Thank You

Chapter 5

(Gaara POV)

I felt strong arms wrapping around me and pain wandering through every of my limps. I was too tired to open my eyes.

Soft but cold hands started to open my shirt and exposed my chest.

I opened my eyes a little to catch a glimpse at the person treating my wounds. Red hair tickeled my cheek. "Rika?" I whispered.

"Yes." she rtorted under heavy breathing. A few cloths were pressed onto my chest to stop the blood-flow. I felt the cold and the liquid running down my side.

"What happened?" she asked me. I closed my eyes again.

"Why were you hurt even though Shuukaku was to protect you?" she was yelling. "And why did you even go and fight this guy on your own anyways!"

She panted. She had never yelled at me again. I had never felt this anger in her voice. The only ones ever yelling at me like this would be my victims. Though I sensed worry in her voice. Was she actually worrying over me? Or over the village's safety?

"I…." I began but my voice wouldn't let me talk. Besides, I didn't quiet fancy arguing with her.

"You should have waited for reinforcements to appear. You should have planned this more thoroughly. It was dangerous!" she continued yelling. Leaning over me, I saw her eyes piercing mine. I kept my eyes open as good as possible, but I was too exhausted. From the corner of my eyes I saw a single tear rolling down her cheek. Quickly she wiped it away. I was happy for a moment that she had shed a tear for me, but it wasn't a tear. It was just sweat. Just some sweat. I pressed my eyes shut again, ignoring this moment of weakness. Was it true, that a woman was a man's weak spot? The momentary happiness was sucked away. She continued yelling at me, I sensed both anger and worry in her voice. "Why didn't Shuukaku save you?"

"Gaara!" she gently slapped my cheek. "What the hell is wrong?" her voice had gotten softer.

"I was yelling at you for like 10 minutes straight and you wouldn't even talk back?" I saw her frowning.

"And where were you?" I rose my voice.

"I was in Konoha." she swallowed turning her head away quickly, pretending to take care of my wounds.

"What were you doing there? You didn't leave me a note."

"I had to do something." she retorted sternly and removed the cloth from my wound. I winced in pain. Were we arguing now? Arguing like a married couple would?

"Why did Shuukaku not protect you?" she pressed further.

"I have no idea. Even though his attacks were incredibly fast, it should have protected me. Though this guys aim was not exactly me, it was the whole village. It was hard not to miss any of his attacks he threw just about anywhere. I failed. I guess my mind wandered off for a moment." I winced in pain again, pressing my eyes together. 'Your mind wandered off? Are you sick or something?'

"It's ok. You did your best." she said warmly and I felt her cold hand stroking my cheek. Even though just for short and pretty fast, but I felt it. I felt somebody touching me in a caring way. My body felt heavier than ever. But for this single moment, I had forgotten all of my pain. Was this was Yashamaru was talking about?

"The pain should wear off soon." she smiled at me. Automatically my face-muscles moved to a small smile. I sensed a sudden gleam in her eyes as she noticed this pathetic smile.

"Thank You." she said, dropping her eyelids modestly as she kept treating my wounds.

"What for?"

"Just so."

I couldn't quiet see her face, but it looked as though she was smiling.

"A Thank You from the person that acknowledges me means more to me than a Thank You I hear from these village's people." I saw her hair shaking along with her movements as her head spun around to face me. "I am glad." she smiled at me. "I am really glad."

(Gaara POV End)

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"My uncle told me once that Love can heal the wounds in your heart." Gaara broke the silence.

No one knows what it's like

To be the bad man

To be the sad man

Behind blue eyes

And no one knows

What it's like to be hated

To be faded to telling only lies

Rika's head turned around to face him. They were both standing on the balcony. "That's true I think."

"I asked him how to receive Love, I wanted it. But I was told I was already receiving it." he continued, staring off into the wide distance. "But it didn't help. They all betrayed me. What does Love really feel like?"

But my dreams they aren't as empty

As my conscious seems to be

I have hours, only lonely

My love is vengeance

That's never free

No one knows what its like

To feel these feelings

Like i do, and i blame you!

"But now I know, that nothing can be gained without hard work. And I believe that receiving Love for me, would mean the hardest work ever."

Rika's face puckered up a little. She was struggling with herself. What to do?

"My own father wanted me dead." His face was filled with anger, his hands formed to fists. Rika's hand reached for his left hand and held it tight. "What happened to you is horrible, but look at what you have now." She took a step closer to him, releasing his hand again.

"I Guess." his head hung low.

"Today, I was visiting my brother."

Gaara's head spun around. "You told me about yourself, now it's my turn." she smiled. 'Though I knew your story already.'

"He's in hopsital." she swallowed. "once again."

"What happened?" he stammered.

"It's been that way for years already. Since ever-" she swallowed. "Well, for years. I can't even remember when it started. It's some kind of sickness nobody can define. But at random times, it causes his metabolism to go crazy." For short her eyes met his, but she turned away quickly again.

No one bites back as hard

On their anger

None of my pain woe

Can show through

No one knows what its like

To be mistreated, to be defeated

Behind blue eyes

No one know how to say

That they're sorry and don't worry

I'm not telling lies

"I couldn't even imagine him being ok again. It's been so long already." she chuckeled in a pathetic way. Gaara completely puzzeled, wondered what to do. She was sad, she felt the same kind of pain he did, pain in her heart. But could he heal it? No.

He felt as though he had no control over his actions anymore. His hand moved to touch her upper arm. "I am sorry to hear that."

Startled her head spun around to face him as a single tear rolled down her cheek. 'Now you shed a tear, but it's over your brother Not me. Once again not me. No tears for Gaara.'

The familiar feeling from before stroke him again. "Remember at the exams when Hinata was lying on the floor, injured? Shortly before you were to fight Lee?"

He nodded approvingly, his hand still resting on her upper arm. "And do you remember a man collapsing?" she sobbed heavily.

"Yes." he retorted casually in his many voice.

"That." she swallowed. "Was my brother. He." she chocked out in a whisper. "had collapsed."

"Just once out of a thousand times that followed and that had happened already." she turned away and took a few steps away. Gaara was like frozen to the spot. His legs wouldn't move, yet his mind wanted to follow.

"But hey." she spun around and smiled. "Nevermind. Let's talk about something happier."

"There's nothing happy in my life to talk about." he retorted sternly and stared into the distance again his hands resting on the parapet.

"Then we need to create a happy moment."

"You do not need to, I can sense you are shaking. You are afraid." A bitter tone underlay his words. The woman's expression sadened for a moment there.

"I am not, I am just agitated." she smirked and took a step closer.

Gaara turned around and faced her. "You do not need to." he hissed. "I do not need anybody to force himself to hug me."

He rushed past her, ready to enter their bedroom.

"I." she hesitated. "I am sorry." she exclaimed. "But hey, come to think of it." she waited for him to face her.

"Didn't we actually share some feelings today? Didn't we share some pain about past events, even though they were completely different?" She anxiously awaited his reply, hoping he would agree.

"I guess you are right." He headed for the door leading into their bedroom again, but stopped shortly before stepping inside. "Thank You."

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So yeah, the next chapter. Why wont more people review? Do you like the progress of the story so far even? I'll update soon again,the next chapter is already in progress. And yeah no big deal as to why Gaara got wounded. ;P

Anyways, I am glad to hear my OC is liked, I was hoping it would turn out in a way that actually seemed human and not Mary Sue-like. There was a reason why I revealed why Gaara did actually get hurt and about Rei now. ;)

The song parts inbetween are from the Song Behind Blue Eyes.