Here's chapter 3! I normally have a bad habit of over-simplifying, so it's murder trying to make this story last as long as possible. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: if i owned Naruto, d'you think i'd make him dress loke a lollipop man?

Another voice

Gaara stood against the railing of the hallway, holding the bars and staring out to the sky.

He heard the door open behind him, but continued to watch the stars.

"Hey, there you are!" said Temari, "I was getting worried."

Gaara turned his head back to look at his sister.

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said, before turning back to the sky.

Temari leaned against the railing next to him, staring along with him.

"So what took you so long?" she asked.

"I took the long way back." he replied.

Temari looked up & down the hallway, "Where's uncle Yashamaru?" she asked.

Before Gaara could answer, old man Ebizo appeared at the door.

"He's not with you?" he said looking concerned.

Gaara turned to look at the old man. In truth, Gaara was always a little frightened of the old man. His black eyes and stern attitude made Gaara nervous. But right now Gaara saw him differently.

"I can see your loneliness." he said.

Ebizo stared hard at Gaara, who didn't flinch, as he usually did.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, looking deep into Gaara's eyes.

Gaara took a couple of steps closer to Ebizo.

"Your eyes." he said, "I can see great sadness in them, the pain of loss. Ebizo-san, did you lose someone close to you?"

Ebizo straightened his back in an attempt to appear strong, but the crack in his voice betrayed him.

"Now- hrm- see here, child, what is my business shall remain. Do you understand?"

Gaara blinked, then dropped his gaze.

"I'm sorry Ebizo-san." he said.

Ebizo's stance softened. He crouched down & put his hand on Gaara's shoulder.

"Gaara-kun, you are a very special child. Don't forget that. In fact, I believe your future will affect us-"

The old man stopped abruptly & grabbed Gaara's chin, pulling the little ones face to his own. Ebizo frowned.

"Wh-what is it, Ebizo-san?" Gaara asked, feeling afraid.

Ebizo didn't answer immediately, he just stared long & hard, as if trying to find something. Then he shook his head and stood. Gaara rubbed his chin where Ebizo had gripped it.

"Lets get you out inside, it's a cold night." Ebizo said, turning and walking back into the apartment.

Gaara looked back at Temari who had a concerned look on her face. Gaara tried to smile reassuringly, but he wasn't sure if he did it right. Temari smiled back at him & put her arm on his shoulder and they both entered their home together.

They both walked into the kitchen to find Ebizo & Kankuro sitting at the table, Ebizo had a steaming mug & Kankuro was eating a bowl of ice cream covered in just about every topping he could find. Gaara stared at his brother.

"Kankuwo, why are you wearing make-up?" he asked.

"It's not make-up, it's face paint!" Kankuro replied indignantly.

Temari bent over & whispered in Gaara's ear, "I asked the exact same question."

Later the four of them were sitting in the living room, Gaara, Temari & Kankuro occupying the sofa & Ebizo was sitting in the armchair, his hands resting on the sides. He was talking with Temari about her studies, with the two brothers listening in interest. In Temari's hand was a small piece of paper, cut clean down the middle.

"Fūton jutsu?" she said, repeating what Ebizo had told her.

The old man nodded sagely. "Yes, and you should be pleased. A true Suna shinobi or kunoichi is a master of wind release jutsu. I expect you shall become a very powerful kunoichi, Temari-chan. Perhaps you will even become more powerful than "that slug girl" Ebizo chuckled at his own joke. "But you should be aware of the disadvantages that come along with Fūton jutsu. Katon jutsu will grow more powerful if it comes into contact with Fūton jutsu. Shinobi of Konohagakure are usually adept at Katon jutsu. Especially those of the Uchiha clan."

Gaara's eyes shot up to Ebizo's face as he said that last sentence.

"Being a shinobi is so cool!" Kankuro said, "I can't wait to become one!"

Ebizo smiled at Kankuro's words.

"Ah, and what kind of shinobi would you like you be?" he asked, "A weapons expert? Or maybe chakra absorption? Heavens knows you consume enough as it is!"

Kankuro shook his head and jumped to his feet, grinning.

"Uh-uh, I'm gonna be just like my idol!" he said, striking a pose with his arms in front of him and fingers stretched out, "I wanna be just like the master puppeteer, Akasuna no Sasori - ow!"

Kankuro rubbed the back of his head where Temari had struck it.

"Idiot!" she said through clenched teeth.

Ebizo sat still. He didn't blink or even seem to breath. He just looked sad.

"It's late, time for you two to go to bed. Gaara, your uncle told me about your situation, you may stay up if you like."

Gaara nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off of the old man. Kankuro started to complain about having to go to bed when Gaara didn't, but Temari told him to shut up & pulled him into their room.

When their door shut, the old man turned to Gaara.

"So, apparently you don't sleep. I can't deny that I'm curious. Do you know what it is that keeps you from sleep?" he asked.

Gaara looked at the ground for a few seconds before looking back up at Ebizo.

"Well," he said, " I can't really explain it, I only found out this afternoon what sleep was. I never really felt the need for sleep. Or maybe I do, but I just don't recognise it? Sometimes, I would try to sleep, but I didn't like it, it was too unfamiliar."

"Unfamiliar?"

"M-hm. The sky was creepy and the way the colours were messed up was scary too."

"You mean you had a nightmare where the colours were mismatched?" Ebizo asked, "Nightmares happen sometimes, they're no reason to avoid sleep."

"Sometimes? Isn't it the same every time? I've never seen it change."

Ebizo frowned at this, leaning forward, he said "Gaara, your having the same dream every time?" Gaara nodded, "I see. Gaara, with your permission, I would like to place you under a hypnosis. It will make you fall asleep but you will be telling me what you see, maybe if I knew what was causing it, then I can help to stop it."

Gaara listened to the old mans words. He didn't want to go back to that place but if it meant they would stop happening, then he was willing to try.

"Ok Ebizo-san." he said.

Ebizo nodded and stood. He moved Gaara so that he was lying down on the sofa. He then performed a hand seal.

"Maboroshi no jutsu!" he said & placed his fingertip on Gaara's forehead.

Straight away, Gaara's eyes drooped & closed.

Ebizo returned to his seat and sat back, fingertips placed on his chin.

"Alright Gaara, tell me what you see." he said.

Gaara groaned & twitched, before settling.

"I… see red. Everything's red. I can't move, but I can hear sounds, voices."

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, I can't understand them. They're coming from everywhere. It's just- wait. Something's happening."

"What? What's happening?"

"There's a black line. It's getting closer. It's expanding. Who's that? There are people beyond the line. They're big. Huh? All the red's gone. Everything's black & white now. Actually, it looks more like white & black. The people are standing apart, they're in a circle. Something is happening in the middle. There's something strange. They're all speaking again, they're saying the same thing, but I can't understand it. Wait. Someone just came in the room! Oh no. Not him! Please don't make me- NO! PLEASE! STOP!"

Ebizo leapt to his feet, ran over to Gaara & released the jutsu.

Gaara's eyes snapped open.

"What's going on?!" Temari yelled, having burst through the door.

"It's alright, Temari, go back to bed." Ebizo said.

But Temari wasn't listening, she was looking at Gaara.

"I'm ok." he said with a reassuring smile.

Temari still seemed uncertain, but went back into her room.

Ebizo sighed & looked at Gaara.

"Gaara-kun, I'm going to have to do some research on this. I'll return tomorrow to see if your uncle has come back, ok?"

"Ok, Ebizo-san."

Old man Ebizo turned around & left. As soon as the front door shut, the bedroom door opened up again, Temari poking her head out.

"Is he gone?" she asked.

"Yeah. He says he's gonna come back tomorrow."

Temari shut the door behind her & sat down next to Gaara.

"What happened just now?" she asked, looking worried again.

"Ebizo-san was trying to help me with my sleep-thing. He left because he needed to look up some stuff."

Temari nodded slowly.

"Hey, Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you're not in bed?"

Temari smiled at him.

"Come on, I'm not gonna leave you alone all night long!" she said.

"But don't you need to-"

She shook her head, "Sensei said that shinobi sometimes have to stay awake for days on end, so I guess I better try it!"

"Oh, ok."

They just sat there for a while, Gaara staring at the floor & Temari fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"What is love?"

"Huh?"

Temari sat up & looked at her brother.

"What is love?" she repeated, "I guess it's when you feel towards someone… I mean, well, I think it's when you feel so close to someone that you would do anything to keep them from harm. To protect them, you know?"

"To protect them? You mean like the way you did or me earlier?"

"Yeah!" Temari said, smiling, "you're my little brother & I love you."

She then reached over and pulled Gaara into a big hug.

About an hour passed when Gaara felt Temari's head droop onto his shoulder. Gaara smiled.

* * * * *

Gaara heard Kankuro come out of his room & yawn.

"What time is-… wow." he said, staring at his siblings. Gaara stared back. Kankuro sighed & started muttering something to himself before a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

He locked eyes with Gaara & beckoned him over. Gaara blinked & climbed off the couch, careful not to wake his sister.

Kankuro led Gaara into the bathroom.

"Wait here." he said before running back into the bedroom. When he came back he had a small package filled with little multi coloured objects.

"Water bawoons?" Gaara asked, to which Kankuro grinned broadly.

"Oh yeah, water balloons."

Something sparked within Gaara. He looked at the bag, then at his older brother, and grinned evilly.

Kankuro faltered at his brother's expression, he didn't know timid little Gaara could look so creepy. He smirked.

"Attaboy!" he said, approvingly.

They filled up a water balloon, tied it, & crept quietly into the living room, where Temari was sleeping peacefully. Kankuro glanced at his little brother. If ever there was a time for him to back down, it was now. But his eyes met Gaara's, and in those eyes was a look that even scared Kankuro a little. But he smirked again.

"Alright, let it rip." he said, handing the balloon to Gaara.

Gaara stared at the balloon in his hand, studied it for a second, and prepared to throw it straight at his sister. But he hesitated.

"Uh-oh. He's not gonna make it." Kankuro thought.

But Gaara, wasn't changing his mind, he was changing the angle of his throw. Instead of a straight on hit, he tossed the balloon into the air.

"Ah, strategy, nice."

The balloon arced through the air, and landed straight through Temari, who disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"…Aw no." Kankuro said, his voice filled with dread.

"Hey little bro's."

Gaara & Kankuro spun round to find their sister standing in the bathroom with a full supply of water balloons.

Kankuro thought quickly & made a decision.

"LEG IT!" he yelled, sprinting for the door, only to find that Gaara had already left.

"Traitor."

* * * * *

Gaara wrenched open the door to the warehouse. He ran inside & hid in the labyrinth of crates.

"Gaa-raa. Gaaa-raaaa. Where are you little brother?" Temari taunted.

"Who knew she could be so scary?" Gaara thought, retreating further into the shadows.

Thsss.

Gaara spun round. The sound had come from behind him, but nothing was there.

Thssssss.

This time Gaara noticed a small amount of sand billowing. Panicking, he clambered on top of the crates. He reached the top and was sure he saw a shadow flit around a corner below.

Gaara turned and saw an open window not far from him. He eyed the gap in the crates. No. There was no way he could make that jump.

Thump.

Gaara didn't look back. He ran forward and steeled himself. He reached the end and jumped, shut his eyes & braced for the impact on the crate.

It never came.

Gingerly, he opened his eyes & and saw to his astonishment that he hadn't missed the crates. He overshot them.

He didn't stop to think about it. He vaulted through the window.

"Uh-oh."

He didn't think the drop would be so big.

"AAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!"

Thud.

…

"…I-I survived?"

He looked at the ground beneath him. He hadn't expected the sand to be so soft.

"Wow. I was lucky." he thought, when a balloon burst a couple of meters to his right.

He leapt to his feet & sprinted through the streets, bobbing and weaving through the crowds. He whipped his head back but couldn't see his assailant.

"The jungle-gym in the park! She'll never find me there!" he thought, as he turned a corner and skidded to a halt.

"Hey little brother." Temari said, tossing a balloon on the air and catching it.

Gaara tried to go back but the crowd was too thick. He turned back to face his sister but her body was eclipsed by the balloon sailing through the air.

Gaara's eyes snapped shut as he waited for impact.

It never came.

Gaara opened his eyes & gasped. In front of him stood a wall of sand, curling in the air.

"Wha-what is thi-Gaaggh!" he thought.

Temari was shocked still. The sand had risen off the ground and shielded Gaara from the balloon. The people in the streets had all ground to a halt & were watching the spectacle.

"Impossible." she thought. "Gaara couldn't have activated his chakra already, could he?"

"GAAGGH!" Gaara screamed.

"Gaara…" Temari thought, still unable to move.

Gaara's screams quickly subsided as the sand enveloped him in a sphere.

Temari watched as the sand stilled.

Inside the sand Gaara was kneeling on the ground, gripping his head with his hands.

"What's happening?" he thought, "What is this feeling?"

From somewhere in the sand, a raspy voice spoke.

"Kill."

"What- who's there?" Gaara asked, trying to see through the darkness.

"I want blood. I want her blood. GIVE ME HER BLOOD!"

"No. I- I won't hurt her."

"She tried to hurt you."

"No, it was just a game-"

"She chased you through a warehouse, she made you jump through the window & then when you were recovering from your fall she attacked you. Was that a game?"

"…No."

"She likes making you suffer."

"No."

"She does. She saw the terror in your eyes & she revelled in it."

"But she-"

"You think she loves you? Ha! She doesn't keep you close out of love, you simply amuse her!"

"I- that's not true!"

"It is & you know it. Think about it, do you think when she becomes a powerful shinobi she'll want a weakling like you to take up her time? She will grow bored & leave you."

"… She'll leave me?"

"Yes. Everyone will. You can't trust in anyone, they will only bring you pain. You must fight for yourself & love only yourself."

"I must love only myself?"

"Everyone else despises you. You've seen it, they way the villagers look at you. They hate you. They want to kill you. It was only Yashamaru who kept them from harming you, and that was only because he was afraid of what might happen. But tell me. Where is he now? He loved you, but where is he? He 's gone. He left you, and she will too."

"But I don't want her to."

"You can't stop her. She & everyone else will leave and you will have nothing to prove your existence."

"My existence?"

"How can you prove you are real? In this dark shell you don't exist. Nothing can break through this sand & so to the rest of the world you don't exist. All they will see is the sand. They will not see you."

"How-how can I make them see me?"

"That is simple. You must kill to prove your existence. Make the blood of others spill & you will prove your existence."

"Is there no other way?"

"No. The heroes of the past are soon forgotten. But fear lives forever. Tell me, what is the name of the Shodai Kazekage?"

"I-I don't know."

"What about the Nidaime? The Sandaime? Or how about your father, the Yonndaime?"

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't. They lie forgotten and they cease to exist. But you, you have a destiny that will have your name whispered through all eternity. You are a demon who loves only yourself & fights only for yourself. Who are you?"

"I am Gaara. I am a demon who loves only myself and fights only for myself."

As Gaara said this he felt the sand beneath his feet rise and form on his forehead. He felt it settle in a strange way on the left side.

"With this sand, I mark you. Now awaken, Subaku no Gaara!"

Gaara heard the sand shift and saw rays of sunlight breaking through. He felt the sand as it formed a gourd on his back. When the change to his appearance was complete, so was the change to his mind.

"Gaara! Are you ok?" Temari asked, rushing over to him.

When she was in front of him she noticed that on his forehead, a red tattoo had appeared. It was the Kanji for love.

She raised her hand to it, but Gaara slapped it away.

"Don't you touch me." he growled, before disappearing in a whirl of sand.

* * * * *

In a building, hundreds of miles from Suna, Madara Uchiha opened his eyes.

"It appears it was successful. He has taken to the Ichibi's chakra fragment better than I expected." he said.

"Hm. To be honest I wasn't so sure. I based my research on the Kyuubi's chakra & I couldn't be certain that the same thing would happen in this case." said Kazuma.

"You have been paid, I take it?"

Kazuma nodded, "Reluctantly."

"Your services may be necessary in the future, but I warn you. If you mention anything of what transpired here then I will personally see to it that you suffer. I have a subordinate who could always use another test subject."

"I don't appreciate the threats, but I will heed your warning. I hope we will do business again."

With that, Kazuma left.

"Things are going along nicely." Madara thought, "We will meet again soon, Gaara."