Hey guys, once again so sorry for how long it is taking me to post chapters. I really am trying to find time, it's just hard. Anyways someone requested that I make chapters longer so I will work on that. This one is still about the same length though.
Kasami POV
I'm not sure what woke me. Maybe it was the steady beeping coming from somewhere near me. Maybe it was the feeling that I still had something I needed to do. Maybe it was the pain that was slowly making itself known. Whatever it was I, I was awake now. My eyelids were heavy and I had to fight to slowly peel them open. White light blinded me and I shut them again, squeezing them closed against the offending brightness. I tried to raise an arm to cover my face but both of them were restrained in casts. Instead I simply squinted into the light until my eyes adjusted and I could open them fully with no discomfort.
I was in a hospital room, strapped to the bed. My leg had been bandaged as well and I could tell from experience that I'd be on a crutch for a little while. My arms weren't as bad as I thought. From what I could tell, the casts were still on so that I didn't reinjure them in my sleep, as if the straps couldn't hold me still.
I thought back on the events that had led to my injury. I had passed out after Naruto showed up and before that I had been distracting Gaara for Sauske. How long ago was that? As I sorted through my thoughts, a nurse entered the room and began checking all of the monitors.
"Oh good, you're finally awake. Your arms are pretty much healed so I can go ahead and take the casts of for you. However you will need to stay off of your leg for a little longer. You'll also have to stay in the hospital for a few more days so we can keep an eye on you, then you can go home."
"Alright… How long have I been here?"
"A little over five weeks. We were all worried when you didn't wake up sooner. No one could figure out why."
She came over and undid the straps that kept me fastened down, and then began removing the casts from my arms.
"Five weeks? What happened to Gaara? And Naruto? And the Village?"
"Calm down, I'll tell you what I know…"
It took an hour for the nurse to go over what she remembered from Chunin Exams incident. A lot of good people lost their lives including the Hokage. I was heartbroken that I had missed his funeral and I made a mental note bring a flower to his grave. When the nurse finished her story, she gave me my medication for the day.
"Has anyone come to visit me?"
"Oh yes. You've had several visitors. In fact a young lady stopped by just before you woke up. She comes by a few times a day so I'm sure she'll be back later. Your sister also dropped by a couple of times but she's been so busy lately… Oh and that Naruto kid came, and another boy… he left you something. It should be on the table by the bed."
Sure enough there was a note folded up on the table. I grabbed it and gingerly opened it up. There were only two words, written neatly in the center of the page.
I'm sorry.
I folded the note back up and replaced it on the table. There was only one person I could think of who would have a reason to apologize to me but I couldn't imagine him actually doing it. I'd have to ask him about it. At this point in time, my feelings toward Gaara were unclear. He had almost killed me, but I knew that he wasn't entirely in control of himself. Still I should have been more careful. I needed to see him; to talk to him.
"He's probably back in Suna by now." I whispered to the air.
"What was that?" The nurse paused on her way out the door.
"Oh, nothing. Thank you."
"No problem."
She left me alone with my thoughts. The pain medication she had given me had made me drowsy and my eyelids were already beginning to feel heavy. For a while, I tried to fight it, not wanting to drift back into sleep after already missing five weeks, but it soon proved impossible to break free.
When I woke up next, Naomi was sleeping in the chair by the bed. There were no restraints holding me down so I moved to sit up. A pair of crutches was resting against the wall near me and I grabbed them and used them to pull myself into a standing position. I hobbled over to my sister and leaned forward, putting my weight on one crutch, to shake her. She woke immediately, her eyes darting around wildly for a moment before settling on me. Her lips curved up into a drowsy smile and she pushed herself out of the chair.
"You're awake. They called me and told me that you were about ready to be picked. They just want to check everything once more. How are you feeling Kasami?"
"I'm ok. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before."
"That's not true." Naomi gripped my shoulders gently, "Before you would just trip and break your arm, or kick something out of frustration and break most of your toes. There was only ever one thing broken at a time. You learned to be careful and the most I had to worry about was you breaking your fingers hitting Naruto. Where has that caution gone? You were fighting Gaara. What he did to you…Kasami; I thought you were going to die. No one here has told you how bad you really were. It wasn't just the bones you'd broken. There was severe internal damage as well."
I considered my sister's words, thinking back on what had happened.
"It's true that I may have been a bit reckless… But what I did, I did to protect the village and to protect my friends. Even if I am weak, and even if there's a good chance that I could get killed, I can't just sit back and let everyone else risk their lives. I will die one day and when I do, I'd prefer to die protecting the things I care about."
Naomi sighed and wrapped her arms around me. "I understand. I just…you're my little sister and Mother and Father entrusted your protection to me. I guess the best way for me to do that is to teach you everything I know about our clan's jutsu. Before I was only teaching you the simplest attacks but that's not enough if you're going to survive with the life you've chosen to lead. I know now that I can't always be around to protect you but I can help you get a companion. Someone who will always be there when you need them."
"Who?"
"I don't know yet. You have to pick them, and they have to pick you."
My eyes widened slowly as realization hit. "A dragon?"
"Yes. You still have to be at least 14 to enter their domain. But I think that with a recommendation from me they will overlook the fact that you aren't an official shinobi."
I wrapped one arm around her, careful not to drop the crutch in the process.
"Thank you Naomi. I'll train really hard with my new companion and I'll become the best unofficial Ninja you've ever seen. I promise."
When the nurse entered the room my sister smiled down at me and peeled me off of her.
"I'm sure you'll be great. Now let the nurse check you out so we can go home."
I nod and hold sit back on the bed so the nurse can examine my legs. When she determined that I was ok to leave, I stood with the help of Naomi and the crutches and hobbled my way out of the hospital.
Naomi and I walked in silence for a while as I puzzled through the situation in my head. I had to speak to Gaara. I was afraid to, but I had to even if it meant traveling to Suna.
"Naomi, would you go with me to the Hidden Sand Village?"
"Kasami, Gaara almost killed you. Why would I let you go to Suna where he could hurt you again?"
"Because I need to see him. I still believe that I can get through to him. I just need more time. He came to visit me in the hospital. He apologized; at least I think he did. Anyway, it would be good to clear the air."
"I could keep you from going but when have I ever stood between you and something you really wanted? I also can't let you go alone, so yes; I'll accompany you."
"Thank you Naomi, for everything."
She grinned and nudged my arm gently.
"No problem. Come on, we have some packing to do."
Temari POV: A few days later…
Not much had happened since the attempt to destroy Konoha. Suna's relationship with the Leaf Village had been difficult to decide upon but our leaders were coming to an agreement. A new Kazekage had yet to be chosen as many people were still unsure as to when the old one had died. I didn't feel much sadness at the news of my father's death. The only way that he was more of a father to Kankuro and I was that he had never tried to have us killed. Other than that, he was the exact opposite of what I would consider the ideal father. I never complained though, not really. Kankuro and I had just learned to care for ourselves after Mother died. Things wouldn't be any different with him dead.
On this particular afternoon, so many weeks after the attack, I was sitting with Kankuro in our living room watching TV when someone knocked on the door. Kankuro paused with his hand half way into a bag of chips, and looked at me expectantly. I rolled my eyes at him and got up to answer it while he resumed his munching.
I undid the single lock and turned the handle, opening the door all the way. I shouldn't have been surprised to see that Kasami girl standing there, looking like the picture of health, except for the cast on her leg and the pair of crutches she was barely leaning on.
"Is Gaara home?"
"Uh… I haven't seen him. He went somewhere this morning and he hasn't come back."
She sighed and hung her head and in that moment I could tell, though she was skilled at hiding it, that she was exhausted.
"Alright, thanks. When he comes back, can you tell him that I'm here? In Suna?"
I nodded quickly and shut the door. That girl must have a death wish to pursue Gaara so intently. I glanced at Kankuro, who had crept up behind me to get a peek at our visitor.
"What did she want?"
"To see Gaara."
His eyes squinted and he opened his mouth as if to speak but no sound came out. Simultaneously, our gazes traveled to the stairs where we know that at the top, down at the end of the hall, our little brother sits in a chair by the window, starring out at the world, maybe not seeing anything.
That's where he has been since we returned from Konoha. Kankuro and I had barely been able to convince him to eat or drink or lay in his bed to sleep. When we did get him out of his room, it wasn't for very long. I thought it had something to do with his fight with that Naruto kid, but that was a while ago and I was afraid that Gaara won't last much longer like this.
I tip-toed up the stairs, turning 180 degrees at the top and continuing down the hall toward Gaara's room. When I reached the door, I pushed against it gently; grateful for once that his was the only door in the house that didn't have squeaky hinges. Just as I had thought, Gaara sat in his wooden chair, leaning forward slightly to rest his forearm on the window sill. The window was open and the Suna summer breeze drifted in, carrying the scents of rosemary and fresh baked sweet rolls. I inhaled deeply, noticing that Gaara did the same. His eyes closed and he continued to breathe in the smell.
I raised my hand to knock on the door with my knuckle.
"Gaara, I was thinking that I'd like some sweet rolls, but I've got a lot o work to do here. Do you think you could go to the bakery and get some?"
He didn't answer, didn't look at me, didn't give any indication that he even knew I was there.
"I can give you the money for them. If you don't want sweet rolls you can buy something else."
He opened his eyes and turned to look at me.
"Kasami was here."
Of course he knew. His room was at the front of the house and his window looked out over the street.
"Yes, she was. I told her you were out"
"Why?"
"I didn't think you wanted visitors. If you want to talk to her, you know where she is staying."
He went back to gazing out the window. I waited for a minute, in case he had anything more to say, but when I heard only the birds outside, I sighed and left, pulling the door shut behind me.
I trudged down the stairs into the living room where Kankuro was once again laid out on the couch. He sat up when I entered.
"How's he doing?"
I reached into the pouch on my hip and pulled out my wallet. I grabbed some money out and tossed it to him before collapsing into an arm chair.
"Get up and go buy some sweet rolls."
Gaara POV
As soon as I saw her I leaned away from the window, hiding like a child trying to escape their parent's scolding. It was a cowardly thing to do but I couldn't talk to her, not yet. She was looking for me. Temari told her that I was gone but as she walked away, I had felt a slight tingling sensation, like fingers running up my spine, barely touching my skin. She had glanced back at my window. I was still out of her line of sight but I got the feeling that she knew I was up here.
When Kasami had gone, Temari had come up to my room to try and get me to go outside. Little did she know that I spent every night outside, sometimes wandering the streets of Suna, sometimes just sitting on the roof and starring at the stars, always trying to understand what Naruto had told me. It had confused me at first, how he could come to love and protect the people who had hated him. But over the past few weeks, I had begun to figure it out.
Naruto hadn't let the village's hatred get to him. He stayed true to himself and eventually one person accepted him. One was all it took. Others came to care for him as well and they gave him strength. But me? I had let the hatred eat away at me and I had buried any desire for acceptance deep within me. I gave myself my own love in the form of a word on my forehead and I didn't think that I needed anyone else. There were people who cared about me; my brother and sister, but I had pushed them away until the only thing they felt toward me was fear.
I was disgusted by myself, my former self. The me who had nurtured the darkness inside and released it on the world. But I'm not that Gaara anymore. I can't be; not now that I know there is another way.
Below me I hear the front door swing open and peeking out the window, I see Kankuro, slinking down the street, grumbling to himself. I stood and stepped up onto the window sill before leaping to the ground outside.
"Kankuro, where are you going?"
He continued walking but glanced back over his shoulder.
"Hey little brother. You do realize you're not in your room anymore?"
I nodded quickly.
"Ok just making sure. Anyway, Temari demanded some sweet rolls and I chose to go and get them rather than deal with a pissed off wind style ninja with a giant fan."
"I'll get them. You can go back inside."
His eyebrows rose ever so slightly and he corrected himself quickly but it was enough for me to notice. I cringed inwardly at the thought that he was so surprised at my offer to help.
"You sure? I mean…if you want to. Thanks."
He handed me some money and headed back toward the house. I began the short walk to the bakery, wondering what Kasami was doing and whether or not she liked sweet rolls as much as Temari.
So there's chapter 8. Not hinting at anything here but I have noticed that with some authors, the number of comments they get influence how quickly they post new chapters. That's not why I haven't been posting but it might help me to find the extra time. Once again, not hinting at anything here. :-)