I'm so sorry, guys!

I know that I'm a cow and that I'm beyond late!

I do hope you forgive me and enjoy the new chapter

Lots of love, Georgiana!

The next months went by extremely slow for Hinata and Neji. They had to pretend they didn't know anything about the fact that Hizashi was still alive. Hinata was feeling worse as the due date was approaching. When that final day came, everything went according to Hinata's plan. It was difficult for the two lovers to say goodbye and it was even more difficult for Hinata to escape with Kimiko a few minutes after she finished giving birth, but she managed, nonetheless.

Neji got out of the room, holding Junko in his arms and announced Hinata and Kimiko's death. The announce was followed by a long silence and, afterwards, by Hanabi's cry.

"ONEE-CHAN!!!!!!!!"

But no one responded, so they all closed their eyes, trying to remember Hinata as she had been. Everyone except Hanabi. She was crying and knocking furiously at the door.

"I want to see my sister! I WANT TO SEE MY NEE-CHAN!" she screamed, activating her Byakuugan, but she couldn't see any trace of chakra, so she understood...

"Hanabi... Look... This is Junko, your niece. Hinata would have wanted you to love your niece and to protect her and you're scaring her now." Neji said, showing his cousin the baby in his arms.

Hanabi looked at the little figure and she vowed, inside her, that she would protect Junko with the price of her life.

Meanwhile, Hinata and Kimiko were already outside Konoha, heading to Suna. Hinata was more than tired and she felt the blood down her thighs.

'Of course...' she thought 'Sakura told me about this... After a woman gives birth to a child she bleeds. I have to stop and clean myself.'

So the young mother stopped at a nearby spring and washed away all the blood, then fed Kimiko. As the baby was sucking hungrily at her breast, Hinata remembered all those nine pregnancy months. Neji had been more that overprotective with her, not letting her carry the slightest thing, not letting her climb more than three steps alone. He would do anything in his power to avoid her making any kind of effort. She closed her eyes and whispered.

"Neji... I miss you..."

After Kimiko was asleep, Hinata made a little shelter in order to keep them warm and cosy for the rest of the night.

Hinata and Kimiko's funeral was supposed to be something really intimate, so only a few friends were invited. Kiba was among them, but he could sense that something was terribly wrong.

"What is it, Akamaru? Yeah... I can't sense it either... Do you really think that... Are you positive? In this case, I'll talk to the Hokage..."

Inside the Hokage's office

"What is it, Inuzuka? I'm pretty busy right now..." Tsunade said, helping herself with yet another glass of sake.

"Godaime, I was wondering if... You would allow me to go out of Konoha for a while... I want to get Akamaru's smell to a better level, so I must teach him all sorts of smells."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows and then looked at the dog and his owner. They both had, literally, puppy eyes. She sighed and nodded.

'Hinata! Wait for us!' Kiba thought, while running to the big Konoha gates. 'I know that both you and Kimiko are alive and I'll help you!'