WARNING: THIS CONTAINS DEPRESSION, ROMANCE, AND COOKIES! The edible kind.
Gaara stepped through the door way to hell, or so that was what everyone else called it, Naruto's house hold. "Hey, I'm here where are you?"
"In the kitchen." Naruto answered.
"Tell me you're not trying to cook, if you are I'll just leave."
"No I'm eating Ramen that Tenten made last night."
"Who knew that Tenten could cook."
"I take that offensively." Tenten said as she stepped out of the hall way and into the living room.
"Sorry."
"I made cookies last night also." Gaara's face lit up with excitement. "There in the kitchen on the counter help your self."
"What kind?"
"Chocolate chip."
"Did Naruto tell you I was coming or do just have some kind of freaky intuition?" He asked on his way to the kitchen counter. He picked up a chewy chocolate chip cookie and ate half of it in a single bite.
"I just have some kind of freaky intuition called my husband. And slow down don't want you getting sick in my recently cleaned house."
"Yes, ma'am." Two small children ran into the kitchen screaming, "Cookies!"
"No those are for Uncle Gaara."
"Uncle Gaara!" They chimed together. They latched on to his legs and tried to knock him over. "We just can't ever get you to fall uncle Gaara." The dark haired boy said.
"Nope we just can't." The blonde girl said.
"Tell you what, if you guys can knock me over I'll give you both a cookie after breakfast."
"Okay!" They said in unison. They stepped to the far wall in the living room and took off towards him. They latched onto his legs and their heads barely reached the middle of his thighs and he gave up and toppled over. "Yay! We get cookies, we get cookies! We get cookies!" They sang.
"Remember we agreed after breakfast."
"Awe!" They pouted. It was strange to him how the twins did everything in unison. Kakashi and Sakura's twins didn't do what these two did. But then again they didn't have a strange father. Thinking of Kakashi and Sakura reminded him that he needed to see them today. He also had to see Hinata and Sasuke, and Kiba.
"Just be thankful that he is nice enough to share." Naruto said to the two sitting down at the table on each side of his.
"Not like you huh daddy?"
"Nope, I don't share with no one." He said as he grabbed his bowl of ramen and hugged it to his chest. I'll never understand him, but then again no one will. Gaara thought to himself.
"Alright I better get going. I'll be back later if I'm still welcome to stay her for a couple days."
"You're more then welcome to stay as long as you need." Tenten said with a smile.
"I'll be out of here by Friday I promise."
"It's no trouble. Really Gaara." Naruto said as he stood up.
"Here take these with you." Tenten said as she wrapped up all of the cookies. Gaara quickly unwrapped two and set them on the table.
"Alright give me hugs. I'll be back tonight after you guys are already in bed." He said to the two as he squatted down to their height.
"Bye uncle Gaara." They said as gave him a hug. "We see you in the mornin right?"
"Yes." He gave them a quick hug and walked out the door. He opened the door again and said, "No one knows about my cookie fetish right Tenten?"
She drug a fake zipper across her lips as if to say 'secret safe with us.' He closed the door again. He walked down the steps of the walkway and continued to walk through town. He looked down as he shuffled his feet, everyone said hello and it was nice to see him but no really mattered anymore. He was always depressed after Ino died. He doesn't see anything the way he used to. The clock is ticking slower and slower with each passing day. He thought to him self. He was here to say good bye to everyone. He unwrapped the cookies Tenten made him and took a bite of one.
Nothing ever tasted better to a depressed person then chocolate chip cookies. He put the rest in his bag and walked up to Sakura and Kakashi's house. He knocked twice before the oldest of their children answered the door he put on a fake smile. He pulled it off so well everyone thought he was an all to happy person after his wife died. The only person who knew what really went on with him was Naruto.
"Hey, Gaara." Their son said with a smile.
"Well hello to you to."
"Gaara's here already?" Sakura yelled. "Damn it I'm not done cleaning the house!"
"Mom watch your mouth. Keiko and Ai are picking up everything everyone says."
"I'm sorry Daisuke."
"Time for that mask already? Wow, I've missed a lot. How old are you now?"
"Thirteen. You did miss a lot while you were gone."
"Yes, yes you did."
"God, DA- BLEEP!"
"Sakura Hun, calm down." Kakashi said as he stepped into the kitchen to stop her from scrubbing the floor spotless. Instead he handed her Keiko's medicine and told her that he would take care of everything if he took care of her. She got up and took the bottle from him.
"No. You better not touch anything in here. I swear if I find a single fingerprint on my sparkling counter. It's your ass Kakashi."
"What's wrong with your mom, today?"
"Well yesterday Keiko got sick and she is still puking out her guts, and Ai still hasn't picked up her mess, and dad, well he's just being dad. Mom needs a vacation so bad. I offer to baby-sit every night so her and dad can go out. But every time she refuses and always claims that there's something that needs to be done. I don't think she trusts me enough with them yet. Maybe you could baby-sit tonight. Keiko and Ai listen to anyone but mom. I know they'll listen to you."
"I could do that." He contemplated weather to go back to the calm house hold of Tenten and the twins and Naruto or stay here.
"Please I'm begging you."
"Fine." Little three year old Ai came in skipping through out the living room singing 'ass'.
"Ai! Don't use that kind of language." Kakashi said as he stepped in front of her.
"But, daddy, mommy uses that word a lot, why can't I?"
"Because mommy is a grown up, you are my little princess." He said as he picked her up in his arms and swung her around. She laughed and through her arms widely in the air kicking her feet. "You need to go take a bath. We'll go run your bath water k?"
"Okay, daddy." She ran to the bath room, Kakashi turned around and looked at Gaara. "Sorry. Take a seat I'll be out in just a minute."
"No rush."
"Okay." Daisuke sat on the couch arm and turned on the tv.
"So how long you in town?"
"Till Friday."
"You stayin with Naruto and Tenten?"
"For now."
"I see."
"You are to mature for your age."
"Got to be, to deal with my mom and dad."
"You're right."
"I know, and so does everyone else."
"That's rude to speak of your parents that way."
"They speak of each other that way."
"Didn't you hear you're father not even two minutes ago telling your sister that they were adults and you are children."
"That's not what he told Ai."
"It was worth a shot." Kakashi walked back out of the bathroom hair dripping went vest wet as well.
"What was worth a shot?"
"Nothing. Why are you all wet?"
"Ai." That was all he needed to say and everyone knew exactly what he meant.
"Oh, well take a seat." Gaara suggested.
"No. I have to change and dry my hair other wise Sakura will kill me."
"Smart choice honey." She smiled and kissed his cheek.
"You must have become seriously bi-polar."
"No it's just I have my moments of being really pissed off. Sorry it's all this stress." She added the last part after Kakashi walked out of the room. Daisuke gave Gaara a look of 'I told you so'. Gaara gave back a look that said, 'shut up kid'.
"I'll watch the kids if you and Kakashi want to go out tonight." He said the moment that Kakashi walked in to the room, Kakashi's face lit up and so did Sakura's.
"You don't have to do that." Gaara gave her a look that said, 'are you kidding me'. "Okay. If you insist. Do you think you can be back around eight tonight?"
"Of course I have nothing better to do with my spare time."
"Thank you so much." Sakura yelped in joy.
"But I do have to go see a couple other people first."
"Go right on ahead. We'll see you later." Kakashi said as Gaara stood up.
"I'll be back at seven thirty."
"Okay!" Sakura said as he stepped through the door. He took out another cookie and ate one then too. These damn cookies are going to make me fat. But they taste so good. I can't ever make cookies. I've tried. Maybe I'll have Tenten teach me tomorrow. He laughed at the thought of him baking cookies. He was at Sasuke and Hinata's house with in five minutes. They one had one child, one very well behaved child. He looked like Sasuke but had Hinata's personality.
"Oh, hello Gaara." Hinata said as she pulled out cookies from the oven. "We made these for you."
"Thanks a bunch!" He said as he rushed over to the counter.
"Don't eat them all at once."
"Deja vu." He said and blew on the cookie in his hand "Wow that's hot." He said as he finished a bite of cookie.
"That is a statement you would hear come out of Naruto, when we were younger." Sasuke said from the table.
"I know, I know." He said as he shoved the other half of the cookie in his mouth. "Where is Atsuya?"
"In his room reading."
"Wow that kid is the only kid I know who does that on a Friday."
"Yeah." Sasuke said plainly.
"I'd rather him do that then play video games all the time." Hinata said as she got the rest of the cookies off the pan and onto a plate for Gaara.
"How old is he now?"
"Lets see he was two when you left and that was about eight years ago so he's ten"
"Wow. Time goes by fast." He looked down at the counter. He closed his eyes before the tears could escape.
"Yeah, it does. How are you holding up?" Hinata said as she put a hand on his shoulder. It's been six months since she died. He thought that he should be happy and moved on by now. But things didn't get happier, they all got worse. He crouched down next to the fridge and Sasuke came and sat down next to him.
"Hey, take as much time as you need k? We'll be here. Do you need anything?"
"No I'm fine. I should really get going sorry." He said as he stood up and whipped his face of tears. Hinata did the same as Tenten and wrapped the cookies in plastic wrap and handed them to him.
"Take these with you."
"Thanks." He grabbed the door and was almost out when Sasuke stopped him.
"Don't do anything stupid hear me?"
"Yeah, loud and clear." He said and stepped around him. He stepped quick and lightly to the last stop on his list. Kiba was heading out the door.
"Oh, hey Gaara! I see you made safely. I would stay and chat but I really got to leave."
"Alright I'll catch you later." They departed ways. Gaara went to his favorite place in the entire world. It was a water fall about a half hour walk the town. He got there quicker than normal and he stopped dead in his tracks. Her blonde hair moved gently in the breeze. His eyes widened when she turned around his heart sank. What could I possibly be thinking, Ino's dead and never coming back.
"Don't look so dead over there." She said with a laugh.
"Do you think death is funny?"
"No. You just looked so happy and then I looked back at you and you looked dead all of a sudden. Were you supposed to meet someone here?"
"No it's just you reminded me of someone."
"Who?"
"Um, no one."
"Oh, ex girlfriend?"
"Dead wife."
"I'm so sorry. If you were offended when I said don't look so dead, I didn't know. Jeeze I'm such an idiot I was told I should watch what I said around people. This is why. I'm so soo sorry." She covered her face and tripped back wards on a rock. Gaara reached out quickly and grabbed her arm so she didn't fall into the sharp rocks below.
"Watch where you're going."
"Ugh, I just can't do anything right today." She leaned toward him and he leaned back. "I'm sorry. It's just."
"It's just what?"
"Well it's just, I don't know, I just. UGH! What I mean to say is, well what's your name."
"Gaara. And yours?"
"It's Hana."
"Oh, meaning Blossom?"
"Yes."
"Well you might want to get off the ground Blossom."
"Oh, um thanks." He pulled her off the ground and watched her dust off. "So Gaara, what are you doing all the way out here?"
"I should be asking you the same thing."
"Then ask."
"Ok, what are you doing all the way out here?"
"I was out for a walk. I saw this place and stopped to admire the scenery and then you showed up not two minutes later."
"Well I've been coming here since I was ten."
"How old are you now?"
"Twenty-nine."
"Oh."
"And how old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
"Oh."
"Well I should probably get going my friends are probably looking for me."
"Have fun, Blossom."
"You too Gaara. And by the way it's Hana. It's a lot easier to say."
"I like Blossom better."
"It's the same thing!" She yelled as she ran back to the town. He looked down at the water crashing into the river below. It was a good thirty foot drop. That was enough to kill a person, wasn't it? The impact of the fall would kill him if nothing else would. He debated whether to jump now, but his gut told him not to and he also remembered that he promised Sakura and Kakashi that he would baby-sit for them, he also promised Sasuke he wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Time to head back." He said to him self. He walked slower than normal so he could get back at seven-thirty. He was perfectly on time. He stepped through the door at exactly seven-thirty.
"Gaara!" Ai screamed as she jumped down from the dinner table.
"You're just in time for supper. Would you care for some?"
"What is it?"
"Rice balls."
"I would love some." He lifted Ai into his arms and carried her back into the dining room. "You have to be quiet. Your sister is sleeping."
"Oh, right. Shh." She said as she lifted her index finger to her lips and made a shushing sound.
"Lets eat." Once the meal was over with. Ai needed another bath. Daisuke gave her one and Sakura and Kakashi left for their night out. Gaara couldn't get the thought of Hana out of his head. She looked so much like Ino from behind but nothing like Ino in her facial features. Keiko started to couch loud enough Gaara could hear in the front room. He grabbed the medicine of the counter and looked at the time. It was time for her hourly dose. He went to her room and gave her the medicine, she quickly stopped coughing and her fever went down just a little. Her mother was the best medic he knew.
"Unca Gaara?"
"What is it Keiko?"
"Where's mommy and daddy?"
"They went out, I'm gonna be watching you guys till they get back."
"Oh. Okay. I'm goin to go back to seep. Wuv you."
"I love you too. Sleep well." She was out in seconds after he kissed her forehead. His phone buzzed in his pocket, it was a text from an unknown number. "Hey it's Hana. I didn't know that you knew Kiba too! Well anyway I got your number from him. Text me back so I know you got my text!"
Ok, she knows Kiba. I don't think I want to know how she knows him. He quickly text her back. "Well Blossom, now I have your number. Saves me from asking the next time I see you." "Lol, I guess it does. Since you know Kiba you must also know Sakura, Tenten and Hinata."
"I know everyone in this town... Pretty much."
"Wow popular guy you are huh?"
"Not really."
"Well I don't know anyone except the four I mentioned. I don't even know Their husbands, as far as I know Kiba is still single, since I broke up with him." That right there explains everything.
"Oh."
"You say that quite a bit."
"Sorry."
"That to."
"It's because I don't know what else to say."
"Well let me start then, what are you doin tonight?"
"Baby-sitting for Sakura and her husband so they can go and get a break."
"That's so nice of you. I should come over and help out. They know me. I met them before. Sakura's husband was at work and she had to rush off. Maybe I did meet him. He's the guy with the creepy mask covering his face right?"
"That's Kakashi alright."
"Oh, does he wear that all the time or is it just for work?"
"All the time. And if you want to come over you can. I just go tot put Ai to bed."
"Okay! I'll be over in a zap." He put his phone in his back pocket and walked back to the bathroom and seen Daisuke and Ai getting ready for her to go to bed. "Nigh, nigh uncle Gaara."
"Good night Ai."
"Brudder will you read me a nigh nigh sory."
"Sure what one?" Daisuke said as he carried her to the twins room. After he was done reading the short story to Ai, he came and sat on the couch. Tap-tap tap-tap he threw his hand up in the air and hing his head. He stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it and walked back to the couch.
"Well you look tired." She said with a wind chimed laugh.
"Hana? OH, hi. Sorry. I am tired. What are you doing here?" He said and straightened up his back. It was obvious that he like her. A lot.
"I'm actually here to see Gaara. If you're that tired you should probably get some sleep."
"No I'm good. Don't mind me asking but why are you here to see Gaara?"
"Well I met him at the waterfall earlier today and just came over to hang out for a bit. No worries it's totally alright with your mom I already asked." She said with a smile still standing with the door open. Daisuke jumped up and walked over to the door and shut it for her. He told her that she could sit down on the couch. She smiled. "Thank you. But I'm fine with sitting on the floor. You can sit on the couch. You look so much more tired than I do."
"I would rather sit by you." He said then quickly added. "If it's alright with you."
"Of course." She said and patted the floor next to her where she was sitting. He sat as close as he could get to her with out touching her. She smiled and scooted closer to him so their knees were touching. He smiled the biggest smile Gaara had ever seen. He laughed a little to him self.
"So Hana, do you wanna watch tv? What do you wanna talk about? Can I get you something to drink?" Daisuke bombed her with questions.
"Um, I don't really wanna watch tv and I don't know what to talk about. Thank you for offering but I'm fine I don't need anything to drink." They sat in silence for minutes on end. No one really knew what to say at that moment. Then Keiko started to cry. Saved by the sick kid. Gaara got up and grabbed the meds off the counter and went to her room. The fever had stayed the same since he have it to her last time. He gave another dose to her and the fever went down even more. He stayed there until he knew she was okay, well more like he stayed there until he heard talking coming from the living room.
He stood in the door and listened in. "Hana why are you really here?"
"Because I like Gaara."
"Oh." Daisuke sighed. She should have told him that she liked spending time with him. I wouldn't have killed his dreams so bad, crush his heart. Gaara sighed and walked into the room.
"Did I miss anything?" Daisuke got up and looked at Gaara.
"Everything." He walked off to him room. He shoved past Gaara and slammed the door behind him. Damn it. Look at what she's done now. He walked to the back of the hall way.
"Daisuke? Let me in." He tried to open the door but it was plain as day that he had wedged something in between the wall and door. Whether it was him self of something else, Gaara didn't know so he didn't push on it to hard. "Let me in. Don't make me say please."
"Go away." He said trying to cover up something. It was obvious.