This chapter is kindda short (sorry) enjoy! Really busy for this Christmas but I will update more regularly! Now who missed me?

Chapter 9

I had to find him no matter what the cost. The wind chill was cutting through my clothes and straight to my bones. I trembled uncontrollablely as I jumped from house to house looking for him.

Where was he?

Where did he go?

These thoughts flitted across my mind as my search for him became in a way frantic. I would give everything to fight for our now blossoming friendship.

Reason being, he was a boy who had lost so much, lived through so much pain and had been left alone to die. I was afraid of him at first but his eyes… those beautiful sea foam eyes captivated me. It wasn't the colour but, what was held within them. He had the eyes of someone who had been battered by a long cold hard rain and was desperately trying to seek refuge from it.

Inside my heart I felt an unfamiliar pang, a longing to help him and I decided to, but now due to an unforeseen circumstance I was about to loose it all unless I did something.

Quickly.

I stopped at the first place where we had met, he was not there. I felt my eyes brimming with tears.

Where are you?

It was only then from behind the cloud the moon emerged, its pearly light spilling softly onto everything.

Abruptly I sat down and stared at it.

Suddenly an idea pinged in my mind.

Hastily I got up and looked around at my surroundings. Then I saw it, the pagoda in the center of the village, its many stories of dark tiled roofs and varnished paint which seemed to endlessly ascend had a height that could rival that of the Hokage's tower. I exhaled sharply and then bounded off in its direction.

Gaara please be there!

It was a far distance from where I was. I huffed tiredly as I made my way to it. Each breath was becoming more and more painful, the cold air stung my nostrils and throat as I panted my way there.

Finally I reached and fell to my knees in exhaustion, the tile slabs frigged to the touch.

Slowly I got up and wondered around the circular walkway. The soft taps of my footsteps loud in the deadly silence of the night.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I saw him rising from the ground, his red hair bristling slightly in the chilly wind.

His eyes hardened ", what are you doing here?"

I hugged myself tightly and fought for control over my shaking body before replying to him.

"I needed to see you... I know you overheard me when I was talking to my parents," I stuttered through cold lips.

His eyes narrowed.

Blowing twice at my hands in attempt to warm them I continued," I just wanted you to know that none of what I said was true. I had to lie to them so I could continue with my ninja duty and still be your friend. What I told you earlier by the stream was true I do want to be your friend... please believe me."

He continued to stare at me, his cold hard eyes unmoving.

Slowly he extended his arm out towards me," I don't believe you."

I gasped in fear; he was going to make the sand coffin seal.

"Gaara please I know somewhere inside you want to believe me!" I cried taking a feeble step toward him.

"I'll do anything to make you believe me! I promise!" I pleaded.

He seemed to think for a moment ", throw yourself off the building and you can't use any chakra to stop your decent".

I felt my stomach clench in fear.

With deadened limbs I walked towards the railing.

If this is what it'll take for you to believe me… then so be it.

I turned to face him, determination over riding my fear and I fell. Head first I tumbled out of the pagoda, my eyes tightly shut as the wind screamed by my ears during my fall. Suddenly I collided into a hard sandy object, slowly I opened my eyes. I was lying on a sand platform.

I knew it! I knew you'd believe me!

Slowly the platform began to rise; the coldness was beginning to get to me. I sneezed into the crook of my arm and sniffed loudly. I sneezed again and rubbed my arms furiously hoping to produce some heat from friction.

Gaara flicked his wrist and the sand deposited me onto the floor before pouring back into the gourd.

My teeth were chattering loudly ", thank you for saving me again and… I do hope you believe me."

"Hn," he replied with a calculating stare.

I sneezed loudly this time and shuddered violently, my teeth chattering nosily as I tried to say something.

"You should go home. It's not good for you to be out here in such clothes at this hour," he slowly said, looking over my attire.

I rose from the floor, my arms wrapped tightly around my body.

"But…" I began to say.

"I'll take you home," he said immediately, cutting me off.

Grabbing my arm he yanked me off the roof with him and landed on a sand platform. I was surprised when he molded the sand around me created a wind breaker which eased my shivering a bit.

"Gaara… Thank you for believing me," I whispered.

I then reached forward and grasped his arm, it was warm and firm to the touch.

"We're almost there," he muttered as we floated over the various buildings in the village.

I drew my legs towards my chest and hugged them with one arm, my other hand still clutching his arm. I smiled silently to myself as he allowed me to touch him.

Cautiously I peaked over the edge of the platform. The sight was breathtaking; the street lights illuminated the roads in an amber glow. It looked like a lit up network of ant trails.

"Everything looks so different from up here," I mumbled while peering over the edge of the platform.

Gaara himself peered over too and seemed pleased with the sight. All his emotions shone through in his eyes.

Despite being frozen to the bone I was enjoying this moonlit ride.

"Oh there's my house!" I pointed out as I spotted the roof of my home.

He lowered the sand platform by my bedroom window, reaching forward I knocked lightly on the window. Slowly it creaked open and my clone stood there smiling shyly at Gaara before vanishing into a puff of smoke. I released his arm and climbed through the open window. As he turned to go, I grasped at his sleeve; I pulled him close and hugged him through the window, his body warming my cold one. He didn't return my hug but simply crouched there limply on the sand platform.

"I'll meet you tomorrow night on the pagoda around this time okies?" I whispered into his ear before planting a small kiss on his cheek.

I retreated back inside and waved him goodbye behind my frosted bedroom window. I watched him until he faded from view before climbing into bed.

Dear diary,

Things progressed quickly after that, meaning our friendship deepened. I still had to keep it under wraps but we became best buds and he actually became someone I can count on in times of need.

I felt really sad when he had to return home but I hear the jounins talking that the sand village ninja are coming be back.

It'll be Christmas soon… I wonder if Gaara ever celebrated the holiday?

No biggie I'll make sure and get him a present.

Big problem… WHAT WOULD I GET HIM?

Until next time on unbiased eyes a Haru and Gaara Christmas Special! Please review!

I wonder if we'll have some kissing under the mistletoe. (snickers and blushes)