Judgement

Rin froze where she stood, heart thundering in her chest.

"What's he doing here? How did he get here? What's going on?" Her thoughts were a rapid fire in her mind.

Temari sized the man up, her gaze narrow. "What are you doing here, Orochimaru?"

"I was invited."

"I know that, but you were invited to the main hall, not the hospital. What are you doing here?"

He brushed off her question with a dismissive hand. "I came to see my favorite creation, first. I'd heard she took quite the tumble."

Yua inhaled sharply, the same way she always did whenever her leader was pleased.

Rin didn't have the heart to tell say, he wasn't talking about her.

Orochimaru took a step closer to the bed, hand sliding on Rin's shoulder. "Nothing to say to your creator, Rin? How unlike you. Have the Sand's bad habits rubbed off already, my dear?"

Temari made a sudden movement to push him away, but Rin grabbed her arm, holding her in place.

The look passed between them spoke volumes.

Rin's eyes beseeched her mind. "Don't let him goad you. I know how to handle this."

With a sharp breath, she turned and finally addressed him, sliding one foot behind the other and bowing low, despite her body's protest "Forgive me, my Lord. I was so surprised to see you, I forgot myself. Welcome to the Village Hidden in the Sand."

He smiled. "That's more like it."

"Might I ask, to what do we owe the honor? You said you were invited here?"

Orochimaru nodded. "Indeed. I received word that some of my people caused a bit of trouble. Since the main perpetrator is part of my inner circle, permission was sought to give her trial on their terms and for me to sign off on whatever punishment they saw fit."

Rin bit the back of her tongue. "You needed to present for the trial, sir? Surely, you have far more important things to do. The Sound requires so much looking after. You could've sent an emissary."

He smiled, patting her cheek with his icy hand. "Perhaps, but since you were both here and I heard word that my own regeneration jutsu had been used without my permission, I thought it best I see the results myself. Scientific curiosity, you see?"

"Of course. Always the scientist. Even now." Rin thought to herself, trying her best to stand on her own.

The last thing she needed him to see was her weakened state.

"Lord... Orochimaru..." Yua gasped, her face straining to stay conscious.

He glanced away from Rin, to the old woman lying in the hospital bed, as if seeing her for the first time. "Is that Yua?"

She smiled. "Yes, sir."

Orochimaru knelt down to get a better look at her. "I see. So, performing my jutsu, without knowing how to properly control it, resulted in a stripping of your vitality? Interesting. It should have killed you instantly, but I suppose your chakra control kept you holding on this long."

Her fingers reached out to touch his face. "You came for me. You came to see me out of here."

The leader of the Sound assessed her once more, allowing her broken fingers to find his skin.

He sighed. "Pity. You had such a lovely face. Oh well."

All at once, he opened his mouth, producing a sword that shot from his throat and stabbed through Yua's skull, fixing her to the pillow.

Blood splattered red against the white bed and Yua's hand spasmed on his face, before falling to the side.

Orochimaru retracted the sword and swallowed it again, licking the traces of blood away from his lips.

Temari spat out a swear, while Rin just closed her eyes, trying not to show the pain she felt at seeing her mother dispatched in such a way.

Yua betrayed and destroyed her happiness, but even then, to see her taken out like that, with no feeling or gravitas to it, left a bitter taste in her mouth and bile in her throat.

He stood back up to full height and squeezed her shoulder. "Well, now that that's taken care of, I'll pay a visit to the Kazekage. He and I have much to discuss."

There were images that would stay with Rin forever; the sound of his footsteps echoing down the hall, the casual tune he whistled, the sight of her mother's blood painting the hospital bed, and, the worst part of all, the soft smile that still remained on her face.

It caught up to her like a tidal wave and she fell against Temari, her stomach heaving what little dinner she had the night before.

"Whoa! Oh... okay." Temari's words faded away in the quiet room, as she held a vomiting Rin in her arms.

The Captain settled her to the ground, holding her hair with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. "It's okay, Rin. It's going to be okay."

Those words sounded so empty and fake, but they were all that came to mind. The fleeting promise that the pain would pass and nothing more.

Rin's fingers worked their way into the tiled floor, trying to avoid the stream of blood that puddled beside her. "After all that she did for him."

"What?"

The kuniochi panted, her voice sounding ragged in her throat. "After everything she did."

Temari tilted her head. "Rin?"

She suddenly started laughing; broken and hysterical. "It was all for him! Everything! For years, she's lived beside me, resenting me for his infatuation. Waiting for the perfect moment to destroy me. Bringing Haru back from the dead! Destroying his mind and releasing him on this village! All for a love that ended like this!"

"Rin."

The laughter took her in waves, her hands coming to her stomach. "We mean so little to him! Just pawns in his game. Pets! She traded everything for him and that's how it ended. Just like that! We're all so expendable. Yua, Haru, me, all of us! Our lives mean nothing!"

Temari's arms came around her, anchoring her to this world. "That's not true."

"It is. It's all been meaningless from the start. She wasn't even worth a trial. He just ended her, like she was an inconvenience. My mother, who spent her life chasing after his approval. Gone. Just like that. We mean nothing."

"You mean something."

Temari's grip on her tightened. "You mean something to us. Kankuro, myself and especially, to Gaara. You mean everything to him."

Rin's mind flashed with images of Gaara; his cool gaze, the way his arms took her so easily, the feeling of safety she felt in them.

"You're my angel." His voice echoed in her mind as he seized her kisses with his own.

After a few calming breaths, Rin wiped off her mouth and turned to face Temari, the person who became her most unexpected friend in this place. "Yes, you're right."

"I am."

She stood up, pulling Rin with her and placing an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you back to your room. Gaara is going to kill me when he finds out you saw all of this."

"Then don't tell him."

Temari settled Rin back in her bed. "What?"

Rin sighed, turning away from the world. "Gaara has enough to worry about. Best not to burden him with this. As far as he knows, I was asleep this entire time."

"Orochimaru is going to say he saw you."

Her jaw tightened. "Orochimaru is a liar. Gaara knows that."

Temari looked to the door and back to the Rin. "I should be there when they meet up."

"Yes."

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

She opened her mouth to say something else, but decided against it and started to walk away.

Rin's voice caught her, right as she made it to the door. "Thank you, Temari. For earlier. I enjoyed my treat."

The Captain felt her stomach twist at the numbness in the girl's voice, but left anyway.

Gaara was definitely going to crush her when he found out. No questions asked.

~~

Kankuro stood beside his brother's desk, watching him scribble away at the daily reports.

The sunlight drifted into the room, warm and happy in its wake.

Curious how the world could go on so easily when their village had been attacked only a few nights before.

The villagers left their shelter and returned to their daily lives, if not a bit more heightened than usual.

It didn't matter what evil came their way; the people of the Sand were a sturdy bunch.

"He should have arrived by now." Gaara's voice broke the silence.

"Probably."

He settled back in his chair. "Orochimaru hasn't been here since that time."

"Yes."

The silence between them said what they both were feeling. The man who killed their father, who set a war between the Sand and the Leaf, was going to be waltzing through those doors in no time and everyone was just allowing it.

"Why he was pardoned after all that, is beyond me." Kankuro grunted, lacing his hands behind his head.

Gaara sighed. "He's more useful alive than he is dead. It makes sense from a strategical stand point."

"Some strategy. Keep a snake on a leash and hope it doesn't strike you. I don't like it."

There was a knock at the door.

"I don't either, but it's how the world works. The wheel keeps turning, we just have to make sure not to get crushed beneath it." Gaara said, as he stood up from his desk.

Kankuro braced himself. "I don't think anyone can crush you, bro."

Despite himself, Gaara smiled. "Let's hope not."

He cleared his throat. "Enter."

Orochimaru looked exactly as he had the last time they saw him, not a single mark of age or time on his face.

Gaara knew how he achieved this, but wished he didn't.

How many lives were spent to give him that youth? Could Rin have been one of them?

He shook off the thought and composed himself. "Welcome to the Village Hidden in the Sand, Lord Orochimaru."

"Thank you. What a pleasure it is to be back."

"Your journey was easy?"

"Quite."

Kankuro's hand rested against the dagger at his side, his eyes never leaving the snake-like man. "We were surprised when word reached us that you came yourself, sir."

"I'm sure you were. It seems everyone expects me to stay inside my own walls, like I'm a grounded child instead of one of the legendary Sanin."

He glanced easily around the room, giving a gentile smile to Gaara. "My, you've certainly grown into a fine young man, Lord Kazekage. I hardly recognize you."

Gaara nodded to him. "It's been a few years. I'm sure you're tired from your trip. Shall we cut the niceties and discuss what's to be done about the terrorist from your village?"

Orochimaru chuckled to himself. "Spoken like a true Kazekage. Your father was the down-to-business-type as well. How nice to see the resemblance between you."

Kankuro scoffed, the hand on his dagger tightening.

Gaara's sand gently came up to his grasp and wrapped around it, warning him to calm down. "You received all pertinent information in our letter. I don't need to explain the situation further?"

"No, I know everything."

"The captive's health is deteriorating. I think it's best we set her trial for no later than tomorrow. You will, of course, be welcomed to attend and add your council to our decision."

"How have things gone with my Rin, Lord Kazekage?"

Gaara face maintained its stoic expression. "Pardon?"

Orochimaru crossed his arms, the knowing smile never leaving him. "Has she been behaving herself in your presence?"

"Ms. Ito has represented your village extremely well."

He chuckled. "Oh, I have no doubt of that. I'm sure she's made quite the impression on you."

Something about the way he spoke of Rin, made Kankuro's skin crawl. Whatever he was implying, didn't seem proper.

His eyes turned to Gaara, who hadn't moved a muscle.

How was he staying so calm through this?

"We'll set the trial for tomorrow afternoon. Please, retire to the guest quarters and we will provide you with dinner tonight, Lord Orochimaru."

The leader of the Sound gave an open laugh. "My, my, so direct! You've fallen deep, haven't you?"

Suddenly he was in front of Gaara and Kankuro moved to protect his brother, but found himself fixed in place by the sand. "Gaara!"

Orochimaru's eyes turned from the puppet master to the young Kazekage and found him standing stable under his scrutiny. "How adorable."

"What is?"

"You've fallen for my pet, head over heels. I can't say I'm surprised. She has that effect on men like us."

"I'm nothing like you." Gaara replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I disagree. We're much more alike than you realize."

His voice dipped so low that only the two of them could hear. "We both know what she's capable of, don't we? How easy it is to lose yourself."

Yua's words came to his memory. "She was sent to gain your trust, Lord Kazekage. Once she had that, it would be all too easy to manipulate you to the Sound's wishes. That's all you ever were to her; nothing more than an arranged meeting that would blossom into a fortuitous match for us."

Gaara swallowed the suspicion and kept his voice calm. "Since you seemed fixated on discussing Ms. Ito, I do have a question for you."

Orochimaru's eyebrow raised. "And what is that?"

"Information reached me that two of your shinobi were able to perform the Sleepwalker jutsu."

"Correct."

"And, the older of the two, Yua, was more advanced in the technique than Ms. Ito."

"Also correct."

Gaara steadied himself for whatever answer may come. "So, if that were the case, why send the weaker of the two to my village? Surely, a Kazekage should warrant your best?"

Orochimaru's smile was wicked and pleased. "You've spoken with Yua, I see."

Gaara didn't say anything.

The leader of the Sound chuckled. "My, my, what a blabbermouth. She spilled all our little secrets."

His heart sank.

Then what she said was true. Rin was sent to purposefully get Gaara to trust her. She was custom-made for his affection. Why wouldn't that be the case? Why would anyone actually love him for who he was? It all made sense now.

Orochimaru made a sympathetic noise. "Oh, don't make that face, Lord Gaara. It doesn't suit a Kazekage."

Gaara hardened his expression. "I see. Thank you for your response. I apologize, but I have a great amount of work to do tonight, so I won't be able to give you my full attention until tomorrow at the trial. The guards will show you to your quarters."

Orochimaru turned away. "No need for all that nonsense. I'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Excuse me?"

He gave a dismissive wave. "Oh, I already dispatched the prisoner. No reason to trouble you any further with my mistake. A lengthy trial would only take up more of your valuable time. The body is laying in her bed. You can do what you like with her remains."

"You killed her?"

Orochimaru smiled. "No need to thank me, it's the least I could do for all the headache she caused. I'll send some of our village rations as an apology."

Gaara remained silent, processing how easily he spoke of murdering his own people.

The leader of the Sound made it to the door, when he turned and bowed. "Good day to you, Lord Kazekage. I'll leave tomorrow at first light."

"Fine."

He smiled. "And I'll be taking Rin with me."