A/N: All right. So! I decided to write another GaaraxOC fic. I wasn't planning on doing another one because personally, I thought I sucked at it. But hey! Thanks to LostSocks11 for motivating me to do another one. You really are too kind. Anywho! I'm using a different OC so yeah. Let's see where this goes, shall we? Ja ne!

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. But a few characters in this story are mine, such as Akki and Elana.

New Beginnings

Chapter 1: Resignation

Things hadn't been going too well in the village of Suna. The village had definitely reverted back to the way they viewed Gaara, their Kazekage. He had been Kazekage for nearly three years now and throughout that time, he hadn't had one slip up. Until just a few months ago. Once the Akatsuki were disposed of by numerous people, the bijuu were set free from their imprisonment. Gaara's was returned to his body, the Ichibi being quite comfy in its host. However, this also came with many different personality changes. He was sleep deprived yet again. It took him quite a while to get used to not sleeping again. The only support he had was Temari and Kankuro. And even then, Kankuro was dead. Yes, Kankuro was sent out on a mission a few weeks back. His mission was to take out one of the ninja that threatened to assassinate the leaders of all the major countries. Unfortunately, Kankuro had tracked down the leader of the assassins and engaged in battle. Nothing was heard from him for a few days and then when ninja were sent to scout for him... they came back with a body.

As the Kazekage sat at his desk, he sighed to himself. It was a swift gust of air, but it was noticeable. His sea green eyes concentrated on nothing in particular as pale hands ran through his short fiery hair. Just by looking at him, anyone could tell he was stressed. He had mounds of paperwork sitting on his desk, built up from the past few weeks that he had been dealing with funeral arrangements. He had to get things situated with the stone, epitaph, where he would be buried. Eventually, he decided on a place, but now there was paperwork he had to fill out and sign, what with him being family and all. He didn't know why Temari didn't do it, but he supposed that it was only right, considering she was still grieving. So, with yet another heavy sigh, he delved into the mound of paperwork.

What had gone so wrong? Why were things happening so horribly for him? Was it because he had the Ichibi back inside of him? Probably. The Bijuu had been nothing but bad luck. Or maybe it was because everyone in Suna liked to take advantage of Gaara because they discovered he had a heart and wasn't a monster. As Gaara sat there, he heard a knock on the door. "Enter," he called as he continued to fill out the paperwork.

The door to the Kazekage's work area opened to reveal a woman with long brown hair put up in a ponytail. The long strands hung to her upper thighs, even as the hair was pulled up high on her head. Her eyes were the deepest sapphire blue. She wore high heeled shoes and a short wrap-around kimono-style dress. The pattern was a deep red with black trim. Her face bore a smile as she held papers close to her chest. She shut the door behind her silently and walked elegantly over to the Kazekage. "Lord Gaara, this paperwork just arrived for you," she said in a honey soft voice.

The Kazekage looked up then. The woman handed him the papers with a small timid smile before he hesitantly took them with a nod. "Thank you, Elana," he said softly, setting the paperwork aside with a small glare at it. More paperwork. He didn't mind being the Kazekage, but with so many requests to do things, it got a little tiresome. He'd signed his name so many times that he could actually say he was starting to hate it.

The woman nodded quietly and bowed as she stepped back. "Sir, the council wants to know if you finished signing the funeral papers," she said softly. Gaara sifted through his papers and looked at the funeral papers before signing his name and handing them off to her. Well, that was four less papers, he supposed. "Thank you. Is there anything I can get you? Some tea perhaps?" she asked with an inviting smile, trying to hint that he'd been locked up in the office for several days now without sustenance and it wasn't healthy.

Gaara caught the hint as he faltered in his writing that he'd gone back to doing to nod quietly. "Yes, thank you," he replied, lifting his gaze only momentarily with a grateful look in his eyes. It was brief, but with Gaara, emotions were a fleeting thing. If you didn't catch it right then and there, you missed it. His expressions were few and far between. Some would even say he was emotionally retarded. However, that wasn't the case. He just refused to show emotions because anything he did could set off Shukkaku. Not only that, but it was just his personality. He didn't say things unless things called for a response. He didn't do anything unless the time called for action. Now, Gaara was not lazy, by any means. But he did know when there was a time and place for things. Well, that and he was antisocial due to his past.

Elana smiled once more and nodded her head as she bowed and started to retreat out of the room, closing the door behind her. As soon as she was gone, Gaara turned his sight to the mound of paperwork that just seemed to keep piling up, even when he was already busy with it. He sifted through the paperwork and looked for deadlines, separating them accordingly as he usually did. As soon as all the papers were separated, the Kazekage looked upon the work he'd been given. Frown lines were starting to form on the young leader's face. He heard his bijuu laughing in the back of his head, making his glare intensify. After a few more moments of glaring at the paperwork, hoping it'd catch on fire or sign itself, Gaara gave up and stood from his seat. He walked over to the window silently and looked down at all the people walking through the streets. None of them knew what exactly they had done to the Kazekage. Either that, or they just didn't care.

Some information that was neglected to be mentioned. As soon as Gaara got the bijuu implanted back into his body, the whole village started to talk about him again. And not in a good way either. There were few shinobi that actually gave a rat's ass about him, but that was only because they actually knew him as a person and they saw him before everything happened leading up to when he became Kazekage. Now, they were talking like he was a monster again. Young children were being told to stay away from him. Ghost stories were invented by parents that wanted to put the fear of Kami into their kids. He'd been given anything from devil horns, to sharp teeth, to razor-sharp talons, to a glare that mirrored Medusa's. Some things never changed...

When Elana came back with his tea, she gently set it on the desk in front of Gaara. "Lord Gaara, is there anything I can do to lighten your load a little?" she asked with a small welcoming smile.

Gaara thought for a moment as he quietly sipped his tea. Honestly, there wasn't anything she could legally do. She couldn't sign his name or make decisions. No, Gaara was on his own. Sure, he wanted respect from his fellow villagers. And he didn't want to be feared anymore. But damn! This was just too much work. At first, it was fine. But now, Gaara was just too exhausted to even raise his tea, let alone sign his name. And then it hit him. He didn't have to do this anymore. He could just walk out. Let the village find another Kazekage. He was through being the docile, responsible man he'd been for Kame knows how long. "L-Lord Gaara?" called Elana, breaking him from his stupor.

The redhead looked up at the woman and blinked silently. Oh, right. She asked a question. What was it again? After a few moments of silence, Gaara picked up his brush and dipped it in the ink before scribbling some words on the parchment in front of him. Elana remained silent throughout, wondering what he was doing, but not daring to ask. After a few moments of writing, Gaara rolled up the paper and tied it with a red ribbon. He stood from his desk, holding out the parchment to Elana, who took it obediently. "Take this to Temari. That is all," he said, earning a hesitant nod from the woman.

Elana turned on her heel and made it to the door where she hesitated. The Kazekage looked at her for a few moments. "Lord Gaara, whatever you decide... I want you to know that it was an honor working with you," she said as she shot a small smile over her shoulder at him. Gaara reluctantly nodded his thanks and Elana left. He was free. Finally free. Now all he had to do was to think of a way out of this office and get out of the Suna territory. He was done. He could not wait to get the hell out of here. He just wanted to go back to being a normal shinobi again. Maybe he could start over? Ah, details, details. He turned on his heel and made his way to his room before disrobing from the Kazekage garbs and getting into his normal attire: red jacket, gray vest, black boots, etc. He packed a few things in a backpack and took one last look around, prior to leaping out his bedroom window and letting his sand guide him from the gourde on his back. Arms crossed over his chest, he made his way to the village border. Now the hard part: getting past the guards.

Gaara let his sand lower him to the ground as he walked through the narrow gorge to the end of the village border where Jonin were perched restlessly. A few bowed and saluted him, but all he did was walk right past them. When he made it to the very front, he saw Baki, his old instructor waiting for him. "Lord Gaara, where are you going?"

The redhead turned his tired glance to the man. Without a word, Baki faltered and bowed with a small regretful sigh. The Jinchuuriki then walked right past him and off into the desert. However, a few moments later, Temari came running out, holding the parchment in her hand with a growl. "Gaara! Wait!" she called, but it was too late.

"What is it, Temari?" Baki asked with a raised brow.

"Gaara's resigned as Kazekage and abandoning the village!" she growled at him, shoving the parchment in his face.

Baki read it a few moments in silence before his eyes widened and his jaw fell open in astonishment. "He can't!" A few Jonin gathered around by this time and Baki growled. "All right! Go after Gaara and bring him back to the village at once! The Kazekage must be found!"

And so... The hunt begins.

A/N: Well, there ya have it! First chapter of an experimental story :3 Oh, and also... I want to clear it up now. The reason Baki just let him go was because, seriously, who would stop Gaara after getting glared at like that? Reviews make me happy!