Author's Note: I'd really like to thank you all for the amazing, albeit unexpected, support! I've written fics before. But none as well received as this so early on. Thank you and enjoy! One review asked me not to abandon this story... And honestly, I don't want to abandon it either.

Hinata got off the bus and gripped her satchel tightly. Konoha. Home sweet home. Everything looked virtually the same, if you discount the buildings with red "x's" on them. They looked run down and beat up. Those buildings were once storefronts and other businesses her father owned. Now they're nothing more than a collection of eye sores.

What... What has he done?

A look of determination fell across her face and she set herself out on a mission. She was going to Hyuga Manors. Everything else around her seemed to just blur into a simple being as she rushed through the streets. She was sure she had bumped into someone along the way, but at that moment she didn't care. Everything was coming back to her. The places she used the play. The person she was and longed to be again.

Hinata found herself in front of her old home. All her resolve melted away when she saw the front porch she used to sit on for hours. She hesitantly turned around to see the view of Central Park. Dead grass, tree stumps, mangled park. This isn't how things were supposed to be.

"Quite the view," Her body went rigid, "Wouldn't you say cousin?" But she quickly turned to face her cousin, Neji. They had grown up together for the most part, but she always sensed a certain resentment from him. He stood before her with his long black hair in a low ponytail. He wore a grey suit that he seemed almost too comfortable in. His clear eyes were burrowing deep into hers.

"Neji... I... You."

"Still can't talk a full sentence? One would think you would've outgrown that," Hinata opened her mouth to speak again but he raised a hand in a swift motion to silence her, "Not a word until you come inside." He turned on his heel and walked back into the large home.

As soon as they got inside Hinata approached him and swung a hand to slap him. Neji grabbed it easily; shaking his head in disappointment. "Please. Use your words." Hinata snarled and him and snatched her arm away.

"Do you see what you've done? What you've done to Konoha... Me... Hanabi?"

Neji slowly lowered his head. Hinata blinked at him in confusion until she heard a slight chuckle that fell into laughter. "Cousin, I don't care about Konoha, you, or Hanabi. God rest her soul. I care about the standing of the Hyuga family. Konoha is now a mere speck in the grander scheme of things. Don't tell me you came all the way back here to tell me that." Neji took a step towards her and Hinata took two back. "You had your chance to live here! And you ran away! Now you expect to just come back and it'll all be fine? Get real."

"You don't know what you're talking about! It's not my fault! We had to leave! You practically ran us out! "

Ten years ago...

"Dead? No. You're lying," Hinata tried to deny it. She was smart girl though and reality was something that weighed heavy on her shoulders. No matter how much she wanted to be delusional, her mind kept her on track. Hera pulled her into a tight hug, almost cutting off her air supply. However, she didn't resist Hera's affection.

"I will be your guardian from now on and-"

Hinata cut her off in confusion, "How is that? I... I mean you're a nanny." Hera gave faint smile and reached into her purse. Out she pulled a twenty-four karat diamond ring. Hinata backed away from her, but Hera kept trying to pull her back. "Oh please don't be upset! We were in love! It's only right for two people who love each other to be together." Hinata's bottom lip began to quiver as the tears ran freely down her, now red, face.

"No... No... No... No," she muttered over and over again under her breath. This was simply too much.

"I'm your mother now. Not much will change. I promise! I've always wanted to be a mom, ya know? Look at me darling. It'll all be fine. I mean we're filthy stinking rich!" She reached out to Hinata again but this time Hinata pushed her away harshly. Hera looked hurt, but shook it off.

"I know you're grieving. So I forgive you."

Hinata bit her lip then yelled, "I bet you killed him! I bet you killed my father for money!" She instantly regretted her outburst.

Hera looked at Hinata in disbelief and what looked to be tears in her eyes. Hera took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She bit her lip to stop it from shaking. "For whatever reason. I fell in love with your father. And for whatever reason I've come to think of you girls as my own. I.. I know I'm young. But I refuse to leave you girls alone. I don't know much about business. So this will be hard... But please don't doubt my love."

Hinata stared at her feet. She wouldn't dare look back up at her new stepmother. "That's why I was so happy when," she cleared her throat and wiped her eyes as she started to compose herself, "Your uncle reached out to me."

Hizashi, Hinata's uncle, came around the corner as if on cue. He hastily swooped her up into a large bear hug. "My poor niece. We all grieve today. My brother was a good man." Hera walked over and stood beside him. He finally put Hinata down and placed a hand on her shoulder.

For a second she felt a sense of relief. Hizashi, although nothing like her father personality wise, looked exactly like him. They were twins. It felt good to see his face, even if it wasn't actually his. Hinata gasped as she heard the sound of tiny feet running towards them.

Hanabi.

"Father! Father!"

Hizashi turned around and frowned at the young girl. She still wasn't able to tell them apart. And he barely visited, so it was no surprise that she thought he was her dad. He picked her up and looked her in her eyes. "Hanabi, I'm not your father. It's me, Uncle Hizashi." Hanabi's expression only faltered a bit. She went right back to smiling wide because she was also happy to see him.

Hizashi turned to face Hinata and Hera. "I will talk to her in her room." He began walking away with Hanabi going on and on about what happened in school that day. Hera gave Hinata a quick glance before leaving the room and heading to the kitchen. Alone, Hinata could only stare at the obnoxious family portrait above the fireplace.

As she slept that night, she was haunted by the faces of her mother and father.

Months had passed since her father's tragic dead. They told her and Hanabi that he had a heart attack. Most likely do to stress at work. Hizashi had taken over the role as the male in the home. He brought his son, Neji, along as well. He seemed to have a certain evil around him. So they all steered clear of him as often as possible. Hera couldn't tell a pie chart from a bar graph, so Hizashi also took over his late brother's businesses.

He had refurbished one of the rooms in their home to become his new office. That way he could help with the children and do his work simultaneously. He had only one rule. Do not disturb him during his phone calls. And for the most part they all abided by this rule. That was until Hanabi toppled over outside one day while she played.

Hera ran to her side and picked her up. She thought that maybe she tripped over something. But that wasn't the case. Hanabi had blood coming her mouth. "What's… why are you… your medicine!" Hera remembered that Hanabi hadn't taken her pills that day. She lifted her up and took her into the house. She laid her on the sofa and began frantically searching the home for her medicine. She found one bottle but it was empty. She did the only thing she could think of next. She ran into Hizashi office and tried to explain to him what was happening.

Slap.

Hera fell to the floor holding her jaw. "Hizashi…"

"Didn't I say not to interrupt me?"

Hera stood up; trying to find her equilibrium. "Hanabi is… she's coughing up blood. I… I just wanted your help… I…" Hizashi brushed pass her swiftly and rushed out to his niece. He called an ambulance and got everything taken care of.

Hera was terrified of him from that day on.

…

One day Hizashi came home and said he had Hera sign the papers and he was officially the owner of Hyuga Corp. "What does that mean Uncle," Hanabi asked while playing with one of her dolls. Hizashi had gathered them all into the living room. Neji stood by his side; imitating his prestiged posture.

"That, my dear means," His sweet tone faded away into a more mocking one, "I've won. I've finally got what I deserve." Hanabi raised her hand as if she was at school.

"What'd you win?" Neji made his way over to Hanabi and snatched her doll from her hand. He proceeded to pop the head off and throw it back at her. Hinata got up to yell at him but Neji simply pushed her back down without a word.

"Everything." And just like that her world changed.

Hizashi, her sweet caring uncle, took over the company. He stopped giving Hinata money to get Hanabi's medicine. Hera was too scared to say a word. It was as if Hizashi owned her too. Hanabi became sicker and sicker. And with each passing day Hinata became more desperate.

Hinata walked out of school in a hurry with her bag on one shoulder. She had to hurry and get back home to check on Hanabi. "Oi, Hinata!" It was Naruto. He had been trying to talk to Hinata for weeks but she slowly stopped talking to him. "I just wanted to see how you're doing," he almost tripped trying to keep up with her fast pace.

Hinata suddenly stopped walking and turned to face him. "Naruto, I... Appreciate your concern. But right now...if you can't help me I can't focus on you."

Naruto took a step towards her and grabbed her hand. "Hinata. I've... Lost my parents too. I know how it feels to feel alone. But maybe we could... I don't know... Help each other out," he rubbed the back of his head nervously. Hinata's eyes began to water up and she snatched her hand away from him.

"I can't. I'm sorry Naruto!"

I don't deserve this kind of happiness while my sister is clinging on to her life. I need to focus on her.

Hinata bust through the the front door and high tailed it up stairs to Hanabi's room. She sat by the bed and threw her bag down. "How are you?" Hanabi coughed harshly but gave a weak smile after.

"I'm just bored," Hanabi said between breaths. Hinata frowned and leaned over to hug her. Hanabi winced and Hinata quickly pulled away.

"It hurts to hug now?"

"No, it's okay," Hanabi tried to smile again. Hinata stared at her for a second before pulling her blankets off and lifting her shirt. There were tiny bruises all over her body. Hinata shook her head in utter disbelief. Those weren't from being ill. Those were... From being hit?

"Hanabi? What's," Hinata blinked rapidly to stop her tears, "Who did this?" She asked even though she already knew the answer. Without giving her sister time to respond Hinata ran frantically through the house looking for her cousin. He wasn't in his room so she went to the back yard.

There he was practicing his fighting skills. He was apparently in some sort of karate class, that made him think he was invincible. Hinata patted his shoulder and when he turned around she punched him square in the nose. It hurt her hand really bad, but it still felt good. Neji barely reacted to it. He only smirked at her and slid into his fighting stance. The last thing Hinata saw was his fist flying towards her.

She woke up in her bed with her eye swollen shut. That's it, she thought. I... We... Have to go.

That night Hinata packed her bags quietly. She snuck over to Hanabi's room and shook her awake. She put her finger over her lips, "Shhh. We have to be quiet. We're... We're leaving tonight."

Present time...

Neji approached her and poked her forehead. "Oh dear cousin," Hinata made a face; warning him not to do that again, "Seems like you've gotten some balls living out there on the street. Remember how I used to play tricks on you?" He spoke as if they were fond memories. "You actually cried more than your sister. Man was she a tough girl. Honestly, she had way more potential than you. Too bad, she's in a better place now. I guarantee it."

In all those years she spent alone. She learned how to defend herself. She learned how to fight. After what happened to her though... Thoughts of Oro touching her invaded her mind. It's almost as if she's reverted back into her introverted past. Hinata closed her eyes tight and shook her head. I don't know what I thought I could get done by coming here so suddenly. No... No... He won't win.

"Neji. I'll be back, and next time I'm getting my father's company back as well!"

"Trust me! You don't want it... There are many things you don't know about the Hyuga. My father simply protected you from your father's true nature."

"And you trust me. You don't know anything about me anymore," and with that she left. She was off to find a place to stay for the time being.

Author's Note: Honestly. I'm not too happy with this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it though!