A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.

"No, I don't have any papers-I just need a place to rest awhile. Please?" the dehydrated woman begged, voice cracking from lack of moisture. She was barely holding herself up. She'd wandered the desert for three days with next to no rations and more than a few wounds concealed beneath her cloak.

The shinobi frowned. "Miss, I'm sorry, but without papers-"

"Let her. She's cute and injured," a confident sounding male ordered, dropping to stand beside her, his face, streaked with face paint, lit up with a tinge of mischief.

Surprised he noticed her well concealed injuries, the dark haired beauty shifted to look at the newcomer. "Thank you...?"

"Sabaku no Kankuro." He grasped her hand and rested it on his bicep as he guided her into the city. "And you are?"

"Higurashi Kagome. How did you know I'm injured?" she questioned as they smoothly navigated to the hospital. She could tell that was what it was as soon as it came into sight. There was just a certain look to hospitals no matter where you were.

"It is difficult to hide such things from shinobi. You could fool a civilian and maybe even a genin, but a trained eye recognizes the walk of the wounded." He offered her his water bottle when he saw her attempting to wet her lips.

Accepting gratefully, she drank a large gulp, careful not to spill a drop or drink too fast. "Thank you."

"You know, you're way too trusting." Shaking his head, Kankuro waited a moment before she sagged against him tiredly and took her into the hospital.

x~x~x~x

"You brought an undocumented woman into Suna?" a cool voice demanded, devoid of emotion.

"Trust me, she's no enemy nin. She didn't even check the water, just drank it. Her wounds were pretty serious though, so maybe she was attacked. She just seemed to want to rest up and move on." This voice was familiar.

"Kankuro-san?" Mouth still dry, the dark haired beauty cracked her eyes open and promptly moaned at the light, shutting her eyes tightly.

Grinning, the puppeteer went over and closed the blinds. "Yeah it's me. Open your eyes, Kagome-chan! I brought someone important to talk to you."

Slowly opening her eyes once more, she was grateful for the sun being partially blocked out by the blinds. Looking at the new male, her weakened senses flared a moment before dying down. "Hello." Sitting up with a wince, she reached for the water pitcher and shakily poured herself a cup, drinking gratefully.

The red haired male stared at Kankuro then at her pointedly.

"Hm? You want me to talk, so I doubt you're knocking me out again." She yawned and stretched. "Not that I would mind."

"How did you come to be so injured?" Teal eyes roved over her body curiously. She did not hold a posture that belonged to a nin, but by all rights, she should have been dead from her injuries. "You were walking on a fractured femur, with gashes along your sides, as well as shards of glass embedded in your forearm."

"One hell of a fight." She smiled at them and sipped the water thoughtfully.

A smile twitched at Kankuro's lips as he watched her. She certainly wasn't a pushover.

Annoyance washed over the Kazekage's features. "Elaborate. Please." His tone left no room for argument.

"Well, I had this very valuable gem. I was getting attacked for it and my friends got involved. The battle was very difficult, but my side won. However, the gem disappeared and next thing I know I'm wandering around the desert, wondering what the hell happened and where my comrades are." Her stomach grumbled. "That was a few days ago, and you know the rest. May I have some jello?"

The nurse, who had come in behind the two nin with a tray, smiled kindly and set her food down, making sure to indicate the requested dessert. "The patient needs to recover, Kazekage-sama."

x~x~x~x

"You know, I'm not going to tell you anything else. I have the right to my privacy." Sapphire met teal without even a hint of hostility. Just resolve.

"Then you will not be allowed to leave, Higurashi," the redhead replied simply. She had dodged and even ignored his inquiries for weeks. She'd never left the hospital, her injuries having healed quickly, but her exhaustion never lessening. Even now, she was barely able to sit up fully and he could see it.

"Not like I could." Sourfaced, the woman stretched out on the bed. Her eyes closed for a moment. Her physical body was recovering, but her holy power had not returned to her, making her feel extremely drained.

Gaara almost smiled at her response. He looked over her curiously when he felt a familiar stirring inside of him. It was like before he had the demon removed from him. But it was non-aggressive and almost... Affectionate.

Laughing weakly, she stared at him. "I always attract them..." She sat up and gestured for him to come close.

Unbidden, his feet carried him to her side as he sat on the bed.

"Ah... Shukaku, how weakened you are." She looked in his eyes as if she saw beyond. She trailed her hand along his cheek, her hand glimmering weakly.

There was a surge inside him, a return of the chakra he had not felt in over a year. He felt complete. And then he caught her, laying her down gently as she passed out.

x~x~x~x

"What do you mean you can feel Shukaku again?" Kankuro eyed his brother carefully. There was a little suspicion there, however. The girl he had been so willing to help had awoken something dark and forbidden in his brother.

"I still felt him. Before. I just thought it was the memory. Now though, I feel him like before Akatsuki came for me. I asked her about it when she woke up, and she simply stated that he had always been with me. Just weakened. Perhaps they stole his chakra, but not the demon itself. And something about her chakra brought him back to the surface." Gaara looked deep in thought. "This must remain a secret."

Frowning, the puppeteer nodded and disappeared.

x~x~x~x

"A demon who does not wish to be pulled from his vessel will not be removed. When those who try to steal a demon's power attempt to remove it, the result is only stolen youki and typically death to the host. The demon will remain until it is strong enough to move on.. From what I've heard, Gaara-sama was reanimated, thus the demon remained in his body. Shukaku and your brother are bonded together." Kagome smiled as she nibbled on a sandwich.

"How do you know all this? You're not a nin. You are just barely more trained than a civilian." Kankuro frowned as he appraised her. Not for the first time since Gaara's admission, he wondered if he'd made the right call getting her into Suna.

"You're right-I'm no shinobi." She slowly slid from the bed, looking at him. "Walk with me, will you? I need the exercise." She took his arm and they walked out into the hall at an easy pace. "I am a miko, a holy person. Technically, I'm supposed to kill demons."

"Why did you help Shukaku?" It now made sense that she knew what she did about demons. But if anything, she should have tried to remove Shukaku or even kill Gaara.

"I've never believed in hating or killing do to circumstances out of one's control. Gaara-sama is a victim of cruelty and Shukaku is what he was born to be. Why harm them, why kill them, when I could instead offer my help?" Shaking her head, she smiled when they came back to her room. "I hope you'll let me sleep now. I'm still recovering."

x~x~x~x

Darkness surrounded the red haired male. He looked about, teal eyes piercing the shadows. Startling, he met a red eyed version of himself. He stepped back.

"I look different now, I know. But I've decided I like this form. And the miko has lessened the boundaries between us." Clawed fingers ran over the Kazekage's cheek, an almost loving touch. "She gave me my strength back. And now we are one again."

Backing off, the shinobi shook his head. "You are sealed within me, but you are not me."

"I disagree. The binding separating us is evaporating. You and I are one. You will not age, you will not die. Soon we will be so much the same that conversations like this one will be almost insane for there will not be my voice to answer. Only yours." He smiled. "Ask our miko."

x~x~x~x

Sitting up in his bed, Gaara's breath was uneven. "Our miko?" He ran his fingers through his hair, gasping when he looked down and saw long claw like nails. They receded after a moment and he frowned. Standing, he disappeared in a whirl of sand.

Reappearing on the roof of the hospital, the kazekage was surprised to find the dark haired beauty sitting against the wall in classic meditation pose. But he knew she was not meditating. He came to kneel before her, grasping her chin and forcing her face upwards. "Open your eyes."

Sapphire irises met teal without fear. "Well, hello to you too."

"What have you done to me?" he demanded, voice softer than he intended. His claws were back, dragging along her throat before he realized what he was doing.

"I healed you." She brought her hand up, taking his claws from her neck. "Two souls cannot exist in the same body forever. You two are merging, becoming one. I did not know it would happen so soon, but I knew Shukaku would do so eventually. Naruto-the one you spoke of-will also experience this."

"He says you belong to us." Gaara looked at her in confusion. He barely knew her.

"Yes, well, I find most male demons feel that way about me." She tapped his chest lightly. "Now get yourself in check." She stood and walked around him.