Hinata woke up sick. Her medication almost came back up as she took it. She rested her head against the cold bathroom wall. Her symptoms were inconvenient but manageable. Gaara didn't have anything to make him more comfortable, nothing more than cold water and hot pads. She wasn't even sure they helped.

Hinata rinsed her face and tried to make it perk up. She couldn't add to Gaara's pain.

When Hinata came out, she was greeted with a message waiting for her. It was a summons from the council. She was expecting it, but it was for him.

Hinata denied the message, stating that the Kazekage was in no condition to stand. He was certainly in no condition to be arguing with the council.

Hinata received her own summon by lunch.

"Of course, they can't even wait until I can sit up for answers," Gaara mumbled. Her heart ached.

This council made his life hell as a child. Even now, as Kage, they controlled him, just like her council did to her.

Hinata laid her hand over his. She wasn't sure he could feel it right now. She hated to admit that she expected this. She actually expected it a few days sooner, but she was sure they tried to do some investigating first, but snooping didn't work well around the Hyuga compound.

"What will you tell them?" Gaara wondered.

"The truth. The Hyuga offered a helping hand to a condition that would be life-threatening to fix otherwise." Hinata sighed at their combined fingers. "You are incredibly lucky, not only that the Hyuga can safely work on your chakra channels, but are willing to do so."

Gaara rested his head back. "I assume I would not get the same treatment in Konoha."

"No, there would be a council meeting to see how it would benefit them to give you the treatment. I would not have been able to bring you there and start treatment on the same day." Hinata could hope that they would not have delayed something so dire, but she knew her council better than that. They would also not have opened the compound to an outsider, no matter his status. She was proud of the Suna-Hyuga to have held their arms open to her husband. She hoped that this would lead to more open behavior in the future.

"I will make sure they are rewarded for their generosity." Gaara nodded, agreeing.

Gaara knew something was off. He woke before her a few times and saw her run to the bathroom to take her medication or throw up. Though, he said nothing. He did eye the separate pots of tea they were brought. Hinata could only hope that his silence meant that he was accepting that she did not bring it up. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about right now. The upcoming meeting with the council was on her mind. She put them off till midway through the week.

Hinata was sickly, but she was doing better than earlier in the week. With makeup, she looked fine. It was clear that she was not going to be able to hide her health for long. She wasn't even finishing her meals. She should be doubling her calorie intake at this point, but she was having difficulty eating anything.

She just hoped that she made it through the meeting at this point.

"It was a surprise and an emergency." Hinata clarified, annoyed with the disrespect she was being given by the council, and she was sick of talking in circles. "And thus, by definition, unseen and urgent. So, no, there was no way to give any warning. We did not know he would need this treatment until it was already too late to debate about it. In fact, waiting for approval for such treatment would have greatly lengthened his treatment and recovery time." Hinata jabbed at their pride. Her patience was shorter, quicker than normal. She assumed that it was hormonal. She would have to ensure it did not get her in trouble.

"Isn't it inappropriate that the Hyuga are doing these treatments?" Were they offended that the Hyuga stepped in without being asked or that the Suna medical staff was not consulted? Likely they were worried the Hyuga would use this favor against them. "We have been accepting of the secrecy needed to have the clan here, but we can not excuse that for Kazekage's health records."

"His health and treatment will be documented. The use of the Byakugan is simply a tool in the treatment. However, it is necessary. A normal medic would not be able to perform the rerouting in short enough period to counteract the damage. Without the Hyuga here, he would have had to be rushed to Konoha for treatment. In short, he could have died with normal treatment." Hinata left no room to argue for moving him to the Suna clinic.

The speaker eyed her. "You have the Hyuga sight, and you were the one who discovered the problem. How is it that this was not brought to light earlier when it was less life-threatening?"

Hinata's eyes hardened on him. "I have been recovering since the attack myself. There were complications with my healing process. I haven't been using my Byakugan as it drains my chakra."

"Then why the sudden discovery?" The speaker asked with a smug tilt of his head.

"I became worried that his health was degrading. He should have been gaining weight, but he was constantly losing it. I checked his levels. I didn't expect to find such extensive damage to his chakra veins. I am upset that I did not think to check sooner. However, his condition is not that common. We do not have much information on what happens to those who have their tailed beast ripped out." Hinata did feel at fault for not checking on him sooner, but she refused to let them try to use that against her.

The speaker paused as one of the other members called him. He stepped back for them to whisper something to him. He got an annoyed look on his face. "You are not taking the rule of Kazekage while he is recovering?"

"No," Hinata answered.

The speaker looked more annoyed that she didn't offer up an excuse. "Why?"

"As I mentioned before, my health has also downturned. I have been suffering complications from my previous injuries. They did not heal as intended. The Kazekage and I agreed that instead of stretching myself between here and the Hyuga compound and leaving him there alone. Remember, Suna nin are not allowed there. It would be best to delegate the work, and I stay to watch his progress." Hinata tapped her finger on the podium, making herself look impatient with the question. It was a reasonable question to ask, but the longer she could hide her condition, the better. Right now, between the stress and struggling to eat, it was best she was in the hands of the Hyuga medics.

He frowned, not having much more to work with. "We will, of course, be seeing some of his treatment logs?"

"I'll have them sent later today if you would like." Hinata smiled.

He frowned further.

"They are not happy," Gaara stated.

Hinata smiled at him sadly. "Of course, they weren't, but there isn't much they can do about it now. They were also upset that I am not sitting in your office right now."

"They had a problem with Kankuro…?" Hinata shook her head to stop him.

"Not with him. They are upset it was not me as I am next in command, and there was no clear explanation," Hinata explained. "They're not happy with the Hyuga helping, and they are insulted the Suna medics weren't consulted first." She sighed. "That might not have been a problem if I had noticed the signs of damage sooner. The damage wouldn't have been as extensive. We could have gone through the motions without having the council in a fit because they were not consulted." They probably still would have been against the Hyuga helping. It would never be that easy.

"You are not at fault." Did he pay attention to anything else she said? "Do not blame yourself for not seeing the damage. My health is not your sole responsibility. It is my own as well. I have been ignoring my health for so long that I, too, ignored the signs that I was degrading."

Hinata didn't like that he thought that any of this was his fault. He never felt what it was like to have a normal body to take care of. Why would he know? Before, he only ate because people thought he should. Now he was constantly eating as his body started to recognize that it was physically malnourished. Before, he would just pull the power from Shukaku.

Hinata felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Shukaku.

Even after all he did in his past, she didn't think he deserved his treatment. Being ripped out of Gaara's body had to be painful, especially with the damage done to her. Had he fought? Did he cry out to Gaara though he couldn't hear him?

Would they destroy him? Would they use him against his will? What would they do to the poor tanuki? Hadn't he been through enough? No wonder he hated humans.

"Hinata." Hinata sniffed and wiped her face, but her tears were streams and continued to fall.

They were just talking about… blaming herself. So he likely thought it was that. "Shukaku-san…"

"It's become uncomfortably silent in my head without him." Gaara scrunched his face, unsure if that was what he meant.

"I miss him too."