Cry Over Me

Mira chewed the inside of her cheek as she watched the battle lines nearing Danshoku, incredibly grateful that Yuko was able to get to the village to help Naruto, that Karin was safe and in the shelter with the other children that lived in Danshoku…

And for the man standing next to her, someone she still dared not to reveal her feelings for. No matter what she couldn't take away the happiness he now had.

Still, when Karin had woken up in his arms…

"Daddy!" the little girl cried, hugging Gaara, "You came for me!"

Mira and Haru exchanged a wary glance, both unsure of what to say… how to tell the small girl that her real father had…

"Of course," Gaara had replied, embracing Karin, "I wouldn't let you get hurt."

He looked over at Mira, who mouthed a silent "Thank You."

"They brought reinforcements from Kiri and Kumo," Gaara said quietly, breaking her line of thoughts, "The army from Iwa that joined our cause won't be here for another few days."

She looked over at him, "We need to break up their lines of communications, see if we can draw some of their shinobi to our side," she turned back to look at the few nin that Dyzzi had been able to send, "They all came from different villages, there weren't children born in Danshoku until a little while ago. It's a place of sanctuary, a place to escape the damn world of ninja," her fists clenched, "So I'm grateful that you're helping us fight to keep it a place where we can make it so."

"I want to see how the world without war will be," he said quietly.

She smiled, "It's going to be beautiful," she promised.

"Mira!" Umbra called, "Neji found some more members of the Akatsuki heading this way!"

She ran over to the Hyuuga, "Where?" she asked

"They're closing in on us from that direction," he pointed, "Three of them."

She peered through the bushes, "Umbra, hand me the binoculars," she said quietly, almost recognizing one of the chakra signatures that was approaching.

The purple haired kunoichi handed her the lenses, and Mira looked through them, suddenly turning pale as they fell from her hand.

"What's the matter?" Neji asked, staring at her.

She didn't have to look at Umbra to see the worried gaze, or at Haru to see the eyes widen as she whispered, "It's Kei…"

"Your husband?" Gaara asked, "But he…"

"He was alive the whole time," Haru bit his lip, "Mira was right all along about that."

"There's more isn't there," the Kazekage looked at her, "What happened?"

"He betrayed us," she whispered, playing with the golden ring still on her finger, "It was him that started the experiments that we had believed John to be responsible for… he used us…used me… all this time."

She looked forward, "Lord Kazekage, if you would, please lead the Danshoku army in addition to the Suna. I'll go against the Akatsuki."

"Mira, you…" Haru started, but silenced when she glanced over at him.

"This is my battle, Haru and Umbra, take the other two Akatsuki on. Lee and Neji stay here and watch out for any more news from Danshoku or Dyzzi. There's a chance we'll be getting more reinforcements." She pulled on her gloves, "ANBU Formation 5, Let's go!"

She, Haru, and Umbra disappeared leaving the others in the clearing.

Neji and Lee walked back towards the armies, but Gaara glared at something in the grass, the sand whipped out and picked up the golden band that Mira had thrown down, something he was certain that only he noticed.

"Sand Coffin," he whispered as he crushed the ring, meshing it into the grains of his sand. A small smile formed on his lips as he looked into the forest where he knew Mira to be.

Turning, he returned to his armies, preparing for the war ahead of him.

Haru and Umbra separated from her, each heading to their own battle. Mira landed in a clearing in front of the dark haired man, "Kei."

"Ah, my useless wife. I see you've met my new friends," he smirked at her, "I should thank you. I had no idea that cracked stone was actually worth something, I thought it was like you, a failed experiment."

"Nothing was real then," she flared her fists to prep for the fight, "Did you ever feel anything for me?"

"Of course not. You were a toy that I threw away when I broke it," cold green eyes stared at her, "A game I played to pass the boredom," he laughed as he quickly formed seals, "You've forgotten something little bitch. I control water jutsu, and I have a trump card. You won't be coming back again."

She stepped back as she saw a glowing green stone appear in his hand, Of course he would have one too.

"Watch out!" Phoenix yelped, "That's…"

"Leviathan!" Kei shouted as a long green serpent appeared above him.

Mira launched herself forward, dodging the wave that suddenly appeared, "Hanami Dango!" she yelled directing her punches at him.

He caught it, and spun her, throwing her down, "Still pathetic." he smirked, "This time I'll make sure you sink down so far there's no way to come back.

She glared at him, struggling as she stood, "Is it so easy for you to feel nothing for me?"

There was no emotion on his face as another tsunami rushed towards her.

Suddenly she was calm, the storm of emotions that started when she saw him with Shane and John had disappeared, the ache of loneliness of the five years waiting on his return gone.

Once I did love him. But it wasn't him was it? It was the dream I believed in.

Still, despite all he had done, she couldn't hate him. Because of that dream, she believed in bringing happiness to others. Shane wouldn't have Naruto if it weren't for that, Haru would have been alone, Umbra never would have had the courage to confess to Lee.

Gaara wouldn't have Neji…

It was a beautiful dream while it lasted, but I suppose I had to wake up sooner or later.

Tears formed in her eyes, the last she would cry over Kei, and they weren't even for him, they were for what she had once believed him to be, the family she once had...

Now her family was so much better.

The tsunami closed in on her.

She merely smiled, "Phoenix Dawn," she whispered as white gold wings erupted from her back, the red stone glowing as the water in the massive wave steamed away. She looked at Kei, "Your eidolon isn't as strong as you hoped," she noted as the Leviathan crumbled away into black embers, retreating into the stone.

"Bitch!" he yelled as he rushed her, hands forming seals to his water jutsu.

His attacks merely steamed as they hit the air around her, "Your heart is weak," she said quietly, "You will never be able to call upon the eidolons with such a thing."

"Then how have you mastered one?" he demanded.

"I have defeated you, remove yourself from these lands and never return."

"You can't even kill me!" he laughed, "You're still a weakling who believes in love and friends!"

She looked at him with sad eyes, "No I won't kill you. Even though you did what you did. But I don't consider myself weak for this." she flung her hand out and wires bound him, "You are part of the Akatsuki. The Lady Yaoikage will be needing the information you have."

"You'll get nothing from me," he ignored him, as reinforcements arrived, the interrogation squad took him away to retrieve the information.

The wings faded from her and she turned to head back to the frontlines.