The Sands Of Time

A Gaara Love Story

Part One Returning Home

I looked from behind a tree at the gates of the hidden leaf village. How could it be that after these ten years I had changed so much yet these gates were still the same? I smiled to myself at this thought. I had been an orphan moving around over these years so the thought of anything the same shocked me in a good way. I stepped out from behind my hiding place and started walking towards the gates. I went threw my plan to get in without giving my identity to the guards. Like I did in many situation I would use my looks.

I was usually a very level headed person and was never cocky but I was very proud of my beauty. I didn't spend a lot of time on myself but I was always sure to look my best though it didn't take much for me to look good. My long onyx black hair fell effortlessly down my back making my bright red eyes stand out even more against my pale skin. And with long legs firm stomach and busty upper half it was a rare occasion that I wasn't stared at. This is why I wasn't to concerned because with my looks and a little sob story I was positive they would let me threw.

I slowly made my way up to the gates my head pounding visions of my older eldest brother standing over my dead parents, my beloved older brother on the ground twitching, and again my eldest brother telling me to hold on to my anger to let it take over my actions. I closed my eyes tight and said to myself "No these flashbacks have stopped me from returning to my home for to long. Your not doing this for you your doing it find out about your brother to see if he really is with Orochimaru ..."

I walked threw the gates my heart racing but I showed nothing on my face. I had gained a skill to keep my face emotionless a long time ago. I walked threw the gate looking at the ground not evening wanting to look at guard post. I walked past what I thought was the spot the post was out thinking maybe nobody was there when I heard somebody yell "Hey wait were going to need some id!"

I cursed under my breath I was fool to think no one was there. So I put on the sadest face I could muster and looked back to see who was coming after me. It was somebody I think I remembered from a long time ago when I use to go and wait for my brother to get out of school. Though I think I remembered him mostly sleeping …

I could tell by just looking at my sad face he felt bad about stopping me but he didn't take back what he said. "Oh Im sorry I understand but please couldn't you let me go just this once? You see my ex is following me everywhere and hes mad that I left him and hes hurt me so many times" to this I took in a dry sob to make it look like I was about to cry "and I just wanted to get threw here to go home. He cant get me there my brothers and my uncles will protect me." I swallowed down real tears this time. I remembered how my older brother had promised to always protect me now it was me trying to see if I could save him.

"W-what thats horrible! But please I cant let you go without an ID I promise I wont let your ex know you were here if you just give me his name," he said putting a hand on my shoulder. He was looking at me probably trying to imagine who was so lucky to get me then hurt me so bad. I hid a smile from him. I forgot what it was like to have someone care about my safety not knowing that there were only a few people who could actually hurt me.

For dramatic purposes I threw myself into his his arms catching him off guard but he had no problem holding on to me. I could feel his head lower into my hair most likely breathing me in. It probably wasn't intentional but I didn't mind I was use to it. Besides it showed that he was interested in me which meant he would want to help me which gave me a better chance.

"Please just let me go. Hes a very important man and he gets what ever he wants just by flashing money or by talking to people he knows. He knows so people everywhere I know he will be looking for me here. So please let me threw I promise I wont stop ill go straight threw without any stops. Please take pity on me." I said crying into his chest. I heard him sigh above me probably weighing me over how much trouble he might get in. But I wrapped my arms around his neck and I knew he was mine.

He gripped me a little tighter and said "Ok but if you change our mind and want to stay here a little longer come find me. Ill take you out to eat introduce to some people and you can even come stay at my place. So just keep me in mind ok my name is Shikamaru Nara. A lot of people know me so just ask any one ok. And just so you know I would never hurt you."

I pulled away and looked at him wiping my eyes and giving him a small smile. I took a couple steps back planning on walking away but then I thought what if I never got to thank him properly I walked back to him and kissed him lightly then ran. I felt his hand brush my arm as if trying to get me back. I didn't look back I couldn't. I didn't want to think of the possibilities of what might happen if I took him up on his offer.

I ran a couple of blocks then stopped when I thought that he wouldn't have followed me that far. I rested my back against a wall sighing sadly. Sometimes it was really hard living my way of live. Always traveling never staying in one place long. Only showing interest when I needed something or wanted to learn from them. The whole reason for me running away after my family was killed was to become more powerful just like my father had always wanted.

It was hard when I first started. I was alone not knowing where I was going wondering how I was going to eat or where I was going to sleep but I always had help. I was the poor cute little orphan so everyone helped me. And as I grew I became more beautiful so all I had to do was flirt and I got what I wanted. Sometimes I would a traveling ninja and they would allow me to train under them but when they got to close I ran away. It was my own defense against getting hurt again. Every now and then I would try and return home to see how my brother was and sometimes thinking maybe I could live there again. It never happened though it was always to painful. Though when ever I heard my brother was out on a mission close by I would watch over him. So many times I was so close to him almost able to hug him again. To see him smile. I never did see him smile.

His team looked nice though and it made me wonder why he wasn't happy. Though I knew he had to feel the same way I did. He felt alone and he only seeked power to defeat the one who brought him so much pain. Yet sometimes the way he looked at his team it made me wonder if he was beginning to think that he did have a family. In the blonde haired boy a brother and in the pink haired girl a love and in his sensai a father. And at times when I got to close I think he sensed that I was there and at night he would come so close to finding me sometimes. Sometimes I almost wanted him to find me if just to show him that part of his old life was still around.

Even with all of this my life became easier with time. I learned to control my emotions, when to walk away from someone who was getting close, and who would give me the most powerful jutsus. But at times it was almost unbearable. Some of the people I had met I didn't want to leave I had let myself get attached. One person in particular stuck out in my mind. I had saw him training one day and he was so powerful. I began talking to him and he told me what gave him such immense powers it was the demon that was inside him. I don't know why but we talked for the whole day. He told about his life and I told him parts of mine.

After that day we began seeing each other regularly and when we went our own ways at the end of the day I couldn't wait to see him again. Then one day he asked me to come to his office. I did and he wanted me to be his head adviser. I wanted to so bad, so bad that it hurt but that meant that I had to stay. It was then that I realized that he loved me. That's when I had to leave. I cried for week when I left. All I could think about was him telling me if it would make me smile he would move the whole desert for me and maybe if I didn't live this life that I could be with him and love him. If only I had another life. It was the hardest thing I ever did and he even sent his siblings after me but they were no threat. I can only imagine how heartbroken he was maybe even more then I was.

I shook this out of my head I had no time to think about that now I had to think about getting to the Hokage's office. I started walking slowly remembering all the good times I had had long ago in these streets. A smile across my face the whole way. I started to think that I belonged here this really was my home. It just felt right being here. I had a feeling that with or without my brother I was going to be here for a long time.

Without realizing it I had walked to the Hokage's building. I looked up at it remembering the last time I had been near a kage's office. It had ended up with two broken hearts. Hopefully this time things would go better. I walked in with no one stopping me unless they were saying good morning or asking why they hadn't seen me around before. No real problems mostly just excuses to talk to me. Finally I stood in front of the door and taking a deep breath stepped in. Looking at me was Lady Tsunade someone I was familer with but she didn't know the real me.

When she looked up she was shocked and said "Nina what are you doing here!" I frowned at that name. It was the fake name I had given to everybody I met except one. I shook my head almost painfully. I knew I had to know what had become of my brother but part o me wanted to think he was just waiting for me a couple of blocks away.

"Im sorry Lady Tsunade but thats not my real name. I lied to you when I was training under you. I knew if I told you who I really was you would never let me go. You would drag me back here to my brother knowing that I was probably the only one who could keep him out of trouble. But now its time you know the truth about me." I said my confidence rising again.

She looked at me trying to figure out if I was a threat but as I sat down I think she realized I wasn't here to hurt anyone. I was the one who was hurt. She finally said "Who are you?"

I looked up at her and said "My name is Karia Uchiha the younger sister of Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha and im here to find out what happened to my brother."