GAARA'S P.O.V

I heard Rin's scream as I ran into the cave. What I saw made me pissed. Orochimaru was on top of Rin, both completely naked and he was about to….

"No! Please! HELP!"

Rin screamed and I didn't think twice before wrapping my sand around Orochimaru and throwing him away from Rin. I saw she was shackled to the bed and she was covered in cuts and bruises.

"Gaara."

She said in surprise when she saw me and that's when is saw she had tears in her forest green eyes. I turned on Orochimaru and growled. He laughed as he stood up.

"Seems like we've got some company, huh little one."

He said talking to Rin and I heard her whimper. I growled and felt my chakra pick up and my sand started to reach towards him. I wanted to rip him to pieces, but I didn't want to leave Rin's side.

'Take care of him child, I will protect her.'

Shukaku said and before I could ask what he meant there was a white light and a miniature form of Shukaku was standing beside the bed.

'Well that's new.'

I thought in surprise.

'Focus on killing that bastard. I'll explain later.'

Shukaku said and I nodded before glaring at Orochimaru who was looking at Shukaku in shock.

My sand wrapped around his feet and I tightened it until I heard the distinctive crunch of bone breaking. He cried out as he fell to the floor, but I wasn't done. My sand wrapped around his entire body and lifted him up so I he was facing me.

"You should have known better than to mess with the people I care about."

I said and his yellow eyes widened before I preformed my Sand Coffin jutsu. I heard his bones break and could taste his blood through my sand, but I still wasn't done. I let my sand fall away to reveal his face and saw he was still alive, just barely but that was too much for me to allow. I preformed my Sand Mummification jutsu and I smiled as my sand held each of his limbs as some entered his body through his mouth. It would literally drown him, but it would also absorb all the blood in his body, stopping his heart. Then the sand would dissolve his bodily organs and all fluids from him leaving him as nothing but a dried corpse. Literally, a mummy.

I let his dead body fall to the ground and reigned in my anger and chakra before turning to face Rin. Shukaku had managed to get her feet unchained, but was having issues with her hands. I motioned for him to move aside and I used my sand to break the shackles around her wrists. She curled up in a ball on her side as soon as she was free.

"Rin, come on. We should go."

I said, but she didn't respond. I cursed Orochimaru and sighed at a loss.

'Pick her up child, we can't stay here.'

Shukaku said and I nodded. I tried to pick her up, but Rin whined as soon as I touched her.

'What do I do? She won't let me touch her.'

I asked and Shukaku just shook his head.

I looked at Rin and sighed before taking off my cloak and wrapping it around her, then tried to pick her up again. This time she let me and I carried her bridal style out of the cave. When passed by Orochimaru's body she clung to me for dear life. Once we were out of the cave I felt her arms grow slack around my neck and looked down at her in alarm only to find she'd fallen asleep.

'Come child, we should take her back to the village.'

Shukaku said and I nodded. I started to head back to the village on foot, but Shukaku stopped me.

'I don't think it'd be a good idea to move her too much. I think she may have some internal injures as well. Look at the bruise on her side, I think she may have a few broken ribs.'

Shukaku said and I nodded.

'But then how do you expect us to-'

I stopped when I saw him grow in size. He towered over us like a mountain in the distance. He lowered his head to us and I climbed up onto his back. Without a word he started running towards the village. I held Rin close to me as the desert flew by us.

'How is that you're able to do this?'

I asked and heard Shukaku laugh.

'I learned quite a few things from talking with Sana.'

I nodded in understanding. That would explain why he'd become so calm as of late. Kitsana has been a good influence on him.

'Just get us back to the village.'

I said and Shukaku's only response was to speed up.

KANKURO'S P.O.V

I sighed as the council repeatedly asked questions about Gaara's whereabouts.

"Look, if I knew that don't you think I'd tell you. Now get out!"

I yelled and they all left.

"Where do you think Gaara went in such a hurry?"

Temari asked as she came over to the desk.

"I'm not sure, but he needs to hurry and come back."

I said and she nodded before looking out the window. Her eyes widened before she ran over to the window and stepped out onto the balcony.

"Temari?"

I asked following my sister. What I saw coming towards the city had me completely shocked.

"Is that…?"

"Looks like it."

Temari said.

"Is he riding…?"

I started to ask, but Temari cut me off again.

"It would appear so."

She said and we both stared in shock as we watched our youngest sibling riding on the back of his beast towards the village. Suddenly they disappeared only to appear right in front of us. Gaara slid down from Shukaku's back as he shrank down to the size of a wolf. That's when I noticed Gaara had something in his arms.

"Gaara, where have you-"

Temari started but shut up the minute Gaara walked past us into his office. He shut the doors to the balcony with his sand and laid the bundle in his arms down on the couch. That's when I realized it was a person, a girl to be exact.

She had black and red streaked hair and I instantly recognized her.

"Gaara, is that that girl from the Chunin exams?"

I asked and saw him nod.

"Yes. Temari, go get some clothes for her. Kankuro, go inform the medical team that they are needed immediately. And whatever you do, do NOT tell the council that I'm back."

He said and we both nodded before running off to do as he said.

I came back into the Kazekage's office with the medical team right behind me to find Temari already back and trying to get answers out of Gaara who was sitting beside the girl.

"Damn it Gaara! Why did you leave all of a sudden? And why did you come back with this girl?"

Temari asked, but Gaara didn't answer any of her questions. When he saw me and the medical team he instantly called us over. I went to stand next to Temari as Gaara talked to them. I only caught a few pieces of what he said, but it was enough to understand what had happened to the girl.

"Kankuro, do you know what's going on?"

Temari asked and I shook my head.

"All I know is that apparently that girl was taken by Orochimaru because he had plans of uniting his power with the power of the two tailed fox spirit within her. The wounds she has are from him."

I said and she stared at me in shock.

"How do you-"

"I caught bits of what Gaara was saying to the medical team."

I said and she nodded in understanding.

We tried to see what was going on, but the miniature form of Shukaku suddenly blocked our view. I backed up instantly only to hear him laugh.

"I'm surprised that you are so shocked to see me Kankuro. You have seen me before."

He said and I stared at him with wide eyes as Temari came to stand beside me, backing away from him as well.

"True, but that was only when Gaara lost control or fell asleep. Which clearly…."

I said looking back over at Gaara before looking back to Shukaku.

"Neither has happened."

I said and Shukaku nodded in agreement.

"I've learned a few tricks from a friend of mine. You have no reason to fear me, I no longer seek for dominance within your brother. I have a way to have my own body, but I no longer seek blood."

Shukaku said and I just nodded in response.

GAARA'S P.O.V

I was relived that Shukaku had blocked my siblings' view of Rin. I didn't want them to see her like this. Though it was interesting to hear what they were talking about. Especially the part where Shukaku no longer wished for control over me.

'You really have changed Shukaku.'

I said and heard him laugh within my head.

'You can thank Sana for that.'

He said and I made note of that.

Finally the head medical ninja caught my attention while the others left.

"She will be fine. She had a few fractures and a couple of broken ribs, but the rest of it was mainly cuts and bruises."

He said and I nodded.

"What about her…"

I started, but trailed off unsure of how to ask. Thankfully she seemed to understand.

"He wasn't able to push past her barrier. You got there just in time. She is still a virgin."

She said and I sighed in relief, which thankfully she didn't notice.

"When do you think she'll wake up?"

I asked and she sighed.

"There were signs of extreme fatigue and starvation. Whether that was forced or willing we're unsure, but she'll have to be on an IV for about a week, though she should wake up in a couple of days."

She said and I nodded before dismissing her.

Once she left I sagged against the wall and slid to the ground next to the couch where Rin was sleeping. I heard footsteps and didn't have to look up to see who they belonged to.

"Gaara?"

Temari asked and I could tell she was worried.

'I told them everything child.'

'How much is everything?'

I asked and saw Shukaku smile sadly in my mind.

'Everything.'

He said stressing the word and I nodded in understanding.

"How is she?"

Kankuro asked kneeling in front of me. I sighed before lifting my head to look at my siblings.

"They said she'd be fine. It was only a few minor fractures and a few broken ribs. The rest were just cuts and bruises. She's sleeping now because of fatigue, and she'll have to stay on an IV for about a week."

I said and they both nodded.

"What about….?"

Temari asked and I blushed as I realized what she was talking about.

"She said that I'd gotten there just in time. He didn't rape her."

I said and I heard them both sigh in relief.

I saw Shukaku heading over towards the balcony and looked up at him.

'Where are you going?'

'Sana is worried about her, I'm going to go and tell her personally.'

'Alright, but only her. No one else is to know she's here until she wakes up.'

I said and saw him nod before he jumped off the balcony. I turned back to my siblings, then looked at Rin as she slept.

"It's alright Gaara, she'll be fine."

Temari said and I nodded. They both left and I sighed before moving to sit on the couch beside Rin. She started to shiver in her sleep and I pulled the blanket up over her. She flinched slightly when I touched her, but when I fanned out my chakra to show her who was with her she relaxed.

I got up to go to my room and heard her whimper. I turned back to see her face scrunched up like she was having a nightmare. I set my gourd on the floor against the wall and climbed onto the couch behind her. I wrapped my arms around her and she instantly calmed down. She turned and snuggled into my chest and I sighed as I brushed her hair back from her face.

'Please, wake up soon.'