Happy New Year all! Hope you enjoyed '09 and are looking forward to '10! I still am not in position to claim that I own any characters other than Aya, Mori, and Bast. Damn… Anyway, enjoy the new chapter and keep a lookout for the one-shot I'm going to be posting. Have a good year.

Later that night, I lay on my blue futon with a giant, colorful, stuffed caterpillar in my arms. I absently stroked its soft fur while I stared at my white ceiling. A soft sigh escaped me. Bast purred in her sleep, her paw twitching slightly.

"Damn, I'm bored!" I said to myself.

Of course, no one answered me. I checked my phone – for the millionth time it felt – to find I had no new messages. I wasn't actually surprised; most people aren't awake at two-thirty in the morning on a Tuesday with school only hours away. Sometimes I couldn't help but hate my insomnia. When I'd told Mori about it, she looked at me with wide eyes. "You mean you never sleep??"

"No," I said while rolling my eyes. "Insomnia doesn't mean a person never sleeps. It means I have a loss and/or problems staying or falling asleep," I' further explained.
She'd been a little surprised, claiming I was always hyper and upbeat but she wasn't anything but dead if she didn't sleep well.

That's just made me laugh.

On a whim, I decided to take a walk. I traded my Grinch sleep pants for a pair of ripped jeans and my tank top for a long sleeved black shirt with a giant red 'love' kanji on it. I then slipped on my striped jacket and grey low-tops, putting my Reese's Pieces designed ear buds in my ears. With my phone in my back pocket and my MP3 player in its special pocket (which I'd made sure every jacket I wore had). I slipped outside and into the cool November night.

Walking to the beat of FallOut Boy's famed 'Dance, Dance' I let my thought turn to my latest interest.

Gaara was so hard to figure out! I silently wondered why he was so… There wasn't really a word to describe how Gaara was… He was one-of-a-kind; I guess you could call it. Still walking absent-mindedly, I hummed along to the next song that began playing. With Vanessa Carlton's 'A Thousand Miles' playing loudly in my ears, I turned a corner, (A/N: If you don't know the song, think of the scene in the car on 'White Chicks') and stopped in my tracks.

"Well, this is the last time I let my feet guide me anywhere," I huffed. I'd turned onto – you guessed it – Gaara's street. I was really trying not to seem like a freaky stalker person. My feet had just intended otherwise, I guess.

But of course, I didn't want to be seen standing in front of his house at this time of night/morning looking like the stalker so many people had come to think of me as. So I turned around. Sadly, something – someone maybe – caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me. It's not my fault. I mean, wouldn't you want to know why there was a person on a roof at two-thirty on a Tuesday morning?

Still, listening to my music, but at a lower volume, I walked a little closer to the quaint house. As I got closer, I wasn't all that surprised to see the thing/person sitting on the roof was Gaara.

I wondered who he got up there and began looking around. When I saw the tree next to the blue house, I smirked.

Once I began climbing, with difficult because I'm very clumsy, I noticed Gaara didn't strike me as tree-climbing type. He did however strike me as a roof-sitting kind of person. I was just glad he wasn't about to throw himself off of said roof. That would not have been good, I figured.

My smirk still stayed in place as I continued climbing. Maneuvering through the branches became easier as they got thinner higher up.

When I almost slipped I cursed my stupid uncoordinated-ness.

Finally, I reached the roof. Gaara looked at me like I was an idiot, and I returned it with an idiotic grin. He said nothing, so I just hopped on the roof and plopped down next to him, not saying anything.

After about ten minutes of silence, I looked at Gaara who was looking at the sky.

"It's a new moon, ya know," I said quietly. He merely nodded. I leaned back, fully laying on the shingled rooftop now. "So do you come out here a lot or something?" When he only nodded again I sighed, trying once more. "Do you like the moon or the stars?"

"The moon," he said simply.

I nodded as he had done earlier. "I like the moon too. It's…peaceful."

Gaara now shook his head. "That's not what the moon really looks like. Peace under an allusion is not true peace."

My eyes searched his own, still breathtakingly gorgeous. "That was deep." I nodded my face suddenly thoughtful. "Ya know how you asked me why I was looking at you. I figured it out." He looked at me, not saying anything. "There are three reasons I find you so interesting. For one, you're not like anyone else I know. Two, you seem lonely. The last one, however, is that I just love how damn sadistic you are."

As expected, Gaara didn't smile or laugh. Instead he just looked at me, his eyes seeming to be a bit happier. "You're weird."

I grinned happily, finally getting somewhere with him. "So why aren't you sleeping right now?"

It took a minute, but he replied. "Insomnia."

"I'm sort of disturbed we have the same problem. It's another way you're not alone." I waited to see if his eyes flashed the same way, and they did.

"I'm alone."

"That's what I'm trying to fix, Gaara-kun. Now please let me…"

He didn't reply, even though I waited for around fifteen minutes. I stood, stretching my arms above my head. "I'll see you in school. If you change your mind before them your brother has my phone number. Have fun watching the stars, and be safe."

Without another word I climbed down the tree and made my way back home. For some reason I didn't have trouble falling asleep like I usually did. Bast curled into my stomach and I cuddled against the caterpillar. When my alarm went off, I was surprised to have found I'd slept four hours without waking.

The first half of school was boring, Gaara not saying anything but not glaring at anyone. I was happy about that but sad he wouldn't talk to me. I carried on a normal conversation with Kiba and Naruto was in the hallway before roll was called. I was very excited for lunch, and starved by the time it came. Mori was already talking to Kankuro, and I had wondered if they had made it official as a couple yet… With a shrug, I grabbed a tray and went to the table I figured we would set at everyday.

I sat the tray down and went back to the vending machine. Gaara was already at the table near it. I grinned widely at him and grabbed my orange juice. Without another thought I waltzed up to his table and sat down across from him. "Hi Gaara-kun."

The red head raised his eyes to mine. "Hello."

"Yay! You talked to me again today!" I took a swig of my orange juice and smiled widely at him. "I figured because you wouldn't talk to me, but you didn't glare at anyone today, so you have figured something out about it." Again, Gaara said nothing but merely looked at me with questionable eyes.

I sighed at him. "Don't you ever say anything when it's important?" He kept quiet.

"I am alone, but you want to help. Why?" His voice – and his words – made me look at him questionably. We'd switched roles.

"No one should be alone. I mean that. Everyone should feel loved and be loved, at one point in their life or another. You have not been there yet. You haven't had any help, so I want to help you Gaara." I looked away from him, turning my head and closing my eyes. "Love is the one thing that we as something with emotions cannot live without. Friendship is a lighter stage of love. Once you learn that you can learn to love. And I don't want you to learn that the hard way."

"I think I already have."

My eyes opened and I turned my face to him. "Then let's reduce the damage. Both of us."

Sadly, Temari and Kankuro were sitting next to me. Mori came to the table and looked at me, sitting between the siblings. She raised an eyebrow at me, pointedly placing my tray next to Gaara, on the other side of the table. I laughed and switched places, grinning at the new additions to the table.

"So, anything interesting happen today?" I ask.

Mori immediately went into an explanation about something in her math class that I didn't listen to. Gaara and I ate silently, Temari and Mori keeping up with the conversation while Kankuro tried to keep up. I laughed at his attempts.

After lunch I walked slowly to my locker, thinking about what Gaara could have said. I sighed, wishing I knew. When I heard Gaara's name being whispered, I crouched down to tie my shoe and began listening intently. I wasn't at all shocked to look over and see two boys in my grade talking about him. I recognized neither of them, but as soon as I heard ten words out of the first one's mouth, I hated them.

"I can't believe it. Gaara of all people catching the interest of the new girl, and his older brother getting Mori."

"I know," his friend agreed. "What business does that freak have with them anyway?"

I stood, just as the first one shut his locker. His face flushed as he noticed who I was and his friend gulped. I glared daggers at the idiots.

"I can't believe," I said, "that you two would rather spend your time insulting someone who never did a damn thing to you than actually wonder why Mori and I aren't interested in you. I think you two are just pathetic fucking jerks who can't take the fact you were rejected by someone subconsciously and they were interested in someone you didn't like. If you want to talk about Gaara like that, it damn well needs to be out of my hearing range. Because if I hear you – personally – talking about Gaara, who is a great person, no matter what you ass holes think, I will kick your ass.

"I know you doubt that will happen, because I'm a girl and you're two guys, but I'm a girl who took six martial arts courses and excelled in them all. If martial arts don't work on you, I'll just knock you out with a jab to the neck and let Mori punch your face in for saying those horrible things. Whatever you're problem is, get over it or keep it away from me. Because I'm not a judgmental loser who has nothing to do with my life other than insult innocent people."

"I'm sure Gaara's less than innocent," one said.

"I'm sure he is. I'm also sure that the reason you're so mad isn't because we chose someone as non-innocent as Gaara and his brother. I think what you wanted was far from innocent and you won't say a damn thing after this because I'm right. So leave Gaara the fuck alone. I'm not protecting him, I'm protecting you asses."

At the end Mori was pulling me away from them, a fierce look shot at the jerks. I hadn't notice the small crowd come around, let alone Mori standing beside me.

"Damn I just wanted to hit that fucking-"

That was as far as I got before Mori interrupted, her eyes begging me to calm down. "I could too. Trust me. You should calm down that, Aya-chan. Those guys were scared as hell. They won't be saying anything else about Gaara, you took care of it." Her voice was warm and smooth, like honey in a hot cup of tea. "Aya, listen to me. You almost lost it back there, you were literally about to kick his ass. I think you should go home. And you look like you have a fever now."

She held her hand to my flushed face and shook her head. "Were you outside at all last night?"

I mumbled that I had been and she rolled her eyes. "Go to the nurse, tell her you're sick, go home and try to sleep. I'll be over later. No staying outside at night again, Aya."

"Yes, mother."

"Shut up."

I hugged her and began my walk to the nurse's office. Not halfway there I ran into Gaara. A grin played on my lips and I said hello.

He walked by me without so much as a glance.

Continuing my walk, I sighed. Why was this so hard? I made friends with everyone else here so easily. Gaara… What makes you so complex?

I mulled over this, my body functioning without me. It talked to the nurse and told her my stomach hurt, and coughed a bit before she took my fever for effect. It even told her my parents could not be reached and I lived within walking distance from the school. After the nurse looked at my address to make sure that wasn't a lie, my body even walked me home and changed me into pajamas that Mori had gotten me last year.

All that time I was wondering what made Gaara himself and stayed almost totally unaware about where I was going and what I was doing. I had to admit, I wished I knew how to control that class and get me through math everyday. Geometry was boring as hell…

Whatever. I climbed into bed, swallowing two sleeping pills with a drink from a water bottle kept by my bed at all times, and snuggled under the covers. My fan's low setting noises rocked me to sleep. I didn't wake for three and a half hours, only woken by when Mori came in my room with a sheepish smile. "Hey, Aya-chan. Feeling any better yet?"

I mumbled something incoherent and stood. I stretched and pulled down the little black tank top and shorts Mori had picked out so many months ago.

Managing not to stumble, I walked out my room and down the hall. Once I reached the kitchen I opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a Mountain Dew. With a yawn I walked into the living room.

That was when I turned to look at Mori, who was standing a safe distance to my left. Then I looked in front of me again. After that, I looked down at my outfit.

"Damn you Mori," I mumbled.

Kankuro, who was sitting on my couch next to his sister laughed out loud. Gaara, who was seated on the loveseat, remained silent. Temari just shook her head.

I sighed at sit down my soda, fleeing to my room to change. And I did, into a more respectable tee shirt and black pinstriped sleep pants. I entered my living room without dignity and picked up my caffeine, seating myself next to the quiet red head.

Kankuro let out a wolf whistle and Temari hit him over the head, Mori shot him a dirty to look that rendered him sheepish.

Surprising, Kankuro responded best to Gaara's glare. When he saw that, the smugness left his features and he settled into the futon. I of course grinned happily and looked to see the other girls in shock. I guess something about the situation shocked them. Then I started thinking… Gaara had quit glaring at his siblings. And he hadn't been before Kankuro disrespected me. So… Was Gaara…being protective?

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed.

Everyone tuned to me, wondering why I'd said something.

"Oops…" I blushed. "I was… Uh… Erg… Thinking aloud…"

"I love you, you moron," Mori said with a laugh. That lightened everyone's mood – if only a little.

"So… Why are you all here? Wait, Mori said she'd come by and Kankuro's bound to follow her…" I rambled.

"We were sort of worried about you. After you flipped out on those guys you looked really sick," Temari explained.

"And after you stood up for Gaara and me like that, we owed you at least a thank-you. I thought that was really cool of you. Of course, I didn't get to see, but Gaara did." Kankuro shot his brother a slightly jealous look.

"Gaara saw that?" I looked at the silent boy with slight wonder.

"Yeah," Mori chirped.

A faint blush enveloped my cheeks.

"Oh, no! Don't be worried about it or anything. We all thought what you did was incredibly nice ad fucking awesome. So don't it the wrong way," Temari said with a grin.

I smiled back. "Thanks."

"Well we should get back. Our dad said he'd call the house line later, so we can talk about the holidays. Even though that's months away and we'll just spend it with Baki anyway." The older girl rolled her eyes and stood.

"I'm going to. You should go back to bed Aya-chan. You still don't look good." Mori clucked her tongue like she really was my mother.

"Shut up."

Kankuro laughed and patted my head on the way to the door. "Later kid," he said.

"I'm not a kid! You're just old." I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed again. "Geez you're a jerk," I muttered. Gaara walked by me, on his way to leave. "Bye Gaara-kun, I said in a much kinder voice. The red head actually looked back at me this time. He said nothing but I smiled wider anyway. I knew he wouldn't say goodbye, but his eyes were enough to keep me happy.

Mori hugged me and took my soda, placing a plastic bottle of orange juice in my hand. "There are more on the counter, in the yellow bag. Enjoy." She left and promised to call later, which I knew she would.

My stomach rumbled so I fished out a pack of microwavable ramen. Mmm… Beef-flavored. I waited patiently and ate swiftly when it was finished.

I fell back asleep thinking of Gaara and how soft the caterpillar was. I think that was why my dreams were so weird…