• Gaara gazed out at the window of his bedroom. His mind was on Michiru. He closed his aqua green eyes for a moment recalling parts of his memory; he almost smiled feeling his heart churning again. The wind blew in and gently caressed his face; he enjoyed the feeling because the wind was as gentle as michiru's touch. He remembered how she used to hug him, play with him, even kiss his cheek sometimes. They were meant to be for each other.
    "Gaara! Gaara!" The soft child-like voice called out to him, making him stop and turn around. You ran to him with a happy smile but it faded slightly at the look on his face. "What is it Gaara?" you asked concerned for him. Gaara remained silent but you reached out and gently stroked his face. "You can tell me Gaara! You trust me yes? I trust you because you're my best friend!" you grin and then kiss the red-haired sand boy's cheek. Gaara felt himself growing slightly warm. "Was it the children from the playground, Gaara?" he closed his eyes and nodded slightly. You frowned, being the six-year old youngster you were. "Well it doesn't matter what they say Gaara!" You say stoutly "because you have me and I have you. We need no one else because we have each other!" Gaara was startled when you hugged him tightly. "We'll always hang on to each other no matter what happens!" Gaara smiled and then hugged you back.

    Gaara sighed and turned his gaze to the beautiful rising sun. Even though the Shikaku was gone, he still never slept much. Gaara remembered how Michiru used to stay awake with him, determined to never leave him alone. Not even for an instant.

    Gaara felt two arms wrap around his waist, and a head leaned against his shoulder. "Michiru, shouldnt you be sleeping?" he asked enjoying the warmth of your body on his. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" you asked back, he sighed knowing how stubborn you could be. "Michiru, get some sleep." He ordered quietly, your grip on him tightened. "No." he almost laughed then. "I won't leave you alone Gaara. You know that, now hush." You leaned your weight against him and watched the darkness off the night. Gaara smiled and held on to you. "Thank you Michiru." He murmured, you smiled back and remained silent.

    Gaara walked out of his room and into his study. Naruto made him see life in a much more different way than he had after Michiru was gone. Thanks to him he could try and find his life again.

    "Gaara? You haven't eaten. Again." He turned and gazed as you entered the room with a stern look on your face. Since he had met you at the age of four, eight years later you were a beautiful young girl. The white dress was loose and made you look like an angel to him. His angel. "Gaara!" you chide him gently and point at his untouched plates. "Must I be forced to feed you Gaara of the Desert?" you say raising an eyebrow. Gaara laughed quietly and then drew you into his arms. You blushed and looked up at the handsome boy. "Maybe you shall..." he said smirking, you blushed again and looked down in embarrassment. "Gaara stop teasing me like that." You murmur smiling and then move back, Gaara raised an eyebrow and then pulled you to him again. "G-Gaara?" He noted the look of apprehension in your eyes and smiled slightly. That was when he leaned down and pressed his mouth onto yours.

    Gaara had to find Michiru, he had to find her even though he was three years late. He moved quickly, on his own choosing this as a mission of his own. Michiru was somewhere in the Snow country, his spies told him that.
    He hoped she would forgive him for his evilness for his cruel manner. He never meant anything that night.

    "I-I'm not Yashamaru, Gaara!" You say trying hard not to cry. The cruel sand ninja raised his cold aqua green eyes to look at you. "I love no one, just myself." He said icily "Everyone is the same! You are the same as everyone else. You never cared for me to begin with." You looked at him feeling your heart twisting. "P-please Gaara. Yashamaru may have tricked you but I haven't! I won't ever betray you because I..." you trailed off looking uncertainly at the red-haired boy. "Because what? Because you love me!?" Gaara laughed with malice in his voice, you flinched and felt the tears in your eyes. "I never loved you. I never will do. I love myself! I only love myself! Get out of my sight before I kill you with my Desert Coffin!" You refused to move so Gaara with his eyes glittering raised his hand. At once sand rose and slammed against you. Tears fell as you felt yourself being crushed by the sand, your lungs screamed for air as the choking sand encircled you, with your mind rapidly going dark you performed a quick replacement jutsu before the full effect of Gaara's attack happened. He turned his emotionless eyes as you appeared holding your side in pain. "If I ever see you again, I'll kill you." The voice was like an axe. You nodded shaking and bowed your head. "H-hai, Gaara-sama."

    You whistled softly to yourself as you hung up some laundry on the line, you were in a good mood today. As usual it was snowing but you didn't mind, you enjoyed the snow because it was different than Sunagakure. You still missed it a lot well just the people like Temari, Kankuro and Gaara your heart twisted painfully at the thought of him, you set down the laundry and decided to go for a walk. You wore your cloak and merrily went off humming to yourself. The sand Kage had broken your heart in more ways than one; he hurt you so much... It was good for you to leave the sand village. Yes very good... sometimes you thought about Gaara wondering what he was doing at night. You felt a pang in your heart as you realized how lonely he must've been. But the choice was his however it still pained you for him not to come after you. Still it was his choice. You walked through the forest enjoying the morning air, breathing in deeply as the wind gently brushed past you. You shivered in delicious pleasure of the morning and then headed back towards the village. You walked quietly through the village which was quiet as usual since the children were not yet awake. With a light sigh you went back home and almost missed the substance that lay on the road. You paused and looked at it "Sand?" you stare at the grain in shock, it looked just like his sand. "No, I'm mistaken." You say aloud and then walk home trying to ignore the question that filled you with hope and sadness.

    Has Gaara returned for me?

    The red-haired young man watched your sleeping form in silence, feeling the pain in his chest growing more and more. His fingers clutched the stone in his hand, shaking slightly as his aqua green eyes trembled examining you silently. You hadnt changed much, but you'd grown even more beautiful in his eyes. He sighed to himself as another sudden urge shook him to hold you, comfort you. You were his angel... He slipped into your bedroom, knowing how much of a light sleeper you were. He almost smiled as another memory of you both flashed before his eyes.

    "KYYAAAAAAAAH"
    Kankuro leapt up in shock surprised by your scream. "What the...?" He trailed off as you sat up in your bed and glared at him. "Kankuro... what were you doing in my room?" You asked slowly, he smiled sheepishly and then said meekly, "Er... I didn't know you were such a light sleeper?" Gaara smirked to himself in the darkness. "KANKURO! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU PERVERT!" You shouted as you caught sight of Kankuro's tools to embarrass you. Kankuro dropped everything and let out a short scream before legging it out of your bedroom. "WAIT TILL I GET YOU"
    "AAAAAAAAAAARGHH! TEMARI SAAAAAAVE MEEEEEEE!"

    Gaara closed his eyes in pain; he had missed you so much in the past years. It was killing him... not to be able to... touch you... His warm hand gently caressed your face without his permission, feeling and comforting himself by being with the one he loved. You shift slightly in your sleep whispering one word that sent Gaara's heart spinning. "Gaara..." His eyes widened and then he vanished within a wind of sand. You woke abruptly sitting up and touching your face, there was... a drop, it was wet and... it seemed like a tear. You frowned and looked up wondering if your roof was leaking or something. You got out of bed and realized that your window was open. You moved silently and you were just about to close it when a soft breeze drafted in bringing something with it. You gasped as you recognized what it was a pile of red sand. "Michiru!" You gasped as a small blur flung itself and tackled you to the ground. A small chibi-looking child with pure black eyes and wild purple hair grinned at you looking pleased with himself. "Hello Izuma, next time could you warn me before knocking me down?" he giggled and then allowed you to sit up properly on the carpeted floor of his home. He seated himself on your lap looking very pleased with himself. "Are you babysitting me today Michiru?" he asked looking up at you with big eyes. You nodded grinning at him as he laughed in happiness. "Yay! Can we got out and eat something please?" you nodded and stood up, brushing yourself and then led the kid outside.
    "Michiru? How come you don't have boyfriend?" you choked on your food and looked startled at the young boy. "W-what do you mean Izuma?" The dark-haired chibi boy looked at you cutely. "Well you're really pretty and I know people that like you. It's weird..." You blushed and then poked the know-it-all Izuma. "Oh go away Izuma. I don't date because ... well I'm just waiting all right?" Izuma nodded and then ate up all of his ramen before standing up. "Come! Come! Let's go out for a walk in the forest!" You nodded and followed the child out pf the shop, completely unaware of the eyes that were watching you both entering the forest.

    "Those are pretty flowers." Izuma said pointing at some snow drops, you smiled and nodded before pulling him away. "Come on Izuma it's time we get going... remember to do your homework all right?" he nodded looking depressed at the thought of homework. You laugh and took him to his house listening him chattering away. His mother greeted you both hugging her son then she paid you some money. Before you left she quickly said, "Oh Michiru, one more thing. There's this young man that has been asking for you. I'm not sure what his name was but he seemed quite insistent. Just to let you know all right?" You looked at her startled your heart began thumping. "Thank you for telling me." You spoke shakily and then return to your home in shock.

    A young man has been asking for me? Could it be... no it can't be... can it?

    That night you went back into the forest where you had first seen the grains of sand. There was more sand this time, you stepped forward cautiously and then bent down to your knees, gently brushing your hair back and staring at the small pile of red sand. It looked exactly like Gaara's sand, red and beautiful... you hesitantly reached out with one hand and picked up some of it feeling the softness and letting it slip through your fingers. Suddenly a light breeze went past you and the dark red sand formed into... a rose. You screamed and fell over backwards and then stumbled to your feet in panic. You gasped and stared at it in shock, that was when you felt a strange but familiar presence behind you. Immediately you spun around and almost fainted as you saw the one young man you never thought you'd see again.

    "G-Gaara-sama?"

    He had grown a few inches taller; his eyes were still that beautiful aqua green colour and his red hair was still the same length, he had grown fitter but his eyes were no longer cold and emotionless. They were filled with sorrow and despair. "Michiru..." he trailed off not knowing what to say, your eyes were filled with tears and you backed away from the sand ninja who had captured your heart. There was a deep pain in your chest, feeling your heart aching badly. "G-Gaara-sama" you choked again unable to believe this. He hung his head and whispered, "Please do not call me sama." You just stared at him unable to believe that you were seeing him after all these years. "W-why..." you took a deep breath and steadied your breathing and control before speaking strongly, "Why are you here? Is it a mission or something?" Gaara didn't raise his gaze instead he kept on looking at the ground. This just made you angrier, you loved him yes but he still treated you in such a dangerous way that you had almost been killed. "Look at me Gaara!" He raised his eyes to meet yours and you inhaled sharply as you saw his aqua green eyes shimmering with tears. "Please Michiru, I just wanted... to say..." he trailed off unable to go on. He looked at the ground again. You take a step back, feeling your heart being torn apart. Then you shook your head as tears fell from your face, you turned and then began to run away from the clearing not caring where you went. Tears blinded you as you crashed through the bushes running to an unknown destination. You felt someone wrap their arms around your waist. You struggled but they pulled you into their strong body spinning you around and hugging you tightly. "Gaara please... don't do this to me..." you whispered into his shoulder, feeling your body shaking. Gaara clung on not saying anything just holding you; eventually you relaxed feeling familiar peacefulness. Gaara moved his head back and then looked at you, before leaning forward and kissing you on your lips. You froze in surprise but found yourself responding, kissing back missing the taste of his lips. Then you pulled back in shock and broke away from him. Gaara looked ashamed of himself and then looked up at you. "I wanted to say... I... was being stupid and... not myself. Michiru, I'm so sorry I hurt you." That was when he stepped back and knelt on the ground on his knees, then pressing his palms against the ground, he pressed his forehead against the ground in front of you and whispered, "Please forgive me"
    You felt tears in your eyes again; all that pain in the past was vanishing as he bowed before you. He then raised his head and murmured emotionally, "I love you."

    You gasped and tears fell from your eyes, the next thing you knew, you were sitting besides him and embracing him. "G-Gaara..." you sobbed holding him tightly and burying your face into his chest. He hugged you back holding back tears, brushing his fingers through your hair and kissing the top of your head softly. "Forgive me Michiru." He kept on whispering over and over again. You pulled back and wiped away your tears saying quietly, "I already have." He leaned forward and caught your lips in a passionate kiss fuelled by hunger and craving. You kissed him back unable to believe your happiness that he had come for you. "Thank you... for loving to me." You whispered leaning your head against his chest. He stroked your hair and answered, "I love you Michiru, and... I should be thanking you. So thank you Michiru..."