Sorry it took me so long to update! Thank you to all of those who reviewed. I really appreciate it. I finally got my inspiration back, and here you go!

Oh, Brother!

Hinata couldn't deny that she was more than a little worried about how weird Sakura had acted earlier that day, but all concern faded away when she came home to see Vanessa and her father talking in the living room, falling silent as Hinata walked in.

The blond's proximity was dangerously close to Mr. Hyuuga. Subconsciously, Vanessa must have acknowledged this too which is why she took a necessary step back. Hinata felt her heart clench with the pain of betrayal. She tried to swallow back the painful lump that had formed in her throat, her heart quickening with each second she stood there.

"Hello, Hinata." Never losing composer for a second, Mr. Hyuuga greeted his daughter flatly. His tone was unapologetic, owing no excuse. Vanessa smiled her greeting.

"Ano… h-hello." Hinata stuttered out, the tension of the situation weighing on her. Her phone vibrating in her hand snapped her out of her slight daze. "Excuse me!" she squeaked, bowing and making her way towards the stairs.

This can't be happening. Why would Otousan do this to us? She thought, placing her book bag carefully in her computer chair. Sighing, she laid on her bed, arms spread out limply. Should I tell Okaasan?

Then again, did she even really know if her father was indeed having an affair? Maybe he was finally reprimanding Vanessa about the lousy job she's been doing and didn't want Hinata to whiteness it. If they were engaging in an affair, they would have gone some place more private, right?

Her phone vibrating in her hand again brought her from her troubling thoughts. She opened her texts. Both messages were from Ino.

Ino: So… I heard there's a cheater in Kohono!

Hinata's heart hammered against her chest. She sat up, rigid, re-reading the text message. No! Fingers trembling, she scrolled to the next one.

Ino: Don't lie, I already know about it.

Her finger working faster than her brain, Hinata replied.

Hinata: How did you find out?

It was one thing for her to know, but if their family qualms were now out in the street, a lot of people could get hurt. It was not only bad for her father's business, but she would hate for her mother to find out through some random person.

Ino: So it's true!

Hinata was replying when another text came through.

Ino: This puts shame on your whole family!

Hinata: Are you the only one that knows?

Ino: No… Sakura told me ALL about it.

Ino: We're the only one's that know… for now.

Ino: And Sasuke, of all people!

Sasuke? How did he find out? Her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Hinata: What should I do, Ino!

Ino: You know what to do.

This time she waited for the second text, panicking, and hoping Ino could help. In the back of her mind she wondered why Sakura didn't tell her. Then, gasping, she thought, Maybe that's why Sakura was acting so weird in the car. She wanted to tell me, but didn't know how! But that wasn't the issue at hand.

Ino: You have to end it!

Mixed emotions churned her stomach as she put the phone back on the bed. How would she go about stopping her father from cheating? He was a very powerful and self-rightous man. Even his own daughter was afraid to speak with him about mundane topics. Her courage and confidence in herself was too frail to confront him.

She would have to talk to Vanessa.

Sasuke's Home

Pots clanking in the kitchen signaled that his brother had not disappeared yet, as Sasuke was hoping.

"Could you slam the door a little louder, you didn't make a dramatic enough entrance." Itachi called from his position at the kitchen sink.

Sasuke threw himself on the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation, becoming even more aggravated when he realized his curtains were pinned back and the lights were on. He closed his eyes against the light.

He couldn't wait for Itachi to do his grand disappearing act again. Since the day Itachi turned eighteen he had been ghosting in and out of Sasuke's life.

There were times in Sasuke's childhood where Itachi fed him dreams and false hope that he would come back for good, but then he'd disappear again not be heard from for months. He'd always come back selling some "something came up" excuse. After a while, Sasuke stopped accepting the lies, and Itachi stopped telling them.

Sasuke didn't really begin to resent his brother until their parents died. Only being sixteen, he couldn't live alone. Itachi stayed just long enough to sign off on the lease for the house and then he was out again, leaving his younger brother with nothing but an empty house and an apology. Sasuke couldn't stand him now.

"And that thing you did with MY cranberry juice this morning was really cute." Sasuke couldn't help the smirk gracing his face. "I spit in it by the way."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, then narrowed. "You bastard!" he hissed.

"I'll have you know that our parents were happily married when I was conceived." Itachi strode out of the kitchen clad in dress pants and a tank top, proceeding to splash water on the irate teen. This earned him a nasty scowl.

"Grow up!" Sasuke spat.

"Lighten up baby brother!" he held up his hands innocently. No sooner than he sat down in the leather sofa across from Sasuke, did the younger Uchiha rise from his position. "Why are you always so uptight?" smiling at his game, he followed Sasuke into the kitchen.

The younger teen was just about to pour some Cinnamon Toast Crunch, ignoring the wonderful smelling baked chicken, and rice that Itachi was preparing. As delicious as it smelled, he wanted to spite his brother.

"You only have one life to live, Sasuke. Don't waste it away being mad at the world." Itachi warned, sounding oddly sincere. "You will never get the chance to be anyone else, so why not make the most of this life?"

After a few seconds of silence passed, Itachi leaned over the serving counter facing Sasuke, "Come on, we've been doing this silence thing for a month now. I know you've got something to say. What's been going on under that mess of black hair?"

As Sasuke went to grab a spoon out of the kitchen drawer his hand lingered over the knife before him. …But where would I hide the body?

Betraying the part of him that wanted to pretend that Itachi didn't exist or that he didn't care, Sasuke grabbed the spoon and asked, "Why are you here, Itachi?"

"That's a good question…" he pretended to think, placing his index finger and thumb on his chin. "Why am I here? What is my purpose? What is your purpose? Who am I?"

"Why me?…" Sasuke mocked, rolling his eyes, erecting a chuckle from his brother.

"If you must know… I'm looking for someone." Sasuke wasn't satisfied with that, but he knew that was all he was getting from Itachi for the day. He always kept everything so top secret. "Now will you answer my question, baby brother?" He paused. "Do you know a Hyuuga Hinata?"

Sasuke mentally chastised himself as his body stiffened in response. It was barely noticeable, but Itachi's keen senses didn't miss it.

The eldest brother turned and leaned back on the counter, smirking. "So, are you two close?"

"Not at all."

"Good! I invited her and a bunch of your little friends to the Valentines Day party you're throwing."

"You did what?" Sasuke bent the spoon in his hand, rounding the corner of the counter so he could face Itachi.

He clenched his teeth, desperately wanting to punch Itachi dead in that cocky grin of his.

"I… -What's the word you teens use- Oh!… "hacked" your facebook thing and sent out invites to all of your friends. It's this Tuesday after school. Dress to impress." Unfazed by his brother's death glare, Itachi coolly walked back towards the front room. "Oh, and Hinata sent you an instant message on your facebook. Sounds pretty interesting for someone you don't know…" his voice trailed off as we walked into another part of the house.

Abandoning his unwanted cereal, Sasuke briskly walked to his room where his laptop lay open on his bed. Mentally cursing Itachi, he tapped a random key so the floating "Itachi Loves Sasuke" screen saver would disappear. And there they were, IMs from Hinata. She was still online.

Hinata: I know this is weird, but I really need to talk to you. I just have to make sure no one else finds out about this.

Hinata: Please reply!

What do you guys think? Too much confusion and drama, or do you like it? Let me know. Sometimes I like to listen to what my readers want. :-)

So don't be afraid to give your opinion... but in a nice way. Thanks for reading! :-)