Time Travel Lovers **BEING REWRITTEN/EDITED WITH MAJOR CHANGES**

Chapter 44: Assassination

Hinata was burrowed into Naruto's side. The sadness she felt was eating away at her. Gaara's face had displayed such a wide range of emotion in the few seconds he had stood there. Anger, confusion, and fear. And the way he had flinched away from her. She hadn't been thinking then. That move should have gotten her attacked. But it didn't. Instead Gaara had run from her.

"I don't understand Naruto. I should have ended up fighting him. But he ran from me."

"I don't know Hina. I really don't. Gaara told me about his childhood but he said that between Yashamaru dying and the chunnin exams he existed in a haze. He remembered more after but during he just went from day to day without a second thought."

"Naruto can you sense Gaara?"

Naruto paused, "My abilities are still extremely low, compared to what I used to be able to do with sage chakra. Since the toads told me it would be impossible for my body to handle the chakra till I was older again, I let the idea drop."

"Might I suggest asking me for some help, huh brat?"

Naruto startled and sat up fully. "Kurama! You're awake!"

Hinata gave Naruto a grin and watched as he slipped into the mind-space of the seal. 

"When did you wake up ya cranky fox?"

"Not that long ago. I actually picked up on Shukaku's chakra and started to wonder why you were near him. I feel a little offended you didn't tell me we were gonna go get Shukaku straightened out."

"What was I supposed to do? Come in here and wake you from your power nap?"

Kurama growled at Naruto and then huffed. "I don't really care that much you brat. I go where you go anyway. But it still remains, if I can pick up on Shukaku then he is definitely picking up on me. Probably is getting vibes off Hinata too, since she contains so much of my chakra now. Her helping contain my excess chakra is actually making this whole tightly sealed thing easier to bear this time. Also it's healthier for you."

"Healthier? What are you taking about Kurama?"

The fox scratched his head with a claw. "I didn't mean too but the first time around, the overload of chakra was a strain on your body, one you were used to and never noticed, but it strained you. I probably cost you a few inches in height until Jiraiya fixed the seal in that time."

Naruto glared at the fox but ended up sighing and shrugging. "Nothing we can do about that now. And as much as I wanna pick your foxy brain more now that your awake, did I hear you right when you said that you can sense Shukaku?"

The fox grinned. "I can nearly see him from in here."

Naruto mirrored the grin and rose from his subconscious. With a small jolt he was back in full presence and  turned to Hinata.

"Kurama can find him."

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They got three days of scoping before their hands were forced. Now that they knew that Gaara was avoiding them while they search for him, they changed their tactics. They kept a street away at all times. Switching on and off, Kurama wasn't sure if Shukaku could tell the difference between Naruto and Hinata but they still switched out regularly. About an hour in and out of following duty. It was a smooth system and they learned more about Gaara's daily life than they had ever known. But their one break through was short lived.

When Hinata and Naruto felt the flare of chakra and fear in the village they both jumped from their hiding spots and raced towards Gaara. They slid into a new hiding spot having a visual of the situation. Gaara was surrounded. 10 ANBU surrounded him with more on roof tops.

There was a barrage's worth of kunai and shuriken laying on the ground around Gaara. It was obvious what was happening. This was one of Rasa's assassination attempts on Gaara.

-------

Fear. Fear and rage were spiking in his blood. How dare they try to kill him! Why were they trying to kill him? They all deserved to die! He just wanted to be alone. 

More weapons were flung at him. Mother moved the sand and he was shielded. The weapons fell to the ground but then people lept forward. Swords rained down over him, his sand lashing out and hitting his enemies. Blood began to fill the air. It soaked into his sand. Mother grew excited.

Blood.

Gaara's head started to ache, Mother was yelling and screaming again. Yelling for him to let Mother go. To let Mother be free. And Gaara wanted to! He wanted Mother gone!

Mother went silent.

Ungrateful.

Pathetic.

WEAK!

Mother roared inside him! Gaara barely saw that his sand had stopped, the sand no longer shielded him. Kunai and shuriken came close. Too close. Closer than they ever had. Gaara watched through cracked eyes as his executioners moved closer. The closer they moved the louder Mother screamed. Gaara felt his walls crack. Mother was going to come. Mother was going to kill.

A sword swung down. 

Gaara waited for the pain that would let Mother out.

There was no pain.

Mother went silent.

The sun was blocked from his face.

She stood in front of him.

The sword was in her shoulder.

She removed the sword from her shoulder.

Blood ran down.

And then she fought.

She fought. Fiercer than a sand storm. More vicious than a scorpion. Deadlier than a viper. A corner of Gaara's brain also saw a flash of yellow flying around him, opponents dropping like stones with ever bright flash. But that did not matter to him. He only watched her. Watched as she dropped mask after mask. Hands bare. No weapons held. Only her hands as one fell after another.

Soon none were left standing. Groaning and moaning, choked sobs on what could be tears or blood, Gaara didn't know. Soon she stood before him once again. Her shoulder still oozing red. She stood before him as she addressed those on the ground. Those that were still alive.

"How dare you." Three words. Simple on their own. But the tone and force that those words tore from her mouth made all noise cease. None dare breath till she spoke again.

"You call yourselves shinobi. ANBU. An honor." She spit that word out like acid. "Cowards is what you are. Spineless cowards." Gaara couldn't see her face. He wished he could. If only to see the anger that had to be etched there.

"What do you think that you are doing? Following orders? A mission is a mission? Killing a monster?" Silence. Like she expected an answer.

"This is a CHILD!" A hand was thrown behind her, facing towards him. "A child who has been wronged his whole life! A child, forced to cage a beast the likes you have never seen! A child whose life has been sacrificed for power!" 

The yellow flashed to his other side. His face was turned away as well. The two now sheltered him. Sheltered him from the destruction they had wrought.

"This child deserves to be loved! Instead you follow orders from a worthless Kage who would kill his own son! Just because the boy wasn't born craving blood! And you planned to murder him. To murder him here on this very street. In public for all to see."

Silence hung in the air as she slowly turned to face him. Her face filled with a kindness Gaara had nearly forgotten. She held out a hand, just like she had a few days ago. But this time Gaara took it. He took hold of the hand she offered him. The contact was strange. He couldn't remembered the last time he had felt a kind touch.

He now stood next to her. With the man on his other side. She spoke once again.

"May your souls find peace with what you've done."

And they were gone.