Well, I was very disappointed with the lack of comments last chapter :L I got votes, but comments are better, I like to know what you guys think about the chapter! :3 But I'm uploading again nonetheless, because I have ideas for where I'm going from here. This story will probably end at thirty chapters, and hopefully each update will get longer. :D

Well, enjoy!

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The red haired girl struggled to support herself as she stood, leaning heavily against the wall. She was unwilling to let her gaze leave that of the man standing across the room from her, unsure that he was really there- up until a few moments ago she had thought he was dead. She had felt the faintest burst of chakra and knew instantly what was going on, tearing out of the jail cell. The guard hadn't expected it, so she had knocked him out easily with a blow to the back of the head (stealing some kunai in the process) and reached Gaara's office just in time to stop the Jashinists from harming him. It had taken a toll on her body, but she left the chakra seal on. She wouldn't have used it anyway.

"Gaara... are you...?" her voice was a croaky whisper, and Gaara made no attempt to answer. He continued to stare at her in silence, expression unreadable, before it hardened and he made himself stand up. Kaien winced. She had expected this kind of reaction, but couldn't help but wonder- why had he helped her hide from Temari and Kankuro if he still hated her? And why ask her to kiss him on his deathbed?

She dropped her gaze, ashamed, as he brushed down his spotless Kage robes and spoke, "Alive? Yes. No thanks to you."

She winced again, chest hurting as her breath rattled inside it. She, with great effort, straightened up too, not noticing the faint expression of horror in Gaara's eyes at how thin and frail she was.

"I know that..." she paused to draw in a shaky breath, "that words can't make up for what... I did, and that I can't ask your forgiveness, but..." she trailed off, seeing the coldness still lingering in his expression, "Before I turn myself back in, I just want you to know that I never cheated on you." Gaara's eyes widened in surprise- he hadn't expected her to say anything like that. "I would never... especially not with that Kisuke." her expression twisted angrily, then calmed again, "I love you too much. And only you."

Gaara just looked away, frowning, fist clenching tightly around the doorhandle and quivering with emotion. His head was angled to hide his eyes from her view, but pain burned in them. He didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he was ecstatic that Kaien was alive and that he could hold her in his arms again. But on the other hand, he was loyal to his citizens and village, and many had died in a fight that she had helped to begin. If she loved him as she said she did, then why would she harm something that meant so much to him?

His eyes widened as her knees buckled, finally unable to support her any longer. Her blue pools rolled back into her head, and his body moved on it's own, catching her before she hurt herself even more. Her words repeated themselves in his head, and he held her close- it was safe if she didn't know he was doing it. There was no betrayal if he didn't let her know how much he wanted her to stay with him always, how much he couldn't bear the thought of them being apart again.

"Baka..." he whispered, carrying her cautiously to the bedroom they used to share (Gaara had not been anywhere near it since she left and had, instead, slept in the spare room or not at all) and laying her gently down on the bed. It occurred to him that she would know that he had carried her to the bed, but how could he not? How could he just leave her on the floor?

"You always had my forgiveness." he muttered, watching how the shafts of sunlight enflamed her long hair. He gently got to his knees to watch more closely, daring to run a finger along her waxy pale skin, heart pounding. He still wasn't one hundred percent sure she was real.

Sighing lightly, he stood once more, leaving as she pulled in a laboured breath. He shut the door tightly behind him- she would be safe in there. Nobody dared go in there.

As soon as the door clicked, the magic was gone. The spell broke, and Gaara slowly rose his hand to rest it over his face, shaking his head painfully. He wanted to think that he could stand by his village and be responsible, but he knew he wasn't strong enough to resist her. He loved her, damn it, and it made him weak.

The day passed by quickly- Gaara was eclipsed by thoughts of the old days while he finished his paperwork, and his secretary knocked  on his door timidly.

"Come in." he said, and she peeked round, flushed.

"It's getting late, Kazekage-sama. What would you like for dinner?" she asked, and his gaze slid to the window as he stood up.

"I'm not hungry, thank you, Mizuru." he said coolly, mind elsewhere. She nodded meekly and ducked back out, but stopped as he called her, "Wait, one more thing." she nodded again, "Tell everyone to vacate the building. They can all go home early this evening."

Her expression brightened, and she smiled, "Hai, Kazekage-sama! Thank you!"

He frowned as she left, wondering why he had said that. Was it so that no one would notice the extra chakra with him? Or was it that he was worried things may get dangerous?

Either way, he knew he was going to go talk to her. He knew that he didn't have the willpower not to. But, as he heard a sudden cry, he realised how focused he had been on listening out for her, and rushed through.

She sat up in the bed, hyperventilating, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes were glazed, and her hands were fisted with one in the bedsheets and the other in the material over the scar on her stomach. Gaara knew immediately what her nightmare was about, and felt surprised that she still had it.

"I-I..." she dropped her gaze, pulling her knees to her chest. She looked up, startled, as a warm arm wrapped around her shoulders. Gaara closed his eyes, pulling her to his chest, heart blooming happiness and pain- happiness because he could hold her in his arms once more, pain because he wasn't sure how long it would last.

Her hand closed into a fist in his shirt, and she instantly relaxed. He leaned his back against the headboard.

"Are you sure about this..?" she whispered. They remained silent for a long moment, and Gaara breathed a long sigh, arms tightening around her.

"..no." he breathed, and she flinched slightly. Guilt rushed through him.

"I understand." she murmured, head turning into his chest. Her breathing slowed, and though it took a while, he realised she had fallen asleep.

-Kaien's POV-

It was easy to ignore the pain I was in when I woke up- I was used to it by now. My breathing rattled in my chest, and I froze as I felt the rise and fall of someone else's breathing.

I looked up, and saw Gaara's face. My breath caught- I hadn't expected him to still be here.

Quickly replacing my head and closing my eyes, I shifted slightly, cuddling into him. If he thought I was still asleep, maybe he wouldn't protest. I rather wanted to go back to sleep. It was nice to lay with him like this after so long- almost like we were back before all of this mess. My throat closed up with the extremity of how badly I wished that were true.

I heard a slight pick up in my love's heart rate, and remained perfectly still as he shifted to lay on his side, still curled around me. He laced his fingers through mine, sighing quietly, and I wondered if he knew I was awake. I wanted very much to tell him my reasons for doing what I did, but there was no way I could. I couldn't tell him that I did it all to stop them hurting him- he would twist it around and use it as a reason to blame himself. When it wasn't his fault. It was mine. Always me at fault. I wondered if I would ever be granted true happiness.

I stopped that thought short, quickly deciding to be grateful for what I had, while I had it. Right now, with a substantial, human, wonderful being beside me, vulnerable and at peace for once, Iwas pretty damn happy. My heart would still swell with joy every time he gave a small sigh or shifted slightly.

It was quite a long time (still not long enough, in my opinion) before I decided to let Gaara know that I wasn't asleep anymore, and let out a small yawn, stretching and curving to work the lethargy out of my muscles. I didn't know what to say, whether I should say anything, or whether I should just return to my cell. The look on Gaara's face as he watched me gave me no clues.

That saddened me. I used to be able to read him so well- he was more open around me. That was what seperated 'us' from 'them'. But at that moment, I couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

I grew sick of the silence, and so, broke it. "I should leave." I whispered. "They'll have noticed I'm gone by now, it's better they don't find me here."

"They won't." his voice was rough and raw with sleep, the way that I remembered to be most comforting. His expression grew guarded, before he looked away, "Stay."

I stared at him, and his eyes met mine once more. A pained frown creased my forehead, "I can't..! Sooner or later, someone will come looking!"

He sat up, bringing me with him. His expression showed small traces of the fierce protectiveness he used to regard me with, "No one will find you."

There was a slight measure of panic in the low growl, and I gazed at him. He gripped me tighter, hands shaking slightly, breathing quickening. I was unsure what to do- was it all right for me to touch him in this siituation? Before, it would have comforted him, but I was unsure if it would make things worse now. It was clear, though, that he didn't want me to leave; more than that, he was terrified of me leaving. And a small part of me was glad- it showed that he wasn't completely impassive towards me, as I had initially worried he would be.

"You... will stay by my side." he growled, eyes wild and sentence fragmented in his fear. He gripped my shoulders. I placed my hands on his cheeks.

"All right. I'm not going anywhere." I murmured soothingly, and he relaxed instantly, leaning into my touch. His eyes grew lidded, and he moved his hands over my own.

"You won't be found, Kaien. Not by Temari or Kankuro or any of the other Jounin." something in his expression broke- perhaps his will, because he was breaking many rules in what he said, "I will protect you."

And then he kissed me, cradling my body to him as though I were a china doll. Which, in terms of fragility, was probably an accurate comparison. His lips were slightly chapped- no doubt he had been chewing them a lot lately (a bad habit of his)- but felt so good against mine as they conveyed a message to me. My hands wound in his soft red spikes.

'I won't let you go again.'

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D'aww. Originally, this was going to be elongated so that Gaara kinda ignores her this chapter, then gives up and they make it up next chapter. But meh. It would be too boring that way. This adds quicker excitement to the mix!

Well, please make sure to comment! I always get loads of reads but barely any comments(seems I have to leave a story without update for four months to get a decent number of comments D:)