Chapter 35: In the empty room
Kiba sat up, his arms wouldn't stop shaking and his legs felt as if they where asleep. Hinata was calling to him; she needed him to hurry up and save her. He smirked, Hinata tended to need a lot of saving but that was fine with him, he liked being the knight in shiny armor.
"Focus Inuzuka." He told himself. "Focus. Hinata needs you, so focus." He stood up and collapsed, cursing at his legs, they where refusing to move. His eyes widened where they broken? No, he shook his head. They where weak from not being used, he needed to move. Pulling himself up with his arms he sat on the bed again.
The nurse looked at the shaken and timid girl, this was Hinata. This was who her patient was waiting for.
"Why haven't you visited before?" the nurse asked.
"I was told he was dead." Hinata answered coldly. Hinata was trying to wrap her mind around the idea of being lied to by everyone. Kiba wasn't dead; it was all Neji's fault.
The nurse looked away from the girl saying nothing. "Has anyone else visited him?" Hinata asked. The nurse nodded.
"Gaara, has there been any change in Kiba's condition?" Lee asked.
"No." Neji frowned at Gaara's answer, if Gaara was lying one good hit on the chest and Gaara would be dead. Neji weighed that thought in his head, Gaara dead, Gaara alive. Gaara dead sounded well, it was something that should be put on Christmas cards; oh he liked it a lot.
"Neji your flames of evil are showing and it is scaring me and Gaara." Lee stated loudly as his eyes watered. "We will find Hinata before she finds Kiba and ruins any chance you have of being with her."
"Aren't you two first cousins?" Gaara asked suddenly.
"Yes. Disturbing isn't it." Lee told Gaara as he smiled at Neji. "But as his teammate and best friend I must stand by him even in his hours of evil!!"
Neji's eye twitched, some friend Lee was. Hinata now knew that Kiba was alive and somewhere in the Sand because of Lee. Now they where looking for Hinata who could be anywhere in the sand. Neji stopped, unless she was awake when Lee blurted out exactly where Kiba was. She was living with Shino now; there was no telling what Hinata could have learned from that filth. There was also no telling what that filth had been doing to Hinata.
The elevator door opened and Hinata was the first to step out, she knew where Kiba's room was, lee had blurted it out. She ran the rest of the way; all she wanted was to see him to hold him, to hear his voice telling her that it was alright.
She flung open the door. "Kiba-kun!" she yelled.
The nurse caught the girl before she fell, there was no one on the bed, and the room was empty. Her patient was gone, and all she was left with the girl he had been waiting for. This was something that she would have to tell Gaara, lifting the girl up with some small amount of difficulty the nurse carefully placed the girl on the bed and left.
It was sometime later that the door to Kiba's room opened, Neji had decided that they should split up to search for Hinata. He stared at her; Kiba was no where in the room, there was solely Hinata.
"Looks like Kiba got away, that dog has an interesting amount of luck." Neji stated as he closed the door behind him. "Sadly Hinata you have none." He walked slowly to her, there was no need to rush, he had all the time he wanted. All he needed to do was wake his cousin up.
Lee didn't even see the fist coming. He just felt it, the pain of an angry fist being slammed into his face. Lee landed hard on his behind, he looked up and smiled.
"Shino! Still as violent as ever." Shino said nothing only walked over to lee his hands in his pockets.
"Where is Hinata?" Shino asked in a very angry voice that had lee wondering if Gaara or Neji would hear him if he screamed.
"Looking for Kiba." Lee told him. As he stood, lee had learned one very important thing from Neji, who watched the Aburame compound every day; he had learned that Shino was very good at beating the crap out of people, especially Sasuke. Who was finding it more and more difficult to beat the crap out of Shino.
"Where is Kiba then?" Shino asked in the same scary voice.
"The hospital." Lee answered. Shino moved closer his bugs crawling along his jacket.
Hinata flinched in her sleep, someone was touching her face, she frowned. She didn't want to open her eyes; she didn't want to know who it was. She could of dreamed the whole thing and be back on her bed in the Aburame compound and this was Shino trying to wake her up, or she was in the sand and this was Neji touching her.
"Open your eyes Hinata." She did, it was Neji staring down at her. "Kiba is gone."
"What did you do to him?" Neji smiled at her, it was a soft smile the kind he had stopped giving her once he turned five.
"Nothing, he left, he didn't wait for you." She turned her head away and sat up. He let her, which was what scared her, she was used to upset Neji or I'll kill you Neji but not nice Neji.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked him softly.
"Am I? I really thought I would walk in and you and Kiba would be embracing, but he's gone and seeing your sad tearful eyes, it makes me happy." She stared at him; she wanted to hit him with the sharp end of the kunai. "Is it wrong that seeing you so sad makes me happy?"
"yes." She answered. He frowned at her. "It was always wrong." He stared at her and smiled there was a harshness in her eyes. He was about to say something when the door slammed open, it was Lee a tearful Lee.
"Shino is here and his flame of youth wants our death!!" Hinata's eyes widened.
"Shino-kun." She was about to move off the bed when Neji stopped her, his hand on her throat.
"No you will stay." She stared at him. He let go of her throat and she did the only thing she knew to do in a situation like this, she screamed for her teammate.
"SHINO!!!" Shino turned he was heading in the right direction that was Hinata's voice. He ran as fast as he could, Hinata needed him.
Neji looked at her, as she doubled over from the punch he had given her in the stomach. His little cousin was so annoying. She looked up and screamed for Shino again, Neji turned to silence her when the bugs blocked him. She felt someone lift her, she looked up Shino was holding her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"I'm sorry." She whispered into his collar. "I'm sorry." Shino said nothing; he noticed the seal on her forehead.
"Aburame." Neji stated as Lee tried to hold his teammate back.
"Hyuuga." Shino replied.
Lee looked at Neji then at Shino, he knew what he needed to do! Once Shino took Hinata Neji would return to the hateful depressed little boy and everything would be fine.
"Just take her and go." Lee said. Looking at Shino, uncaring that Neji was staring at him in anger. "I don't want her hurting Neji anymore."
Shino only nodded and left. Hinata looked over Shino's shoulder at Neji. Both Hyuuga's thinking the same thing, this wasn't over. Not by a long shot, Neji smirked at Hinata who smiled softly, she hated him now. It would makes things easier for both of them.
Kiba walked till he couldn't anymore, he wished Akamaru was here. Hinata was waiting for him, he frowned where the hell was she, she had gone to that mission in the snow, but he swore he had her crying out his name.
He sat down. He didn't know which way to go, he swore he had heard her, he had heard Shino telling him goodbye. Did they think he was dead, he smirked, Shino was probably annoyed that he wasn't the one who had done him in. Shino would have a heart attack when Kiba saw him again and Hinata would probably tackle him and call him an idiot for making her worry about him. She'd laugh and then cry and he'll tell her how sorry he was, how long was he out, a week? Maybe a month.
"Hinata?" Kiba whispered.
Hinata blinked, someone had called her name. Was it Kiba? She shook her head, Kiba was dead, Neji had been playing with her. Kiba would have been there if he was alive but he wasn't.
"Are you alright?" Shino asked her. She nodded and smiled at him.
"I'm sorry I worried you." She apologized softly. "I'm sorry I left."
"Do not repeat this mistake again." She nodded as he carried her.
Sasuke sighed, he had just returned to the leaf, Hinata was probably freaking out while Shino was strangling Kiba and Sasuke was missing it all. He sighed again. All he had to do was wait till Shino came back with Hinata. Akamaru barked at him, Sasuke frowned, he hated that dog, it annoyed him.
"What?" Sasuke asked annoyed. Akamaru barked louder at him. "Do you have to go or something?" Akamaru's response was an even louder bark, rolling his eyes Sasuke opened the front gate, Akamaru ran past him. Sasuke froze, Akamaru had better come back, Shino might not care if that dog was nailed to the floor but Hinata would start crying and then Shino would get paranoid and then Sasuke would be stuck trying to deal with Shino and his paranoia.
Naruto was on his way back from another annoying training mission with ero-sensai when he noticed someone he had believed dead, blinking Naruto ran to the crouched figure.
"Kiba!!" Naruto yelled.
Kiba looked up, that wasn't the person he had been hoping for but that was fine, he needed transportation.
"You're alive!!" Naruto yelled.
Kiba flinched, that voice hurt his ears. "Of course I'm alive."
"Man, what happened to you? It's been a whole year! Did anyone tell you about Hinata, she's dead; Shino took her death hard, only Sasuke has seen him. "
Kiba blinked. He had been unconscious for a year that would explain his legs. Only the Hinata part had Kiba stunned.
"Dead?" Kiba whispered under his breath. Naruto nodded as he helped Kiba up. Kiba felt his throat go dry, what had happened to Hinata. "When?"
"A week after we believed you where dead, Neji told us and then Hinata went on a mission and well, I'm sorry." Naruto stopped talking. Kiba was staring at the floor, only Shino was left. If Hinata was dead, then Shino wasn't the person he remembered; only Sasuke had seen him.
"How is Shino?" Kiba asked hoarsely.
"Sasuke says Shino is different, he's just pushing himself if it weren't for his duties as heir, Shino would have followed you and Hinata." Kiba nodded. Neji had started the rumor, Neji had killed Hinata. Kiba closed his eyes remembering Neji spin kick him off the cliff, the rocks cutting into his skin till the rock that connected with his head stopped his fall. Shino was right Kiba did have a thick skull. Naruto looked apologetically at Kiba.
"Let's get you home, there are a lot of people waiting for you." Kiba nodded.
It was almost nightfall when Sakura opened her door, well more like flung it open; she frowned whoever it was had better have something important to tell her. Naruto smiled at her, with Kiba on his back.
"Hey, can you help Kiba?" Sakura nodded letting them in.
"Kiba, is that Kiba? He's alive." Sakura said dumbly.
"My legs, I really can't move them." Kiba told her as Naruto set him down on Sakura's couch. Sakura nodded. Kiba closed his eyes; he had wanted to see Hinata one more time. "Hinata." Kiba whispered as Sakura performed her hand seals. "She wanted to be a medical ninja." Kiba smiled as Naruto stared at him. "She would have been a good one too." Sakura looked up at him, Kiba nodded at her. His legs felt better. He stood, he wanted to go home. Naruto stopped him.
"Wait, you can stay here tonight, tomorrow we'll take you home, and this way we can fill you in on the stuff you missed." Kiba nodded at Naruto's logic. "Plus you can pick up Akamaru from the Aburame compound." Kiba raised an eyebrow, Akamaru was with Shino? He sat back down laughing softly. He had been asleep for a year and yet he was still tired. He closed his eyes and drifted back into sleep.
Sasuke looked up as Shino entered the compound with Hinata.
"hey." Shino nodded. He noticed the seal on her forehead. "What happened?" Hinata placed a hand on her forehead trying to hide the seal.
"Neji." Shino answered. "Excuse me Sasuke but I think Hinata needs her rest, this day was too much for her to handle, you are welcome to stay in the guest room, Hinata will be staying with me." Sasuke nodded and followed them inside.
"Shino." Hinata started only the look Shino shot her silenced any protest she would have made. Sasuke noticed. After a silent walk into the main house Sasuke went his separate way into the room that Hinata usually slept in, he stared at the scrolls that lined the wall, he noticed something on the desk, the picture of team 8, he held the picture, this was from team 8's first mission, and he knew it because of the mud. He smiled and placed the picture back down on the desk, tomorrow he'd hear the story from Shino and Hinata.
Hinata said nothing as Shino dressed for bed; she really didn't know what to say. Neji needed to be taught a lesson, he couldn't marry Hanabi, she wouldn't allow him too. It was her duty as the elder sister and the once heir of the Hyuuga clan to protect what was left of her once home and family.
Shino blew out the candle and laid down beside her. She turned placing her head on his shoulder. He said nothing, he did nothing. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, while Shino remained very much awake. Kiba was not where he was supposed to be, Kiba had been misplaced.
It was thirty minutes later that Shino left his bed; he looked at Hinata as she slept. He stared at her for awhile before leaving his room. Sasuke opened his eyes as the door to the bedroom was opened, frowning the Uchiha sat up.
"I thought you where going to confess your sins after the sun came out." Sasuke stated rubbing his eyes.
"Kiba wasn't there." Shino stated simply as he closed the door.
"Maybe he really did die." Sasuke offered. This did not comfort Shino.
"No, he woke up." Shino whispered. "He woke up and is somewhere; he could even be here in the leaf."
Sasuke sighed; this was the price he paid for being Shino's only friend. "What's our alibi?"
"We place all the blame on Neji." Sasuke blinked.
"okay." Shino nodded.
"We are innocent in this matter." Sasuke nodded.
"Fine, go to sleep." Shino left and Sasuke sighed. If something did happen, then Naruto would be somewhere near it. Tomorrow he's check in on his, what was the word for the two he hated even above Itachi. His teammates. He made a face before lying back down and hiding under the covers, he'd deal with this tomorrow.
Shino entered his room; Hinata was still asleep, curled up in a ball under the sheets. Tomorrow, he had a very bad feeling about tomorrow. He shook his head and returned to bed.
Kiba dreamt on Sakura's couch. It wasn't a pleasant dream but it was his dream.
Hinata and Shino stood side by side with Kurenai behind them as they attended his funeral. He looked at Hinata, she was crying, Shino held her hand whispering to her that it was going to be okay that Kiba would want her to be strong. Hinata looked at Shino and nodded drying her tears.
"Do not cry, Kiba would not want you to cry." Shino told her as he squeezed her hand.
"I can't believe that he is gone." Hinata replied sadly, tears in her eyes.
"There is nothing that we could have done, the life of a…" he trailed off as Hinata started to cry again. He hugged her awkwardly. Kiba stood in front of them waving his hands in their faces.
"I'm not dead!!" Kiba told them.
"We have each other that is all that matters." Shino replied. "We will continue. It is what Kiba would want."
"I'm not dead!!" Kiba replied louder. He turned as he heard the sobs, his mother and sister now stood beside Hinata. "Look at me I'm not dead!!"
"I know." Kiba turned as Neji stood before him smiling. He walked past him walking over to Hinata.
"Cousin I offer my condolences." He took Hinata's hand in his.
"You lied to all of them and now Hinata is gone!!" Kiba screamed.
Hinata only nodded. Shino nodded and lead Hinata away. "Wait!!" Hinata turned. Kiba stared at her.
"Hinata?" Shino asked.
"I thought I heard Kiba-kun." Shino nodded.
"It is your grief, I will walk you home, you should not be alone." Kiba turned and looked at Neji who frowned.
"I guess I will have to remove her too." With that Neji walked towards Hinata. He quickly stabbed her in the back, she fell to the ground and Shino turned.
"It is a shame that Hinata would choose to follow Inuzuka." Shino nodded. "I thought she would have moved on." Shino walked away. Kiba kneeled beside Hinata, shaking her.
"I'm not dead! So why did you die!!" Kiba screamed as Neji laughed, placing two flowers beside Kiba.
"Young love, it was only going to end badly." With that Neji left leaving Kiba alone.
Kiba opened his eyes, the sun hadn't risen yet, he rolled over on his back. Hinata was dead. Neji would pay for this. He would need Shino's help though; tomorrow after he saw his mother, sister and Akamaru he would visit Shino.
Lee looked at Neji as they laid there in their sleeping bags on the floor of Gaara's room.
"Where do you think Kiba went?" Lee asked Neji. There was no answer, was Neji asleep, he was smiling in his sleep so it was probably on of those dreams, where Neji was killing everyone in the main house again, if Neji giggled then lee would have confirmation that is was one of those dreams. Gaara was awake, wandering around the sand.
"Maybe he will be reunited with Hinata." Lee whispered, his romantic side getting the best of him. "And they will live happily ever after!" lee jumped when Neji started giggling in his sleep. Lee sighed it was one of those dreams after all.