I will see to that." The words were hissed with so much malice that Hinata just stepped back. Mikoto waved at another attendee and welcomed them with open arms while Hinata tried to regain her composure.

"How'd it go?" She jumped at Sasuke' voice and his grin went away at seeing her rub her upper arm nervously. "That bad?"

She shrugged. "Sweetheart, huh? Must be just me, then." Sasuke put an arm over her shoulder which she didn't cringe at, something they had finally moved past.

"Well, Fugaku certainly looked happy for once. Like a kid on Christmas morning." Hinata chuckled and he smiled. "Are you hungry? I think there's some-"

"Hinata!" Sasuke swore under his breath at his father's appearance. "C'mon, there are people I want you to meet! Sasuke, why don't you make yourself useful and mingle some more with the men Hiashi brought along? "

Leaving Sasuke to his own devices, Hinata mustered a smile as Fugaku introduced her to various acquaintances. She maintained a cool composure as he introduced her as Sasuke's girlfriend but silently questioned why Sasuke wasn't needed here. She heard of these people but knew no one; Madara couldn't make it but sent in a respectable donation according to a mutter by Fugaku. Hinata allowed Fugaku to control the conversation and aside from an uncomfortably long leer and flirty wink from one of his nephews, Obito, it went smoothly.

"I'm sorry for Obito's behavior. He's an idiot, that's the only excuse I have for him."

"Well you did smack him for me, so I can't be that upset." They laughed and Fugaku could feel his wife's judging stare. If Mikoto wanted to be miserable during such a great event so be it, but he wouldn't allow her to drag him down too.

Feeling unusually upbeat and euphoric, he wanted to continue on this high. "Did you see anything that caught your eye?"

"It's all great, I couldn't say-" He dragged her to the more exquisite items up for bid.

Hiashi mingled with the other guests but he carefully eyed how Fugaku interacted with Hinata frowning as they moved out of his sight. His history with the man gave him plenty of reasons to be weary.

.

.

.

"I said I want that case open and I want her to try on the bracelet. I know you're well aware of who I am." Hinata felt for the nervous man. The attendant gulped and carefully unlocked the glass case, slowly handing the piece of jewelry to the intimidating Uchiha. It was silver, adorned with diamonds and rubies. She had casually mentioned how nice it looked but didn't expect him to take it so seriously.

Pleased with himself, he grasped her left wrist and put it on. "It looks lovely."

Feeling uneasy with his appreciative gaze, she focused on her bejeweled wrist. "I think that Mrs. Uchiha will love it."

"I know she will." He winked and told the man to close this items auction.

"But that's not how this works and there's still two hours left. Mrs. Uchiha has explicitly…" Feeling the growing wrath in front of him, the man looked at Hinata desperate for help.

"How about we put it back? The more money it garners, the better!" Swiftly taking it off and handing it back to the attendant, she nonverbally implored Fugaku to agree. He grumbled and she figured the matter was settled. The attendant locked the case and busied himself with another guest to escape the Uchiha's fierce glare. "I think Mikoto will love the bracelet."

To Hinata's discomfort, her suspicions about his intentions were confirmed when he suddenly looked baffled. "It's not for her. She has enough jewelry and I doubt she has worn every piece she owns. This bracelet will be better suited for you."

"Mr. Uchiha, I don't think that the _current_ Mrs. Uchiha will appreciate this generous act and I wouldn't want to be placed in an uncomfortable spot." She squirmed under his gaze and he relented.

"Fine."

"Have you tried the pastries?" Hinata moved him towards the catering and away from making any purchases on her behalf. The last thing she needed was to encourage more of Mikoto's scorn.

Fugaku discreetly left her side after she found refuge with her father who was talking with Choza and headed back to the attendant guarding and supervising this area of the auction. "You better make sure I end up with that bracelet. I don't care how high the bid goes, just add a few thousand and put it under my name." The man nodded timidly.

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.

.

As soon as Hinata left him alone, plenty of women had tried to get his attention. He could've avoided it if he had mingled with Hiashi's associates but he had already made enough of an effort on his father's behalf. Hiashi wasn't exactly warming up to him either so he just mindlessly strolled along the ballroom, brushing away female admirers until someone caught his eye.

"Sakura?" His former flame looked around and beamed upon seeing him. He met her half way and lightly patted her back when she invited him for a hug. "What are you doing here? I mean, you're more than welcomed but it's been so long."

Blushing but meeting his eyes she smiled. "Surprisingly, it was your mother who invited me." She smiled wider. "How have you been?"

It pained him to see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. He had tried to make things clear the last time they saw each other. Sakura had been ready for a more serious commitment and he was fine with how their relationship was; news of his upcoming engagement will undoubtedly show her how much of a bastard he is.

"Good, good. Nothing new to say." Sakura gently brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. He swiped a glass of champagne from a nearby server and scanned the crowd.

At that moment Hinata strolled by and he called her over. "Except I've met someone. Sakura, this is my girlfriend Hinata. Hinata, this is Sakura." The green-eyed girl stiffened at the information but smiled nonetheless which Hinata returned.

"I love your dress." Hinata looked down and didn't think it was anything special but thanked her. If anything she felt like Sakura stood out more than most women at the event including herself.

Although not oblivious to her own looks, Sakura's soft pink hair and vivid green eyes were truly exotic. Recalling the conversation between them and Fugaku, she realized wasn't hard to see how Sasuke was enticed by her. "Sakura? You studied medicine right?"

"You've heard of me?" Sasuke continued to look around avoiding Sakura's lingering gaze. "Yeah, I did. Now I'm a doctor." They awkwardly tried to converse about the event until Sakura excused herself to place a bid on something.

Sasuke felt relief as soon as she left but turned in Hinata's direction when she whistled. "She's beautiful. How did you land that? Better question, why did you let her go?!"

"Gee, thanks." He rolled his eyes.

Hinata motioned for him to lean down. "Hey if you want to sleep with her, I say go for it," She whispered.

He frowned and straightened up. "She's not like that."

"Oh, she's special then. I hope she stays single enough for you to get back together after all this." She wasn't looking at him anymore and amused by the dancing of a nearby couple.

"I don't want her back." He finished his drink. His curt response caused her to look up at him.

"You sure? I could help."

"I'm sure, babe." Sasuke leaned in to kiss her cheek but she recoiled. A couple chuckles nearby made him scowl. "Really?"

Hinata crossed her arms and nodded. "Really. It's not appropriate…" She dropped her arms and looked behind him. "What the…."

Sasuke turned to see what had her in a shock. Not spotting anything strange he turned back to see her hurrying away. "Where are you going?" She didn't respond and tried to push her away across the room.

A loud voice near his ear made him wince, distracting him from Hinata's sudden exit. "Sasuke! You bastard, it's been ages!"

"Naruto, haven't you learned how to lower your voice by now? Geez, I'm surprised your vocal cords haven't burst." The blond just laughed. "I'm even more surprised that you even decided to come by."

"Well, everything is finally running smoothly and I figured I could enjoy myself and help a great cause." Sasuke chortled which caused the blond to scowl. "What? I'm making decent money."

"Hey I'm not saying anything, I'm pretty sure we can find something reasonable for you."

"You ass." Naruto tried to put him in a headlock and Sasuke tried to evade him. They struggled a bit until Itachi coughed nearby and threw them a stern look. They both brushed off their suits and tried to act professional while leaning against the wall.

"So Sakura's here." Naruto scoffed at Sasuke slightly nudging him.

"Nah, man. I told you, I'm done chasing her. All the drama between us and her opened my eyes. She's a great person but not the one for me…" Naruto did a double take while glancing around the area. His head moved side to side.

"It can't be," He whispered to himself before addressing Sasuke. "Can we talk later?"

Sasuke was taken back. Naruto was oddly serious; he would have to be the one to swat him away. Everyone's strange behavior was annoying him. "Okay…"

Without a second look, Naruto rushed away. Sasuke noted it was towards the direction he saw Hinata leave. His intuition and boredom got the better of him and he decided to follow.

.

.

.

Hinata shuffled around a pair of inebriated men and tried to control her breathing. It was unlikely that it was indeed Naruto who she saw. What would he be doing here? The last time she saw him was when they graduated high school.

"Hinata?" She bit lower lip and blinked rapidly as she sought an open exit.

She didn't respond to a second shout and tried to sprint away. A tug on her arm brought chills down her spine. Seeing that she couldn't escape, she cleared her throat and faced him.

"Oh, hi Naruto." She tried to smile but felt her lips quivering so instead she clenched her jaw.

"How have you been? You look great! I really missed you guys." She flinched and he suddenly felt idiotic. Naruto become somber and placed his hands on her shoulders rubbing them gently. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I heard what happened but there was a blizzard and I couldn't find a flight out. Then Jiraya got sick for a bit-"

She didn't want to hear his excuses but she was at fault too. She had cut off all communication with everyone aside from her family. "It's fine. It was nice to see you."

Naruto sulked as she stepped back and he reached out to grab her wrist. "Wait! Can we meet up later? I'd like to catch up." His voice cracked, betraying the smile he forced. "Please?"

Shaking her head she gently removed his grip. "I bet you're really busy. I've got things, too. It's okay-"

Hinata walked backwards. Unfortunately she had trapped herself between Naruto and a pillar. He closed the distance to block her in. "No! I want to." He lifted her chin and took in her beautiful eyes which were looking off to the side. "I mean you and Kiba were real special to me and-"

"Naruto, I said it was fine! I have to go. My father must be looking for me." She forcefully pushed him off and avoided looking at his hurt face. "Excuse me."

Naruto didn't follow, which she was grateful for. He watched her walk towards a rather lively table. Hinata sat near her father and after feigning enough interest until Naruto took the hint and walked somewhere else, she whispered in his ear.

"Alright, let me get my coat and we'll head out." She quickly shook her head.

"You should stay. I don't want to ruin your fun."

Hiashi scoffed. "Believe me, I'm not having fun here."

"I'm just feeling lightheaded due to all the commotion. I'd appreciate it if you stayed on our behalf, it'd be rude to Choza and Shibi. And I wouldn't want Mr. Uchiha to be upset."

"Fugaku can shove-"

Hinata held back a laugh and playfully frowned. "Dad, please."

"Alright but how will you get home?"

"I'll take her." Sasuke twirled his keys. Hinata thanked that he appeared at the right moment. Her father would have cut the night short since she would have no reliable ride home.

"In one piece or they'll find you in pieces, Uchiha." Choza guffawed out loud, having overheard the conversation.

"Hiashi, stop scaring her suitors away. Hinata won't find anyone if you keep threatening the poor guys." Hiashi coughed and Hinata turned somber. She quickly hugged her father and nodded to her father's friends. She pulled Sasuke along.

While they waited for the valet, Sasuke observed the stoic Hyuuga.

"So who's Kiba?" He teased.

"Drop it." She coldly responded. "I mean it."

He was stunned by her voice but more alarmingly at the tears that were forming. She began to sway back and forth. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head and sat down in a nearby bench. "I just need a minute." The car pulled up and he helped her into the passenger seat. Once he buckled himself in, she spoke quietly.

"Actually can you drop me off somewhere else? Like a nearby park? I'll call a cab. I just don't want to go home right now."

"Sure but I'm taking you to my place. Hiashi would have my head on a plate if I just dropped you off somewhere at this hour." He tried to sound playful but all he got in response was a slow nod.

As he drove, she stared out the window. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her shaking and her hands muffling her sobs. He turned on the radio to make them both feel more comfortable.

.

.

.

"I can't believe she actually came." Mikoto was getting ready for bed and Fugaku was leaning against the headboard smiling blissfully. "I guess they really don't have much dignity left."

"Well, I can't speak for Hiashi. Never liked him, but you should try to get to know her. Hinata is actually-" Mikoto frowned as he listed all her great qualities. She dug her nails in her palm.

"Why did you really choose the Hyuuga girl?

"She was the best option." Fugaku pulled the covers over himself.

"For who?"

"Just say what's on your mind. I grew tired of your little games long ago."

"It makes me sick that how you act around that girl, who is old enough to be your daughter by the way! You and I know why it just _had_ to be her but she's dead." She didn't hear him respond.

"And she didn't love you. How long are you going to hold a torch for her?" As Mikoto ranted, she felt like she had uncorked a compressed bottle. "Just because she is the splitting image of Haruhi doesn't-"

"Shut up!" Mikoto was stunned. He had only raised his voice to her once before and she will be the first to admit she deserved it. But that was years ago.

Fugaku threw the covers off and grabbed his robe. "I'm sleeping in one of the guest rooms." The door slammed and Mikoto furiously wiped the tears that fell. She opened the bottom drawer of the night table on his side and choked back a sob.

The black box held a beautiful bracelet that she chose herself from a gracious jewelry store. When she heard that he had won the bid, the other women at the gala teased her about her romantic husband. If only they knew the truth.

Mikoto didn't like this feeling of hatred, but it was inescapable. She disagreed with Fugaku's plans for her sons and would do everything in her power to stop it regardless of who it was. However, knowing it was Haruhi's daughter made her determination that much stronger.

It didn't matter what she had to do or how low she had to stoop; Sasuke and Hinata will not marry.

* * *

AN: Man, this one was rewritten so many times. So there's a lot to take in; everything will be revisited on later, some more so than others. If there's something confusing, feel free to tell me.

Thanks for every view, review, favorite, or follow. You guys rock!


	5. Chapter 5

I'm so sorry for the late updates. I'm really trying.

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Sasuke opened his door and she silently followed behind him. "Make yourself at home. In a few months or so you'll be living here anyways." Hinata shifted from one foot to another before walking towards the window to stare at the view.

"I'm just going to change. Call out if you need anything."

"Thank you." Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled a few words before disappearing into his bedroom.

In his absence, Hinata took in the environment. He was a man who liked simple décor but it still felt unwelcoming. She didn't feel like sitting on his furniture. Growing up in an affluent home, she was no stranger to expensive taste but she felt out of place; an outsider intruding on Sasuke's personal sanctuary and life.

There were a few personal touches that indicated this was not a showroom; frames displaying photos of the people he evidently cared for. A recent family portrait where everyone except Mikoto had a serious face and smaller photos with Itachi and Sasuke when they were younger adorned the living rom.

She laughed softly at how childish and mischievous Sasuke appeared. "How cute."

"That's what all the girls would say. Then they began calling me good looking, sexy, handsome." Hinata dropped the frame in surprise. Fortunately he had quick reflexes.

"I didn't mean to touch." He waved his hand dismissively and placed it back.

"I told you this is going to be your new home, at least for a while. It'd be childish for me to tell you to not touch anything. Just stay out of my room."

Hinata held her hands close to her chest as she walked behind Sasuke who would tell her a quick story behind each photo. He moved on to one that had his high school soccer team when he realized she wasn't paying attention, her eyes focused on a particular photo near it as if stunned.

It was of Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru after their college graduation.

"How do you know Naruto?" Hinata didn't respond except for a gasp; she began to hyperventilate but moved away when Sasuke reached out.

"Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes and held a palm to her mouth, her other hand on her stomach. "Where's your bathroom?"

"Down the hall, last door on the left." Not bothering to properly close the door, he was able to hear sickening sounds.

Hinata felt her stomach tighten as she dry heaved. There was a bitter taste to her saliva and her eyes watered. Sasuke knocked on the door, slightly opening it.

"Are you okay?" He heard the toilet flush and the sink faucet running before she opened the door.

She nodded her head and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Must've been something I ate."

"Hn." His eyes narrowed. "Well, it's really late. You should probably just stay the night." Sasuke saw how uncomfortable she was. "I have a guest room you can stay in."

"I don't think you're going to win Neji and my father over."

He shrugged. "They already hate me, so I really don't give a fuck what they think of me after tonight. I'm too tired to drive anyways."

"Still, my family will be worried. I should call them and let them know where I am." She dialed her sister's number and told her where she was. Without missing a beat, Hanabi said she'd cover for her.

"You don't have to. I'll deal with Dad when I see him."

"What about Neji? Listen Hinata, you can deal with Dad's moods but Neji will be infuriated and remain hostile to the Uchiha. I know! I'll make it look like you got in late and slept in. Neji wouldn't have to know!"

"Nabi, I don't want you to get in trouble over this and I'm old enough to deal with Neji."

"Nope! Consider it done. Have fun!" Hinata rolled her eyes at Hanabi's teasing tone and told her goodnight.

Sasuke waited patiently until she hung up to lead her to her temporary room. "If you see something _unusual_, it's not mine. Suigetsu usually bunks there when he needs a place to crash so blame him." Without another word he walked out, leaving her to call out her thanks although he didn't respond.

She took off her heels but didn't bother with taking off her dress. Sleeping just in her underwear wasn't an option. The drawers and closet probably had clothes she could borrow for the night but after being warned by Sasuke about this Suigetsu, she wasn't eager to take a peek.

She sighed and draped an arm over her eyes. The events of the night had caused her to seriously reconsider this plan. Mikoto's words had temporarily startled her but she recovered. She had anticipated some resistance and wasn't naïve to think everything would go smoothly. But she hadn't considered the possibility of being haunted by her past. How could this go further with Naruto so close to the situation?

Sasuke also couldn't sleep. He was contemplating everything he knew about Hinata and what had happened earlier tonight. "What are you hiding?"

.

.

.

Sasuke had gotten up earlier than usual and drove to the nearest drug store. He marched over to the family planning aisle and bought three different pregnancy tests. The clerk shot him a smug look, which he didn't appreciate in his tense state, disregarding the fact that he had slept with the guy's girlfriend when they were together.

Hinata had woken up to him slamming the front door and yelling her to come out. "Are you pregnant?!" At first Hinata thought she had misheard him. He threw the bag at her which she dodged. "Take them right now. I want to know."

"What is wrong with you?" She gave him a repulsed look. "Have you lost it?!

"Hinata, I'm serious. I don't know if Naruto or this Kiba guy knocked you up but I didn't sign up to become some bastard kid's legal father. If this is what you were trying to trick-"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Hinata stepped back and braced herself on a nearby wall. Her voice was steady but she could already feel the anxiety building. "I'm not pregnant and I'm leaving. Call me when you come to your senses."

Sasuke stepped forward and she put her hands up. "Don't bother giving me a ride."

"I wonder who you have been riding." Sasuke sneered and rage filled her.

"Are you kidding me?!" Hinata started hitting Sasuke's chest but he easily restrained her and dragged her to the bathroom. "I'm not pregnant, you ass!

"Then take the test right here and now." Although it emotionally pained her, she gave into his demand. He gave her privacy to do her business but demanded that the door be opened as soon as she was done. The next few minutes were silent as they waited for the results. Her stomach growled in hunger but she just held her arms tighter around her.

Hinata glanced over at the indicator and scoffed. "Happy now?"

Sasuke read the negative results and let out a sigh. "Well, did you expect want me to think? You have these weird mood swing where you go zero to hundred like that!" He snapped his fingers. "Then you're throwing up in my bathroom. I thought it was morning sickness."

"I'm just stressed." She moved past him, to the guest room. Sasuke paced around his living room before making a batch of coffee. She appeared as he was putting two mugs on the table.

"Are you hungry?"

"Don't worry about me." The door slammed shut and Sasuke fought the urge to go after her.

Hinata was able to make it home with as much dignity as she could muster. The looks she received from some of the residents of Sasuke's building as she made her "walk of shame" were the cherry on top of an already fantastic morning.

After paying the taxi, she tried to quietly make it up to her room when she heard Neji call out her name. Cursing under her breath, she quickly took off her heels and tiptoed up to her room to quickly change. A barrage of loud knocks on her door startled her.

"Hinata, open up!" Hinata managed to put on a white shirt before opening the door to greet her cousin. She smiled at him but his frown remained.

"I went to check on you before I went to work. Imagine my surprise to see a bunch of pillows formed to look like you actually made it home last night. You were with him, weren't you?!" Not bothering to hear her respond, he hit her door frame in anger.

"Did you put Hanabi up to this?"

Not wanting to cause any tension between Neji and her sister, she nodded.

Neji shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry but I can't support this anymore. Your relationship with him has caused you to act so irrationally and I don't approve of this self-destructive behavior. I can't believe you let him seduce you! If he hasn't already moved on to his next conquest, you will break it off. I won't let him humiliate our family any longer. "

Hinata titled her neck to prove her skin was unblemished. "We didn't do anything! I just felt a little under the weather and didn't want to go home. He slept in his room and I slept in his guest room." He skeptically scoffed.

"You don't believe me, do you?" He said nothing. "Fine, think what you want but I'm still going to see Sasuke. I'll decide what's best for me and if you don't support my decisions-"

"If you think he's best for you, I won't."

"It won't be the first time…"

The two were at a standstill and Hinata was the first to move. Neji watched as she descended down the stair case towards the kitchen.

.

.

.

It had been a three weeks since he had seen Hinata. He knew she was avoiding him and would've been worried he ruined things had his father not mentioned that they were in almost constant communication. From the sound of things, his father wasn't aware of Sasuke's false accusations for which he was grateful.

Although one Hyuuga was avoiding him, another had been a constant nuisance. Sasuke had been screening Neji's calls because his messages were filled with threats. His secretary had suggested calling the authorities but he dismissed her concerns.

Leaning back on his chair he pondered his next actions. Yesterday he instructed his secretary to order flowers and have them sent to her house. She had texted him later that day thanking her for the flowers but he knew things were still strained.

_S: How about lunch? We haven't talked about the next step._

_H: I've been busy helping Hanabi get ready for her last year of high school._

He wanted to call her out on her lie since she had more than enough time before their spat.

_H: You know since the public outing as a couple has made us official, we don't have to meet so frequently. I'll see you next week._

_S: Okay. _

Sasuke threw his head back in frustration. He wasn't actually dating her yet he felt like a scorned boyfriend. "What is wrong with me?"

He wanted to make things right, know more about her so they could make their time together tolerable. It was like navigating a landmine field without any radar equipment but she had been and probably will remain closed off. Perhaps it had to do with this Kiba person. He wanted to ask Naruto but he didn't know if that would cause more trouble since Hinata wasn't happy to see him. Sasuke dialed another friend.

"Shikamaru, I need you to investigate something for me. Personal and off the books."

.

.

.

Hinata felt like she was justified to be angry but as time passed, she could see that perhaps she shouldn't be so callous to Sasuke. Enough people walked on eggshells around her and he was the only one to not know why she was upset. It wasn't entirely fair to him.

Debating whether or not to tell Sasuke her past weighed heavily on her mind during their time apart especially after his gesture of good faith. Sealing her decision was the fact that it would come out regardless because of Naruto; he might as well hear everything from her. Thinking about the blond, she looked at the number he had given one of their maids a few days after the gala. They had pretended she was out but she listened from a nearby room as he pleaded with the maid until she felt pity and agreed to pass along the message and contact information.

She was also considering telling Naruto about the plan. On one hand, he could be someone she could talk to about things she couldn't with Sasuke or her father but could she handle being judged by him? He and Kiba were so similar.

"Naruto…" She put the card in her purse and headed out before her courage failed her. She was determined to talk to Sasuke and ask his advice on how to handle Naruto.

After eating a quick breakfast, she drove to his apartment. The closer she got, the lighter she felt. With Sasuke being aware of her past, they could both move forward together in sync. He would be aware of her limits and she could be more understanding about any slip ups.

Hinata took a deep breath and knocked on his door. Within a few seconds, the door opened and a woman dressed in Sasuke's shirt greeted her.

"Yes?" It took Hinata a moment to recover from the shock.

"Oh, um. Wrong address, sorry."

"Hinata?" A shirtless Sasuke walked behind the blond and pushed her behind him. He closed the door and crossed his arms. "What's wrong? I thought we weren't meeting until next week."

Hinata adjusted the strap of her purse and avoided looking directly at Sasuke. "Y-yeah, I just wanted to tell you the truth…"

"Truth?"

"Yes… about Naruto. The truth about Naruto… I mean, I told Naruto the truth and wanted you to know. So now you know!" She smiled cheerfully and Sasuke raised his eyebrows at her behavior.

"Wasn't that risky?"

"Well, he's a good friend of yours and I knew him a long time ago. I think not telling him would cause us more problems." Sasuke noticed how she started walking backwards.

He stepped forward. "Well what did he say?" He said slowly and genuinely curious.

"We can talk about this later. I don't want to be rude to your guest." She waved her hands around frantically. "But next time just give me a heads up. It would be really awkward if I had brought someone with me to see you."

"Stop being so stupid, you're not imposing. I was just going to send her out."

Hinata frowned at his words. "No it's fine, we're fine, and everything is fine. I'll talk to you later!" Sasuke watched as she entered the elevator and waved as it closed.

"Mmm, she's pretty. Was she an ex-girlfriend?" Sasuke shrugged the woman off.

"I thought I told you to leave last night."

"Are you mad?"

"Don't you know it's rude to answer someone else's door?" He sneered. "Get out."

Hinata sat in her car without a clear destination to go. Sasuke was obviously busy but she really didn't want to go home. Her father was on a trip and Hanabi was spending the weekend with a friend. Neji was around but the air around them had been stifling since their fight. She figured she would just spend the day at the park but deep down she knew what she had to do next.

Naruto's card slipped out and she stared at it for a few minutes before sighing. If she waited any longer, Sasuke could walk into something that was her fault. She would have to tell Naruto everything now, and hope that he would be the same kind friend he was all those years ago.

She dialed his number and hoped that it'd go straight to voicemail. "Hello?" Hinata hit her steering wheel in frustration. "Hello?!"

"N-naruto-"

"Hinata! You called!" A small smile formed at how delighted he sounded.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I'd know the sound of your voice. It's unique." His voice was softer than before and he cleared his throat. "How are you?"

"I need to talk to you. Can we meet somewhere private?"

"Y-yeah! Of course we can! Um, if you don't mind I can give you directions to my place. It's not far from Ichiraku's. Remember the old hangout?"

"I remember…"

* * *

So the chapters might be shorter but the updates will be more frequent. I've been stuck with the second half of the chapter and that's stopped me from posting (along with becoming the go- to person at my house for everything).

FYI, I might be speeding up the time frame a bit. It'll help my creative flow.

To all the silent readers (my brethren!), reviewers, followers, and those that have favorited: Thanks for reading.


	6. Chapter 6

I listened to Sia's Breathe Me on repeat as I wrote this. It's inspired a lot of the story actually.

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Naruto frantically cleaned his apartment; he wanted to show Hinata that he had matured from the boy she knew in high school. He cleared his television stand of most of his video games and tore down some of his more risqué posters, gifts from Jiraya of course, in his bedroom in case she wanted a tour. As he dropped various items in a random drawer, he heard a crash and cringed as he looked down at a now broken photo frame.

Guilt hit him hard while looking at Kiba's cheerful face. Hinata was in the middle of the group hug with Naruto flanking her other side. They were heading to their senior prom. While Kiba faced the camera, the other two were looking at each other. He didn't remember what he had told her right before the flash but she was laughing while he grinned. Jiraya had scolded Naruto and took a better photo with everyone looking forward. Unbeknownst to anyone, he had printed the photo and contemplated cutting Kiba out but couldn't go through with it. Now he wished he had because he felt awful looking at his face.

Here he was trying to impress Hinata and for what? What reaction did he want from her? She never judged him before and although she had been aloof when they briefly reconnected at the Uchiha's gala, she was coming over in a few minutes. He reached out to her and she had accepted. He only wished he had the courage to do it sooner, who knows what he had missed out on.

His doorbell rang and he slowly closed the drawer. Stopping by a mirror, he fixed his hair and patted his clothes. Naruto noticed a small stain in the hem of his shirt and groaned internally. "Dammit!"

The bell rang again and Naruto threw the dirty shirt in the hamper and searched for a suitable one. Finding a plain black shirt and no seeing any stains on it, he quickly put it on. He checked himself again by the same mirror and taking a deep breath, he opened the door to see no one was there. Confused, Naruto stepped out to see Hinata walking down the stairs. He sprinted to catch up to her.

"Wait! Hinata!"

She turned and smiled softly at him. "Hi Naruto."

"Why were you leaving? I thought you wanted to talk."

"Oh, I t-thought that you weren't home."

He grinned. "You're so silly! Why would I tell you to come over and not be there? I was just getting dressed. C'mon." He seized her hand and tugged her towards his place. His heart raced at the contact and in the softness of her hand.

She pulled it away after entering his door. "You cut your hair."

"Yup, I'm trying for a new look. Do you hate it?" Sasuke had teased Naruto about finally cutting his locks while ignoring that he was growing his own out.

"No, it looks good." Naruto's cheeks burned and busied himself with the refrigerator. "You look the same."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" She teased with a raised eyebrow. He looked up.

"Very good! I mean, you look great!" Hinata giggled and Naruto looked back down hoping the coolness would rid him of his blush. "S-so, I have water and beer. I could boil up some tea, if you want."

"Water's fine. I don't want to bother you."

"Hinata Hyuuga is turning down tea? Now I know you have definitely changed." He tried to chuckle convincingly but knew that the mood had dampened. Naruto handed her the bottled water and he opened his. On any other occasion, he would opt for beer but didn't know what message that would send her about the visit.

"Hinata, I want to apologize." Her eyes widened and shook her head but he motioned for her to let him continue. "Just because I went my separate way didn't mean I didn't cherish you…or Kiba. I did and I still do. I know you both tried to keep me updated with everything that was happening in your lives and regret not being able to respond every time. Eventually we stopped talking…then I heard about what happened to Kiba."

Hinata bit her tongue trying not to cry but sniffled.

"I couldn't even make it to my friend's funeral! I really tried but the damn storm was really bad and flights were cancelled. I even thought about just taking a train here but Jiraya got ill and I had medical bills to pay. During all that, I tried to call you but Kiba's sister told me you went back to your family. I don't know if you changed your number or what but I couldn't reach you. No one could tell me how to contact you. It drove me insane but I gave up and I shouldn't have."

"Naruto, stop. Please don't blame yourself for anything. I don't. You weren't the careless and stupid driver," She hissed those words out thinking of dead woman, "who took everything from me."

Softening her tone she looked at him directly. "You weren't the one who did anything wrong. I wasn't trying to reach out to anyone either. I just wanted to stay in my own bubble away from everyone and everything… But it's gotten better."

Naruto shook his head. "I should've tried harder! I know you still live in the same place but I couldn't even muster the courage to scale the gates and knock on your door. Not until I saw you again. I'm not letting you slip away, I'm here for you." He clutched her knee and his eyes watered.

Hinata sprung forward and hugged him which he accepted. "Promise me you'll stop torturing yourself with these thoughts. You are not to blame and I will never blame you." She muffled into his shoulder while tears freely fell down.

Naruto inhaled her scent and nodded. "I promise." They separated due to the awkward position but smiled at one another. Hers went away quicker and she bit her lip. "What's wrong?"

"There's something I have to tell you. Please hear me out before you say anything. It's important." He nodded slowly. As the plan was being explained, Hinata's chest tightened at how his face slowly went from understanding to shock and finally anger. He paced around and Hinata tried to reach out but he stormed to his room. She followed not knowing what he was going to do or who he might call. He pulled random drawers and yelled in frustration. He returned to his kitchen and after searching a bit he finally found it.

"How much money is it? Dammit, tell me!" He slammed his checkbook on the table. Hinata shook in fright and he sighed. "Give me a figure Hinata. You don't have to do this."

She hesitantly put her hand over his, which had a pen ready to write whatever figure she asked. "Naruto…you can't help me. I know you wish you could and I appreciate it but the truth is that there aren't many people that can. The only other options are to risk letting the company go under or sell large shares of it. If we do that, there's no telling how it'll affect everyone that works for us. We won't have the deciding vote to stop it anything that might hurt Byakugan in the long run. It has to stay under Hyuuga control."

"Are you sure your dad didn't put you up to this? Hinata, I know you. You've stood up to him before, you can do it again! Kiba might not be here anymore but I am. I'll stand by your side, you know that." Naruto hid his face in his hands and huffed. "This is all Neji's fault."

"Don't blame him or tell him anything, please. He doesn't know about what we're planning and is trying really hard to find the funds on his own. Actually only a small group of people know and I've included you because I want you to understand why these things are happening." He didn't respond but Hinata knew he was still seething.

"No one is forcing me and I wouldn't force Sasuke into this either. We've both agreed."

At his name, Naruto scowled. "Is this why you really came over? To help you cover this up? Did you even want to rekindle our relationship? I was wrong, you really have changed and not for the better." Hinata's downcast eyes almost made him regret those words.

"This was a mistake. I'm sorry." Hinata grabbed her purse and left, leaving Naruto to ponder what to do next. He didn't have to think long and headed after her. He found her pulling out of her parking space but blocked her. She didn't turn off her car not did she step out. The window lowered and she gazed up at him.

"Please don't tell anyone. I'm begging-"

"Hinata, I hate that you're doing this. It's stupid." Her eyes lowered and he reached out to tilt her head up. "But I know why you feel like you have to. I'll keep quiet and if you need someone to talk to, you know aside from that jerk Sasuke, I'm here. We can share embarrassing stories about him and get back to how we used to be." He grinned and Hinata put her car in park and got out of her car.

"Thank you and although I wasn't exactly trying to rebuild our friendship, I'm really happy we are." She hugged him and whispered in his ear. "I've missed you."

"I missed you, too." A car honked and Naruto flipped them off. Hinata was the first one to pull away and they stared at each other. Naruto stared at her lips and leaned forward but another car honked in protest at Hinata's car causing an obstruction on the street causing her to turn away just in time.

"I should get going." She smiled sheepishly. "I don't want to get a ticket."

"No!" Hinata jumped at suddenness his objection. "I mean, you should stay. Just park your car and we can catch up while I make us some lunch. How does that sound?"

"You've already done so much, Naruto." Seeing how dejected he looked, she quickly offered to take him out to lunch instead. "My treat."

"Let me just change and I'll be right out."

She gave him a once over. "I think you look great." Naruto cheered internally and got in her passenger seat.

"Where would you like to go?"

He thought about the usual spots he visits but shrugged. "Surprise me."

"I think I've surprised you enough today, don't you think?" Naruto chuckled at her joke but gulped when she licked her lips. "Have you been there?"

"Huh?" He was too busy looking at her body language that he hadn't heard what Hinata said.

"Akimichi's? Have you been there?"

"Oh, nope but I trust you."

Her lips slowly curved upward. "Great, the food is _amazing_ and I know the owner. His size might be intimidating but he's a big teddy bear…" Naruto could only stare in delight as she smiled and talked on the drive there.

.

.

.

Sasuke waited in Naruto's apartment for hours. He was curious to know what had happened and more importantly why he hadn't blown up his phone with questions after Hinata told him everything. Naruto hadn't been home but that wasn't unusual. However, it was nearing four and he had yet to hear from him.

A thought came over him. What if he was waiting for him at _his_ place? Would he be angry enough to ambush him? He tried to brush the thought away, but couldn't help but think of the time Naruto saw Sakura and him together for the first time. He was so angry and hurt because he had confided in Sasuke that he was attracted to her. But it wasn't his fault that Sakura had pursued him. Of course it all became a complicated love triangle with Sakura not being able to decide between the two until Naruto stopped chasing her. He had been acting unusually somber but Sasuke didn't press for any information. They eventually mended their bond and Sakura broke things off with him which he didn't fight.

Who was Hinata to Naruto? He just hoped it wasn't something serious. Naruto's loud voice brought him back to reality and although he was anticipating a fight, he was surprised that Naruto actually sounded happy. He peered out the window and frowned in confusion.

"Next time, it's on me! How about Friday night? He couldn't hear Hinata's response but it apparently pleased Naruto. "It's a date then!"

Hinata drove off and Naruto waved until she was out of sight and Sasuke watched as he practically skipped and hollered in joy. "Hn. What a loser."

Naruto opened his door and his mood darkened. He scowled at his smirking friend. "Oh it's you. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to know how to took everything but I can see that you're not totally upset so-"

"Actually I'm pissed at you, at her, and at the situation. But I'm coming to terms with it for her sake."

"Who is she to you, Naruto?" He looked away and Sasuke sighed. He wasn't going to force Naruto to admit anything but he wanted to make things clear. "Well we're going to be engaged soon. _Real_ soon. If you're doing this for her sake, let everything playout how we've planned it."

Letting the words sink in he waited for a response. "You're not ready or equipped to handle someone like her."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying I'm not good enough to be her pretend lover?"

Ignoring the term Sasuke gave himself, Naruto stepped closer. "I'm not trying to insult you. I'm just saying that she's in a fragile place and I don't want you to hurt her."

"You act like we're going to fall in love or something. Let me tell you, she could hardly stand me and I barely tolerate her at the beginning."

"And now?"

Sasuke thought about it for a minute and Naruto held his breath. "…We respect each other as business partners and that's it."

Naruto slowly nodded and brightened at the prospect of building something with Hinata, even if he had to wait until this awful arrangement passed. He promised he would be there for her and he would be even more so when Hinata and Sasuke divorced.

"Well okay then. As long as you keep your hands off her. I know you're allowed to whore yourself out so don't touch her. I'm serious, I'll neuter you." Sasuke pretended to be wounded and Naruto snorted but wagged his finger at him.

"So I know what you're allowed to do… is she prohibited from doing anything?" He pretended to busy himself with portioning out his leftovers for Sasuke.

"I don't think so." Sasuke leaned back and thought about it. She never specifically said what she'd do or not during their marriage. "As long as it doesn't compromise the arrangement she's free to do anything."

Naruto grinned and handed him a plate. "Here you go."

Although Sasuke was glad Naruto didn't look at him with contempt, he thought about his wording. Did he truly see her that way? He shrugged; perhaps they would be more than that. Hopefully friends in some sense, after all they would be going through a lot together. During his conversation, Sasuke missed his phone lightning up with Shikamaru's name.

* * *

AN: It's so much easier to update shorter chapters! Expect the drama to boil over in the next two chapters. Mikoto isn't going down without a fight, the past is unveiled to some and Hinata will reach her breaking point.

I'm really humbled by the number of followers and reviews. I've really invested in this story and to see others invest in it as well (in any way) makes my day. Feel free to PM me, I'm really open to talk about my stories if you have questions. You all rock!


	7. Chapter 7

Enjoy the build up.

* * *

Leave it to Shikamaru to get records on any person, public or not, within a few days with so little information. "So where is he now?" Sasuke questioned looking down at the photo of a uniformed officer.

Shikamaru put his smokes away and leaned back in his chair. "He's buried in the local cemetery. Didn't you see all the documents? Kiba Inuzuka died almost three years ago, Sasuke. It was a car crash. The other driver was drunk and died too. I didn't know what you were looking for exactly but the autopsy report is included." He shifted uncomfortably and Sasuke blanched.

"Sorry. I just think it would have been better if you had asked her directly, it probably would have spared you from some details," Shikamaru said while gazing out the window. He tried to figure out why Sasuke was so intent on investigating this guy until found the connection to Hinata Hyuuga. The two had been in a long term relationship and Shikamaru figured Sasuke was insecure. _Well there's no competition now_, he thought looking at the Uchiha.

"No, I needed to know," Sasuke said as he shoved the manila folder in a drawer to read thoroughly later. "Thank you, Shikamaru. I know I can trust you to keep this between us."

Over the next few days, Sasuke observed Hinata closer. How she would fidget with her necklace before making a decision or how she seemed so eager to please everyone. He understood now what had happened to cause a rift between her and Hiashi and it didn't take a genius to figure out how they mended it.

He began to filter what he would say to her whenever he could and he noticed some changes in her as well. She wasn't hesitant to speak her mind about him but it wasn't uncaring. Their time together didn't seem forceful, but rather enjoyable.

"Has your father kept his promise to you?" she asked. They had settled on dinner since their schedules were getting busy, at least on her part. Hiashi would bring her along to meet clients and potential investors when Neji couldn't make it. Sasuke was in the same rut and it bothered him.

"So far it's been the same at work. I don't think I'll get treated any differently until we get married or he wins an election," replied Sasuke.

She frowned. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."

He took a sip of his wine and shook his head. "You don't have to."

Hinata put her fork down and leaned forward. "I do because that's not fair to you. I'll get you in the door and you do your part to show them why they shouldn't have underestimated you." The dimmed lighting in the restaurant gave her an ethereal look and Sasuke felt himself grin.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. So should we eat dessert?" he asked deviously. Hinata looked around to get the attention of their waiter but Sasuke snapped his fingers. "I have this."

A small plate was placed in front of her. The chocolate dessert would have been mouthwatering but Hinata was focused on the diamond ring positioned on top of it. The waiter's smile fell and he looked at Sasuke nervously.

"So what do you say? Marry me?" Sasuke smirked and Hinata slowly took the ring. The other patrons began to realize what was happening and there was a hushed silence.

"I do. I mean, I accept," Hinata stammered. Sasuke kissed her hand and the restaurant cheered.

"I think you secretly liked that," Sasuke teased. "It's so cliché, I knew you would appreciate it."

"Yeah," she said softly, staring down at the engagement ring. She smiled sadly at Sasuke who hugged her. They left the restaurant after taking some photos with the staff and random patrons.

"We should tell our families as soon as we can," Sasuke said he pulled up to her driveway. "We can go in right now if you want." She shook her head, surprising him.

"Let me lessen the blow first. I'm tired of Neji not talking to me and I don't want this to make it worse. I'll bring you over once everything is settled," she reasoned. Sasuke nodded reluctantly. He would have loved to see their reaction, but for her sake he wouldn't intentionally bait Neji anymore.

Hinata stepped into her silent house and found Neji in her father's study. He looked up from his laptop and coughed. "Uncle is still eating dinner with Hanabi."

She lingered at the entrance but stepped in making him narrow his eyes. "I want to talk to you, Neji."

"Is it about _him_?" Neji spat out. She nodded and he stood up. "Did you finally break it off with the Uchiha?"

"N-no but I-"

"Then we have nothing to talk about," he muttered going back to his work. Hinata looked down but walked up to him. She placed her left hand on top of his files.

"We're engaged," she whispered. The air grew ominous but Hinata needed him to hear her out. "And I don't want our relationship to be ruined because of this, after everything we've been through. I l-love him but I love you too. You're my family, Neji and-"

"Get out." Not a moment later, he pushed her away. "Get out of my sight."

Hinata let out a startled cry. "Neji! Please!" she begged but Neji grabbed her upper arm and forced her out of the office. Hiashi and Hanabi had heard the commotion and ran over. Noticing the ring on her finger, her father sighed deeply. "I'll talk to him."

She wiped her tears and Hanabi rubbed her back while leading her to her room. "He'll come around, Hina. He's just being stupid. Why don't you tell me how he proposed?" she asked hoping to bring a smile to her sister.

Hiashi closed the door behind him. Neji was breathing heavily and his fists were shaking. "What did she tell you?" Hiashi asked his irate nephew.

"They're getting married and he's a fucking womanizer! Do you think he'll stay faithful? Hinata doesn't need this, not now or ever!"

"Don't you think that's up for her to decide?"

"Did he ask for your permission?"

"No." Neji rolled his eyes but his uncle continued, "But I still would have given them my blessing."

Neji stared in disbelief until he regained his composure. "It seems like I'm the only one looking out for her. Why did you agree to this? Aren't you her father?"

"Don't you dare question the love I have for my family, I would do anything for the three of you," Hiashi spoke sternly. "Neji, Hinata is finally moving on. She reached out to you first and you turned your back on her," he shook his head in disapproval.

His nephew looked down in shame and he patted his shoulder. "Be happy for her at least. You don't have to like Sasuke, just be understanding."

"If he hurts her, I won't forgive you," Neji said with judging eyes. Hiashi agreed quietly.

.

.

.

Sasuke spoke with Naruto over the phone to tell him that they were now engaged. As expected, he was slightly upset. His next call was to his father who didn't pick up, as usual, so he left a voicemail. Fugaku called the next morning to congratulate him and told him that Mikoto and Itachi had been informed as well.

"You should have her over soon, preferably when your mother isn't around. It'd be nice for the three of us to celebrate," Fugaku proposed. Sasuke relented if only to get him off the phone. He had given him a furniture catalogue the next day at work. "Tell her to pick out whatever she wants. I want her to be comfortable during her stay at your apartment. You could use some upgrades anyways."

Days later when Hinata visited for lunch, she was gloomy and it concerned him. "Neji isn't making this easy," Hinata said. "He wants to talk to you alone."

"I'll do it and I promise to behave," he promised. "Fugaku also wants to talk to us. You can imagine his excitement," Sasuke said getting a laugh out of her.

"I'm tired of eating out for lunch so I brought takeout." They talked about how the wedding would be and who to invite but soon the conversation turned to their living arrangements.

"You can do whatever you want to your room. I don't care. Just leave the common areas alone," Sasuke said.

Hinata pondered and played with the noodles. "I'm probably not going to take any the furniture with me after the divorce so you might as well like it, too."

"So when are we finally going to kiss?" Sasuke asked and Hinata choked on her food. He quickly got bored with the talk of furniture and color coordination.

"What?!" Hinata was appalled at the suggestion and stepped away from the kitchen counter.

"Don't you think it's strange that people haven't seen us kiss? Most couples especially those who are engaged would be all over each other." Sasuke tilted his head as if analyzing her.

Hinata raised her eyebrow in mistrust. "Yeah, nice try. We aren't _practicing_. They'll see us kiss at the wedding." She scrunched up her nose. "Maybe the reception. If I feel like we need to."

"Alright, picture this," he swayed his hands theatrically. "The priest tells me I can now kiss the bride and it turns out to be the most awkward kiss people have ever seen."

She laughed at the imagery but still shook her head.

"Why are you so reluctant?" he asked. A sly smile began to creep on his face. "Has the ice queen never been kissed?" As soon as the jab came out, he knew it wasn't the right thing to say but he feigned amusement.

She didn't blush or stutter but her annoyance was obvious. "Are you done joking around? I thought we were going to go over living arrangements."

"Oh come on-" Hinata pecked his lips quickly and he frowned. "Do you want to make this believable or not, Hinata?"

"I'm not making out with you in front of my family or yours," Hinata huffed.

"I'm not proposing that we bang right in front of the altar, I'm just asking for a little believability. This was all your idea," Sasuke pointed out.

Hinata rolled her neck and shook her shoulders. She took a deep breath and Sasuke was beginning to feel insulted by the amount of mental preparation she needed to kiss him. Most girls would be clawing at each other to talk to him. "Are you done, Muhammad Ali?"

She nodded and stepped forward. He cupped her face, closed his eyes and leaned in.

"I can smell the spices," Hinata chuckled, bruising his ego.

He scowled, "Shut up." Their lips briefly touched before his phone rang.

"I'm telling you it's a sign that this is stupid." He ignored her and hastily answered, "Yeah?!"

"Sasuke, honey I wanted to make sure you were coming to dinner later tonight," his mother asked unfazed by his rude greeting.

"Can I bring someone with me?" Sasuke asked quietly. There was a moment of hesitation before his mother replied, "If it's _her_, I'd rather you didn't."

"I understand," Sasuke responded.

"See you later, love you." He hung up and looked at Hinata who was pretending to focus on the furniture catalogue.

"What about this desk and bookcase? I think the dark colors will really work with the rest of your-"

He realized she knew exactly how his mother felt. Sasuke loved his mother but felt like he should apologize on her behalf, "Hinata-"

"It's fine. I don't mind," she said, smiling at him to reassure him that she wasn't upset. Hinata had given up on Mikoto warming up to her. "This makes everything else easier when we divorce."

"Right," he said, standing next to her and putting his arm over her shoulders. "Well where were we?"

"Nuh uh. Let's figure this out and get it over with so we aren't fighting about it later," Hinata replied shaking him off.

"The desk is fine, the bookcase is fine. Whatever you want is fine! This is all for you anyways, Fugaku just wants to make sure I don't chase away his precious golden goose. He never gave a crap about me anyways," Sasuke spat out.

Hinata knew that his outbursts had less to do with their situation and more about his resentment towards his father. "You know since he's paying for this, why not get something out of it as well. Do you need a new sofa? Recliner?" she asked but he shook his head.

In her best impression of the Price is Right announcer she dramatically asked, "Or perhaps a band new dining room set?" Hinata then mimicked the contestants freaking out over the showcase much to his amusement.

"Get a new fridge. A big one," he said. She smiled at him and turned to the kitchen section where he picked one that was large in size and cost.

Feeling like he deserved something, she gave in to his earlier request. "Let's do this. I'm ready. No turning back."

Sasuke dropped his head. "You don't have to make it sound like you're being a martyr. I'm not even sure I'm up for it now," he mumbled.

She shrugged and stood up. "Alright, well I should be heading out," Hinata quickly said. Putting the catalogue in her bag and fishing out her car keys, she didn't notice Sasuke narrow his eyes and stride over.

As soon as she looked up he took the opportunity to tilt his head down and press his rough lips on hers. Hinata tried to pull away but he tugged her waist closer with his right arm and kept her head in place with the other, causing her to gasp in indignation. His hard and aggressive kiss deepened in response.

Sasuke realized that her lips felt as soft as they looked. Her vanilla scent was alluring and his hands loosened their iron grip to trace her sides. Hinata gently pushed him away. "What was that?" she asked with slightly clouded eyes.

"So how was it?" he asked. His ego recovered at seeing her slightly blush and struggling to put her jacket on.

"I need to go. Good luck with your family," Hinata said. His door wouldn't open and he walked over unbolting the chain lock. Her blush deepened in embarrassment which he snickered at.

She glared up at him. "And next time, less tongue," she mocked. Sasuke frowned but raised an eyebrow. "Next time?" he asked smugly.

"At the wedding," she firmly stated. Sasuke licked his lips after Hinata left, wondering what it meant that he was looking forward to kissing her.

.

.

.

Itachi rummaged through his brother's desk. Madara had called an impromptu meeting and they needed to get some crucial reports Sasuke drew up weeks ago. He had been out the office all day and wasn't picking up his phone. Their father had mentioned that Sasuke was now heading a project that required him to meet with clients at their offices often.

He skimmed through random files and came across a manila folder, frowning at the documents. "What are you up to?" He questioned. One of the final papers he saw was a photo copy of a high school year book with two portraits circled, Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata Hyuuga.

"Mr. Uchiha? Your uncle has decided to postpone the meeting until next week." Sasuke's secretary called from the other side of the door.

"Alright!" Itachi responded. He thought about it for a second before taking the folder under his jacket. The older woman furrowed her eyebrows at his stiff posture. "I'll just talk to Sasuke the next time I see him. Thank you for your help."

He called his mother and the two agreed to meet at his place after he got off since Fugaku rarely visits his sons. Itachi spent the afternoon reading about Hinata's now uncovered past; he made his own copies and snuck in to put the original back after Sasuke's secretary had left. A part of him felt sympathy for Hinata, but his priority was Sasuke and to protect him from his mistakes.

However, he had to give it to his brother because it appeared that Sasuke had the foresight to cover their bases; he had something on her if she tried to blackmail them. Maybe Itachi could use this information to stop her from going any further with the false marriage.

Itachi felt dirty thinking about using this tragedy and had trouble pushing it aside. He wouldn't want a spectacle, just enough convincing to persuade her to stop this foolishness.

His mother disagreed. Mikoto stared at Itachi. "We need to tell everyone. Itachi, she has no problem sullying her reputation, our company, and others so why should we hold back?" she questioned.

"What if she doesn't back off and it just makes her determination stronger?" he asked looking doubtful.

"Then we need to break her. Remind her that the world can be a cold place," his mother stated. He dragged his hands down his face. "Sweetie, we don't know what she's planning. She has your father wrapped around her finger and I know she'll try the same with Sasuke. The witch will have them doing whatever benefits her family while running ours to the ground. She has no morals."

"Fine," he muttered. "But I don't want to make this into a big thing. Let's talk to her and convince her. If that fails, then we'll regroup."

The Uchiha matriarch smiled. "We won't need to regroup. She'll go away, I promise."

* * *

AN: I hope to really deliver the drama in the next chapter.

Thanks again for everything!


	8. Chapter 8

The number of follows and reviews has shocked me. Thanks!

* * *

Fugaku greeted Hinata warmly as she entered his office. She had initiated this meeting, mentioning in her phone call that she didn't want Sasuke to be there which was fine by him. The two always ended their encounters on a sour note and he hated that Hinata was seeing that side of him so frequently.

"What can I do for you, sweetheart?" Hinata tried not to cringe as he went in for a hug; ever since the gala she analyzed his actions and words carefully. Judging by his still friendly face, she succeeded. She wanted him in a cheerful mood when she brought up giving Sasuke more opportunities at work. Using Sasuke as a mere tool wasn't something sat well with her; he deserved to get rewarded just as much as they were.

Hinata smiled brightly, "Well I was thinking that we've been moving forward with everything and have already planted the seeds for _some_ of our goals. I mean, you've been meeting with some important political figures that will help you in the future. Father has mentioned that Choza is already talking about having you join their group for golf." His eyes widened with delight.

"That's fantastic! Hinata, do you think we can schedule it soon?" He asked eagerly. Her brows slightly furrowed but she kept her smile.

"I'll talk to father about it. But I want to talk about our other objectives-"He put his hand up and it irked her.

"I know what this is about. I'll talk to Madara about investing but it might be premature since you've just gotten engaged. I feel like the right time would be closer to the wedding date, which we haven't set yet. The closer you get to becoming an Uchiha, the better our chances for his cooperation." He smiled warmly at her but he noticed her lips thinning. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but we must have patience."

"I'm not talking about my goals. I understand that it'll be trickier to accomplish his investment in Byakugan. What I want to talk about is Sasuke." Fugaku rolled his eyes and massaged his left temple.

"What did the boy do this time?" He growled out and Hinata couldn't believe how sudden his mood had shifted.

"He's done nothing wrong. Actually, he's been really helpful. But I worry that it'll go away if he's not kept happy. We've both received something for his help but he hasn't had any advancement at work," Hinata said.

"Did he cry to you about that and blame me? Hinata, I'm not the only one who makes decisions on project leaders. Madara also has reservations on his abilities. Itachi has proven to be more apt at-"

The conversation was not going how she wanted it and felt the urge to fight for Sasuke. "But you do make some decisions around here, don't you? Just give him the chance to prove himself. To show Madara that he is capable. Sasuke's been frustrated because he's more than ready to take on a challenge."

"And what if he's not ready?" Fugaku challenged her.

"Then you have patience with him. It would be great if he hit it out the park in his first shot but if he struggles, guide him a bit. Isn't that what a father is supposed to do?" Hinata could tell that he felt offended but she didn't want to soften her message.

She didn't waver as he stared intently at her before giving in. "Fine. I'll see what I have for him, but if he screws up, I'm placing it solely on you."

Hinata shrugged, "I'll take the blame. But others will see it as you didn't prepare him enough for it, so it'd be in your best interest to make sure he succeeds."

"Hn. Well I see that the Hyuuga in you is evident," he muttered.

"I am my father's daughter," she grinned.

_And your mother's…_ Fugaku thought to himself. Speaking louder, he inquired about her plans for dinner. Sensing her hesitation he quickly mentioned that it wouldn't include the whole family. "Mikoto is spending the evening with some friends. Normally I wouldn't mind eating alone but why let a great opportunity go to waste." Hinata felt even more uncomfortable; eating in public would be awkward if it was just the two of them but being alone in his house made her feel uneasy.

"What do you say?" he asked.

"I'll tell Sasuke to free his evening plans. We shouldn't let this go to waste. It'll be nice for the three of us to celebrate," Hinata bit her lip, hoping that he wouldn't push back on inviting Sasuke.

"Yes, it will be nice," Fugaku responded slightly disappointed.

Fortunately for Hinata, Sasuke had nothing to do that night but it took some convincing for him to willingly sit down for a meal with his father. It amused her that they had so many similar qualities yet couldn't be cordial. She felt guilty for coercing Sasuke but there was no way she was going by herself. Hinata didn't want to voice her concerns to Sasuke or her father. She knew how her father would react and as long as Fugaku didn't try anything, she would tolerate some of his mannerisms.

Fugaku gave her a tour of the house as the meal was being prepped and she tugged Sasuke along. "Why do I have to tag along? I lived here." He asked her but she gave him a pleading look. "Fine, but don't believe anything he says about me. He likes to exaggerate things to make himself look better."

The garden was the last stop and the sheer size amazed Hinata. "This is beautiful, did Mikoto create it?" Hinata wondered out loud. She kneeled down to lightly touch the forget-me-nots. The grey blue flowers were frequently used by her mother to create flower crowns whenever Hinata felt upset.

Sasuke saw his father smile down at her and he felt bitter. "Not exactly, she did tend to it for a while but grew _bored_. It's been maintained by the gardener but I tell him what to plant. Are those your favorite?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I prefer lilies but these were my mother's favorite. Her garden isn't as big as yours."

"I'm sure it's still beautiful," Fugaku reassured. The bitterness grew in Sasuke as he saw how his father interacted with someone he hadn't known long while he treated Sasuke like an inconvenience.

They headed towards the dining room. As they ate, Hinata sent a thankful look to Sasuke as Fugaku boasted about how well they were doing. Sasuke merely shrugged and refrained from adding anything to the conversation.

When Mikoto entered the dining room the three of them were surprised. A young woman accompanied her and although Fugaku was courteous, Mikoto knew he saw right through her intentions when Sakura introduced herself. She had ordered the maids to inform her of any guests and found out that Sasuke and his fiancé were currently visiting.

She sneered in response to her husband's slight frown and motioned for Sakura to sit beside Sasuke. Hinata was currently occupying the seat across from him but beside Fugaku. She had offered to move, but Mikoto stubbornly declined. She wanted to see the two of them squirm.

"So Hinata, what did you major in?" Mikoto asked knowingly.

Hinata looked down much and bit her lip much to Mikoto's pleasure. "I was in the process of getting my teaching license, but father needed me so I never-"

"Oh? What age group were you looking to teach?" Fugaku inquired.

"Elementary," Hinata responded quietly. Sasuke and Fugaku smiled at her. As Fugaku was about to say something, Mikoto interjected.

"So you didn't even finish your schooling? Sakura got into college with numerous scholarships and became a doctor. I guess some people are just mediocre regardless of their upbringing," Mikoto said nonchalantly. The atmosphere grew unpleasant and Fugaku glared at his wife.

Sakura blushed. "Well, it was only two scholarships and I'm sure Hinata did well-"

"Don't downplay your accomplishments, dear. _You_ did well for yourself during college. I'm sure Sasuke can attest to that." Sasuke said nothing in response but Hinata could tell he wasn't pleased.

"What did you major in, if I may ask?" Hinata responded, trying to divert the attention away from Sasuke and Sakura who both looked like they wanted to disappear.

"Business management and accounting," Mikoto said proudly. She worked hard for it and felt that much superior to Hinata and her mother.

"My mother majored in English. My father had her degree hanging in his office to inspire us," Hinata reminisced while smiling. "She almost earned her Master's."

"Well if your mother didn't have so many distractions, she might've gotten her Master's," Mikoto casually said. "Right, Fugaku?"

Confused, Hinata turned to her right. "You knew my mother?" she asked.

"Oh, you don't know? I though your father would have mentioned _something_. Fugaku why don't you enlighten us with tales-"

Fugaku stood up, shaking the table. "That's enough, Mikoto!" he bellowed. Everyone unaware of Fugaku's past with Haruhi stared in shock. Sasuke had never seen his father that upset. Mikoto merely smirked in amusement.

Sakura decided that she had endured enough awkwardness. Although she wanted to see if there was a possibility for reconciliation, it was painfully obvious that he had moved on. Not once did he sneak a glance at her, he either focused on his food or on his fiancé. It hurt that he had finally decided to settle down and not with her.

She had only gone along with Mikoto's plan because of her sincere plea. The two didn't have a good relationship when Sakura was seeing Sasuke. "I wasn't good enough for your son back then, what changed?" she asked when Mikoto approached her.

"You love him, right?" Sakura nodded. "I want my son to be with someone who truly loves him."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Doesn't Hinata love him?"

"Not like you, she never could," Mikoto stared directly at her, determined to sway her. "I want Sasuke to be with someone who loves him and will make him happy. That can never happen with _her_. Please, don't you want him to be happy?"

Now she regretted her decision. Sure he was a taken man, but if he had shown an ounce of interest she wouldn't have felt guilt since she was convinced that no one could love him like she had. Sakura didn't want him to be miserable but she needed to take her own happiness into consideration. She deserved someone who loved her as much as she loved them. Sasuke wasn't that guy, and her heart clenched in pain at the realization.

She had blamed herself for ending their relationship; thinking that if she set an ultimatum, he would've caved in. Now she knew that he just didn't see himself spending his life with her. Was it her uncertainness at the beginning of their relationship? The way she would test the waters with Naruto because she wanted to feel what it was like to be cherished? Sakura's guilt doubled thinking about the blond. She had seen him at the gala and he only had a few words to say, mostly casual questions about how she was doing at work. Sakura sensed his mind was elsewhere. They had both obviously moved on and she was determined to do the same instead of continuing to ponder what if.

"I should be heading out. Dinner was…good," Sakura announced. Mikoto mouthed a protest but she pretended to not see it. Sakura quickly declined Mikoto's offer for Sasuke to take her home; she didn't want to continue her mortification.

Minutes after she had left, Hinata also decided that her appetite was gone. The silence was unbearable after Sasuke's ex had left and she felt that if Mikoto had the power to light anything on fire with a mere stare, Hinata would be charred to a crisp.

"I'll take you home," Sasuke piped up and threw his napkin down. Mikoto called for her son to join her in the foyer while Hinata waited outside. Fugaku had bid her goodbye and sent a glare towards his wife as he ascended up the stairs.

"Mom-" Sasuke sighed.

"If you love me, you won't go through with this," she pleaded. "I can help you with whatever your father threatened you with, Sasuke. We can't let him get everything he wants!" It hurt Sasuke to see his mother near tears and he hugged her. She smiled and held him closer.

"I'm sorry mom but I need to do this for myself," he tried to reason. "Fugaku has never given me the chance to prove myself and this is the only way to get what_ I_ want."

"Your father is just misguided and wants the best for you, dear. He just wants to make sure you're ready to handle these responsibilities. Fugaku cares for your wellbeing but she doesn't." Sasuke scoffed but she clenched his shoulders. "She would marry him instead if the opportunity was there! That whore would gladly be your stepmother-"

"That's ridiculous and gross. I'm pretty sure Hinata wouldn't agree to that," Sasuke replied, pulling her arms off of him and kissed her cheek. "I hate seeing you upset over this. You and Itachi need to trust my judgement and I promise this is for the best." He walked out without another word, knowing that she'd try to guilt him into agreeing with her.

"Mom's not usually like that," Sasuke told Hinata as they made their way to his car.

"I don't mind that your mother brought Sakura along, I can see that she still cares for you," Hinata assured him. The plan was in full motion but she worried that Sasuke could miss out on something just because he was anchored to her for a while. She would be okay if Sakura and Sasuke carried on an affair or married after the two of them divorced. Who was she to stand in the way of someone's happiness?

Sasuke pinched his nose and sighed, "I don't feel that way, not anymore. I hope _everyone_ gets that now. Stop trying to suggest something that isn't going to happen."

Fearing she might've upset him, Hinata stayed quiet until he offered to take her out for ice cream. "I don't want this evening to end on a bad note," he said and she nodded.

They ate their cones while sitting on a bench near the stand, since Sasuke refused to let her in his car with the frozen treat. He placed his jacket over her and pretended that the chilly air didn't bother him.

Sasuke mentioned that they could practice kissing since he ate mint chocolate ice cream. "Stop glaring so much, you'll get wrinkles faster," he joked.

"Stop giving me reasons to glare," she responded. "But I did talk to your father and you should expect him to present you with plenty of opportunities soon."

"I just hope I don't prove that bastard right. He'd love it if I failed," Sasuke muttered.

Hinata turned to him, frowning deeper. "Stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Sasuke questioned, wiping his chin.

"Stop doubting yourself. It's appalling to think that others are beneath you but I think it's worse to degrade your own self-worth because of others. You shouldn't think yourself inferior to anyone. If you believe it enough, you'll only hurt yourself," Hinata spoke firmly. "So stop it, okay?"

"A-alright I won't," he stuttered. They enjoyed their treats in silence but every once in a while Sasuke would glance at her from the corner of his eye. She was deep in thought and he was curious to know what she was thinking.

.

.

.

Neji scheduled his meeting with Sasuke after his travel to Kumo. He blamed the Uchiha for distracting him and throwing him off his game. It was becoming frustrating to see his dream dwindling and he needed to address Hinata's situation before it derailed his whole project.

They wanted a neutral setting although Neji would have preferred they had chosen some place less public. If his anger got the best of him, he would hate to dishonor his family name in front of so many people. The table was in the middle of the restaurant and Sasuke was waiting for him.

"Uchiha," Neji greeted resentfully. Sasuke shook his hand and they sat down.

Cutting to the chase, the Hyuuga quickly voiced his objections to the engagement.

"You should trust her to make her own decisions. She's not a child," Sasuke countered.

"It's not a matter of whether I trust her. It's you and everything you've done. I know how many girls you've hurt and your reputation sickens me. I don't know what game you're playing nor do I want Hinata to become another one of your victims."

"I realize I haven't been the greatest person and regret some of my choices in the past but Hinata has something that the others couldn't offer me," Sasuke admitted. _I will finally get the recognition I deserve, _he mentally added. "She's changed me."

Neji scrutinized him before speaking, "Hinata has always seen beyond flaws." The image of her old love popped in his head and he shook his head. "She notices things that take longer for others to see and has a big heart."

"She does," Sasuke agreed.

"That heart of hers is vulnerable and I want you to swear to me that you won't hurt her," Neji stressed.

"I don't want to hurt her either, she deserves to be happy and hope that I can give her that," Sasuke said sincerely. She was taking the burden of the struggling company more than her cousin knew.

"If you do-" Neji menaced.

"I know, I know. You and Hiashi will make me regret being born. You'll break every bone in my body, feed me to the wolves, and bring me back to life just to do it again," Sasuke grumbled. "I get it."

"Well, then I guess you have my reluctant blessing which I reserve the right to withdraw at any time." Sasuke scoffed at the pompous Hyuuga.

"I wasn't asking for your blessing, I just don't want you to be upset with her since I know you haven't taken our relationship well. She's miserable without you and I would've thought that if you really cared for her, you'd be more supportive," Sasuke scolded.

"Watch it, Uchiha," Neji snarled out but Sasuke wasn't backing down. Hinata had enough to deal with without her cousin adding to her stress. He wanted to lift her spirits because if she backed out of their deal because of Neji, he'd lose everything.

"No, you need to hear this. She's upset and can't enjoy what should be a happy occasion because one of the people she deeply cares for has shunned her for it," he shot back. Neji stayed silent as Sasuke stood up. "If you really want her to be happy, then be there for her regardless of how you feel about me. Do it for her."

Sasuke didn't know how well Neji took his words but days later, Hinata told him how he slightly came around and halfheartedly congratulated her. "Didn't I tell you? I have a way with words," he arrogantly told her. "But I'm glad that he won't try to stop this. Now all you have to worry about is creating the fake wedding of your dreams."

.

.

.

Their engagement was now common knowledge among their social circles and Hinata was actually pleased as how well everything was coming together. In the past, Sasuke would be the only person outside her family that she would socially interact with. She feared she might annoy him with her constant presence but Naruto had offered an escape from their farce. She really needed a friend.

Hinata arrived at Naruto's place early to help with snacks. They had agreed to watch a favorite movie of theirs and see who could quote it better. He had been caught off guard as he was about to take a quick shower, but assured her that he wasn't bothered. "I'll be out in five minutes," he had shouted as he shut his bathroom door.

While she set up the movie and food, Hinata heard a knock at his door didn't hesitate to open it. Sasuke stared in disbelief and she was equally surprised. "Sasuke, what are you doing here?"

"The idiot borrowed my laptop and forgot to return it," he told her. "What are you doing here?" A wet Naruto emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Sasuke turned to Hinata who looked away in embarrassment.

"Didn't I return it to you already?" Sasuke shook his head amused at the whole situation. "Let me check my room." He returned with a tangled charger and the laptop under his arm. "There you go."

"Did you wipe off all the porn you downloaded?" Sasuke asked with a straight face. Naruto blushed and denied doing such a thing while Hinata faintly giggled.

"Well since you're here, would you like to stay and watch a non-pornographic film with us?" Behind her, Naruto motioned for him to decline. "Family friendly, I swear."

"I would love to," Sasuke smirked and Naruto looked like he was going to strangle him. "But I should get going. I have to start working on the Mangekyou project."

Hinata grinned and hugged him. "I knew it! I knew he'd give you a real chance!"

Sasuke rested his head on hers and taunted Naruto. "Thank you, Hinata."

"You should get going, Sasuke." Naruto pouted.

"And you should put on some clothes, Naruto. Most guys would beat the shit out of you if they saw you with their fiancé like this. But since you're my friend, I know you're harmless. Bye honey, try not to have too much fun." He winked towards Hinata and she rolled her eyes.

.

.

.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his kitchen chair. Mangekyou was becoming a headache and his uncle kept breathing down his neck about the importance of executing it perfectly. Fugaku would mutter how Itachi would have it down already but offered his assistance which Sasuke arrogantly rejected.

He had worked on it night and day for a while now. His stress relief methods weren't of any use as the women had tried to consume more of his time after he was done with them. His phone rang and he instantly regretted not turning it off as soon as he entered his apartment.

"What?" Everyone knew Sasuke's demeanor so he didn't worry about offending anyone.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you wanted to meet about the engagement party. I really don't care for it but your father insists-"

"Hinata, I really don't care. Damn, do I need to hold your hand through everything?! Fuck." Hinata was silent and he sighed. "Hey look, I'm sorry. It's just that I'm stressed out and took it out on you. So what do you want to talk about?"

Hearing the tiredness in his voice, Hinata understood. "It's not important and can wait. Bye." She hung up on him.

He found himself unable to focus on the project and kept looking at his phone. "Goddammit, Hinata." Sasuke dialed her number and she picked up on the second ring.

"I'm serious, let's plan out Fugaku's fucking party," he said unenthusiastically.

"No, Sasuke. You're tired, this isn't that serious. Get some rest," Hinata protested.

He let out a humorless laugh. "I can't. This fucking project is getting to me."

"Do you need some help? Maybe I could ask Neji-"

"No thanks. I don't trust him and doubt he wants me to succeed at anything."

"Oh." For the first time, Hinata couldn't think of a way to help Sasuke.

He twirled a pen in his free hand. "But could you head over here?" he asked. "I need a fresh set of eyes."

"Are you sure? I might not be the best person."

"C'mon, I'm going insane here," Sasuke pleaded. He really was; if she could just fill the silence then he wouldn't be as frustrated. He also admired how cunning she was when presented with a problem.

"Okay."

Within thirty minutes Hinata appeared at his door step with a cup of coffee for him in hand. He accepted it gratefully but it slightly spilled on his work. "Shit!" Thankfully it only stained a few of the documents.

She apologized for not making sure the lip was secure but he waved it off. "Don't worry, I'm not a dumbass and made copies. I think I have them in my room." He left and since he was taking a long time, Hinata decided to search through his briefcase.

An untitled folder sat beneath various forms and documents that she quickly figured out were unrelated to Mangekyou. She opened it and immediately felt like she had stopped breathing.

"I've got them!" Sasuke's smile faltered at seeing her eyes frantically scan through the information Shikamaru found. Avoiding eye contact, he pulled the folder out of her grasp but some of the papers fell out.

Hinata held a newspaper clipping in her hand. "What is this, Sasuke?!" she exclaimed in anger.

* * *

AN: That wasn't Mikoto's grand plan FYI. I'm saving that for later but you won't wait for long. I also love how people have different perspectives on how I've portrayed different characters. It's fun reading how people can either sympathize with Hinata or Mikoto because not everything has been revealed.

It goes down next chapter, and I can't wait to finish editing it.

Every piece of feedback doesn't go unheard and although I'm mostly doing this for my amusement, I hope that I don't disappoint.


	9. Chapter 9

"Let Me Hold You While You're Falling Apart"

* * *

Sorrowfully, Hinata looked at Kiba's police department photo. It was rare to see him look so serious and she wondered how many they had to take due to his ever present cheerful smirk. "Sasuke," her voice slightly wavered. "What have you been up to?!"

Sasuke's heart raced when he saw the fire behind her eyes and couldn't immediately find the right words to say. He wondered if there was anything he could say and not further upset her.

"I was curious," he started. "And you didn't-"

Hinata shook her head and pushed her chair back, tipping it over. "I told you to drop it, didn't I?!" she screamed. "How dare you?"

"I wouldn't have to do this if you were honest from the beginning! Why do you think I thought you were pregnant? You're fine one moment and other times you run out in tears because you see someone or hear something. How am I supposed to help you if I'm kept in the dark?" Sasuke angrily asked.

"Don't try to turn this on me and make it look like I'm to blame. Anyways, who said I wanted your help?" Hinata hastily gathered her belongings but before she could open the door and leave, she was pulled back by Sasuke. "Let me go!" she cried.

"No! We're going to talk about this. You can't just keep running away every time you can't handle things. You always try to escape but not this time. We're going to talk about him," Sasuke insisted. He tightened his firm hold on her even as she began to hit his chest. "You will let out all your tears because I'm tired of seeing you like this. I've seen you cry more than I'd like."

Normally, Sasuke would've respected her feelings and let her leave but he was finally seeing Hinata at her most vulnerable. He wanted her to reveal her true self; the woman Naruto and others have treated like a fragile treasure. The intrigue had overwhelmed him.

"W-why do you want to hurt me, Sasuke? I never did anything to y-you," Hinata whimpered between sobs. "Do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you. I might hate a lot of people, but you aren't one of them. This incident explains a lot about you actually," Sasuke grumbled.

"Shut up!" She bawled. "You don't know anything so shut up!"

"Then tell me. What am I missing? Your boyfriend died and you haven't moved on," he taunted. Sasuke wanted to provoke her; expose who she really was and finally remove the mask that had fooled some people.

"I hate you," she hissed, roughly wiping her tears away. "I hate you so much. I'm done with you unless you stop this and we never speak of it again. So let me go. Now." Sasuke knew Hinata was bluffing; both of them knew that she needed to go through with their arranged marriage if she wanted her family's company to stay afloat and under their control.

"No." Hinata's eyes quickly widened. "Do you think you're the first person to experience terrible things? Here's a newsflash princess, you're not."

She tugged one of her arms free and pulled out her phone. "Do you think I won't go through with it? I'll call your father right-" He threw her phone down his hallway.

"Just because your pain is understandable, it doesn't excuse your behavior. Can't you see how much you've affected others?" Sasuke knew his words sounded cold. "Tragedies happen. Does that mean you give up and feel sorry for yourself for the rest of your life? No."

"You have no right to judge me!" Hinata leaned closer and scoffed. "What would you know about having a hard life? You're a womanizer with the world at his feet. Oh, it's such a horrible life you live."

Her mocking stare pissed him off and he harshly pushed her down on his couch. "You think I had it easy?! I thought you of all people would know the kind of pressure we thrust on us with the fathers we have. "So no, you're not the only one who feels lonely or misunderstood."

"You're right. I know all about that and that's how I know it doesn't amount to a fraction of my pain." Hinata shot back defiantly.

"Is that what you think? Well, let me tell you about dear old Fugaku. He has never said good job son or cared to listen to me. He never comforted me when I was upset, scared or lonely," Sasuke scowled as he towered over her. "He… never said I love you."

Hinata stared back in surprise. "I've never heard him tell me once that he loved me. You want to know the last time I told him? I was seven. For his birthday that year, I made this stupid little ceramic mug that said World's Greatest Dad. He didn't even give it a second glance before talking to Itachi about his studies. Sounds petty don't it?"

"But I saw it in his wastebasket later that day. You know how long I worked on it? Making sure it was even and painted it in his favorite color? Two weeks. I told him and he said my time was better spent studying and the way I was going, I was truly never going to amount to anything. He finally called me a disappointment before leaving me sobbing in his office. It soon became a frequent term of endearment. World's Great Dad, indeed."

His eyes filled with unshed tears and Hinata wondered if he was refusing to cry.

"Fugaku has never shown an ounce of affection, at least towards me. Itachi has been hugged and showered with praise while I can't even get him to stop scowling while looking at me." He let out a humorless laugh. "I can't even say father without feeling a dull pain in my chest. I hate him that much."

"Sasuke, I…" Hinata trailed off. She knew things were bad between the two Uchiha men but it was worse than she thought. However she still seethed in anger; Hinata stubbornly refused to let him paint her as the bad guy right now. Nonetheless, she let him vent his personal frustrations.

"My mom turns a blind eye to all of it and it's fucking frustrating. Itachi thinks he shelters me from Fugaku's cruelty but it just makes it worse. Pretending it's not happening makes me feel even more insignificant." He pictured Itachi's smiling face and he felt a bit guilty.

"It's not fair, but sometimes I hate him for making my life seem life inadequate. I wished I had formed my own path instead of falling in line with what they wanted. But the real kicker is that Madara and Fugaku still ignore me while favoring Itachi. I've enduring hell for so long." Sasuke grimaced, thinking back to his childhood.

He looked back at her. "So tell me again how easy my life has been."

"I'm sorry," she half-heartedly apologized. "I shouldn't have assumed anything."

"Maybe he really does hate me, but you know what? I stopped crying about how much my own father didn't love me long ago and started thinking of ways to elevate my position. For a while, there was nothing I could do to prove him wrong or make him regret treating me so shitty," Sasuke spat out. "I was discouraged with how things were until you came along with this little scheme."

"It was actually your father's," Hinata meekly interjected.

"Regardless, I took the first chance I could to change my circumstances but you won't even talk about how hurt you feel which causes everyone to suffer around you. If I can feel it, how do you think your family feels or Naruto?" Hinata flinched but Sasuke was unrelenting. "They keep guarding you which I never understood because you didn't give off the vibe that you needed it until I saw glimpses of the true person they were protecting."

She slouched deeper into the couch. "I didn't want to be that person anymore. I could tell they treated me like I would crumble at the slightest touch."

"Then change!" Sasuke suggested.

Hinata looked up, offended that he thought so little of her. "I did!"

"Stop lying to yourself! You might act cold and detached but you're still hurting and I don't think you've told anyone how you really feel."

Silence swept over them. Sasuke felt like he had spoken enough and frowned at the way Hinata shifted her shoulders. She was obviously unsure what to say next.

"What would have you done if you had the chance to do your own thing?"" Hinata asked. "Did you have any passions?"

"The sad thing is that I can't even think of anything anymore. I wanted to go out on my own but I had no idea how to start." Hinata looked at him thoughtfully and he felt bare. He realized she was deflecting the focus of their dilemma. "This isn't about me. We're talking about you."

"What do you want me to say? That for months I cried myself to sleep then tried to force myself to feel nothing? I yearned for numbness to sweep over me because my heart just wouldn't stop crying out for what I lost!" Hinata took deep breaths to control her nerves. Her hands shook and she clenched them in an effort to stop. Her nails dug into her palms and she focused on the physical pain rather than the mental turmoil.

"It bleeds while you wear a mask to try to please everyone else," Sasuke gathered. "But it didn't work. They see through it and all you've done is bury your pain and anger deep within. You haven't let go of it."

Hinata scoffed, "It's easy for you to say because the source of your anger is physically here. Who can I direct my justified anger towards? The doctors who couldn't save him or the driver who died instantly, while everyone else suffered because her stupid fucking decision!?" she questioned while digging her nails deeper.

"Or is God to blame because horrible shit happens all the time to good people? What about Death?" Hinata cried out. "It's easy for you but how do I get back at them for all my pain?" She buried her face into a pillow, squeezing it tightly.

Sasuke was dumbfounded and thought about it. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat but she refused to look at him. "You stop feeling pity for yourself and live. You accept what has happened."

"But I don't," Hinata whimpered.

"And that's why you're still miserable." Sasuke could tell that Hinata's walls were cracking; the urge to remover her armor and make her vulnerable any longer had intensified. "And you're scared," he speculated.

"Scared of what?" Hinata whispered.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Maybe you're afraid of letting anyone in. Scared that you'll be exposed to more pain because there's always a chance that they might leave-"

"He didn't leave me! He was taken. Both of them were stolen from me!" Hinata shouted in fury briefly startling him.

"The dog," Sasuke recalled nodding slowly. Hinata didn't want to clarify her words. "Were you the passenger in the car or was it another woman-"

"It was me. Kiba wasn't like that," Hinata quickly said, softening her tone.

"Father made sure my name wasn't included in the papers or any newscasts about it. I used to think that he did it for his own privacy, that he didn't want me to cause him anymore problems. I didn't want to be a problem anymore so I often wished I had died alongside them," she somberly said and Sasuke narrowed his eyes in worry.

"Have you ever hurt yourself?"

"I'm not suicidal. I would never throw my life away so carelessly when I've seen how quickly and unjustly it can be taken away. How dare you assume I don't value life?" Hinata chastised him and Sasuke felt slightly ashamed.

"But even though you said you value life but you aren't living, not really," he argued. "You sound like you've given up."

"I don't want to be sad. But I can't seem to be happy either. How stupid does that sound? Happiness should be easy, right? But the best I can hope for it to just be empty. Numb." Sasuke hated the hopelessness etched in her face.

"You realize he's dead, right!?" His harsh tone appalled Hinata. She stared at the ground and wished she could find the right words to wound him like he was doing to her. But whenever a malicious thought came up, she saw a reflection of herself in Sasuke and couldn't bear to utter the spiteful words.

As soon as the words left his tongue, Sasuke felt an unpleasant sensation in his chest. It was the cruelest he had been to anyone. All he wanted was for Hinata to stop being miserable. It bothered him more than he'd like to admit. Sasuke sat next to her and she just recoiled at his closeness.

"He's dead," Sasuke repeated softly. "But he loved you and while I didn't know him, I doubt he'd want to see you like this."

With her index finger, she idly drew circles on the armrest. "I'm fine."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "I'm fine. Everything is fine. That's all you say. I've never heard you look or say that you're happy and actually mean it. Your smiles don't reach your eyes."

"It's easier said than done, Sasuke. My father once said that grief is the price we pay for the gifts we receive in life. But why must some of us suffer more than others?" Hinata's anger boiled over as she thought about the unfairness of the whole situation. "The driver suffered very little if anything at all! My family suffered! Akamaru and I suffered but Kiba underwent the most. He kept fighting hours after the collision until his body finally gave up. Was it fair that he suffered so much before dying? Why did we have to go through it at all? Why us?"

Hinata bit her knuckle to stop the tears from falling once more but Sasuke gently pulled it away from her mouth. He remembered a conversation he had with his mother after her father died.

"Life can painful and unbearable at times but it serves as a reminder us that we're still alive. It's not only fair or cruel, ugly or beautiful. Life is everything combined. People are always confused over why things happen and fear that it'll strike again but they pick themselves up," he recited as best he could. "Continue to live otherwise we might as well be mourning our own lives alongside the ones we lost which I think is incredibly selfish." Hinata stared blankly as she listened to Sasuke's impassioned words.

He huffed. "Look, I'm not saying you should forget him. Moving on and forgetting are two different things."

"Then why does it sound like it'll still feel the same?"

"I guess that's the eternal dilemma of any tragedy for some people. If they remember, they experience the pain all over again. However, if they pretend that it never happened, they feel ashamed. But that doesn't have to be your only two options. Hinata, you can live your life accepting what has happened but not let it consume you. You don't have to wallow in your heartache forever."

Her doleful expression softened but Hinata still doubted she could ever go back to who she used to be. "It's strange. When I returned to my family, I was finally surrounded by love but felt like I was drowning in loneliness."

"I guess that's why you really told Naruto about our arrangement. You just needed someone to confide in," Sasuke said. He was glad she had Naruto but after her outbursts today, he doubted Naruto knew the extent of her grief.

"I don't know if that was my intention. Honestly, I just didn't want him to think I was a horrible person. Naruto believes the best in people and I don't know what I'd do if he would've shunned me because of who I became," Hinata admitted. "It'd be as if Kiba was upset in me."

"It sounds like those two were alike," Sasuke piped up. "Tell me about him."

Hinata stared back in shock. "I d-don't know what to say anymore," she confessed. It had been so long since she had freely mentioned Kiba to anyone. The last time anyone had uttered his name was when she and Naruto reconnected but they avoided bringing him up after that. She ignored that the wound had never healed, merely ignored for the sake of others.

"What was he like?" Sasuke asked. "He must've been some guy if you're still in love with him."

Hinata bit her lip and a rare smile slowly broke out. "Kiba was so confident in everything he did. There were few times he truly looked insecure, the first being when he asked me out. My heart was probably beating louder than his as he confessed. I still remember what he did for our first date. It was a picnic at a park and he brought Akamaru along. Naruto teased him but I loved it."

"Kiba seemed distant afterwards. I thought he was second guessing our relationship but then he invited me out to a nice dinner. He had been working to save enough money because he was ashamed of our first date. Forget it ever happened, he told me. But I couldn't and hated that he felt inadequate." Hinata smiled sadly. "It's funny, he always thought he wasn't good enough but I felt like I didn't deserve him. I guess someone else thought so, too."

Sasuke grimaced. "Don't say that."

"It's true. He gave me courage when I was a weakling. Now that he's gone, I guess I went back to being a coward," she said with downcast eyes. "Isn't that what you're trying to tell me?"

Sasuke tilted his head back and sighed. "Dammit Hinata, don't twist my words around."

Resolved to not argue with him any further, she continued recalling her better memories. "You'd think Kiba and Naruto were brothers if you had seen then together," Hinata reminisced fondly. "They fought like brothers as well. I'd have to play referee but they'd make up within the day. Those were good times."

Slightly irritated, Sasuke suspected that Hinata was instinctively drawn to Naruto because of his similarities to her old love. Naruto obviously felt something for her but Sasuke didn't see any romantic sentiment from her. As his best friend, he didn't want Naruto to be used as a substitute no matter how much Hinata needed someone in her life.

"Have you ever thought about finding someone else?" he asked.

She frowned and shook her head. "Would you settle for second best if you already had the best?" Hinata questioned. Sasuke's anger grew at the thought of his best friend being unintentionally led on.

"With that kind of thinking, you'll be alone forever," he glared.

These cruel words didn't faze her; she had accepted it long ago. "I'll be fine," Hinata tried to shoot him a smile. "He loved me and I still love him."

"You haven't let go."

"Why should I?"

He started in disbelief. "You're not old, Hinata! You still have a long life ahead and-"

She tilted her head to look at him and shrugged. "We don't know that. I learned the hard way that everything can change in an instant. I might not be here tomorrow."

"With that reasoning, you should live life to the fullest," Sasuke frowned. "We've had shitty lives but at least we're still here to change it."

Hinata softly chuckled and closed her eyes. "I guess we're both pretty damaged, aren't we?" Sasuke didn't respond but stared at her intently. Uncomfortable with the silence, she pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face. He heard her sniffing and gently pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know, I get your hostility towards your father but Itachi shouldn't be the focus of your anger."

He was sort of annoyed that she still wanted to talk about his problems but it had resulted in her opening up to him. "I know he cares for me. But maybe he's too protective of me."

"Many people wished they had someone to look out for them," Hinata stated. "Would you have it any other way?"

She was just using her relationship with Neji as an example but to Sasuke, it seemed that Hinata still saw his feelings as merely trivial.

"Would you trade this reality to bring Kiba back?" Sasuke rebutted.

Hinata sighed deeply. "I've thought about it, still do. You know, pray to whatever higher power exists to bring him back. I would bargain for Kiba to come back. He would've been the best father," she mumbled. "We could've been a family, you know."

Sasuke frowned in confusion and she took a deep breath. She knew the vulnerable position she was putting herself in but he had also opened up to her without fear of what she would think.

"I d-didn't k-know it at the time. They told me after everything happened and didn't want me to go into shock or something. I was a month along apparently. Am I allowed to mourn someone I never met? I mean, I did wish our child had survived." Her eyes crinkled in sorrow. "But more often than not, I'd just settle for Kiba to come back."

Sasuke reached over and held her left hand, linking it with his. "No one can tell you how or who to mourn." Admittedly, he was still unsure of how to absorb this bombshell. There was nothing in Shikamaru's information about a miscarriage but then again he didn't see any of Hinata's medical records. Of course, he had only requested to look into who Kiba was and what happened to him.

"I think we all might've reconciled even if none of that happened especially if I was pregnant. I mean, father would have a grandchild-" She choked back a sob. "It was too early to tell the sex of the baby, but I wouldn't have wanted to know anyways. What good would that have served? I'm such a horrible person."

Sasuke wanted to interject but she was finally unloading her grief.

"But, I would often dream that we had a little boy. He would look just like him with that same bright smile. Kiba was always surrounded by women growing up and it would've been wonderful to see him with our s-son." Hinata was now freely crying. "It hurts to talk about the possibilities we could've had, can I stop?" Sasuke nodded and she pulled out her necklace, rolling the chain between her fingers.

"You play with that a lot. Did he give that to you?" He asked.

"Yes." Hinata's face slowly brightened up and pulled her hand away from his to open her locket. "This is a better picture of him. Akamaru couldn't fit in the frame so I put his on the other side," she giggled. Sasuke noticed her eyes twinkling and was captivated by her first sincere smile.

"You should smile more. You might catch someone's eye." Naruto's face popped in his head and it left an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. If she doesn't move on, will he be okay with being an imitation of who she truly wants? Sasuke thought. Maybe she needs someone else, for both their sakes.

Fighting a blush, Hinata shook her head. "I'm not really interested in that right now. It's hard to think that much ahead when I'm still taking baby steps. You know, I kind of feel lighter now that someone else knows. But this has to stay between us, Sasuke. Especially about the m-miscarriage," she stressed. "Not even Hanabi or Neji know just my father and Kiba's family."

"The only one who even knows about Kiba is my friend Shikamaru," Hinata's eyes widened but he squeezed her knee reassuringly. "But he won't tell a soul. He doesn't like to get involved in any drama so we're covered, I swear. I know I've royally fucked up but if you want to go ahead with the plan, I am too."

"Even though I'm such a wreck?" Hinata joked but failed to smile.

"Didn't you listen to anything I said? I'm just as fucked up, but we can be two damaged souls together." Hinata raised her eyebrow, and Sasuke saw her hesitation. "I mean, we can help each other out live better lives," he clarified.

"Okay."

"Okay. But I guess you're not in the mood to help me with Mangekyou anymore, huh?" He lightheartedly poked at her sides.

She shook her head shamefully. Her eyes felt heavy from all her tears and she rubbed them roughly, not caring of the irritation she was causing.

"C'mon, why don't we call it a night? I'll call your family." Although she protested, Sasuke helped her up. He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her weight, pulling her close to him as they walked to his old guestroom. Weeks ago, they had begun to convert it to her bedroom for when she moved in. He gently removed his arm but she held on to him.

"Thank you, Sasuke" she whispered and Sasuke merely nodded. He briskly left the room. The first thing he did when he walked into his room was open the window and let the chill air in. The warmth of her breath on his neck had sent pleasant chills down his body and he mentally chastised himself for even having such a reaction after everything that had transpired that evening. She had just unloaded her grief over her dead lover and merely expressed gratitude for being a shoulder to cry on, nothing more.

That night, after straightening himself up, Sasuke felt more at easy than before. Tonight had put him in such a peaceful place that Mangekyou had been pushed to the back of his mind, no longer causing him insomnia. He and Hinata were finally getting somewhere. His curiosity had been consumed by the mystery of who she really was but they had finally moved past any doubts about each other's intentions. The amount of trust they held in each other spoke volumes to him.

Hinata had confessed so many her dark thoughts and he had told her things no one knew. This had incredibly difficult for him to do. The thoughts that plagued him daily had festered for so long and she was like a divine refuge from all those demons. Hinata was someone he could voice his fears or worries without being cruelly dismissed or ignored.

He also realized there was more to Hinata and although he belittled how others have protected her, he wondered if she now saw him in that same manner. Her family and Naruto obviously didn't know the extent of her suffering. Hiashi was probably the most aware, but Sasuke doubted he knew everything. His chest swelled at the thought that he was fully entrusted with her secrets and fears.

Sasuke vowed to help her; to make sure that the small glimmer of light in her eyes briefly displayed in front of him wouldn't go out. It'll grow and burn brighter than ever, he swore. They were in it together, now more than ever.

* * *

AN: I was finishing the edits when "Ever the Same" by Rob Thomas played on my radio. Great song that I think captures the intended feeling of this chapter.

Mikoto and Itachi were supposed to be included in a second part of the original chapter but I wanted the focus on Sasuke and Hinata revealing themselves to each other. But no worries, Mama Uchiha will be making a splash next.

PS: I can't thank you all enough for your feedback/favs/follows. You are all awesome.


	10. Chapter 10

_"This is how a heart breaks"_

* * *

"It's been two months since their engagement was announced, mother." Itachi frowned. "The more time we let pass, the harder it'll be to break it. Bringing in Sakura Haruno didn't do anything to sway Sasuke, so we need to focus on Hinata since father is impossible to control."

Lately his mother didn't look distraught whenever Hinata and Sasuke were mentioned which he took as a sign of defeat.

"I overestimated Haruno's worth. All I wanted was for Sasuke to see that there were other women out there for him without ulterior motives. But don't fret. I have things in place that require a little more patience. The girl won't want to go through with it after I'm done with her." A sly grin graced her face and she turned to her eldest son.

"You are going to be sensitive right? I mean, I know we both don't want her to become an Uchiha but I want to make sure you're not going to be completely ruthless when you talk to her."

Mikoto sighed and titled her head. "I'll be as tactful as I can."

Itachi gave her a skeptical look but ignored his intuition.

.

.

.

It was a Friday afternoon and the Sharingan building was nearly barren; the perfect day for the three of them to gather.

"Not having an engagement party wastes a perfect opportunity for all of us. Are you sure you don't want one?" Sasuke and Hinata sat across his desk but Fugaku focused his attention on her. "If it's about money or who'll pay for what, you can tell Hiashi that I can cover all the expenses."

The assumption of her being poor was irritating Hinata; first Mikoto now Fugaku. It was offensive and ridiculous. Her family's finances haven't been hit hard yet and after struggling to make ends meet during her precious time with Kiba, she knew that she was still extremely fortunate.

Sasuke noticed her eye slightly twitch and placed his hand over hers under the desk.

"No, that's _not_ it." Sasuke said shaking his head at his father's insolence. "We were talking and decided that making a bigger deal out of our engagement seems unusual since we're known to be private people. It seems so phony to bring in so many people for every little thing."

"It's not a little thing, it's your engagement! Did _he_ put you up to this?" Hinata noticed Sasuke clench his jaw, perhaps to bite back from saying anything that'll result in a fight. She turned her hand to hold his and softly rubbed his thumb with hers. He slowly relaxed and gave her a grateful look but she stared directly at his father.

"Like Sasuke said, we both came to the same conclusion. Speaking for as a Hyuuga, we rarely make a show of ourselves. It's always low-key affairs."

"I knew Hiashi was uptight, but the whole family? Is there any way we can even have a small get together?"

Sasuke sighed as Fugaku pleaded. "He's like a child. Can't take no for an answer," he murmured and Hinata stifled a laugh while Fugaku shot him a glare.

"Like you were an angel growing up-" Sasuke's eyes widened in indignation.

Sensing the tension building and recalling his earlier confessions, Hinata spoke up. "Okay, we'll have an engagement party." Her faux fiancé shot her a look of betrayal and pulled his hand away. They had promised not to give in; Fugaku had more control over this situation than anyone and it irked Sasuke.

"That's fantastic!"

"But Sasuke and I decide when, where and who will attend." Fugaku looked at Sasuke unconvinced.

"I want it soon, preferably by next week."

"She said _we'd_ decide not you, or weren't you listening old man?" The older Uchiha's eyes narrowed at Sasuke's defiance. "A smarter plan would be first attending Madara's birthday as a couple. Let everyone get acquainted with Hinata without any Hyuugas around. It'll make her seem more approachable and easygoing by the time the engagement party rolls around."

"And when I have a bridal shower, I'll invite the wives of politicians my father does business with." Fugaku stroked his chin and a smile slowly grew.

"That sounds like a plan." They sighed in relief but he continued, "The shower should at least be at my estate. So they'll have a good image of me to tell their husbands."

"You're such a conceited son of-"

"As beautiful as it is, out of respect for Mikoto, I wouldn't want to host it there. I don't want to intrude and I think my home will suffice." Sasuke was a bit surprised that Hinata would consider his mother's feelings seeing as she was constantly on the receiving end of her death stares whenever they were in the same vicinity.

His father eventually relented and they were dismissed. As they waited for the elevator doors to open, Hinata tugged on his sleeve. Sasuke looked down to her apologetic face.

"I'm sorry I gave in. I didn't know what to say and didn't want you two to fight anymore." She looked down. "I can never handle conflict well."

Sasuke sighed and titled her head upwards. "I'm not going to lie. I'm still upset that we didn't walk away with what we wanted, but it's a start. We did take back some control, that's something I guess."

She nodded grinning at him. Feeling a bit mischievous, he pressed his forehead on hers. "Hey, you ever make out in a copy room?" Sasuke smirked at her blush and subsequent pout when she pushed him away. "You're so easy to rile up, princess."

Hinata pressed the elevator button furiously and crossed her arms, not bothering to respond. "Aw c'mon, look I'm sorry. I was just joking."

"Yeah, well maybe I'll go back there and tell Fugaku that I should marry _Itachi_ instead," she taunted. "He's pretty handsome and-"

Suddenly she found herself turned around and caged in by Sasuke's hands on both sides of her head. His lips hovered over her neck. "Are you trying to make your _fiancé_ jealous? I can tolerate Naruto lurking around but my brother? Tsk, tsk Hinata."

They stared at each other until Hinata burst out laughing followed by Sasuke. She put space between the two of them as the doors finally opened. "Okay you win this round so you decided where we eat." The doors closed as she turned to Sasuke. "And what do you mean by Naruto?"

He rolled his eyes, "Nothing, just forget it."

.

.

.

(Three weeks later)

Hinata removed small specks of lint off his suit while Sasuke stared in annoyance. "I just want to make a good impression, you know."

They had been waiting outside the main doors for over ten minutes because Hinata was finding small reasons to delay their arrival. First her heels were too loose, then too tight. She double checked her appearance twice and directed her nit picking on his outfit when he told her she looked fine.

Chuckles from party goers nearby rattled her and she bit her lip.

"Hey, it's just a lame party for an old pretentions man. It's not the Oscars," he said.

"I am taking this too serious, aren't I?" she laughed. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Wait you have something on your face." Hinata moved to wipe her face and he swatted her hands away. "You'll ruin your makeup, let me."

He traced her cheek to remove a stray eyelash and plucked it off.

"Did you get it?" She asked.

"Wait, there's something else." Without another word he softly kissed her lips and pulled away. "There now you look great."

It was true; she now had more color on her face. He knew she would try to get him back for his little gesture but at the moment he was safe from any scolding.

"Shall we my dear?" He offered his elbow and she accepted, slightly tighter than he expected.

"I'm so going to get you back," she playfully whispered. "I'm tired of being the only one with a red face."

"We'll see who wins by the end of tonight," he responded with a smirk and walked into the venue.

The show of affection between the two didn't go unnoticed by Fugaku. From behind, it looked like a scene from long ago and it temporarily startled him.

"Shouldn't we be heading inside?" Mikoto asked from behind. "We wouldn't want to keep your brother waiting." He nodded and held her hand as they walked in. However, he had no intention of finding his brother any time soon. He needed some alcohol in his system to deal with Madara outside of a professional setting.

Hinata realized how different the Uchihas and Hyuugas meet for social gatherings. One could walk into the striking venue and easily be entranced by the extravagance; temporarily forgetting that it's a birthday celebration. Perhaps it was because Madara is considered to be one of the leading and most influential figures in the family.

Sasuke noticed her distress and gave her a gentle pull forward. "C'mon they won't eat you. I'm sure they ate plenty of local children before coming here," he joked causing Hinata to giggle.

"I don't know if I had my fill of innocents, my dear nephew." The two of them turned and found an amused Madara. "And I'd watch lovely Hinata, the wolves look hungry."

Hinata immediately bowed and wished him a happy birthday with many more to come. Sasuke was entertained by her flustered state and she shot him a desperate look.

"Happy birthday Uncle," he muttered. Madara ignored his demeanor and scrutinized Hinata who kept her composure, at least on the outside. Slowly he softened his inspection and motioned towards the party.

"Enjoy the party and congratulations on your engagement. I'm really happy that we'll be seeing more you around." He headed towards distant relatives who Sasuke always forgot. Whispers near them caused him to roll his eyes. He kissed Hinata's temple affectionately but that only served as more fodder for the groups of gossipers.

"Isn't that the Hyuuga girl?"

"Are they really engaged?"

"But wasn't he screwing like half of the female staff?"

Their hands interlaced tighter as they passed Itachi who had a look of indifference but Hinata could swear that his eyes flashed red when they settled on her frame.

Mikoto stared in disgust as her son led Hinata through the crowd to an empty table. She had drawn attention by her mere presence but thankfully, few people knew of her mother's and Fugaku's past. It would send everyone in complete gossip frenzy and bring unwanted attention to her. She had her own share of secrets that would satisfy the sharks who sought to bring her down a peg.

"She's not that gorgeous as Obito keeps saying. I bet it's her tits that hypnotized him."

"If she doesn't drink any alcohol, then we know for sure it's a shotgun wedding." The women erupted in giggles.

"How long do you think they'll _really_ last?"

"Three years."

"I say they don't make it to the altar."

_At least they aren't swirling around me_, Mikoto thought as she headed towards the band.

.

.

After searching for the better half of an hour, Madara found Fugaku out in the terrace. His slumped shoulders gave no indication that he heard the steps behind him.

"I haven't heard any well wishes from my dear little brother yet," Madara quipped. "Makes me think you're disappointed I'm still alive."

"Congrats on living another year," he responded curtly.

"Many more to come perhaps?"

"I'm not God." Madara frowned at his aloofness. The distance between the two had grown over the years but he never regretted the actions that unfortunately widened it. Everything he did was with the best intentions in mind; Madara knew that Haruhi would always choose Hiashi. He did what he had to so Fugaku could move on and stop acting like a fool, bringing shame to the proud Uchiha.

"I'll be honest I didn't see Sasuke ending up with anyone, let alone the Hyuuga girl."

"Well you don't know them. They love each other very much," Fugaku expressed firmly. "And her name is Hinata."

"Ah yes, Hinata. She looks lovely doesn't she?" He provoked a brief reaction from Fugaku.

"Hn."

"Hinata looks just like her mother." Fugaku's hold on his drinking glass tensed. "Is that why you didn't put up any resistance to their union? Because I could swear that you hated Hiashi so…"

He straightened his posture and turned to glare at his older brother; not backing down from his taunts. "I should tell the bartenders to cut you off, you're spewing nonsense."

Madara raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't it bother you? I know that it'd bother me."

"What?" He knew where the conversation was heading but Fugaku still played dumb.

The older Uchiha turned to see Hinata cup her hand and whisper something to Sasuke who grinned.

"It's essentially looking at what could've been if you-"

Madara watched in amusement as his younger brother stormed off. "Still sore I see," he affirmed. He wondered what Izuna would have done had he still been alive. But he doubted that even the most level headed out of all their siblings would have found a harmonious solution.

.

.

Sasuke enjoyed seeing Hinata converse with some of his relatives. She found one particularly elderly woman to be sweet. Her husband would doze off mid conversation, leaving Hinata to awkwardly shake him awake at his wife's instruction.

Eventually the elderly couple retired for the evening and more of his second cousins headed their way, intrigued by the newcomer. Some of the younger Uchihas asked if she was blind which she found comical. Sasuke shooed them away when they slowly waved their hands in front of her face.

"Go away you little brats!" He shouted as they stuck out their tongue. One yelled how she must be blind to want to kiss him.

"It reminds me of my childhood. One kid even asked where my helper dog was. But when Hanabi was younger, she would play it up to her advantage. She managed to convince one teacher to allow her to wear sunglasses indoors for her 'sensitive eyes'. All she wanted was to look cooler than everyone else! Eventually she slipped up. My father gave her a long lecture while she just stared back, crossing her arms, still wearing them!" The small group erupted in laughs.

Sasuke smiled as Hinata relaxed around some of his extended family. She would listen intently to anyone who managed to speak over everyone else. He stood up and shook his head when she was about to follow. "Stay here, you're doing great. I just need to grab a drink and talk to some folks about work," he told her.

Hinata managed to excuse herself from the group when it began to be comprised of more male than female Uchihas. Mikoto watched as she looked for Sasuke who wasn't at the bar. She signaled the band that abruptly stopped playing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to take things back to a simpler time. We might be from a younger generation, but we all still appreciate the oldies," the lead vocalist said earning some chuckles. At the opening chords, some of the older guests swayed their heads.

Hinata paid no attention to the entertainment when a waiter coughed and handed her a white envelope walking away without another word. She opened the envelope in confusion. Inside was the same photograph that prompted what she thought was trust between her and Sasuke. Her frown deepened and she reluctantly turned it over. Words were written in elegant penmanship.

As she read the words, the vocalist began to sing and Hinata realized they coincided with the lyrics. Her heart dropped and she suddenly felt hollow.

_I'll never forget the sound that night_

_The screaming tires, the busting glass_

_The painful scream that I heard last _

_Oh, where oh where can my baby be? _

_The Lord took her away from me_

_She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good_

_So I can see my baby when I leave this world. _

Hinata scanned the room in search of Sasuke but stopped when she noticed Mikoto swaying her body in tune with the song, giving her a knowing look. It felt like she no longer had control over her body, it wanted to flee; her heart raced and she kept taking short breaths.

_"Hold me darling just a little while." _

_I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss_

_I found the love that I knew I had missed_

_But now she's gone, even though I hold her tight_

_I lost my love, my life that night. _

Mikoto enjoyed the sight of her plan in motion. The song was fitting to drive her point home; if Hinata had any morals left, she would not go forth with the devious plot. She had to be a good little girl and go away.

Ignoring the calls from some of the people she managed to socialize with, Hinata's feet headed straight for the nearest exit but a security guard refused to let her exit. "For safety reasons, we ask that everyone exit and enter from one entrance. If there's a fire, then we'd open every exit."

Mikoto stood right outside the only open exit and Hinata fought to keep her tears from falling. The song was still ringing in her head even as they started a new one.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Sasuke appeared with two drinks in hand. Hinata shook her head in mistrust and stepped back. "Hinata, are you not having a good time?" He placed the drinks down on a nearby table and reached out.

Instantly, she smacked his hand away. "Don't fucking touch me!"

Their rising fight was drawing the attention of people nearby and Sasuke pulled her in the direction of the exit and consequently Mikoto.

He walked past his mother but she followed behind. Hinata freed herself from Sasuke's grip and her emotions were in overdrive. "You're a fucking asshole!"

His cheek stung from the sudden slap and he heard his mother gasp. "What the fuck is your problem?" he demanded.

"Stay the fuck away from me, all of you!" She pitifully directed a death stare at Mikoto. "I'm d-done with all t-this."

Mikoto tried to hide a faint smile and it enraged Hinata. She pushed a stunned Sasuke to the side and as she was about to deliver physical retribution, her wrist was seized by a larger one.

"Don't lay a hand on my mother," Itachi sneered down at Hinata and roughly threw her down. The immediate shock of pain signaled a sprained wrist at the very least. She cradled it with her good hand and whimpered.

Sasuke's compassion was draining but he still took pity in how heartbroken she looked. He kneeled down but she crawled back as best she could to keep distance between them. Infuriated, he roughly pulled her to her feet and whispered harshly, "What the fuck is wrong with you, Hinata? Is this another mental break down?"

She looked angrier than he'd ever seen. "I fucking trusted you! I thought you were a good guy! But everyone was right, you're a fucking asshole! I hate you!" She cried out in an agonizing voice. Another slap caused him to stagger back and she took the opportunity to run down the corridor. She continued running across the parking lot with valets shouting after her.

A crack on the pavement caused her to fall and footsteps slowed behind her. "Miss, are you okay? Do you need me to call anyone?"

Her relief at it not being Sasuke or any of his horrid family vanished when she took in the man's features. She knew it was impossible but in the moonlight, he looked eerily similar to Kiba; wild brown hair, and rugged features.

"No," she sobbed, "You can't be here."

"Do I know you?" He stepped closer but halted when she cried harder. "I'm not going to hurt you, miss. Your knee looks bad. Do you have a boyfriend or friend I can call for you?"

Hinata continued muttering inaudible words and rocked back and forth. At the disturbing signs of breathing troubles, he pulled out his phone and called an ambulance.

.

.

Sasuke shooed his mother away from his face as he scanned the parking lot. Hinata's second strike had left a mark but he was worried for her well- being. He thought that she was well past any mental breakdowns and couldn't think of what could have possibly triggered it.

The sirens of an ambulance washed a feeling of dread over him and he instantly ran towards where it stopped. By the time he and Itachi had reached it, Hinata was being tended to. The paramedics were supplying oxygen to her but her calm expression faded when he stepped closer to the light.

"Get him away from me! Please, get him away!"

A blond paramedic stepped in front of him. "Sir, we're going to have to ask you to give her space."

"She's my fiancée!" he shouted and tried to move around her.

"Get them away from me!" Hinata frantically pleaded, her eyes unfocused and blinking rapidly. "I need to get away! I can't breathe!"

The medics nodded to each other and rapidly closed the back doors, not giving Sasuke a second look as the driver pulled out from the parking lot.

"What hospital are they headed to?" Sasuke pulled the brunette man who helped Hinata up by his collar. "Tell me where they're taking my fiancé!"

Although he felt bad for the distraught woman, the valet prioritized his own safety first and told Sasuke that he overheard the paramedics mention Konoha Central. He justified his actions by thinking that the hospital would provide security if the situation called for it.

"I'll drive you," Itachi piped up but Sasuke shook his head.

"No thanks, I've got it covered."

Fugaku came up trailed by Mikoto who looked anxious. "What the hell happened? There's talk among the party that Hinata has been attacked or something? Where is she?"

"She's been taken to Konoha Central but she wasn't attacked. I think she might've had a severe panic attack," Sasuke clarified.

His father looked taken back. "Panic attack over what?" But Sasuke shrugged.

Itachi noticed his mother pale considerably. What had she said to her?

An attendant rushed forward from the growing crowd of onlookers and handed Fugaku Hinata's belongings including a white envelope that he saw her drop in her hurried state. He threw them in Itachi's back seat as they hurried to the hospital, along with a reluctant Mikoto.

.

.

Hiashi ran to the counter and asked for his daughter's status. He had received a call informing him that Hinata had been admitted to the hospital. He glanced at the Uchihas who had converged in the waiting room. They had not been let in to see Hinata nor were they privy to any information as they weren't technically family.

The nurse reacted to Sasuke's rude attitude by refusing to disclose anything to him as well. "You aren't married so legally I don't have to tell you anything. Besides, the patient has requested that you not be allowed to see her. Her father has been contacted and will be here soon, so maybe he'll tell you," she dismissed him.

Hiashi was given her room number and sprinted down the hall. Sasuke called after him but he ignored the Uchiha brat. His heart broke looking at her current state.

"Mr. Hyuuga?" He turned to see a grey haired doctor. "Can we talk privately? I'll just be for a few seconds."

Hiashi reluctantly nodded.

"It seems like Hinata had a severe panic attack and we had to sedate her. She's physically fine aside from a sprained wrist but we'd like to watch her overnight and have her talk to one of our psychologists."

"Okay."

The doctor shot him a sympathetic look. "You may visit her now."

"Hinata?" She turned to look at him and her face scrunched in sorrow.

"They mocked his d-death, daddy. They mocked how K-kiba-" Hinata's harshly exhaled as her silent sobs overwhelmed her. "It was all a joke to them."

A murderous aura surrounded Hiashi and he took a step backwards. "Don't leave me… I need you," she cried softly.

"I'll be back," he promised. "I just need to take care of something but once it's done, I won't leave your side." He stormed back to the waiting room where Sasuke rose upon seeing him.

"How is she?"

Hiashi responded with a punch to the side of his head. Sasuke staggered back on the couch but Hiashi pounced on him and wrapped his hands around his neck intending to choke him out.

Mikoto screamed for security as Itachi and Fugaku struggled but managed to pry him off. Sasuke coughed as he struggled to breathe. Hiashi lunged for him again and Itachi lost his grip. However, Fugaku managed to pull Hiashi away.

Hiashi turned his fury on the Uchiha patriarch, unleashing all the resentment and hostility that had accumulated throughout the years, finally boiled over with the treatment of his daughter. Fugaku tried to shield himself as best he could and managed to land hits of his own thanks to Itachi suddenly subduing the older man.

"Everybody calm the fuck down!" Five security guards arrived with a nervous looking nurse. They created a barrier between Hiashi and the Uchihas.

"Sir, we're going to have to ask you to leave," the largest one said to Hiashi.

"Me?! You should kick _this_ scum out. My daughter is in the hospital because of them!"

The nurse verified that he was the father of a patient recently admitted. "Well, if you don't have any business here we're going to have to escort you out of the premises," the guard directed to the Uchihas. "You can file incident reports on your way out."

"We're done, Uchiha! If I have to, I'll sell my company. At least we'll be done with your filthy family!" Hiashi called from behind.

Fugaku didn't look back.

"Sir, calm down! We don't want to cause any your daughter anymore anxiety. Do we?!" The nurse reprimanded him. "Why don't you clean up before she sees you?"

He let her clean up his small open wounds as quickly as she could. He worried what Hinata might've heard or thought at the commotion. But she looked drowsier than when he left.

She looked more alert when he took a seat next to her bed. Tears fell from her eyes and he gently wiped them away. "Don't leave daddy." He nodded, not trusting his voice to express anything.

Her eyelids began to droop as she succumbed to the sedative. "Don't leave me."

He cleared his throat and swallowed. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll always protect you."

.

.

Feeling embarrassed that they had to be escorted out, Fugaku threatened to sue the hospital. Itachi apologized for his father's behavior and put his arm around a distraught Sasuke.

"Let's go home," he suggested.

The two brothers sat in the back and Mikoto was in charge of driving. Fugaku was too enraged to focus on the road but the mirror reflected the glare towards his youngest son. He naturally assumed Sasuke had done something to cause her distress. Sasuke tried to replay everything he had said and done throughout the night. He couldn't pinpoint what could have possibly set her off.

Itachi felt something underneath his lower back. He frowned at the small bag and crumpled white envelope. His eyes widened in realization when he saw the photo. His eyes shifted to his brother who was muttering quietly. Itachi shoved the photo inside his jacket; this was not something Sasuke needed right now. He and his mother would have a private chat.

They entered the mansion and Mikoto called for the maids to ready the guestrooms for her sons. She eyed how Fugaku snarled at the crushed sight of her youngest son.

"Fugaku don't-"

He pushed Sasuke down. "What did you do, you little shit?"

"I didn't do anything." Normally Sasuke would get up and fight back but he refused to even make eye contact, supporting Fugaku's suspicions that he was responsible.

"Like hell you didn't! I knew you were too much of a screw up. Fuck! I should've just gone ahead with Obito. He's not a big fucking moron like you!" Mikoto gasped in outrage. "You disgraceful-" Itachi stormed up to his father.

"That's enough! You will not talk to him like that. Sasuke wasn't responsible for what occurred."

"And how would you know that?" Fugaku slowly turned his gaze to a trembling Mikoto. "Was it you? Did you say something to her?"

Even Sasuke gaped at Mikoto in suspicion. "Mom?"

Itachi sighed, taking pity on his terrified mother. "I did it," he muttered. All eyes turned to him, two sets expressing shock and one grateful.

Itachi cleared his throat and continued. "I knew about her accident. I found the folder and-"

"_You_ were behind this?!" Sasuke rose and lunged at his brother, striking his face and stomach repeatedly, ignoring his mother's cries for him to stop.

"What the hell is going on?" Fugaku bellowed as he flung Sasuke off but glared down on Itachi. "What did you do?"

"I …taunted her about her dead boyfriend," Sasuke seethed in anger as his brother stared at him remorsefully. "She must've thought that everyone was in on it but it was me."

"What? How would you even know all this?" his father asked still trying to process everything.

Sasuke walked up to his injured brother and offered him a hand which Itachi accepted cautiously. But Sasuke used it to his advantage; he immediately sucker punched Itachi and walked out of the mansion.

Itachi immediately tasted blood and Mikoto cradled his head on her lap yelling for a first aid kit.

Fugaku looked at the two of them coldly. "I want that trash out of my house," he sneered out and headed towards his bedroom.

Itachi brushed his mother off as she tried to tend to his wounds. "I thought you said you'd handle it delicately."

"Sweetie, I…"

He spat some blood on the floor. "I guess we should be happy she's out of our hair, although I wished it was under better circumstances."

"He'll come around, your brother I mean," Mikoto tried to comfort him. "You two always make up. This will eventually pass."

He gave her a doubtful look. "I'm going home. I don't think I'll be welcomed here for a while."

* * *

AN: Pearl Jam's cover of "Last Kiss" is on a lot of my playlists. Give it a listen sometime. Fun trivia, the song's tragedy is what inspired this story.

Thanks for the views, reviews, favorites, and follows. You're all awesome!


	11. Chapter 11

"_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing_

_With a broken heart that's still beating_"

Lifehouse -Broken

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It was a rather quiet dinner; the only indicator of any sort of festivity was the modest sized pastry. Hanabi observed as Hinata took small bites out of her piece of cake. She and their father made small talk about work and after holiday plans. Neji had left three days ago in the early morning to a networking retreat which Hiashi was supposed to attend but switched with him at the last moment. The youngest Hyuuga thought it was unfair, seeing as he had to travel again after that for a month long stay in Kumo. Bearing in mind that he would barely make it for New Year's before having to hop on a flight to Kumo, they figured it'd be better to communicate with him over skype as the clock counted down.

Although they never went all out for birthdays and hardly invited outsiders to these events, Hanabi expected to at least see her soon to be brother-in-law. Her sister seemed more reserved than usual and she assumed the two had fought. But there was no announcement of the engagement being officially called off.

Earlier that day, she questioned her father if Sasuke and Hinata were no longer engaged. In a tired voice he said, "That's for Hinata to tell you when she's ready but I sincerely hope so." Frowning at his answer she went to get a straight answer from Hinata when she was gently pulled back and he insisted that she not bring up the Uchiha or any wedding plans.

It all worried Hanabi; Hinata had looked more tired and zoned out than she had ever seen her, which she initially attributed to the upcoming nuptials. She also slept more than usual and yesterday Hanabi walked in on her mediating which she had last done when she was in high school.

The thing that troubled her most was Hinata's bandaged right wrist. Her older sister had laughed it off and blamed her clumsiness on an icy sidewalk. "Nabi, it looks worse that it really is. Just remember to wear sensible snow boots. I wouldn't want you to end with a matching cast because you just had to wear those cute booties," Hinata teased. But Hanabi's stomach churned at the possibilities. Fearing that her sister had been abused, she vowed to confront the Uchiha first thing in the morning.

.

.

Sasuke stared at the view out his office window. He wouldn't normally be working late nights, but he needed something to distract him. It had been a few days since that horrible night and his anger hadn't waned. If anything, it increased as he relived the events. The helplessness in her eyes and disbelief at his supposed betrayal tugged at his heart and he wished he had been a better shield against his brother's cruelty.

Earlier that morning, the alarm on his phone had reminded him it was Hinata's birthday. He had planned to have a night in, just the two of them. They wouldn't talk about how the plan was progressing or what stupidities Fugaku had uttered that week. It'd be a day where they would shut the world out with a movie, some comfort food, and opening the gifts he bought her.

The most important being a personalized leather bound journal to write down thoughts she couldn't share with anyone but needed to express, a vintage looking tea pot along with a box filled exotic teas she would love, at least according to the salesman.

He smiled, slightly embarrassed, thinking of the white stuffed bunny he bought on a whim. He tried to envision how she would've reacted when he presented it to her. The Hinata he first met would've laugh in his face or awkwardly taken it from his hands. However, now he liked to think that she would've playfully teased him but snuggled with it while they watched the movie. The wrapped packages sat in his closet, waited to be opened and cherished. But Itachi had to step in and ruin everything.

Sasuke frowned and leaned his forehead on the cool glass, trying to control his emotions. His relationship with Hinata was one thing he found comfort in, opposite of the headache work and his family often created for him. It wasn't something he experienced with Naruto, although the two were really close. But it wasn't similar to his relationship with Sakura either. It was new and intriguing, something he wanted to explore but now it was over.

Her number was changed almost immediately and it was impossible to see or talk to her which he suspected was ensured by her father. There were now guards at the gates of the Hyuuga home. Going to Byakugan was not an option either as he and his immediate family were on a list of people not admitted on the property; something he found out rather embarrassingly.

Sasuke was at a loss at what to do next without involving Naruto. Even though he didn't believe Sasuke could pull such a stunt, he knew it'd be too much to ask for Naruto to convince Hinata to meet with him and hopefully continue with their wedding. Naruto just about said as much when he called him about Itachi's ruse, "You know maybe this is a sign that it's not supposed to happen. In time she'll see that you weren't to blame and who knows? Maybe you'll end up being friends later."

Friends. Was that what he and Hinata were? They had obviously transcended their business relationship to something else with everything they had confided in each other. She provided support when so many had doubted his abilities. In return, he valued the trust she placed on him and vowed to guide her out of the solitary life that created a false sense of protection.

Sasuke wasn't used to giving anyone so much attention or comfort, everyone thought him to be cold or unfeeling. He wouldn't care what people thought because they didn't know what went on in his mind, but when Hinata spurned his help, he felt a horrible feeling in his chest. It worsened when Itachi confessed everything at their parents' home.

Something drew him to her; the glimmer of warmth whenever he mentioned how Madara would look impressed with his progress at work, her amusing laugh whenever they joked around, but his chest swelled with pride during the times he would do or say something that made her smile. Small or big, any smile still made him feel like he was accomplishing something important. If she only gave him another chance, he'd show her there was so much to experience.

.

.

Calling in a sick day, Sasuke wasn't expecting anyone to knock on his door. Naruto was at work and his brother knew better than to show his face. He peered through his peephole and a smile broke out. Quickly opening his door, his enthusiasm dwindled when he realized it was only Hanabi. In hindsight, it wasn't a bad thing; at least she didn't bring a male Hyuuga along. Hiashi had the element of surprise at the hospital but now Sasuke was on high alert when it came to him. He'd be better prepared for an attack from the older man. And in the past, he would have loved to get the chance take a few shots at Neji, but he didn't want to do anything to make Hinata hate him even more.

"You and I need to talk," Hanabi said harshly brushing past him. He closed his door and turned to stare at her. Her eyes narrowed at him and she had her hand inside her schoolbag. Hanabi wasn't a fool; if her suspicions were right, she'd either stun or pepper spray his ass.

He sighed and offered a drink which she declined. "What happened between you and Hinata? I used to hear about you almost every day and she was actually happy. But now your name is suddenly taboo and Hinata's…different." She struggled to find the right word to describe her sister's change.

While it was accurate, the change in attitude reminded Hanabi of how she used to be, back when she lost Kiba. "What did you do? Did you break it off with her or-" she grasped the stun gun readily in anticipation of his answer.

He slumped down in his seat, looking at his hands. "I'm not the one who doesn't want to be with her. I do, but she thinks I did something that I'm completely innocent of."

Her eyes widened in indignation. "Did you cheat?!" She angrily asked, internally debating which device she'd use to torture him.

"What? No!" Sasuke looked directly at her. "I didn't." Of course it didn't escape him that he could do so if he chose to but did it even count if she was encouraging it? He shook his head, pushing the thought aside to focus on the current dilemma.

"Then what?!"

"She thinks I used something she confided in me against her. I didn't. I could never do that to her," he promised.

Hanabi drew her empty hand out of her bag and crossed her arms. "So you know about Lee?" She narrowed her eyes.

He looked taken back. "I thought his name was Kiba. Who's Lee?"

"My cousin's hyperactive friend, but I was just testing you." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her waist. "What did you say about Kiba? Did you bad mouth him?"

Sasuke groaned. He figured the youngest Hyuuga didn't know what had actually occurred; he doubted she'd be this calm if she knew that fists were thrown and threats made between the two families.

"I didn't say anything! She just thinks I did," he seethed. "I know how touchy she is about him, so I wouldn't do that to her."

"Yes and maybe that's the problem," Hanabi muttered. "I was honestly really happy that she found someone new but maybe I was too blind to see how quickly she was diving into this relationship. She's not ready."

Sasuke watched as she stood up and headed for the door. "Wait!" Hanabi turned around with an eyebrow raised. "That's it? You're okay with Hinata living in the past and in pain? Are you fine with sheltering her as if she was a child?"

"We aren't-"

"You know you guys aren't doing her any favors, right? You're all crippling her."

"Hey, don't try to make us look like the bad guys here! You have no idea what we went through as a family, trying to get her to smile or laugh. You didn't know Hinata before the accident so you don't know how much she's changed. I do!" Sasuke began to see her uncanny resemblance to the Hyuuga patriarch as her fury grew. "Do you think I like to see her like this? My older sister who comforted me like a mother would, because ours died before I could know her? Well fuck you!"

She fumbled around her bag, tears threatening to spill out. "You call it sheltering her as if that's a bad thing. Yeah, I'll protect her against anything that causes her pain." While preferring to watch him wither on the ground due to a surge of electrical charge, she settled for the spray and pulled it out. "And that includes you."

"What the fuck is that?! Hey, don't do something crazy because you know I'm right," he challenged but put his hand out in case he needed to shield his eyes. "I know you care for her and I do, too. But I won't let her shy away from the world. That'll be cruel because she'd miss out on great things and you know that."

Hanabi scoffed. "And you're one of those great things," she mocked. "God's gift to women, right? I really wanted to think that she'd make you change or something-"

"That's not what I'm saying. Why do all Hyuugas embellish shit and are quick to judge?" Her gaze hardened. "But yeah, someone she could settle with and create a family," he replied. Sasuke really wanted that for Hinata and he'd be happy to help her find that special someone, he owed it to her. "Create happy memories that don't just include pale eyed sons of bitches or dead boyfriends, and not fake her way through life because everyone has kept the world at bay."

Her hand slowly lowered but she didn't soften her glare. "If you can learn when to keep certain thoughts in your conceited mind, you _might_ have a shot with Hinata. I might not feel comfortable with your approach but I can see you're serious about her."

His eyes looked hopeful at potentially having an ally, even a reluctant one.

"Don't get excited, I'm not going to tell Hinata to give you another chance. That's for her to decide. I don't know what you _really_ did, but at least for today I'm sure you didn't give me a reason to murder you," Hanabi menaced. "But if you ever lay a hand on her, I will skin you alive. I've hunted before and you won't stand a chance."

Of course she had never even been to the woods, but the Uchiha didn't need to know that.

Sasuke slightly shuddered at the evil stare she was giving him. "What made you think I abused her? I'm no angel but I'm not a scrum bag."

She shrugged, "Hinata must've been telling the truth about her sprained wrist. You can't blame me for jumping to conclusions. I won't let you push her more than she can handle. Right now, you just need to prove yourself to be not such an asshole to her _and_ father."

Focusing on the first part of her statement, Sasuke growled at the thought of how his next interaction with Itachi would go. Not only did he emotionally scar her but he actually caused physical harm. Hanabi's voice brought Sasuke back from the imagined beating he'd give his brother.

"She once told me that she still dreams of him you know." He scoffed; it irked him because he wanted her to move on. However, Hanabi took that as a sign of jealousy. "But she has also dreamt of you." Sasuke looked shocked. _Me?_

"What were the dreams about?" He inquired failing to look indifferent.

She shrugged, trying to think of something on the spot. Technically Hinata did mention a dream about Sasuke but failed to elaborate further aside that it included flying on a large hawk before jumping on a giant tomato. "Nothing much, just you two doing stuff."

His eyes widened and she saw a faint blush. "Not like that pervert. Jeez, who'd talk about that with their siblings? But, you do remember that yesterday was-"

"Her birthday, yes I know. But I'm not exactly welcomed at the Hyuuga fortress. I don't want to get shot by one of your security guards."

Hanabi bit her lip as she debated internally. Sneaking the Uchiha in against her father's wishes would undoubtedly cause her trouble but more importantly, what would it do to her sister? She really wasn't ready to make a potentially explosive decision at this moment. Until she saw him make a genuine effort then her conscious wouldn't be an issue.

"Well, that sucks for you. I've got to go, I have a day planned for Hinata after she gets home from Naruto's place," Hanabi turned and hid her mischievous smile.

Sasuke wasn't a fool, he knew what kind of reaction she wanted to see yet he stayed stoic as she closed the door. But he couldn't ignore that it did slightly bother him. He took a quick shower and got dressed, he didn't want to look like the dirt bag she more than likely considered him to be.

.

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Naruto took in the sight of Hinata busying herself with his kitchen, although he had insisted on actually making a fancy lunch by himself in honor of her birthday. But she had stubbornly refused and assumed the role of his inexperienced assistant, even with her current injury. It wasn't that she couldn't cook, but Naruto fine-tuned his culinary skills.

He chuckled at her pout when she realized she over cooked the shrimp. He assured her that they could still use some of them and that brought a small smile to her face.

"Well, all that's left is to enjoy the fruits of our labor. C'mon, at least have a seat and let me serve you," Naruto persisted.

Hinata could sense that he was tiptoeing around a certain subject as they enjoyed the dish, but tried her hardest to seem oblivious. She didn't want to see another Uchiha in her life and could go to her grave never hearing a thing about that dreadful family.

As they cleared his table, Naruto cleared his throat. "So did the Hyuugas throw one of their lavish ceremonies for their heiress," he teased. "I bet you had a red carpet and everything."

"Oh yeah. We had a circus and there were actual flakes of gold on my 13 layer cake."

He snorted and she nudged his shoulder. Naruto didn't want to ruin the moment but he didn't feel like a true friend if he didn't at least try to defend Sasuke. "I know he can be a jerk sometimes," he started slowly and cautiously. Hinata stopped wiping the table but didn't look at him. He gently placed a hand on her small shoulder. "But I know he'd never, ever stoop this low. Especially someone he has respect and-"

"If you're going to defend him, I'm just going leave," Hinata interrupted and shrugged him off. She felt guilty for taking it out on him and told herself to redirect her anger towards the people responsible.

"Hinata…"

"No Naruto, you weren't there! I know what I heard and saw all their faces. He told them and they used it as a way to mock my family and I," she chuckled but there was no humor in it. "I actually believed him and thought he wasn't the guy Neji warned me about. An egotistical, arrogant and self-serving jerk."

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. "He's not," he insisted.

"I know. He's worse, crueler than I could've ever imagined," she said miserably. She was tired of revisiting the worst mistake she ever made. "I don't want to talk about him. Didn't you say you had a movie you wanted to watch? I'll set the TV up."

Naruto sighed as she once again distracted herself with something, but he could at least say he tried. He pulled a throw blanket out of his closet as she gulped down a cup of water after swallowing a pill. Hinata had said it was for her wrist pain.

After washing the bitter taste, Hinata snuggled against a blushing Naruto. "This one is about the spy who has been betrayed by his country, right?" she murmured. Naruto nodded and noticed throughout the movie that her breathing evened out until she was totally asleep. While he loved how she felt in his arms, he knew she would feel comfortable sleeping on a bed, not on an old couch.

He gently picked her up and took her to his bedroom where he tucked her in. Although he had the heater on to combat the blistering cold outside, she immediately moved to a fetal position. Cautiously, Naruto leaned down to kiss her forehead. When she didn't move, his courage increased. He lifted her head and leaned down to press his lips on hers. It only lasted a few seconds but his heart pounded loudly against his chest and his face felt hot.

He mentally apologized to her and tiptoed out of his room.

Sasuke paced back and forth in front of his best friend's apartment door. Doubt was creeping up and the ray of hope that Hanabi had provided began to taunt him. What if Hinata wasn't actually there and the little Hyuuga brat was just making him out to look like a fool and waste his time? He could imagine her evil smirk as Hiashi and Neji howled with laughter at his gullibility. But it wouldn't hurt to knock, the worst that could happen is that no one was home, right?

However, what would he say if she was inside? Would she even hear him out and where would Naruto stand in all this when they were both present? Thinking of his best friend both comforted and worried him. Sasuke's heart clenched at the thought of them together. Of course she would seek Naruto to comfort her. The reaction to that thought confused him but he reasoned that it was because of how he hated that she saw him as a villain. Sasuke would be the first to admit he was no saint but he wanted to prove to her that he could be a good guy every now and then.

Before doubt got the better of him, he quickly and very loudly knocked. Not even three seconds later, he heard Naruto cursing something about a stubbed toe and the door swung open. Blue eyes widened and the blond looked back as if to check on something. Instead of inviting him inside, Naruto stepped out and nervously smiled. "H-hey S-sasuke. What are you doing here?"

"Well I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his friend, positive that she was inside. Aside from his posture and lack of eye contact, Naruto started to speak softer as if to not let anyone inside hear his conversation.

"That's kind of weird, don't you have work today?"

"Don't you?"

Naruto rubbed his upper arm and chuckled. "Yeah, you caught me. I just decided that I deserved a day off."

"Me, too. So can I come inside? I want to talk."

Alarmed at his sudden movement to grab the doorknob, Naruto stepped in front of it. "Move, Naruto."

"We can talk out here or better yet I can meet you later. Like in two hours. My place's a mess and-"

"That never bothered you before and besides I'm already here." Sasuke tried to move the stubborn man but they ended up wrestling to the ground. "Cut this shit out, I know she's here. I just want to talk to her!"

"Keep your voice down," Naruto hissed. "She's resting but I bet she can hear your dumbass yelling all the way in my room."

"What the fuck is she doing in your room?" Sasuke growled. Had Itachi's stupidity caused her to make her own idiotic choices? More importantly, how could Naruto allow it? But then again, the idiot was so in love with her that he would gladly fuck her if she asked. It angered Sasuke and he was disappointed in both.

Knowing full well of what he was implying, Naruto shoved him off. "It's not like that, you jerk. She just gets drowsy after taking the painkillers. But I swear I really did try to get her to realize you weren't behind it, but she wouldn't listen. And she's not ready to see you so it's better if you just left."

The raven haired man scoffed. "I wonder how hard you really did try. You can't fool me. I know you were against the thought of us together even if it's just in name. You probably love being her knight in shining armor. But don't delude yourself, all you'll be is a replacement for _him_."

Expecting a fight or at least a shouting match to begin, Sasuke was surprised that all he received was a wounded look from him and a threat. "I'll call security and have you escorted out, if I have to."

Slamming the door on his face, Naruto mentally apologized once again. But he assured himself that it was for the best.

Sasuke slowly dusted himself off and realized he had no one to rely on anymore. He refused to talk to Itachi and his mother due to her incessant pleas to stop this family feud. His father has gone back to ignoring him but Madara at least was warming up to him.

He drove away, formulating a battle plan.

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.

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Itachi sighed as Sasuke exited the boardroom. Ever since the incident with the Hyuuga, aside from short responses related to work, he had completely ignored his brother. Their father was back to being bitter, mostly directed towards Itachi which he didn't really care. However his deteriorating relationship with Sasuke was beginning to affect his work performance. Madara hadn't made a mention of the obvious tension and merely continued to praise Sasuke's work ethic.

While he was proud of his younger brother making strides at work, he worried he'd drive himself to exhaustion. The last time he tried to approach Sasuke about his concerns he had been harshly rebuffed and roughly manhandled. Itachi recoiled at the unpleasant memory while rubbing his sore jaw.

"I never thought you could be so cruel and heartless. You don't know Hinata. If you did, you'd know she didn't deserve what you did to her. It's unforgivable. Unless it's directly related to work, don't talk to me. Ever." It was said with such finality that it shook him to the core. Nothing had ever affected him to that extent.

Sasuke's eyes were filled with so much hatred and disgust that Itachi nearly confessed that he wasn't entirely to blame but it wouldn't have amounted to much. If anything, Sasuke would have probably cut their mother out of his life which would hurt matters more than help.

This had prompted Itachi had assigned one of their surveillance specialists to track and keep an eye on the Hyuuga heiress. He knew that Sasuke wasn't going to forgive him soon and there was no sign of reconciliation. Although he was glad that the two were no longer engaged, he needed to clear somethings up. The best case scenario he could hope for would be that while she wouldn't hold his mother's actions against Sasuke, she'd finally and officially break the engagement.

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AN: I'm so sorry for the lack of updates.

Anyhoo, I hope you like this chapter. The reviews for the last chapter really motivated me and made me feel shitty for leaving you all hanging. Teaser for next chapter: Itachi and Hinata have a talk and so do two other Hyuugas and Uchihas.

Thanks for the reviews, views, favorites, and follows!


	12. Chapter 12

_The girl with the broken smile_

Hiashi waved at his eldest daughter as the elevator doors closed. He finally gave in and allowed her to return to work. It was a compromise; she'd talk to a therapist at least once and he'd stop smothering her. Hiashi couldn't help it; this was all new to him.

He had left the coddling to his wife and when she died so did that comfort. He lucked out with his youngest but Hinata's confidence wavered until she met the Inuzuka. After he died, she didn't return to the self-doubting girl he mistreated, she just built armor around herself. It wasn't the ideal situation but he didn't know what do to for her, so he let her be. Closed to any joy but pain as well, at least that's what he led himself to believe.

The Uchihas had somehow found out about Hinata's inner torment and exploited it. He could only assume that it was to get back at him. He wouldn't put it past Fugaku but was slightly surprised at Mikoto's alleged role. The woman had always been cordial to him. Their spawn obviously played a larger part and Hiashi wished he had the so- called prodigy in front of him so he could choke the life out of him.

"Mr. Hyuuga? Your nephew is on the line," his secretary said. Hiashi stretched his neck and told her to put him through. The doors closed behind him and the elderly woman looked concerned.

Her boss and the younger Hyuugas were looking worn out. Rumors were running rampant among the disenfranchised employees and her son implored her to retire early. But she was defiant; this family had been good to her throughout the years and she'd give them the benefit of the doubt. However, some of her fellow employees weren't as optimistic.

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Hinata stepped into the back seat and nodded to her driver. She was still getting used to the medication the therapist prescribed for her anxiety attacks. They made her drowsy and lethargic so she was prohibited from driving. Whenever she felt her heart rate increase and the breathing techniques they practiced didn't help, she would take one of them.

She hated relying on them to calm down so she tried to use them as a last resort. However, even if she had cut the Uchiha out of her life, work troubles seemed to grow. Last week, Neji had tried to sound hopeful but she could sense the worry in his voice. Hinata hated that her cousin blamed himself and tried to shoulder the burden he had unwittingly created. She wanted to get better so she could fully commit and focus on salvaging Byakugan.

"Miss Hinata, would you like me to wait for you out here?" her driver asked. She blinked and realized they had already arrived at the restaurant.

"O-oh, sorry for spacing out," Hinata apologized. "I don't know how long I'll be. I'll call you when I'm ready."

He nodded and drove off when he was sure she made her way in. His boss had made that crystal clear before he dismissed him and no one defied Hiashi Hyuuga.

Looking forward to eating alone for the first time in a long time, Hinata requested a private room. She didn't want to overhear anyone's conversations nor did she want to seem approachable. Her father had tried to seem like he wasn't hovering but he was and Hanabi kept giving her questioning looks. She knew something was amiss but Hinata wouldn't indulge any information until she was able to keep her composure as she finally tells her family that the engagement was off because they just weren't compatible. Thankfully Neji, who was the most perceptive, was still on his trip overseas.

Hinata scanned the menu, somewhat aware that the door slid open. "I'm not ready to order yet and I have my drink already…"

"Good afternoon, Hinata." She lowly lowered the menu in disbelief. Itachi Uchiha closed the door behind him and sat across her.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your meal but we have somethings to discuss."

Itachi knew an ambush wasn't the best approach but he didn't really care. He had been keeping tabs on Hinata, waiting for an opening. Her schedule had been fairly predictable but she was always accompanied by someone, mostly her father. When he had been informed of her solo lunch, he hurried to meet her.

"I'm sorry or ambushing you-"

"Now or that night?" Hinata interrupted, narrowing her eyes at the unwelcomed man.

Itachi expected to see an outburst similar to the last time he saw her. However she remained calm and a little out of it. Hinata noticed his concern and scoffed. "I should've taken it with food but I suddenly lost my appetite." She lazily waved her uninjured hand around her face. "It's a side effect of these little blue pills recommended by a psychologist thanks to your little stunt. Take a bow, it was quite effective."

"Believe me I take no pleasure in your pain and need to clarify some things. Sasuke was in no way responsible for what happened at Madara's party. He had no idea what I did to you and was unaware I stole the information from his office," Itachi said grimly. "The contents of the file provided me with an opportunity to be rid of you and I'm very sorry I did."

She shook her head. Part of her screamed to flee once more, to not give him the satisfaction of seeing her so affected. But in all honesty, he already had seen her at her worst.

"No, you're not. You hated me from the moment we met and I don't believe you have any remorse for what you did. It was a calculated move. You made a show if it and even added music! Who does that? " Hinata argued back and looked around as if waiting for another unwelcomed nuisance. "Is your bitch of a mother nearby ready to how me photos of the accident or something?"

"Don't disrespect my mother," Itachi warned.

"Why not? Does it upset you when someone makes disparaging remarks about a loved one?" Not bothering to let him answer, she continued with increasing venom in her voice. "I have a question. What was your intention? What did you think would happen when you paraded Kiba's death as if it was a joke?" She snarled and flung her drink in his face. Enraged, he pulled her out of her seat and glared down.

Hinata held her breath but challenged him to make another move. "You have her eyes," she said in a calm and steady voice. "They are unkind and full of hate."

He loosened his hold, realizing how he looked. "I'm sorry for my actions. It was improper even though you provoked me. But I really am sorry for the grief it caused you. I never meant to take it that far. Although admittedly, I'm glad I've put a halt to your plan."

"It wasn't my plan," she countered. Just what did they think of her? "And are you also going to apologize for Mikoto?

"I told you it was all me," he insisted. Itachi didn't want it getting back to Sasuke that his mother was solely responsible for his current fury. She had his best interests in mind but he doubted Sasuke would see it that way. "I wanted to scare you away and stop breaking up my family. Maybe reminding you of him might've appealed to your humanity."

"You make it seem like I'm a monster," Hinata's lips thinned, irritated at his words.

"I haven't really seen the side of you that Sasuke or my father lovingly mentions in front of my mother. I thought, and still do to an extent, that you were manipulating the two of them. But your past relationship with him showed that you cared about something aside from your family or business."

"And if that failed? Let's say I was more determined to marry Sasuke because you dug up my past and went after you. What then? Would you tell Madara?" Hinata thought that was the better route to go if the goal was to simply stop the plan. However, the stunt showed that they wanted to cause as much pain as possible.

"Informing Madara seems like the obvious answer to our problem but it'd hurt Sasuke more than anyone. Don't be fooled by his appearance. Uncle would try to shame him into quitting but also make sure he doesn't work for anyone else either. If father was more supportive I'd take the risk but Sasuke doesn't have many allies right now. Until I gain control of Sharingan, I can't guarantee anything."

"Hmm. So back to Mikoto and her apology…"

"She's not involved."

Hinata laughed. "Stop lying. I saw her clearly that night and there's no doubt that she played some part in it. Mikoto knew why I was hurting and enjoyed seeing me in that state. Why do you still protect her?"

Seeing that it was futile to deny it, he simply shrugged. "You do what you can for family."

"Right, just like I was trying to do."

"At the expense of mine," he shot back. Itachi refused to ignore how their little plan could have backfired and been extremely harmful to his family, particularly Sasuke. She didn't stand to lose as much as they did.

"What do you really know about our agreement?" Hinata asked softly. "I didn't trick Sasuke or Fugaku. I was the one who was approached and your brother agreed after we set the terms. You need to have more faith in Sasuke. He's not a child and can make decisions for himself."

"Am I just supposed to watch as he makes horrible decisions and ruins his life?" Itachi questioned.

"It's still his right to make his own decisions. Let him live his own life." She lightly rested her chin on her closed fist. "I don't doubt you or your mother loves Sasuke. Mothers will do what they can to care for their children. But her love is not pure, she doesn't care who she hurts. I knew a mother whose love was actually pure and beautiful. I don't really remember my own mother but I knew Tsume Inuzuka."

Itachi realized where she was going and tried to ignore the guilt building.

"She loved her kids but didn't shun me when I clung to them after I was disowned. She took me in as her own, unsure at first because we were so different but eventually we became family. Did your little file mention Hana? The sister he was fiercely protective over? Hana and Tsume loved Kiba but I can't see them ever resorting to the levels you and your mother did. They might not have the wealth your family has, but they have more class than either of you."

Silence filled the room and a waiter unknowingly walked in to the tense situation. "We weren't aware you'd have company. Sir, would you like a menu?"

"No, don't bother with him." She handed him money to cover her drink. "We'll clear out soon."

The man left and Itachi eyed her bandaged hand which she used to hand her payment over. He suddenly remembered how forcefully he threw her. "It's sprained but I should be able to take this off within two weeks," Hinata casually said.

"I'm sorry."

She sighed, "You keep saying that but I don't sense sincerity, just desperation to be forgiven for your selfish needs."

"I'm trying to apologize!" He erupted.

"Is that what you really want? Do you want forgiveness because you and Mikoto did something so cruel and sincerely regret it or just to make yourself feel better that you actually did it?"

"Truthfully? A bit of both," he admitted shamefully. Even though he hadn't planned it, he had given his mother the ammunition to do so. Maybe subconsciously he handed her the information hoping she'd take care of Hinata because he hadn't thoroughly thought out how he would use the information. This way he'd be rid of her but keep his hands clean. It was ignorant of him and they looked plenty dirty to him now.

"See, now we're being honest. But I don't forgive you and I probably never will."

Itachi nodded, accepting that he would be seen as a villain regardless of what he actually did and didn't do. "That's fair. But will you at least talk to Sasuke and let him know-"

"I fail to see why I need to solve _your_ problem. Why don't you just tell Sasuke everything you told me? I'm sure he'd forgive you because you had his best interests at heart," Hinata didn't try to hide the sarcasm and shook her head.

"It's hilarious how everyone thinks Fugaku is the ruthless one out of all of you but we," she motioned between them, "know the truth. The most dangerous monsters are the ones who lurk, pretending they're saints and pounce on the weak. If I ever see Mikoto again, I don't know if I can control my urge to tear her face off. Pass that message along, will you?"

Thinking they were done with each other, Hinata walked past him. But Itachi gently grabbed her elbow.

"I hope you realize now that this scheme could've had lasting repercussions. Reach out to Sasuke and tell him to pull it back a bit. He's running himself to the ground and he won't listen to me," he pleaded.

Hinata felt pity but her face didn't express it. "I don't care that Sasuke doesn't talk to you or Mikoto. Your family doesn't concern me anymore. But why would you want me to talk to him? Aren't you scared I might try to sink my claws into him?"

"I'm not because I can promise you Sharingan's full support _if_ you don't marry Sasuke," Itachi said firmly.

"You just said you can't guarantee anything until Madara retires so don't patronize me," Hinata brushed him off. "You should be happy I'm not becoming an Uchiha and you don't have to do anything to pay me off. I hope I never see you again."

"Thank you. Hinata, I'm truly sorry I brought the past up so cruelly. He seemed like a great man," he said sincerely.

She had opened the door but froze at his comment. "Yes he was and his name was Kiba. You should at least acknowledge it."

Hinata waited outside for her driver. Now that she knew Sasuke was innocent, she wanted to apologize. In her anger and grief, she ignored how confused and lost he looked. Although they were no longer marrying, she still cared about him. Hinata told her self that she wasn't doing it for Itachi. In the long run, Sasuke will regret isolating himself from his family over her. She wasn't going to be there for him and he needed to mend these bonds.

Nonetheless, she was in no shape to call him or stop by his apartment today. She was physically and emotionally drained so she sent a short text and received a response almost immediately.

_Yes thank you! I'll see you tomorrow!_

.

.

Sasuke felt like a huge weigh had fell off his shoulders. His coworkers were confused yet amused with the sudden shift in attitude but he didn't care. Every time he reread the message he felt better.

_Can we talk tomorrow? I'll be staying home and will call off the guards. 1:00PM?_

She had given him a second chance and he knew everything was going to be okay. But even after everything cleared up between the two of them, they still had Itachi to deal with. He had played dirty and Sasuke needed to swallow his pride if he was to protect Hinata and her interests.

Madara looked on in surprise as his nephew bowed his head. It was similar to an incident from years ago but the circumstances were different. It wasn't Fugaku demanding that he stop meddling in his affairs but Sasuke, who eerily resembled him, literally begging for help with his relationship with the indigo haired beauty.

"Care to repeat that again?"

Sasuke bit back the harsh comments that threatened to torpedo this opportunity. "I'm asking for your help. Things aren't going well with Hinata's family and I. She's been trying to pretend everything is fine but I hate seeing her suffer because of it."

"Is that why she hasn't been around?"

"Yes, and she's been preoccupied and stressed out by her family's business. I fear that she'll postpone our wedding or think that it's best if we separate. I don't want to lose her because of something so trivial," Sasuke responded.

Madara leaned back in his chair. "Why don't you have your father or Itachi go to their home? Wouldn't they be better suited for this get together?"

"I think we're both aware of the animosity between Fugaku and Hiashi." At that his uncle chuckled. "And Itachi has been preoccupied with other matters. I don't want to bother him."

"But you're fine with pestering me about your love life?" Madara teased.

Sasuke smiled, appearing to take the jab lightheartedly. "I need someone with me to represent the Uchihas in a good light. It would make me feel more welcomed by her family and keep her focused on our wedding. I've strived to change and show them that I've matured and deserve to have her by my side."

Madara slightly frowned at that. He didn't think that any Uchiha needed to prove anything to anyone; if anything she should be proving herself worthy of carrying his family name. But he wouldn't voice his opinion in front of his temperamental nephew.

"I don't know what I can do about Hiashi but his nephew might be easier to persuade. He's the one rumored to take over isn't he?"

"That's the word going around but I'd settle for distracting him from picking at my faults during dinner. We don't get along quite as well as Hinata would like. You can entertain him by talking about this project he's heading," he inwardly smirked as his uncle slowly nodded.

"I don't doubt we can manage to have a civil dinner with the Hyuugas after all, we'll all be family in a matter of months. Come back with a date and I'll see what I can do," he smiled at his nephew. "And Sasuke? I'm very pleased by your progress at work. It's nice to see you settle down and become a responsible man."

.

.

The next day, Hiashi was more than happy to give her the day off. He figured she realized that it was too soon to get back to work and preferred to keep the brewing troubles at the company away from her.

Hanabi chewed her food slowly, delaying their departure. She noticed Hinata's mood shift from distant but calm to nervous. She had a few ideas of what it could be and wanted to confirm her suspicions. "Hey dad? I'm not feeling so well. Can I stay too?"

"Nice try, Hanabi. I know you have that exam today," he frowned at his youngest.

Hinata gently pressed the back of her hand on Hanabi's forehead, despite their father's skepticism. Feeling slightly guilty for concerning Hinata, she smirked at her father.

"You got me! Oh well it was worth a try. See you later, sis!" Perplexed by Hanabi's strange behavior, they watched as she skipped to the front door.

"Have a good day at work, father." He smiled and awkwardly hugged her. Hinata cut it short for his benefit, amused at his attempts to seem more caring. But he had proved himself already and Hinata knew deep down how much her father loved her. In the past she had doubted it even existed, but it was extremely evident now that he always cared for his children, including Neji.

With nothing left to do until Sasuke's afternoon visit, she headed towards the library. The season made her mother's garden barren so she found tranquility in the large collection of books she had accumulated.

The hours flew by and Hinata lost herself in one of the adventure books she had forgotten to return to after she left with Kiba. A soft knock at the door brought her back to reality and an apologetic maid informed her that Sasuke was waiting in the living room.

She thanked her maid and closed the novel. The distance to the living room wasn't much and she soon found herself standing in front of a nervous Sasuke whose knee bounced up and down in anticipation of her first words.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Hinata smiled, hoping to put him at ease. His intense look melted away and he quickly stood up. She found herself in a tight embrace before he released her in embarrassment.

Sasuke stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets, afraid of what he might do impulsively. "Sorry, that was weird. It's just that I'm really glad that you're willing to hear me out. Hinata, I swear on everything that I had nothing to do with that bastard's plan. If I had heard a whisper of it, I wouldn't have let you attend Madara's party-"

"Sasuke-"

"I swear! Itachi confessed after we were kicked out of the hospital and I let him have it. I would never ever hurt you or joke around something so serious. Believe me, Hinata he won't be messing with you if he wants to keep his jaw intact-"

"Listen-"

"I mean I gave him a thorough pummeling," he gently lifted her injured hand and spoke softer, "and after I found out he had actually caused this… let's just say he had trouble swallowing solids."

Hinata pulled her hand away and softly brushed his bangs to the side so she could look him directly in his eyes. "Sasuke, I know. Your brother told me everything. I know you're innocent."

Her chest constricted as she saw him brighten up, jubilant at his exoneration. "But they're right." He frowned in confusion. "The more I think about it, the more I realize that everyone is right. I can't marry you."

He opened his mouth to protest but she wanted him to hear her out. Her desire to help her family had blinded her to how easily everything could go south. They hadn't even planned their wedding details before it all came crashing down.

"Even though you weren't behind that, I think it'd be better for everyone if we stop this absurdity immediately. It seemed so simple when it was just the three of us but this is so much bigger than us. I wasn't concerned about your family and only worried about mine. Maybe I thought I could avoid them or we'd have an uneasy truce until we separated," she bit her lip refusing to shed any tears and trying to remain firm and resolute. "But I can't bear to be treated this way. I can stand being hated but mocking my pain so blatantly? I'm sorry Sasuke but I can't do that. It's asking too much for me to endure it for at least 5 years."

Sasuke grasped her shoulders, slightly shaking her. "Hinata…" he began, trying to find the right words to sway her.

"I can't."

"No! Hinata I know that he hurt you and I won't forgive him but it wasn't me! Don't lump me in with him, I would never stoop so low. I can protect you now," he disputed. "Trust me when I say that I won't let that happen again. Itachi won't approach you anymore-"

"You can't promise me that," Hinata countered, not trying to sound callous but failing. "You knew about Kiba."

His eyes widened, offended that she blamed him. "But I didn't tell him anything!"

"How did they get the information, Sasuke?" He stayed quiet, unable to refute her point. "They got the information they needed from you and _your_ investigations on my past. I know you didn't intend for it to be used against me like this but it did."

"And…" She briefly struggled whether to tell him about his mother or not. But it wasn't fair to leave Sasuke in the dark while placing all the blame on his brother. Mikoto was guilty and deserved to answer for her actions. "It wasn't just Itachi. Your mother knew, and I suspect she either played an equal or greater role. He admitted as much when we talked."

"You're lying…" Sasuke stared in disbelief. The loving vision he had of his mother morphed into one of a vindictive woman and he almost emptied his stomach. She hadn't hidden her disgust for Hinata but to go this far? He had to take a moment to reorganize his thoughts.

Sasuke stepped away from Hinata, distraught with all this information. It wasn't how she wanted to end things with him and wanted him to see the bright side.

"You should be happy. You've gotten what you wanted I hear you're doing well at work. I'd wish you'd take care of yourself but I'm still proud," Hinata insisted, smiling at him. "And Fugaku might have to work harder to get the connections he wants to actually become a senator but he's gotten out there. All this wouldn't have been possible if we hadn't gotten together."

"What about you? Shouldn't you get something out of this? We're better off but you aren't!"

"I took a gamble just like you did but it didn't pay off for me," she shrugged. She really did feel bitter that she hadn't gained anything for her family but accepted long ago that life isn't always fair. "Somethings aren't meant to happen I guess. You should really mend things with your family, though. Family is important."

"Do you forgive… them?" It was still hard to put his mother in such a bad light but Hinata's eyes held no lies. As much as he hated it, he knew she was telling the truth.

"No."

"Then why should I?" he questioned.

"Because they wanted to hurt me and succeeded. You have nothing to do with it. Forgiveness is not yours to give, so you shouldn't concern yourself. "

He shook his head. "I don't think I can ignore it. They did something so horrible and it makes me sick to hear that they did it for me. I won't forgive them…until you get what you want." Sasuke stepped forward and held out his hand. "Marry me and we'll make sure Byakugan stays under your family's control. Everyone will walk away with what they wanted. With what _we_ deserve."

Hinata sighed and placed her hand in his. He flashed a smile but it quickly went away as he felt the ring he gave her being pressed in his palm. "Hinata…don't do this."

"Father and Neji have made some serious headway so I think we'll be okay. I'll be okay, too." The urge to embrace her returned in full force.

He looked at her, eyes full of sympathy. "Do you really believe that?" He asked with skepticism.

"I have to. But I have faith in Neji. The company will survive, that's all we can ask for right now. I really wish you the best and know you will continue to prove your worth. But remember that only you can shame yourself. Forget what your father or anyone else thinks about you. I know you'll impress everyone. They shouldn't underestimate you."

"Can I still see you?" The desperation in his voice nearly broke her resolve. She nodded and this time it was she who initiated a hug.

"But it'd be best if we stayed away from each other for a bit. For appearance sake." Sasuke stiffened but she tried to put him at ease, "You can always call me whenever you'd like. I want to hear how everything's going. "

"Hn."

She could sense his dejection. "Don't let them tell you what you can and can't do. Prove everyone wrong," Hinata whispered.

Sasuke clutched the ring and curtly nodded before briskly exiting her house. Hinata hoped that he'd come to the same realization soon. She failed to see his determined face.

That night, Hinata spoke candidly to her father. Although relieved that the nightmare was finally over, Hiashi still felt like he needed to address certain issues as soon as he could. But that could wait; right now his focus was on his oldest daughter.

"Do you think I've changed, father?"

He looked at her in confusion.

"I mean, I know I have but do you think it'd be impossible to go back? To how I used to be?"

"I can't say. You've experienced terrible things and few could actually relate," his gaze focused on his wedding photo sitting on his desk. "All I can say is I wasn't always this… cold. But when your mother died, she took many things with her. It's up to you all whether that excuses my behavior but I couldn't go back to who I used to be."

Hinata, touched by the vulnerable position he was putting himself in, stayed quiet.

"I still feel incomplete but I never took the chance to try to find happiness again, which I regret. It made me a terrible father because you all suffered," The wasted years and unnecessary arguments weighed heavily in his heart.

"Do you regret not meeting someone else?"

He shook his head. "I can say without a doubt that I could never love anyone as much as I loved her. But we can find happiness in other ways, I should've been grateful with what I still have instead of being consumed by what I'd lost."

She walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders which was easier to do since he was sitting down. "You have us, father. Although it's been a rough road, we're together again. You, me, Hanabi, and Neji have each other. You've taught us to be strong and we'll see this through as a family."

.

.

Even though she couldn't go outside, Mikoto had the luxury of a greenhouse. It was a gift from Fugaku when they married, and it touched her to find out he added personal touches. Tending to her indoor garden allowed her to relieve stressed which she had a lot of since that night.

Sasuke had called her earlier that day to inform her that she shouldn't expect to see him anytime soon. When asked what she had done, he harshly responded, "You know damn well what you did. I can't believe you would make a spectacle of man's death. I guess I was blind to your heartlessness."

He hung up without another word and she tried to reach him but he had sent her calls straight to voicemail. Itachi hadn't been permitted back and he declined her offers at make him dinner at his place. Mikoto knew that he too was upset with her but was too polite to say so.

Fugaku was the worst; while she was grateful that he didn't know of her involvement, he had ignored everyone completely. Any attempts to engage him on conversation ended in humiliating rejection. Mentions of either son would result in a frightening outburst; priceless vases and dinnerware often victims of his wrath.

She shuddered to think of what he'd do if word came that she was responsible. Although he would never put his hands on her, she feared that in an enraged state of mind he'd ask for a divorce. Mikoto would fight tooth and nail, refusing to give him up. She loved him. They were happy once and he had hope that he could go back to the loving man who treated her as a queen.

"Mrs. Uchiha? You have a visitor," her butler said, interrupting the distressing thoughts swirling in her mind. "He's waiting in the foyer." Hope caused her to ignore how he hadn't said sons.

Mikoto didn't bother with dusting herself off and hurriedly told him to send him her way. She hadn't been expecting anyone else so when she saw that it wasn't who she hoped; her face fell then quickly hardened. "Hiashi, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Believe me, it's no pleasure to be in your presence let alone in your home."

"Then why are you here?" Although she had a feeling, her face didn't give anything away. Her confidence began to dwindle when Hiashi scowled.

"Don't play stupid. I know what you did to my Hinata. You are a cruel and merciless woman, Mikoto. You had everyone fooled, thinking you weren't as horrible as Fugaku," he spat. "I used to feel pity, seeing you so desperate for his unyielding love while he still had eyes for my wife. But after that stunt you pulled off to hurt my daughter, I wonder who I actually feel sorry for. Maybe you both deserve each other."

Her heart raced at his cruel words, reminding her that as much as she wanted to ignore her past, others wouldn't let it die. Throwing it back in her face hurt more than she wanted Hiashi to know.

"Is that all? Please Hiashi, are you sure it wasn't the other way around?" She taunted but Hiashi smirked in response.

He looked around, gaze falling on a nearby bundle of forget me nots. His smirk deepened and his eyes focused back on her. "It's strange that this garden mostly consists of these beautiful flowers."

"Fugaku is more romantic than you'd think-" she started to say.

"Right. So I guess it's just coincidence that they are Haruhi's favorite, too."

It was harder to conceal her emotions and Hiashi left without another word, allowing her to maintain some dignity. Yet he could still hear her scream as he walked to the front entrance.

The head butler peered inside the greenhouse and jaw dropped at the sight. Mikoto was frantically tearing everything apart. The previously cared for flowers viciously torn from the roots and broken pots covered the ground.

"M-mrs. Uchiha?"

"I want this all gone! And I want rocks and a pond to replace the outdoor garden," she commanded. "If a single flower blooms in the spring, you'll find yourself unemployed faster than it you can blink!"

After a long day at work, Fugaku was welcomed by the sight of dirt covered maids hurrying around. "What the hell is going on?!"

He followed them to the green house and dropped his briefcase. The previously beautiful and enormous garden was nearly barren. He grabbed a gardener by the collar, "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"They are following my orders, sweetie," Mikoto responded. She had taken a long bath and only wore a robe.

"Why?!"

"I think you know why I wouldn't want to keep your little tokens for _her_ around my house. You're pathetic, Fugaku."

"You can try to get rid of every reminder but she left enough to make sure I never forget her." Fugaku muttered and headed back out. He couldn't stay in the same house as her right now. While it was unfair to his wife, he couldn't lie and say that it's possible to forget a person who shined as bright as Haruhi did.

Mikoto didn't give him a second look and closed her eyes at the sound of the front door closing. She thought back to the siren that had ensnared her husband and son in glee. "Too bad for you she's gone and she's never going to become a part of my family."

* * *

AN: Is Sasuke giving up? C'mon you know better than that! ;)

Thanks for the follows, favorites, reviews and views. Each one makes me smile.

I'm always unsure of whether someone actually expects a response to a review but if you want me to respond to you, I'll gladly do so.


	13. Chapter 13

So I screwed up the timeline and just realized so here's the edited version. But the idea is basically the same, just had to tweak it to fit cohesively. It's on my tablet so excuse any minor grammar.

* * *

_Mistakes become regrets_

_I've learned to love abuse_

_Please show me what I'm looking for_

Neji had finally returned and brought news that, while not what they were hoping for was still positive. He had found a corporation that had expressed more genuine interest than any other. They had finally agreed to talk with Hiashi which went back and forth until they were at a stalemate.

Tenseigan's lawyers tried to negotiate in ways that left no doubt to the Hyuugas that they were aiming to encroach on Hiashi's power. They sought to conquer another established corporation and Hinata feared that it would mean a total shake up, from the bottom up while using her father as a puppet for PR sake.

Conferences between both sides made little progress and Neji suggested giving Hinata a shot. "She's our secret weapon," he surmised. "Hinata looks harmless and no offense, kind of a pushover."

"And how is that going to help?" Tokuma asked, tilting his head on his open palm. "Is she supposed to charm them, maybe show some skin to entice….?" He trailed off as every pair of pale eyes narrowed at him. "I was just joking," he murmured.

Natsu shook her head at the younger Hyuuga. "Let's maintain some dignity shall we? I doubt we'll have to resort to such _extreme_ measures. But I agree that perhaps someone who is not so abrasive can meet them in a neutral setting."

"What do you mean abrasive?" Neji questioned, insulted by the comment. "If being abrasive means maintaining a professional and -"

"See that's what she means by abrasive," Hoheto interjected. "We're not trying to offend, you are great but there are times when we need to take a different approach."

He turned his head to address Hiashi. "Hinata has a different attitude which they won't be expecting nor prepared for. And although we aren't suggesting she seduce anyone, it doesn't hurt that she's an attractive woman."

Murmurs around mostly agreed with the proposed plan, with a few sounds of disgruntled exasperations.

"I am not parading my daughter like a piece of meat just so we can make a better business deal," the Hyuuga patriarch declared, dismayed at the thought.

"No one is saying Hinata is going to be whored out," Natsu argued. Everyone grimaced at the crudeness. "I understand she's your daughter but don't forget that she's part our family too. We would never demean one our own," she continued. "And with all fairness, Hiashi, perhaps we should ask the young lady herself if she wants to attempt to _professionally_ and _ethically_ negotiate with them."

"She doesn't feel comfortable with this," Hiashi disputed. Hinata had sat back and not uttering a word the whole meeting. Although she had moved past flinching under the scrutinizing stares of strangers, she still squirmed under theirs. "She's not ready and shame on-"

"I'll do it," she interrupted. If they thought she could offer something to the table, Hinata wanted to at least try. They had nothing left to lose and she had already done some crazy things she wouldn't have even considered before. If they knew what she had arranged with the Uchihas, they would all go into hysteria. "I'll do everything I can for the sake of Byakugan and uphold our family honor while doing so."

Almost every face at the table either smiled or nodded affirmatively and Neji squeezed her hand reassuringly. Hiashi, although apprehensive, sighed and instructed Neji to prep her for any hurdles they might throw her way.

.

.

"Wait, what was that? Byakugan is merging with Tenseigan? Who told you that?!" Sasuke demanded. He had been walking out of a meeting when he heard his cousin talk to one of his friends.

The older Uchiha looked stunned. "I just had lunch with one of their board members, and it slipped out." Obito shook him off. "I would have thought that your _fiancé_ would have told you something about it."

Sasuke cursed under his breath and ran to his office to get his car keys. Everything was happing too quickly and he needed to act swiftly if he was to put the plan back in motion. The distance to the large white building housing Byakugan seemed shorter since he was nearly breaking the speed limit, a dangerous thing to do on the slick streets. Sasuke stayed in his car, dialing and redialing her number when he received no answer. Hinata hadn't told him whether he was allowed on any Hyuuga property so he surveyed the parking lot for her car.

Slamming his hands on the steering wheel when he couldn't spot it, he debated how far he could get past the guard. He tried to remember the quickest way inside when a flash of indigo bundled in a black pea coat appeared. Sasuke thanked the heavens and was opening his car door when he saw her companion.

Walking closely beside Hinata was a pale, white haired man. He escorted her to the passenger side of a silver luxury car before hopping in the driver's seat. It took Sasuke less than a second to decide if he should follow.

The snow hadn't affected visibility too terribly so he was able to keep a discrete distance without making himself obvious. They pulled up to a spot Sasuke frequently visited with her. His unjustified hatred for the man he had yet to meet grew when saw him place his hand on her lower back, guiding her inside the restaurant.

Toneri had asked for a private booth, so they could have limited distractions as they negotiated.

Hinata thanked their waiter after he left to place their orders. Being accustomed to the menu already, she wasted no time and Toneri asked for the same.

She knew that he was trying to charm her but pretended to be oblivious. The subtle looks were harmless enough but he became bolder with each meeting between the two. Smacking him across his face would put an end to these talks indefinitely. It was becoming hard to allow him to get away with unwarranted 'innocent' touches and Hinata squirmed uncomfortably as he kept moving closer to her.

"You don't make many friends while making business deals. I just want to make sure that our companies fit," he said, placing his hand on her knee but slowly moved it up her thigh, testing his boundaries. She sharply inhaled and excused herself.

She paced back and forth near the restrooms, debating whether to call Neji. He would maintain a professional environment and act as a shield against his unwanted gestures. Although she would have preferred to handle it herself, Hinata admitted defeat and dejectedly scrolled through her contacts.

"Hinata!" Sasuke's sudden appearance caused her to drop her phone.

She put a hand to her chest in an attempt to slow her heartbeat. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

"I was just hungry and decided to visit one of my favorite establishments," Sasuke tried to say indifferently yet looking frazzled. "So who's the vampire?" he asked. "I'm surprised he didn't combust in broad daylight."

Hinata rolled her eyes, not wanting to deal with his teasing. She tried to move around him and pick up her phone but he kept stepping in front of her.

She sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "That's Toneri Otsutsuki, the sole heir and majority stakeholder of Tenseigan. He's our last shot to save the company without going public."

He slowly nodded, taking in the information. "How much is he asking? Majority control over the merge?" Sasuke tilted his head. "Or is he just looking to have a good time with you?"

"Sasuke-" Hinata warned picking up her phone and assessing it for any damage.

"No, are you really going to sink that low?"

"I'll do what I have to and that shouldn't be any of your concern," she said, standing straighter. "But no, I won't degrade myself _nor_ will I subject myself to taunts or jokes at Kiba's expense. Not again."

"I told you, I won't let anyone hurt you again!" he exasperated. "Itachi is dead to me-"

"Don't say that!" Hinata shook her head in disapproval. "You really shouldn't," she whispered.

"I'll think about talking to Itachi _if_ you marry me. You won't have to let that any asshole like that one over there take advantage of you just so you won't completely lose Byakugan," he whispered. "If you become an Uchiha, your family will retain total control. You will keep everything."

"Why are you still going on about that?"

Their loud tones drew the attention of some patrons and soon Hinata's lunch companion appeared.

"What's the problem?" Toneri looked Sasuke. "And who are you?"

"Sasuke Uchiha, her fiancé," he announced smugly.

"Fiancé?" Toneri frowned. "Hinata never mentioned you." She shrank under his questioning gaze but Sasuke stepped in front of her.

"I don't see a reason why personal lives would be brought up in a business meeting," he sneered. "But I was just stopping by to confirm a dinner with my in-laws."

Hinata looked at him in confusion. _What are you planning, Sasuke?_ However, she couldn't deny that she was grateful that he saved her from a very uncomfortable situation. "R-right!"

"I just wanted to tell you, that Madara will be joining us tonight. He's looking forward to meeting your family, _especially_ Neji," he stressed.

Hinata would've commended him for his convincing acting but she knew when he was serious. Not wanting to expose everything in front of Toneri she went for a hug, whispering in his ear. "Are you serious or…?"

Not letting go, he nodded. "I really want to stop by and at least apologize to your father for everything that has happened."

"I'm not sure this is the best time," she quickly argued back.

"I don't know when I'll have the chance again and introducing Madara to Neji wouldn't hurt. It's the least I can do."

Hinata groaned in frustration. "Okay." She tried to release him from the unusually long embrace but Sasuke leaned down and kissed her as if proving a point.

"See you later, princess."

Toneri smirked as Sasuke shot him a look; daring him to try something on his woman. It didn't faze him and saw it as a challenge. S_he didn't completely turn me down. This might be more interesting than I thought. _

"I apologize for my earlier slip up. I must've lost control of my hand," he apologized to the Hyuuga beauty after her beau left.

"I understand," she replied, trying to smile at him still unsure about the turn of events. "Let's go over the terms of the proposal, shall we? There are somethings my father and the board had concerns about and would like to change."

Sasuke's next stop was straight to Madara's office, slightly faltering at seeing Itachi discussing things with him.

"Do you need something, Sasuke?" Madara inquired, sensing the animosity between the two.

"Yes, I just wanted to tell you that the dinner is tonight. We'll arrive together." He turned to leave but his uncle called him back.

"Isn't this kind of short notice?" He frowned.

"I don't think so. It's not a formal dinner or anything. Do you have plans?"

"Well no but-"

"Then I'll see you later." He turned and waved, not looking back.

Madara was somewhat more amused than offended about his attitude. He turned to his other nephew who looked somber. "So are you doing to tell me why he didn't acknowledge you?"

"It's trivial and not worth mentioning," Itachi brushed off. But he was curious about why the two were meeting for dinner. He just hoped it wasn't something he should be concerned about and wished the best for his brother.

.

.

When Hiashi heard about their dinner guests, he laughed thinking Hinata was joking, alarming her by his reaction. "After a long day, I really needed that," he said. Hinata crossed her hand behind her back, twisting her fingers.

"You are kidding right? Hinata. Tell me we aren't sitting down for dinner with two Uchihas…"

"Father, it's just Sasuke and his uncle-" She tried to soften the impact.

He put his hand up. "I think I'll head back to the office. I've had my fill of that family for years now. Just send my apologies to the boy. I hope this is the last I hear of Uchihas in my house."

Hinata pulled him back. "Please father." He briefly struggled but knew he couldn't leave her alone with them again.

"You can stop pulling, Hinata," he sighed. She beamed at him but pouted when he muttered that she needed to work on her strength.

Hanabi excitedly informed their chef to expect two guests and plan the meal accordingly. While she was still hesitant about the Uchiha and her sister, she had to admit that Hinata seemed better since she set him straight. She couldn't help but feel a bit responsible and eagerly awaited the minutes before they would arrive.

Neji tried to act happy for Hinata. He had moved past his initial reservations but couldn't suppress the feeling in his gut that everything wasn't right. Their relationship was unstable; hot and cold, lively and lackluster at different times. He wished that during the brief lows, Hinata had seen the light and severed the relationship. But they were now sharing a meal as a blended family and that didn't sit with well with him.

The doorbell rang and Hanabi jumped off the couch. "They're here! They're here!" Neji frowned and slowly made his way to the dining table. "You can't sit there!" she exclaimed and pulled him away.

"Why not?"

"Are you blind? I set name plates accordingly." His scowled at the placements she made.

Hiashi remained at head of the table, however Sasuke was to his right, which was Neji's usual place. Hinata was seated next to Sasuke with Madara across his nephew. She had placed herself next to her sister which left Neji obligated to make small talk with the head of one of the most renowned company during a dinner where he knew he'd be struggling to keep any biting remarks about the other Uchiha to himself.

Hanabi had laid out the seating in a way that would be most entertaining. She would enjoy watching the Uchiha squirm under her father's scrutiny while Neji was forced to be amicable to him.

Hiashi greeted his guests with Hinata by his side. "Welcome, Madara. Sasuke," he said curtly.

Madara shook his hand and smiled at her. "We are happy to be here."

The older men walked ahead of the young faux couple. Hinata felt Sasuke intertwine his hands with hers. "Sasuke?"

"Just trust me, okay." She nodded and blushed when they made their joint appearance due to Hanabi's cheshire grin.

Unfortunately for Hanabi, dinner consisted of polite and boring conversations which almost caused her to fall asleep. Hinata had poked her in the stomach at one point, struggling to keep a straight face.

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Well, that was fantastic. I hope you have a safe drive home-"

"Oh, come on Hiashi. We still have much to talk about", Madara interjected. "These two have been really secretive about their wedding plans and I'm curious to know the date at least." Hiashi and Hinata's eyes widened.

"We were struggling on when we would tell everyone but I feel like this moment is as good as any. I just hope we don't disappoint anyone with the news," Sasuke said seriously, Hinata placed her hand on his knee and nodded. Perhaps they could still remain on good terms and Madara would consider an investment.

"We're hoping for late spring," he said bluntly, ignoring Hinata digging her nails in his knee in shock.

Neji and Hiashi choked on their drinks while Hanabi woke up with a start. All eyes fell on her and Hinata opted to take a long drink, unable to form any words at the moment.

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself-" Hiashi said tersely, menacing the Uchiha with his glare. _What are you playing boy?_

Sasuke placed his napkin down and looked back defiantly. "Actually I'm not. Hinata loves the blooming flowers and warm weather. I think it'll make for a beautiful ceremony, although we might have to really sit down and plan it already. The day will creep up before we know it."

"I think that sounds exquisite. I'm really happy for you. If you'd like Hinata, I can see if we can move somethings around so Sasuke can enjoy the honeymoon without worrying about how things are going back at the company," Madara said. "I doubt much will accumulate upon his return and perhaps he might even have some new insight from his travels for your project Neji."

Neji finally composed himself and turned to him. Hinata's grip on Sasuke loosened and he smirked.

"I'm actually quite intrigued by the prospects it may provide us, may we sit down together sometime to discuss it? I hear that it'll be in our best interest to invest in it." Hinata's chest swelled with hope. "As family, we have to take care of one another."

Hinata's shoulders slightly slumped at Madara's insinuation, which didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke or Hiashi.

"Of course! I'll prepare a file for you before you go," Neji smiled, thinking that not all Uchihas were horrible.

Hinata excused herself and pulled Sasuke along as she headed towards her room.

"Your room? Really Hinata, what kind of message are you trying to send?"

"ME?! What about you?!" Hinata shrieked. "Why did you say that? We had the opportunity to end things on a positive note right there."

Sasuke rested on her bed with his hands behind his head, watching her pace back and forth. "You have to be one of us to get his full support. It won't work otherwise."

"Then I don't want his help."

"Hinata, Byakugan's being sold. Don't you care anymore?"

"Of course I do! But we can't continue anymore. I could stand being hated but to be treated like that and have Kiba's memory disrespected was something I'm not going through again." She sat next to him as he sat up.

"Do you trust me?"

"I want to but I don't know if I can," she murmured. The words visibly struck Sasuke. He closed the distance between the two and Hinata felt the intensity of his stare.

A series of knocks caused them to separate. "Hinata! Dad's freaking out, you might want to get dressed and open your door!" Hanabi giggled and they heard her footsteps fade away.

Neji had accompanied Madara to the sitting room to talk briefly about their expansion project, leaving Hiashi fuming alone in his study. He stared at the door, ready to engrave the message into Sasuke loud and clear this time around.

Hinata popped her head in and Hiashi waved her in knowing full well who she was trying to shield. Sasuke followed looking quite proud of his stunt.

"Hinata, can you excuse us for a moment. I believe I need to have a private talk with your so- called fiancé." Hinata was weary but her father gently nudged her out the room and closed the door. Hiashi locked the door and faced him.

The first words out of the patriarch's mouth surprised Sasuke. "I want to apologize for striking you at the hospital. But I'm not sorry for finally getting my hands on Fugaku. He had it coming for a long time."

He cautiously nodded, weary of a physical confrontation. "It's fine. But I won't hesitate to fight back if you do that again."

"I can't promise I won't because you keep putting her in these vulnerable situations," Hiashi warned. "Do you realize you're only prolonging her grief and for what? Your selfish ambitions?"

"First of all, Hinata is old enough to make her own decisions," he retorted. "Secondly, I'm concerned for her as well. This could be beneficial to her recovery!"

"But you keep stripping away opportunities to leave this screwed up situation!"

Sasuke was fed up with how her family kept sheltering her. She needed to step into the real world but he wouldn't let her face it alone. "I'm providing her with an opportunity and frankly you should be grateful."

"I don't want your help," Hiashi scoffed.

"It doesn't matter because you're still going to get it," Sasuke shot back. "Anyways it's not you who I really want to help."

"How can we trust you? After everything that has happened, I don't want to risk losing Hinata again."

"There will be no prenup," Sasuke laid his cards out, having already carefully considered things. "When we separate and she doesn't think it was worth her time, she'll have the option to taking half of what's mine. I hope that it doesn't come to that but I want to show you both that I stand to lose a lot as well."

Hiashi shocked. "Are you that stupid? What's to say we won't take everything?"

"Faith, I guess. Hinata doesn't seem like the type to do that. You and your little mini me probably would purely out of spite but not her," he shrugged.

"Hmph. Well tread carefully, Uchiha. You've not only put my daughter in a precarious situation but yourself as well," he cautioned.

"Are we done, _Dad_?" Sasuke scoffed. "I should be heading out, wouldn't want to leave Hinata worrying."

Hiashi curtly dismissed him.

"Did everything go okay?" Hinata appeared by his side a second after he closed the door.

"Depends on what your decision is, but I think we have a real chance to salvage everything."

She thought for a moment before they heard her father call her. "Let me talk to my father and I'll give you my answer."

"I need a definitive answer tonight, before I leave," Sasuke said seriously.

She bit her lip. "Isn't that kind of pressuring me?"

He shook his head. "I wouldn't want Madara and Neji to start talking seriously without knowing I can secure a connection. They both looked excited at the potential, I might add."

Her name was called again and she hurried inside.

"Do you think he has my best interests at heart?" Hinata quickly got to the point.

Hiashi sighed. "He's certainly different than Fugaku and that's a compliment. But the ways in how he does resemble him worries me. Sasuke thinks he's doing this for your benefit just as much as his but I don't know if it'll end well."

He told her of the prenuptial agreement Sasuke proposed.

"I told you before that I trust your judgment. I won't hold you back but I do want you to realize how serious this is," he emphasized. "Do you want to try again? I will be supportive either way." Although he would be happier if she threw the offer back at the Uchiha's face.

"Would you think any less of me if I was leaning towards this insane idea?" Hinata questioned, worried about his response.

He shook his head, and hugged her. "I could never think you were less than amazing and brave." Hiashi assured her, still thinking that she was making a horrible decision. However if Sasuke crossed the line or failed to follow with his promise, he'd see him penniless and miserable.

Sasuke waited nervously for Hinata again but smiled when she walked towards him. He knew what her answer was; she was trying hard to not smile but failed.

"I guess we should talk to your father soon."

"Eh, I think we can cut him out of the plan altogether."

Hinata clicked her tongue. "That's not fair, he was the one-"

"I was joking. It's not like he would allow it anyways. The old man is probably going to have a heart attack when he finds out, though," he snickered. Hinata shook her head disapprovingly at his morbid joke.

"Oh, and we should start making living arrangements. You should get used to living together before we walk down the aisle," Sasuke quickly said leaving a speechless Hinata behind. He smirked as he went to fetch his uncle.

.

.

Madara stared at the family portrait, focusing on the woman. Haruhi was holding an infant while Hinata stood next to her and Hiashi. He didn't hate the woman but he couldn't say that he had fond memories of her.

He remembered how Fugaku had asked him to hire his ex-girlfriend so she could pay her way through college and he did as a favor. It was during the early stages of her relationship with Hiashi so he was understandably shocked to see the two kissing in the empty lobby after hours one day.

Haruhi abruptly pushed Fugaku away. She had tears streaming down her face and pleaded with him to stop confusing her.

"This proves that I'm right! You don't want to be with Hyuuga, you still love me!" He tried to reason. "He only sees you as a way to beat me. Hiashi doesn't care for you like I do! I can make it happen, Haruhi. One word and I'll make sure he realizes you don't want to be with him anymore. We can be together again, just like old times." He cupped her face, gently wiping her tears with his thumbs.

She looked down, refusing to meet his desperate eyes. "We were young and stupid back then but I've grown up. And it made me realize that the best thing we ever did for each other is go our separate ways. I'm not that girl anymore, Fugaku."

"No! You still love me and I know you have feelings for me. That's why you won't meet my eyes, you can't lie to me. You kissed me back so I know there is still something here!"

Haruhi harshly pushed him away, suffocated by his closeness. "Okay, fine! I did give in because I'm a horrible, selfish and weak woman. That kiss brought me back to the good times but then I remembered everything else. And I realize I don't want to go back, I want to move forward. With Hiashi."

She was fired the next day and his brother stopped talking to him informally until he introduced Mikoto to him. Surprisingly he fell hard, marrying her within a year of dating. Itachi was born two years later and everything was okay. Madara had felt rather proud of himself.

Fugaku seemed happy and content until Hiashi announced his engagement to Haruhi. He remembered how pale Fugaku got upon hearing the news. He still adored his wife and family but Madara noticed the subtle changes in his attitude.

As they got closer to the grand Hyuuga wedding, things began to become difficult. Complains from employees and business partners alike grew about Fugaku's abrasive nature. Mikoto had been in the early stages of pregnancy but his brother didn't seem as jubilant as during the first pregnancy.

Then Mikoto confessed to him that she had doubts of his fidelity which offended him. Fugaku had brushed it off as paranoia but Madara couldn't confirm his suspicions so he limited Fugaku's business trips and he was chaperoned when he did travel.

It was childish and troublesome but Madara believed that he had to do what he could to save Fugaku's family and the Uchihas as a whole. There were never any rumors over Hiashi's fiancé and Fugaku, much to his relief.

It was during a rare private he together, after securing a contract, that Fugaku muttered bitterly that the child wasn't his. Madara cast that aside as a drunk Fugaku trying to justify a reason to leave his family and they didn't revisit that conversation. His own small fears were quickly dissolved when he saw baby Sasuke, undeniably an Uchiha. That along, with Fugaku staying with his wife, assured him that there was no question about lineage.

After her death, Fugaku completely changed; becoming completely cold and distant to everyone around him.

"I should've fought harder for her. Damn you Madara!" Fugaku had shouted in a drunken rage. Mikoto had called him sobbing that her husband had been gone for days. Madara found him in their childhood summer home, trashed and a mess.

"I loved her and you took her away from me!"

"She was never yours! Why can't you see that already? Haruhi-"

Fugaku threw an empty glass at his head but missed by a large margin due to his intoxication. "Don't say her name. You don't deserve to!"

The drunk man clutched his head in agony as he thought of the last time he saw her.

Madara grumbled as he remembered how she broke his brother's heart. "She played you and didn't love you," he slowly said.

"You think you know everything," Fugaku hissed. "I hate you. You pushed her away and ripped my happiness from my hands!" He stood up, swaying side to side finally leaning on the door frame.

"What about your family!" Madara admonished.

"Um, Madara. Here are the files you wanted," Neji politely said, unknowingly interrupting his thoughts.

Madara mused how funny some things worked out in life. "Thank you," he thanked the Hyuuga taking the folder, slightly surprised at the size.

"Let's get going, uncle. I think we've bothered my in-laws enough," Sasuke said, twirling his keys. Madara smiled fondly at his good mood, obviously everything had gone well. "See you later, Neji."

Neji hesitantly shook his nemesis' hand and turned to the older Uchiha. "It was nice talking to you, Madara. I look forward to going by your office next week."

"Be sure to arrive an hour before the meeting. I think we need to confer privately and make sure you're well prepared for when we make the initial pitch to the board."

Neji nodded enthusiastically and Sasuke walked ahead hiding his smirk.

They passed by an amused Hanabi, bidding her farewell. Cementing their status, Sasuke kissed Hinata in front of an uncomfortable pair of male Hyuugas. Madara silently commended Sasuke for not extinguishing certain Uchiha traits; this brazenness showed that Uchihas wouldn't back down from anything and the Hyuugas would have to get used to it if they were to join his family.

After they were left alone, Hiashi headed to his bedroom tired of this emotional rollercoaster. Hanabi teased her sister, making her stutter for the first time in a long while. Neji scolded her, not wanting to hear such remarks.

"I'm only playing. God Neji, get a sense of humor. Anyways, I have homework to do," Hanabi blissfully walked up the staircase.

The two cousins stared at each other, bursting into nervous laughter.

"I guess it's not all bad news. I thought you would be the only Uchiha I would ever associate with but his uncle has been tolerable so far," Neji mused. Hinata smiled, enjoying how care-free he seemed.

"But promise me you won't become one of them," He shuddered. "It's terrifying to think, and I'd take it as the first sign of an invasion of the body snatchers."

"Shut up," She playfully shook his shoulder. "But I'll still be little old me. I promise."

"Please make sure that any children that are unfortunate to be _his_ grow up to be like you," he joked. "I will love them all the same but it'd be easier if they resembled you in personality."

"…Yeah." Hinata forced a giggle. "But you shouldn't worry about that. I mean I want to build a strong and stable marriage before I even think about expanding our family."

Neji dramatically rested his head on her shoulder. "Thank you. And if he disagrees, you only need to call and I'll gladly back up your decision."

* * *

AN: Everything is about perspective and I haven't revealed everything. Certain things will be elaborated on slowly and in due time.

Also, although murder seems like it'd fit right in with this already complicated plot , Haruhi died of a maternal related complication after Hanabi's premature birth.

For those who want a quicker update…me too. But, life you know. I'll update when I can and hated making an empty promise to one of my readers. I'm horrible. If you'd like to message me I have my PM and tumblr ask open.

Thanks for the reviews, views, favs and follows. You are awesome!


	14. Chapter 14

_That's my dream world, that's my dream world, it's more than a dream_

_My dream world, that's my dream world, and I wanna live in my dream_

Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he enjoyed the sun's rays wash over him. He finally had everything; the big office, the respect of his peers, and no one could say that he hadn't earned his position. His door opened and he turned to greet his visitor even though her soft laugh was recognizable.

"Working hard?" She asked and swayed her hips as she made her way to him. She certainly had his attention now and he smirked.

She walked over to his side and massaged his shoulders. "I think you need a break, all this stress isn't good for your health."

He murmured in agreement. "Care to help?"

No other words were needed as she kneeled in front of him and her hands traveled painfully slow up his thighs. He groaned as she finally freed his shaft and slowly stoked him. Closing his eyes, he laid back on the chair. "Yes, that a good girl. C'mon, suck on it," he panted but she smirked.

Not liking being at her mercy, he picked her up and pushed her back on the desk. Her hand grasped his tie and brought him down with her. She caught his lips with hers in a sensual kiss. Pushing her panties to the side, he returned the sweet torture by rubbing his cock along her opening. "You're already so wet for me."

Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust in. She cried out in pleasure and arched her back as he pressed deeper into her wet core. Encouraged by her reaction, he picked up the pace, pounding her harder and harder with every moan.

"You like that?" he grunted and she nodded, biting her finger. "Tell me, baby. Tell me how good it feels."

Hinata breasts moved in sync with his hips. He lifted her left leg, increasing the sensation for both of them. "Sasuke…Sasuke!"

Hinata knocked on Sasuke's door. "Sasuke? Are you going with me to meet the wedding planner? Sasuke?"

The Hinata outside his room and in his dream spoke his name at the same time causing Sasuke to groan as he came. "Are you okay?" A series of knocks followed.

"Sasuke?" He looked around and let out a half- hearted chuckle. After a few minutes, he kicked the covers off and got ready for their appointment.

Hinata watched as Sasuke struggled to fix his tie. "Here, let me." Slowly, he became flustered at her sudden closeness and view of her generous cleavage. He tried to look away but his mind kept traveling back to the dream that was similar to his recent ones.

He noticed her worried look and stepped away, pretending to look for his keys. "What?"

"You seem…distracted. Sasuke, you don't have to go. I can take care of all the planning." He hated how her faced was marred with concern. However, he didn't want to be stuck with her in a car until he controlled his thoughts. Of course he recognized her attractiveness and physical attributes when he first laid eyes on her, but these kinds of thoughts hadn't bothered him this much. He blamed his lack of sex these last few months, something he needed to rectify. But his hand would have to do for the moment.

"I'm just feeling a little under the weather. I'll meet up with you guys later. I just need to...relax for a bit," he said gruffly and flinched at her hands reaching out to feel his face. His face heated up and he pulled her hands away. "Just go, I'll be fine."

"Okay, if you're sure," she said slowly.

He held his composure until the door closed and awkwardly walked to his bathroom.

.

.

At first, Fugaku couldn't believe Sasuke's voicemail and was more than happy to forego the engagement party as his son demanded. This compromise wasn't hard to accept since he didn't want to push Hinata away. He didn't know how it happened but it was obvious that Sasuke had something to do with it. Although he wouldn't say it out loud, he was proud of him for accomplishing something worthwhile.

Fugaku merrily walked towards Hinata's table. She was focused on some pictures and conversed with the blond woman sitting next to her who enthusiastically took notes. They both stared at him when he sat down and Hinata smiled at him.

"Sorry, I'm late." He had wanted to carefully oversee the final details and ensure it went without a hitch, but Hinata still felt weary about the lengths he wanted to go to appease her. He basically gave her a blank check to do whatever; Hiashi refused to have an over the top event. Unfortunately, his rival took it upon himself to step in, something Hiashi took as a personal offense.

The dark haired man did fit Hinata's vague description of Sasuke, and Ino inwardly cringed but politely offered her hand. "Hi! I'm Ino and I'll be your wedding planner."

Due to the short time frame, Shikamaru had recommended his childhood friend. Ino was new to the world of wedding planning but slowly gaining experience with her flower shop connections. She could hardly contain her excitement at finally taking a solo project.

Fugaku smiled and looked around. "Is Hiashi coming as well or-?"

Hinata shook her head. "Father is busy with other matters. But Hanabi should stop by and Sa-"

"We don't get along you see," Fugaku clued Ino in. She nodded understandably; the groom was probably around his age and opposed the marriage. But Ino was only here to make the wedding of her dreams happen; whatever happens afterwards is none of her business.

"Alright, well I've already shown Hinata some of the few venues available. I've listed them based on price-"

He scoffed, "As if money is a factor. Just show her the venues and I'll foot the bill. You just make certain we get the one she has her heart set on."

Ino nodded and handed Hinata detailed layouts of the venues. She quickly eliminated all but three based on their space, some were too intimate and others seemed too extravagant. Hinata felt their stares on her as she concentrated on the last three.

"Um… Can we hold off on final decisions until Hanabi or Sasuke show up? I want their input as well," she asked indecisively.

"Of course! We wouldn't want to make any rash decisions. But they need to show up soon, I want to visit some of these venues with you two," Fugaku responded. They both turned to a shocked Ino.

"Oh, I thought he was the groom," she laughed. Hinata's eyes widened and she frantically shook her head. Fugaku wasn't insulted and briefly entertained the idea in his head.

"I would be so lucky, but she is my son's fiancée. I'm merely helping them in this time crunch," he said cheerfully.

"Sorry, it's just that I've never heard of the _groom's_ father being so involved," Ino admitted. "If you hadn't mentioned Mr. Hyuuga earlier, I would have thought you were her father!"

Her laughter died out as his face quickly turned into a scowl.

Hinata cleared her throat and nervously giggled as if to lift the mood. "Can we move on to the flowers and bouquet? You said you had samples of what you came up with?"

"Y-yes! Here is a photo of our pink and white peonies with pale blue delphinium bouquet. We also have the red and pink dahlia with calla lilies, irises, and peonies as one of our more popular requests," Ino recited. "If you really want to wow everyone, we do suggest our lavender and pale lavender rose bouquet. It's surrounded by an iridescent bouquet collar displaying tiny rhinestones- or precious gems," she added at his glare. "Accented throughout are pearl pins and jewel pics, presented in a silver metallic bouquet holder."

Hinata bit her lip while taking in its details. Ino looked hopeful but she felt it was something presumptuous and didn't want to present herself as such. They should have just eloped or had a small civil ceremony but she didn't know how well everyone would have taken it; it would've definitely looked suspicious to Madara.

"I like the non- bedazzled purple one." Hinata looked behind her and brightened up as Sasuke introduced himself to Ino.

"Yes, the purple passion bouquet is breathtaking as well," Ino concurred.

Hinata couldn't disagree; the lavender roses were offset by purple larkspur, purple double lisianthus, lavender monte casino asters and Queen Anne's Lace creating a display of floral beauty and elegance.

"This is the one."

"Alright, since we've got everything else pretty much done, let's finalize the venue and dress!" Ino excitedly clapped her hands.

"The dress is really nothing to fret over; whatever we can muster up will suit me just fine. I understand time is against us and-" She trailed off as Ino looked appalled.

"Any wedding that I have a hand in will not be anything less than spectacular!" It was easier to make this promise to Hinata after being essentially told that she had free reign over the budget.

"Yeah! No sister of mine is walking down the aisle in rags," Hanabi rushed in carrying a box. She peered down at the venues, Hinata had been considering. "I don't know about these, they're such closed spaces. We need to go bigger." Hinata pondered Hanabi's suggestion but Fugaku immediately agreed. He wanted a large and lavish event.

"I like this one too. The fountain could be a nice sight as everyone enters the building," Sasuke piped up, and then shrugged as everyone looked at him. "Or whatever." Hinata smiled at him and handed Ino their final choice.

"Great choice and you're in luck, I believe we can swing by and take a look today! Now that just leaves the dress. This is something more for the ladies so we can meet tomorrow-"

"Actually, I have something that might solve our problem. Tada!" She opened the box and Hinata's eyes widened. She recognized her mother's dress even before Hanabi gently picked it up by the lace shoulder straps to show everyone. It had been a dream in the past to don the trumpet/mermaid style gown with lace over satin and a low back. The sparkling diamond accents along the sweetheart neckline provided a nice touch but Hinata couldn't bear to tarnish something so sentimental for this.

"No!" Fugaku stood up, causing everyone to jump. That gown brought back horrible memories. Haruhi had looked like a goddess but she wore it the last time he had laid his eyes on her; the day she became _his_. "I need to go. There's something I forgot. My apologies."

Hanabi raised an eyebrow at his abrupt departure. "Weirdo," she whispered. But Hinata looked just as upset. "Hinata? Don't you like it?"

"As touching as this is, some brides would rather wear something of their own," Ino offered. "I mean shopping for a wedding gown will be fun! Right, Hinata?"

"Yeah…"

"Whatever," Hanabi curtly responded. She had searched the house for it and had it cleaned expecting to be praised for her suggestion. "Let's go to the venue or whatever."

Hinata felt guilty as she shoved the dress back in the box and headed towards her car. Sasuke sighed at her tantrum. "She'll get over it," he reassured her. Ino gave him directions to the site since he took his own car.

The ride over was tense and Ino sat in the passenger seat making small conversation. "Are you excited for your maid of honor dress, Hinabi?"

"It's Hanabi."

"Sorry," Ino apologized but Hanabi continued to stare out the window, trying to ignore the box next to her.

She trailed behind the group and although the large garden and ballroom were perfect for a lavish wedding, her mood prevented her from agreeing with everyone else. Hinata frowned as Hanabi rudely ignored another one of Ino's questions and asked to be left alone with her sister.

Hanabi stared at the curtains as Hinata sighed. "I'm sorry I seemed weird about the dress." She didn't feel worthy to wear it. "But mom was thinner than me. Actually I think you'd look better when your special day comes," she reasoned.

"Pft yeah right," Hanabi sneered. "If you didn't like it, you can just say it. You don't have to lie and treat me like a child."

"I'm not."

"Then try it on," Hanabi challenged. "If you can honestly say that you don't like it after putting it on, I'll accept it."

"Here?" She gulped.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes and nodded.

"Okay, let's just find a room real quick, but you'll need to help me." Hanabi gleefully retrieved the box as Hinata discreetly searched for an empty room.

"This is good enough," Hanabi pushed her in and closed the door behind them. She eagerly stared in anticipation but Hinata motioned her turn around. "It's not like I haven't seen you in a swimsuit!"

Scrunching her nose, she hastily removed her clothes but gingerly pulled the gown up and put her arms through the sleeves before turning around. "I need you to zip it up." Hanabi jumped off the crate. It was a slow process and Hinata sucked in her stomach. She had no idea how small her mother really was.

Her sister stepped back in awe. "Told you!" Hinata smiled but she couldn't move comfortably as her hair was pulled up in a bun. "Can you tell me this dress isn't for you?"

"Hanabi, I can't move." She waddled around to prove her point and Hanabi couldn't deny that Hinata was slowly spilling out of the top. "Maybe if we take it to a seamstress or something?" Hinata pouted at her. "Fine, I see your point. Turn around, and I'll peel it off."

As the zipper trailed down, Hinata felt relieved. Her blood ran cold when it got stuck around her hips. "Hanabi?"

"Chill, Hinata. I've got this," but her worry was evident in her voice. "Try to cut back on the cinnamon buns, will you?"

"Shut up!" Hinata hissed back, angry at herself for bending to another one of Hanabi's requests.

The next minutes were silent except for Hinata's grunts at being pushed back and forth and mumblings from Hanabi at the stubborn zipper. Her hands became sweaty and she kept wiping her hands on her pants.

"Hinata? Where are you?" Hinata looked back at Hanabi with wide eyes. "Ino says that they need to get the place ready for some event and we need to clear out soon."

"Get it off!" She frantically pleaded. Sasuke's footsteps neared and they stayed silent. After they faded away, collectively they gave out a sigh of relief.

"This is the last time I give in to your crazy ideas, Nabi. Every single time it's resulted in my embarrassment," Hinata lamented.

"Hey don't blame me, blame your big butt," she shot back. Hanabi noticed her body begin to shake and she thought she finally went too far. "Hinata, I'm sorry."

Hinata stifled her laughs but it soon became obvious. "Of course this had to happen to us. God, we're such dorks."

Pleased that Hinata wasn't upset, she joined in the laughter. "Maybe I shouldn't have taken it too personally," Hanabi strained out as the zipper slowly cooperated before getting stuck again. "Okay, it's working just stay still."

Preoccupied with the dress, she hadn't noticed the door open behind them and Sasuke was welcomed by a very interesting sight. He took in Hinata's half-dressed state and wondered if he had dozed off again. "Hinata?"

She screamed and pulled the top of the dress on to cover her breasts. "Get out!"

Startled by her voice, he turned around and frantically tried to leave. Sasuke pushed against the door but it wouldn't open.

"Pull! Pull it!" Hinata cried out.

"I'm trying!" Hanabi frantically yelled back. Overwhelmed by everything, she scampered away from Hanabi and waddled behind the stack of crates. "You have to _pull_ on the door!"

Finally understanding that she was instructing him, he pulled the door and ran out mumbling an apology.

Hanabi was dumbstruck at their reactions. As she worked the zipper, she wondered about their relationship. She knew what people said about the Uchiha and she knew that her sister wasn't a virgin. Had they really never had sex together, or undressed in front of each other? _Nah, Hinata probably didn't want him to see her in her wedding dress, _she grinned.

The dress finally pooled around her feet but Hinata's hands still covered her red face. "Sis? You have to get dressed."

They met an ecstatic Ino and a very uncomfortable looking Sasuke in the front entrance. "Sorry we had to cut it short but-"

"We'll take it," Hinata said. "It's really what we need."

Blue eyes lit up and Ino assured that everything would be ready as she drove off. "I'll put the orders in today!"

Neji pulled up minutes later and Hanabi jumped in the car, shooting Hinata an apologetic smile. Thinking back to the incident, Hinata wished she could jump in with them but she had been living with Sasuke for a while now. On the bright side, at least they took different cars here.

She turned back to see Sasuke sitting on the ledge of the large fountain, looking up at the sky. "See you at home."

"Hinata."

She stiffened and turned her head. "Yes?"

He patted the area next to him and she obliged. "Look, I'm sorry for walking in."

"Oh no! It was my fault. Well actually more like Hanabi's but I shouldn't have agreed so-" she quickly replied. "But I accept your apology," Hinata added, noticing the annoyed look he got whenever she tried to brush things off.

"It's a nice place, huh?" Hinata nodded in agreement. They were really making an effort to make it a realistic event. She closed her eyes, not quite believing that it was all coming to fruition.

Sasuke stared at her from the corner of his eye. Her attractiveness was not something that happened spontaneously, so he was confused as to why he found himself constantly taking in all her features. The sunset caused her to look even lovelier.

He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, enjoying her faint blush. "Sasuke?"

Knowing he didn't have an answer to her questioning stare, he smirked and diverted the conversation. "I wouldn't have pegged you as the type to wear that kind of lingerie. Did I ever tell you that navy is my favorite color?"

"Oh you-" Hinata sputtered.

Sasuke sighed as she stormed off, slightly tripping on the way to her car. He arrived home and was greeted with a crabby Hinata watching some reality show. "C'mon it was just a joke."

"Hmph," she responded indignantly. "I don't like being laughed at, especially by people I care about."

He faltered on his way to his room "What?"

"It's not a good feeling. I mean I wouldn't laugh at your misfortunes because I'm not a jerk!"

"You care about me?" He asked walking into her line of sight.

"Well yeah," she blushed suddenly aware of her words. "You've become someone special to me. I used to think you were selfish and egotistical but now I see that there's more to you than your arrogance."

A pleasant yet unusual feeling slowly washed over him as she continued to compliment him. "You're giving me way too much credit. I couldn't reach my goals to the top without you by my side so of course I'm not going to be a total asshole to you," he interrupted not used to being thought of so highly. "You don't have to make me sound so noble."

She shook her head. "I disagree that _you_ need _me_ but you didn't have to put so much on the line. There's a lot riding on this and I hope I don't disappoint you or your father."

He frowned at the mention of Fugaku and sat next to her, unconsciously wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Just play your part as a loving wife and everything will take care of itself. Don't worry about a thing, especially him. Just enjoy the ride."

Still unsure of herself and her abilities, Hinata gave him a doubtful look.

"I need you, Hinata." He stared at her, all playfulness wiped away. "And I won't just cut you out of my life when…it ends. You're mean too much to me, too."

"You don't have to be so friendly, Sasuke. I promise not to take anything in the divorce," she teased.

Sasuke said nothing in response and turned his attention on the crude show, slightly tightened his hold on her.

Hinata didn't think much of his touches as he did this frequently. As far as she knew, he was warming up to her and she really enjoyed his company. She had closed herself off for so long that she avoided being physically embraced. Hinata really missed this feeling and happily leaned into it, failing to catch the look of content on his face.

.

.

"Oh, is that little Sasuke?! Oh you have grown into such a handsome young man!" Akane screeched out, pinching his cheeks. He stepped away from her and scowled. "Aww and he has the same pout he did as a baby!" The large woman laughed and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe your youngest is finally getting married, Mikoto! I'm so happy you choose my home for the bridal shower," she giggled. "I haven't hosted a social event in forever and to think it'll be for the Hyuuga bridal shower. Who would have thought?"

The Uchiha matriarch smiled at her longtime friend, feeling bad for using her. Their conversation was cut short by a caterer who had questions for Akane.

"You could be more civil. She is doing you a favor," Mikoto scolded Sasuke.

"That's rich coming from you," he scoffed walking towards the crowd but she held him back.

"Please, son. Can't you see I'm making an effort? I miss how we used to be," she pleaded

"Why don't you make things right with her first?" He shook her off and headed straight for the bane of her existence. He was only here to make sure his mother behaved.

Mikoto had once thanked the heavens for Hinata's birth. It had caused a major obstacle in Fugaku's way to win back Haruhi. She never wished harm on the child and other than being something that sealed Haruhi to Hiashi, Mikoto was largely indifferent to the girl. Things were much different today; she cursed her very existence.

Fugaku had informed her, much to her irritation, that the bridal shower would take place in one of her friend's homes. Akane was a known gossiper and had substantial influence over their social circle. Mikoto felt sick that was forced to ask one of her dearest friends for a favor, for _her_.

She would have outright refused to comply with his demand but he mentioned that it was Sasuke's idea. Perhaps if she showed him how much she was willing to go for him, he'd forgive her and they'd be back to how they used to be. She missed her family and barely concealed her hostility as she observed guests mingling with Hinata.

"Wow that is one big ass cookie," Naruto commented causing Hinata to burst out laughing. He had been upset once he heard they were going forward with the plan but he couldn't deny that she looked happier.

"Yes, but I'm kind of hoping I can cart it out without anyone looking and just gorge myself. It looks pretty yummy." Naruto raised his eyebrow and turned back to the heart shaped treat.

"Let me get you a piece." He broke off a piece from the bottom but the force caused it to fall down. He hysterically called for help as he struggled to put it back in place.

"You idiot!" Ino screeched. "That wasn't meant to be eaten. It's for display!"

"It looked edible!" Naruto narrowed his eyes at the beautiful yet loud stranger, his hands still holding the large cookie in place. "Who came up with that bright idea?"

"The same person who thought people would act like adults!" Ino retorted upset at the small cracks. "It is edible but now it's completely ruined. Take it inside! Away from sight!"

Hinata instinctively hurried to his aid and balanced one side of it. "Not you, Hinata! Your dress will get dirty!"

They hurried inside and placed it on the large island in the middle of the kitchen. Naruto broke another piece off to Ino's indignation.

"What? I still want to try it." He gave a look of approval. "Pretty good. You should have served normal servings instead." He offered her a piece but she huffed and left to supervise the rest of the event.

"She's a piece of work," Naruto commented.

Hinata debated whether to take a bite and quickly broke off a price for herself. She savored the taste and agreed with him, about the cookie not Ino. "It's sooo good," she moaned, deprived of sweets these last weeks. After the dress fiasco and final fittings for a new gown, Hanabi had been watching her eating habits like a hawk.

She smiled mischievously and Naruto chuckled as she went for another piece. "Hinata! They want you to open gifts now!" her sister called out. She licked her lips to remove the crumbs but missed the corner of her mouth.

"Here, let me." His calloused fingers gently rubbed them away lingering on the bottom lip. "Hinata, I-"

"What are you doing?" Sasuke curtly asked, hoping he'd widen the space between the two. He had come to fetch Hinata and the sight of the two together irritated him.

Although he removed his hands from her face, Naruto didn't move away. "Just making her presentable for all those snobs."

"You could've fooled me. Anyone walking in might assume you're making a move on _my_ fiancé," Sasuke taunted. "But we know better, right?"

Naruto glared in response, but Hinata rolled her eyes unaware of the meaning behind his statement.

"I should head out." Hinata frowned up at him.

"Are you sure? We haven't had the chance to really hang out and you are making this whole thing bearable."

The blond smiled at her words but shook his head. "I need to get going anyways, just wanted to provide some life into this party. Anyway I don't want to be one of the few guys here. Some of your aunts have been giving me some weird looks. We'll hang out soon enough," Naruto assured her. "Just go through the _formalities_, and then we'll go back to how it used to be. Just you and me."

He gave her a hug and kissed her forehead despite Sasuke's mumblings that it's inappropriate. Hinata grimaced as her aunt called her to the living room.

"I'm coming!"

The two males watched as she attempted to look enthusiastic to the group of ladies.

"I know you're going to enjoy yourself, Sasuke. And maybe you should let her, too." Naruto said quietly.

"And you're willing to be that source of enjoyment, right?" Sasuke asked mockingly. The two hadn't mended their friendship and it began to resemble the days when Sakura was the source of their troubles.

He just shrugged nonchalantly and left a displeased Sasuke behind.

Although Hinata knew they had clearly written in the invitations that couple wanted donations to be made to the charity of their choice, some of the guests claimed not being aware.

"Well, we can't return these now!" Hanabi gave her sister a look of disbelief at her older cousin's statement. "So get on with it!"

The kitchen appliances were well enough but the baby clothes had her wondering what the rumors circulating her and Sasuke really entailed. To make her point on the subject, she asked a waiter for a glass of champagne.

"Are you sure that's okay?" One of the older women asked, concerned for the fictional baby. Hinata merely nodded and chugged it down in one gulp, impressing Hanabi with her boldness.

"Alright, I think we're at the end," Mikoto announced, quite ready to wrap up this tortuous afternoon.

"Hold on! We have a very special gift to our sweet baby cousin." The pixie haired Hyuuga practically pranced and handed her a big box. Concerned with her smirk, Hinata slowly opened it and held it up since she couldn't make it out in its folded state. Snickers and gasps erupted from the otherwise well-mannered ladies.

"It's a nightie!" Hanabi whispered. "A whole lot of them!"

Her eyes widened and she stuffed it back in. The sheerness and lack of covering had her furiously blushing. _What is wrong with them?!_

"Look at her! She's so innocent!" More giggles ensued. Mikoto and Akane gained control of the party and soon it was time to leave. Hinata thanked each guest but wagged her finger at her devious cousin who winked in response.

Sasuke found Hinata back in the kitchen surrounded by their gifts, breaking off more of the cookie and placing the pieces in Tupperware. "Are you ready to go?"

She stacked three containers and shoved them inside one of the gift bags. "Yup."

He went to carry their stuff when Hinata told him not to bother with one of the boxes. "Why?" he asked curiously.

"I'm giving that one to Hanabi to return. My relatives have a sense of humor," she replied dismissively. "Just leave it there."

"Oh now I have to see." He quickly removed the top and felt his throat go dry. "Hinata?"

She grabbed the lid and closed the box. "Let's go, okay?"

He already had vivid dreams and a very good picture of what she looked like half naked. "Nice," he commented. Her blush caused him to smirk.

Hinata was tired of always being so flustered at everything. Sasuke always had fun at her expense and she always reacted to his comments or innuendos. Sick of being the butt of the jokes, she held a white one against her body. "Really? Which is better, the white or red one? Should I t-try it on?"

"Huh?" Sasuke looked around as if not sure of himself. "Hinata are you serious or?"

Hinata alternated between the red and white gown. "Well?" she asked but her confidence faltered for a brief moment when she met his lust filled eyes.

_Fuck it_, Sasuke thought as he caged her in against the countertop. Her mouth opened in shock and he wanted to ravish her lips. The same ones Naruto had eyed. The mere thought of him being in this position erupted a feeling of possessiveness.

"Tsk tsk, can't you wait to do the deed in your own home," Hanabi muttered, gathering some of the gifts Hinata had wanted her to take care of. "Maybe Hinata should move back home until the wedding. Wouldn't want people to think it was a shotgun wedding."

The two separated and awkwardly stood around as Hanabi exited the kitchen.

"So home then?" Sasuke asked, pushing his bangs back and looking away

"Yeah," she answered, regretting that she had yet another humiliating incident. The worst part was that she initiated it this time.

Sasuke, on the other hand, enjoyed their little interaction even if he felt a bit frustrated. "Try on the white one first," he said casually. "We won't have any interruptions."

"That's not what I meant!" She cried as she followed him out.

* * *

AN: The wedding bells will definitely ring next chapter, but it won't take up the whole thing because we need to get on to married life with Sasuhina! Originally the wedding was going to be included here but it would've meant a longer wait. A wedding in the 15th chapter of an 'arranged' marriage story?! Man, even as the author I'm a bit frustrated but it's coming together ;)

Oh, and that was my first ever lemon (?) so forgive me if it ain't up to expectations. It was a dream so it was brief but I'll be working on that too.

Thanks for the views, reviews, favs, and follows. You all rock!


	15. Chapter 15

Enjoy.

* * *

_Voices tell me I should carry on_

_But I am swimming in an ocean all alone_

Hinata didn't hear her bedroom door open, nor did she notice him slip in. However, she did begin to stir when the bed began to shift behind her.

"Hmm?" a masculine voice uttered, pleased with the discovery next to him. "What's this?"

Her eyes widened when he pressed his chest against her back and hands groped her chest. "Aaaahh!" She jumped out of his hold and instincts kicked in. With adrenaline in her veins, she began to pummel the intruder.

"What the fuck?!" the man cried out. "Stop!"

"Sasuke! Help!" Hinata yelled out, now using her brush as a weapon. "There's a man in my room!"

A few seconds later, Sasuke appeared with a bat. He turned on the light and she ran behind him. "I'll call the cops!"

"Hold the fuck up you crazy bitch!" Suigetsu yelled from beneath the covers. "Sasuke, it's me. Call your skank off."

He was rewarded with a jab to his ribs. "Ow, what the hell man?"

"Apologize to my fiancé for calling her that and scaring her while she slept you fucking creep," Sasuke demanded.

"Oh shit, that's your girl?" Sasuke nodded heatedly and Suigetsu rubbed the back of his neck looking at Hinata. "I'm sorry. I though Sasuke had one of his sluts over…" he trailed off realizing what he was saying.

"I mean, not that he would anymore," he tried to smooth over. "Not now that he's got you! You're so much better than those other women. Beautiful, too. Hi, I'm Suigetsu Hozuki."

"How did you get in?" Sasuke demanded, still shielding Hinata.

Suigetsu gave him a look. "I have a copy, you know."

Sasuke held out his hand, and Suigetsu huffed before throwing it at him. "I didn't do it intentionally, just needed a place to crash before your bachelor party. It's my job as best man to make sure you show up."

Sasuke rubbed his forehead, irritated by his friend. He was his last choice for the role seeing as Itachi wasn't an option and his sort- of best friend refused to take part in the wedding. Even Juugo had other obligations abroad.

"Hey, why is she sleeping here anyways? Don't you share a bed?" Suigetsu inquired. "Did you two have a fight?"

Hinata peered from behind Sasuke, carrying a small bag of ice that she had retrieved from the kitchen. "No, we just…" she struggled to find a reason in the spur of the moment.

The man smirked knowingly as he accepted the bag. "I get it. You bagged yourself a virgin, Sasuke! Dude, you're gonna have to be gentle with her on your wedding night."

Hinata stammered while Sasuke frowned. "You're a fucking moron that needs to learn when to shut the fuck up. She just gets up earlier than me because she's planning the wedding. After it dies down, we'll be back to our usual sleeping habits."

Sasuke found lying came really easy to him, but Suigetsu remained skeptical.

"Riiiiight," Suigetsu mumbled. "Well, it's been a long night and we all need to get to bed."

"Make yourself comfortable," Hinata said, offering him her bed. "And I'm sorry for hitting you."

Shrugging, Suigetsu took off his shirt and crawled under the covers. "And I'm sorry for fondling you. But you do have nice ones," he said while his hands made squeezing gestures.

Sasuke angrily raised the bat, ready to inflict more punishment. "You fucking perv-" Hinata held him back. "Get the hell out!"

"How can you kick your best man out?" The white- haired man asked appalled at the thought.

"It's late and dangerous," Hinata pleaded and Suigetsu nodded. She didn't really care for the man especially after she was felt up but she didn't want to be kept all night wondering about his fate. If it was earlier in the evening, she would've helped Sasuke carry him out.

Unfazed, Sasuke shrugged. "He's a grown man and can take care of himself."

"Please?" She pouted up at him.

"Fine, but that means we're sharing princess," he whispered. "And I like to move around."

"It's only for one night," she replied, walking to his bedroom. He stared at her backside, appreciating how her pajama bottoms hugged her hips.

"You're welcome."

He turned back to his friend. "What?"

"And you call me a pervert. Just don't be so rough with her," he winked.

Not bothering to give him another thought, he left Hinata's room. She was on the edge of the bed and had her back turned to him.

"Goodnight," she whispered tiredly.

"Night."

The next morning, he found her in his arms. He enjoyed how she sighed against his chest; in fact it was extremely noticeable just how much he relished it. Sasuke gently removed himself and headed straight for a cold shower.

Suigetsu tried to sleep in but worried for Hinata, who had been given a temporarily leave at Byakugan, Sasuke dragged him out of his home. He in return dragged Sasuke out of his office an hour before his usual time.

The white haired man smirked as he motioned some scantily clad women over to their table. "It's time to let loose, man. Once you tie the knot, you can't have fun like this," he shouted over the music.

Although he didn't want to give Suigetsu a sense of satisfaction, Sasuke had to admit he was enjoying the evening. The strippers were handpicked by his best man, something Suigetsu enjoyed, but his eyes kept following the dark haired one. _If she turns the other way and we dim the lights, she can almost pass for…_ Sasuke shook his head at the thought. _I need to distract myself_, he thought and motioned for the blond to entertain him.

An hour later, he and his rambunctious group of friends exited the club and headed to the next one.

"Ah man, I thought I was gonna miss doing this shit with you," Suigetsu said, throwing an arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "But maybe this won't be the last time, your girl seems cool with this."

Sasuke merely chuckled. "Yeah."

"I'm serious. Look." He handed him his phone and saw a series of messages between Suigetsu and Hinata. Apparently, he had taken a photo of Sasuke enjoying himself with the caption 'I'll return him in one piece.' She replied with 'How did you get my number?' and 'Just keep him safe.'

"You have a really laid back chick, dude. I'm jealous."

"What the hell?!" Sasuke shook him off. "Why would you send her something like that?"

"Chill, it's all good."

"No, I'm heading home," he said as took out his keys. His other friends jeered him and Suigetsu tried to persuade him to continue the party.

Sasuke scowled as he tried to wipe the lipstick off his collar. He would have to change before Hinata got a good look at him. For some reason, he didn't want her to think he was blatantly disrespecting her.

He entered his apartment and saw a small girl going through his fridge. "Um, hello?"

The girl squeaked and ran to his living room, sandwich in hand. "Hina! Nabi!"

Hanabi gathered the girl in her arms. "Aren't you supposed to be out?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in your own house?" He shot back.

She rolled her eyes. "Hinata, Prince A-hole is back early."

He headed to his bedroom and bumped into Hinata who had a green facial mask on and hair in a messy bun. "I thought you weren't coming back until after midnight."

"Eh, I wasn't having fun and got tired."

She smiled cheekily, "Sure you did. Suigetsu probably got you all kicked out of the strip club." Hinata headed towards the small slumber party. Hanabi was underage and couldn't go all out for a bachelorette party but Hinata didn't care. She had also forgotten that she agreed to babysit for a family friend, so they made it a PG rated slumber party.

After a quick shower, he decided to join the girls much to Hanabi's displeasure. "I have to say that this barely beats my party," he joked.

"Popcorn, ice cream, pizza and Disney, this is the life," Hinata said.

He reached for a slice and leaned back on the couch next to her while the other two sat on the floor. "At least there's no stripper around."

Hanabi turned around, "You never know. Once Mirai's bedtime hits, we're breaking out the singles for a sexy fireman." Thankfully the five year old was too engrossed in the tale of the troubled princess to pay attention to the conversation.

"Hn," he grunted. "The only naked man in my home will be me." Looking pointedly at Hinata he added, "And you better remember that."

.

.

Even with the pearls around her neck, Hinata felt bare without her locket. She closed both hands over it and reluctantly placed it inside her jewelry box.

"Are you ready?" Ino asked from behind the door.

"Yes," she replied in a shaky voice which caused Ino to smile. "Don't worry, I bet you look beautiful. I'll come back to get you when it's time for your entrance. Good luck!"

Hinata stared at her reflection, unable to ignore the empty feeling. She had dreamt of this day for so long; but everything was wrong, he was not here. She would have married Kiba in a heartbeat no matter how modest or extravagant the event, but now that was an impossible dream. Reality smacked her right in the face when she looked at her wrist; Fugaku had been persistent about the familiar ruby and diamond bracelet.

"You look like an Uchiha, now," he boasted when she finally gave in. "Consider this a gift to welcome you to the family." She had smiled in return, mostly to spite Mikoto who tensed her jaw and left the wedding rehearsal early. Hinata knew it was petty and she shouldn't have humored Fugaku but she wanted to get back at Mikoto. The woman had not apologized nor had she even acknowledged her presence without being prompted.

The door opened and she realized she had misplaced her bouquet. "I'm so absent minded, I can't find the bouquet, Ino."

"Don't do this."

Hinata turned around and stared in annoyance at the man in front of her.

Itachi stared pleadingly. "I'm concerned that this will hurt Sasuke in the long run. If you have a conscious, please don't go through with it. There is still time."

"I commend your tenacity, but on the big day? You have some nerve but my answer remains the same. As long as Sasuke agrees with this, I'm not going away." Hinata said, wondering how Itachi got into her dressing room without anyone noticing. "And you shouldn't be here," she added offhandedly, looking around for her bouquet.

He steeped closer and towered over her small frame. "This is serious!"

She looked up in fear and felt her heart race at the sudden fire behind his eyes; it terrified her. "M-move aside!"

His face grew harder and she wondered if he realized he was frightening her. "Stop this madness already! You have the Otsutsuki, why are you dragging Sasuke along? What more do you need?!"

Hinata knew that he wouldn't be satisfied with any answer aside from conceding to his demands so she remained quiet. However that didn't mean she would take his intimidation willingly. A panic attack is not something she needed right now. "Please move!" She hoped that someone would pass by and hear her cries. "You're making me feel uncomfortable."

Itachi lowered his head and scowled at her. "This is nothing compared to how Sasuke-" he was interrupted as Sasuke grabbed the back of his jacket and flung him to the ground, the force nearly taking Hinata down with him.

"You piece of shit! Don't you _ever_ lay a hand on her!" Sasuke menaced. "I want you out!"

Solemn- faced, Itachi fixed his clothes. "I only want you to be happy but also know this is not the way to get what you really want."

"Every time I get close to achieving something, you're always there preventing me from actually reaching it!" Sasuke shouted, thinking of how throughout his life he had always been considered less than his brother.

Fearing Sasuke lashing back at her, Hinata thought twice about reaching out to calm him down. His body shook with such fury. She clutched her hands near her chest, not knowing what do to. But thankfully it didn't drag on; Itachi quietly left the room and muttered an apology at her.

Sasuke's breathing was heavy and when he suddenly turned around, she jumped in surprise. "Are you okay?" He asked trying to sound gentle but it still came out gruffly. He looked at her over, trying to see if his brother left any marks.

However, this allowed him to see how much she truly looked like a bride; his bride. From her elegant up do to the curve hugging trumpet- styled lace gown, he was truly taken back. It looked extremely similar to her mother's dress. Sasuke thought it better to focus on her face but she still took his breath away.

"I'm fine now. Thank you," she said still shaken from the encounter. "I think I just need a moment. Sasuke, do you think we're doing the right thing?"

"Don't listen to what he says, just focus on you and me."

"But-"

"Are you having second thoughts? Hinata, as much as I really want this, I will walk out there and call it off. I won't force you, but I have a good feeling about us."

She silently pondered while Sasuke anxiously awaited her response. "The moment you feel like it's not worth it or it's hurting more than benefiting you, you'll tell me right?"

He nodded slowly.

"And we will end things," Hinata said with a strained voice. "Because I don't want to cause you any misery. You don't need that, and I'd hate to be the reason for it. I also want you to make amends with your brother as soon as possible. Agreed?"

"Agreed," he consented. Sasuke wiped away the stray tears that fell down her cheeks, deciding he'd push back a talk with his brother for another time. "You look beautiful."

She laughed, thinking he was trying to distract her. "Yeah, it took forever to look this way."

"Nah," he disagreed. "You always look like this."

Confused, she looked up at him and he blushed. "I mean obviously not all dressed up. You're not hideous is what I'm trying to say."

She laughed even harder and he became flustered. "Well thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. I can see why everyone is smitten with you." He had surprised her by getting a haircut and styling his hair back. Liking that his face wasn't obscured, she gently stroked his cheek. "You look better this way."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, pleased by her compliment and soft caress. "Am I that irresistible?"

Pleased that the mood had been lifted, she giggled and nodded. Suddenly, her door opened and a stern cough drew their eyes to Hiashi. "Even if this is all a charade, I think we should still observe some traditions. It's bad luck for you to be here. You should leave."

Unfazed by his tone, Sasuke turned to Hinata and kissed her hand. "I'll be waiting."

Angered, Hiashi had to restrain himself from having a replay of the events in the hospital. He had a brief encounter with Itachi down the hall but he announced he was leaving anyway. "Now, Uchiha," he spat. He continued to glare until the door shut and he reluctantly looked at his daughter.

While waiting for his cue, Sasuke saw Hanabi scrutinizing him and annoyed by her glare asked her what he had done this time.

She sighed, "Just wondering if you're worth it. Neji and dad have given her the option of calling it off many times. I said we should've called a bomb threat but she refused. Heck, I think dad's still trying to sneak her out as we speak."

He felt dread come over him and while Itachi had failed, wondered if Hiashi would successfully sway her mind. "Whatever," he said, trying to sound calm.

"Yeah, she's too nice to publicly embarrass you," Hanabi mused. "But a divorce can be much more private."

Sasuke decided to tune her out and she skipped towards her sister's dressing room. Fugaku came up and good naturedly smacked his shoulder, but Sasuke didn't see it that way. "What?"

"You lucked out with the right sister," he joked but Sasuke didn't join in the laughter. "Er, here's something from me." He awkwardly offered the cuff links that he and many Uchiha men wore on their wedding day. Sasuke struggled to put them on and reluctantly accepted his father's help. Once finished Fugaku gave his son a look over, a bit shaken by how much he resembled him on his day.

"What now?" Sasuke sighed.

"Nothing." Fugaku replied as Mikoto grudgingly looped her arm around his elbow. He escorted her down and hoped everything went smoothly as Sasuke soon followed.

After a few minutes, Pachelbel's Canon in D Major began and every rose to their feet. Heartbroken, Hiashi looked at his daughter. "Are you sure? We can still walk out right now and get in the car. You won't have to look back and we'll figure something out. None of this is right-"

"I'm doing this for the right reasons," Hinata responded confidently. "I'm doing this for love, father."

"For love?!" he asked, alarmed at what the Uchiha might've planted in her head.

She nodded looking pointedly at Neji and Hanabi who sat in front, with the former trying to look happy. Relieved, he smiled but it thinned out when he noticed Haruhi's brooch attached to her bouquet. "I'm sure your mother would agree with me when I say you look beautiful."

Hinata gripped his elbow tighter and beamed at him. He swallowed hard, still wondering how his late wife would have handled the entire situation. Undoubtedly she would have refused, even more so knowing that it was Uchiha's son. _Please forgive me, love._

On the surface, she displayed confidence but midway down she slightly faltered. Her anxiety was slowly building and alarm bells rang when she looked at the judging stares of some of her guests. She ignored Mikoto's but felt the weight of it. Elated, he leaned down and in a whispered tone repeated his offer.

Slightly shaking her head, she pulled them forward. However the hold on her father didn't show any signs of loosening; years ago he might've been the source of her misery but now he was her security blanket.

Sasuke coughed and reached out his hand which melted away any second thoughts. His eyes expressed various emotions, but what she could clearly see was trust and compassion which she knew he hadn't shown many.

Hiashi grudgingly handed her over and dejectedly took his seat next to Hanabi.

The ceremony was routine and during the exchange of vows and rings, Hinata's heart skipped at the sincerity Sasuke displayed. Throughout the entire thing, he had held on to her hands and she felt at ease.

.

.

"So how do you like the food?" Obito asked a clearly irritated Neji.

"Bitter and bland," he responded seriously.

Fugaku burst out laughing, taking the insult in jest. He had taken multiple trips to the bar and grew more inebriated as the night went on, something Mikoto worried about.

In their own area, Sasuke looked over at Hinata and was grateful that she wasn't sullen. Quite the contrary, she was smiling so much it was infectious. Aside from the bit of trouble during their first dance for which she apologized for stepping on him, everything was going great. Even Itachi, who had been absent at the church, had maintained a respectable distance and was accompanied by his associates. But his sullen mood had affected their cousin Shisui, who kept shooting Sasuke looks of confusion at their falling out.

"Dance with me," his father came up and demanded from a jubilant Hinata. Without waiting for her answer, he pulled her to the center of the dance floor, falling to the delusion that he had traveled back in time.

"We really made this a beautiful wedding," he said, slightly dipping her. "You've made me so happy."

"It was really nothing. We should really be thanking Sasuke," she replied. "Without him, we would have nothing."

"Hn." He didn't seem to care what she was saying. "You're kind, humble, and," he twirled her around and pulled her close to him. "Breathtaking. I love you so much."

Hinata gently pushed him away, as to not make a scene. "I think it's better if you have a seat. You've had a bit too much to drink and my feet are tired," she laughed nervously.

Although he allowed her to escort him off the floor, he was clearly not in his right mind. "You are so beautiful, Haru." His lips hovered over her ear. "You shouldn't have married him."

"W-what?" Hinata grew confused and more unnerved. _Does he think Sasuke and I made a mistake?_

"You shouldn't have married Hiashi when I was right here for you," he slurred out.

Hinata froze at his words and tried to convince herself that she misheard.

Noticing Hinata looking around for help while a seemingly belligerent Fugaku reached out to grab her, Madara excused himself from his group of friends and headed straight for them. "I think my baby brother has had a few too many. Perhaps it's best I take him home."

"Um, Madara sir?" Hinata debated asking about her mother relation to Fugaku. Maybe she didn't want to know, especially after that display. She would just stay away from him. "Make sure he makes it safely."

His smiled and nodded. His driver helped seat him and not wanting to deal with Fugaku's ramblings, he instructed the driver to take him straight home.

.

.

Itachi silently observed the new additions to his family as Neji made small talk with one of his cousins. Shisui had been pestering him all night to congratulate Sasuke before he left. Taking a deep breath, he tapped on his brother's shoulder and tried not to frown when his smile turned into a scowl. "What do you want?"

Hinata slowly walked up and Sasuke instinctively held her hand as if daring Itachi to try something.

Clearing his throat, he briefly nodded at the bride and focused on Sasuke. With a forced a smile on his face, he addressed the newlyweds, "I'd just like to say I hope the best for you. I only want that for you."

Looking uninterested, Sasuke took a sip of his champagne and Hinata sucked her teeth in disapproval at his behavior. "Thank you Itachi, that means a lot to the both of us."

He paid no attention to her and after sensing no response form Sasuke, he left. "What an asshole," Sasuke muttered. "Just stay away from him."

Hinata sulked, thinking about the deteriorated sibling relationship and felt responsible for it. She never wanted this and decided to take the first step in pushing them back together. Itachi could hate her for all she cared, but those Sasuke needed him in the long run.

After Sasuke was pulled aside by some of his business associates, she searched for the older Uchiha. Spotting him sitting on the steps of the back entrance, she carefully walked towards him still weary of his reaction. "Thanks for coming," she began to say.

"Are you here to mock me?" he sneered out. "Trying to shove your victory in my face?"

She shook her head, trying to ignore the malice in his voice. He was understandably upset and was just looking out for his brother, even if it was misguided. "I just wanted you to know that he misses you."

"I don't believe you. He seems pretty content not talking to me."

Hinata sighed and looked up at the clear sky. "On the surface, he might pretend that everything is okay but I can see the loneliness."

"Doesn't he have you now?" Itachi asked.

"I can't fill the role you played," she maintained. "I can't be there for him all the time. He wants to stand out on his own, but I don't think he feels right about pushing you away. He needs you and you need him."

He raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said to have faith in him, do you doubt him now?"

"He can do this. It's not a matter of business or anything like that," she clarified. "Sometimes there are things you can only experience people who know you best. We both know he can't talk to your father and your mother is another situation entirely. But the blame lies with you, too. You should've have listened to him."

Surprised, he stood up towering over her small frame but not as hostile as before. He was analyzing her for any deceit or manipulation. "Why are you telling me this?"

She took a few steps back and shrugged. "I guess I don't want him to be alone. After this is over, he might need your support when I can't be there." Hinata walked back to the reception, leaving him with his thoughts.

.

.

Threatening to fire the driver on the spot, Fugaku soon found himself in the cemetery after throwing a wad of cash to the groundskeeper. Even with the pounding headache, he knew where she was interred. Bottle in hand, he fell to his knees and sobbed.

_(Flash Back)_

She paced back and forth, obviously having wedding day jitters but to him it appeared as she was having second thoughts. Stepping from behind the door, he approached her. "Haruhi you don't have to do this. I can take you away and we'll-"

"Are you insane?! I'm about to walk down the aisle! What do I have to say for you to finally understand? I love Hiashi and he's the one I want beside me for the rest of our lives," she cried out. "Go back to her, please. She needs you, your family needs you!"

Angered, he threw a vase at a nearby wall. "And what about what I want?! What about what I need?"

Disgusted, she struck him across his face and shook her head. "You have so much and don't deserve any of it. They deserve to be loved and cherished, yet you'd toss them to aside as if they were an inconvenience. Ask me why I should be with you. Ask me again why I could never love you."

He looked up, heartbroken at her piercing words. "Haru, I-"

"What is he doing here?!" Hizashi demanded, investigating the shattering vase. "Haruhi?"

She waved him off, fighting an oncoming headache. "He was leaving and please make sure he leaves quietly."

With a gag in his mouth, four security guards tried to take him out the back but he squirmed. She turned away from the sight and Hizashi pushed them out. He wanted to keep this quiet from his brother; there was no way to know how he'd react to the wedding crasher.

The next thing Fugaku remembered was the Hyuuga instructing the men to knock him out.

A cold rag pressed on his face woke him up and he noticed a tear stained Mikoto, wiping away his blood. "They found you out front by the gates," she sniffed as she leaned over to wring out the water, her stomach softly pressed against him. "It's yours. I promise you, it's yours."

He remained quiet for the rest of the night, thinking about how everything went so wrong.

(_End Flashback_)

"I have done some horrible and unforgivable things, my love. Everything that matters and I've touched has diminished. My sons still don't have the father you wished I was, Mikoto has lost that glow that was so similar to you, and…" he sobbed. "I just want to go back, you know. I just want to go back."

His head fell to his hands, "I want to take that boy that I used to be and just grab him. Shake him and say you stop, stop, JUST STOP! Suck it up and stop being so fucking arrogant and selfish. I lost you because I was too fucking prideful."

"Everything's so fucked up, and I pretend that it doesn't bother me. The truth is I'm drowning in this abyss. I want to wake up from this nightmare, I want to breathe again. I'm suffocating and want to quite these voices in my head that tell me that I'm alone. If only I would've stayed with you," he mumbled. "I want to breathe again."

The driver waited a few minutes until there was silence. He walked up to his passed out boss and helped him back to the car, taking him home all while thinking they didn't pay him enough for this.

.

.

The newlyweds happily entered their suite, tired but overall pleased by how everything turned out. Hinata even managed to push her troubling encounter with Fugaku to the back of her mind. She doubted he would remember and she sure as hell wasn't going to bring it up.

Hinata fell back on the bed, sighing contently with Sasuke joining her. "You know there's only one bed," he said suggestively. She snorted and he smiled. "I'm just kidding. I'll take the couch."

"No, it's fine."

His eyes widened, "Really?"

"We can share the bed, but not like that," Hinata giggled. "It's big enough for the two of us and it's only fair." She got up and headed to the bathroom with a change of clothes.

Sasuke stared at the ceiling reflecting on the turn of events and turned off his cell when his mother called. "Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me take the dress off? I'm not trying to tease you or anything," she added quickly. "It's just I can't seem to undo some of the buttons."

Eagerly jumping off the bed and taking off his jacket, he walked behind an apologetic Hinata. She held the front of the dress while he slowly unbuttoned the gown. He couldn't help but notice how soft her skin looked, and his fingers lightly traced the curve of her back. When he reached her waist, she stepped away.

"Thank you, I think I have it now."

"Y-yeah, no problem." He left and went to change out of his clothes and wash up.

Hinata appeared, face free of make-up but her hair was much unruly than usual. Noticing his amused look, she explained that it took a lot of bobby pins and curlers to give her that bridal look.

He would've commented how sexy it looked, but didn't want her to kick him off the bed. "So how does it feel?" He asked. "Being Mrs. Uchiha?"

She briefly scrunched her nose at that title since Mikoto was the main person associated with it. "It's interesting. But I'm glad we went through with it. Thank you, Sasuke. I'll try to make our time together pass painlessly and without causing you problems." She turned around adjusting her position.

He turned and faced the opposite way. "A bit too late for that," he muttered under his breath. He knew what the pull towards her might mean but wasn't ready to address it.

"Huh? I didn't hear you."

To save himself from answering, he pretended to fall asleep. Once Sasuke was sure she was in deep sleep, he slowly turned and inched closer. He buried his nose in her hair and he inhaled deeply before kissing the top of her head.

Sasuke wrapped his arm around her and much to his surprise, she snuggled against his chest. He heard her exhale in delight but wasn't sure if it was a conscious decision. Was she thinking of him or someone who still held her heart?

For the moment, it didn't matter to him and he didn't want to know. She was here next to him and he was going to bask in her warmth. Sasuke could pretend this was real.

* * *

AN: Finally amirite? I had to divide the original chapter (almost 10,000 words) into two because the moods were entirely different. Anyhow, I'll warn you now that you might hate me next chapter. Married life will not be entirely blissful, and we will be getting into the actual arrangement. hint hint.

But don't expect an update immediately, because life and stuff.

I think we've reached triple digits in Favorites, Reviews, and Follows so thanks to all of you! I even noticed that story was recommended by someone on Tumblr so I'm hella flattered. You really are awesome people and I hope those that celebrate Halloween have a blast this weekend.


	16. Chapter 16

Okay, I admit it's bit shorter compared to the others and more of a build up to bigger drama. Nonetheless try to enjoy it.

*SPOILER: You will hate me but I did warn you!*

* * *

_It's written on your face_

_You still wonder if we made a big mistake_

Mikoto frowned at his slouched position, acting as if she was bothering him. "Please sit up, Sasuke. This is serious."

Slowly complying, Sasuke gave her his full attention. She had called him non- stop and was even making unannounced visits to his office. Worried that she would come to his home and encounter Hinata, he reluctantly agreed to finally meet with his mother.

"We need to move past this," Mikoto pleaded. "You've gotten what you wanted. Can't we just go back to how we used to be, before she came along?"

He shook his head, "You can't even say her name. Once you apologize to Hinata, then we can try. You and Itachi are pathetic."

"Don't!" Mikoto stood up. "Don't you dare insult Itachi. He's done nothing but had your best interests in mind."

"Yeah, big shocker. Itachi remains the perfect child even when he fucks up," he mocked.

"That's not it…" she sighed. "Itachi doesn't deserve this treatment by you, especially because of her."

He slowly pushed his chair back, intending to leave his old home.

"Itachi didn't orchestrate the attack on Hinata," Mikoto whispered, desperate for him to stay. "He doesn't deserve to be punished for my actions. He didn't even know about it until after she was taken to the hospital."

Becoming enraged, Sasuke stormed over. "Why did he let me think he helped you? Why didn't you say anything?! I've distanced myself from him because I thought he was a coldblooded bastard!"

"I didn't tell you to treat your own brother like trash. You didn't have to choose her over your own flesh and blood. But he did it to protect me," she said remorsefully.

He fought his instinct to comfort his mother. "Ever since this started, I see less and less of the woman who raised me to be a decent human being."

"You don't know everything," Mikoto countered spitefully. "If you knew how your father-"

"Then tell me!" He furiously demanded.

"No," she muttered, closing her fists. "I can't, you'll hate me even more."

Frustrated with secrets being kept away from him, he stepped away when she tried to hold his hand. "You know, I used to think that there was something wrong with me. I might've had a horrible father but my mother was the greatest. So I wondered why I only took after him, always being thought as malicious and unkind. The truth is I am merely the result of the two of you!"

Ignoring her sobs, he walked, wiping away the tears streaming down his face. The words he spoke to his mother felt bitter coming out. As much as he wanted to see her as the kind woman he always adored, it was harder to do when this side came out.

His first call was to Hinata who listened to his frustrations and regrets. "I screwed up."

"We'll make things right," she spoke gently through the phone after he stopped ranting, soothing him. "Just trust me, okay?"

.

.

"Honey, I'm home!" Sasuke cheerfully announced as he kicked off his shoes. Every time he said those words, a warm and pleasant feeling settled in his chest.

They had fallen into a comfortable marital routine, even if he physically ached for more from her. His craving for sex grew as they became emotionally closer. While trying to sort out the confusing feelings and thoughts, he came to the conclusion that his physical attraction to Hinata was constantly on his mind because she was unattainable. Sasuke rarely met a woman he couldn't bed, and she had captured his attention more than any other. But even with this annoying problem, he couldn't deny how blissful everything had been so far.

Hinata appeared, nervously shifting her feet around.

"What?" he asked wearily. "Is there a problem with-?"

She shook her head, "Everything with Byakugan is going well, but um promise you won't be upset with me."

"Why would I be upset..?" he started before noticing a familiar jacket on the coat rack. Sasuke scowled and hastily stuffed one of his feet into a shoe. "I'm not ready for this."

"It's been three weeks since you've found out." Already sensing his stubbornness, she placed herself between him and the exit. "You have to face him sometime and the sooner the better."

"Move."

She stepped in front of him, mimicking his movement. "No, you promised me you'd try."

"That didn't mean that you could ambush me with this," he glared at her, trying to intimidate her to step aside. "I'll do this my own way."

"I'm sorry but I'm just using your advice. You're trying to push me to things I wouldn't be comfortable with and I'm doing the same. Be mad with me all you want, but talk things out with him. If you're still angry with me after this, then I'll never bring it up while we're together," she promised.

He groaned as he realized she had a point. "Fine, let's get this over with."

She hid a small smile as he pouted like a child and nearly dragged him to the living room where Itachi sat. He greeted them both as if he hadn't heard their argument. "Sasuke, how have you been?"

"Fine."

Hinata pushed him forward, motioning him to sit next to him and he frowned at her. "Oh! I forgot to pick up dinner. I'll head out and be back as soon as I can."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he reached out in vain to stop her but she was quicker.

His brother chuckled awkwardly. "She's a horrible liar."

"Well no one is a good as you," Sasuke retorted, feeling guilty when his brother winced. "Sorry, it's just I'm still a bit angry. You shouldn't have put all the blame on your shoulders, it wasn't fair to you."

"It hurt that you shut me out but I would prefer to be the villain in your eyes, not mother," Itachi said. "Even if it's all out in the open and I'm glad I'm vindicated I still feel you should sit down with her. It was never our intention for someone to get hurt, we just didn't want anyone to take advantage of you," Itachi said.

He rolled his eyes, irked by his perception of Hinata. "If you can't say nice things-"

"I mean no harm. I know she's nothing like I imagined," his brother clarified. "But I also worried that Father wouldn't hesitate to use you to get what he wants. I know you are an adult and know what's best for you but I still see you as my baby brother. Protecting you is kind of my job."

"Don't call me that, it's embarrassing," Sasuke grumbled, making Itachi smile. Everything was going to be okay between the two.

"Is there really no food?" he asked, trying to fill the time until his so- called sister- in- law arrived.

Sasuke snorted, their fridge was always stocked. "I'll serve some wine while we wait for her."

"How has married life been?"

Thinking about the pale- eyed beauty, he couldn't fight a smile from breaking out. "It's better than I thought."

Itachi nodded. "So what is she to you? I mean you've become extremely protective of her."

"We're…friends." He tried to ignore the skeptical look Itachi gave him. "What? We are. I mean we get along and-"

"You hardly get along with anyone let alone a woman for this long," his brother pointed out.

He shrugged, "I mean she's not like anyone else I've met before."

Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"When she's in a room where everyone might hate or dismiss me, she's all I see. Hinata makes me feel like I actually matter. Nothing else matters but me and her." His smile widened as he spoke. "I've never felt like that. I hate being worshiped by superficial people but she's genuine, caring, and-"

Slowly, the teasing look he had went away and Itachi suddenly frowned. "You're falling for her."

"What?!" Sasuke exclaimed, suddenly uneasy. "That's not what I said."

Itachi leaned in, resting his arms on his knees. "You said as much and can't hide what's in your heart."

"My heart?" Sasuke scoffed. "C'mon, Tachi. It's not like that. It's not like I love her or something." He hadn't been able to say those words to a woman and why would he now? "It's not like it would mean anything to her anyways."

He didn't mean to say it but his brother' sympathetic look made him realize he voiced it out loud.

"I didn't mean it like you think I do," Sasuke said trying to convince him.

But Itachi was extremely perceptive. "Are you pretending that this is all real, Sasuke? You remember that this marriage is a sham, right?"

Sasuke griped his wine glass tightly and Itachi felt pity for him. "I know you're confused-"

"I know how I feel! Maybe-" Sasuke started.

"Maybe what? You think she'll gladly stay with you after she finally gets what she's been promised? Wake up, Sasuke! You're treading dangerous waters," Itachi warned. "She is under the impression this is all for show. Feelings were never supposed to arise."

Sasuke remained silent for a few minutes before asking him if he's a terrible person. "Maybe I just want what I can't have," he continued. "It's been a while since I've been with a woman and she's the only one always around me. Maybe all I need is to change that."

Relieved, Itachi nodded. "I think that's a good choice. Get it out of your system. You'll realize it was just the allure of not being allowed to be intimate with her."

"Yeah, I bet you're jealous. I have a great friend for a wife and absolute freedom to do what I want," Sasuke joked and Itachi's mood brightened. However, he still felt confined to certain boundaries.

When an anxious Hinata came back, Sasuke feared that Itachi would voice his concerns. Thankfully, he did no such thing and they had a nice meal. Pulling her aside when they were cleaning up, Sasuke privately thanked her.

"Thanks for being so stubborn. I must be rubbing off on you," he smirked.

"Determination is hardly a uniquely Uchiha trait," Hinata responded, quite proud with herself.

"Ah, but you must admit, we are more well known for it," Itachi added, grabbing his jacket. "It was a wonderful meal, thank you."

Hinata smiled, still feeling awkward with him. "You're welcome."

Sasuke bid his brother goodbye with a simple wave and headed to the living room, leaving the two alone.

"I really mean it. Thank you for this," he stressed.

She waved her hands, "It was really no effort. You guys did the hard part. Siblings have a strong bond and I didn't want you guys to end up like Madara and Fugaku because of me. Once this is over, he'll only want to have his family. And his trysts," she joked but Itachi shook his head.

"I don't think that's the case but thank you," he smiled, sensing a shift in their relationship. While still weary of each other after everything that had transpired between them, they both acknowledged that Sasuke's happiness was important.

Once he left, she plopped next to Sasuke on their couch.

"Don't do that again."

Hinata began to apologize when he shook his head. "I mean don't leave me."

"I won't," she promised. "I just thought it was better if I was gone while the two of you talked."

"Hn." He stared deep into her eyes as if searching for something, before looking away. "You know this means you owe me."

"Okay, sure." Hinata agreed.

.

.

Relieved that her children were back on talking terms, Mikoto went through old family albums. Her children were always so happy but Fugaku's face almost remained the same in all the photos, at least in the ones after Sasuke's birth. She sighed sadly thinking about how she was responsible for his treatment.

They had been arguing after her fears were confirmed; Fugaku hadn't completely given his heart to her. She had overheard him pleading with Haruhi three months before her wedding. Usually she'd try to comfort him when he felt miserable, but this depressed state and the reason for it infuriated her.

(_Flashback_)

"You think you're the only one who has other prospects? Well let me enlighten you, I've had my share of lovers."

Fugaku froze, and then slowly turned to face her.

Mikoto had exaggerated her statement but after being ignored had given in to temptation. She had been working with a fellow graduate student in her class. Alcohol was involved and she found herself in the red haired man's bed. She regretted her actions but Fugaku didn't even notice she arrived later than promised. According to Itachi's nanny, he hadn't arrived yet either. The affair continued for a few more months until she ended it.

"Some have even begged me to run away with them," she bragged. "But I decided to give you another chance to prove how much we matter to you." Taking pleasure in his hurt look, she justified her betrayal. He had hurt her for so long and she didn't want to remain a victim.

Harshly, he pulled her close. "What are you saying," he asked, slowly looking down at her stomach and eyes widened. "Are you carrying a bastard?!"

Mikoto's bravado quickly shrank, replaced by fear; she didn't want her children to bare the weight of his wrath. "N-no, you are unfortunately the father."

His grip tightened on her upper arm. "If it's not mine, I'm taking _my_ son and leaving you." Fugaku released her and walked away.

She panicked. "Do you think she'll be there waiting for you with open arms? She's marrying Hiashi and I hear expecting. Are you that delusional to think you'd be able to create some sort of blended family with that whore?!"

Mikoto found herself more alone and independent during her second pregnancy. Fugaku, fearing the child was not his, had distanced himself from the situation. As they neared the due date, he believed in the possibility that she would indeed give birth to another man's child. And so he would avoid getting attached to that child until there was no doubt.

As her mother held her hand while she pushed, Mikoto prayed the child did not have red hair or green eyes. Fugaku had not entered the room, even after hearing the baby's cries. Once called in by the doctor, he refused the nurse's offer to hold Sasuke. "Do the test," he demanded. He might have similar features but the child could still belong to one of her supposed lovers.

When the results arrived, Fugaku coldly turned to a relieved Mikoto. "You should count yourself lucky."

On the surface he remained stoic, but he felt guilty. He had shunned his child because of Mikoto's failings yet a small part had hoped he wasn't his son. He felt worse about the latter, and couldn't properly form a healthy relationship with Sasuke. The strained relationship worsened as Sasuke became resentful, who unknowingly reminded Fugaku of what could have been, Mikoto's infidelity, and his own shortcomings as a father.

His marriage had hit a near breaking point, but Mikoto tried her hardest to make amends. Seeing the improbability of reconciliation with his first love, Fugaku tried to move on; trying to forget her, yet still hoping she'd call him. When he heard news of her unexpected death, he nearly lost it, withdrawing almost completely from his family.

.

.

"So it's done and I haven't heard any complaints." Sasuke announced to both people sitting in front of him. Hinata immediately brightened up and he readily accepted her hug.

It had been officially announced that Byakugan would partner up with not only Tenseigan, but Sharingan as well for the expansion project. Neji no longer looked like he aged ten years, her father had been drinking less, and optimism from their employees was back. With Madara's backing, the Hyuuga family would remain in control.

Their phone rang and she went to answer it, leaving the two men alone.

"Are you trying something with Hinata?" Naruto asked.

"Can't we just be happy that things are actually working out?" Sasuke diverted the conversation, ignoring the suspicious looks Naruto was giving him. "Drink up, it's time to celebrate!"

After they tied the knot, Naruto figured Sasuke would be respectful and hang in the background while he reconnected with Hinata. However, the Uchiha kept intruding on their plans. At first it hadn't bothered him since the two were mending their friendship as well. Naruto missed hanging out with Sasuke but he also looked forward to the times where it was just Hinata with him. It was either a guy's night out or all three of them.

The first time he noticed Sasuke acting deliberately intrusive was when he intruded on their weekly movie night. Not only had he convinced Hinata to move it to their shared home but he always tried to sit between the two.

"I think he's jealous," Hinata commented when he had lost a coin toss to pick up dinner, leaving the two together for the first time. "It probably doesn't help that we keep making inside jokes. He probably feels left out and I don't want to make it seem like I'm taking his best friend away."

Naruto couldn't help but grin at her obliviousness. Sasuke was not jealous of her getting close to him, he was jealous of Naruto. Either that or he didn't have romantic feelings towards her but still thought Naruto and Hinata shouldn't venture into a romantic relationship. He didn't know which possibility was worse.

Reappearing with a beaming smile, Hinata informed them that Neji had called. "He was just telling me the news. I know he would never say it out loud, but I know he is grateful to the Uchihas."

"Us. You're one of us, Hinata." Sasuke added to which she giggled. Naruto forced a chuckle and looked forward to next weekend when the two would finally have a night to themselves. The new movie to the Battle Space franchise was coming out and he was grateful Sasuke wasn't a fan.

Unfortunately for him, Hinata had accidentally let it slip when Sasuke was making plans for the two of them that weekend. Asking why he wasn't informed, Hinata reassured him that they didn't think it was his thing. "We weren't trying to be hurtful. You always roll your eyes at the trailer when it comes on TV," she reasoned. "Please don't be upset. I mean, we've gone to all the premiers for the original trilogy and Naruto said confirmed you're not a fan. I didn't want to make it seem like you had to go. But we should have asked first, sorry."

He accepted her apology knowing Naruto had more of a say in the plan. When confronted the next day, the blond shrugged and scratched his head. "It might be hard to find tickets this close to the date, sorry man. Maybe next time."

Naruto severely underestimated how persistent Sasuke could be; easily purchasing a ticket to the same showing they were attending. The jacked up prices might've deterred someone who had financial limitations but not Sasuke.

Even Hinata could see through his attempt and she talked to him about his behavior. When they crammed in a marathon to catch him up with the Battle Space story, his disinterest was obvious. "Sasuke, are you jealous?"

He scoffed. "Don't be so full of yourself, Hinata." Sasuke wanted to seem as disinterest as possible, but he began to sweat a bit. _Am I that transparent?_

"I'm not trying to take him away. We can share." His eyebrow raised in confusion. "The three of us can have a good time together-"

"What?!" Sasuke exclaimed indignantly. There were rumors of the two back in college but did she also think..?

"Naruto is your best friend and mine as well. I'm not trying to get between the two of you."

He exhaled in relief. She knew something was up but he hadn't given himself away, at least not in the way she thought. "Hn. I guess..."

The seating arrangement was an unspoken compromised between the males, with Hinata sitting between the two. Afraid that she was coming between the two, Sasuke reminded her that they needed to keep up their image. Naruto was completely enthralled by the space cruiser fights, not detecting how Sasuke leaned closer to Hinata and she rested her head on his shoulder.

.

.

"As you can see from the figures here, there has been a slight jump from…."

Sasuke cursed as the man droned on. He hated long meetings but it was pure agony when all he could think was her and what he wanted to do to her.

The moment they were dismissed, he bolted from his chair and headed to his office. He hadn't had the chance to give in to a primal need due to the workload he had. He had also tried to refrain from giving in to any of the flirty looks that came his way. Sasuke wasn't used to feeling so deprived, but Hinata's little gestures weren't helping matters. Her physical touches, whether they were hugs or playful pats, lingered on his skin long after she moved away.

Weighing his options, he dialed the front desk. "Karin," he interrupted. "Get up here now."

The red head made her way to his office in record time. "You called?" she purred.

It was rough and hard, just like old times. Karin was happy that he hadn't cast her aside even if he was married that stuck-up Hyuuga. It felt even better knowing that he had called for her in such a desperate voice; Karin sniggered at the other woman's ineptness.

However, when Sasuke moaned his wife's name as he reached climax she felt used. He pushed himself off her and discarded the condom. "We're done."

"For now," she replied bitterly, trying to holding her head high.

He didn't give her a second look as she got dressed and for the rest of the day pretended not to be affected by it. Why was he feeling so guilty and dreaded telling Hinata if she had given him complete freedom to do as he pleased? He didn't owe nor promise marital fidelity and neither did she. Sasuke knew he couldn't go years without satisfying his sexual urges, he was becoming irritable after just a few months!

The reasoning in his head provided temporary relief as he was able to focus on finalizing another one of Madara's projects, but as the clock counted down to the end of work, he suddenly didn't feel justified in his actions.

Her bright smile greeted him but fell when he dropped his briefcase on the couch in frustration. "Did something happen at work?"

It wasn't hard to see that Sasuke was in a mood and he dragged his hands down his face. "I did something at work."

"Okay…" Hinata was unsure where he was going but hoped he hadn't done something to derail his professional standing in the company.

"At work I… Karin and I…" he struggled to get the words out. He watched as she slowly put the pieces together and he looked away in shame. _Say something!_ He screamed internally. _Show me how you're feeling._

"Oh." There was silence and he slowly turned his head to gauge her reaction. "Well thank you for telling me. Now would you like some lasagna? I am starving."

Stunned, he watched as she served him a plate.

Hinata raised an eyebrow, trying to seem unaffected. "What?"

"Aren't you mad or upset?" he asked.

Her reaction was not one he expected; perhaps he hoped for a stronger reaction. Sasuke anticipated dealing with an angry and upset Hinata, but she didn't even flinch at what most would consider a bombshell.

She slowly shook her head. "Why would I? You're free to do what you want but…" he looked hopeful. "Just remember be discreet. I would rather you didn't get with someone that works with you because it's risky. But if she blabs, we'll just say that it was while we were on a brief break."

His face fell and he nodded.

Hinata didn't engage him in conversation. It was obvious that something else was troubling him but though it better to keep quiet. Although it did bother her that he had quickly used some of the terms of their arrangement, with everything on his plate, the last thing she needed was to pester him. This was the agreement both had set and she was not going to go back on her word. He didn't owe her anything.

They ate in silence but not the comfortable one they were used to, both feeling the effects of his antics but choosing not to voice their thoughts for the sake if the other.

Unnerved by her reserved demeanor, he broke the tension. "Are we going to be okay?"

She looked up and forced a smile. "Of course," Hinata said softly, returning to her homemade meal.

Resigned with the reality of their situation, he tried to compliment her cooking skills to which she responded with a short nod.

* * *

AN: Hey, at least the bit with Karin was short and I hope I cleared up some stuff was cleared up. More Naruhinasasu jealousy up ahead.

As usual, thanks for all the feedback. I'm flattered with the amount of views, reviews, favorites, and follows I've gotten. You guys are really awesome!


	17. Chapter 17

Check it out, a quicker update! :) Some days are better than others...

* * *

_We keep this love in a photograph_

_We made these memories for ourselves_

_Where our eyes are never closing_

_Hearts are never broken_

_Times forever frozen still_

"She's so loud," Naruto said of the other blond who was chatting with Hinata. Sasuke gave him a look of disbelief. "Seriously, tell me one other person who is almost as loud as she is."

After the wedding, Hinata had stayed in touch with Ino and, with Sasuke's encouragement, had become open to begin a friendship with her. He even came up with the idea of having the four of them go out to eat. She thought it was a wonderful idea but the two blonds turned up their nose at the obvious double date.

Nearing the end, Ino pulled Hinata to the side. "I know you mean well Hinata, but I don't think he's what I'm looking for," Ino said, earning a glare from Naruto who had overheard. "He's a bit like a child."

"Hey!"

Hinata tried her best to smooth things over. "Actually Naruto is very mature when it comes to a lot of things. He's started his own business and it's greatly expanded in the last two years. You two might have more in common than you'd think. You're both entrepreneurs and amazing with at what you do."

Sasuke frowned at the blush on Naruto's face and more so when he swung an arm around her shoulders. "Ah Hinata, you're so sweet. That's what I love about you."

His eye twitched and he coughed loudly, motioning Hinata over.

"Yes?" She asked innocently.

"You're getting awfully chummy with him in front of his date, don't you think?" Sasuke pointed out. "I mean your husband is right here."

"You're right!" Her eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly. "Oh I'm such a dummy, poor Ino."

He turned to look at Ino, who was checking out another man as he walked by. Naruto didn't seem to mind as he played on his phone. "Yeah…"

Ino waved goodbye at the couple, not giving Naruto another look.

Sasuke checked his watch, frowning a bit. "Well, we should head home-"

"What?! It's not even 8 yet, we should get some ice cream or something and walk around the park," Naruto responded, pouting at Hinata.

She shrugged at Sasuke. "It is fairly early, but if you want to head back I won't hold it against you. Naruto can take me home."

The blond nodded eagerly but Sasuke refused to leave her alone. Was it fair that he meddled in their relationship, taking time away from one of her few friends? No, but the way he saw it Naruto was not doing this for the sake of friendship. If she hadn't moved on from Kiba, then it could be disastrous for two people he deeply cared for. He firmly believed that, but he also hated how Naruto was obviously waiting for the perfect moment to try to sweep her off her feet. Sasuke scowled at the unpleasant thought.

Naruto's shoulders sagged when he realized Sasuke was once again ruining his plans. He hated how the two had set him up with Ino, nearly shivering at the thought of being with her. Did Hinata really not see him as more than friend? He desperately wanted to find out.

As they walked the path, Naruto offered his jacket to the small woman. Cracks in the pavement caused Sasuke to trip and drop his cone on his. He left to clean up and Naruto, seeing a rare opportunity and filled with nervousness, he made his move. His legs felt like jelly so he opted to sit.

"I love you…I love you Hinata." Naruto said, slightly stumbling over his words. "You are a great girl, and deserve to be loved and cherished." She gave him a heartfelt smile at his kind words. "Hinata you're my friend and so much more. I love you and-"

He looked up from the bench and smiled blissfully. Hinata sat down next to him with her shoulders touching his. "Oh, I love you too." She half- joked, patting his arm. "You're my best friend, too."

Smiling sadly, he leaned close. "Hinata, I can't do this anymore," Naruto whispered. He held her small hands in his and his blue eyes slightly darkened as he looked at her. "I need you to know how I really feel about you."

She couldn't form any words and tried to control her breathing. It was painfully obvious what was going to happen but she still hoped it would not. Not so soon, when she was still trying to find herself again. Hinata was not ready to deal with this kind of dilemma. Whenever she was with him, she felt like a part of Kiba was still around. She saw him in Naruto but it made her yearn for Kiba's presence.

"You don't know how happy I was when you came to my door after so many years apart. We fell back into the groove of things, like nothing changed. I mean I know things have changed and you have changed, but the way you make me feel hasn't," he said, shaking his head. "I've had feelings for you even back then but out of respect for Kiba… I've always imagined how things would've turned out if I had been the one for you back then but now that you're right in front of me, I can't wonder any longer."

Naruto leaned down and pressed his lips on hers. Taking advantage of her gasp, his tongue invaded her mouth and Hinata couldn't breathe. His tongue began to swirl around hers with more aggression, trying to coax her into returning his kisses. She tasted so soft and sweet, especially after that frozen treat. He moaned at the sensation.

Hinata didn't know what to do as she felt his desperate kiss. Her mind raced with thoughts of the past but his hand behind her head forced her to focus on the present. She pushed him away, and stared in confusion with swollen lips.

Naruto noticed by her disheveled state that he had gotten carried away. "Sorry," he grinned. "I just wanted to do that for so long." He was delighted that she hadn't completely rebuffed him and searched for a sign that she felt the same way.

"I need some time to think," Hinata said abruptly standing up and walked towards the parking lot. He called her name but she just picked up her pace. As the distance she put between them grew, the more at ease she felt. It also allowed her to begin to process what just occurred. _What do I do?_

Suddenly she looked around. The car was gone and Hinata dialed Sasuke but he wasn't picking up. Not only did she rely on him to take her home but she really needed his advice. There was no way she could tell Hanabi or Neji. Hinata really needed him in this crucial moment, and when he directed her call to his voicemail she cursed out loud. This was not the night for his jokes and she irately dialed a cab service.

Sasuke slammed his driver's seat close and pounded his steering wheel in fury. He had hurried back but was rewarded with the most unwelcomed sight. He had immediately turned his head away in disgust and headed straight for the parking lot.

He was furious; he had avoided Karin and guilt gnawed at him whenever he even looked at another woman. But here she was with Naruto's hands all over her, not doing anything to stop him. _She's free to do what she wants_, he thought angrily and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. _Just like I am_, _fuck them._

A few rings later, she answered. "….Yeah."

He was beginning to have second thoughts when he remembered how he wanted to forget everything. "I want to see you now."

"Sasuke?" Her voice sounded unsure.

"I need to see you." Cursing the desperation in his voice, he closed his eyes.

"….What about your wife?"

"Please." He heard a long sigh and was about to hang up. "Okay. You know where I live." He hung up without another word.

Sasuke was greeted by her at the door. She led him to her room and before she could get a word out, he assaulted her with hungry kisses. They had fallen back into their old patterns as she pushed him onto the bed.

However, he was always the dominant one and flipped their position so she would be on her back. He kissed her in the same manner he had dreamed many times doing to Hinata.

"Sasuke… I've missed this… Keep going." She kept chanting his name like a sacred prayer while they indulged in sin. Reasoning that he really needed this, he felt no guilt. There was a beautiful woman underneath his body, who craved him. She wanted him and no one else.

Her red hair and clouded but still vibrant crimson eyes were a sharp contrast from the one who had obviously started to torment him. Karin was not Hinata in any sense, and at the moment that's exactly what he needed. If she had moved to Naruto, he would as well and stop acting like a love sick fool.

Once he was done, Karin let him leave without much resistance; her triumphant smirk told him enough. Yet he wasn't ready to face those two.

Sasuke ordered another round and the bartender asked if he had a long day. "That's none of your goddamn business," he snapped, his anger growing at the thought of _her_. Hinata plagued his thoughts and not in a good way. Not when he kept reliving that awful moment.

He threw his money at the offended bartender and headed home where he would tell her how she did him wrong. _She probably wouldn't even be home tonight_, he grimaced. No, Hinata being the annoyingly considerate person she was would not go home with Naruto. Reading his messages, it seemed she was asking where he went and practically begged him to come back. He snickered at her being stranded, but immediately worried for her safety thought he should swing by the park and pick her up. She had enough time to think about what she did.

However she was nowhere to be seen and there was only one other car around. Alarmed, he dialed her number.

"What," she answered not even bothering to hide her irritation. "What the hell do you want?"

"Nevermind," he shot back heatedly and hung up. Although glad she made it home safely, his initial anger hadn't completely gone away.

With everything that had happened, Hinata was emotionally drained and wanted to go to sleep. However, Sasuke entered their home loudly and demanded she talk to him. Rolling her eyes, she slowly pulled the covers off and crossed her arms as she made her way to him. "Sasuke, I'm too tired to deal with one of your moods. Whatever it is, can't it wait? You owe me this after that stupid stunt you pulled."

He scowled at her. "Me? You think I was the one who did something stupid? What about you?!"

"What are-"

"I saw you! You fucking kissed him!" Her eyes widened and he snarled. "Naruto was on a date with Ino not you! What kind of woman does that?"

Her heart raced and she hoped that no one else spotted them. _If Ino had been around_… Hinata closed her eyes and thanked the heavens that she hadn't. She received a call from Ino thirty minutes ago saying she was grateful but really didn't see another date with the blond ever happening. There was nothing indicating that Ino had seen them, she was still as cheerful as ever but Hinata still felt guilty.

"You don't know what you saw, so shut up." She glared at him, furious at his implication. Hinata would never do that to another woman, let alone one of her friends. She had so few and she cherished whatever bonds she made, which was why she was still struggling with Naruto's confession.

"I know what I saw," he sneered. "You really had me fooled with this whole innocent act."

Confused with his harsh and nasty behavior, she scrutinized him and softly scoffed. "You're drunk. Go to bed." She refused to acknowledge the smell of perfume or the love bites marking his neck.

Angry at being brushed off, he grabbed her elbow. "Don't ignore me. I'm tired of being ignored."

"Why are you so upset?" She asked, genuinely confused as to why he was making it into a bigger deal. She never reproached him about his escapades yet he was making her seem like a harlot.

"His hands were all over you, for anyone to see!" He waved his other hand wildly. "And you didn't stop him."

She said nothing but continued to look at him in confusion.

"You didn't care…" He added, looking away. Sasuke hated being so emotional and refused to be vulnerable. "You were fucking careless!"

"Stop yelling at me," Hinata calmly requested. "You're blowing this all out of proportion and I don't have to explain anything to you."

He sharply turned back to her, "You're my wife!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, livid at the audacity. He had been philandering, admitting it not long ago and it was obvious where he was tonight, yet dared to throw this in her face? How many had he bedded since? "In name only," she retorted, pulling herself free. "You can't tell me what to do when you're going out with your whores."

Sasuke scowled at her words, holding his guilt at bay. "Is it because he reminds you of Kiba?" he asked slightly swaying his head. "They were like brothers, right?"

"Sleep this off. You're an inconsiderate asshole when you're drunk. And next time take a cab, dumbass. You could have hurt someone on your drive here," she admonished angrily. Hinata stormed down the hallway.

"Hinata," Sasuke called. "Don't ignore me!"

She raised her pointer finger and refusing to look back and engage him any further.

The next morning, the tension was thick. Hinata deliberately clanked pans together as she made breakfast for herself and ignored Sasuke as he groggily moved around the kitchen.

He vividly remembered the details of the night before and watched as she hurried to leave before him. It was obvious he would have to take the first step.

"I'm sorry for the things I've said last night, especially about Kiba," Sasuke said. "I shouldn't have brought him up and I should have been smarter about my choices last night."

Hinata made no inclination she heard. "I'll be home late tonight. Don't wait up."

He quickly walked to her before she could leave. "Hinata, I-"

"Don't, just don't. I have a lot to deal with. Just forget it." She pulled the door and shut it behind her loudly.

.

.

"We really overestimated how desperate these Hyuugas were," his assistant said as they made their way to the meeting. "It's really unfortunate that Sharingan had to invest so much, essentially blocking any attempts to take majority control over Byakugan."

Toneri sighed. He had pounced readily when the opportunity came to expand his empire; absorbing companies and removing any trace of its old management were common practices of his. Byakugan was well known and would bolster his standing. However, he was still in a good position and had met Hinata through this deal. Just thinking of the woman had his blood rushing.

"It's pretty obvious she persuaded her husband's family to keep us from ousting them. I bet they'd love to remove you from the partnership altogether," his assistant continued. "But you should fight it; the capital you stand to gain is nothing to gamble away."

The pale man scoffed. "As if that thought ever crossed my mind. They can get on their knees and I would only laugh." Thinking lewdly, he smirked. "Although it wouldn't hurt if the former heiress tried some oral persuasion. Better yet, I'd love to see that Hyuuga writhing under me."

"Isn't she an Uchiha now?" the man asked cautiously, not wanting to upset his boss.

"Hmph, like it matters. She won't be able to remember her own name once I'm done with her," Toneri responded.

They chuckled but composed themselves as the doors opened. Pale eyes greeted them and the Otsutsuki could only focus on those belonging to Hinata.

He feigned interest as Hiashi spoke when it was called for but his eyes lingered on her. She hadn't given him a second look and would whisper to her cousin every now and then. If Hinata wanted his attention she certainly didn't have to try, she intrigued him.

Toneri couldn't believe that the egotistical Uchiha had landed such a woman. She was so accommodating, gorgeous, and had a sense of naïvetés he would love to exploit repeatedly. Feeling a stirring in his groin focused on the mundane presentation, but it wasn't like he was really needed. He only came once he saw who was going to be in attendance and winked when he finally caught her eye.

Hinata curtly looked away pretending not to notice the looks she was receiving. After the night before, she really didn't want to deal with another suitor, especially one who was so shady and repulsive. Unfortunately she couldn't completely avoid him. Once the meeting was over, she nearly bolted out to avoid shaking his hand and waited for her cousin down the hall. Her father was staying behind with their lawyers to finalize the contractual agreement.

Unfazed by how rude he looked, Toneri ignored any attempts to make conversation by the others and followed her. "How is it going?" he asked and leaned on the wall, openly leering at her. Feeling exposed she hugged her torso and gave him a nervous smile and shrugged a shoulder.

"I'm fine." She purposely kept her response short, making obvious she wasn't interested in a conversation but Toneri was unwavering.

"It's too bad that Uchiha couldn't come." Hinata only murmured in agreement but continued to avoid looking directly at him. If Sasuke hadn't been busy, he'd be here with her. But after last night she wasn't sure he wouldn't make her day worse.

Knowing the effect he had on her, Toneri casually sat next to his soon-to be business partner although he would love to add bedmate as well. She scooted closer to the edge while looking for any sign of Neji to appear.

"You look hungry, would you like to join me for lunch?" She shook her head apologetically and he smirked while ogling her bare legs.

Toneri mused how unfortunate it was that they had not met earlier, he would have loved to take her and her company in one swift victory. Hinata might be married to the Uchiha but that didn't't mean he couldn't appreciate the beauty before him. And if she was tempted to commit debauchery in the safety of his arms, who was he to refuse? He would only be helping her out.

He put an arm around her shoulders and leaned close. "You look stressed," he whispered. "Let me help you relax."

Alarmed by the soft massage, she quickly got up looking at him accusingly.

"Are you ready to get lunch, Hinata?" Unaware of what he had walked into, her cousin smiled at the two.

Relieved at being saved by Neji, Hinata rushed to his side and tried to ignore the shiver down her spine. Having nearly perfected emotional control in certain situations, she was good at reading people and Toneri had constantly sent her alarm bells ringing. She had been right to be weary from the beginning.

"What was that about?" Neji asked. "Did he say anything to you?"

Hinata, not wanting to destabilize the project, shook her head. "He's just excited. But I think that it's best if I pull out of any other negotiations and meetings. I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything."

He slowly nodded, sure she was hiding something. "I'll talk to uncle about it as soon as I can. You've done enough to help. But you know you can always come to me with anything that's bothering you right?"

"Oh I know," she smiled at him. "So where should we go for lunch?"

.

.

Sasuke left work early to clear things up with Naruto. After being treated to a few days of the silent treatment from Hinata, he needed to know where things stood between the two. He let himself in Naruto's apartment and waited anxiously until he heard the door open an hour later.

"Sasuke?" Naruto frowned. "What are you doing here? Is Hinata-"

"She's not here," he scowled. "What, were you expecting her?"

Instead of shoving it in his face like Sasuke expected, the blond turned somber almost apologetic. "I guess not but can you blame me for hoping?"

"The way you were practically inhaling each other, I wouldn't," he muttered. "So I take it you two together now?"

Slightly confused, Naruto sat down. "Did she tell you that?" Optimism filled him and Sasuke bit his tongue to avoid saying something stupid.

"She said she needed time but I wasn't expecting it this quick. I mean she ran away and I thought I scared her off. What did she say?!" Naruto asked excitedly. "Tell me her exact words."

"She ran away?" Sasuke asked, trying to put everything together. "From you?"

Irritated, Naruto motioned him to continue. "C'mon, man"

"Naruto, did _you_ instigate the kiss?" Sasuke asked.

"Well yeah, I needed to know. But I may have been a bit forceful," he admitted shamefully. He tried to restrain himself but once he had a taste, he wanted more. "Is she mad?"

Mentally slapping himself, Sasuke sighed. Of course she wasn't messing around with Naruto, it was much too soon for her to do that with anyone.

"Sasuke? What did she say?"

Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't a patient man. He was hot headed and acted on impulse a lot. Putting his own desires aside, Sasuke looked at his best friend with concern. He would need to free him from this impossible goal, and if he had to be cruel to save Naruto from more hurt he would do it. Sasuke was used to being reviled.

"Why do you like her?"

Blinking for a few moments, Naruto gave him a blank look. "What?"

"Why are you so insistent on Hinata?" Sasuke calmly clarified. "There are plenty of women out there."

"Like Ino?" The blond pointed out. "Nah man, Hinata's the one for me. I'm sure of it."

"But why are you so sure?"

Looking wistful, Naruto gazed out the window. "When I was younger, I was a delinquent, barely passing my classes, and everyone laughed when I vowed to prove them wrong. But she never turned her nose at me. Girls would tease her when she offered help or tried to defend me and I never understood why."

He laughed quietly. "Turns out she had a huge crush on me, dumb old Naruto. It was bittersweet when I found out. We were really close and I felt the same way but it was too late to do anything about it. She and… Kiba had gotten together. I saw her true self, the person she was too shy to show others and it hurt being so close to her while wanting more. Bu Hinata never looked at me or treated me the same way…"

Noticing Sasuke's eyes narrow, he continued, "I mean she remained kind and compassionate but her eyes were only focused on Kiba."

_And they haven't wavered since_, Sasuke thought despondently.

"She never shined as bright as when she was with him," the blond said, unknowingly cementing Sasuke's thoughts. "But now it feels like we've never lost touch."

"It's all the same," Sasuke began. "Except that you're trying to fill the role Kiba left. You're relying on her falling for you on similarities you both shared."

Naruto turned around. "What?"

"You heard me. You're acting differently when she's around. Even the whole movie shit is obvious. I remember you saying that after the prequels you weren't going to see any other Space Battle movies. Yet all of a sudden, you're buying merchandise and going to the premier." Naruto avoided his eyes but Sasuke was relentless. "You want her to associate you with how things used to be. And with him out the way you want her to fall into your lap."

"Shut up."

"No, you shouldn't pretend to be someone else so she _might_ like you," he argued. "If she doesn't lov-" A sudden punch knocked him off his feet.

"I know what you're trying to do. You just want to take her away from me!"

"She doesn't belong to anyone!" Sasuke spat out, wiping his under nose. There was no blood so he knew Naruto wasn't putting much force behind it. "Why do you always try to make everything into a competition?"

"Me?! It's you who tries to interject when we're alone! She rarely leaves your sight. God it's just like you to be so possessive. No wonder you lost her," Naruto coldly taunted.

"Is this about Sakura?" Sasuke questioned annoyed. "God, I thought you moved on already but if you're still sore about that go to her!"

Clutching his head, Naruto screamed. "I don't want Sakura, and I never really did. I want Hinata!"

"You want her to revert back to the high school girl you knew. She's changed and if Kiba was here, you wouldn't even stand a chance."

"You wouldn't either! What you think you're better for her?!" Naruto yelled getting angry as he began to realize that there was some truth behind Sasuke's words. "I know how cruel you can be. Hinata deserve happiness and I would gladly provide that. You don't deserve her!"

"I know that," Sasuke said softly. "I know she's too good for me." Taking a deep breath, he stood defiantly. "But that doesn't mean Hinata's the same person you met as kids. You're stuck in the past and pretending to be a stand in for her dead lover. That's not fair to you or her."

Letting out a frustrating cry, Naruto kicked his corner table. "Fuck!" He paced around agitated with what he had been ignoring. He had tried to fall back into how things used to be, hoping she'd see him differently. But even with this, there was no sign that she felt any differently. He hadn't even heard from her this last week Naruto didn't want to wait; he desperately wanted her to coming running to his arms.

Sasuke watched silently, knowing the torment he was feeling.

"I can't help but wonder, you know? What if the timing was just right and she was married to me right now?"

"Maybe in another life," Sasuke said, picking himself up. "But it won't work out now, you're in different places."

"I know. If I had less respect for myself, I wouldn't mind if I was just a substitute for him. But you're right. I can't do that to myself. I need someone who will love me for who I am not who they want me to be. And so does Hinata," he said dragging his hands down his face. "In the past, hell maybe another life, she was the one for me. It just got fucked up, and it really sucks."

Sasuke felt horrible for his best friend. Although happy that Naruto had basically given up on pursuing her, he didn't like that his friend hurting. "Hey, how about I take you out? No talk about Hinata or anything. I can get tickets to the basketball game and we both know how she hates sports."

Chuckling a bit, Naruto nodded. "Yeah, sure."

.

.

When he arrived home, he was a bit disappointed to see Hinata still wasn't home. A note on the fridge told him she had plans with Hanabi, and he smiled at her thoughtfulness.

But the conversation he had with Naruto still rang. He could easily see himself in Naruto's place, but was he willing to do the same? Curiosity took over and he walked to her room.

Searching for nothing in particular, he carefully moved things around. When he turned his attention to her closet, a box fell on his head. Groaning and rubbing his head, he looked down and the contents filled his stomach with dismay.

The floor around him was covered with photographs of her and Kiba. He picked a small one up and felt his chest constrict. He crumpled it in his hand and in his disoriented state didn't hear the front door open. Moments later her bedroom door opened.

"What are you doing in my room?" Hinata asked.

Like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he avoided her gaze.

"Why are you looking at my things? Are you looking for something?" Hinata got closer but her face changed once she saw the mess near his feet. "How dare you."

Wanting to douse the feeling of guilt, he remembered why he had even invaded her privacy. "Why are you still holding on to this?"

She tried to gather the photos back in the box, careful to not fold or damage any. The flurry of memories almost brought her to her tears but she quickly gathered her senses.

"It is not any of your concern." She moved to grab the ones that had strayed under her bed but he seized her hands and forced her back up. "What did I do to you? Are you angry at me?"

He shook her violently, more than he anticipated. "You're damn right I'm angry. Do you know what it's like to be with someone and feel inadequate?"

Her eyes searched his face as if unsure if this was some cruel joke. "How have I made you feel like that? I gave you a free pass to do what you want and never judged you. Why are you so upset?"

Sasuke pushed her away from him with less force but enough so she knew he wasn't pleased. "How can anyone possibly compete with him?!"

Hinata was suddenly dumbfounded and Sasuke refused to look away.

Softly she tried to ease his misplaced concern. "I would never expect anyone to."

He laughed bitterly, "Of course, not because there's no one like your precious Kiba."

She glared at him but said nothing. The silence angered him even more; it confirmed that for all Sasuke was worth, no one could ever measure up to her first love.

"Why are you so angry? This is what we arranged. You can do what you want with any woman and I don't expect anything in return except for your discretions to be away from our family's eyes," Hinata replied, worried that she had unintentionally upset him.

"I wasn't talking about myself! Do you think it's fair to anyone like Naruto?" Sasuke scolded.

"How do you know about Naruto?" she questioned, slightly panicking. "Did he say anything? Is he mad?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, reminding himself that he was doing this for their sake. They would only be hurting each other and he didn't want to see their friendship disintegrate. His own jealousy could be put aside, at least for the moment. "He's heartbroken."

"I'm so horrible. I need to talk to him," Hinata said grabbing her phone but Sasuke snatched it away. "Sas-"

"Thankfully I already did. If you had talked to him, I think the both of you would've committed a mistake. But now he realizes that he'll always come second to Kiba. Until you move on, you won't give anyone a chance," he berated her.

He tried to keep a cool head but the crumpled photo in his pocket taunted him. It wasn't fair but he hardly thought clearly when it came to Hinata; he despised Kiba because even in death he held her heart. If she could just forget the dead man and give in just as he craved her, all would be well. His mind was simplifying the solution to a complex problem but he refused to acknowledge it.

"Why would you do that?! You have no right to interfere in my personal business." Slightly angered, Hinata poked his chest. "I could have handled it myself, he deserves that much."

"The poor guy was in limbo! Naruto is my friend and I didn't want to see you leading him on. If you want to be with him then go." The words felt bitter coming out of his mouth. "But if you don't see yourself with him at all or can't treat him like he isn't runner up to another don't prolong his torment. Unless you're clear with him you'll only be dragging him along."

Hinata took a deep breath, clutching her locket in distress. "I care for Naruto but not like that. The more I thought about it, the more I realize I can't see him like he wants. He's a great friend but not what I'm looking for, not now." Looking guilty, she put the photos away. "I didn't mean to give him any signals. He probably hates me right now."

He sat next to her, holding her hand. "No he doesn't. Talk to him in the morning and you'll see. Just be clear with him and yourself."

"What if he decided that he didn't want me around anymore? He's one of my dearest friends and I don't want to be alone anymore." Hinata clutched her precious locket again. "But I'm s-scared. What if there isn't someone out there? What if I'm not good enough? I just want to be loved again and love in return but I don't know how."

"You sound selfish and unsure of yourself," he piped up and she stiffened before nodding miserably. "But that doesn't make you a horrible person. No one wants to be alone and everyone wants to be loved. Whatever happens from now on, know that I'm not going to let you wallow."

"But you weren't there!" Hinata cried out suddenly. The betrayal had slowly eaten away at her and she tried to ignore the subtle looks the red head at the front desk threw her way. She would love to put her in her place, but Hinata didn't have a right. Nonetheless it didn't mean that she had to like it. "You weren't there for me! I needed you and you just left to fuck another girl!"

Crestfallen, Sasuke dropped his head. "I'm so sorry."

"I know it's not fair to be angry at you but I hate how _she_ looks at me. Like she knows something I don't, like she knows you better than I do." Looking away in shame at her silly outburst, she tried to correct herself. "I mean she might-"

"She doesn't and I haven't let anyone get close to me. Except you, you kind buried yourself deep in here," he pointed to his heart. "So don't think you aren't worth much to me. You mean so much more than you think."

Her eyes widened and she flung herself at Sasuke causing him to slightly chuckle. "You're getting much more affectionate. Are you sure you don't have a slight crush on me?" He was joking but she didn't let go. "Hinata?"

"I'm glad you're with me," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I don't know if I can take the next steps or what lies ahead. But if this is all that I will ever have, then its fine. I don't need anything or anyone else." She looked up and gave him an honest smile. "Thank you."

Reminding himself of her hesitation to step forward, he caught himself before he could capture her lips, opting smirk instead. "In sickness and in health, through good times and bad remember?"

Hinata rested her head on his shoulder. "I hope there are more good times to come." She had seen the almost- kiss coming her way yet was slightly relieved that it hadn't landed. There was no debate about Sasuke's desirability, but she wasn't ready to jump into anything, especially when he would just be looking for physical release. Hinata didn't want to be cast aside like his other women. She truly cared for Sasuke and if there was one thing she would change about him, it would be this. Hinata would envy the woman who he would swear his devotion to.

He kissed her temple, glad she hadn't pushed him off. "Me too." Sasuke was relieved, she spurned Naruto's affections and admitted to wanting someone by her side. However it was painfully obvious that she held on to Kiba's memory and until she was able to move on, there would be no other man for her.

He had a new goal now and if she ended up seeing him more than a friend, he'd be happy. But if she didn't but yet finally opened herself to love another, he'd wish her the best. Even if he would resent the man she settled with.

Sasuke let her rest and headed to his room. That night he experienced another dream, but this one wasn't like the others.

He hovered over her, his hands feeling all her wonderful curves. Her neck was so alluring and he left a love bite, making her moan.

Sasuke licked the top of her breasts back to her jaw. Her body had responded in kind and Hinata started to roll her hips against his. He continued his assault on her neck and wanted to further mark her as his. Hinata was his, not Kiba's. At the thought of the simple cop, he growled and he had to control himself.

Reminding himself that all that mattered now was how she had finally become his, he became gentler.

His hands slid down her sides, stopping at the curve of her hips and he pressed himself down. Hinata replied with audible whimper. "More, give me more," she moaned out, biting her lips.

Feeling more confident, he twirled his tongue around a hardened nipple and she arched her back. No other woman had elicited such raw passion in him.

"Ahhh!" Hinata cried out in surprise then pleasure. His finger entered her and grabbed onto his shoulders. "Please…please…"

He pressed into her deeper and she gave him even more access. "You love this, baby? Fuck, you're sucking me in."

Her nails clawed into his shoulders when Sasuke entered a second finger into her tightness and played with her clit. He smirked at her failed attempts to speak coherently. "I l-love this...oh god... mmm…don't stop!"

"I'm not done with you, not by a long shot princess. I'll make you addicted to me, like you've corrupted me," he whispered before nibbling on her earlobe. "Do you like it? How my fingers, my lips, my body make you feel? Do you realize how wet and slick you are down there?"

She bit her lip defiantly and closed her eyes. Sensing the challenge, he began to steadily build her up, stroking her fire. He wanted her lust to consume her and burn for him because his body ached for her as well. Hell, his whole being wanted to melt into her.

Unable to stand it any longer, he undid his belt and hastily kicked off his pants. His erection throbbing as he neared his goal but before he could plunge into her, the name he grew to hate with a passion escaped from her precious yet treacherous mouth. "K-kiba…"

Sasuke quickly moved from her as if her skin would burn him. All the confidence he had built up had been extinguished by a cold reality. Of course she'd call out his name; he was a better man than Sasuke ever could hope to be.

But a shadow remained over Hinata, soon forming into a solid form. She reached up and caressed the face lovingly. "Kiba, make love to me."

Sasuke's eyes closed in anguish. As hard he tried, he couldn't move his feet. When Hinata began to chant a name that wasn't his, he covered his ears.

"Stop!" he cried, forcing his eyes open. Yet they paid him attention, too absorbed with in heat of their passion. "Get off of her!"

It was as if the ground around him became quicksand. He excruciating and slowly made his way to them and tried to wrench the man off of her. A sinister and feral face snarled back at him; Kiba didn't resemble the man in the photos, he was more animalistic.

"Hinata doesn't love you. She could never love someone as fucked up as you!" he snarled. "You're too damaged and will only bring her down with you!"

Sasuke shot up in his bed, drenched in sweat. The sudden realization washed over him like a cold shower, and he collapsed back in his bed. His need for her hadn't faded but he felt unworthy to even think of her in that way. If she didn't want anything other than friendship, it would devastate him.

Would he be willing to wait? Or was he better off accepting things like Naruto?

He lay back down, turning to look at his wedding photo. She looked so happy staring at him and his eyes conveyed what he had failed to hide. No, he vowed to fight just like he had for everything else; Hinata was definitely worth it. He would be patient and prove that he was worthy of her love.

.

.

Thanks for all the feedback.

I really wish I could respond one on one but it was a guest so I'd like to say here that this is not a love triangle in the traditional sense. Is Sasuke in love with hinata? Yes even if he can't completely admit it. But Hinata is not really considering anyone (yet); she is still stuck on a lost love. Until she moves on, no one really stands a chance nor will she completely give herself to anyone. Naruto wasn't a real threat (regardless of how paranoid Sasuke is), and Toneri isn't (nor will be) on her romantic radar at all. It will take a patient man to guide her from this emptiness.

I realize putting Naruhinasasu might've worried some folks (even if I love seeing it on other fics), but I wanted to give a teaser for the next chapter. I'll try to be more careful with my wording from now on.

And Hinata's thoughts will be next. I really should more focus on her side…

I feel the love with the views, favs, follows, and reviews. Y'all make me feel good inside. :)


	18. Chapter 18

Enjoy!

* * *

_I don't even know if I believe, Everything you're trying to say to me_

_So open up my eyes, Tell me I'm alive_

_Say something, say something,_

_Something like you love me_

"You could have left this with my secretary."

"She was out. I figured that since we're so familiar with each other, you wouldn't mind," Karin responded. She had pushed her arms close together in order to emphasize her chest but Sasuke wasn't tempted. He had even changed his cell number so there was no way to get into contact with him outside of work unless she decided to ambush him at his place. She had been hesitant to do so, afraid she would push him away but her indignation began to dwarf that fear.

"Well you can go now," he dismissed her. Sasuke didn't look up from his computer and it enraged Karin. She had been coming around more often and tried many times to enticing Sasuke into another tryst but he had continuously rebuffed her harshly.

Sensing that she wasn't moving, he sighed audibly and glanced at her. "I've discussed this with you already. We are done. I apologized for how I treated you but we will not continue this. I'm staying with my wife and I love her."

"Are you sure about that?"

He nodded vehemently. "She's the one I want to be with. What we had doesn't measure to my marriage in any sense."

Instead of frowning or being insulted, a small smirk formed on her face. "What a shame," she pulled out a small envelope. "What will she say once she sees this?" Karin threw it on his desk and he opened it.

He paled as he flipped through the photos. They looked like stills from a video and were obviously recent as he was stupid enough to leave his wedding band on. It was from that night when Naruto and Hinata kissed. "How dare you try to blackmail me? Do you think this will make me come crawling back to you? You're insane."

"Do you think she'd like the video or will these suffice?" Karin mocked. "Maybe I'll ask-"

Sasuke stood up and cornered her against a wall. "You fucking bitch. If you come near Hinata I will end you."

"Pretty dumb to say to the person who can destroy this little dream of yours," she shrugged. "I don't think it's fair you think you can come out of this unscathed. You screwed me over many times and I'm just returning the favor. It's a shame really, I would have preferred screwing you over in a much different way."

He pushed her out of his office and paced around. "Fuck!" He dialed his brother's number and anxiously waited for him to arrive.

"Sasuke? What's so urgent?" he asked.

"I need help. I need to keep Karin quiet and away from Hinata for good," Sasuke responded seriously. "She needs to be silenced."

"Is that a euphemism for something?" Itachi frowned. "We don't kill people-"

"I'm not saying that! She's blackmailing me and I don't want Hinata involved. If she sees this, she'll think I'm still messing around and-"

"What's the big deal? Isn't that what she expects? Really, you're being overly dramatic," Itachi rolled his eyes. He turned to leave when Sasuke called him back.

"I love her!"

Itachi looked back in shock. "Who? Who do you love?"

Instead of looking away in shame like he usually did when Itachi was giving him this look, Sasuke looked straight at him. "You were right. I love Hinata and want to be the one for her."

"Goddamn it Sasuke! I knew this was a mistake. You have to end it before she realizes it and you get hurt," he pleaded. "It's only sex. Go fuck some other girl. Remember it was just physical attraction?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I've tried but it has made things worse. I don't want to _fuck_ Hinata. I want to make love to her and be the one she looks at with absolute adoration. I might not be deserving of her right now but I'm trying to be that man. I can't erase my past but if I can keep it from holding me back, I know I can eventually be worthy of Hinata."

His brother was quiet for a few minutes. "What if she doesn't feel the same? What if she never does?"

"Then at least I tried, right? She makes me want to be a better man and maybe that'll make it worth it," Sasuke replied but Itachi saw the sadness behind his words.

Itachi rubbed his neck. "What do you need me to do?"

He immediately brightened up. "Karin is using a video of when we were together to threaten me. I don't know what she wants but maybe she just wants to ruin my life. I need that evidence destroyed and Karin to be sent away."

Itachi closed his eyes. "Call Shikamaru, we're gonna need him."

He immediately dialed his friend and once he arrived, they filled him with the details. Shikamaru didn't try to hide the look of disappointment at Sasuke's indiscretions. "Yeah, I'll take care of the technical part. I'll hack into her devices and erase everything. Dig up some dirt on her, too. You and Itachi can take care of the financial side. A few million can shut her up and if she complains, we'll remind her how we can ruin her life. But keep in in your pants, man. Hinata doesn't deserve this."

"I know and it will never happen again. I swear," Sasuke said, shaking his hand. "Thanks for everything."

Shikamaru rolled his shoulders, "This is really troublesome but someone has to do it."

Unfortunately, Karin hadn't waited for Sasuke's retribution. She had headed straight to his place and was able to convince the new doorman to let her into Sasuke's place, feigning that she was his assistant. Karin dropped another envelope on top of the kitchen counter with the message _Fun memories. I love you, too_ written on top.

She scanned the place and took note of the differences since the last time she was here. Knowing where his room was, she pulled the covers off and disheveled her hair. If she knew his schedule, he would be home soon. Karin would love to torment him some more. But if _she_ arrived before, it'd be just as entertaining.

.

.

Hinata was practicing her breathing techniques after a particularly stressful meeting. Her father had agreed to alleviate her work load but still felt she should see this particular project through. Knowing he had faith in her abilities made it hard to decline. It wasn't the project itself but who they were working with that Hinata had qualms about.

Toneri had crossed personal boundaries many times which he would apologize for but she knew he was doing it intentionally.

She didn't notice him walk behind her and pushed him away when he began to massage her shoulders.

"Get off!" she shouted. "Stop touching me!" Her cries briefly attracted the attention of a man passing by.

Insulted, Toneri dragged her away from plain view. "Get a hold of yourself! What are you going on about?"

Hinata scoffed and freed herself from his grasp. "Don't play dumb. I know what you're trying to do and it won't work. I'm not interested in you, if you can't get that through your head I can talk to my father-"

"I won't allow my name or company to be tarnished by any false accusations," he whispered harshly. "Not to mention how detrimental this might be to Byakugan. It'd be a shame to let some misconstrued actions destroy what we've built, do you think? I know your _in-law's_ company might keep you afloat but do you think it will look good in the public's eye? Slander is a terrible thing."

She was enraged. He was obviously threatening her but she refused to stay so passive. Being like that in the past had probably made him think it was okay but she was making things clear now. "Well it's a good thing no one was around to see and misinterpret the situation like I apparently did. But I'd like to state that I am happily married to a wonderful man."

He smirked but it wasn't endearing like Sasuke, she knew he was being condescending. "If you say so, but he is very lucky indeed. Men like him are a dime a dozen while you are quite unique."

Hinata shuddered at how he ogled her. _Does he have no shame?_

Her father called for her and she stormed past him, carefully avoiding making any physical contact. "Yes, father."

Hiashi noticed her foul mood and was about to ask about it when their business partner strolled right behind her. "Ah Hiashi! There you are I was just informing Hinata about planning a retreat that would help our joint image with Kumo. I feel like she and Neji should accompany me."

She froze at his words. "Perhaps I should bring Sasuke along," she added quickly.

Her father frowned in confusion. "But Sasuke isn't involved in the project."

Toneri smiled wider but she quickly thought of an excuse. "Um, I wouldn't want to inconvenience Fugaku. He's incredibly busy and we should have all three companies represented. Sasuke will be able to relay everything back to him and he's quite familiar with the logistics."

"I don't think making this into a honeymoon is appropriate, Hinata. We need to remain as professional as possible," Toneri argued. Her father was nodding along until she shot him a pleading look.

Sighing he took her side. "My daughter knows how important this is. She wouldn't do anything to make us look bad. And Sasuke is a well aware about how important this is. They wouldn't jeopardize this project."

Although his jaw tensed, Toneri forced a smile. "Well then I hope to see you soon."

She ignored the underlying tone and couldn't wait to get home and away from him. Sasuke hadn't arrived yet but she heard some noises coming from his room. She knew that Suigetsu had returned his key but she wouldn't out it past him to find a way in. Slightly chuckling, she knocked on Sasuke's door.

"Hey Sasuke, can you pour me a glass of water? I'm a bit thirsty." It was a woman's voice and she knew who it was. When the red haired woman popped her head out, her heart dropped. Karin had buttoned up her shirt and fixed her skirt.

"Oh my god," Sasuke said, having just arrived. Hinata had heard the door open but was still in shock. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

Reacting instantly, Hinata walked up to Karin and harshly grabbed her upper arm. "You should get your personal belongings from the office before tomorrow morning unless you wish to see them in the trash." Karin tried to release her grip but she dug her nails in. "Get dressed and leave my home. Now." She pushed her towards the entrance.

He had tried so hard to clean up his act and hadn't given Karin a second glance for weeks but now Sasuke felt like the world was crashing around him. It was like an out of body experience until a fist to his jaw brought him back. Hinata tried to ignore the throbbing pain and kept pushing Karin out. "I said leave."

"Is that what Sasuke wants?" Karin raised an eyebrow and fixed her hair slowly. "It doesn't seem like you were good enough for him."

Hinata knew that she willingly put herself in this position but she was furious. Did it irk her that there were women that knowingly slept with taken men? Of course, what kind of self-respecting woman wouldn't? And this woman knew very well who Sasuke was and who he was married to.

She slapped Karin as hard as she could, which made her stumble back a bit. Even Sasuke's eyes widened at the violent reaction. Hinata was relentless and grabbed a fistful of her red hair. "I said get out of my home!" She swung the door open and forced Karin out. "If I ever see you again, you'll regret it!"

The door slammed in her face and Karin scrambled away. She had accomplished what she wanted. Once she made it down to her car, she let her mask fall and emotions take over. It was satisfying to see show her what her husband had been up to. But it was still painful that Sasuke didn't even look at her at all, aside from his initial shock. He had stared at his wife with longing she never experienced before. Starting her car and headed straight to her now former workplace, Karin knew she had to start anew in more ways than one.

Sasuke rubbed his jaw, dismayed at how upset Hinata had become. Her shoulders shook and as he went to comfort her, she pushed him away. "I'm s-sorry for striking you. I had to make it believable." She moved past him but he caught her elbow.

Hinata wiped her tears away. It felt ridiculous to feel such anger towards him when this was the terms she set but it hurt to see it happen with her own eyes. "You could at least respect me enough to do it somewhere else."

"Nothing happened! She's lying!" Sasuke cried out. "Trust me, please."

"Stop," she shook her head in disbelief. "There's really no need for you to lie."

"I'm not that guy anymore. The last time I was with her or anyone else was the night Naruto kissed you. I haven't been with anyone since," he tried to assure her.

"I'm being selfish. You can do whatever you like. This is your home and maybe I shouldn't have moved in. I can look into getting an apartment in this building so we won't raise too many questions," Hinata cleared her throat. "I don't want to ever be humiliated like this ever again."

"No!" Sasuke shouted, shocking her. "It will never happen again because I'm not interested in that anymore. No more affairs, no random women, not anymore."

"Why?" Hinata felt slight relief but remained skeptical.

Sasuke was suddenly at a loss for words. Without thinking, he leaned down to kiss her but she recoiled. "Don't! What's wrong with you?!" The sting of rejection wounded him greatly. "I don't know what you did with her or-"

"Nothing! We did nothing!" He punched his wall, causing Hinata to wince. A sudden realization came over him. "Let me call Itachi and clear everything up." He pulled his phone out. "Itachi! Karin came over….yeah keep Shikamaru on it… hold up, I have Hinata here. Can you tell her everything that happened today?"

Hinata took the phone. "Um, this is Hinata."

Sasuke watched anxiously as they talked, trying to read her facial expressions. He noticed a similar envelope and hid it under his shirt when she turned around, waiting for the opportunity to destroy its contents.

"Oh…Sasuke, can you give me some privacy?" Although hesitant, he agreed knowing his brother wouldn't do anything stupid.

Once he was in his room and she heard the television on, she asked Itachi to repeat what he said.

"He cares for you. Deeply and he's never ever talked about another woman like he talks about you. If you don't feel the same way, you should tell him now," Itachi said. He didn't want to beat around the bush and thought being upfront about it was the best approach.

Hinata paced around her room. Although delighted that everything with that woman was cleared up, she was taken back by the sudden revelation.

"Hinata are you still there?"

"Y-yes."

"Well then? How do you feel? Is my brother better off cutting his loses now?" He heard nothing from her end and became agitated. "Hinata!"

She held the phone away before answering. "I think he's mistaken. There's no reason why he would think of me that way. It's probably just lust," she croaked out. Hinata hated how she degraded herself but that's how she felt. With how Toneri was acting it wasn't far fetch to think that maybe Sasuke harbored similar thoughts. "It's purely physical."

"You wrong. He thought it was the same thing and he tried to ignore his feelings. But he told me how shameful he felt afterwards and when Karin threatened to blackmail him, he was desperate to keep you unaware. Sasuke doesn't want to be seen as that guy anymore. He doesn't think himself of being worthy of you and wants to change that."

Hinata was silent. "He's an idiot."

"Listen, if you-" Itachi growled out.

"There's nothing wrong with him, aside from the womanizing. I told him over and over that he shouldn't think of him so lowly. But I don't think it's Sasuke who is unworthy of me. I don't think I'm… Things just never seem to work out for me." She exhaled shakily, re-experiencing the pain of Kiba's death.

"Life hasn't been so easy and I used to think that things could get better, but when I do things tend to happen. I look at Sasuke and I feel safer. He fills me with hope and courage. But I'm scared to think it can be anything more than what we have because maybe if I say it out loud, I'll jinx it and it'll be ripped away from me again. Everything has been going so well, I can't ask for more," Hinata whispered out, and Itachi wondered if she really believed it.

"He's who I would want, if I could be honest. Never once has he ever rejected me or made me feel inferior. I know how loving he can be and he's been so protective. If I could do the same for him, I would. But it's not easy. So it's better if he doesn't waste his time on me. I'm too damaged and b-broken," she covered her mouth, stifling her sobs. The last thing she needed was Sasuke to barge in, knowing his feelings had made her heart race but she didn't know what to do about it.

Itachi was stunned; Hinata had bared her insecurities and shown her vulnerabilities to him. "So you do see him like he wants you to, but you're still so guarded."

"Can you blame me?"

"No I guess not."

Both were at a loss at what to do next until Itachi bluntly told her to try.

"What?"

"Try to stop worrying of what might happen because you will end up missing out on something pretty great. Sasuke might miss out on someone great, too. You've been good for him."

"Really?" Hinata smiled a bit. "Do you think so? But why are you saying this? You hate me, remember?"

"I don't hate you. I haven't been particularly fond of you in the past," Itachi cleared up. "But if you can give him what he wants then you have my support. Just try for both your sakes."

Sasuke knocked on her door; they had been talking for over half an hour. She cracked open her door a bit and stuck out her hand. He took his phone and she shut her door almost immediately. _Damn it, Itachi what did you say?!_

"Hinata, are you okay? What did he say?"

She cleared her throat so he wouldn't think anything was amiss by the tone of her voice. "Yes, he told me everything." Her eyes were still a little red so she wanted to clean herself up before she showed her face.

"So you believe me about Karin, because I swear-"

Hinata pressed her back against her door. "Yeah, I know how you tried to push her away. You don't have to explain it anymore. I just need to change, okay?"

Sasuke frowned, knowing something was on her mind but didn't want to instigate another fight. "Okay, I'll see you soon then."

She sat on her bed, twiddling her thumbs as Itachi's words echoed in her ears. She didn't want to make anyone to feel inferior and thought Sasuke wouldn't care about her as much as he apparently did. That's what made him the perfect candidate. But she couldn't deny the small glimmer of hope for something new. It was risky to think it was possible but there was still something holding her back and until she freed herself, it wouldn't amount to anything.

Hinata took her time and carefully made her way to the kitchen where Sasuke was waiting for her. He felt a pang of pain when she refused to make eye contact while they ate, and figured she was still mad. Hinata didn't know if she could look at him, what if she made herself look foolish or gave herself away?

"Why did you decide that you weren't going to...um…continue messing around?" Hinata asked. As pathetic as she felt, she wanted to hear it from Sasuke. She had to make sure she wasn't setting herself up for more heartache.

"Those days are over," Sasuke responded earnestly. "Because I found someone better, she might not know it but I'm going to sweep her off her feet and win her heart. But some things have to run its course before we get there."

Hinata fought the blush, telling herself that it could still mean another woman. "She must be pretty great." She looked up expectantly and he gulped.

_This is it. Tell her you idiot!_ "Yeah, she is but the sad part is that she doesn't know it. I might have to show her."

She leaned back in her chair, slightly disappointed. A selfish part of her wanted to be showered with affection, but maybe she shouldn't force him when she was still reluctant to explore new possibilities. _When he's ready, he'll say it. Even if it's not to me. _

"Well she'll be really lucky," she said honestly. Sasuke felt the tips of his ears burn when she smiled at him. "You're a great catch."

Although wanting nothing more than to claim her lips as he professed his love, Sasuke told himself that he wanted to prove how great he really could be. The last thing he wanted was to be rejected again when he went in for a kiss. Once he became respectable and noble, then it'd be harder for her to refuse him.

Hinata rubbed her hand, muttering to herself about being an idiot for being so injury prone. Sasuke held her hand and examined it. "I'll get some ice for you. That looks like it hurts."

She felt goosebumps on her skin as he held her hand. "I'm fine. But that bruise on her jaw needs to be looked at, too."

"Oh I've had worse. You're dad has a slightly stronger punch, though you look like you might be able to take on Neji." He placed an ice pack over her knuckles and smirked at her which caused her to look away. _Stop looking at me like that!_

"But I should fix it. You're always taking care of me," Hinata pouted.

"I told you before, I'm not going anywhere," Sasuke said, slightly frowned at her. "You fall, I fall. But we'll both pick each other up, right?"

She nodded and on instinct kissed his cheek when he bent down to take a closer look at her hand. He looked up in surprise and she was just as shocked. "I'm going to turn in for the night," she said walking backwards and bumping into a corner table. Sasuke went to see if she hurt herself further but she waved him off. "Good night!" She slapped herself when she was in the confines of her room. _And if I'm ever ready, I hope it's him by my side._

Sasuke touched his cheek. _Soon I'll be the man you deserve_.

.

.

Itachi slightly doubted the words he told Hinata until he saw her again. His father had thought it was a great idea to come together for a holiday dinner. While the Hyuuga patriarch had come up with an excuse to not attend, Neji and Hanabi gladly represented their side of the family.

His mother had behaved for the most part, but remained mostly detached with their conversations even as Hanabi asked her questions. Eventually Mikoto excused herself from the table much to the Uchiha's annoyance. The rest tried to continue on but Hinata soon followed, whispering some words to Sasuke who was obviously concerned.

After a few minutes, Itachi slipped out as Neji was talking to Sasuke. He saw the two women in the living room where they were arguing.

"You're already wormed yourself in my family what more do you want?" Mikoto told her, obviously frustrated.

"You know, I thought that we could try to move past this. Sasuke hasn't talked to you in a while and I thought we could make a truce for his sake," Hinata replied. "I don't know why you hate me so much. It seems like there's more to it than my relationship with Sasuke but I don't care anymore. I've tried. You can hate or ignore me but don't disrespect the people I care about. Whether it's Kiba or Hanabi, just don't."

Mikoto rolled her eyes but Hinata stepped closer. "Do we have an understanding?"

"I can't wait until you're out of our lives," she said with malice. "Do you know why Fugaku is so endearing towards you? Don't tell me you can't see it."

Hinata took a deep breath. "I said I don't care. Whatever happened between you and my parents doesn't concern me or Sasuke. If someone hasn't moved past it, then it's their problem."

"That's very hypocritical of you isn't it?" Mikoto taunted but still stormed past him to her room. Hinata's eyes widened at his presence, she looked away feeling guilty.

"We're getting a bit worried, is everything fine?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah," she said uncertainly. "Well we should head back then." She left before giving him a chance to say anything else, the last thing she wanted was him to chastise her for confronting his mother in her home.

Upon returning, Fugaku wasted no time praising Hinata's capabilities much to her discomfort, and mentioned the growing friendships he was developing with some influential politicians. Unfortunately, his father had also resorted back to shooting veiled insults at Sasuke. "If you had paid more attention to the form, we wouldn't have to go back and redo everything."

Itachi frowned, knowing it was an exaggeration. The small slip up was merely a time inconvenience.

Hinata noticed Sasuke clench his fist but was surprised he didn't argue back. But she spoke up on his behalf. "That aside, I've been told by Madara that he has made quite an impact. He's been very secretive about this new project he's heading, but I'm sure it'll be amazing. Just like everything else he's done."

Sasuke's demeanor improved and he smiled back at her. Even Itachi couldn't help but grin at the sight.

"Hmph, well I don't know about what's so great about fitting the local police department with state of the art equipment. I mean, is the K-9 unit really a priority?" Fugaku asked. "Even Madara doesn't think there's much money to be made there. It seems something more appropriate for an intern to coordinate."

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise and turned to look at Sasuke who diverted his eyes away, looking at his father. "Fugaku, shut up. You've been removed from reality so much, it amazes me. If we can't do this for those who protect us, then what's the point?" He sneered.

"And those officers go beyond the call of duty time and time again," Neji added a bit heatedly. "It's incredibly disrespectful for anyone to belittle what they do. It's a dangerous field, something most people don't realize. Sasuke is doing something incredibly admirable."

Hanabi nodded along and Hinata felt her eyes water. It was heartwarming to see her family defend the people Kiba worked with. She quickly recovered as Sasuke rubbed the back of her hand. She blushed at the contact but smiled at him.

The room was silent until Itachi changed the topic, alleviating the mood. For the rest of the evening, he observed how they interacted with each other. But he sighed seeing how both were hopeless when it came to being upfront with their feelings.

When they drove home, Hinata turned to look at him not saying anything. It made Sasuke feel self-conscious. "Is there something on my face or something?"

"No." Hinata looked away. "But I agree with what Neji said back there. Thank you for what you're doing."

"It's really nothing."

At a red light, he placed his hand over hers reassuringly. She briefly intertwined her fingers with his but then quickly placed her hand in her lap, thinking how dangerous it was to feel this way. "The light's green."

.

.

Over time, Sasuke noticed that Hinata had begun to act strangely, and only around him. He scrutinized her interactions with other people like Naruto. The two had reestablished their friendship and while he didn't sense anything happening between the two, it still made him feel uneasy.

Naruto had correctly guessed how his best friend felt about Hinata; Sasuke had made a show of showering her with affection on her birthday. It was at the Hyuugas' home but he thought Sasuke might've gone overboard. Hinata didn't seem bothered with it; she actually blushed a lot which caused him more concern.

At first Naruto was peeved with him, but after seeing how honest and transformed he became, he let Sasuke off with a warning. "The moment you screw up, I'll beat you down and swoop in to save her. Even if she doesn't see me as anything more than a friend, I will be there for her. As one of her oldest friends, I will protect her from any more heartache."

Sasuke smirked in response, sensing that Naruto wasn't going to do anything to damage his attempts to win her heart. "She won't need your saving."

But it still bothered him that the two were just as close as before if not more so while it seemed like she was distancing herself from him. When she fell ill to a common cold, it was Naruto she called to pick up her medicine. It was natural that he felt jealous. He was basically forced out of his home while she reassured him that everything was taken care of by another man.

Now at lunch, he barely paid attention to their conversation.

"So you and Ino, huh?" she teased. "I thought you said you two weren't clicking."

Naruto chuckled awkwardly. "It's more of a professional partnership. She's been taking so many gigs after your wedding and since I'm in the food business, it made sense. But there's no romance."

"Right…" Hinata said skeptically. "You never know what might arise out of business dealings."

At this Sasuke looked up nervously while the two joked around. After he approached Itachi for advice, he grew panic-stricken.

"You told her!?" Sasuke shouted. "Why did you do it? Do you really want to push her away from me that badly?"

Itachi smirked and it annoyed him. "This is serious, now I know why she's been pulling away. You probably made it seem like I'm a creep or something." He pointed accusingly at him.

"I'm hurt you don't have any faith in me, little brother." Itachi had grown irritated at how slow their progress was, she was still too scared to take the first step and Sasuke still doubted his worth. "You don't need to try so hard, you're already good enough for her."

"How do you know if I'm a good guy for her?" He asked, pathetically.

Itachi refrained from punching him. "Because I see it in your eyes, as much of a cold bastard as you can be with the rest of us, they always soften when looking her. You've changed, more than you needed to and she's seen it."

"But I can't compete with his memory," Sasuke admitted. "I'll always come second."

"Until you put yourself out there, like painfully obvious, you won't know." His brother flicked his forehead. "Tell her clearly how you feel and find out for yourself. But I'm positive you'll be pleasantly surprised by her reaction."

"You think so?" Sasuke looked up, filled with hope. "Maybe I can tell her on this retreat we're going."

"Nothing like the passion of dull business gatherings to set the mood," Itachi rubbed his forehead in frustration. "You're quite the romantic, brother. I'm amazed she hasn't fallen to your whims already."

"Shut up." Sasuke said, scowling even more when Itachi ruffled his hair.

.

.

AN: I feel like Itachi is channeling some of readers. LOL

If I don't update soon, I hope you all have a great holiday break.

Next chapter will be pretty eventful. I think we've waited long enough, right? ;)


	19. Chapter 19

A lot happening here, so take a moment to sit down okay?

* * *

_When you're too in love to let it go_

_But if you never try you'll never know_

_Just what you're worth_

Sasuke had agreed readily to join her for the retreat, especially after she told him about Toneri's increasingly alarming behavior. His outrage scared her; it had been so long since she'd seen this side of him. She didn't want to cause any fights, just deter Toneri from making anymore unwanted advances.

"I don't trust him at all. If he manages to touch you while I'm not around, tell me and I'll set him straight," he told her, but it came off as a demand. She nodded along and tried to lighten up the mood but he was still pissed.

The night before the event kicked off, Hinata and Sasuke made it to their hotel room. It was a single bed, obviously as to not tip anyone off, however they both felt awkward about it. The last time they shared a bed was on their wedding night but they were so carefree back then. Hinata was oblivious of a lot of things, which made it easier for Sasuke to interact with her. Now he was at a loss; he had acted courageously and optimistic when he talked to his brother but it quickly went away when he considered that she might reject him.

Hinata watched as Sasuke unpacked his luggage. He had grown somewhat indifferent which made her question everything. Was Itachi mistaken, and had he mistaken Sasuke's innocent fondness towards her as meaning something deeper? Perhaps he had been so vehemently proclaiming his innocence so she wouldn't think any less of him like most people already did. Sasuke was a good guy and she didn't want to be another person who wrote him off as selfish and cold. He wasn't perfect but no one was. Hinata cursed Itachi for planting pointless ideas in her head.

Hinata assured Neji that everything was fine between the two; he had sensed something off between the two when they gathered for a quick meeting before they met with other representatives and Toneri. Sasuke had excused himself to answer a phone call from a coworker, and Neji decided to confront her.

"I can't help but feel like you're keeping things from me and I don't like it. Hinata, you know I will always be there for you right? Is Sasuke doing something-?" Neji asked.

"No, no, no. It's nothing! Sasuke and I are settling into married life but it's been a bit hard with so much going on with this project," Hinata frantically responded. She noticed his guilty look and waved her hands around wildly. "It's not that big of a deal. We'll be finishing this soon enough and then everything will go back to normal. Don't concern yourself, Neji. I'm happy, believe me."

Sasuke had hid around the corner, eavesdropping on their conversation. He couldn't help but think that she might mean ending their arrangement and going their separate ways. He clenched his fist in anger and despair at the thought.

Sasuke frowned when she scooted close to the edge as they settled for the night; he knew she was aware of his feelings but hadn't addressed it, at least not explicitly. Slowly, it was becoming painfully obvious to him that she was choosing not to respond. He didn't know if he preferred this or an outright rejection to his face.

He turned to face the opposite way. "Goodnight."

"Night," she mumbled back.

The next morning, he was fixing his tie when he gave her a look.

"What?" She asked, fixing her hair in a bun. "Is something wrong?"

_Many things are wrong_, he thought. _But that outfit isn't helping_. He shook his head, wishing she had opted for a pantsuit instead of the sleeveless white blouse and black skirt. "You should add a blazer. It'll really bring the whole look together," he suggested, then slyly smirked when she took his advice.

It was a petty thing to do, but he wasn't going to demand she change into something much more conservative for his sake. But if she decided that his suggestion was reasonable, he wasn't going to argue especially when it covered her up just a bit more. He believed she should have free reign over what she wore, but he wished that other men didn't leer. He cracked his knuckles thinking of one man in particular. _Just try me, you pale motherfucker._

"Are you ready?"

He nodded and they headed down to the conference area. When they made their entrance, Sasuke kept a firm arm around her waist. They might be here for business, but he wasn't going to let anyone think for a second that she wasn't an Uchiha.

Hinata briefly tensed at the contact; his aloofness wasn't restricted to daily conversations, he had refrained from touching her at all. _Maybe Itachi recently told him what we talked about and he really only sees me as a friend. He doesn't want to give me mixed signals._ She burned with embarrassment but quickly paled when she heard Toneri greet them.

"You look so cute, Hinata. So innocent," he smirked. "I'm very pleased you're here."

She gave him a tight smile, while Sasuke growled and pulled her closer. "Otsutsuki."

"Ah, yes. Forgive me Uchiha," Toneri feigned apologies. "Nice to see you made it. But I think it's quite improper to show your endearing affections in this environment. Hiashi did assure me that you'd remain professional."

"Honestly? I don't give a fuc-" Sasuke started.

"You're right," Hinata piped up to Sasuke's shock. Toneri sneered but she scowled at him. "We should _all_ remain professional. Unless we want things to end badly and that'd be a shame."

Sasuke calmed down and put his arm around her shoulder instead. "We should take our places."

Hinata hated long conferences, especially when there were long winded speeches. She could barely stop herself from rolling her eyes when Toneri spoke. Out of the corner of her eye, she observed Sasuke. He was engrossed by everything, taking diligent notes and answering questions. Everything Madara had said was true. Sasuke was growing and he was proving people wrong. The only time she saw him goof off was as Toneri made his speech. She stifled a laugh at the crude doodle of their shady business partner on the moon. Sasuke looked at her and winked, but Neji gave her a scolding look.

A round of applause caused them to look up. Toneri acted like he was humbled by their praise and quickly made his way to the other three. Neji congratulated him on closing off their presentation on a good note, while Sasuke looked disinterested.

"You really liked my quip at the end, did you Hinata?"

She hummed ambiguously.

"It was an absolute riot," Sasuke deadpanned. "I was holding my ribs together. You're quite the comedian."

Neji rolled his eyes and was about to reproach Sasuke about how he spoke to their partner when one of the delegates from Kumo pulled him away. Hinata followed, knowing how irritable he could be when surrounded by so many people.

Toneri raised his eyebrow. "I guess humor is one of my many great qualities. But not everyone can _measure up_, which isn't a bad thing. Some women might overlook those things. Then again when someone better comes along, they might realize they made a mistake."

Sasuke sneered right back, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He knew he was trying to bait him in public, but he wouldn't slug him until it was the right time. "Well I wouldn't know anything about that. Seeing as I've found my better half-"

Toneri sighed audibly, interrupting him. "Alas, I haven't quite caught the right woman yet. I only wish when I do, she'll be as wonderful as Hinata."

"You can keep wishing," he responded arrogantly. "Maybe should expand your search outside of Konoha and try rephrasing your wording. You kind of come off as wanting to abduct someone rather than romance them, it might put women off."

His cool demeanor faded and Toneri excused himself. Sasuke considered this a small victory but his eyes glanced over at her. Their eyes met for a second and she quickly looked away, causing him to frown. This was going on for too long. After dinner, they would talk about it.

Hinata smoothed out the fabric over her stomach. Ever since she and Ino had become friends, the blond had tried to get her to try new styles and colors. This deep maroon dress was one of her choices, but at least it came to her knee which is why Hinata didn't put up a fight.

"You look beautiful." Hinata knew she looked flustered and suddenly remembered why she stayed away from shades of red. She must look like a tomato.

"Thanks," she muttered, preoccupying herself with the contents of her clutch.

He tilted her head up. "I mean it. I should take you out more often."

Her heart raced, having expected his signature smirk but instead seeing how serious he was. "Like a date?"

He stepped unbearably close, "Something like that. We're coming up on our anniversary soon-"

"Hinata! Sasuke! We need to get going!" Sasuke glared at the door, damning Neji's timing. "We should get going then. Stick close," he told her.

Playing a loving couple was torture for both. Sasuke was struggling between enjoying himself too much and holding back. Hinata was trying to prove something to Toneri yet didn't want to appear pathetic to Sasuke. It made for awkward timing and an interesting sight.

"Be still my heart, Hinata that is a fantastic dress on you," Toneri complimented her when they first arrived. "If you had worn something like that to all of our _meetings_, I would've agreed much sooner to be your partner."

Neji and Hinata grimaced but some of the others chuckled long.

"Well, she doesn't need to be dangled like eye candy to get the job done. You sitting here proved that, didn't it?" Sasuke shot back.

There were more laughs, this time at the Otsutsuki but he played along. "Touché."

As the night wore on, their group thinned out but they knew they had to stay as long as possible, at least until the last of the representatives left.

"Would you like to dance?" Toneri asked her at one point. She declined, citing her tired feet but he offered to carry her as they danced. "I'm quite capable and besides you're so small."

Even some of the people not familiar with their issues began to take notice of the weird situation. Without another word, Sasuke stood up and she feared things were going to get physical. "Sasu-"

He leaned down and carried her. "I'm sorry to leave you gentlemen but my wife is tired. If you have any further questions Neji and Toneri will be more than happy and able to answer them. Good night."

Hinata shot everyone a smile before hiding her face in his chest. While it was a bit mortifying to be treated like this in front of important people, she took comfort in the fact that many were inebriated. She was also thankful that Sasuke placed his hands so she wouldn't flash anyone, but they were treading dangerously.

"You can look up now, they can't see us," she heard him say.

"Okay. You can let me down now." But he kept his hold on her. She looked up in confusion. "Sasuke?"

"You said you were tired." He shrugged. "Do you want to head up?"

She shook her head. Whenever they were in that room by themselves, it was a different atmosphere. It was more comfortable being in public, pretending to be at ease with each other. "How about we just sit by the pool?"

He nodded, glad that she wasn't rushing to go to bed and ignore him. He sat her down and she dipped her bare feet in the water. Sasuke crossed his legs and sat beside her. There was a silence and both wrestled internally on how to fill it.

She turned to look at him, admiring the way the water reflected his features. He wore a look of worry and she missed how he would open up to her. Hinata felt a bit like she lost something dear.

_What if?_ Hinata decided to take a chance and gently kissed his lips when he turned to talk.

Sasuke was dumbfounded. _Does she-? _

"Oh Mr. Uchiha, I was just looking for you!" Darui said.

Sasuke frowned and pulled back. _Of course, it's always just for show. She'll always be too good for me._ The thought depressed him and he was certain that he never had real chance with her "What can I help you with?"

Hinata turned her head away, her hair hiding the rejection plastered on her face. This was completely embarrassing; Sasuke hadn't even reacted to her forwardness. A slight nudge brought her back from her humiliating despair. "Huh?"

"I said I'll be back in a minute, I guess they need to talk to me. If I take too long, just head up without me okay?" She nodded and busied herself with wiggling her toes in the water. In her mind, she was drowning a small Itachi-looking cupid.

Hinata felt defeated because she sensed there was a slight possibility that they might have something more than comradery. _Maybe we really only have one soulmate, one chance at love. _

She closed her eyes and for a moment wished selfishly for someone to find her and love her regardless of all her faults. Hinata remembered the last conversation she had with Hanabi; it was regarding her latest break up with her boyfriend. "I'm not giving up, there's someone out there for me. I just need to stop going for the losers." She smiled recalling her sister's determined face and agreed. _I'm not giving up. If he won't come to me, I'll just have to search for him._ Sasuke's face flashed in her mind but she shook her head chastising herself for thinking foolishly. _Maybe later. Much later._

Toneri watched from behind a wall, smirking as the Uchiha passed by him unaware of his presence. Ten minutes later, he observed as Hinata stood up and carried her shoes in her hand. Stalking her, he took his opportunity when they were in a secluded area.

Hinata's eyes widened when a hand covered her mouth. "Shhh. We wouldn't want someone to ruin our fun. Just be a good girl and I won't pull out of the deal and tell everyone here of your cousin's ineptness. The last thing you need is for sanctions to be placed because of safety concerns. Can Byakugan survive that long?"

Anger and adrenaline began to run through her veins; she stomped on his foot and elbowed his stomach with as much might as she could muster. Once he was doubled over, she turned and kneed him, targeting his stomach again causing him to slump down.

Angrily, he reached for her as she tried to run away. Toneri was fast and slammed her against a nearby wall, disorienting her. He turned her towards him, supporting her weakened state.

Toneri stared lustfully at her. She was the perfect woman for him; gorgeous, classy, and submissive. At least to some extent, but he'd have fun teaching her. She had thought of him beneath her, but he'd show her how wrong she was; soon she'd be the one beneath him. Painfully, he pinched her cheeks together so he could force his tongue in easier.

Being manhandled was not something she had experienced before. Memories of Kiba's and Sasuke's gentleness caused her to wail and shake harder than before. These aggressive kisses were degrading and repulsive. She protested but he was more preoccupied with finally discovering her body. She bit his tongue and he pulled away. "You're only going to make this harder than it needs to."

He reasoned that once he showed her how much better he was than the Uchiha, she'd keep coming back for more. "I'm going to make you feel so much better. You'll be begging for more." Hinata cried out before being harshly muffled by his hand. His other hand fumbled with his zipper as he tried to situate himself between her legs. "If only you hadn't been so stubborn."

As she prepared for the worst, Hinata whimpered. One moment he was pressing himself against her, the next he was gone. Slowly opening her eyes, she realized she had been rescued. Her elation was mixed with fear. She was terrified to seeing his face; Sasuke was pummeling Toneri as the pale man weakly tried to defend himself.

She slumped down, terrified at the sight. He deserved every strike but Sasuke's bloody hands and the sickening sounds caused her to shut her eyes and press her hands against her ears. _Please stop. Please stop, he's done. Please._

"Stop!" A man's voice called out.

"Help me out here!" Another struggled out.

"Let me go! I'm going to kill him!" Sasuke yelled. "You hear that! I'm going to kill you with my bare hands!"

"Miss?" Hinata flinched at the slight tug on her wrist. She looked up, lips trembling. "It's okay. We've restrained him and called an ambulance for your boyfriend. Police should be here soon."

She looked confused and saw that Sasuke was in handcuffs, flat on his stomach struggling to continue the assault while some of the hotel staff tended to Toneri.

"No. No! He's not my boyfriend. He tried to…he attacked me! My husband isn't… let him go!" she pleaded, rushing to his side.

The staff looked at each other but the security guard refused to free Sasuke. "We'll let the police sort it out but keep them away from each other."

Sasuke looked at her, all he saw was red. She was still crying and her dress was slightly torn. He hurt her; that scum had hurt the woman he loved. His breathing quickened at the thought of what would've happened if he had stayed longer with Darui or headed to their room instead of looking for her. _I'm a failure. I should've been here, it's my fault_.

"I'm going to kill him once my hands are free. I promise Hinata," he said violently. "He'll regret laying his eyes and hands on you. I'm going to tear his eyes out and feed them to some pigs. I'll castrate-"

"Stop. Please stop saying these things," she whispered, hugging herself. "They'll take you away."

His eyes scanned their faces, talking in hushed tones. "I don't care. I'm going to make him pay."

"I know you're trying to protect me but," she sniffed. "You're scaring me."

He looked up at her in shock before closing his eyes in shame. He wasn't thinking clearly, all he wanted was to defend her from Toneri but the only way he knew was to inflict pain. He inflicted pain alright, as evident by the nearly unconscious man whose face was swelling, and his own bruised hands. But he had also indirectly hurt Hinata. She needed to be comforted by him, but his hands were tied.

Hinata's body shook in silent sobs and he itched to embrace her, whisper soothing words, and wipe her tears away. "I'm sorry. I always do this. I always let people down...and now you think I'm a monster."

"That's not what I mean-"

The flashing red and blue lights cut their conversation short. Hinata talked to a female police officer about her assault while others gave their statements. Sasuke hadn't been freed but sat up as his rights were being read. Although others had mentioned the situation, officers still had to book him for his assault on Toneri.

"Listen I understand that we all lose our heads when the people we love are hurt but I have to do my job. Watch your head," the officer instructed as he put Sasuke in the back of the patrol car. "But between the two of us, I doubt you'll be charged."

Hinata watched helplessly as the car drove off. They had told her where the station was and she called Neji. She frantically filled him in and he was beside her at the station. At first he was baffled by what had transpired, slightly scolding her for not telling him of the culminating harassment. Her eyes lowered in shame and he apologized for his thoughtless comment. "I'm just a bit upset you didn't feel like you could confide in me. But we're done with him and his company. I'm calling an emergency meeting with everyone. We'll sort this mess and you won't have to worry about that piece of shit anymore."

The next day, Sasuke was informed that the district attorney wasn't going to press charges. Everyone's testimonies had freed him of criminal guilt but he should brace himself for possible civil action. His attorney assured him that they'll win any case against him but that didn't bother him; he wanted Hinata back in his arms. But he frowned, remembering that she feared him too.

However, when they saw each other she rushed forward and embraced him. His attorney excused himself while Neji preoccupied himself with explaining everything to Hiashi. At first he didn't react to her hug and she thought he was upset at her. "I'm sorry. It just everything that happened… and you got in trouble because of me. Now they might send you to jail and-" she started sobbing.

He pulled her in and kissed her temple. "Shhh. Nothing's going to happen. They've dropped all charges against me. I'm not going anywhere."

"I was so scared. I thought they might send you away," she croaked out, putting some distance between them. "And when you go too far sometimes you hurt yourself." She stared at his hands before gently kissing them. "I don't like to see you get hurt."

A gruff looking detective coughed. "Excuse me, but I just wanted to give you my card. I'll be heading the case and keep you informed."

Sasuke put an arm around her protectively after she accepted it. "And the restraining order?"

"The temporary order is in place and we'll talk to the judge about extending it until we have a trial or plea deal. Until then you should be set. But don't hesitate to call, I'll be in touch."

.

.

"What?"

Sasuke wrapped his hands around her shoulders from behind. "We're going away, out of Konoha. The last thing you need is to immerse yourself in an environment where that's all that will be talked about."

Ever since they came back, Sasuke had refused to leave her alone. She was taking yet another absence from work and Hiashi had mentioned not letting her return at all. He assured her that it wasn't to punish her but make sure she took care of herself. He didn't want her anywhere near Byakugan nor did he want anything to get back to her about the potential lawsuit Tenseigan was threatening for breach of contract. It was a move to drop the charges against their CEO but Hiashi and Neji refused. Although he wanted their former partner dead, he'd take pleasure in knowing he'd rot in a prison cell.

At Sharingan, Madara was more than understanding and told him to take as much time as possible. Fugaku also pledged to help Byakugan brace for any legal fallout.

Hinata rested against him. She had given in to her father's request reluctantly. She wanted to show people that she wasn't going into hiding and that it didn't destroy her. "But I can't go without a plan or something to do. I need something to distract me from the mess I created."

"It wasn't your fault. You didn't tell him to harass you. Your father and Neji are going to take care of everything. Let me take care of you." He took a deep breath. "How about we visit some of your friends," Sasuke cautiously said.

"What friends? Ino and Naruto are here-" She stopped realizing what he meant. The last she heard, they had moved away. Perhaps it was too painful for them to stay in the city. "I'm not ready. It's too soon!"

"You haven't made progress with what has been really holding you back. While this gets sorted, we can work on your grief. You've agreed to marry me but you seem like you've stayed content with where you are. I'd like to see you happy maybe even start dating or something," he said sincerely. The feeling of not being seen in that light by her had pretty much cemented itself in his soul. He admitted defeat but that didn't mean he wanted her to be alone. _That lucky son of a bitch better thank me every day._

"Even if I agree, didn't you turn me away from Naruto," she asked. Yet Hinata was grateful that she didn't dive into a disastrous relationship with him and lose another person she cared about because of her doubts.

Sasuke turned her around so he could look at her straight in the eye. "But Naruto wasn't right for you. You know it and so did he."

"Then who is?" Her eyes glistened at him. "I kind of want that feeling again, to be loved and cherished."

"You're the one who gets to choose with whom you fall in love. If you're happy with your life then there is no reason for you to move on," he sighed. "If you somewhere down the line find someone else, then you will know when it is right, and you will know when you're ready."

He stepped away from her, his heart aching. "Everything is entirely up to you. But you need to move on before anything else. Only then can you try to have a healthy relationship. And you can only do that by going back to the root of your pain and make peace. We have the perfect opportunity now."

She bit her thumb. "I'm scared what if they hate me, what if I can't be forgiven?"

Sasuke looked taken back. "What do you have to feel guilty for?"

"Living I guess? Going on?"

Shaking his head, he pulled her hand down and away from her mouth. "But you haven't and you need to do this for your sake." Sasuke hoped that he hadn't been too blunt but he felt she needed a push and maybe this could serve two purposes. She could forget the situation at home and make amends with people she had loved like her own family.

"Okay." He smiled at her but she didn't return it. "But promise me you'll stay with me."

It took Hinata a week to prepare herself for the reunion. During that time, Sasuke had gathered all the information they needed. He knew where they had relocated and even called Tsume to ask if they were even welcomed which she assured him they were. "I've missed that girl."

Even though he had assured Hinata everything would be okay, they had spent the last twenty minutes in his car. "Someone's going to call the cops and report a suspicious car, Hinata."

"Let them."

He sighed and exited the car. She thought that he was going to force her out but was shocked when he walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. She frantically tried to signal him to stop but the door opened and Tsume greeted him. She looked around and Hinata felt horrible, so she took a deep breath and headed towards them. Sasuke smiled at her but she was a bit peeved at him.

"Hinata, you haven't aged," Tsume said.

"You haven't either," she responded. Aside from a bit of gray, she looked the same.

"Oh stop with the flattery. I know the crow's feet are obvious. Hana keeps telling me that I should've gotten a small dog instead of Kuromaru because he likes to pull me around, but he's my baby," she grinned.

The large dog passed by, curious about the strangers and Hinata had a painful flashback. Tsume led them in, telling her that Hana was on her way. "Genma was supposed to pick up Daichi but he's been called on duty."

Hinata nodded along, unsure of what to say. She observed all the photos decorating the modest home. There were plenty of Kiba which she wanted to hold but she restrained herself. Hana had apparently gotten married and created a family. She smiled sadly at the young boy who grinned as his grandmother hugged him. _In another life._

"How have you been?" Tsume asked. Hinata shrugged smiling. "No, how have you been?"

Her smile crumbled and Hinata bowed her head. "I've been…I haven't been okay. And I haven't for a long time."

Sasuke rubbed her back and Tsume looked at her sympathetically. "Is that why you came?"

"I'm sorry. I'm horrible. You probably think the worst of me," she choked out. "I've been a coward for so long and-"

"Oh no! I'm just bit upset you've carried this with you in a way that's made you miserable." The older woman clarified. "I know we haven't talked in years but we didn't reach out either. It was painful to see you and I've regretted sending you away ever since. I didn't know if you would get better but at the time I was just thinking of me and Hana."

Hinata grabbed a tissue and cleaned her face. "It was probably the best thing you could have done. I've mended things with my father and we're closer than before."

"But that doesn't mean I should've cut you out. Kiba would be ashamed of me."

"He'd probably be ashamed of things I've done, too," Hinata sniffed.

Tsume diverted her glaze onto Sasuke and smiled. "He wouldn't have wanted you to shun the world. I bet he smiled on your wedding day."

For the first time ever, Sasuke felt guilt about marrying Hinata. He didn't care what anyone had ever said about their union, but it changed as he sat across this woman. It wasn't as pure as Tsume thought and he shifted uncomfortably.

"But you still feel like you've betrayed him. Like refusing to let the grief overwhelm you somehow undermines how much he meant to you," she added wistfully.

Hinata's eyes widened.

"I can see it. I know you Hinata and know you haven't given me a sincere smile… yet. Stop feeling guilty. Kiba wouldn't have wanted to see you so miserable and lonely. That shouldn't be his lasting memory. He'd want to see you happy again."

"But how do you do it?" Hinata asked. "How do you make the pain go away?"

She shook her head. "It never goes away, not really. I miss my boy." Her eyes watered but she refused to wipe away any tears. "There's not a day that I don't wish he was still here. It took me a long while to pick myself up and decide that I didn't want to feel the despair and helplessness. So I became active. I attended grieving parents support groups. I got involved with an organization against drunk driving. I needed to do something to honor my Kiba."

"There was this one father who lost his son at a very young age. I think he was fifteen. After his death, his wife divorced him and he became an alcoholic. He nearly lost his job but his boss gave him an ultimatum, go to rehab or be let go. He cleaned himself up and found the support group. I remembered the first time I heard him speak. He said life kicks you around sometimes. It scares you and it beats you down until you feel like ending the pain. But then there are days when you realize you're not just a survivor, you're a warrior. You live on to honor the ones you lost. You can beat this because you've been so tough already. You can take anything life throws your way even if it doesn't feel like it at the moment."

"If your love for him is making you sad and affecting your life negatively, ask yourself if he would want you to be like this. He loved you very deeply and completely," she continued. Tsume had been thinking the past week about what to say to her. "I think the best thing to do is never lose sight of how special and wonderful your love was. Allow the memory of your lives together and the love you still have be a source of strength and pride and happiness."

Hinata cried and Tsume went over to embrace her. It was like old times and she tightened her hold on the older woman. It felt as if when she opened her eyes, she'd see that none of this was real. She was back in Tsume's old home, bidding her goodbye and heading out with Kiba and Akamaru. She could tell him to take a different route or beg to stay the night at his mom's. But it was real; Tsume's crying was a reminder of the harsh reality.

Sasuke sat on her opposite side, feeling like he should give them some privacy but as he shifted to get up the door opened. A brunette haired boy ran in, followed by a heavily pregnant woman. The boy ran to his grandmother but stopped at seeing her cry. "What's wrong?"

Hana ushered her son to another room. "Granny's fine. Just play with your toys okay?"

Hana put her hands on her hips, and Hinata's eyes widened at the large belly. "You said you'd wait! Geez, now I look like a jerk for missing the reunion. Here you all are, crying and catching up without me."

Her mother wiped her tears and rolled her eyes. "Oh stop being so hormonal. They just got here."

Hana scowled at her mother who left to assure her grandson nothing was wrong.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Hana asked. "I don't know what you've already talked about but I'd like to catch up."

Sasuke felt a little hesitant, feeling like he was encroaching on an intimate moment. But when Hinata accepted immediately, he remembered he had promised to stay by her side. She followed Hana into the kitchen and gave him a smile, telling him she could do this by herself.

Tsume returned and stared at Sasuke while rubbing her dog's ear. "I can see that she's found someone really special. I don't know who would want their wife to talk to her former… to us."

"I do care for her greatly," he said sincerely. "And this has tormented her for so long."

"Do you love her?" The Inuzuka asked. She didn't want to offend him but she wanted to be sure.

"I do, more than she knows."

In the kitchen, Hana was instructing Hinata on how to season the chicken. She leaned against the counter, struggling to find the right words to start the serious part of the conversation. Her eyes flicked towards where Hinata's husband was conversing with her mother.

"The way he looks at you, I can see that he really loves you," Hana told her. She smiled and nodded, stirring the rice.

"Look, I know mom already told you but I want you to hear it from me. I'm glad you haven't wallowed in misery after Kiba died. It wouldn't have been fair for you. I'll be honest, for a while I did blame you. But I blamed everyone. Mom for always insisting on her family dinners, Akamaru for probably distracting him, I even blamed him. I wondered what he might've done-"

"But he didn't do anything wrong! We all did what we always did, everything was normal. And then it wasn't… but none of us were to blame," Hinata retorted, slightly raising her voice.

Hana put her hands on Hinata's shoulders. "I know that now but back then I thought all kinds of horrible things. I'm ashamed of it now, knowing that it hurt my mom and I can see how it affects you now. We all just grieve differently. Until I met Genma, I was an angry girl. He's helped me see things differently."

Hinata's eyes stared at her stomach and Hana noticed. "It's a girl," she told Hinata.

She smiled at her and Hana asked her if she'd like to touch her stomach. "Are you sure that's okay?"

"Please, most people don't even wait for permission. Go ahead."

Hinata cleaned her hands and frantically wiped them dry. Slowly, she gently placed her hand on Hana's stomach. Her other hand covered her mouth as she cried happily. "I can feel her move. What's her name?"

"Kyoumi."

She nodded, "That's a beautiful name. He would have spoiled her rotten," she giggled.

"Yeah."

They set the table and lunch went better than Hinata could have imagined. Daichi reminded her of Kiba with his rambunctiousness and smirk. But the memories of her lost love didn't hurt as much, being surrounded by the Inuzuka's proved that it didn't have to at all.

Before they left, Hinata unclasped her locket. She pulled Tsume to the side and placed it in her hand. "I'll always love him. That will never change but I feel like I should give this to you. It's given me courage when I felt like I had none but I don't think I need it anymore. You can take the picture of me out if you want-"

Tsume opened the locket and grinned. "I won't. You were his world."

Hinata smiled at her and hugged her goodbye. She felt lighter and was grateful having the chance to make things right.

"If there's anything that you need, however big or small, don't hesitate to call," Sasuke whispered to Hana. "We'll be happy to help with anything."

She rubbed her stomach, nodding gratefully. "We're good. For now, just promise to take care of her."

The ride back to the city was different. The mood had greatly shifted but when she asked him to pull over he grew worried.

"I want to see him before we go home. I haven't been there since his funeral."

Sasuke frowned uncertain about visiting the cemetery. "You already made a lot of progress, are you sure?"

"Yes."

They stopped by a flower shop and Hinata sniffed the Hydrangeas as they drove. He pulled up to the curb and stayed in the car which she was grateful for. She needed to do this by herself.

The landscape had changed over the years and she wondered if it always looked this serene. She kneeled down and traced his name with her fingertips. "You were my beloved, Kiba. I'm sorry for not coming sooner. But you know why I've been so selfish and scared. I can't wrap my head around this, though. It's like there's no way you're really here. Maybe you really aren't here. Your spirit is too wild and untamable to be stuck here. I visited Hana and you mom, they're doing great. And I think I'm okay now."

"There's no getting over what happened to you and our family. It hurts too much but I'll try not to be sad all the time. I shouldn't cry every single time I remember you. We had a wonderful life and I miss it." She kissed her hand before placing it on top of his headstone. "I will try to move forward to honor you and make this life mean something. But you will remain a part of me, always and forever."

Hinata walked back to the car, unaware of the tears falling down her face. Sasuke asked to take a moment and he went to the gravesite. She watched as he spoke a few words and bowed his head.

She didn't ask him what he said and Sasuke was thankful for that.

.

.

The young man barista blushed when she giggled but Sasuke scowled at him. The death stare was enough to send him away.

He raised an eyebrow at the carefree woman. "It's kind of bothering me that you're this flirty now. We're still a married couple in the public's eye."

"Sorry. I don't mean to come off like that," she giggled. It had been a few weeks since that visit to Tsume, and every day she was more cheerful. He loved seeing her like this but worried that she might attract more males to her brightening personality.

"It's just after we left, it was like all the sadness began to melt away. I feel free because I finally made peace and I'm a bit excited for what awaits. Maybe I won't be lonely after we both regain our freedom," she piped up, shyly looking up at him. "It might take a while but I'm looking forward to it."

Not noticing, Sasuke hummed in agreement. He refused to show her how those words had strung. "We need to head back, though. The lawyer needs to talk to us about the next steps forward."

Her mood soured a bit but she nodded. Even if somethings were finally going right, Toneri needed to be dealt with. While Sharingan and Byakugan were working together to combat the accusations against Tenseigan, everyone thought Sasuke should prepare himself for the civil action Toneri was warning.

It was a desperate attempt to have the criminal charges against him dropped but the older Uchihas didn't want him to think he could intimidate himself out of trouble.

With Hinata by his side, they went over counteractions against Toneri if by some chance Hinata didn't get the justice she deserved. Sasuke was always one to scoff at lawyers and look down at their ruthlessness but he was happy that he had this pit bull working for them.

"We'll have him groveling and clean him out," his lawyer guaranteed the two. "He's ruined in every sense of the word."

Once alone in his office, Hinata hugged Sasuke thankful for having him in her life. "I feel like I need to repay you somehow."

Sasuke tensed, wondering if this was his chance to make his own peace with things. He removed himself from her embrace, much to her disappointment. "There is something…someone I want."

Her eyes brightened and his heart raced at the possibility until she spoke. "Let me help. I'll make sure you two get together!"

_How could she be so blind?_ He tried to be obvious and send her signals but they went unheeded by the one person he felt completely in love with. He began to back away from pouring his heart out to her.

Hinata chose to ignore the slight ache in her chest. She should be still happy that he had found someone. But she couldn't help but think back to all the special times they had; it felt miserable that soon she'd be replaced.

"Forget it," he said a bit irritated.

She tugged on his arm sleeve. "Please. It's the least I could do. You've been more than understanding and compassionate. I want to repay you."

He stared at her eyes, so sincere and desperate to please him. "Close your eyes."

She titled her head, confused for a moment. "Sasuke…"

"Please."

Slowly, she closed her eyes and waited in anticipation. Her breathing became erratic as she wondered if he was going to do what she hoped for.

Sasuke stared at her, wanting nothing more than to claim her lips fiercely but he didn't want to frighten her away. She deserved to be cherished not treated as a piece of meat like _he_ had tried to. Still, he also couldn't go on without making his intentions crystal clear.

He kissed her lips chastely and pulled away to see her staring back at him.

Her mind raced and she was still trying to come to terms with what this might mean. "Sasuke? What-"

"I knew it. I'm sorry." He frowned and tried to rush out. But she pulled him back; he refused to look at her. "If you want to punch me go ahead. But just hear me out. I know you're still hurting it's still a part of you. I can't fix everything but I can try. I care so much about you. And I'll try to make you feel better. I'll stand by you because… I love you."

The silence was unbearable and he wanted to immediately take back everything he said. Not because he didn't mean it, but because he might lose her because of it.

Hinata had let go of his arm in shock, half expecting him to leave her but he stayed still. Her heart was beating so fast, she felt like she would pass out. Everything he said terrified her but what scared her most was that she could see herself with Sasuke, not just as a fake wife or friend but more legitimate. _It's happening… _

He saw her sway a bit and rushed to sit her on a chair but she refused. "Are you okay? Do you need me to call someone?"

She shook her head, reaching out to touch his face and brush his hair away. At first he flinched, thinking she was going to slap him but realizing what she was doing, he leaned into it.

"Hinata..." She cut him off with a kiss of her own. It was shy and uncertain but became more confident when he slipped his tongue in. Hinata became lost in the sweetness of it; she knew his lips could be so soft. She slid her hands up his shoulders and grasped his shirt tightly, encouraging more force.

When her lips touched his, he was in heaven but when she signaled for more, fireworks exploded. She had initiated this but he took the lead very quickly. His lips burned her like fire, igniting something deep inside of her bones. It had sent her into a daze and she didn't hear what he said after they pulled away for air.

"I am sorry, what were you saying?" she asked.

He cupped her face and rested his forehead against hers. "What does this make us?" he repeated.

"I don't know," she began. "But I'd like to find out."

"I can't offer you what you had with him but-"

Hinata kissed him again to try to douse his self-doubts. _He's more than what people think him to be_.

They became lost in their passion and didn't notice his door open. Itachi stared at the sight in astonishment. It was Sasuke who first noticed their unwanted guest, Hinata tried to step away but he kept a firm hold on her.

"What do you need?"

Itachi was at a loss for words, for a moment forgetting why he needed Sasuke in the first place. "The meeting with Senju has been postponed until tomorrow…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow asking if that was all. "Well you could have just sent an email."

His brother nodded, wondering why he didn't do so in the first place. "Well I should get going. Sasuke, Hinata as you were." He debated whether to ignore the awkward situation he walked in on but he really wanted to rile his brother up. Unfortunately, only Hinata reacted.

"Where were we?" Sasuke asked, trying to get her back in the mood but her face burned with humiliation.

She buried her face in her hands. "That was so uncomfortable."

"Which part because we can work on it," he teased. "Don't worry about him."

"I should let you get back to work," she said hurriedly. Sasuke watched as she practically ran out and felt offended until she rushed back and kissed him again. This time it was innocent enough, she didn't want to escalate things here.

"S-see you at home!" she squeaked out.

He followed her out and watched in amusement as she bumped into another person on her way to the elevator. He leaned against his doorframe and sighed contently. Sasuke looked forward to going home to her everyday but today he couldn't wait until the clock ticked down.

* * *

AN: Next chapter will explore their relationship and how they'll navigate it. I still have much to resolve though, so throw that in and it'll be an interesting ride.

Thanks for the feedback, you all rock. I get a warm feeling whenever I see someone has favorited, followed, or reviewed.

I'm glad my story has an effect on others. :)

Hope everyone had a fantastic holiday and stayed safe.


	20. Chapter 20

_Who's to say how it goes_

_All I know is_

_I'm back in the world again_

Itachi watched in delight as Sasuke bolted from his office. After that little display earlier that day, there was no question as to where he was heading off. Although he still had reservations about their relationship, he couldn't ignore how happy his brother looked.

"What are you grinning about?" Fugaku asked.

His face returned to its usual stoicism. "Nothing. See you tomorrow, father."

Sasuke was nervous and anxious to see her; what if she had doubts and regretted what had transpired. He made a stop to the flower shop and asked for the biggest arrangement they could make in a rush. The employee thought he must've something huge to apologize for but Sasuke's big grin said otherwise.

With nothing to do after she read her last novel, Hinata decided to do some yoga. Her nerves were a wreck and she needed to have a clear mind when he came home. She was finishing her final stretching when she heard the door knob jingle. Standing up quickly to greet him, her eyes widened at the large flower arrangement. She rushed over to help him as he struggled to juggle it and his briefcase.

She set it down on the counter and her fingertips gently touching the various petals. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"I do. It's beautiful, but you shouldn't have," she said sheepishly.

He dropped his briefcase and wrapped his arms around her. "Why? I feel good about spoiling my girl." Sasuke was never one to be so corny and hated whenever Sakura would pester him about not showing enough affection. But now he realized how something as simple as those words could fill him with such a great feeling. "And you are my girl, right?"

She buried her face in his chest but nodded. "I need to hear it," he said. "C'mon."

"I'm your girl," she forced out, blushing as she spoke. He chuckled and pulled her tighter.

"And I'm your man," he responded causing her to smile. Feeling like he finally had freedom to express how much he loved her, Sasuke kissed her eagerly.

Hinata struggled not to lose herself the passion as he pushed her body against the kitchen counter with his own. Sasuke fisted her soft hair in one of his hand as he held her waist with his other hand. He couldn't get enough of her touch, body, and the soft moaning of her voice just spurred him on.

This kiss was different than any other they shared before and she liked it, a lot. However, she needed this to stop before it went any further; she just didn't know how without upsetting him. Hinata could not find her voice to interrupt Sasuke; he was making it incredibly hard to stop. When his hand slipped under her tank top she pushed him back. Of course she had thought about being with him in a more intimate way but it was going too fast.

Sasuke stopped immediately, wondering what was wrong.

"This can't be just sex. If that's what you expect from me now… I can't be one of the women you toss aside afterwards," Hinata told him sternly.

She turned her head when a hurt look came across his face. "Is that what you think of me? Hinata, you're so much more to me than that. I would never treat you like that. While I do want to have sex with you, I want you to know that it'll mean something when we do. And I can wait."

He created some space between them but kept her in his arms. She could see he was as flustered as she was and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry for ruining such a good moment, I just want to make sure we know where we stand," she clarified. "I need to know what I might be getting myself into."

He nodded, understanding that she must still have fears about jumping into a relationship with him. "Where do you what to begin?"

"I think I'm curious as to why," she admitted. "I know it's stupid but I want to know."

"It wasn't a sudden thing. It's something that kept growing. I first respected you for your selflessness. How many people would commit to such a crazy idea? Then your vulnerability showed me that there was another side to you," Sasuke said. He ran his hands through her hair. "Your caring nature towards people like me pulled me in deeper and I realized I didn't want to become strangers after this all ended. I've seen the person everyone couldn't help but adore… I didn't want to lose you."

"I would've tried to be a part of your life, even if it was as friends," she said slowly. "You wouldn't have lost me at all."

He shook his head, "It'd be different. It's like I became possessive over you and didn't want others to take what I discovered to be my source of happiness. I want to be with you in every sense which is terrifying because I never felt like that towards anyone. I was content with how my life was then I met you and realized that I want more. But I knew you still had your guard up so I became determined. I wanted you to lay down your armor and let me be your knight in shining armor."

"I can only offer myself, and that comes with some pretty ugly things. I'm not thought of as a good person in many circles. My father practically hates me and I don't know where I stand with the rest of my family sometimes. If my own blood struggles to care about me, how can I ask someone else to, especially someone who deserves more than some damaged piece of shit like me?"

"I hate that you can't see how great you are." Hinata frowned and hugged him. "It kills me that you seem to hate yourself when you do have people who care about you, like me. I wish you'd see yourself like I do."

His heart warmed at that and he rested his chin on her head. "I know I'm not Kiba, I can't possibly offer to give you what he did but I'd like to try and create something just as beautiful with you."

"You're right." Hinata replied and his heart ached. "You aren't exactly like Kiba. I used to think that your eyes were cold and emotionless, far different from Kiba's warm brown eyes. But I realize now that yours aren't cold but deep, and I've seen them express many emotions."

Sasuke tilted her head to look at him. "What emotions do they express when I look at you?"

She blushed and shrugged her shoulders shyly. "I wouldn't-"

He caressed her cheek lovingly and leaned closer. "Look at them, Hinata. Tell me what you see."

"I see… kindness, love, and hope," she softly said. Her fingers traced his lips and he kissed her palm. "There's only one thing I want you to promise me," Hinata told him. He nodded, gesturing her to continue. "Promise me that you won't hurt me. That you'll try your hardest to avoid causing me pain. Please," she whispered.

He placed her palm over his heart. "I promise."

Hinata returned her gaze to the flowers. "So why me?" Sasuke asked. "Do you feel the same way?"

"I like you because of all the things you listed," she said. Sasuke rolled his eyes, thinking she couldn't come up with her own answers. He also took a mental note of how she hadn't said love.

"No I mean it. I really disliked you when we formally met. My impression of you wasn't the greatest but then I saw that we weren't that different. You keep trying to prove something and I've seen your insecurities. But you use them as motivators and helped me along. You're not the emotionless man every thinks. There's depth to Sasuke Uchiha." Hinata looked back at him lovingly. "I tried to ignore the reasons why I gravitated to you, whether to defend you or use you as my protector. I thought it was because you were a friend or I owed you but in reality I was actually scared to think it was something deeper."

"And is it?" he questioned. He didn't want her to out of pity or obligation.

"Yes," she affirmed. "It's been a while for me but when Itachi told me everything I felt like there was a reason to wish for more. It's not about measuring up or replacing someone. What I had before was special and can't be imitated. Things can never be the same and that's okay. I had closed myself off from everything because I wanted to go back to how things were without realizing what I have right here. Tsume validated everything and I feel like maybe there's reason to hope. I tried to bury my loneliness and sorrow but now I see I can be happy again. And you have a big part in that. Sorry for taking so long to figure some things out."

He smiled, wishing he'd taken some steps earlier. "Well it's been a while for me as well. I love you Hinata."

She looked at him a bit apprehensive. "Thank you," Hinata said. She still didn't know how to respond to those three words yet and hoped he wasn't upset.

While his smile fell, he understood that there were still somethings she'd have to work on. "I know you might not be able to say it now, but you've seen how long I can wait. When you're ready, I'll still be here."

"I feel like you deserve more than this though. I feel guilty for not giving in-"

"Don't! You don't know how happy I am." She gave him a doubtful look. Sasuke admitted to himself that he wanted to be physically intimate with her, badly. However he didn't want to pressure her, he wasn't that guy. "Well I could be _better_ but we'll get there eventually. I know it."

She hummed against his chest. "You're really too good for me."

He chuckled knowing how many times he thinks that about her. "So how are we going to break it to everyone? I don't think Fugaku will have a problem. He'd probably be jumping for joy, but your father might not be so thrilled. Isn't he a hunter or something?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Where did you get that idea?"

He scowled thinking about her little sister. "But he does have a gun," she added innocently. He blanched and her mouth slightly opened, grasping what he was insinuating. "Oh really, he wouldn't take things to that extreme."

"Hinata, he nearly strangled me in a hospital."

"Right, but your mother might try to poison me during dinner or something." This time he was to one with a skeptical look. "You never know, she _really_ hates me."

"Well she's just going to have to get over it," he said. "Isn't that right Mrs. Uchiha?"

Hinata laughed and he chuckled along.

"Now I'm not sure if we should tell them," she said seriously. He frowned at her and she played with his hair. "Not that I'm ashamed of you it's just I don't want to cause any problems before we even figure things out. It'll just complicate matters with them interfering. But we can tell Naruto and Itachi already knows so at least we won't keep everyone in the dark."

"Right," he huffed. "I guess we can treat it as a dirty little secret." He wiggled his eyebrows.

She got off him. "Why do you have to make it sound so perverted? But it is kind of funny that we have two secrets to keep. We can't let some people know why we got married in the first place, and we can't tell some who do about the arrangement that we are actually together."

He laughed along and pulled her back against him. "Like I said it's a dirty little secret."

That night they talked while sitting out on the patio and Hinata snuggled against him, enjoying how warm he felt. He pushed her bangs back and kissed her as she started to fall asleep. When the blanket wasn't enough against the dropping temperature, he gently nudged her to get up. Hinata stumbled on her feet so he gladly used it as another excuse to carry her.

Hinata felt that he had placed her on a bed and shook her head. "I'm not ready yet," she reminded him, sleepily.

"I know, and I'm not pressuring you. You'll still have your own room."

She looked around and realized he had taken her to her room. "I'm sorry, I thought-"

He interrupted her with a kiss and told her not to worry. "Goodnight babe."

She pulled the covers over her and he smirked knowing she was hiding her embarrassment. "You're going to have to get used to it, _babe_."

Not wanting to endure to more of his teasing, Hinata turned on her side so he wouldn't see her face.

As he watched from the doorframe, the moon provided an ethereal aura. It was like she was glowing which was fitting seeing as she illuminated his once dark aura, creating a path for when he got lost fighting his demons. Hinata had become a part of him, one that he wouldn't part with willingly.

.

.

"So where's Hinata?" Naruto asked Sasuke. He had called the blond, saying that there was something they wanted to tell him. He had a hunch about what it pertained to but wouldn't assume anything until it was out in the open. "You said to be here at four, right?"

He was at their place but the only person here was Sasuke who seemed a bit on edge. "She'll be here in a bit. Listen, you're my best friend and after all you've done for me, the last thing I want to do is hurt you." He cleared his throat. "You know how I feel about her. Well now she knows… and she's not repulsed by it."

Naruto burst out laughing and Sasuke's left eye twitched. He could've worded it better but he wasn't sure how to explain how she truly felt about him. "Hey shut up! What I mean is we're actually together now."

"Oh god, that was so lame." He wiped a tear as he struggled to breathe. "I kind thought it might happen. But damn, did you have to set the mood all gloomy? I thought you'd be happier."

"I am. It's just that she didn't want you to be upset. I called you ahead so you could hear it from me. I'd bear any of your anger if I had to," Sasuke said firmly. "She's worried what you might say or do when you found out."

His eyes widened. "That's stupid! I'm actually happy for you guys."

"Thanks," Sasuke smiled. "Bottom line is she's too good for me but it's too late now. I've got my claws stuck in her and I'm not letting go."

Naruto's cell rang and he excused himself, passing by Hinata who just arrived.

Hinata rushed in, nearly out of breath. "Naruto is here?! I thought you said he'd be here at five." She put the grocery bags down and glared at Sasuke who shrugged. "You didn't!"

"I sure did," he smirked looking proud. "And stop looking at me like that. He took it really well."

She put her hands on her hips and continued to glare.

"I swear. Naruto's rooting for the two of us."

"Son of a bitch… Fuck!" Naruto's voice boomed from outside their door.

Hinata crossed her arms and put one hand on her shoulder. "You are really inconsiderate sometimes, Sasuke."

Naruto rushed back in, greeting her with a quick kiss to her cheek. "Sorry, I have to get going. I totally spaced out a meeting with Ino today. She's gonna kill me."

"See?" Sasuke boastfully asked her. However, she was more interested in his missed date.

"Hmm." Hinata gave him a mischievous grin. "Meeting Ino, huh?"

"It's not like that," he assured. "We're not like you two, mixing business with pleasure. By the way I'm not mad. So stop worrying about my feelings, I'm fine."

He turned to his best friend who was watching their interactions carefully. "I trust you. But if you're going to be a part of her life, you better not screw up. I'll kick your ass," Naruto cautioned before turning to her with a softer tone. "And please take care of this bastard. He needs a lot of care and love."

"You make me sound like a stray cat," Sasuke grumbled.

"Don't put him near sunlight, don't get him wet, and no matter how much he begs don't feed him after midnight."

Sasuke was puzzled but Hinata giggled at the reference and nodded. "I'll take care of my little Gizmo."

"More like Stripe," Naruto snorted as he walked out, bracing himself to face a fuming blonde.

He stared at Hinata while she stifled a laugh but shook her head, knowing he didn't understand the reference.

"Nerds," he pouted. Sasuke wanted to be that couple that had inside jokes or special meanings behind things. _I just need to create them! _"Hinata! We're going out!"

"Now? But I was planning on making dinner," she said, wrapping her hair in a ponytail. "Unless you want to eat out?"

He smirked devilishly.

"Not like that!" she blushed, scowling at him. "I swear you have a dirty mind! I'm going to hose you down or get you fixed."

Sasuke put his hands up. "Okay, I'll be good. But how about we go out to dance or karaoke after we eat?" he asked. It was definitely out of his element but he wanted to prove that he could be fun to be with as well. Hinata giggled way too much when Naruto was around.

She briskly walked up and placed her hand on his forehead. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to see if you were okay. I can't see you dancing or singing for fun. It's unnatural."

"You're hilarious," he deadpanned. "Excuse me for trying to do something nice for my wife." Now that they were a couple, that word felt different; it was wonderful.

Secretly, he was relieved that he didn't have to go through with his offer. Maybe they could find something much less degrading-

"I'm so sorry! We can go out if you want." Hinata wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "We can go dancing and do karaoke afterwards! Ino has told me about this place downtown…"

Sasuke panicked as she listed the vast catalogue of songs available. "I can't wait," he said with a pained smile. During dinner, he purposely ate slowly to put delay his stupidly impulsive idea, but that just gave Hinata more time to get ready.

"Ready?" She exuded excitement and practically skipped out the door; he couldn't disappoint her.

The first stop was to a club; the stifling and crowded environment made him want to leave immediately. He wasn't a stranger to places like this but he mostly stayed in a private booth. Hinata held on to his arm as they made their way deeper inside. He ignored the looks some women gave him, and pulled her closer to prove a point to wandering eyes.

"Do you want a drink?" he offered, whispering in her ear. She shook her head looking around.

He tilted his head back and sighed dejectedly. "How about we dance or something?"

"I'm not very good so don't laugh," she said.

He nodded eagerly and led her to the dance floor. If she was so self- conscious about it, maybe they were on the same boat and they'd leave early. Unfortunately, it was awkward and painful; while she had a graceful body he stumbled around. This was not the same woman who he shared a first dance with; it was like in the dim lighting Hinata ignored her previous inhibitions. She mesmerized him with her movements.

Sasuke was suddenly embarrassed, but she smiled lovingly at him and kept her eyes on him.

"Care to dance?" A younger man pulled Hinata away from him, and as Sasuke was about to confront him he was pulled by a woman in the opposite direction.

Without another word, the stranger began to grind against him. He searched for Hinata and rudely pushed the woman away. "Fucking jerk," she shouted but he didn't give a damn.

He spotted her shaking her head apologetically, and firmly pointed to her wedding band. His anger dwindled as he approached them. "C'mon, it's just a dance. We ain't screwing on the dance floor. There are private rooms for -" It returned just as quickly.

"Hey! Casanova, get the hell away from my wife," he menaced. The bleach blond man scowled right back.

Hinata immediately went to his side and put his arm around her. Sasuke smirked at the man who dismissed the couple. "Let's get out of here," she offered. He was more than happy to oblige. "The karaoke place is still open."

"Great," he grimaced inwardly.

Sound Four looked like a shady place to him but shrugged. He just wanted this night to be over and didn't argue with her about going first. On the bright side, they had a booth to themselves. Another couple asked to join but his scowl from behind Hinata scared them away. No one, aside from her, would be seeing the humiliating sight.

To his surprise, Hinata sang horribly out of tune. Her soft voice was perfect for lullabies, not for such an intense song. He struggled to keep a straight face; when she turned the mic on him for a duet, he decided to go for it. A sudden look of surprise on her face appeared.

"You can sing?!"

Suddenly, he was forced to sing song after song of her choice while she stared in awe. After basically giving her a short concert, his throat was sore. He had been part of the school choir for years but once he entered high school, he became disinterested much to the disappointment of his mother. He wasn't the best singer but he wasn't horrible either.

"Please?" she begged. "Just one more? You can even choose which one!"

He shook his head, putting the mic away. "I'm tired."

"Please, _sweetie_?" Hinata pouted. "For me?"

"Okay, just one more." He leaned in. "For a kiss."

She happily paid the fare and he chose the quickest song. They left Sound Four and although he found a hidden talent, Sasuke was never going back. He did gain something from this; they now had a secret between them. Hopefully she wouldn't tell Naruto, he'd hate to kill him.

"Tonight was actually kind of fun. I wouldn't want to do this every night because it's exhausting but I'm glad that you did this," she nuzzled his upper arm.

"It wasn't awkward?"

She giggled and he smirked. "We don't need to go through this whole dating phase but thanks for the effort. I like discovering new things about you. I thought I knew all your quirks but what a voice!"

He strutted confidently as she stared in admiration.

"I can't wait to see what we do for our anniversary," she sighed happily.

_Shit._

Hinata burst out laughing. "I'm joking. I could see how hard this was for you. Let's just spend a quiet night in, maybe serenade me a bit."

"Maybe. And you can dance for me in return."

_._

.

"If you can sign here, we can get things moving," Sasuke informed his client. "We'll send over the prototype and fix any issues with the system."

The man briefly looked over the forms before signing. He handed the folder back to Sasuke, noticing the photo on his desk. "Newlywed?"

"Yes." Sasuke turned the frame towards him and smiled. "We're coming up on our first year."

"Ah, any plans for children?"

"Maybe one day. Right now we're just focusing on each other." The man left and Sasuke was alone with his thoughts. He wasn't entirely lying, but they hadn't even discussed children. They were focusing on establishing their relationship into something genuine and strong. There was also the possibility that she didn't want to try after her miscarriage. The thought saddened him but he would respect her decision. His focus was only on her; his future consisted of Hinata whether they had children or not.

Personally, he wasn't ready to take care of another person. It was different with Hinata because they took care of each other. His relationship with his own father was tense, and becoming one frightened him.

"Sasuke!" _Speaking of the devil. _Fugaku walked in.

"What?"

"Konami just called me. You haven't told her if you'll be attending the reunion yet. I gave an excuse for you two last year because I didn't want to pressure her while she was still second guessing the arrangement." He crossed his arms. "But it won't look good if she skips this year as well. Hinata needs to integrate herself into the family. I know you usually like to skip these events but suck it up. Tell her whatever-"

"We're going," Sasuke interrupted. "I'll call her myself to confirm."

Not used to Sasuke being passive, Fugaku raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Good. Do so immediately." He walked out, sensing a change in his son. He was filled with pride but he chose to keep it to himself.

Sasuke dialed his aunt and confirmed his reservations. His father was right, Hinata needed to become closer to his family. Not for shallow reasons, he wanted her to stay in his life forever. If they were going to make this genuine, he wanted her to become comfortable with the people in his life.

He frowned remembering his uneasy relationship with the Hyuugas. He'd need to work on that if they were to accept their relationship; he was more concerned with Hiashi. It seemed like he was counting down the days until they divorced. The day would never come if Sasuke had his way.

Hinata wasn't opposed to the Uchiha gathering, agreeing with him. "It wouldn't hurt to become familiar with your everyone. I am an Uchiha too."

He grinned. "You're a part of my family and I'm part of yours."

"You're the most unique looking Hyuuga I know," she joked but appreciated his resolve to bring everyone together.

"Hey! I'm the best looking Hyuuga." She raised her eyebrow. "Okay, Neji isn't totally ugly I guess." Hinata smacked his shoulder playfully.

"I'm kidding." He kissed her pout away. "You're also the prettiest Uchiha, princess."

"Oh! That reminds me," Her eyes widened. "Hanabi's graduation is next month. I mean if you want to come, I know it's kind of short notice and you might be busy-"

"I'm free."

Here eyebrows furrowed. "But I didn't tell you when."

"Doesn't matter, it's important to you so I'm coming," he promised. "Hiashi needs to get use to the idea of the two of us and this is a step I need to make to be accepted."

As they neared event, Sasuke tried to integrate himself into the tightknit clan. He had invited them a few times to eat at their home which was accepted by Neji and Hanabi. The youngest Hyuuga was the friendliest, but that wasn't saying much. Neji was civil, especially after what had occurred in Kumo but there was still a sense of discomfort among them. Hiashi was always quick to decline, coming up with various excuses much to Hinata's disappointment but he remained undeterred. This was for the benefit of their relationship and he knew the patriarch wouldn't be easy to win over.

On Hanabi's graduation date, Sasuke purposefully sat between Hiashi and Hinata. She was the valedictorian, something Hiashi reminded Sasuke over and over. He cheered loudly along with the rest of the Hyuugas as Hanabi proudly received her diploma.

As they began to take photos, Hiashi became a bit annoyed by how often Hinata pulled Sasuke in. He wanted to have pleasant memories but if Sasuke was in many of the physical mementos, he would always be reminded of the horrible arrangement his daughter made. The Uchiha wasn't a bad man, but he didn't want him to get used to this.

Hanabi dragged Hinata to meet some of her favorite teachers, while Neji took the opportunity to visit a female friend of his who advised the martial arts club leaving Hiashi and Sasuke alone. "I'm glad that you have treated my daughter well during this…thing. You've protected her when she was at her most vulnerable and she's been getting happier since the wedding."

Trying not to seem too overjoyed, Sasuke nodded. "Kind of makes you think it wouldn't be so terrible if it was real-" Hiashi burst out laughing. His daughters called them over to speak with Hanabi's math teacher and he composed himself. _Damn_, Sasuke frowned.

Sasuke treated everyone to a quick lunch at a place of Hanabi's choosing to earn some points with the family. Hanabi basked in the continuous praise, but Neji was quick to point out the upcoming special date as well. "With everything happening, it's rare to have everyone together. But in case I don't see you two, I'd like to make a toast and congratulate your first year together. I haven't seen Hinata this happy and I'm glad she has you in her life."

He tilted his glass and took a quick drink, avoiding the Uchiha's stunned stare. Hiashi coughed, "Yes, congratulations on the first year. One year down."

Hinata slumped a bit whereas the other Hyuugas shot him a look. They assumed he was making a snide comment about how they exceeded his expectations. Hiashi was genuinely happy that they had nearly finished their first year; it would only be four more until they severed ties with the Uchihas. _Perhaps sooner_, he thought gleefully.

Sasuke smirked, knowing what the patriarch was thinking. _That day will never come_, he thought. "Yes, and we hope for many more to come." Hinata was quick to agree causing her father to scrutinize the two more closely.

"Okay, okay enough about them. This is my day, remember?" Hanabi declared. It was a welcomed diversion from the current conversation, and they returned to showering her with praise.

.

.

The annual gathering of Uchihas always took place on Konami's estate. It had been left to her by Sasuke's grandparents. Fugaku reminisced on his childhood as he walked into the main house. Mikoto was already making her rounds, catching up with some people she hadn't seen since the last reunion. Itachi was arriving later but Sasuke and Hinata showed up around the time he did. Thankfully, drama had been diverted and his wife hadn't seen them yet.

Hinata seemed enthusiastic to meet everyone, which caused him to smile; Fugaku was even impressed by their acting. The two played the part of newlyweds flawlessly.

While the majority of people were welcoming, there were still some who held on to the grudge with her family. Hinata remained cordial even as an older man snubbed her but Sasuke's expression turned frosty. He had also not so discreetly muttered an insult towards her although Hinata pretended not to hear.

"Hey, old geezer, show some respect to my wife!" His relative scoffed, enraging Sasuke. Hinata tightened her grip on his hand and shook her head at Sasuke, begging him not to start anything.

He reluctantly complied but wanted her to stand up for herself. "You don't have to take that. If they can't see past their bias, fuck 'em. Maybe your great uncle beat the crap out of him or something."

She stifled a laugh and half-heartedly glared at him. "I just don't want more of your family against me. Your mother is enough to deal with and I'm glad we've kept the Toneri situation under wraps. That'd be a nightmare to endure this weekend."

There was a large welcome banquet held on the estate grounds. They had opted to sit with Itachi, Shisui, and Obito. The latter kept her entertained while Sasuke caught up with other relatives. She enjoyed his presence since he was energetic and goofy like Naruto. But then he became a little too friendly; Hinata had started explaining that she didn't bring a swimsuit with her when her brother in law came to her rescue.

"Shisui, wasn't Naka saying that she was bringing Rin along? I think I spotted her near the kitchen."

Obito paled at the mention of his on and off again girlfriend. "What?" He straightened up and scanned the crowd, keeping his flirtatious behavior at bay for the sake of his wellbeing.

Hinata saw Sasuke signaling her over and she made her way to him. He was sitting on a porch swing.

"Those two make quite the couple," Shisui commented. "Who would have thought?"

Across the lawn, Itachi watched as Sasuke pulled her into his lap. She tried to wiggle free, blushing furiously as he remained defiant before eventually surrendering to his possessive embrace. "I agree."

"Sasuke, this is a bit inappropriate. What will they say?" She complained. "I've already been called a hussy."

"But you're my hussy," he snuggled against her. Hinata punched his chest and he rubbed it chuckling. "I'm just kidding. But if I hear anyone insult you again, I don't care how old they are, I will teach them some respect."

Their scene wasn't just drawing the attention of Shisui and Itachi. Mikoto turned her head away in disgust, wanting nothing more than to kick the pale eyed woman out. This would be a long weekend to stomach with her around.

* * *

AN: This Uchiha reunion will continue on to the next chapter. I hope you liked the fluff.

I'm happy that so many people have liked or been intrigued by my story. Honestly, I wished I could work on this every day but I don't have a lot of free time. However, I did work on this while watching my favorite shows like TWD, so I am trying.

Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites. I even got kudos on Tumblr which blew me away. Thanks anon! I hope to update soon, but we'll see.


	21. Chapter 21

_I have some scars from where I've been__  
__You've got eyes that can see right through me__  
__You're not afraid of anything they've seen_

On the last day of the reunion, they had a more casual barbeque. Children ran around while others played in the pool. Hinata was truly enjoying herself with those who were mutually amicable with her. She spotted Fugaku, sitting alone and decided to make conversation. There were a few things on her mind and she needed to hear another's opinion. Her family was not an option for various reasons and she still felt a bit awkward bringing things up like this to Naruto.

Fugaku greeted her with a smile. "Have you been enjoying yourself?" She nodded, but he sensed there was something on her mind.

"Do you think it's possible to love two people with the same intensity?"

Bewildered at the question, his eyebrows furrowed together then thought about the only two women he had ever loved. "I… can't answer that."

She nodded, surmising that she had overstepped her bounds. Hinata moved to leave but he stopped her. "But perhaps I'm not the best person to ask. All I know is that if you stay fixated on the past, you may let another slip between your fingers. You convince yourself that your first love can come back," Fugaku looked at Hinata mournfully. "But most of the time they can never return."

From afar, Mikoto was seething at the physical contact between her husband and Hinata. The Hyuuga eventually left his presence but she saw the faraway look in his eyes. _She's not satisfied with just taking my son from me_, she fumed. Not wanting to let her presence bother her, she forced herself to pay attention to her sister- in- law's story about Obito's latest escapade.

Wanting to gain some independence from Sasuke, Hinata sought out people on her own and connected with a woman who was an educator. As they talked, they discovered that they had many similar hobbies. Emi was on maternity leave and proudly showed off her latest addition to her family. She had two other children, who Hinata thought were extremely rambunctious. Kaoru and Reiko would fight, cry and make up within a span of an hour; quite a sight to see.

As Emi was explaining her concentration back in college, Reiko spilled her juice over her yellow dress. "Reiko!" In a hurry, she handed the infant to an unnerved Hinata. "Grandma bought that dress for you! Hinata, do you mind watching Taiki while I change her? It won't take long."

"I'm not great with babies. Maybe I can clean Reiko up instead?" She really didn't feel comfortable being left alone with someone so vulnerable.

The flustered woman shot her a pleading look. "Please, it will only be for a second. I just need to clean her up. I made his bottle so you should be okay if he wakes up."

Hinata stammered as the woman walked away with her daughter in hand. "N-no I c-can't!" Kaoru preoccupied himself with his truck, which made loud effects. The sirens woke up Taiki and he began to frown. She tried to tell Kaoru to turn off the toy but he didn't pay her any attention.

She rocked the baby as his bawling steadily increased, drawing judging stares from some of the older women nearby. "Shhh. Please stop crying."

Itachi had been passing by, and came to her rescue. He placed the baby against his shoulder and gently patted his back. The crying dwindled and she exhaled in relief. "Here, he should be fine now."

"But he's happy with you!" she tried to decline. "Can't you just keep him until Emi comes back? Please?"

Ignoring her refusal, he gently placed the baby back in her arms. "Now just rest him against your chest like this. See, he's stopped fussing."

He leaned down and briefly took the loud toy, switching it off before handing it back to the confused child. Taiki began to calm down and Hinata looked up happily as he gently stroked the baby's head.

"You're good with children," Hinata remarked.

"There are many sides to a person. We're both examples of that." He smiled in return. "So what's your long term plan for my brother? You both look happier than I can remember."

"I can't say exactly because things can change in an instant, but I would love it if we stayed together." The baby grasped her finger and she giggled. "He makes me so happy and I feel free with him."

Sasuke watched fondly as the baby cooed in her arms; however he could do without Itachi standing so close. It could've easily been Itachi with whom the arrangement was made; would Hinata have fallen for him instead? His stomach churned at the mere thought and he jogged over in a hurry.

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" Hinata motioned towards the bundle in her arms and rocked him back and forth. Itachi raised an eyebrow at Sasuke's nonverbal signals to leave them alone, but complied.

"Well it looks like you have it under control, Hinata. I was on my way to meet with Madara so I should get going." Hinata slightly waved and Sasuke stepped closer, taking the place where Itachi stood. He smirked at his younger brother's jealousy. The glimmer in his eye whenever his gaze fell upon the woman told him that his brother had fallen hard. As for Hinata, she immediately brightened up and seemed to bask in Sasuke's presence.

Emi returned to a laughing Taiki and well behaved Kaoru, who was playing with Sasuke. Hinata hesitantly handed Taiki back. "That wasn't so hard was it?" she teased. "It might seem overwhelming but you'll get the hang of it when you have one of your own."

Sasuke tensed at the comment but Hinata smiled, holding his hand in comfort. "I can only hope one day."

Emi told them that they leaving the reunion and her husband patiently waited by their daughter who donned a new outfit. As they joined the others, Sasuke turned to look at her. "Did you mean it?" He tilted his head towards the departing family. "Do you want that?"

She kissed him before answering. "If it does happen, I would want it to be with you. But I'm not rushing into anything. Right now, being with you is enough."

He pulled her into a loving embrace. "We'll take it day by day, but I whatever happens I know this much. I love you, and I don't see that ever changing."

As she was going to respond, a teenage with a water gun sprayed them. Angered, Sasuke chased him and his group. Hinata wrung out her shirt and shook her head in amusement as Sasuke, along with Obito and Shisui, turned the table on the mischievous teens.

She headed inside to change into a new shirt, not noticing Mikoto's gaze on her. After exiting one of the bathrooms, she was greeted by a hostile Mikoto.

"Do you know why I went as far I did that night?" she asked Hinata with a half- smile. "And you know why I've never apologized to you?"

Hinata stood a little taller as Mikoto slowly narrowed the gap between them. "Because you disgust me," she said, crinkling her nose. For her part, Hinata wasn't going to let herself be victimized by this woman any longer. Although she desired for this discord to have gone away on its own, it seemed like she would need to address it if she and Sasuke were to have a stable future together.

Mikoto was relying on her intimidation to chase the girl away once more, but was shocked when Hinata dragged her into an empty room. She was not so gently forced to sit in a chair while Hinata locked the door.

The older woman raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, trying to conceal her distress at what the other might try. "Are we finally going-?"

"I'm not going to fight you. There's nothing for me to gain from that. There's not going to be a showdown with hair pulling, fists flying or anything of the sort." Hinata stood across the room, clasping her hands behind her body. "I just want to talk and clear up things between us. If you still want to carry this unwarranted hatred towards me, well at least I can say that I tried."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed and she sat back. "What are you trying to pull? Do you think I'm stupid or something? I thought you didn't care what my issue was with you, that it was my problem if I couldn't move past it," she mocked.

"Tell me now. I'm all ears and if you have a reasonable issue, then I'll be the first to agree. I'm not perfect and know I have some shortcomings." She pinched her nose in frustration. "I haven't been exactly a saint. If I'm in the wrong I will apologize and you can do the same."

She shook her head at what she perceived to be Hinata's patronizing attitude, but her resolve was unyielding. Sasuke's complete happiness was at stake and she would do whatever she could for the man who saved her from depression. "Do you miss Sasuke?"

"You have some nerve-"

"If you want to be on speaking terms with him, start here."

Mikoto's breathing quickened as her fury grew. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to send Hinata to her dead mother and her deceased lover. Her family had been ripped apart by this-

"Fucking whore!"

The sudden outburst shouldn't have startled Hinata but she jumped back nonetheless.

"You think you're so high and mighty when all you've done is sold yourself like a common prostitute." She snarled as she got up from the chair. "You could've just accepted your family's incompetence for business like a respectable woman but no. Sluts like you like to entice men, exploiting their weakness for personal gain. Not caring about their wives or children who suffer!"

Hinata's eyes widened in fear and she stepped back; Uchiha anger was terrifying and she considered this a temporary defeat. "Okay, I can't talk to you like this-" Mikoto gripped her shoulders painfully.

"You're just like your mother who tempted my husband even after he was taken." She laughed jeeringly at Hinata's confused look. "Don't play dumb. You know there's more than petty competitiveness between your father and Fugaku. It's so pathetically sad that my husband is so endearing to you because he desires to live in the past."

She pushed her off of her and clutched her head in disbelief. "You're lying. She wouldn't-"

"Even after she married your father, Haruhi tried to take him away. I was so happy when she died but then you came into our lives and he's become so enamored. I have no doubt that if you had let Fugaku fuck you once-"

Not wanting to listen to more of her hurtful words, Hinata quickly unlocked the door and ran. She berated herself for being so careless and stupid. Shattered truths about her own family, and uncertainty of it all were slowly destroying her and she wanted to leave to the confines of a safe place.

Hands wrapped themselves around her and she jumped away.

"Why are you so jumpy?" Sasuke laughed, thinking he had innocently scared her but frowned when her lips began to quiver. He clenched his fists and jaw immediately. "Who was it? Don't lie to me either."

"No one. Can we go home already? I'm tired." She quickly looked away, hating lying to him. But she needed to sort things out within herself and father before dragging him down, too. Deep down she wished that Mikoto was just a raging lunatic who would spew anything in order to cause her grief. "Please."

Not wanting to cause a scene for her here, he reluctantly nodded. But he vowed that he'd make that person pay once she was comfortable telling him. "Let me just tell some people we're going. Do you want to come with or wait in the car?"

She noticed Fugaku standing with Madara and a few other men. The shock was too raw right now to even see him and her last conversation with him echoed in her ears. "The car, I'm exhausted." She craned her neck and rubbed her shoulder.

.

.

It would be one of the last times they'd be able to have a Hyuuga family dinner; Hanabi was going away for college in a few days. Sasuke had been called into the office so he wasn't in attendance which is why Hinata thought this was the perfect opportunity to rid any doubt.

Hiashi greeted his oldest daughter with a smile, but noticed her distraught state. "What did he do?"

"Oh no! Sasuke and I are fine. It's just…"Hinata had debated on how to approach this with her father. The man used to scare her as a child and still did to some extent. She felt ashamed at basically questioning his deceased wife's faithfulness. Her own mother! "I talked to Mikoto-"

"Why? That woman brings nothing but trouble."

She nodded but couldn't let it go. There was something in the way Fugaku would stare at her and she hadn't liked it. If it proved to be true she didn't know how Sasuke would respond or how they could move forward. Hinata didn't want to let him go. "Tell me about my mother and Fugaku."

Instead of shouting obscenities at the insinuation like she expected, he sighed deeply. A sense of dread washed over her like cold water. "F-father?"

"What did she say exactly?" He asked.

"She said that m-mother and he were… you know. Is it true?"

He frowned at her vagueness. "Speak clearly Hinata. What did she say about your mother?"

"Were they lovers?" she spat out the words like they were pungent on her tongue.

"At one point they were," he immediately said causing her to deflate in despair. "But that was long before we became an item. Your mother and he did date a long, _long_ time ago. But then they broke up and we got together. It was Fugaku who chased after her during our courtship and even after he married Mikoto. You mother did not entertain his delusions in any manner, if your uncle was alive he'd attest to that."

"But Mikoto-"

"Hinata!" He stood up. "I knew your mother better than anyone. She was faithful, end of story!"

Looking down in shame with tears building, Hinata stuttered out an apology. Softening his stance, he quickly walked over and pulled her to her feet. "Your mother was the most caring and loving woman I've ever known. She would never do that to us or another family, no matter how horrible Mikoto is."

He wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead. "Don't let her drag your mother's name in the mud because Fugaku remains a fool. She blames Haruhi for something she had no control over. I don't want you to become bitter and lost like her."

"That's not how I want my life to be either. I'm so sorry I even thought it was a possibility, I knew in my heart she wasn't like that. But Mikoto has a way of just-" Hinata rambled.

"Shhh. That's done with and I don't want to bring it up again. It's painful enough that I have to see a reminder of them in the form of Sasuke. Seeing you two give me the shivers, if I'm being honest. It's as if Fugaku's dream came true," he laughed trying to lighten the mood. "You know he doesn't have to try so hard. It's not like it actually means anything."

Hinata become rigid and couldn't think of what to say. Thankfully, Hanabi was pounding on the door telling them that dinner was ready.

She had wanted to leave without saddling additional concerns on her shoulders but her father's words about Sasuke depressed her. Hinata vowed to give him a chance, her heart ached at the thought of being without him.

After they ate, Hinata was dragged to her old room. Hanabi wanted one more night where it was just the two of them. "You're always with him. It's like you forgot all about me," she pouted and Hinata couldn't help but agreed to stay the night. She sent a quick message to Sasuke so he wouldn't worry.

Instead of paying attention to the movie, they did each other's hair and reminisced about their childhood as they photo albums. They awed at how cute they looked and laughed at the stories behind some of them. Hanabi's laughter dwindled as she remembered one of the last times they were together, from before the accident.

They had been at the zoo and Hanabi caused a ruckus after she tried to sneak the chimpanzees some of her snacks. Although Hinata had scolded her afterwards, she told the zookeeper that her sister merely tripped. Hanabi was proud and moved that her older sister would stay by her side no matter what. But two weeks after that photo was taken, she had been thrown out of their home. Hanabi couldn't remember any other time when she cried so much. Neji held her back as Hinata and Kiba left; she begged her father to reconsider and tried to get in contact with her to no avail since her father took her phone away.

For a long time she thought Hinata had never truly returned, until recently. She dazzled now, as if she was whole again. The light in her eyes had been restored and although he did annoy her, she couldn't help but give the Uchiha credit.

Hinata had continued to flip through a few other pages until she burst out laughing. "Oh my god! Remember this one? Neji was so angry that he had wear tights because we wanted to be Wendy and Tinkerbell. He didn't talk to me at school for days after one of his friends caught him trick o' treating."

Hanabi grinned at how red her sister looked as she tried to catch her breath. "Hey, Hinata?"

"Hmm." Hinata rested her head in her sister's lap, and she began to comb through her indigo hair.

"You really love him, huh?"

Hinata froze and looked at her, unsure of what to say.

"I mean you've been in high spirits, and the way you two look at each other…I don't know much about being in _love,_ but if it does for me what it did for you, I want it too. It's like I can feel your happiness." Hanabi wasn't saying this to get a response; she took her wide eyes and deeper blush as confirmation.

They began to pay attention to the climax of the film, where Cobb was reuniting with his children. They had different opinions about the ending but Hinata had been more optimistic; the totem had stopped spinning. "He got his happy ending," Hinata insisted.

Snuggling next to her seemingly sleeping sister, Hinata wondered how transparent she truly was. _Can he see it too? _She then recalled her father's words. _If Sasuke left how would I feel? Alone and miserable. Why? Because he's my light now and because I love- _

"I love him," she whispered in realization. "I love Sasuke."

"Yeah, I know," Hanabi teased. "But c'mon I'm trying to sleep here."

Hinata softly laughed and smiled, she couldn't wait to tell him. His birthday was in a month but she didn't want to sit on this for so long. It needed to be heard as soon as she saw him. For the moment, her father's concerns and his parent's dysfunctionality could be put aside.

She greeted him enthusiastically when she arrived home. "What's with all the affection? One day and you already miss me?" She nodded and he chuckled.

"Sasuke, there's something I want to tell you." He narrowed his eyes, thinking she was finally going to tell him what had upset her at his aunt's estate.

"It was mom, wasn't it?" he deduced. She quickly looked away, and he knew how right her was. "What the hell did she say this time?"

"It's not important," she swore. "You know her-"

"But it was her, right?" he asked "Hinata, I let you off because I knew you were too upset then. But I haven't forgotten about it, she needs to accept things now that we're truly together. You know what? Let's go over now and tell them."

"No!"

"Are you having second thoughts?" he questioned warily. "Are we even together?"

"No! I mean, yes we are together and I'm not having second thoughts." She vehemently proclaimed. "Sasuke, I lo-"

"Then let's go. C'mon." He quickly gathered his keys and walked out, wanting to make them official at least in front of his parents. He loved this woman and they needed to recognize it or potentially be cut from his life.

Hinata dragged her hands down her face, not looking forward to the impeding clash at the Uchiha household.

.

.

Fugaku waited in his home office, wondering why Sasuke was so adamant they meet. Mikoto had slowly become distant to the point of not even looking at him, yet she was here too.

Suddenly, his doors opened with a loud bang. Sasuke motioned for his mother, who smiled hopefully at him, to sit. He was fuming, although Hinata had come along, she was waiting in the foyer.

"Can I wait outside? I can't see her right now but if you need me, I'll be beside you in an instant," she told him.

Sasuke paced around before taking a deep breath. "Hinata and I aren't pretending anymore. It's real and we're together so keep all your negative thoughts to yourself. I'm tired of her getting upset because of what you said." He directed a hardened look towards his mother.

His mother scoffed. "Did she cry to you about finally realizing how much of a slut her mother was? Well, I guess she couldn't help but play the victim when it's me who's been mistreated. "

He narrowed his eyes in confusion but Fugaku erupted. "You told her?!" He walked to her and towered over her small frame but she wasn't giving in.

"She deserved to know, didn't she? I mean, her mother tried to take you away and leave my children without a father!" Mikoto slowly stood up, amplifying her voice with every word.

"I never cheated on you!" Fugaku exasperated. "You're really pathetic, spewing all this bullshit while we both know it was you that cheated on me!"

"S-shut up!" she stuttered, eyes almost pleading him to keep quiet.

"No, you want it all out in the open? How about we tell the boy about how you were juggling multiple lovers around the time he was conceived?" Mikoto held her hands close to her chest, not able to refute the claims. "We didn't even know if he was mine until his birth," he hissed out.

"You're both horrible!" Sasuke interrupted. The previous image of his troubled yet devoted family was forever shattered; the reasons why his father was always so detached from him now exposed. "I always thought it was because I wasn't good enough or I did something to disappoint you!"

Fighting back tears, his mother fell to her knees. "Don't take this out on us. Hate the woman who contributed to your family's misery. She's-"

"Leaver her out of this!" Fugaku roared.

Trying not to sound like the lost little boy he always was, Sasuke cleared his throat. "Do you even love me, dad?"

The silence pierced his heart painfully, even more so when all Fugaku could do was roll his eyes. "You must get your dramatics from your mother," he scoffed.

Suddenly, Hinata entered, unable to listen any longer. "How dare you?"

Fugaku's eyes widened while Mikoto began to utter a series of vulgar insults. Ignoring the weeping woman, she walked up to Fugaku poking his chest. "That's how you respond?! You sad, miserable man!" Unable to remain coherent, she began to hit his chest repeatedly. He tried to stop her without harming her but Hinata continued her assault. Eventually Sasuke pulled her away and took her out.

"Hinata! Stop!"

She shook her head, and held his face. "You don't deserve this. Let's just go."

"You don't know how much I love you but I can handle it. Stay out here, and I'll go back to end it. After that we leave and don't look back, okay?" She nodded.

When he returned, his mother had gathered herself and fixed her appearance. "If you don't end this fantasy of yours, I will go to Madara right now and tell him everything. Are you're eager to lose your standing at the company? Is she willing to jeopardize Byakugan?"

He shrugged, but panicked on the inside. "I don't care. You can't control me any longer with threats like this. I'll sell all my shares of Sharingan and hand over my own personal funds if that helps in anyway. The Hyuuga are her family and therefore mine as well."

Fugaku was taken back, insulted that he was casting his blood aside for Hiashi.

"But if you tell him and it hurts her in anyway, this will be the last you ever see or talk to me," Sasuke warned. "You've hurt her for far too long without any consequences. If either of you come between us, I will never forgive you."

Mikoto choked back a sob but he was trying to remain indifferent. Fugaku looked a bit impressed with his son's persistence but Sasuke scowled at him. "Don't see her as Haruhi. She's Hinata and I'm Sasuke. We're not some sick scheme to relive your past. Love my mother like she deserves." His mother looked up, hopeful at the caring tone when he mentioned her but Sasuke shook his head. "Stop blaming Hinata for wronging you when she's completely innocent. Work out this shit amongst yourselves. We'll be leaving now because I don't want to become miserable like the two of you."

"Does she love you?" Fugaku asked and the question nearly caused Hinata to barge in, but hesitated. The fear that they might belittle her love for him nearly won out. Gathering her pride, she began to turn the knob but when Sasuke spoke, it broke her heart.

"It's doesn't matter. Right now she's giving me a chance, that's all I can ask."

"How long are you willing to wait?" Fugaku asked.

"However long it takes. She means the world to me even if I'm not for her. I don't care if you have unresolved issues with her parents or how screwed up you two are. If you want to be in my life from now on, you have to accept her as well," Sasuke said. It was agonizing to say this to his mother in particular but he wasn't going to compromise his happiness anymore. "I won't let her go because of your insecurities or twisted imaginations."

His parents watched in silence as he left and then heard them leave the house. His office overlooked the front entrance and Fugaku stared out with Mikoto standing next to him. "Do you regret your life with me?" she asked emotionlessly.

"I have thought of the other possibility but unlike Sasuke, I didn't fight enough-"

Angry and fed up with always coming second, she slapped him. "I hate you." Mikoto left and slammed the door behind her.

Rubbing his cheek, he finally admitted that Haruhi never loved him as much as Mikoto did and wondered if it was far too late to salvage things.

.

.

"Are you angry with me?"

Sasuke was livid, she could tell by the veins in his neck and breathing. He exhaled deeply and parked the car. "I'm pissed that you didn't tell me what happened with my mother. That's some pretty serious shit to keep away from me."

"It was a shock to me as well and I needed to find out the truth before even mentioning it to you. I asked my father and it was a complete lie." Sasuke visibly relaxed at that. "But what scared me the most was what of it was true. You would hate me or my family for causing your family so much misery. What kind of future would we have if you resented me even in the slightest?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "Believe me, their issues go beyond that and they made me pay for it. I'm not like them and wouldn't blame you even if there was a smidge of truth to it. We're not our parents. But from now on, promise to be completely honest with me."

Pulling out his phone, he informed Itachi he was calling in. "I just can't bear see _him_ right now," he muttered.

He then drove them to a diner where they ate breakfast. Hinata confessed that she thought they should tell Hiashi as soon as possible but surprisingly, Sasuke disagreed. "I want him to be unable to object or say that I'm not capable of taking care of his daughter. Right now he sees me as Fugaku 2.0 and that's not how I want to be seen. I need to differentiate myself from my family so he won't be as opposed to us as my mother is."

Hinata sighed dejectedly but he reached across the table. "But soon, I promise. Let's just focus on ourselves because I don't want anything to damage our relationship. If I could I would take you far away and we'd be by ourselves-"

"But our families-"

"Yeah, lucky us." They laughed and Hinata suggested they spend the day at a nearby park. It was the same one where he caught Naruto and her kissing, but he tried to ignore the jealousy at the unpleasant memory.

As they sat under a tree, she rested her head against his chest. The rays of sun that pierced the canopy warmed her skin, and she was almost lured to sleep by his breathing. Everything felt right. "I love you, Sasuke."

She heard him sharply inhale. "Say it again."

With budding confidence she turned and straddled him. "I love you, Sasuke. I wanted to tell you earlier but then we had to go to and deal with _that_. Actually I'm a bit upset with you. Now all I'll remember from this day is how-"

He cut her off with a deep and passionate kiss. She melted into his embrace. "Are you still upset?" Hinata shook her head and continued their make- out session; stopping only to repeat those sweet words to each other.

Satisfied with how much she had opened up, he asked what it finally meant. Sitting back but remaining on his lap, she played with his dark locks. "I hated being by myself after Kiba had died. The silence just taunted and screamed the truth that I was truly alone. My emotional meter broke and I stopped feeling anything for a while other than anxiety that something was wrong with me. I didn't know how to fix it."

Her hands then rested on his shoulders. "But without any emotion I couldn't find the motivation to move in any direction. I became stagnant, frozen in time, cut off from anything. People think that depression isn't how sad you are, it's more how little you feel. But now being here with you, we don't have to say a word and its fine. The silence means nothing because I'm whole again and I love you so much."

He gave her a heartfelt smile and rubbed her hips affectionately. "I love you, too."

The continued steamy expression of their lust and love for each other drew the scorn of an older man who was on a morning stroll. Fighting a blush, Hinata bashfully suggested they go home. Oblivious to what she had in mind, he coolly agreed.

* * *

AN: Long wait can be attributed to a slight writers block, tbh. Next chapter will have a lemon (that's going to be daunting.) But a lot of things seem to be stacked against Sasuke and Hinata, so it won't be smooth sailings.

Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and feedback. But more so, thanks for the patience. You're all so kind and awesome!


	22. Chapter 22

_Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite_

_Looking forward to a little afternoon delight_

_Rubbin' sticks and stones together make the sparks ignite_

_And the thought of loving you is getting so exciting_

Hinata was blushing the whole way back to their apartment. She wanted to finally give herself to Sasuke but as they neared their home she began to worry. Was this the right time? Although Sasuke had tried to put the bombshell his parents dropped on him out of his mind, she could see that it still bothered him. Would they really want to look back on their first time as coinciding with such a horrible and life altering encounter with his parents? Hinata wanted their first time to be untainted, free from anything besides the two of them. With this in mind, she pushed it back to a more appropriate time and recruited Ino's help, telling her that they had fallen into a marital slump.

"C'mon Hinata, you need to be more adventurous! I mean, you're already asking me for help when you two should be going at it like a pair of rabbits," the blonde whined. "This will reignite the passion!"

She didn't even want to look at the pink lingerie Ino unabashedly held up. One brief glance told her that it wasn't for her. This whole thing was a disaster since she had refused almost every suggestion presented to her and Hinata quickly regretted getting rid of a certain bridal gift. By comparison, those were completely modest. Most things in the store were on an entirely different level of seduction and she merely wanted Sasuke to find her pleasing to look at. Wearing something completely out of her comfort level would undeniably make it a humiliating experience. Hearing Ino sigh for the thousandth time, she gave in to the little green with black over-lace set on the hanger. "Just be open-minded for once," Ino called out as she closed the dressing room door.

Ino held a few against her body while waiting for Hinata. "Maybe he'd like this one… But orange is so ugly," she muttered to herself. She returned the item back and knocked on the door. "Are you okay in there? Need a different size or something?"

"No, I'm fine. I think I'll take this one. Just let me change and pay for it then we'll go out to eat. How do you feel about BBQ?" Ino narrowed her eyes, knowing full well what the bashful woman was trying to do. "Nuh uh, open up and give me a peek. C'mon we're both adults here."

"No." Raising her eyebrows at the sudden tenacity Hinata was displaying, she knocked louder. "Hinata, I thought you brought me here to help and give you advice. What was the point of me coming with you if you won't even show me?" The door unlocked and Ino felt a bit guilty at manipulating her. But her jaw dropped at the sight of her. "Holy shit…"

Hinata covered her stomach and breasts with both arms in obvious discomfort and looked away. "W-well? Does it look okay?" Ino removed her arms and grinned. "If he doesn't jump you the moment he sees you, then divorce him. You are gorgeous, girl!" She slapped her butt as she left her to get dressed. Feeling a bit more confident, Hinata grabbed another one but in his favorite color as well.

Smirking at the blushing woman, Ino dragged her to another rack. "Okay now that we finally have your little situation under control, I need your honest opinion. Red or orange?"

.

.

Sasuke walked into his home exhausted and slumped down on the couch rubbing his eyes. Avoiding his father was harder than ignoring his brother when they weren't on speaking terms. At least Itachi had enough tact to give him space; Fugaku had tried to be more involved than ever before. He would try to ambush him and pathetically try to make conversation. During their last encounter, he asked Sasuke to make an appearance at some important dinner with Shibi Aburame at a political fundraiser. He gave a non-committal answer, saying he'd look at his calendar. But as with all their interactions, it quickly soured. The moment Fugaku how the two were doing, he walked away. Sasuke wouldn't even dignify that with an answer; it disgusted him to think that Fugaku might've wanted Hinata for his own. He wouldn't give him any insight to their personal lives. Until everything calmed down and Fugaku accepted things, he would keep him at a distance. Every time he remembered the looks he would throw her way, Sasuke had to resist the urge to vomit.

One thing that was absolute was that Sasuke didn't care who tried to stand in his way, he wouldn't let anyone take her away. At least there was nothing but silence from his mother. It pained him to think she was fine with not being in his life anymore but he had never felt more complete or happy than when he was with Hinata.

"S-sasuke? Are you tired?" He nodded without opening his eyes. "Okay…" He opened one eye and saw her retreating form head back to their shared bedroom. For a second he could've sworn she was wearing a black robe. He frowned and closed his eyes again, he must've been more tired than he realized; Hinata wore a furry, purple robe which he loved to cuddle next to.

Hinata quickly locked the door and changed into her normal clothes. She stuffed the lingerie back into the bag and hid it deep in her side of the closet. Washing away the makeup she eagerly applied an hour ago, Hinata tried not to feel too bad. _Maybe next time_, she thought optimistically.

The next time Hinata had gathered her pride and wore the navy version, she did have an audience to show her more adventurous side. Unfortunately, it had been Itachi who she seductively greeted when the door opened. Upon noticing that it was the wrong Uchiha, she shrieked and fell backwards against the couch, landing rather loudly and painfully. "Are you okay?" Itachi asked, rushing over after getting over the shock. As she rubbed her head, he ordered himself to look at her face and not any lower. A brief slip up didn't go unnoticed by her and she closed the robe, hiding her body. "Y-yes! I'm okay. You can go."

"I'm so terribly sorry," he rubbed the back of his neck and tried to smile. "Sasuke forgot some documents and since I was nearby we both figured-"

"It's fine!" She squeaked, and he noticed she was avoiding any eye contact.

"And he wanted me to tell you that he'll be coming a bit later. This meeting's going on longer than-"

"That's okay!" She scrabbled to stand up and away. "Thank you for telling me!" If he was less of a gentleman, he could've sneaked a peek from under her robe. He stood up and kept a respectable distance between the two.

"Right…well I'll be going." He hurried to the door but stopped when she called his name. _Oh God, don't let this turn into something_, he prayed. _Think of Sasuke!_

"Don't tell him about this, please? This is rather embarrassing." He nodded, not wanting to take in her appearance again out of respect for her and his brother. Selfishly though, keeping this promise wasn't just for her sake. Sasuke would throttle him if he knew.

Hinata began to think that she would have to sequester him in order to finally do it. The universe seemed to be playing a cruel joke every time she thought it was the right time to wear either set. She couldn't be angry with him on the days where he would be exhausted from work, almost collapsing on the bed upon arrival. Yet her bitterness was hard to swallow when there were unexpected guests.

Earlier that day, Sasuke had bumped into her as she was placing some dishes away. He pressed himself against her for a second before trailing his hands up her shirt. While Hinata was elated that he was making it easier for her, Sasuke was having an internal battle. Mentally begging her to stop him before he lost all control, he lingered under her breasts. But when she rested her head against his chest and looked up in recognizable approval, he tossed all reason out. The rapid knocks on their door brought them out of their trance.

She tried not to scowl at Juugo since the man was really kind and polite but Suigetsu was brash and chipping away at her patience. While the larger man had left hours earlier, the white haired- man hadn't picked up on any social cues. It wasn't until he started his lewd questions about their intimacy, a blessing in disguise, that Sasuke threw him out. "I'm really wondering why I even hang out with him. Sorry about that." Any frustration that had been building in the last weeks melted away when he wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay. But you know, even though he's crude I do think-" The phone rang and he told her to hold on to her thought for a minute. She listened in saw his excitement grow as he spoke to the other person. "Finally! This fucking thing was killing me. Okay…Right…Sounds great, see you later," he hung up.

"Good news?" She joked, smiling at his sudden jubilation.

"Great news actually, no more late nights at the office," he yawned, pulling her into his lap. If she didn't notice the bags under his eyes, she would've initiated it that night. However, for the moment she was content with just cuddling with him.

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During a dinner with the married couple, Ino tried to read their body language. She couldn't see any disinterest in Sasuke's eyes when he looked at his wife. Failing to enlist Naruto as an accomplice, she was on her own to satisfy her curiosity. Her fellow blond refused to even entertain the suggestion of blatantly asking his best friend about how much sex the married couple had. "For the last time Ino, he'll kill me." She rolled her eyes at the exaggeration but let him off the hook.

"Will you excuse me? I have to go to the restroom. Hinata?" she asked expectantly. The pale eyed woman shook her head but was still dragged along. Ino kicked every stall door to make sure that no one would eavesdrop on them. "So what happened? Did it work?"

"Yes, it did." While her nose didn't grow, Ino noticed Hinata subtly shuffle her feet. She leaned against the counter and tilted her head. "Okay, what's the hold up? Are you still shy about-"

"No! I mean, I really like how they look on me," Hinata reassured her. "It's just he's been so busy with everything at work and then people keep intruding. We hardly have time to just be by ourselves, you know?"

Ino's blue eyes widened and Hinata covered her mouth. "I don't mean you guys! This was planned. I'm talking about people constantly dropping by unannounced."

"No, you're right…" She pondered for a bit then brightened up. "Don't worry sweetheart, I will take care of everything. You just make sure you get laid tonight okay?"

Before Hinata could protest, she was suddenly alone in the ladies restroom. Rushing back to the table, she saw Ino pushing Naruto out the door while Sasuke scowled at the two. "They left us with the check," he grumbled. "She said something about leaving the stove on or something. That was an obvious lie."

"I'm sorry," she said.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why are you apologizing? Anyways, I'm gonna get him back. This is the third time he's done it. I'm full, but we can order dessert if you want."

She shook her head and played with the tips of her hair anxiously.

"You okay?" He asked when he pulled out of their parking space. "I was asking if you wanted to call it an early night or-"

"No!" she almost shouted. He looked alarmed and she quickly softened her tone. "I mean, I want to go home but I'm not sleepy."

"Movie night it is." Her shoulders slumped and the ride home seemed to go quicker than usual. She rushed ahead of him to the apartment, with her heart beating fast. Sasuke had just entered their place when she heard the bedroom door close.

"While you change I'll pick out the movie," he casually said, scanning the options on the TV screen.

For a few minutes, Hinata doubted she could muster enough confidence to pull it off in such a short time without much preparation. However, she couldn't deny that she wanted to make him feel appreciated and selfishly wanted to release all this tension that had bothered her.

Emptying the bag's contents on the bed, she quickly debated which she should wear. _He said he liked navy, but will that be too corny? _Hinata really liked how exotic the green one looked on her. The door opened behind her as she held the green bra against her chest. "Sasuke!"

Not quick enough to stuff everything inside the red bag, Sasuke realized what she was trying to hide. He slightly gulped and began to breathe heavier. "What do you have there?" he smirked, licking his lips.

"Nothing!" Her flustered state only fueled him to dig even further and although she had a deathlike grip on the bag, he was able to pull it away from her. Turning away from her, he felt the navy colored fabric between his fingers. "What did you have in mind, you dirty girl?" he teased but as he turned to face her, noticed how quickly her eyes began to water in humiliation. "Oh, babe I'm just playing. Here," he handed the bag back to her but she threw it to the side. "Hinata, don't be mad. I know you're not ready, we've already discussed this."

She remained silent and he sighed. "It's fine. I know I can't be selfish anymore. Before you I wouldn't care if it was the same woman or how she felt afterwards. I was an asshole but with you I want to make you enjoy it and have no regrets." Hinata looked up feeling guilty at acting like a child. Then he patted her head, "Although you have been really testing my control, I can't be mad at you. It's been killing me. You're still scared-"

Frustration had finally boiled over and Hinata stood toe to toe with him. "I have been ready for a while now! I've been trying so hard to find the right mood but you're either too tired or we have people over. I mean I like our friends and family but I thought we should be allowed to have some time for ourselves. I just wanted to make you feel good and-"

He interrupted her rant with a passionate kiss. This wasn't how she pictured it, all her expectations and planning was being cast aside. "No…I need to change…which one…blue or-"

"As great as I know you'd look in either one, I can't wait," Sasuke laughed. "I need you right now," he huffed, getting harder.

"Wait!"

"No, no, no please," he begged but she gently pushed him away. Some of her plans were going to be put to use. She wanted to surprise him and let go of her inhibitions at the same time.

"Should I show you how you make me feel…?" Hinata whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. Although her posture showed nervousness, her eyes were set on him. He gulped and nodded dumbly. She placed a chair beside the bed and motioned for him to sit, while she took off her clothes. Sasuke inched to touch her body but she shook her head and sat up on the bed.

"I've wanted this for so long," she gazed at him with her innocent eyes, biting her lips and he sucked in his breath.

"How do I make you feel?" he asked, unable to control the lust in his voice.

"You make me do and think things. Naughty things that I can't even say but I can show you," Hinata blushed brightly, clutching her knees together. She glanced back at him. "I t-touch myself when I'm in the shower or alone."

At that moment he hurried to undress, fumbling particularly with his belt and zipper. It was almost unfair for him to be so fit and she began to pick her at her own body in shame. "Don't stop now," he pleaded. Hinata watched with wide eyes as he pulled out his impressive cock. "Show me?" She stared at him shyly for a moment before removing her bra and panties and sat back, spreading her legs for him. A dark flush slowly covered her whole body as she showed herself to him in such a vulnerable way.

Sasuke's eyes widened as she complied. Nervous but pleased by his darkening eyes, she touched herself with one hand. He could not keep his eyes off of her and it made her even more aroused that she could capture his attention so intently. It had been so long since she felt this way.

Hinata panted as she began to work her fingers over her clit while Sasuke pleasured himself at the scene before him. The expressions that she made, the color that bloomed in her cheeks, and every shudder her body displayed ate away at his control. The desperation in her movements broke his resolve and he pushed her all the way flat on their bed. She welcomed his actions as it was not enough to just use her own hand; she wanted more. Sasuke palmed her wetness, slowly slipping a finger in and out of her.

"What do you think about when you touch yourself?" he huskily strained out.

"Nnn…ah…" Hinata was burning; she loved what he was doing. Her body trembled and she kept her clouded eyes on him. "I think about you…" Hinata moaned out, her breathe slowing. "I-I think about your hands, your fingers…" His teasing fastened as he added another and she arched her hips in desperation. "I thought about how they'll make me feel when you put them in me."

Hinata squeaked as he suddenly removed his fingers and lowered to face her pussy. She weakly tried to scoot away but he took her ankles and pulled her even closer, much to her mortification. "S-sasuke, you don't have-"

"Don't you want me to show you how you make me feel?" He kissed her inner thighs and smirked at her shuddering. "Don't you want to know what runs through my mind when I'm jerking off?" His lips continued to caress her legs, sending little tremors throughout her body, every kiss making her breathing shallower. "I imagine how tight you'll feel. But right now, I want to taste the sweetness of your juices. I want them running down my mouth as I eat you out." She painfully bit her finger when he gave her a long and sensual lick. Her free hand fisted the sheets under them as he continued pleasuring her.

It earned him sweet moans but he wanted to hear her scream out his name in pleasure; he thrusted his tongue in as deep as he could, his swirls and various movements becoming more eager.

"Ahhhh..ah…Sasuke!" Waves of sensation washed over Hinata. "Saaasuke…" Tears came down Hinata's face as she came, her body vibrating with new sensation making her skin flush, her toes curl and fist his hair almost painfully.

He stood up, licking his lips, eyes glued on her. Hinata was sprawled out on the bed; her hair a tangle mess, cheeks rosy, the thin layer of sweat on her soft skin all a product of his affection. Her breasts heaved up and down almost mesmerizing him.

With her cheeks as red as they've ever been, she gathered her strength and kneeled in front of him. Hinata slowly slid her hand up to his erection stroking him in a deliberate manner with help from his precum. Continuing to pump him, Hinata looked up. "I can return the favor," she said and Sasuke couldn't believe how innocent she still looked after that suggestion.

"Aah…another time but I need to be inside you now," he moaned then remembered something very crucial. "But I don't have any condoms," Sasuke cautioned in a weak voice. In his attempts to not seem pushy, he had gotten rid of his precious stash. Hinata stopped pleasuring him and he almost cried out. She leaned over to her night stand and pulled out two boxes. "I bought some just in case. Which one do you prefer?"

He grabbed his personal favorite brand and rolled it on. Surprisingly, Hinata started the kiss first this time. The passion behind it evoked the carnal side of him, his veins pumped at the vigor of it. The light touch of her slender fingers on his chest and neck made his spin tingle. Her tongue swirled around his, teasing him. He had to separate from her in order to get some sense back into his head.

"Did you not like it?" She asked, with wide eyes. "Was it too much-?" Before she could continue, he kissed her back fiercely. Anticipation ran through his veins, but he needed to make sure nothing stood between them. Sensing his reluctance, Hinata crawled backwards on the bed. "Please…I want it, Sasuke please." She stretched up to him and brought his lips down to her.

His cock rubbed up and down her slit, as if not quite believing that it was real. "Only you, I only want you," he chanted over and over. Hinata placed his hand over her breast and he felt her heartbeat. "This beats for you and only you." Elated by her words, he became spirited and possessive. Sasuke wanted to cherish every part of her body and kissed her softly on her lips. Suddenly he thrust in, plunging deeper each time until he was at the hilt. The moans that he roused from her drove him into a frenzy.

"Oh God! You are so good…you're sucking me in..." Sasuke drove into her relentlessly. He never felt like this with anyone so perfect; it made him crazy with lust. "Do you like being fucked by me, baby?" It was intense; the sensations were so sharp that she could only nod in response and wrap her legs around his waist, gaining him more access into her. "Fuck… you feel so good!"

"Sasuke…you are hitting me so deep…I am going to cum…!" Hinata was writhing underneath him, he picked up his pace.

"Ngh…Go ahead, cum all you want. Show me how good this feels to you…" When he started to pump into her in short but hard strokes, Hinata threw her head back. Her nails sank into his back, leaving red claw marks. "You ruined me…" he grunted. Coming down from her high, she became confused. "No one else can compare… I'm fucking addicted to you…"

Hinata kissed him passionately, before rolling out from under him and maneuver herself on top. Sasuke's hips were still thrusting into her as she balanced on top of him. "I'm completely yours…ahhh…no one else…" She rode him, her hips swaying along with his. Her body bouncing down on his cock made the penetrations even sharper; she was forced to grip his shoulders.

"You like this, don't you?" Grabbing her ass, he guided her body up and down his shaft. The more they went at it, the more dominating he became. Sasuke flipped her unto her stomach on all fours. "Say it!" he demanded, rolling his hips to stimulate pleasure for both of them. He wanted to hear it again; that she belonged to him and he didn't have to compete with another. Her body, soul, and heart belonged to him just as much as he belonged to her. "Say it out loud!"

Lost in the pleasure, Hinata was confused about what he meant exactly. All she could say in the heat of the moment was his name. "Sasuke… Sasuke! P-please!" He gladly obliged as he pounded into her.

Sasuke watched with a glint in his eye as her back arched and she rocked back into him. The primal side of him roared in triumph; _she's mine!_ His pelvis pushed harshly against her and he gripped her hips. His name was moaned by those beautiful lips that had wanted to suck him off earlier.

Long gone was any intention to make it a gentle lovemaking session; their lust exploded into something purely animalistic. All his reasoning went out the window whenever it came to Hinata, being intimate with her was no different. Her screams, moans, and whimpers thrilled him; inspiring him to thrust harder into her hotness.

He grinded his hips into her and felt his release coming. With every hit, he heard her sob underneath him. "I am losing control Hinata…fuck!" Hinata gripped the sheets, and screamed.

Reaching another orgasm, she didn't know why she waited so long. At that moment Sasuke also came, emptying his load. He nearly collapsed on her, but fell to the side instead. Hinata turned to face him and they just stared at each other, breathing heavily. He moved closer and rested his head on her chest while she played with his hair, which was wet with sweat.

The only sounds were their sighs and breathing. Sasuke looked up at her smiling, moving a stray hair out of her face and she returned his affection with a shy smile of her own. "I wasn't too rough, was I?" He asked, concerned with her well- being. He trailed his fingers along her stomach. "I always imagined being much more gentle with you."

She shook her head, "I liked it… Did you enjoy it?" He chuckled and turned their positions so she was resting on top of his body, enjoying how warm her exhausted form felt.

Hinata felt the safest she had in a long while. Everything about the moment felt right and sure; soon his heartbeat lured her to sleep.

Sasuke was actually smiling, no longer smirking like he had conquered something. Thrilled that everything he had wanted was his, he could've cried. Someone who accepted him for who he was and didn't belittle or want him to change into something he wasn't. He thought the closest he would get to anything resembling this emotion was the confusing and tumultuous relationship with Sakura. Sealing their complete trust like this had cemented his feelings for Hinata. Nothing else mattered to him. "I honestly love you more than life itself." The words spilled out and his heart raced.

He frowned when she didn't respond, not realizing she was asleep until he gently tilted her head up. _I must've really tired her out_, he thought not so humbly. Sasuke shifted her even closer and kissed her forehead before drifting off.

Sasuke was used to waking up to her warm body next to him but things were different now. Hinata was cushioned into his chest, and a surge of pure euphoria swelled in his chest. He brushed his lips over her shoulder, causing her eyes flutter open. With a lazy smile, she gazed at him. "Hi," she whispered. "Hi," he chuckled, kissing her nose. Still not ready to leave the comfort of their bed, she snuggled closer and he hugged her tighter, draping her leg over him.

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Toneri rested a fist against his jaw. The Tenseigan heir scowled at the scenery as the private plane began take off. He was not looking forward to the long flight, especially after the news he just received. Reliving the events at his company, he cursed Hinata and her husband.

"What do you mean I don't have a say?! I'm the fucking owner!" Toneri shouted. He had just been informed of his temporary removal from Tenseigan.

"We need to regain stock holder confidence after being removed from the joint deal with Byakugan and Sharingan. You can't seriously think its best you stay on while you have this hanging over your head?" The board member questioned. "We all believe these accusations are false but how will it look if it gets out? Just lay low until this blows over. You're no good to this company if you're preoccupied with-"

Toneri slammed his fist on the table. "Fuck you and anyone who thinks that way!"

"We've had the vote and it's unanimous." The older man narrowed his eyes. "Don't come by until we give the word."

His jaw clenched and he ignored the messages from his assistant. It seemed like nothing but bad news awaited him. Even if they managed to keep things under wrap, thanks indirectly to the Hyuuga who were trying to keep Hinata out of the public spotlight, he was in a foul mood. His company was thriving but it felt like everything that rightfully belonged to him was being deliberately stripped away. The only thing that gave him some bliss was evoking the moments when he had her in his arms.

Toneri loved how helpless Hinata was, slowly succumbing to the realization that she was at his mercy. The power he held over her gave him great pleasure and he wanted to experience it again. He wanted to taste her tears, hear her cries, and press her skin against his again.

But he had to come in and ruin it, right as he was going to finally claim her. Telling himself that the Uchiha was able to get the jump on him only because he was blindsided, Toneri yeaned for another shot at him believing he would emerge as the victor. Various scenarios filled his mind all ending with claiming Hinata but none felt truly satisfying. Something was missing, something more permanent. The Uchiha tried to kill him and he wanted to return the favor. Having her would mean so much more to him with Sasuke's unquestionable defeat.

"I'll have her crying and feeling helpless once more," he groaned. His pants tightened and he freed his growing erection._ I was so fucking close!_ He pleasured himself, glad for the long flight home. Obsessed with enacting his vengeance, he swore to put everyone where he believed they belonged; Hinata indulging all his carnal desires and Sasuke in a cold, dark grave.

* * *

AN: This was as best as I could muster and figured what the heck. This chapter won't get any better or longer so why keep you waiting?

All your feedback is heard, and I thank everyone who favorited, followed, or viewed this story. I wanted to update on the 26 which would've made it a year from when I first started it. But schedules can become more hectic during this time of the year, amirite?

Hope everyone had a great holiday season. You're awesome!


	23. Chapter 23

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_When the night falls on you, baby_

_You're feeling all alone_

_You won't be on your own_

_I'll stand by you_

In this line of work, you were bound to have more bad days than good ones. Breaking the news to the couple before him reminded Yuuma of the unfortunate downsides of the job.

"What do you mean you can't hold him? He nearly raped my wife!"

Hinata pulled Sasuke back to his seat, mortified by his outburst. The horrible word sent a chill down her spine. She understood his rage; hearing that Toneri wouldn't be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law crushed her as well.

The detective leaned forward and closed his hands over the file. "He's been offered a plea deal instead-"

"A fucking plea deal? That's what you think my wife's life is worth?!" He tightened his grip on her shaking hand. "What kind of shit is this?"

"Sir, it wasn't my choice to make. The lead prosecutor doesn't think this is a definite win in court. Now according to witness statements you were all drinking that night-"

Sasuke's eyes widened, overcome with indignation. "What the fuck are you suggesting?!"

While also insulted by the insinuation, Hinata tried to remain composed. It wouldn't do any good if they both lost their cool. "Please calm down Sasuke-"

"She wasn't drunk!" He hissed. "What about her torn clothes, doesn't that show he tried to force himself on her?!"

"Can I continue? There was alcohol involved and Mr. Otsutsuki said that she was stumbling and merely fell against the wall. More than one witness has stated that they saw you carry her out. Some assumed that maybe she had a little too much to drink."

Feeling impatient and like he was the only sane person in the world, Sasuke tapped his fingers. "Wouldn't that still mean that he tried to take advantage of her?"

"It's all complicated since he said he was also intoxicated but remains sure of one thing. According to him, she had clearly given him consent. He mentioned that Hinata had been giving him mixed signals prior to that night." Seeing how quickly Sasuke was about to explode, Hinata stood up.

"But I didn't! He was the one making advances!" She protested. Until that moment, it hadn't really bothered her how she was being talked about like she wasn't even in the room. It was impossible to stay so withdrawn when the accusations of leading Toneri on emerged.

"Did you outright say that they were unwanted?" Yuuma asked. "Did you clearly tell him every single time?"

"W-well not at the beginning but he knew-" she slowly sat down. The silence that followed made her cower in shame, as undeserved as it was. "I didn't want it. I promise," Hinata mumbled.

"What were you wearing that night? Did you tempt him in anyway?"

"Why are you trying to turn this on her?" Sasuke pointed accusingly at the detective. "She's a victim!"

"If you can't handle this level of questioning from me, how will you fare on the stand with someone who's defending their client from your accusations?" He softened his glare at the younger man and turned his attention to his wife. "The jury would just see it as two drunk people who were about to have sex but once your husband saw, you tried to make it look like rape. It's not always the case but it's harder for a jury to think about the victim when they worry they might be sentencing an innocent man."

Yuuma apologized again but she shook her head. "So what's the punishment?" Hinata asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"The terms of the plea state he must commit 200 hours of community service and one year probation for minor assault. That's all they could get. I'm sorry."

Hinata choked back a sob, and the detective offered them privacy.

Sasuke wrapped his arms around her, wishing he had finished Toneri off when he had the chance. However if the detective was right, he would be tried for murder while the press would label Hinata as some sort of unfaithful wife who lured a man to his death. "I won't let him get near you again. I'm here and nothing can tear me away."

Before leaving the precinct, Yuuma asked to have a moment of his time. Sasuke stepped into the office while Hinata was talking to the prosecutor with their attorney.

"For what it's worth, I believe you. After so many years on the force, you can read people. But I've seen even the most innocent of victims get torn apart on the stand and seen perp after perp walk. It's a harsh world. Some do get justice they deserve but it's not always a guarantee. The system isn't perfect."

Disheartened by what he was hearing, he narrowed his eyes at the older man. "What do you think we should do?"

"No good cop will tell you to take matters into your own hands. It never ends well and it will be you behind bars, leaving your wife in much more pain than she deserved," Yuuma said, not beating around the bush. He didn't want to plant any misguided ideas into the enraged man. "As a law enforcement officer, I say you have two options. You can push the district attorney's office for something harsher but be ready to be put on trial. A victim shouldn't the one on trial but that's the nature of things."

"Character witnesses will be summoned not just for Otsutsuki but both of you as well. Your lives will be dug up and things you forgot about or tried to hide will be uncovered for everyone to see. Even if it doesn't relate to the actual crime, they will try anything to drag you through the mud and cast doubt about your credibility."

Different thoughts raced in his head. Would they force his mother to talk and therefore expose their arrangement? Madara would surely cut them off and threaten the stability Byakugan had managed to regain. _But how far would they go?_ He wondered. _Would they stoop that low and use Kiba?_ Fearing that it would utterly destroy Hinata, he knew it wasn't a viable option. She might be stronger today than before but it would be just as easy for her to return to that desolate state.

Wearing a somber look, Sasuke stared directly into his eyes. "What's our other choice?"

Pulling out two shot glasses out of his desk, he cleared his throat. He filled both but Sasuke declined his offer. "You can consider this a small victory and try to move on."

Taken back in disbelief, Sasuke knocked the drink out of his hand. "That's it? What's stopping him from trying it again?"

Shaking the excess liquid off his hand, the detective scowled. "It's not smart to act like this towards a cop, especially at the station. I will not be disrespected. Look son, I get how frustrated you might be but this is the reality of things."

Fed up with how helpless things seemed, Sasuke stood up to leave.

"Listen. The restraining order will only be effective for so long. Without reasonable cause a judge can't justify extending it. You can only hope he's either scared off or smart enough to stay away." Trying to end things on an optimistic note, he tried to offer some consolation. "If it's any comfort, it's been my experience that the smart ones don't focus on the same victim."

"In your line of duty, how many times has that actually happened?" Sasuke asked condescendingly. Not bothering to hear his answer, he stormed out to comfort Hinata.

"Not as much as I'd like," Yuuma admitted to himself.

The next stop they made was to the Hyuuga home. Hinata had a look of utter defeat while Sasuke filled her father in. Hiashi frowned at how blank her face was, as if she was trying to not let her emotions overwhelm her. He moved to comfort her but Sasuke inadvertently brushed him aside and held her close as if she would break any second. "Do you want to go home?"

She nodded and tried to smile at her father, who felt a sense of unease at the sight for more many reasons. Hiashi wanted to remind them that this was her true home and that Sasuke was developing an annoying habit of overstepping his boundaries. He didn't want to entertain the idea that the Uchiha harbored anything other than friendly affection for his oldest daughter.

"Call me if you need anything, Hinata. Remember your family will support you in everything," he said while slightly glaring at her companion. "We will always be here."

.

.

"I'm being pulled in so many different directions," Sasuke complained. "Can you do this favor for me and excuse my absence? I know it's supposed to be a quick meeting but the commute is absolute hell. I'd rather focus all my attention on this project."

Itachi nodded, happy that his brother was finally delegating duties he couldn't take on himself. He had eased off considerably ever since Hinata and he became a legitimate couple. "Is still Hiashi coming along?"

Stretching his neck, he chuckled. "Yeah, I just hope that he doesn't think I'm lazy or something by not going. I really want his approval, you know?"

He frowned at his younger brother, seeing the same little boy who once vied for their father's affection to no avail. "I'm sure the only person who really needs to accept you is Hinata. And judging by that grin of yours I can assume that she already has."

Blushing and diverting his eyes elsewhere, Sasuke nodded. Giving his brother grief was a favorite pastime of his, but they both had busy schedules so he would save it for another day.

Once Itachi left, Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. After their first time, sex had become a daily part of their lives. It wasn't hard for them to get right to it; sometimes all he had to do was hum or sing a few lyrics. He smirked at how it drove her insane; it was nice to know what got her hot and bothered. If he had a choice, he'd make it so they'd never leave each other's side. However, there were real life responsibilities they had to face. The issue of Toneri hung over their heads but he remembered the detective's words and tried to help her look to the future.

When he returned from work, they had their first conversation regarding Toneri since their visit to the precinct. Agreeing that it was better to move forward, Hinata mentioned going back to the workforce even if her father didn't want her back at Byakugan. "Maybe I can be a teacher's assistant or find work at the children's library. What do you think?"

He took her hands and kissed them. "I think that if you want it, go for it."

She smiled and bit her lower lip in excitement. "I don't like it when you do that. I don't want you to damage those beautiful lips." He ran his thumb over her lips tenderly. Seeing how entranced he was, she opened her mouth and stroked his thumb with her tongue. Instantly, his eyes darkened and his member hardened.

Sucking on the digit, she looked at his crotch. "Do you want me to?"

He eagerly unzipped his pants, her boldness never failed to surprise him. Hinata looked down with fascination as he began to stroke himself steadily, his cock growing. She blushed furiously when he tilted her head up and caught her eyes. Her tongue darted out to lick her dry lips.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked. Even though it wasn't something new to them and she had done it a few times already, he would never force her to do something she felt uncomfortable with or was degrading. Regardless if he felt like he would absolutely die if she backed out now.

Hinata nodded and he positioned his erect cock over her lips while she took of her shirt. Tenderly, her tongue traced the lines of his veins. It expanded even more when he slipped it inside her mouth. "Mmmmm…Mmmmm."

"That's it Hinata…" he panted, his breathing became heavier. "Fuck you're so sexy," Sasuke murmured softly, his fingers caressing her locks.

To see him so affected, someone who usually had a stoic demeanor turned her on and there was a growing ache between her legs.

"Fuck… it's so hot… and slick in your mouth," Sasuke groaned, grasping her head. He started to thrust in her mouth. The erotic sound her mouth made as she struggled to keep up with his pace drove him insane.

"Take it… take me… all in, baby." He shoved his dick in her mouth as deep as she could take him. Climaxing, he pulled away from her, leaving a ribbon of cum.

Her wide and pale eyes looked up, trying to gouge how he liked it. Sasuke grabbed a tissue from the table and cleaned her up, concentrating on her breasts.

"Ah…" she moaned as he rubbed her nipple between his fingers. "Don't tease me…"

His smirk returned. "Do you want more?"

"Yes…" she pleaded, his other hand teasing her core. Sasuke licked his lips. He'd never get tired of seeing her so sexy and lusty; moaning and gyrating her hips in such a dirty manner. "Do you want me in here?" he whispered, inciting another session of lust and love.

The next morning, she frowned at the marks around her neck. "Sorry for getting carried away," he said, not sounding in the least bit apologetic. "Maybe we should just stay in."

"I don't see any marks on you, so I guess you still have to go to work," she retorted.

That morning, Fugaku was surprised to see Sasuke in the lobby. He had been informed that he would be at the joint partners meeting discussing the press release. He tried to greet his son with a smile, but was met with indifference. The elevator ride was excruciatingly awkward until Sasuke stepped off and Fugaku sighed. Mikoto had wanted to try a trial separation and while Itachi hadn't completely written him off, he felt like his greatest fear was becoming a reality. He was wallowing alone in his own misery.

.

.

While Hinata searched for job postings online, her phone rang. Not wanting to lose focus, she opted to let the machine answer. "Hinata!" She jerked at the urgent tone. "It's bad… Hiashi's vehicle… You need to come to the hospital, now-"

Running towards the phone, she picked it up and answered. "What? What happened?!" Hinata listened intently as Ko relayed everything he knew thus far. "I'll be there soon!" She threw on her clothes and didn't bother with her hair, fighting to keep her tears from falling. Hinata didn't want to go back to that dark place and tried to think positively, as if wishful thinking would solely determine her father's fate. However, the way Ko's voice cracked and his shortness of breath sent horrible thoughts in her head. "No, I have to be strong. I won't fall apart."

Hinata absolutely hated hospitals; they were associated with nothing but horrible memories. Every time she was in one she had lost someone precious to her. Sasuke had arrived minutes before her and ushered her to the waiting area with the rest of the Uchihas and Ko. Lost in her inner turmoil, she had completely forgotten that her father wasn't alone in the vehicle.

The other Hyuuga filled them all in on the situation. It was a single car accident, and they had been traveling on a side road which was a longer route but less congested. "Perhaps they didn't want to wait in traffic," Ko surmised. His phone rang and he turned to Hinata after hanging up. "They're calling an emergency meeting… I have to go, I'm sorry."

Ko hurried out and suddenly being the only Hyuuga present dawned on her. "Neji doesn't…oh God, Hanabi! They probably don't know. I have to tell them," Hinata panicked and fumbled with her phone. Neji had been forced to take a short break by her father while Hanabi was away at college.

Sasuke held her hand while she sent a message. Not trusting the strength in her voice to prevent any distress, she sent a text to both. Seconds later, her phone rang and she tried to speak clearly to her frantic cousin. Thankful once Sasuke took control of her phone and filled Neji in, Hinata held her head in her hands, praying for good news. "We'll keep you updated…Yeah, see you soon."

They remained in an embrace, comforting and calming each other during the agonizing wait for any news on their loved ones. Mikoto paced back and forth whispering words while Fugaku remained sitting, his knee bouncing up and down in anticipation. A doctor appeared and called for the Uchihas. Hinata felt Sasuke tense as he turned.

"I'm Dr. Kato. Your son is going to be okay. He has a slight concussion, some bruised ribs and a broken leg but it could've been much worse. We've settled him in, you may see him now."

Mikoto wiped away tears of happiness and Fugaku visibly relaxed. Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the good news but Hinata walked forward and tugged on the doctor's jacket. "Excuse me, what about father? I m-mean, Hiashi Hyuuga?" she asked meekly.

The doctor furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm sorry but I believe he's still in surgery. We'll keep you informed with any updates."

Hinata let her leave without another word, feeling her breathing become uneven. Suddenly she felt herself being pulled. Sasuke looked at her with hopeful eyes. "C'mon Hinata, let's go check on Itachi. We'll be back before Hiashi's out, trust me-"

"No!" She sat back down, not wanting to meet any of their gazes. "I need to be here in case…I'm the only one available. Go on without me."

Sasuke was torn; he desperately wanted to see for himself that Itachi was okay but had vowed to be there for her whenever she needed him. The weight of his stare felt heavy and she reluctantly looked up. "Tell Itachi I'm truly happy he's okay," she said with a shaky voice. _Stop looking at me!_ Hinata thought. "Go on, please."

He nodded and walked behind his parents. Hinata knew he felt miserable and guilty but she needed a few moments to herself. _He can't leave, he's not. Father's too strong_, she thought. She received another text from her sister saying she was on the next flight back. Thirty minutes later with no change in sight, she reluctantly walked to the nurses' desk and asked for Itachi's room number.

Hesitating outside, she heard them all rejoice in his well- being. Envy and jealousy began to creep into her heart but she shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she walked in and stood next to a grateful Sasuke. "I just wanted to see how Itachi was doing…" Fugaku nodded before turning his attention back to his son who was being caressed by Mikoto. Sasuke whispered comforting words that she didn't really absorb. She'd heard them all before and they always turned out to be empty promises. Although the doctor had made it seem like Itachi wasn't in critical condition, he sure looked like it. _If father sustained more severe injuries, how did he look?_

Mikoto finally acknowledged her presence when Itachi asked Hinata about her father. "He's still in surgery," she said. Unsure about how to act around her, Mikoto couldn't help but feel sympathy. Hinata looked out of place and avoided any direct eye contact. Seeing her son bruised and nearly taken away reminded her of what Hinata had previously gone through. Shame filled her as she remembered how she mocked her pain.

"Oh, that's a shame. We were having such a lovely conversation right before," Itachi said, a bit dizzy by the morphine. "The car just kept flipping over and over… But, I don't think he's dead. If I'm fine, so is he."

"Itachi!" Sasuke chided but Hinata just nodded her head. "Yes… I should be heading back. Feel better, okay? Does anyone want me to bring them something to eat or drink? Neji's on his way."

Everyone shook their head and she waved goodbye. Sasuke followed but she insisted he stay with his family. "Hinata…"

"I'm okay," she said. It sounded like she was trying to convince not only him but herself. "Like I said, Neji's on his way."

Minutes after she left and he made sure Itachi was well cared for, Sasuke headed back to where she was waiting. "They really do care about each other," Fugaku softly commented. No one responded as Itachi had dozed off and Mikoto brushed his hair. Longing to feel a part of his family again, he reached to embrace his wife.

"You should update Madara," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. Mikoto was torn, she had always wanted him to show more affection but now she didn't know if it was deserved. Mikoto grimaced as she recalled Hiashi's words.

Did he deserve her devotion? Did she deserve his?

"Okay," Fugaku responded. Not wanting to agonize over this any further, he quickly kissed her cheek and left. This had shaken him to the core; Fugaku didn't want to have something else to look back on and regret.

Sasuke found Hinata being embraced by her cousin. A brunet haired woman stood to the side, greeting him with an awkward smile.

"Uncle insisted that I wasn't needed to make the final approval. I should've been there," Neji forced out. "I should be in there, not him."

"Don't…don't say that," she pleaded. Hinata looked paler than when she first arrived and it worried Sasuke. Neji finally spotted him and asked him about Itachi.

"He's going to be okay, he's with my parents."

Hours later, Tenten brought them food and while Neji nibbled on his, Hinata pushed hers away. "I feel like I'm gonna throw up. I can't eat that right now," she reasoned. Sasuke was able to get her to drink a protein shake. Noticing her slightly shivering, he draped his jacket over her and pulled her to his chest.

As Hinata was beginning to take a nap, the doctor asked for them. They anxiously walked forward and hoped for the best. "The extent of his injuries was quite severe," he said. Hinata tried her hardest not to black out and held a firm grip on Neji who began to shake. "We managed to stop the swelling in his brain and he's on a respirator until he can breathe on his own. At the moment, we've placed him in a medically induced coma."

"Why?" Neji asked. "When will he wake up?!"

"We're doing this to hopefully protect his brain. It's to let the brain heal and make the swelling do down. But the main thing about a drug-induced coma, as opposed to a coma, is that it's reversible." Sasuke's eyes widened, full of optimism. "We can't say when someone will wake up. It depends on how the patient is progressing and the nature of the injury. It's our hope to have him come out as soon as possible. For now, all we can do is wait. I'm sorry."

Sasuke thanked Dr. Shi, thinking it could've been worse. But the Hyuugas beside him weren't as confident with Hiashi's diagnosis. Hinata felt Neji collapse from her embrace but she didn't try to pick him up. While she went completely catatonic Tenten kneeled beside her and tried to comfort the usually stoic Hyuuga. Neji's sobs turned into a loud buzzing in her ear and she suddenly had trouble breathing. _It's happening. _She sat down, her vision fading. _It's happening again!_

Sasuke pulled her into his chest, not bothering to saying anything. There were no words he could muster at that moment that would help her make sense of it.

"When can we see him?" Neji asked between sobs.

"He's just gone through a long surgery and we don't want to overwhelm him. I think it's best if we hold off on any visitations until tomorrow. He'll be in the intensive care unit," Dr. Shi said before leaving.

"Hinata….Hinata…."

She looked up in confusion and Sasuke's eyes conveyed concern. "What?"

"We should head home. You need to rest and Neji offered to stay. Tenten said they'll call us if there is any change." He let no room for arguing and she was silent for the rest of the night.

Once they were given the go ahead, Hinata had been the first to go into his room. She nervously walked to his bed and softly placed her hand over his, fearing he would break any second. It was unusual to see Hiashi Hyuuga look so weak and all her pent up emotions poured out of her.

"I'm sorry for always crying but… Don't leave, please." she whispered. "I still need my father around, if you leave us now…" she shook her head. "You have raised us to be strong but I don't think we'll ever recover. Give me a sign, anything to show me that you can hear." Hinata listened and stared intently at her father. "Squeeze my hand. It doesn't have to be firm…Do something!"

Her eyes narrowed in anguish and she sobbed.

That afternoon, a frantic Hanabi walked into the waiting area where Neji welcomed and filled her in. She turned to look at her sister but Hinata kept her eyes on the ground.

Hanabi walked to her father's room where she noticed that Sasuke was sleeping, propped up on a chair with his chin tucked in his chin and arms crossed. "Wake up, it's my shift." He grunted and walked back to the waiting room where Hinata was trying to rest.

Sasuke had split his time between Itachi and Hiashi, but he made a habit to visit his brother last since it would end his day on a semi- good note. Everyone looked extremely tired but none more so than Hinata. After experiencing a few fainting spells, Neji had forced her to go home. Hinata had refused but he and Sasuke had coerced her to go, reminding her that Hanabi also needed her. "Uncle won't be alone a single second. I promise," Neji assured her and watched with a heavy heart as Sasuke led her away.

"You know, I think you should check yourself in. You don't look so good, can't keep food down, and now you're almost collapsing. This isn't good for you," Sasuke implored.

"It's just stress," Hinata brushed him off. He frowned but kissed her forehead.

"Please. I can't worry about you too."

"Tomorrow," she sighed and leaned against him. "I'll do it tomorrow, I'm too tired today."

On the day Itachi was to be released, Hiashi's condition hadn't improved but it hadn't deteriorated either. Neji was feeling guilt over having to take over at Byakugan, leaving his two cousins alone. Taking Sasuke aside, he made him promise to call with any change. "If Hanabi or Hinata are looking like they're about to break, Tenten will be here to help. You don't have to take everything on. I know your family needs you, too."

Sasuke nodded reluctantly. He was there to help his brother into his wheelchair and Fugaku wheeled him to the dining room. Everyone agreed that it would be best for him to stay with their parents until he had fully recovered.

Mikoto held her hands close to her chest and gathered some courage to talk to her youngest son alone. "Sasuke?" He stopped and looked back. "I know it's been incredibly hectic and I don't know if you have plans tonight…Anyways, I was hoping you'd join us for dinner?"

"No thanks."

She winced at his tone. "You can bring her too, if you'd like. There's more than enough space-"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. This was the nicest tone she had ever used when referring to Hinata but he didn't waver. Hinata and her family were in a grim situation and he didn't want to put her in another. "I said no. We might have a temporary truce for Itachi's sake but I won't let you use this as an opportunity to agitate her any further." He left without another glance, heading back to the hospital.

.

.

Finishing his cup of coffee, he heard Hinata's voice. He could tell she was upset and Hanabi began to shout back. Leaning against a wall beside the waiting room, he crossed his arms and let them have their spat.

"You just started college! Do you remember how hard it was to get in, even with your scores and father's influence? You're not dropping out!"

"You did!" Hanabi retorted maliciously. "When it was Kiba… Father might die. Don't you care?!"

Hinata looked hurt and Hanabi immediately covered her mouth. Sasuke pushed himself off and scowled. He didn't care what they argued about but he'd be damned if he let anyone hurt his wife. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean it-"

She began to bawl and Hinata hugged her. "I'm just so scared. Suna isn't worth it…I want to be here for father."

Her older sister shook her head. "Listen Nabi, he wouldn't want you to do this. You're still in school and Neji is trying to keep Byakugan from going into disarray. But I can be here every day."

"But-"

"Your professors have given you a temporary leave. We'll see how things are when you need to return, okay? If you think you it's best to stay here for whatever reason, I'll support you. I just don't want you to regret not doing something you loved."

Coming to a compromise, Hanabi nodded and sniffled. "D-do you regret not going back?"

She rested her chin on top of Hanabi's head. "Sometimes…"

"Did you ever get yourself checked out?" Sasuke asked as she played with her salad. Tenten had taken Hanabi to get freshened up, leaving them alone in the hospital cafeteria. She nodded without looking up. "Well?"

"It's like I said. Stress, so I just need to take it easy." He grunted and she felt guilty for being a burden. Hinata didn't care how she was feeling. Her focus was on her family and worrying Sasuke over nothing was also not an option for her; he was working overtime to compensate for Itachi's leave of absence yet made a point to put her ahead of everything on his plate when she needed him.

Sasuke wasn't able to visit every day and the time they spent together dwindled greatly. He would get up earlier than she and Hinata would arrive home later than he. The only days when they would actually have a long conversation or embrace for more than a few minutes were on weekends. Yet even then, the main focus was on Hiashi's health. Hinata couldn't help but feel like she was pushing him aside but he never complained and she felt extremely grateful to have him in her life.

"Well, I'm finished. I'll head up to his room now." Hinata nodded at him and returned to her salad. It was one of the few full meals she had these days.

Sasuke pulled out a book and tried to focus on the story but after reading the same passage over and over, threw it back in his bag. He rubbed his eyes and tilted his head back. His mind kept going back to his wife; Hinata hadn't looked any better but at least she was eating. She was his ray of sunshine but as the days passed, it looked like the light in her eyes was fading. He didn't want the love of his life to wilt under the heavy sorrow of losing another person she cherished.

He looked back at his comatose father- in- law and cleared his throat. "Hey…how's it going? I mean, obviously not so well." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Anyways, you need to get up already. Neji looks like he's aged ten years and Hanabi is seriously contemplating leaving school, she's so distraught."

"But Hinata…she won't ever recover from this, you know? She hasn't smiled since you got hurt and we both know she looks absolutely stunning when she's truly happy. Everyone still needs you, old man." Hiashi's eyes began to flutter but Sasuke hadn't noticed. He was playing with his wedding band. "So you need to wake up. I love her so damn much and it kills me to see her hurting. We can't live happily ever after if you die. I want you to hear me tell her how much I love her and know it's genuine. I want my kids to know their grandfather -"

"What…what did you say?" Hiashi croaked out. Sasuke remained frozen, shock filling him as Hiashi looked around with tired eyes. He tried to turn his head but winced in pain. "Where…where am I?"

"I'll go get a nurse. Stay awake!" He burst out of the room, almost bumping into Hanabi. "He's awake!"

Hanabi's eyes widened and she rushed to see her father. Sasuke informed the nurse at the desk about Hiashi's change and dialed Hinata's phone. Being anxious about any developments in his health, she picked up on the second ring. "What? What happened?" her breath was short and he told her the great news. The elevator ride up went excruciatingly slow and she bolted before the doors fully opened, apologizing to the people she bumped into.

She covered her mouth as she gaped in delight. Hanabi had curled up as best she could next to him and she quickly took his other side. Sasuke had just finished talking to an excited Neji who promised to be there in twenty minutes. The Uchiha stared as the two sisters softly talked to their father, whispering loving and caring words. He hadn't even noticed how quickly time had flown until Neji burst in and rubbed Hanabi's back comfortingly. It was one of the few times Sasuke had ever seen Neji genuinely smile.

Hiashi hadn't given Sasuke as much as a glance, but he didn't take it personal. He assumed that he just wanted some time with his children. Giving the Hyuugas time to catch up, he slipped out to stretch his legs thankful that tragedy had been diverted.

The Hyuuga patriarch had wakened in a daze but he knew what he heard, or at least the gist of it. He had tried to decipher the looks they always gave each other. Until Sasuke's confession, all he had were suspicions which were now confirmed. He would set the Uchiha back on the right path but for the moment, he would focus on the three precious people in front of him.

.

.

"How could you be so stupid?!" Toneri bellowed at his trembling assistant.

"Y-you said the Uchiha and Hiashi would be traveling together in the same car. How was I supposed to know it was the wrong Uchiha?" The man stammered out.

Toneri had laid a perfect plan, at least according to him. He had an alibi in case the trail led to him, which would've been impressive as he made sure to cover his tracks. The hitman was hired by a third party and paid through an offshore account.

He wanted to remove the two people who shielded Hinata. With her father and husband gone, Hinata would be defenseless. Her overly confident cousin had once nearly dragged Byakugan down and he would surely accomplish it with Hiashi out of the picture. The widow would be forced to accept his offer of marriage if she didn't want to live a life of poverty, or risk her sister's scholarly ambitions.

He had laughed when news came of the accident carrying the men but his glee was replaced with unbridled fury at the revelation that it wasn't Sasuke in the vehicle. "They didn't even die! Do you realize how incompetent you are?!"

It seemed like he could no longer rely on the man standing in front of him. "Leave my sight. Remember, if you speak a word of this to anyone I'll have your family murdered right in front of you. Your wife and sons will look at you wondering what they did to deserve it. Then I will kill you myself. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes sir."

Toneri watched with narrowed eyes as he scurried away. He plopped down on his couch and shouted in frustration. "I can't do anything now. Everyone will have their guard up. No, I just need to bide my time." He stared at the photo of Hinata on his phone. "You will be mine. No matter how long it fucking takes, I will not be denied."

* * *

AN: So FF is being weird with reviews. I get notifications but they weren't appearing for some reason on the actual site. I only delete those that are outright hateful and it's been a long while since I had one so I was taken back by it.

Studying Criminal Justice is a downer; let me tell you that the system is broken. People get away with shit all the time and I wanted to inject some realism. However, I'm a firm believer in a universal balance. What you put in the world (good or bad) will be returned in some form. I have control over this story after all, LOL.

Thanks for all the favs, views, follows as well as the feedback. I do take your thoughts into consideration as I write. You're all awesome!


	24. Chapter 24

_If you leave, you take my heart_

_And without you, I don't know where I'll go_

Hiashi exceeded doctor's expectations with his determination to get better. He would push himself to the point of near collapse, but his age was working against him. Hinata saw his frustration and embarrassment whenever he tried walk without the aid of a walker. Being in his place before, she had a feeling of how he felt.

"You made a lot of progress today, Father. But if you push yourself too much, it could slow down your recovery," she warned. "Remember to take it slow and steady. There's no rush for you to get back to the office and I'm here."

He gruffly nodded and gave her a small smile. The physical therapy was agonizing for him but at least he had her company. It also served another purpose; it created a distance between the Uchiha and Hinata. Setting his ego and pride aside, he asked for her assistance more than anyone else. Neji had assumed the role of interim CEO and Hanabi returned to finish her semester. The decision to transfer to Konoha University lingered in the air but he didn't want to trouble both of his daughters.

"Have you decided yet?" Hiashi asked carefully while she pushed his wheelchair towards the waiting car. Their driver helped Hiashi in.

"…Yes, I think it's a good idea," she said and he ignored her hesitation. "I just need to get my stuff."

Straightening up, his face brightened and nodded. "I know Neji will be glad to hear we'll be seeing you around more often."

Hinata patted his hand and gazed out the window. Sasuke wouldn't be pleased with it, but she wanted to help her father in any way possible. It broke her heart that she couldn't make them both happy at the same time.

Sasuke walked into their home, frowning when he heard no response to his arrival. It had seemed like things were getting better and perhaps he might've even been completely accepted by her family. Neji and Hanabi warmed up but Hiashi became distant towards him. Hiashi had been cordial around him but it seemed like now he made it a point to separate the two whenever possible.

Once he was moved out of the intensive care unit, Sasuke noticed the pattern.

"I'm fine, how about you all go get something to eat."

"But-" Neji protested.

He put his hand up and glanced lovingly at his daughter. "Hinata will keep me company, won't you?" She nodded.

"Okay… feel better Hiashi," Sasuke said. Hiashi ignored him and began to converse with Hinata.

Hinata had brushed it off as a side effect of the crash but his gut told him differently. He had rambled to the man while he was unconscious and with his sudden shift in behavior came to one logical conclusion. Hiashi knew about the two of them already, his actions clearly proved he didn't approve. Yet he hadn't been confronted.

Not wanting to upset Hinata over it in case he was totally off base, he kept quiet. Sasuke tried to figure out what was going inside the patriarch's head. Was he testing his patience and respectfulness? If he was brash, how would Hiashi react?

After she had returned from breakfast at the Hyuuga home, he had approached her. "I'm tired of pretending. Let's tell him about us already."

She shook her head and he sulked. "He might react badly. What if he gets a heart attack or stroke?" He scoffed. "Sasuke, the doctor said he needs rest and I don't want to hurt him-"

"What about us?! Does this mean you're giving up us?"

Hinata opened her mouth in disbelief. "No! That's not what I'm saying at all! Why are you acting like it's one or the other? I love you." She walked up to him and cupped his face. "I love you but I need to make sure he recovers and be there for him. He needs me."

"It's been months. I know he's not the same but he's been trying to get back to work. I've had to include him in all my emails so it's not like he's avoiding stress." Removing her hands but keeping them in his, he implored her to reconsider. "Besides, I need you too."

"I'm not going anywhere," she smiled at him before pouting. "I should talk to Neji about that though. Father swore he wasn't going to fret over any sort of business dealings. He's so stubborn."

He didn't join in on her laughter. "Hinata, he needs to know."

"Sasuke-"

"But I can see that it might not be the best time. However, you have to promise me that as soon as you think he's well enough, you'll do it. I'm trying really hard not to break down so excuse my frustration."

It had been a week and while they had come to a compromise, he still felt like she was being pulled away. He made his own dinner and waited as long as he could for her to arrive but fell asleep. His alarm blared and he looked around in confusion. Sasuke woke up alone.

He shuffled to the kitchen and the blinking light on the answering machine caused him to scoff. Pressing the button, he heard her message. "Sasuke, father isn't feeling well. I think he's become a bit depressed and I feel bad if I leave him alone. Neji's-" He deleted the message and got dressed for work.

Hinata arrived home in the early afternoon, feeling guilty for coming back so late. After changing clothes, she collapsed on their bed. Sniffing his pillows, she hoped he wasn't too upset with her. Hiashi had looked so lonely and despondent that she couldn't bear the thought of him suffering in loneliness until Neji returned from work. Then he wanted her to join them for dinner which turned into a long discussion about favorite memories. It had been well into the late hours when she realized the time but Hiashi implored her to stay. "I won't sleep well if you go out at this hour. You can sleep here."

Rolling over, she stared at the closet. She needed to start packing soon if she was to make a special dinner for the two of them. Hinata sighed; it would be a while until they could focus solely on each other.

.

.

Returning from the grocery store, she was surprised to see Sasuke. He wasn't supposed to be back for at least two hours, but what startled her most was the look of gloom.

"Are you leaving me?"

"What are you talking about?" Hurriedly she placed the bags on the counter. "No-"

"I saw your fucking luggage packed and ready," he grumbled. "Were you planning on leaving without at least telling me? Do you hate me that much?"

The last words pierced her and she furrowed her eyebrows. "Sasuke, it's not-"

"Working out? Yeah I can see that," he chuckled. "I'm so stupid for thinking you'd care about me. I mean, I put you ahead of my family but you couldn't do the same just once. You're so selfish."

Blood pounded in her ears and she walked past him to the bedroom. He didn't follow which she was grateful for since her tears began to stream down her face. Hinata tried to please everyone around her but maybe she was being naïve in thinking it was possible. With a heavy heart, she wheeled the luggage behind her and headed towards the door.

It was not how she imagined the day going, she hadn't anticipated him to take it so poorly. Sasuke had remained in the same spot, not looking up. He heard her open the door and his body finally caught up to what his mind screamed; Sasuke grabbed her elbow.

Finally looking up, he pleaded with her. "If you love me, then stay."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling shakily, she stopped. "I told you that he needed me. It was only going to be for a short while but I think it's better if I stay there until..."

Confused, Sasuke's grip relaxed.

"If you're questioning my love for you based off of this, then I haven't proved myself as well I thought. I would do anything for the people I love but I won't choose one over the other. Not again." She pulled her arm away. "I'm sorry if you feel like you made the wrong decision when we walked out of your parents' home together, but I know it's not irreversible. They'd happily accept you back."

"I didn't mean-"

"Maybe you did," she said, trying to sound void of emotion. "If you made a mistake it's not too late to take it all back. Maybe you can dine with them tonight and make up."

"Hinata…"

She wiped the flowing tears from her cheeks, not knowing when they started again. "I'll get the rest of my stuff later. I had planned for a few days but perhaps I should stay there a bit longer. This way we can both focus on our families. You can mend-"

"A few days?" he desperately asked. "I…I thought you were leaving me for good."

Hinata shook her head. "It made sense to spend some nights over since we live so far from the hospital and some of the appointments are early in the morning. But I can't pretend this hasn't bothered me… I don't want you to regret ever being with me."

Sasuke turned her around and kissed her furiously. He wanted to kick his own ass for jumping to conclusions without hearing everything. His fear that she'd cast him aside had clouded all rational thought. "I love you. I love you."

She gently pushed him away. "But I don't know if I'm enough."

"I fucking love you, Hinata!" he shouted. She closed the door, not wanting their neighbors to investigate their quarrel. "I was just so scared when I saw you had been packing. It broke my heart to think that you didn't care for me anymore. I'm such an idiot for making you cry." He rested his forehead against hers. "I don't regret falling in love with you or walking away from my parents. I'll forsake everyone who tried to get between us."

"I don't believe you." His eyes widened in dread. "It's obviously on your mind if you brought it up." She cleared her throat. "I think we need space and this is the right time to see where we stand. You can fix your relationship with your parents while I tend to my father-"

"No, no, no. You said you loved me." He gripped her shoulders tightly. "You just said you weren't leaving me!"

"I'm doing this because I love you. Sasuke, I love you too much to see you torn apart in separate directions. Make peace with your family, whatever that may look like to you. This experience has shaken me. We were lucky Father and Itachi are alive, I'm just giving you the opportunity to patch things up before it's too late." His hold loosened and he looked crestfallen. "I'm not abandoning you, I promise. I'm not going letting you go."

"When are you heading over?" he asked quietly.

"His next appointment isn't until the day after tomorrow. I figured I'd make you a special dinner so you'd take the news well but…" she shrugged.

Feeling like a jerk for screwing things up, he pulled out the groceries. "Let me help."

Hinata directed Sasuke while she watched the pot, slightly smiling at his determination to make up for their fight. She couldn't deny that her feelings were hurt by his words and assumptions. They ate quietly but he would peer up every now and then trying to gauge her mood.

While putting the dishes away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and murmured against her neck. "Can you forgive me? I can't let you leave without knowing…please?"

"I forgive you," she simply said. It was an honest answer but he didn't feel satisfied.

"Kiss me," he insisted. "Kiss me and I'll believe you." Exhaling in annoyance, she turned her head and kissed his cheek. Hinata briskly returned to the dinnerware.

"No, I need more." Sasuke turned her around and arched his body into hers, touching their chests together. "I'm a horrible man but I want you to forgive me." He kissed her neck and Hinata began to feel aroused. "Forgive this horrible man."

"Sasuke… I forgive you…stop…"

One hand caressed the skin under her shirt while the other slipped inside her pants. Hinata tried to turn around but his fingers clouded her mind. "Sasuke…I said I for…f-forgive you…ahhh." Her eyes closed as a moan escaped her lips.

"I only wanted a kiss," he murmured. He had been groping her breast but removed his hand to toss her hair to the side, leaving her neck bare. "Just one on the lips but now I don't know if that's enough," he smirked, kissing her neck.

He pulled her pants down along with her panties. One finger entered her, then another. No longer denying pleasure from his fondling, she scraped his chest. "I want to take you here. Now," he growled out.

Hinata nodded and felt the tip of his cock press against her. In her haze, she hadn't noticed him removing his pants. She frowned when he didn't push in; instead he turned her to face their table. "Sasuke?"

He thrusted in deep and she laid her head on the wooden surface, gripping the sides. After letting her adjust for a minute, his pace quickened. "Ahhh!"

Sasuke asked if he was forgiven and she yelled out. "Yes!" He pumped slower, giving her a reprieve from her orgasm. Sasuke turned her around and wished he could capture the moment. Her skin flushed, breasts heaved as she slowed her breathing.

"I'm not done yet," he leered and carried her towards their bedroom. All throughout the night, they lost themselves in each other. No longer rough, but gentler as if they wanted to savor the moment. Words were not spoken but one look at each other's eyes expressed enough.

Sasuke spooned her from behind and she clutched his hands close to her chest. Both drifted off to sleep, trying to ignore the fear over what changes awaited them.

.

.

Mikoto ignored the looks her maids gave her, the Uchiha matriarch was in high spirits because normalcy had finally returned to her house. Itachi had his cast removed and while she missed his constant presence in her home, she was glad he had recovered. They held a large celebration and even Sasuke, who wasn't accompanied by Hinata, attended. She figured that it was one of the few times that they would get to see him. However he had been coming around more often. Life begun to resemble the days before Fugaku's ill- guided arrangement with the Hyuugas, and she decided to abandon her plans for separation.

She walked into the dining room where Fugaku and both her sons waited. Mikoto laughed and smiled more than she had in months. In her bliss, she failed to see the misery of others. Fugaku forced a smile and kept quiet for the most part. His plan had troubled him more than he anticipated. He had made considerable strides professionally and politically; within a few years he'd have a real shot. Yet it seemed like it left his personal life in tatters. Fugaku didn't blame Hinata or Hiashi, if anything he felt like he caused that family considerable grief.

Sasuke didn't know what he hated more, being here and forcing conversation along or being alone at home. They both felt the same because one thing was missing. Walking into an empty home was painful; the silence always engulfed him. It was suffocating and he felt aimless, much like when he didn't have Hinata in his life. If he could go back, he'd force his mouth shut until she cleared up the misunderstanding with her luggage. Perhaps he wouldn't be alone, pretend to tolerate this environment; she'd be next to him, providing him strength to deal with his family.

"How has Hiashi's recovery been?" Itachi asked as Mikoto requested dessert to be brought out. He had noticed his father's behavior but was more concerned with Sasuke's evident gloom. Fugaku also perked up, which didn't go unnoticed by his wife.

Privately, she did wonder what had happened between the two. However she kept her hopes quiet, fearing he'd be enraged once more.

"He's doing much better," Sasuke replied. "I heard he's starting to use a walker less and less."

Mikoto sipped her tea, seemingly uninterested with the new developments. She narrowed her eyes at Itachi when he brought up Hinata. "How's she coping with it?"

"Fine."

"Neji said she moved back," Fugaku added. "I think it's because Hiashi probably needs more care than we're aware of."

Sasuke nodded stiffly and Itachi noticed his jaw tense. A few seconds passed before he pushed his chair back. "I should get going. I have a long day ahead tomorrow. Goodbye."

His mother hastily placed her cup down and chased after him. "I've had them prepare your favorite! Won't you stay for just a little while?"

He relaxed his shoulders and shook his head. "I'm tired, mom."

"Look, I know things aren't going well with her but we're here for you. She's gone but-"

"Don't. Just don't pretend to care," he snarled out. Sasuke heard his mother gasp and tried to take a softer tone, remembering the reason for this. "You know it was her idea. Hinata wanted me to try to repair our relationship."

"Oh."

"And I love her, it hasn't changed nor will it ever. I love her so much that I'll give in to her wishes, no matter how much it hurts." He turned towards her. "Sometimes I feel like she's a doormat, wanting to make everyone happy at the cost of her own. She has easily forgiven people who've hurt her. But that doesn't mean I'll let anyone take advantage of her. Hinata and I are still very much together. I can't afford to bear any hatred towards you. I can't. But I do have a thorn in my heart for how you've treated her. One step out of bounds and we're done, you can tell people you only have one son."

Mikoto lowered her eyes in sorrow, but widened in surprise when he embraced her. "But if you could just see her through my eyes, you'd realize why I fell in love with Hinata. Just open your eyes, mom."

Stunned, she made no promises.

.

.

Leaning against her pillows Hinata sent Sasuke a goodnight text. They still kept in touch while on a supposed break since they couldn't bear the thought of completely ignoring each other. It had been a little over a month since she last stepped into their home.

It was agony but she had to grin at his attempts to extend an olive branch to his family. She really wanted him to have a support network that extended beyond her or her family. Yet she wondered how long this would last, what if he did reconsider things and figured she was too much of a burden. Trying to shake away all doubt, she remembered their last night together fondly.

The next morning, she opened her phone and smiled.

Sasuke: I miss you.

Hinata suddenly wanted to run to his arms and never let go. "Hinata, breakfast!" She replied to Sasuke and hopped out of bed with a brighter outlook.

Sasuke felt his phone buzz and at the next stop light checked it.

Babe: I really miss you, too.

The car behind him honked, shaking him from his bliss. "Alright, alright! Damn." Seeing her message as a sign, he planned his next steps. Hiashi was obviously going to try his hardest to create a rift between them, but he severely underestimated his opponent.

.

.

Hiashi looked confused at the Uchiha's presence. "What are you doing here?"

Trying his hardest not to smirk, he twirled his keys around and shrugged. "I'm here to take my wife out on a double date."

"What?" he asked.

"Yeah, Naruto and Ino invited us for dinner. We wouldn't want to raise suspicion, now do we?" He craned his neck to see if Hinata was nearby. "So can you tell her, I'm here already? Dinner reservations are kind of time sensitive."

"I don't think your friends will mind if you arrive alone, Uchiha." Hiashi replied. "Can they really blame her for taking care of her father? She's tired."

Returning his smirk with one of his own, Sasuke hollered her name. Hinata walked out of her room and her face brightened when she saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"We have a date…with Naruto and Ino."

"We do?" She tilted her head adorably in confusion and he almost kissed her right there.

"Yup, unless you'd rather stay in-"

"No! Let me get ready, I'll be down in fifteen." She closed her bedroom door and frantically got ready.

The two men exchanged glares at one another, but kept their mouths shut. Neji had been surprised when he noticed Sasuke. "Huh, it's been a while. I would've thought you'd be around more with Hinata being here and all."

"Been having to deal with some things, but everything is going smoothly. I can guarantee you're both going to see me hanging around here more often," Sasuke said, seeing his father- in- law seethe silently. Hinata hurried down the staircase and kissed her father goodbye.

"I can't promise I can have her back before midnight. You know how these things go." Hiashi scowled at Sasuke, knowing that for the moment he had been outsmarted.

Neji rolled his eyes, "Right, well I hope you both have a nice time. Enjoy yourself Hinata. You need a day for yourself."

Once in the safety of his car, he informed her that there was no double date. "I just wanted to sneak you out."

Unable to be angry at him, she smiled mischievously. "What did you have planned for us?"

"I was thinking maybe a nice dinner, some karaoke, and sex." He wiggled his eyebrows. "And I mean a lot of sex."

Laughing at his antics, she replied, "That sounds like it'll take all night."

"Oh, it will."

.

.

Sasuke groaned as he came. They could barely contain themselves this time and she suggested they park nearby in a secluded area. She wrapped her arms around him and he gently traced his fingers over her back. He had experienced plenty of action in the backseat of a car but none more pleasurable or fulfilling as with Hinata.

She could sense he wanted to say something and she did too. "Let's tell him tomorrow." He jerked his face away from her shoulder.

"Really?!" There was a sense of satisfaction he got every time he left with her, giving Hiashi various excuses which the older man didn't buy for a second but couldn't say anything due to Neji. Although he had created a perverted scenario of the boyfriend corrupting his innocent girlfriend, he wanted to return to husband and wife.

"Yes. I don't think Father's in any danger and I can't pretend anymore. I want stop hiding my love for you-" He cut her off with a kiss, becoming hard again.

"I want to be there, okay?" He impaled her with his cock and she picked up the pace, never losing eye contact. "You're mine… all mine."

"Ahhh… not my breasts," Hinata complained as he marked them. "They're sensitive!"

Looking disheveled, Hinata tiptoed to her room around one in the morning. Hiashi scowled as the Uchiha drove away; he had enough of these games.

.

.

The next morning, she felt horrible. Hinata slept well but woke up feeling nauseas; wiping her mouth, she attributed it to something she ate last night.

Hiashi, from outside the door, implored her to get checked out. They had just sat for breakfast when the smell of eggs overwhelmed her. "I'm fine, it's probably food poisoning."

"Hinata, please do it for me. I'll ease my mind."

"Okay."

Sasuke was worried, he had expected them to break the news to Hiashi but she was obviously not feeling well. "We can push it back Hinata. You're obviously becoming physically sick over this," he said as he drove her to the doctor. Neji had asked him to take her since he was taking his uncle to the rehab facility. Hiashi had suggested their driver but Neji didn't want her to be unaccompanied.

"You guys are blowing this out of proportion. It's just a stomach bug," Hinata complained. "I mean, did you really have to call your family doctor? I could've waited to make my own appointment with-"

"For once, I agree with your father. It doesn't hurt to see and your doctor is backed up."

They signed in and waited ten minutes before they were called to the back. Hinata waived the privacy option since she knew he'd want to hear it himself. Sasuke sat back and listened intently as the doctor asked questions. "And how many times has this happened? The vomiting?"

"Just this morning."

The male doctor nodded his head and continued to take notes on his clipboard. "Are your breasts tender?"

"Very," Sasuke replied without missing a beat. He had been told to be gentle with his groping and eventually she made them off limits. "What does that have to do with anything?"

The doctor coughed and asked Hinata again. "Yes, a bit."

"Any fainting?"

"Not exactly," she began. He wrote some more on his clipboard and she frowned. "I didn't faint, I was just dizzy sometimes, exhausted. You see, my father had a horrible accident and I've been running around trying to keep him sane and take him to his appointments. It's much better, I swear."

"Hmm, and you said you've missed your cycle?"

"Y-yes but I've missed them before…you aren't suggesting…?"

"We can't rule anything out and we're just going to do some tests. Hopefully we'll see what's happening in there."

"What kind of tests?" Sasuke asked. Hinata had paled and he wondered what she was thinking.

"Nothing strenuous, I promise." The doctor called his nurse and turned to him. "Some blood work and a urine test."

After completing the procedure, they waited and the doctor gave them a warm smile. "We still need to send the blood to the lab to confirm but I feel strongly about this diagnosis. Congratulations, you're expecting."

Being a medical professional for over twenty years, he was used to seeing various emotions at this kind of news. The young couple before him remained stunned.

Sasuke was the first to respond. "W-what?"

"You're going to be a father. I can call the sonographer. She's available now, if you wish. You don't have a full bladder now, do you?"

Hinata shook her head and looked at her stomach. It wasn't as flat as before but she assumed it was stress eating that made her a bit softer. "But it's impossible, I'm not even showing. Are you sure?"

"I've fairly confident," he chuckled. "With a Transvaginal ultrasound, we can check the heartbeat, how many babies we have in there, and any potential risks."

Her eyes widened in fear. "I've m-m-miscarried before… years ago. I didn't know I was pregnant! Will that hurt him? Her?"

Sasuke suddenly felt terrified. Becoming a father was something he hadn't planned on for a long while; Hiashi hadn't even accepted him yet. But something else dwarfed that fear; it could be taken away. If he lost Hinata or their child he'd never be strong enough to go on.

"If we're smart and careful, you can deliver a healthy child," the doctor assured both of them. "We'll schedule you in for regular check- ups, does that sound good?"

They were moved to another room where Hinata changed into a gown. A woman placed a large towel over Hinata's lower body. Sasuke had remained off to the side and stared in shock at the screen. "Where is it?"

"See that right there?" The woman pointed. "It's about 7 mm long. I'd say you're about a month along. Let's see if we can hear the heartbeat."

They heard the unmistakable sound and Hinata couldn't help but cry. She had always wondered about her other child, experiencing this was too much for her. Hinata didn't remember changing back, or getting a photo of the sonogram. Sasuke scheduled her next appointment and helped her into the car.

Sasuke was still in a state of shock and didn't know what to say. They had used protection, most of the time, and he assumed she was on the pill. "How?"

Hinata tightened her fists; he hadn't given her any indication that he was happy. She was absolutely terrified and he didn't say anything to her after they found out. "How else do you think?!"

He was taken back by her bitter tone. Wasn't she happy? "I'm just saying. I know we didn't use a rubber every time but you were on the pill, right?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "I might've missed it once or twice, but-"

With a controlled voice he turned to her. "Hinata did you want this?"

"Are you serious?"

"You just said you skipped taking it."

"Not on purpose!" Hinata scoffed. "Take me home."

Thinking it better to not agitate her, he complied. She rolled her eyes when she noticed the route was to their apartment. "I meant my father's home. I want to sleep in my bed."

"No. You're obviously upset-"

"You think? You just accused me of basically trapping you!" She waved her hands dramatically. "Oh yeah, this was a grand scheme of mine so I'd marry you! Oh wait, we already are! I even have the option to take everything in case of a divorce. Why the hell would I need to get knocked up?!"

Suddenly he swerved and parked. "Look, I'm not angry. But it would've been nice to know if you wanted to have kids already."

"I told you I didn't plan this. You know what? It did slip my mind because I was caring for my father! Maybe you should've had protection with you at all times! But now I'm pregnant!" Hinata looked away and clutched her head. Everything was becoming real and it began to overwhelm her. "I thought we were being safe…I'm so sorry. You don't have to stay anymore."

"What?"

"I can do this… I never thought I'd be given this chance again. But I won't force you to stay just because I'm p-pregnant. I know you didn't want this… I'll take care of my child."

Sasuke gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. "Why are you always trying to push me away? Are you blind?!" Hinata flinched at his tone and he controlled his breathing. "I don't know how else I can show…prove to you that I fucking love you. I'm happy you're my wife and now we're having a kid. How in the world could you ever think I'd leave? Even if you weren't pregnant, we've gone through too much to give up."

"I'm sorry for assuming you planned it, I was just trying to figure everything out. But I can see now how scared you are. There's no way you're doing this alone, I'm going to be there for my child. The three of us are our own family and I fucking love it." He wiped her tears. "I won't turn my back on the reasons for my happiness and love. I'm not going anywhere."

"You can't promise me that," she whispered. Hinata looked down and held her stomach protectively.

He tipped her head back up to look at him. "I know what you're thinking. I can't control everything but I will never leave you of my own free will. I told you, you've ruined me for anyone else."

"Sorry," she hiccupped. He smiled and kissed her. "We're really doing this?"

"We don't have to tell him today. I don't want to push you too much," he rested his forehead on hers. "I need to make sure you're free of stress and relaxed. I don't want anything that'll hurt you or our child."

Hinata nodded. "I can do it. We need to tell him while I have this courage." She placed his hands on her stomach. "We need to, for the sake of our family."

"Okay." He was unashamed of the stray tear that fell from his eye; his heart swelled with happiness. "For our family."

* * *

AN: Who saw that coming? Are we nearing the end? Just about but there are still some things around the corner that (still) threaten them. Drama, amirite? Toneri is freakin' insane but he will get his. Is that a spoiler? Maybe.

The lyrics above are translated from Enrique Iglesias' song _Si tu te vas_.

Next chapter will have a huge showdown and I can't wait.

Thanks for all the favs, follows, views, and reviews. Seriously, you're all awesome.


	25. Chapter 25

_I hope you don't mind that I put down in words_

_How wonderful life is while you're in the world_

Hiashi's eyes narrowed when he saw Sasuke's car pull up. Neji had said he had an errand to run, unknowingly providing Hiashi the perfect opportunity for him to put an end to the Uchiha's delusions. "Father?"

"I'm in my study, come up," he replied. "And bring him with you." Their steps were slow and he sensed they were dragging it out.

Sasuke held Hinata close and walked to his office. His grip on the arm rest tightened as Sasuke helped her to her seat. He stood behind Hinata and held on to her shoulders.

"We have some-" Hinata began.

He cleared his throat and pretended not to hear. "We should make these living arrangements permanent. You're going to end the marriage anyways and what better reason than this? I've taken the liberty to call movers to his apartment. They should arrive in two hours and have your stuff out of his place by the end of the day."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and Hinata reached over immediately to grip one of his hands. Hiashi's stare hardened.

"I won't," she said. "I can't just pick up and move. I mean, you're doing much better and we're both-"

Fed up with playing ignorant, he slammed his fists on his desk. The loud bang startled Hinata but Sasuke remained indifferent. "That's it! I've sat idly by as he slowly manipulated… corrupted you. It's time I stop letting you make horrible decisions, one after another!" Hiashi made a point to stare directly at her, ignoring the pest in the room. "I will finally do my duty as your father and take control of things. You will divorce him at once! I don't care what Fugaku says. Byakugan is healthy enough to stand on its own. If anyone dares to blackmail us I will deal with them myself."

She cleared her throat. "Father-"

"Not another word, Hinata!" His voice boomed and he was glad he had given their staff the day off. "You've taken advantage of my sympathy and martyred yourself long enough. There is no reason to continue with this and I won't allow him to be a part of your life any longer."

"I love him." His nostrils flared but she remained resilient. "I love him and it's no longer just about the two of us."

"What do you mean?" Hiashi's eyes lingered on her as she slowly put her hands over her stomach. He leaned back, gaping dumbly in shock. "No… You said he'd never touch you."

_As if_, Sasuke inwardly snorted.

"I'm p-p-pregnant," she tearfully said, with a shaky smile on her face. "I didn't think this would ever happen but it has and I'm happy. It's terrifying but I'm happy because I have him."

This was like déjà vu, only instead of the gruff but noble Kiba beside Hinata, it was the awful Uchiha. Hiashi often had nightmares of the night he cast her out. If he could turn back time to correct his past mistakes, that one would be first on his list. Perhaps they'd have a stronger bond and this large home would be constantly filled with the laughter of her children. But fate had been cruel to both of them.

While he was lost in his own thoughts, Sasuke leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You're doing great."

His whispers caught Hiashi's attention. He dragged his hands from his forehead to the back of his head. "I know you're probably scared after what happened last time but I won't let anything happen. It broke my heart to hear that you had a miscarriage and I've dreamt of that child many times. I won't let anyone take another grandchild of mine away. You don't have to be married to raise-"

"I love her," Sasuke insisted. "I've loved her long before we-"

His pale eyes narrowed as he turned to him. "Shut up," he snarled. "You don't get to talk."

"No, you're not going to ignore me. You've known and tried to intervene, but there's no chance in hell you can do anything about it. I love Hinata and couldn't care less if you didn't approve of us." Hinata slightly lowered her head. "But she does so I guess we're going to settle whatever issue you have with me."

"She said that you promised not to touch her! But I should've remembered that Uchihas are not to be trusted! You played with her heart and her body." Hinata felt insulted and looked away in anger. "Don't try to act noble now and try to legitimize your relationship because there's a child involved. They don't need you and I refuse to acknowledge your sham of a marriage. It's not worth the paper you both signed!"

Hinata closed her eyes in despair and Sasuke shook his head. "I'm not giving up," he promised. He stepped forward, got on his knees, and bowed in front of Hiashi. Hinata gasped in shock.

"What are you trying to pull now?"

"May I have your blessing?" He struggled out. "I love Hinata all I ask is for your blessing."

Hiashi scoffed. "No."

His jaw tensed but he controlled his tone. "May I have your blessing?"

"No."

"May I-?"

"No! No! No!" He grabbed his cane and hobbled around his desk. Hinata got up to help him regain his balance but he gently pushed her behind him. "Have you gone deaf, boy? I'm tired of your games and want you out. Hinata is staying with her family."

"Family…" Sasuke looked up. "She is my family. Can't you see that?"

"This is not your family. Your family are the Uchihas; the miserable, cruel, heartless vermin. Uchihas corrupt everything and anything they can't have, they destroy. All you can possibly do is bring misery to others. Fugaku taught his spawn well," Hiashi spitefully said. "I'll be damned if I let you drag my daughter down with the rest of your kind."

"Is that why you refuse to accept me? It's not who I am as an individual but who my parents are. The fact that Fugaku Uchiha is my father clouds your judgement." His head returned to a bow and Hiashi refused to answer. "You know, you're both very much alike. Holding on to the past and refusing to see both of us as individuals. Hinata is not her mother and I am not my father. We're just two people in love and want to live happily together. I may not be the greatest guy around, but when I'm with her I feel like I can be. She's my rock, my light, and reason for breathing. May I have your blessing, sir?"

Sasuke heard no response but Hinata embraced him. He smiled and kissed her again, only this time on her lips. He turned to face Hiashi. "You know, even if you don't accept me I'm not going anywhere. You'd have to kill me to keep me away from her or our child."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes and snarled at him. "I really don't like you."

He shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"I only want the best for my family." Hinata gave her father a hopeful smile and he prayed he wasn't making another mistake. "If you screw up even just a tiny bit,-"

"That won't happen," he assured his father-in-law. "I can't afford to."

"Hmph," Hiashi hobbled to his seat. "Get up already, it's embarrassing."

Hinata began to tear up again and got up to hug her father who kissed her forehead. "But I am serious about you living here," he stubbornly muttered.

"Father…"

"That apartment is not suitable to raise a family, let alone my grandchild. Stay here where we can make sure you're comfortable and healthy," he smiled at her. "Remember, your family still includes us. Oh God, I'm going to be permanently related to Fugaku," he lamented as Hinata shrugged apologetically.

Sasuke smiled at their interactions and suddenly remembered the sonogram. "Damn it, I left it in the car. I'll be back."

He opened the door and almost bumped into Neji who was slouched against the wall. Sasuke's heart raced as he slowly looked up with an irate look on his face. "Neji…"

"I forgot the documents your father requested," Neji quietly said. "Imagine my surprise to hear that Hinata's marriage to you was part of a sick business deal."

Sasuke didn't say anything. The Hyuuga slowly stood up and flung the papers at him. "Did you enjoy it? Humiliating us and screwing her?!"

"My pregnant wife is in there, keep your shit together because if you upset her-" Sasuke furiously whispered.

"Shut the fuck up you piece of shit!" Neji slammed him against the wall. "Don't pretend you care about her. If you did you wouldn't have forced her to degrade herself in such a manner!"

Hinata and Hiashi turned their heads towards the sounds of a struggle. Both men tumbled in and Hiashi tried to shield her from any harm. "Get a hold of yourselves this instant!" he commanded.

Neji kicked Sasuke away and slowly faced the other two people. Hinata was frightened by his appearance. Usually calm and collected, she had never seen this side of him. His face was red and the veins on his neck bulged out.

"Neji…It's not what you think… please hear me out," Hinata begged. She reached out but he put his hands out and stepped back.

"You're… _pregnant_," he looked scornfully at her stomach_._ "And I'm trying really hard to contain my anger towards you. I don't want to do something that I'll regret, so please don't touch me." Hinata clasped her hands together over her chest, anxious to calm him down. "So this was my fault…? You let yourself be whored out to fix my mistake? Did you prostitute yourself to just him or was it also-?"

"Say another foul word, and I will throw you out myself nephew." Hiashi immediately stepped forward. "Don't take it out on her. I knew and did nothing. If you want to hurt and insult anyone, take it out on me. Leave her out of it."

Neji coldly stared at his uncle. "I'd never hurt her not like you have, but it's hard not to strangle you right now. What kind of father would do this?" He glared at a trembling Hinata. "Throughout your life, people have been taking advantage of you. I stood by for years, watching in disgust as you accepted the abuse. But after he died and you lost yourself, I swore to be there for you. I would be your protector from anyone who tried to harm you. When I had a bad feeling about the Uchiha, I should've tried harder to stop it. How could I know that my concerns were ignored since it was already arranged?" He laughed mockingly. "Who are you anymore? I don't know you."

"She's my wife!" Sasuke growled as he stood next to her. "Whether you like it or not, Hinata is my wife and the love of my life."

"Stop mocking me, you probably see her as your property…your whore! You used her. I remember when Hiashi berated everyone about dangling her like a piece of meat for the Otsutsuki? He was probably upset it'd ruin your exchange!" He looked at Hinata skeptically. "Did you lead Toneri on purpose?"

She gasped in shock and Sasuke pulled her to his chest. "Stop talking if you want to keep all your teeth," he warned Neji. Hinata slumped down on a chair and tried her hardest not to cry.

Hiashi's eyes turned scornful while Sasuke looked ready to main him. "How dare-"

"You can't blame me for wondering. You sold Hinata! I tried to live my life according to the Hyuuga standards my father instilled in me." Neji pounded his chest. "My father was honorable unlike his vile and depraved brother. If he knew what you did to your own daughter… You disgraced our name, his teachings and memory! He'd be ashamed to share your blood like I am."

Hiashi was able to hide the hurt and pain he felt; his words stung terribly.

"Stop! Please stop berating Father!" Hinata cried out. "He was against it the whole time, don't blame him. Blame me. I'm responsible for it! Blame me!"

"Go to your room, Hinata," her father ordered while still glaring at Neji. "Get out of here."

"What?" Hinata sounded offended but he gave her a comforting look.

"This isn't good for you or the baby. Go rest. We'll discuss this and settle like men." She looked at Sasuke and he nodded in agreement. She gave her cousin one last pleading look. Neji had made it a point to ignore her as she walked by.

"If something you said distresses Hinata and harms her or my grandchild, I'll never forgive you." Hiashi gripped his cane tightly. "I don't care if you hate the father, that child is a Hyuuga."

"And as that child's only rational relative, I will take my role as uncle seriously." He looked at Sasuke with a deadly look. "We don't need or want anything from you. We…I can take care of them. I'm stepping up to salvage whatever dignity we have left. There has to be at least one honorable Hyuuga around."

"What your tone, Neji," Hiashi curtly warned. "Your anger is getting the best of you but I won't be disrespect-"

"Shut up," Neji snarled. "You no longer have a say in anything that pertains to the well-being of my family. You've been making horrible deals and decisions that brought us nothing but shame and humiliation."

"Weren't your actions responsible the near collapse of Byakugan?" Sasuke mockingly intervened. "Your greed and ambition blinded you to see any potential consequences. But I can't be that angry with you, it brought me to Hinata. And for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Neji was about to attack Sasuke, but Hiashi smacked the Uchiha. "Stop acting like a brat. If you can't behave, you won't be allowed in my house anymore."

"After everything that has happened you're still going to welcome him into our home?!" Neji stared in disbelief. "You're more senile than I feared, Hiashi. I'm not going to let him continue to poison our family. Either he leaves this house or I do. Make you choice now."

"Don't force them into that position," Sasuke growled out. "You can either learn to accept the reality of things or you can leave because I'm not going anywhere. It's up to you what happens now, not them."

"Is that how you feel? Uncle, are you choosing to stand beside this Uchiha scum over your own flesh and blood?!" Neji asked.

"Please, forgive me. I know I don't deserve it after betraying your trust but I hope we can move past it eventually," Hiashi implored. "You don't go. I will never choose anyone over my family." Neji smirked at Sasuke but he continued. "I'm supporting my daughter and my grandchild. He so happens to be a leech I can't seem to shake but for her sake I will have to support him too. That doesn't mean I'm casting you aside, I did that once and I deeply regret it."

Without another word, Neji left. The rage grew along with the feeling that he had been betrayed by everyone.

Hiashi grabbed his medication and shook out two pills. "Grab me the water bottle," he instructed. Sasuke fetched him his water and he took a swig with the medicine. Hiashi cleared his throat. "It's probably best he clear his head away from Hinata."

"You do realize that he might expose us," Sasuke cautioned. Hiashi shook his head and sighed.

"I hope Neji isn't rash like you. It'll take some time but he'll come around. What we need to focus on is Hinata's well-being. All I want for my children is to be happy," he tried shake off the look of betrayal Neji had before he walked out. Hiashi wished he was physically strong enough to chase after him. "Being near death has scared me and I'm not sure you can do that for her."

Sasuke scoffed and crossed his arms. "And I've tried so hard to be accepted by you."

"You acted like a child and schemed behind my back," he shot back. "Now look at where we are."

"I don't regret it," Sasuke replied. "It would've been easier if we all talked earlier but what's done is done. We're creating a family and I'll protect it with my life."

"Let's hope it never comes to that." Hiashi's eyes softened and he looked at the Hyuuga family portrait. "But I can see how serious you are about trying to be good enough. For her sake and my grandchild, you have to be. Protect and love her long after I'm gone." Sasuke nodded. "You must feel like you have big shoes to fill," he mused.

Sasuke shot him a look of annoyance. "I've stopped comparing myself to Kiba."

"I meant me," he chuckled. "I've gone to incredible lengths as a husband and father, something you'll realize soon."

Hiashi groaned and Sasuke helped him walk out to his room to lie down. Although it was unnecessary, he asked Sasuke to check on his daughter. "Lie to her. Tell her everything has been resolved and Neji merely wants space. Assure her everything is going to be okay."

"It won't be a complete lie. Neji might be plotting my death right now but I can in good conscience promise her everything is going to be okay. They will be," Sasuke stated confidently. "There's nothing left that can separate us anymore. We're finally free of these chains to do what we want. All I want and need is her."

The Hyuuga gave the Uchiha a half smile. He might not be the person he envisioned with his daughter, but maybe there was hope yet.

.

.

Neji's car screeched when it arrived at its destination. He snarled as he recalled all the smirks and sneers Sasuke gave him. He knew something was amiss but never could've imagined this was the reason. His blood boiled; Sasuke stood beside his uncle, the position he thought he had earned as a Hyuuga. Ignoring everyone who tried to greet him, he headed to the man in charge of Sharingan and all the business deals Uchihas made.

Madara looked in surprise as the Hyuuga stormed in. "Can I help you?"

"It's over," Neji stated. "The deal with Byakugan and Hinata is done. She's no longer your slave or whatever you call her. Hiashi might've negotiated this behind my back but I won't let it go on. Keep Sasuke away if you don't want to attend his funeral."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Black eyes narrowed in suspicion. The Hyuuga trembled with anger. "Why would we ever think of her as a slave?"

"Stop acting like an idiot! I know what you did!" Neji pointed accusingly. "Your agreement with Hiashi is hereby invalid."

"And what did I do exactly?"

"You agreed to help Byakugan's expansion in exchange for Hinata!" Neji bellowed. "Not only do you get capital from the project but a plaything for your fucking nephew! Did you use her, too?"

Madara was quiet and Neji huffed in anger. "I was not aware of any sort of deal with such offending stipulations." The Uchiha thought of his younger brother, who he would need to talk to immediately. "Rest assured that if this is true, I will not hesitate to end any contact with your family and company. The Hyuuga might not be above it, but I won't allow anything to taint my family. Anything else?"

Neji ignored the insult and shook his head. He wisely decided to keep her pregnancy hidden.

"Glad we see eye to eye. I'll have our lawyers talk to yours and see to it that our investment is returned in full. We'll be done with your family in every sense of the word. Now get out of my building."

"My pleasure, Uchiha."

Madara waited a few minutes before he called his brother and his two sons. He would do anything for his family but he refused to be played a fool. Itachi and Fugaku stepped in and he was informed Sasuke had taken a personal day.

"Tell him I don't care if Hinata got hit by a car," he snarled. "He better make it within the hour or else he's fired."

Itachi glared at him but sent an urgent message to his brother.

"So what's the reason for your tantrum now, Madara?" Fugaku asked. "Did the Senju-"

"Who was responsible for the deal with the Hyuugas?" Madara shouted. "Who negotiated with Hiashi?"

Itachi's eyebrows furrowed and he looked at his father. "We all were, but you were there every step of the way."

"Not that part, the part where Hinata had to marry Sasuke!"

Fugaku suddenly he shot an accusing look at Itachi who subtly shook his head. "What are you talking about? There was no-"

"The fucking Hyuuga just accused me of being behind it. Is it true?" He looked at his brother. "It was you, wasn't it? You never cared for our image and wouldn't mind making a mockery of our family. She was a plaything, right? Did you screw her? Is that why Mikoto's been so edgy?"

Itachi was about to deny everything until Fugaku chuckled. "I didn't think you'd ever find out, actually. I mean, I didn't touch Hinata. You offend me with your assumptions. But yes, I was the one who planned this all out and I'm enjoying this baffled look you have."

"Why did you do it?" Madara asked. "What the fuck was going in your mind?"

"I had my reasons." Fugaku leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Long term goals that I'm very close to achieving, even if you know already there's nothing you can do about it. You can't touch me since I'm just as valuable to Sharingan, maybe even more so now."

Madara turned to Itachi but Fugaku clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Itachi had no part in this so taking it out on him wouldn't do you any good. Even if he did, would you really do anything to our prodigy? The man who's taking over after you retire?"

"But Sasuke's not as special, is he?" Madara retorted. "And he obviously knew. How pitiful that he had to rely on his father to buy him a bride. Talk about the family disappointment. He will feel my wrath for this little scheme. We're revoking the deal with the Hyuugas and claim fraud-"

Itachi coughed. "Is it fraud? Are you willing to tell our board members that you were fooled by Sasuke's marriage? They don't care about that. What they do care about is money, revenue and opportunity. Your claim of fraud is laughable. It has no legal standing and you will lose everyone's confidence in your decision making skills." He smiled at his uncle. "Admit it, you can't do anything. The contact is iron clad and they haven't violated any terms stated explicitly on paper."

Furious that he couldn't find anything to dispute, he sent them out but Itachi had one last warning. "Whatever you do to him will be a short term bump in the road. I will eventually take over and Sasuke will be by my side running Sharingan."

While he maintained a calm demeanor, Itachi hoped that Sasuke was ready to face Madara. He sent a supportive message and reluctantly walked into another meeting, which would hopefully go quickly.

Fugaku also pretended to take Madara's anger lightheartedly but he paced anxiously near the entrance for Sasuke's arrival. He decided to stop abandoning him to fend for himself and finally act like a father. He rushed over as Sasuke briskly walked towards the elevator. "Sasuke!"

"What?" Sasuke briefly looked at him. He walked into the elevator and Fugaku followed. "Madara knows, doesn't he?" Fugaku gravely nodded. "I figured based off of Itachi's message. I might as well get this over with."

"Right, leave it to me," his father replied. "I know how to deal with my brother. Itachi has already vowed to help you-"

"I don't need your help or Itachi's," Sasuke interrupted. His father was about to protest but he shook his head. "Thanks but I need to stand on my own. If I'm going to be the husband and father everyone expects me to be this is something I have to do myself."

Fugaku's chest swelled with pride. "Okay. I trust you. But if you do need me, I'll be right outside."

The rest of the ride up was silent until Fugaku asked why he was so eager to be a father. "Are you both ready for that?"

"I'm going to have to be ready." Sasuke smiled and figured he might as well tell him, although he wished Itachi was here too. "Because it's happening."

They had reached their stop but only Sasuke stepped out. Fugaku remained frozen, eyebrows raised high. "I'm going to be a g-grandfather?"

The doors closed and Sasuke shrugged. He took a deep breath and opened the doors to Madara's large office.

"You called?"

Wasting no time with more games, Madara went straight to the point. "You tried to fool me but I've been made aware of your dealings behind my back," he scowled at his arrogant nephew. "You'll be working under Obito from now on until you can prove you've matured. Of course, first you'll have to divorce her-"

"Did you really think I'd follow your petty demands?" Sasuke laughed. "Hinata and I are never getting divorced. Actually I have some news of my own. Hinata is carrying my child and I will never them."

Madara waited for him to give an indication of deceit, seeing none he leaned forward. "So, the Hyuuga tried to keep that little piece of information hidden. Are you sure it's even yours?" he sneered. "It'll be brought up as an Uchiha since she essentially became Uchiha property for money, right? What's to say she wasn't used by your cousins, Itachi or even Fugaku? All she needed was Uchiha sperm and now she's set for life."

"You piece of-" Sasuke reached over and grabbed his jacket tightly. Madara smirked as if challenging him. He pushed his uncle back, regaining control. "I know what you're trying to do. I won't give you the satisfaction."

Smoothing out his jacket, Madara coughed. "If that child has Uchiha blood, I will not forsake it despite its parent's idiotic decisions. The enormous investment I made in Byakugan will be forgotten if she gives you sole custody. They will have to agree or else they'll be paying me back for years," he coldly said. "As for you, you'll need to regain my trust and confidence. I thought you actually grew up but you're still the same idiotic boy."

Sasuke scoffed. "There you go again, pretending you're still in control. You know, I did everything you and everyone else wanted me to do. I've finally gotten the approval I always wanted but I'm not happy." He immediately thought of Hinata and corrected himself. "Actually, I'm the happiest I've ever been but it's not because of you. Rather, it's in spite of everything you and everyone else have done to me throughout my life. She's the only one who I want to amaze anymore."

"You have so much of your father in you. You share the same stubbornness and _weaknesses_." Madara could see how much Sasuke loved her and the blind devotion disturbed him. "Are you sure she feels the same way? I remember when it was your father standing in front of me, saying the same things. He said he loved her more than anything yet she didn't feel the same. Haruhi loved and married Hiashi while I had to steer Fugaku towards someone who truly loves him." Sasuke crossed his arms defiantly but Madara could see a small glimpse of insecurity. Smiling, he offered some advice. "If she's not committed to you, leave now. We can come to a compromise on the child but don't anchor yourself to pointless misery."

"She loves me," he asserted. Sasuke didn't doubt that; it was his worthiness of that love that he was unsure of. He smiled as he evoked the way she makes him feel. "You'll never understand. If you don't want anything to do with me, that's fine. I have people who do support and understand me."

Rolling his eyes, Madara chuckled. "The Hyuuga seemed quite upset. Do you really think you'll ever be welcomed by them? Fully accepted as one of their own?"

"Neji doesn't speak for everyone," he replied. "What he says holds little weight when it comes to Hinata and me."

"No, but I speak for this family. You will stop shaming our name and cut her out of your life," Madara clearly stated, the persistent scowl on Sasuke's face saddened him. "The problem with all Uchihas is that we love one person with all our heart. No one can ever measure up once we've genuinely given our heart to someone." His younger brother's life was evidence of that. "It's only now that I see it as a curse. I'm only looking out for you."

"You think you know what's best for me? She's the only reason why I get up every morning and tried so hard around here. If you can't see that, you really don't know anything about me," Sasuke hissed. "Threaten me all you want but I won't let you rip her away from me. Get used to it or don't, I don't care!"

Madara immediately thought back to Fugaku's behavior after Haruhi's death and grew angrier. "Tch. I guess you really are your father's son. You'll be willing to sacrifice everything for the right whore who spreads her legs."

Sasuke unleashed all his anger and punched the older Uchiha. He could excuse the lapse to his old ways just this once; Madara had spewed too many insults towards Hinata and decided to finally set him straight. He stood over the fallen Uchiha who glared at him and wiped his mouth. "Like I said, I'm not going anywhere without her." He walked away but stopped by the door when Madara shouted he was fired. "I thought as much."

It was dark by the time he made it back to Hinata. The confidence he had when he faced Madara dwindled after he stepped out. Itachi had rushed over; promising to get him his job back but he told him it was what he wanted. "I can't work here anymore, not after everything he said." After telling him he was going to be an uncle, Itachi insisted he remain at Sharingan. But he was more determined and assured his brother he had something lined up.

It was a lie obviously but Itachi accepted it; he expected a longer talk later but right now he wanted to find comfort in her arms. His nerves began to get the best of him as he walked towards an anxious Hinata.

She got up from the couch and embraced him. "Neji hasn't come back yet… But father said he was coming to terms with it." Hinata stepped away and twisted her hands nervously. "How did it go with your uncle?"

Sasuke guessed that Hiashi had lied, but he needed to come clean about Madara. There's no telling what would happen if he deceived her and someone else such as Madara filled her in with their version of the story. He tried to present a softer yet accurate account.

"For the foreseeable future, I'm not working at Sharingan." Her eyes widened but he cupped her face. He relayed most of the key points of his conversation. "It's fine really. He can say whatever he wants, but it doesn't matter anymore."

"I'm so sorry. I ruined your life. Madara's threatening your career if we don't divorce immediately and now I'm pregnant with your child and we don't have a source of income… I'm so sorry." Sasuke was stunned by her faint apology. "Was this a mistake?" she asked quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Fear washed over him. He reassured himself that it was probably pregnancy hormones.

"We did this for selfish reasons and thought we weren't hurting anyone. But it's gone to hell." She couldn't bear to look into his eyes as she remembered how far he'd come at Sharingan. "You've lost it all and I'm so sorry."

"I didn't lose anything," he said. She gave him a look of disbelief and he shrugged. "Okay, so I lost my job and probably took a slight financial hit. But I have our family. It'll probably be hard for a while but I'll take care of you. I could go to one of our competitors like Sabaku Industries but it'll just show that I'm still driven by them, trying to prove something. I'll find something that'll bring me happiness while supporting my family, too."

"Work for me, at least for the time being," Hiashi offered. He had been listening in and had anticipated Madara to react this way.

He shook his head. "I'm grateful for the opportunity, but I don't want to cause you anymore trouble with Neji. Besides I want to get something based off of my abilities, not the person I'm married to. Maybe Naruto has a job opening," he joked and Hinata slowly smiled at him.

He ate dinner with Hinata and Hiashi where the patriarch reiterated his previous demand. "You need to be watched carefully during your pregnancy. I postponed the movers until tomorrow."

"She's not leaving my sight," Sasuke argued. "We won't live in separate places especially with her pregnancy."

"Why don't you move in?" Hiashi suggested. Sasuke gawked at him while Hinata pondered silently. "That way you can save up for a place of your own and stay by her side. She's going to need to rely on you and if that means you'll have to stick around here, then so be it."

"What about the apartment?" she asked. "We still have a lease and-"

"No he's right. That apartment isn't suitable to raise a kid and I will want more." Hinata blushed while Hiashi rolled his eyes at his lack of tact. "Might as well start looking for a house and I'll figure something out about the lease, don't worry."

Smiling widely, Hinata nodded. They had an enjoyable meal, trying not to dwell on Neji's absence too much.

Hiashi requested to talk to Sasuke before he joined Hinata in her room. "Neji called while you were gone and has decided to live in the property that my brother had left for him. I know my nephew and he feels responsible for this so until he gets rid of this guilt, he won't be around. Thankfully he hasn't resigned."

Sasuke nodded. He would try to work on his relationship with him, for everyone's sake. "I'm kind of surprised you even want me around. I take it you've accepted our relationship?"

"I'm coming to terms with it," Hiashi frowned before suddenly patting him on the back. "Besides I'm not going to go to the store when she has those cravings in the middle of the night. Haruhi's favorite snack was chocolate ice cream and pickles." Sasuke made a face and he chuckled. "She was harder to please when she was pregnant with Hinata. Haruhi craved fresh strawberries when they weren't in season." He smiled wistfully and Sasuke suddenly felt for the man; he couldn't imagine losing Hinata. "She apologized for her outburst but I still felt like a failure."

"I doubt Hinata will demand crazy shit," he argued. Hiashi was probably just trying to scare him. "She's too considerate and always puts the needs of others ahead of her own."

"You say that now, but give it a few weeks. I'll enjoy seeing you run back and forth to please her demands. Somedays you're going to wonder if she hates you," he cautioned. "But when you see your child for the first time, you'll realize it was all worth it."

"Hn."

"That's all I get? I'm giving you valuable information here," Hiashi scolded. "You must've been a real treat as a child."

"Fugaku certainly has some stories to share," Sasuke smirked as he began to walk away. "I forgot to tell you, he knows we're expecting. Maybe you can both talk about being grandfathers. Really bond, you know?"

"Like hell we will. He's not allowed in my house," he grumbled. "I can barely tolerate the one Uchiha currently in my house."

"Three," Sasuke corrected smugly. "There are three Uchihas."

"My daughter will always be a Hyuuga," he stated defiantly. Sasuke chuckled at their banter and walked into Hinata's room where she was already asleep.

"Three Uchihas," he whispered and kissed her before joining her in slumber.

* * *

AN: I was going to leave it at a cliffhanger but that's kind of cruel. It's better to have another optimistic feeling, until it comes crashing down…just kidding…sort of.

Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews. I'm humbled and blown away by the reviews in particular.

While there are some things I still need to address, we are nearing the very end and appreciate everyone that has joined me in this stressful yet satisfying ride.


	26. Chapter 26

It's a rough one. Try not to hate me.

* * *

_I've lived and learned through this stage of life to find there's no good in goodbye _

_And if I die before you, I promise you'll be well. And if you die before me, this world will be my hell_

Hinata watched quietly as Sasuke began to organize their shared room. She tried to find happiness in the latest developments in her life but it was still incomplete. Important parts of her life weren't in harmony with everything else and it was depressing.

Neji hadn't returned to the house nor had he tried to contact her. Her father had eased her worries by saying he was taking a break from everything but was checking in with him every day. It was a lie of course but she didn't know that. As far as she knew, Neji hadn't closed the door on their relationship.

"I can't believe he really thought I was going to stay in a guest room down the hall from you. You're already married and pregnant, what else can I do to you?" he joked. Sasuke knew she was forcing a laugh but didn't want to ask what was really on her mind. "Are you missing anything?"

He meant her personal belongings but nearly smacked his forehead when he realized how it could be taken differently. However she shook her head.

"What are we going to do about the apartment?" she asked, smoothing out a wrinkle on the comforter. "Won't it just be a waste to leave it empty until the lease is up?"

Sasuke stretched his arms, tired of all the packing and moving. "I thought so, too. Suigetsu is going to live there." He came to an agreement with the proprietor; they would be let out of their lease if Sasuke could find new tenants immediately.

"Can he afford it?" Hinata questioned the foul-mouth man's abilities. She never found out what he did for a living, all Sasuke would say was that she wouldn't approve.

"Hell no," he snorted. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her. "Juugo is going to be his roommate so between the two they should be able to make ends meet."

Having played peace maker between the two, Sasuke gave it three months until they had enough of each other. Juugo was normally quiet and pensive but he'd seen him go on rampages when Suigetsu pushed his buttons. If he could be honest, Suigetsu wasn't his favorite person at the moment either. While enlisting their friends to help pack up their stuff he caught him discreetly examining Hinata's bras she still had there. It took both Naruto and Juugo to pull him off while Shikamaru left to take a smoking break.

"Enough about them, we need to start looking at all that stuff that comes after the baby making," he teased as he rubbed her hips. "The crib, stroller, clothes. We already have their first toy." He held up the white stuffed bunny he gave her for her birthday. Her eyes lit up and he was thankful there was something that kept her happy.

Hinata got on her toes to kiss him and rested her head under his chin. It amazed him how she still enchanted him. Even after all they've done with each other; every touch from her electrified him. How he craved to pin her down and kiss her with such fervor and desire. There were many things he was still unsure of when it came to pregnancy; for the moment, he had to control his libido. But he wanted to bury himself in her badly. "Sasuke?"

"Hmm," he replied. He was in the middle of a very pleasant fantasy.

"I can feel you pressing against me," she mumbled before looking up. "Do you need me to-?"

Embarrassed by his lack of control, he shook his head. "I can take care of it."

"Are you sure? I know we haven't gotten the go ahead yet but maybe..." She lowered her hands dangerously close to his crotch. "We can still do other things."

Just as he was about to agree, a honk was heard. "I guess I'll be taking your dad to his therapy," he complained and kissed her. He dragged his feet as he walked away from her, his erection completely gone.

"About time," Hiashi muttered. "At this rate, we won't be checked in on time."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked as their car left the Hyuuga grounds. "Your appointment isn't until one, we have forty-five minutes."

"Being early is being on time. Don't give me that look. I just want to be strong enough to carry my grandchild. I get to hold the baby before Fugaku, remember?" Hiashi nagged and Sasuke regretted promising such a thing. It was mostly to appease the older man and gain favor with him. "There's no way I'll still be using a cane when Hinata gives birth."

"How's the job hunt going?" Hiashi asked for what seemed like the hundredth time to Sasuke. "My offer still stands and since Neji isn't around I need someone to share the work load with Ko."

Sasuke rubbed his neck. "I guess I can step in temporarily, at least until Neji returns. I doubt he'll be happy about it, though."

.

.

Hanabi ate quietly which was unusual; everyone else knew why but they were happy she hadn't reacted like her cousin. Hinata had been nervously anticipating her sister's arrival. She had ignored her calls and texts; Neji had no doubt called her before anyone else had the chance to fill her in on everything that had happened.

For the first few days, they had all given her breathing room but Hinata didn't want to distance herself from another loved one. At breakfast, she tried to open a conversation with Hanabi. "How's school? I see you decided to stay at Suna."

"Yup."

Hinata smiled and felt encouraged despite her short response. "Do you like it there?"

"Yup."

"I know you mentioned a fashion club on campus. Did you join yet?"

"Nope." Hanabi rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone.

Hinata's smile faltered. "Oh well, maybe later. It's good to get used to a new environment first."

Her sister didn't bother to respond and began to play on the mobile device. Sasuke frowned and was about to open his mouth but Hiashi shook his head subtly.

"I'm full," Hinata softly said. "I think I'll sit in the garden for a while."

"I'll be there in a minute." Sasuke kissed her hand and ignored the glare Hanabi shot him. Once he was sure Hinata was out of earshot, he pushed his plate back. "Say it now and be done with it. I know you're mad so let me have it and stop making her feel uncomfortable."

"Shut up," she muttered. "You think it's all about you, don't you?"

"Well it's not hard to figure out why you're suddenly acting like a brat," he challenged. "Get it off your chest."

Hanabi threw her fork down. "You know what? I am mad at you but it's not that hard to believe you'd actually do something like this. But Hinata? I thought I knew her. I thought…She told you everything." She shook her head. "Why did she tell _you_ about her other pregnancy but still kept it from _me_? You were nothing but a stranger and I'm her sister!"

Sasuke was taken back by her breakdown. Hiashi saw how hurt his youngest felt and reached over to squeeze her hand. Hanabi didn't pull away but held back tears. "Hinata was hiding a lot, not because she didn't trust or care about you but for the sake of others. I think she didn't want you to suffer the grief that consumed her."

"It still haunts her," Sasuke added solemnly. Every doctor's appointment calmed her for a short while, yet those worries still plagued her. "She had just begun to learn to live with it and now she's pregnant again. Hinata's scared and frankly so are we. Maybe she didn't want to worry you, too."

"That's just stupid. We're family. Of course it's my job to worry." She wiped her eyes and walked away. Both men noticed that she went the same way Hinata had gone. Concerned for her well-being, Sasuke got up to follow but Hiashi told him to stay put.

Hinata heard the steps but was surprised to see Hanabi walking over with her arms crossed. "Do you want to be alone here? I can go." She was about to get up but Hanabi held her shoulders down.

"Can you stop running away? Geez it's fine if you stay." Hanabi took a seat next to her and they sat quietly before she erupted. "I'm not mad at you, not really. I just want to know why you left me in the dark. You told him things I never knew. How could I know you were…" Hanabi looked at her stomach and sulked. "I could've helped you somehow but you didn't even give me a chance. Why didn't you tell me?" Her hair covered her face but Hinata could tell she was upset.

Hinata gently pushed her hair behind her ear and frowned. "I was being selfish because I didn't want you and Neji to know what I lost and have it hanging over your heads whenever you saw me. I know how you felt when Kiba died and didn't want you to resent my child for the emotional withdrawal I went through."

"I would never hate them!" She grabbed Hinata's hands. "And I didn't really hate Kiba. I just didn't like that you weren't yourself. It's hard to describe but I wasn't taking your sudden change as best as I could. It scared me because you were always there to take care and support me but then you left with him and it seemed like you never really returned."

Hinata brought Hanabi's head under her chin and stroked her hair comfortingly. Hanabi held on tighter. "I was younger then but I haven't I matured? Why didn't you tell me afterwards? Why didn't you let me in?! Why _him_?" She began to quietly sob.

"I am so sorry, Nabi. If I could do things differently and open up sooner about this I would've."

"But why him?" She looked up. "He knew before Neji, before me!"

"Sasuke…has a way of forcing things," she began. Hanabi's eyes narrowed. "Not like that. He was just very persistent and slowly broke down my walls. It was mostly to find common ground and trust between us during all _this_ but he made me feel comfortable. I cried so much and so hard, and he provided a safe place." They were quiet for a few seconds. "Would you have objected to the arrangement?"

"Hell yeah I would."

She chuckled then thought about Neji. "Do you think he'll ever talk to me again?"

"I don't know when but eventually he will. But you don't have to worry, Aunty Nabi is here." Hinata brought Hanabi's hand to her stomach and her eyes began to water. "I'm here," Hanabi's voice cracked.

"I told you so," Hiashi commented to Sasuke. They stared from afar at the two sisters who sat side by side with Hanabi resting her head on Hinata's shoulder. "Sometimes you just need to step back and let them work it out. It's best to leave them alone for a while."

"I guess I can go meet with my friends. Suigetsu wanted me to renegotiate the terms with Juugo so might as well do that now. I'll probably stop by the office, too." Hiashi nodded and walked to his study.

Sasuke wasn't looking forward to playing mediator and decided to get a coffee for the inevitable headache. As he walked back to his car, he sensed he was being watched. He drove away and noticed a large van tailgating him. "What the fuck?"

He felt a shiver go down his spine and decided to take an alley instead of the relatively empty road. If the van followed, then he'd know for sure. He looked at his rearview mirror and frowned when the van followed. "Shit."

Sasuke almost failed to notice the SUV blocking the other side. He pressed hard on his brakes and the car screeched to a halt. He pulled out his phone and dialed the first person that came to mind just as three men rushed out of the van and broke his windows. Failing to leave a message on his brother's voicemail before being pulled out; Sasuke really hoped that this was a case of mistaken identity.

A blow to his head rendered him nearly unconscious but he could tell they were forcing him into another car.

.

.

Hinata called Sasuke and frowned when it went to voicemail. Hiashi had mentioned that he had errands to run for his friends and work. However he had missed dinner and hadn't checked in.

Hanabi pulled her away from the window. "Don't worry, I bet he's probably pulling an all-nighter. With Neji on _vacation_ and dad still recovering, he has a lot on his plate. Go to sleep. I bet you'll wake up and he'll be right next to you."

"You're right. I just can't help but worry." Hinata headed to her room but couldn't ignore the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She sent another message, _"I love you."_

Upon waking, Hinata instinctively stretched over but felt nothing. The uneasy feeling grew but she refused to think something horrible happened. It wouldn't do her any good to stress. "He probably woke up early," she assured herself. "Sasuke's at work."

Hanabi was in a much better mood and mentioned to her in private that she had made some progress with Neji. "It's a sign. I bet he's willing to talk with you."

"That's great," she said distractedly. Sasuke hadn't responded. Suigetsu had said Sasuke left him hanging but when she voiced her concerns he brushed them off. Apparently it wasn't unusual for him to promise him something and not follow through. "Did you see Sasuke this morning?"

Her sister shook her head. "Boy I bet they're really throwing everything at him. But maybe if Neji talks to you, he'll go back and lessen the work load."

"Yeah…"

"So can I tell Neji to meet you somewhere? I don't think he wants to meet here and see dad. Not yet."

Hinata nodded and watched nervously as she messaged Neji. "Alright, so he wants to meet at his new place. I can take you over after dad's appointment."

"It's fine. I can go by myself."

"Are you sure?" Hanabi questioned. "It's really no problem."

"It's fine. I need to do this myself," she said. "I don't want him to feel forced to forgive me because your there."

"Alright… but if it turns sour leave immediately. Don't let him berate you. Think of baby Hyuuga, okay?"

Hinata giggled. She was glad she had Hanabi's support and looked forward to speaking with her cousin. Yet she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. She wished her father a good session and gave Hanabi a knowing look. They decided to keep her meeting with Neji a secret from their father and Hinata called a cab.

She sent Sasuke another message when the car suddenly swerved. "Sorry, Miss. It's just some asshole who cut me off. You okay back there?"

"Yes." Suddenly two cars pulled up on both sides and she heard the car rev behind them. "S-sir?"

"I don't know what's going on…" He tried to keep the fear out of his voice. "Let me call it in." Just as he was reaching for the radio, the car on the left began to force them over. The cab driver tried to control the vehicle with both hands on the steering wheel. Hinata tried to find her phone inside her bag but her hands shook violently.

The convoy pushed them to the dirt path on the underside of the bridge. Unable to move in any direction, the cab driver fumbled with the radio. "We have a-" The car on the right pulled up, enough for Hinata's door to open. Large men stepped out and one motioned for her to come forward.

"Get out of the car," he said as if they hadn't tried to kill them. Hinata was stunned and the cab driver brought the speaker to his mouth. One of the other men had a crowbar and smashed the front windshield. Hinata screamed while her driver shielded his head.

"Get the fuck out the car!" They didn't wait for her to react and swung her door open. Hinata crawled back and tried to kick the white haired man away. "I'm not supposed to hurt you but if you kick me again, I'll just say you fell and lost a tooth. Got me bitch?"

He harshly grabbed her and Hinata trembled in fright. _They just want money. I just need to do what they want and I'll be fine. _They put a hood over her head and forced her to sit between two of them.

"What 'bout the cabbie?" the one on her right asked.

"No witnesses," the driver chuckled. "Kakuzu said we won't get our money if there are any loose ends."

.

.

"Hinata?" Hiashi called out. "Where are you?" He had gotten a phone call from Ko wondering where the Uchiha was. Although he had insisted Sasuke work for him, Hiashi wasn't about to excuse any slacker behavior. "Is the Uchiha with you?"

Hanabi was also upset. Neji had left a scathing voicemail about how she backed out and left him waiting like a fool. _Sasuke probably showed up and persuaded her to avoid Neji_, she thought angrily. She had kept her father out of the house for hours to distract him but it was all for nothing.

"Hinata!" he called out again.

One of their maids rushed forward. "Sir? Hinata left after you did and hasn't been back."

Hanabi's eyes widened but Hiashi frowned. "Did she say where to?"

"No." They dismissed her and Hiashi tried calling his son- in- law.

"That boy keeps getting on my nerves." He hung up after receiving no answer. "Call her friends and tell her to come home now."

Hanabi called Naruto and Ino but both had said they weren't expecting to see her nor did they talk to her today. "If you do see her tell her to come home okay? And if you see the Uchiha, tell him the same."

"Nothing?" Her father asked worriedly. She shook her head. "Maybe Neji has an idea."

"He doesn't." Hanabi filled her father in on their plan and he looked more alarmed. "I'm sorry! She said she was okay going by herself." Her father tried to console her. "Call the Uchihas. Maybe they know something."

She watched anxiously as her father spoke to Fugaku. "You haven't heard from him either?...I don't know who else… Don't you think I tried? ...How am I supposed …Will you stop interrupting me?!...Fuck you…"

He hung up and ordered his staff to drop everything and call all the hospitals to see if they admitted anyone fitting her description. Two agonizing hours later, they all came up empty.

Hanabi dialed her cousin. "Neji!"

"What is it now? Haven't you wasted my time already?" he scolded. "Did she cry again about-"

"She's missing!" Hanabi cried out. "Hinata's missing!"

.

.

Hiashi stared at his phone desperate for a call from Hinata. They immediately called the police. Although they usually look into disappearances after they've been missing for 24 hours, circumstances made it an urgent matter. After contacting the cab service Hinata called, they mentioned a missing driver as well.

Fugaku had come over as soon as Hiashi hung up. He had accused Neji of having something to do with his son's disappearance but Hiashi was quick to defend him. "What about Madara? He probably took them both!"

The Uchiha shook his head. "He's just as concerned about their disappearances."

Neji scoffed. "If Hinata wasn't pregnant, he wouldn't give a shit about her." Fugaku didn't bother disputing it since he was likely right. Itachi was still in the office trying to gather as many resources as he could to find the two. Mikoto stayed at home, waiting for any sort of call.

Hanabi jumped when her phone buzzed. Everyone looked expectantly but she shook her head. "It's someone else." Everyone else visibly slouched and Fugaku excused himself to see if there was any progress with Itachi.

.

.

Hinata tried to stay awake. The small dark room they placed her in was cold and she brought her knees to her chest. _They'll pay the ransom and I'll be home tomorrow. Sasuke won't let me leave his sight again, _she tried to joke. She heard footsteps pace back and forth on the other side of the door. A second pair came closer and there was an inaudible conversation.

The door suddenly opened and Hinata slowly turned her head upwards. Her eyes squinted at the figure before she let out a horrified gasp. "No."

"What's wrong, Hinata? Aren't you glad to see me?" Toneri smiled. "I'm here to free you." His outstretched hand was not accepted and he became impatient. Roughly pulling her upwards he stared at her eyes, full of terror. "God, I love that look on you."

Hinata was pulled out of the room and the lights blinded her. Thrown into another room, she looked around. This one was warmer than the one she had been in but she trembled more here. "Stand up," he commanded. Obeying reluctantly, she looked down as he walked around and stepped behind her. Her shivering intensified when she felt a hand rest on her hip. His body pressed against her back and she immediately tried to step away but his other hand snaked around her waist and pressed her back against him.

"Why don't you like me, Hinata?" He pressed his face against her neck before yanking her hair back. He ignored her whimper. "You need someone like me. I can't stop thinking of you. You haunt my dreams. Hinata, you're so beautiful."

He tightened his grip on her hair and she grabbed her scalp. "Please, you're hurting me!"

"Good. Maybe you'll learn to stop being such a spoiled little princess." He pressed his groin against her butt and groaned. "I need to teach you how to act with a real man."

She threw her head back and heard him grunt in frustration. He turned her around gave her a rough kiss; she could taste his blood and felt like retching.

"You took everything from me," he said coldly. "My company, my reputation, it's only fair I get something in return. And I want you, all of you."

Ripping her shirt, he was taken back by the slight swell of her stomach. Hinata took the opportunity to push him away and cower in the corner. "Are you _pregnant_?" He demanded to know. Hinata shook her head but her initial hesitation confirmed it. "You are…he fucking ruined you!" He screamed and paced around before he left the room and slammed the door behind him.

Hinata tried to open the door but it was locked. She looked around for something to use as a weapon but he taken the precautionary measures. Ready to defend the life of her child she stared at the door with the determination to do whatever necessary.

.

.

"Hello?"

"The Uchiha and his wife are at the Tenseigan construction site, the one where the energy vessel is being built. Get their quickly! Goodbye." Toneri's former assistant hung up.

"Wait-!" Naruto desperately pleaded. However, the phone went dead. "Shit!" He scrambled out of his bed and frantically called Itachi. "Hinata and Sasuke…Tenseigan… something energy vessel," he sputtered out breathless as he took the staircase. He cursed the broken elevator and slow working maintenance man. "Go now!"

The man sighed, feeling like fifty pounds had fallen from his shoulders as he threw the disposable phone in a nearby trash can. He told himself that he had done all he could. Toneri's mental state had deteriorated as he became increasingly obsessed with the woman. He had tolerated his ramblings up until the attempted murder on her father and husband. At that point he knew things had gone south quickly and was glad that his contact had failed to accomplish it.

Surveying the energy vessel site, he stumbled upon the brutes Toneri hired himself beating the Uchiha. Fleeing without being seen, he knew he couldn't remain passive any longer. However, going to the authorities might've implicated him and he couldn't leave his family defenseless against any possible retaliation.

He walked to the rented car and drove to where they awaited him at a safe house. They would need to leave the country and lay low in case Toneri managed to weasel out this, too.

.

.

Her fists lowered; not at the sight of the three other men Toneri brought along, but the battered and slouched figure they threw against the wall. Sasuke had his arms tied along with a folded cloth covering his mouth. Hinata tried to rush over but Toneri motioned for the men to continue their beating in full view of Hinata.

He grunted in pain and Hinata screamed. "Stop! Please!" Suddenly aware that his wife was here as well, Sasuke looked up. She pushed by Toneri and tried to pull on one man's arm. He smacked her away and Sasuke yelled through his gag.

"Don't you dare touch my wife!" Toneri screamed madly. "She's not yours to touch! Kill him, take him away and dispose of this trash in the river," he instructed the other two. Stopping their assault on Sasuke, they all looked at each other. "I'll triple your pay."

The man was soon incapacitated and dragged away. "No! You fuckers!"

Toneri sighed and wanted to comfort Hinata but frowned when he saw her try to free Sasuke. Dragging her away, he towered over the still bound Uchiha. "Hinata, get undressed," he sneered. Black eyes widened and he tried to undo the knots.

"No," she protested.

"You clothes are dirty. Get rid of them," he replied not looking away from the scorching glare of the Uchiha. Sensing no movement, he pulled out a gun from his waistband. "Don't make me ask again."

The disturbing look on Toneri's face made Sasuke fear for his child and Hinata. She trembled as he aimed it at Sasuke. "Toneri, please let us go." He released the safety. "Okay! I'll do it, just don't hurt him," she begged.

Standing in her underwear, Hinata looked at the ground when he began to approach her. "You don't have to hide from me," he cooed. "I thought you were sullied but we can fix it." Lowering her arms to rest on her sides, he traced her skin using the barrel of the gun, stopping on her stomach. She sharply inhaled. "I'm not mad at you. You probably had no choice, but I'm going to make everything right. He's going to die," he vowed. "Then we'll get rid of _it_ and begin our life together. Just you and me."

Sasuke began to thrash around, shouting curses. Toneri rolled his head. "Maybe this trash is right perhaps it's best we raise the _child_." His eyes gleamed with malice. Hinata looked at Sasuke, horrified at the possibility of held captive by Toneri. "I wonder what's more entertaining. Ridding her body of your poison completely or raising the brat to recognize me as his father. But make no mistake, I won't care or love it. It will just be another way to torture you from beyond the grave. It'll grow up without love. Wondering what they did to deserve it, never knowing that their true father was a weak, miserable, dead man."

He raised gun and aimed but Hinata pulled his head down. "Look at me, you don't want to do this," she tried to reason. "You want me. I'll go but only if Sasuke goes unharmed." His arm stayed in position, slightly lowering when she lightly pressed her lips against his. "Let him go."

Toneri smirked and deepened the kiss making Sasuke look away for a second. He told himself that she didn't want to do it. "I love how eager you are for me…for my cock. Maybe we should put on a show before I end his miserable existence." He began to mark her neck and she had to refrain from retching. As much as she wanted to push him off, every time he looked at Sasuke she feared he would release the trigger. It was vital that his attention be focused on her.

She wrapped her arms around him, trying to find something useful against him. Frustrated that there was nothing and he still had a firm hold on the gun, she looked at Sasuke apologetically. "I'm sorry," she mouthed. Her lips pressed tightly and she began to sob.

Toneri groped her breast. "Moan for me," he whispered. "Show him how much you prefer me," he told her. Despite her struggle to do so, he began to grind against her, wanting to further torment Sasuke. "I want the last thing you see is how she cums for me and screams my name in pleasure."

Resisting his attempt to remove her panties, Hinata felt the sting of a slap. "I'm tired of that stubborn attitude." In his hurry to dominate her, he had completely forgotten about Sasuke.

Finally free of his bonds, Sasuke rushed over and put him in a headlock, trying to choke him out. Hinata scrambled away. However he was weak and Toneri elbowed his stomach repeatedly. Sasuke released his hold and Toneri searched for the gun.

"Stay down!" Hinata commanded. Toneri fumed as she pointed it at him. Sasuke struggled to get up and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders for support.

"Do you think you'll get out of here?" Toneri asked. "You stupid bitch." He made a sudden move toward them and a shot rang out. Clutching his shoulder in pain, he looked murderous. Hinata was shocked with her reaction but repeated herself.

"Stay down." She and Sasuke walked backwards and shut the door, essentially locking him in. Limping alongside her, Sasuke was silent but held on tightly. "I didn't want to-"

"I know," he curtly said. Hinata had been buying them time but he hated that she had to do it in the first place. The knots had loosened with her help but he was still a bit disoriented from beatings and lack of food. "You did what you had to. I just wished I was quicker so you wouldn't have endured so much for my sake."

They walked out of the building they were being kept and looked around. It was dark out but they realized it was a construction site. Mounts of dirt surrounded them and they started walking, hopeful that they'd find someone willing to help.

.

.

"Did you hear that?" Another shot rang out and Itachi hurried towards the sound, not bothering to make sure Neji, Fugaku or Hiashi followed. The latter urged his nephew to follow Itachi.

"Go!"

Naruto had called the police after informing them but they weren't willing to wait for the authorities. Time was of the essence.

.

.

Sasuke groaned and rested against a pillar. Hinata looked at him anxiously, trying to check his wounds but he managed to give her a strained smile. "Don't worry about me." He attempted to limp forward but nearly collapsed.

"Let's take a break. I don't think he's coming and I didn't hear any rushing water when they brought me so those men probably aren't around," she reasoned as she pulled his jacket on tighter. Sasuke had insisted she wear it, not only to cover up but keep warm as well.

"Hinata…" he inhaled painfully. "You need to leave me." Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I'm just slowing you down."

"No. We're both making it out," she firmly said. "The danger is over, Sasuke. I don't care how long it takes to walk out, but we're doing it together."

He shook his head. "You can find help faster by yourself." Hinata pressed her lips together, knowing it was the most logical thing to do. Yet, her heart couldn't see it that way. His face was bruised and he clutched his body like it was broken.

"What if…what if I'm not quick enough?" She brushed some of his hair away from his eyes. Deep down, she wanted him to ask her to stay. If the worst came, she couldn't bear it if he had been alone at the end.

"Hinata look at me. All that I care about is you. Save yourself and live." She sobbed into his shoulder. "No matter what happens, live for me and our child. Promise me."

She nodded reluctantly before kissing him like it was the last time. "I love you," Hinata said. Her voice cracked and she tried to smile.

"I know." He tried to smirk but it came out as a grimace as he felt another shot of pain. "I love you and don't regret a thing we've done. I'd do it over in a heartbeat."

He urged her to go but she gave him the gun. "For protection until I come back." Hinata gave him one last look before breaking out into a run. Sasuke held the firearm limply by his side and closed his eyes.

"How fucking sweet," a voice called out from the shadows. Sasuke's heart dropped as Toneri walked towards him. Taking a second too long to react, the gun was wretched out of his hand. Securing it back on his waistband, Toneri leaned down.

"She went that way, right?" Sasuke refused to say a word. Grabbing a nearby piece of debris, he asked again. "Well if you're going to be that way, I'll make your last moments really painful. I was going to make it quick but this will do."

Sasuke tried to block the hit but his forearm was no match for the metal bar. He screamed in pain, causing maniacal laughter to erupt from his attacker. Toneri used the rod one more time, dislocating Sasuke's shoulder before resorting to using his own hands. He wanted to feel his broken bones, bruised flesh and see the light leave his eyes.

"She's going to pay, too," he grunted in between blows. "I might even kill her but one thing is for damn sure, I'll have that parasite ripped out from her body."

"Help! Help me!" They both heard her shouts. Cursing under his breath, Toneri kicked the Uchiha. His chest rose and fell erratically and he strongly believed Sasuke wouldn't make it.

With his vision dwindling, Sasuke thought back to all the precious moments he had with Hinata. _"I'll always be there. I promise he won't hurt you." _Tears fell from his eyes at the promises he was seemingly unable to honor. "I'm sorry, Hinata. Please forgive me."

Feeling like he was dying, he wished her a happy life with their child.

"Sasuke!"

.

.

Toneri ran towards Hinata and tackled her from behind as she hysterically waved her hands. She had heard cars drive by.

Hinata groaned in pain and he turned her over, straddling her. "Guess what? I killed that piece of shit." She fought harder, pounding his chest. "He's dead! He's dead!"

"You're lying!" she screamed. "Help! Help!"

He gripped her neck with both hands and began to strangle her. "Cry all you want, it won't bring him back." Straining to breathe she clawed at his arms and face. He merely put more pressure. "I can still give you everything. You just need to behave! Accept that I'm the only one for you!"

Hinata began to see black dots. Unable to fulfill her promise to Sasuke, she cried harder. "I'm sorry," she said before her eyes began to close. A figure appeared behind Toneri. _Sasuke,_ she smiled.

Fugaku swung the four by four as hard as he could and Toneri fell to the side, clutching his head. Neji pinned his arms behind him and felt the weapon. He pulled it out and threw it towards Fugaku. Picking it up, he glared at the Otsutsuki who was now staring up at him. Neji had rushed over to his cousin after he was sure Toneri had been incapacitated and at their mercy.

"Is she okay?" He asked Neji as he gently shook her. "Did he…is she okay?!"

Hinata groaned as she tried to sit up against Neji's legs. Looking up in surprise, she wiped his tears away. "Neji?" He hugged her tightly and apologized.

Fugaku motioned for him to take her towards the others. "Where is my son?" he asked Toneri. Hinata stopped and looked at Neji.

"I know… this way," she said. Hinata didn't want to believe he was gone. They rushed to where she had left him with Toneri's taunts ringing in her ears.

"Aren't you going to see for yourself?" Toneri mocked. "He's dead. I killed him and it wasn't even that hard. He went out like a fucking pussy."

Fugaku's jaw tensed. His hand shook, not out of fear but anger. He wanted nothing more than to kill the man in front of him. "Fugaku give me the gun." Hiashi walked up, slightly out of breath. "Give it to me!"

Refusing to do so, the Hyuuga gently pried it out of his hand yet kept it aimed at the sneering man. "It's obvious you've never held a gun," he whispered.

"I'm surprised to see you walking around, Hiashi. I imagined you eating out of a tube or something. Is the other Uchiha walking around, too? I was so disappointed in my subordinates, but what can I do?"

Fugaku fumed and began to unleash a series of kicks. "Fugaku! Stop it!" He kicked Toneri's face one last time; however he merely spat out blood and laughed.

"You can't do it can you? I can see how badly you want to kill me but when you had the gun, you couldn't do it. You're weak!" he taunted Fugaku. "It's obvious where your son inherited his weakness."

"The authorities are on their way," Hiashi replied. "But I can guarantee that you won't get to hurt my daughter any longer."

"Is that so? Do you usually make empty promises?" Toneri chuckled. The adrenaline was leaving his system and he began to really feel the gunshot wound from earlier. "I'm not going away and I'll never stop. She's pregnant, right? Well if she manages to give birth, it'll be just as satisfying to kill that piece of shit just like I did its father. Wonder if it'll scream like he did. A weakling, just like all the Uchihas!"

"I'll do anything to ensure my daughter's happiness and peace of mind. With you around, they'll always be looking over their shoulders." Toneri's eyes widened in realization and his head fell back. The shot rang out in the night, as the sounds of sirens neared. Blood pooled around him as his chest darkened with blood. Hiashi shot him once more and he threw the weapon to the side. Being trained in firearms had given him a good eye for specific targeting. The first one had been enough to kill Toneri but he wanted to do it again. If he had less control, he would've emptied the clip.

"What the fuck? Why did you do that?" Fugaku asked. "You took it away from me but then you go and do it? I could've done it!"

"No you wouldn't have. I knew it and so did he. He would've continued to breathe and I couldn't allow that."

Hanging his head, Fugaku knew it was true. "I'll never say a word but can you live with it?"

"I'll go to hell and back for my family. I'll bear whatever burden I need to so my children are safe." Hiashi wasn't lying when he told Sasuke the lengths he would go. "Grief has poisoned my family for far too long."

"What will we say?"

Hiashi shrugged. "He got the upper hand and I had to save you. Let's go, our children need us." Fugaku nodded, a lump forming at the thought of his son's fate.

They walked silently towards the blaring lights, an unspoken alliance formed for the sake of their loved ones.

.

.

Itachi wiped the blood from his brother's face as Hinata arrived and kneeled down. "It's okay," she soothed, holding Sasuke gently against her. His face was horribly bruised and his eye swollen. He looked worse than when she last saw him and she hugged him tighter. "I'm so sorry. I'm here… nothing will hurt you…I'm here. I love you. Sasuke you have raise this child with me so you can't leave. I love you."

Itachi looked away in anguish. _"Protect her, promise me you'll protect her."_ He had managed to find his brother just as he was losing consciousness. For a second he thought Sasuke was dead but he cracked his good eye open and begged Itachi to do this for him as his breathing became difficult.

"Hinata, the medics are here," Neji softly said. Itachi pulled her away, keeping her in a hug as she argued to stay by his side.

"You need to get checked out, too," he told her. "Think of the baby." Itachi and Neji escorted her towards another awaiting ambulance as the one with Sasuke in it tore ahead.

* * *

AN: *Dodging trash thrown my way* Boy, am I scared for the reviews and PMs.

This is not the end. I hate leaving a cliff hanger but the editing made it like this. Otherwise I would've shortened this chapter and you wouldn't know if they were rescued until the next post. I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as I can. There's one more chapter and _maybe_ an epilogue afterwards.

FYI the lyrics above belong to Jeff Wetherell's song _A Promise Isn't A Promise Unless You've Got Something To Lose_.

Thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows. It's been a crazy ride and I'm flattered you all hopped on.


	27. Chapter 27

_No one told me, that I was going to find you_

_Unexpected, what you did to my heart_

_When I lost hope, you were there to remind me_

_This is the start_

"Can we have some privacy?" Neji asked. Itachi had stayed uncomfortably close to Hinata since they left the site. However, Hinata was currently accompanied by Hanabi during her medical examination. "You're suffocating us. Besides, shouldn't you be with _your_ family?"

He, Itachi, and Hiashi sat in the waiting area. "I am." Itachi bit back some scathing words, knowing it would do no good to cause a fight. Neji had a huge part in his brother's exile from Sharingan. "Hinata is his precious person and therefore one of mine as well."

"But you saw it, right?" Neji frowned. "There's probably nothing linking us anymore."

"Don't say that," Hiashi commented quietly.

"Hinata began to bleed as she stepped inside the ambulance. What else does it mean?!" He gripped his head in grief. Neji blamed himself; for putting her in a messed up situation and for not being there to protect her. "It's gone," he whispered in sorrow.

Itachi remained silent but firmly held out hope; fate couldn't be this cruel. His brother was still in intensive care, hanging by a thread. But what did the world have in store for Sasuke if he made it? The only thing for certain was Hinata and his promise to protect her, regardless of the outcome.

The door opened and Hanabi nodded her head, tears falling down her face. "Both…they're both okay," she announced. Hiashi immediately got up to see his daughter and Neji hurried after him, but Hanabi grabbed his elbow. "She's already worried about Sasuke. Please don't upset her."

"I won't," he shrugged her off.

Hanabi took Neji's seat. The atmosphere was awkward for a few minutes until she spoke up. "Don't you want to see her?" Hanabi wiped her eyes which began to feel irritated. Her nose was undoubtedly red and chafed as well.

"I'm probably overstepping certain boundaries. Your cousin isn't fond of any of us and I wouldn't want to cause any problems." He replied.

She scoffed. "Like Neji's opinion matters here. She keeps asking about Sasuke, seeing you might make her feel better." Itachi sighed; he had no new information regarding his state. "If you go now, you can actually hear the heartbeat. He sounds strong."

"He?" Itachi asked.

"I just have a feeling," she smirked. "Go! If he has any sense, Neji will keep his mouth shut while Hinata's around."

Grateful for her supportive words, he joined the other Hyuugas. One pair of pale eyes looked at him in distaste, while the other remained guarded. However, Hinata looked hopeful at his appearance. "Is Sasuke okay?"

"He's still being cared for," Itachi replied, carefully choosing his words. "But I'm positive he's going to be fine."

Slightly crestfallen, Hinata smiled at him. "Would you like to hear the baby's heartbeat?" He nodded slowly and the sonographer turned on the machine.

Itachi didn't notice the tears until his vision became blurred. "It does sound strong."

"Like its father," Hiashi commented. He truly hoped for the best possible outcome and held his daughter's hand. "And mother."

.

.

Sasuke had been stabilized; he was asleep but able to receive visitors. His parents waited for their eldest son to arrive.

"Itachi says he's on his way," Fugaku informed Mikoto. "He was with the Hyuugas."

Mikoto slightly hesitated. "How is she?"

"The baby is okay, if that's what you're really asking," Fugaku replied bluntly. She winced at his assumption that she still hated Hinata. While admittedly, they were not going to be bonding anytime soon, Mikoto began to accept her role in Sasuke's life. "Says he heard the heart beat himself."

"I see. I'm glad." She stared at him. "Fugaku, are you happy?"

He frowned. "Of course I am. They're all going to make it."

"That's not what I mean. Are you happy with me? Have you ever been?" Mikoto asked.

"Can we not do this now?" He sighed. "I thought we settled it."

She smiled at him sadly. "There were moments where I was but they seem like a lifetime ago. Lately, you haven't been the person I fell in love with and I know I had a big part in it."

"What are you saying? You just want to call it quits?" He asked quietly. "Have you stopped loving me?"

"I will always love you and I know deep down you love me." Mikoto cupped his face lovingly. "But I think we both fell out of love. What we have now is not anything close to what we did back then. Being miserable together in the long run will ruin the good times we did have."

He kissed her and for a split second she wanted to take it back. However when he pulled away, she could see it in his eyes; it was the right thing to do. "They were good times, right?"

"The best," she agreed.

Itachi walked in, breathless but anxious to see his brother. "Let's go see him."

The room was silent except for the sounds of the machines Sasuke was hooked up to. He was cleaned up from the bloody mess Itachi discovered but it was obvious he had suffered a lot. His left arm was in a sling and cast while his left eye was bandaged.

"My poor baby," Mikoto gently whispered as she caressed his hair. "I hope the monster suffers in hell for hurting him."

"He is," Fugaku said. "If there's an afterlife, he'll burn for eternity."

They stayed by his bedside for hours until Fugaku took Mikoto home, leaving Itachi alone with his brother.

He didn't wake up the first day, but doctors told them the next morning that he had regained consciousness yet was uncooperative.

"You need to wake up already, Sasuke. I know you want me to take care of Hinata, but I don't know if I'm ready to be a husband," he joked. Sasuke began to stir and he smiled. "It's not like she's not attractive."

Sasuke's movements calmed and Itachi wanted to provoke him just a bit more. "I've thought of it and the two of us make a pretty good couple-"

"Shut the fuck up," Sasuke groaned out. "Or I'll kick your ass."

"It's about time you joined us." Itachi smiled earnestly. "There are plenty of people waiting, you know."

Sasuke turned somber. "I've been awake for a while."

"Yeah, we know." Itachi scolded. "That was pretty cruel for you to keep us worried."

"They won't tell me what happened to Hinata." Sasuke mumbled. "The nurses and doctors wouldn't tell me and said she couldn't see me. Why? Why are they keeping her away? And I couldn't ask with mom around."

"You know that's a pretty shitty excuse, mother is just as concerned."

Sasuke closed his eye. "I'm sorry I made you guys worry but until I see Hinata, I really don't care about anything. Why isn't she here?"

"They had to make sure she was fine and is on bed rest. The last time I saw her was when she was speaking with police."

"What did she say?" Sasuke asked, swallowing hard. He had been kept out of the loop as to not antagonize him, but it had the opposite effect.

"I don't know."

"Weren't you with her?" Itachi shook his head. "Why the hell did you leave her alone?"

"Aside from the fact that I was concerned about you and stayed by your side," Itachi narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "She asked me to leave. Actually everyone else was asked to leave."

"Why would-?"

"Hinata was talking to a female officer, Sasuke." He looked away. "I don't want to wonder why because then I'll get angry."

"Did he hurt her?" Sasuke sharply inhaled. "Did she lose the baby? Is Hinata okay?!" Itachi held his brother down as he began to squirm around. "Let me go! She needs me!"

"Will you stop?! Whatever..._if_ he did anything, it didn't harm the child." Itachi let him go and sat back down. "She did begin to bleed but the doctors said everything is fine. Some women experience bleeding during their pregnancy and it doesn't always mean a miscarriage. However, they are keeping her under close observation and ordered to be on bed rest for a few days. That's why she won't be able to see you. Believe me she's just as stubborn as you."

Lying back, Sasuke exhaled harshly. "You could've just started with that!"

"Well if you had stopped being a brat, you would've found out earlier." Itachi retorted. They glared at each other but Itachi was the first to crack. He gently ruffled his hair. "I'm going to get something to eat and tell your wife you're awake."

"Stay away, pervert." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "She doesn't need you while I'm around!"

"Jealous?" he laughed. "Joking aside, here's my phone. You guys might not be able to leave your rooms but that doesn't mean you can't talk each other."

"Itachi!" He called out as his brother turned away. "Thanks. I mean it."

"Don't mention it."

Sasuke waited for the phone to ring and answered it immediately. "Hinata?"

"Sasuke!" she responded. "Oh my god, I was so scared. I thought you…don't leave me. You have no idea how much I love you."

"I love you too and want to hold you so badly." He ached to inhale her scent and feel her against him. "I want to wrap my arms around you and never let go. I miss you."

"I can't wait to see you, too. The baby is okay and I wouldn't let them tell me the sex because you should be there," she said seriously. He laughed and told her he appreciated it.

Itachi leaned against the wall outside his room, stopping Fugaku from entering. "He's awake. But let's give him some time privacy. They need this."

"What's your room number? I think I can sneak out…" Sasuke's voice lowered and Itachi shook his head. The other two Uchihas entered and Sasuke whispered into the phone. Itachi wrenched it from his grip.

"Hinata? Yeah, he's going to rest now. Okay, I'll see you later." Sasuke glared at his brother. "You can't leave this room."

"I agree," Mikoto added. She handed everyone their coffees and sat beside Sasuke. "You need to gather your strength first."

"Mom, I almost lost her." His voice wavered and Fugaku furrowed his brows, understanding his pain. "I need to see her with my own eyes. Well eye, I guess. But I need to apologize to her, too."

"For what?" his mother asked.

"I couldn't keep him away from her. He…" Sasuke clenched his fist. "I hate myself and wouldn't blame her if she hated me, too."

"She'd be an idiot to do so," Mikoto said unabashed. "Sasuke, I have no doubt you tried your hardest. Hinata is fine. My grandbaby is fine and you are alive. This is all that matters."

"Your mother is right, son," Fugaku said. "Hinata told us what they did to you and how hard you fought for the both of you. You were willing to die for her. I could see how torn up she was talking about it. So don't feel like you failed her, no one thinks that."

For the rest of the visit, Sasuke wore a fake smile. Although thankful for their words of encouragement, Sasuke still felt defeated. Toneri had come close to destroying his family. No amount of praise from his parents would quash his guilt; he needed to hear it from Hinata.

The next day, Hanabi wheeled her sister to his room after coaxing her nurse to let Hinata get some air. She insisted her legs worked fine, but Hanabi didn't want her to overexert herself. As they neared his room, Hinata promised herself to not become emotional but his appearance made it hard not to cry. Hanabi used the excuse of picking up Hinata's prenatal vitamins to leave.

"I'm okay, babe. Actually it looks worse than I feel," Sasuke lied. "But are you?" He reached out to hold her hand. "Did he…I'm sorry for asking but it's killing me. Hinata, did he do anything?"

She shook her head. "He tried to before I saw you. Nothing really happened but I could feel him." She shuddered and he kissed her hand. "The only other time was when you were in the room. Being in that position…" Hinata shuddered. "For a second I felt like dying."

Sasuke chastised himself for making her relive it just so he'd know. "I hate myself that you had to go through that."

"Don't! Don't blame yourself. I don't," Hinata said. Placing her hand on her stomach, she smiled. "We're here because of you. If there's anyone to blame it's probably me. I hate that he did this to you because of me and his infatuation-"

"It's about time you owned up to your blunders," Madara sneered. As he walked into the room, Hinata immediately looked down. His glare made her feel insignificant but she tried to keep herself composed.

"Please don't upset him, Madara," Hinata asked politely. "The doctors said-"

"You lost any right to address me as anything other than Mr. Uchiha," he sneered. "My nephew and I have matters to discuss so if you could _wheel out_, then I'd appreciate it."

Sasuke pressed the button to call a nurse. "Can you escort this man out?" Madara looked insulted. "I told you that if you won't respect her or our relationship I want nothing to do with you. As long as Hinata isn't welcomed in your presence, you aren't in mine. Leave."

"You almost lost your brother, life, and child because of her," he exclaimed. "How can you-?"

"You delusional asshole." His eyes narrowed at his uncle and intertwined his hand with hers. "I refuse to blame her and so does Itachi. We don't hold it against anyone except for Toneri and he's been taken care of."

The nurse began to guide Madara out, but he pushed him off. "Don't touch me." He shot Hinata another glare but she and Sasuke stared back defiantly. "You'll come crawling back. But my patience might wear out before you gain your sense," Madara warned. He walked out with a huff, with the nurse following close behind.

"I hate him," Sasuke said. "Forget about him. All I want is right here." Hinata got up and gently lay beside him, careful to not hurt him. He kissed her forehead. "This is all I need."

.

.

The cries of an infant shrieked in the darkness. Sasuke looked around but couldn't see anything. "Hinata? Where are you, Hinata?!" The screams got louder and suddenly there was a blinding light. Readjusting his eyes, Sasuke's mouth turned dry.

He was back in that room but unbound. Yet even with his freedom, Sasuke remained frozen. Toneri smirked and pulled a lifeless Hinata closer. Her long hair swayed as he danced with her. "Get away from her! Hinata!" Toneri kissed her and turned her head to him. Her eyes were dull and Sasuke felt his heart constrict painfully. "No…What did you do?!"

"I told you. Didn't I?" He mocked. "Now she's perfect."

Sasuke looked down to her bloody midsection. "No!" Toneri's crackles became louder as the infant slowly went silent. "I'm sorry Hinata." He gripped his head in agony. "Please forgive me!"

He shot up, covered in cold sweat and looked around. The moon's light illuminated the room and he looked to his side.

Hinata opened her eyes sleepily. "Sasuke? Are you okay?" She wiped his wet bangs away but he pulled her close. "It was just a nightmare," she said. Feeling his heartbeat race, Hinata became worried. These episodes were becoming frequent the closer she got to her due date.

"Please forgive me," he whispered as he buried his nose in her hair. It was now shoulder length since it became a hassle to maintain in her state. "I wasn't strong enough."

"I wish you'd stop saying that," she said. "It's just pre baby jitters. Soon we'll meet our baby and you'll wish you had slept more."

"Yeah," he chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry for waking you up." He kept her in his arms as she slowly slumbered off. While he knew that Hinata was right, he still needed to be reassured. His hands lowered to her protruding stomach, thankful to feel a kick although it probably didn't feel good to Hinata.

He smiled and slinked down to face her stomach. "You will never ever have to prove your worth because you are already perfect. I will never make you feel unloved. I promise to prove myself as a good man to you and your mother every day."

He felt a hand caress his scalp. "You don't need to prove anything to anyone," Hinata whispered. "You're perfect to me."

"I know I don't need to but I want to," he said confidently. He kissed her belly and stroked it gently, soothing Hinata back to sleep. "I can't wait to meet you."

.

.

"And push," the obstetrician instructed Hinata. "I know you're tired but we're almost there."

Sweat and tears covered her red face and exhaustion began to set in. She screamed as she pushed, her hands clutching Sasuke's rather painfully.

"You're doing great, baby," he encouraged. "We're almost there."

"Shut up! I'm doing it all!" She yelled. "You can't feel this paaaain." Her teeth clenched as she began to push again. Her breathing intensified. "I'm never having sex again. Never!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and the nurses refrained from laughing. "Shh, it's just the pain talking," he pleaded. Her grip tightened and he stopped talking.

"Okay, make this a good one. Ready? Push! Keep going!"

The obstetrician pulled the crying baby out and asked Sasuke if he would like to cut the umbilical cord. Reluctantly leaving her side, he cut the cord and they took the infant away to clean him up. Moments later, they placed Satoshi on his mother's chest. Sasuke kissed an exhausted and crying Hinata.

She asked Sasuke if he was going to tell everyone waiting outside. "I will but right now, I just want to stay like this." The world could wait as far as he was concerned.

Once Satoshi was wrapped in a blanket and in his arms Sasuke began to cry himself. His hair was dark and he had his mother's eyes. "Perfect." He looked at his tired wife. "This is the best moment of my life. I can't describe it. Is it a sense of fulfillment? I've never felt like this. Thank you. Thank you for being the girl who gave me a place to belong. Thank you." She happily accepted his kiss.

Hanabi barged in, impatient with the lack of announcement. They had heard the baby's cries and waited for over ten minutes. Being kept in the dark infuriated her but the sight of the three simmered her temper. Hinata was the first to notice her and motioned for her to get closer.

After carrying him for a few minutes, she ordered Sasuke to go out and tell everyone else. "Why don't you?" he frowned at Hanabi. Hinata clicked her tongue and he complied. Soon everyone else filled the room. Hiashi pushed Fugaku aside to hold his grandson, pride swelling in his chest at the eyes that stared back. After Fugaku mentioned he was hogging him, he brushed past the peeved man and handed him to Neji who looked petrified.

"It's a baby, Neji. Stop acting like such a spaz." Tenten scolded him as she looked over his shoulder. "He's so cute, Hinata."

"Of course he is. Satoshi is an Uchiha after all," Fugaku gruffly said. He gently took the infant from a relieved Neji and rocked him. "Look at my grandson. He's going to be a heartbreaker." He made faces, trying to make him laugh but his small face scrunched and he began to wail.

Hiashi smirked in satisfaction and Fugaku hung his head as he handed him back to Hinata. She calmed him down and looked at the other Uchihas. "Would you like to hold your grandson, Mikoto?"

Stunned, Mikoto was pushed forward by Itachi. She smiled as Hinata passed Satoshi over. "He has Sasuke's nose," Mikoto grinned. "He's beautiful."

Itachi wiggled his finger and Satoshi gripped it. Everyone else began to converse while Sasuke called Naruto. Hinata felt at peace staring at Mikoto as the grandmother cradled Satoshi back to sleep. They had met privately after the baby shower and discussed things that still hung over their heads.

All the men were trying to assemble the crib while Hanabi recorded them. It wasn't for nostalgic purposes but to laugh at later. Neji and Itachi had been making everything into a competition, begrudgingly working together. However their lack of communication had resulted in shouts and threats which were fueled by Hiashi and Fugaku's constant bickering. Sasuke was still had his arm in a cast so he called Naruto over after Neji walked out for the third time. He later told her that Naruto's ability to assemble the crib effortlessly had prompted him to ask him to be godfather. She agreed with the decision but not reason; "He's our best friend. That should've been reason enough!"

Amid the chaos upstairs, a remorseful Mikoto sat across Hinata. She had apologized profusely before but Hinata wasn't ready to settle things until that moment. "I am willing to move past this. But make no mistake, I am neither forgetting nor forgiving you. The one you should actually ask forgiveness from is no longer with us but I'll be damned if I let anyone disrespect his memory without consequences."

"Please don't keep me away from my son and grandchildren," Mikoto begged. "I'm trying to be a better person."

"You can't treat me that way anymore if you want to be a part of our lives," Hinata responded seriously. "Don't make me cut you out of my family's life. Whether you believe it or not, I really want my children to know their grandparents."

The older woman nodded solemnly and they drank their tea in silence. "Sasuke said you forgive easily."

"I don't. I just chose to not dwell in the past anymore."

While waiting for the big reveal, Mikoto asked if she had any questions about giving birth. Appreciating any advice from the older woman, Hinata asked away. There were some horror stories she'd read online but maybe they were just exaggerating.

When Sasuke came down to retrieve them, his jubilant smile fell. He had pleaded with his mother earlier that day to make peace with his wife but Hinata looked incredibly pale. Sasuke shot his mother an accusing glare and helped a wobbly Hinata towards the room.

.

.

"You know I love your family, but I can't wait until our house is ready," Sasuke groaned as he fell back on their bed. "Your dad keeps ordering me around and I don't even work for him anymore. It's hard enough having Naruto as my boss."

He chose to exclude the fact that Neji had walked in on him singing the theme song to a kids show to his son. The Hyuuga blinked twice and closed the door. His pride deflated every time Neji smirked at him knowingly or hummed the tune.

Hinata giggled as she dressed Satoshi for his check- up. The two month old was due for his latest round of vaccinations. "I know how you feel." He looked at her skeptically. "I do! I feel like we're taking advantage of father."

"Oh yeah, _we're_ taking advantage of _him_," he snorted. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you guys? I'll gladly tell Naruto that this is a matter of his godson's health."

"Stop using him like that," Hinata admonished him. "Besides Neji said he'll be happy to drop us off and pick us up."

Her cousin had made it a point to step in whenever needed; scoffing at her concerns that she was using him. "It's my job as his uncle," he responded. Sasuke piped up that Satoshi only had one uncle while Neji was actually his first cousin, once removed. Hinata had chastised him thoroughly much to Neji's pleasure.

Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke had called Neji to tell him that he was picking them up and hung up before he could reply. Naruto had happily given him an early lunch, at first offering to pick them up himself. "I haven't seen my godson in ages!" he exaggerated.

He had arrived earlier to pick up some flowers for Hinata and bumped into a doctor. "Sorry," he apologized distractedly.

"Sasuke? Oh my god! It is you!" Sakura said. "How are you?"

Hinata struggled to keep the diaper bag on her shoulder as she carried Satoshi. Walking towards the entrance of the hospital, she frowned as she saw Sasuke conversing with Sakura. Picking up her pace, she walked to the opposite side of the welcome/information desk as to not be seen but heard Sasuke call her name. He walked over and helped her with the bag, pulling her towards a smiling Sakura.

"This is Satoshi," he boasted. Sasuke wrapped his arm around Hinata's shoulders. "He's two months old."

"Oh he's so cute," Sakura complimented as she leaned down. She looked at Hinata and genuinely congratulated her. As Sakura filled them in on her position at the hospital, Hinata couldn't help but compare herself to the slim and beautiful woman.

"Hinata?"

"Huh?"

"Are you ready to go?" Sasuke asked. She nodded and they bid Sakura goodbye. After dropping them off at home and putting Satoshi down for his nap, Hinata began to pick apart her body. It hadn't bothered her while she was pregnant but now she felt self-conscious.

"I need to work out and go on a diet," she said. She began her regiment that afternoon, taking breaks to feed and clean Satoshi. She took a quick shower, finishing as Sasuke arrived from work.

That night, Hinata grabbed her clothes and headed towards the bathroom. "I thought you took a shower already."

"I did, I'm just going to change to my pajamas," she said.

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to bed."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's what pajamas are for. But why are you changing in the bathroom? I've already seen _everything_." He wigged his eyebrows suggestively but she didn't laugh. "Speaking of which, when are we going to do it again? I looked it up and you should be cleared by now."

"Um, I'm not in the mood." She hurried to the bathroom and closed the door.

"Wait, you weren't serious were you? About never having sex?" He called out. "Hinata, I'll make you feel real good. I promise, you won't have to suck my-"

The door opened and she gave him a look. "Keep it down. Do you want my father to hear?"

She closed the door and Sasuke was left perplexed. He had seen her naked while she pregnant so her sudden modesty came out of nowhere. Not wanting to start an argument, he dropped the subject.

Over the next few days, he tried everything to get her in the mood. She rebuffed in at every turn and he had enough when she declined a karaoke date. "Satoshi needs me."

"He's being watched by Naruto and Ino. They're giving us a day to ourselves which we desperately need. C'mon, Hinata. You don't want to become a hermit, do you?" He asked.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing," she mumbled under her breath. "Besides I don't have anything to wear."

He scoffed. "That's crazy." Walking to the closet, he pulled out different dresses. "Just pick one." Seeing her stubborn refusal, he grabbed a light blue one. "Go change."

"No."

"Hinata, please." He began to pull up her shirt but she tugged it back down, looking ashamed. Suddenly remembering the last time someone forced her to change, he felt ill. "Oh god, I didn't mean it like that. Look, you pick the dress or if you want we can stay in."

"That one won't fit," she said sadly. Hinata grabbed one made with stretchy material and walked once again to the bathroom. Sasuke waited patiently for a few minutes when he heard sobbing. He felt like smacking himself senseless for his slip up and knocked on the door.

"Open the door." The sobbing continued. "Hinata, I'm sorry. I forgot and I'm such an idiot."

The door unlocked and he stepped in. Hinata sat on the edge of the tub, with her shoulders hunched over. "I feel so ugly and drab. I'm fat!" She exclaimed.

Enlightened by the real reason of her distress, he began to chuckle in relief. This only made things worse as she sobbed harder. He leaned down and embraced her. "Oh babe, I didn't mean to laugh at you. I'm just glad I didn't screw up." She glared at him and tried to push him away. "I mean, I'm glad it's not something I did to hurt you. But why do you think you are anything less than absolutely beautiful?"

"I'm fat-"

"You just had my baby. Of course you're going to be plumper than before."

"I don't want to be _plump," _she bawled. "You're going to get tired of me and look at other women. Beautiful skinny women, who are smart and accomplished, like doctors. You won't want me anymore."

"Doctors?" He looked confused then smirked. "Are you jealous of Sakura?"

"Maybe." She twiddled her thumbs. "I can't help but compare myself to other women."

"I won't lie and say I didn't notice the changes to your body but I'm still very much attracted to you. I wanted to have sex while you were pregnant but didn't want to hurt the baby." Slowly pulling her sleeves down, he licked his lips. "Now that we're given the greenlight, I can't hold back."

Hinata hugged her body, preventing any further undressing. "I don't want you to touch me. I feel disgusting and don't want you to look at my body."

Sasuke pulled her towards the large bathroom mirror and tugged the top of the dress down. "I think you're absolutely beautiful." He began to grope her enlarged breasts. "Sexy as hell, too."

"Stop lying…"she whispered. Hinata refused to look at her reflection. The dress was now pooled around her feet.

"Where's the confident woman who seduced me?" he whispered into her ear. "Maybe she just needs some coaxing." Amused by her stubbornness, he caressed her breasts.

"Sasuke…" Hinata said. "You're paying a lot of attention to my breasts."

"They need to be handled with care," he responded. He continued to massage them; his thumbs making circular motions on her sensitive nipples. "And I've missed them."

Sasuke left hand traveled to her pussy and began to rub. She bit her lip, refusing to let out a moan. He inserted a finger and she covered her mouth. "I want to hear you, Hinata. Tell me how good it feels." Pumping two fingers in, Sasuke turned her head and kissed her rather lewdly.

He broke away from the kiss and turned her around, kissing his way down her body. Hinata whimpered weakly when he pulled out his fingers. Sasuke tried to pick up her leg over his shoulder and bury his head between her legs but she refused. "Not that. Not today."

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "Do you want something thicker now?" He asked and she shamelessly nodded her head. They walked back to the bedroom where he undressed and grabbed a condom. Sasuke loved his son but they were in no rush to give him a sibling.

Spreading her legs, Sasuke positioned his head teasingly at her entrance. "Do you want me to put it in?"

"Yes," she begged and closed her eyes in anticipation. Sasuke stroke her thighs lovingly. "Tell me you believe me." Hinata opened her eyes in confusion. "Show me the beautiful, confident woman I fell in love with."

At this point, Hinata was desperate to feel pleasure. She would say anything he wanted her to say because she ached for him. "Sasuke," she said bashfully. "I know I'm b-beautiful." Sasuke knew she still didn't believe him so he would show her himself. "I want you…so please…" Hinata stared into his eyes adoringly. "Don't look at other women."

Sasuke paused, struck by her last words. He absolutely loved her; the former cynical playboy had been brought to his knees by Hinata and would never stray. "You are the only one Hinata, there's no one like you." He leaned over her body and kissed her tenderly. Hinata sighed sweetly against him when entered her, loving the way he filled her up.

"It feels so good…ahhh…ngh…" Hinata dug her heels into the bed. "Oh god!" She cried out as he slammed his cock into her.

Taking her legs, he wrapped them around his waist and thrusted upward. Hinata sank her nails into his back, clinging to him desperately. The sensations were so intense with each hit that Hinata found herself crying in ecstasy.

"Sasuke! Ahhhh…ahhh!" Hinata was torn from wanting more and wanting him to stop. She feared they were being too loud but her concern for anyone else in the house disappeared the faster the thrusts became.

He suddenly slowed. "Should I stop?" Sasuke grinned devilishly, enjoying the conflicted look on her face. "I can stop if you want." Yet he rolled his hips and she moaned in response.

"No! Please don't stop…" Hinata whined.

Satisfied with her response, he picked up the pace once more, watching her hips move seductively in return. _She is so beautiful_, he mused. _And all mine!_

Wanting to switch their positions, he made Hinata ride him. While he was in bliss, Hinata looked away still self-conscious of her body. "C-can we…from b-behind?" She got off his lap.

Normally, Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to do so but he hated to see her discomfort with being on top. _It's okay Hinata. If it takes all night, I will show you what I see. _Sasuke kissed her neck gently. "Trust me Hinata… I'll never tire of you." He cooed into her hair, stroking her hips lovingly.

Hinata relaxed into the sheets and tilted her ass into him, taking him in all the way. She focused on the sensations circulating through her body and all the tension seemed to fade away.

"Shit….you're so fucking…tight!" Sasuke marveled at the pleasure of hitting her from behind. He started to drive into her, within moments having her screaming in delight. Deeper and faster he plunged into her moistness; quickly becoming lost in frenzy. Hinata whimpered when he turned her on her side abruptly, still pumping into her.

"Sasuke!" Hinata cried out, her voice shaking. He continued to spear into her hard. "Oh god! Please…I-I can't…" The pleasure was blinding and beyond anything her body had experienced recently. She came first before he did, both shouting each other's name. The only sound afterwards was their heavy breathing and Hinata turned to Sasuke. He stared at her tenderly; without another word, he brought her to his arms.

They kissed over and over again, unable to get enough of each other. After thoroughly showing her many times that night how much his passion for her hadn't waned, the two fell asleep in each other arms.

Neither would've guessed that their arrangement would have turned out like this but now could not imagine life without each other.

The following morning, Neji pulled Sasuke aside and asked them to be quieter. He and Hiashi were working late into the night and heard everything. A mortified Hinata begged him to expedite the move to their new home which everyone was happy to assist in.

* * *

AN: C'mon guys, I wouldn't do that to my OTP. LOL. They deserved a happy ending, right?

Anyways I have an epilogue planned out but I doubt it'll be as long as most chapters. If you have any questions or want to point out any loose ends, I'll try to answer them in the epilogue so don't hesitate to tell me.

Every view, review, follow and fav really motivated me. So from the bottom of my heart, I love you guys. Keep being awesome!


	28. Chapter 28

In celebration of my team winning the Super Bowl, here's the epilogue. I finished it during the game to keep my nerves calm, LOL.

* * *

_Like the beauty of the sun you light my life so I can see_

_You make me laugh and show me how, just how good this life can be_

_And in our moments filled with joy, is where I live, where I am free_

_Lay in my arms, I'll hold you tight, just like you like, continually_

Hinata watched as her son slowly trotted around the sand with his pail and shovel. Satoshi had excitedly scampered around the playground when they first arrived but it seemed like his energy was now dwindling. She looked down at her watch, surprised by how long they had been here, not noticing the figure approaching until he stepped out into the sunlight. Eyes growing wide, she hurried to her son and picked him up.

As Madara headed towards them, Hinata held on to her son tighter. In her hurry, she had left her bag on the bench and knew she had to retrieve it. Unfortunately, Madara stood behind it. The park was filled with people so she didn't think he would try anything so publicly.

He loomed over her as she tried to balance Satoshi on one hip. "Can I hold him?" He asked. Without uttering a word, she shook her head and gathered their things. "Please don't go."

Madara had been persistent with his attempts to talk to Sasuke, even visiting their new home while celebrating Satoshi's 1st birthday. The joyful event quickly turned hostile as Sasuke harshly pulled him away from the festivities. The shouts were heard as Hinata helped Satoshi open his presents. Fugaku left to help him deal with his older brother. Upon seeing her husband rejoin the party, Hinata handed Satoshi to Itachi. She walked up to an agitated Sasuke and rubbed his shoulders comfortingly. "Don't let him ruin this day, okay?" He nodded and accepted a drink from Naruto, who wore a kid's party hat.

"Sasuke wouldn't be happy to know you're here talking to me," Hinata told him. "He's not around so you're wasting your time."

"I know he's not. Its noon on a Wednesday, I would assume he's working," he responded. "Although I was hoping he was around for this. It's been nearly two years since I've talked to my nephew," Madara said pensively.

"That's not my problem." Satoshi lowered his head onto his mother's shoulder, tired from their day at the park. "I need to get going. It's time for his nap."

"He's an Uchiha?" Madara asked. Hinata thinned her lips at the insinuation. While she wasn't privy to every hateful thing he had spewed about her, Hinata knew that Madara questioned her loyalty to Sasuke.

"He's Sasuke's son." She began to walk away but he strolled beside her. Satoshi stared at the man sleepily and Madara tried to look friendly. While he hoped that the child exhibited more of the Uchiha bloodline than the dreadful Hyuuga, Madara knew he couldn't pretend the child didn't exist. He could go years, maybe even a lifetime without talking to insufferable business partners or former friends but his weakness would always be his family. However, this included the woman who obviously didn't enjoy his presence.

Until he was able to make some progress with Hinata, he could not move forward with his nephew. Sasuke had clearly taken all his remarks about her to heart and easily forsake him in favor of his wife. The Uchiha 'curse' was evidently still alive.

"His PR Company is doing well," he said.

Hinata opened the trunk of her car and put Satoshi's toys inside. "It is," she replied, closing it with firmly. She opened the back door to place her son in his seat, securing him in place. He could see that she was trying to end the conversation but he wasn't going to let her. Madara had swallowed enough of pride and didn't know when he'd be capable of doing it again if she spurned him.

"But it's be doing better if he merged it under a division of Sharingan," he offered. "We could provide more clientele and-"

"Any business decisions he makes are not up to me," Hinata interrupted. "Tsukuyomi was his own creation and I just support him." Having experience with sales pitches and business mergers, Sasuke had expanded Naruto's business through his public relations and marketing skills. He found his niche and liked venturing out on his own.

Madara shook his head at her humility. "But he places your opinions above everyone else. If you can just mention to him that together can grow it into a force to reckon with, then perhaps-"

"I said no. If you so desperately want to work with him, schedule an appointment with his secretary." Hinata tried to maneuver around him but he stood brazenly in front of the driver's door. If it wasn't for the fact that her son was sleeping in the back of the car, Hinata would've yelled in frustration.

"I see. Well can I at least interest you to an invitation to my home for dinner? I'd love to catch up," he said casually. "Or perhaps we can expect you later this year at the reunion? You two haven't attended other than that first time and everyone is dying to meet Satoshi."

She sighed and furrowed her brows. "We thought we weren't welcomed."

"Please understand where my anger was coming from. Being used that way not only humiliated me, it wounded me deeply because it was my own family that played me like a fool," he admitted. "I don't hate you. I'm not fond of you right now but you are still an Uchiha, whether I like it or not. And I'd like to mend our bond."

"Even if I'm a Hyuuga who married an Uchiha under deceptive circumstances?" she quietly challenged. "Can you set that aside whenever you see me or my son?"

"If you can make peace with Mikoto with all that history between you two, then I don't see why we can't." Shifting her eyes to the side, Madara knew he had gotten through to her, at least partially. "Please. I'm sorry for saying so much in the heat of the moment. I can forgive everything, including the debt Byakugan owes me. For the sake of family, let's call a truce."

"The debt will be payed either way. We won't allow that to be held over our heads like we're below you." Her eyes hardened at the shameless attempt to sway her. It might've been the Hyuuga in her but her pride would not allow her to be belittled in any way.

While there was some sincerity in his words, Hinata knew he wanted them to return under his watchful eyes like everyone else. Madara would consider it a personal victory for him if they were to join the rest of the Uchiha but she knew that it would make Sasuke's parents happy as well. Even if Mikoto and Fugaku had officially divorced, she would still be considered an Uchiha.

"However, I will discuss the Uchiha reunion with Sasuke. But I'm not making any promises," she emphasized. "What we decide will depend on where _we_ want to stand with the rest of you and only keep our best interests in mind." He stepped aside and smiled at her which she didn't return.

To say that Sasuke was upset was an understatement. His eyes blazed with fury and Hinata was glad their son was in his playroom. Sasuke was usually careful with his language while his son was nearby but he was now spewing vulgar terms to describe his uncle.

"What will it take for that shithead to understand that I'm not going back?"

"You don't have to but should we still be isolated from everyone else?" He gratefully accepted the shoulder massage she was giving. "I mean, Shisui constantly asks Itachi why we've kept our son so secretive, away from your side of the family. People are starting to talk and-"

"Let them talk."

"Sasuke, I don't want Satoshi to be associated with something scandalous because of baseless rumors. He already doesn't look like your family all and I don't want people to hate him."

"Fuck them. He's my son and an Uchiha." He turned around and kissed her. "But if this is something you really want to do, I have no other option but to agree. Honestly, this was also to protect you. Since you think it won't be the worst thing to go this year, then we'll do it."

She brightened up and hugged him, causing him to chuckle. "If I hear one word about you or Satoshi, I'm going to commit a massacre. You're laughing but no one messes with my mini me or my hussy." He smirked at the memory of their first time at the reunion.

Hinata pouted and removed herself from his embrace. "Hmph, well this hussy won't be giving you any pu-"

He raised an eyebrow and picked her up, carrying her over his shoulder. Sasuke shut their bedroom room, not wanting a replay of the time Satoshi walked in on them. He assured her that he wouldn't understand but Hinata had scolded him and wouldn't have sex with him for a month afterwards.

Much to their surprise, they were greeted warmly by nearly everyone.

"Fugaku keeps trotting him like he's some sort of trophy." They watched as the proud grandfather walked with Satoshi on his shoulders much to the toddler's amusement.

"Let him be," she said. He embraced her from behind with her head resting against his shoulder. "They both look happy."

"Between the two of us, I think Satoshi likes Itachi more," Sasuke said. "He's also his favorite uncle."

"Don't say that!" she chided. "That's really mean."

Sasuke shrugged. While his son didn't exactly dislike Neji, his eyes always lit up when Itachi came. While his brother could be incredibly standoffish with most people, he completely melted when it came to his nephew. Neji still had an air of stuffiness that caused him to be awkward with the toddler.

"Sasuke, Hinata! How are you?" Madara said, approaching the weary couple. He looked around. "Where's Satoshi?"

"With Fugaku," Sasuke replied. "If you'll excuse us, we're going to get something to eat."

For the most part they managed to avoid Madara, although he was able to pull Sasuke aside as Hinata was conversing with Mikoto and other ladies. Wanting this to be over with, Sasuke didn't put up a fight. Both men walked around the grounds as children ran around.

"Have you put any thought into my offer?" Madara asked. "I'm proud that you were able to make it this far on your own but you have to admit that you can only grow so much by yourself."

"I'm not coming back to Sharingan. It's not only about Hinata and everything you've said. I finally found something that is mine." He nodded as some people waved. "Yeah, I only got my first couple jobs because of who I am but I've grown my contacts based on my abilities, work ethic and knowledge. If it never grows to be a titan like Sharingan, then oh well. Tsukuyomi is my creation and I'd like to keep it for myself."

Proud of Sasuke's tenacity and resolve, Madara gave up his attempts to put him under his wing. He had exceeded everyone's expectations and did what most people including himself wouldn't dare. With Sasuke's blessings, he held one of the newest additions to his clan for the first time. Although his eyes weren't like everyone else's, Satoshi was considered an Uchiha just like Hinata.

.

.

Whereas Satoshi adored Itachi, the twins clung close to Neji. While their other uncle would say that it was because Neji had finally removed the stick out of his ass, not even Sasuke could deny he had a way with the two boys. Whenever he or Hinata weren't around, they would cause significant trouble for everyone else. Takashi and Seiji had a glint of mischief in their dark eyes, which was in large part to their godfather and having Suigetsu babysit as a last option, but it would fade into admiration whenever Neji was around. With one look, they would behave and act like angels.

Although most of their relatives had a hard time differentiating between the two boys, Neji could easily figure out who was who. The fact that Neji's father was a twin himself also factored in Sasuke's beliefs about his aptness. To test him out, Sasuke switched their clothing and waited patiently. Neji rolled his eyes and grabbed Seiji who Hinata needed at the moment. He looked back with a smirk and Takashi giggled at the scowl on his father's face. "You look like grandpa!"

Sasuke shuddered and grabbed the three year old. "How about we get you dressed, okay buddy?" He struggled to put the small tuxedo on Takashi. "C'mon, be a good boy and do this for me."

"No! I don't like it!" the toddler complained. "It's itchy!"

Placing him on the bed, Sasuke put his hands on his hips, mimicked by his son. "Do this for mama. Don't you want her to be happy?"

He pouted knowing he couldn't disappoint his precious mama. Sasuke took the opening to finish putting the outfit on him. Takashi hopped down and stormed away to play with Satoshi who was more excited than anyone else.

Chuckling, Sasuke took out his own suit and got ready for his vow renewal. He had gotten the idea while helping with Ino and Naruto's wedding nearly two years ago. The event was a lavish affair, more so than his own wedding seeing as the bride was one of the best planners out there. Four year old Satoshi was the ring bearer while Sasuke stood in as the best man and Hinata the maid of honor.

Ino might've been the bride but Sasuke couldn't stop staring at his wife. Her hair was in a loose up- do and the green Grecian style dress made her look like a goddess. She had given birth a year earlier but carried herself with more confidence this time around. Perhaps it was because she had given birth to twins. Neji offered to babysit the two with Tenten, providing Hinata and Sasuke the ability to focus on their friends' special day.

When they returned from the festivities which went late into the night, Sasuke mentioned his idea. "We can do a vow renewal. You know something small, just the two of us and the kids."

"We don't have to," she said. "I actually liked our wedding and we don't have to prove anything. It was special enough."

Letting the matter lie for a while, he decided a surprise would be better. "You know, you didn't exactly say no to a renewal," he said slyly one day.

"I didn't say yes either," Hinata replied as she wiped Takashi's mouth.

He gave her an innocent look. "That's too bad because I kind of already planned one."

"You didn't…"

"All by myself, aren't you proud?" Sasuke smirked.

Unfortunately, an excited Satoshi had spilled the beans to his aunt about it. The intimate affair became known and Hinata was guilt into making it a family affair. A simple thing had been turned into a headache, thanks to his sister- in- law, which stretched into months long planning as he had Tsukuyomi business to attend to and everyone had conflicting schedules. Hanabi and Sasuke mostly clashed over décor; in the end the only difference was having the event at her mother's garden.

Hinata reused her bridesmaid dress, due to another pregnancy, and wore a crown of flowers. Before walking her down the aisle once more, Hiashi asked her if she was sure. "I have the driver on standby. I can give the signal and Tenten will cause a distraction. Neji will pick up the twins and Hanabi is ready to grab Satoshi. They know to meet us at the rendezvous point," he joked.

Hinata laughed before looking out at the small crowd, lingering on Sasuke and her children. He was carrying a fussy Seiji who reached out for his mother. Proud of his 'surprise,' Satoshi smiled widely beside him while Takashi stomped unhappily towards her. "Mommy I'm sleepy and I don't want to wear this." Itachi ran down and picked him up, amid the laughter of everyone else.

"I'm sure." She looked at her father. "I'm doing this for love, remember?"

Hiashi smiled warmly and offered his elbow. "Then let's not keep them waiting." This time his heart didn't clench as he gave her away. He sat down, next to Hanabi, Neji, and Tenten who was farther along in her pregnancy than she.

As they ate the meal Naruto presented as his gift, Hinata stared at the gathering of their loved ones. Mikoto looked happier as she talked with Tenten and Ino. Their twin boys ate civilly under Neji's watch, and Hanabi rocked Naruto's newborn daughter to sleep. Her father didn't seem particularly annoyed talking to the Uchiha men. Hinata and Sasuke had found out the sex of the baby a few days ago and nearly cried thinking about the moment her father would find out that his first granddaughter was on the way.

Blinking away any tears she tilted her head as Satoshi jogged towards her carrying a large box. Sasuke ran over to help him.

"Mom! Look what_ I_ bought for you!" he exclaimed. Sasuke frowned at his oldest son, who was eager to take full credit for the gift. "It's a picture of all of us," he added, not giving Hinata time to remove all the wrapping.

The large frame held pictures of all their children on the day of their births. There was one empty slot for the still to be born baby. In the middle was a picture her and Sasuke on their wedding day. "Do you like it?!" Satoshi asked. His hands clapped together in anticipation.

"I love it," she said kissing his cheek. Sasuke motioned for him to go play with Naruto and took the seat beside her. "I love you, Sasuke. I love you so much and I'm so lucky to have you."

"Yeah you are," he teased. "But I'm luckier. Thank you for agreeing to this crazy plan and staying by my side." He intertwined their hands together and brought them to his lips, kissing them. "You mean the world to me and I'll never stop being in awe of you. Hinata thank you for giving me so much."

Hinata smiled knowing that they had overcome incredible odds in order to get here; having grown as individuals and a couple. The two stared at the people who came together to celebrate their love. _We're both lucky_, they both thought.

_There's something in your smile that gives me strength to carry on_

_And there something in your words that lingers even when you're gone_

_Oh I've dreamt, that a time like this would come, fulfill my life_

_Who could've known the one who'd bring it here would be my lovely wife_

* * *

AN: It's finished!

While "Last Kiss" inspired this story, I've constantly had "Overwhelmed" by Tim McMorris on repeat while trying to add some details so you could say this is their song.

I'm grateful to everyone who has taken the time to read or provide feedback. S/O to Kibachow, though for all the constant feedback :) This was for my own amusement but fueled by you guys. Thanks. Stay awesome as always.


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Naruto, Hurt-Comfort, Romance