PART II

There was a change in the desert, Sakura could feel it. Through the water she was aware of the fluctuations. The Sand Roam had triggered a shift in the energies all around. It was a strange kind of echo she perceived, as if the desert was intensifying its own essence and escalating its already impartial nature. Yet it also emanated an elated stillness, as if it was eagerly waiting for something that was on the verge of happening.

She readily assumed it was related to the choosing of the Wind Clan's chieftain and in truth, she shared the sentiment: she had become unreservedly involved in the Sand Roam herself.

It truly was all about survival. She learned that the first time Gaara showed up at the pool bleeding and battered, one of his eyes closed purple and his torso bleeding from a nasty gash. Aghast, Sakura had reacted immediately, summoning the essence of the water all around her and pouring it through her hands unto his injuries. Healing was her natural response and the impulse kicked in without her even realizing it.

It was only after long moments, when she had finally halted the bleeding on Gaara's side, that she realized her actions might be seen as something out of the ordinary. She looked up to find his jade eyes staring at her with open wonder, the expression on his face a combination of astonishment and gratitude.

He must have perceived her bemusement because he made a quip about her finally giving in to her true nature as a water nymph and getting her hands on him.

With an arched brow, she cut off the flow of her chakra that provided pain relief and felt him wince instantly.

Gaara smiled in discomfort and endured her retaliation. Wisely, he kept his words to himself after that. But Sakura knew his jibe had been aimed to distract her. It was a pattern she had become aware of not too long after his arrival. Whenever her muddled emotions rose to the surface, Gaara did his best to divert her attention. Since his comments were incredibly provoking, his methods worked. Sakura was simply unable to keep from retorting and a lively exchange would inevitably follow. Her mind would focus on other things and in no time, her disarrayed emotions would dissolve.

Even though Sakura was aware of what he was doing, she welcomed his distractions. Which was why, when Gaara thanked her for healing him, she told him it was the least she could do.

Soon, another pattern emerged as the Roam continued: Sakura would heal his injuries whenever he returned to the pool, actively helping in his recovery. After having become aware of her impulses, Gaara had tried to stop her from expending her energies so much on him. His wounds were part and parcel of the challenges he was facing and would be practically constant. She would be continually draining herself. But Sakura would have none of it. When he tried to resist her assistance, she simply imbued the water he drank with soporific chakra. He woke up patched up and healed.

Gaara sensibly accepted her help with no reservations after that.

He would leave at random moments, whenever he felt the call of the desert. Sometimes he would be in the middle of eating and have to answer its summons. Sakura did not know how it was for the other participants, but Gaara would always head out without the slightest complaint. He had no ill words to offer whenever he was wounded either, no matter how much pain he was in. The stoicism with which he faced the challenges was remarkable.

The latter could be anything the desert manifested. From encounters with giant onyx scorpions, erratic basilisks, and hungry sand mantas to facing spontaneous sand storms and desert cyclones. But there were other kinds of tests as well, such as harvesting the water-filled shoots of barnacle cacti without causing any damage to the plant. On one occasion, Gaara was bitten by a horned viper – one the desert hid from his perception until it was too late – and forced to fight off the venom solely by using his chakra. Sakura waited two full days for him to come back and could only admire his chakra focus skills when he recounted what had transpired. Eliminating such poisonous substances from the body could prove tricky. But although it wasn't his specialty, Gaara had simply done what had to be done.

No time for drama, no time for getting caught up in doubt. He would concentrate his energies on the challenge before him, adapting to whatever the desert threw at him.

Sakura's regard for Gaara increased with each test he surpassed.

Hence, her involvement in the Roam was a given: whenever he left the small oasis, she would wait patiently for him to return. Through his actions, the certainty Gaara had regarding the path he had chosen rubbed off on her. Sakura had complete faith in his abilities. She knew he wasn't invincible yet this did not diminish her confidence in him.

It was refreshing and provided a welcome contrast to the fluctuation of emotions that would sneak up on her unannounced. Sakura would be overwhelmed by a sense of not being able to remember something but feeling she ought to. This would trigger reactions within her she had no control over. From one moment to the next, an intense sorrow would creep up on her, bringing with it tears she could not hold back. Or an intense anger would overcome her and a foul mood would descend for a while. If not that, it was the confusion creeping up, leaving her unsure of who she really was. But the emotion she disliked the most was the fear; it would pool at the pit of her stomach and sink its claws into her. She would feel herself shrinking and wanting to shun the world around her.

The fear was the true reason she had slumbered for such a long time and had craved sleep so much.

Luckily, this was changing and she held no qualms in attributing this shift to Gaara. He contrasted so much with her mutable inner reality with his steadfast and stoic ways that Sakura allowed herself to openly absorb his influence. She no longer craved to fall into oblivion as often and rested only when she had exhausted her chakra after healing him. He was proving to be an anchor, a solid presence juxtaposed to her watery shifting.

As a result, Sakura threw herself wholeheartedly into helping him. She held no reservations because she had also realized early on there was no pretence about Gaara. He was what he was. This meant she could do the same, be herself and make no attempt to pretend to be otherwise.

It was just over a couple of weeks after his arrival that she confessed her lack of memory to him. He had just woken up from a full day's rest and was preparing to break his fast when he mentioned something about his childhood. His cooking had reminded him of the smell of the food coming in through the window of his family home from the eatery next door.

"Is it a good memory or a bad memory?" Sakura asked. Due to his personal history, she thought it best to clarify.

"A good memory," he replied as he stirred the pot over the fire. "The owner, Chiyo-san, used to give me free dumplings as a treat, no matter what other people said about me. After my father died she kept abreast with the goings-on of my siblings and I, made sure we were eating properly."

"That's a heartening memory. Were there other people like her?"

"Too few to mention, I'm afraid."

"I thought so," she remarked. "Nonetheless, memories like that are worth having. They make the good things stand out, allowing you to carry what you felt back then with you. I wish I had some of those."

Gaara poured some more water into the stew. "What do you mean?"

"I have no memories. I don't remember anything before the events of the day you arrived."

He turned to regard her fully, stunned. "You mean you've only existed for a fortnight?"

"No, silly," she scoffed. "I was asleep, down under the ground. Earlier on the day you arrived I woke up and rose with the water into this pool. I know I was asleep for a very long time but for the life of me, I can't remember anything before that. All I recall are short moments when I woke up before falling asleep again."

"Do water nymphs do that? Sleep for long periods of time, I mean."

"I don't know," Sakura replied with a shrug. "Sometimes I'm uncertain if I am a nymph, to be quite honest."

"Hence your confusion every so often," Gaara remarked, "I've perceived that. Well, I can honestly tell you that you are a water nymph. Your chakra is the same as that of others I have come across before. You can rest assured on that, at least."

"Thank you," she replied solemnly. "I really appreciate being sure of what I am."

A thoughtful silence descended upon her as Gaara finished preparing his meal. He served his stew into a bowl before standing and moving towards the edge of the pool. Coming closer to where she was sitting on a rock, he sat down on the stone beside her and began to eat.

After watching him enjoy a few mouthfuls, Sakura spoke once more. "The strangest thing is I get this feeling from time to time that I should remember. Like you, just now. Something within me reacted to watching you eat with such relish but I can't recollect why."

"I'd offer to give you some but we both know your kind doesn't eat."

"Precisely." she replied. "I get sustenance from the water around me. Just being in the pool is enough for me. I'm not supposed to know what it is to be hungry. Yet watching you devour that stew made me feel as if I should remember what that's like."

He nodded in understanding. After a few more mouthfuls, he turned thoughtful. Dropping the spoon in the bowl, he turned to look at her with narrowed eyes. "Is that why you reacted so prudishly when it finally dawned on you that my being able to see you when you make yourself transparent meant I could see you naked?"

"I am not a prude," she snapped, swatting him on the knee for good measure. Trust him to latch on to that particular incident. "It's just basic decency." Sakura intensified the glamour around her body on purpose, making the dress she had conjured up as cover appear even more perceptible.

"Exactly," he remarked. "For water nymphs, having others see them naked is the whole point. It's natural for them."

She arched an eyebrow. "Well, not for me."

"Evidently not," Gaara said. "But you are one. You can use glamour and can assume liquid form or become tangible at will. You can commune with the water and receive nourishment from it, which means you cannot stray too far from it. You have natural powers of healing, courtesy of your watery essence. Yet the instincts that lead to your actions are decidedly not those of a water nymph."

She blinked. "So you're saying I'm a fake?"

"Not at all. I told you already that your chakra gives you away. There's no doubt about that. What I'm implying is that you may not be solely a water nymph… you may be something more."

With wide eyes, Sakura stared at him in silence.

She was about to ask him to explain himself further but the desert intervened. It summoned the participants of the Sand Roam and Gaara had to leave the pool in a rush. She made a point to remember to ask him about it when he next returned.

But she was foiled once again later that night when he stumbled back to the pool with a broken wrist and cuts all over his body, his chakra practically depleted. All her attention focused on healing him and she did not get the chance to continue their conversation.

Yet when she finally got him to lie down to rest next to the edge of the water, she could not help wondering about the implications of what he had said. What did 'more' mean?

Sakura could not come up with an answer to that question. So, for the time being, she settled for floating next to Gaara as he slept in recovery, hoping he would eventually shed some light on what he had meant.

– XXXXXXXX –

Gaara knew the key was to have no expectations. Whatever came his way, whatever it was the desert threw at him, he had to accept it for what it was. There was no point in thinking about the challenges ahead: he would never be able to predict the haphazard tendencies of the Roam. He could only take things on step at the time and keep moving, trusting that he would have the skills to overcome when the time came.

In this aspect he was succeeding. Shutting off his mind when out on the dunes and crags, he would focus solely on the task he was engaged in. It was when he finished a trial, when the pull of the desert finally calmed and let him know he had succeeded, that he was finding it difficult to keep his expectations in check.

When journeying back to the pool – as he was doing now – he would feel his heart lift and the struggles of the latest challenge fall away. He looked forward to going back to Sakura with anticipation, felt the eagerness of sharing her company once more.

Gaara was honest enough with himself to admit he genuinely liked the routine they had fallen into. Completely unplanned, their day to day had taken on a distinctive pattern: after finishing a task, he would return to her pool, where she would heal him if needed but most importantly, she would listen intently to him as he told her all about the latest trial. The expressions on her face were always sincere and Gaara could easily tell what she was thinking. He truly enjoyed watching her reactions but best of all, he welcomed her remarks. Sakura could always be trusted to make a smart comment or observation concerning whatever topic they were discussing. He found the conversation incredibly enlivening. It was something Gaara had only experienced with Naruto. The easiness with which he related with Sakura would usually bring his fox friend to mind. The natural way they came together reminded him of how effortlessly he had fallen into tandem with Naruto.

Of course, as much as there were similarities, the differences were also rather poignant. Gaara's interest in Sakura was of a completely different nature and, truth be told, completely new to him. Never before had he anticipated coming back to a woman and finding ease in her company. Never had had he experienced a yearning to be with someone else nor had he expended so much effort in trying to fathom another person's situation.

That Sakura's circumstances were special he had no doubt. Her actions and mind frame were not typical of water nymphs. The latter were characterized for their frivolity, for playing pranks – usually deadly ones – on unsuspected visitors; they never wasted any time worrying about anyone other than themselves and usually did things only if they got something out of it. Sakura was completely the opposite: she was earnest, heartfelt, and cared deeply about the well-being of others. Gaara had experienced the latter first hand with her healing and was openly grateful for the care she provided. He was very well aware the Sand Roam would have been a completely different experience for him without Sakura's presence.

Therefore, whenever he found himself on the way back, he would wrack his brains in an attempt to figure out the mystery that was Sakura the nymph. All the stories of old lore and myths he had studied under the monks' tutelage did not seem to help, though. He did not remember ever coming across a nature spirit that did not act according to its essence. Something else had to be at play. Maybe a djinn had been involved? They were masters of transformation, capable of the most astonishing alterations. It was possible Sakura had been changed by powerful magic and given an opposing personality while her memories were removed in the process. But why?

This was where Gaara always hit a wall whenever he came up with a plausible scenario.

The possibilities of what had truly happened to Sakura were endless. So many things could have transpired that it was impossible to pinpoint a single one. Without any clues he could follow, Gaara would inevitably think himself into a corner. Nonetheless, he found his mind returning to her circumstances over and over again.

Getting Sakura to remember her past was the best way forward. This was the sole conclusion he had managed to reach. The problem was Gaara had no idea of how to go about helping someone to recover their memories, particularly when that someone was a nature spirit. It was something he had to be very careful about. He did not know the reason why she had lost them in the first place and this could prove to be crucial. Memories held power and had to be treated carefully.

Thus, Gaara vowed he would dedicate time to helping her when the Sand Roam was over. He would do his best to help Sakura recover what she had lost and, since she was tied to her pool, investigate on her behalf. If he had his way, she would never have reason to feel confused or uncertain ever again.

With this conviction in mind, Gaara made his way briskly across the sand, heading back to where he knew Sakura waited. Finally, the familiar crescent shape of the oasis' rocks came into view when he cleared the crest of a dune. His lips lifted and despite the tiredness of his body, his tension eased. Some minutes later, he was stepping within the sanctuary of the pool.

It was his favourite moment.

The succulents and cacti growing on the rocks started to vibrate, his chakra-enhanced senses perceiving it like a cascade of bells beginning to ring one after the other until they created a symphony. The sound would echo back and forth within the stones, a melody that lightened his heart and gladdened his soul.

At the centre of the song was Sakura. Sometimes perched on the rocks, sometimes floating within the pool. She could sense his chakra whenever he came within a certain distance from the spring, therefore, she would always be waiting for him. Whenever he walked into the crescent, she was there, eyes sparkling like stars and her smile vanishing his strain.

The ringing bells would begin the moment she laid eyes on him, the plants reacting to her delight at having him return. Such was their connection to the essence of the water and therefore, to her.

It had taken him a while to realize what the sounds coming from the plants meant. But the instant he did, something within Gaara changed irrevocably. He vowed to do everything in his power to keep those bells ringing; if all he ever achieved in life was to be the reason of their constant song, then he could die a satisfied man.

"Your neck is bleeding," Sakura remarked, unamused.

The sound of the plants faded away and Gaara felt its loss deeply.

With a sigh, he approached the pool and watched her as she lifted herself out. She had conjured up a loose blouse and skirt today. Although he teased her about being prim, he actually welcomed the glamour. Her nakedness would have been a constant distraction. He would not have been able to hide his appreciation for her loveliness and the last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself in front of her. Thus, he was grateful for her adherence to 'basic decency', as she called it.

Standing in front of him, she removed the blood-soaked scarf he had tied around his neck. Her eyes turned serious as she lifted her hands and hovered her palms above the gashes all around his neck. Gaara felt the sparks of her chakra on his skin as she assessed the damage. He found himself closing his eyes and relishing the feel of her sweet, warm energy.

"It's not too deep, thankfully," she said some moments later.

Gaara opened his eyes to find her staring at him in relief.

"Glad to hear that," he replied. "It stings dreadfully, though."

"What was it? A whipping thorn?"

He shook his head. "A spiked vine."

Sakura grimaced at the mention of the vicious plant.

"I had to harvest some of its seeds without damaging it. Unfortunately, it was unaware of my good intentions and it attempted to wrap itself around my neck."

Leading him towards one of the rocks, she had him sit so she could work on his wounds. As she did so, Gaara told her all about his encounter with the nasty creeper. Of how he had been forced to soothe it using his chakra even though it was doing its best to inflict lethal punctures on his neck while trying choke him to death. Somehow he had persevered and calmed the rancorous vine.

"What did you do with the seeds?" Sakura asked.

"The desert had me plant them close to a water source so they would have the best chance of thriving."

"I hope it was not near this pool," she countered.

Gaara chuckled. "It was another oasis very far from here. You don't have to worry about being invaded."

She nodded, continuing with her ministrations. He soon felt the effect of her healing and the sting of his abrasions lessened considerably. The last remnants of tension in his body left him and he relaxed, allowing himself to let go.

As much as his motivation and drive propelled him forward, the Roam was beginning to take its toll. Gaara knew several of the other participants had dropped out already, unable to take the constant strain. Being in this continual state of alertness and activity was starting to grate at his body. It had been over three weeks of incessant events, one following on the heels of the other with precious little time in between to rest properly. Part of being able to survive was to admit one's limits and Gaara realized, despite Sakura's help, he was approaching his.

Yet he knew there was no option but to keep moving forward. Give his best for as long as he could without any protest. Despite his growing exhaustion, his confidence had not diminished. He felt his synergy with the desert increase more and more with each day. In his perspective, its choice was a given. Nonetheless, it seemed he had not been tested enough and there were still more skills he had to prove. He wasn't done yet.

Consequently, these quiet moments with Sakura had been an unexpected yet welcome gift. He could allow himself to wind down completely, to release the stress unreservedly. It did wonders for his recovery. Gaara had never slept so soundly in his life. Although he was sure it was partly because she infused her chakra with a soothing effect whenever she healed him, he did not hold it against her. As a matter of fact, he was grateful for it.

"You look particularly tired today," Sakura commented.

Gaara nodded in reply.

"Did you eat lunch?"

He nodded again.

She gave him a quick once-over with her eyes, appraising his chakra levels, no doubt. "Alright, I'm almost done. You can have a quick wash and lie down."

Even though it was only mid-afternoon, he welcomed the chance to get some sleep. The heat might have been a problem but he had Sakura to thank for the coolness of the camp he had set up. Whenever he was forced to rest during the day, she would manipulate the water so that a cooling mist would cover his sleeping form.

Once she finished patching up his neck, Gaara did as he was told. He stripped down and using a bowl, gave himself a hasty bath. As much as he would have preferred to have a dip in the water, he always refrained from doing so. It was Sakura's abode and he would not cross its threshold unless invited. She had not suggested he do so, therefore he respected her space and did not go further than the edge of the water.

As she was wont to do whenever he bathed, Sakura gave him some privacy. This did not mean, however, that he did not catch her stealing glances at his body from time to time. Yet another unlike-a-nymph trait. Others of her kind would have been ogling him openly. Gaara would only smile to himself whenever he caught her, letting it slide. If what she saw pleased her, let her have her fill.

He was done with his wash and after donning a pair of loose trousers, he allowed himself to fall into his bedroll under the lee of the stones. The shadows were pleasantly cool. Folding one arm to cradle his head, Gaara allowed the muscles of his entire body to loosen.

"How much longer?" Sakura asked. She was back in the pool. Because his bedroll was positioned right at the edge, this meant she could float right next to him. She was stretched out on her stomach on the surface of the water, her face inches from his.

"I don't know," he confessed. "I know there have been Sand Roams that have lasted close to two months. I can only hope that is not the case this time around."

"Your body is starting to suffer for it."

"I know."

She sighed, knowing very well there was nothing either of them could do about it. "How do you know when the desert has made its decision?"

He lifted the arm he had stretched out beside his body. "I will be Sand Marked. It's a kind of energetic branding. The desert will mark the skin of my arms, undisputable proof of its choice."

"Like a tattoo?"

"Similar, only that they are not always visible. The marks are only activated with chakra," he replied. "The colour also varies, depending on the person. The marks of the late Chieftain were copper while I know the Chieftain before that had white marks on her arms."

"Any idea of what colour your marks will be?"

"And such is the confidence she has in me," he said with a smile. "It almost makes me feel pressured."

"Don't be silly," she chided. "We both know you and the desert are practically one."

He nodded, grateful for her support. "I feel the bond increase with each day. It grows more powerful with each task I complete," he told her. "Now as to what colour my marks might be, I have no clue."

"Crimson?" she suggested, glancing at his hair.

He smiled once more. "Maybe. Although that might be a little too obvious."

"True," she admitted. She looked at him intently for a long moment before coming closer.

Gaara held his breath, unsure of what she was going to do.

"Get some sleep," she murmured, stretching out her hand to caress his cheek.

The contact ignited sparks on his skin. He felt her touch all the way down to his toes. Bliss washed over him and he turned his face towards her hand.

But true water nymph or not, she was a crafty one. Soon, Gaara felt the soporific chakra emanating from her hand. There was no room in him for complaint, though. He surrendered to her touch willingly and allowed sleep to carry him away.

– XXXXXXXX –

He came awake with a jolt, his senses in full alert, and his chakra ignited instantly, ready to take on any threat. Thinking it was another challenge from the desert, Gaara was already summoning the sand around the oasis, prepared to protect it with his life.

But as his head cleared, he realized the landscape all around was calm. It was not summoning him.

What had woken him up? He had felt something. A heavy emanation of chakra that hit him like a lead weight and pulled him forcibly out of slumber

He dismissed the sand and breathed deeply, attempting to calm his heart beat. He was about to close his eyes and commune with his surroundings when he felt it again.

A dense energy that robbed him of breath and made him feel hollow inside.

It was coming from the water.

The pool was churning, lapping in waves against the rocks. Its energy was in disarray, an erratic flow that seemed to curl into itself, unable to find an outlet. The succulents and cacti, so alive during the afternoon, appeared completely dim to his chakra-enhanced senses. The brittle bushes growing between the rocks were wilting.

Sakura. The dense chakra was coming from Sakura.

He looked down into the water and spotted her, curled up in a foetal position at the very bottom of the pool. She was asleep but it was clear her slumber was seriously disagreeable.

She was weeping, great big sobs wracking her frame.

Gaara's first impulse was to jump into the pool and bring her to the surface.

But then his instincts prevented him from acting rashly. With the state of the water, it was clear Sakura was not in control of her powers. If he swam down, she might drown him accidentally. It was best he stay where he was; using his chakra was the way to go.

He ignited it and summoned it to his hand, placing his palm on the surface of the water. The instant his energy came into contact with the pool, he felt it yank. Gaara had to use all the strength in his body to push back and prevent it from pulling him under. He closed his eyes and expanded his bond with the desert, asking it to help him calm the water somewhat. It responded keenly, funnelling some of its essence into him. Gaara channelled the energy into his other hand, bringing it under the surface and using it to pacify the pool. He managed to calm it enough so he could get his chakra to the bottom.

It took some doing but he finally managed to reach her. Gaara sent waves of his chakra to her, attempting to nudge her awake. It seemed to be working because she stopped sobbing. He kept up his efforts, adding his voice to the mix and shouting her name from the surface.

It did the trick. She woke up and shifted into a sitting position. She looked at the agitated water all around her and seemed to shrink into herself.

"Gaara?"

As muffled as the sound was, he recognized his name and the confusion with which it was spoken.

"It's alright, I'm here."

She turned her face towards the sound of his voice

"Sakura, come to me," he said, his words laced with emotion. "Please."

In a blink of an eye she was at the surface, lifting herself out of the water. Gaara opened his arms where he was kneeling and she lunged herself at him. He landed on his rear with the force of the impact, the splash she made drenching him, but he had her safe in his arms.

He breathed out deeply in relief.

Sakura buried her face in his shoulder, weeping quietly. Gaara murmured reassurances as he caressed her back soothingly, giving her time to pull herself together. They stayed like that for a long while, until her crying subsided. He watched as the water of the pool calmed and regained its usual energetic flow. The plants perked up and began to radiate vitality once more.

Eventually, Sakura lifted her head to speak but remained within the shelter of his arms.

"Something happened," she began, "when you fell asleep this afternoon. It was like something within me shifted, jolted into a new position. I just could not curve the impulse of caressing your face and hair, even after you were completely asleep. It felt so right. But then I got the sense that it reminded me of something, although, once again, I had no idea of what it could be. I did not think too much about it since it's been like this for days."

He nodded, resting his cheek against her hair.

"So I sank into the pool to rest after healing you and I think… I think I remembered."

Gaara felt himself go completely still. It was evident that whatever memory had surfaced, it had not been a good one.

"I think I had a husband, a man with dark hair and dark eyes. But he left, chasing after a member of his family… an older brother, I think. I followed after him, travelled for the longest time trying to find him and bring him back."

She grew silent for a moment.

"And did you succeed?" Gaara asked.

"Yes, he came back home," Sakura continued. "But then he left a second time… and never came back."

Her face crumpled before his eyes and she began to weep again.

Gaara tightened his embrace and allowed her to cry freely. It was best for her to let it out.

After another while, she calmed down. "I'm not sure of the details since it's all rather blurry. But I think that's the gist of it. All I can feel are the emotions. The facts evade me."

"That's fine," he told her. "Sometimes it's best to allow yourself to feel without knowing why. If you keep the events of the past playing incessantly in your head, you will never find peace. It's best to release the emotion until it finally dissipates and then the past will have no hold over you anymore."

She nodded against his neck. "I guess this solves part of the mystery," she said. "I wasn't always a nymph."

"No, it seems not. But it's still not clear how you became one or what your abilities were before that. Or is it?"

Sakura shook her head. "It's all incredibly hazy."

"Don't force it," Gaara told her. "It will come to you when you're ready."

"You really think so?"

"I do. If your experiences were so painful, it's best you remember little by little instead of all in one go."

"You're right," she conceded.

He continued to hold her in his embrace for long silent moments. Gaara lost himself in the feel of her back as he continued to stroke it with his hand. It seemed there was a substantial reason as to why Sakura's memories had been lost. Water had always been linked to feelings and her nymph powers were evidently tied to her emotions. If they went out of control, like it had happened a while ago, then she would become a threat without meaning to.

It was best to leave well enough alone and allow her memories to return to her on their own accord. There was no point in rushing it.

Belatedly, Gaara realized Sakura had fallen asleep in his arms. This time around, her slumber was peaceful and it was now his turn to caress her in her sleep.

But as much as he could have held her close throughout the entire night, he was well aware she would not rest properly if she was not in the water. So he stood up with her in his arms and approached the edge. He lowered her down into the pool and let her go. She floated momentarily on the surface before sinking down slowly.

As he watched her descend, he was aware of a strong desire rising from within him.

Instead of helping her remember her past husband, Gaara wanted to be the one to banish him into oblivion for all time.