1 I walked along the sandy streets thinking about why my family moved and why it had to be the village hidden in the sand.

If they really cared they would have stayed where we were. I don't want to be here even though now I can be the ninja I always wanted to be. I thought.

I looked around and saw a little boy with red hair swinging at the playground I was heading to. He looks really sad. I wonder why. "I know! I'll go ask if I can play with him!" I said to myself. As I'm running over, I see a few other kids playing with a ball a few feet from the swings. "Oh, hello. Do you maybe want to play with me? I…understand if you don't want to. I mean, I am new in town." I said, trying to reassure myself. The little red head looked up at me with shock in his black rimmed eyes. "Really? You want to play with me? Are you sure? Because no one else ever wants to play with me!" He sounded surprised and excited.

I looked over at the other kids and saw them staring at me as if I was crazy. I stared back at them. This boy was really nice and I wanted him to be my friend more then I was aware of. "Of course! If I wasn't sure about it, then why would I ask? My name is Mai, what's yours?" he looked down at his feet and mumbled something then looked up and with a smile on his face "My name is Gaara." then he grabbed my hand and told me to follow him. I smiled and ran after him, laughing the whole time.

I wish my dad could see me here. I should ask Gaara if he's going to be a ninja too! First, I want to get to know him little better. I hope he takes me back home! I've never been this far away before, I thought to myself.

When we stopped running, finally, I looked around. This place looked like a regular area to most people, I guess. But to me it looked like so much more. It's as if this place were meant for us. It was a big open meadow up a hill. It was a great place we could play together without those other kids and their evil glares.

"Wow Gaara how did you find this? I would have never even noticed it!" he just looked at me with sad eyes and sighed. So I continued on "I can bring some toys later. Maybe a ball or something! This place is perfect so we don't get stared at by those other kids when we play together and maybe when we're older this will be a great place to get together after school and ninja missions!" I didn't mean to blurt out the ninja thing. It just came out. Plus, I was going to wait and see if he wanted to be a sand village ninja. That's when he looked at me a little different than before "Really? Mai, you're going to be a ninja too? That's great! If we're lucky we'll get into the same classes and the same squad! Oh-but how old are you? I'm seven years old. I was born on January 19th." I just stood there and stared at him. I mean how could we have that age difference? It's amazing! "Wow Gaara this is really cool! I was born on January 29th and I'm seven! I think that means we will be in the same class then!"

He looked at me and smiled.

Wow just an hour or two went by, and he was smiling! I think it may have been those other kids that were upsetting him. I wish I knew why! Well, all I know is, that I will not abandon him. He's my friend now, and I will never hurt him.

At that point, I had no idea what I was getting into. If I was anything like most people I would have ignored Gaara and went to play with the other kids but something draws me to certain people and I never give up on them. It's a kind of love I had for him, I suppose. There was some connection that I felt with him. "Mai, it's getting late. Maybe I should take you to your house. I think I know where you live. I kind of know the whole village." I laughed at that, since I don't even know where my house is and I even lived there for ninja's sake! "Yeah, it's starting to get dark out and my mom might worry about me. Besides, it must be near be dinner time. Oh, if my mom says its okay would you like to stay for dinner? If you think it's okay with your parents that is." I said, anxiously.

He looked at me, shocked, but with a smile on his face that made him look like a lost puppy that's found his way home. "Is it okay if I ask my uncle? I don't think he'll mind. My house is pretty close to yours. I could stop on there on the way to your house...if that's okay." I nodded. Then he grabbed my hand and we started running again. It seemed when he grabbed my hand this time, it seemed like it belonged there. I paid close attention to where we were going. I was so deep in thought, that I barely noticed when Gaara stopped running. "This is my house, Mai. You can come in and wait while I ask my uncle, okay?" I nodded and followed him into the house "Oh, there you are Gaara I was wondering where you were. I noticed you weren't at the park. Oh! Who's this?" His uncle said.

He doesn't know about the meadow. Maybe only we do...

"Yashamaru, this is my new friend, Mai, she invited me over to dinner is that okay?" His voice seemed to tremble a little. Gaara's uncle smiled and said it was fine. But he said that he'd better be back before dark and have one of my parents to walk him home. We both nodded and Gaara grabbed my hand again, and an electric current went down my spine. We started off to my house saying goodbye over his shoulder.

When we got to my house, my mom asked me if Gaara was a new friend and if he wanted to stay for dinner. When we nodded she said, "That's good! Now you two go wash up I don't know where you've been all day and I don't want you having dirty hands!" I walked towards the bathroom when I realized Gaara was still holding my hand. I didn't know what it was, being I was only six years old, but something felt so right about our hands touching. Feeling a little better about having someone with me when I was with my mother, I looked up from my feet. We washed our hands and Gaara looked over at me and I must have looked scared "Mai are you okay? If I'm a problem then I can leave." I looked up at him shocked that he could ever think that.

Oh Gaara I could never be mad at you. It's really my mother. I don't want to get hurt tonight but I have to tell her. I have no choice!

After hearing that, something made me automatically shout,"No! I'm just worried about my mom. I haven't told her about wanting to become a ninja. I knew I had to.

He smiled and nodded like he understood what I was going through but then again, most parents would be happy that their kid is going off to be a ninja! my mother didn't know though. "Kids, dinners ready! Come and sit down!" My mother called from the kitchen. Gaara looked at me with a gaze I hadn't seen before. I remembered back then that I knew this area, and he didn't. I smiled at the thought. Earlier it felt like I didn't know anything and I hate that feeling like that. For the next few weeks I'll try to know my way around the village a little better. That's me! Always setting a goal for myself. I grabbed Gaara's hand this time and I led him to the dinner table. "Okay little guy you can sit across from Mai over there. Oh I can't keep calling you that! What's your name boy?" Gaara looked a little surprised at being treated like that but hid most of it that, as much as I could see.

"My name is Gaara ma'am. It's very nice to meet you." He was very nice, but my mom stopped looking at him as soon as he said his name. She started staring at me like I was guilty, as if I had committed a crime! So I stared back at her, trying to defend my new friend with my eyes. I had to start showing her that I had a mind of my own. I couldn't have just sit by and live like she has her whole life. "Mom what are we having tonight anyway? I hope it's as good as usual." That was almost a taunt, and she could tell but since I kept my voice even. Gaara was there, so she couldn't start criticizing me again. "Well Mai I didn't know you liked my food that much but we're having pork ramen. Gaara I hope you'll like it." she said. That last sentence I said that night was my last for the rest of dinner. In my heart, I knew my own mother didn't like the only friend had I made in the whole village.

We ate, and Gaara helped us clean up after. That's when my mom had to interrupt our fun when she said, "Mai I think Gaara should be getting home it's almost dark. You can come back anytime though, Gaara." she smiled, but as she said this even though every word was a lie even at seven, I knew it. I was more observant then most seven year olds, and wise beyond my years. "Mom I'll walk with him home okay?" she nodded and we left. We headed out the door, then he said, "Hey Mai your mom doesn't like me does she?"

Oh mom why do you have to ruin every friendship I've ever had?

"Don't worry she would never do anything to you. I don't care if she does or not. You're my friend, Gaara." I said with a smile. I guess he noticed the you part at the end of my first sentence, and I meant to say anyone but I didn't want to lie to Gaara.

He stopped and looked at me seriously "You just said me. She's hurt you before." that wasn't a question, it was a fact. I couldn't look at him, I just looked at my feet again. "If she ever hurts you again, come to the roof of my house okay? I'll be there."

Oh Gaara!

I nodded, not really sure what would happen when I did, but trusting Gaara seemed so natural, even though I barely knew him. "Let's go." I sounded more rough than I meant to, I had to work on voice control. He held my hand and we walked toward his house. When we got to the front step he looked at me again and said, "Remember what I said." and hugged me. I guess that night is the whole reason I'm writing this if I hadn't reacted, if my mom was nicer none of this would have happened. I'm glad it did though. There were a couple of things I had learned that day. First, I knew I was determined to become a ninja and wouldn't give up. Second, I had found a new friend, a best friend that would never leave me. Lastly, I knew that that friendship would maybe become even more one day.

As I walked home I thought of the fact that I had made two promises and would have to break one of them. The first promise was to myself - when I told my mom I was going to be a ninja I wouldn't cry or tell anyone that she had hurt me. The second was to Gaara. I had a feeling that I would break the one to myself before the one to Gaara. When I got back home my mom was waiting for me, not like a normal parent would. When I looked over at her she smiled sadistically at me. I didn't flinch or make any movement at all. "So you choose the one person in the whole village that could get you into trouble to be your only friend? Well you will never see him again! EVER! You do know why everyone hates him don't you? DON'T YOU?"

Great just what I need; silly little stories that someone else made up. Well I'm going to tell her anyway this is still better than most nights when I get home from mini training.

"Mom, I don't care what anyone else thinks. Now, I have something to tell you." I paused for minute. "I'm going to be a ninja." The next half hour went by in a haze of pain and screaming. I didn't care, I didn't cry, I didn't scream, or beg for mercy. I just took it. I knew I would have to deal with much more pain then this sooner or later. When she stopped for a minute to catch her breath, she wrapped her hand up in cloth so she could hit me harder, as I bolted out the door.

I climbed up to the building tops and jumped over to the one I knew was Gaara's. When I got there I didn't think he would be sitting there alone though. "Gaara what are you doing up here alone?" he was about to answer, when a cloud slid away from the moon and he saw me in the light. "Don't worry about me at least until my uncle has a look at you." When I shook my head no, he pulled me which hurt my cuts and bruises that my own mother gave me. When I looked myself over I was worse than I'd thought. My lip was cut in many places, and I had several more on the rest of my body. It felt like my foot was broken. I didn't even know if I would be ready in time to start training again for school. Too worried about school, I didn't even hear Gaara scream, "Uncle! Uncle! I need your help!"

"What happened to her?" His uncle said with a curious and horrified face. "Gaara you didn't do this did you? Come here, Mai, I should be able to heal you." I glanced at Gaara to see him looking at his feet acting like he was guilty.

Oh Gaara, I don't know why you make yourself look guilty. Why does your uncle ask you if you did it? Only an adult could possibly hurt me this bad. I wonder what will happen to me after I heal... I sure can't go back home.

"Thank you very much, but Gaara didn't do this." Gaara's uncle looked up at me with slight shock, but the emotion more noticeable on his face was worry. "Mai, if Gaara didn't do this then who did?" I didn't think anyone besides ninjas could do this kind of damage so fast." I looked at him wondering if I could trust him and what will happen to me now. "My mother did this because she doesn't like Gaara and she doesn't want me to be a ninja. She would kill me herself before letting me be a ninja." Gaara and his uncle looked at me with pure shock on their faces, and with sorrow. Gaara's face had sadness and worry mixed in. "Mai how come you didn't tell anyone about this, and why did you choose to come here? Surely your father or other family could have taken care of you as well!"

I stared down at my feet again, and I felt warm tears coming to my eyes. Thoughts from earlier coming back to me, and the fact the no one else could help me. "My father is dead. He was a ninja who had gotten killed in battle. The rest of my family is three days away; I would have died before getting there, and Gaara told me if my mother ever hurt me, to come here. I'm sorry. I don't want you guys to have to deal with this too." He looked over to Gaara and nodded. I stood there getting healed up until I had to sit down from the pain in my foot.

I need to be healed soon. Training can't, it won't wait, and I don't want to be at the bottom of my class, I swore I would do my best in school. At least if I do get behind I at least have Gaara to help me out. I wonder what will happen to me now. I'll maybe become a street kid. All I know is, I'm not going back to my mother even if it kills me. I thought to myself, as the healing went on.

"Well Mai you got lucky I was able to heal all the bad cuts and bruises. Your foot should be fine in a few days. I'm very grateful I learned some healing jitsu. It's come in handy more than you would think. I do have something else to offer. Mai, since I will not let you go back to your mother's house you can stay here as long as you want, and you can go to the academy with Gaara." Gaara looked at me and smiled, his teeth showing. I really loved his smile. I looked right back at him, my eyes determined. I thought I was smiling, but it hurt, so I stopped. I looked Gaara's uncle right in the eyes and said, "I would really like that. If it's not too much trouble, that is." he smiled and he said, "Of course not!" He showed me upstairs to the two guest rooms. One was right across from his and the other across from Gaara's. "You can look inside them and pick one out. Of course you we can get you some more clothes. Not much, but some, and eventually some other things to make the room more like your own."

I looked in the one across from Gaara's, and loved it; it was a darker grey with white and black accents, about medium size, and the most perfect room I had ever seen. "I'd like to live in this one, I just love it." He smiled and nodded "okay then we can go shopping for a few more things for you tomorrow and then you and Gaara can play together." I nodded and asked when I was supposed to go to bed and the other rules that I needed to know. He just laughed and told me to get to bed before he did and that I would learn the rest in time. "Well when do you go to bed usually?" I thought it was a good question. Guess not since he didn't answer and said goodnight to me.

Wow things change so fast! Now I live with Gaara and his uncle and I'm going to the academy! After all that had happened today, I am pretty tired so I guess I should get to bed.

I thought to myself, thinking after only one day of knowing Gaara, there was something between us, and there was no fear anymore.I took off my shoes and took the ribbon out of my hair shaking it out so I could sleep well. Crawling into my new bed I briefly wondered how life was going to be from now on, as I drifted off to sleep.

(Gaara POV)

I sighed looking up at the dark night sky. It fed the demon Shukaku that lived inside of me. He was the reason most people hated me - even feared me. Instead of dwelling about the monster inside of me I thought about today and how surreal it all seemed. Most girls, or should I say, most people were terrified of me and called me a monster. Then there came Mai, and she didn't run. She came up to me.

I don't think she knows that I'm a monster. If she did know, would she run off just like the rest of them? I wish I could say I knew she wouldn't, but I just don't know yet. Then again, she hates those other kids for being mean to me. I just don't get it. Why do I have to go through this? I didn't do anything wrong that I knew of. Shukaku was the one who hurt people, not me. Oh why me? Why me?

A soft whisper escaped from my lips "Why me?" then I felt the sand move to protect me from the many Kunai that were thrown at me from a ninja. As a ninja from the sand village, even I looked and saw that he had several more Kunai floating in mid air waiting to be thrown at me. But something snapped inside of me. I didn't deserve this. I did nothing wrong! I made the sand start to wrap around him tightening more and more until he was almost dead. And then, I came to my senses. I seem to have forgotten and removed the sand from his windpipe. It dropped the ninja down next to a wall.

I slowly walked up to the ninja and removed his mask with trembling hands. I saw who it was, and started crying. Under the mask was Yashamaru, my uncle. I had just killed my own uncle. I didn't know what to do, so I just asked why he did it. "The Kazekage. Your father ordered me to kill you." He said, soft enough for him to get it all out. I looked at him amazed that my own father would order someone to kill me. "It's okay. I understand you had to follow orders." Yashamaru looked at me with that glare in his eye. "They weren't orders. I could have chosen not to do this mission but I guess, deep down, I've always hated you." I stopped listening after that. I was too shocked and started bawling over him as he kept explaining about things and his reasons but I didn't care. All I knew was that I couldn't trust anyone and I would only fight for myself, no one else. I made a promise to myself. I wouldn't love anyone else ever again.

But what about Mai? A small voice said in the back of my head

I didn't listen even though I should have. It would have saved me so much pain. The sand rose up around me engraving my forehead. It was the Kanji symbol for love. I knew it meant something. Then I fell over my uncle, crying. The sun started to rise, when I heard Mai's footsteps.

When she sees me, I know she will run and scream. She may even call me a monster. All because I'm over a dead body and that's only because of Shukaku. He killed Yashamaru, not me. But that still isn't a good reason. The one person who might care about me is going to hate me when she sees me like this everyone would...I care for her though and she might be able to see that...I really hope so...

"Gaara what happened?" I didn't respond. She had tried to say it so nicely, gently trying to cover up the fact that she hates me. I just cried even more. I couldn't take anymore hate. She stared for a minute and then started walking over to me, though I barely noticed. The thing that shocked me the most was when she started to hug me. I knew she didn't care and just wanted me to stop crying, but I couldn't stop I had started crying tears of joy because she really didn't hate me. She actually, genuinely cared about me.

Mai you have no idea what this means to me – what you mean to me…

I realized that I had to protect her. So I made a promise that I knew I would never forget. "Mai thank you. I knew now that we were the same. Both of us had people that should've loved us, and cared for us, but hated us, and tried to kill us. I want you to know that I will always protect and be here for you. All we have now is each other." I meant every word of it and always would.

(Mai POV)

Waking up earlier than usual, I heard crying coming from above me. Putting my shoes on, I walked up to the roof and saw Gaara sitting there crying next to his uncle, who wasn't moving at all. "Gaara what happened?" I said, as nice as I could but he just cried harder. I finally realized what was wrong. His uncle was dead. I climbed up and walked over to Gaara and started hugging him. I could feel the wet spot on his shirt from his tears but didn't move. I knew that this was the only way to help him right now. Eventually, he stopped crying and hugged me back, a little surprised at that it felt welcome either way. "Mai thank you. I knew now that we were the same. Both of us having people that should love us hate us and try to kill us. I want you to know that I will always protect and be here for you. All we have now is each other." I froze in shock from the fact that his kind, giving uncle would try to kill him given the fact that he made such a big promise as that. "As I will be here for you no matter what too, Gaara, but how will we survive?" he pulled away at that and searched the body of his uncle and pulled out his wallet "Right here there is about four thousand dollars and I know where he kept his money stash, but I don't know how much is in it."

I nodded and went down stairs to brush my hair, and get ready to go out because I had no idea how to cook and didn't feel hungry. After I was done I saw Gaara waiting for me. "Ready to go eat and get you some clothes?" I nodded and he grabbed my hand just like yesterday, this time though it wasn't in fun though, we were serious and we had to survive on our own. He led me to a ramen shop and when we sat down I couldn't tell if people were staring at me or him. "After this we can go get you some new clothes. I'm not sure how much but you can't keep walking around like that people will think that you got attacked, and we can't have that with me around." I nodded and ordered my food; we ate in near silence, people staring at us the whole time. When we were done, he paid and took my hand again and ran off towards wherever that store was. Looking around, I saw that a lot more people around there and we were heading to a bigger building, and it scared me. I hated shopping enough with my mother helping me out, but alone I was terrified. It was all just a blur when we got there. Gaara had about as much fun as I did. In the end I got some stuff I liked, and enough that we didn't have to go to the smaller stores in town. It was one of the most fun days of my life.

Gosh I hate shopping so much. Glad that's over. Gaara has gotten so much more solemn. It's fine with me. I normally act sad and quiet but, when I'm with him, I can be myself. I-I don't really know why, but I feel like I changed something that would have happened if I didn't run when I did, or go to the other park I was going to go to. I really don't know why I feel like I have to stay with Gaara though, why did I make that promise? It doesn't make any sense. It's almost as if I care for him more than just a friend...I wonder...

"Mai, we have to go register for school and get our supplies." Gaara interrupted my thoughts. I hadn't realized that it was getting that close to the school year, but I gave up my old life for this one and I was going to be a ninja if it killed me, and might do just that. I followed him but he grabbed my hand instead, even though I knew where this place was. I looked at him questionably and he smiled and held tighter. I guess he thought I was going to let go, he was wrong. I liked that he held my hand a lot. We walked together to the school building. When we got there, Gaara got nervous and I knew I would be the one to do the talking.

"Yes?" A ninja had just walked out from the building and almost ran into us. She seemed to know Gaara. She looked down and saw us holding hands, and glared at the both of us. I guess Gaara didn't notice though. "We uh.." I trailed off and sighed. I knew this would happen. I tried again. "Hello I'm Mai and you seem to already know Gaara. We came to register for school but we don't really know how. I was hoping you could help us." She looked at me like I was a bug in her food, or something she wouldn't find very good. But she still helped us out with registering and giving us our supply list. "There now you two are ready for school. It starts in three weeks time, so be ready for something harder than playing ball, you little runt!" I knew she was talking about me in the last part, I glanced at Gaara, and I saw he was glaring at her. When she finally noticed his glare, she flinched and walked away. "Okay, so what do we do now?"

Everyone that sees me with Gaara either hates me or is shocked that I'm with him...like that ninja. I could have lived without the glares, but I think I'll get used to it... I won't give up on Gaara no matter what!

Okay what did you think? Review this is my first story and could use the help! Oh I forgot this..I DO NOT OWN ANY NARUTO CHARACTERS! I do own Mai though.. And also I wanted to thank my friend/editer for helping out with this. Thanks Holly! okay now that I've embarrassed someone it's time for me to say good bye!