Chapter 28
"What the hell happened there?" shouted Tsunade at Shino and his retrieval squad.
"We don't know Hokage-sama," he said flatly to the elder, she got more frustrated and threw a book at the window breaking it. She sighed again and sat down.
"She definitely is a different one." She said quietly "How is she now?"
"She is still alive but barely, the final chakra pulse caused minor injuries but Kabuto and Orochimaru escaped and so did Akatsuki, though we know that injuries did occur in both parties as well," stated Shino staring at her
"We felt that chakra pulse here and I got word from Gaara-san that the Sand Village felt it just as strongly. That power was enough to rival Naruto's and Sasuke's," she said quietly "Your dismissed, I would advise against visiting her until she recovers fully, also Shino-san she will be up for the wedding," she added smiling "Believe me," they all nodded and left the office.
"I hope Aiko-Chan's alright," said Kiba sadly
"We have to believe in her!" cheered Naruto smiling
"Yeh!" said Kiba "Lets go visit her!" they added together jumping and running everyone hurried off to the hospital, all except for Shino he wanted to go tonight when they had left to be alone with the one he loved. It was already 5 in the afternoon and the whole day they had spent being interrogated about yesterday. He walked slowly out of there to the compound and into her room. It was still a mess from when she left. It had been another night when she had cried herself to sleep without cleaning herself. The blood smeared across the sheets and pillows. He sighed and set to work cleaning it. He hated this but if he had to do it for life to make her happy he would.
"What am I doing? I can never make her smile like before," he said quietly "I've tried everything, we're to be married in 2 weeks but she's lying half dead in hospital because I couldn't protect her." He added sadly
"She needs you support," said voice by the door, he turned and saw Hinata and Kurenai standing by the doorway smiling weakly.
"You remember when we first ever met her; she knew nothing of the real world, always hidden in the corner or behind her ANBU mask. You helped her and she needs you," said Kurenai "I know she needs the help, her eye bleeds and she cannot do anything to stop it, she has become disabled in that way. She needs support from everyone around her." She added
"Ano….Shino-kun…Although she never says anything it is her who feels she can't make you happy, she hates being the way she is because she believes you no longer love her. She tried her hard to fit in and live up to her name. I should know it happened to me, but she works hard through her disability to try to save you and keep you alive. She's lying half dead in hospital because she protected us all, we know where she got the strength it was from her determination to protect us, it was the hate for her inability to help people, the loss of people but what fed the determination at the root was her love for you and the world around her." Said Hinata quietly "She loves you and believe us wants you to love her in return," she added weakly smiling. Shino stood there comprehending what he was just told. He clenched his fists and sighed slowly. He nodded and carried on cleaning up. Hinata and Kurenai started helping. It took about half an hour to get the sheets cleaned and to start drying and the room orderly.
"Arigatou Hinata-chan and Kurenai-san," he said nodding his head
"It's fine Shino. Do you want to come for ramen?" asked Hinata
"Hai lets go," he said walking out with Kurenai and Hinata behind him. They arrived shortly after in the ramen stall Naruto was ranting about something.
"Oi Shino, Aiko woke up earlier and was upset you weren't there!" shouted Naruto across the bar; Shino nodded his head as the guilt stabbed him.
"I know Naruto," he said
"Then why weren't you there!" asked Tenten
"Because I want to go when your not there," he said quietly
"Oh gomen," she said, slowly the meal went on with constant questions and the humming from Shino got louder Eventually he stood up and stormed away from the ramen stall in the direction of the hospital.
"What's with him?" asked Naruto
"He was going to go to Aiko tonight so we weren't there and he could spend time by himself," said Kurenai next to Asuma and Kakashi
"We found him at home cleaning her room. It was a mess and bloody," said Hinata
"Why bloody?" asked Kiba
"Every night she cries herself to sleep and forgets to clean and bandage her eye. The blood from it comes out when she sleeps and stains her sheets. It seemed that the night she was taken was no different. She had thrown half the contents of her room on the floor and broke them along with the blood." Explained Kurenai "She seems to be totally depressed"
Shino walked through the halls quietly and slowly until he reached her room, he looked through the door window and saw all the tubes, wires and monitors attached to and a new wave of stabs got him again. He gulped and opened the door quietly.
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I heard someone open the door but I ignored it thinking it was someone from the hospital. That thought quickly change when I felt them kiss me softly on the lips. I opened my eyes slowly and saw dark glasses. A new wave of tears came to my eyes. Why was he here now? Not when I woke up with the other.
"I'm so sorry Aiko," he said quietly
"Why?" I said quietly
"I wasn't there when you woke up because I wanted to see you alone," he said, I finally nodded and slowly and painfully using all my strength reached out and squeezed his hand. He froze but squeezed back.
"Your forgiven," I said smiling to him, he sat down next to me and watched me as I closed my eyes. The soft beat of the heart monitor and my heavy breathing was the only sound in the room. I smiled when I felt him move in the bed next to me. I sighed and smiled again and embraced the heat of him…….
To be continued……..