Vindicated

Chapter 24: Liberation

(--)Author notes(--)

Tomorrow is Shu's 18th bday. She wants lots of reviews for presents because she loves them.

Oh, special little shout out to Boi gayness obbsesser, who figured out how to review twice so she could yell at me to hurry up

Another note: holy freak I got 31 reviews for the last chapter…and I think most of you hate me now cause of what happened I'M SORRY PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME!

Hinata led George down the hall to where Neji sat on a bench across the hall way from the medical unit. Hinata stood before Neji while George set the tray of tea and light biscuits on the small table next to the bench and stood back, waiting.

"Has there been any word?" Hinata asked.

Neji shook his head, not looking at her, but passed her at the doors across the hall.

Hinata sighed and took a seat next to him. She picked up one of the Japanese style cups and held it for a moment, then held it out for him.

"I'm not thirsty," Neji said, shortly.

"What a shame," Hinata murmured, sipping the tea. "It tastes delicious."

"How can you say that so calmly?" Neji cried staring at her. "Gaara is—"

"Alive and in good hands," she said. "Perhaps I am calm because I do not know him as you do. He is very special to you. But I do not understand, Neji," she said, turning her large white eyes on him, "if you love him…why did you stay so silent?"

Neji hung his head, then leaned back against the wall behind him. "Gaara asked me to," he repeated. "I didn't like it…but I guess I never thought it would go this far…that'd he'd be this hurt…that I…"

"Wouldn't be able to comfort him?" Hinata finished.

"Yeah…now he freaks out every time I come near him," Neji said sadly, staring at the door.

It opened and closed with a soft grinding sound and Hiashi, Hinata's mother, and another man stepped out. Their solemn faces masked their thoughts and what had gone on inside the room. Neji stood hopefully, begging his uncle for some means of good news, while Hinata remained seated behind him, sipping her tea.

"We need to make a few phone calls," Hiashi said, turning with them to walk down the halls. Neji stared after them in disbelief of their ignorance of him, but just before they were a considerable distance from them, Hiashi turned back to him and gave him a stern look. "Neji, do not go in there yet."

"But—"

"No," he ordered, then asked Hinata and George to come with him.

Once they were gone, Neji glanced around then went to the doors and gently put his hand on them, sliding on open just a smidge and peeked in. Then he opened it, just enough so he could squeeze in, and did so.

Gaara was lying on the bed where they had placed him. Neji couldn't see his face or how bad the damage was done, as Gaara had a blanket over him. Quietly as he could, he went up to the bed, but was stopped by a small, quiet, little mouse of a voice.

"I'm sorry, Neji."

"What for?" Neji asked with a small smile. Somehow, hearing Gaara's voice sent a wave of relief washing over him and made him feel better. "It's not your fault. You don't have anything to be sorry for," he added when Gaara didn't say anything, reaching out to touch him.

"No! Don't touch me! Please!" Gaara cried, bringing his arms over his face. As he did, Neji saw his bandaged arms and hands and bit his lip. Flashes of the glass from the mirror sparked in his mind. "Don't touch me! Go away please! I'm sorry!"

"Gaara! It's ok! It's me, I'm not gonna hurt you!" Neji insisted, looking worried.

"No, Neji please! Please don't touch me!" Gaara was trying to move away from him, but it visibly hurt him to move. Neji didn't understand why he was that desperate to get away from him. Did Kankurou have the same trouble?

"But…Gaara—"

"Neji!" Hiashi said, sweeping into the room. "I told you not to come in here yet!"

"How can you tell me that?" Neji cried as Hiashi took his arm and began dragging him out.

"Neji, I need to talk to you."

"No!" Neji cried, straining against his uncle's grip. "I want to stay with Gaara! He needs me! Let me go!" Neji's eyes darted wildly back to Gaara, but the red head was facing away from him now.

Hiashi pulled him out and shut the doors behind them. "Neji, you have to understand what happen before you can even think of going in there," he told him.

"His father hurt him again! I know that! Now let me go in!"

"Rape, Neji."

Neji stopped and stared at his uncle, not sure if he heard him right. "What?"

"He was raped," his uncle repeated, not looking at him. "From what we've learned, his father and his friends made sport of him the entire evening. Neji, I know you've learned about this in school. You must understand what he's going through and why he doesn't want you to see him."

Neji stared at him, almost unable to grasp it. Slowly, he sat down in the chair and stared at the floor. His stomach hurt worse then it had on Saturday. His heart hurt like someone had ripped it out and stomped on it. Gaara was his. No one else's. His. Someone hurt him in a way that made Gaara afraid to be his. Neji didn't know what to do or think. He just wanted to hold him again, but Gaara didn't want to see him.

"W—where's Kankurou?"

"We don't know yet," Hiashi replied. "We're trying to find him and Temari. They both are missing."

"Ojisan…please…I can't take it. I can't stand seeing him like that… Please let me go see Gaara."

"After you get a hold of yourself," Hiashi said, taking both of Neji's shoulders. "Franticness will not help Gaara."

"Hiashi-sama! We found him."

Hiashi gave then a curt nod and stood straighter. He placed a hand on Neji's head, giving him a reassuring smile before turning and following the other Hyuga down the hallway.

Kankurou stared at the ceiling from where he lay on his cot. It was late, way past midnight, but he couldn't sleep. He was angry and worried. Itachi had tricked him and got his revenge. Now he couldn't see his siblings, couldn't help them if they got hurt. Gaara was with Neji though, but Temari was at a party. What if something happened and she needed to call him? They had taken his cell phone away. Gaara would panic if he came home and Kankurou wasn't there.

He sat up suddenly as he heard voices speaking out by the counter. He had heard his name. There were two guards out there, but he heard three voices. One he recognized.

What was he doing here?

The door opened, but Gaara didn't turn towards it. He didn't want anyone to see him, but he couldn't muster the strength to hide under the covers or to tell them he wanted to be alone.

No, he didn't. He didn't want to be alone; he wanted to be with Kankurou. He wanted his brother and sister to be here. Hiashi had told him he would bring them to him, but he wanted them now. He wanted to be with Neji, but he was scared. If Neji knew how disgusting and dirty he was…He didn't think he could handle that kind of rejection from him. Neji would hate him if he knew. He would tell him how disgusting he was and Gaara would become nothing. He would die.

The bed shifted as someone got on the bed next to him just like they had last week. Gentle arms wrapped around him and a head rest on his small shoulders with a sigh. Gaara whimpered and turned his head as far away as he could, no strength to do anything else.

"You forgot," the voice next to him said softly.

"F—forgot?"

"'I love you. No matter what happens or what anyone says. Don't you dare forget', remember?"

Gaara gasped then squeezed his eyes shut, a big tear sliding down his cheek. Neji leaned in and kissed it away, then gently turned Gaara's head around and gently kiss his trembling lips. Gaara whimpered again and turned his face, breaking the kiss.

"I'm dirty, Neji, don't kiss me…" he pleaded. "I've always been dirty and I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" Neji asked, reaching out and gently brushing hair off Gaara's bruised face. He paused for a moment then looked Gaara in the eyes. "This has happened before?"

Gaara nodded slightly, unable to look away from Neji's gaze. He felt bare before him. Like Neji could read everything about him and see every secret. Did he want to hide secrets from him? No…but he didn't want Neji to hate him because of them.

"When?"

"B—before w—we came h—here."

"You're father?"

"And…school…" he added, barely audible.

"What?"

"S—someone at m—my old school."

"Some one you use to date?" Neji asked, keeping his expression still and his eyes unmoving.

Gaara stared at him, eyes wide. "H—how did…you…?"

"A guess, I'm sorry," Neji said. "What happened?" he asked, then shook his head. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"H—he was really nice to me at—at first…but then…he started w—wanting to do more…h—he taught me how to—to kiss…'n' stuff…He told me I had too cause that's what people do…but I—I didn't want to and he said he'd leave if I didn't and I didn't want him t—to…then he wasn't nice anymore and—and I—I didn't w—wanna…do that, but he told me I—I had to…then I said I didn't want to—to be with him anymore, and he told everyone at school about my scars."

"That was when Kankurou got expelled, wasn't it?" Neji asked, some pieces coming together. Kankurou's past voice echoed in his mind.

Flashback

"Kids use to take advantage of that…and advantage of him, like I said. He'd never tell us what though, but we use to get a lot of calls home about Gaara getting bullied or getting in 'fights'. When we'd ask him if something bad happened, he'd always answer with the same reply."

"No nothing bad, don't worry about it."

"The last 'friend' Gaara had made fun of him in front of like the whole school and embarrassed him real bad. I found out and beat that PUNK ASS KID INTO THE GROUND!"

End Flashback

"But he doesn't know, does he? He just thought you were friends."

Gaara nodded and finally looked away. "I—I didn't want him to—to tell me not to be with him…cause I—I liked him," he mumbled.

"Even though he hurt you?" Neji asked quietly, running his fingers along Gaara's hair line, brushing more away.

"I—I…I don't…I don't know…"

"It's okay," Neji said quietly.

"…I'm sorry…" Gaara murmured desperately.

Neji leaned down and kissed him lightly, letting his hands roam gently as they had on Saturday. Gaara shivered nervously at his touch, but Neji didn't go any further. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. I won't make you do anything you don't want to do. I love you…that wont change, ok?"

"I don't…I don't want to get you dirty too…"

Neji kissed his forehead and smiled down at him, finding his bandaged hand and holding it tight. "Then I'd better start cleaning you up, right?"

Gaara stared at him, then burst into happy tears of joy, flinging his arms around Neji's neck. Neji hugged him back, gently rocking him back and forth.

"I'm here to discuss the release options of a young man brought here in the evening for the dealing of drugs."

"Are you a relative?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, visiting hours for none relatives don't start until tomorrow at ten. Sir, it's two in the morning."

"I am aware of the time," Hiashi said nodding. "However, that is only one reason I am here, and Kankurou is greatly tied into this. I'd like to report the physical, emotional and sexual abuse of a boy who is Kankurou's younger brother."

The officers behind the counter sat up straighter and gave him their full attention. "Sir, we take child abuse very serious around here," they told him. "This is a serious accusation that must come with proof. Such as…marks on the child or..."

"Gaara is currently staying at my house where he is recovering from sexual assault from earlier this evening. He is very shy and self conscious and do not want to force him to expose himself. Please allow me to speak to Kankurou. I believe he may be able to give more proof then I, though I have seen enough myself to believe."

Hiashi spent the next two hours interrogating Kankurou with the police listening behind a glass wall with a tape recorder. At first, Kankurou had been unwilling to talk, but Hiashi informed him that Gaara was now being held in the safety of the Hyuga estate, Kankurou gave in and told Hiashi the truth. He even showed Hiashi and the police some of his own old scars from the results of his own abuse. The officers took all they saw and heard down and began filing out the warrant for the arrest.

"Sirs, I have one more question," Hiashi said when they were finished. "Kankurou is a minor and will be for another two months. May he be allowed to stay under house arrest, with a police escort at my place until his court order is filed? Right now, his brother doesn't know where he is and he needs him."

"Why? What happened to Gaara?" Kankurou asked, sitting up, his eyes wide.

"Gaara never came to Neji's game last night," Hiashi said, closing his eyes. "He was…detained."

"'Detained?'" Kankurou asked frowning. "Something happened didn't it? What did he do to Gaara?"

Hiashi slowly stood and acted as though he were about to pace the room, but stopped. "When I got to the house, Gaara was in a state of delusion and was mentally unstable."

"W—what happened?" Kankurou asked, quietly, his voice shaking slightly in worry.

Hiashi sighed, obviously not wanting to be the one who informed Kankurou of this. "You father…and his friends made sexual sport of Gaara last night," he said quietly. "Neji and I arrived at the house before Gaara could harm himself, but a lot of damage had already been done."

"He—he raped him?" Kankurou cried, jumping up. "Oh, my god," he breathed out and fell back onto his chair, the strength in his legs leaving him. He chewed on his thumb nail for a minute then hung his head in his hands, his breath shaky.

"We cannot do anything about releasing him until his first hearing," the police told Hiashi, breaking the tight silence that deafened them all.

"I understand," Hiashi said nodding. He pulled out a piece of folded notebook paper and handed it to them. "These are the license plate numbers of their father and of the three men who aided him in harming Gaara," he told them. As Kankurou looked up, in slight surprise and minor awe he added, "Hanabi saw them and wrote them down."

Kankurou would have laughed at Hanabi's aid, but his thoughts were solely on his brother. His thoughts were already starting to haunt him, tearing at his soul as he thought of ways this could have been avoided. Things he should have done; shouldn't have done. Tears formed in his eyes as he could hear his brother calling his name, begging for help and reprieve from his pain, but Kankurou couldn't hear him. He didn't help him.

That begging voice would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Kankurou?"

He didn't look up to meet any of their gazes. He wanted nothing more at that moment then to hurt himself. Cut himself open until he made penance for all his foolish and stupid decisions that led to the undeserved pains of his brother, but it would never be enough. He wanted to see him. But how could he face the voice that he didn't answer to? Someone placed a hand on his shoulder, but he flung his arms out, knocking them away.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, holding his head again.

"Kankurou, you are blaming yourself for something that you couldn't control," someone said. He didn't know who. He didn't care. They were wrong. It was his fault.

"You can call your brother if you want to," someone was saying.

"No," he choked out. "I can't talk to him…I can't!"

Hiashi looked down at the suffering teen and sighed. Turning he walked towards the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. "I must go now. I need to find—"

"Where's Temari?" Kankurou asked suddenly, as though he read his mind.

"We don't know," Hiashi answered. "But we will find out, and I promise to inform you when we do find her. She will be at my house with Gaara, when you feel ready to speak to them." And he left, striding out of the building, deep in thought, leaving Kankurou in a state of depression he couldn't pull him out of.

Check again…

Breathing. Good. Chest rising and falling. Up, down, up, down. Sleeping. Even better. Dreaming. What was he dreaming? He had a smile on his face. A real smile. A real smile. Was it a nice dream? Or was his beautiful face just stuck even in his unconsciousness on the joy he was feeling? Neji didn't care. Gaara was smiling a real smile.

Neji always wanted to see it.

A small sigh escaped Gaara's lips and he snuggled into the warm body he already had his arms around, clinging to him as though he was afraid he would leave him. Neji held him closer and gently stroked his hair, pulling the thick quilt his aunt had brought around them tighter. It was late, nearly three in the morning, but he wasn't tired. He had school in a few hours, but he didn't care. He could stay home, or he might go for only part of the day. Gaara would tell him to go to school while silently wanting him to stay. He was somewhat sleepy, but how could he sleep when he could watch Gaara do it instead?

His aunt had given Gaara a special tea made out of herbs she, herself, grew and dried. It relieved his pain, while also calming his mind, allowing him to sleep peacefully with out the aid of drugs. She didn't believe in that kind of medicine and only resorted to it when her herbal practice could not cure, which was rare. Neji figured Gaara would be out for a few hours or so with the help of the tea, but might sleep on his own afterwards.

The door to the room slid open quietly and some one stepped in. They weren't trying to be silent, but the gift of soft footing gave away the person who owned it.

"Hinata, come on the other side, I can't turn around, I'll wake him up," Neji said, never looking away from Gaara's face. When she was standing on the other side of the bed, visible beyond Gaara's sleeping form, Neji finally looked up. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I have work to do," Hinata said calmly.

"You could at least change; you gotta be uncomfortable in that getup."

Hinata glanced down at her clothes. Black pants, cover from the knees down with shiny high heeled boots, a black sleeveless coat that grew in length as it went around her. Black gloves that came past her elbows completed the outfit. "There is nothing wrong with my outfit."

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable in like…pajama's or something?" Neji asked, being careful to not move a muscle.

"I have been working," she said shortly. "I have matched the license plate numbers to their owners and I have also found Gaara's older sister."

"Really?" Neji asked, looking slightly relieved. "Where is she?"

"At the moment, she's at the hospital about twenty minutes from the school," Hinata replied. "She was in a very bad car accident. She is also very intoxicated, but is alive and recovering."

"She was drunk?" Neji asked, in surprise. Temari's smiling face came into his mind. She didn't seem like the type to drink.

"I do not know her story," Hinata replied, sitting calmly in a chair by the bed. "I have called Daddy's car and left a message with George. He will most likely bring Temari here."

"Where did ojisan go?"

"To speak to Kankurou."

"Where was Kankurou?"

"In jail."

"What!" Neji cried then, his eyes darted down to Gaara, fearing he might have woken him. Gaara hadn't moved though, save for when Neji's sat up a little. "What do you mean he's in jail?" he demanded in a hushed whisper.

"Kankurou was arrested earlier in the evening for dealing drugs," Hinata replied.

"Damn…" Neji muttered.

"Neji, mom wants you to go to bed," Hinata told him, after a few minutes of silence.

"I'll sleep here," Neji said, frowning slightly.

"That is what you told her earlier, but you haven't slept at all."

"Stalker."

"You won't help Gaara by being so tired when he wakes up. It's better to sleep while he's sleeping, then sleep when he's awake and have him be alone."

Neji flinched and looked down at the sleeping boy. What she said was true, but how could he leave him? He just got him back. And the fact that Gaara was clinging to him for dear life wasn't going to help the situation either. He did want to go to sleep, but Gaara looked so pretty lying there, how could he miss it?

The door opened again and his aunt swished into the room. "Neji-kun, I demand that you go to bed. I will explain to Gaara where you are when he wakes up," she said, going over to the bed.

"But—"

"No buts, let go of Gaara," she commanded, gently prying the small thin arms off of her nephew so he could get up off the bed.

Neji stretched, his back cracking soundly from the lack of movement. He stood there, unwilling to leave until Hinata took his arm and pulled him out of the room. He walked with his eyes looking over his shoulder, silently apologizing to him. He couldn't help feeling like he was abandoning him.

A few hours later, around six in the morning, Neji stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen for breakfast. He looked enviously at Hinata who was already awake and dressed for school as though she had slept for hours. Hanabi was unusually quiet that morning as she munched on her muffins and sipped her milk, casting small glances at the older Hyugas around her.

His aunt turned at smiled at him, then she gasped. "Why are you out of bed?" she cried.

Neji blinked sleepily. Didn't he have school today? But then he realized she was looking passed him and turn around, startled to see Gaara standing in the doorway, leaning against it for support.

"I—I have to go to school," Gaara said quietly, gripping the door post, shaking slightly. It hurt to move.

"No!" she cried, sweeping passed her two girls and nephew. "No! You are not going to school! You are going to go back to bed! You're still not well!"

"N—no! I—I have to! I can't m—miss any more days, I'll fail! And then I—I'll in t—trouble!" Gaara insisted. "I n—need to get dressed. W—where are my clothes?"

"No, you are staying here!" she insisted, wagging a finger at him. "You will stay here and sleep and eat as much food as you want. And watch TV and play games and wait for Neji to come home from school. Understand?"

Gaara shrunk away from her and nodded, staring at the floor. Kind as her scolding was, it was still scolding and he was afraid she would yell at him. Or tell him to get out of her house and never come back. He loved this house. He never wanted to leave. Neji stumbled over to him and gave him a sleepy smile, his head tilting to the side. Gaara looked up at him, nervousness and worry on his face. He almost thought what had happened was a dream. Neji didn't really say those things last night did he? He didn't really forgive him for being such a horrible person. No one could be that forgiving could they?

"Good morning," Neji said, quietly, reaching out to touch his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

Gaara blinked a few times and let his eyes dart around nervously. "Y—yes…" he whispered.

"Good," Neji replied smiling, wider. He put his arm around Gaara's shoulders and pulled him into a warm embrace. Gaara went ridged, slowly relaxed as he began to realize that yes, someone could be that forgiving. Neji still loved him.

Milky white walls ceiling, dark stained wood walls. Everything in the traditional Japanese style. The Hyuga house was an interesting place to be in; he'd do anything to be able to live in a place like this. However, Gaara was bored. He had already memorized the wood panels and the paint textures on the ceiling. Now he had nothing to do. He was alone in his thoughts and memories. Temari was somewhere in the house. Mrs. Hyuga told him so. Somewhere. Somewhere safe. Where was safe? Why couldn't he see here?

Mrs. Hyuga had expected him to sleep, so she hadn't left him with anything to do or read. Sleep? How could he sleep? If he fell asleep, his father would come and take him away. If he closed his eyes just for a minute, he would travel back in time and have to go through the thing that nearly tore him away from reality for ever.

The house was very quiet. Everyone was at work, school, or going about their business elsewhere. Neji had taken him to this room and sat with him until he had to go to school. Gaara found out that morning that he liked getting his stomach rubbed when Neji rubbed his stomach to calm him down. He hadn't wanted Neji to leave him, nearly going into a panic attack at the thought of Neji leaving him. But Neji had sat with him and whispered to him, rubbing his stomach until he calmed down. Mrs. Hyuga would come in and check on him periodically, but other then that he was alone. She wasn't supposed to come check on him for another while.

Slowly and painfully he sat up. His body hurt everywhere. He was sore. Very sore. Mrs. Hyuga said his arm was almost better, but everywhere else wasn't healing as fast as they could have, they still hurt horribly. He slipped his bare feet onto the floor, wrapping the blankets around his bare body, blushing at his nakedness. The Hyuga's had left a kimono made out of smooth silk like material for him when they moved him, it had been what he had found and worn on his journey to the kitchen. The medicines and aloe that was tenderly spread on him by Neji's aunt forbid him to wear anything while lying in bed.

Blushing darkly in shame, though no one was there to see him, he limped over to the hanging material and slipped it on, trying the sash around his waist. He liked the feel of the material and the swishing sound it make when he moved his arms.

Holding onto the wall or walking as slow as possible, he stepped out into the hallway like he had that morning and made his was down the hall. As he did, he realized the house wasn't as quiet as his room had made it to be.

Was that the wind? Was a window open somewhere and making that horribly sad crying noises? Was it a person? Who could be that sad? Why were they crying?

With these questions floating in his head, he continued his slow, painful journey down the hallway to where he was sure the crying was coming from. His paranoid mind made him glance back over his shoulder to look wildly at the dark hallway behind him. He was so sure he kept hearing foot falls. The same ones that kept him awake at night. The same one's that scared him so much that he'd wake Kankurou up at night if he heard them. The foot falls would have a face, and the face had a voice. It would yell and scold him for being the worthless, stupid, ugly boy he was. The familiar words of his father were starting to loose their razor edge, though he didn't notice it. He was beginning to understand that Neji thought he was worth the world. Neji thought he was a genius. Neji thought he was beautiful. Neji loved him. No one came behind him. The foot falls were his imagination that disappeared at the thought of Neji's words of 'I love you'. So simple, yet so powerful.

He was there. It wasn't the wind, someone was really crying and it was coming from behind the closed door he was standing in front of. He tried to open the door, but his fingers were weak and he had no strength left. Leaning against the wall, panting slightly in his efforts, he knocked gently, hoping for a reply.

Inside the crying was stifled and a sobbing voice, laced with emotional agony cried out, "Go away!"

Startled, Gaara forced strength into his fingers and pried the sliding door open just enough to peek inside the pitch black room. "T—Temari?" he asked, his voice quavering.

The sobbing stopped completely and was replaced with sad and scared sniffing. "Gaara?"

Ignoring his screaming body, Gaara shoved into the room and ran over to the bed, throwing his arms around his sister. Temari held him close, almost sobbing again in relief, but she stopped herself. She didn't want Gaara to see her tears.

"Temari…why were you crying?" he asked, tilting his head up to see her face. The room was dark, hiding her face, but the light from the open door reflected in her shiny eyes and damp face. She closed her eyes as he reached up to wipe them away with the sleeve of his kimono, then looked at her expectantly.

"I didn't know where you were," she said, placing a hand in his hands. "I just woke up and I don't know how I got here, or where I am…and head hurts really bad."

"Neji's uncle brought you here from…well I don't know where, but we're at Neji's house," Gaara told her. "I heard you crying…I thought it was the wind."

Temari was quiet after he spoke. Gaara didn't know it, but she suddenly was remembering why she hurting, not just in her head, but the rest of herself as well.

"Temari?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you have bandages on you?" Gaara's small voice, riddled with curiosity questioned her as though he read her thoughts. She felt his small and ridiculously thin fingers touch her face, moving to her lip where she herself had felt stitches earlier. They moves up to her forehead and found another bandage wrapped around her head. By the time they got that far, his hands were shaking. Temari took them gently, but they didn't stop. "A—are you…h—hurt?"

"I'm fine, it's ok," she said calmly.

"N—no you're n—not! You're hurt! H—how d—did you…g—get—"

"Gaara it's ok, calm down," Temari cooed quietly. "I was in a car accident last night…that's all I remember, ok?"

"All you remember?"

"I…I don't remember what I was doing before," she lied. She didn't want Gaara to know about that. She gently rubbed his shaking hands. "You're all bandaged up too," she said. "What happened to your hands?"

"I—I cut them o—on some glass…"

"Gaara!"

Gaara jumped and darted back into her arms, only hearing the yell, not the tone. It was Neji's aunt. He had disobeyed and left the room. Now he was in trouble and she was going to yell at him. Temari looked down at him in surprise and loosely wrapped her arms around him as the door opened and a dark silhouette stepped in.

"Oh, there you are," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You shouldn't be walking around, you'll hurt yourself more."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I—I heard s—someone….I'm sorry," he stammered out, squeezing his eyes shut, expecting some sort of punishment.

"It's ok, honey, I just didn't know where you were," she said, placing a hand on his arm, ignoring the fact that he flinched at her touch. "Why did you leave the room? You're supposed to be sleeping!"

Temari silenced Gaara's stream of stammering responses with a gentle hand over his mouth and brought him back to bury his face in her stomach. "He heard me crying and came to see who it was," she told her. "He didn't want to sleep."

The woman closed her large white eyes as she sighed slightly. "I was afraid you wouldn't," she said. "But Temari needs to rest herself, would you like to come into the main building with me?"

Gaara peeked out at her then looked up at his sister. She smiled and nodded encouragingly, so he reluctantly backed away from her and shyly took the Hyuga's out stretched hand and followed her out, turning to look back at his sister who blew him a kiss before the door shut behind them.