Courage of the Present Chapter 1: Prologue, a naruto fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 3 Doors Down! The song is Here Without You by 3 Doors Down.

Well, here it is! I have succeeded beyond my wildest expectations! Here is the sequel to Memories of the Past! I'm trying a new way of doing it, by adding a song for each chapter.

Normal words that are in the middle are song lyrics.

Italic words that are on the side are flashbacks/dreams

Normal words are everyday situations...etc. You know the drill.

Courage of the Present

Prologue

A hundred days had made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lights had made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate
They disappeared now when I'm dreaming of your face

Her beautiful face was marred with tear-tracks, as she clung tightly to the pale man. Raindrops hammered in the clearing, and she cried even harder than the thunder, pausing only to stare at him once more. Her old way of stuttering was coming back, along with a rush of memories from her long forgotten past.

The people who came with her, her friends and close relatives looked at the scene with sympathy and bewilderment. But it didn't matter to the girl, because she finally found what she wanted. Her lonely heart was made whole just from one person, the only person her heart could ever belong to. It was almost a happy ending.

Except that there was another person in the picture, a oncoming threat in that happy bliss of paradise.

I'm here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams
And tonight it's only you and me

Another man looked at the reunion with a sense of loss. He gripped his gourd filled with sand, as oncoming tears threatened to spill over. He was not a teary-eyed man, and there was no point in crying over someone's gain. No more will he be able to hold her, to comfort her. She was with her first true love, and that was all there was to it.

He would just have to live with the memories of their last days together.

The miles just keep rolling as the people either way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated but I hope it gets better as we go

The distant clap of thunder crashed through Gaara's brain, sending him back into the world of the living. He gasped, and clutched at his rapidly beating heart.

"It was just a dream, just a dream..." he thought, as he ran down the hallway. The sound of doors slamming and frustrated groans were heard in the lonely tower. He rushed down the stairs, and opened the door, expecting to see what he was looking for.

Instead, a single piece of paper was perched on an empty bed, the curtains wide open. A flash of lightning illuminated Gaara's frightened face. He immediately wrenched the sheet off of the bed.

Dear Gaara,

I have decided to go back to Konoha. My marriage with Naruto has officially ended, and I am filing for divorce.

Remember all those times we had together? Well don't forget them. Please don't go looking for me, as I'm sure you're thinking of doing.

I will always have a special place in my heart for you.

Be strong,

Hyuuga Hinata

The paper started to shred, as Gaara unconsciously crushed it with his sand. "I will always have a special place in my heart for you." Her words rang in his head, obliterating any thoughts of sanity as he collapsed onto the duvet.

She was gone, and it wasn't just a nightmare.

"She's gone...she's gone..." He got up with alarming speed, as he remembered: this was the same room he saw her that fateful day. Looking into the mirror, he saw his reflection, his expression was almost haunted, like it looked like almost a decade ago. She had helped him, along with the others, and for that, he was grateful.

He just wasn't meant to be for her. A frown spoiled his whole look, and another Gaara frowned back, another flash of lightning lighting up the mirror.

She was wearing a blue kimono with a purple sash, and it suited her perfectly. Gaara entered the room as she twirled around, obviously inspecting the way she looked.

He could see the doubt, the nervousness that was creasing her beautiful face, and he knew she was insecure about wearing this. That was one of the things he loved about her, was the fact that she wasn't as loud or as confident as many of the girls he knew at his age. She was calm and polite, with a kind smile that could light up the room. She would never take things for granted. He knew that she had learned that the hard way, from experience.

"You're anything but plain old, Hinata-chan."

She turned around, her heart-shaped face surprised and embarassed. She blushed.

"Do you th-think it's only the prettiness that counts, Kazekage-sama?" Gaara looked at her sympathetically. 'She hasn't warmed up to me that much, has she?' he sighed inwardly.

"Well, yes..." he started. He saw tears coming out of Hinata's eyes. 'No, don't cry...' Without realizing it, he had crossed the room, and his hand was cupping her face, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "I think you are more than beautiful. You are a goddess."

His heart was pounding, his mind was racing. Never in all his life had he felt like he did at that moment. He smiled triumphantly in his mind, congratulating himself on giving her a compliment.

Smiling at him she took his hand, and also leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Arigato, Gaara-kun."

Heart thudding in his chest, he listened to her sweet voice. It was replaying in his mind over and over again. He looked at her, as if to test the waters. Hinata was confused.

Gaara gently kissed her, responding to his desires. It wasn't passionate or mind-reeling, just a sweet peck on the lips.

It was the first time, his first kiss. She had responded back, and in an act of passion, with one kiss he had fallen for the girl. Her sweet-smelling hair was clouding up his mind, the way her delicate hands were clinging onto him for dear life was enough to drive him wild.

He broke apart, afraid to go any further. She was red-faced and slightly out of breath.

That was the night he had fallen head over heels for Hyuuga Hinata.

Now, staring at that mirror, he knew there was something missing. It was missing Hinata in it, she was missing from the picture. With blind rage, he punched the mirror, forming deep cracks in it with his hand. The sand had protected him, forming a layer surrounding his knuckles.

Once again, he couldn't find a way out of this.

Everything I know, and anywhere I go
it gets hard but it won't take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done
it get hard but it won't take away my love

He had seen the flash of red coming from the Uchiha's eyes when he had looked at her. Gaara knew that it didn't bode well, and that Hinata would never leave without a goodbye. Never once did he feel so much anger in his life. Not even when his uncle Yashamaru had betrayed him.

If this was love, Gaara thought bitterly, I'd much rather be without it.

Yet he couldn't break free from it. A record machine was playing and replaying in his head; pictures of Hinata laughing, smiling, crying, blushing... It was too much to bear.

He clutched protectively around his heart, and fell onto the carpet, letting the fabric consume him.

He wanted to disappear, to fade into the darkness.

He wanted to take back his heart from her.

He wanted to kill, to go on a rampage, like the way he used to act.

Sadly, he couldn't do any of those things.

She had changed him. But whether it was for better or for worse, he couldn't tell.

The only thing he could understand was that he needed her.

The clouds outside gathered, and lightning and thunder echoed their complaints across the desert. The weather was reflecting the chaos in the Kazekage's heart. The clock in the room beeped: 3:45 am.

In his line of vision, Gaara watched as the shadow of a slender girl with black hair faded into nothingness.

"Hinata."

For the second time in his life, Gaara cried till his heart shattered.

I'm here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams
but tonight girl it's only you and me

Gaara: Why am I emo in this?

Elsie-chan: Because it will explain your feeling for Hina-chan! (smiles brightly; [for reference, please look at Naruto's smile during a mission])

Gaara: Whatever. Can I have a cookie?(bored expression)

Elsie-chan: (hands Gaara a chocolate chip cookie) Read and Review! Wave goodbye, Gaara-chaaan!

Gaara: You know what, Elsie-chan? Go and drown yourself in your sorry life.

Elsie-chan: Will do! (locks Gaara into a closet) I'm bored...