Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto.

Author's notes: Alright! I have decided. I will make this as a short fanfic. This may end at this chapter, or at the next.

Since the reviewers told me to update, and there was suppose to be no updation for this story any longer, I decided to just make another chapter for it. I suppose it's time to give the character a name as well.

Well… please read along.

Chapter 2:

Sigh… it's been six years since I met that child.

After our little talk when I was eighteen, I had left once again for Konoha. My relatives needed help there because there was a sickness that I suppose only I can handle. The Hidden Leaf asked for help and the Hidden Sand sent me, their top doctor, to Hidden Leaf.

No. Please don't misinterpret. I mean a real doctor, not a medic-nin.

Then, I decided to stay there for the time being. Unexpectedly, my supposedly six months visit turned to be a six years visit.

That was really a huge lapse of time, right?

Well… actually, I like my living here in Hidden Leaf. It's much more peaceful here and I got to be close to their Kyuubi wielder since he always tend to have a few minor injuries here and there after missions.

And since I had been kind of close to our Shukaku wielder, it seems that I also have the… uhh… how should I say this? I think I have the talent to make youkai wielders open up to me.

(smiles)

Actually, though I have seen the kyuubi wielder grow up day by day, I really miss our Shukaku wielder. That child never even got to know my name. Well… it was my fault anyway for not introducing myself to the child.

I then looked out of the window to see the crescent moon.

I sighed. The moon, full, half, or crescent, always tend to remind me of that child. I remembered my heart suddenly skipped a beat when I heard of Yashamaru's attempt to assassinate Gaara under Kazekage-sama's orders.

My eyes narrowed once again at the thought.

And I even thought that he, Yashamaru I mean, among all other people would care for that child. I had trusted him as well.

But he betrayed my trust.

That child had experienced so many hardships that only I can imagine.

Alright. Let's just drop the subject.

Actually, I was surprised when I learned that our Kazekage had started a war against Hidden Leaf. And I believe that he chose the perfect time to do it.

The chuunin exam.

Anyway, speaking of the chuunin exams, I heard that there were three participants that belong to Hidden Sand. I am quite interested on who were the ones who participated in the exams from my village.

I wonder…

The chuunin exams had just ended and the war against Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand, my village, have finally subsided, giving me a whole load of patients whenever there were no medic-nins left available.

Gaara…

I wonder on what have become of that child.

With all of the events swiftly shuffling all around him, I'm sure that he's very confused. So much has happened for six years.

I'm sure that he is now at least twelve years old.

While me? Well… I left when I was eighteen, a day after I spoke to the child, so now I am twenty-four years old now. Sigh… so many memories, so little time to recall them.

"Takana-san, there are another bunch of patients outside." One of the nurses called from my room. I stood up and dusted my clothes. I work inside our house and the hospital just sends nurses to help me out.

"How many are they?" I asked.

The nurse checked on her clippings and looked back at me. "There are about ten of them, Tsumi-san." She answered.

Takana Tsumi… that is my real name… the name that I did not tell the child six years ago. I sighed once again. I should just have told him my name so then I wouldn't be bothered by my memories once again.

"Takana-san, hurry up!" She called.

I sighed for the gazillionth time this day and smiled. "Alright, alright, I'm coming now." I then took my medical things and went to the next room in where I treat my patients. I sat down on the tatami mat and placed my things on the floor next to me as the patients entered one by one.

As I treat the patients one by one, bandaging their wounds and giving them medicine, I thought to myself on how would I feel if I had done this with young Gaara. I wonder what would he feel…

Just right after the ninth patient, I stretched my arms and yawned slightly. I've been having a lot of patients lately… what's wrong with the medic-nins anyway?

The nurse came in once again with the clipping. "Takana-san, the last one is on his way." She said.

I nodded lazily as I waited for the last patient to arrive. I was tired and sleepy already and I wanted my rest soon. However, all of my laziness disappeared in a flash. A boy at about the age of twelve with fiery red hair and a gourd came in.

At the left side of his forehead bear the kanji (is that kanji?) 'love'. Hmm… I think I saw him before. He's so familiar. My eyes widened as I saw his eyes. Those black rings around his eyes… and that green color…

Could it be…

"Gaara?" I said, my mouth agape and my eyes widened in shock.

Gaara… that child… that six year old child…

…he's here.

"What are you staring at?" He asked me coldly.

So that's how he became… cold hearted…

However, I merely smiled at him gently, my actions surprising him as the sand started to make its way towards me. I was aware of it but I merely stayed in my place as I took another candy from my pocket and handed it to him.

Just then, the sand stopped moving towards me.

His eyes were looking at me intently in both confusion and realization. Whatever reaction it is I do not know yet. I stood up and faced him with a smile, my blue kimono flowing with me as I stood.

"You…" He started.

I smiled. "It is. So we meet again."

Gaara stood on his spot, unable to move from shock. I smiled as I snapped my fingers in front of his face, bringing him back to reality. It seems that he was still a little speechless. I smiled once again. "Please sit down… Gaara." I said, his name rolling gently out of my tongue.

Gaara sat down silently as I sat down on mine. "So… how may I help you?" I asked kindly.

"Nothing much. My own feet brought me here." He answered blankly.

"Here. Your arms seemed to be wounded. Your sand failed to protect you huh? Quite unusual." I said as I took the bandages and started to roll it in his arm. Unexpectedly, he just allowed me to do the bandaging.

"I'm sure you just fought someone really strong. Seeing that whoever your opponent was managed to inflict a wound on you." I said as I continued bandaging his arm. I inwardly smiled.

What a coincidence.

I was just thinking about bandaging his wounds for him then he appears out of the blue and I started bandaging him.

The silence continued on even after I ended bandaging his arm. I then took his hand and placed the candy inside his palm. His looked at me once again. I smiled. "You were that lady who gave me the candy pack six years ago." He said, finally realizing.

I nodded. "So you remembered." I said as I stood up, staring out of the window once again.

"Why did you leave?" He suddenly asked.

I sighed. "Kazekage-sama's orders." I answered.

"You said we would meet again." He murmured.

I turned around and smiled at him. "Yes I did. And we met once again, haven't we? Though not exactly the way I expected it." I said as I hugged the boy gently.

"I missed you." There. I finally said those three words.

As I pulled back, I was surprised when his lips had tugged into a soft smile, looking down at the floor. I took out another candy pack and handed it to him. He took and hugged it protectively. "Arigato." He said softly.

I giggled. I don't know how I turn a cold twelve-year-old boy back to being a six-year-old child in just a snap. Well… maybe it was just talent. I giggled inwardly.

"You know Gaara, I'm glad that I met you once again." I said.

He looked confused at what I said but at the same time, happy. "You don't know how long I had longed for someone to look at me with eyes like yours." He murmured. I smiled at him.

I outstretched my arms our for him once again invitingly, just as how I did it six years ago. Then, just as he did six years ago, he allowed me to embrace him as I rubbed his back in circles soothingly.

However, unlike six years ago, it seems that he doesn't want to let his emotions out. It seems that he was trained this way. I cursed the Hidden Sand inwardly for what they did to Gaara as I tightened my hold on him slightly.

"You can cry on my shoulder." I said, repeating what I had said six years ago.

To me, this seems like some sort of déjà vu, but this time, it occurs in a different place and time. At least I felt contented as he let a single tear escape his eye, rolling down on my kimono.

At that, I let go of him and smiled.

"Come. Let's have some tea first." I offered.

We talked the whole night about what happened within that six-year gap. I was quite surprised that he was opening up to me.

Well… I was the one asking him questions while he was answering me with phrases and short sentences. Well… that's better than nothing, I guess.

"Uhh… what are you doing here in Konoha?" He asked me.

I raised an eyebrow as a response. Did I just hear that? Gaara was the one who actually asked the question. Anyway, I just answered. "There was a sickness here in Konoha years ago and they asked Suna for help. Since I was the only one who actually knew the cure for this sickness, Kazekage-sama sent me." I answered.

I saw Gaara staring at me intently so I decided to answer the unasked question. "I stayed here for a long time because I can see that they might need my service for longer times." I answered.

"How did you know?"

"How did I know? Well… the question 'why' is written all over your face." I answered. Gaara 'hmped' as I giggled in response. "What about you? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Father's orders. We were to start the war at Konoha." He said calmly.

I nodded calmly back even though my inner self was bursting with anger. Why did they send Gaara?! Why not other shinobis?! I might never go back to Hidden Sand because of this.

Our talk managed to last the whole night. We talked about the past years and such. But then, I saw the sun starting to rise as I stood up. "Gaara, you need to go. Your team might be waiting for you. You are supposed to leave today, am I right?"

He nodded. "Yes."

I nodded back and smiled. Well… I guess we won't be meeting again for quite sometime.

I looked at him in confusion as he hid the new candy pack and concentrated chakra on between his hands. Just then, the sand from the ground that the huge gourd that he has on his back left behind suddenly formed another mini gourd and handed it to me.

Speaking of the gourd, I was wondering how he was able to carry a huge gourd like that. I'm sure that's it's heavy.

Well… anyway, I took the gourd from his hands and looked at him in confusion. "What is this?" I asked.

"You were the only one who doesn't look at me with fear in the eyes, but gentleness and kindness. That gourd has part of my feelings. It will protect you whenever you are in danger." He said.

Whoa. That must be the longest line I have ever heard from him so far. I smiled my thanks as I took a string and ties the gourd on my waste. I took off a necklace with a crescent moon and placed it in his neck.

"Please keep it. A part of me is in that necklace so that I will always be with you." I said. Gaara nodded as he turned his back and started walking away.

But then, before he exited my house, he turned around to face me once again. "Did you forget anything?" I asked.

"What's your name?" He asked.

I fought back the urge to giggle. I was wondering on when would he ask that question. "Takana Tsumi." I answered.

He then turned his back once again. "…I hope that we meet again, Takana-san." He whispered as the sand teleported him away.

I smiled sadly at his departure. At least I had seen him once again after six years.

I held the gourd in my hand as my eyes started to become glossy with slightly unshed tears.

"I'm sure we will."

THE END

Author's notes: Well… how was it? I hope that I did fine here. You know, guys, when I was typing this, I was saying: "Oh my gosh… Gaara's very OOC here." Yeah! It's true. He is very OOC here. But then, I hope that you don't mind. Well… if you were in Gaara's place and you finally met the person who really cared for you after a whooping six years, wouldn't you act the same? Well… if I offend someone in any way, I'm sorry. Well… is it nice? Please review!