WARNING: Chapter contains alcohol abuse. It is ONLY used to create tension in the story. I do not condone the use of alcohol in such a manner nor do I condone under aged drinking of any sort. DO NOT get any ideas people! If you ever do encounter problems with substance abuse please call the proper authorities in your location (I speak, or in this case write, this warning due to personal experience from a close relative). I will apologize in advance if the use of such a substance offends anyone because it isn't my intention. After that serious warning, please enjoy and review!

Chapter 21: New Perspective

Sunagakure

Temari knocked on Gaara's office door.

"Come in."

Temari opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Any word on Kankuro or Chieko?"

"Nothing yet."

"Are you sure it was wise to send him in the state he's been in?"

"It's fine Temari, don't worry about it."

"I wish you'd tell me this plan of yours."

'Focus on your work and I'll focus on mine."

Temari huffed, not satisfied with his answer and walked away. Gaara sighed in relief to be alone again. Though, he did have to side with Temari's concern. It had been around 2 weeks since Kankuro arrived in the leaf and there was no work on him, Chieko, Tsunade, or the deal. Although Chieko was given as much time as she needed to make a decision, it was preferable that she'd choose on one soon. An idea sparked in his mind and he took out a paper and pencil and had the fastest bird in the Sand summoned to send a message to the Leaf.

Konohagakure

"Good work Sai. Just fix the grammatical error in this so we can seal it."

"Of course Miss Chieko."

Chieko returned to the work she was doing when the door to the division opened. She paid no mind to it until Kakashi called out her name.

"Chieko, it's Kankuro."

Chieko froze and carefully placed her materials down before going to Kankuro. As she got up from her chair she miscalculated the area above her knee and hit it with the desk very hard while trying to get up, causing her to fall to the ground and hit her head on the desk.

"FUCK!" She yelled out, causing everyone to look over at her in surprise. No one has ever heard such profanity come from her (the obvious exception being Kankuro). Kankuro ran to her (since everyone else seemed so shocked to hear a word from her) to help her up.

"Chieko are you okay?" Kankuro asked as he put his hand behind her head. Her eyes were shut tightly from the impact. This was just not her day. In the morning she fell off her bed, tripped in the leg of a chair, and managed to trip going up the stairs on her way to work. It was safe to say she'd had her share of injuries for the week.

"I-I'm fine. My head just hurts a little."

Kankuro sighed, knowing she wouldn't tell him how much pain she was really in. Chieko was too nervous around his presence since that night. She didn't know how to react to his unorthodox confession and just found refuge in being a nervous wreck that couldn't even hold his gaze. She talked to him and all, she just stuttered and couldn't face him properly.

"Lady Tsunade called us into her office. She has a message from Gaara." Kankuro informed. Chieko nodded and slowly lifted herself up.

"Just finish up your stuff and go home. I don't know how long this'll take." Chieko ordered before leaving. Shikamaru sighed.

"What a drag. She acts like we're behind some sort of schedule or something. I'd say we're way ahead of whatever Lady Tsunade had planned."

Kankuro and Chieko stood in front of Tsunade as she read the letter to herself. When she finished her gaze went immediately to Chieko.

"I trust you've been thinking about the proposal?" Tsunade asked her.

"Of course ma'am. I just have a lot on my mind to think about. There's a lot that has to be taken into consideration for a decision like this."

"Of course. It seems Gaara would've liked an answer from you already. Naturally I'd like one soon too but I know it hasn't been easy for you. I'm giving you a week's vacation to think about it. If by the end of the week you haven't decided, the Kazekage has asked that you stay for another 5 months in which time Kankuro will leave and come back for your answer after that time."

Tsunade handed the letter to the Sand shinobi as they read it.

"Understood." They replied before returning to the apartment. Kankuro was about to storm off to his room like the first time Chieko was told she'd be staying but he was stopped by Chieko grabbing his wrist.

"Don't do it again, please." She kept her gaze down casted, but it was the first time in the past two weeks where she didn't stutter when speaking to him. "You always do that. Whenever you hear something you don't like you just leave into your own little world. I know it's how you come and all, but please don't do that now." She pleaded.

"I don't get it. Why are you thinking of this? I thought it'd be a no brainer for you. So why does it take you so long to make a decision. Even if it's a good opportunity and all that stuff, don't you miss it back home?"

"I do, but you don't understand."

"Then help me to."

"You know I was always the center of people's jokes. Frankly you were one of them."

Kankuro groaned. He was guilty on that part.

"Here I'm not someone to play pranks on or laugh at when she hits her head. I'm respected for my work. It's what I've always wanted back home, and here it's the way I want it. She said honestly.

Kankuro was angry, but he understood her. There were constant rumors about her in the Sand about how she supposedly killed her teammates and how she was a double spy for the other villages and she couldn't be trusted, not to mention all the pranks the villagers played. Though she never showed it, it was emotionally exhausting for her.

In Konoha, everyone respected her and admired her work. She was accepted by everyone and no one dared to ridicule her. She was Tsunade's best decision according to Tenten. Everyone in Konoha loved her. She was never one for attention, she just wanted to be seen for what she was worth.

He had to give in and understand why she was talking so long to reach a decision. He could never spend more than half a day being angry at her. She did something to him that made him want her to be happy, or something along those lines.

"I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. I understand." He said. Chieko looked up to him and smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. He returned a faint smile, placing his hand above hers on his face. He felt like crap for thinking the way he did without thinking through Chieko's perspective.

"It's okay. I forgive you." But that was only a small portion of the problem. Since she first kissed Kankuro, she'd felt something, but she denied herself that feeling, not wanting to have another person walk out on her and too scared to venture off on some sort of journey with him. She was at war with herself, wishing Kankuro would leave her alone, but wanting him to stay with her. She knew she couldn't ask him to stay here with her, she had to choose one or the other because he had an important place in Sunagakure.

Kankuro knew her mind must be swimming with thoughts. With this 1 week time period, she didn't know what to do, because if she didn't decide, she had a feeling Gaara would extend her stay for more than 5 more months, eventually stationing her in Konoha. She needed a new pair of eyes.

"Kankuro, I have to go to Hinata's. I forgot to ask her about the information she was working on. I don't know how long I'll take, but I'll be back before dinner."

"Yeah, that's cool."

Chieko left the complex and towards the Hyuga compound at the beginning but ended up going to the Aburame estate. Though she was fairly close with Hinata, she preferred talking about difficult topics with Shino because he got straight to the point (and didn't stutter). She couldn't tell this to Kankuro because he'd throw a fit (he just confessed to her a few week ago…) knowing she was going to a male's house.

Thankfully, Shino was at the front porch looking at the plants in the garden (or at the bugs on them).

"Did something happen with Lady Tsunade?" Shino began, feeling her presence. Chieko sighed and sat on the porch with her face in her hands.

"I have a week off to think of whether I'd like to stay or go. The Kazekage wants an answer."

"And what happens if you're undecided?"

"I stay for another 5 months and decide then. Kankuro will leave during that time and return afterwards to relay my decision to Gaara."

"I didn't asked about Kankuro. What's the problem with him?"

"He doesn't understand why I want to stay. I mean I want to go back, but I like working here."

"What do you like about Konoha?"

"It's everything I ever wanted to accomplish basically. I do something for the village and everyone respects me for what I do, not what I am. But I just feel so empty. Even if I'm surrounded by all of you, I feel like something's missing."

"And what do you like about Suna?"

"Not much really. I'm always teased and thought of as a traitor because of who my birthparents were. But, I just feel more at home as weird as that sounds. And I feel, something, that keeps puling me back home. It's like I there's something need to do there."

"So you prefer working in Konoha, but like living in Suna. You should figure out what's more important to you. You can't spend your time coming to and from the two villages. It'll be counterproductive to you and those around you. Everyone just wants to see you enjoy what you do and be happy. We can't be angry for whatever you choose. We may get saddened, but the reassurance that you made the right decision for yourself is reassurance that you're alright. I'm sure Kankuro would be pleased too."

"Doubt it. Whenever I discuss staying here he gets all angry and shuts himself out."

"Maybe that's because he knows you know how he feels, but doesn't know how you feel about him. I believe he still doesn't have things clear enough and is trying to fully comprehend everything which is why he gets angry. As bad as this sounds, you're a problem to him, and you'll stay a problem until you tell him how you feel."

"That's just it, I don't know how I feel."

"Can I ask a personal question?"

"You may."

"When did you decide you'd be better off alone? You never let people get close to you unless you have good reason. For example, I help you think about things that bother you, which is why you get along with me better than Kakashi sensei, whom you barely talk to. Why can't you be friends or more with someone just because?"

"… I just… I just don't want to feel deceived again. I don't want to have any relationship with anyone if they're just going to use me for their entertainment or leave in the end."

"Don't do to others what you don't want to be done to yourself. Don't you think that not telling Kankuro how you feel is the same as deceiving him? You make him wait and believe there is hope for the two of you in the future when that's not your case. I'm not saying you should reject his feelings, because I don't know what you feel for him. But think about yours and give him an honest answer."

Chieko sighed. Even if she hated it sometimes, Shino was ALWAYS right. Even doing research, he was always right. Even if she didn't like it, she was grateful for it. It helped her understand many things during her stay in Konoha.

"Thank you Shino."

"Any time."

Chieko went back to the apartment. She was a bit startled to see all the blinds and curtains drawn. 'That's weird. There's still plenty of light outside, and Kankuro hates it when the blinds are drawn.' She walked cautiously to the light switch that illuminated the kitchen. There were two pots on the stove. Still warm. She assumed they were Kankuro's doing.

"Hey Kankuro I'm back." She said aloud. She didn't hear anything. "Kankuro? Are you here?" She walked cautiously to the sliding door and opened up the curtains. The sun was beginning to set. Chieko went to check Kankuro's room. He wasn't there. 'Maybe he went out.' She thought as she went into her room. She turned on the lights.

She almost screamed when she saw Kankuro sitting back on the floor with his back resting on the bedside passed out. There was a bottle on his hands that looked like the one she'd drink from when she went out (on the very rare occasions) with Kakashi and the other jonin (ninja world, idk what the legal drinking age is, but for the sake of it not being illegal, let's go with the English system and say 18; age of Chieko and Kankuro).

She grabbed the bottle from his hand, careful not to wake him, and sniffed it. Her suspicions were correct. She returned to the kitchen and saw more bottles around the garbage bin. This had to be a habit he must have picked up in Suna. 'But for just how long?' She would've just left him there, but that didn't feel right to her. She sighed and went to her rom, ready to wire wrap him if it were necessary. She crouched down and leaned into his ear.

"Kankuro." She began softly. He didn't budge. She shook his shoulder. Nothing.

"Hey lazy butt, come one wake up." She said still shaking his shoulders. He still didn't even groan. He was beginning to worry her. She went back to the kitchen. 'Just how much did he dri-?' She looked at the bottles and counted more than 12. From the smell, he could tell it was nothing like beer. True Ninja have a much higher drinking tolerance, but even they had limits. She rushed back to her room and laid him out on his side to feel his heartbeat. It was there, but very faint. His breathing wasn't right either.

"Damn it." She cursed as she made a few hand signs.

"Time style distance travel jutsu." In a few seconds Chieko and Kankuro were in the entrance of the hospital. Luck for them, Sakura was there as well. She immediately spotted them and ran towards them along with three other nurses.

"Chieko! What happened?!" She began to activate her medical ninjutsu.

"I got home and saw him passed out by my bed. I went to the kitchen and I saw a bunch of bottles similar to the ones Kakashi drinks from at the bar!"

"Just how many were there?"

"More than 12!"

"This isn't good. His heart rate is low. Alright. Chieko, stay here. I'll come get you when I finish with him. The rest of you, get a bed and set up an IV. Let's take him to OR 4. We'll clean out his circulatory system from the blood. We don't have much time. Let's go!" Sakura barked orders and everyone got to work. Chieko sat in the waiting area fidgeting. Tsunade had to be informed on this s well as Gaara. All her plans were put on standby. And there was no way she'd be getting any rest the next day or so.