Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Moon On Fire ❯ Old Wounds ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Old Wounds

 

 

Sasuke darted out of the hospital and down the street. He didn't have a destination, he just had a lot of angry energy to burn.

 

“How dare they compare me to that bastard Itachi! I'm nothing like him!” He grumbled under his breath as he stalked past the villagers, not caring or even noticing if he knocked into them. He was so inwardly focused that he didn't hear Naruto call to him or start to follow him. “I'm not responsible for what Itachi does. It's not my fault that silly girl got hurt.” He growled as he sent another hapless villager sprawling sideways. “If she was stupid enough to cross paths with Itachi then she deserved it!” He immediately stopped and chastised himself for thinking such a thing. “No one deserves what she went through. Why would Itachi do something like that anyway? And even more disturbing, why would he come back just to torture her even more? Why not just kill her?” Sasuke started walking quickly again and only stopped when he found himself standing in front of an area that was obviously used for training. It was deserted now that late afternoon was approaching and he smiled. “This looks like a good place to work off some energy.”

 

When Naruto finally caught up with Sasuke he saw him hard at work, laying kicks and punches into training poles. Naruto knew something was wrong. He also knew that something was named Gaara and there would be little he could do about it. So he didn't say anything to Sasuke when he approached him other than. “Wouldn't you rather get a work out against something that fights back?”

 

XXX

 

The sun had set when Naruto and Sasuke finally called it quits and headed back towards the heart of town for a bath. Naruto stretched loudly as they walked down the deserted streets. “Ah that was great! It's been a while since we've sparred like that. I needed that workout.” Sasuke said nothing but stared straight ahead. Naruto sighed. When Sasuke was sulking like this there was nothing for it. Fortunately Naruto had never needed another person's participation to keep a conversation going.

 

“So what do you think of Mizuki-chan huh? She's certainly showing guts considering what's happening to her. I can't help but respect that you know? Strength like that, you don't find it often in someone who hasn't been raised a shinobi. And she's mysterious too. A real puzzle but once we get her back to Konoha I'm sure we'll be able to figure everything out. Tsunade no ba-chan will heal her up right and then the medics can probably do a reverse hypnosis on her like they did on me that one time and we'll get her memories straightened out and who knows? She may be able to lead us right to that bastard Itachi when she gets her memories back.”

 

“She couldn't even look at me.” Sasuke spoke suddenly.

 

“What?”

 

“My eyes are the same as my brother's. I terrified her so much she couldn't even look me in the face.”

 

“Well that's not your fault Sasuke. She wasn't prepared to see the Sharingan again so soon. It was a shock to her. I mean, what Itachi did is unforgivable and it'll probably take a while for Mizuki-chan to get over it (once she remembers it) but she will get over it and then she'll see the charming you that we've all come to know and love.” Naruto grinned and Sasuke just glared at him.

 

“It is my fault Naruto.” He replied looking straight ahead again. “If I hadn't been so obsessed with my revenge then I might have been able to see past my quest for power and gained the true power needed to defeat him. I left him alive and now look what he's done. Everyone here blames me for what happened to the girl and they're right to. For God's sake Naruto she thinks I'm more frightening than Gaara! I don't care how much he's changed that's just not right!” He sighed. “I shouldn't have come here.”

 

Naruto looked at Sasuke shocked. This was the first time he'd talked about anything regarding his time away from Konoha and the fight with Itachi in three years. “But why is Gaara's opinion messing him up so much?” Naruto thought to himself. Out loud he said, “Itachi's actions are his own Sasuke you can't do anything about it other than to track him down and end it. Which is what I'm sure is gonna happen this time. Mizuki-chan is the key to finding and ending this crap with your brother I just know it! You can't let Gaara get to you.” Sasuke looked at Naruto but this time it was Naruto's turn to look straight ahead. Sasuke could read the optimism on Naruto's face and despite himself, he was starting to feel better.

 

“What do you think Gaara's story is regarding the girl anyway?” Sasuke asked feeling the need to change the subject.

 

“I'm not sure. I haven't seen Gaara in a long time and I told you how he's changed big time and now lives his life to protect the people of the sand village but even I was shocked at how he seems to care for Mizuki-chan. And he seemed really, really disturbed about what happened to her in the Genjutsu. From what I know, it's really unlike him to be so affected by something.”

 

“Do you think he's falling for her?” Sasuke wasn't sure why he was asking the question or where the ever so slightly bitter tone came from but he couldn't stop himself.

 

“Nah I don't think so.” Naruto answered immediately seeming not to take notice. “I think there's something else behind this but I don't think it's anything to do with love. I think there's something Gaara's hiding.” Naruto had been worried about Gaara ever since he saw him shaking slightly when he had first started talking about Mizuki. Four years absence or not, this was `not' Gaara behaviour. He made a mental note to ask Temari or Kankurou about it in the morning.

 

They reached the bath house at that point and Naruto practically cheered. “We're here! This bath is gonna be great!”

 

“Just do me one favour Naruto?” Sasuke stopped him just before he could enter. “Let's have a quiet bath okay?”

 

Naruto chuckled and nodded in response and they both went in.

 

XXX

 

Gaara could not keep his mind on work. His thoughts kept straying back to when he had first found Mizuki. He saw her clearly; lying straight and stiff as a board, gravel and sand from the roof in her hair and blowing across her face. Her face twisted in a snarl of fear and pain. Uchiha Itachi standing above her, not moving an inch. Just staring at her prone body as a meat shop butcher deciding where to slice first. She was clearly in a genjutsu at that point but why would Itachi bring her here just to vanish into thin air without her? And why bother coming back just to make her condition worse? Why not just kill her right then and there?

 

“Something's not right.” He said aloud without intending to. Not that there was anyone there to hear him. It was after midnight and he was very alone in his office. He put down the paperwork he had been sifting through and sighed. He was very honoured to have the position of Kazekage, especially after how useless his father had been but there were some days he wanted to take the stacks of papers and requests and let a sandstorm carry them away. He decided he had done enough work for one day. He left his office intending to go home to bed (since having Shukaku ripped from him he had discovered that sleep really was a wonderful thing now that he could do it feeling safe) but wasn't all too shocked when he found his feet carrying him back to the hospital and Mizuki's room.

 

He stopped just outside the door and listened at it. He wasn't sure what he was listening for, he was sure Mizuki was still asleep and Temari probably was too. He had never known Temari to be able to stay awake on an all night guard duty. He had just made his mind up that he was being overcautious and was about to leave when he heard the quietest shuffling footsteps coming across the floor to the door. He froze as the doorknob started to turn but sighed with relief when the door opened only to reveal Mizuki.

 

“Gaara!” She whispered surprised. “I'm sorry if I frightened you but I heard something outside the door.”

 

“Why didn't you wake Temari?” Gaara was astonished at how good her hearing seemed to be, he was sure he hadn't made a peep. But he was a little annoyed with her recklessness. “What if I had been Itachi?”

 

“Well from what I understand, last time he didn't use a door. It doesn't seem he needs one.” She replied back with one eyebrow raised. Gaara sighed and nodded.

 

“I'm sorry I woke you.” He said turning to leave.

 

“You didn't wake me actually.” Mizuki said. “I've been awake for a couple of hours. I did sleep a lot this afternoon but I kept having strange dreams about red light until I found I couldn't sleep anymore.”

 

That caught Gaara's attention. “You're having bad dreams?”

 

“Sort of. They're not so much nightmares as they are just disturbing. I dream that I'm standing alone in a room that I don't remember and I'm seeing this red light. I think it's the same light that I remembered from before. Except I'm not afraid of this light. I'm more curious than anything. But as I step forward, it suddenly gets really bright and I'm engulfed in it. Then I am afraid. It's so thick I can't see anything but just as it starts to clear, I wake up.” She shrugged and tried to hide the shiver that went through her.

 

“It's not uncommon to relive memories in dreams.” Gaara said. “Perhaps that will be how you regain your memory.”

 

“I hope not. It doesn't take a genius to figure out something horrible happened to me. I can already feel the weight of what I can't remember pressing down on me. If I were to gain those memories back through my dreams, I think I would never sleep again.”

 

“Mizuki.” Gaara suppressed the urge to reach out and touch her arm. Images flashed through his mind; screams, blood, the sickening thunk of a final blow, and his inability to do anything about it. He closed his eyes and fought the images back.

 

“Are you alright Gaara?” Mizuki had stepped forward and placed her hand on Gaara's arm. Even though his face was mostly in darkness, she could tell he'd gone pale in the last few seconds and it worried her. Gaara saw the concern on her face and forced himself to regain composure.

 

“I am alright. I believe I'm just tired.”

 

She didn't look completely convinced but she nodded. “I can understand that. It's rather late. Thank you for listening to me rant about my dreams. I think I'll be able to go back to sleep now.”

 

“Sleep well Mizuki.” Gaara nodded and walked down the corridor. Mizuki watched him leave.

 

“You too Gaara.” She turned and went back to her bed. She wasn't all that surprised to find that as soon as her head hit the pillow sleep overtook her.

 

From her chair where she had been pretending to sleep, Temari looked to the door where her brother had departed just a moment ago. “Gaara.”

 

XXX

 

Sakura woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and back to her old self. She reached the hospital just as Naruto and Kakashi did.

 

“Ohaio Sakura-chan!” Naruto yelled as he saw her approach. “Are you all rested up now?”

 

“Ohaio Naruto. Kakashi-sensei. I'm feeling great this morning.” She looked around her. “Where's Sasuke-kun?”

 

“Uh he took off earlier this morning. I have no idea where though.” Naruto said in a semi-amused tone. True to his request, Sasuke hadn't spoken another word to Naruto while they relaxed in the bath house. When they had finally gone back to their rooms and were about to retire,

 

“Do you know what the plan is tomorrow morning?” He had said just before going into his room.

 

“Um…I think we're going to see Mizuki-chan first to see how she's coming along, then based on that we either leave for Konoha or do some more investigating until she can recover enough to travel.”

 

“I think I'll skip the hospital trip and start the investigating early. I doubt she'll be well enough to travel not even 24 hours after being released from a Mangekyou Sharingan genjutsu. And I'm sure Sakura won't want her to have too many visitors.”

 

Naruto's look showed Sasuke that he understood completely. “I'll catch up with you tomorrow then. Later.” And Naruto shut his door behind him.

 

“I see.” Sakura said somewhat disappointed. She had been looking forward to seeing Sasuke this morning (not that she wasn't every day) but she was also disappointed that he really didn't seem to care much about Mizuki's welfare. “I told Mizuki-chan he was a little obsessed. Understatement of the century. I really thought he'd be smarter about it this time.” She thought to herself. Out loud she said, “Well, lets see how Mizuki-chan's doing.” And she led the way into the hospital.

 

When they reached the hospital room they were surprised to see Mizuki sitting up in bed eating breakfast with Temari who was sitting at the end of the bed likewise eating and they were talking animatedly like they'd been friends for years.

 

“Ohaio!” Temari called when the three leaf shinobi entered. “Doesn't Mizuki-chan look great this morning?”

 

Naruto looked at Mizuki and was indeed surprised to see that almost all of the colour had come back to her face. The IV's had been removed and Mizuki had put the bracelet on her right wrist. The little jewels in the centre of the crescent moons twinkled in the ray of sunlight coming through the window. But that was nothing compared to her eyes. Naruto watched as she laughed with Temari over some joke they had shared and her eyes positively shone. But as soon as her gaze was turned on the new arrivals, he saw fear there almost immediately again although he could tell she was doing her best to hide it. He was confused. “Why is she so afraid of us?”

 

“You certainly look like you're feeling a lot better today Mizuki-chan.” Sakura said brightly, approaching the bed.

 

“Same to you Sakura-san.” Mizuki countered. Her breathing was still laboured but it didn't seem to be bothering her as much as it had the previous day. “You seemed really tired yesterday but I guess that's to be expected after what you did for me. By the way, I never really got a chance to thank you yesterday for everything you've done. You saved my life. I'm very grateful.” She bowed her head slightly to Sakura.

 

Sakura smiled at her but was surprised as well to see how much fear had come into her eyes when the three of them had entered the room. “Sasuke's not here. Why is she still reacting with fear to us?” she thought. Out loud she said, “Oh you're more than welcome Mizuki-chan I'm just glad I was able to help.” She sat down on the end of the bed beside Temari. “It's great that you've got your appetite back.”

 

“Yeah I woke up this morning feeling absolutely ravenous! So Temari called a medic in and he removed the IV's and we've been snacking ever since. I feel like I haven't eaten for a year!” She said happily as she took a big bite out of an apple. “I know I've lost my memory but I think I even forgot how good food tastes.” She pointed at the platter of fruit. “You guys hungry? Help yourselves before I eat it all!”

 

Naruto smiled and took some grapes. “You think that's good, you just wait until we get back to Konoha. I'll take you to Ichiraku Ramen. You'll think you've died and gone to heaven.” Mizuki smiled brightly but the fear in her eyes remained. Kakashi noticed that her eyes kept darting to the door.

 

“Sasuke-kun started his work early this morning but he said to say that he hopes you're feeling better.” Sakura said having also read accurately Mizuki's actions. Mizuki gave Sakura a look that said she didn't believe a word of it so Sakura changed the subject. “Alright, I'm going to see if I can make any more difference in the state of your lungs today but whether or not I do, I think it's important that we set off for Konoha no later than tomorrow.”

 

“So soon?” There was no mistaking the fear in Mizuki's eyes now. She had a genuine fear of the Konoha ninjas but Sakura could not think of why. She put down the apple she had been enjoying so much. Temari gave her a sympathetic look.

 

“It'll be alright Mizuki-chan.” She stood up to leave, Naruto and Kakashi doing the same.

 

“It's important that we get you back to my master so she can heal you properly. We won't be long.” Sakura called to the others before turning back to Mizuki. “Now that the IV is gone, I'd like you to start walking a bit today if you can.” Mizuki nodded with a glum look as Sakura pulled the privacy curtain around and the others left the room. Once outside, Kakashi turned to Temari.

 

“Has she said anything to you about why she seems so frightened of us Temari?”

 

“Nothing other than the fact that she doesn't much care for Sasuke and his Sharingan but I think that's understandable under the circumstances. Perhaps she's scared of having to travel with him.”

 

“I don't think it's just Sasuke. She seems frightened of all of us.” He sighed. “It'll make things difficult traveling back to Konoha.”

 

“Give her a break, she's going through a lot. She'll warm up to you guys. We did didn't we?” Temari said with a smug look.

 

Kakashi grinned. “You're probably right. Well, I'm going to find Sasuke before he gets frustrated enough to start barging into stranger's homes looking for Itachi. Coming Naruto?”

 

“I'll catch up to you Kakashi-sensei, I just wanna ask Temari something.” Kakashi nodded and left. Temari looked at Naruto questioningly.

 

“Um…Temari, I wanted to ask you about Gaara. I know it's been a while since I've seen him but even I know the behaviour I've seen lately is really un-Gaara-like. I've been sort of worried about him. I know it's to do with Mizuki-chan and believe me, what happened to her is breaking my heart too but Gaara is different isn't he? I mean, especially since Mizuki-chan is a complete stranger to him.”

 

Temari gave a long sigh. “I knew you'd figure out something was wrong Naruto-kun.” She looked at the hospital room door where they could hear Sakura and Mizuki's voices faintly. She looked up and down the hallway before turning back to Naruto. “I'll tell you but not here.” She tilted her head for Naruto to follow and he did. They walked down the hall a ways until they came to an empty room. Temari shooed Naruto in and then checked to make sure there was nobody around before closing the door.

 

“Uh…why the secrecy?” Naruto was really confused.

 

“Because aside from myself, Kankurou and Gaara no one knows the real story about what happened. Kankurou was worried about losing the confidence of the elders who put Gaara in the position of Kazekage because they thought they could keep better control over him. They've never been too pleased by how great a leader he became or how the villager's came to love him. Kankurou was afraid the truth would make Gaara appear weak. So for his sake, we told a somewhat alternate version of that incident.”

 

“Incident?”

 

Temari looked unsure of how to begin. “Do you remember Gaara's first student? The one who was kidnapped several years ago and who you helped us to recover?”

 

Naruto searched his memory. “Oh yeah! I remember her. That was…her name was…”

 

“Her name was Matsuri.” A glassy haze came over Temari's eyes. “She came across as a weakling at first. Afraid of weapons and fighting. Totally unfit to be a shinobi I thought. But under Gaara's tutelage she became quite strong and she was always by his side. His number one student. When Gaara was named Kazekage, she took his place as an instructor in the Sand Village's ninja academy.”

 

Naruto whistled. “Wow she became good really fast huh?”

 

“With Gaara as a teacher almost anyone would. But there was something happening with Matsuri in all the time she was Gaara's pupil.” Temari paused but in one of his rare moments of sensitivity, Naruto got the hint.

 

“Matsuri-chan fell in love with Gaara didn't she?”

 

“I was the only one who knew.” Temari said quietly. “She told me one night not long after you recovered Gaara from the Akatsuki. She told me that she had been so terrified when he had been taken and the thought of never seeing him again made her realize just how strong her feelings were. She didn't care that he didn't have the power of the ichibi anymore. She said he was the strongest shinobi she'd ever known hands down. And one of the most compassionate people she'd ever met. Not even Kankurou and I had ever thought of Gaara as highly as she did and we're his siblings.” Temari paused again and Naruto saw tears in her eyes. He didn't say anything however and waited for her to continue.

 

“I told her she should just confess. Keeping feelings bottled up like that eventually wore down a person's sanity but she was frightened. She knew Gaara cared for her and the people of the village but he'd gone through so much and was still finding his way as someone who wanted to experience bonds rather than annihilate them. She wasn't sure, and frankly I wasn't either, if he was even capable of falling love with someone. So her secret was kept by her and myself for two years. But I was right, keeping feelings that strong to yourself eventually wears you down and it was harder and harder on Matsuri until one night she just up and confessed to Gaara during one of the walks they often took together.”

 

“Don't tell me that baka turned her down.” If Sakura had been in the room, she would have said that sensitive Naruto had just gotten up and bolted out the door leaving ignorant dork in his place. Temari paid him little attention though, the memory was clearly hard on her and her voice was starting to crack.

 

“From what he told me after, Gaara didn't say anything. He was too shocked! Like most men usually are when it comes to love he was completely oblivious and had no idea she felt anything like that for him.” She said the last with just the slightest trace of bitterness in her voice. “She took his silence as a no and ran off, heartbroken. Gaara found me and told me what happened. I gave him a blast of shit and told him to go find her but his search revealed she had left the village. Kankurou suggested we give her time to calm down but I was worried about her state of mind so a couple of hours later that night Gaara, Kankurou and I left the village to find her. Gaara found her before Kankurou and I but not before the band of rogue ninja's.” She audibly gulped.

 

“Rogue Ninja's?” Naruto's eyes narrowed. “What did they do to her Temari?” He said quietly his own voice starting to break. It turned out sensitive Naruto was only taking a bathroom break. He was back now.

 

“There were almost twenty of them so she would have had no chance to fight back once they surprised her. When Gaara finally found her, she'd been beaten and raped by the ninja's and was half dead tied to a tree.” Tears began to fall from Temari's eyes at the memory. “Gaara went crazy. He attacked the ninja's head on and normally that wouldn't be a concern, I mean, it's Gaara right? But even though he's still incredibly strong, he no longer had Shukaku's ultimate protection. And in his fury, he forgot that and lost control like he hadn't in a long time. It made him sloppy. One of the ninja's got a lucky hit and Gaara hit the ground hard. Several of the ninja's pinned him while another taunted him by beating Matsuri more until finally….” She couldn't go on. She didn't need to.

 

Naruto's fists were clenched so hard he was surprised that he hadn't drawn blood. “Just like Mizuki-chan.” He said almost inaudibly. He understood completely now why Gaara was so intent on protecting Mizuki and why he had been so upset by what happened to her. “It must be like reliving your worst nightmare.” He spoke aloud suddenly.

 

“Kankurou and I arrived too late to save Matsuri-chan but we evened the odds a little for Gaara and between the three of us the band of rogue ninja's was defeated. But Gaara had been defeated and unable to save Matsuri-chan's life. As I said before, Kankurou worried that news of Gaara being defeated by a band of useless scum ninja's would ruin for him all he'd gained since becoming Kazekage. So when we returned to the village with Matsuri-chan's body, we said she was already dead when we found her.” Temari suddenly hit a nearby table with her fist causing Naruto to jump out of his own nightmarish thoughts.

 

“I hated lying. It felt like we were tarnishing Matsuri-chan's memory. But the elder's of this village are…” She growled low in her throat. “Pompous old farts who actually miss the so-called leadership of that useless old Kazekage. They would have taken this defeat and politically crucified Gaara with it. So we had to keep it quiet.”

 

Naruto was silent. He had thought Gaara hadn't communicated much with him over the last couple of years because he couldn't stand the thought of not being there when Akatsuki was brought down. He cursed his own ignorance. “He must have been in so much pain.” Naruto said finally looking at Temari. “I'm surprised he was able to keep a hold of himself. I'm not sure I could.”

 

“Kankurou and I were worried also that he might start to revert back to the old Gaara but when he untied Matsuri-chan, he held her tightly to him and he actually cried!” Temari managed a small smile when she saw Naruto's eyes go round in shock. “I know. But even though he never said it, I think he might just have loved Matsuri-chan back. And now with what's happening to Mizuki-chan, I think Gaara is seeing a chance to redeem himself. I think he sees some of Matsuri-chan in Mizuki-chan. I have seen it too. The bright eyes and smiles are the same in both of them. So if he can protect Mizuki-chan from Uchiha Itachi then…”

 

“Matsuri-chan might forgive him for not being able to protect her.” Naruto finished with a sniff. He had tears in his eyes now too from Temari's story. Naruto had an idea how Gaara felt. Sasuke hadn't died but it'd come too damn close to it and so many times Naruto had come close but hadn't been able to save him. If Sasuke had actually died…..Naruto could understand Gaara's feelings.

 

“More like he could forgive himself. Especially since…” Temari looked Naruto in the eye. “The night Gaara found Mizuki-chan was exactly two years to the night that Matsuri-chan was killed. He wasn't working late in his office. He had stayed late because he was offering prayers and tending the blue orchid flowers he had planted after her funeral. It was her favourite flower you see.”

 

XXX

 

Naruto left the room with a heavy heart and a swimming head. He passed Mizuki's room and heard laughter. He saw that the door was open and peeked in. Sakura had finished whatever she had been doing and left. Gaara now sat with Mizuki and Naruto had not heard what Gaara had said but Mizuki had apparently found it funny. She was laughing freely and Naruto was astonished to see an extremely rare but true smile on Gaara's face! Gaara then stood up and moved back from the bed. Mizuki carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, leaning on Gaara momentarily for support. After a few seconds she got her bearings and together they walked towards the door. Not wanting to be discovered snooping, Naruto quickly and silently ran down the hall and out of the hospital and leapt off to find his teammates.

 

“I should ask you where you've been but I'm going to assume it was no where important.” Sasuke said as Naruto finally found him and Kakashi near a fountain almost an hour after Kakashi had left him at the hospital. Naruto said nothing but looked to Sakura who had joined them a few minutes earlier to give them an update of Mizuki's condition. Sasuke looked at Naruto. He seemed really bothered by something, his eyes didn't have the same shine they usually did. But he had no chance to ask him what was wrong as Sakura was still speaking.

 

“I left her with Gaara for now. She was going to get up and walk for a while once she finished her breakfast. Aside from the damage that still has to be repaired in her lungs and some other internal organs and her lost memory, Mizuki-chan is recovering well beyond what I expected. I mean really quickly. I remember how long you both were out of it when you were subjected to Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan.”

 

“It's probably to do with the fact that she has lost her memory. If she can't remember the psychological torture then she can't be affected by it.” Kakashi stated logically. “But the fact that she woke up so quickly….that may be connected to the fact that she seems to have no chakra. I'm looking forward to getting back to Konoha and letting Neji get a look at her. I know the Sharingan can detect colour differences in chakra but the Byakugan will actually be able to locate her chakra network…if she has one.” He shrugged. “We'll see I guess.”

 

“We'll have to take it somewhat slow but I see no reason why we can't head off tomorrow morning. Kankurou is going to secure supplies for Mizuki for traveling.”

 

“Excellent Sakura.” Kakashi said. “We're unfortunately not finding much out here, not that I expected to.” He turned to Sasuke and Naruto. “Why don't we take the day off? We've had enough harsh news to last us a while and it would be good if we were to spend some time with Mizuki-chan today before we head out. If she gets to know us a little, her fear of us will hopefully go away and it will make traveling with her a lot easier on all of us.”

 

“You mean her fear of me.” Sasuke said smartly. “I don't blame her for not liking the Sharingan, perhaps it would be better if I just continue looking around for today. I don't want to freak her out.”

 

“It's not just you Sasuke-kun, Mizuki is afraid of all of us for some reason. Just don't use your Sharingan and she'll be fine.” Sakura corrected him in a somewhat annoyed tone. He wasn't going to get away with being cool and standoffish today.

 

Sasuke sighed. Sakura wasn't buying his attempt at being concerned and he couldn't blame her. In truth, he felt no more comfortable around Mizuki than she did around him. The fear he had seen in her eyes yesterday had disturbed him. But fear alone he could have dealt with. He'd seen it directed at him many times since he'd been away. But there had also been accusation in her eyes. Pain and anger. He was completely different from his brother, now more so than ever but before she had looked away and covered her face she had looked at him for a moment like he was Itachi. Like he was the man who had done the unspeakable things that she could only half remember in dreams. Her eyes had drilled that message into him as much as his Sharingan had drilled into her and he had actually felt guilt. Just as Gaara had accused by his actions, and he himself had told Naruto the night before, Sasuke had felt responsible for what happened to this strange girl. He hated that. He had briefly felt respect for this girl for still being able to show strength after what she'd been through but now he just found her irritating. She didn't want to have anything to do with him or his Sharingan and that was fine. She could be best buddies with that self-righteous Gaara all she liked. He knew he and this `mystery girl' would never be friends.

 

Sakura's piercing glare finally wore him down. “Fine whatever, let's go visit the girl but don't blame me if she freaks out again.” He stood up and walked off in the direction of the hospital.

 

Kakashi sighed. It was going to be a `long' trip back, he could feel it. He followed after Sasuke. Sakura just mumbled. “Why the hell is he being such a baka? Mizuki-chan's going through enough right now without him acting like a baka. Baka.” She started after the others but stopped when she realized that Naruto was not behind her. She looked back to see Naruto was still standing in front of the fountain staring into it. His eyes were glazed over as though he was deep in thought or remembering something unpleasant.

 

“Naruto? Are you alright?” He looked up from his reverie and smiled at her but his eyes were still dark. “What has been eating him lately?” Sakura thought.

 

“Yeah Sakura-chan I'm okay, just lost in thought I guess.” Naruto wanted really badly to tell the others what Temari had told him. Especially Sasuke. He would probably be able to understand Gaara a little more if he knew. But Temari had treated it like such a secret and he couldn't just tell it how and whenever he wanted to.

 

“You, lost in thought? Ha! Be careful Naruto. It's such new territory for you, you might get lost permanently.” Sakura gave a smug smile, expecting Naruto to whine about her being mean to him.

 

“Actually I've gotten to know the terrain pretty well lately.” He said without smiling as he walked right past her. She stared after him shocked.

 

“Naruto.”