Gaara-kun, you should go to sleep. You're leaving early in the morning. You need to have energy for the long road ahead.

I can't sleep.

Is Shukaku bothering you again?

No. He behaved lately.

Then?

Gaara was ashamed to admit, so he just took a longer break. Sakura didn't like waiting, so she asked again and Gaara gave in eventually.

I wish I wouldn't have to leave this place.

It would be so nice...Playing with Gaara-kun every day, going to school together, eating together, and then playing once more.

Gaara smiled.

Everything is so boring in Suna compared to Konoha.

Gaara-kun, I think you'd have a headache if you were to live here every day.

You're right. When we went out with Naruto and the others I felt very tired.

Gaara-kun, next time will be my turn to come to your village. I wonder what the desert looks like. I have never been out of Konoha before.

Of course. I can't wait! Soon, I will go out on missions. I hope to take missions close to Konoha so I can sneak out and come see you. Father didn't let Temari and Kankurou join genin teams even if they both graduated the academy. Temari is the most upset. She is waiting for me to graduate because father wants to put us 3 on the same team.

I see. That's why she was so cold towards me. I kept trying to make friends with her, but she ignored me.

Who cares? You are my friend.

Gaara-kun, are you afraid I won't talk to you if I and Temari were to become friends?

Gaara didn't say anything, but the silence gave away his fear.

You have nothing to worry about. I will never break our bond and you and I will be friends for life.

Ok. I hope you won't forget you said this.

Of course not. How can I help Gaara-kun sleep?

Tell me a story. I like listening to you.

Sakura complied. She lied on the bed, looking at the luster on the ceiling while she told him everything that crossed her mind. Gaara sat on the floor, with his back against the side of the bed, with his hands on his knees. Kankurou was already fast asleep in the same room. Little by little, the redhead's eyelashes mingled with each other and sleep stole him when his forehead touched the back of his hands. He was relaxed like a baby, without a crease of worry on his face.


When the first ray of sunshine made way through the sky, both families stood in front of the village gates. Mebuki and Kizashi handed Gaara a gift, sweet he could share with his siblings on the road. They kept bowing and talking to Rasa as if he was their superior, which made Sakura feel embarrassed. She wasn't like that. Rasa was as authoritative as always, but before he gave the order to leave, he softened his voice a little just to address Sakura.

"Listen to your parents. They know what is best for you."

Sakura didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. Gaara's father seemed pretty tough and she was scared to talk to him. She waved her hand at Gaara instead and they all went their separate ways.


Months came and went by, the kids bloomed like flowers and they got along better and better. Rasa always heard his youngest son laughing and running in the house. They joy of youth woke up the love that set in his soul after his wife's death, but only for a moment because the yearning for money and power overshadowed everything. Temari had a conversation with her father on this matter once.

"Dad, when will you have enough money to never wish for more?" and spend time with us, she wanted to say, but couldn't.

"You never have enough money."

"But why? What do you do with them?

"You don't think like a businessman, you can't understand. You always need more money to invest and grow."

"What for? You already have a house and everything you could ever wish for."

"I wish I had more than anyone and when I will, I need to make even more to increase the gap between me and them so they will never surpass me. Temari, when I was your age, I looked at the ceiling at night for hours thinking how I could make money and look at where I am today. You should do the same."

Temari didn't say anything further, and went to her room instead.

Gaara played with his brothers every day. When their sister was upset, they both insisted to be next to her until she was happy again. Ever since they formed a team under Baki's command, everything went smoothly. Even if Baki reported back to the Kazekage, he had a golden heart and cared about his pupils. He encouraged them to protect each other because there will come a day when they will be in trouble and nobody else will be there to help them.

Rasa talked to Mebuki through letters. Kizashi was too busy working and when he came home, he found out his wife had already sent the letter. Even if Rasa didn't expect much at first, he soon became irritated because he didn't receive any information of substantial value about his son's relationship with that girl. Mebuki filled entire pages with useless information about her day, the weather, gossip from the village...She acted like she was friends with Rasa, which bothered him the most. When Sakura formed a team with Naruto and Sasuke, and started participating in missions, Rasa concluded that she was mature enough to use her, so he wrote a letter to Mebuki, asking to talk to Sakura and make her convince Gaara to accept the mission his father wanted him to accept. Mebuki talked to her daughter and Sakura contacted Gaara.

Sakura, don't insist. That mission is about killing people who threaten my father's power. I don't want to do anything like this. He is just using me.

Oh, God! I didn't know. Gaara-kun is right; it's better to reject such a mission.

Sakura, how come your mom knows about my mission? He asked with concern.

I don't know. She only told me to talk to you. She said I shouldn't tell you I know from her, but make you tell me about the mission so I can then convince you to accept it.

I see. Gaara because serious.

Gaara-kun, are you upset with me?

No. You have no blame. Why did you choose to tell me?

I couldn't lie to Gaara-kun.

The boy smiled and changed the topic, so their conversation took a happy turn. Her parents didn't know Sakura and Gaara talk in their heads. They imagined the kids speak through letters. A week later, Mebuki asked her daughter.

"So, what did Gaara say?"

"He refused to take the mission." Sakura replied without a care in the world.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I think it involves some high political details that he is not allowed to tell me."

She heard Gaara laugh in her mind.

This type of answer didn't please Mebuki at all, especially since she felt like she was becoming more and more useless to the Kazekage. Kizashi became more jealous by the day because his wife had lost interest in talking to him ever since she started writing letters. He tried talking to her, but they couldn't reach an agreement because she shouted at him that she only wants to secure a good future for their daughter. She started avoiding him and sometimes even forgot to pack his meal. They often argued, now that Sakura was gone on missions all day and they had the house to themselves.

One day, when Mebuki became desperate because she hadn't received a letter from Suna in 2 months, she barged into Sakura's room while Sakura was talking to Gaara in her head and Mebuki started shouting. Sakura got scared from the sudden outburst. She wasn't used to hearing her mother scream like that.

"You're completely useless! When I had a child, I imagined she will work with me, not against me."

"What?"

"What did that boy tell you? What aren't you telling me? I am your mother! I have to know!"

Sakura didn't say anything. She just stood with her back to the window and fingers grasping the windowsill. She squeezed the wood in her hands because she had never seen her mother like this before. Mebuki lost her temper and grabbed Sakura by the hair, pulling without mercy. Sakura started screaming and crying while trying to pull her hair back with her hands. Kizashi arrived home just then and, when he heard his daughter's screams, he quickly ran to her room without even taking off his shoes. He saw his wife yanking at Sakura's hair, who sat on her knees, her tears wetting the floor and his tension rose in 2 seconds.

"Leave the girl alone! Let her go! Why are you doing this?"

Kizashi grabbed Mebuki by the wrist just when she was trying to slap Sakura across the face.

"I said let her go!"

Mebuki did as she was told. Pink hairs got tangled between Mebuki's fingers.

"Come with me." Kizashi said, pulling his wife by the hand out of the room without waiting for her approval.

Sakura was struggling to fix her hair while crying. Gaara was afraid to say anything because he didn't want to risk upsetting her even more. He was smart enough to tell what happened. His father must have threatened Mebuki that if she doesn't sell him any good lead, he will cut ties with her. Gaara didn't think Sakura's mother would be capable of behaving this way, but she did because she fell in love with Rasa even if Rasa never fueled this idea. Gaara was sure about this because his dad had never been interested in a woman ever since Gaara's mother died. No matter how much it hurt Gaara to see Sakura like this, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't kill innocent people to make Rasa continue to talk to Mebuki and even if he did, this couldn't possibly last.

Sakura

Leave me alone!

Sakura continued to cry and sob, but she refused to let Gaara help her. Gaara felt grounded himself and lost interest in everything around him. He sat alone and sad in a corner. Sakura became aware of the fact that he was making him suffer, too. She felt bad and apologized.

Please forgive me.

Don't worry. I just want you to be fine.

Sakura sobbed again and it made Gaara feel as if someone hammered a nail in his heart.

What can I do to make you feel better?

Sakura bit her finger to stop herself from crying and thought about an answer.

Read me a poem.

Gaara blushed on the spot. Sakura had been trying for a long time to convince him to read poems to her, but he denied her wish until now because he said poems are not for boys. This time however, it was much more important to make her feel good again.

Ok.

Sakura started smiling shyly and it cheered him up a little.

Wait a second. I will sneak into the library.

Gaara-kun, why don't you borrow the book like a normal person?

I can't risk to be seen. I would embarrass myself. See what I do for you?

Sakura laughed while wiping her wet face with the bridge of her palm. Gaara stole a book and hid in a corner where nobody could see him. He read to Sakura the list of all poems in the book to give her the chance to pick one that she likes. After she chose a title, she heard screams from downstairs and felt like crying again, so she held her head with both her hands. Gaara panicked and started reading quickly to distract her. Little by little, his even voice covered any other noise and Sakura's mind was filled with the calmness of his tone until she relaxed completely.

Later, when Gaara finished reading almost half of the book, with Sakura sitting at her desk with her head on the desk, her father slowly walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Daddy" Her big green wet eyes lifted to look at him and Kizashi's heart melted on the spot.

Gaara stopped to listen. Kizashi caressed the back of her head lovingly and bent to hug her to his chest.

"Mom is going through a difficult phase right now. Don't be mad at her. Your father will fix this."

Gaara felt relieved and smiled with content while Sakura enjoyed an embrace she craved for.

Gaara-kun, thank you.

Note: Thank you very much for always staying by my side. :D

The story will turn a little sad for a few chapters, but don't worry, I plan on writing a happy ending to it. Please share your opinion on what you think about this chapter and what you think will happen next. The kids are 12 years old in this chapter. They were around 10 years old from chapter 10 to chapter 15.