AN: SO SO SO SO SORRY about the non-updateness of this XD It's all done though, so it's all coming. Enjoy. And review if you like it, I want to hear what people think. Jeez, I can't believe I left this for so long... D:

Part Two - Rain

I didn't want to go back. I tried to resist. But something inside of me needed to see him again.

It had been far too long; Naruto had been training, I knew, while I had been busy with other matters. I was the Kazekage now, and my responsibility was to my people, not to my heart. I wasn't supposed to do things for selfish reasons. But I couldn't help myself. I knew I could not spend the rest of my life without ever looking on his face again.

So I returned to Konoha. The village was no different, and probably never would be; but the people I saw in the streets were not ones I recognised. There were so few shinobi now. I wondered how they coped, and how Tsunade was doing; as a fellow kage, I knew it was hard to deal with the problems of a ninja village.

A few steps into the marketplace, I finally saw someone I recognised. It was Shikamaru, leaning lazily against a wall, watching the world pass by, as I knew he often did. He was taller now, stronger, more man than boy. I had heard of his promotion to Chuunin. He wore his new uniform well. His attention, for the moment, was focused on his teammate, Chouji, buying food from an aged women at a stall.

I began to walk towards him, eager to hear news of what had been happening over the last few years. I wanted to ask him about Naruto, about where he was and what he was doing, and if he was alright. But after a moment I stopped. I knew I couldn't ask those things. I was Gaara of the Sand. I was meant to be alone. Naruto would never return my love, and Shikamaru was smart - he would see through me in an instant.

I turned my steps instead towards the street where he lived. Naruto, of course. I thought that maybe if I was walking by and he happened to be there...

But he wasn't there. No one was. I went up to his apartment and looked through the windows, but it was empty. There were clothes strewn across the floor. His clothes. I stopped for a moment to appreciate them, then carried on. With a sigh, I realised I had to go to Tsunade. There was no way I could get away with coming here just to see Naruto again - I had to pretend, at least, that it was an official visit. He didn't want me, anyway.

I am alone. That's just the way it is. I have to accept it. I have always been and will always be alone. There is no one who understands me - except for him - and he's already taken. I could never compete with Sasuke.

I met with Tsunade; it went by in a blur. I didn't pay attention. It started to rain outside, and through the windows I could see distorted flashes of orange now and then. I thought they were him, every time. They never were. Tsunade asked me if I would like her to show me the repairs they had made to the village after the attack. I declined, politely. I had no interest in Konoha, except as an ally. That wasn't the reason I was here.

I left, walked out into the rain. It poured down onto me, as if even the sky hated me. Maybe it did. Within seconds I was soaked, and the rain trickled from my hair down into my eyes. Everything was blurred. I gave up, and sat down on a rock by the roadside. I let the rain wash over me. I felt strange to be cold, and wet; to be outside and yet not be covered in sand. Rain rarely blessed my people. I decided to at least try to enjoy it.

I had been there no longer than five minutes when I saw them. One tall man, one shorter one. One grey-haired, one young and full of energy. Jiraiya, one of the legendary three ninjas, was walking with his student. Uzumaki Naruto.

I leapt to my feet, feeling a surge of happiness I didn't even know was possible. Just to see his face again felt so damn good. His clothes had changed, but they were still that bright orange colour. What kind of ninja wears orange, anyway? And he was so... so tall! He looked so much older, so much more mature, so much more... gorgeous...

He saw me. Suddenly he was right there in front of me, rain pouring down his perfect cheeks. This was the moment I had been waiting for for so long.

"GAARA!!" He squealed, jumping in the air excitedly. "You're back! Wow, you have to see this, you have to see this! I have this new jutsu! It's the best, most perviest thing ever!! I call it... harem no jutsu!!!"

Suddenly, ten blushing, blonde beauties surrounded me. They were all naked. I didn't really know what to say. Jiraiya was watching his young disciple with obvious pride.

"Uh... th-that's great, Naruto..."

"What?!" All of a sudden he released the jutsu, and it was the Naruto I loved standing before me. "You didn't like it?"

"I'll leave you boys to it." Jiraiya said, walking off now that the naked girls were gone. "Don't forget training, Naruto."

"Hai!" said Naruto unconcernedly. "But, but - Gaara! Why didn't you like it?"

I didn't even think. Something about Naruto stops me from thinking clearly. I just spoke, without even realising.

"I like you better like this."

For a second there was no noise but the rain, drumming on our bodies and the path we stood on. His mouth gaped open.

"...What?"

"I... I..." My mind was in turmoil. How could i have said that? This was so bad... "N-nothing!"

"You said, you just said..." Naruto's eyes were narrowing as he finally began to work it out. "You like the way I look?"

"I... just forget about it. I heard you've been training with-"

"You SAID..." Naruto interrupted determinedly, "You said that you like the way I look."

"Y-yes..." I stammered out. My heart was thumping uncontrollably, like it would break my chest. He moved a little closer to me. I was flushed, despite the rain.

"You like... me... don't you?"

"I... I..."

"You like me?"

"Y-yes..." I looked away from his searching eyes, certain I had ruined everything between us. There was no way I could be near him now, not even as a friend. I was so stupid. I stared at the puddles around my feet, trying hard not to cry.

Suddenly, I felt something touch my chin. His hand. He lifted my face until it was level with his. I saw he had moved even closer.

"Gaara..." He murmured. My breath caught in my throat. I loved the sound of my name on his tongue.

His other hand slipped around my waist and pulled me towards him. I was dreaming. I had to be dreaming. This kind of thing didn't happen to Gaara of the Sand. But the next thing I knew, his lips met mine, and I knew it was real. I whimpered a little, unable to believe that he was kissing me. So many nights i had dreamt of this, so many days I had looked at the clouds and seen his face. And now he was kissing me, under the rainy skies of Konoha.

Maybe I didn't need to be alone.

"N.. Naruto... Naruto..." We both froze. The voice was not mine, or his, or Jiraiya's. Naruto let go of me. We both turned, to see a ghost standing under the rain.

It was Uchiha Sasuke. He was covered in blood, and the rain ran down his clothes in red rivulets.

"Naruto..." He said again, and then his eyes closed, and he fell to his knees, and then to the floor. Suddenly Naruto was no longer by my side. He grabbed Sasuke, lifting him in his arms, screaming something unintelligble. He began to run, the rain lashing at his face, screaming and screaming. Soon they disappeared, flying in the direction of Tsunade and her healing hands, masked by the storm. I hadn't even moved.

"Naruto..." It was my turn to whimper his name, feeling the fight drain out of me. Sasuke was back. Now I had no hope at all. "No..." I gasped, tears mingling with the rain. I felt as though my heart had been torn out. I knew that Naruto was in love with Sasuke. How could I ever, ever hope to win him over? Against the one person Naruto had always idolised, I had no chance at all.

I fell to the floor, feeling the water wash over me. I curled up, sobbing uncontrollably. He was gone. I shook and cried and cried and cried, but there was no one to hear me.

Gaara of the Sand is always, always alone.