Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Please Enjoy! Ja Ne~

It was five in the morning when they woke up. Thanks to Kong, Sakura permanently got in the habit of waking up at early hours. She was checking to see if she has everything before she left, but she thought of who to take with her. She had become close friends with every monkey and ape in the clan but to choose one would be hard, in the end she chose Zero, an albino spider monkey.

Once she was certain that she has everything before she leave she got ready. She had her waist long pink hair in a tight french braid, bandage wrapped around her chest, bottom and right thigh, red loincloth that stopped at mid thigh, her pouch on the thigh and hips and, surprisingly, ninja shoes.

She found Zero on one of his usual place, alone, sitting on the stone and looking out on the lake. Since he was albino he was treated like an outsider, so he would have to work harder for thing, but he was always put down by others if he did something better then them. However, cause of that he was her first friend in the very beginning.

Sakura was quiet as she could be and sneaking up behind him, saying 'boo' in a low voice, watching him fall to the floor with fear. She laugh at his reaction and Zero got mad. "For the five years we've been friends I still can't tell when you're about to sneak up on me."

"You just need to work harder on that, anyways I came here to tell you something." She said looking at him for his full attention. "I'm leaving soon and the five said I can take only one from the clan with me and I chose you. Do you want to come with me?"

He had a blank face, meaning he was thinking. "Saku-chan you are my first, only and true friend I'll go anywhere with you."

She smiled at him, yup she made a good choice of choosing him. "Thank you Zero-kun, well then do you need anything before we leave."

He shook his head and they took off, with him on her shoulder, to meet the heads. When they made it, they were already waiting for her to say their goodbyes for now.

On her first part of her travel she stop at the near by village for direction to Suna. It took her two days to reach it. But along the way Zero question her. "I thought you said you lived in the leaf village, not the sand village?"

"Good memory Zero. I do but when I was traveling with my family we stayed there for two weeks and a made a friend there. I would like to meet him before I go to the leaf village."

"What's his name?"

"Gaara."

.

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Once she got through the gates she walked to the park, where she first met him, in hopes that he might be there. He wasn't there so she took shelter on a tree near by, then a thought came to mind. Kong had taught her how to create a chakra map, but in her theory that if she makes the map and find her target, she can give him a signal that he can only feel.

Meanwhile, Gaara was with his siblings and Baki to do some training, he just glare at everything while training with them. He was stuck in his thoughts about why was he here, he doesn't need training he already knows these thing, and if he might kill another assassin, for its been awhile since he has, when he felt a chakra, it seems to be calling for him. He left in swirl of sand, which his company didn't expect and thought he had finally snap and was going to kill them, but when he left they gave a sigh of relief.

Gaara appeared at the park by a tree when he heard a voice up in the tree. "Wow, it work! I found Gaara, yes!"

He heard this voice before he just can't place it and then a person jump down. His eyes widen a bit, but it was gone as soon as it came, but not to Sakura's eyes. She was his first friend back when he was five, her parents were merchants and were staying here for two week, but those were the best two weeks of his life. When she had to leave she said that she would try and see him again, if she could, that they will see the each other again when they both become ninjas, and she hugged him before she left. He couldn't forget her cause of her natural pink hair, beautiful green eyes, and she was the first and only person to have given him physical contact. She spoke again which surprisingly calms him. "Its been a while Gaara, but your still taller then me. How have you been."

Gaara was clueless, he doesn't interact with people at all, not since his uncle try to kill him. He just nodded, which made her frown. "Have you grown more shy or less talkative in the time Gaara, and where's my hug."

Gaara just stood there looking at her with curiosity. She sigh mumbling that she has to do everything, as she walked up to him with open arms. He went so still when she touch him, it's been years since he received a hug from her. It was comforting, just like he remembered, he then awkwardly put his arms around her. He frown when she pull away, the warmth she gave him, that's why he always hug her whenever he got the chance when they were five. She had a smile on her face but then went to a frown. "Hey Gaara-kun, do you think we can go somewhere private, we're getting a lot of stares."

He looked around and indeed they were getting looks from people. Most were fear and hatred towards him, and the others were fear and sorrow for Sakura. He took her hand and the sand took them away to his room. She took refuge on the bed where she pulled out Zero from her bag, he stayed on her lap the whole time, and Gaara just stood looking a bit clueless.

Sakura then ask if anything had happened to him during the time, he went still. He didn't want to tell her of how he change into a bloodthirsty monster. She got the hint and ask about his tattoo, he froze again. She sigh and telling him if he had any questions for her.

"How was cloud, did you go to ninja academy there or did your parents not let you?"

She had a sad small smile. "I never went to clouds. A few days into our traveling bandits came and killed my parents, Kong saved me in time and took me in and trains me to be a ninja."

He grow quiet but then more questions came in his head. "Is he here with you?"

"No he's one of the heads in the clan, but I took Zero with me."

"What clan?"

"It's a summoning monkey and ape clan. They trained me and taught me their lifestyle, so if I walk on all fours or do something humans wouldn't do its a habit."

He saw no lies in her, so he believed it. "Why are you dressed like that?"

She had a confused face. "What do you mean, these are my clothes. Kong said that since I'm a ninja I need to move freely and cloths get in the way, besides its also one of their lifestyle."

"Well Sakura, with you dressed like that you'll catch the wrong attention, I think I have an old fishnet shirt and ninja pants." Gaara then looked for the items, he really didn't want his only friend being called names for the way she dress or getting that kind of attention. He gave them to her and she put Zero on his shoulder. She took off her loincloth in front of him and Gaara had a little blush on his cheek as he turn. However, he turn back when he heard ripping noises, she was making them shorts and got a view of her back in the process, he turned back and acted like he saw nothing.

Arms wrapped around him as he heard a thank you, he liked the feeling. She then went back to the bed with him follow close by. He had one question he wanted to know badly. "How long will you be staying?"

"I was thinking of just tonight since I have nowhere to go, most likely sleep on the tree at the park since I have no money."

"You can sleep here, and if you need anything I'll get it for you." He said like a child again, hoping on things that could probably not happen because he's a monster after all.

"Okay Gaara, but I'll try not to be a burden."

He hugged her like he did when they were five years old and she hugged back. That's why he like her, she never saw him as a monster but as a child that has been neglected and abused. Her stomach then growl and she smile sheepishly. "Do you have anything we can eat, by any chance Gaara-kun."

He smiled like he used to do and took her hand to the kitchen. "I'll have something for us."

After they ate the front door open and close and his siblings came walking in on them talking, with Zero checking Gaara's head and a smiling. He went completely emotionless at their arrival and just looked at them, he then took Sakura's hand and walked to his room, as she waved bye to them.

"Who were they Gaara?"

"My siblings, Temari is the eldest and Kankuro is my older brother."

"Oh that's nice to have siblings I always want some, but then the whole thing happen so yeah. Um Gaara-kun... I was wondering before we go to bed if we can eat ice cream, its been forever since I've had some."

"Sure Sakura, anything for you." He smiled and took her hand again to walk back to the kitchen, with Zero still on his head.

His siblings watched with fearful eyes as he sat her on on the other end of the table and walked back to the kitchen. They wanted to ask if she was alright, if he harmed her, and how does she know him. However he walked back in before they could question her, her face brighten up as she saw him come in with a bowl of strawberry ice cream and Zero with a banana.

"Thank you Gaara-kun. Zero did you say thank you?" He nodded and took his place next to Sakura offering her a piece of banana which she took.

Gaara and Sakura shared the ice cream in peace, ignoring his sibling's stares, when she spoke again. "I think I'll stay for five days and then I'll leave, so I won't be a burden."

"But that's too soon. Maybe you can stay in Suna, you can be a ninja here." He said in a monotone but his eyes show that he was sad that she would be leaving too soon. His siblings were acting like they weren't paying attention but they were, especially since they rarely hear Gaara talk.

"That's a tempting offer Gaara-kun, but here is not my homeland. If they don't take me as a ninja I'll come back here, okay?" He gave a small nod.

Temari couldn't take it anymore she wanted to know she she was. "Gaara how's your friend."

He looked at her and his brother to see curiosity in both their eyes, but with a little of fear as well, but after what Sakura said about wanting siblings he should at least try to be nice to them. "This is my friend Sakura from when I was five. Her family were merchants and stayed here for a while, but we became friends during the time. She came here to see me before she goes off on her journey back home."

"Do you plan on showing her around, or taking her to the ninja store cause Kankuro and I have to get supplies from there, do you guys want to come with us."

Sakura face show excitement. "Can we go Gaara-kun, I've never been in a ninja store before?!"

"Sure thing Sakura. What time would we be leaving?"

Temari and Kankuro look at each other thinking for a minute and then turn back to him. "Seven in the morning."

"Sounds find. Come on Gaara-kun let's go to bed." She took his hand and dragged him to his room.

Sakura snuggled up to him with Zero laying on her stomach, she was out like a light as he watched her. He 'slept' a little but just couldn't focus, he was absorbing her warmth she gave him.