Hinata clasped her hands over her stomach as she rode in another ambulance, trying to make herself as small as possible as the emergency personnel worked around Itachi. She glanced over at Sasuke, who just doubled over and covered his head with his hands on the opposite side. No one needed this right now.

Hinata felt selfish now for asking them to come out. She wanted to have one outing with all four of them before she had to tell everyone. She wanted to see Itachi spend time with Sasuke like he craved. She wanted to have their support there when she admitted that she was leaving. She knew Sasuke and Itachi would understand in a way that Kisame wouldn't, and she wanted them to be able to explain it to him when she was gone.

Was this her fault?

Itachi looked fine until he didn't. She should have asked to make sure he was feeling well enough to go out.

Hinata jumped as her hand was touched by a much colder one as Itachi reached out for her. Hinata took his hand and held on as she felt a tear run down her face.

Could this get worse?

Yes.

Hinata curled her knees up in the small chair against the wall in the hospital room. The nervous shaking of her good leg was shaking her whole body. She didn't want to leave, but she wanted to leave. She wanted to be here for Sasuke and Itachi, but she wanted to run out of the room.

Kisame arrived shortly after they got settled into a room. He flicked to Itachi, coherent in the bed, before then crossing the room to knell and wrap himself around her. Hinata dropped her head to his shoulder. He shouldn't have to worry about her. His best friend was in the hospital again.

… She should have told Kisame so he wouldn't want to worry about her.

"Mom's here." Sasuke looked at his phone.

Itachi waved his hand. "Calm her down before she gets in here." Sasuke got up and ran a hand through his hair, looking at them before he left. "Are you okay, Hinata?"

"Don't worry about me," Hinata told him.

"You look worse than I do." Itachi joked.

"Not really." Kisame frowned at him.

"Let me make jokes." Itachi folded his hands on his chest. "I need to cope somehow."

Hinata pressed her lips together. Itachi wasn't just dealing with his health this time. They were seen this time, and pictures of Itachi collapsing were already all over the internet. This time his family was going to have to deal with it publicly.

It only got worse.

Hinata curled up in Sasuke's chair while he was out. Kisame begrudgingly went to work, taking his warmth with him. She hated every moment in here, but she didn't want to leave.

Itachi eyes slimmed her in her anxious ball. "What are you planning to do with school?"

Hinata dipped her face down into her knees. How did he always know? "I…"

"Kisame said you hadn't mentioned it at all. Which makes me think you don't want to tell him what you decided to do." Itachi reached his hand out on the bed, but it was the one with the IV. Hinata unlatched one of her hands from her legs to grip just his fingers.

"I didn't decide anything," Hinata admitted.

Itachi face twisted, understanding. "Hyuga wants you back?"

Hinata sniffed and tried to force away her tears with her free hand before they fell. "My father's sending me abroad, and then I am meant to go back."

Itachi face fell. "You don't want to tell him? How long have you known?"

"I… I was going to today. I just wanted more time with him where he didn't hate me because my father is not going to approve of him." Hinata buried her face in her knees. "I can't explain it to him. I want him to know I don't have a choice."

"You love him." Itachi sighed.

Hinata nodded into her knees. "I just want to stay."

Itachi squeezed her hand in what he could. "It will be okay."

Hinata pulled her face up, revealing her misery. "No, it won't."

Hinata felt more guilt as she laid her face on Kisame's back as he walked her home. Now, she felt like she missed her chance. Kisame was already stressed out with his best friend being in the hospital. If she told him now, he might just break and never talk to her again… maybe he would do that anyway.

Kisame let her down by her door. "You okay, mouse?" His knuckle brushed her cheek. "Itachi's going to be okay. You don't have to absorb all the sadness in the world into your tiny body." He joked.

Hinata caught his hand and held it there. Now she should tell him now. "I need to talk to you."

Kisame's eyebrows shot up, but before he could ask her what, both of them heard a roar on the other side of the door. "How did you let this happen!?"

Hinata's stomach dropped to the floor as she recognized her father's voice. She scrabbled to open the door and found Hiashi and Hizashi standing in the living room, glaring at each other. "Father?"

"Father?" Kisame whispered in question behind her.

Hinata whipped her head around. She could get him out of here before it was too late.

"What is this?!" Hiashi barreled for her, holding up an article on his phone of Hinata and Sasuke leaning over Itachi. "What is wrong with you? I give you a chance to come home, and you do this?"

"Chance to come home?" Hinata barely said in disbelief. Is that what he saw it as?

"Is this what you learned here? To be a bigger disappointment?" Hiashi snapped.

Hinata couldn't even reply. A large hand came between them. "Hey, back off."

Hinata latched on to Kisame's arm and tried to keep him out of it, but Hiashi had already turned his glare to him. "What is this disgusting monster?"

"Don't call him that!" Hinata snapped back and realized her mistake. She just spoke back to her father. Hinata immediately ducked her head down, waiting for the worst. Her father never struck her, but she had never spoken back before.

Hiashi snagged her arm on her bad side and jerked her toward him, making her stumble and drop her umbrella. "You are coming home. I can't believe Hizashi raised you to be disrespectful."

Hinata squeaked and flung her other arm back, knowing Kisame would rush to protect her, but he wasn't the one who got them first.

Hizashi pulled her arm out of his hand and pushed her back toward Kisame, who stabilized her. Hizashi stood tall between her and his brother. "Legally, she is my child. You gave up that right. You have overstayed your welcome. Get out."

Hiashi's face fell in disbelief before his face twisted angrily. He grabbed his coat and put on his shoes as he left. Kisame turned her away as he pasted them for the door.

At the door closed, the silence left behind ran through all three of them until Hinata's first sob broke the silence. She turned her face into Kisame, and he curled his arms around her.

Hizashi rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry. I was going to warn you, but he only got her a few minutes before you did, and I didn't have a moment to send a message."

"Can he take her away?" Kisame held tighter to her. Hinata didn't speak about her father much, but he knew that she didn't feel loved or accepted by him. She was basically disowned. Why would he care what she did now?

"He can try," Hizashi admitted. "He can take me to court for custody. She is still seventeen."

"But, don't they ask the kid at that age?" Kisame reasoned. His chest clenched with stress. If there was nothing that Hizashi could do… there was nothing Kisame could do either.

"Hiashi has more connections than I do," Hizashi explained. "It may not matter what she wants, but I will fight him on it."

Hinata backed up to try to wipe her tears away. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Hizashi's face faltered, and he looked at Kisame. "… You didn't tell him?"

"I've been trying!" Hinata's voice cracked.

"Tell me what?" Kisame wondered. Hinata dipped down in shame. Her hand gripped onto his shirt like he was going to run, but he didn't even know what she was worried about.

"I guess it doesn't matter now." Hizashi sighed, sitting down. "I'm not letting him bully you into going now."

"What?" Kisame asked again.

"Let her calm down." Hizashi pointed to her room. "I'll bring you some tea."

Kisame started to knell to grab her umbrella, but Hinata took it as an invitation to latch around his neck. Okay, he could just carry her. He scooped her legs up and headed to her room. "It's going to be okay, mouse." He hoped he was right.

**Enjoying This story? I have another KisaHina now: Guarding Affections**