I forgot the disclaimers…
Disclaimer: I only own my own characters- everything else belongs to Kishimoto-San.
Drifting off in Thoughts of You
Chapter Three- Worry
Light shone through the window as the sun began rising.
Ai groaned and turned her head. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around to find herself in her sister's bedroom.
"Nee-Chan, how are you feeling?"
Ai turned her head again to see Natsumi looking at her with worry. Memories of the night before flooded Ai's mind. Ai looked down at her wrist to see it bandaged.
"Who bandaged my wrist…?" Ai asked quietly.
"When Okaa-San and O-tou-San left this morning, I called in someone to check up on you… Don't worry, you'll be fine," Natsumi said, smiling sadly.
Ai tried to sit up in bed. She winced as pain shot through her body.
"Nee-Chan, don't get up- you need time to heal," Natsumi said, pushing Ai back down.
"Imouto-Chan… Are you okay?" Ai whispered.
Natsumi nodded and smiled again.
"I'm fine, don't worry about me."
"Where are Okaa-San and O-tou-San…?"
Natsumi shrugged slightly.
"I don't know- they didn't say…"
Ai stared up at the ceiling.
"Did Okaa-San hit you…?"
Natsumi looked at her curiously.
"You have a mark on your face… She hit you, didn't she?" Ai said as she continued to stare at the ceiling.
"Nee-Chan… You've been hurt more than me, so don't worry about me," Natsumi replied.
Ai smiled faintly at Natsumi. Natsumi smiled back and got up from her seat.
"You must be hungry, I'll get you something to eat," Natsumi said quickly as she ran down to the kitchen.
Ai tried to get up once more. She ignored the pain as she sat up.
Ai heard the door open downstairs. She heard her father yelling at Natsumi.
"Hurry up and make lunch!"
"Yes, O-tou-San," Natsumi said.
Ai sighed and raised her hand. She felt a bandage wrapped around her forehead.
"So you're finally up, huh?"
Ai turned to see Ichiro looking at her smugly.
"What're you doing here?" Ai asked calmly.
"Well, your parents invited me to stay for a week- you know, to get to know you better," he said, smirking.
"Leave her alone, you moron," Natsumi said angrily as she walked past him, into her room.
Ichiro glared at her as she set Ai's food down on a nearby seat.
"Why don't you make me?" he said, angrily.
Ai raised her eyebrow slightly.
"Ichiro- come down! We're going out!"
Ai and Natsumi smiled as they heard their mother calling Ichiro down.
Natsumi waved.
"Bye, moron," she said happily. Ichiro stomped away in anger.
Natsumi shook her head and handed Ai her food.
"Thank you, Imouto-Chan… Aren't they going to stay for lunch?" Ai said as she began eating her food.
Natsumi shook her head.
"They decided to eat somewhere else… But that guy- I swear… that guy is such a-…"
"Imouto-Chan…" Ai said warningly.
"Don't stand up for him, Nee-Chan- he's a jerk and he deserves to be-…"
"Imouto-Chan… Don't worry about him, he's not worth it."
Natsumi sighed and smiled.
"Hey- finish eating, you need your strength," Natsumi added. Ai nodded and continued eating.
Ai's mother walked through the streets with Ichiro and her husband, Nori, close behind.
"Look at that small shop, Ichiro- why don't you buy something?" Arisa asked nicely.
Ichiro looked at the shop and walked up to a woman with blond hair.
"Hello, Beautiful- what's your name?" he asked smugly.
Temari turned around and glared at him.
"Grow up," she muttered. Her gaze ran to the people behind him.
'Those are… Ai's parents…'
"Takahashi-San, it's good to see you," Temari said with a small smile.
The couple glared at Temari slightly. Temari resisted the urge to glare back.
"I uh…. Haven't seen Ai and Natsumi lately- are they well?"
They continued to glare at Temari as Nori grabbed Ichiro and walked away from her.
Temari glared at them and crossed her arms.
'Now I know something's going on…'
"That's enough, Natsumi- I can't eat anymore," Ai said, chuckling quietly.
"But you need to get better!"
"I won't get better if I vomit," Ai retorted.
Natsumi grinned and nodded.
"Nicely said, Nee-Chan."
Ai smiled and nodded as Natsumi took the dishes out of her room.
Gaara sighed and walked around his office. He looked out his window to see children laughing and playing.
His eyes traveled over the people. He turned his head and froze. He looked back out the window to see Ai's parents with a young man close by. Gaara continued watching them as they went into the small shops. His gaze ran around them.
Gaara's eyes fell after a moment.
'She's…not there…'
Gaara shook his head as someone knocked on his office doors.
"Come in," he said clearly.
A young man walked in with numerous papers and folders in his hands.
"These are the reports from the teams, Kazekage-Sama."
Gaara nodded and allowed the man to put the papers on his desk.
Gaara closed his office doors and sat down. Ai's smiling face ran through his mind. It had been five years since he last saw her.
Their last meeting flooded into his mind.
-Memory-
Gaara stood with his back against the wall of a house, crossing his arms. He heard someone behind him, but kept his eyes closed. After a moment, he opened his eyes to see Ai and Natsumi in front of him.
Ai smiled as Natsumi stood behind her, watching to make sure that no one was around.
"Nee-Chan, they're coming," Natsumi said quickly. Ai looked behind her, worried.
She turned back around and handed Gaara a small box. She turned again and quickly ran with her sister.
Ai turned back once more and smiled at Gaara's confused face.
After a moment of watching her, she disappeared. Gaara opened the small box to see a hand-made teddy bear in there. He picked it up and looked at it.
Gaara turned the bear around to see the word 'love' written on the back. He looked to where he last saw Ai and then back at the teddy bear. Gaara put the teddy bear back into the box, and pocketed the box.
-End Memory-
Gaara's eyes softened at the memory.
'Ai… Where are you…?'
Chapter Three- I realized that I might be going a little fast… I'll try slowing down the story.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter- review please!
Nori- Rule/Law