Hinata was walking through the centre of the town heading towards the shopping district. Kakashi no longer kept her hidden away in the Hokage's tower. His main objective was to spare her feelings from the rest of the world, the reaction of he a friends and her team mates.
She had however dealt with her very public altercation with Kiba reasonably well, either that or she was keeping it bottled up in some pit of her mind, with every thing else that had happened to her. Either way she had gained her freedom.
Hinata decided to go for a short walk, she couldn't walk much these days, her feet hurt, it was awkward to move and the baby had grown big now and it was pressing up against her bladder meaning she got out of breath a lot quicker, and she need to go the toilet at least three times in the past hour.
Sakura and Kurani had been prepping her for the delivery and what to expect when giving birth, and in no way is it glamorous. In fact it terrified her, she felt like a ticking time bomb. Figures that the miracle of life would be messy and painful.
Kakashi had assured her he would be there for all of it, she wasn't sure she actually wanted him there, but she sure as hell didn't want to do it alone. Idly wondering what Sasuke may have been like if he was at the birth, would he be the nervous anxious type that would pace the room, and at the first sign of the baby, throw up and faint.
Or the type that would tell her to take deep breath and do the breathing exercise with her, holding her hand, telling her everything would be ok, would he have cried as he led the child.
She had no idea what he would really be like, but it amused her think of it. Frequently she'd catch her self day dreaming about Sasuke, her mind drifting back to him. How he would behave in everyday mundane situation. Like grocery shopping and getting yelled at because he forgot the milk, him attempting to entertain friends at an awkward dinner party. In all these little day dreams of hers he not a well adjusted friendly man that had a normal upbringing, no he exactly him self an anti social crazy mess, who's more comfortable in battle then at a dinner.
"Hah" she let out a little chuckle imagining Sasuke in a suite, now her mind had drifted to all the things wanted him to wear, beach shorts, a top hat, a onesie, then she really stated to laugh.
"What's so funny?" A tall blond man asked from just behind her, it took her moment to realise it was Naruto she hadn't even noticed he was there, He looked a little baffled at her sudden outburst.
"Sasuske in a onesie." She answered, at first his face went blank not really comprehending what she had just said, but she watched as the images slowly formed in his mind. As he sniggered trying to hold back the laughter till the laughter burst out in a flood.
" So is this what you do in your spare time, wonder what Sasuke would look like in different night ware" he raised his eyebrow. " I thought that was something only Ino still did."
She shrugged " He pretty, he'd probably look good in it."
Naruto sighed out a little defeated, " Yeah he always been the best looking, ever since we were kids."
" Really" Hinata said a little surprised " huh I always thought you were the best looking among the boys, personal preference I guess."
The man in question blushed a little and scratched the back of his head bashfully.
" Really even after you've seen Kakashi sensei's real face, I've seen women go weak at the knees for him. I've still not seen him with out the mask properly." He laughed a little exasperated, you'd think after all these years he'd mange to get something more then just a little glimpse.
" He is a very handsome man" she admitted " I am a lucky woman." She couldn't supress the twinge of melancholy in her voice. No matter how amicable they were together it never really felt right.
" Give it time" He said as he placed his hand on her shoulder appearing to be a little heartbroken him self.
The new Mrs Hatake gave him a weak smile in response.
Naruto attention drifted to the sky, as a shadow of eagle cast upon them. He nodded to Hinata apologetically "well work calls, trust me things will get better." He left with his parting advice.
It was late in the evening when he entered the apartment, with the crisp new autumn breeze sweeping its way through the open window. The silhouette of a young woman watching the last of the amber rays of the sun, long shadows trailing the length of the floor.
Noticing his presence far to late for someone who was trained as shinobi, those skill once learnt never fade even in old age. He wasn't sure it was a good or a bad sign that she had been so distracted lately.
"Welcome home, I haven't seen much of you today." Hinata greeted, she had already laid the table for him and disappeared into the kitchen with two meals.
"Yeah who would of guessed being Hokage ment works, I honestly thought Stunade sama just drank all day." He frowned at the site of two meals. " you didn't wait for me did you?"
Hinata chuckled a little " she probably did, don't worry I just wasn't hungry before." she settle down in her seat " so anything exciting happen or is it all need to know confidential."
" I wish" he sighed "its all paper work for the most mundane things, I'd understand if Stunade sama did drink all the time." Kakashi took a bite of the meal "hmm this is good."
" Your lying" Hinata fixed him with a look a little too long for his comfort.
He laughed nervously " Your right, its a little too salty for my taste, but honestly its good."
" Yeah that's what I was talking about." She mumbled under her breath but said nothing else on the subject.
That night she sat stroking the little black bead as usual letting little blast of chakra seep into it. She no longer hoped for help or if in fact it was ever a signal, and perhaps there was no one left to receiving. It had simply become a routine that she like to do when she was idle. A comforting habit, on par twilling ones hair between their fingers
This time as she applied a little chakra to the bead, to her dismay the bead crumbled in her hands. She let out shocked little yelp and noticing her distress Kakashi came over to see what was wrong. He noticed the broken pieces in her hand and took it from her for closer inspection. "I am sorry Hinata I know you were fond of this earing, but I notice you kept applying chakra to it, it wouldn't of been able to withstand that for much longer. If you like I could get earing made, form the same metal the chakra blades are made of."
Brushing the pieces out of her hand, a little sadden that she had lost her favourite comfort. "Your right of course, I'd just gotten so used to it, I am better of with out it, thank you for the thought though.
" Who gave you it" she looked him a little surprised he knew it was a given to her.
"No one buys just one." Kakashi explained
" Oh no one special, just a customer at the bar I worked at when I lived with sa….sasuke she hesitated, they hadn't really talked about him or the time she had spent with him before kakashi had come for her.
"Do you miss those days, do you miss" He paused not really he sure he wanted to ask.
"I do but I miss a lot of things." Hinata cut him off not wanting him to ask either.
A loud clamor came from the door as it adburptly burst open, interrupted their tense moment. The startled coupled stood as a team of Anbu soldiers stormed into the room.
"What is this, whats going on" Kakashi demanded.
"We're placing Hinata Hatake under arrest for acts of treason and terrorism, conspiring of with hostile enemy nations." Two anbu secured Hinata.
"What don't be ridiculous under who's orders, I am the Hokage dammit you have no authority". Kakashi intercepted and forced his way in between the soldiers.
"This is an order form Higher powers" the Anbu surrounded them in deadly ring with no chance of escape and unsheathed their weapons.
Kakashi activated his sharingan "Hinata get behind me" growled out as piercing screeching sounds of angry birds filled the room and menacing bolts of lightning erupted from Kakashi hand. "I hope you came prepared to die".