PHANTOM OF THE SAND

Act 1: Scene 10

"What was I thinking? My god, what was I even thinking! He's a killing machine – a murderer! How could I possibly think--?"

Sakura was babbling at such a high rate that Sasuke was beginning to question whether or not she was mentally all there. By the time they reached the rooftop it was already threatening to rain. A few steps out onto the damp concrete Sakura lost her grasp of Sasuke's hand and meandered aimlessly around the surface. Sasuke's dark eyes followed her though he remained still where she had left him.

"Oh, Sasuke," she finally spoke in a way he could understand. "I know who it is. I know who's been doing all this. But what can I do? What can I do? He scares me. He scares the hell out of me…! He's so..dark… Everything about him--!" Sasuke's eyes flickered momentarily at her words. So she did know what was going on.

"But…but..," the kunoichi stammered, her fingers grasping at her hands in a confused agitation. "But he…he was so gentle…" The panic in her voice faded a little bit as she fell into a dream-like state. "So caring…so pleading… And his eyes…. He seemed so lost…. Those pleading eyes that …that seemed so threatening…."

Finally, Sasuke moved forward and grasped her shoulders with his hands, giving her a little shake. Sakura lifted her gaze to him and he looked at her eyes intently.

"Sakura…," he said lightly in that deep, mature tone he'd had since he was twelve.

"Sakura….," came a whisper on the wind. Sakura tensed and her eyes darted around.

"What was that?" she asked, stepping closer to Sasuke which basically put her right up against him. He didn't move away, his hands still at her shoulders loosely. She was acting like some wounded animal burying herself into him like she was. Sasuke became aware that she was so terrified and bewildered that she wasn't even acting shy and embarrassed like she normally did. At such a close distance, he would have expected her to get all flushed and timid. Her face buried itself against his shoulder now as she closed her eyes, trying to will away all the shadows in her head. This continued for a moment before Sasuke cleared his throat, his eyes darting left to right slightly. Sakura pulled her head back upright at the sound and looked at him – her cheeks flushed, but not from the shyness.

"You should have brought better clothes if you planned to come out here in the cold," he said to her absently. He had nothing to give her but instead wrapped his arms up around her shoulders to shield them from the cold. Sakura stiffened a little at the familiar gesture but relaxed within mere moments.

"Aren't you cold? Your cheeks are pink," she said finally as she regarded him. Sasuke's eyes darted to the side as if in some silent denial that he was flushed in the face at all. He didn't feel the slightest bit cold – quite the contrary in fact.

"Sakura," he stated, looking directly at her. "You need to tell me who's responsible for this." Sakura blinked a couple times and then her gaze fell in an inward despair.

"I… I don't think I should…"

"This is a big problem, Sakura. This is no time to be uncertain about it." The pink haired kunoichi looked at him again with a frown tugging at her lips.

"I know… it's just that…."

"Shh…," Sasuke suddenly hissed. His eyes slid to the side and over to one of the statues at the corner of the rooftop. Sakura looked at him questioningly. There was someone up here with them. He could feel it. They were hidden but they were definitely there. What was more was the chakra felt familiar.

"Sasuke, it's nothing..," Sakura said pleadingly, tugging his attentions back to herself. She didn't want him to become distracted. Not now. She wanted more than anything to just have him hold her and save her from all this fear and trouble. No more fights.

Sasuke's expression was a little agitated when Sakura interrupted his focus on this new target.

"Sakura..," he began to say seriously. She looked at him wordlessly, then could barely help herself.

"Say you'll share with me…

One love… one lifetime…

Say the word and I will

Follow you…"

Her voice was quiet and gentle as she watched him, her words begging him to acknowledge them. Sasuke regarded her in a confused manner as she started singing to him – and suddenly he began to feel sort of embarrassed.

"Share each day with me…
Each night….

Each morning…."

"Sakura… this is hardly the time for theatrics," he murmured under his breath.

"Say you love me…," the phrase came out as an appeal rather than part of her song. Sakura knew she was grasping at things now, needing just this one bit of comfort and assurance in the sea of uncertainty. She just wanted him to say it – anything like it.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was still a little confused by her break into subtle song. His eyes were locked onto her, hearing her words but barely able to respond to them. He didn't know HOW to respond to them. His silence egged Sakura on further, but now she only spoke the words.

"Anywhere you go

Let me go too…

Love me…

That's all I ask of you…."

Sasuke was suddenly glad it was very cold. His already red cheeks were no doubt getting redder. At the very least he could blame it on the temperature drop. He was never one to blush but Sakura's words came so earnestly, as they always had, that he was stumped as for what to do. He knew that she loved him. She'd told him that on the day he left Konoha with the sound-nins. As much as he'd denied it, he had appreciated the thought greatly and it had stayed with him the entire time he was away. Now that he had returned, and both of them had changed so much, he felt completely lost.

His visage managed to maintain its ever stoic Uchiha expression with mild flickers of unease. After a moment of mental toil he parted his lips to give her the generic and safe response of 'Now's not the time' when he was cut short by her mouth on his.

Sakura hadn't been able to stand it any longer. Her anxiousness had pushed her forward. She didn't want to hear what he had to say now. At the very least she wanted to kiss him. It was something she'd wanted for a very long time – ever since she could remember.

Sasuke was blindsided by the whole thing and for a moment he was just frozen. Part of him, the part that he'd grown with, was urging him to push her away. The other half, the half that he had buried long ago, begged that he do no such thing.

Her lips were soft… and warm…

She was soft and warm… all over.

Almost instinctively his arms tightened ever so slightly around her.

When they broke Sakura looked at him, checking for signs of anger or agitation. There were none – just the same Sasuke face.

"I need to get back. They'll be wondering where I went…and I want to check on Ino," she murmured softly.

"Ah..," came his usual grunt. He couldn't find any other words at the moment. Sakura reluctantly pulled from him and moved for the door as he began to follow.

"Let's get out of here Sasuke… Just for awhile…. Into the woods…to another village. Anywhere but here," she told him softly as they entered the doorway together, it closing behind them with a dramatic clang in the silence.

As soon as their presence had faded, Gaara stepped out from behind the statue and plodded to the center of the roof. Thunder rumbled overhead and the rain began to trickle down over him, not particularly helping his already sour mood. He reached up and pushed the mask over to the top of his head to allow his face into the open. His eyes meandered to the door where they had gone but he made no attempt to follow.

When he had rushed after them he had all intents to murder Sasuke, but something in the conduct had stopped him dead in his tracks. He didn't understand it. He had stood behind that statue, listening to and seeing everything. His eyes moved left to right as he searched for what was wrong inside him. It was all up until then… that one point…. Sasuke had sensed him…and he was ready to fight…and then….

She sang…

To him….

She sang…..their song…to him…

Gaara clenched his teeth mildly and brought a shaking hand up to his chest, grasping his cloak there tightly at his heart. The pain… Not that pain. Not again…. It hurt inside…deep inside….

He felt….

...betrayed…

He felt….

….abandoned…

He felt….

Could it…really be?

…his heart breaking…?

Is this what they called heartbreak? Everything about Sakura flooded into his whirling and troubled thoughts. Her voice… her smell….her beauty….

And then it broke apart.

He knew it. He knew if he let Sakura get near Sasuke this would happen….

HE KNEW IT.

"Make it stop..," he growled to no one as he stood stiffly, head bowed. "I don't want this again. Not again…" He blinked his eyes a couple times, trying to will the sickly feelings away. Trying to stop….

….the tears that were already squeezing out through his tired eyes. He didn't even notice them as they caressed his face. The cold rain was disguising them and washing them away.

A familiar tightness claimed his chest. It was not heartbreak.

It was fury.

He swore he'd never feel this again. He swore he would live for himself and love only himself. It was her fault….

No… it was Sasuke's fault. He was taking her away… Gaara crouched, removing his hand from his chest and pressed them to the wet concrete.

"No more games..," he seethed, clenching his teeth. They were going to regret the day they made him feel.

Their pain would be so much worse….