**Authors Note: So this chapter probably isn't what you guys expected to happen but it'll make sense later haha. Oh and some of you were asking who Ai was well she's Hidou's little siter um if you remember a few chapters ago I said two new characters would be introduced well she's the second and she also belongs to KittyWalton :D**
Rin
I guess even a hello may have been asking for too much. I had been just as surprised as Kakashi had been when I saw them. Kakashi really hadn't changed much but Naruto, even the feeling I got from him was stronger. I suppressed a sigh as I looked at Kankuro; he was lucky to have survived Sasori's poison. I knew how much pain caused; I remember being forced to take small doses to build an immunity to it. It had probably been some of my toughest training. No medicine, or pain suppressants just the occasional adrenaline shot if my heart started to fail. The Akatsuki was anything but kind and I knew after all this it'd be hell to pay.
"Rin" I glanced over my shoulder surprised that Kakashi had finally walked into the room.
"Can we...Can we talk? Alone?" I stared at him for a moment, not sure whether to say yes or no.
"Go ahead" I looked back to Kankuro.
"We'll finish our discussion later, I need rest anyway." I nodded then.
"Good idea, Sasori's poison really takes its toll." He smiled slightly before laying back down and finally I turned to face Kakashi.
"Fine" I replied simply and walked past him. I heard him follow as I walked through the hospital and up a stairway that led to the roof. I pushed open the door, the soft dessert wind greeted me along with the setting sun. I stepped farther onto the roof and heard the door close once Kakashi followed. It was silent for a long time, both of us just staring out over the village. I was slowly recalling each moment of the battle as I looked to specific areas and only broke from my thoughts when Kakashi finally spoke up.
"Why did you come here? Why are you trying to help them instead of your own village?" I sighed.
"Because while my own village tried to suppress and control me the sand has cured my illness and I owe Gaara my life." I replied shortly.
"But you're part of the Akatsuki, you're in the bingo book Rin. This doesn't make any sense!" I rolled my eyes.
"Being a part of something doesn't mean you belong to them. I still make my own choices."
"So you chose to kill innocent people?" I felt the anger spark in me then and I turned to face him.
"What the hell is your problem Kakashi!? I get it alright, I'm a criminal and you knew what I was going to become when you let me leave!"
"I never let you leave, you chose to. I wanted you to stay!"
"It's been years Kakashi, get over it!" I shouted at him before walking off. I flinched when he grabbed my wrist. I was surprised when he pulled me back hard enough that I stumbled as I was forced back in front of him.
"Get over it!? Get over it!? That's what you have to say about our relationship, get over it!? We had something Rin, we fought for something and you nearly said" He paused suddenly but I knew what wanted to say, what he was talking about.
"But I didn't, you didn't want to hear it" I reminded shortly.
"Don't you think it hurt when we were given the new bingo books and I saw your face in it!? When I heard that you flattened an entire town!? That you went to work for Orochimaru of all people, he's why Sasuke left! Or did you forget about that?" I glared up at him, taking a step forward.
"I'm doing what it takes to keep my family alive."
"Some family, your oldest brother killed your family while your other one tried to kill you! The Uchiha have been disgraced and you're only adding on to it!" He shot back. It happened before I could even register what I had done, one second he faced me, and the next his head whipped to the side when my hand made contact. The only sound was the echo from the slap.
"Go to hell Kakashi"
Kakashi
I flinched when I heard the roof door slam shut behind me. I could still feel the sting of her slap on my cheek. In all honesty I wanted to talk to her, to hold her, to tell her I missed her and that I, I realized I felt the same. Instead, I started an argument. I let her words get to me too quickly when now that I think about it she was only trying to defend herself and her motives. I let all the anger that I withheld since she left finally unleash and of all people to let it out on it had to be her. She had that skill, the ability to bring out the best but also the worse in people. Mentioning the Uchiha like that, heck mentioning her bothers like that had been out of line but I just wanted to hurt her like she hurt me.
"Stupid" I muttered to myself. Did she really deserve that? Our relationship had worked because we understood and accepted each other's pain and faults. We understood why we did what we did and now I was letting it fall into who could hurt the other more. If I kept up like this we would never rebuild what we had, but she had to understand that I needed just as much time as she did. I guess all of that just could have gone so much better. I looked up at the sun as its last rays began to disappear behind the horizon and finally turned to leave the roof. The walk back to the hospital room seemed longer than before and when I walked in Sakura had finished giving Kankuro her antidote. Rin stood a little ways from Naruto with a smoldering fire in her eyes as she looked at Kankuro.
"There, you should be alright now. Just lay back and rest and don't move till the numbness passes" Sakura advised. Baki looked at me as I walked up.
"All of you are going to need rest after your journey, we've prepared rooms for you."
"B-But we've got to go after Gaara" I heard a familiar sigh then.
"We will in the morning Naruto, trust me I'm as eager as you to get going but I just woke up a few hours ago and you all just traveled three days straight to get here. We'll need our strength to take on Deidara and Sasori. Not to mention what other members might be there in person rather than a projection. We still have some time, not much but enough." Rin explained as she looked to Naruto who finally sighed in defeat but nodded.
"Wait, Princess you plan to go with them?" She looked to Baki.
"They'll need me to find the hideout, and probably as an extra fighter."
"But Lord Kazekage asked us to keep you protected." She smiled slightly which was surprising.
"Even when he's down he tries to protect me first." She muttered with a small laugh.
"You've cured me and that's more than I could ask from anyone. In that way, you have protected me. I'll be able to use jutsu without such harsh results." She tried but Baki sighed.
"The medics can't be certain that the surgery was a success. Yes you are alive but until you attempt jutsu then we won't know for certain if your illness is gone." Rin sighed about to respond when another voice spoke up.
"She has to go" We all turned to face Kankuro who was sitting up in a slouched posture as he looked tiredly at Rin.
"Kankuro, you know Lord Gaara's orders" Baki insisted but Kankuro seemed to ignore him.
"She has to go, she's the only one that can save him. Her and Naruto." This caught Naruto's attention.
"But Kankuro..."
"They have something, Rin and Gaara, something between them. I saw it during the chunin exams." I noticed Rin's eyes widen slightly as she met Kankuro's gaze.
"I know you care about him just as much as he cares about you. You were his first friend, heck his first feeling at all and that's why I know you can save my little brother" Rin stared at him before her lips pulled into a smile.
"You can count on me" She replied and Kankuro smiled slightly. That's when it hit me, a feeling that I hadn't felt since Shikamaru told me he had kissed Rin. I was jealous of whatever it was she shared with Gaara.
"And you Naruto, he's never been the same since he's met you. So please bring him back." Naruto's face pulled into a grin as he put an arm around Rin. I knew Naruto was no threat but Rin's always been out of the box with her interests. Plus she came all this way, risked imprisonment all for one person; Gaara.
"Don't worry I will. After all, I'm going to be Hokage one day and for now the Kazekage can just owe me one." Rin smiled slightly as she looked up at him and shrugged his arm off her.
"You guys better get some rest. I'll take a look at some maps and figure out the best route to the hideout. Um Lord Baki do you have any maps showing the entire layout of the connecting villages?" He nodded.
"Of course right this way Princess, excuse us but Temari will show you to your rooms." He said before leading Rin from the room the both of them discussing pursuit and battle plans as they disappeared down the hall. I didn't even get a glance, it's like I wasn't even there.
"Hey, Kakashi Sensei is everything alright? Rin seemed pretty steamed when she came back." I glanced at Naruto and sighed.
"It's nothing, just an argument" I replied and he shrugged slightly.
"I'm just glad to see her, you know now I know she's still the same Rin and all." He said with a smile.
"The same?" I questioned doubtfully and he nodded.
"It's what I admired about her, just like I'll never give up my dream to become Hokage she'll never give up on saving her brothers. I guess what I'm saying is that as long as someone's dreams stay the same, even if they do drastic things to reach them, you know change on the outside and all. Well in the end they'll always be the same person on the inside because of that dream." He explained and I nodded slightly too stunned to say much else; Naruto really had his moments.
"And well you know Rin's like that, otherwise she wouldn't be so willing to help save Gaara. So she hasn't really changed at all." He finished with a grin. I sighed as I looked to where Rin had stood. I had been angry and surprised. If I had known she was here then I might have been prepared to face her but Naruto was just as surprised and he could still find the same Rin but was he right, was she still the same Rin?