Frozen Past (A Naruto FanFic/Gaara Love Story)

In Another's Eyes...

I sit cross-legged in the dirt. It's sunset now, and the sky is a brilliant red, flaming against the darkened clouds scuttling across its surface. But it is nothing compared to the look on Hinata's face.

She is beaming at her little sister, as Hanabi sobs softly into her shoulder.

There was only one guy and he was weak as an untrained Genin. It only took Kiba and Akamaru to take him down. Shino used his beetles to relieve the Mist Ninja of his chakra... AFTER using them as a torture technique to get the guy to spill his guts.

Apparently he wasn't even acting on Village orders. He just has some vendetta against the Hyuga Clan, something about them killing his grandfather. To be honest I didn't really listen to his story. I was too pissed thinking I'd been woken up in the middle of the night to deal with such a trivial enemy.

I'll admit Lady Tsunade made the right call in sending a team instead of a lone Ninja; in the beginning we hadn't known if he was in fact alone. But I still see no reason for my involvement.

Unless Kurenai Sensei is pissed at me for something...

God that's it isn't it?

She's upset with me, because I've been so useless these past few weeks.

.............

I can't say I blame her. She has every right be angry with me. But I can't help it. I've lost control of my feelings and they're dragging me into an inescapable pit of despair and apathy. In truth, I don't think Shikamaru was correct for once in his life,

I'm not coming back.

"Should we head back?" Shino asks, pulling me from my thoughts. He's addressing Kiba even though that's a question he might've asked me not so long ago.

"Yeah, we probably should," Kiba replies, watching the Hyuga sisters from the corner of his eye. I can see from the way he's watching them that he doesn't want to interrupt but he's right; we should go.

I get to my feet and quickly walk over to Hinata and Hanabi. I tap Hinata's shoulder and she looks up, her eyes shining with unshed tears. It makes me hesitate but only for a moment.

"Ready to go you two?" I ask as nicely as I can manage. They exchange a pale eyed look, then turn to me with identical expressions: Irritation.

I jump back in surprise, never having seen Hinata look so upset before. Well upset as in angry. I've seen her sad plenty of times. Sadly recently I've caused a lot of those times.

I turn away before either can reply and stalk over to the edge of the trees, staring out at the waves crashing against the shore. We'd been able to subdue the Mist Ninja just before he started crossing the bridge to the Land of Waves.

The Land of Waves...

"Haku... Zabuza..."

The words are soft, unintentional. Like a sigh you just can't hold back. Mist sprays my face as I continue to watch the rolling ocean, beating against the shore and bridge alike. It feels like soft tears running down my cheeks, and I can only pray that it really is only mist.

The setting sun touches the horizon, burning on the ocean's surface as though it were covered in oil. I press my side against the nearest tree, practically hugging it for support. When I was informed of this mission I didn't realize the Mist Ninja's destination required him to pass through the Land of Waves. If I had known....

I close my eyes to the world, focusing only on the sound of my own breathing. If I can pretend I'm alone, I can forget, for just a little while.

It's after a few minutes that I realize my team hasn't called me back. Maybe they want to leave me here, forget about me.