Disclaimer: I lack ownership. Even my dog is in my husband's name.
This is sometime after the war is over.
"The stars are the most beautiful during summer aren't they, Hinata-chan?" Dark brown eyes gazed down at his teammate beside him. The sky above them was spectacular, the smoke from the fire beside them curled up, stretching to dance with the twinkling lights. "Are you listening to me, silly girl?"
"They are very pretty, they go on forever." A small smile tickled the corner of Hinata's cracked lips. "Kiba-kun, do you believe in reincarnation?"
" I'd like to think so." Kiba reached over and brushed the damp hair from Hinata's eyes. "Tell me who you'd like to see?" He could see her thinking and he looked around the clearing they were in. Shino and Akamaru would be back soon, he had to make this time count.
"I'd like to see Hizashi-sama and Niisan to say thank you." Kiba nodded, his full attention on her hazy eyes. Gently he shook her exposed shoulder. "Hey, Hinata, stay awake, everyone will be here soon."
Very slowly Hinata wet her lips, "I'm cold." With out a thought Kiba moved Hinata's head to his lap and covered her with his jacket. He lovingly scratched her scalp with his nails. "Tell me more about who you want to see."
Hinata tiredly looked into warm chocolate eyes, "Itachi-san." The surprise on Kiba"s face was easy to read, "I want to tell him." She paused and licked her lips once more." I want to tell him he did the right thing."
A small silence took them over and Kiba spread his senses out, still no sign of Shino. " I love you." The voice beneath him was tender, "I love you too, silly girl."
Looking down Kiba saw that stars had fallen into Hinata's eyes and were making paths down her cheeks. "I want to see you in the next life." In what seem like slow motion Hinata's hand came up to touch his cheek shakily. "I never want to leave you."
His calloused hands found hers and he smiled, "Hinata, I'll wait for you. Things will be okay, you'll see."
The stars fell a little harder down Hinata's cheeks. " Not this time." Kiba felt his heart shatter. "Don't say that! Don't give up yourself."
"Kiba," her voice was hoarse, " be happy."
Before he could answer, she was gone. There was no grand finale, just shining stars left to keep him company. "Hinata!" He screamed, but it was over. Squeezing her cold hand in his blood covered ones, he reached down and closed her unseeing eyes.
His body shook and stardust began to run down his cheeks. Kiba didn't fight it. He just wept. Numb towards the salt stinging the cuts on his cheeks. No, this wasn't right. "Hinata, baby, wake up! Shino will be here!." He shook her, but there was no response.
"Shino!" Kiba screamed before he let loose a long howl. Where were they? Franticly inside his chest his heart beat. Then he heard them break through the foliage. His world was crashing down. Shino had left him with one job, to keep her awake. Keep Hinata thinking, talking.
Kiba felt Shino's hands pulling him back and he stared numbly as Shizune stumbled off Akamaru. It took fifteen seconds for Shizune to throw his jacket off and slice though Hinata's tattered clothes. Kiba found himself gasping for air, body shaking as Shino held him up. "I couldn't do it. I tried, I tried. I tried." His voice was high like he was shreiking.
Behind his impenetrable shades Shino watched his friend lose it. " Akamaru." The giant pooch trotted away from Hinata's side and sat in front of Kiba. Within moments the dog felt his master weeping into his fur, clinging to it as if was all he had left in this world. Shino moved closer to Shizune who had stopped trying to resuscitate the fallen Hyuuga.
"I'm so sorry Aubrame-san. The damage to her internal organs was extensive, even if we'd gotten here sooner..." Shino bowed stiffly, " Thank you, Shizune-san." The summer air felt cold around him, even through his layers. Robotically he took his outer layer off, his bug buzzing with discomfort, and wrapped Hinata's body up with it.
Picking up Kiba's leather jacket and moved towards his best friend. " Kiba." When he heard no answer Shino pulled Kiba's shoulder back only to find him passed out. With a heavy heart Shino draped him across Akamaru and went back to pick up his fallen comrade. "You died with honor, princess." It would be a hard walk back to Kohna and an ever harder walk of life with out Hinata.
The mission had been easy, the ambush had not. Hinata had been the one to trigger the land mine. The explosion had been enough to vibrate her body as she flew back hitting a tree. Still she fought until the last enemy fell.
The memorial had been simple and small. With lots of flowers and tears. Hiashi had refused to make it a big showy affair, he knew his daughter wouldn't have liked that. It took two weeks before Kiba left the hospital and four more before he had been drawn out of his house for the first time. It took a summon from the Hyuuga house to get him moving. Even at that Kiba hadn't wanted to go, but his mom told him he needed to, he couldn't keep ignoring the world.
Arriving at the compound was hard and chocolate eyes avoided looking at the faces of the family members. "Inuzuka-san, Hiashi-sama will see you in the courtyard. " The words were spoken flatly, but Kiba's ears burnt in shame. He wanted to tell the guard that he tried to save her, but kept his guilt to himself.
Wornout sandals scuffed up dirt as Kiba shuffled down the path to the veranda. It felt as if all the eyes of the Hyuuga were upon him. The closer he got to the garden the more his heart clenched, it reminded him too much of Hinata. His body carried him towards the smell as small part of him hoping to find her nestled between the browning trees.
There was nothing between the trees but disappointment and Kiba kept moving, the sooner he met Hiashi the quicker he could leave. Stepping on to the veranda he sat down across from his teammate's father. Eyes glued to his lap Kiba waited for the tongue lashing, he waited to be patronized for letting the Hyuugas' heiress die.
"Kiba-san, I regret a lot of things in my life. A lot of things I wish I could do differently." The man sighed as if the world was sinking on his shoulders. Kiba ventured to look at Hiashi in the face and for the first time he saw tired and lonely man really was. "I've out lived so much of my family and have so little to show for it."
Kiba opened his mouth to speak, but Hiashi hushed him, " I didn't bring you hear to listen to my problems, Kiba-san. I just wondered if you would accept this old man's apology and this," if felt surreal as the proudest man he ever knew bowed to him, pushing a marble and ivory chest towards him.
The courtyard was spinning and closing in on him. The man whose daughter he let die was apologizing to him, bowing to him. " Hiashi-sama, I tried. I tried." Clawed hands reverently picked up the heavy chest. Hiashi sat up and stared into Kiba's eyes. "You did your best. " It felt like a crushing weight was gone once he heard those words. Kiba's lips quivered and he stared at Hiashi.
"Thank you for loving my daughter and seeing potential in her when I threw her to the wolves." Tears in cold white eyes didn't fall, but the fact they were there spoke volumes, " I would have been proud to call you son. My door will always be open to you and your family, Kiba-san. Thank you."
Kiba sat there dumbstruck as he watched Hiashi stand and walk away. In front of him laid Hinata, or at least part of her. Staring at the box he smiled for the first time in weeks and brought it closer to his heart. The ivory flowers gleaming up at him like a familiar pair of lavender eyes. "I love you too, silly girl."