The walk back to Konaha felt longer than it actually was. When Hibiki had regained enough chakra, he healed Keiko enough to keep her alive until thy reached the village. Minako was uneasy the whole way back. She still thought she may be imagining that Hibiki was alive rather than dead. The horrible scence kept re-playing inside her head. When they reached the village, Satomi and Kazuko waited for them. Kazuko quickly ran to Keiko but Minako stepped in his way.

"Sh-she needs medical attention, she's out right now."

Kazuko nodded weakly in understanding before meeting glances with Minako, she instantly felt uncomfortable. "Wh-what?" She mumbled.

"I was wrong about you." He stated quietly.

Minako raised an eye brow at him. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Kazuko reached his hand out toward Minako, hesitating for a moment before letting it rest on her shoulder, her body instantly tensing.

"I forgive you about Sho." He told her with a small smile.

Minako shuddered and stepped back from Kazuko. "Th-thank you... Kazuko. But I will never forgive myself for it." She whispered, lowering her head.

Kazuko stepped forward but stopped himself. He lowered his head and sighed. Yama approtched him with a smile. "Good job this mission, both of you." He said, looking over at Satomi too as he shifted Keiko in his arms.

Kazuko nodded. "Thanks. And thank you for bringing Keiko home."

Yama nodded. "I wasn't coming back without her."

Minako moved to a rock, still uneasy. She held her face in her hands, blocking out those around her. Her throat still hurt from screaming and her eyes felt heavy from crying. She was still covered in Yua's and Hibiki's blood, not counting her own cuts that were stinging like crazy, however, she tried to pretend she couldn't feel the pain.

"Minako?" Hibiki slowly approached Minako.

Slowly she lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Yeah?" She asked, her voice hardly a whisper.

"Do you feel better knowing that he holds no grudge against you any more?" Hibiki smiled gently as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

Minako nodded. "Slightly... b-but..." she lowered her head, a pained look crossing her features. "I can't forgive myself.. yet."

"It's one extra step of forgiveness, it's not just someone forgiving you but you forgiving yourself. It may take time, but I know you can overcome this." Hibiki pulled Minako into his arms and sighed.

Minako winced lightly at some of her cuts, it finally ocurring to her how bad some of them were.

"You need medical attention." Hibiki murmured but still held Minako closely, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Minako shook her head. "I-I'm fine.. really..." She told him.

"You're not fine, Minako. Stop being so stubborn. I can see the pain on your face, and your body is tense." Hibiki sighed and shut his eyes. "And if you say you're earnestly fine, I will drag you to the hospital. I would heal you myself, but with my own condition, my body hasn't fully healed just yet."

Minako shuddered at the reminder. "I-I wouldn't want you to heal me anyway... b-besides... you should be in the hospital... not me... my own jutsu created these..." She whispered, trying to slip from his arms without making it obvious.

Hibiki tightened his arms around Minako as he kissed her head. "I don't care who made them, they need to be healed."

She sighed in irritation. "H-Hibiki..." She lowered her head on his shoulder. "I-I'm not imagining this... right? Y-You are here... and not dead...?" She tightened her grip on his shirt as she squeezed her eyes shut, worrying that he would say what she didn't want to hear.

Hibiki kept quiet. His hand travelled from the middle of her back to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. "What do you think?" Hibiki's voice sounded sorrowful.

Minako slowly lifted her head, searching his eyes before she could feel tears falling down her cheeks. She choked on a sob as she leaned her head back on his shoulder. "Hibiki..." She cried, hugging him close.

Hibiki began to laugh gently. "You thought I wasn't real?" He sighed as he began to walk off in the direction of the hospital, his arms still around her and making her walk backwards. "I think you do need to see a certified doctor."

Minako pouted up at him. "I don't want to!" She mumbled, looking away from him with her head still against his chest. It was times like this she hated being so short.

"Too bad." He whispered.

"Are you going to take Keiko to the hospital as well?" Satomi asked Yama.

Yama nodded. "Yeah." He hurried after Hibiki and Minako. Kazuko grabbed Satomi's hand and dragged her along after them.

"I guess I'm coming along?" Satomi laughed.

Kazuko nodded. "Of course!" He grinned at her over his shoulder.

"But I'm not hurt!" Satomi frowned.

Kazuko laughed as he slowed down, not letting go of her hand. "Are you not interested on if everyone is okay?"

"Nevermind." Satomi rolled her eyes and laughed.

When they entered the hospital, Tsunade was there, her face was calm until she saw Keiko. "Oh my!" Quickly she motioned for Yama to put Keiko on the bed nearest her and quickly preformed her medical jutsu. As she was healing Keiko, she looked over at Hibiki who still had Minako locked in his arms.

"Are you two alright?" She asked with concern.

Hibiki's solemn expression turned to a grin. "This one here needs attention after Keiko. Her body has a lot of cuts, and her mind seems to be..." He glanced down as Minako for a second and then whispered. "...going, if you know what I mean."

Minako glared up at Hibiki, trying to pull herself for his arms, but ended up wincing in pain.

Tsunade raised a brow at the two. "Ah, I'm not sure I can help with that..."

"Ah, that's too bad." Hibiki frowned. "I wonder what I'll do with her then." He looked as if he were thinking.

Panic ran through Minako's eyes for a moment before relization hit her. "What am I worried about, your tricks never work with me." She smirked.

"What tricks?" Hibiki frowned innocently.

Minako laughed lightly. "Your mind barrier you tired using shortly after kissing me the first time."

Hibiki smiled softly before moving his lips to hers. "I don't think I'd ever do that again."

Minako kissed him back before smiling. Tsunade pulled her hands back.

"She is weak, however, knowing Keiko, she will be up shortly." Tsunade walked over to Minako and moved her hand, a green aura around it as she slowly healed her deep cuts, Minako winced as she held onto Hibiki.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I would heal her myself, but-"

Tsunade quickly interrupted Hibiki, "You're next."

"Uh... My body-"

"I know about the Fernu clan, and where you got your ability, but you're just overworking your body. Outside resources are better to use because it stresses your body out less and helps it heal faster."

"Alright." Hibiki sighed.

Minako stuck her tongue out at Hibiki, before letting out a small wince. "T-told you." She giggled.

Hibiki shrugged. "We still have a day here and a few days until we get back to Sunagakure, I'll get you back then."

Minako's eyes widened. "Wh-what do you mean by that?" She asked nervously.

"Nothing important at the moment." Hibiki smiled smuggly.

Minako blushed. As soon as Tsunade dropped her hand, Minako smirked. "You're turn." She giggled.

"Thank you so much." Keiko said weakly to the group when they exitted the hospital.

Yama smiled warmly as he wrapped his arm around Keiko.

Minako laughed. "For? We were just following your insane boyfriend here." She laughed as Yama started to blush.

"What?" Keiko laughed and looked at the blushing Yama.

Yama looked away, embaressed. "I ah... I just wanted you home safely..."

"You're too cute." Keiko laughed and playfully punched his arm. "But thanks." She quickly wrapped her arms around Yama's middle.

He laughed and hugged her back. Minako looked up at Hibiki. "Can we go back to the place we stayed at before?"

Yama overheard and nodded. "Yeah, you can. You guys can stay here until you want to go home."

Hibiki smiled and nodded at Yama. "If you need any more...advice... Better ask before we leave." Hibiki winked at Yama before taking Minako's hand and leading her back to their temporary apartment.

"Advice?" Keiko turned to look at Yama.

Yama shook his head. "Never you mind, Keiko." He chuckled lightly.

"Why?" She whined with a frowned, pulling at his sleeve.

He shook his head again. "Guy stuff, you forget it." He laughed again.

At the apartment, Minako flopped down onto the bed, taking in a deep breath. "I-I'm actually tired..." She said, more to herself.

"It was a very distressing mission." Hibiki nodded in agreement.

Minako sighed. "I never want to see that again..." She told him, shuddering at the memory still playing in her mind.

"I'll try to limit what you see." Hibiki shrugged.

Minako sat up and reached for Hibiki's hand, pulling him down onto the bed before wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes locked with his. "You really are alright though?" She asked him gently.

"Yes!" Hibiki sighed. "Tsunade helped to store a lot of the damage, so I'm even better now." He leaned his forehead against hers and smiled.

Minako smiled. "You wanna know one thing I will miss about the Leaf?"

"Hm?"

"No Yuudai." She giggled.

Hibiki chuckled. "Good point. You know what I'll miss?"

Minako shook her head. "No, what?"

"The familiarity, and the fact that you were able to enter into my life a little more." Hibiki murmured.

A light blush formed on Minako's cheeks as she closed her eyes. "I'm glad."

"Me too." Hibiki sighed. "You're wanting to sleep?"

Minako shrugged. "I do... but I can't take those dreams anymore... they keep getting worse and more and more like reality." she told him, a shiver traveling up her spine.

"Do you want to clear your mind?"

Minako nodded. "You have no idea..."

"You can come with me if you want, I was going to go to a certain place."

She titled her head slightly. "Where?"

"Nu-uh-uh! You'll have to wait and see!" Hibiki said and stood up quickly. "You might like it, and you might not. I find it a very good thinking place."

Minako laughed at Hibiki's sudden burst of energy. "Gee, act like that and I become curious."

"Hm?" Hibiki asked obliviously.

Minako shook her head as she jumped to her feet. "Just lead me there." She sighed with a small laugh.

Hibiki happily took her hand and embarked on the twenty minute journey. When they arrived at a beaten down old house with a field behind it. An oak tree stood old and gloomy in the front yard. "This is it." Hibiki stated.

Minako's eyes scanned the area. "W-Was this your old home?" She asked carefully.

Hibiki nodded, his eyes looking somberly ahead. "Dad built that swing for me." His hand lifted to point to a swing hanging from one of the oak's branches. "Although he thought it wa a waste of my time." He laughed quietly.

Minako studied Hibiki closely before looking back ahead. She didn't get why he seemed so happy on the way there but was now sad. She figured with the history, he wouldn't want to go anywhere near his old home.

"Moms garden was a lot more beautiful than." Hibiki turned to look at the bed full of weeds in front of the window beside the front door.

Minako looked up at Hibiki again, frowning. "Are you alright?"

Hibiki nodded. "I just miss them." He grabbed Minako's hand in his and smiled at her before leading her to the front door and opening it.

Minako walked along silently, looking around at the area; she had a slight feeling like she had been there before.

Hibiki motioned around to the room they were in. "This is the living room. My parents always had people over, they were loved by almost the entire village." He brought her down the hallway to there right, stopping at the first door on the left and opening it. "My parents room. It was always so dull, but they were hardly ever in it." He continued down and stopped at the door on their right. "My room." He smirked and pushed it open. Dust covered every inch. Blankets lay in disarray on his bed and toys were all over the floor. "Our house was left the way it was on that night. No one has mustered enough strength to come in and clean it. No one wants to buy it."

Minako looked up at Hibiki. "Do you wish to live here again?"

Hibiki shrugged before walking fully into the room. "It does hold a lot of memories. I definitely wouldn't want any one else living here." Hibiki shrugged. He let out a quiet sigh before moving to the bed and fixing the blankets. "I just wish I would've obeyed my mom more often."

Minako walked around the room, anazlying Hibiki's old belongings. Just looking around she could tell even back then he was an intellegent kid. She turned around to look at him again. "I'm sure she's proud of you, Hibiki." She whispered with a small smile.

Hibiki smiled back before leading Minako out of the room. He pointed down the hall, "The last door is just a spare bedroom. I hardly ever went down there as a kid." He led Minako back out to the living room and pulled her across the room. "Bathroom." He nodded his head to the door at the back of the room and stopped in front of the wall opening that led into the kitchen. He breathed in deeply. "The kitchen."

Minako tightened her grip on his hand. He stepped off the carpet and onto the tiled floor and sighed as he looked around at the mess created on that night. There was a small blood stain on the wall where the people who cleaned up the bodies and attempted to clean up the blood couldn't rub the blood out of the wallpaper.

Minako gasped, unable to stop herself. She looked up to Hibiki, she was beginning to think that he had, had a worse childhood than her.

"I've tried to clean up the mess, but I can't bring myself to do it." Hibiki let out a quick breath. He walked over to the tall cupboard and opened the door, staring at the spot on the shelf that had been cleared off for him to hide. "It's just so weird to think about. I had only come in for a glass of water, and mom was making supper. Mom heard something outside and looked out the window. We watched as dad was overpowered and then she just shoved me in this cupboard and told me to be silent." Hibiki sighed and closed the cupboard again. "But the past is the past, and I've done what I could."

Minako was unsure of what to say. She looked to the floor uncomfortably.

"There is a basement too, and an upstairs." Hibiki shrugged. "But I hardly ever go to either." Hibiki laughed gently and led Minako out of the kitchen. He sat down on the dusty couch and yawned. "I do miss it here, but at the same time, I don't."

Minako knelt in front of Hibiki and frowned at him. "What do you want to do then?" She asked him.

Hibiki shrugged. "What is there to do?"

Minako laughed. "I meant, do you want to live here again?"

Hibiki shrugged. "I don't know what it would be like."

Minako smiled gently. "If you ever want to, I won't say no."

Hibiki nodded and leaned forward to kiss Minako before hugging her. "I love you."

Minako blushed. "I-I love you too, but, why so sudden?" She laughed.

"Why not?"

Minako shrugged. "I dunno."

Hibiki laughed before kissing her again. "I do... you know."

She smiled again, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him close. "So, I guess you haven't gotten annoyed of me yet?" She laughed breathlessly as her head rested on his shoulder.

"Of course not." He whispered and hugged her tightly. "Why would I?"

She laughed. "I dunno." She let out a sigh before lifting her head to look at Hibiki again. "So, now what?"

"Whatever you want." Hibiki shrugged and smirked. "What is on your mind?"

Minako thought for a moment. "Nothing... now." She giggled.

"What were you thinking about then?" Hibiki asked and laughed.

She laughed. "Nothing." She smirked.

Hibiki stared blankly at Minako before shaking his head. "Do you want to head back or stay?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Whenever you're ready to go."

"Well, I'm not moving until you say you want to go." Hibiki laughed and sat back, pulling Minako onto his lap.

Minako smiled, cuddling against him. "Okay."

Minako couldn't help but to feel saddened as Hibiki and herself headed toward the gates of the Leaf Village. At the gates, Yama, Keiko, Satomi, and Kazuko, along with Tsunade waited for them. Kazuko approtched Minako with a smile.

"It's almost too bad you're leaving... I wanted to see what it'd be like to fight you."

Minako laughed. "You'd die."

Kazuko shook his head. "I'm pretty strong."

She laughed. "I'll have to find out one day."

Yama walked up to the two with his hand in Keiko's. "I can't thank you two enough for all you've done."

"And we can't thank you all enough for allowing us to come on this mission. And you, Tsunade for you help." Hibiki said and bowed his head quickly to the Hokage.

Tsunade smiled warmly. "I was very impressed with your work. The Kazekage was right about you two; you are definatly the best team I have witnessed in a long time."

Minako found herself blushing at the compliment.

"Thank you." Hibiki murmured.

"Hey monster!" Keiko said obnoxiously.

Minako's head snapped in Keiko's direction. "What?" She asked, her voice only slightly harsh.

"I'll miss you!" Keiko smiled gently and laughed.

Minako's face softened as she smiled weakly. "Thank you Keiko. I'd still like to test your real power." She laughed.

"I'd kick your butt." Keiko shrugged.

Minako smirked. "With your cocky adittude, I'd like to see you try."

Satomi quickly stepped in between the two and wrapped her arms around Minako. "I'm going to miss you so much!" She said, hiding the tears.

Minako tensed for a moment before carefully wrapping her arms around Satomi. "Y-Yeah... you too, Satomi." Minako laughed lightly.

Satomi laughed and stepped back. "Have a VERY safe trip back! And I hope we'll be able to see each other again

Minako nodded. "I'm sure we will." She turned and grinned up at Hibiki. "Right?"

Hibiki chuckled deeply. "Yes, indeed." He smirked. "And it'll be a lot sooner than you guys think." Hibiki stated.

Minako narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Yama nodded. "Yes, what do you mean, Hibiki?"

"Minako and I have decided that we may move into my old house." Hibiki announced.

Tsunade smiled. "I'd be hounered to have you two in the village."

Minako looked up at Hibiki, her face of shock. "You mean, you decided, already?" She laughed.

Yama sighed but laughed. "I'll have to watch Keiko even closer than I do now if that's the case."

Hibiki laughed at Yama's comment and went on. "Well, I'm thinking we can try it out, and if I can't handle it, I'm sure Yuudai will take us back... But we really need to leave his building before I go insane."

Minako laughed, hugging Hibiki. "Yuudai will be mad that we're leaving him there alone." She giggled.

"Well, he has been a very good friend, and if he begs, I might let him move in as well... that is, if you wouldn't mind it either."

Minako laughed. "My same rules apply with him. As long as he doesn't come onto me, or make me mad, I'm okay with him." She smiled up at Hibiki.

"I'd hurt him first if he did." Hibiki laughed.

"Well what are you two waiting for? Get your butts going and come back with your stuff A.S.A.P!" Satomi ushered the two out of the village gates.

"I'll have leaf headbands for you when you return." Tsunade called after them with a smile.

Minako turned to look at the group before grabbing Hibiki's hand. As the two began to walk away she said, "Thank you, Hibiki." a small blush formed on her face as she looked at the ground.

"What for?" Hibiki laughed.

"You really did save me... if it wasn't for you... I dunno how I would be right now. Maybe possibly worse than before... o-or... maybe I'd be dead."

"Let's just not think about that." Hibiki laughed and pulled Minako closer. "And it's mutual. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be still stuff in Hotaka's head games."

Minako grinned. "I love you."

Hibiki laughed softly before reaching over and kissing Minako once more.

Minako blushed. "So, ready to break the news to Yuudai?"she giggled.

"It'll be fun." Hibiki smiled.