(Okay, it has taken me longer than usual to update since school started and I get home late from sports. So sorry if it took too long and here is the new chapter.)

Chapter 4 Sorry (Normal POV)

It is a regular day, nothing better to do. After a couple of days Yuki feels a hundred percent comfortable now ever since she heard that rumor. As for our favorite sand ninja, it seems he's been preoccupied with more papers, Shukaku…and one other person. Right now, the two are sitting in the living room just looking at the boring TV program while the elder ninja are watching them from the door to the closet.

"I think it's working…"

"Yep. Give it a couple more days and bam! Tsunade's plan is actually working."

They whispered to each other and then Kankuro felt something tugging his shoes and saw teeth and a furry black face at his feet. "Damn it Kuro get off!" He tried shaking the dog off, but that caused them both to loose balance, with all the shoes and stuff in the closet, and they fall out the closet onto the floor. The loud THUMP brought the other two ninjas' attention to them and had raised eyebrows and brought sweat drops to the weird scene.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for…um…Kankuro's favorite shoe! See he has it and now we're going!"

They sped up to the next floor and Kuro walked away to his master. "You were chewing on Kankuro's shoes again?" He barked once and Yuki laughed a little and took the wolf into her arms. It took a couple of seconds to realize that a pair of aqua eyes were staring right at her. "What is it Gaara?"

He looked away and let out a sigh. "Why are you here, really?"

The girl looked so confused and lost. "Um, what do you mean by that?"

"Just answer."

She started thinking hard about this question, looking for the right answer. "Well…hmm…I'm here to help you out whenever you need it. That's my job, and what I want to do."

"What do you mean you want to?"

"Well…it's just that. I'm…going to give Kuro a bath." The moment the word was mentioned, the little animal sped off out of an open window and rushed out the mansion. "Correction: Chase him, and then give him a bath." She runs out the window and her yelling can be heard from the inside.

'Gaara, please don't do this to me!'

'You're just afraid because you'll have to deal with Rin.'

'No…okay yes. She's scary! Come on man! This sucks! I'm stuck in your wimpy ass body and I can't shoot myself! What did I do to deserve this?'

'I have a list.'

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Gaara opens it to find Baki in the doorway. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but there are news that we need to discuss. Now."

"Fine."

11111111111111111111111111111111

For those who don't know, being at meetings can be boring. And in this case, a room full of older people and in a place with no air conditioning is one boring fest that can make Itachi go berserk (daaaaaaamn…). The meeting was about regular things of this and that. Gaara was listening, but honestly was waiting to get the hell of there. However one thing did get his attention.

"And a couple of more issues also. There is a small faction of ninja which has occupied a small village Sunagakure. Luckily the villagers were able to evacuate and are safe here. With information gathered, we confirmed that they might be in an alliance with Akatsuki. Lastly, there have been sightings of abnormal sightings of a member for a few nights."

'I have a feeling who…' (Can anyone guess? I'll give three seconds. 1…2…Deidara of course. Hehe!) Yes, he's thinking of Deidara. Wanna know why?

Flashback (Days before Yuki)

A starry night in Suna is what anyone would like. Yep, stars, a nice breeze…and sand flying everywhere at a huge white bird. Gaara and Deidara are in a showdown: Winner gets to live and losers…win the pain of defeat and death. The fight kept going with both ninjas using whatever they had until:

"Hmm…I'm tired. How about we call it a day and start if off later."

"You're seriously backing out?" 'I thought he was more serious about this.'

"Yeah. But don't get all cozy Kazekage. I'll be back." With that the blonde flies away out of sight and Gaara is left in midair with the sand helping him and still thinking through what just happened.

End Flashback

The redhead is thinking that it has to be Deidara. And now that he thinks about it, the bounty hunters from before (chapter 1) were probably working for Akatsuki as well. The sender for that message, A, could be them.

"What do you think should be done, Lord Kazekage?"

He got out of his train of thought and focused his attention on the meeting. "We'll have ninja keeping watch on the gate and some on the rooftops. Make sure the ninja on the roofs aren't alone like last time."

Yuki is looking for her pet on the streets in Suna and hasn't found him at all. But the whereabouts of Kuro aren't the only thing she's thinking about. 'I wonder why Gaara asked me that. Maybe he doesn't trust me?' While she was thinking, she bumped into a young brunette man. "S-sorry sir."

"Hmm, it's no trouble. Do you care to buy something?"

"Uh…what?"

The guy pointed to a cart on wheels full of different forms of clay sculptures and pottery. "I'm a traveling artist who sells these. So…what do you think?"

She looked at the pottery and seemed taken by all the details the works of art showed. One caught her eye: a robin perched on a cherry blossom branch in full bloom. "It's so beautiful."

"Take it."

'I don't remember bringing money…' Yuki looked everywhere and found a little red purse in her shuriken pouch. "So how much is it?"

"It's free."

"A-are you sure? No I can't…"

"Please, go ahead. A work of art for another is what I like to see." He picked up the clay robin and put it in her hands.

Yuki held the robin in her hands a little tighter and slightly bowed to thank the man. Then she felt something wet on her feet and saw Kuro licking her feet. "There you are. Trying to avoid a b-a-t-h will never help." She heard footsteps and saw a head of red hair coming towards her from the crowd. "Gaara, you found him?"

"Other way around. Coming?"

"Yeah. Thank you for your time sir." The two left with the wolf pup trailing behind them and the man sat back in a stool. After a few moments he picked up the cart and moved it to the outside of the gate. He placed all the pottery and sculptures off the cart and, this would seem weird, the pottery whiten and molded together to form a giant white bird. The man puts a red tag on the wooden cart and mounted the bird and flew away just before the cart exploded.

"No, thank you Gobi."

The bird flew to the Akatsuki hideout and landed down on the ground, shrinking and becoming a smaller bird, then making a tiny explosion.

"Do you always have to make a noise when you come back?" The cloaked, earthy figure known as Zetsu appears out the entrance. "You can change back now you know."

The guy rolled his eyes and in a puff of smoke Deidara was there. "That was pretty easy. But waiting was boring." He was saying while walking in the hideout. "I'm back." Pein stared Deidara until he took a seat on a boulder and looked away.

"Did she take the bait?"

"Yep. As soon as it's alone and finds the opportunity, it'll slip in the medicine and Gaara will fall asleep. The demon will be able to cause any free movement and do whatever he wants. But…how will this help?"

"If Shukaku forces the Kazekage to cause harm to his friend, she would distance herself away from him. It will be easier for you Deidara." (Oh snap…)

The kitchen was dark and there were light footsteps entering the room. Then out of no where a pair of pale eyes opened and saw the figure walk in. The person opens the refrigerator and light slightly brightens up the room. Yuki grabbed water in the fridge and turned around and jolted up right from the eyes startling her. "Who's that?"

"It's me." Yuki walked over to the eyes and recognized the spiky red hair in the dark. "Scared?"

"No. You just surprised me. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"…I can't sleep."

The silence felt awkward and the two went about their own business. Yuki took out two cups and poured water in both and gave one to Gaara. "Thirsty?" He shrugged and took the cup in his hands. "How come?"

"Ask him."

Yuki looked confused but then understood what he meant. "I see. Well…um…I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Don't worry." She was hesitant to leave, but she bid a good night and headed to her room upstairs. Gaara stayed there until he was sure she was in her room and after a few minutes he laid down his cup and headed upstairs for just a couple of minutes to meditate. However, he shouldn't have left the water in the same room as the clay robin.

The robin blinked and went off the branch as if they were never the same clay sculpture at all. It pecked at a cherry blossom bud and the clay cracked, revealing a small sleeping pill. It pecked two more buds and with each pill it dropped it into Gaara's cup. As soon as the pills fell in the water they quickly dissolved and the clay robin grabbed the thin branch it was perched on and flew out the partially open window. As soon as it went outside it landed in an alley and made a small bang.

Feeling a little thirstier, Gaara returned to the kitchen and picked up the glass to take it to his room. As soon as he sat down he took a swig of the water and continued meditating. Though not much time passed and he started feeling drowsy, so he opened his eyes and tried to fight the lethargy so he won't succumb to the sleep and end up being taken over by the demon in him. Though, he still fell asleep and seconds later he got up as if nothing happened. But when he opened his eyes they looked intense and angry and it was obvious that Shukaku took over.

"He should've listened to me. Now…where is she…?" Gaara walked down the hall with the sand trailing behind him slowly and when he got to the door he quietly opened the door then locked it. However the door makes a loud "click" when locked, but that didn't faze him and he saw Yuki wake up with a kunai in her hand.

"What's wrong Gaara?" She said and it's obvious in her voice that she is drowsy and barely awake. Yuki laid the kunai down on the nearby night table and took some steps toward Gaara. As soon as she was in reach, Gaara grabbed her by the shoulders and used his strength to throw her against the wall. "What are you doing!?"

Gaara walked closer and used the sand to hold her and raise her up on the wall. "Gaara isn't here right now. You should have just done your job and nothing else, girl."

'What the hell is Shukaku doing? Yuki let me help you right now!'

The sand snaked around and reached Yuki's neck, the hold getting stronger and stealing any air she can get. She tried controlling the nearby water in her cup on the table, but Gaara quickly realized that and moved the sand to her hands, pinning them to the wall at her sides and fully preventing movement. "Gaara snap out of it!"

"Just shut up." The sand got tighter and Yuki started changing slowly. Her eyes were no longer the soft grey but were a piercing red and her fingernails got a little longer and sharper. Rin is trying to save Yuki, however it might be too late since the sand covered her entirely except her face. She looks pale from lack of air and feels ready to pass out any minute.

Gaara raised his hand and prepared to kill Yuki with the ever fatal sand funeral. But just when he was going to clench his fist to put and end to her, she let out a scream and he stopped right before he could finish it. At that moment, Gaara inside finally came in control and the sand moved away, causing Yuki to plop to the floor in a heap.

When he opened his eyes, Gaara was at a loss of words to find that he almost killed Yuki. He got closer and noticed she passed out from lack of air. There is also a small trickle of blood from her forehead from her being thrown against the wall. He felt a huge weight of guilt, something he very rarely ever feels, on him and anger at the demon in him for making him do something like this.

And there was being confused as to how he came to himself right before Gaara would have killed her. He has no idea how that happened, but he can't think about it now. He picked her up in his arms and disappeared out the room and ended up in the hospital lobby. There was only one person there and she looked up from the desk and rushed out of her desk.

"Kazekage-sama! W-what happened?"

"…Just get her some help." He followed the nurse to a vacant room and laid Yuki on the bed. He doesn't feel like explaining anything to anyone right now. And if anyone knew, Gaara had a feeling that the old fears of him would stir among the village.

"Sir you'll have to tell me what happened so I can-" But when the nurse glanced at Gaara, he was no longer there. "Kazekage-sama?"

(Yuki POV)

'What happened…?' I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in a bright hospital room with two nurses in the room. I touched my aching head and felt a bandage on the left side of my forehead and when I saw my hand I saw a faint dark bruise around my wrist. 'How did I get here? I was asleep, then Gaara came-' Then I remembered what happened and I felt chills run through every bone and nerve.

"Good, you're awake. How are you feeling?" I snapped out of my scared trance and looked at a brunette nurse on my right.

"My head hurts a bit, but other than that I feel fine."

"It's probably just a headache. I'll get you some aspirin and water okay? Machi can you take care of her while I get medicine?"

A blonde nurse peeked from a curtain dividing my bed and another one away from each other and now I feel confused. The nurse looked like she was around my age and that means that she is the girl who is supposed to be dead according to the guy. "Wait, you're Machi?"

"Uh, yes."

"I, um, hope it isn't rude to ask, but how are you still alive?"

She looked at me like I was crazy and then answered, "I take good care of myself."

"But I heard that you disappeared years ago and was never found because someone killed you."

"Oh…that idiot. I think I know how you thought that. There's this guy I know who was a friend of mine and he probably wanted to scare you. No, what happened was I used to have a very mean pet bird and one night it went berserk and escaped out the cage. I went after it but it scratched me a lot and went out the window. I was missing for a couple of days trying to get it back. I didn't want my parents getting mad that I let the bird out."

I felt relieved but guilty when I heard that from her. I was relieved that Gaara never did that, but I felt guilty for believing, even a little bit, that it was true. "How did I get here?"

"Oh, Kazekage-sama brought you here. But he didn't fill out a medical report so no one knows what went on. Do you?"

"……It was on duty. Nothing more."

"Okay then. Well, if you feel better later on today you can leave."

I nodded my head to confirm that and the other nurse came in with the aspirin and a cup of water. I swallowed the aspirin and water, and then looked out the window that had a view of the village. That thing I said wasn't a complete lie. I tried helping Gaara from Shukaku, and helping him to me is still something I want to keep doing. But if he is himself, what is he doing now? "Can I leave now?"

"If you can, sure. If you feel a little off, you can come here. But first you need clothes instead of pajamas."

"I have a uniform from here that I can wear until I get home, so no problem." I got off the bed and put on slippers to walk around. I walked around the hospital until I found the locker room and got my nurses uniform. It will be weird to wear them in public, but it's better than p.j's.

Luckily for me I didn't get much raised eyebrows from this get up. I started thinking of where I should go. Going to the mansion would mean answering to Temari and Kankuro if they heard anything and I would have to talk to Gaara, which is what I want to do of course. But then again it might be too soon, so what about uncle Minoru? No, he would explode and confine me to the house for safety. He might even try suing him or something like that.

"Yuki!" 'Oh shit…' I hear a familiar voice and turn around to see Temari running up to me. "What happened? I heard something last night and then you and Gaara were gone! By the time he came back he was sulking and locked himself in his room!"

I never heard Temari sound this frantic in my life. "What do you mean? You can't open it or anything?"

"Yeah. And he hasn't eaten anything at all or anything. Me and Kankuro don't know how to get him out."

Hearing all this, I guess I have no choice but to go to the mansion. As soon as I get there I'll try and talk to Gaara. I just hope he isn't thinking of doing something rash.

(Gaara POV)

'Uh Gaara, buddy, no hard feelings, alright?'

'If you weren't inside me then your ass would be dead by now.'

'Hey, I warned you and you didn't listen to me because you had your head up your ass!'

'You shouldn't be even thinking about hurting her.'

'Screw you.'

I stayed in my room and worked on papers. I am not coming out today, tomorrow, never. I have never felt this guilty, or any range of guilt period, maybe before Yashamaru's death, but none that I may recall.

There was a rustling sound behind the closet door and I opened it to find Kuro running in every spare area of the closet. I have no idea how he got in there and why he is even here, but then something else caught my attention. Under a pile of clothes there was a small brown trunk that I don't remember having at all. I moved the clothes away from the lid and opened it to find my old bear from years ago. But around its neck was a strong black string with a gold coin, probably ancient, hanging from it. 'Where did this come from?'

I took the necklace and brought it to my desk, looking at it from its string. There were words on this, but it is too old to read them. 'Where did I see this?'

(Dun dun! Flashback time!)

A red headed boy is all alone on the ground drawing faces and lines in the sand of the playground feet away from the other children playing their ball game. It is how it is; play, unwanted "freak" as they would call him would come, they play away from him. One kid kicked the ball a little too hard and the red rubber sphere landed inches from the boy. He picked it up and looked at the kids who were scared looking at him and they ran away since they knew that he knows of their presence. For them it's okay to play away from him as long as he doesn't notice them, but if he does he'll try to come near them.

Gaara dropped the ball and continued making pictures with the twig and thinking of how lonely he is. But then he heard a noise of kids getting louder until he saw a group of boys older than him, one grabbing a stuffed white rabbit, and a red and black haired girl in a pink jumper dress over a white t-shirt chasing them.

"Gimme back my bunny!"

"Too bad shrimp. You'll have to climb and get it first!" The boy holding the rabbit chucked it high and it hit the roof of the playground's jungle gym tower. They left laughing and the girl kicked sand at the retreating kids. She looked at the tower determined to get her toy back and she started climbing the bars of the tower. Gaara watched her climb and climb until she reached the platform that led to the long yellow slide.

"Don't worry bunny I'll get you down!" With flexibility she wedged her way out from the gap between the short fence and the roof's edge and climbed it, almost slipping from one step. She finally reached the rabbit and clung on to it. "Uh-oh, how do I get down?" She gulped and carefully tried climbing down, but her anxiety caused her to lose footing and she started falling. Gaara's eyes widened in fear and out of no where sand rose up from the ground to catch her in mid fall.

Gaara didn't mean to do that, and now that he revealed his presence he ran under a blue play tunnel where the only source of light he had were the plastic windows. He cowered and stayed still, hearing the little girl. Then the red head noticed that his teddy bear was not by his side, but where he was before he hid. Gaara clamped his eyes shut, hoping the girl doesn't start her search.

"Hiyo." He opened his eyes to meet grey ones and he backed away. Gaara looked at her sitting on her knees and an old gold coin dangling on a black thread from her neck. Her eyes looked sort of slanted and unnatural, as if someone copy and pasted the eyes right over her real ones. "I think this is yours?" She held up his brown teddy bear and gently laid it on the sand inches away from him. "Did you save me?"

The boy slowly nodded and the girl had a very cheerful smile on her face. "Thank you so much! I thought me and bunny would be pancakes if you didn't make the sand go up. How did you do that?"

"I…You're not running away?"

"No, why would I? Are you really sick?" Gaara shook his head and the little girl shrugged her shoulders. "Then there is no reason for me to run away. I'm Yuki." She held out a hand and Gaara stared at it for a while. "Don't worry just shake." His hand, shaking, finally grasped hers and they shook hands. "What's your name?"

"Uh…Gaara."

"How about we play with the ball outside? I know a game we can play."

For that moment Gaara felt happy, something he rarely felt. He nodded and the two kids crawled out the tunnel and picked up the ball to play.

(The featured flashback film has now ended)

'How could I forget?' Now I don't know whether to feel happy or even guiltier now that I remember. My first friend was here all this time, and she was almost gone again. 'Does she even remember?'

A knock on the door took me away from my question and a small voice was on the other side. "…Gaara?"

'Ohhhh, you're busted now…'

"I know you're there Gaara. Temari and Kankuro are worried about you. What happened was an accident. I know you didn't mean it."

I didn't want to answer. How can she forgive me after that? Still, I'm not leaving this place, for her sake. "Leave."

"Not until you come out."

"Just go." I didn't hear anything and then there were footsteps that grew fainter every moment. That statement came out harsher than I wanted it to. I really, really hate guilt. "Yuki?" No answer.

'Now you've done it.'

I ignore him and got out of my seat, reluctantly opening the door. Yuki would probably be in her room, and, unfortunately, I was right. The reason why it was unfortunate? Well…

"EEEK! GET OUT OF HERE PERVERT!" (Oh snap…) Before I knew it a pillow was stuffed in my face and I was completely confused…and happy. How was I supposed to know she was changing in her room?

'My boy has finally become a manly boy.'

'Will you shut up? I didn't mean it.'

'I know but…wow, I thought she would wear red, but pink is always good…'

'Stop reminding me! Shoot, not only did I almost kill the first friend I had, now she will think I'm a leech like that fox kid.' I felt something wet on my upper lip and I rushed to the bathroom to look in the mirror. From my nose, two trickles of blood were resting on my upper lip and trying to make their way on my lips and in my mouth. I never wanted a nosebleed from something like…that. I take some tissue and cover my nose and walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where my siblings were already eating. They looked up and stared at me, and then the tissue on my face.

"Gaara what happened?" The tissue held did not hide the blood so easily and they noticed. Part of the tissue was already soaked with the red liquid and there is no way to hide it. Temari walked over and took the tissue away and had a concerned look on her face. "Did you have a nosebleed?"

"Yes."

"Did your nose get hit?"

Kankuro sighed and got up from his seat as if he was bored by the entire thing. "Temari, pay close attention. His cheeks are red too." Temari looked again at my face for a few seconds and nodded. "And there is only one explanation as to why he has a bloody nose and red cheeks."

"Banging his nose against the door so hard he almost cried?"

"Tsk tsk big sis. Broaden your horizon. Gaara…is a pervert!" Temari's eyes grew larger and I was thinking that all of that is just crap and that I am eternally screwed. "I've seen this before! Gaara where are the books?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You saw something inappropriate! That's it!"

Kankuro was silenced when Temari rolled up a newspaper and hit him on the head. "Idiot! Gaara isn't a perv! Right Gaara?" I said nothing. The less I say the better it is for me. "Gaara?" Or maybe not. "Oh my god what did you do?"

"Let him breathe guys." Yuki walked past me and stared at the two looking like nothing happened. "I opened the door on his face by accident and hurt his nose. That's what happened."

That was awkward. Why is she lying for me like this? "I knew it! Gaara would never get a 'perverted' nosebleed. Kankuro you've got a sick mind. Apologize."

"You've thought of it too!"

"I was worried! Unlike you I'm acting like an older sibling!"

"You just hate me because I'm the middle child!"

In the back of my mind, I know they had to have been adopted. I felt a tug at my sleeve and saw Yuki gesturing her head to the other room. She exited and, without my brother and sister noticing, left the room as quietly as possible. As soon as I got in she had a look in her eyes that doesn't look good for me. "Yuki…I…I apologize. For everything."

"Hmm, I accept, but you better watch out."

"No one threatens me."

"Says who. Anyway, I've already thought up something to get back at that little "peek" you took, accident or not. It will make me feel better." At the same time she said that, she was mischievously smiling away. "Let me get you something for that bleeding, 'kay?"

I was left in the room thinking of how she will get her revenge. Will she inflict pain or embarrassing to the fullest extent she can?

'Dude, you're screwed.'