Hinata sent a picture of her newborn lying asleep in her arms to Neji, but only once they had gotten home. He seemed happy with her, but it was clear her father was not. She didn't care. Full of hormones, she was just happy looking at a surprisingly quiet infant.

Sasuke took a few days off to look after her. He had no problem falling in love with Miki. She may have a few damning images of the infant resting in his lap while he dozed off on the couch.

She didn't think she would be this happy, but it felt like the world had been taken off her shoulders. She still didn't really know what she was going to do. She didn't know how long she and Miki would stay with Sasuke. She didn't know where she was going next, but for now, it was okay.

Sasuke flinched awake with the start of a whimper of a hungry infant. It was followed by a small groan from Hinata as she got up. She woke up every couple of hours to the sound of small cries. He was surprised it woke him up. It hadn't been. He was starting to worry about the tired look on her face when she got up in the morning, though she insisted that it was a normal thing for a baby to wake her every couple of hours.

She took it in stride, though, despite what she would say about herself, he would say that she was quite good at it. She knew how to hold, wrap, change, bathe, feed, burp, cuddle, soothe, and just about anything else he could think of with a baby.

Sasuke wondered if she knew it all naturally or if she had done her proper research because, as far as he knew, she had not grown up helping care for infants.

On the other hand, though always willing to help, he had more than screwed up a few times. She assured him that Miki would tell him if she felt uncomfortable if he forgot to burp her or if she needed to be changed.

He heard quite a humming that was starting to put him to sleep.

Hinata pressed her lips together to suppress the smile that grew on her face. Her hair still damp, she had once again walked in on Sasuke asleep with Miki flat on his chest. It was a wonderful feeling to see something so sweet.

Her smile fell as it passed her mind that it shouldn't be Sasuke.

It felt bitter, but she had imagined this scene with a different man all through high school. It still stung her heart. She huffed and grasped at her chest. It was so painful. She wondered if the pain would ever stop. It wasn't painful for her, but for Miki. Miki would never get the chance of the dream Hinata had for her. That was probably her fault.

He left her. She hadn't been good enough. She hadn't tried hard enough. She was never enough.

What would Miki think of her when she was old enough to understand? What did she say when Miki asked why her father wasn't around?

She felt herself squeak, and she covered her mouth as the sob hit her. She squeezed her eyes shut, but it was too late. She heard Sasuke move as she woke him up.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke mumbled, confused and groggily.

Hinata kept her hand clamped over her mouth and waved her hand. She couldn't stop sobbing. She sank to her knees at the door frame. She heard him rustle around and felt hands slide over her shoulders. She couldn't do more than press her face into his collar bone.

Sasuke sighed, looking at the kettle that he was waiting to boil. Hinata had eventually pulled herself together and had scooped up Miki from the blanket, and her hand rested on her. She rocked her back and forth, and then the crying started back. When she looked up at him, she looked so ashamed.

Sasuke could guess what this was about. There were only a handful of things that affected her like this. He was sure the hormones and lack of sleep weren't helping.

He brought the tea over and brought a blanket over her shoulders. She looked up at him, once again so ashamed. "Please don't do that." He mumbled.

Hinata frowned further.

Sasuke sighed and kneeled down to her knees. "You are allowed to cry here." He told her. "You don't have to feel bad about it."

Hinata swallowed, her face twisting. "I wasn't good enough for him. How am I going to be good enough for her?"

"Naruto was an asshole." Sasuke told her flatly. "He's an idiot. He is a complete dumbass for throwing you away. You are a wonderful woman. You are going to be a wonderful mother. You care so deeply, I don't think Miki will ever wonder if she is loved."

Hinata shook her head in doubt. There wasn't much more that he could do. He laid his hand down on her legs and sighed. "You are showing every day that you are worth it by being everything you can be for her." He promised her.

Hinata laid out on the floor with Miki on a baby blanket. It must have started as playtime, but now both girls were asleep where they lay in the middle of the floor. Hinata's hand was sprawled out over the infant's belly. Her bangs were covering her eyes as she had her face half pressed into the floor.

Sasuke couldn't imagine how tired she was up every few hours, plus the emotional turmoil that cropped up every few days.

You know what? The floor looked comfy.

Sasuke took off his suit jacket and tie and laid flat on his back on the other side of the baby, and closed his eyes. Hinata wouldn't be alone when she woke up.

Hinata's face had red lines on it from where she had had it smooshed into the floor, she could feel them. Her eyes were lidded, and she yawned. Miki was content to be rocked after her feeding, but she had startled both of them, being the first out of the three to wake up.

Hinata was surprised to see him on the floor, but didn't say much about it.

Maybe he needed a nap too.

She roamed around the kitchen, trying to make tea with one arm. She was getting better at it, but it was difficult when her infant didn't want to be held still for even a moment. It was already clear she was going to be a fussy child. Miki knew what she wanted when she wanted it, how she wanted it. Something she may have gotten from her father.

Sasuke groaned and rubbed his face as she got up from the floor. He took over making tea.

Hinata rested on her standing chair and rocked her baby until she was present with a hot cup of tea.

Sasuke leaned around to see Miki's face and made a face.

Hinata was content with this for now.