A/N: All right all though this is not my first time writing fanfiction, it is new for me to post fanfiction. I would love to know what people have to say about this story but please don't just hate on me.
With that said...I have to say, and it pains me to do so...I do not own the Naruto Universe nor do I own any songs that maybe in here and I sadly never will...but I do however own the creativity it took to write this fanfiction and the oocs in it.
This fanfiction is rated MA or R for any language, violence, or sexual themes/content.
All this being said and done with I hope you enjoy reading Time never heals every wound!
End A/N.
Chapter 10: Homecoming
I stopped walking and just stared at the village gates that I had for two years only dreamed of seeing again someday. I looked down at the rope that bound my hands together. It wasn't exactly how I want to be returning home but at least I was here again finally.
"Mina come one!" Kiba shouted up ahead of me and I looked up at Shino who had insisted that he be the one to guard me. I was scared and it probably showed. What if they didn't accept me back as easily as my team had?
"It'll be alright Mina." Shino's words soothed me just like old times and I nodded. We walked forward and into Konoha the rest of the way. I looked around at all the shops and houses as we passed by. It all looked just like I had left it two years ago.
We reached the Hokage tower and my nerves came back full force. Shino wouldn't let me stop though as we knocked on the Hokage's door. We entered on command and stood before the Fifth Hokage.
Lady Tsunade looked the same as when I had last seen her. She looked up from her desk and straight at me. I stared back into her eyes until she looked away and at the others in the room.
"No Sasuke I see. Well at least you got Mina back, but why is she bound? Did she resist?" Tsunade looked at Yamato for answers.
"Captain Yamato insisted on in because he couldn't trust her." Kiba spit out while glaring at their team captain. Yamato looked bashful and scratched the back of his head. Lady Tsunade sighed before getting up and walking in front of me. I watched as she untied the ropes that bound me.
"Sasuke was the one who went willingly to Orochimaru, not Mina. She was the one held captive there. She is not a threat to the village." I stared at the woman before me. Tears forced their way out of my eyes and down my cheeks. I felt so relieved that Lady Tsunade understood.
"Mina? Mina what's wrong?" Naruto was at once in my face trying to find out why I was crying. He was too close to me now. My body tensed but I fought the urge to push him away. I took a step back to try and distance myself.
Fear over took me when he followed me by taking a step forward. I shook and watched him with wide eyes. I tried taking another step back but he followed again. Naruto reached out his hand to touch my shoulder and I only saw His hand reaching for me. I back peddled quickly away from the hand that was way to close. My back hit the wall and I cowered to the floor when Naruto followed. I tucked myself into a ball on the floor trying to escape his reach.
"Ow! Hey Shino what was that for?!" I jerked my head up and saw Naruto holding his head glaring at Shino who still had his hand raised.
"You're scaring her." Naruto straightened and looked down at me. I flinched away trying to become one with the wall. Naruto looked guilty and quickly backed away from me. I watched Shino as he knelt down in front of me still keeping his distance.
"Mina its okay. Naruto nor anyone else in this village wants to do you harm. Right Hokage-sama?" Shino didn't turn to look at Lady Tsunade as he asked her that. He kept his face trained onto mine and I kept my eyes glued to him. I trusted him completely despite a voice in my head telling me not to.
"That's right Mina. No one here will hurt you." I slowly uncurled myself from my ball and watched as Shino stood and offered me his hand. I stared at it for a long moment before reaching up with my own hand. I hesitated before I let his skin touch mine.
Shino slowly pulled me up from the ground then let go of my hand. He stepped away giving me my space. I looked at everyone in the room deciding if I could trust them. They all looked back at me with worried expressions, well everyone except Sai.
"Shino why don't you take Mina to get checked up at the hospital. She seems to trust you the most." Shino nodded and walked to the door opening it waiting for me to follow. I looked at everyone once more then followed Shino to the hospital.
We got to the hospital and I was put into a room. I refused to let go of Shino's hand the whole time we were there. Hospitals scared me to death, they reminded me of Kabuto's labs too much. We waited in silence for the medical ninja to come.
"Alright let's get this check up over with. I have lunch waiting for me….Mina?" I stared at the blonde woman who had walked in. She looked slightly familiar to me. The way she put her hair up and left her bangs down reminded me of someone but I couldn't place who.
"Shino this is Mina right?" The woman turned and asked Shino when I just stared at her. Shino nodded and the woman looked me over. I knew I looked different in Orochimaru's clothing style plus my hair was longer now.
"Mina? It's me…Ino Yamaka." I blinked and looked the woman over again. Everything clicked into place as images of the Ino I knew flashed before my eyes. I had to say Ino had grown a lot in the two years I was gone.
"Ino? You look so grown up now…" Ino laughed at me before picking up a clip board she had set down. She wrote down some things on a paper and then held the clip board in her hand. Ino checked me over and noted anything she saw.
When it came time for me to strip Ino despite my complaints shoved Shino out into the hallway. Ino gasped and stared at my body as I shed my clothing all except for the wrappings covering my breasts and my underwear.
"Oh Mina…" Ino whispered as she looked at all of the scars that covered my body. I had gotten most of them from training with Orochimaru or Sasuke. A few though were there on purpose. Delivered by Sasuke's blade when I spoke out against him once or twice.
Once Ino was down with looking over my body she told me to lay down. I did and she looked me over using chakra. Once she was done I redressed and Shino was let back in. He watched Ino as she wrote things down.
"Mina you can leave now I'm done." Ino said with a smile on her face. I got up and walked out the door Shino trailing after me. I sighed in relief once we were out of the hospital.
"Would you like to go home or get something to eat?" I looked at Shino then down the street. I was about to say home when my stomach rumbled giving me away. Shino chuckled and led the way to Ichiraku's ramen stand.
Once lunch was eaten and paid for by Shino we walked the streets of Konoha in silence. I couldn't believe I was really back, it was like a dream come true. I looked up at Shino studying him. He had gotten taller in our time apart also more handsome. He had lost the baby roundness to his face and figure and looked more like a man then a boy.
Shino still wore a high collowered jacket with black pants. His hair was a little longer then I remembered it. I also noticed when Shino spoke that his voice had grown deeper and more masculine. Shino still wore sunglasses over his eyes and that made me smile for some reason.
"I took care of your garden while you were gone." I jumped when Shino spoke. I looked at him shocked. I honestly didn't expect anyone to continue to care for my plants while I was away.
"Really? Why?" Shino shrugged and kept walking.
"Just felt right to." I smiled softly at his reply. Leave it to Shino to do the right thing even when no one else even thinks of it. We walked on in silence until we reached the graveyard. I hesitated before walking in through the gates. Shino followed behind me.
I weaved my way through the graves until I had come to a familiar stone. I ran my fingers over the names etched into the surface before bowing and sitting down. Shino bowed but walked away giving me time alone with my family.
"Hello Mother, Father. I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit you." I was about to say they must have been lonely when I noticed a bouquet of wilting white flowers to the side of the stone. I looked towards Shino as he stood at the gates of the graveyard.
"I guess you have had company these two years after all." I whispered as I watched Shino. I turned back to the stone.
"Sasuke is even further from the light then ever Mother, Father. His time with Orochimaru has tainted his views even more too where he even turned his blade on me a few times. I don't know if he can be saved anymore." I sat in silence for a long time. Before I got up and put my hand on the stone.
"Father, please forgive me for stealing your eyes. It was not my choice to have them." With that my hand slipped off the stone and I walked back to Shino. We headed off towards the Uchiha compound.
Once we got there Shino led me into my old house. It seemed he did more than just keep my garden alive. I couldn't see any dust or cobwebs anywhere meaning someone had kept this place clean. It felt weird to be walking through my house again. Things looked exactly like I had left them even the tea kettle was still sitting on the counter.
"You'll probably need to go shopping for food and clothing tomorrow." I jumped at Shino's voice sound so close to me. I turned around and he walked away towards the back door. I held my breath as I stepped outside and into my garden. Shino wasn't laying when he said he took care of it.
Flowers bloomed and stretched towards the sun while vegetables sprouted up from the dirt. I looked around taking in every detail. My garden looked batter then I remembered it. A soft breeze played with my hair and bringing the smelling of flowers to my nose.
"Thank you Shino." Shino nodded and watched me look around the garden. After a while Shino took his leave and headed home. I stayed in my garden and just relaxed for the first time in two years.
The next day I jerked awake to the sound of someone coming into my house. I got out of bed and dressed in a pair of shorts that still fit and Itachi's old shirt. I felt weird wearing my own clothes again but pushed it aside and walked down stairs.
"Mina! Oh you scared me!" I stared at Hinata as she stood from taking her shoes off. Hinata had changed a lot in our time apart it seemed. She no longer had short indigo hair but instead had chosen to grown it out. Her figure was curvy and well kept. Hinata wore a purple tank top that hugged her upper body nicely and a pair of black Capri pants.
"Sorry Hinata. What are you doing here?" Hinata looked at me and smiled softly.
"I'm here to go shopping with you. Shino asked me if I would last night." I smiled and nodded my heart warming at Shino thinking of me so much. In truth over the two years I was gone my feelings for Shino had never weakened they only grew stronger even though I believed him dead.
"Well shall we get going?" I nodded and slipped my shoes on alongside Hinata and together we walked out the door into the sunlight. We walked in silence until we reached the market street. For the next few hours Hinata and I shopped and laughed together.
"So how are you and Kiba doing?" Hinata blushed and laughed nervously. I guess some habit never wear off.
"We are actually a couple now. He asked me a year after you were taken." I nodded and smiled happy for my two teammates.
"You know Shino went to you house every day you were gone. He also stopped by the graveyard on his way home from your house every day. Ino says he bought white flowers once a month every month to take with him." I stared at Hinata. I knew he had brought the flowers but I just assumed it was for the anniversary that just passed. I never guessed he did it every month.
"I thought I had killed him two years ago. I mean I watched his life drain from his face as I walked away. I had even fully activated my sharingan so I never even dreamed that he would still be alive and thinking of me." I looked up at the sky as I spoke. I could tell Hinata was watching me.
"Do you…you know…still love him?" I smiled sadly and watched a ladybug fly by. .
[Shino's P.O.V]
I wondered the streets of Konoha thinking. Last night I had told my father all about our mission and bringing Mina home. He was happy to hear of her return but had said something that shocked me before he had vanished into his room.
"If you still love her, don't let her go this time Shino."
Those words kept playing in my head over and over. I didn't even know how she felt about me anymore. I mean she thought she had killed me. I wouldn't be surprised if she had moved on by now. I sighed as I walked past stalls selling different things
"Do you…you know…still love him?" I froze at Hinata's voice. My head jerked up and I looked around for the two women I knew to be together. There standing a few feet away were Mina and Hinata. Mina smiled sadly as she watched a ladybug fly past her. She looked back at Hinata.
"I never stopped." My heart froze and my breathing ceased. I stared at Mina. Her long black hair moved in the gentle breeze that blew past. I was struck by how beautiful she had become in her time away. Hinata gasped finally taking notice of me. I never took my eyes of Mina as she slowly turned and looked up at me.
"S-Shino!" Her face turned red as she stuttered out my name. I stood frozen for a moment longer before I moved without thinking. In the second Mina had blinked I was taking her in my arms. I held her close and captured her lips with my own.
Mina froze in my arms. Finally she relaxed and kissed me back wrapping her arms around my neck. Hinata squealed and I knew she had covered her face in embarrassment. I didn't care though. I didn't care that we stood in the middle of the busiest street in Konoha. I didn't care that people were probably staring. I didn't care about any of it because I finally had Mina back and I was finally kissing her.