Chapter title from the song Crystalized by the XX.

My gratitude towards these people for their reviews: Amezaiku, Beru Wang, fanofthisfiction, juleeandrei, Yuzuki476, littlenewgardner, I-Love-Trunks1, impronin, and Fanfickween.

Slight warning: A character gets a tattoo and it is described.

Thanks for reading.

oOo

Chapter Six: Before I'm Paralyzed

For the second time in two days, Hinata ended up with a crying family member in her arms. Hinata let out a little huff of surprise as the body collided with her.

Hinata's eyes flared with the Byakugan to check her surroundings. Finished within seconds, she deactivated her dojutsu. They could not draw attention.

With a possessive arm around her cousin's shoulders, she pulled her inside the room. She slid the door shut and locked it before guiding her cousin to the futon in the middle of the room. The sheets were messy with the haste Hinata used to run to the door. The only light came from a single lantern that she had not bothered to extinguish before going to bed.

With her cousin acting as deadweight, they both fell ungracefully onto their knees on the mattress.

Hinata pushed her cousin back to see her face. "Haruko-chan? What's wrong?"

Haruko bit her lip, trying to stifle her cries. But she could not catch her breath.

Hinata carefully placed her hands on either of Haruko's cheeks. Her thumbs wiped away the tears coming from iridescent white eyes.

"Breathe with me, Haruko-chan. In. Hold it. Out. Good. In… and out…" Hinata continued this mantra until Haruko managed to compose herself a bit.

At only sixteen, the Branch member still looked like a child. Despite that, Haruko was brave and brash and already a chunin.

Hinata had never seen her cousin look so lost before.

"Hin-Hina-sama…" Haruko gasped.

"Take your time," Hinata whispered. She pulled Haruko close and ran an affectionate hand down her long hair. "I'm in no hurry."

Haruko fisted her hands in the back of Hinata's sleep shirt. Hinata heard the seams protest dangerously. She held in a sigh. Technically this shirt belonged to Kiba before Hinata found it in her pack after a mission. It was soft and worn with use, but the loss would not be too terrible.

Hinata distracted herself with thoughts of clothing until Haruko calmed once more. It was easier to think of inconsequential things. Especially when she knew Haruko did not come with good news. The similarities between this encounter and the one with Hanabi did not escape Hinata's notice. Why did their family do this to their women?

"Hin-Hinata-sama," Haruko tried again.

The woman in question was rocking them side to side. She did not have the energy to scold her cousin for the honorific. "Yes?"

"I can't do it." Haruko whispered.

Hinata's blood turned to ice, but she fought to keep herself from tensing. When she said nothing, Haruko continued to mumble into Hinata's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Hinata-sama. I tried. I really did. But he's my grandfather. And he helped raise me. A-a-and… I-I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh." Hinata affectionally ran her hand through Haruko's hair and gently worked through the various knots. "Don't be sorry. Shh…"

"But I promised!"

Hinata pulled back only so they could meet each other's gazes. "And Neji and I said that if you couldn't do it, we would. Right?"

Haruko ducked her head. Hinata cupped her jaw and guided her face upwards.

"Right, Haruko-chan?"

Haruko bit her lip. "But I gave you my word."

"I gave you my word first. Do you have what we need?"

Haruko peeled herself off Hinata and wiped her face with her sleeves. "Um, yes." She dug through her standard Hyuga robes and pulled out a small vial capped with a tiny bit of cork. The liquid inside sloshed riotously.

Hinata extended her hand with grave seriousness. Haruko quickly deposited it into Hinata's palm and pulled back like it was a riled snake. Hinata slid it underneath her pillow.

"Thank you so much for being brave enough to come to me. Admitting you need help is also a sign of courage."

Haruko stared longingly at the blankets surrounding her. Hinata tilted her head to the side.

"Do you want to sleep here tonight?" Hinata offered.

She felt exhausted beyond belief, and she had an early morning. But this is what Hinata signed up for. She promised to take care of her family, no matter the circumstance.

Haruko blushed.

Hinata smiled. "It'll be a tight fit. But we can do it."

They arranged blankets, the lone pillow, and limbs. Once settled, Hinata let out a long breath and forced her body to relax. Even though she knew she could not actually feel it, the vial underneath her head still felt like a boulder.

oOo

The next night, Hinata walked through the dark to the assigned meeting place. It changed often. Usually, they met in the Branch spaces. None of the elders from the Main house bothered to pay attention to the comings and goings of Branch members.

Hinata stood in front of a front door and made a show of wiping off her feet on the mat. The door cracked open a tiny bit. A set of Byakugan eyes flared for half a second before dissipating back into black. The door opened fully, and the light of the moon cut through the shadows to reveal Ko's face.

"Hinata-sam-" He coughed. "Hinata-chan?"

She smiled at him. "May I come in? It's just me tonight."

He stopped looking over her shoulder. Nodding, he stepped out of the way and allowed Hinata to enter. She traded her shoes for house slippers and walked to the back of the house towards the kitchen. There, Neji, Yota, and Auntie Yoko sat on pillows.

They started in disbelief when they registered their visitor.

"Hinata?" Neji stood quickly and rushed to her. "What are you doing here?"

She grimly held up the vial. "She couldn't do it."

Auntie Yoko covered her eyes with a hand. Their cousin, Yota, hissed.

"No." Neji protested and tried to grab the vial.

Hinata held it out of reach. "You already have two." She held up a hand to cut off Ko's protest. He closed his mouth. "You also have two. And I'm still invited to the clan elder meetings. I can get close enough."

Neji pressed his lips together so tightly they were white under the sickly glow of the exposed bulb hanging from the ceiling.

"She's right." Auntie Yoko rasped. "We always knew she might have to get two."

"Yota-kun, will you please help me?" Hinata asked.

The large man sighed but agreed. He put on a pair of disposable gloves and reached into a black leather kit. First he pulled out a tiny senbon and sterilized it before attaching it to the end of a very thin but long piece of bamboo. He accepted the vial and poured it into a jar no bigger than his thumb. He then added black ink. It sparked a bit when it came in contact with the blood, activating the chakra housed inside.

Ko helped Hinata lay down, face up, on the long pillow lying in front of Yota. Ko grimly slipped the bite block into her open mouth. She clenched her teeth tightly before relaxing her jaw. Her heartbeat sounded like taiko drums in her ears, and she struggled to maintain composure.

"It has to be on the inside of your cheek." Yota informed gravely.

"Mm." Hinata nodded.

Neji sat on her other side and grabbed her hand. She squeezed tightly. Ko squatted next to Yota and shone a penlight into her mouth. Auntie Yoko whispered a prayer and set a hand on Hinata's ankle.

Yota dipped the senbon into the special ink and blood combination. Then he started tap-tap-tapping out a small but painfully detailed design out on the soft skin of Hinata's mouth.

Hinata gripped Neji's hand harder and swallowed a scream. Auntie Yoko reached down and kept Hinata's feet from instinctively kicking out.

oOo

Coming up: Itachi pays attention.