So yeah... It's been, well it's been a long time since I updated last, and for that I am very sorry. I don't like to make excuses but please understand I am very busy. I just started working at a new job so I'm super busy all the time because I'm going to school and then going to work after school and working every weekend morning at like 5am and then I'm really tired and still have to write essays and do math homework and fight my physics homework and... and I'm rambling. Anyways... Here's chapter 11, sorry it took so long to get it to you.
~X~X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~
Chapter 11
"You were killed?"
"Yeah, blead out right there on the ground. It was pretty fast seeing as half of my chest was ripped out."
"What happened? How are you still here?" He felt like he was finally getting somewhere with her. She was begining to open up and he was starting to uncover the mystery that had been bothering him since the first night they met.
"Well right after I died, my brother just shows up out of nowhere." She explained harshly. "He somehow manages to save the rest of my team and defeat this demon. Soon as he defeats him, he does this sealing jutsu and seals the beast to me, bringing me back to life. It healed most of my injuries, leaving this big ugly scar here. Somehow something in the sealing went wrong though. There shouldn't have been any side affects, but instead I get sick like I did earlier today. All of this is that bastard's fault." she said as she clenched her fist. Her hands were shaking slightly with rage.
"Why do you sound so angry about this though? Your brother saved you." She can't really be suicidal all the time can she the Kazekage thought? If she was, he had yet to notice anything that would really suggest that.
"Oh I'll tell you why. That son of a bitch brother of mine was planning this all along!" she shouted before realizing that Temari and Kankuro might be trying to sleep.
"What do you mean?"
"He shows up only seconds after I am killed. He defeats the demon in only a few minutes, like he knows exactlly what he is doing even though he just arrived. Then, out of nowhere he pulls out a forbidden sealing jutsu. They don't teach you stuff like that in the academy" She had began to talk with her hands now, something she was aware that she did when she was mad. "He was the one who pissed off the wolf as well, he was planning this for a while. By placing the demon in me I would no longer be able to get in his way and it would give him more power after he saved that village and defeated a demon on his own. He knew the demon would have killed me, my whole team even. I was lucky I was the first to be killed and none of the others had to be. What kind of older brother kills off his own little sister?"
The same kind of man who would try to kill his own son" thought Gaara. He knew what she was feeling, but he didn't know what to say. What was there to say to comfort someone in her situation? After a few moments of quiet he quietly it looked like she had calmed down. "Do you ever hear the demon talking? Does it speak to you?"
She smirked then. "Yeah, all the time actually. Did Shukaku ever?"
"Yeah, not all the time, but yes. It was always... unpleasent. I can't imagine what it's like having it talk to you all the time."
"It's not like that with us. Madarou- the demon- and I get along. Like I said, he wasn't normally violent and destructive. I mean we didn't get along at first. I don't know if you know what it feels like to wake up and suddenly have a pissed of wolf yelling in your head, it can be quite terrifying. Plus, he wasn't too happy to suddenly be trapt in the body of a 12 year old girl, but we get along pretty well now. Never keeps his mouth shut actually and he acts like my fricken mom sometimes."
"What happened after you had the demon sealed into you?"
She took a deep sigh and shook her head. "No, not now. I'm tired and I need to go to bed."
There she went, shutting him out again. "Wait Rayne-"
She suddenly looked very shocked and sagged against the wall and she grimaced as she clutched her chest.
"Are you alright?" he asked alarmed.
"Fine" she groaned. "I just need to-" she gasped and sunk to the floor. "I just need to lie down."
Gaara was unable to sense her chakra so he couldn't really tell if she was lying or not. As probable as it was he didn't want to take a chance. He gently scooped her up and placed her back down on the couch. She turned away from him and burried her face into the couch cushions "It's alright. We'll talk later. It probably is best if you rest. I'll see you in the morning." He quietly returned to his room to go over what he had just learned.
"You were faking an illness to get out of talking?" laughed Madarou
"So what if I was, it worked didn't it?"
"I suppose it did, though I still don't understand why you told him any of that stuff in the first place."
"He's done a lot of stuff for us so far, I figured we owed him a little explanation. Plus, he figured out about you on his own. Don't worry, I don't plan on telling him much more. He could just be waiting for the right information before turning me in, like if anyone helped me escape or helped get me out of the village."
"Alright Rayne"
She turned over and stared out the window. The stars were shinning brightly and there was almost a full moon. Despite her comfortable position on the sofa, she soon became restless. Visions of the night she died flashed in her head everytime she closed her eyes, the look an Kaede's face, covered in her blood and Himiko's tear that streaked down her face. The snow on the ground dyed red from splashes of crimson blood, the snarl on Madarou's enraged face. She shivered and pulled the blanket up over her face. The thick blanket usually provided her with warmth but tonight it was almost as if it wasn't there and she was back out in the snowy clearing where she fought to her death. She sighed angrily and jumped off the couch, her feet landed on the plush carpeting, muffling the sound. She crept through the kitchen and into the long hallway that led to the rest of the bedrooms. She looked carefully down the end to make sure Gaara's door was shut before reaching out and grabbing a cold doornob in her hand. The nob twisted silently in her hand and she pushed gently on the door letting herself into the room. She closed the door behind her with a soft click. Because of her improved vision, she was easily able to see in the dark. The oldest of the sand sibling brothers layed sprawled out on his king bed and was snoring softly.
"Hey, Kankuro" she whispered. The shinobi stopped his snoring and lifted his head off the pillow. He looked over at the door and smiled.
"I was wondering if you were coming back tonight.." He rolled over to the side of the bed taking his pillow with him. "Come on over" He patted the side of the bed and Rayne smirked before climbing into bed with him. Kankuro turned over to lay on his side with his back facing her. She layed down next to him facing the opposite direction with her back lightly touching his. She pulled up the covers and snuggled into them. This wasn't the first time she had done this, to be honest this had become normal occurance for the two of them. She could still remember the first night she came into his room over two months ago.
Rayne lay tossing and turning on the couch in the living room. She had broken out in a cold sweat and was mumbling to herself in her sleep. She woke with a start as she came crashing to the floor, startling herself. She looked around, hoping no one had heard her. Goosebumps covered her skin and she was freezing cold in the warm house. She pulled herself back onto the couch but remained sitting. The kunoichi had been dreaming about prison again, although "nightmare" would have been more appropriate than "dream". The thought of being chained up, alone in that cold dark cell scared the hell out of her. She fell over onto the couch with an annoyed moan. Trying to fall back asleep, she closed her eyes but the images still flashed through her mind. She sat up again and burried her face in her hands. With a sigh, Rayne got up from the couch and began to pace around the room. Her feet didn't make any noise as she walked over the carpet. From down the hall a toilet flushed, based on where the sound came from she assumed Kankuro was still awake. She silently walked through the kitchen, shivering as her feet touched the cold, wood flooring. Continuing down the hall, she approached the door leading to his room. She pressed her ear against the door, listening for signs he was awake. He could be heard settling back into bed so Rayne knocked on the door lightly. The kunoichi let herself in suprising the younge man in the room. Apparently Kankuro had not been fully awake when he had gotten up and now he was very confused.
"Rayne? What are you doing here?" He whiped his face with his hands trying to wake up. "Is everything alright?"
Rayne hesitated for a moment, "Uhh yeah, everything is alright I just can't sleep."
"I'm not really sure there's much I can do for you. Would you like me to get you something or...?"
"Can I stay with you, just for tonight?" she asked quickly, catching Kankuro off gaurd.
"What?" he asked simply
"I just want to stay in here tonight. It's just way to cold in the living room."
Kankuro hesitated for a moment. Sure, Rayne seemed nice and all, yet they still didn't know much about her. Every shinobi was vulnerble when they slept so this could easily be a trap. Before he could reply she spoke again.
"Wow, that was sort of stupid to ask. I mean we just met like two weeks ago. Just forget I asked." She turned to leave.
"Wait, Rayne. It's fine." He moved over on the bed, now feeling sorry for her. "You can stay. I promise to stay on my side" he grinned.
"You sure?"
"Yeah It's fine" Rayne walked over and slipped into the opposite side of the bed, staying as far away from Kankuro as possible. Neither of them completely trusted the other. Rayne, with her abilitly to tell what was going on around her while sleeping, closed her eyes. She pulled up the blankets to cover her. His body heat was still trapped underneath them, making the bed pleseantly warm. She used her arm as a pillow and was soon, to her suprise, fast asleep.
Kankuro however, did not fall asleep as easily. He sat there listening to her breathing, trying to figure out if she was really asleep. He assumed she had no reason to want him dead. It seemed the only thing she wanted was to get out of the village, but what if she saw him being in the way of that. He didn't see any weapons on her when she came in but he didn't think that it didn't mean she didn't have any. It would also be way to obvious if she killed him here. Gaara would know it was her and would hunt her down. She would never get away with it. Suddenly, she shifted positions and her back now pressed against his arm. Kankuro quickly moved away and turned over, propping himself up on his elbow. Rayne was still asleep. It was one of the first time he had seen her relaxed and completely calm since she got here. He layed back down on his back and closed his eyes. For some reason he wasn't all that worried about her killing him that night. He too, soon fell asleep
Rayne had woken up early the next morning and silently slipped out of the room, careful not to wake Kankuro.
Kankuro had grown accostome to having her come in to his room now. Over the past few months he had grown to think of her as almost a younger sister. Both of them now laid on their backs looking up at the ceiling. He turned over onto his stomache and looked over at her.
"Everything alright?"
She continued to look up at the ceiling for a moment then glanced at him for a moment, looking rather troubled. She stared at him for a few seconds then her face relaxed and she looked back up at the ceiling. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
"You sure? You look a little troubled."
"No, I'm fine. I just get caught up in my own thoughts sometimes and I really just can't get to sleep."
"That seems to happen a lot then, since your in here almost every other night" he teased.
Rayne grinned. "It's not that often Kankuro and most of the time I'm just lonely" she laughed. "I was just away from people for a long time before coming here, so it's nice to just fall asleep knowing someone is right there. Plus, its warmer in here than in the living room."
"Oh I get it, you're just using me." he joked, making Rayne grin again.
"Yes, thats it. I just use you for your warm bed."
"I see how it is." he yawned. He closed his eyes again. Rayne looked over at him for a moment. A little of his purple face paint was still smeared on the side of his face. His dark brown hair was already a mess. She smiled to herself, thankful for his company. He got the feeling he was being watched and cracked one eye open to look at her. "What?" he asked.
Rayne smirked then rolled over onto her side, now facing away from him. "Thanks Kankuro, for everything."
"Sure thing." he replied sleepily with both his eyes closed again. Both of the shinobi soon fell asleep.
Rayne woke up early the next morning still a little tired. She was almost always tired though, seeing as the only nights she ever slept at all were the nights she fell asleep in Kankuro's room or the rare occasion she fell asleep early while everyone was still in the living room. She quietly got out of bed, careful not to wake Kankuro. She silently left the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. Whenever she stayed in his room, she always left before he woke up. As she left the room, Gaara was leaving his own, catching her walking out of Kankuro's room. There was a brief awkward moment where the two of them just stared. Gaara looked like he was about to say something then turned around and left.
A few hours later everyone was up and out of the house. Temari off for another meeting, Gaara in his offiice and Rayne and Kankuro were heading to meet him to recieve their next mission. It was a slow morning, neither Kankuro or Rayne were morning people. The two of them decided that to avoid trouble that they would meet Hitoshi and Akio at the office instead of heading there together. Rayne and Akio would have fought the entire way there. The meeting was short and they were out of the office quickly. Rayne was very thankful becuase she had felt a little awkward around the Kazekage, since running into him while leaving Kankuro's room that morning. She had caught him looking at her quiet a few times during the meeting. She was relieved to finally be back at the house and packing.
"Rayne! Are you ready to go?" came Kankuro's voice from the other side of the bathroom door. Rayne was just finishing up her shower.
"Uhhh, not exactly. I need like five more minutes and then I'll be ready" She replied, sticking her head out of the shower to hear him better.
"Hurry up!" he shouted back, sounding slightly annoyed.
"What's the rush? Do you have a date tonight or something" she laughed.
"Rayne, you heard Gaara. This mission is going to take all day and I don't want to be running back here late at night. I want to get going as soon as we can."
"Well go on without me and make sure those two idiots are prepared and I'll meet up with you at the gate." she said stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her. She quickly turned off the water and immediately shivered, already missing the warmth of the water.
"Fine, just hurry. Please."
"Yeah, yeah. Just go." Rayne quickly wrung out her hair and pulled on her clothing. She stepped out of the bathroom, mostly ready, a few minutes later. After spending another few minutes hunting down all her gear, she was ready to go. She walked over to the window in the living room and unlatched it. She quickly looked down before jumping out and taking off runnning accross the roof. She made her way down to the ground and began weaving throught the streets. She stuck to back alleys and rooftops to get there as fast as she could while avoiding people. She was so focused on getting to the meeting point on time that she failed to notice a familure chakra that was close by. She turned down one street quickly just as another man turned the corner at the other end. She quickly stopped as she recognized the man with the spikey black haired pulled into a ponytail. He was dressed in his black, wearing his green jounin vest just like the last time she saw him. His hands were in his pockets and he was walking calmly down the street. He stopped when he noticed her and a surprised looked spread on his face.
~X~X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~ X~
Alright hopefully that was a little worth the wait (probably not but yeah...) The next chapter will be updated really soon. This time I mean it. Also there is a great present for all you readers in the next chapter so check for the next update, which will be really soon. Like always, thanks for reading. Please review :)