Chapter Eight

Mutual Decision

Temari was fighting fit in the space of a few months, when she went out on missions Kankuro watched the twins. He did it as a personal favor to Temari. He had taken to the twins in spite of himself. Gaara stayed away from them, he knew he shouldn't hate them for the circumstances of their birth. He knew that his hatred was really for Hidan. But he couldn't help himself. He particularly hated Usagi, because she looked exactly like him. He never said so to Temari, but his siblings had long become sensitive to his moods. A necessary survival skill; and even if they hadn't it would be hard to miss the hate radiating from him anyways.

The twins seemed competitive; they often struggled and screamed for the first bottle, for their mother's or uncle's attention, for just about everything. Temari had even sworn that they gave each other hateful looks. Though she told herself that it was just her imagination. Kankuro was intrigued by both, though Jashin gave him the creeps. Neither had questioned Temari on her choice of a name.

Hidan hadn't seen any of them for ages. He had become not exactly quiet, but definitely sulky and a little more subdued. He knew that there was a price on his head placed on him by the Kazekage. But he didn't really give a shit. All he wanted was to see Temari. He realized that out of her absence he had grown to care about her, he hadn't lied when he told Kakuzu that. Hidan was confused and frustrated by all these feelings. He had never loved anything or anyone but Jashin-sama. It was a fucking pain in the ass to miss someone! To love someone! It was then that Hidan made his decision! After all he lived in fear of no one except Jashin. He answered to no one except Jashin! Leader could go blow himself! He walked away from the Akatsuki in broad daylight.

Temari missed him, she somehow felt incomplete without him, but ever the tough kunoichi she masked her feelings and cradled them to her heart. Jashin frightened her with his smug smirks and eyes that promised pain and death. Frightened her even more then Gaara ever had, she was more then prepared to hand over Jashin to Hidan. Who better to care for him then a devout Jashinist? But she knew questions would be raised and no matter how uneasy she felt, her mothering instincts were strong. It was then that Temari made her decision.

"Hey Temari." Kankuro asked, Temari looked up, her eyes dazed from her musings. "Gaara wants to see you in his office." Temari frowned as Kankuro took the twins out of her arms. Kankuro followed her in and turned to leave when Gaara's voice stopped him.

"Stay Kankuro, we need to deal with this as a family." Temari stilled but her face remained impassive.

"We need to deal with what as a family?" Kankuro asked handing Jashin to Temari.

"This." Said Gaara gesturing to the twins and Temari. "You haven't been acting right Temari." Gaara said, "I think…I think it's time for you to talk about what happened, even though it's painful." Gaara was trying hard to be gentle and sympathetic towards her, but he had long forgotten how. Temari understood this, but she had no intention of telling her brothers the truth.

Gaara looked away, the images of what he believed happened were fresh in his mind, driving him to a near blinding rage every night, causing the tanuki to rail with glee. "What did that bastard do to you?" He asked in a voice so chilling it seemed to have stolen the warmth from the air. His eyes began changing and his breathing became raspy as he struggled for control. He suddenly realized that it wasn't the best thing to do and Kankuro took the twins away. Usagi looking contemplative, Jashin looking thrilled.

Temari waited patiently for him to regain control of himself, she knew better then to provoke Gaara in this state. When at last he had calmed down, she told him in an icy voice.

"I'm not going to tell you what happened, even if you ordered me as Kazekage. It's in the past and I've gotten over it and made the best of it." Gaara was shocked at her mulishness. His lips twitched angrily for a moment, ready to call her bluff and order her as Kazekage. But he didn't. He surprised himself by dropping his voice low and pleading.

"I won't order you as Kazekage Temari. I'm asking you as a brother." That almost broke Temari, but she held fast. What would her brothers think if they knew the truth? That she had willingly slept with and fallen in love with the enemy? She knew they wouldn't even consider Stockholm syndrome. Her mind and spirit were too tough to be so easily broken.

Her eyes softened, and she seized the moment.

"Gaara?" She said. He looked at her, "Gaara. I've been thinking lately." She sighed, "I was cutting it pretty close that last mission. We almost got killed by those rogue ninja hiding out in the dunes." Gaara frowned, he didn't like where this was going. "I know that there are a lot of active shinobi parents and I also know that there are a lot of orphans." No, he definitely didn't like where this was going. "Gaara I don't want that to happen to Usagi and Jashin. I want to resign as a shinobi." Gaara nearly face faulted. Nearly. He couldn't believe his ears! But Temari looked serious, she deposited the resignation papers on his desk. "I've already bought a house on the edge of Sand." She explained to him. Gaara grunted in response, he was about to deny her when a sudden thought made him smirk. Well almost. Temari was a fighter! It was in her blood. He'd let her go crazy for a while, and she'd come back for sure. It was a brilliant plan! Temari who had been preparing for a verbal war did face fault when her brother said complacently.

"If that is what you desire sister, then I will grant your wish. You're always welcome to come back and take your place as shinobi if you ever change your mind." Temari gave him a sad smile. She knew that after this she would never be allowed back.

Hidan came for her in the middle of the night, he was going to try and convince her to give up being a Suna nin, and come live with him. He had found an old house in the middle of the woods, far out of range of most of the great nations where he and Temari could live in obscurity. It had taken him most of the day to clean the blood of the old couple who used to live there, set up traps to warn of intruding shinobi and make the place suit his tastes from the money he'd stolen from Kakuzu before he left.

"Temari." He whispered, the kunoichi always on guard whirled around.

"Hidan?" She said shocked.

"I've come to ask you to live with me." He said, Temari raised her eyebrows. "I've given up that shitty job at the Akatsuki!" He said. Temari shoved a hand over his mouth.

"Shh! Not so loud someone might hear you!" She hissed. Then she kissed him.

"I've given up being a Sand ninja." She whispered. Hidan broke into a big smile.

"Let's go now!" He urged. She resisted the urge to punch him through the wall.

"Not now you idiot! That'll look too suspicious!" Hidan frowned and kissed her impatiently, demandingly. Temari enjoyed the kiss, but refused to budge.

"Dammit woman!" He growled angrily "Your too fucking stubborn!" He pouted when she laughed at him.

"I can sense my brothers coming! You have to leave now!" But it was too late for that, they were way too close, so Temari hid him. "Don't say a word!" She hissed angrily. Hidan his chakra effectively.

"Temari. We've come to see how your doing." Said Gaara eyeing the small house with distaste.