Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto or any of Kishimoto-san's characters. I merely own the ideal plot that is circulated around them and also my original character Hanashura Mitsurugi aka Hana.

"That Moment in "Our" Cave" Written By: AllisonSesshomaru

His life had plagued his very existence ever since his birth, but somehow she cared for him. He could feel a since of belonging when she was around, just like now. He felt warmth against his flesh, his naked flesh, and his grip around whatever was next to him tightened as he opened his eyes.

The first thing that caught them was a greenish blur, and as his eyes focused, he realized it was hair. Long hair, in fact, that it tickled his stomach. As he took a closer look, he noticed that it was her, the girl who made him feel wanted, it was Hanashura Mitsurugi. She had drops of water on her cheeks and her hair was still damp, but he too was wet.

A sound boomed within the cave that gave him the impression that they were caught in a storm. However, what puzzled him the most was how they got undressed down to their underwear and him not know about it.

Another boom echoed throughout the cave and it began to awaken Hana. She rustled around in his arms and very softly snuggled her had within his chest. A light pinkish glow protruded on his face as she opened her eyes. She looked at him and smiled, replying,

"Did you sleep well?" with a yawn.

He did not know what to think or say, so he shook his head in agreement. Somehow, his easiness disappeared once she had awakened and all control of his emotions was now clamped shut in his heart. She raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair to make it stick up straight again, but it was so wet it just lay back down, so she abandoned her objective. She pulled her body away from him, which earned her the sound of his voice,

"Where are you going? It's too cold." She giggled and answered, "To get some wood for a fire. It'll be dark soon and so the cold will eventually settle in the cave."

She went back to what she as doing and found a stack of precut wood in the back of the cave. As she returned, she noticed that his face was turned away from her and the light pinkish color prevailed on the breach of his nose again. She giggled and went about placing the wood in a circular path. After that task was complete, she did four hand signs and blew fire onto the wood.

He watched as the wood caught ablaze and heat illuminated the cave. He saw his assumption was indeed correct, for she did have only her underwear on, so he turned away and blushed again. She walked over to him and placed herself back into his arms once more. He, suddenly, turned and faced her. She was now shivering and he knew why; her whole body was as cold as ice, which felt good against his warm chest.

"If you don't watch out, Hana, you'll catch a cold," he warned her as he sneezed. "I wouldn't worry too much, Gaara, you're the one with the cold, remember?" "What do you mean?" "You fell ill a few hours ago because we got caught in the rain. You passed out on me, and I had to carry you in the cave. I was scared that you had died, but you hadn't, so I undressed us and fell asleep in your arms to keep you warm."

He definitely knew now why he cared for her so much. She was everything he knew his mother was, especially understanding. However, he didn't know how to tell her how he felt about her. She as too regal and too respected, especially by the Fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves and that was an honor.

She laid her head down on his chest again and watched the flames flicker back and forth. She thought about her feelings for Gaara, which were very complicated. It was because another person or rather two other had the same feelings for her that she had for Gaara—Sasuke Uchiha and Kiba Inuzuka.

Sasuke Uchiha was the younger brother of the man she hated the most—Itachi Uchiha, a member of the Akatsuki Clan. He was, however, nothing like Itachi, in fact, he was a complete gentleman with a few attitude problems. It was Sasuke, actually, who told Hana how he felt, which startled her and puzzled many of the girls in Konoha. They all hated her because of what he said.

Then there was Kiba Inuzuka, who was, however, a much respected guy. His love for animals is amazing, especially his dog, Akamaru. However, what made Hana care for Kiba was the fact that he was there for her when Shikamaru told her his true feelings—it really hurt her.

However, there were still these feelings she was beginning to get again for Naruto and now both him and Gaara were on her mind. She, however, felt that she was closer to Gaara considering she had spent the previous three years with him in the Village Hidden in the Sand. He had come to confide more and more to her about his history and she felt like she completely knew him better than she knew Naruto Uzumaki.

Gaara had been through so much, especially since his father had placed the sand spirit Shukaku in him at birth. It made Gaara into a monster and that was until Hana began to pull the real Gaara to the surface and help his understand the true meaning of being alive, that is wasn't in death but in fighting to stay alive is where humans prove their true existence. That was another reason why Gaara had feelings for Hana; she had put a seal over the monster that made him a prisoner of his own heart and soul.

Gaara had the same problem as Hana; he cared so much for her that he was afraid to get close to her because he didn't want her to get hurt and he also knew that deep down she cared a lot still for Naruto, who had chosen to chase after Sakura than to tell Hana his true feelings, rather than, 'I've already decided.'

A spark flew out of the fire and hit near Hana's feet. She scrunched her feet closer to her chest and then heard his voice at her ear,

"That was close, you almost got burned, Hana."

He coughed and she turned around on her knees to look at him.

"Gaara, are you okay." "Yeah, it's just a little cough, don't worry about it."

Her face became full of sympathy as she shook her head. It was then, Gaara got a surprise, and Hana placed her arms around his neck and hugged him.

His eyes widened as a pink blush revisited the breach on his nose. He returned her gesture with a hug and then a dirty thought entered his mind as her breast rubbed up against his chest. It made the fever that he already had get worse as he became a little dizzy. Hana felt Gaara's body give way a little and inquired about it,

"What's wrong, Gaara? You're acting strange."

She pulled back to look at Gaara in the eyes and that's when she saw that he was blushing,

"Gaara, do I make you uncomfortable, like this?"

He didn't answer, but she that her being half naked had something to do with it, so she backed off a little. Right now, the only thing she cared about was getting Gaara healthy again and that would take some time. She turned back around in her sitting position to watch the flame some more. It was then that Gaara saw a scar or maybe a tattoo of some sort on her neck; h really couldn't tell, so he asked her about it,

"Hana, where did that mark come from on your neck? I'm sure that I have seen it before, but where I don't remember."Hana place a hand on it and then answered, "It's a curse I received from an old acquaintance. Don't worry too much about it or your fever will go up."

Gaara still wondered about it; he could help not worry about the curse mark on Hana's neck; she meant the world to him and he didn't want to lose her to a curse. He placed his hand on top of hers on her neck and felt her tense up. She pulled her hand off her neck leaving Gaara's there. He traced each of the three marks with his finger which tickled Hana a lot. She would bend her neck to that saw every time he would hit the spot the tickled so much which made a smile sneak onto his face.

After a few moments he got tired of doing that and so he went back to just holding her. She too had questions for Gaara, but non she thought appropriate to ask. However, she was still dying to know, so she asked him anyway,

"Gaara, why did your father put Shukaku within your body?"

Now it was Gaara's turn to tense up, for no one had ever asked him a question like that before and he hated the only answer that he had,

"My father wanted e to become a tool for the Village Hidden in the Sand." "But, you're not a tool, Gaara. You're more than that and that's why so many people want you to go on living. I mean I do. I'd be really sad if you weren't here."

Her words surprised Gaara a bit; he didn't think he'd ever hear anyone at the very least her to say those words to him, so he nudged on,

"What are you trying to say, Hana?" "I'm trying to…awe never mind," she pushed the thought of I love you away because a flash of Naruto's face coursed through her mind, plus on top of that she was nervous, she had never told anyone that she loved them. She didn't know how to tell Gaara how she felt, since she felt something still for Naruto.

"I'm sorry, Hana, if I just made you uncomfortable." "No, I just don't think it's the right time, that's all."

Hana watched the firs some more and then she felt lips on the other side of her neck that didn't bear the curse mark. Gaara was kissing her. Her face turned a deep shade of red and then she closed her eyes as the feeling of relaxation coursed over her entire body placing her in a realm of complete ecstasy. She loved this feeling and longed for it like the desert longed for rain.

He would move from the nape in her neck to her shoulder and then up to her cheek bone. Suddenly, Hana decided that she had had enough of his playing, so she turned around and began kissing Gaara on the lips. He kissed her in return. Gaara some began to get a little hurried and hungered for her more as he began to worked her down on the ground. The blanket that covered them was kicked to the side as Gaara continued his conquest on Hana's body.

It wasn't long until Gaara stopped kissing Hana and completely collapsed on top of her. She panicked and turned him over. She examined him like Tsunade taught her to do patients a long time ago. She pulled back his eye lids to see that his eyes were dilated and then, she placed her head down on his chest and that's when she knew that he was getting destroyed by the cold that she had picked at him about earlier.

She rose from his side and grabbed the blanket which she placed over him. She made sure he was comfortable before she walked over to their clothes to check hers. She knew that she needed to get those herbs to help him get better or he would die. Her clothes were still damp and since it was still raining she decided to go ahead and drape Gaara's small shoulder cloak around her like a dress. She tied it around her with the rope from Gaara's gourd. She walked back over to Gaara and crouched down, placing a hand on his head—he was still burning up. She patted his hair down and then rose from her crouching position. She turned and walked out of the cave into the pouring rain.

The reason for her and Gaara to be out here alone was because they were trying to track down the whereabouts of the Akatsuki Clan. However, they hadn't found them when it started to rain, so they took shelter in the cave.

She ran to the west of the cave looking for an herb known as a sanju berry, a particular berry when drank as a tea could cure fever. She need this berry more than anything and she didn't care if she got injured while looking for it, just as long as she got it back to Gaara in time.

In her teachings, she learned from Jiraiya, her sensei for four years, that these berries only grew during a hard rain, which was very ironic because if the person searching for the berries weren't careful they too would fall ill and feverish from the rain. Yet, Hana kept on; she wanted to get Gaara back to his healthy state again for it the Akatsuki were to find them they would be in big trouble. She didn't think she could handle them, seeing that she hardly could handle Itachi back when he almost destroyed Kakashi back in Konoha. It left her in the Hospital for a few days.

She kept running through large puddle of muddy water and through thickets of briars that ripped her clothing. Yet, she kept on going, she need to save Gaara from a cold that if it wasn't for her, he would have never got. If he would have never known her he wouldn't even know that true pains and love was. He was still be protected by the beast Shukaku, if she would have never met him and he wouldn't be back in that cave suffering.

Tears began to fall from her eyes as she thought about never meeting Gaara in the first place. However, through her wet blurred vision she spotted them—the sanju berries. It was lush bush of brightly colored berries that resembled a clown fish. She went to get them, but then she heard voices, so she withdrew herself from the scene onto a tree branch.

"We found tracks, but we haven't found their owners," one guy said to another. "Who do you think they belong to, travelers, perhaps?" "I think it's a couple of assassins after Master Uchiha, no doubt."

They left her in the tree going about their own business, Master Uchiha? Are they talking about Itachi? And if so, when did her get followers? Hana thought to herself. She jumped down and collected the berries without a second thought and then she felt something, a strange presence coming from the cave. She stuffed the berries in some of the extra cloth from the shoulder cloak and ran off in the direction of the cave, clutching tightly to the opening of the cloth that held the berries.

When she reached the cave, she found all to be well and Gaara was still sound asleep. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his head. His head was still hot from fever. She walked over to her clothes and found in one of her satchels there was a small cup. She pulled it out and began squeezing the berries into it. She walked back over to the fire and placed the cup next to the fire so that the juice would begin to boil, and then her attention was drawn to the entrance as a twig broke.

She looked around to find that it was her old nemesis, Orochimaru. She looked at him surprised that he had found them. It was then, suddenly, that Gaara began to breathe heavily, which caught her attention immediately.

"He's fine, 'my little Hana.' I watched over him while you were away, but it seems that since your return that he is upset about something," Orochimaru said with a sinister grin playing across his face. "What did you do to him!? Gaara, please hold on!" Hana yelled at Gaara trying to get something out of him, even if it was "shut up," but nothing came from his lips.

She glared at Orochimaru, who looked at her with passionate wanting in his eyes,

"I have done nothing to him 'little Hana,' but I could if you want me to," Orochimaru told her as he walked closer to them.

Hana stood straight up and glared at him again. She placed her hand on her hip and then realized that she didn't have her Shuriken with her; it was lying on the floor underneath her drying clothes. Orochimaru saw her sudden movement and laughed, "Are you looking for your weapons, 'little Hana'? In that get-up I don't think you'll find much. What have you two been doing while I've been away?" "None of your business," Hana yelled as her face went red. She knew that Orochimaru thought that the two of them had just done it, but that wasn't the truth.

"Anyway, I haven't come here to fight you. I have indeed come to get you to help me out. I need you to do me a favor, if you would?" "What makes you think I would help someone like you? I hate you, or have you forgotten!" "Oh, but Hana, you know that you will come to me seeking a way to release the power that you have harbored for so long and when that time comes you will join me, for if you don't I am afraid that that curse mark will surely kill you." "Why does the all mighty Sanin need my help?" "The Akatsuki are in the way of my plans. I need someone like you, Hana, to help me crush them." "If I help you I will become a traitor to Konoha, a place I want to return to." "However, you will be doing your job if you take out a few Akatsuki Clan members along the way. If anyone gets suspicious then you can tell them 'I was just there, it was a coincidence I ran into Orochimaru,'" Orochimaru told her.

She didn't want to trust him and help him out because he had hurt her and so many of her friends, but if she didn't what would he do to her and Gaara, if he hadn't done anything already before I returned, she thought looking at Gaara. She glanced back up at Orochimaru and then spoke,

"If you let me tend to Gaara first, I will go along with you." "Tending to him will take too long; if you want, I can slow down his suffering." "No! Stay away from Gaara!" Hana yelled stretching her arms out as if shielding him.

She turned around and examined Gaara again and then she heard him cough rather harshly. She bent down even closer to his chest and heard and awful noise that sounded almost fatal. She pulled away and began reaching for the berries that she knew were on her side, not realizing that she had already crushed them. It was then, that Orochimaru bent down behind her and whispered in his ear, "Oh Hana, I know you will help me. You see I lied. I did do something to the Kazekage's son," he paused taking in the sent of her hair, "I did to him what Itachi did to you for me as a final debt. I seeped my dirty venom into his throat. It will eat away the sickness first and then it will start to eat at his chakra, so he will be suffering even more and with that fever, I wouldn't be so surprised if he died."

Hana turned around to hit Orochimaru, but he moved out of her way. Her face was now the only thing in that room that resembled hell and it was all Orochimaru's damn fault. He grinned again, "So how about it, Hana. Help me and I'll relieve him of his suffering." "Screw you, Orochimaru. If there is one thing I have learned from your little betrayals toward me, is how to come back from them and I will be damned if I let you take Gaara away from me like you did me father!"

She ran off toward him and began fighting. The dress that she was wearing would periodically fly up, showing Orochimaru her underwear, which gained her a strategy to dodge his extending tongue from toughing her legs. She kicked him in the face over and over again, making sure that he wouldn't be able to see again. It was then that Orochimaru grabbed Hana's leg with his tongue and thrashed her against the wall. The wall cracked under so much pressure. He walked over to her and pulled her up off the ground by her hair. She was so weak and fragile from worrying about Gaara and now she too was suffering from what Jiraiya had warned her about—a blasted cold. She couldn't even summon her chakra up to try a ninjutsu or a genjutsu, she was completely hopeless.

He looked into her eyes and then without a second thought, he licked her cheek. She went to punch him, but it barely hit him. "What's wrong Hana? Is this cold weather getting to you? Have you got a fever?" He said with puppy-dog eyes. Suddenly, Orochimaru and pulled off of Hana by two strong hands. Hana looked up to find Gaara standing in front of her. He had awakened by himself and was now fighting, but there was something that wasn't quite right about him.

Orochimaru looked back at his attacker to find a pair of evil unfocused eyes looking back at him. Is he fighting the venom I placed into him? Orochimaru smiled. "I wouldn't be smiling if I were you. You will never touch Hanashura again!" Hana's eyes became big because Gaara hadn't called her that in three years and ever since then it just seemed only in time of utter frustration that he called her that. Was he mad that he had to save her?

He went after Orochimaru, attacking every limb that came into reach. It was then that the fight moved outside and Hana worried that Gaara would get even worse, but what could she do, she was hopeless. It was then, that a tear fell on top of Hana's hand and it began to glow, it seemed as if her chakra was returning. She summoned up the strength to call upon her chakra, but nothing. She watched Orochimaru being beaten to a pulp by Gaara, but she couldn't let this drag on. She needed Gaara to come back in or he would get worse. She then began the summoning again and this time it began to surface as Orochimaru knocked Gaara back inside to the ground in an unconscious state, Thanks Orochimaru, for doing that, she thought as two long razor sharp discs began to appear in her hands. She pulled them back, aiming for Orochimaru who had turned his attention back to her, and then she let them go, "Silver Fangs!"

The discs soared from the back of the cave to where Orochimaru was standing, but they missed. A figure had pulled Orochimaru out of the way. Hana ran to the entrance to find that the figure was none other than Kabuto, Orochimaru's henchman. "My lord, stop playing with this girl and let's go. I've heard word that Itachi has almost caught up with Naruto and almost has him. Plus, you are in no condition to continue this fight." "Kabuto, leave my side. I want to finish her. She doesn't deserve to live with my curse attached to her skin. She is weak!" "Weak! I'll show you weak, Orochimaru!" She pulled her hands back again and two discs appeared again. "Silver Fangs!" she screamed as Kabuto and Orochimaru disappeared. You better run, you coward. Learn to fight a battle all the way through next time. Is what Kabuto said true? Has Naruto almost fell into Itachi's hands? Hana thought as she entered back into the cave.

She ran to Gaara, who had been tossed back in here like a rag doll. She checked the juice to find that it had almost boiled away. She took it off the fire with part of the cloth of Gaara's now torn cloak, to cool. She then went back to Gaara. She listened to his chest again and there it was the acidic sound like something was eating away at him.

She placed her hands on top of his chest and concentrated. Finally, her hands began to glow and she began her healing of Gaara's insides. It was a forbidden jutsu, but it was one that she needed now more than anything. This jutsu was also one that saved her own life three years ago, and she was glad that Tsunade had taught it to her.

It wasn't long after the jutsu was over that Gaara regain consciousness again. Hana was so happy that he was awake again. She told him to drink the tea that she had made so that the fever would go down. She too had taken some to stop her own fever. Gaara then walked over to Hana and pulled her into him.

"I'm sorry that I made you worry so much. I'm just one troublesome person aren't I?" "No, you're not a troublesome person, Gaara. I'm just glad that you're alright." "Thanks, Hana" Gaara said as he hugged her.

She was glad that Gaara wasn't mad at her and him saying her name like the way that he did must have meant that he was worried about her.

After Gaara hugged Hana, he began kissing her neck again, going back to what he was doing earlier, but after what Hana had been through she wasn't in the mood, especially since she just found out that Itachi was still going after Naruto. It made her mind switch to Naruto instead of being there with Gaara and she wanted to be with Gaara when her mind was on Gaara not with some other guy. She didn't tell Gaara this. She just simply replied, "I think we should get some sleep," and Gaara stopped what he was doing. He curled up next to Hana and wrapped his arms around her again. While he drifted off to sleep, Hana worried about Naruto and how is was doing, but still she felt sorry for Gaara because she knew that while he was wanting to be with her, she was more worried about NARUTO.

I'm sorry Gaara, for hurting you like this. Maybe I will choose you over Naruto in the end, but I have to make sure he is safe. I'll leave tomorrow after we return to the village and then I'll return…she yawned and then fell off into a deep sleep in the arms of a man she loved, but how much she wasn't sure of.

Thanks to all my devoting fans. I am proud to say that this story ended on a good note, well not good for Hana, she still struggles with her feelings with Naruto, but it will soon come down to a stand all where one will have to tell the other their feelings...just keep an eye out for it.

Also for those who have read this one and chapter two, please note that of 08-27-07 I have changed the italics to regular print and have fixed what should be in italics (thoughts and flashbacks), so thanks to all of yall who have read both of my stories thus far in the Naruto love affair. Also just to let you know I am working on two of the chapter right now as I am speaking. I hope to have them done before the end of September. Lets just hope. But hey keep reviewing and I'll post more stories.