Author's notes: An old fanfic I'd conceptualized years ago, and I thought I'd work on it now when I came across my fanfic archives. I noticed a lack of NejiHina fics since Neji's death, so I thought I'd contribute. Hope you enjoy!

And yes, I'm working on Brand of Betrayal. I haven't forgotten it. Not sure when I'll update it, but the next few chapters have been written already, but not yet finished. =_=

...

sol lucet omnibus「the sun shines on everyone」

...

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Part I: in absentia, nil desperandum

「In their absence, do not despair」

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Hiashi sensed a very slight movement in the house. It was so subtle that it was suspicious. He stirred; his sitting up roused his pregnant wife sleeping at his side.

"What's wrong?" She asked groggily as she touched his arm.

There. He definitely sensed it. Across the hall... in his daughter's room.

His wife sat up, concerned at his behavior. Her husband's posture was stiff, wary. She sat up, concern causing her eyebrows to crease. She lifted a hand to rest on her husband's shoulder. "What is it?"

Hiashi did not wish to cause his wife panic. She was carrying their second child. And the pregnancy this time around was difficult for her. He would not activate the Byakugan; it would cause her stress and it would not be good for her.

"I will just check to see if Hinata is sleeping soundly." He kissed her forehead before leaving the futon, making sure that she was settled back within the sheets and resting. He left their room and opened the door to his daughter's room.

Her futon was empty.

Hiashi hurried to the open window, which served as the entrance and escape of the kidnapper. He then activated the Byakugan and sure enough, he spotted the culprit stealthily running across the compound, cradling his daughter's tiny form. He went through the window in pursuit. He did not have time to alert the clan; if he were to miss a second in the chase, the kidnapping shinobi could escape with his daughter to who knows where.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Hakaze finally got up form the bed. She had been waiting for her husband to come back from checking up on their eldest daughter. It should've taken him only a minute.

Finally, Hakaze decided to see what was taking Hiashi so long, if only to ease the unsettled feeling tingling her intuition. She waddled to her daughter's room, a hand on her back, frowning as she saw that the door was left open. As she peeked inside, she knew something was definitely wrong when she saw the bedroom empty with the window open, the curtains dancing with the slight night breeze. Trying to tamp down her rising panic, Hakaze decided to check the kitchen; perhaps Hiashi had taken Hinata there for a glass of milk. When Hakaze did not detect any sign of light or sound as she made her way to the kitchen, she knew she had to hurry to alert the clan.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Hizashi was up and running along with the branch members. They had been roused by an emergency announcement that they had to search the premises for any sign of the head and the heiress. Being woken up in the middle of the night to conduct a search for his brother and his niece, both members of the head family, was alarming. So alarming, in fact, that no one had dared to voice the question of what was going on or what was happening. What was the situation? All of them were scared of finding out, but more than that, the urgency, not the curiosity, of their task was priority, and asking questions would distract them from giving their all in locating Hiashi and Hinata.

They would get their answers later.

The activation of the byakugan within the compound was forbidden, except if one were in the training grounds or dojo. But tonight was an exception. All who could utilize the byakugan were on the lookout with their bloodline limit amplifying their sight to make the search more efficient and hopefully, faster.

Hizashi and the rest who were in proximity turned to the arrival of another Hyuuga.

"Come back, quick! We're all summoned in the Main Hall. Hiashi-sama has been found! He's dead!"

Shocked exclamations and gasps echoed throughout. Hizashi was horrified into silence. Though still shaken with shock, all of them took off for the Main Hall.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

The Hyuuga was outraged. Not only were their Head murdered, but the heiress was missing. Two messengers had been sent to alert the Hokage of the tragic events of the night, while the rest were on a manhunt for the Hyuuga Princess.

For some reason, Hizashi had been summoned by his father to the Main House. Hizashi was deeply affected by his older twin brother's death, and he had been ready to go out to seek revenge and capture whoever was responsible. Being branded as a branch member, Hizashi had expected to be in the front lines, but he had been held back and told to stand by Hiashi's body.

Hakaze loudly wept as she held on to the dead body of her husband, crying on his chest. Other Hyuuga women attempting to console the widow, with no success.

Hiashi has been found in the outskirts of the Hyuuga lands. His corpse had been taken to a room in the main house, his body wrapped in a blanket, his eyes covered with a white cloth to hide the empty sockets that no longer held the prided eyes that bore the byakugan.

Hizashi felt a tightening in his chest, an ache that he hadn't anticipated. He and his brother had become distant since the branding, and Hizashi would even admit that he harbored a bit of a grudge towards his brother, but faced with the loss of his twin, Hizashi grieved.

He had to look away at the sight of his dead brother in front of him. It was unnerving; it was like seeing what he would look like if he died in the field of battle.

"Hizashi, come with me." a wizened, tired voice called out. Hizashi turned away from the sight of the grieving widow, but her cries still echoed in his ears as he followed the Main branch member to a private room not far from where Hiashi's body was kept.

"Your brother has been murdered," Hyuuga Hanabishi spoke in a low whisper to Hizashi.

"I have no doubt about it," Hizashi took a deep breath, a will of steel lining his pearl eyes. "Hanabishi-sama," Hizashi addressed his father formally, as had been the case when he turned 21. "Why have I been called here? I should be out there, avenging my brother. I should be leading the team sent out to hunt down those criminals who have wronged our family!"

"Hizashi, your brother is murdered. His daughter, the next in line, is missing. The secrets of our bloodline is now in the hands of unknown enemies," Stress and anxiety made the old man's voice hoarse. Hizashi could not remember when his father had sounded so downtrodden and defeated; he had always had a strong, booming voice that his authority was unmistakable.

"All the more reason for us to hasten our search," Hizashi did not care if he would be considered rude. Time was of the essence. The Hyuuga had not had such urgency like this since the time of war. "Every available Hyuuga shinobi should be sent out to help in the search and investigation of the murder and kidnapping."

"Hizashi," Hanabishi turned to his branded son. "I want you and your family to stay within the compound-"

"But I must help—"

Hanabishi raised a stern hand up to stop the interruption, and Hizashi wisely chose to bite his tongue until his father had said all that he needed to say. "Hizashi, in light of this emergency, you and your family are to stay in the Main House. I would like your wife to help attend to Hakaze during this difficult time. Also, you and your family are to strictly remain within the compound until I give word. Is that understood?"

Hizashi knew better than to ask any questions. He gave a reverent bow, a sign of acquiescence. "I understand, Hanabishi-sama."

"Good. Bring your wife and son here immediately. I have already ordered the maids to prepare your quarters for the next few days. I expect the three of you to be settled in tonight. Now, go."

"Yes, Hanabishi-sama," Hizashi once again bowed before departing the room to do as he had been bidden to do, even though he had no idea why exactly his father would make him and his family move into Hiashi's house following this event. Was it to safeguard Hakaze and her unborn child? Was he going to be the Head family's bodyguard and his wife the main attendant for his sister-in-law? But then, what was Neji's purpose in all this?

Hizashi hoped he would get his answers soon, as well as justice for his deceased brother.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

A week after the murder of the clan Head and kidnapping of the Heiress, the elders broadcasted a major change in the Hyuuga clan: the Caged Bird seal would be required of all the Hyuuga members. With Hiashi's eyes stolen, the clan felt that they had to do everything in their power to make sure that they would not take the chance of another occurrence like this to happen. They could not afford for the bloodline secrets to be stolen once more. Thus, all Main family members were branded, with the exception of Hakaze, whose health was too precarious to undergo such a torturous process.

Despite being the victims of this tragedy, the Hyuuga felt shame that they were not able to safeguard their secrets. They were reminded that people from the Main can fall.

The branding was the only way that the clan saw to salvage their devastated pride, and to ensure that there would be no more opening for rivals and enemies to acquire their bloodline. As people saw it, it was a show of remorse for their failing.

If anything, the tragedy of the Hyuuga head family taught them that the Main side of the family were susceptible; they were a hole in the clan's efforts to safeguard their bloodline limit, an easy breach to unlock the secrets of the byakugan. It had taken a harsh lesson for the Hyuuga clan to finally abolish the oppression and discrimination that came from dividing their family in two sides.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Hizashi was outraged. The suspect for the murder of Hiashi and the kidnapping of Hinata was the Kumo nin, who was in town for a peace treaty with Konoha. However, those were just allegations. No hard proof was ever collected to fully convict the Kumo nin for the crime. The Hokage took it upon himself to oversee the investigation, but months had gone by, and still, they had no solid leads. Hiashi's murderer would not be found, and Hinata would remain missing. When all leads led to a dead end, there was no choice but to halt the investigation and file it away as a cold case.

With the loss of her husband and her daughter, Hyuuga Hakaze's second pregnancy became more difficult, brought about by the emotional turmoil and psychological trauma. The clan feared that she would lose the next in line to a miscarriage brought about by her devastation. If that happened, the lineage of the Head family would be lost, broken. The pressure of carrying the sole heir to the clan did not help matters; it had not strengthened Hakaze's determination and will through this difficult time, but crushed her along with her grief.

At eight months, when the Hokage declared the Hyuuga Affair, as what that infamous tragedy would be called, a cold case, Hakaze reached her breaking point. She began to bleed, and the Hyuuga feared the worse for the child. Hakaze was rushed to the hospital.

The long labor and difficult birth finally took its toll on Hakaze, who had already been suffering prior. Hakaze died in giving birth to a healthy Hyuuga Hanabi.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

With Hakaze dead, Hanabi was left orphaned. The elders decided that she would be raised by her closest living relative, Hizashi and his family, until such time when she was old enough to lead the clan.

Thus, Hizashi became Regent. Hanabishi had been battling an illness long before, and at his old age, he did not expect to live long enough to even hope to see Hanabi off to the academy. Thus, Hizashi was to be Hanabi's guardian until she reached legal age. He would be responsible not only for her upbringing, but for her training as well.

Hizashi would be lying if he denied that he had not dreamed of what it would be if he had been clan head and not Hiashi. More than a few times had he had wished that their positions had been exchanged. He never thought that a pipe dream would come at a terrible price. He was almost ashamed of how he had come to rise as a regent.

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

Neji, young as he is, is smart enough to know that something has happened to his precious cousin. He understands the situation, even though they explain it in vague, childish terms to soften the blow. Neji isn't fooled, but he can do nothing but accept the tragic truth.

"Otousan, I swear, one day, I'm going to bring Hinata-chan back," Neji told his father with such conviction as they trained. "I'll find her, and I'll protect her, Otousan."

Hizashi warily looked into his son's fiercely determined eyes. Was this denial on his son's part? the first stage of his grief? Neji had been absolutely fond and enamored with his younger cousin, and had developed quite an attachment to her. The reality of Hinata's disappearance would devastate his young heart.

"Neji," Hizashi started, slowly trying to broach a sensitive topic, "Hinata is… Hinata is…" Hizashi wasn't sure how to properly word his thoughts. "Hinata is gone. She's… she's not with us anymore."

Neji did not look fazed at all. "I know, Otousan. She's not here in Konoha. But she's not dead."

Hizashi's eyes widened, but slowly, fatigue and grief made his eyes droop and darken the shadows under his eyes. "We all hope so, Neji."

"She's not dead, Otousan," Neji emphasized. In boy's small voice, he sounded so sure of himself. "I know it, Otousan. She's out there, waiting to be found."

Hizashi just sighed. He would tell this to his wife; maybe she would be able to talk to Neji better about this, explain it to him in a simple way that his innocent, naive comprehension could hold, because Hizashi himself was at a loss himself on how to approach this tragedy. He placed a gentle hand on his son's shoulder and gave him a tired smile.

Neji frowned, sensing that his father did not believe his declaration. "I just know it, Otousan. She's not dead. If she was, I'd feel it in my heart." Neji took to staring at the sky as he mumbled, "I'd feel like I am not complete anymore." The Hyuuga clan's newly proclaimed heir had a distant gaze, as if his eyes were that of a soaring eagle's, looking down to the vast lands in hope that he would see what he sought for, and swoop down in rescue. "She's lost, Otousan. She needs me to find her."

§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§¤º¤º¤§

A/n: This'll only have three parts, so it won't be too long. Originally, this was supposed to be a pretty long fic, but I decided to shorten it, or more appropriately, I decided not to lengthen it. I decided to just write what I had already thought out regarding the main events/turning points that I had in mind for this fic.

sol lucet omnibus

「the sun shines on everyone」

Petronius, Satyricon Lybri 100.

[Taken from Wikipedia]