Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me

Chapter 28

''Are you sure?'', Shiori asked him, looking at the tall Uchiha straight in the eye.

Sasuke didn't even blink as he answered her.

''Yes'', he said. ''I'm sure…''.

The older woman leaned back in her chair, deeply exhaling.

''I know who you are Sasuke…'', Shiori said. ''I know what you are capable of… I know the strength you possess. But still… I thought you to be smarter than that. You don't have to go to such extent when there's always an easy way out…''.

''Do I look like the kind of man that would take the easy way out?''

''No…'', Shiori admitted. ''You seem stubborn enough not to be that kind of man… but you are not that lonely Uchiha boy anymore… there are people counting on you, depending on you. I am sure that there are also people who wouldn't be able to go on with their lives without you…'', her indication was precise and clear as day to the Uchiha, yet Sasuke decided to not ponder long on her last remark. He knew who she was talking about, without even having to hear her name slip from within Shiori's lips. ''Revenge… you don't have to go down that same path again… Your brother wouldn't want for you to slip into that same darkness again…''.

''This is not about revenge anymore…'', Sasuke said in a serious tone. ''This is about pure justice… I know I can just have the ANBU drag Hiashi before Konoha's judges, but won't I need the evidence to do that? How am I supposed to bring the Hyuga Leader to justice without one single thing to prove his treason against the village of Konohagakure?''

''Revenge and Justice, do you think they are that far apart?'', Shiori said. ''Do you think that you'll be that calm and meticulous when you see him? Do you really think you won't be filled with the need to just slit that bastard's throat open? After everything he did to you… after everything he did to Hinata?''

Sasuke's hands formed into tight fists at his sides as her words sank in, speaking of truths he had truly wished to bury deep inside him. Of course he wanted to kill that bastard, and he wanted to do it for her, for Hinata, more than he would for himself alone. He wanted to serve justice for her, to finally free her out of Hiashi's invisible binds. But then, he also couldn't forget, that no matter what he had done, no matter how much of a monster he was, Hiashi Hyuga was still the father of the woman he loved. Of course there was also a part of him that sought justice for his family, yet deep inside he also knew that the Uchiha clan, unfortunately, paid for his own father's, for Fugaku Uchiha's mistakes. It was Itachi who he wanted that justice for. His brother had suffered the choices of both their father and the Hyuga leader's hunger for more and more power. Itachi had ended up being a weapon, a pawn in other people's business, much like he and Hinata had suffered a similar fate. Even when he left the village back in the day, thinking he was seeking revenge and getting away from the village's grasp, he was still a pawn other used with utter cleverness. He had been a pawn in the hands of the village's elders, then Orochimaru's, Danzo's and the list went on.

It had been easy for them to name him the Uchiha traitor, the avenger, the bloodthirsty Uchiha…

It had been easy to blame all their problems on him, to turn their attention on the 'problematic Uchiha boy' while forgetting of all their own crimes…

He turned his eyes on the portrait of his brother hanging above the fireplace at his right. Had he managed to break free? Had his brother truly managed to be free, after all this? He wondered. Even today, people still thought of Itachi Uchiha as just a psycho who killed his own family.

'Are you free brother?', Sasuke silently asked, his eyes asking the question instead of his lips. He received no answer though. Portraits were not supposed to speak anyway. Their job was to coldly remind others of people that were not in this world anymore.

''Hinata has suffered enough already…'', he said after a minute of silence, answering to her previous question. ''Killing him wouldn't solve anything. Death would only be an easy way out for him…''.

His eyes didn't leave from Itachi's face on the canvas as he spoke. The longer Sasuke looked at him, the more it seemed like he could still feel his brother's two fingers poking at his forehead.

Itachi had tried hard to protect him.

And now, Sasuke also had someone he wished to protect.

The night before passed through his mind at that moment. Even now, as he discussed other matters, her face and eyes still haunted him. He was holding her and she was pushing him away.

''She has suffered enough…'', he whispered under his breath once more, repeating his previous words.

His brother had died a prisoner of others' games, but he wouldn't let the same thing to happen with her. He would set Hinata free, even if that meant his death.

''I understand…'', Shiori said, nodding her head. ''So, I assume you will be leaving soon…''

''Tonight'', he said and Shiori nodded her head once more.

''Anything you need you may ask for it from my men. They will be more than willing to assist you…''.

Sasuke nodded as a sign of gratitude, but as he turned around to take his leave, Shiori's voice stopped him again.

''Won't you tell her that you're leaving?'', Shiori said, suddenly asking more personal questions than he was comfortable with. ''I know it's not my place to intervene. But that look in her eyes, it is not the first time I've seen it. She's mourning, she blaming herself for everything-''

''I know-'', Sasuke said, stopping her midword.

''She loves you'', Shiori said, now being the one to not let him finish his sentence. ''Unfortunately, with everything that happened I wasn't able to see her grow up, to get to really know her. But the look Hinata has in her eyes when she sees you, or when someone speaks your name… I know that look very well…''.

Sasuke stayed silent, looking at the wood beneath his feet.

''There will be a festival in our village this evening… She will be there. My son informed me that he already talked her into coming… You should come as well… you should at least say goodbye…''.

He didn't have anything to say all that really. Instead, he simply threw a nod her way, a sign that he had heard her words, before finally taking his leave.

Sasuke walked down the long corridor, deeply lost in his thoughts.

What was he supposed to do, he didn't know. What was he supposed to say, to finally be able to lift some of that pain from over Hinata's heart?

He passed by a couple of shinobi without acknowledging them and earning whispering in return. He was in no mood of playing the politeness card anyway. He had too many things bothering him to think of anything else.

Nothing could stop the Uchiha's quick steps, until of course he turned another corner and a boy came running right at him, ultimately crashing against his legs and falling backwards.

''Ouch!'', the boy muttered while rubbing his behind.

And the Uchiha stopped, his eyes falling on the small figure of the child before him.

''Are you hurt?'', the words jumped out of Sasuke's mouth before he could even consider what he was saying. His voice sounded a mixture of the Uchiha's normal apathy and mockery.

The boy raised his eyes, eyes as black as his hair. He furrowed his brows, but was it out of frustration or determination, the older Uchiha couldn't quite tell.

''Hurt?'', the boy said and immediately got back on his two little feet again. ''An Uchiha never gets hurt!''

Sasuke's eyes almost grew wide in surprise, something that had never really happened to him before. It was a rare occasion one could surprise him like that, but that boy before him wasn't just any child. The boy, Itachi Uchiha, was of his own blood, and so Sasuke should have thought better.

''Really?'', Sasuke responded, looking at the boy. He was a cheeky one he thought, unlike his father. Even though he looked like a spitting image of his brother Itachi, the little one had a backbone and a temper, unlike his father's usually calm and calculating demeanour. ''I don't think that's entirely true. I have scars that say otherwise.''

''Maybe you're weaker than you seem then…'', Itachi said, still looking right into the older Uchiha's eyes. He had heavily avoided Sasuke all those days they had stayed there, he thought and this was probably the first time he had managed to speak to the youngster. It still seemed quite surreal though. That little human who barely reached up to his waist in height, he was actually his nephew, his own blood.

''Quite the big mouth you have, little boy'', Sasuke said, now being slowly amused by the conversation. Who had thought that his first interaction with the boy would actually end up being so antagonizing instead of emotional or even awkward? He had kept an eye on him from a distance, yet even though he was older, Sasuke had also never dared to approach the boy.

''Little boy'', Itachi tasted the words in his mouth and now seemed to be more offended than annoyed. The corners of Sasuke's lips grew upwards though, forming his usual smirk. ''I'm not a little boy''

''What are you then?''

''What are you?''

''I'm a shinobi''.

''So am I'', Itachi's words came out calmly and with utter seriousness, much to Sasuke's surprise. At that moment, the boy indeed looked just like his father.

''Interesting…'', Sasuke commented. ''I thought your mother hadn't trained you''.

''I trained myself''

Sasuke nodded his head in understanding, before bending down on one knee, so as to be at the boy's eye level.

''And what if I trained you?'', Sasuke said and his eye turned bloody red, his Sharingan spinning.

Itachi stayed silent, looking at Sasuke's eyes in amazement, much like he had done the day he first saw the older Uchiha.

The boy had probably seen the Sharingan before and as far as he was concerned he knew Shiori had never talked to her son about his lineage. Itachi knew who the man standing before him was. He knew that he was the brother of his late father, and even if he had never seen the bloody red symbol of the Uchiha clan before, the Uchiha blood running through his veins probably itched every time he saw it spinning into Sasuke's eyes. Shiori had wanted for her son to have nothing to do with the shinobi world, thinking that if she never trained him, he would have been safer. The fact that little Itachi had awakened neither the Sharingan nor the Byakugan she had taken it as a sign that her son was not meant to be part of the shinobi world. But Sasuke thought otherwise. The boy was an Uchiha, and even if his Sharingan hadn't been awakened already, raising him to be a 'normal' man in the future, a man that would grow up to be a farmer or a merchant, was simply wrong. Turning an Uchiha into a mere villager was like trying to tame a lion into acting like a cat.

The boy stepped back, seeming to be conflicted between being amazed and keeping his distance from the older man. He knew that talking to him would probably let him know more about his father and who he really was, but at the same time, he hesitated. Aside from his mother, Sasuke was his only other relative, his only connection to his late father, Itachi Uchiha and he didn't know how to handle all this. He was still but a boy, no matter how big and full of determination his words sounded at times. And being the young child he actually was, being that kid that had grown under his mother's overprotective 'wings', Itachi was afraid of the unknown. Because in his eyes, that tall man with the black hair and the bloody eye seemed like a 'door' to a world so different from the one he already knew and that scared him.

''I can train myself'', Itachi said, his eyes seeming a bit sad now, as he lowered his head. ''I don't need your help''.

He then just turned on his heel and run towards the opposite direction.

Sasuke stood up again, his eyes following the small figure of the child until it completely disappeared around the other corner.

He then turned his eye back to black, cracking one last smirk as he too went on his own way.

She took the delicate silver object in her hands, looking at it for the millionth time that same day. Her fingertips touched and felt every small detail of the hairpin, from the beautiful moonstone to the leaves made out of silver that adorned it.

''I love you'', his words from that night echoed in her mind and she brought the hairpin close to her heart, trying hard to not let any more tears stain her face. Her eyes were already red and tired enough.

She stood up and walked towards the mirror. She looked at her reflection for a moment, realizing how terribly tired she truly looked. All those sleepless nights, the tears, the dizziness and her stomach turning upside down every time she smelled food, had started to have their toll on her, even more so, that even the beautiful kimono she was wearing wouldn't make her seem any less pale or tired.

Shiori had come by her room a few hours ago with the silk light blue fabric carefully folded in her arms. She had said it was a present, as she had unfortunately never had the chance to gift her anything. Little Itachi had already met her earlier that same morning and after a few minutes, he managed to convince her to go with them at the festival. Under different circumstances she would have probably managed to somehow politely decline the offer, but she thought she would never be able to say no when that young boy smiled like that when he saw her.

She ran one hand through her hair, before carefully placing the silver hairpin at one side of her head, its beautiful white petals falling like a waterfall of lilies upon her black locks. She had thought that this would be a way to somehow empty her head from everything, yet she doubted something like that would be possible.

A knock on her door was enough to bring her out of her thoughts. She hurried to the door, hope building inside her chest that it could be him, but instead of the tall Uchiha, a smaller version of him was standing before her.

''Itachi-kun!", Hinata exclaimed, and a soft smile immediately graced her lips in hopes that it would be enough to hide the sadness in her eyes.

''Auntie Hinata!", the boy exclaimed without even realizing what he had just said. ''You look beautiful today!''.

Hinata looked at him in awe.

''What did you just call me?'', she asked, her smile becoming more prominent than before.

''I-I'', Itachi said with a blush slowly tainting his cheeks. The usually loud and determined boy was now suddenly at a loss for words. ''I said you are beautiful…''

Hinata smiled before tenderly holding his blushing cheeks for a moment.

''What a gentleman you are Mr. Uchiha'', she teasingly said. ''But I was asking you about that other thing you called me…''.

''You mean…'', Itachi said as he scratched the back of his head, still quite embarrassed. ''Auntie?''.

''Hm'', Hinata said with a beaming smile. ''That one yes…''

Somehow little Itachi always found a way to bring a smile on her lips, just like his uncle, Sasuke, who he too had brought light into her life when everything seemed dark. Those two Uchihas…, Hinata thought as she lovingly caressed the boy's cheek.

''Don't you like me calling you that?'', Itachi asked, seeming a bit concerned for a moment there.

''Don't be silly'', Hinata said and she ruffled his dark hair. ''I love it…''.

Itachi offered her a big toothy grin. Was there really anything more innocent and peaceful than children, she wondered, as Itachi got hold of her hand to lead her outside the compound, saying it was about time they left to go to the festival. She looked at the young boy who ran in front of her, filled with excitement and many thoughts flooded her mind. And those were thoughts of black-haired children running around her feet, calling her 'mom' and him… Sasuke… looking right into her eyes in that way that always made her heart tremble with happiness and love.

Her hand momentarily reached for her belly, but it was but a feather touch, as Itachi called for her to walk faster or they would miss the fireworks.

Once they set foot at the entrance of the open market, Hinata looked on in awe. It seemed as if every single villager was out in the streets that night, dressed in beautiful kimonos and yukatas. Red and orange lanterns were hanging above their heads with colourful silky ribbons that danced with the light winter breeze. The stalls at the market were open, despite the late hour, offering delicious food and drinks to those who wished for some alcohol in their blood to fight of the coldness of the night. It was beautiful and it reminded Hinata of home.

''Auntie, I'm going to grab some sweets!'', Itachi said and Hinata nodded her head.

A few children came running their way, holding senko hanabi fireworks in their hands as bigger fireworks could only be dealt with by adults. Hinata looked around her, as the voices of the villagers mingled with the music. When they first arrived at the Seki village, they thought of it as nothing but a place they could as well die at by the hand of Shiori and her men. They had heard stories that described the village as just a place where criminals gathered, yet she soon realized it was nothing like that. It was during one of her first strolls around town with Shiori when she first saw the village as what it truly was. Families lived there, hardworking people who wished to raise their children away from the Earth daimyo's tyranny. Truly, the Seki village, along with other villages at the northern border of the Land of Earth, wasn't like it was today, yet Shiori and her father, the man who had adopted her, had managed to make it 'home'.

Home…, Hinata thought. It was probably the first time in almost a year that she felt like she was home. It was strange, but that warm feeling inside her chest wouldn't go away. It was as if she was walking at the streets of Konoha again.

''You seem to be enjoying yourself'', a woman said and Hinata turned around, not the least surprised as she had already felt the Hyuga woman's presence.

''How can I not?'', Hinata said and Shiori smiled.

''I'm glad'', Shiori said. It was the first time that she had probably seen the Hyuga heiress be more at ease and happy to be where she stood. Hinata had mourned a lot already. ''You look beautiful…'', Shiori said and she caressed Hinata's cheek, seeming like her older sister at that moment. ''Just like your mother…''.

Hinata's eyes grew gloomy once more, but as she lowered her head to hide her feelings from the older woman, Shiori's fingers came to gently touch her chin, slowly raising Hinata's head once more.

''Always…'', Shiori said, as Hinata looked at her in the eye. ''Always keep your head held high, Hinata. You have done nothing wrong. Always keep your head held high. Don't forget who you are. Don't forget how strong you are''.

Hinata gave her a surprised look but then surprise was replaced by another feeling. Her words had moved her and her mother's thoughts came back in her thoughts once more. She, Hanabi, Shiori… after Hikari's death they had all suffered in different ways. If only she was there with them.

''I told you before…'', Shiori continued. ''Your mother would be proud of the woman you have become… And she will always love you. After all, a mother's love is eternal''. She smiled gently. ''You too will realize that when you hold your own child own day…''

Hinata held Shiori's hand for a moment.

''Thank you'', Hinata truthfully said. ''For everything…''

''No thank yous with me, love'', Shiori said, now obtaining a parent-like look. ''Now where's that son of mine?''

''He said something about grabbing some sweets'', Hinata said and almost laughed at Shiori's exasperated look.

Shiori shook her head.

''Guess I have to go and restrain that little troublemaker before he eats every single piece of sugar this village has to offer'', Shiori deeply exhaled. ''After all, there had been a certain someone nearby that seems like he can't take his eyes off of you…'', Shiori whispered that last part in Hinata's ear and then teasingly winked at the younger Hyuga girl before running off to find her son.

Hinata stayed there in the middle of the crowd. Her eyes didn't take long for her to see him. She would easily find him in a sea of people any time. He was sitting against the wall of a house about fifty meters away from her, yet their eyes met nonetheless. Unlike others, Uchiha Sasuke was dressed in his usual shinobi clothes, while the hood of his black cloak was pooled over his head. His eyes though seemed mesmerizing in the middle of the night and to her, there was no other man aside from him.

She stood still for a moment, looking at him in a way that betrayed the emotions fighting within her.

'I love you', his words echoed in her mind once more and at that moment he turned his face away from her.

Her legs moved on their own, wishing to bring her closer to Sasuke, but before she could take any more steps through the crowd, a hand suddenly found hers, stopping her from going.

Hinata immediately turned around, surprised at the one who had decided to suddenly grab her hand like that.

''Excuse me my lady'', the man said and Hinata looked at him curiously. It didn't take her long to remember who he was. He was a jonin named Shikaru, one of Shiori's most trusted personal bodyguards.

''Oh…'', Hinata exclaimed, wondering what the man wanted from her. ''You are-''

''Shikaru, my lady!'', the man said with a blush. ''Ah, I am sorry for suddenly grabbing you like that… it's just. I wondered if you wanted to go see the fireworks with me… it would… it would be an honour if you accompanied me.''

Hinata was in a loss for words as the man looked blushingly at her, anxiously waiting for an answer.

''I-'', she tried to say, but suddenly stopped as someone else came to pull her hand away from the young bodyguard's.

''Go see them yourself!'', Sasuke said, his eyes piercing the man like knives.

''You have no right-''

''Really?'', Sasuke brought out a kunai before Shikaru realized. He poked the sharp blade at the young bodyguard's private parts, a silent threat that the Uchiha would not hesitate to carry out. ''Are you sure I am the right man you want to piss off tonight?''

''Sasuke!'', Hinata pulled at his arm, but he paid her no mind. He was busy contemplating whether to throw that stupid jonin into a genjutsu right then and there.

The jonin's face hardened both in anger and fear at that very moment, but Sasuke's look was enough for him to make his decision and back away.

''Fine…'', the shinobi murmured and walked away, yet Sasuke's eyes kept piercing his retreating form.

It was a couple of moments later that Sasuke realized how he had reacted, yet he didn't exactly regret it.

''Sasuke-''

''I'm sorry-'', he immediately said, but as his eyes fell on her now, he stopped. He looked at her and for the first time, Hinata saw the Uchiha's cheeks gain a hue of pink on them.

''You are beautiful'', the words slipped from his lips before he could contain them. He knew that she wanted nothing to do with him, yet he still couldn't control himself.

Hinata blushed at his comment and looked away, as if that would be enough to hide her red face. She was like a teenager again, and all because of one comment from him.

Sasuke's eyes then fell on the hairpin he had given her the night before.

He extended his hand to brush away that single lock of hair falling in front of her eyes.

''It suits you…'', he said in a low voice but as Hinata's eyes met his, he slowly took his hand away from her.

''I'm sorry if I bothered you…'', he said as he took a step back. ''I hope you have a nice time…''.

He turned around and started walking away.

Hinata stood like a statue for a moment, not knowing what to do. 'I hope you have a nice time', she repeated his words in her head. What was this? Those were words spoken between strangers, not them.

It was her fault though, she thought as her legs moved. She had pushed him away thinking that she would protect him, thinking that she wouldn't cause him any more pain.

Her hand reached out, grabbing the hem of his shirt. She hugged him from behind, her thin arms wrapping themselves around his abdomen.

''Hinata…''

''Don't go'', she said, but at that very moment, the fireworks that exploded above their heads, muffled her words. But as everyone looked up at the night sky, marvelling the fireworks, they stayed still.

She was about to say something, when suddenly, she felt a shiver running down her spine. She activated her Byakugan and turned around, with Sasuke following her moves. He had felt it too.

As the villagers were too preoccupied watching the beautiful explosion on the night sky, as music mingled with voices, laughs and the sound of the fireworks, a man dressed in black had moved through the crowd. Hinata saw him just as he had approached Shiori with a blade in one hand. Shiori took notice too late though. Even a Hyuga shinobi like her would let her guard down in a situation like this. Who would have thought, after all, that one would dare murder the village's leader in the middle of so many people during the winter festival.

''NO!'', Hinata screamed just as the man plugged his blade into Shiori's abdomen. He leaned in to whisper something in her ear, as Shiori eyes grew wide. A line of blood ran down her node and lips.

Hinata pushed through the crowd that had still not taken notice of what had happened while the shinobi immediately disappeared, jumping atop of a nearby rooftop. Hinata ran towards Shiori, catching her body just before she could collapse. What followed could easily be described as chaos. Shiori's bodyguards gathered around her, pushing away the people so as to form a circle of protection around their leader, while Sasuke immediately went after the runaway shinobi.

''Shiori-''

''Hinata-'', Shiori coughed as she held the younger Hyuga woman's hand.

''Hang in there!'', Hinata said in an agonizing tone as she brought a hand over the woman's open wound, chakra already flowing around her fingertips like a blue light. There were some voices screaming to call a doctor, while people looked around in panic, not understanding how something like that had happened.

''Hinata-''

''You don't have to talk…'', Hinata insisted but Shiori grabbed her hand tightly, stopping her from healing her any farther. ''What are you-''

''My… boy'', Shiori said, already finding it hard to breathe. ''They are after my b-boy, my I-Itachi… I'll… I'll be fine… You have to g-go… you h-have to save my child…''

Hinata's face grew pale.

Itachi.

''Hinata!''

''Yes!'', Hinata said, breaking out of her state of shock. They were after Itachi. She had to reach him before it was too late.

She reassuringly held Shiori's hand one last time, before standing up. A bodyguard held his leader instead, reassuring Hinata that a healer was already on his way.

Hinata nodded her head before jumping on top of a nearby building. She scanned the area, trying hard to pinpoint the shinobi who had run away right after stabbing Shiori. But through the crowd gathered in the streets at that time, she knew that would be hard. It would be easier though if she managed to find Sasuke, who had already started chasing the mysterious man.

She looked through the streets, running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop. It was until she turned her eyes towards the outskirts of the village when she finally found them in the woods.

''Found you…'', she murmured as she ran towards the place she had located them at. She could see Itachi's chakra as well and that was a good sign. The intruders had been silly enough not to go separate ways so as to confuse anyone who would come to rescue the child.

She had just entered the woods when she heard a loud explosion that almost pierced her eyes. She looked ahead only to see tall flames engulfing the trees.

''SASUKE!'', she screamed. ''ITACHI!''.

She was about to ran inside the flames when she suddenly watched a dark figure immerging from the flames.

Sasuke walked slowly, with the small boy laying in his arms. She instantly ran towards them, her face bearing emotions of both anxiousness and relief.

''Is he okay?", Hinata breathlessly asked, he eyes sifting from the boy to Sasuke. ''Are you okay?''

She knew that she didn't even have to ask such a stupid question. Of course he was fine. Sasuke Uchiha was more than capable of dealing with shinobi like these in a matter of seconds. Yet no matter how strong she knew he was, she couldn't help but be worried.

''I'm fine'', Sasuke said as he now looked at his nephew who seemed to be asleep in his arms. ''They must have drugged him before kidnapping him…''

''Let me have a look…'', Hinata said and Sasuke nodded his head before carefully laying the child on the soft grass.

Hinata activated her byakugan, checking to see if everything was alright.

She sighed after a moment.

''What's wrong with him?'', Sasuke asked in alert.

''Nothing…'', Hinata said in relief. She then pressed a few points on the child's neck. ''They didn't exactly drug him. They stopped the chakra flow on certain places, making him fall unconscious. He will be waking up soon…''

''His eyes?'', Sasuke asked, trying to hide his anxiousness.

Hinata smiled.

''They are just fine'', she said and then gently stroked the young boy's head. Their eyes had always been important for both the Hyuga and the Uchiha clan. Her sister had been unlucky enough to lose hers, but this boy wouldn't have to suffer the same fate. They had stopped them in time before they could destroy his life, or even kill him.

''Who were they?'', she asked after a moment.

''They were men under the Earth Daimyo's orders. Probably his special forces or something, although I doubt they had anything special on them anyway…'', Sasuke explained.

''Do you think they know?'', Hinata asked, worried. ''Do you think they know whose child he is?''

Shiori had managed to conceal her son's true identity and she had gone to great extents to do so, yet now they had probably found out that the son of an Uchiha and a Hyuga was brought to life.

Sasuke's silence only confirmed her suspicions, but she didn't have time to give it all any more thought as the boy beside her stirred.

Itachi moved around a bit, as he slowly regained consciousness. Itachi opened his eyes, only to look at the both quite confused.

''What happened?'', he asked as he held his head for a moment. Then suddenly his head jerked up as he remembered. ''That man…'', he said, his face growing pale at the thought.

''You remember?'', Hinata asked him as she helped him sit up.

Itachi looked at the ground in shock, barely managing to nod his head. The usually energetic boy who feared nothing now seemed petrified. He was still but a little kid though, and whether he was Itachi's son or not, what he had just gone through was simply terrifying.

''Itachi?'', Hinata asked, but received no answer.

''Itachi-kun'', she asked again but to no avail. ''Are you feeling alright?''

''Hey kid'', Sasuke said after a few moments had passed and the child had not given a single answer. His voice had sounded demanding at that moment, yet it was simply in hopes that the child would get out of this state of shock.

Still no answer.

Sasuke then kneeled in front of him.

''Hey…'', this time his voice was softer. He raised two fingers before poking the small child on the forehead, much like his own brother used to do with him. Itachi suddenly stopped shaking like a leaf, and raised his eyes to look at the Uchiha man before him. ''An Uchiha is strong. An Uchiha doesn't get hurt. An Uchiha doesn't give up.'', Sasuke said, looking intently at the child. ''And you are an Uchiha''.

Itachi stayed silent for a few more seconds, before holding his hands into fists. Pushing back his fear he stood back up on his feet..

''I understand'', Itachi said in determination and Sasuke stood up as well, a proud smirk playing on his lips.

''I am glad'', Sasuke said and Itachi looked at him with eyes that betrayed his admiration, even though, as the Uchiha he himself was, he wished to conceal it.

Returning at the compound they immediately made sure to go and see in what state Shiori was. Thankfully, her wound had missed any vital organs and she was now lying in her bed looking a bit exhausted.

She cried with happiness to see her son alive and well. Itachi had jumped on the bed, hugging his mother tightly.

Hinata and Sasuke stayed only long enough to make sure they didn't need anything else, before heading outside.

Sasuke made sure to give detailed descriptions of the attackers and informed Shiori's men where they could find their bodies in the woods. The Earth Daimyo would probably need to receive a proper 'message' in order to stop meddling into other people's business.

After ensuring them that they would also guard the compound like a vault, Shiori's head bodyguard left to give out orders to his men.

Once left alone, Sasuke and Hinata walked in silence until they reached her room.

''Goodnight'', he said and Hinata looked at him. Instead of saying anything though, she simply nodded her head.

After everything she had said the previous night, after doing everything in her power to push him away, did she really have the right to pull him back once more?

''Goodnight…'', she said, her words almost a whisper. She walked inside her room, closing the door behind her. Her hand stayed glued on the doorknob, though.

She tried everything in her power to keep him away in order to keep him safe. She had decided to go through all this pain alone if it meant that he would be happy and well.

But that…

She couldn't do that…

She opened her door at once to see him still standing there. He looked at her in a way that spoke of all his emotions. He took a few steps towards her, her moon-like eyes being like a magnet that always pulled him towards her.

Hinata immediately closed the distance between them and her hands found their way to his face, capturing his lips into a slow and passionate kiss.

Sasuke closed the door behind them with his foot, as he entangled his fingers in her hair, making their kiss deeper and more demanding than before. It was when they broke their kiss that he saw the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

''Hinata-''

Her hands still held his face, as if her fingertips could memorize every single characteristic of his with just one touch.

''I am so stupid… so stupid'', she cried. ''All I wanted was to protect you, yet I was the one causing you the most pain…''

''Hinata, don't-''

''I love you!'', she looked right into his eyes, making her statement more powerful. ''I love you with all my being. I'd rather die than see you get hurt. I thought that you would be better off without me. But I am selfish I guess. No matter how much I try I can't live without you. I can't imagine my life without you.''

He kissed her trembling hands, before letting her lose herself in his arms. She cried in his chest, saying 'I'm sorry' again and again.

It was after a minute that he scooped her up in his arms, bringing them both to the bed. He lied next to her, holding her until she finally stopped crying.

''I'm never going to leave you, Hinata…'', he said as he whipped those last tears away from her rosy cheeks. ''Hyugas… Uchihas… none of that really matters to me. Because I fell in love with you for the woman you are…''.

She smiled lovingly at him as she stroked his cheek.

''When all this ends…'', she began to say, but he slightly turned his head to place a soft kiss inside her palm.

''When all this ends…'', Sasuke repeated her words. ''I wish to live every single day of my life with you…''.

She leaned in for another kiss, sealing the promise they silently made to one another.

She later fell asleep in his arms, but Sasuke's eyes didn't close that night. Instead he looked at her as she silently slept, stroking her hair.

When he slipped out of their bed, the sky outside was still pitch black. He got dressed as silently as he could and after taking hold of his katana he approached her once more. He leaned forward to leave one more kiss on the soft skin of her forehead, but Hinata didn't wake up. For the first time in weeks, she slept peacefully.

''I'll come back for you…'', he whispered. ''Wait for me… stay safe…''.

As he walked outside the compound and through the now empty streets of the village, his cloak flipped in the cold night breeze. Above him, the silver moon stood as the only witness of his departure.

He would end everything.

He would free her once and for all.

Hello you guys! How are you? I know I know this chapter was hella late, but once quarantine ended in my country we all had a lot of work to do. But now I am back and not many chapters are left until this story comes to an end. I hope all of you are safe and still smiling.

I'll see you in the next chapter then!

Love you all,

Author-san.