Hinata was screaming. Tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hinata wake up it's just a dream! It's just a dream! He can't get you here! WAKE UP!" Tenten shouted shaking her as hard as she could. Hinata finally woke up and clutched Tenten around the waist as if her life depended on it.

"It's all right. I'm here. No one can hurt you here. It okay. Deep breaths. Shhh" Tenten soothed rocking her. Hinata just clung on. He eyes huge and unblinking. This was the 8th night in a row that she had woken up screaming. Always the same dream. Tenten just continued to sooth her the best she could. But it didn't always help.

"I'm going to go get some tea. Okay? I'll be back soon" she said slowly. As if she was a child. Hinata just nodded and leaned back onto her huge silky pillows, still taking deep breaths. Hinata looked out the window. Looking at the black sky trying to find the moon. But she couldn't because it wasn't there. Everything looked so dark and menacing without it. Don't think about such things! She scolded herself.

She was exhausted, because of the nightmares she didn't want to close her eyes so she just stared at the tapestry on the wall she did when she was 7. It was a badger surrounded by talk blue green grass. It was curled up as if sleeping but its eyes were wide awake. She remember watching some gardeners finding a badger hole in the garden and looking down into it. She had even sworn that at one point she had seen a small black nose as the edge of the hole sniffing. She had been so curious at the time to meet the badger that she jumped down the hole and tried to crawl through before the governess lifted her up scolding her for getting her dress dirty.

Twink!

A sharp noise dragged her from her childhood memories back to her dark room. She looked round trying to find the source of the noise.

Twink! Twank! Twink!

It was coming from the window. She was about to call Tenten before a thought struck her. What if it was Gaara? She hadn't told Tenten that Gaara told her he would find her instead of her trying to find him. To removed herself from her bed. The first time in a week that didn't concern her going to the bathroom or having a bath. She fumbled with the window lock. Normally it would not have been a problem but it was suddenly a challenge for her week feeble hands. Once she opened it a gust of sharp cold wind attacked her. Shivering she looked down. There was no one there. Confused she leaned out further trying to get a good look. But still there was no one there. She came back in shaking from the cold and was about to close the window before a shape came plummeting from above. She fell backwards in slight shock onto the floor. Standing up she saw a pair of very pale very white hands clutching her window sill.

The person heaved themselves up, hand jumped neatly and quietly into the room. Gaara looked up and smiled. Well it was more like a twitch of the corner of his mouth but Hinata was still overjoyed. She beamed back, rushed forwards and hugged him. She froze as he tensed and looked up making sure that she didn't do something wrong. He was looking at her sadly and his eyes looked as if he were in pain.

"Hinata" He said quietly "You're so thin" He sated as his hands came around her waist. Pulling her close.

"I've not been well" she whispered back. Hinata gave out a small yelp as he picked her up bridal style.

"If you're unwell you should be in bed sleeping." He said as he pulled the duvet over her small frail body.

"I can't" HE just looked at her for a very long time.

"Why?" Though Hinata was sure he knew the answer.

"I have horrible nightmares" She admitted weekly.

"Jiraiya can't get you here. He doesn't have the experience I do to get in and" He looked at her again. Surveying her before saying. "And he's dead"

"D-d-dead?" She stuttered.

"Yes. He won't come back for you. Ever." Hinata started to cry.

"D-did you k-kill him?" She asked. Gaara looked confused and more than a little worried.

"Yes. Yes I did." She started to sob miserable. If Gaara hadn't had years of experience of keeping his face blank and his emotions under control he would be demanding why she was crying! He thought she hated the man!

"T-thank y-you" Hinata saw the look of relief on his face as he let go of the breath he had been holding.

"Now you should get to sleep. You look awful. Not sleeping is depriving your body from repairing its self." He started to tuck her in but she grabbed his hand making him look at her.

"Please don't leave" She begged. He had only just come back. He just nodded. He lay down on top of the covers and put his arms around her rubbing her back soothingly. Hinata loved it when Gaara held her. She felt safe warm and loved. They just stared into each others faces. Soon her eyes began to droop and her whole body relax as she placed her head on his chest. What a nice chest. She thought to herself cheekily. And just before she drifted off to sleep she realized. I've only met him twice and I'm willing to share my bed with him. What would Neji say? Hinata pictured Neji's face and laughed then everything went black.

Gaara brushed a hair away from her face. She looked so white and sickly. She had seen corpses with better colour. And when she hugged him she was like a skeleton. He could feel and see almost all the bones in her body, and when he lifted her up her weight was non existent. He cuddled her closer stroking her now sick and bland hair with his hand.

It had taking him two days to figure out how to get up to her room without anyone noticing. It had been easy really. Everyone expects someone to climb directly up to her window from below but no not Gaara. Gaara had climbed up the small shed at the back of the manor on top of the roof and then walked to Hinata's window. Easy enough. Gaara sighed. He didn't know why people insisted on so many guards patrolling the grounds when they should be up high on a balcony or on the roof.

Hinata's bedroom door opened and a girl came in. She was relatively small with two brown buns on either side of her head but she wasn't dressed in her nightgown but a plain brown day dress. How unusual. She was carrying a tray with a cup of tea on it. She placed the tray down and was turning to leave. She obviously hadn't seen him. Or so he thought. Gaara saw her hand slip into one of her pockets giving him move than enough time to dodge the knife she threw at him. He quickly untangled himself from Hinata and walked forwards. Only 5 yards away from the girl.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly yet dangerously for a girl. Especially one living in the Hyuga mansion.

"I think you already know" If she didn't he would be in trouble. But he trusted Hinata to have told her. But his instinct told him this was Hinata's friends Tenten. She had told him about her. One of the only people who were not Hyuga on the estate. That would explain the courage and her knife which she threw straight and true as if she had had lots of practise.

"I do" She replied simply and at that moment he knew that they were going to understand and maybe even like each other. Gaara didn't like riddles he preferred a straight forward answer. "Bur she didn't mention you visiting" Gaara raised a non existent eye-brow.

"I see" They stood in silence for a minute having somewhat of a staring competition. Well he was staring, she was glaring.

"Do you have any ide-" Hinata started thrashing around on the bed whimpering. All the anger Tenten had vanished as she run forwards and tried to calm her down.

"It's okay Hinata! Everything is fine it's-" Gaara stepped around Tenten and started to rub Hinata's back. Tenten looked at him with wide eyes as Hinata fell silent back into a deep slumber.

"I would recommend" Gaara started not looking at the still goggling maid "That you go down the small tea shop to the left of the town Inn and buy Chiyo's special tea. It will calm her down and make her sleep better."

"But-"

"I would also recommend that you don't tell anyone about Hinata's event and keep my visits a secret."

"I wasn't going to tell them!" She hissed. "And what took you so long?!" Gaara was confused.

"What?"

"I thought you might want to see her again. That's why I didn't lock the window" Gaara smirked. It would take far more that a locked window to keep him away. When Gaara didn't answer Tenten said "Why wait a week!? What were you doing?!"

"You will find that the horse that got stolen from Hinata is in its stable. You may also find that the next time Hinata goes out she will not be harmed or taxed or anything. I have insured that nothing can or will happen." Instead of looking relieved Tenten looked livid.

"Thief!!" she hissed "You're a Thief!!"

"I am only one thief. There are plenty more out there but yes I am one none the less."

"Yes but you're the head thief!! Hinata can not be dragged into your troubles! I won't allow it!" Gaara looked up straight into her eyes glaring as his anger started to boil up.

"I have no intention" he said through gritted teeth "To involve her in anything!! And I do not care whether you allow it or not. I will always be able to see Hinata and you are not going to stop me!"

"I wasn't going to stop you. I would simply tell Hinata the truth."

"And I'm lying am I?"

"No. You are just hiding things from her." Gaara just turned his attention to Hinata. He gazed at her face as she tucked her in. "And I know that you won't lie to her." Tenten said quietly. The two preformed a silent truce. Neither of them was going to hurt each other especially since Hinata was now involved. Whether she liked it or not.