H POV

He looked like a mummified version of his former self. Older, but the father I remembered wasn't so slim, his hair wasn't so thin and damaged and he certainly didn't sound like this.

I had tried to gear myself up for this moment. I thought I would walk in here and give him a piece of my mind, or break down in tears and cry and question. Yet as I stood here, I couldn't grasp what was in front of me or rather who was in front of me.

Where was my father? The stern, cruel man I was supposed to curse.

This severely ill man that seemed like he could barely lift his head couldn't possibly be him.

" It's Hanabi Oto-san" Hanabi said with a bow.

" H-hanabi?" he uttered, before letting out a loud dry cough.

" Yes father" Hanabi replied.

" H-How's t-the dojo. Are the new students adjusting?" he asked.

That sounded a bit like him, but still, my father couldn't get sick like this. He was too strong, nothing seemed to get him down.

This man never opened his eyes and had yet to notice anyone else had entered the room.

" Yes, they are grasping the material fairly quickly."

" Good" he replied.

Hanabi looked at us then back at the feeble man.

" Oto-san I have a few guest with me today."

The old man stirred slightly in the bed, " Guest?"

He forced himself up with his forearms, trembling as he did.

" G-guest why didn't you tell me," he coughed once again " I..I could have made myself more presentable."

Hanabi rushed to his side as he struggled to sit up.

" Lay back, there's no need to get up" Hanabi said, helping him rest against the pillows.

There was no way...this wasn't my father.

" Where are they?" for the first time he opened his eyes.

Our family had naturally pale eyes but his were the palest eyes I had ever seen them, with faint gray/green splotches sprinkled throughout his scleras.

Now I knew for sure he wasn't my father. My fathers eyes didn't look like that.

Neji next to me held his hands over his mouth as he watched the old man look around the room. He looked traumatized like the sight before him was unearthly.

Why? Why did he look at this man like this.

" There here in the room with us. I believe you know two of them " Hanabi said to him.

She then turn to us, " Please come closer."

Neji slowly proceeded towards him , but my feet wouldn't move. It was like they were glued to the floor.

" Hinata..." Naruto whispered.

" W-who is he?" were the only words that slipped from my lips.

" Uncle...it's me Neji" Neji said stepping closer to him.

Once he was in closer range the man seemed to suddenly see Neji.

His lost face expression suddenly soured.

" N-Neji!?" He said a bit louder. He gripped the comforter tightly and Hanabi rubbed the man's back.

" It's okay Oto-san" Hanabi cooed.

Neji kneel before this imposter and the man took his face in his hands.

His lifeless eyes looked over him in disbelief.

" M-my god...it is you.."

His hands shook against Neji's face, " You..damn traitor!"

He pushed Neji's face away and Hanabi' panicked grabbing his hands.

" I told you never to return...any person who turns their back on the dojo has no place in this house!"

It was funny the imposter was really starting to sound like my father.

" Hinata!" Naruto said a bit louder.

Even as he shook me I didn't budge i just stood there observing the scene before me.

The old man ragged coughs echoed through out the room as Hanabi forcibly laid him back.

" Calm down. Please it's not good for your health" Hanabi said.

" Why...would you allow him here...I've given you too much freedom Hanabi " he said between his breaths.

Neji stood up his face sorrowful.

" You're wrong. I left the dojo yes, but do you remember why I left uncle?"

He came closer to the bedside.

" Because, i could no longer live in a home stained with so much blood."

" You destroyed your eldest daughter, you chose the dojo over her and tossed her out like she was nothing. I already carried my own sins when it came to that, but to see you each day working your life away, pretending as if nothing had changed as if she was so disposable. It ate me to my core " Neji said.

He leaned down so he could look the old man in his glazed over eyes. The man shook as if Neji's glare was a weapon, his mouth opening and closing like a carp.

" You even forbade us from contacting her. Like you wanted her to be erased. I couldn't keep up the act any more. A father who does that to their own child is not worth standing beside."

" You have no respect, I raised you like my own son" the feeble man croaked.

" You don't deserve any respect" Neji snapped back.

As I stood there watching their back and forth their voices seemed to muffle, the room began to slow down and my gaze caught my mother's urn in the corner.

Suddenly I wasn't in the room anymore.

I was outside in mother's garden. We were planting flowers. Lilacs. They were her favorites.

" Oka-san."

" Yes love."

I looked down at the flower in my hand and smiled.

" Does Oto-san like flowers?"

My mother smiled at me as she removed her gloves, " Well he didn't at first, but he does now. He likes them a lot."

" But if he likes flowers why doesn't he come out and plant them with us?"

I whispered to her, " He just stands by the back door and watches us."

My mother peeked over her shoulder and caught my father looking at us before he took off pretending like he was just passing by.

My mother laughed, " He's not very sneaky at all. Your father is just shy."

" Shy?"

" Yes dear. He grew up with only boys, his father and his twin brother. But now he has a family of girls and he's having trouble adjusting. With girls he has to be gentle he's still learning."

My mother pulled me into her lap and petted my head.

" But you want to hear a secret?"

I nodded my head excited to hear it.

" Oka-san didn't plant all these flowers. Oto-san did."

My mouth opened in awe.

" And Oto-san didn't plant them for Oka-san either..."

My mother poked my nose making me giggle.

" He planted them for you..."

She placed her hand on her round belly, " And for your baby sister."

I stared at her with shock and disbelief.

" He never started loving flowers until you came along. When you were tiny you always seem to gravitate towards nature, like a little ball of sun."

I looked towards the door to see my father had reappeared, peeking from behind the door.

My mother smiled seeing him as well. " Hinata, Oto-san loves you a lot. Don't you ever forget that. No matter how hard it is to see it sometimes."

I smiled at my mom and slid off her lap holding the lilac in my hand tightly.

" Oto-san!"

My father froze in place as I pulled the door back exposing him.

I held up the lilac to him.

" I love you too."

It was one of the rare times he smiled at me and then hugged me.

I was back in the room again Naruto had his arms wrapped tightly around me in a embrace, while I still heard Neji and my father argue in the background.

My eyes met with the flowers around the room. I only just noticed they were all lilacs.

" It's okay Hinata... I'm here you're safe" Naruto whispered to me.

I slowly separated from him, his eyes were full of worry. I hated seeing him like that.

I was so in shock I had forgotten, that I wasn't alone.

The person who had lent me strength time and time again was right here with me.

My eyes went back to the scene playing before me.

" What happened to you! Even in illness you still are so bitter" Neji yelled.

My father looked straight ahead now, refusing to look at him.

" So that's it. You can't see the error of your ways after all these years?"

" Leave. It's for the best Neji" my father simply stated.

Neji shook his head in disbelief " How can you sleep at night?"

" Oto-san!" I found myself yelling out.

The attention was now on me, but this time I wouldn't run.

Naruto looked at me with furrow brows and I smiled at him.

" I'm okay" I let my hands slip from his fingers and approached the bed.

Neji and Hanabi's stepped to the side letting me get closer.

He looked so confused and slightly frightened at the sound of my voice.

I kneeled down just as Neji did. Now closer up I could see his eye sight was fading, that's why they were so white and discolored.

His shaken hands slowly touched my face, he didn't grab it like he did Neji's, his finger tips lightly grazed my skin.

He looked me over and his hands quickly returned to his sides.

He was completely silent now, his chest rose up and down in a ridged fashion.

" It's me...Hinata."

His eyes landed on me silently studying me.

" You look so much like your mother now...I thought I was seeing a ghost."

His coughing returned and I quickly handed him the cup of water at his bed side.

He looked at it, then at me in hesitation before taking it.

" W-why are you back?" He then asked.

I ignored the part of me that stung and swallowed.

" It's been almost ten years father.. it's about time I pay a visit don't you think?"

He was quiet again.

" Have you also come to scold me?"

I shook my head. " I was. You see after all these years I thought that maybe that's what I would do when I saw you again."

I placed my hand against my chest " After all...I blamed you for so long. I won't lie and say what you did didn't hurt me to the core father."

He frowned, his face resembling that scowl he use to always wear.

" But I think what I wanted more than anything was answers. Why did you treat me like that? Why was I never good enough in your eyes? Did you even love me? Those were the questions I was going to ask."

I stepped away from the bed a little standing and looking around the room.

" But I think I can piece it together now."

" You love mother a lot didn't you father? I know I did."

" Stop!" He yelled.

The others were shocked by his outburst but I wasn't.

" Don't you...don't you bring her into this. We don't speak about her."

There it was.

I approached him again, this time resting my hand on the edge of the bed.

" It was so hard. She left us so quickly. I must have cried everyday, but you..you never did. Not in front of us anyway. You tried to be strong for us didn't you?"

He gripped his sheets, " I said stop it you foolish girl!"

" You buried yourself in work and then it was like you were a different person. I didn't get it then but I do now."

I reached over to the night stand and plucked a lilac from the vase.

" Being gentle didn't save mom, you blamed yourself for her death didn't you? You thought if you were stronger, she'd still be here."

I played with the lilac in my hand studying each petal.

" So you didn't want to be weak again. You didn't want us to be weak either."

" Right father?"

For the first time ever I saw vulnerability in my father. Those milky eyes of his formed tears.

" You...just reminded me so much of her" he said as hot tears streamed down his face.

" I...I couldn't protect you forever...I thought if I made you stronger that I wouldn't have to worry."

" But you were too much like her" he extended both his hands as if to address the room " Just like the lilacs, so fragile, so innocent. Nothing I did worked."

He looked at me shaking a bit " I was scared that if I didn't toughen you up, the world would destroy you like it has me. I didn't want to wait for the day where I would have to watch you end up like your mother. It would be like watching the accident all over again and I couldn't bear it. So I selfishly sent you away. Like Neji said it was easier to pretend."

" But you know what...the garden was never the same again. The flowers never bloomed as beautiful and neither did this house. No matter how hard I tried to pretend."

" I never became...strong I was in reality the weakest out of everyone."

I placed the lilac on the counter and took my fathers bony hands in my own.

" I use to beat myself up all the time for being weak, but over time I learned something. While strength is important, you can't be strong all the time."

I motioned for Naruto to come closer.

" Being strong all the time will wear you down, sometimes you need to cry and get angry. Sometimes you need to make mistakes, to fall down and scrape your knee a little."

Naruto stood beside me and I took his hand in mine.

" And most importantly I learned that the past will hold you down and drag you to hell... IF you let it. You see how it's all connected father?"

" True strength is knowing when to let yourself feel so you can push forward."

I looked at Naruto and smiled " I never believed in myself enough to think that I could ever achieve that, but all it took was one very stubborn stranger to prove me otherwise."

" You need to feel father. It's time to let yourself properly grieve over mom and forgive yourself. Then after let go just like I am going to do today."

My father looked to me and then at Naruto.

I picked up the lilac and held it up to him.

" The past can never be erased but, I'm willing to move forward if you are."

Once again my fathers eyes filled with tears.

" I'm so sorry...my daughter my little Hinata. I failed you. Forgive me."

Then for the first time in years I hugged my father.

I let myself feel too and i weeped in his arms.

—-

N POV

" Okay now it's my turn to ask. How do you feel?"

Hinata wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and folded her lips inward.

" It all hasn't fully resonated with me yet. Like this all was some sort of weird dream."

We had left her former home hours ago, i suggested we'd go for a walk. It was something quiet and calm. I figured she could use a change a of scenery.

She kicked a pebble and it skipped into the lake in front of us.

" But I'm glad it did it" she looked at me with her glassy eyes and nodded her head, " I can finally close this chapter of my life now."

I smiled at her and rested my arm around her shoulder.

" You know you were amazing in there."

Hinata chuckled " Oh really? Was I?"

" Yeah, the way you commanded the room and took charge. It had my jaw touching the floor."

She laughed and I could feel her small hand pull me even closer to her.

" I guess I was trying to be like you" she said.

I shook my head.

" Don't give me any credit for this one. That was all you and I'm SO freaking proud of you."

For a moment we both were silent looking at the fading sun in the distance and the movements of the lakes murky blue water.

We absorbed the air as this sensation washed over us. What was it? It was peaceful but it was something I couldn't quite put the words to.

" You think we're both finally free now Naruto-kun?"

A gust of wind blew Hinata's hair around each trace gently floating along its current.

Looking into her eyes I felt it again.

Like that button was pushed, for real this time.

I couldn't predict the future, I didn't know what was to come, what new challenges we'd face or the people we'd meet, but I did know one thing...

" Not entirely, but were definitely really close" I said.

I picked up a pebble and chucked it across the lake, it skated across the water before sinking.

" So what now? What's the next step" Hinata asked watching me.

I turned to her again, " Well don't you remember?"

She looked at me completely puzzled.

I approached her taking her face into my hands gently, " Us."

Her confused face melded Into a soft smile.

" That's right how could I forget" she said.

I smiled with her.

" That's right missy, it's you me and adventures and laughter and good food and just beautiful memories to make up for all of our bad ones."

She giggled, " How did I become so spoiled?"

Those lavender eyes then gently met my gaze, " Naruto-kun."

" Yes" I said with a grin.

" I'm so happy. I think this is the happiest I've ever been. I'm so excited for our future" she said.

Her eyes sparkled at her declaration," I'm so blessed to have you by my side. I love you so much."

I brought her face to mine and kissed her lips.

I loved her and No matter where life took me I would be okay as long as I was with her.

" And I love you" I said as we parted.

Her face lit up, with a sudden extra burst of excitement.

" Can I make the first decision on our new journey?" She asked.

" Go on I'm listening."

" Live with me" she said.

I was completely shocked by her suggestion. I mean I wasn't opposed to it at all. It was just was I still adjusting to her new found boldness. She sure didn't waste time.

She played with her fingers," I mean you already practically do the amount of time you spend at my place and-"

I bursted into laughter.

She watched me but didn't back down, tugging my arm, " The place won't feel the same once your gone" she pleaded.

" I move in today" I then said.

Hinata was flabbergasted. " W-what Really?"

" Yep" I pulled her in the opposite direction, " Come on let's go get some stuff from my apartment right now."

Hinata giggled as I pulled her along, " Were actually doing this?" she laughed, "

It's so impulsive!"

" Hey I didn't want to leave anyway I love waking up next to you!" I said.

" And my landlord is a dick."

" You didn't even hesitate there's no planning no thought process.." Hinata retorted.

" I love you how's that for reasoning and thought process. " I said.

This made her quiet as her wide eyes looked me over, she then beamed with happiness from ear to ear.

" You're right. I love you too.." she whispered.

" Good now lets go and don't even think about taking this back." I said quickening my pace.

" Never I'm already thinking about how we will redecorate" she said.

We both ran to the car giggling like school kids.

On a night just like this I was at my lowest and hopeless.

I was slipping, I thought this might be it and then suddenly my life began.

My salvation wore a black dress and a frown, but her eyes told secrets and her voice healed wounds.

Now we walked hand and hand to a bright future, where our feet touched the ground.