Hello and firstly thank you to the people who reviewed! I hope you all like this next chapter!


Another. Another document he was supposed to go over and instead it was carelessly thrown aside. After having sent news of the events to Naruto and having dealt with the aftermath he just couldn't concentrate. Something or more like someone was distracting him from his work.

Love…He thought unconsciously reaching for the sign on his forehead. Yes, he was aware he wasn't good with emotions, but he did know what love was. Didn't he?

He leaned back in frustration. He knew he had work to do and yet against his better judgment here he was contemplating the words a half conscious girl said to him. This was not good. It had been two days now that he had been distracted. This had to end now.

With a swift movement he got up and headed to the only place that would put to rest his wandering thoughts. It didn't take him long to get there however the person he had come to see was still sleeping and he didn't want to disturb her so he sat down and waited. It didn't take long. Blue eyes opened slowly with a look of confusion before they focused on him and a look of recognition took over.

They held each other's gaze. Green met blue and neither seemed to want to back down, not sure if it was a challenge or if they were simply searching for something beyond what they saw.

It was her who broke the eye contact first, lifting herself up on the bed. "Kazekage-sama. To what do I owe this visit?" she said as cordially as possible as if the last few minutes had never happened.

Gaara was silent. Why was he here? He asked himself. To know what she meant the other night. Even as he thought of the answer it sounded silly. More importantly why did he even care?

He looked back up to see big blue eyes wide with curiosity but guarded at the same time which is what surprised him the most. How could she be so open yet at the same time so closed? He frowned. He was over thinking everything too much, from her words to the situation right now and he had things to do.

"Yamanaka-san, you are a guest of Suna, I came to see how you and your companions recovery was coming along. And seeing as everything is going accordingly I will take my leave and let you rest." He answered starting to stand up.

"Have you informed Nar…I mean the hookage about the situation?" she asked before he could leave.

"Yes. And this morning he sent word that he will come as soon as he can to deal with the situation. I also have men looking for your companion Comani to be detained and brought in." he paused. "You and your teammates are welcomed to stay here as long as you each need to recover."

"Thank you, we appreciate your kindness." She replied. "and Kazekage-sama?"

He turned to face her from where he stood by the door ready to leave. "Yes?"

"It's Ino."

"What?" he simply asked confused.

"My name." she said. "Please, call me Ino."

"If that is what you want." He answered facing the door again and turning the door handle ready to leave yet again when he paused. "Gaara. Call me Gaara." He said in a low tone before leaving, failing to see the smile on Ino's lips.


It took two more days for the medic nins of suna to finally sign her release form and in those two days she did everything but listen to the medics. She would make her rounds visiting Shikamaru who was still unconscious, which was understandable after his physical and mental fight, Ibiki who was in a good mood or at least as good as he could be with serious injuries and still trying to figure out how he could have missed the intent in their ex-teammate, and of course Aburame-san who deserved at least a prayer who despite his early death had been a very helpful asset to their team. The hard part would be telling Shino, a fellow rookie nine, that his uncle had passed because despite having little contact with the bug wielder she knew how to read people and she noticed a special connection between the young ninja and his uncle.

And most importantly, despite the constant orders to just relax and rest, her mind would simply refuse and it was all the fault of a certain red haired green eyed Kazekage. Not only were the memories she had seen been haunting her but his last visit left her concerned to say the least. She wasn't in the interrogation squad and Ibiki's right hand for nothing, and she knew he had been there to say more than he did. He had something troubling him and she wanted to know what it was.

She was about ready, having changed from the unflattering hospital gown to her pedestrian clothes she had brought with her for the mission. She looked herself over in the small mirror at the far end of the wall and nodded in approval. This will have to do. She thought before hearing a knock on the door.

"Come in." she said loudly so whoever stood outside would hear.

In came none other than Kankuro, his black outfit and face paint exactly as she remembered him from her last visit. He had become a friend to her, her entertainment for when Shikamaru would abandon her to spend time with Temari. Although stoic at first she managed to bring out his playful and sometimes immature side which is how they formed a nice bond when he wasn't on missions.

"Kankuro! Quite nice to finally see you." She greeted. "And here I thought I was going to leave the hospital without a single visit from you. I guess I owe Temari some money."

"You should save the trip and give it to me. I bet Temari that I would visit you before you left the hospital grounds." He replied with a smirk.

"That's not fair! You can't bet on your own actions."

"It seems I can."

She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed going forward the few remaining steps that separated them to envelop her in a hug. "It's good to see you well."

"Thanks." She answered returning the hug.

He was the first to separate from her. "So are you ready to leave?"

"Yes!" she answered enthusiastically tired of looking at the same four white walls for the past couple of days.

They headed out the door and started down the hallway. "You will stay tonight in one of the ambassador suites and tomorrow you will leave for Konoha. There was news that the Hookage will come in a week so you should be able to get to Konoha before he comes and give him your report. In the meantime we are still scouting the area for the people responsible for the attack." Kankuro said in his businesslike tone.

"Well thank you for your accommodations, but I will stay in the inn I usually at when we visit until Shikamau and Ibiki are recovered."

"Sorry Ino but these are orders from the Kazekage."

"Well I'll just talk to him and tell him no. Where can I find him?"

Kankuro stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her. "Nobody disobeys the kazekage's order."

"Well I am not simply going to disobey, I am going to talk to him first and then disobey him if he doesn't agree."

"But..."

"No buts. I am going to see Shikamaru before we leave and then you are going to take me to him. Okay?"

Kankuro knew her well enough that even though it sounded like a request it wasn't. It was an order and he knew better than to say no to her. Sometimes he thought she was scarier than his own brother and that was saying a lot. "Fine." He answered a bit defeated. "But I am not getting involved."

"Fine you big wuss." She replied turning the corner towards Shikamaru's room.

"I am not a wuss!" was all that was heard in the hospital as he hurried down the corridor after her.


He was (finally) getting some work done when he heard a knock on the door. He looked over at his clock, it was midafternoon and he had no council meetings schedules. He was supposed to take this time and advance on the work he had been lagging on thanks to a certain blond. He was about to tell the person to come in when the door was thrown open by none other than his tormentor. Yamanaka Ino.

"I am sorry to interrupt but she wanted to speak to you and I couldn't stop her." Kankuro said coming into the office after said blond.

"Wuss." He heard her say under her breath to his brother who in turn gave her a sheepish smile. He noticed their relative closeness and he noticed how his brother stood relaxed next to her in comparison to all the other times he had been in his office stiff as a rock.

Ino stepped forward. "I truly am really sorry to interrupt but it was important that I tell you that I will not leave Suna until I can do so with the teammates I first arrived with."

Gaara couldn't help but notice the determination and confidence in her eyes. The same eyes that now held his gaze with defiance as if daring him to defy her.

"Leave us." He told Kankuro who only momentarily hesitated before doing as he was told. He turned to look at her. "Why?"

She sighed; she was no stranger to having to explain her decisions, especially those based on emotions. "Well shikamaru is family, if Temari o Kankuro was hurt I am sure you wouldn't leave them alone in a land not their own. And as for Ibiki, he is my mentor, the one who helped me advance in my jutsu and made me believe in myself. You of all people should under… "she stopped suddenly realizing she had said too much.

Gaara knew what, more precisely who, she was talking about which meant she obviously did remember his memories and thoughts which confirmed one of his suspicions. He didn't know how it felt to have someone else know about what happened and his emotions at that time. He had tried so hard to keep them all in as to not burden anyone especially in the time he had had Shikaku. And now here was someone who knew about everything transcendental that had happened in his life. The most surprising part was that she understood him or at least she wasn't judging him or running scared.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I was over bounds and I apologize. I was simply trying to make a point and when it comes to people close to me I tend to overreact." she said taking a breath.

"Fine." he simply said. "You may stay until your friends recover. Naruto won't mind your report a few days later. "

"Thank you!" she replied sincerely with a smile. "I will try to not to be too much trouble. "

He liked her smile, he found himself thinking. It was the first time he had actually contemplated anyone's smile and he had a suspicion that it would be the last. "Alright, you may go. Despite being discharged I am sure you need to rest."

Ino bowed and turned to leave. She was right at the door when she turned around again to face him despite him having already returned to his work. "Gaara?" she said in a soft voice.

Gaara found himself stunned. Aside from Naruto and his siblings nobody had called him by his first name and even though he was the one who asked her to call him like that he didn't think she would. But the most stunning part was that he liked the way she said his name, he felt something stir deep inside, something he had never felt before and it bothered him mostly because he didn't know what it was. "Yes?..Ino." he added a bit hesitantly unsure what she would make of him calling her also by her first name as she had requested.

She gave him a small smile as if in approval. "The other day, when you came to visit, there was something bothering you right? If I can, perhaps I could help."

Gaara frowned, there was a reason why she was in the interrogation squad of her village. "It was nothing important."

It was Ino who now frowned. "You know there are people who wear their emotions on their sleeves and then there are those who, like yourself, are harder to read to understand where the fuel for their actions comes from. I can see that you have a lot of work to do and I am sure you didn't visit just to check up on us." She paused. "Just know that I am here to help. You'd be surprised at how much of a great listener I am."

Gaara almost smiled. She definitely had a way with words. "Tonight." He said surprising himself.

"What?"

"You need to nourish yourself and perhaps….perhaps we will find out if you are as great of al listener as you stated." He answered.

She smiled again to his pleasure and nodded. "Tonight." She confirmed and took her leave not wanting to give him an opportunity to change his mind.

He wasn't sure what he was doing but for the first time in a long time he was actually eager for night to fall.


Well that's it. Till next time!