READ THIS FIRST: Just to let you all know, I've tried to keep everyone in character but the people might be a little weird. Also, this story takes place before Gaara is Kazekage and after the Chunin exams and Sasuke isn't missing. Yes…he's here. But that shouldn't matter because this is A Lee/Gaara fic. Hell Yes! Another thing, I've change a few things around, but you people will just have to live with it. No lemons till the second chapter, I want to explain the story line first. Prolog doesn't count as a chapter.

They told me I should put that face out of my mind. But something keeps bringing it back, his face is like the plague to me. I don't understand why his image still haunts me, why I can't seem to disperse him away.

A cold gust had just speed up and blasted over the dust redden land, the village of despair and the rising sun that sprout over a near by hill. It's golden wakening rays were making themselves known, spiking up and painting the black sky with pink and orange. It had been like this for the last week or so, every morning Gaara sat atop the roof of his home and waited for the greeting sun to appear. Unknown to him, a person's face had disturbed his dreams that were once calm and peaceful, kept flashing in his head and shaking him awake from the deep slumber he would be subdued in. Why? Was all he could ask, Why now, and why at all?

The colors continued to bleed through the sky, adding to the twilight of stars that were beginning to fade. Stretching out his aching legs, Gaara raised himself up and carefully trudged his way down the shingled roof, his black ninja shoes clanking down with each step he made. In his new home, Gaara lived alone, just as he always had and just the way he liked it. Before descending to the balcony below him, he stole one last peeping glance at the water colored horizon. Each delicate mixed color stirring along with the next and blending to precise perfection. The intense glare Gaara was giving the sky almost made it seem darker than it appeared, the ice ridden stare frightening away the gloss of daybreak. Maybe if he starred long enough, the sky would tell him an answer? He focused his gaze upwards and to the twinkling stars above, maybe one of them could say something? Shrugging off the feeling for help, he stepped forward and dropped down onto the wooden balcony of his single room, hardly making the floorboards creek. The wide set glass sliding doors reflected an all too familiar image, Gaara. His ivory white flesh dark under his eyes that stained with the lack of sleep he was getting, and his auburn hair littered with sand. Slim and slender he managed to appear somewhat healthy for the most part, this is how he had always been.

Paying no more mind to the distorted reflection, Gaara clasped onto a slim metal rod and pulled the door open with a weak slide. Stepping through he soon felt the icy ridged presence of an unexpected stranger. Not needing to turn around Gaara cleared his throat abruptly.

"Temari, what are you doing here?" he asked coldly. Finishing closing his door Gaara heard the soft footsteps echo behind him, slowly and cautiously approaching him.

Relaxing some, Temari sighed and let out a gentle whisper, almost like a mouse, "Gaara I know you said to only come here unless it was an emergency. But I feel like there is something wrong." She fixed her eyes up from their watching pose on the carpet beneath her toes.

It was true, Gaara had given her and Kankuro a key to his lonely home; but they were both firmly instructed to never use it unless worst came to worst. And since the thought of disobeying her brother would never cross Temari's mind, there must be something she was seriously concerned with.

Gaara turned slowly, adding even more tension to the hushed surroundings they were in. Closing in his green stare he awaited for Temari to speak.

Gulping down the fear she had been building up in her throat, Temari stepped forward once more, bravely taking her stance, "Gaara you've been spending a lot of your time indoors lately. Is there something bothering you?" her question targeted a pin point, but Gaara never faltered.

Finally cracking free form his silence, Gaara made his way from the door, gliding over to Temari, "Is that all that was concerning you?" he asked through clenched teeth. Is my irritation this noticeable?

Nibbling on her lower lip she continued, "No, that's not it." she gasped out. She kept a low tone, as if there was someone else in the next room over who would eavesdrop. "You can tell me anything Gaara. And I'm not just saying this just because I'm your sister, I really do care for you." she said slowly considering every word as if they were her last.

Liar. She's lying. She doesn't care.

Temari soon noticed the drifting off anger from Gaara's eyes and carefully instructed him to the near by mini sofa that was pleasantly arranged in the room (suggested by herself). Nestling into the fluffed cotton like pillows, she scooted in closer to her brother. He no longer seemed upset or anger driven, but now sad and lonely which wasn't that much different for any other day. But that was to the normal unknowing eye, Temari could see through all his masked on faces and covers of guilt.

Fixing her dark eyes onto his, see grinned softly trying to awaken some sense of happiness, "Gaara, why don't you want the world to see you?" she asked whispering against her bare un-rose cheek.

Drifting his eyelids shut, Gaara fought back the tears that he knew would soon flow. He had been doing that a lot lately. It wasn't because of Temari being here, it was because of him. Why am I thinking of him? I wanted to kill him, I wanted him DEAD! Returning back to reality, Gaara faced his sister, "I don't think they'll understand." his words were cold and harsh. By the sound of his rising tone, he wanted Temari gone.

A little taken back by his sudden change of mood, Temari backed into the comfort of feathers that somehow didn't stifle the angst she was feeling. Once again she gulped for relief, yet still never removing her piercing eyes. She arose slowly and proceeded to the large double set doorway that was at the head of Gaara's over sized room.

As her trembling hand latched onto the large golden pool ball knob, a thought hit her in the mist of the moment. She revolved back around for one last glance at Gaara who was now facing out into the abyss of his own world. "Maybe you're not meant to be seen Gaara," she stated matter of factly, "but meant to see." It was almost like she was asking herself the question aloud. With that said she twisted the knob and left behind a heavy click.

Why is she playing these stupid head games with me? Squeezing onto the ruffling trim of a pillow, Gaara wrestled down the emotions he knew were cracking through his shell. It was His fault! Rock Lee. Jerking his body up in sudden bursting rage, he no sooner tumbled back down only to land on his knees.

These new confusing emotions had to be because of Lee, whenever Gaara would think of him a stabbing pain came and would pierce right through him. He would start to become feeble and not know right from wrong, and his breath would go out of place in staggering paces. These feelings had become so distressing that it would be risky to venture on missions and people were thinking of him as pitiful. That boy's face has made me weak, why him, why this feeling?

Something had to be done, Gaara couldn't stand much more of this insane emotion that was alien to his brain. Could he possibly request a visit to Konoha and see Rock Lee and finally fix this proceeding problem. That was the only solution that seemed workable, and yet there was so much more depth to the task. There had to be a reason this was happening, but what?

Maybe my mind is telling me that I have to do something? Something with Rock Lee...but what? Like a light bulb, an idea brightened up the shadowed regions of his mind. Why is it I can't put his annoying goofy determined smile out of my head? A fun little mental image dissolved into Gaara's mind. His hands wrapping around Lee's neck and ringing it like a useless rag. Briefly his mind drifted back to the day of their fight at the chunin exams, Lee was so ambitious on winning at the cost of his life. The fire blazing in his eyes (literately) was flashing such courage and faith in every move and hit he made. Gaara envied this, the passion and love Lee had, a feeling he could never learn. The picture of Rock Lee being mangled to death in his mind soon vanished from his thoughts as the stress was being relieved. I'll kill Rock Lee, and this time no one will interfere.

….….

"Hey Gaara, where ya' going?"

Facing him slowly, Gaara turned and faced Kankuro head on, "I'm leaving for Konoha. I'll be back in about a week." he stated with a cold tone. With that he reached for his partnering gourd and swung it over his back, latching it safely down.

A dumbfounded look fell across Kankuro's face, "Okay." he said blankly. "But uh-" he was soon cut short from his sentence by Gaara's death defying stare. An icy chill raced up his back, sending nerves to freeze over with fear, "I was just curious why you were going, that's all." he stuttered out in breaths answering the unsaid question.

Removing his glare of doom, Gaara turned for the doorway of his home, also over sized and too big for him alone. Earlier, Temari had spoken to Kankuro about their brother's sudden change in mood and was hoping he could talk some sense into him.

Like Gaara will listen to me! Temari what were you thinking? Kankuro quickly cleared his throat, grabbing hold of Gaara's attention just as the door was opening, "Gaara, how do you plan on entering Konoha? You need permission to go there." he waited for his brother's answer.

A heavy growl rumbled in the depths of Gaara's throat, "That's none of your business." he hissed in remark.

Kankuro simply stepped back a few more feet and sighed with a heavy tone. "In one week you'll be back, right?" his eyes hit the floor like rocks, unable to look his brother right in the eyes.

He returned his question with the slamming of his door, the loud thunderous echo reverberating off the ivory white plastered walls.