A/N:well heres another fic!but its the first one i'm putting up here thats actually a naruto fic!i've made many of them i just havent put them up yet is all!!!

"Speaking"

Thinking

"Shukaku"

Onward with the story!!!


Chapter 1: A Familiar Face

She ran around the block and turned to the right panting as she hid behind the building.

"Come on out girly; we know you're there..." called a drunk as he looked for the girl.

Riko looked around the side of the wall to see the 5 drunks looking for her and then pushed her head back up against the wall again, closing her eyes.

Why the old drunks, why not the hot, young guys? She thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. And why when my chakra is low!?

Riko had been training all day and she did not have time for this.

"Awww, we just wanted to have a bit of fun..." teased one drunk, his eyes switching from left to right trying to find where the girl was.

She put her hand on her hip where she hid extra kunai in her belt.

Turning around, she saw one of the drunken men in front of her as she held in a scream.

"...but if you want to do it the hard way..." He smirked as he grabbed her wrist tightly. He kept squeezing her wrist as she fell to the ground with a sharp gasp...

---------------------------

He trudged along the empty streets of Suna quietly, his hands in his pockets. It was a nice night for a walk so the young Kazekage decided to go out. The streets were peaceful and not busy and he liked them that way. The night was cool and tranquil...at least that was until he heard a blood curdling scream come from right behind the building he was standing in front of.

He growled inwardly and glared at the building for ambiguous reasons.

He would have just passed the mysterious sound up, but being the Kazekage and all, he had to check it out.

He strolled behind the building to see that there was a young lady being harassed by some men.

She had shoulder length brown hair with black streaks and forest green eyes. She almost looks familiar, like someone that I knew from a long time ago.

He quickly shifted his gaze to the girl once he found out who she was.

(Flashback)

Eight year old Gaara walked sulkily up to the house.'The last one shut the door in my face, I hope this one doesn't do the same...'

He lifted his fist and knocked on the door as someone cracked the door open a little.

Only a ray of light could be seen from inside showing the worry and surprise on this victims face.

Gaara looked down sadly. 'I knew it...just like all the rest...' he thought to himself.

The girls face soon converted into a look of question as she quirked up an eyebrow, the door still not all the way open.

"Yes...?" she asked as if waiting for the boy to say something.

Now it was Gaara's turn to have questioning eyes. "Hmm?" he asked confused as he looked back at the girl.

'Why didn't she close the door in my face? That's what everyone else did...' Gaara thought about this as more questions went through his mind.

The girl opened the door fully and he got a full glimpse of her. She had beautiful green eyes and long, dark, brown hair that was at this moment in two flowing braids. She wore a long green tank and black capris with regular black sandals.

She giggled nervously. "You knocked on my door..." Her smile was truly brilliant, and in that smile, he forgot why he had come.

"Uh..." His eyes wandered to her arm where he saw she was cut.

Then it clicked; he had come here to give her the medicine.

He raised the hand with the brown bag in it towards the girl. Her eyes shot open with surprise.

"Um...it's medicine...for your a-arm...I'm sorry I hurt you," he stuttered as he looked down at the ground.

"Oh..." she smiled warmly again. 'He actually apologized?' she thought to herself. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore...it's healing,"she explained as she rubbed the cut softly on her arm. She lied; it stung like hell, but she wouldn't tell him that; it would bring him down even more. He obviously didn't have any friends. "...and arigato," she thanked as she took the bag.

A small smile tugged at Garra's lips.

The girl looked over in desperate attempt to start a conversation.

"Um...you wanna come in...it's getting cold," she said as she grinned at the boy.

"Really!?" he asked as he perked up a little. No one had ever been this kind to Gaara. And after he had hurt her? That was really amazing! But then his smile faded away as he grew sad again.

He had to get home soon.

The girl's smile went away a little too. "But you should probably be getting home; it's late..." she started. "But come by sometime, ok? By the way...my name's Riko..."

(End of Flashback)

Riko, huh? He thought to himself.

'Never thought you' be seein' her again, did ya, Gaara?' said Shukaku to Gaara.

Gaara sighed; he would have to save her. She saved him from being alone and doubtful that anyone could love him, so he would have to save her from...well...dying.

He quickly put out his hands as he caught four of the guys in a sand coffin jutsu and threw them against the wall unconscious.

His eyes widened and then he glared; one of them had dissapeared.

The girl got into a ready stance and the dissapeared also. He heard a smack sound and then a "THAT'S FOR BEING A PERV!!"

Turning around he saw the last drunken man seeing stars on the ground.

Yup...that's definitely Riko...thought Gaara as he sweatdropped in his head.

'Still aggressive I see...' agreed Shukaku for once in Gaara's life.

The young kunoichi panted as she moved her layered hair behind her ear.

"Arigato, Kazekage-sama," she bowed for him, obviously not knowing he was the new Kazekage.

"You're cut," he interrupted emotionlessly(not a word, i know).

Riko looked at her wrist, it had a small gash. She had forgotten to wear her arm protectors; two silver bracelets that started at he wrist and went up about an inch below her elbow. She had very weak wrists.

"Oh that little thing. It doesn't hurt much anymore," she said as she put her hand over it.

He looked down at her wrist with a 'hn' and then back into her eyes. "Yes it does..."

(Flashback...I know...another one)

Gaara sat on a rooftop as he heard a sound. "Who's there!?" he ordered as he faced to where the sound was coming from, tears still streaming out his eyes.

A lithe figure came up on the roof.

"Chill; it's me," replied Riko bluntly.

Gaara looked down at his hands as another tear slipped from his eye.

"Gaa-chan, what's wrong?" she asked sitting down next to her broken-hearted friend.

He looked up at her trying to change the subject. Her right shoulder was shimmering in the moonlight. Obviously she had used the ointment.

"You used it..." he said as he looked into her eyes.

"Ara ('hmm' or 'huh')? Used what?" she asked unaware of what Gaara was talking about.

"The medicine," she stated dryly.

"Oh yeah...remember when I said it didn't hurt much anymore?"

He nodded his head as she giggled and stuck out her tongue playfully. "Actually it stung like hel."

Giggling a little bit more she held onto her shoulder as she looked at him and grinned at his face. 'At least I got a little smile out of him...'

(End of Flashback)

"...it hurts like hell..." he finished as he looked back at her with a smirk.

"Wha...how-how'd you know?"

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in annoyance with a sigh.

Her eyes went wide as tears came to them/

"Gaara, i-is th-that really...you?"she whimpered softly.

He only nodded and gave her a reassuring smirk but that smirk soon changed to a wondering frown.

Riko began to back away slowly, her head shaking in disbelief. "No," she decided. "NO! YOU'RE LYING!!!" she cried as she took off the other way.

Gaara was definitely surprised. Could it be she was afraid of him? No! No way in hell would the only girl who trusted him, believed in him, loved him...be scared of him.

He looked down in thought. Not this girl. The one who's only fear, was fear itself.

Maybe she was just overwhelmed. After all, he hadn't seen her in over nine years. He had probably worried her from being gone so long. Yea, that was it.

But soon his peaceful thoughts were taken over by Shukaku and anger replaced his concern.

But why did she run?! Cower away like everyone else! The sand in his gourd began to rumble around dangerously.

Why?!

After everything he had changed for the acceptance and trust of his people! He began to breathe heavily as a deadly smirk appeared on his face.

She would pay...

She would pay for everything...


A/N: well there's my first chapter folks!if u liked it review and i'll add another chap!!!xoxoxox!!!luv u and laterz!!!