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Later That Night…
Saya sat outside the tower. It was getting chilly out and she had just put Ryuzaki to bed. Kankuro had tried to get her to come inside where it was warm but she declined kindly. She was going to wait for him. Kankuro knew she was getting nervous. It was really late out and everyone had gone inside to get some sleep. She was fidgeting and she stood to pace some. It was only when she heard footsteps approaching that she turned around to see her husband not far off in the distance.
She smiled feeling a flood of relief. She walked towards him and soon broke out into a run. Gaara saw her sitting on the steps of the tower and wondered why she was still up this late in the night. He watched as she got up and headed towards him, breaking out into a run. He felt nervous. Did something happen? Why was she running to him? He hastened his pace and soon her body connected with his in a tight embrace. She pulled him close to her.
"I'm sorry about yesterday…" she said in his neck.
He held her tightly in his robes and let his head rest on her shoulder.
"It's rather cold…let's go inside…" he said softly and they headed inside.
They walked up the stairs and Saya turned around to get a good look at him when they got in their room. He was pale and looked tired. His eyes were lowered and he looked about read to collapse. Saya watched as he removed his robes and shivered slightly. She furrowed her eyebrows and walked over to him.
"Are you alright?" she asked concerned.
He nodded slowly and she walked up to him and felt his head.
"You're running a slight fever," she said softly.
Gaara shook his head.
"I don't get sick," he murmured but walked to the bed and laid down, pulling the covers up over his shoulders.
Saya watched him intently. He was probably so tired.
"Saya…come lay with me," he whispered pulling back the covers.
She smiled softly, walked over to him and climbed into bed. He quickly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She smiled as he buried his face into the back of her neck nuzzling her gently.
"How did things go in the Rock Village?" she asked quietly.
When she got no response she assumed he was asleep and went to bed herself. Gaara stood awake until his wife fell asleep. His eyes started to close. He didn't want to tell her what Saiganki said. He didn't want to remember what Saiganki said. It kept running through his head though. As he closed his eyes he heard the Tsuchikage's words.
"Oh Gaara-sama…you should have seen it coming…she's too good to fall in love with you just for you being you. She has her underlying reasons for choosing to be close to you…for you to have her in your bed…to lie next to you every night…to have your child…don't you think that's a little too perfect…especially with how you…used to be? And Nara, Shikamaru being with your sister…she probably tells him everything…and anything…what's wrong Gaara-sama? Are you thinking about your wife and the weapon she used against you? Or maybe you're thinking about your brother-in-law and the weapon he used against your sister? Love is their weapon and they used it expertly. What will you do to her when you go home? I already told you who the spy is…and where she is…she's probably in your bed right now…and she's your wife…things I do not understand? Are you talking about…love? I understand love Kazekage-sama…it never lasts…love is pure but the world taints it with its misery and pain…until it dies…"
The Next Day…
Saya opened her eyes abruptly to the sound of harsh coughs and a body trembling heavily against her. She blinked a few times before she realized her surroundings. She turned around in his loose grip to come face to face with her husband. It was still somewhat dark out but the sun seemed to be trying to rise from over the hills of sand in the village. Saya blinked at her husband with wide eyes. He was visibly shaking and sweating. He was pale and his eyes were dull and blank. She could tell he was suffering, he was in pain.
"Gaara is your fever getting worse?" she asked feeling his forehead.
He was sweating but the room was cold and his skin was freezing. She pulled the covers up on him and put her body over him to try to keep him warm. She was a medic and knew what to do but she hated seeing him sick like this.
"You're very sick…how did you get like this?" she asked softly while rubbing the sides of the blanket to try to give him some warmth.
Gaara's eyes met hers for a brief moment. She rubbed his forehead soothingly trying to calm down his shaking. He started to relax and fall into a restless sleep when a knock at the door startled them both. Saya sighed and walked over to the door opening it quickly. An annoyed Kankuro stood in the doorway and stared at her.
"Where's Gaara? He's late for his meeting! Did he seriously oversleep?!" he said loudly.
Saya hushed him.
"Gaara isn't feeling well and is running a pretty high fever…so no meetings today…" she said quietly.
She left the door open and walked back to Gaara. Kankuro walked in seeing his brother in such a bad state.
"Gaara…what the hell happened?" he asked seriously.
Gaara shuddered and tried to sit up. He leaned against Saya for some support and rested his head on her shoulder.
"I'll…make it…to the next meeting Kankuro. Push the other meetings back…I'll get to them later…I just…need some rest…" he said in a raspy voice.
Kankuro nodded concerned and headed out quickly. Saya wet a cloth and pressed it to his head gently. He rested his head back on his pillow and groaned in agony. Saya shook her head.
"That's it, we're going to get you to the hospital," she said but he protested.
"I'll be fine. Just let the morning end…I'll be alright…" he tried to convince her.
She didn't buy it.
Later That Day…
Gaara walked up to his office and entered through the big doors to be greeted by the council. He was wearing his Kazekage robes and still looked sick but less pale. His hair was messy and fell in his face every now and then. He walked over to his seat and sat down slowly.
"Alright…let us begin…" he said, his voice low but stern.
The council began the meeting and Gaara listened as well as he could. Hours later Gaara's vision became blurry. He was becoming annoyed with the council and their lies. They were saying that the spy was probably someone who had recently moved into the village. Gaara knew the Tsuchikage wasn't stupid. The spy probably had been living in Suna for a long time. It was someone who knew the terrain and was close to the people. He rubbed his head and suddenly felt terrible. He stood up and let his hands lean on the desk. This action caught the council's attention.
"Kazekage-sama, are you alright?" one member asked him softly.
Gaara looked up and became dizzy. The room started spinning. He heard one committee member mumble to another.
"Go get Saya-san…" he said to a younger man who immediately left for the door.
Gaara tried to protest.
"No…I'm fine…I just…need to sit down…for a moment…" he said slowly sitting and resting his head in his hands.
The young council member had already left to get Saya and Baki walked up to him concerned.
"Gaara-sama, what is happening to you?" he asked in a stern voice.
Gaara shook his head not bothering to lift it.
"I just need to rest…just for a moment…" he said before tipping over in his chair and hitting the floor.
Baki gasped and kneeled down to the young Kazekage. Gaara sat up quickly trying to regain his composure. Saya walked in and saw her husband on the floor. She ran over to him concern filling her eyes.
"Gaara are you alright, what happened?!" she yelled.
He looked up at her taking a good look. She was a little dirty and had a scratch on her face. She was probably training with her group. His eyes met hers and he looked away after a few moments. She went to yell at him but a harsh cough shut her up as she watched him cough uncontrollably. She rubbed his back soothingly and it was only when she saw blood that she reacted as a medical ninja and not his wife. She stood up quickly and grabbed his arm pulling it with her.
"You're going to the hospital. Don't make me restrain you…" she said and Gaara didn't even have the power to speak.
She put his arm around her shoulders and they walked to the door. Gaara's legs buckled and they almost fell but the Kazekage's trusted shinobi Baki steadied them. He took over, holding Gaara up while Saya got the door. They made it to the hospital in record time. After he was admitted Baki pulled her to the side.
"Do you think this had anything to do with his trip to the Rock Village?" he asked bluntly.
Saya nodded.
"Hell yeah! He was fine before going to that asshole's village," she said just as bluntly.
Baki nodded and headed towards the exit.
"Stay with him. Make him better…and then we'll deal with this issue of the Rock Village…" he said angrily.
Saya nodded quickly and headed to Gaara's room. She walked in slowly and checked his charts. His fever was on and off. He was shaking slightly and looked like crap again. She walked over to him and sat by his bedside. She pushed some hair out of his eyes gently and he looked at her.
"You look terrible Gaara-kun…" she mumbled more to herself then him.
He tried to sit up and with her help he leaned his back against the propped up pillows.
"Saya…listen to me. I need to tell you something and it's extremely important…" he said softly as if they were being watched.
Saya leaned in closely. He leaned his head against hers and looked into her eyes. He swallowed hard and sweat trickled down the sides of his head. His hair was damp and his cheeks were red due to the heat of the room. Saya never took her eyes away from his.
"The spy…is female…she's been living here for a while…she knows the terrain…she's young…and…" his breathing became heavy.
His eye lids lowered. Saya shook him some to continue.
"And…she fell for my trick…" he said smirking some.
Saya's eyes widened.
"Gaara what are you talking about?" she said worried about his sanity.
He coughed harshly.
"I'm sick…because when I left the village…there was a little girl that spoke to me. She was part of a gen-jutsu…I realized it immediately. She tried to throw me off by saying 'he'…when in fact it was a 'she'…I didn't eat or drink anything so the spy must have emitted an airborne substance," he swallowed hard and continued.
"The spy…she is always there to be seen when she needs to be…but disappears at opportune times when she has to and we think nothing of it because she is someone we trust…" he said hissing when he felt pain shoot through his head.
He grabbed his head in pain and Saya grabbed his hands worried for him.
"She was nearby when I told you that I was going to Rock Village. She informed her Kage. She was there when I said I was going alone. She wasn't present when the surgery was taking place…because she was killing the man that came in mutilated…and…she definitely works for this hospital. She is experienced in forbidden types of jutsu and most of them are medical which is why I'm getting worse and not better. She's powerful and she's downplaying it…" he said trying to catch his breath.
Saya rubbed his head and made him sip water that he spit out right away. She stared at him puzzled.
"Saya, I think I know who it is…" he mumbled looking at her.
Saya's eyes widened. She realized that he got sick on purpose. Now that he was sick, the spy would get bold, try something new, and try to kill him. Saya glared at him.
"Who do you think it is?" she asked angry that he put himself in that position.
It seemed to have helped him though since now he knew who it was. Gaara felt weak and was so tired. He took a deep breath and stared at his wife. Would she believe him when he told her? He swallowed harshly and cleared his throat.
"It's Rooks-san…the spy for the Rock Village is Rooks-san…" he said and Saya's eyes snapped open.
"I-I can't believe t-that…" she stuttered out in shock.
Gaara stared at her.
"I-It's true…it can only be her…everything fits…" he said quietly and Saya became infuriated.
"Well find something that doesn't fit!" she yelled not meaning to.
Gaara stared at her curiously.
"Rooks-san was my first friend at this hospital! She is kind and compassionate about her work and funny and she keeps me going! There are times when I feel drained and she'll help me save people's lives…our people! Why would you accuse her of such a thing?!" she yelled angrily, tears welling up in her eyes.
Gaara hated doing this to her. He didn't want to tell her like this but Suna was in a state of emergency and he needed her to be in control until he got better. His eyes lowered.
"I've asked some of our shinobi to come assist us. We don't know how many spies there are now…" he said adding to her anger.
"They better not touch Rooks-chan or I'll stop your morphine!" she yelled but knew she wouldn't do it.
She just needed to buy herself some time. She knew he didn't believe her and she needed a diversion so she could get to Rooks before his ANBU did. She knew that the squad was right outside waiting for orders and Gaara would give them any minute now. She stood and Gaara, for the first time in all of their years together, knew she was going to do something bad. She looked at the door and he knew what she was thinking.
"Don't make me restrain you…" he said quietly.
"You are my wife but I have to look after this village…and if you get in the way of that then—" but she cut him off.
"—then what…you'll kill me?!" she said and his eyes widened.
He wasn't thinking of that at all but the fact that she was thinking of it struck him hard in the chest. She realized what she said and her eyes saddened when she saw his. He didn't bother hiding the pain in his eyes. Everything became silent and awkward.
"I-I didn't mean that…" she said knowing it wouldn't help much but just wanting it to get that out there.
Gaara didn't look at her.
"You have ten minutes…and then I'm sending every ANBU I have out to arrest her and dispose of her properly…starting now…" he said looking up to meet her eyes.
Her eyes widened and she whirled around and ran out the door in a flash. Baki came in to see the distraught Kazekage and looked at him questioningly. Gaara looked at the time…nine minutes and fifty seconds.
Meanwhile, Saya ran her hardest to the small counter where Rooks usually sat to do her paperwork. When she got there it was empty and her heart stopped. On the desk was a note for Saya. It said Rooks was out to lunch and if Saya needed her to get her at the park not far from the tower. Saya crumpled the letter and held onto it so the ANBU wouldn't get it and took off for the park…eight minutes and ten seconds. Saya flew out of the hospital and down the stairs knocking into some people. The people turned out to be Temari, Shikamaru, and Kankuro with Matsuri. Kankuro grabbed Saya and stopped her.
"Hey what's the rush? Is everything okay?" he asked softly.
She nodded quickly and shrugged him off.
"I can't talk right now I have to…" her voice trailed off when she realized the kids weren't with them.
"Where are the kids?" she asked looking for her son.
Temari smiled then.
"We wanted to visit Gaara and Rooks-chan was on her lunch break so she volunteered to watch the kids…" she said and then saw Saya's face.
"What's wrong Sai-chan?" Shikamaru asked slightly worried.
Saya shook her head.
"Go see Gaara…I'll handle it…Matsuri could you come with me for a moment?" she asked and took off before more questions could be asked.
Temari looked at her husband and her brother as Matsuri shrugged and took off following Saya.
"What the hell was that all about?" she asked and the men shrugged.
They headed into the hospital and up to Gaara's room. When they walked in they saw him already dressed in his Kazekage robes. He put on the hat and lifted his head to meet the eyes of his family.
"Five minutes and fifteen seconds…" he murmured.
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