Chapter 10

Matsuri folded her shirt and stuffed it in the bag. Standing up, she looked into the mirror on the dresser and brushed her hair back into a tight bun. Sighing heavily she resumed her packing, throwing a pair of gray pants into the bag. She tried to think about other things…things that would not make her eyes tear up.

She picked up her pace. Going from one end of the room to the other she cleaned.

Temari-san and everyone else are at the Konoha gates getting ready to leave. I'm a bit happy…Temari-san packed before I did. I…can have a little time to myself…I guess.

Matsuri smiled faintly. She walked into the bathroom to gather her hygiene things. Opening the sink cabinet, she took out her toothbrush and other miniscule wash belongings setting them in a small plastic bag. She closed the cabinet, too see her. She looked in the now clean mirror. A small clear liquid formed at the corner of her eyes slipped slowly down her cheeks.

"Ah…? What's this? This type of thing…is really stupid right?" She wiped the tear away only to realize that more came. She blinked repeatedly trying to stop them from falling.

"Stop! Stop! I don't want to cry anymore!" She yelled. Matsuri sank to the floor.

I don't want to cry anymore…I don't want to feel this pain in my chest anymore! I'm tired of crying! Please…stop…I don't want to cry anymore…it hurts too much!

"Why?" She yelled. She pounded her fist on the white tiled floor.

"Why is this happening?! Why did I…fall in love with Gaara-sensei?! Why is Gaara-sensei…hurting so badly?! Why?!" She screamed. Large tears fell from her brown eyes, creating a small puddle on the floor. Matsuri gripped the edge of the bathtub, and cried.

"Ah! Why?! Why?! I don't understand anymore! I don't understand!" Her small body shook with each sob and breath.

"Why…did I fall in love with you?! What is this light in my chest…that hurts so much?!"

--

"Akatsuki sightings have been frequent around the main roads and trade routes. We'll be going off route to reach Suna. I want to…avoid combat wherever possible." Gaara said. Kankuro nodded. They stood outside the Konoha gates, under a blue cloudy sky. Temari looked around nervously.

"Hey, has anyone seen Matsu-,"

"Ah! I'm sorry I'm late! I didn't mean to hold you all up!" The brunette skidded to s stop in front of the older blonde haired girl. Temari sighed.

"I was worried about you, ya' know. You were supposed to be here 15 minutes ago." Matsuri looked at the ground.

"I'm really sorry, Temari-dono, Kankuro-dono, Gaara-sama." Gaara inclined his head, not meeting her eyes. Matsuri felt a pang in her chest, she tried to ignore. Shikamaru grinned.

"Can't worry the devil." Temari cast a glare his way, gripping her fan.

"You want to say that again, you lazy ass coward?" Shikamaru hid behind Hinata mockingly, and shook his head. Hinata smiled.

"I-I hope you all have a safe trip back to Suna! Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taichou are very kind and smart. You are in very good hands!" Gaara nodded.

"Thank you. We must be leaving now." Before Gaara turned away…aqua eyes met blue and an unseen confirmation passed between the two jinchuuriki. Naruto grinned and waved.

Gaara…you're a lot stronger than you look. Please…be careful.

--

Temari frowned as she felt the dense tension between the two parties. She glanced at Gaara. His face was comfortable and calm with little to no negative expression. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or how he was feeling. On the other hand, Matsuri seemed a little down. She had noticed her eyes were red when she met with at the gate.

She had been crying before she came. Matsuri…how are you feeling? You're not your usual happy self…and you're not smiling. How…hurt are you? What exactly are you feeling in your heart?

They continued trudging along in the dense forest watching green and brown flashes go past as they raced from tree to tree. Temari understood too well why Gaara did not want to confront Akatsuki.

He's afraid…he might lose control again. He's trying to steer clear of anything that could jeopardize us…and Suna. Plus…Matsuri is still weak from being in suspension. I just hope we get to Suna without any problems!

Temari looked at her youngest brother, who led the group. His body seemed a little stiff, and his movements rushed. He was far ahead of them and Temari could just make out his frame.

She looked back and saw Matsuri was lagging behind a bit. Temari slowed her pace a bit to match the brown haired girls.

"Oi! Let's rest!" She called out. Gaara raised his hand to let her know he had heard her.

"Ah…thank you Temari-san." Matsuri stood on the branch, gripped the trunk. Her chest had not been feeling good lately but she couldn't guess why. A sharp pain spread from her abdomen to her back. She gasped. Slowly her hands slipped from around the tree trunk.

"Matsuri!" Kakashi yelled. A red flash brushed past and in an instant, Gaara held Matsuri in is arms. Temari noticed…sand swirled lightly around them. They settled down to the forest ground gently. Gaara inclined his head towards a grassy clearing.

"We'll rest for now. Temari could you please make Matsuri a pallet?" Gaara's face fell as he looked at the girl in his arms. His eyes wandered over to were the wound he had inflicted had been in her side. On the outside it was healed, and left no scar. He wondered…what was happening on the inside?

I have hurt you again…Matsuri. I'm sorry…

He walked over to where Temari had laid out to sleeping bags and set Matsuri down gently, brushing the brown hair away from her eyes. The party watched his silent display of affection, with little comment.

"An hour." Gaara said. Kankuro nodded. He stretched out on the ground and covered his face with his head band. Temari sat next to Matsuri and pulled out a book.

Kakashi motioned for Gaara to come to where he and Yamato where at. Gaara observed his face, but couldn't make any specific emotion. He wearily walked over, his eyes never leaving Kakashi's. Gaara sat in the grass next to the two Jounin and pulled out a scroll. He performed hands signs, and the map blew up into a 3D picture in the form of a cube. Multiple landscapes and other geographical features lit up the cube, as it spun around slowly.

"We are here," Gaara touched a space between to valleys. The cube expanded to the point where Gaara had touched it.

"At this pace…it can take us an extra two days to reach Suna…I do not want to take that long. I have…a bad feeling." Yamato stared at the red head boy.

"Feeling? Kazekage-sama…?"

"Is there any way we can pick up the pace? Any other route we can take?" Kakashi motioned west.

"We could always take the back mountain passage. But Matsuri-chan is injured. It would be too much strain on her." Gaara bit his lip.

"I suppose…you are right." Yamato frowned.

"I'm sorry for asking, Kazekage-sama…but could there be something wrong?" Gaara shook his head.

"No…there is nothing wrong. I just feel troubled." Gaara promptly clapped his hands together three times, and the 3D cube map disappeared into the scroll. He stood and looked towards the forest. Something was making him feel uneasy. He couldn't quite place it but something…deep inside his gut told him danger.

--

"Gaara-sama…I'm fine! Really I am!" Matsuri urged. Gaara tightened his grip on her as they ran through the trees. He hoisted her up, slipping his arms under her legs more. She blushed as her chest brushed against his back.

"Stop moving so much. You could fall." Gaara said. Matsuri frowned but nodded in submission. She could feel her heart beating fast and wondered if Gaara could feel it too.

Of course he can feel it…Gaara-sensei…he can feel my heart beating. I wish it were not under these circumstances though! I am being such a burden to Gaara-sensei! It's because of me we are behind…I wish…

Matsuri shook her head of the negative thoughts. How could she help Gaara when she was downing herself? Was not she the one who told Gaara to believe in himself? She smiled, mentally reminding herself that she too needed to grow stronger to protect the ones close to her. She would grow stronger to protect Gaara.

Hues of browns and greens flashed past her as Gaara jumped from branch to branch. She allowed his swift and cautious movements to calm her tense body. A light wind blew causing green leaves to swirl around them.

Temari smiled as she looked at the young duo.

I guess…they'll be ok. I know they will.

Temari fought the urge to snicker as she noticed Gaara's grip tighten under the kunoichi's legs.

Poor boy…haha…

"Oi, Temari!" Kankuro called. Temari glanced towards her brother as he jumped closer to her until they were an arm's width apart.

"What's up?"

"It's about returning to Suna…and the elders…" Temari's eyes widened.

"Kankuro…you had better not forgotten to tell me anything!" She glared at him menacingly. Kankuro gulped.

"Nothing important anyway…but Baki said to be on our guard when we get back. He told me that the elders are always looking for ways to get rid of Gaara, but the people themselves are fond of him. As long as Gaara has the people's favor he's safe…but…"

"But what?" Kankuro frowned.

"Um…its nothing." Temari moved closer to him, closing the distance between them.

"Ahh! Stop! I'll fall!" Kankuro yelled, pushing his irritated older sister away from him.

"What's nothing?!"

"It's nothing really! Nevermind!" He yelled. He sped ahead of her, catching up with Yamato and Kakashi. Temari picked up her pace.

She stared at the sunset ahead of them, thinking and pondering about their return to Suna. What exactly was happening with the elders to make Baki so forward? The last time they had had problems was a little over five years ago when Gaara had been campaigning for the Kazekage position.

Majority of the elders thought Gaara was going to become a dictator…like father. Damn them! Damn them!

"-mari-dono! Temari-dono!" Temari blinked, clearing the thoughts out of her mind. She looked at Yamato who motioned for her to be silent. He inclined he head towards the trees around them. She glanced around and noticed slight movement. She nodded.

"They have us surrounded…I don't think they've noticed that we know of their presence yet." Gaara nodded.

"What are we going to do?" Matsuri asked. Gaara could hear the worry in her voice and racked his mind for best…and safest option.

"We ignore them."

"What?!" Temari exclaimed. Gaara stared at his sister.

"They have been following us for some time now. Don't you think they would have attacked if that's what their orders where?"

"Maybe…"

Gaara nodded, picking up his pace a little faster.

"Let's hurry. They're probably waiting until we reach an open clearing to ambush us. I don't want to give them that chance."

"Oi! What chance are you talking about?!" Out of the corner of her eyes Temari could see a red object hurling towards her. She ducked, and flipped landing on the forest ground. Gaara landed beside her. Matsuri wiggled off his back and grabbed a kunai.

"Gaara-sensei…is that…?" She gasped.

"Deidara…and Hidan of the Akatsuki." Gaara said. Matsuri looked at the red head. She wondered...whether he realized it or not...that his eyes glinted with hunger. It seemed to Matsuri with a hunger so strong it crossed the line of bloodlust. If it crossed that line...Matsuri knew that everything...

"Do as you see fit, Matsuri." Gaara turned to her.

"I will stay back...he is taijutsu type. I know...that is your best skill. But I will provide backup for you." Matsuri nodded.

"Thank you...Gaara-sensei." Gaara bit his lip and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Gaara-sensei?"

"Make it quick."

"I too...will back you up!" Matsuri smiled widely. Gaara's eyes widened at her words. His eyes followed her as she ran head on to meet the assailants. Something he could not understand completely filled his chest...a warmth he had not felt in a long time that only she could give.

She...will back me me up.

For that moment Gaara smiled faintly.

Heya! I am so sorry for the late update! I took a week off for New Years and Christmas I think...and then I got sick with the flu! My stomach was hurting for like five days and I had a high fever. My parents got me to the hospital and so far I'm doing fine. Did I mention I got to see my boyfriend last weekend? He managed to make it to our camp staff reunion even though he lives in TN! I was so happy! Anyway please review! REVIEW! Tell me what you think! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Happy Belated New Year! Oh, because I am still recovering there will only be 1 chapter this week :( I'm sorry everyone!