Gaara's Death
Gaara woke up in a wasteland, with no sign of life in sight, just the cracked earth around him.
'Where am I?' Gaara thought as he looked around.
"Hello, Gaara-kun." A voice greeted him and he looked to where the voice came from.
The voice belonged to a woman with brown hair and the moment Gaara set his eyes on her, he knew exactly who she was.
"Mother…" Gaara trailed off before breaking into tears and hugging her.
"It's okay now, Gaara." She said as she hugged him and stroked his hair. "I haven't held you since you were a baby."
"I missed you." Gaara said as he pulled away from the hug and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"I missed you too, Gaara-kun." She wiped a rogue tear away. "You've grown… so much… I wish I was there for you, Gaara-kun." She reached out to touch Gaara's tattoo but Gaara grabbed her hand.
"I would have only disappointed you."
"Nonsense, Gaara, you're my son-"
"I killed people! Some of them didn't even deserve to die, but I killed them anyway!" Gaara exclaimed.
"So you made mistakes, good people make mistakes all the time, it doesn't mean they're not good it just means they're human." Gaara released her hand to allow her to touch the tattoo on his forehead. "I'm very disappointed that you got a tattoo at such young age." His mother made a fake serious expression and soon she broke into laughter upon seeing Gaara's confused face. "I'm joking, Gaara."
"Temari and Kankuro are much like you." Gaara said.
"I am quite tired of standing. Can we move?"
"Move to where?"
"Over there." She pointed to an oasis that wasn't there when Gaara had first looked around.
"Hn." Gaara nodded and followed his mother to the oasis where he stood underneath a tree while she sat with her feet in the water.
"Oh, Gaara, the water feels so good… now tell me about you and your siblings. Does Temari still bully Kankuro?"
"She hits him when he does something stupid."
"I swear no matter how many years pass those two will never change." Karura sighed.
"But we are a close knit family now."
"That is good to hear, I hate it when familes try to kill each other… but please continue, I want to know what's going on in my children's lives."
"Kankuro's... Kankuro and Temari has a crush on this Konoha boy… he's lazy but smart."
"Oh… watch them for me would you, Gaara?"
"I'd rather not." Gaara said flatly and Karura gave a light laugh. "Is something funny?"
"You are so much like your father."
"I'm nothing like him." Gaara said coldly.
"On the contrary, you only knew your father as Kazekage but I knew him before that, when he was still a normal shinobi and he was much like you, cold and distant exterior but underneath all that he was a soft-hearted and caring person."
"Then why did he try to have me killed? Why did he rob me of a normal life?!" Gaara exclaimed.
"Because he loved you."
"How is that love?"
"You were a premature baby, Gaara. Not many premature baby boys survive so your father sealed Shukaku in you in hopes that it would keep you alive. Unfortunately as the years went by you couldn't control Shukaku and your father had a duty to fulfill to the people and that was to keep them safe."
"From the monster he created."
"Gaara, you ever wondered why he always sent assassins rather than killing you himself?"
"Because he was a coward."
"Because he couldn't bear the thought of killing you so he allowed the elders to send assassins after you knowing full well that they will die."
"So…"
"He made Yashamaru try and kill you that night, you needed to be strong enough to keep Shukaku sealed… I may not agree with the methods but your father did what he had to do to protect you and the village."
Gaara remained silent for a moment.
"Gaara, I want you to know that no matter happens or whatever you did in the past I will always love you."
"I…"
Karura stood up and gave Gaara a hug.
"I wish I could stay with you, Gaara."
"Why can't you?"
"They're calling you."
"Who?"
"Them." Karura pointed to the horizon where Gaara saw the silhouettes of his siblings and friends.
"Come with me."
"I'm sorry, Gaara-kun, but they're calling you not me."
"I'm calling you." Gaara said and Karura gave him a tear-filled smile.
"It doesn't work that way, Gaara."
"Then I'll stay here."
"You can't."
"Why not?"
"They need you, Gaara."
"And I need you." Gaara said and hugged his mother.
"You'll always have me, Gaara." Karura said and kissed Gaara's tattoo. "Never forget that, Gaara." She said as she walked away from Gaara only letting their hands touch before Gaara began walking away as well.
"Goodbye, Mother." Gaara said and once she disappeared Gaara crouched down and began to cry as his gourd reappeared on his back and he suddenly changed into the child version of himself.
"GAARA!" a voice screamed but Gaara didn't take note until a hand was placed on his shoulder causing him to turn and see that it was Naruto. In the next moment Gaara's eyes shot open and he instantly knew he was back in reality.
