My many thanks again to Nina and Sarcastic Script (or SS) for your comments and reviews. It was great hearing from you both and am very appreciative xxx

Chapter 6.

"Ao, we need you to keep still…"

"GO TO HELL!"

"If you do not keep still, we WILL restrain you again. So, it's your choice. Keep still for us to take a blood sample or we bind you." The nurse was strong, clear and certainly was taking no prisoners. Huffing loudly, Ao stopped fighting her off so should proceed to take as small sample of blood from his left arm. The last few times, the needles simply kept braking into his arm as he refused to stop moving and this meant she would then have to pin him down, call for assistance, get him strapped to the bed and then proceeded to remove the broken needles.

He had been in hospital for months now and his agitation and condition were worsening. Every day, he would be feverish, cough up blood and bile. He was unable to take solids and the fluids had to be given to him through a drip. Mentally, he seemed so different to the man he normally was. Extremely paranoid, at times even afraid and would confess his feelings of guilt over the past. If asked what he felt guilty about, he'd snap and lash out, getting him restrained again until he was calm.

Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru and Chōjūrō had arrived at the hospital later that evening so they could meet the doctors and nurses treating Ao. The three human leaf shinobi sported the most incredibly beautiful glasses, earning looks of wonder and curiosity from the staff there. Chōjūrō patted the inside of his tunic where he had put his own custom-made pair with pride. When the optician received more requests for his work so soon, she was only too happy to make them for the Mizukage and so worked hard to create the additional sets as quickly as possible. In less than two hours the glasses had arrived at each of the shinobi's rooms (including Chōjūrō's room), each with their owners name etched beautifully onto one side of the ear pieces.

As they were now off the main streets of Kirigakure and away from prying eyes, they all met each other in a large meeting room. The doctors and nurses seemed almost anxious to see them without their glasses and upon Hinata removing hers, saw the jaws of the entire medical team drop in astonishment.

"We had no idea…" said one doctor, clearing his throat and adjusting his tie. A nurse sitting to his right laughed and she hit him with her note pad.

"Sorry, Hinata-Sama. He means he, as we all do, had no idea how stunning your eyes would be. We've never seen a Hyuuga or the Byakugan before ourselves. Did you have any questions for us?"

Shino looked at the pretty medical-nin with black hair and brown eyes. She seemed to be good in spirits and not afraid to take control.

"Yes, please." Akamaru and Kiba both made a 'huh?' noise between them as they watched Shino place a finger around his collar and attempt to loosen it. "Miss, do you have any reports or files on the patient from the past, including any psychological notes?"

"Sadly, we do not have too many records from the past." She looked Shino straight in the eye and you could see the sadness in her face as she tried to explain. "In the time before, the 'Bloody Mist' refused to keep such documents and the idea of psychology here was banned. It is only recently that we've been able to gain experts who could teach us that area of medicine. Our ancestors believed only in curing the physical, and that was only because it was necessary. Many people thought the weak should die anyway. Thankfully, we've been able to help our patient Ao by noting down all knowledge we could get from those who knew him, but even that was limited."

She spoke to a junior doctor who she called Kiri. He had short, spiky, dark-coloured hair and still wore his Allied Shinobi Forces forehead protector upon his brow. Underneath his white lab coat you could make out the standard Kirigakure uniform of a light grey flak jacket with a dark, charcoaled coloured turtle neck long-sleeved top. He picked up a file from the desk in front of them and then walked over to the Konoha ninja with it, handed it to them and then went back to his seat.

Shino opened it and handed Hinata the relevant papers from it to read. After she had read them, she showed them to her friends (and she included Chōjūrō as a friend) and then asked the medical team further.

"You all did very well. This gives us a good idea of his character and well being in the past. Has he changed at all since the rejection of the implant?"

"Oh yes, greatly." Spoke Kiri.

"He has become … emotional since he came to our hospital. VERY out of his usual character for himself. It has been nearly 10 months now since he was admitted here and it seems that his emotions are taking more and more control over him. At times, he is aggressive and standoffish, the next, needing reassurance and apologising. It's the apologising that is most unlike him and worrying the Mizukage terribly." Chōjūrō nodded at the young male doctor's speech – it is not like the Ao he knew it all to show such a vulnerable part of himself to anyone.

"I see," Hinata said, nodding her head. "Together we will find out what is happening to the patient and do everything we can to help his recovery. Has anyone told him that another Byakugan user was coming?" Seeing the shock on the medical team's faces answered her question.

"That's okay though," Kiba chipped in. "If we handle the way in which we introduce ourselves, it could help us get to know his personality and condition better."

"Or cause more problems." Added the strong voice of the female senior doctor.

"That is a possibility." Shino commented. "It could though mean we get closer to means of treating him quicker. What do you think his chances are at the moment?" The senior doctor looked at the man in front of her and noticed unlike the other two ninja; he had still kept his shades on.

"You haven't removed your sunglasses."

"I don't." He said plainly, causing the konoichi to raise an eyebrow. "There are reasons for that. One being that my eyes are terribly sensitive to light."

"Aburame-Sama has been wearing eye protection from light for nearly his whole life." Kiba explained, earning a slow nod from the doctor though her expression had not changed.

"Doctor?" Asked Hinata and the doctor spun her head to face her.

"Hinata-Sama?"

"I think I should also tell you some details about the person who previously had the Byakugan. It would help perhaps determine just how much … his personality is being affected by it." By her, is what Hinata wanted to say. She remembered the woman well who now was gone. It made her sad to think about her. It made her angry to think she'd have to face the bloody killer who did it and not take a large spike and shove it through his own eyeball and out the back of his head. It made her feel like she would lose her aunt again to just to talk about her … BUT SHE MUST. It would help her ultimately in ensuring that she can later gain knowledge herself about what happened, where her aunt's body now was and giving back that woman at least some dignity back. That at least was a worthy reason to do this. She cleared her throat and begun.

"My aunt was a main branch member of the Hyuuga Clan. She was the only daughter of the Hyuuga Elder and possessed an independent streak which gave her father and brothers some concern. She was strong-willed, had a wicked sense of humour but a naturally talented medical nurse. Her bedside manner was 2nd to none and would care for her patients with a diligence and sense of duty that won her respect from both her village and her family. It was this that led to her waning presence with the Elders, who found her willingness to prioritise her patients over them extremely upsetting. "Hinata paused for a short moment to brace herself and then carried on as quickly as possible."It was said the day she went missing was a day when she had gone to gather medicinal herbs to help replenish those she had used personally to assist my sister after being born premature. My father, her brother, had told me that on the day he last saw her that she was seen by him crying over the grave of the mother… his wife and perhaps wanted an excuse to get away from home. He told me that she had shown anger at him seeing her, yelled at him before hugging and apologising him, promising to cook him and his brother a big meal when she got back."

Hinata exhaled at having got through saying the hardest part of what she had to say and at last felt a bit relieved. She smiled as she remembered her Aunt's notorious changes in moods. "She would often change her emotional state frequently. Only at work or in a most serious situation would she maintain calm. She would channel all her energy and emotion into her patients or for the sake of her loved ones. You could say she was a workaholic at heart. A very strong-minded yet kind woman. I hope this may be of some use to you all."

Some members of the medical team had written down what she said, others seemed to either be deep in thought or nodded in response , indicating its helpfulness.

"Hinata-Sama, this is indeed good information to have. I am very sorry for you and your family's loss however." The senior doctor stated. "This must have been an incredibly difficult mission to have accepted. Why did you choose to accept it? Other Hyuuga clan members surely could have come in your place and reduce your stress."

Hinata's expression remained stoic on her face – frozen. Kiba and Shino made sure they showed no show of worry or concern on their faces but Hinata could not help but notice the butterfly that had suddenly appeared in the room and landed on the table in front of her or underneath the table where they were sitting when Akamaru licked her hand that Kiba smirked and a low "Good boy, Akamaru" was said. She nearly burst out laughing! She counted to 10 at an even pace, thinking carefully about her reply before she spoke. She knew with friends like this she had nothing to fear.

"I choose to come for many reasons. Some of these, I am sure you already know and could argue I had no choice but I would say my main personal reason for being here is closure and respect."

The medics looked at each other smiling and it was when a very relieved looking pair of men looked at their companion that she realised she answered well.

"You've got guts," Chōjūrō said, smiling. "I think you've given our experts here some good information, Hinata-Sama. With your permission, I think we should discuss together what we should all do next."

They then discussed the current treatment Ao had received and then agreed to check on him together … they were all going to see Ao.

Together … they were all going to see Ao.

"So the Hyuuga has arrived and brought a little pair of groupies with her? Little slut." The voice said.

"Why the hell are we here? I thought you wanted to coll…" He was cut off by the voice again.

"I am here because this is a great way to divert attention away from me and what I am going to do. These idiots are perfect. Dumb, innocent and just screaming to be set up as bait."

"What do you plan to do?" He was curious as hell. They had spent over 20 days to get here because his partner felt the need to be nostalgic at certain landmarks and places.

"Watch and enjoy. My gift to you for sticking by me for so long." The voice relied and the two men (if you could call them that) trailed away from the air vent they had just crawled out of and down the fire escape of the hospital towards the ground below.