A red headed boy came into view with a cold expression on his face. He saw Anika in which was tied and bound, making his anger rise even more. He tightened the sand around Sasuke, making the raven haired shinobi scream in pain. Several snaps were heard as Gaara crushed the bones in Sasuke's body. Anika stared in silent, horrific terror, her body freezing up.

"Gaara! STOP!" Anika screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Gaara hesitated but let loose, Sasuke falling painfully to the ground. Anika shook her head, her hair flowing over her shoulders. She got up shakily, and ran off, too horrified by the scene to speak. She knew she had to run. She was being told to move.

Suddenly, Anika hit the ground and fell onto her hands and knees, her eyes closed tight and her body shaking as she layed herself on the stone and dirt ground. She felt the pressence of sand near her, carressing her skin gently as arms took her carefully, pulling her close. She knew it was Gaara. She hugged him back, crying into the white sash around his shoulder and torso.

"What is wrong, Anika?" He asked, his eyes full of childish worry.

"I... I couldn't stand it... that's..." Anika sputtered the rest out, "that's how my parents died!" She hugged herself, trying to get the horrid feeling out of herself.

Gaara remained quiet and held her close, knowing how bad he had made her feel. He regretted it. He knew it hurt her.

When Gaara and Anika had left Sasuke laying there, he weakly teleported himself to Konoha, his body laying weakly in the middle of the street. Naruto had just wlaked out of the ramen bar and spotted Sasuke laying there.

"SASUKE!" Naruto shouted out, running to him and kneeling next to the raven haired boy.

"What happened to you?"

"Gaara... did this... he's with Anika... he tried to hurt her... I was trying to protect.. her..." He muttered, knowing his lie was perfectly good.

"What? No! Gaara would NEVER try to hurt Anika!"

"Ha... why would you believe... him? He's... a monster..." As Sasuke said this Naruto ran off, heading towards the Hokage Mountain.

Gaara held Anika close, his hands in her hair and her arms around his neck. Suddenly, Gaara's sand shield went up, several kunais hitting the sand. Gaara turned his head, his eyes widening when he saw several Leaf ninjas and... NARUTO!

"Naruto? What are you doing?" The Sand shinobi asked.

"Sasuke told me you were trying to hurt Anika!" Naruto shouted.

"And you believed him? I was not hurting her. I was protecting her from him..."

"Oh..."

"Just leave us alone..." Gaara muttered his eyes cold as he looked at the frightened Anika. Naruto walked off in shame.

He betrayed me... My best friend thought I was some maniac... Why would he think that? He knows I love Anika... Gaara thought. The boy let go of Anika, Anika looking up oddly at him as he ran off, pulling out a kunai from his pocket. Anika watched him disappear into the darkness. She was alone. Had she hurt him? How bad did he feel? She thought it was his fault; so she pulled out her own kunai and drew it near to her bare left inner forearm. She left tears wetten the skin before...

Gaara slashed at his wrist, blood flowing freely and splattering onto the grass before him with every pitiful and sorrow filled attempt of suicide. He didn't scream - he enjoyed the pain taking away the pain in his heart. Medicine could not heal a hurt heart... Only love. That's what Yashamaru had said to Gaara once. But Yashmaru had betrayed him, too...

Anika stabbed at her arm, blood flying up and a streak of the warm, red liquid touched her cheek. She choked back a scream. She checked the wound to see if she had hit anything that would make the wound fatal. Nothing. She pulled it through her skin and back out, throwing the kunai onto the ground. She got up, tears in her eyes. Anika walked through the streets, blood engulfing her left arm as the liquid touched the street, painting it with eeriness.

Anika kept walking until she saw Gaara, his body shaking. She ran up to him and saw the slash marks. He looked faint and weak. Blood loss. Anika helped him up, and pulled his good arms around her shoulders.

"We're getting you to the hospital..." Anika whispered. She walks him to the hospital where she watched as Tsunade treated Gaara. He was now laying tiredly in the hospital bed, Anika and Tsunade beside him. Tsunade looked down at Anika's blood caked wrist.

"Why'd you do it?" She asked softly.

"Shit happens. People do things to get rid of the other pain inside of them. This is how I deal with my pain..." Anika answered half heartidly.

"Why don't you talk to someone instead?"

"Because I'm not that open." Anika replied again. With that, Tsunade left Gaara and Anika alone.

NEXT DAY! -Fear it! Huggle it! And most of all... GIVE IT WAFFLES! LOTS AND LOTS OF TASTY TASTY WAFFLES!! lol, Panda-Chan... xD-

Anika woke up beside the bed, her neck aching from sleeping so oddly. She saw Gaara with his eyes open, just staring at her. She smiled.

BD: Fairly long chapter. D Hope ya'll like it!!

Gaara: Reviews... If you dare...

BD: WHAT WAS THAT!?! -glares-

Gaara: Ummm... BYE!!! -runs away-

P.S. this chapter was edited. I forgot some parts lol. hope ya'll like it!!!