Chapter Nine

Rift

To Gaara's mind, this house was not befitting of his sister or her children. They were family members of the Kazekage past and present. Hidan held his breath as the Puppet nin came too close to his hiding place for comfort. Both men were completely oblivious to the fact that Hidan was right under their noses of course.

Kankuro frowned; "I'm worried about you Tem!" He said with a frown, "This house is at the edge of town. You guys are really vulnerable out here!"

Temari snorted, "Which is exactly why I chose it. They wouldn't expect me to be living so far away. They'd look for me at the Kazekage's mansion."

Kankuro had to concede to her logic, and he also took the moment to bash the priest. "Yeah your right! That dumbass priest couldn't find his ass from a hole in the ground!" Hidan felt his blood begin to boil. He grit his teeth, promising himself the top prize would be worth swallowing his pride.

"All the same, I would feel better if you and the twins came back to live with us." Said Gaara in that slow methodical tone, that grated on the Jashinist's nerves

"Thank you Gaara, but I can handle myself you know." Said Temari, gracing her younger brother with a wistful smile. Hidan scowled, he could practically see that arrogant feline smirk on his wife's face

"Can you?" Asked Gaara, a hint of anger coloring his voice "That's not how I recall it when that lowlife piece of shit kidnapped you the first time." Hidan bit his lower lip to keep from sacrificing that Jashin damned monster then and there! "Calm Hidan, staaaay calm. Don't fuck shit up now." He told himself. Though the hotheaded priest privately admitted he could take a few lessons on keeping a cool head from Temari.

Temari frowned, Hidan could feel her displeasure. But she was a lot better at keeping her temper under wraps then Hidan was. Especially around her brother. She closed her eyes and reminded herself that it was concern not, condescendence in her youngest brother's implication.

She sighed, "I know Gaara." She said quietly, hating every moment of deception. After all, her youngest brother had finally learned to care about other people again. How hurt would he be? How betrayed would he be to know that she was going off to become a missing nin? Though Temari's calm façade hid her inner turmoil, she was becoming sick to her stomach at the very idea of betraying her brothers. Besides, how could she be sure that this relationship wasn't one-sided? Doubt began plaguing her thoughts alongside her guilt, making Temari grimace inwardly. Temari took a deep breath to calm her thoughts, she would sort this out rationally after her brothers left. They moved away from Hidan's hiding spot and into the kitchen.

"HIDAN…." Hidan startled, he had not heard Jashin-sama's voice in a very long time. "YOU LOVE THIS WOMAN?" There was a hint of surprise in the question. Hidan began trembling, sure that he had done something wrong to offend the volatile God but he knew better then to lie to Jashin, so he nodded mutely, lowering his head and cringing like a dog expecting to be beaten by it's angry master. There was a moment of contemplative silence then Jashin-sama spoke to his most loyal servant again. "KILL HER…." Hidan almost let out a cry of shock, but he steeled himself to do Jashin's bidding. "NOW!"

Hidan crept out of his hiding spot, and aimed his pike for Temari's chest! The kunoichi let out a shriek of pain, and collapsed onto the floor and there was an explosion of chakra as Gaara and Kankuro were blasted out of the building.

The dust finally cleared and Kankuro who had come around first was staring mournfully at the mangled body of his sister. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, and he struggled to swallow the growing lump in his throat. Gaara was still unconscious, it had all happened so fast Kankuro couldn't hadn't even seen what had caused the explosion. Gaara was going to be a living nightmare when he woke up, and Kankuro couldn't blame him, even the twins were gone, Kankuro vowed revenge on the Jashinist!

When Temari woke up, she was surprised to find herself very much alive. Hidan was trying desperately to feed both twins and keep his patience. He had to admit to himself that seeing Temari like that had all but ripped his fucking heart out from his chest! But Jashin-sama hadn't led him astray, she would pissed as hell, but she was going to live. Hidan didn't know how to show concern, so he glowered at Temari and said waspishly;

"Bout time you woke up Temari! I need some fucking help here!" They were in the desert, and Temari bit back a pained groan.

"Wh-what happened? Why am I still alive? Where are we?" He snorted

"I was hoping you could fucken tell me that!"

Hidan gloated.

"Jashin-sama saw fit to bestow you with immortality!" He told her gleefully, "Why if he wasn't for Him you wouldn't be alive ri-" But Hidan never got to finish that sentence Temari let loose a feral snarl that would have made the Death God himself tremble in fear and knocked down Hidan, closing her fingers over his throat. At this point Hidan couldn't even speak in that constrictor-like grip!

Temari continued to glower at Hidan long after the priest had passed out. Her only excuse was that Hidan had replaced her with a substitution jutsu! She scanned the night sky, and grabbed the twins. Fortunately she wasn't too far from home, a two hour trip if she ran. Pushing chakra to her feet, she swiftly flew from the scene vowing to never have anything to do with the insane priest again! Jashin-sama gave his twin a hateful glare and his mother a haughty yet perturbed look.

Gaara sat there in the dark, his head was pounding and his heart felt like it was constricting, making it difficult for him to breathe in his grief. It was nearly a full moon, and Shukaku was eager for blood. Kankuro burst into the hospital a relieved smile on the puppet nin's face. Temari looked at her brother, and Gaara for the first time in many years broke down into harsh racking sobs.

When Hidan finally regained consciousness, he was all alone. An icy wind tore at the Priest's cloak and Hidan looked at the wedding ring which dangled off the cool metal rosary and felt tears burning in his eyes, but he forced them back and let out a strangled whimper in the dark. He had fucked up everything! Temari would hate him all his days, and worse then that! He had failed Jashin-sama miserably! He curled up into a ball and fell into a troubled sleep.

Author's Notes:

Aww! Poor Hidan! But whoever said that loved didn't suck sometimes!