5. Confrontations

Two hours of sleep were too little.

She knew that, yet she couldn't help it. Not now, not when the very foundation of what she'd held as true had crumbled in front of her (everything she had held as true was crumbling) … it was impossible for her to sleep when there was an illegitimate child of Madara out there.

Even now she still couldn't stomach the news. It was unbelievable. After all the grief and pain that life had thrown at her, something as such to happen was unfair to her. She could've easily fought off foes, fake friends and treacherous employees but this was something else. Family members could do much more harm, especially when they're that greedy. They're covetous and seemed to possess some kind of power. If not Izuna, Itachi certainly did.

Itachi and that hidden kid skyrocketed to the top of her priorities.

"You should go out more often –you look awfully pale."

"Ah, Obito-San. How are you?"

A long silence met her question."… Fine."

"I'd rather stay inside." She added after a minute. His presence felt oppressive and demanded for some kind of answer. She definitely didn't want to make small talk but still talked to make him leave.

"That'd be a shame. It's sunny outside and the air outside is certainly fresher than here."

"I don't like sunny days." She mumbled. Her flat tone should've discouraged him to stay, yet he did.

"You used to like sunny places."

She didn't say anything else.

She didn't remember telling him such a thing but it didn't matter. Who cared if she used to like summer days? She didn't and she doubted that he did. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed that he didn't move. A silent sigh left her lips.

That game of his…

There was a time where she'd thought he had meant it, that he was genuine. Not anymore. One could simply not be a decent human and work with Madara for so long and end up betraying him after so many years. She couldn't trust someone who didn't hesitate to turn his back on someone he'd spent so many years with. She thought that he's quite good at pretending that he cared her.

A small bitter smile stretched her lips ever so slightly.

Obito crossed the office to the large desk she was sitting behind and closed the bottle she was drinking from. She scowled a bit but let go and stared through the darkness of the room. Her jaw was set, unmoving.

Obito didn't give her any second thoughts as he went to the window and pushed open the heavy curtain, letting a haze of golden light wash through the place. His gesture didn't have the expected reaction.

He would've thrown a bucket of acid on her; it wouldn't have had as much effect. The light didn't even touch her but it was driving her up the wall; it had her lungs squeezed so tight she bolted to the windows and violently closed the curtains.

"When I say I don't want any light, I do not want it!"

"But you need it. It's unhealthy to stay here. You don't seem to understand that." He said with an urging deep voice, but his eyes reflected calmness. "You're not okay."

She chuckled. The words crowded her throats, fighting to be released but she swallowed them. Even in her unstable state, she knew she wasn't in a position to expose him. He had to think that she still trusted him. However, her patience was running extremely thin.

Hinata massaged her temples, breathed and reopened her eyes.

"I respect you Obito-San. I ask the same from you."

"I know what you're trying to do but you're going about this in the wrong way."

"How would you know?" She mocked.

"You aren't winning now. You're killing yourself slowly. And he's the one winning."

"I want to stay here. Is that too much to ask? I'm okay."

"This is not being okay. This is being depressive. You wake up, you drink, you space out then you go to sleep. You're ruining your life. I … don't want you to live like this."

She snapped.

"Really? Please, stop acting like you care! You think I don't know? All of you want that scumbag's fortune and since I'm the sole heiress, everyone takes me as their target." She put a fist against her forehead and shook her head.

There. It was out there.

She chuckled.

"Stop pretending. It sickens me to no end." She crossed her arms over her chest "Besides, I'm sure you can find a better use of your time, like figuring out what to do with that child of Madara for example. He's as much my problem as he's yours."

She was fully aware that a line had been crossed.

Obito didn't say a word though.

He kept staring through the slim gape between the curtains, his hands in his pockets. The blank expression on his face was the ounce of honesty she wanted instead of a vapid, fake concern. Even if it'd been real, she wouldn't have cared for she didn't need anyone's pity or worries.

"First of all, you should search his office here and at Akatsuki Inc." He drawled as he kept staring at the window "Since we never heard anything about that kid, it would be hard to find him. Especially if he'd tried to hide his existence."

"But you two were close. Had you never heard about him or her?" She asked, matching his cool expression. It was hard to hide her frustration and impatience. How could he know nothing?

"Well, there had been a scandal that had shaken up this family. It was about an illegitimate child but there had never been any trace of said kid."

"Really."

"Thinking about it, there's so little you know about our family."

As she was about to ask more questions, Zetsu sneaked up on them. Used to that kind of unsettling habits, she turned round and faced him, a bit annoyed. She hoped that whatever he had to say had better be important.

"Some Hatake Sasuke is there to see Mrs. Uchiha."

"What? -"

At the mention of Sasuke being there, everything disappeared. Zetsu's voice faded away as Obito's sudden unusual expression went unnoticed. Nothing mattered anymore, neither time nor space, as that simple sentence of Zetsu swallowed her whole. Her mind was a haze of incoherent thoughts flashing like strobe lights from too much information to nothing.

A shudder rippled through her frame.

Her body reacted faster than her mind was able to catch up with the reality in those words. She was lost in the illusion of a spinning room and a hollow roar in her ears. Her mind spun and spun, unable to make sense of the reason of his presence while her body swayed, her heart beat too hard and her muscles squeezed each other in a death grip.

Obito moved in her periphery, and the need to get back on track arose inside of her. She made an effort to pull herself back together despite the dizziness, and seized the first rational thought coming through.

"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't be there…"

Seconds passed with her mind still unable to make sense out of the news. Her body searched for release, a release she knew nothing about.

Something grazed her mind.

It was a vague memory of him from their last summer together, an image swayed by the wind of nostalgia and forgetfulness. The picture wasn't clear and the feeling left was that of a light caress. Anger flared, piercing through her and making it hard to breathe.

With the same energy used to close the curtains earlier, she energetically walked toward the door. She had to release the burden that had been confined for too long. Murderous intent couldn't begin to describe what was roaring in her, behind her eyes and inside her muscles.

The more steps she took, the more hate shook her to her core.

He left you behind.

He never came back.

He lured you in then left you in the hands of a monster.

Sasuke, who had betrayed her, left her behind was there.

Sasuke, who could have helped her run away from Madara, but was too busy fucking another girl was there.

Sasuke, with whom she'd engaged out of naïve love, was there.

Hatred rooted her in place for a long minute. All that was before her eyes was Sasuke smiling face of their last summer together, the last time they really spent together before everything went down to hell. The Sasuke, she had been madly in love with. The Sasuke who had hurt her.

Hinata started walking again, albeit slowly. Her hand had been shaking so hard it took her another minute of concentration.

She wasn't just mad at him but at her too.

There had been a time when she had trusted him enough to him a letter, begging him to take her far away from there.

There had been a time when she was still deeply in love with him, desperately gripping to that love like a lifeline in the middle of an ocean. When it had been too hard to wake up in the morning, when at night she had wished to kill herself just to end her misery, when she had hated her body and had wanted to hurt it after Madara's abuse, it had always been about him. Only Sasuke's smile and the idea of seeing him again had helped when she laid there naked and broken.

Hinata'd thought back then that Sasuke would heal her wounds and bring back light and hope in her heart. He was the only person left in this world for her. Up until that moment her heart had belonged to him to do whatever he wanted.

He'd decided to crush it instead.

She cursed herself for her naïveté.

The moment between her office and the yard was blurry and Sasuke's face was suddenly in her sight. Nothing prepared her for that, neither her pride nor her hatred that had been knocked out of her chest when she saw him.

She just had to see him once again to remember that feeling.

After eight agonizing months he was there, in front of her, and for ten fateful seconds, hope bloomed inside her chest. Thousands delicate butterflies' wings caressed her skin under the gentle warmth of the spring's sun.

For ten seconds, she felt alive and breathing for the first time after a century of swimming against the tide. For ten intense seconds it had been there; it had filled her over the brim. That memory of her lying awake at nights thinking about their reunion, about holding him until all the hurt went away, and the emotions that had accompanied that desire came back.

For ten seconds, she mused on the effect he seemed to still have on her. There he was, like the illusion that had haunted her some time ago. He was nor hostile nor happy, just calm as if he wasn't real. Of course, he was cruelly handsome, the calm and soothing aura of his gorgeous traits reaching slowly toward her.

For ten seconds, she thought tears would betray her for something her mind still hadn't grasped… For ten seconds only three things were real: Sasuke, her soothed heart and her aggressive belly. Her brain couldn't reconnect, unable to fight that languor winning over.

It took ten seconds to give back colors to the world.

It took one second to crumble everything back.

Something caught her attention, and everything altered. Her feet and heart froze in their track as she realized what was really on his face and who he came with.

His face was so full of hatred. She felt like the devil in front of a believer.

Besides him was the girl he had chosen so readily over her, a blond she was definitely sure was his best friend he had one day promised to introduce her to and his tutor…

The pack moved like a family going against adversity.

She couldn't quite breathe.

Hinata then realized there was no one out there, waiting for her. The Sasuke that had helped her go through Madara's madness had been an illusion created by her mind. He would never come to save her, and she had only her hate as companion, guide and friend.

The only friend that would support her, never betray her.

Her hatred was her only family member.

She remembered then. He had always answered to her 'I love you' by a 'thank you'. He had never done anything but play her until he found the one, he truly loved.

Animosity flared through her chest, chasing away that previous butterfly feeling.

Her knees trembled for a second, and she nearly fell. There was nothing worse than to know you had been just a pawn in the hands of someone you'd loved with everything you had, everything you were.

The least she could do now was to save face and her dignity along. She just hoped none of them had seen the flicker of hope in her pale face.

The pinkette took Sasuke's hand under Hinata's stern gaze. Hinata followed the gesture, saw their fingers intertwine and then travelled back up to Sasuke's face where her eyes stayed.

"We came all the way here to ask you to leave us alone Hinata!"

Hinata's body stiffened unconsciously, to the point of hurting. She tried to breathe in deep but failed. Slowly, she looked at the pink haired girl who had spoken but went back to Sasuke with a raised eyebrow.

So, he came there to show off his happiness.

Heavy silence ensued before Sakura gathered her voice to speak again. She tightened her grip on Sasuke's larger hand.

"You have done so much damage in Sasuke's life but that isn't enough for you, is it? After marrying some old rich geezer and becoming rich yourself after his suspicious death you still come after Sasuke to ruin his life. Again! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You dragged your worthless ass over here, in my house to spout nonsense and you ask what my problem is." Hinata drawled out with a mocking smile. "How funny!"

"Of course, you find this funny! People like you who think the world belongs to them disgust me."

"I don't give a damn about your two cents. But you, it's good to see you here." Hinata pointed a dark painted nail at Sasuke. "It's time we get that fucking divorce."

At the mention of their clandestine marriage, Zetsu and Obito turned their gaze toward her while Sasuke's companions glanced at him. That was a little victory but her chest didn't swell with utter joy as expected –their entangled fingers couldn't stop opening wounds in her.

"For real? Who do you think you are? It has been a long time since he'd been wanting that too." The pinkette said loudly after a dry laugh. "We're expecting a child and are going to build our family. Of course, it's about fucking time." She said and peered at Sasuke who glanced back at her.

Her stomach dropped, dragging along all of her guts in the fall. The smile she tried to show was crisped. The fact that Sasuke was winning all over again and was probably seeing through her mask destroyed what was left of her.

Her appearance was that of a mocking woman, but it was just that. She was dead inside.

How long had he been considering getting rid of her?

Eight months ago?

Maybe before that?

Hinata tried to smile wider but failed. She brought a finger to her peach-painted lips and a fist to her hip to keep her stance. She walked unhurriedly toward them until she was facing Sakura. Sasuke pushed Sakura behind him and came face to face with Hinata.

A rush of despair flooded her, the despair of an unrequired love blending with the hatred for a treacherous ex-lover. She was looking straight into his dark eyes shining deep gray from the proximity.

"Did you come all the way here to announce that you were expecting a bastard? Congratulations, the apple didn't fall far from the tree." Hinata clapped slowly.

A muscle twitched in Sasuke's jaw, and his eyes, which had been empty, were troubled then. She could notice all of that due to their proximity, a proximity that had her skin feel Sasuke's breath.

The staring contest flared up again.

"You're such a pathetic woman."

His words wounded her more than she let on.

"It can't seriously be an insult coming from you." Hinata said with a dry snicker.

"You're such a horrible woman. You'll regret it –I'll make you regret it." Sakura said, trying to reach between Sasuke and Hinata. "I swear!"

"So, I'm horrible!" She exclaimed still looking at Sasuke, never backing away as she opened her arms wide. "Since every love story needs a bad guy, I volunteer. I'll even be generous and give you a head start. Go for it! Give it your best shot. Be sure of one thing though. You'll regret having crossed my path."

Like I do yours Sasuke…

Her system was getting rid of the last compassion she's ever possessed for him thanks to their little stunt. Their coming has been a good thing after all. She smiled as she visualized her victory at last.

As Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, Naruto interjected.

"I'm tired of your shit. What the fuck is your fucking problem? I've never met you before because I was too busy at that time but never had I doubted about his feelings for you. He had loved you. Yet there you are, talking like a revengeful bitch.

Ever since your stupid father had tried to steal money from Madara, Sasuke'd helped you. He had been there when your mother had called. Sasuke had been there when you brought your stepfather home; he had been there when-"

"It's about time all of you get out of here."

"Don't Obito-San." Hinata held up a hand. "Let him talk, I'm curious."

"He had been there when Madara threatened your family. He'd even gotten health issues because of all the stress he went through to get the money to repay your father's debt. Fuck, he even stayed around when you decided to marry Madara. He still had been there even when Madara sent people to beat the crap out of him, and the funny thing about that is if Sakura didn't find him that day, he'd be dead by now. Because of you.

To show him your gratitude, you not only married the dickhead that persecuted him but you're persecuting him yourself now. Now that he's decided to get back on his feet again, you somehow think you have the right to ruin his life? And you even dare to say stupid shit like 'I'll be the bad guy'? You find this funny?

Of course, Sakura is right about you being horrible. But you don't know me or Kakashi and you don't know Sasuke that good either. Go ahead and give us your 'bonuses'. Whatever you do, it'll backfire and I'll make sure to be there when you fall from your high horse! As long as I'm alive, you won't lay a damn finger on him, you fucking gold digger! Fuck, I'm outta here."

Naruto stormed, bumping into some guards who were watch out the scene unfold.

Hinata clapped her hands, amazed by the tale. She wondered whether his friend was his accomplice or he was just another idiot Sasuke managed to have in his pocket.

"What an interesting way to introduce your folk Sasuke. So, this is your best friend Uzumaki Naruto, and that is the woman of your life –Sakura. And your dear adoptive daddy -"

"Kakashi Hatake." Obito added for her.

"Oh, you know him." She stated rather than ask.

"Too well." He mumbled still looking at the man. He had been doing so ever since the beginning of the impromptu meeting.

"I can't believe what I Just heard. What the hell are you trying to accomplish Sasuke? What's with your friend serving me bullshit? You think I don't know the story? Or did you come to scratch some money to help you take care of your bastard and bitch?"

"I never asked you for money." Sasuke pulled back his lips in a disgusted grimace.

"Why else would you come face me with your pack of idiots? And what about that story painting you as the hero and leaving out the fact that it's your own damn fault you went through all of that?"

"You tried to kill me and burn down my house when I didn't care about your existence anymore. Before that, I got nearly killed because I was trying to save your fucking ass. Is all of that my fault?!"

"Definitely. I blame your stupidity."

The frown that twisted Sasuke's face was so scary that even her bodyguards shifted to prevent an attack. She didn't flinch.

"…What the hell do you want?"

"Nothing –I just wanna see the extend of my power."

"Power, you say…" Sasuke darkly chuckled. "Now you are looking for something to do with your meaningless life, all alone in your castle? Do you even have a goal anymore?"

Her palm itched.

"Your complete annihilation."

"You think you're almighty but what I see is a desperate girl with a pointless life. I'm a bastard but you're worse than me."

"Really? How funny."

"You're just a whore seeking for attention."

'You're just a whore, Hyuga'

When her mind caught up with her body, she realized she had tried to slap Sasuke but Sakura took it for him. The scene that unfolded before her eyes managed to tear the wound wider: Sasuke was worried about Sakura's state and she nudged against his chest with eyes oozing with love.

Sasuke turned hateful eyes toward her.

"You sicken me." He said over his shoulder as he went toward the exit of her house, of her life, of her story…

Hinata was in the master room without understanding how she got there.

But it didn't matter.

She stood there in the darkness for a while, her mind too numb and body too tired to feel anything. After what felt like an eternity, she felt the smooth wooden floor beneath her knees, followed by the palms of her hands and then the cold floor against her cheek, like a wounded animal waiting for its dead.

For the millionth time she wished for it, thinking the coldness of her body was the awaited sign. To her disappointment, she never lost consciousness. The waves of pain that had only lapped at her before now reared high up and washed over her head, drowning her.

She laid there broken and numb, tears sipping from her eyes and rolling down her doll face.

...

It was an ordinary summer evening.

In the core of the town, lights were probably glowing fiercely on lively people having fun. The streets were probably full of people, suffocating with life and energy. She couldn't say the same about the road she was taking.

It was isolated.

The place was peaceful with only the sounds of the fauna as background, along the faint and occasional sound of distant vehicles. Scents carried away by the warm breeze gave to the scenery the cozy bubble of sweet dreams. It could've been easy to be lulled with the soothing scents and sounds from the nature…

However, those appealing scents never reached her lungs for she was panting, nor did the nature's sounds soothed her for all her buzzing ears perceived was her beating heart. She had been running for hours, yet miles seemed to add instead of decrease. Her legs seemed to move slower and slower as she fought to stand, despite her hurting heart, despite the lack of air in her lungs, despite her multiple bruises and cuts, despite her fear, and despite the horror movie-like scenery.

She was all alone in the dark.

Unfortunately, this wasn't just a bad horror movie or a nightmare. This was her reality, a reality where all of her nightmares came to life. She had sent a close friend of hers to Sasuke with a letter so he could come fetch her before it was too late –he never came and she married the vilest man she'd ever known. He never answered to any of her calls, and never tried to seek her out but she guessed he couldn't.

For one week before her dreadful wedding, she had been locked away in the big mansion, having for only companions the fear of losing Sasuke in any way, and the longing to find back his arms and make sure he was fine.

Sasuke had never dared to ask but it had been visible in his troubled dark eyes, hidden behind his tight embraces, and words. He hadn't dared but Hinata knew now, and she couldn't keep on sacrificing herself for nothing –she wanted to run away with him too. This time around she's gonna think about herself.

They were going to run away.

That's why she'd dared to run away tonight from that vile Uchiha Madara, knowing that her life was at stake.

All these days she had been waiting to flee and she'd finally succeeded in doing so. Her surprise couldn't be explained through words. It was a mansion minutely guarded, so how? Did he know that she would try to escape?

Did he let her do so because… he'd murdered Sasuke?

That thought stole the road under her feet and she inhaled dust. The mere idea of Sasuke been dead paralyzed her on the dirty path for some seconds. Dark thoughts and images flashed forcefully inside her already traumatized mind.

Anyone but him! Her mind screamed, giving her the strength to stand back on her feet. She was in love. She was desperately in love. Imagining his death was not acceptable. It was impossible.

Her forces came back and she continued until reaching his building.

There it finally was. Yet she kept running, climbing stairs two by two. Once in front of his door she still didn't calm down. In all her hastiness, she didn't even stop to wonder how and why the door was unlocked. All that was important was to fall into his safe arms. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him that words weren't enough to describe it, and they could run away from everything.

They could go right now without a yen in pockets, and once away they would change identity and start over. Everything was planned in her mind…

"Sasuke-kun…" She called him softly, trembling from anticipation. It had been such a long time. "Sasuke-kun…?" She called again, unsure. Anticipation was gradually morphing into dread. "Are you there Sasu-"

Everything was planned in her mind… until she saw them.

Sasuke was peacefully asleep and half covered, with a pink haired girl lying on top of his chest sounding asleep too. They were both stark naked. He shuffled a bit and put a lazy arm around the girl who snuggled more into him. Her amazing body was underlined by the white sheets and the light of the cozy room that had both once covered Hinata herself.

Hinata looked onto the scene of a peaceful couple hugging each other.

Suddenly she was outside.

She was sobbing, fighting against the breakdown looming over her head. He'd promised to come back and seek her out. He'd known she loved him so much, that he was more important than anything on earth to her. She had confessed so many times her love, her insecurities and he'd never missed an occasion to show that he cared for her, that he loved her too for who she was…

He had been her life.

He had been her air.

Unable to stifle the impeding grief, she threw up. It had been so violent she felt on her knees and forearms. It felt like all of her guts would climb up and exit from her mouth.

Her body felt so empty, so cold against the warm night. She barely registered that somebody caught her by the arm and threw her into the backseat of a black car. Even when her eyes met with the tainted windows' glass her mind didn't respond.

She let whoever was taking her away from her worse nightmare drive her wherever they wanted, never knowing that another nightmare was waiting her there.

.