Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

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Chapter 22

Minoko's eyes watered at the sight of the massive tan walls that surrounded her village. Finally. Finally she was home.

She blinked back the tears and walked the last few steps to the entrance, giving a beaming grin to the guards that looked at her incredulously, "Kai Minoko, genin, reporting back from a solo C-rank mission."

"..."

"..."

"…What?"

Minoko giggled internally at the dumbstruck look on both the guards' faces. Seeing people's reactions to her age and rank never got old.

She handed over her mission scroll to one of the guards and rattled off her identification number. The man jumped a bit and closed his mouth. He went over to the log book and flipped several pages before glancing up at her with something like disbelieving respect in his eyes, "ID number confirmed and return recorded. You are to report immediately to the Kazekage. Welcome home."

Minoko nodded and felt another grin stretch over her features. Sure, she'd have to see the Kazekage (something that she honestly dreaded) but after that, she could find her daddy and give him a big hug and then find Gaara and do the same. And it was going to be a big, big hug. A glomp, if you will.

They'll have no idea what hit them, she thought with a giggle.

…

Taru was focused entirely on the wooden limb in front of him. The puppetry division was thrilled with his recent productivity. He was producing the various parts of a puppet's body at a pace previously unheard of for a person, let alone a civilian.

But what else would he do with his time? He couldn't find Mizuno. He had looked everywhere. A couple weeks ago, he finally caved and ended up going to the civilian registry to ask about his wife's whereabouts. Since they were still technically married, he had a legal right to the information.

It turned out that she was no longer in Suna at all. She had up and left without a word to anyone.

She was gone and she never even said goodbye.

And so, he threw himself into his work with a drive that many would consider unhealthy. He would often skip meals or only have a small snack while he whittled away at the wood in his workspace. He would sleep for an hour or two at a time, then go right back to his task. The shadows under his eyes grew more pronounced each day, but the quality of his work never diminished. That was all that his employers cared about. If the quality was up to standard, then it didn't matter if he worked himself into oblivion.

That's the way he liked it.

Taru took a drink of the water he kept at his desk and wiped the sweat from his brow. It was just past noon on the 89th day without his daughter. Nearly three whole months. He hoped that she was ok. That she was eating well and getting some rest in a real bed. That she wasn't being attacked in a foreign land and that she was safe wherever she was.

He wanted to see her.

Taru sighed and ran a hand roughly down his face before setting the water down and picking up the limb to start again.

He heard the door to his workplace open with a light squeak, but didn't bother to turn around, "Saito-san, I told you that you didn't need to keep bringing me food. I'll be fine-"

"Daddy," came a whisper-soft voice. Taru dropped the limb on his desk and whirled around to face the door, eyes wide and all tiredness washed away in an instant, "Minoko?"

There she was, covered in sand and sweat and slightly red from the sun. But she was smiling and whole and home.

"Minoko?" he said again in quiet disbelief as he rose from the chair. He wasn't dreaming this time right?

"Hi daddy. I'm back," she said with a small smile as she took a step forward.

Taru didn't know which one of them moved first, or if it happened at the same time, but the next moment he was kneeling on the ground hugging his baby girl. He absently noted the stray tear that escaped his eye, but ignored it in favor of relishing the moment. She was giggling and her tiny arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as she nuzzled her face into his shoulder like she had done practically since she was born.

After a few minutes of relieved laughter and a reluctance to let go, Taru pulled back and cupped her face with both hands, "Welcome home, sweetheart."

The smile she gave in reply eased something in his chest and for the first time in a long time, he could breathe easily.

…

Minoko had had a very productive day. After she had entered Suna, she reported to the Kazekage. It was fairly monotonous. Just a summary of her findings and a review on her written reports. How clear her descriptions of various events and people were, how she could improve in the future, and how to not get attached to people the next time around.

Yeah, that last one had made her heart nearly jump out of her chest. She never mentioned Takuto, Mei, Suji, or Yanagi in her reports aside from her initial meeting with them to give an assessment of their threat level and abilities. How the Kazekage knew she had grown attached, she'd never know.

He had told her to rest up for the next two weeks before reporting in for an evaluation to determine her promotion and subsequent missions.

She had left as quickly as she could while still being respectful and immediately went home. When she couldn't find her daddy there, she went straight to his workshop without bothering to shower or change.

Hugging him had been wonderful. She was initially going to tackle hug him in surprise, but she hadn't realized how much she missed him until she was able to hear his voice. After that, she had gotten a bit choked up.

She was five. She was allowed.

Daddy had taken the rest of the day off, which, surprisingly, his boss didn't comment on. The two of them had gotten cleaned up back home and then went out for some lunch. The familiar spice palate in the Suna dishes was absolutely fantastic.

They spent the rest of the day catching up and just spending time in each other's presence. Minoko couldn't talk about the details of her mission, so they stuck to safer topics like the differences between the food, weather, and scenery in Kiri verses Suna.

Before Minoko knew it, night had fallen. Her daddy told her that she should go to bed since they both had a long day…or rather, a long several months. She hesitated. She had almost gotten used to setting her own schedule that it threw her off a bit. That, and she still had someone else to find before she went to bed. But she reluctantly agreed to his insistence in the end.

Daddy went to bed as well and she could hear him snoring from the other room within minutes. He must have been really tired.

Minoko threw off the covers and got changed quickly. She sent a silent apology to her daddy for her disobedience, but hopefully she'd be back in bed before he woke up and he'd never have to know.

Sneaking out of the house was easier than she remembered it to be. Her steps were light and she was able to avoid any areas that would have squeaked under her weight. The door opened without a sound and she was off into the night.

Three months may not seem like a long time to most people, but to someone that was five, it felt like forever! As smart as she was, she still forgot several small details. Which place was his favorite restaurant again? Was that the park they played in before, or was it the one on the other side of the market? Was his favorite color red or green? Little things that slowly built up over time. It was quite annoying.

But she would never forget her best friend.

His shy smile and quiet nature and ridiculous love of cactuses.

She subconsciously knew where to go as she dashed through the nearly empty streets and whizzed around corners. Almost there!

Minoko skidded to a stop in front of a playground that she knew so well. The one that they would always meet up at before they had become shinobi.

And a familiar shock of red hair caught her eye under the moonlight.

A beaming smile split her face as she saw her bestest friend in the whole world lazily push himself back and forth on the swing set.

A grin, the biggest one that she had had that day, burst from her as she shouted in excitement, "Gaara!"

…

His head snapped up as soon as he heard her voice. It was familiar.

Why was it familiar?

A girl his age was running down the slope in his direction with a large smile plastered on her face.

Why was she running towards him? Why was she smiling?

She reached the bottom of the small hill and was jogging over to him. He remained seated on the swing, a perplexed look on his face. When he didn't react, she slowed down and a look of concern flashed in her eyes.

Was she concerned for him? Or for her own safety?

She still approached, but at a slower pace, now only a couple meters away, "Gaara? Are you ok?" she asked in a calm tone.

Why was she so familiar?

Pain laced through his skull so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that he cried out. His hands automatically grasped at his head as Mother shrieked in anger, trying in vain to ease the tormenting agony that pierced his mind.

"Gaara! What's wrong? Are you hurt? Should I get Yashamaru-sensei?"

He heard her, somehow, over the indignant squawking of the demon in his head. His sand lashed out at her.

Why was Mother so mad at her? Why did he feel dread for this unknown, yet known, girl when his sand shot toward her?

She jumped back away from the dangerous grains but then continued to advance.

Why didn't she run away?

Scratches appeared on her cheek, on her arms, on her legs. Tiny, insignificant marks that slowly built on one another. Drops of red dripped down in thin rivulets. But she steadfastly ignored it. Her eyes held nothing but worry and determination as she reached out for him.

There was no fear.

Gaara's eyes widened in disbelief as he felt warm arms around his neck. His sand froze midair and Mother's voice faded into nothing as her warm breath fanned out over his neck and she squeezed him in a comforting embrace.

"You're my best friend, I love you bunches and bunches, and we'll be together forever," she whispered, her arms tightening slightly.

All at once, Gaara felt something in him shift. Not Mother. Something…softer?

Memories.

Dark hair and red eyes and kind smiles. Acceptance. No fear.

His friend.

Gaara's arms rose and hesitantly settled around her waist with natural, practiced ease. A sob escaped him as his mind cleared for the first time in who-knows-how-long.

"Minoko?"

A/N: Reunions galore! Let me know what you think!