Naruto 1. Chapter 1 Prologue

Three dedications:

Shinigami29 – thanks for inspiring me to want to write my own multi-chapter story.

Chibiaddicted – your one-shot random pairing made me want to explore the concept further.

Gymchick - thanks a million for doing Beta. Your suggestions and editing certainly made a difference.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. No money changed hands. I just do this for the fun of it all. Enjoy.

**1-Prologue**

Kankuro stood on the viewing deck with mild disinterest displayed on his normally painted, impassive features. On the floor below, a battle was about to begin. As the two combatants took their positions, he coldly surveyed them both.

The delicate girl looked as though a stiff breeze could knock her down. Her fragile nervousness was a stark contrast to the stoic demeanor of the lanky arrogant boy across from her. She trembled with apprehensiveness as her opponent took her measure.

He mentally shook his head, _"This won't end well for her."_

He didn't care if she died. The girl was obviously weak – standing before her challenger quivering in terror. To survive in this world, you had to be strong – A lesson he and his siblings knew too well. The world had no place for a weak shinobi.

A blond boy called to her, shouting words of encouragement so loudly that there was no possible way for her to miss him. The change in the girl was startling. She stopped shaking. Stepping into fighting stance, she prepared to battle.

"_Shame she'll be crushed, she's actually quite attractive."_ Kankuro caught himself thinking, of the girl below.

It took a moment for the actual meaning of what he had just thought to sink in.

"_Wait! What am I thinking!"_

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Hinata watched her cousin take his place across from her. She was terrified at the thought of fighting him, and though she was trying hard not to let that fear show, she knew he could tell. He didn't need his all-knowing eyes to see that she was afraid. There was no lost love between her and Neji. The only comfort she received was the knowledge that her secret crush, Naruto, was loudly encouraging her to confront her fears head long rather than running away. She looked up to the viewing deck when he called out and found her eyes darting towards another figure there. He was strange looking in with kabuki make-up on his face and the shrouded puppet on his back. He scared her too, not in the same way as Neji that Neji did, but in a way that she couldn't put her finger on.

She had no time to dwell on that fleeting fancy. Her cousin's heckling comments brought her back to the present situation. She faced him with determination, a new-found fire burning in her eyes, ready to fight.

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Kankuro leaned forward, trying to not disclose his intrigue in the altercation unfolding below him to his brother and sister. Temari would only laugh and criticize him while Gaara would view this mild interest as a weakness that must be destroyed. He could not help but admire the sudden determination displayed on the girl's face. The loud mouthed boy's words must have awoken a fighting spirit in her. He could tell that she was still scared but she wasn't running away now – mentally or physically. He stepped away from the balcony edge shortly after she had briefly glanced in his direction. He was slightly unnerved by those silver eyes as they flickered over his form. He couldn't put a voice to why it disturbed him; it was an unknown sensation, almost like she could see right through him.

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The battle ended badly for the young girl. She was barely breathing and showed no signs of moving anytime soon. Her sensei was frantically calling for medics to attend to the prone girl. He was shocked at the sudden urge he felt to jump down into the arena and tear her cousin to pieces. How unexpected. He heard the commotion coming from the nearby balcony and watched the blonde boy jump down and confront the arrogant silver eyed cousin.

He breathed a silent sigh of relief, as the unexpected madness slowly died down inside of him.

He watched the arena being cleared of unnecessary personnel and refocused his thoughts on his brother's upcoming fight. Though he was certain Gaara would win, he didn't need to have his head filled with thoughts of some fey, silver-eyed girl he didn't even know.


	2. Chapter 2 The Accidental Meeting

Many Thanks to gymchick for doing the beta.

Disclaimer: I do not own naruto. Get leave me to write the next chapter, already! enjoy.

**The Accidental Meeting**

Kiba and Shino would arrive soon to train but for the moment she was alone.

She had gotten a lot stronger since the first Chunin exams so long ago, thanks mainly to the efforts of her team mates. The camaraderie between cell 8 remained strong and despite the fact they were almost constantly working they still found time to train together whenever time allowed.

Hinata stretched out in the training field amongst the tall grass, feeling the gentle breeze on her bare arms. It was nice to relax without worrying about the things she couldn't control for once. She tried not to dwell on the conversation she had with her father this morning. He was applying subtle pressure on her to start assuming clan leadership responsibilities and had started a list of eligible bachelors he felt were suitable for the Hyuuga Heir. Hinata sighed out loud. She understood that she needed to do what was right for the clan but yearned for the freedom to make her own decision in the matter.

Her thoughts strayed from her family issues to Shino and Kiba. She loved them both dearly but it was more in a sisterly way than anything and she'd given up her crush for Naruto years ago once she realized that he would never get over his obsession with Sakura.

She found herself sighing again, idly pushing her fingers together – a habit she had been unable to drop - deep in thought.

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Kankuro was not happy. His brother, the Kazekage, had sent him on a mission to the leaf village. He was supposed to deliver an important message to the fifth Hokage – so important that Gaara couldn't entrust it to anyone else. Kankuro sighed. His relationship with his siblings had changed a great deal since his first visit to Konoha during the first Chunin exam. But the changes were understandable, the Chunin exam had been a long time ago, and a lot had happened to the Sand Siblings since.

Thanks to Naruto's influence, Gaara was a completely different person and, Kankuro for one, was grateful that his silent brother had found a friend who understood him so well.

His brother and this mission was not the source of his unhappiness though. Just before his departure, he had inadvertently stumbled upon his sister and Shikamaru in one of the unoccupied rooms of the palace. It had been obvious to him that they had been lovers for a while, but that didn't make seeing them together any easier. Sometimes Kankuro really hated it when he was right. He had confronted her with his revelation the very same evening, which had only resulted in the two fighting until Temari stormed out of the room declaring that she hoped he died on his next mission. They hadn't spoken since.

He didn't hate her choice – Shikamaru was a good man, he was more upset with her decision to keep the relationship a secret from her family.

He argued that Gaara would give his blessing if they chose to formalize their relationship but Temari was adamant on keeping the liaison secret, saying that the council would never approve of her choice.

He felt frustrated with the whole situation but was unclear about what to do. He couldn't go behind Temari's back and inform Gaara, no matter how angry he may be at her. She needed to tell Gaara herself. He was almost relieved when he received the summons to go on a mission for the Kazekage.

He felt bad about lying to Gaara when he asked if something was bothering him but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He promised Temari. He couldn't betray her trust like that – a promise was a promise.

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His inner musings were disrupted by a slight noise in the nearby field. He was near the Konoha training grounds now and as a result was on alert for enemy ninja who would be foolish enough to try and intercept him.

He alighted to the nearest tree and quickly assessed the surrounding area and was relieved to find out that he was not being pursued.

The breath froze in his chest when his gaze caught on the source of the noise. The small woman lounging in the tall grass did not see him - he was thankful. It wasn't just any woman below, it was the woman who had drifted in and out of his dreams for months after his visit here. From his position high in the tree, he was able to gaze on her at leisure. She was dainty but she was oh so lovely, fragile like an orchid. Though he tried to contain it, he couldn't help but sigh with longing. He almost died of shock when the object of his musings sat up and glanced his way with familiar silver eyes.

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Hinata sat up quickly and looked around. She thought she had heard someone sigh.

She activated her Byakugan and quickly looked around the deserted training ground. She located the figure of a man with a bundle on his back high up in the tree nearby.

Hinata wasn't scared. Whoever it was just made a big mistake. She wasn't a timid little mouse anymore, and had no problem opening a can of whoop-ass on whoever was hiding in the tree.

"I know you're up there! Come out and show yourself!"

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"_Damn, damn, damn…"_

Kankuro was not planning on getting into a fight with anyone, especially not with a slip of a girl with big silver eyes. He didn't know how she figured out where he was so easily, but it was obvious that she was prepared to fight him.

He mentally slapped himself for his carelessness and prepared to alight out of the tree.

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The ninja came out of his hiding spot in the tree. He was huge and the kabuki makeup made him look even more intimidating... wait... kabuki makeup?

Hinata frowned at the man in front of her and noticed that the bundle on his back was a wrapped up puppet. Could this be?

"Kankuro? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

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Kankuro almost died of shock. It had been years since he'd seen her. How could she remember him of all people?

He was about to answer her when a large dog snarled behind him. But that was the least of his problems! A cloud of Kikaichu bugs swarmed menacingly in front of him. Either way he went, it would result in a fight.

It seemed that reinforcements had arrived.


	3. Chapter 3 The message

Thanks to the brilliant gymchick for her beta work on this chapter!

Disclaimer: You know the drill.. I don't own Naruto, so don't sue. I'll keep right on churning out another chapter, shall I?

Enjoy!

**Chapter 3 - The Message**

"What are you doing here! Hinata, are you okay?" The tattooed man snarled. His rather large dog did the same – the snarling that is.

The Kikaichu buzzed angrily in his face, the other man's way of asking the same thing.

"Shino! Kiba! Give him some space!"

The two young men looked back at the diminutive woman with the snapping luminescent eyes sheepishly and quickly did what she said.

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Kankuro was dismayed. He couldn't believe that these two guys could be brought to heel by a mere slip of a woman. Was this the same girl who was scared of her own shadow a few years ago? He was having trouble coming to grips with the reality that she really was the same person. Shino looked a little chagrinned and Kiba slightly embarrassed from the mild admonition. Kankuro inwardly sighed and decided to put the two young shinobis out of their internal misery.

"I need to go to the Hokage's office to deliver a message." He said. The looks on their faces didn't change at all, and so he added as an afterthought: "From the Kazekage."

Kankuro glanced at Hinata and was surprised to see mild disappointment flit across her face.

"Interesting", thought Kankuro. A part of him was curious about why she would be saddened at the thought of him being in Konoha on official business.

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The members of Cell 8 offered to deliver Kankuro to the Fifth Hokage's office. Shino and Kiba were acting a lot friendlier towards to the sand ninja once he had stated his purpose for being there.

Hinata was still calling herself all kinds of fool in her head. She didn't know why she felt so despondent over the thought that Kankuro was here on a mission for the Kazekage.

"It's not as though he's here to see me…"

Hinata stopped suddenly… How could she even think that?

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Shino and Kiba escorted the Sand shinobi to the Hokage. Shino glanced over at Kiba and raised one eyebrow behind his glasses. Kiba shrugged in response. They were both trying to decipher Hinata's odd behavior. She never snapped at them… ever! It was intriguing that she would do so in defense of a strange ninja, especially the brother of the Kazekage.

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Hinata finally caught up with Shino and Kiba outside the office of the Fifth Hokage.

Her team mates smiled broadly as they waved her over to their bench.

They were told to wait outside for Kankuro until he had concluded his business.

Shino frowned at Kiba and nodded his head imperceptibly towards Hinata's direction. Kiba frowned back at his friend and cleared his throat slightly.

"Hinata, he didn't do anything to you while you were waiting for us, did he?" asked Kiba.

Hinata groaned inwardly. She was hoping these two wouldn't notice that she had been affected by the Sand Ninja's presence. She should have known better with Kiba and Shino.

How could she explain to her dearest friends that Kankuro disturbed her on a level that she herself had never felt before?

The black outfit and make-up should have terrified her, and yet – she had these dark thoughts seep into the recesses of her mind, making her curious to see the man underneath the disguise.

She heard a soft buzzing… Shino's bugs were getting restless waiting for her reply.

"No, no… he didn't do anything wrong. He had just arrived shortly before you two." Hinata quickly assured her two team mates.

A dark thought flittered in her head "I wish he had though…"

Shino and Kiba were puzzled at the sudden blush on Hinata's face.

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The fifth Hokage looked up from the scroll and gazed at the young ninja sitting across from her, a single eyebrow raised in surprise. The Kazekage had given him a delicate mission indeed. Kankuro frowned slightly at the Hokage. He hated being confused and unsure of the situation, and right now, he was defiantly feeling out of his element.

"Kankuro, the Kazekage requests that you stay here and investigate reports he has been receiving regarding sightings of an unidentified leaf ninja traveling to and from the sand village for the past six months."

Kankuro tried not to allow his thoughts show on his face. _"Stupid Temari!"_ He inwardly groaned, _"You should have realized that Gaara would notice something like this…"_

Kankuro diverted his attention back towards the Fifth Hokage because she was still talking…

"He doesn't feel that this ninja is a threat to our villages but urges discretion to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion."

Kankuro groaned inwardly again. He knew what that meant… he was going to be here for a while until this mess got sorted out.


	4. Chapter 4 Arrangements must be made

Disclaimer: You know the drill… I don't own Naruto - that Japanese Genius Kishimoto does. I may need to bump up the rating later… I will keep you posted as the story progresses. Read and Review if you wish.

Gymchick: great job with the Beta! Thanks a million!

To potential flamers: Flame all you want… all criticism is good criticism as far as I am concerned… enjoy.

**Arrangements must be made**

The fifth Hokage glanced over at Kankuro. He had been strangely contemplative for the last fifteen minutes, especially after she had relayed the second part of the scroll's contents to the Sand Shinobi. Her gut feeling was telling her that the puppeteer knew a lot more about this situation than he was letting on but she knew better than to pry into something that suspiciously smacked of a familial matter. She just hoped that Kankuro could get it cleared up before it escalated into something serious.

"Kazekage, you brat-child… what have you signed me up for?" fumed the Fifth Hokage to herself.

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Kankuro was nervous but years of training and hiding behind the Kabuki make up held him in good stead. He had a fleeting thought that the Fifth Hokage knew that she was being asked to intervene in a family matter but the moment passed. Tsunade let off from her scrutiny of Kankuro and stood up. "Bah! I won't be getting any hints from this one!" She thought, sighing deeply.

The puppeteer jumped at the sigh.

"Hokage - is there a problem with the request?" He asked.

Tsunade quickly waved off the concern. "No, not at all…" assured the Fifth Hokage. "We'll send a message off to the Kazekage to assure him that he has our full cooperation in this matter."

The Hokage turned away from the sand shinobi and gazed out the window, deep in thought.

Tsunade turned back to the sand ninja seated before her. He had not moved from his position during the entire time he had been in this office… yes, it seemed that the Kazekage had indeed proven himself to be a wise leader and had chosen the best person for this particular mission.

"Kankuro, your Kazekage does not want anyone to know the true nature of your mission and has given you a cover to explain your presence in the village."

Now Kankuro was deeply nervous…

"What's my reason for being here?" asked the puppeteer, already dreading the Hokage's answer.

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The door opened to the Hokage's office and Tsunade herself popped her head out.

"Good! You're all still here!" She exclaimed, spying cell 8 still sitting on the bench.

The three jumped a little at the summons. The Fifth Hokage and the Sand ninja had been in the office for a long time now and they were beginning to think that Tsunade had forgotten about them.

"I have a job for you three… I need you to take Kankuro to the inn and get him settled then I need you to show him around the village. He's going to be here for a while."

Kiba looked at Shino with shock… They were both thinking the same thing. "What the hell is going on?"

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Kankuro was still in shock from the interview with the Hokage but no one could pick up on his mood just by looking at him.

He wasn't happy with the cover he was forced to take but he admired his brother's quick thinking. No one would question his motives with that story and he would be free to move about the village.

The puppeteer followed cell ten through the village to the inn. Kankuro was trying not to watch Hinata's hips swish from side to side in an enticing manner – but it was hard.

_Why had he decided to walk behind her? Why not one of the guys?_

If he were behind one of them he definitely would not be staring at their behinds!

He was surprised at how different she looked, but it was a pleasant surprise and he wasn't disappointed with those changes. She was pretty before but now… Kankuro groaned inwardly.

This was not good… he couldn't be attracted to her, could he?

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Hinata could feel eyes on her… She activated her Byakugan under her breath and got the shock of her life!

Her quiet gasp alerted her team mates causing her to quickly disengage her Byakugan before they caught her spying on their guest.

"Something wrong, Hinata?" asked Shino.

"N-no… nothing." stuttered Hinata with a half smile to her lips.

No way was she going to tell Shino and Kiba that Kankuro was checking out her behind. She can only imagine their reaction to that particular gem.

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Shino and Kiba had left Kankuro at the inn and promised to meet up with him later.

Hinata was left in charge of making sure that the puppeteer got settled into his room.

Her team mates had been reluctant to leave her alone with the dangerous looking ninja but she was able to assure them that she would be fine.

She was secretly glad that Shino and Kiba had not pressed the issue further. She did not want them to see that she really did like the sand shinobi more than she was letting on.

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Shino and Kiba walked through the village in companionable silence, which was a rarity for the beastly one.

Kiba stopped suddenly and faced Shino. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing – leaving her with the puppet freak?"

"Yes. Stop worrying." Replied Shino. He was always quite the conversationalist.

"Hinata needs someone strong and she's attracted to Kankuro." Shino made to walk off but Kiba caught his arm, deep concern showing on his face. "How do you know this, Shino?"

Shino offered his dear friend a rare small smile and continued to walk off without Kiba.

"My Kikaichuu caught them checking each other out."

Kiba gazed down at his big dog with a stunned look on his features, Shino's gentle chuckle still echoing in his ears. This had to be serious – Shino didn't chuckle that often and when he did…

Kiba watched his friend's figure disappear further down the road and slowly out of view. He couldn't shake off the apprehension that the Hyuuga clan would not be best pleased with his friends' choice, especially Hiashi and Neji.

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"_My father and Neji would be annoyed with me if they found out about this…"_

Hinata thought, a little chagrinned with her actions.

She didn't know why she was still sitting on one of the beds in his hotel room, waiting for the puppeteer to emerge from the bathroom.

She was planning to leave him at his door to get ready for dinner and come back for him later… but he asked her to wait for him.

It was such a softly worded invitation… she almost didn't hear it.

And yet… she agreed to come into his room and wait.

She stretched out on the bed and watched the bathroom door.

Yawning, she found herself drifting off to sleep… thoughts of a certain sand shinobi in her head.

Forbidden thoughts…

"_Bad, Hinata, Bad…"_

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Kankuro was calling himself all kinds of fool right now. He had locked himself in the bathroom with the excuse of having to freshen up for dinner but truth be told, he needed to get his raging hormones under control.

It was crazy… the woman didn't look like anything special, but he had been fighting a losing battle trying to keep his lust under control since he first encountered her earlier. It was puzzling… he'd never had an instantaneous attraction to someone before…

He had been standing under the cold shower for half an hour now but it wasn't helping.

Kankuro sighed deeply. He couldn't stay holed up in here forever.

Then, he heard her scream and all hell broke loose…

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Hinata woke up to a darkened room and a blush firmly attached to her cheeks. She had been dreaming of kisses… lots of kisses and a certain sand shinobi…

It was a lot later than she thought. _I must have been asleep for awhile…_

She stretched her arms above her head, looking drowsily around for her jacket – those thoughts still swirling in her mind…

Then her silver eyes caught sight of the figure on the bed... without a thought of the consequences, she opened her mouth and screamed in terror.

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Three things happened in quick succession…

The bathroom door was wrenched open and flung back in haste, she found herself being wrapped up in something hard and very male and… her back was unaccountably wet…

Hinata closed her eyes in mortification… her cheeks now a flaming scarlet.

The light coming from the bathroom revealed the shrouded interloper on the nearby bed to be Kankuro's puppet, Karasu.

"Are you okay?" A voice whispered in her ear.

Hinata's eyes snapped open in shock and looked down at the muscular arms and long tapered fingers snaked around her waist… she was incapable of answering even if she tried…

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She was so deathly quiet… Kankuro was perplexed. She still hadn't answered his question.

He looked down on her and swallowed. She had removed her jacket, leaving her clad in a small top and him having a hard time keeping his thoughts together.

He had to admit that the view from his vantage point was _spectacular!_

Kankuro inhaled shallow breaths, trying to calm down his overactive imagination.

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_He was hard everywhere…_

Hinata struggled to curb her chaotic emotions and somehow managed to finally answer the silent man behind her.

"I-I'm fine… just being silly. I forgot that you put your puppet on the spare bed and it scared me…"

Kankuro studied the scene in silence and turned the young woman to face him.

He was a little abashed that she would be frightened of Karasu but felt the need to reassure her that she had nothing to fear from his mute associate… or from him.

Well – that was the initial plan… then she touched his face.

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_This is better than any fantasy I could have dreamed up…_

Hinata gazed at the enormous wall of muscular chest before her… there was so much of it… _How come I never noticed this previously? He's huge!_

Hinata lamented to herself… She should not be harboring such sentiments for someone like him. Her palms were clammy. She was fighting the urge to want to run her fingers over that chest and explore him at her convenience.

_Foolish Hinata… _a tiny voice whispered in her sub-conscious… _no good will come of these fancies of yours…_

The voice was right as per usual but still… she couldn't resist wanting to do one thing before she ceased this madness and stepped away from the formidable looking puppeteer… contemplating her in solitude, clad in kabuki make up and a towel.

She touched his face…

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_She's touching me!_

Kankuro placed one of his larger hands on top of hers and closed his eyes briefly…

He lamented privately that he wished the situation wasn't so unwieldy without adding his own complications into the mix.

It felt so good… so right and yet, he needed to keep himself focused on the real reason he was here…

"Hinata… you should probably go now… before I do something we both may regret."

He cursed under his breath… she looked crushed and he was to blame…

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Hinata was devastated by his words but understood the cold logic behind them.

A deep sigh tore through her soul… _He's right… my father wouldn't be happy with me if I had done something ludicrous… like succumb to the urge to see if his lips are as kissable as they seem..._

Hinata removed her hand from the sand ninja's face and stepped away from him.

She snatched up her jacket and quickly walked over to the door.

She was about to leave when she heard a softly spoken inquiry drift out from the darkness…

"Will I see you tonight… with your team mates?"

Hinata closed her luminescent eyes briefly and let her forehead rest on slightly a jarred door.

She gazed back at the figure hidden in the shadows and gifted him with a soft smile.

"Yes…" she said and swiftly exited the room before she did something foolish and acted on those emotions swirling like a dark mist inside her…


	5. Chapter 5 Unforeseen Complications

A/N - big thanks to gymchick for doing the beta on the chapter. Enjoy. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I just enjoy writing this for your reading pleasure.

**Unforeseen Complications**

Kankuro studied the door as it closed quietly behind her, his mind in complete disarray. He was the brother of the _current_ Kazekage and the _son _of the previous one – yet, here he was, falling victim to this annoying and sudden attention to a girl he barely knew!

A girl who scarcely survived a thrashing at their last meeting!

Kankuro gazed blindly towards the ceiling. Relationships were complicated things…

He need only to look at his own family to prove that!

The puppeteer sighed heavily - he really didn't know how best to ease into some sort of romantic interlude with the silvered eyed lass.

"_Do I really want that?"_ chided a voice in the back of his mind.

He considered the notion, briefly dwelling on his sister's present circumstances.

He definitely didn't want to resort to sneaking around just to spend time with her if he could avoid it.

Kankuro sat down on the bed next to Karasu, almost willing his constant traveling companion to suddenly animate itself and spill forth some wise and judicious advice.

Still lost in thought, the sand shinobi glanced at the clock on the wall and quickly scrambled to his feet. He needed to get ready… fast! It was nearly time to meet Hinata's team-mates outside the front door of the inn.

As he ran about the room getting ready, he just had an unexpected thought…

"_Maybe I should start by asking the people who know her best…"_

It was worth a shot.

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Hinata kept running until she reached the outskirts of the Hyuuga compound. She was sweaty and breathing heavily by the time she arrived, and desperately needed a shower she knew she wouldn't have time for - it couldn't be helped… she was late enough as it is.

She knew that her father would be wearing out the floor boards pacing as he wondered why she'd yet to make an appearance. She didn't need to resort to activating her Byakugan to know that her cousin, Neji was impatiently waiting for her arrival as well.

They had been on friendlier terms since their first Chunin exams all those years ago, thanks largely to a certain blonde boy's influence but Neji was a stickler as far as his responsibilities to the clan went. You know what they say though, the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Hinata sighed under her breath as she reached the front door. She had just barely touched the handle when the door jerked open and empty space behind it was filled with the visage of a worried Neji.

"Hinata! - Quickly… you need to come in and get dressed! Your father is waiting to see you in the study."

Hinata was alerted to the urgency in Neji's voice. "What's wrong, Neji?"

He paused briefly to contemplate the matter.

"I'm not sure. A messenger from the Hokage arrived half an hour ago. After that, your father requested your presence in his study, properly attired. He didn't give me a reason."

Neji scowled. _"Not that he ever does…"_

Hinata couldn't help but cringe… formal attire was never good news.

She gave her cousin a look of resignation and murmured in a tired voice, "Lead the way, Neji."

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Neji was waiting outside when she exited her room, ready to take her to see her father. She noticed that he too was dressed in formal clan attire. Hinata gnashed her teeth in frustration and groaned quietly to herself. "Neji, too?" she thought "Not good…"

A servant escorted the pair to the entrance of the study, where they waited for the head of the Hyuuga family to give them permission to enter.

"Come in." A familiar voice drifted through the cracked door.

This was it. Hinata braced herself mentally and tried to stop quivering. After all these years, she still thought her father was a scary man.

"Stop shaking… we'll be fine." her cousin growled.

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Neji and Hinata sat down in front of the Hyuuga clan leader and waited.

Hiashi mercifully got straight to the point.

"Hinata – as I am sure you're aware, I have received a message from the Hokage. I understand that the Kazekage's brother is in town and your team is in charge of his welfare for the duration of his visit."

She knew her father didn't expect an answer - it was a statement, not a question. She kept her silence and waited for him to continue.

"Neji is to accompany you and your team members while you escort this… Kankuro, is it? - around the village."

"F-father, that won't be necessary. As always, I will be fine with Shino and Kiba."

Hiashi frowned at his eldest daughter, pinning her with one of his infamous steely gazes.

"The Hokage has sent advance notice to all the clans with eligible daughters – it seems that the boy is on the hunt for a wife." He cleared his throat for emphasis.

"She hopes that we will treat the brother of the Kazekage with the respect and courtesy due to a personal guest of the Hokage while he enjoys the hospitality of our village."

Hinata could tell that her father was not happy having the interloper from the sand village hanging around the area.

She stared at him blankly, not clear why he was so greatly displeased. It did not take long, however to discover what was on her father's mind…

"I will not have my heir wandering around without proper protection in his presence!" He shouted, slamming a fist down on the table.

"Encouraging the possibility of a union to someone like him would not – and will never be - in the best interests of the clan."

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Neji escorted his cousin out of the study. He was concerned. She had been markedly more quiet than usual (if that was possible) after the Hyuuga leader had gone over his expectations for his heir.

Neji looked over at Hinata who seemed to be too lost in her own thoughts to notice his concerned glance.

"_Maybe she's finally coming to some form of resolution regarding her clan responsibilities."_ Neji thought, but what came out of his mouth was more along the lines of:

"Come on, Hinata. We need to get to the inn and escort Kankuro to dinner."

Nodding absentmindedly, she stepped up her pace to walk slightly ahead of him. Neji was glad that she had too; otherwise she may have noticed the small smirk that appeared on his face.

"_About time!"_

----------------------------

Hinata was in shock. The last few minutes blurred haphazardly through her mind as her cousin hastened her out of the house.

She didn't know why she even felt shocked! After all, why should she care that someone who was essentially a stranger was looking for a bride from an eligible family? It wasn't like it was anything new…

Whether to bring peace to two nations, or appease an overdue debt – marriages like this happened all the time.

"_It's not as though you actually like him… You just think he's got a hot body!_" Whispered that naughty little voice in her head.

She felt her face burn up at the image of a wet Kankuro flashing through her mind, and was suddenly very glad that she had decided to walk ahead of Neji.

She sighed silently to herself… "_That's the problem…" _whispered that insidious little voice again _"maybe you care for him more than you're letting on…"_

Hinata was mercifully thankful that the walk to the inn with Neji was done in companionable silence. She was not ready to voice her feelings about the sand shinobi to anyone just yet; much less her cousin.

Even if she been comfortable telling him, she didn't have a clue how to explain it all - she was still too confused about what she actually felt for Kankuro.

Neji watched his young cousin with hooded eyes. He was used to her prolonged bouts of silence but he couldn't help but think that Hinata seemed to be brooding over something.

It was an intriguing notion.

He was just hoping that she wasn't planning to do something foolish again.

The clan would not be as forgiving to the Hyuuga Heir if she had another lapse in judgment.

---------------------------

Meanwhile, Kankuro was meeting some resistance from the direction of Hinata's overly-protective colleagues. It seemed that he wouldn't be getting any insight regarding the kunoichi anytime soon.

Not that he would ever under-estimate these two particular individuals, having seen them fight on previous occasions.

He was beginning to regret leaving Karasu in his room and was relieved that the kabuki make up disguised his expressive features.

The sand shinobi groaned under his breath… He had never been particularly good with chit-chat…. And he did not want to be seen at a disadvantage in front of these two.

The empty space between the three ninjas stretched on… slowly replaced with brooding looks of speculation between the men.

A staring contest, it seemed had now commenced in earnest.

--------------------------

Neji and Hinata could finally see the entrance of the inn up ahead and was not surprised to see her friends sizing up the puppeteer.

_Damn their over-protective hides!_ Hinata fumed. _She was more than capable of looking out for herself!_

She found herself mildly disappointed that Kankuro was wearing his signature cat hood.

_He has such beautiful hair… _sighed that little voice.

Hinata was feeling unexpectedly breathless and stopped momentarily to gather her thoughts.

She could feel Neji's mild annoyance at her inability to keep up the brisk pace.

Her father had been adamant about her wearing a kimono this evening making her idea of a brisk pace more of a slow walk than anything.

_As if he had any idea how difficult it was to walk quickly – or walk at all for that matter – hampered by all the heavy skirts… _Hinata shuddered slightly at the thought of Neji in a kimono.

Maybe it was a good thing he didn't understand…

She groaned inwardly… the guys were not going to be thrilled when they saw Neji.

Despite all the patching up that had gone on in recent years, there was no love lost between her cousin and her team-mates for a couple of reasons.

"_I'm definitely not going there!"_ Hinata thought as they drew nearer. She was not about to open up old wounds – especially when her friends' pain was caused by Neji in the first place.

Her colleagues felt she was too soft in some ways but secretly, she always felt that was one of the things her friends admired about her the most.

Just because she had forgiven Neji for past wrongs, did not mean that Shino and Kiba were so inclined to be lenient… especially Shino.

She mentally slapped herself, _"I thought we agreed to not go there, Hinata!"_

Certain things were still fresh in the Kikaichuu master's head that could not be forgotten or forgiven…

Hinata shuddered. This time she meant it – she was stopping this train of thought now, the last thing she needed was to be cringing all through dinner because she was thinking about _that_.

She glanced towards her comrades with a look of entreaty, hoping they hadn't noticed her companion yet.

Hinata had a feeling that tonight was not going to end well.

------------------------------

The staring contest was still very much in effect amongst the three ninja. They were still taking each other's measure, when the large dog next to the tattooed man started barking wildly, its hairy tail pounding the ground excitedly.

Kiba looked down at Akamaru listening intently to what his canine companion had to say.

He addressed Shino and Kankuro with a broad smile on his face.

"Akamaru says that Hinata will be here soon…"

It seemed the mood between the three men had lightened considerably at the welcome news… even the Kikaichuu master seemed to be smiling behind his collar and glasses.

Kankuro couldn't help but think that these two cared for their friend deeply.

Then the massive dog did something strange… and Kiba looked at his hairy associate with an angry frown prominent on his features.

Akamaru was snapping his jaws rapidly and growling in a menacing way.

Kiba put his hand on his colleague's arm, as though as to brace him for some bad news.

The sand shinobi grimaced beneath his makeup. Whatever that monster of a dog had told his master; he thought swiftly, it was not going to be welcome news for the bug wielder.

Kankuro averted his attention back to Kiba as he spoke directly to Shino in a cautious tone.

"Akamaru says that Hinata's not alone… Neji's with her."

To the kikaichuu master's credit, he did not reveal outwardly how he felt about that obviously unwelcome bit of news. But then again, he had never been a very emotional person.

The destruction bugs, however, were quite vocal about their feelings for this new player.

They buzzed out in a cloud, hissing angrily before disappearing back under Shino's cloak, still highly agitated.

The puppeteer couldn't recall whom Neji was in relation to Hinata but it was clear to him these two weren't too fond of him.

Kankuro didn't want to speculate in great detail on what had happened to cause so much bad blood… whatever it was - it was obvious that Shino still haven't forgiven him.

-----------------------

Shino wasn't pleased to see the branch member of the Hyuuga household heading towards the group. He did manage to calm down his kikaichuu bugs and shrug off his friend's arm before the new arrival could see that he was upset by his appearance on the scene.

He raised his eyebrow behind his glasses to Kiba.

"_Something is up… the Hyuuga Clan is sending a clear message to their guest that he isn't welcome."_ mused Shino.

Kiba returned his friend's glance and dropped his hand down onto Akamaru's head.

Both men looked over at the sand shinobi with new respect for the puppeteer in their eyes.

Anyone who can get Hiashi Hyuuga to call out the reinforcements on his first night earned their admiration.

------------------

Kankuro watched the unspoken conversation unfold between the two young ninja.

It seems that he had done something impressive to earn their respect, but for the life of him, he didn't know what it was.

The sand shinobi also got the funny feeling that these two were also trying to warn him about the man approaching them.

Kankuro returned the leaf ninja's combined glance with a small smirk on his face.

_They're warning me that there may be trouble… great!_ The puppeteer grinned. He wasn't worried… he had come down prepared.

As if by mutual agreement, the three shinobi turned toward the village road, presenting a united front.

The puppeteer couldn't help but think that he had inadvertently stepped in the thick of it.

"_I can already hear Gaara laughing…"_ Kankuro thought, mentally sighing as he pictured his brother reading the report from tonight.

All he was doing was eating with four – well, really three – shinobi who looked ready to tear each other apart the minute Hinata turned her back.

Shino and Kiba continued to glare at an approaching Neji, who having caught sight of their glares, was giving them the same treatment. 

Yes – it was certainly going to be an interesting night.


	6. Chapter 6 the dinner guest from Hell

A/N – Thanks as always to gymchick for doing the beta on the new chapter.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You know the drill… I do not own Naruto – leave me in peace to write the next chapter, already!

**The Dinner Guest from Hell**

Hinata took a deep breath and pasted a bright smile on her face. No way was she going to let her friends in on the fact that she was miserable with her father's decision to have Neji tag along.

She raised her hand to wave at the group in front of the inn and was relieved to see Kiba return her greeting.

She noticed earlier that Shino had stiffened slightly when he had initially noted the presence of the other Hyuuga behind her.

Hinata sighed deeply to herself. She hoped that Neji wasn't spoiling for a fight this evening – her friend certainly looked as though he would be more than happy to accommodate him.

--------------------

Kankuro watched the young woman clad in the decorative kimono raise her hand to wave a greeting to her colleagues, a bright smile illuminating her delicate features.

_She looks beautiful!_ Sighed a small voice inside him breathlessly.

He was momentarily taken aback by another emotion riding swiftly on the heels of his admiration… it was jealousy!

He felt a little stab of shame at this thought.

The Sand Shinobi quickly looked over at his companions. He was hoping that they hadn't noticed him holding his breath while his eyes drank in the sight of their team-mate.

His eyes returned back to the figures walking up to them – just in time to see his favorite of the two, trip slightly on the hem of her kimono.

He sucked in his breath quickly and grabbed her small hand flailing at her side.

He managed to steady the petite woman but did not immediately release his grasp.

"Are you okay?" asked Kankuro, trying to mask the concern in his voice by laughing slightly. Needless to say, he was pretty sure it didn't work.

Hinata didn't answer him. She felt all tongued-tied and like she was burning up with embarrassment. She looked down at her hand swiftly.

It was no trick of her imagination… he really was holding her hand.

"You can release her hand now…" growled a low, furious voice.

He found himself facing a bristling male with identical luminescent silver eyes like Hinata's …

_Not good… very not good._

-------------------

Kikaichu bugs buzzed ominously nearby. Hinata didn't need to even look at Shino to know that he was annoyed, but did anyways.

It didn't take a genius to figure out with whom her friend was annoyed… it certainly wasn't the puppeteer he was directing his gaze towards.

She quickly dropped Kankuro's hand and quickly assured the waiting group that she was indeed fine.

Hinata felt the sudden urge for the ground to open up and swallow her up… All this brooding male company was making her nervous. She could feel they were all spoiling for an excuse to get into a brawl. Even the puppeteer looked like he would be more than happy to introduce his foot to the backside of her cousin.

Hinata cringed inwardly… "_Father would be furious with me if that happened. He'd say it was my entire fault!"_

She needed to take charge of the situation before it escalated into a free-for-all.

"Kiba! I'm starving! Where are we going to eat?"

------------------

Kankuro was annoyed that the clan babysitter was joining them for dinner. He refused to think of the interloper in any other terms.

It was obvious that he was being given a loud and clear warning from her clan to stay away. He still wasn't sure what he'd done to warrant this type of attention though.

The puppeteer looked over at Hinata's colleagues. They didn't look too thrilled with her choice of dinner companion either… especially Shino.

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on here… It wasn't anything concrete that he could put his finger on right now but it was there. He was a puppeteer – he knew when people were pulling strings in the background!

He was relieved to hear Hinata ask Kiba where they were eating…

_A diversion! Good idea... you can certainly cut the tension with a knife right now!_

Maybe the leaf ninjas' earlier non-verbal suggestion to be on his guard wasn't so foolish after all!

Kankuro diverted his attention back to the waiting group.

_Yeah, food would be good…_

He offered his companions a little shrug. "Let's go. Kiba - lead the way."

--------------------

They somehow managed to get to the restaurant relatively unscathed… if you could call this place a restaurant.

It was cozy and looked surprisingly clean… and it boasted that it served the best Ramen in town.

The babysitter didn't look too happy about the choice though. He looked like he would rather eat roofing nails than Ramen.

Kiba looked a little sheepish and was rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

"We don't have to eat here if you have another place in mind… sorry."

Kankuro was fine with the choice.

_Hell! He didn't care where they ate at this point._

"_As long as it's got food!"_ thought Kankuro.

Despite his obvious hunger (his growling stomach proved that) he wasn't too sure if he would be able to eat anything right now… his stomach was all tied up in knots for some reason. And needless to say he wasn't very happy about the sensation.

He looked over at the other members of the group.

Shino looked indifferent to the choice but Hinata… she looked delighted!

He liked seeing her smile – it lit up her entire countenance, heck it lit up the entire room! He caught himself thinking that she was beautiful when she smiled like that.

_It's decided then! _

"This place is fine." He heard himself say.

Kankuro groaned inwardly. He could feel a set of eyes trying to bore holes into the back of his head.

He didn't need to turn around to figure out the source.

---------------------

They were seated towards the back of the restaurant, close to a window so Akamaru could still keep an eye on them and Shino could release his Kikaichu to roam outside.

Kankuro got the impression that this was cell 8's usual table of choice.

A look of distaste quickly flashed across the silver-eyed man's face when Shino let his beloved destruction beetles loose into the evening air.

The sand shinobi smirked to himself. _"It seems the babysitter's squeamish around bugs… interesting."_

Kankuro glanced over to the kikaichu wielder. He could feel the animosity coming off him in waves… almost as though he was daring the silver-eyed man to comment.

Hinata nervously eyed the two combatants in this battle of wills.

"Neji, w-why don't you sit over here – beside me?" suggested Hinata in an effort to be peacekeeper.

"_Great… I have to sit next to this jerk!"_ Thought Kankuro, ungraciously. But then again, compared to whatever Neji may be thinking, almost anything Kankuro could have thought would be more gracious.

He sighed mentally. He knew what Hinata was trying to do but did the babysitter really need to be happy with the seating arrangements too!

The puppeteer looked across the table at the tattooed man, who was brooding out the window.

It looked like he wasn't going to get any help from that quarter… He seemed bored with the scenario unfolding at the table.

"_Well, yeah… I can't say I blame him! I guess this happens on a regular basis for him."_

Thought Kankuro.

Suddenly, Kiba sat up straighter and started to wave wildly to someone outside.

He got the distinct impression that this evening's entertainment committee was about to arrive.

--------------------------

Naruto was in his happy place. He did get rejected by Sakura again but he was confident that he was wearing down her resistance to his abundant charms.

Jiraiya was always telling him that women usually come around eventually in terms of their affections. It just took them longer…

He frowned slightly… He just wished she would stop calling him a stalker – that was becoming annoying. He would prefer to view himself as eternally optimistic.

He still felt he was a much better choice than doggy-brows or Sasuke!

He walked at a jaunty pace… his destination a foregone conclusion.

It was dinner time… and dinner time meant, Ramen! And ramen meant… um... ramen!

He rounded the corner and saw a massive dog lolling outside of a familiar place.

He scanned the open windows for awhile, trying to locate the owner of the canine.

Naruto broke into a grin and he took off at a sprint, his hand waving madly in the air.

------------------

All eyes were riveted to the entrance of the restaurant as the lanky blonde man noisily greeted the owners of the Ramen Shop with a great deal of enthusiasm.

Naruto made his way towards the group sitting in the back of the establishment while the Ramen girl went back to the kitchen to fetch an extra place setting for the newcomer.

Kankuro's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Naruto Uzumaki striding up to their table.

Even though the blonde man had played a huge role in making his brother the person he was today, Kankuro still hadn't seen him in years. It was kind of a shock to the system to see a now grown man still acting like the same 12 year old kid he had originally met so long ago.

Naruto was delighted to see Kankuro sitting there with cell 8 and Neji, though he frowned slightly when he saw Neji next to Hinata and quickly looked over to Kiba for some clue.

Kiba shrugged slightly in response to his friend's unspoken enquiry.

Naruto understood that gesture well… Kiba had no clue why Neji was hanging around Hinata like a bad smell.

Naruto sat down at the end of the table and grinned broadly at the occupants, even Hinata looked up long enough to murmur a quiet hello.

"Hey, Hinata! Why are you dressed up like that?" asked Naruto rudely, breaking every rule ever written about tact for the millionth time in his life.

Neji frowned at the loud mouthed one and answered for her. "Hinata and her team mates have been asked to escort Kankuro around the village while he's here."

The team mates in question scowled at Hinata's cousin. They really hated it when her clan felt they needed to speak on her behalf.

"Hey, Kankuro! You just got in, huh?" exclaimed Naruto, his eyes falling on the man in the corner.

"I arrived this afternoon. These guys intercepted me over at the training grounds." Replied the sand ninja, nudging his head in the direction of the members of cell 8.

"How long you in town for? Two days? A week?"

Kankuro looked up at his blonde interrogator, a small smirk on his face.

"_Some things never change… he's as brash as ever."_

"For a while… not sure…depends" replied Kankuro with slight hesitation.

Shino and Kiba looked at the sand shinobi with mild interest.

He seemed to be blushing under his kabuki makeup.

They too were interested in why Kankuro was in town.

Naruto made a rude noise. "Don't tell me that grumpy Kazekage of yours has got you doing some cruddy mission…"

"You could say that." Replied Kankuro.

"Ehhhhh? What answer is that?" exclaimed Naruto, he was getting frustrated with Kankuro's answers…

A glacial voice cut across the table, clearly fed up with the conversation. It was Neji.

"Kankuro is shopping for a wife…"

Naruto studied Neji for a moment to ascertain he was being serious… he was.

The blonde man looked at the sand ninja briefly… then he tipped back his head and roared with laughter.

Shino and Kiba looked at each other in measured silence. They were both thinking the same thing…

_What the hell!_

------------------------

Shino stared at the table in quiet contemplation. Naruto's company during the meal helped ease the tension that had been brewing in his mind since he had first seen Neji earlier that evening.

Lighthearted banter drifted across the table and the ribbing had commenced in earnest.

No one had really noticed that he wasn't contributing much to the conversation.

Shino smiled to himself. _Not that he could get in a word edgewise when Naruto was holding court._

Neji's cold announcement put all the pieces of the puzzle together for him. He wasn't surprised that the Hyuuga clan would resort to this level of highhandedness at the first sign of a threat. That clan, as he knew all too well, had more of a shoot first - ask questions later kind of policy. Shino masked his disgust at the thought.

If it didn't conform to the clan agenda – it needed to be dealt with in an expedient manner.

It didn't matter what _it_ was… it all came down to clan pride for Hiashi Hyuuga and that needed to be preserved at all costs.

He crushed down the sudden pain he felt and then glanced at Hinata covertly.

She never complained about how things were at home for her since that incident a couple of months ago but he could tell that she suffered too. He just wished that she would stop looking at him with that mixture of guilt and pain in her eyes.

He could only imagine what her punishment had been for her role in those events.

Their contact with the Hyuuga Heir was now limited to missions and training.

Kiba never questioned the edict handed down from the Hyuuga clan leader but Shino could tell his friend wanted to ask him about it. He just wasn't ready to give him the answers just yet.

Shino studied the sand shinobi briefly… He had not missed the fact that Hinata fancied him.

_Maybe given the opportunity… it could turn into something more._

He looked at Hinata again and carefully considered his next course of action.

It was a fair exchange… she had sacrificed much for his chance at happiness. It was time he returned the favor. One of them needed the opportunity to find some joy in this world… no matter how brief it may end up being…


	7. Chapter 7 fallout

Author's Note – The chapter has been edited and this is the revised version.

Big time kudos to my amazing beta reader, Gymchick.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I no own Naruto, so you no sue. Just leave me in peace to write already.

**Fallout**

Kankuro woke up in his bed at the inn to full sunlight streaming through the windows. This would have been a nice way to wake up usually, but the fact that it went directly into his eyes ruined whatever potential it may have originally had. He squinted against the glare, grabbed the pillow and covered his head. He burrowed deeper under the covers, trying to delay getting out of bed for as long as possible. He groaned in disgust. It was no good – the sneaky rays still found a way to sting his closed eyelids even from within his protective cocoon of pillow.

Kankuro sat up in the bed, the bed sheet pooling around his trim waist as he flung the pillow against the wall.

He shifted his weight over and sat on the edge of the bed away from the door, feet firmly planted on the floor.

The sand shinobi stared blankly out onto the small balcony brooding about last night's events.

He sighed deeply. He had gotten the distinct impression from Neji Hyuuga that his presence in the Leaf Village was unwanted. Correction – his presence in the Leaf Village was unwanted by the Hyuuga clan! Especially if it meant him being anywhere close to Hinata!

"_Great… just great… been in town for a few hours and I'm already in the doghouse!"_

grumped the puppeteer under his breath.

He was cursing his brother's so-called good idea. At this rate, he'd be shunned by _all_ the families in town by the end of the week!

Kankuro hung his head… thinking about Gaara brought to the forefront his real mission.

_I hate all this deception! No good can come out of it! _If Temari would just come clean, and tell Gaara what was going on between her and Shikamaru, he could get out of here! He remembered Hinata's smile as they had walked into the ramen shop. Did he really _want_ to leave?

He sighed heavily again and pushed himself off the bed. Why couldn't there just be a simple solution for once?

He walked into the bathroom, closed the door and started to get ready for what was sure to be a very long day.

--------------------------

Hinata sat at her favorite spot in the training field. A shady, secluded little group of trees that sheltered her from the world. She groaned as she realized she would have to move soon. She had gotten so comfortable waiting for Shino and Kiba to arrive, that she had nearly fallen asleep. Hinata felt relaxed for what she thought may have been the first time in days. Somehow, she managed to convince her father and cousin that she would be mindful of the Clan's needs before her own and she didn't require Neji's presence during training. It was nice to have the field to herself for a while. It gave her time to reflect on the regrets that plagued her.

She still felt personally responsible for what her clan did to Shino those months past. It was a deep down guilt that had taken a hold of her and thus far, showed no sign of lessening anytime soon.

She had accepted the punishment handed down by the Clan Leader as part of her penance due to Shino. She shuddered to herself… she tried not to dwell on it. If that was the price for her part in this folly, she knew she would gladly pay the price again for her friend.

Hinata pulled her knees to her chest, her heart filled with sorrow. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on the ground.

A twig snapped behind Hinata and she jumped.

"It's just me…" a quiet voice murmured behind her.

She tried to scrub the tears off her face before facing Shino. She felt embarrassed, being caught crying. It was such an "old-Hinata" thing to do.

Shino stilled her hands, pulled her close and held her in his arms. It was then Hinata felt a drop of water hit the top of her head. She glanced upwards, and realized that it hadn't been a drop of water at all. Shino – quiet, reserved, and powerful, Shino – was crying.

Suddenly crying didn't seem so distasteful.

They didn't speak for the longest time, silent tears trailing down their faces.

The Kikaichuu bugs bore witness to their sorrow… and kept them safe from prying eyes.

------------------------

Kankuro stepped out of the inn and made his way down the road, directions for a breakfast place in his pocket and Karasu on his back.

He heard someone call his name and he turned towards the voice. It was Kiba riding Akamaru down the road.

The sand shinobi shook his head at the sight of the grown man on the dog's back.

"Where are you heading?" asked Kiba.

"I need coffee and food…" growled Kankuro. _"…and then some more coffee!"_

Kiba laughed at the sand ninja's obvious grumpiness. "Fine – let's get you fed. Then I can take you down to the training grounds to meet Shino and Hinata."

"Oh. We can grab something quick then and head over there." Replied Kankuro.

"After all, we shouldn't keep them waiting too long. And you're already late!"

Truth be told, he felt a little guilty holding Kiba up from his practice.

A pained look passed over Kiba's face. "No… it's best if we take our time. Those two have a few things to sort out."

The puppeteer didn't pry (no matter how much he wanted to)… he had picked up on the tension during dinner. He didn't miss Hinata's pained guilty glances at Shino and the contained anger emanating from Shino towards Neji. It was obvious to him that something tragic had affected the two and the sorrow ran deep.

--------------------

Choji was not in a good mood. He had run out of his favorite snacks in the whole wide world and he needed to go to the market to pick up some more.

He was trudging through the streets, thinking of those delicious potato chips – so salty… so satisfying - when he caught sight of Kiba riding his huge mutt, a strange ninja he did not recognize alongside them.

He hailed a greeting, waving his meaty hand in the air, to catch Kiba's attention.

Kiba stopped Akamaru at the sight of Choji huffing and puffing up the road towards them.

Kankuro frowned at the intrusion. He was hungry and coffee deprived, the last thing he wanted to do was wait for Kiba to talk to some fa…

"I wouldn't call him that to his face or within hearing range if I were you…" muttered Kiba from the side of his mouth.

Kankuro looked at him with mild surprise. _How the hell did he know I was going to say that!_

The tattooed man gave him an old fashioned look before turning to the direction of the road ahead.

The two men greeted each other warmly and Kiba introduced Kankuro to Choji.

"Where's Shikamaru? He's usually with you." Asked Kiba, frowning slightly.

Kankuro listened intently for the answer of that question, trying to feign disinterest and hopefully succeeding.

"He left on a mission this morning. Said he won't be back for a week." Replied Choji.

The sand shinobi was despondent at the news and sighed heavily despite himself.

"_That's no good! I was hoping to get this all sorted out quickly and get home." _thought Kankuro privately.

"What's wrong with this one?" asked Choji to his friend.

Kiba, mistaking the sigh for a grumble, smirked at Choji.

"He's starving and needs coffee" replied Kiba. "You know the feeling?"

"Ahhhh…" said Choji in a bright voice. _Here was a man after his own heart!_

"Come… we can continue talking over breakfast. I know a great place on the next street over…"

Kankuro shrugged off his disappointment and followed the two men and the massive hound down the road.

It couldn't be helped. He was here for at least a week… whether he liked it or not.

A part of him was secretly delighted over the delay… he didn't know why.

-------------------------

Kankuro was trying not to stare at the large man sitting across the table from him.

It was difficult though. They had been sitting there for a couple of hours now and Choji was still eating. So much for just grabbing a quick bite.

He was nursing his third cup of coffee and trying to plan his next move. He had at least a week of waiting ahead of him before he could get a chance to have a chat with Shikamaru. He was hoping that he could talk some sense into the young man and persuade him to be up front with his brother at the very least, about his relationship with Temari.

Kankuro had a gut feeling that if he could get him to admit his feelings for his sister to Gaara, it would go a long way to easing tensions between the two villages. As it was, both leaders were concerned about this mysterious leaf nin who was traveling to and from their villages. They were relying on him to discover whether or not this individual was a threat.

"_The only threat Shikamaru poses is to my sanity!"_ thought Kankuro to himself.

"_I'm half tempted to just spill the beans to Gaara and watch Temari try to weasel out of it." _The shinobi mentally shook his head and sighed. No… He couldn't betray Temari like that. Damn. _He hated complications!_

He redirected his attention back to the big man in front of him. Choji had proven to be a delightful and unexpected source of information and village gossip. Kankuro was fascinated and a little dismayed on what the women in town were willing to divulge to Choji without too much leverage involved. It seemed that the female population viewed the cheerful chubby man as the perfect confessor.

Kiba had told Choji about Kankuro's "reason" for being in the Leaf Village during breakfast and he had launched into a run-down of the eligible women to be had, citing their graces and downplaying their flaws.

"_No wonder women flock to him to tell all their secrets to!_" Marveled the Sand shinobi.

It was _obvious_ to him that Choji loved women and in their own way, they loved him right back!

A throat cleared next to him. It was Kiba… all this chatter about women and marriage was starting to make him nervous.

Kankuro smiled to himself. He could see Kiba loved being a bachelor and wasn't ready to give up his freedom just yet! It was just as well – most women would have a problem sharing him with Akamaru!

"Choji, thanks for breakfast. It was great to have a decent talk!" started Kiba striving to look apologetic " I wish we could sit around for a little longer but we need to go meet Shino and Hinata."

The cheerful giant waved off their apologies and smiled broadly.

"Not a problem… just tell them I said hello!" He said cheerfully.

Kankuro and Kiba got up and walked to the exit of the restaurant.

Choji's voice drifted over to them. It seemed he wasn't quite finished talking…

"Hey, Kankuro... if you want to meet some nice girls, you can always go to the Yamanaka Flower shop on Fridays… they all meet there at around 11 in the morning and stay for awhile."

The puppeteer blushed deeply under his makeup and looked at Kiba, who seemed to have found a spot on the floor that was suddenly quite fascinating!

"Uh, Yeah… thanks, Choji." Stammered an embarrassed Kankuro.

He turned to finally leave and looked at Kiba.

"Do you think that Shino and Hinata have had enough time to themselves, yet" asked the Sand Ninja under his breath to the man beside him.

Kiba gave him a quick nod and beat a hasty retreat out of there before Choji could set him up with a nice girl!

-------------------

The two men had reached the outskirts of the training ground. They had taken their time getting there, but Kiba was still concerned about interrupting his two team-mates.

From Kankuro could pick up from the tattooed man, the trouble with the two hadn't started too long ago. Probably no more than a month or two before his arrival, tops. The Hyuuga clan had sent out a stern message that the two men, apart from missions and training, were to have no contact with the heir.

"Do you know why they would do something like that?" asked the sand ninja to the beast master. It seemed to him, an odd thing for a clan to do.

Kiba turned towards the puppeteer and shrugged eloquently. Kankuro sighed to himself… he knew what that meant. _He doesn't know what's going on either…_

He didn't mean to pry into what was starting to smack of a private issue within cell 8 but he could tell it had bothered Kiba for a long time. And strangely, the tattooed one seemed quite relieved to have someone to talk to about it… even if that someone was him!

-----------------------------

Shino and Hinata were waiting patiently for the two ninjas under the shade of a tree.

Kiba had sent the large dog on ahead of them to warn the two of their eminent arrival. The young woman was absentmindedly scratching it behind the ears, scanning the edge of the field for their figures to appear on the horizon.

Shino stood next to her, hands in his pockets in companionable silence, waiting for Kiba to approach.

The Kikaichu master smiled softly to himself, so softly that nobody else could see. He was relieved in a way that Kiba decided to run interference and give his team-mates a chance to be alone for awhile.

They had been able to finally confront those issues that they had kept bottled up for these past few weeks. The issues weren't resolved, not by a long shot… but at least, they had been able to finally confront the burden of guilt both had hanging around their necks for so long!

He had no idea that Hinata had been blaming herself all this time. He was unaccountably saddened by that thought. He sighed to himself. He didn't get much information out of his friend despite all the time they had to themselves but he got the impression that life at home was a living hell for the girl more now than ever.

He could now see two men on the horizon and heard a small gasp escape from the young woman. Shino didn't need to look over to her to decipher what had caused that reaction… or rather whom.

Kiba had gotten over his own infatuation for the Hyuuga heir a long time ago, courtesy of Neji's interference. The bug wielder frowned slightly at that particular memory.

In the late morning sun, he now saw that the sand shinobi made an impressive figure next to his massive colleague.

Shino hid a small smirk behind his collar…

_Oh yeah… she's got it bad… she just doesn't think I've noticed!_

Shino smiled to himself.

_The nice girls never can resist the allure of a bad boy and Kankuro can't help but look dangerous, given his family background…_

It was obvious to him that Hinata was finding that aspect of Kankuro hard to resist… no matter how hard she tried to hide that fact.

-------------------

Kankuro and Kiba reached the two shinobi waiting patiently under the tree for them.

Kiba was relieved to see his friends looked more at ease with each other. Though he frowned a little. They both looked a little pale in the face but they seemed more at peace than they had in weeks.

He felt a little uncomfortable about interfering in Shino and Hinata's business but it couldn't be helped.

He just wished that _they_ could see that they couldn't keep dragging themselves around the place looking like wounded animals. It was obvious to him, avoiding whatever that had been bothering the two, hadn't done them a lick of good!

Kankuro was a little surprised that Shino and Hinata were waiting so patiently for them to arrive.

_It was a change to what usually happened when he was even a few minutes late for training with his siblings._ The sand ninja thought, cringing slightly.

Still, he felt uncomfortable about keeping them waiting for so long and had a great need to apologize for his tardiness to the two shinobi.

"Uh… sorry for keeping you waiting…" mumbled the puppeteer to the kikaichu master and the blushing silver eyed woman.

_Damn… this is really hard! I've never had to do this before!_

The sand shinobi knew he was blushing but couldn't seem to help it…

Luckily, Kiba came to his rescue and told them their reason for being delayed.

"Eh, sorry, guys… we ran into Choji on the way here."

Shino smiled slightly behind his collar and even Hinata giggled.

Kankuro felt as though his skin was on fire when she started giggling… it was soft and sensual sounding… _just like she looked_.

"_I need to stop thinking like this…"_

The sand ninja heard Shino speak to the group and he was immensely relieved to hear him suggest that they should start doing some training now that everyone had arrived…

With that thought in mind and a determined spring in his stride, he followed cell 8 onto the training field.

"_Yes!" _thought Kankuro, feeling relieved. _"Maybe the training will keep me focused on something else for a while."_

He watched Hinata walk ahead of him.

"_Or maybe not."_


	8. Chapter 8 delays and diversions

Author's Note:

We would like to thank those who are putting the story on their favorites list. It means a lot to us that you find the tale interesting enough to want to see how it ends… I will try not to disappoint! No pressure, eh?

We would also like to give big thanks to those brave enough to review our story. Your reviews help us craft a better fan fiction. Keep them coming people!

Kankuro882 – chapter 8 as requested! We hope you like it!

My beta reader, the amazing gymchick, did the editing. We are so not worthy. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I sadly, do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto, bless his elegant hide does. I write this for your pulp fan fiction pleasure… oh yeah… It also helps with the insomnia.

**Delays and Diversions**

The sun was slowly sinking over the horizon when the quartet decided to call it a day.

Kankuro sat down on the weathered bench nearby and carefully started to rewrap Karasu.

He paused for a moment, and grinning broadly – took a moment to the study the three leaf ninja engaging in a little light banter.

_All in all – it had been a great day._

It was a nice change from his usual training routine back home, reflected Kankuro.

Things being the way they were, with Gaara busy with his duties as Kazekage and Temari being busy with missions and _other _things – the puppeteer had been practicing on his own a lot lately.

The surreal events of last night as well as the morning melted into the back of his mind as he took the opportunity to hone his skills against cell 8.

His eyes strayed over to Hinata, who had just thrown a stick to Akamaru.

He had been greatly surprised about how much stronger she had gotten in the past few years to the point where she now seemed to on equal footing – skill wise with the two men.

Kankuro watched Kiba intercept his massive dog before it tried to launch itself at Hinata.

The immense canine still thought it was a puppy in many ways.

Shino stood to one side, hands in his pockets, an amused smile hidden by his collar.

Kankuro dropped his head to hide the grin appearing on his face and redirected his mind back to the job of rewrapping Karasu.

He couldn't help thinking that he could definitely get used to doing this on a daily basis.

In some ways, the delay in completion of his mission may have been a blessing in disguise.

----------------------

They walked through the village with smug little smiles on their faces. Individually, each nin felt that they had given their all in the day's training.

A lively conversation had commenced in earnest regarding where they were going to eat almost as soon as they left the field.

Hinata watched her team-mates with an indulgent smile, part of her sighing sadly that she would be to make her excuses soon and get home to the Hyuuga compound.

She knew that she would enjoy the company of the men more than the almost non-existent conversation she was used to with her father during mealtimes. If she had a choice whose company she'd prefer during a meal, she would choose the big dog and the three shinobi every time!

A tall figure appeared on the hill ahead on the road and stood there, seeming to be waiting for something… or rather someone.

Hinata groaned inwardly when she saw who it was, about to waylay them.

_It seemed that she was going straight home from training after all._

Her father had sent the Hyuuga heir an escort, to ensure her compliance!

She couldn't help but feel ungrateful towards Neji at that moment.

Her happiness for the moment was now ruined by the arrival of her cousin and the realities of her situation.

------------

The three men frowned at the approaching figure, standing so still in the middle of the road. It became apparent to them that Hinata would not be joining them for a meal this evening.

Kankuro sighed heavily under his breath. _Maybe it was just as well… _

He didn't feel comfortable with the idea of letting a girl getting her hopes up for something more… Hell, he didn't even know if he was capable of giving _anyone_ the love and affection that they would be expecting in a relationship especially, with someone like him.

Shino looked over at the puppeteer at the sound of that heavy sigh from behind the sanctuary of his glasses.

"_How interesting" _thought Shino.

He would have given almost anything to see just what the sand shinobi was thinking right now.

He turned his attention to the dejected slump of Hinata's shoulders as she continued to walk towards Neji.

He was tempted to pull her back and persuade her to come to dinner with them, but knew that would only cause even more problems for the poor girl.

Shino slid his eyes over to Kiba's still form, his hand firmly on Akamaru's head.

He sighed inwardly. His friend was struggling with the same dilemma, it seemed.

Shino cleared his throat, getting the group's attention.

"Hinata, we'll see you tomorrow for training, okay?"

Hinata gave him a small half smile in reply, waved goodbye to the men and proceeded to walk down the road, trailing behind her cousin.

------------------------------

Since Hinata's abrupt departure, the three were feeling oddly dejected. They had remained at the same point in the road for sometime. Each man was privately trying (in vain) to think of something they could have done to prevent her from being dragged back home. So far, individually – they were all coming up empty but were reluctant to voice that to the rest of the group.

The ninja's attention was drawn back to the real world by Akamaru's pitiful whining.

Kiba walked over to the dog giving him a sad smile. Placing his hand on the dog's large head and effectively silencing the canine's sad soliloquy.

"Yeah, me too, Akamaru…" replied the beast master to his hairy companion, a sad tone also in his voice.

Kiba looked up at the puppeteer and his colleague in measured silence before suggesting they go find a place to eat.

--------------

Hinata was furious at her father's highhandedness. She eyed her cousin's back in annoyance. She had really wanted to eat dinner with her friends…

A wistful sigh escaped her lips, causing Neji to abruptly stop and pin her with a look filled with speculation.

_It wouldn't do to be wishing for something silly like wanting to spend more time around the Sand nin. _But there was just something about the man that piqued her curiosity and begged for further exploration.

Hinata pasted a false smile on her face and nodded to her cousin in reply.

"_There's always tomorrow…"_ whispered that little voice in the back of her head. She suddenly felt buoyed by that thought.

Her cousin turned away from her then and continued on his way home, Hinata trailing behind - anticipating seeing her team-mates and a certain puppeteer at the training grounds in the morning.

---------------------------

The resulting mood was decidedly subdued for the occupants of the table at the back of the ramen restaurant. They sat there brooding for a while, and then sheepishly looked at each other. Kiba gave a knowing little chuckle, Kankuro a wry little smirk and Shino just gave a small lopsided smile. They had caught themselves dwelling over the same thought… it was a novel concept. They were all three wishing for the company of the lovely and shy kuniochi.

Shino sighed and then released his destruction beetles out the window to go roam while the men waited for their food to arrive.

"So, Kiba… how is Choji these days?" asked the Kakaichu master in an effort to change the topic.

Kiba gave a deeply felt groan. "Oh, that one… Same old, same old… still matchmaking as per usual."

Shino chuckled softly at _that _news. Choji's matchmaking skills were as renowned as his legendary appetite for Korean Barbeque!

Kankuro shot the Kakaichu wielder a startled look.

"_Dear Lord_ - _Please tell me they're joking!" _Thought the puppeteer, in a mental panic.

"_No wonder Kiba couldn't wait to get the hell away from him!"_

Shino shot the obviously stricken sand shinobi a look of pity. A thought just crossed his mind and he quickly whipped his focus onto his friend's face. Shino frowned suddenly.

"What's wrong?" asked Kiba when he saw his friend's abrupt change of facial expression.

"Kiba, did you by any chance, mention to that fat fool that our colleague here from the sand, was on the market for a wife?" asked Shino, a feeling of dread starting to pool in his gut.

Kiba gave his friend a look of pure horror and covered his face with his hands.

Kankuro was not encouraged by Kiba's reaction to the question.

The bespeckled shinobi grimaced slightly behind his collar. He wasn't going to panic just yet… not until he got the answer to his next question from Kiba…

"_Maybe there's still hope for us all, yet."_ He thought.

"Uh, Kiba… Was Shikamaru with Choji when you ran into him this morning?" asked the leaf shinobi with an optimistic tone in his voice.

Kankuro was now thoroughly confused with this line of questioning from Shino. He thought he had seen where it was going… but now…

_Why would he ask whether that slacker was with Choji?_

"Um… no. He's away on a mission for a week." Replied a very nervous Kiba.

The puppeteer was dismayed to actually see true fear show on the Kikaichu master's face. Kankuro gulped. Why did he suddenly get the impression that all three of them had been put on the endangered species list?

The young waitress arrived with their ramen bowls and left them to their food. She didn't seem to notice that the men were pre-occupied with thoughts of self-preservation.

The three men left money to pay for their untouched meals, their appetites gone.

Kankuro heard Shino stand up, and gather his destruction beetles back to him.

He then took a deep shuddering breath and offered to buy the first round of drinks at the nearest bar.

By unspoken agreement, the men followed him out of the restaurant. They had some plotting of their own to do.

-------------------

The three shinobi walked into the local tavern and found a quiet booth in the back.

Kankuro got the impression members of Kiba's family came to this establishment on a regular basis when the owner walked Akamaru over to a special seating area near the window.

They sat down and Shino ordered a round of whiskey for the three of them and a bowl of sake for the dog.

It seemed that Shino was determined to drown his sorrows this evening.

"_Hell, I can't say I blame him!" _thought Kankuro sympathetically.

He was curious about one thing though…

"Shino, why does it matter that Shikamaru is away on a mission for a week?" the sand ninja asked.

Shino shot the puppeteer a wry smile behind his collar and took a healthy swallow of his whiskey before answering.

Kankuro had this unexpected feeling that he wasn't going to like his response…

"Shikamaru usually keeps Choji in line but with him gone for a week, he's going to be out of control." Shino grimaced. "_None_ of us are safe around Choji when he's in the mood for match-making."

Kankuro eyed the two leaf ninja with absolute horror showing on his face, despite the kabuki makeup and drained his glass in one swallow. The two ninja followed suit.

The puppeteer signaled the waitress and ordered another round…

--------------------------

Kankuro was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol mellowing in his blood.

He was surprised just how comfortable he was around the two men. Feeling that it couldn't do any harm at the moment, Kankuro asked about something that had been bothering him since he first arrived.

"Shino…" Kankuro started, "Have you ever been tempted to date Hinata in the time you three have been team mates?"

Shino grinned at the puppeteer. _"Very interesting!_ _What a question to ask!"_ He thought to himself but instead replied:

"No… I never felt that way towards her. Kiba did once but was…" he cleared his throat "…persuaded by Neji to change his mind…" replied the Kikaichu wielder, frowning slightly at his empty glass.

Kiba noticed his friend's conundrum and signaled for another round. Strangely, he didn't seem very concerned about Shino's little confession.

Kankuro was _very _curious now… "Persuaded him to change his mind… how? What did he do?"

The waitress arrived with the drinks and got a healthy tip from Kiba for her effort.

Shino raised an eyebrow and his glass towards his dear friend and said, "Well, Kiba – care to enlighten our sand colleague with your little story?"

Kiba shrugged and offered the two men a lopsided grin.

"I tried to steal a kiss from Hinata… Neji caught me and put me in the hospital for a few months…"

Kankuro was shocked.

"Eh… don't look that way, puppeteer!" Kiba grinned "It turned out well in the end. It made me realize that I only had a crush on Hinata - I ended up asking the pretty little nurse looking after me for a date instead."

"Which one? - Was it the sassy red-head with the legs for days?" grinned Shino, taking another drink from his glass.

"Yeah… that's her." Replied Kiba smiling broadly.

Both men looked at each other and then started laughing hard. Kankuro slowly shook his head from side to side… he was seeing a completely different side to them, courtesy of the alcohol.

"So… How about you, puppeteer." began Kiba with a sly tone in his voice… "Do _you_ find Hinata attractive?"

Kankuro blushed scarlet under his kabuki makeup and the two men across from him took great delight in the reaction to the question.

Shino stopped laughing and smiled softly to himself… now deep in thought.

He looked over at Kiba for a moment and his friend answered with a slight nod.

Shino then pinned Kankuro with a soul-searching look and quietly asked "Do you find her attractive enough to take on a whole clan?"

Kankuro returned his look with a measured one of his own and took a healthy swallow of his drink – draining the contents of the glass once more.

He signaled for another round of drinks and thought to himself:

_That's a very good question._


	9. Chapter 9 Beautiful Interloper

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. It's sad but true. Leave me in peace to write the next chapter already. Enjoy!

**Author's Note**:

I have ramped up the action a little in this chapter.

Kankuro is cavorting in the buff. If the thought of character nudity causes your nose to bleed uncontrollably… now would be the time to press that back button.

My sincerest apologies for taking a while to update on this story.

I had sent this chapter to my fabulous beta-reader to edit but it looks like the poor thing is swamped right now.

This is the raw chapter.

I will post the revised version later when gymchick is finished with the editing. I don't know when that will be though – I make it a policy _never_ to rush the beta-reader.

Besides, she's really nice - you don't want to see her dark side.

I would also like to thank those brave souls who have left reviews. Your input has been welcome!

**Beautiful Interloper**

The petite young woman sat under the cell 8's usual meeting location and was feeling frustrated. She looked at her watch and let a gasp. Hinata had been waiting for over an hour now and so far, there had been no sign of her team-mates… or the puppeteer.

She had been in a state of high anticipation since she woke up this morning… but she couldn't put her finger on the reason why.

She had gotten dressed and had rushed out of the house as quickly as she could before her father could find an excuse to call her into his study for yet another one of his infamous chats.

Hinata cringed to herself. _The last thing she wanted this morning was another lecture! This was becoming a habit for her father!_

She looked down at her watch again and sighed… she was feeling disappointed and hungry. She had missed breakfast and it looked like the boys had forgotten about her. Hinata frowned slightly as a thought crossed her mind. She could understand Kiba being late but Shino was a slave to punctuality.

_Shino never broke a promise to meet with her!_

She sighed again and decided to head into the village and find out what had delayed the sand shinobi and her team-mates.

"_A coffee and a pastry sounds good right about now"_ mused the young woman brightly as she wandered up the hill…

-----------------

Kankuro was in a rotten mood. The sunlight kept trying to get at his bloodshot eyeballs but so far, he was being successful in his endeavor to keep it at bay.

_Ahhhh… this hangover was a fate worse than death!_

He silently cursed Hinata's two team-mates under his breath, cocooning his head with the pillow to stop the insistent pounding he kept hearing. He silently cursed the pounding, thinking it was his exploding skull!

The pounding stopped and Kankuro frowned. "_That's weird!" _he thought.

A part of him instantly went on alert when he heard the soft scraping of someone trying to break into his room!

With little thought of the consequences, he leapt out of the bed stark naked and snatched up a kunai from his weapons bag. He scanned the room quickly and located Karasu's position just in case he needed his puppet.

Kankuro then flattened himself against the wall, ready to attack the person who had foolishly decided to enter his room without his permission.

--------------------

Hinata grabbed herself some coffee and a pastry at a little café in the village and sat at one of the outdoor tables, trying to figure out why her team-mates were suspiciously absent this morning. She looked at the scenery around her as she finished her hasty breakfast and realized that she really wasn't that far from the inn where Kankuro was staying.

"_What harm could there be in checking to see if he's still in his room?"_ Wondered a little voice at the back of her head.

Hinata shrugged. _She may as well check on him first since she was in the neighborhood._

The young woman paid for breakfast and made her way to the hotel. She kept scanning down the road in the hopes that she would catch sight of Kiba at least, but so far – she was having no luck in her quest.

She reached the inn and made her way directly to the stairs. She didn't feel the need to bother the reception clerk when she already knew which room the sand ninja was in.

Hinata knocked on the door for a while, her small hand resting on the knob, when she noticed it wasn't locked!

Without a second thought, she turned the door knob fully and walked into the partially darkened room.

She felt the door slam quickly and quietly behind her, a hot, hard body pressed against her back and a kunai at her throat…

Hinata's eyes widened… Now was not the time to panic!

---------------------------

Kankuro's arm flashed out and grabbed the trespasser with quick and efficient speed.

His arm snaked around their neck and pressed the kunai there to prevent any movement.

Securing the door, the puppeteer wound his other arm firmly around his potential victim's waist and finally looked down. He quickly closed his eyes, sure that they were lying to him about the identity of the person he had just captured – then opened them again.

"_Oh Lord!"_ thought Kankuro. _"This is not good… she's going to be upset with me if I don't release her and apologize for scaring her like that!"_

He was concerned about the Hinata's welfare… She had been deathly still since her sudden entrance into the room. He seemed to be making a habit out of scaring the daylights out of the young woman.

Hinata was having issues of her own. With her back against that huge wall of muscle and that arm resting under her breasts and snaked firmly around her waist, her brain was incapable of coherent thoughts. She knew she should be feeling true fear about her present predicament but instead she was surprised to feel attraction and more than a little excitement over the current danger. Hinata felt the kunai drop away from her neck and clatter on the floor into a corner.

She heard the puppeteer let a tortured groan and she did something that she probably shouldn't have if she was capable of thinking rationally.

She twisted around in the sand shinobi's arm and looked up, her eyes widened at the sight they beheld.

------------------

A couple of things registered vaguely in the young woman's befuddled brain…

He was very, very naked and everywhere she could see was a vast wall of pure muscle. She swallowed to try an ease her suddenly dry throat and looked up into the puppeteer's face.

He wasn't wearing his hood or his kabuki makeup. Hinata was surprised that the puppeteer would cover such perfection… he had the face of a fallen angel!

She reached up with her free hand and touched his lips softly with her fingertips.

Hinata heard the big man gasp at the slight pressure, his hazel eyes widening in surprise!

She slid her hand up the side of his taut cheekbone and into the inviting tangle of his brown hair.

She could feel him shudder slightly under her touch and it made her feel bolder…

Hinata caught herself thinking. _"I'm already damned just by being this close to him … I may as well do something worth the punishment!"_

------------------

Shino arrived at the training grounds half an hour after Hinata left. He wasn't surprised to see the young woman was not there to meet them. He felt awful this morning and his father's knowing smirk as he fed his young heir copious amounts of black coffee, made him feel worse.

_Damn Choji and his match-making ways! _ Thought Shino acrimoniously. It was all his fault that they felt the need for dutch courage last night! Drinking on an empty stomach was never a good idea either!

The last time he had felt the need for a drink to escape from his feelings had been over two months ago.

He sighed to himself. He certainly owed Hinata an apology for his unusual tardiness.

The good news was that he knew that she was most likely wandering the market place, waiting for their appearance. He released some of his destruction beetles to go into the village to scout for the kuniochi…

He would go and find her when Kiba arrived. He grinned to himself. Hinata would be fine where she was… it wasn't as though she was going to get into trouble now, was it?

---------------------

Kankuro was in trouble! When she had turned in his arms, he'd been overwhelmed by how good she felt in his embrace. He couldn't help but notice that she had amazing curves in all the right places!

He just wished that she would stop touching and looking at him like that! _It was driving him crazy!_

He frowned slightly to deter her wandering hand but that just seemed to make the lovely kuniochi bolder in her endeavors. He was a little puzzled to see Hinata was quite attracted to him. He did not view himself as a handsome man, so it was strange that someone as beautiful as her was having problems keeping her hands off his naked features.

If anything, she seemed delighted by the rare treasure she had uncovered…

Kankuro sighed inwardly _"Women were strange creatures at the best of times…"_

Her hand burrowing into the back of his head redirected his thoughts back to the present.

He stilled all movement, not daring to even breathe… _She couldn't be thinking of doing that, could she?_ He thought frantically. _"No, Hinata's a good girl… she'll push away in a moment…"_ rationalized the sand shinobi with some relief.

Then he felt the feather light touch of her lips on his… and groaned.

_They were both going to Hell for this!_

He tightened his grip and returned her hesitant brush on the lips. He deepened the kiss, brushing his big hand gently along her the side of her face and felt the young woman mold herself closer to his body!

_He felt like he was dying… she felt and tasted incredible!_

_---------------_

_Who knew that her first kiss would be so memorable! And with him of all men?  
_

He was all heat and sensuality; his lips were causing havoc on her insides…

She could tell by his eyes that he had been drinking last night but his lips tasted so sweet against her own. She melted against the large man when he deepened the kiss.

_It was Heaven… better than any fantasy she could have dreamed up… so unexpected!_

She lost track of how long she been draped in his arms, enjoying his attentions.

He seemed to be lost in the moment as well, still kissing her swollen lips and gently stroking her temple.

_She didn't want it to end!_

It seemed Kankuro was of the same mindset as well but he suddenly stilled his actions and looked over her shoulder.

She was trying not to look hurt that he had suddenly stopped kissing her but it was obvious she was failing miserably.

Kankuro groaned. _"He didn't want to stop kissing her, surely she could see that!"_

Instead he said "Hinata, I'm really sorry… I don't want to either but, we've got to stop now."

She was going to protest when he whispered in her ear… _"Shhh, listen…"_

Then she heard them… the buzzing of kikaichu bugs could be heard on the balcony…

Shino was looking for her!

----------------

Kiba and Akamaru limped over to the training grounds, both looking a little worse for wear. His canine friend was whining at him again.

"Don't blame me, Akamaru… you shouldn't have consumed all that sake!" grouched the tattooed man to the dog.

He had reached the top of the hill and saw his friend Shino waiting under the shelter of the tree for him.

He raised his hand and waved to the figure in the shadows. Kiba grinned like a mad fool when Shino returned his salute. The puppeteer had yet to make an appearance and their friend was absent.

Kiba peered under the tree and looked behind Shino, frowning slightly. "Where's Hinata?"

Shino chuckled slightly and replied "She's probably in one of the shops waiting for us to show up… but the kikaichu bugs should be able to locate her…"

Kiba managed to look a little chagrined "We'll have to make it up to her, huh?"

The two men shared a knowing smile and wandered back to the village… their steps still a little unsteady.

-----------------

Hinata darted out of the inn as fast as her feet could take her! She managed to slip past the receptionist again without too much effort and into the street.

The young woman moved swiftly and silently through the late morning crowds, her cheeks flushed with excitement and something else…

She hadn't wanted to leave the sand shinobi, not when things were getting exciting.

Kankuro had insisted on ushering her out of his room but not before he stole another kiss from her lips and left her breathless.

She was surprised to discover under the gruff exterior, a man with a very strong sense of honor. He had insisted that she turn the other way while he put on some pants.

She blushed at the memory!

Hinata darted over to a shop window and stared at her reflection. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, her cheeks were flushed and her lips felt swollen. Hinata touched her lips reverently and let out a soft sigh. _"My Lord… that man certainly knows how to kiss!"_

She took a few breaths to try and calm down her heartbeat. It felt like it was going a mile a minute.

She turned away from the shop window and started walking down the street in a dreamlike state, a little more in control of her rampant emotions.

------------------------

Kankuro locked the door after the silver-eyed lass left his room and went into the bathroom. _He was in bad need of a cold shower!_

He tried not to dwell on what just happened. _What the hell was he thinking! This was madness!_

The icy needles hit his over-heated skin and he hissed slightly at the pain. He was still having problems dealing with the fact that Hinata had made the first move… and yet, he was the one that stopped it before it went any further. It made him humble, knowing that she had wanted him as much as he wanted her.

He shut off the shower, feeling a little calmer physically and thinking more clearly mentally.

He sighed, resting his forehead against the bathroom mirror. He realized that he could have totally taken advantage of her sweetness but a part of him was disgusted at the thought of cheapening what he was feeling for her with just a casual interlude.

He huffed at his reflection in a disgusted tone. _"Yeah, Gaara would howl with laughter if he knew I was acting so noble and honorable. He'd say that I was going soft and he'd be right!"_

A stunning thought struck him then. _He cared enough for her to worry about what other people thought._

The sooner he could wrap up this lame mission of his and leave the village – the better. Time spent around Hinata would only make him yearn for things that he had long buried inside him.

Kankuro sighed and finished getting ready to go meet team 8 at the training grounds.

--------------------------

Shino and Kiba ran into Hinata on her way down the street. She was heading towards the training grounds and looked like she was wrapped up in her own little fantasy world. Shino looked at the flushed girl and wondered exactly what had happened to fluster her so much.

Some of his kikaichu bugs were slowly coming back to him with some intriguing information. Shino raised an eyebrow.

"_Or rather, who got her flustered…"_

Hinata looked over at her colleague when his kikaichuu came back to him with their reports and blushed. She was worried that Shino would mention to Kiba what the destruction beetles had discovered but she was surprised that he kept quiet.

She felt embarrassed that the destruction bugs were out on Kankuro's balcony but she was a little curious as to how much they had seen before Kankuro had put the brakes on the action.

Shino gave Hinata a measured glance from behind his glasses and watched her give Kiba a hard time for getting poor Akamaru drunk!

Kiba asked the young kuniochi whether she had run into Kankuro while she was walking around the village marketplace. Shino was not surprised to see her face flame bright scarlet and incapable of doing anything more than shake her head mutely.

Shino sighed. Hinata always got easily embarrassed… Hell, her getting caught staring into space rather than training was enough to send her into episodes of scarlet glory. He could tell that Kiba hadn't picked up on anything out of the ordinary in the girl's behavior. Shino however, detected an aura of simmering excitement from her and quickly figured out the source. He wasn't able to get much information from his Kikaichuu bugs, other than Hinata had been in the puppeteer's room.

He deduced since Hinata was obviously here by herself that the sand shinobi had asked the Hyuuga heir to leave. Shino couldn't help but be intrigued as to why he would care enough for her to ask her leave his room before she was discovered. It seemed the puppeteer had more integrity and honor in his body than most people would give the gruff sand shinobi credit for...

Kankuro was a smart man – he'd give him that! He knew that Shino would never betray his colleague.

Shino gave his team-mates a measured look and offered to go collect the puppeteer from his inn room.

Hinata shot him a hunted look and he returned it with a reassuring smile of his own.

_It's okay… I won't kill him… yet._

Kiba and Akamaru turned away from Shino and headed off to the training grounds, leaving an uncertain Hinata trailing after them.

Shino walked off in the opposite direction in a pensive mood.

_You know, he never did answer that question last night…_

Then again, his recent actions spoke more eloquently than mere words…

"_Yes…"_ mused Shino _"It was all very intriguing."_


	10. Chapter 10 A plan is revealed

**Author's note:**

This is the raw chapter. I will post a revision of this chapter later. My beta-reader, Gymchick is busy.

It's not often I see a review where the person is threatening to go into withdrawals because they can't wait for the next chapter to appear!

This chapter is dedicated to **Deserter** and **Kankuro882** – two folks who just can't seem to get enough of the big bad puppeteer! Enjoy, ladies… this one's for you.

Please review if you feel brave enough to do so – it's always good to hear your thoughts…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. It's sad but true… just leave me be to write the next chapter already.

**A plan is revealed**

Kankuro was sitting on his bed, ready to go to the training grounds but not quite ready to face Hinata. He groaned silently _"I am not looking to have anyone in my life… the last thing I need is a woman…"_

He couldn't deny the fact that he found her extremely attractive and that he'd been fighting the attraction from the moment they crossed paths in the training ground. He frowned. He still couldn't figure out how she had known who he was. It had been a long time since he last saw her but he had to admit to himself that he was flattered that she had thought of him in some capacity…

"_I shouldn't have kissed her."_ Kankuro thought sadly to himself. Even if he had a chance with her family's approval, he just didn't think he was capable of giving her the love he felt she deserved.

He couldn't help but think about that kiss… and how much he had wanted to keep kissing her.

Kankuro sat on the edge of the bed still wrestling with his unfamiliar emotions and brooding on dark thoughts when there was a soft knock on the door.

The sand shinobi quickly tamped down the sudden bubble of excitement he felt at the prospect of Hinata being on the other side. It was highly unlikely though that the girl would return anytime soon. He sent her away in what he felt was a rare moment of clear thinking on his part before anything disastrous happened.

He looked at the door and sighed softly to himself. Who ever it was - was quite persistent!

"Who's there?" asked the puppeteer to the door.

"It's Shino." replied a voice on the other side of the door.

Kankuro heaved himself up and answered the door. _"He's probably here to warn me to stay away from his friend."_ thought the puppeteer.

The sand shinobi opened the door a crack and asked, "What's wrong?"

Shino didn't answer but pushed through and kept walking into Kankuro's room.

What he wanted to ask and say to the man in front of him was not open for the public enjoyment of others.

Besides, he didn't want a hint of this particular conversation getting back to Hinata's family.

--------------------

Shino closed the door behind him and faced the puppeteer with a determined look on his face. He noticed that the man had a grayish tinge to his face, despite the colorful kabuki makeup and felt a moment's pity. Kankuro really did look like he was dealing with some inner turmoil.

Shino needed to determine what type of man he was dealing with and cut to the chase. "What was Hinata doing in your room?" he asked without preamble.

Kankuro looked over to the bug wielder with a weak smile and then continued to brood at the wall. "I didn't invite her in if that's what you asking me… She broke in." he replied.

Shino was more than a little shocked by this little bit of news. He just couldn't picture his shy team-mate doing something like that. At the same time, the sand shinobi didn't look like the type to fabricate something like this to save his hide. Shino also didn't miss the slight hesitation in his reply. Kankuro had seemed reluctant to divulge that last bit of information to him.

He looked closely at the shinobi and noticed he was blushing scarlet under his makeup.

_Something had certainly happened between them for him to be acting in this way!_

He couldn't blame the man for being embarrassed about some strange woman breaking into his room for whatever reason.

"Did she say why she was in your room?" He asked.

This line of questioning just seemed to make the man burn up even more under his makeup. Shino looked at the puppeteer for a moment and then sighed, "Kankuro, I don't know what went on between the two of you but its obvious there's a definite attraction there."

"Just be careful… I don't want you breaking her heart."

The sand shinobi frowned slightly at the kikaichuu master, thinking that this was the most he had ever heard come out of his mouth at the one time. He sighed and reluctantly confessed, "I'm trying to keep my distance but it's hard… especially now that I know that she's attracted to me."

Shino frowned – this confession was unexpected. He didn't know what to say in return – it was obvious that what was going on between the two was beyond their understanding.

So, he did the next best thing and changed the topic.

"Well, you can't stay up here and hide forever. Come on – the rest of the team is expecting us down at the training grounds."

Kankuro studied Shino for a few moments and nodded slowly. "Yeah, we better get going." He picked up Karasu, slinging the puppet across his back and followed the other man out of the room.

The two men exited the inn and shortly stepped out in the noon day sun, both wincing a little from the overhead glare.

The two men made their way towards the training grounds in companionable silence.

Kankuro stopped momentarily, a thought crossing his mind. "How is Akamaru doing?" The bug master softly chuckled at the question. "He's hungover like his master."

Both men grinned at this answer and continued on their way to the training grounds.

--------------------------

Hinata was excited and yet dreaded the appearance of the sand shinobi at the training grounds.

She was trying hard to make small talk with Kiba but it was obvious that he was still a little worse for wear from last night's activities. She caught herself resorting to an old nervous habit of hers. She looked down at her fingers pushing together in her lap and sighed.

The two men appeared at the top of the hill and Hinata swallowed her disappointment.

She was hoping to see his naked face again but he had his kabuki makeup in place and his hood firmly on his head.

_Maybe that's just as well._ She thought sadly.

Hinata didn't think that her poor heart could handle looking at that face everyday. Just one look totally destroyed her equilibrium for the day. _If she had to see it everyday, she'd be a walking basket case!_

Shino and Kankuro now approached the shelter of the tree and she couldn't help but blush a little and look away.

Kankuro noticed that telling movement and sighed. He knew exactly _what _she was thinking about… he was thinking the same thing.

_Hell, he couldn't help but think about that kiss!_

Kiba turned out to a welcome distraction to his psyche. "We better start training or I am going to fall asleep, just sitting around!"

Kankuro grinned at the tattooed man. It definitely sounded like an excellent plan of action to him.

The puppeteer followed him onto the training area, Akamaru trailing after his owner and whining.

"Quit it, Akamaru! You should have stayed with the one bowl of Sake like I suggested instead of consuming your body weight in the stuff!" grumbled Kiba to his canine companion.

------------------

The puppeteer and cell 8 trained the rest of the afternoon away. The men and dog started feeling themselves sobering up rapidly after an hour of practicing in the open area.

It wasn't as though they much of a choice in the matter. Hinata was cracking the whip and making them suffer.

The men looked at each other sheepishly. She was way too nice to yell at them and they appreciated that fact about the young woman. Another woman of their acquaintance would have gone all shrewish on them at the first sign of their inebriation.

Kiba finally begged Hinata to take pity them and ease up on the grueling pace she had set during the training session.

"Hinata, please - we're sorry for getting drunk the night before and making you wait… can we stop for the day? You're going to work me into an early grave." pleaded Kiba.

Hinata gave the tattooed man a soft smile and looked up at the horizon. The sun was indeed slipping down over the mountains.

"Okay, Kiba… but on one condition." replied the silver eyed woman.

"What's that." replied a relieved Kiba. At this point, he would agree to anything just to put a halt to her torturous training regime.

"You guys tell me why you had to get drunk last night. I understand it from you Kiba but Shino – well, that's a different story." The beast master flushed slightly at that comment.

He couldn't deny the observation. His family had a reputation for being a wild bunch in more ways than one. He silently agreed with Hinata's observation regarding Shino. It was certainly out of character for the bug master.

All three men looked at each other sheepishly and then at the young Kuniochi. She was right – they owed her some sort of explanation for being grossly late for training this morning.

--------------------

Shino sighed deeply and sat down on the nearby bench. "Hinata, we got some bad news after you left last night."

Hinata turned concerned eyes towards the kikaichu master. She trying not to look at the puppeteer but it was difficult. Even clad in his usual disguise of kabuki makeup and cat hood, she found herself drawn to the dangerous looking man. The attraction was even more pronounced, now that she knew what lay under the costume. She got the impression that the only people who saw that particular side of him were his family.

She sighed silently and redirected her thoughts back to the conversation. She was starting to think about that forbidden moment in his room when she was in his arms. Hinata peaked out from under her lashes and caught the sand shinobi blushing brightly under his makeup. It seemed that he was dwelling on the same thoughts.

Hinata gave Kiba a slight smile and asked, "What was the bad news?"

Shino looked at the young woman and answered, "We found out that Dog boy here had told Choji at breakfast that our colleague from the sand was looking for a wife."

Hinata felt a little spurt of jealousy at that comment and was surprised at it.

"Why is that a problem? Choji is a notorious match-maker but he's harmless. Shikamaru won't let him get out of control."

She heard the puppeteer groan. It was obvious that the last thing he wanted to hear about was Choji's match-making prowess.

"According to the tattooed wonder here, Shikamaru is out of town for a week." replied Shino.

Hinata looked at the men and dog with a shocked look in her eyes.

_No wonder they got drunk! They were all in trouble! No single shinobi in the village was going to be safe with an unchecked Choji on the loose!_

A part of her was not thrilled at the prospect of other women poaching on her territory!

She looked at Shino suddenly and noticed that the Kikaichu master was not blind to her inner struggles.

"Did you come up with any ideas to avoid Choji's attentions?" asked Hinata, looking concerned.

Her team-mates grinned and Kiba replied "Yeah, as a matter of fact… we have, Hinata."

Kankuro looked at the two men, frowning slightly. _This was news to him!_

He suddenly didn't have a good feeling about this.

"What's your plan, then?" asked Hinata.

"Well, we figured if Kiba and I made ourselves as undesirable a catch as possible, that will deter the young women." replied Shino. "They will give up on their pursuit once they confronted with a constant cloud of bugs or Akamaru's continual interference."

Hinata looked at the two men. It was clear that they had given this a great deal of thought.

She had this nagging sensation that she was in trouble as well as a result of her friend's scheme but couldn't figure out why she felt that way.

"Well, it sounds like you have sorted out a way to deter Choji from matching you two up but what about Kankuro?" asked Hinata, looking concerned.

Kankuro was interested in the bug master's response as well.

"Well, we did come up with an excellent plan for the puppeteer too but it's kinda dependent on you to make it work, Hinata." grinned the Kikaichu master.

Hinata looked shocked. She certainly wasn't expecting that.

"W-what do you mean?" asked the young kuniochi nervously. She was tempted to look down at her hands and push her fingers together.

"Well, Kankuro is going to attract attention given his bad boy looks. The ladies won't leave him alone unless we make it clear that he's unavailable." Replied Shino.

"That's where you come into this, Hinata!" exclaimed Kiba. He was starting to warm to this topic now that he wasn't feeling so hunted.

The silver eyed woman looked at her two team-mates blankly. She had no clue what these two were blathering on about and it showed on her expressive face.

Kankuro was a little confused as well. He didn't know what strategy these two had come up to solve his present dilemma but he was curious despite his apprehension.

"It's simple really, Hinata. You stay near Kankuro and give the women the impression that he's taken." said Shino calmly.

Hinata couldn't help but think that her family would have a problem with this plan of action.

Kankuro groaned silently. _"Great! This was no plan at all! Give me a temptation instead of providing one for the women of the village."_

The sand shinobi looked at the two men. He could have cheerfully strangled them at that point. He was almost tempted to take his chances with the unknown than have to spend more time with the beautiful, shy lass.

At least he wasn't running the risk of losing his heart to these would-be pursuers!

---------------------

The atmosphere was noticeably subdued after the plan was revealed to the team.

Kankuro distracted himself with the task of re-wrapping Karasu while he gathered his thoughts. He couldn't fault Shino's calm calculated logic. It was a brilliant stroke of planning on behalf of the Kikaichu master. Apart from the fact that Hinata's family had already warned him away from the Hyuuga Heir, the plan was perfect.

The puppeteer was concerned that Shino's plan though sound, would not be good enough to thwart a persistent match-maker.

Kankuro couldn't help thinking that Choji may turn out to be a better strategist than these two give him credit.

He finished the task of wrapping Karasu and slung his silent partner across his back. He looked at team 8 to see if they were ready to leave the darkening training ground.

Kiba suggested ramen for dinner and everyone groaned. The group made their way up over the crest of the hill and out of the training grounds. They were still having a good natured argument about where they should eat when they reached the heart of the village.

Hinata was dreading the moment that Neji would make an appearance on the horizon. She secretly wanted to have dinner with her team-mates and a certain sand shinobi. The last thing she wanted to do was be ushered home by her self-imposed warden to spent a lonely and boring night in her room. After what happened this morning, she was feeling rebellious enough to take the risk and sneak out of the house and meet up with them at a later time. Hinata was planning to make the suggestion and risk shocking her team-mates when the group spied a familiar figure strolling up the road towards them.

Kiba cursed under his breath, Shino visibly stiffened his spine and Kankuro scowled at the approaching person.

Hinata looked at the new arrival with mild dismay and started hoping that her cousin would materialize soon and whisk her away from here. She knew it was cowardly of her to think about her own self-preservation but she was willing to take her chances with Neji at this point!

Choji was thrilled to see that the group had obviously just returned from practice.

He grinned broadly and said, "Excellent, you're _all_ here! You must be hungry, Kankuro.

I know this great Korean Bar-B-Que place we can have dinner at, my treat."

The ninjas looked at each other, trying in vain to hide their collective alarm from the jolly shinobi. They were thinking that they would prefer to refuse the offer of dinner with the man but it would be rude to do so without a plausible reason.

Shino sighed and replied, "That sounds great, Choji. Why don't you lead the way."

Choji was delighted at this answer. He started to lead the recalcitrant group down the road to the Korean BarBQue place when he saw the approach of Neji Hyuuga.

Kankuro saw the young man's features harden with resolve upon seeing Choji with them.

Choji however wasn't about to let Neji steal Hinata from him.

"Neji, we're about to head off for some BarBCue. You're welcome to join us!" exclaimed Choji heartily.

Before the young man could answer in the negative, the chubby shinobi whisked the silver eyed man by the arm and dragged him protesting down the road. It was quite a sight to behold for the team-mates and the puppeteer. They collectively groaned as they realized that there was no way Choji was going to be denied!

----------------------

This was turning out better than Choji had originally planned. He was expecting feeble excuses from the group, especially Neji and Hinata. He wasn't about to let that clan of theirs deter him from his glorious match-making schemes.

With no missions to distract him, he had spent yesterday and today carefully organizing his next plan of action.

The group had reached the Korean Bar B Cue place with Choji cheerfully dragging along a still protesting Neji.

They were ushered into a back room with great ceremony. Neji frowned at the suspiciously romantic setting and quietly asked Hinata why Shikamaru wasn't here to keep his friend in line. He looked upset at Hinata's news that the shadow wielder was on mission for a week.

Kankuro sighed at the look of sheer panic on Neji's normally unreadable face.

_What is it about Choji that causes normally tough shinobi with nerves of steel to quiver like jellyfish?_


	11. Chapter 11 Open Season

**Author's Note:** This is the raw chapter. My beta-reader - gymchick is busy right now. I will post the revised chapter later.

I will get back to writing... If you feel brave enough to review, I'm always thrilled to hear your thoughts on the new chapter.

**Japanese name:**

Hoshiko - means star (female name)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. I never have and I never will. Kishimoto does and there's no way that he would sell up to a bum like me! Enjoy!

**Open Season**

Kankuro stretched and moved to the side of the bed nearest the door. He couldn't help but give that particular object a frown before standing up and walking to the bathroom.

He had made sure the damn thing had been properly locked upon his entry into the room last night.

_The last thing I need to start my day with is another break-in from a certain Kuniochi. I'm not sure if I would have the will-power to turn her out this time!_ Sighed the puppeteer then groaned at the forbidden images flooding into his mind.

Kankuro started running the shower and sighed again. It looked like he was going to start his day with another cold shower.

---------------------

Hinata was having similar issues this morning. She had spent a particularly restless night having erotic dreams of a certain naked sand shinobi and lots of kisses. She'd woken up all breathless and with a seemingly permanent flush on her face. It was sheer madness to be thinking about him.

Hinata grinned at another thought. A good thing had come out of last night's little incident with Choji. Neji had been called into the clan leader's study when they finally got home from dinner. It had been obvious that her father had been waiting for their arrival home with great impatience.

Whatever Neji had told her father at that particular meeting had necessitated in her visit to her father's study for a private conference of her own.

Hiashi Hyuuga had informed his heir that she would be allowed freedom of movement around her team-mates in addition to the normal training time. Somehow Neji had convinced her father that her colleagues had closed ranks and protected her from the unwanted attentions of Choji's match-making.

She heard her cousin knock softly outside her door and tell her to get ready for the day.

She was torn with indecision. She wanted to spend more time in the puppeteer's company but knew that wouldn't be a smart plan of action for her to take.

"_Screw smart, lady… I want to see some more of that hunky side of beefcake from the sand!"_ beseeched that naughty little voice in the back of her mind.

Hinata couldn't help but smile over that thought. Maybe the little voice did have the right idea. She was _always_ doing the right thing, mainly in the best interests of the clan but she always yearned to do something that was in _her_ best interests for once. It was certainly a novel concept.

Her cousin knocked on her door again, sliding it open a crack to pop his head into the room. "Hinata, you need to get out of bed and get ready for training!" grumbled Neji good naturedly to his cousin. She was still sitting in bed with a goofy smile on her face, staring blankly at the wall. _"She's daydreaming again!"_ sighed Neji inwardly.

Her young woman blinked her eyes owlishly at her cousin and then smiled sheepishly at him.

"Okay, Neji. I'll be ready in a few minutes." Replied the hyuuga heiress with a soft smile.

She heard the door slide shut and sighed to herself, then she hauled herself out of bed.

Her cousin was right – she needed to get ready for the day.

------------------------

Kankuro stalked into the lobby of the inn in a grumpy mood. He was hoping the cold shower would ease some of the tension inside of him but no such luck. He really needed that cup of coffee right now. He was about to step into the morning sunlight when he surprised to hear the receptionist call his name and beckon him over.

Kankuro groaned to himself. _It's probably messages from Gaara and Temari…_

He must have spoken this thought out aloud because he was a little perplexed to see the young woman go three sheets of red and shake her head a little.

The sand shinobi misinterpreted her look to mean that his brother had left him one of his typical missives and sighed – ready to apologize to the receptionist for his brother's acerbic note.

He was confused when she left the desk and came back with a small basket filled with gifts and what suspiciously looked like love notes. Kankuro pinned the blushing girl with a shocked look upon inspection of the basket and gave the young woman a scarlet blush of his own.

He grabbed the basket and hurried back to his room. _He didn't have time for this!_

He would have to deal with this _after_ training!

Kankuro opened the door to his inn room and hurriedly placed the basket on the spare bed.

He readjusted Karasu on his back and was about to leave when he cast the basket one last glance. He went over to it and picked up a couple of the envelopes and stuffed them into a pocket. The sand shinobi thought, _"There's no harm in taking a couple of these to look at during a training break…"_

He admitted that he felt a certain amount of curiosity over all of this sudden attention.

The puppeteer preferred the anonymity that the kabuki makeup and cat hood gave him. Kankuro didn't have Gaara's brooding good looks that seem to attract the fan girls in droves. He knew that the Kazekage took the adoration in stride but this was a decidedly new and novel experience for him.

He took one more look at the basket resting on the bed before sighing deeply and walking out of the room to return to his quest for a cup of coffee.

------------------------

Kankuro was surprised to find Shino with his hands firmly thrust into his pockets, waiting for him in front of the inn. He shot the bug master a questioning frown and was shocked to see a slight blush appear on his face. It seemed the young shinobi was embarrassed about something this morning. _"Join the club!"_ sighed Kankuro to himself.

"I need to get some coffee before I head down to training. Do you want to come with me?" asked Kankuro to the obviously uncomfortable looking Shino. He was surprised at himself for making the offer but it looked like the leaf ninja had a few things on his mind this morning.

"Yeah, coffee sounds good right about now." Replied a relieved Shino with a small smile.

Kankuro gestured to the Kikaichuu master to lead the way towards the nearest coffee shop.

The sand shinobi had never been comfortable about discussing personal issues to his family, much less a virtual stranger but was thinking that maybe there was a first time for everything.

-------------------

Hinata was walking to the training grounds with her cousin Neji, when she first noticed the stares. At first it was barely discernable but only because Hinata was too busy caught up in her secret fantasies of a dark brooding puppet master hiding in the shadows naked.

Her imagination had latched onto that particular memory and taken flight with it. The silver eyed woman let out a wistful sigh. It just seemed that every time she thought about it, she'd get all flustered. _"Oh Hinata… that man is nothing but trouble! Delicious, well-honed, sexy trouble… but trouble, none the less!"_

Her cousin's light touch on her arm effectively brought her mind back to reality and she looked up at Neji with a confused look in her eyes.

Neji heard her sigh and misinterpreted it for one of frustration and moved closer to the Hyuuga heiress. "We're being observed. Don't worry – I will stay close and keep you safe until we reach the training grounds." whispered Neji in response to the confused look on the young woman's face. He didn't want their observers to know that they were also being watched.

It was then that she noticed them; little clusters of both men and women, casting the two Hyuuga admiring side glances as they walked past. The women would occasionally giggle behind their hands when they felt Neji's all-knowing eyes in their general direction and she could now acutely feel the eyes of the men follow her up the road.

She returned Neji's concerned look with one of frustration and the clan genius gave her a wry grin. They were both thinking the same thing. _"I'm so gonna kill that fat fool when I see him next!"_

------------------------------

Kankuro and Shino arrived at a small non-descript coffee shop. The owners were thrilled to see the Kikaichuu master and murmured to the young man that it had been a while since his last visit as he ushered them to a small table at the back of the establishment.

The puppeteer watched the elderly man rush off to get menus for the two men and couldn't help thinking that until recently, this had been a regular haunt for the bug wielder.

The two shinobi put in their orders after perusing the menus left by the owner and waited in companionably silence for the coffee and snacks to arrive.

Kankuro was mildly surprised to see Shino order sweet cakes with his tea. The man really didn't strike him as the sweet tooth type, but then again, there was a lot about the Kikaichuu wielder that he didn't know.

Their food arrived with a minimum of fuss and the old man soon left them to their thoughts.

Kankuro picked up his coffee and sipped the hot brew carefully, savoring the rich taste.

He watched Shino study the table for a little while before he followed suit and took a lengthy sip of his green tea.

The bug wielder waved his hand towards the little cakes on the table. "You know, you should really try the cakes. They taste surprisingly good with coffee or tea."

Kankuro looked at the man a little surprised by the gesture but picked up the dainty cake and took a bite. The puppeteer's eyes widened at the first bite and he heard the other man utter a soft chuckle at his facial expression.

"Yeah, I was a little surprised myself when I first tried them but they were Hoshiko's favorite…" said the bug wielder, breaking off and looking away with pain filled eyes.

Kankuro grimaced a little at the man's obvious grief. _Whoever this Hoshiko had been to Shino, it was obvious she was gone from the picture._

He was beginning to feel like an interloper, intruding on what was a special place to Shino, part of precious memories he had spent with Hoshiko, who seemed to have a special place in the man's heart.

Kankuro cleared his throat nervously. "You know, Shino, if being here is difficult for you… maybe we should leave."

Shino looked back at the puppeteer and smiled sadly in response. "No, it's fine. Maybe it's time to start the slow process of healing." He stared at the table and he said in a quiet voice, "I loved her… I didn't think that would ever be possible for me but she accepted who I was from the very beginning… even adored the kikai bugs." Shino gave a small chuckle at the memory.

Kankuro looked at the man sitting opposite him sadly. He wondered what it must be like to have shared something so special with someone who accepted you for yourself… only to have it taken away. He wanted to ask the bug wielder what had happened to Hoshiko but words seemed reluctant to form on his lips, so he kept silent. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer anyway.

The puppeteer decided top change the subject.

"You looked a little out of sorts this morning. Is everything okay?" asked Kankuro looking concerned.

Shino frowned slightly and replied, "No, not really. I couldn't sleep last night… I was plagued with images of her… I really miss her."

He looked at the sand shinobi and sighed. "I guess Choji's small talk at dinner just stirred up old memories for me… it reminded me a lot of her… no little detail was never insignificant for Hoshiko either." Shino broke off and then gave a minute chuckle, "You know, I was dreading the whole dinner thing with Choji but it turned out to be rather… interesting."

The puppeteer smiled in response to the bug master's softly spoken comment and replied, "Yeah, I was surprised that I had a good time. Who would have thought?"

Kankuro looked at his coffee and then ran his hand over his eyes. "I wish I could say the same about this morning though…" sighed the sand shinobi.

Shino frowned at him and asked, "Bad night too?"

The puppeteer blushed. He was hesitant to tell Shino that he spent a night tossing and turning, his thoughts filled with doing wicked things to his kuniochi team-mate.

Instead he said, "Well, a strange thing happened as I was trying to leave the inn…"

The Kikaichuu master raised an eyebrow as this. "How so?" he asked.

Kankuro blushed again and reluctantly related the morning's events to the young man, pulling two envelopes out of his pocket to show Shino.

The Kikaichuu master gave the sand shinobi a look of shock and pulled out a couple of envelopes out of his pocket as well. They were similar in style to the ones the puppeteer held in his hand.

There were apparently women out there who weren't deterred by bugs or kabuki makeup.

The two men frowned thoughtfully thinking the same thing.

_It looks like Choji's matchmaking campaign has begun in earnest._

-------------------

The two Hyuugas and Kiba waited under the shade of the tree for Shino and Kankuro to arrive.

Neji was reluctant to leave his cousin there with just Kiba and Akamaru as protection. The tattooed man seemed embarrassed about something but had this goofy smile permanently attached to his face. It was starting to annoy Neji greatly.

He heard his cousin's softly indrawn breath and looked up on the ridge above the training ground.

"_It's about time those two arrived!"_ grumbled Neji silently. His eyes drifted over to the bug freak. He didn't trust or even like Shino, but he knew that the Kikaichuu master would safe guard his cousin from unwanted attention. As far as Neji was concerned, Hinata's well-being and safety was far more important to him than his dislike for one of her protectors.

Neji gave a grim smile as Shino approached the tree. The young leaf shinobi had noticed Neji's presence next to Hinata and those pests of his were swarming out of his cloak and making agitated hissing noises. He watched the puppeteer murmur something to the bug wielder and was amazed to see the swarm disappear back into the safety of the cloak.

The Hyuuga genius was thoughtful. The Abarame Heir normally wasn't very close to anyone outside of his team but somehow, the puppeteer managed to break through Shino's usually reserved veneer. _Yes, it was curious._ Neji would have liked to explore the whole notion further but he needed to brief the newcomers about the situation and then head off to training with his own team. He really didn't wish to hang around Shino longer than was necessary.

He waited until the two men were under the tree before he related what had happened on their way over to the training grounds. Shino, Kiba and Kankuro frowned at Neji's news. They didn't like the fact that Hinata was harassed on her way to the training grounds. It seemed to be the only thing all four men agreed upon. Kankuro caught himself scowling darkly.

He didn't like the fact that there were other men trying to steal _his_ woman!

The sand shinobi shot a startled look over at Shino and was not surprised to see a very wicked grin peeking out from behind the high collar.

Kankuro sighed silently and admitted, _"Hell, yes… I'm jealous! I don't like the idea of other men wanting to touch her or claiming those sweet kisses from her!"_

He reigned in his emotions and redirected his attention to Neji saying his farewells to his cousin.

Shino, Kiba and Kankuro watched the hyuuga genius race off to another part of the training grounds in silence.

It was beginning to look like they may need to rethink those grand plans they hatched the other evening…

-------------------------

Shino slowly let out the breath he was holding after Neji departed for training with Tenten and Lee. The bug master shook his head slightly and thought to himself, _"I honestly don't see what Tenten sees in him! What a total ass!"_

He looked over at Hinata and asked her, "Are you okay? Did it scare you?"

Hinata started blushing scarlet and replied, "N-no… I w-was fine… I really didn't notice the men staring until Neji told me." She was peaking shyly over at Kankuro under her lashes.

Shino shot a surprised glance at the pretty kuniochi and then gave the sand shinobi a calculated gaze. The bug wielder didn't fail to notice the smug look that appeared on the puppeteer's face at that comment. It had been obvious the silver eyed beauty had been day-dreaming about something… or rather someone in particular. He just didn't know what to do when Kankuro finally left for home once his mission was done. Shino knew Hinata would miss the puppeteer when it came time for him to depart the leaf village.

The bug master sighed and thought to himself, _"I'm not going to think about that right now… I'll deal with that scenario when the time comes…"_

Shino's brooding was disrupted by the sound of Kiba and Akamaru bounding over to the group. The tattooed man had taken the dog away from the tree where the group gathered, so it could attend to nature's call.

Hinata smiled softly to her beastly friend and said, "Okay, Kiba… big bad Neji is gone now and the guys are finally here. Please tell us your news before you burst!"

Kiba sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with one hand and fished out a couple of familiar looking envelopes from his pocket. Kankuro and Shino looked at the beastly one blushing like a proud fool. They glanced at each other and fished out the envelopes they had brought with them and showed Kiba. Hinata was shocked to see the men erupt into a howling fit of laughter.

They had all planned to read some of their fan mail during a training break. There were apparently women out there who weren't deterred by bugs, kabuki makeup _or extremely large dogs.._. It was too funny.


	12. Chapter 12 A change in the routine

**Author's Note:**

This is the raw chapter. My beta-reader Gymchick is pretty busy right now. I will post the revised chapter when she is free to do the editing. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I sadly do not own Naruto. I also do not have any cash. Leave me in peace to write the next chapter already!

**A Change from the routine**

Shino looked at the small group still clustered under the tree. What with all the distractions this morning and everyone pre-occupied with Choji's matchmaking endeavors which seemed to be in full swing, it didn't look like anyone seemed too interested in training today. He cleared his throat softly and everyone looked at him expectantly. "Why don't we give training a miss today and do something else instead?" suggested Shino. "Eh, what do you suggest, Bug Freak?" asked his beastly friend.

Shino grinned at Kiba's use of the old endearment and thought about the question for a moment. He had a great idea – the perfect place for a little matchmaking of his own!

"How about we go over to the waterfall… we haven't been there for a long time." replied Shino.

Kiba frowned slightly as a thought crossed his mind. "Hinata, when do you need to meet Neji? We can get you back here in plenty of time before the jailer arrives." quipped the tattooed man with a cheeky grin.

Hinata looked at her team-mate with a shy smile on her face. "My father is allowing me to come home in the company of my friends this evening. Neji assured him that I would be safe from unwanted attention with my team-mates around." replied the kuniochi.

Shino carefully hid his shock. _"Well, that was unexpected…"_ thought the bug master silently. He knew that the Hyuuga genius didn't do it for Hinata. They had somehow proved themselves capable of protecting the heiress from unwanted suitors and that deserved a reward of sorts. Shino wasn't complaining. He thought privately, _"If anything, that will work in my favor!"_

The bug wielder looked over to Kiba and gave him a wry smile. The tattooed man was delighted beyond words over this news. He was trying to intercept his equally excited canine companion before Akamaru squished the delicate silver eyed kuniochi.

Shino glanced over at the sand shinobi and he seemed pleased by the change of plans for the day. He got the impression by Kankuro's grim expression at any mention of his brother, the Kazekage kept the puppeteer pretty busy with missions and training. The Kikaichuu master imagined that any free time the sand shinobi had, was a rare luxury.

----------------------

Kankuro was relieved that they wouldn't be training today. He couldn't remember the last time he had a break. Gaara still struggled with trust issues that stemmed from the treatment he received at the hands of their father, the previous Kazekage. Being the Kazekage's right hand man and sibling, meant that he usually had the lion's share of the "delicate" missions.

The puppeteer looked over to the tattooed man and his immense dog. They were bounding ahead of the group in their exuberance to get to the waterfall first. He didn't feel compelled to rush ahead with Kiba or fill the emptiness with mindless chatter like he did with Temari from time to time and that was a great feeling. It was easy to fall into a companionable silence with the other two members of team 8.

A sense of peace drifted over Kankuro. _"I could get used to this."_ He thought to himself.

They had been walking for sometime before they heard the excited barks of Akamaru mingled with the muted sounds of rushing water.

Shino gave a wry smile behind his collar and thought, _"Well, those two didn't waste any time!"_

The trio rounded the bend and Kankuro couldn't help but be impressed at the sight before him. The waterfall and the little secluded wooded area were breathtaking. He could see why team 8 liked this place so much. Shino smiled behind his collar at the puppeteer's strong reaction to their private paradise. Kiba and Akamaru had discovered the secluded little oasis a couple of years ago during one of their early morning walks. Shino had even brought Hoshiko here a few times in the past. The bug master felt his face burn scarlet at some of the memories and sighed. She was on his mind a lot this morning. It couldn't be helped though. All this talk about matchmaking and the arrival of the notes from his admirers were bringing memories of his one true love to the surface. He raised an eyebrow at a sudden thought. He was pretty amazed that there were a lot of women in the village who had admired him from a distance. He knew his looks and the destruction beetles were not a strong selling feature in terms of eligible bachelor material. It was a novel concept for the Kikaichuu master to grasp.

Shino dragged his mind back to the present and gazed over at Kankuro and Hinata standing close to each other near the waterfall. They were quietly talking and the bug wielder found the image is be oddly endearing. In his mind, he felt the puppeteer was just the kind of man that Hinata needed. _"If only I could get those two to eventually realize that they're perfect for each other."_ thought Shino to himself and then released a sigh.

He let his destruction beetles loose into the surrounding glade and walked over to Kiba who was wading in the shallows with Akamaru.

"_Well, the best thing I can do for those two is provide them the opportunity… I'll let nature and their growing mutual attraction, take care of the rest." _Thought the Kikaichuu master. He waved at his tattooed friend playing in the water with the massive hound and proceeded to join them.

------------------------

Kankuro and Hinata stood in silence watching the dappled sunlight dance off the water.

It all felt strangely romantic and very intimate.

The muted roar of the waterfall and the continuous stream of water crashing onto the rocks below brought to Kankuro's mind a similar image of his own thoughts in regards to the shy kuniochi standing beside him.

He had felt from the moment he arrived, that he was being bombarded with unfamiliar emotions that dazzled with their promise of better things and yet terrified him because they were so foreign.

He could feel eyes on him and he looked over to the young woman standing near him. Her eyes made contact with his before Hinata's lashes swept down, resting on her scarlet cheeks. Kankuro could tell that Hinata was having similar problems. He was tempted to take her in his arms and kiss away her blush. Kankuro sighed softly and shoved his hands deep in his pockets. _It wouldn't do to act on those feelings when her friends were nearby!_

Shino and Kiba may be encouraging an attraction to foster between the two of them but he knew the two men would not be happy with him if he didn't act like a gentleman in Hinata's company. His eyes strayed to those incredibly soft lips of her and traveled up to her silver eyes returning his gaze. The puppeteer felt himself turning scarlet under his kabuki makeup and looked over at the waterfall. He was trying to calm down but it was difficult. This forbidden image of kissing her senseless under the cascade of the waterfall planted itself firmly in his mind and wouldn't let go.

_He was in Hell... He wanted to brand her in such a way that every man who looked at her would know she was his!_

_And yet, he wanted to cherish her with every fiber of his being and never let her go. This was maddening!_

The puppeteer let out a wistful sigh and looked back at the young woman beside him. It was a close thing, but he managed to savagely rein in his errant thoughts. _She really was quite lovely in an ethereal sense… far too fine for someone like him. He knew that she was way out of his league but that didn't stop him yearning for her._

"This is a beautiful place… It's very peaceful here." murmured Kankuro to the shy kuniochi standing beside him. Hinata blushed and agreed with him. She felt a little embarrassed to be caught staring at the sand nin. Now that she knew what he looked under that bizarre disguise of his, she was fighting an urge of her own to drag the cat hood off his head. She wanted to slide her small hand up the side of his face and bury it into his spiky brown hair. She wanted to be kissed senseless by him, just like his eyes were promising whenever he looked over at her. She could see the puppeteer struggling with his desire and it left her breathless, knowing that this inner conflict of his was because of her. The young woman couldn't deny that she didn't find that thought exciting as hell. Hinata swallowed the sigh forming on her lips. _Maybe it was best that he's not acting on those feelings. Shino and Kiba wouldn't be too pleased with him if he did follow through on what his eyes were telling her!_

The silver eyed woman frowned as she suddenly realized something she hadn't noticed before. She didn't hear Akamaru barking anymore! Hinata felt Kankuro drop the puppet down from his back onto the ground at the ready. They both looked down the stream and realized that they were alone. They looked at each other with shock. They were both thinking the same thing. _They ditched us!_

---------------------

"You know, Bug Freak…" started Kiba, "Coming from you… this is a pretty evil thing to do to poor Hinata!" The tattooed man grinned like a mad fool at his partner in crime.

"She'll thank us later!" replied the Kikaichu master, returning his friend's toothy grin.

They were wading down the little stream with Akamaru leading the way.

"Besides, she will be safe with him and some little friends I left behind…" muttered Shino. Kiba stopped suddenly and stared at his friend in shock before he howled with laughter. It was too much for the beastly one to take in all at once. He would never have guessed in a million years that his friend had a perverted soul underneath that coat of his.

It really _was _the quiet ones you had to watch out for! Kiba shook his head slowly with an admiring smile on his face. _Trust Shino to have an ace in the hole!_

The bug wielder had glanced up briefly while they had been near the waterfall and caught the look that Kankuro had given Hinata. Shino sighed inwardly. The puppeteer probably still hasn't figured it out yet but the bug wielder already knew that for Kankuro, there was only one woman for him. _Those admirers of his were wasting their time!_ Shino recognized the signs well – he had been the same way around Hoshiko. He had to admire the sand nin's control over his emotions though. Shino watched the man fight the temption to let his feelings overtake him, just because he didn't want to disgrace Hinata in front of her friends. The Kikaichu master couldn't help but be impressed with the sand shinobi's strong sense of honor. It was then that he had waded over to Kiba and Akamaru to quietly tell him of his own little matchmaking plan. It had been relatively easy to get his beastly friend to agree to leave the two alone for a little while. Shino knew that Kiba was getting used to having the sand shinobi around after such a short acquaintance. Once they had overcome their initial hostility, the three men had discovered that they had quite a bit in common. Of course, the three shinobi getting smashed the second night the puppeteer was in town hadn't hurt in terms of promoting goodwill.

Shino redirected his efforts to following Kiba to the little clearing up ahead. The bug wielder had another reason for giving his team-mate some time alone with Kankuro. He needed to have a long overdue chat with his tattooed colleague. Shino had a feeling that he was going to need Kiba's support when it came time to deal with Neji. He wasn't fooling himself that Neji wouldn't come after him, especially when he eventually found out that the Kikaichu master had an active hand in the budding romance between Hinata and the sand shinobi.

------------------------

Kankuro stared down the stream, trying to locate the two ninja and the large dog. _It was no good. They were long gone._ The puppeteer was strangely not upset by this news. He looked over at the silver-eyed kuniochi absently pushing her fingers together, indecision clearly showing on her face. Kankuro grinned at this obvious show of the young woman's internal dilemma. The puppeteer silently thanked the two ninjas in his mind. He wasn't planning on wasting this window of opportunity her team-mates had given him. The sand shinobi leaned Karasu against a nearby boulder and walked up behind Hinata who was still deep in thought. Kankuro placed his large hand gently over hers, making the kuniochi look up in the puppeteer's face. He brought one of her small hands to his lips, effectively pulling Hinata closer to him. Kankuro heard her sharply drawn in breath at the feel of his lips on her skin and it made him smile. A fiery red blush danced across the silver eyed woman's cheeks. He was relieved to see that she was not unaffected by his touch and it made him bold enough to brush the back of his other hand up the side of her face. Hinata was surprised how gently he stroked her cheek. She sighed blissfully at the sensation. _He had such beautiful hands! _She stared helplessly up at the sand nin, silently begging him to kiss her.

Kankuro let out a relieved half-smile at her blatant invitation. A part of him had been plaqued with doubts that the attraction between them was something he imagined. He was already out of his league in terms of his romantic experience. He leaned down and placed a feather-soft kiss on her slightly parted lips. He was a little shocked to feel Hinata's hands slide up his chest to pull him closer to her to deepen the kiss. His surprise was fleeting as pure sensation took over and he wrapped the petite woman into his embrace. Hinata silently begged her friends to stay away for a little while longer. She didn't want him to stop kissing her anytime soon. His fingers dancing up and down her spine felt heavenly! She pushed the cat hood off the puppeteer's head and buried her fingers in the back of his scalp. Kankuro growled softly at the action and lifted the kuniochi into his arms, deepening the kiss further. Any tiny resistance Hinata may have still had, shattered in that instance as she melted in the sand shinobi's arms.

She had one last fleeting thought before she lost all capacity to think.

_Oh Lordy… The man sure can kiss!_

---------------------------

Kiba frowned at his team-mate, still deep in shock from what Shino had just told him.

_Hell! He had no idea that any_ _of this had been going on… no wonder Bug Freak had kept quiet!_

The tattooed man knew that his friend hadn't told him _everything_ but he had told him enough to be informed and that was more than he had been hoping. He still wasn't clear how Hinata fit into this mess but the tattooed man had a gut feeling that she was directly involved in this somehow. Kiba imagined that too would be revealed in due time. He sighed deeply to himself, knowing that the real reason why his friend told him _this _much was because he was asking for Kiba's assistance in his usual way. Shino rarely asked for help and when he did, there was usually an exellent reason for it. Kiba was aware that his dear friend was waiting for an answer and he saw no reason to deny the unspoken request.

The beast master put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave a little nod. Shino was relieved to see that telling action from his colleague. He was hoping that Kiba would be willing to still help him in his scheme, despite only knowing the bare bones but he was feeling a little unsure. He still felt guilty about not revealing all of what happened but truth be told – he still wasn't ready to deal with certain memories yet.

Kiba gave his friend another measured glance before he looked out over at the reflection dancing off the stream. The tattooed one sighed deeply and knew things were going to get a little more dicey from here on out for cell 8. _He thought he had it bad when Neji had put him in the hospital for those many months. It would be nothing compared to what the Hyuuga Genius would do to them if he finds out about the Puppet Freak and Hinata!_

Just then, a destruction beetle glided over to one of Shino's outstretched fingers. Kiba raised an eyebrow as he watched his colleague listen intently to what the bug was telling him. "Interesting… tell me more." encouraged the Kikaichuu master.

Shino raised his eyebrow as the destruction beetle then glided off into the glade and turned to face his team-mate.

"Well?" prompted Kiba, "What's going on?" Shino gave his friend a broad smile in response. "It looks like our efforts are not in vain… They didn't seem to be too overly upset by our disappearance."

Both men grinned like mad fools. It was turning out that their own matchmaking plans were bearing fruit!

_They were so going to be in trouble if Neji got his hands on them!_


	13. Chapter 13 A change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

I would like to thank those readers and reviewers who have a soft spot for this story.

I am working on other story projects in addition to this one but I have no intention of abandoning my first story before I have a chance to finish the tale – especially when things are just starting to get interesting.

A special shout out to **Rynnsloveless**: There is no reason for you to send your little wingless bat friends over. I'm working on the new chapters – promise!

This is the raw chapter. My beta-reader for this story the very charming Gymchick has been busy. I will post the revised chapter at a later date!

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto. I do not even own my soul – I sold that off years ago! Enjoy, my pretties, enjoy!

**A Change of Heart**

It was the odd flash of blue-green beetle wings that gave Kankuro pause as to what he was doing and with whom. The sand shinobi heaved a sad sigh as the reality of his present situation sank in. He didn't want to do it but he gently placed Hinata back on the ground and took a small step away from her to provide distance. The young kuniochi looked crushed and he was feeling lower than pond scum for doing this to her. _Hell, He didn't want to stop kissing her… but this wasn't fair on her. He needed to do the decent thing and stop._

"Hinata… sweetheart… please, don't look at me like that." sighed Kankuro, "I have to stop… it's not what I want… but it's what I have to do. The puppeteer raised a slightly trembling hand to brush the hair away from the silver-eyed woman's face and gazed into her eyes. The sand nin started to curse himself under his breath. Those beautiful eyes of hers were filling with tears… It seemed she still didn't understand.

Kankuro was struggling to find the right words to comfort her. He was no good at explanations… much less easing pain he inadvertently inflicted. The Sand shinobi gave a deep melancholy sigh and picked up the now weeping kuniochi. He carried her in his arms over to a nearby grouping of old shade trees. He sat down with his back leaning against a large tree and Hinata still cradled in his arms.

He looked down at Hinata and felt awful at the pain he could see in her eyes. He really did owe her an explanation. The sand nin sighed again and murmured, "Hinata… I honestly do care for you… but… I can't promise you something that I am not sure… I can give you." Hinata had stopped crying and she was listening quietly to him. Kankuro felt oddly encouraged by this sign to continue. "I-I don't know how long I plan to be here… but I know I have to go back to the Sand Village eventually." The young kuniochi sat up and looked at him intently. Kankuro was on a roll now and hesitantly proceeded… "I-I do know that I've never felt this way before… but… I don't want to ruin this precious thing we have by rushing into doing something foolish that we may both regret."

Hinata closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. She was touched by his concern for her reputation, when she herself hadn't given it much thought at all.

He was right; rushing into things would not be best thing to do, under the present situation. The shy lass opened her eyes, understanding shining from their depths and a shy smile on her slightly swollen lips. Kankuro was relieved to see that Hinata was finally aware of why he had stopped. She hesitantly placed her fingertips onto his lips. "S-so what do we do now?" Hinata shyly asked.

Kankuro groaned, positioning her head onto his chest. _He was going to be good – even if it killed him!_

"We cuddle and we talk." replied the sand nin. Hinata gave a soft sigh in reply. _She wanted to keep kissing but cuddling was nice too…_

------------------------

Kiba and Shino packed up their makeshift meal and proceeded to clear the area of any sign of their presence. They were careful to ensure that no one was able to discover their special hideaway. Kiba looked up at his bespeckled friend as one of his Kikaichuu bugs came in to give a periodic report. He watched in concern as he saw Shino stiffen slightly at whatever the bug was telling him.

"What's wrong?" asked Kiba as he observed his colleague muttering a streak of curse words behind his collar. "Kankuro spotted the chaperones flitting around." replied Shino.

"Problems?" frowned the tattooed man. The bug wielder frowned as well and replied, "I'm not sure yet… I'm waiting on another report. We should know what's going on soon."

Kiba sighed at that response. There was no sense in worrying until they got another update. They continued with their task and were finishing up when the destruction beetle flew up. The tattooed man raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend's face proceed to blush harder the more he listened to the beetle.

"Well?" grumped Kiba as he saw the Kikaichuu bug flit off. The bug wielder had a stunned look on his face. Kiba was impressed – the man was rarely shocked.

Shino suddenly blushed scarlet again and now the beast master was just itching to know exactly what had caused that particular reaction.

"Problems with Puppet Freak behaving himself around Hinata?" frowned Kiba.

Shino was momentarily taken aback by Kiba's new term for Kankuro. Kiba really liked the man. It was a high honor indeed to get a pet name in such a short amount of time.

"Uh… no. The opposite in fact." smirked the bug wielder.

Kiba was shocked. "What! You mean shy little Hinata…" The beastly one had a tough time trying to grasp the mere idea of their bashful team-mate being the aggressor and taking the initiative. The two men looked at each other for a moment before they started howling in laughter.

_Poor Puppet Freak – his bachelor days are numbered and he doesn't even know it._

Kiba stopped laughing and asked slyly, "Do we need to go rescue the poor guy from Hinata's evil clutches?"

Shino pinned his friend with a meditative look before he answered, "No – It seems he got her to behave in the end… they're sitting under the trees… talking."

Kiba wasn't expecting that. If he was honest about it, he had half expected the sand shinobi to take advantage of the situation but instead, the man resisted temptation and protected Hinata's reputation. He hated to admit it but Puppet Freak was quite a decent fellow if you scratched deep enough.

----------------------

Kankuro was cursing his luck! He had a beautiful woman right where he wanted her but she was asleep on top of him. They had talked for a while before he noticed her drifting off to sleep to the sound of his heartbeat. Kankuro was reluctant to move her from where she rested – she felt _too_ good there in his arms. The sand shinobi sighed. As much as he wanted to continue kissing her, he knew that kisses would lead to other things… and a secret part of him wanted more than a few stolen moments with the shy lass currently draped over his chest.

He didn't wish to be in Temari's current position. Kankuro grimaced. He wanted to show Hinata off to the world, not hide her in the shadows. He sighed deeply, he was starting to repeat himself and that was pretty scary.

Despite the uncertain nature of the life of a ninja, that deeply hidden part of that empty cavern he called a heart yearned for someone to love and to love him back. If he was truly honest with himself, he knew he couldn't live Gaara's old philosophy – to love only himself. From what he had seen at first hand experience, it was a lonely existence.

He looked down at Hinata's sleeping face, a soft smile playing along her lips and her small hands draped loosely around his neck. He could easily get used to this on a regular basis. Kankuro moved his hand up to push back an errant lock away from her face and watched the silky strands wrap around his fingers. He was suddenly having trouble breathing. The sand shinobi closed his eyes and willed his brain to stop thinking about how she would feel wrapped around him. He sighed deeply. _She was not for him… no matter how much he wanted it to be so._

He heard a twig snap and a soft curse. Kankuro's eyes snapped open, suddenly alert and listening for more signs of the approaching intruder. He shifted the sleeping woman's figure to one side of him to better protect her as well as to free one arm, ready to activate Karasu.

The footfalls were coming closer and the sand nin didn't want to risk Hinata getting harmed in any way. He wasn't going to waste valuable time trying to determine if the trespasser was a friend or a foe. Kankuro went on the defensive… He murmured the jutsu under his breath, making chakra strings whip out from his fingertips to activate the puppet.

He was about to shoot off some kunai from Karasu when a cloud of Kikaichu beetles whipped in from beyond the shade of the trees…

--------------------

Kiba breathed a sigh of relief when that damn puppet dropped back against the boulder.

He gave his team-mate a shocked look. _That damn Puppet Freak almost skewered them!_

They both had the dubious pleasure of seeing those poisoned kunai in action… it was an experience they didn't want to repeat!

Shino redirected his gaze back to the group of shade trees and called his destruction beetles back. There was obviously a good reason for the sand shinobi's odd behavior and Shino was sure that his bugs would provide the answers soon enough. One of the Kikaichuu beetles flitted over to his finger and he listened intently to it. He watched it return back to the safety of his cloak before he turned to his tattooed companion.

"We need to be quiet… Hinata is asleep." murmured Shino.

Kiba raised his eyebrow at this but didn't respond. The two men took care not to make any noise as they entered the shade of the trees.

A hoodless Kankuro was leaning against a large shade tree scowling at the two ninja. The arm that had been controlling the puppet was still out-stretched but it was what was in the sand shinobi's other arm that interested the team-mates the most.

Shino and Kiba's jaws dropped slightly at the sight of the petite kuniochi snuggling deeply into the side of the puppeteer. The colleagues watched the man's arm tighten subconsciously around the young woman. They started to blush when Hinata uttered a blissful sigh, which caused Kankuro to deepen the scowl directed at the two men.

Kiba for once was rendered speechless by the scene before him. _He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but even he could tell that there was something going on between the two._

He then realized that his earlier anger over the battle puppet had disappeared.

_Hell - he couldn't be mad at a man who was determined to protect their team-mate at all costs – even from them!_

If anything, it only re-affirmed his earlier opinion of the man.

Shino shoved his hands into his pocket, now deep in thought. Without the cat hood, he could now see that Kankuro looked like an older version of Gaara. If the rumors were correct about _that one_, the Kazekage had the women eating out of his hand.

He was beginning to understand why Hinata had been acting differently since the man arrived in the Leaf Village. She had been able to instinctively recognize the dark beauty of the man hidden under the disguise. She'd obviously saw beyond the sand shinobi's kabuki makeup and headwear from the beginning.

The bug wielder watched the man briefly check on his bundle before redirecting his gaze back at the two ninjas. He didn't miss the lingering look Kankuro gave the kuniochi before turning back.

In that telling moment, Shino finally got his answer to that question he asked the sand shinobi two nights ago.

_Love was a funny thing. It could creep in slowly or rush in like a flash flood…_

Shino looked over at his beastly companion and motioned for him to follow. Kiba was about to argue when the bug wielder shot him one of those knowing glances, which effectively silenced him.

Shino's voice drifted over to the puppeteer as the two men left the shelter of the large shade tree. "Wake Hinata up… it's getting late. Kiba can take her home." The Kikaichu master waited until Kiba left before he said one more thing to the puppeteer.

"Kankuro, she needs to look as though she's just come in from training… take care of it, eh?" The sand shinobi watched the bug wielder depart in stunned silence. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he heard a smile in that last comment.

He looked down at the beautiful woman still cradled in his arm and felt a naughty smile play around his firm lips.

_There was only one thing he knew that would make her breathless…_

---------------------

Kiba whistled for Akamaru to come back from his roaming and waited for Shino to catch up with him at the boulder. He nudged the battle puppet with his foot in disgust. _It was a good thing that they were friends! He really didn't want to get on the wrong side of Puppet Freak!_

He was relieved to see Shino strolling over to join him. The puppet gave him the creeps!

The Kikaichu wielder wasted no time in putting his plan into action.

"Kiba - when Hinata wakes up, I want you and Akamaru to take her home." Said Shino.

"Why me?" grouched Kiba, "Why not you or Puppet Freak?" The bug wielder frowned at his friend.

"Neji can't stand me and the Hyuuga Clan has warned off Kankuro in their usual fashion. You though – they still tolerate." Kiba was feeling foolish and flushed.

_He knew that!_

Shino was still talking and didn't notice his companion's discomfort. "Then I want you to meet me outside of Kankuro's inn. I suggest we go back to that bar we were in the other night. We need to rethink our original plan of action." Kiba nodded once, suddenly alert.

The massive dog finally bounded up to his master and Kiba quickly brought the dog to heel. The canine immediately picked up the scent of possible danger from his owner and sat close by, at the ready.

They waited for the couple to come from the shelter of the trees. Akamaru started whining happily when he saw Hinata emerge from the grove. Kiba raised an eyebrow to his team-mate and Shino nodded in reply. The tattooed man gave the silent command to the dog and watched him bound over to the petite kuniochi. "Down, Akamaru." gruffed the puppeteer to the canine. The two leaf shinobi were shocked to see Akamaru comply with the command. The dogs owned and trained by the Inuzuka Clan were known to be notoriously loyal. It was rare for them to obey a command from someone else other than their handler. Kiba was even more impressed with Puppet Freak now – Akamaru usually only listened to him. It seemed that the sand shinobi had also earned his canine companion's approval.

The two men waited for Kankuro and Hinata to join them at the boulder. Shino was having a tough time containing his grin but he managed to do it. Kankuro had done a good job at the task he assigned him. Hinata was looking highly flustered, with a blush permanently etched on her cheekbones. She looked beautiful and Shino knew it was because of the puppeteer's attention. She seemed to glow from within when she was around the man.

Shino looked over at Kiba and nodded slightly at his colleague. Kiba cleared his throat.

"Come on, Hinata. Akamaru and I will escort you home." Hinata shyly gazed over at the sand nin under the cover of her lashes. Kankuro gave the petite kuniochi a gentle smile and gestured for her to go with Kiba. He silently agreed with Shino's plan that the young woman go home this evening. He really didn't want her to be present when he and her team-mates had their discussion.

Kankuro stood beside Shino and watched the two leaf ninja slowly disappear from view.

The sand shinobi let out a deep felt sigh and bent down to pick up his discarded cat hood.

The bug wielder stayed where he was and watched the puppeteer stalk over to Karasu to commence the task of rewrapping the puppet.

Shino shoved his hands in his pocket and watched the process, deep in thought.

Kankuro may not be ready to acknowledge it yet but the bug wielder knew that the puppeteer had already lost this particular battle of the heart.

_If the man was smart, he would finish up his mission and go home. He would be better off dealing with a broken heart than the other alternative._

Shino heard the sound of approaching footsteps and looked up to see Kankuro walking over to him with Karasu draped over his shoulder.

"Ready to go?" asked the Kikaichu master. The sand shinobi nodded in response and the two men departed from the waterfall.


	14. Chapter 14 Tough Times are Ahead

**Author's Note:**

Yes – a new chapter… finally. I blame illness for the delay.

I have added a story update section to my profile page. It will give you a better idea of where I am with writing projects rather than having to resort to sending me a nasty gram via PM.

Thanks to the folks who have left reviews. It's great to hear your thoughts.

Also – big thanks to the folks who are reading – the amount of hits is always encouraging.

This is the raw chapter. My beta-reader **gym-chick** is busy right now. I will post a revision later!

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto. I don't even own a car, much less my soul. Enjoy, beautiful people, enjoy.

**Tough Times are Ahead**

The men had walked back in companionable silence, both lost in their thoughts.Twilight had fallen over the Leaf Village as Shino and Kankuro approached the entrance of the inn.  
The sky was still streaked with lavenders and pinks as the first stars emerged, heralding the encroaching darkness.  
Shino stood waiting in the lobby as the puppeteer checked his messages at Reception. Kankuro let out a frustrated sigh and the bug wielder looked over in mild interest. The blushing desk clerk was handing over a small bundle of envelopes in addition to a couple of personal messages. Kankuro held back the grin as the clerk stammered the names of the senders. His siblings had managed to rattle yet another receptionist with their usual missives. His family was totally devoid of tact. The sand shinobi assured the desk clerk that he would reply to his siblings as soon as he had a spare moment. 

Kankuro walked over to the Kikaichuu master and gestured for him to follow him to his room.

The sand shinobi opened the door and walked in, Shino trailing behind him. Kankuro dismissively dropped the small bundle of notes onto the pile in the middle of the spare bed. He stuffed a hand in his pocket to fish out the two envelopes in his pocket to also add them to the growing mound.

Shino raised an eyebrow at the man's actions as he watched Kankuro lean his puppet against the wall and walk over to the small table with the two missives from his siblings.

The bug wielder quietly closed the door and sat down on the nearby sofa.

_Apparently the attention of many women is not as exciting in comparison to the company of one woman in particular._

Hinata was a better judge of character than he gave her credit for, it seemed.

Shino gave the puppeteer's broad back a look of consideration and then raised an eyebrow when he heard a strangled groan come from the sand nin.

"What's wrong? Is it Gaara?" asked the Kikaichuu master.

Shino was starting to get alarmed as he watched the puppeteer drag his hands over his face in visible frustration, dislodging his cat hood in the process.

"No – Gaara is fine. He's not expecting me to file a mission report until the end of week." sighed Kankuro. "My sister Temari is another issue though…"

Shino was confused. _Why was the man so upset about his sister_?

"Is she okay?" asked the bug wielder.

The sand shinobi swiveled around on the seat to face Shino sitting on the sofa. He saw no reason to sugar-coat his sister's terse message to the man waiting patiently for his response.

"I don't know… but she's somehow gotten Gaara's permission to come here for a visit." replied Kankuro. "She said that she needs to talk to me about a private matter and she will be arriving in a couple of day's time."

_Oh Lord… what a complete and utter mess._ The puppeteer didn't know if it could get any worse…

----------------------

Shino had sat there and watched the sand shinobi visibly collect his thoughts before he gathered up his discarded hat and put it back on his head. He could tell that the prospect of his sister's visit rattled the hell out of him. He couldn't blame him – from what he recalled about her, Temari was a scary woman. The bug wielder was sensing that there was more to this than met the eye but didn't feel comfortable prying into the puppeteer's personal affairs. If Kankuro wanted them to know, he was confident that the sand nin would tell them when he was ready.

He heard the man sigh again and walk towards the door.

Kankuro turned his gaze towards the sofa and asked "You ready?"

Shino gave a quick nod and the sand nin smiled gratefully in response. Kankuro was relieved that his companion didn't pursue the matter of Temari's impending visit further.

_He needed Temari here like he needed a hole in the head. He really didn't have a good feeling about this surprise visit of hers…_

The puppeteer was about to leave the room when he heard Shino ask, "What are you planning to do with those?"

Kankuro looked over his shoulder at what the young man was referring to and saw him gesture to the pile of fan mail on the bed.

"Burn them." replied the puppeteer succinctly and continued to walk out of the room.

Shino stared owlishly at the man's retreating back before he started grinning like a mad fool.

He locked the door then followed in the Puppeteer's path.

-------------------

Kiba was waiting in anticipation for the two men outside the inn. He seemed to be in a good mood and was grinning like a fool. Shino raised an eyebrow at his friend's behavior. The tattooed man had some news of his own to tell them – that much was obvious.

"Everything go well, then?" asked Shino.

"Yep… her father met her at the door and seemed pleased to see we worked her into the ground." grinned Kiba. "He commented that she looked tired and she should spend the rest of the evening in her room."

"And the rest?" quizzed Shino.

Kankuro looked at the two men intently.

"_Remind me never to cross these two." _thought the puppeteer in silence.

"The Hyuuga Clan Leader didn't suspect a thing. I walked her to the front gate and stayed there while she continued to her door by herself."

"Excellent. Good job, Kiba." replied the bug wielder.

Shino looked over to the sand shinobi and said, "You ready to go, Kankuro?"

The puppeteer blushed to be caught staring open-mouthed like a trout, at these two men openly scheming ways to pull the wool over the Hyuuga Clan's eyes.

Kankuro nodded his ascent and the group continued down the road – their destination the bar they went to a couple of nights ago.

"Where's Akamaru?" asked Shino.

"Eh, don't worry about him, Bug Freak. He's fine." replied Kiba then continued, "He went on ahead after we left the Hyuuga compound and is probably sitting in the bar with my mother and her dog, waiting for us to show up."

Shino frowned slightly at that juicy tidbit. "Was she mad at you for getting the dog drunk, then?"

Kiba laughed at his friend's concern for his well-being. "Hell, no. She knows what Akamaru is like… but she's going to take him home tonight."

Shino could see that Kankuro was confused as to why Kiba's mother would take home his dog.

"While Tsume Inuzuka doesn't mind if the dogs have the occasional bowl of sake, she prefers them to be alert enough to perform their jobs." replied the bug wielder.

"As far as mother is concerned, a drunk dog is no good for tracking." added Kiba.

The puppeteer nodded slightly at this.

_Kiba's family sounded like a strange bunch but he really wasn't in a position to criticize._

The three shinobi continued down the road in silence yet again. Kankuro was fine with not talking right now. The note from his sister effectively put him in no mood for idle chit-chat and the two team-mates seemed to pick up on this. It wasn't too long before they reached the bar.

The owner greeted Kiba warmly at he entered and whispered something in the man's ear. The tattooed one listened intently to the bar-keep then said, "He's allowed a one more bowl of sake after his current one, then cut him off."

The older man grinned at Kiba and bowed slightly before retreated back to his post behind the bar.

The puppeteer's attention was brought back to the present with the arrival of a waitress to show the group to their table.

Kiba was waving to a familiar woman with identical facial tattoos as his own when the sand shinobi heard a pained groan coming from the bespeckled man trailing him. Kankuro turned slightly and gave the bug wielder a concerned glance. He was further confused when Kiba started to laugh at the man's obvious discomfort. The beastly one gestured to the figure sitting opposite his mother and Kankuro finally understood Shino's pain.

_Apparently it was family night at the local bar._

An older version of Shino sat with Tsume and was grinning like a fool at his son's entrance into the bar.

"Please, let's just get away from my fool of a father and sit down." groaned Shino.

Kiba laughed at this comment. Bug Freak loved his father but Shibi delighted in embarrassing his son from time to time.

The puppeteer was feeling much better about his current situation when the men finally sat down at their table. There was something comforting in seeing other people suffer at the hands of their families.

-------------------------

It was a different bunch of shinobi who sat down to drink this evening compared to the desperate group who came just to drink and escape two nights ago.

The men were a lot more leisurely in their alcohol consumption for one. The horrors of the morning after hangover still lingered in the men's minds and it wasn't something they wanted to repeat anytime soon if they could help it. The second noticeable difference was that they weren't drinking to escape the prospects of a matchmaker from Hell.

No – the men had a mission of their own to discuss. They would need clear heads to formulate a scheme intelligent enough to fool the likes of Neji and Hiashi Hyuuga.

There was also the added complication of the upcoming surprise visit by the sand shinobi's sister Temari.

Shino slowly sipped his sake and looked at the two other men in studied contemplation. He wasn't kidding himself in thinking it was going to be an easy feat to hoodwink the Hyuuga Clan as well as keeping the temperamental sand kuniochi distracted enough to give Kankuro some time to woo Hinata.

Shino had his own suspicions that the Hyuuga Clan had plans of their own in the works for sometime but he wasn't about to let one of his best friends get shipped off into an arranged marriage if he could help it.

The three men idly chatted about village gossip and swapped anecdotes about previous missions they had been on. They were in no hurry to rush into what was going to be a very deep and serious conversation but were content to wait until the moment was right.

That moment presented itself two hours when Shino saw his father and Tsume Inuzuka stand up with the dogs in tow, waving to the three men as they walked out the bar.

The Kikaichuu master watched in silence as the last of his father's destruction beetles flittered out the door while Kiba called the waitress over to order a bottle of sake.

Kiba paid waitress when she came back to their table, murmuring in her ear that they should be fine for a while.

Kankuro refilled the sake cups and waited patiently for the two men to get settled.

Shino took a small sip of the alcohol before addressing the table, "The plans have changed. We have a lot to discuss and not a lot of time to work with… let's get started, shall we?"

The discussion between the three bachelors began in earnest.

-----------------------------

Kiba looked at Shino in curiosity and asked, "You know where you want to start this conversation, Bug Freak?"

Shino looked down at his cup for a moment before looking directly at the puppeteer.

"Yes… I do, Kiba. I think it's a safe bet to assume that Kankuro is off the market as far as Choji's match making scheme is concerned, hn?"

The sand nin returned their stares with a measured one of his own. Kankuro strangely felt comfortable in the knowledge that these two men wouldn't betray his confidence.

He took a drink of his sake before replying candidly, "Yes, that's true… but _Kami_ knows, I don't feel that I have anything to offer her."

The beast master tsked at him and countered, "How the hell do you know that, Puppet Freak? She seemed more than happy taking what you were offering a few hours ago."

The large man felt his face getting unaccountably warm as he admitted, "Yes, that's true enough."

Shino quietly asked, "Kankuro, let me ask this then… Would you be prepared to stand aside and watch while the Hyuuga Clan made plans to arrange a marriage for Hinata?"

The puppeteer glanced at the bug wielder in absolute shock.

It was true that arranged marriages were a common occurrence with clans but a part of him was genuinely upset at the prospect of that delicate goddess being married to a man who wouldn't care for her beyond her bloodline limit and her breeding abilities.

If he was honest with himself, it left a very sour taste in his mouth.

Kankuro took a healthy swallow of his sake and didn't see the two men exchange a small amused smile between them as Kiba helpfully refilled the cat hooded one's cup.

_When they put it that way… she **was** better off with someone like him. Hell – he'd be more than happy to give her children but he'd ensure she had pleasure in the task!_

"No, I would not." The sand shinobi admitted honestly.

The Kikaichuu wielder took a sip then nodded. He wasn't surprised by the large man's response. If anything, it was pretty much what he had been expecting to hear.

"Kiba, are you going to be okay helping me deal with the fan girls?" he asked his team-mate.

The beastly one gave his friend a toothy grin and nodded in the sand nin's direction.

"What are we going to do about _his_ fan girls? We can't just get rid of the stuff… The Hyuugas would get suspicious if word came back to them that Puppet Freak here wasn't interested in sampling Konoha's finest flowers."

Shino shrugged and casually replied, "Temari has decided to pay her brother a little visit in a couple of days. While she's in town, the Hyuugas aren't going to be suspicious of Kankuro's empty social calendar."

Kiba frowned slightly at that unwelcome news. He thought he had smelt signs of stress coming from the sand nin, despite the fact that he had tried hard to disguise it from him.

He suspected his sister's sudden need to see her brother while he was on mission was a contributing factor to the strain he was picking up on from the sand shinobi.

This mission of his was another issue they needed to address.

"Okay - we have figured out the situation with the fan girls. I have a question. What about your mission, Puppet Freak? Any progress?" asked Kiba.

Shino waited patiently for the puppeteer's reply. He too was curious as to how much time they were being given for their scheme.

Kankuro studied the cup for a while before taking a swallow.

"I figure that the earliest I can hope to complete the task will be three days… but with Temari in town, it may complicate matters." replied the sand nin carefully.

The bug wielder raised his eyebrow when he heard that. Kankuro had told them what they needed to know without revealing anything that would jeopardize his mission.

It meant only one thing to him… whatever the man was dealing with, was obviously of a very personal nature and needed to be handled with discretion.

Shino gave his tattooed friend a telling look before nodding in understanding at the puppeteer.

"If you need help, let us know." murmured the bug wielder quietly.

Kankuro smiled and nodded in return, secretly relieved with the knowledge that he had reinforcements if he needed them.

---------------------------

Kiba refilled their cups as he watched his bug wielding companion formulating a plan.

The beast master grinned widely as he saw the small smile ghost his friend's lips before Shino took a small sip of his drink.

"The Hyuuga Clan hasn't given up on arranging a marriage for Hinata. It's only going to be a matter of time before Hiashi finds a Clan willing to take her." murmured Shino.

He glanced over at the puppeteer and asked, "How far are you willing to go to get the girl, Kankuro?"

He stared at the team mates for a while before answering in a low tone, "I'm already in it waist deep without realizing it. I may as well go all the way."

Kiba beamed an unholy grin and leaned forward on the table. It had all the promise of a scandal to him!

He glanced at Shino and saw he too was wearing a small smile on his face.

Kankuro frowned briefly as a thought occurred to him.

"What about Neji? He's not going to be thrilled if he figures out that you two are helping me."

Shino shared a contemplative look with Kiba before answering the puppeteer.

They had discussed this situation and knew where their priorities lay. Hinata was far more precious to them and worth the risk.

The Kikaichuu master took a deep sip of his sake before replying, "Neji has had a problem with me for a long time now. A confrontation between me and the Hyuuga genius at this point is inevitable. We're prepared for this eventuality."

Kiba concurred, "It's our choice to make. Hinata deserves more than a loveless union. We know that she will be happy with you."

Kankuro took a sip from his cup nodding absently. He understood the men quite clearly.

A chance at happiness was always worth the risk and he knew he couldn't walk away now… especially knowing that he was falling for her and had been for a while.

_Yes – things were now more complicated._


	15. Chapter 15 A Fine Mess Indeed

**Author's Note:**

This is the raw chapter. My usual beta for this story – **gym­chick** is busy at present.

I will post a revised chapter when she has the time to review.

Thanks to those kind souls who expressed concern over my recent illness.

I am getting better. My asthma and allergies merely slow me down – they don't stop me from doing what I please. I am still writing new chapters, just at a slower pace. XD

This chapter is dedicated to **Julia Burn** who impressed the hell out of me with her creative use of the review boards. You know, the private message system is just as effective in lighting a fire under me. It's a thought.

I still have fond memories of the reviewer who threatened in her PM to send her little bat friends over to my place to rough me up if I didn't cough up a new chapter.

Thanks to those folks brave enough to leave reviews. It's always refreshing to hear your thoughts on the story to date.

A sentence in _Italics_ denotes the personal thoughts of a character.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Naruto or the characters but I wouldn't mind being owned by Gaara once in a while.

**A Fine Mess Indeed**

_Two days later…_

The puppeteer had his ever present companion slung across his broad back and was leisurely walking back to the inn, anxious to get into a hot shower. Practice with Hinata's team had gone extremely well and already he was starting to feel his reflexes getting sharper as a result of training with a group of shinobi with skills vastly different to those of his siblings.

He knew his time in Konoha would soon be at an end with Shikamaru scheduled to arrive home from his mission in the next day or so.

As anxious as he was to get this nasty business sorted out with the shadow wielder as quickly as possible, he was dreading the day he needed to say his goodbyes to cell 8.

The sand nin had gotten used to hanging around the eclectic bunch of shinobi and knew he was going to miss them.

Kankuro was glad that Shino and Kiba had understood his need for solitude when he had declined their offer for company. The puppeteer was already feeling the unwanted pressure of Temari's impending arrival and he needed some time to himself to sort out his conflicting emotions. Kankuro truly loved his sister, despite their last conversation but he couldn't shake this impending sense of doom that this wasn't a social call.

The puppeteer gave a weary sigh, already dreading the mess that his fan wielding sibling was going to drop into his lap.

Kankuro swiped a large hand across his face as if to physically erase the bone deep weariness he was suddenly feeling and was surprised to hear an odd chirping close by. He had completely forgotten about his little passenger.

_It seems that he wasn't the only one who has concerns about this impending visit…_

The sand nin gave a wry smile when he looked down onto his broad chest to see the tiny Kikai beetle sitting there. Shino had insisted on giving him one of _his _constant companions before they parted ways at the training grounds – just in case.

He continued up the road, now feeling light of heart, knowing that he wasn't taking on the problems of the world by himself.

It was times like these that it was nice to have friends.

-------------------------------

As soon as Kankuro entered the inn, he knew something was terribly wrong. The receptionist beckoned him to the desk with a frantic waving of her hands and she looked close to tears.

The sand nin gave a deep sigh before dragging himself slowly over to the reception desk.

There was only one thing or rather, one person who could cause that particular reaction in the poor woman.

_His sister was already here. Shit. He was hoping to catch a shower before she descended upon him._

He sighed again and tried to calm the near hysterical young woman down.

"It's okay… I know what you're going to say. My sister is here and she's waiting for me in my room, right?" murmured Kankuro in a soothing tone, placing a hand on the poor woman's trembling hand.

He saw her visibly swallow and nod slowly at his comment.

Temari always knew how to make a great first impression on people.

Kankuro dragged a large hand across his tired eyes before asking the still trembling woman, "Don't worry, I will take care of it. When did my dear sister arrive?"

The puppeteer saw her take a calming breath, smiling inwardly as he watched her visibly compose herself and cautiously, "She arrived an hour ago, sir."

_Great… just great._

_He could only imagine what she'd been doing to occupy herself in that time._

He turned away from the desk, intent on getting to his room before things got worse but was called back to the desk once more by the young woman's voice.

"Uh, sir… these arrived for you today."

Kankuro felt himself flushing darkly under his kabuki makeup as he picked up the basket containing more tokens of affection from his fan girls.

The sand nin shifted Karasu on his back to get a better grip on the basket and turned once more to the direction of the stairs.

The sooner he dealt with the current crisis waiting him in his room, the better he would feel… or so he hoped.

--------------------------------

Temari heard the latch click in the door and looked up from the current love note she was reading. The fan wielder's curiosity had been caught an hour ago when she had stormed into her brother's room in a foul mood and discovered the pile of letters and little gifts dumped on the spare bed.

She had recalled Gaara mentioning that Kankuro was on a mission that required a cover but she was secretly a little shocked just how effective this ruse was and how many women found her brother to be "quite the catch."

Temari was onto her ninth letter and she had already started three piles in order of her personal preferences. So far, there were a lot of "No way in hell" letters and one woman she needed to have a chat to about wanting to use her brother as a "bit of fun on the side".

Temari had snorted at that one.

A married woman had _no _business sniffing after one of her brothers. She didn't care if the woman had natural D cups, plenty of cash and the stamina to rock his world for a few hours… she was dead meat.

"Temari? What are you doing?"

Kankuro had popped his head through the crack in the door and was looking at her with a perplexed look on his face.

The fan wielder blushed in embarrassment, the hand holding the latest letter rubbing the back of her head.

"Uh… I saw these when I walked in and I was bored waiting… I hope you don't mind?" replied his sibling sheepishly.

The puppeteer shrugged eloquently before pushing the door open fully and walking into the room, secretly relieved that the little collection on the bed had provided his sister with a distraction. He hadn't been thrilled at the prospect of dealing with an irate Temari.

He frowned slightly when he caught sight of an opened package of cookies beside her and raised a painted eyebrow.

"Temari, why are you eating those? You told me once that you couldn't stand them!"

"Well, yeah… but I really wanted them and they were just sitting in this pile. It wasn't as though you were in a hurry to eat them." grouched the blonde in an injured tone.

Kankuro sighed at his sister's grumpy tone and closed the door. It would do no good arguing with her when she was in one of those moods.

He looked over his shoulder as he carried the small basket with the latest batch of letters and enticements from his ever growing fan girl base.

The sand nin saw the look of eagerness on Temari's face at the new delivery and switched directions instead, heading towards the young woman comfortably ensconced on the bed.

"I guess you want these as well?" murmured the puppeteer, sighing in a melodramatic fashion before plopping it in front of his delighted sibling.

"Temari, I need to go have a shower… I just came from training and I stink."

He glanced over at his sister and could tell that she wasn't listening. Temari was already digging through the basket, pulling out items that immediately captured her attention.

Kankuro walked over to the closet, sliding Karasu off his shoulder and was about to enter the bathroom when he heard Temari mutter, "Hmm, this letter is different from the rest… even the paper is expensive looking… I should open this one up next…"

The puppeteer stopped abruptly and stalked back to the bed, snatching the letter from his sibling's fingertips.

"Not this one. You can open the rest though." replied the large man smoothly before stalking into the bathroom and closing the door.

Temari watched her brother still a little confused by what just happened and then shrugged.

Her brother could be strange some days.

----------------------------------

The puppeteer locked the bathroom door and carefully placed the letter on the counter, then turned on the shower.

He watched idly as his little hitchhiker flitted over to the towel rail as he returned to the counter.

Kankuro lounged against the counter, waiting for the water in the shower to reach the optimum temperature and gave the odd letter a cursory glance.

Temari was right. It didn't look like the rest and he had a feeling that he may not want to share the contents of this particular letter with his sister.

He sighed and began to undress; deciding that whatever doom and gloom news the note contained could wait at least until after the shower.

The sand nin gave the little beetle a look of consideration before murmuring softly to it, "Well, my little friend… I have a feeling that you may be seeing your master a lot sooner than we were all expecting."

He stepped into the shower, allowing the hot water to cascade over his bare head and sooth the aches out of his tired muscles.

Kankuro braced himself against the cool tiles of the shower and he could feel the tight little knots of tension in his body unravel as the heat of the water seeped into his flesh.

The sand nin only wished that the soothing hot needles could ease the tension he was feeling from the chaotic thoughts swirling in his head.

He was crazy for agreeing with this plan of those two but he was honest and selfish enough to want Hinata for himself.

Kankuro couldn't forget the jealous rage that coursed his veins at the mere suggestion of another man having the legal right to touch someone he felt was _his_ woman.

_His _woman… it surrounded barbaric and quite primal but he couldn't help it when he was around her She made him feel like he could conquer the world and yet he could easily see her being his downfall.

If he was truly honest with himself, he had a feeling that he had already fallen hard and deeply in love with Hinata.

The puppeteer had gotten the distinct impression from the pale eyed goddess that she felt the same way about him, despite his outward appearances.

_How could something so wonderful like this happen at such a difficult time in his life?_

_He still needed to deal with Temari… Temari, who at this moment was waiting for him in the other room._

Kankuro tilted his head up to allow the water to hit his face, causing the old kabuki makeup to slowly melt and run.

He grabbed the soap and starting scrubbing aggressively, determined to finish up quickly and finally address the original matter at hand.

It was time that Temari faced some home truths of her own and finally took responsibility for this mess she had inadvertently pushed him in.

-------------------------------

"Temari, we need to talk."

The fan wielder looked up from the current letter she was reading and swallowed the hard lump that formed in her throat. She recognized that look he was giving her.

The young woman knew she was in deep shit with her sibling but she had problems of her own to deal with…

"Kankuro, I'm sorry that you are in the middle of a mission but it was an emergency. I need to find Shikamaru." replied Temari in a beseeching tone.

"Well, you're out of luck Temari. He's out of town on a mission as well but he should be back tomorrow." murmured the puppeteer in response, folding his arms across his chest, then continued in a hard tone, "I'm glad you mentioned my mission because I'm actually here because of you."

The fan wielder raised an eyebrow, confusion clearly written across her face.

Kankuro was more than happy to clear up the mystery for his dear sister.

"Gaara sent me to Konoha to investigate reports he has received regarding a shinobi from Konoha regularly seen traveling between the two villages. The two leaders are concerned that this ninja may pose a serious risk to the safety of the two villages."

He watched the horror creep into Temari's face as she absorbed her brother's startling revelation.

"Oh kami! This is bad…" muttered the blonde woman, dragging trembling fingers through her hair.

The puppeteer stalked up to his sister, gently pried her hands out of her hair and softly growled, "Temari, you just need to come clean with Gaara and this mess will be sorted out quickly."

The fan wielder jumped up from the bed as if stung, slid open the door and walked over to the balcony.

"I wish it was that simple, Kankuro. I really do but I'm scared what he will do to Shikamaru if I tell him everything. I need to talk to Shika first." murmured Temari in a quiet voice.

He was troubled by that tone of hers… she sounded unaccountably sad. Temari was _never _sad.

Kankuro sat down in a nearby chair and rubbed a hand across his tired eyes.

He needed to get to the heart of his sister's problem before he could deal with whatever bad news was waiting him in that letter still sitting in the bathroom.

The sand nin wasn't kidding himself in thinking it was anything but bad news.

"Temari, I will assist you in anyway I can but you need to get this sorted out before this situation escalates into a war between the two villages." replied Kankuro in a disgruntled tone.

Temari looked over her shoulder at her brother sitting at the desk in a towel, frustration written on his face.

She walked back into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying and the trail of the tears could be seen on her cheeks.

The puppeteer was taken aback by the sight and murmured in a shocked voice, "Temari, what the hell is going on?"

"Kankuro, I think I've royally screwed up this time. I'm pregnant."

--------------------------------------

The large man looked at his sister aghast. He stood up and walked over to her, scooping her into a bear hug.

Kankuro could feel the shock in his sister's body at the contact before she broke down crying, holding him close.

Temari could feel Kankuro sigh deeply and looked up expectantly.

"Temari, I will track down Shikamaru as soon as he gets back from his mission. It's obvious you two need to sit down and have a long overdue chat. I know you love each other… why are you being so stubborn about this?" murmured the puppeteer in a gruff tone, his chin resting on her head.

Kankuro heard a loud buzzing sound on the balcony then and looked up to see a cloud of Kikai hanging in the air before dropping out of sight.

"Shit!" muttered the sand shinobi under his breath. The sudden appearance of Shino wasn't a good sign.

The fan wielder noticed the sudden change in her brother and was concerned by the worry she briefly saw reflected in his eyes before he quickly masked his emotions.

"Temari, we will talk more about this later, okay. I need to get dressed and go meet Shino downstairs. Will you be okay by yourself?" asked Kankuro.

"Yes, I will be fine. Kankuro, what's going on?" asked Temari in a worried tone.

She watched in silence as her brother opened up a drawer and pulled out a fresh uniform before retreating into the bathroom to get dressed.

Temari jumped slightly and felt her heart skip a beat when she heard her brother utter a bloodcurdling yell from the confines of that room before sliding the door back with a thud, the letter crumpled tightly in one hand.

"Kankuro…" began Temari, only to be cut off by her brother.

"Temari, we'll talk later. I promise but I need to go now." replied Kankuro, impatient to leave.

She watched as her brother adjusted his cat hood and swung his battle puppet up on his broad back before disappearing out the door.

The fan wielder couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

She silently prayed that her earlier comment to her brother didn't come back to haunt her.

-------------------------------------

Shino stood with hands in his pockets as he watched the puppeteer prowl across the foyer, the letter still clenched in his hand.

"Where's Kiba?" growled out Kankuro.

"He'll be here shortly." replied the bug wielder in a deceptively calm voice.

The ominous buzzing of the Kikai betrayed the tall, quiet shinobi's true feelings.

"When did this happen?" asked the large man in the kabuki makeup.

Shino didn't pretend to misunderstand the sand nin's question.

"I'm guessing this afternoon, judging how quickly we received the letters." replied the kikai master.

They could hear the rumbling now as the cloud of dust containing the beast master and his immense canine companion came closer to the inn.

The two men walked out to the front of the inn and waited for Kiba and Akamaru's imminent arrival.

"My Kikai told me your sister is here. How did your chat go?" asked Shino in a quiet murmur.

Kankuro shook his head sadly and replied, "It's a mess. I need to talk to Shikamaru as soon as he returns from his mission."

The bug wielder swiveled and looked directly at the large man, an eyebrow raised behind his glasses.

He was curious to know how Shikamaru was involved in all of this but was unable to ask anymore questions as Kiba and his faithful companion had just arrived amidst a cocoon of dust.

"Shino, Kankuro…we don't have time to waste… let's go!" growled Kiba frustrated.

He was making no effort to hide his worry from the other two men.

Temari watched from the safety of the balcony as the three shinobi disappear into the encroaching darkness, concern on her normally impassive features.

She couldn't shake the feeling that this sudden clandestine meeting was just the beginning and whatever her sibling was involved in, had the potential to end with disastrous results.

-----------------------------

The three nin and massive canine waited by a stone retaining wall on the side of the large Hyuuga compound.

Shino kept his hands in his pockets and tried to keep himself calm but it was difficult.

He loved Hinata like the sister he never had and he was having trouble keeping his emotions in check when all he wanted to do was unleash his Kikai onto the Hyuuga Clan leader.

Shino glanced over at his two fellow shinobi and noticed the men were having similar issues.

The bug wielder was used to Kiba's fits of growling but it was intense brooding of the puppeteer that he couldn't read.

Kankuro kept his eyes focused on the small gate and kept an iron control on the killing urge that threatened to break loose within him.

_They accuse Gaara of being an uncontrollable demon but he'd always secretly known that his family was all capable of reaching that point. It was just a matter of the right circumstances being in play._

The Hyuuga clan just made the mistake of trying to mess with the wrong family.

The no Sabaku family protected their own and although he hadn't officially claimed her, he still felt Hinata belonged to him. He would be damned if he would let them take her now that he'd found the one person who accepted him for himself.

The small cloud of Kikai sent to retrieve Hinata rushed past him as they returned back to their host.

A crunching of gravel alerted the trio that someone was approaching their location.

Hinata's gaze caught and held Kankuro's as she came through the gate. He wasn't giving much away but she feel his rage coming off him in waves.

She didn't pay her audience much heed as she walked directly over to the fuming sand nin and placed a small hand on his chest.

Kiba and Shino watched in silence as the large man gathered their team mate close in a fierce embrace that plainly spoke of his pent up emotion for the young woman.

"Hinata, when does he arrive?" asked the bug wielder softly, careful to maintain his distance from the couple.

While Kankuro seemed a little calmer, his mood was still decidedly unstable.

"My father told me this afternoon that my fiancée will be arriving in three days and that they will formalize the agreement by the end of the week." replied Hinata, her voice muffled against the puppeteer's broad chest.

The three men looked at each other in shock. The scenario they were dreading had come a lot sooner than they were all expecting. They had five days at the most to try and divert this travesty of justice. It didn't give them a lot of time.

Shino nodded briefly to his companions and gestured to Kiba to follow him. They had a lot to plan and no time to lose.

"Kankuro, you stay here and talk to Hinata. We'll go start making preparations. Hinata, it will be fine." murmured the kikai master before he disappeared into the darkness with Akamaru and Kiba.

"Where are they going? What are they planning to do?" asked Hinata, already worried for the safety of her colleagues.

"Hinata, relax. Those two will be fine. I need to know one thing though… do you love me enough to trust us?" murmured Kankuro.

Hinata gazed up at the large sand nin with wide eyes and nodded.

"Are you sure, Hinata? Once you decide on this course of action, there's no going back. Your family is going to disown you. Are you prepared for that?" asked the puppeteer, needing reassurance from her.

Hinata understood clearly the ramifications of what he was asking. She was being given the choice between a loveless marriage and her clan's eternal approval or being disowned from her clan and the love of a dangerous and unconventional man who truly wanted her.

She'd rather take her chances with the big, bad sand nin.

The silver eyed woman leaned up and placed a small hand on Kankuro's firm lips, smiling softly as she heard his groan of need.

"Yes Kankuro…I'm sure. I'm tired of living like this, always at the beck and call of my clan. I want to be happy and I'm happiest when I'm with you."


	16. Chapter 16 Return of the Lazy Nin

**Author's note:**

Thanks for the wonderful reviews, folks… I guess I should get sick as a dog and slack off more often, eh?

The muse has dictated that the action will start to get a little dark in spots as the plot develops.

Please do not send me any derogatory commentary regarding the portrayal of certain Naruto characters in this story.

My personal opinion of a particular character is irrelevant.

This is a work of fan fiction created for the sole purpose of reader enjoyment and should be viewed as such.

That being said – your comments are always welcome but don't feel obligated to leave a review. I don't believe in withholding new chapters in exchange for a certain amount of story responses.

This is the raw chapter. I will post a revision at a later date when my beta – **Gymchick** is not busy.

_A sentence in Italics denotes the private thoughts of a character._

**Disclaimer: **I sadly do not own Naruto but I wouldn't mind borrowing Kankuro every weekend.

**Return of the Lazy Nin**

_Two days later_

_The clouds are nice today…_

Shikamaru was stretched out in the open field, indulging in his favorite pastime – cloud watching but his sense of unease continued to increase throughout the morning.  
He had broken all known speed records to get back to Konoha sometime late last night before finally stumbling into his tiny apartment and collapsing in an exhausted heap on his bed. 

_There was no way he could concentrate on watching the clouds… he was too worked up for some strange reason..._

_It was very troublesome!_

The shadow wielder pushed himself up from the ground with a huff and sat there cross-legged, contemplating the grass.

He was still staring at the ground half an hour later wondering why he was feeling so uneasy when a large shadow engulfed the area. Shikamaru looked up to see the dark menacing form of Kankuro gazing down at him with a grim look of determination on his face.

"We need to talk, Shikamaru." said the puppeteer plainly.

The lazy nin raised an eyebrow and replied, "So talk but don't stand over me, towering like a giant!"

The sand nin eased his battle puppet off his shoulder and complied with the man's wishes, sitting down beside him.

He had no time to waste with his sister's shenanigans when his own problems were weighing heavily on his mind. Kankuro decided plain speaking was in order if he wished to conclude this messy business as quickly as possible.

"You and Temari have caused me a great deal of trouble. Sort out what the hell it is between you two and be quick." growled Kankuro.

Shikamaru felt his raised eyebrow climb higher and asked, "Why are you so concerned about my relationship with your sister?"

"I was asked by the Kazekage to investigate reports of sightings of a mysterious nin seen traveling between the two villages. The leaders are worried that the nin may be a risk to village security. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who the shinobi is…" replied the sand nin in a deceptively casual voice.

_What the hell?! This was extremely troublesome. No wonder Kankuro was pissed._

Kankuro wasn't done yet as he interrupted Shikamaru's musings.

"So - what are your feelings toward Temari, you lazy bastard? Are you two still playing games in the shadows or are you finally ready to make an honest woman out of her?" asked the puppeteer gruffly.

Shikamaru looked at the large man in the kabuki makeup, a little startled by the concern he could hear in the question.

"I love her but I don't think she would be interested in marrying someone like me," muttered the shadow wielder morosely.

Kankuro grinned wryly. He had always thought that was the case but it was nice to get his suspicions confirmed.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Temari is here and asleep in my room at the inn. Don't take no for an answer from her. You have a lot more to lose than you think." muttered the large man obscurely.

Shikamaru swiveled his head sharply around to face the sand nin.

The shadow wielder stared at Kankuro intently before asking, "What is it that you're not telling me, baka puppeteer?"

The sand nin sighed deeply, handing him a room key before shaking his head slowly from side to side.

"It's not my secret to tell, Shikamaru. You need to ask her yourself but I warn you now, you're going to have your work cut out for you."

The lazy nin suddenly vaulted to his feet, more than a little alarmed by that odd comment and snatched the key from Kankuro's fingertips, a stray thought suddenly popping into his head.

_No – it couldn't possibly be **that**, could it?_

Kankuro was right. He needed to finally sort things out with Temari and the impression he was getting from the puppeteer was the sooner the better.

Shikamaru stopped abruptly in mid-stride and asked, "What about you? This may take a while to sort out. She's troublesome at the best of times."

Kankuro still seated on the ground, quickly waved off his concern. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to be fine – take all the time you need. I have my own problems to go and to sort out."

The lazy nin gave the puppeteer a long look of consideration before nodding, "I understand. Good luck, Kankuro… and uh, thanks."

The sand shinobi watched Shikamaru disappear down the road and was finally content in the knowledge that this situation at least would end in a satisfactory conclusion.

He only wished that he had the same hopes for his own relationship.

-------------------------------------

Temari stirred slightly when she heard the key in the door and drifted back to sleep.

The young woman assumed it was just Kankuro, here to pick up something before he disappeared again.

She was too exhausted from this morning's bout of morning sickness to care about her brother's strange comings and goings right now.

Shikamaru quietly slid the door shut and locked it, leaning against it and drinking in the sight of Temari asleep in that large bed with her blonde hair spread out on the pillow.

The shadow wielder quickly shed his clothes and got into the bed, sliding his naked flesh up next to his lover's sleeping form.

Temari's eyes flickered open in shock as she slowly registered that there was a warm, bare chest pressed up against her back.

She was scanning the room for her fan when she felt teeth nip at her shoulder and she heard, "Troublesome woman. You're wearing too many clothes."

The fan wielder looked over her bitten shoulder in shocked surprise to find herself staring directly into the dark slumberous gaze of Shikamaru.

"Shika? How did you get in here? What if Kankuro comes back?" asked Temari, starting to panic and struggling to get out of the bed.

"Relax. I'm here because of your brother. He's giving us the time we need to sort out things between us. Kankuro is right. We need to have a long overdue chat." replied the shadow wielder, pulling the squirming woman closer and lightly nipping at her neck.

"Oh." Temari was at a loss as to how to respond to that.

She wasn't expecting Kankuro to go to this much effort just for her. She certainly didn't deserve his consideration after the way she'd been a total bitch to him in recent months.

"Why?" she asked, feeling herself tear up.

"Temari, do you love me?" asked Shikamaru instead, in a serious tone.

"Yes... but Shika… Gaara…" began Temari in a worried voice.

"Shhh. Kankuro can deal with the Kazekage. Marry me, Temari." whispered the lazy nin.

The blonde gave a melancholy sigh and bluntly replied, "I can't. I'm pregnant. You wouldn't want to be saddled with a kid."

Shikamaru stared at his lover's back in shock. Kankuro's words echoed in his head and he finally understood what the large cat-hooded one had been trying to tell him.

_Damn Temari for being so stubborn! The puppeteer was right. He had a lot to lose if he backed down now!_

"So, you're going to deny me my child because of your stubborn pride? Troublesome woman. Marry me and put me out of my misery." grumbled the shadow wielder, pulling the blonde woman closer.

He could feel her trembling and knew that he was close to crumbling her defenses.

"Don't push me away because you're scared of the unknown." whispered Shikamaru, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear.

_Couldn't she see that this uncertainty in their relationship was putting a strain on him also? _

"I love you, Temari. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm tired of having to grab stolen moments with you… I'm selfish enough to want more and I'm too lazy to find another woman who will put up with me," murmured the shadow wielder.

Temari felt the tears fall then. If she was honest with herself, she knew she wanted the same thing he did.

"Yes, Shika… I'll marry you."

-----------------------------

Kankuro felt a small smile ghost his lips as he walked away from the room and down the hallway. He'd gotten there just in time to hear Shikamaru ask his sister to marry him. The shadow wielder was correct in his assumption that he would take care of the Kazekage. Gaara just wanted to see his sister content and if that lazy bastard made her happy… so be it.

He had known the revelation that he was going to become a father would harden Shikamaru's resolve and make him determined to storm his stubborn sister's emotional defenses.

Kankuro had finally reached the bottom of the stairs in the main foyer when he caught sight of Shino standing near the entrance of the inn – waiting.

The puppeteer had a feeling that the quiet man would show up this morning. He had gotten the impression the other night that Shino had plenty of questions to ask him. The chance to talk, however, hadn't presented itself until now. They had both been too busy setting their own plans in motion.

"So were you successful in finding Shikamaru?" asked the bug wielder, mildly curious as Kankuro finally reached him.

"Hell yes. He was definitely where you said I would find him. I now need to go talk to the Hokage and send off a message to Gaara. I think this whole mess of a mission may be close to being settled." murmured the puppeteer.

"I see. How did it go with the other situation?" asked Shino obscurely, looking casually around the foyer.

Kankuro tried hard not to blush at the memory of trading scorching kisses with Hinata outside the side gate of the Hyuuga Compound before finally answering the Kikai wielder's question.

"She's happy with the arrangements and is ready to leave when the time is right. I'll sneak in and kidnap her if I have to… there's no way in hell she's marrying some stranger handpicked by her heartless pig of a father." growled Kankuro before asking quietly, "How are you and Kiba going with your preparations?"

"They're progressing as well as can be expected but we still have much to do. Why don't you go see the Hokage now and finalize your own plans? Kiba and I can meet up with you at the training grounds later," murmured the Kikai master watching the large man nod his agreement at the planned meeting place.

Shino watched the puppeteer stalk off down the road, wholly focused on the impending meeting with Tsunade.

The bug wielder smiled behind his collar. He knew there was a reason why he liked this man.

The sand nin took no nonsense from anyone and wasn't afraid to go after what he wanted. He had a feeling that Hinata would be very happy with him indeed.

------------------------------------

Tsunade listened in amazement to the puppeteer's report and drummed her fingers idly on the table, her cup of sake untouched. She silently agreed with Kankuro. The sooner those two were married, the quicker this situation will blow over and be forgotten by the councils. The village elders weren't concerned in the inner workings of two misguided young lovers. They just needed to be reassured that there was not going to be another war between the two villages.

_If anything, an alliance between the Kazekage's sister and Konoha's lazy genius would only cement bonds…_

The Hokage nodded her head sagely and replied, "I will send off a message to the Kazekage and apprise him of the situation. You get that lazy bum and your sister to show their faces in my office this evening. I will take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Hokage." replied Kankuro bowing respectfully before turning to leave the room.

The puppeteer was at the door when he heard Tsunade ask, "How does your own quest for love go, Kankuro? Have you had any success?"

He stiffened slightly and rested his head against the door frame. The sand nin had been secretly hoping she wasn't going to ask about that.

"I have found the right woman for me but I already know the family will do everything in their power to oppose the match." murmured the puppeteer quietly.

"I see. Don't give up hope, Kankuro. There are many ways to get around family objection. She's not married…yet." replied the Hokage with a wry tone in her voice.

He had a sneaking suspicion that the Hokage was well aware of who he had his heart set on and the family involved but approved of the match in her own way.

The sand nin smiled at that odd comment, understanding what she was trying to tell him indirectly and continued on his way out of the office.

---------------------------------------

"Where's Hinata? I thought she was going to meet up with us today," asked Kankuro scanning the training grounds for the young woman.

Akamaru bounded up and gave a small growl in response to the puppeteer's question.

The sand nin's eyes narrowed as he watched Kiba go bright red in embarrassment.

"Would you care to share with us what your canine companion just told you." He asked in a deceptively casual tone.

Kiba rubbed the back of his head and sheepishly said, "He said that baka Neji came and escorted Hinata back to the Hyuuga compound. She wasn't happy about it."

The puppeteer grinned at Akamaru's comments.

_The dog thought Neji was a baka… that was too funny for words!_

"It means that the Hyuuga are putting their own plans into action." murmured Shino to the group.

"Shouldn't we go and get her, Shino?" replied Kiba growling in frustration.

"No. Hiashi most likely asked Neji to retrieve Hinata so she can get ready to greet this man her family has arranged for her to marry. We have our own preparations we need to take care of. One of us dragging her back for training would only arouse suspicion." countered the bug wielder with a small wry smile.

Kankuro noticed that Shino deliberately refused to acknowledge the man selected by the Hyuuga as Hinata's betrothed. It secretly gave him hope, knowing that Hinata's friends believed that there was still time to prevent this disaster from happening.

The puppeteer nodded at that logic and replied, "Where do you want to go now, Shino?"

The bug wielder gave Kiba a brief nod before murmuring, "We go and finish taking care of our own plans. Come on – we need to go. Kankuro, why don't you come with us? You can fill us in on this business with Temari and Shikamaru while we walk."

-----------------------------

The two men listened in shocked amazement as Kankuro finished his story.

"It's fortunate that this situation has a happy ending. It could have turned out a lot worse." murmured Shino.

"You would see Puppet Freak being stuck with that shadow sloth for a brother-in-law as a happy ending. You know - we aren't going to be able to stop our ears from bleeding for a week once Ino finds out," grumbled Kiba.

"She'll get over it. I suspect Choji may be able to help her get over her so-called heartbreak." replied the bug wielder, smiling behind the large collar of his coat.

"Well, it's not a done deal yet. I still need to inform Shikamaru and Temari about the impending nuptials. My sister may have agreed to marry the lazy bastard but she's stubborn and won't give in without a struggle." muttered Kankuro under his breath.

"I don't know. Shika can be awfully persuasive once he's set his sights on something. I don't think you've got anything to worry about. Temari isn't going to have a chance to squirm away," grinned Kiba then added, "So - can we tag along to watch the fireworks?"

The puppeteer looked over at the two shinobi and noted that even Shino had an almost hopeful look on his face at the prospect of attending Shika's cloak and dagger wedding.

Kankuro shrugged lazily before sighing heavily, "I don't see why not… but we need to keep this quiet, okay? This is still a mission for me – at least, until those two tie the knot."

Shino stopped walking and murmured, "One of us will need to find Choji. It wouldn't be right for Shika to get married without his best friend being in attendance."

_Ahhh… yes. Shikamaru's matchmaking fool of a best friend._

"Fine. I don't care who goes to collect him but he needs to keep his mouth shut," grumbled the puppeteer.

Kiba and Shino nodded in agreement before continuing up the trail in silence.

The trio soon started shuffling along in a single file as the pathway narrowed in a seldom traveled part of the surrounding woodland.

The trail finally ended at a spot that Kankuro knew quite well from his last visit here.

They were standing at the foot of the waterfall.

The sand nin turned and looked at Hinata's team-mates in stunned silence.

_How the hell could this place fit in with their plans? _

"Follow me, Puppet Freak… we've got something to show you." replied Kiba grinning like a mad fool.

-----------------------------------

Kankuro followed Shino and Kiba up a narrow pathway slick and slippery from the waterfall. They continued taking slow and careful steps until the shinobi were directly behind the cascading waters.

The sand nin's eyes widened as he watched Kiba's broad frame disappear through a deceptively narrow crevice, followed closely by Shino's lankier figure.

He cautiously approached the gap, swinging Karasu off his shoulder and went in after the two shinobi.

The puppeteer found himself stepping inside a large underground cavern.

He replaced his battle puppet back to its usual position and caught sight of Kiba pushing a couple of heavy barrels of water into a nearby cave that the two men had obviously designated for storage.

"What the hell is this?" asked Kankuro, looking around the piles of supplies around the cave.

"What does it look like? It's a safe-house for Hinata," drifted out a voice. The puppeteer could hear the amusement behind the bug wielder's casual tone.

"Do you like it?" asked Kiba as he appeared next to Kankuro.

The sand nin nodded slowly, still taking in the vast amount of supplies these two men managed to cram into the underground cavern system in such a short amount of time.

"There's a lot of stuff here... I don't understand why and how you guys have done this," murmured Kankuro in awe.

A shadow flickered beside the large man as Shino appeared.

"The how is irrelevant. The why is more important. There's a possibility that we may need to get Hinata out of the Hyuuga Compound soon. Our homes would be the first on the list that Hiashi and Neji would go search. This place is only known to the four of us," replied the bug wielder.

The sand shinobi looked at Shino in mild shock before commenting wryly, "You really don't like those two much, do you?"

A small smile ghosted the Kikai master's lips as he heard his team mate's bark of laughter before he quietly said, "If this was Hinata's choice, I wouldn't interfere but it is not. She can't hide her unhappiness about this situation from us. Hiashi and Neji always do what they feel is best for the clan – never forget that, Kankuro."

The puppeteer felt the beast master on his other side nod and soberly murmur, "Hinata has always been there for us when we've been at the lowest point in our lives. It's time for us to be there for her…"

The puppeteer stared down at the ground, deep in thought. He had always known that what the two men felt for the silver-eyed woman went beyond mere friendship. He now understood things a lot more clearly. These two shinobi would die for Hinata.

"What did Hinata do for you both to warrant such unconditional loyal and support?" asked Kankuro in a hushed voice.

_He now had a burning desire to know why these leaf nins would be willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of this petite woman… He had aired his family dirty laundry to these two… it was only fair that they come clean too._

He heard Kiba clear his throat roughly before saying, "The time Neji put me in the hospital… well, there's more to the story."

The sand nin raised a painted eyebrow at the comment but didn't say anything.

_He'd always thought that had been the case… you don't put a man in the hospital for several months over trying to steal a kiss._ _Now, however, was not an ideal time for them to sit down and truly unburden their souls._

"Since we don't have the time right now for a full confession, so why don't you tell us the short version of what happened," murmured the bug wielder, his kikai humming loudly.

"Shino, I know you're upset but there wasn't anything you could do. You were away on a mission with your father," replied Kiba, hearing the beetles hissing under his friend's skin and understanding the reason.

The beast master then continued in a quiet voice, "The short version was that Neji had sent Hinata home but had decided that he was going to teach me a lesson for thinking I was good enough to kiss the Hyuuga Heiress. He did the Kaiten on me before I knew what hit me and left me barely breathing in the dark training grounds."

Both Shino and Kankuro were intelligent enough to figure out the rest. Hinata had returned to the training grounds to find Kiba clinging to life.

"She somehow forced their hand and made them pay for what they did, didn't she?" murmured Shino with a sly undertone to his voice.

"Yeah, she went and had a chat to the Hokage after she had dragged my sorry ass to the hospital. Tsunade was pissed and the Hyuuga clan were required to offer compensation for the time I would be off duty," replied the beast master and quietly added, "She saved my life. The hokage told me later that because of the extent of my injuries, if I hadn't been discovered when I was… I would have been dead by the morning."

Kankuro shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the cave ceiling, trying to digest what he had just been told. It amazed him no end that Kiba could still manage to laugh about the whole situation, considering just how close he came to losing his life as a result of Neji's actions.

The sand nin then turned his gaze to the tall quiet man beside him and asked a question that he was burning to know – even if it was only a condensed version he would hear.

"What about you, Shino? What did she do for you?" asked the puppeteer.

"The short version is that I made the mistake of falling in love with a member of the branch family…" murmured the bug wielder in a low tone, breaking off when he heard Kiba express his shock in his usual way.

The Kikaichuu master leaned forward and frowned at Kiba for interrupting him.

"Sorry, Shino…my bad. Please continue," replied the beastly one sheepishly.

"My clan is older than Hinata's but they feel that even the branch family is too good for a bunch of vermin carriers," continued Shino, the old hurt creeping into his voice.

"So what happened to Hoshiko then?" asked Kankuro softly, hearing the beast master gasp in shock at the name of Shino's lover.

It was apparent from Kiba's reaction that he did indeed know the young woman that the bug wielder had been seeing.

Shino leaned forward and gave his friend a warning glare before continuing, "She was taken away in disgrace and Hinata was punished for her involvement in what Hiashi felt was a betrayal to the clan."

The puppeteer heard the man pause to compose himself and his now hissing kikai before murmuring, "Hinata kept trying to find out where they had sent her but she didn't have a lot of success. A while back, Neji had caught Hinata snooping around the office, still searching... When she confronted him, he coldly informed her that Hoshiko had done the honorable thing and committed suicide."

"Do you believe it?" asked Kankuro quietly, watching the Kikai master intently.

He heard Shino sigh before finally replying, "No – in my heart, I still refuse to believe she would do something like that… she had too many things to live for."

The three men stared out into the expanse of the large cave, each now deep in thought.

The sound of dripping water echoed in the silence before they heard the sand nin casually say, "Well, it looks like we still have a lot to do here before we need to head back to the inn to pick up Shikamaru and Temari. We may as well get started in making this place more presentable for Hinata, hn?"

Shino and Kiba slowly nodded in agreement with Kankuro's comment before disappearing deeper into the cavern with a flicker.

-----------------------------------------

The three shinobi stood at the cave entrance, clearly exhausted but secretly gratified about the amount of work they had been able to achieve in the short amount of time.

Kankuro dragged his forearm across his forehead, smearing his kabuki makeup slightly as he wiped the sweat away from his eyes.

"So, what's next? You wanna head back to the Inn now and drag the two lovebirds outta bed?" asked Kiba with a wolfish grin.

The puppeteer looked at the two men with dark tired eyes before nodding slowly and reply, "Yeah, I promised the Hokage that I would deliver them to her office this evening. I imagine those two haven't left that room all day."

"I will accompany Kankuro back to the inn to collect Temari and Shikamaru. Kiba, you go get Choji but tell him that he needs to keep quiet about this," murmured Shino before adding, "We woudn't want to get Kankuro in trouble with the Kazekage."

The beast master nodded in agreement before whistling for Akamaru and disappearing into the late afternoon shadows at the end of the woodland.

"What's on your mind? You've been brooding about something during the entire time we were working." asked the bug wielder.

Kankuro gave a wry smile at that softly spoken enquiry. He should have realized by now that he couldn't hide anything from Shino.

"I'm just hoping Hinata is okay. We know nothing about this man her father has chosen for her… for all we know, he could be a first class creep," replied the puppeteer frowning at the thought of the petite woman alone with a man like that.

"I'm concerned also… but we need to have faith in Hinata. She's become a very strong kuniochi and I know she wouldn't hesitate in hurting him if he tried something inappropriate," murmured Shino.

Kankuro nodded thoughtfully, remembering his initial confrontation with the young woman when he first arrived in Konoha.

_Yes – he trusted her abilities to protect herself from harm. The problem was – did he trust himself not to tear the scumbag apart in the event the man was indeed foolish enough to try something with the young woman?_

The puppeteer was startled out of his private musings by the touch of Shino's hand on his shoulder but found the unexpected gesture oddly comforting.

"We should go collect Temari and Shikamaru and get them over to the Hokage's office. The last thing we need right now is Anbu having to track us down." murmured the bug wielder.

The sand nin silently agreed with Shino's calm logic as he stealthily followed the Kikai master out through the crevice in the cave and into the slowly encroaching twilight.


	17. Chapter 17 Conclusion of one mission

**Author's Note:**

Apologies in delay… Modern technology has a way of making me humble...especially when it breaks down.

Many thanks to my readers for their patience and continued understanding for my muse's fickle ways and dogged insistence that I work on updating five multi-chapters on a regular basis.

This is the raw chapter. I will post a revision at a later time when my beta **gym-chick **is not busy.

If you would like to leave a review, that's great. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts and feedback on the story. I love to write for you people but I'm not going to be upset if you just want to read the new chapter. :D

Also – if anyone is interested in doing fan art for this story… drop me a PM and I will be more than happy to post a link of your glorious creations on my author's profile.

A Sentence in _Italics _denotes the private thoughts of a character.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto in any way, shape or form. I just write stories because I's like it.

**Conclusion of One Mission And The Beginning Of Another**

Kankuro knocked on the door of his room, not missing the irony of this situation and waited impatiently for Shikamaru or his sister to open the door.

He knew that they were still in the room because he had already talked to the receptionist before bounding up the stairs. The puppeteer had been secretly thrilled by this news – he hadn't been looking forward to chasing those two all over the village!

The door cracked open then and Shikamaru's expressionless face filled the narrow gap.

The puppeteer sighed to himself and was thankful that the man had at least taken the time to pull on a pair of pants before he answered the door.

"Get Temari and meet me downstairs in half an hour. We have an appointment with the Hokage," replied Kankuro straight to the point.

The lazy nin merely raised an eyebrow and stared steadily at the large shinobi before nodding slowly.

Kankuro stepped away from the door, already walking away at a brisk pace down the hallway without a backward glance.

The large man didn't know that Shikamaru continued to watch him from the doorway until he finally disappeared around the corner.

"Shika…is something wrong?" asked a soft voice from the bed.

The shadow wielder closed the door with a click before turning to admire the scantily clad blonde lounging indolently on the bed.

"We need to meet Kankuro downstairs… He's giving us half an hour to get ready." replied Shikamaru.

Temari groaned and buried her head in the nearby pillow. The last thing she wanted to do was get out of this bed and go meet her brother.

She raised pleading blue eyes up to her lazy lover hoping he would disregard Kankuro's summons and come back to the warmth of the bed.

Shikamaru shook his head at his lover's obvious attempts to distract him and replied in a sober voice, "Sorry, Temari…We have an appointment with the Hokage. We can't afford to be late."

Temari bolted upright, shuffling up on the bed until her back touched the wall and covered her face in horror at that unwelcome news.

_She was scared. What if she couldn't marry Shika after all? Surely, her brother and the Hokage wouldn't condemn her child to be born without the benefit of his/her father's name?_

She felt the bed shift and Shikamaru's hand sliding around her shoulder.

He kissed her cheek and murmured, "Temari, you need to have trust in your brothers. Everything will work out for the best."

The fan wielder nodded thoughtfully over this comment, then shuddered in delight at the feel of Shikamaru's teeth grazing her neck.

"Come on, let's go have a shower and I'll wash your back." whispered the lazy nin seductively.

Temari smiled softly before sliding off the bed and following her lover into the bathroom, still a little unsettled.

_She wished she could share her lover's confidence in her siblings but she was still worried and those concerns weren't about to just fade away on a mere promise..._

----------------------------------

Shino watched in amused silence as the puppeteer stalked down the stairs and almost dislodged his cat hood with a raised hand, revealing his obvious frustration to the bug wielder.

Kankuro let out a low harassed groan when he finally reached the tall quiet man near the entrance of the inn.

Shino felt a small smile pull at his lips under the cover of his collar. Yes, it was clearly evident to him that Kankuro just couldn't wait to wash his hands of this business. He also knew that the large man was still preoccupied, thinking about his own problems, which was understandable…

The puppeteer felt a small measure of comfort when Shino placed a hand on his shoulder and quietly murmured, "I know this situation has caused you a great deal of unwanted stress but everything will work out for the best."

Kankuro nodded absently, knowing the Kikai master was trying to be supportive in his own unique way.

"I know but I can't afford to relax until this whole mission is a done deal. My sister's secret relationship with Shikamaru has been a burden that I have been forced to carry around for a long time now." replied the puppeteer in a low growl.

Shino nodded in understanding. The puppeteer had been put in the rather unenviable position of being torn in his loyalties to family and village. Shino understood quite clearly from previous discussions with the sand nin that Kankuro did not wish for his own relationship with Hinata to be a repeat of what happened with his sibling.

"We'll take care of this matter and then we can go check on Hinata over at the Hyuuga Compound. Is that plan agreeable to you?" murmured Shino in a casual tone.

Kankuro shoved his hands in his pockets staring at the empty stairwell deep in contemplation.

The sand nin nodded after a while and replied, "Yeah that sounds like an excellent idea. I'm sure Kiba is anxious to check on Hinata just as much as the rest of us."

Shino gave the large puppeteer a curt nod, hiding the tiny smile that appeared on his lips behind the large collar at the man's obvious attempt to cover up his own concern for Hinata's well being before one of his Kikai flittered in from outside.

Kankuro watched in silence as the man's little helper settled onto his finger and knew the beetle was giving him a report.

Shino raised an eyebrow behind his glasses and murmured, "It looks like Kiba and Choji will be here shortly. Shall I wait outside for them?"

The puppeteer nodded idly and replied with a small sigh, "You may as well, Shino… I have no idea what type of mood Temari will be in when she finally makes an appearance and I'd rather she just tried to snap my head off than involve you as well…"

Kankuro kept his eyes on the stairway and barely noticed when Shino finally slipped out the door.

_Yes – he wasn't going to be able to relax until this situation with Shikamaru and Temari was finally resolved..._

------------------0---------------------------0-------------------------

Kankuro watched as his sister finally made an appearance at the top of the steps, with an oddly anxious Shikamaru trailing behind her.

The puppeteer fought the smile that threatened to burst forth on his face when he heard his sister grouch, "Shika... I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I'm perfectly capable of walking up and down the stairs without your assistance, thank you very much."

Temari continued her slow and careful pace on the steps until she finally reached the foyer.

The fan wielder heard a husky masculine chuckle then and looked up in surprise to see her brother standing near the entrance, waiting patiently for her arrival.

"You two ready to go?" asked Kankuro with a small smile, his hands still in his pockets.

The puppeteer was taken aback when he saw his sister's eyes cloud up with the onset of tears and started to feel a small amount of alarm when she ran over to him before launching herself into his hastily outstretched arms.

He looked over Temari's blonde head to the lazy nin taking his time to follow the young woman.

Shikamaru shrugged in reply to the sand nin's unspoken question and watched in mild amusement as Kankuro awkwardly pat his sister's back.

The puppeteer waited until Shikamaru reached him before murmuring, "Shino is outside waiting for Choji and Kiba to arrive...why don't you go and meet them and we'll join you shortly?"

Shikamaru gave the large sand nin a wide look of surprise before he nodded his agreement.

The lazy shinobi was about to walk out of the inn when he paused at the door, turned slightly and replied, "Kankuro... thank you."

The puppeteer nodded and watched as the man left then before looking down on his still crying sister.

"Temari, this isn't like you... What's wrong? Is it the baby?" asked Kankuro, the concern apparent in his voice.

"No, Kankuro...it's not that. It's just that….I was such a little bitch to you before you left for this mission…and I'm sorry. You've been really nice to me… considering that I have put you in this bad position …and I don't deserve that either..." murmured Temari brokenly against her brother's chest.

Kankuro gently stroked her back before replying gruffly, "Temari... we've already been through this… I just want you to be happy and if this lazy bastard is what you need to achieve that happiness... well, I don't mind the wild goose chase..."

Temari looked up and gave her brother a small grin at his comment before she wrapped her arms around him to hug him once more.

They stood there for a while, wrapped in each other's embrace before Kankuro finally said, "Well, I think we better get moving... I don't think the Hokage is going to be too thrilled with us if we keep her waiting, do you?"

Temari shook her head slightly and gave a small chuckle before they left the inn foyer arm in arm...

--------------------------------0---------------------------------

Hinata sat in the formal sitting room, dressed in the ornate kimono and tried to not let her displeasure show on her face.

_This is the absolute last place I want to be right now..._

Years of rigorous training came to the rescue as she schooled her facial features to maintain an outward appearance of calm serenity but inside, she was seething with pent up frustration.

She really didn't appreciate being dragged away from training by Neji to come back here to get all primped and prodded all afternoon for a man that she had no desire to marry.

_I wonder what Kankuro is doing right now? Does he miss me as much I miss him?_

Hinata glanced over at the man who sat across from her at the table and immediately felt her skin crawl at the way he would slide his eyes over her seated figure.

_Why did the man have to show up a day earlier than originally planned?_

"I trust your trip was uneventful, Kurisagi-san?" asked the low authoritarian voice of Hiashi Hyuuga.

The stranger slid his pale and oily gaze momentarily away from the bowed head of the Hyuuga Heiress and addressed the Clan Leader with a small nod.

"I had no complaints... I trust there is no problem with me arriving a day earlier, Hyuuga-sama?" countered the reptilian looking man in a voice devoid of all emotion.

Neji pinned the man with an all-seeing gaze before slowly raising his eyebrow, the only outward sign that he had concerns of his own about this union.

"No, none at all...I imagine you are most eager to claim your bride." replied the Hyuuga Clan Leader.

It took all of Neji's training to prevent himself from standing up and dragging Hinata away from this table.

He normally didn't have a problem with his uncle's edicts but ever since the man had arrived this afternoon at the compound, he'd been struggling with a rare attack of conscience.

There was just something...unsavory about this man and this arrangement that offended even him.

"I was hoping to spend some time...alone with my bride to be...getting better acquainted." murmured the man again in the same emotionally dead voice.

Hiashi nodded his agreement and was about to rise from his seat at the low table when Neji's cold voice cut through the silence of the room.

"Uncle is it appropriate to leave Hinata in the room without a chaperone?" countered Neji in a chilling tone, openly glaring at the man seated across from Hinata.

_He did not want to leave her in this room alone with him! It was akin to leading a lamb to slaughter…_

Hiashi gave his favorite nephew a slight frown, displeasure showing in his silver eyes as Kurisagi seethed with suppressed anger at the mere idea that this lowly branch member would dare question his motives.

_Branch Bastard! Who the hell did he think he was to act so impertinent?!_

"Neji, this man was carefully selected by the Hyuuga Elders and will soon be her husband... I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed a little time alone to get used to each other prior to the wedding." replied the Hyuuga clan leader in an equally glacial tone before finally standing up.

Neji glanced over at his cousin one last time and saw her hand tremble ever so slightly on the side of her tea cup before giving the stranger a narrowed look of warning with his silver eyes.

"Come, Neji. I need to have a chat to you about another matter... Why don't you accompany me to the office?" murmured the Hyuuga Clan Leader, giving his nephew a pointed look before walking over to the door.

Neji slipped his hand under the table and gave the small hand in her lap a comforting squeeze before standing up and going over to join Hiashi, who waited impatiently for him.

"Hinata, you know where to find us if you need anything." murmured the Hyuuga Clan Leader as he left the room.

Neji paused at the door and turned to pin the man with a look of distrust.

"I hope you will behave yourself while you are alone with my cousin... because there will be no place for you to hide if I find out otherwise..." murmured the Hyuuga genius in a low voice that caused a shiver of foreboding to run down Hinata's own spine before he too left the room.

---------------------------o------------------------------o----------------------

Hinata watched the door close behind her cousin in mild alarm, trying to furiously think of a way to excuse herself from this man's company.

There was something very sinister about the way Kurisagi watched her...it scared her.

Hinata stared at the door, feeling her heart beat racing a mile a minute and fervently hoping that Neji would disobey her uncle and return back to the room.

_She should have asked Kankuro to make her his when they had a chance... now it looked like this slime bag was going to have the privilege of being first..._

"Alone at last, princess." murmured an oily voice before Hinata felt a hand close around her small wrist.

The young woman looked down mildly startled as he tightened his grip on the delicate skin, hissing slightly as she felt his fingers bite deeper into her flesh.

_Damn!_

_Stupid Hinata! _

_She was so preoccupied thinking about Kankuro that she never heard this snake move until it was too late..._

"What do you think you're doing?! You heard what my cousin said..." replied Hinata in a frosty voice, glaring daggers at Kurisagi.

The man merely laughed when the young woman in his grip started struggling and murmured, "What's wrong, Princess? You think you're too good for the likes of me? Well...it looks like I'm going to have to teach you your place…"

_She didn't like where this was going... not at all._

Hinata raised a haughty eyebrow and countered in a soft deadly voice, "My place? And where exactly is my place?"

"Why under me, of course! You're not fooling me with this false sense of bravado, Princess... its well known throughout the villages that the Hyuuga Heiress is a weakling...only good for birthing brats and her famous bloodline limit. So, why don't you be a good girl and stop struggling... who knows? You may even enjoy the attention...after a while." replied Kurisagi with a decidedly feral gleam to his pale eyes.

He gave her wrist a vicious tug then and pulled the young woman closer, dragging her onto the low table and splashing green tea over her the delicate silk of her kimono.

Hinata looked down at her wrist in disgust and could see it was starting to discolor from the man's rough handling.

She struggled to get into a kneeling position on the now wet and slippery table and gave Kurisaga a look that promised future retribution.

"Your information about me is incorrect... it's been a long time since I was that weak person. I doubt I will ever welcome your touch... and I'm not planning to give you the opportunity..." murmured the young woman coldly before activating her Byakugan and placing a well-placed strike to the man's groin region.

Kurisagi immediately dropped his grip on the woman's wrist and curled into a ball.

He let out a blood curdling yell before he lifted his head and pinned the young woman with a murderous gaze.

"Y-you...little bitch! Y-you're going... to pay... for that! What... did you...just do...to me?!" groaned the reptilian looking man, clutching his throbbing groin in pain.

Hinata rubbed her wrist absently and looked over at the door in alarm as she heard noise coming from the hallway.

_Damn it! This fool's cries were attracting the attention of the servants... it's not going to be long before Neji and her father come to investigate..._

Hinata scurried off the table top and quickly walked over to the side door, giving the pitiful creature still curled in a ball a withering glance as she passed him.

The young woman opened up the side door and carefully scanned the hallway before slipping out of the room.

_She didn't want to stay here any longer than she needed to... there was no way in hell she was going to give her father another opportunity to set her up with another prize catch!_

--------------------------o----------------------o-----------------------

"I'm disappointed, Neji... It's not like you to question any of my decisions." murmured Hiashi with a slight frown at the bowed head of his kneeling nephew.

Neji lowered his head in apology before replying in a low voice, "Hyuuga-sama, I was merely expressing concern over the heir's welfare as her personal bodyguard."

Hiashi looked at the top of the head of the young man before him, contemplating the wisdom of his words before nodding and murmuring, "I understand. I commend you on your diligence to your duty to this clan, Neji. I do however need you to leave for the Mist Country as soon as this business is concluded."

"The Mist Country, Uncle?" asked Neji, not understanding why Hiashi would send him to that place.

"Yes, that young woman from the branch family is due to give birth soon... I want you to stay there until she has safely delivered. If the child has the bloodline limit, I want you to bring the child back without the mother..." murmured the Hyuuga Clan Leader.

Neji's eyes widened in shock as he processed the bombshell his uncle just dropped in his lap.

_Oh Kami... _

_Hoshiko is still alive!_

_All this time he had been led to believe that she had killed herself…_

"Uh, Uncle... what am I to do if the child does not have the bloodline limit?" murmured the Hyuuga genius, staring at the wooden floor rather than wanting to look at the Hyuuga.

He was beginning to feel a knot form in the bottom of his stomach as his mind continued to reel from the shock of this unwelcomed revelation.

"Just come home, Neji... that traitor's welfare is of no concern of mine..." replied the Hyuuga Clan Leader coldly.

Neji continued to stare at the floor, not pleased with his uncle's decision to abandon the young woman and felt largely responsible for this situation.

_This was terrible... if only he hadn't informed his uncle that the woman had been seeing the Aburame Heir. _

_He honestly thought he had been doing the right thing by the clan but he never realized that Hoshiko and Shino had been lovers... _

_If there was only a way that he could make amends for his role in all of this... _

With that thought in mind, Neji lifted his head and looked at the Hyuuga Clan Leader and asked, "When do you require me to leave, Hyuuga-sama?"

"You'll leave the day after Hinata's wedding..." murmured Hiashi.

Neji nodded absently, privately making mental arrangements of his own to take a certain Aburame heir along with him for his trip to the Mist Village.

_Yes – he knew his uncle was going to punish him for what he was planning to do but...he also knew that he couldn't stand heartlessly to one side and let the young mother and her child try to survive without the protection of the clan... not when it was obvious to him that they would be welcomed with open arms by the Aburame Clan..._

"Hyuuga-sama...I think you need to come quick... We discovered Kurisagi-san severely injured in the formal sitting room..." said the servant who burst through the door.

Neji looked at the servant with a small frown.

_What about Hinata? Is she okay?_

"And my daughter? Where is she?" asked Hinata in a cold voice, standing up from his desk.

"W-we...don't know, Hyuuga-sama...S-she seems to be missing..." stuttered the servant, now afraid.

"Well, don't just stand there, you stupid man... Neji, come – let's go find your cousin... she can't have gone too far." murmured Hiashi walking past the visibly shaking man and disappearing down the hall with Neji following closely behind.

-----------------------0------------------------0------------------

"Choji, stop bawling, man... tsk...so troublesome." grouched the shadow wielder.

Kiba and Shino looked at each other and tried to hold back the urge to smile as the large man just seemed to sniffle louder in response to his friend's gruff comment.

Even the Hokage was having a tough time trying not to grin over the leaf nin's antics.

As much as Shikamaru was complaining about the shinobi's waterworks, Kiba and Shino could tell that he had been delighted in his own way to see his friend attending his impromptu wedding…

"Tsk, Shikamaru...don't be so hard on him... it's not that often the big guy gets to see his best friend get hitched... I imagine this is quite an emotional event for him..." replied Kankuro with a grin.

The Hokage nodded her head in agreement and handed Choji a handkerchief as she continued to watch the young couple sign the documents on the table.

"Are we almost done here, Hokage-sama? I'm starving…" groaned the young blonde woman, rubbing her growling belly absently.

"Hey Choji, how about you take pity on the poor girl and give her something from your stash to tide her over until we get her to a restaurant?" asked Kiba wolfishly, nudging the jovial nin in the side.

A bag of potato chips sailed through the air and were caught by a grateful Temari, who immediately tore it open, stuffing a handful of the salty goodness into her mouth.

"Ahhh, Choji… you are a lifesaver… mmm…" sighed a contented Temari, popping more chips into her mouth.

_Trust Choji to come to the aid of a woman in distress... still, he couldn't help but wonder if the Hokage had heard back from Gaara yet…_

Kankuro cleared his throat and asked, "Uh Hokage-sama, any word from the Kazekage today?"

Tsunade looked up from the contracts in surprise before smiling, "Ah yes… I have heard back from that one… he passes on his blessings to the young couple. Kankuro, he would, however, like you to return back to Suna as soon as you conclude your business here."

The puppeteer nodded thoughtfully, emotionally and physically torn with staying near Hinata and doing his duty to Suna.

Shino and Kiba watched the man in silence, understanding his inner struggle well before the Kikai wielder stepped up and quietly murmured, "Don't worry, Kankuro... We'll keep an eye on things here until you are free to come back. It's clear that the Kazekage has need of you."

The puppeteer looked at the tall man in measured silence before finally replying, "I'd appreciate that, Shino but if there's any problems... send me a message and I will come back as swiftly as I can."

The bug wielder returned the sand nin's gaze with a searching one of his own before nodding in agreement.

Kankuro watched as Shino turned and walked back to Kiba and felt a small smile tug at his lips as those two quietly talked, definitely plotting something.

_He was glad those two were on his side!_

A frantic knocking on the door startled the occupants of the room as one of Tsunade's guards called out, "Hokage, the Hyuuga wishes to talk to you about a matter of the utmost urgency."

The puppeteer looked over at the door, already getting a bad feeling about all of this.

Kankuro looked over at Hinata's team mates swiftly, sharing a mutual frown at that unwelcome news.

_Whatever had happened couldn't have been good…_

Tsunade looked up as the final document was signed to her satisfaction and frowned in displeasure before calling out, "Tell the Hyuuga to come in... we are just finishing up here..."

Hiashi burst through the door with Neji trailing behind. He coolly surveyed the occupants of the Hokage's office with an icy glare from his silver eyes before finally settling his gaze upon Shino and Kiba.

"My daughter has gone missing from the compound and those two know where she is." replied the Hyuuga Clan Leader in a cold voice, openly glaring at the two shinobi.

Tsunade stood up suddenly and glared daggers back at the man.

"Hiashi, I would be careful about spreading accusations like that if I were you... these two have been here in this room for the past hour." countered the Hokage in an equally glacial tone.

Kankuro held back the smirk threatening to break out on his face as he watched the clan leader pause in his thoughts before quietly murmuring a quick apology. His eyes narrowed on Neji who seemed to be troubled by something before he focused his attention on what the Hyuuga was saying.

"My apologies, Hokage... I am merely worried about my daughter's safety. She has gone missing."

The Hokage heard the quiet hiss of Shino's Kikai beetles before she replied in a careful tone, "I understand Hinata's fiancé is currently residing with you until the wedding. Does he not know where his bride-to-be is?"

Kankuro stared at the clan leader, willing himself to remain calm while he waited for the Hyuuga to reply to the Hokage's question.

Hiashi turned his head and gave the ground a disgusted look before he murmured, "He was found in the formal sitting room with severe personal injuries and is currently sequestered in a guest room...recovering."

Kankuro turned and shot Hinata's two team mates a deep frown before murmuring, "Hokage, my apologies for interrupting in what is such a grave matter of importance but I must ask the Hyuuga a question."

Hiashi raised a haughty eyebrow at the strangely garbed shinobi wearing the kabuki make-up with the wrapped battle puppet on his back and privately sneered.

_This was the Kazekage's brother?! _

"Ask your question, sand nin..." replied the Hyuuga in a chilling tone.

"Is there a reason why your daughter would disappear like this?" asked Kankuro, pinning the man with a cool glare.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at the man's blunt question before finally replying, "The foolish girl feels she needs to be in love with the man she marries rather than accept the practicalities of an arranged marriage. I have yet to be convinced that any man my daughter chooses would be better than the one carefully selected by the clan elders."

Tsunade watched the interaction with the two men in mild interest.

"I see...and what if this man proves to be a superior choice? Would you give your daughter permission to marry then?" countered Kankuro in a serious and calculated tone.

Hiashi gave the man a long look of consideration and murmured, "If you can convince my daughter to willingly come home, I will consider this man's offer."

The puppeteer pinned the clan leader with an icy look and replied, "Your consideration is not good enough for me. I require your word as the clan leader that you will give your daughter permission to marry the man of her choice or she can stay missing."

"You dare to question my word?!" hissed the Hyuuga.

"Your icy disdain is wasted on a man such as him, Hyuuga-sama. Kankuro is as you are well aware, the brother of the present Kazekage as well as the son of the previous one. He is, however, considered an expert in this type of mission…if anyone is capable of finding Hinata… it would be him." countered the Hokage evenly, watching Hiashi visibly struggling to keep his composure.

"Fine... if my daughter returns home of her own free will...I will keep my word as the Hyuuga clan leader, that she will have her choice." replied Hiashi reluctantly, clearly displeased at being put in this position.

_If this mystery man wanted his useless daughter that much – he was welcome to her!_

Hokage nodded her agreement silently applauding the puppeteer for his negotiation skills.

_He really was just as crafty as his brother… Poor Hiashi still didn't have a clue of the identity of the man who had caught his daughter's eye and she sure as hell wasn't about to enlighten the man!_

Temari glanced at the new occupants of the room and noted the worry they tried to keep to themselves. She knew that Gaara couldn't spare them both for a longer period of time but she also knew that if anyone could find this man's missing daughter, it would be Kankuro.

The fan wielder gave the two men one more look of contemplation before turning her glance back to the Hokage, her mind firmly made up.

"Hokage, I will offer to return home in my brother's stead so he can help locate the young kuniochi. I will return back to Konoha as soon as he has completed this task. Is this agreeable to you?" replied Temari in a serious voice, her hunger momentarily forgotten.

Shikamaru gave his new wife a long look of consideration before nodding his assent to her plan.

"Hokage, I would like to accompany my wife back to Suna and help out there until Kankuro is ready to return." replied the lazy nin, giving his woman a knowing side glance.

_He agreed with her... from what he had seen of Kankuro's tracking skills on previous occasions... if anyone could find Hinata, it would be him and those two team mates of Hinata's..._

Tsunade pinned the Hyuuga with a steely look and said, "Well, Hyuuga-sama, do you accept their offer to help?"

Hiashi returned her look with an icy one of his own before nodding curtly.

"Fine. I agree to their help but I want them to leave immediately." replied the Hyuuga Clan Leader in a sour tone.

The fan wielder could see that her sibling was not happy with her decision to go back to Suna in his place. She pushed herself up from her seat and walked over to her brooding brother, clasping his hands between her own.

"You need to go Kankuro… I know you too well. You care deeply for this missing woman… I can tell. If anyone can find her, it would be you…" whispered Temari in a low voice that only Kankuro could hear.

The puppeteer looked down into his sister's blue eyes for a long time before giving a small curt nod.

_His sister was right…He wouldn't be happy leaving here knowing Hinata was still missing and he'd done nothing to help find her..._

"Hokage, do I have your permission to take Kiba and Shino with me as part of my search team?" asked Kankuro looking over at the blonde woman seated behind the large desk.

Tsunade nodded her agreement before adding, "You can take Neji with you as well, Kankuro."

"I'm afraid Neji is unavailable, Hokage-sama. He needs to leave for a mission for the Clan." murmured the cold voice of the Hyuuga Clan Leader.

The sand nin's eyes narrowed as he watched the genius jump slightly at that announcement.

_That was very interesting… that one was usually as emotionless as an iceberg but something was definitely bothering him…interesting._

"Neji, you need to go back to the compound and get packed to leave immediately. The information you need for the mission is waiting on my desk." replied Hiashi still pinning the Hokage a glacial look, almost daring her to make a comment.

The older woman returned the clan leader's look with an equally icy one of her own before turning her gaze to the rest of the occupants in the room.

"Kankuro, you and your team may go and pack to leave immediately as well… I will make sure that the Kazekage is apprised of the changes and ensure that your sister and Shikamaru have an escort back to Suna." replied Tsunade, watching the large sand nin give a small nod in acknowledgment before prowling off to the exit, followed closely behind by Kiba and Shino.

Kankuro stopped in front of the Hyuuga and Neji, giving both men an appraising look before murmuring, "Neji, I will need to talk to you briefly before you leave on your mission just to get some basic information, so I know where to start our search. Can you meet us at the gates in an hour?"

Neji nodded before replying carefully, "Yes but it needs to be brief… Clan business can't wait for too long."

Kankuro gave a curt nod to both men and prowled over to the door, disappearing swiftly into the hallway outside.

-----------------------------------o----------------------------------

Neji shifted his pack and waited for the arrival of Hinata's search team in front of the village gates. The scroll he had picked up from the Hyuuga's desk and hidden within a secret pocket inside of his jacket, felt like it was burning a hole in his chest.

He was feeling a strong sense of guilt in his part of this sorry business... something he was hoping to rectify with the Aburame Heir's assistance.

He activated his Byakugan when he heard the sounds of an approaching ninja and could feel his heart beating like it wanted to burst forth from his chest when he realized that it was Shino.

The Hyuuga genius was already uncomfortable with his mission but he was hoping that he could talk the quiet man into accompanying him… it still wasn't too late to correct this situation.

"Hyuuga…" murmured Shino as he stood in front of the silver eyed man, his Kikai humming loudly. It was clear that the Aburame didn't like him… not that he blamed him.

"Shino…we need to talk before the others come." replied Neji in a serious tone that brooked no argument.

The bug wielder was tempted to tell the genius to go to hell but some inner sense was telling him that he needed to listen to what the shinobi had to say.

Neji watched the tall man raise an eyebrow behind his ever present glasses before raising one arm and releasing a small swarm of destruction beetles out into the surrounding forest near the gates.

"The kikai will allow us to talk privately until the others arrive." murmured Shino putting both hands back in his pockets and waiting for Neji.

"I need to know first… do you have permission to marry freely?" asked Neji in a serious undertone.

The kikai wielder froze at that question before hissing, "What the hell is this, Hyuuga? Are you deliberately taunting me?!"

Neji could hear the destruction beetles hum ominously.

"Just yes or no, Aburame… I don't have time to explain…" cut in Neji with a growl.

Shino frowned as he calmed down the destruction beetles.

He had a feeling that the question had significance and replied, "Yes – I can marry freely. I do not require the clan elders' permission and I am not promised but as you well know… I have no reason to get married now…"

"Yes – you do, Shino. Hoshiko is alive and she needs you." murmured Neji in a rush, feeling the rapid approach of two additional chakra signatures.

Shino reared his head back in shock at this news before whispering in a hoarse voice, "How? I…searched…but …I couldn't find her…"

Neji softly cursed as the kikai chose that moment to rush back to Shino who started looking decidedly pale behind his collar.

_It looked like any further explanations were going to have to wait for a little while longer at least..._

"What did you do to Bug Freak, baka?" growled a gruff voice behind Neji.

"Not now, Kiba…please." replied Shino in a broken voice.

The beastly one frowned, starting to get concerned over his friend's odd behavior. Shino was not one for apologies – ever. It was obvious words had been exchanged and something the Hyuuga Genius had said had deeply affected Bug Freak.

Kankuro appeared behind the kikai wielder just then and placed a hand on the man shoulder when he noticed Shino swaying slightly as his beetles continued to hum loudly within him.

"Shino… are you okay?" murmured the puppeteer, feeling the rustle of agitated kikai under the man's skin.

"Kankuro, Kiba…I'm afraid that I will not be accompanying you on your mission after all…..I will be going with Neji instead …" replied Shino in a slightly dazed voice.

The large sand nin surveyed the group in silence, not missing the change in the destruction beetles now chirping within Shino under his hand still on the man's shoulder or the relieved look on Neji's face. Kiba however looked quite upset at the idea of Shino leaving with the Hyuuga genius.

Kankuro shook his head as Kiba was about to express his thoughts on the matter and replied, "Kiba, it's obvious for whatever the reason that Shino needs to go and we need to respect his decision. I know Hinata will more than understand."

Kiba gave his dear friend a long look of consideration before scowling at Neji and growling, "Fine but he better come back in one piece, Hyuuga…"

The silver eyed man nodded his agreement as he heard Kankuro ask, "So, what happened this afternoon that caused Hinata to flee the compound?"

"I'm not sure. My uncle left her alone with her husband to be… a servant found him on the floor writhing in pain and Hinata was missing…" replied Neji with a small frown.

"Did the man shed any light onto the matter?" asked Kankuro, not liking where this was going.

"No. He refused to answer our questions…but his injuries…" murmured Neji.

The puppeteer dropped his hand from Shino's shoulder and stalked over to the silver eyed man, pinning him with a steely emerald gaze.

"Yes… what about his injuries…?" asked Kankuro with a low growl, feeling his rage bubbling to the surface.

"They were caused by a Juken user…I recognized the signs." replied Neji in a dark undertone.

The sand nin cursed under his breath before countering, "And this man? Where is he now? Still resting comfortably in a guest room?"

"He too was missing when I returned to the compound to pack." murmured Neji in a glacial undertone, suddenly realizing the potential danger his cousin was in.

"Come on, Kiba… it seems that we are not the only ones looking for the Heiress. We need to get to her before he finds her." replied Kankuro stalking off without waiting for Kiba.

"Kankuro… take some of my kikai… they will get a message to us if you need assistance." called out the bug wielder in a low voice, sending a few beetles after the two men and the large dog.

"Thanks, Bug Freak! ….Hey…. Good luck, Shino." drifted back the voice of Kiba.

Shino watched his friends disappear into the dark before he turned to silver eyed man still observing in silence.

"We better get going as well. You can explain everything to me as we travel… and Neji….thank you." replied Shino softly.

"No need to thank me, Shino… I am merely trying to right a wrong…nothing more." murmured Neji just as softly.

Shino gave a slight nod as he considered the man's words before they too disappeared into the night.


	18. Chapter 18 Dangerous Adversary

**Author's Note:**

After a much needed break, I felt inspired to post another chapter in a short space of time.

Yes – Hinata's chosen husband to be is a true slime bag... I make no apologies for that but that just makes you want to see Kankuro thrash the daylights out of the man ...or worse - even more!

Big thanks to one of my favorite reviewers, **blaze da dragon**, for leaving the only review for the last chapter... and yes, I absolutely love your idea of creepy reptile dude's final demise... It certainly is a fitting end to such a vile person.

Many thanks to my readers and those brave enough to leave a review.

This is the raw chapter and like all things in life is subject to revision, or when the beta for this story, **Gym chick** is not busy.

Any sentence in _Italics_ denotes the private thoughts of an individual.

**Disclaimer:** I solemnly pinky swear that I do not own or make a profit from Naruto.

Read the chapter, already! Enjoy, my beautiful people, enjoy...

**Dangerous Adversary**

Two figures flashed through the treetops, both preoccupied with thoughts of a certain kuniochi's safety.

The large white dog bounded up ahead of the pair, barking occasionally to inform his master as he picked up Hinata's scent.

The puppeteer signaled to Kiba and Akamaru to stop and carefully scanned the forest below them for signs of recent movement.

"Have you two picked up anything yet?" murmured Kankuro to the beast master and his canine companion.

Akamaru barked a couple of times in response to the sand nin's question and Kiba replied with a toothy grin, "We're definitely closing in on her, despite the fact that she had a head start. Akamaru says Hinata's not far away now."

He frowned when the large nin dog suddenly started to growl and snap his jaws a few times.

The puppeteer narrowed his eyes at the dog's aggressive behavior and asked, "What's going on? Judging from Akamaru's response, it doesn't look like its good news."

Kiba gave a small wry smile at the sand nin's accurate reading on the white dog's report and replied, "Akamaru has detected an unknown individual not that far from Hinata's current location. We need to hurry."

"It must be him…Do you think this bastard will hurt her?" asked Kiba in a low voice, the concern in his tone apparent.

Kankuro turned to look at Kiba as they sprang forward once again and continued to jump from tree branch to tree branch.

"There's a good chance that he means to inflict pain or worse on Hinata… yes." replied the puppeteer in a growl.

"Shit! The Hyuuga sure know how to pick them, hn?" cursed Kiba under his breath as they raced through the forest.

Kankuro felt the chuckle rumble out as he replied, "Yeah, they sure do, Kiba. The thought that scares me the most about this situation is this idiot was carefully selected by the Hyuuga Clan elders….whatever the hell that means…"

A gruff bark interrupted the two shinobi then and Kiba replied, "Okay Akamaru, we're hurrying…"

The puppeteer frowned and murmured, "Is there a problem, Kiba?"

"Yeah… Akamaru has picked up Hinata's scent… she definitely heading towards the waterfall at a much slower pace…but he's also picked up the scent of the unknown individual following not too far behind." replied Kiba with a growl.

"Well, we better take Akamaru's suggestion and hurry then…" murmured the sand nin with a low growl as they increased their pace and flashed through the forest with a greater sense of urgency.

He secretly hoped that they reached Hinata in time and privately made a vow to himself that the next time she was brave enough to offer herself to him that he wasn't going to turn her down like last time...

_He tried being honorable and look where it got him... it was time to claim what was his... anyone who tried to get in his way would do so at their own peril._

----------------------0--------------------------------------

The young woman continued her slow and laborious trip through the uneven terrain.

_She should have slipped into her room and grabbed another pair of clothes to wear…other than having to deal with this beautiful nightmare._

Hinata cursed softly to herself as she stumbled yet again on the heavy folds of her kimono. She could fight in one if need be, thanks to specialized training all kuniochi received but they were still decidedly difficult to walk in.

She quickly scanned the area trying to get her bearings as she picked herself up and continued to move forward.

The young woman's eyes narrowed in the darkness, trying to make out the landscape before a soft smile ghosted her lips.

Hinata saw some familiar outcroppings nearby and let a small sigh of relief.

She was close to the waterfall now…she could feel the moisture in the air.

_If I can reach our secret hiding spot, I will be safe…_

When she had left the Hyuuga Compound, she had no destination in mind, already dismissing the possibility of going to Kiba or Shino's homes but then she had remembered the secret cavern system behind the waterfall.

Hinata continued slowly off towards the sound of the rushing water as her feet now moved swiftly down the narrow forest trail.

The young woman could feel an unknown chakra signature in the distance slowly approaching her and she quickly activated her Byukugan to get a closer look.

_Shit! Someone was following her!_

If she continued at her current pace, he was going to catch up with her in no time... she needed to do something about this heavy kimono...and fast!

With a gasp, Hinata quickly kicked off the cumbersome shoes in an effort to move faster through the forest.

She then gathered up the length in one hand and removed the kunai she had slipped within her obi folds, slicing a large portion of the heavy material away and leaving her legs now free to move.

Hinata slipped her kunai back in its hiding spot, bundled up the cloth and discarded shoes and quickly stashed them into a nearby hollow in a tree.

She looked down at her handiwork and smiled ruefully.

It seemed a shame to ruin a perfectly lovely kimono like this but it wasn't as though she had much choice in the matter – not if she wanted to put some distance between her and her unknown shadow.

Hinata gave the surrounding forest one last glance before disappearing down the familiar path and closer to safety.

--------------------0------------------

Kurisagi's pale eyes gleamed with vicious intent as he picked up a faint chakra signature in the distance.

_The little bitch wasn't that far away now... excellent. _

He crouched down low on the branch and scanned the dark forest, picking up the distinctive signs of recent disturbance in the vegetation.

"We'll soon be together again. I'm not about to let your reluctance ruin my plans..." crooned the thin reptilian man in malicious delight.

Too many months of planning had gone into this scheme to be undone now because of a minor hiccup...

Kurisagi sneered in delight at how easy it had been to ambush the simple merchant who had been intended all along to be the gentle Hyuuga Heiress's husband.

_Gentle! Now that had been a laugh, especially in light of the damage that little Hell cat had inflicted on him... even now, his loins still throbbed in a dull ache._

"Yes... you precious little bitch... I can't wait to get my hands on you... After I'm done with you... your father isn't going to have any choice but to give you to me." murmured Kurisagi, licking his dry lips as his mind filled with images of defiling such a pure individual.

_Yes... it wouldn't be too long now. He could hardly wait to stake his claim._

---------------------0---------------

She groaned softly to herself as she felt her unknown persuer also speed up and mentally calculated how much time she had to prepare before they caught up with her.

_It couldn't be helped… she wasn't going to reach the cavern before whoever was following reached her…she was going to have to fight them!_

She quickly formulated a battle plan, knowing that she needed to conserve her meager store of weapons.

Hinata let out a tiny sigh of relief as she broke through the forest growth and reached the clearing with the waterfall in sight but could now feel the person closing in behind her.

She raced across the clearing and managed to get to the base of the waterfall when she heard an outraged voice yell, "Hyuuga bitch! I finally caught up with you!"

_This baka! It looked like he didn't get the hint the first time then…_

The dark haired woman stopped running, turned and faced the angry man, getting into defensive Juken striking position.

"What's wrong, _darling_? Did you miss my company already? I'm touched." murmured Hinata coldly in a soft voice.

"Oh princess… you are going to pay for that little comment and your earlier stunt. I guarantee that your father won't have any choice but to marry you off to me after I'm finished…" hissed Kurisagi in an ominous voice.

"I doubt it...I'd rather kill myself...than let you touch me ...in that way." replied Hinata in an icy tone.

The reptilian looking man launched himself at the young heiress with a small howl of fury.

A flash of movement was seen before Hinata's leg made contact with Kurisagi's incoming attack.

Hinata stepped back and was about to ready herself for another direct assault when she saw the glimmer of fine senbon needles suddenly appear in the man's hands.

The fact that he preferred to use the dangerous steel needles as his weapon of choice meant that this man also possessed an excellent knowledge of poisons…

_This man was definitely not what he seemed...no, not at all._

The young woman narrowed her silver eyes as she quickly reassessed the threat before her. It was obvious now that her family had not picked a mere businessman to marry her off to but rather a dangerous and highly skilled shinobi.

She swiftly shifted into a different fighting stance…one she regularly practiced in when she fought the only man she knew who preferred poison tipped weapons.

Kurisagi watched in evil delight as the petite woman dropped down to a crouching position.

_So… she wanted to play, hn?_

The man drew back thin lips to reveal a decidedly feral snarl and launched himself onto the figure lying so low to the ground…only to inbed a senbon into the rough bark of a stump.

"Very clever, little kuniochi….seems this fight of ours won't be so boring after all." murmured Kurisagi with a reptilian gleam to his eyes.

"Yes, isn't it though… sadly for you, you won't be able to play with me anymore…" replied a female voice behind the man in a soft hiss as he felt the lower half of his body shut down.

Kurisagi's eyes widened in shock as he collapsed to the ground only to disappear in a cloud of smoke.

An evil laugh drifted out into the quiet, causing Hinata to quickly activate her bloodline limit and survey the canopy.

"My... my... such fire... who knew the shy wallflower had sharp barbs? You amuse me greatly, my beauty… it's going to a rare pleasure crushing you to my will."

Hinata looked up then and finally caught sight of the slimy bastard hiding in the trees directly above her.

She slipped a hand behind her back and pulled out three stars that she had stashed into the Obi's folds.

Hinata pushed herself off the ground, leaping up onto the nearest tree branch and simultaneously launching the stars at the deadly man silently laughing at her from his vantage spot on the nearby tree branch.

The stars hit their intended target with deadly accuracy, only for Kurisagi to disappear in a cloud of smoke once more.

_This scum bag has more lives than a cat..._

The chilling laughter that filled the night air made her determined to find him.

The young woman jumped back down to the forest floor standing at the ready for his next attack as she finally realized what he was doing... he was toying with her, trying to tire her out.

Hinata took a calming breath and continued to watch the tree canopy for any signs of movement, retrieving the kunai from the front of her Obi.

"Oh princess... it's just a matter of time before what I say comes to fruition... you will run out of weapons to throw at me soon enough and you'll exhaust your chakra long before you can land another strike upon my person." drifted out the cold voice of Kurisagi.

Hinata's eyes widened in shock as his words penetrated and finally understood the true peril she was in...

_This baka is only just warming up! Oh kami... _

She felt a chill as Kurisagi suddenly appeared from behind a nearby tree.

"It's time to end this, princess..." murmured Kurisagi in his cold emotionless voice advancing towards the kuniochi with deadly intent.

"I'm so sorry, Kankuro..." whispered Hinata softly under her breath as she got into position once more.

_She was going to die tonight... and she never told the man that she loved him..._

---------------------------------0------------------------------

"I doubt that she's going to be broken so easily, baka…it's the one thing that I admire the most about her…" murmured a cold enraged voice behind the thin man approaching Hinata.

"Ahh…it seems that the Hyuuga Heiress has a couple of knights in shining armor offering to protect her virtue…how touching." replied Kurisagi in a cold sarcastic tone, turning to face the newcomers.

Hinata's eyes widened when she saw Kiba, Kankuro and Akamaru prowling menacingly towards the deadly man. The only person missing seemed to be Shino...

She was still wondering why her bug wielding friend wasn't here when Kurisagi's voice cut into her musings.

"A Suna Puppet Nin... I'm impressed. You're a little far from home, aren't you?"

"It's none of your concern why I am here... but I will tell you this. Hinata is coming back to Konoha with us." replied Kankuro in a chilling tone.

The pale man tilted back his head and laughed in delight before his mood turned once more to decidedly glacial.

"Such arrogance... but I must decline your offer to take my _fiancee_ back to her family home... I find I am not prepared to relinquish such a fair prize to the likes of you two and that overgrown mutt." countered Kurisagi in his usual dead tone of voice, ignoring the large dog's ominous growl at the remark.

"I don't recall asking you for permission, bastard!" growled the puppeteer in a low voice.

The reptilian man's eyes narrowed at the sand nin's comment and coldly countered, "And I don't recall giving it to you... You need to taught some manners, sand shinobi... and I will be more than pleased to give you a lesson."

"Kankuro... be careful. He uses Senbon needles..." murmured Hinata softly, now a little fearful.

"Ahhh... the keeper of the crow himself, Kankuro no Sabaku... this_ is_ a rare pleasure. You'll fetch a pretty price indeed." replied Kurisagi with a feral gleam in his eye as he roughly shoved the kuniochi into Kiba's arms.

"Kankuro... what's he talking about?" asked Hinata now more than a little concerned by this sudden turn of events.

"Hina... I'll explain it to you in a moment but we need to get you to a safe place. I have a feeling that this fight is not going to be pretty." hissed the dog nin into the Hyuuga Heiress's ear and then added, "Don't worry, Princess... we're not going to leave him...just relocating to another position, that's all."

The silver eyed woman stared in mute shock at the two men, who seemed to have forgotten her presence and were currently sizing each other up.

She finally nodded her agreement to her beastly team-mate, who promptly picked her up and put her on the back of the large canine before they flickered off to watch the deadly match from a distance.

----------------------------0-----------------------------

The team mates looked down on the eery scene unfolding below. Hinata could barely make out the two figures enshrouded in the darkness, occasionally illuminated by the weak light of the small sliver of moon.

"Kiba, why didn't I know that Kankuro has a price on his head?" murmured Hinata a little hurt.

"Hell, Hina... It's not something that Puppet Freak is proud of... He knew that you would worry if you found out that there are plenty of nations who would pay handsomely for his dead hide." replied Kiba with a mild rebuke.

She continued to contemplate the combatants below in silence but finally giving a melancholy sigh and asking, "I suppose not, Kiba... So, how big of a threat is the man I've fallen for?"

The beast master smiled wryly at his friend's back as she continued to watch the two deadly shinobi from their vantage point.

_Typical Hina... no condemnation. _

_You merely accept him as he is...it's always been your way. _

_Is it any wonder why I would give my life for you, sister of my heart..._

"He's pretty impressive, Hina... there's only one shinobi higher on the bingo book than him from the village of the Sand... and I don't need to tell you who beat him out for that honor." replied Kiba with a small chuckle.

Hinata nodded absently, deep in thought before finally murmuring, "That's comforting to know, Kiba... it's nice to realize that this creep is going to have his work cut out for him."

He smiled in reply and Akamaru barked his agreement to the young kuniochi's quiet statement. Kiba wasn't surprised when he heard her next question.

"Kiba... I noticed Shino wasn't with you... is everything okay?" asked Hinata in a concerned tone, her eyes glued to the two men below them.

The dog nin frowned at his canine companion as they silently communicated before he finally replied, "Hina... Shino needed to go with Neji on his mission for the Hyuuga but Kankuro said that you would understand why Bug Freak agreed..."

The dark haired kuniochi turned in shock at his words and softly exclaimed, "Oh kami... could it be possible? Neji... thank you!"

Kiba raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's going on? I didn't understand why Shino would go with him, especially when he can't stand your cousin normally...but when we arrived at the gates, he looked pretty upset and it was obvious that they had words... next thing I knew Shino was telling us that he wouldn't be going with us after all."

"Oh Kiba... only a miracle... it must mean that Hoshiko is alive... it's the only reason why Shino wouldn't be here." replied the Hyuuga Heiress in wonderment.

Kiba's own eyes now widened in shock at her revelation before he suddenly growled, "Shit, Hina... I guess the explanations are going to have to wait until later... looks like those two are finally ready to get down to business."

Hinata twisted back and saw that Kiba was correct as the two men got into defensive stances, ready to attack.

-------------------------0--------------------

Kurisagi crouched low on the branch where he landed, taking a breath into his oxygen-starved lungs and allowing himself to smirk over his good fortune.

The Puppet Nin was certainly a worthy adversary. It had been a long time since he fought a shinobi who had given him such a decent work out as this one.

_It seems the shinobi's reputation was well deserved indeed._

They had been fighting for the past hour and the man hadn't even broken into a sweat.

What made the battle even better in the reptilian man's mind was the realization that he had yet to see the sand nin's true abilities.

He scanned the surrounding tree limbs in the darkness, relieved minutely by the weak sliver of moonlight shining down on the down silent assassins.

His pale eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the shadow separating itself from behind a thick branch and smirked maliciously in delight as he let loose a deadly barrage of senbons.

Kurisagi's evil grin widened as he heard a slight groan echo into the darkness as one of the deadly needles found its target and he saw the figure of a man stagger on the branch before flinging his arms wide and throwing his puppet off his back before finally toppling into the dark forest below.

"I finally got you, you puppet bastard… your miserable hide is mine now…" murmured Kurisagi evilly as he dropped down after the fallen figure.

The man's reptilian smile broadened as he spied the prone figure of the sand shinobi sprawled on the forest floor, a silver needle sticking up on his back.

"You disappoint me, sand nin… I was hoping that you would be more…entertaining than this... but no matter…" murmured the thin man giving the body of the fallen ninja a swift kick.

Kurisagi's pale eyes widened as he heard the figure let out a dull thunk and the head twisted around to pin its attacker with an empty gaze of its own.

_Shit! He should have realized that the bastard would play him for a fool and use a substitution jutsu…and like a callow genin… he fell for it!_

The man swiftly withdrew more needles from his pouch and was about to launch them out into the surrounding darkness, when the battle puppet's arms whipped out and wrapped around his tall angular torso, trapping his arms firmly to his side.

Kurisagi grimaced as he heard and felt a couple of his ribs cracking from the crushing pressure as the puppet's arms tightened.

"You dared touch what is mine… and I'm not generous enough to let you live." growled a low voice behind the pale man starting to cough up blood.

Kurisagi let out a mirthless laugh from his blood speckled lips and groaned as the puppets rope like arms tighten even more, cracking another rib.

"The precious Hyuuga Princess is not _yours_ yet, puppet bastard… you keep forgetting that she is betrothed to me by her own clan… you may have been the victor of his particular fight but I still win." replied the man with a pained chuckle.

Kurisagi could feel the crushing pressure of the coiled arms lessen as he heard the sand nin give out a sudden gasp of pain.

He grinned weakly and continued, "It seems that…. you didn't avoid…. the last shower of needles…. as cleanly as… you had hoped…. after all… It seems…. that we are…. at an…. impasse, sand nin."

Kankuro flicked the chakra strings on Karasu and grimaced as he felt the poison starting to work through his system.

_Shit…He could now feel it licking like scalding flames from a spot on his shoulder._

"If I'm going to go, baka… I'm going to take you with me!" growled Kankuro in a low voice, pulling the chakra strings sharply towards him before collapsing to the ground.

----------------------------------------------------

A blood chilling scream pierced the silent night air, making the two figures and the large dog look at each other in shock.

"Shit, Hinata… we've got to get our asses down there… It sounds like Puppet Freak got that bastard but I'm not picking up anything else…." murmured Kiba in a worried tone.

Hinata put a restraining arm on her team mate and replied, "Wait, Kiba… let me check to see if it's safe first…"

"Well?" growled Kiba, impatiently waiting for Hinata to scan the battle area with her bloodline limit.

"Kiba… quick! We need to hurry! They've both collapsed." exclaimed the young woman, tugging sharply on her friend's arm.

The team mates scurried onto the back of the large white nin dog and held on for dear life as the canine bounded down the steep mountain as swiftly as he could.

Akamaru soon reached the three prone figures in the dark forest clearing and Hinata scrambled to get off the dog's back, noting Kankuro's shallow breathing and weakened chakra signature.

"Hinata… they're both in bad shape… we need to get help." murmured Kiba as he checked the still trapped and unconscious form of Kurisagi.

"K…kikai…." groaned the puppeteer in a mumble before losing his fragile hold on consciousness as well.

"Kankuro… No!" gasped the young woman, kneeling beside him.

She quickly scanned the sand nin's body and could see the poison making a rapid progression throughout his system.

Hinata felt Kiba's hand on her shoulder and heard him say, "Quick, Hina… Puppet Freak's right… we need to send the kikai… what's the command?"

The young Hyuuga Heiress looked up in surprise and finally caught sight of the bright blue metallic wings flickering in the weak moonlight.

She raised a small hand and gave the destruction beetle that settled on her finger the command that Shino had taught her to summon help from the village.

Hinata watched the lone Kikai flit off and silently prayed that help would arrive on time.

"Please… Kankuro… don't die…." murmured the young woman, grabbing hold of his large clammy hand and placing the back of it against her small cheek. She could now see the affects of the poison on the puppeteer as beads of sweat appeared on the large man's face.

"Hinata, …it's going to be okay…he's too stubborn to die…" replied the beast master, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before murmuring, "We need to send a message to Shino… are you okay with doing that?"

Kiba felt his heart clench tightly as he continued to watch his team mate trying to hold back her tears before she nodded softly.

He watched Hinata raise her hand once more and heard her give the Kikai that landed a message for its host before it too flitted off into the darkness.

Hinata ghosted her fingertips across his still lips and could feel his chakra signature get steadily weaker.

"Kiba… I… can't …lose him….not now……not when I…love him...so much." murmured the young woman feeling the tears starting to trail down her cheeks unchecked in a silvery waterfall.

Kiba nodded in understanding, trying to sooth the weeping kuniochi in front of him and silently hoped that they did indeed make it back to the village in time.


	19. Chapter 19 Two Missions One United Purpo

**Author's Note:**

Many thanks to my readers and those brave enough to leave a review.

This is the raw chapter and like all things in life is subject to revision, or when the beta for this story, **Gym chick** is not busy.

Chapter is inspired by the song "Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan.

Any sentence in _Italics_ denotes the private thoughts of an individual.

**Disclaimer:** I solemnly pinky swear that I do not own or make a profit from Naruto.

Read the chapter, already! Enjoy, my beautiful people, enjoy...

**Two Missions, One United Purpose**

Shino and Neji had been traveling through the dark forest canopy at a full run intent on making up as much ground as possible before they were forced to finally drop into the forest below and set up camp for the evening.

"I'll go set up the traps... why don't you gather some wood and get a fire going... we'll talk once everything is taken care of." murmured Neji to the quiet man watching him in silence through his dark glasses.

They had been traveling for five to six hours but had been reluctant to talk to each other since that last memorable conversation in front of the village gates.

The silver eyed man had been tempted to strike up a conversation but something about that determined look on the Kikai master's face had effectively stifled his willingness to talk. It was like something had lit a fire within him and in a way it had been with the startling revelation that his lover was still alive.

Neji knew that the Aburame heir had plenty of questions but right now he wasn't sure if he wasn't going to be able to adequately answer them all before they reached the Mist Country and their final destination.

The young Hyuuga attached the final trap and sighed.

_There was no point delaying the inevitable... the sooner they had this chat, the better things would be between the two of them... or so he hoped._

Neji walked back into the small clearing to find the tents set up and a small fire blazing in a hastily constructed fire pit.

"I wasn't expecting to be opening this anytime soon but I figured that we both need a drink. I get the distinct impression that whatever you have to tell me is going to be far more shocking than your previous disclosure." murmured a voice coming from behind Neji.

The Hyuuga Genius turned, greatly surprised to hear that much come out of the man at any given time and was even more surprised when he saw Shino emerging from one of the tents with a bottle of Sake in one hand and two tea cups in the other.

The bug wielder nodded for Neji to sit down by the fire and waited until the Juken expert was seated before handing down one of the cups.

Shino sat down and passed the bottle of sake to his companion as he put his own cup down and pushed back his hood before turning down the large collar.

Neji filled his cup and then Shino's raised cup before placing the bottle between them.

The Kikai master took a careful sip of his sake and savored the taste in his mouth before finally murmuring, "You're taking a huge risk bringing me along on this clan mission of yours... so I imagine that it must be something you were asked to do that was pretty nasty to offend even you."

Neji took a sip of his sake, effectively hiding the smirk at the bug wielder's unerringly accurate reading of the situation and felt it's welcoming burn down his throat before replying carefully, "You could say that, Aburame... I was in grave error when I interfered in your relationship with Hoshiko and I now realize that she would be better off in your care than that of my clan."

Shino raised an eyebrow at the man's words and felt a shiver coursing down his spine, now a little disturbed by the Hyuuga's words and this situation.

He heard the Hyuuga clear his throat before he continued, "My uncle had tried on a number of occasions to arrange promising alliances with a marriage between Hoshiko and various visiting dignitaries, only for her to keep refusing them without offering a plausible reason."

The bug wielder heard his Kikai humming in response to the spurt of jealousy he was feeling at the man's words.

_He had known that other men had offered for her – how could they not... she was a beautiful woman... but he had no idea that it had happened on a regular basis._

"It was after her refusal of a diplomat from the Stone Country that Hyuuga-sama finally got impatient with her and asked me to follow her. My uncle was now suspicious that Hoshiko had set her sights on someone...undesirable." murmured Neji ignoring the now audible hiss of the destruction beetles coming from Shino.

"When it was discovered that Hoshiko was seeing you and that Hinata had been actively involved in the deception... well, Hiashi's rage knew no bounds. As you know, Hinata was punished for her duplicity...and Hoshiko was sent away...in disgrace."

Shino watched the silver eyed man take another sip of his sake through narrowed eyes and hissed out in a quiet but deadly voice, "You told Hinata that she was dead!"

Neji shot his head around and glared at the bug wielder before coldly replying, "I only told her the information I was given, Aburame... nothing more. I was not aware that Hoshiko was still alive until I was called into Hiashi's office to take this mission."

"So, why have you had a sudden change of heart and why did you need to know whether I could marry freely?" replied Shino feeling the old pain biting deeply as he continued to stare at Neji with distrust.  
The silver eyed man turned his gaze to the fire and contemplated the flames for a long time before finally replying, "There are certain things that even I will draw the line at before I am forced to make a decision that is in direct conflict to the edicts of the clan."

Shino felt something cold clutch at his heart and his destruction beetles hissed and rustled under his skin, before he got them back under control once more.

"What was it that you were asked to do, Hyuuga?" asked Shino in a hoarse whisper, part of him already dreading the answer.

Neji turned and gave the young Aburame heir a long look of consideration before finally murmuring, "I need you to listen to what I have to say without interruption...will you give me that courtesy?"

At Shino's nod of agreement, the young Hyuuga continued, "I found out this afternoon that Hoshiko is expecting a child and is due to deliver soon. I am to stay until the child is born..."

Neji heard the man beside him let out a broken gasp and heard the kikai hissing before Shino murmured, "Forgive me, Hyuuga...please...continue."

The silver eyed man watched Shino drain his cup and refill it in silence, well aware that the poor man was clearly suffering from shock at that startling revelation.

"If the child has the bloodline limit, I am to remove it from its mother and return back to the Hyuuga Compound..." murmured Neji staring back into the fire and heard Shino's harshly indrawn breath.

"And if the child does not have the bloodline limit..." asked the Kikai wielder after a while with a strong sense of foreboding.

He was finally beginning to understand why Neji had asked him to come with him on this mission.

_That cold unfeeling bastard... he wouldn't have asked Neji to do **that**, would he?_

Shino watched the man next to him shift uneasily, taking a healthy swallow of the sake looking as though he was unable to continue this distasteful conversation.

Neji instead reached into his robe and pulled out a scroll, handing it to the young Aburame.

"Read it... it's all there." murmured Neji staring into the fire as he felt Shino take the scroll with cold fingers.

Shino opened the scroll and read in stunned silence its contents, feeling the bile rise up in his throat and finally understanding what had driven the Hyuuga Genius to disobey the Clan Leader.

_Neji was many things but Neji wasn't a monster who hurt defenseless women and children..._

Shino looked up from the scroll and whispered hoarsely, "I understand now... why you asked that question...you knew that the child ...was mine...didn't you?"

Neji nodded and replied softly, "You were the only one it could have been..."

Shino picked up the bottle of sake, refilled their cups and wordlessly handed the scroll back to the young Hyuuga.

They sat there for a long time, just contemplating the dancing flames and drinking the sake – both lost in their thoughts.

Shino's voice finally broke through the silence and Neji heard him murmur in a broken voice, "If we continue our current pace...how long will it take us to reach our destination?"

"We should be able to get there in a couple of days... but I don't know how long we will be staying in the Mist Country. Hoshiko is not going to be in any condition to travel...Why?" asked Neji now concerned as he watched the Kikai Master stand and saw a destruction beetle appear on the man's now outstretched hand.

"Forgive me, Neji... I realize what I am about to do will get you into deeper trouble with your clan but I need to send my father a message." murmured Shino.

The young Hyuuga gave the Aburame Heir with his Kikai at the ready a long look of consideration before finally nodding his agreement.

Neji turned away and continued to sip his sake as he listened to Shino give the beetle a message before he heard it flit off into the darkness.

He had a feeling that Shibi was going to be less than delighted about his clan's attempt to cover up the impending birth of his grandchild...

He also knew that Hiashi was going to punish him for doing this... but right now, he didn't care...

He would rather risk the ire of his Clan leader than turn his back on a woman and her unborn child who clearly needed to be protected...even if it was from her own clan.

He wasn't a completely cold and unfeeling bastard after all...

_------------------------0--------------------------------0-----------------------_

"Where the hell is he?" shouted an outraged female voice.

"Tsk, Troublesome woman… how many times do I need to tell you that you need to lower your voice in here. It's a hospital, sweetheart….not a battlefield." replied a lazy male voice.

Temari stalked over to the reception desk and dragged the frightened woman to her feet by her shirt.

"Well… where have you put my brother, Kankuro no Sabaku?!" growled the fan wielder.

"Temari, I suggest you put my staff down… they're not going to answer your questions if you insist on attempting to choke them with their own clothing. Besides, I should think in your condition that you should be avoiding getting yourself…over excited." replied a curt voice that brooked no argument.

The young woman whipped her head around and saw that the Hokage was walking down the corridor towards them.

Temari quickly shot her husband a concerned look when they both noticed that it was obvious that Tsunade had just come from surgery…but which one?

When the messenger had knocked on Shikamaru's apartment door early this morning to let her know that her brother had been brought in badly injured and unconscious from a simple search mission by a group of Aburame clan members, she had gone into a panic.

Temari released her iron grip on the young woman and asked with a frown, "Where is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?"

Tsunade raised a hand and replied, "Relax, Temari… that brother of yours is one tough customer. They brought him in critical condition early this morning but his stubbornness and sheer willpower pulled him through the worst of it. We're keeping him in the ICU for further observation but if he keeps responding well to the treatment, we'll move him to another ward this evening."

"We can go and see him though, right?" replied the fan wielder with a stubborn tilt to her jaw while Shikamaru muttered about dealing with troublesome women behind her.

"If you can get past the Aburame clan members parked outside of his room… I don't see why you can't see him for a few minutes…" murmured the Hokage with a frown.

"The Aburame? I don't understand…why are they outside his room?" asked Temari, shooting her husband a puzzled look, a little more than concerned by the presence of Shino's family.

Tsunade grimaced before replying, "I'm not too sure, Temari… I guess that is a question that you are going to have to ask Shibi Aburame yourself when you see him."

--------------------------------------------

The two shinobi were in the middle of breaking down their small camp site when the tiny Kikai found them.

"Problems, Shino?" asked Neji in concern as he watched the frown on the bug master's face deepen behind his collar.

The Hyuuga genius watched the tall man retrieve a fresh beetle from his sleeve as the newly arrived messenger disappeared back into his host for a well earned rest.

He waited in silence as Shino gave the beetle a message before it flitted off back into the forest.

"Kankuro was injured in his mission to retrieve your cousin… It's apparent that the man your clan chose for Hinata is not what he seems. My clan has been called for assistance." murmured the Kikai wielder after he watched the little destruction beetle disappear into the distance.

"Should we go back?" replied Neji worried about Hinata's welfare.

Shino gave a curt shake of his head and murmured, "No, my clan will protect my team mates and Kankuro until my return. My father will allow no harm to come to them in my absence."

"Is that really necessary?" asked Neji with a small frown.

"Yes... it's clear this man who attacked Kankuro is dangerous and can't be trusted. It's best that there are precautions in place." replied Shino intent on tightening the straps securing the curious gourd almost hidden by the bulk of the day pack.

The Hyuuga genius hadn't noticed it until now but only because they had been traveling in the dark. He knew what it meant though – Shino had come prepared for trouble.

Neji stared at the gourd for a moment longer before finally nodding silently in agreement to the shinobi's logic.

_Yes – it was best to over cautious, especially when they were dealing with a shinobi whose full capabilities were yet, unknown._

The Hyuuga genius returned to erasing all traces of the recent camp site but turned swiftly when he heard the loud hum of the kikai coming from the Aburame.

"Shino, are you…okay?" asked Neji in concern.

"Yes. I'm just….anxious….to see…her and have a chance…to hold her once more." replied Shino after a while.

"If we travel at the same speed as last night with the same amount of rest time, we should reach the Mist country tomorrow mid morning….and you will have Hoshiko in your arms before evening." responded Neji feeling a little uncomfortable by the emotions being stirred inside of him at the Aburame Heir's confession.

Shino looked at the silver eyed Hyuuga in mild surprise, oddly touched by the man's understanding and nodded his agreement as he swung his pack onto his back.

The two leaf ninja gave the area one final glance satisfied that they had erased all traces of their presence before disappearing in a flicker.

--------------------------------

"Remember, Temari….let me talk to him." murmured Shikamaru under his breath as they rounded the long corridor and saw the group of cloaked Aburame Clan members standing vigil outside of Kankuro's room in their dark sunglasses and their imposing Kikai gourds strapped on their backs.

It was obvious by the way the medical staff were skirting alongside the wall and past the room, that the Aburame Clan were a rather intimidating bunch.

The young couple watched an older man with an odd charm hanging off his glasses separate himself from the group and walk towards them purposefully.

Temari waited until the two leaf shinobi exchanged respectful bows before she followed suit.

"Lady Temari Nara… Thank you for coming so swiftly. I imagine you are quite anxious to see your brother." murmured the Aburame Clan Leader gesturing for her to go ahead into the room.

"Aburame-sama, is it necessary for you to be on guard outside Kankuro's room?" asked Shikamaru as politely as possible.

Shibi glanced at the blond woman before directing his response at the young Nara, "As I understand it… Kankuro no Sabaku was the assigned team leader for this particular mission and as such, it's his right to refuse any requests if another mission asks for the services of a member of his team. He did no such thing, but instead, allowed my son to go when it became obvious to him that Shino was needed more for the other mission… a wise leader knows where his team's skills are needed the most. In light of his sound judgment, we feel he is worthy of our respect and hence our protection."

"Shino was called away on another mission? How was the team able to get assistance from your clan then?" asked Shikamaru with a frown.

"Apparently my son left some Kikai behind and the sand nin was able to alert his team to the fact before he collapsed from his injuries. The Hyuuga Heiress is trained to give the Kikai the correct commands to summon help." murmured Shibi with a small smirk.

"What about the other man your clan brought in?" asked Shikamaru with a frown.

The Aburame Clan leader smirked wider behind his collar and replied, "Mah, that one is lucky to be alive. He is recovering from his operation and is currently being guarded by an ANBU team. Your brother is going to be very unhappy to hear that his favorite puppet is in pieces though…. The medical staff had no choice but to…forcibly remove it from the man's body."

"Nooo…not Karasu….he's going to be furious!" groaned Temari.

"I'm sure your brother will consider it a small sacrifice…compared to almost losing his life mate." murmured the Clan leader with a small smile.

"Life mate? I don't understand…" asked the fan wielder with a frown.

"Uh, Temari… I'll explain later but for now, we should go in and check on Kankuro before the Kazekage gets wind of this and decides to pay a…personal visit. Aburame-sama….thank you." murmured Shikamaru with a slight bow to the clan leader.

Shikamaru stifled the smile that threatened to appear when he saw sour grimace on his wife's face at the thought of Gaara arriving in Konoha in a foul mood.

Shibi watched the young couple hustle into the hospital room, highly amused by the look of shock on the young woman's face at his words.

_It was going to be nothing compared to the look The Hyuuga was going to have when he finds out that his daughter has chosen such a volatile and unsuitable life mate._

_Personally – he thought the girl couldn't ask for a better protector than the puppeteer._

------------------------------------------------------

Kiba and Akamaru looked up when they heard the door open and grinned broadly when they recognized the newcomers.

Hinata didn't look up when Temari and Shikamaru entered the room. She continued to hold Kankuro's hand, occasionally stroking a stray hair away from his unpainted face.

Her expressive silver eyes never left the man lying so still on the narrow hospital bed.

The fan wielder felt like an interloper watching the young woman touch her brother's face so tenderly with that look in her eye that she was beginning to get an inkling of what the Aburame Clan Leader meant by the term "life mate".

It was obvious the young Kuniochi was in love with her baka brother.

"How is he?" asked Temari in a concerned voice.

"He's better than he was… I should have realized that Hinata here would pick herself a smart one. The Puppet Freak had an antidote in his pouch for one of his poisons he uses on the weapons in Karasu that seemed to work quite effectively." replied Kiba with a small grin, shaking his head wryly.

"The Aburame told us that they had to cut Kankuro's battle puppet from the other man." drawled Shikamaru.

"Yeah… they did manage to put the all pieces in a box for Puppet Freak so he can fix it when he's feeling better though… I think he's going to appreciate having something to do while he's recovering." replied Kiba with a small chuckle.

"So, how bad was the battle?" asked Temari glancing over at the bed where her brother slept.

"It was pretty gruesome… from what we could see, they were both evenly matched. Kankuro finally managed to somehow get him into position to trap him with Karasu." Murmured Kiba.

"What happened? I thought you were supposed to just find Hinata and bring her back." Replied Shikamaru with a frown.

Kiba shot his female team mate a worried look and was relieved to see the young woman give a small nod in response to his unspoken question.

"Well, we managed to catch up with Hinata and that creep just before…something bad happened." Murmured Kiba as Akamaru gave out a low growl.

Temari's eyes narrowed at those words and hissed, "Would you care to elaborate on that? What exactly did the slime ball say or do to make Kankuro almost kill him?"

"We got there in time to hear that bastard planning to rape Hinata after he finished thrashing the daylights out of her… it seemed to send Puppet Freak into a killing mood." replied Kiba with a bite in his tone.

"Alright you two...enough...tsk, troublesome." murmured Shikamaru with a small groan, watching the two of them size each other up.

A firm rap on the door effectively broke through the tense atmosphere that seemed to settle thickly in the air between the hostile dog nin and the fan wielding kuniochi.

"Lady Hinata? I know this is an inopportune time but I was wondering if you could join me for a few minutes." murmured the voice of the Aburame Clan Leader.

Hinata looked up in mild surprise at that request before looking over at her team mate, who merely nodded at her silent inquiry.

"I will be there in a moment, Aburame-sama." replied the dark haired woman giving the puppeteer's face one last lingering caress before standing up to walk over to the door.

"I trust you two will behave yourselves in my absence... I would hate to have Kankuro waking up and seeing you both at each other's throats." murmured Hinata in a soft and chilling tone before opening the door and exiting the room.

"Wow... you know...I'm kinda reluctant to cross her right now... Is she ...always like that?" replied Temari in awe, still staring at the closed door.

Kiba grinned wolfishly and responded, "That's nothing, Temari... you should have seen the arctic glare she gave the nurse when she tried to shift Kankuro."

"What do you suppose is going to happen when her father finally shows up to take her home?" asked Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow.

Kiba chuckled evilly and replied, "All hell is going to break loose...that's what. I don't like Hyuuga-sama's chances of getting her to come home willingly."

Temari gave the man a measured look before nodding slowly and replying with a sly smirk, "Well, I don't suppose she would mind if we kept you company then?"

Both nins ignored Shikamaru's pained groan as the beast master chuckled knowingly and murmured, "No, not at all... I have a feeling our little Hyuuga Princess would welcome it."

------------------------------5------------------------------

Hinata softly closed the door behind her and went over to the Aburame Clan Leader who was patiently waiting down the hallway for her to join him.

The young woman bowed respectfully to Shino's father as she finally reached him and waited for him to return the greeting.

"Lady Hinata, I realize that you would prefer to be by your life mate's side at this time but the matter was most urgent. Could we go somewhere to talk privately?" murmured Shibi.

The young woman stared at the clan leader with wide silver eyes before nodding and gesturing with a small hand for him to lead the way.

They continued to walk down the long corridor and finally out of the building with an Aburame Clan member trailing discreetly behind the pair.

Shibi lead the young woman over to a secluded bench, helping her to sit down in her tattered kimono before finally taking a seat himself and nodding to the clansmen keeping watch in the distance.

Hinata stared at the koi pond with dull eyes and barely heard the tall man beside her take a shaky breath as he settled into his seat to watch the scenery.

"Lady Hinata... I just received a Kikai from my son. He is currently on his way to the Mist village with your cousin." murmured Shibi after a while.

Hinata nodded absently and replied, "Yes, Aburame-sama...I was made aware of this by my team mate."

"Then you may not be aware that congratulations are in order... apparently, I will become a grandfather before too long." responded Shibi with an odd tremor to his voice.

The young woman's eyes widened in shock before swiftly turning to stare at the Aburame and asking, "Shino is going to become a father?"

"Yes... I was surprised to say the least... I wasn't even aware that my son had even found himself a life mate." replied Shibi with a small frown and then continued in the same deceptively calm tone, "You understand that there are going to be severe repercussions when the Hokage gets wind of this, hn?"

Hinata felt a hard lump form in her throat and she visibly swallowed before whispering, "I understand perfectly, Aburame-sama... what do you wish to know?"

"My name of my son's life mate would be a start... then you can fill me in on what you know, Lady Hinata." replied Shibi still looking out at the scenery.

"Her name is Hoshiko Hyuuga... she's a member of the branch family. Shino met her when she was assigned to me as my personal servant. My father planned to use Hoshiko as a bargaining chip for a favorable alliance with another village...but..." murmured Hinata softly.

"She met Shino, hn?" prompted Shibi.

"Yes. Shino came to collect me, so we could leave for a mission to the Cloud Country. Hoshiko had stumbled as she was leaving the laundry room, dropping the heavy basket of laundry in the process and he went over to help her to her feet... One of the older clan members was going to cuff her for her clumsiness but he threatened them with his Kikai if they raised a hand to her." replied Hinata with a soft smile.

Shibi chuckled knowingly and said, "So, he went to help a young woman in trouble and ended up winning her heart without realizing it, hn?"

"Yes, she was smitten by him from that moment... and during the mission, it was obvious he was equally affected by her..." murmured Hinata with an absent nod before continuing once more, "Shino wanted to openly court her shortly after that first meeting but ….We both knew my clan wouldn't allow …that to happen….so I …lent my assistance in anyway…I could to allow Shino to spend time with Hoshiko."

Shibi contemplated the tranquil pond in front of him before quietly replying, "You risked much for the sake of my son's happiness, Lady Hinata… knowing what plans your clan had for the young woman in question…what you did could be viewed as a betrayal of your clan… and you would have been punished …accordingly."

The dark haired woman felt her hands grip the ornate bench tightly before finally responding to the Aburame's statement, "Yes, I realize that…Aburame-sama…I knew the risk I took was great but I was willing to do so…for Shino."

Shibi gazed over at the clan member standing watch in the shadow of the nearby trees for a while before finally murmuring, "Judging from the scarring I see on your feet... the relationship was discovered. Were they able to formalize their commitment to each other before the Hyuuga found out?"

Hinata flushed darkly and rubbed her feet self consciously together, only for her eyes to widen in surprise when she heard the Aburame say, "Lady Hinata...there is no shame in what you have suffered on behalf of my son... judging from your reaction, I take it Shino is unaware of what was done to you for your part in all of this..."

The young woman swallowed convulsively before whispering, "No, Aburame-sama... I couldn't bring myself to tell him what happened... he was so heartbroken when Hoshiko was forcibly removed from the Hyuuga Compound."

Shibi thought about the young Hyuuga's words contemplatively before finally nodding his agreement but it was his turn to be surprised when he heard Hinata murmur, "...Yes... the union was indeed formalized, Aburame-sama... Shino didn't wish to claim Hoshiko without offering his total commitment to her first... He was planning to formally introduce her to you when the relationship was finally revealed to my father."

There was a dangerous hum coming from the Clan Leader as he asked in a silky low tone, "I take it there is evidence of this...union?"

Shibi turned to watch the Hyuuga Heiress as she absently nodded and continued to look at the pond in silence.

The Aburame Clan Leader looked up and tilted his head to the clan member standing in the shadows.

The shrouded sentinel moved slowly over to the nearby foot bridge as Shibi stood up and stretched out a hand to help a surprised Hinata up.

"Knowing my son, he put it somewhere safe... I imagine that you know where I can find this proof?" asked the Aburame Clan Leader with a gentle smile for the young woman before him.

Hinata again nodded her head softly in reply before she looped her arm around his as they walked towards the Aburame waiting patiently on the other side.

The clan member fell in step behind his leader and his young female companion as they walked back to the hospital.

Shibi listened intently to the dark haired woman's soft instructions on where he could locate the information he required.

He signaled the clan member over and quietly sent him to retrieve the scroll in addition to a few other items.

Shibi was privately furious and his Kikai hissed ominously as he fought to control his rising anger over this situation...

_Someone was going to pay dearly for this travesty... no one messed with the Aburame... no one._

------------------------$---------------------------

Shibi Aburame escorted the young woman back down the hospital hallway, trying not to get upset as he watched her starting to limp in silence beside him. It was obvious to him that the scars on her bare feet were still rather sensitive, despite the fact that the punishment was delivered months ago. The long exposure to the elements certainly only increased the young woman's discomfort.

The Aburame Clan Leader was more than aware of the punishment that was meted out for what this kuniochi did on behalf of his son and felt even more anger towards the Hyuuga Clan.

Shibi paused momentarily in the empty corridor, feeling her slight weight press down on his arm as a small spasm of pain passed momentarily through her body.

The Aburame quietly admired her – she was a fighter…there was no denying that and he was privately thankful that his son was blessed in his friendship with the young woman.

He waited for her to ride through the worst of her pain before she finally lifted her head proudly and nodded imperceptibly at the Aburame Clan Leader that she was ready to continue their walk back to Kankuro's hospital room.

"Lady Hinata, there is no rush… the clan will protect him during our absence." murmured Shibi in a low tone.

Hinata closed her eyes as she felt another sharp pain wash over her and she couldn't help but to hold onto the Clan Leader tighter as she waited for the worst of it to subside once more.

She finally opened her eyes and found the Aburame silently observing her through his glasses.

Hinata was surprised to feel the man's warm hand reach over and rest on top of hers before he quietly asked, "Does this happen very often, Lady Hinata?"

The dark haired woman stared at the clan leader for a moment, swallowing convulsively before softly replying, "It only flares up when my Chakra levels are low…but I have gotten used to…it."

Shibi could feel his disgust towards her clan rise to the forefront once more as his Kikai rustled and hissed inside of him.

"I take it that your chosen husband doesn't know about the seals, then?" murmured The Aburame very quietly.

Hinata stiffened at the mention of the seals, only to feel the soothing touch of Shibi patting her hand in comfort.

The dark haired woman swallowed nervously before whispering, "No...apart from my father, we are the only ones who know about the...seals and their...purpose."

Shibi watched the young woman looking so dignified despite the intense pain he knew she was feeling. Yes – he had seen this type of seal in action before but he had never known it to be placed on a main house member. He also knew that meant that Hinata's sister was now the heiress, thanks to the seals.

"Lady Hinata… Are you planning to tell your life mate what was done to you at the hands of your own clan?" asked the Aburame clan leader after a while.

The dark haired woman nodded and quietly replied, "Yes…I want to…but I'm worried…"

Shibi made a soft scoffing sound at the back of his throat and murmured, "You shouldn't be concerned that your life mate will reject you for having to make that sacrifice… there are other ways to still achieve the dream of a family together…if that is your wish."

The Aburame looked up then as he felt the approach of the clan member.

He continued to hold the young woman's hand on his arm as the clansmen finally appeared in front of with a dark flicker and a low bow.

"Here are the items you requested, Aburame-sama." murmured the tall man with the imposing Kikai gourd on his back, handing the Aburame the two packages before he bowed one last time and stood up to return to his position a few feet behind his Clan Leader.

Shibi handed the large package to the surprised young woman and quietly murmured, "Lady Hinata, you will feel more comfortable if you are more...appropriately garbed as befitted your station."

Hinata's eyes widened in shock when she carefully unwrapped the package to find footwear and a silk kimono decorated with embroidered butterflies, fit for royalty.

She continued to look at the tall man beside her for a long searching moment before finally bowing slightly with a murmur, "Thank you, Aburame-sama... you are too generous."

"Lady Hinata, why don't you go and get changed? I will wait here for you." replied Shibi with a small smile to his lips.

The Aburame and his body guard watched as the young woman turned away and slowly shuffled off to the nearby restroom.

_There is certainly no shame in what you did, Lady Hinata... and it's only right that you should be treated with utmost dignity by this clan._

Shibi made a private vow that his clan would protect the dark haired woman until such time that her life mate was in a position to do so.

Now that she was under the protection of the Aburame Clan, not even her father could touch her and that suited Shibi just fine.

---------------------------------------------

"Hinata, what happened to your Kimono?" asked a cold voice.

Hinata paused in her conversation with Shibi and the clan leader could feel tiny little tremors course through her body as she recognized her father's voice.

"Her original garments were ruined. We merely provided suitable replacements for her. I am hoping that is more than acceptable for you, Hyuuga-sama?" replied Shibi in a deceptively calm voice.

"You will return that..._kimono_ once you are home and more suitably garbed in clothes benefiting a Hyuuga." countered the Hyuuga Clan Leader with a slight scowl on his fine features, as he waited impatiently for them to reach him.

"Hinata...I have come to take you home." murmured Hiashi, as soon as the pair finally stopped in front of him standing outside the sand nin's hospital room.

"I think she will be more than fine in our company until the sand shinobi has regained consciousness." countered Shibi smoothly.

"She should be with her Fiance...keeping him company...not this filthy puppet nin." replied the Hyuuga in a glacial tone.

Hinata could hear the buzzing and humming coming from the tall man beside her as well as the clan members standing alert in the hallway.

"Forgive me, Father... I would prefer to stay here until Kankuro has woken up. I think it's appropriate that I should thank him in person...after all the trouble I put the man through." murmured Hinata before bowing her head slightly.

She kept her head lowered as she could feel her father's cold eyes quietly assessing her but she was relieved when she heard, "Fine, Hinata...but I will have a branch member come to check on you later."

Hinata still kept her stance as she softly replied, "Thank you, Father."

"Lady Hinata... you can raise your head, now. Your father has left. Have you ever considered being a diplomat, Lady Hinata… you seem to be a natural at diverting…ugly confrontations." murmured Shibi with a small amount of amusement in his voice.

The dark haired woman looked up in surprise at the Aburame Clan Leader who seemed to be smiling behind his large collar before she heard the rustle of the kikai coming from the other clan members.

One of the clan members walked forward then and whispered something into his leader's ear.

"Lady Hinata, apparently your life mate has finally regained consciousness and has been asking for you... I suggest you go rejoin him while I look over this scroll." murmured Shibi.

"Aburame-sama... one moment. The scroll is protected to prevent the wrong people from viewing the contents. It's a safeguard that Shino put in place – just in case. Please allow me to deactivate the seal before I return back to Kankuro's side." replied Hinata with a soft smile.

Shibi watched with grudging respect for his son's resourcefulness as the young woman chomped down on the fleshy part of her finger before placing the bloody digit onto the seal. The scroll glowed an iridescent green before a soft click was heard.

"Thank you, Lady Hinata." murmured the Aburame with a slight bow as the dark haired woman returned the now unsealed scroll back to him before turning to enter Kankuro's hospital room.

"Aburame-sama... please come and get me if you...require my assistance...to verify its contents." replied Hinata pausing at the door before she opened the door and disappearing into the room.  
Shibi gave the closed door a lingering look before gesturing one of the clan members to him.

"Hiroshi, go to the Hokage's office and request an appointment for an audience with her for late this afternoon. Please inform her that the matter is important." murmured the Aburame clan Leader.

Shibi waited until the clan member disappeared down the corridor before turning to address the group.

"Allow only the necessary medical staff and the Hokage to enter that room... discourage the rest." replied the Aburame in a deceptively calm voice.

The kikai hummed and rustled as the group nodded their agreement, tiny smiles peaking out from behind the high collars.

They watched their clan leader stroll down the hallway to a small alcove that had a bench while a clan member stood nearby at a respectful distance.

Shibi sat down and slowly unfurled the scroll, taking his time to read the contents and closely examined the signatures next to the official seals of the temple that performed the ceremony.

The Aburame Clan Leader looked up from the document on his lap and stared out the window to the clear blue sky outside.

It was now clear to him after reading the scroll that Hinata could not return back to the Hyuuga Compound, not in light of the information on this scroll.

Shibi rolled the scroll back up and carefully retied the document before tucking it away inside his coat in a hidden pocket.

He stood up and nodded to the clan member before walking back to rejoin the group in front of the Sand Shinobi's room.

_Yes, Lady Hinata would be safer in their care..._

-----------------------&---------------------

"Where...is...she?" husked out a male voice in a broken whisper.

They were beginning to worry because despite their reassurance that Hinata was returning back to the room, the large man refused to settle down and they were concerned that he would inadvertently pull out his IV from his tossing and turning.

"I'm here, my heart... you should be resting." replied a quiet female from the door.

The rest of the occupants looked up in relief as well as embarrassment at Hinata's softly uttered endearment. Temari quickly looked over at her brother who started lapsing back into a peaceful slumber once more at the sound of the young woman's voice.

_Thank Kami! She was worried that they would to call someone to physically restrain him!_

"Hey Princess... how did things go with Aburame-sama...is everything okay?" asked Kiba in concern as Hinata settled down next to the dog nin at Kankuro's bedside.

"...my...princ...ess." murmured a weak voice as the dark haired woman stroked a cool hand over the large man's face.

Temari felt her face flame bright red from her brother's possessive tone.

_If these two haven't slept with each other yet... they are not far from it..._

"No, Kiba – it looks like the Aburame Clan is out for retribution because of the actions of my clan." replied Hinata with a sigh.

"What has your family done to earn the wrath of the Aburame Clan?" asked Shikamaru with a frown.

Hinata quickly glanced over at the door before murmuring in a low voice, "Shino sent his father a Kikai... Neji was sent on a mission to check on a clan member that was forcibly removed from the Hyuuga Compound a few months ago...well, it turns out that the young woman is pregnant...with Shino's child."

Kiba's eyes widened to little pinpoints as Akamaru raised his head to issue an ominous growl.

Shikamaru looked down at the floor deep in thought.

_He didn't like where this was heading...not at all._

"Hinata... was the union...formalized between the two of them, prior to the woman's removal from the clan compound?" asked Shikamaru with a deep frown.

"Yes...Shikamaru...it was." replied Hinata with a soft nod as she continued to gently stroke the puppet nin's face.

"Shikamaru...what's going on?" asked Temari when she noticed her husband tense up.

"If there is evidence of such a union in existence... and knowing Shino, there is... nothing short of a clan war is about to break out between the Hyuuga and the Aburame." replied Shikamaru with a scowl.

"What's going to happen to Hinata, then?" asked Temari quietly looking over at the young woman sitting next to her team mate and the large white nin dog.

"Well, she can't go back to her clan...if that's what you're asking... the fact that she knew where Shino hid the document also confirms her total involvement in this situation. I'm willing to bet that the Aburame has come to that same conclusion now that he has had a chance to read the document in question." replied Shikamaru softly.

"We need to protect her..." exclaimed Temari, beginning to panic – only to feel her husband's hand on her arm.

"There is no need to worry, my love. Even if she is unaware of it – Hinata is already under the protection of the Aburame Clan." murmured Shikamaru with a small nod towards the young woman sitting beside Kankuro.

"I don't understand…" replied Temari, looking at Hinata but still not understanding what her husband was looking at.

"The kimono that Hinata is now wearing is not an ordinary garment. It's a rather special kimono – the silk used to produce them come from a rare breed of silk worm. The kimonos produced are only given to those individuals deemed worthy to wear them. It's also a sign that the receiver of the kimono is held in high regard by the Aburame Clan." replied Shikamaru with a small smirk to his lips.

"Oh… that means…." Breathed Temari as understanding began to dawn.

"Yes, sweetheart… the Aburame won't allow anything to happen to Hinata. It's obvious that they consider her also worthy of their respect and protection." replied Shikamaru with a small smile.

--------------------------5-------------------------

They had both realized that Shino's lack of travel documentation would make normal entrance into the Mist village impossible.

"How far are we from our final destination now, Hyuuga?" murmured a quiet male voice as the two shinobis traveled through the village hidden in the Mist the most expedient way available, trying to avoid detention by the Mist nins.

"Not too long now, Shino... the place we're after is on the outskirts of the village." returned Neji calmly as they lightly raced over the rooftops, a small cloud of destruction beetles providing additional protection for the two shinobi.

Neji had to quietly smile at the aura of anxiousness that was coming off the Kikai wielder as they got closer to the private retreat.

"We will be vulnerable for possible attack once we leave the safety of the rooftops." murmured the Hyuuga male to his companion who merely nodded as his kikai hummed and rustled.

The two leaf shinobi continued their frenzied flight over the rooftops, mere dark flickers to the human eyes as they flashed overhead, unnoticed by the villagers below them.

"Okay, Shino...here we go." murmured Neji as they quietly dropped down to the ground after they reached the last rooftop.

Neji continued to scan ahead with his bloodline limit as they dashed down the trade road heading to the outskirts of the village.

"I don't detect anyone lurking in the shadows for us..." quietly replied the Hyuuga genius as he watched Shino release more Kikai from the gourd strapped on his backpack with a small command.

"I'm not taking any chances, Hyuuga..." murmured Shino darkly as the Kikai swept out on both sides of the road to investigate.

They continued their breakneck pace for another hour or so until the high walls of the retreat came into sight and Neji finally gestured for Shino to stop.

"Shino... I'll be honest with you... I don't know what we're going to find once we're inside the retreat. I ask that you keep yourself in check at least until we can ascertain the full situation... for her sake." said Neji in a serious undertone.

Shino frowned at the silver eyed Hyuuga through his glasses before finally nodding his agreement.

"Alright, Hyuuga... It shall be as you suggest. I won't do anything that will put Hoshiko in any unnecessary danger." replied Shino in a low voice.

"Okay… there is something else you should know, Shino… They may not allow you to enter the retreat. I am the only one who has the necessary documentation to see Hoshiko." Murmured Neji in a concerned tone.

Shino touched his collar before replying obscurely, "Don't be concerned about me, Hyuuga…They will allow me in without any fuss."

Neji nodded curtly and murmured, "We should head up to the retreat now. I think you've waited long enough for this reunion and so has she… Let's not keep anyone waiting any longer, hn?"

------------------------5-----------------

The Buddhist monk eyed the two strangers with mild suspicion as he took in their shinobi headbands with the Konoha leaf insignia.

"Please state your business." Murmured the monk as he watched the two silent men before him.

"We are here on behalf of the Hyuuga Clan to see the head monk. We have business to discuss with him." responded Neji coolly.

The monk eyed the man behind the Hyuuga with the ominous looking gourd strapped discreetly on his back pack nervously before finally replying, "You can come in but…your companion needs to stay outside."

"I too have business with the head monk." murmured Shino in a low and ominous tone as the Kikai hummed briefly in warning before settling down once more.

The monks eyes widened in mild alarm as he suddenly realized which clan this shinobi was from and hastily gestured for them to enter into the retreat.

The large imposing gates closed behind the group with a dull thunk and the monk quietly asked the two nins to follow him.

They continued down winding corridors, occasionally passing monks who seemed to be more disturbed by the tall man with the weird gourd attached to his travel pack than the scowling Hyuuga.

The small group stopped in front of an ornate door and the monk knocked before announcing, "Sir, some visitors to see you…one is from the Hyuuga Clan and the other is… an Aburame."

"An Aburame, you say? ….Well, show them in." murmured the voice with mild surprise as well as alarm.

The monk opened the door and allowed the visitors to go into the room before finally closing the door behind them.

The small wizened man in the saffron robes silently contemplated his two guests before gesturing them to come closer.

"It is never a good sign when a member of the Aburame Clan appears on our doorstep. I imagine you have an excellent reason for being here… and with a Hyuuga, no less." murmured the monk watching as the Hyuuga walked forward and produced a scroll for the head monk.

The monk carefully unsealed the scroll and read in silence for a while before finally looking up and replying, "So, you have come for the young woman…she will be pleased to receive visitors from her family."

The monk then looked over at the tall shinobi in the clan garb of the Aburame and asked, "I am puzzled as to why you are here with the Hyuuga, young Aburame."

Shino stepped forward then and moved his hands under his collar, unclipping something before dropping the object into the withered hand of the head monk.

"I too have come for the young woman." replied Shino in a deceptively calm voice.

The monk moved his hand back and slowly opened it to reveal the object the Aburame Clan member had placed there.

He gasped in horror as he immediately recognized the object as being identical to the one worn by the young woman in question around her neck.

The monk swallowed and tried hard to hide his fear as he handed the object back to the Aburame male.

"Please…just take her with our blessing and leave… just don't kill us." whispered the head monk in terror.

Neji was taken aback by the monk's odd behavior and reached out a hand to retrieve the object now dangling from Shino's fingertips.

The Hyuuga's eyes widened in swift understanding as he stared at the object swinging gracefully on the delicate chain.

_This was not good…this was enough to start a clan war…_

It was a wedding band.


	20. Chapter 20 Reunion

**Author's Note:**

My apologies on the delay of the release of the new chapter – I ended up rewriting sections.

Thanks for your patience – as always…

I was planning to make the chapter sad in parts but the muse had other plans.

Don't worry, Blaze… I still have plans to make you cry… just not this chapter. (evil grin)

This is the raw chapter is subject to revision at a later date with the beta for this story – **Gym-chick** is not busy.

This chapter is inspired by the song, "By your side" by Sade.

A sentence in _Italics_ denotes the private thoughts of a character.

Japanese words used:

koishii – beloved, darling, dear

koibito – lover, sweetheart

otokooya - father

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I don't make a profit off my literary ramblings either.

**Chapter 20 - Reunion**

Tsunade was reading a message scroll when one of her guards knocked on the door.

"Yes, who is it?" called the Hokage abruptly with a scowl, as she continued to look over the scroll in her hand.

"Hokage, the Aburame Clan Leader is here to see you." replied one of the guards outside her door.

Tsunade rubbed a hand across her eyes before she slid the empty bottle of sake that had been sitting on the desk into a drawer.

She placed her hands in front of her on the desk and sighed inwardly, knowing that the Aburame wouldn't request an audience unless it was of a serious nature.

"Show him in." called out Tsunade tiredly, already expecting the worst from this particular meeting.

The door opened to admit a tall elegant man wearing a pair of dark glasses with an odd charm hanging off the arm and the ominous Kikai gourd strapped on his back.

"Hokage-sama...thank you for seeing me on such short notice." said the Aburame Clan Leader with a slight bow.

"Aburame-sama... please sit down. What did you need to see me about?" asked Tsunade in a concerned tone, gesturing a hand at the nearby leather chair.

She watched in silence as the man smoothly slid his gourd off his back and leaned it against the side of the chair before sitting down.

"Hokage-sama, I will come straight to the point. It has been brought to my attention that the Hyuuga clan has forcibly removed a female member of the branch family from the compound." said Shibi in a quiet tone that had a serious but deadly undertone to it.

The Hokage steepled her fingers under her chin and frowned, now deep in thought as she carefully replied, "Aburame-sama, as you are well aware... what another clan does with their own clan members is of no concern to me."

"Normally it is of no consequence to me...but I have good reason to believe she was claimed by a member of my clan prior to her removal and that there is a child expected from this union... a child that the Hyuuga had no intention of allowing my clan to claim." countered Shibi with a small bite to his tone as his Kikai hissed and rustled beneath his skin.

Tsunade leaned forward on the desk and now tapped her fingers in an angry tattoo as she continued to frown at the clan leader sitting in front of her.

"That's quite a serious accusation to make, Aburame-sama. I presume that you have some evidence or at least a reliable witness to prove that such a union exists?" asked the older woman with an eyebrow raised in question.

"I can provide both if required but I believe this will be sufficient for the moment." Shibi Aburame replied as he reached into his coat and pulled out a scroll.

Tsunade watched as the clan leader stood up and walked over to the desk, placing the scroll in front of her.

She heard the slight shifting of the destruction beetles as the Aburame settled back down in his seat and waited in silence as she unrolled the document to peruse the contents.

Shibi kept the smirk that threatened to burst forth firmly in check as he saw the leader of the leaf village's eyes widen in shock before she stood up abruptly and yelled, "Shizune! Send someone over to get the Hyuuga and tell him that his presence is requested in my office!"

---------------- --------------- ----------------

Hiashi Hyuuga stalked down the long corridor, a graceful and menacing figure in the flowing traditional garb of the clan.

"Old crone." muttered the Hyuuga Clan Leader under his breath.

He had received an urgent summons to the Hokage's office an hour earlier, regarding a matter that had been brought forward by another clan.

He had no time for this.

Once Neji came back from that distasteful business in the Mist, he would be able to continue with finalizing the marriage between his reluctant and disobedient daughter to Kurisagi.

The man should be well recovered from his injuries by then to claim his bride.

Hiashi smiled knowingly as he thought about the man in the infirmary under an ANBU guard watch.

_Yes – he knew why the man wanted to marry his daughter but he was going to be gravely disappointed._

The Hyuuga Clan Leader watched with a small telling smirk on his face as he derived a great deal of satisfaction from watching so called powerful nins ducking for cover.

_Yes – that's it... run like little cockroaches..._

The two guards in front of the Hokage's office waited until the man was almost upon them before announcing his arrival to their leader.

"Good! Tell the Hyuuga to come in." called out a female voice with a hint of a growl.

Hiashi brushed past the two guards arrogantly as the door opened but paused just inside the doorway when he noticed the other occupant of the room.

"Aburame - I presume you are responsible for this interruption of my daughter's training?" hissed out the Hyuuga coldly.

"Yes – we wouldn't want to take you away from your duties to your youngest daughter now, would we?" murmured Shibi archly, causing the Hyuuga Clan leader to glare at the bug wielder with open loathing.

The hissing and rustle of Kikai echoed loudly in the room as they reacted to the challenge their master saw in Hiashi's all-knowing eyes before the destruction beetles settled down once more to a low hum.

"Hyuuga-sama, please take a seat. The Aburame has brought forward a matter of a rather serious nature – of which you are in a position to provide the necessary answers." responded the Hokage, with a resigned sigh, gesturing to another seat as the Aburame Clan Leader kept his silence but returned the other clan leader's look with the same amount of intensity.

"Oh? I fail to see how any business of my clan could seriously affect a clan of vermin carriers like the Aburame." countered Hiashi coolly as he finally took his seat.

"You're right... especially since your clan's only claim to fame is that you're blessed with a bloodline limit that allows you the ability to peek into the women's bathhouse without being detected." countered Shibi with a small smile on his lips as he heard the hiss of Hiashi's indrawn breath, knowing that his little dig had gotten to the other man.

Tsunade abruptly stood and brought her fist down on the desk, cracking it neatly down the center as she growled, "Enough of this childishness! While you are both in my office... you will show respect to me and to each other. Is this clear, gentlemen?"

Both clan leaders shot each other glares before turning their gazes back on the irate leader of their village with a broken table in front of her and reluctantly nodded their agreement of their full co-operation.

"The Aburame has provided evidence that a member of your branch family has been fully claimed by a member of his clan." murmured the Hokage as she sat back down and leaned back to watch the two clan leaders.

"How do I know that this so-called proof isn't a fabrication of the Aburame's design?" countered Hiashi, his silver eyes narrowed in anger.

Destruction beetles hissed loudly as the Hokage replied with a small smirk to her lips, "Oh, I am satisfied that the document in question is genuine, Hyuuga-sama. In fact, the union was witnessed by a member of your own clan."

Hiashi scowled at the blonde hag in front of him, silently trying to figure out who would willingly commit such a betrayal of the clan to help out these walking bug infestations.

One name popped into the Hyuuga's mind as he reached out a hand and asked, "I'm assuming that I am allowed to view this proof as well... to verify for myself?"

A blonde eyebrow raised as Tsunade inwardly seethed at the man's total lack of faith in her word and continued to observe the arrogant leader in silence before a hand reached down and plucked a scroll from the surface of the battered table.

"By all means, Hyuuga-sama... but I assure you that the temple seals are real." countered the Hokage smoothly, holding the smirk in check as the man snatched the scroll from her outstretched hand.

"Hinata." hissed out Hiashi as he opened up the scroll and read its contents before handing the document back to the Hokage and standing up.

"Hyuuga-sama - I suggest you sit back down. You are not going anyway until this sorry business is sorted out." called out the Hokage as Hiashi turned to walk over to the door.

The long haired clan leader paused and replied in a cool voice before returning back to his seat, "Fine... but you are merely delaying Hinata's punishment for her part in this."

Shibi's eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he thought about that insidious seal on the young woman's body and her scarred feet that still caused her much pain – even now.

"So – you are still not content that she has suffered enough for her so-called betrayal to the clan, despite the fact that she makes better judgments than the current clan leader." murmured the Aburame clan leader with a sneer in his tone as the Kikai rippled the surface of his skin in response to their host's agitation over the matter of Hyuuga's eldest daughter.

"How I deal with a clan member's disobedience is none of your concern, Aburame. My oldest daughter does not have what it takes to be the next leader of our clan." countered Hiashi icily.

"I disagree. I feel that she would make a fine leader." returned the Aburame.

"Your opinion is of no consequence in this matter, Aburame." replied Hiashi with another cold glare aimed at the man sitting across from him.

"Gentlemen - In light of the obvious animosity and the fact that you two are incapable of saying a civil word to each other, I will be sending an impartial team with a medic nin to retrieve Neji, Shino and this young woman. Is this acceptable to you both?" responded the Hokage with a deep sigh as she watched the clan leaders scowling at each other.

Tsunade couldn't help but feel satisfied that progress was finally being made as she saw both men reluctantly agree to sending a team with no ties to either clan.

"Shizune, send word to Team Kakashi that they're needed for a mission. I also need a messenger to go over to the hospital and inform Hinata Hyuuga that her presence is required in my office. There are Aburame Clan members present outside the room, so send some-one who can deal with them without getting drained of their chakra." called out the Hokage as she continued to watch the two men thoughtfully.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." called back the voice of Tsunade's assistant.

"Oh and Shisune... get someone up here with another desk." called out Tsunade.

"The carpenter is already on his way, Hokage-sama." returned the same female voice with what sounded suspiciously like a smirk in her tone.

The blonde woman waited until her assistant left before asking, "Now, who wants a cup of Sake while we're waiting?"

-------------- --------------- --------------

Hinata looked up in mild surprise as she heard a soft knock on the door and a familiar male voice call out, "Hinata-san, I have a message for you from the Hokage. Can I come in or would you prefer to come out here?"

"Tsk, so troublesome...get your ass in here, Iruka-sensei!" replied the lazy nin.

The door opened to reveal the figure of the smiling Chuunin teacher, standing there scratching the back of his head with a vivid blush on his face while a couple of the Aburame clan members behind him snickered quietly behind their high collars.

"What's wrong, Iruka-sensei?" asked Hinata quietly as her gaze returned back to the man who appeared to be sleeping soundly in the narrow hospital cot.

"The Hokage requests your presence in her office. She asks that you come now." replied Iruka, watching the young woman brush her small hand tenderly over the man's face before standing up.

"We'll keep an eye on him while you go talk to the Hokage." said Kiba with a nod as he caught that look in his team-mate's silver eyes.

"Sh...ino?" murmured a broken voice from the bed.

Hinata looked down in surprise at the man now looking up at her with pain glazed emerald eyes and softly replied, "I don't know, beloved... I will know more once I see the Hokage."

The whisper of fabric being moved and then the thump of a heavy object hitting the floor brought all eyes to the sight of Temari standing there with fan at the ready.

"What?! I'm just getting prepared for trouble...that's all." countered the blonde fan wielder with a negligent shrug at her shocked audience.

"Tsk... so damn troublesome... any excuse for a fight..." muttered Shikamaru under his breath to the delight of his spouse.

"You better get going, Hina... it wouldn't do to keep the Hokage waiting." grinned Kiba wolfishly as Shikamaru continued to grumble under his breath about troublesome women who should be taking it easy in their condition.

Hinata gave the puppet nin one last look before she nodded at the rest of the group and turned to follow Iruka out of the room.

Temari waited until the pair left the room and door closed before replying with a smirk, "You know, ototo - if you decide to elope... I'm sure Gaara wouldn't mind officiating over a wedding ceremony."

Kiba and Temari grinned at each other knowingly as they heard a weak chuckle come from the bed and Shikamaru utter in an aggrieved tone, "Man, what a drag!"

------------------ -------------------- -------------

"Baa-chan! You sent for us?" asked a cheery voice coming from the open window.

Shibi smiled behind his collar and Hiashi showed his haughty displeasure at the sight of Naruto perched on the window sill with a wide grin on his whiskered face.

"Gaki... why can't you use the door like everyone else?" muttered Tsunade with a frown, only for a puff of smoke to appear to reveal the form of Kakashi.

"Yo." replied the copy nin with a lazy wave of his hand.

"Never mind." muttered the blonde leader under her breath as she heard the remainder of Team Kakashi enter the room.

"You sent for us, Shishou?" asked Sakura nervously as she looked at the broken desk.

"Kakashi – I'm sending your team on a retrieval mission. I need you to go and collect Neji, Shino and a female Hyuuga Branch member from the Mist Village." said Tsunade, going straight to the point.

"The Mist Village?! Man – why the hell would that head on a stick Hyuuga and the bug freak go to that god forsaken hell hole? I can't imagine those two going anywhere together..." griped the loud blonde, folding his arms in front of him.

"When do you want us to leave and where is our destination?" replied Kakashi lazily, trying to ignore Sakura smacking Naruto in the back of the head for his comment.

"I want you to pack and leave immediately." responded the Hokage before turning her attention to the Hyuuga.

"Well, Hyuuga-sama... where are they?" asked Tsunade with a small growl in her voice.

"The Golden Moon Monastery." murmured the Hyuuga clan leader sourly, only to turn and glare at the sound of soft laughter coming from behind the high collar of the Aburame's coat.

"Yes, Aburame-sama... is there something amusing about this situation that you care to share with the rest of the group?" ground out Tsunade, almost at the end of her patience with these two men.

"I am well acquainted with that particular monastery and I know for a fact that the head monk will be most anxious for Shino to leave with his bride, once it's revealed that he's an Aburame." replied Shibi in a quiet matter of fact tone, the hint of amusement apparent in his voice.

"WHA?! BUG FREAK'S HITCHED?!... ITAI!!!" cried out Naruto, rubbing another bump on the back of his head.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she contemplated the Aburame clan leader's words and murmured, "I am guessing from your obvious humor that your clan had left quite an impression on this monastery on your last visit, hn?"

"You could say that, Hokage-sama... I like to think that I made a lasting impression." replied the Aburame with a small smirk.

Tsunade was now very intrigued and found herself asking, "How did you manage to do that exactly, Aburame-sama?"

"They refused to give me back my woman when I asked nicely...so I had to use...force." murmured Shibi as his Kikai chirped under his skin.

"Hmmph...barbarian. I wasn't aware that it was this monastery that had the misfortune of dealing with you. I don't think using your Kikai to drain the chakra of anyone foolish enough to cross you is considered, force." countered the Hyuuga crossing his arms across his chest.

"No...but breaking down the heavy entrance doors with a small army of destruction beetles and a sturdy tree trunk would be..." responded the Aburame with a small knowing smile.

The Hokage leaned to one side of her chair, closed her eyes tiredly and reached up to rub her temple.

"I see... Kakashi, it looks like you will be checking out the local inns around the Mist Country since it's obvious that Shino, Neji and the young woman..."

"Her name is Hoshiko." murmured a soft female voice from the doorway.

"Hinata..." said Hiashi coldly noting that his oldest daughter was still dressed in _that_ Aburame abomination of a kimono.

Naruto turned at the sound of the familiar voice and darted across the room, scooping the small woman up in a bear hug.

"_Hey, Kit..."_

"_Yeah – what's up, baka fox?"_

"_Your friend has had a curse mark put on her...it's around her hips... I can feel it."_

"_Kuso! Should I ask her...?"_

"_No! Kit – now is not the time to ask her... especially with her father present in the room."_

"_Wha? You're not making sense, Kyu..."_

"_Kit... she was marked by her own clan...it's similar in vibration to the one your long haired genius friend wears..."_

"_Why didn't I notice it before, Kyuubi?"_

"_She wasn't in the midst of her cycle the last time you saw her."_

"_Huh?"_

"_You can be such a baka sometimes, Kit... this type of seal flares up when she's ready to accept a mate."_

"_WHA?! That doesn't make any sense..."_

"Naruto, please put me down..." murmured Hinata nervously with a vivid blush to her face as she realized that he had suddenly gone quiet and she was still wrapped up in the large man's arms.

The blonde slid his hands down to her waist and felt the tingle of the seals on the pads of his fingertips as he carefully lowered her back down to the ground.

"_Yeah... I can feel it now, Kyuubi..."_

Naruto offered the blushing young woman his arm as he covertly glanced over at the two seated clan leaders – one rigid with anger over his forward behavior and the other giving him an imperceptible nod of his head.

"_So – Shino's dad knows about the seal, Kyu..."_

"_Hn – I'm not surprised, kit... not much slips past him... those Kikai of his make him more sensitive to certain body changes..."_

"_So – how is it that she managed to keep this from Shino and Kiba? I should think with Bug Freak's own beetles and Dog Breath's keen sense of smell that they would have picked up on the seal by now..."_

"_Good question, Kit... my guess is that she managed a way to avoid them at certain times of the month without raising their suspicions."_

Naruto continued his private conversation with his 'guest' as he guided Hinata over to a chair closer to the shattered remains of the Hokage's desk.

"_Should I say something to baa-chan about this?"_

"_No. It's bad enough that the poor girl has that seal on her body... don't make her feel ashamed, Kit."_

"_Baka demon fox... you're making no sense. Why would Hinata be ashamed about a seal on her body?"_

Naruto smiled inwardly as he heard Kyuubi let out a frustrated sigh and then quietly reply:

"_The seal stops her from breeding, kit."_

"_WHA?! ...then that would mean that..."_

"_Yes, kit. She was deliberately made barren."_

------------------ ------------------ ------------------

The low growl coming out of the blonde man startled the occupants of the room.

Tsunade swiftly looked over at her beloved mischief maker and gave a slight frown, a little concerned by his strange behavior.

Hinata stiffened as she heard the low growl but calmed down as she felt Naruto's large hand resting on her shoulder in comfort, instinctively knowing that he wasn't mad at her.

Shibi felt a small smile appear on his lips as he watched the Kyuubi vessel stand behind the petite woman, ready to offer protection.

"Gaki, is something the matter?" asked the Hokage, also noting Naruto's protective stance behind Hinata.

Naruto glanced back over at the two clan leaders and noticed the small smile on the Aburame's lips get wider behind the wide collar.

"_Kit, just tell the Hokage that all is well..."_

"_Kyuu..."_

"_Kit... trust me... it will be fine... Now, tell baa-chan that you're fine and do it now."_

"_Very well, baka fox... but you and I are definitely going to have a little chat later, hn?_

Naruto heard his 'guest' let a harsh bark of laughter before he replied:

"_Agreed... now let the hokage know that everything is okay."_

"I'm fine, baa-chan... Hinata looked dead on her feet, that's all." murmured Naruto with a shrug, turning his eyes back onto the figure of the Hokage.

The older woman sighed loudly and finally replied, "Kakashi... you have your orders... Be aware that Shino and Neji will most likely be traveling in disguise to avoid trouble. I will give your team an hour to pack then you need to leave, is that clear?"

The copy nin nodded his agreement before making the necessary hand seals and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade shifted her gaze over to her apprentice and addressed her directly, "Sakura, the young woman is several months pregnant. Aburame and Hyuuga babies have a tendency to come a little early...this one is both... So pack what you need to deliver a baby...just in case."

"WHA?! A baby too?! Sheesh – Bug Freak didn't waste any time, did he?" exclaimed Naruto loudly, much to the amusement of the Aburame and the displeasure of the Hyuuga.

"Hai, Shishou." replied Sakura with a slight bow and shooting Naruto a warning glare before she turned and walked to the door, Sai following close behind.

Naruto gave Hinata one final gentle pat on the shoulder before lifting his hand with a wave and called out, "Okay, baa-chan... I guess I should get ready to go as well."

The young man strolled off towards the door but briefly paused beside the Aburame Clan Leader.

"Aburame-sama... uh, is there a message you would like me to deliver to Shino when I see him?" asked Naruto with a slight bow.

Shibi was taken aback by the question and was touched by the nin's offer to deliver a personal message to his son.

The Aburame clan leader finally nodded his head and raised a hand up to his collar as a Kikai beetle appeared on his finger.

Naruto gave the man a wide toothy grin as he watched the Aburame lower his hand and the Kikai flitted over to Naruto and settled on his hitate.

Naruto turned and walked off towards the exit when he heard, "Naruto... one moment... I have one more thing that I want you to take with you."

He walked back to the Aburame leader and was concerned to hear the Kikai shifting restlessly under the man's skin, an indication of the man's tightly suppressed emotions as he watched Shibi reach into his pocket and pull out a small pouch.

"Take this with you...just in case my grandchild decides it wishes to make an early entry into the world." replied the Aburame to the surprised young man before Naruto broke into a delighted grin, nodding in understanding as he carefully placed the heavy little pouch into his beloved frog purse and finally bounded off out the door.

"Yes... he will make a fine Rokudaime, that boy..." murmured the calm voice of the Aburame after the door shut behind the retreating figure of Naruto.

"Over my dead body, Aburame." muttered Hiashi.

"You know... I would be most happy to arrange that for you, Hyuuga." countered Shibi with a small smirk on his lips.

"I noticed he didn't ask me if I had a message to send to my nephew." commented the Hyuuga sourly.

"Lah... are you... pouting?! I think the genius already knows that you're going to punish him when he gets back from his mission. You don't need Naruto to deliver that message... your reputation precedes you." responded Shibi.

"Hyuugas don't pout." bit out Hiashi coolly, glaring at the occupants in the room, daring them to respond.

The Aburame made a rude noise and said with a small smirk, "You are so pouting."

"Shizune – bring in more sake... NOW!" yelled Tsunade, rubbing her temples as she listened to the two clan leaders trading snide comments and insults.

The Hokage looked over at Hinata who was returning her gaze with a sympathetic one of her own.

_Yes – it was going to be a long day._

------------- --------------- ------------ --------------

"Aww, man... that's just great – a whole hallway of bug freaks! You guys expecting trouble?" asked a boisterous voice.

The group in the room listened with smiles on their faces as they heard one of the Aburame clan members reply with what sounded suspiciously like a smirk in his voice, "Yes – we knew you would be visiting, Naruto-san."

"HAHAHA... very freaking funny, Isamu! Hey, guys... would it be okay if I go in and see Kankuro for a few minutes?" asked the exuberant blonde.

The door opened then and Naruto entered the room with a ready smile on his face and a concerned look in his eye.

Kiba grinned in greeting as he watched Naruto sweep Temari into a bear hug.

The canine master's joy at seeing his blonde friend soon turned to concerned realization as he saw the tiny Kikai sitting prominently on the man's hitate.

"You heading out to retrieve Shino, Neji and Hoshiko... aren't you?" asked Kiba quietly.

Naruto put a loudly protesting and smiling Temari down when he heard that question.

"Yeah – I have to go meet my team over at the gates within an hour but I thought I would drop by before I head out. We should reach the Mist country in a couple of days or so, although we may be doing the return trip at a slower pace on account of Hoshiko's condition."

Kiba nodded in understanding as Akamaru whined softly beside him.

"What?! Are you sure, Akamaru?" asked Kiba in shock as the dog barked in response.

"What's up?" asked Naruto, looking at the man and his large dog in concern.

"Akamaru would like to go with you... He thinks that Shino's mate would be comfortable riding on his back rather than trying to walk or ride in a cart back to Kohona in her condition."

"How do feel about that, Kiba? You two are a team after all." asked Naruto softly.

"I would love to come with you but I know I need to stay here and give Hinata support. I am fine with Akamaru going with you." murmured Kiba reaching down to scratch the large nin dog behind one of his ears.

"Did you see Hinata when you were at the Hokage's office?" asked Shikamaru.

"Yeah, she arrived just before I left but I don't understand why she was called. Does this have something to do with Shino's hush hush wedding?" asked Naruto in curiosity.

"There is a strong probability that is the case, Naruto..." replied Shikamaru with a small frown.

"What will happen to Hinata if it turns out that she is somehow involved with Bug Freak's marriage?" asked the blonde man in concern.

"It depends on the nature of the offense... if it's as bad as I suspect, based on how much she seems to know about the situation - there's a chance that the Hyuuga can legally put his own daughter to death." murmured the shadow wielder grimly.

Temari glanced over at the bed and noticed that her brother was not sleeping but rather, was listening to the conversation intently.

"I see..." replied Naruto softly before looking over at Kiba now standing alert with his hand on his large dog.

"Kiba – promise me that you won't let the Hyuuga take her...she's been through more than enough at the hands of her clan." murmured Naruto with a grimace.

"I promise... Naruto... what's going on?" asked Kiba with a scowl, watching the normally loud nin abruptly turn and walk over to the door with stealthy grace.

"Sorry, Kiba... I wish I could tell you...but it's not my place to talk about it." responded Naruto as he paused at the door and waited for Akamaru to join him.

Temari saw her sibling's lips tightening into a grim line as he caught Naruto's carefully worded response and knew that Kankuro was going to take matters into his own hands once he was well enough to leave the hospital.

_Oh Yes – she knew that look on his face well enough to know that the Hyuuga would be foolish to take what belonged to him._

------------- ----------------- ------------- -------------

Shino stood at the entrance of the little courtyard watching the petite brunette walk slowly through the courtyard, being careful to avoid the slippery patches of ice on the ground.

"She still looks beautiful… even more so now." murmured the bug wielder tightly.

"What are you waiting for? Go to her." replied Neji coolly as he listened to the agitated rustling of Shino's Kikai.

The silver eyed Hyuuga glanced over at the shinobi beside him and saw the conflicting emotions ghost over his face behind the cover of the large collar.

"Shino...she got banned for you. What other proof do you require that she loves you…even now." Remarked Neji with a small smirk.

The genius watched Shino stiffened at the comment before she saw the tall nin nod in agreement and walk over to the solitary figure near the gazebo.

"Shh... I know it's getting cooler little one... I will be heading back inside to the warmth soon...promise." murmured Hoshiko soothingly with a gentle caress to the mound as she felt her child kick.

She gingerly made her way over to the covered gazebo in front of the little koi pond starting to ice over and sat down, shifting the shawl tighter around her shoulders.

A small hand reached up and fingered the ring hanging on the chain around her neck as she stared off blindly into the courtyard, her thoughts frequently on the man that she hadn't seen in months.

Shino saw her sit down and watched her hand grab hold of the small ring hanging around her neck and couldn't help but smile at the proof of the Hyuuga genius's words before him.

_All this time…despite everything that had happened to her…she still wore his ring proudly._

The young woman sighed forlornly, wishing for the thousandth time that she could send her husband a message but knew that such thoughts and deeds only caused problems for her.

The monks were still suspicious of her despite being secluded here for a number of months.

Hoshiko felt the shawl begin to slip from her thin shoulders then and quickly reached down to grab the delicate item before it fell to the ground.

She gasped in dismay as her numb hands missed narrowly catching the lacy garment slowly descending to the dirty snow at her feet.

_No! The shawl had been a gift from Shino!_

Her eyes widened in dismay as the shawl was swiftly caught by another pair of hands... hands that haunted her dreams.

Their silver depths glittered with unshed tears as she watched those same hands gently reached up and draped the shawl back around her shoulders.

Silent tears coursed down her cheeks unchecked as she continued to watch those large elegant hands rearrange the clothing to better shield her from the cold.

Hoshiko closed her eyes, trying to calm down the rapid fluttering of her heart, feeling a hard lump form in her throat as her fragile mind tried to register what just happened.

"No... impossible... you're just a figment of my imagination." whispered the young woman brokenly.

"Not an impossibility but true... koishii." murmured a quiet masculine voice.

"No...no... it's not true... there's no way..." returned Hoshiko quietly, as she felt her heart leap in recognition of that deep voice.

"I never gave up... my heart knew you were still alive..." replied the sultry voice close to her ear.

Hoshiko wanted to open her eyes and turn around but after so many months of wishing and hoping, she was scared to get her hopes up too high.

She took a deep breath as she felt her pulse racing and could now hear the soft rustling of Kikai beetles.

The young woman placed her small hands on her swollen belly, drawing a shaky breath into her body as her child started to vigorously kick her once more, this time at the sound of its father's voice.

Her silver eyes flickered open in shock as she felt those hands firmly on her rounded mound and heard that voice murmur, "Shh, little one...your otokooya has come for you... we'll be going home soon."

She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat before finally murmuring, "Impossible, koibito... Hyuuga-sama would never allow me to leave here."

"The head monk is insisting that we leave the premises today...It seems that he does not wish to have the wrath of the Aburame Clan descend upon his monastery now that he is aware of our union." returned Shino calmly.

"Shino... how did you know ...where I was?" asked Hoshiko quietly.

"He brought me." murmured the tall bespeckled man standing behind the seated young woman, gently grasping her hand and pointing to a familiar figure standing over near the entrance of the garden.

Hoshiko gasped in shock as she softly exclaimed, "Why?"

"Koishii...Neji was sent by the Hyuuga-sama to take your child but realized that he couldn't complete such a mission." replied Shino bluntly.

Hoshiko's silver eyes softened in understanding as she studied the lone figure standing guard over at the gates.

"I knew my cousin was a good man..." murmured Hoshiko quietly.

"It took much courage on his behalf to approach me and ask me to accompany him for this mission of his..." returned Shino with a small smile as he caressed his wife's large belly.

"Koibito!" admonished Hoshiko gently before sighing softly and continuing, "My cousin is a man who has always put his clan responsibilities first... that has always been his way. I do not blame him for what happened."

"You've always seen the best in people, Hoshiko… but Neji went against his clan this time because he couldn't do what was required of him." replied Shino with a small frown as he kissed her shoulder before adding, "And I am thankful that he did so, koishii."

Hoshiko stiffened before gasping, "No! It's bad enough that Lady Hinata had to suffer on my behalf...not him as well..."

Shino glanced back over at the Hyuuga Genius and noticed that he started walking over when Hoshiko started getting agitated.

"Shh... easy, koishii...it's not healthy for you to get upset in your condition." said Shino in a soothing tone, now a little concerned as he felt Hoshiko trembling in his arms.

"What's wrong, Shino?" asked Neji with a small frown.

"She's worried that you will be punished for helping us." replied Shino, his kikai hissing as they picked up the distress of the young woman in their host's arms.

"Hoshiko...calm yourself. I am aware that I will be punished. It's a better fate for me than having to deal with turning my back on you and your child." countered Neji, gently touching his cousin's face in reassurance.

"No, no!!! You will be punished like Lady Hinata... and...I couldn't deal with that." beseeched the young woman, still highly agitated.

Neji and Shino shared a frown at the woman's words before the Hyuuga Genius asked carefully, "Hoshiko... I promise that I will be fine. What happened to Hinata that has upset you so much?"

Hoshiko glanced up with wide silver eyes in horror before twisting to look up at Shino.

"You mentioned that Hinata suffered for you, Koishii... what did the Hyuuga do to her?" murmured Shino quietly, his kikai now hissing and shifting under his skin.

"Hyuuga-sama was going to take my baby from me..." began Hoshiko brokenly, only to start crying softly once more.

Shino felt his heart freeze in his chest at her words and asked hoarsely, "What did Hinata do?"

"She must have been sealed. It's the punishment handed out by the clan leader for a woman having being impregnated by someone not approved by the clan." replied a cold voice grimly.

The weeping woman nodded mutely in response to her cousin's statement and murmured in a whisper, "She offered to take the punishment in my stead but...Hyuuga-sama insisted that I watch."

Shino felt his eyes narrow behind his glasses as he watched Neji swallow a lump in his throat before turning away but not before he saw the grim expression on his face.

"What is involved? Did she suffer much?" hissed out Shino as the Kikai beetles hummed loudly, revealing the bug wielder's highly emotionally charged state.

"He placed a curse seal on her...twice - to prevent her from breeding...and yes, the application of the mark is...quite painful." replied Neji, absently reaching up to touch the front of the his hitate with a tiny grimace on his lips.

"I have noticed that Hinata limps every so often... is it because of the curse marks?" asked Shino with a slight frown as the destruction beetles rustled and shifted under his skin.

"No... she had her feet cut up... as punishment for allowing me ...to sneak out to see you... but... when she heard Hyuuga-sama then hand down my punishment...she..." broke off Hoshiko now sobbing quietly into Shino's jacket.

"She willingly gave up her position as heiress and a chance for a family of her own to protect yours..." finished Neji, looking over the head of the weeping women in the bug wielder's arms at the man himself, rigid in shock over the revelation.

Shino closed his eyes briefly, now a little overwhelmed by the magnitude of the sacrifice his team mate and friend made to ensure that his child survived.

He opened his eyes before bending down and murmuring to his wife, "Hush now, koishii... all will be well... Hinata's sacrifice will not be in vain. I promise."

Shino looked over at the brooding figure of the Hyuuga Genius and quietly said, "Neji, look after my wife...I need to go and have a word with the head monk."

Neji gave a brief nod as he gathered up his cousin in his arms and held her close.

He heard her shift and sniffle as he gently ruffled her hair and whispered, "Let your husband and his family take care of this matter, cousin... everything will work out for the best."

-----------------------------6-------------------------

"Pah! If you continue to act like squabbling nine years old on the playground rather than respected leaders of your clans...I will treat you as such..." growled out the Hokage as her fist slammed down on the broken table and reduced it to saw dust.

Tsunade continued to watch the now subdued clan leaders through narrow eyes before sighing loudly and turning her attention to the young woman sitting patiently in her chair.

"My apologies, Hinata… I wasn't expecting to play referee for these two." murmured the Hokage with another sigh, waving a lazy hand towards the two clan leaders now openly glaring at each other.

"Was there a reason that you needed to see me, Hokage?" asked Hinata, now a little anxious to finish up this meeting and return back to Kankuro's room.

"Yes. Your name is on a document that the Aburame Clan has presented as evidence of a claim and I need you to verify that it is indeed your signature and seal on it." Replied Tsunade, bending down to retrieve the scroll from the floor.

Hinata pushed herself up from her seat and slowly shuffled over to the older woman.

The Hokage handed over the scroll in silence and watched as the dark haired woman opened it to peruse the contents.

Hinata finally rolled the scroll back and returned it back to the hokage, softly replying, "Yes – that is my signature and seal. Can I go now?"

"Hinata… you will return home and wait for me. I can not allow your betrayal of the clan to go unpunished." Hissed out Hiashi in a glacial voice.

"Hinata will not be returning to the Hyuuga Compound… not tonight…. Not ever." Countered Shibi, now turning to address the Hyuuga.

"How dare…" began the Hyuuga haughtily, only to be cut off.

"I dare because I know what awaits Lady Hinata if she goes back to her home….which is why I have offered her our protection." Broke in Shibi with a curt nod towards Hinata.

"She cannot stay under your protection forever, Shibi… not when her husband to be is finally recovered from his injuries." replied the Hyuuga with a smirk.

"I am aware of this… but if you think that you're still going to marry her off to that deadly reptilian creature we dragged back from the forest, you are mistaken." Returned the Aburame in a calm matter of fact voice.

"ENOUGH!" roared the Hokage now in disgust.

Tsunade drummed an angry tattoo on the arm of her chair as she waited for the two clan leaders to settle down and give her their undivided attention.

She was more than aware that the young woman's actions had now branded her as a traitor to her clan and she silently agreed with the Aburame's assessment that Hinata shouldn't be allowed to return to the Hyuuga compound.

"Hyuuga-sama... your daughter will remain in the protection of the Aburame Clan until we are able to discuss this matter fully with all the parties involved. If I even hear a whisper that she is punished while we are waiting for Kakashi's team to return, you will deal with me...directly. Is that understood, Hiashi?" said Tsunade with a small growl in her voice.

She was gratified to see that one swallow nervously before giving a curt nod in agreement.

"Excellent...well, I imagine that you wish to go back to your training session with your youngest daughter and we have taken up more than enough of your time." responded the older woman with a false smile pasted on her lips, privately relieved to finally have this farce of a meeting at an end.

The Hokage looked over at the Aburame clan leader looking all calm and serene and said, "Shibi, I will allow Hinata Hyuuga to stay in your care for the interim. Unless there is any more information that I should be privy to - you can accompany her back to the hospital...but if I hear one little rumor that any of my staff have been injured as a result of your clan's presence in the hallways, I will ban you from the hospital... is that clear, Shibi?"

The Hyuuga clan leader stood up and gave his oldest daughter a baleful look before turning swiftly and stalking over to the door, leaving the room with an abrupt slam.

"Lah... Hiashi has always been one for the drama, despite that cold exterior of his." murmured an amused male voice into the silence of the room.

"Shibi, you are not much better… you seem to enjoy getting under his skin… even more than you did when you were in the same team together." Growled Tsunade.

"You were in a cell with my father?" asked Hinata in shock.

"Yes…Hiashi was flawless when it came to missions but when it comes to personal matters… he has always been…less than understanding." Murmured Shibi wryly.

Hinata swallowed nervously and nodded in agreement as the Aburame pushed himself up from his seat and swung the heavy gourd back on his back.

Shibi walked over to Hinata and held out a hand as he murmured, "Come, Lady Hinata. We should head back to the hospital ward before the fan wielder is sent to retrieve us by your life mate."

Tsunade watched in silent admiration at the tall and stoic Kikai wielder strolled over to the door with the young kuniochi's arm wrapped around his own, gently escorting her through the entrance before finally disappearing down the corridor.

"Shisune – forget the sake… I need something harder." called out Tsunade to her assistant before closing her eyes with a sigh.

------------------ ----------------------

"What do you want now, Kikai wielder?" rasped the old monk as Shino appeared in the doorway.

"My wife is in no condition to walk from here... I require suitable transport and directions to the nearest inn and I warn you now – it better be clean." replied Shino, his Kikai hissing in warning before they settled down to a dull hum.

"And if we refuse to help you... will you be as difficult as the other Aburame who came before you and threaten to raze our monastery?" asked the monk with a grimace.

"Worse...I will allow my little friends to feast until they are drunk on your chakra... THEN – I will raze the monastery until there is nothing left but smoldering ashes." responded Shino in a deceptively calm voice, as the Kikai visibly rippled under his skin.

The monk shuddered at the sight before he gasped, "Fine... We will assist you ...just never darken our doorstep again, Young Aburame."

"I can make no guarantees, monk." Countered Shino as the destruction beetles hissed.

"Brother Horoshi! Come in here…" called out the head monk with a squeak as he pushed away from the desk and shuffled nervously over to the door and away from the dangerous shinobi.

"How can I provide assistance, father?" asked a man with sloping shoulders who appeared in the doorway, his dark eyes darting anxiously over at the shinobi standing near the large desk with the small cloud of beetles starting to swarm out of his sleeves.

"I want you and brother Daishi to take the Aburame and his companions to the Shining Moon Inn on the edge of the village." Replied the head monk hurriedly as he watched in horror as the swarm of beetles got larger.

The younger monk nodded and murmured with a slight shudder, "If you follow me… we will make preparations to leave momentarily."

"The Inn is often used by traveling nobility and other dignitaries when the monastery is full. It is very clean and should serve your purpose, young Aburame." reassured the elderly monk in a rush as the swarm slowly increased in size.

Both monks slowly let out the breaths they were holding as they watched the swarm disappear back into the bug wielding nin's sleeves with a slight nod of his head.

"I thought that Shibi Aburame was a nasty character but this one seems to be worse." Muttered the head monk.

Shino paused in front of the old man when he heard the comment and replied calmly. "I am not much different from my father in the sense that I too would stop at nothing to reclaim and protect what is mine, Monk."

The head monk's eyes widened in terror as understanding dawned and felt his throat dry up as he watched the tall shinobi with the large gourd on his back finally leave the room.

"Brother Atsushi… could you bring my heart medicine, please." Croaked out the old monk as his hand reached up to clutch at his heart rapidly beating, now that danger had been narrowly averted.

While he waited for the monk to fetch his powder, he silently cursed the day he decided on his chosen vocation.


	21. Chapter 21 Reality Check

**Author's Note:**

Apologies on the delay of the new chapter… life has a way of throwing you a curve ball.

Yes – I have had some personal problems in my life that needed to take priority including a small medical emergency but now, I am back to doing what I love to do.

To the individual who sent in the last review before this chapter was posted – if you had checked the story updates on my author's profile, you would have realized that I had finished this chapter and was in the process of editing. I don't believe it's fair to inform me that my story has been on Hiatus long enough and I need to update. There are times when that simply isn't possible…no matter how hard I try.

This chapter is dedicated to the regular readers and reviewers that kept checking on the story for the updates. Thank you for your continued patience… you inspire me to work hard on posting chapters worth the wait.

This is the raw chapter and like all things in life is subject to revision, or when the beta for this story, **Gym chick** is not busy.

Special shout out to an old face – **Deserter**: welcome back…you have been missed.

There has been some question as to whether there will be a citrus scene in a future chapter of this story. I have set up a poll for this and will post it onto my profile as soon as the beta testing is done but feel free to drop me a line via reviews or PM regarding your thoughts on this. Thanks.

A small heads up:

Shino's baby will NOT be born in this chapter….also the story of how Shino's mother got sequestered at the monastery will be revealed in the next chapter. I wrote so much for this chapter, that I needed to split it up. My apologies in advance to those who are upset about that but this chapter is long enough as it is.

A sentence in _Italics_ denotes the private thoughts of a character.

Chapter inspired by the song "Soulmate" by Natasha Bedingfield.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, Yeah…I don't own Naruto or the characters. I don't make a red cent off my fan fiction. I do this out of lurv for the craft. Enjoy, beautiful people, enjoy.

**Chapter 21 – Reality Check**

The kikai wielder stood impassively in front of the window. The destruction beetles rippled gently under his skin as they picked up on the increasing chill of the cold weather creeping into the room and their host's highly emotionally charged state.

"Shino… are you okay?" murmured a soft female voice as two small hands wrapped around his lean waist.

The hum of the kikai filled the silence in the spacious inn room.

"Koishii… I never dreamed that …I would see you again… I always thought I was being foolish… still hoping that you were alive… but you're here….it's still difficult to accept that this is real." murmured the kikai wielder after a while.

"I never dreamed that you would come after me…koibito." replied Hoshiko softly as she rubbed her cheek up against his back, listening to the destruction beetles hum and rustle under her husband's skin.

"Do you remember what I promised you on our wedding night, Hoshiko?" asked Shino.

"You told me that no matter where we were…that I would always have your heart." murmured Hoshiko, placing a soft kiss on the scarred flesh.

"I knew I had found my heart's desire when I first saw you there in the courtyard at the Hyuuga Compound. You make me whole, Hoshiko… there could be no one else for me. I thought I could move on with my life after I was informed of your death but I knew that I was just lying to myself." said Shino.

"Shino… let us not dwell on this. I have you back in my life…that's all that matters to me." countered the petite woman with a small warm smile on her delicate features.

The Kikaichuu master slumped forward, bracing his weight with his arms resting on the window sill, feeling that smile burn his bare flesh – and welcomed the rippling of the Kikai that followed it.

"Hoshiko… if Hinata had not have stepped in when she did… you would have taken your life, wouldn't you?" asked Shino quietly, holding his breath for the answer.

"Yes, Shino…I could have handled them keeping us apart but if they had taken my child… no, I don't think I could deal with the loss." confessed Hoshiko in a broken whisper.

Shino turned around and gathered his wife close, still overwhelmed how close he had come to truly losing her.

"Thank you, Hinata… thank you…" whispered the Kikai wielder into Hoshiko's hair as he caressed the silken mass with one elegant hand.

"Shino! Wha… what are you doing?" asked Hoshiko, a little alarmed when her tall husband suddenly dropped down to his knees to rain kisses on her rounded belly.

"Hoshiko…You and Hinata have given me a rare gift…something that it will take a lifetime to repay…but I would gladly pay that debt a thousand times over just for this moment alone." murmured Shino against her belly.

The tiny brunette pulled off Shino's glasses with one hand and gently cupped his face with the other.

The luminescent depths of his eyes mirrored the love she felt for the man kneeling before her.

"Shino…how is…lady Hinata? Is she well?" asked Hoshiko softly.

The Kikai wielder chuckled quietly as he closed his eyes and rubbed his lean cheek against her small palm.

"She is more than fine… she has found a formidable life mate in the form of Kankuro - a puppet nin from Suna." replied Shino with a smile.

"A shinobi from the sand village? How can a man like that be perfect for Lady Hinata?" asked Hoshiko in confusion.

"I know, koishii… it does seem strange but the same question can be asked of us as well." returned Shino with a small quirk of his firm lips.

"I take it he loves her then?" murmured Hoshiko, stroking her husband's cheek, feeling the Kikai rustling and rolling under his skin.

"I believe he does if he is willing to risk his life to protect her…" said Shino with a small knowing smile.

"Shino…I can't help but feel a certain amount of concern with all of this… I don't believe the curse marks can be removed once placed…will this man turn away from her when he finds out that she is unable to bear his children?" murmured Hoshiko in a hush.

Shino shook his head and replied with certainty, "No – he wouldn't abandon her, Hoshiko… the way he looks at her… I can understand what drives him because I feel that way when I look at you, koishii….it's a true and lasting love he feels for her."

Shino looked up abruptly when he felt her stomach ripple suddenly and heard Hoshiko give out a sharp soft gasp.

"Hoshiko! What's wrong?" asked Shino, his metallic eyes watching her face intently.

"Nothing, koibito… just a little discomfort. I have had this low backache since this morning… I think it's just the cold weather." Replied Hoshiko soothingly as she caught her breath.

Shino's eyes narrowed as he felt his wife's stomach harden under his hand.

_He was no expert in this business but…his gut feeling was telling him that his wife may require the services of a midwife…. And soon._

"Koishii… why don't you lay down for a little while… I imagine you are tired from the excitement you have experienced. I need to go and talk to your cousin but I will be right back." Murmured Shino as he stood up, slipped his glasses back on his face and leaned down to give his wife a lingering kiss on her soft lips.

Hoshiko watched with wide silver eyes as Shino quickly put on his shirt and heavy coat before he walked stealthily over to the door.

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Neji looked up in surprise over at the door when he heard the quick rap.

"Yes…who is it?" asked the Hyuuga Genius carefully laying down the scroll he had been reading and walking over to the entrance to his room.

"It's Shino… Can I have a moment of your time?" murmured a low voice from the other side of the door.

The older nin swiftly opened the sliding panel and stepped to one side, allowing the Kikai wielder to come in before sliding the panel shut once more.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not here on a social call." countered Neji with a frown.

"I'm not. It looks like we may have an unforeseen complication." replied Shino as his kikai hissed.

The Hyuuga's frown deepened as he heard the restless kikai before he finally asked, "It's Hoshiko, isn't it?"

"Yes… she has been experiencing a great deal of discomfort since this morning….I feel we need to find a healer…just in case."

Neji blanched as he heard that unwelcome news before swiftly walking over to the desk to pick up a small pack.

"Shino…I will head into town and see who I can find… just keep her comfortable." said Neji as he brushed past the kikaichuu master, only to be stopped by the gentle pressure of a hand on his shoulder.

"Neji… I don't care if you have to go back up to that monastery and threaten them with my family name…just bring back the best healer you can find." murmured Shino, his voice cracking slightly.

"Shino…I would prefer to find her a medic nin but that's not going to be possible if we wish to return to Konoha in one piece." replied Neji bluntly.

Shino nodded in understanding as his Kikai continued to hiss and shift under his skin in reaction to their host's distress.

The Hyuuga genius watched as the Aburame turned and walked towards the door.

"Do your best, Neji but come back swiftly." murmured Shino.

"Shino!" cried out a female voice.

The destruction beetles hummed loudly as the two shinobi dashed out of the room and ran down the hallway to Shino's room.

The Kikaichuu master slid the door open with a smooth sweep of his hand to reveal the slight form of his wife on the bed; her silver eyes open wide in fear and pain with a wet patch slowly spreading on the bed.

"Go to the inn keepers… tell them that I will need hot water and fresh linens." murmured Shino in a hoarse tone.

"It's too early!" gasped Hoshiko, clutching the sheets with white knuckled fingers.

"Hyuuga babies have a tendency to come early." countered Neji in a deceptively calm voice but instinctively knew that this was a little too early – even by his Clan's standards.

"Aburame babies also have a tendency to come before their due date." murmured Shino as he walked over to the bed to offer his panting wife some comfort.

"Koibito…this…child…is….both." gasped Hoshiko as her pain bit hard.

"Go…Neji," bit out Shino in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Shino…what…. Arghh…ah… kami…. Areyoudoing?! You…can't …stay…here!" said Hoshiko with a moan as she felt the bed shift and her husband slide behind her and gently massage her lower back.

"Koiishi…. My place is here with you…I will not abandon you to deliver our child alone." replied Shino in an implacable tone.

"Shino…but… what…if…something goes…wrong?" whispered Hoshiko as she caught her breath and began to feel some relief as a result of Shino's ministrations.

"Hoshiko… don't think like that…" murmured Shino, his Kikai hissing as he felt his emotions stirred at the thought of losing his child, Hoshiko or both.

"Shino…please…I need to know." gasped the silver eyed woman in entreaty.

"Koiishi… I won't leave you… please don't ask me again. If our child doesn't survive…then we shall mourn the loss together." replied Shino in a hushed tone as the destruction beetles rustled and hissed under Shino's skin.

Hoshiko closed her eyes as she felt the tears begin to fall unchecked down her cheeks at her husband's words.

"Hoshiko…don't cry…" murmured the kikai wielder against her temple as he wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Shino…I'm scared…" whispered the dark haired woman.

"Hush, love… we'll share this pain together…I'm not going to leave you…. Not even if the mid wife threatens to bodily remove me from the room." murmured Shino, brushing his lips against her temple.

"You promise, Shino?" asked Hoshiko as she settled comfortably against her husband.

"I promise, Koiishi…why don't you rest while you can….I have a feeling that it's going to be a long night." replied Shino as he held his wife close.

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"Hyuuga-san – is there a problem?" asked the young woman nervously wiping her hands onto her apron.

"My cousin…she's gone into labor." replied the Hyuuga genius, not bothering to hide his concern to the young woman in front of him.

The inn keeper's wife's eyes widened in alarm before she called out, "Ryu!"

A tow headed man dressed in a plain indigo yukuta appeared in the doorway puffing slightly from his wife's summons.

"What is wrong, Ayame?" murmured Ryu, feeling more than slightly intimidated by the sight of the tall silver eyed man standing next to his beloved wife.

"I want you to take Hyuuga-san to go and collect Komiko….her services are needed." said Ayame as she walked over to a cupboard and started pulling out fresh linens.

"Kami! Hyuuga-san…we should get going… the mid-wife's house is some distance from here." murmured Ryu apologetically as he gestured toward the door.

Neji stood resolute, reluctant to leave his cousin until Ayame quietly replied with understanding in her voice, "Hyuuga-san….do not worry. I will assist your cousin until you arrive back with Komiko."

"Ayame-san…thank you…I am sure Shino-san will appreciate the help in attending his wife until we get back." murmured Neji with a slight bow.

"The husband?" asked Ayame, greatly surprised at the thought of a man wanting to be in the birthing room.

"My cousin's husband is from a clan who bond with their partners for life….missions, forced absence and death are the only things that will prevent an Aburame from being at their mate's side." replied Neji.

"Young man…did I hear you say that your cousin is married to an Aburame?" asked a rusty voice from behind the Hyuuga Genius.

Neji turned at the sound of that voice and was mildly surprised to see a spry old woman standing in the entrance.

"Hai." returned Neji with a nod, watching the shock and respect appear on the elderly woman's face.

"Don't worry about your cousin, young man. It is our honor to assist the Aburame Clan." said the old woman with a dismissive wave as Ryo waited patiently nearby with a small bag of supplies.

"Thank you." murmured Neji with a slight bow before following the other man out of the inn.

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Hazy emerald green eyes squinted against the bright florescent glare threatening to cut through his eyelids, barely making out the petite figure sleeping in the chair at the foot of his bed.

Kankuro raised his head gingerly from his pillow with a groan and asked in a hoarse voice, "Hinata? Where are the…others?"

Hinata lifted her head up in surprise at the sound of his voice and watched in horror as the puppet nin struggled to push himself into a sitting position.

"Kankuro! You shouldn't be moving so soon… your body is still weak from the poison." admonished Hinata gently as she reached over and touched his face tenderly.

"We're alone?" queried Kankuro as his eyes finally focused and he surveyed the room in silence.

"Yes…Shikamaru and Aburame-sama persuaded Temari to go back to the inn to rest…and I told Kiba to go home for a while." murmured Hinata as she pushed herself up from her seat and walked over to the nearby table.

"Thanks…" responded Kankuro as the dark haired woman pressed a cup of water into his hand.

"You need to sip it slowly or your body is going to reject it." said Hinata softly.

"Hinata… lock the door…we need to talk….in private." husked the puppeteer.

He watched intently as she nodded her compliance and did as he requested.

"Kankuro, what's going…" started Hinata, her concern showing in her silver orbs.

"Marry me, Hina," cut in Kankuro.

Kankuro saw the different emotions chased across that expressive face of hers before she turned away and whispered, "I can't, Kankuro…"

"Why the hell not?! I know you love me, Hina…I'm not blind…I can see it in your eyes." replied Kankuro a scowl marring his striking features.

Hinata looked shamefully down at the bed spread and pressed her pointer fingers together nervously, reluctant to tell him.

"Hinata…whatever it is… I'm not going to give you up..." countered Kankuro quietly.

The dark haired kuniochi looked up in surprise before licking suddenly dry lips as she recalled her conversation with the Aburame and finally murmured, "Kankuro…there's something you should know… I am unable to give you children….I was sealed."

The puppeteer felt the shock rippled through his system but also something else…respect.

"Hinata…if you want children… we can always adopt but it doesn't diminish your value in my eyes…I'm not going to stop loving you because of that…" replied Kankuro reaching out to grab her hands.

Hinata turned silver eyes bright with unshed tears towards the man half reclining in the bed and replied puzzled, "I thought all men wanted heirs…"

"Hinata…who says that my heirs need to be of our flesh? There are plenty of children out there who would welcome a loving home." countered Kankuro with a frown before adding in a quiet voice, "Who were you trying to protect, Hinata?"

"How did you guess?" asked Hinata with a squeak, privately alarmed that he had come to that conclusion so readily.

"You were the Heir of your clan… for you to make that kind of sacrifice… it had to have been someone you care for deeply." responded Kankuro.

Hinata's shoulders slumped at the sand nin's correct assessment of the situation.

"My father just found out that Hoshiko was pregnant with Shino's child…he was planning to seal her…which is the punishment for this type of offence." murmured Hinata.

Kankuro frowned as he digested her words before countering in a dark tone, "If Hoshiko had been sealed…then Shino's child…"

"Yes…the initial application of the curse mark would have killed the baby…and I couldn't allow that to happen…so I made a bargain with my father." replied Hinata sadly with a nod.

"Does anyone else know this?" asked the puppet nin as his hand continued to caress hers.

"The Aburame is aware of the situation as well as my father…and now you know." said Hinata.

Kankuro contemplated their joined hands in silence before finally replying, "I will accept your answer for now…but I will ask you again at a later date, Hinata." murmured the nin with a warning tone in his voice.

_Yes – he could wait a little longer…but he wasn't going to give up!_

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"How much further now, Sensei?" asked Sakura, leaning against the trunk of the tree as she caught her breath and shivered slightly from the winter chill in the air.

"We're still a day's travel from the border… it's going to take another half a day before we get to the monastery on the outskirts of the village." Replied the copy nin lazily as he joined Sakura on the branch.

"Can we get there quicker, Kakashi sensei?" asked Naruto, a sense of unease prickling along the back of his scalp.

"What's wrong?" countered Kakashi with a frown as Akamaru whined his concern.

"There's a heavy snow storm on the way… I am worried that we may not reach the village before it hits." countered Naruto as Akamaru barked in agreement.

Kakashi stared at his ex-student and the large white dog in silence before finally bringing his thumb to his mouth and drawing blood.

The team watched in silence as the copy nin placed his hand down onto the ground and summoned his nin dogs.

"What's up, Boss?" asked Pakkun as he appeared with the pack.

"There's a storm on the way and time is of the essence. I need half of the pack to go ahead with Sakura, Naruto and Akamaru. The rest will follow with Sai and myself." said Kakashi.

Akamaru growled a couple of times and Naruto nodded in understanding as he listened to his guest translate.

"Sakura… Akamaru suggests that we will get there quicker if you conserve your chakra and ride on his back." said Naruto.

"Wha? Nuh uh - there's no way I'm getting on Akamaru…he's huge and I might fall!" countered Sakura nervously.

"Sakura, we can't afford to have the medic nin arrive at our final destination exhausted…now, get on Akamaru." responded Kakashi lazily.

"Sakura...I've never seen Kiba fall off, so I think you're going to be fine." said Naruto with a toothy grin as the massive canine yipped.

Sakura looked anxiously around at the rest of the team, grimly noticing that Kakashi's nin dogs were amused by her antics.

"Sakura, Akumaru's a big old teddy bear…" said Naruto in a cajoling tone.

Akamaru snapped his jaw and let out a series of barks.

"What did that overgrown fleabag just say?" growled out Sakura as the nin dogs began to snicker.

"He said that he never would have pegged you as being a chicken shit." replied Naruto with a quirk of his lips as he listened to Kyuubi howling with laughter.

Sakura ground her teeth in fury as she caught the amusement in Kakashi's visible eye and bit out, "Fine…I'll ride the mutt. Happy now?"

"She'll get over it, Akamaru… she's just put out that we outvoted her." murmured Naruto conversationally to the large dog as Sakura gingerly swung a leg over his back and got on.

"Kakashi-sensei… we'll meet up with you in the mist." said the blonde, giving the copy nin a nod before pushing off the ground in a rush, swiftly followed by the nin dogs and Sakura riding Akamaru.

Sai and Kakashi shared a knowing smile as they heard Sakura's voice drift out, "Ack! Not so damn fast, flea bag!"

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Hinata was having problems of her own.

"Hina… can't I just have a peak?" asked Kankuro persuasively as he reached out to pull the kuniochi closer.

The silver eyed woman swatted the wandering hand away before replying with a smile, "No, Kankuro… we both know that you won't stop at looking. You still need to rest."

Hinata felt her resolve beginning to melt along with her insides when the puppeteer tilted his head to one side and gave her a heart stopping smile.

"Please, Hina… I just want to have a look."

"If I honor your request…. Will you promise me that you'll settle down and get some rest?" asked Hinata watching him for signs of craftiness.

"Sweetheart, I promise…I don't have the strength to do half the things I want to do to you… so you're safe for the moment." replied Kankuro with a groan.

"Close your eyes." whispered out a soft voice after a few moments.

The puppet nin immediately closed his eyes and held his breath as Hinata walked around to the other side of the bed and dropped her hand to the ornate cord on her obi.

He fought against the desire to peek as he heard the cord and then the obi drop to the floor with a soft whisper.

"Okay… you can look now." murmured the same voice, now with an air of nervousness to it.

Kankuro's eyelids flickered open and he could feel his mouth dry up as he saw Hinata had slid the kimono off her shoulders, revealing creamy pale skin.

He knew he was in serious trouble when his nose started to trickle, spots of blood flecking the blanket on his bed.

"Kami, Hina… that is the sexiest thing I've ever seen." murmured Kankuro hoarsely staring at the twin jade green curse marks curving in elegant arcs on her hips.

"You're not disgusted?" asked Hinata in shock, looking over her shoulder with wide silver eyes.

"Sweetheart, you should put your kimono back on before I break my promise and show you just how disgusted I am over those marks." replied Kankuro in a dark smoky voice.

The dark haired woman felt her face flame brightly as she recognized that look on his face and scrambled to pull the kimono back in place.

_The Aburame was right…Kankuro didn't reject her because of the marks…if anything, he was aroused by them._

Kankuro watched her bend down to retrieve the obi and the cord from the floor.

"Yes, Hina…I desire you… never doubt that."

Hinata's hands gripped tightly onto the obi cord in her startled by the comment over her shoulder at the man who continued to track her movements with hungry eyes.

"Um…Kankuro… can we…" stuttered Hinata as she felt her boldness begin to flee as her shyness took hold.

"Come here, Hina." murmured Kankuro huskily as he watched her tongue nervously dart out to moisten her lips.

The dark haired woman turned and walked over to the bed, one hand clutching tightly onto the cord like a life line.

"Kankuro, do you need…..mmmph." asked Hinata in concern before she felt the chakra strings whip around her arms, pulling her forward to take her mouth with a savage intensity.

Hinata gasped as she felt the puppeteer tighten his hold on her and deepen the kiss with a sweep of his tongue.

She heard him groan softly as her hand reached up and worked its way through the thick silk of his hair.

"Kami…" breathed Hinata as Kankuro finally ended the kiss.

"Yes, Hina… I need you but I can wait..." murmured Kankuro as his hand caressed the side of her face.

Hinata's eyes widened as she heard a tap on the door before she pushed herself back up to a sitting position and finished tying the obi back in place.

"Yes, who is it?" called out Hinata in what she hoped was a calm voice as she swatted Kankuro's wandering hands away.

"Lady Hinata… it appears that the man who claims to be your betrothed is finally awake and asking for you." drifted out the Aburame Clan Leader's voice.

"You don't need to go and see that bastard, Hina," spat out Kankuro as his eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Kankuro…I should go and see what he wants… he is after all the man my family chose for me to marry." replied Hinata quietly.

"Hinata, you owe your father nothing after what he did to you." retorted Kankuro indignantly but immediately wished he could call the words back when he saw the crushed look on her face.

"Hina… sweetheart….please, don't look at me like that…" murmured Kankuro in a soothing tone, only to start cursing when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"May I offer a suggestion?" called out the Aburame.

"Hina…please, go and let him in…" replied Kankuro, giving her face one final caress before pulling his hand back.

Hinata walked over to the door and opened it to find Shibi Aburame patiently waiting there with a small group of clan members reclining against the hallway walls at a discreet distance.

"Lady Hinata… Your life mate is understandably upset at this request." said the Aburame with a nod to the man reclining in the bed.

"However, lady Hinata needs to honor the request since she is still legally obligated to do so…" continued Shibi with a small smile as he closed the door behind him.

"What is your suggestion, Aburame-sama?" asked the puppet nin, eyeing the man thoughtfully.

"A chaperone." returned the Aburame calmly.

"Pardon?" questioned Hinata.

"The Aburame is suggesting that you have someone accompany you into the room when you visit this man." elaborated the sand nin with a knowing smirk.

"It would be expected for Lady Hinata to have a chaperone when she is seeing her betrothed. So, lady Hinata… Are you agreeable to the idea of my company?" murmured Shibi, calmly contemplating the young couple on the bed.

Hinata raised wide silver eyes to the clan leader standing there with a half smile peaking out from his broad collar and replied with a small smile of her own. "Aburame-sama, it would be an honor to have you by my side."

Kankuro watched her with mixed emotions as she slipped off the bed and walked over to the Aburame.

The pair paused in the open doorway as Shibi glanced over his shoulder and murmured, "Don't worry, puppet nin… I will keep her safe."

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Shino looked up as he heard a soft knock on the door and a feeble voice drift out, "Aburame-san… call your beetles back from the door. We have come to assist you."

The hum of destruction beetles could be heard on the other side of the door as they moved from their post in front of the suite.

"Come in." murmured Shino as his wife shifted slightly in his arms before drifting off to sleep once more.

The door slid open to reveal two women; one elderly and one carrying a pile of cloths and a basin of water.

"How long ago was the last contraction?" asked the old woman walking over to the couple in the bed.

"It was thirty minutes ago… I told her to rest until the next one." replied Shino, brushing a strand of hair out of his wife's face.

"Aburame-san…her contractions are going to get closer together and become more intense as her labor progresses. It's your job to keep her calm and focused." responded the old woman.

"It's too early…" murmured Shino as his hand trembled slightly on his wife's arm.

"Young Aburame… babies come early for many reasons…how early is she?" asked the old woman as her companion put down the basin on a nearby table.

"I'm not too sure… Hoshiko would have a better idea but I would prefer not to disturb her slumber." replied Shino, looking down at the petite brunette resting quietly between his legs.

The old woman nodded and rasped, "I used to assist with the births before I got too old to venture out in the early hours of the morning… let me examine her, so we can see what we are dealing with, hn?"

The Kikai wielder watched the old woman wash her hands in the soapy water before reaching for a towel.

The old woman smiled as she heard the destruction beetles humming in warning as she approached the bed.

"Relax, young Aburame…I am not going to evict you from the room. It is obvious that your wife seems more relaxed knowing that you are with her. She will have an easier time of it if she knows you are close at hand." murmured the old lady with a bright smile as she heard the hum of the Kikai abruptly die down.

She slid down the sheet and opened the Kimono to reveal Hoshiko's belly.

"Shino!" yelped Hoshiko, waking up abruptly at the sudden chill on skin to find a wizened old face frowning down on her swollen stomach as the old woman ran practiced hands over the surface.

"It's okay, Hoshiko…she's here to help us." murmured Shino, feeling her snuggle against him for added warmth.

"Your child is a good size, young Aburame… so, it's an excellent omen that your little one wants to come early… any larger and we would need some assistance from a medic nin." murmured the old woman before reaching up and giving the silver eyed woman's hand a squeeze.

"Lady Aburame….do not be alarmed. We are here to assist your husband until your cousin and Ryu come back with the mid-wife." replied the old woman with a gentle smile.

"Are you going to tell Shino to go?" asked Hoshiko in concern.

The old woman gave a rusty laugh and shook her head.

"Your husband can stay with you, Lady Aburame…there is no fear of that. I learnt my lesson the first and only time I tried to remove an Aburame male from a sick room."

"You have dealt with members of my clan before?" asked Shino, now more than a little curious.

The old lady laughed again and replied with a nod, "Yes, young Aburame… a long time ago… I will be happy to tell you the story at a later time."

The old woman pulled up the sheet and quietly murmured, "Lady Aburame…I promise I will make this quick…I need to check on how quickly you are preparing to have your baby… it will give me a better idea of how long your labor will be."

Hoshiko pushed her scarlet face into her husband's chest as she felt the old woman gently widen her legs.

"Shh, Hoshiko…It's okay… she needs to do this." husked Shino softly to his beloved as he stroked her long hair.

The old woman slid the sheet back down and rasped, "Young Aburame… it's going to be a long labor. I suggest you carry your wife into the bathroom and help her freshen up while we change the linens on the bed. Do not make the bathwater hot… just make it warm enough to sooth the aches she has in her back."

Hoshiko looked up in surprise as her husband slid off the bed before picking her in one smooth motion.

"Shino… it's going to take a while for the tub to fill… shouldn't I stay in the bed?" asked Hoshiko in surprise.

"It's okay, Hoshiko… I will find a way to occupy your time while we wait." replied Shino quietly as his wife blushed and buried her red face into the side of his neck.

The old woman started to strip the futon with practiced precision but paused in her chore when she heard a soft husky laugh and the young Aburame reply, "No, koi…I'm not planning on doing that… not in your condition."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled in delight as she watched the young couple disappear into the bathroom with a soft click.

_Yes – this young man was no different than the other Aburame who had crossed her path many years ago._

---------------------------------------------------------------

The reptilian man's pale eyes narrowed in disgust as he watched his fiancé walk into the hospital room accompanied by a strangely garbed man wearing a pair of dark glasses with an odd charm dangling off one arm of the frames.

"Who are you?! I wish to speak to my future wife in private." hissed Kurisagi.

"I am Lady Hinata's chaperone. I'm afraid that is not possible, Kurisagi-san. Anything you need to say to her will be said in my presence." replied Shibi smoothly.

Kurisagi scowled at the man before glancing over at the tiny woman looking absolutely ravishing in the jewel toned kimono.

_A pity…he had plans to claim her…but it looked like it would need to be delayed for the moment._

_She would still bleed for him…but it would have to be later._

"Kurisagi-san – I understand that you wished to speak with me?" murmured Hinata quietly, trying to hide how repulsed she was by this man as he continued to watch her.

"Yes, my dear… I am recovering from my injuries a lot quicker than the doctor anticipated. She's predicting that I can be released from the hospital at the end of the week to convalesce at home with my delightful wife at my side." replied Kurisagi with a decidedly feral smile.

The hiss of kikai could be heard in the otherwise stillness of the room before silence filled the void once more.

"Ah, Kurisagi-san…I'm surprised and delighted that you are doing so well." said Hinata cordially, privately hoping that the dismay and horror had not crept into her voice.

_She had less than a week to figure out what to do…there was no way she wanted to be married to him._

The Aburame Clan Leader nodded his agreement but silently vowed to check into the matter of Kurisagi's miraculous recovery on his own time.

_No man apart from the Uzumaki made that kind of recovery…not especially after the operation this one had._

_Yes – He would need to discuss this with the Hokage… something wasn't right about this situation at all._

"Yes…I can see that you are thrilled by my news... or maybe you are understandably nervous about our wedding night?" said Kurisagi with a smirk, watching with malicious delight as his betrothed's face flush deep red in embarrassment.

_Yes…he was going to enjoy hearing her scream._

"Kurisagi-san… while we are happy about your swift recovery…we should leave and allow you to rest." replied Shibi calmly amidst the low ominous hum of the destruction beetles.

Hinata refused to show this man who called himself her chosen husband that he terrified her just by his mere presence and instead gave a cool nod of her head at the Aburame's suggestion.

"Lady Hinata…Allow me to escort you home…I'm sure you are tired from your continual vigil?" murmured the Aburame Clan Leader smoothly, standing up and offering the dark haired kuniochi an arm.

The petite woman glanced up in surprise to see Kikai wielder standing there with arm outstretched and that small sly smile playing along the corner of his lips.

"Ah, yes… you are right, Aburame-sama… I have been so worried that I didn't realize how tired I was …until now. Please, forgive me, Kurisagi-san." countered Hinata with an apologetic shrug over to the man in the bed who continued to watch her with intense interest.

Kurisagi watched as the small woman abruptly stood up, took her chaperone's arm and turned to walk out the door.

"Oh, Lady Hinata? I would advise you do not disappear on me…I can't guarantee that I will be…gentle if I have to chase you down once more." drifted out a cold and oily voice.

Hinata felt a hard lump lodge in her throat and try to keep her panic out of her voice as she paused at the doorway, turning slightly and replied, "I am still here, Kurisagi-san…surely that is proof enough for you that I am not planning to do a disappearing act."

"Your diplomacy doesn't fool me at all, Lady Hinata… I am more than aware that this union between us is the last thing you desire but it will happen…despite your protests. I suggest you take this time left to say your goodbyes to your friends because I mean to have you for my own." countered Kurisagi with a warning edge in his tone as he glanced at the man standing next to his betrothed, the hissing of destruction beetles now loud and ominous in the room.

"Don't think your little beetles intimidate me, insect wielder… I am not fooled by your ready excuse for being present by my bride-to-be's side. She will be mine. You are only delaying the inevitable." hissed the pale man as his eyes narrowed on the clan leader.

The Kikai howled and rippled under Shibi's flesh before the room settled into an uncomfortable silence once more.

"You may have the written permission of her clan but you do not have claim to the young woman's heart." countered the Aburame in a calm voice that greatly belied the fury he felt over this man's arrogance.

"I don't give a damn about her heart, you walking roach nest! It's her…other capabilities that I am more interested in." said the reptilian man in a low growl.

Kikai hissed and hummed as they felt the woman stiffen slightly in shock before he placed a hand on top of hers and gave her a brief look and curtly countered, "Come, lady Hinata… we have taken up more than enough of this man's time."

The pale man smirked knowingly as he watched the pair leave his room.

_Yes – Hinata would soon be crying and begging under him soon enough…_

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kankuro…what the hell are you doing?!" yelled a voice from the doorway.

The puppet nin looked up and gave his sister a look of disgust before countering, "I thought it was fairly obvious, Temari."

Shikamaru put a restraining hand on his wife's shoulder and contemplated the pile of puppet pieces in the bedridden man's lap before finally murmuring, "Temari…why don't we come in and close the door. I am sure that your brother has an excellent reason for this."

Kankuro returned back to his task of putting Karasu back together, oblivious to the concerned look that his sister was shooting him.

"Hey Puppet Freak… here's that stuff you wanted! I talked to the nurse in charge and she said that your meal will be here in an hour… it doesn't give us much time…" broke off the voice of the man who just entered the room.

"It doesn't give you much time to do…what?" asked the fan wielder archly, watching the dull flush wash over Kiba's face.

"Hinata's currently visiting with that bastard Kurisagi in the company of the Aburame… I know for a fact that nothing good is going to come out of that meeting, so I am preparing for the worst case scenario." replied the sand shinobi curtly as his hands continued to put the battle puppet together with practiced precision.

Shikamaru watched Kiba hand the puppeteer a small bag that tinkled delicately as well as a scroll and ink.

"I see you have a plan in mind… what assistance do you require from us?" asked the shadow wielder in a lazy drawl.

"What?! You can't be serious, Shika! He needs to rest, not work on that death trap of his…" growled Temari in outrage as her sibling glanced up and gave her husband a grateful half smile.

"Temari…he doesn't strike me as the type to sit by and do nothing… He's going to do this with or without our help." countered Shikamaru with a sigh as Kiba pulled the table over and Temari watched her brother unroll the blank scroll, placing in on the surface.

"Fine, otouto…where does this scroll need to go? The nearby temple?" asked the fan wielder after a while with a wry twist of her lips.

"No…not this time. I need to inform our brother that I will be returning to Suna with an unexpected guest, so the guards will allow us through the village gates unimpeded." replied Kankuro with a frown as he dipped the brush in the ink and started to write his message.

"You've already asked her?" murmured Kiba in a delighted voice.

Kankuro gave the shinobi a knowing smirk and nodded, "She said no…but I warned her that I wasn't going to give up so readily."

Temari's eyes widened to saucers as she listened to the exchange between the two men.

"It's that serious between you two then?" asked the blonde, numb with shock.

Kankuro turned and saw the concern on his sibling's face before replying in a blunt tone, "Yes it is, Temari. I know this is hard to believe…but….this woman understands me in a way no one else would and she accepts me as I am…I need her – it's as simple as that."

Temari broke eye contact with her brother and walked over to the window, deep in shock.

"Temari…are you okay?" asked Shikamaru as he saw the tears begin to fall from her eyes.

"I'm fine, Shika…I just never would have thought that one of my brother's would fall in love….it's rather…overwhelming." murmured Temari, sobbing softly.

"Hormones." muttered Kiba under his breath.

The lazy nin grimaced and responded, "Troublesome."

"Kankuro…she didn't refuse you because of the arranged marriage, did she?" asked Temari quietly from the window.

The puppet nin felt the eyes of the other occupants of the room watch him closely and internally winced as his sister's perceptiveness came to the forefront.

"No…she honestly thought I wouldn't want her knowing she was….scarred." answered Kankuro reluctantly.

Temari turned and fixed her brother with a perplexed frown, "What? ….that doesn't make any damn sense to me at all… we're all ninja here…why the hell would she be worried about a couple of scars…."

"Temari…just drop it." broke in Shikamaru suddenly sensing the tension in the room as his dark eyes watched the bed ridden man's hand still and tighten on the paint brush in his hand.

The hand resumed moving effortlessly across the parchment after a few moments of awkward silence before Kankuro leaned down and blew on the ink to facilitate the drying process.

"Allow me, otouto…" murmured a voice quietly beside the puppeteer as a sudden gust of wind whipped over the scroll, instantly drying the ink.

Kankuro looked up to see his sister take the parchment from his slack fingers and quickly rolled up it up.

"There is a lot more to this situation than you are telling me, Kankuro…but the lazy bastard is right – it's none of my business. What would you like us to do for you?" murmured Temari softly as she sealed the scroll.

"Temari….thank you." replied the puppet nin gruffly with a grateful smile and reached over to give his sister's hand a quick squeeze.

Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose and murmured, "Hinata will need a feasible reason to be absent from the village. If Kurisagi suspects foul play, there are going to be repercussions…not only for you and Hinata but for the village as well. Temari and I will go and talk to the Hokage. I'm sure between the three of us, we can figure out a diplomatic mission that requires Hinata's immediate attention."

"I will stop by the reports room on the way and send this scroll to the Kazekage." added Temari with a nod.

"Puppet Freak and I will finish getting this puppet back together." replied Kiba as he removed the ink and brush from the table and placed a small velvet bag on the surface.

"We should assume that we don't have a lot of time and prepare accordingly." murmured Shikamaru with a slight frown marring his brow.

The group turned as one as the door opened, revealing a somber Clan Leader and a Hinata deep in shock.

"Hina – are you okay?"

"What did that bastard do to her?!"

"Temari…give them a chance…"

"**Enough!"**

Shibi gave the man on the bed a nod of acknowledgement before he ushered in the young woman and closed the door behind him.

"How long do we have, Aburame-sama?" asked Kankuro bluntly, pinning the pair with his deep emerald eyes.

The hiss of destruction beetles filled the air for a few moments before the clan leader replied, "You have less than a week to think of something, Kankuro-san. The other man is being discharged from the hospital in seven days time and has made it plain that he intends to leave this village with his bride."

"What?! …like hell he's taking her!" yelled Temari in outrage.

The puppet nin continued to watch the Aburame Clan Leader in silence and finally countered, "I agree with my sister, Aburame-sama. I have no intention of handing her over to that bastard."

The lazy nin let out a gusty sigh and murmured, "Come on, Temari…we need to go and see the Hokage. Kankuro can fill the Aburame and Hinata in on our plans."

Hinata watched the pair leave the room and turned worried eyes back to the figure in the bed.

"Kankuro…why are you doing this?" asked Hinata quietly.

"I thought it was obvious, Hina. I love you and I am not about to give you up without a fight." returned Kankuro with a gentle smile.

The young woman felt her heart skip a few beats over the injured shinobi's confession.

"Hina…do you wish to go with this man?" countered the puppet nin, catching and holding her gaze.

The petite woman bit her lip and averted her eyes with a shake of her head.

"Hinata…I know you desire the Puppet Freak. You can deny it all you want but this nose of mine can tell the truth. You deserve to be happy…not at the constant mercy of your clan or in the hands of a heartless bastard who sees you merely as a piece of property." murmured Kiba bluntly as he stepped forward and placed his hands on Hinata's shoulders.

"Lady Hinata…some things are worth the risk. Are you willing to take a chance?" responded a calm voice behind the kuniochi.

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise at the Aburame Clan Leader's words.

_Aburame-sama was right…the real question lay in how much she was willing to risk to be truly happy…_

Hinata glanced back over at the bed where Kankuro lay, watching and waiting for her answer.

Precious minutes ticked away as the group waited anxiously for Hinata's response before the young woman finally asked, "What can I do to help?"


	22. Chapter 22 Destiny Deals Her Hand

**Author's Note:**

Apologies on the delay of the new chapter… life has a way of throwing you a curve ball.

This chapter is dedicated to the regular readers and reviewers that kept checking on the story for the updates. Thank you for your continued persistence… you inspire me to work hard on posting chapters worth the wait.

Special dedication to my late husband: slackdoug09. Thank you for your support and belief that I could write.

Knowing that you loved me unconditionally keeps me going. I will miss you.

Okay, it looks like Hinata and Kankuro will be consummating their relationship. Thanks to those readers who participated in the poll…your feedback was much appreciated.

A sentence in _Italics_ denotes the private thoughts of a character.

Japanese words used:

Naraku – hell, Hades

The quote used in this chapter - "Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart" is by Basil Rathbone.

Chapter is inspired by the song, "Made of Love" by Ferry Corsten.

I'm not sure when the next update will be...it's dependent on how much spare time I have to devote to my writing.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, Yeah…I don't own Naruto or the characters. I don't make a red cent off my fan fiction. I do this out of luv for the craft. Enjoy, beautiful people, enjoy.

**Chapter 22 – Destiny deals her hand**

Amber eyes stared at the pair, not bothering to conceal the shock in their depths before the Hokage finally murmured in censure, "You do realize that what you two are suggesting is tantamount to treason, hn?"

"Well, what do you suggest we do? Let the bastard drag her off to kami knows where and rap…" yelled Temari outraged, only to be abruptly cut off by her husband's hand over her mouth.

Shikamaru cleared his throat and interjected, "Lady Hokage…what my beloved wife is trying to say is that we feel that Hinata-san's situation is tenuous at best and I don't feel that the protection of the Aburame Clan will be sufficient, especially when her betrothed is released from the hospital and insists on taking her from the village."

Tsunade closed her eyes and let out a tired, frustrated sigh.

"While I appreciate the precariousness of Lady Hinata's position, we still can't allow her to leave the village without a plausible reason." Countered the older blonde, reaching up to rub her eyelids to alleviate the tiredness she was suddenly feeling.

The Hokage cracked one eye open when she heard the softly uttered curse, peering through her fingers in time to see the Nara give his wife an aggrieved look and nursing an injured hand.

"A diplomatic mission! I mean, that's a good reason to have Hinata Hyuuga leave the village, right?" exclaimed Temari in a rush, her eyes staring back at the Hokage with a hopeful gleam.

Tsunade open both eyes to silently contemplate the pair eagerly watching her before she finally took her hand away from her face with another drawn out sigh and gestured them out with a wave of her hand.

"Go. I need some time to reflect on this but I will send a messenger once I come to a decision regarding this matter. Is this acceptable to you both?" Replied Tsunade wearily.

"Wha? No! We need to make a plan now!"

"Yes. We can wait for your decision."

Blonde brows slashed down in impatience at the couple's simultaneous responses.

"Well, which is it?" countered the Hokage with a low growl of exasperation.

Shikamaru quickly grabbed Temari by her elbow and tugged her towards the door.

"We will wait for the messenger. Thank you for your time, Hokage." Replied Shikamaru, dragging his visibly protesting wife out of the office.

"Why the hell did you do that?" hissed out the fan wielder in a low whisper as they walked down the hallway and away from the Hokage's office.

Shikamaru abruptly stopped and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"We are not helping Kankuro or Hinata if we push the Hokage." Murmured Shikamaru bluntly into Temari's ear and gave her cheek a light kiss before unlooping his arm and dropping it down to capture her hand with his own.

Temari felt her cheeks burn with the gentle rebuke even as she felt her husband start to walk once more down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, Shika…it's just that…I hate waiting. I just worry that we may miss out on our opportunity to help them." Admitted the fan wielder with a gusty sigh.

"There is more than one way to outmaneuver this man. We just need to keep working on alternative plans until we hear back from the Hokage. If she is unable to assist us, then we change our plans to suit the new circumstances." Replied Shikamaru quietly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Temari smiled for the first time since leaving the Hokage's office.

There was something to be said about being married to a genius.

-7-7-7-7-

Neji silently cursed as the snow flurries increased and began to hamper their progress up the narrow trail.

"How much further, Ryu-san?" asked the Hyuuga Genius politely, while trying to stop himself from grinding his teeth in frustration.

"Hyuuga-san… if the snow slows down tonight then we should be able to retrieve Komiko and be back by the morning… If it doesn't…well…" broke off Ryu with a shrug.

"We'll be stuck until the snow stops." Finished Neji grimly.

"Ryu-san…we may need to think about our options… Is there someone else we can go to for help?" asked the silver eyed shinobi squinting into the distance.

"Komiko is the finest mid wife in this area but there is a monk up at the monastery who is a gifted healer…" replied the inn keeper hesitantly.

Neji was reluctant to go to that place to ask for help for his cousin but knew that he would do whatever was needed to ensure the safe delivery of Hoshiko's baby… even if he had to petition the devil himself for assistance.

"If the weather continues to worsen on the way to collect the midwife, then we will turn back and heads towards the monastery." Responded Neji with a tired sigh.

"Hyuuga-san… the head monk is not known for his generosity. He will charge you a hefty sum for the healer's services." Countered Ryu nervously as he glanced around the surrounding area and watched the snow rapidly blanket the landscape.

"It's okay….Ryu-san. I am aware that the head monk will be displeased to see me. I am sure, however, that Shino is not going to be upset over the expense if it means his first born is delivered safely." Replied Neji with a small smile.

The other man nodded with a smile of his own, feeling a small measure of relief over their plans as they continued up the treacherous trail towards the home of the midwife.

-o-o-o-o-

Kikai hummed and bristled under their host's skin in reaction to the hoarse screaming coming from the parched lips of the petite young woman.

"Keep pushing, Lady Aburame. You are doing well." Encouraged the elderly woman.

"Isn't there something you can do for her?" returned Shino, his kikai now hissing a warning as his wife's belly hardened and he felt the contraction ripple out under his hand.

"The tea will lessen the pain of her labor but there is nothing I can do about your wife's exhaustion. If she starts showing signs of distress, we may need to seek the assistance of a healer from the monastery to deliver the child." Admitted the old woman as she watched the brunette struggling weakly.

Shino frowned thoughtfully as he watched his wife's delicate hand grip onto his own, her nails digging into the flesh of his palm.

The dark circles beginning to form under her luminescent eyes were proof that her labor was starting to take a physical toll.

He was worried. She was strong in many ways but it was clear to him that she was beginning to feel fatigued as her labor progressed from the afternoon into the evening.

_And there was the issue of the weather…_

"No…you. You…deliver…my…baby." Gasped Hoshiko, reaching out and grasping hold of the elderly woman's hand.

Shino watched the old woman give them both a look of alarm, saw the fear in her eyes and quickly understood the reason for it.

She was worried that she was too old but Hoshiko was understandably upset over a healer from the monastery assisting.

"I will bring our child into the world. Show me what I need to do." Countered Shino quietly, coming to a decision.

"But…Obaasan…it's not appropriate for a male to do this sort of thing…" stuttered Ayame, hovering near the door as her eyes darted nervously over to the man sliding carefully off the bed.

The old woman watched the man stroll into the bathroom without a backward glance before shaking her head in chagrin.

"Eh, It will be as he says. I am too old to argue with stubborn males who do as they please…especially ones with dangerous little beetles at their command. Now... go get the birthing stool from the closet in my room, fresh towels and more hot water. We have a baby to deliver." Returned the woman with a wide smile.

-m-m-m-m-

The Lady Hokage was having a bad day.

She stood in the entrance of the hospital room and surveyed the damage in silence for a few moments before casting her gaze over to the man sitting in the bed and quipped, "I take it the food was not to your satisfaction?"

The man countered with a derisive sneer, "Is that what you call that slop?"

"Considering it took me six hours to remove a Suna battle puppet from your broken, mangled flesh and patch you back up, I'm amazed that you can eat anything remotely resembling solid food, Kurisagi-san." Returned Tsunade coolly, walking into the room and picking up the clipboard hanging from the edge of the bed rail.

"The bastard got lucky."

Amber eyes glanced up from the chart and stared balefully at the gaunt man swathed neck to hips in bandages.

"I don't believe luck had anything to do with it. What do you sell, Kurisagi-san?" murmured the Hokage with more than a hint of sarcasm in her tone as she deftly changed the topic, flicking the pages over before scribbling some notes onto the chart.

"I'm a dry goods merchant." Replied the man, with a sly smirk.

"You won't be able to lift anything heavy for six to eight weeks. You are still recovering from the operation." Murmured the hokage, putting the chart down.

"So, you will be releasing me then?" asked Kurisagi, not bothering to conceal his delight.

Amber eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

There was something about this man that stunk worse than the reviews for Jiraiya's latest novel.

It wasn't just how quickly he was healing…there was also the question of his occupation.

It took someone highly skilled in the ninja arts to do that much damage to a Suna puppet nin of Kankuro-san's caliber. There was also the question of the poison used. It took time and experience to craft such a fast acting agent.

_There was no way in naraku that his man made his living as a merchant._

"I need to draw some blood and run a few tests to ensure that the poison is finally out of your body but if you continue to make improvement, I can safely release you at the end of the week, early next week at the latest." Replied the Hokage reluctantly.

Tsunade felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and suppressed the shiver that threatened to crawl down her spine when the man's smile widened into a feral smirk and he murmured, "I am looking forward to it."

_Yes, there was something definitely rotten about this man._

"I will send a nurse to fetch you more food and draw the blood for the tests as well as get someone in here to clean this filth up. Don't give me a good reason to strap you down on that bed and force feed you." Returned the Hokage with a warning glare before she turned on her heel and stalked out of the injured man's room.

Tsunade would bet her prized bottle of aged sake that the test results would provide her with some much needed answers.

-i-i-i-i-

Naruto braced himself against the trunk of the large cypress tree he was currently perched in and gave the air a tentative sniff.

"You smell it too, don't you…Akamaru." Murmured the blonde as the large white dog let out a low rolling growl.

"What's the problem?" asked Sakura, her concern showing in her green eyes.

"You need to bundle up. The snow is falling heavily on the other side of the mountain." Returned Naruto with a frown as pulled his back pack off his shoulders and dropped it onto the branch.

"Shouldn't we stop for the night? It's going to be hard to track them down if the weather is getting worse." Countered the medic nin, opening her pack to pull out the heavier cloak.

Akamaru barked twice and shook his large shaggy head in the negative.

"Why do I get the feeling that my suggestion just got vetoed?" groused Sakura, shooting the nin dog a dirty look.

"I agree with him. We need to keep going despite the bad weather. What if Shino's baby decides that it wants to come tonight? We can't delay." Argued Naruto, not bothering to hide his concern.

Sakura felt two sets of eyes watching her expectantly and felt her exhaustion being replaced with resignation.

"How fast can we get there without me running the risk of breaking my neck?" asked the medic nin with a slight smile.

Naruto shot Sakura a grateful look as he reached inside his cloak and pulled out a soldier pill.

"We can get there in four hours but you're going to have a rough ride." Replied Naruto apologetically.

"You owe me a trip to the onsen for this." Countered Sakura with a scowl as she straddled the large dog once more.

"I can deal with that, Sakura. We should probably get going…Shino and his wife are waiting for us." Murmured Naruto with a relieved smile before popping the soldier pill into Akamaru's mouth.

-6-6-6-6-

Neji briefly glanced over his shoulder at the shrouded figure following behind them at a discreet distance.

"You have nothing to fear from me, healer. There is no need for you to remain behind us in this weather." Bit out the Hyuuga genius in frustration.

"You can't really blame the monk, Hyuuga-san. You were quite…persuasive in garnering the head monk's co-operation." Murmured Ryu with a lopsided smile.

"I apologize. I am not usually one to give way to my emotions like that. Obtaining medical care for my pregnant cousin was my main concern." Admitted Neji out loud, feeling his anger rise once more.

The man may be a holy father but he had no right to refer to Hoshiko's baby as an abomination to god and man, just because the father was an Aburame.

"The lady Hoshiko…is…going…to have…her baby?" asked a voice hesitantly.

"Yes. Her water broke late this afternoon." Replied Neji, turning his head in time to see the monk hasten his pace to join them.

"I apologize, Hyuuga-sama. I was not aware that it was Lady Hoshiko who needed my services. We should hurry." Muttered the monk with a ruddy blush to his cheeks as he fell in step with the two men.

"I was under the distinct impression that the monks did not converse with my cousin." Countered Neji with a frown as they continued carefully down the hill through the steadily falling snow.

"Lady Hoshiko helped out in the apothecary…and we became friends." Returned the monk with a shy smile.

"I am glad to hear that she had a friend in that place." Muttered Neji grudgingly.

"You seemed relieved by this. Why?" countered the monk quietly.

"I was responsible for getting her banned in the first place." stated the brunette bluntly.

"I was under the impression from the Lady Hoshiko that you were following orders. You weren't to know that this was going to happen, correct?" returned the monk quietly.

"No, I was not. I had been told that my cousin had committed suicide by the Clan, only to find out that it was a lie and she was still very much alive. I stole her chance at happiness once. I won't do so a second time…not when I know she can have a better life with the Aburame." Returned Neji gravely.

"Your cousin has already forgiven you. You now need to forgive yourself." Murmured the monk sagely with a nod.

"You make it sound so simple but it is not." Countered Neji with a frown.

The monk smiled and murmured, "It is. You could have done what your Clan leader requested but this time you chose not to…why?"

"I am required to do many things that I don't like in my duties for my village and clan but there are some things…" replied the Hyuuga cryptically.

"Ahh, I see. There are limits to what you will do for your clan and village. I don't believe that is a bad thing. A man without a conscience for what is right and wrong is no better than the beasts in the forest. There are times it is best to walk away from a situation than have to endure living with the guilt of your actions." Murmured the monk with a sage nod.

Neji's pale eyes widened at the man's response before he muttered, "It sounds like you have been in a similar situation, healer."

"I was not always a holy man, Hyuuga-san." countered the monk with a small smile.

Neji returned the older man's smile with a small one of his own, feeling relief course through his veins.

"I know I will be punished when I return but I will welcome the pain rather than have my cousin and her baby's blood on my hands." admitted the Hyuuga genius quietly.

"Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart." intoned the healer quietly with a small nod of his head.

Neji felt a lump lodge itself firmly in his throat at the man's sage words of advice.

The monk was right. He should have no regrets for what he did.

-7-7-7-7-

Kankuro let out a low curse as the chakra string snapped and the battle puppet's arm dropped uselessly back to its side.

It was no good. He was still weak from the poison.

"You should take a break. The Hokage will be upset if she finds you have exhausted yourself." Murmured a voice from the doorway.

The puppet nin glanced up to find Kiba standing at the entrance of his hospital room.

"How's princess?" returned Kankuro as he leaned forward and tugged the puppet over and began to wrap it up in its bandages.

"She's gone back to the Aburame compound to rest."

"Good. I don't want her to see me like this." Grumbled Kankuro under his breath, cursing once more as he felt the sweat pooling on his temple.

"Do I need to consider forcibly restraining you as well…Kankuro-san?" asked a feminine voice archly.

"I don't think that will do much good, Hokage-sama. I would still find a way to do as I please despite your methods of ensuring my recovery." Returned the Puppet nin with a hint of a smirk to his firm lips.

Kankuro watched as Kiba stepped aside with a slight bow to allow the blonde woman into his room.

"Hn,typical…stubborn man." Muttered Tsunade under her breath as she picked up his chart.

"Being stubborn helps me to survive in the desert, Hokage." returned Kankuro, not bothering to hide his smirk as he continued to carefully wrap the bandages about Karasu's form.

"Being stubborn also kept you alive…you are recovering well but it's going to be a few weeks before you can swing that puppet around like you're accustomed to doing." Countered Tsunade with a frown as returned the chart back to the base of the bed.

"I don't have a few weeks to sit around on my ass and do nothing." Bit back Kankuro with a forbidding frown of his own.

"I'm not surprised to hear that…baka but you are still too weak to be doing strenuous activity." Grumbled the hokage as she walked over and grabbed one of Kankuro's wrist, feeling the pulse beat rapidly beneath her fingertips.

"It can't be helped. There is someone precious to me that I need to protect." bit out the puppet wielder, grimacing as the hokage squeezed harder on his wrist.

"I am guessing the person you are referring to is Lady Hinata Hyuuga, hn?" returned the woman in a deceptively casual tone of voice, her amber eyes not missing the dull flush of red staining the injured man's unpainted face.

"I am. I would lie down my life for her." stated Kankuro bluntly, his dark eyes returning the Hokage's steady gaze.

Tsunade stared at the Suna nin in silence before quietly replying, "Her father has already chosen another for her."

"The Hyuuga Clan chose badly. I am confident that I am a better choice of suitor and I know for a fact that she doesn't love the man." countered Kankuro with a smug upturn of his lips.

A blonde eyebrow shot up into the older woman's hairline.

"Not all matches are for political reasons and those that are, are rarely love matches, Kankuro-san." countered the Hokage, not bothering to hide the skepticism from her voice.

"She deserves better and I am not going to disappoint her like that clan of hers. I plan to claim what is mine." replied Kankuro bluntly, his dark green eyes making contact with the Hokage's own amber gaze.

Tsunade took in the militant gleam in the injured man's eyes before slowly nodding, a sly smile sliding onto her full lips.

"If you insist on speeding up your recovery time, I will supervise."

-7-7-7-7-

"Koibito…I'm sorry. I…can't…push…anymore…I'm…too…tired."

"Aburame-san…the labor - it's too much for your wife. If we don't deliver your child soon…I fear we may lose them both." Muttered the elderly woman in a quiet undertone.

Shino felt the blood drain from his face as he took in the pale countenance of his wife's face.

The old woman was right.

"Is there anything more we can do?" asked Shino in a low voice as his hand reached up to tenderly cup Hoshiko's cheek.

"We're doing our best. All we can do is wait and hope she can dilate more on her own." Replied the old woman with a tired sigh.

The low drone of kikai beetles punctuated the sense of despondency Shino was feeling.

_What they needed was a midwife._

"I can't lose her…" murmured Shino hoarsely, feeling his heart clench tightly.

"Obaasan…we can't wait for the midwife. We need to do something for her now."

Two sets of eyes, one old and wizened and the other covered by glasses, turned in unison to find Ayame standing in the doorway, her concern plainly displayed on her face.

"You're right, Ayame. Go get the knife, more hot water and towels as well as the sewing kit." Replied the old woman finally with a sharp nod of her head before returning her gaze back to the couple on the bed.

The hum of kikai filled the room as Shino shifted and countered, "What do you plan on doing?"

"She's not big enough, so we are going to make a small cut." Returned the old woman grimly.

"No. I'm not going to allow you to cut her." Murmured Shino, his hive now visibly bristling under the surface.

"If I am to save her life then I have no choice." Countered the elderly woman bluntly, unsurprised to see a swarm appear directly behind the couple on the bed.

"SHINOOOO!" screamed Hoshiko, her white knuckles clawing at her outspread knees as she braced herself for another contraction.

"Aburame-san…I know you are not happy with this choice but we need to do make a decision and soon." Muttered the old woman, her eyes on the struggling woman.

"Wait! You can't go in there!"

Shino's eyes moved to the closed door, his kikai humming and bristling once more as the commotion outside the room got louder.

"Bug Freak, call off these little chakra suckers of yours you have guarding the door or I'll be forced to drown them." Growled a familiar voice from the other side.

Relief momentarily washed over the kikai wielder's face before he gave an imperceptible nod of his head and countered, "It depends…did you bring a medic nin with you?"

"I brought one of Konoha's best as well as a message from your father. So…are you going to let me in or do you want Sakura to make a new door? I would decide quickly, Bug Freak…your wife's screaming is making her antsy." Replied the voice cheerfully through the door.

The elderly woman held her breath as she watched the silent man in the bed before she finally heard the distant hum of the retreating swarm and the heavy paneled door open to reveal a tall blonde shinobi standing next to a scowling young pink haired woman rubbing her bottom with one hand.

"You owe me big time, Naruto…one weekend at the onsen isn't going to cut it after that trip." Grumbled Sakura as she pushed past her old team mate and hurried over to the bed.

"Sakura."

The pink haired medic nin's green eyes sharply shifted to the man who quietly uttered her name.

"I appreciate you getting here as quickly as you did. I will be happy to pay for you to stay at the onsen for two weeks." Murmured Shino.

"After the ride I had on Akamaru…you have a deal, bug boy but if you want me to deliver this baby…you need to leave. You know how I feel about those beetles of yours." Countered Sakura bluntly, nodding slightly at the large cloud of kikai behind the couple.

"No…..he….stays….please."

Sakura glanced over to find opalescent eyes silently pleading as the brunette woman's body braced for another contraction.

"Naruto…get my pack and ask the inn keeper for a screen. The last thing I need is interference of an insect nature." returned Sakura with resignation, not willing to say no to Shino's wife.

Sakura allowed herself a reluctant smile at the woman's placid features and saw the stubborn glint in her eyes before she finally murmured, "If it makes you feel better having that buzzing noise around, then it shall be as you wish. I'm going to go and quickly wash up then we're going to deliver this baby of yours."

"Thank…you."

-7-7-7-7-

"A friend of yours, Neji-san?" murmured the monk, nodding at the blonde haired man sitting on the front stairs of the inn patting a large white dog, unperturbed by the falling snow.

"Naruto…when did you get here?" asked Neji as his party stopped in front of the shinobi and his canine companion.

"I've never seen a dog that large before…is he friendly?" inquired the monk, not bothering to hide his curiosity.

"We got here three hours ago. Sakura delivered the baby and it sounds pretty healthy judging by the crying we've been hearing. Akamaru is a nin dog and yes, he's very friendly…especially if you offer him some of that dried beef you have in your pocket." Replied Naruto with a wide smile.

The monk's eyes widened in shock at the man's comment.

"How did you…" began the monk in surprise, only to be interrupted by a woman's voice.

"Naruto! I need you to go find these plants."

The Monk glanced up in time to see an exhausted pink haired woman walking towards them with a list in her outstretched hand.

"I am sure I have everything you require in my stock." Countered the monk with a quick incline of his head, touching the wooden basket hanging off one arm.

"Sakura…this is brother Haruki, the head healer from the local monastery. Brother Haruki…this is Sakura Haruno. She's a medic nin from our village." Introduced Neji with a small sweep of his hand.

"Lady Hoshiko…how is she?" asked the monk, not bothering to hide his concern.

"It looks I got here just in time. Both mother and baby are now doing fine but Lady Hoshiko is understandably tired from the labor." Replied Sakura with a wan smile.

"Sakura…did my cousin have a boy or a girl?" asked Neji, now privately relieved that Hoshiko was okay.

"I have a daughter. What is a monk doing here?" Drifted out a low, hoarse voice from inside the inn.

"We were unable to reach the midwife's home because of the snow. Hyuuga-san decided to turn back and petition the monastery for the services of their healer." Answered Ryu nervously as he watched the swarm of black insects precede the man onto the covered deck area.

"There was opposition over this request, I am assuming." Returned Shino calmly, one eyebrow quirked in question as his cloud of kikai hissed in warning.

"There was but I managed to persuade the head monk that it would be in his best interests to assist us." Replied Neji stiffly with a curt nod at the healer.

"It was wise of him to give into our request." concurred the bug wielder with a tilt of his lips before reaching down to pat the large nin dog absently on the head.

"The head monk had no choice. Hyuuga-san was going to push a hole through the main wall of the monastery if the man refused aid." muttered Ryu under his breath.

Naruto fell backwards, laughing out loud.

"It's not like you to lose your cool, Neji." remarked the blonde, still chuckling as he propped himself up on one elbow to smile at the Hyuuga coolly looking back at him with a sable brow arched in inquiry.

"I was provoked."

Neji refused to rise to Naruto's bait and admit that he had lost his temper.

"Neji...thank you."

The brunette turned his head with a slight dip of his head and returned gruffly, "I was happy to be of service...Aburame."

"I need to go shopping. You want to tag along, Neji?" chimed in Naruto, getting up with a stretch and a nod of his head towards the village.

"Go with him. We can talk later." murmured Shino, giving the Hyuuga clansman a pat on his shoulder before he stepped back.

Neji gave a small smile and nodded, turning on his heel to follow the blonde man already hoisting himself up on the large white dog.

"Oh, Hyuuga...I don't want my daughter dressed head to toe in orange." drifted out Shino's voice behind Neji.

Neji heard the soft chuckle come out of his lips before he countered, "Don't worry, I will keep an eye on him."


End file.
