Meanwhile Zaku had lead Sasuke and the others through the woods to the mansion

Meanwhile Zaku had lead Sasuke and the others through the woods to the mansion. They stared in horror at the bloody corpse that was Dosu. Sasuke however stared at the mansion, his hands clenched and unclenched his fury obvious. After a few tries they broke open the door (which had been locked at that time) and rushed in shouting at the top of their lungs. Their voices quickly died as they surveyed the empty hall that was as silent as a cemetery.

"O…kay," Kiba said skeptically. "This is throughly disappointing. Where's the Demon?"

"You can all take whatever you want, but leave the Demon to me." Sasuke's tone was so harsh that none of the other dared defy him. As the guys spread out to search the first floor Sasuke went up the stairs. His intuition told him that the Demon was near and as he walked through the hallway that feeling increased. When he reached a set of mohogany doors he felt the hair on the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and shivered from the cold coming from the room before him. The Demon was in there, he knew it. Kicking open the door he stepped into the freezing cold room, inside he saw broken glass scattered about the floor as well as the broken remnants of a chair and there in the balcony doorway stood the object of his hatred. "So you do exist." Sasuke said gazing at the red haired figure of a man.

Slowly the man turned to him. Sasuke's eyes widened and he couldn't keep a tremble of fear from running through his body. On one half of the man's pale face his skin was thick and sandy colored with purple veins running beneath it, which extended into a large ear that resembled a racoon's. The man scowled exposing sharp fangs on the same side of his jaw as his monsterous face. On the opposite side of his body his arm had the same look as his face and was as thick around as a tree trunk and ended with dagger like claws. However what frightened Sasuke the most was his eyes. The one blue one that was ringed with black was as cold as ice, the other was black with a golden iris and in them Sasuke could see all of the bloodshed that the Demon had caused.The man sounded irritated. "I don't have the patience to deal with you right now. I'll tell you once, leave my home now." He turned back to the balcony.

Sasuke's hands clenched into fists and he scoffed. "But you had patience enough for my brother didn't you?"

The man turned back and looked Sasuke over with those eyes. "I thought you looked familiar." He said, his voice emotionless. "I remember your brother, he wasn't much of a challenge. It was over far too quickly, I didn't get much enjoyment out of his death."

Sasuke's hands clenched so tight that his palms bled, his blood flowed freely, thick with his rage. "I've dreamed of this day, ever since my brother's death. The day I have my revenge and see you die." He ground his teeth together. "I never thought I would face you for another reason."

The Demon turned to face him. "And what might that reason be?" He sounded as bored as ever.

"The fate of the woman I love," Sasuke spat. "Zakuro Fujiwara. I've come to break whatever demonic spell you have over her."

The Demon was unfazed. He stared at Sasuke with those horrible eyes, standing as still as a monsterous statue. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said slowly, turning once more to the balcony.

"Really," Sasuke sneered. "Then why does this ring tell me otherwise?" Reaching into his pocket he threw the diamond ring to the Demon.

He caught it in his human hand, moving so quickly that it appeared as if he hadn't moved at all. Staring at it in his palm his eyes widened in disbelief. "Where did you get this?"

"From Zakuro."

The Demon's eyes never left the ring. "She…she just gave it away?"

Sasuke realized that he'd hit a weakness in that demon's façade. "Yes," He lied. "She couldn't stand to have it any longer. She told me that she didn't want anything to remind her of the monster she'd encountered. She went on to beg me to free her from the hold you have on her. 'Please,' she pleaded. 'I don't want to live in fear, he'll come for me and take me away from you Sasuke. Please save me from that monster.' And that's just what I plan to do, I made a promise to Zakuro to free her. And at long last my brother's soul will be at peace."

Gaara's long white fingers closed over the ring. He started breathing heavily, his hands trembling. He felt as if someone had plunged a knife through his heart, forming a wound so large that it would never heal. How could she? He had trusted Zakuro to keep the ring with her always and to remember the time they had shared. He had given more of his soul to her than he could've ever imagined that he could give to another person. He thought that she would've seen through his cold demeanor to how much he cared about her. But no, she'd broken a promise, she feared him, she thought he was a monster. Just like Yashamaru. And instead she loved another. Why did he expect anything else?

He turned to face the dark haired intruder. Gaara's pain instantly vanished, the hole in his heart numbing over. Once again he gave himself up to the darkness in his soul, craving that powerful ecstasy that killing could give him. His sharp eyes found the pulse point in the opponent's neck. It would be so easy to just rip out that annoying intruder's throat and watch his blood spill everywhere. Gaara felt a slow, cruel smile spread across his face and his body twitched with the desire to kill. He needed it, needed it like an addict needed a drug.

Sasuke stared him down. "I hope you're ready to die!"

Then Sasuke launched into the air and threw three kunai. He watched in horror as the Demon's monsterous arm shot out and caught the knives, slowly absorbing them then shooting them back at him. Sasuke put his arms up to protect his face, one of the knives just grazing his arm. Then the Demon swung that same arm, catching Sasuke he threw him to the far side of the balcony. Sasuke hit the ground hard and rolled a few feet. He quickly leap out of the way as the Demon leapt on him, the force of the attack shattered the stone balcony. Gaara looked up as stone fragments rained down around him to see Sasuke crouching on the wall above him, using his chakra to stick to the wall. Gaara then noticed that his opponent's eyes had turned a deep crimson red. This puzzled him, Gaara had never seen anything like that before. But then again his opponent had probably never seen anything like him before either.

Sasuke leapt from the wall, his leg extended for a kick. Gaara blocked it with his human arm. Sasuke quickly put his hands to the balcony, using thme for support he twisted his body around. Gaara tried to block again but Sasuke was faster, landing a kick square in his chest. His monsterous arm kept him from falling, slowing his momentum he slid to a stop. The wind momentarily knocked out of him he caught his breath and looked into those red eyes. Gaara then realized something. "Those eyes. He's not just anticipating my attacks," He thought. "He's tracking my movements"

Putting my hands in front of him Sasuke made a series of hand signs. "Fire style," He thought. "Dragon flame jutsu." His chakra burned it's way up his throat, becoming flames he blew a fire storm at Gaara.

His demonic arm writhed and stretched shrouding Gaara like a cacoon, protecting him. Inside his defense he chuckled maliciously, this may be more fun than he thought.

In the meantime Zakuro and the others were still making their way through the woods. The sun had gone down and the moonlight gave them little id in seeing the path. Zakuro had finished explaining the last few days to Shikamaru who proceeded to ask a series of embarassing questions. How far she and Gaara had gone for example, making her blush bright red and mumble that now was not the time for that. But now the cold had slowly worked back into Zakuro's body and her cough had come back. She started to cough uncontrollably, a horrible gut retching cough. "Hole on you guys," She said between coughs. "I've got to stop for a minute." Zakuro leaned against a tree, coughing into her hand until her throat felt like it was on fire.

Shikamaru held her shoulders. "Hey are you okay Z?" He asked worriedly.

Zakuro shook her head.

Sakura stepped over to her. "Tilt your head back and let me see your throat." Zakuro gave her a questioning look. "Just do it." Sakura said and Zakuro did as she said. Sakura's fingers gently probed her neck with the finesse of a doctor. Zakuro swallowed thickly, her throat felt raw again. Sakura nodded as if she'd wanted her to do that.

"Well," Naruto asked, looking over at them. "What's your diagnosis, Sakura?"

"Nothing major." Sakura answered. "A minor sore throat and cough, probably brought on by the cold weather. Hold still Zakuro." Sakura placed her hand against Zakuro's throat, palm open. Slowly her hand started to glow green and Zakuro could feel the chakra flow from Sakura's palm to her throat. Sakura pulled her hand back. "Better?"

"Yeah." Zakuro rubbed her neck, her throat felt better than ever actually. "You're a healer, aren't you Sakura?"

She smiled triumphantly. "Have been all my life. My family have all been healers for generations." Sakura gestured to Naruto. "And trust me if your gonna live with this clumsy moron you'd better have some medical knowledge."

Naruto jerked out of his leaning position against a tree. Pointing a finger at Sakura he said. "Hey that was an accident."

"You're just lucky I was able to sew that finger back on." She smirked.

Looking at his index finger Naruto bent it twice. "It was an accident."

"How about the time you got a shard of glass in your back?"

Naruto pouted. "Accident." He mumbled.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Looking at Shikamaru and Zakuro she said. "See what I have to deal with." They laughed while Naruto crossed his arms across his chest and sulked.

Continuing on they reached the clearing where the mansion sat. It was pitch black out now and bathed in the moonlight the mansion looked positivly creepy. Lying vivid in the pale blue light on the bridge was Dosu's mutilated corpse. Sakura looked away, Naruto placed and arm around her and shikamaru cringed. Zakuro placed a hand over her mouth, fighting back the urge to be sick. She stared into dosu's dead unseeing eye until her vision blurred and tears streamed down her cheeks. She'd never liked Dosu but he didn't deserve to die. Could Gaara really have done this and all of the other deaths that the ledgend told about? "Why Gaara?" Zakuro whispered.

Hurrying to the door they found them open, one of them hanging off its hinges. Inside Kiba and the others were looting the mansion, taking anything of value.

"Hey who invited you?!" Naruto yelled.

The guys put down whatever they had and grouped together in a semi-circle opposite them. On the floor at Kiba's feet Akamaru growled, his white fur standing up. "We need no invitation to make that Demon regret his cruelties to our village." Kiba sneered. "Right now Sasuke is taking care of him, it shouldn't be much longer now. In the meantime we're ensuring that-"

Sakura cut him off. "That what? You creeps get your instant gratification?" Kiba's eyes narrowed at her.

"Exactly." Shikamaru said. "I can't believe you guys." His eyes found those of his bestfriend, Choji.

"We could say the same about you Shikamaru." Kiba growled. "Why are you going against us for this..this girl?" He gestured to Zakuro, who scowled at him.

Choji looked away from Shikamaru's gaze. "Girl or not she's my friend and unlike you she's doing the right thing." Shikamaru said. "She's thinking of others before herself instead of self-serving, like our village has always upheld. And like the ways of our village have always taught I'm loyal to her just as she is loyal to her friends." He gestured to Naruto and Sakura. "I trust her word and I admire how her heart is always in the right place. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for not realizing that sooner. Those who set the precedents of our village are turning in their graves at your sheer foolishness."

Zakuro's heart swelled and she cried even harder. "Shikamaru." She whispered.

He glanced back at her and smiled. She couldn't ask for a better friend.

Then the guys started slowly closing the gap between them, some pulled out kunai, Zakuro could see Neji's byakugan emerge and Kiba bared his fangs at them. The air became heavy and staticy with chakra.

"Zakuro," Sakura mumbled trying not to move her lips too much. "You need to go find Gaara before this turns ugly."

"Where do you think he is?" She asked.

Naruto glanced at her. "Probably in his room. He went upstairs before we left to find you."

Shikamaru smiled. "Go get your demon, Z."

"When I tell you to," Sakura crouched in a fightning pose, like the Kiba ans the others had done with Naruto and Shikamaru following suit. "Run upstairs and don't stop. We'll take care of these guys."

Zakuro counted the ranks. "I can't leave you guys, you're out numbered." She hissed.

Naruto grinned. "Not for long." He looked at her. "Go Zakuro , he needs you."

Zakuro looked at the floor, her lips tembling. "Thank you so much you guys." Her voice was thick with tears. "Please be careful."

"We will." Sakura said. "Get ready." Zakuro crouched too. "Go!"

Author's Note- Heh heh kinda funny story behind this part. :) While I was writing the battle scene between Sasuke and Gaara ( which i think I'm no good with fight scenes) guess what song come on my Ipod. Down With The Sickness by Disturbed. And I'm all like how perfect is that? perfect for their fight scene. :) Hahaha I love that song.

On another note sorry this part is so short and a little for the cliffhanger but not a lot. The next part is going to be long (I think) so I decided to stop here. Gaara you poor baby! :( don't you just wanna hug him. He's been hurt too many times. I still love him. Yes I'm a crazy fangirl. and damn proud of it!! ;) and how sweet is Shikamaru right here? He'd totally be my bestfriend if he were real. and also i'm not very fulent with the Medical Ninja ways so if my description of Sakura's abilities are wrong i apologize.

so I will continue with the next part shortly. till then this has been KazeKunoichi signing off (salutes like the geek she is) LOL :D