I took a deep breath. Be strong, be strong, be strong. I chanted it in my head, an unending mantra. Be strong. Be strong. Be strong.

I go downstairs, surprised to see everyone already awake. I must have stayed in my room longer then I'd thought. I sit down at the table, eating with the others and trying not to look at Gaara. I notice a scroll on the table.

"What's this?" I ask, pointing.

"Oh," Temari glances at it, "We just got word back from Konoha that Anbu are being sent to pick you up. We decided that you were semi recovered, and that care could be transferred back to Konoha. The Anbu should be here in about...' She glances at the clock, and yelps slightly. "Only two hours! You need to pack!"

I nod slowly, shocked by the announcement of my sudden departure. I stand, going upstairs to pack. Temari joins me, not seeming to notice how quiet I was. I smile and laugh at some of the things she says. but I'm mostly preoccupied with thinking about Gaara.

Damn Gaara.

He shouldn't be taking up all my thoughts! I shook my head quickly, packing away the last of my stuff. All I had was my pocky, clothes, ninja weapons, and song book. I played with my new fans, tossing them from hand to hand. The weight was similar to that of my twin daggers, and they would quickly replace my lost weapons.

I go downstairs, carrying my back pack. An hour has been lost with packing and talking to Temari. Despite everything I was leaving behind, I grew excited with the prospect of seeing Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, and my old friends again.

We pack some food for the journey, though I shouldn't really need it. "Oh, I'll miss you, Keira," Temari whispers while we work.

"And I'll miss you," I reply, a sad smile on my lips. She hands me the food, and I accept it, tucking it away into the bag. "I didn't expect to leave so soon," I admit.

"Yeah, well, we sent word that you were mostly recovered, and could continue recovery in Konoha. We just didn't expect them to reply so soon," She explained. I nodded my understanding.

We walked towards the front door. It was time to go wait. Gaara and Kankuro gathered with us, then we set out the door. I took a deep breath as the entrance, well, from this perspective, exit to the village grew closer. Be strong, be strong, be strong.

And then we're at the gate. "Leaving, Keira?" The gate keeper asks. I sigh.

"Yeah," I murmur.

"You aren't the same person you were the first time we saw you," The other muses. I sigh again. "You're sadder, yet happier. You've tasted life's hardhips yet lived through joyous moments,"

His partner facepalms, punching him in the arm. "DOn't get all philosophical on us," He mutters.

"What!? It's true!" The first retorts. I grin to myself, then I see it. A black speck on the horizon.

"That's them, isn't it?" I point. Temari nods, then holds her arms out into a hug. I walk forward, letting her draw me into her embrace. "Thank you, so, so much. For everything," I whisper. I knew I wasn't fully healed. But they helped me so much.

I go to Kankuro. Grinning, I hug him as well. "I expect some pocky next time I see you," I tease. He ruffles my hair affectionately.

"You know it," He replies. "Be careful out there," By now, the Anbu team was nearly at the gate. They would want to leave as soon as they arrive.

I go to Gaara and hug him, not caring if he didn't want to. But he hugged me back all the same. The first line of the song that was ringing through my head came out of my lips into his ear, and before he could respond, I pulled away and joined the Anbu team, leaving Sunagakure. "Mama never taught me how to love,"

I sang under my breath as we continued on our way, leaving the others to watch our retreating figures.

How Do You Love Someone"

Momma never taught me how to love 

Daddy never taught me how to feel 

Momma never taught me how to touch 

Daddy never showed me how to heal 

Momma never set a good example 

Daddy never held momma's hand 

Momma found everything hard to handle 

Daddy never stood up like a man  

I've walked alone, broken 

Emotionally frozen 

Getting it on 

Getting it wrong

How do you love someone 

Without getting hurt 

How do you love someone 

Without crawling in the dirt 

So far in my life 

Clouds have blocked the sun 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone

I was always the chosen child 

The biggest scandal I became 

They told me I'd never survive 

But survival's my middle name

I've walked alone, hoping 

Just barely coping 

Getting it on 

Getting it wrong

How do you love someone 

Without getting hurt 

How do you love someone 

Without crawling in the dirt 

So far in my life 

Clouds have blocked the sun 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone

It's hard to talk 

To see what's deep inside 

It's hard to tell the truth 

When you've always lied

How do you love someone 

Without getting hurt 

How do you love someone 

Without crawling in the dirt 

So far in my life 

Clouds have blocked the sun 

How do you love, How do you love someone

How do you love someone 

And make it last 

How do you love someone (love someone) 

Without tripping on the past 

So far in my life 

Clouds have blocked the sun 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone 

How do you love,  

How do you love someone,  

Someone

I never had a mom. Or dad. I never had a mom to handle stuff for me, or a dad to stand up for me. But I knew that they were out there somewhere. I even knew their names. Because Orochimaru told me.

I sigh, just running faster. I wanted to go home.

***

I nearly cried when those red gates came into view.

I seemed to be doing a lot of crying lately.

I walked inside, my eyes widening as I viewed the damage. What... what happened here? Suddenly a familiar voice called out, "Left, right, left right--" followed by a loud thud. I looked around for the Anbu, but they were nowhere to be found. It seems their only job was to get me safely to the village, not deliver me anywhere in particular.

I walked towards the noise, and my eyes widened as Konohamaru came into sight. He was so much older, so much taller!

"You're both being lazy!" He proclaimed as his two teammates, Moegi and Udon. "The Village was saved, and the Fifth was unharmed. But that's only because Naruto and everyone else helped out. We have to help support the village by doing what we can, too!"

I walk up behind him. "Well said," I smile. It takes him a second to register my face.

"Keira!" He shouts, and soon I'm being attacked by three little kids' hugs. "Wait until boss finds out you're back! I'll take you to him!" He begins to tug me along, but I hold firm against him, wincing slightly as he tugs on my wrist.

"I thought you were in the middle of an all important mission: delivering timber," I tease.

"This takes precedence!" He insisted. Suddenly, a new voice joins into the fray.

"That girl's right, Konohamaru, that's your job right now," I turn along with Konohamaru.

"Iruka-sensei," I greet happily.

"K-Keira?" He exclaims. He walks forward with long strides, enveloping me with a hug. We were never that close, so this takes me by surprise. "You're back!" He grins. "I'll take you to the Hokage now!"

We walk down the streets, and I asses the damage. "What happened?" I asked, and he began to explin all about Sora, the reanimations, and the bandits. I listen carefully, guilty that I hadn't been here to support my Village.

"Naruto was a hero," Iruka declared, pride straining his voice.

I smile softly. "I'm sure he was," I agree.

I visibly flinch as I hear the angered voice inside the office. "Next! Next! NEXT!"

I knock on the door, opening it just as the last paper is stamped. She looks up, a scowl on her face. "Hokage-sama," I bow.

"Keira! I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly," surprise colors her voice, "So are you recovered?" She asked.

"I... if you need me to be, I am," I reply tactfully.

"Don't beat around the bush! Are you, or are you not recovered?" She asked, "I'm sending you to the hospital to be looked over either way, I just want your opinion,"

I look at Tsunade with new found respect. She actually cared what I thought. "I've had a few relapses where I go into an emotionless state, but something usually snaps me out. And certain sounds or actions can sometimes trigger flashbacks. But physically, I'm okay,"

She nods. "Go to the hospital and tell them who you are. They'll know what to do. Dismissed!"

I nod and walk out the door towards the hospital, where they proceed to poke and prod and question me until I seriously was considering flying out the window. They finally released me, and I stalked out of the room, feeling violated.

Then I sensed familiar minds. My eyes light up and I hurry to the room they're in. I slowly slide the door open. Naruto was in the bed, looking worse for the wear. An unknown boy sat on the opposite bed. And there was Sakura, peeling an apple while sitting on a stool.

"What's with you and apples in hospitals?" I ask her, leaning on the door frame. She gasps, dropping the plate and apple peelings. I appear beside her just in time to catch the falling plate. I was so much slower then before.

"Seriously," I joke as I set it on the table, "Last time I was here, you were peeling apples with that same solemn expression on your face,"

She stared at me, eyes wide and disbelieving. I glance to the strange boy on the bed, who was looking back and forth between the two of us with confused eyes. "Keira!" She shouts, swinging her fist towards my face. I freeze, shocked, and her fist stops so close to my cheek that I could nearly feel it brushing it.

The tears were pouring down her cheeks now. "Keira," She sobbed. My eyes softened, and I gathered her into my arms, allowing her to cry into m shoulder.

"How about that sleepover?" I murmur teasingly. She nods numbly to my shoulder, the tears creating a soggy patch on my jacket.

A voice moans behind us, "Mmmm... Sakura....." We both glance at act other and flinch in disgust, and he continues, "I can't eat anymore... Well, if you insist..." I stifle laughter as Sakura slowly stalks over to him, death in her eyes.

"Eat yourself to death!" She shrieks, shoving an apple in his mouth. He begins flailing his arms, making choking sounds. The door slides open and I glance up from my task of prying the apple from his mouth.

"Hey," Kakshi greeted with a closed eyed smile, not seeing me.

"Sakura fed Naruto an apple... So that means...." The boy furrowed his brow in thought.

"Agh! Why aren't there any normal people on my teams." She shrieked.

"Normal is boring," I mutter, arms crossed.

"Huh? What? What did I miss? When did Keira get here?" Kakashi questioned, "sounds like a lot happened while I was away,"

Naruto sits up, coughing slightly. He looks around,then his eyes land on me, "Keira!" He shouts. I grin.

Hm... I hear the boy think to himself, It seems as though they are having a reunion...

I laugh to myself. You have no idea, I thought, hugging Naruto back.

You have no idea.

_________________________________________

Whoo! Updating from school! XD

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