Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Gaara wouldn't have been treated the way he was.

"Yeah," Sen said. "Tell her I'm going to murder Kankurou soon."

Sen watched as Saida flew off. Why did everyone have to be nice when it came to her? Anyone else, Kankurou wouldn't have said a word. Why her? She felt the tears spilling down her cheeks as she clenched her fists in the sand. This was getting to be too much.

Gaara walked downstairs. He'd heard the screaming and then the door slam. If Kankurou had pissed Sen off, or hurt her in any way, he'd kill him.

Temari was standing in the middle of the room, glaring at Kankurou.

Kankurou glared right back at her as if she were the cause of all his troubles until he spotted Gaara. His anger morphed into fear. "Guh-Gaara..."

"What did you do to Sen?" Gaara said quietly. If you hurt Sen...

"It-It's not w-what you think," Kankurou stuttered.

"Then what did you do?" Gaara said angrily.

"She came at me. Yelling about what I'd sent to the Mizu-"

Gaara's fist connected with Kankurou's nose for the second time in a week.

Kankurou collapsed to the ground, clutching his nose as the blood poured from it.

"Gaara," Temari said quietly. "Sen left. Maybe you should-"

The door slammed shut, cutting her sentence short.

Temari sighed. "Come on, baka, let's get you to a medic-nin."

Gaara ran across the sand. He had know clue where she could be. Then he saw her. Sen. He ran to her side and set a hand gently on her back.

Sen gasped when she felt a hand rest lightly on her back. She looked up and flung arms around Gaara's neck, clinging to him sobbing.

Gaara held her close. "It's alright," he whispered in her ear. "I'm here now."

"I know," Sen said quietly in between her sobs. "Gaara, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because. I'd rather have anything happen to me than to you," she whispered.

"And what's going to happen to me?" Gaara said. "An assasination attempt? That's why I have a guard. Speaking of which, we need to get you one."

"I don't need a guard," Sen protested.

Gaara rolled his eyes and stood up before helping Sen to her feet as well. "How about Kanemaru?"

"He's just a genin, Gaara-kun."

"Well, he has to prove himself some way. And the boy's as determined as Naruto. Just think about it okay?"

Sen wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, noddiing.

Gaara stroked her hair gently and said, "Sen, how do you get between Kiri and Suna so fast?"

Sen sniffed. "It's a long story."

"I'm willing to listen."

"Gaara, I have so many secrets. I don't want to have them, but you'd be in even more danger if I told you," Sen sighed quietly.

Gaara nodded understandingly. "Whenever you're ready. Let's go back."

Later, in his room, Gaara was sitting on his bed with Sen laying curled up beside him.

Why do you risk yourself for her?

What are you talking about? The Akatsuki's after me, just as they're after Naruto and whomever has the Hachibi. I'm the one putting her in danger.

Stupid bastard.

What is he talking about? Does he know something I don't?

"Sen? Are you awake?" Gaara said quietly.

"Yeah."

She sounded so upset. Gaara itched to comfort her. Or was that Shukaku's bloodlust? Hell, why did it matter?

"Gaara-kun?" Sen pulled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Are you still willing to listen?"

"I'm always willing to listen to you."

"You won't hate me?" Sen said softly.

Gaara kissed the top of her head gently as he rubbed her back with one hand. "I could never hate you, Sen."

"You might," she said quietly. "I'm the Jinchuuriki for the Nanabi."

Chapter five. How many more will come? And what will Gaara's reaction be?

A/N: Kanemaru's name comes from the female Japanese name "Akane" meaning brillant red and the name "maru" meaning a boy's name. I took the a off of Akane and put the to terms together. It's pronounced like...well, the e's pronounced like an a so...