A/N Heyy guys! I am kinda back! Thanks for your reviews! You're all so amazing. To CrazyFool65, thanks for your review especially. It's the kind of lift me up a writer needs, ya know? Shout me out guys, so I can make this one of my best stories possible!

I'll make this short. 20th chapter! I am really sorry for my inactivity. Mainly the reason is because I had my laptop taken away from me. I am incredibly happy that you guys are still reading this story though. This is like my ONLY accomplishment, you know! :D

Enjoyy!

He has a Sharingan…

The three Jinchuuriki didn't have time to think about their shock, as they all dodged a massive ball of fire. Han started his handsigns as the shockwave was blasting him backwards.

"Steam Style: Turbulent Mist Jutsu!"

The jutsu, a tunnel effect steam jutsu, managed to force back the flames in the house, but not save the house itself. As the support pillars were falling, Gaara managed to get a glimpse of Baki. He had forsaken his head cloth and his Sharingan could be seen easily. He lost sight of Baki's intense stare as a pillar fell right before his eyes. Gaara, Han and Rōshi jumped out of the way of the falling building through the hole made by the trio before.

As the building burned, they couldn't see Baki at all. However, Gaara could feel his chakra building to a peak. He was still alive.

"We need to get out of the village right now. We can't battle here, too many civilians. Let's make our way to the bridge. We can't lose him." Gaara said, already running towards the entrance. Han and Rōshi nodded, following. They could already feel him in pursuit.

Temari and Konkuro woke up to the smell of burning. They could barely make out the shape of Baki standing in the middle of the room. Konkuro coughed and started to sputter. Temari made her way over to him on her hands, while also reaching for a small fan in her breast pocket. However, she didn't make it. Konkuro was their one minute, and was gone the next. He was blasted away by a fireball.

Temari's eyes widened. Konkuro had just died, in front of her eyes. Already feeling the tears coming on, she tried to stand up. Little did she realise that Baki was coming for her. As she leant against the wall, holding back her tears, he grabbed her hair, and lifted her up, making her scream. She tried to grab his hand, but he held that against the wall.

"Your brothers were always in my way. I kinda like you, so I will let you live, to love me. You won't see your brothers again. One is dead, and another to follow. I will make your life better, by getting rid of your demon brother!" Baki said. That was when she opened her eyes, and saw his Sharingan. His determination to kill to have her, his utter fury, and last but not least, his love for her. Her eyes widened. She knew what this was all about now. How utterly screwed she was.

"Konkuro…" She sobbed, and started to cry openly. Baki gently lifted her face to meet his, and kissed her. If possible, her eyes widened even more. She didn't get a chance to think about it though, as he used a Karawimi to move out of the flaming building and onto the street near it. Releasing his lips, he looked into her eyes and saw her disgust and hate. He smiled crazily.

"Don't worry, Temari. You will be mine!" He said, before he launched off in pursuit of Gaara and the others. Temari looked at the ground and sobbed again, before she collapsed, whispering out one last thing before losing consciousness.

"Gaara…"

"GAARA!" The maniacal voice screamed. Gaara turned on the bridge, and wasn't surprised. He saw Baki standing there, with a force of the villages ninja's. He understood now. Baki's Genjutsu was near Uchiha Itachi's level. He must have convinced the village's leader to get help. He turned back to Han and Rōshi.

"Both of you take on the insignificant pests. I will take on Baki."

Rōshi nodded, as did Han. Gaara turned around again and walked slowly towards Baki. His sand was already ready. He would not lose to this pathetic man. The other ninja's rushed towards Gaara, and threw Kunai, but they were deflected by Han and Rōshi. As Gaara pushed forward, Baki smiled.

"I will finally get what I want. I don't even care about the village anymore. I will have your sister! And I will kill you, just like I did your brother!"

Gaara, obviously surprised, didn't let it show, not giving Baki the pleasure. He could feel... the tears, but held them back, for Konkuro's sake. Baki looked shocked.

"Doesn't that affect you? I killed your brother, and am going to play around with your sister. Your sweet, sweet sister. How does that make you feel, Demon!" Baki said, rushing at Gaara.

Seconds later, a thousand needles of sand had penetrated him. His body, covered in spikes of sand, dissipated. Gaara stopped, then felt Baki behind him. He turned, but it was too late.

"Fire Style: Grand Fire Ball Jutsu!"

From nearly point blank range, Baki launched a huge fireball at Gaara. He jumped back just before the explosion could reach him.

The explosion rocked the bridge completely, throwing off the balance of the many ninja on it. Gaara, who had landed on shore, looked at Baki, then realised he looked slightly distorted. Then he swore.

Somehow, the heat from the fireball was so intense that it completely turned his sand into glass. His entire gourd was filled with the glass, and he couldn't call upon the sand in the ground because the village was made of concrete. Baki smiled, then launched another ball of flames towards the Jinchuuriki.

'Shukaku, we have to use our cloak, don't we.'

"Probably, yeah."

'Damn it!'

On contact, the flaming ball dissipated. Baki, shocked, waited for the flames to clear, before cursing loudly.

A red veil surrounded Gaara, the shroud streaming behind him like he was moving. Gaara could already feel Shukaku's power enveloping him, empowering him to do what was necessary. Baki grinned.

"So this is your maximum power. Interesting…"

"Prepare to die, traitor."

"Coming from you…"

He moved so fast. It didn't seem possible. He just disappeared and then reappeared. Baki was there and then he wasn't. Gaara felt an intense heat push at his back, and then was launched back onto the bridge, flames flickering on the edge of his vision. He was glad Shukaku's coat protected him from specific jutsu.

'How did he move so fast?"

"Look at his Sharingan, Gaara."

As he did, his jaw dropped. Today was just full of surprises. His Sharingan had evolved into a four bladed Shurikan. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"That is the eye of Shisui Uchiha. Where did you obtain that eye?"

"Oh, how that 'Tobi' was a fool. Thinking Danzō destroyed this eye during his battle. Did you know him and I were in league? He sealed the eye for someone of the Leaf to obtain. Too bad I came across it first."

"You stole it."

"You know the term 'Finders Keepers' Gaara?"

Gaara grimaced. He was at a disadvantage. If Baki had the eye of the legendary Shisui of the body flicker, and his sand jutsu was disabled, he wouldn't be able to protect himself for long.

"What was that technique?"

"It is one of the legendary skills that 'Body flicker Shisui' possessed. It is called Chien no Hansha. (Delayed Reflection)"

'Genjutsu… Can you break it Shukaku?'

"Fuck, this is a complex jutsu. I don't know, Gaara. It doesn't seem possible."

Gaarafrowned. This was unfortunate. He was at a bigger disadvantage than he thought. Then Baki froze. In his left thigh was a ten inch needle, with a purple liquid oozing off it. Baki pulled out the object with haste, then looked around until he saw him. Kankuro, without a left arm, and burn marks all over.

"You're never getting our sister, you asshole…" He said in a faint voice, and threw another needle at Baki. However, he caught this one then disappeared. Gaara only looked barely quick enough to see the needle enter Kankuro's neck. Gaara's eyes widened. Kankuro looked at Gaara with sorrow, then collapsed.

The next thing Baki knew was fear.

A menacing roar came from Gaara's lips which drew the attention of everyone in a miles radius. Then the spot Gaara was in became empty. A red blur came rushing towards Baki at Godspeed, too fast to dodge. Gaara smiled evilly as his kunai came into contact with skin. He turned, as his speed had moved him past the sand shinobi. He was shocked to find his attack didn't work. Baki was on the bridge again.

'I was sure I hit him, Shukaku.'

"You hit what you thought was him. I noticed a weakness though. He seems to have missed it though. As you went past him I noticed a red mark floating away, where Kankuro's needle hit him, just before your kunai made contact. It seems his genjutsu hasn't covered everything."

'That will be his undoing!'

Gaara rushed towards him again, making sure to have his kunai ready. He would not see him completely, and he would have to judge the distance of his leg to his neck, but he would do it. As he approached the man, he saw it. A little blood smear seemed to just move away from his body. Gaara smiled maniacally. He had him.

He rotated in midair, aimed about a meter in front of the smear in the direction it was going, and threw it with all his might. He made sure to throw it about a meter above the smear, or he would not mortally wound him.

Let's just say that the sound of something hitting flesh is a satisfying sound. For both of them.

Baki's genjutsu dissipated as soon as the Kunai hit his neck. Gasping for breath, he clutched at his neck and pulled out the Kunai. Too bad a torrent of blood came with it. He then proceeded to collapse onto the ground.

Gaara on the other hand didn't see the wind blade coming at him from behind either. Baki had launched a Breeze Blade at Gaara at the very last second. The jutsu had torn up his left thigh and up his entire torso to his right shoulder, in midair. It looked to be about 2 inches deep.

Both men collapsed onto the ground. Han, who had just finished his fight with the sacrificial lamb ninja, rushed over to Gaara.

"Gaara, are you hurt?"

"Y-yeah… I didn't see that coming."

"I am working on the wound now Gaara. Finish what you started." Shukaku said.

"Y-yeah… Gotchya."

Rōshi had already finished and was picking up Kankuro and bringing him over to Gaara. On the other hand, Gaara was getting up, if not barely, and making his way over to Baki with the help of Han. As soon as he got there, he told Han to let him go. He collapsed next to Baki.

"I can't feel anything. Kankuro has some pretty good poison." Baki said, shallow breaths every now and again.

"Yes, he does."

"You know, I should have known not to do all this for a female. I could have become Kazekage in your absence."

Gaara sighed. Baki was all but dead now.

"I just hope that Kami is lenient on me… then again… I think we are all going to… *Gasp* Gaara… See you in… Hell."

And with that, Baki stole his last breath, and passed on. Gaara leant over and placed his fingers over Baki's eyes, and closed them.

'Kankuro…'

He slowly rose, and stumbled over to where Kankuro was laying. Rōshi was frantically trying to sever the blood flow from his lost arm, but to no avail. Gaara leant in close and rested his head against Kankuro's chest.

"I…I thought…you were dead…"

"Don't think it's over yet. I am pretty badly wounded." Kankuro murmured, gasping slightly.

"No… You'll be fine. I am here, brother." Gaara whimpered.

"You know… You have never called me that. Thank you… Take care of Temari…" Kankuro whispered.

Gaara's eyes widened. He couldn't feel his heartbeat anymore. He whipped his head to Rōshi, heart stopping when he shook his head.

When Gaara felt the catch in his throat, he knew there was no hope.

The Jinchuuriki's sorrow could be felt a mile away.

Temari and Gaara stood side by side, in front of Kankuro's headstone. She had decided that here was the best place.

They stood by a cliff that overlooked the small village. After a small ceremony held by the siblings, Rōshi and Han, they decided to wait for a little longer. Gaara would be reporting to Naruto when he got back, and Temari would be going back to the Sand Village. She told him that this might be the last peaceful encounter between them, so they should cherish it.

"Kankuro… Now I have to get rid of all your make up now." Temari said, giggling a little bit.

"He is probably tossing and turning right now, saying war paint, sister."

"Perhaps your right-wait… Sister?"

"Is it strange calling you that?" Gaara said, and looked at her.

She stared for a little, then she smiled.

"Your right, my little panda!" Temari squeaked, while grabbing his cheeks and smiling.

"I'm not a panda…" Gaara said, grumpily.

"Hahaahaha!"

"Gaara!"

He looked at the direction of the voice. It was Han. He waved back, until he heard Shukaku start cursing.

'What is it, Shukaku?'

"I should have known better! He wouldn't just leave with no comment or anything! Damn it, Isobu!"

'The three tails?!'

"He has been calling for help for a while now. I should have fucking known!"

Gaara looked at Temari, but saw her nodding.

"It's ok, go. You have your obligations now. Go fulfill your purpose." She said, planting a kiss on his forehead. Gaara blushed for a second, then it passed.

"Han, we have to go!"

"Got it! ROSHI YOU LAZY PRICK, HURRY UP!"

"YOU CARRY THIS PACK, BIGFOOT!"

"We don't have time! Something happened with Zizitsu. Shukaku told me."

"Yes, I was told by Kokuō that Chōmei told him something was wrong." Han said.

"We must leave quickly." Gaara said, turning and starting in the direction of the Hidden Tail Village.

'Zizitsu, stay alive. We all only just started to be friends… Please be alright…'

With that, they left, leaving Temari with tears in her eyes, but happier then she has been for a while.

A/N Yep. Hey, did you miss me? I missed you guys. The only thing I ever accomplished usually and it just doesn't seem to motivate me anymore. BUT NOW I AM BACK BABY!

I am going to try to upload as much as possible over these holidays. I have been watching Sword Art Online, been helping with Sense Replicate, managing my clan, working with Suguha (My reviewer Leaf) to get her fanfiction done, completing my Moonlight album and sleeping. I haven't found much time to get this done, but I am glad I finished this chapter. It may not be to my standard of writing I usually go for, but I had to get this done and dusted.

For the record, I do not hate Baki or Kankuro. I adore both characters, but as a famous writer once told me. Not all characters can be invincible. Does Kankuro's death mean Gaara will work harder to achieve his goals. Maybe, and because of that, Kankuro made a good death dummy.

I am sorry to all you Kanky lovers out there (Shout out to Loaded Faint of Hearts there :P) But it had to be done.

Anyway, stay tuned. I appreciate your patience. Love you all!

Oh, right… I have to do my odd little outro thing… Hmm…

If you leave a review, I will stab you with a needle so you… can…

You know what, ignore what I just said…

~Vires