A/N: I AM SO SORRY for the extremely long update. I think I'm going to try something new, and make a deadline for myself. Please don't be mad— This year I'm getting way more homework and tests to study for than last year. I've also made more commitments this year and I'm not on the computer as much as I used to be.

Thank you guys so much for your patience. I promise you guys I'm going to finish this story, I've planned ahead and wrote notes for future chapters. Hopefully this deadline plan will help me to get my butt on the computer and update faster.

Happy Valentines Day (in 7 days)!

Good news: This is the longest chapter so far!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 3-- Love

Temari was sitting in her room silently on her bed.

She grasped her golden locket tightly. Gazing out the window, she watched as the golden sun slowly slid down the sky like an egg yolk sliding down a frying pan. The sky was orange and pink, and still bright enough for her to see what was going on outside. Children were laughing and playing a distance away, but the area around Temari's house was empty, just as it always was.

I've wasted too much time, Temari thought, shifting her gaze to the brown teddy bear resting on her pillow. She stared into his eyes, which were tiny black buttons, and sighed. She picked him up and examined him. I was supposed to do it right after breakfast ended, Temari thought, And it's already afternoon. She looked out the window again. Yashamaru hasn't left Gaara's side all day…

Temari looked back at the teddy bear. "I hope he's not getting suspicious." She turned the bear on an angle and studied him for a few more moments. "Okay, Temari," she said, standing on her feet. "You have to do this. Be brave."

Taking a deep breath, she walked swiftly out of her room and down the hallway. She clutched the teddy bear to her chest protectively and peered into each room, searching for both Gaara and Yashamaru. Kankuro is in his room… Nobody's in the bathroom… Nobody's in the kitchen…

She suddenly stopped, almost tripping. She quickly hid in the kitchen behind the living room wall. Her grip on the bear tightened and she felt her heart hammering in her chest. Yashamaru is in the living room… without Gaara. There's only one place left to search.

Temari quickly tiptoed out of the kitchen and down the hallway again. Gaara's door was at the end of the hallway. I have to do this quick, before Yashamaru checks up on Gaara or me. She crept up to Gaara's doorway and peeked inside.

Gaara was lying in the middle of the wooden floor on his back. His arms were raised above him, holding up the family portrait from the kitchen. His bed was made neatly and the lamp was turned on. Looking out his window, Temari realized the sun was nearly hidden behind the rooftops of the village. The sky was growing darker…

She heard a little sound and jumped. Gaara was now on his feet, holding the family portrait behind his back. He walked backward until he found the wall, and then avoided Temari's gaze. His face was afraid, and he was biting his lip.

Temari slowly took a step forward. Once her foot touched the ground, Gaara's eyes met with hers; they were wide with fear. As Temari tentatively approached him she felt as if she was moving toward a frightened kitten.

For the first time, Temari thought, I'm alone with Gaara.

Temari stopped when she was about five feet away from him. Gaara stared up at her, frozen. Temari heard him gulp. They stood there for a few moments, just looking into each other's eyes, trying to figure out what the other was going to do next.

Finally Temari spoke. "Gaara." Gaara didn't respond, but he didn't change his gaze. Temari looked down at the brown teddy bear she held in her arms. "There's something I've been wanting to give you."

She extended her arms, holding the bear right in front of her little brother.

It's very special… Temari thought.

Four years and many months earlier

(A month after the death of Temari, Kankuro and Gaara's mother)

Three year-old Temari felt something gently shaking her shoulder. Slowly, she tried opening her eyelids. They were heavy, and her eyes were stinging. Everything around her blurred, then slowly became clear. She was lying on the couch. Kankuro was asleep on the floor. Yashamaru was standing over her and lightly shaking her shoulder. His mouth was smiling, but it didn't look like a happy one. His eyebrows were arched and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Temari," he whispered though his tiny smile, "It's morning."

She didn't move; she only stared at his face, trying to figure out what kind of emotion was behind it. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were sad and tired.

"Uncle, are you sad?" Temari asked him, her eyebrows coming together.

Yashamaru's small smile faded, and he slowly let out a sigh. Finally he answered, "Yes I am, Temari."

"Oh," Temari said softly. She reached out her little hand. Yashamaru took it into his, and gently stroked her wrist with his thumb.

Slowly Temari began to remember what happened the night before... Temari came running into the living room with Yashamaru when she heard the cries of her two year-old brother, Kankuro. He was on the ground, sitting criss-cross and holding a small flowerpot. The flower in it was skinny, wilted and brown. The shriveled petals were all resting in the dirt, and the stem had drooped into the dirt and was beginning to blend with the soil.

"Mommy's— flower— d—died!" Kankuro managed to force out between big, tearful gasps. At the sight of her crying brother and her mother's dead flower, Temari began to cry too. She curled up on the sofa and Yashamaru sat next to Kankuro on the floor.

"Oh, no," Yashamaru said, taking out the flowerpot from Kankuro's hands. Kankuro continued to sob, and buried his head into Yashamaru's shirt. Yashamaru placed the flowerpot on the floor and took Kankuro in his arms. "Shh… Kankuro, it's okay." He reached out his other arm and put it around Temari, who was up on the couch. "It's okay, it's okay," he repeated.

"W-want—Mommy!" Kankuro choked tearfully into Yashamaru's shirt. Yashamaru stayed with them as they cried, stroking their backs and holding them with care until they finally fell asleep. Before Temari fell asleep she thought she had seen Yashamaru quivering, teardrops escaping from his eyes.

"Time to get up," Yashamaru was now saying tenderly to Kankuro on the floor. Kankuro's eyelids fluttered but didn't open. Yashamaru glanced at Kankuro for a few moments, and then let out another sigh. "There's something I need to give to the both of you," he said, looking at Temari too.

"Okay," Temari said. Kankuro remained silent.

Yashamaru picked up Kankuro and held him on his side with one arm. Temari stood up on her feet and wiped her eyes. "Come on," Yashamaru said gently, holding out his hand. Temari took it and Yashamaru led the two of them to his room. He let go of Temari's hand and sat Kankuro on the bed. Temari looked at the crib in Yashamaru's room and saw Baby Gaara lying on his back, staring at them all in silence.

Without hesitance, Yashamaru got on all fours and retrieved a large brown cardboard box from underneath his bed. He tore off the tape on the top, setting it aside on the ground. He then opened the top of the box, and looked inside. "Here they are," he said. Curiously, Temari walked to the box and sat beside her uncle. Kankuro peered into it from where he sat on the bed.

"They're gifts," Yashamaru said, "From your mother."

Yashamaru carefully pulled out a small violet blanket. "Kankuro, this is for you," he said, placing it on his lap. "Your mother made it for you; she said to use it for every time you need a hug from her." Kankuro wrapped it around himself instantly, closing his eyes.

Yashamaru reached into the box again and took out a golden locket. "Temari, this is for you," he said. Temari held out her hands and he placed the locket into them. "Your mother said she bought it in the shape of a heart, because she'll always be in yours'." He opened it for her to reveal a small photo of her mother, smiling lovingly at her.

"She also left these for you; she made them herself," Yashamaru said, giving Kankuro a hand puppet of a black ant, and Temari a small brown teddy bear. "She told me to tell the both of you that you are her world— she loves you more than anything, more than li—" Yashamaru stopped himself, "More than everything."

Temari's eyes traveled back to Gaara's crib, where he still lay staring at them. Kankuro looked, too. "What 'bout Bruh-ter?" he asked.

"Your mother—she didn't leave anything for Gaara, no," Yashamaru said, avoiding eye contact with the baby.

"Why?" Kankuro asked.

"Didn't she love him, too?" Temari asked.

"We slept in late," Yashamaru said, changing the subject, "It's lunchtime, already. You head on into the kitchen and I'll meet you there."

Present

I still wonder… Temari thought, gazing at the floor, did Mom ever love Gaara?

"You're not allowed in here," Gaara said, finally speaking. "Yashamaru will come in soon and pick you up and take you away." He had set the picture frame down on the ground.

"I know," Temari said, locking eyes with him again, "But that's why I need to give you this now, while I have the chance." She took a few steps closer to Gaara; the bear was now only a few inches from his face.

Gaara didn't take it; he merely stared at it. "Why would you give me this? It's yours."

"Because…" Temari's mouth closed. She tried to arrange the words in her mind as Gaara's hands slowly grabbed onto the bear's stubby arms. Temari let go and Gaara held it himself. "Because," Temari said again, "We're part of a family." Gaara looked up from the bear and into Temari's eyes. Temari continued, "You'll always be my brother, Gaara, so I'll always love you."

They heard loud, quick footsteps coming closer. "Quick, he's coming—" Temari hissed. Gaara swiftly hid the bear under his pillow just before Yashamaru appeared in the doorway.

"Temari!" he said, racing over to her and picking her up. His voice was loud with worry. "You know you're not supposed to be in here!" He carried her out of the room.

After the footsteps dulled, Gaara looked back at his pillow. He lifted it and picked up the teddy bear again. After a few seconds, he set the bear back down on his bed. "Love," he said, testing the unfamiliar word on his tongue. What is… love?

A/N: This is NOT the end.

In fact, this is FAR from the end. There are still a lot of things that are going to happen in the story.

The next update definitely won't take even half as long as it did to update this time. I also have a week's break the week after next week, so it won't take very long to update this time.

(Again, I'm VERY sorry for chapter three's long update!)

Please review!