Three weeks of clean air and bright lights was more than enough for Gaara. There were only eleven dirt crawlers remaining and now law enforcement was getting involved.

Two bodies were also found, on the top floor of the asylum, but they belonged to night shift guards. Some weird things were happening around the asylum and it all seemed to float right over Gaara's head, kind of like he didn't even know it was happening.

All eleven patients were lined up against the wall and one by one entering a room to receive their yearly vaccination of whatever the hell they decided to stick in the syringe. Gaara would always give them hell, even if it were a booster shot he'd buck around like a bull until they either brought out the leather straps or gave up. He was the last in line for it and he couldn't help but notice the extra company surrounding him, as if to make sure he didn't decide to split.

"Don't try anything Sabaku." One guard warned and Gaara just gave him a smirk, "Me? Try something? You must think I'm crazy." His remark set an uneasy tension in the hallway as the guards pretended they never heard him. Gaara smiled and relaxed until he heard the clicking of shoes coming down the hall.

"Alright boys, I'll take over from here." Old woman Margaret was up and at it again. Time seemed to pass faster and the line moved quicker since she started giving the shots. No one on the basement level ever gave her any problems, they all loved her dearly. Gaara sighed and he was soon next in line, which made it worse. His fun had already been dissolved, like a quickly deflating balloon, for the day and going to mope about it.

"Next!"

He stepped in silently and a smile lit up Margaret's face. "Well hello Gaara! Sweetie come on in." Sheturned a chair toward him and instructed him to sit. "It's time for your full check up anyway-I'll just do that along with the vaccination. Okay?"

"I guess so."

"Something on your mind, baby?" He shrugged and looked up at her, "Not really.."

Margaret sighed and gave him his shot quickly, "Are you sure?" Gaara shrugged once more and stretched his arm, as if to allow the medicine to flow through his muscles faster.

Margaret was quiet for a few minutes before she looked him in the eyes and spoke softly, "Gaara dear.. I'm retiring soon and.. I don't want you to get yourself into any trouble around here.. won't you do me a favor and get out of here?" Gaara eyed her for a moment, "Get out of here?"

"You are bipolar and suffer from insomnia, there is medicine to stop and control both of those. And there are well trained therapists to help you make it out there in the world. There is more to you than this place Gaara. If anyone here can make it outside, it's you, Gaara."

The room grew quiet and slightly uncomfortable for the both of them. "When are you leaving?"

"This Friday is my last day, baby. You will have a new nurse at the station and I expect you to be as good to her as you have been to me for the past twelve years." She had tears in her eyes and was biting her lip slightly, "Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble and stay out of those halls during the night."

Gaara stood up and leaned against the wall, "Why the halls?"

"There is something down there, Gaara, I honestly believe there is something down there killing patients. We don't have cameras, so we don't know for sure. It seems to be breaking into their cells and .. well.." He just remained quiet and crossed his arms. "I'll be showing the new nurse around for the rest of the week. She is rather young."

After a moment of thought he walked out, not even waiting for his full check up. Margaret knew there wasn't really any use in stopping him, it would only cause an unwanted scene. It was best to just let him be for now.

Later that night Gaara and the remaining others were escorted back to the basement and locked in their cells for the first time in weeks. Kiba wasn't present because of some family emergency, which meant Gaara had a substitute night guard.

Said night guard greeted him at the basement door and walked him down quietly. Gaara really didn't know what to make of the man, he looked completely ridiculous. As if it weren't enough that his left eye was scarred shut, he'd apparently dyed his hair some rebellious silver color. "So you chose to dye your hair that color?"

The man glared at him with his only functioning eye,"I didn't dye it."

"You expect me to believe you were born with it?" The man never gave him any response.

When five am came around, Gaara was still sitting up while his guard was on the fourth cup of coffee. The silver haired man eyed him suspiciously, "Why are you still awake?.. better yet, how are you still awake?"

"I don't sleep."

He arched a silver eyebrow and sipped his coffee. "You don't sleep..?"

"Nope."

"You afraid of the dark or something?"

Gaara gave him a really look, "I'll go ahead and inform you, since this is your first day. I'm not afraid of anything." He hissed out the final syllables of his poison drenched statement.

"What's your name kid?"

"You're my guard and you don't even know my name?"

"Yeah I know it, but I'm asking you, man to man- What's your name?"

It took Gaara a moment to respond. The shock of his statement seeped through his pale skin like acid. He was asking him man to man which, to him, was pretty much saying I'm not going to treat you like asylum scum, I know you're human and you deserve respect'.

"My name is Gaara."

"How old are you, Gaara?"

"I'll be 20 tomorrow."

"Seriously?"

Gaara smirked and nodded, "It'll make the 13th birthday I've spent in here- in this prison."

"You really think it's a prison?"

"You really have to ask?" Gaara snapped back.

The silence grew and after five or so minutes the two relaxed in each others company. Gaara was sitting up in his bunk with his back against the wall and his guard was leaning on the cell bars.

"Oh by the way, I was in a bad car accident as a teenager. We hit a big rig packing toxic chemicals and I lost my eye, along with my natural hair color. So, no, I don't dye my hair."

"What's your name?"

"Kakashi Hatake."

Gaara nodded silently and continued staring into Birdie's once occupied cell, "I like you, Kakashi, you should stick around.