Author's note: Thank you for the reviews! I am glad that some of you enjoyed reading it! And I hope you like this one to! ^_~

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Chapter 38: Sorrow and Betrayal

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~Last time~

On the shore line, a crowed gathered as they watched in horror and morbid fascination as a boat blew up and set the water in flames.

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Shino walked up to the front of his house and stopped by the mailbox. Seeing an envelope in it, he grabbed it and brought it inside. He grabbed his phone and called Kiba one more time as he opened the envelope addressed to him. He sighed as he got voicemail once more. Shino looked at the note and the phone fell uselessly to the ground as his face went ashen.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Poor, poor little duckling dead at sea. Seven down and more to come. Are sure it's safe to stay by my chibi-one?

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"You came too late. You failed again. Now a precious person is dead."

A dial tone met her ear just before the sound of shattering glass did. A piercing pain shot through her shoulder and she looked down to see blood starting to soak through her clothes at an alarming rate. Konan looked up at Naruto only to see him staring blankly at his stomach that was now soaked in his own blood. "No…no…Naruto!" Konan screamed.

~Now~

Naruto looked at the blood that was steadily leaking onto his shirt. Distantly he could hear Konan screaming his name, but he just couldn't seem to care. The crimson liquid looked fascinating to him. How it slowly colored his shirt to make an odd dark color. It may be shock, but he couldn't feel any pain. Naruto always wondered how it would feel to be shot, but he never thought it would feel like this. Wasn't there supposed to be pain?

Naruto could feel the darkness descend upon him and he fought violently to stay awake. He didn't want to go into the dark. He knew if he did, he would never be able to see his light again. Dimly, he was aware of his body being lifted and put onto something flat. It was jostled a little when he was lifted even more and seemed to move. He could he a loud noise in the back of his mind and he wondered what it could be. It was starting to hurt his ears. Along with those bright flashing lights. All of this was giving him a headache and he was sort of glad when the darkness took over.

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Shino was driving as fast as he could, breaking all the laws that he knew, to get to the beach. He said silent prayers to any god out there that it wasn't his lover that was harmed. When he saw all the flashing lights, his heart jumped into his throat while his stomach dropped to his feet. Dread filled him as he bolted out of the car and ran towards all the police.

A police officer stopped him before he could cross the yellow line. "Hey, hey now! You can't cross this line. It is a crime scene. Get back." The officer none to gently pushed him backwards.

"My boyfriend…he…was supposed to be sailing…he was out there! I need to know if he is all right!" Shino yelled out to the officer hysterically. The officer looked on at him in sympathy.

"Tell me the boy's name."

"Kiba. Kiba Inuzuka." Shino whispered. The officer went and checked with the other officers. When he came back, he had something in his hand and on his face was a grim look. A look that Shino wanted to slap off of him.

"I'm sorry kid…" The officer handed him a slightly charred square piece of leather and Shino collapsed to the ground in a heap of sobs. It was the wallet that he got Kiba while they were in the Philippines. He wanted to call the officer a liar, but the evidence was too much.

"I hate to ask this of you kid, but do you know how to get in contact with his family. We need to inform them." The officer knelt down besides the crying boy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He hated this part of the job. When he had to inform the ones closest to the victim that their loved one was now deceased. It tore at his heart just as this kid's sobs did.

"Y-yeah…"

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~Time skip to about a week later~

Iruka cried as he stood above Naruto as he laid there helpless and unresponsive. He had been in surgery for an hour before they moved him to the ICU. That had been a week ago. Kakashi was on the other side with a pained look on his face as he held Naruto's other hand. They were the only ones allowed in the room right now since they were his adopted parents. The doctors were waiting for him to wake up before allowing everyone else in.

There was a knock on the door before a nurse walked in. "Please excuse me. I just need to take his vitals." She went about her business and then left.

"This has to stop." Iruka whispered harshly as tears spilled over onto his cheeks. Kakashi said nothing as he gripped his son's hand a little tighter. Losing his son right now, or at all, would be the end of him. Because if he lost Naruto then he would lose Iruka too. He would be alone once again and he didn't think he could handle that.

"I am going to kill the bastard who did this when I find out who did it. I am going to slowly kill him…torture him and make him beg for death." Iruka growled out as his grip tightened to an almost unbearable degree.

Naruto grunted before squeezing his hand back. "I-Iruka…you…shouldn't talk that…way." Naruto wheezed out. He was in so much pain. It was almost hard to breath with how much pain he was in.

"Naruto! You're awake!" Iruka exclaimed happily. He would have hugged the boy if he didn't know he was in so much pain. Kakashi called for the nurse as he finally let the tears he held at bay flow freely. Only this time they were tears of joy.

Naruto looked around his room to see if he could spot Gaara or anyone else. "How…how's Konan?" Naruto's voice croaked out. Man this pain was something else! His middle was on fire!

Kakashi was the one to answer. "She's fine. The bullet went straight through obviously." He added bitterly before continuing. "Nothing vital was hit and it was an easy sow up."

Naruto sighed in relief before he brought up everyone else. "And all the others? There haven't been any problems or any more death threats?" He asked in hope.

Iruka bit his tongue to stop from telling him about Kiba. Shino had asked them not to say anything if he were to wake up. That he wanted to be the one to tell him the news since it was his boyfriend. "There is someone who wants to see you. Might as well let them in before the doctors take all your attention." He said a bit thickly.

Naruto didn't question the change of subject since he was eager to see his guest. He was hoping it was going to be Gaara, but he wasn't disappointed that it was Shino. "Hey Shino." Naruto said with a slight smile. He wasn't expecting one in return since Shino never smiled around anyone but Kiba.

"Could we please have a moment alone?" Shino asked in a monotone voice. Kakashi and Iruka left quietly to give them the space they knew they were going to need. They met the bodyguards outside.

"How is Sasuke taking the death of Karin?" Kakashi asked Jugo, who was standing guard.

Jugo looked at him briefly. "He is upset to have lost an employee under the circumstances, but on a personal level he is unaffected. Karin was nuisance to him and all around. She was sloppy and was always disobeying orders. That doesn't mean she deserved to die." Jugo said quietly. He was still upset at losing a team member, but he knew that if anyone would have gone first, it was going to be Karin. She never followed protocol.

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Shino looked at Naruto and had to conceal his disgust. Because of him, he lost the love of his life. Because of him, Kiba was dead and never coming back. Logically, he knew Naruto wasn't at fault, but right now he couldn't think logically. Shino walked over to Naruto and stood beside his bed.

"So how has Kiba been?" That could have possibly been the most stupid thing Naruto could have asked if he had known the situation. Since he didn't, it only made Shino all the madder.

He leaned over Naruto so that he could tell him this without the others over hearing. He wasn't stupid. He knew they would spy on them. "Kiba…is dead. All because of you. You killed him. You dragged him into all of this. You took his life by handing him over to the ones who want you. How many more have to die for you? Why don't you do us all a favor and die already. Or better yet…why don't you give yourself over to Kiba's murderer and let the rest of us have a fighting chance instead of dying for your worthless ass." Shino hissed coldly into Naruto's ear before standing straight to look at Naruto's reaction. What he saw made his heart twinge in slight guilt, but he pushed it away for the sorrow and anger he felt at the loss of Kiba.

Naruto sat there with his jaw slacked and his eyes wide and teary. All those words hit home about how he felt himself. Kiba was dead. His best friend was dead. It was all his fault. All his fault! Naruto wanted to rant and scream. He wanted to throw things and tear things apart. He wanted to do a lot of things, but he kept them all at bay. Naruto wasn't going to let Kyuubi out. Not after last time. He felt something get thrown on his lap and he looked down.

It was a torn envelope addressed to Shino. Looking up, he saw Shino leaving. He wanted to say something, but no words would come out. Looking down, picked up the envelope and took out the contents. His tanned face went sickly white and he yelled for a bodyguard that he knew would be outside by his door.

Jugo, Kakashi, and Iruka all charged in. "Take this and have it examined. Rule out mine and Shino's fingerprints." He handed the letter to Jugo and watched him leave hurriedly. Kakashi and Iruka started asking him if he was all right when he held up a hand and silenced them. "Leave…I just...want to be left alone." They left reluctantly.

Naruto turned over to his side and for once he welcomed the pain. It took away what he was feeling in his heart. The pain of sorrow and betrayal.

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Well there you guys go! I hope you liked it! I found my notes and I hope to have more chapters out soon! And this is what? The third chapter this week! Oh yeah! I am on a roll! ^_~ Leave a review! Please! You know you want ta!