Chapter 3

Sakura looked over to see Naruto glaring at her. "Gaara?!" He jumped and she felt the crackle in the air. "What are you doing here?" Gaara looked at him, his face again stoic. "I'm here on unofficial business." Naruto huffed and looked over to Sakura. "And you?"

"I seem to have a connection somehow to him." Naruto ground his teeth. "Yeah, in the lip area from the look of it." Gaara shook his head. "Do you hear him, Sakura?" She looked down. "Shukaku?"

"..." She shook her head. "Maybe he's left me?"

"no, where is he?" Sakura looked over to Gaara. That had been his voice, not Shukaku's. "You can't hear him either?" Gaara looked at her again, this time the panic she'd seen before he'd left earlier was more evident on him. "I can't." Sakura tried to think to realize her thoughts were fragmented, shuffling randomly. "I'm having trouble. I can't think." Gaara looked at her and sighed.

Sakura noticed his eyes narrow slightly and looked her in the eye. She noticed the sudden change in demeanor and sat up, looking at him. 'Is he back?' "I didn't leave. I had a lunch break." Sakura caught herself smiling. "Dammit, Shukaku!" She laughed, leaving Naruto surprised. "I had a companion. A part of you, Sakura. Very confident young girl, pretty. Decided to have a one on one. I know, I should have asked your permission, but hey, not like you're her mom!" Shukaku laughed and Gaara looked over at her. Sakura looked back over to him and shrugged. "Is he alright?" Sakura asked and Gaara nodded. "He's like that." Naruto looked between them. "What the hell is going on?"

It was nearly an hour later by the time the whole thing was explained. Naruto kept shooting glances to Gaara and Sakura could tell Naruto had something else in his head. "Sakura, I'm going to take you into the next room and I'll have a doctor show something to Gaara. You tell me what it is." Sakura nodded as Naruto took her by the arm into the next room.

The doctor who had been there first was sitting in the hall. Naruto talked to him for a moment before Naruto led her into a room about three down. "Here, lay down." Sakura did so, and watched as Naruto shone a light into her eyes. "Ow! That hurt!" Sakura whined and Naruto looked her over. "I think this is a delusion. I think you've been drugged." Sakura looked at him, surprised. "Why?" Naruto looked around, trying to think of what tests to do. "Sharing Shukaku? Do you realize how stupid this sounds?" Sakura couldn't reply, but her mind was flying a mile a minute.

'He's just worried about my safety. He wants to make sure Gaara's not going to hurt me. It does sound a bit mental, me, having communications with Gaara's demon! Ha! He's taking a long time...'

Sakura returned her attention to Naruto who was now looking at her. She noticed the gleam in his eye, angered, and began to feel unsettled. "Naruto?" He looked at her, waiting.

'Shukaku? What's going on?' "He's just asking about medical history. He's not really asking us anything to tell you. Is everything alright?" Sakura looked at Naruto and sighed. 'Stay in touch, just in case. Something's not right...'

Naruto continued to glare at her, till she finally broke the silence. "What's wrong?" Naruto just stared for a bit, his face looking more confused than anything. "If you could talk to the demons within, why didn't you ever talk to mine? I know we were close, You never felt the same about me as I did about you, but we both know that. After all the time we've spent together, why wouldn't you have been able to hear mine?" Sakura thought about this for a second. "Because yours is trapped within you. Gaara's is more of a dual being thing. You and your demon are two separate identities." Naruto's face twisted into a grimace. "Anything yet?" "Not yet." Sakura shook her head, her nerves suddenly feeling at ends. "What's going on? He's not asking anything except medical information." Naruto gritted his teeth. Sakura was completely caught off guard when Naruto threw a kunai, which caught Sakura in the shoulder.

"What the hell?!" Sakura jumped up, pulling the knife from her shoulder. She felt the blood ooze down her arm and backed away, the look in Naruto's eyes turning slightly crazy. The burning look on his face was tormented, nothing less than terrifying. "Why his and not mine? I was the one who wanted to be with you!"

"That's enough." Sakura turned to see Sasuke standing in the door. "Your testing is complete, you need to back down." Sakura looked over to him, feeling suddenly elated. "Sasuke!" He smiled at her and walked in, making sure to stand between them. "I heard what was going on. How ya been?"

Sakura ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "Better, now!" He put his arm around her and she felt the tips of his fingers against her back. "She's not drugged, Naruto. There's something going on here that may take us a bit to figure out." Naruto nodded, replacing a second kunai in his bag. Gaara appeared in the door and sniffed. "I'm done here." Sakura nodded. She turned to Sasuke and smiled. Come visit sometime, alright? I have work to do now." He nodded and watched as Sakura ran out of the room, Gaara following behind.

"Why was Gaara here in the first place?" Naruto shrugged in response and Sasuke looked at the blood on the floor from Sakura's shoulder.

It was about twenty minutes later they were at her apartment. "Kankoro! Bring down bandages!" Gaara yelled the instant he walked through the door. "Everything alright?" She heard from the back rooms. "Sakura's been injured." She felt terribly ashamed by this wound. It was easily blocked, but she never would have figured Naruto to do something so extreme. She watched as Kankoro came down the stairs, a little shaky. Gaara rolled his eyes at the scene and Sakura watched as the young man threw the bandages over. "My hands aren't steady right now..." Gaara rolled his eyes. "You're drunk."

Kankoro shrugged, plopping down on the couch. "You need a bigger place." Sakura nodded, a slight blush across her cheeks. She was surprised to see him in such a state. Not as much that he was drunk, but his brown spiky hair framed his face well, and he was dressed down, a white button up shirt and black pants. His constant smile and blush were a completely different look on him, and if Gaara hadn't called him by name she would have thought he was someone else entirely.

'He's cute!' "I can hear you." Shukaku teased, leaving Sakura blushing. Gaara looked down at her, mistaking the blush for a response from the injury. "Take down your shirt." Sakura looked up at him, her expression terrified. "Excuse me?!"

"I can't bandage you over your shirt. Take it down." Sakura stared for a second, dumbfounded. "I...uh..." "He's safe. He has yet to show any interest in people like that. He just innocently wants to help with your shoulder." Sakura sighed. She figured the first guy to see her bare chest would be someone who openly liked her. Rock, maybe, if she got really desperate, maybe even Naruto, but never Gaara. She undid the top and pulled it off, covering her chest with her other hand. She looked over to Kankoro who had his head turned.

"This wound is deep. You're a med-nin, do you keep any antibiotics here?" Sakura nodded, trying to keep the blush on her cheeks from covering too much of her. "In the restroom, behind the mirror." Gaara turned and walked away and Kankoro shook his head. Sakura could tell he was keeping his eyes closed. "He's not used to being around those of us who aren't family to him. It may take some time to get used to, but you should know that he seems to like you." Sakura shook her head and spoke out loud on accident. "He had me remove my clothing. I should hope so." Kankoro shook his head again, laughing. "You'll understand him in a while. Just have patience and give him some time, alright?" Sakura nodded. "Okay. Thank you." Kankoro tilted his head back, just enjoying having someone new to talk to.

"So, you've turned med-nin, huh?" Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I've gotten pretty good. Gaara seemed surprised that so many of the doctors referred to me as sensei." Kankoro looked over at her, which caused her to blush halfway down her chest. "Really? The other doctors?" She nodded, looking around for something to cover herself with, to find that Gaara had taken off with her shirt and that there was nothing else around. He returned his gaze to the ceiling, causing her a relieved sigh. "That's impressive. You seem to have done a lot since last we met." Sakura nodded. "I had to keep working. After Sasuke defected I had to keep my mind busy." Kankoro nodded. "I can't say I know how that feels, it must have been terrible." Sakura looked down at the floor. "Can we talk about something else?" Kankoro sniffed. "Sorry, sometimes I lose my senses. I'm not used to others as well." Sakura nodded. "You three have spent your whole lives together, haven't you?"

"Worse, we're siblings." Sakura looked over, a little surprised. "Really?" Kankoro nodded, and Sakura could tell he was falling into the farther reaches of his drunken state. "Yeah, we all shared the same father." Sakura nodded. "It was really a pity when he died. Gaara nearly took over as Kazekage right then." Sakura sniffed. Where was he?

"Where is the antibiotic again? It's not in the place behind the mirror." Sakura nodded and stood, walking upstairs. "Gaara? Shukaku said you're having trouble locating the..."

"No, I've found it. I'll be right down." Sakura stood, a little surprised. "Shukaku, why did you say he couldn't find it?" "I just needed to. Trust me." Sakura nodded again, walking back downstairs.

Gaara held the small bottle and looked in the mirror. 'I've changed.' Shukaku laughed at him and responded. "Yeah, you've gotten taller, your hair longer, and you now have a decent build." Gaara was caught a little off guard by this response. 'What are you talking about? I meant within.' Shukaku's grin was so obvious it was nearly showing on his face. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing you need to know yet. I know what you mean though, about changes. You have thought about her all these years, haven't you? The little konoichi who knew she couldn't beat you who stood up against you, showing you what it meant." 'What what meant?' Gaara was used to these conversations, but not about himself. "to have people who care about you." 'I have Kankoro and Temari. They care about me.' "Not like that. They're family. Your brother and sister. She isn't related to him. She cared about him differently. She loved him." 'she still does.' "Not like she used to. He hurt her when he ran. He abandoned her, and it hurt her seriously. She's becoming more like you. She's pushing those around her away, separating herself from those around her, afraid of being hurt again." "What difference does this make to me?' "A lot. You do realize I've been in her head almost continuously since that day. That's why we're here, because you wanted to find out who it was that had the back door open in your head. We've found her, and neither of us expected it to be her." 'How did you not know it was her?'

Shukaku fell silent. "I'm not really sure. All I knew was that someone else had the ability to see into me, and I could see into them. I didn't know who or how, just that it was. It's a blessing that it's her." Gaara looked at himself in the mirror. "Why is that?"

"Because you need someone else. Someone besides me and your siblings." Gaara narrowed his eyes. 'I don't need anyone else. It's not as if she knows me, or would care even if she did.' "You lie. The thought of someone else to care about you, the thought of someone who could maybe even love you, it races your pulse." Gaara realized his heart rate was up, and sighed. "You make me betray myself. I don't have the thoughts you believe."

"You lie to yourself, but it's alright. You are only human."

"Gaara? Shukaku said you're having trouble locating the..."

"No, I've found it. I'll be right down." 'Shukaku, it's you who want the girl.' "Until then, in your mind she was Sakura. Remember your place, your head, and all will be well, right? You want this lonesomeness, don't you? Only because it's the only kind of life you've ever known, and the thought of change scares you." 'Shut up, Shukaku.'

Gaara looked down into his hand before going down the stairs.

Sakura sat on the table, her hand still over her chest, and Gaara suddenly felt slightly guilty at imposing such an uncomfortable situation upon her. He took off his shirt and handed it to her. "Here." He held it out, earning a look from Kankoro. Sakura smiled at him, thanking her luck for this one. He sat on a chair and picked at her shoulder for a second. "You may want to brace, this may hurt."

It was a bit later, and Gaara sat on the chair still, as Sakura came downstairs with a kimono on, ready for bed. Kankoro had passed out on the couch, his snores making her giggle at the thought of the warrior she knew he must be. Gaara seemed to look at her, his eyes looking through her. He looked... sad. "Homesick?" Gaara shook his head. "No." Sakura smiled at him, noticing the odd gleam in his eye as he narrowed them again. "Is there anything you need before I go to sleep?" Gaara looked down, and Sakura noticed something. He looked suddenly unsure of himself. "No, thank you." Sakura smiled again and turned towards the stairs. "You might want to sleep yourself. Knowing how you've been you might want to go look at the changes in the city." Gaara seemed unsettled by these words and Sakura turned back to him. "I don't sleep." Sakura smiled. Would it help if I made tea?" Gaara looked up at her, and she noticed a darkness creep across him. "No, you don't understand. I don't sleep at all. Once a week at most." Sakura couldn't hide her shock at these words. She remembered Naruto talking about the summoner's soul, the summoner usually doesn't sleep, afraid of the demon within taking over, he usually only sleeps a bare minimum to keep from going insane, sometimes not even that much. She nodded. "If you change your mind, if you do need anything, I'll be in my room. Goodnight." She turned to go upstairs and Gaara sighed. 'You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?' "Doing what?"

'you're trying to make me feel. I don't like this sensation.' "It's nervousness. You'll get used to it, and before long it'll go away." Gaara sighed.

"Nervous...get used...before...away." Sakura sighed and laid down, but found herself unable to go to sleep with the random words of the demon within her. "Shukaku, is there any way to keep your words out of my head?" "Sorry, I'll do my best." "That's all I ask, Thank you."

Sakura was out within a minute.

Gaara sat there, Shukaku was quiet and Gaara started to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. He closed his eyes for an instant and was asleep himself.