He read over it again.
The plan seemed sound.
Yet he didn't like it.
He glanced up at Hannah with a severe frown. "I won't allow it."
"What?" She burst. Lowering her voice to a hiss, the American leaned forward so no one would over hear. "Kazekage-sama, it's the only lead you have."
"I won't let you risk your life and end up butchered," Gaara retorted.
"I won't get butchered if the plan works," Hannah protested. "The Black Bag should work, that is, if your ANBU can handle it."
The red head stiffened. "They can. Can you?"
"Then I don't see a problem. I get marks one or two in the open. Mark one or two arrives at the specified location. I say a code or perform a specific move. ANBU snag one or two of the marks, slip a black bag over their heads, and sedate them to avoid a ruckus," Hannah made a sound of annoyance. "Then poof to prison."
"What happens if you die?" Gaara arched a nonexistent eyebrow.
"That's the beauty of the Kuroi (black) Ops. You don't claim responsibility or it's shifted to another, a 'false flag.' You can do what you want with Kuroi Ops: use assassins, espionage, sabotage…" Hannah trailed off meaningfully.
"Only after you've learned the clone jutsu," Gaara conceded.
Hannah didn't press further. She knew when to stop. She was lucky he said 'yes.' There was a long silence in which they stood there before the window.
"Why you?" the Kazekage finally asked.
"The assassin wants me dead. Americans are famous and well-rounded with information. Napoleon might be interested in me as well," Hannah murmured, staring out at the city blanketed by a dust devil. "Have your office, lobby, and meeting room debugged quickly. We're probably being watched."
Gaara gave no indication he'd heard. "Arigatou." He breathed the word to her. Having a paranoid American around was what the Kazekage needed, someone jumpier than him. She was a real treasure.
"Itterasshai," he dismissed her.
P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P
Hannah arrived home to find Rin cooking a monstrosity in the oven. She wrinkled her nose, blocking off the air passage flow from her nose- a talent she'd developed living with two smelly younger brothers.
"Were have you been?" Rin sneered.
"Seeing Kazekage-sama," Hannah sighed, smiling airily.
She stared the blonde who looked like she would have a major heart attack or seizure any second. It was extremely gratifying to mess with Barbie's head.
"Mr. and Mrs. Nikomedes," Chika announced, entering the kitchen.
"Hey!" they protested.
"I was addressing you two like that because you two bicker like an old married couple," Chika giggled, ignoring the double glares. "By the way, Anna, another fanboy asked for you."
Hannah groaned. "Another one?"
Rin smirked. "You don't have nearly as many as I do."
"As if I'd be interested in suitors," the American snorted.
"What was his name?" Maite asked, appearing from the living room with book in hand.
"Rako," Chika grinned.
Hannah groaned. The Ouji-sama from last night. She'd hoped he was a figment of the festival. Apparently not. Hannah sighed mentally. So much for miracles…
"Rin, the thing you're cooking is on fire."
P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P
So far she'd chased away every suitor with the obvious exception of thick-headed Rako. Two days left until round two, the dodging contest. The Ouji-sama of the Land of Earth, or Hidden Village Among the Stones was, to Hannah's horror, Rako.
He was betrothed to Chiharu, Hime of the Hidden Village in the Mist. It was a bad match and Hannah wondered what their parents had been on when they made that decision.
The American considered herself fortunate she was immune to male…'charms', yet Rako seemed determined to prove his manhood or affection by getting her on his arm like a dress up doll. She heard that the prince was very intelligent and gentleman-like, but the American didn't see any genius.
Hannah lay on her bed, thinking.
She was someone who had been so deathly close to being lost, to being alone, in pain. She still was alone and in pain, but not completely lost. She was so close to being just another abandoned genius, another loner…
Hours passed and the American sat there, not wanting to be anywhere else at the moment.
At sunset she sat up, and went to eat something. When she opened the bedroom door, her face nearly crashed into Gaara's. She took an involuntary step back.
The Kazekage wasn't wearing his formal robes. He hung from the ceiling like a creepy phantom from a horror movie, obnoxiously blank face inches from hers.
"I believe 'hello' is the proper way to greet someone," he stated as if having people's faces mere inches from his own and masquerading as hanging light fixtures was a daily incident. Hannah noted his hair defied gravity by staying the exact same. She also noticed how cute he looked upside down. A blush rose to her cheeks.
"What the heck are you doing up there?" she hissed, wondering where Rin, Chika, and Maite were. Rin would have sensed Gaara a mile away.
"Hanging out," Gaara answered.
Hannah couldn't help smiling. "Obviously, but you know that Barbie lives here?"
"Who?"
"Rin."
Gaara seemed more cautious. "We should hurry. Temari wanted me to walk with you because she's bedridden."
"Give me a minute to grab a few things," Hannah said, grabbing a jacket. She used the movement to conceal stuffing her weapons pack into her deep cargo pant pocket. There was the possibility this was her assassin or the spy concealed in a jutsu.
Hannah snatched a cherry lollipop. "I want to give this to Temari before we go on our walk."
"Hn."
They leapt through the window and sauntered to the hospital. Hannah entered Temari's hospital room and explained the situation to Gaara's sister. She invited Gaara to her bedside.
"Gaara, do you remember your teddy bear?"
His cheeks immediately flared and he coughed.
"Why did you say that in front of Hannah?" he demanded.
"She wanted to make sure you weren't a killer," Temari grinned, winking at the American.
Hannah gave a sheepish grin, "Call me paranoid, but I'm not a trusting person."
"Gaara, can you guard the door for a moment and ask for Shikamaru, please?" Temari asked her youngest brother sweetly as she peeled off the plastic wrapping on the red lollipop.
When he left, Temari asked, "Do you want to come here a few afternoons and talk? Maybe I can help you if someone tries to impersonate my brothers or me."
Hannah paused. What the older kunoichi was trying to say was 'do you want to be friends?' The American knew how desperately she needed one other than the too-kind-never-sarcastic Maite. She needed someone she could relate to.
She definitely had become less trusting…All her life, Hannah taught herself and developed hiding in her shell and accustoming to being taciturn.
"Alright," she sighed, feeling a weight on her grow lighter.
Temari smiled. "The last thing Suna needs is another episode of Gaara. You need to interact with other people. The upcoming balls will be good for you."
"But I hate crowds."
"You and my youngest sibling have something in common. You two should talk about that when you get the chance."
"Would he mind?"
"No, he wouldn't care," Temari shrugged.
"Sounds like him," grinned Hannah.
"Don't force yourself to smile if you don't want to."
Hannah felt the pang of an invisible sledge hammer hitting her chest. No wonder the weight had lifted. Temari was dangerously perceptive.
For a moment Hannah revealed her bottled emotions, staring wistfully at something only she could see. "'Smile. It hides everything,'" she said aloud, reminded of an Internet quote.
"Why do you feel like that?" Temari asked softly.
"'I've been alone all along.'" Another Internet citation.
"Why?" So many why's…always the why's…
"'I've been lost in a world that doesn't want me,'" Hannah finally confessed, a tear spilling down her cheek. She clenched her fists and bit on her lip. Hard.
With much effort, the American dredged up another larger barrier to hold back the growing depression. One question and she was about to become a cascading waterfall. Hannah considered a good cry was in order shortly.
Before she exploded.
P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P
Temari watched Hannah suck everything back in and hold it back with great effort. Only two crystal tears had made their trail on the American's cheeks.
The pregnant kunoichi was impressed with the extent of the American's self control. The girl really had too many emotions plugged for too long. She needed a long cry.
"You can use my room. Go through the window. Two blocks down and the second window of the second story," Temari offered.
Hannah opened her eyes and the blond was shocked. Her eyes were iced over with tears and her irises were a mixture of quicksilver, ash, charcoal, pewter…There was so much pain in those eyes, so much raw emotion Temari felt a little guilty for pressing.
The American nodded and opened the window, carelessly hurtling herself out.
"Gaara…" Temari called.
P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P
Hannah barely kept track of where she was going as she flew down the streets, tears blurring her vision. Another part of her was in control.
The American found herself before the building Temari described and under the window. Without hesitation, Hannah dug her fingers into the cracks where the bricks were cemented. She pulled herself up easily, being a natural climber.
Hannah couldn't pry open the window so she smashed it with her fist. The physical pain hurt but the emotional and mental were overwhelming. Ignoring the glass, the American climbed through the window and into the room. There was a large bed near the window.
She grabbed a plump pillow and forced herself to fit under the bed. Hannah hugged the pillow, pressing it into her face and crushing it to her body to muffle her cries which were little less than tortured screams.
'Teddies don't hug back, but, sometimes they're all you've got.'
Hannah didn't know how long she stayed wedged under that bed until someone's hand gently brushed against her ankle. The American's foot lashed out at the hand before recoiling closer to her body.
She didn't need someone right now. No, no, no…
'You think I'm so tough, but… I just never let you see me cry.'
'And I don't want the world to see be cause I don't think that they'd understand.'
The bed lifted and Hannah cringed, holding her breath. It didn't work very efficiently. She was shaking with the hiccups from crying to long, her breathing pattern was sporadic, and her body trembled with sadness.
Hannah stayed curled in a ball even as two strong arms pulled her into a warm chest. She curled tighter. She didn't want to be seen this way…when she was so weak…
"Hold onto me if you want," a gentle, deep masculine voice comforted.
"I-I don't wan-nt you t-t-to s-s-see m-me," Hannah sobbed, refusing to unfurl. "I'm b-b-brok-ken down, t-t-torn u-up, and l-l-lonel-y-y." Her voice wavered so badly each word was broken into several mutant syllables and octaves. Her breathing was about as calm as her speech.
Hannah suddenly threw the pillow across the dark room (it was almost midnight) and clung onto her lifesaver, knocking him over. She cried and cried until she crawled away from the guy to retch in the corner.
She miserably shuffled back to him, wiping her mouth, and leaned into his side, hiccupping. He awkwardly wrapped an arm around her shoulder, dragging her closer. Hannah sniffled and allowed her head to tilt into his side under his arm.
Her stomach ached, eyes burned, head throbbed, nothing worked.
He held her mutely as Hannah switched on her iPod and turned up the volume.
"Prison gates won't open up for me. On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'. Oh, I reach for you. Well I'm terrified of these four walls. These iron bars can't hold my soul in. All I need is you. Come please I'm callin' and oh I scream for you. Hurry, I'm fallin', I'm fallin'…"
Disclaimer: don't own Savin' Me by Nickelback, or the depressing Internet quotes
Kuroi- black
Itterasshai- take care