Enjoy. It took a while because Gaara was stubborn enough to insist more of himself into the storyline. But I finally got this chapter published and I thank all of you who has read or reviewed this story. This story has a few more chapters to go and I hope I do them as well as I have so far.

The wind whistled and howled out longing sighs as it whipped and tossed up particles of sand in every which way. The stern green-eyed Kazekage watched as dark clouds swallowed the pale yellow moon up above. He blinked twice and looked toward where a figure was coming up to Sunagakure. Gaara picked himself up from the rooftop and met the visitor at the main entrance. He was surprised to see Temari standing there with a fiery look in her eyes that told him not to question her about why she had returned so soon.

"Where is Kankuro?" He asked emotionless without even bothering to look towards her as he spoke.

"Do you remember, Ino? The girl with the long blond hair? She's his new girlfriend and he watching over while she heals from a recent injury of hers," Temari replied, taking her fan off and placing it in front of her as felt a slight relief at being home. It had been three long days but it was worth the journey from Konoha to be home again, "Kankuro said he'll be back in a few days, so in the meantime you need to hurry up and start dating."

Gaara listened carefully to her serious answer and narrowed his pale green eyes at that last little bit. The dark bands around his eyes were still as dark as ever, since he still never slept at night. He ignored the last comment of Kankuro's, turned and walked away with Temari walking directly behind him. Normally she would be strolling along directly behind him, and he was curious but not enough to inquire why. It would be ridiculous to ask a question in which he would not get a straight answer. So Gaara also did not question the fact that there was a sad lonely look in her eyes. But he knew that if she wanted someone to talk to, she would ask him.

The cold harsh biting wind of Suna blew at his blood-red hair and gently lifted a few strands away from the deep red symbol of love on the left side of his forehead, yet he did not go inside. Instead Gaara stayed outside, not wanting to hear the heart-broken sobs that came from within his sister's room every evening. He noted with annoyance that Temari had yet to visit with him and talk with him. Gaara was curious about what happened and it didn't hurt that he had begun to learn listening skills from his time as the Kazekage. It had been a few days since she came home and she always woke up with red rimmed eyes filled with pain while he waited for her to open up to him. He couldn't stay patient for too long.

"Hey, Gaara. I want to ask you something," the sniffling voice of Temari informed him. The Kazekage didn't bother to turn around and he heard her as she crept up beside him and sat next to him on the roof top.

"What is it?" Gaara responded, his expression not changing a bit even if he had been waiting for her to speak up ages ago. But he was well practiced at the art of indifference.

Temari rubbed at her eyes and sighed as she stared up at the sparkling stars twinkling back at her. She stared up at them as if she was hoping that if she stared long enough she would get some sort of solution to her woes. But it seemed the answer was hiding from her, for Temari still had no clue where to even start. She wondered about why she was even watching the stars, and her eyes started to water as she thought about how Shikamaru was always caught gazing up the fluffy clouds in the sky.

"What is love? What's it all about?" Temari asked with all her heart and hope echoing after her words. Gaara's green gaze flickered over to her and he stood up and stared remotely at the bright moon. Temari just wasn't ready to confide in him just yet. But he answered her questions with wisdom beyond his years.

"They say that love is really worth fighting for; being brave for; risking everything for. But as for a definition, I have no answer," Gaara said quite seriously sounding as if he had once thought of the meaning long ago, "It's something so precious that you never ever want to let it go."

"Is that what love is? Something so beautiful that people would do anything to have it?" Temari asked thinking of so many confusing issues that her mind started to hurt right along side her heart, "I love Shikamaru, and I don't know what to do. I hold it all in and I just can't seem to tell him how I feel. What would you do?"

"The walls surrounding you are keeping out the fear but it also keeps out any hope. Doing nothing will only bring greater pain," Gaara responded with great wisdom, not quite used to the familiarity at the way they were speaking to one another, "Don't give in to your doubts, or you'll fall."

"Thanks, I think. . ." Temari said smiling a tearful smile, wondering if Gaara would allow a hug from her. Probably not, but she was going to give him one anyways.

She hugged him, even though he stiffened with shock. He wouldn't relax enough to return the hug, but Temari didn't care. She so rarely got a chance to hug her younger brother and it was high time he started acting like a proper sibling. She released him and she saw how he was quite relieved that she had stopped. Temari shrugged wondering if Gaara would ever get used to hugs from family.

Blue-green eyes flashing with worry, she hoped she would be brave enough to go back. It would take all her determination and courage to be able to go back there and explain to Shikamaru why she had left in such a snit. He probably wouldn't even feel the same way towards her. Maybe Temari would gather enough courage to face him. And that was a big maybe.