Chapter 6: Loose Ends

Little Falcon: Sorry for the long wait. My writer's block is getting chronic I better hope it's not terminal or else it'll take a miracle for an update. Let's keep our fingers crossed okay? Like Always read and review okay?

Standard Disclaimer: I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth!

It was like a dream- being in the center of darkness… suffocating and no matter how hard you scream no voice would come out, not even a sound. Only this time the pain made sure it was no product of her subconscious. The moment her body was thrown out of the puppet, her half-lidded eyes searched frantically for his fiery red hair. Nothing. As the life blood on her gaping wound continued to drain away, she felt like hovering between reality and death. The tattooed puppeteer who captured her was nowhere in sight but there were several men who made sure she got the attention she deserved.

The kunoichi barely felt the cold chains they bound on her limbs tightly. With a rough pull, she was hoisted off the dungeon's dirty floor. Her blood trickled viscously from her midsection down her toes that were inches from the ground. The falling of every drop echoing in her ears more than the angry retorts of the guards that were debating what to do with her first.

Where is he? Is he even alive? Her questions came out as a weak groan while she tried to raise her bleeding head. A sharp slap stung her cheek, followed by a few punches to the head. Right then and there, she understood that no matter how hard she would try to explain, no one would listen especially if their minds are already zeroed in to the truth they wanted to believe. "YOU DARED TO TOUCH OUR KAGE!"

The only comfort she had was that these men were so bent on hurting her that they didn't even think of touching her. Despite her condition, her mind was completely sealed off making the shinobi, who was trying to break into her head, fail. The pain was growing dull and it wasn't because her captors were growing tired. As a medic Nin, the kunoichi concluded that her demise was imminent. How easy would it be to just… close my eyes and… the sound of incoming footsteps made her delay.

"The Kazekage is dead…" in spite of the soldier's hushed tone, she heard him clearly as if she's in perfect shape. The words that came next were muddled as her mind was thrown into absolute shock. He's dead? Gaara is… Gaara's… it was only then did she feel all the pain of the things done to her… only it was a hundred times amplified. In her mind she screamed and cried but on the outside, she didn't even blink.

"Kankuro-sama wants that bitch to remain breathing just so we can execute her in public," he cocked his head at the prisoner while the other jailers gritted their teeth furiously as they nodded in acknowledgement.

The overwhelming shock paralyzed her death as her body fought to live. Soon after the shinobi delivered the news, they didn't touch her even as she felt their scorching hatred seething through their very eyes, they didn't lay a finger on her, much to her dismay. She wanted them to continue so that the pain in her chest would be forgotten even just for a while… because at this moment she could feel her soul being ripped out of her chest as the fragments of her heart continued to shatter.

They denied her the blessing of a graceful death by bleeding out as they grudgingly bandaged the fatal injury she received earlier. Hours passed, the dressing was heavily soaked but no one bothered to change it- all they wanted was to keep her from dying early.

Two set of footfalls disturbed the thick silence of the dungeon. "We've have orders from the higher up," she heard them say.

"Finally! We couldn't take looking at that bitch another second!" One of the jailers exclaimed as he opened the door of her cell.

"Time to die…"

She woke up abruptly because of the commotion on the hallways. Even with the thick walls and the closed door, the recovering patient knew it wasn't the ordinary hospital hustle. Something's wrong. A tight knot in her gut formed as she struggled to sit up.

"Temari-sama, it's not wise to get up," her doctor entered the room and instantly rushed to her side.

"What the hell is going on?" Ignoring the medical advice, she pressed for an answer.

"It's nothing…to be concerned about. You should focus more on…" apparently, his patient IS recovering well as evidenced by the deadly grip around his neck.

"Spare me your horrible acting and tell me what's going on?" Her eyes narrowed threateningly as her fingers made his breathing impossible. The kunoichi watched as the doctor's face turned from pale to blue.

With a defeated nod, he was released. Dropping to the floor, the good doctor took in a long thankful breath as his lungs rejoiced the feel of sweet air. Even without looking, he knew that she was impatiently waiting for the reply he promised. "The Kazekage was attacked just outside the village. The perpetrator was captured but… she succeeded in doing her job,"

Plucking out the needles in her veins, Temari jumped out of bed. "Where is he?"

Learning his share of pain, the doctor told her what she wanted to know and watched his patient almost fly out of the room.

"Oi, what are you doing here?" His other sibling stood outside the intensive care unit when she finally arrived. "Aren't you supposed to be in…"

"IS HE ALIVE?" The older sister grabbed his shirt and snarled. "IS GAARA…" she couldn't finish her question… speaking became impossible.

Kankuro supported her as he gritted his teeth frustration. It was his job to keep an eye on him especially since Temari's in such state. It was his mistake… it was him who deserves to be blamed.

The double doors of the ICU burst open and a man who was dressed in sterile garb form head to toe emerged. As he approached them, he removed his mask and exhaled audibly. "The Kazekage is safe. The damage delivered to him by that jutsu was superbly countered by the emergency response unit. Really, I had no idea we had such talented nins," he proclaimed. "He's still unconscious but you can see him after a few hours,"

The duo was rendered speechless as they both fell to the marbled floor in reprieve then they started to laugh as their tears build in their eyes.

"You caught the assassin, right?" The kunoichi inquired after their flood of relief dissipated.

"Yeah, caught her red handed. She's in the dungeon right now. I can't wait to be the one to execute her," he clenched his fists in agitation.

"Her? A woman?" That uncomfortable knot in her gut that she thought was gone now tugged stronger.

"Yeah, there were no revealing evidences as to where she's from but I'm guessing she's from the hidden leaf. Those conniving bastards…"

Bile rose to her throat and made her swallow. Oh god… "When you say, you caught her red handed. What did you mean by that?"

His brows furrowed together at the hint of anxiety in his sister's voice. "Well, her hands were on him when we found her! There were traces of battle but she was the only one around AND she didn't even try to flee when we arrived!" throwing his hands up in the air, as he explained. "What's with the interrogation?"

Oh no… Closing her eyes to remember how to breathe, she paused then gazed at his brother. "That kunoichi, you say was the attacker, did she have unusually pink hair?" Please say no… please say no.

"Well, yeah. What's wrong?"

"Oh. My. God."

Their conversation was cut short upon sensing a familiar chakra from inside the room. It was faint at first then it grew fiercer by every moment. Temari and Kankuro didn't have time to react as the double door was torn open by a wave of sand. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"Easy there, Gaara. You need to keep a low profile from now on. I wanted to make it seem as if the assassination succeeded," his brother stepped back as he met his furious glare.

"She's in the dungeon," his sister answered and watched him disappear in a whirl of sand.

"Are you crazy? Why would you tell him that?"

"Because you're about to kill the person that save BOTH of our lives," she snapped then jumped out the window to follow that raging sand storm.

The first thing he noticed was the smell of a dying flame. The pungent stench could make an individual shrink away in disgust but not a person who has seen war… the countless ways of dying. Complete dread weighed his feet as he couldn't sense her chakra, not even in the slightest bit.

"Ah, Kazekage-sama! You're alive," one bowed in respect from the far end of the corridor where the horrible smell was coming from. The other two did the same as they emerged from the open cell.

There were no more flames, just the searing ash sitting on top of a puddle of blood. The bloody chains hang quietly bearing no remnants of the captive.

His jade eyes couldn't look away from the scene.

"Where the hell is the prisoner?" Kankuro together with Temari asked as he caught up with their Kazekage.

"Eh?" The three jailers looked perplexed upon hearing the query then they looked at each other.

"We were ordered to execute her on the spot," one cocked his head at the pile of ash in the middle of the cell. There wasn't a trace of bone or hair… she was cremated using the most vicious flame.

Temari gasped and Kankuro swore then they both looked at their little brother.

In that instant, all hell broke loose.

Little falcon: Happy Holidays everyone! Read and review please…