Previously on Itachi's last rite

"Lord sixth!" an anbu called appearing next to him.

"Yes?"

"Lady Tsunade has sent me for you! Lady Uchiha has awakened!"

…..

Chapter 16: Awakening

Hinata groaned as bright light swarmed her vision. She tried to sit up wherever she was but gentle hands pushed her back down.

"Just hold on Hinata. Dim the lights!" a familiar voice ordered. There was a moment of silence and then the voice spoke again. This time she recognized it as Lady Tsunade.

"Open your eyes Hinata."

She did as so and Hinata slowly lifted heavy eyelids to a dimly lit room.

Next to her was Lady Tsunade, holding her wrist as she checked her pulse. Shizune was by her side, showing a relieved smile.

"Lad-lady Tsunade?" Hinata croaked her throat dry.

"Don't try to talk just quiet yet Hinata. Let me get you some water." She gestured as she turned to grab a pitcher of water.

She didn't get a chance to pour when the door burst open and a breathless Itachi followed by Kisame and Konan appeared.

Itachi froze in the doorway as he took her in. Her hair was tangled as it cascaded down her shoulders, confusion, and exhaustion reflected in her eyes as she entered the room.

But the moment, her eyes found his, clarity came. Dark eyes met Lavender and Itachi gasped as a surge of love for his wife and unborn children pumped through him.

I could have lost her. I could have lost everything I held dear to me. I could have lost her in that war. She could have been killed!

It was at that moment that Itachi doubled over. A horrible pain burning into his eyes.

"T-Tachi- kun!" She exclaimed, but a dry cough followed.

"Lord sixth!" he heard shouted.

Itachi pushed the hands that tried to touch him away. Just as fast as the pain came, it was gone.

He sat up panting, wondering what just happened.

"Woah! L-lord sixth! Y-your eyes!"Shizune exclaimed.

Kisame stood next to him with a hand on his back.

"Looks like your rinnegan has awakened," he smirked.

Itachi batted Kisame away as he looked towards Hinata, Lady Tsuande was holding her back, as she struggled against her.

"My flower, I am ok. I promise." he assured, approaching her. " lady Tsuande unhand my wife."

Tsunade however, stood firm as she eyed her successor with bright eyes.

"Stop right there Itachi. I need to examine Hinata fully while she is awake and check on the twins. So the faster you get out of my way, the faster you can see her. While you wait. Maybe you can call the council and hyuga elders together. Get that battle out of the way…?"

Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. The logical part of him understood the words of his predecessor. And he knew she was right. He should get ahead of the fight the Hyuga clan would possibly try to start but, on the other hand, he just wanted to be with his wife. Be by her side.

Two hands locked onto his shoulders.

"Lord sixth." kohan addressed. " I would be happy to guard Lady Uchiha while you are away."

"And I would be more than happy to escort you to the meeting." Kisame smiled.

Once again, Itachi sighed but agreed.

"Very well. I'll be back my flower… I promise."

"I never doubted it," she told him sleepily.

" Itachi, if you hurry, I'll wait for you before we do the ultrasound," Tsuande said in a sing-song voice.

It was then Itachi and Kisame were out the door.

…

Hiashi groaned and stretched as he reached for his cane. It was 11:30 at night and he was finally ready for bed.

Most people thought preparing for war was stressful but what they didn't know was that it was the aftermath that caused Much chaos. They had to take account of the people they lost and the injuries sustained. Alongside any funds that were used. The Hyuga were the most affluent Of all the other clans but that didn't mean they had to flaunt their wealth. However, Hiashi Was thinking of throwing some kind of celebration. The war had been so stressful, that one night of victory for his clansman wouldn't be a bad idea. It might promote productivity and get them to work harder.

That thought shattered however when a knock sounded on his office door.

" enter."

A servant entered the room, bowing low.

" lord Hiashi, lord sixth has sent an anbu for you, lady Hanabi, and the elders. They say it's urgent. "

Immediately his eldest daughter's kind smile flashed through his mind. To say he was proud of her was an understatement. He had meant what he said when he told his reincarnated brother that the primary and branch families were now one. They protected each other, comrades working together. To see his Daughter on the battlefield healing others and then healing him. It had pushed him to work a little harder. While Hinata would never be clan leader, she had shown herself strong in her way.

As quick as could he gathered, his youngest daughter and the elders and headed towards the Hokage tower.

….

Itachi looked towards his left where his council sat, and the Hyuga clan elders were to his right. Shikamaru stood behind him calculating the percentage of just how pissed off the Hyuga would be once they found out the truth.

In front of him was all the paperwork that proved his marriage to Hinata was credible and final. No one would take her away from him.

"I thank you all for coming at such a late hour. I will make this as quick as possible. About an hour ago, I was informed that Hinata had awoken from her coma."

"Big sister is awake!" Hanabi exclaimed " Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go see her!"

"Quiet Hanabi." Hiashi scolded her. He then turned to Itachi with serious eyes." Lord Hokage while this message is good news, I do not feel it was necessary to call all of us here, at this hour just for that. What else do you have to say?"

Ahh, their was doubt why I chose him to be part of my council. He can easily see when someone is trying to deflect.

" Ah yes, lord Hiashi I was just getting to that. I am sure the assumption is that once Hinata is discharged from the hospital, she will more than likely go home to the Hyuga. However, thier has been a change of plans. You see, Hinata and I married six months ago and she is my wife. The matriarch of the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Hinata."

As expected the room erupted into shock gasp and accusations from the Hyuga elders.

"Impossible!"

"It cannot be true! Not under the watchful eye of the Hyuga!"

However, their protest was silenced by a hand from Hiashi.

" These are lies. I nor any member of my clan signed any marriage documents. A marriage between a clan member and an outsider cannot happen without my consent. So even if these allegations were true, the marriage would not be valid."

"You see Lord Hiashi in a normal case, yes this would be true, but my marriage to Hinata has a different and much higher seal of approval," Itachi said calmly. He then slid the documents towards the clan leader.

Itachi couldn't help but smirk a little as he saw the leader's vein pop out of his head.

With tsk, he then passed the papers on to the elders and other council members. Shikaku Nara was the first to speak.

" it seemed the fire daimyo signed off on this and two of the leaf's most honorable elders." he said as he shot a look to lord homura. The latter didnt shy away from the fact either.

"Yes, I witnessed the marriage and signed my name on the contract."

"This is an outrage!" a hyuga elder sneered. " you expect us to just give you our heiress!"

"I believe she is your former heiress, as the current one is sitting right here.." Itachi spoke as he gestured to Hanabi. " and Hinata was not given to me, she married me on her own free will."

" in offers of what!? What could you have possibly offered her!? That she would turn her back on her people!" the hyuga elder questioned.

It was then Itachi's eyes glowed a vibrant red as his Sharingan activated. Even though the power radiating off of him, he voice was calm.

" let me tell you one thing, Uchiha Hinata has never been and never will be a traitor to her clan of her people. Everything she has done has been for her people. She trained effortlessly with lady koharu! Becoming a medic ninja in months when it took years for others! I am not here to ask you all of anything, I am here on behalf of my wife! To inform you that she is no longer a Hyuga but a Uchiha and that is final."

Before anyone could argue, Shikamaru spoke.

"You know despite how this happened, this is a good thing. Hear me out, Kohona's new Hokage is married to the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan. This makes all sides look good. It makes the village look good. Two strong dojutsu users coming together in a marriage, just how powerful will that make us look? Lord Hiashi, your son-in-law is the head of the Uchiha clan and the sixth Hokage. He's the strongest shinobi in the village. How many people do you think will come to you for council? Not to mention you are on Kohona's council as well. The Hyuga will be put on the map."

"That is neither here nor there!" the hyuga elder began to speak but Hiashi silenced him.

"ENOUGH JIRO!"

The elder frowned but bowed his head in silence.

"let's forget about the politics at the moment. How is my daughter?"

Surprised showed on the faces of those around him. It was no secret that Hiashi Hyuga had once held disdain for the eldest and thought of her as weak but maybe the war had changed that.

" I don't know too much. Lady Tsunade is examining her as we speak. Her health is at the utmost priority. Especially since she is carrying the Uchiha and Hyuga future."

For the second time that night gasp filled the room.

Kakashi Hatake was the one to speak up.

"Lord sixth, a-are you saying that Hinata Hyuga, I-I mean Lady Uchiha is ..pregnant... With.. your child?"

"That is correct. She is carrying the next generation. Ita twins by the way." Itachi confirmed as he stared at Hiashi.

"Twins!" Hanabi squealed. "it's Twins! Im going to be an aunt!"

Hiashi swallowed hard as he refused to allow any emotion to show on his face.

"I see. Lord Sixth do you require anything else of the Hyuga clan? We have much to discuss."

"There is one thing I would like to discuss with you lord hiashi but just you. Everyone is dismissed."

"Lord sixth, what should say about your marriage? Eventually, the village will find out?" kakahsi asked.

Itachi smiled and turned to Shikamaru.

"I will allow Shikamaru to handle that."

Shikamaru gave a crooked grin.

"I know just what to do."

…

Itachi stood and took off his hat the minute he was left alone with his father-in-law.

"Lord Hiashi, do you care for a trip?"

"Very well."

It didn't take long for the two men to come to the newly rebuilt Uchiha district, Now that he was Hokage, he was able to speed things up. He had also hired Naruto to use his shadow clones alongside Yamato. Together the two men were able to restore the district within a few weeks. He had paid them both handsomely for it and Naruto, of course, exclaimed how he was going to buy all of the ramen that would fit in his cabinets.

"This… this is the Uchiha district," Hiashi said in astonishment.

"yes, it is. I've been restoring it for some time."

Itachi led them to the farthest part of the district, where a grey and black compound stood.

Itachi slid his shoes off and held the door open for the older man.

" Come gifu, we have much to talk about away from prying ears and eyes."