Second chapter! I do not own the Sand Siblings! And I think the idea of deserted islands goes to the author of 'Robinson Crusoe'.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
And sorry that this took so long... The good news is that school is over, so I can write more often.

...

"How did the mission go?"
"Very well, Kazekage-sama. Our jonin managed to infiltrate the boat, and sabotaged it."
The Kazekage stared out of his office window, into the distance, towards the sea, where he knew his three children were now trapped. Probably dead. He smiled.
"Good. Very good. How many people were there on the boat at that time?"
"Twenty-seven, counting the jinchuuriki."
"Oh. It's no big deal then. Sacrifices need to be made sometimes. You are dismissed."
The messenger made to leave, them turned back towards the cruel village leader.
"Ka-Kazekage-sama?"
"What now?"
"It's just... the jonin. He didn't make it back. The demon must have murdered him."
"Oh, well. Too bad. That makes twenty-eight deaths. One more or less won't make much a difference."
"Ve-Very good sir."
The Kazekage heard the man leave. He was now alone with his beloved village, and no longer needed to worry about the threat that was his son.

...

"Shukaku's thoughts"

The night is so very long. And lonely.
If anything, Gaara was glad that it was almost halfway over. He had wandered around the island, searching. For anything. If he found something... He could get rid of the debt he owed Kankuro.

"What are you even going to do? Be nice? Please... Don't make me laugh. Or puke."

No. Kindness wasn't something that Gaara could do. Not automatically. He wanted to be... helpful. He wanted to show those two that he could take care of himself. That he didn't need them, but that they needed him. They were the useless ones. And that they actually... might need his help. With that thought in his mind, Gaara continued his search.

...

He felt the wind ruffle his clothes. Still wet, this made Kankuro shiver. All of his memories came crashing down on him. Boat. Gaara. Temari. Storm. Blood. Waves. Boat. He groaned when he moved his aching limbs. Wait... If he could move, then he must be alive. This thought made his eyes flutter open. He saw a lot of trees and a lot sand. And he could feel the wooden door underneath him.
Yes... He was still alive. He could even see the sunrise. And he could see... Temari.

Kankuro sat up sharply as if someone had shocked him.
"Temari!" She didn't respond. He felt for a pulse. She was alive as well. The puppet-nin sighed in relief. His sister was safe.
"Gaara!" He looked around. However, his brother was nowhere to be found. Panic invaded Kankuro's soul.
"No... No... Please, no... No! Gaara! Please! Where are you..." He then saw the foot prints leading into the forest. He slumped to the floor and fought tears of happiness. He did it. He saved both of his siblings. They were all alive. Well, he had no idea where Gaara was, but he knew that his little brother was safe with this beach around them.

"Nhhh... Kan... Kankuro... Ga... Gaara..." The boy crawled over to his sister. He felt her forehead. No fever. He checked her head, arm and leg. It stopped bleeding, but the wounds were pretty deep. Looking around, he found nothing that could help him much. Kankuro took off his shirt and ripped it into three large strips. He checked the wounds for glass then bandaged Temari's cuts as well as he could.
"Temari... Please, be OK..." The kunoichi was unconscious again.
Maybe I should move her, before the sun warms things up to much... though Kankuro. He tried to lift his sister up, but his arms were to painful and weak. Why? Kankuro examined himself. He wasn't off to bad. He only had a couple huge bruises and a few slices on his skin. But his limbs were exhausted for keeping his siblings on board his make-shift boat through the storm.

If he wanted to move Temari, he would need Gaara's help.
Kankuro shivered at that thought. He really doubted that the jinchuuriki would help Temari, even if she was his sister. That didn't matter to Gaara. He wasn't going to care. Kankuro sighed. He was suddenly felt nervous. On the spot, he had instinctively saved his little brother. But, now... He put Temari and his life in danger. Gaara was dangerous. Maybe... He shouldn't have saved him.

Kankuro snorted at himself in disgust. How could he think something like that? No. He did not regret saving Gaara. No matter how terrifying, crazy or murderous the jinchuuriki was, he was still his little brother. Even if Gaara didn't see it that way, Kankuro could never regret saving him. All he had to do was to make sure that neither him or Temari would get in Gaara's way, then they might survive. Because they were on this island in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if anybody else was here.

Kankuro slowly stood up on his shaky legs. When he was sure to not collapse, he noticed how thirsty and hungry he was. He cupped his hands around his mouth.
"H-Hello? Is anyone here? Please! Anyone?" He groaned when his head throbbed in pain. Shouting was definitely out. He sighed, sat down next to Temari and hoped that Gaara would come back for them.

...

"Shukaku's thought"

Gaara stared at his reflection. The water shone like a mirror in the sunrise. It was so... clean. Gaara felt his thirst taking over. He cupped his hands and brought water to his lips and drank. When he had his fill, he stood up to have a better look at his surroundings. A clearing. A cave. A fresh water river. How could things be more... perfect wasn't exactly the word, but Gaara couldn't think of any other.

"I can. Desolate. Lonely. Sad. You know why kid? Because of you. Because that is all that you are. Even your stupid siblings would agree with me... You should just kill them. They just take up to much of your thoughts now. Just get rid..."

Gaara ignored the demon. His head hurt enough without having to listen to it's constant comments.
He had searched the island the whole night. It was deserted. No one else was here. But, about three hours ago, he found this place. It even had shelter. More than enough room for three. Wait... Why was he automatically thinking about those two losers? Shukaku was right. Why did he even care about them? Gaara was confused. He clenched his heart, hoping that the feeling would go away. It didn't. Instead, it started hurting. Bad. The jinchuuriki's trembling hand tightened around his chest. The wound of the heart... What was the cure already?
Gaara refused to think of that word.

He stood up sharply. This feeling... had nothing to do with love. He just... didn't want to be alone. But he was alone. He always was. It's just that Temari and Kankuro were here with him. But they didn't have the choice. Wait... Kankuro did. He didn't have to save him in the first place. He could have just let him drown. He could have, but he didn't. Gaara turned way from his reflection and started walking back towards the shore. If he could bring his sibl- teammates to the water, they could drink. Because, or else, they would die. And why did Gaara care? … He didn't... He just... They could still be useful...

"Yeah. Sure. Keep telling yourself that kid. Just don't go all caring OK? I'm starting to be disappointed in you. You are going to become weak. Too much feeling. Like gratefulness. Who do you think you are? The puppet freak saved you. I have no idea why. But, don't forget, you owe him your life. And remember... He hates you. And that will never change for someone like you."

...

Kankuro brushed the hair out of Temari's eyes. She hadn't woken up again. Kankuro was still waiting, hoping for Gaara to return. He realized that he might not come back.
He still felt slightly shaky. But he couldn't just leave his sister there. Who knows what might happen.

He gently picked Temari up. He stood still a few minutes to make sure that he could hold her without dropping her. He turned towards the forest, feeling depressive.
"Now... What do I do?"

"Come with me." Kankuro nearly jumped out of his skin. He snapped his head to his left and saw Gaara standing there. He grinned in relief.
"Phew. Gaara. I was wondering when you'd show up."
The red headed ninja walked away without a word, followed by his brother.

They walked through the forest for a long time. Kankuro was starting to get worried. What was this about? Where was Gaara taking him?
"Um... Gaara? Where..."
"Shut up and walk." Kankuro shivered at his brother's tone. So he did as he was told. After about twenty more minutes of complete silence and hiking, Kankuro saw a clearing up ahead.

When he walked out of the trees, he nearly gasped. Water. Space. A cave. This was perfect! It wasn't a fairy clearing with flowers everywhere, but it had everything that he needed.
"Nice! When did you find it Gaara?"
The jinchuuriki walked over to a boulder and sat on it.
"During the night." He didn't have to remind Kankuro that he didn't sleep. No body forgot about him being a monster.

Kankuro went closer to the river and placed Temari down. He checked her wounds. Not any better than before. He wanted to wipe the blood of his sister's body, but realized that he had already used his shirt as bandages. He sighed and washed his hands, then started slowly wetting Temari's cheek. He was afraid to get water onto the wounds. That might reopen them. He was trying to think of a way to do this when something black dangled in front of his face.
He blinked, confused. He took the cloth. He slowly turned his head around and saw Gaara walking back to his boulder, shirtless. He was glaring at floor, as if he regretted doing something helpful.

Kankuro grinned at his little brother.
"Thank you." Gaara just shrugged and continued glaring.
The older boy dipped the black shirt into the river, wrung it out then started dabbing Temari's face, arms, legs, and eventually decided to completely clean her. Her body was covered in so much dried blood. Poor Temari.
He washed the shirt and hung it on a branch to dry. Kankuro then walked back to the river and took a long drink. Gaara was staring curiously at him.
"What is it?"
"You assisted Temari first? Before even caring for yourself?" Kankuro just shrugged.
"Well, yeah. I can't think of only myself when Temari is in this state. I have to help her. First. She needs me more than I need to drink."
Gaara stared at him blankly for a long time. Kankuro started shifting uneasily underneath his gaze.

"Nhhh... Ouch..." The two boys snapped out of their trance and looked at their sister.
"Temari!"
"Urg. Kankuro... Shut up. My head hurts... Hmmm... Gaara. Where's Gaara?" The kunoichi tried to sit up but the puppet-nin pushed her back down.
"Don't worry. He's right here. You need to rest, you are messed up pretty bad." Temari sighed in relief when she heard that Gaara was there. This confused the young ninja. She was happy that he was here? Not terrified? Not angry at Kankuro for saving him? He had no idea.

The blonde kunoichi groaned in pain when she turned her head, then groaned some more when she saw her arm.
"What... Happened? Last thing I remembered... There was the glass and..."
"When the boat tipped, you crashed through the window. That's why you are sliced up. Then I pulled you onto a floating door. And all three of us ended up here. Then Gaara found this place. So, yeah."

Temari smiled up to her brothers. She was stuck on a deserted island. She was messed up. She was in pain. But she knew that her two little brothers were safe with her. She smiled more.
"Kankuro?"
"Yes?"
"Gimme some water."

...

"Shukaku's thoughts"

Gaara was amazed. His sister could still manage a smile, even in her state. She was brave. So was Kankuro.

"Yup. And you offered your shirt to wipe your sister's blood. Did the shipwreck mess up your brain or something? What was that for? I'm sure that the puppet freak could have managed."

He didn't know. When he saw Kankuro run out of ideas to help Temari. He knew that it was his chance to be helpful. On the spot, he had felt like he... actually... wanted to help. And the grateful smile that his brother had given him... Made some of his pain fade. Was that love? Friendship? Family? No. That was too easy. He couldn't trust people too easily. He was a monster. They would probably betray him first chance they got. They didn't want him. They didn't need him. They always had each other to count on. He was unnecessary.

He watched Kankuro as he cared for Temari. He catered to her every need. Gaara, behind his cold mask, was wondering if caring for those you love, like his brother was, was what made you truly human.

"Kankuro?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm really hungry. And I can't move." When Temari said this, four stomachs growled in the clearing. The kunoichi's, Kankuro's, Gaara's and Shukaku's. No body had eaten since the shipwreck. Kankuro stood up.
"I'll go find something." Gaara felt uncomfortable. He didn't want to be left alone with Temari. If Shukaku took control, who knew what might happen when she was in this state.

"Yeah. So you are more worried about them than about me? You are so ungrateful, meanie. And do you want to know what would happen if I took control? Let's just say that it had something to do with slicing that girl into ribbons and absorbing every last drop of her blood. Then the puppet freak. I would go even slower and more painfully for him. Maybe start by..."

"No. I'll go." Gaara didn't let them respond and walked out of the clearing, into the forest, leaving an extremely confused Kankuro to look after his sister.

After a few minutes of wandering around, Gaara stopped walking and glared at his feet. He should feel better, away from those two. He didn't understand why, but the way his siblings were acting in this situation was poisoning him. Their care, their love, their brave smiles. Everything just made him... Want to go back to them, be with them. Gaara suddenly felt sick again. Why? Why him? Why now? He shouldn't care. He didn't care. He really didn't... And he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he would never stop lying to himself. At least... they weren't here. He couldn't let them see him like this. If they did... They would surely betray him, like Yashamaru did. And Gaara could not let that happen again. Not here, not now, not ever. Not them.

"Nice speech kid. Now get the food. Whilst you are standing here being sick, dopey and all mushy, some people are actually starving."

As if Gaara needed reminding that he was a monster and that everyone hated him for that reason. He had Shukaku's voice in his head. And even the demon would probably betray him if he wasn't bound in his body.

"You got that right."

Gaara clenched his fists and started searching for food.
He found trees filled with fruit. Using his jinchuuriki senses, he made sure that they were edible. They were. He used his sand to snap a branch off one of the trees. He didn't do berry picking.
There were a lot of fruit on the branch, so Gaara figured that it should be enough for him and his teammates.

He crossed his arms and walked back to the clearing, plastering the most emotionless expression he could master onto his face. If he was doubting himself on the inside, there was no way that he would let anybody know. And nobody will ever know.

"Too late kid. Do I count?"

"No" replied Gaara out loud. He walked past the last trees and into the clearing. Temari still had a brave smile on her face and Kankuro looked up hopefully when he saw his brother return. With food. The red headed boy placed the tree branches beside his sister. When Kankuro tried to feed her, she nearly bit his fingers off. She stuck her tongue out.

"I'm not that useless. I can feed myself ya know."
The puppet-nin then helped her slowly sit up so that Temari could use her good arm. Then, all three of them ate in silence.
Gaara wasn't the type to start conversations. Temari was aware that he could kill all of them easily if she said the wrong thing, so she kept her mouth shut. And Kankuro was simply exhausted and had a lot to say, but just didn't feel like opening his mouth for anything other than eating right now.

When the 'meal' was finished, nobody knew what to do. Gaara was the first one to move, when he walked over to the other side of the clearing to retrieve his now dry shirt. Kankuro then decided to build their shelter.

He examined the small cave, which was going to be the base. He made three beds out of leaves.
Gaara, under his ever emotionless face, was confused. He didn't sleep. He didn't need a bed. Kankuro answered the question that he didn't ask.
"Its for relaxing Gaara. We all need to do that, you know, now that we are stuck here. If we don't, we're going to turn crazy."
Gaara tried hard to not smirk. He succeeded.
Crazy? It was a little too late for him. He was the definition of psychotic, even he knew that. Kankuro seemed to read his mind.
"Gaara... You are not crazy. Well... Not really anyway." The older boy grinned at his little brother, which Gaara replied to with a death glare, making Kankuro shiver. Gaara spun around and marched away.
Why? Whenever he was with his brother, he kept getting so angry, like always before the accident. Except this time, it was different. If he wasn't threatening him, he didn't seem afraid anymore. He even smiled, laughed and joked at him. And it made him feel... warm. Not to mention sick. Gaara suddenly felt panic. He lived on people's fear. What if Kankuro didn't fear him anymore... What was left?

"Me, duh."

Gaara snorted out loud. Then quickly looked around him. No, his teammates didn't see. He had wandered out of the clearing again. He ran his hand through his hair. Maybe he should make his siblings fear him again. That was what Shukaku wanted him to do.

"Yes, it is. Fear. Make then fear you. Make them crawl at your feat, like the good old times. Make them hate you again."

Gaara flinched at that. Hate? He wasn't sure if he still wanted them to... hate him. Fear. Hate. Was it different? He thought so. Fear was useful. But hate... leads to betrayal. And Gaara couldn't imagine what he would do if he was betrayed again. By his own... siblings.
No. He couldn't stand that thought. Shukaku was wrong here. Shukaku wanted Gaara to hurt Temari and Kankuro. To make them hate him. Gaara always trusted the demon's instincts. But... Now...
Maybe... Just maybe... It was time to believe what he wanted.

God. Gaara is such a confused little boy sometimes right? And his siblings are so cool.
I hope that this chapter was good! Review if you loved it! Or hated it, that's cool too.
XOXO~~HimekoUchia