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Chapter 12
Minoko stared straight ahead on in shock as searing pain pierced her chest. She watched as Gaara looked at her in horror, screaming her name in a desperate cry.
Minoko looked down and saw the tip of a katana poking through her chest, blood slowly pooling at her feet. It was just like her dream bubble. She shouldn't have shrugged it off. She should have said something. Now, it was probably too late.
Looking back up at Gaara, she smiled weakly, feeling blood leak out of the corner of her mouth. "I'm sorry," she croaked out, already feeling her consciousness start to leave her. She saw his heartbroken face morph into one of pure rage, his eyes turning a haunting yellow.
Her vision became fuzzy and it was getting harder and harder to focus. She felt the blade being pulled back out and her body swayed a bit with the motion. The last thing she saw was Yashamaru-sensei running towards her as Gaara used his sand to slam her assailant, the missing chunin, into the strange rock formation and causing it to topple down.
She fell forward and her world went black.
…
Gaara looked down at the stuffed bear in his hands. It was his birthday present. The first one he ever got. And he couldn't even thank his best friend for it. They came home from the 'successful' mission four days ago, Yashamaru-oji-san carrying the limp body of the one person that he could confide in. He glanced at the note attached to the burgundy bow of the bear. He had memorized it after rereading it over and over again.
Happy birthday Gaara! I hope you like this bear. He matches mine! His name is Cinnamon because of his brown color. I think he and Sugar will be best friends just like us. Now that you have him, you can tell him all of your secrets whenever I'm not there. I hope you like him! Love you bunches and bunches! –Minoko
A tear fell down his cheek unnoticed. Four days. It had been four days since the medical personnel said he couldn't see her anymore. Four days since he broke the news to Taru-san…Four days since he failed her.
Why couldn't he have moved a little faster? Or just stayed next to her instead of going to look at the bodies with his uncle? She needed him, and he wasn't there in time. Gaara sniffed as more tears fell.
He looked at the bear again and traced its simple features. She said that he could talk to Cinnamon when he couldn't talk to her…but he wished it was her instead.
Gaara felt Mother thrashing around as his turbulent feelings started to spike. He already killed the one that stabbed her, crushed him limb by limb until his blood soaked his sand and dyed the earth red. But it wasn't enough. He needed more. More blood, more screaming and begging! More-
No! he thought, pushing the whisperings of Mother back, she wouldn't want to see me like that. He took a deep breath and the sand that had begun to whip around him settled on the ground. Mother grumbled in protest.
He took another breath. They said he could see her today. He needed to calm down. He wiped the tears from his face and grabbed Cinnamon in a hug as he walked out of the house, not even acknowledging his uncle's greeting. He walked to the hospital in a daze, ignoring the looks of disgust and fear with practiced ease. He strode through the sliding glass doors and went down the hallway without even glancing at the check in counter. He knew where to go. It was the only room he ever needed to go to in this place.
He looked up at the sign saying 'Morgue'. His heart beat quickened and he had to blink rapidly to hold back more tears. Gaara pushed open the door and walked through, instantly noticing the pallid figure laying unnaturally still under a thin white sheet in the cold room. He pushed a stool over and sat by the bed after placing Cinnamon on the too-firm surface near her head. He took Minoko's cold hand in his and rubbed it in a futile attempt to make it warm again. Her features were blank, almost like she was just sleeping. Her lips a light blue, her skin cold and pale… He never wanted to see her like this.
"I promised to protect you," he said in a cracking voice, "I promised." He laid his head against the mattress as he clutched her hand and cried.
A/N: The End? Find out next week! Please review.