Gaara of the Sand & his twin sister Mika

Part 12

- Mika -

I was perched on the windowsill when Gaara woke up.

"Stay laying down," I ordered as he tried to sit up. "That wound of yours isn't fully healed yet."

He turned his head and his eyes widened. "What are they doing here?"

I placed a foot on the cold floor and went kneel by the bed. Kakuzu and Hidan stood behind me.

"They're here for a purpose," I whispered, my body beginning to tremble. Kakuzu sat down and pulled me onto his lap, gently stroking my back.

- Gaara -

I didn't understand what had suddenly changed.

"Don't mind her," the one not comforting her said. "This happens nearly every day." He looked at the other one. "Is she asleep, Kakuzu?"

Kakuzu put a hand over her heart and nodded. I was confused.

"What happened," I asked, staring at her.

"Three years ago, when Mika was 15 and didn't have all the power she had now, Pein sent her on a mission with Kisame, Itachi, and Kakuzu. It was a big mistake. The ninja they were trying to assassinate put a Everlasting Nightmare jutsu on Mika. The reason why she just instantly fell asleep on Kakuzu's lap is because it was Itachi, Kisame, and Kakuzu that pulled her out of the nightmare. It's still in affect. Only the three that pulled her out does she react the way she did. Even though he calmed her down, she is still suffering a nightmare as she sleeps."

- Mika -

I looked around. Where was I? In front of me was a chair. I started walking to it but stopped as the sound of water echoed through the area. Looking down, I saw my reflection, but it wasn't me. This Mika was like a shadow and had twisted yellow teeth. I took off running, trying to escape.

"You can't escape me." I stopped dead in my tracks, a cold finger running down my spine. "How many times will you run before you realize that I am you? How many times must you relive this horror?!"

I put my hands over my ears. "NO!"

The water swallowed me up. I stared at the surface as the shadow me stared down at me. I started thrashing and clawing, trying to escape. The surface grew farther away. I opened my mouth to scream, but water rushed into my lungs. A howling laughter filled my ears as a vice like grip held me tightly. No! I didn't want to die!

My eyes opened and I started shaking violently. Kakuzu held me against him. I noticed that his mask was off. Had I done that?

- Gaara -

I stared in horror. This is why my sister won't leave the Akatsuki.

"If you haven't noticed, Mika is completely insane." The other one looked at me. "Without them, she'd have been killed by someone by now. She's insane, unsafe, and too powerful for her own good."

I watched Mika as she buried her face in Kakuzu's chest, still trembling.

- Mika -

It took several days for Gaara to heal, but once he did, I returned to the Akatsuki. The first person I saw was my favorite of all members.

"Tobi!" I ran to him. He opened his arms and I jumped on him. "I missed you, Tobi."

He held me tightly. "I missed you too."

I left his embrace and smiled. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. Oh, Tobi got you a present." He held out two ruby colored satin hair ties. "I noticed that you didn't have your hair pulled into pig tails. May I?"

I nodded. Tobi put my hair up and I swung my pig tails for a second. Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I noticed the glint of black metal. Throwing up a sand wall, I heard the sound of a kunai knife hitting the ground.

"Trying to test my reflexes, Itachi," I asked.

"You didn't lose your touch."

"I'm Mika of the Sand. Losing my touch would never happen."

Everything turned into its usual routine. I was happy to be with everyone again. This was home.