Resubmitted after 3 reads.. Gomen ne.. After intense reading, I've found a flaw. Don't worry, the flaw was only minor but it kept bugging me. No major change and all.

I did a short research about Glass Country and found out it hasn't been created yet in the Naruto World.. so uh.. I own Glass Country. If I'm mistaken, kill me.

This one's going to be a long chapter.. 'Coz I've already planned the plotline so.. I'm gonna make this a long one if I'm going to achieve a 30 chapter story. v.v

I'm starting to write a new story... wait for it.. if someone's interested.

And another chapter will begin.. and that is Chapter 7 of "And the Darkness Fled"

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. It is a work by Masashi Kishimoto-sama. I do not earn money making this fanfic so don't steal it and don't use it as if you own it! I only own the OC Gaara is paired up with and her sister. Glass Country is also something I made up.

This is a GaaraXOC story. I may not ask for reviews but then, without it, I may not be motivated to write. I don't like Flames at ALL but if you insist, then expect hate mail in your inbox.(Joking.. I guess.. )

This is one hell of a long story that might take 30 chapters or less. Bear with me, please. ( . )"

'Italics with apostrophe' - thoughts, also used in flashback conversations

Italics - flashback

"Bold with quotation marks" - talk

(Parenthesis) - author

Melons

'I feel like someone's watching my every move.', the busy Kazekage remarked. The nonstop calls from Resa kept him from enjoying his privacy. Everytime he finished his work or get a time off or even just a second off, the cell phone would ring warning him that a certain black shadow was on the other line.
Right now, the phone was ringing. He sighed aloud knowing that he had no choice but to answer it. But he never tried not answering it. He would just let it ring and ring until he got contented with the ringing and answer it. It's just something, that little something, was wanting to hear her voice... her giggles... her..
Gaara shook his thoughts and answered the annoying contraption. "What is it that you would always want to call, Resa?"

"Took you long to answer, Gaara-chaan!", Resa pouted.

'And she's ignoring me again.', Gaara shifted the phone to the other ear. "So?"

"Nevermind. I just want to check up on you."

"You could have done that later since we are meeting again, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are but..", she trailed off.

"But?", he waited for an answer.

In a sad and almost hurt voice, she answered, "Is it wrong for me to care?"

Gaara fell silent for a moment. 'She... cared? Why? This is just a..'

"Gaara-chaan?"

Again, Gaara shook himself away from his thoughts. "Hn?"

"Bye Bye." then she hung up.

'What was that?', he felt something wrong but immediately shrugged it off. It appears that he didn't like this new feeling blooming deep inside him. It made him feel.. not him. It scared him a bit but then.. 'Am I falling for that woman?', a revelation that he was afraid to accept.

'Love.. I'm doing this, seeing her every week, because I loved my country.. but.'

That night as every other night, Resa came. This time, she was dressed up in her usual attire. A black blouse with strings at the front to fasten the bust and stomach matched with a long silky black pants giving her a semi-goth look. (Yeah, that's her normal attire. Sorry for telling it just now.)

It has now been a month since they started this deal and every night they met, Resa would either force feed him breadsticks and candies, or talk with him about random nonsense to avoid personal topics. And every night, Gaara would let her do all those things because he knew he'd get nothing out of Resa.

This night was different, though. He was sure he'd get something out of Resa. This night, Gaara had a battle plan.

Gaara was leaning on his fist when Resa popped out of no where.

"We've meet again, Gaara-chaan! Did you miss me?", she greeted.

'With you always calling it felt like you never left.', he sighed.

"What's with that face?", Resa sat on his desk in indian style. "You don't look quite energetic."

"You're just not used to my expressionless face.", he murmured loud enough for her to hear.

Resa was not amused. "Cranky as always, I see."

"Resa.", he stood up from his chair and decided to sit with Resa, feet hanging from the desk. He sounded like he wanted to ask something.

"What?", Resa cheerily asked. (Resa's such a cheerful girl, ain't she? Sorry for intruding.)

He faced her seriously. "Why are you hiding?"

"Hiding from what, Gaara-chaan?", she innocently asked.

"From me."

"What are you talking about? I'm here, ain't I?", she was a bit confused.

"Then why aren't you telling me anything?", he started asking.

"Haven't I told you about this before?", she crossed her arms, feeling annoyed. "You'll soon find out."

"And when is soon?"

"Soon is when I feel like it!", she was slowly getting angry.

"What if it's too late and I died?"

'What an absurd question! What's with him?', she pointed a finger at him, "Listen, you're not going to die because I won't let it! And you can't get killed that easily."

"So you care for me?", he crossed his arms and continued staring at her. His calm and blank expression was getting her.

"Of course I do!"

"Why?"

"Because!". There was an awkward silence. She couldn't answer that question. 'Why?', That question was also bothering her. Why did she care? 'It's because...'

"Because?", Gaara was waiting for the next statement.

Resa sighed in defeat. "Geez! I hate being cornered with questions!"

Gaara gave a triumphant smile. Resa saw this and thought 'So this was a plan, eh?'

'Guess I had no other choice.', she scooted closer to Gaara and imitated his pose. "You really want to know?", she asked him now being serious.

Gaara only nodded his head.

Another sigh escaped Resa's lips. "Okay but under one condition."

Gaara raised a brow. She's still giving him conditions? Darn woman. "What is it?"

Resa smiled slightly, "But first let me ask you something."

'Avoiding the topic again, I see?', Gaara eyed her suspiciously, "What?"

Resa avoided his gaze, "You said that last time you knew that I was 'Kuro' because of my fragrance, right?" She emphasized Kuro as if she didn't like that name.

Gaara nodded. "In fact, I can still smell the sweet fragrance on you."

Resa grinned at him in a way that Gaara found himself knowing what the condition exactly was.

"You want me to guess what scent you're wearing?"

Resa nodded signaling that he was right. "Not only guess! You must also prove it too! And I give you 'til next week to find out."

"If I'm correct, you'll tell me everything?", he placed a fist on his chin.

"Correct!"

"What proof do I have that you'll stay true to your word?"

"Sungakure's still here, right?", she placed her right foot on the desk and leaned on its knee with that keen smile of hers. "Isn't that proof enough, Kazekage-sama?"

She was right. She did held up to her word and didn't lay a finger on the village so all the curious man could was do nothing but do exactly what the secretive woman asked.

"Resa, what could you possibly gain from these meetings with me?", he asked out of nowhere.

There was a hesitant gasp. "I'll tell you together with everything if you find out the flavor of my fragrance next week."

"And I only have 'til next week..."

So the mysterious lady in black named Yami no Resa challenged the powerful lad in blue and white robes named Sabaku no Gaara to figure out the flavor of the scent she's always wearing if he wanted her to reveal all her secrets. (Like I said, I'm making this story as quick as possible... v.v)
'But that's not as simple as it sounds like.', Gaara decided to take a walk around his reigned village. He thought fresh air will do him good. Besides, it has been a long time since he went out of his office.

Strolling around the village made him wonder back to memory lane.
Back to those times when he was a kid... when the monster, Shukaku, was still in him. Back then, whenever he was stolling down these sandy streets, people greeted him with terror and children would run away from him screaming 'It's Him! The Monster!' and other worse things. Such a sad thing for a child to experience. That's why he grew up hating this village.

But everything changed after meeting 'him'. (Okay, let me not dwell on how Naruto changed Gaara. Just refer to previous Naruto episodes.)

After that failed attempt in overthrowing Konoha, he changed. He decided to live for his village, he decided to become Kazekage. Now, whenever he was strolling down these sandy streets, people greeted him with glee and children would run towards him shouting 'It's Him! The Kazekage-sama!' and other nice things. The hatred that had been growing in his heart had wither and bloomed into love.

'Love'. After meeting Kuro, the first thing that would come to mind whenever he thinks about love was... Resa. And whenever Resa entered his thoughts, he would immediately shrug her off. A cruel thing, nah?

Gaara greeted those people who noticed him and even go the trouble to talk to them if it was unavoidable. As the Kazekage continued his leisure walk, he came across an alley between a building and a small restaurant. He watched the owner speaking with someone in a black hood that covered all of his face. The man with the hood was handing a large carton box to the owner who gladsly accept it. To think of it, there are also a number of similar boxes lying around behind the owner. He placed the box on his hands on top of a pile of similar boxes and waved the man goodbye as he disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique. (You know, that jutsu used by ninjas to suddenly disappear in a poof.) The Kazekage neared the owner after the other man left.

"Oh! Kazekage-sama!", the owner greeted him with a calm smile. He was a man in his 70's. An old man who still managed to look his best despite his age. "What brings you here at the back of my store?"

"What are in those boxes?", he pointed at the boxes lying behind the owner.

"Why, those are the fruits that I ordered, my Lord.", he answered. He was pretty posed and calm so Gaara believed that this was just an innocent transaction. "But why was the man dressed in a hood that covered his face?", he didn't realized he said that one aloud.

The owner heard him and probably got the hint that the Kazekage was suspicious of something. He laughed a little then answered his leader's question. "Oh, Kazekage-sama, you worry a lot. That person probably doesn't want anyone to know their identity. My source had been sending me fruits and other sweets since you were a kid.", the old man raised his hand to his chin. "Come to think of it, that person was at the same age as Temari-sama at that time during our first transaction. Approximately 16 years old."

Gaara nodded slowly indicating he was listening. Actually, he wasn't interested but it was rude not for him to listen.

"Ah! If I recall correctly, I think Kankurou-sama and Temari-sama are inside talking.", the old man opened the back door, "Would you like to join them, my Lord?"

'Temari and Kankurou?', he thought for a moment but decided to join his siblings since he turned them down one time when they were inviting him to lunch.

He followed the old man inside his restaurant and let him guide him towards his elder siblings.

Both Temari and Kankurou were surprised to see him there. But it was not that terrified kind of surprise but that 'Finally our brother decides to join us' in a happy sense kind.

"Gaara!", Kankurou greeted him. "Taking a break from paperwork, I see?"

The Sand Siblings were in a table beside the entrance. Gaara sat beside his brother while Temari was sitting facing them.

The old man neared the three. "I would like to give you this house's special dessert if I may be prohibited."

"Special?", Temari liked the sound of that.

"Hai.", the owner smiled, "And it's on the house, in honor of the Kazekage.", he was facing towards Gaara.

Gaara nodded letting the man do as he wished.

The owner left them to prepare the special desert. The siblings didn't wait long. After a few minutes, the owner with a waiter approached them. The waiter handed out three glasses of pinkish-orange shake.

"It's from the fruit that was delivered just a moment ago, Kazekage-sama.", he said while the three took a sip of their drink. "It's very delicious and, not to mention, fragrant. I'm sure you would like--"
The owner was immediately cut off by a... sinister laugh? From who?

The elder sibs together with the owner and the waiter watched the Kazekage chuckling evilly while watching his drink closely. All of them, except Gaara, had their jaws dropped.

The chuckle grew louder and all of the people in the restaurant seemed to froze and were staring at their table.

"You didn't place anything else on the drink, did you?", the owner asked his waiter beginning to worry about Gaara's condition.

"Ga..Gaara?", Temari stared at him. 'What's with the laugh? The last time I heard him laugh like this was when he was still a murdering monster!'

Gaara seemed to notice the sudden change of atmosphere. He placed his drink down and coughed, a tint of pink on his cheeks. 'Damn! I was caught off guard!' He cleared his throat then faced the owner while trying to maintain his cool demeanor. "That was very delicious." (O.o at cool demeanor. Sorry, I had to comment!)

"Ah.. ehh.", the owner scratched the back of his head. Seeing that there's nothing serious to worry about, the customers returned to their chitchat figuring not to talk about what just happened to the Kazekage. The owner and the waiter left them.

"What was that?", Kankurou eyed him.

"Gaara, are you okay?", Temari asked worriedly.

"It's nothing to worry about." was all he said before he took another sip from his drink, admiring the familiar fragrance it had.

Before the three left, Gaara excused himself to go ask the owner something. He returned to his siblings with a huge smirk on his lips. The two elder siblings were shocked to see Gaara smirking like that. That was a smirk indicating that he just obtained something. He normally smirked like that after he killed someone. This made the two worried. 'Was he turning back into a monster? Why? Why now?'

The two decided to investigate further about this tomorrow. Something strange was happening here.

It was night time on that same day and Gaara was still in his office waiting for someone. That someone came and she was acting all cranky and stuff.

"What gives?", Resa pouted, leaning beside the window behind Gaara. "A day had only pass and you called to see me?"

"Eh? You're not happy to see me again this quickly?", Gaara was wearing that same smirk he weared earlier.

Resa glared at him. She didn't like the way he smirked.

"I know what's the flavor of your fragrance, Resa.", he went straight to the point. "And I couldn't wait 'til today to tell you."

"Really?", Resa's expression turned from cranky to curiousity. 'How could he possibly know?'

Gaara was amused at Resa's change of expression. He crossed both his legs and arms then locked gaze with her. "Yes. Now, can you tell me everyrhing about you?"

"You must first tell me what and how you found out!", Resa demanded.

Gaara chuckled. He turned to his desk and took something from the left bottom drawer. He placed the round object on his lap.

Resa's eyes widened at the object on his lap. 'How did he...'

"Your fragrance comes from this fruit, am I right?", Gaara patted the fruit, "From this fruit called Melon. Your expression tells me that I'm not mistaken."

Resa smiled, now understanding how he got the melon. 'Looks like I'm caught. Hmph! I should've known that this village was also a client.'

Just as Gaara was about to explain how he found the melon, Resa stopped him telling him that it's no longer important. "As promised, I'd tell you everything about me but you need to wait for next week."

"Why you--", before Gaara bursted his anger on her, she placed a kiss on his lips. It was longer than her usual pecks. Resa left his lips and smiled at him. A smile so warm that it made his heart melt.

"Just a week. I promise.", she even held up her right hand.

"Just one week.", he warned her. Resa nodded and left like the shadows around Gaara. He couldn't help it. It was like he's willing to do everything she asked for. He both feared and wanted this feeling but he couldn't distinguish which was stronger.. fear or want. He also found something new to bother him. Back then..

Gaara approached the owner behind the counter.

"Is there a problem, Kazekage-sama?", he asked.

"I was just wondering what is that fruit and where it came from?", he was referring to the drink he had. "Out of plain curiousity."

The owner understood. "That fruit is called a melon. It's not very common here in the Wind Country. Boxes of these from other countries 'cause a fortune but as you can see, this business is only small and I can't afford them. What I'm doing is not illegal, both me and my source have liscence to do these transactions.", the owner wasn't implying anything, he was only explaining.

Gaara understood this. "Then your source cultivates in a greenery somewhere in this country?"

"Yes. This person suddenly appeared a long time ago offering me of buying the fruits she had cultivated. From that day on, she personally hand delivered all those boxes to my restaurant."

"She?", Gaara was getting more and more curious.

"I never said my source was a he.", he smiled.

Come to think of it, he never did.

"It was obvious from her voice although I never seen her face to prove her gender.", he explained. "She offered those melons and a lot of other fruits and sweets at a very affordable price that both profited us."

"And how do you contact her?"

"I don't.", the old man answered, "She just comes here twice a week. No specific date and time. I guess it depended on her whims."

"I see.", Gaara was in deep thought. "Is there a problem, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara shook his head, "No, there isn't and I don't mind of these transactions. But can I ask something?"

"Anything."

"Can I have one of those melons?"

"Why not?", the owner took a melon from one of the boxes nearby and handed the circular fruit to the Kazekage. "If you want more, you could come here and I'll give you."

"This one is enough.", the young Kazekage bowed to thank the man but before he left to meet up with his siblings, he had one more thing to ask. "Old man, why are you telling me this?"

The old man gave a caring smile. "'Coz I've got nothing to hide from my Lord. And.. I know something's bothering you."

Gaara didn't quite grasped the meaning of that statement.

The man quickly brushed the topic off, "Nothing to worry about."

Gaara thanked the old man and left to meet his only blood relatives.

By my writing it seems I'm slowly loosing interest ne? Sorry.. It's not that I'm slowly loosing interest, it's just that I don't like detailed stories that's all.. Sigh

Daijoubou... I'll try and TRY to make it more interesting.