He knew. He knew they were looking for her. He knew they were out there searching for HIS Hinata. There she was playing a game with Temari and Kankuro, that bunny by her side. She had named it Dufty. She believed her friends weren't looking for her, which is good on his part but he knew they are and they will find her and take her away. He wouldn't let that happen. Only when hell freezes over and the dead walk the earth will they even have a chance of taking her. He had to devise a plan and fast to get away from these people because the longer she had no clue the easier she would believe she was all alone with nobody to care about her besides him.

'You know boy…she's no better than you.'

'Who told you to speak?'

Shukaku growled then smiled. He would get his…in due time he would get his. Just wait and see…the whole world would fall because of him. Gaara looked out the window and could smell them approaching, at least he could smell their leader, a filthy dog. Gaara snarled then signaled his siblings over.

"What is it Gaara?" Kankuro asked.

"They're coming."

"Who is?" Questioned Temari.

"They…the people who are looking for her."

"Damnit…What do we do?"

"Simple, Temari, we take her back to the Suna."

"Oh yeah simple as pie taking a girl people are looking for back with us willingly. Let's drag her away from her friends and family and her hometown. Yeah sounds great!"

"Shut up Kankuro. She'll go willingly enough…with convincing. Let me do the talking."

Gaara walked over and sat next to Hinata, who smiled at him. She started to sip juice out of a juice box as she wondered why Gaara looked so troubled.

"Hinata…do you like it here?"

"Hai! Temari-san-shii has b-been teaching me h-how to not stutter a-and cook! Kankuro is s-super nice and funny! You've all b-been very k-kind to me! I l-like training w-with you Gaara-Chan!"

"Good. You don't miss your family?"

"Well…I do. They are my f-family…no matter how cruel…Family is forever."

"But they haven't even sent out a search party for you! They don't care! They probably replaced you!"

Hinata looked down Dufty and pulled on her white bow. No word from them, no search and Hanabi…she would replace her. Did they need a stammering weakling like herself? Did they care? Tears fell out of Hinata's eyes.

"W-why don't t-they care!?"

"We care Hinata. Like I've said, I've always wanted a little sister. Too many boys in this house!"

"Hey! Well I think that we just need an extra person in the house. The house feels so empty back in the Suna. You know the average family is four people."

"W-what are you s-saying?"

"We're asking you to come back with us to the Suna. Come on, kid, how 'bout it?"

She looked from Temari to Kankuro to Gaara to the outside. How could she let go of all those who she thought cared about her and whom she cared about? Her sensei, Kiba, Shino, her family, Naruto? If she left how would she ever proclaim love to her crush? How would he ever know she loved him? Did it matter? Didn't he love that pink-haired girl, Sakura? How could she compare with that? Sakura had brains, wit, beauty and great fighting skill she also had the affections of Naruto but she didn't even like him, she adored Sasuke though. She told herself she would never ever give up on her dreams no matter what but Naruto thought her invisible…just a friend. Her friends and sensei and family weren't even looking for her. Did they care? Why didn't they care? They seemed to like her very much. But she was wrong. They didn't care at all…but maybe she was over reacting. Maybe she just hadn't seen them looking for her.

"What if they a-are out there looking for me…?"

Kankuro and Temari thought up something quick. They had seen Hinata's team members in the chunin exams and decided to use that against Hinata in the worst way.

"Are you friends with that bug boy with the glasses and that kid with the dog?" Asked Temari

"Hai…why?"

"And that spiky haired blonde kid with the orange jumpsuit?" inquired Kankuro. He had seen Naruto fight that kid with the dog and could only hope that there was some connection.

Hinata blushed ever so lightly, heavily noticed by Gaara who grew jealous of the boy instantly.

"H-hai! But…why?"

"When we were going out we saw them…all three of them just hanging out a chilling like you weren't missing. Almost broke my heart it did," lied Temari wiping a fake tear from under her left eye.

"No…it can't be…"

"It is! Isn't it Gaara?"

"Hai. Kankuro is right. Naruto was his name, right? He said he didn't care about Hiyami. He didn't even get your name right. He had his arms around some…pink girl. You see…they don't care. They all think you're a weak delicate flower that stutters at everything. They've already gone to looking for a replacement for their team."

Hinata's heart broke into a million tiny pieces. She buried her face in her hands and cried like somebody just died right in front of her and her cry sounded like a child's cry when she loses her mother. She leaned into Gaara's chest and soaked the front of his shirt with tears. She clung onto him as if he was her only hope and he in return slowly wrapped his arms around her protectively. He would shelter her from all truth and hurt and pain with her folded in his arms. He would be her barrier, her shield, incasing her in a cocoon of sand and arms that would hold her tight. He'd fight to the death to protect her from those who tried to steal his Hinata. He thought all this as she cried helplessly onto his shirt. She would never ever cry again she would only have things that would make her smile. His Hinata would get everything she wanted…come hell or high water.

She burrowed her face into his shirt and clung onto him tighter, never letting him go. He simply picked her up and instructed his siblings to pack up all their belongings quickly. He carried Hinata out the door where the sand siblings and their bagged up belongings checked out of the hotel. They leapt from tree to tree, Gaara with Hinata curled up in his arms using whatever transportation they could find and had to get back to the Suna. Gaara looked down at Hinata and by now it was late afternoon and he saw that she was asleep.

'I've never spoken to this Kami. I know deep down he doesn't exist but I will swear to him, even if he's as real as unlimited chakra I will swear to him. I swear to Kami you will never find yourself unprotected. You will never be far from me. You will never be unsafe or unhappy. This I my only promise that I hold my life to. She told me to find my purpose…I have found it.'

Shukaku laughed. 'Boy, you have truly become pathetic. If you continue to endeavor in such a frivolous affair I might take control and kill her myself. However, maybe we can work with this. You want her boy…fine, have her. I don't even think you love the girl. You do not know what love is.'

'That is why she is here….to teach me'

"Peh. She couldn't teach a fish to swim. If she is to be ours any time now then she will be nobody else's. Ours only and if she defies us…we show her no mercy.'

Gaara pondered on this. Could he ever achieve such a feat as making Hinata his? Did he love her? He had no clue but he felt like he should protect her.

'If Hinata becomes mine…then we will follow out with your plan…but I know you…you want something out of it.'

'Only the pleasure of watching you fall and everything fail. You will see…everything we touch turns to ruin. You cannot hold any type of relationship, boy. Use her to mate with, fine. Use her to kick around, fine. But you know very well that love doesn't exist…'

'Hinata says…'

'What if she said you were a flying unicorn? Would you believe it? Wake up Gaara. You're the demon of the sand. She probably is using you as protection. She is so damn weak. We will see in the end who prevails but if my plan works…I know I will.'

'Wait! What plan?'

'Goodnight, boy. Rest well…' then Shukaku said solely to himself, only for him to hear, 'While you still can.'