Chapter 3

"Kankuro! "
"Hai? "

Temari makes some fast moves towards her brother to join him. "Matsuri Chan said that ninjas of Konoha arrive here in two or three days. "

"And then? "Answer Kankuro with little interest.
"Do you think Hinata Chan will be with them? "

Kankuro stops for a moment and look at her sister with disapproval. "Still going with this story. Don't you have enough? If I were you, I would be concerned especially whether Gaara is aware of your small meanings. "

"Save me your comments. I just want to know if you know if Hinata Chan is part of the convoy. "
"I have no idea Temari Chan, and frankly what could it do? "

Temari looked up to heaven. "Baka! Gaara has not seen Hinata Chan since he saved her life "
"Once again, I have to say what could it do? "

"You know that something happened between these two in this forest. That is certain. "
"Temari Chan, I do not want to disappoint you, but I think you and Matsuri Chan are both having stupid ideas, really. "

Temari reply immediately, her voice betrays her irritation significantly. "You did not see, I tell you that something happened. "
"Of course ..." gently mocks Kankuro.
"You did not see I tell you. The way he looked, the way he held her in his arms. He wanted to know if she was safe. "

Kankuro smiles, amused. "Come on, please, this girl was half dead, anyone would have helped. "
"In this case how do you explain he had almost used " Sabaku Sôsô " on a man who only wanted to make her sleep" Temari exclaims triumphantly.

Kankuro smiles more. "You know that Gaara does not support strike from behind ... treason ... And then he did not talk about her once since. Am I wrong? Yet it has been several months. "

"Hai, I know" Confess Temari.
"He did not ascertain if she was in good shape or wanted to return to Konoha to see her. "
"Hai, but I assure you he seemed affected even if he does not show, I've felt it. "

"If he is so affected, why didn't he talk about it to you, why didn't he mention it either to me ? "
Temari frowns. "Gaara never talks about anyone, it means nothing ..." she mumbles.
"Precisely that is why I think she represents nothing more than anyone else. And then your romance stories do not interest me Temari Chan. If it is right, so be it! Good. Gaara might well need to be laid. "Kankuro says his smile widening.

"Baka! I never talked about romance. I just said it had affected him ... in one way or another. "Temari goes away, annoyed.
"Women ..." Whispers Kankuro before resuming his journey.

"Ninjas of Konoha will soon be there, if I want to give them a little time I have to go on with this work. "

Gaara breathes deeply, eyes closed. He tries unsuccessfully to gather his courage to finish reading the various reports that are still on his desk. Once again this diplomatic trip to the wave's country made him lose his time. Just endless political discussions that lead nowhere, and when he returns, once again a pile of work on his desk is waiting to be done.

Gaara is sinking a little more in his chair, arms resting on his chair, he breathes more deeply and let his mind relax.

A caress on his cheek makes him suddenly open his eyes.

His sand took shape on his lap. This time Gaara is breathing fast, his heart beats with haste in his chest.

"The sand ..."
On his knees the frail figure of a half-naked woman lies in his arms. The fine grains draw a sad smile on it face and one hand goes again to caress his cheek.

Gaara recovers strongly from his seat and the form disappears, crashing on the ground in a sandy tired.

"It was ....Her. "

Gaara yet fix his gaze at the wave that oscillates on the ground in front of him and gather in a small dune. Gradually it turns and transforms in the familiar traits. The thin body and delicate curves surrounded by what looks like a sheet this time.

"I'm just dreaming, yes that is, I must be dreaming now. Gaara wake up. Wake up immediately. " He repeats in his mind.

The silhouette before him does not move, it seems it just watches him.

"Hin ... Hinata. " He says, his voice low.

A sad smile again graces the face of sand. It timidly advances toward him.

The door to his office opens with harshness. "Ohayo Gaara! Is that ... "exclaims Kankuro before he stops at the scene of casting sand crashing to the ground with thunder.

Gaara resume his calm demeanour in the moment and masked with indifference he sets his senior a glare. "Kankuro! How many times do I have to tell you to knock before entering my office. "

"But what were you doing? "
"It does not concern you and the next time you return to my office without knocking, I would be less tolerant. "

"Hai, Hai ... Now tell me, what was that ... with your sand? "
Gaara is slightly annoyed, slowly he returns to his chair behind the large desk.

"Go tell me what ... Finally I am your brother ..." Kankuro presses. "This is a new technique ? "
"Not really ..." Once again Gaara's response is vague.

"It's unbelievable, how long will I have to ask you to get a sentence with subject, verb and complement? "Kankuro is getting impatient.

A short silence.

"I do not know exactly ... the sand moved by itself ... I wasn't in control ..." Confess Gaara.

Kankuro stuck to his younger brother, too surprised at first to have received a response from the young Kazekage without further effort. Then the information is assimilated finally, his face scowls. "What do you mean by "wasn't in control?" ... You can control it ... I thought your sand moves by itself only to protect you. Do you think you might be in danger? "

Gaara smirks, visibly amused by his brother. "No, I do not really think I have been in" danger ", Kankuro. "

"So what? " The puppet's master loses his calmness. "Explain yourself at last. "
Gaara hesitates. "The sand has just formed a body ... A human body ..."

Kankuro questioned immediately. "Who? "
Gaara hesitates a moment and Kankuro easily notes that his brother diverts his gaze, a sign that the discussion will stop there. "Nobody ... Just a body. "

XXX

Hinata gradually regains the shore. She emerges with grace of the fresh water from the river and raises her barefoot in the green grass.

With calm, she collects her clothes on a small rock and covers her wet skin without even drying. Finally forging her Hitai ate around her neck; she looks up at the moon and smiles weakly, merely to observe the beauty of the bright star among the stars.

A heavy bark prevents the approach of her team mate. He is out of thee shrubs in an instant, straddling Akamaru. "Hinata Chan. You should not go away from the group that long. "

Hinata smiles at Kiba. "I'm very well Kiba Kun. You should not worry for me all the time. "

Kiba blushes and lowers his head, nervously playing with his hair. " Hinata Chan. None of us want to relive what we went through. "

"Hai! I know Kiba Kun, but I'm the same. I can defend myself. I am a Kunoichi you know. "

"Obviously I know" He exclaims, fearing he could have hurt the girl's feeling. Regaining his calm, he reaches out to her. "Come back to camp, would you. "

Hinata nods.

Around the fire, the small troupe comes alive with laughter and cries. Kiba returns readily to sit near Shino who seems exasperated by the excesses of enthusiasm from Lee.

Hinata observes this entire crew before deciding to join ...

"How am I supposed to protect you if you flee as soon as you have the opportunity? "Hinata turns her head toward the calm and deep voice of Néji who stands behind her.

"I just wanted to relax a little, Néji Nisan. " She states obediently.

"I know ... But you put your life at risk while going away from the group Hinata Sama. "
"Not when your Byakugan check at me. Néji Nisan. "

"I ..." Néji hesitates a moment. "I had to keep this stubborn team mate of yours from going after you, so that you could have little time for yourself ..." He continues finally.
"Arigatou"

"It's my job to protect you Hinata Sama. "
"Everyone always wants to protect me Nisan. I know how to defend myself. "

Néji nods. He knows better than anyone what his young cousin is capable of. "This is simply because none of us want to relive the weeks .. "
"Hai! I know Nisan. "Hinata cuts a little dryly before hearing again what everyone repeats tirelessly for the last recent months.

"Gomen" she adds after a few seconds.

Néji moves towards her with confidence. He stops just behind her and raises a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you feel that everybody makes too much and you are certainly right. Blame the fact that your friends don't want to lose you, Hinata Sama. I know that you're strong and you know how to defend yourself ... but ... I also know that you still wake up almost every night in your sleep ... "

A long silence settled between the two cousins. The hand of Néji slides from her shoulder when Hinata moves one step away.

"Ne, Néji San! Will you stop moralizing Hinata Chan for once? "The dynamic voice of Naruto sounds.

Hinata directs her eyes towards the small group around the campfire. She smiles kindly to her friends before joining the circle installed around the vigorous flames.

Néji returned quietly to his team mates without hiding his irritation.

"Hinata Chan, but you're soaked! Here take this coverage before catching a cold. "Sakura surrounds the Kunoichi before taking up a sit beside her.

"Ever since this bad habit of yours from all these years Hinata Chan "

Hinata smiles at Shino posted on the other hand, a respectable distance from the fire. " Hai Shino Kun. It does not change. "

Hinata enters the tent she shares with other Kunoichi. She smiles again about the discussion that has just taken place with Naruto and Shino while others were already lying for a long time. Naruto always manages to make her laugh and lifts her spirits without even knowing it. He transmits energy and systematically put on surface Hinata's good mood by sharing his discussions without head or tail.

With skill Hinata slips quietly in her sleeping bag. The cold and darkness invade the tent. She closes her eyes and her body soothes from the tensions of the long march they began to Suna. Gradually she lets herself be carried away by sleep.

Hinata suddenly opens her eyes, afraid. She is looking frantically around her, instinctively her Byakugan is awake.

She barely manages to slow her jerky breathing and the spasmodic heartbeat in her chest. Hinata closes her eyes again and the swollen veins are slowly disappearing.

She tends her arms to her bag, searching within; she leaves a shirt and immediately presses it against her chest, burying her nose and mouth to breathe at full lungs into the fabric. Finally calm takes possession of her trembling body.

The clothe has lost the soothing smell that initially only have been able to soften the tumultuous nights stirring Hinata. Since that day when she awoke in a room of the hospital, haunted by memories of this fight. She had discovered that day the fabric between her crisp fingers.

It lost the scent which she does not remember herself, and yet it remains so familiar that every night she returns instinctively to huddle as a child in the fabric to seek the healing she long for hoped.

XXXXXX

Hello my readers loved!

Back with a new chapter of Blood, I hope you liked it.

I also hope that you take confidence in me since the Chapter 7 of "Because" was posted a few days ago, and so you forgive the long wait that you have suffered.

I'm going to keep it like that, alternating chapter of "Blood and "Because" so that I will stay immersed in the two stories.

Please, review !!