The Hyuga Clan is not all that they seem. Their stoic and regal façade hides a web of lies woven by master manipulators to disguise dark secrets. Escaping the gilded cage of their machinations requires Hinata to find her inner strength and a little help from one of the most misunderstood, underestimated, unpredictable ninja Konoha has ever seen.

Naruto is desperate for a friend who is willing to look underneath the underneath, and see him for who he can be, not what he is accused of being. Together the two friends fight against their fates, striving for the restoration of a broken Clan and a corrupt Shinobi system.

The wrongs of history have tainted the Will of Fire with a hatred that has caused Kami to turn her back on the earth. Can the legacy of the Three Scions, who used the sacred dōjutsu to spread justice throughout the world, find worthy inheritors to redeem mankind? Can three broken children overcome their pain to become something bigger than themselves?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

CHAPTER 1

Hyuga Hitomi dried her face with the soft towel and appraised herself in the mirror. The cold water had calmed some of the blotchy redness, but the puffiness around her eyes was still quite noticeable. It was still easy to see that she spent the night crying into her pillow over the loss of her only friend. Throwing the damp towel down next to the unhelpful bowl of water, she took a deep breath in an attempt to thwart the still threatening tears and angry thoughts that swam through her mind. How could Kami be so cruel?

Slowly pulling her long cloak over her rich kimono, Hitomi bent to pick up the small bundle of neatly folded blankets full of soft colors. They were intended to be a congratulatory gift for a new mother, meticulously hand knit with love for the much anticipated birth of a firstborn child. Now, she sighed painfully, they seem so pathetic. Even the warmest blanket wrapped tightly around a babe could never replace the embrace of a mother. The light hearted gift sat heavily in her arms, a burden to carry now that grief had tainted the joyous event.

Hitomi stepped into her geta and began her familiar walk to the Branch House side of the Hyuga compound. She glowered inwardly at the irony of the drizzling gray sky. So cliché. Kami did seem to have the cruelest sense of humor. However, bright sunshine and chirping birds would seem nigh on sacrilege in the face of the grief that filled her heart.

After trudging slowly up the wide wooden stairs, Hitomi hesitantly knocked on the door. As much as she wanted to be here, she wished she could run away and hide from the reality of this house. The missing presence of her friend permeated the very atmosphere of the normally welcoming entrance. The door slid open to reveal a tired looking woman Hitomi recognized as a wet nurse from the Branch House. She straightened instantly and bowed while smoothly sliding out of the way when she saw Hitomi.

"Honorable Wife, please come in from the rain! Hizashi-san is, um, well..." Hitomi quickly held up a small hand to shush the babbling woman.

"It's fine, Hiro-san. I'm just here to see the b-baby." She pulled the delicate blankets out from under her cloak as though trying to justify her visit at this time of deep mourning, and the woman nodded in understanding. She hung up her wet cloak as Hitomi removed her shoes, and motioned for her to follow down the dimly lit hallway.

Hitomi suppressed a shiver as she padded softly across the wooden floor behind the maid. The chill of the day seeped up through the hard planks and she mused that perhaps the blankets will be more purposeful than novelty after all. They pass Haya's room and Hitomi's gut clenches as a memory of the two of them giggling together when she had revealed she was with child washed over her. Now the doors were shut tightly, and had the maid not hinted at his presence earlier, Hitomi would not have known Hizashi was even there.

She paused and placed her hand on the panel of the door, the suffocating aura of grief was nearly palpable through the walls, as if all life had been sucked out of the home with Haya's death. A high pitched mewl cut through the thick silence as though in indignant denial of her appraisal. Hitomi's head snapped up and she unconsciously gripped the blankets tighter.

"Oh that child," the wet nurse huffed without malice. "I cannot seem to satisfy him! The instant I lay him down—" her complaint was cut off when the cries intensified and Hitomi found herself briskly brushing past the maid into the nursery and leaning over the small crib. Without hesitation she scooped up the baby and her world slowed down as startled pale eyes blinked up her.

"Neji," she whispered in awe, instinctively bouncing on the balls of her feet as she situatuated the red faced infant in her arms. The baby hiccuped and sniffled but settled quickly in her embrace.

The wet nurse watched, a sad smile on her face. "He's well fed and I just changed him before you arrived. I think he just needs to be rocked a bit more," she suggested softly.

Hitomi didn't even look up as she nodded. "Leave him to me. Go rest yourself. I'll fetch you if we need you." The maid bowed and silently shuffled off to her futon, grateful for the respite.

Hitomi bent to pick up a blanket from where she tossed the bundle of them unceremoniously onto the rocking chair beside the crib. She adjusted the baby upright, so his cheek rested upon her heart, and hers atop his head. Inhaling his sweet scent, a unique smell all babies seemed to possess, her eyes drifted closed, musing that perhaps it was the odor of innocence itself. The empathy and love that instantly overwhelmed her poured out into the tears that plopped onto his soft blanket. Neji's cries died away but hers were still caught in her throat, as she swayed side to side in cadence with her heartbeat. But the comfort of his warm little body relaxing on her chest was the strongest medicine for the fresh wounds in her soul.

Hitomi wanted to tell him how amazing his mama was. How excited she had been to meet him. How much Hitomi admired Haya's strength and intelligence. She had always been everything Hitomi was not, and the Honorable Wife had admired her from the moment they first met. Their bond had never been tainted by jealousy, for Haya had exuded a warmth that made it impossible for Hitomi to feel anything but camaraderie towards her only friend.

The two girls had each been chosen to be married to the twin sons of the Clan Head. Neither of them were shinobi, had never activated their Byakugan, never been trained to wield anything more deadly than cutlery knives. They were nothing more than breeding stock of elite rank. Hitomi was considered to be the more desirable match due to her lineage being more closely tied to the Main House, and as such was given to Hiashi, the older son, and heir of the esteemed Hyuga Clan. But she had always thought the Elders had been mistaken, for it was Haya who seemed the true pillar of strength. While Hitomi has suffered within her marriage, terrified of the cold Hiashi and unable to even speak without stuttering in his presence, it was clear that Hizashi had quickly fallen for his new bride. As time had passed and Hitomi had not produced an heir, she began to fear being branded with the Caged Bird Seal and set aside. If it wasn't for Haya's faithful companionship, she was sure she would've thrown herself into the river by now. The woman was a saint. She should've been a mother. And now she was simply...gone.

Allowing her heart to remember the brighter moments with her dearest friend, Hitomi held her nephew close, drawing her first bits of comfort from his warm weight in her arms since hearing yesterday of Haya's death.

"I promise you Neji, you won't ever be alone," she whispered into his downy hair, and began softly humming a lullaby while rocking him in her arms.

She was unaware of his presence, until his sharp gasp had her spinning on her heels, clutching the babe protectively. Her body froze as she locked eyes with Hizashi from where he loomed in the doorway. The look of disappointed pain that crossed his face when he recognized her squeezed her heart like a vice.

"I heard singing...and I thought...for a moment...that it was all a dream...that she was still..." the words strangled in his throat, and he swallowed hard. Not daring to even breathe Hitomi remained still as he slowly moved towards her, hand hesitantly outstretched. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the tentative fear in his expression as he gently laid trembling fingers on the baby's head.

"Is he-is he alright?" Hizashi murmured, his eyes focused on Neji's peaceful face as Hitomi carefully shifted the sleeping baby so that the waning light of the evening revealed his features. She marveled at the striking resemblance between father and son. The genes of the Main House were as dominant as their spirit, between generations as well as between siblings. While Hizashi and Hiashi were perfectly identical, she had always been perplexed as to how they were still so different. The scowl on her husband's face seemed to only be occasionally exchanged for an even more arrogant expression. On the other hand the look of utter tenderness and fear on those same features now in front of her was alien and intriguing.

"Do you want to hold him, Hizashi-san?" Hitomi asked quietly. Silver eyes flicked to hers as if just remembering she was there and his hand tensed.

"I haven't yet, um...well, ever held such a small child," he mumbled. With a gentle smile of encouragement Hitomi gestured with her head to the rocking chair. After a few awkward moments of shifting blankets, she looked on with satisfaction as Hizashi settled his son in his arms. The child hardly even changed his breathing, as content as ever. The admiring father was spellbound by the baby and seemed to have forgotten her already as he stared at his firstborn. Wiping away the tear trailing down her cheek, Hitomi quietly slipped out of the room.

Out in the hallway, she had to lean against the wall with one hand pressed to her mouth and the other to her heart. Her chest constricted painfully with grief and, to her shame, envy at the beautiful scene of the adoring father cradling his son. I myself will never know such a love, and Haya's chance was taken from her before she could enjoy it.

Hitomi saw herself out, not wanting to disturb the tired wet nurse unnecessarily. Standing on the steps of her friend's home, she breathed in the refreshing coolness of the air as she lingered under the eaves and gathered her frazzled nerves before setting out through the drizzle back to her own quarters.

She pondered the future of the new father and son as she tightened the ties of her cloak and shivered. Hizashi wouldn't be allowed to mourn for long. The Hyuga relied heavily on his skills and he frequently was sent away on missions for the village and The Clan. Haya would have wanted Neji to know the constant comfort of a parental love. Hitomi could at least do that much for her precious friend. While she could never hope to replace the exuberant personality that was uniquely Haya, Hitomi would pour every ounce of her love into this child for her sake.

Determination enhanced her steps and she quickly sprinted to her bed. She had to catch up on her sleep, for she needed to be up early and return to her nephew.


Life went on. For how stubbornly the Hyuga clung to their precious traditions, they all too quickly left Haya's memory behind. It seemed only Hizashi shared her feelings of nostalgia, although he did not verbalize it. But she could see in the way he looked upon his son with a mixture of sadness and adoration, Haya would never be forgotten to him.

Hitomi visited Neji almost daily, his cherubic smiles and the sound of his infantile giggles as she tickled his toes were the healing balm her soul craved. The purity of his innocence and joy was enough to make her wounded and jaded heart melt, and she thanked Kami for leaving her this precious piece of her friend to cherish. If Hizashi found her frequent presence in his home uncomfortable, he never said it, nor did he ever try to prevent it. For herself, she preferred the hustle and bustle of the Branch House side of the compound in general rather than the cold tranquility of the Main House proper. And Neji filled Hizashi's home with a warmth that Hitomi hadn't experienced since she herself was a child.

It was thus, how she once again found herself packing her basket with herbs from her garden and quickly sliding into her geta to head over to the Branch House quarters, when Hiashi's voice froze her in her tracks.

"Going again, wife." It was not a question. "I would hate to find that any duties of The Clan were being ignored in favor of frivolous trivialities." Hitomi had to bite her tongue and school the scowl from her features before turning to address her husband with the blank mask of emotion she had learned to hide behind.

"Is it not the duty of the Clan Head to ensure the wellbeing of all the Hyuga? Even more so that of his only nephew who has been ill and requires the remedies only my herbs can provide?" She bowed her head as she gestured meekly to her basket of greens. Hiashi eyed the parcel carelessly. A huff was the only acknowledgment she received as he turned and walked into the main wing of the compound, no doubt to hole up in his office as usual. Hitomi had long since learned that portraying herself as timid and boring bought her more freedom from his scrutiny. She was honestly surprised he had even noticed her absences, had she really been gone that much?

Spinning on her heel she rushed off, not wasting anymore time trying to decipher the mind of her husband and eager to deliver her remedies of comfort. Thankfully Neji was not life-threateningly ill, but still, she could hardly stand his pathetic whimpers as he slumped lethargically against her chest and wheezed through his congested little nose. He is getting so heavy these days, she noted with unabashed pride as she huddled under the blanket with him, trapping the aromatic steam from the basin of hot water where her herbs swirled. Her hair was plastered to her forehead and sweat ran down her neck. But as each breath came easier and Neji finally slept soundly for the first time in two days, Hitomi smiled in relief.

Hitomi stayed with him for the whole of the day, denying all of Hiro-san's attempts to relieve her of her self appointed duty. Even now, as night stole across the sky, she had hardly set him down, and sank heavily into the rocking chair to rest her tired legs after hours of pacing. With Hizashi being out of the village, she was the closest thing Neji had to a doting parent and she refused to pass off the child to anyone else. Running a hand across his sweaty face she sighed in relief to see that his fever appeared to had finally broken, his cheeks returning to their cherubic pink hue from the red flush of before. Sinking deeper into the comfortable rocker in the corner of the nursery, Hitomi welcomed the sleep that settled over them both.

She was startled awake much later, unaware of what had roused her. Her hand grasped Neji's back protectively but the baby is still blissfully asleep and breathing easily. The room is nearly black, and she almost jumped out of her skin when she noticed the tall figure hovering over them.

"It's just me," a deep voice rumbled from the man, and she instantly relaxed, thankful that Hizashi could not see the flush of her cheeks.

"You're back early," Hitomi whispered over the child's head. "I didn't expect you until tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow," he chuckled softly and placed a hand on Neji's back. His fingers brush against her own, and she forced herself not to flinch. Hizashi seemed unaware of her flustered emotions as he quietly asked, "Is something wrong with Neji?"

"Oh no! I mean, well, he had a fever. But he's fine now! And he was just sleeping so peacefully I didn't have the heart to move him, and um, I guess, I kind of fell asleep..." she trailed off, rolling her eyes at her own rambling. Her embarrassment was cut short however, as Hizashi slid his large hand over her own. His strong fingers squeezed hers and she caught her breath as he bent low, bringing his bright eyes within view in the dim light.

"Thank you." His voice was husky and the words were simple, but the soft curve of his gentle smile conveyed the depth of his gratitude. He was thanking her for everything. Her time, her herbs, her presence day in and day out, it was all laid out in his silver gaze, and she shivered at the honesty he allowed her to see.

His hand slowly reached out and tucked a wayward strand of her midnight hair behind her ear, his fingers tracing the curve of her jaw before hesitantly pulling back. Hitomi unconsciously trailed after his touch, her heart thrilling at the intimate caress, for the attention her love starved mind craved. The baby shifted in her arms, startling her from her daydream, and she swallowed hard, mentally scolding herself as she quickly stood and awkwardly placed Neji back in his crib.

"It-it was nothing, my pleasure," she barely squeaked out, keeping her back to Hizashi as she pressed a hand to her flaming cheek. Hitomi didn't dare look back as she slipped out of the room and headed for the door, intent on racing back to her bed before she made a fool of herself any further.

As she reached for her cloak, a large hand wrapped around her wrist, the grip steady but not forceful. Hitomi's stomach flipped and her body froze. The skin of his hand was rough from life as a Shinobi, but his touch was gentle as it began to slowly slide upwards. Goosebumps erupted across her arm as he continued up to her shoulder, tracing her collarbone lightly with his fingertips, before placing his warm palm against her neck. She knows he can feel her pulse thrumming against his hand, betraying her utter excitement and making any denial of his affect on her useless. So she dared herself to raise her eyes to his.

Their gazes lock, and Hitomi cannot hide her feelings from him. She opened her soul to the scrutiny of his venerable stare, allowing him to see her as she had never revealed herself to anyone. Her vulnerability, her pain, but also her desire, and her trust are bared to him.

"I see you," Hizashi whispered, so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. His hand glided up into her hair, weaving into her silky tresses. Hitomi closed her eyes as she felt his arm tighten around her waist and offered no resistance when he pulled her against him. The kiss was soft and hesitant, and yet sets sparks alight through her body. This felt right, so terrifyingly right.

Throwing caution to the wind for the first time in her pathetic life, Hitomi grasped her fate with both hands, and broke it. She opened her mouth under his tentative pressure and was rewarded when his tongue moved smoothly over her own. Her fingers sank into his shirt, yanking him down, pulling herself up, anything to meld deeper into this euphoria. A salacious moan she did not know she could make escaped as she reveled in the heat that was consuming her. Her body was alive.

The two broke apart, panting and reeling in mild shock at the intensity of what just passed between them, but Hizashi didn't loosen his embrace. Hitomi cannot stop staring at his mouth, and ran a trembling thumb across his lower lip, unable to believe that she had just kissed its softness. He dipped his head to touch his forehead to her own as she waited with mounting anticipation for the response that she prayed to receive.

"Stay?" It was a question. His nose brushed against hers as she nodded slightly, stunned and exhilarated that he would desire this as well.

That night Hitomi learned how love felt, how it tasted, and the power it could wield. The desire that coursed through her was intoxicating, his slow worship of her body awakened a side of her she had never dared release. Her walls crumbled, she allowed him to expose her body and soul, and he did not betray her trust. The deep affection coursing beneath the waves of passion was returned to her tenfold. For the first time in her life she felt treasured, adored, beautiful. Laying in his arms, feeling his hot breath fan across the back of her neck as satisfied exhaustion pulled them both under, Hitomi knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she would always love this man.

She did not leave until just before dawn.


"Enter," Hiashi grunted in response to the gentle knock on his office door. The soft sound of her steps revealed her identity without a word being spoken, and he didn't bother to look up until he finished his letter. The blatant lack of concern for the purpose of her visit was obvious as his wife is left standing with her head bowed, patiently awaiting his attention. Hitomi did not shift, she did not twiddle her fingers, and she refused to allow the red flush to creep any further up her neck as she struggled to gain control of her fears.

"Speak."

Hitomi finally raised her head to see Hiashi sitting with a slightly annoyed look on his face. She had chosen her moment carefully, having heard from the gossip of the servants that the Elders' Council had once again brought up the issue of Hiashi's lack of an heir in the earlier meeting. It has been three years since their marriage, and while he had dutifully visited her chambers on a somewhat regular basis in the early days of their union, she knew that his attention had wandered in recent years as the abrupt and brief conjugal meetings became fewer and farther between. The dread of wondering if he would appear and demand her services used to make her evenings nearly unbearable, so his loss of interest was not even remotely mourned. The shame of being passed over for someone else was vastly outweighed by her relief to be free of his cold hands and rough rutting. Her only fear was being cast aside as a barren woman, unable to produce the heir that her role as Honorable Wife demanded. However Hitomi had long harbored the suspicion that the high and mighty Clan Head was sterile, as whispers of his affairs grew in number and yet his bastards did not. Despite Hiashi's apparent unconcern for discretion in his extramarital games, Hitomi had kept her own liason with Hizashi a desperately guarded secret. But she had recently found herself in a bit of a predicament, and she had to play her cards right if she was going to protect her most precious treasures. Taking a deep breath to steady the nerves and nausea that roiled in her gut, Hitomi fisted her hands beneath the cover of her long sleeves.

"What is it wife?" Hiashi demanded impatiently, completely unsympathetic to her struggle to speak in his dominating presence.

"I b-believe that, should M-My Lord wish to, it would be a favorable t-time for me to visit you, in your ch-chambers, tonight." The last few words were nearly squeaked out. Hiashi raised a curious a brow at the timid creature cowering before him, scrutinizing her face for any motive he could discern behind her blazing blush.

"Why do you say that? Speak up, woman."

"I have b-been growing a certain herb, to aid in these kind of, um, well with the, um, matter of c-conception. I-I have been drinking the tea for the p-past week now...and...and..." Hitomi's mouth goes completely dry and she looked down, unable to finish her sentence and fervently hoping he will not question her story.

Hiashi stared at her for a moment that felt like ages before grunting in assent. "I see. Very well. Wait for me there."

Hitomi bowed deeply and backed out of the room, quickly sliding the door shut so he would not see the smirk on her face.

Nearly nine months later, Hitomi gave birth to a tiny little girl with midnight colored fluff on her head the same hue as her own. She was so pink and petite, the midwife mused that she must be quite early. Hitomi heard nothing and noticed no one save for the miracle in her arms. Her heart was bursting with more love than she had ever thought possible, the growing pains of her enlarging circle of precious people making her chest ache and her eyes water as she traced the generous curve of the babe's flushed cheeks.

Hiashi was unimpressed by the diminutive infant, and less so with the fact that it was a female.

It was in the wee hours of the morning, after everyone had left, that Hitomi finally sensed his presence. She turned to the man who had given her so much: a daughter, a nephew she adored, and a love she had never dared to hope to experience. He sat down gently beside her and hesitated for only a moment to drink in her beaming expression in the pale light of the moon, before burying his face in her shoulder.

"Kami, I was so scared, Hitomi. Are you sure you're alright?" She hummed reassurances against his hair and smiled as she felt him exhale shakily, allowing the tension to ooze out of his body as his fears were obliterated by her solid warmth beneath him. He lifted he head and stared into her eyes, gently brushing wayward strands of hair behind her ear in a familiar gesture of tenderness.

"I love you," he whispered passed the lump in his throat, pressing a grateful kiss to her forehead. Hitomi blushed despite herself, always humbled by the gift of his devotion, and placed her hand over his heart.

"I love you so much, Hizashi. I missed you." It was not said to elicit guilt, they both knew the limits of their relationship. But she wanted him to know that it was him she was thinking of, his devotion that spurred her on through the long hours of labor, his love that never let her give up in the face of all the pain.

Hizashi acknowledged her emotions without words, grasping her hand and kissing each fingertip one by one. She would never grow tired of the affection he showered upon her every chance he could get.

His gaze fell upon the small pile of fluffy blankets in the bassinet beside her, and Hitomi smiled at the way his silver orbs sparkled with anticipation.

"What will you name her?" he asked, as Hitomi gently peeled open the swaddling to allow him to admire their daughter. Her pride knew no bounds as she saw his eyes light up at the tiny princess as he scooped her up in his arms.

"Kami, she's beautiful. She looks just like you Hitomi," he breathed with awe as he traced a finger across the infant's cheek.

"Her name is Hinata," Hitomi murmured, forever carving this moment into her heart.

"Hinata," Hizashi repeated, smiling at the feel of it. "Yes, she is perfect."