"Kiba!" She squealed as she lurched forward and threw her arms around his neck. She knew Kakashi would have questions but she felt so confused herself it was nice to see a friendly face. "Nice to see you too" came the muffled reply of her old friend "but would you mind giving me some air..." She released her arms from his neck and stood back to register the confusion on Kakashi's face and the apprehension on Kiba's. She shrugged and gestured them both indoors, knowing that each had a million questions. She slowly closed the door behind her and let her hand linger on the doorknob before turning to face the two of them. Taking a deep breath she looked from on to the other.

"Right. So. Kiba was sent a while ago and he found me, I begged him to to stay quiet and threatened that if he did tell anyone where I was I'd move again, but this time somewhere no one would ever find me. And then turns out as Kiba kept quiet my parents got Kakashi to come and find me and he's currently making me decide if I stay here or go back. So... Yeah..."

She stood there, arms hanging to her side looking from one to the other. She bit her lip nervously as no-one said anything and looked down as she twiddled her fingers. What felt like an age later she heard Kakshi clear his throat, she glanced up and saw him turn to Kiba. "What were you thinking? An official mission and you just decided to pretend that nothing happened? You lied, had her parents worried for months and then the waste of all the other teams' time that were sent out-" Hinata placed her hand on Kiba's shoulder and raised the other to stop Kakashi mid sentence.

"Do NOT talk to him like that. What was he meant to do exactly? He did a better job of convincing me to come home then you've done so far. He saw how I was not ready to face anyone back home. I convinced him that I may come back when I'm ready one day, but if my parents or anyone knew where I was they'd keep coming for me so I'd move again and again. At least this way someone knew where I was, were able to keep an eye on me and know that I'm safe and that way I was able to return when I want." She looked at Kakashi with a steely gaze, ready to leap to Kiba's defence should he try and reprimand him any further, but he just shrugged his shoulders and dropped onto the seat behind him.

The truth was Hintata was a mess when Kiba first found her. Not having found her job at the club yet she was living in a tiny room above a launderette as she left with practically nothing. The windows were always covered with the shop signs and the humidity from the dryers below made the air hot and thick. This was part of the reason she fell in love with her new apartment - the huge windows filled the rooms with light and the open plan made her feel free. At this point she'd been strong enough to leave, but that had taken everything she had, she just sat in her dark room and cried for hours. When Kiba knocked on the door she didn't know if she wanted to kiss him or strangle him, instead she staggered back and fell over a chair landing in a heap on the floor. Sitting there the shock subsided and then, for the first time in almost as long as she could remember, she smiled. Then slowly began to laugh - small and low at first changing into a loud belly laugh.

He didn't mention returning to the village for a day or so, not until he knew she could handle talking about it. Sitting in a coffee shop he placed his hands over hers and smiled. "So you know we all kinda miss you now. And it's a bit boring without you, and Shino just seems to be getting weirder by the day..." She looked down at the table and slowly shook her head. "I just can't" she whispered, her hair covering her face. He left it another day or so before asking again, then asked every day before he really had to leave a week later.

When he had to leave they agreed he'd come back in a month to check on how she was and see if she was ready to return. He stood in the door to her room, took her hands in his and looked her in the eyes "I just want you to be happy. You had the strength the leave, to come here and start a new life. Don't underestimate yourself." And he leant down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before turning and leaving. The room felt more empty than ever now he'd gone and she craved company to fill the void he'd left. So she went out, and that was the night she heard about the job at the club and the moment her life here turned a corner.

When he came back a month later he got the note she'd left for him in the launderette with her new address and as she threw her new door open to him she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist, hanging there slowly squeezing the air out of him. When she stood back he hardly recognised her, standing tall, hair back from her face looking elegant, confident and happy. During his monthly visits it began to get harder to suggest coming home as she seemed happier every time he went.

A few months later sitting in her place she grew curious, "how do you keep managing to leave but no-one notices you're gone?" In between stuffing his face with food he mumbled "Akamaru" before continuing to eat. She giggled then stood and moved to the open window, letting the warm breeze caress her skin and ruffle her hair, she turned back to him and smiled again. "Do you really need to go soon? I feel so lonely when you leave." He stopped eating and put his chopsticks down, "yup" he said swallowing the last of his food and standing to go and join her buy the window. She reached out and gave him a hug, wrapping her arms round his waist and burying her face into his chest. He stood and stroked her hair gently, just enough to comfort her. "You know where I am. I'll always keep coming back in the hope of bringing you back with me one day. Dammit I actually miss having you around. I mean, I've got no-one else to wind up with you gone..." He smirked and placed his chin on the top of her head. "But I want you to be happy, so if that means me coming back every month for the rest of my life then fine." She squeezed him tight as she could, and smiled as tears ran down her cheeks.

She stared at the two remaining links to her past both there side by side and despite herself she smiled, catching Kakashi's eye as she did so. "And what's so funny?" He asked, failing to see the funny side. She shook her head, still smiling to herself as she answered "well, it's just a really strange situation. Isn't it?" He looked at her with a bemused expression, but to be fair she did have a point. He drew a breath and made his way to the door "my offer still stands, take this afternoon to think and I'll see you tomorrow. Kiba, I think you should come with me. She needs to be alone."

She stood and looked at Kiba, then Kakashi, then back to Kiba. She tried to gesture that he should stay but he started moving to the door mouthing 'sorry' as he did. As the door closed behind them she was left again in total silence and it was times like this that she missed being home

Sorry for the delay in writing this one, I had loads of studies after the holidays and I ended up re-writing this chapter like a million times before publishing! Hope it's ok, although I'm really not sure where to take the Kiba thing yet as I like the Kakashi thing... Eek! But either way, it's going to hot up in the next few chapters and all will be answered promise. :)

Also I'm probably about halfway through(ish) so I just wanted so say a few thank you's to every everyone who's read, followed and favorited! Also your comments are so lovely and really make me want to get more out faster! i just want to thank YungHime who's been reviewing so kindly since the beginning. So massive thanks you's! :D Also xXYour DoomXx he didn't have his mask on in the club, I thought his eye was more if a give-away in this town! Also to agustine, Seraphina Dragon, ayameddina and Lucyole thank you for your comments!

hopefully a writing filled filled weekend so fingers crossed not too long to wait!

so - back to the story!