The house was quiet, only the sound of water running from the kitchen and dishes lightly clinking together could be heard as someone seemed to be tidying up. That was common for that time of day though, the hot dessert sun beating in through the window, giving a rather comfortable spot for the cat to spread out and be lazily while the shade was ice cold, thanks to the air conditioner running full blast. There was stillness to the home, but it didn't seem to last long as the sound of a stamped approached at an alarming rate. The person cleaning simply sighed, knowing that all their hard work was about to be ruined…

"OKAASAN~ WE'RE HOME!" Shouted a rather rowdy sounding boy; the jeers and chatter of several more children not too far behind him.

"Of course you are…" The woman tiredly mumbled under her breath before chuckling to herself. "I'm in the kitchen!"

The pattering of suddenly bare feet soon stomped through, a wave of giggles and laughter pouring into the room as the kitchen was swarmed and the barrage of voices hit the working mother.

"Mama! I finally hit the center of the target with my kunai today!"

"Okaasan, Okaasan you aren't going to believe what happened in class today, Mei sensei totally got pranked and-

"I was training with my sensei today and I finally mastered that taijutsu move he was teaching me! Wanna see?"

The woman gave a small sigh, laughing a little as she pulled away from her dishes and turned to her kids, arms still dripping with water and soap as she started to round them all up. "Alright, alright! Hold on you lot. You just got home and I've still got some chores to finish up. How about you all go put away your things and wash up, I'll put out some crackers and tea for you all when you're all changed and relaxed. Then, you can bombard me with what happened today. Okay?"

"Hai!" Came the resounding response. The parade ran off after that, leaving her once more in silence as the chatter and shouting drifted deeper into the home. Left in peace, she returned to her work, hurrying a little more now as she raced against the clock. Dishes were left to dry in the drying rack once they were done, a plate of crackers set on the kitchen table while water was boiled for tea. Just as the water was ready, the first set of feet trotted into the kitchen. The eldest child had finished first, like he always did.

"Okaasan, I got to show you my new move! It kicks butt…literally!"

"Not in the house, you can show me in the yard after dinner."

"Aww…Come on!"

"Do I have to remind you of what happened the last time you did taijutsu in the house?" She reprimanded, raising an eyebrow at her son as the young boy paled slightly before laughing nervously.

"…I'll wait."

The boy stepped back, pulling up a chair and taking some crackers from the plate. Munching silently, he sat back as his mother brought over the tea, pouring him a cup which he took happily as more children came in.

"Okaasan? Did you wash my purple shirt? I can't find it." A pretty girl asked curiously, her identical twin soon following, said shirt in her arms.

"It got put in my drawer again." The second girl replied lightly, moving on to sit next to her brother. Taking the shirt happily, the first twin pulled it on over her tang top before hopping into a seat herself.

Eating in content silence, the trio was peaceful for a moment while their mother went about wiping off the kitchen counters. Several more feet pattered in, a pair of boys and finally the youngest, a little girl. The boys were holding onto the little girl's hands, swinging her as she giggled loudly. They were barely tall enough to do so but that didn't stop them in the slightest. The last three wandered to the table, taking the left over seats there, the youngest being tucked onto a booster seat and given a glass of juice instead. With all the kids finally seated and eating, the stillness of the home returned once more.

"Okaasan?" Spoke up the oldest boy.

…For a second anyway.

"Yeah?" The woman said, turned from her work on the counters and wandering towards the fridge. She wasn't answered for the longest time, just going about pulling out whatever she could for dinner when suddenly he decided to finally respond.

"How did you meet Otoosan?"

There was another sudden silence, this time though from their mother as the woman slowly stood up and turned to look at her children. It seemed the question had surprised them all as they glanced to their older brother before looking at their mother, back and forth again and again. She wasn't upset, but it was a rather odd question to just bring up without warning. Putting a hand on her hip she smiled at her son curiously. "What brought that up?"

"Well…we were talking about ourselves today during training, a team bonding exercise. We all started talking about our families and I realized that…I was the only one who couldn't talk about my parents. I mean…Everyone knows you guys so there wasn't anything new I could share. I got to thinking about it and realized that there is only one thing I don't know about you…and that's how you and Otoosan met."

"I…never told you guys?" She responded with a question, looking over her children almost surprised as they all nodded in reply. "I…Well, I suppose it just never came up. With your father's work and my own, plus the house work…have I really never told you?"

"Oh, Okaasan! Please tell us! Please!" The twin girls begged in skilled unison. "We just have to know!"

"Ugh, I don't want to hear about them kissing!" One of the younger boys protested.

"Actually, your father and I didn't kiss in the beginning…That's not how relationships work hun." Their mother spoke softly, patting her little son's head gently before she turned to look at the food she was collecting. "It's too long of a story to tell though, and I have to get dinner star-"

There was a gust of wind suddenly, a chair clattering to the floor where the eldest had been. Shocked, they all blinked in surprise only to jump as the eldest slid back in, slamming into one of the walls from his speed. Stumbling he picked his chair back up and slammed a small wallet on the table, packed full with mission earned funds. "I'll…I'll buy dinner!" He gasped, panting loudly as he fell onto the table. The twin sisters glanced between each other for a moment before running off as well.

"Ah, no sweetie- Girls get back here-"

"Me too! I'll help pay too!"

"Take my savings!"

The girls had returned before their mother could stop them, one holding a pink wallet and the other grasping a purple piggy bank, upside down and ready for the cork in the bottom to be ripped out. The oldest trio all stared down their mother with wide excited eyes, money in hand while they pouted at her. "Please Okaasan! Tell us the story!"

The younger trio began to chant, demanding the story as well. She was outnumbered, six to one. There was no winning this battle, and honestly there were worst things a group of rowdy children could be demanding. With a small laugh she motioned with her hand to be quiet, the group doing so instantly. "Alright…I'll tell the story."

"Yeah!"

"But you better put that money right back where you all found it! Save it for something better than food. I'll order us some takeout closer to dinner, but for now I want you all to finish tidying up the kitchen for me. I've got to go set something for the story. I'll be in the living room when you are all done. Understand? I want it spotless in here."

The older trio saluted quickly before rushing off to start getting things cleaned up from their snacking. Leaving her children to go gather up the mentioned item, it seemed that she was only gone for a moment before she came back and found that all her children were neatly sitting around the living room, even her youngest having been moved to the floor while holding onto a ratty old teddy that had seen better days. The tea and crackers had been moved to the coffee table, with the addition of a seventh cup that was piping hot for her. Chuckling, she revealed the large photo album in her arms as she walked over to the couch, sitting amongst her children. She was silent as she opened to the book at the very beginning, revealing an old faded photo of sorts. A picture of her husband and herself side by side in the most impersonal manner was on the page. No touching, no hand holding, just very businesslike smiles on their faces.

"Woah…Dad looks so…boring."

"He looks uncomfortable, that's what!" One of the younger sons chirped up from his place on the floor in front of her.

"That's because in this picture, your father and I weren't in love, and we barely even knew each other. In fact, your father and I had a business relationship before we had a romantic one." She said, grinning a bit as she turned the book to look over it herself. "However, even before that business relationship, we were just strangers whose meeting was by chance. Neither of us could have possibly known what would have come of it at the time…"

"Come on Mom…Stop stalling!" The eldest complained, pulling a full laugh from his mother before she patted his back.

"Alright…This is the story…of how I met your father."

Back way before I met your father, I was a monk. I had it all, the traditional robes, the shaved head…everything. Specifically, I was a Zen monk. You see, Zen Buddhism is a meditative practice, unlike other practices that focused on scrolls and chants. In the beginning I thrived on it, but over time I found meditation in the designated temple was…dull. I was young and had never really seen the world; at most I had just helped locals use natural medicines to cure small ailments. I didn't want to spend my whole life in one spot, regretting that I never took a chance, so one day I packed up everything I had at the temple and left, seeking myself and the world beyond my door.

I traveled all over; I went from small little hot spring towns to massive capitals! It was thrilling to see the difference between the urban cities and quite country. At the time, the world was still recovering from the last ninja war, even after a few years the scars of it remained. The damage that it caused was massive, and it left its imprint on the world, and on its people. I spoke with many in my travels and more than once gave rights to the dead. It made me realize that there was so much happening in the world and I had spent most of it tucked away in the dark. However, the first true spark I had while on my travels happened in a small little village, just along the border between Fire country and Wind Country.

I had arrived seeking to restock my supplies and rest before I took a plunge into the desert. First though, I needed to meditate. Traveling had taken much of my meditation time away and I knew I had been putting it off longer than I should have. A kind person had given me instructions on how to get to a small secluded cliff, a place that would be perfect for some quiet meditation. I knew that I would need to clear my mind before the trial of the desert, and honestly I had just wanted a moment. However, instead of solitude…I found company.

I remember it well, because I hadn't actually been one on one with a person in a very long time. In fact, I had spent much of my travels either alone, or in quick exchanges of words around massive amounts of people. The fact that I found just one person standing on the same cliff I intended to meditate at was rather intimidating…It didn't help that he was handsome as well. He stood tall, even though he was actually shorter than me by a few inches while I stood in my geta. His hair was more wild back then too, spiky and untamed, just brushed enough to keep him looking neat. His outfit was plane, nothing stood out about it, dark pant and a long tunic of sorts. I couldn't see his face at the time, but if anyone had to guess, he would probably have been brooding.

At first I had thought to turn back and go find somewhere else to meditate, I didn't want to interrupt a stranger after all. However, something about your father sparked a curiosity in me at the time. I don't know if it was a gut feeling, or maybe all that meditation had just made it so I could see beyond body language, but something told me that he needed company. Whether he wanted it or not was a whole other story. I knew standing quietly wasn't going to do me any good, so I took the last steps onto the cliff and cleared my throat. He didn't turn at first and I almost spoke up instead, but he glanced over his shoulder at me and I froze. His eyes were piercing; however the look wasn't anger, but sadness almost. Before I could read into the look, the emotion left and all that remained was a blank but polite stare.

I was frozen for a moment, as your father's gaze had that sort of effect on the ill prepared. I eventually composed myself though and spoke up…

"Ah, I-I'm sorry. I hope I did not interrupt you. I merely came to look for a place to meditate and was told that this cliff would do."

"It's fine…" He said simply, as if that would remove the awkward air at the time. He looked me up and down for a moment, not hiding it at all as he seemed to be taking in my appearance. It was understandable, as I was quickly finding out on my trip that it wasn't common for women to pursue Buddhism as a monk, let alone go around bald. I suppose that must have been one of the reasons why your father questioned me. "Are you…a monk?"

"Ah, yes, I am! May I be of service?" I had offered robotically, the habit of helping people seeking my knowledge or skills hard to fight.

"No…" He said firmly at first before looking at the ground and softening his voice. "I did not know there was a temple here."

"There isn't." I spoke as I approached slowly, moving to set down my bag as I settled on a spot to set up my meditation cushion. "I'm a traveling monk, so I don't align myself with a temple at the moment. It's one of many reasons I have come to this cliff. I must meditate on my experiences so far and also mentally prepare for more of my travels."

He just grunted. I suppose my answer had been too long for his liking, and honestly that had been the shortened version of it. However, that didn't stop me from going about my business setting up my meditation cushion. I had tried to find the most level spot in the area, which was actually closer to him than I had intended to get. I was a few feet away, nowhere in his personal space but probably closer than I should have gotten. A silence had taken over so I had assumed he had no more interest in talking to me anymore. Which was fine, at the time I had other things on my mind and talking to a stranger wasn't a top priority. However, after I had settled down and taken off my geta to meditate, he spoke up again suddenly.

"Monks aren't common…" It was a statement, and at first I didn't respond until I noticed he was glancing at me.

"No, we aren't…" I coolly replied in return. "But we aren't a dead breed either. There are still lots of us in the smaller villages and country side."

There wasn't a grunt this time, or even a sound of acknowledgement at all. Instead more silence followed and the awkward air only got thicker. I couldn't just let the atmosphere fall apart, as I felt that there was more he was trying to say than he was letting on. I still don't know if that was ever the case, but it seemed that my odd gut feeling had been right because what happened next surprised both us I think.

"Would you….like to meditate with me?" I asked slowly, testing the waters a bit. The offer seemed to rightly take him off guard, as his expression shifted the most it had since I first saw him. He seemed almost confused by the offer, as if it had secondary meaning to it. I simply just smiled up at him and motioned to a spot beside myself. "You are here to clear your head right? No one just goes and stares into the distance on a cliff without reason."

Looking away from me, he looked out at the scenic view he had been staring at before. I small part of me wondered if I embarrassed him by calling him out like that, but he took it surprisingly well, more so than I would expect of anyone really. He seemed to be thinking on what I said, and I had assumed the silence was to be taken as a decline of the invite. Without another word, I simply went about my business. With my legs in the full lotus position, I began to prepare to meditate. I went through the motions, first finding my balance and adjusting as needed before putting my hands together in a sort of prayer hold, showing my respect to Buddha. I then rested my hands in Hokkaijoin and began to stare before myself as always. I was slipping into my meditation slowly until a noise caught my attention. Glancing to my side, your father had taken a seat beside me. Granted, he was out of reach by a good amount, but the fact he had sat down and seemed to observe my posture was a nice gesture.

I could tell he was trying to figure out the legs, mostly because he had simply crossed his own but kept looking to my legs as if trying to understand how I had bent myself that way. I couldn't stop my smile and turned to him, stopping my meditating. "The full lotus isn't for everyone; I've been doing this for years so I'm flexible enough. Kneeling is alright, but if you'd like to be as close as you can to correct, a half lotus will do." After that I changed my footing, showing him the position.

He looked me over for a moment, having watched the shift and then proceeded to attempt himself. He did it well for a first timer, but I could tell that he wasn't going to be getting out of it as easily as he had gotten into it. Once he had settled himself and turned to look at me again, I continued on. "The rest is simple. You place your left hand into your right, palms up. Bend your thumbs so that the tips are touching, making an oval. Rest your wrists onto your thighs, but have your hands gently lain against your stomach. Shoulders relaxed, but not slouched; keep you back straight and your head slightly down, as if your spine is to be pointing towards the sky. Don't close your eyes but stare about a meter before yourself. Don't think about what you see or hear, don't think about the world around you. Just breathe…"

"What?"

I looked to him out of the corner of my eye, seeing the slight concern on his face at the thought of shutting out the world. I knew it wasn't an easy concept, as there was always something constantly happening around oneself. Distractions were common and many. That's what made meditation hard. Not the sitting, or the breathing…but the letting go of what was around yourself. Smiling again, I just nodded my head before looking forward.

"Meditation isn't about how you sit or breathe. It's about letting go of your emotions and thoughts. You are seeking shelter in yourself from your minds trials, such as strong anger and stress or painful emotions and memories that might guide you to follow the wrong path. You must not let your mind wander and bring these things forth, yet you should not suppress them either. Let them flow, let them be but don't let them control you. Part of doing that though, you must not let the world around you pull your focus from your breathing or meditation. It will only encourage the mind to work more, when you want it to rest and find peace. It's one of the reasons that usually, you face a wall or…anything that won't change suddenly." I explained in heavy detail, or as heavy as I felt was needed.

"That's easier said than done." He commented.

"True, but one doesn't become enlightened in a day." I retorted.

There was silence again, and for a moment I wondered if I should return to meditating on my own. Your father spoke up before I could though, and once more brought my gaze back onto him.

"How do you breathe?"

"Slowly, taking in air as you would naturally through your nose, but focus on the exhale, controlling it almost. Don't close your eyes thought. It might cause you to become drowsy, which in turn affects both breathing and posture. Instead, stare before you; look at something without looking at it. Don't take in the details, just stare. In time, your eyes will become lax, but not tired…and your mind will begin to rest. It takes practice to let go of your surroundings so don't worry if you don't experience it right away."

There was silence, and I looked at your father out of the corner of my eye for a minute. He positioned himself as best he could, looking before himself as he let his hands rest in proper position. I smiled and went back to my own meditation. I honestly lost track of time after that, I really couldn't tell you when the meditation started. We probably sat together for hours, neither moving nor doing anything other than the breathing. We were in sync even, each taking in a breath at the same time, and exhaling at the same rate. It wasn't long until the sun began to set, and the change of light slowly pulled me from my mediation. I looked out over the setting sun in silence for the longest time, not saying anything before I finally glanced over at my company.

It was obvious your father was also finished meditating, though probably for longer than myself. He turned to me after a moment, his expression plane as I smiled at him kindly. I couldn't tell if the meditation had helped him or if it had just confused him. His expression was hard to read at the time. However, that didn't stop him from sharing it opinion on it.

"I…don't think I understood it." He stated simply.

"Meditation isn't to be understood. It's to be experienced." I explained. He just gave me a look before turning to the sunset.

"Does meditation usually take this long?"

"It depends on the person. I can meditate for hours…some only minutes. There is no end goal though. However long it takes, you meditate for the sake of meditating. Though, I suppose that is more directed to the fact that it's almost evening, am I right?"

He nodded his head, slowly moving to stand up. Like I had thought, it was a struggle to get out of the half lotus for him, but he managed enough. I did the same, packing up my cushion and preparing my other things to head back to the village and hopefully find a place to stay for the night. While I put away my things, your father did something rather unexpected of any stranger I would have run into.

"Thank you…"

"Hmm?" I said at first, not really catching what he said.

"Thank you for letting me meditate with you. It helped…I think."

I blinked at him for a long time before smiling wide and laughing a bit. "That's a normal feeling. Meditate a bit more and you'll eventually notice the changes. Until then though, you'll feel like that a lot." I stood up then, putting my things on my shoulder and preparing to leave.

"Well, it has been a pleasure to have your company. However, I have to go find a place to stay the night now and it's terribly late. It was nice sitting with you…Ah, I don't think I ever got your name."

"It's no problem, I never got yours either…" He said back simply. I chuckled a bit, a little embarrassed at myself for not haven't caught it sooner.

"I'm Saguaro, it was a pleasure sharing meditation with you-"

"Gaara…"

"Hmm?"

"My name is Gaara."

He said it firmly, so at first I didn't really know if I should take it as it was. Still, it flattered me a bit that this odd stranger felt compelled enough to share his name. I had been around so many others who never did, or who had but had only been around a short moment of time. It made the moment more personal and friendly, which was difficult considering you father didn't give off much of a friendly air back then. I nodded at him, simply smiling politely as I had been the whole time and giving a bit of a bow.

"It's been a pleasure, Gaara-san. I hope meditation helped you with whatever it was you needed help with. Now if you excuse me, I won't keep you anymore."

I left, simple as that. There was nothing keeping me there and he made no move or sound to continue speaking with me. He just turned back to the cliff once more and stared out at the setting sun. I did look back once, but he was gone. Not even a sound besides the wind rustling the trees around. Though it was a small meeting, and had very little to it, it was without a doubt the beginning of our very…interesting relationship.

Authors Note: I decided to write this on a whim, playing around with the idea of Gaara having a wife and family. I have this feeling that Gaara, as strange and different as his own childhood was, would want to have a family and give them all he never had. I wrote it as told by the wife, who I made a bit different as well~ I just have this picture in my mind that Gaara doesn't do anything by the book. His view point is different that most people, as is what he might find attractive or interesting. In other words, he's just being Gaara. I'd love to hear any ideas or thoughts you might have on it, as I'm not sure if I should add more, or leave as a strange little piece. For now, it will stay in-progress. This is also posted on my Tumblr under the same title! Leave a comment or constructive criticism where ever is easiest for you.