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

Chapter 46

Minoko awoke to the sun shining in her eyes. A disorienting way to wake up, as she was momentarily blinded. She wasn't used to sunlight at all after being in a stone cell for the last 11 years.

After blinking a few times, she realized that she was no longer on the roof with the boy that she had essentially confessed to the night before. Instead she was in her own bed in her new room. She leaned up in the almost uncomfortably soft bed, being used to sleeping on the ground with threadbare blankets, and looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished with the bed and dresser being the main pieces of furniture. Gaara said that she could decorate as she wished and that he would be sure to bring a large bookshelf for her soon. There was a large mirror over the dresser and a closet that Temari filled with clothing for her.

It would be strange to wear something other than the rags they called clothing in the cells. And she refused to wear the torture devise known as a bra just yet. She'd stick with binding her chest for now.

Checking the time on the clock placed on her nightstand, she found that it was already nearing eleven. She jumped out of bed and grabbed something random from the closet, then snatched her shoes up, hopping out into the hallway as she pulled them on.

She ran down the stairs and stopped in the living room where she saw Temari calmly polishing the battle fan that Kankuro always called the devil's disciplinary tool. Temari being the devil and, in most cases, him being the one disciplined for something he said or did.

"Hey Temari, do you know where Gaara is?"

The wind kunoichi never even looked up from her task as she replied, "He left early to finish the paperwork for the prisoner releases."

A quick thanks was spoken as she headed out the door and down the street to where the Kazekage tower was located. Not wanting to take the stairs, Minoko casually sprinted up the side of the building and tapped on the window near the top.

Inside, she saw Gaara look up from the paper he just finished signing, not even the barest trace of surprise on his face at seeing her there.

A tendril of sand snaked over and unlatched the window, allowing her entry.

"Why didn't you wake me? I could have helped you."

She saw his eyes flick down to her collar bone, where she knew the bandages were poking up over the top of her shirt collar. It was fully healed, but the medics still wanted to keep it wrapped to limit mobility for a while to make sure nothing became strained.

"I'd rather you rest. You're still not fully recovered."

She scoffed at his comment and went to sit on a clean corner of his desk, "I'm not that frail Gaara, besides, I want to help."

Gaara sighed softly and looked up at her, her face becoming soft and kind as she gave him a genuine smile. She was still as stubborn as she remembered being at a young age. He seemed to know he wouldn't win this as a small reluctant smile pulled at the corner of his lips.

Gesturing to the large stack of completed documents he said, "Well, the paperwork has been completed. I just sent a list to the different sectors to let them know who is being released today."

Minoko perked up, "What about Muni and the others?"

Gaara nodded as he scanned the final document before him, "Everyone from your cell will be set free."

The raven-haired girl gained an excited gleam to her eye as her smile widened. Gaara saw this out of his peripheral and had a smile of his own tugging at his lips.

He quickly signed the paper before him after making sure all the information was correct, "However, I have yet to send the list to that sector's floor, it was the last one," he rolled the parchment up and placed a seal on it before holding it out to her, "Your first mission as a free woman will be to deliver it and oversee the release. Bring all of the former prisoners to the training ground on the east side of the village. You still remember where that is, correct?"

Caught off guard but elated, Minoko jumped off the desk and gave Gaara a hug, "Thank you!"

Gaara nodded and proceeded to hand her the scroll, not releasing it right away when she went to take it. Looking puzzled, the reinstated kunoichi looked at him, "I still want you to recover properly. Take the stairs instead of the window and don't strain yourself. That's an order." He released the scroll.

She bowed slightly and gave him a teasing look, "Yes sir, Mr. Worry-wart sir."

Before he could respond, she gave him a playful wink and left the room. She saw him shake his head in amusement as she turned to go. She was probably the only person in the village who had the gall to do that. But hey, at least she used the door.

…

Minoko hadn't really thought this through. Yes, she knew where the training ground was because she and Gaara used to work with Yashamaru there. However, as a child, she and Gaara didn't exactly go to the prisons often. Not at all actually. They never had a need to. And now she was stuck looking like an idiot asking for directions.

To say she got a few strange looks would be an understatement. But she finally arrived and one of the guards at the front desk directed her to correct sector.

The prison itself was laid out in a pentagonal shape. Each corner was a different sector and each sector had about ten underground floors each. Her sector had been Sector A, the low risk area. She had been on the floor directly below ground level, meaning that her floor had been the most peaceful of the low risk shinobi prisoners.

Knowing that, it made a bit more sense to her how a non-graduated ninja in training had been allowed as a guard, even if he was the son of the most powerful man in Suna. It also made sense as to why there hadn't been many riots or disturbances in the past ten or so years. Well, baring the one that nearly had her kidnapped.

After getting directions, she made her way down the flight of stairs. She came to a plateau of sorts that split off in two directions before continuing downward. The guard had said that one path would take her to the second level, her old 'home', and the other would take her to level three. The plateaus would continue that way until she reached the lowest level.

She smiled when she heard a familiar voice coming from the left path. It seemed her old cell mates were questioning Kitty-chan on her wellbeing.

"Kai's just fine. Already walking around and threatening me. He- I mean she, is a tough guy- girl, that's for sure."

Minoko could hear the prisoners snickering at Kankuro's expense. She was sure he was having a hard time not bashing his head into the wall.

First, she wasn't the gender he thought she was, then he finds out that he was one of the few in contact with her that didn't know.

…

"They all know I'm a girl Kitty-chan," she said, referring to her cellmates.

"All? Wait…they know!? For how long?"

Minoko half-smiled/half-grimaced. She was enjoying riling him up. What she wasn't enjoying was remembering those first few weeks of confinement, "Since day one."

"What!? Why didn't you tell me!?"

And here we go. She was really hoping that he wouldn't ask that question, or any question regarding her hidden gender. She knew it was wishful thinking on her part, but she really didn't want to lay everything out for him.

She sighed, "Cause in the long run, they were less dangerous then your father and the guards."

Seeing his clueless face she elaborated, "Do you remember how every-so-often a female prisoner would go missing and no one would tell you why?"

The guards, after a few years, forgot or ignored the standing order to go to the lower levels to grab civilians for the Kazekage. They would occasionally stick to using her floor, even though it wasn't very often. The guard that scolded everyone last time, Iwamoto, never returned to the cells to reinforce the order. Luckily no one she knew was targeted during the few times this happened.

Getting a slow, thoughtful nod she continued, "Do you remember how after your father's death, the female prisoners stopped disappearing and seemed more relaxed?"

He gave another nod, the beginning stages of realization coming across his face.

"I'll give you one guess as to what happened."

Kankuro gave a noncommittal shrug before guessing, "He killed them."

Minoko nodded as she leaned her head back against the wall of her hospital room and closed her eyes, "Yes, but that was after he let his foreign dignitaries have some…fun…with them first."

She could practically feel him recoil from that. "I knew he was a bastard, but letting someone be raped? That's fucked up," he growled out, angry to know that he was related to the guy.

Minoko gave him an understanding smile, "Do you remember how young I was when you first met me? I had been playing the part of a boy for two years after Muni and the others saved me from the same fate. Some perverted pedophile from Sound."

Kankuro was silent for several minutes, Minoko sitting on her bed quietly to give him time to process the information.

He looked her in the eye, the first time he did during the entire explanation, "So…the prisoners were your friends early on."

"No," she said with a sad smile, "They became my family."

…

"Glad to hear you talking so highly of me Kankuro."

Said puppeteer jumped before turning to face her, mildly embarrassed at being caught off guard, "Kai! What're you doing he-" he stopped mid-sentence and gave her a funny look, "You just called me Kankuro."

She smirked, "That is your name."

Kankuro frowned slightly, "But you always call me some stupid nickname unless it's something serious."

"Well," Minoko said, holding up the scroll and grinning, "I'm here on official business."

Kankuro slowly smiled and crossed his arms, "You've been reinstated as a shinobi."

Minoko gave a firm nod, "My first mission: freeing my unofficial family."

Hearing this, the people in the cells smiled fondly while Koumi and Saki shed a few heartfelt tears of happiness.

Minoko helped Kankuro open the cells. Out of all the inmates on her floor, only thirteen were to remain incarcerated. They were highly disappointed, but they at least knew that the new Kazekage would release them once they had served the sentence that matched their crime.

The newly released prisoners followed Kankuro out of the building, Minoko heading up the rear. As they exited the building, everyone blinked as they had their first moment in the sun in years. A few laughed in disbelief, a few cheered and hugged those close to them.

They were free.

Kankuro started to lead everyone to the eastern training ground, where Gaara would speak to them all. Minoko felt a heavy hand land on her good shoulder. Looking up, she smiled at Muni. He looked to be composing himself.

"Thanks kid," he said.

"For what?"

"Letting me act like a part of your family, being good company, helping us get out of there. Take your pick."

Minoko smiled sheepishly and looked at the ground, "Kankuro did most of the work to get us out of there. And as far as acting like you were part of my family, you have that wrong as well."

The large man raised an eyebrow, waiting for her explanation. She looked up to him with a confident, unwavering gaze, "I told you once that I looked at you like I did my own father. You're as much my real family as he ever was. I love you and everyone else that supported me all these years. There was nothing fake about it."

Minoko thought she saw a shine of tears build up in his eyes. However, the next second he blinked and they were gone. He squeezed her shoulder gently and walked ahead.

Looking a little ways in the distance, the young girl could see the training grounds, and above it Gaara was hovering on a platform made of sand.

Once the last prisoner entered the grounds and quieted, the young leader began speaking, "Today I am releasing a total of six hundred and twenty-three prisoners. All of which had minor crimes or had been placed in confinement for fabricated reasons. As of today, you all are free."

A loud cheer arose from the crowd. After a moment, Gaara raised a hand and everyone fell silent, "If there are family members you need help locating or help finding a job, come by my office. Any here that have no homes to return to will be given lodging until they are able to find a new place of residence."

Murmurs arose from the crowd. Half of them had expected to be on the streets for a while.

Gaara looked out over the crowd, "While this can nowhere near make up for the maltreatment placed upon you by my father, the former Kazekage, I wish to extend my apologies and offer any assistance that I am able to provide for you. Suna is your home as much as it is mine. And while our past experiences with it may not be ideal, I hope it will encourage us to make our future within its walls better, not only for ourselves, but for future generations as well."

Seeing the nods of approval and smiles among the people, Gaara was about to dismiss them when a man from the crowd spoke up, "Um, Kazekage-sama, if you would allow me to speak?" Minoko looked closer and realized it was Hotoka.

"Speak."

Hotoka looked around nervously, looking highly uncomfortable and then looked to his leader, "Some of us were wondering, since we have been unable to in the past few years, um, would it be possible for you to, to, um, marry some of us?"

Hotoka blushed slightly from embarrassment, but Mia came up next to him and held his hand while a few other couples came to stand next to him as well. Minoko was slightly surprised to see Ganjou and Koumi there as well.

She was with them for ten years…how had she not noticed this? She thought Hotoka and Mia hated each other. Or at least barely tolerate one another. Was their bickering a form of flirting or something?

And Ganjou and Koumi looked like complete opposites from the outside. He was tall, almost overly muscular, and had several scars lining his body. Koumi, being an infiltration specialist, had no scars. She was petite and her manner screamed soft elegance. Those that knew them would know they also had complimentary personalities. They were both soft spoken, loved to help others, and had a love of the arts. Oftentimes Ganjou would be the one to ask her to sing in the cells when things had been quiet for a long period of time. She supposed she wasn't too surprised at the pairing, but she still never saw the signs of there being more than friendship between the two. Just…wow.

She looked up to see Gaara nodding his approval, "Bring your intended spouse to me afterward and I will formally join you."

Relief filled all the couples' faces.

Gaara had several jonin go through the crowds and remove the chakra cuffs that adorned the former prisoners' wrists, much to their relief.

Moments later, Kankuro and Temari helped lead everyone to the apartments that would become their new home. The couples that wanted to be married stayed behind and proceeded to follow Gaara to his office where he would perform a simple ceremony for them.

Minoko and Muni went as well for moral support for their makeshift family. There were seven couples total, all smiling and clearly in love. Seriously, how had she now seen that? It was so obvious!

The ceremony was mostly Gaara gaining consent from both parties before having them sign a marriage certificate, making it official. Overly simple, but it didn't look like any of them cared.

They were free and they were able to be together.

As the last couple signed their document, Minoko felt a very familiar tingle behind her eyes before she was no longer mentally in the room. Her dream bubble was short, yet vivid.

Coming out of it, she looked around the room. Everything was finished. She looked next to her and grinned mischievously up at Muni. He noticed and gave her a wary look.

Nothing good came from that smile.

She quickly grabbed his hand and, with more strength then he thought could be present in such a tiny body, dragged him from the room.

"Kai, where're you taking me?"

She barely glanced over her shoulder before facing forward again, never stopping her hurried pace, "I know where your family is."

Muni dug his heels into the clay of the streets and had to add a bit of chakra to completely stop her forward momentum.

"How?"

Minoko looked up at him and huffed in mild frustration, "I just do, they're only a few minutes from here."

She noticed the worry cross his face and hers softened, "You told me that I shouldn't be worried when it came to Gaara. You were right. Trust you own advice and your lover. She still loves you."

Muni gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "It's not Kana that I'm worried about."

He scratched the back of his head with the hand that wasn't caught in the young girl's vice-like grip, "It's my daughter. She's never seen me before. I'm the absentee father. What if she hates me?"

Minoko patted that hand that she held, "She won't."

"How do you know?"

"Do you trust me?"

"…You know I do."

"Then trust me when I say it's not just a gut feeling. I actually know. She'll love you."

Muni pursed his lips in hesitation before sighing in resignation and nodding. Minoko smiled before continuing to drag the nervous former-shinobi through the streets of Suna. True to her word, not even two minutes later, they stood feet away from a familiar shrine that Minoko knew to be the home of his family.

Before Muni could gain enough courage to go up the stairs and see them, a person appeared at the top of the steps, seemingly ready to run some errands.

She was a motherly looking woman with long, wavy orange hair carrying a small basket. Her green eyes met his for a second before she gasped and dropped the container, her hand going to her mouth in surprise as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Muni," she whispered in disbelief.

He nodded, not daring to move from his spot.

She let out a cry as she ran into his arms, tears falling as she laughed and kissed him. "I thought I'd never see you again," she said quietly, as if afraid that she as dreaming and any sudden noise would ruin her fantasy.

"Mom?" came a voice from the tori gate. Everyone looked over to see a teenage girl with shoulder length orange hair and bright purple eyes walk up, a confused expression on her face.

Kana laughed softly, "Yuri, this is Muni, your father."

Yuri looked between the two hugging adults, eyes wide, then stared at her mom, obviously not knowing how to respond. Kana broke from the embrace of her lover and gave her daughter a nod.

Apparently it was enough encouragement, because not a moment later, the young girl teared up as and ran into the arms of her father.

Kana joined the hug again, all three crying tears of joy. They were reunited again.

Minoko watched all this from a distance, clearly forgotten in light of the reunion. She could reunite with the family later on. Hopefully Kana remembered her too. She smiled softly at the scene and turned to walk home.

A/N: We're coming up to the end! One more chapter to go. Please let me know what you think!