A/N: Funnily enough, I intended this to be a oneshot, but didn't click the 'completed' button when I published this on ff.n. But I love Shino/Hinata and I got a decent response to this fic, so I decided to add a final installment. Enjoy!

000

Hinata reveled in her newfound family with Shino, but she was unable to relax for long. Her father would be furious to discover she was expecting without being married and the father was not a Hyuuga. Their clan was an old and traditional one and that was not about to change any time soon.

She needed to talk to Shino about what they were to do and their plans for the future. She met him by the lake, took a deep breath, and prepared herself to speak.

"Shino," she started. "What are we going to do? My father…"

Shino gave an almost imperceptible nod. "I understand. Even if we were to marry, your father will not be pleased with a member from an outside clan," he said. Warmth hit her cheeks as she heard 'marry.' Truth be told, she wanted her own place, being able to be in change and it not mattering what she did.

"I'd like it if… we could find an apartment, a place to call her own." She smiled shyly at him. "As a family."

That spurred him into action. "Then, Hinata, marry me."

Hinata removed his sunglasses with a gentle hand and looked into his compound eyes. Their hands clasped each other's. "I will."

000

They decided to search for a place to rent and to have a small ceremony. Just Kiba was invited, to keep it a secret a little longer. They wanted to have their future planned and already in motion so their parents would have less of a reason to object.

Hinata asked around discreetly where there were apartments availible and they checked out a few: Shino inspected each of them with his kikkai for any faults. Hinata liked one that was just in their budget, light and facing the forest, towards the west of Konoha. So that was that.

000

Hinata went into town to find a pretty dress for her wedding day – it was an important occasion, after all. She happened to run into Ino in the store and she managed to avoid the reason why she wanted a dress. Ino just wanted to help her shop in general, so that was easy enough. In the end, Hinata bought a deep purple dress with similarly colored sandals to match.

Shino looked especially good in his black jacket and he actually gave a ghost of a smile at her when they were officially joined. He kissed her, but she felt his hands shaking a little as he held her.

She sat with her in their new place, leaning against him and listening to him breathe. They were comfortable, happy, and dazed. Her fingers travelled up his arm and he turned his head to kiss her.

000

Hinata knew that she needed to have regular checkups for the baby's sake, yet where was she going to go? Sakura came to mind first and Hinata hoped that she would keep a secret.

After three months, Hinata noticed more insects followed her whever she went. She worried that they were poisonous, but Shino assured her that they were not. Apparently he had read that it was normal for Aburame women. Shino's kikkai crawled over her stomach while he slept and it tickled. Hinata wondered if their child would have insects inside him like the other Aburames. Shino insisted that the kikkai would make their son stronger, but Hinata privately wanted the baby to have Byakugan as well.

Now it was impossible to hide her stomach any longer. She needed to tell her father. She arranged to see him and Shino came with her for moral support. She was so nervous that she started to shake. One glance with Byakugan and he'd know, if her bump wasn't obvious enough.

"What's this?" her father exclaimed.

"I… I'm married," she said. "And we're going to have a son."

"With whom?"

"With me." Shino's voice was steady enough, but Hinata heard a slight tremor of nervousness behind it.

Her father rose from his seat in a fury and stepped towards her. She saw the chakra in his hands and the beginning of a Gentle Fist attack, but it was too late to block him. He pressed his palm twice against her stomach and a sharp pain seized her.

The next thing she saw was a swarm of dark insects rushing around her towards her father, pushing him off of her. Hinata fell to her knees in pain and saw Shino with his hands in a seal, an irate expression on his face.

A few seconds passed with only the sound of the kikkai buzzing before Shino came to his senses and called the insects back to him. He crouched by Hinata and noticed the beginnings of blood stains on her trouser legs.

"Hinata, you're bleeding," he stated and lifted her into his arms. "We have to go." Hinata buried her head in his shoulder, arms around his neck, and hoped the baby was all right.

000

She faded in and out of consciousness after that, not catching any words and only fragments of faces. Perhaps Shino was hovering above her, with the blur of black, and something lighter was besides him… Blackness swept over her.

Hinata awoke in a panic, eyes flying open wide as she tried to sit. "The baby – is he all right?" she asked.

Sakura furrowed her brow. "I'm so sorry, Hinata. Your father severed the flow of too much chakra. The baby didn't survive."

No. No. Hinata's fingernails pressed so hard into her palms that they pierced the skin. Cold trickled from her face down her body. "Father," she said in a weak voice. "I disappointed him. I hurt him, I should never have-"

"Hinata," Shino interrupted her in a whisper. He sounded so scared that Hinata was taken aback and so was Sakura. "When he hit you, I sent my kikkai to attack him. It was a new move. New method. Poison on the kikkai's backs. Quick, almost instant. A few seconds." His voice cracked and the next words he spoke were shaky. "I killed him."

Sakura grabbed his arm. "Are you insane? Does anyone know what you've done?" she asked in a fierce whisper. Shino made a noncommital noise.

"It is no doubt that they do now. I have betrayed my wife and my village," he stated. "They will execute me."

Hinata burst into tears. "No," she sobbed. The loss of both her child and father was horrible enough and she couldn't lose Shino as well. "No, you can't die." Her tears stopped as she started to slip out of bed and Sakura moved to stop her. "Let's leave. Now." All that mattered was being with him.

Shino responded by sweeping Hinata into his arms and jumping out of the window. Sakura didn't follow.

Hinata knew that the others would be looking for her, but she didn't care. Once they got far enough into the forest, they'd disappear. Somehow.

She wanted to be free. She wanted to be herself. Somehow.