A/N: Okay, ahead of time I know this is not very likely to happen, but this is my fanfic and I can make it rain fucking kittens if I so feel like it, so what happens in this chapter can happen mearely cuz i say it can. If you don't like it, you can just shove it.

My rant aside, i hope you guys enjoy the update and remember to review.


-Gaara-

I heard Zendaya say my name and felt some of my rage subside. She was okay.

She won't be for long if we leave her with those bandits.

Shukaku said and I wondered briefly why he was suddenly so concerned about her when moments ago he was trying to get me to be happy she was gone.

Move boy, move!

Shukaku shouted and I frowned at the urgency in his voice until I looked back over in Zendaya's direction to see the bandits still thought it was by her doing that the two had been killed and were moving towards her. My sand kept them from getting close to her, but I could see she wanted to get away from them and I couldn't say I disagreed with her.

"You witch!"

One of the bandits said before he and three others charged at her. I moved my sand and had it wrap around all of them before crushing them instantly and letting them fall to the ground. When I saw one of the bandits reach for their sword I stepped out of the foliage and into the clearing, making them freeze.

"Who are you kid?"

The one I guessed to be the leader asked and I narrowed my eyes at him and the remaining ten bandits. They would all be dead for hurting Zen, I'd make sure of that.

"I am Gaara of the Desert, and you..."

I said, trailing off as I walked towards them. I smirked when I saw the fear in their eyes.

"You, are all going to die."

I said before raising both of my hands and moved the sand from around Zendaya to do my bidding. It easily sped towards the bandits closest to Zendaya and encased them in completely before I completed my jutsu and crushed them.

I turned my attention to the three who had run at me, trying to attack me only to be stopped by my wall of sand and wanted to laugh at their futile attempts.

Kill them.

Shukaku said and I started to lift my hand to do just that when I heard a scream come from Zendaya's direction and turned to see the leader of the group of bandits with his arm around her chest, pinning her arms down and a knife held to her throat.

"Stop. Stop or she gets it!"

He shouted my way and I growled at him, but called my sand back. I looked from the leader of the bandits to Zendaya to see her staring at me. There were so many emotions swimming behind her scarlet colored eyes, that I couldn't tell if she was glad I'd showed up or not.

"Good boy."

The man said as he took a step back, pulling Zendaya along with him. I took a step after him, but stopped when I saw him draw blood on Zendaya's neck. I growled at him and he smiled at me.

"Seems you care for this girl."

He said and I glared at him from where I stood.

"You'll pay for what you did to my men."

He said and I wanted to laugh at his statement. Like he could do anything to me.

"It seems that that sand of yours protects you."

He said and I wondered where he was going with this.

"And? So what if it does?"

I asked, wanting nothing more than to strangle him with the very sand we were talking about.

"Make it stay put."

He said and I looked at him confused. What did he mean by make it stay put?

"I mean, stand there and let my men attack you with no resistence, or the girl gets it."

He said, clarifying his earlier statement and I growled at his cowardice, but one look at Zendaya and I cursed at the situation we were in.

"Fine."

I said as I called back my sand and let it fill my gourd back up. I ignored Shukaku's hissing and growling to not do it, and looked up at the leader who nodded to his men and they ran over to me and surrounded me. One hauled back and punched me in the side of the face.

"GAARA!"

I heard Zendaya scream and looked up at her as my sand armor fell away from the impact and saw the leader's eyes narrow.

"I said no sand!"

He snapped and I saw him press the dagger closer to Zendaya's throat, drawing more blood and I felt a new wave of anger wash over me, but held myself back as I ended the jutsu controlling my sand armor and it too fell away and the sand retracted back into my gourd.

"Gaara, no!"

Zendaya shouted at me, but I didn't listen to her. The bandit leader could kill her in an instant if I even tried anything, and I couldn't lose Zendaya again.


-Zendaya-

I watched as the bandits took turns punching and kicking Gaara over and over and he just stood there, not doing a thing about it.

"Dammit Gaara, fight back!"

I shouted at him, trying to go to him, but Hatsukoshi pulled me back and pressed the dagger closer against my throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you girlie. Do you want to die?"

He asked and I looked away from Gaara when I heard a sickening crunch after one bandit's fist connected with his side.

"Oh no you don't, you're going to watch."

Hatsukoshi said before I felt his fingers thread themselves into my hair and yank my head up to watch as they continued their assault on Gaara.

Fight back dammit!

I screamed in my mind, but knew he wouldn't. He was subjecting himself to this because of me. I was actually surprised Shukaku was letting his host get beat up so easily without going wild, but knowing Gaara, he was probably using all his willpower to keep him at bay.

I flinched at the loud crack that sounded throughout the clearing we were in. I saw one of the bandits draw his sword and raise it above his head. My eyes widened when I heard Gaara's cry of pain and saw the bandit stab his sword into Gaara's side all the way down to the hilt. That was the last straw.

"Let him go."

I said as I yanked my head out of Hatsukoshi's grip and my bangs fell infront of my eyes.

"Hahaha, not a chance."

He said and I felt my body heat up and a familiar tingling sensation course through my body. I focused on my wrists that were tied together with some kind of metal and felt it heat up.

"I am only going to tell you once more, let...him...go."

I said as I heard another loud crack of bone being broken and Gaara's cry of pain, slightly louder this time.

"And again I say no."

Hatsukoshi said and I growled at his response before yanking my arms apart, the metal tying my wrists together dripping to the ground from where I'd melted it. I spun around on my heel, grabbed hold of Hatsukoshi's arm and wrist before snapping it and making him drop the dagger to the ground.

"What the...?"

He started, but I cut him off with a quick punch to the face. He stumbled slightly on his feet, but I wasn't finished with him. I let my fire envelope my hand and travel from my fingers to his arm. He screamed in agony and I smirked up at him. He tried to get away, but I held him in place as my fire crept further and further up his arm until it reached his shoulder. I stepped back from him once it reached his chest and kept spreading, eating away at the clothes on his body and his flesh. He dropped to the ground trying to put out the flames, but I refused to let them die out. I watched as he rolled around on the ground, trying to get the dirt and moist leaves to put out the fire encompassing his body, but after a while his screams of agony and movements stopped and my fire continued to burn him until nothing but ash was left.

I turned around and faced the remaining bandits who had circled around Gaara and they all stepped back in fear, having seen what I just did to Hatsukoshi.

"Get lost now, or join your leader."

I said, giving them just one warning. Nine of them turned tail and ran, but one stayed and punched Gaara in his side again, making him double over and cough up blood. In less than a second I was infront of the bandit with my hand laid out flat against his chest, right over his heart. I could feel him shaking beneath my touch and smirked.

"I warned you."

I said before sending my fire through my fingers and into his chest, straight to his heart. He cried out before dropping to the ground dead, smoke coming out of his mouth. I glared down at him before I heard labored breathing behind me and snapped my head up in Gaara's direction.

"Oh shit, Gaara!"

I shouted before rushing over to him and helping him stand back up. I noticed he cringed when my hands passed over his ribcage and growled when I realized they had broken several of his ribs from what I could feel. His side had a pretty big gash on it and he had cuts and scrapes in other places, but other than that he seemed fine and with Shukaku, he would be fine in a few days which was a relief.

Silence had settled around us, but I was just happy he was okay. I was shocked as I realized what I had done to both Hatsukoshi and that bandit. I wasn't one for such carnage, or at least, I thought I wasn't. But when I saw them hurting Gaara, and Hatsukoshi being the reasoning behind it I just lost it. But I wouldn't have had to do that if Gaara had just fought back.

"You dumbass!"

I snapped at him and he looked at me confused, like he couldn't believe I'd just called him that.

"What the hell were you thinking!? You should have fought back!"

I yelled and saw him narrow his eyes at me.

"If I had you would have been hurt."

He said and I glared at him.

"I would have been fine! At least then I wouldn't have had to see you get hurt!"

I shouted and was about to let him have it when he cut me off before I could.

"I would rather it have been me to get hurt than you!"

He snapped and I froze.

"W-What?"

I asked and heard him sigh before hissing in pain.

"I...I couldn't bare the thought of you getting hurt when I could stop it."

He said in a softer tone and I stared at him in shock.

"I'm sorry...for what I said back then."

He said and I felt the pain in my chest disappear like it had never been there in the first place.

"You came after me."

I said and he looked away from me, but I could see a faint blush on his face which made my heart race and made me smile slightly.

"...I always will..."

He said after some time and I blushed at his statement before he turned to look at me. I could see the sincerity in his sea-foam green eyes and knew he was really sorry for what he'd said three days ago and he wasn't kidding about always coming for me.

"Gaara..."

I said, not really sure what to say to that. It was only then that I realize how close we were. My arm was around his back and his upper chest to try and keep him steady so he could breath, and I was close enough to feel his hot breath blow across the top of my head.

I jumped when I felt his hand reach up and cup my face, making me look into his eyes again. My blush darkened when he did that and I wondered what he was doing.

"Zendaya...come back?"

He asked and I felt my heart stop for a second before what he said fully registered in my mind. He'd come after me, took a beating for me, apologized, and was now asking me to come back to the village. I couldn't help but smile at that.

"Of course I will, Suna is my home."

I said before stepping closer to him, closing the small gap of space between us, and giving him a hug but being careful of his broken ribs.

"Our home."

I heard him say in a whisper that I was sure he hadn't meant for me to hear, so I pretended not to as I felt him wrap his other arm around me and hug me back. Despite the fact my throat hurt slightly from almost being strangled and having been cut by a dagger, my hair yanked and being forced to watch as Gaara let down all his guards to keep me safe I was the happiest I'd ever been at the moment. I didn't want this moment to end.

"Gaara! Zendaya!"


A/N: Ah, interuptions...don't you just love them? I updated, now review!