Moon's Light, Reality's Dream

Author's Note: Well, it saddens us greatly to do this, since we've received an overwhelming number of hits on this site, but we regret to inform you that unless we receive a little feedback, the posting of this story will be discontinued on AFF, effective after this chapter. It's lovely to know that people are at least checking it out, but it's better to know if we're doing something right/wrong, you love it/hate it... We're sure this all makes a little sense. After all, we don't require an insane review. A simple "I like it" would be more than sufficient. For those of you who would like to continue reading it, the story can be found on fanfiction.net under the same title. Thanks!



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Moon's Light, Reality's Dream

月の光、うつつの夢

Chapter Fourteen - メモリ (Memory)





頬に残ってたはずの熱が思い出せない

I can't recall the temperature that should have remained on my cheek.

朦朧の狭間で見たのは　寒色の現実

The shadows I saw in these dim spaces were the cold colored reality.









The more Shizune read over the report in her trembling hand, the deeper her frown grew. Lady Tsunade wasn't going to react well to this information, and that was the worst part of her job. The brunette hated being the constant bearer of bad news. There was no such thing as 'good news' in the ninja world, especially since everything usually started with something wrong. Too many times Shizune had run frantically down this long hallway and thrown open the heavy door, to stare into cold, hardened topaz eyes.



Here she was doing it again, except this time she decided to take her time walking to the Hokage's office. The evidence left her no option but to tell Tsunade that her beloved operative was missing, and possibly in this rare case, dead. It was strange not to find a body, especially at such a graphically illustrated scene. The investigating teams were able to piece together most of the probable course the fight took. Finding only a lock of black hair and a toppled tree wasn't very satisfying, raising more questions than it answered, and according to the document held tightly in Shizune's hand, a body hadn't been discovered, though the teams of Anbu and Jonin alike searched thoroughly for miles around the perimeter.



Pausing, Shizune willed herself to take the hardest step, her gentle knock at the door at odds with the hammering of her heart. At first, the blond didn't notice that the other woman had stepped into the room, not even the knock had reached her. A worried frown creased Tsunade's face, evidence that she had been engrossed in her thoughts. The rhythm of the rain drumming softly against the window was soothing, and she had quickly found herself lost in the melody of it, before Shizune's presence loomed out of the corner of her eye.



"Well... ?" The tired tone in Tsunade's voice left no question that she had yet to sleep, and Shizune's sad gaze fell to rest on the floor. At moments like these, she had to force herself to remember that it wasn't selfish, but necessary to who Tsunade had chosen to become. She was no longer the reckless, unlucky gambler, thriving on 'what if' and 'who knows', but getting right to the point, whenever there was one, and finding one even if there wasn't. She wanted answers, and Shizune was the one Tsunade looked to when she needed them.



Shizune started to slowly shake her head, watching as those smoky gold eyes narrowed. "Team Kouki has yet to return, but I doubt that their findings will be any different from the other teams you've sent..."



"What exactly did they find?" Tsunade already knew that Team Kouki wouldn't have returned yet. It was the 'Kouki' part that left no question in her mind. The Anbu Captain would search methodically for Nisei, leaving no detail, no matter how tiny, overlooked. The sudden guilt that next struck the blond shocked her, feeling like a bucket of ice water pouring over her head. In all of the ensuing chaos, she'd forgotten Kakashi.



"Some strands of Nisei's hair, and a tree that was toppled over. Anything else, like blood would have been washed away by now." It wasn't appropriate to commend Shizune for the strength in her voice, but this time she kept it from trembling. The look Tsunade turned on her was enough to make her cave in, but she stood firmly. "Nisei couldn't be found, and from the overwhelming evidence, or lack thereof, I should say... She'll have to be classified MIA."



'And presumed dead' was the phrase she left lingering unspoken, knowing the thought would have to cross Tsunade's mind. Shizune wouldn't be the one to say it first. She wasn't about to throw those words out there, especially since Tsunade would just disregard them, and insist that it couldn't possibly be true, in spite of the evidence starting to point to the contrary. One of the reasons Tsunade liked Nisei so much, was that the girl was as stubborn as the Hokage herself. Even when Nisei should have stayed down, she kept getting up, and Tsunade helped nurture that quality within the girl.



"Tell this to no one. Not yet." Tsunade stood behind her desk and slowly walked towards the door. "I refuse to believe that she's dead. Give it time."



Shizune stuttered, shocked by the order to maintain silence. "T-Time?"



"I don't want someone to do something idiotic, and call it justice." Tsunade let the words linger there, hoping that Shizune could quickly catch her drift from the emphasis on the word 'someone.' Kakashi had only just recovered, and the chances of him doing nothing, after hearing this news, were zero. His body needed to take it easy, and he would get no rest, unable to stand idle in the face of this mess. If Nisei was really dead, then Tsunade would have to introduce herself to something called denial, and try to push forward.



Even if it was an unbearable thought.



Kakashi kept his head down as he lay against the hard red roof of the Hokage building over Tsunade's office. He couldn't keep his ears from overhearing the conversation he had specifically gone out of his way to listen in on. His onyx eye remained sharp, as if trying to pierce through the tree in front of him. Nisei being dead wasn't a thought he'd let conquer his mind, but he'd be damned if he could stop the sudden black and white he was seeing just thinking about it. Nisei was smart, and stronger than most people would assume. He would know.



He brought two fingers up in front of his face and disappeared in a cloud of light smoke, reappearing at the large doors at the feet of the village. He took one of the scrolls out of his vest pocket, uncapping it before spreading it out. If anyone was going to be successful in tracking Nisei down, it would be him and his ninken. Not telling him, and hoping that Kakashi wouldn't find out, was ridiculous on Tsunade's part. He knew she just wanted to keep him from being involved in something that his still weakened body might not be able to tolerate, but the Jonin was more than positive that exerting energy for something like this was necessary.



"Kuchiyose Doton, Tsuiga no Jutsu..." His voice was quiet as he summoned his ninja hounds. When the air cleared, Pakkun lay across the top of Bull's head, inching closer. Urushi, Shiba and Bisuke stood in proud formation, alongside Akino, Uhei, and Guruko. Maybe Kakashi didn't need to bring out all eight of them, but time itself was slipping from his grasp. It was an uneasy feeling, and he knew he wouldn't be able to rest at all until she was found.



Pakkun rolled his eyes lazily toward his master. "What is it?"



Kakashi said nothing, simply holding out the letter from his crouched position, watching as Pakkun's nose brushed across it, picking up the scent.



"Kakashi, this scent..." Pakkun trailed off, before stiffening slightly. "Nisei's? These ninken follow the trail of blood, a precise scent..."



"Her blood has been spilled-"



"You know what I meant," Pakkun growled gently, knowing that this was a very personal case, and with Kakashi summoning all of them, it was obviously urgent. He couldn't do it by himself, and if he tried, it would only end up wasting valuable time. "If I can pick up her scent from this paper, then I'm sure they can too. Your word is the law we abide by. Nisei, to be found, it is..." The dogs then separated, all except Pakkun. "Ne, Kakashi, let's go..."



"Hold it right there." Kakashi was no sooner up on his feet, than the authoritative voice forced him to turn towards it, his usual lazy expression changing to one of determination. Tsunade stood there with her hands at her waist, and her topaz eyes narrowed. "Where do you think you're going, Kakashi?"



"I think we both know where I'm going." The blond was bound to get angry, and Kakashi was certainly uncomfortable with his inability to be obedient, but there were some things he felt he didn't need to ask permission for, especially if it would only be denied.



Her face didn't change much at his words, only possibly growing slightly more annoyed. "Team Kouki is still searching the area. I doubt that they will come back with nothing. Why don't you wait until then?"



"Waiting, waiting..." He sighed. What an offensive name, 'Kouki'. "Maybe that was the mistake that we all made. Maa, no matter. My hounds are on her trail. They will find her, and I will bring her back."



"Impossible! As the Fifth Hokage, I demand that you stay here." Furious, she knew that he wouldn't reason with her. He had such an irritating way of finding things out, and she'd known that keeping a secret like this would be difficult, though she'd hoped it would take a little longer to leak out. Was all of this her fault? She bit her lip as she continued to stare at the Jonin. He was a lot like his father, and with every selfless decision he made, he became more like the person he resented the most.



"Even though I took my medicine..." Kakashi trailed off, his voice wistful and tinged with disappointment as he pocketed his scroll, then turned to flash her a happy eye-crease. The tension between them grew even thicker. "Gomen nasai."



"Kakashi-" She stepped forward, only to find he was already gone - disappearing into the forest with his faithful ninken. Her angry glare covered the entire vacant area as she slowly turned her back on it.



Pakkun remained beside Kakashi as they touched down on the firm branches and pushed off again. The wind was strong and cold, a mixture surprisingly less intrusive than it should have been against the Jonin's skin. It was for the best to keep himself numb to everything, for now. If he stopped to remember, he was certain it would only slow him down. All of the years he'd avoided looking at Nisei, were time he had wasted. What did he have to show for it? What had he been doing, who else had he been thinking of...?



"Akino has found the river." Pakkun commented lowly, looking to Kakashi as he broke the Jonin out of his masochistic reverie. "Ano, Kakashi, is it okay, what you said to Godaime?"



Still uncomfortable about the confrontation in question, Kakashi averted his gaze to the ground. Directly disobeying the Hokage was something that only a fool would do. He knew the woman well enough to know that she would accept his decision, and get over it quickly, but it bothered him anyway. For him, Nisei would now come before his village, since he had failed in the past to keep her before anything else, or to keep her at all. Tsunade had to know that so long as Nisei remained 'MIA' or 'presumed dead,' it would continuously eat away at him, like a slow death. It was unhealthy to lie in bed overwhelmed by guilt.



Kakashi glanced at his trusty companion, his expression revealing everything as he decided it was pointless to attempt to hide the fact that he was already a mess. "It'll have to be."



-



Kakashi...





Slowly, Nisei blinked her tired eyes open. The surroundings her gaze met weren't familiar, but at least it she was inside, warm and away from the elements. She was relieved that she was alive, and no longer subjected to memories, forced to relive the things that she had failed to do, or say. Pain overwhelmed her the moment her body flinched in an attempt at movement. With startling clarity, she remembered the summoned bolt of lightning shooting cruelly through the water globe she'd been trapped in.



"Finally, you're awake..." She hadn't noticed that someone else was in the room until she heard the soft, tremulous voice. It wasn't Ruka, thankfully, though she quickly realized it was slightly ridiculous to worry, even briefly, that he would have stuck around just to torture her some more. Nisei was relieved when her eyes settled on the old man, and she let her head fall back with a sigh. With his short hunched figure, she wondered how it was possible that he even got her here.



She pushed the thought aside because it didn't matter, since he was the one who saved her anyway. "Thank you."



He hushed her gently, concerned now with the cuts he hadn't yet managed to patch up. "Don't talk. It must be painful. You have tears all over your body. Lightning kisses aren't kind, are they?"



"It was a funeral," Nisei muttered bitterly, her body prickling all over as if she could still feel the electricity dancing through her. "He wasn't supposed to know Water and Lightning."



"It is possible, is it not? Jonin learn two elements, and spend a long time enhancing that... Correct?" The old guy knew too much, but at the same time, far too little. The Anbu world was different from a regular ninja life. They had many restrictions placed on them because they held so much law. Anbu took care of the dirty work: the assassinations, the capture of major Bingo book rogues, and the hunting of other Missing and rogue nin. Why they weren't allowed to regularly learn techniques was beyond her. Though some were prone to two elements, the only other Anbu she could think of, off the top of her head, with this unique ability was Yamato.



"The man who did this to me was Anbu. He had no right teaching himself such things." She winced, feeling a pulsing heat spreading throughout her body. The pain came from the hard pounding of her heartbeat. At this rate, without any form of healing technique, she wouldn't be able to go anywhere anytime soon. It was a sobering thought.



"I understand," was all he said in return as he reached for another thick roll of gauze, then returned to wrapping up her left arm. The image of the way he found her wouldn't leave his mind. The girl was lucky her unconscious body somehow caught on something, and drifted half onto land. The salt in the water had helped to cleanse her wounds, but her lower half needed to be warmed. The wood from the fire was still hissing and crackling, slowly dying down, as opposed to the way it roared hours before, when he had her in directly front of it.



He'd been frantic, then, to bring her bluish skin back to a warm pale. Her skin reacted at first like a rash, but soon, under thick heavy blankets, she returned to a healthier color. Now, these wounds had to stop bleeding, somehow. It was hard to find clean water. The man waited for the buckets outside of his small cabin to fill, before he started dabbing carefully at each deep bite the lightning had taken out of her flesh.



"I had to change your clothes," he said gently, while keeping his eyes trained on what he was doing. "These belong to my daughter. She is away at school right now, so I doubt she would mind. I folded your old clothes and set them in a bag. They're torn and covered in blood."



"Thank you, again..." She let her eyes close, finding it difficult to continue to hold them open. "My name is Nisei."



He smiled warmly, his old age only highlighted by the crinkling wrinkles that gave his face the look of a prune. At that point, it was impossible not smile back. "Nice to meet you, Nisei of Anbu. I'm Jun."



She wanted to laugh the way he said, 'of Anbu', but the pain in her face kept her from doing so. It was already becoming annoying, not being able to anything for herself in the slightest. Patience was something that Nisei didn't have. She needed to report to Tsunade, and she needed that message to be conveyed as quickly as possible. A sigh escaped her as she bitterly missed the convenience of the trained hawks that flew straight to the Hokage's message drop point.



"I'm certain they've been looking for me, but wonder if maybe they've already stopped...?" Nisei trailed off, thinking of the many teams Tsunade was sure to send out. Kouki. She could see him so clearly in her mind. Kouki wouldn't ever stop searching for her, though they'd parted on very awkward personal terms, and she was already dreading seeing him again. Kakashi she couldn't even allow herself the thought of seeing. Tsunade would never let him leave, and he would never make it to her in his condition, even with the speed of his recovery.



"I doubt they've stopped looking." Of course he was just being nice, and trying to make her worry less. She appreciated that at least she had been rescued by someone kind, and also smart. He'd treated all her wounds in the proper way. If it wasn't for him, she would still be half submerged in ice cold water during a storm, or worse. "I'll go prepare some tea."



The Anbu settled back against the bed and stared out the nearby window. It was still raining. One drop of rain merged with another and slid down the glass. Watching it was making her sleepy. She briefly wondered if sleep would be as painful as every other effort she'd made thus far. Those idle thoughts were quickly vanishing, as her mind refused to ignore the possibility that both Kouki and Kakashi were out there searching for her. It was an unshakable, worrisome feeling that made her think things would be simpler if she could just return on her own. But she knew if she were to leave now, she'd only find herself stubbornly walking the path towards Suna.





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Hitori sighed heavily where she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall in the darkest corner of her room. Outside her window, the evening sky was just beginning to fade into the purple before dawn. It was an odd hour to be awake, but she hadn't managed to sleep much, anyway. Strange dreams had driven her into consciousness more times than she cared to count. A sudden movement on the opposite wall caught her eye, and she glanced over at it, staring with slowly widening eyes once she recognized what it was.



Shadow puppets.



They moved swiftly, changing between a dog, a bird, a cat-like creature, and finally a butterfly before Yomi himself stepped into the light and grinned at her, looking a little sheepish. "I know you missed my 'shadow puppet theater' performances." He moved closer to her, sitting awkwardly beside her and glancing up at her expectantly.



"I did," she answered seriously, her gaze moving slowly back to the window again. It wasn't like Yomi to just sneak in, unannounced. There must be something weighing on his mind.



"I've received a message from... a friend," he began, keeping his voice low, as seemed fitting in the somber atmosphere. "The Hokage found out about Danzou's assassination plot, and sent someone out to stop Ruka." Wide, deceptively innocent brown eyes met her questioning glance. "The Anbu Captain, Nisei."



The moment Yomi spoke the name, images flooded through Hitori's mind: A kitsune mask, long jet black hair, and piercing golden eyes. A soft, melodic voice filled her head, though cold shivered through her body. Nisei had been the one to find her after the nightmarish battle with Zetsu.



"You know what that means, right?" His hand settled gently on her arm and she turned towards him again. "If Konoha is aware of Danzou's intent, and has acted to stop him, the entire game just changed. This will slow Ruka down, force him to move more carefully. We have... time."



"Time," she repeated, as a swift flash of concern passed through her for the Anbu Captain. They'd only met twice that Hitori could remember, and each time had ended in some sort of defeat for one of them. Heat filled her cheeks as she remembered beating Nisei in that training match, and turning to walk unconcernedly off the field, not caring if the other might be hurt, only that Danzou's eyes shone with pride as he watched her. And then the blurry images from their second meeting flooded back. The obvious worry and regard Nisei held her in, making sure everything possible was done to aid in Hitori's recovery. Shame was a bitter pill to swallow.



Yomi watched her in silence, wondering if he should share the rest of the information he had, worried about how she'd react to it. Obviously, she remembered Nisei, though he wasn't quite sure what would have caused the swift blush that suffused her cheeks after he spoke. Then he remembered what Kankurou had told him. Nisei was the one to find Hitori after she'd failed to rescue Gaara, and nearly gotten herself killed in the process. He would have to tread carefully, here.



Gaara watched from the shadows of the doorway, his narrowed eyes locked on the diminutive Anbu, wondering where Yomi got his information. Sleep had eluded him, as well, driven away by the fear that in spite of everything, he'd wake up to find Hitori gone. He hadn't been able to keep himself from coming down to her room to check on her, and was a little irritated to find her former partner here. What, exactly, had caused Yomi to desert his post and allow himself to become classified as a rogue, to warn Hitori about the danger posed by Ruka? A letter would have done that just as well. Turning away, he walked off slowly towards the room of the only person who might be able to give him an answer: Kankurou.



"Hitori..." Yomi's voice threatened to crack, and he coughed a little, clearing his throat, then starting over. "What is it that you want?" The scene he'd witnessed in the training area the day before refused to leave his mind.



Blinking as the image of Nisei's steady, golden gaze faded from her mind, Hitori looked over at Yomi again. His question came out of nowhere, and confused her a little, calling up feelings that made her shiver. "I'm not sure what you mean...?"



Exasperated, Yomi resisted the urge to tug at his hair, afraid he'd inadvertently rip it out. If he was talking to anyone other than his former partner, he'd be certain such a level of naivete was a complete act. "I mean after we take care of Ruka. What do you want? Do you want to go back to Konoha and become a little Anbu dog again? I'm sure the Hokage would find a way to have you cleared..." He trailed off, his eyes darting past her to watch the lightening sky through the window across the room. "Or do you want to stay here, in Suna... with Gaara?"



"I haven't really thought about it yet," she whispered, her face paling a little as she glanced down at the floor. "Do I even have a choice? I've been ordered to stay here until he releases me, anyway."



Yomi waved his hand around, dismissing everything she said. "As if an order from Danzou is going to hold any sway over you after this? No, those orders don't matter anymore. It would be entirely up to you to decide."



Her mind reeled as that tiny security was ripped from beneath her. For the first time she could remember, she found herself facing a life without being told what to do, without a purpose, and she shrank from it. "He would order me to stay."



Twitching a little, Yomi finally turned to look at her again, rising up on his knees in front of her and gently gripping her shoulders, clenching his jaw to keep from shaking her. "Gaara would not order you to do anything. He needs you to make this choice, just as much as you need to do it." When she still wouldn't meet his eyes, he put one hand under her chin and turned her face up towards his. "Would you really force that pain on him?"



"Pain? I..." Hitori trailed off, her eyes lowering, avoiding what she saw in his. Yomi's words were sinking her into confusion again. "Nothing I could do would cause him pain."



Leaping up with a curse, Yomi stalked over to the window, clenching at the sill until his knuckles turned white. "Stubborn girl," he muttered bitterly. Trying to calm himself a little, he drew in a few slow, deep breaths before turning around to nearly glare at her, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you so blind that you still can't see that he loves you?"



Shaking her head, pale and trembling, Hitori shrank against the wall, the memory of Gaara's kiss making her lips burn. Her eyes fell closed as Yomi walked towards her, crouching down in front of her again. He didn't speak, and made no move to touch her, just simply watched her for a long moment. A strange fluttering sensation filled her body as her lips slowly parted. "Yomi, I'm scared." The words came in a shaking whisper, tears easing from beneath her closed lids to run down her face.



Chastened, Yomi reached a hand out to gently brush them away. "You'll never conquer that fear if you keep running from it. You have to face it... and admit how you feel, too." His hand drew away as he stood slowly and walked out of the room. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, muttering under his breath, and mentally berating himself for having felt the need to involve himself in something that was really none of his business. If he'd only managed to make the situation worse... His thoughts trailed off as he rounded a corner and nearly collided with someone walking in the opposite direction. Frowning, he glanced up to meet Gaara's calm, appraising eyes, and his heart sank within his chest.



Alone with her thoughts, Hitori struggled to calm the confusion in her mind. She had no idea how to face a fear. It wasn't like facing an opponent in battle. There, the lines were drawn, the rules understood, and the outcome clear: win or lose, kill or be killed. Emotional war left her feeling weak and powerless, adrift in an ocean of uncertainty. She didn't even know the first step to take. More tears fell, coming quicker now, to replace the ones Yomi had brushed away. They dripped unheeded from her face to break on the floor.



Yomi stepped swiftly to the side and started forward again, hoping to avoid a conversation with the Kazekage. Gaara's hand darted out and caught his arm, and Yomi winced a little, taking a deep breath before turning to meet the other's eyes. He waited for the redhead to say something, becoming more nervous the longer the silence stretched.



"He swore he'd kill you if you ever hurt her."



The short conversation with Kankurou replayed itself in Gaara's mind while he watched the Anbu. Everything his brother said, what little there was, made more sense the longer he thought about it. Kankurou was convinced that Yomi wasn't any sort of rival, and Gaara wanted to agree with him, but something about the way the smaller man's eyes shifted to avoid his, made him wonder. Finally, after several minutes, during which Yomi grew more tense, his deep, steady voice broke the silence. "Where is Hitori?"



"Don't worry, ne?" Kankurou laughed softly as Gaara walked towards the door. "He said he saw no point in fighting a battle he knew he'd lose."



"What?" Gaara asked, turning to flash his brother an odd look.



"As far as I know, she's still in her room." Yomi barely suppressed a sigh of relief when Gaara released him and turned away, continuing in the direction of Hitori's room. An uncomfortable thought made him twitch, and before he realized what he was doing, he was already speaking again. "I'm afraid I may have let a few things slip when I was talking to her. Like your little secret... " The words trailed off and he looked away guiltily as Gaara stopped to glance back over his shoulder at him.



"There's nothing to gain from fighting over her, because he knows she loves you."



"Secret?" He waited, wishing Yomi would just hurry up and say what he needed to. The more time that passed, the greater his worry grew. No matter how well meaning the Anbu was, his words were more likely to cause Hitori to panic and flee, than anything.



"That you love her." Yomi shifted nervously, his eyes locked to his feet.



"I've never made that a secret."



Steady footsteps started up again as Yomi felt his jaw dropping open. He'd never expected Gaara to admit to it so readily. 'Maybe now isn't the best time for the two of them to be left alone together,' he thought and took one step after the redhead before stopping himself. He'd already meddled more than enough. It was well past time for him to distance himself from the entire thing. He didn't need to question his own motives. They were all too uncomfortably obvious inside his head, but that didn't make it any easier to let go.



A soft noise made Hitori glance up to see Gaara just stepping into the room. Her hands raised to wipe at the tears on her face, but he crossed the small space between them and knelt before her, capturing her wrists gently. The look of concern in his eyes made something shatter within her, and she pulled her hands away from him, finally letting go. She leaned towards him, pressing her face against his chest, as all of the emotions she'd been trying so hard to hold back burst out of her in silent crying that shook her entire body. Her hands wrapped in the fabric near her face as his arms settled around her, one hand running gently over her hair before his arms tightened, and he leaned down to press his lips softly against the top of her head.



It felt good to be held this way, surrounded by the warmth of his embrace and the lightly mingled scents that came from his clothes. She felt protected in a way that didn't reflect on her own strengths or weaknesses. A new thought slowly bloomed in her mind as her breath hitched in her chest, the crying spell coming to an end, and leaving a calm, drowsy feeling in it's wake. She fit here, she belonged here. Acceptance was the first step towards facing her fear, and discovering that was like having a huge weight lifted from her mind. Her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed softly.



Gaara raised his head slowly at her sigh, feeling her body relax against his. When he was sure she was asleep, he shifted a little, lifting her gently into his arms before he stood and walked over to her bed. He lowered her onto it, resting one knee on the soft surface and leaning over her when her hands refused to release his clothes. Her face wore a look of peace he couldn't remember ever seeing there before, her lips just curving up in the hint of a smile. One of his hands brushed lightly along her cheek, and her eyes cracked open a little at the contact.



"Gaara," she said softly, her voice not much more than a breath as her hands finally disentangled from his clothes, lowering to rest lightly over her stomach. "I'm sorry."



His hand remained gently against her face as he stared down at her. "You've done nothing to be sorry for," he answered slowly, wondering why she felt she had to apologize. She moved a little beneath him and his hand fell away as he leaned back, watching her ease herself up into a sitting position.



"I didn't understand what you meant before, but I think I do now." Hitori opened her eyes the rest of the way and met his, feeling her face flushing a little. "When you said you wanted to keep me safe, you didn't mean that I was weak. You said it because you were worried, because..." She trailed off, uncertain of herself, and afraid of the words haunting her thoughts.



He smiled a little as her blush darkened, and she glanced away, biting her lower lip. For a long moment he watched as she struggled to say something, her eyes closing tightly when she realized she couldn't force any more words to come. The unspoken thoughts and feelings seemed to hang in the air between them, like a deep breath before a storm. Gaara reached out and gently turned her face back to his, waiting until her eyes opened before speaking again. "Hitori," he leaned closer to her, his hand settling softly against her neck, "you don't have to say anything." Words weren't really necessary when her eyes told him everything, anyway.



A loud noise in the hallway outside, followed by a stream of vibrant and inventive swearing, broke the mood and drew their gazes to the doorway. A breathless Yomi appeared a moment later, followed closely by Kankurou, both wearing matching looks of worry. Yomi's hand was clenched tightly around a piece of paper he was waving violently through the air.



"Nisei's missing!"