Sumara

As a child, I used to spend my time trying to understand the complexities of the world around me. Like, why did the sky always turn all these different colors when the sun went down? Or, why did that one kid in my class always sniffle when someone said 'I don't understand'? I've never been able to understand either of these, but one of the main reasons for me becoming a ninja was to maybe grasp a few other facts in my life. It just never occurred to me that maybe knowing too much may end up being a bad thing. I discovered this one day when I was really young, just as I was developing my Dream Watcher skills, and I had stumbled upon the dream of a guy who was dreaming about another woman that was not his wife. I immediately left that dream and hurried over to their house to wait. I then promptly told the wife the truth and they broke up. But that husband was not very pleased with me. He began stalking me and sending me death threats for ending his relationship. So I kept my talent a secret.

I did not understand why this one even popped out at me as I sat at Gaara's desk. He had taken me back here after speaking with his sister for awhile. It seemed like he really was trying to be a good person, and I respected that. I watched my hands as I listened to him breath. Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out. I really didn't want to tell Gaara about what had happened in my past. It still brought me pain even to consider it. I glanced up at him, and he was staring directly at me. I gasped and looked away quickly. Come on, you've never been shy before. Just tell him!

Gaara spoke before I could. "Are we just going to keep sitting here? Because I have other things to do today. Like, saving your village perhaps?"

I shook my head. "No," I whispered. "I'll tell you." I looked back up into his eyes. There was something there, something I did not recognize. So I began.

"When I was seven, I had a mom and dad and sister and grandpa and grandma and brother and the whole damn family thing. I had cousins and second cousins, aunts twice removed on my dad's side who married my cousin and then became triple removed. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what happened. Well, when I was seven and a half, they were gone. Everyone. Mom, dad, sister, brother, grandma, grandpa, cousins, everyone. I don't even know what happened.

"It was cold that morning, I remember because I ignored my mom's warning to wear a jacket. I told her that if I wanted to be strong I had to beat the weather. So I walked over to the training grounds and trained and all that. When I came home, I expected to be greeted by my cat. But she did not come. So I looked around my house. No one was there. They were all gone. I checked all the houses of my relatives. Gone. Vanished. I found no trail, nothing. My village tried to find them, but nothing helped. There was nothing left.

"After a few days, I found random items. Like my little sister's favorite bow that she always wore or my brother's favorite toy that he took with him everywhere. Then, the bodies started showing up. First, my cat, then my mom and then my sister, then my father, and then my brother. Everyone." I had no realized that my voice had become barely a whisper. Tears were streaming down my face as I saw the images of my family in my mind's eye. I was still staring at Gaara, not able to tear myself away from those turquoise eyes.

"So I ran. I left my village. But soon I returned, and I was a new person. My Dream Watcher skills had become so enhanced that I could walk in the dreams of the smallest of bugs and even animals. Everyone had forgotten about the Lost Daughter, that's what they had called me for awhile. I guess it was because I was the only one who lived. While I had been gone, they held a massive funeral for my whole family because by the time I had returned, all the bodies were back. No one recognized me anymore, and that was a good thing. It took me three years to return to my village. I became a Genin, and then a Chunin. It was not very hard after all that training. But it meant nothing to me. I have never called myself an avenger or anything of that sort. I've just learned to tune out my past and focus on the now. But every once and awhile, I see them. My family, their faces shining with the glow of life. I do not wish to avenge their deaths nor do I wish to try to even wrap my head around the whole thing.

"I became a leader of a sort because I had become so strong at such a young age. None of the kids accepted me. They were jealous of my power and hated me for it. I did not care. You may be wondering why I'm even bothering in this attempt to protect my village. I'm doing this because I don't want someone else to go through what I had to! It was wrong and cruel! For someone to actually bring them back, dead, to let them rot on my doorstep can never be forgiven!" I was sobbing now, but I would not stop talking. "This is how I understand your pain, your loneliness. I never had anyone to come and stand by me. You have your brother and sister! You have those Leaf ninja. What do I have but the dreams of others? It is a curse to know what others know, to feel what others feel. My village calls it a gift, even sometimes I delude myself into seeing it as such. But it is a curse to be able to know another person's feelings and never know how to feel them yourself!" I could not speak anymore. The sobs had overtaken my body. But I never broke eye contact with Gaara, that young Kazekage.

Gaara got off his chair and kneeled before me, tall enough to be at eye level as I sat slumped over in my chair. He reached out, slowly, and brushed away a tear from my cheek. "I understand," he whispered.

This made me break down even more. I still kept eye contact though. I never looked away. With a tentative movement, Gaara put his hand on my cheek. My heart skipped. "Gaara," I whispered, "It's okay, you don't have to comfort me. I'm fine." I tried to stand but I could not. I felt so weak and hallow.

"You don't even kn--" I began, but Gaara put a slender finger to my lips.

"Don't try that," he murmured. "I know you better than you know yourself."

I batted his finger away with my hand. "But, I just met you yesterday," I argued. I could feel my strength returning as the thoughts of my past receded to the darkest part of my mind.

The hand resting on my cheek gently wiped away the tears that still remained. "Just because we just met, doesn't mean I cannot understand." Gaara grabbed a piece of my short hair and placed it behind my ear. Who was he now? I understood his past, how he suffered alone and unwanted. I also knew what he had been. But who had he become after fighting with Naruto? Who had he become after dying and then coming back no longer the carrier of a demon? I realized that I wanted to know.

Gaara's hand rested on my cheek still, and I could see him watching me carefully. He was so close, only two inches away. To close that gap would be something, I don't even know. I kept myself from looking into his mind, promising myself that if I did not look, I would be better for it. He moved forward slightly. One inch. Moved his head a little more. Half an inch.

The door flew open and Naruto stood there with everyone behind him. Gaara quickly leapt back, but we had been caught. "Uh, just came to tell you that another person has been taken. Oh and none of the Sand nor Dream villagers know anything about it." He paused. Everyone behind him looked totally shocked. Gaara stood on the other side of the room, against the wall. I finally had to tear my eyes away from his gaze to recognize the fact that everyone was gawking at me.

"Okay," I said with a shaky breath. "I guess we'll have to go after this thing. But first I need to get to my village and see a scroll." I stood, my head held high, and left.

The last thing I heard before I turned the corner was Naruto asking Gaara. "Did we interrupt something?"

Gaara

Gaara glared at Naruto as he watched Sumara retreat from the room.

"Did we interrupt something?" Naruto asked dumbly.

Gaara tried to calm himself. No getting angry at Naruto, he didn't know what was going on.

Temari answered for Gaara. "Looks like little brother is all grown up!"

Kankuro appeared behind her. "Hey, what's going on?"

Everyone glanced at him, then back at Gaara. "Go on, Gaara, tell us what was going on here," Temari said, egging him on.

"Nothing," Gaara growled in response.

Naruto looked over at Temari and back at Gaara. "I don't get it."

Sakura sighed. Of course you don't get it, anything involving romance and you're completely clueless, she thought.

Kankuro turned to the Leaf ninja. "Why don't you guys run along? We need to talk to Gaara."

"I'm staying!" Naruto yelled, but Sakura grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away. Lee, Neji, Tenten followed their lead.

Gaara's older siblings walked into his room and shut the door with a soft click. Kankuro strolled over and sat on Gaara's bed. Temari sat in the spot Sumara had been only moments ago.

"So, what's with you and that Dream Village girl?" Temari asked.

Oh great! Now I'm going to have to explain everything, Gaara thought.

"It's nothing," Gaara mumbled.

"It didn't look like nothing. What with you two about to kiss and all."

Kankuro shot up. "Whoa! I miss everything!" He fell back onto the bed.

"She was just telling me about her childhood and stuff and it was very emotional." Gaara really did not want to be talking about this. It felt extremely personal to him.

"Come on, Temari. He obviously doesn't want to talk about it."

"Wait! This could have something to do with why that beast thing is after Sumara."

Gaara stiffened as he realized the truth. His relaxed position against the wall became rigid as he thought about it more and more. The reason the beast was after Sumara. She was precious to someone. Who else could it be…but Gaara himself?

Kankuro tried to drag Temari away but she just shrugged his hand off. "No, Gaara this could mean life or death for Sumara. Do you care for her in a way beyond friendship? Do you really care for her?"

Gaara looked over at his brother and sister, wishing he could take back all those years when he was so wrong towards them. He knew that he could tell them.

"What you saw before, I was going to kiss her." That made his siblings freeze. Kankuro had been trying again to get Temari out. "I care for her," he whispered.

Kankuro looked at Gaara as he spoke to Temari. "Go stop Sumara from leaving the Village."

"Right!" and she was gone.

"Do you want to be alone?" Kankuro asked.

Gaara looked at his brother, tears brimming over his eyes. "I don't understand, what is going on. It's scary. My heart hurts." He clutched at his chest.

Kankuro stepped forward and put his hand on Gaara's shoulder. "I know, it does hurt. And it is scary, and will never not be scary. No one ever understands what happens when they fall in love."

"Love? Is that what this is?" Gaara asked his brother, his eyes wide with curiosity and fright.

Kankuro grinned. "Yeah, it's love."

"Thank you, Kankuro, my brother."

"Hey, what are brothers for? But now you have to tell me all about her and stuff."

Gaara let a small smile slip across his lips. "Okay."

Sumara

"What was I thinking!?!?!" I yelled to the sky. I was extremely frustrated. I should have never even thought of telling Gaara, let alone even telling him in the first place! It was wrong, I shouldn't have dumped all that on him. But, what almost happened would have been…Wait, what would it have been? Would he have totally regretted it and sent me away like a big bad Kazekage or would he have kept doing what almost happened. Was he going to kiss me? Hurt me? My chest ached, I needed out. This was more emotion than I was used to. Normally I was able to get away with no human contact at all. But this time? Not at all. Gaara was used to lack of contact too, that may even be what draws me to him. I reached the gates of my village. I just needed to chill. Just I act like nothing ever happened, that was the key. The thing was, nothing did happen. There was just that idea that it could have happened if everyone had barged in on us. Stupid Naruto.

I walked into my village and was happy to see that no one was still remaining. Some of my people probably would have rejected the idea of finding asylum. The Dreamers, this is what we are called by most outsiders, are a very proud people. But when there are disappearances, they take the high-and-mighty butts and hightail it out of there.

I was walking down the main road, happy to be able to leave my thoughts so open and free. I was scanning the few stray animals that were scavenging the stores. They were sad to be left behind but knew their owners would return. A tossed a few reassuring thoughts to them. That was another ability of a Dream Watcher, to give them pleasant feelings and dreams when they slept. But when you did it to someone awake, they would have a good dream whenever they fell asleep.

That was when I heard the voice in my head. I knew it was not me just being schizophrenic because my people were immune to any sort of disease of the mind.

I will take you away, little Dream Watcher. I will take you away from the Sand Man and burn you with the other beloved. You are mine, little Dream Watcher. Have you seen my dreams? Have you seen the truth? You are precious to the Sand Man, that silly little dead-walker. I know you know the truth. You will die, trivial Dream Watcher, and the Sand Man will be too late. That is one of the gifts of the Ukaza, to see the truth and future in the lives of the beloved. Before you die, little Dream Watcher, you will hear him cry your name and you will burn. Are you ready, Dream Watcher? Are you ready to die just like your family did?

I slowly turned around to see a giant creature. It looked like it was made of a volcano. Magma boiled under the surface. The lava would harden and move and flow like an eruption. Its had a head with a red eye and a big, sloppy mouth that spewed lava constantly, like drool. I knew I could not defeat this thing. I also knew I was not ready to die, even if I knew a technique to kill it. The only way that technique would work was if I was properly purified and wearing the Neck Charms of Spirit. That was one thing I had forgotten to mention to Gaara.

I bowed my head and kneeled before the monster in defeat. I knew that if I said its name I would not be in any danger of repercussions. "Ukaza, I surrender to you." There was no other way.

I was then lifted into the hard arms of volcanic rock and boiling magma. I was knocked out instantaneously, as if by some sort of jutsu. I was going to die.