Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Loveless Suna ❯ Chapter 43

I hope this one was a little faster than previous one. I tried but I'm so busy lately and since I had exams again. I know I have a lot of exams. We have 4 periods instead of the normal 2 semesters, something new they're trying at my school. But it's working for me!

Thanks for reviewing:

Camp-crystal-lake: I'm so happy with my loyal fan, I mean it! Just imagine Gaara with kids *imagining*. I guess at first he'll be freaking out, but he'll turn out a great father.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or make money from this story.

“Shizuka! Uchiha-san!” Surprised I watched Kaeda run towards us. “Kazekage-sama is waiting for you in his office.” She informed us quickly while we were already getting to our feet. Mine and daddy's eyes crossed, we both knew it meant Gaara had come up with a plan. Sasuke was the first one to move and us girls quickly followed him. We entered the Kazekage tower through the roof where a couple of ANBU'S on break were accompanying a colleague on duty. They immediately straightened their backs seeing us and let us pass without a word. After that it didn't take long before we reached Gaara's office. Sasuke polity knocked and I was starting to realize that I really was the only one who dared to crash through that door without knocking. This time it was Kakashi who let us enter and Kaeda closed it behind her when we did. It seemed we were the last ones to arrive since everyone was looking expectant at the Kazekage.

“We have a plan but the ones who are going, are doing it without the help of Suna or Konoha.” Surprised my eyes widened, I hadn't expected this. “We can't risk a war between us and the Earth country.” Gaara continued as he leaned backwards. He looked at the people that were standing around his desk. Kaeda immediately stepped forwards.

“I'll go!” She stated and the Kazekage gave her an approval nod.

`He knew she was going to volunteer.' I realized seeing the look in his eyes. `And that's probably the only reason she was allowed to come.'

“You can count on me!” Sakura practically yelled and looked demanding at her love-interest. Sai nodded with his everlasting smile on his face.

“Hn,” Sasuke could pull everyone's attention with just this one word. “Naruto would probably come haunting me if anything happened to you two.” I couldn't oppress a smile and saw Gaara stare suspicious at me. He even straightened his back again. Biting my lip I was reminded that I was really overdue with telling him the truth. “Count me in.” Kakashi was the last one of Konoha to volunteer.

“Who's going from Suna expect Kaeda?” I asked and got two pair of glaring eyes on me. “I-m… not… going…?” I suggested carefully and Sasuke seemed to calm down while Gaara took it on him to glare at the Uchiha before looking calmly back at me.

“Kankuro, Matsuri and Honoo.” He answered my question. I had no idea who this Honoo was but probably someone he could trust and probably an experienced, strong nin, maybe even an ANBU. “You all have gotten a week off. We expect Eho will have set up her new plan in motion by that time. If you failed at the end of the week, you need to come back immediately since we'll probably need you here.” The redhead continued as he leaned backwards again. “You have half an hour to prepare and meet at the gate.” He ended the meeting. Kakashi nodded seriously before putting on his happy face. He was the first one to leave the office with Sakura and Sai behind him. Kaeda smiled at me before following them and Sasuke's eyes ordered me to talk to Gaara.

-

When we were the only ones left I walked over to the redhead. I watched how he ripped a piece of paper off a note block and start writing on it. I was starting to wonder if I should just leave since he seemed busy, but he signed that I had to get closer. Once close enough, he pulled me on his lap. Looking at the letter he was writing I discovered it were instructions for Honoo.

“Where is he, Honoo I mean?”

“On a two weeks holiday.”

“And he's just going to go on this mission while it's his time off?” My eyes turned away from the paper to look at the Kazekage. `Like hell, I would listen if someone made me give up my well disserved vacation. Okay, maybe for this mission I would but still.'

“He didn't want to go in the first place and he is the kind of person that would volunteer for a mission like this.” I couldn't help but smile and he gave me a questioning look.

“You really do know the people in this village.” I continued smiling while wrapping my arms around his neck. I gave him a teasing kiss on the cheek before laying my head down on his shoulder.

“At least here I don't have to worry about other guys.” He mumbled and I widened my eyes surprised. I raised my head again and saw the embarrassment in his eyes.

“You don't have to worry about that at all.” I whispered in his ear before kissing his neck this time. He rolled the paper up and made a little sand bird that flew away with it. I watched it fly out of the window and felt the redhead's eyes on me.

“I just don't like other guys getting close to you… especially Uchiha Sasuke.” Gaara said the last with a little warning in his voice while his eyes were looking straight at me.

“About that…” I smiled innocently and his eyes narrowed. “I think it's time I told you everything.” The sea-green orbs got bigger again while his body straightened a little. This was what he had been waiting for. I released his neck and made sure our bodies' contact lessened. “I told you I'm a clone, right.” He nodded with the same confusion in his eyes as when I first told him. “Well, I'm a clone of a girl who lives in another world.” I rattled the last and saw that he needed time to comprehend what I was saying. When he caught up I continued before he could say anything. “It was Naruto's idea and he used Sasuke's sharingan to copy… well me.” My eyes didn't leave his face for a moment and say the bewilderment when Naruto's name was said. “Naruto saw what had happened after he died and he didn't want you to live without love so he… made me.” I saw it was too much for him to take in and stood up from his lap. “You probably need a moment so I'll just…” I pointed to the door while taking the first step towards it. Only when I closed it behind me it came crashing down on me what I had just done. `Please let Sasuke be right!' I prayed silently before slowly walking away from the door.

-

Half an hour later I stood outside with Temari beside me. The blonde was giving the oldest of her younger brothers advice which made Kankuro put up a face that he already knew it all and Matsuri was looking respectful at the oldest sister.

“You're really entering motherhood, aren't you?” I teased the blonde, who couldn't hide a blush.

“Kazekage-sama is signing for us to come closer.” Matsuri pushed her boyfriend ahead of her. I wanted to follow them but noticed Temari didn't move an inch.

“He's just going to repeat all the details again.” She explained and I cocked an eyebrow. “But you haven't heard them yet, have you?” The blonde shook her head.

“And I don't want too. If I don't know what they're doing exactly, I can't really worry and won't have the urge to back them up. Gaara did put me off duty.” She caressed her pregnant tummy to emphasize and I could follow her reasoning without a problem.

“Then I'll keep you company, I've already heard the details.” I smiled and she gave me a `thank you' look back.

“So, when are you two going to start making little ones?” My eyes betrayed my shock.

“We're really not that far yet.”

“Oh, he's still using protection? Too bad, I wanted to become an aunt.” The blonde pouted.

“You're already becoming a mom, isn't that enough? And if never seen… or felt Gaara use protection.” I said matter-of-fact and just realized that isn't really smart.

“Felt…, silly girl, Gaara is the Kazekage. He uses a drug.” It took a little time for me to comprehend what she had said.

“There's a pill for men?!” I yelled shocked. Why didn't that exist in my world? I noticed the redhead and the nins around him looking oddly at me and I smiled stupidly at them.

“Of course, or else there would probably already be a couple of little Gaara's running around.” Jealousy crawled into my body. “I'm so glad you're here!” Temari's voice suddenly was very seriously. “He deserves a little happiness.”

“Yeah, he does.” I answered smiling sadly. `Hopefully he's still happy now I've told him the truth.' I sighed mentally.

“Ah they're done.” The blonde interrupted my thoughts and I got pulled towards them.

-

After saying our goodbyes the ninjas left and only Temari, Gaara and I were left standing at the gate.”I hope they'll be alright.” Temari mumbled worried. Actually I was hoping the same thing; last time Eho blew up the whole marketplace and we were lucky no people were killed in the blast, but it did proof that she didn't care who she had to sacrifice to reach her final goal. In silence we watched them disappear into the sand landscape. “Well, I have some things to do. Be good you two!” She wink at me, making me remember our previously conversation. While she was skipping away I was getting nervous.

`What's his reaction?' I wondered. I've given him time to think about the whole clone thing and how much I wanted to believe Daddy there still was a part of me that expected the worst. I glanced up at him and immediately met his blue-green seas. It was like he was looking right into my soul and I didn't even realize that I was holding my breath. His lips parted but before any sound could come out, he got interrupted by a screaming voice.

“Kazekage-sama!” Annoyed Gaara turned his head towards the approaching youngling. The teenager didn't seem to comprehend the look or he was just ignoring it. “There's been an accident! A container broke! There are workers stuck under the sand!” Immediately the Kazekage's face lost the annoying expression and with a nod he told the kid to lead him to the crime scene. Looking a last time at me, I made clear I was also coming and we both ran after the teenager. Once on the scene Gaara quickly raised the sand that seemed to have caught four people. Medical nins were already present and immediately started to check up on the victims before moving them somewhere save. Three of them were lucky, they only had a couple of scratches, but the fourth one; a middle-aged man had gotten sand into his trachea and was rushed to the hospital. Gaara was forced to join them since he was the one who had the most chance of getting all the sand to the last grain out of the man. Again he gave me a look.

`He really seems to need to tell me something.' I thought. `But is it going to make me or break me?' Shaking my head I pushed those depressing thoughts out of my mind and started to comfort a little girl whose dad was one of the more fortunate victims.

-

I waited till midnight but it looked like Gaara was going to pull an all-nighter, so I decided to go to bed without talking to him. Sadly enough with all that happened, you would expect me to be dead tired and fall asleep immediately but instead the memories and worries kept me awake for one hour. And only after two hours I got woken up by stamping feet outside my door. Still half asleep I stumbled to the hallway and almost got run over.

“Excuse me Shizuka-sama!” The jounin panted.

“What's wrong?”

“We just received an urgent letter from Konoha!” My eyes widened and immediately I was entirely awake. I let the nin pass and followed him to the Kazekage's office. I had to admit I was a little surprised to see Gaara working in the middle of the night when he had already looked so tired during the day. His eyes flashed from the nin to me and then to the letter. While reading it a frown settled itself on his forehead.

“What's wrong?” I asked when he looked up.

“A man with white dreadlocks stole a blood sample.”

“Dreadlock! Who's blood?” The sea-green eyes didn't look happy.

“Uchiha Sasuke.” Surprised me eyes widened.

“Sasuke's? What's Eho with Sasuke's blood?” But I didn't need an answer it came to me immediately. “The sharingan, she's after the sharingan!”

Stephke23: That's it for today. Shizuka finally told Gaara the truth, so next chapter's definitely going to contain his reaction. And of course what is Eho planning with Sasuke's blood?