Alright I decided to rewrite this story so here's the beginning of the rewrite. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from Naruto

Prologue

The little girl looked around the play ground. To tell the truth she was very nervous. Her name was Kaoru. She had long raven hair that was pulled back into a pony tail with bangs that framed her face. They eyes that searched the playground were a crimson color.

Kaoru had just moved to Suna the day before. Her parents had been killed while on a mission in her old home. Usually the father's clan was suppose to take her in but they hadn't approved of his wife so they didn't accept Kaoru either. The only thing left was to send her to Suna where her mother's clan lived. The Tsukino's were more than happy to have her especially her grandmother, Kaede.

So now here she was on the playground wanting to play but too nervous to talk to someone. Her crimson eyes looked around and then she saw him. A little boy about her age was sitting on a swing all alone. His hair was as red as her eyes and his green eyes were surrounded by dark rings. The little girl was shy but she was also kind and he looked so lonely. After a moments hesitation her kindness won over her shyness and she walked over to him.

"Umm, hi," she said nervously. He looked up at her in mild surprise and suspicion. She swallowed and continued, "My name is Kaoru Tsukino. What's your name?"

He sat up a little straighter and tilted his head to the side, "Gaara."

She gave him a shy smile, "I just moved here and I don't know anyone. Do you think...do you want to come play with me?"

He blinked as if no one had ever asked him that before. This confused Kaoru. Had she lived here before then she would have known that no one played with Gaara. She would have heard that he was a monster and to be left alone. However no one bothered to tell her that she shouldn't play with Gaara and she couldn't see any reason not to on her own. All she could see was it was easier to talk to him than the crowd of kids that were playing without them both.

"You want to play with me?" he asked her as if he didn't believe her.

"Yes. Is that bad?"

"Everyone else seems to think so."

"Is that why you are sitting here by yourself?"

He nodded sadly.

"Well I can't see any reason not to play with you. So do you want to play?" she asked again.

Finally Gaara smiled. He got up and nodded at her. She smiled brightly at him and reached out and tapped his arm. While doing that she shouted, "Tag!" Then she ran off laughing. He blinked in surprise for a moment then ran after her with a smile.

After that day the two of them were inseparable. People tried to warn Kaoru not to befriend Gaara but she would always ask them why and for the life of them they couldn't answer her. How did they explain that to a 5 year old? So they turned to her grandmother but Kaede just chuckled and said, "Let them enjoy being children. There will be plenty of time for the real world later." No one ever understood what she meant by that but they guessed that meant that she wouldn't do anything about it.

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The two enrolled into ninja school together and were often seen doing homework together. One day Kaoru was sick and couldn't go to school or meet Gaara like they had planned. Kaede was making some soup for her unhappy granddaughter when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it and smiled at what she saw.

"Why hello, Gaara. I wasn't expecting you."

She looked up and saw a man standing behind the little boy. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He gave her a smile, "Hello. I'm Gaara's uncle Yashamaru."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Kaoru's grandmother Kaede. Come in."

The two of them walked in while Yashamaru explained, "Gaara was worried when his friend didn't come to school today and he wouldn't relax until I brought him so that he could check on her."

Kaede smiled, "That's very sweet of you, Gaara."

Gaara looked shyly at her and asked, "Is Kaoru ok?"

"Kaoru's fine. She just has a cold and I thought it best she get some rest. Would you like to see her? I think she would like that."

He nodded. Kaede turned and began to lead them to Kaoru's room. A sad look came into her eyes that were just like Kaoru's. Gaara was only comfortable with Kaoru. He was still afraid to trust anyone else would accept him, especially adults. They reached her granddaughter's room and she stepped aside so that Gaara could go in.

Kaoru looked over thinking it would be her grandmother bringing her soup. When she saw Gaara she smiled and scooted over so that he could sit down beside her. Gaara sat after she motioned for him to. Her voice was scratchy from her cold when she spoke.

"Hey Gaara. I'm sorry I didn't come over. Grandma wouldn't let me."

"It's alright. You need to get better."

"How was school?"

Gaara began telling her about what they had learned that day. Kaoru sat back and listened occasionally asking a question. Kaede slid the door closed so that they could talk. She motioned for Yashamaru to follow her to the kitchen. The soup was still on the stove after all. Maybe Gaara would want some too. She would have to get him a bowl too.

"So you're Gaara's uncle. He talks about you a lot."

He smiled, "He does?"

Kaede gave him a shrewed look, "Yes, the boy looks up to you a great deal."

A strange look entered Yashamaru's eyes but it was gone before Kaede could decipher it. He smiled again, "I'm glad."

"I have to say I'm glad that you don't treat him like his father does. That boy suffers enough as it is. I've only seen him smile around Kaoru."

"He has reason to be wary."

"Yes I know. That's what's wrong. A child shouldn't know how to be wary."

Kaede carried the two bowls of soup to the children and they began to eat. Kaede turned and saw Yashamaru looking at Gaara. She frowned at what she saw. That man was very bitter and this boy was the root of it. Kaede knew that his sister had been sacrificed to put the Shukaku into Gaara. Yashamaru may care about Gaara but he also hated him. Kaede just hoped that Gaara didn't get hurt because of it.

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A weeks later a knock on Kaoru's window woke her up. She was better now and had seen Gaara in school that day. She knew something was wrong with him but he hadn't wanted to talk about it. She didn't push him. All she did was let him know that she would listen when he was ready. He had smiled and then they had gone to play.

The knock came again. She got up and walked over to the window to look out. Gaara was standing on her balcony. He looked upset. Kaoru immediately slid the door open for him. He came in then fell to his knees on the floor. She closed the door then knelt in front of him.

"Gaara, what's wrong?"

"He hates me."

"Who?" she asked in confusion.

"My father. He hates me."

She didn't know what to say to that so she just wrapped her arms around him and held him while he cried. Kaoru decided then that she hated the Kazekage. What kind of father would treat their child this way? Her own father had loved her and taken good care of her. Then again his family hadn't loved her. She supposed that being family didn't mean that they cared about you at all.

"Everyone hates me," Gaara whispered.

Now she couldn't let him think that. Even at five she knew that she had to help him feel better. In fact that was all she understood about this particular situation. She pulled back and made him look at her, "I don't hate you, Gaara. I'm your friend and I always will be."

"Promise?"

She may have only been five but she knew that a promise was important. When you promised you couldn't go back on it. A determined fire came into her red eyes.

"Promise."

He seemed to relax and then he managed a small smile, "Thank you."

She gave him a smile, "You don't need to thank me for being your friend, Gaara. Just be my friend too. Come one. Let's go to sleep."

"I can't."

She tilted her head, "Why not?"

"If I go to sleep the thing in me will take over."

"Don't worry, Gaara. Even if it does, Grandma is here as she'll help you. I'll help too if I can."

He considered this for a moment and then nodded. Sure her logic was a bit flawed but it sounded perfect to a child. So she pulled him up to the bed and covered him up. Then she snuggled against him. A few minutes later the two of them fell asleep. That was how Kaede found them the next morning. After that day it wasn't abnormal to find Gaara at the Tsukino compound the morning. He would disappear from his bed and then reappear at the Tsukino breakfast table. No one bothered to complain. Kaede even encouraged it because Gaara would only sleep when Kaoru was near by.

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Something was wrong. Kaoru just knew that something was wrong with Gaara. All the adults kept telling her that she was being paranoid whatever that meant. Gaara had just left their compound to go home. They didn't listen to Kaoru when she told them that Yashamaru hadn't come to get her friend like he was suppose to. That made everything wrong. Gaara had told her that he would be fine but she was worried. So she did what any 5 year old ninja would do when worried but no one would listen. She climbed out of her window when everyone was asleep.

She searched everywhere and just when she was about to give up she saw it. Gaara's sand from the gourd he carried on his back lift up in a semi circle. Kaoru ran in that direction. She landed on the roof to see Gaara standing by Yashamaru crying and asking him why. Yashamaru said something that hurt Gaara a lot. She could see it. Worried for her friend she started to run over.

"Gaara, are you alright?"

Gaara turned to see her just when everything exploded. Kaoru yelled for Gaara while crossing her arms over her face to protect herself. When she opened her eyes she saw that his sand had protected both of them. She walked over to her friend. He backed away from her.

"Gaara..."

"Go away," he snapped.

She jerked back as if someone had slapped her. Her crimson eyes held hurt in them as they took in the changes that she didn't understand. His green eyes were cold and his stand was aggressive. The kanji for love was on his forhead in red. She tried to walk towards him again.

"Gaara, are you alright?"

"I was right. No one cares about me. Even Yashamaru hated me," he stated bitterly.

"I care, Gaara. I promised I would always be your friend and I'll keep that promise."

"You're probably just like Yashamaru. Leave me alone."

She stood there for a moment. This wasn't the kind of situation a 5 year old knew how to handle. In the end she turned and started to head back to her clan's compound. She stopped at the edge of the roof.

"I will always be your friend, Gaara. I keep my promises. One day you'll believe me," she said.

With that she went home. When she arrived Kaoru again did the only thing a child could do. She cried and ran for her grandmother. Kaede held her while she cried and told her what she had seen and Gaara had said. Kaede filled in the blanks herself. The old woman felt sorry for Gaara and for her granddaughter. It looked like the real world had caught up to the two children. Kaoru fell asleep promising to stay Gaara's friend no matter what. The little girl was determined now. She would prove to him that she cared because one day he would need to know that.

There it is. Please review and let me know what you think of it.