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!