Disclaimer: Nope…still don't own it…

Chapter 5: Affliction.

"Well, say something!" Sakura was getting nervous with Gaara still watching her. This was getting all too weird for her. Sure she could sing. Sure she was trained by the best Medical nin known in all the countries. So how was it only she could push back the demon? That was one she wanted desperately to answer.

Finally Gaara moved, cracking his neck and picking up the gourd as it filled back into shape. His hand skimmed over her cheek, sand even on the ends of his fingers. Sakura shivered under the feel of those deadly hands.

'He can't be too deadly if you're enjoying it…' her Inner self chided. She let out a low breath and he pulled back, a frown replacing his peaceful expression. And his most horrible snarl arose, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Get up, we need to get back to your team." He stated blatantly. Trying her hardest to ignore him, she straightened up and stiffly made her way back. Once they got back, Kakashi gave them a questioning look, which Sakura disregarded as well.

"Where's the wood Sakura?" Her sensei asked, Naruto peeking out from inside one of the tents. She made a small 'eep' sound and was about to turn to get it when Gaara moved up.

"Here. You dropped it." It was a nice bundle of the wood she had been holding before he'd made her sing. She took it from him with a weak 'thank you' and handing it to Kakashi. Letting out a breath, she sighed and wondered how long of a trip this was going to be.

"Alright, these will take a bit. Sakura, there's a river near here, why not go there and clean up?" Kakashi murmured, noticing either she'd fallen, or met Gaara by surprise. The kunoichi looked down at herself, noticing more dirt than she was accustomed to. But it smelled too foul to be just mud. Looking at Gaara who was staring out into the woods it had to be only one other thing.

Blood.

He'd killed someone.

She was still staring at him when he turned back, giving her a cranky look before sitting down, setting his pack and gourd aside. He was still Gaara, still a senseless murderer when his demon came out. To sate the demons passions, he killed. Blood seemed to calm the malicious power-strokes he'd have.

"Are you quite done, or are you going to stare holes through me on purpose?" He murmured, those dark ringed jade eyes watching her now. Sakura blinked and flushed a little, turning away to see Naruto gazing at the fish. He seemed to be drooling. She half smiled and grabbed her pack, taking Kakashi's advice.

"I'll be back, Naruto, stay here with…" She couldn't give him away as the Suna leader.

"Just use my name. That's why I wore red." She blinked at him as he gave her a look of 'duh, anyone could've known that'.

"Good enough…stay with Gaara." She gave the blonde a warning look and then padded off. Naruto gave a small pout and turned back to the fish. Though, it wasn't Naruto she had to worry about.

"Anou, Gaara, what was-" He blinked as Gaara's sand clone blew into the wind. The blonde snickered and rubbed his chin. "I wonder what she'll do to him…"

-…at the river…-

Sakura was trying to get used to the colder water. Using her own tracking skills, she felt…nothing. Good, Naruto had taken her advice and stayed away. Inspecting herself, she saw scars from long ago. Training, the Chunin exam, various fights afterwards… Everything seemed so distant now that she was older. Sasuke… he'd never been found, and his evil sannin seemed to have disappeared too.

/Good riddance to the snake hoarder! / She thought, and her Inner self was nodding in wholesome agreement. Shaking her head of the impure thought of him, she looked around once more before immersing herself. Coming up for air, she shivered from the unpleasantly cold water.

Unbeknownst to her, Gaara was watching from afar. He was waiting to hear her voice. It was like an addictive drug to one's ears, or at least his ears. The demon was restless at just staying stationary in the tree. He wanted to make her sing and scream for him. To hear those lovely cords ring as he tore into her with his claws.

Gaara snarled and violently shook his head, forcing the mental images away. But looking over at her again, the demon came back full force, slamming himself against Gaara's body. His power overwhelmed the redhead, but it was a rough battle. Rolling off of the branch, he hit the ground with a 'oomf' before staggering to his feet.

He was no longer the Kazekage of Suna, but the dreaded Shukaku. He walked like a gliding puppet over to where she was. He sat on a rock, watching her with vile intentions.

Sakura felt the sand kick up and thought she'd stepped on a fish or found a kind of sinkhole in the river floor. She was looking down the river when she came back; but when she turned, she was met with a new problem. One that had a malicious grin adorning the usually smug face. His huge claw of a hand gripped the riverbank, and his voice bellowed in a new tone, "So good of you to join us!"

"Why'd you follow me?" She asked, not giving into the fear building in her. She wanted to run screaming back to her teammate and sensei, but she'd never make it past him. Shukaku liked and hated these kind of people.

"I wanted to hear you again little girl, that voice is… exquisite. I want to own it." He licked his lips, that golden eye focused on her. She wanted no more than to gouge it out of poor Gaara's head. While she was deep in thought on what to do, he had sidled closer.

"What if I don't want to give you my voice?" She stared up at him. The demon was loosing his strength in the fight against Gaara's will. His face twisted into a raging scream as they fought one another. She'd backed up just a hair, ready to bolt if the situation called for it.

"Then….then we'll have you! As ours… -mine- alone!" the growling voice was mixed in with the body's master. Gaara came out like a drowning man surfacing. Screaming, gurgling, wild eyes staring at nothing. He fell to his knees, crawling towards her like he was in pain.

"Why can't you give him fear so he thinks you weak like everyone else?" His body twisted from a thrum of pain. Gaara was on the bank, his normal hand touching her shoulder and jerking her forward. It smashed their faces together, lips meeting in something.

Something great.

Something wonderful.

Something fresh to them equally.

When her brain worked again, it declared the kiss exceedingly bad. It took her more time to realize he'd been crying since his Will had taken the body back by force. Those destitute jade eyes looked lost. His voice sounded shaken, terrified by what he might do next time, but he got out what he wanted to say.

"Why can't you just hate me?"

A/N: (Emotion stirred, provoked, and produced. Ahh, fanfics! What will we think of next? Ideas welcome through private notes. More coming soon.)