Smoke Screen

Kankurou stood outside the door to Daagana's room for so much longer than he meant to, his hand resting lightly on the handle. Through the window he could see the three girls inside talking about whatever it was that those three talked about. Temari seemed to have forgiven Gana, and Hiniku acted like she'd stopped taunting his sister into a fist fight (although it would have been the fight of a lifetime). Any tension from before seemed to have dissipated, all fear of the dark was gone, yet for some reason he couldn't cross over. Everything in him wanted to move forward, his feet were itching to dash inside and grab Gana. He wanted to hug her as tight as he could, and when she asked what had gotten into him...

When she asked why he looked so sad...

When she saw he was alone and she figured it out for herself...

That was why he idled. It was why he couldn't bring himself to open the door.

"Uhh, Captain?" There was an abrupt tap on his shoulder, and Kankurou gulped. It seemed that the door was about to open whether he was ready for it or not.

"Yes?" He turned to a nurse and doctor giving him confusing looks.

"Is it locked?" The nurse asked. She was young, probably around his age, and fresh out of the medic academy. Kankurou's first instinct was to flash her a charming grin and make some comment about how the door wasn't the only thing she could have the privilege of unlocking for him, but...his quip died on his tongue.

"No." He answered instead.

"Well, it's time for the patient's checkup. Shall we go in together?" The girl stepped around him and slid open the door. To everyone else, it probably seemed like an innocuous gesture, but to Kankurou it looked like she threw it open with gusto. How was she not ashamed to enter? Did she realize that she was probably the last person Gana wanted to see?

And that the only one she did want...wasn't coming?

"Excuse me." Kankurou grabbed the wrist of the doctor who had accompanied the nurse. He was a short older man who looked like he was going prematurely grey. He didn't seem surprised when Kankurou ordered rather than asked, "Speak with me for a moment."

The doctor simply reached and closed that gaping hole in the wall that felt like it was pulling Kankurou in with its own gravity. With the door shut, he felt relieved, but also right back where he started. When the older man turned back to him, his face was a portrait of astounding pity.

Kankurou figured he probably knew; knew why he was alone in the hallway, why he couldn't go inside, knew exactly who this girl was and what she meant to the village. Grandpas have a sixth sense for this kind of stuff, they just understood.

"What can I do for you, Captain?" He asked kindly, lacing his fingers around a manila medical chart.

"Tell me-" Kankurou scrambled for a title, and saw a name stitched into the man's breast pocket, "Dr. Iryo, straight up-is she really going to be okay?"

Dr. Iryo seemed to think for a moment on how he should answer before turning and looking through the peephole Kankurou had been leering through for an hour.

"The short answer would be, yes. In truth, Captain, she got the hell beat out of her, and by the looks of her charts, it wasn't the first time." He flipped open the folder in his hands and took out an x-ray for Kankurou to see. With just the light of the hallway, he could make out a full skeletal system, from nose to toes. Everything seemed to be in its proper place, but the old man pointed out several bright white lines on the long bones and joints.

"What are those?" Kankurou asked.

"Breaks, healed ones." The doctor answered, taking the x-ray back. "Usually we see this type of trauma from high level Taijutsu experts, Shinobi who use their body as shields. But I take it that's not the case here." He gestured through the door to where Gana was waiting.

Shinobi who use their body as a shield? It was an accurate enough description, but saying shield usually implied that she was protecting something, and honestly, what did Daagana have left to protect?

"No, it's not." He mumbled, feeling suddenly idiotic for standing outside the door for so long.

"To be straight with you, sir," The old man went on, "While the study from Konohagakure was invaluable in healing her...it's my medical opinion that anyone else would have died."

"What do you mean?"

"I have lived through things you have yet to see, Captain. I understand what it means to be beaten again and again with no hope of rescue…and so does she. That girl in there...she should have died, but she didn't. Probably because she was used to it."

Kankurou's first thought was that he was talking to a ninja who had lived through the last great war, and he had so many questions. But his next was that the old man said his friend was supposed to be dead, and he was busy standing outside like a coward. She seriously went through hell and back, and he couldn't deliver a little bad news? Granted, this bad news was most of the reason she took the trip.

"Shall we go in now, though? You can't stay out here forever. Visiting hours will be over soon."

"But it's only-" Kankurou glanced to the window only to find that the sun was nearly set. Seriously? "Come on, son. Doctor's orders." Dr. Iryo clapped a hand on Kankurou's shoulder and slid the door open. Before he could protest, the old man pulled him into the room.

Nothing seemed different like he thought it would. The air around him didn't crackle with unspoken suspense, there was no cloud of doom hovering over the four women as they chatted.

"You're finally back! Took you long enough." Temari said lazily, lounging on one of the hospital beds like it was an exotic Tsuki rug; feet wagging in the air, her fan shoved off in the corner. She played perfectly comfortable perfectly, but Kankurou could tell she was galled. She still despised hospitals. Ever since mom died, his sister loathed the sterile walls and unhappy staff. She'd never said it aloud, but he guessed she hated the fact that it reminded her of everything she lost, or the death of everything she could have had. She wasn't the only one who wondered how life would have turned out had Gaara never been born...

He chided himself for thinking of that now, it was hardly going to help. It used to be an easy daily thought, back when Gaara was nothing more than a looming shadow on his back. But now it didn't seem appropriate. His brother was about to be the Kage after all. His brother was about to make the biggest mistake of his young life as well, so perhaps Kankurou was putting too much stock in titles.

Hiniku had her feet propped up on the bed frame as she leaned back in a chair, a posture that mimicked his own hospital pose to a T. She was clicking through the channels on the small black and white TV that came in every room, her expression the picture of boredom. Nothing was ever on, and Kankurou actually couldn't remember a time when he'd sat down and watched something all the way through. And lastly, Daagana wasn't so much pacing as she was prancing up and down the length of the wall, hands wringing in front of her, dancing on the balls of her feet. Her steps were uneven, long strides hiccupped with baby shuffles. It looked like she was thinking back and forth between two options and each had a foot pattern to match. It reminded Kankurou of Temari's tick, ripping the petals off flowers, or tearing a leaf to shreds, 'He loves me, he loves me not'.

All the while, in the background, the young medic woman was systematically checking Daagana's monitors and vitals, under the watchful eye of Dr. Iryo. The girl seemed to like the hustle and bustle of the room, but Kankurou caught the old man's look once again and grimaced. Perhaps if he just went along like nothing was wrong, nobody would ask about it. Nobody would wonder where he was or why he wasn't coming to see the presumed love of his life.

Kankurou stood awkwardly by that once forbidding door, not sure what to do now that he was in the room. Temari had announced him, but they seemed to see through him, almost like...exactly like they were waiting for someone else. He avoided looking at Gana's sashays up the wall only to catch Temari giving him her analytical stare. One eyebrow shot up in a question, he knew exactly which one, and he shook his head with the answer:

Gaara wasn't coming.

Temari was suddenly a furious silent sandstorm. If it was physically possible, smoke would have shot out of her ears, she was so mad. She jumped up from where she had been laying (subtly) and jutted her chin out at Daagana.

'Tell her!' she was saying, but Kankurou shook his head fervently, like a child throwing a tantrum. He couldn't. He didn't want to. He wasn't supposed to be the one who brought bad news, he was supposed to be the one who cheered everyone up after. He couldn't be the harbinger, he didn't know how!

But Temari's eyebrows contended, threatening violence. Still he resisted, until she forcibly sighed and turned away from him in disgust. It wasn't an unusual expression for her. She seemed disappointed with him most days, but it was one of the first times when he felt like he deserved it.

Dr. Iryo and the medic finished their exams and reminded everyone visiting hours would end soon, before leaving. The old man didn't even bother to give Kankurou any sort of reassuring nod or anything. Did he not realize he was supposed to be the supportive grandfather figure in this scenario? Or maybe it was his way of saying he disagreed with Kankurou's actions too.

But it wasn't until they were out the door and Temari was gearing herself up, that he realized his mistake. His sister got up from the bed and stood at attention in the middle of the room. Her back was ramrod straight and she cleared her throat. She looked like a very angry academy teacher who didn't take any crap from anybody. He would have absolutely hated her. He would have had no problem skipping her class.

His sister, who didn't have a subtle bone in her body, was about to destroy Daagana with a few words, words she had literally risked her life for. Words that could be avoided if he would just man up!

"Daagana," She started and sent Kankurou into a panic, "about Gaara."

"What about him?" Daagana halted her strutting, her hands frozen in a perpetual death grip. She was hanging on those words, everyone could tell.

"He-"

"He got tied up!...with work...very very busy. Kage things, you know. So he can't be here...right now. But-but, he said he's relieved to hear you're better."

A rather stunned silence fell over the room as all eyes scanned over Kankurou's sweating face, searching for the source of whatever the hell it was that just came out of his mouth.

"He's busy?" Temari slowly turned in his direction, hissing through her teeth. Kankurou only managed to meet her glare for a moment, but he was absolutely sure that she was going to tear his arms off.

"I guess that makes sense, although I gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed." Hiniku yawned from her chair, where she hadn't moved a muscle. She wasn't fazed by his bullshit or by the horrible anxiety filling up the room like passed gas.

"Baki seemed worried too." Daagana muttered, and Kankurou found that to his complete and utter horror...

She believed him.

He and Temari exchanged a shocked look before jumping on the bandwagon.

"Things were always going to be different when he took over." She encouraged, shooting glances at Kankurou to add on.

"Right, some adjustments were bound to happen. But you don't have to worry because-" He tossed back.

"Because Gaara knows what's important." She finished, and the pair seemed far too proud of themselves.

"Meh," Hiniku said again, tossing the remote control on the bed, finally bored with the TV, "still a letdown."

"Maybe I should..." Daagana glided away from the wall, leaving the safety of her imaginary line, just like he left the security of the door. "Maybe I should go to him?" She offered the option tentatively, and frantic glances were exchanged by the other three.

"I mean-" Kankurou stuttered out the first excuse that popped into his head, "that may not be the best idea. He said he's busy right? He may not be at the office. For all we know he could be half way to Konoha by now." Still trying to remain inconspicuous, Temari slapped his arm with much more force than he thought possible for such a small swing.

'Half way to Konoha?' Her eyebrows asked, 'Are you a moron?'

"But I should still try." Daagana offered.

"You should stay here and get some rest. I'm sure he will be here the moment he is able." Temari soothed, gliding forward and offering her arms to Daagana as a sort of anchor.

Kankurou's heart ached at the sight of his once bright friend looking so feeble. Her eyes somehow still held their fire, but she seemed so small, in so much need of saving. Why wouldn't Gaara come? When she needed so little to be sustained? She wasn't asking for the world, just a little love. Love never killed anybody...right?

"Knock, knock." Dr. Iryo slid open the door again (Kankurou figured he was showing off). "Visiting hours are over for today, I'll have to escort you all to the lobby. But don't worry, you can always come back in the morning." Obediently, Temari and Kankurou said their goodbyes and headed for the door, but not Hiniku. She just flopped down on the other bed and kicked off her sandals like she owned the place.

"Hello, come on." Temari jeered, but Hiniku flashed her an impish grin.

"I'm still a patient. I was never discharged."

"That's because you left against doctor's orders." Dr. Iryo grunted.

"So sue me." She shrugged and closed her eyes like she was going to sleep. The doctor didn't seem like it was worth his time to argue and continued to lead the other two out.

"Half way to Konoha? Blazing Sands, I didn't realize you could be any more of an idiot, but here we are!" Temari's hiss was worse than her scream as they stalled safely out of earshot in the lobby.

"Give me a break. It was the first thing that came to mind." Kankurou shrunk, not wanting to listen to the lecture that was coming. Didn't she know that he was berating himself plenty already? He didn't need her added fuel for his pyre of self-loathing.

"The first thing that should have come to your mind was the truth, you cretin." She nearly spit on him, her face such an image of disgust. He had never minded his sister's opinion. She was too cold and calculating for her own good, after all. But, the way she was looking at him now...

It bothered him. Really really bothered him.

"Who the hell are you to talk?" He retorted. "I didn't see you contradicting me."

"That's because it wouldn't have done any good." Temari turned away from him, letting out a frustrated sigh. "All you did was buy us time, and all I did was implicate myself in your lie." She turned back to him, and he saw that some of the revulsion had eased from her face. "Now, when Gana is still alone this time next week, she'll blame us both."

"Please don't go." Hiniku's voice pushed my pause as I stood already frozen, my fingers poised over the door handle, as they had been for the past twenty minutes. The darkness of the new night clung to the corners of the room, only broken by the lights from Suna coming alive out the window.

"I have to." I whispered, mostly for my own benefit. She was still in her bed by the wall as far as I could tell, where as I had been perched by the door since my mattress felt more like a bed of needles than anything restful. "You heard them."

"What I heard was an astounding stream of bullshit." Even in the darkness, I knew her eyes were rolling. Somehow, Temari and Kankurou thought their performance had been convincing enough to put aside our worries. Almost immediately after they left though, I started to shuffle around the room again, Hiniku following after me with the same expression she'd worn all night. But there was a new wrinkle between her eyes, a sign she didn't believe them anymore than I had.

"Exactly. Something must be wrong. What if Giia—" I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of her in the dark. Even the curve of her little nose would have given me a boost of confidence.

"So what if Giia? If Giia's dead, wonderful. If Gaara killed her, even better. But either way, it is none of your concern." I could see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, tucked under the blanket, her hands resting behind her head. No one else would have known, but after countless sleepless nights beside her, I knew that this posture was Hiniku's thinking pose. She almost always slept on her stomach, so her idling on her back staring at the ceiling, told me that she'd been with me the whole twenty minutes I'd been standing at the door debating on whether or not to go.

"But Gaara..." I said next, walking through the formality of my usual concerns.

"Your mother cannot hurt Gaara." Hiniku scoffed at the very notion. It was true at least, that fear of mine was ridiculous. Gaara was the Kazekage, the most powerful Shinobi in all of Suna. There was no way my mother, who had never fought anyone but me and maybe a rowdy John, could even lay a finger on him. But it wasn't necessarily my mother that I was all that worried about.

"But Suna." I said lastly, and to this, Hiniku didn't reply. The streetlamps along the road outside the hospital cast a glow against her outline. She seemed unreal, even though I could feel her in the room just as I always had. She always made me feel better. It wasn't about the medical jutsu or healing my cuts and scrapes. It was her presence. Her very existence continually gave me such relief. When I would stumble to her home or to the ramen bar after a fight or rough morning, her bouncy golden curls never failed to bring me back. It was Hiniku who had been my life line for so long. She was my salvation. If Hiniku had not been there, if she had left like everyone else had…I would be long gone.

But now, I needed to be someone's life line.

The wheels of the door slid easily in their tracks without so much as a squeal.

"Just…" Hiniku's voice stopped me once again as my toes inched over the threshold, "be careful. This isn't over yet." I nodded to the hallway, knowing she couldn't see, but understanding that she wasn't looking at me anyway.

We were at the edge of something, everyone knew it. Suna, breached? Gaara, missing? Me, in the middle. There was no time to be careful. All I could afford to be was a Shinobi, and pray that whatever was inside of me was willing to fight for my life.

The night was cold on the street. A misconception about the desert is that it is always hot, but that's not true. Sand that usually warmed my steps was cold between my toes as I trudged towards the admin building. There wasn't a trace of sunlight left in the sky, and the stars shone brightly against the blackness of space. The city was still alive, despite the new frigidity of the air, we were used to it after all. Suna was still Suna, even though I wasn't the same girl I had been yesterday. The brown and orange walls of the village were a welcome sight, and walking on the same streets that I grew up on bolstered my steps. This was still my home. I still had every right and responsibility to protect it…even if I was technically the one endangered in the first place.

My path took me into a busy night market that was just beginning to set up. Stalls lined the street on either side, sporting colorful arrays of exotic fruits, silks, perfumes, knick-knacks, and other oddities that one couldn't find during the day time. The shroud of night was always when the strangers came out. They would leak from between the alleyways, unreliable faces that wouldn't have any business at the morning fair. Giia always found plenty of customers here, and likewise, it was a place that I skipped through often. Some spices or books that I wanted could not always be obtained…evenhandedly, as they say. So I was no foreigner to the fuzzy lights and smoke screens that blocked out the moon. I mean, why did they need the sky when they could make you see anything you wanted, for the right price?

I pressed through the crowd of people, bodies bouncing off bodies, arms slinking around looking for a loose pocket. It was hectic and exciting. Old women barked from behind their tables, holding up fake gold jewelry that caught the light of their lamps. It was definitely a place where one could be blinded by just about anything. And as I drifted along in the sea of blank faces, I caught the eyes of the boy next to me. He was beside me one moment, much closer than I realized, but then he ducked between two stalls, pulling me along behind him. I didn't even noticed he'd hooked his arm through mine until we were squished between the tables, safely out of the stream of people. I must have looked shocked, because he smiled apologetically and held his hands up by his face, probably to block in case I went to hit him.

"Sorry, there was just no way you were going to be able to hear me out there." He had dark green hair that was buzzed close to his scalp, although the lights of the stalls could have thrown off the hue. He seemed young enough to be an academy student, but his calmness made me think he was older than that.

"What do you want?" I managed to ask, not quite as polite as I could have been, but he'd interrupted a very important self-assigned mission. I didn't have time to deal with whatever it was he was about to say. His clothes were plain, tan and beige, something you could buy on any corner, and he didn't have a forehead protector or anything identifying about him. As far as I could see, he was just a normal kid.

But…there was just something off about how he held himself as he tentatively took a step forward, leaning his lips close to my ear.

"Where are you headed, little Ramen Rat?" The hiss that glided over my face was sharp, and I recoiled as if struck, but his hands were on me again without my recognizing them. One arm was looped around my back and the other hand was squeezing my wrist so hard I thought it might break. It would be such a shame, since I had just had it fixed! But it kept me contained and still, close enough that our cheeks touched. Anyone passing by would think we were lovers, sneaking away to catch our feelings in a dark corner. The thought alone made me scramble, and I tried to shove away from him, but my body was still weak, and my mind never considered using my powers. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not safe to wander the streets alone?" His breath on my ear again sent shivers down my spine, and I turned my head away. It wasn't the best plan, seeing as the market was loud and busy as it was, but yelling was possibly my only option. Although, my screaming wasn't going to draw that much attention when we were this close to the underbelly of Suna life.

"Haven't you heard that Mother knows best?"

Suddenly, I felt my body go slack. Every fiber of my being that had been trying to resist him abruptly gave in. His arms that had been keeping me still were now keeping me up, and I realized that the voice I thought so disgustingly dangerous before, was now sweet on my neck. "Seems you do remember me after all." I felt his lips spread into a grin against my face.

My arms and legs buzzed as if all the blood had been allowed to flow back into them, and there was an urgency in my bones, but I couldn't remember ever wanting to run away. Why was a scream poised on the tip of my tongue? Surely it was out of joy, because there was nowhere else I wanted to be, zero else I had to do. There was nothing in the world that was as important as his next words, and I knew this absolutely, with every cell in my body.

"Terminate the Kazekage. Destroy the village. Return to your master." He whispered, and then I felt him drag his tongue over my ear. It was cold where he licked me, but I neither flinched nor wanted to move.

"Where?" I heard myself ask. My own voice sounded deadpan, but my heart was thumping in my chest. I was thrilled to death, despite my tone. He released me then, apparently sure that I was his to mold, and stepped back, letting me see his face. There was a sly smirk on his lips, like he was playing some sort of game, and he liked the fact that I didn't know the rules, but knew I desperately wanted to play.

"He is all about you, but cannot be seen. He can be captured, but cannot be held. You will find him in the answer." He reached up and booped me on the nose.

"As you command." I answered, and the night took a turn towards the dark.