He woke up. He slowly raised his eyelids. His vision sharpened.

He found himself in a wooden room, in a warm, cozy bed. Birds were chirping outside, and the sun was shining through the windows, lighting up the room.

He felt dizzy at first, but then his memories started popping up.

He widened eyes - the last thing he remembered was how he and Naruto blasted that black demon, Kurokami!

He got dreaded and leaped up, but winched in pain, touching his bandaged chest.

He looked at it.

It was the wound he got when protecting her... from that blast of immense black energy...

Yet he was still alive... and he even managed to defeat that black demon...

He sighed and looked at his hand.

"Oh, you're awake?" he suddenly heard familiar voice of a young, playful woman. The voice sounded surprised, and happy at the same time.

He startled and looked up, his heart bouncing with joy - it was Lao!

She was in the room, right in front of him, grinning kindly. She had the same white cloak wrapped around her, and was dressed in black clothes as before. The gourd he had gifted her was on her thigh as always. It pleased him.

"You're alright..." he murmured, beaming happily. He was relieved to see her being fine - he was really worried about her while himself was blacked out and journeyed through the spirit world and inside Diyuma's mind. He constantly thought of what would happen to Lao when Diyuma was released after battle.

"Duh, don't worry, I'm not completely lame to be that easily beaten," Lao chuckled, crossing her arms. But then she smilingly sat on the edge of Gaara's bed and gazed upon him with loving eyes, caressing him on cheek: "But really... I do owe you... for saving my life back there... again..." she giggled.

Gaara chuckled, touching her hand, feeling soothed when it pressed upon his cheek.

"So..." he finally spoke, looking around, "I assume we won?" he smiled.

"Yes," Lao beamed back, "It is because you and Naruto made it," she caressed his red hair, "I and all of my siblings are grateful to you both, and your whole team of great friends, for helping us so much... It is really important for us..." she sighed, bitterly smiling, "I'm happy we met you all... Now we can be calm, knowing that there are people who will come to help us when we are in need... That we are not alone in this world anymore... And that we will finally be able to rebuild our village peacefully, and revive our clan..." she beamed to him. 

Hearing this, Gaara first smiled, but then he saddened, looking down.

"So, this means..." he glanced up at her, "You will have to go?"

Lao sighed.

"Yes..." she quietly answered.

Gaara looked down again.

Suddenly he saw a deep red rose stretched out to him. He widened eyes and looked up at Lao in astonishment. The woman was kindly smiling, maternal gaze in her black eye...

Gaara slowly raised his hand and touched the rose, taking it, and pressing it to his chest.

"That rose is fused with my chakra..." Lao said, "It will never dry out, and will live forever, to let you remember me..."

Sweet beam covered Gaara's face.

"And I fused this orchid with my chakra too, the day I received it from you," Lao took out the beautiful orchid Gaara gifted to her earlier, when they were in the sandy town. "I will cherish it forever, until I die, and in my reincarnations with Diyuma..." she said, pressing the orchid to her heart, "And this gourd you gave me... I will always have it on my thigh, just like you told me... So I can feel your sand forever with me, and feel your essence beside me..." her eye twinkled.

Gaara smiled to her, and their lips softly touched each other...

Then Lao left Gaara alone, so he could prepare himself.

Gaara got up and put on his clothes, then looking into the mirror. He was holding the red rose Lao had given him, and was watching himself in the mirror, apparently comparing himself to the rose.

He then spotted his red spiky hair, and recalled Lao's lovely nickname she had given him - 'cutie redhead'...

He chuckled slightly, being amused.

He put the rose in a safe place so he could keep it tenderly, and walked out.

They were in the Land of Lightning, in a port. The ship had already arrived. It had big letters on it: 'Super Ocean Express'.

A lot of people with bags were ascending the ship that was going to depart soon.

The friends were standing on the dock, ready to see the Shin-Lin siblings and their new comrade Kokujin off.

They were embracing and kissing each other.

"It was great to meet you!" Naruto grinned, "Maybe you can visit us some other time in the future!"

"We will definitely do!" Shao Lin grinned back, bumping fists with him, "It was awesome for us too".

"See you later, Sasuke," Mao Shin kindly beamed to Sasuke, "I was really glad to meet you after all the stories Itachi had told me about you. I hope we can meet some other time again..."

"It was pleasure for me as well," Sasuke shook her hand, "Please, when you get to talk with Itachi again, thank him from me, for everything he has done..."

Mao beamed.

"Sure".

Dao and Chao were talking to Sakura.

"You're really amazing medical ninja, Sakura," Dao smiled, "I had great time with you and your friends. I hope we can meet again someday, and get to work together once more..."

"It would be great to see you guys again," Chao added.

"Well then, don't hesitate and visit us!" Sakura kindly beamed, "We're always glad to have you!"

Nao shook Sasuke's hand.

"I hope we can spar in swordsmanship some time in the future. I never got to see your true sword skills," Nao smirked.

Sasuke chuckled.

"With pleasure," he said.

"Thanks for all your help, Shikamaru," Kokujin smiled to the Leaf ninja, "It is because of you guys we prevailed. And I'm amazed by your leading skills, as well as your keen mind," he shook his hand.

"Thanks a lot. You're a really skilled shinobi too," Shikamaru replied, "Good luck with your goals".

"Goodbye girls, and good luck! We wish you to fulfill all your dreams and goals!" Hinata and Sakura smiled to Tao, Gao, Mao and Dao.

"Goodbye! Thanks a lot for your help!" the Shin girls smilingly waved to them.

All of the seven Shin-Lin siblings waved goodbye to their Leaf friends and walked up on the ship. Kokujin did the same.

Only Lao stayed on the dock. She sighed and looked up at Gaara, bitter smile covering her face.

"Well, this is it..." she said, blushing, looking down.

Gaara was watching her calmly.

Suddenly she felt how his hand touched her on the cheek.

She startled and looked up at him. Gaara was watching her with eyes full of love and care.

She sadly beamed and touched his hand, tear falling off her eye.

"Do not grieve..." she heard Gaara's calm, deep voice, "As long as my sand is with you, I will always protect you..."

Lao bitterly giggled, tears falling off her eyes. She took out a small wooden comb and put it in Gaara's hand.

Gaara surprisedly looked at it.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Fir-tree comb... I made it for you..." Lao blushed, looking up at him, "Since you gifted me your sand gourd, I decided to give you something too, to let you feel my presence... And as the sand gourd symbolizes your village, the Hidden Sand, I decided to give you this wooden comb, symbolizing my village, the Hidden Fir..." she giggled, "I hope you like it... It will always care for your cute red hair while I'm gone, and will keep it beautiful..." she caressed him on hair.

Gaara chuckled.

"Thanks," he held the comb tightly, "I will cherish it..."

They were staring into each other's eyes, reading each other's emotions and feelings out of them.

Then suddenly Lao couldn't hold it anymore and burst out into tears. She grabbed Gaara and hugged him, cuddling with him tightly.

"I'll miss you!" she sobbed out.

Gaara first got astonished by her sudden burst of emotions, but then he sighed and caressed her on head, then hugging her tightly.

"I will miss you too, Lao..."

Naruto and his friends were watching them, as well as the Shin-Lin siblings and Kokujin from above, off the ship.

The ship gave a call of departure. Lao tightly squeezed Gaara one last time, and then gifted him a sweet smile, stepping back, and then ascending the ship, which took off to the sea.

The Leaf ninja were waving hands to the Fir ninja. Lao looked back, and waved hands to Gaara from the ship, smiling, tears wetting her cheeks at the same time.

Gaara waved back to her, and then calmly walked off, his heart beating heavily from so much emotions... He felt sad, really sad... But, at the same time, joyful... Joyful for experiencing the feeling of romantic love...

The Leaf ninja walked back as well, talking to each other, and having fun.

"They were good guys after all," Sakura noted, smiling.

"Yeah, can't argue with that," Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, chuckling.

"I hope they'll return someday..." Naruto beamed, and looked forward.

Gaara was walking in front of them.

"Anyway, it was a good experience," Shikamaru stated, "Now I'll tell Temari how her brother finally fell in love..." he chuckled.

"Oh yeah, but don't make it too public, they still parted, you know," Naruto smiled, putting hands on the back of his head, "But I'm happy for him. He always wondered about love".

"Yeah, even Sasuke got to have a girlfriend, why should he have stayed single?" Shikamaru chuckled.

"Ha ha!" Sakura pouted, hearing this kind of stuff about her beloved boyfriend.

Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't even care.

Gaara stopped and looked back.

"You're talking about me behind my back, aren't you?"

Naruto froze on place.

Shikamaru laughed seeing Naruto's reaction, and turned to Gaara.

"Relax, it's not bad stuff".

Gaara chuckled, and waited for them, picking up the pace together with them.

"I see. Well then, tell me".

And so they walked on...