*time skip to Chunin exams*

I walk around the street, aimlessly wandering. Trying to do grocery shopping but…..in a couple of days they are going to be starting the chunin exams. Which I got to figure out what I am going to do because of what happens on the final day of the exams. Cause my ass is not going to be in town when Orchimaru attacks. Call me a wimp but I am totally defenseless against actual ninjas.

" Ga-Gaara?" I whisper in surprise. As I turn around a corner almost running in to him.

"Raizo?"

"What are you doing here, Gaara?"

"I am here for the chunin exams"

"Really? Well it's about that time. My….you has gotten taller and cuter" I take a few steps back to get a full look at him.

Still pale as ever but he has gotten cuter and taller. He is finally growing into those dark circles around his eyes.

Subconsciously I reach up to move some hair out of his face when Tamari stops me. She quickly grabs my wrist right before I touch Gaara.

"What are you doing?" I turn and stare at her

"Oh…um going to move some of the hair away from his face"

Gaara just turns his head towards Temari

"Let her go …now" she immediately lets my wrist go

"Yes Gaara"

Once Gaara and I are looking at each other again, I continue on what I was about to do. I gently brush back the hair above Gaara's right eye. To only watch it fall back into place. I slide my hand down and let it rest for a few moments on his check before I withdraw my hand. I can see that out of the corners of my eyes, Temari and Kankuro are waiting for Gaara to get pissed and flip out.

After a few seconds of silence I finally speak.

"Gaara, its ok, do what you have to. Everything will be fine in the end, so you don't have to worry"

"Raizo…you know?" Gaara's taken aback, as he tilts his head

"Yes, and do you remember what I told you? About being normal"

"Yes, you told me: Screw normal you know why cause if your normal the crowd will accept you... but if you're deranged ...the crowd will make you their leader"

"yup, they will just wait a bit longer" I smile before I realize that I'm not exactly supposed to be talking to him or well to anyone that isn't from the leaf village right now because of the exams.

"Sorry Gaara but I have to go, I had just finished shopping. But if you want to talk again just come find me"

"Ok where?" Gaara asks as I maneuver around him

"Oh you'll find me, you just have to look" I smile and wave as I walk back wards

Oh my…..it was nice to see Gaara again, but it has always been one of my rules: don't trust people who have no pupils. So it's a little weird, but at the same time not because I know who he is and who he will become.

On auto pilot I have walked home and put the groceries away. I walk to the window looking out, remembering how I first met Gaara.

It was shortly after I came here, that Sarutobi had me travel with him to the Sand village for business.

~~~~memory~~~~

"Raizo, you can go outside if you want to. Our meeting with the Kazekage isn't for a few more hours"

"Ok, I'll be back then" I pop up out of the chair I was sitting in and leap towards the door.

"But don't go too far"

"I won't" I smile as I walk out the door.

Ah, the sun it's so bright!

I lift my hand up to block the sun. I walk down to street I find a small park. As I walk towards the swings that I notice there is no one else around. That is until I hear someone crying. I follow the sounds as peak underneath the slide. I see a young child with red hair crying, with his eyes outlined in black. I sit down next to them.

"Are you ok?" he's shocked and jumps back a little.

"Uh…y-yes..." he mumbles through the sobs.

Awe, he is so cute!

I pull him into a hug, he freezes.

"You don't look ok" a few moments later I release him, and help him wipe his eyes. "Feeling any better?" he nods and I notice the love tattoo on his forehead. Yup its baby Gaara.

"Why d-did you do that…everyone usually runs away from me"

"You needed a hug, besides I don't see any reason to run away from you" I smile at him

"Uh...my name is Gaara"

"I'm Raizo, nice to meet you Gaara. Now why don't you tell me why you are crying all alone"

"My teddy, his arm tore while we were playing" he then pulls his teddy out from behind him and shows me where. The teddy's left arm is half way ripped off. Gaara starts to cry again

"Ah well this is any fix, don't worry. Come on Gaara lets go fix your teddy" I stand up and hold my hand out to him. Gaara cautiously takes my hand and stands up. We walk back to where I am staying with Sarutobi.

I open the door and give Gaara his teddy back.

"Gaara stay right here for a moment while I get what I need. Ok?"

"o-ok" Gaara stares at the floor. I disappear for a few moments as I search my bag.

Ah there it is!

I grab my little emergency sewing box. I come back to see that Gaara has started to cry again.

"Gaara, sh ssh" I kneel in front of him as I pat his hair. Gaara looks up startled again.

"you came back!"

"of course I did, now let's go sit outside and fix teddy"

I find a bench in the shade and sit down. Helping Gaara up on the bench I place him right next to me as I sew teddy's arm back on.

"ah there we go, teddy is fixed!" I had the bear back to Gaara. And Gaara lights up with so much happiness, he has put the sun to shame.

"Teddy! You are alive! Thank you Raizo!" Gaara bout hugs the stuffing out of that bear, and then suddenly jumps on me. Giving me a hug as far as his hands can reach.

"you're welcome Gaara" I hug him back and stroke his hair.

"Raizo, thank you for being nice to me" he leans away

"there is no need to thank me; you are a Cute and sweet kid"

"well most people just run away from me, as if I am crazy or a disease"

I stifle a laugh "Gaara I'll let you in on a secret, anybody that is remotely interesting throughout history was mad in some way."

"what?"

"Gaara, you are fine the way you are. Besides I'm going to tell you something that you must never forget. It's what I have to say about being normal and fitting in with people, Ok?"

"yes"

"Screw normal you know why because if you're normal the crowd will accept you... but if you're deranged ...the crowd will make you their leader"

"Their leader?"

"yes, one day you will be the one in charge"

"really?"

"yes" I smile; It makes me happy to see Gaara happy especially since he hasn't become friends with Naruto yet. Then he will know what it really means to be loved and have friendship from others.

Me and Gaara sit on that bench and talk about everything and anything including nonsense. Until I start to hear mine and Gaara's name being called.

"Raizo, Raizo" I hear Sarutobi call my name.

"Gaara Gaara" someone else calls for Gaara

"oh I've got to go" we both say at the same time.

"goodbye Gaara, hopefully I'll see you again sometime" I stand up and head towards Sarutobi's voice

"I hope so! Bye Raizo!" Gaara hops off the bench and runs the other direction.

I almost run smack into Sarutobi.

"oh hey, I'm back!" I say in between breaths

"only after I started calling your name, come on its time to go to our meeting" Sarutobi turns and leads the way

~~~end memory~~~

"Raizo, Raizo?" I am startled back into reality as I hear Gai's voice and the fact that I am being thrown onto the couch

"huh? Gai? What are you doing?" Gai looms over me so that I can't get off the couch

"what were you doing? You were frozen in thought for about five minutes. You would not respond or move"

"oh….sorry I was remembering something" I feel a little stupid and feel my face get a little hot.

"was that all?"

"yes"

Gai sighs and slums down onto me, resting his head on my shoulder

"what's wrong?"

"you had me worried, when you didn't respond" he whispers into my ear. I place my arms around him and hug him tight

"sorry, I was just thinking and since the chunin exam are about to start, I have become a little restless"

Gai lifts his head back up. "why would? Oh yeah you already know what has happened" I nod back to him.

"Don't worry Raizo I won't let anything happen to you" I hear Gai mumble as he leans in for a kiss.