I've Been Sleeping Until I Met You

Chapter 8: Wake Me Up Inside


Time changes us. It changes us for better and for worse. It changes us when we least expect it. Time takes things from us, and time gives things to us as well. But all in all, time will eventually heal you, whether today or tomorrow, the next day or in the next few years. It always heals.

That's what you learned, time takes things from you.

Folding Yume's old clothes gently, putting them into a box to discard. You could remember clearly, each thing you bought her, all the memories came rushing back to you, with every item that once belonged to her was put into the large box.

A couple other boxes were by your front door, you were moving out of your apartment into Gaara's office, which was also a house. Temari and Gaara had ordered you to do so, since this past week you hadn't uttered a word. They were afraid to take their eyes off of you.

Temari leaned against a wall, her arms crossed slightly as she waited for you. She had offered to help but you didn't utter a word, so Temari didn't know what to do but stand there waiting.

As soon as you were packed Temari offered a small smile, in her eyes she held sympathy. "I can throw those things away for you," She offered, reaching out to take the box of Yume's old items from you. You nodded once slightly and let her take the box. Temari took it and headed out your door.

"I'll meet you back at the office," She said as you picked up your other boxes.

Once at the Kazekage's office as well as home Kankuro met you at the door to help take your boxes. He had a grim look on his face, which was a surprise since normally he had a certain eye squint or smile on his face. "I'll take your stuff to your room," Kankuro said, you nodded and without a word handed him your items and followed him to your new room.

Once inside you looked around, it was a nice room. The walls were a lovely cream color and there was a good view from the window. Despite the warm surrounding, everything seemed so cold to you.

Gaara and Temari walked into your room, Temari managed a small smile for you. "I hope you like this room, it's kind of similar to how your apartment looked."

You nodded once more weakly and licked your lips. "It's nice..Thank you." The Sand Siblings blinked and fell silent, theses were the first words you had uttered in a week.

You glanced at them before taking a deep breathe as a thought hit you. 'I can't mope forever, I need to move on, no matter how empty this life will seem..' You smiled gently. "What's wrong with you three? It looks like you've all seen ghosts or something."

Kankuro smiled at you, as he did that eye squint thing. "The real question is, are you ok?" Temari's eye twitched slightly before she quickly brought out her fan, hitting Kankuro over the head with it. "Idiot.." she muttered under her breathe.

You giggled slightly at their fighting. "I'm not totally ok, if that's what you mean, but, I can't let my daughter's death rule my life."

Gaara stared at you, his own thoughts running through his mind, thinking about your words. "…."

You glanced at him, realizing his green-eyed stare was still on you, you looked away, with a small blush, and slight shame, you felt as if he was reading your mind, invading the small crevices of your heart.

Temari smiled gently once more at you before heading towards the door. "Ok then, Itami-chan. We'll just leave you to pack."

You smiled gently and nodded. "Thank you."

You watched as Temari and Kankuro left. Gaara hesitated few moments, he stared at you without talking, and you, not knowing what to do, simply stared back until Gaara left, closing the door softly behind him,

I sweat dropped for a few seconds before I began to unpack my stuff. After getting most of the things I had put away I stopped to look out the window. The view was nice, I could see the hills of Suna, the sun would rise from the window, and I could see the starts perfectly.

'Yume would love this view..' I thought, I allowed another tear to slide from my eyes. I couldn't help but laugh under my breathe. 'I really have to stop this crying,' I thought, wiping my eyes dry.

As the sun started to fall, I left my room in search of the Sand siblings. walking to Gaara's office I notice him leave. You raised an eyebrow at him. "Where are you going?" you asked.

Gaara glanced at you. "The mission," He replied simply. "I took you off of it, but I still need to go."

Your heart beat quickened. "Alone?" you asked, fear bubbling in the pit of your stomach. Gaara simply nodded and walked off to go on the mission.

You ran up next to him. "Let me go, I'm ready to go on the mission again."

Gaara shook his head. "No."

"But why?"

"You might be tempted to take the mission farther than it needs to go, because of your condition, and I can't allow that."

'Basically, he thinks I might become a kamikaze ninja and try to avenge Yume's death,' you clarified in your mind. That wasn't the reason you wanted to go though.

You watched Gaara walk away again. Fear was still in the pit of your stomach. 'He can take care of himself, but what if, there are too many people, he could get hurt..' you thought.

Running in front of him your gave him a quick hug, then let go after a moment. During that moment you could feel his body stiffen under your touch, since he wasn't used to affection.

You looked down, letting the bangs fall over your eyes so he couldn't see your emotions. "I'm sorry, but, just be careful.." You said, then you looked up with a small smile. "I don't want everyone I care about to die."

Gaara's eyes widened for a split second before he showed no emotion on his face again as always.

Gaara shook his head slightly, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Fine," was his simple reply as he walked off to do his job as Kazekage.

You smiled a little. 'He'll be ok, he doesn't need me to tell him so,' you thought with a gentle smile. Looking out into the night's darkness you thought of the words you told him.

"I don't want everyone I care about to die.."

It was at the moment that you realized how much you care about Gaara. Since you've been friends with him for the past few years, you finally realized, with each coming and going year, you fell in love with him.

You smiled again as you looked out at the moon, not really thinking anything, but feeling, at this moment, awake, since, all other moments in your life, it's been as if you were sleeping through life, not conscious of the world until this very moment.

Gaara leaned against a tree in the outskirts of Suna, this was the last day of the mission, since he already got the information he needed from one of the more talkative assassins.

Looking at the moon, Gaara couldn't help but let a small simple smirk play on his lips.

"I don't want everyone I care about die.."

Gaara closed his eyes for a few brief moments. 'She cares about me,' Gaara mused. 'She cares about a monster..'

Gaara looked up at the moon. 'I never loved anyone, but the way I feel about Itami-chan, is the closet thing to love I've ever felt..'

Waiting for another sleepless night to end, Gaara realized something, instead of that monotonous feeling he had, the feeling of not being awake nor being asleep, he realized how awake he felt.

Temari and Kankuro sat in Gaara's office, simply talking. Temari smirked slightly. "It seems that Gaara likes Itami-chan.," she glanced at Kankuro and smiled. "And so do you."

Kankuro sniffed and turned his head away. "What's it to you?" Kankuro had known all along that you had liked Gaara, despite all his attempts to change it, and have you turn your affections on him.

Temari watched her brother, she felt some sadness for him, but even she knew, that Itami loved Gaara. "We should be glad for Gaara, maybe this way he'll find happiness.."

Kankuro sighed, admitting defeat. "I guess.."

You sighed as you closed your window and unpacked the last of your clothes. As you put the last of your clothes into drawers and the closet you couldn't help but think of Gaara, and waiting for his return.


Okay, well here's the chapter, hope you enjoyed it!

Please, constructive criticism/comments, and all that good stuff, it's always very helpful!