A/N: I no longer have a beta, sadly. I'll miss him, but it can't be helped. This chapter through chapter 20 are the last ones that were beta'd. I'm done with this story so updates will entirely depend on how fast you all review.

Chapter 18: Can love last?

Gaara's POV

I get dressed, Naruto's still fast asleep and drooling on the floor. It was a cold breeze that had stirred me. Though the cold wind doesn't seem to bother Naruto. I go back under the dock. Seeing as it was easier to get dressed when I was able to stand upright, I had come out from under it. I lay next to the blonde and he immediately cuddles close to me. It was getting late and school must be long out. I brush the sand out of the blonde spikes. I think about everything we've been through. Our separation and how I was glad I skipped to be with him. I also think back to the night I was raped and how before he had told me about his parents. He had been hurt when he was younger just like me, we were both called demon. The thought brought up sadness, but it soon went away as I look at Naruto, a soft smile on his face as he sleeps. I've never felt so at peace. I wonder if everyone gets this calm feeling after sex.

A couple of minutes later, Naruto's blue eyes finally open. He yawns and stretches not caring that he almost smacked me in the face. He then looks at me, a big grin on his face.

"We should definitely skip school more often," he says in a dreamy tone.

"Do you have a watch?" I ask ignoring his statement. He reaches into his pant pocket pulling out a small flip phone. He flips it open and looks at the time.

"Damn it's three thirty!" He tells me, schools been out for an hour and a half. "And I have two missed calls, probably Jiraiya trying to call me. We should get home." Naruto pulls on his shirt, but not his hoody. We both crawl out from under our hiding place. We walk down the beach side by side, not in any hurry to get home. Once we reach our houses at four o'clock we part ways. My front door opens before I'm even half way up the driveway. It was my father.

"Where the hell have you been?" he yells at me. I reach the door and walk past my father. He closes the door behind him and grabs my shoulder. "You were with him weren't you?" he asks, I don't give him an answer.

"Do you want to burn in hell? Why do you let it take you over?" I don't speak, "You skipped school to spend the day with him! You know how dangerous that is, what you could have done!?"

I turn to face my father, a fire burning in my eyes, "Tell me what could have happened."

"Your demon could have taken advantage of you. And I don't think that boy would have stopped his advances," he explains to me.

"You're right, he didn't stop my advances," I tell him and head up to my room. My father didn't bother me that night, he didn't take me to any rituals or anything. Honestly I could care less if I were to burn in hell. Why is it so wrong for me to like another boy? Not that I really care what others and especial my father thinks. But I doubt that anybody as a real reason could explain why homosexuality is wrong. I think they are all just afraid of what they do not understand.

I care for Naruto and he cares for me…even if that brings up topics I don't want to talk about sometimes. I honestly don't quite understand the reason behind his desire to find out about what's happening in this house. I can handle myself, and I don't get why he can't see that. I don't need anyone's help, I'm fine on my own. But lately when he's been asking me those questions a strange feeling comes to the pit of my stomach. I usually ignore it during our conversation, or better yet argument. Holding strong to my belief that he doesn't need to know or worry about what's going on. But, now that I'm just sitting her thinking, I feel it again. Just not as strongly, I know what it is. It's guilt. And not the fake kind of guilt my father makes me feel every time he blames mothers death on me. This is real. I feel bad, but I still don't want to tell him. I'm not sure how he would react, he said he understands more then I think. And I know he's been through pain himself, but still I'm not sure how he'd react to my story. If he would try and seek help for me. If I tell him my story then I'd have to tell him about…my uncle too….

The next day at school Naruto asks me about my father's reaction. "He did nothing." I tell him. Of course Naruto doesn't believe me, but he says nothing. At lunch time we decide to ditch. We stay in the deserted German room. We close the door and turn on the lights.

Naruto's POV

Gaara and me were making out in the German room. Deciding that would be more fun than sitting in the lunch room. Though during our kiss, I couldn't help but think back to yesterday. The day we skipped and made sweet love. But that's not the thing that was bothering me. It was the topic that had come up once again, and once again gotten no answers to. I part and look at Gaara, a little afraid to ask this but I do anyway, "Gaara will you please tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About everything, about your dad. Please?" I cup his face in my hand and stroke his cheek with my thumb. Gaara lets out a sigh and closes his eyes.

"There's nothing to tell." he says, sounding tired.

"The hell there isn't! Why won't you open up?"

"It's not about opening up Naruto. If I tell you, you'll only stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"I won't, I promise. But it's killing me. I see you leave your home at night and I wonder sometimes what's going on. If you're getting hurt when he takes you to whereever it is you are going. Can't you pleas tell me? I know he's hurting you, but…why won't you tell anyone?"

"Because it's my problem." he explains, not looking at me. I force him to face me.

"Please tell me Gaara, please?" I sounded so pathetic, but I didn't care. It was eating away at me. I knew he was being hurt, but he won't speak of it. He won't tell me why, I just want to help.

"No…"

"You think this only effects you? You know how it hurts me? To know your in a place where you're abused! And I can't do anything. I can't even comfort you because I don't even exactly understand what's going on!"

"I don't need any comforting! Why do you always bring this up, why can't you just leave it be?"

"Because it's affecting someone I love."

"If you love me then drop the goddamn subject." Gaara says in an emotionless tone. I didn't know what to say to this. I just stare into his green eyes.

"I love you Gaara….I just wish you wouldn't keep secrets." I mumble to him. There was a long silence.

"Naruto," I look up at the red head, "would you still love me if I told you I have blood on my hands?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you still feel the same if I told you I've killed someone?"

"What is this some kinda joke?" I ask, not sure what he was getting at. Could he really have killed someone? I study Gaara for any sign that he's joking, or maybe testing me. I couldn't make myself believe that the boy in front of me, no matter how cold and emotionless he seems at times, has the ability to take someone's life. But it was true, I started to feel fear. I got to my feet, staring at Gaara unbelieving.

"You've really killed someone?" I ask, my voice shaky, he didn't give me an answer but instead broke our eye contact. That was enough for me, I knew he was saying yes. I remember the things Sasuke had told me on one of my first days at this school.

"Bad rumors about him…..they say he's killed at lest two people…."

I stumble out of the room, I really didn't know how to react to what I just found out. I walk down the hall trying to calm myself, the bell rings right when I'm at the door to my next class. Once all the people file out I go in and take a seat. I sit down, taking in a deep breath and running my palms over my face. I couldn't believe it, the boy I love has….killed someone… maybe even two people. I shutter as the thought is put together.

The rest of the school day that's all that is on my mind. When Jiraiya picks me up I try to act normal and though I think he knows something is up; he also knows right now I don't want to talk about it. I enter my room, I had no homework to do. It was like someone was giving me more time to think about what I had found out. And that's exactly what I do. I sit on my bed, knees to my chest and head in my hands. I look out my window to see Gaara coming home from school along with his siblings. Why should it make a difference? I ask myself. Why should I look at him differently? He's still the same person and I don't know what the reason behind the murder is. Maybe it has something to do with his abuse. Or why he won't tell anyone or seek help.

Does he see it as punishment for what he's done in the past? It seemed very likely that that could be the reason. Maybe that's also why he didn't want me asking him about his relationship with his father. This all ties together somehow….what if he was opening up to me just then. By telling me of his past and I reacted the way I did. Goddamnit I'm a fucking idiot! I hit myself on the forehead. That was probably the first step to him telling me everything.

Though it's still hard to believe, I never would have guessed he'd tell me something like that. There's more to the story then this though and I asked for it, right? I want to know the reason why Gaara's being abused. I want to take that sadness from his eyes, somehow. With words or actions it doesn't matter…I know he's happy with me, that he loves me. But, there's still that hopeless sad emotion swimming in his green pools that I can't stand to look at. I want to know what happened and I won't look at him any differently. I nod my head to myself. This is my decision. If my father- a rapist can be loved, then I sure as hell can love Gaara. After all who knows what the reason for the killing was, I know he's not a cold blooded murder. I know that he as a reason.

After all we've been through, I can't let this little fact rip everything apart. No, I'm way too close to finding things out, and I love him too much. I know Gaara will tell me. At least I hope so. After all he may have decided not to after the way I reacted at school. While I was lost in my thoughts I hadn't noticed the time passing. The clock read seven-thirty. I couldn't believe I had just sat here for that long thinking everything out. That's the most I've ever thought! And indeed like Jiraiya predicted so long ago, if I ever were to think to much, my head hurt. I rub my temples and I notice lights from next door. It must be from a car, meaning Gaara and his dad are leaving on one of their night trips again. I open my window and peer out. I easily find my little red head walking away from the closing garage door. I take in a deep breath and for once find a good use for my loud mouth.

"I still love you Gaara!" I call to the red head, who stops in his tracks. He looks up in my direction and then just turns to continue walking to the car. I smile to myself.

A/N: Remember to review. The faster the reviews build up, the faster I update!