Your blood (Gaara love story)

Part IX - Departure, and a new sensei

"Aww, but Tsunade-sama!"

"No! Kaien, I've already told you, there is no way I can afford to allow you to go to Suna! Especially with Naruto now leaving." I sighed forlornly.

"I understand." I frowned at the floorboards, the only thing that I seemed to be able to look at and not be reminded of Gaara.

"Look, I know you miss Gaara, but-" my head snapped up in shock, wondering how the hell she knew about that. Naruto. "I really can't allow you to leave right now."

"That's okay." I missed him so much, and it had only been three days. It felt like an eternity.

I swallowed. I was on the brink of tears, but I pushed them back. Crying wouldn't help anybody.

"I do, however, have something that will cheer you up."

* * *

I was in shock. Really.

Tsunade offered to train me. In medical ninjutsu.

SHOCK.

She said that I showed great potential, and that my blood control could be used for healing.

Of course I said I'd do it. I'm up for anything that will help me advance as a ninja.

So she gave me some scroll thing, and told me to go buy a dead fish and try and bring it back to life, as well as showing me how to do it. Strange, huh?

Well, it would have to wait until later. Naruto was about to leave with Jiraiya.

"Nii-chan!" I called, skidding to a stop in front of the blonde.

"Ah, nee-chan, you're here! I thought I was gonna have to leave without saying goodbye!" Naruto said, hugging me tightly.

"Ah, okay- Naruto, too- too tight!" I gasped. He let go, grinning sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"Just... come back safely, yeah? And you-" I turned to Jiraiya, scowling at him. "You better not let him get hurt. He's the only family I have left."

Jiraiya nodded. I hmphed, gave Naruto one last hug, and the two left.

"Oh! Wait, Naruto! I almost forgot!" I ran and handed him a box. He opened it to reveal a chain with a dog tag on it, engraved with a symbol. Naruto put it on, and looked at me questioningly. "It's engraved with the Uzumaki clan insignia."

"Oh." he said, then grinned brightly. "Well, bye, nee-chan! Just you wait, when I get back I'll be even stronger!"

Then he left.

Once he was out of sight, I drooped, feeling truly alone. Gaara was miles away, and who knew when I'd see Naruto again...

I sighed, and went to the training area that me, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi used to train in. Well, until Sasuke left with that snake bastard, and the whole thing got messed up.

I unrolled the scroll Tsunade gave me, laying the dead fish that I bought from the market on the way here beside me. I inspected the scroll's contents, and frowned. This did not look like the one Tsunade used.

"Self-summoning jutsu..?" I read the instructions, then formed the hand seal, feeling a weird surge in my stomach, and then I was magically two feet away from where I had been before. What was going on?!

I repeated the action, and found myself in my room.

"Cool!" I breathed. "I wonder..."

I did it again, this time thinking about the training grounds. Then, suddenly, I was there.