Sweet Dispositions

-Chapter 5-
Real

September 3rd. Midnight-ish.

HINATA WOKE UP WITH A JUMPSTART.

Hinata took a deep breath. Her muscles turned to lead and she sank onto the surface she was on. Exhausted.

Hinata was in some unknown area on some soft but worn cushion. She surveyed the place; it was a motel room. Hinata smelled must and alcohol... She was on a velvety sofa. Why was she on a sofa? Where was she?

Uchiha Sasuke put Hinata under a genjutsu and she lost all consciousness. Did they sleep together again?! Her clothes were on. Her thoughts... felt violated and searched.

"You're awake," he said so casually in his grumpy voice that it startled her.

Awake- more like barely conscious. Hinata's eyelids were so heavy. Her eyesight got cut into slits. She panted heavily.

Why did he put her under a genjutsu?! Why was it this... this draining? When Hinata was younger, before the Uchiha clan assassination, she learned about the visual process that the Uchiha used. She never knew that it was this painful.

"Good," he said simply, in his usual monotone spur.

He was on the edge of the bed. The sofa she laid on was against the wall. The sofa was also aligned perfectly with the edges of the bed. Hinata was facing Sasuke at all times. She didn't like being five or six feet away from a guy who had the rinnegan or the guy who took her virginity...

Uchiha freaking Sasuke! Hinata wanted to make him pay for standing so... so close her and putting her under a genjutsu.

Once Hinata felt his chakra signature and heard his voice, she focused her thoughts and concentrated.

Escape!

Hinata scrambled, getting her tanto-gata shuriken.

Hinata launched it towards him. Sasuke leaned over a bit. The shuriken whizzed past him, lodging itself in the dented wall.

It totally missed him.

Her shinobi pack was strapped to her leg. She grabbed her hira-shuriken and threw it.

"Hn," Sasuke said as he caught the next shuriken mid-air.

The shuriken threaded his long finger.

"I have no interest in fighting you, Hyuuga girl," he declared.

Hinata deflated like a balloon. Hinata lost all of her energy due to that one idiotic small throw. She knew it wouldn't hit him... nor would he ever let it.

Sasuke tossed the shuriken to the ground in between them. He also tossed the kunai (the one she previously threw at him on the street) onto the pile. Three weapons... none of them... used.

Sasuke sat, his eyes were closed, eyebrows pulled together. He didn't need to have his eyes open. He had Kami-like power... afterall.

Sasuke didn't want to fight her but what else could she do? She had lips and teeth to ask what happened and argue. She also had fists to fight when things went south.

"We need to talk," he said.

Oh no, not that again. Hinata didn't want to talk to him. She swung her feet over the edge of the sofa, getting prepped to leave.

She almost stumbled and fell with the head spin she had. Once she put weight on her feet, her muscles spasmed. She was a calf learning to walk. Her limbs failed her. They couldn't carry the weight of her body.

Hinata tipped over. Hinata was going to crash onto the floor. She braced herself for the extra pain coming her way.

Unfortunately, a chair slid her way and caught her. She momentarily rested on the chair, a hiss of relief escaped her mouth. Hinata was startled to see a magic chair but logically, it was probably Sasuke.

Once again, his eyes were closed. How was he so attuned to her like this? Was she just obvious to him? She rested on the chair. What she felt was chakra exhaustion... She had depleted reserves. Hinata hadn't wasted anything more than she was supposed to on her mission.

Hinata's gaze flicked towards Sasuke. Him. Sasuke took her chakra.

He opened his non-rinnegan eye and spotted her breathless on the chair, grasping for support.

He let a long, drawn-out sigh. "I didn't do much, Hyuuga girl," he said harshly.

Much? She bit her lip, hating that she had to ask. He knocked her out before taking her to a motel.

Once Hinata felt as though she were strong enough to move, she pushed herself from the chair and collapsed back onto the blue velvet sofa.

Sasuke heard that Hinata was back on the sofa. He flicked his hands and the chair forcefully slid back where it came from.

Sasuke pulled the chair towards her and pushed it back... like Pein's technique when Pein destroyed the village.

Has Sasuke received all of Pein's powers? Or was it just that one? She gulped. He had that one technique had destroyed Konoha in less than five minutes. That was one of the six Peins. One jutsu. Imagine if he had all of them.

Chills crawled down her back.

Hinata finally found her voice. "Uchiha-san... Why did... you take my chakra?" asked Hinata.

"I want nothing to do with your chakra. I hadn't tapped into your reserves."

"What happened to me?"

"Aside from pregnancy- a jutsu. The second thing I did was acquaint myself with your memories. Ningendo grants any rinnegan user to see memories over the past few weeks. I interrogated you enough to know that you are carrying a sharingan child. I've confirmed what I wanted to know but I didn't take any of your chakra."

"You read my memories? Why?" she squeaked softly. She was horrified! Why would he do that?!

"Hn," he said. "I have my own reasons."

She gritted her teeth. She tried to get up again but she couldn't.

This was so embarrassing. He has seen her naked body and her naked mind in the essence. Her cheeks reddened and she felt invaded. He saw everything.... Everything. She had no idea what was worse; him seeing all of her memories or hearing all of her thoughts...

"I see now that ningendo has much more drastic effects depending on the shinobi's amount of chakra. How long I use the technique on the shinobi also changes shit. I was meticulous with my interrogation. It took too much time to gather intel. Although I use ningendo on rare occurrences on those who I intend to keep alive, ningendo was originally used to eventually kill those who get affected by the technique," he said, explaining himself.

"Kill?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sasuke tilted his chin up and looked at her in an apathetic way. "You are supposed to be dead."

Her blood ran cold. How weak she felt wasn't... chakra exhaustion nor did he submit her under a genjutsu... Instead, this was her body recovering from a near-death experience.

He almost killed her in an indirect way... In his pursuit of knowledge, he just about killed her with the ningendo or whatever. Why had he used the technique on her if he didn't intend for her to die? What was so important about her that he needed to kill to obtain?!

"What did you find?" she asked suddenly.

Sasuke was caught off guard with this question. "Not much," he grunted.

Her jaw fell to the ground. Didn't he find anything? Anything at all? He used his rinnegan on her, she almost died... in his pursuit of information and he found practically next to nothing.

"However, I did gather enough information about three things, Hyuuga girl..."

She looked at him, her face red, her muscles aching and shivering. "Hmmph?"

"One, your lifestyle. I saw how you were a medical-nin. I saw your work schedule and many of your daily routines. I thought you were whoring around and the kid wouldn't be mine. You weren't. I was the first man you've ever slept with. Ever. Two, your pregnancy. I noticed the symptoms and progression of your pregnancy. And three, whether you aborted it or not, which you hadn't done," he listed out.

Those were all things he could have asked her but everything was risk, darkness and death with Uchiha Sasuke. She glared at the ground to hide her expression but Sasuke caught it.

"If you have something to say, say it," he stated.

Waves of anger came off her and warmed Sasuke up. She was so angry with him and at the situation but she wouldn't say anything. Hinata shook her head but continued to glare at the ground. All this was for nothing...

"I have... nothing... To say," she panted and looked away. "to you."

"Understandable," Sasuke shrugged. "but it's your fault. I'm aware of the fact that we could've just talked like civil adults. I don't think you saw that. You make things difficult and the process would have been ugly without your coöperation, Hyuuga girl," Sasuke waved his hand in a lazy way. "You hadn't wanted to talk."

They are strangers! Sure they were adults but he just takes and hurts as he pleases. That was not civilized. It wasn't nice either.

"I thought that you could take ningendo. I assume that it's taken large amounts of your chakra... rendering you with two-thirds of your normal chakra rates or even less. Oops. Most kunoichi are aware that their chakra has a diminution in quantity or it gets completely nullified during pregnancy. However, you still went on that mission and used a shit-ton of chakra while practicing taijutsu, ninjutsu and medical ninjutsu. In result of some lost healing capabilities and chakra reserves, the ningendo side-effects are having a worse toll on you than I thought they would. If I kept the ningendo up any longer, it would've been detrimental. I stopped the ningendo but you passed out in the middle of the street. We needed to talk so I brought you here," he explained.

Hinata gulped.

"You've been passed out for the last four hours. I have had time to think. I'm convinced that you haven't had the slightest clue about the pregnancy either," he gritted his words out, sounding tired.

"I'm not pregnant."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he said while getting up from the bed.

He moved towards her. She paused, feeling the fear burn her like a fever.

"And you call yourself a medical-nin."

"Eeep, I'm... not."

"A quack. You're a fake doctor. That's why you've been sitting out, right?"

"I am a medical-nin, Uchiha-san! I'm not pregnant, that's what!"

"You're just in denial."

She wasn't in denial. He didn't know for sure. She doesn't know either. This had to be a dream... This had to be one. She wasn't having any Uchiha children- especially with the last Uchiha. There was no way that reality would get that messy and blurred impossibilities would happen.

She watched him as he loomed over her. "Your chakra hasn't been restored. The kid, it's taking a lot more for you both to share chakra," said Sasuke. He looked even more unimpressed with her. "Too much."

As he raised his hand, she stiffened.

"Here you go, Hyuuga," Sasuke said.

Suddenly, her chakra pathway felt full. He... he replenished her chakra reserves. Sharing chakra. She moved arm. Little pine needles of pain didn't impale her skin as she moved. That was a good sign. She felt healthy- the healthiest she has felt in months.

She looked up at him. He shuffled away without saying a word to her.

Now's my time, Hinata thought. Hinata ran towards the bathroom. She must have made a commotion. He didn't run after her.

"Oh for fuck's sake, Hyuuga. It's just a conversation-"

Hinata slammed the door and leaned heavily against it. She was exhausted by the mission. He had to come along and make everything worse.

Hinata had work tomorrow... correction today. She's stressed out about Uchiha Sasuke.

While she went home, it was almost eleven p.m at night. It was near to two or three a.m now. Why was she awake?! With all this new energy, she doubted that she could sleep, let alone sit still for the next couple of days.

Hinata propped herself against the bathtub, on the floor. She never wanted to leave this bathroom. The Uchiha would stay in her thoughts and not dance in her views.

She never wanted to see him again. She has to mentally prepare herself and schedule a time to think about it.

Sasuke sought her out and did all these things to make him talk to her... Once Sasuke set his mind to something, he achieved it. At least, that is what Naruto said about him. Did Sasuke put in the effort to lie to her? This wouldn't happen in normal lives to normal people in normal situations.

Pregnancies were so groundbreaking but so normal.

Hinata hears it happens. Pregnancies... they just happen. She slept with Sasuke, thinking he used a condom but he hadn't.

Sasuke and Hinata slept together during Naruto's and Sakura's wedding. That was five weeks and two days ago. She was supposed to get her period two weeks and two days ago. She hadn't.

Hinata is five weeks into her pregnancy. The embryo is about the size of a sesame seed, growing at a furious pace. During week five. She will be expecting some soreness, fatigue and breast tenderness. During week five for Shinobi children, the chakra pathway system begins to develop.

Is that how she had a chakra change/deficiency? A Uchiha child! In her... At the moment.

She's pregnant.

She remembered those bittersweet words before she fainted and out she went... like a light.

¤¤¤

September 3rd. Morning.

She yawned and felt the presence of his chakra. Why was she in this situation again?! Waking up near to him wasn't how she wanted to spend her mornings. She couldn't accept his recognition.

She was tired, confused and dazed. She woke up on the bed this time. It smelt like alcohol and sweat. She had some trouble with herself as she laid there. Why was she on the bed instead of being on the bathroom floor?

Sasuke moved her from the floor to the bed. It would have been considered sweet unless she considered the circumstances. He was Uchiha Sasuke... everything he did wasn't sweet.

The bed was surprisingly comfortable. She opened her eyes and set her gaze on the Uchiha. Once again, the sun shone through, shining rays of disappointment on her face. She was glad that she hadn't woken up beside him or on his chest this time.

He was in the chair, rooted in place at in the corner of the room, not watching her but looking... at nothingness. In the Hyuuga estate, there were house cats with luminescent eyes on the corner of beds just guarding some Hyuuga fiercely. He wasn't protecting her nor was he guarding her. He was making sure that she didn't run away.

"You fainted in the bathroom," he said.

Hinata's cheeks redden as she averted her gaze. She was always fainting at idiotic times.

"I... t-tend to d-do... that," she admitted meekly.

"Noted," he said dismissively. "We need to talk."

"Ano. We don't, uhm, need to... speak."

"Hn," he grunted, not believing her. "Denial."

She shook her head.

Judging by the position of the sun in the sky, it was close to ten or eleven in the morning. She had to work. She had to do a shift in around an hour. She had been away from her patients for too long. She was antsy to heal others. She needed other chances to prove herself.

"I have to go to work," she announced as she sprung from the bed.

Sasuke had zero protests which was nice because she couldn't deal with his comments.

Once her feet hit the ground, she knew that she was fine. When she moved, it wasn't painful nor did her limbs give up on her. She felt bursts of energy and her chakra reserves have never been so full.

She continually used up her chakra to heal patients. Medical ninjutsu took a lot of chakra thus her chakra reserves were drained to the lowest of the lows levels every day. She could heal so many patients without getting tired. She was proud of that.

Begrudgingly, she felt the urge to thank him for the offer of his chakra. Although it was his fault that she lost most of it, he gave her a lot more than she needed. That was generous. Why? Why would he help her like that?

She wanted to be gone but that was impossible. Wait, she had a bag. Where was it? She activated her byakugan and saw that none of her things were in a mile radius of the motel.

"Where are my t-things?" she stuttered.

"No clue," he said as he gave one long shrug. His dark onyx eye met her pale violet ones. "Must've dropped them."

Unbelievable.

He dropped them?! He didn't carry her things to this motel room. He brought the kunai to this room but he intentionally hadn't brought her bags and stuff.

The bag must have been left on the street. She had medical supplies and clothing in that bag. Someone could've stolen stuff and civilians could've been injured. Why had he left it?!

She can't restore those items. They were probably ALL gone. Even if she did plan to look for them, she wouldn't have the time to. She had to leave. She sighed then headed to the bathroom to fix herself up. She left, empty-handed and angry.

"Hyuuga girl, I'll be here when you come back," he said.

Something acidic and bitter punched up her throat. She sprinted to the nearest trash can and emptied the contents of her stomach. She forgot about one last symptom during the fifth week of a woman's pregnancy.

Morning sickness.

¤¤¤

Hinata was extremely gritty from the talk she had with Sasuke. She brushed the knots out of her hair, popped in a well-needed mint and did her rounds. She healed, diagnosed and felt good for the first time in a while. It was nice to feel good and focused after Sasuke.

Every time she thought of him, she felt crazy

She hadn't lost her mind because of work. She put on her scrubs and transformed into a trauma surgeon, a good medical-nin, who saved anyone who needed it. She walked out of the OR, acing the surgery she had always wanted to do with flying colors.

After what Sasuke told her, she never thought she would smile but there she was, grinning like a fool.

Her colleagues and fellow surgeons congratulated her. Even Ino (Ino?!) smiled at her. Ino was in the OR gallery, waiting for Hinata to talk to her.

Ino was determined. When Ino was motivated, she was a stubborn mule and she had a one-track mind. That one-track mind was moving to talk to her.

After their last chat, Hinata wasn't sure if she wanted to let Ino be around her. How could Ino be so... so spiteful towards Hinata because she left a table?! Even fellow doctors took note of their falling out over the weeks.

Hinata let things go of things quietly. Ino had let go of it in a loud, tumultuous way. Maybe friendship should survive such violent episodes. It was like a toothache that constantly hurt despite leaving it alone or taking it out.

Why had Ino punished her for liking Naruto first?

Ino couldn't smile at her like the past few weeks haven't happened. Ino blurted things that should go unsaid.

Ino could say anything at all... She didn't know just how deep it goes. Hinata, out of respect for herself, couldn't just ignore what Ino did for some time... let alone forgive her.

She debated whether she wanted to engage with Ino. The winning argument was, it's too stressful. Hinata backed up, not okay with the confrontation so she went the other way.

She cursed her luck. Keisuke. Out of the volcano and into the magma.

Keisuke's messy orange fire hair, his sincere chocolate-brown eyes, the grim line that formed when he saw her and the pained sigh that escaped his mouth.

"Keisuke-senpai," she called in a weak tone.

Keisuke was caught off-guard as well. He jumped back. He actively looked for ways to exit this situation.

He didn't look at her in the eyes. "Hinata," Keisuke said in a breathy, restless tone.

The way someone says someone's name can tell others how they feel about that person. Why had her name sounded like a drop of endless rain on a cracked, dry desert floor? Like she sustained him? He was hurt, momentarily confused, disappointed. She felt like she did him dirt.

Hinata got back this morning, feeling fresh and friendly. His face was all that she saw at the moment. It was a while after the Uzumaki BBQ. Hinata forgot what she did but she wanted to talk to him, to calm her nerves. Hinata tried to say hello before her mouth made executive decisions.

Her mind agreed with her mouth and she waved and audibly said, "Hi."

He was a blur. She saw the hesitation he hid in those moments. She passed him in the hallways. He pretended not to hear her, mostly because he was still hurting.

That was this morning. Now they had stilted conversations. He did his best to avoid her. She did her best to let him. They got shoved in these awkward situations when avoidance was impossible. Time keeps on going when she had nothing else to give. She had nothing to say, to offer.

Nothing pulled them away and distractions were self-entertaining. She didn't know what to say to him. She couldn't get the words out. She wanted to but she couldn't and she hated it.

Stay calm and do no harm. There was a war inside of her. She should charge and explain that she hadn't meant for him to see her at the Uzumaki clan BBQ. She didn't lie to him or mean to betray him and- and she was sorry. Sorry for being a bad friend or not everything that he wanted.

Hinata stepped forward, planning the words out in her head, like a little 'I'm sorry,' speech. "Keisuke-senpai... I-"

He shook his head and looked away because he was staring a lot.

"Don't," he said loudly, abruptly cutting her words short and her confidence in half. "Hinata... Please, let me have some dignity. Don't... just don't say any words that you don't mean, it breaks a man's heart."

Keisuke backed away from her, averting his gaze.

"Pretty girls... like you shouldn't lie to guys like me," he said as he turned away from her, and went in the direction he came from.

She wanted to apologize. She couldn't leave things like this. People had a habit of walking away from her. She really hated when friends did it. She had made a habit of following them- like now.

"Hinata, tell me if it's just me," a familiar voice sounded next to her ear. "But that- that sounded like a broken man. I liked him better when he's being a complete jackass."

Hinata didn't turn to look at the purple-clad platinum blonde girl from behind her. Ino still wanted to talk to her.

Hinata opened her mouth but Ino crossed her arms then turned away. "Shut up! Just shut up! Shush before I change my mind or before you decide to avoid me again."

"Ino-"

"I said shut it," snapped Ino.

Hinata obliged to what Ino said. She was astonished that Ino broke. She played the waiting game and broke.

Ino's blue eyes focused on Hinata's lilac ones. "I think that you should forgive me, Hinata,"

Hinata blinked at Ino, even more, stumped than she was before. That was her opener?! After like a month of not speaking, she says that?!

"Okay, this is super ridiculous now that I actually say it out loud," she sniffed. "But just hear me out and don't keep the things you like and filter out then ignore the rest... because I am genuinely, truly sorry and I have been a mega bitch while talking to you..."

Hinata tilted her head and thought darkly: that word doesn't begin to cover half of it. She had to stay strong. Strong and resilient.

"I was mad at the whole situation with you just not knowing that falling in love with Naruto would hurt Sakura and yourself. Also, if you didn't move on, what then? Would you pine over him for the rest of your life? I'd hate to see you like that. Partnerless, sexless and sad over Naruto. I love you and Sakura and I just didn't want either of you to be hurt,"

Hinata looked at Ino in a new found light. Ino had been looking out her for her in some really twisted way.

"I'm guilty of being too dramatic. I accepted it and moved on. I was just mad at you for liking Naruto even if it led up to nothing good and nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen. I didn't want to watch the trainwreck happen when there are so many other guys who could love you. Even though carrot top is mad at you, you could fall in love with him and have a great life,

"I was in no way allowed to talk to you and I felt like without a push or a shove, you would never get out there and meet guys who are interested in you without a ring on their finger. I couldn't tell you it softly because you wouldn't take me seriously. Hinata, do you know how many dates you've gone on since I've known you?" Ino held up two fingers.

"Two. And the both of them were with your kind, but polite cousin who treated it like a tea party. Those dates don't count whatsoever and you're just wasting your time on someone who would never appreciate you... You're beautiful and only those who pay attention to you would notice. You've got that natural innocent vibe that people like. Only the right guys would love it and you... So, it's safe to admit that by loving Naruto... you're limiting yourself. And I hate that you don't know it,"

"If you were honest, you'd say that you were acting mean as well. You've been avoiding me because I said my own opinion. I wasn't ready to see such a girl go unnoticed. You're too special like that... And I would like to talk to you again... If you have an open mind and open heart, I wish to be there when you forgive me. Hell, can it be soon? Is that asking for too much? I think it is..."

Oh, what a sweet flower Ino could be.

"I'm tired of fighting with you. You don't have to wait that long," Hinata said while biting her lip. Hinata hasn't made up her heart but she was sure of that.

"Really?" Ino squealed. She wrapped her arms around Hinata. Hinata was frozen. Did Ino just hug her? She forgot. She forgot just how much of affectionate people they were to each other.

Oh Kami, she missed Ino. Hinata sank into Ino's touch. Her flowery scent surrounded Hinata. She found herself wanting to tell Ino about what has happened these few weeks. She wanted to tell Sakura but she was somewhere else and maybe she wouldn't approve. She just smiled and looked away, willing herself to pull away.

Soon. Soon. Soon.

"Yeah," Hinata said while moving away from Ino. "but I will see you soon... I have something to do, "

"That's really good," she hesitated. "Can I hug you again?"

Hinata froze. Hinata gave a sad, small smile and said, "Soon,"

Ino accepted that answer and she was gone with the wind.

Hinata stared, wondering if she really forgave Ino but she said that beautiful speech. It was hard not to.

Hinata watched as Ino walked away. She suddenly wanted to tell Ino about Sasuke and her "pregnancy" and what happened. If she told Ino, she would feel a hundred times better. Ino always had the best lines in times of trouble... She knew how to listen ( sometimes ) and support others... She could help Hinata.

"Ino..." Hinata reached out to grab her arm... and she opened her mouth to say something.

Ino's hair came swirling around and she shot a smile to Hinata. "Yeah, Hinata?"

Ano, I think I'm pregnant with Uchiha Sasuke's child, Hinata wanted to say but she couldn't. It was too early. Hinata hung back and paused. "Nothing," she murmured. "I'll see you again tomorrow,"

¤¤¤

September 3rd. Near 5 o'clock.

The cardiology floor's on-call room was empty and it took three weeks for Hinata to find. It was so secluded. The room was safe, quiet and private. She didn't want anyone's company, she just wanted to think and mull over what happened. The bunk beds weren't preoccupied and she needed this rest. She wasn't sleeping because she was mentally exhausted. Sitting down and reflecting deeply was how she dealt with things. She needed a moment to herself. Just one moment.

Keisuke was upset with her and now Ino apologized.

Forget and forgive, right?

Hinata was really good at forgiving people. She forgave her mother for leaving. She forgave her father for treating her the way he did. She forgave Neji for hating her. She also sort of forgave Sasuke for doing all those things to her. She wasn't very good at forgetting.

Relive, review, regret and remember. She hated that she keeps on over thinking these things. She always relived the memory, reviewed her every single mistake, regretted the things she had done and remembered what she could have done.

With Sasuke... She should just never bother him again.

She realized to do that, she had to be not pregnant. She couldn't be. She wasn't the type to sit and wait around anymore. She couldn't wait around so he could assume that she was having his child. She wouldn't sit until she knew that he was wrong. She couldn't just get little pieces of information about her hypothetical pregnancy. She needn't believe in the delusions of her hysterical mind.

All these signs told her that... maybe she was pregnant.

She could hardly hold the weight of her decision as she got up.

Time to find out if she were pregnant or not.

She went to the supply room and got a blood test. She took all the necessary steps and got her blood drawn in a clean, safe, harmless way. She didn't know how to label it. She chose a random name to indicate that it's her blood. She was on break, doing post-op checks so she had time to kill. She sat at her desk, just looking at the specimen of blood.

She went to one of her colleagues, Rikano. "This is from a sixteen-year-old girl named Kobayashi Maho and I need the results soon," Hinata said to Rikano, looking over her shoulder and fiddling with her lab coat sleeve.

Hinata was so jumpy and Rikano noticed. "Hinata, is there something about Maho that is urgent?" she asked, her vibrant hazel eyes peered into Hinata's soul.

Hinata didn't expect questions. These things usually happened without the interpersonal communication. "Uh-" she said, stumped.

"Why hadn't she peed on a stick? Honestly, it takes more time to do a qualitative hCG blood test and it costs more for the hospital,"

"Rikano-sama, it's, uhm, urgent and it needs to be exact,"

"Why?"

"Yes- yes, I believe she shows signs of being in an abusive relationship. This man may have impregnated her and I think she wants to get away from him. I don't want her-"

Rikano's gaze softened as her shoulders slumped. This story clearly hit home. "Yeah, I get it. I'll be speedy because Maho-san needs this. Go save Maho, okay?" she said amiably as she took Hinata's blood. Er, Maho's blood.

Hinata gulped as Rikano reached out and patted Hinata's shoulder. She offered a wide, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about Maho. Things will be fine. Don't get too invested in this patient. You tend to get too personal," she said. "Take a step back and let Mama Rikano do the work,"

Hinata nodded meekly and bowed. "Thank you Rikano-san,"

"No problem, Hinata," she called as Hinata reluctantly walked away. "I'll have the results back by four-thirty," she promised.

Hinata looked down and checked her watch. It was just around two o'clock. She had too much time to kill. The unknown swirled around. Her anxiety had a passion for making Hinata stressed out.

The belly flips started, her face heated up and she felt dizzy. Her palms began to sweat as she tried to forget that she was taking a pregnancy test. When she gave women pregnancy tests, she never registered how nervous and delicate the women seemed. Their calm thoughts have gone astray, they're wishing that it was all over and they just don't sit still.

She felt like her head and heart went akimbo. She just willed for the clock to go faster.

Four-thirty came around but despite everything, Rikano didn't notify her. She also couldn't find Rikano or Maho Kobayashi's case file. Hinata was so gaunt looking by the end of the hour. She examined her life choices and thought back to everything she has ever done.

It was around five o'clock when Hinata finally received word of what happened.

She couldn't believe that Rikano hadn't told her! She fell apart and Rikano hadn't seen her. It was her time to go home and take a really, really long bath. She wanted to wash off today. She didn't have a bag so she put on a baggy sweater and left her work at her desk.

Rikano walked down the hallway.

Izanagi and Rikano probably didn't notice Hinata. There was a choice between letting them go and calling them over. She had a choice. Did she want to know if she were pregnant? Would it be sad to see them go? Why prolong the inevitable? Should Hinata shy away from them or should she charge and dive into the future? Hinata was a statue in place. There was always a gray area in yes or no questions.

Hinata thought that she was free from the decision-making until Rikano stopped walking and turned to look at Hinata. Two seconds later, they both waltzed over to Hinata.

Hinata looked at Rikano expectantly. Where were the results?

Rikano was empty-handed. "Iza-kun has the results, doncha babe?"

Izanagi nodded, suddenly remembering them. Izanagi reached for his lab coat pocket, having the most blank, fishbowl look in his eyes. Hinata didn't know what to make of it. "Here, Rii-chan told me that you needed this? For Maiko... no what's the girl's name? Started with an 'm'... Ah, yes, Maho... Kobayashi Maho and... yeah, those are the lab results for her pregnancy test," he announced as if it didn't change her world.

She was as gray as a corpse. Hinata stiffened at the sight of the white sheet. Her lips quivered so she bit them to hide her fear. Izanagi wasn't really looking at Hinata as he gave her a slip of paper. Were the results bad? Was he not interested? Why couldn't Rikano just tell Hinata?

Hinata spent an eternity staring at the sheet. Izanagi shook the paper twice, getting impatient. "You have to take this, you know that, right?"

She nodded her head yes but she wanted to say no. Hinata plastered a smile on her face. "Yes, Izanagi-senpai," She reached out and took the cool sheet. Her thoughts were very out a sync with her body. "Thank you for giving me these, it is very important to me,"

She couldn't take it, Rikano needed to tell her. She could taste it. She knew the answer already. She looked down at the sheet. The rigidity of her hesitation was clear. Rikano and Izanagi looked at Hinata before turning to leave as a unit.

"I know, Hinata... it sucks," she said as Izanagi snaked an arm around her shoulder. They walked away, laughing but Rikano turned to look at her. "Sorry babe, Maho's positive," she called back to Hinata.

Hinata stood there, motionless. The air moved in reverse. She tried hard to comprehend what was revealed.

Instead of relief, she felt so, so, so numb.

Hinata faced the facts. She was pregnant.

She crumpled up the sheet of paper and unfolded it again. She then read it again, hoping for different results. She had no reason to doubt science. Science saved people and science was a key part of medicine and medicine didn't lie. She couldn't doubt this. Certain things hurt and lies were one of them.

The room stood still until everything tilted sideways. It was all so hazy after that. It drove her to insanity. This told her things that she already knew.

Once she found out, she folded the abused sheet and ignored the stinging in her eyes. This is no reason to cry, Hinata. No reason. It was just a child. A child.

She tightened her grip on the page and stuffed it in her pocket.

It was just a child. A sharingan child.

Oh dear.