Blood is Full of Empty Promises

It was early morning and no one was seen throughout the village. Ayaka walked quietly with a white hooded cloak covering her. She was leaving and she left without saying goodbye.

Ayaka knew it was wrong. Gaara of all people definitely deserved at least a farewell, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She knew if he asked her to stay again, she wouldn't be able to say no.

Last night had been nothing short of magical. She would remember it forever in the back of her mind, but now it was time to focus on the present. It was time to find her fallen friend, Hidan.

Ayaka passed the outskirts of Sunagakure and stopped just by the mountain pass. She looked back seeing only her home. She felt a tear fall down her cheek and she quickly wiped it and continued onward.

___

Gaara woke up in his bed. It was the first time in over a week. For the past week he'd been sleeping in his study while Ayaka had been sleeping in his bed. He opened his eyes expecting to see her next to him. She was gone.

Gaara jumped up and looked around the room. All of her belongings were gone. Her bow and sling or arrows weren't lying against the wall in the corner of the room anymore. He also noticed his cloak was missing.

He felt a little better knowing she was protected from the sun in the desert surrounding Sunagakure. He was still worried about her though. She was in search of the Akatsuki. He knew what they had done to him and he was the strongest person in the village. He knew she was bound to get hurt.

Gaara ran from the room in search of Temari or Kankurro. Both were hanging around the conference room playing cards and laughing with a few guys from the intelligence division. "She's gone," was all he could say when they looked up from their card game to see a worried, out-of-breath Kazekage.

Temari put down her cards and Kankurro and the other men complained. She obviously won yet again. "Excuse me," she said and got up from the table. She pulled Gaara into his study. "She's gone?" she asked while closing the door behind them.

Gaara nodded. "She went in search of the Akatsuki. I'm not completely sure, but I'm sure her next stop is the hidden leaf. I told her they would have more information about the Akatsuki then we did," he replied. Temari bit her lip.

"What's done is done," she said and looked away from her baby brother. This is one of the first times she's ever seen him care about someone. There was nothing she could do for him and it killed her.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked sounding desperate. "Temari, I...I love her. I can't let her run straight to her death," he said staring at this sister. Temari looked up at him with a shocked expression.

Temari took a moment to think to herself. "Alright, I have an idea, but you have to trust me."

"I'll do anything," he replied.

Several minutes later Kankurro heard the door to Gaara's study open and his brother and sister walked out. "Kankurro, Temari is going to the hidden leaf to accompany Ayaka. I have to stay here," Gaara said and angrily turned back into his study and slammed the door.

"You have to go there again?" he asked Temari.

Temari gave Kankurro a wicked smile. "It's not so bad. Right now I have to keep Gaara here where he's needed. If I don't go then he will," she answered and left the room. She heard Kankurro yell at her to be careful, but she just brushed it off.

___

Gaara waited until he passed through the mountain pass to release his jutsu. It was annoying to be Temari. He was sure that Kankurro would notice, but his brother surprisingly didn't. He pulled up the hood on his cloak and ran straight towards the hidden leaf village. He was bound to run into her eventually.