A/N: Hello again. I wasn't planning to update this so soon but there was some confusion about the last chapters so I will explain now.

The little part with Annabel and Neji was what you might call... a "side dish." They are not the main focus, but it does play a role in the long run.

Please keep in mind that this is my first story and I'm still learning. Constructive criticism is good but I ask that you do not bite my head off. ^_^'

Thank you.


+++Part 4+++

Little Forest

Hot. It was always hot during the day. The sun rising up always signaled the end of the cold night. But this day wasn't like the others. This day, as soon as the sun was up and there was light outside, he went to the swing set. He sat on the same swing he did everyday when he would come to watch the other children play ball with each other. But today he was here much earlier. Even before his training began. He didn't want to miss her.

"Gaara..." Standing to his right, a man spoke. "Lord Kazekage is requesting you. It's time for your lessons. You know that."

"But, Yashamaru, I..."

The man smiled gently. "I'm sure there will be time to play after your lessons. Please Gaara, Lord Kazekage is waiting."

Gaara sat there on the swing with a pleading look. "That's not it. I..." He sighed before getting up and looking down, disappointed.

"What is it, Gaara?"

"I... I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh?" Now this sparked the man's interest and he thought for a minute. "I'm sure they'll be here when you get back." One of the older kids must have been joking? Or maybe he had one of the other children cornered? The man, Yashamaru, thought this. There's no way they'd be back. Whoever it was. "Come on now." He said as he led Gaara away. Said boy looked back at the swing anxiously.

"What if she comes and I'm not there?" He asked the man walking beside him.

Ah, a she, is it? "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, Gaara." Yashamaru spoke the lie sweetly. He knew no one would show up.


"Bleh! Hot!" Whined little Katherine.

She had just crawled out of that mini-cave from before. It was hard running all the way from that glowing light thing. After touching the symbol in the house for a few seconds the thing would glow, drag her in, pull her though this place with lots of moving colors, and then just spit her out flat! How rude. Oh well, the important thing was that she was back in the village. What was it called? Sun? Bleh, whatever. It was hot. Now... where are the swings again?


The training session had finally ended. The young red haired boy never really had anything to look forward to until now. It had made him so impatient he could barely stand it. Nearly everyday his father would teach him the secrets of the shinobi. Today he didn't want to, though, but he still did his best. Not that it gave him his father's acceptance. He was always left to himself afterwards. But today was different. Today he was going to be with his new friend. Gaara's apprehension grew as he got closer and closer to the play area near the edge of the village, the one where he first met her. Katherine. An unusual name- he had never heard it before. But he liked it, that and the idea of him being able to call someone's name, to actually have someone run to him instead of away. That made him excited, glad even. The village wall came into full view with the play area. He wondered if Katherine would be glad too.

He stopped.

Empty. His heart sank. There was no one. Not even the kids that played ball were here. He lowered his head, clearly disappointed. Trudging over to the swing he sat and started to push himself gently back and forth, his feet not leaving the ground. He would wait anyway. A little hope still clung to him. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

He didn't know how long he sat there like that, slowly, back and forth, back and forth. It felt like forever to him. He stopped moving the swing and let out a long sigh through his nose, looking gloomy as if his puppy had died. A lone small breeze tickled his hair... but not anywhere else, just the hair at the top of his head. It wasn't the wind. He jerked his head to look behind him and the first thing he saw was... a fish.

"You have pretty hair," came a quiet voice.

He stared wide-eyed and mouth agape. With the same stare his eyes followed the little figure to the swing beside him. "Th, thank...you," he barely remembered to say. Staring, he had to keep telling himself this was real. There she was- in a pastel light blue dress that went just below her knees, thick straps, and little white fish circling around her waist. She started twisting in the swing and caught him looking at the fish.

"I like the fishies, too." She smiled while fidgeting with the swing more. "They're drawn like...the fishies that, um, people used to use to show that they follow Jesus. So... I like it! Sorry I wasn't- I took a long time, uh... you live in a big town. If it weren't for your red hair, well, I might have gone right past! Sorry..." She looked down embarrassed.

"It's, it's okay!" He replied quickly. "I'm... glad." He smiled hesitantly. "Really glad you're here."

That brought forth a great big smile from the little brunette. "Me, too," was her excited reply. "Me, too!"

And the scarlet haired boy smiled a little wider.


"Katherine." - "Yes?" - "This way." - "Coming!"

Such were the words exchanged after seeing who could swing the highest. But there was no competition; it was just for fun really. When Gaara called Katherine she came running. She didn't notice how happy that made him. No, her thoughts centered on how he amazed her. First he was on the swing with her and the next he was all the way over there? She didn't know how he could move so fast. Where were they going, anyway? Was he going to show her something? Or maybe play a new game? Katherine didn't know but she didn't ask either. She just continued to faithfully follow her friend just inches behind him, almost beside him. Occasionally, the young red head would stop suddenly causing Katherine to mimic such abrupt movements or else bump into her companion. He would then turn to look at her, as is checking to see if she was still there, and a small expression of relief would appear before he turned and continued again. He didn't have to be so worried though. She was always right behind him.

"You have a big house," had been Kat's first comment. But now, she wasn't focused on the big sandy dome-like mansion. Nor was she focused on how the buildings were all the same mundane color on the outside but very... colorful on the inside. Nope, she was totally focused on a piece of paper. Kat stared at this paper zoning in and out on it. Then slowly brought down a pencil and marked the spot she was staring at for so long. She sighed in disappointment after Gaara nonchalantly marked another spot on the paper. He had won... again.

"Oh," she whined. "I thought I'd win if I was the X this time. How'd you get so good at this? You said you never even played tic-tac-toe before!"

He only shrugged, "I don't know."

Katherine stopped sulking enough to notice Gaara's neutral-like stare. He had been staring at her like that every now and then. It was like he was in a trance and she didn't know why. It was starting to make her feel uneasy. "Well," Kathy shifted awkwardly under his gaze. "Well, uh... what do you wanna do now?"

He looked sad. "I... don't know." He paused. "What do you want to do?"

Katherine sat and thought on it. They'd been playing random games for a while now, only ones she'd been showing him. Hadn't he ever played games before? Right when she was about to suggest something else, a person walked in the room. A man? A woman? Katherine couldn't tell. Whoever it was looked very surprised to see her there.

"Yashamaru!" Gaara startled Kathy. "Look! This is who I was waiting for. Katherine..." He trailed off when he saw her face. Kathy looked like a deer caught in headlights. One hand was held up limply in a defensive pose while the rest of her was positioned like she was about to take off sprinting. Gaara tried asking her what was wrong but Kathy kept her stare in the direction of this "Yashamaru."

"Well, hello Miss... Katherine, was it?" Yashamaru spoke sweetly but it made no difference to Kat. She didn't take her eyes off the stranger's form as she cautiously moved towards Gaara. Confused, the red haired boy inquired as to what was going on. The man whom Kat was wary of looked astounded. However that all too sweet composure returned after a moments thought. "Hmm, it would seem your friend is very shy, Gaara."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, to put it simply, it means she's... very... uncomfortable around people she doesn't know."

The red head looked over his shoulder at her. "It's okay. It's okay, Katy." She gave her friend a nervous glance before hiding her face in the back of his shirt.

"I'll be going then. I'm sure she'll warm up to me eventually." The blonde man said before exiting the room.

But, you know... she never would.


She came back each day. It had been almost two weeks now and she always came back. The caretaker of the scarlet haired boy noted how they always met near the swing set. He noted how the girl was happy and bouncy when around...him- shy and stoic around others, though, and Yashamaru wondered what possessed her to befriend the boy. The medical nin noticed many things about this girl. But most of all he noticed the difference in Gaara. He was actually smiling and laughing... more than he ever had in his entire six years of life. And all of it had been reported to the Kazekage.

"Keep an eye on them," he had said. "This might work in our favor. Let's see if... it can be controlled."

"Then," the caretaker replied slowly, "are we postponing the assassination?" There was silence as the leader of the village folded his hands in front of his mouth, dark eyes hardening in thought.

"For now," was the heartless reply. "For now."


They ran, they always run away. With terror in their eyes they would turn away from him and bolt... leaving him alone again. No matter how nice he tried to be the result was always the same. Until that time... two and a half weeks ago... when that one person came into his life. That one person, who seemed nervous around everyone else but open and free around him, was what brought a smile to his face everyday. The person that ran to him, not away.

"Katherine!" He called to her from the swing set. She sped towards him and hopped to a stop.

"Hellooo, Gaara!" she chirped, "How you be doin'?"

"Fine," he beamed, "thanks."

Her eyes went wide and a silly grin spread across her face. "Your smile makes the sun shine better." Surprise slipped across Gaara's expression but his smile returned just as quickly. Kathy clapped her little hands and giggled with glee. "So," she started once she calmed a little, "what we gonna do today?"

The two friends, after a long afternoon of playing, were headed to the scarlet haired boy's place for lunch. Katherine still wanted to bounce around and play but after her stomach protested otherwise, Gaara put a halt to their activities. It didn't take him long to calm her out of her hyperness. He didn't have to yell. There was just something about him. Something that made Katherine feel calm and...safe.

"Race to door!" Kathy exploded from their casual walk into a full out sprint. But somehow he always got there first! He offered her a small apologetic smile while she sulked. "Aww, not again!"

This was how their days went so far. Kathy would come to the playground at noon, since Gaara had training with his father most of the morning. And they would do whatever, from playing on the swings to running around the village to going to Gaara's residence for something. But as her friend tried to show her how to use chopsticks for the hundredth time, she thought of something else. I'm tired of this village and all the mean looks from the people. She looked up at the man who was preparing their lunch. And why do we have to come here? I don't like that man. He makes me so... Katherine shifted in her seat uneasily. Can't we go to my house instead? An idea sparked in her brain. Of course! Why couldn't they go to her house? Kathy bet that Gaara would be surprised. Had he ever been to such a green and mild place? Kat would be sure to ask him after lunch... and after they were away from this man.

"Let's go to my house," she had exclaimed as soon as they had stepped outside.

"Your house?" The red head thought a moment and smiled. "Sure, where is it?"

Kat's eyes lit up and she suppressed a squeal of delight. She motioned for him to follow as she started to scuttle off. The two ended up back at the swing set where they always met.

Confused sea-foam orbs looked to her for an answer. "I thought we were going to your house, Katy."

"We're not there ye-et!" she sang. "This wa-ay!" She was so excited she thought she might explode her head! She couldn't wait to see his face when he saw it! "This way- through here!" She got down and started to crawl into the "Mini-cave."

"What...? Th, through the wall?" He stood there, uncertain. "But..."

"Come on!" She shouted from within the tunnel. He sighed, looks like she won't be listening for any protests. Checking to see if anyone was around first, he went in after her. And after her he went, through tight squeezes and sharp turns until, at last, they reached the end. Yet she was still going, sprinting and leaping away over to the dunes.

"Wait!" He took off. He was fast and was about to catch her, but not before she skidded to a halt thus causing him to ram into her. He... wasn't a full-fledged shinobi quite yet. Katherine stood back up and just stayed there, unmoving. Her head lifted up to the sky. She breathed deep and even. Gaara's eyes widened. Did he hurt her? Was she mad? He was about to ask when she turned around- a most serene look on her features, the opposite of what would be expected of a little girl that just got knocked down.

"Are you ready to see something amazing?" She asked. Her friend stared at her wonderingly. The he started to look around. He didn't see anything amazing. Just a few scattered sandstone boulders and a really big, flowering cactus. Though... it was strange to see a flowering cactus at this time. His gaze went back to her. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him lightly to the strange cactus. When he got closer to it he could see that it had a scarce amount of thorns- very unusual. He had never seen one like it.

"You won't believe this... but it's awesome!" Katherine said as she reached out to let her fingers linger on the peculiar plant. The next thing the crimson haired boy knew he was being dragged into another tunnel. But this one... was made of light.

They ended up in a heap in a room with wooden floors and walls... and nothing in it except a dresser pushed off to the side. A single large window lit the space with the sun's rays. On the wall behind them- supposedly where they were thrown from- was the symbol of the boy's village. And he could only stare up at it stupefied.

"You're..." came a strained voice," kind of... lying on me." Surprised, he jumped up.

"Sorry," he said before pulling her up.

"Okay." she continued to the door. "Come on!" Kat led him down the stairs, though the house, and out the door onto the porch. The red haired boy slowly followed her down the steps. All the while looking around, his expression truly stunned. All around him...trees...sprouting leaves...blossoms...grass. He'd never been surrounded by so much green and flowers. Everywhere there were trees in full blossom. Most of those blossoms were white. Petals were fluttering down all around them.

"I told you," Katherine whispered. His stunned face turned to her. And Kat was right. His reaction was priceless. Especially what came out of his mouth next.

"Did...did I... die?"

Kat looked surprised for a minute before she snorted and her laughter could be heard echoing through the little forest.


A/N: Well, that's the end of part 4. I wanted to put something in this story that you don't often find in others. I hope I won't disappoint.

By the way, anything I misspelled or mixed up was probably intentional.

For example, when Katherine said, "Race to door!"

The point was to make her sound more like a five year old.

Also, so that there is no confusion, Katherine will be called Katy (Cat-E not Kay-Tee) from now on.