Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Given The Chance ❯ Wake Up Call ( Chapter 20 )

Chapter #20

Wake-Up Call

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Co.

 

Yay another chapter out! Love me!!

 

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Traveling to Konohagakure takes three or four days at best for a normal traveler so the Iwate family generally packed light to make the traveling easier on everyone. They would get up early on the day they planned to leave with all their belongings already tucked away in their backpacks then be on their way before the sun was fully in the sky. After all no one wanted to travel during high noon in a desert so the shorter the time they had to travel in broad daylight until the wind country boarder the better.

 

`This is just too funny,' Cassandra tried not to smirk or grin like an idiot as she watched Gina try and stuff half her wardrobe into one backpack. Two days before Gina had been asking Daichi how many bags she was allowed to pack exactly and when he said `only the ones you plan on carrying yourself for four days' she had made it her goal to fit her entire life into one backpack. Watching her try and close the zipper on the bag was probably the funniest thing Cassandra had ever seen.

 

“Damn this zipper keeps splitting apart,” Gina hissed as she attempted to pinch the zipper together with one hand and zip it up with the other. It didn't work because the amount of things inside kept pushing the cheep zipper apart once it was done up.

 

Cassandra sat on her bed munching on a breakfast bar with her medium sized backpack comfortably carrying everything she needed for the trip. She was enjoying her early morning entertainment before someone actually stepped in to help Gina.

 

Gina shot a glance towards Cassie when she spotted her slowly growing grin out of the corner of her eye, “What you think this is funny now? You try and do this without getting angry, I dare you.”

 

“Nah even I'm afraid to attempt that one. You should have made it one of your twisted tests you were conducting a little while back,” by that point Cassandra was struggling to control herself, “You know you have to admit defeat eventually Gina-chan because all that is not going to fit. You should have been like me and done all this stuff last night.”

 

“With enough determination anything is possible,” Gina stuck her nose in the air, “And you should be the one to talk. The way you are always by the Kazekage's side, it's kind of pathetic. Eventually you have to admit to yourself that someone like him is not going to soften up just because you invite him to dinner.”

 

Cassie was practically in stitches. She couldn't stay in the same room with Gina anymore; she had to get out so she picked up her backpack and went to meet her brother downstairs.

 

“What's so funny,” demanded Gina.

 

“Oh nothing,” Cassandra choked out between giggle fits that hid how red her face was, “You better just hurry up with that or you'll make us all fall behind schedule.”

 

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Cassandra (plus Kobi and Cori), Hale, Gina, Daichi, and Hana were all walking to the edge of the village a few hours before the sun came up each carrying their backpack and some food. Despite the fact that Gina had been especially slow with her last minute packing the family had actually begun their traveling on time so they were quite happy. Well, at least the Iwate were used to it while poor Gina and Hana were already exhausted from the early morning wake up call.

 

“Kobi don't run to far ahead,” Cassie called to her dog who ran a couple yards ahead barking like an idiot. As they rounded the next corner on the street just heading out of the village she saw why, “Temari? Kankuro? Gaara?”

 

“That dog is going to give me a headache,” Kankuro muttered rubbing his head, “Hey mutt will you shut the hell up or what?!” Kobi just continued snarling. It was a habit he had around Gaara that just Cassandra just couldn't get him to break.

 

The sand siblings had been waiting for the Iwate family. Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were standing near the edge of the road with their own backpacks packed.

 

“What are you guys doing here?” Cassandra asked with a grin.

 

“Hey you don't think we'd let you go on a long trip without us?” Temari chuckled.

 

“You guys didn't have to-”

 

“Ah, don't worry about it Temari's boyfriend lives in Konoha so when she heard that you were going out there she flipped at the idea,” Kankuro cut in with a grin, “You couldn't stop her from going now if you wanted to.”

 

Temari gave Kankuro a sharp elbow in the ribs while chuckling, “That doesn't matter. Besides it's safer to travel in larger groups so I hope you and your family don't mind us tagging along.”

 

“Oh we don't mind,” Cassandra responded happily while her family shifted around uncomfortably behind her under Gaara's constant gaze. It was pretty obvious that they did in fact mind that they would be traveling with Gaara but Cassie paid it no mind, and it was not like anyone else was about to say anything against him coming. At least not while he was within earshot…

 

Gaara just seemed to be looming in the background the entire time not saying a word even as the group - with three more people than it had started off with - finally exited the desert village. He walked silently most of the way beside Kankuro who was having a casual conversation with Hale and Daichi.

 

The girls walked a few feet ahead of them chattering among themselves. Temari apparently telling Cassie something pretty funny because the both of them started laughing.

 

`She has a nice laugh,' the thought was almost off-handed inside Gaara's mind. He didn't question the thought at all, though he still didn't understand a lot of things, Gaara had more or less just learned to just go along with it. Having her around wasn't so bad anyway.

 

“So,” Daichi glanced over at Gaara carefully, “What is your relationship with my daughter.”

 

“If Cassandra wants you to know then she will tell you,” was Gaara's simple answer. While he spoke he only kept his eyes ahead of him and as usual his expression never changed.

 

Kankuro chuckled, “Roughly translated from Gaara's speech that just means he would rather have someone else admit it.”

 

Gaara's eyes darted over to Kankuro for a split second sending one clear message, `Shut up or else.'

 

“You are turning red you know,” Temari teased.

 

Cassie forced a laugh to try and cover for a few seconds to think of an excuse, “What are you talking about? Its just this heat is making me flushed! You have to be hallucinating or something Temari-chan.”

 

“Well then answer the question then,” the blonde Kunoichi urged.

 

“What question? You asked me a question?”

 

Temari gave Cassandra a playful shove, “Yes answer the question already! Is there something romantic going on between you and my brother?”

 

“Why don't you ask him if you want to know so bad?”

 

“Do you really think he would ever tell me anything?” Temari gave a her a playful shove, “You're avoiding answering the question Cassie-chan now come on it is not that hard. Just a yes or no will do or I can just go with the answer that is written all over your face if you like.”

 

Cassandra really hated how easily she blushed and knew if she didn't answer Temari would never ever shut up about it. She glanced behind her at her at the boys to make sure no one was listening in and she knew Gina and Hana were so into their topic of conversation they wouldn't notice if she talked through a megaphone, “So what if there is? You're not going to go running down the street screaming it at the top of your lungs are you?”

 

“No, don't worry, I won't,” assured Temari who was trying to control a large goofy grin that wanted to surface, “But Kankuro owes me twenty bucks.”

 

“Temari you're terrible.”

 

“As you have said before but yet I still find myself proud of the fact.”

 

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“We should set up camp here for the night and resume before the sun comes up tomorrow and we should be out of the desert by tomorrow at noon,” Hale sighed finding a nice spot to pitch the tents just off the path, “We'll have to look around for fire wood and then Cassandra can make us something to eat.”

 

“You make it sound like an obligation Hale,” Cassandra chuckled as she found a rock to sit on and rest her sore feet. They had all been walking all day with the exception of the break they took to break out their lunches. Everyone was tired and more than ready for a good night's rest - except Gaara who never slept in the first place - so they began setting up camp so they could sleep all the sooner.

 

Two separate tents were set up in the small camp, one for the boys and one for the girls, while Hana and Gina made the fire pit and looked for scraps of wood. It was the only thing to two girlie-girls could do after their many failed attempts at helping set up the tents. The dogs made their jobs difficult by stealing the sticks so they could play a game of fetch.

 

“Can you grab the sleeping bags Cassie-chan,” asked Temari as she finished with the poles for the tent.

 

“Sure,” Cassandra responded absently as she tossed the four sleeping bags into the tent then returned to examining the food they had packed to see what she would make for their supper.

 

That night after setting up the camp and the fire Cassandra made some rice and curry (Hale's request) and everyone sat around the fire together to eat. Hale and Kankuro seemed to be getting along better considering their bad first impressions of each other when Hale came looking for Cassandra. Hana and Daichi were eating together as a couple. Temari, Cassandra, and Gina - reluctantly - were eating together, and Gaara decided he would be the one to stand guard all on his own.

 

Soon after eating everyone began to retire to their tents so they could get some sleep before another long day of traveling. Hana and Temari seemed to be the first ones to nod off and then - unfortunately for Cassandra - Gina the snore champion of the world.

 

`You have got to be kidding me,' Cassie gave an inward moan and buried her face into her pillow, `How can everyone else sleep through this?'

 

For Cassie there was no use even trying to get some sleep with the human fog horn sleeping a few short feet away. With a grunt the tired girl got to her feet with her blankets wrapped around her shoulders and unzipped the tent door.

 

The desert got cold at night - thus why Cassandra had her blanket with her - and it made her shiver a little. The fire had almost burned out completely leaving nothing but dying ambers, but even in the poor lighting her large green eyes could spot Gaara still sitting on a nearby sand dune. He had been there for hours not moving a muscle.

 

Cassandra tiptoed through the sand and began climbing up the dune when a patch of sand slipped under her foot. She almost began sliding all the way back down when it began moving on its own to push her back up.

 

“Didn't you say before that you were at the ninja academy for a year,” Gaara seemed slightly amused, “I don't think rookies are as klutzy as you are.”

 

“Well I did say that it was years ago so don't give me a hard time about it sandman,” chuckled Cassie as she sat herself down next to Gaara and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, “What are you doing sitting out here all by yourself?”

 

“I told you that I don't sleep so going into the tent is pointless,” he shrugged, “You on the other hand should be sleeping right now.”

 

“Do you not hear that snoring? Do you seriously think I'd be able to get any sleep down there?”

 

She had a point; Gina's snoring could be heard loud and clear from where he was sitting.

 

“Wow look at the moon it's almost full,” Cassandra's voice made Gaara realize he had been spacing out a little bit, “It's really clear out here isn't it?”

 

Gaara nodded, `Perfect that bastard raccoon will be the one thrilled when it finally is full.'

 

They sat like that for quite some time, most of the time not saying anything, but it was nice either way. After a few minutes Gaara nonchalantly placed his arm around Cassie's shoulders and pulled her in closer to him.

 

With a tired smile Cassie cocked an eyebrow and Gaara responded with an uninterested shrug, “You were shivering.”

 

“I was not,” she retorted before giving a yawn.

 

“Just go to sleep,” he murmured stubbornly, “Or you are going to be tired tomorrow.”

 

 

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(Corny traveling music) Yah, we're on our merry way to Konoha!! Thanks for the continuing reviews everyone it's been really great!

 

Lil_Pix