Even though it had been long since expected that Gaara would return Matsuri still waited in his room. She just laid there in bed with her eyes cast in darkness. She hoped he'd return so she could just know he was okay—she just wanted to know that what she felt in her heart was wrong—that her worries were all for nothing . . . but . . . she knew that a heart hardly lies.

Just when her thoughts began to tell her that Gaara was either dead, banished, or imprisoned the door opened. She turned and gasped slightly to see Gaara standing in the doorway. She would have jumped for joy if her mind hadn't warned her against it for she knew she shouldn't act that way when Gaara was around for he'd think it was foolish.

"Gaara . . . sama," she whispered seeing him again in what seemed like forever.

Her eyes stayed glued onto him as he made his way to her. She remained laid down knowing it would be easier just to stay like that since she'd end up like that anyways. She continued to stare at Gaara until he began to crawl in bed with her. Once he did she came back to her senses and turned away saying—

"Oh . . . you probably want me to undress."

At that she grabbed a hold of her nightgown, but halted noticing something odd. Instead of Gaara waiting for her he had just lain down behind her and grasped her around her shoulders and chest. She froze not knowing why he did this and knowing this was something he usually didn't do.

"G-Gaara-sama?" she exhaled in confusion and a little unknown fear.

He then said something she never thought he'd ever say to her in their remaining life in this world—

"Gomenasai."

Matsuri's eyes widened and she had gasped inwardly. She couldn't—didn't believe this was Gaara. Why was he acting this way? What exactly happened over there in Konoha?

What? She spoke to herself in her mind. Why is he—is this Gaara? Is this Gaara-sama?

Matsuri hadn't said anything. She just remained frozen there. She slightly shook for an unknown reason as Gaara . . . hugged her. His face was buried in her shoulder and hair. Once again he said to her—

"Gomenasai Matsuri."

Matsuri sucked her lips together knowing he had more to say. She closed her eyes for a minute and then opened them ready to listen.

"Gomenasai about everything," he said. "Gomenasai about not becoming a chunin like I promised. Gomenasai about not keeping my promises to you like I should have. Gomenasai about not caring for you the way a friend should have all these years."

As he said this Matsuri felt her eyes begin to fill up with fluid . . . she was crying. She didn't know why she felt she had to the need to cry for she had always dreamt of this day where Gaara realized his fault and apologized to her even though . . . even though she never really cared if he did or didn't just that if he felt the same way as her then . . .

"Gomenasai for the way I've treated you Matsuri . . . like some slave. A friend should never treat another friend like that and so . . . and so I'm letting you go," he said, Matsuri feeling his grip slightly tighten around her in sorrow and sadness.

What? Matsuri's mind trembled. Did he just say . . .?

She then felt Gaara begin to let go of her. Slightly she felt a hesitance, but he let go and backed away from her. He stood up and just looked at her as she sat up and looked at him in wonder. Matsuri saw then in Gaara's eyes sorrow, sadness, and regret for what he put her through.

"Gaara?" Matsuri said in a light gasp feeling her heart begin to beat fast realizing something . . . that this Gaara who stood before her was indeed truly . . . her Gaara-kun.

"You're free Matsuri," he said with heavy sad eyes.

Matsuri still couldn't find the courage to speak. All she did was stare at him in disbelief and look at him with slightly glittering eyes. Gaara couldn't continue to look at her like that so he turned and inclined his head slightly. He walked out of the room and Matsuri could just see the strain in his posture and knew this was very hard for him, but it was what he was going to do. Once Gaara left Matsuri remained there for a little while longer before her lips moved and let out words from her heart.

"Free?" she said almost in disbelief. "I'm free . . . Gaara-sama?"

Matsuri sat there for a long while pondering so many things. This is what she had wanted all along hadn't she? But . . . leaving Gaara and not being by his side like she had promised him . . . could she do that? Could she break her promise?

Well she had kept her promise and it was Gaara who decided to break it. So what exactly could she do? She would always listen to Gaara like she promised, but now that he has set her free what should she do? Should she spread her wings and fly or remain with her master like a good pet?

She was not a pet though—well at least no longer. Perhaps Gaara was right . . . it was time to let her go. Matsuri closed her eyes and inhaled. She got to her feet and stood up as if a whole new person—a free person.

Matsuri gathered up all her belongings which took her quite some time seeing how it had been a while living with Gaara. Once she was done it was nearing near dark and the sun was setting. She brought all her belongings outside where Gaara was waiting to bid her farewell.

Matsuri's eyes widened slightly seeing Gaara has changed—not just in attitude, but also in his clothing attire. There he stood with his arms strangely at his sides wearing scarlet that slightly rivaled his hair. Matsuri inhaled and looked at herself. She was slightly ready for the world—the reason why she was 'slightly' was not because of her clothing, no her clothes were fine, but her mental state may slowly have to get the hang of being away from Gaara who had enslaved it for so long.

As Matsuri waited for a few movers to help her get her belongings where she needed them to be she just stood there starring off into the distance in an awkward silence as Gaara stood starring behind her. As she looked down and shuffled her feet she jumped only slightly as Gaara decided to break the silence and ask—

"Where will you go?"

Matsuri almost numbly turned to Gaara and glanced around slightly as he looked at her wanting to know—not in a harsh why, but liking way. She took a breath and looked at him for a short moment to say—

"Back to my old home. I hear no one has taken up residence in there fearing my parents ghosts are there."

At that she let out a slight chuckle as she let her eyes fall in a bit of sadness still remembering her parents.

"Will you be all right by yourself?" he asked her, his eyes not even meeting hers this time.

Matsuri saw this and found it slightly strange that he wouldn't look at her. For some strange reason she felt as if Gaara wasn't telling her everything he needed to. She would have pressed onward and forced him to tell, but it had long since been that she was that bold.

"Yeah," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm a big girl Gaara-sama—remember?"

Gaara didn't say anything at that. He looked past her and still saw no signs of the movers that were going to help her take her belongings . . . he realized then and there that now was the perfect time.

"Matsuri," he said his mind warning him not to.

"Hm? Yes Gaara-sama?" said Matsuri turning to him.

"Before . . . before you go I have to tell you something," he said casting his eyes down slightly for a moment.

"What is it Gaara-sama?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around one another.

"Gomenasai," he said one last time as he opened his jade eyes to her onyx eyes.

Matsuri wasn't going to say 'for what?' for she knew Gaara paused sometimes and had something to say a few seconds or minutes later. In her mind she asked him 'for what?' but that was all. She waited for his answer, but wondered if that was such a good idea.

"For killing your parents," he finished his face almost emotionless.

Matsuri's heart just stopped beating there and it seemed like time had stopped. What did he just say? Killing her par . . . ? No, this couldn't be right he didn't do it, but in the back of her heart she had this strange feeling . . . it was him.

"What are you talking about?" she asked her body aching to start taking steps away from him. "They were killed by an array of many weapons . . . you don't kill people like that."

Matsuri said this to try and trick herself into believing wasn't him. He attacked with sand, but she knew . . . he could have easily ordered someone to do his dirty work for him.

"When I found out that they took you from me," said Gaara casting his eyes down slightly for one moment. "I ordered two of the finest shinobi to find you and kill your parents sparing you to return to me."

Matsuri just stood there in silence. She didn't know what to feel at the moment. Was it horror, sorrow, anger, or bitterness? She just didn't know.

Her eyes just gazed into nothingness as her mouth tried to say something, but found it couldn't. She looked up at him and saw his face was the same . . . ever since that day it seemed he had all but lost the ability to express emotion—perhaps it was a good thing right now.

"Gomenasai," Gaara felt he needed to say it again.

Matsuri began to tremble slightly, but soon felt the presence of the movers behind her as they picked up her belongings. She couldn't move though. She didn't know if it was of fear or what, but she surely didn't feel like she was full of fear at the moment . . . she just didn't know what she felt.

Matsuri inhaled through her teeth with slight anger as she struggled to not just chew Gaara out right there and then. She looked at him and instead of yelling at him she forced herself to ask—

"Why?"

"Because I . . . didn't want to lose you," He said. "My heart was filled with greed Matsuri and . . . I'm trying to make amends. If you could forgive me then . . . I'd appreciate that, but if you decide not to I fully understand why?"

"Why would you fully understand?" she asked. "Do you know me that well?"

"I think any person who forcibly had they parents taken away from them should react in an unforgivable manner," said Gaara in his low voice.

"So . . ." said Matsuri casting her eyes down having an old feeing creep up on her. "You still think I'm like . . . everyone else, huh?"

Gaara's eyes widened just barely as she said that. It brought back that memory of theirs when they were younger and he had said something very similar. She had said something like this as well and it made him feel horrible for putting her up with everyone else of the world when he told her they were all so cruel to him and clearly—she was not.

Matsuri's eyes then came to look at Gaara. He saw them slightly watered, but not as much as he thought they would be. In her eyes though there was sorrow and pity . . .for him.

"Shall we go Matsuri-sama?" the movers asked.

Matsuri still kept her eyes on Gaara though. After a couple pauses in time she turned her head slightly to them and said—

"Yeah."

"Okay," they said as they took up her belongings and set out to her home.

Matsuri turned with them and then looked back at Gaara. She saw in his eyes the regret and sorrow. They kept saying 'gomenasai, gomenasai' to her. She sucked in her lips and just sighed.

She turned to him once more and just starred at him. Both knew they didn't need words to speak to one another—they knew each other that well. It had been that way ever since they were little and even through Gaara's demonic years.

The more Matsuri looked at Gaara the more she began to see her little Gaara-kun. It made her heart smile just a bit . . . even though it was breaking all over again. She still didn't understand how her best friend could do such an evil thing to her. It just broke her into pieces.

Matsuri knew it was time to leave. Gaara had let her go and wanted her to be free. He wanted to give back the life she never got a chance to live when she was with him. He saw it as better for her and so if he did then she would to.

Matsuri blinked and out of natural reaction that she had been doing for the past while she stepped closer to him and kissed him goodbye. She then backed away to see in his eyes the regret from taking so much from her for his own pleasure.

"Goodbye," she exhaled as she closed her eyes and turned from him to leave.

She walked off with the movers as Gaara watched her go. It was kind of hard to imagine he'd ever do this, but he did. It's what a true friend would do . . . right Naruto? A true friend would do what was best for their friend and for Matsuri . . . it was to let her go. Gaara hoped he was doing the right thing for this was still so new to him—caring and kindness, and friendship.

Matsuri looked forward and saw the sun setting before her. She couldn't help but give off a smile. She could still hear her and little Gaara saying 'come on, let's go watch the sun set together and tomorrow let's watch it rise!'. Once upon a time that was and a long time ago it seemed. What she wouldn't give to know those times again . . . it was the best moments of her life . . . in a time when Gaara made her feel alive and worth living for.

She looked back to see him still standing there and starring at her. It wouldn't hurt for him to wave goodbye to her, but that just wasn't Gaara and she understood completely. She inhaled and felt as if this was a new experience to her. Gaara had been all her life and so she knew it would take some getting used to until she was independent on herself, but she knew she could do it . . . it was one of the reasons Gaara let her go—he believed in her and so she must as well.

She watched Gaara vanish in the distance until she saw Kankuro and Temari come to Gaara and appear to tell him something. She didn't know what it was, but before she knew it they jumped off together. It was then she realized they probably had to go on an important mission so in her heart she bide him farewell and wished him a safe journey.