Hizashi took another picture with a smile, but Hinata knew he was just as anxious as she was. Would her father start up his fight the day after graduation? Was he just not messing up her academics for convenience so she would look better on paper? It was a conversation they had a few times now. What was he waiting for? What was his next move? How bad would it be?

Who would get hurt next?

His father's picture excitement mortified Neji, but Hinata loved this moment. She never had this growing up. She wanted Hizashi to be embarrassingly proud of them. At least he was proud.

"Oh, I remember when you graduated kindergarten." Hizashi mused, looking through his picture set.

"Can we go now?" Neji begged.

"Let him have fun." Hinata scolded.

"I'm done. I'm done." Hizashi waved his hand, gathering his coat. "Let's go. I need pictures of Hinata and her study group."

Hinata giggled. Oh, no. Hizashi was going to meet them all together.

Kisame was toppled over in the grass by a small force collapsing over him at speed. Hinata giggled as they tumbled. "Mouse, you're stronger than you look."

"You let me." Hinata countered.

Kisame sat them back up to see Neji glaring across the grass. Lee perked up and ran over. Hinata opened her arms to get tackled to the ground by him, too. "Ah! I am so happy you're graduating with us." Lee squealed.

Kisame snorted. What was this man?

Lee was yanked up by the back of his robe by Neji before he let go. Lee happily waved as he went back to his own group.

"Do I get a hug like that, uh?" Deidara asked.

Hinata opened her arms, and Deidara flopped down with her more gently than Lee had. "I love the hair," Hinata told him as she let go.

"He spent hours on it," Sasori grumbled, sitting with them.

"You can't rush art, yeah." Deidara spat at him.

"Look here," Hizashi called as he took pictures.

"What did you do to your cap?" Hinata blinked as Deidara tipped his head to show the glitter sparkles in the sun.

"I made it better, uh." Deidara took it off to show her.

"Are we allowed to do that?" Hinata wondered.

"Probably not," Sasori commented.

"It's black glitter. They will barely see it, yeah." Deidara tilted it to show it off.

"Keep that thing away from me. It's shedding." Kisame curled his arm around Hinata's waist to pull her back from it.

Deidara held up at him tauntingly.

"Wear your robe properly." Hinata handed her umbrella to Deidara to fix Hidan's robe.

Hidan tried to back away, but Hinata yanked him down by the robe to fix it. "I'm fine."

"Behave for just a few hours. You don't want to get your diploma withheld because you're acting up." Hinata scolded. "You worked so hard to pass math."

"They can't do that," Hidan whined as she let him go.

"They will absolutely try." Hinata dusted him off.

Hidan swatted her hands away. "Thanks, mom."

Deidara chuckled. "Does that make Kisame dad, huh?" Kisame and Hidan both gave Deidara an evil eye.

"By definition." Sasori chimed in. He just wanted to stir the pot, didn't he?

Lee hung on Hinata's neck as he rocked them back and forth. "We should have hung out more! I am not going to see you anymore."

Hinata patted his arm sympathetically. "You will be able to see me when you get back from the military." She lied.

"I wish I had a few more days we could go out to eat, but we have to charge on!" Lee was loud in her ear, but Hinata did miss this. Lee was Neji's friend for years, so he was around when she was younger and always chipper.

He used to get on Hanabi's nerves because she didn't want Lee to hug her big sister. Hanabi wanted to hug her big sister, which Lee misunderstood as he wasn't giving Hanabi enough hugs despite her initial reason for being upset. Hanabi was not a hugger.

Hinata wished Hanabi could be here. Hinata was sure she would have come with two bouquets, one for her and Neji each, and would make a point to tell Neji that his was smaller because she liked to be a brat. Hinata could almost see her hanging on his arm, so Hizashi would take pictures just to upset Neji more.

Hinata leaned her head on Lee and smiled at Neji as he raised an eyebrow to question why she was so happy.

If everyone didn't know that her umbrella was a cane by now, it was probably clear as Hinata walked across the stage with it. There was no other reason for her to have it with her.

The ceremony was uneventful, except Hizashi insisted on coming to the front to take more pictures. Afterward, all the parents collected around their kids to hand them flowers and praise. Hinata wished Itachi was here.

"Are you Kisame Hoshigaki."

Hinata turned to see two police officers approaching Kisame. The group went silent.

"Yeah," Kisame answered curiously.

"You are going to have to come with us." The police officer put his hand on Kisame's arm, and the click of handcuffs unlatched from his belt stopped Hinata's heart.

Hizashi put his hand up between Kisame and the officers. "Excuse me. I am a lawyer. Can I ask what it is you want to question him about?"

"There was a series of break-ins and an assault last night by a man matching his description." The office released Kisame's arm.

Hinata pulled Kisame behind her and her uncle. Was this what her father was going to pull? This was too far.

"That's not possible. This boy stayed at my house last night, and my son was checking on him and his friends before that." There was a round of agreement from the group as Hizashi held his hand out, and Hinata handed him her phone to show the pictures in her messages back and forth from Neji and her the night before. She had never been so grateful for Neji's hovering.

The officer's face twisted as he looked at his partner. Hinata recognized that cop. She was sure this wasn't over. "Sorry for the confusion."

The officers left, and Hinata realized she had latched on to Kisame's hand to keep him behind her like she thought she could hide him behind her. Her heart shivered with rage and fear. If her father was willing to stoop this low, what would he do next?

Hiashi could absolutely keep accusing Kisame with a biased cop around until he didn't have an alibi.

"I am going to kill Hiashi," Hizashi said under his breath. "This is low even for him."

"Maybe it's just a fluke. I get stopped by cops all the time." Kisame hands tightened around hers. He knew better, too.

"No. He waited to do this on purpose." Hinata could feel a level of rage she had never had before. This was the worst thing her father could do for himself because now she had decided how she would deal with this. She was going to protect Kisame from her father. "Uncle." Hinata addressed. "I need to talk to you."

Hizashi rubbed his face. This was the only way Hinata would get past her father. "Are you sure?"

Hinata nodded her head. "I know that this is the last thing you would want, but…"

"I want you to live your life." Hizashi interrupted. "You've grown so much since you met that boy, and I don't want to see you return to that shell you were when I got you."

"Does that mean you approve?" Hinata asked with hope in her eyes but not in her tone.

"I think it's funny you asked for approval." Hizashi chuckled. "Defeats the purpose, doesn't it?"

Hinata's face flushed as she looked back at Kisame, who didn't look all that good now that it set into him that he was almost arrested. "Thank you."

"I've presumed the Hiashi was going to pull something like this from the moment you came home with us, so I put some money aside for you." Hizashi opened his wallet. "It's not under my name, so your father shouldn't be able to find it." He held out a card to her. Hinata clutched it in her hand and looked at it momentarily as her eyes filled with tears. He put a hand on her head. "I am glad you came to us."

Hinata launched forward to hug him. Hizashi wrapped his arms around her and sighed as he could feel the worried eyes of his son watching from a distance. Neji wasn't going to be happy about this. Best not to tell him.

Hinata raced toward Kisame with something clutched to her chest and tugged on his sleeve. "We need to go talk to Itachi-san."

"Now?" Kisame wondered. Hinata nodded. "Alright, mouse."