Okay, I know... this chapter is late. I'm sorry! I got a little lost on the path of life... by which I mean it was Christmas and I had no time whatsoever to write. Anyway, here's the new chapter. Oh, and before I forget, I have some responses for my precious reviewers! You all get digital sundaes, enjoy!

GreyFox2113- I'm glad you're enjoying it! Don't worry, I plan on seeing this story through 'til the end.

Han-Ko - Thanks for the review! I know what you mean about Naruto; I felt sick for the poor guy when I was writing that chapter...

Rose Tiger- I'm glad Naruto's suffering affected you. I thought witnessing such suffering might act as a real world equivalent of a demon fox...

Ubermac- I don't want to give anything away, but your prediction is pretty close to what happens. Good guess! Oh, and as for Yondaime... I really wanted to include him somehow, but it just didn't pan out. Sorry to disappoint...

Anyway, on to the chapter!

Chapter 5

Hinata sat there on Naruto's couch for over an hour, the blonde's head resting in her lap, before she decided to make her leave. She had wanted to make sure Naruto was okay, that he would be able to rest without being haunted by the memories of Kyuubi. From the moment he fell asleep, though, Naruto had appeared quite peaceful, a slight, almost angelic smile gracing his face as his gentle snores filled the room.

How could he possibly feel… relieved after telling me that story? Why isn't he shaken at having relived that night?

The more Hinata watched the blonde, however, the more she began to understand just how he must have felt. To live with such a dark secret… it must have been eating him up inside for all those years. How could he not give in and tell that story? To let someone else share the pain of that horrible, horrible night?

Why did he choose to tell me? Why not Iruka… or Kiba… or Shikamaru, even? What did I do to earn his trust?

With that final thought crossing her mind, Hinata felt a deep pang of guilt in the pit of her heart. Naruto had trusted her with his deepest secret, the one piece of his life that he kept to himself. It was a sign that he did care for her, that somehow her feelings were finally being returned after so many years.

So much trust, and she went ahead and betrayed it almost instantly. She wasn't satisfied just being in Naruto's apartment. No, she had to snoop around, search through his personal belongings, ogle him when he was vulnerable and suffering…

I don't deserve his trust... I don't deserve to be with him at all.

Thus, it was in a state filled with guilt that Hinata slipped out from beneath Naruto's resting head and made her way towards the door, tears rolling silently down her face. As she slowly sealed the apartment door shut behind her, the Hyuuga took one last glance at her sleeping blonde, his soft snores still audible from the outside.

"I'm sorry, Naruto…"

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Kiba Inuzuka lumbered home in exhaustion following his track practice with sweat running profusely down his face. As usual, Gai had gone a little overboard and insisted that they train for another hour, since they were in the "springtime of their youth." By the time they had finished, the school was already locked up, so the dog-boy resigned himself to walking home in his sweat-soaked clothing.

It did not take the Inuzuka too long to reach the apartment complex, though the walk was excruciating nevertheless. As he made his way up the stairs, Kiba was sure that he would be unable to move the next day, as his legs were already throbbing in pain. When he reached the top of the staircase, however, Kiba momentarily forgot his sore limbs entirely as he saw a familiar, pale figure exiting his apartment.

Hinata? What's she doing here?

For a moment, Kiba considered calling out to the Hyuuga, but he soon talked himself out of it. What would he say, anyway? Whenever he tried to sound cool around the girl, he always managed to make himself look like an idiot. That's why he asked for Naruto's help to begin with, so that he could give Kiba the confidence to talk to Hinata himself. Until that time came, though, the Inuzuka felt it was best to just sit back and wait.

Even so, Kiba could not simply ignore Hinata as she stood there outside his apartment door. It would be criminal to waste such a perfect opportunity, so the dog-boy darted around the corner and stealthily poked his head out to get a better look at the girl. Almost instantly, his hopes of admiring the Hyuuga from afar were shattered, for his eyes were instantly drawn to the glistening trails on her cheeks.

Wait a second… are those… tears?

Before Kiba even had a chance to think, he found Hinata turning towards him and instantly panicked. She's going to see me! She'll know I was spying on her? Dammit, what should I do? I can't run away, but I have to do something… Okay, calm down, Kiba. Just act naturally; you were walking home from school, that's all.

After taking a deep breath, the dog-boy stepped out from his hiding place on the corner and turned towards the approaching Hyuuga with a big, forced grin.

"Hey, Hinata! What are you doing here?" Kiba called out, hoping he could cheer the pale girl up somewhat.

Stopping suddenly in surprise, Hinata looked up at the Inuzuka with her teary eyes before speaking. "Oh… h-hi, Kiba. I was… just taking care of Naruto. I have to be getting home now, though…

As Hinata tried to sneak past, Kiba placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to stop her. "Hey, hold on… were you crying just now?"

The Hyuuga hurriedly wiped the tears from her face with her slave as she responded. "What? N-no… I just had something in my eye. I'm fine, really."

"Hinata, you seem upset," Kiba continued in his vain attempt at comforting the girl. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I'm fine, Kiba!" Hinata snapped as she slapped the dog-boy's hand from her shoulder. "Just… leave me alone!"

With that, the Hyuuga took off running down the stairs, leaving a shocked Kiba in her wake. For a moment, he considered chasing after the girl, if only to make sure that she didn't do anything reckless in her unstable condition. After taking a few steps, however, the Inuzuka felt a searing pain in his leg, forcing him to rest up against the wall.

Smooth move, Kiba. If Hinata didn't hate your guts before, she sure does now…

Once the pain in his leg subsided, Kiba turned and limped towards his apartment. As he suspected, the door was unlocked, and he stumbled in to hear the distinct, soft snoring of his housemate. It did not take him long to locate the blonde, for he was still sprawled out on the couch, oblivious to what was going on around him.

There was something about Naruto's condition that truly bothered the Inuzuka, though he was unable to put a finger on it at first. It was obvious that Hinata had taken good care of him, since his breathing was steady and he no longer was drenched in sweat, but what was it? Why did Kiba feel so troubled at the sight of the sleeping blonde?

That was when it hit him like a sack of bricks: Naruto was practically naked. Sure, he had his boxers on, but other than that he was completely exposed. Normally Kiba would have had no problem with this; the two of them had spent enough Saturday mornings in their underwear for such awkwardness to vanish entirely. It was the thought that Naruto might have been in such an exposed state in front of Hinata that truly bothered him.

What the hell was he thinking? Didn't I just tell him that Hinata likes him? Why in the world would he think this was a good idea, unless… is Naruto trying to steal Hinata away from me?

Kiba approached his housemate quietly, hoping not to wake the blonde as he took a closer look. Was Naruto even capable of such a thing? To stab his best friend in the back?

No, Naruto wouldn't do that. He must have been delirious. Yeah, Naruto's too good of a friend to try and steal Hinata away from me.

Having convinced himself of his friend's innocence, Kiba turned and headed for the bathroom, hoping that a nice shower might wash off his sticky sweat. No sooner had he undressed and turned on the water than the dog-boy felt a sinking feeling in his gut once again. Something didn't add up. If nothing happened between Naruto and Hinata, then why was she crying when she left? Why did she seem so intent on leaving the apartment as far behind as possible?

Did Naruto say something to upset her? I guess it's possible; he's always been a bit dense; he might have done it without even realizing it. But… Naruto seemed too relaxed for that. If he said something to upset Hinata, he would have chased her down until he made things right. What could it be, though?

It was certainly troubling, and the more the Inuzuka thought about it, the more concerned he became. While Kiba knew that it ridiculous, he could not help but jump to the most horrible conclusions.

Maybe Hinata told Naruto that she loves him? Yeah, and Naruto could have turned her down… that would explain why she was crying. But then again, Naruto was fast asleep… What if they had sex? That could explain everything; Hinata's crying, Naruto sleeping in his boxers… No, no, no, no, no! Kiba, this is your best friend, here! He wouldn't do that to you!

As much as he tried to talk those thoughts out of his head, however, Kiba always returned to his suspicions of Naruto. The signs were all there, and the more the dog-boy thought about it, the more he was able to picture it in his head. Hinata probably revealed her feelings for Naruto… or maybe Naruto confronted her about it? Either way, they both knew how she felt, and Naruto probably made the first move. Putting his hands on his Hinata… his lips on her porcelain flesh… it made Kiba twitch slightly in anger.

It all makes sense. They must have just gone all the way. That's why Hinata was crying; she was probably overwhelmed by how fast it all went…

Suddenly, the Inuzuka slammed his fist into the wall and released some of his pent-up rage before taking a deep breath.

Okay, calm down, Kiba. Don't jump to any conclusions. You don't know what happened. Just… wait and see what they do.

With that, Kiba shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, repeating the thought to himself over and over again like a mantra. By the time he had toweled off and dressed the dog-boy successfully calmed down and was prepared to face his roommate without appearing overly suspicious. As luck would have it, just as Kiba was entering the living room Naruto began to stir on the couch, murmuring something in gibberish has he became adjusted to reality.

"Ugh… what happened?" the blonde asked, rubbing his eyes drowsily as he sat up to look around.

"You were sleeping," Kiba responded in a condescending tone. "Hinata was here taking care of you."

"Really?" Naruto said as he turned toward his friend with half-opened eyes. "I thought that was just a dream…"

"Unless we had the same dream, I doubt it," Kiba replied with a laugh. "You passed out at school, didn't you?"

"I guess I must have," the blonde said, placing a hand on his chin in thought. "I don't really remember all that well. I left Asuma's class early, and the next thing I knew I was here talking with Hinata."

"Dammit, Naruto! I told you not to go to school today! Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"

"You should know, Kiba," Naruto responded with his signature grin. "I never give up, that's my motto."

"Yeah, you've told me that a few times before," the Inuzuka said with a sigh. "Do you remember what you and Hinata talked about by any chance?"

"Umm… no, not really," Naruto said as he scratched his head sheepishly. "I just... uh, we talked… no, I mean, she told me to get some rest. Yeah, that's it! She told me to go back to sleep. Nothing else happened before you got here."

Kiba eyed the blonde skeptically as he tried to sift through the meaning behind his words. Naruto is never this jittery. He must be hiding something… no, I can't assume that. He could just be a little delirious from his illness. Maybe I'll ask him about it again tomorrow…

"Alright, I was just curious, that's all," the dog-boy said as he rose off the couch. "Say, want me to make you some ramen? I bet you're starving after sleeping the whole day."

"Sure, I'm always up for some ramen," Naruto exclaimed as he lay back down on the couch.

"Okay, one bowl of ramen, coming up," Kiba said half to himself, looking through the cabinets for just the right flavor of the blonde's beloved noodles.

Well, if it was the illness that was making him act so strange, it sure isn't affecting his appetite. I swear, for such a simple guy, he can be so damn complicated sometimes. He seems fine now, but when I mentioned Hinata he… well, he panicked, I guess. Why would he do that unless he had something to hide? What the hell happened today?

With that thought, Kiba listened as the microwave chimed lightly, accompanied by the tantalizing scent of fresh ramen. Thus, the Inuzuka put his analysis on hold and brought the dish in for his friend, who enthusiastically dug in to the noodly-goodness. While the blonde stuffed his face, Kiba simply looked on, smiling slightly in disbelief.

I won't believe it… there has to be some other explanation. Just look at him! Whatever happened today, I'm sure he has his reasons for hiding it. Naruto wouldn't do anything to hurt me…he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. I should just keep my nose out of it.

It was around this point that Naruto looked up from his meal, a clump of noodles dangling innocently from his mouth as he stared the Inuzuka in the eye. After pausing there for a moment, the blonde sucked up the stringy substance and tilted his head slightly to the side.

"Something wrong, Kiba?" the vulpine boy asked in concern.

"Huh?" Kiba murmured absentmindedly. " Oh, no, nothing's wrong. I was just… lost in thought, I guess."

Naruto looked at the dog-boy quizzically at this response, seemingly suspicious of its dismissive nature, before shrugging his shoulders and returning to his meal. Seeing that he had not raised the blonde's suspicions, Kiba sighed inwardly and rose to his feet. After briefly dismissing himself, the Inuzuka headed for his room, where he was greeted by a characteristically frisky Akamaru. After petting the puppy gently on the head, Kiba stripped to his boxers and slid into his bed, his sore body gratefully welcoming the prospect of sleep.

I just need to rest. Maybe things will be clear tomorrow…

Thus, with a relaxed smile and Akamaru curled up at his feet, Kiba drifted off to sleep, where his mind could finally be free from the day's troubling events.

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As Naruto finished eating his steaming bowl of ramen, he could not help but feel relieved that his housemate had decided to check in for the night. Though he had managed to hide his guilt thus far, the blonde was certain that he would have cracked eventually under Kiba's gaze.

He still couldn't believe that he had actually told Hinata about Kyuubi. It wasn't that he regretted it or anything; he still felt much better having told his story. When he looked at Kiba, though, he felt a deep pang of guilt in his chest. How could he tell Hinata, a girl he had barely even spoken to, the secret story of his past without telling his best friend? Or Iruka, for that matter? Even though it felt like the right thing to do, it seemed to Naruto like he was… betraying the people closest to him, the people who had supported him so much, without asking anything in return. They had waited for him to open up, understanding all the while the pain he must have experienced, and Naruto denied them their right to hear his story first.

What kind of a friend am I? There's no way I could tell Kiba what really went on today… it would crush him. I can't tell him right away though; he might get suspicious. I'll just wait a few days and tell him all about Kyuubi. He deserves to know what happened.

While Naruto sucked down the last remaining noodles, he found that there was an even greater issue pressing in his mind. Why had he told Hinata about Kyuubi? She hadn't really done anything different than Kiba and Iruka did when they first asked about it. Naruto had seen that they were concerned, but it had always been easier to keep that secret to himself than to experience that pain again. As hard as it was to see the two of them worried, it was just too hard to relive that night.

When he looked at Hinata, though, it was almost agonizing to see her in such a troubled state. She must have known what had happened; after all, everyone knew about the Kyuubi murders. That wasn't enough for Hinata, though; she needed to hear Naruto's tale, to understand how he felt that night. It was impossible for Naruto to deny her that simple request. Even though he had been asked by so many people in the past, people that were much closer to him, when he looked into that Hyuuga girl's pale eyes he knew that he couldn't keep that secret to himself any longer. There was something about seeing her in pain that forced Naruto to finally crack, but whatever that thing was remained a mystery to the vulpine boy.

At the moment, Naruto only knew one thing for certain; he had to call Iruka. Now that he had finally told his story, the blonde felt an overwhelming urge to tell it to everyone he had ever been close to, everyone who had ever wondered what actually happened with Kyuubi. Thus, with his bowl now empty, Naruto rose off the couch and placed his dishes in the sink before starting off for his bedroom. Before he actually entered his personal sanctuary, the vulpine boy paused outside of Kiba's room, pressing his ear up against the door to hear for any sounds of life. Once he identified his housemate's steady breathing, he gave a sigh of relief.

Good, he's asleep… I can't risk him figuring out what happened with Hinata today. It would… it would crush him if he knew.

With his mind at least somewhat at ease, Naruto turned and entered his room, sealing the door shut behind him. Once he had sat down on the edge of his bed, the blonde reached for the phone and dialed the familiar number without giving it a second thought. As he waited for his father to pick up on the other end, though, Naruto felt a momentary surge of panic that grew worse with each passing ring.

What am I going to say? He's probably been preparing for this moment for years… it needs to be perfect. Why didn't I think this through first!? Wait… what did I say with Hinata? It was so easy then… okay, maybe if I just start talking, it'll just come out on its own. Just breathe, Naruto; it's only Dad, nothing to be nervous about.

Suddenly, the vulpine boy heard a distinct click on the other end and, for a brief second, was certain that his heart had stopped. This was it, this was the moment he had been putting off for over ten years, and Naruto felt a strange combination of dread and excitement.

"Hello?"

Upon hearing his father's warm, cheery voice through the phone, Naruto suddenly felt all of his anxiety fade in an instant. He could do this. He could set things right. "Hi Dad. It's me, Naruto."

"Oh, Naruto! I was hoping you'd call," Iruka replied with his usual gentle laugh. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, Dad, things are going fine, it's just…" the blonde started as he wrapped the phone cord around his finger. "Well… it's about Kyuubi."

There was a brief, shocked silence before Iruka made any response. When he finally did speak, though, it was in a somewhat more serious, yet equally comforting tone. "Are you sure, Naruto? You know you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, Dad, it's okay. I'm… ready now," Naruto said reassuringly, though it was only as the words left the blonde's mouth that he truly believed what he was saying.

And so Naruto told the story of Kyuubi for the second time that day, relating the events of that terrible night with all of its gruesome details for his father. During the entire speech Iruka remained completely silent, his presence indicated solely by the faint sound of his breathing into the phone. Naruto found that, once he got going, the story seemed to naturally flow off his tongue, as if his mind had been programmed to say those exact words ever since he witnessed those horrific murders. There was no hesitation, no searching for the right word to express his feelings or any of the other million problems Naruto had worried about. He simply spoke, and his story seemed to form on its own.

It was like his earlier conversation with Hinata was preparation for this moment. Maybe that was why he had decided to tell her first? So that he could have a chance to perfect his story before telling Iruka and Kiba? Whether this was the case or not, it was apparent that his conversation with the Hyuuga had helped in properly expressing those feelings.

Apparently Iruka noticed this as well, for when he actually did speak, he mentioned nothing about the events themselves. It was painful enough for Naruto to tell him about Kyuubi; there was no sense in drawing it out any further. Instead, Iruka simply waited a moment as the story sunk in before finally speaking.

"Why did you decide to tell me this, Naruto?" the man asked, though his voice had taken on a much softer, poignant quality. "What happened to make you change your mind?"

Naruto paused to think over his father's question. He couldn't tell him the truth. For one, he wasn't even all that sure of what the truth was; all he knew was that it had something to do with Hinata. Thus, the blonde decided to simply avoid the question entirely, saying, "I don't really know. I guess it was time to tell someone."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you told me, Naruto," Iruka replied with genuine gratitude. "You're sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine," Naruto answered sincerely. "I probably should go now."

"I understand, son; it's probably been an exhausting evening," Iruka said, the warmth returning to his voice. "Remember, you can call me about anything."

"I know, Dad," Naruto responded with mild annoyance as he rolled his eyes. "Talk to you later."

"Bye, Naruto."

With that, Naruto placed the phone back on the receiver and lay back on his bed, staring up blankly at the ceiling. Somewhere within him, the blonde could feel a distinct calm, knowing that he had finally told Iruka the truth about Kyuubi. Of course, this sense of tranquility was surrounded by other troubling questions, like how he was going to tell Kiba and what exactly happened earlier with Hinata. However, for the time being Naruto felt perfectly satisfied just closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, leaving all those problems for another day.

Oh my, Kiba's suspicious, Naruto's clueless, and Hinata's feeling guilty. What good can possibly come from such scrambled emotions? Find out in the next chapter of The Fox and the Hound! (cue dramatic music)