The Torture of Silence

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the lyrics.

AN: Well...I finally wrote another chapter! Don't hurt me...much. :D Enjoy! This chapter is for everyone who's stuck with this story!

Suicide Note by Johnette Napolitano

I did not understand

The sound of you falling

I did not understand

As the trembling heart of a man

Did not understand

The sound of a trembling heart

Hinata walked out the front doors at dusk. So many people had tried to stop her, but she didn't listen to any of it. Not after what Sasuke had said to her. What they had done. That kiss had been completely unexpected. She hadn't felt alive in months and that one gentle kiss had changed everything. She wasn't sure about leaving anymore.

She put a hand on her stomach, where her pregnancy wasn't yet visible, but she knew. She would have a baby in about seven months. That wasn't that far off, not when she had no where to go, no way to earn money, no help whatsoever. Her father wouldn't help her unless she went to treatment. She didn't...she did...

She looked back at the hospital. She looked at the wing that was Chidori. Could she really leave? The hardest part would be taking the first step. She just had to take it. She looked left, she looked right, took a deep breath. She took that first step.

:-:-:-:

Sasuke walked back to his office, hands in his pockets, head downcast. He'd gone to group therapy after his conversation with Hinata. Everyone had been dancing around the issue and it drove Sasuke a little insane. He'd had to get up in the middle of the meeting to go stick his head outside in the snow to cool down. No one had protested or even commented.

He leaned against the closed door, covering his face with his hands. He jumped when someone cleared their throat.

"She just left," Kakashi said. He was leaning against Sasuke's desk. "Thought you'd like to know."

Sasuke pulled himself together, trying to look a little angry and indifferent. He walked around his desk, going to the cabinet were he kept his shot glass and his alcohol. "Hn."

"No drinking on the job."

"You're not my father," Sasuke shot at Kakashi.

"I tried, Sasuke. I tried."

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, leaning over his desk, trying to fall apart as he listened to Kakashi's slow footsteps out of his office. He hated failing someone. He'd failed three people today: Hinata, Kakashi, and himself.

Hours passed and Sasuke sat in his office working on meaningless paperwork to distract himself. He didn't want to think.

Sakura knocked on the door at around nine and entered without waiting for permission.

"Sasu-kun, are you okay?"

"I'm just fucking great. Get out of here. I'm working." Sasuke didn't look up from his papers.

Sakura tentatively took a few steps forward, balancing on her high heels. She walked around the desk. "Please...don't shut me out. I'm here for you, Sasuke." She took his hand and pressed it to her face. "Please look at me."

Sasuke reluctantly looked at her. "I'm looking."

Sakura smiles a little. "I want to be the only person you need, Sasuke. I've always been here for you. I'm here for you now."

Sasuke pulled his hand back. "We will never be together."

"Why not? I've stayed here! I've done everything! Why won't you give us a chance? Please, Sasuke, I'll do whatever you want!" Sakura was desperate, trying anything and everything. "I love-"

"You don't know. Please," Sasuke said calmly, looking at her seriously. "You're in love with who you think I am. Stop this before it goes too far."

Sakura leaned in to kiss Sasuke but he caught her. "Stop, Sakura. I could never give you what you want, what you deserve."

She whimpered and left the room. Right outside the doors, she broke into tears. Five years had built up to that moment and he had dropped her cold. She knew he wouldn't be rethinking it. He never gave things a second thought. He made his decisions with a recklessness usually reserved for children or someone so convinced that they were right. Half the time he knew he was wrong, but that wouldn't stop him. He was certain, convinced of his truth. He was truly dedicated. He was safe.

It was no wonder Sakura had fallen for him. She had simply never thought of the fall awaiting her. She'd never thought that he'd tell her no.

:-:-:-:

Itachi looked out the window, measuring the time. It was dark enough. It was late enough. He silently snuck out of his room, past the guards who were already asleep. The whole 'locked' door thing didn't apply to him.

Itachi just had to see Sasuke again. One last time and then it would be done. Or rather, Itachi wouldn't be leaving until it was done.

He smirked, easily evading the night nurse as he walked towards Sasuke's office. He fingered the blade he'd smuggled in. Yes, tonight would be the deciding factor. After tonight, there would be one Uchiha brother left to carry on the family name.

Itachi knew he'd gone crazy somewhere along the way. It wasn't that big of a problem. He had no remorse now. He felt no guilt. He felt nothing at all, which would make all of this so much easier

:-:-:-:

"Don't bother me," Sasuke said when someone knocked on the door at around midnight. "I'm busy."

He assumed it was Tsunade, lecturing him again about how he'd failed to keep control of his patients. Maybe it was Kakashi, back to actually fight him. It could just be Sakura, tearfully begging for another chance.

His black and red eyes darted up when the door was opened. There stood Hinata, a fine dusting of snow on her jacket and hair. She shyly looked up at him, then back down at the ground.

"H-Hello, Sasuke."

"Hinata? You're back...?" Sasuke was partway out of his seat, dying to go over to her, but his feet still frozen to the ground.

"I thought I-I could l-leave, but..." Hinata trailed off. She put her bag on the ground. "I d-don't think I am ready. Yet."

"Are you..." Sasuke was torn. What did he ask first? He should be the proper psychiatrist first. "Why do you think you weren't ready to leave?"

"Because I...need h-help. I need y-you." She blushed when saying that. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly.

Sasuke forced himself to move, holding out his arms. "Give me your coat. You look cold."

She did as she was told and took her usual seat right across from Sasuke's desk. Sasuke hung up her jacket and didn't return back behind his desk. He wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, then leaned against the front of his desk. Hinata was still not looking him in the eye.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Hinata seemed to mull that over, then shook her head. "I realized I was w-wrong when I got outside. I couldn't l-leave. Not yet."

"Why?"

"I n-need help. Like I said before." Hinata tugged on the hem of her shirt.

"Help with what?"

She finally met his eyes. "With everything."

A breakthrough. A huge, monumental breakthrough. This was her admitting that she had a problem. This meant he could help her and work through it. He could help fix her. And then she would be gone forever.

There was a knock on the doorframe and both patient and doctor looked up the intruder. There was a tall man standing there, a silver knife in his hand. Sasuke instantly recognized his brother. By Hinata's gasp, Sasuke got the confirmation that this was also the man who'd raped her. He pushed her behind him, towards the desk.

"Itachi, what are you doing here?"

"I missed you, little brother," Itachi replied with a sick grin.

"You're supposed to be locked up." Sasuke surreptitiously searched for a weapon of some sort. Of course there was nothing handy.

"I don't like to be behind bars. I don't like cages. But you know this, don't you, Sasuke? You're just like me, little brother."

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm nothing like you, big brother. Put down the knife. I can help you."

Itachi laughed hysterically. "It's too late, little brother. You're too late."

Sasuke's heart skipped a few beats. "You don't know what you're talking about. Just put down the knife. Things haven't gone too far. I can still help you."

Itachi thankfully put down the knife. "I wish it was that simple. It's not anymore. I'm in too deep."

"You're not. Itachi, stop talking like this." Sasuke felt tense, ready for a fight. He could hear Hinata's breath in the near silence.

"I'm doing this for both of us, Sasuke." Itachi attempted a smile, a sad, tortured smile. He pulled out a gun, one that his guards had to carry.

"You don't have to do this!"

Itachi shook his head, lifting the gun slowly. "I'm sorry, little brother."

There was a gun shot and Hinata screamed.