Chapter Text
Sakura received a text from Sasuke to meet with the squad. Despite her tiresome review and sleepless nights, she found herself driving on the way to Temari's place. She was unaware of what happened but here she is- rushing to Temari's place because Sasuke said so.
She sighed, "he could've said any context," she mumbled to herself.
Her phone rang, the caller ID was none other than Sasuke.
"Sakura, where are you?"
"I'm on my way. Just a few blocks away. What's the rush, Sasuke?"
"We need you here, Sakura. You don't have to drive hastily, just be safe. I love you."
"I love you too."
Sasuke ended the call. Sakura made a turn and she saw someone familiar— Kakashi.
She rushed in Temari's place the moment she finished parking her car. She was greeted by stares.
"What is happening? Why did you call all of a sudden?" She asked.
"Sit down. We have a huge problem," Tenten said.
Sakura scanned the room, they're all here except Naruto. Even Shikamaru was there.
"Hiashi Hyuga," Tenten started the moment Sakura settled down. "He killed Kankuro."
Temari's face dropped, she couldn't contain the tears, it just fell.
"Hiashi Hyuga is a criminal. We got to be careful, he is dangerous. No one holds much authority as he does," Tenten explained.
"How did you know all of these?" Asked Sasuke.
"I infiltrated one of Hiashi's usual hang out places where I managed to seduce his friend. The man was a bit drunk and he spilled everything," Tenten glanced towards Hinata. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Hinata."
Hinata stared back.
She knows. She finally figured it out.
Hinata sighed, "I left because my father was threatening me."
Their eyes widened at the revelation. All this time they believed that she left because she deemed herself more superior than them, making them feel like a burden to her.
"My father is not a good person. The truth is, he attempted to rape me before my 18th birthday. It was Christmas eve, Neji left the house to have a sleepover at Sasuke's," Hinata said. "It all started even before I was matured enough to understand what he was doing. He changed when mom died, my father was making comments about my appearance and even insisted to bathe me."
"I didn't think much of it until I woke up with his hands all around me. I was disgusted, I wanted to tell Neji but I couldn't because he threatened me that he would do the same to Hanabi if I told anyone," she added.
"Back then, at Christmas eve, Kankuro was the one who came to my rescue. He did not recognize my father, he hit him on the head with a glass bottle. My father was injured by his haste movements and Kankuro carried me out the house. He tried to ask me about what happened— I was too scared to tell him the truth because I knew that my sister would be in danger."
She took a deep breath before continuing, she tried her best to mask her trembling hands.
"I never told anyone about what happened but Kankuro never left my side after that incident. Then he was gone," Hinata said.
A tear fell down her cheeks.
"I didn't know what happened to him nor who didn't. I considered my father as the primary suspect... when he threatened me that he will hurt all of you if I don't submit to him— I knew I had to leave. I left to get away from him, I left until Kiba found me," she added.
"I-I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I was scared, unsure of what I would do. Kankuro is dead because of me... I-If he didn't come to my rescue, he would be alive," she turned to look at Temari and Gaara who's already weeping for their dead brother.
"I'm sorry," Hinata said.
Neji clenched his fists, hitting the table angrily.
"This is all my fault. I never should've left you alone!" Neji raged.
Hinata shook her head, "i-if you were there. He would hurt you as well."
Sasuke's mouth gaped, "I-I... I was the one who initiated the sleepover. If I didn't insist on it being an all boys sleepover then you would've been in my house, under my protection."
"No one's to blame except Hiashi Hyuga," Tenten said looking at both Neji and Sasuke. "He is sick in the head. He's a sexual offender who forced his way in his own daughter! No one in the right mind would do that."
"We need to make sure he'll never get to touch Hinata again," Sasuke said. "I will send out my troops to search for him. I will make sure to find him no matter where he is."
"I..." Shikamaru mumbled.
"You what?"
He lowered his head, finally realizing the magnitude of the things he told Hiashi.
"Hiashi attended my father's funeral," Shikamaru said, still not raising his head.
"He asked me questions about all of you," Shikamaru added. "I told him all the details he needed to kno—."
"You what?!" Temari raged.
She reached for his collar, sizing him up as she pulled him closer not for a kiss but for a terrible terrible hitting.
"I didn't know!" He contested.
"You told him everything and now we're all in danger!" Temari hissed.
"He talked to me first!"
"That's not the right answer, Shikamaru. You're smart but you don't use your head let alone your heart! I have been trying to start a conversation with you at the funeral and you turned me down and yet you engaged in such conversation with Hiashi Hyuga and now you put all of us in danger!"
Shikamaru pushed her away, making her fall down but Temari was lucky enough to be caught by Sakura.
"This isn't the right time to quarrel," Gaara said. "The criminal is at loose and we have to do everything in our power to catch him."
Temari breathed deeply, calming herself down.
She couldn't believe that Shikamaru would do something like that.
She glared at him with tears in her eyes, "don't you ever get near me again," she said, her voice breaking.
Sasuke was busy contacting every police station he knows, asking them to find Hiashi Hyuga.
"Ayumi-neesan messaged me," Hinata said. "She has all the evidences we need in court."
"If she has everything, this case would be easy to present in court," Kiba said.
"I will represent y—," Kiba's sentence was cut off by Hinata.
"No, Kiba-kun. If there's someone who needs to put my father in jail. That would be me," the Hyuga stated.
"You have to tell your testimony, Hinata. Let me do it for you," Kiba said. "Trust me in this one, please."
Hinata looked at him for a while before nodding.
"I would try to recover all of Hiashi's previous phone calls, messages, and transactions," Tenten said before looking at Gaara. "Gaara, track the location of the IP addresses so we'll know where he is hiding."
Tenten glanced at Neji.
Her eyes met his and he looked away, utterly defeated by the gaze of the woman he loves.
"Neji, you take care of Hinata and Hanabi. Make sure that Hiashi would never get near them," she ordered.
"Shit," Ino then said.
"What is it?"
"Naruto's flight..."
"What about his flight?"
"There's a bomb in the plane."
_____________
Hinata rushed to the airport with Neji. She was wearing nothing but slippers with a messy hair but she didn't mind. She needed to see him. She needed to see Naruto.
"Calm down, Hinata. The securities got it in cover," Neji tried to calm her down but she was already hysterically crying.
"If something happened to him, I will never forgive myself."
Neji watched his cousin's reaction.
So this is love... this is how love can destroy and heal a person. He said in his mind.
The airport security approached Neji, "Captain Hyuga!"
"Do you have any reports about Captain Uzumaki's flight?"
The security nodded, "all of the passengers were evacuated safely. Captain Uzumaki is safe as well."
Hinata sighed a breath of relief, "where is he? I need to see him."
"The captain's quarters are off limits, Miss... Uhm?"
"She is none other than Captain Uzumaki's bride to be. Let her in the quarters," Neji ordered. The security nodded, "this way, Miss."
Hinata knocked at Naruto's office door. There was no response.
"I told you he's bus---."
Neji gestured to him to shut his mouth. "Where's the key?" Neji asked.
The security scrambled to get the key of Naruto's office. They opened the door but only Hinata got in.
Hinata found him lying down on the couch, his hair was a mess, and he looked like he's in distraught.
She went to him in small, quiet steps.
Naruto was asleep yet he looked so stressed. Hinata bit her lips as she approached her sleeping lover.
"Naruto-kun," she called. Naruto slowly opened his eyes, surprised to see her there.
"Hinata? W-What, why are you here?" He asked.
"I heard of the bomb," Hinata said, her voice trembling. He noticed it right away, "we got it under control. I'm sorry I got you worried," he said.
Naruto lifted his hand, placed it on her cheek and gently caressed her, "I'm fine now."
"I don't know what I would do if you leave me," Hinata said.
"I already told you that I won't leave you, Hinata."
He embraced her, gently patting her back. "It's okay, my princess. I'm okay."
"I promise you, I will always be by your side. I will never leave you from now on. I swear on that with my life."
__________
Kakashi dropped Ayumi off Hinata's place.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" He asked her.
Ayumi nodded,"yes. It's just Hinata."
Kakashi kissed her forehead, "I'll be waiting for you outside. Text me if you're done, okay?"
She nodded, "I'll be alright. I'll see you later."
Ayumi knocked on the door and it was Naruto who opened it. He looked like he just did the most vigorous activity ever.
"Ayumi-nee?! Why are you here?" He asked in delight. "It's nice to see you, ya know!"
"It's nice to see you, too," Ayumi greeted. She went inside where she saw Hinata fixing herself.
"Seriously, what are you guys doing just now?" She raised her eyebrow. Naruto laughed, "nothing, really. I'll order something for the two of you. You can talk in the office," he said before leaving.
The moment that the door slammed behind them, Hinata and Ayumi sat down.
"I won't take long, Hinata. I believe you need this," she said handing her a flash drive.
"That flash drive contains all the evidences that I have gathered over the years. That contained the CCTV footage of the local library as well as other victims that your father wronged," she added.
Hinata nodded, "we will be taking this to court. Sasuke and his troops are already searching for him everywhere. He got the leads from Tenten and Gaara. They were planning an ambush soon."
"How have you been, Hinata?"
"Not good. I've been feeling weak as days pass by," she answered. "How about you? Why did you leave with all of these evidences when you could've just given the evidence to the police a long time ago?"
Ayumi shook her head, "I tried to give them the evidence years ago but your father used to be the highest ranking officer in Konoha's police department. I tried reaching out to Mr. and Mrs. Mitsashi but they mysteriously disappeared and was found in a car, lifeless. I figured that I would be next so I ran away with all the evidence, I was hiding while trying to get all the evidences I could. If I didn't get away, Hiashi could get rid of the evidences I have."
"I'm glad that Tenten was working on this case. The victims of your father need justice," Ayumi added.
Hinata nodded, "I know. I would ask you a very heavy request, I hope you could consider it."
"I want you to become a primary witness in this case," Hinata said.
Ayumi stoped and thought for a minute before she nodded.
Hinata's phone rang, someone was calling her.
Sasuke is calling...
"Yes?" She answered the phone.
"He's caught, Hinata! He's in jail," Sasuke said.
"Where is he?"
"I'll send you the address, don't go alone. Bring someone with you."
___________
Hiashi Hyuga had his hands on his back, cuffed.
"There's nothing more satisfying than finally seeing you in jail, asshole," Tenten said.
Hiashi was caught by Utakata and his troops, he was preparing his pistol when he was spotted. Utakata was the one who got him, Hiashi tried to run away but he accidentally dropped his gun-- leaving him vulnerable.
"Don't you want to join your parents, Tenten? Your sister almost did," he laughed. Tenten bursted out of anger, "what did you do to her!?"
Neji held her back, "you shouldn't be careless, Tenten."
"Let me go, Neji! Let me go," she protested but Neji was too strong. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him, he leaned, "you're making a fuss in the station. People are staring at you."
Tenten breathed fast and deep, "I will make sure that you spend the rest of your life in jail, Hiashi. You will pay for all of your crimes!"
Hinata came with Naruto.
The moment he saw her, Hiashi started tearing up.
"H-Hirari! Did you come to rescue me?" He asked.
Hinata indeed looked like her mother. Every inch of her, it resembled her deceased mom.
"I am not Hirari, Father," she said, "and it's about time you pay for everything you did."
"I did all of that so that we could be together again," he cried out.
"He's crazy," Sasuke commented. "I will lock up his cell. It's better not to engage in such conversations with him."
Hinata felt her heart ache.
She loved her father but she could never forgive everything he did.
She stumbled down and Naruto caught her.
"Hinata? Are you okay?"
That was the last thing she heard before she passed out.
___________
"Congratulations Mr. Uzumaki."
"What?"
"We've run the necessary tests. She's 6 weeks into her pregnancy," Tsunade smiled.
Naruto's eyes widened before he turned over to Hinata. She was peacefully sleeping.
She passed out after seeing her father in jail.
"In this time of her pregnancy, she needs to be away from stressors as much as possible. She almost had a miscarriage today, I have given her medications. She'll be fine," Tsunade said.
His eyes lightened up.
She's pregnant with his child.
He couldn't be happier. As much as Naruto wanted to hug her, he knew that he can't because she's unconscious.
Tsunade tapped his shoulders before leaving the room.
"Hinata!" Neji barged in.
"I told you not to shout like that, Neji!" Tenten said.
"My cousin just fainted---."
She placed her hand on top of his mouth, "geez. You've been annoying me for the longest time, Neji. Just keep quiet for once," she hissed.
Neji removed her hand and rolled his eyes, "I could say the same to you."
Tenten switched her gaze onto Naruto who's holding Hinata's hand with a teary eye. He was smiling but his eyes have tears on them.
"What the hell happened, Naruto?" Neji asked.
"Doctor Tsunade just gave me the best news ever," he smiled. Before Naruto could spill the story to Neji, Hinata woke up.
"Neji?"
"Hinata! You're finally awake! Are you okay?!" He asked, his voice was suddenly loud with a hint of worry.
Tenten massaged her temples, "I know I'm not Shikamaru but you're really troublesome, Neji."
He shot her a death glare, "why are you so mean to me?"
Tenten just rolled her eyes before looking at Hinata. "How are you feeling?"
Hinata's eyes started to tear up, "I want cinnamon rolls."
"What?"
She turned to Naruto, "I want cinnamon rolls that Tenten baked."
"One moment she passed out, now, she wants cinnamon rolls," Neji commented.
"It's her pregnancy cravings, Neji."
"Ah yes, pregnancy cravings-- what?!" Neji basically screamed.
"Neji, how many times do I have to tell you to stop screaming--- the fuck you mean pregnant?!" Tenten also reacted.
"And I was supposed to be the noisy one," Neji rolled his eyes.
Hinata giggled at the sight of her cousin and Tenten, "this is a rare sight. The two of you never fought before, did something happened between you and Tenten?"
"N-Nothing happened. Geez, let's just bake her cinnamon rolls," Neji said before he pulled Tenten away from the room.
The moment the door shut, Naruto turned to her.
"Did you know?"
She nodded.
"For how long? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, feeling betrayed.
"I only found out two days ago while you were away," Hinata replied. "I wanted to tell you but things got complicated. I'm sorry, d-do you want me to---."
He cut her off by kissing her lips.
"I've never been happier, Hinata. I can't wait to see our baby," Naruto said, resting his forehead on his. "I love you so much."
__________
4 days later...
"Oh? Is that so? Just tell him I called."
Temari took a deep breath, she can't contact Shikamaru. The last thing she knew about him was the fact that he returned to Konoha to be with his mother. Temari couldn't stop thinking about him.
Everything happened too fast.
They were fine until they weren't.
She's in pain. She couldn't believe that they're over because of a small fight that escalated.
Temari blamed herself about what happened. She should've talked to him nicely but she decided to throw hands.
She couldn't sleep for days since the last time they talked. It was rough, they were rough on each other as if there is no love present in their relationship.
She bit her lips and she hugged her legs, enclosing herself from the world.
"I'm the one who ended everything between us but why am I the one in pain?"
She closed her eyes shut. The court hearing is 2 days from now. She should be happy that they'll finally get justice for her brother's death but all she felt was the deep void of emptiness and heartbreak.
"Temari? Are you there?"
It was Sakura.
"Open up, it's been days since you last talked to us," Ino said.
Temari didn't want to stand up, she wanted to keep crying and sulking in her place alone.
"We know you're in there," Tenten knocked.
She sighed before she opened the door.
"You look like a mess," Sakura said the moment she saw Temari.
No make up, messy hair, and puffed eyes. The view itself was enough to know that she was in pain.
The four women entered her room. Hinata bought her home-cooked meals that she prepared herself.
They sat down on the sofa, "how long has it been since he left?" Ino asked.
Temari looked down, "5 days. It's been 5 days without him."
Those five days that Temari spent without Shikamaru felt like hell to her. She can't process any thought without thinking of his whereabouts. She can't stop thinking about where did they go wrong.
A week ago they were fine and now he left her.
"I know that feeling, Temari. You need to cheer up a little. I know men better than you guys do. As I told y'all before, they would leave in every minor inconvenience then they'll come running back once you pulled yourself together," she clenched her fist. "The moment I see that Nara, he would get major beating from me."
"Calm down, Ino. Maybe he's confused. He blames himself for leaking intel to Hiashi," Tenten sighed. "Give him time."
"Sasuke's been very busy lately. He's working on Hiashi Hyuga," Sakura sighed. "I want this to be all over so we can go back to our normal lives."
Hinata nodded, "with the amount of evidences we have against him, he will be in jail after the trial," she said before she stood up. "I'll prepare the meal for us."
"Can you stop moving around? The doctor already told you to rest, let me do it," Tenten stopped her.
"What happened to you, Hinata? I heard the news from Sasuke that were rushed to the hospital the other day," Sakura asked.
"Well... uh."
"Right! Naruto's even acting weird, he's always rushing home after finishing his flights!" Ino added.
"Are you guys preparing for the wedding already?" Sakura asked again.
"Naruto and I are expecting," Hinata answered.
"Huh? Expecting what?" Asked Temari, confused of what was happening.
"I'm pregnant."
"I thought it was a big deal-- what?!" Said Ino.
"Naruto is moving way too fast! Congratulations, Hinata!" Sakura said.
The girls gathered around the pregnant member of their squad, each of them touching her flat belly.
"That's way too early for that," she giggled.
The girls were way too overjoyed.
"I didn't imagine you'd be the first one to get pregnant!" Sakura squealed.
"I had my money on Tenten to be honest," Ino commented.
Tenten raised her brows, "what did you mean by that, blondie?!"
"I mean. The tension between you and Neji is universal, I'm this close in setting the two of you up in a room where you can talk your feelings out!"
"Yeah right. At this time, I would definitely beat the shit out of him. He's been annoying me a lot lately," she sighed.
Sakura giggled, "it's about time you tell him what you feel, Tenten. I'm sick of watching you two!"
Temari couldn't help but smile at the view of her friends laughing together. Reality hit her.
If Shikamaru left for good, she would be alright.
She has them.
Ino, Tenten, Hinata, and Sakura.
If there's someone who will never leave her, it's the four of them.
______________
"I was fifteen when my father started his assaults. I woke up feeling his hands roaming around my body. He called me Hirari, my mother's name. I tried to push him over and over again but it was no use. He was on top of me, trying to remove my clothes when my cousin got home and he suddenly got off of me," Hinata said.
She was testifying against her father and his crimes.
Hinata looked at her father. Tears fell down her face.
She waited and lived for this moment.
Hinata was nothing but a good daughter. She is a good person.
While she was giving her testimony, she couldn't help but to recall how her childhood was taken away from her-- by her own father.
"He threatened me that he would hurt my sister and Neji if I told anyone so i didn't," she added. "I thougt he did that because he was drunk but it happened again before my 18th birthday. It was Christmas eve when it happened-- he tried to force himself on me once again before I was saved by Kankuro. Kankuro didn't know who he was. Kankuro didn't even see his face. He just came to my rescue."
"A month later, he got lost and he was found dead in the local library in Konoha."
Hiashi's lawyer stepped out, questioning Hinata's statement.
He tried to play mind games on her but Hinata studied law for this exact reason. Kabuto, Hiashi's lawyer, was lucky enough that Hinata is not the one representing this case on the victim's side or he will be sorry.
"If my client did such things, why are you the one who deliberately ran away from Konoha?"
"I ran away because he was after me. He threatened that he would hurt everyone that who will try to get between us."
"Your words do not make any sense, Miss Hyuga! If you really experienced such things then why did you not go to the police?"
"He had a lot of connections. Everyone in Konoha knew that Hiashi worked in the police department until he was 40. There are no one with more connections that him."
After further questioning, Hinata was asked to step down for them to present the evidences against Hiashi.
Ayumi made sure to label every evidence accurately.
After the long 3-hour trial, the verdict has been decided.
"After careful review of the evidences presented and the statement of the witnesses, this court has reached its decision. With the burden of proof rests upon the prosecution to establish the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. After examining facts and concrete evidences surrounding this case, the court finds that the evidence presented is credible, consistent, and sufficient to meet that burden."
"Therefore, on the charge of the murder of Kankuro Subaku, Tenshi & Ko Mitashi, this court finds the defendant guilty as charged."
"The gravity of this offense and accordance to the law, the Court hereby sentences Hyuga Hiashi to lifetime imprisonment. The defendant shall remain in the custody of the appropriate correctional authorities until the remainder of his life."
"Court is adjourned."
The sound of the gavel echoed throughout the room.
As Hiashi was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment, he started laughing.
Hinata approached Naruto. All of their friends were in the court room, all delighted for the justice they finally got for Kankuro and all of Hiashi's victims.
"It's all over now," Naruto whispered to her.
Their joy lasted for a short time when Hiashi made his final move.
"If I won't get you, no one will," he said pointing the gun to Naruto before he pulled the trigger.
"Naruto!"