i dunno how many of you missed me lol but i've been going through a little rough patch and i kind of lost my mojo for writing so i tried really hard to finish this one. i will write chpt 15 but it'll take me sometime. i lost someone i cared about so please be patient with me.

Chapter 14

I awoke with a jump and shot straight up from the place where I lay. Immediately I fell back down, my head throbbing with skull splitting force.

Where am I?

Weakly i prodded the area around me, I was lying on something soft and warm. My vision slowly came back into focus and I turned my head to see that i was in a bedroom and someone had changed my clothes. I heard a light shuffle and the click of a door. I turned my head woozily to the sound. The room was slowly spinning, shakily I propped myself on an elbow, this seemed to increase the spinning.

My throat was parched and dry. Fighting back the rising nausea I carefully sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. Suddenly the door creaked open and the smell of food wafted through the room. Involuntarily my mouth began to water and to top it off my stomach rumbled loudly. Embarrassed I hung my head lowly and dared not look at the person in front of me.

I heard them whisper something to the other person who had entered the room and they left momentarily after. The person paced slowly towards me before resting the platter of food on the side table which I now noticed.

"Haru," spoke the man.

I looked up immediately to see it was Gaara, his face still with the same expressionless features just more mature and those expressive green eyes.

"Hey," I whispered.

I entered the room to see Haru sitting at the edge of the bed look like she might fall on the floor any minute. Her head was hung low almost like it was too heavy for her neck to support. Turning to the guard I dismissed him and entered the room alone. Slowly I put the platter of food I was holding on the bedside table.

I swallowed hard, "Haru…?"

Suddenly she looked up at me, her face pale and thin. I had never seen her like this. The glow of her skin had almost vanished, the bright sparkle in her eyes dimmed by hardships she had faced.

"You should eat," I told her ", I'll leave you now… unfortunately I had to get rid of your clothes, some news ones have been lad out for you at the foot of the bed and your bag is in the cupboard. That door to the right corner of the room is the bathroom, you can freshen up there. This room is yours for as long as you're staying here."

She pursed her lips drinking in what I had to say before giving a weak nod. She smiled at me; I watched how her skin stretched tightly over her face. Somewhere inside of me I felt a pang of some emotion I didn't understand and I left the room.

"Sure just a friend," snickered Shakaku as I walked down the narrow corridor.

I stared at the door Gaara had just closed, I was surprised! Despite he threaded carefully, that was the most he's ever spoken at one time.

I closed my eyes and smiled.

Inhaling deeply the scent of the food caught my nose again and my stomach rumbled more threateningly than a thunder cloud.

Leaning forward I grabbed the platter off the side table and like a ravenous animal, gobbled down my food. I sighed happily when my stomach had been filled to bursting level. Contentedly I rubbed my stomach, placed the platter back on the table and poked around the room.

Quite obviously it was the colour of sand, caramel beige. Surprisingly the furniture was antique dark stained mahogany wood, beautifully hand crafted into intricate patterns. Other than that the room was rather plain, with the bed as the focal point in the center of the room, the antique side table by the bed garnished with a simple white lamp and the wardrobe to the front of the bed.

To the far side of the room was the door which Gaara spoke about, this was also a plain wooden door which squeaked quietly when opened. Inside was a sterile white bathroom, someone had already laid out the essentials in the cabinet when I opened it.

"Forgot the shampoo," I mumbled as I rearranged the items, in the order which I preferred.

Picking up the toothbrush I ripped off the protective covering and squirted a generous amount of toothpaste onto the brush. Absentmindedly I began brushing my teeth, my mind off in a daze.

"She looked horrible!" remarked Temari between sips of tea.

Kankuro grunted", I know right? And it's all for Gaara!"

He chuckled softly to himself ", she really wasn't kidding around when she said she'd be your friend and she'd come to see you! Huh, Gaara?"

I glared at him from across the breakfast table, immediately he fell quiet.

"He does have a point," commented Shakaku.

You be quite!

"Good morning!" came a soft voice from the doorway.

Slowly I stuck my head out of the doorway as I made my presence known and smiled.

Kankuro got up ", Hey Haru!"

Slinging his arm over my shoulder he guided me from the doorway to an empty chair at the table ", come eat with us."

Quickly he pulled out a clean plate from the cupboard and began piling it with food and fruits. Grabbing the tea pot from Temari he poured me a steaming cup of tea which he thrust into my hands.

"Drink up!" he ordered cheerfully.

I complied and carefully sipped the scalding liquid, Kankuro watched me expectantly. As the liquid entered my mouth, I suddenly felt my tongue shrivel and throat close as I swallowed. My stomach lurched violently as it rejected the vile tasting liquid. I felt my face crumple as I swallowed hard to wash down the lingering taste of the tea in my mouth. There were no words in my mind to describe what the tea tasted like, if a small child had tasted it the poor thing might have died.

"What's the matter?" asked Kakuro as he assessed my features.

"Didn't like it?" he questioned dejectedly.

I coughed lightly, when reality I wanted to cough like I was dying.

"Burnt my tongue," I whispered hoarsely.

Temari burst out into laugh and left the room, Kankuro followed shouting after her what was she laughing about.

I flew from my chair as Kankuro left the room and poured myself a cup of water and drank it thirstily.

Gradually, I realized that Gaara and I were the only ones in the room.

I watched silently as she sputtered from drinking the tea.

"Why didn't you tell her not to drink it?" questioned Shakaku.

She needs to learn to keep away from their cooking.

He grunted ", well that's no way to really help her learn bout there cooking. It could kill her you know."

Silently I watched her as she drank the water and sat back down. She avoided my gaze while she picked through the mass of food Kankuro had piled her with.

"How am I going to eat all this? I just ate," she mumbled to herself.

Inhaling deeply she looked at me and smiled slightly ", how have you been Gaara"

"I'm fine," I replied ", did you find what you were looking for?"

She averted her eyes then looked back to me a seriousness replacing the cheerfulness ", yes and much more."

now i'm seriously curious?

please review and comment! love hearing feedback form you guys! love you!

I WONDER WHAT COULD BE THE 'MUCH MORE' HARU FOUND OUT? TUNE IN NEXT TIME ON UNBIASED EYES