Walking home one evening, he found himself looking up a small hill; upon it sat a thin, fragile figure. Shino sighed to himself; it had been the hardest on her, naturally. Though had taken himself two weeks to finally get over it, it was still bothering her, a month after the incident. Shino knew his dear friend needed comforting, and therefore walked up the hill towards her. When he reached her, she was silently gazing at the stone before her. Shino read the stone, silently to himself.

Inuzuka Kiba

Beloved husband, Loyalist Friend of Konoha...

Shino then moved his gaze to Hinata.

"I can hear him."

This comment startled Shino, causing a stir in his deep trails of thought. He finally mustered up enough sense to reply.

"What?"

She looked up at him, those pearly eyes moving their gaze away for just one second, to stare at Shino. He expected to see them full of emotion; overwhelming depression. But, instead, he found himself looking at a girl, with eyes that easily told of her content.

"I visit his grave so often these days. Every time I come, I tell him what's happening. And then...I hear him. He replies, short and quick, but he's there. I know he is; I can hear him."

Shino never took his gaze off his old teammate as she continued to stare at the stone, marked with the name of her beloved. Shino, though covered completely to the point where you couldn't see, was smiling, happy to see his friend had finally found peace in her depression.

"Shino?"

"Hm?"

"W-would you mind i-if you c-could, perhaps, join me t-to visit his grave. H-he'd like it, I-i'm sure of it!"

The determination and the despair that was slowly filling her lonely eyes was too clear in Shino's mind when she looked once more at him.

"Of course."

Shino then turned to walk away, but stole one last glance at Hinata. Her left hand was held up to her mouth, to keep it from bursting out, for tears were now filling her eyes. But, the other hand was gently caressing her stomach.

"Hinata?"

She didn't speak.

"What are you going to name him?"

Hinata didn't move for a moment, and then spoke softly.

"Them."

This took a moment to sink in. Twins? Shino thought. Well, it was in their family's blood.

Silence followed this.

"The boy I shall name Kiba, in honor of his brave father. But, I don't know what I'll name the girl."

Shino continued to stare, and then turned away. He never got enough courage to say it out loud, but in his mind, he said, you'll know when it's time.

It was pouring down rain. Shino was running, a rare sight for anyone who saw him. He was practically sprinting. And why not? His best friend was having her children for Heaven's sake! He pounded the hospital doors open, and then took in a deep breath as he settled down and strolled calmly into the waiting room. However, he was sprinting once more when he heard news that the operation wasn't doing too well.

Shino burst open the doors; Hinata was lying, sprawled out on the cot, tubes and oxygen masks clouding her face. But, her eyes still had a flicker of life in them, and even some hope if you looked close enough. Shino ignored the protests of him to leave from doctors and nurses, and instead walked right up to Hinata.

"H...Hina..."

Shino nearly gawked at his friend. Why was she trying to say her own name?

"K...Ki...Kiba..."

She finally got the name out, coughing in the end. Blood spurted out, covering the floor with drops and splatters of a crimson colored liquid.

"She's losing too much blood! She won't make it!"

Those were the screams and shouts from behind Shino as tears filled his eyes.

"H...Hinata. N...Name the girl...Hinata."

Hinata smiled, and Shino understood at once. She wanted her children to be named after their noble parents, who never truly got the chance to meet them. Shino could only nod as his friend, smiling, passed on. Good-bye, Shino. That was the last thought Hinata had. As in response, Shino merely spoke softly, a whisper for only her to hear, "Good-bye, Hinata."

The rain seemed to pick up; Shino added to it as tears streamed down his face. Everything was silence, except for the sound of two babies crying in the background, which eventually died down, as to honor their mother's death.

Shino shut his eyes tightly. Once again, he didn't get a chance to say what he had meant to. He wished so hard to say it...but why couldn't he?

Shino sighed. Two friends he had lost. He still could still remember the night when Kiba's body returned, along with Hinata, bleeding heavily, and a limp Akamaru being carried behind them. It was a dangerous mission before they had gone out; Shino still felt anger at the fact that they sent not only a mere number of two ninjas plus a dog, but one was a month pregnant for heaven's sake! Shino remembered the fear that rose in him, not just for Hinata's safety, but the child's as well. If Shino had known there were actually two at the time...he shuddered.

Hinata had cried so hard that night; it had been raining then, too. It always rained when something sad happened, Shino thought. Like the rain was turned on and off by cue; but, Shino had other things to ponder rather than the works of nature's tears. Shino looked up along the white walls of the hospital. Sitting not but two feet away was his limp and lifeless teammate; his friend. She looked so peaceful, and had died with a smile on her face. He sighed. He knew this wouldn't be the last time he saw her smile. With that on his mind, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

A small girl sat upon his shoulders, playing with his jacket's hood. A boy was running circles around him, even as they walked up a steep hill. Shino smiled softly to himself. They were mirror images of their parents. The girl had the same raven hair and opaque eyes, even a shy smile and quiet voice. The boy was loud, energetic, and a bit hasty at times. Shino felt like he was watching his two teammates once more, in their early years. Finally, they reached their destination. The boy stopped running, and Shino carefully put the girl down. They both walked over to the two stones laid out before them.

"Uncle Shino...why do these have our names?"

Shino smiled.

Inuzuka Hinata

Beloved wife, kindest soul in Konoha

Shino knew that neither stones had enough words on them to describe those two, but the ones that were etched at least gave those that saw them an idea of the wonderful pair.

"These are your parents, Kiba, Hinata."

Silence followed, until a tiny squeak left Hinata's mouth.

"I...I heard them! I heard my mother, and my father!"

It was only a second before Kiba shouted the same thing. Shino, though he hid it, was jealous. Jealous and sad. Of all the times he accompanied Hinata to Kiba's grave, he never heard him himself. He had thought, or hoped, that Hinata would speak to him, but he guessed that they didn't want to waste time on him. Kiba and Hinata sat by their parent's grave, and silently listening as the wind picked up around them. It was a while before they finally stood.

"Uncle Shino...can we come back here again sometime?"

Shino smiled.

"Of course."

They were coming down the hill, when Shino had an urge to give it one last glance. He was right in doing so. As he looked back, he saw two figures, translucent but still visible at the top of the hill. One was strong and strapping, with a wide, dog-like grin on his face and messy brown hair. The other was shy and sweet, smiling peacefully with her raven-like hair blowing in the wind. Shino stood amazed. There they were; his two best friends; glowing like a sunset before him. Tears came into his eyes, and they began to splat upon the soft earth he heard it. The voices on the wind.

Good-Bye Shino. We'll wait for you...Farewell!

Shino smiled. Now, he could finally return the words he had wanted to say for so long; ever since the night Hinata had passed on. The words came foaming from his mouth, forming a beautiful note that ran across his tongue as he spoke.

"I'll see you soon. Wait for me."

She sighed. It was raining lightly, but picking up speed quickly. The grass was muddy and the stones were dark; all three of them. She wiped a tear from her cheek. She was a ninja now; much older. Her brother would have been there beside her, had he not been at a mission; other than missions, they were near inseparable. She smiled as she read the names.

Inuzuka Kiba

Inuzuka Hinata

Aburame Shino

She smiled, satisfied, and left. She never looked back, though. If she had, she would clearly have seen three figures, smiling, glowing like an orange sunset, standing by their graves. Each one had a smile no hurricane could knock off of them. The first figure turned to look at his partner beside him. She smiled. Then they both turned to their newest friend to join them. He, slightly taller than both, looked down at them. Though his hood hid it, they all knew he was smiling. It was the middle one, Hinata, who spoke.

Let's go. Together!

The other two merely nodded. And so, Team 8, rejoined at last, set upon their way. Though, if people listened hard enough, they would hear Kiba's loud voice, Hinata's shy whisper, and Shino's stoic words; as voices on the wind, of course...