Hey all, here's the next chapter. Thank you for the feedback! Its been really helpful for these last few chapters. Just as a heads up, I stopped watching the Naruto anime a loooong time ago because of the filler arcs (it was during that massive like, 300 episode stint where the show should have been called Sasuke). I read the manga from then on, which was much more cut and dry. There are things that happened in filler arcs that never happened in the manga. Feel free to bring stuff up when you PM or review, (I go look it up after you tell me about it) but I just wanted to let you guys know why there might be some gaps between my story and the anime canon. I do my best as I'm developing chapters with a definitive canon like the Pain battle (some of the stuff I write doesn't make it into chapters. I was going to do this whole thing with Kakashi's hounds. There was this hole I fell into trying to figure out technical stuff about them, like where they lived when they weren't with him and so on. I might have called Tallman on my lunch break to try to get some answers. The canon doesn't have much to say on the matter, btw. So that's why Yuki didn't end up meeting the hounds a few chapters ago). When it comes to the filler arcs though, I don't think to look for them because I don't know what's happened in them. If there's a filler arc you would really like to see mentioned/included in here and it could fit in with the present timeline, let me know. I'll try to work it in. For example, someone mentioned Neji saved Gaara during the second chunin exams and that's how he became a jounin. That could be a really relevant topic of conversation in the story! Just as a heads up, though, we're coming up fast on the five kage summit. So if you have any ideas, get your suggestions in fast. XO, ponchoninjax3

The knock at the door early in the morning was a surprise, even more so when Hinata opened the door to find Neji outside. It had seemed like an eternity since the last time he had come by. Hinata noticed he looked just as shocked by his sudden appearance as they were.

"Good morning, Lady Hinata," Neji glanced around her at Naruto and Beki. The pair were sitting at the kitchen table, elbow deep in Hinata's pancakes. Neji could smell the syrup and peanut butter on Naruto's, and a hunk of Beki's blueberry pancakes hovered on the fork in front of her mouth. The whole group looked like they had a late morning. Both the girls had bird's nests for hair and rumpled nightgowns. Beki was sickly looking as always and Naruto had bags under his eyes. For a moment, Neji considered apologizing for interrupting and leaving. Hinata seemed to read his thoughts and stood aside expectantly for him to enter.

"Good morning, Neji," Hinata said as she closed the door. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, I have, thank you." Neji cursed himself for sounding so awkward. This was Hinata's house. He had walked through that door into this kitchen a hundreds of times. They were family and he was acting like a stranger. He attempted a joke to ease the tension. "I see you still aren't winning any beauty contests first thing in the morning, Beki."

Beki shrugged and took a deep drag on her coffee. Neji didn't catch it, but Hinata glimpsed how Beki winced ever so slightly at his words. She recovered well: "We know you could beat me in a beauty contest any day, Neji. Your title is safe."

"Would you like coffee, at least?" Hinata hovered between the table and the coffeemaker, ready to either play hostess or homemaker based on his response.

Neji shook his head. "Thank you again, but really I'm fine."

Hinata nodded and took her seat beside Naruto. He reached up without looking and affectionately rubbed her back as Hinata poured syrup over her pancakes. The three were all tentatively continuing their breakfast, an expectant silence hanging over the room. None of them were staring at Neji but he knew that he was the person expected to fill the vacuum.

"Well, I came by because I was going into town and I wondered if you wanted to come along, Beki?" Neji struggled to finish the question. He could feel his throat tightening as she spoke and Neji prayed he was the only one who could hear it. Again, Neji's foolish behavior was glaring him in the face. Beki had come into town with him hundred of times, often with less ceremony than this. Yet, here he was, baring his soul, a child with his arms outstretched and not sure if his mother still loved him enough to pick him up.

Beki put down her fork and looked at Hinata. Her eyes slowly widened and she swallowed hard. Hinata gave her an almost imperceptible shrug and brushed some escaped hair over her shoulder to save it from a syrup bath. Beki blinked a few times and cleared her throat as she folded up her napkin. "Yeah, I guess I could go. I don't have any other plans."

It took all Neji's discipline to suppress a sigh of relief. "Okay. I'll wait here while you go change."

Beki rose from the table and put her dishes in the sink. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as if she didn't trust herself not to stumble. She went up the stairs and the silence following her until she closed the door to her bedroom.

Neji could feel Hinata's eyes on him but dared not to look. He laughed nervously and kept his eyes on the tile.

"Can you guys like, I don't know, dial it down a little bit?" Naruto's voice was unexpected and caught both the Hyuga's attention. "I haven't woken up all the way yet and you're making my head feel like it's going to pop."

Hinata leaned over and kissed his temple. "Okay, honey." Hinata rested her chin on her hand and turned her lavender eyes on Neji. "So, why are you taking Beki out suddenly?"

Neji played with a loose string at the end of his sleeve. "I just had some errands to run. Beki runs errands with me all the time."

Hinata shook her head. "No. I'm sorry. I'm going to need you to do better than that."

Neji cast her a quick nervous look. "I…" The lie died on his lips. Neji knew it was fruitless, that Hinata knew him too well to buy the bullcrap he was selling himself. It was healthier to come clean for both of their sakes. "I missed her. I thought I could stay away but I can't."

Hinata activated the Byakugan and almost immediately switched it off. "We still have time. She's trying hard not to make it look like she's trying."

Naruto had quietly finished his breakfast. He took his and Hinata's plates and headed over to the sink, his face still heavy with sleep as he began to wash them. The sound of the plates clinking and the running water helped to sooth the still tense atmosphere. Hinata gave a sigh and adjusted in her seat. "Are you going to tell her what you just told me?"

Neji shrugged. "I don't know, Lady Hinata. I didn't think I was going to make it to your door this morning."

"Just be ready." Hinata folded her arms on the table. "Beki is going to want to know why you avoided her for months."

"I'm going to try to just get everything back to normal-" Neji began but Hinata shook her head and interrupted him:

"That isn't good enough Neji. You broke something and now you're trying to go back and pretend it never happened. Things are never going to be the same again, no matter how slow and carefully you move. You have to make a new normal with her. The burden of this is on you to figure out what that new normal is going to be."

The door opening upstairs drew both of their attention.

…

Beki had debated with herself for some time over whether she should wear her armor. Even though Beki had been desperate for this to happen, for Neji to be part of her life again, she was afraid. Hinata was the best friend Beki had ever had; she was a sister to her. When Naruto came home, unfortunately, that meant a lot of the love and support Beki had been depending on was directed elsewhere. Then Seiichiro died and Neji stepped up to the plate. He had comforted her, protected her, and reached in and pulled her out of her shell back into the real world. Neji was always there when she needed him. He was safety and stability, and then one day he was gone, like a pair of training wheels falling off her bike when she was going down a steep hill at top speed. She hadn't crashed and was now debating whether she should put the trainers back on or not. Beki wasn't sure if she was completely okay without Neji's support but at the same time was nervous about trusting him again. It was getting harder as Beki's situation developed for her to let people in. It was a one way gate and Neji was a cat scratching to be let back in. The armor was a physical manifestation of her internal walls, a way to block out incoming attacks. It was something Beki could depend on to have her back even when she was alone in the world, a way she could get by without relying on anyone. Beki reached out and took ahold of the chest piece. As she raised it off the stand, Beki remembered the first time he took her out after her father died. She had no control over the Burned Maiden and felt like the whole world was against her. Beki was having a panic attack and Neji had pulled her off the road and held her tight, risking being burned to ash to calm her down. Beki put down the chest piece, went to her closet, and put on a pair of black leggings with mesh panels and an oversized baby blue t shirt. After a quick run through with a brush, Beki headed down the stairs as she braided her hair.

"I'm ready."

Neji held the door open and waited for Beki as she slipped on her boots. Once the door had closed behind them, Naruto let out a sigh. "You know, they don't get along so well considering they're friends."

"I think the problem is they don't know what they are anymore." Hinata shook her head, slowly sinking down until her head was between her folded arms on the table. "Its exhausting. I just want everyone to get along."

Naruto blinked. "Is it wrong if even though I just got up and had breakfast I feel like I need a nap?"

Hinata shook her head. "Let's go upstairs. A nap sounds exactly like what I need right now.

…

The pair walked for some time in silence, through the gates and out towards Konoha proper without a word between them. Beki folded her arms self-consciously, feeling vulnerable without the protection of her armor. Neji glanced over and misinterpreted the motion. He wordlessly wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her warm. Beki didn't shrug it off, surprising herself. She was hurt, Beki knew that. That would normally cause her to lash out and reject the contact. For some reason, though, the weight of Neji's arm across her shoulders was comforting. The contact slowed her heart rate and steadied her breathing. Slowly, reluctantly, Beki nestled into the crook of his arm and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"Is there anywhere you need to go today? Anything you need to pick up?" Neji asked, pursuing the most natural course of conversation.

"Why were you avoiding me?" Beki's voice was flat and emotionless, a complete opposite of what her body language was conveying.

Hinata's words came back to haunt Neji. There was no pretending and no avoiding it; what was broken had to be fixed. Neji dropped his pace until they were moving at a crawl and sorted through his options, what to say and how to say it. Before he could speak, Beki took another turn.

"What did I do, Neji?" Beki's voice cracked and she swallowed hard, fighting back against all the emotions welling up inside her. "I can't tell you how many nights I spent trying to figure out what I did or what I said to make you hate me-"

"I don't!" Neji began, a little too forcefully. Beki jumped at his outburst and started to pull away in surprise. Neji grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tight. "I don't hate you, Beki. I…I don't have much. I'm a part of a clan but I don't have a family. I have my team and my sensei, but other than that my circle of friendships is tiny. Since you came to Konoha, Beki, you've sort of become all those things. You're my friend. You're my family. And you're going to leave one day and never come back."

"What are you-" Beki started but Neji buried his face in her neck.

"You're an ambassador. You have friends, a home, responsibilities back in Getsu. It's all just sitting there waiting for you to return. Everyday there is less reason for you to be here," Neji explained. "I guess with your teammates coming to visit it dawned on me: I'm going to lose you. By avoiding you I was trying to protect myself."

Beki closed her eyes. "It's all true. I'm ambassador to Konoha now but I could be called back anytime. So why start talking to me again if it's going to hurt you so much if I leave?"

Neji shrugged. "I realized it was stupid. If I wanted to be around you and you were still here but I was avoiding you to make it hurt less...it just made it hurt more."

"Please don't do this again." It was Beki's turn to squeeze him. "I can't handle you hating me Neji. The whole world could hate me other than you and Hinata and I could be fine. How you've been acting lately was tearing me apart. I need you, Neji. Please don't leave me again."

"I promise." Neji held her for a few more moments, savoring the warmth of her skin and the scent of her strawberry shampoo. Being away from her all this time had been like starving himself. It had the same lingering ache as hunger. Neji had been weaker, the world had been less vibrant, and nothing had seemed to draw his interest anymore. He wanted this moment to go on forever. He wanted to hold onto Beki and never let go. Neji wanted to tell Beki he loved her. It was so tempting to have her this close. Maybe he could whisper it, to finally say it but not have to face the consequences. No. No more hiding.

"Hey, Beki?"

Neji pulled away his heart soaring hopefully. He kept his hands on her shoulders as he released her from his embrace, the words sitting on his lips readily. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. Beki was looking away, tears streaming silently down her face. The pout on her face was a childlike, bottom lip jutted out combination of anger and sadness. Neji had hurt her. In that moment it all dawned on him, how her father had died and Neji had stepped up to be her rock. Beki had trusted him. She had let him see all her vulnerable places, let him in everywhere she was weak, and then he had walked away. Nothing would be so selfish right now as to tell her he loved her. Pulling away from her had been for his needs and not hers. Neji didn't deserve putting that on her plate to deal with right now. Neji owed her selfless love and support, and right now that meant keeping his feelings to himself.

"What?" Beki wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks with her palm.

Neji leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. "Forget errands. Let's go get some ice cream."

"I just had breakfast." Beki folded her arms.

"Tsukimori Beki, I have never seen you turn down free ice cream." Neji squeezed her arms. "Enemy shinobi wouldn't need to torture you. If they brought you a big enough sundae you would cave, no problem."

Beki rolled her eyes. Neji caught the tiniest smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. It was obvious Beki was fighting it, desperately trying to cling to her bad mood. "Is that what you're offering?"

Neji reached into his pants, pulled out his wallet, opened it and let out an exasperated sigh. "I was going to donate my bonus to the children's hospital, but I guess getting you to stop pouting is just as much a public service."

Beki glared. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Neji put his wallet away and put an arm around her waist, gently forcing her into motion. "No one can stand the sight of you crying. You've worked with most of the kids in this town. If they see you crying, they're going to get upset. We'll have a whole town full of blubbering kids and that just absolutely ruins the scenery."

Beki socked his shoulder.

"What was that for?!" Neji retracted, rubbing the tender spot.

"I'm not going to make this easy for you!" Beki folded her arms. "A sundae is a good start but you ignored me for months, Neji."

He sighed. "What else do you want me to do? Take you shopping?"

Beki jutted out her jaw a little and looked off to the side as she considered it. "That should get you about halfway there."

"I don't want to be in the doghouse forever, Beki." Neji folded his arms. "Where's the cap on this?!"

Beki tapped her foot. "After the sundae and the shopping, you'll still owe me a back rub, a foot rub, and a hair brushing."

Neji threw up his hands. "What are you, a horse?!"

"Deal or no deal?" Beki looked down her nose at him.

To be honest, Neji knew she was letting him off easy. He couldn't help but wonder how much of it was because Beki missed him, too. Everything she picked as compensation were requests to spend time with him. He had to make a show of protesting but to be honest Neji didn't mind a single one of her demands. He groaned and shook his head. "Fine, Beki. Then we're square, understood?"

Beki nodded and began to walk normally. Neji laughed quietly to himself at how Beki slowly picked up speed as they got closer to the ice cream shop. She was practically bouncing up and down as he opened the door. There was a small line despite the early hour. Beki looked around the shop like a little kid, oohing and ahing at the bright and colorful ads for coffee drinks and cakes. When they got to the counter, before Beki had registered it was their turn, Neji began to speak.

"One large sundae, one scoop each of cookies and cream, cookie dough, and mint chocolate chip ice cream with fudge please."

Beki opened her mouth but Neji beat her to it again. "Hold the bananas and extra cherries, please."

"Do you want peanuts?" The cashier asked.

Beki glanced at Neji, her mouth slowly opening. "Yes." He said. Beki closed her mouth, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Am I that predictable?" Beki blinked.

"I'm your friend, of course I know what kind of ice cream you like." Neji shook his head as he paid for the sundae.

"Neji, that wasn't my favorite flavor. That was the whole order and I don't get sundaes all the time." Beki narrowed her eyes suspiciously and leaned in close, whispering conspiratorial: "Can you read minds with your eyes now?"

Neji burst out laughing and pushed her face away. "Every time I think you're developing a brain you remind me you're an overgrown kindergartener."

"With boobs." Beki folded her arms. "And a hunger only sundaes can fill."

When their sundae was ready, the cashier walked it over to their table. Before he walked away, Neji said,

"Could we have one more spoon, please?"

The boy gave him a spoon and Beki gave Neji a look that could melt glass. "Who says you get any?!" Beki grabbed the sundae and slid it protectively over to her side of the table.

"First of all, I paid for it," Neji slid it back to the middle and took a bite of the mint chocolate chip. Of the three, it was Beki's least favorite and therefore the most considerate choice.

Beki picked up her spoon and took a bite out of the cookie dough, just as Neji knew she would. "This is an apology sundae, Neji. Apology sundaes aren't for sharing."

"Second of all, if you tried to eat this by yourself you would get sick. And fat." Neji felt safe enough to poke the bear. In response, Beki began grabbing all the cherries and stuffing them in her mouth. "Hey! Leave some for me!"

"No!" Beki said between chews. "If you're having some of the ice cream I at least get all the cherries!"

It turned into a frantic spoon fight as the two raced to eat all the cherries. Neji moved much slower than he could have, allowing Beki a majority of the topping. He had to put up somewhat of a fight, though. Beki could never go unchallenged without it going to her head. After the cherries were gone, Beki made a point of eating the surface of all the ice cream so she got most of the hot fudge and peanuts, too. Neji let her. He had missed this so much: the bickering, the playing, teasing, and sharing everything with her. He felt so much better and hated himself for ever putting a wedge between them. As Neji watched Beki spitefully eating her ice cream, he had never loved her more. He was finally willing to admit to himself he would never stop loving her. One day, very soon, when the hurts had all healed, Neji was going to tell her. No matter the result Neji was never going to let her go again, even if that meant he would always be stuck just being Beki's friend.

…

After Neji dropped Beki off at the house, he headed down to the training fields to meet his team. Gai and Lee were excitedly discussing some new technique they wanted to try that involved handcuffing their hands to their feet while Tenten stood off to the side sharpening some blades.

"They're in their usual good spirits," Neji said as he walked up beside her, his arms folded and the smallest smile tugging at the corner of his lip. "If only I could bottle that energy."

Tenten gave a small laugh, her eyes following Lee. It was impressive how precisely her hands moved even in the absence of her watchful gaze. It made Neji a little nervous, seeing the way she ran the whetstone over the cutting edge. The slightest misstep and Tenten would be missing a finger. She was more than proficient in her skill, however, and could even set down a finished blade and begin working on the next without looking. "It's nice you can always count on those two to be themselves. Tenten turned her warm hazelnut eyes on Neji, her hands still busily scraping away. "Speaking of good spirits, you're in an awfully good mood today."

Neji, perhaps out of guilt, had kept most of his turmoil over his feelings for Beki to himself. Lee would have been torn between supporting Neji and Gaara. Not to mention how his inability to remain uninvolved would have complicated the situation even worse. Tenten may have been a more mature shoulder to lean on. If Neji had been able to make a decision earlier on whether to pursue the feelings or ignore them, Tenten would have been a great asset. Two years of silence seemed an odd time to come clean. Then again, it was never too late to trust a friend.

"There's something that's been eating at me for quite some time," Neji explained, his grin growing in the telling. "I've finally been able to get over myself and make a decision."

Tenten set down her knife and whetstone. She rested her elbow on her knee and her chin on her hand, a knowing smile creeping onto her face. "About Beki?"

Neji felt heat rush into his cheeks. His first instinct was to deny it but he had made a decision to see this through. "Has it always been that obvious?"

"I wasn't suspicious at first, you know, how you tried to 'help' her and Gaara along on their first date. I honestly thought you were, like Lee, a good hearted but bumbling idiot about girls," Tenten laughed. "But over time all the other little things started adding up. Like how you always found a way to be touching her or at least to be physically close. That and how any time there's been trouble, no one else exists until you're sure she's okay."

Neji cleared his throat uncomfortably and shuffled his feet. "I mean, I guess I am more physically affectionate with her than I am with anyone else…"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "How about when we got home after the village was destroyed? While Tsunade was explaining it, you got all quiet and kind of fell back. I don't think anyone else saw you activate the Byakugan but I did. It doesn't take a mind reader to know where you were looking."

Neji sighed. "If you've known all this, Tenten, why didn't you say so sooner?!"

Tenten laughed. "You always get so flustered about things. Plus, you of all people should know how private you are. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or embarrass you. I figured we're good enough friends that if and when you were ready, you would come talk to me." Tenten gestured to the space between them. "And look, you're ready and you're here so we're talking."

"Tenten, I don't want you to think that I kept this concealed because I didn't trust you," Neji sighed. "I didn't want to bother you with my waffling. To be honest, I have been fighting with my feelings for Beki for a long time. I wasn't sure whether to bury my affections or to pursue them. She's my friend first. I worried that if I made a decision too hastily I could lose her as a friend on top of making an ass of myself."

Tenten nodded, stealing another glance at Gai and Lee. "Not bother us with it? Neji, when things were bad between you two, you were a literal walking raincloud. Telling us your troubles would have been a lot less of a pain than your sourpuss all the time." He winced, an apology on his lips when Tenten held up a hand and shook her head. "Don't worry, Neji. I know what it's like to love someone too thick headed to notice." After a moment watching Lee and Gai sumo wrestling with their handcuffed hands and feet, she shook her head and turned her attention back to Neji. "Tell me if I'm wrong but I'm guessing you've decided to tell Beki you like her?"

Neji sighed and shook his head. "You're the brains of the squad for a reason."

"No, I'm just the street-smart half." Tenten beamed. "You're the book smart one."

Neji returned her smile. "I guess that's fair."

"So when are you going to tell her? Are you going to make a special occasion of it or are you just going to walk up and blurt it out?" Tenten asked.

"Well, I guess in the course of my internal struggle Beki may have been caught in the crossfire." Neji sidestepped as Lee was bodily thrown past him. He paused until Lee had waddled back by before continuing. "I was avoiding her while I tried to sort things out. I hurt her."

"You guys have made up, right?" Tenten furrowed her brow. "Now would be a really bad time to say you like her if you haven't."

Neji nodded. "We're spending time together again but you're right. There's still some wounds healing right now. Once Beki is back to herself I'm going to tell her."

There was a loud splash and Tenten let out a frustrated groan. "That sounds fine, Neji. Let me know how it goes. Come on. We have to go pull Lee out of the river before he drowns."

"I don't know why they thought handcuffing their hands to their feet was a good idea." Neji sighed.

Tenten shrugged. "I know it isn't the safest thing for them. I kind of let it happen because I needed a few minutes to get my work done and it kept them entertained."

"I use a laser pointer for that," Neji pulled the small keychain out of his pocket

Tenten's eyes lit up as she waded in the river. "Where did you get that?"

Neji shook his head as he followed her lead. "I'll pick one up for you."

They leaned down and heaved Lee out of the river. He spit a fish out of his mouth and awkwardly gave them a thumbs up with his hands and his feet. "Thanks! I would have rolled myself out in a moment."

Neji's face darkened. "Gai sensei, where are the keys for these cuffs?"

"Well that's easy-" Gai's smile fell off his face. "They were in Lee's pocket."

Lee blinked. "I think they fell out in the river."

Tenten and Neji groaned in unison. Tenten fished a lockpick out of her hair and set to work on Lee's handcuffs as Neji used the Byakugan to scan the riverbed.

A few weeks later, Beki stood in her bedroom looking down at her duffle bag. Yuki had bought it for her to replace the one they had to abandon in the hotel room when they went to murder Yasahiro. It was a pretty pastel pink. The bag was open on the floor beside her, it's lid open like an expectant mouth. Beki was grateful that on this trip the armor was staying on its stand. A pink duffle bag and travel clothes was cute and feminine. A pink duffle bag and armor that looked forged from hellfire was confusing.

Across the top of her bed were the clothes and toiletries Beki planned on taking to Suna. Her old instincts kicked in initially and Beki had poured through her closet for her best looking, least singed clothes. Then Beki remembered that Gaara had been pissing her off lately, how he had gone from a loving, doting boyfriend to a man married to his job, cheating on it with Beki. This was his last chance to fix things, so Beki edited her wardrobe choices. This was a vacation for her, technically, so her final selections were jogger sweats, leggings, and baggy t-shirts. Beki didn't even bother grabbing a real bra. She threw a couple of sports bras and the comfy cotton ones she slept in on the bed alongside a wad of everyday, decidedly not-sexy underwear. Her hand traveled up to her neck and her fingers traced along the cord she always wore there. The small pendant dangled at the end, mocking her. Like he'll even notice I still wear it. Gaara probably forgot he gave me the stupid thing. On the other hand, the pendant was a constant reminder of the boy behind the Kazekage, the small sad redhead with eyes so green they hurt. A boy that desperately needed her love to be whole. It had seemed a lifetime ago that Beki had taken him into her heart to fix all the broken pieces. Lately, it felt like the boy with scarlet hair was a vampire. He had drunk up all the love in Beki's heart and was sucking on the dried-out husk, still hungry for more. A selfish child that broke all your toys so he could keep his in perfect shape. Bile rose in Beki's throat at all the bitter thoughts. She swallowed them back, reminding herself that they were a couple. Some part of her still loved him and in his own backwards, self-indulgent way Gaara loved her, too. Maybe, just maybe, he would finally hear her loud and clear and give Beki what she needed to feel like more than a personal call girl.

For the last week, Beki had half expected a bird to come from Suna with a long-winded apology about why the visit couldn't happen. Surprisingly, what Beki received instead was a confirmation. Gaara had double booked himself for two weeks leading up to Beki's visit to ensure she got the bulk of his attention. He apologized that as Kazekage, he would still have to go in for a few hours in the morning to keep on top of the paperwork. In Beki's response, she informed Gaara that her mother would accompany her to Suna. While he was working, Yuki would keep Beki busy. Her mother had diligently gone to the bookstore and picked up some card games and magazines for them if they were trapped in the hotel room by sandstorms.

Beki checked the clock and let out a sigh. Time had gotten away from her again. She did her best to carefully arrange her clothes and toiletries bag inside the duffel so the weight was evenly distributed. As she trudged down the stairs, clopping her feet like a horse, Beki glimpsed Hinata hard at work in the kitchen. "Hey, Hina chan. Starting dinner early?"

Hinata glanced up, her lavender eyes dancing. "No, I just thought I should send you off with a home cooked meal."

"You didn't have to," Beki grinned as she skipped over to the counter. There was fragrant baby blue bento box artfully arranged to look like a flower garden. She reached in to pluck out a pickled plum when Hinata smacked her hand with a spatula.

"That's for the road!" Hinata slammed the lid down on top of the box and slid an elastic band around it. A little black bunny rabbit adorned the band. Before Beki could protest, Hinata had unzipped the side compartment of the duffle and inserted the bento and a large canteen of water inside.

"Well then where's this home cooked meal you're talking about?!" Beki stood on her tiptoes to see over Hinata. "You can't just promise a girl something like that and be teasing!"

Hinata took the bag and put it by the door. "Sit down at the table."

Beki grumbled and followed Hinata's directions. "You don't treat Naruto like this."

"Naruto does a lot more for me, Beki," Hinata said so casually Beki did a double take.

"Sure he does," Beki grinned wickedly and gave her a wink. Hinata gave her an impatient look as she brought over a steaming bowl of udon noodles. "Yes!" Beki clapped. "You're the best, Hinata."

Hinata sat down beside Beki as she dug into her bowl. "So. How are you feeling about the trip?"

Beki sighed after swallowing a mouthful of chewy noodle. "I really don't want to go. Then I do. It's confusing for me but I have to see this through to the end, no matter how angry or bitter I am."

Hinata supported her chin on her hand. "You're right. You two have to work this out."

Beki stared down into the bowl. "When things were good with us, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Then it seemed like as things changed, as my needs changed, how he treated me did, too. I feel like before I was ambassador, Gaara tried more. Now that I have this job it kind of seems like he expects me to 'get it' and give him a free pass for dropping the ball."

"Do you want to write all that down?" Hinata cocked her head. "Or are you going to remember all this?"

Beki laughed. "Are you kidding? I've been stewing over this so long it's practically a rehearsed speech. All I need is the vacant stare and folded arms for an audience."

Hinata nodded. "Alright. Are you sure you don't want to bring your armor along?"

Beki shook her head. "No. Anyone stupid enough to mess with me on the road will have to deal with Yuki."

The two talked about innocuous things, like how Kurenai sensei was doing, what was going on in the village that week, and how Hanabi was doing. Beki finished her udon and brought the dishes to the sink while Hinata watched her with concern etched in her face. "You're sure you'll be okay?"

Beki gave her a smile as she picked up her duffle bag. "Come on, Hinata. You should really be worried for Gaara, not me."

Hinata rose and gave Beki a tight squeeze. "Come home safe."

Beki kissed her nose and headed outside. "I will. Bye, Hina chan."

…

Yuki was waiting for her at the gates. Her hair had been thrown up in a messy bun and she was wearing oversized sunglasses with brown ombre lenses. She had on a baggy pink shirt and olive-green cargo pants rolled up to halfway up her calf. The gray duffle bag hung effortlessly on her shoulder. Beki swore she looked ready for a glamorous cruise and not a three-day trek into the desert.

"Hey squirt." Yuki sipped on some iced beverage Beki couldn't quite figure out. "You ready to roll?"

"Now you're sounding like a mom." Beki laughed.

Yuki shrugged. "What can I do. My biology is working against me here. So can we head out already so we can get this over with?"

"Don't sound so excited about it." Beki sighed. "God knows I'm not."

"Then why are we going again?" Yuki gave her a confused look. "I mean, if you're just looking for some vacation time I'll book us a couple days at the hot springs-"

"No. I have to do this. It's the grown-up thing to do to face my problems head on." Beki squared her shoulders and began to walk towards the gates.

Yuki blinked and slowly followed suit. "Who taught you that? Your dad? I know I didn't teach you that. It doesn't sound like a very shinobi thing to do. Facing shit head on is how you get skewered, honey."

The journey to Suna was rather uneventful. The weather was mellow, the roads were empty, and mother and daughter had enough to talk about to ward off the nagging paranoia that always seems to set in on long journeys.

"You know, it's still just too weird to me how Reika never trained you." Yuki shook her head and took a sip from her flask. "I mean, it sounds like you hung out at the shrine but they never really worked towards making you a Miko."

Beki shrugged. "I mean, they tried a little. I was just bad at it. The rites and the rituals, cleaning the ceremonial whatever, and dusting the ancient antiques...I think they knew it wasn't for me."

"It doesn't matter that it-" Yuki made air quotes with her fingers. "'Wasn't for you'. You're a Tsukimori, by default they're supposed to be trained to be head priestesses of the shrine. The only time they pass on training a Tsukimori girl is if they don't have one."

Beki chewed on her cheek, to which Yuki reached out and swatted her. "Stop that."

"Maybe dad had something to do with it. Maybe it reminded him of you too much."

Yuki sighed. "I don't know. You're going to laugh at me but a lot of what I do runs on gut instinct and something about Reika neglecting your training doesn't sit right with me."

"She's been training Ren to take up the position." Beki explained. "Maybe it was just good old-fashioned nepotism."

Yuki shot her a sidelong look. "You know the whole story with that, right?"

"What do you mean?" Beki cocked her head. "About Ren and Reika? Not really. No one talks about it."

"Cuz it was messy." Yuki grinned. "Reika was her parents' only child. Her mother was sickly and her father had to work so they dumped her off for the shrine maidens to raise her. Fifteen years later, her mother dies and her dad immediately marries a new woman. A year later, they have Ren. His new wife dies in childbirth. Their dad doesn't want to raise her on his own, so dumps her off with the first child he abandoned."

"What a scumbag." Beki scoffed.

"Yeah. Reika was always super sore about it. So as much as you think it's nepotism, I don't think that's the case. Reika may have raised Ren begrudgingly and with a lot of help from the older, gentler types at the shrine, but she has no love to spare for her."

Beki shook her head. "You know, the more you tell me about her, I like Reika less and less."

Yuki shrugged. "That was my experience with her, too."

Soon, the high walls of Suna came into view.

"I hope to God they finally got a boba place." Yuki groaned. "If you end up marrying this asshat and I have to follow you here, I am opening a boba shop."

"You think you would get enough business? Weren't you the one that said they don't know how to have fun here?" Beki asked.

"No, actually. That one was you." Yuki shot her a wry smile. "I mean, come on. They would all look so much less serious sipping on bubble tea. Can't you see it? Glaring out into the distance, gently chewing on tapioca balls."

Beki blinked. "You know, I think I like your vision for this place."

Yuki threw up her hands. "I don't know why it's so hard for people to trust me! I know what I'm doing!"

"Yes, Yuki, if everyone would just let you run the world we would all be happier for it." Beki laughed.

"Yes! Yes, it would!" Yuki waved her canteen at Beki. "Making other people's decisions is one of my strongest abilities."

"Right up there with beating up pieces of household equipment you can't figure out." Beki elbowed her in the ribs.

"I know buying me the vacuum was supposed to be nice but did they have to put so many buttons on it!?" Yuki growled, her outburst thoroughly confusing the gate guards.

"Um, hello ladies," The first one began cautiously. "Do you have your papers…?"

The second guard elbowed the first. "That's Tsukimori Beki. She's a friend of the kazekage."

"We still have to check her papers, dude. It could be a really good transformation jutsu or something." The first, the shorter of the two argued. "Besides, doesn't she always wear armor?"

Beki held out her and Yuki's travel papers. "I'm allowed to exist off the clock, you know."

The second took a quick glance at them and tossed them back. "Sorry about him. He's a stickler for the rules."

"I know the type," Beki sighed. "Thanks guys."

Yuki blew them a kiss as she followed her daughter through the gates.

"If that was Tsukimori Beki, who was the other girl with her? Her sister?" The first guard asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." The second adjusted his collar.

"You didn't check their papers, did you?" The first socked him in the ribs.

"Hey! I made sure they looked right. I didn't like, scour them." The second recoiled to avoid another blow to the ribs. "Look, I was trying to be cool. Did you see how hot her sister was?"

The first guard sighed and nodded. "Yeah. She was pretty hot. We are going to be in so much trouble if they're hit men, no matter how hot they are."

The second guard raised his hand. "If that happens, 100% my bad. If they aren't hit men, then I call the hot sister."