A/N: Fine, I'll TRY not to make so many cliffies, but it was just for fun. I wanted to see how you guys reacted to them. Anyway, here's the third chapter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A Cat's Goth-Blood

Chapter three: No

By: Goth-Vampire Ninja

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gaara was taken aback but then answered, "No, you wouldn't. But don't think I would even think of using it on you," in his monotone voice.

Sakura looked annoyed, "Why not? Wouldn't you attack, even if I attack you first?" Sakura took out a kunai and threw it lazily at him, she knew his sand would deflect it, and it did.

"Sakura, I have no intentions of killing you, got it?" he answered. "It's non of my concern if you want to die, but I refuse to do it for you. Now stop this non-sense before you get hurt or in trouble," he said calmly.

Sakura growled, "Listen, you had no problem with killing me when we were kids, so why do you hesitate now?"

"That is in the past, when we didn't know each other, it's different now," he answered. He carefully examined Sakura, she had a scowl on her face and she looked murderous and lifeless. "Sakura, what happened? I've never seen you like this, not ever since your parents died," he asked worriedly, well, you could only tell he was worried if you knew him very well, like Sakura did.

"The-the little spark of hope that kept me alive vanished," she whispered. "Not even ashes are left, but that's my fault. My fault for believing in false hopes. My fault for believing that one day Sasuke would learn to love a little weakling like me," she whispered, she had her head bowed and her bangs obscured her face.

"Sakura…" he started, but he didn't get to finish.

"NO!" Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs, "I don't want your pity, I've received enough from everyone else to make me sick, don't you, of all people, dare add to that!" Sakura got up and took out kunai and shuriken. "Fine, if you won't kill me willingly, I'll make you kill me," and she charged.

Gaara's eyebrows furrowed, "Sakura, stop this drivel now," he said, well, more like: commanded in a very firm and superior voice. He was standing now, and very peacefully, while his sand blocked everything, which annoyed the heck out of Sakura even more.

"NO," Sakura screamed.

Gaara, now annoyed, made a signal with his hands and sand flew out at Sakura and covered her arms and legs completely, therefore, immobilizing her. She growled in frustration. "Sakura, give it up. I. Will. Not. Kill you. Now, stop trying to kill yourself just because you made a mistake in your past. You won't be blamed for that, and you shouldn't end your life just because Uchiha is not in it. Just live with what you have," Gaara said, and released her.

She fell to her knees and Gaara watched her. He was less than an inch away from her, and in an instant, she had jumped up and embraced him. He was wide eyed and still as a rock as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. "Thank you," she whispered. Gaara felt…well, to say he felt awkward would have been a huge understatement. So he just stood there, still as a rock, for a couple of minutes until he gathered enough security to slowly and reassuringly raise his arms and wrap them around her torso.

"Just forget about him," he said. "You're not weak, you don't need him. And if you ever need protection, I'll be there, you just have to call me." He withdrew his arms and reached inside a fold in his shirt. He took out a little necklace with a tiny bottle hanging from it, and slipped it around her neck once she had pulled away. "The main reason I came here was to give you this for your birthday. Inside there is some sand that is bonded with the one that protects me, so every time you're in danger, just call me in your mind and I'll come."

"Really?" Sakura asked seriously.

"Yes."

"Well, just so you know, I'll change from now on. I won't depend on others as much and I'll train harder to become stronger. That way, I will never have to call you to protect me," she said determinedly, "I'll become a totally different person."

"Good, now we must leave, it's getting dark already," he said, with a monotone. Sakura stood next to him and in seconds, his sand had carried them back to Konoha.

A/N: Ok, I know this chapter sucks, but I have a good excuse. See, I was dared to write this with the help of a romance-loving girl, and if I didn't do it, I would have to fight one of my friends, Jager, in a sparring match. And, well, let's just say that every time I fight him, I end up pinned to the ground. So…Sorry for the sucky chapter.

GVN –out-