Suggestion: It would be best if you read the original first since I have more detail added in like the battle of Naraku and more of a look into Kagome and Gaara's history and budding feelings. I just came up with another twist to how things could have gone. Think about books like Goosebumps where you can read alternative endings and twists to the stories. This one will be different and likely much longer. As I state in chapter 8, I became inspired while writing that chapter to go a different route with this story, one that I have never seen anyone do when it comes to this couple. Hope you enjoy and give this story a chance because from the moment border control decides to investigate the story is completely different.

It Was Just Sex: Version 2

Chapter 1

It was just sex: version 2

What if border patrol did investigate the area after the battle? This is my version of what could have happened instead…

After sitting there broken for so long today she had little choice but to conserve her energy as she held her newborn son safely sleeping after already being fed. No one had come yet, her plan not going the way she hoped it would have and try as she might there is nothing more she can do at this point beyond stay at this tree and take care of her child. The tree is the only thing keeping her upright most likely, taking some pressure off her muscles and bones now that she has technically survived so far after destroying Naraku and the jewel. She won't be alive for very long, already as the day wore on she could see signs of infection and feel a fever coming on and it worried her that she might make her baby ill.

The area smelled almost rancid for a while but thankfully a lot of it has gone away giving a more earthy smell back to the place as it soaked into the ground or maybe she grew accustomed to it. She has yet to take care of the afterbirth. It would be gross to her but she has heard eating the placenta will help and she will do anything at this point if it will help her son. The day came to a close and after sounds of the night crept in she drifted off to sleep with a plan in mind for tomorrow if no one arrives.

Her ears brought her back to waking up early that next morning as her son had been crying for an indefinite amount of time. "Shh," she soothed him and got him right up to her breast so he can begin feeding while also taking some of the pressure out of them caused by the milk. Silently she prayed occasionally hearing the cries of her newborn as he attempted to calm down while feeding. "Mommy is right here little guy," she whispered down to him. It hurt to talk much but for the little bit of time that he is awake she didn't mind the sacrifice since he would get to hear his mother's voice. Thinking of a song she began humming to Brahms Lullaby, it was the least she could do to fill the silence as her strength slipped away further from her. Eventually he fell asleep and all she could do is watch the sand or leaves occasionally swirl around in the wind and carefully listen to the sounds around her.

She began to doze off a little as it grew warmer but she woke to thinking she heard voices; she could have sworn she did. Listening to the sounds around her she closed her tired eyes and heard more creaking in the branches than she thought normal. Maybe it was idiotic but she called out, her voice littered with fatigue as she opened her mouth and eyes, "Is someone there?"

Again she thought she heard something but this time from up in the trees where the limbs creaked. When nothing but silence came to her for a while she wasn't quite sure what to think but she is certain that she heard people. It could be they held no interest in sticking around. Noises from the branches came back and she closed her eyes to listen more closely. When the sound of a few people landing in front of her greeted them she opened her eyes back up feeling relieved at seeing the sand symbol on them. They were looking at each other as if trying to figure out what to do when a couple of them out of the four crouched down.

"Can you walk," one questioned, a man with cheek length black hair and black eyes.

Giving a tired shake of her head she just looked down at her son for what she figured would be the last time, a few tears gathering in her eyes. She had arranged the cloths to cover his head and eyes so he can sleep more soundly without the light shining on his eyes so at this point they have no idea that she is holding the son of their leader. "The only thing keeping me up is this tree, I can't be moved it would serve to kill me faster." She likely looked like a mess but in this stage of her life she really couldn't care; only her son's care could make her put forth any effort. "Please take my son," she looked up at them briefly as they grew uneasy, "take him to Lord Gaara, he will understand once he sees him and know what to do."

"Ma'am," another one with a turban on and kind eyes spoke from her left, "we will send for medics, you two don't need to separate."

"Don't waste the time," she found it harder to talk as this moment has finally come, "my son needs care, he is premature and I can do little for him now. My life is fading away as it is. Just please do me this favor and get him to safety, to Lord Gaara," her eyes looked up to beg them silently.

Tears were already streaming down her cheeks and a few of them thought she looked somewhat familiar from the village. They couldn't just leave one of their own to die out here alone when they could possibly get them help since the battle that took place is over. Quietly she held her son out for them to take on shaking arms, the pain almost too much to bear as the hot trail of tears continued. She is clearly worn out and they could see the pain in her eyes. "Korobi," the one on the right said as his comrade gently took hold of the small bundle and looked back at the dying mother, it had given her a lot of pain just to hold her son out like that as she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, "get him to Lord Gaara as she requested, I will stay here with her."

"We will too," the other two requested as they were all standing now.

"No," Kagome said already knowing just how far from Suna they are and the dangers out there. "Just protect him please, I just want to know he will be safe and live," she pleaded, not wanting her son to be without extra protection.

Korobi held the child easily with one arm and lifted some of the fabric from his face while his comrades looked on, the two in the background stepping forward to get a good look at him. Their shocked faces brought the gravity of the situation on to them. No one had known that their Lord Gaara had been seeing anyone in any manner but they could think of no one else he would get his looks from. "We will take him," Korobi answered down to her watching her relax.

"I'm going to stay though," the one standing now on her right said.

"Yaoki," his friend looked in concern but gave an understanding nod.

She looked ready to protest but Yaoki shook his head down at her. "He will be safe with them but I am staying with you," he could not be swayed before but now he definitely isn't going to leave her. She has some sort of relationship to his leader so he will hold to his honor and stay put in case she needs protection or even just company until others arrive back. Taking out a small scroll he scribbled down on it, placing a seal on it so only his Lord can reveal the contents of it to give him a heads up on the situation, he then made the signs necessary and sent it right to him. "As soon as he reads that he will know about the situation and be ready for us. Get going, I'm going to remain behind with her."

"Wait," Kagome felt her maternal instincts kick back in as she noticed how easily they communicated with the Kazekage. "Can you do me one last favor?"

"Of course," the girl of the group stepped forward with her dark hair.

"Can you send a letter in return so I know he arrived safely?" It was a simple request that will put her heart at ease with the additional knowledge.

"We will ensure you are notified," she looked down seeing the woman grow more tired. 'We have to get help to her as soon as possible,' she already knew and at this second she is certain their Lord is reading whatever content was in that letter and getting everything set for their arrival.

"Thank you," her voice relaxed and her eyes became glued to the bundle holding her son. "He will need to see a doctor immediately, I'm not sure how I was able to keep him this well but whatever luck that found us isn't likely to last. He is my miracle child," she affectionately called him and soon after with the promise to send back help she watched them depart, determined to hold on until she gets word that he is safe.

Yaoki looked around the area seeing the scattered arrows from the broken quiver and the discarded bow. They were nothing special, not something like what Suna would use in a close range fight but they do have their own plain bow and arrows. "I don't often see someone that relies on their archery skills," he settled down at another tree slightly off to the side from her line of vision as she watched the dots on the horizon disappear into the desert.

Her silence greeted him for a little bit as she appeared to have been thinking or coming to terms with her son now being out of sight. "I'm a priestess, it was how I could fuse my powers to the best of my ability," she could still make out the ash on the sand up ahead, the last of Naraku's remains.

'A priestess,' he thought about the term and was surprised to be meeting one. He felt curious about this relationship she had with his Lord but he wasn't about to pry into his business and she has remained hushed on the issue. 'Lord Gaara has never been seen on a date with a woman or looking like he is seeing anyone so how could this have even come about, I'm certain I have seen her around Kankuro a few times.' He kept trying to think of where else he has seen her but he is sure the only reason he noticed her is because he has seen her by their Lord's brother a couple times just casually conversing on the street. 'Even if her and Lord Gaara parted on rough terms or whatever it may be I'm sure he will send help out to get her. No honorable man would just simply let the mother die without trying to save her first. Lord Gaara will definitely send for help,' he sat there occasionally glancing at her as she looked to be fighting to stay awake. Hearing the sudden 'pop' of a message they both looked at it and he grabbed it before it could fall to the Earth.

Gaara was in the middle of discussing some papers with a few members of the council when his border patrol unit sent him a message sooner than he anticipated. It was only an hour or so after mid-day but he figured they must have something urgent to report on. Opening it right up as they paused on the current topic he looked over the update.

"Lord Gaara,

A battle was seen in the distance along the border section we are patrolling. It has since then dissolved and we found two survivors. After checking out the perimeter we approached a woman holding a newborn asking it be taken straight to you. Her condition isn't stable enough for her to be moved so I am remaining with her while the others bring the infant to you.

Description:

Mother is female with black hair, blue eyes, and a light tan.

Infant is a male with red hair, eyes unknown but has black rings around them and pale skin. Child is premature and to be delivered directly to you.

Yaoki"

His heart was beating fast his mind already supplying the name of the woman described, "Kagome," his stunned features had the council members curious about the letter in his hold, "she has been found," he couldn't believe it as his eyes kept scanning the contents of the letter until it hit home… she gave birth to a child bearing a resemblance to him. The word 'father' struck him, it was a foreign concept to think of him being one but she hasn't been gone long enough to have been full term and the description was like they were describing him as a baby. "We will have to continue this later I have an emergency to take care of," at least it is an emergency to him. He headed right out the door and straight to his home where he quickly changed and then went straight to the hospital telling them to prepare for the arrival of a premature newborn first and grabbing a couple medics to come with him along with the rest of the team he formed. Scribbling out a letter in reply to Yaoki he quickly sent it on its way.

"Yaoki,

I have the hospital notified of the infant. I'm heading with a team to meet up with the rest of border patrol unit. Once I see to it that he is in the care of the hospital we will be coming straight to you.

Lord Gaara"

"Hey I have good news," he said to her after reading the letter. She looked puzzled likely because she didn't think her son would reach Suna that fast but he hasn't yet. "Lord Gaara already has everything set and is heading to meet up with Korobi. Once the child is in good hands at the hospital he is coming with a unit to get you," he smiled over at her but she didn't appear to share his feelings.

Her life has been slipping away, she can feel it. Hearing that Gaara is aware of the child coming straight to him was enough to quell the majority of her anxiety. Once he realizes it is his son she knows he will do everything in his power for the child. "You don't need to remain with me; his reply was enough for me to feel at ease. I lived these last month's only surviving for the sole purpose of that child and taking down the enemy and my duty to that stupid jewel. I didn't think the final battle would have happened so soon. I kept to your patrol routes so when I did give birth the child would make it into the hands of Suna shinobi and then to Lord Gaara, I never intended to go with or even survive."

"But," he couldn't believe he is hearing this, "what about raising your son, what about Lord Gaara?"

She looked a bit heavy in heart at his questions. "He will be in safe hands with Lord Gaara, I just want to finally rest. I already know I'm dying and I'm happy but I have been looking forward to death for a long time, before I even left. Please don't waste time on me, you will be sitting with nothing but a corpse and he doesn't need to waste time coming to get me. This is the best end I can think of," her lips held a small smile.

Yaoki wasn't sure how to even respond at first. She defeated her enemy and something about a jewel, gave birth out here and is fine with dying. Why wouldn't she want help, doesn't she think the child would want their mother around and what of Lord Gaara? That child must be his even if neither has said a thing. "I know Lord Gaara, he rarely fails at anything and he will see to it that you live to see your son again and be around to raise him. I'm staying right here," he looked off into the trees keeping alert as her breathing grew more strained. She stopped fighting to stay awake; it showed her faith in the Kazekage to take care of the infant.

When her tired voice reached his ears several minutes later he was surprised since he thought she might have slipped off to the land of dreams. "Has Lord Gaara and Kankuro been doing fine," she hesitantly asked, it was like she is suddenly shy to ask anything or more like shy to ask about them specifically.

He reflected on what he has seen of them in these last months. "As far as I know they are doing alright. Before I came out on patrol they were often spotted training in taijutsu and sparring with each other in the evening. I don't think Kankuro was really appreciative that Lord Gaara had decided to make him his partner but that had been something neither usually used. If it is something he thought they should focus on then I'm sure he is right." Being one of the first people that he bonded with in the village he always likes to think about how far he has come, how much everyone respects him. "Lord Gaara is already so strong; I can't believe there are others out there that he considers stronger than him. Watching him fight is always a sight to see in my eyes, he just has this almost wow effect." Drifting off into thought for a couple minutes he was about to continue on when he realized she wasn't conscious anymore.

Time carried on and after a while he realized he could no longer hear her breathing as it grew quiet, the time where the animals during the day returned home to sleep and the nocturnal ones are yet to come out. Getting up to check on her he felt nervous. Lowering an ear to her mouth he could still pick up on her breaths then listened to her heart the best he could but wasn't entirely sure if it had grown weak or not. It has already been hours and he was growing worried that his Lord won't make it in time. Later as night fell a letter appeared but the sound didn't rouse her and he figured he should ask what to do, try to wake her or let her sleep.

"Yaoki,

The child is in the Suna Hospital now, we are on our way. What are her injuries?

Lord Gaara"

It was getting dark out now and he tried to discern how to describe them. She was just a bloody mess, it was surprising enough to have seen her still hanging on this long but he is no medic. Taking a closer look at her and the blood soaked Earth he began jotting down what he could find.

"Lord Gaara,

She has grown pale and sweaty with a fever, a few of her wounds look infected and it hurt her to lift her arms earlier. She also commented the tree is likely the only reason she is upright. I don't see anything noticeably broken but she is quite bloody, I also found a head wound. It has been hours since she was awake and I can see it hurt her to breathe or talk. There was a battle with her enemy that she defeated and mention of a duty to a jewel she completed but I see no trace of one around the area. I learned she is a priestess and relied on archery in battle. Do I have any instructions?

Yaoki"

Gaara had sent his sand out in the direction his unit should be in as they ran across the desert sand. Until he had an accurate location he won't be using his sand to travel, he found it easier to run than to have such a large platform to maintain and control. "I found them," he stopped, turning in a slightly different direction. Forming the platform they immediately got on board, using their chakra to stay on it as he flew them off at a faster speed than they can run for a lengthy period of time. They were far out of sight of the village when they descended only yards from them. Kaobi went directly up to Gaara handing the child over to him.

He was covered up, only his mouth and nose visible but he appeared to be stirring a little. This could be his son, he is sure of it. Almost nervously he moved the cloth slightly out of the way to reveal the startling resemblance they hold to him. No one moved or said anything although the border patrol unit was studying him. 'His head is smaller than the palm of my hand,' he couldn't get over just how tiny he is. "He is premature," his eyes looked over at the medics almost questioning if what he said is right.

"She had mentioned that, it was why she wanted him to be sent to you for help right away instead of waiting," one of them mentioned. "She requested to know when he makes it to Suna or you safely since Yaoki refused to leave her there alone."

"I will send word," he began to turn around and lift the sand up to head back but caught the nervous glances on their faces. "What is it," he asked, figuring they either seen the resemblance or it was something else.

They all grew nervous as they had a lot on their minds but Korobi took up the spot of voicing at least one of them since their Lord has viewed him as a friend since that joint mission with Konoha. "Lord Gaara, she wasn't in good shape, it did look like an intense battle when we spotted it and she looked to have lost a lot of blood. She didn't feel like she was going to live much longer," his words froze him to the spot, a chill racing up his spine.

Turning away from the direction border control came from he felt the situation weighing him down. He closed his eyes in thought and was about to ask the medics to check on his son's health when his cry came to his ears and he looked down at the protesting child. It isn't like he has much experience with babies to go off of and wasn't quite sure what to do so he held him to his chest patting his back hoping it might calm the baby down.

"He is likely hungry Lord Gaara," one of the medics stepped forward first before the other joined. "They don't stop crying until they are fed and premature infants are even more fragile than an infant born at full term."

The information and the cries helped to make up his torn mind and what felt like his heart. Going with his original plan he formed the sand and they understood it had been a hard decision. "I want one of you with me from the border patrol to help me get to her quickly," he ordered out and started flying them straight to the hospital at the highest speed. The ones with him could see he had grown tense. Sand came up at the front of the platform to make a shield around his son to protect him from the wind. Gaara just didn't feel like he could go fast enough as minutes passed them by.

He kept up the pace even as they reached the village, not slowing down until they were almost to the hospital and descending to the ground. With a signal they all jumped off as he dissolved it. The sand rushing back into his gourd while he rushed into the hospital having staff right there to take the infant from his hold even though he didn't want to part. "I will be back, the mother is still out there," he watched the doctor nod and swiftly walk away with their staff. Face showing how troubled he felt he turned around with Kaobi deciding to join him on the trip back. "Let's go," he ordered out, sand forming again once they were out of the hospital.

After they had left the village he remembered she had requested word about him reaching his care. Taking out a letter a medic spoke up quickly, "Lord Gaara could you have Yaoki tell us what her injuries are, their might be something he could do for her while they wait?"

"Yes, I will include that," he began scribbling it down and got a response back a few minutes later, reading it over and handing it over for them to read themselves as dread built up inside him.

"We will write a reply," one of the medics quickly scribbled down some brief instructions before handing it over to the Kazekage so he may send it.

"Yaoki,

You need to wake her up and keep her awake in case she has a brain injury. If she still has any wounds that are bleeding you need to put pressure on them to help clot them up and prevent further blood loss. Her lungs could be punctured by a broken rib so it is best she doesn't talk and remains calm."

'Keep her awake,' he went back over to her and could feel the temperature drop begin to affect him. Taking off his vest and shirt he knew she would probably only get worse with how little she had on. He carefully maneuvered his vest on to her and then laying his shirt on her like a blanket but it only reached down to her calves. "Hey you need to wake up," he patted her cheek and realized he didn't get her name yet. "Miss, you need to wake up," he began repeating the lines a few times until she was finally roused back awake. "Come on, the medics said you need to remain awake, they are already on their way back."

"Where is he," her eyes searched around and he wasn't sure who she was talking about.

"Your son is at the Suna Hospital and Lord Gaara is on his way here with help. The trip will take him far less time than it would others so you just need to hang in there," he tried to get her focused.

Her vision was spinning a little and her head kept dropping as she would start to nod off until he woke her back up again. "He is safe, I'm done here. Just go," she softly ordered him and managed to peer up at the dark sky as the cold began to seep into her bones.

"You can't just give up now! Your son needs a mother in his life and I may not know for sure but there must have been something between you and Lord Gaara since he looks just like him! How is Lord Gaara going to feel if you just gave up the battle when I'm sure he is racing here to get to you in time?!" His raised voice had startled her and she looked at him with an almost clear vision until it began to swim again and she felt sick to her stomach as the dizziness hit her.

She took a few deep breaths that pained her. He most likely thought she was either thinking on his words or ignoring him when instead she focused on trying to not be sick. Keeping her eyes closed and trying to adjust her legs the pain of moving stopped her. "I am nothing; we were never a couple if that is what you are thinking. That child is my gift to him because I can see he was lonely but it's also his right to have him. I told him farewell in a note I left months ago," she had to pause and ground her teeth as she hissed in pain. "The pregnancy was unexpected. I tried to find a place to wait it out so I could give birth to him safely and seek out shinobi of the sand. I thought if I could just do that much so they can be happy together I could die in peace but before we could do that Naraku showed up. He eventually caught on after crossing paths with us a few times and where as we had been chasing him, it turned to him chasing us. I think the other two are still alive, retreated in battle. All I know is it was me verse him and his goons at the end. You could be in danger staying here, just leave."

'How could she think someone would just leave her in this condition? Doesn't she think that Lord Gaara cares about her at all,' he remained baffled. "I'm not leaving and I don't see what danger there is. You said that you 'took down the enemy' earlier."

"Yes, Naraku is dead," she opened her eyes and softly confessed, "I don't have all of my soul. The person that had it before me was brought back from the dead using part of it. My once best friend loves her and I'm dying. Naraku struck her in battle and I defended them. I'm not sure when they left but right before Naraku slammed me into this tree I realized I was alone. She will likely kill me for destroying the jewel or send him to come get it… either way they will want the one thing left that will be of use to them, my soul. You have already done me enough favors but I'm in no shape to protect you. Just get out of here, please," she quietly begged him.

"What is your name," he was about to prepare a letter to his Lord so he is updated on the situation. Should anything occur before they arrive then they will have a possible clue.

"Kagome Higurashi," she turned her eyes to the woods.

"I'm not leaving you Kagome, we don't leave one of our own alone to face death," he wasn't about to be the coward of the past, he will prove it to himself and his Lord that he is not the coward he had once met way back then.

She looked at him trying to figure out how he came to the line of thinking that she is one of theirs. "One of your own… I'm not."

"I recognize you; I know I have seen you talking with Kankuro a few times. I've never seen someone in Suna that looks like you besides you so that is why I am sure," he surprised her.

"I was only a temporary resident," she mumbled out.

He was knelt down gripping the fabric of his legs as he noticed she gave a small shiver. "It makes no difference to me, you are still one of us and there is no use telling Lord Gaara not to come, it would only upset him to have someone even try to convince him to do so."

"If he were in trouble like this," she paused him in his thoughts as she went silent for a bit and he was itching to know what the rest of her sentence is. She took a deeper breath, her eyes gaining that far off look. "I would be stubborn and go to his aid regardless. Gaara," the informal use of his name slipped, "is a good person, a good leader. People look happy to see him but sometimes he looks sad, troubled by something. If I could have lived in Suna without this duty or needing to leave things could have been different… I hate seeing that look on anyone's face. He deserves to be happy. I bet his smile," she paused and took another painful breath, "I bet if I had seen it, it would have been beautiful."

Eyes softening he could see she cares about their leader. "Kagome," he softly sighed and looked up at the stars. She had closed her eyes when he placed them back on her. Before he could even get after her about not falling asleep she went into a hacking fit, blood spurting out of her mouth as she couldn't raise a hand to cover it. "Shh don't talk anymore; I almost forgot you are not supposed to. A medic with Lord Gaara thinks you might have a punctured lung."

"Don't worry so much," she instructed, "my problems are my own. You are the first to know any of this." She didn't know he had at least figured that much out. "My family and friends, just about everything I knew and loved is all in the past, Naraku is finally dead, and the jewel gone. I'm glad I could at least save the people here from the destruction they would have brought… given Gaara the only gift I could offer. I'm sure our son will be the one to make him smile; I wonder what kind father he will be. Maybe secretly funny, a worry wart, or the type to parade his child around, I'm not really sure," she began talking slowly taking more breaths. "To think my life would end up among strange ninja… to come from that well and chase him down… and finally find our end here."

"Kagome you're not making much sense," his eyebrows furrowed.

"The well at the northern end of your country… it blew up after we arrived…" she trailed off looking sleepy.

"What happened after this well blew up," he was trying to figure this out as he began jotting everything down on paper in a sloppy order. "How does a well tie into all of this?"

"Time travel…" her voice becoming so quiet that he needed to lean in to hear it all, "I'm weak… and human so-," she took a few more breaths as tears welled up in her eyes, "they left me in sight of the village… and tracked Naraku down without me so I wouldn't slow them down." It still made little sense to him but he felt mad she was basically abandoned. "I brought others so much pain… I'm a half rate, untrained priestess, a shadow of who I thought I was and certainly no Kikyo…" the tears began to trickle down from her eyes. "I've been such a burden… it isn't in me to burden Gaara or our son. I just want to be buried here where I finally did something right and finally got my end."

The pen dropped before he fisted his hands feeling angry, "How could you say that," his voice was stressed; her eyes were unfocused as she turned them towards him. "You fought and won; you went through these months pregnant, kept your son alive, faced your enemy and duty and won. Why don't you see your worth?! Lord Gaara wouldn't see you as a burden; I don't see you as a burden!"

"This isn't a fairy tale… this isn't happily ever after. Happily ever after would have come a long time ago if it was. I fell in love with my best friend, used to be someone that made him happy but now I'm just a pain, a burden. Something happened I must have done something wrong…" she looked like she held some kind of guilt for whatever she thinks she must have done.

"Did you always think this way, feel like a burden or did someone make you believe it?!" His sharp voice woke her up more, eyes focusing a little more on him. "They abandoned their comrade, their ally. They were the ones to flee and leave you behind like cowards instead of staying around to fight! You suffered facing your mutual enemy alone and pregnant. Defeated him even so how could any of this be considered weak?! Just hang in there, if not for yourself then do it for Lord Gaara, for your son! He is racing here to save you from death, don't just give in and become a rotting corpse when he sees you as worth the time," he took a ragged breath and tried to calm down. "Maybe he pushed himself so hard in training because he misses you, did you ever think of that? I can't begin to understand all of his motives but he was relentless and I thought it admirable, still do but now I wonder if it was to cover up that he was hurting." He caught her stunned eyes, she couldn't voice anything further. With just the clear sky and moon to help him he finished his collection of information, piecing it together the best he could then sent it to his Lord. "Don't talk any further but you need to stay awake. Don't let me or the others fail in saving someone we feel is worth the effort," he could see he got her there. She doesn't want to burden him with failure but also doesn't want to burden them with her life. He started a war of conflict in her; he could barely see it in her flickering gaze so to fill the time he decided to tell her about the first mission he went on with Lord Gaara before he became the Kazekage. She listened; he could see she was enjoying hearing about it even though it also showed her why he might still be lonely.

As the night continued he grew worried as she struggled to stay awake. He did his best to help but the pull was getting too strong for her to fight off. 'Please Lord Gaara, get here soon,' he looked off towards the direction of the sand hoping to see dark figures in the distance but he might not be able to make them out.

Korobi noticed the tree line from above and the dark marks in the ground. "Right through there Lord Gaara," he pointed down there, "you should be able to make out the path when we get a little closer."

They descended and Gaara was sprinting, "I see it," he went running into the trees following the charred path and smelling a foul stench in the air. Yaoki looked up, just a little on guard until he recognized them. Gaara dropped on to his knees next to her, "Kagome," she didn't respond, "Kagome wake up… please," he brushed some hair from her face feeling her feverish skin in the process.

"She couldn't stay awake any longer, we both tried to keep her up but it could have been just minutes ago that she stopped responding," he watched his Lord keep trying to get her awake as the medics settled down next to her and began checking her over.

"Fractures, several of them and a punctured lung just as I thought," one gave their findings, glowing green hands showed up in the dark as they began healing the ribs and the lung.

The torn up face of Lord Gaara was enough for Yaoki to know that something was there between them even if neither knew. 'He cares about her and she cares about him,' he knew his Lord would find it in that jumble of information he scribbled down. With it being so dark he might not have read it yet once he glanced at the contents.

"Someone should start a fire so we can warm her up. It needs to be near her, she can't be moved," a medic said. Yaoki moved around with a comrade, one gathering stones the other sticks. A fire was roaring and Gaara moved from her so he wouldn't be in the way. A longing look was in his eyes and no one could say anything that might help at this point.