Normal

"Speech"

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language and adult situations.

Chapter 31: 13th hour Part 1.

Naruto stared at her trying to process what she had just told him. Myra was standing by the window staring out at the village. She was trying not to break down into tears. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. Naruto came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She could feel the anger welling inside of him. His skin became hot to the touch. She turned around and stared directly into his eyes.

"There isn't anything that you can do about it right now." She put her head on his chest and tried to calm his anger she knew was growing.

"I could go over there and beat the fuck out of him." Naruto growled. She had to fight back the urge to laugh. It was a noble gesture, but it would only make things worse. She put her hand in the middle of his chest. He felt her lips curl into a smirk. "I don't think you would look so intimidating in your boxers."

"Your ability to joke at a time like this amazes me." He shook his head. She let out a half a laugh/sob.

"Look who's talking?" She chuckled, letting go of him and heading for the bedroom.

"I was being serious." Naruto wasn't laughing. He stood in the living room for a moment trying to figure her out.

"Violence doesn't solve every problem. I would love beat him to a bloody pulp, but that wouldn't do anything but make me feel better. This situation has to be handled diplomatically." She disappeared into the bedroom, Naruto was seconds behind her.

"Politics and diplomacy, heh, I don't understand any of it. Why don't people say what they mean and do what they say they are going to do." He sat on the bed and watched her going through her clothes. She held up a pair of black jeans and smiled.

"Because that would be easy and we all know that life can't be easy." She pulled out a purple halter top. She put the jeans and the halter on the bed next to Naruto. "Lord Hyuuga is up to something, I just don't know what." There was a knock at the door. Myra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, extending her senses. Gaara was at the door.

"I will be there in a moment Gaara-sama." She yelled from the bedroom door. Naruto looked at her for a moment; then started to scramble for his clothes looking a little frantic in the process.

"How do you know it's him?" He looked curious.

Myra couldn't help the giggle. "I just do." She shed her bathrobe, pulled on her jeans and the halter before she went to answer the door. Naruto had to watch while she dressed. Although the situation was very tense, his mind still wondered to other things. Myra ignored him. She would fall back on those thoughts later in celebration, or in anticipation of 2 weeks without him.

Myra went to answer the door with wide smirk across her face. She could sense Gaara was a little nervous about disturbing her, but there was an urgency in his mood. She opened the door. "Good Morning Lord Kazekage, please do come in and excuse the mess, I haven't had time to clean properly." She gestured for Gaara to step inside.

The Kazakage raised an eyebrow and stepped inside. "Have spoken with…" There was a loud crash in the bedroom. Gaara looked in the direction of the bedroom. Myra could feel Gaara's relief. She looked at Gaara with a wide toothy grin.

"You asked me a question last night." Gaara raised an eyebrow. "The answer is yes, I do, and I made sure he knew it." Gaara smirked at her words.

"I am very happy for you both." Gaara's smirk faded. "Unfortunately there is another matter that is of more importance."

"Ok… What do you have for me?" She shut the door behind Gaara. The Kazekage walked into the living room looking very stern.

"Have you thought about entering a formal protest with the council against Lord Hyuuga?" Gaara apparently had heard about Myra's two weeks of Hell. Naruto poked his head out of the bedroom. "Would that get her out of this mess?"

"The only thing that is going to get me out of two weeks of hell is a better offer than what is on the table now." Myra groused.

Naruto looked at Myra. "Better offer?"

"Lord Jackass wants something. I just don't know what he wants. If I can find out, I can make an offer that is more appealing." Myra started looking through an oddly marked box.

"What about what Gaara said… A complaint or what ever of your own?" Naruto questioned.

"I agree Myra-san. I would believe that the word of the Kazekage on your behalf would mean something to the Council." Gaara took a seat on the couch. Myra pulled a long purple coat out of the box she was searching through. She smiled with her achievement in finding the coat.

"Oh, it will count for something if Naruto lodges the complaint." She stood up, tossing the coat on the back of the couch; then headed for the kitchen. "Would you like some tea?" There was silence from the boys. Myra didn't realize they were confused.

"Naruto?" said Gaara at the exact same time Naruto said, "Me?"

Myra nodded, "Yes. Tea?"

"Yes please." Gaara looked confused. Myra disappeared into the kitchen. Naruto looked at Gaara and shrugged. Myra came back a few seconds later to see the boys exchanging confused looks. Myra smiled and shook her head.

"Hyuuga didn't insult me. He insulted Naruto. But the problem is, Lord Kazekage," she exaggerated the title, "you chastised him on the spot. I don't know how much a formal complaint is going to do. It may just look like a desperate attempt to stall… Which it would be… But we aren't going to say that out loud." She sat on the end of the couch next to Naruto. "I'm going to make some toast, would you like some?"

"I am sitting here tying myself up in knots and you're calm, joking around, and making toast? Why aren't you a nervous wreck?" Naruto looked at her. Myra just smiled and kissed him on the nose.

"Because it would be waist of valuable time and energy if I panicked. So I'm keeping calm. You're doing enough panicking for the both of us." She shrugged. "Why not divert that time and energy in to a cunning plot to take over the world?" She smiled happily. "Do you want toast or not?" She looked at him and blinked. Naruto raised a worried eyebrow. Gaara had to let out a chuckle.

"Um… Toast would be great." The blonde still looked worried.

"Would you like some Gaara-sama?" She tilted her head over to Gaara. He was still trying not to laugh. "Just tea would be excellent, Thank you." Myra bounded off into the Kitchen.

Naruto turned his worried look to his friend. "What did I get myself into?"

Gaara was trying to cover his laughter. "A world of trouble, my friend, and I will enjoy watching every moment of it." He finally recovered his composure. Naruto grumbled. It was an answer he would have expected from The Fox, but not Gaara. Myra walked out of the kitchen with a tray full of toast, a tea pot and three glasses. She set down the tray, served, and sat on the floor to eat.

"What is your first move, Myra-san?" Gaara sipped his tea. Myra gulped her tea.

"I am going to the Hyuuga complex and talk to the Bastard. Maybe I can get him to tell me what he really wants." She grabbed some menacing look boots from another box. "Then I can formulate a counter offer that will get me completely out of this mess or doom me for all eternity." Myra put on the spiked boots while munching on some toast.

"I'm going with you." Naruto growled between bites of his toast. Myra stood up. The boots added at least another 5 centimeters to her height.

"I have to see him alone." She started to search for her belt and kunai holster. Naruto glared at her. Myra could tell the blonde didn't like that idea one bit. Gaara didn't seem thrilled about it either, but he hid it a lot better than Naruto. Myra knelt in front of Naruto.

"Look Pretty Boy, I walk in there with you two standing behind me, and he will go on the defensive." She stood up and started to talk really fast. "I mean really…" She pointed to herself, "I put on my "I loath you" glare; then I stand at the gates of Hyuuga manor," She thumbed at Gaara, "with Sandy the recovering Homicidal Maniac and," She pointed at Naruto, "The Unpredictable Demon Fox Boy," she glanced at both of them, "both of whom have been known to go bonkers at the drop of a hat and cause massive amounts of damage I might add for dramatic effect," She took a breath. "And then you expect me to have a rational conversation with him." She shook her head. "Not going to happen. Do I want to look intimidating? Yes." She nodded up and down. "Do I want to scare the shit out of him? NOOO." She accentuated the word shaking her head side to side. "At least not yet." She kissed Naruto on the forehead; then started to put her belt on.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "She has a point." Naruto squinted dangerously at Gaara, who ignored him. Myra had disappeared into the bathroom.

"I don't like it." Naruto pouted. Myra's voice came from the bathroom.

"I don't like that I have to go at all, but it's something I have to do. Don't worry, you will have your chance to look ominous and scare the shit out of him later if I have my way." There was the echo of her giggle. "Gaara, do you think you can keep Naruto busy for a few hours, while I go do this?"

"I am the Kazekage, not a babysitter." He was pouring himself some more tea.

"I am standing right here, and I don't need a babysitter." Naruto was still pouting. Myra walked out of the bathroom. Naruto's jaw hit the floor. There were two thoughts that ran through his mind at that moment. The first thought had to do with ripping her clothes off. The second thought was extremely possessive and it was the one he acted on.

"You are NOT going ANYWHERE like THAT." Naruto didn't understand the dark and broody look. It wasn't something he would normally go for. When he had met Myra, she didn't seem to be the type that could pull off dark and broody, he thought she was too cheerful. She stood in the door way of the bathroom wearing the tight black low rider jeans with her Konoha belt buckle, the dark purple leather halter top, the evil looking boots, dark make up, and hair braided in a thick plat. It must have been the Uchiha blood in her veins because she looked damn good and kind of scary.

Myra smiled at Naruto's reaction. "Yes I am." Naruto walked over to her wrapping his arms possessively around her.

"MY RABBIT." He softly growled in her ear. She twitched as a shiver ran the length of her spine. She didn't realize how much she was going to enjoy him calling her Rabbit.

"Yes, your Rabbit." She said with a smile. "And I have to go." She kissed him deeply.

Gaara turned around to look at all the commotion. He stared for a moment. Myra could feel Gaara's sadness envelope him farther, but he was happy for his friend. Gaara turned away from them and returned to sipping his tea with out comment. Myra thought she may have to do something Gaara's sadness, but that would have to wait.

The lovers separated for air. Myra hugged him very closely not wanting to let go. She had to push her own emotions aside and go to work. She had to find the birds and then head for enemy territory. "Wait for me?" She whispered to Naruto; then took steps towards the door.

He held on to her hand until the last moment, "Always." He said and let go of her. Myra wanted to burst into tears, but knew she couldn't. She simply smiled and grabbed the long purple coat. "Lock up before you leave." And she shut the door behind her.

Gaara almost couldn't contain the laughter anymore. "Pretty Boy?" The Kazekage raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Sandy the Homicidal Maniac."