A/N: I had to hand in my 2 Weeks notice to my manager at Gap, and wow, let me tell you that is an experience. I've never quit a job before, so this is my first time ever telling someone that I'm just done. Like, in little less than 2 weeks, I'll be starting a new job, and you've got me for those 2 weeks so be grateful. She tried to talk to me about staying on, just working during the weekend or whatever, but I need my weekends, so it's a no-go. I feel bad. I actually really liked Gap, despite all the pettiness with the managers. And the discounts at Old Navy were hella nice. But a job that guarantees me 30hrs a week is a pretty sweet deal. So, here's to moving onto bigger and better things.

Anyway, this chapter feels like a filler to me. Well, the first part does, with Hinata being on the phone with Shino (I haven't written any other characters save for Ino, Hinata and Sasuke, and that's so boring, ya know?) But at least we got to the letter writing. Delving into Sasuke's mind is such a fun past time for me. He can be so melodramatic sometimes, honestly. Enjoy the chapter. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 12: R U Mine?

"Kiba has been complaining about not seeing you, Hinata."

Hinata shifted the phone from her right shoulder to her left, juggling a bowl she was mixing cake batter in. "I know, Shino-kun, and I'm terribly sorry for being so out of touch! I think the last time we meet up was over a month ago." And that meant more than five weeks had passed since Sasuke's infidelity had been revealed. That meant they had been going to couples therapy and group meetings for little more than four weeks, and each week, Sasuke was revealing something different about himself. With every group meeting, he said a few more words, explored a few more of his emotions, explained the complexities of his mind. She didn't have to guess so often at what he was thinking, at what he was trying to say, because he was finally opening up to her.

And the bitterness she held onto, the anger and frustration that she felt, she was finally beginning to let go of that too. But their relationship was still strained. They slept in different rooms, and the house was much quieter. Seiichi was throwing frequent tantrums, and Hinata was finding it harder and harder to control him. More often than not, she wanted to cradle the toddler in her arms, to brush the tears from his cheeks and tell him everything was going to be all right. But his kicking and screaming made that difficult, and she couldn't ignore the fact that he was hitting anything, and anyone, who displeased him, which usually meant her.

With a sigh, she set the bowl down on kitchen counter, and glanced over to her son, who was busy eating homemade melon bread and getting the crumbs everywhere. "I haven't had anyone over except for Hanabi-chan. And she only comes over for Seiichi-kun." Her gaze wandered to the dining room, and out the glass doors, where she could catch a glimpse of the garden. With summer deepening, the humidity was making it hard for the flowers in her garden to keep their heads up. Seiichi rarely played outside now, though he was constantly begging to be out, but it was simply too hot, and there were far too many mosquito for her to be comfortable standing around watching over him.

"Kiba and I are concerned for you, Hinata. Your relationship with Sasuke-san has been disintegrating as of late. This no longer feels like an argument between the two of you. This is something more."

She licked her lips, looking to her toes. "I will admit that this is something more serious than one of our usual arguments. But... it is nothing you need to involve yourself with. I... I appreciate your concern for me, Shino-kun. But this is something Sasuke and I need to work out on our own. However... it will be a long time until we're back to normal. And even then, I don't think we will be as we once were." She hoped that once she had forgiven him, and once their marriage was finally whole again, that they would be closer than ever. That Sasuke would love her, and the facade they carried on could be done away with.

Shino sighed softly. "Hinata, that only makes me worry more. Are you sure there is nothing I can do for you? Nothing at all?"

"No, Shino-kun. This isn't your problem to fix. It is...ours. And we're working on it diligently. But we're still a long ways away from where we could be." She glanced toward Seiichi, who was struggling to get out of his high chair. "If you would like, Kiba-kun, you, and I could meet up for lunch some day. I'm going out with Sasuke this weekend, but I can make time during the week, if you would like."

"You're going out with Sasuke-san? What for?"

She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she twisted a loose string around her finger. "Uhm, well, this will sound silly, but... Sasuke is taking me out on a date."

In the silence that followed her words, she walked over to Seiichi and disentangled him from the straps keeping him locked in his seat. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was off like a shot, giggling loudly. Glancing forlornly at the bowl of forgotten cake mix—her latest attempt at creating a perfect roll cake— Hinata took off after her energetic son.

Shino heaved a sigh as she moved through the kitchen and into the foyer. Seiichi's laughter reached her from Sasuke's office and she grimaced. Of course he would make Sasuke's private space his playroom this afternoon. "A... date. Were you not just telling me that Sasuke-san and you were having difficulties in your relationship? And now you're going on a date?"

"Well, it's a part of the process," she murmured, quietly moving toward the office. The sound of drawers being pulled open caused her mild concern. "He and I haven't been seeing each other except for when we are home together, and we haven't done anything romantic in a long time. The last few times I've gone out with Sasuke, we have been joined by family or clients. So... he is going to take me to a Kabuki play this Saturday."

She stepped into the office, smiling as Seiichi let out a screech of delight, bolting away from the cupboard he had been digging through. She chased him around the office, much to his amusement, before she snatched him up and headed toward the living room, all the while listening to Shino as he spoke. "A process? Hinata, it sounds as if you and Sasuke-san are going through more than just a rough patch in your relationship. How did this argument even begin, if I may ask."

Breathing slightly hard, she shook her head. "I can't tell you. Like I have stated before, this is between Sasuke and I. If we deem it necessary to tell others about our problems, then we will. But for now, this is something he and I can handle on our own." She set the boy down on the carpet and he immediately headed for the ottoman holding his toys, retrieving a few of his favorite action figures and immediately setting about with them. Hinata seated herself on the sofa, sinking into the leather cushions. "And I don't want to hear of your or Kiba-kun confronting Sasuke about this either. We are doing what we can to help yourselves."

"Yes, but asking for help isn't a weakness, Hinata..."

She sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. "I will ask for your help when I need it, Shino-kun. But this isn't your problem, this is mine. I need to solve it on my own. So don't interfere, please."

"I just want what's best for you, Hinata," he stated and she felt her heart clench. Of course everyone only wanted the best for her—at least what they thought was best for her. But none of them ever stopped to think of what she wanted. She wanted her marriage to Sasuke to be fixed. She wanted to live in this house she had created with her husband and her son. She wanted Sasuke to fall in love her. But no one seemed to think any of this was good for her.

She clenched her fist, frustration coloring her voice. "Yes, well, I know what's best for me, Shino-kun, and it isn't you butting your nose into my business. Do not let me hear of you or Kiba-kun confronting Sasuke about this. I want no one to tell my husband or me what we should or shouldn't do. Your advice is unnecessary."

"Hinata, understand that I was not trying to control you," he replied quickly, almost cutting her off. "I just... You are my closest friend, and I just want you to be happy. And it is more than clear that Sasuke is not making you happy."

She heaved a frustrated sigh. "And that isn't any of your concern."

"Well I—"

"It isn't any of your concern," she reiterated, her tone sharp enough to cause even Seiichi to stop and look.

After a tense moment, Shino murmured, "No, it isn't. I... I apologize, Hinata. I never meant to offend you."

She relaxed, her tone softening. "I know you didn't. No one ever does. But you treat me as if I am some fragile doll who needs protecting, and it is unnecessary. I am more than capable of solving my own problems."

"I understand that, and I apologize for speaking out of turn. I became overzealous. Unfortunately, Kiba has that effect on me." She could practically hear him frown through the telephone line. "Have you spoken recently with Kiba about your situation? He came to me with his concerns, which is why I made this phone call. He made this seem more dramatic than it was."

Hinata watched as Seiichi marched around the living room, smashing his action figures together as he roared like a dinosaur. She had no understanding of what went through her son's mind, but she hoped his imagination continued on into his adult years. He was so creative with his adventures, she could only hope that they would allow him to lead an adventurous life. "I did speak with him recently, but I only told him that Sasuke and I were having family troubles. Nothing very specific."

"Well, he obviously jumped to some conclusions on his own. I will talk to him about what you told me. And I promise we won't interfere in your relationship, unless you ask us to."

She smiled, keeping an eye on the toddler as he ran to and from the ottoman, pulling out a number of different toys and spreading them everywhere. "And that is very unlikely to happen." She said her goodbyes and finally managed to hang up the phone, her stomach slowly untying itself. Having such a conversation with Shino was leaving her with a bad premonition of what was to come. Everyone that knew of their current situation had been asked to stay silent, and so far, Sasuke and she had been left alone to handle their issues in private. Never before had her friends been so invested in her relationship with Sasuke. In fact, they tended to avoid the subject. Neither Shino nor Kiba had been exactly happy when she announced her engagement to Sasuke.

Now they were suddenly interested in what Sasuke and she were doing.

She frowned, propping her chin in her hand as Seiichi created short stacks out of blocks, toy cars, and a few of his favorite books. When he noticed she was watching, he burst into a near maniacal laughter, curving his hands into claws as he raised them over his head. She pretended to be scared as he stomped toward her, roaring and screeching like a dinosaur. She curled in on herself, saying in a high-pitched voice, "Oh no, what a terrible monster Seiichi-kun has become! He will surely eat me alive!"

"Daaare yooooou!" he howled, then let out a loud cackle before kicking over a stack. She gasped and moaned as he kicked over more stacks and made a general mess of her living room. The display was so silly she almost burst into laughter when he turned on her, and she had to run away for fear that he really would eat her for lunch.

This was the scene Sasuke walked in on, the mail tucked under his arm as he watched her dodge Seiichi's rather impressive claws.

She felt her face flush with embarrassment when she noticed him, but couldn't stop running as Seiichi hadn't yet tired from chasing her around the living room. In a breathless voice, she said to Sasuke, "He's a terrible monster and you must stop him from destroying the entire city!" She pivoted on her heel to face Seiichi and pointed to Sasuke. "Look who it is, Seiichi-kun!"

Seiichi bared his teeth and rushed toward his father, speaking in what could only be considered in a villainous voice,"Chichiue, dare you!"

Sasuke held out his arms, smirking as he declared, "Dare you, kid."

The words seem to pull the toddler out of his role as a city-destroying dinosaur as he flung himself, laughing, into Sasuke's arms. Hinata waved a hand at her flushed face, trying to cool down as she walked over to Seiichi and Sasuke. "I feel so out of shape! I almost wish I had taken him to the park. It would have kept the living room cleaner."

Sasuke bounced the toddler on his hip, hitching a shoulder in a shrug. "Haha told me I behaved the same way when I was his age. So if it's any consolation, this is perfectly normal."

Hinata smiled, brushing an errant strand of hair from Seiichi's face. "He's so creative! He managed to create an entire cityscape, and then proceeded to destroy it." She furrowed her brow as Seiichi reached for Sasuke's sunglasses, perched on top of his head. "I don't think two year olds are normally that creative however. Their fantasy-play is usually much simpler and involves just themselves." She bit her lip, watching as her son placed the glasses over his own eyes. "Maybe... he's more advanced for his age?"

Sasuke set the boy down, arching an eyebrow curiously. "And when did you become such an expert on toddlers?"

She felt her face flush, folding her arms defensively across her stomach. "I did some reading in my spare time. Seiichi-kun's behavior interested me, because he recognizes so many people at such a young age, and has such a large imagination."

"So, what? You wanna get him tested or something?" Sasuke rolled his eyes as she bit her lip. "Leave the kid be, Hinata. So what if he's a little developed for his age? We should be grateful that he's a little smarter than the rest. It means less time-outs in the future." He smirked as Seiichi stacked toy cars then kicked them over with a mean cackle. "He's fine the way he is."

She frowned, her voice low as she spoke. "Why are you so against testing Seiichi's? Chichiue had both Hanabi-chan and I tested before we entered preschool."

He tensed, then sighed loudly, folding his arms. "Why bother with something like that? He's just a brat—let him have his fun and live his life. It could just be that right now, he's advanced, and once he gets older, he'll slow down." When he finally looked to her, he dropped his defensive pose, saying in a much easier tone, "What does it matter if he's smarter than the rest of the kids? There's nothing he can do about it right now."

She frowned, but nodded anyway. "All right. It just... concerns me that you're so adamant about that. I think it would be wonderful if Seiichi-kun were advanced for his age—"

"Hinata, it's not... Dammit, look, Fugaku pulled the same shit on me and Itachi," he snapped, and she jerked back, eyes wide as he scowled. "He had us both tested, at the same fucking time, with the same instructor and everything. I was only eight at the time, a whole year before Itachi left, and Fugaku sat us in that fucking room and compared us like we were fucking poultry or something." He glared at her, spitting out the words as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. "That's why I don't want to have Seiichi tested. He's a fucking kid. What is he gonna do with an extra twenty IQ points? Read a goddamned book faster than everyone else?"

She bit her lip, resting a hand on his shoulder, and he visibly tensed, but didn't pull away. "I'm... I'm sorry Sasuke. I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I wanted to know why you were so defensive about it." She went to pull away, but he caught her hand in his. "We don't have to test Seiichi-kun. At least, not right now. But at some point in the future, I'd like to know how more advanced he is than his peers. At least then we can get an accurate assessment on what kind of courses he should take when he begins school."

Sasuke sighed, nodding. "Right, right. Just... wait till he's out of kindergarten or something... It doesn't have to be immediately."

She smiled thinly. "No, not immediately."

He was seated in the kitchen, a pad of paper laid out before him, and he couldn't think of one word to write down.

Sasuke dragged his eyes from the blank sheet to his wife, who was busy washing dishes at the kitchen sink, her back to him. He had settled himself down at the island counter, making himself comfortable on the tall bar chair as he flipped to a fresh clean sheet on the pad. He had set the pen down, returned the smile Hinata had given him, and proceeded to waste fifteen minutes drawing a blank on what he should write. He had spent years dreaming of the moment he would confront Itachi—imagining what his older brother would look like, what he would say to Itachi, what Itachi's excuses would be for leaving—but never had he though to write it all down in a letter. Some part of him yearned to do it stream of conscious-style, to just blurt out everything he had ever wanted to say to Itachi, then burn it. It wasn't as if the man were going to see it. And yet another part of him begged that he call a private investigator to search for Itachi, to find a current address so he could send the letter and get it off his chest.

Hinata carefully placed bone white plates into the dishwasher, every so often brushing her long curtain of hair back over her shoulder as it fell into her face. Some women might have kept their hair up, so they wouldn't have to deal with it all day, but Sasuke noticed his wife kept her hair down. She only ever put it up for formal occasions, and even that was rare. The stick-straight silky dark locks flowed down to her waist, and she did little to tame it, using a number of headbands and hair clips to keep it out of her eyes.

"Focus on your letter."

Sasuke blinked, dragging his gaze away from her hair to her face. Hinata offered him a thin smile as she straightened, wiping her dripping hands on a dishtowel. "You're very distracted right now, Sasuke. But you really must focus on the letter. The sooner you write it, the sooner you can be done with it."

He frowned, looking back to the pad. "I... don't know what to say."

She leaned against the island in front of him, and a few strands of her hair spilled across the marble counter top. He just managed to stop himself from reaching out and taking her hair in his hands. "Hmm. Well... you could start with a greeting." She tapped her finger against the blank sheet. "It doesn't have to be anything elaborate, Sasuke. You just have to address Itachi-san—the boy you know and compare yourself to."

Sasuke scowled. "But it seems almost... foolish to address a thirteen-year-old kid."

"Which is why you're burning it," she replied easily, softening her expression when his eyes met hers. "It's foolish, but that is who you compare yourself to, Sasuke. Itachi was merely a boy when he left—yet here you are, far older than he was at his disappearance, beating yourself up over things Itachi has not even been capable of." She pulled away, headed toward the double door refrigerator. "Maybe that's something you can address in your letter."

He heaved a frustrated sigh, jotting down the words, 'Dear, Itachi.' He still found his mind was blank. Hinata pulled out a water purifier and poured herself a glass, taking a seat beside him at the island. He watched from the corner of his eye as she easily hopped into the chair, smoothing wrinkles from her leggings and brushing errant strands of hair out of her face. Even though Ino had told him that Hinata should sit with him as he wrote the letter, he found himself wanting to find a quiet corner to brood in, alone. Having her around to read over his shoulder made it so much harder to release his emotions, but it was a necessary step he needed to take.

"Maybe," he murmured, turning toward her, "you could tell me what to write about. I know what I want to say. I just don't know... how to organize it properly." He tapped the pen against the paper, frowning as Hinata nodded quietly. "I feel like, if I don't say everything properly, and just jot down a bunch of angry words, it won't be as... fulfilling."

"I understand," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. After a slow sip of water, she finally instructed him. "I think you should start with... The day he left. What you felt when you realized he was gone, what made you realize that he was never coming back, and maybe, what you did when it was clear he had left you."

His stomach twisted in his abdomen at her words, because it was all coming back to him clearly. He had been nine-years-old, his birthday having been a few days earlier, when Itachi took off. He was still basking in the glow of being a year older. Mikoto, as usual, had lavished him in gifts—his favorite having been a shiny new ten-speed mountain bike— while Fugaku had shoved ten-thousand yen into a card and told him to buy himself something nice. And Itachi—Itachi had spent the whole day playing with him, hardly leaving his side for a minute.

Hinata rubbed his back soothingly, and with a small amount of hesitation, he started the first paragraph. The only sound in the kitchen was of the running dishwasher and his pen, inking out the story of how he had been nine-years-old and introduced to heartbreak. What had originally been only one paragraph turned into two, and then four, until he had filled the entire page with what he had experienced in the first twenty-four hours of Itachi's disappearance.

At first, the detectives had thought Itachi was kidnapped in the middle of the night— but that theory was quickly thrown out when there was no evidence of forced entry. Itachi hadn't gone out his second story window, though that route was plausible due to a rose trellis being underneath his window, which was more than capable of supporting his weight. No, Itachi had walked right out the front door, easily disabling the alarm, taking his bike, and riding off into the night. The initial investigation come up a time line of nearly three in the morning. Itachi had purposely chosen a time when everyone in the house would be asleep, so he could leave quietly.

Sasuke shook out his hand, which had cramped from how fast and tight he had been writing. He managed to write an entire page, and he knew there was more where it came from. A lot more. A lot of what he felt for Itachi's disappearance had been bottled up inside. Fugaku had essentially declared Itachi dead to him when it was obvious he had left on his own violation, and whenever conversation steered toward Itachi, he was quick to change the subject. It was clear to everyone that Itachi no longer existed to the man. At the time, Sasuke had felt desperate—desperate for answers, desperate for his brother's return, desperate for his broken family. He couldn't stop thinking of Itachi, and everywhere he went, he was always keeping an eye out, always searching the crowd for his brother's distinctive face and ponytail. But after a while—about a year after Fugaku ended the search of Itachi— Sasuke found he was angry about the entire event. If Itachi was going to run off at the first sign of trouble, then it was up to him to step up. But of course, Fugaku made it hard for him to feel anything but inferior.

Hinata rested her head on his shoulder, sighing softly as her hand skimmed down his back in a soothing motion. The glass of water was only half-full now, a ring of water surrounding it, but Hinata had stayed silent the entire time he was writing. "How do you feel, Sasuke?"

He flipped to a new page, already forming what he would say next in his mind, as he spoke in calm voice. "I feel angry. A lot of what I was trying to forget after all these years is coming back to me easier than I expected them to. But... I also feel less burdened. I guess once I got the ball rolling, it was easier for me to write. I don't feel like I have so much weighing on my chest anymore." He offered her a thin smile.

She returned it, lifting her head to beam at him. "And you don't feel uncomfortable with me sitting here beside you?"

"Of course not. Maybe if you expected me to read it aloud, I would be..." He frowned as watched her. "Were you expecting me to do that?"

She bit her lip, drawing her finger around the sweating glass. "Well, I at least expected to hear about what you had written..."

He glanced to the pad, then sighed. "I won't read it aloud. I... It's too personal for me to do that. But you can read it. Before I burn it, you can read what I wrote down." He held out his hand for her to shake, saying in an almost hesitant voice, "Can you deal with that?"

She shook his hand, laughing gently. "That's fine with me. I read faster in my head."

Sasuke frowned at the grill standing in the middle of the backyard garden, such a modern element ruining the traditional aesthetic his wife had worked so hard to achieve. "How long has this thing been here?"

Hinata handed over a box of matches, tugging her cardigan close against the cool night air. "Oh... since Chouji-kun brought it over. The day Hanabi-chan came home from India."

"You mean the day she bitch-slapped me." He paused, looking to Hinata over his shoulder. "Has she said anything about us to anybody?"

Hinata shook her head, seating herself in a lawn chair with a soft sigh. "No. I asked that she keep what she knew about our relationship to herself. I... I don't want anyone to know that we're going through such a rough time." She lowered her gaze to her toes, covered by a pair of house slippers. "Only Mikoto-chan, and chichiue know."

He studied her hunched figure, her gaze slowly moving over the dimly lit garden. "Do you... want to tell everyone about us?"

She jerked, turning to him with wide eyes. "W-what?"

He frowned, looking to the pages in his hands. It had taken him an hour to write out four pages of his emotions—the betrayal, the desperation, the anger— and Hinata had stayed seated by him the entire time. "Do you want to tell everyone about our arranged marriage, I mean. I don't think they would appreciate hearing about my affair."

She chewed her lip, before heaving a loud sigh. "No, I... I don't know. I feel like that's something we should discuss with Ino-chan." She pulled the cardigan closer yet, shaking her head. "I don't know... what that would do to the company, or Neji-niisan and your plans to take over. So, maybe... we'll wait on that one."

He nodded, and relief cooled his knotted stomach as he turned to the grill. "All right, if you say so."

With just a sprinkle of lighter fluid, he struck the match and dropped it into the coals, which immediately ignited. For a few moments, there was just the crackling of fire, and he watched it quietly, contemplating his emotions. Writing the letter had done wonders for him. He had managed to sort out his thoughts, and ease his troubles by putting into words what he felt. That was one of the things Ino insisted he do— instead of shutting down, he needed to open up, to let out all his anger and frustration so that others could understand and help him. It was hard, but he was getting there.

Hinata came to stand by his side, and he wanted to reach out to her, to pull her against him and huddle close to the warmth. But that he held back on. She was still wary of him, still anxious of what he would say and do, still bitter about what he had done. He would give her the space she wished for, but he was finding it harder and harder to resist her.

She patted his shoulder, saying in a soft voice. "Well, Sasuke, this is it. You're going to let go of fourteen years of anger, of sorrow, of desperation." She rubbed his back, leaning closer towards him, her eyes soft and her voice gentle. "Are you ready to do that?"

He looked from her silver eyes to the orange fire, and without another word, dropped the first page in. The fire gobbled it up immediately—there was no time to rescue it, no time to think about what he could have done instead. He exhaled slowly, watching as the white paper blackened and crinkled, curling into a tight little ball before disintegrating into ashes. Hinata rested her head on his shoulder, watching silently as he dropped in page after page until there was nothing left. And it felt as if he had nothing left within himself. He felt empty—not necessarily in a bad way. But as if he had done some major cleaning. And it felt... good.

A/N: Well, that's another chapter finished. I'm beginning to think Sasuke and Hinata will have true love in the end. It's certainly starting to turn into one of those feel-good stories. I should also probably mention that all the titles for the chapter are song names. If you're interested in what the songs are, just PM me and I'll give you the artists' names. I've got a very eclectic taste in music. And by that, I mean I listen to everything except screamo, and country. I shudder at the thought of country music stars. Now, onto my guest reviewers.

SASUHINA: I plan to give this a very nice ending. Thank you for reading (and rereading)!

Little Lily: Thank you so much for your long review! As for Sasuke and Hinata's environment, yeah, I do think it's pretty positive. Despite what Sasuke thinks, he has a lot of friends who would readily help him with any of his problems. And of course Shino and Kiba are willing to help Hinata out of any situation. This story was an attempt to capture what they would do as a couple, but it does seem pretty realistic. I'll try and throw in more moments where it looks like their falling in love. I mean, this story was supposed to be about that... Thank you for the song choices, I'll have to give them a listen while I'm writing the next chapter!

I had a few more guest reviewers, but they didn't have names. You'll have to give me a name so I can mention you next time, my darlings! For now, we have reached the end of this chapter, so review, review, review! Keep your dreams close to your heart ~ A Dreamer Always