No, you're not seeing double. It's the same chapter again. Seems ...ahem ...imadeamistake ...yep. Thanks for the reviewers who pointed out to me that Hiashi and Anko had already had a conversation about her name being on his "list". Hopefully, this fix works. SORRY!

o.o.o.o.o

Gaara stood silent and still as he waited for the obvious to occur to Hanabi. Honestly, he had not appreciated the depth of her temper. He watched her rant and rave and throw up her hands in the air. As Hinata's younger sister, Gaara hadn't been prepared for the virago before him.

Sure the two sisters looked similar. And he'd enjoyed helping Hanabi prank Ibiki, had even been impressed with the deviousness of her mind. Yet, underneath, he'd still expected some modicum of shyness.

Gaara dodged the second vase thrown at his head. He hadn't evaded her initial slap, however. He hadn't even tried, knowing that one to be coming and possibly even deserved. Gaara had not meant to inform Hanabi of the deal he'd made with her father, not yet anyway. In her mind, he supposed, he was acting high handed. He just wondered how long it would take her to realize …

Hanabi picked up a small clay pitcher that one of her Academy friends had made for her. Her friend's mother was a potter, and the pitcher was lovely and well made. It was also hefty enough to become a missile.

Pausing in her rant about the male gender, Hanabi eyed him as a potential target. He was fast, she'd give that much to the …the …. "Oh snap!"

Yep. Gaara mused, there it was. His sand flowed out of his gourd quickly enough to catch and cradle the pitcher as it dropped from her suddenly numb fingers.

"You …you … you're …"

The red-head studied her a moment, even her stammering was different from Hinata, although he'd be hard pressed to explain the difference. "Yes?"

"Y….y…you …"

"Kazekage of Suna." Gaara helped her out. "Guest in your home. Foreign leader. Jounin to your genin. Which is causing you the most distress right now?"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Everyone finally clean?" Shino asked as he sat down next to Kankuro.

The puppeteer eyed the bug-nin suspiciously, but nodded.

"We can't stay here tonight." Shino said quietly, as he eyed his surroundings.

Kankuro shrugged. "I didn't think the girls would stand for it. But Hinata's made friends with some of the …er, locals. We have two rooms upstairs for the night."

Surprised, the Aburame heir stared at the puppeteer. "But this tea house is a brothel."

Kankuro grinned. "I know. Even Hinata knows. But she said it would hurt the tea girl's feelings if we didn't stay tonight. After just getting back in my wife's good graces, I didn't argue with her."

Shino shook his head slowly, his expression hidden as usual.

"Why did you cover up even more of your face?" The puppeteer asked quizzically. "Your expressions were well hidden even without the heavy hood."

The bug ninja sighed and debated on whether or not to answer. It went against his nature to talk about himself, or to give reasons for his actions. Yet …with all good luck, this man would soon be family. A brother-by-marriage. A little openness might be called for. "I bought it shortly after I got Temari's note."

Now it was Kankuro's turn to be surprised. The puppeteer stared at the Leaf shinobi a moment and then sighed dejectedly. "I'm not getting rid of you, am I?"

"Only Temari could do that."

Nodding, the former Sand ninja lounged back in his seat. "Why did my sister break up with you? What did you do?"

Openness was one thing, this was another matter entirely. "I did nothing. I suppose I should have questioned the note further, questioned her in person. It would have saved us both a lot of time and hurt. Still, the reasons for her note are her own."

"You're not going to tell me?" Snarled Kankuro, only to sigh and settle back again as the Aburame refused to respond. "She wouldn't tell me either."

Shino gauged the puppeteer carefully, then hesitantly made a suggestion. "Ask her again, if you really need to know. Just be sure you really need to know. It's highly personaly to her. Temari might let you know now that I know, but then again, she probably won't."

A harsh breath escaped Kankuro as he considered the advice. "It hurts her that badly? And you're not to blame?"

Shino nodded 'yes' to both questions and left the puppeteer to ponder his next move very carefully.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Katashi was working in the old man's garden. He'd grumbled about it of course, but he didn't really mind too much. At least he was out doors and got to eat the lion's share of the produce they were allowed to keep.

The youth looked over at his guards and stifled a sigh. He knew better than to irritate the big bruiser named Aberu. The other man, Wakui, was easier to deal with. Mostly because Wakui slept a lot.

For men that had his protection as their only order, they could be awfully surly. Katashi hadn't cared for either man since that time two summers ago when the old man had fallen and broken his leg.

Now, he was old enough, at seven – nearly eight! – that he might be able to fashion something to affix to his uncle's leg to allow him to walk on it long enough to get home. But at five, he'd been too little and too frightened. When he'd gone to the guards for help, they'd informed him that while Katashi was their concern. The old man was not.

And Aberu had only laughed when Katashi finally broken down and begged him for help. It was then that Wakui had actually offered to help, but only after Katashi had bartered away all of the fish they'd caught as payment.

Some guards they were! Katashi snorted and turned just slightly enough so the men wouldn't notice as he cut loose some early pumpkins. Aberu was carving some wod into something vulgar and wouldn't notice what he was doing. But he needed to hear Wakui's harsh snoring before Katashi could attempt to cart the pumpkin inside.

This was one treat he didn't care to share with anyone except the old man. Well, mostly because his uncle was the one who'd actually cook it. Still, Katashi's mouth was already starting to water.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Hanabi snapped her jaw shut, her eyes turning mutinous.

"You're not thinking of re-starting the Great Ninja War all on your own, are you?" Gaara asked her in a most reasonable voice.

His calmness only managed to grate on her last nerve. "No." She told him rudely, all snarly. "I'm contemplating ways to make your assassination look like natural causes."

"Is it any wonder I might one day court you?" He spoke softly, seemingly unaffected by her harsh tone of voice.

Hanabi gritted her teeth. "I'm taken." She announced.

Gaara's pale-jade eyes widened. "Really?" He asked, suspiciously. "Since your father doesn't know about it, I highly doubt the accuracy of your claim."

The young genin shook her head at him, her nose pointing straight up. "I mean, that my heart is already given. That's something even my father can't dictate. Nor you."

"I can marry you without your heart being in it." He told her bluntly, watching her catch her breath as her own eyes went wide. "Still, I'd prefer not to. I only intend to marry once, that's why I'm not offering for you yet. I think I like you, but you're only thirteen. We have plenty of time to court each other."

Puzzled, Hanabi picked up the pitcher her friend had given her, watching as his sand flowed back into the gourd he carried on his back. She considered throwing it at him, but knew that the heat of her anger had already passed its zenith.

"You don't mind that I love another?" She finally asked as she put the pitcher down on her dresser once more.

Gaara shrugged. "You're thirteen. I do not know the depth of your feelings for this 'other' you mention. But I can hardly expect you to drop everything and fall hopelessly in love with me on the spot. Besides, I don't like girls who do such things."

For a moment, Hanabi wondered if she should throw herself at him, since he didn't like fan girls. Her mouth tightened as she realized she couldn't bring herself to do that. Much as she'd made fun of Hinata's crush on Naruto all these years. At least her sister hadn't acted like Sakura and Ino once had over Uchiha Sasuke.

"So." Her mind racing much faster than her slow words. "What exactly do you want out of this?"

The red-head shrugged. "Well, I could have you thrown into prison for attacking me. I might even have you held until you become old enough to wed."

Alarming as those words were, Hanabi didn't believe them for an instant. "You just become my new Ibiki."

Gaara frowned, letting her think she'd gotten the upper hand. Inwardly he was thrilled. Pranking him might inconvenience him a bit, but he was sure he could handle whatever she came up with. And, having her plotting at getting back at him, meant she'd have to study him. Focus on him.

Little did she know, that by doing this, she was learning about him just as he was getting to know her.

Which is exactly what Gaara wanted.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"Yugao with Neji?" Choked Anko as she stared in wonder over at Hiashi.

The two were dining alone as Hanabi had refused dinner and their guest from Suna had gone out for the evening. Still, there should have been others eating with them, which led Anko to ask about the missing nephew.

"He thinks I'm not aware of it yet." Hiashi grinned smugly. "Actually, I've already met with the woman's grandmother and initiated a marriage contract."

"Isn't that a little fast?" Anko asked with a slight frown. Marriage? Bah. Marriage was for suckers, romantics and those unlucky enough to have to have a legitimate heir. She was none of those things.

Hiashi shook his head in denial. "It's no faster than what Hanabi, and now you, are trying to do to me."

"You're old, anteater. You have less time. Neji is in the prime of his life." Anko said deadpan. "We have to make exceptions for you and hurry it up before you croak."

Now Hiashi choked on his shabu-shabu conger dish. Disturbed, he put his chopsticks down. "Not very nice. Considering who was having to clutch a pillow to her face in order to keep from screaming earlier. Seems the old man still has some life left in him yet."

Anko flashed him a wicked grin as she ate her own food. "Yah. And we have to find someone for you to share that with on a regular basis. Now, Shizune's out as she just got engaged. And Yugao is out too, if you're serious about shackling her to your nephew. Who else was on that list?"

The spiky-haired jounin's mind raced with names and faces, but each name and face seemed …off somehow. All wrong for the Hyuuga. "Fuck. Well, maybe it's good Shizune's out. Bad match."

"Why?" Asked Hiashi cautiously curious. "Not that I for once even considered marrying her. Or anyone else for that matter."

"Too similar." Anko shrugged halfheartedly. She could picture Shizune with Hiashi, and it was a boring picture. "You two would get along swimmingly in the office, and die of the doldrums in bed."

The Hyuuga leader snorted, trying not to grace Anko's comments with an actual laugh. He too was having difficulty picturing Shizune allowing him to tussle with her before dinner. Much less make those delightful noises as her sheath milked him dry. With a start, he realized where his mind was taking him. "No. I'm not getting married again, so the 'list' of women is a moot point." He said, ruthlessly pushing memories of great sex from his mind.

Anko sighed despondently. "Aw, vulture. You take all the fun out of life."

"Vulture?" Hiashi said mildly, then shuddered. "Never mind, I have no desire to know how your evil mind works. Besides, the list Hanabi had was silly. You were even on it."

Chopsticks stopped in midair as Anko's head swiveled abruptly toward him. "You told me that before." She asked, blinking at him. "You were SERIOUS about that? Your kid really added me to your list?" Anko had no delusions about herself. And one thing she'd thought she'd known for certain, she wasn't exactly hot marriage material.

Hiashi grinned at her, he'd seen the shock on her face before she'd shuttered her telltale reaction. He even took some perverse pleasure in her obvious discomfort. "I can't believe you thought I'd lie about it. You were definately on my marriage list. The one Hanabi composed." He pointed out, lest she forget that he hadn't put her name on the dubious list.

"You're making that up." She laughed uncertainly at him, bending back over her food. "The cook here is really, really good."

"Thank you, and yes she is." Hiashi said, waiting until she had a mouthful of food before continuing. "You were the name on the bottom of the list, but you were there."

Anko sputtered slightly, but managed to swallow her food without choking or dropping any of it. "Vulture, you might want to lay off of that. There's no way my name would be on anyone's damn marriage list."

The Hyuuga leader flashed her a knowing look. "You heard me. Your name was the last on the list. There was even a notation next to your name. It said you were too scary."

The eruption, when it came, was spectacular. The spiky-haired jounin's laughter was wild and Hiashi wasn't sure she wasn't going to fall out of her chair. And every time she managed to slow down, she only had to look at him to dissolve into side-splitting laughter once more.

Hiashi groaned. He didn't know what she found so amusing, but he'd wished she'd settle down and tell him. Although it was actually fun to watch her. Anko was a very bright individual. No matter where she went, she tended to draw eyes. Disapproving eyes sometimes, but still, always the center of attention. Except when on a mission. Then, he'd heard, you never would have guessed she was around even as she slit your throat.

Finally, at long last, Anko wound down on the laughter and settled weakly back into her seat. One, two more snorts, and it was done.

"What was it? That you made the list, or that you were scary?" He asked in reference to what had set her off into gales of laughter.

Anko grinned widely, enjoying herself immensely. "No, oh no little bait shrimp. I can't believe you were telling the truth about that! And I can't believe that your daughter thought highly enough of me to include my name. Now, I CAN believe she thought you were far too fragile to be seeing someone as 'scary' as me." Her grin grew exponentially as his frown deepened.

"Now, don't get mad little bait shrimp. She was trying to protect your delicate sensibilities, or maybe even your hot body, from my clutches!" Anko crowed in delight as Hiashi scowled.

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So, who's got guard duty?" Kankuro asked in the hallway outside their rooms.

Temari shrugged. "Don't know. We need a guard though, after what happened today. That missing nin might have friends or allies that we don't know about yet. Perhaps a two-person guard?"

"Unnecessary." Kankuro muttered as a shrill squeal was heard from another room. It was followed by a very masculine laugh. "With these walls, we'd hear an intruder from miles away."

Hinata blushed. When she'd accepted Little Bit's offer of rooms for the night. It hadn't occurred to her that she'd be listening in on the other girls practicing their …profession. "Maybe this w…wasn't such a good id…idea."

Temari chuckled, reading her sister-by-marriage correctly. "No, we can't skip out now. That really would be rude. Besides, I can stay up on guard. There's no way I'm sleeping in one of these beds."

Kankuro grinned down at his seriously blushing wife. It was obvious she hadn't thought about the fact she'd be sleeping on a very well used mattress when she'd accepted the invitation to stay overnight. "Don't worry, Bright Eyes. We'll roll out our sleeping bags on the floor. It'll be fine."

"Bright Eyes?" Shino asked, puzzled as he looked over at Hinata's pale-lilac eyes.

The puppeteer shrugged. "Just trying it out for size. Besides, I like the way she looks at me all bright and eager when we're …. OUCH!" He glared over at the purple-haired kunoichi currently holding a kunai to his back. "Did you draw blood?" He huffed.

Hinata's hand trembled once, then stilled. "N ...Not yet." She warned.

Temari grinned widely. "That's my girl!" She clucked her tongue gently. "Still, being willing to draw blood is enough for tonight. Take my brother to bed before he gets into anymore trouble. I'm on guard."

Shino offered to stay up with her even as Kiba offered to relieve her at midnight.

Kankuro sighed as he rubbed at the spot where his wife had nearly stabbed him. "Kiba needs to rest tonight. I don't think he's fully recovered from the flu. He was looking awfully flushed earlier."

At that reminder, Kiba whistled and looked away as every eye turned to him. "I'm fine." He managed to say, sounding almost normal.

"He looks fine now." Shino said, eyeing his teammate carefully. As much as they squabbled, he did care about the Inuzuka. "Sometimes fevers spike in the early afternoon."

Hinata reached out and felt Kiba's forehead, then shook her head. "Cool. No fever now. But you do look a bit flushed." She told him, sweetly hovering over him.

Kiba shook his head at the predicament he now found himself in. "I'm fine. Not sick at all. I promise."

Temari didn't look convinced. As team leader she needed to know if Kiba was up to the mission. "Kankuro? When was he looking feverish?"

The puppeteer shook his head. "I can't say he was feverish, just that he was all red in the face. Flushed. It was when he was guarding the door for Sunny, here."

"Sunny?" Protested Hinata.

Shino snorted. "Her name means 'toward the sun', that's barely even original."

"Oi. I liked it." Temari nudged Shino with her hip, a slight frown on her lips.

Then all of a sudden, Hinata swayed. Kankuro caught her with a worried frown as the purple-haired kunoichi's usually pale face went stark white. "Hinata?"

Hinata stared at Kiba in horror as she realized that with him so close to her conversation with Little Bit and Mika, that he must have heard every word.

The Inuzuka laughed mockingly, even as everyone else looked worried. Akamaru whined, unsure of exactly what was going on. Some things just didn't translate to the nin-dog very well.

"You …you …." Hinata pointed accusingly at Kiba.

"Heard every word? Every detail?" The dog ninja grinned widely. "Yep."

Kankuro growled, making Akamaru sit up in approval. It had been a very good growl in the nin-dog's opinion.

"Just what did you hear?" Shino asked, not even a little amused and still a bit worried about Hinata.

Kiba shrugged, looking too innocent for the fun sparkling out of his dark eyes. "Oh, it was just the tea girls expressing their thanks to Hinata. Seems, they had some advice for our shy little teammate."

His attention caught, Kankuro's eyes widened as Hinata's pale face shot to completely red in under a minute. "They gave you advice?"

Kiba grinned, rocking back and forth on his heels. Ready to make a run for it if Hinata went for her kunai again. "Actually, Sunny there asked for advice.

Shino stopped cold while Temari choked on a laugh and turned away. Kankuro though, was the most affected. Suddenly, his pants felt waaay too tight.

The Aburame recovered first, shooting a glare at Kiba through his dark glasses. Not that the Inuzuka could tell, or even would have minded. "I'm sure the tea girls didn't give Hinata any advice you weren't already aware of."

Kiba grinned and winked at a horrified Hinata, who trembled with embarrassment. Kankuro wrapped his arms around her from the back and nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. He didn't know what advice his wife had asked about, but he couldn't wait to find out.

"So. Why were you blushing then?" Shino asked his dog nin teammate point blank. "Since you already knew it all."

Kiba shook his head and flushed a bit, lightly around the cheeks. "Aw, I knew about it. So do you, I'm sure. It's just ... Well, I've never heard it discussed quite like that before. From the woman's point of view, I mean. I never knew that women thought about such little details and techniques. I guess I never knew just how much effort went into it." He grinned widely. "I have to say, it was enlightening."

Kankuro leaned down to whisper hoarsely in Hinata's ear. "Well, pumpkin …care to enlighten me?"

Hinata nearly fainted at the thought of actually going through with Little Bit and Mika's suggestions. Much less the idea that the others would know what they were up to in their room. "No!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sorry I didn't update sooner, it's been a long week. And for some reason this chapter was difficult to write.

Let me say this loud and clear. There will be NO lemons or even hints of lemons for Gaara and Hanabi. She's only 13 in this story. I might, MIGHT, do a one-shot or short story about them when this one is done. Depends on if anyone wants to read it. But it will take place when Hanabi is older.

That's not to say there won't be more lemons. This is me. Of course there's going to be citrus in future chapters!

Anyway, as always. I hope you enjoyed. REVIEW please!