So, people seemed pretty tearjerked with how I ended last chapter X) you guys should be happy, though, that I'm updating again so quickly. I really don't have time to D:

Well, enjoy! :D

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Gaara groaned slightly as the sun streamed through an irritating gap in the curtains at his window, grappling for the bedsheets as he pulled them up over his head. It had been one of those rare instances when he had been fortified some sleep, and he was not happy to be pulled out of the dream he had beeen having. His mind didn't want to leave it, however, and rather than making him happy like it had when he was unconscious, it only saddened him.

He sat up, but the image of a family would not leave his mind. More specifically, the image of the family he would have had with the one he loved. Except that path was forever closed to him.

He breathed a low sigh and began his morning routine, finding the shower water too hot and then too cold, never just right, and the tea tree shampoo too strong smelling, and his kage robes too... robey. They hung off his body like limp towels, and were heavy with starch to keep them firm.

It had been around two weeks since he had awoken out of his sort-of coma, and the facade was becoming steadily easier. It was easier to put on a smile for small children in the street, easier to fool Temari and Kankuro into thinking he was fine. Gaara's heart ached, just as it had when he was young, before she had skipped into his life. In some ways, he cursed Kaien- perhaps if he had never met her, he would never have to go through this pain. But, on the other hand (and this was the more dominant side) he probably never would have become Kazekage if it weren't for her, never would have broken free of that cycle of self-loathing. He only wished he could have protected her better.

Sometimes, he heard her voice. He heard her crying softly, in his dreams, telling him over and over how sorry she was. The dream would end in one of two ways.

The first way, and this was the dream he had woken from, concluded with Gaara sweeping her into her arms, and them living out their days happily together, having children and grandchildren and watching as they all grew up and had families of their own.

The second way ended in Gaara losing control of himself like he used to, and watching the nightmarish image of his sand wrapping around her and tearing her apart.

The redhead shivered slightly at the mental picture and ducked his head, placing a hand over his eyes. He heard her voice again, and wondered if he was going insane. Maybe that was a good thing- it would make the grief easier to deal with.

As her brother sat in his office in mourning, Temari was slipping food towards the rakishly skinny red haired girl beneath the bars of her cell. Despite acknowledging how much easier it would make things, Temari just couldn't bring herself to let Kaien die. Whether it was because she wanted her to live and suffer or because she didn't want Gaara's love to really be dead, she didn't know. It was harder than she anticipated to keep up with the lie.

"Eat." she semi-commanded. Those dull blue eyes flickered to her, full of self-loathing. They dropped again almost as quickly, and Temari felt guilt tear at her again. Though she still despised Kaien for what she did to her little brother, it was hard to see her so empty of the life that she once carried everywhere.

Temari sighed lightly, then turned and left. She didn't want to deal with this. She just wanted everything back how it was... not that that could ever happen.

She was halfway back to her home when she felt the sudden burst of chakra, overriding any other chakra signatures in the whole village. Her eyes went wide, recognising it immediately and doing an about turn, sprinting back to the Kazekage building. Gaara's chakra flared again, mingling with another's, one that was unfamiliar. Then, it cut out, and Temari knew that the intruder was dead, but still rushed into Gaara's office. He was stood in front of his desk, a shallow cut bleeding on his cheek, breathing rate slightly risen. A man and woman lay a few feet in front of him, eyes glazed over and kunai embedded in vital points. Kankuro rushed into the room, took one look at the bodies and let his face crease up in concern.

"What happened?" he asked, forming words where Temari could not. Lately she felt too ashamed to even try speaking with her little brother.

Gaara's expression was unreadable. "They were leftovers from the Jashinist commune. They did little damage before I dealt with them."

"You still ought to get that checked out. They could have been using poison." The eldest brother said, and Gaara nodded absently. The blonde woman couldn't help but stare- there was something different about him, something... secure? His teal eyes flickered to meet hers, and there was a strange emotion there. Almost like confusion. Temari flinched, and dropped her gaze.

"Well, as long as you're all right..." she muttered, already walking out of the office, taking the bodies with her, "C'mon, Kankuro."

The pair exited, and Gaara traced their chakras out of the building, only relaxing when he was certain they were gone. He walked across the room and shut the door, then leaned his back against it, knees weak.

"You can come out now." he whispered.

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Ahahaha, was not where I was planning to take this story. I had completely different plans for this story when I started, but there. I got this idea when I started writing this chapter, and had to use it :D

Well, fan, vote, and comment! :DDDD