Two years have passed.

Gaara suddenly said those words in his head as he was passing by the glass mirrors in his office. He had stopped and looked at his reflection; a small desk calendar on his desk announcing this revelation.

Two years have passed since she had left.

The Glass village had made news around all the other villages; their economic standpoint was rising, they were getting more involved with the other villages in terms of trade, industry and cooperation. There was also talk of the Glass being a force to be reckoned with. There was no tension with Suna and Glass, however smaller villages that were on the same pages before as Glass are feeling pressured to either align with them or to be against them. The Village of the Glass could sustain themselves with little help from the other villages. The Five Great Shinobi Countries had also started the process of various talks with them, from training of ninjas, mixing of different experts for consultations... However, Gaara hadn't the chance to see her in person yet. Most of the time Glass refused to send out their messengers, instead inviting diplomats and high ranking officials and ninjas to go to their village instead.

Life had gone on for Gaara. He had continued his work and duties as a Kazekage without any mishap or hitch whatsoever ever since Reiyka had returned to Glass. The village people and council still respected him, his comrades and soldiers looked up to him, and his siblings Kankuro and Temari looked after him, not only as their leader but as family. He had thought he made a mistake in not contacting her, but after he had seen the calendar he decided it was alright that he didn't.

The door of the office opened and Temari poked her head in. "Gaara," she said. He didn't turn around. Temari entered and went over to the front of his desk, thinking Gaara would sit down, but he didn't. Temari walked over to where he was standing in front of the glass mirrors and looked at her brother's face in the mirror.

"Gaara? Are you okay? I knocked on the door but you didn't answer. Is something wrong?"

Gaara blinked softly and shook his head serenely. "No, Temari, I was just thinking." He strode over at his desk and sat down on his chair and closed his eyes. He put his elbows on the desk and put his hands together, placing his chin on them as if in deep thought; Temari went to stand before him and put her hands on her hips.

"If this isn't a good time – "

"What is it, Temari?"

"Gaara, I don't know what happened between the two of you-"

"Two of who?"

"You know who I am talking about," said Temari, smiling, then faltering – Gaara's expression remained the same. In fact he looked as if he was about to doze off. "Reiyka. Maybe I am overthinking it, but-"

"I think you are, Temari." he said, in a firm voice. Temari stopped and dared not to go further. But then Gaara smiled and sat back on his desk chair. Finally, thought Temari. They both relaxed. Maybe I am overthinking it, she thought. Ugh. "Nothing happened between us. Nothing was going on."

"Kankuro and I thought something was about too." laughed Temari. She remembered her clearly, but it was Kankuro who would mostly visit the Glass Village if anything needed to be conveyed to Gaara, which Kankuro passed to Temari, which was not related to any matters of the heart. In fact, Kankuro only saw her once from afar, and she didn't even see Kankuro. Temari thought it was disrespectful of her, while Kankuro thought it wasn't her choice to avoid them. Neither of the two Sand Siblings said it to Gaara, but they had hoped that the two of them would have worked out, or at least stayed in touch with each other. But now, that might change.

"Well, that's a good thing then. I have something to tell you." she began matter-of-factly.

"What is it?"

"The Glass Village is staging a ceremony for Reiyka Hagensa. It will be her 20th birthday in a week's time, and her father Asagani Hagensa will be turning over his duties as the ruler to her." answered Temari, waiting for his reaction.

Gaara raised his eyebrows, and brought his hands up to his face again. "I see…". Temari had gone silent. He smiled. "And?"

Temari forced herself to remain cool. She laughed. "Gaara, she's invited you to come."

"Oh."

Gaara looked at the mirror again from his desk. Of course, he remembered. At her 20th she would be ruler. He felt pleased and proud of her. Temari waited anxiously for him to respond, instead he opened his drawer, apparently looking for something.

"Are you excited Gaara? I wonder how she is," said Temari, hoping to get something out of her brother. "I mean, she did seem very nice –"

"Wait a moment, Temari," he said all of a sudden, distracted. He stood up, leaving the drawer open, and walked over to his bedroom. Temari's brow furrowed, sounds of drawers and cabinets opening came from his room.

"What's the matter Gaara? Is something missing?" she called.

Gaara went back to his office, leaving his bedroom door open; Temari could see his cabinets flung open and some of his clothes lying on his bed. "Yes," he muttered, "Do you remember we took pictures with Reikya two years ago, at that photo studio in town?"

"Mmm," thought Temari, placing a finger on her chin. "I do remember…"

"It's gone…" muttered Gaara, a hint of worry on his voice. "I know I kept a copy of that… where could they be…"

"Maybe you misplaced it. Or one of the cleaners did. I'll ask around if they saw anything."

"It's in an envelope, Temari." said Gaara, walking back to his room and closing the doors he left open. Then he walked slowly back to his desk.

"What do you need them for?" his sister asked.

The Kazekage sat down on his desk and closed the drawer. "I wanted to look at them, maybe give them to her when I go to Glass."

"You'll find them," said Temari cheerfully. "That's a nice idea, Gaara."

"Yes…" he replied. "It's just that I have this odd feeling that…"

"What? You're being strange, hahahaha"

"I don't know, Temari." Gaara continued. "I have this odd feeling that someone took them."

Temari reached over the desk and patted Gaara's shoulder. "Don't fret. It's just here. You just think about Reikya now, haha. Anyway, better get ready. Kankuro wants to meet you at the councils' office, he wants to talk to you about clearing your schedule for the Glass visit." Then she left.

But Gaara stayed at his office for another 30 minutes or so, thinking.

Morning, at a village somewhere.

An innkeeper was woken up by sounds of glass breaking from one of his rooms upstairs. Putting his robe on, he cursed as he pounded on room 04 loudly.

"Haide! Don't break anymore of my glasses! And there'd better be no more vomit there or I swear I'll throw you out!"

The innkeeper heard sounds of a blanket rustling and a chair being pushed. Then, he heard Haide laugh. "Alright innkeeper, no worries. I'll be gone by tomorrow. You'll have your payment."

"Good!" the innkeeper shouted. "Keep your voice down!"

Haide went back to the pitiful wooden desk inside the room and stretched out a piece of scroll, a bit dirty with the blood of the carrier pigeon he had intercepted. The letter had announced Reikya Hagensa's coronation. He licked his lips, baring slightly yellowed teeth.

"Tomorrow," he whispered. "I shall see you again." He laughed, or growled, rather, and ripped up the scroll and strode over to the bed. As he lay down, he looked up at the pictures he had put up on the ceiling, around over 2 years ago. Tattered pictures, full of holes where his glass kunai had been thrown at multiple times, the ones undamaged were photos of the Kazekage and his ninja friends.

Reiyka's photo was nearly unrecognizable.