Alright, so here's the seventh chapter, it's a sooner update than the last chapter, so I hope you enjoy and that it meets your standards.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto or any of the characters from the show. I do, however, own Anya and Ashlynn, and Venus and Silver are owned by two of my friends, as stated in the last chapter, try to steal them at your physical health.

Gaara of the Desert

Chapter 7

As Anya slept in my arms as we traveled, I was arguing with Shukaku about what it was that I was feeling for the girl in my arms.

You should listen to me kid, I know what I'm talking about.

Quiet Demon, I don't need any of your advice on anything.

Of course you don't. So, what is it that you're feeling for the sightless one?

I…I don't know.

See, you should listen to me. I know what it is you're feeling. I can tell you why you're having trouble concentrating on things, why you're stomach feels knotted up, why you're heart skips a beat. But if you don't want to listen to me, that's fine.

Fine you stupid Demon, tell me, what is it that I'm feeling for Anya.

You my young host are in love with the girl.

That caught me off guard, I think that I almost dropped Anya, but luckily for her and myself, I didn't. It was strange for me to think about being in love. I'd never known love, I didn't know what it was like, or how I'm supposed to know that I'm in love, but maybe, just maybe, Shukaku could be right.

Of course I'm right.

Stop doing that you stupid Demon.

I'm right admit it.

Fine you're right.

Tell me, what am I right about?

Oh, be quiet. Tell me why it is that you didn't come out and attack when I was unconscious for those three days?

I don't know, I tried, but something wouldn't let me out. Like I was in a cage, I didn't like it at all.

It was at this time that Anya began talking, I thought she'd woken up, but it seemed that she was talking in her sleep. I listened to her as we continued on our way; we were now half way there.

"Don't…please, I don't…don't leave me." Who was she talking about? She's never done this before, why is she doing it now? Her hand gripped my shirt as she muttered, "Gaara."

I was shocked, I will admit it. She was afraid I'd leave her while I was afraid that she'd walk away from me. I looked down at this girl as I continued to travel and I could tell that I was growing a soft spot for this girl.

I was dreaming of him, dreaming of him walking away like so may others had done to me. It hurt that my subconscious would show me this, because I had imagined this many times, but had told myself that it wouldn't happen.

In my mind, I stood there watching, trying to wake up, but unable to, with the girls standing behind me. They were trying to comfort me, I suppose as they stood far enough away that I could have some privacy, but close enough so that I knew I had their support. Ashlynn, Silver, Venus, they were all too good to me, caring for me in their own ways. Ways that only they could pull off, but that's what I liked about them.

I could feel the movement of Gaara and myself jumping through the trees. I suppose that my subconscious was letting me wake. I could vaguely hear Gaara growling, he was probably talking to Shukaku. I was falling back to sleep, but I was talking in my sleep, I didn't really want him to hear it but I knew he did anyway.

"Don't…please, I don't…don't leave me. Gaara."

As I watched my dream, I couldn't help by cry a little at the realization that it could happen again. Another person could walk away from me and I wouldn't know the reason why.

"He won't leave you."

"Silver's right, he won't leave. He cares about you too much to leave you."

"Thanks Silver, Ashlynn."

"Plus, if he does, one of us will just go kick his ass. Possibly kill him."

"No Venus, you won't. I'll just have to accept the fact that there is one more person who doesn't want me if he leaves. Just like with mom."

"You won't have to because he's not going to leave you."

"Thanks Silver. I appreciate the effort and support."

"We're always here, obviously, if you ever want to talk."

"I know Ash, I know."

"We'll talk some sense into him if need be."

"Haha, you just talk, that's funny V."

"Shut up Ash, I am capable of doing so. I don't always attack people."

"No, but that's what you mainly do."

"Is not."

"Really? Name one time in which you didn't attack someone before actually saying something."

"Yes, really. How about when S and I met the red head, I didn't attack him."

"Only because Silver had already done so."

"Well, that's true."

"See, that's my point. You attack people before you say anything, you try to scare them out of their minds and then they don't understand what it is that you're telling them. Therefore you get even angrier and more often than not kill said person."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not!"

"Too!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"Ashlynn, Venus!"

"What!"

"Stop fighting, please."

Ashlynn and Venus turned back to each other and mock glared. "Fine."

"Alright."

Anya smiled; this was a normal occurrence, Ashlynn and Venus fighting. It was rather amusing, until it gave her a headache, then it was just annoying. Their little squabble had gotten her mind off of what her subconscious was trying to do to her. For that she was thankful.

"I think that it's time for you to wake up Anya." Silver said softly.

Anya smiled, "Yeah, I suppose so."

I looked down at Anya, she was still sleeping, it was surprising considering that we were jumping through trees. I figured that it'd have jostled her awake, but I hadn't. We are now almost there and it's around two in the afternoon. She'd probably be happy about that; we'd be there a day early. As I landed on the ground Anya began to stir, well, what do you know, I think about her and she knows. It's a bit strange.

"Gaara?" She asked softly.

"Hn."

"How much longer?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Whether we walk or jump."

"Walking?"

"An hour to an hour and forty-five minutes."

"Jumping?"

"Forty-five minutes."

Anya smiled against my shoulder. "Can we continue jumping, or do you want to put me down?"

"We can keep jumping if you'd like that." I replied. I was going to let her choose, I was not about to tell her that I didn't want to put her down. I continued walking as we spoke to each other, ready to comply with whatever she wanted.

"I wanna get there soon." She mumbled.

I chuckled, yes, chuckled and murmured, "Jumping it is then."

I woke to find that Gaara had jumped to the ground and was now walking, wonder how much longer we have till we get there.

"Gaara?" I asked softly.

"Hn."

"How much longer?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Whether we walk or jump."

"Walking?"

"An hour to an hour and forty-five minutes."

"Jumping?"

"Forty-five minutes."

I smiled, "Can we continue jumping, or do you want to put me down?" Let's see what he says, shall we?

"We can keep jumping if you'd like that." He replied. So, he wasn't going to say anything.

"I wanna get there soon." I mumbled.

He chuckled, actually chuckled before murmuring, "Jumping it is then."

Yes, jumping it is, that way I can stay in his arms. I did not just think that, nope, not at all. Anyway, I watched the surroundings as we began jumping through the trees again. It was really beautiful, watching the trees fly by. You know, it really doesn't seem like forty-five minutes, but it had passed and soon I was being placed on my feet.

"What is your business here?" asked a voice that I assume belonged to a guard.

"We are here upon the request of the Hokage." I heard Gaara replied.

"Who are you?" Stupid guard.

"I'm the Kazekage." Gaara growled.

"Oh!" The guard sounded surprised and scared. "Kazekage-sama! I'm so sorry, go right in."

"That's what I thought." Gaara mumbled under his breath.

I smiled and we walked through what I can assume was a gate. It wasn't more than five minutes after we were walking through the streets of Konoha that Naruto could be heard.

"GAARA! ANYA! YOU'RE HERE!" And then we were tackled, or at least I was.

"Hey Naru-kun." I said. "Hey, you wanna do me a favor?" He was practially laying on me, crushing my lungs.

"What?" I could hear the grin in his voice as he spoke.

"Get off, please." I gasped. "I need to breathe."

"Oh," He sounded sheepish as he got up and helped me to get up. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright, I'm good. Nothing's broken." I said as I brushed off dirt from my clothes. "So, who's all in this crowd of people you got following you. Wait, let me guess."

"Ok." Was the response I received from Naruto.

"Alright, let's see, there's….Neji?"

There was a noise that confirmed my suspicion.

"Uh, hm…Shika-kun?"

"This is troublesome, just let Nautro tell you who's here."

"No, that takes the fun out of it…uhm," I paused as I stepped closer to the person I was trying to identify and got a lick on the cheek. "Ah, Kiba and Akumaru!"

"Hey." Kiba said, I could hear the grin in his voice and smiled as Akumaru barked.

I turned to the next person, and thought about it, "Hinata."

"H-hi, Anya."

I turned to the final person and thought about it. I didn't know who this person was, I didn't meet him when they came to Suna. "I don't know you." I stated.

The person just stared at me, not saying anything and I stared, as well as I could, back at him.

"Bugs?" I asked softly.

"Hn." Was the only response I got.

"Do you have a name or should I just continue to call you something that has to do with bugs?"

"Anya, this is-"

"Ah, no. Don't tell me."

The unnamed boy gave a short chuckle at me. "My name is Shino."

I gave a smile, "It's nice to meet you Shino."

"Hn."

"So, Anya, has Grandma Tsunade's operation worked at all?"

I turned back to Naruto and grinned. "Yeah, it has. I can see in black and white at the moment, but soon I should be able to see in full color soon." I felt Gaara tense beside me and gently grabbed his hand to keep him standing where he was at. I could feel the others' eyes look down at our hands, but I paid them no attention.

"So what are we going to do?" I asked with a smile.

"Well, I don't think we actually thought that far ahead." Naruto said and I could tell that he had his hand behind his head.

I snorted, "Boys."

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"Dunno what there is to do, I'm not from here, remember?"

Naruto said something, but I wasn't paying attention as I turned my head to stare, as if I could, at whatever it was that was staring at me. I hate that feeling you get when someone stares at you, it's unnerving.

"Anya…Anya!" Gaara hissed at me.

"What?" I asked, not turning my head.

"What are you attempting to look at?"

"Someone was watching me. I felt it and I don't like it."

"There are a lot of people looking at you." Shika muttered lazily.

"I know that, I can feel their stares, but this one was extremely unnerving. It's still there, whoever it is. They're still staring at me."

"Can you describe their aura?" Neji asked.

"Dark, troubled, confused, and…sad." Anya said softly. "Deeply troubled, he's longing for something."

"How can you tell it's a guy?" Hinata asked.

"Masculine and feminine auras have different feelings to me, they just feel different when I encounter them."

"Oh."

It was at this moment that my stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten at all today.

"Where can we get some food?" I asked, slowly turning my head back to the group. I could feel the worried looks they were giving me and huffed at them. "What?"

"It's just a bit strange that someone no one can see is staring at you." Gaara said, he was really tense and that usually meant that he wasn't happy.

I squeezed his hand reassuringly, "Don't worry about it too much. But can we eat, I haven't had anything to eat all day."

"Don't you find it weird that someone was, and possibly still is staring at you?" Naruto asked.

"Not really, but can we please drop it for now?" I whined.

"Alright, I'll take you two to Ichiraku's." Naruto said with a grin.

"Great!" I exclaimed.

"We'll catch up with you guys later." Naruto said to the others.

"Bye!" I exclaimed again. As Naurto, Gaara, and I walked away, I 'glanced' back to the hidden person who was staring at me, nodding my head in silent greeting before turning back to Naruto who was talking animatedly about the ramen at Ichiraku's.


So, Anya has a stalker. Can you guess who it is? I think that I make it pretty obvious, but then again, I'm the authoress and I know exactly what is going to happen. Well, that's a lie, I don't even know exactly what is going to happen because I'm still trying to figure the story out itself. So what happens happens andI hope ya'll like it.

Elven-Fire-Princess