It was a stormy night in the Village Hidden in the Sand, a young man of 15 sits on his bed in the room he shares with his older brother. His brother tosses and turns in his sleep but doesn't wake up, "I guess that's a good thing," the boy thought to himself, " I'm glad he's such a heavy sleeper." He choked back sobs, it was his birthday in a few hours but it was not a time for celebration. It was a time for mourning, for 15 years ago to this day HE was born, a monster who was nothing but a battle tactic to his village. He got up and looked under the bed, pulling out a box. Taking off the lid he sighed with relief that it was still there. Producing a bear from the cardboard cube and climbing back into his bunk he smiled. "At least i still have you," he cooed openly to the stuffed animal with matted hair. "As long as we have each other we won't be alone in this world...I must look pretty stupid right now, huh teddy? Gaara, the almost 15 year old monster hugging a teddy bear and crying...oh well, they already think I'm a freak. This won't change things much." He closed his eyes but did not sleep, he daydreamed about his mother and all the things they would have done together. She would have been there to help him. Still talking softly to himself, Kankuro listened, saddened by his brother's plight. He got an idea, so he rolled out of bed.

"Where are you going, brother?" gaara asked through choking sobs.

"It's none of you business! Leave me alone." Was Kankuro's reply, it made him feel bad about being so hateful to Gaara, but his plan would make up for it.

Out of the room he snuck quietly to Temari's room. "Who's there?!" by the time he had called out his own name She had already snatched up her fan and was in attack mode. "Oh," she said, "come in then if you must. Now please tell me why you woke me up in the middle of the night or I'll tear your head off!"

"AUUUGHHH!! No Temari! Don't!! Please I'm begging you!"

"Stop your groveling, and tell me what you want!" She was angry and confused now.

"Promise you won't hurt me??"

"I can't promise that."

"Okay then never mind you could tell he was scared," well I couldn't sleep so I was listening to Gaara talk, and I thought maybe, we could have him a birthday party???"

He looked at her with puppy dog eyes in the hope she would agree. He didn't want to admit it but he really does love his brother and his sister...even though they both scare the living hell out of him. Temari felt the same way.

"So let me get this straight," she started, "you" she pointed at him, "want to throw him" she pointed again in the direction of their room," a birthday party???"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Just for the record, when you were planning this little get together, did you ever stop to ask your self 'who would come?'???"

"Umm, no. No I didn't..."

"Exactly, now let's think about this we have me and you," she held up two fingers, "We know his father wouldn't come...that covers our little "family", I HIGHLY doubt the neighbors would come unless we threatened them. The big softie would not like that. And that covers our village so we have me and you!"

He saw her point, "Ooh! Hey!! What about the girl next door? She's his age. Her name is Datenshi, and she scares me almost as much as he does!" He tried to look hopeful with as big a smile as he could muster on his face.

"Are you sure? If so I'll go talk to her tomorrow, well that's three people not counting birthday boy, I guess that's enough isn't it?? It means i won't have to make much food-"

He cut her off, "YOU CAN COOK?!?!?!"

"Of course, I'll take care of the food if you'll take care of gifts. Here's a little money," she pulled a fan shaped piggy bank off the shelf, "Get him something like a little gourd for his bear for me. I can't believe I'm about to say this but, "she sighed, "lets get started! I wonder if any of the neighbors have a cake recipe." She was thinking to herself, Kankuro took it as his cue to leave.

It had been about an hour since he left his room, he had not yet thought of what he would get his brother, but he thought about a picture frame for Gaara's only picture of his mother. That's what he would get him! So he went into his room and grabbed his own portion of money from Crow's back.

"You're back, brother..."Gaara tried.

"Shut up Gaara I'm busy!"

Gaara cried a little more he loved his family even if they didn't love him... So again he buried his head in his pillow and sobbed into it.

The next day Temari got up earlier than usual and headed out the door, she stopped at one of the houses and rapped upon the hardened wood, there was a great clinking of chains, the door cracked open, and an elderly woman poked her withered head out. She shut it almost immediately; she yelled through the door "What do you want?"

"All I want is a cake recipe!"

"Then you'll leave me alone?"

"Of course, you have my word."

"Fine then," There was a long link of sounds and the woman reappeared. "Here! Keep it just don't come back!!!!"

"Thank you; you have a credit with me. When I slaughter half the village you will be spared." A sigh and the sound of running reached her ears. Temari walked silently with haste to the grocers, got everything she needed for the party and rushed home.

Kankuro was not having as much luck, he had gone to every shop in town but three and he was starting to become agitated. He walked into a small family run store, and squinted in the semi-darkness. And as luck would have it the back wall held a small candle-sized gourd. He picked it up and was about to pay when he noticed a shadowy figure leaning against a display. The man wore a dark jacket that reached to his knees, and a pair of blue jeans with a t-shirt. His black buckle boots were old and scuffed, and his short spiky hair was bright red...

"Hey, Kankuro." The man said icily, Gaara's father didn't seem to like anyone.

"Hey," he replied just as coldly.

"There, I was nice to you now go away!"

"Not until I ask you something,"

"You got ten seconds kid."

"Sister and I are having Gaara-"the man flinched-"a fifteenth birthday party. You should come." The words flew like daggers.

"Get out of here, kid. Unless you give me one reason I should come."

"Well how about this one? He's your son!"

He flinched again. No answer.

"Hey! It's YOUR fault the only one's there for him are me and sister!"

"Hey the only mistake I EVER made was thinking the kid would be strong enough to use the shukaku without being killed...Guess I was wrong there huh? Now get out of my face."

"Fine." Kankuro paid for his items and left the store infuriated. He wne tot the last store on the street and found a picture frame, he purchased this also and stalked back toward his home but he did not enter instead he stopped at the house beside it and rapped on the door. A young girl of fourteen answered, "Who are you and what do you want?" Her features were angry yet beautiful.

"My name is Kankuro, I live next door and I wanted to know if you wanted to come to my brothers birthday party tonight?" Wrong, he thought to himself, she's MUCH scarier than Gaara.

"Hang on and stay here, "she walked inside looking angry as ever. As soon as the door closed though, she screamed and jumped around. OMG!!! I can't believe it! She thought. She had always had feelings for Gaara but was too shy to tell him, this was the perfect day. She opened the door again, "I'll see you at six."

Kankuro could see the pure mirth on her face, he stifled a laugh. "See you then!"

He walked away from the door thinking, heh heh mission accomplished.

By the time he had wrapped the gifts-somewhat clumsily-he went into the kitchen and smelled the cake. Temari was just taking it out of the oven so it could cool and she could ice it. "Where's Gaara?" He asked.

"In his room...still crying, what could you have said to him for him to feel that bad?"

"I pretended I was mad at him so I could keep it a surprise."

"Well go cheer him up and then once he cools off bring him out, Datenshi just called to let me know she's about to be here."

"Okay, got to cheer up the birthday boy!" He danced out of the room to the one they share. There he was lying on the bed, his small body heaving with sobs.

"Gaara?"

Sniff "What do you want I thought you hated me!?"

"I could never hate you, I'm sorry I acted like that. But, whose birthday is it?"

"Mine."

"Well do you think you're calm enough to come into the kitchen your sister and I have a surprise for you."

"I think I'm calm enough unless you're both just gonna beat me with sticks."

"We're not, I promise."

"Fine." He got up and strode out of the room with Kankuro not far behind. He covered Gaara's eyes. They entered the kitchen and he uncovered them, there before Gaara was the greatest thing he had ever seen, he had never had a real birthday party before so this was shocking. He dropped to his knees, and cried. His siblings were there beside him ready to hug him. When the door burst open, and in walked the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

"Am I late?" Datenshi asked.

"No you're just in time," Temari replied, she was crying now too.

"Oh good, I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if I missed his fifteenth birthday! "She sat beside him, "Why are you crying Gaara?" Her smile was breathtaking and she wasn't scary any more.