Hiya everyone! Here's another Naruto fan fic for your pleasure (or displeasure). I'm sorry it's so short, but I've been writing a lot recently and I'm running out of steam. I promise I'll try to make the future chapters longer. So yeah, this is another Gaara x Sakura story for all of you GaaSaku lovers out there. It's supposed to be another dark story (because I love dark stories) filled with angst, and romance, and of course, a good share of violence.

Also, this is going to be my last fan fic for a while guys. I know I have a REALLY bad habit of writing new stories and taking years to complete my old ones. Now that I've overreached my goal of 20 fics, my new goal is to finish what I already started—that being my other fics. Anyway, I really hope you guys like this story. If you want updates please review or something so I know. And, as always, thanks for your support!

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You know what you are, don't you my son?

A demon.

That's why I've locked you down here. So you can't hurt others.

This is your home. Best get used it…

… because this where you'll be staying for as long as you breathe.

Sakura's POV

Sakura Haruno sat on her bed in silence. She did not feel like getting up, so she didn't. In fact, she lacked any real interest in doing anything these days. What's the point? It's the same monotonous routine of waking up, getting ready for school, coming home, eating supper, finishing up class assignments, and finally going to sleep just so you can repeat the humdrum process the very next day. Luckily, it was Friday. No school. Unlike other countries or villages, the Leaf Village required students to attend lessons for only four days of the week. Of course, that meant extended class periods, but the students did not seem to mind since they got an extra day for themselves. Really, it made no difference to her. She had no close friends to hang out with, and her best friend Ino had started to become chummy with those annoying Hyuga and Tenten girls, ever since… that episode last month. So she spent most of her time at home when not in school, messing around with whatever she could find within the confines of this pigsty of a room.

"Big Sis, c'mon! It's time to get up."

Sakura flinched as her bedroom door was unexpectedly slammed open. An adolescent girl three years her junior leaned against the doorsill with crossed arms. She shot her older sister with a meaningful stare, a glint of disappointment in those dark brown eyes. Sakura scoffed—the last thing she needed was to be judged, especially by her of all people.

"Not now Akane," she grumbled.

"Yes now! You've been in bed, like, most of the afternoon, and it's time to get up already. Besides, Ma said if you don't come down soon, she's gonna have Pa cut off your allowance. So c'mon! Get your lazy butt up!"

Akane marched barefoot across the length of the champagne pink carpet and started hopping on Sakura's mattress. They used to do that as kids for fun, but now it just irritated the shit out of her, and her baby sister knew it.

"Cut it out, Akane," she warned through a growl.

"Make me!"

The blonde haired girl's response was to jump even higher and harder, while ignoring the old bed's protests as its springs squeaked dangerously beneath her weight.

"I said CUT IT OUT!"

Without warning, the pink haired kunoichi threw off her eiderdowns and fiercely pounced on the unsuspecting Akane. They tumbled to the floor, their limbs flying haphazardly as they scratched, choked, yanked each other's hair, got rug burns and spat nasty words at one another. Akane treasured every moment of it, though; after all, it's been a while since she'd participated in a decent scuffle. Lost in the chaos, they missed noticing their mother standing in the doorway. She had arrived in time to witness her eldest daughter ball her fingers into a fist and raise it above her head, prepared to smash in her younger sister's face.

"Sakura Haruno, don't you dare lower that fist on your sister!" she bellowed.

The two girls instantly ceased their fighting, surprised. Mebuki regarded her two daughters with a pained expression.

"I came up here to see what all the ruckus was about, but I never thought it'd be my two girls going at it like feral dogs. Anyone care to fill me in on the hell happened?"

Both sisters looked at each other, then at their mother, and blurted out simultaneously, "It's her fault! She started it!"

Mebuki slowly blew out a gust of air in her vexation. Her patience was finally wearing thin.

"Girls… How many times do I have to tell you, no fighting in the house? I have too much to do today and not enough time. I have neither the will nor patience to be dealing with you two right now. Understand?"

"Yes," they both mumbled, withering under Mebuki's reprimanding tone.

Mebuki placed a hand on her forehead, trying to massage the newly formed headache away.

Girls will be girls, I suppose.

Confident that her daughters had learned their lesson for the day, she ordered, "Akane, honey, do me a favor and go help your father. He's tiling the downstairs bathroom floor. God knows we can't afford to have any repeats of what happened last time. And you, Sakura… I want you to get dressed, eat something, and stay outside until I call you in for supper."

"What!" Akane exclaimed. She pointed to her sister. "How come she doesn't have to do any chores?"

"Because, unlike you, she's a straight A student who doesn't cause mischief whenever it's convenient for her! Not to mention, aside from school," Mebuki said as she redirected her attention on Sakura, "you haven't been out of this room for nearly a month. I'm starting to worry you're not getting enough sun... Your skin does seem a lot paler… Anyway, let's get moving!"

Grunting angrily, her youngest daughter shot her with an indignant glare that would only make Scarface proud as she stomped out of the room to do as she was asked, while the other headed for the bathroom to take a shower, most likely. Checking the time on Sakura's digital alarm clock, Mebuki realized it was time for her to return to work as well.