Epoch 3.5

An Intermission

disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Thank youuuuu, Celia! :)

I know a ghost will walk through the wall

Yet I am just a man still learning how to fall

Falling Man, Blonde Redhead

For a minute he misunderstands where he is. When he is.

"Haruka," he says to his sister-in-law. "Where is Neji? He is late for his training session."

Haruka looks at him with confusion in her white eyes. Not five seconds later her expression is wiped clean. The lack of emotion in her face takes Hiashi by surprise; Haruka has never been good at this kind of concealment. He is slightly impressed.

"Father," she responds quietly. Why does she address him so? "Neji-nii-san has not trained under your supervision in years."

There is a moment of silence before the fog clears away. "No," Hiashi responds slowly. "He has not." Carefully, he adds, "Hanabi."

She smiles at him tightly, unwilling to express her sorrow. Hiashi vaguely acknowledges his simultaneous pride and conflict. She has been raised that way, to be a warrior in all aspects of life, but at least one of his girls was supposed to turn out normal. Hanabi was supposed to be normal. Hinata was his first, his favorite, and all his mistakes. How he wishes he turn back time.

"I have a mission today. I need to pack." She pauses, trying carefully to pick the right words. "Your doctor's appointment is today. Please do not for—" she bites her tongue. Fucking idiot. Her jaw tightens as she awaits her father's biting response.

"I have not forgotten, Hanabi," he merely states. He turns around. "May your mission be successful."

It is a dismissal if Hanabi ever heard one. "Thank you, Father."

Hiashi closes his eyes as he tries to hear Hanabi leave from the room. But he trained her well, and she makes no noise upon her exit. He knows she's gone when he can no longer feel her chakra in the nearby vicinity.

His ragged sigh is the only sound in the room. Lately his slip-ups have been more frequent. Only Hanabi knows of his condition. Alzheimer's, they call it. His brain--the cerebral cortex, anyway--is shrinking and he cannot do anything to reverse the process. If the elders knew, they would demand Hanabi's immediate ascendance as leader, not to mention her marriage to Neji. Unacceptable. He will not ruin his daughter's lives any longer, and Neji's choice was painfully obvious. He must see the Hokage today.

Hinata's 5th birthday is today. She fell into the river and almost drowned. When goes to the hospital and sees her lying weakly in the pristine white sheets associated with death and sickness, he shakes with rage and relief. How could his daughter be so careless? He'd thought his heart died along with Hizashi and Hanae, but when he sees her—saw her lying in the bed his heart stopped. Does he have a heart? Hiashi forgets.

He stays until she wakes up, and when he sees the blatant surprise on her face anger whirls deep within him. She apologizes and he berates her and she cries. Fat tears roll down her chubby cheeks. He wants to shake her. Can't she see he's trying to toughen her? Being leader is not easy, and Hiashi can hardly see how she'll make it. But Hinata is his daughter, the most caring person in the world.

Hinata is his daughter. Why has she left the clan?

Hinata fell into the river today. He doesn't know why he's rushing to the hospital, especially when the logical side of his brain argues that he can't save her, even if he tries. But he is her father, and if visiting the hospital is the limit as to how much love he can dispense, then he will do it.

But Hinata is his daughter. He needs her to come back, because he loves her, and because she will save her clan.

AN. Hey guys! Happy early Thanksgiving! It's a relief to get this out of my system, hopefully you like it. Even though it is a really short chapter, it's pretty important, and I would LOVE to know what you guys think. So please please review! Thank youuuu!