Chapter Fourteen: Hello Alone

A/N: Wow, I really am on a roll today! I probably won't post all these chapters in one day but at least I'm good for a while.

Sachiko: I don't know how you're pulling it off.

Author-Sama: Me neither (drinks Starbucks) hmmm?

Sachiko: Never mind… I think I just figured it out.

Author-Sama: Well anyway, STORY TIME!

"I won," Sachiko whispered to herself that night as she packed her belongings. She took her small sack of things and met the three Sand Siblings in the dining hall.

She smiled at Temari and Kankuro as they greeted her. Gaara refused to look in her direction and she grinned because of it. He was mad because he lost and she was proud because she had won. Sachiko's grin disappeared as she came to the realization of something.

"Hey you guys, I just realized that only teams of three can enter the exams." Sachiko's brow furrowed, troubled.

"It's been taken care of," Temari stated as the shinobi picked up their things and headed out into the courtyard to meet Baki Sensei.

As they walked out to the courtyard, Baki and the three ANBU black ops Sachiko had met from the crime scene investigations were there. At first, she felt a bit frightened because painful memories resurfaced for a moment but Kankuro placed a reassuring hand on her back and gave it a rub. Baki greeted her like a true sensei should and the ANBU black ops somewhat acknowledged her existence.

"Norihiro will act as your sensei, Kentaro and Katsura will be your teammates," Kankuro informed her as he pointed to the ANBU black ops and said each of their names.

Cat Mask was Norihiro, Circle Mask was Kentaro, and Laughing Mask was Katsura. Kentaro and Katsura quickly transformed into two thirteen year old shinobi, and Norihiro transformed into a young sensei. Kentaro was still of medium height and Katsura seemed tall but still slouched.

Kentaro had short brown hair like Kankuro's but his was a bit longer. His eyes were hazel and friendly looking. Sachiko wasn't sure if he really was friendly or if it was just a really good transformation jutsu. His outfit was red and black like his ANBU black op mask. Red circles were the design of his black top.

Katsura was somewhat odd looking. He had spiky black hair, a brush or comb's worst nightmare. His black eyes had dark bags underneath them from lack of sleep. He had a blank stare that seemed to look right through her. He wore black pants and a dark grey jacket with small fur trim on the hood.

Norihiro had a handsome face although his lower half of his face was covered by a black mask. He had exquisite maroon hair and burgundy eyes. His hair was by far what Sachiko would have labeled as very sexy but she felt awkward because she knew she must consider him her sensei so these thoughts were definitely out of the question. He wore the typical outfit of a Jounin and looked quite good in it.

Sachiko bowed her head to all three of them and said, "I am honored to have you three as my teammates and sensei."

The three ANBU in disguise all bowed back to her in a very poised manner. With an ANBU sensei and ANBU teammates there was no doubt in Sachiko's mind that she would be able to enter the Chunin Exams without a worry.

"Well we better get going," Temari said to all of them, "Sachiko-san you'll have time to train and get to know your new team on the way there. Also, we're going to Konoha a month early for the exams as planned… So you'll still have a month to train with them."

"You guys planned out everything didn't you?" Sachiko stood back and admired her team with a grin. Every hair on her arms stood straight up with electrifying excitement. She finally had her own team and they didn't seem at all scared of her.

"We try," Kankuro said with a chuckle.

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Night had taken the journey to a halt. Sachiko, Kankuro, Kentaro, and Katsura were setting up the tents. Baki was making a small fire with the wood and debris found by Temari. Gaara stood and watched. He was never one for giving a team effort or helping out. He didn't need their silly tents, their small fire, or their tasteless food. He didn't need anything from them. He could very well make a shelter, build a fire, and get his own food for himself without the help of the others. But that didn't mean he wouldn't watch them slave away to setting the camp up. In fact, it almost brought him the tiniest, smallest form of amusement.

"Why doesn't Gaara help," whispered Sachiko to Kankuro as they stuck a leg of the tent in the ground, her arms tilted at an angle. The three ANBU black ops had been setting up the other two tents, already having completed setting up their first one.

Kankuro shrugged and didn't answer until they finally got the second leg of the tent into the ground stably. "He's not really a team player… you could put it." A piece of the tent had unsnapped from its connecting part and was flying toward Sachiko but Kankuro caught it before it her in the head.

"Thanks," she murmured, blushing, "That could have clunked me good and I would have been out until we reached Konoha." Just then the tent caved in completely, worse than when they had started.

The two shared a laugh until they were silenced from Gaara. "You two, hurry up," he hissed, "Too much talking."

"Sorry Gaara," Kankuro and Sachiko said simultaneously, laughing again after their duet.

"That's it," Gaara snapped, "I will set the tent up."

Kankuro and Sachiko both stood back to see this, partly because they were intimidated and partly because this was something they had to see; Gaara actually helping in his own way. Gaara's gourd was uncorked instantly, sand seeping out by the droves. Gaara's sand formed arms and hands. The sand appendages lifted up the tent and plunged each leg of the tent into the ground. One sand limb unzipped the opening of the tent, another propping it up at the same time. This was all done in less than two minutes.

"He could have just done that a long time ago and saved all of us some trouble…"

"That brat just wants to show off… That's why he let you all squirm for a bit," muttered Chihoko.

"Hn," Gaara said, almost proudly. He stepped back into his spot, making sure to place his feet exactly where they were before he was forced to put up the tent.

Sachiko got the urge to laugh but knew she would be better off holding her tongue. Gaara would most likely take offense to her laughter and try to kill her. Sometimes people laugh at others for being so proud of such a simple task, but not when that person is Sabaku no Gaara.

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Baki, Kankuro, Sachiko, Temari, Kentaro, Katsura, and Norihiro all sat around the campfire. Gaara stood on a mound of sand, celebrating his solitude. Sachiko had taken one of the sticks that was supposed to be used for the campfire and was drawing circles in the sand. Kankuro was highly interested in what she was drawing, or at least pretended to be as he chatted with her. Temari was chatting vigorously with Kentaro and Katsura, flirting and batting eyelashes all the way. Norihiro and Baki were swapping ninja stories and showing off battle scars.

Norihiro lifted up the sleeve of his dark blue shirt to reveal a scar that resembled the marred alligator's tail. It ran long and thick like a river along the beginning of his wrist to the embankment of his elbow. The disfigured flesh formed ridges of tight flesh, a lightened blemish. The skin was pulled tautly against the rest of his arm.

"This one," said Norihiro gravely, "Was caused by my wife."

The group of ninja howled in laughter, all except Gaara that is. Baki was laughing so hard tears ran down along his tan face like running children. Kankuro clutched his stomach from the sheer thought of Norihiro's wife doing that to him.

"And what," choked out Katsura, "Was her weapon?"

"And what was her method of attack," asked Kentaro, also curious.

"She used her bare hands and her method of attack was that of a wild beast's."

More laughter danced around the campfire, hand in hand. Each ninja adding a bit more to the joke until it retired. Kentaro looked at Katsura a moment, grinning. Kentaro returned his gaze to the rest of the shinobi at the campfire, having come up with a joke of his own. Katsura knew Kentaro's mischievous mind would come up with something.

"I got a scar like no other," said Kentaro, face serious, "Right here." He pointed to the left side of his chest. "Old woman Tarigami broke my heart."

Katsura burst into outrageous laughter, squeezing his legs together tightly for fear of pissing his pants. "Old woman… Tarigami… Ba-chan… That's great…"

"Well, It's time to hit the hay," Kentaro said standing up as he stretched his long arms out like a windmill.

"Yeah, Kentaro-kun is right," agreed Katsura, doing the same.

Norihiro and Baki both gave a nod of agreement and stood up from the campfire. The three ANBU black ops headed off to their tent. Baki looked to Gaara for a moment. He had said nothing the whole night, but it wasn't as if it were uncommon.

"You'll keep watch," Baki said before stepping into the tent that he would share with Kankuro.

"Hn." Gaara gave a look to his siblings as if telling them they should go to bed as well but then looked away once he saw Temari heading for her tent. Kankuro and Sachiko remained behind.

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"So," Sachiko said nervously as she scratched her inner elbow.

"So," Kankuro repeated, less nervous as she but still nervous, "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know," Sachiko murmured as she glanced over to where Gaara was standing. Did he simply have to eavesdrop or was it just convenient for him to stand there for his night shift?

Kankuro scooted closer to Sachiko as if reading her mind. He whispered into her ear, "Don't worry about Gaara… He won't bother us anymore…"

Sachiko blushed and nodded. Kankuro had scooted very close to her and his hand was touching hers slightly. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest, but the thumping was light like a ninja's swift feet as they ran against a dirt road.

Now Sachiko had never had a crush on a boy before and this was all very new to her. She felt nervous but for some reason her heart just didn't pound as much as she thought it should pound. She remembered that back in her village when she was concealed within a tree and watching the villagers pass by two girls had stopped in front of her hiding place. One girl was giggling furiously, the other listening intently.

My heart was racing faster than a flying kunai!

Was his heart racing too?

Yeah! His heart was pounding just as hard as mine was! And he was kinda blushing… Then we just sort of… kissed.

How did it feel?

Amazing… I felt like I was floating in the air. Oh… It was sweet rapture!

Wow… I wish I had a boy…

Sachiko had tilted her head to the side and almost laughed to herself. They were silly to get so giddy over such irrational feelings. Deep down, she had envied the girl. Deep down, she wanted to feel that way about a boy too. Sachiko followed the girl from that moment on and waited to see if the happiness would break. But the girl and the boy ended up getting married.

Returning back to reality, Sachiko bit her lip at that moment. She suddenly felt guilty for wishing that the girl would break. That her happiness would break. She turned to glance at Gaara once more and realized he had taken off. He was most likely killing some poor innocent animal like the way he had killed the singing blue jay.

"We're alone finally," she sighed out as she allowed her arms to collapse alongside her body.

"Is that why you were so quiet," asked Kankuro, scooting slightly closer.

"Mhmm," she nodded even though that wasn't exactly the whole truth. She wasn't going to tell him about her old memories that had come back to her so suddenly.

An awkward silence overtook the two shinobi. Both were blushing red and had blanker minds than a fresh and unused scroll. Sachiko smiled shyly at Kankuro and he returned the smile. His mind was desperately searching for something to say and hers was frantic, in need of conversation with him.

"Kankuro," she whispered quietly in her nervous state.

"Shh," he hushed as his hand reached up to her chin.

His firm but gentle hand took hold of her chin and began to guide it. Soon her lips met his, anticipation finally gone. She had waited a while for what was taking place and he too. It was a small, lingering kiss. Both pulled away and returned to the awkward silence.

"I… think I need to go to bed," Sachiko murmured as she stood.

"Uh… yeah me too," he said in disappointment. He wondered to himself if it had been a mistake to kiss her and if perhaps she didn't feel about him like the way he felt about her.

"Goodnight Kankuro-kun," she said in a hushed tone. Sachiko gave him a quick kiss on the cheek to assure him of her feelings for him and took off to her tent, nearly tripping of Temari in her blind rush.

Kankuro sat there, dumbfounded and contented all at once. His hand rose to his cheek to fondle the piece of warm flesh Sachiko's lips had caressed. A stupid grin spread on his face. Or at least, the owner of a pair of teal eyes that had been watching would have called it a stupid grin, probably worse. Shivers flew up Kankuro's spine, chills taking over him. At that moment he came to the realization that Gaara had been watching them the whole time and had only pretended to give them privacy. Kankuro had nothing to say to his brother and it wasn't as if he had to explain himself. What had happened was really none of Gaara's business. Kankuro sighed heavily and stumbled to his tent, many emotions welling up deep within his chest.

Gaara sat alone on the tree branch he had claimed for his own. Alone—something that would forever plague him as he carried out the rest of his days on this forlorn and forsaken earth.

Alone.

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Sachiko crawled into her sleeping bag silently. Temari was snoring softly as Sachiko slipped the covers over herself. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was waiting for the rapture to take her away like the girl from her village had said when she received her first kiss. The rapture didn't come. The happiness didn't come.

Sachiko scowled to herself, fists balled up, angry. Her happiness couldn't break because she didn't have it to begin with. What she would have given for that bliss even if there was a good chance she would break. At least for that moment she would have been happy for once.

There she lie in the tent with soft snores ringing in her ears, unanswered questions ringing in her mind, and darkness ringing her eyes. She had been so positive of her feelings for Kankuro and thought she would enjoy the kiss. Yet the ringing wouldn't stop. It was waiting for her to break and she almost laughed to herself because she had replaced it with hatred and anger; they kept her from breaking. A sour smile upturned her lips in the most spoiled and rotten way. A familiar friend greeted her. Sachiko wasn't sure if she could truly call this person a friend. She embraced her old friend almost like a moth embraces the flame before sacrificing itself to it.

"Hello Alone."

A/N: So what did you guys think? Sorry for the long wait.

Sachiko: I thought this was supposed to be a GaaraxOC fanfic.

Author-sama: It is!! That doesn't mean you can't have a side romance with Kankuro first.

Sachiko: head low I feel like such a hussy…

Author-sama: You're not a hussy! You're just unsure of your feelings… And you're young and impressionable. Kids… they fall in and out of love so quickly… And I'm rambling…

Sachiko: Yeah you are… REVIEW PLEASE!!