Merry Christmas everybody! Thought I would let you all have a special treat :)

Chapter 33, Desperation.

We were attacked while we all slept. It had been only an hour or so after Sakura and I went back to bed that they attacked our camp. I do not know how they have been hiding themselves from me, but I sure don't like it. Thankfully Akamaru and Youji smelt them just in time for us to defend ourselves. Without the two of them we would all be dead. I would have died without making it safe for my children, and I would have failed in my promise to Sakura.

We fought back viciously, using everything we had.

Gaara and I fought back to back, lashing out with sand, wind, fire, and even a few chunks of earth. I felt my energy sapping, but I kept it up. I blocked a blow that would have hit Gaara, and we switched spots. Ino screamed somewhere to my right, but there are so many. I can't see her. I yelled her name, there was no answer.

Everything is ruined. Everything is falling apart. I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as I fought desperately. I've never had this desperate feeling in my chest before. It's like panic. It spreads worse than fire. My offense became choppy and my defense started to crumble. I felt myself weakening. I smothered a guy with his arm, snapping his neck quickly. Naruto was a yellow flash, but even he seemed sluggish. What was Anne referring to? What distraction!

I screamed out in frustration and kicked someone hard in the face, smashing their skull into bits.

The blood on me is hot, but the air is cold. I can see my breath. I spun and lashed out with my heel, catching someone in the chest. They went flying. "Gaara!" I gasped, tackling him to the ground just before someone dug a kunai into his back. I flipped up and let him take care of the startled man. I can see Sakura out of the corner of my eye, she is fighting just as desperately.

We need someone to take command. If we keep it up like this, we will all die. I am sure of it. Gaara and I bumped into each other again. He linked arms with me and swung me around. I lashed out with my feet and pushed the group of attackers off of us. My heart is beating so hard it hurts my chest. I leaned back against him briefly, taking a moment of rest. Then I was back in the fighting. Everyone needs someone to tell them what to do. These people grew up being guided by someone, they need guidance in situations like this. They've always had team leaders to lay out a plan.

"Gaara," I breathed. "Do your job." I jabbed someone with a kunai and kicked him away. "Lead them!" I grunted when a kunai slice my cheek. Blood gushed out. I ripped that person apart with the wind.

Mom? Jessica's voice filled my head.

I gave a frustrated yell and punched someone in the face. Not a good time right now, Jess! It was hard for me to keep my concentration long enough to say something back. My exhaustion is taking a toll on my abilities.

Somethings wrong, Mom, Jessica said to me. Can you feel it?

A cylinder of fire came out of my palm and cooked the group it was pointed at. I went through and knocked them all over, shattering them. Time to test my theory. Feel what? I used the fire to bake another group and knocked them all down. Gaara was starting to shout orders to the others. I think he finally realized what I was saying to him.

I felt Jessica's frustration. I don't know. Just listen!

I slit a mans throat. I don't have time to listen, Jessica! I'm in the middle of a war! Someone ran at me and tackled me to the ground. The air was pushed out of my lungs and I could barely kick them off. They started to punch me, over and over and over again. Jessica was screaming in my head. My arms moved on their own. My hand wrapped around the mans throat and squeezed with a pressure I didn't know I could force. That is when I saw the sand trickle back down my arm to the band. A different band had formed on my other arm, this one silver.

Daddy and I will always protect you, Momma, Yukio's voice whispered in my head.

My face started to heal slightly. Lay still, Mom, while I heal you. Listen to what the earth is saying.

I laid like I was, my eyes closed with the dead man laying across my body. Gaara knows I am alive, but no one else does. I can hear Naruto's anguished screams. I took as deep of a breath as I could. Relax, I told my self. Listen. Feel. Feel.

And then I felt it. I felt it just as well as if the disruption had been something on my own body. And that is what it is, a disruption with something. But what? Jessica's healing stopped, and the slight burning of the silver and golden band stopped. I opened my eyes. What the hell is going on?

Stay safe, they whispered to me.

I will try. I pushed the man off of me and stood on shaky legs. I'm sick of this war already. I'm tired, dirty, and I want to lay down with my babies. I looked for Gaara and found him towards the center of the fighting. I thrust out my palm and sent the fire towards him. I quickly used my fingers to separate the fire cylinder and made it attack only the enemy. Watching the fire separate and snake around my friends was kind of beautiful. It was like a flower opening up its petals being careful only to wipe away the bad bugs and keep the beautiful ones. Gaara glanced towards me, then he was back to what he was doing.

We need to end this, quickly. Now that I have something else to live for, I cannot die. I will not die. Power serged through me and I felt like I could do anything. The twins whispered to me that I could do anything I wanted to. I smirked and blew apart three peoples bodies, with just looking at them. Ripping apart atoms within someones body does that. Cool. Suddenly every one of the enemies bodies blew apart, then I used the fire to make them breakable. I instructed everyone to smash the pieces.

I fell to my knees, now completely drained. Kiba ran over and put my arm over his shoulders and lifted me back up. He is covered in blood. "Careful, Kira." Akamaru came up to me, his white fur pink and red. He yipped and licked my face. Youji hissed at him.

"Youji, be nice." I said. She looked like she was pouting and ran over to Gaara, leaping up on his shoulders. I met his eyes. "We did it," I breathed. "We won."

Everyone was deathly silent as they waited for Gaara to confirm what I said. He nodded slowly. "For now, we have won." Smiles appeared and hugs happened. "Let's get our dead and head home," he continued. "It is no time for parties right now."

Kiba helped me sit on Akamaru's back so he could carry me. I was thankful to notice very little of the blood on his fur was his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes. We are alright, I whispered to my children. Everything will be okay.

I opened my eyes only slightly when I felt fingers on my face. Gaara tried to wipe some blood from my skin with his thumb, but nothing really came off. I kissed his hand. I don't know what that disturbance was, but I will find out. For you, Gaara. For our children. For everyone else. I will find out. And I will fix it.

My shoulder's have never felt so heavy.

– –

When my eyes opened again I had three children curled up with my on a bed with sheets whiter than any pearls in the ocean. A sense of peace so great filled my heart and leaked to the rest of my body, pushing me back down into a grateful slumber that rested my whole body. I no longer have to worry. All of my children are under my arms, they are safe, and they are with me. I can see them. I can touch them. They are here with me now.

Everything is like it should be.

When I woke once more my children were still next to me, but talking quietly with others in the room. I opened my eyes and pushed myself up into a sitting position. I recognized the room immediately. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Why am I in the hospital? I've spent far to much time in this place already."

Temari sat down next to me. "And you will spend a lot more time in here, too, if you don't stop trying to kill yourself." She gave me a hug. I held her tightly. "I'm so glad you are alright," she whispered.

I wiped my eyes, and slightly bumped my nose. Pain seared though my entire face. Temari laughed at me. "Why does my nose hurt so bad!" Tears welled up in my eyes from the pain.

Jessica put her hand in mine. "Because its broken, Momma. Tsunade said you deserved some pain after what you put everyone through. I think she is just grumpy that you saved the day without her." I smiled and ran my fingers through my daughter's hair.

We haven't won this yet, I whispered in my own head. We won the biggest battle. But we haven't won the war yet.

I let out a shaky breath and glanced around at the room. Great. They stuck me in my very first room when I came back. Except this time I am not alone. Everyone knows who I am, and they love me. They are counting on me to finish this. The door opened and a throat was cleared. Gaara and Tsunade stood there, both with their arms crossed. Tsunade jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. "Out."

I thought I was going to be left alone again, but the two Kages entered and shut the door behind them. But Gaara did not come over and sit next to me on the bed. He went to the one small window and stared out it. Tsunade leaned against the door. "I see you found a way to stop the clones," she said.

Silence. Am I supposed to respond to that? "Yes," I said. "I found I could fire them to a point where they were brittle and could be broken."

"And what happens when it rains?"

I shrugged. "They come back to life, I suppose."

Her brow furrowed and her arms were once more crossed over her chest. "You were supposed to find a way to destroy them permanently."

This time it was my turn to scowl at her. "I'm sorry if my situation was desperate and I needed to find something that worked at the time. Shattering them worked for then. I didn't have much time to think for a different way. Like I said, I was desperate. People were dying. And what I did worked."

"And if they attack the village?"

"I have the time now to think of something that will destroy them completely."

"Right now? What if I tell you they are attacking the walls as I speak?"

"Then I will jump out that window and do exactly as I did before. Then I will have time to find a way. I can experiment during battle."

She sighed. "Kira..."

I scoffed at her. "You know what, Tsunade? I'm doing the best I can. I was desperate. I've never felt that way before. I did the best I could to save everyone's lives. And you know what, I did a pretty damn good job." I turned on Gaara. "How can you stand there and let her talk down to me like this? You were there. You felt the same as I did. You saw I was doing everything I could."

His weight shifted slightly. If I hadn't been staring him down I would have missed the slight movement. "It is not my place to speak right now."

I ground my teeth. "Well, since neither of you are satisfied with my bone shattering efforts, I will go work on it. I will find how to destroy the stupid clones so they can't ever be regenerated."

I through the blankets off my body and stood up, ready to march my way out of this hospital. I wasn't expecting the burning hot pain that raced up my legs and knocked away my breath. Gaara caught me as I was collapsing. I tried to push him away, my anger still there, but I couldn't. The pain soon wiped away every emotion I could feel. It felt like hours, but I knew it was only moments, later a numb feeling fell over my body. Tsunade stood over me, shaking her head.

"You need to stop being reckless," she said to me. "Your body needs time to heal."

I ground my teeth again. "I don't have time to heal. There is something I need to do."

I felt Gaara's eyes on me, but I ignored him. "What is it that you need to do?" He asked, probably irritated that I wont look at him.

I swallowed hard. My whole body now feels sluggish. "I need... to find what's wrong." I tried to clear my throat, but I couldn't. Tsunade's hand were still over me, glowing healing green. "I need to protect you..."

Gaara leaned over me and brushed hair from my face. "What are you talking about, Kira?" he whispered. "What do you need to protect me from?"

Tears welled up in my eyes again. "I don't know," I whispered. "I don't know."

– –

When I was finally discharged from the hospital, Temari wanted to go get something to eat with me. Like old times. We went to this little tea place that has good noodles. For some reason I'm craving noodles.

We sat down and chatted about anything that came to the top of our heads, though we both avoided anything that could bring pain. We laughed a lot. Temari ordered tea and asked if I wanted some, I just laughed. I told her I will never try that stuff again. She laughed, too, remembering when she first had me try it. We talked about a few things having to do with fashion. She is a little surprised how much into fashion I am now. I told her things change. I told her when you live the life I do, in my world, you have to be into fashion.

We sat in the little restaurant for a couple hours.

When we finally decided to head home it had started raining outside. I stared out at the rain, seeing Matsuri's face as I killed her. I shivered. I felt the feeling in my arm that came with digging my sword into her chest. My stomach churned. I'm not sure if I can do this. I looked at Temari. I've missed her so much. She was my best friend before, and now I barely talk to her.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" I asked.

She gave me a funny look. "It's raining."

I smiled and stepped out into the rain. "I know. You're not going to melt." I laughed and skipped ahead. The drops of water sank into my skin, healing any injuries I had left. I feel so alive right now.

Temari and I walked down by the training ground. I looked down at it with a small smile. "What's wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice.

I looked over at her, a little startled. "Just memories. Sorry, I didn't mean to drift off."

Her smile was a happy one. "Don't worry about it. What were you remembering?"

I linked my arm with hers as we continued our walk. "I was just thinking about Naruto and Sakura and Jiraiya. When I first came back the three of them had me down there to test my strength. I still remember the look on their faces when they saw how strong I was." I laughed a little.

"I bet you really surprised them." Her voice had an edge to it.

I sighed and stopped walking, wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was back, Temari. But I need you to understand why I did what I did."

Her arms hugged me back. "I do understand, Kira. But I'm still hurt."

"I'm so sorry, Temari. You're my big sister. I should have told you. You would have kept my secret."

She started laughing. "No, its better you didn't tell me. If I knew you were back, I would have started to act funny around Gaara, and then he would have ripped it out of me." She linked arms with me again and we began walking again.

The rain feels good going down my neck. Everything has been so stressful lately. I finally feel like I can let the rain wash away most of my worries. I took a deep breath and sighed, tilting my face up to the rain. I quickly did a scan of everyone I care about. My children are sitting on the couch talking with their uncle. Sakura and Kakashi are at the hospital talking to Tsunade, Sakura keeps touching her stomach. Gaara is just getting into the shower. And Temari is with me.

I swallowed. A feeling of unease swept over me.

I looked around. What is creating this feeling? I tried to push it off, but I couldn't. Temari and I walked in silence. We were about to leave the training area when a figure caught my attention. I brushed my mind over theirs to see if I knew them.

Grandpa, I whispered in his head.

I saw his chin dip down. We need to talk.

I stopped walking and turned to Temari. "Temari, I am so sorry... but I need to go."

Her face fell slightly, but she nodded. "Okay. Just be careful. Let us know if you need anything." Then her back was to me and she was walking off. Did she see him?

I ran down the field to him. He is soaking wet. "Grandpa, what's going on?"

He shook his head. "We can't talk here. I need you to come with me, Kira." He held out his hand to me, but I took a step back. "Kira, please. Come with me."

The unease in my stomach can no longer be ignored. "Why? Where? I need to tell Gaara so he wont worry."

"No!" Grandpa bit his tongue hard. "You can't tell anyone where we are going, Kira. Please, just take my hand. I don't have much time."

I took another step back and scoffed at him. "Grandpa, you can't expect me to just drop everything and go with you. I have my children to think about."

His eyes darted to the left. I was about to say something else, but his hand was quickly put over my mouth and he roughly pushed me behind a tree. Don't say anything. We are in trouble.

Fear blossomed in my chest. What's going on? I thought about contacting Gaara, but I didn't. He doesn't need to be brought down should something happen here.

I've been followed. I thought it was safe. Kira, take my hand. We need to leave right now. His brown eyes looked deep into mine. I need you to trust in me.

The tree behind me splintered as it fell. I screamed and covered my head, but I was smacked to the ground by Grandpa. I heard a grunt and felt the hot spray of blood. This can't be happening. Who is attacking us! Gaara! I screamed out with my mind. I don't know if he heard me, but I am praying he did.

"Kira, run!" I heard Grandpa yell.

I scrambled to my feet and took off. I can't do this. I don't have any strength to use my powers. I can't do this. I can't die. Please, oh please don't let me die! I ran with all of my might, but something tackled me to the ground. We rolled across the grass, shoving at each other. I screamed again, trying to head-but the person holding me down, but he punched me in the face before I could. I through my hips up, throwing the person over my head. I jumped up, ready to run again, but his hand wrapped around the ankle and sent me back down to the ground. I lashed out with my feet.

Sand tore the man apart.

"Kira!" Temari grabbed me up off the ground and hugged me tightly. "What the hell is going on?"

I tried to slow my breathing, but I couldn't. Gaara has never looked so alarmed. Granpa! I yelled out with my mind. I pushed Temari off of me and started running back where I left him. They followed. "Grandpa!" I called out. "Grandpa!" Something flew at me, but sand blocked it.

Gaara was suddenly at my side. "What are they?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't know! Grandpa!" Sand blocked another attack from the strange animals. There is blood everywhere. He's not answering me.

"Kira, look at me." Gaara grabbed my face. His thumbs moved in small circles on my cheeks. "I need you to contact Tsunade and Naruto. Tell them we have an emergency. Tell them to get everyone indoors." He turned my face back towards him when I looked away. "Kira, everyone could die. Please, do this. They need you."

I took a shaky breath. I nodded. I have to. Grandpa will have to wait. There are others that need me. Everyone get inside. Lock the doors. There is danger in Kohona. This is Kira. Please, get inside. Tsunade-sama and Naruto, meet us at the training field. Everyone get inside. Lock your doors and windows. Don't open them for anything.

When I opened my eyes again Gaara was looking at me strangely. "How did you do that?" He asked.

I shrugged. "When there is a need, there is a way." I fell against him a little. "But I don't think I can do it again." I fisted my hands in his leather vest. His sent filled my head and made butterflies flutter in my stomach. Another animal attacked, only to be ripped to shreds by sand. "We have to find him, Gaara," I whispered. "We have to find Grandpa."

"Gaara! Kira!"

I turned my head to see Naruto running towards us. Kakashi, Lee, and Kiba and Akamaru are behind him. "Is everyone safe?" Gaara asked.

Kakashi nodded. "The rest of us are getting everyone safely inside. What are they?" He looked at the ripped apart carcuss next to us.

"We don't know," Gaara answered.

I let go of him and stood on my own, taking another deep breath. "My Grandpa is out there. Please, help me find him. He saved my life. Now I have to save him." Gaara slipped his hand in mine.

"But be careful," he added. "We don't know anything about these animals."

We broke off into two's. Gaara and I searched the area where I lost saw Grandpa. There was blood everywhere. But there was also a lot of those dead animals. My Grandpa isn't weak. He knows how to protect himself. I asked Gaara to kill one without ripping it apart. When he did, the body just disintegrated by itself. The next plan was to capture one alive to get a closer look at it, but it ate itself, and once it died, it disintegrated. I kicked one hard and felt the cracking bone under my foot before it's body was gone.

"Grandpa!" I called out. Still no answer. "Gaara, what if he's dead? What am I going to do?" Tears ran down my face.

Gaara's hand ran down my back. "Everything will be okay," he said to me softly.

I nodded, sniffling. First I lose Anne the way I did, saying she is a distraction, and now Grandpa is gone and there are these weird animals attacking. Distraction. Is that what she was a distraction for? Did they let these animals loose to kill us all? I watched another animal closely as it fought with the sand, trying to get to us. There is something familiar about the animal. The way it is shaped. The way it moves.

"Gaara," I whispered, "keep it alive as long as possible."

I studied the animal, moving around with the sand protecting me. That's it! I've seen this animal before. Back home. It is an animal from my time. Obviously it is different, its been altered in some way. It's a Monkey. An Orangutan. The huge orange ape found in Asia. But it is stronger, faster. On my trip to China, after I returned to my world, I had the chance to see one. I held his hand as we walked. He was beautiful. Gentle. This animal is viscous, mean. Ugly. The animals teeth are large and sharp, his hands powerful and deadly.

"I can't believe it," I whispered. How can they be here? I felt myself begin to panic again. How did they get here? Who altered them? I spun to face Gaara. "Kill them," I said to him. I don't know if they are endangered or not, but like this they will make us humans endangered. "Kill them all. Now!"

And he obeyed. All of the apes were gone in seconds after the sand hit them. "What do you know?" he asked.

I ran over to him and grabbed his hand, dragging him away. I sent out a thought to everyone: Meet up, now! Village gates. Kill any animal you see.

Gaara and I fought our way towards the gates, killing any of the apes we saw. I need to figure something out. What the hell is going on? Grandpa will have to wait for now. Tsunade was already there when we arrived. I briefed her and Gaara about what I knew about the animals, and how I know it. Tsunade couldn't fathom how they got here. Could there be someone out there who could have ripped the layer between our worlds? Dread washed over my body. If that has happened, everyone from my world will die. They don't know anything on how to protect themselves against anyone or anything from this world. They will all die.

"Kira!" Naruto and the others ran up to us. "What's going on? What are those things?"

I glanced back and forth between Gaara and Tsunade. "They are animals from my world, Naruto. But they've been altered. They aren't vicious animals. I don't know that happened to them."

"Your world?" Kiba asked. His arms crossed over his chest. "I don't remember seeing any animal like that."

I nodded. "Because they are from a different part of my world. Like your different countries, Wind and Fire, we have different countries, too. Those animals are a type of Ape, a really big monkey. They are from a few different countries that put together is called Asia. I visited China, one of the countries in Asia. I had the chance to meet these animals and they were always very gentle. I don't know what happened to them."

Kiba put his hand on Akamaru's head. "No matter what animal it is, if they are taken from those they love and thrown into an environment where they know nothing, they will turn defensive. They will be very dangerous."

I shook my head. "I know that. But they are different, physically different." I looked at Tsunade. "We need to find out what is going on. If the apes are able to be brought into this world, then what else can they do? Tsunade-sama, if they bring guns into this world, it will be the end of everything."

Kiba's frown grew. "Guns would be a terrible thing to have in this world. From my small experience with them, they are more deadly than an blood line limit." Akamaru whined. Kiba nodded to him. "And the people that use them are merciless. They kill for the hell of it."

I took a shaky breath. I wish I knew if Grandpa was okay. I have to deal with this situation first. He would want me to make sure everyone is safe. I need to figure this thing out and deal with it. Time to put on the big girls thinking cap and figure out a plan. I don't know a great deal about Orangutan's. It may be better to observe before I make any final decisions. I sighed and rubbed my forehead hard. I don't have time to sit around all day watching their behaviors. I'm Kira, I'm the strongest woman on this planet. I can figure this out. They are stupid monkeys! How hard can it be to kill them all?

"Okay," I said to them. "This is what we are going to do."

I hope everyone has a wonderful day with their families! And for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful day anyway! Hope you enjoyed!