CCNote: Please excuse all glaringly terrible mistakes. Sober me will clean them up later. Enjoy!
U is for Change
Uchiha Compound- Main House
Friday April 27 2029 5:03pm
….
"Please, Hikari we need to find your tennis shoes. Do you remember where you put them?"
"Do you remember where you put them?" the little girl mimicked, kicking her white stocking feet back and forth from the edge of her bed.
"Hikari." Hinata sighed.
"Hikari."
"Hikari." Sasuke's firm voice called from the doorway to the five-year-old's room, pulling on an expensively tailored suit jacket as he did so. "Where are your shoes?"
The youngest Uchiha stiffened a bit at her father's tone but didn't answer his question. She merely shrugged her shoulders and continued to kick her feet. Hinata frowned and shuffled up to the side of the bed, careful not to mess up her evening gown too much. The navy blue silk pooled around her into a thick puddled as she crouched down in front of her daughter. Big, black eyes stared back at her, so much like her father's, although this time they were filled with defiance and anger and more than just a little hurt.
"Kari. I know you're upset." Hinata started and the little girl sniffed. "I wish we could be there tonight but I promise we will be there for the next one."
"Everyone else has their mommy and daddy going!" she huffed, crossing her little arms over her petal pink leotard.
"Your grandparents are very excited to see you dance."
"I want my mommy and daddy!"
"Kari-"
"It's not fair!"
"I know, I'm sorry." The Uchiha matriarch tried to console but Hikari only rolled her eyes.
Hinata pursed her lips in a tight line. Hikari was right. It wasn't fair. Tonight was a big night for Hyuuchiha Enterprises. They'd finally been able to acquiesce an upstart company that Sound Inc. had been trying to obtain for months. The Mist Corporation was seen as having a pulse on the veins of the next generation of consumers. Bringing them under the Hyuuchiha umbrella would only grow their company more and, of course, necessitated a celebration. She and Sasuke were hosting the event along with Neji and Tenten, more than just a bit of press had been focused on the event. Buying out the Mizu Corporation had the potential to open up so many more opportunities not only for the company but also for the clan.
Unfortunately, their big night also coincided with their daughter's first ballet recital. Hikari had been so excited about the performance to the point where she was constantly twirling around the house and forcing her brothers to watch her dance. She danced in the park, while standing in line, and waiting for the tub to fill up with water for bathtime. With the stress of negotiations to buy out the Mizu Corporation and the flurry of activity, Hinata and Sasuke had forgotten the date of the recital. Fortunately, Fugaku and Mikoto would be able to take Hikari and attend the performance but the news that her parents were no longer going to be there felt like the end of the world for her.
"Hinata." Sasuke called again from the door. "We have to leave in ten minutes. My parents are waiting in the living room."
"Kari, you will be amazing tonight. Show us your full performance when you get home tomorrow alright?" Hinata sighed and leaned in to give her daughter a hug but was met with nothing but air as she flung herself back onto the bed.
The girl mused the high bun Hinata had painstakingly pulled to the top of her head, the hairdo's only saving grace were the millions of bobby pins that held it together. With pale arms obstinately crossed over chest, Hikari stared up at the ceiling and ignored them. Taking a deep breath, Hinata stood up and dusted the front of her dress off. When Hikari got into these moods it was best to leave her alone.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hinata noticed the toe of a white tennis shoe stick out from underneath the lavender bed skirt and shook her head. She bent down to grab the shoes before Hikari found another hiding place for them and turned to walk out of the room. Sasuke stood in the doorway, a hard look on his face as she approached him. Neither one wanted to miss Hikari's performance but they couldn't risk the Mizu Corporation reneging on the deal from the snub and joining forces with the Sound. The ink wasn't even dry yet on the paperwork.
Sasuke gently took the shoes from her possession and led her out of their disappointed daughter's room. With any luck, they might be able to sneak away from their event to catch the last half of Hikari's performance but it was unlikely. The last thing the Uchihas heard as they walked away from the doorway was the creek of her bed as Hikari rolled over and a muffled cry into her pillow.
...
Hotel Associa- Grand Ballroom A
Friday April 27 2029 7:45pm
…
Hinata gave a tight-lipped smile as she politely nodded along to the conversations of her peers. The rich wives of the Sound shareholders were all important in their own right but the Uchiha just couldn't catch what they were saying. In the back of her mind, a strange nagging feeling kept pulling her attention away from the conversation. The only time she felt this creeping paranoia was when it came to her children however at a time like this she knew it was unreasonable. Hajime and Hiroto were safe in the Hokage Mansion having a sleepover with Ito and their cousin Honoka. Hikari would join them after her recital was over and she'd probably be back to her usual cheery self by morning.
'Hikari' Hinata thought to herself, the nagging feeling in her mind intensified but she pushed it away. 'I just feel guilty, that's all.'
A warm hand slid into its usual place upon her lower back and she leaned into it naturally without having to see who it was. The way the faces of the shareholder wives lit up was enough to tell her that her husband had approached the group, not that she needed their signaling.
"Why !" a bold, dark-haired woman blushed. The dark crimson gown she was wearing clung to her body like a second skin and showed off more of her ample bosom than Hinata felt was acceptable. "We were just having a lovely conversation with your wife."
The other women giggled as the boldest among them adjusted her thick-framed glasses and extended her hand out to Sasuke. The Uchiha male looked at her hand curiously but didn't take it.
"And you are?" he asked tersely and it was only due to her training as a Hyuuga that Hinata was able to keep an impassive face.
"Oh, where are my manners?" the woman smiled, retracting her hand. "I'm Seiya, Seiya Unno. I was just telling the other ladies how fortunate it was you were able to come to a deal with Mizu."
"It is." Sasuke replied flatly, adding pressure to the hand on her back. "If you'll excuse us."
As they walked away, Hinata could hear the women immediately delve into gossip but she couldn't be bothered to care. She was more than used to the conniving women that existed within their circles. Sasuke led her swiftly through the crowded ballroom, stopping every so often to entertain the shallow pleasantries of others. Across the room, Hinata saw Tenten swarmed by a group of women similar to the ones she and Sasuke had just retreated from. The Uchiha matriarch covered her smile with her hand as she watched the telltale signs of Tenten's patience unraveling. The way her left eye twitched slightly and her shoulders rigid with tension. Hinata could only hope that Tenten would be able to keep up the 'nice lady' charade for a few more hours.
Soon Sasuke was able to navigate them out of the ballroom to a nearly empty side hallway. Their only company was the occasional black vested server carrying new trays of cocktail shrimp and champagne into the ballroom. Hinata took a deep breath of relief to be out of the room and away from the scrutinizing eyes of other companies. Their eyes calculated how to get in with the rising Hyuuga stock or, within the very same breath, how to take them down. It was all highly unnerving when one was exposed to it for several hours at a time.
"Dammit." Sasuke cursed under his breath as he shoved his cell phone back into his inner coat pocket. "Hikari's recital was scheduled to end almost an hour ago."
Hinata's hands snaked up her sides in an attempt to comfort herself from the rush of guilt that flooded her. She let out a small laugh, hoping that humor would allow herself and her husband to not feel like such horrible parents.
"I guess it's for the best that we didn't make it. She might have jumped off the stage."
"I doubt we would have been able to leave." Sasuke frowned, her attempt at humor having no effect on his mood. "Zabuza's brown nosers have been after me all night."
"Are you sure making a deal with them is the right thing to do?" she asked and Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
She knew that he and Neji had been going about this in circles almost a million times. The men had fought each other about the decision on more occasions than she'd been privy to and when they'd finally come to a tentative consensus they'd had to fight their own shareholders and clan members. The last few months had been very contentious but tonight was the culmination of all of their planning. The start of the planting of the future they were trying to grow. Hinata believed in her husband but something still didn't sit right.
"Are you questioning my decision?" Sasuke asked, an unspoken and tired 'after everything' hung in the air behind his words. Hinata bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
"No. I trust you." She said firmly and reached for one of his hands to cradle it between both of her own. "I don't know what it is…I…I don't have anything to back up this feeling. I just feel uneasy tonight."
Her husband visibly relaxed at her words, no longer taking them as an affront against him. He'd been fighting everyone for so long it would have been the last straw to have her against him as well. Slowly she rubbed small comforting circles against the back of his hand with her thumbs in an effort to distract herself from the unease she was feeling. As they stood there for a moment longer in the hallway, the door to the ballroom opened and with it came the sounds of their guests' pompous merriment.
"We should head back in." Hinata said with a short sigh.
Sasuke shook his head before reaching up with his free hand to lift her chin. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, gently tracing her jaw with his thumb. All too soon he pulled away with a softer look in his eyes.
"Let's call my parents to see how Hikari's recital went." He said and Hinata smiled in relief at the suggestion. "I'm sure my mother has the entire thing video tapped."
"Oh, I hope she does!"
Sasuke smirked at her gushing and backed away enough to once more remove his cell phone from his coat pocket. There was silence as he dialed Mikoto's number and his face quickly dropped from a confident smirk to a wrinkled brow.
"What's wrong?" Hinata asked and Sasuke shook his head.
"It's going straight to voicemail." He mumbled, dialing the number again.
Just as before his call wasn't answered. He called Fugaku twice as well but he didn't pick up either. Worried obsidian eyes met hers for only a moment before a frantic rustling down the hall alerted them to someone else's presence.
"Sasuke! Hinata!" Shisui shouted from the end of the hallway. His eyes alone were enough to convey to the pair that something was wrong. "Come, we have to leave!"
Immediately Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her forward towards their alarmed clan member. Shisui didn't even wait for them to meet him, instead turning immediately on his heels and rushing for the hotel stairwell. He pushed open the door that led to the fluorescent-lit cement stairs and took to them two at a time. Without thinking, Hinata kicked off her heels and handed them to Sasuke before hiking the folds of her evening gown up so that she could freely descend. Shisui paused for only a moment to ensure they were following and quickly resumed his pace when he did.
"Shisui, what's going on?" Sasuke asked, his voice echoing off the walls.
"There's been an accident." The man said breathlessly. "Fugaku and Mikoto, I got a call from the ambulance since I was the last number dialed by the driver-"
Hinata heard nothing else after that. Her toes hit the cold cement but she couldn't feel it. When her skin felt the cold night air push against her she had no idea. She wasn't even sure if her heart was still beating. The only thing that kept her propelling forward was Sasuke's hand in hers and her daughter's voice in her mind.
It's not fair.
It's not fair.
It's not fair.
The entire cab ride to the hospital Shisui and Sasuke were shouting back and forth at each other but Hinata couldn't muster the effort to tell her husband to lower his voice. Lights flashed outside of her window in as they zoomed through the city at a breakneck pace. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the hospital which was already a flurry of activity in the lives of people unconnected to their own. The cab had barely stopped in the roundabout in front of the hospital's entrance when Sasuke opened the car door and stepped out. Hinata vaguely registered the cab driver shouting obscenities at them but she was already following her husband into the hospital.
They were an odd sight for the people in the emergency waiting room, adorned in their suit and gown while they sat in various states of dishevelment. A chill went down her spine as people pulled out their phones and began recording the spectacle of Sasuke intimidating the nurse's staff into giving them the information he needed faster than their fingers could type. Gathering up her gown she walked over to her husband and placed a hand on his arm. He tensed at her touch but stopped yelling at the frightened nurse.
"T-t-the r-r-r-room room room number is 521." The nurse said, her wide brown eyes close to tears.
"Thank you." Hinata replied softly, a fuming Sasuke already heading towards the elevators.
Hinata followed him at a much slower pace, sending halfhearted apologies to the staff that got in Sasuke's way. When they got into the first available elevator it was thankfully empty but the ride felt as though it took forever. She reached out and grabbed Sasuke's hand, unsurprised to find it just as cold as her own. He gave her hand a small squeeze and they watched the numbers above the door light up. Second floor…trauma…Third floor…neurology…Fourth floor…maternity…Fifth floor pediatrics… A small bit of hope swelled inside of her as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Hikari had to be alright in some capacity if she wasn't on the trauma floor or the ICU which was only one floor above them.
The pediatrics floor was well lit and welcoming with cartoon stickers in every window and brightly painted walls. Despite the playful décor, the sterile scent of a hospital still clung to everything and made Hinata's heart beat faster. Hikari didn't belong here. Hikari should be with her brothers, Honoka, and Ito and scheming of ways to stay up all night or sneaking treats from the Hokage Mansion kitchens. Hikari should be somewhere that didn't feel like death was right around the corner. Hinata shook the frightening thoughts out of her mind and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
At this time of night, it was nearly empty save the nurses desk which was fully staffed with men and women watching computer monitors. They quickly confirmed who they were to the head nurse on duty who grabbed a thin manilla folder and she led them to the room that held their daughter. The numbers 521 were scrawled in a fun, candy-striped pattern with a bright yellow smiley face pasted next to it. The nurse knocked on the door briefly but no sound came from the inside to let them know it was alright to enter.
The nurse opened the door anyway and inside sat a solitary bed, surrounded by beeping machines and wires. Hikari sat in the middle of the bed, impossibly small in the sterile white room, and didn't even look at them when they came in. Her normally messy black hair was wrapped in a tight gauze crown and her obsidian eyes stared up at the ceiling unblinkingly.
"Kari." Hinata chocked out affectionately in hopes that her daughter would respond. When she didn't, Hinata let go of Sasuke's hand and move to the little girl's bedside.
"What's wrong with her?" Sasuke asked through clenched teeth to the nurse.
"She's sedated right now for pain. She's suffered a minor head injury from the crash but there was a lot of bleeding. Luckily she only needed a few stitches. She should be responsive in a few hours when the medicine wears off." The nurse informed them. "We'll be able to run some tests in the morning when our technicians arrive."
Hinata bit her bottom lip and reached out hesitantly to touch Hikari's gauze covered forehead. Her heart clenched with the longing for a little hand to stubbornly swat her away but the action never came. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and stared down at Hikari, perplexed as to how something like this could even occur. A car accident? The drivers for the Uchiha were very skilled. None of their drivers had been involved in a car accident while they'd been under their service.
"Where are Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha? They had to be with her in the car."
Hinata watched as the nurse shifted uncomfortably next to Sasuke, his glare boring right through her. Stiffly the woman handed him the thin folder she'd brought with her but Sasuke refused to take it.
"Where are they?"
...
Friday May 3 2029 3:46pm
Leaf General Hospital- Basement
….
Sasuke's upper lip curled in distaste as he looked at the body lying beneath the white sheet. The gore and blood had been wiped away, leaving behind a clean view of the mangled gray body. On his left Shisui turned green while to his right, his lawyer Kakashi grabbed the sheet and pulled it back further.
"Male. Fifty-four-year-old divorcee. Survived by no children and no other familial ties to speak of-" Kakashi started but Sasuke held up a hand to stop him.
"I don't care about who the hell he is." The Uchiha said flatly. "I care about his motives."
Kakashi nodded his head and pulled the sheet back over the body.
"No clear motives outside of the fact that he was in more debt than he could ever hope to pay back. Any assets he left behind are in the process of being seized by the bank. His liquid accounts have been frozen although there wasn't much in there to begin with. He isn't registered with any insurance company for us to make a claim."
The Uchiha frowned as he tore his eyes away from the white sheet. A clans member who left behind two adult children and a grandchild…gone. His father, the man who'd built the clan and company he now led…gone. His mother, the one woman he'd loved for most of his life…gone. All because of a drunk driver hitting them head-on in oncoming traffic.
Hikari would have lost her life as well if it hadn't been for his mother shielding her with her body at the last minute. Sasuke's fists clenched at the thought of Hikari, his nails biting into the flesh of his palms. There was no recourse. There was no one to sue. No one to take to court. No one to be held accountable. He felt helpless for the first time in years and he hated himself for feeling this way. He was Sasuke Uchiha. If anyone was able to bring justice to his parents being snatched away it should be him. A heavy hand reached out and touched his shoulder, drawing him away from his thoughts.
"We need to get to Atami." Shisui said and Sasuke nodded his head.
The Shrine. His parents' ashes would be spread over the shrine's grounds tomorrow, today was the last day to see them whole before the ceremony took place. Without a word he turned away completely from Kakashi and the body and headed for the exit with Shisui on his heels. Outside the sky was an angry slate gray with clouds pregnant with the threat of rain. Flash flood warnings had been issued all over the city and whereas most citizens had the luxury of staying indoors, the Uchiha did not.
It didn't take long to reach their clan's shrine since traffic was nearly nonexistent. The hardest part was climbing the stones steps, knowing that every step closer was solidifying his separation. How could he face his parents for the last time as a failure? He could do nothing to avenge their death. Their pointless death. What was he to do now? At times like this, he really wished that he had his older brother to lean on for support but Itachi had not answered any of his calls in almost two months. Even when he'd tried to inform his brother of their parents' passing he still didn't answer the phone. All of his calls had been forwarded straight to voicemail. Did Itachi even know their parents where dead?
Sasuke frowned as he ascended the last few steps and wall up the gravel path to the shrine's courtyard entrance, the sky growing darker as he drew closer. Of course, Itachi knew. He had to know. The untimely death of two rich and powerful people was excellent fodder to draw the public's attention to various news stations. While the public gobbled up every detail they could get their hands on about the lives of his parents, the company's stock was beginning to plummet. It had only been a week of bad stock forecasting and already the Uchiha shareholders were grumbling. His parents had only just been cremated and greedy old men were already cursing their death for ruining profits.
There was no way Itachi hadn't been informed of the chaos and that led Sasuke to draw only one conclusion. Itachi didn't care. Sasuke knew his brother better than the man thought he did. Itachi would move heaven and hell for what he cared about. The fact that there had been nothing but silence on his end meant that he just didn't care. He didn't care about the company. He didn't care about the clan. Most of all, he didn't care about him. Why else would he leave him alone like this? They'd both lost a mother and father.
As he walked into the courtyard, the smell of incense assaulted his nostrils. On the far end of the courtyard, the altar were the smoking incenses of clans members and associates that had come to pay their respects. A fire blazed brightly next to the altar and provided the only bright spot to the overcast that shrouded the Atami Shrine. On a raised dais were the matching jade green urns of his parents, surrounded by flowers, candles, and edible offerings for the other ancestors that had passed before them. Standing next to the dais was Hinata dressed somlenly in a modest black dress befitting an Uchiha matriarch in mourning. In her arms, she held a mahogany framed portrait of Mikoto and Fugaku, embellished with a black shroud. His sons stood next to her, holding each hand of their sister and standing guard as was their duty as heirs.
At his approach, the four of them bowed as they must have dutifully done countless times that day. Hajime rose from his bow, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn't shake or grimace. It was almost like he didn't realize that he was crying. Hiroto, on the other hand, showed no emotion whatsoever, instead inching closer to their mother protectively and tightening his grip on Hikari's tiny hand. Sasuke gave a curt nod to address the four of them before proceeding with what he had to do. Slowly he approached the dais and removed a brand new incense from a clutch near the right. He lit the end of the thin rod with the altar's fire and blew out the flame so that it was only smoking. Finally, he placed it in front of his parent's urns on top of countless others.
For a moment, all was silent. Not even the wind blew as he stared at his distorted reflection in the jade containers. Dark eyes looked back at him full of spite. A sharp crunch of gravel broke the heavy silence of the altar and caused Sasuke to stiffen. He really didn't want to speak with any of the other clan members right now. They wanted answers. They wanted solutions. He had none of that to give. As the crunching drew near Sasuke turned around to see two darkly clad individuals he hadn't spoken to in months.
"Itachi." Sasuke growled under his breath, his voice carried away by a strong wind that pushed through the courtyard.
The former heir of the Uchiha crossed the courtyard slowly, the gravel crunching under his feet in an odd way. Holding onto his left arm was Hanabi who was more focused on their footsteps than anything else. His wife and children bowed to the newcomers but Sasuke did not dare to give them that respect. Instead, he stepped down from the dais, his heavy footsteps reverberating off of the stone.
"Itachi." He said again, this time loud enough for everyone to hear him.
Itachi and Hanabi stopped only a few feet away from him. Sasuke frowned as he observed the elder's blank face. His skin was paler than normal and there were bags of fatigue under his eyes but otherwise, he appeared fine. The fact that he was fine made the man's blood boil. While he was dealing with the stressors and demands of the clan and company, Itachi was free to waltz in and out of their lives. He didn't even have the decency to answer any of his calls. Every fiber in his body wanted to yell at him, to demand answers from the only person he'd ever looked up to.
As thunder rumbled overhead, Itachi removed Hanabi's hand from his arm and the moment of reluctance between them wasn't amiss. Hanabi ultimately left his brother's side and walked up to where Hinata and his children were. The Hyuuga sisters exchanged a few hurriedly whispered words of comfort between them before Hinata whisked Hanabi and the children away to one of the Shrine's inner rooms. When the sliding shoji doors shut behind them, Itachi finally spoke.
"It's been a while, little brother." He said a smile spreading across his face that never reached his eyes. "I wish that we were reunited under more pleasant circumstances. I do apologize for my absence."
Sasuke's upper lip curled as the back of his throat filled with bile. Itachi was the same as he always was. Unfazed. Collected. It made him sick just looking at him.
"Care to explain where you've been?" he asked, barely keeping his temper in check.
"Where I've been is unimportant."
"Hn." Sasuke grunted. He'd expected that answer.
"How have my niece and nephews been? Hanabi tells me that Hajime is at the top of his class."
"Save it Itachi."
Itachi's smile faltered only a bit at Sasuke's snapping and it made the younger Uchiha feel good. He wanted his brother to feel just as miserable as he did.
"Sasuke, despite my absence I do care about my family." Itachi said simply.
"Why do I find that hard to believe?"
"Sasuke-"
"Pay your respects and leave like you always do. It's what you're good at."
Sasuke then turned away from his brother and went to go collect his family. Hinata had fulfilled her matriarch duties for the day and he would not have her standing here in the shrine a moment longer. Itachi said nothing as he left and when he closed the shoji door behind him, the rain finally began to fall.
….
Thursday September 31 2029 4:15pm
Leaf General Hospital- West Wing
…..
"Can you deliver these to Tsunade?" an elderly nurse asked her, shoving a small stack of folders under her nose. "She needs to sign off on these requisitions."
"Alright!" Sakura said, taking the folders but the nurse kept a grip on them. She tapped a wrinkled finger on top of the stack and narrowed her wise brown eyes.
"Don't leave until she signs them. The old bat thinks homeopathy is a joke, she never likes signing the discharge papers for our patients."
Smoothing down the front of her pale blue scrubs, Sakura gulped and nodded. Tsunade was a formidable woman. The reason the malpractice rate was so low for the hospital was due to the fact that she didn't put up with any nonsense and she considered homeopathy nonsense. If it hadn't been tested through the scientific method, Tsunade was very skeptical. However, when it came to minor aches and ailments, their homeopathy branch was able to work wonders. They saved the hospital a lot of money as well which was why Tsunade didn't kick them out on their ass.
Once the wisened nurse was sure she wouldn't back down, Sakura scrambled away from the nurses' station to the elevators. Tsunade's office was on the top floor of the main building and while it wouldn't take long to get there, she knew that the older nurse wanted these papers signed fast. Luckily it was just after lunch so Tsunade shouldn't be too busy. If anything she was probably sleeping on top of all of her paperwork. Sakura giggled at the visual of an exhausted Tsunade, secretly praying that that was the case. A tired Tsunade was much easier to deal with.
The elevator arrived without too many stops to the top floor of the main building. Tsunade's 'office' compromised the entire top floor of the building and held other departments like accounting, human resources, and of course a small army of lawyers. Currently, the floor was deserted which wasn't unsurprising since it was a Friday. Many of Tsunade's personal staff were probably out enjoying an extended lunch before they had to get back to the grueling work of the hospital.
As she walked through the empty workspace, she tried to run her fingers through her short pink hair. She had to at least look presentable in case Tsunade was actually awake. She very much enjoyed working for the homeopathy branch of the hospital and didn't want it to reflect poorly on her mentors that she looked like a slob. Well…not a slob per se. Scrubs and tennis shoes were a given when working in a hospital, but they were a far cry from the stilettos and pencil skirts she used to wear.
Sakura sighed as she clutched the folders close to her chest, she couldn't even remember the last time she'd worn a decent pair of heels. Her entire wardrobe had been overwrought with sweatpants, hoodies, and scrubs in more colors than many people thought possible. Gone were her designer handbags and tailored blazers. Working in the hospital no longer allowed her the income to sustain such a lifestyle. At first, it had been difficult to adjust. At this point in her life, she'd thought she'd be married to a wealthy man and be showered with more money and affection than she knew what to do with.
However, life didn't always work out the way one intends for it to. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing though. She was happy working at the hospital. At least here she was a valued member of the team and her opinions were always taken into consideration. The younger nurses looked up to her and the older ones trusted her implicitly. One day, many years from now if everything worked out, she would be the head of the homeopathy branch. She hoped to gain Tsunade's respect and recognition of their methods by them. Sakura chuckled softly to herself as she approached Tsunade's office door. She had goals now. Real tangible ones that made her feel good about herself. If only the vultures could see her now-
"Are you sure?"
Sakura paused, her hand just a few inches away from knocking on Tsunade's door. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it in years. Any time the owner's face had popped up on the news she was quick to turn the television to a new channel. When Tsunade had personally and successfully assisted in delivering the owner's third child, nurses and doctors from all departments had filtered in and out of the newborn holding center to get a look at the baby. Sakura had not. Instead, she threw herself into doing more work just to distract herself from the happiness taking place one building over.
She didn't want to see them. She didn't want to see her. Hinata Hyuuga. The woman living the life she was supposed to have. Yet here she was. The small gap in the door allowed Sakura to see the back of Hinata who sat rigid in her seat. Tsunade's concerned eyes weren't looking at Hinata though. Instead, she was focused on the black filmy photographs of various x-rays splayed out on her desk.
"I wish that I could come up with another answer for you Hinata but everything checks out clear." Tsunade sighed, her eyebrows knitting together as she did so. "Her brain scans read normally. There was no physical damage to her temporal lobes. Has she made any improvements with therapy?"
"No…I'm not sure what else to do." Hinata replied.
"You say 'I'. What does Sasuke think of this? Is there a history of such conditions happening within the clan?"
Sakura watched as Hinata slowly shook her head and felt guilty for eavesdropping. She knew that she shouldn't. This was clearly a private matter between her and Tsunade and Tsunade hardly ever took on private patients. The only people she worked with in a general sense were the Uzumaki and Senju families. This wasn't something she should be listening in on but she couldn't help herself. Tsunade let out a short breath and looked up from the x-rays on her desk.
"In any case, it would be best to get her signed up for some language courses. At her age, she will take to it like a fish in water and maybe show signs of improvement."
"How long will this continue?"
"Physically she is fine. I'm not sure how long this phase will last. An experience such as this is traumatic enough for an adult-"
A sudden ringing interrupted the blonde woman and made both Hinata and Sakura jump. Hinata shook off her surprise quickly and dug around in the purse on her lap for her cellphone. Once she'd retrieved it she swiped to answer the call and pressed the device to her ear. She only made a few nods of understanding before hanging up the phone and returning it to her purse. Tsunade leaned back and folded her arms across her generous chest.
"Hiro again?" Tsunade sighs and Hinata slowly nodded her head.
"I'm sorry but I'll have to end our meeting now."
"It's alright. I'll send you a copy of these files in the mail. If you need anything else or if Hikari displays any changes please don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you, Tsunade." Hinata said with a deep bow in her chair before turning to her right. "Time to go Hikari."
For the first time, Sakura noticed that the second chair in front of Tsunade's desk wasn't empty. Little legs popped down to dangle from the chair before getting down completely. As Hinata bowed to Tsunade, the little figure walked around the chair and immediately made contact with her. The little girl pulled nervously at the front of her pale blue kindergarten smock with small hands and waited patiently for her mother to finish up with her pleasantries. The sight of her made Sakura take a few steps back, alerting the child to her presence. Flat obsidian eyes scrutinized her through the gap, causing Sakura to turn away entirely from the child.
With her back turned to the office there was some shuffling as the office door was pushed open but thankfully the wood blocked Hinata from seeing her. Sakura remained hidden, listening intently to their footsteps drawing further and further away. When she was sure that Hinata and her daughter were no longer within earshot, she eased her way into Tsunade's office.
"Tsunade," Sakura called, hoping her voice didn't betray the internal nervousness that was wracking her guilty body.
Tsunade looked up from the scans on her desk, surprised to even see her there.
"Oh, Sakura. Has Tokai sent you to bully me into signing something? Just let me put these away first then let's get to business."
….
Thursday September 31 2029 6:00pm
Uchiha Compound- Main House
...
"Hiroto." Hinata frowned as she regarded the child sitting across from her at the table.
Hiroto slumped down in the high backed mahogany chair, an utterly bored expression on his face. Scattered between them were papers, specifically his school work, all marked up in red. It was an unusual sight to see such poor grades come out of her second son. He and Hajime normally did very well in school. They loved to learn and Fugaku had been very diligent in fostering that curiosity. He took them to museums and libraries after school and helped them complete big school projects.
On more than one occasion he'd gushed with pride over how intelligent his grandsons were. He would be shocked to see the marks Hiroto was getting now. Hinata picked up a spelling test and frowned at the bold red zero at the top. Hiroto had only written his name on the paper. He didn't even attempt to spell out any of the words for the test.
"You normally love spelling and vocabulary. What happened?" Hinata asked but Hiroto only shrugged and looked away.
"It's not the same."
"What's not the same?"
Hiroto shrugged again at her question. Somehow her children thought she could read their minds, especially as of late. Hinata put the spelling test back on the dining room table and sighed.
"I'll make some calls to see if we can find a tutor for you." She said and Hiroto sat up straight in his seat.
"No!" he shouted.
"Hiro, these grades are not good. If you're struggling in school it's okay. We just need to get some extra help."
"No! I don't want a tutor!"
"Hiro-"
"No!" he shouted again, climbing out of his chair and walking away from the table. "I'm not studying with anyone that isn't Papa."
"Hiroto come back here!" Hinata called after him but was only met with the sound of angry feet thundering up the staircase.
She winced at the subsequent slam of Hiroto's bedroom door. What was she going to do with him? The child therapist said outbursts like this would happen but that fact didn't make her feel any better.
Underneath the table, she heard a small sniff and the rustle of clothing. Hinata smiled and crouched down to crawl under the furniture. Sitting on the floor was Hikari with a large picture book in her lap. Silently, she ran her right hand over a vibrant red carp swimming on the page.
"Kari," she said and the five-year-old looked up from her book. "Would you like to help me with dinner?"
Hikari nodded her head and closed her book. She then crawled out from under the table, taking Hinata's outstretched hand.
"What would you like for dinner?" Hinata asked as they left the dining room to head into the kitchen. Hikari silently shrugged her shoulders. "Would you like pasta?"
Hikari shook her head.
"How about fish sticks?"
Again she shook her head.
"Chicken nuggets?"
At that suggestion, Hikari nodded her head emphatically causing Hinata to smile.
"Alright then, chicken nuggets it is."
The rest of the evening thankfully passed by smoothly. Well as smoothly as she could hope for. While Hikari devoured her dinner, the twins pushed chicken nuggets around on their plate and maybe a total of three pieces of broccoli between them. When they were being picky like this Sasuke was the one who got them to eat their food. However, she rolled over and noted the late hour on the digital clock in her daughter's room, Sasuke wasn't here to help.
He was hardly ever home now. Most days he slept at the office. If he did come home it was only to sleep and shower. When saw him, which was now only in passing since she'd stopped working to take care of Hikari, it was almost like she didn't exist. They didn't even share the same bed anymore since Hikari suffered from night terrors and couldn't sleep alone. Hajime and Hiroto had also picked up on their father's negative energy and kept away from him whenever he was home.
Hinata rolled back over towards Hikari and ran her fingers through the sleeping girl's hair. The raven locks she'd detangled during bath time were already working themselves back into knots with all of her tossing and turning. How much longer would life be like this? How many more nights would she spend without her husband? When would things return to the way they used to be? A small voice in the back of her head, one that she'd been trying to ignore for her own sanity, whispered never. Things would never be the same. After her mother had died and her uncle shortly thereafter, her father had never been the same. She had vague memories of digging in the garden with him. Once she'd even seen him laugh, although that might have only been in a dream. If her father was never able to fully move one what kind of fate did that leave her little family? The passing of Mikoto and Fugaku had created a rift between them all and Hinata wasn't sure how to fix it.
The sound of rummaging downstairs jolted Hinata from her thoughts and up from the bed. It was much too late for the twins to be rummaging around in the fridge. They didn't have much of an appetite earlier though. As the rustling got more aggressive, Hinata eased her way out of the bed and placed pillows around Hikari so it would mimic a person sleeping next to her. Carefully she tiptoed out of the room, jumping slightly when she heard the sound of breaking glass. Now panicked, Hinata flew down the stairs and down the hall to the kitchen. If one of the twins had cut themselves the first aid kit was too high for them to reach. She made it to the kitchen in no time but instead of her boys, she found Sasuke tossing a shard of broken glass into the sink.
"Dammit." He muttered and turned back to the cabinet to get a new glass.
"Sasuke…you're home." She said, an uncomfortable lump rising in her throat as she did so.
Sasuke grunted and set the newly retrieved glass on the kitchen island. He then started rifling through a plastic grocery bag Hinata had never seen before and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. It only took him a second to unscrew the top and pour a healthy amount into his glass.
"I received an email today about Hiroto's grades." He said dry, swirling the dark liquor. Hinata bit her bottom lip and nodded her head.
"His teachers would like to have a conference with both of us."
"I don't have time to take out of my day to fix something you should be able to handle yourself." He snapped, causing Hinata's eyes to widen.
"Hiro is going through a tough time right now but he does not want a tutor-"
"Is it up to him to decide such a thing? He's ten."
"We can't force him to do things he's uncomfortable with right now. The therapist-"
"That fucking quack." Sasuke sneered and downed his whiskey in one gulp. "How long has Hikari been going to her and there's been no improvement? Get a new therapist. Get a tutor."
"Hikari's finally started feeling comfortable around this one. It will be difficult for her to change suddenly."
"Figure it out Hinata." He growled and poured himself some more to drink. "You're their mother."
"I'm your wife as well. You can't just order me around like one of your subordinates. If you were home more often we could deal with these things together as a husband and wife are supposed to do."
Sasuke glared at her from over the rim of his glass for a moment, clearly dissatisfied with her rebuttal against him. She didn't back down or walk away though. It felt good to talk to him even if they were on the verge of an argument.
"Sasuke." She started, taking a few steps towards the island where he stood. "I understand that this has been impossibly difficult for you. Maybe it would be best to take some time off…maybe spend some more time here with the children…and me."
His eyes softened slightly at her suggestion but once he closed and reopened his eyes the affection was gone. He took a large gulp of whiskey, grimacing at the taste of the bitter liquor.
"I can't." he said finally when he finished off his second drink. "The elders in the clan have been busy. They are calling into question the legality of me being the head."
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't but when enough people get together they can force others to believe the sky isn't blue."
"Is this why you haven't been home?"
Hinata watched as his shoulders slumped and a deep breath was released from his chest. Slowly she walked around the island and hesitantly placed a hand on his forearm. He tensed under her touch, evidence that their physical contact had dwindled to nonexistent. She noted that he didn't move away though so there had to be some hope left there. Selfishly, she pressed on.
"Would it be so bad if you were to step down? Itachi could always take your place."
"Hinata." He sighed and attempted to slip his arm away from her but she held firm.
"Would it? Would it really be so terrible? Sasuke, our children really need you right now. I need you."
Sasuke opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a high pitched shriek from upstairs. Hinata closed her eyes and removed her hand from Sasuke's arm in defeat. She wasn't going to be able to persuade Sasuke one way or the other tonight. It could be argued that there was at least some value in being able to voice her frustration. Whether he actually took her words into account was another thing. With a tired sigh, she left the kitchen to go comfort her daughter who'd found herself alone in the dark.
...
Friday October 1 2029 12:02am
Uchiha Compound- Main House
….
Sasuke frown as he watched his wife retreat from the kitchen and the screams of Hikari echoed through the house. He could hear the creaking of multiple doors being opened and the sounds of feet scrambling of feet to get to her. To comfort her. To make her feel safe. He wanted to reach out to her as well but each time he did, something stopped him. Whether it was his own work or the ever-present depression that nibbled on the edges of his consciousness, something always prevented him from going to her. What right did he have to comfort her anyway? As her father, he was supposed to keep her safe. When bad things happened he was supposed to be able to fix them. Yet…he was utterly useless to her. He couldn't change what happened that night. He couldn't bring his parents back. He couldn't return Hikari's voice.
Vvvvvvvvvvrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrbbbbbbbbb
The Uchiha looked down at his phone vibrating violently facedown against the gray granite countertop. He put his now empty glass, curious as to who would be calling him so late at night. He flipped the phone over and his eyes immediately narrowed at the contact number listed. The Brat. What could Hanabi want at this hour? His lips twitched downward slightly as he swiped to accept the call. Immediately his head was filled with the sound of panicked breathing.
"Hello?" he asked when the person on the other end didn't say anything. "Hello? Hanabi?"
"Sasuke." She whimpered.
"Hanabi what is it?"
Before the Hyuuga could even respond to his question, he was already making his way out of the kitchen. Whatever was going on she'd probably tried to call Neji and Hinata first but neither one of them had answered. The best thing to do would be to get the phone upstairs to Hinata.
"Sasuke." She started again, just as his foot hit the first step of the staircase. "Sasuke.
"Sasuke…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"
To be Continued….
V is for Patches
At thirty-six years old she shouldn't still be this embarrassed to buy lingerie…