Phantom
May 8th - 'You know that ghost is me'
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
In the pain, there is healing...
- Broken, Lifehouse
Long afterwards, years down the line, there were times when Gaara could still feel Shukaku's presence.
The feeling had been more acute when he was younger and still reeling from the shock of Shukaku's extraction but even with the passage of time, it never truly went away.
It would lie dormant for a long time, sometimes days, sometimes months, sometimes even years, then something would trigger a long buried memory and it would flare up, like a restless shadow in the corner of his mind.
It would whisper softly to him, calling to him and echoing that voice that had tormented him for so long, dredging up memory upon memory of cruel things that he had done years before.
Temari and Kankurou told him constantly that it was impossible, that perhaps it was just his imagination but he knew they were wrong - he would never consciously choose to remember those things. He couldn't fault them though - they weren't in a position to understand.
It was frightening at first - this spontaneous re-emergence of the Sand spirit, but over time, Gaara came to accept and even appreciate it because it helped him remember how he used to be and recognize just how far he'd come.
A/N: I apologize for the length but I've got exams so I don't have too much time to spare.