Ladywriter

Chapter One  Gaara assessed the footsteps coming down the hall; quick and light, a woman. If she didn't slow down they would collide, but the steps hurried right around the corner and then Gaara saw her. The woman looked at him wide eyed and tried to stop. Who is she? He reacted almost on instinct tripping the already stumbling woman. Gaara pivoted and caught her in his arms. Behind him Kankuro gasped, but Gaara wasn't paying attention. He was studying the woman in his arms; her long sun kissed hair tickled at his wrists as Gaara stared down into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.  She's beautiful. "Are you alright miss?"  Raine blinked up

Chapter Three Gaara washed Raine's blood off his hands and brought himself under control. He dressed quickly and he and Temari hurried to the hospital. Kankuro was waiting for them outside of Raine's room. Tsunade and Shizune were already in with Raine. "How is she?" Gaara asked hurrying to his brother.    Kankuro thought Gaara looked a little sick. "It's okay, she was treated in time. Raine is going to be alright."  A long relieved sigh worked its way out of Gaara. She's going to be alright.  "Does anyone understand… why she did it?" Temari had her suspicions.  Kankuro shook his head. "ANBU is combing the area all around the room

Chapter Four  Gaara's woman was weak. Sasuke had to let her sleep for three hours before he could take more energy from her again. He refreshed himself and kept moving. Raine slept over his shoulder once more. It was easier to move with her unconscious. Sasuke kept running until dawn threatened to break. They weren't far from Cardiff now; Gaara's group was probably arriving in the city now.  Sasuke stopped beneath the last of the big trees in this part of the world. He set Raine down and stretched. I'll rest for an hour, no longer. Before he moved again he could take some more of Raine's strength. She didn't have much left to give. She'l

Chapter Five  Lee saw Sasuke first, Kakashi and Naruto second. The Konoha shinobi raced across sand to intercept him. Sasuke went stage two and charged at Gaara. Gaara pushed his palm forward and the ground beneath Sasuke turned to quicksand. Sasuke leapt up into the air and used the giant hands on his back to dive at the kazekage. Gaara raised the sand between him and the Uchiha. A great earthen hand reached for Sasuke.  Your sand is too slow! Sasuke bounced off a giant knuckle of sand; his hands flew through the seals. "Die Gaara!"  "Konoha Shofu!" Lee kicked Sasuke off balance. The two bounced away from each other and Sasuke's fireba

Chapter Six  They kept Raine and Gabriel over one night in the hospital and sent them on home. Kankuro thought it was much too soon. Raine needed rest she wasn't going to get with Gaara slobbering all over her. She did get her rest though; both Temari and Gaara were eager to help with Gabriel. Kankuro mostly just observed. He thought Gabe was too small to hold. He couldn't see how the others could do it.  Raine was napping and Kankuro was hovering. Gaara rolled his eyes at the nervous uncle and went ahead with changing Gabe's diaper.  Kankuro had never been this close to a diaper change before, he was afraid he'd get squirted. "What…wh

Chapter Seven  The feudal lords still came to Sand once a month like clockwork to bicker in front of the kazekage. Hotohori didn't come alone all of the time, sometimes his son Seto came along. Seto was middle aged, fat and pampered. He always had three or four servants buzzing around him. He had visited his father's former servant once before, the kage's wife should be accommodating to a daimyo such as him, but this time he came to Sand with another mission.  Seto and three companions went to see Mrs. Kazekage while his father sat in a meeting. ANBU checked them out they were granted entry into the kage's house. Raine received her guest

Chapter Eight  Tsunade was expecting Temari, so was Shikamaru. The chunin was beside himself with worry. Choji and Naruto waited with him outside of hokage's place. Naruto couldn't wait to speak to Kankuro. He was sure the sand ninja would go after Gaara once Temari was seen to. Naruto was never more ready to go after his old friend in all his life.  A squadron of Sand shinobi whisked Temari to Konoha hospital. Shikamaru ran inside after his girl and Choji followed. Kankuro stopped in front of Naruto with Gabe in his arms. "Naruto."  "Na toe," Gabe mimicked.  Naruto smiled at the baby. "Hi Gabe."  "I need Kiba, Kakashi too if I can