WARNING: This chapter is long and weird.

\/\/\ Divide /\/\/

Final Chapter

Gaara made it to his apartment and saw that his lights were on. Frowning, Gaara rubbed an arm. He wasn't surprised.

The wind was cold…then he saw the sky graying. It was evening now. With the weather making him nervous, he had to buckle his knees to walk with confidence. Taking a breath, Gaara told himself not to be upset about figuring things out late.

Even though his fists were trembling, he ignored it. He didn't have time to be scared. The moment he left Sasuke's apartment was the moment he prepared himself for everything that could go wrong.

Walking along the bumpy lot of gravel he knew so well, he shoved the apartment door open. He knew it wouldn't be locked.

Bright blue blinked before winking at him. Getting off of a familiar couch, the Boss stood up to greet Gaara with a smug smirk.

"Welcome home Red."

Once Gaara entered, he saw a big guy he didn't know the name of to his left, and another guy, Sato, to his right. Sticking a hand in a pocket, Gaara gently kicked the door closed behind him. The Boss smirked. And then he chuckled. Waving Gaara to the center of the living area he said, "Don't be shy…it is your place after all."

When there was a foot of space between the Boss and himself, he stopped. Sato and Big guy followed after—stopping a foot behind each of Gaara's shoulders.

For an uncomfortable second, Bright blue stared into Jade. And then the blue was shut away. The Boss was smiling.

"You think you're pretty smart yeah? Then answer something for me."

Boss fell back onto Gaara's ataman in a lazy sitting position. He shrugged—smile still in tow.

"How'd you know we'd be here?"

Gaara's stoic face stretched into a cold smile.

"Actually…I've got a better story for you. It's about your gang."

A slow grin crept across Boss's face. He was having fun.

"I would love to hear it."

"Alright..." with a shrug, Gaara started, "Once…there lived an asshole" Gaara pointed at Boss. The guy blinked comically before Gaara continued, "-and he was mad. Mad at? Another Asshole. But," Gaara frowned, "Another Asshole had a little brother named Liar—and Liar's big brother was in charge of an asshole."

Sato and Big guy were nodding their heads slowly—trying to keep up with the story's confusing cast of names, but Gaara kept on, leaving them in the stories dust.

"Asshole didn't like being bossed around. So one day, he decided to rile up the entire gang and play everyone against Liar's big brother." Gaara couldn't keep from glaring at the guy.

Boss crossed his legs, smile still in tack.

"And what happened next?"

"…Liar's dad was angry, so he did a private investigation. But when the evidence came back to his son's gang, he hushed things up. Liar, on the other hand, was the angriest. Not at his big brother for being stupid enough to get jumped, and not at his dad for dropping the case."

"Ah" interrupted Boss, "He was angriest with himself for being the biggest bitch, right?" Boss mocked innocence as he quirked his head. Gaara shut his eyes.

"…Some time passed. Bored, asshole thought to exercise his new role by playing games. He then remembered Konoha." Gaara shrugged, "Why not? It wasn't far from Suna, and the people lived good up there, supposedly. The only thing wrong with that game was its players. Asshole needed a Konoha student to play—but what Konoha student was going to walk into shitty Suna ?" Turning his attention to Boss, Gaara put his hands up in mock confusion.

"Hell if I know." Gaara frowned. "Oh wait…" And then he snapped his fingers and closed his eyes. Laughingly, he smiled.

"I do know."

Even though he was recounting events by using alias's…he couldn't do that for this part of the story. Looking at Boss, he put his hands back into his pockets.

"We'll call this student Lee."

Annoyed, Boss furrowed his brow.

"We're using names now? That isn't very fun..."

For a moment, Gaara recalled the times he made fun of Lee's appearances. 'Fish Eyes,' and sometimes, depending on how he felt, he would use 'Frog Lips.' Those names were on occasions though. The one he described Lee with the most was 'Ugly'.

"Only Lee will have a name. So don't get confused."

Boss didn't hide his disappointment when he sighed.

"What next?"

"Lee" Gaara shifted to his other foot, uncomfortable.

"You jumped him."

Boss yawned.

"Yeah?"

"And…" Gaara looked at Boss with a blank face because he recognized the hard look in the boy's eyes. He used to wear the same 'Fuck it all' stare. Gaara used to wear it when teachers would look down on him, or when students cowered away to their friends, or when he'd bully Lee.

Gaara closed his eyes.

Boss was still stuck in that pitiful mindset of dominance.

"I want to kill you for hurting him."

Sato and Big guy tensed up and moved closer to Gaara, but Boss waved his hand to calm them. Boss stood up and shrugged.

"Is that the end of your story, Red? That you're gay?"

"Shut up! I'm wrapping it up."

"Let's hear it then."

Boss did not sit back down, and Sato and Big guy were still closed in at Gaara's back.

This isn't good

It was now or never if he was going to pull an Ace.

"When Lee defended himself, one of you lost a ring. This one right?" Gaara held up a black band with an oval stone. That got Boss's attention.

"Where did-"

"Sai." Gaara wanted to laugh in their faces 'He was one step ahead!' but didn't. "He dropped it when he forced me out of the store." Gaara shoved the ring into his pocket again. Boss smiled.

"Now that you have what we want…what do you plan to do?"

"Stop bitching. When I'm done telling this story, you can have your ring back."

Boss shook his head, a little too fast, "Why? There's no need to finish the story now. Just hand us the ring and we'll leave."

It was Gaara's turn to smirk. Then he laughed.

"You sacked my house countless times and jumped Naruto just looking for it…isn't that a lot of trouble for a ring? If it's that valuable, I should at least give you a run for your money."

Boss slicked his hair off his forehead. He wasn't smiling anymore.

"While I was hiding out at a friend's house, you guys set your base here…because Sai ratted your old one out. Now you're cornered. All you can do now is pin evidence on someone else so you can walk free when the law catches up."

Sato and Big guy—Gaara couldn't see them, but he could read their energy—and they were nervous, but ready to take orders if Boss were to make any. But Boss was glaring at Gaara, the grin back on his face.

Gaara frowned, "I don't plan to be your scapegoat."

There was silence—a silence that Gaara found hard to keep his cool in. He was scared.

"..!"

He almost jumped at the sound of Boss's loud clapping.

"You knew a lot more than I thought you would…it was a good listen."

Boss looked over Gaara's shoulder and scratched his chest. The heat of sweaty skin—Gaara could feel fingers at the back of his neck. Immediately, he threw his hand up, caught a wrist, twisted it skyward, and at the groan of his attacker, Gaara kicked him hard in the knee—a crack—and the boy crumbled to the floor. The other had failed to snatch Gaara around the neck, but he was back on guard and pounced again. Gaara ran forward in a sprint with his arm out—catching the boy in the throat and knocking him down.

He was panting when he heard a click.

"That's enough fun for you, yeah?" Came Boss's voice. It was lively and laughing again. Gaara managed to catch his breath, but when he looked up at the boy in front of him, he swallowed.

Apparently

Anyone could have an Ace.

"…"

"Fear looks good on you, Red…now. Come back to the center."

Gaara did as told, but when he got to the center, he put his hands in his pockets. Not to look unfazed…but because his hands were shaking.

"You're really going to shoot me?"

Boss shrugged.

"I might."

Gaara glanced at the thugs sprawled out next to his furniture. One's knee was caved in, and the other was having trouble breathing. Gaara looked back at Boss, and other than the triumphant smirk he was sporting, Gaara couldn't see past him.

He was shallow.

But disturbingly enough…

"Hey" Boss cooed, "You look thoughtful…what's on your mind, huh?"

Gaara frowned. This guy…

He was

"Biding time over there?" Gaara tilted his head mockingly, "You seemed trigger happy a moment ago. Just shoot me."

Boss shook his head, "Not biding time…just want to talk—or rather—hear you talk."

Gaara squinted his eyes.

"You're a freak."

This made Boss laugh.

"Yeah? I guess so…but I can't help it. You're interesting to me…why is that?"

"I dunno. You gay?"

Boss laughed even harder, but as his laugh died to a chuckle, he held his gun back up with a lazy smirk.

"Don't get the idea that you're walking out of here. I just want your last words."

For a moment, Gaara thought to fear him. Thought. Something about the boy made him laughable.

"You don't want to know them."

"Sure I do."

"…"

"…"

Glancing down again, Gaara felt sick, and then he frowned.

"You're a liar."

Boss's face was a question mark.

"What?"

"Some kind of way you convinced these guys on my carpet to respect you. They were loyal, but you used them carelessly. You lied to them."

Boss shrugged, "So I broke a few toys, what's it to you?"

Gaara stared at him. Really stared.

And

For a moment

Boss looked uncomfortable.

"Don't get quiet on me."

"Why? Does the silence make you uncomfortable?"

"Do you really want those to be your last thoughts, Red?"

Gaara grinned smugly.

"Do you really want to hear thoughts about you?"

"…You act like I'm afraid to hear it."

"Are you?"

Boss stared at Gaara, and then smiled.

"You don't know me."

Gaara closed his eyes. Disturbing. This guy—he was everything Gaara despised.

But

Those eyes were so blue

They were hiding a very similar mindset.

Looking directly into electric blue, Gaara grimaced.

"I am you."

Laughing

The boy was laughing.

"You keep people below your feet…keep them wary of you, make them uncomfortable."

"I'm human...we all want that type of power."

"Power? There is no power to be got." Gaara pointed at the boy with the caved in knee, "You've got broken soldiers. You can't fight a war like that."

Boss frowned and cupped his chin, "If it's not power I want from people…then why do I make them look up at me?"

Shutting his eyes, Gaara inhaled.

"Because…" Gaara closed his eyes.

Because…

He gritted his teeth.

He couldn't say it.

"Oh? Does pride got your tongue? Connecting yourself to a person you hate…must be hard on you."

"I don't need to say it. You already know."

"I really don't know what you're trying to say."

"You" Gaara started, "are invisible."

"Really." Boss put a hand on his hip, "Really? Do you think you can Dr. Phil your way out of here? Are you trying to make me laugh?"

"If I'm going to die where I stand, I might as well address the few demons standing in this room."

Boss sighed—acting like listening was a chore now.

"You exist."

"Now…that's a stupid thing to say. Why wouldn't I know that I fucking exist?"

"It is stupid…but don't we think it anyway? Why should we have to? We should know we're here. But we don't."

Boss rolled his eyes.

"If you put your hand up in the middle of a crowd, and they pass you by, do you look at your hand and think 'Did anyone see it? Or can I only see it?'

"You playing mind games?"

Gaara stared at Boss. This time…he could see through the boy's smirk. That shallow fake grin.

It was half-hearted.

"You didn't really exist until Sai's brother saw you. You're a piece of shit—but not in his eyes. You couldn't be seen until he made you visible to everyone else that you wanted attention from. People looked up at you because of him."

"…"

"So tell me" Gaara dug into his pocket without breaking eye contact with Boss, "Why do you need a ring that isn't yours?"

"..!"

"If you're so proud of your own power, why do you need the ring of a dead man?"

For a moment Boss was silent, his eyes wide.

"…"

"…"

"I didn't kill him."

"Really? I don't see him. He must be dead."

"No…it wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did."

"But—"

"You're sorry?"

"I—"

"You didn't mean to?"

"I just—"

"Tell that to his father!"

Boss shook his head, a light sweat forming.

"I didn't—"

"Tell that to his brother!"

"I can't!"

"Then what can you say?"

Boss's shoulders were trembling and his nose was red.

"Why would I kill my friend? Shin was all I had!"

Gaara went still. The snide remarks had left him.

The feeling of blue was a blanket that fell over them.

The façade of laughter and smiles were gone.

They never existed to begin with…but they could see each other for what they were…because they were shards from the same mirror.

"We were just horsing around—but! It just—he was—! "

A coldness started from Gaara's toes and crawled to the top of his head.

The liar was telling the truth.

And

The boy was sobbing.

Gaara felt the chill inside of him bubble into his face and burn his eyes. He wiped his cheek and found it wet. Alarmed, he wiped the other one, but his hand was becoming slippery. His lips, his shirt, his wrists…

Pelted with tears.

The both of them

They couldn't stop crying.

In the mess of blue that they were drowning in—a background noise wasn't caught in their pool.

The rest happened fast

Gaara was tugged away by an arm lock, but the boy was standing across the room, eyes wide with fear.

He held the gun up to his own head, but his arm bounced from force…then his shin. Boss buckled before crumbling to the floor—a mess of tears and blood—wailing loudly to no one that would listen. The gun was confiscated by a police officer, and three others went about Gaara's living area, cuffing the three boys in their injured states.

As the paramedics made their way with stretchers, Gaara was coming out of his crying daze—glancing around. His door was unhinged, his carpets were stained, and there were red and blue lights flashing behind the blinds of his windows.

Looking down at the arms around the front of his chest, he felt them turning his body around.

"Don't look at that. You've seen more than enough..."

He knew that voice. It shed away the blue he had been drowning in.

Gaara couldn't see through the puffiness that was his eyes, and he couldn't speak with the scratch that was his voice. But he knew the other got what he was feeling.

"No problem." And his hair was tousled softly.

"Don't ever. Ever. Roll out of my truck again. Nearly killed me with that stunt."

Gaara started to hiccup…

"What is it?"

"That. Guy." He stuttered through sobs.

He was me

"He's a low punk. But he's not dead…they shot him in the arm and shin so he wouldn't kill himself."

Gaara frowned at Gai's words.

That old dominant mindset.

It was a demon that demanded attention from everyone.

See me

I am here

I exist!

The eyes that always noticed him before he knew himself were a pair of onyx orbs.

Child-like eyes too big for a teenage face.

Onyx saw Gaara…but Gaara did not see onyx.

Thinking about the horrid red dance that Boss did as he was taken down by two bullets, Gaara felt a shudder run down his back. Not a shudder of fear—but one of relief. A relief so strong it almost felt like pain.

The old demon that was Lee's bully…

It died with Boss's guilt.

That night Gaara insisted on seeing Sai, who, was at the police center with his adoptive dad. He was sitting in his dad's office, bruised around the jaw and arms—but other than those scrapes, he looked fine.

Gai waited outside the door as Gaara got permission to see the boy. Sai was sulking.

Without looking up, Sai gave a weak, "So you're okay? Guess my efforts were for something."

Without another word, Gaara tapped Sai on the shoulder, and when Sai glanced over, his eyes widened.

"You dropped this in the store."

Sai began to tap at his pockets and shirt, but his eyes began to water.

"Here…take it."

Sai cupped it in his hands, carefully studying it like it would disappear if he blinked. Gaara knew that Sai only wanted a piece of his brother with him.

Anyone else would think such a simple trinket wouldn't be worth dying for, but it was all Sai had left.

"Shin was a good guy."

Sai couldn't bring himself to talk, so he just nodded.

Silently, Gaara left. He knew that Sai needed to be alone.

He left the police center with Gai, spending another night on the man's sofa.

Gai allowed Gaara to skip school. Gaara decided that he would repeat the year, so no need going back for the last few weeks.

With Gai at school, Gaara figured to be productive.

Firstly, he decided to move the stuff in his apartment into a storage unit.

As he helped the storage unit pack his things, he remembered how tired and annoyed his dad had been with his attitude. He had been placed in Suna for being disobedient and unruly…but he wasn't going to subject himself to his Dad's punishment any longer. Suna was a place that stunted people from growing up.

Taking a small duffle bag of clothes from his apartment closet, he promised himself that he'd be out of Gai's hair in a week's time.

On his Harley, he browsed around for an apartment complex closer to Konoha High. It was going to be expensive…but he had more than enough saved up in his bank for two peoples rent for four years.

Finding two possible apartment complexes, he asked Naruto and Sasuke for their opinions. Sasuke had picked the one with a balcony, "Is nice view", but Naruto had shaken his head, "Are you crazy? Everyone knows Lee's depressed. He'd jump right off!"

Gaara blinked at Naruto, "Who said Lee was living with me?"

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look before pointing to the pamphlets Gaara had picked out.

"They're both suites. They have two of everything."

Gaara looked the pamphlets over and frowned. He intended to have a guest area for his sister or brother if they planned to visit in the summer…but perhaps he was counting Lee into his future too?

Naruto shrugged, "He lives in Suna—in a crappy apartment his orphanage bought for him, right?"

Gaara nodded—that's what he'd heard anyway.

"Then" Sasuke frowned, "The worst can say, 'No', yeah?"

"Yeah." Gaara frowned.

Naruto smiled, "Don't be disappointed if he refuses."

Gaara said nothing.

Naruto chuckled, "I bet Lee has changed too. He's not going to sit in the dumps forever…his intuition is better than that."

Blinking, Gaara could only tilt his head at Naruto's words.

Intuition…

The week was half over, but Gaara still hadn't decided on the apartment lease he wanted. He thought to discuss it with Gai, but he couldn't bring himself to break the news to the man so early. Gai seemed to enjoy his company. They had talks about shows on TV, even the news, and sometimes politics (that Gai seemed to be confused on that Gaara would help clarify). In his mind's eye, Gai was the way he wished his father could be…and then he wondered why Gai was single. Not that he wanted to share the man. Figuring he was being childish, he went about his decisions in private, but kept conversation with Gai to keep the man occupied.

Either way, Gaara was going to miss living with the man.

When a comfortable silence stretched between them, Gaara said, "I'm going to visit Lee tomorrow."

Gai perked up at that. He left the living area, then came back and smiled.

"The sports calendar is going to be crazy until the year ends…so I can't visit. But this is for him." Gai handed the small gift to Gaara, and Gaara stuck it in his satchel bag with a smile. Whatever the gift was, it was small and wrapped up. Gaara promised to give it to Lee, and Gai scratched his neck before waving Gaara off to bed.

Even though it was the same procedure…he wasn't used to it anymore. He'd gone a few days without visiting, and the nurse at the counter had a different face. When he asked for Lee, she told him, "He's in the rehabilitation ward now. They're out back in the garden today." She then told him the directions to get there.

Walking down an unfamiliar corridor, he noticed all the sunlight slipping through the bay windows…

This corridor felt lighter—hopeful compared to the dreary white hallway that Lee was stationed at before.

As he walked, he crossed a skywalk made of glass…below his feet he could see patients in wheelchairs and walkers sitting at tea tables. Other patients were sitting in the grass, tending to the garden flowers, or talking to their physical therapists.

His heart was hurting from pounding so much…

At the end of the skywalk he was met with an elevator. He took it down to the ground floor and exited through the only door there. The place he entered wasn't the garden, but a resting area with a fridge and beds with a couple of nurses, visitors, and a doctor. The wall in front of them was a see-through glass with small holes in it…the smell of wet grass and tulips hit Gaara's nose. They were in a viewing room. Gaara saw the beam overhead.

VISITOR'S WARD FOR REHAB PATIENTS

He didn't know why

But something in his mind made him think that Lee would be in some corner—a difficult angle—hiding among the patients surrounding the garden where Gaara would have to call his name. But Gaara didn't have to do that. Lee was in perfect view.

Supporting himself with the hand of his physical therapist, the boy had dropped his crutch and stood on shaky legs. With his PT rooting him on, Lee slowly unbuckled his knees, but right when they were partly-straight, he began to take steps—and from the crouched brows and sweat on Lee's face, Gaara could only assume it was harder than it looked.

"..!"

Gaara ran up to the glass door, but the doctor in charge threw a hand out, "If you're a visitor, please stand back." Gaara growled, "He's on the floor! Why isn't his PT helping him up!"

The doctor shook his head, "Patients have to do this on their own."

Lee could barely lift himself with his own arms. His face was red as he pushed up from the grassy field, but he huffed and fell down in a limp.

"He can't get up." Gaara snapped, but the doctor frowned, "Wait."

Lee huffed…but he planted his face in the grass.

"Don't look…" came Lee's voice. The PT did as told and turned his back, but Gaara couldn't.

It was painful to watch Lee struggle. What was with this rehab stuff?

After a minutely wait with Lee's soft whimpers, he tried pushing himself up again, but failed.

"Hey…help me up. I think I can do it this time."He mumbled. The PT perked up, "That's the spirit! Alright now. Up we go!" Effortlessly he put his hands around Lee's back and pulled him up so that his chest was off the ground. Lee's legs trembled as he brought them up from under himself.

"Heavy…why are they so heavy?"

The PT smiled, "Don't worry. A lot of patients struggle when they first get out of their beds."

Lee's eye drooped…and then he looked up and saw Gaara through the visitor's window. Immediately, his legs buckled and the PT cringed.

"Come on now, Lee! You can do it, don't get nervous! Let's go! You're so close! The moment you can walk is the moment you leave this place."

Gaara wasn't sure if Lee heard the words of the PT because he looked disoriented. He was staring at Gaara—wide and horrified. Lee didn't seem to be moving, but his knees were shaking. The PT kept encouraging Lee, but Lee was shaking his head. He said something in the PT's ear, and sighing, the PT complied. He helped Lee walk back over to where he dropped his crutch. When Lee lifted it, the doctor in the room with Gaara pinched the bridge of his nose.

"He's done."

Gaara blinked, "Done?"

"He's given up for today."

Given up?

"He has to keep trying so he can leave, right? "

The doctor fixed his glasses.

"Yes…but we can't make a patient willful if they don't want to be."

Gaara frowned.

"Many patients lose faith in the beginning of their rehab." Explained the doctor. "After being bedridden for months at a time, their legs and arms become weak. They forget what it's like to stand at their full height…so standing up doesn't feel normal anymore. We have to take them in baby steps to bring them back to normalcy."

The doctor pointed at Lee's figure as the boy was put into a wheelchair by his PT. He was being wheeled to the elevator.

"This is Mr. Rock's fourth day of rehab. He's progressing much faster than the other patients. He could be walking out of here in a week's time."

Gaara smiled at that, but the doctor sighed, "This is the first day he's given up this quickly."

Gaara's palms were turning hot…he was sweating. Clenching a knot in his pants leg, he closed his eyes.

Why did Lee look at him like that?

Horrified

The doctor looked at Gaara and fixed his glasses on his nose.

"Mr. Rock is being escorted back to his room. Are you a friend visiting?"

Gaara would have nodded, but he ended up staring at the doctor. Assuming that the silence meant 'Yes', the doctor gave Gaara Lee's room number and Gaara thanked him. The doctor smiled at him, "That young boy hasn't had any visitor's as of late. He could really use the confidence." Gaara nodded before getting on the elevator.

Are you a friend visiting?

From the way Lee looked at him…

Was he?

Entering Lee's room, Gaara gripped at his satchel bag nervously. The look on Lee's face. It was anxious.

"Hey, Lee." Gaara gave an awkward wave but Lee only blinked, not sure of what to do or say. Gaara got the impression that sitting down wasn't an option, so he sifted through his bag. He handed Lee a small gift.

"Here." Lee looked at it but did not take it. Gaara swallowed.

"It's from Gai."

That made Lee put out a shaky hand. Gaara placed it in Lee's palm, but Lee looked at the rectangle shaped box pensively. He didn't open it.

"Oh…you did really good out there. The doctor says you're the fastest learner."

Lee held the side of his head with a pained expression. Gaara, a bit alarmed, asked, "What's wrong?"

"You."

Gaara felt his shoulders droop.

"…What about me?"

"What do you want?" Lee looked at Gaara, his eyes narrowed, "Why are you here?"

Gaara felt like he'd been pushed back—the door to Lee's world that he'd tried hard just to crack open, had just been slammed in his face.

"I'm just visiting."

"But why?"

"Why not."

Lee ruffled his hair—agitated.

"You…pressed an empty coke can to my head and said I was trash."

Gaara's blood.

He could feel it swashing around in his ears.

He didn't want to hear about himself.

Tilting his head, Lee mumbled a, "But you were the only one who visited me?"

Glancing up at Gaara—he truly appeared trapped between confusion and anger.

"I've been having dreams. You're always there…making me feel lower than dirt."

"…"

"Tripping me on the stairs, burning me with your cigarette, calling me names…"

Lee closed his eyes and slowly shook his head.

"But you also said nice things to me in this room…even gave me gifts…"

He opened his eyes and locked onto Gaara's jade ones.

"Which Gaara in my memory is real?"

The pressure in Gaara's face was boiling under his skin—it felt unreal…the nervous fear he'd been dreading was actually happening. There were voices telling him to lie, but he couldn't manage to open his mouth. His face was a cold flame. He closed his eyes to shut out Lee's onyx ones.

"Lee…I'm sorry."

The gift was limp in his hands. Lee's eyes were blank.

With a half-lidded stare, a tear rolled down a cheek.

"Gaara. Please...leave."

Said boy was frozen to the spot, ashamed and sore.

"Okay…"

Gaara felt numb, but he obeyed Lee and left quietly.

He was scared.

The worst scenario had just happened, but he didn't know what to do about it.

"What can you do?" was Naruto's two cents.

Gaara was silent.

"You did do all the things Lee mentioned, right?"

Gaara rubbed his face. He felt guilty. When he didn't answer, Naruto sighed.

"All you can do is reap what you sowed."

"But" came Gaara's panicked response, "I don't want him to hate me."

"Lee kind of has a right to hate you, though."

"But I'm trying to make it right…doesn't that count for something?"

"I would think so…" Naruto paused and then sighed, "but only Lee gets to decide if your 'good' outweighs your 'bad'."

Gaara felt his heart sink, "No..! That's not fair at all…I haven't had time to make up for everything I've done to him."

Naruto was silent.

"He'll never see good in me…he hates me for sure."

"Gaara."

"…"

"When I would make fun of him in History class, he always laughed along to my jokes."

"…"

"Deep down, I think Lee knew that I wasn't a threat. I think he may have been laughing at my attempts at attention, and how for a second, I actually received it. But when I went missing no one cared about me. If he knew all the details, I think he'd be laughing his butt off right now."

"…"

"Lee's got a good sense for people. He knows a liar and he knows a joker."

"What of me then?"

"Well…were you serious when you were bullying him?"

Gaara's hands trembled.

"Yeah…"

"Were you serious when you were a friend to him?"

"Yeah…"

"Then there you go."

"What? There I go what?"

"You've got bad weight and good weight. He knows you tried to be good, so I don't think he hates you…but he knows you as a bully too…so he's as confused as he says he is."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means he's confused."

"No. I'm the one who's confused."

"Dude…Lee's confused because you're still around."

"..?"

"You've finished being his bully, and now that he's got his memories back, you don't have to be his friend."

"…"

"Why are you still around, anyway?"

"…"

"Do you know why?"

Gaara's face was turning into fire.

He did know why.

Before he could answer, he heard some far off vulgarity in Italian. Gaara could hear the physical cringe in Naruto's abrupt goodbye as he hung up. Apparently, Gaara wasn't the only one working off a debt.

"Did he get my gift?"

Gaara nodded, "Yeah. I gave it to him."

Gai smiled, "Did he open it?"

Gaara scratched his arm, "No…he said he'd open it later."

"Alright…" Gai didn't sound disappointed, in fact, he actually looked happy.

"You said he was in rehab, right?"

Gaara nodded and Gai grinned.

"Lee's going to be running out of there."

"Huh?"

"Even if Lee has forgotten how, his legs are going to run right out of there."

Lee blinked, probably unable to see the sense in Gaara's return.

"Hey." Gaara said. Lee shook his head.

"You don't have to speak, Lee. I just came to clear up a few things."

Lee frowned, but he acknowledged Gaara's words by nodding his head.

"I'm sorry for confusing you…but I don't want to be your bully or your friend."

Lee's brow quirked.

"Both titles hurt to hear for some reason."

"Then what title do you want?"

Gaara shrugged, "It's not a title I want…more like a feeling I have."

Lee's face was a question mark, but Gaara dismissed it.

"You were able to walk for a few seconds without your PT's help today."

A grin betrayed Lee's face, but as quick as it had come, it was gone. Gaara pointed to Lee's arm.

"That green sports watch was from Gai right?"

Lee nodded and Gaara smiled.

"If you train during the summer, you'll be good enough for track next Spring."

"..!"

"I think Neji misses having a challenge."

Lee's face turned red, "But I'll be repeating the year…he'll have graduated."

"Doesn't mean you can't challenge him again."

With a fist clenched in his bed sheets, Lee was staring hard into nothing, his forehead sweating.

"Yeah…" then he smiled, "He'd better watch out for me."

Lee looked at Gaara for a moment and shrugged, "What did you want to clarify? You keep putting the subject on me."

Scratching the back of his neck, Gaara blushed.

"I want to be different…but I have to change my scenery to get into a new mindset." Gaara took out the pamphlet to the apartment he had chosen and threw it on Lee's bed.

"It has a balcony." He smiled, "It'll be a new start."

Lee lifted it, and then flipped through the pages.

"..!"

He looked up at Gaara in disbelief—fear—and excitement?

"Suna's dangerous" Gaara turned his back and waved Lee off with a "Please think about it." Before he closed the door.

"What?" came Gai's disbelieving tone. Gaara frowned—partly embarrassed, partly annoyed.

"Sorry I didn't tell you before."

Gai looked at Gaara's duffle bag and then his face. He scratched his head.

"When did you buy it?"

"A few days ago…"

Gai sighed, but Gaara quickly added, "I'll come visit you, I swear."

"It's safe? You checked the area? Did you see if it has a library for studying? What kind of people live close by? Did you look up the neighborhood predators?"

Gaara threw his hands up and waved them around, "Stop worrying! I checked it already, so relax."

Gai was biting a nail, obviously nervous.

"Well…I'm going to look it up anyway…"he grumbled.

"If I have any problems, I'll call you."

"Alright..."

Gaara walked out of Gai's house—his first step to changing his life.

Gai waved, but when Gaara stepped on his gas, Gai did a double take.

"Hey!"

Gaara jumped, not knowing what Gai was yelling about. He took his foot off the gas.

"What?"

"Where's your helmet?"

"Gai—"

"Your knee pads and guards?"

"Please—"

"Get off that bike!"

"But—!"

Gaara couldn't argue Gai out of his concern as he was yanked off the bike. Gai informed him about the percentage of motorcycle traffic deaths while he suited Gaara up with some of his sports equipment.

"There…now you can have a happy accident."

Gaara was not impressed—he was dreading to go anywhere now.

"I look like a total idiot!"

"A totally safe idiot"

"…"

With that, Gaara left. In his side mirror, he saw a proud Gai waving him off.

The look of a parent…

Suddenly, Gaara didn't feel too weird about having equipment on. It was just Gai's way of protecting him—embarrassingly nonetheless, but it wasn't intentional. It was forced with care.

The weekend had come and Gaara had unpacked his storage unit into his new space. Gaara had more space than he did stuff—but he could always decorate later.

He looked across the hallway at the guest door that was Lee's room. Pulling the apartment key out of his pocket he sighed. He had taped the copied key into the pamphlet he left with Lee. It'd been a few days since then…and he didn't dare show his face in the hospital. He didn't want to stress Lee out any further.

Gaara did wonder though…How's he doing in rehab?

Scratching his head, he huffed.

If Lee decided not to show up…

Gaara closed his eyes.

He wouldn't blame Lee. Gaara would be down…but he would still go on to change his life.

Nodding at the thought, he welcomed the future.

Another week had passed and Gaara had more stuff in his place. He had a small recliner in his room, a square coffee table, a magazine rack next to his bed, a window seat, a book shelf and a plasma TV… He sighed. He was bored, but he had recently invited Sasuke, Sai, and Naruto over for next weekend. Excitedly, they agreed—but he wasn't sure if he could make it to next week's end with how bored he was.

Looking across the hallway, Lee's room remained untouched.

It was Thursday, and out of the blue Sai called him.

"Can we meet up?"

They met at a quaint diner that was popular for its soups and sandwiches.

After ordering their meal, they sat in awkward silence. Sai took a breath.

"I never got to thank you properly about the incident."Sai took a quick gulp of his coffee—no doubt embarrassed-but when Gaara looked at Sai's hand, he saw Shin's ring.

"But thanks…and stuff." He scratched his neck, "And the meal is on me so…" he shrugged.

"No problem…" Gaara sipped his coffee, still feeling a bit lost. Even though he respected Sai, he didn't know the guy at all.

"Hey…that piece you gave Lee as a gift? It looked good. Was it done in acrylics or oils?"

Gaara blushed. Sai remembered his artwork of Lee?

"Acrylic…"

Sai nodded, "I see…I haven't tried anything other than pencil, ink, and charcoal…I'm not good at color."

"I'm not good at black and white."

Sai smiled, "You should practice your stuff. You could get a scholarship with it."

Gaara nodded. From that point on, he began asking Sai questions—'Do you highlight with white chalk? Does pencil mix with ink? What shade of black is the deepest?' and Sai in vise versa asked about colors.

Gaara couldn't remember the last decent conversation he'd had about art—other than talking to his sister long before he had been kicked out of their house.

"You're really good Gaara…can you paint me too?"

Even his arrogant brother, Kankuro, admitted that he had talent with a brush.

Gaara blinked.

They sent him birthday cards this year too…

Solemnly, he smiled.

"Having a nice thought over there?" Sai asked, and Gaara nodded.

He really missed them…he couldn't wait for them to come down in the summer to hang out.

Feeling refreshed, he returned to his apartment…but was surprised to find the door unlocked.

Quietly entering, he saw that the hall light was on.

"Hello?"

"It's a nice place..."came a voice.

"…Hey, Lee."

Lee turned around to face Gaara. He had a crutch under his left arm and a satchel bag resting at his feet. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey."

Still surprised that Lee was there in the flesh, Gaara didn't know what to do. So he did nothing.

"I still have to use this crutch when my legs start to hurt…but I can walk around for almost two hours before feeling pain." Lee opened the door that he was in front of and said, "I'm glad the doors have locks."

Gaara scratched the back of his neck, "I figured they wouldn't hurt to have."

Lee nodded at that, but then he gave Gaara a heavy look before closing his eyes.

"I don't trust you."

Gaara nodded, "I know."

"I…"Lee shifted his feet and frowned, "I want something different for myself too…so thank you for letting me stay."

Gaara held his chin to make his smile less obvious, "Yeah, no problem."

Lee waved at Gaara before he went into his room with his satchel bag…

Gaara exhaled.

He still couldn't believe it. Lee had decided to live with him on his own...! Gaara was excited, but knew he should take things slow…

He opted to call Naruto that night, but the boy complained, "Dude, you sound like a chick." Gaara informed Naruto that he didn't care since he kept talking about how healthy Lee looked—but the blond hung up on him somewhere in his Lee-rant.

Gaara didn't care that his situation was strange…

A good type of strange.

He was getting a second chance with the guy he liked.

Before turning out the light to the hallway, Gaara looked at Lee's door and saw that the light was on.

Lee is really here

Noting all the changes that had happened since his first visit to the hospital…Gaara could only see that his struggle and change were worth his new life. He was a kinder, smarter, reliable, and newer him.

Smiling, he flipped the light out and went to bed.

The morning was sure to be bright.

Author's Note:

I never thought this day would come. I'd been sitting on this story not knowing where it was going or headed, but now it's over. Even if there are holes and shit in this plot-I am not looking back! YAY! IT'S OVAHHHHHHHHHH!