For the past 4 year I have been reading and reading and reading yet again this story because there is so much I want to do with it yet I feel as though my life has carried on for far too long and I might no longer be able to write like all you who commented liked me to write. This is my first attempt at giving my hobby a chance. Life is stressful and goes by so fast, I just hope you all still like it as much as you used to. Thank you for your patience and for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therenfore mentioned.

The first few weeks of school went by with ease, though it was beginning to be more and more obvious the full extent of influence that Suna was developing over the rebellious teenagers of Konoha High. Jugo and Suigetsu were not at all conspicuous in their attempts to squeeze information out of their weakest links, however, there wasn't much to be known about the plans Suna was scheming. They were, after all, just ants compared to the real heads of the gang.

The day after the cameras were finally installed, the packages stopped coming. As if the person responsible had somehow been informed about the tightening security around the Uchiha Mansion, which only proved to make me even more uncomfortable. Was it that easy to keep us under surveillance? Or, was someone from the inside giving information to those that wanted to hurt Naruto? Neither possibility was reassuring.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was apparently enjoying his new students. much like I had guessed he would. During their first day of training he had had his kicks at teasing them when he had instructed them land a blow anywhere on his body and then proceeding to easily avoid them all. Naruto had gushed in awe that night over his "expert ninja skills", as he named them. Of course my sharp remark over him not being all that amazing had nothing to do with jealousy. Uchichas don't do jealousy. Kurama had made it a routine to patrol the hallways and empty rooms at night, leaving his usual spot below our feet empty, which was a very pleasing sacrifice to make. He would only just rest after Naruto had been safely escorted to the car that would take him to school. It at least allowed me to rest a bit easier at night.

I had been having reoccurring nightmares ever since the attempted kidnapping. Dreams where Naruto was taken by a shadow that I could not recognize, too fast for me to react, long gone if I blinked, his screams silent yet ringing in my brain. The deepening bags under my eyes were beginning to draw too much of Suigetsu's attention, which would lead to him taunting me, which lead to me buying concealer in order to feign normality. God save me from Suigetsu finding out I was wearing make-up. Only a shovel to the head would shut him up then.

Naruto, on the other hand, went back to being the same lovable dork he always was. It was as if nothing ever happened. As if it was normal for someone to try to kidnap him, and it only proves to make me wonder what in the world happened to him before he came here. His arm was close to completely healed, and finally had his cast removed and upgraded to a sling that he would more than often leave on a corner of the room while he was playing elsewhere. I would often accompany him to his electromagnetic therapy sessions every other day where he would have to sit still 20 min a day with his arm inside a round contraption that apparently emitted electromagnetic waves that would speed up the re-absorption of what Itachi had called "bone callous". I had no clue what he was talking about and only just nodded in feigned understanding. I would much rather leave all that medical stuff to him. As long as Naruto was healing and healthy, it could be kanji for all I cared.

Naruto was even so well recovered that he soon began talking about a new classmate that had graced his classroom. Gaara, as he told me the kid was named, had piqued his interest from the first day of his arrival. "He doesn't talk much at all," Naruto had signed to me as we were in one of his therapies, "but I know he's like me." He refused to tell me how that was so despite my constant egging. But if he really was like Naruto, then he was probable and annoying dork that liked to blabber on and on even if no one was paying attention to him. Which was partly untrue, because even when I become tired of Naruto's teasing, I always pay attention to him, even if I pretend not to. "You should invite him over one day." Itachi had suggested after about 2 weeks of Naruto's gushing over the kid. Even I had become rapidly interested in getting to know this mysterious child that had Naruto so excited. And it had nothing to do with jealousy, obviously. Naruto didn't skip a beat though, and the very next day he announced to everyone that Gaara would be gracing us with his presence the next day, and that the only reason he hadn't come that day was because his father was strict and that he had to ask for permission first.

Thus, I had found myself under Naruto's supervising glare as he demanded that the house be tidied up for his guest, and given that his arm was still "healing", only I could help him do it. Not the maids, not Tanaka, but me. "Sasuke has better taste," he had signed to a very confused Itachi. The soft chuckle that Itachi replied with served to keep me on edge for the rest of the afternoon.

The very pale, red-headed child that silently climbed out the car after Naruto surveyed the Manor stoically, his hands tightening around a rather worn-down brown leather backpack that betrayed his overall neat clothing the only sign of discomfort he gave. It wasn't long before his eyes fell on me and a sudden chill ran down my spine at the sight of his frosty baby blue eyes. His face was thin and you could tell even from afar that his eyes were somewhat sunken in, be it from the overall malnutrition he appeared to suffer, or lack of sleep. He was a good 5 inches shorter than Naruto, who seemed eager to let the frail boy into the house and begin their playdate. I was sure Naruto had said they were classmates, but he seemed younger. "Hey Sasuke, you're home early" he signs to me as they approach where I am standing by the main entrance. "We had a half-day," I lied in response. Given that Itachi had another 24 hour shift today I was not going to let Naruto stay alone with some new kid a full hour before my normal release from classes. Naruro kneeled down next to me and pulled a notebook out of his backpack. He proceeded to sit down on the steps and began scribbling something on a blank page, handing it over to the still silent guest who read it out-loud with a rather raspy voice that gave the impression he needed some water desperately. "This is my brother, Sasuke," he paused to study me from head to toe without giving even the slightest hint of expression on his face, " he looks angry at all the time but he's really nice." He handed the notebook back to a clearly amused blondie who was laughing his head off silently. "My name is Gaara." He stated dryly. "So we've been told nonstop for the past endless days. Don't let Naruto go too crazy, he tends to get overly excited when he has guests." He merely nods stiffly and out of the corner of my eye I couls have sworn I caught a glimpse of a red scar under his bangs, but he quickly tured around and followed a bouncint Naruto inside before I could get a better look.

Gaara and Naruto communicate mainly through notes, quick scrubbles whenever absolutely necessary, as if they could somehow know what the other tries to say without much need for written word. Regardless, every now and then Gaara tries to make a hand sign, to which Naruto answers gratefully. They had made the greenhouse their safehaven since walking in the front door, tending to the plants in mutual understanding as if it was something they had been doing together all their life. Kurama stares at them from one corner of the greenhouse and keeps his distance, which had become normal of him since the accident. When approached by Tanaka to ask for any sort of refreshments, he simply asked for a glass of water while Naruto asked for lemonade and chips. They ate in silence and continued to work in silence for so long that I was inclined in more than one occasion to check on them, since the absence of noise with children tends to signal misbehavior, however everytime I sneaked a peek they were still just silently gardening. "I wish father would let me have my cacti in a place like this," I heard him say during one of my checkups of them. I couldn't see what Naruto wrote to him, and the redhead didn't read it outloud this time. "No, he wouldnt approve." Was his reply before turning his attention back to the lemongrass he was weeding. I suddenly became very curious to know who his family was.

"They have our address right?" I asked Naruto for the third time as they sat on the front steps waiting for Gaara's ride to arrive. "Yes! Don't you have things to do inside?" Naruto signs as he rolls his eyes at me. Still, I refuse to leave and merely watch as they communicate in private via the notebook. The blue eyed redhead, despite being silent and polite, gave me a wierd feeling to be around. He didn't laugh, barely smiled, and spoke only to Naruto when they both thought they were alone. How, in the world, did Naruto get the idea that they were both the same?

The cold November afternoon soon began to turn into a chilly evening as the sun set before us. Tanaka stepped outside to offer our jackets as two headlights turned into the driveway and pulled to a stop in front of us. Gaara stood as in cue as the driver door opened and a tan man with an eyepatch walked around to open the backseat door closest to us. Naruto took a step forward but stopped and waved as Gaara turned to face us before climbing in. "See you tomorrow, and thank you for your hospitality." The driver closed the door behind the small redhead and gave us a small bow, not before looking Naruto from head to toe and giving a slight grimace that I didn't know how to explain. Was it disgust? Worry? Discomfort? Why would he look at my blondie that way. Naruto was still waving as the car pulled away and left the driveway. "Your friend is wierd." He glares at me as he stomps towards where I had sat back down. "Your friends are wierder and I have never complained!", he storms off before I could say anything in my defense.

I came back from school to find a flustered Itachi pacing back and forth in the living room, his laptop open and facing away from me. "How did Naruto's playdate go yesterday? He asks me with a voice that fails to hide his restlessness. "Fine, the kid is quiet but wellbehaved, I prefer him over Kiba." I answer sincerely as I take a seat on one of the sofas. "Did he mention his family at all?" He bites his inner cheek, realizing maybe too late that his question only served to ignite my own curiosity. "Can't say that he did...why, what do you know?" He shrugged and feigned a light laugh. "Just wondering about Naruto's new friend is all, you know, being overprotective." He pats my shoulder absentmindedly and closes his laptop before stating that he is very much sleep deprived and needs some rest. Naruto walks in with a platter of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and two glasses of milk, rendering me distracted as Itachi leaves the room. I do note, however, that I will need to check the security footage that he most probably has in his laptop later.

Jugo calls me after I text him the ok that Naruto is I am free to answer. I had reviewed the tapes directly from the main camera room, and after finding nothing noteable from the day before, texted Jugo with all the information I had about the redhead. If Itachi wasn't going to tell me, then I would find out on my own. I make my way outside to my balcony and prees the answer button as I close the door behind me. "Did you find anything?" Jugo sighs loudly, he probably had the phone right up against his cheek. "Nothing worth communicating, except to calm you down. There are a lot of people with eyepatches in this town, it's not like it's something that stands out in the crowd."

"And the kid?"

"Still working on that, but since he's new and his family probably has money considering he has a chauffeur, it not might be something I can find out easily." I assume he is dying to know why I have him digging information about a child, but Itachi doesn't do nervous for no reason. Maybe I missed something in the tapes? "Well, let if you find anything out, or if you can't. Either way, thank you." Jugo's breath hitches, he mustn't have been expecting me to express any form of gratitude.

"Right." He hangs up without another word, and I can bet he is probably very flushed right now.

I walk back inside despite my inicial intent of staying in the balcony, but the winds were freezing and they quickly turned my still damp hair into popsicles. Tiptoeing past a sleeping ball of orange pijamas I make my way to the living room, where Itachi si once again staring at his laptop, his eyes gleaming as they shift towards me the moment I walk through the threshold. "It's still early for me." I cut him off as he opens his mouth, probably about to scold me for being awake still. He sends me a small smirk and closes his laptop slowly, as if to make me not realize he was doing it because of my presence there. "You're a growing boy, 17 might be old for you but I still see you as my baby brother." I scowl at him from a distance despite the growing warmth his words left in my chest. "However, I, on the other hand, am exhausted, I can never really recover my lost sleep from those long shifts." He pokes my head as he passes by, winking as he goes. As if I hadn't noticed the worry in his eyes and the slight tremble of his hand. Whatever it was that had him worrying, was starting make me worry too.