Got to go to bed soon so I'm gonna put in chapters 4, 5 and 6 in this one. It hurts me that there so short

Chapter 4 Surprise

I was the first spectator to reach the arena the next day. Strolling down the arena wall as I yawned, stretching my aching muscles.

I had found a nice patch, just outside Konoha gates and set up camp

I watched the contestants train.

Sakura, Lee, Temari, Hinta and Naruto sparred with the air, whilst Gaara and Saskue watched each other in disdain from opposite sides of the arena, as each leaned on the wall.

I jumped into the arena, quietly making my way towards him. He didn't look at me when I sat down next to him.

"So you came" he stated, his eyes glued to the movements of Saskue.

"I said I would didn't I" for the first time, since the woods, amusement flickered over his features. I smiled.

"It looks like someone might be disqualified though."

His eyebrows rose, as he finally turned to me, amusement crossing his face for the second time. I was beginning to dislike it.

"Well," I explained. "There are only seven people here, which means someone won't have an opponent."

"I see eight."

My face grew confused, as I recounted the competitors. Nope, definitely seven competitors.

It was his time to explain.

"Well there's me. Temari, Hinta, Lee, Sakura, Saskue, Naruto and... You of course."

My eyes widened in realisation and horror.

"You didn't!"

"You were quick enough to get passed my sand defense. I was wondering how far you talents go."

"OkiNami verses Sakura" The announcer called, and I felt Gaara's hands at my back relieving me of my bokken.

"I will get you for this Gaara" I hissed, as I stood to my feet, only to receive a disarmingly handsome smirk.

"I'll be cheering for you."

Chapter 5 Fight!... My Jutsu

I stood five feet away from my opponent, a tall skinny girl, with pink hair and a large forehead.

"Begin!" the announcer called jumping back. I stood, waiting for her move.

'Attack….Attack….'

Sakura, stood in her fighting stance her kunais grasped in her hand as she watched the movements of the strange girl before her.

'Why isn't she moving?!?!'

A vibe, a strange vibe seemed to emit from her, her relaxed persona unnerved Sakura.

'If you won't attack. I will!'

I watched as she flipped backwards, once, twice. Kunai's flew, aimed at my arms legs. I smirked

She couldn't even trace the swift maneuver that knocked the projectiles from the air to my feet.

"What?"

Gingerly I replaced my kunai back into my pouch, smiling. I even took the liberty of taking my eyes off her as I did so. I felt the air bristle in anger.

"Guess I'm too quick for you." Sighing, I stooped picking up the Kunai's and continuing to slip them into my thigh pouch also.

"Those are mine!" she yelled, stomping her foot in protest.

"Come and get them then" I smirked, pulling my shuto's over my hands, clenching my fist in anticipation, my eyes glinting menacingly.

The clash of steel against steel rang throughout the arena, as Oki blows affectively pushed Sakura towards the arena wall.

'Such power…'

The battle intensified, her eyes excited as the blades pierced the girls flesh.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!!" Gaara glared at the blonde bake, clinging to the railings, his knuckles paling white with worry.

Gaara watched as she somersaulted onto the wall, and then began a slow sprint along its surface. Her speed developed, a cloud of dust forming until he could see her no more.

'So fast' He thought, then turned when he heard three other voices say it in unison, Next to him, stood Naruto, Lee and Saskue, each taken in by her speed. He, glared at them momentarily before turning back to watch the match.

Suddenly weapons were shooting out from the dust, Shuriken, Kunai's, Needles, each hitting their target. Gaara smiled to himself as the downpour of weapons continued, and Sakura, crumpled to the ground. One last kunai was thrown, heading straight for her throat. Gaara's eyes widened in excitement and he licked his lips.

"Sorry about that," I breathed as I caught the hilt of the kunai between my forefingers, inches from her neck. "Got a little carried away"

"Winner! Oki!"

Sakura smiled weakly as I helped her to her feet and carried her back to the waiting room where we were swarmed by her friends.

"Sakura-Chan!" I heard the familiar voice of the boy from last night who I now knew to be Naruto call. I caught him before he fell on top of her.

"Sakura..." a voice breathed beside me. I turned and saw a guy dressed in black, gazing down at her with concealed concern, his black hair falling over his leaf forehead protector. A smile flickered across my face.

"Don't worry. Your girlfriend's going to be okay."

"NANI?!!! SAKURA-CHAN ISN'T GOING OUT WITH SASKUE!!!" I heard Naruto yell beside me.

I ignored him, holding eye contact with Saskue, until he finally turned away. I smiled triumphantly, turning back to Sakura.

"Naruto. Help me pull these out." Naruto's face was a picture of confusion. "From Sakura."

"Oh, oh yeah."

In a matter of minutes, Kunai's, Shuriken and Needles were lying on the floor beside an aching Sakura. I felt eyes on my back as I performed an unknown hand seal.

"Revive no jutsu"

Naruto's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as Sakura's wounds (as well as mine), slowly, but surely healed.

"N-Nami?? H-how?" Naruto stuttered, his face confused yet excited. "That's not in the scroll."

"Nah, this is all mine. In each fight I have, I store chakra, it allows me to use chakra in healing processes I learnt. This jutsu I created myself. The chakra from my body is flowing into hers, stimulating the healing process. By the end of this she'll be as good as new. Better. Anyone can do it."

"But don't you need to store chakra?" Lee gasped behind me. I smiled lightly, shaking my head 'no'.

"How much chakra you have, only determines how fast it goes. Anyone can do it."

Naruto nodded jadedly, pretending he knew what I was talking about.

"Don't worry Neko-kun," I giggled, ruffling his hair. "I'm sure Saskue will explain."

Naruto's face dropped and he glared daggers at the boy behind me.

"Ookay? Am I missing something here?" I asked but no one listened.

"Gaara verses Lee!"

My head shot up and my eyes locked with Gaara's. I quickly made my way over to him and smiled.

"Gaara," He stared at me strangely before acknowledging me.

"I hope I can consider you a friend" His eyes widened at this, but quickly resumed its natural shape. I took his hand in mine, pleading through my eyes.

"Give me your word that you won't kill Lee."

He stared at me, his eyes slowly tracing over my birthmark. He nodded.

I watched as he made his way towards the stairs, leading to the arena. He was breathing heavily when I saw him again on the arena floor. I leaned on the railing, biting my nails.

"I hope you don't get your hopes up."

I turned to see Saskue, also leaning on the railing, watching Gaara make his way to the announcer. He turned to me, his sharing an apparent.

"Gaara is a ruthless animal."

I rolled my eyes in disbelief, convinced he was over exaggerating.

"He kills to survive, just as I do. Am I also a ruthless animal?"

"He's different. You weren't here at the Chuunin

exam, he almost killed Lee. He would've if he wasn't stopped."

I glanced at the two in the arena, who stood staring at each in disdain. I bit my lower lip, pulling slightly on my choker.

"Then I'll stop him."

Chapter 6 Gaara!

Gaara stared at Lee through cold eyes, his breathing growing more and more unstable as each moment increased his excitement.

'Give me your word that you won't kill Lee.'

Gaara exhaled deeply, running his hand through his hair, as her words ran through his mind.

'I hope I can consider you as a friend'

This was going to be the hardest battle he had ever fought.

Lee launched at Gaara almost immediately, his body poised for attack, but Gaara stood stationary.

"Gaara" I breathed, almost regretting making him promise not to kill Lee, but I shook myself out of it.

"Each life is precious..." I quoted, the last words of my mother...

Lee was out of breath now, panting heavily.

"Give up" Gaara called over to his opponent. "At this rate, you'll kill yourself."

"Why won't you fight me?" Lee yelled back, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"If this were last month, I would willingly. You have not yet recovered and your abilities do not even fathom mine."

Gaara turned, walking towards the announcer, whilst Lee stood shaking in anger.

'Your abilities do not even fathom mine.' Lee pulled out a kunai, and grasped it in his hands, before he knew what he was doing; he had thrust it into Gaara's heart...

"Gaara!" I screamed pulling myself up on the railing, only to be pulled back into the box. "I have to do something! I have to help!" I protested, struggling against the arms that held me back.

"He's fine" I heard a man's voice behind me. "Look"

I looked closely and was surprised to see that instead of blood, sand was falling to the ground in clumps.

But Gaara's expression had darkened; immense hatred apparent in his features as the sand picked Lee from the floor and flung him into the far arena wall. Lees scream was insufferable.

I watched in horror as Gaara raised his hand and the words 'desert coffin', slipped through his lips. I kicked my feet up onto the railing. Pushing backwards, I forced the person holding me into the wall, and his grip on me weakened.

Without a second thought, I leapt into the arena.

I stood in front of Lee; my arms crossed over my choker, in each hand a kunai pointing towards my neck.

"Gaara!" I called, but he couldn't hear me, he was trapped behind killer intent. "I will release her!"

Sand enclosed about the kunai blades, rendering them useless, and began snaking its way up my arms.

"You gave me your word!" I yelled. That seemed to get his attention. The sand fell from my hands and he crumpled to the ground.

Holding his head, he cried out in agony.

"Gaara!" I ran to his side, catching him before he fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Gaara? What's wrong?"

He was bleeding; Lees attack had done some damage.

"Winner! Lee!" The announcer cried, and the audience went wild.

I struggled to hoist him onto my back then sped out of the arena, barely registering Naruto calling my name.

I stopped outside Konoha's gates and side stepped behind the wall. Moments later three people ran passed, out of them I recognised Naruto who was calling my name, Saskue and grey haired Jounin, his leaf forehead protector concealing his left eye. I waited until they were quite a distance away before carefully lowering Gaara to the ground, resting his unconscious head against the wall.

"Revive no jutsu"

I closed my eyes, holding the last seal, hoping that in doing so it would speed up the healing process...

Chapter 7 Questions

He was still asleep when I curled up and closed my eyes. The healing process was complete, my chakra was drained and I was exhausted.

I had only slept for half an hour, before I was woken by a hand, gently running through my hair.

"Gaara?" I jumped when I found myself lying on his lap.

"Why did you heal her." He stated staring intently at me. I furrowed my eyebrows, not totally recalling the events that had passed.

"Sakura. Why did you heal her." I shrugged.

"Damage that can be undone, should be undone." I replied simply. I stood to my feet only to find my wrist caught in his grasp, so I knelt back down.

"Why did you stop the kunai from killing her."

"She was innocent. Lives of the innocent are needed to extinguish the hatred of the evil."

"Why did you heal me."

"You're not evil Gaara. At least, I don't think you are."

His grip on my wrist decreased, allowing me to shift into a more comfortable position.

"The thing, the demon inside you, inside of me may be so. But they don't define who we are, they don't control us. Shukaku doesn't control you, however hard it may seem to believe."

Gaara's hand slipped from my wrist and I slowly stood to my feet. I helped him up and he supported his weight on me.

"I'm wiped." I smiled as I leapt uphe wall. "I'll drop you off and head back."

"OkiNami..."

"Call me Oki, its easier" His lips tweaked slightly as he struggled not to smile, but the moment soon passed and his face grew dark and solemn.

"Oki... I would have killed you, you know." I nodded my head in agreement, my eyes stationed straight ahead.

"Then why?"

"Each life is precious, and must be protected by those who have the power to do so." I breathed. He turned to me, his eyes wandering over my face, my birthmark then once again returned to my eyes, reading their deepest emotion. Pain

We stopped outside a small inn, and his companions immediately rushed to his side.

"Gaara!" the girl cried.

A pang of jealousy ran through me as she embraced him, but it soon vanished when I felt him tense and the girl jumped away from him, fearful. He stood straight, no longer using me as support, his eyes cold and bottomless once more. He didn't even say goodbye.

"Shit! My bokken!" I yelled as I bounded off over the rooftops glancing back to see Gaara staring after me. I couldn't help but wave.

I found myself, sat on the Naruto's roof once more, my head in my hands as I sighed in defeat.

"Sorry dad..." I breathed rubbing at my damp eyes.

"What for?" I didn't have to turn to know who it was, but something inside told me to.

"Oh my God!!!" I screamed as I turned and found Naruto holding my fathers bokken.

I heard him yelp, as his back collided with roof tiles, and I gingerly kissed the surface of the wooden pole.

"I'll never leave you alone again" I breathed, sliding it lovingly into its holster.

"Ow" came a strained voice from beneath me.

"Oh, sorry Naruto." I giggled, climbing off his stomach. "Forgot"

I helped him to his feet before hugging him tightly.

"Where did you find it?" I squealed.

"You left it in the arena, when you took off with Gaara." I nodded jadedly as I remember how Id taken off without a second thought.

"Why did you?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Why did you? I can understand someone like Sakura-Chan, but Gaara. Gaara's evil"

"Do you think he woke up and just decided to be the way he is!" I half yelled, but quickly checked myself, when he flinched at my tone.

"Sorry, Naruto. It's just that, everyone only sees what they want to see. You don't know what he went through, yet you're so quick to judge."

I stared out at the moon, running my hand through my hair.

"I and he are alike, but instead of parents that loved him, taught him the value of lives. His father tried to assassinate him! Even after Kaze-kages death… When I first met him, he was surrounded by the numerous bodies of those that had tried to kill him."

"You're... like him? How?"

"I...I too have a demon sealed inside my body." I was ready. Ready to see the look of disgust I had seen on so many other faces. I didn't expect him to nod his head in understanding.

"I guess all three of us share that." He breathed almost silently. I stared at him in confusion. It was then he turned to me, a smile paved across his face, he lifted his top, allowing me to see the curse seal on his stomach.

"OkiNami! Meet Ninetails!" I stared wide eyed at the seal, shock causing the words to stick in my throat. Naruto was the last person I had expected to be 'possessed' by a demon. He seemed so hyped, so carefree.

"At the Chuunin exam, I thought we had found some common ground, we both being demon host. But when he came back, he seemed so different."

I squealed in excitement before flinging myself on top of him.

"Don't you see?" He stared at me, in a dazed shock. "We can work together!"

"On what?"

"Gaara! The hatred of a wounded soul can be extinguished by the love of another!"

"Eww. I am not kissing Gaara; I've already had that experience with Saskue. Uck" I raised my eyebrow quizzically making a mental note to ask about that later.

"No... All we have to do is include him, make him feel wanted. And leave the rest down to fate."

Naruto sighed, his face expressing his doubt. I put on my puppy dog face, batting my eyelids.

"Pwease" A smile flickered across his face as he nodded 'yes'

"Great!" I yelled, and before I knew it, his lips were on mine. I drew back in surprise and shock.

"Sorry" he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "I was aiming for your cheek"

I smiled, brushing it off as a harmless mistake.

"Huh? What's that?" My eyes widened as I followed Naruto's finger to a floating eyeball. It disappeared, traces of sand lacing the night air.

"Gaara..." I breathed.