I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 11: Relocation

Sakura appeared in front of her house just in time to see the translocation hexagram being completed. Sakura looked up to see each of her helpers drawing symbols with their blood at the point of each of the five pinnacles. There was only one point left…the pinnacle where each corner met at the top of her home. She nodded at Anko, who smiled at her. Before she could disappear, Anko walked over to her.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sakura? You could just as easily give your blood…the magic will work just as well with only a few drops." Sakura knew what Anko was thinking, but she also knew something Anko didn't. Something was going to try and stand in their way because it wanted her out here, far from help. It had made it nearly impossible to find a suitable place near where she was going to go school.

"Anko…there are forces at work that don't want this to happen. I have to give up something precious to me and it's not going to be Evie. Besides, I'm too vain over this mass of dead skin particles." Anko knew she was trying to be brave, but the one thing that helped Sakura feel connected to her family was the wealth of hair she possessed. Anko nodded and went back to her point. Sakura jumped to the top of the house, where the five points met and made the space weak. Sakura could feel things trying to get through, but she took control of the potential portal. She took out a ceremonial dagger and cut her hand. She then used her bloody hand to wrap her hair into a bundle. She chanted something and then sliced through her hair.

She could hear the resounding shriek as her request for the relocation was granted by higher powers. She knew that whatever was after her was not pleased by this. For a second, she wondered if the presence was even in her dimension. She shook it off and drew the final seal to start the relocation spell on her own body. She stood there as the seals started glowing. In one second, the house and everything in and around it was gone.

Gaara wrapped his hand with a cloth and waited for the others who had helped to do the same. They were all transported to the new location of the house. Gaara looked up in time to see Sakura faint and start to fall. He appeared beside her, holding her bridal style. He looked at her and noticed that her hair had been cut. He noticed her bloody hand and knew that Sakura had made double damn sure that no one could track the transport. He smiled at how intelligent that move had been.

He also knew that her hair was precious to her. For her to cut it…something had to have spooked her. He frowned and appeared beside Anko, who clucked at the younger woman and shook her head. "Always the paranoid one. But, she is the sensitive in this…so I guess if there was something trying to prevent this, she would know." Gaara gave her a curious look and Anko sighed, explaining what Sakura had told her. Gaara's eyes narrowed and he looked down at the pale woman in his arms.

He was about to pursue it when Aiko appeared. She was looking around alertly. Gaara saw her stiffen and a low rumbling, like a growl, started in her chest. "Something seeks to track us. I must destroy it while it is still in the 'Tween'." Gaara knew of the 'Tween' space, which was the limbo between two dimensions. Few could travel there and survive, but with Aiko's lineage, she could very well do what she was speaking of.

Aiko disappeared, much to his annoyance. Suddenly, all the jinchuuriki winced, confusing the humans. They felt and heard nothing. Not liking being in the dark, they looked at Gaara for explanation. It was Sakura who answered them when she bolted up in Gaara's arms. "Demons!" she exclaimed and disappeared. Gaara followed, traits of his inner demon leaking through to the surface.

The jinchuuriki growled as the last of the demons fell. They'd sought to enter the human realm when they'd felt the power of the relocation spell. Gaara looked over at Sakura, who had glowing amethyst eyes. She was still looking around, as if she felt like they were being watched. She touched Aiko, who nodded and they both disappeared. All the other jinchuuriki did as well, coming out of the 'Tween' right above Sakura's house. Gaara watched from the roof as Sakura looked Aiko over, making sure no harm had come to the younger girl.

He watched as Tsunade walked over to them as well and he noticed the walls go up in Sakura's eyes. Despite Tsunade's reasons, Sakura was hurt by the knowledge that her sister had hidden something from her. And Gaara could see it, plain as day. Which meant so could Tsunade. Sakura murmured something and then just disappeared. Gaara could see the sadness in Tsunade's eyes and jumped down right beside her. He looked at her as she looked up at the room that was surely Sakura's.

"You hurt her by not telling her about your fiancé." He stated, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at her. She glared over at him, but the glare died a premature death when he didn't flinch.

"You think I don't know that, Sabaku? I know it hurt her. But I couldn't put her in danger by knowing that I am engaged. She would never understand." Tsunade's voice was low and sad, making Gaara feel slightly sad for her. It was Aiko that spoke then.

"He's the half brother of the man who killed your clan. Of course Sakura would never understand your reasoning. But I do." Aiko smiled up at Tsunade, who nodded and thanked her. Gaara regarded the blonde for a moment before looking over at Tsunade's fiancé.

"You mean he is Orochimaru's brother?" He asked, noticing how Tsunade's head snapped up, her hazel eyes blazing.

"Don't you ever say his name again. Not ever! He killed them…every last one of them! And he tried to take Sakura from me as well!" Gaara stared her down, not in the least intimidated by her.

"You should not assume to know his circumstances when you did not even give him the benefit of the doubt when you caught him at the café with what you thought was a woman." His voice was low, accusing. He noticed her flinch and Aiko looked at him. He stood there, his eyes narrowed on the woman. "He loved you…almost to the point of obsession. He did everything he knew to get you to forgive him, but you wouldn't even talk to him when you saw him there at the café. You were looking for a reason to distance yourself and when you saw that thin, black haired person with him who slapped him in a feminine manner, you never stopped to consider his side of the story. So don't stand there and act self righteous when you haven't a clue what you put him through." He then turned and walked away, leaving a very confused, very hurt Tsunade standing there.

He stopped and looked at the girl who had started following him as he'd headed to where he knew Sakura to be. He noticed her staring at him, her eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you tell her? Why didn't you tell her that Orochimaru was framed? Why didn't you tell her about the journal?" He narrowed his eyes on her and turned, his body tense.

"Because Sakura doesn't want her to know yet. She will tell her sister the truth when the time is right. However, condemning an innocent man has never sat well with me. I have been accused of much in my life, and I have always taken credit for the things I have been responsible for, good or bad. But I have also been accused of things I have not done and I will not ever abide by someone defacing the name of someone innocent of the crimes they are accused of." He then turned and walked off, leaving Aiko there to think things over.