I'm so happy. You like my story. I do have only one comment. One of the reviewers asked me a question and I'm gonna answer it. KandiedTaikou I would love to read your story. Anyways here's the 2nd chapter.

Oh, before I forget:

"speaking"

'thinking'

"Shukaku speaking to Gaara"

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Naruto

Ch. 2: A Crack in Sand Armor

Gaara couldn't figure it out. How did he end up here with her? He was sitting across from Kaoru. She was eating her food in silence and it didn't seem to bother her that he was staring at her. In fact nothing seemed to bother her. She looked up at him. Her crimson eyes held concern.

"Umm, Gaara?"

He didn't respond.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

Still silent.

Kaoru sighed, "You know this would be a much more interesting conversation if you said something too."

"Why aren't you afraid?"

She smiled, "Now you're catching on."

He just looked at her. She sighed again, "Why should I be afraid?"

"I'm a weapon," he responded.

"No you're a person."

Gaara couldn't think of a single thing to say to that. She was the first person to think that. Most considered him a monster or a weapon. Here she was calling him a person. He hadn't considered himself a person in a long time.

He watched her as she continued to eat. Gaara didn't say another word and she didn't ask him to. After Kaoru finished eating the two of them left the restaurant. She smiled at him and thanked him for the company. Kaoru ran off down the road waving and saying something about the hospital. Gaara guessed that meant she was going to do a shift there. He headed out to the desert to figure out what the hell was wrong with him.

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She was exhausted. Kaoru could feel her muscles throbbing with the effort to dodge Temari's attack. The medic had gotten in a few blows of her own but she was still no match for the wind mistress. Gaara watched from the sidelines. Kaoru was definitely holding her stance a lot better today but she still needed a lot of training. Baki was shouting instructions to her to get her to improve and to her credit Kaoru tried. She just wasn't a fighter by nature.

Kaoru landed on the ground after dodging an attack. Her legs wouldn't support her anymore. She collapsed to the ground. Gaara felt his muscles tense in an effort to run to her but he held himself back. Kaoru braced herself on her hands and gasped for air.

Temari ran towards her, "Kaoru, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Kaoru stated forcing herself to get back up.

"Kaoru, let Temari spare with Kankuro. You need to rest and I need to see him fight," Baki ordered.

"Alright," she agreed.

Gaara noticed that she barely argued with anyone. If she wasn't careful someone was going to take advantage of that. Kankuro stood up and got his puppet ready. He glanced over at Kaoru. Gaara could guess what was coming. He wasn't the only one that noticed Kaoru didn't argue.

"Kaoru, why don't you get us something to drink," Kankuro suggested innocently.

Temari was about to say something but Kaoru spoke first, "Alright. I'll be back in a moment."

Kaoru walked towards the village. Gaara wondered if she knew that people were taking advantage of her and didn't care or if she was just that innocent. Temari gave Kankuro a look that didn't bode well for his continued health. Unfortunately for the puppeteer he wasn't paying any attention. When Kaoru returned Kankuro had so many bruises and cuts she was surprised he hadn't died. Temari was standing there looking pleased with herself.

"Umm, I've got the drinks," Kaoru said timidly.

"Great cause now I think I need that more than ever now. Temari is feeling vicious today," Kankuro complained.

He snatched one of the drinks from her. He sat down on the ground and began to drink. Kaoru sat next to him and held her hands out to him. A soft green glow came from them as she mended all his injuries. After she finished she carried the two of the other drinks to Temari and Baki. They both thanked her. Kaoru paused for a moment then walked over to Gaara. He watched her with curiosity. When she was standing next to him she held a drink out to him. His green eyes didn't leave hers as he reached up and took it. She gave him a small smile then sat down beside the large rock he was sitting on.

"Kankuro, you're healed now so let's continue the fight," Temari demanded.

"Geez, Temari don't you ever get tired of bossing everyone around?" Kankuro complained.

"Don't you ever get tired of being an ungrateful brat?" she responded.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Kaoru brought you something to drink and healed you even though she's exhausted and you didn't even say thank you," Temari snapped.

Kaoru stopped moving with her drink halfway to her mouth. She slowly lowered it when she realized what the source of Temari's anger was. Kaoru and Temari had been friends for a long time now. Temari often told Kaoru how Gaara was doing and Temari was the only one that Kaoru told about her friendship with Gaara all those years ago.

"Temari, it's alright," Kaoru said to her angry friend.

"No it's not alright. He shouldn't take advantage of you that way and you shouldn't let him."

"No really, Temari. It's alright," Kaoru said. She had a worried expression and she was waving both hands in front of her as if to hold Temari's temper off.

"You heard her, Temari. I'm going home," Kankuro said.

Baki had listened to the bickering and wondered how they had survive their missions. He glanced up at the sky and saw that it was almost noon, "Alright everyone we can take a break. Be back here in two hours."

"Yes, sir," everyone but Gaara said. Gaara just vanished in a whirl of sand.

Kaoru sighed and began to walk. She got to the hospital and got to work. At the beginning of her training they hadn't required her to go to the hospital. That was three weeks ago and now they decided that she should be able to handle it. Well, everyone but Yuri. But the higher ups didn't agree with her so Kaoru worked at the hospital when she wasn't training. When she wasn't at the hospital she trained. It was very exhausting but she didn't complain. Two hours later she trudged back to the training grounds. Everyone was there already.

"You're late," Baki said.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sheepish smile.

Gaara looked at her and could see that she was exhausted. He would be surprised if she had any chakra left. Baki seemed to also sense this. Now he may work his team hard but he wasn't heartless. He could see how hard Kaoru was working so he decided to cut her some slack.

"Kaoru I want you on target practice. Kankuro you'll spare with me first."

"Yes sir."

Kaoru went over to the targets and got to work. Dark fell before Baki called a halt to the training. Everyone but Kaoru started for their homes and a bed. She still had a few hours at the hospital to pull before she could sleep. It was almost midnight before she was allowed to go home and she was completely drained of chakra.

"Hey girlie," a slurred voice game from one of the alleys. "What's a girl like you doin' out here all alone?"

She backed away from him as he came out of the shadows. Kaoru smelt the alcohol oozing out of his pores. Her voice trembled slightly when she said, "Leave me alone."

"Now that's not very nice. And here I was goin' to walk ya home but now I don't think I will," he slurred. Then he had her pinned against the wall. She yelped in surprise. Her crimson eyes widened when she realized that she was in deep trouble.

"Let me go," she yelled struggling.

"I don't think so," he slurred.

She could feel his breath on her face and struggled harder. 'It's no good. I'm too tired and weak to fight,' she thought. Kaoru yelled out in desperation, "Someone help, please."

"No one's goin' to help you now," he said while his hand tightened on her throat.

Suddenly the sand beneath him seemed to explode. Kaoru fell to her knees and gasped for air. The sand wrapped around the man and held him in the air. She felt someone standing next to her and looked up. Gaara was kneeling down beside her.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded. The sand released the man that had attacked her and Gaara stood up. Even drunk he recognized Gaara and the fear seemed to sober him up real quick. He ran as fast as he could. Gaara seemed satisfied and turned back to Kaoru. She was staring at him with confused crimson eyes. He offered her a hand.

Kaoru took the offered hand. She was completely bewildered. He wasn't just angry. Gaara was pissed off. What was even more confusing was what had pissed him off. He was angry because that man had hurt her. She had to lean on him because she couldn't hold herself up anymore. He picked her up bridal style and began to walk in the direction of her clan's compound.

"Gaara?"

He looked at her.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

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Later that night Gaara was sitting on his bed thinking. What in the hell had gotten into him? He had been restless and went for a walk. He had heard Kaoru's voice calling for help and had reacted before he even had time to think about what he was doing. When he had seen that man holding her by her throat he had felt his rage boil over. The next thing he knew he was carrying her home. She had smiled at him again and looked at him with trusting crimson eyes. What was going on? He wasn't supposed to feel this way.

"Well boy I would have to say you care for her," Shukaku's voice said in his head.

'I do not,' he thought right back.

"Then how do you explain your actions, boy?"

Gaara didn't have an answer for that. He sat there for a little while longer before coming to a decision. He wouldn't let her get in that situation again. She wouldn't be so tired that she couldn't fight the next person who came along and decided to mess with her. He didn't care about her but he didn't want to have to save her again. That decision made Gaara laid down and stared at the ceiling. He kept seeing her smile and those trusting crimson eyes.

"She's cracked your armor," Shukaku stated.

Gaara couldn't help but wonder if maybe the demon was right.

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The next day, Kaoru had slept in late and when she had arrived to training and when Kankuro started to complain something made him stop. The color had drained from the puppeteer's face and he was staring over her shoulder. When Kaoru looked Gaara was standing there with his normal expression. She wondered what had happened between them.

Temari on the other hand hadn't missed it. She saw the slither of sand threaten to stab Kankuro in the back. It had come up from the ground and had only lightly poked her brother but the threat was made. What she didn't understand was why. What made Gaara do that? Gaara chose not to explain himself.

Gaara began to treat Kaoru differently. He didn't start talking to her or anything. It was little things that were almost unnoticeable. If anyone tried to boss her around they were immediately on the receiving end of his death glare. He wouldn't glare at her and more often than not seem to actually listen to her. Gaara didn't even come close to threatening her like he did everyone else. It was little things like that. Had it been anyone else no one would have noticed but it was Gaara. When he wasn't mean to someone it was noticed even if he wasn't nice to them either.

Kaoru was currently eating lunch with Temari. The wind mistress was looking at her friend with curiosity, "Kaoru, what's going on between you and Gaara?"

"What?" Then Kaoru snapped out of her thoughts, "Oh, nothing."

"He treats you differently. Do you know why?"

"No, I don't." Kaoru thought about it for a moment, "It's odd."

"What?"

"Well, the night before he started acting weird I was attacked on my way home from the hospital. Gaara saved me."

"What?!!" Temari shouted. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Sorry. I didn't want to worry you," Kaoru said sheepishly.

Temari smacked her own forehead in an annoyed gesture. Go figure Kaoru didn't say anything just so she wouldn't worry anyone. That still didn't explain Gaara's reaction though. He hadn't cared about anyone before so what changed? Temari was about to comment when Baki walked up to their table.

"Come with me. The Kazekage would like to speak with us," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," the two girls said as they got up to follow him.

When they arrived Gaara and Kankuro were already there. The Kazekage was sitting behind his desk. Kaoru promptly glared at him but kept her mouth shut. The genin stood behind their sensei to wait for the Kage's orders. He studied them for a moment.

"The chunin exams will be taking place next week. I want you to participate in them," he stated. "You will be leaving for Konoha tomorrow and will be representing Suna so behave. I will be there to watch during the final stages of the exams."

"What about Kaoru, father? She's a medic not a ninja," Temari asked.

"She will accompany you but it will be her choice to participate or not. Now go pack. You'll leave first thing in the morning."

Everyone went to prepare for the trip. Kaoru wondered what to expect. She hadn't been outside Suna since she was five years old. She decided not to participate in the fighting. Becoming a chunin or jonin wasn't one of her goals. All she wanted was to be a great medical nin. The chunin exams wouldn't make her one. She would go without a fight though. She wanted to support Gaara.

That's it. I hope you enjoyed it. Now see that little gray button down there? The one with the word go on it? Do you see it? Good now push it and send me a review.