-Coughs- OMG, I am so sorry it has taken my so long to update... school, life, blah blah blah... all the usual excuses. But really, i'm sorry. Thanks to whoever asked my if my story was, "...left to die like a hooker in a Hollywood gutter?" -cough- No, as I might have mentioned before, I will never abondon this story... It annoys the crap out of me when others do, I would never do it to my readers. -cough- Sorry, no juicy bits in this one... as you might have noticed -cough- I'm sick right now... no energy to write the stuff without it coming out like crap... and I have about 10 minutes left until my mom kicks me off the computer to get sleep... I will revise this story sometime, so i'll tell you guys when I start so you won't get really confused. Hmm... and... yep, that's about it. Thanks again to all of my reviewers. (who get my off my lazy sick ass...)

Disclaimer: None belong to me. Except T.C., who is NOT a Mary Sue. Seriously.

Team Kurenai sat on the grass amiably, having a picnic consisting of a huge bento box. Kiba was recounting his talk with Kankuro, to Hinata, who was slightly amused.

"…so I find out that Naruto is going out with the freaky sand kid, and that Neji actually has the capacity for emotions! It was seriously weird, who would have expected it? Did you know about it, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata looked down at her hands and smiled softly.

"H-hai, I'm happy for both Neji-niisan and Naruto-kun, they deserve the happiness."

Kiba eyed her critically.

"Are you sure? Didn't you have like, a humongous crush on Naruto?"

The pale eyed girl blushed and looked down at her hands; it was slightly mortifying that everyone she knew had noticed… except for the object of her affections. Not that it really mattered now. Shino silently rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses; did Kiba always have to be so blunt?

'Then again if he wasn't he wouldn't be Kiba, now would he?'

"I-I did… b-but I g-got over it a w-while ago…"

Oh gods, the stuttering returns. Kiba, noticing the sudden retrogression, tactfully decided to drop the subject.

"Oh, then that's okay. So how's the icy bastard doing now?"

Hinata had to smile as she remembered her earlier conversation with her cousin.

"Great. It's so cute how he acts now that he has a crush, its done wonders for his attitude. I feel a bit sorry for him though…"

Now both of her teammates were intrigued. Kiba leaned a little closer to hear better, and Shino pushed his sunglasses further up his face.

"Why, Hinata?"

This time Hinata giggled softly, remembering the look of pure terror on Neji's face as he recounted his encounter with Temari.

"Kankuro-san has a big sister who's… overprotective, to say the least."

"You mean the scary chick with the huge fan and four ponytails?"

"Hai. She terrifies him."

Kiba burst out laughing, barely refraining from toppling over in his mirth.

"I have to meet her sometime… a chick who can scare the piss out of Neji? Priceless!"

Hinata would never admit it out loud, but she thought that Kiba had a point.

Shukaku stood frozen in shock, not quite believing what he had seen. As soon as the people left he bolted towards Konoha, cursing under his breath. If he and Kyuubi thought that Orochi was bad, this was worse. Much worse.

'Shit. Did they have to come so soon…?'

The kits were not going to like this at all.

Neji looked in awe at T.C.'s impressive manga collection, which was stashed in various places around the room. He could see everything from Shojo to shounen, from sports manga to yaoi. On her wall was an enlarged picture of Gaara and Naruto, hung in the place of honor above her bed. Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Obsessed much?"

A giant plushie kunai was thrown at his head. He caught it easily in his hand.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He was infinitely grateful to have been invited over, not exactly wanting to go back to the Hyuuga compound. T.C.'s place was definitely different. Her walls were painted green and her wall was decorated with various posters and drawings. A laptop was in one corner along with a printer, and various books, magazines, jewelry, and CD covers were spread haphazardly on almost every surface. All in a all, it looked like a small exploding tag had been detonated and flung everything around randomly.

It definitely wasn't the room Neji had been expecting; where were her weapons and scrolls? He got his answer when the girl opened her closet. Most of her weapons were carefully stored in boxes, along with a low shelf that held quite a few aging scrolls. T.C. rummaged further back and unearthed a huge box labeled 'Pocky.' Neji stared.

'There's no way that huge box is actually filled with…'

An entire box of strawberry pocky was thrown in his direction.

'Once again, I'm proven wrong'

Noticing Neji staring at her incredulously, T.C. smiled and shrugged.

"Pocky's like crack; you can never get enough of it once you're addicted. Same with manga really."

'No kidding' thought Neji dryly as he cleared some manga and clothes off of a beanbag. T.C. stuck a piece of green tea pocky into her mouth and shoved the box back into her closet.

"So are you doing okay back at the Hyuuga compound? Since your parents aren't…"

"I'm fine. Family is family, even if they have a…strange way of showing it. What about your parents?"

He always wondered where T.C.'s parents were, or if they were still alive. Nobody really knew much about the girl, truth be told, not even Hinata. She looked contemplative as she chewed the biscuit stick.

"My parents? Well, mom's gone -she was killed in a mission when I was six- and dad's a traveling medic, so he sent me to live with auntie here in Konoha. Auntie is my dad's big sister. My mom was a kunoichi -chuunin level- and I managed to get some training from her before she died. I was even named after her; my first name's Tsukiko."

"What's the 'C' stand for then?"

He thought it was a perfectly sane question, yet she looked at him like he was a moron. Actually, she seemed to do that a lot…

"It stands for –Chan" she said, as if stating the most obvious thing in the world. Neji stared.

"Why don't you just call yourself Tsukiko-chan then? And why use a capitol 'C'?"

She smiled at him mysteriously through the pocky stuck into her mouth.

"I think it makes my name more interesting if I use initials."

"…You're a weirdo, you know that?"

"Of course!"

Neji wondered when exactly he has stopped minding being around crazy people. Then again, he had spent several years of his life around Gai and Lee… maybe he'd developed immunity to strangeness? But really, the truth was that this girl was like family to him now.

'Maybe real families…are act like this?'

'Nope, I think it's just us. Hey, you aren't that sane yourself you know… what with talking to your inner-conscience and all.'

'Am I trying to convince myself that I'm insane?'

'Maybe…'

'…Why must I screw with myself like this?'

'GAKI!'

Gaara covered his ears, which only resulted in Shukaku's screech echoing even more through his head and eardrums.

'WTF? Don't fucking try to explode my eardrums, bastard!'

'Shut up brat, this is important!'

Gaara shut up; Shukaku actually sounded panicked, a rare occurrence for the Tanuki demon. Naruto was staring at him, knowing that Shukaku had just entered.

'Okay, so was out and I saw these two guys from Akatsuki somehow suck Orochi's spirit into a memorial tablet. I think that they can only do that when a spirit is not attached to a body, as in his case. Have you seen Kyuubi? We should stay inside you guys until we really know what's going on…'

Gaara face was grim as he relayed the information to Naruto. A serious expression spread over the boy's usually grinning face.

"Hey Gaara, can you ask him what they looked like?"

'One was a guy who swore a lot and followed this hell of weird ass religion, and the other could shoot strings out of his hands.'

'…can you be more specific?'

'Nope.'

'….fuck…'

"They don't sound familiar to me… they must be newer members. Naruto… what do you think we should do?"

"I don't think there's much we can do… Tsunade-baba knows that Akatsuki's been bolder lately, but as long as she'd not too worried, I wouldn't worry about them attacking us here.

"True."

That knowledge calmed both of them, and Gaara started to grill Shukaku for all the information he had on the Akatsuki and what they might be planning. Frankly, the biju has no idea and that was what worried him the most. What would humans do with the spirits of demons?

Kankuro leaned outside of Gaara's bedroom door, having eavesdropped on the conversation.

'Them again? Dammit, but if anything I promise you this little brother… no matter what I won't let them take you again.'

He had almost lost his brother once; he wouldn't make the same mistake again, no matter what.

Hinata, Kiba, and Shino started to pack up what was left of the bento box. Having wrapped up the remaining contents and handing them to Hinata, Kiba voiced something that had been on his mind for a while.

"Hinata-chan… you said you got over Naruto, right? Does this mean you like someone else?"

To both the boys surprise, instead of a blush or a stutter they got a smile.

"Yes."

Kiba blinked. Behind his glasses, Shino blinked. And, even though it was summertime, a breeze blew past, trailing some leaves in its wake. Kiba shook off his stupor (literally) and looked at her like she was some weird alien life form.

"You can just…admit that? Don't get me wrong, I think its great but… you've changed."

Shino nodded his agreement; his female teammate had indeed changed. Not just her speech, but her air seemed somehow more confident, more assertive than it had been before. Hinata had changed, but in no way was it an unpleasant change. The girl looked thoughtful for a moment, then she smiled again, more to herself then to them.

"Yes… I have, haven't I? I feel more free… all my life, I've tried to live up to unreal expectations, and all it did was strip away my self confidence. Now that I've admitted to myself there's something I really want… Something I would fight for… I feel less afraid. Have I really changed, or an I just being more true to myself?"

Her companions were shocked for a moment, but gradually Kiba's face split into a huge grin and he hugged her gleefully, spinning her in the air in the process.

"Hintata, that's great! I've been wondering if you were ever going to break out of your shell… This guy must be awesome, you have to introduce me to him soon. I bet that's where you're headed now, huh? Congratulations!"

Shino, not given to displays of physical affection or support, offered her a small smile. She understood the gesture and offered one in return. When Kiba had let her down she grabbed the bento box and started off down the street. Turning around to wave good bye, she left one parting remark.

"Thank you Kiba-kun… It makes me happy that you are supportive of my like this. Don't worry, you'll meet her soon."

Then the young Hyuuga was off, jumping through the trees in the direction of the city. For the second time that day, Kiba blinked. Three, two, one….

"Did Hinata just say that I'll meet 'her' soon?"

The only show of surprise from Shino was a slight rise of an eyebrow.

"…that she did."

Blink blink.

"Whoa… okay, no idea she swung that way… I mean… eh?"

Shino's eyebrows furrowed behind his sunglasses.

"…Why, do you not support her choice?"

The question obviously caught the Inuzuka by surprise, because he swung around to regard his companion.

"What? No! I'm not some homophobe or sumthin'. I'm just surprised… no idea she went for chicks… but then again, I think most of us swing on both sides of the ballroom. I wonder if her girlfriend is hot?"

Shino gave Kiba a wry expression from behind his glasses.

'…Every time I talk to Kiba, he surprises me more and more… Inuzuka really are unpredictable.'

"…You believe that everyone is inherently bisexual?"

"Yeah, I guess. I dunno about you, but I know I've looked at girls and boys… each has their own things that makes 'em special, y'know?"

"…"

'I've never really tried to notice…'

Akamaru, who'd been napping in the sun until that point, woke up with a yawn and a stretch. He found himself immediately accosted by his human, who bounded up to him excitedly.

"You awake, Akamaru? You not believe what I just heard from Hinata…!"

While Kiba related the previous conversation to his canine friend, who listened with interest, Shino was thinking.

'Kiba's bisexual… Hinata's apparently a lesbian… what the hell am I? Asexual?'

TBC

-cough- Yes, random note to leave it off on... Sorry. I'll try harder with the next chapter... well, i'm off to bed -cough-

Review for the sick? -cough- (FYI, the only reason this got written now was because someone left an review to make me hurry up...)