Thanks for the reviews n_n and props to the flamer for giving me a good laugh.

Disclaimer: If you want it, go back to chapter 1 for it

Chapter 2

Moments later the boy unceremoniously dumped the girl near a large oasis further into the desert and watched as she slowly picked herself up, cautiously touching herself to make sure that everything was where it should be and unfastening a thin veil that covered the lower part of her face. "Where are we?" She asked softly, setting her eyes on the nearly albino boy leaning against a crooked tree, who in turn, graced her answer with a shrug and looked away, watching the wind playing with dust devils in the late afternoon sunlight.

A sigh escaped her as she pushed herself to her feet and began removing some of the layers of fabric that threatened to suffocate in the dry desert heat, noticing that he looked over in momentary alarm before looking away again, a tiny smirk graced her lips for a moment until a jolt of pain chased it away. The remnants of a severe beating still lingered on her arms and back, visible now that she had removed the thick sleeves of her tunic, along with the remaining wounds were old scars and pale skin, a clear indication that she was far from desert born as most people were who lived there.

"Will you give me your name so that I may thank you?" She asked looking back at him, trying to break the uncomfortable silence, then wishing she hadn't asked as his eyes rolled onto her, nearly impaling her with their gaze. "If you want my name then you should give yours first." He replied in a slow deadpan, watching as she paled slightly, then bowed her head to him, "Jade." She said, looking up expectantly. "Gaara." Though it was a name, it sounded more like a growl to her ears and she bowed her head again respectfully, "Thank you, for helping me, is there any way I can repay you?" She asked, watching something flicker behind his eyes as she spoke, feeling a slight twinge of regret at the offer she had given. His icy eyes darkened as he watched her, realizing that his name had no meaning to her.

The sand in his gourd shifted as a voice spoke in the back of his mind, "iLet me kill her./i" It whispered demandingly, eager for more blood again for it's own greedy purposes. "Not yet." He thought back, hoping to placate his inner daemon for the time being if she were promised to him for later. "iRemember that./i" The voice hissed and the boy nearly gave a visable sigh of relief as he felt the weight of the presence recede for the moment.

He pushed himself off the tree and moved toward her, watching as her eyes widened slightly, but still remained without a trace of fear in them, curiosity filled their dark blue-grey depths as he walked around her once, looking for something. "You're not shinobi?" He asked, unable to keep a hint of curiosity of his own from entering his tone, she shook her head, sending tinted black and violet hair swaying from where it was tied in a proud arch, "If I was, I could have defended myself." She said bitterly, clutching her arms defensively and wincing when she hit a sore spot, he gave a nod and stared at her for a moment longer, keeping her gaze as sand spilled from the gourd on his back.

A slight smirk graced his lips and her brows quirked, wondering what was going on inside his mind as he began to advance upon her, sending her backwards carefully, noting her confidant movements even when being threatened. A tree blocked her from moving any further as she watched him as he took a final step, crossing his arms over his chest and stopping only inches away from her. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?" He half growled smugly as a tendril of sand traced along her neck like a snake and she looked down at it in a confused alarm, "No I don't." She retorted, looking back up at him from under furrowed eyebrows as her hands clasped the tree, captured by sand that pulled her arms back, leaving her defenseless. He gave a snort and dropped his arms to hang at his sides as he stared at her, met by unexpected defiance and a willingness to die that nearly caused him to take a step back.

A moment later he walked away and her hands were released as she glared at him, slightly breathless from the close proximity he had been in and the intensity with which he had been staring at her. "Come." He said over his shoulder to her and continued to walk as she cast a look around and jogged to catch up, knowing death at his hands would proove far better than a long slow death in the desert.

She walked slightly behind him as the sun set, flooding the sky with color for a breif period of time until the sun had completely set, leaving them bathed in the silvery light of a half-filled moon, for long time she stared at the moon and stars, barely noticing when he stopped and turned to face her as she tripped over her own feet to keep from plowing into him. "We stop here tonight." He growled and sat where he had stood, unbuckling the straps that crossed his shoulders and allowing the gourd to rest behind him on the sand as he leaned against it. She cast her gaze around and moved a few feet away from him, removing a scarf from around her waist and folded it up as she sat and rested her head on it, looking over at his closed eyes and stiff posture, wondering about the dark circles that ringed his sunken eyes. "Oyasumi." She whispered before turning away from him and closing her eyes, one of his eyes shot open and remained fixed on her half curious, half with cold intensity as he gave a soft snort and closed his eye again, meditating instead of sleeping.

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Slightly longer yes, I'm just hoping I kept him mostly IC n_n;; Lemme know how I'm doing and if I should continue