Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Sometimes I like to think I do. It is a pleasant fiction.

Apology: Oh. My. Goodness. I so did not mean for this last chapter to come out so late. But last week my computer crashed, and after finding out that it would probably just be easier to by a new one, I said 'screw it' and bought a new laptop. A better laptop. A prettier laptop. With a little pointer thingy...

You know how in the movies, men are portrayed as these strong, resilient types. Like if their arm is blown off all the do is say, "Slap a band-aid on it," then go out and proceed to kill an entire alien race? I've recently discovered that Hollywood lies. Men are pussies. Especially when they have the flu. Did anyone happen to see that episode of "Big Bang Theory" where Sheldon gets sick? Yeah, my boyfriend got the flu at the start of this week, and I swear to god he went from Weight Lifter, to Pansy Picker in a matter of hours. Every other sentence was "Kitty, my nose is stuffed up. Make it better."

What?

How the hell am I supposed to do that? Pick his nose for him?! Ew.

"Kitty, I'm cold." "Kitty, will you hand me the remote?" "Kitty, I'm hungry."

It was like Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One day he is sweet and kind. The next he is a sniveling chauvinistic baby begging me to wipe him down with vicks vapor rub.

Shudders.

I missed half my classes this week because of him. I guess he is kind of cute when all whiny and helpless and such... Sigh. Who am I kidding, it's damn adorable...Damn him and his cuteness...

Thank You's: I would just like to thank; Jester of Fools, Anotamous, HeartBrokenHinata, MinnieMouse8990, Midnight Blue08, and Blackraven615 for their reviews. Thank you guys!! You inspire me...

Note: I lied to you! I'm sorry. I realized I still had one more point of view to give (Shino's) before I could post the final point of view from our Heroine. God, I know, I'm such a jerk! So this Story is going to be 6 chapters long with the undecided potential of an Epilog...Sorry!

Everything has purpose...

Part Five: Cache

"So they have decided." Shino stated lowly, looking down into the opal eyes of his female teammate. Kiba let loose a deep growl of frustration running a calloused hand through his shaggy brown hair.

"Some birthday gift...Damn Hyuuga bastards." He paused mid-grumble and turned to Hinata. "No offense, Hina." She waved him off with a slight smile. The tattooed dog-nin grabbed her hand and cradled it between both of his. "There's got to be a way around this, uh? I mean, they can't just slap it on you next year. You're eighteen now! You can leave the clan, move out. Better yet," He wiggled his eyebrows, "Move in with me."

The blue haired-nin let out a small giggle at Kiba's goofy grin. He always did know what to say to lighten the situation. She shook her head.

"T-They would s-stil b-be in their r-right to br-brand me."

"She's right." Shino continued, explaining to the confused veneer that was Kiba. "The seal is meant to protect the secrets of the Byakugan. Even if she decided to forfeit her right as heiress and move out; she would still be required to defect to the Branch House, though she no longer resides on the premises."

"This is just so...so...Stupid!" Kiba groaned. "Are you sure there's no way out of this?"

"J-just one." Hinata murmured glancing off into the forest.

"Great!" The dog-nin jumped in front of her excitedly, waving his hand back and forth in front of the distracted kunoichi. "What is it?!"

"My U-uncle f-figured it o-out." She looked at Shino sadly. He nodded in understanding behind his high collar.

"Well then, let's go ask him!" Kiba grabbed Hinata's wrist and began dragging her out of the Team 8 training grounds. "Is he still at the Hyuuga place or does he li-"

"She means Neji's father." Shino sighed, shaking his head at Kiba's cluelessness.

"Oh...OH!" The Inuzuka released his hold and turned to face her. "I'm sorry, Hina. I thought you had another one out there somewhere." He paused, scratching the back of his neck. "Did he happen to tell you before he...you know..."

Again Shino rolled his eyes at the oblivious Jounin.

"H-he didn't h-have t-to."

"Awesome! So," He grinned expectantly. "We'll just do what he did!" Kiba beamed, proud of his deduction.

"H-he died." The smile fell from Kiba's face.

"I know, Hina. And I'm really sorry to bring it up, but if you could just do what he d-"

"What she means," The Bug user interrupted seeing Hinata's growing unease, "Is that Hizashi Hyuuga bypassed his fate because he died. Death is the only escape once branded with the Caged Bird Seal."

Kiba's mouth dropped open. He glanced down at Hinata's furrowed brow and frowned apologetically. "Hina, I-I di-"

Said heiress placed her cool fingers on his trembling lips. "I-it's o-kay, Kiba. You d-didn't know."

"I know, but...UGH! I'm such an Ass!" He gripped his head in frustration pulling at the roots. "I-I'll make it up to you! How about some ice-cream? Or uh..maybe a dango?" He puckered is lower lip, giving Hinata the biggest pair of puppy eye's he could muster. "Please Hina," He whined, "Would strawberry ice-cream make up for my complete lack of-"

"Tact. Intelligence. Sensitivity." Shino listed in a dead pan voice. The Inuzuka's eye twitched.

"Shut up bug freak! I'm trying to apologize!"

"Yes, I see. Begging at her feet like a common Poodle. Very true to form, dog-boy."

"That's it!" Kiba made to lunge at the Aburame, but stopped at the angelic tinkling that was Hinata's laugh. He turned to her and grinned mischievously, Shino's offenses totally forgotten in the dazzling beauty of Hinata's happiness.

"Come on, birthday girl! Let's go get some ramen!" He dropped an arm across Hinata's shoulder's, pulling her into his side. "Maybe a certain loud, blond haired baka will be there." He teased, messing the kunoichi's hair affectionately. Kiba chuckled at the tomato blush that crawled across her cheeks. Shino watched them walk a few yards before falling in behind. His footsteps silent, his mind churning.

Deep hazel eye's snapped open with tempestuous vigor, ripping Shino out of his dreams. He ran a hand over his sweat beaded face, chancing a look at the clock on his bed-side table.

'2:00 am'

Glaredat him through the consuming dark that fell over his sparsely decorated room. He was not one to indulge in the material embellishments life had to offer. The bug user rolled to his side, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed. Feet met frigid hardwood floor as he propped his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands. He caught the winking luminescence of stars that sprinkled the heavens outside his window. The overcast that hung heavy and forlornly over Hinata's funeral that day,

'Yesterday.' He amended,

Must have cleared out.

He let out a deep sigh, pushing himself off the mattress and reaching for his night-robe. As he pattered down the hallway towards the kitchen, his mind buzzed with worry over his surviving teammate.

Kiba had not gone to Hinata's funeral. In fact he had not been seen since running from the hospital after Hinata's death. Small search groups had been sent out to look for the disappeared dog-nin, but as it stood, Kiba was the best tracker Konoha had. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be found.

He was pulled from his reverie as he passed the kitchen threshold only to find it already occupied.

Chikako Aburame was a passionate red head with a boisterous attitude standing at only 5'2. Shino often mused how his father, Shibi, had happened to marry someone completely contradictory to his silent and somewhat apathetic nature.

"Thought you might be up." Her voice was deep for a women of her petite size, but still laced with gentle understanding. "How about some tea?" Shino nodded in acquiesce, moving over to the cabinet and grabbing two cups. He set down at the table, watching his mother move about the stove in easy familiarity. The smell of Oolong blend wafted through the air as she poured the copper colored concoction in the glass before him. He hugged the steaming cup against his chilled fingers, bringing it up to his mouth and taking a deep sip.

Ignoring the way it scorched his throat, he took another, breathing in the comforting sme-

"Did you add something different?" Shino asked after swallowing. The bugs beneath his breast buzzed with conversant eagerness. They recognized this scent. It was bitter, but still held an underlining, almost synthetic sweetness. "It is familiar to me."

Chikako smiled sadly into her own cup before meeting her sons eye.

"Hinata dropped it by the morning of your mission. She had said that you were having some trouble sleeping and thought this would help." She set her glass down, stirring it idly with her spoon, as Shino's mind tried to pinpoint the added herb.

'I don't recall telling her that I had trouble sle-'

"It's Belladonna. She said tha-"

Shino's hand let loose the cup, blocking out the small squeal from his mother when the glass shattered upon the floor.

--FlashBack--

"Come on, Hina." Kiba groaned, rolling his eye's to glare at Hinata's bent form. The medic-nin shook her head, a smile spreading across her lips at Kiba's toddler like impatience.

"J-just let m-me get this last b-bunch p-picked, Kiba." Her tiny hand grasped the base of a fleshy looking plant, tugging upward on the dull green leaves. Shino stood straight from his leaning position on the tree, moving forward to his teammates.

"What is that? I don't believe I've ever laid eyes on this particular plant." Hinata immediately popped up at the closeness of the bug users voice, the plant coming with her. She turned slowly, blushing as she looked up to meet Shino's hidden, though inquisitive stare.

"That's b-because i-it's not i-indeginous t-to the Fire C-Country. I h-had t-to special o-order it f-from the Land of W-Waves." She shuffled by Shino, moving to her small herb shed in the corner of the garden.

"Well, it smells terrible!" Kiba grimaced, slapping a hand over his nose. Hinata just giggled.

"What are it's purposes?" Shino inquired, finding himself interested in this unfamiliar plant.

"W-well," Hinata started, albeit reluctantly, "I-it is u-used in hospitals a-as a s-sedative. I-I'm studying i-it's affect on the c-chakra circulatory s-system b-by the Hokage's r-request."

"Have you discovered anything yet?" Shino pressed.

"Um...N-not a lot. J-just t-that w-when injected i-in small d-doses, i-it causes temporary f-freezing o-of the c-coils. Almost a-as i-if putting t-them to sleep?" She finished tying the bundle of leaves from the wooden rafter, letting it hang upside down to dry in the warm air of the lingering summer breeze.

"A latent weapon." Shino murmured. Hinata pursed her lips, leaning down to grab her bag.

The heiress brushed dirt crusted hands against her baggy blue capri's. "O-okay, I'm r-ready now."

"Finally! Kami Hina, if you weren't so damn cute," Kiba grinned at her flirtatiously over his shoulder as he pulled her to the Hyuuga gates by her wrist, "We'd of been forced to leave you behind!"

Shino frowned behind his high collar at Hinata's reaction to his statement. He shrugged it off before following the echo of Kiba's loud, relentless teasing of the kunoichi.

--End FlashBack--

"--ino! SHINO!"

"I think he's asleep." Stated a tired looking Shibi from the kitchen door. Chikako turned to her husband and scowled at him, hazel eyes flaring dangerously under bangs of fiery red.

"Really?" Shibi winced at the sardonic tone, stepping forward toget a grip under his son's arms. He flung Shino's heavy limb over his own shoulder wrapping an arm around his waist. His wife sighed as she weaved her own lithe limbs around her son in support. Together they walked the Aburame heir back to his room, laying him down upon the crisp sheets of his bed.

Chikako tucked him in, placing a small kiss on his forehead before collapsing back into her lovers arms; the belladonna having finally kicked into effect in her own system. Shibi let out another tired sigh as he lifted his tiny wife into his arms, carrying her softly snoring form back to their room.

End Part Five:

A/N: Yeah, again sorry for the chapter count being off a little, but there was some necessary info in this one! I'm actually thinking of switching the order and making this Part Four and Hanabi's chapter Part Five. I think it would be better that way. Tell me what you think? Should I?

And I know the affects and qualities of Belladonna (Also called Deadly Nightshade) but I decided to take some creative license with it. So sue me...not literally though, I'm poor.

Reviews are the food of the Gods...