A/N: First off, I apologize for Gaara's ooc-ness last chapter. But to clear things up, he's not in love, that takes much longer. Think of it this way. You bring a starving anything to food, it's going to eat and eat until it's full. So right now, Gaara's just trying to find out if Riia really meant what she said earlier on, that she loves him. (course, she was partially joking, but only partially...) If any of my fanfics (like this one) involved Gaara falling in love, it would never happen this soon. That's too soon for Gaara. Too easily his hard shell broken. Gomen. -

OMG it's Gaara!

Chapter Seven: Gretchen's Plea

Gretchen bounced into Gaara's apartment, gloves similar to Kakashi's in her hand. "Riia! I got you some-"

"She left." Gretchen started, and turned to Gaara, who was sitting on his bed, an odd combination of confused and angry on his face.

"Whaddaya mean, 'She left'?"

"She left. Told me not to follow her." Gaara was silent. Gradually Gretchen's face went from confused to worried to just plain scared. She threw the gloves on the ground and spun on her heel, dashing madly out the door. "Where're you going?"

"To find Kakashi! He's going to help me find Riia!" Gaara only sighed as he watched Gretchen run hurriedly to find Kakashi. Several steps later, she froze, remembering this part from the manga.

"OH, SHIT!" Kakashi was on this several mile-high cliff, and she'd have to climb up there to get to him. Maybe Gaara could take her. No! Riia's MY friend, and I'm gonna find her by myself! Um... and Kakashi, if he'll listen.

Gretchen pounded her temples with her fists, desperately trying to figure out a way to get to Kakashi. He'll have to come down some time, for food and stuff! I can get him then! Aw, no, that won't work. Who knows where Riia will have gone by the time he comes down! Ooh... Riia, why the hell'd you have to go running off like that? She shot off to the gate, and exited the village. Pretty soon Gretchen had spotted the cliffs, almost on the exact other side of the village. "Oh, come ON!" She exhaled, and started to run. Too bad she hadn't had time to learn how to run like a ninja. But she could try.

Gretchen was out of breath half way there. "Stupid cliffs," she muttered, and stopped to catch her breath. She couldn't think of any way her kekkei genkei would help in getting over to the cliffs. I better at least think this through, first. Well, threatening him won't do any good, he'll just hand me over to Ibiki, or something. I could ask very nicely... but he's never seen me before, and he's training Sasuke right now! Oh... And all this time, Sound and Sand are plotting the downfall of Konoha!

She buried her face in her hands. Asking to find Riia seemed like a frivolous thing compared to what was happening now. But I will do it. Because she's my best friend and I won't let her die or something out there somewhere. I wonder if she knows where she's going.

Gretchen had continued chasing after the cliffs, and finally arrived. "My... god," she breathed. The whole trip had left her out of breath. She stared up at the cliff. "How did... Kakashi climb that... with ONE hand?" Gretchen slumped against the village's wall. How the hell am I supposed to get up there? Should I wait for him to come down? Should I actually attempt a life-threatening climb up that thing? She sighed, and decided to wait for Kakashi.

She watched the cliff constantly, and at one point even thought she saw Gaara float up there. The girl amused herself by remembering what was happening at this point, in the manga. Gaara was going to see Sasuke, and if he did that, it meant Dosu was already dead. Jiraya still hadn't pushed Naruto down the cliff, and Sakura was wondering where Sasuke went, along with Ino. Kakashi... Kakashi was up there, at the very top. Gretchen sighed again.

Soon it was nightfall, and she watched the cliff more intently. Twice she had seen the Chidori flash, and knew Kakashi would come down soon. She'd almost dozed off before Kakashi appeared in front of her, though took no notice of her. She started, and scrambled hurriedly to her feet.

"Kakashi-san!" She almost banged into him, and he looked at her oddly.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

"I'm Gretchen, and I don't have time to explain that right now! I need your help!" Kakashi was silent, still not sure whether this was someone he could trust. "My friend, Riia, is running around blindly somewhere out there, and she could get hurt, or die, and I need you to help me find her!"

"Why me?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Because you have... eh, I heard you have terrific tracking skills!" Kakashi sighed, and thought about it.

"Not me, more so than my dogs." He called Pakkun. "Here. This is Pakkun. He'll help you, and lead you back to the Leaf village when you've found your friend. Also, you aren't from here, are you?" Gretchen shook her head. "I didn't think so." He turned, and leapt off into the growing darkness.

"If we're going to find your friend, I need something of hers." Even though Gretchen knew Pakkun spoke, the voice startled her anyway.

"Right, of course." She rummaged around in her pockets and found Riia's Leaf wristband, that she had gotten from Hot Topic a long while ago. She'd abandoned it and given it to Gretchen when she'd gotten the Suna headband. "This okay?" She handed it to Pakkun, who looked startled to see the Leaf symbol on a wristband. He didn't question it, however, and took the item. "So, which way?"

"Hm..." Pakkun turned around. "This way." He leapt off into the trees, and Gretchen chased after him, straining to keep up.

Riia's breath was coming in ragged gasps, and her body was streaked with dirt and blood. Her sand was on the ground, trailing behind her, and she stopped to rest against a tree.

"Stupid... Sound ninja." She'd forgotten Oto and Suna were planning to destroy Konoha. I wish I'd learned something other than just Suna no Tate! She slid down the trunk, coming to a sitting position at the roots. At least... at least I made it stronger. Of course, though. She'd only managed to make it stronger in a life or death battle. Why'd they attack me, though? I had the sand forehead protector. She felt for it on her head, and gasped. "Oh, shit."

It had disappeared. Probably fallen off in all that commotion. Well, now I got no way to avoid further conflicts, and I'm running around in the forest, no idea where I'm going... oh, I'm screwed. She sighed, and slumped where she was. I wonder if Gaara-sama's following me. Gretchen's probably realized what's happened. I wonder what she's doing.