A/N: Ano... sorry I'm a little late when I said I'd update . I kinda like this chapter though. Sorry about the title too Lol I might change it but for now it's the best I've got.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All characters within this fanfiction belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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Letters to Show I Care

Previously…

She really didn't care what kind of mission it was, just something for her to do, to feel needed.

'I suppose it could be viewed as you experiencing the life of a Konoha ninja, ne?' Tsunade said offhandedly. 'Understanding the different types of experiences in each rank of a Konoha shinobi, as well as experiencing the different kind of requests we get here in Konoha. Compare and contrast, so to speak. Ok! Sabaku no Temari! I will grant you your request! But until the Kazekage gives his approval, I cannot give you a mission rank above D. He refuses to let you leave the village for work. Speak to Shizune about it.'

Temari smiled at the medical genius of a ninja, before bowing and leaving.

'Hai, arigatou, Tsunade-sama.'

--

Temari sighed to herself as she raked the leaves up on the lawn of the elderly couple who'd requested it. The man said he would have done it for himself had he not been bedridden. She knew she could have used her fan and the wind to move it all at once but that would mean she would have finished this mission and had to wait for another one, which meant she'd have nothing to do and a chance of being seen by either of the girls she'd spent the night with two nights ago.

Temari had successfully avoided the Konoha kunoichi. Naturally, some were close calls, but still. After leaving Tsunade's office she'd taken some paper from Shizune and scribbled a note to each of them, before expertly sliding it under each of their doors. Except for Tenten's. Fearing they'd still be gathered at her place, she snuck into her bedroom, opening the window, before leaving the note on her desk.

Fortunately for her, nobody had seen her, at least she hoped so. There may have been a nosey person or two but oh well. Gaara had written back in the past couple of days as well, blatantly refusing to let her come home.

Temari –

I told you you're to stay in Konoha for the next two weeks! You need a break, nee-chan. As for the missions, Hokage-sama has informed me of your request and your participation in D-rank missions. You really should take a break. Kankurou agrees. You work yourself too hard. D-rank missions are harmless but we still insist that you abstain anyway.

Just stay there and enjoy yourself. You deserve it.

Gaara

P.S. Can you please bring me back some of that really nice cake from the corner shop near the hotel we stayed at there last time? But don't tell Kankurou. Ok? Thanks.

She couldn't help but smile at his post-script. She knew he'd partially said it to lighten her up but if she returned without cake anyway he might seem a little surprised. As happy as she was to hear from her brother, she still wanted to strangle him for not letting her go home. She'd written back immediately, begging him to let her go in her own little way. She didn't make it sound like she was THAT desperate, but Gaara and Kankurou would realise of course.

Gaara –

And Kankurou. I know you're reading this too, brat. I must insist my immediate return to Suna. Things are fine in Konoha and I have nothing to do. Let me go home. NOW. Do you hear me, Gaara? Write back quickly and inform Hokage-sama of my departure if you want to remember what food tastes like.

I'm not needed here. Let me be useful somewhere else.

Temari

She was sure her brothers would pick up on her choice of words. Sabaku no Temari never openly declared she was unneeded in her brothers' presence. She knew they'd know better than to take the message as a literal meaning, although the threats were literal enough. She usually wasn't so direct with her brothers through letters, if they wrote at all. She'd written a formal letter before but Gaara had replied informally, so she took it as a cue to do the same.

She'd sent and received the letter yesterday, reporting to Tsunade as she told her what Gaara had said about participating in missions, as well as her stay there. It was also then that she found out that Sakura was out on a mission, and that the original genin she'd met almost ten years ago were most likely to partake in the mission as well. Tsunade apologised to Temari for not being able to be a part of it, but Temari shrugged it off politely.

The mission wasn't that hard, apparently. And only half of the old genin group would go.

As the last orange leaf gathered at the base of her leaf mountain, Temari allowed herself to exhale deeply, before she collected the leaves in a bag for mulch. The sun was hot upon her skin, but the wind brought a fresh breath for her to take in once more. Bowing to the elderly couple, she took the pay and left to report back to Tsunade, eyes wandering towards the skies, hoping to see a familiar hawk with news from Suna.

Apparently Gaara hadn't decided to reply yet.

She sighed to herself. That Gaara. Surely he wouldn't leave his beloved sister in Konoha when she'd made it explicitly clear to the both of them that she wanted out. NOW. Her brothers were really the only people who she was always able to count on. She could always count on Gaara to scare the crap out of everyone that approached them, enemy or ally. She could always count on him being awake when they were younger, always count on him to be dangerous. And Kankurou? She could always count on him to be a jerk to people, to bully them and mock them. And yet Kankurou was her best friend when they were kids.

They had no one else to trust but themselves. They were not necessarily open with each other all the time, but there was a silent agreement that clearly stated they would be there for support whenever it was needed. And even when they grew apart over the years, that silent agreement was signed with their bond of blood.

And then there was Gaara.

It had been different with Gaara. For a majority of her life, Temari remembered fearing Gaara. She remembered hating him too. She used to hate him so much. How dare he take the life of their mother, their beloved mother. Temari hadn't always been a jealous child, and when her youngest brother was expected to be born she felt she should be happy. But her mother wasn't. Her mother hated the village and her father for cursing her with Gaara. And in turn, Temari learned to hate the baby that her mother despised, the child that took her mother's life.

She refused to play with him. And she encouraged Kankurou to do the same, their father supporting the decision. Not that they had much time to play. They were intent on becoming the best shinobi, competing for the future title of Kazekage. But still. She paid no attention to him.

Until she met Shukaku's terrible power. One night she and Kankurou had been taunting Gaara, she must have been around four at the time. They took his toy bear and refused to give it back because he refused to stop nagging them.

'We don't want to play with you! We have to train!'

'Go away! Where's uncle Yashamaru?'

Gaara's usual cries were accompanied by something more that night. A blood curdling scream would escape his young lips, and his eyes would flash dangerously. Kankurou and Temari barely understood what was really happening. They'd heard rumours, of course, that Gaara was some kind of monster. They thought so too. But for a different reason. A monster was something that destroyed what's precious to people, and Gaara had killed their mother in his birth.

Temari would understand that later, but as the young child that witnessed an inhumane scream erupt from a toddler's mouth, she was afraid, even if she wouldn't admit it. Sure enough, Gaara's infamous barrier of sand shot up above them, destroying the ceiling of their home with such strength, speed and power. Kankurou and Temari were terrified. With a dangerous glare and a hint of a smirk, the sand shot straight towards them within the blink of an eye.

She remembered screaming. She remembered raising her hands to protect herself and the pain it caused, like glass slashing at her flesh. She remembered Kankurou crying and how she instinctively leapt in front of him. She remembered Gaara crying and tugging at the hem of her clothes. She'd fallen.

According to her father, medical ninjas had seen to her at the hospital. A majority of the people around them had run for fear of Gaara. It was only when Yashamaru had returned to find them crying and bleeding that help was called. She stayed at the hospital for recovery.

From that moment on she would fear Gaara. Fear Gaara and his power. She'd never taunt him again and she was too afraid to hate him. She'd avoided him after that. She vaguely remembered her youngest brother trying to hug her, handing her a flower, and pushing him away, eyes wide in fear. Shaking she'd scampered to the corner of the bed away from him, her sharp eyes not missing the crestfallen expression on his face, young as he was.

She'd made a decision to avoid Gaara as best she could from then on. As the years progressed Temari's fear would decrease as her personal strength increased. Surely she could defend herself now that she was learning to fight properly! Surely she would not tarnish her undefeated title if the moment ever arose.

But she was wrong.

There would come a time when she would fight and lose and run. Gaara was almost seven then. Yashamaru had died trying to assassinate their brother, much to Temari's own disgust. She'd always respected her uncle, always remembered his ideals on family and the importance of it. Still, she was saddened to hear he had died, feeling less disgusted when she'd accidentally heard that it was her father who had ordered Gaara's death.

She pitied Gaara that time. His own father had ordered his death, his own uncle had been the one to fulfil the order and fail miserably. His siblings avoided him out of fear, as did the rest of the village. He had no one. And yet, despite this fact, fear held her back from trying to comfort her crying brother. Or maybe it was the devilish glint in his eye as they stood at the front of the gathered people at their uncle's funeral. Maybe it was the night she'd seen him come home with blood dripping from his forehead, 'love' brandished there nonetheless, not mentioning a word on the death of his uncle.

Gaara had cried once more after that. After the funeral, once Temari had placed a desert lily upon Yashamaru's remembrance, Gaara had stayed behind whilst they all left. She was there out of curiosity and a little worry. Yashamaru was the only one that really took care of Gaara; and now there was no one left. Temari wanted to care for him, to show him she cared but the damned fear! Her heart wept with him as she watched the tears trail down his cheeks, her expression softening. But everything hardened once more when she realised the anger Gaara was expressing towards his deceased uncle, once she witnessed the same sand that had hospitalised her lash out at the tomb. Hot, angry tears streamed down his face but his eyes showed no remorse. She'd seen her brother as a normal child every now and then whenever she'd bothered to look back at him, but there was nothing left in his image right now.

Temari watched in shock and fear as he crushed the tombstone and Temari's lily along with it, and she ran for her life. Gaara was colder, more distant and brutal than usual from then on. He wasn't the kind of person that would yell and scream until he had his way, no, Gaara was the silent type. He was the type who would sometimes have a lot of patience and other times would not hesitate to kill. He was, as some called him, a double-edged sword.

Temari personally feared for her brother. It was clear to many people that Gaara had serious psychological issues. Nevertheless, he graduated the Academy like any young wannabe ninja did, partook in missions like everyone else and was still proud of his Suna heritage. Their father had eventually created the ultimate shinobi in Gaara, but lacked the power to control him. Gaara was emotionless and put his mission first. He was powerful and no one dared to question him. No one dared go near him either.

Kankurou and Temari sometimes found themselves wondering why Gaara hadn't attacked the village yet, why he refused to stop fighting sleep and just let Shukaku take over him. He was sparing the village by resisting, a village he'd attacked years before from a control that wasn't his.

The first time Shukaku completely took control of him. Gaara would later confess to his siblings that he'd heard Shukaku's voice for a majority of his life. One moment he'd decided to let the voice have its way, and willingly let sleep and unconsciousness reach him. When he'd awake, he'd find half the city in ruins, and blood running from his wounded arm.

The villagers had fired at him to awaken him. Temari remembered the terror and the screaming. And the total feeling of powerlessness. She refused to run and she and Kankurou immediately followed their father out to battle, children or not. They refused to be taken into the care of nurses and women as all the other children had, but were forced to nonetheless. They were not shinobi yet, they were civilians.

She remembered the fear that instantly grabbed at her once more as she witnessed her youngest brother's transformation into a cold-hearted terror that wreaked havoc on their proud village. She and Kankurou questioned each other at first, before they questioned the adults that were to take care of them. With the Kazekage's air of authority they demanded to be told everything there was to know about Gaara and the monster he became. And they were.

But that's so long ago now.

The fear that threatened to show itself to her was different now. It was no longer a fear of her brother, but rather for him, his life and wellbeing. After the attack on Konoha, Gaara had seemed so different to the boy they'd grown up with. They'd taken almost a week to return back home, taking extra breaks for rest and because of their injuries. Gaara's face was still almost unreadable, but his harsh exterior seemed to have evaporated, and they found him approachable.

'Temari,' she remembered him saying to her one night by the fire. The eldest sibling had been poking at the fire that would cook their dinner and she looked up at him almost curiously. He usually never said anything to them. Then again, he'd apologised earlier that day. She and Kankurou had yet to talk about that and would probably not have the chance until they all parted ways back in Suna. After all, Gaara never slept.

'Hai, Gaara?'

'Thank you for treating my wounds,' he said, his voice slightly weaker than usual. Temari was once again shocked but gave him a small smile all the same. She would have smiled more had she not been so tired and worn out.

'You're welcome, Gaara. Are you feeling alright now?' she asked him, wondering if he'd continue the civil conversation.

Gaara barely nodded but it was better than his usual decision to ignore any form of questions that he didn't feel like answering.

'That's good to hear. I think we should take extra care returning back to Suna. I think we should push the three-day journey into an extra day or so, depending on how long we need. We're all weak right now and wounded, even you, Gaara. It would be dangerous for us to not take any precautions.'

Gaara continued to stare into the flames, Temari watching her baby brother carefully. He seemed to be contemplating her words, rather than ignoring them.

'What does Kankurou think?' he asked after a few minutes of silence, eyes still fixated on the dancing fire.

Temari was rather content to hear her brother converse with her like this. It was so simple but to her, it was so rare and therefore special.

'I haven't spoken to him yet. He left to gather some firewood and water and food while I tended to your wounds. We haven't had a chance to speak yet.'

More silence. More contemplating. And more watching on Temari's part.

'Hmm. I think you're right,' Gaara said simply. Temari smiled at him once more.

'Ne, Gaara, I should probably change your bandages before we go to sleep tonight,' Temari told him, smile disappearing from her face, yet the warm feeling inside her remained. Gaara nodded at her in response.

'It's the best I can do right now, I'm sorry about that. I'm not a medic so I can't do much els – '

'What you've done is fine enough,' Gaara said in his same monotonous tone, cutting her off. Again, Temari rejoiced in having her brother respond to her so calmly and in a manner that wasn't cold. She'd never had to treat Gaara for any wounds so the situation never came up. But she'd apologised to him before for a meal that wasn't quite right because of a lack of supplies and he hadn't responded. She didn't expect him to commend her and say that she'd done a terrific job or anything, even if she had, but Gaara's words were as good as any other person giving her a higher praise, if not greater.

'Temari,' Gaara said again, breaking her out of her reverie. She looked up from the fan she'd begun to polish as she let her thoughts wander to look at him once more.

'Yes, Gaara?'

'You and Kankurou should sleep tonight,' he said simply. Uncertainty crossed her mind, and apparently her features as well, for Gaara continued on.

'Don't worry. I will be here.'

Temari was more than shocked. Did Gaara suggest that he would protect his siblings? Gaara had said earlier on that he never saw them as siblings in the first place and that he would kill them without a care. Yet his current actions proved otherwise. What exactly had happened in that fight? Gaara seemed to have changed so much since then. He used to speak to them only when he had to, no other time. Gaara never apologised to them for anything and yet he immediately had when they'd retrieved him. Gaara had also never been injured and the Chuunin exams had changed that. Gaara never retreated in battle. He killed as much as he wanted to. Maybe it was his defeat against the blonde that had forced him to call his siblings to retreat. And when they slept, only one would be able to; Temari and Kankurou would take turns in watch. Gaara would wander aimlessly if he wished, and neither really felt safe enough to sleep if no one was watching him.

Gaara had threatened to kill them a few times before as well. And yet, here he was, sitting across from her and suggesting that they both take the rest they need, because he would not anyway. And yet she could see the change in him. Who else would see the change in him first but his siblings? She knew Kankurou would wonder about his apology as well. She knew Kankurou would wonder if he meant it, if it was just a one-off thing. But Gaara was never one for deception. He openly showed his feelings towards a matter – he either didn't like it or didn't care. He had no motive to lull them into a false sense of security.

Temari knew asking Gaara anything would result in nothing at the moment. She was afraid to scare him. She knew she still could in this state. He looked so vulnerable right now, bandaged and broken¸ both in body and it appeared in spirit too. And she wanted to protect him, to care for him and nurture him. Maybe she could ... just not yet.

'Thank you, Gaara,' she said to him with another genuine smile. 'Don't hesitate to wake us if you feel you have something else to do though.'

'No,' Gaara said confidently. 'This is what I have to do tonight.'

He offered no explanation to his actions, and when Kankurou returned and Temari informed him of Gaara's decision, he didn't hide his shock at all. He was grateful, nonetheless, and both allowed themselves to trust. They didn't want to anger Gaara by deceiving him and a small part of each of them wanted to hope.

As promised, Temari changed her brother's bandages before they bade him good night, thanking him once more for taking the watch. They were partially surprised and yet happy to awake the next morning, alive and well. Gaara sat in the same place beside a pile of ash, the sun rising above him whilst they left their tent. Used to only one person sleeping, they only bothered to pack one tent when they travelled, but sharing wasn't completely alien to them. They felt safer a little as well. At least if Gaara had tried to attack them, there'd be two against one, even if they stood little chance.

But they didn't have to worry, they were alive and well. Kankurou would happily go and find some firewood, whilst Temari would go and find some food for them to eat. They were once again surprised when Gaara offered to collect some fresh water for them.

That was the one of the few hopes of her life that had not turned into despair. They'd make it back to Suna by the end of the week, both Temari and Kankurou gaining sleep whilst Gaara stayed watch. They'd even asked him if he wanted to take a turn lying down, even if he couldn't sleep, to rest his mind and senses. He'd accepted once and once only, insisting that they rest to regain their strength the other nights.

Those few days alone with her brothers were some of the happiest memories Temari had. They weren't always laughing and smiling, but she felt safe and content with how they were. And she was happy with how Gaara was. She remembered watching her stars one night and wishing for things to remain as they were.

Temari's thoughts were abruptly halted, however, when a bird snapped at her fingertips. Scowling, she took one look at it before she recognised it as one of the Suna messenger hawks, and one of the fastest at that. Not their best, she knew, but the Kazekage had intended to respond to her with pace.

Sabaku no Temari –

I grant you your request to return to Suna immediately. Report to the Kazekage's office upon arrival.

The Office of the Kazekage

An official letter? With an official seal? And their titles as well? He intended her to show Tsunade, and formally seek her leave. Temari smiled sadly, happy to return home. She immediately sat up from the tree she'd been lazily lying on. Her memories were nice to get lost in sometimes, and she wasn't too fond of making contact with a pole or building because she wasn't paying attention. Or worse yet, running into someone she knew.

She cursed Shikamaru for letting his lazy habits rub off on her but hastily made her way towards the Hokage's office.

Finally, she could go home.

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A/N: Sorry again for taking longer than I said I'd need. I got distracted today Lol

Next chapter: Temari goes home! Yay for her! Lol

Sorry, I'm just tired .

jm