Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Shout out to Carvaiine (who's name I accidentally spelled wrong last time...sorry about that ':D), pigs103, and BabiBunchez! Thank you for your reviews! You made my day :)

On to the next chapter!

Chapter 19

One month later

Minoko jerked awake and frantically searched in the dark for her clock. It was just past 3am. Why in the world was she awake?

A distant crash of glass answered her silent inquiry. She threw back her covers and hurried out the door, being as silent as humanly possible as she made her way down the stairs into the lobby.

There was no one there and the lights were all dimmed for the night. The raven-haired girl tip toed across the floor to the office behind the front counter. She listened at the door. Hearing shuffling, she gulped and eased the door open.

It's probably just Mei-nee-chan, Minoko thought. She had been on a mission for the last three days and was supposed to be home sometime tonight. She probably just dropped a glass or something...

The office was pitch black except for the flickering of candle light beneath the door on the far side of the room. The door that led to Takuto-oji-san and Mei-nee-chan's house.

Minoko slowly stepped into the office and drifted lightly across to the door. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her breathing quickened.

Takuto-oji-san and Mei-nee-chan never lit candles. They would just turn on a light if they were up.

Pressing her ear to the smooth wood, she heard muffled voices. They were angry. A sudden scream made her jerk back, eyes wide and trained on the door in horror. That was Takuto-oji-san.

More muffled voices, another pained scream. Minoko was frozen. She tried to will her hand to reach up. To grab the door handle and open the door and rescue her oji-san. He was just a civilian. He was so nice and made stupid jokes that always made her smile even when she tried not to. He treated her like family. He became family. She could save him.

But then her cover would be blown.

She felt ice start to form in her veins at the thought. A cold, creeping feeling that slowly engulfed her whole being. Her cover-

Another scream. She felt a tear roll down her cheek at the agony in his voice. Her hand wouldn't move. It just hung uselessly in the air between her and the handle.

"Where is Terumi, Takuto? She was supposed to be home by now. She has committed treason against the Mizukage by joining the rebellion. Tell us where she is and we'll be merciful."

Minoko pulled her hand back and held it to her mouth to stop any noise from escaping. The voice on the other side of the door had risen enough for her to hear him. She could hear a muffled response coming from Takuto, though the words were lost to her.

She couldn't understand what he was saying, but she could tell he was having trouble breathing.

"He won't say anything, taicho," came a second voice in cool monotone, "What are your orders?"

There was a pause and Minoko held her breath. Her heart was beating so loudly that she could barely hear when the captain said, "Kill him. We'll find her eventually."

Minoko's heart stopped, Move! Help him! Just move already!

She didn't move.

A thud of something hitting the ground rang in her ears.

When she was sure that the two shinobi were gone, she shakily raised her hand to the door handle again. This time, her body obeyed her command and turned it. There was a soft squeak as the door opened. Minoko took a shaky breath and robotically took a step forward, afraid of what she would see.

Glassy emerald eyes that were normally filled with mischief and warmth stared back at her blankly. They were vacant, almost accusing. Her feet moved her forward and she could see the ropes binding his wrists and the cuts littered along his body. They had left him unceremoniously on the floor, the candle still flickering and casting ominous shadows across his form. His head was tilted at an awkward angle.

Minoko didn't notice when warm blood seeped into the cloth of her nightgown as she knelt by his side. She didn't notice the tears streaming down her face or the broken sobs that escaped her lips. She just focused on placing her fingers on his neck and hoping, maybe…maybe…

A wail of grief escaped her when his pulse didn't beat against her fingers. She collapsed on top of Takuto, heart-wrenching cries sounding in the air as she clutched at his tattered shirt.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry! Oji-san!" She repeated like a mantra. Like if she said it enough times, he would come back and forgive her. Forgive her for doing nothing when he needed her. Forgive her for lying to him since the first moment she met him.

Forgive her for putting her cover for this stupid mission over his life.

Minoko didn't know how long she held onto the cooling body of one of the nicest people that she'd ever met, but when she felt gentle, yet firm hands pry her from him, she finally took stock of her surroundings.

Warm, watery emerald stared back at her. A melodic, yet pained, voice shushed her. Warm hands rubbed circles into her back.

Minoko felt tears running down her face anew, "Mei-nee-chan," she croaked out, her voice rough from crying. Minoko's hands moved to clench desperately at Mei's dress, unaware of the red staining her hands and the fabric, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was…I was in the office. I…I could have….could have done something! I'm sorry! I should have opened the door. Why didn't I open the door!? I could have saved him!"

"Shhh, shhh, shhh. It'll…it'll be ok, Kimi. Shhh," Mei continued to rub calming circles into Minoko's back. The young girl absently noted that the top of her head was getting wet. Mei was crying too.

"I'm sorry. I didn't help him. I…I heard him scream, nee-chan. I didn't help him!"

Mei took a shuttering breath, "It's not your fault chibi-chan," she said using one of her father's endearments for the young child, "There was nothing you could have done. It's my fault. They were after me."

Minoko felt another stab to her heart. Mei didn't know. She didn't realize that she could have helped him. She was a kunoichi. A genin yes, but a kunoichi nonetheless. She ignored the voice in the back of her head that told her that even if she had broken her cover, she would have probably died too. The people that were sent after Mei-nee-chan were most likely jonin.

Minoko buried her face in the crook of Mei's neck, her tears continuing as sobs shook her body.

With that, Mei stood up, carrying Minoko. She whimpered at being moved from her spot by Takuto-ojii-san, but allowed her nee-chan to carry her. They went upstairs where Mei turned on the shower.

Minoko was in a daze as she was carefully stripped and washed off the blood that coated her. At one point, Mei left the room after wrapping a large, fluffy towel around her and telling her to wait there.

Minoko is vaguely aware of when Mei's chakra spiked randomly from downstairs, but she didn't feel any kind of killing intent or threat, so she stayed where she was.

When Mei came back several minutes later, she smelled like ash and something unidentifiable that was burnt.

Mei dressed her in a dark blue dress that looked like a smaller version of the one the woman always wore. They went back downstairs and Minoko came out of her daze when she noticed that Takuto-oji-san was gone.

Only a charred pile of ash was left on the floor.

Minoko grimaced and went pale when she realized what happened; why Mei's chakra spiked and she smelt like something was burning.

Mei turned Minoko's face away from the pile to look at her, "Kimi, darling, I have to leave Kiri. Those men that hurt Tou-san…they'll come back for me."

Minoko nodded. That made sense.

"Sweety…I'm sorry, but I…I can't take you with me," Mei looked pained by the admission, guilt welled in her eyes, "It wouldn't be safe for you. Is there anywhere you can go? Anywhere outside of Kiri?"

Minoko hesitated. The Kazekage had sent her a missive two days ago through her summons stating that she was to return. She was going to tell them once Mei-nee-chan returned from her mission.

This wasn't how she wanted to leave, but…

"My uncle lives in Kaze no Kuni. I was…I was going to go there after you got back. Papa…no one knows papa here. Mama might have lied to me about him…or papa might have lied to her…or something," she said in a pained whisper.

This wasn't how she wanted to leave, but it was convenient.

Kami, she hated how callous that sounded.

Mei nodded, "Two days, Kimi-chan. You need to leave in two days. I have to go tonight, but if you leave too soon, it'll look suspicious and you might be stopped. Can you do that?" Mei framed the raven-haired girl's face with her hands. Minoko raised her smaller ones to cover hers and nodded, one last tear escaping.

Mei pulled the girl into a hug that was almost too tight, yet at the same time not tight enough, and held her for several moments, "I love you like the sister I never had, Kimi. Take care of yourself."

Mei released the hug and smiled once before she simply vanished, leaving behind young girl, a pile of ash, and a house full of love and memories.

Minoko sniffled, rubbed the tears from her face, and straightened up. She couldn't cry any more. She had to get ready to leave and finish her mission. As she stood from the chair, she felt something move and looked down. Hanging from her neck was a locket in the shape of a red wave.

…

Gaara smelled the blood. It's almost intoxicating.

They should have heeded his warning. He had been so nice before. He hadn't killed anyone that tried to kill him in the last two months…

Until that moment.

The mangled corpse at his feet was unrecognizable. Bone was visible as it jutted out from the skin. Muscle was laid bare from where the sand had shredded the layers of skin and tissue. Organs were nothing more than paste strewn about the ground while blood pooled and flowed like rivers beneath what was once a man.

Mother was pleased.

She was finally quiet in his mind. Was this all he had to do to stop Mother from talking? It was so simple. Why hadn't he done this before?

Red eyes and gentle hugs flashed across his mind once more.

That's right. She would be sad. She would have wanted him to stop.

He glanced at the corpse again with an indifferent gaze. Well, if she wanted me to stop, then she should have been here.

Gaara turned and walked home, ignoring the spots of red that dripped down his face and the disturbing smile that spread across his lips.

A/N: This…was not what I originally planned. I wasn't anticipating for this chapter to be so…bloody…Ah well. Let me know what you think!

Taicho: Captain