Tsunade arrived about ten minutes later.

Ten minutes of tension to the kids in Naruto's house.

Naruto was worried, of course. He sat beside Gaara, who was leaning against the couch pillow, trying not to move his midsection or his shoulder. Even as he tried, sharp pain assaulted his body. They'd had to take off the earlier, clumsier bandaging, so Tsunade wouldn't get suspicious. He tried not to wince or show any pain. He didn't like being in Naruto's house again, knowing someone would see the living proof of his father's abuse. Just the thought filled him with terror and he wanted to go home and hide in the dark. He didn't want to be here. He was scared, but he hid his emotions, trying not to worry Naruto any more than the blond already was.

Ten minutes of arguing.

Temari and Kankuro, of course, with the occasional snap from Naruto, all overseen by the silent Gaara.

"You should've told me-"

"I didn't want you to worry-"

"No, you wanted me to wonder what you were hiding-"

"No one was hiding it, you just didn't notice it-"

"Oh, don't use that excuse again-"

At one point, at the six minute point, Naruto grew too exasperated to bother with them anymore. Instead he focused on Gaara. The redhead was staring straight ahead. His face was dull, but if Naruto looked really close, really deep, he could see a spark of unease. And maybe a hint of fear. Naruto wondered if he'd ever gotten professional medical help before. No way. Maybe he was scared. Naruto had to admit, Tsunade scared him too. He didn't want Tsunade anywhere near his own ribs. Tsunade had once broken Jiraiya's ribs because he'd been- no, Naruto shouldn't think about that. If he did, then it might end up coming out of his mouth and that was the last thing Gaara wanted to here. But man, he didn't like not talking.

He wanted to say something to Gaara, but he wasn't sure what. Sorry? Are you okay? Did you want anything? What would anyone say in his situation?

Maybe staying silent was the best thing, but he didn't want to be quiet. Maybe if he acted like normal, happy Naruto, then Gaara would relax.

He turned his head and looked at Gaara, about to open his mouth and babble.

Gaara's face changed his mind.

Instead of talking, his hand crept across the couch, tentatively grasping the redhead's cold hand. At first, he hesitated, expecting Gaara to pull back, and his fingers were gentle, ready to pull back if it made him uncomfortable. He didn't expect the redhead to respond, only wanting Gaara to know he was there for him. What he expected wasn't what happened. Gaara squeezed back and Naruto responded, reassuringly.

"Hey, is that her car?"

Naruto let go of his hand and tugged it away without thinking.

He didn't notice Gaara's hurt look, but would later curse himself for his thoughtless stupidity.

"All right, what's our story again?" Kankuro asked, watching her park her car. "You practiced a football move on him in the backyard," Temari said curtly, still pumped uo from their argument. "That's it. You take the blame. Just say it was an accident and tease Gaara about how small he is or something. Act like a typical brother, I guess, if you know how." Tsunade swung her door open and swung it shut so hard the slam was audible from inside the house. "Gee, she looks angry," Kankuro cringed.

"She is. She doesn't like me calling her. And she doesn't like me calling her to treat injured friends on weekends unpaid and out of the blue. Would anyone?"

Naruto had to quit talking as Tsunade actually entered the room.

"Gaara?" she said sharply. "What seems to be the problem?"

This was the tricky part. Resisting the urge to look at each other guiltily, they all stood up. Naruto got off his couch and began to pace agitatedly. Temari stood behind Gaara and Kankuro stood beside Tsunade, watching anxiously as Tsunade pulled up his shirt and checked him. What she didn't know, was that the majority of the bruises were around his ribs and shoulder. So while the damage looked very, very bad, it didn't look like someone had used him as a punching bag. The ones that stood alone (there were a lot) were covered with either the cream or the makeup Naruto had found in Jiraiya's bathroom drawer (he would talk to Jiraiya about it, but he couldn't, because, well you know). They could only pray she didn't touch any of it and, if she did, say it was skin cream or suntan lotion.

"I need help."

Naruto refused. He wouldn't help at Gaara's house or here. He just couldn't bear the thought of pulling his friend's shoulder into place. It made him squeamish.

He could only wait upstairs and flinch as he imagined the scene downstairs. Then actually flinch as he heard Gaara cry out sharply from downstairs. Then curse himself for not being there.

When he went down, Temari was repeatedly apologizing to Gaara, who didn't look like he was paying her any attention.

"Geez, shut up, sis, he knows it had to be done," Kankuro said, interrupting Temari's apology midway. "Shut up! It's your fault!" she screamed at him instead.

"Calm down, children. Gaara, don't strain yourself, okay? No strenuous activity. I urge you to remain in bed for the rest of Sunday. In fact, Kankuro, Temari, I'm giving you special homework: make sure he stays in bed for a while. I can contact Guy and get him excused from P.E. Oh, Naruto, you're here, good, I have to talk to you," Tsunade said, voice instantly losing the clipped, medical tone she'd been using, instead becoming business-like and demanding.

Uh-oh. Naruto knew what that voice meant.

"Kitchen. Now."

Temari and Kankuro looked at each other, then at Naruto who looked at both of them, then Tsunade who looked at Naruto, then Temari and Kankuro, then all of them looked at Gaara, who looked at the door.

"Uh-okay," Naruto said. Tsunade nodded and went into the kitchen, turning her back on them. This allowed for a brief, wordless communication by eye only. It was amazing that both Sabaku's could wear identical expressions of panic on two such different faces. Temari and Kankuro didn't know what she was going to say, but they knew it was going to be a problem. Just her tone told them she was going to drop some bomb. She wasn't stupid. She might have seen and/or touched the makeup and or/ cream and guessed what they were hiding and was now going to confront Naruto about it. And say she hadn't? She could tell Gaara had not been simply "tackled" wrong and she wasn't stupid. She could figure it out.

With a heavy heart, Naruto followed Tsunade to the kitchen.

Sorry, it seems rushed... because it was. I managed to update in a day, rather than two days, yippee, now I have to go worry about my exams.

So, um, thanks for coming this far. Hope you know it's going to end soon. This story that is. There will be a sequel. No way I can get everything I want to happen in only a few more chapters.

Nos vemos mas tarde, espero, mis lectores y criticos.

See you later, I hope, my readers and reviewers.