Seeing that people actually like my story a lot, I feel bad for not updating earlier. But life has kept me busy lately, holiday, friends, etc. And it honours me a lot that my story is actually inspiration. :) I promise I wont let you down anymore.

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Decisions

Chapter 10

(Rika POV)

I sat on the floor for some longer, eyeing the man standing right in front of me. I actually felt bad for considering this, but what else could I do? Everybody in my family sacrificed something in a way for our clan. "You should go." I demanded.

I saw him smirking, the same old smirk. He felt superior. Letting him feel this way was the worst one could do, he knew he was powerful and he didn't hesitate to show. I had to get back to my feet.

"What's the matter?" I heard a familiar voice behind me. No. It couldn't be you, could it?

My head spun around only to see the familiar red head standing there, hands crossed in front of his chest again. For a moment my heart jumped.

"Oh see, the husband is arriving." I heard him gibe. I knew Gaara wouldn't get angry fast, but after all I had a tendency to be wrong in men.

"What do you want from her?" Gaara asked in his manly voice. I sensed something dangerous underlying his words.

"Hah, what I want?" he retorted, almost appearing drunk. It was this, what caused people to feel insecure about his actions. He was a good actor.

"I don't want anything. I just, let's say, suggested something."

"What did you suggest?" Gaara asked sternly moving a little closer. He stopped right behind me, me who was still on the floor.

"Nothing." I interjected and rose. "Just go and let us be." I hissed. Gaara wouldn't need to know. No he should never know. He should never find out who he is. "Gaara, let's just go inside." I turned around and gently pushed Gaara towards the entrance. I felt his eyes piercing him. I had never seen Gaara like this. I used to think that he would avoid things like that, keep his business to himself and not stir in other people's things. But this time I had actually felt that Gaara did care and that he felt threatened even. Or was that just me thinking this way? Was it just what I wanted to see? See a man caring for me like this again? Maybe, all Gaara did was standing his man because he had to, because he had my family inside the house and he had to prove them to be a man. Maybe it wasn't all that much for me that he was standing here. I guess, after all he is just like us. Whatever you have to do for your clan has to be done.

And suddenly the feeling had vanished. I pushed Gaara again to move and followed him inside. "Why- nevermind." I stammered and lowered my head. Asking him why he came out there to help me was just wrong. It was like in those movies where the guy kisses the girl and then apologizes. Just another cliché.

"Who was he?" Gaara interrupted my thoughts.

(Rika POV End)

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(Gaara POV)

She bit her lower lip as I asked her. What was wrong? Was she hiding something? Though I had been thaught to keep myself out of other's businesses, was it wrong to be curious? But people say that the husband is the man of the house, and as such a man I had to take care of her. I watched her lowering her head again. Was she avoiding my eyes?

"He's just an old friend." I saw her weak smile. Is he?

"Alright then." I retorted and patted her shoulder swiftly, just as she always used to do. Would it make her feel better?

"Where's my brother Rei?" she asked me, turning around to look for him.

"He went to bed. He wasn't feeling well."

"Oh Alright." Rika said, but I sensed something was still bothering her a lot. What were they talking about? It was then, that I rememberd her grandmother's words. Why would she want her to be pregnant already?

"Come, let's go sit down outside a little." she suggested and I followed. Should I talk with her about it?

(Gaara POV End)

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"God, mother, are you crazy?" Minako hissed as her mother washed the dishes.

"Why?" she retorted cockily and dropped the plate back into the sink.

"You want my 15 year old daughter to have a kid?"

"If she wont have the kid with Gaara, I will." The elder gibed.

"Mum!" Rika's mother exclaimed fetching the plate she had been washing out of her hands. "Look into my eyes and say that again."

"Didn't you see how he's been eyeing me since ever they arrived here?" The elder retorted in a sing-sang voice, tousling her short white hair a little.

"That's just because since ever you lost so much weight your head looks huger than ever." answered Minako and eyed her mother. Giving her a disgusted look she continued in an almost threatening tone. "You will not, make my little daughter have a child with him. Never."

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(Rika POV)

I stepped outside into the cool air. The sun was about to vanish and our garden was tainted in a bright red. I felt Gaara's breath in my neck as he appraoched behind me. I shivered. I felt like bursting, like punching something for everything that had gone wrong in my life – or rather someone. "Isn't it funny how you can hate people you once loved?" I swallowed and stared onto a velvet flower a few meters away from my feet.

"I wouldn't know, there was noone I really loved to begin with." he retorted. He took a step closer. From the corner of my eyes I saw his hand close to mind. Would he hold my hand now?

"But I believe it would be a sad feeling if you came to hate a person you cared a lot for. Might be a friend." he hesitated and whispered. "Or more."

I twitched a little at his words. I tried my best to get this very person next to me, to like me, to like the world and to enjoy life. And now I was about to take all this away from him by hurting him. I felt like a betrayer, no I was a betrayer. I tilted my head to look into his eyes. Pure eyes, filled with sadness. I am sorry.

(Rika POV End)

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(Gaara POV)

In my past – as I prefer to refer to the time of me being a monster – I had seen many people wearing this very same look. Fear. Sadness. Desperation. She felt small and vulnerable. Oh how many of my victims gave me this look, begged for their lives. But now, that my intention was not to kill, her eyes stung me like a sword. I reflected on the days when I was the one who looked at her this sad. It had always been me, who welcomed her warm arms. I was the weak who needed help to move on. Now things would change. I took a step closer and wrapped my arms around her. Though I was sure, she would feel me trembling, I didn't care. I was a friend, a friend who cared and she was a friend who needed somebody to comfort her. Whoever this guy was, he caused her to feel sad. And I would be the one to make her feel better. "It's ok." I assured her. I had grown a little in the past month. I could now rest my chin on top of her head. She didn't say a word. I didn't feel her move, nor imply that me touching her was uncomfortable to her. Though I was nervous. My heart was racing. I wanted it to stop, there was no need to feel like this, after all, I had received numerous hugs. But this, was the first hug I gave her. The first hug I gave her to show her that I care.

"Thank You." She suddenly spoke. As she turned around I saw something glistering in the corner of her eyes. A single tear streamed down her cheek.

I had already opened my mouth, ready to tell her that she didn't need to say Thank You, but I hesitated. "You are welcome." I finally retorted. Yes, you are welcome, and you would always be as long as you would want to be around me. But it's my life I am living, and I never saw happiness lasting for long. How much longer would you stick around me?

(Gaara POV End)

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I hope you like, even though it was a little hard for me to continue. Let's see what I'll develop this story into. :) Enjoy!