A/N-I hope you like chapter 2. It's a bit longer than the first, but not by more than a couple hundred words. No first person though. Had enough trouble with that the first time around. By the way, Enjoy the story. edit-nvm I obviously shouldnt post chapters on my ipod... ill just use the computer from now on. enjoy.

Chapter 2

Narrator's POV

Gaara lies quietly in the sand with her eyes closed. The sands swirl around and underneath her, as she listens to it shift. It has been two years since the day she met her mother. She has yet to sleep ever since. The idea of sleep chills her bones, and leaves her too fearful of herself to even attempt to get comfortable. Now she is eight, and is quite intelligent. The problem is that she sees hallucinations and visions from lack of sleep. Things appear before her that should not exist or should not be where it is. At times it is almost as bad as sleep, but in her sleep she can not escape. In her sleep she can blame it as a nightmare and move on. These things are almost reality, and are frightening to the little insomniac.

Her brother and her sister visit more often than they used to. She has a feeling it has something to do with her father, but the strange look in Temari's eyes makes her feel an odd tightening in her stomach. She is not sure what it could be, but it does not happen with Kankuro's eyes. These odd things make Gaara feel uncomfortable, and she believes that it is transferred to Temari, as she is very shifty when close to her. Gaara shifts gently in the sand's embrace, trying to get comfortable.

The sun blankets her pale body, and gives the girl a warm feeling on the surface of all of her exposed skin. A dessert mosquito lands silently on her arm, hoping to get a meal off of the resting red-head. This was a mistake. It stuck it's long, sharp mouth into the girl's skin. The bug was filled with sand, and soon popped from the outward pressure. The now darkly colored sand landed gently on the small hole in the sand armor and filled it.

A young blonde girl and brown haired boy approach Gaara, as she lay in the sand. The girl seemed curious as to what the little sand demon was doing. The boy looked a bit fearful, but otherwise seemed to not really care about either girl too much. The boy stopped, but the girl moved closer. She stooped down low next to Gaara and just watched her breathe. The boy seemed apprehensive as to what to do from this point.

"Temari, maybe you shouldn't get too close to her while she's sleeping. You might startle her."

The girl shifted in response. She took a swift glance at her brother before returning her gaze to her sister. Engrossed in the slight movement if the chest, and the air coming between her lips.

"She isn't sleeping, Kankuro. She's just resting."

"How would you know that?"

"She never sleeps."

Kankuro stiffened at this statement. He seemed to be even more fearful if his younger sister now. If that was even possible by this point.

"Why not?"

The question was innocent, but the correct answer was not at all innocent or even pleasant for that matter.

"I don't know. I think she has nightmares."

He looked at her like she was stupid for a few moments, contemplating a snide remark. After a while he found one.

"That's a stupid reason to not sleep. I have nightmares sometimes too, but I sleep every night."

It was the girl's turn to place the accusation of apparent stupidity on her brother. If the look she gave him didn't make him realize his stupidity her next sentence would.

"I never said I was an expert on sleeping habits, Kankuro. I was only guessing."

The boy immaturely mocked his older sister before sitting on the ground, as if to wait out a coming storm. He crossed his legs, and placed his chin on his fists as he tried to find what was so interesting about his little sister. He couldn't figure it out.

"I don't get it. Why are you just watching her like that? It's creepy."

"I want to see if I can figure out what she's thinking by how her body moves."

They stare intently at Gaara, as if to learn the secrets of the universe by staring her down. They stayed that way for quite a while, no success to be found. Kankuro looked about ready to fall asleep. Temari looked weary herself, but was too interested to notice this change. Gaara opened her Greenish eyes to look into the pure blue eyes of her older sister. Temari moved away a bit, startled. Gaara winced at her sister's response to their eye contact. They stayed this way for a few moments, Kankuro stiff as a statue in the background.

"Why do you look at me like that?"

The already startled girl seemed to only grow more confused. She didn't show any signs that she knew what she meant by that. What she did do was guess.

"Do you mean why am I staring at you?"

"No."

Gaara's simple, but blunt answer seemed to have a negative effect on the poor blonde. The look on her face only got more confused the more she thought about it. She only wished she understood it herself.

"What do you mean?"

"Nevermind."

Gaara sat up and looked about for any sign of remembering where she was before realizing she was lying in the sand just outside of the nearby market. Once she knew where she was she quickly spotted Kankuro, and his practice puppet he seems to carry around everywhere. He was wearing a pair of black shorts and a black t-shirt, and he had strange tattoos on his face.

"Ummm... Hello."

Gaara had been staring at Kankuro, as if pondering why he was so stiff. He seemed to be a statue. He even breathed such quiet breaths it was hard to tell he was breathing at all. She shifted her gaze back to Temari. She was wearing a white shirt that neglected to cover her shoulders, and a mesh top underneath. Her legs were covered by black spandex shorts. Her blonde hair was in pigtails.

"Is there something wrong Gaara?"

The look in Temari's eyes caused Gaara to look away quickly. If she did not the feeling in her stomach might get worse again. The sand seemed to suddenly become an interesting outlet for lonely staring contests. Temari tilted her head in confusion and concern. What was wrong with Gaara? She seems a bit strange. Guilty almost. She probably still feels bad about what happened with their mother. It was only natural to feel guilty if your mother died giving birth to you.

"Its nothing. Let's go home."

Kankuro seemed fairly adamant about following this suggestion, but now it was Temari's turn to feel apprehensive. Is she avoiding something? Or is she just wanting to get home and get this meeting over with? These thoughts passed through her mind before she followed behind her retreating siblings.

As the sibling trio advanced home through the market streets, the youngest got many negative looks. A few curses were heard under the breaths of men and women alike as they passed by. No one seemed to pay any attention to the other two following along behind Gaara. They were known to be the child's siblings, but were usually left alone because of their connection with the Kazekage. Temari let out an irritated sigh, as yet another man said a few choice words about the "sand demon". She wished they would just leave Gaara alone.

'She hasn't done anything to them. Why do they think this innocent little girl, who is carrying a stuffed bear I might add, would hurt anyone?'

These thoughts were kept in her head, and she never told anyone her feelings about it, not even Kankuro. The boy in question looked a bit flushed at all of the negative attention directed at his little sister.

'What these people are saying about Gaara... Is it true? She's a lot more dangerous than I first thought. I have to be careful what I say around her from now on.'

They walked on through the streets of the market, with the smells of fresh bread and other such foods wafting through the air. Before long the sibling three were affected by these smells. A small rumble coursed through the stomach of the smallest. It wasn't long before the other two followed with possibly greater intensity. Kankuro held his stomach as if in pain.

"We should stop to get something to eat. What do you two want?"

Temari's question was surely heard by the two, but was not answered immediately. It was a few moments later that anything was said.

"We should stop and get some curry."

Kankuro's enthusiastic answer was not what was expected, considering how he had been acting recently. Gaara's response came soon after. With much less energy and enthusiasm.

"Yes..."

Temari thought for a moment. Thinking wether that would be good or not. The answer was simple though.

'It sounds like a good idea, besides Gaara seems to like curry quite a bit.'

"Curry it is"

They made their way to the curry shop, hoping to get their food soon to relieve the hunger that they feel. The route was rather erratic. Plenty of turns. Left then right then right again. Etc. It took a few minutes before they found the modest shop. They entered and sat down to rest.

"Aaahhh... Now we can just order and eat."

Kankuro was quite content with the seating arrangement, being on the opposite side of the table from his sisters. He was also very ready for his favorite food.

"They aren't that busy either. It shouldn't be too long before we get to eat."

Curry may not be her favorite, but she prefers it over not eating at all. Besides, if Gaara can get closer to her it would only be that much better. The woman joined them soon enough. She looked like she was about to pass out. Her face was curled in a fake smile, and the sweat on her brow wasn't helping conceal that fact.

"M-May I take your order?"

"I'll have your spiciest curry mam."

There was an unsaturated glee in the eyes of the boy, as he ordered. He was ready for what was to come.

"you two?"

"I'll just have a beef curry."

"I will as well..."

The woman seemed to gain a bit of a twitch when Gaara took her order. She looked about ready to explode by this point.

"Ofcourse, be right b-back."

She left after that to give the chef the orders and get three cups of water. She came back soon after with the aforementioned water.

"Here you are"

The three glasses were sat down on the table in front of them. A clear glass of water sat consecrating in front of Kankuro as well as Temari. Gaara's was something else it seemed. It looked like water, but something about it seemed off.

"I'll be back in a moment with your food"

The woman's scared twitch was gone. Replaced with a nervous satisfaction. One that went unnoticed by the trio. She left them to their water, but made sure to watch discreetly. Most likely hoping to see Gaara drink her "water". There was definitely something wrong with it. Gaara picked up her glass to take a drink, but was quickly stopped by Temari. She looked concerned again.

"Gaara wait!"

She had grabbed the glass just before the girl had taken a sip. The glass was even touching her lips. The startling act had a negative effect. Sand was wrapped around Temari's arm, and looked stiff, ready to tear it off if need be. Gaara's breaths were short and pained. Pale skin shook and rippled. She was scared. Not of Temari, but of herself. She had almost injured her sister. That would be unforgivable to mother. Gaara's sand fell limply to the floor, and she relaxed a bit.

"I'm sorry mother..."

Her statement was whispered under her breath so only "mother" could hear it. She heard it.

"Gaara... You disappoint me... You should be more careful with my children."

"Yes mother."

Temari puts the cup down on the table, and looks at Gaara, calming down.

"I'm sorry, Gaara. I thought something was wrong with the water."

The girl in question looks up at her, surprised at the strange way she's speaking. She was looking at her like "that" again. It was making Gaara uncomfortable. She quickly looks away again. After a long while of silence, the waitress returns with the food. Setting down the plates of almost indistinguishable curry in front of each person, the woman looked as nervous as before if not more so.

"Have a good meal."

She leaves after that, and doesn't come back. Leaving the three alone to eat their respective curry. Gaara takes a bite of her curry, and quickly shuts her eyes tightly. Swallowing unusually swiftly, her eyes begin to water.

"Are you alright Gaara? That curry is spicy be careful."

Gaara coughs a few times before returning to eating, more carefully this time. Blowing on each piece before eating it slowly. Before long, they were all finished, and full. Kankuro looked a bit sick, but otherwise the trio was much happier after eating. They left the curry stop, leaving the money on the table. Once they returned Gaara to Uncle Yashamaru's house, they went home themselves. Today was rather peaceful in comparison to most days spent with their little sister, and on some level, they hope the girl in question had a good time as well.

A/N- I hope you enjoyed it. Tell me if there are any suggestions or any ways I can improve. Just general advice from you seasoned writers would be wonderful.