+++Part 18+++

My Friend

She gave him the present. It was an old music box that played the melody of his favorite song.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

He could place the words to the tune; he knew it so well. Carefully he closed the wooden lid. Though aged, the cedar wood still shined. Katy made sure it would, she polished it herself.

"It was my grandma's. I thought you'd like it." She smiled tentatively.

"...Thank you."

There was a silence between them, not like the comfortable quietness the pair usually enjoyed. This was awkward, unnerving. The draping limbs of the willow swayed in a breeze and Kat studied them, distracting herself from his blatant stare. Then she wrinkled her nose in annoyance. This was their last day together for a while and she did not want to spend it like this!

"Le's play! Kee-mon," she said in her own quirky way, taking his hand.

They climbed the willow, played chase around it, went to the swings, and everything was okay then. It was just them and the time limit was forgotten. Except...

Katy felt an air of distance from Gaara. It was like he was holding something back. When they returned under the shade of the tree for a rest, she asked him about it. He looked down, silence overtaking them once more.

"Geliebt...?" she asked again, unsure and worried.

When he finally spoke, his head stayed down. "Kitty, do you think I'm... Do you think I'm a freak?"

The question hit her like a bag of bricks. Her mouth opened and closed but she could not manage a peep. Why would he even think that? Surely he knew how much he meant to her, how much she loved him. She even told him so, though by using the song, and called him Geliebt! That in itself meant beloved! He was her most precious friend!

The boy began to tremble slightly, looking up with sad pleading eyes. That look always melted her. With a jolt of realization that she had not yet answered the question, she found her voice.

"You, I... No! No, I don't! Don't even say that, Geliebt! You rememba what that means don'tcha? Beloved! Most precious friend! So, there! Why'd you think that anyway, huh?"

His trembling stopped, but that sadness persisted. "Because you're leaving..."

"Not for long! It'll be okay, okay?"

The phantom never told her how long "not long" was. But with the willfulness of a child, she believed it to be a short time.

"Anyway, c'mon. I want to play some more."

I want to spend as much time as I can with you...before it's too late, was what she had actually wanted to say but did not know how to say it.

He never wanted that evening to end, he wanted it to last forever. The image of her, chocolate hair lit with a golden hue, running to him would stay imprinted in his mind eternally.

Make this go on forever.

But the sun sank, vanished, and took the evening along with it. They stood outside the walls facing each other. A few stray dark clouds littered the sky, refusing to reflect the dim light the sun emitted from under the horizon. This made everything look shadowy and gloomy, and only served to worsen Kat's mood.

Sorrow lined his expression and she bit her cheek. It hurt her to see him so sad. Another pregnant pause encased them. He didn't want her to say it and she didn't want to say it either. But as she glanced to the east she caught sight of the pale, nearly full, moon. It wasn't quite dark enough for it to glow to its full capability but it was visible nonetheless.

And it reminded her of the ghost's eyes and what she had to do. Katy bit down her urge to shriek and cry, as it would do no good.

It's only for a little while, she told herself.

"Well," she finally said, ending the pause and making Gaara flinch. He knew what was coming and he didn't want it to come. "This is goodbye... for now. But I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

She waited and waited for a response. There was none. He only looked at her, sullen.

"Okay," she sighed out.

Did he know how hard it was for her to turn and walk away? Everything in her screamed to turn around and run back to him! Slowly, obediently, she trudged over sand and to the portal. It would be sealed the moment she crossed to the other side.

He watched her retreating form. The dull pain in his chest was growing. The farther away she went, the stronger the pain became until it was sharp and severe and too much for him to bear.

"Wait," came his anguished cry. "Don't go!"

The scarlet haired child reached out and almost instantly sand snared her by the ankles. She gasped in surprise, teetering in a vain attempt to regain her balance. She fell to her hands and knees. The sand tightened and she flinched. Footsteps fast approaching, he skidded to a halt down beside her. His arms circled her torso with a desperate force.

"Please don't go, Kitty. I love you," he mumbled, and then louder, "You have to stay!"

Her heart clenched. It was the first time she'd ever heard those three words from his mouth. If only it were under pleasanter circumstances. "I..."

"Don't leave me," his voice cracked. "I'll do anything you say just tell me!"

She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, maybe because he was holding onto her so tightly. The phantom's flat, fluid tone urged her on.

"I... I have to." Now her own voice was beginning to break.

"Why?"

When she met his gaze she froze. It was something she had never clearly witnessed before. She had heard it yesterday and now she was seeing it. His tears, he was crying.

"Tell me why." Those eyes... they were filled with sorrow, confusion, pain, agony. The tears seemed to run in ceaseless currents. 'Tell me why!"

She shook, starting to cry too, eyes stinging with the threat. "I have to," she whimpered. "It's making me."

"What's making you? I'll get rid if it!"

"The blue d-deer. I don't kn-know." She didn't have a name for the creature, except for "Bambi's mom" and she was positive that wasn't who it was. It was too cold.

Inhaling deep, she steadied her voice. Though a quivering edge still held to it.

"It won't be for long," she repeated what it told her. "It's not forever, Geliebt, this...this isn't goodbye."

The words not only calmed and reassured Kat, they calmed and reassured Gaara too and he was able to relax his hold on her. He stared at her intensely, hopefully.

"Promise me...?"

"I promise. The rocks may melt and the seas may burn if I should not return," she said, quoting another favorite movie of hers. "I'll be back before you know it! Don't forget. Don't forget anything. We're friends forever, always. You'll remember, right? You promise too!"

"I promise, Kitty." He eased up. She always had a way of consoling him.

The little brunette smiled, brightening her tear-streaked face. Some tears had escaped after all. She hugged him then, closer than she ever had before. He returned it with a bone-crushing grip.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that. But when she finally pulled away his touch lingered, falling down her arms and taking hold of her hands. He brought them up and studied them before taking the left in both his hands, fingers gently tracing the scar he had marred on her so long ago.

With a white diagonal slash from her wrist to her knuckles and a white burst mark on her ring finger, it truly did resemble a shooting star.

He did not let go but, as she began moving away, reluctantly loosened his grip. As her hand slipped from his he had to keep repeating to himself over and over: it won't be long. She will be back. She will.

It was the only thing keeping him together.

Katy looked back one last time and smiled for her friend. He mirrored the gesture. As she moved through the portal, streaks of light passing her through, an image stayed in her mind's eye.

It was the image of a boy with hair like crimson and pale eyes the color of sea-foam. Like a portrait, it hung in her psyche. Those sad yet hopeful eyes staring back at her and his shaky smile, defying the tearstains on his face...

Defying the tears still falling...

It had been just a few days. Katy had returned to the portal more times than she could count and every time was the same. No matter how hard she pushed, how hard she hit, or how hard she rammed her little body into it, the portal would not open. Slumping to her knees, frustration spilling over her eyes, she screamed out to the phantom.

"You lied! You said it wouldn't be long! Open it!"

The silent stillness of the room was all that answered her. She did not hear nor feel the ghost's presence. So she went berserk. The old house filled with her shrill cries as she flayed and beat on the symbol-carved wall. She bashed her head on it repeatedly, not caring how it made her vision spin. Her sight was already blinded by the salinity that rolled down her cheeks.

She had screeched her throat raw. Exhausted and hurt, she fell to the floor and quietly sobbed the day away.

The moon was full; the night was cold. He never wanted to be so cold. Gaara had tried to go to her multiple times. But when he went to trace lines on the threshold, the veins of light did not appear, like it had always done so before. It would not take him through; it would not work. Now he sat atop the Kaze mansion, holding the music box she gave him. Pushing the lid up, the melody of that song flowed to him in tender waves. It helped make the hurt go away. And he was especially hurting tonight.

I was right, he thought dejectedly, no one wants me.

The day had not been a pleasant one. Overcome by loneliness, the boy tried to make friends. He watched them from the swing. One of the children kicked the ball too hard and it got stuck up on a high wall. He had kindly retrieved the ball for them using the sand. But as he tentatively offered it back, they all froze.

"It's him," one of them said. "It's Gaara."

"He's really creepy."

And then, "Run!"

The scarlet haired boy looked on in dismay. "No, wait! Don't run away!"

And as his hand reached out, so did the sand. It grabbed at least three of the kids and began dragging them back. There was one in particular that Gaara focused on. A brunette with dark eyes. A girl.

Kitty...

The sand constricted on her calf muscle and she pleaded for him to stop. He bit his lip, paying no heed to her cries.

I don't want to be alone right now...

She screamed as more sand came barreling at her.

Never again...

A man jumped in the fray, taking the blow and shielding the girl. "No, Gaara! You can't do this!"

Gaara's mouth dropped as he whispered his uncle's name. He was met with the medic's sad, confused stare.

Later into that evening, the lonely boy gazed at the picture of his mother. He'd attempted to harm himself, but he knife was blocked. The sand constantly got in the way. He then was startled by Yashamaru's voice. The blonde man was gentle in his chiding.

Pale sea-foam orbs saddened at the sight of bandages on his uncle's arms and forehead. He apologized and asked if it hurt but Yashamaru quickly brushed it off as nothing.

"What...what does pain feel like? I've...never been injured, so I don't know. I was wondering what it felt like."

The man did his best to explain it, though he admitted to not doing so very well. However Gaara smiled and thanked him, saying, "I think I know what pain is now."

Then he moved his hand over his heart. "I know I'm not bleeding...but I've been feeling a lot of pain here lately...since Kitty went away."

That was the moment when Yashamaru took the blade from young Gaara and used it to cut the tip of his finger. The boy gasped as if it had been his own finger. The medic told the difference between physical injuries and, more dangerously, injuries dealt to the heart.

"Also," he continued. "When someone you hold dear to you is gone...you don't feel right. There's a part of your heart that's missing. And sometimes that pain never goes away until you're with that person again."

"She'll come back...she promised."

Yashamaru smiled, finishing his explanations by saying that love was the only medicine that could heal a wounded heart.

"Yashamaru, thank you." He smiled. "You know, for stopping me before."

"You're very welcome," he responded, placing his cut in his mouth. "After all, you're special Gaara. I hold you very dear to me."

Smile brightening, he stepped forward and did something he'd only do for Katy. He took the injured hand, kissing the wound before holding it in his mouth.

It tastes like iron...

Now here he was, sitting on the railing of the level roof. He heaved a deep sigh. He had tried to apologize to that girl he hurt. But when he held up the bag of ointment she slammed the door in his face, yelling, "freak!" from the other side. He walked home in low spirits.

Don't listen to them, Geliebt! They say those mean things because they don't know you like I know you, Katy's words echoed in his mind. They don't know you at all!

Her words helped ease the ache in his chest. But in his sorrow, his confusion, he killed a drunkard whom bumped into him. He gave Gaara the same look the girl did. They all gave him that look- Even his father. The glare the Kazekage threw his way crushed him inside. It dashed all his hopes of ever being accepted by the man.

Why do I have to be such a freak? Black eyelids closed as he covered his face with his hands. Even the music box in his lap could not help right now. What am I?

The next thing he knew, his world was tumbling down. The kunai knives, the sand, the mask... the bandaged finger. And everything within him fell apart after that mask came off, after he saw who'd just tried to kill him.

The child's agonized scream filled the night. The dying man spoke revelations and lies to the young child before finishing himself off, uttering the words, "Please die."

The scarlet haired boy cracked... and then shattered.

Katy woke in a cold sweat, completely unaware of the reason why. Completely unaware that...

The wind moaned eerily by her window. She sat up, shaking in the chilly room. She stayed like that for a while, just staring off into nothing. But then she moved to the window, her knees pressing into the mattress. The full moon shed its gentle light on the snow-covered ground, making the bare, shadowing trees seem less intimidating. The little brunette sighed, folding her hands in front of her on the windowsill. For a moment she remained quiet.

Down on my knees again tonight...

"Hello, it's me again," she spoke softly. "I know You're prob'ly really busy with the universe and everything but..."

I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right...

"You see, there's a boy that needs Your help." The wind blew gentler now and Katy picked up her small voice in distressed earnest. "I don't know what to do."

The young girl stumbled, voice breaking, and she fought to regain control.

"I tried to b- be there for him." The moisture welled up in her eyes. "But, God, who he needs right now is You..."

The water poured down her face as she tried to calm her trembling. Her breathing was shaky and she almost lost her voice. But no matter what, she had to do this. For her friend.

"He's so tired and he's scared so, please, let him know...that You're there."

She moved her gaze to the stars. She remembered when they stood on top of the tallest sand dune, reaching for the brightest one and how they fell on their backs and laughed together.

"Please let him be safe. I don't- I don't know what I'd do if..." She couldn't finish the sentence. "Please don't leave him. If You will, can you make him feel better? You see, he's been through a lot and a lot of people hurt him and... and I really hope You get this prayer, God, 'cause he's not just an- anyone..."

Can You hear me?
Am I getting through tonight?
Can You see him?
Can You make him feel all right?
If You can hear me, let me take his place somehow.
See, he's not just anyone...

"He's my friend."

A/N: That concludes Of The Sand and The Sea. The end!

But not really. There is a continuation of this, a sequel. It will be titled Remembrance.

So how did I do on this story? Good? Okay? Excellent? Review, please!

And I feel I must say another song inspired the ending scene to this chapter. It is one of Mark Schultz's songs. Although I did take it out of context, because he was singing about his son, but I thought some parts could really be used for a friendship theme.

So if you're interested, keep an eye out for Remembrance. It will be coming soon.

Thank you for reading!