Sasuke shook his head while looking at the tape recorder on the table.
"What?" Hinata practically gasped.
"We can't use this as evidence Hinata," he said crushing what little hope she had left.
The pale girl frowned, "w-why not?"
"This is illegal evidence," he said picking up the recorder. "Did Toneri know you were recording him?" She shook her head, "then he could easily deny having this conversation with you."
"But, it's his voice," she pushed desperately.
The Uchiha frowned, "can you prove that in court? They'll say someone impersonated him or that it was tampered with."
Hinata groaned and rested her head on the table. "Why is it like this?" She whispered.
Her counterpart sighed, "it'll be okay Hinata."
"I'm not a child Sasuke-san, you don't have t-to lie to make me feel better," she retorted looking down at her lap. Her forehead against the wooden table felt pressured and hot as tears whelmed in her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "I know things don't look so good right now...but it's better to be honest with me t-than to fill me with false hope."
"Hinata..."
She shook her lowered head and gasped for breath, "I-I can't save him..." She sobbed thinking of all the times that Naruto had come to her rescue. But no matter how she tried, even putting herself in danger, she was still unable to save him.
"Why do you keep doing this to yourself?" Sasuke asked quietly. Hinata didn't respond so he continued, "I spoke to Naruto today and despite all that I said to him, he only cared about your well being...if he ever knew how you were sitting here crying over being unable to help him how do you think he'd feel?"
Her eyes widened but she didn't lift her head. Sasuke had a point, but what else was she to do? If she didn't try to help him...then what would happen to him?
"He's so selfish," she muttered for truly he was. She was never given a chance to worry about him, he simply wouldn't have it.
"A man in love has the right sometimes to be selfish," Sasuke retorted softly.
Her tears rolled down her cheeks slowly, meeting their end on her jeans pants. "What now?" She asked after a while.
"We get Naruto the best lawyer we can find."
...
Hinata stayed home for the rest of the day. She was afraid to go to her apartment in case Toneri decided to look for her. Skipping dinner for the second time in a row she sat on the couch with a thick blanket and kurama sleeping on the chair next to her.
With dull eyes she skipped from channel to channel deaf to what was featured on each. She felt drained and lifeless in a sense, her source of happiness was not with her and she couldn't do anything about it. The thought made her turn off the TV and lay down on the soft furniture.
Pulling the blanket up to her shoulders she turned on her back and stared up at the dark ceiling. That night there was no rain, only a cold breeze blowing which made her clench her blanket closer. Her mind switched to Naruto, she wondered whether he was cold or not which made her only sadder.
He doesn't want you to be sad.
She sighed and thought of the possible outcomes of Naruto's case. According to Sasuke industrial espionage was a serious crime and he could be sentenced up to twenty years.
