Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Way We Change ❯ Humanity ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

The dying heat of the day rolled off the sand dunes in waves. Sweat dripped off the faces of the Leaf ninja as they finally came in sight of the huge rock walls surrounding the city of Sunagakure. The gap in the rock face that served as the main entrance had been cleaned of the bodies and blood left behind by Sasori's spy. The three ninjas on guard duty looked shocked as seven Leaf ninja, the elderly Chiyobaa-sama, and the infamous Sand siblings came into view. The fact that one of those siblings was the Kazekage that had been taken captive in battle five days ago was the most shocking - and relieving - thing of all. One of the guards left immediately to inform the council members of Gaara's return. The other two guards stood there flabbergasted for several seconds before finally coming to their senses. They both smiled and bowed to Gaara.

"Welcome back Kazekage-sama ," they said.


Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro slowly led the others towards the tower in the middle of the city that served as the Kazekage's headquarters. Chiyo parted ways with them half way, saying she simply wanted to return to her retirement. With a bow towards the Kazekage, and a warm farewell to Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi, she drifted off down a side street to her home.

Due to it being the hottest part of the day, few people were out walking under the covered walkways. Those who did see the returning ninja greeted the Kazekage mostly with smiles and polite reverence. The Leaf ninja were greeted with a mix of awe and suspicion. At one point they passed a few near-empty market stalls where a little boy of about five years old was shopping with his mother. The boy had a gleeful expression on his face as he tugged on his mother's skirt and told her to look at the Kazekage and his funny looking friends. Naruto laughed at the notion of being funny looking as they walked passed the boy and his mortified mother.

A question that had been rolling around in the back of Sakura's brain since she had first seen him finally came to the surface.

"Kazekage-sama, where's your gourd?" she asked. He answered without stopping or turning to look at her.

"My sand was scattered during the battle."

"Ne, Gaara," Naruto interrupted. "How are you going to get it back?" At this Gaara did stop, and turned his head to look at some far-off point in the city, trying to remember exactly where he had fought Deidara.

"I'll collect it later," he answered cryptically, and continued walking.


The Kazekage's tower was very similar to the Hokage's in it's basic design. Just sandier. The guard they had seen earlier came rushing into the front entrance, following what could only be the members of Gaara's council. They looked both happy and slightly alarmed to see him. Gaara had appointed all of them for their jobs depending on how qualified they were, which had been a very professional move. However, some of them were old enough to remember Gaara as a child from when they had served under his father, and were still wary of him. Never the less, they all recognized that Gaara was indeed a very capable Kazekage.

Suddenly Baki pushed his way to the front of the group. "Gaara-sama! You're alive!"

"Yes. We owe the Leaf ninja our thanks for their help." One or two of the older shinobi flinched at his cold, abrupt tone. Then again, who could blame him? How would you feel if you had been practically blown up, taken captive, had nearly all your chakra sucked out of you, and almost had your soul ripped in two? Gaara had had a rather bad week.

One of the council members wandered over to the Leaf nins to make an attempt at foreign relations. They were Sand's allies after all. But Gaara beat him to it, addressing Kakashi and Gai.

"You are welcome to stay as many days as you need to rest or until your Hokage wants you back. There are rooms for guests on the upper floors. Tanaka will show you where they are." He nodded his head towards the guard. "Hatake-san, Maito-san, will you two please come with me? I will need your assistance in reporting everything that happened concerning the Akatsuki."

A little surprised that he had somehow learned their names, Kakashi and Gai followed Gaara, his siblings, and the council members to a meeting room somewhere in the tower. The guard, Tanaka, turned and smiled at the remaining teenagers.

"Well, I guess I'm supposed to show you to the guest quarters. You all look exhausted. Just follow me please."

Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, and Lee followed Tanaka down a hallway and up a staircase. Messengers and shinobi passed them in the hallways, carrying various scrolls and reports to obscure destinations, barely giving the party a second glance as they rushed off. They got to the third floor and headed down yet another sand colored hallway before they finally stopped in front of a door. Tanaka opened it to reveal a sitting area with two couches, an arm chair, and a coffee table. There were sliding glass doors that led onto a small balcony and a hallway off to the left with four doors in it.

"I'm afraid the secondary guest quarters are not very fancy. We don't use them often, but the rooms have showers and everything. You can see a good view of the city from that balcony, especially at night."

"I'm sure they'll be fine Tanaka-san," said Tenten politely.

"Ok then. I'll leave you all to get settled in. I need to return to my post."

"Hey, hey!" shouted Naruto. He was out on the balcony, leaning over the rail and looking straight up.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura shouted.

"What is that above us? It looks like another balcony."

"Ah..." Tanaka walked out and looked up as well. "If I'm not mistaken... I believe that Kazekage-sama's quarters are right above you."

"Eh? He stays here? Doesn't he have a house or something?"

"Well, I believe he does share a house with his siblings, but I've been told he often spends the night here working, so he has a room to keep things in."

"He must work very hard," said Neji in a cool voice.

"Yes I believe so. He also worked very hard to get where he is too. Not too long ago he was... well, that is..." Tanaka faltered, unsure of whether these foreign ninja should be told about their leader's violent past. Tanaka himself had only heard stories.

"Yeah, we know. He was totally out of control. Right, Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto! You shouldn't say something like that," she scolded.

"But me and Fuzzy Eyebrows beat some sense into him. Right Lee?"

"Argh! You're impossible Naruto," she fumed. Lee just smiled sheepishly in response. Tanaka was wide-eyed.

"S-so you know... I mean, you knew him before?" he asked, astonished.

"Yeah, we all met him at the Chuunin Exams in Konoha two and a half years ago," said Naruto. He squinted his eyes in thought and crossed his arms. "Yeah, he was definitely different back then."

Sakura sighed. Naruto, you're still so immature sometimes.

"Well, I really should get back to my post now. I hope you have everything you need," said Tanaka as he walked to the door. "Good bye."

"Thank you Tanaka-san!" Tenten shouted after him. He waved back and left.

Who are these people!? He thought to himself and then 'poofed' back to his post.

Once Tanaka left, Neji walked down the hall and put his bag in one of the rooms. Tenten threw hers unceremoniously into the room next to it.

"Hmm... I should probably room with Neji," Lee contemplated to himself.

"Hey Sakura-can, wanna share a room with me? Huh? How 'bout it?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows at her with a perverted grin he must have learned from Jiraiya. Sakura promptly hit him on the back of his head.

"Yeah right! I'm gonna room with Tenten-chan."

"Hmph. Fine." Naruto tenderly held the back of his head where a lump was forming. "Hey Lee, how about we all train together huh? You, me, and Sakura-chan. Neji and Tenten can come too."

"Naruto! At least let us rest for a day. Geeze you're such a stamina freak. We just got here!" Sakura cried.

"I have to agree Naruto-kun. Your youth is impressive as always, but how about tomorrow?"

"Ok, fine..." he pouted. Sakura drifted over to Tenten's room and threw her backpack onto the second, unoccupied bed. Tenten was in the shower, and Sakura decided she would take one too when she was finished.

Kakashi and Gai finally found their way to the guest rooms an hour later and called the five teenagers out into the sitting area.

"Ne, what's this about Kakashi sensei?" asked Naruto from his seat on the couch. Sakura and Lee sat next to him. Neji and Tenten sat on the other couch facing opposite them. Gai stood, looking impressive, but a bit goofy at the same time. Sakura would never get used to those eyebrows.

"Well..." said Kakashi, "we accompanied the Kazekage to the meeting with the other council members. We helped report exactly what happened, but I'm afraid that what is done in Suna now is not in our hands. However, Gaara-sama has asked that we report what's happened to Tsunade-sama and ask her to come to Suna as an urgent diplomatic mission."

"Why Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura questioned. "I know she's Hokage and we're allies, but isn't this strictly Sand's business?"

"That would be true..." Gai interjected, "but there are other factors involved. The Akatsuki is Konoha business too. Also, the Chuunin Exams that are coming up in two weeks were to be held in Konoha again. As Kazekage, Gaara was supposed to attend the final matches."

"Right," said Kakashi. "There are a lot of politics involved; and also the safety of the villages. If there is a danger of another attack by Akatsuki on either Sunagakure or Konohagakure, the exams might have to be moved back, or even canceled."

"Sensei..." said Neji slowly, "Lee has told us about the fact that the Kazekage has a powerful demon sealed inside him. So that was what the Akatsuki were after when they captured him. So if that is the case... why would they bother to attack Konoha?"

Kakashi and Gai were silent for a moment. Naruto shifted nervously in his seat. He looked up and locked eyes with the teachers.

"Kakashi-sensei..." he trailed off, his unspoken question hanging in the air between them. Kakashi's visible eye closed and he let out a small sigh. He exchanged a glance with Gai, who looked like he was about to speak, but Kakashi shook his head, cutting him off.

"Well Naruto... it's your choice." Naruto inhaled deeply and let it out.

"Naruto-kun?" Lee questioned.

"There is also a demon vessel, a Jinchuuriki, in Konoha. Not just here. The Akatsuki also wants that Jinchuuriki." He didn't look up from the floor.

"It's you, isn't it Naruto?" said Neji calmly. Naruto's head shot up in surprise, eyes wide. Lee and Tenten had slightly shocked faces. "It makes sense. Shikamaru and I once discussed your strange strength. I mentioned the second chakra you possessed during our fight in the finals. He didn't say anything, but I'm sure he has been speculating along these lines for years now. I'm sure it would come as no surprise if you told him. It certainly would explain a lot."

"Naruto-kun, is there really a demon sealed inside of you?" asked Lee in awe. Naruto nodded. "What kind of demon is it?"

"It... it's the Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox."

"B-but... " Tenten stammered, "I thought it was killed by the Fourth Hokage years ago... wasn't it?"

"No. He couldn't kill it so he imprisoned it. He sealed it into me when I was a baby."

"Gai-sensei? Did you know about this?" Lee questioned.

"Most adult shinobi and some civilians do. But there was a decree passed about it. Anyone who was not old enough to remember was not to be told. Kakashi! How did Naruto-kun find out anyway!?"

"It was Mizuki who told him. And since he knows, I decided he had the right to tell his friends if he wanted to."

Gai supposed that was reasonable. He looked at Naruto's down-turned face, devoid of his usual enthusiasm. This must be hard on him.

"Well," said Lee as he stood up. "This certainly explains why you are so strong Naruto-kun." He gave Naruto a huge grin. "In a way you even saved the village! You carried this burden so long. You truly amaze Naruto-kun!" Lee and Neji looked perfectly calm but Tenten stilled appeared unsettled. Sakura decided she would put her worries to rest with her patented analytical skills.

"I've studied several scrolls on seals and as I understand it, Naruto may be able to use the demon's chakra, but the demon itself is contained," she said with her pointer finger held up in front of her face as though she were teaching the basics of water walking. "The methods used on the Kazekage and Naruto were completely different."

"Sakura-chan... you're right, the methods were different. But, ya know, he really had it worse than me."

"Yeah..."

"And at least... when I die, the nine-tails dies with me."

"Hey! Don't talk about dying so soon," she said. Naruto looked serious for a moment before he stood up and put his fists in the air.

"Hell no!! I ain't that easy to kill! I still have to be Hokage and beat the Akatsuki..." he shouted as he picked up his bag and walked over to toss it into one of the still empty rooms, ranting the whole way. "...and beat Orochimaru and bring back Sasuke-bastard and beat the crap out of him!" He then whipped out his beloved froggy-wallet, Gama-chan, and held it in the air. "And now I have to go see if Suna has any good ramen! Yosh!' And he disappeared out the door.

"Ow..." Lee whined from his position on the floor where he had been blown over. "I think I'm deaf... again." Tenten just groaned in response. He eyes were too swirly to even see. Neji just sat on the sofa, gripping the leather for dear life.

"Naruto just keeps rebounding doesn't he?" said Kakashi with a comic look in his one visible eye. "Anyway, we sent a message to Hokage-sama and we should receive a reply by tomorrow morning. Until then we stay here and wait for orders."

"Do you think Tsunade-sensei will come?"

"I'm not sure Sakura. It's possible though."

"Ok!" Gai suddenly shouted, "Naruto-kun's youthfulness has inspired me!" He punched the air dramatically. "We should do something! Kakashi! I challenge you!" Kakashi stared at the finger that was pointing at him and sighed.

"At what?" Gai rummaged around in his pack and pulled out... a deck of cards (Dun dun dun), and held it out dramatically. Kakashi walked leisurely to the room Naruto had put his stuff in earlier and deposited his belongings on the other bed and came back out.

"Sakura, go find Naruto and bring him back once he's done eating. I'm sure he'd like to play too."

"Sure sensei."

Kakashi consigned himself to his fate as Gai began dealing cards for Gin Rummy. Lee eagerly joined his sensei and soon Tenten was roped into playing as well. Neji escaped by offering to help Sakura in her search for Naruto.

--

Neji and Sakura walked down the streets of Sunagakure in the dwindling evening sunlight. Most of the walkways were covered in one way or another to protect from the sun's harsh rays during the day. The whole city seemed to have been carved out of the rock its self long ago. Maybe it had been.

"Sakura-san."

"Yeah Neji... uh, -san?"

"Just Neji is fine. I was wondering how long you knew about Naruto being a Jinchuuriki."

"Oh... about half a year. A lot of stuff about him made sense after I found out. When I was really young, just about to start at the academy, my parents told me to look out for a blonde boy with blue eyes. They said he was 'trouble'. When I met Naruto in person, I assumed they had been talking about all the pranks he pulled on people. They were really just talking about the demon, but they couldn't say that to me. All they saw was what was inside Naruto, not Naruto himself. Though I'm sure his outer image probably didn't help. Still... Naruto himself is a really good person." Neji nodded in agreement.

"Yes. He sees the world very clearly, in a way my Byakugan does not. At first I considered him a dunce; someone who could never hope to be better than dead last, but he proved me wrong."

They continued walking in search of their friend until they finally asked a shop owner where the nearest ramen stand was. He informed them there were two noodle shops nearby and told them where to go. The first noodle shop was a no-go. No one had seen their blonde friend. The second, however, was a figurative "gold mine". Naruto's golden hair stuck up over the edge of the booth he was sitting in.

"So, Naruto, how's it compare to Ichiraku?" Sakura grinned at him as she and Neji slid into the seat on the other side of the table.

"Aii ooh-ahs!" he cheered through a mouthful of noodles, his greeting garbled. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Hi you guys!"

"We were just talking about you Naruto," said Sakura.

"Really?" He blinked in surprise, then grinned again. "Talking about how great I am, ne?" Sakura was a bout to scoff when Neji cut her off.

"Actually... in a way, we sort of were, as strange as that may sound."

"Ah, hehe." Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"So, is the ramen here as good as at Ichiraku?" Sakura asked again.

"It's pretty close. The beef ramen is really good." He slurped up more noodles from what appeared to be his second bowl.

"Maybe I'll have some too then..." she mused. The waitress soon came by to ask if Neji and Sakura wanted anything. Sakura ordered a bowl of beef as Naruto had recommended and Neji ordered a small bowl with chicken and shrimp. When they all finished they shared a plate of dango and drank tea.

"Well, I think we should be getting back now Naruto. The others will be wondering where we are," said Sakura as she sipped the last of her tea. "Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei were playing cards when we left." Naruto let out a contented sigh and patted his belly.

"All right then. Let's go."

Naruto, Sakura, and Neji all pooled their money to pay the bill and left the noodle shop. They had been surprised that their currency had been accepted but apparently trade had been so good in the past couple years that both Fire Country and Wind Country currency was circulated in Suna.

They headed back to the Kazekage's tower and flashed their ID's at the front desk. When they got back to the guest rooms it was nine o'clock and Gai had challenged Kakashi to yet another game of Go Fish. If Gai won this game he would be one up on the score he constantly kept with his eternal rival. Naruto, Sakura, and Neji joined in the new hand and they all played for another half hour. Soon the girls started yawning and they retreated to the room they were sharing. The rest soon followed after Kakashi had evened the score with Gai. Kakashi shared a room with Naruto. Seeing as Neji had already claimed one of the beds in the third room, Lee and Gai played rock paper scissors for the second bed. Gai lost and took the fold-out couch in the corner of their room. The fourth guest room was left empty. Within minutes everyone was asleep.

--

Gaara closed the door with a dull thud and leaned his back on the cool wood. His left hand covered his face as he slid down to sit on the floor. He was exhausted. The combination of being drained of most of his chakra, traveling for two days, and having to have endless meetings and discussions with the various members of the council concerning the state of his control over the demon, had taken a toll on him. They might never completely trust him again. But he had submitted to their questions willingly. He would not lie to them.

He had also had to use more chakra to gather all of the sand of his gourd back to him. The sand had been scattered all over a section of the city that was about forty meters square. The only thing that made it easier was the fact that his sand was different than the normal desert sand. It was full of chakra and old blood. It was a fairly simple task to call it back to him, but tedious none the less. The reformed gourd now stood in the corner of the room, deceptively motionless.

The room he was sitting in was specifically for the Kazekage. It wasn't fancy, but it was attached directly to his office. In fact, at the moment it was downright bare. The only furniture was a bed (which he never used for obvious reasons), a small desk, and a dresser, which was the only thing he really did use. The room was a glorified closet. Gaara kept spare clothes and his official robes in the dresser for when he went between the tower and his home with Temari and Kankuro.

He heaved himself off the floor and padded over to pull out the middle drawer as he unzipped the long black coat that he wore into battle. He had not been able to even change when he had gotten back. The cloth was caked with dirt, sweat, and sand. I'll take it home to wash tomorrow, he thought wearily.

Temari and Kankuro had been at his side almost the whole day until he had ordered them to go home around midnight. Gaara glanced at the digital clock on the barren desk: 3:04. He sighed and grabbed some clean clothing and headed to the small bathroom.

Gaara stood under the hot spray, letting the water run over his back in rivulets and through his blood red hair. Sand and dirt washed into the drain. He stood there with his palms against the cool tile, eyes closed. After a few more minutes he finally got out and dried himself off.

What he really needed was to meditate for a few hours. It was the only way he could "rest". He liked to meditate in a comfortable place. At first he had simply sat on the bed in the room attached to his office, but the bed had seemed to mock him, reminding him of why he had to meditate in the first place. Then one day he had discovered the guest rooms on the floor below, conveniently having a small balcony below his. The guest rooms had a siting area with two couches and a chair. A very comfortable, very squishy, plush chair. Perfect. Problem solved. However, there was a problem with his favorite chair right now. The guest rooms were being used.

Gaara walked back out of the bathroom and looked at the clock again : 3:20. No one will be awake. I'll just leave in a few hours.

With that decision made, he opened the sliding glass door to the balcony, stepped over to the railing, and disappeared over the edge.

--

Sakura wasn't sure exactly when she had stopped being asleep and started being awake, but, just like the night they had recovered Gaara, she could not get back to sleep. The bed was remarkably comfortable, and she was remarkably comfortable in it. A nice hot shower, a hot meal, and soft pajamas tend to do that to a person. But she was still awake, so there was no use staying in bed. Maybe if I walk around a little I'll be able to go back to sleep.

Sakura silently lifted herself out of the bed and glanced over Tenten's sleeping form to the little digital clock on the night stand : 4:37. Ugh. It's way too early to feel this awake. Never the less, she padded over to the door and gripped the knob. And then she felt it. There was another person awake and sitting in the sitting area. It's probably Neji or Kakashi-sensei or something. Maybe talking with them for a little while will help me sleep. And so she turned the knob and pushed the door open.

--

Gaara had sensed that someone was awake through the acute awareness that his meditative state brought him. He had also sensed them pause at the door before opening it. Knowing that the other person knew he was there, he made no move to leave. That would be suspicious. He would simply explain that he had been using the chair and be on his way. That thought didn't make it any less awkward. He silently hoped it would be Naruto or Lee. They would understand. But he was sadly disappointed and a little surprised when a disheveled pink head stuck out of the doorway.

Sakura did not look up until it was too late. There she was; standing in nothing but long pajama pants and a loose T-shirt with messy hair in front of Sabaku no Gaara, the Kazekage himself. Then again, he was sitting there in only a loose pair of black, draw-string pants and a tight black T-shirt. His hair was slightly damp too. Not to mention that this was the guest sitting area. What's he doing here?

"My apologies, Haruno-san. I was just... using the chair. I usually meditate here. These rooms are not often used." He unfolded his crossed legs from underneath himself and stood up. When Sakura realized he was actually leaving, she suddenly didn't want to be alone.

"W-wait!" she called softly. Icy jade eyes locked with hers in mild curiosity. "You don't have to go Kazekage-sama. I'm sorry I disturbed your meditation." It was slightly odd calling him that when they were both wearing their pajamas. He turned slowly to look at her, his face cool and impassive, not letting on that he was the least bit surprised. She doesn't want me to leave? Or is she just being polite?

"You don't have to call me that you know," he said slowly. "Naruto doesn't. I've never really liked being called that anyway."

"Oh.... um, then Gaara-san?"

"Just Gaara. Gaara-san makes me sound like an old man." She blinked. Did he just tell a joke? She giggled slightly even if he didn't mean it to be funny. "Why are you awake Haruno-san?"

"Well first off... if Naruto and I are going to call you Gaara, then you call me Sakura. And well... I just sorta woke up. I'm not sleepy anymore. I thought maybe getting up and walking a bit would get me back to sleep." She plopped down on the couch and crossed her arms lazily. Gaara stood there for a moment or two before she tilted her head toward the chair with a questioning look. He slowly sat down again, this time not folding his legs underneath him. He didn't feel like meditating anymore.

"Gaara... you don't sleep right? Naruto told me."

"That's correct."

"You've never been able to sleep?"

"Even when I was an infant I did not sleep. As I grew older it became more of a conscious choice. I suppose that must be very interesting from a medical point of view." It was odd to think of Gaara as having been a baby at any point in time.

"Well, yeah. I mean... you must admit it's very unusual. How do you rest? Relax? Recover your energy?"

"Meditation mostly." Gaara was interested by her unusual appetite for knowledge. But it suited an intelligent medic-nin such as herself. She asked her questions unflinchingly.

"Oh..." Sakura suddenly realized just what she'd interrupted. However, he didn't seem too upset about it, so she continued. "I've been trying to gather data on how sealed demons affect their hos-... o-oh, I'm sorry. That was... insensitive." He shook his head.

"No. You were looking at it from the point of view of a Medic-nin. It's logical."

"Oh... well, I even created a jutsu to look at a person's subconscious so that-" Gaara suddenly cut her off.

"Is that what you did to me?"

"Ah... well, it was the only thing I could think of to figure out what was wrong. You wouldn't wake up."

"You knew about the demon, what it used to do to my mental state... still does to an extent. You could have been killed." For some reason he sounded angry that she had helped him and it irritated her.

"I was just trying to help," she said almost indignantly.

"You were willing to risk your life just to try to help?"

"Of course. It's my job." He leaned back into the chair. A slightly uncomfortable silence reigned for several minutes. But then his quiet voice startled her out of her thoughts.

"You were wrong you know..." Is he still mad about the poking-your-subconscious thing!? That ungrateful... Why I oughta... "When you said I probably didn't remember you... I did."

"Oh... you did?"

"I remember you from the Chuunin Exams. You... you jumped into save the Uchiha. All you had was a kunai and I was half transformed." She froze. Sasuke's name was painful, and the memory of sand encasing her body came rushing back. Her hand drifted unconsciously to touch her neck, but the imaginary sand vanished and she came back to herself. "You were weak back then... why did you do it?" he asked in almost a whisper.

"I... I had to. You're right. I was weak, but I had to. He was... my teammate."

"You were in love with him. So was that blonde girl. It was obvious." Gaara sneered a little at the word 'love'. It still hurt places in his chest to say it when not referring to loving only himself like he used to. "But he's a traitor now. You and Naruto are looking for him correct? Since you love him so much, would you welcome him back with open arms?" Gaara's face was hard, almost angry. Sakura looked at him with wide eyes. "Well?" he demanded. She swallowed hard and steeled her face. She would not yield so easily anymore.

"No. He has crimes he must pay for... but, he is still a ninja of Konohagakure village. He's still a teammate. But... you know Gaara, the heart can only take so much. So much rejection, indifference... coldness." In her desperation, her loneliness, she had poured out her feelings to him, feelings that had never really been more than a severe crush, feelings that were never returned. And he had stood there and smiled... and walked away. Her heart could only take so much. "Naruto and I will find him. We'll help him take his revenge whether he likes it or not. Then we'll drag him back with us to Konoha and prove him wrong for leaving."

"And then what?"

"When he's... come to his senses... we can be a team again."

"Do you think he'll accept your love then?" His face was still scornful. She took a long time to answer.

"He can have my friendship... and my support. We can be a team again. But... he lost my love a long time ago."

She became silent and tilted her head down, face hidden in shadow. The only light in the room came from a small lamp. It cast a yellowish glow on the two shinobi. Gaara was silent as well. He leaned far back into the chair with his fingers laced and propped up in front of his mouth, eyes half hidden. In deep contemplation, he slowly looked her up and down. Maybe I pressed too hard, he thought, looking at her defeated form. She was very still, gazing downwards, tousled pink hair hanging over her eyes. Her hands clenched at her sides.

No... he thought in surprise at his sudden realization. Not defeated... defiant. She's raging inside.

"You've changed quite a bit," he said. "You're not as weak... What happened?" She locked eyes with him.

"I got tired of being a burden, of looking at other peoples' backs as they defended me. I got tired of not being able to do anything to save my friends when they needed it most. So I asked Tsunade to take me on as her apprentice. Now people will look at my back while I fight for them. I... I learned that watching Lee... and Sasuke... and Naruto most of all." Gaara smiled slowly. It was only a small smile, and a little mocking, but still there.

"Naruto has a way of doing that to people doesn't he?"

"He changed you too Gaara. Look at where you are now and where you were then. Then you were a..." she broke off.

"I was a monster. That's what you were going to say, right?" She hesitated. It had been what she was going to say, but she had stopped herself. "You were right though. I was. And I still am. I'm still ruthless, Sakura, still blood thirsty. The only thing that has changed is who and what I fight for. Underneath, I'm still the same."

Something in Sakura's chest constricted as she listened to him. Her mouth quivered and her hands clenched into fists in the fabric of her soft pajama pants.

"I think you underestimate your own humanity Gaara." His eyes widened slightly. Humanity? No one had ever referred to Gaara as having humanity, even if they thought it. He knew Naruto understood him, probably thought of him as human, but no one had ever actually said it to him. The words were new and unfamiliar. "I think you've spent so much of your life up till now ignoring that part of you, that you don't realize just how human you are."

They looked at each other for a long time after that, neither saying a word. Sakura silently came to the conclusion that she had struck something very deep in him.

"Maybe, Sakura, you are right. But... I will never be completely human. I will always be vicious, always have a part of the demon in me. There is no avoiding it."

"Yes, I guess you're right. That's part of you too."

"Most people would feel fear if I said something like that."

"Naruto wouldn't. Neither would Lee... n-neither do I," she stuttered. She was suddenly very uncomfortable, and very tired. In the course of their discussion, they had gone from a clinical analysis of Gaara's sleeplessness, to her personal life concerning Sasuke, to the state of Gaara's mental heath. The intimacy of the conversation unsettled her a little. Well... if I'm going to be his friend I have to understand him like Naruto does. Now I do.

"You should go back to bed."

"Huh?"

"You look like you're about to fall asleep sitting up."

"Oh... I think you're right." She got up shakily and walked silently to the door of her room. "Are you going to continue meditating out here?" she asked before grabbing the doorknob.

"Would it bother you if I did?" She thought about it for a second.

"No," she said, and slipped into the room, closing the door behind her. Tenten was still fast asleep and soon Sakura joined her.

In the morning, Gaara was gone.

--------

Woot. Chapter three finally done! Fifteen freaking pages! Well Gaara and Sakura's relationship has taken an important step forward and the others have learned the secret of Kyuubi! Dun dun dun. Next chapter: training with the infamous Sand Siblings!

Since this is a romance there will eventually be a lemon. But the story will progress much further before it happens. I am sort of a pervert. There's no denying it. ^_^;

Bye for now. Review or feel my lemony fresh wrath!