Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Unwanted ❯ Gaara and Vega ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Meg:I'm not in the mood to do an author's note right now, so I'll just skip right to the story....

~*~Quote of the Chapter~*~

"You're so straight!" -My good buddy Stormie from my public speaking class. You can't help but love her, she's a complete loon and she keeps everyone laughing. But then again, any girl who says Wonder Woman's hot without cracking up is bound to make you laugh a lot.

~*~Hold On Chapter 5 Gaara and Vega~*~

They knew one of them was in trouble the moment they walked into Vega's room. The blue tressed psychic was propped up in her bed, her right arm in a sling looking more like it belonged to a mummy than a teenage girl. Her eyes narrowed the moment they entered the room.

Ishtar, Hinata, and Raikin all froze in the doorway. Haku continued moving long enough to fall in a chair, a boquet of wild roses in his arms. Neji, completely ignoring Vega's icy glare, calmly sat down in an ice chair that had suddenly appeared behind him, while Sasuke stood calmly by the bed. Naruto, upon seeing that Vega's hair seemed to have the developed the "stuck your finger in a light socket" look, pounced at her and began braiding the mess, oblivious, as always, to her evil looks.

"If this is about us chewing out Naruto-"Sasuke began, but was cut off by a particularly cold look from the Arume.

"Naruto has nothing to do with this,"Vega said calmly, gesturing for Sasuke to sit by her legs. "Sit. I don't bite."

"Tell that to the scars on my arm,"Sasuke muttered, but sat none the less.

Vega gave him a sweet, obviously forced smile, before grabbing him by the front of the shirt and pulling him forward. "What. The hell. Happened. To. Gaara.?"

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart

Naruto's ears immediately perked. In the two days since he'd gotten out of the hospital, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about what the boys had told him about Gaara.

Sasuke was avioding her gaze, inseading giving his friends a rare "help me" look. Naruto tried very hard not to laugh.

"You should be resting,"Neji said, finally deciding to come to Sasuke's rescue. "you're in no condition to play big sister right now, Vega."

Vega turned to glare at him. "Neji. Yukito. Hyuuga. And you're in no condition to pretend to be my doctor. Now, tell me what happened to Gaara before I force it out of you."

Neji, Sasuke, Haku, and Hinata exchanged worried looks. Ishtar and Raikin seemed to have slipped out of the room.

Vega's eyes abruptly softened, the black in her eyes changing from shuriken to tear drops as she locked gazes with Sasuke. "Nii-kun, please."

"Not the look,"Sasuke muttered. "I hate you."

Vega released him and leaned back. "Well? Tell me."

Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes. "He went berserk. He let Shukaku loose on the school right after you left."

Vega jerked forward so fast Naruto nearly ripped her hair out. "What?"

"You heard me. And if you think I'm lying go look at the north area of the school. It's a disaster."Sasuke replied bluntly. "We barely managed to trap him here, where he can't do any damage. But why did you ask about him?"

"Because he was here last night,"Vega snarled, turning to look at the window by her bed. "he was sitting right there, like he always used to when I'd get hurt or sick. You have nay idea how scary it is waking up to what used to be a comforting presence in your room, only to reach out to it and have it turn into something you prayed you would never see again?"

Haku suddenly stood up, setting the roses he held down on a table, and bolted out of the room.

"He's going for Faust,"Neji muttered, pulling the black tie out of his hair and handing it to Naruto, who'd just begun searching his pocket for one to tie off Vega's two meter braid.

"Fat load of good that'll do,"Vega muttered. "Why didn't you tell me what happened when I arrived?"

"We were too startled at your sudden return,"Hinata explained, suddenly gaining her voice. "We didn't think about it till after you ended up in the hospital."

"Great,"Vega muttered.

"Hey, V-kun,"Naruto said, tossing Vega's braid over her shoulder. "care to explain exactly who this Gaara guy is?"

Vega glared at Sasuke again. "You didn't tell him?"

"I don't see why I should have."

"Because he's one of us,"Vega replied bluntly. "he's Yondaime's son, and thus Nakano's only living descendant. He's staying, whether you and Neji like it or not, so he has to know as much about this school as the rest of us."

Sasuke and Neji gave her "You are an elite moron" looks. Vega shook her head and turned so she could face the blonde sitting behind her.

"You sure you want to know this?"Vega asked. Naruto nodded. "Ok." She gave Sasuke, Neji, and Hinata "I expect you to help me" looks.

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way

"Gaara and his older siblings showed up here just over thirteen years ago, right around my third birthday."

"It didn't go well,"Sasuke cut in. "humans, even those like us, tend to fear what we don't understand, and no one could understand Gaara. He wasn't a true Elemental, so we did what any natural human did: shunned him."

"Gaara's actually one of Saddam Hussein's sons,"Vega explained. "he used black magic to seal the spirit of Shukaku, a powerful sand demon, into Gaara before he was born. As a result Gaara gained the ability to control sand, making him a sort-of Elemental. When his father decided he would be too dangerous, he was sent here, but you that time he expected everyone to hate him because of what he was, so he just wandered off on his own."

"But Vega, being the insane creature she is,"Neji added. "Took a shine to him."

"Nee-chan, where are you goin?"

"To see if Gaara wants to play!"Four year old Vega giggled.

Sasuke and Ichiro watched her run off, identical looks on their faces.

"Your sister's weird,"Sasuke finally said.

"You're tellin' me."

All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

"Hiya!"Vega said, skidding to stop on her knees. She actually slid past a few feets, not quite having a grip on her leg muscles yet. She crawled over to look at three-year-old in front of her. "My name's Vega."

Gaara gave her a look that quite plainly said "What in the name of all things unholy are you? Do you know who I am?"

"I like your eyes,"Vega giggled. "they look really cool."

Gaara blinked several times. The only ones who'd ever commented on his eyes before were Kankuro and Temari, and they both said his eyes were ugly and creepy looking.

"Can't you talk?"Vega asked, tiltled her head to the side in a cute way only a child can accomplish. "No one's ever heard you talk before." He looked thoughtful for a moment, then her red and black eyes lit up. It was something Uncle Faust told her. "I bet my big brother that I couldn't get you to say more than two words!"

Gaara looked at her strangely for a minute, then turned back to the sand castle he'd been working on before he was so rudely interrupted. "You lose." His voice cracked with disuse. He never talked to anyone.

"KYAAA!!"Vega squealed. "You've got a funny voice! You must not talk much, cause that's what my big brother sounded like when he sick and couldn't talk for a while."

Gaara almsot smiled. Almost. "You're one to talk. You sound like you've been sukcing on heliun.....helilim.....helion....aw, hell..."

"Helium?"Vega asked quietly.

"Yeah!"

"That's what Sasuke-nii says to me,"Vega grumbled, crossing her arms. "I hate being the littlest."

"Same here,"Gaara said, his voice starting to sound more natural. "my big brother and sister are mean to me."

"Sasuke-nii and nii-san aren't mean to me,"Vega said, bending down to help Gaara ith his sand caslte. "they just like to tease me about being so little. They're really nice, and they always look out for me. You should meet them."

"Nah,"Gaara shook his head. "I don't like people. I guess you get that way when everyone's always mean to you."

"I'm not mean to you!"Vega protested loudly. "Daisuki, Gaa-chan!"

"Dai...suki?"Gaara repeated.

"It means I really really like you!"Vega chirped.

Trust I seek, and I find in you
Every day for us something new

"Ichiro and I nearly died of shock when we went to find her that night,"Sasuke mused. "she'd fallen asleep, right in the middle of their sand castle. Gaara had finished building it around her, and by the time he was done it took up the entire sand box."

After that it was hard to drag them apart. Gaara followed Vega, and resultantly Sasuke and Ichiro, around like a love-sick puppy,"Neji snickered. "But he never spoke. He would only talk when it was just him and Vega."

"Gaara was always coming to my rescue, too,"Vega mused, playing absently with her favorite gold locket. "I'd be dead by now if it wasn't for him. For a long time, Gaara, Sasuke, Ichiro, and Kitsune were the only things I cared about."

"He started talking to Kit, too, after a while,"Hinata added. "I'd hear them laughing in Vega's room at night."

"Gaara's an insomniac,"Vega mused. "he hasn't slept in years, because, if he falls asleep, Shukaku will break loose. I'd stay up as late as I could with him, but I'd always fall asleep and wake up in my room again, with Gaara sitting there in my window."

Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

"But, as seems the case with this school,"Vega mused. "Nothing's ever easy. My mother didn't like the idea of me being friends with a demon carrier. Our fights ultimately resulted in her death."

Naruto's jaw fell open, and even Sasuke and Neji looked surprised at this comment.

"When I was little my advanced bloodline was still new to me, and extreamly hard to control. That's why I had bandages over my eyes a lot. When I'd get mad, my bloodline would activate...."

"And anyone brainless enough to look Vega in the eye would be dead before they got the chance to blink,"Sasuke finished. "Vega and Maya fought to no end, till one day Vega finally snapped."

"It's ironic, my worst moment turned out to be one of the best for all of us,"Vega said lightly. "mother's funeral is what drew Neji, Sasuke, Hinata, and Haku to Ichiro. I've never seen Gaara so startled before, though. That was the first time he saw me, or probably anyone else, bleed." Vega touched a long scar running across her neck. "I kept forgetting mother's steel element."

"You nearly gave poor Faust a heart attack when he saw that,"Neji said with a grunt. "He thought you would die for sure."

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

Five year old Gaara paused next to Vega's door. He could hear yelling inside. Vega and Maya were fighting again.

'I'll come back later,'he thought, not wanting to get caught up in another mother/daughter spat.

He was turning away when he heard it. A familiar sound to him, a girl's startled scream, but this one was different. Vega wasn't supposed to scream. He wheeled around and pushed the door open just in time to see Maya Arume fall to the floor. Vega was standing at her feet, clutching her throat tightly. Her hands and shirt were stained red. Blood was dripping down her wrists and onto the floor.

Vega shut her eyes tightly and fell to her knees, gasping for air. No, it wasn't possible. She didn't....she hadn't.....Ichiro would be furious....

She felt herself fall into Gaara's arms before passing out....

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart

Vega had always hated the cemetary. It was creepy, even on a bright day like this one. Despite this, she stood next to her mother's grave. Her arms were wrapped around the four year old Kitsune's shoulders, letting the smaller boy sob into her jacket. She could hear the adults whispering around her. She was trying to cry for mother, she really was, but she couldn't. All she could do was hide her smile with rain-soaked hair. Ichiro was talking to the boys and Hinata. He was crying too.

"I'm sorry, nii-chan,"Vega whispered. "I couldn't do anything."

"It's 'kay,"Kitsune muttered into her jacket. "I's not your faul'." (Meg:man, I hate chibi language)

'But it is,'Vega thought. 'I killed mother. Can't you understand that? Why do you still cling to me like this?'

"Go over to Ichiro,"Vega whispered. "I need to talk to Sandaime-sama."

Kitsune buried his face deeper in his sister's jacket.

"Please, nii-chan."

Kitsune nodded, then turned and ran to his older brother. Ichiro picked him up and turned to look at Vega.

'Why aren't you mad?'Vega thought. 'You aren't even scared. Why can't you just hate me? Everything would be so much easier.'

Two arms suddenly wrapped around Vega.

"Gaara...?"

"Don't you know how to cry?"Gaara asked quietly.

Vega shook her head. "I couldn't even if I wanted to." She gave a soft chuckled that mde several nearby adults turn to look strangely at the five-year-old. "I guess we've got something else in common now, Gaa-kun. We both killed our mothers and we don't regret it."

Forever trusting woh we are
And nothing else matters

"Why didn't you tell me I was so creepy when I was little?"Vega asked, eyeing Sasuke curiously.

"Waste of time,"Sasuke grumbled. "You're still creepy."

A thoughtful look crossed Vega's face. "Hm, I guess you're right." She gave a downright terrifying psycopath grin. "I still don't regret killing my mother."

"No wonder she and Gaara got along,"Faust muttered as he walked in, Haku, Ishtar, and Raikin at his heels. "Is it true, then? Was Gaara really here last night?"

"Would I lie?"Vega asked, eyes darkening into shuriken again. "Gaara felt me here and came to me, like he always has."

"We should move her out of this part of the hospital immediately!"Ishtar suggested.

"Gaara could easily kill her in this condition!"Haku added.

"And why would Gaara try to kill her?"Naruto asked.

"I didn't finish my story,"Vega said tiredly. "After mother died things started to get better. Ichiro even warmed up to Gaara a little."

"A lot,"Sasuke corrected.

"Once my powers emerged Gaara found the world's most disturbing ways to help train me,"Vega mused with a half laugh. "He'd build up my healing powers by cutting patters into my arms at legs with a knife."

"Ichiro tried to murder him the first time that happened,"Faust mused. "I didn't take to well to it myself."

"Paranoid,"Vega grumbled. "but, as always, things had to go wrong."

"Ichiro and Kitsune started getting sick,"Raikin explained. "and Gaara didn't take too kindly to it."

"Gaara's insanity was never so obvious as when Ichiro and Kitsune were sick. That's the only time he ever scared me,"Vega said, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what the know
But I know

"He finally cracked when Kitsune died,"Vega said with a shake of her head. "It took all our power to bring him down, but in the end it cost Ichiro his life. He died protcting me from one of Gaara's sand spears."

"And, after all that,"Sasuke snarled. "He had the gall to show up at their funeral."

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say

She was trying not to cry this time. Tears threatened to freee fall from her ruby eyes as she watched Ichiro's casket being lowered into the ground. She wouldn't let herself cry, not over this. The rain poured down around them, as if sympathizing with the shattered girl.

"You gonna be ok?"Sasuke asked, setting a hand on the ten-year-old's shaking shoulders.

She could sense Neji, Hinata, and Haku too. It was her turn now. She had to take Ichiro's place now.

Vega shook her head violently. "How could you stand it?" she asked. "How can you just pretend everything's going to be ok?"

"It will, Vega, it will,"Sasuke reassured. "I don't know how, but everyhting will be ok. I promise."

But it wasn't ok. Ichiro and Kitsune weren't coming back. And neither was Gaara. Gaara had run as soon as he regained consciousness.

Vega spun around and buried her face in Sasuke's shirt, just like Kitsune had done to her five years ago. She wouldn't let anyone see her cry. She was supposed to be strong. That's what Kitsune always said.

'You're the strong one, nee-chan! You never get scared like me, and you never cry like the other girls. You're the strongest one!'

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
One eyes for a different view
And nothing else matters

"What's that bastard doing back here?"Sasuke asked, looking over Vega's head.

Vega turned and looked at the trees behind her brothers' graves. Gaara was standing, half-hidden, in the trees, watching them. Vega wanted to be mad, but she couldn't. It wasn't Gaara's fault. Ichiro would have died anyway.

"I'll get rid of him,"Neji growled, striding past them.

"Don't,"Vega whispered, breaking free of Sasuke's arms. "Let me talk to him."

She suddenly bolted across the cemetary towards Gaara, not caring anyomre if she cried or not. Tears streamed from her eyes and she ran into Gaara's arms. He wouldn't care if she cried. She could be as weak as she wanted in front of Gaara, he didn't care.

"I can't do this,"she mumbled into Gaara's chest. "I'm not my big brother. I can't run everything the way he did."

Gaara put his hand on the blunette's head, afraid his words would betray him.

"What am I gonna do, Gaara? I can't stay here. I'm not that strong. I'll start crying every time I walk into the living room and see that damned painting..."

The sleep Vega's body had been begging for for the last week suddenly overtook her and she fell to the ground.

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play

"Where are you going, Vega?"

Vega froze, almost dropping the too-large-for-a-ten-year-old guitar in her hand. She turned to look at Gaara sadly.

"I can't stay here. It hurts too much. I start crying every time I look at Sasuke."

"Then where will you go?"Gaara asked. "What will you do?"

"I've got a friend in Lincon I can stay with,"Vega replied bluntly. "He already said I can stay with him."

"What about Ishtar? and Raikin? They need you,"Gaara asked. "What about me?"

Tears began forming in Vega's dark eyes. Why did she have to get caught?

"I need you here."

"Then follow me,"Vega said. "meet up with me in Lincon."

"If both of us leave who knows what will happen."

"Then let it happen!"Vega shouted. "I don't want anything to do with this place anymore! I hate it! I hate everything about it!"

Gaara froze.

All the pent up anger, the emotions, then hidden thoughts Vega had forced form her mind before they even formed, suddenly care pouring out. "Ever since you came along things have gotten worse and worse!"Vega shouted. "It's your fault. It's your fault mother died! It's your fault Ichiro was under so much stress that his energy ran out! You killed him!"

"Vega....."

"Shut up! Just shut up! I hate you!"

Vega bolted. She didn't care where she went. She just had to get away. Far away. Away from everything, everyone. Especially Gaara.

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know

Vega shook her head violently, banishing the memories from her mind.

"After Vega ran away Gaara just went bersek,"Faust explained. "He let himself go to sleep, and thus unleashed the demon Shukaku on our school. We couldn't kill him, but we managed to know him out long enough to trap him here, the only place where he wouldn't be able to get at the sand he used to fight with. The talismans on the building cancel Shukaku's power and keep Gaara trapped, and he usually hides out in his room, but Vega's presence must have drawn him out."

"Exactly!"Ishtar shouted. "Vega-kun's not safe! We have to get her out of here!"

The other boys and Hinata were about to agree when Vega suddenly slung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up to face Faust. Despite her ragged state, and the fact that she only came up to the man's shoulders, she managed to seem intimidating to those around her.

"I'm not leaving."

Faust blinked, at a complete loss for words. Luckily for him, Naruto had more than enough for everyone in the room.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?! THAT PSYCOPATH'S GONNA TRY TO KILL YOU!! YOU'RE IN NO CONDITION TO FIGHT RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE BARELY STANDING AS IS!!"

As in Naruto's words were an activator, Vega's legs suddenly gave out under her and she hit her knees.

And I know

"Vega, you're completely insane,"Sasuke said,a remarkable calm still in his voice. "you can't even stand up, how do you expect to fight a maniac like him?"

He got to his feet and held out a hand to help Vega up. She slapped it away.

"I won't fight him,"she replied bluntly, trying without success to get to her feet.

"Then what exactly do you plan on doing?"Neji asked. "Certainly not try talking sense into him?"

Vega managed to barely get to her feet before falling directly into Sasuke's arms. "I'll do as I please, Neji. And I know for a fact that Gaara won't kill me."

"You idiot,"Sasuke grumbled, suddenly scooping Vega up bridal-style before she could protest. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"Not to mention the rest of us,"Raikin muttered. "Are you really that suicidal, Vega-chan?"

"I'm not suicidal!"Vega snapped as she was dropped uncerimoniously back into her bed. "ITAI!"

"Good,"Sasuke snarled. "Maybe the pain will knock some sense into you."

Vega gave him a withering look that made Hinata actually hide behind Neji.

"Don't you get it yet?"Vega asked tiredly. "I'm trying to look after you, you baka. Think about it. Who is the only person who's ever been able to hit Shaka when's he going full tilt?"

"Gaara,"Ishtar answered.

"And who's the only one who Shaka's never been able to physically damage?"

"Gaara,"Sasuke muttered. Recognition dawned in his eyes. "I can't believe you're actually going to try a stunt like this."

Vega shrugged as best she could with her horribly damaged right arm. "That's life."

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more form the heart

"You'd better head home,"Vega mused, looking out her window at the setting sun. "God knows what will happen if Shaka catches you in the dark."

Everyone gave Vega uncertain looks.

"Damnit! I know what I'm doing! Now get going. If you show up tomorrow and I'm dead you can kill me."

Sasuke nodded and began guiding his house-mates and Faust out of the room.

"Oh, I almost forgot,"Vega said, all the strength suddenly returning as she sat up. "I want you to give a message to the others."

Sasuke gave her a mildly surprised look.

"Shaka won't be pleased to know that I've chosen to stay here,"Vega said coldly. "And it won't be long before a full-blown war breaks out. I want everyone on full alert, and prepaired for the worst. Shaka is merciless, and he's bound to pull every trick he can think of. No one is to travel alone, even inside the Elements house. Shaka's been known to attack anything that moves if its associated with me or my house."

Neji, Sasuke, Hinata, and Haku had all stiffened at the sudden drop in Vega's voice, an almost respectful look on their face.

"Also, I want everyone to start training,"Vega added, closing her eyes. "I have no intention of leaving Shaka in control of my school."

This startled them.

"And, Sasuke,"a half smile crept across Vega's face. "I want you to train Naruto."

The immediate uproar from the boys in question was enough to wake half of Konoha.

"No buts!"Vega shouted over them. "Sasuke, you're the only one who knows the wind skills well enough to teach them to Naruto.

"I refuse to train that no-talent dobe!"Sasuke snapped.

"I refuse to let him train me!"Naruto added.

Vega looked on the verge of standing up agian. "You will do as you are told!"

Sasuke immediately recoiled, the he bowed calmly. "Yes, Vega-sama."

Forever trusting who we are
No nothing else matters

Vega watched the ones she loved most disappear out the door and fell back against the bed. "Damn, I waste too much energy yelling at them."

She felt Gaara's presence at the endge of her mind and sighed tiredly. This was going to be a very long night.

~*~End Chapter 5~*~

Tori:*blink blink* Meg.........

Meg:don't hurt me

Alex:Ooookaay.....

Meg:Anyway ^_^ Sorry about the extreme Vega-centric-ness.

Tori:Is that a word?

Meg:grr. Well, it's Saturday night, so I might have time to do another chapter of Hold On, or maybe I'll get back to work on Music Box. Man, it's gonna take forever to do that stupid cave battle scene, and the massacre in the next chapter..... aw man, why'd I have to try to cram so much crap into the first few chapters of Music Box?

Sasuke:Because you wanted to set the stage for Vega's coming to Konohagure as soon as possible so you could get to the Chuunin exams

Aya:And you wanted a quick way to get rid of our village

Meg:-_-;; Aya, preview, now

Aya:Why me? I'm supposed to be dead

Meg:*evil death glare*

Aya:Next time on Hold On, Vega finally confronts her past and Gaara. When she leaves the hospital, will Gaara be walking out with her? While Gaara wrestles with long forgotten emotions, Shaka makes his first attack on the Elements house, and Naruto gets to feel the full sting of a white psychic's power and has a face to face encounter with the past. The youngest Arume sibling wants another chance to help his big sister, but how can Naruto help?
doesn't like me. It keeps cutting my chapters up when I upload them, so sorry if this gets messed up too