Author's Note: Guys, I'm mostly stabbing in the dark with this one. I haven't watched a whole lot of Naruto, just enough to kind of know what's going on. That being said, if you have low tolerance for anything outside of canon, then I advise you spare your patience and search elsewhere for better work. To everyone who desires to valiantly press onward, I welcome you to correct me. I can't guarantee all corrections will be made (simply because I don't want to have to rewrite the whole thing), but I'd still like to know what I messed up, including the Japanese words.

Other than that, I just have to say that I probably never would have thought of the pairing were it not for the very first fanfiction I ever read: Phantom of the Sand. (The link will be in my profile since the system won't let me put it here.) It's pretty epic. I suggest you guys go read that instead. ; )

Anyways, I guess this takes place post-chunin exams, but before Naruto returns.

Of course, I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with it, and the lyrics are from Michelle Branch's song "All You Wanted."

Turquoise and Jade

Autumn wind gently lifted Sakura's hair and sent a little shiver down her arms. She paused her steps for a moment, shifted the weight of the large stack of files she held against her chest, and glanced up at the muted sun that still fought bravely against gray skies. Soon, the sun would not be able to manage even the timid kiss of warmth it struggled to place on her cheek, and she sighed in incipient pining for summer.

The lightly chilled wind picked up a little, and Sakura had to hug the files more tightly to keep a few pages on top from fluttering away. She renewed her walk, a bit more brisk now, and set aside any lingering desire for warmer days.

Buildings and people flowed past her on either side without her really noticing them, and it seemed too soon that she was climbing the stairs up to the floor that held the Hokage's office. Her usually sharp mind was distracted with lethargy, and the scenery just seemed to pass by without relevance.

Sakura paced down the hall, trying to be a bit more aware of her surroundings, and found herself having to stop well short of Tsunade Sensei's office. Shinobi in the uniform of the Sand Village stood alongside the guarding shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, and she dully gazed farther down the hall to see why the Sand-nin were present. An entourage approached, Tsunade Sensei's tall stature evident in the center, and next to the Hokage walked…

Sakura's eyes widened, and she jolted into wakefulness, quickly bowing and holding the deferent posture through the entirety of the entourage's relaxed amble down the hall and into the Hokage's office. Sakura's action had not merely been one of respect, however, since she had also wanted to be quick to look elsewhere before his eyes could meet hers.

She shuddered when the office door closed and looked down at the files in her arms as if they might have a good suggestion for what to do with them now that she had to wait on the delivery. How could she even have forgotten that the Kazekage was supposed to be arriving today?

"I should go to bed early tonight," Sakura quietly groaned to herself, though that was hardly going to repair any blunders she might make until then.

Not knowing how long the meeting between the Kages would take, she turned back the way she had come and wandered her way outside to the little water garden where she used to practice medical jutsu on the colorful koi. The sun-brightened bench to one side promised more warmth than it actually offered, but Sakura sat on the edge of the chilled stone anyway and hugged her files more tightly. For a long while she just watched the glimmering fish weave in and out of each other and the aquatic plant life. The weather would soon be cold enough that the water garden would have to be winterized.

Which would be one more thing for her to miss during the frigid months, for even the aimless koi provided some kind of company.

Things simply hadn't been the same since the dissolution of Team 7. As if it had not been bad enough to lose Sasuke like she had—like they all had—then Naruto had to leave for training with Jiraiya. Sure, she still had other friends in Konohagakure and was kept fairly busy by Tsunade Sensei, but Sakura had lost all of the comrades from her squad, and that brought on its own kind of loneliness.

Sakura pushed away any more memories of the collapsed Team 7 before they could assail her further and focused instead on the water garden. The koi danced their languid ballet, reflecting the sunlight off of their scales like gold and silver coins. They may have been mindless, even stupid animals, but she felt a special affinity for them all the same, especially since she recognized each and every one of them. Perhaps affection is inevitable towards hapless creatures that one must help, and her training sessions with them had certainly allowed for that kind of bond.

Sakura shivered against a gust of wind and longingly looked back to the door. She could see again in her mind the entourage as it had passed through the hall, but this time she was able to replay it with the clarity of an awake mind, which meant that her perspicacity was now present to notice the details she had overlooked the first time.

Tsunade Sensei had been as quietly commanding as ever, her posture, pace, and mien all exuding a strength and confidence that could only be portrayed by a woman who knew her own power. The Leaf-nin around her had also subtly displayed in their demeanor a clear loyalty, respect, and admiration for their Hokage. Even though the escort had been more formality than necessity, Sakura was sure that anyone could have seen that each Leaf-nin would have been willing to die for the Hokage, and Tsunade Sensei's expression seemed to convey that she knew this, knew the love of her village, and shouldered the responsibility with great care.

In comparison, the Kazekage of the Sand Village had held a somewhat vacant expression over his features. There had been confidence and power in his movements, like in Tsunade Sensei's, but there also seemed to have been a pervading weariness around him, an effect that was enhanced by his insomnia-laden eyes. The Sand-nin around him, though also a formality, had been a little more wary. Unlike the faithful Leaf-nin guards, the Sand-nin had appeared much more distant from their Kazekage and even seemed to have a look in their eyes like they weren't sure if they would have to protect the Kazekage from someone else or protect someone else from the Kazekage.

Sakura shuddered in memory of the chunin exams. She vividly recalled standing between the transforming demon and an injured Sasuke. Her need to protect had filled her with an overwhelming courage that she could not have mustered on her own, and only now in retrospect was she able to truly acknowledge the sheer terror of that moment when the inchoate Shukaku had launched toward her, snarling and vicious and absolutely bloodthirsty.

Gaara, the self-loving demon. How different he looked now, burdened in the garb of the Kazekage. Whereas before he had been aloof and, well, creepy as hell, he now looked more isolated. Where he had been frightening far beyond the innocence that should have lingered at his age, he now looked too young beneath the heavy garments made for an older man.

A notion stirred in Sakura's mind, and at first she was reluctant to think on it. It was difficult to see Gaara as anything but a latent monster waiting to happen, and there was a grudging part of her that didn't want to see him as anything other. Nonetheless, the fact remained that he was different now. He looked human, and the more human he became to her, the more she saw through his light turquoise eyes.

Gaara, the self-loving demon—not just because the demon demanded worship of its own existence, but because the child had not had anyone else to love him. How terrible it must have been to live such a life, and he had been hated for something he had not even had a choice in, no less.

Hated and apparently still unforgiven, if the side glances from the Sand-nin had told Sakura anything.

She closed her eyes and saw him in the hallway again. She saw his weariness, the eschewed space around him. She saw how it was no different to him, how he had never known anything else. On top of it all, Sakura saw his black-rimmed eyes beneath his kanji scar, saw how he would sacrifice for his people even if they never loved him back.

I can't believe you're feeling sorry for the guy who was probably going to eat Sasuke! her inner persona fumed at her. Are you crazy? He's a freak!

"Not any more than Naruto," Sakura quietly said aloud.

How lonely it had to be for Gaara. She wondered if he had managed any friends since quelling his bloodlust, if his own siblings cared about him at all, if Gaara would even allow them to. Had anyone ever attempted to understand him? Well, Naruto had, but Naruto could relate to Gaara in a way no else could.

Would I be willing to give Gaara a second chance? Sakura wondered before she could get carried away judging the people of Sunagakure. The answer was difficult to determine, and in frustration for trying to be realistic about it, she stood and walked to the edge of the balcony to distract herself with something else.

People walked below her in the streets, streams of colors and textures that wove with a fluidity nearly as graceful as that of the koi. Somewhere beneath an overhang, a woman strummed a guitar and sang, the sweet music carried just far enough by the wind for Sakura to listen in.

I didn't know that

It was so cold and

You needed someone to show you the way

The song was momentarily obscured by an outbreak of laughter from some children that were chasing each other through the crowd, so Sakura leaned on the rail, using the stack of files as a prop for her chin, and strained to listen more closely to the pleasantly fall-ish tune. As she leaned out over the edge, however, she saw the crowds immediately below her begin to part rapidly. Voices quieted down, and cautious glances were cast about. The Sand Village entourage was entering the street.

Sakura's brow furrowed as a shock of hair the color of dried blood appeared below her, and she watched the Kazekage pause to adorn his ceremonial sugegasa hat. He began walking his measured pace again, and the crowds opened before him without any prompts from his escort. His head didn't turn this way or that, so he must not have noticed or simply not cared how the people quarantined him.

At the opposite end of the street and therefore blissfully unaware of the grave procession farther along, the musician continued to sing her song. The music was like a dulcet background to Sakura's thoughts, and she hardly paid attention to the accompaniment while she watched the Kazekage's progress.

Thoughts of Naruto again twined alongside thoughts of Gaara in Sakura's head. Naruto had an amazing ability to see more in people, to give them that chance, and to bring out the better parts of human nature. She didn't know how he did it, but she was confident nonetheless in his abilities in the matter. He had seen more in Gaara, and presumably, he had brought out the better in Gaara, too. Sakura didn't take that lightly, though she was still hesitant to change her opinion of the self-loving demon.

She sighed and forcibly let go of lingering resentment. He deserves a second chance, Sakura decided. If only he had known any kindness to begin with, maybe he would not have been what he was during the exams. And now that he knows there is more than hate and violence, who knows what he could be?

Sakura cringed as she watched a child stare at the Kazekage with a fascination somewhere between horror and wonder. The mother quickly swept the child away to safer places, but still no one from the entourage of Sand-nin appeared to notice or care.

Of course, someone has to actually give him that second chance, Sakura dryly mused.

The Kazekage stopped for no obvious reason, and his entourage appeared to be confused as his head slowly swiveled from side to side. Sakura blinked, also wondering what could have caught his attention, and leaned out as far as she could over the balcony. With a smooth movement that was careful despite its abruptness, the Kazekage turned around then, and his eyes searched in her direction until they met with hers.

For a shocked moment, Sakura could only return wide-eyed blinks. The Kazekage continued to watch her, though, so she must have been the object of his curiosity. Perhaps he had sensed her intent observation.

Suddenly embarrassed, especially now that the other Sand-nin were directing their gazes to her, she threw on a huge smile and self-consciously rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. After a moment when she peeked at Gaara, however, he was still watching her.

I wonder if he remembers me, Sakura nervously thought even as she contemplated just ducking behind the balcony wall right there to escape the humiliating moment.

Before she could leap to any exaggerated action, though, he finally dropped his gaze to the ground. The emptiness he kept smoothed over his face made it difficult for her to read his expression, but he appeared to have a pensive quality about him.

Sakura dropped her smile and watched him, wondering how much sadness and pain he kept to himself. He looked completely friendless, completely loveless.

Unbidden, the music down the street swirled into her consciousness and accentuated the vision.

If you want to

I can save you

I can take you away from here

So lonely inside, so busy out there

And all you wanted was somebody who cares

Gaara briefly raised his eyes back to her jade gaze, but this time Sakura didn't jerkily react with embarrassment. She smiled softly instead and hoped that he would understand: I'll try to forgive what you were and maybe know a little better what you are.

Then the wind blew, shivering Sakura out of the intense moment, and the Kazekage had to hold up a hand to keep the loose cloth of the sugegasa from flapping in his face. The connection broken, he turned away, presumably continuing whatever business he had started on to begin with, and she clutched her files to herself.

Loneliness could be colder, the scorn and condemnation of others could be more bitter than any winter storm could offer in its frozen rage. Sakura knew that, if not quite in the same way that Gaara did, and it caused her to wistfully watch his departure.

What monsters the world created; if only it were not so cruel.

End note: To anyone who has followed any of my previous work, consider me still deceased. : )