Don't Forget to Remember Me

Twelve- years ago.

The day he arrived the wind had been wild, unsettling everything in it's path with dark grey skies that called for rain. He had been forced into a beat- up Lincoln driven by a man named, Baki, a friend of his family.

'Gaara,' His charcoal-eyes glanced at his through the rearview mirror, 'this is the last stop before Military School, you understand?'

The boy didn't respond, he rolled his eyes in defiance. 'Anything to get rid of me.'

'This Home for Children bull is your last attempt, don't fuck it up.'

'Like you give a shit,' Gaara spat.

Baki laughed, 'I don't.'

At twelve, he had been admitted into a Psychiatric Hospital because of his violence outbursts toward everyone. His School complained that the student's feared him and they recommended Gaara receive professional help for his anger.

That was all his father needed to hear, he was sent away two days later.

'Here we are your new home.' Baki parked the car in front of the two-story Home. 'Let's get this shit over with.'

When Gaara was released from the Hospital, his father signed him over— with nowhere to go, Suna's Home for Children was the only option until he turned eighteen.

'I refuse to be here long.' He promised himself as he left the backseat.

All of his belongings fit in a simple black backpack that he stole from a patient at the Hospital; he figured he wouldn't need it anytime soon. The Home had a wrap-around porch littered with children's toys and that filled Gaara with dread, small children are loud and don't care about personal space.

An elderly woman greeted them at the door, 'Welcome.'

'Is there anything I need to sign for the brat?' Baki asked, as he lit a cigarette.

The woman didn't appreciate his tone, 'His father took care of everything.'

He took a drag and nodded his head, 'try not to kill anyone Gaara.'

The boy glared at that man, Baki wasn't fazed by his stare. He turned his back with a wave over his head before getting back into his car and driving away.

'Such a terrible man,' the woman muttered before giving him her attention. 'Why don't you come in?'

'Like I have a choice.' He mumbled.

The door closed softly behind them, the living room was warm with a mounted TV surrounded by different movies and games. 'I know this isn't your ideal living arrangement, but you are welcome here.' The woman's voice remained gentle, an act that was foreign to his ears. He didn't trust it.

'The children here address me as Ms. Hanna, I'd like for you to do the same.'

'Whatever,' Gaara wasn't interested in names, he wouldn't be here long.

'I'd ask you to have a little more respect in this house, there are smaller children that live here and they don't need to pick-up on your bad habits.'

'Trust me old lady, your precious children wouldn't come near me.'

Ms. Hanna frowned, his comment made her chest ache. 'I hope that's not true, I'd like for you to have a good life here with us.'

Gaara sneered, 'I've heard it all before, so save your breath.'

She flinched at his tone, 'there are punishments for speaking in such a way young man.'

'What're you going to do— huh? Starve me. Beat me? It's been done Ms. Hanna.' Jade colored-eyes held a challenge.

When she received a call from the Hospital about a troubled young boy in the need of a home, she didn't hesitant to agree but she didn't know that troubled boy might be too far gone. Most of her children, God bless their souls, wanted love and attention. Gaara didn't strike her as that child, he had attitude and had been treated so harshly he couldn't see a past the trauma to heal.

Sympathy shined in her eyes as she covered her mouth, 'I don't need your damn pity lady.' Gaara snapped. He wasn't weak, what those people did to him didn't break him, he survived and didn't need anyone feeling sorry for his misfortunes.

'Ms. Hanna,' the sound of steps approached from the hallway, 'I'm finished with my chores—' she entered the living room and stopped, 'oh, I'm sorry.' The boy was standing closest to the front door; he seemed uncomfortable— almost as if any sudden movement would cause him to run.

Ms. Hanna dropped the conversation with Gaara, and turned to the girl. 'Oh, Sakura that's great.' She wavered toward the boy, 'this Gaara Sabaku. He's going to be staying with us for a while.'

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, it's been years since a new kid was taken. 'Would you mind showing him to his bedroom? It's Kohaku's old room.'

'Oh—uh, sure.' She glanced over at Gaara whose stare seemed to tell her he didn't want to go anywhere with her. 'Geez, if looks could kill.'

"Gaara, go with Sakura. We'll finish our conversation later.' She told him just as the phone rang from the kitchen, 'oh I'll check on the two of you later.' Ms. Hanna wandered out of the room.

The two children didn't move, Sakura stood their awkwardly as he continued to glare at her like she caused all his problems. She didn't know what to do, 'are you going to come with me or stare at me like a crazy-person?'

He didn't like that word.

'I'm not fucking crazy.' His tone could have frozen over Hell, Sakura realized that she offended him but she didn't mean it literally.

'I didn't mean—'

'Shut up,' he interrupted. Sakura's eyes widened further, she puffed out a cheek in frustration.

'You're a jerk.'

'Is that the best you've got?' Gaara crossed his arms, 'because that was pathetic.'

Sakura's brows knitted together, 'you're a— asshole.' The curse word was whispered, she didn't use foul language. Ren, a sixteen- year old orphan cursed enough for the whole house when Ms. Hanna couldn't hear.

'You really are pathetic.'

'Oh really!' She exclaimed, 'you can find your room on your own.' Sakura crossed her arms with her nose in the air.

He didn't need a room, he was leaving this place if it was the last thing he does. 'I don't need your room. I'm leaving.'

Sakura's green-eyes widened as he turned toward the door and left with a slam. Panic seeped into her bones, the weather didn't look to good and rain was coming. She frantically glanced around the living room for an audience but no one had heard a thing. 'Oh, man…' She pinched the bridge of her nose.

'Why—why couldn't Ms. Hanna have taken in a girl instead?' She grabbed her rain boots by the door and creeped out the front door after him.

The wind attacked her hair as she looked back and forth between the road and the wooded area around the house, 'if I was a runaway and didn't want to be caught which way would I take?'

She marched off toward the woods, he couldn't have gotten far she prayed. 'Crap!' Rain poured down from the Heavens as she managed to get through the bushes and high grass.

'Gaara?' She called out, but with the thunder pounding from above, she didn't think he'd hear her. 'Why didn't I bring my rain coat!' The rain soaked through her blouse and sweatpants.

'Gaara!' She whipped her head in every direction, her wet hair clinging to her face as she brushed out of her face.

She continued deeper into the woods with no sight of him, 'maybe I went the wrong way.' She heard a snap from a distance, Sakura strained her ears to listen for the sound again, but it was followed by a grunt. She sped off toward the sound, 'Gaara! Can you hear me?' The rain poured down in thick drops all around her.

She saw skid-marks in the mud as if someone had fallen; she slowly slid down the hill causing mud to build up on her boots. Once at the bottom, she walked a little ways when relief flooded her chest as she saw the brightest color of red sitting there with his back up against a tree and his backpack at his side.

'Gaara,' she called out as she approached him, his Jade eyes flickered from his ankle to the girl in front of him. 'Are you alright?' She noticed his attention on his ankle and that his jeans were covered in mud.

'Go away.'

Sakura frowned, the rain didn't stop. 'No.'

'I'm not going back.' He told her as he tried to move his foot, 'damn the rain.' He cursed. He had been walking when his foot slipped out from under him and he had slid down this hill, mud covered his whole ass and he was peeved about it.

Sakura sighed, 'you're so stubborn.'

'And you're annoying.' Gaara spat. 'Leave me alone.'

'You do realize it's raining? Like hard.' Sakura asked.

He didn't respond, he'd rather sit out here than be forced to live in that place.

Sakura's arms slumped in defeat, 'fine. Fine.' She moved closer, 'move over.'

Gaara's glared faltered as Sakura stared back at him, 'move over Gaara.'

'You can't be serious?' He didn't move but Sakura didn't give up, she simply made her own room. Gaara watched as the girl sat beside in the pouring rain, 'I think you're the one that's crazy.'

She shrugged her shoulders, 'I've been called worse.' Her body shivered from the cold, but she wouldn't let him see it. She bought her knees to her chest for warmth as he sat there contemplating what he was going to do with this crazy girl.

'Go back.'

'Not unless you're coming too.' She argued, the rain didn't seem to bother her anymore.

'Why— for what?' He scoffed.

Sakura's green-eyes locked with his, 'because if you don't come I'll be worried.'

Gaara was taken back by her comment, 'I was worried that's why I followed you.'

'You don't even know me? I could be the next mass-murder.'

'I'll worry about that when it happens.' Sakura watched the sky change from dark to light.

Gaara couldn't believe this girl, 'we can go back together or not at all.' He didn't expect that.

'You wouldn't leave that cozy little home.' He called bullshit.

Lightening moved across the sky illuminating her green-eyes, 'you don't know me either.' Gaara got lost in her eyes; he didn't notice the color before a startling deep color of green.

'You don't know what I'd do.' She couldn't help but shiver from the cold.

He didn't know what possessed him to say, 'let's go back.' He would blame it on his ankle for now.

Sakura didn't argue, 'did you twist it?'

Gaara gave a confused look and she rolled her eyes, 'your ankle. Did you twist it?'

'Aa,' he tried to stand but stumbled a little and out of concern Sakura quickly reached out to help him but when she touched his arm, he reacted with a shove. 'Don't touch me.'

Sakura stumbled back but luckily didn't fall, 'don't touch me.' Gaara repeated with a distant look in his eyes.

'You have to let me help you.' Sakura said, 'you can't walk. Lean on me.'

'No.' He applied pressure to his ankle with a hiss of pain.

'See, you're making it worse.'

He glared at her, 'I can manage. Now, shut up and let's go.'

Sakura bit her tongue and started to walk up the hill, he tried to follow limping mostly. 'You can't walk up with hill without me.'

He ignored her as he tried but failed.

'Oh for the love of—' Sakura quickly walked toward him and grabbed his arm, his whole body tensed under her simple touch. His eyes flashed with pain before fear seeped in and away, she realized that this boy had deeper problems than just being a complete jerk.

'I'm not going to hurt you,' Sakura spoke gently. 'Let me help.' Her thumb caressed his skin in what was supposed be to a comforting gesture.

She didn't wait for him to reject her again, she swung his arm over her shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist. 'Let's go.'

'Oh thank God!' Ms. Hanna was running toward the two of them as soon as they were in sight. 'I was so worried!' She helped them back inside, 'Cana bring me some warm towels.'

The older girl ran toward the bathroom and returned with two fluffy towels, she helped Sakura first as Gaara draped the material over his shoulders. 'Cana, tend to supper please.' The girl nodded but not before glaring at Sakura, she didn't notice but Gaara did.

'What were you thinking? Hm. I told you Sakura to show him to his room! Not the yard.'

Sakura shrunk under Ms. Hanna's stare, 'it's my fault.' Her eyes found his, 'I ran outside and she followed after me.'

Ms. Hanna placed her hands on her hips, 'oh really now? This is the last straw for you Gaara.'

He rolled his eyes, 'if you can't act right here, I'll have to send you elsewhere.'

'Do it.' Gaara snapped, he was sick of the talking and his ankle still throbbed from his fall not to mention he is covered in mud.

'No. Don't,' Sakura spoke, 'it won't happen again Ms. Hanna.'

Ms. Hanna glanced between the two of them and released a tired sigh, 'fine it's only your first day. I'll give you time to adjust but if you don't, you're out of here.'

Gaara wanted to argue but Sakura's face was pleading with him to just be quiet and so he was. 'Sakura, bring the first aid kit and some medicine.'

Sakura nodded and quickly ran off. 'You have a seat on the couch.'

Gaara did as he was told, Sakura returned shortly after with a kit and a bottle. The towel was gone but her clothes remained wet. 'Lift your foot.'

'You're going to do it?' Gaara asked as he lifted his leg on the couch and she sat beside it.

Sakura looked annoyed, 'you have a problem with that?'

'Trust me Gaara you're in good hands, if you'll excuse me I have to make a phone call.' Ms. Hanna turned to leave, 'don't go near that front door.' She added.

Sakura didn't ask for permission before tossing Gaara's mudding shoe by the door, his sock soaked up so much water that it slapped against the hard wood floor. 'Can I?' She asked motioning toward his ankle.

'Now you ask?' Gaara glanced away from her. 'You wouldn't listen to me anyway.'

Her hands gently touched his ankle, a purplish bruise was forming on his pale skin, 'can you move it?'

'Aa.'

'It's swelling,' she commented and reached in the kit for a wrap. 'I'm going to wrap it for you and then you'll need some pain medicine.'

Gaara watched as Sakura's hands worked with skill, pulling the compression wrap for a snug fit. 'There,' she turned away to grab the medicine bottle, 'here take two of these, it'll help with the pain and the swelling.'

He took the bottle from her, 'I'll get you some water.'

It's a strange feeling having someone care for you, he didn't like to think of it that way but Sakura's the only person that's ever tried to nurse him back to health. That is a little dramatic but no one has ever showed him concern or kindness.

Sakura returned with a bottled water, 'I'll help you to your room and you can rest.'

Gaara swallowed the medication, 'shouldn't you change first?'

She glanced down at her clothes, 'oh I sort of forgot.' She smiled, 'it can wait. I'll help you first.'

'You'll get sick.'

'What did I just say?' Gaara panicked.

Sakura's smiled widened, 'are worried about me Gaara?' Her tone was teasing.

His glare was back, 'what— no, I just don't want to be placed in Military School because you caught a cold.'

'If you say so,' Sakura giggled.

He groaned as his head fell back on the couch, 'maybe Military School wouldn't be so bad.'

Back to the present for third chapter!