Silent Angel

Author note: This story is rated M. please be ready for graphic violence, gore, language etc. that is associated with M stories. I like constructive critisism, but if you're going to flame, well, I'll just ignore you and possibly post your review for everyone to see if it's incredibly stupid. Otherwise, I will thank my reviewers at the beginning of the next chapter. I will not list everyone or even spend any great length of time on it, because I think you guys would like a longer chapter instead. Ok? Good.

Chapter One

It was all the Hyuuga's fault, really. If they had just left Gaara alone or even apologized to him, Konoha wouldn't be in this mess. The fourth kazekage had been held up in a meeting, so he had sent one of his servants down to let the clan members know. It wasn't as if he was snubbing them, because it was their hokage that he was meeting with, to discuss a new treaty. Nothing major, just wanted to get it done and over with. Things were much simpler when the third was involved, but he had retired, naming Tsunade the fifth. Gaara had taken his position from his father by force, challenging him to a match with his title on the line. Gaara had won with ease, killing his father in the process. It didn't really surprise anyone.

It did surprise the elders, though, when he decided to "clean the house" meaning that he had titles redistributed, salaries slashed, and the laws rewritten, putting him in charge of the council as well, and effectively stopping any resistance. There was some protesting, but that was dealt with over time. There were a few assassination attempts as well. The elders responsible were executed. When the feudal lord tried to interfere, he was also executed, charged with the betrayal of the desert nation in the land of wind. Gaara was now in complete control of the entire nation, mostly due to his popularity with the citizens and, after a fixed budget, most of the shinobi of the sand. Affordable healthcare, food, water and shelter would do that. So did a new and improved education system and the creation of new jobs.

The third hokage, to avoid causing tensions between the two nations, drew up a new treaty that was pretty much like the one they had before the ( now deceased ) feudal lord had screwed everything up. It was a wise move, and Gaara had accepted the proposal. While working out the minor details and kinks, they had actually begun to enjoy each others company. But the third was getting on in years, and had finally decided to step down, passing the title on to Tsunade. He had come with Tsunade to help smooth out the meeting between the two, and to socialize with Gaara. They had taken several Hyuugas as an escort, including Hiashi. Bringing us back to what started the war.

The messenger was a young, pregnant woman. She was very polite, and was one of Gaara's most reliable servants, and Gaara was somewhat fond of her. He had forbidden her from cleaning and any strenuous chores to keep the baby healthy. So she helped file paperwork and delivered messages. At six months pregnant, she was excited and happy, despite the hormones, aching joints and back, and morning sickness. Gaara found her cravings rather amusing, and often chuckled when she ate. He had watched in stunned awe, though, when she ate an entire plate of garlic shrimp with chocolate syrup and whipped cream with a smile on her face. About fifteen minutes later, she threw up, but that was beside the point.

When she delivered her message, the Hyuugas were in the guest lounge. The furniture was different in Suna; in fact, most of it was up high off the ground or floor to help avoid accidental contact with any poisonous creature that may have wandered in. As it was, Hiashi was currently sitting in a high backed wooden chair at the head of a large table, as were most of the other guests. She didn't like him; he gave her a bad vibe.

"Lord Hiashi sama, Lord Gaara sama has asked me to inform you that he and Lady Tsunade Sama will be late to join you. He said that it will take another half hour to finish, but no more than that. He has already called down to the kitchens, the staff will be bringing up appetizers and drinks for you momentarily," said Asa.

"Hmph, how hard is it to work out a treaty? Not hard at all, your leader is lacking in skill and intelligence if he can't work out-"

"Don't speak about Lord Gaara sama that way! You have no right- AHHH!"

Hiashi struck her. Since he was sitting down, the chakra enhanced blow landed on her abdomen. Asa collapsed on the floor. Another serving girl screamed.

"Don't you dare speak to your betters that way, you whore!"

"Asa chan! Asa chan, are you ok? Can you move?"

"My baby, it hurts, it's too soon …" with that, Asa passed out. Eviko gasped, and looked around frantically.

"Chiko chan, come help me carry her! Kameko chan, go get Lord Kazekage Sama!"

At Gaara's Office

"So, we can both agree that both of our economies can benefit from trade, all that's left is how we will arrange security for the transports."

"Yes, Tsunade sama, I suggest a joint effort, where one team of shinobi will hand off responsibility to the other. Perhaps on one of our borders? Or maybe halfway? Whichever way is-"Gaara was interrupted by a loud knocking.

"Kameko san, you'd better have a good reason for disrupting this meeting!" Gaara snarled.

"It's Asa chan! Lord Hiashi sama hit her when she delivered your –"

"WHAT?! Get in here and tell me everything! What happened? "

Kameko entered and sank to the floor, preparing to bow, but Gaara waved her up.

"When she told him that you were going to be a little late, he insulted you, and when Asa chan started to defend you he hit her! He hit her in the stomach, and he used chakra! Eviko chan and Chiko chan took her to the hospital, but her baby…" At that she burst into tears, and Gaara left for the hospital.

"Sarutobi sensei, how did he know it was that girl?"

"Gaara san always knows Tsunade chan."

At the infirmary

All hospitals were the same, really. A maze of hallways, noisy intercoms with emotionless voices saying this and that. Restless families and hurried nurses and doctors, their secretaries desperately trying to keep up with the paperwork and a cafeteria serving crappy food. Top it all off with blinding white walls and that horrid medicinal stench that seemed to cling to you long after you've gone from the place. Needless to say, Gaara hated hospitals. If it hadn't been Asa, he would never have come. She, Eviko and Chiko were the only ones he even remotely liked in his workplace, or any other for that matter. He still hated it, though, and one way or another he would have that Hyuuga's head for this.

The main reason why he favored those four was because they weren't ambitious, level headed girls who weren't obsessed with him in any way. They liked him, in a platonic sort of way, and were honest with him. They didn't try to seduce him or assassinate him or any of the other various things that most of the females in Suna tried to do. They simply came in, did their work, and left. So hard to find good help these days… and Hiashi had put one of them in the hospital. Oh yes, he was going t pay…

Asa was an attractive girl, swollen belly and all. She was tan, medium length brown hair always in a braid, and big brown eyes. She was a small girl, about five foot four. She was unflinchingly loyal, and tended to have a temper with anyone who dared insult Gaara, whom she thought of as a big brother. Her husband was a chunin at the Suna Academy.

Eviko was more like Temari in build and appearance, but was much more formal in her behavior. Always mindful of her manners, the girl did have an uncanny ability to know absolutely everything that went on in the office. When ever a disciplinary issue in the office came up, he called on Eviko to get the story straight before deciding on anything.

Chiko was a tall girl, with long black hair kept up in a bun. She had hazel eyes and a very good figure. She used to be a stripper before coming to work as his servant. (the pay was much better, and so was the crowd.) her street smarts had gotten the girls out of more than a few jams.

Kameko had shoulder length hair that was white (for now, last week it was purple with blond streaks.) her eyes were golden. (she has colored lenses, yesterday they were red, and tomorrow they could be green or pink or whatever.) playful and mischievous, never wearing matching or ordinary clothing. She had seven piercings in each ear, and would use just about anything as an earring. Make up was weird too. She was very free spirited and whimsical. The office had long gotten used to her, for the most part. Today she was wearing pink boots with silver laces, a neon green shirt with a big purple butterfly on it, orange jeans with read flowers on the legs, and blue eye shadow with yellow lipstick. Earrings included silver and gold studs, a few paper clips, and a safety pin with a feather skewered sideways on one ear. The other ear had a safety pin with a rubber band. Gaara had stopped questioning her fashion sense long ago.

His loyal quartet kept things interesting, at least. They were really the only ones that he could rely on daily. No one was ever permitted to lay a hand on them, and Gaara was pissed.

As they sat in the waiting room, not sure what to do, or even if Asa was ok, the girls related the story to Gaara.

"He acted as if a half hour was the end of the world! I mean, come on, we were gonna feed them, and the others didn't even seem to mind," Kameko exclaimed.

"In my experience, men like that tend to have tiny pricks and that's why they can't-"

"Chiko chan! You can't say things like that in public! What if the children hear? Lord Gaara sama's reputation could suffer! Really, you need to think these things through-"

"Eviko, you know I'm right, and the kids are too busy whining to hear me. Hiashi the Dickless is the whole reason that we're here. I-"

"Hee hee hee! Hiashi the Dickless! Hee hee hee!"

"Kameko chan, don't encourage her, Chiko chan, stop, before we get kicked out."

"Enough, all of you. I need to think about how I'm going to respond to this."

"Under Suna law, attacking a pregnant woman in such a manner is punishable by death. I don't know about Konoha's laws."

"I know, Eviko, but I don't know how the new hokage will handle this. Sarutobi san was never this dependant on the Hyuuga, but Tsunade san is, and I don't like it. I have never trusted the Hyuuga and this means-"

A nurse walked up. "Lord Kazekage sama, we have to speak about Asa san. Where is her husband?"

"He usually teaches at the academy, but he is currently on a mission."

"She has no other family?"

"We are as close as it gets to being her family," Kameko said.

"I see. Well, her condition has been stabilized, but she went into labor, and her son is currently in an incubator. We don't think he will make it through the night. As a result of the blow, she has chakra burns on her abdomen, and her internal organs have suffered massive damage. Tomorrow, we will have to remove her ovaries, uterus, and one of her kidneys. We think the other should recover, but it's too soon to tell. She will need therapy in order to regain the use of her muscles in her entire lower body."

"Can we see her?" asked Eviko. The nurse shook her head.

"Not tonight, she needs her rest. Maybe tomorrow."

"Keep us updated on their condition."

"Yes, Lord Kazekage sama"

Over the next few months, Gaara insisted, repeatedly, that Hiashi be punished for his actions. Tsunade refused, against the advice of her former teacher. Conflicts between Suna and the Hyuuga escalated, and when a sand genin was killed by a Hyuuga, Gaara banned all Hyuuga clan members from Suna. Tsunade demanded that Gaara remove the ban, but he refused until the clan members responsible for the trouble were suitably punished for their crimes. Leaf shinobi, led by Hyuuga clan members began to attack trade caravans traveling to and from Suna. The final straw was when they had the audacity to try and assassinate Gaara. The three Hyuuga's were interrogated and executed by Gaara, who had their heads piked outside of the Kazekage Tower. He then declared war on the land of fire. Hiashi should have backed down when he had the chance.