A/N: My old beta did read over the last chapter of the story after all, thank god. So this whole story is beta'd, though it'll sadly be the last. But i also have new beta know, that's fixxing all the mistakes in my other stories.

Chapter 19: Shock: Part 1

Gaara's POV

I almost smile when I hear that statement. I open the car door and sit in the passenger seat. My father glares at me, but I ignore it. He must have heard Naruto. We drive silently to the meeting place that was set up for tonight. We come to the bayou where me and Naruto had indulged in each other the day before. I get out of the car, and so does my father. We walk down to the beach, where the others are waiting.

The ritual begins, this one only involving knives and the water of the bayou. I get cut in various places, some are just small cuts and others aren't. My Pants are slipped down and legs pulled apart as a knife is dragged down my inner thigh. Once the knife rests on my member is when I start to feel a little panic. Though I do nothing. I feel only a short sting of pain, as a very small cut is made. The rest of the pain I block out and try not to feel. I'm carried to the bayou by the group of now chanting people and dunked into the water. All the blood swirls into the water and then I'm put completely under. It seemed like forever that I was under the water, and I was running out of air. I try not to thrash around, when I couldn't hold my breath any longer. Thankfully the group pulled me up.

That was all that was done that night. I pull up my pants and button them, my cloths are completely soaked. My father and me get back into the car.

"I want you to stay away from that blonde friend of yours." my father states, seemingly out of nowhere. I do not answer him, I wasn't going to listen to him anyway.

When we get home it's only midnight. Kankuro is in the living room and my father goes to him. I go upstairs, feeling very sore. But I catch my father telling Kankuro something before I make it all the way up the staircase.

"I want you to keep an eye on your brother in school. See if he's with that blonde boy." he tells my brother. I then go up to my room and get ready for bed.

The next morning at school I'm followed by my brother to my locker. Though he wasn't directly behind me, I could tell he was there. I walk to my classroom and sit down reading a book and waiting for Naruto to show up. My brother has left to go to his own group of friends. Not too long after, Naruto comes into the room, a smile on his face.

"Why are you so happy?" I ask looking up from my book.

"Oh, no particular reason." he tells me still smiling.

"So it doesn't bother you? That I've killed someone?" I ask him, making sure I have everything straight. And that he knows I'm not joking.

"Yes, it doesn't making you any different then before," he takes a pause. "Can I ask…who?" I reopen my book and read a sentence before answering his question.

"I'll tell you later, I'll tell you everything. So you stop bothering me about it." I say in a low voice. I had made up my mind that I'd tell Naruto my story. After all, my biggest fear is gone. He still cares for me even that he knows I've taken someone's life. But I'm still worried that he may seek help for me, try to butt into my other problem. I'll tell him, because I don't want him to feel like I'm keeping secrets from him. But, I'll make sure he understands that I don't want or need any help from anyone.

We skip lunch, once again, sneaking into the German room to have our privacy. I don't think we were followed, but I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see Kankuro. Once in the German room, seated on the floor, I look into Naruto's eyes. He's waiting for me to speak.

"I don't want you to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you." I ground out, sounding very serious about what I mean. Naruto nods. I take in a deep breath and tell him everything. I tell him about how my father thinks I'm a demon, and that I had killed my uncle. I even tell him about the rituals, though I don't tell him all the cruel things that have happened to me there. I just state that my father usually hurts me there. I let Naruto's imagination do the rest, after all he's seen some of the cuts that they've left on me. I also don't tell him about the time my father raped me, he didn't need to know everything. It was deafly quiet once I stop talking. I look at Naruto, who had an unreadable expression on his face. He lowers his head.

"I don't understand how…how could he think of you as a demon? Put you through hell…his own son!" he shakes his head. "I don't get how people can be so cruel!!"

"It doesn't bother you at all that I took the life of my own uncle?"

"I said before that I still love you. Anyway you were scared; it was self defense." There was another long silence, and I look at my feet. Before I knew it, Naruto's arms were around me. He held me close to his chest and then ran his hand through my hair.

"Have you ever cried?" He asks me softly.

"I stopped crying along time ago." I mumble.

"I don't want him to touch you, I don't want you around him." he whispers out.

"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone," I remind him.

"I know…" he says his voice laced with sadness. I pull away from the warm arms of my boyfriend, when I hear a small squeak. It sounded like the squeak of a door, and I look in the direction of the door for the classroom. But I see nothing. I shrug it off as simple paranoia because I think Kankuro's following me. I remind myself that I hadn't seen my brother follow us on the way here.

The bell rings, and Naruto and I hurriedly get out of the classroom to go to our next one. I look around warily, and thought I saw something disappear around the corner. The rest of the school day I wasn't so paranoid. But, when I saw the way Kankuro looked at me, once it was time to go home I knew that he had seen something.

We pull into our driveway, and I was preparing myself for the moment my father came home. I know Kankuro saw Naruto and me in the German room. I lock myself in my room. When I heard our garage door opening, my nerves harden in preparation for confronting my father. There was talking downstairs, but Temari never called me down for dinner. Then I hear the front door opening along with Temari asking my father some questions. Her voice was loud but she wasn't screaming, I couldn't understand what she and my father were talking about. Either way I hear a care pull out of our driveway and speed down the road. Then the sound of foot steps, and a heavy knock on my door.

I didn't even have to get up to unlock my door, as it was kicked open. My father entered, anger blazing in his eyes. His hand undoing his belt. My eyes widen at what I know is going to happen, and even though I had experienced it before, I was afraid. For what seemed like the first time in many years, I was truly afraid of what my father would do to me.

"I told you to stay away from him! Your mind is clouded. I don't think you remember the pain and shame you felt after I gave your demon what he wanted!"

"Stay the fuck away from me!"

Naruto's POV

I sit in my living room, watching TV. But I'm still thinking about what Gaara had told me at school. All the torture he's had to go through. I don't understand people sometimes, how can you justify hurting your own child? And then in gods name? It's just horrible, and I have the bad urge to pick up the phone and call child services. But, Gaara had asked me not to tell anyone. But would it be that bad to break a promise to save him from abuse? Shouldn't you report that kind of stuff no matter what?

"What's on your mind Naruto?" Jiraiya asks me, as he sits down next to me; most likely taking a break from typing.

"It's nothing," I tell him quietly.

"I know you well enough, I can tell this isn't nothing."

"It's just something Gaara told me."

"What did he tell you to make you so upset?"

"I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone." I sigh out. But who am I kidding? I won't be able to keep my mouth shut. Not on this matter! Not when Gaara's being hurt. "I can't stand it!" I yell out loud making Jiraiya jump a little at the sudden out burst. I open my mouth wanting to tell him everything, wanting some advice. Or maybe he could call child services. But even if Jiraiya called, Gaara would know I'd told somebody about his abuse. I lay my head into my hands.

"What is it Naruto?" I shake my head, and get up to go to my room. Jiraiya stops me. "Naruto, you can tell me anything, I'll be here," he takes a pause and I nod my head, "But right now I've got to go somewhere though, ok? Don't wait up for me." He has that pervy smile on his face, and that statement ruined the mood of the earlier conversation. I go up to my room as my adoptive father goes out.

I sit on my bed for a while. Then finally get up to look at my CD's. I'm in the mood for some music. As I try to find a particular CD, I hear a faint cry. But ignore it as nothing, or maybe just some kids playing in the streets. Then when I see my CD case on my windowsill, I see a dark figure in Gaara's room. The blinds were up, and the figure was walking toward the little corner of the bed I could see. Once the person reaches it, another yell. The figure jars back almost falling off the bed. I stare for awhile, completely in shock. Gaara's in trouble. I turn and run out of my room, and then just stand in the hall. What should I do? I could call the police, but then Gaara's dad could smooth talk his way out of everything. Calling it a false alarm or something. I could go over there, but what could I do? I can't even get into the house. I was confused, and didn't know what to do.

I decided to call the police. I run down into the kitchen, picking up the phone right when it started to ring. I was aggravated and didn't know who would be calling us and at such perfect timing.

"Hello?" I ask a little annoyed. It was Jiraiya's editor. And I tried to get her off the line as quickly as I could, but she was telling me some things to tell Jiraiya. Then I finally just tell her to call back when Jiraiayas here, and tell him herself. I hang up on her and then my finger goes to the nine on the telephone. I was shaking, but I pressed it. I go over to the one, and was about to press it when a frantic knock came at my door, followed by fast presses of the doorbell. I hang up the phone. Who the hell was coming at my door and then making all that noise! I was very pissed, though in the back of my mind, my brain was screaming to call nine-one-one before answering the door. That there was no time to waste. But this thought was blocked out by all the noise of the doorbell, and the banging on the door.

I swing open the door ready to yell at the jackass wasting precious time, but…"Oh my god Gaara!" I look at my boyfriend, who's completely covered in blood. His shirt ripped, and his pants unbuttoned. His eyes are wide, like that of an animal. I tell him to come in. He enters and stands by the doorway, his breathing sounded like that of the crazy people that call you and just breath in your phone to scare you.

"What happened! What's wrong! Why are you covered in blood!" Gaara looked at me, he was back to his calm self now, and then he averted his eyes. "Tell me what happened," I say calmly, feeling like if I raised my voice I'd scare the red head. He doesn't say anything, I bring him to me. Hugging him tight, not caring that I'm getting blood on me. "He hurt you didn't he? You're bleeding." The red head shakes his head.

"It's his blood…"

A/N: Gasp! Tune in next chapter to see what happens. You all did good reviewing fast, so keep doing it!