Author's note:
I do not own the characters, world, or show which inspired this story. Those belong to Kishimoto.
Hotaru, Hideaki, Satoru-sensei, Chieko, Kenta, Maoko, and Reona (Mother) are all my invention.

Chap 9: A Quiet Resolution

The breakfast and the consequent weeks of uninjured, healthy, living daughters did little to assuage her fears. However, she could not dispute the fact that Hotaru may have some power over the Gaara monster, as she considered him, and began to hold her peace.

During the month, missions came and went. Maoko was gone for several days out of the week, mostly on C-class missions involving simple escorts and scouting. Chieko was busy with her Academy and training, hoping to surpass her sisters but still worshiping the ground Hotaru walked on.

Hotaru spent most of her time training with Sotaru and Kenta, for the strong one had been considered too volatile for work and was told to take a month's break. When she didn't spar with her team, she was at the hospital training as a medic and aiding the injured, and training her sister.

Her schedule was so full, that she didn't have much time for herself. However, those few times she stole away for herself, she spent on the roofs, looking up at the sky. She didn't need to train there anymore, yet she felt drawn to them. If she had taken the time to examine herself, she would have discovered her true motives, and it was not solitude. But she did not, being quite young and not given to introspection.

It had been about a week since she had last seen Gaara, and despite the warning he had given her a year ago, she spent most of her times up there at night. The cloudless night was dotted with stars and the moon was only a small crescent, almost at the horizon. As in most deserts, the night was cold and the air stirred with a gentle breeze.

"There is nothing quite as pretty as the stars," Gaara suddenly said beside her. She did not hear him approach. "Even when I was lost, I loved looking at them."

"Yes," she replied with a wide grin that she could not explain.
"How have you been?"
"OK, I guess. Mostly practicing. It's been boring now that we have to wait for Hideaki to get over his mental breakdown. We asked Sotaru-sensei for a replacement team member but he said we should wait a little longer. I just want to go on some missions," she whined.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"My siblings and I have been gathering information. We are simply taking a small break. I leave again in the morning," he replied.
"Oh, that's too bad." she said.
"Why?" He asked.
"I don't know. I thought you would like to hang out or something..." she didn't know quite what to say and suddenly felt a great deal of embarrassment.
"That sounds nice, but we must watch the Sound. Our intelligence points to them moving against Konoha quite soon."
"Why?" She asked.
"It seems that Konoha has something of value," was all the information he offered. "Also, revenge."
There was a long pause of silence. She didn't know quite what to say.
I wonder if he's bored, she thought nervously.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked at last, trying to break the quiet.
"I was just wondering about that day," he mused.
"What day?"
"The day when we first met at the rooftop. You said you wouldn't leave me, why?" he asked.
"I... remembered something. My first memory of you was when I was six. We were playing ball and you were at the swing-sett all alone. One of the boys, I think it was Hideaki funny enough, kicked the ball on to the roof. You tried to retrieve it for us, but we all ran in fear," she explained softly.
"To be honest, I'm not quite sure why I said it. I just remembered you asking us to stay...and you looked so upset when we left. You tried so desperately to keep us there, even using your sand...I," but then stopped when after noticing that he now stood with his back to her.
"Oh, I didn't mean to insult you, I'm sorry," she apologized.
"I am not angry," he replied. "Thank you," he continued. "I will be visiting you and your family when I get back."
He turned and gave her a small smile before leaving.