I still don't own Naruto...but if I ever did, I'd be sure to tell you.

The moment the door snapped shut behind the Kazes, Hotaru flopped back against her pillow, wondering if it would be worth whatever consequences to simply just go back to sleep. Giving a deep, self pitying sigh, she got up, stretched, and quickly got ready to go down to the Kazekage's office. She'd be damned if she was going to be that unprofessional the first time she had an actual boss.

Walking down the hall, her skin crawled at the feeling of all eyes turning to look at her, a stranger in the headquarters of the country's best, and most dangerous, ninja. Standing tall, she swung open the door and stepped into the office.

Gaara and Tsunade were in the same seats she had seen them in the day before. Both looked up at her as she snapped the door shut behind her. She took a few steps closer to the table, but remained standing. "You wished to speak to me?"

Tsunade shifted some papers aside. "Have a seat. We will try not to take too long. Gaara agreed to let you have the rest of the day off to rest up after this."

Hotaru took the proffered seat. "Thanks, but that won't be necessary. My body is awake; it would be quite impossible to settle down enough to sleep now."

"In that case, there is no need to rush. There are several things you need to be briefed about so that you can be better prepared to protect the Kazekage."

Hotaru smirked internally at the Kazekage's twitch of irritation. He obviously couldn't stand the idea he was to have a guard around him almost constantly. She flicked her eyes back to the Hokage. "Go on."

Being at leisure, the conversation went on quite a while. Tsunade better informed Hotaru of what Akatsuki was, and their plan to gain more power for reasons that continuously remained unknown. She then went on to describe a condensed and somewhat glossed over retelling of Orochimaru and his actions to achieve his goals. Finally she came to a point where she needed to know what Hotaru knew before she could continue. Gaara was only willing to have this information disclosed if the bounty hunter was already aware. "What do you know of Gaara's abilities? Of him in general?"

Hotaru's eyes darted to the young man, the powerful leader who was her boss and new responsibility. She let out a deep breath. "Most of what I know of him is what I heard while traveling here these past few weeks. In all honesty, I've tried to keep contact with authority to a minimum. Both sides of the law regard us hunters with distrust. Anyways, I know that he controls sand, and that he has a gourd with..." she frowned, trying to find the right phrasing, "special sand, that can protect him from most harm. Which makes me wonder why, with that and plenty of ninjas, I'm needed. I also have heard rumors that-" Hotaru cast a look at Gaara. His eyes were cold in his otherwise emotionless face. Tsunade prompted her to continue. Hotaru dropped her gaze from those icy green eyes. "I've heard that he is possessed by some sort of spirit. That it used to control him years ago." Hotaru licked her lips nervously. "But plenty always jump to his defense. They say he is past that period in his life, and that since some sort of incident several years ago, there is no need to worry any longer."

Tsunade turned to Gaara. "Does that constitute as enough to tell her our suspicions as to why Akatsuki want you?"

Gaara actually faced Hotaru to tell her himself. "I'm a Jinchuuriki." Somewhere in the depths of Hotaru's mind, a flicker of recognition of the word resounded, but eluded her. "I carry one of the tailed demons in me."

Hotaru inhaled sharply. What have I gotten myself into?

Gaara locked his eyes on hers. "Once it controlled me. I was as monstrous as what lives in me. And Akatsuki killed me to get that power. By...miracle, I was revived, and the power returned. However, now it is dormant, unless I should actively lose control to it." Gaara watched the girls reaction. She was very pale now, and had a white knuckled grip on the arms of her chair. But to his surprise, she nodded, and determination gleamed in her eyes.

Her voice did not waver when she acknowledged his assertion. "Got it. And let me guess, they want it back?"

Tsunade looked at the girl appraisingly. She was pleased Hotaru had a backbone strong as steel. "That is what we guess, though how simply killing him would gain it back, we don't know. If they don't want it back, they've shifted to...a new possibility, and want to eliminate anyone else who has the power they want to gain."

Hotaru was still pale, but her features were set resolutely. "I will make sure Akatsuki's plans fail. That Giji Kouken will never complete his objective." And she would defend that statement up until her dying breath. If Giji was working for something, especially with Akatsuki, she would work against it. "What else do I need to know?"

Tsunade glanced at the clock. It was a bit after noon, and she was ready to get out of the office for a while. "Unless you have questions as to your duties, which you read in your contract, I think that is about it. Did you have any?"

"No."

"And if any crop up, you can ask him," Tsunade said, tilting her head to Gaara. "All that's left is for you to figure out your boss's quirks so you don't tick him off to often. That's information you'll have to gather yourself. And Gaara," she said, giving the Kazekage a level and rather stern look, "you just need to maintain the patience to give the girl that chance." She got up and strolled to the door, tossing one last comment over her shoulder before exiting. "Play nice children. We have higher goals that need to be reached, after all."

Silence reigned. The two remained sitting, Gaara staring at his new employee, and Hotaru doggedly avoiding meeting that gaze as she looked about the office. Without Tsunade's neutral presence, communication came to a halt.

Tsunade strode out of the ANBU headquarters to her guest apartments. She wasn't positive how this would work out. Hotaru, just yesterday independent and free to roam as she pleased, was suddenly under binding contract. The life, Tsunade knew, she had carefully constructed for herself had been uprooted. And Gaara, whose requirement for personal space exceeded all of those she knew, now had to put up with not just someone infringing on that space, but a stranger. His tolerance had increased, but this was sure to be a great test.

Tsunade sighed. What needed to be done had been done. At least Gaara knew the full reasoning behind why things had to be this way. But then, Hotaru obviously had her own motivations to keep her in check. Tsunade pulled a bottle of sake from her cupboard. At least she wouldn't have to endure whatever cross fire that would arise. She'd already spoken to Kankurou and Temari. They would do their best to help things proceed smoothly.

Relaxing with her sake, Tsunade wrote a note to herself to find the files she'd written pertaining to Anko's memory restoration. She'd need them to uphold her bargain with Hotaru.

Next time: ...He could have cut the tension in the air with a kunai...The girl was setting down her half of the terms..." we're gone on missions and ambassadorial duties too often to be proper guards"...