Previously:

Previously:

She was below average, and she knew it. She knew it with all her heart and everyone else knew it. She would die a nobody and there was nothing that could change her course of fate.

The wolves crouched near her snarling showing off their sharp fangs. Ones that were meant to rip flesh and break bones. They evolved to become strong. The weak of the pack died. Survival of the fittest. How ironic that she now knew all too well.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ummm…surprisingly enough, I don't have anything to say, like usually I blab on before I start a chapter, but since I started writing this chapter STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT from updating chapter 7…there's not much to say…

DISCLAIMER: (god I miss these things) I don't own Naruto, just the idea and the fanfic!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Gaara sighed irritably. Why was he always the one to get stuck doing all of the 'chores'? Here he was, a used-to-be cold blooded killer who actually killed as a hobby, getting water and food for a helpless girl.

Though the thought struck him quickly following behind the other one, that it was his fault she was in this state.

That brought another thing that was bugging him. A silent war raging in his mind was trying to decipher it. What happened with the Shukaku event? Gaara was confused as to know if it had happened in reality or not. It confused him to no end.

Some things indicated that it had truly happened, with Sakura covered with his blood and that there indeed was some faint scar at the back of him, where Shukaku had burst out of him.

Other things had indicated that it didn't happen…like that there was no place in the world that he'd heard of that could show your past…as torture.

He still didn't understand if it was reality speaking or not. Gaara had tried to talk to Shukaku about the episode but he wouldn't budge from his consciousness, not saying a word about it.

It irked him and worried him at the same time. If it truly did happen and make Shukaku become so traumatized to the fact that he wouldn't mention anything about it or even talk to him at all, then it truly was bad.

Sighing again, he figured that he had taken enough time on musing his own thoughts and gathering necessities, so he should return to Sakura.

Gathering the things, Gaara set out to where they had originally met up. Gaara knew that it in her condition she wouldn't be able to move if at all do anything, so Gaara would find her in the same position. She probably would be mad about him taking so long and start complaining, he thought wryly. She was the first person he had ever met that had grown accustomed to him and at least created some strange, albeit growing relationship. Gaara had never experienced anything like it.

The fact that he hadn't killed her yet astonished him. Naturally he would kill someone as annoying and loud as her in a split nanosecond, so why hadn't he? Even if part of it from the beginning had to do with the rough treaty between Konoha and Suna still needing to be repaired or the fact that she was some sort of friend with the person he begrudgingly indebted himself to, but Gaara knew more than anyone that he certainly did have limits. And god honest, Sakura had crossed his 'fine line' he had set a long time ago and more than once even.

She contradicted herself all the time, whether she knew it or not. She killed, she healed, and she says she's weak, yet she's not. Sakura was truly the most confusing woman Gaara had ever met. Then again, Gaara hadn't met many women to compare her to. There was Temari, yet she understood when to back off and when not to because of experience since she was his sister and had had to endure being with him in his worst situations. So she of course had some more understanding of him than Sakura. Perhaps that was why Sakura would truly speak out her mind, yet Temari would know it was flirting with death.

There was Matsuri who he truly didn't understand that much of her either…He knew more of her than Sakura but that was probably because Gaara had known her more than Sakura and he'd trained her. She seemed to become clingier these days, though…Occasionally asking him to train with her more frequently and asking him questions that he had already taught her. She always blushed and said that she had forgotten that fact, but something in her eyes told him that she really didn't. She would constantly ask Gaara to 'casually' eat with her, which he found no purpose in doing so.

Gaara had always thought of dining with your teammate would only be in certain circumstances such as; on a mission, which you'd need to eat together. You were always more 'protected' (which he didn't need, but others thought it felt 'safer'. He entirely didn't understand because dining with Sabaku no Gaara shouldn't be safe, so that damaged his pride a little.)

Other times you'd be needing to dine with your teammate was in order to debrief a mission. That was the only other explanation that people would need to eat with them, right? It confused him to oblivion. When he enquired why Matsuri would need to dine with him, that perhaps the 'esteemed' elders (who he truly loathed) had given them a mission. The only reason why he ever complied to listen them (temporarily) was because they were in need of a Kazekage. When someone took that position, he would definitely not be listening to them at all, whatsoever.

So when he asked if it was for a mission for the both of them, Matsuri blushed deeply and became flustered, saying something like 'never mind, I have to do something' and darted somewhere else.

Gaara had felt confused and had asked Temari why she would ever do such an absurd thing, repeatedly, Temari scoffed and said that she was trying to 'take advantage of his nonexistent understanding of today's society.' Gaara threatened her to never say that ever again, but he couldn't' help but agree with this. He was, after all, considered a monster ever since he was born and still considered one.

But if that was the case, then what was Matsuri truly trying to do? He had learned the truth of people in the harshest of ways. Humans were truly pitiful creatures, they all believed the way to gain power was to step over other people.

Well, that was a lie. Once in a while, there were a few people in life that didn't see it that way, but deep in nearly everyone's mind, they were fighting, struggling for their own lives to survive, to become the strongest. Perhaps it was the feeling of safeness when one was to feel immune to everything.

It was simple and childish goal.

Becoming immortal was impossible. Not only that, it was highly unethical and served no purpose really, in the end.

Walking, not bothering with his slow progress and time, he made his destination to camp.

Hearing a snarl, he paused. Correction, it was snarls, as in plural. It sounded like some sort of animal. Maybe he'd miscalculated that this area was safe enough to camp in. Picking up his strides, he hurried to the campsite.

A pack of wolves, possibly having 20 in total were jumping in the air heading for one sole place; Sakura injured against a tree just waiting for her demise.

Acting quickly, with a swish of an arm, the wave of sand reached to heights close to match the tallest trees in the forest they were in.

The small physical action of closing his hands in a tightening grip executed the sands' waves and the helpless whimpers of the wolves quickly drew to an end.

A few minutes if he was late, it would've been a fairly gruesome state for Sakura.

Sakura grunted, which made Gaara swivel around. It turned out that he hadn't killed all of them…One had escaped his sand wave and had reached Sakura in time.

Walking to her while using his hands to move the sand towards the last remaining wolf, Gaara created a hand as wide enough to fit around the wolf's waist using the sand still bloody from his dead pack.

With the sand hand, it grabbed around the wolf. Gaara's cold eyes intensely kept them gazed at the creature in front of him. There was no sense of mercy or emotions held in them.

Squeezing the pressure around its stomach, it whined in distress. They were heard by deaf man's ears, however, because Gaara kept on applying pressure, minuscule by minuscule.

It was torture, and it was what he loved to do. He hadn't had this much fun in such a long time. Blood was now seeping and seen at the bottom of the hand-like figure made from the sand.

What Gaara loved about sand was that it was raw. It was grainy and it was rough to the touch. Much like a roses' thorn; it was meant to protect, and if so, kill. Despite the rough texture, it was agile, graceful even. It was worthless alone but deadly with more of it. 'It was like a wolf' Gaara mused, almost a hint of amusement hid under his jade eyes, 'worthless' tightening the grip 'alone…'

The grains of sand yet again proved their power. The texture was coarse and uneven, biting the wolf's skin. The fur that would normally protect it was now a futile attempt against the sand.

Blood soaking in the fur, the dark red liquid made a thickly path down the wolf.

Sighing in his mind, Gaara realized this was the most fun he could possibly have out of this, and decided enough was enough. It was getting boring quickly. Gripping the remaining space in his hands, he made sure no air could make it through it.

As if mimicking his gestures, the sand fist tightened.

Blood sprayed in every direction. The head exploded off its body and landed somewhere behind him, but it was the least of his concern. The wolf's bottom half landed with a sickly sound.

It was amazing that you could even see all the contours in its body now because it was now almost perfectly cut in half. You could even see the spine. Speaking of which, the spine bones were rather troublesome, he found, on how the wolf exploded, it send a couple of rib and spinal bones to shoot out of its body.

He'd have to find an effective way to make sure that wouldn't happen. They were deadly things. Shooting projectiles were not his favourite type of weapons. Though it was annoying, he felt that it almost felt like it was the wolf's last remaining type of weapon against him. Grinning madly absentmindedly he felt it was an interesting way to 'try' and kill him. It was like even in death, the wolf was fighting with all it was worth to kill him. It must have felt like it was the injustice of it all. Trying desperately to kill someone but it would never happen.

He wondered how bad it would feel, though he would never know…it was nearly impossible. Death was his ally, not his enemy.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Sakura was shaking. She was shaking in anticipation. A more nervous state of what you'd feel when you were about to do something very important-something that felt like your life depended on it and you'd want to just get it over with. She knew that feeling. And it was here with her again.

The wolves were headed straight for her and she desperately wanted the worst of this whole epidemic to pass.

The snarls the wolves made were so aggressive and primal it made her wince. Blinking she didn't know what to make of the quick change of scenes in front of her. Right in front of her eyes, did it just look like the ground almost erupted creating a giant tsunami headed straight across her? It grew even bigger and she had to crane her neck to see the top of it. The wolves seemed so microscopic against the…sand.

There was only one person that Sakura knew that could do that. Looking desperately around, she would've sighed in relief if it weren't for her broken voice.

At her position, the sounds of whimpers from the wolves could barely be made out because of the roaring of the sands overpowering.

Just when she thought she was out of the clearing, Sakura looked up to see yet another wolf only on meter away from her soaring in the sky straight for her. That look itself could probably frighten most of the population of Konoha. Teeth baring, a snarl and the face of a wolf closing in. Its scowl placed on its face seemed irremovable, giving the impression that it was the face of death itself.

Landing almost gracefully on all fours, it went for the kill, sinking its teeth in her stomach. Her soft flesh held no resistance for the sharp teeth, tearing with ease. After suffering many types of physical pain throughout her years of becoming a Kunoichi, she still (to her distress) grunting in pain and displeasure.

So much for becoming hardened from pain.

Glancing passed the wolf still gnawing in her stomach, she focused as hard as possible to her growing blurry vision to where Gaara could be. Sure enough to her hope, Gaara walking towards them. Sakura actually did break into a little smile of relief. However, relief was short lived because Sakura saw something.

She saw Gaara, but he was different. The glint in his eyes was reserved for something almost inhuman. It was the type that was seen in the wolf's eyes when it was on the intent of killing. It was so animalistic.

Grains of sand scraped against each other, once again showing how very real and deafening they were all together. Roaring of sand moved to speeds that were hard to follow gripped around the wolf in front of her. The sand's uneven texture grazed and scratched her skin lightly from being so close to the vicious sand so close to her.

The wolf made sounds of protest that nearly made her feel sorry for it, however the whining it was making was useless as was its weak struggles against the vice grip around its stomach.

Eyes widened and she glanced back at Gaara. It was far away, but she could make out the form of his hand gripping a little closer together.

Gaara probably couldn't hear it from where he was, but she definitely could. The sound of bones crunching. It was most definitely the wolf's ribs breaking under the amount of impact from the heavy sand. Death trap.

Gaara walked towards them slowly, but his eyes were only intent on the wolf. His slow walking status made her more believe that he wasn't doing this to reserve his energy, it was more that he was taunting the poor creature, stalking his prey even.

Sakura shivered involuntarily. She paid no heed, however, eyes transfixed on Gaara's face. It was scary, terrifying, yet if one would look closely, the rest of his face was lax and almost tranquil. The fire of hatred only burned deeply in his eyes. It looked so…untameable (A/N: apparently an alternate way of saying untamable as well)

The air was thick and hostile, it was truly frightening. Just what on earth was happening? It was true that Gaara was unstable, but Sakura had felt that he was improving his capabilities of catching himself. No matter how many times (she even felt it herself) of acting depressed and dull, discouraged, definitely smiling a lot less than what she had been from her earlier stage. Gaining even more bad points of herself and even keeping her old habits; being weak. She had always had that nagging thought in the back of her brain as; 'am I just becoming more of a nuisance to everyone that matters with as much effort I put into doing the exact opposite?'

To put it simply, she was not someone that Gaara could handle. Correction; someone that he couldn't handle in terms of patience. He could handle her very well in terms of power. Just with a flick of his hands, he could've killed her already.

So her confusion lead her to a couple of main reasons. The fact that Gaara hadn't killed her yet, and just what would've made him snap right now?

On first glance on Sakura's predicament, it might've seemed like he was actually angry because he was protecting her and that she was in danger, but come on. The chances of that were like….1 in a billion. She wasn't that important to him. Even though she had a higher chance of living if it was pinned against Sasuke and her, it just proved the point that even just because Sasuke was one of 'Naruto's important people' didn't mean they were necessarily on 'Gaara's important people' list.

Thus drawing Sakura to a conclusion that it didn't have to do with her being in danger. Sure, she had realized that he was hanging on a single line from Suna because he was part of the reason that they had lost 'their little mission' on destroying Konoha from the inside out failed hence making their alliance extremely shaky. If he caused something like say…the new Hokage's apprentice to die by him, he'd be in big trouble.

But honestly, the problem with that answer was that Gaara seemed like the type that wouldn't care if he got in trouble with Suna. From the day he was born, it was no secret that Gaara and Suna would be against each other. They were two sides in war, sometimes it turned to a cold and silent war, and however even then, they were still enemies.

Sakura had learned a little bit of Gaara's past from the documentaries that she picked up before the mission. Sakura had specifically requested Tsunade borrow them to her so she would know a little bit. Unfortunately, Lady Tsunade was not allowed to authorize many scrolls and documents to her for it was classified, but with a little pleading and begging, Tsunade gave her several scrolls to study.

Within just the little information she was given, it was evident that Gaara did not have a kind childhood. Still enshrouded in mystery, Sakura decided to drop the idea of learning more of him, seeing wisely that because of her giant mouth, she might accidentally speak of his past and lose his trust.

It didn't matter right now, because the look in his eyes scared her. Turning her head slightly, she looked at the wolf's eyes.

Looking at it at first glance, you would see her. A reflection of emerald eyes framed by pink and beige. You would see it as almost a distorted picture. The lines of her features blurred out by the wolf's eyes.

Look deeper…

You would see fear. You would see something that was expressed in this wolf and her as well. Inside, she knew that this look was expressing enough for the both of them. Glazed over eyes, glassy reflections and colours blended within each other creating various hues that one would never see from just a simple paint kit. Mix and mix as you'd want, the colour of fear would never be expressed fully.

Eyes widened and Sakura knew that what was about to happen, she couldn't stop it. It was something…inevitable. Something that could be called 'fate' by Neji, or destiny taking its course, or something that was meant to be, but however you'd call it or create your own explanation; it all meant the same thing.

Perhaps…no matter how hard you tried, things were just not meant to change. She was weak, she could try her hardest not to be, but maybe that just wasn't good enough. What was something to actually overcome fate? She didn't have an answer.

So the inevitable happened…fate, or destiny, or something meant to be, as people would call it.

A spray of red scattered across the forest landscape in her perimeter. It rained. It rained blood. Blood of fear itself. The wolf could not change its path in life, so maybe that was the same for her. It was a possibility that she would even share the same fate as the remains of what used to be here.

The liquid that gathered together to form thicker drops rained down on her, being absorbed by the fabric of her clothes, her hair matted and dirty, her skin as well as her soul, equally dirty.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

The blood that felt so warm against his skin trickled down his face due to gravity. He was well aware that it was quite a mess that he had just created and he couldn't even give a damn about it. The red substance soaked in him, matching his hair with the same colour. It was a colour meant to represent him from the day he was born. It was meant to represent him. Never to change, never to quiver in the slightest or tremble with opposing this. It was a law; something unwritten, but always there. A feeling that he was conscious of all the time.

Grunting audibly, he fought to regain control over his body. Gaara realized all of these thoughts in his mind. They were all very real and vivid in his mind and he also knew these were all real, but he knew that Sakura did not deserve this.

She had grown from the young years to being so protected and loved to being exposed to so much all too soon. Just knowing to Gaara that the minute Sakura joined this mission at an unstable level, it would cause troubles. For both of them. When the ending result was that Sakura and Gaara would be traveling together for months, he found that this would be even tougher.

Sakura had gone from happy-go-lucky childhood girl whose only care was about how to get the Uchiha to love her, to a growing woman piled with things all at once. The death of her parents, the bloodshed she had never seen until now, the death, the grime, the work, the killing, the wounds that would be healed physically with chakra, would never be healed emotionally. Ever. The constant pressure and stress, the pain and torture, the feeling of hopelessness and sorrow. The feeling of never being so…faithless in your life.

Gaara had thought he had dragged so many people down with him…why add Sakura to the list? She didn't deserve it. They didn't either. Well, okay some of them did, but he did feel a tiny little twinge of guilt for the people he killed for just being there or just looking at him. And no, he didn't feel that tiny little twinge for every single person, because after a while, all those 'little twinges' would accumulate to becoming a massive feeling of guilt. He more or less saw it was that 'little twinge' was just all the guilt he felt. For everyone. (He didn't feel very much guilt)

So with much effort, the green-amber eyes that were once transforming to Shukaku slowly crept back to being the original hue of green that Gaara's normal eyes normally were.

And everything became black.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Birds chirped high up in the tangle of branches and leaves built ever so delicately, yet strong entwined within the trees. Light filtered through the rustling leaves making swishing noises when a pleasant wind ruffled through them.

It was calming but it had done little to aid her worry. Sakura knew that Gaara had managed gain control over Shukaku but she was not quite sure how he would fair over the many times after this one. Out of all the people Sakura had known in her life, she had to say that Gaara was the one she admired the most of his strong abilities. She admired many other as well, but Gaara was special.

He was scary, but he had every right to. Having to go through so much turmoil and pain from the beginning of his birth must've been so tough. She did not understand. Why was she so lucky? So fortunate to have friends, family, and people that generally cared about her? Why did she have a strong personality and even though she called herself weak, she did have tiny moments of glory a couple of times? She did not comprehend this. She didn't earn any of this. Neither did she deserve it because she hadn't gone through anything. She didn't get it. What she didn't get the most was…why was she deemed normal?

Maybe outsiders were dying to want to be considered normal…but she didn't want to! She didn't want to…People like Gaara, who had suffered their whole lives shouldn't be viewed as anything like a taboo or something to be afraid about. They deserved to have friends, family, people that generally cared about them, and all the things she had. If she could give it all away, she would. She would give it to Gaara because, despite being afraid of him sometimes and knowing he had nearly killed her and very nearly did, he earned it much more than she.

Crawling on all fours, she mustered up the strength to move again. Pain bolted through her as tears welled in the corner of her eyes, threatening to drop. Not able to hold them back with a barrier of will, a drop raced down her pale cheek. They never stopped pouring out of her eyes silently, but she never stopped moving forward either.

The red head that lay on the ground unconscious wasn't that far away from her, and she was relieved at that fact.

Her knees faintly stung as well as her hands, when the rough texture of the ground grazed against her soft skin. They were just minimum scratches and didn't phase her in the least.

Reaching his side, she was relieved to see that nothing was truly wrong with Gaara and he seemed fine, breathing lightly in his unconscious state. Bringing up one of her scratched hands and unbeknownst to her ran the back of it against his cheek.

"Gaara-" She choked out, voice cracking effecting her by enflaming her throat. She knew he couldn't even hear her, but she continued anyways.

Whispering quietly to him, bending down to his ear, her voice was so faint, she could barely even hear it herself "Sorry…"

For how people treat you…

For your childhood…

For your behaviour…

For my inability to help you…

For everything…

I have more than you ever did…it seems too unfair. Sakura laid her body across Gaara, one hand lay next to her head that settled on Gaara's chest. It rose steadily up and down whenever he breathed. She would protect him. She would make his life be restored and give all hers away. To give what he truly deserved. She would protect him with all she was worth because he deserved it

…much more than her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I'm scared."

A rather large but gentle hand approached said voice. The callous hand reached closer to her, caressing her cheek.

"What are you afraid of?"

"I…" The voice in her throat dimmed out. Trying to speak out again, she opened her mouth, but the words were only formed out, never reaching her ears. She was panicking now. Why couldn't she speak?

"What are you afraid of?" The man asked again.

"I…" She tried again, but to her avail, her words never came out.

"…I…I'm afraid of you." They left her mouth without her even thinking of saying that.

Astonished as she was, the man seemed just as taken aback. Brushing it off, the man chuckled deeply. It sounded rich and kind; just like family…like home.

"Why are you afraid of me?" The silhouette of the man asked.

"I'm afraid of the dark."

True indeed, the man was enshrouded in darkness. The only thing that made her know that someone was truly there was because of the hand. The contact. That was enough to deem someone there, wasn't that enough proof?

Again, the low chortle bellowed through the air, yet maintaining the gentleness in it.

"There is no need to be afraid…" Wrapping his arms around her waist, drawing her closer to him; to the darkness.

It was a calming sense, being held by someone. It was almost to the sense that it was lulling, she mused, as eyes drooped slowly close.

"There is no need to be afraid…"

Calm.

Eyes snapped open, she struggled against the grip of the man, stumbling over her feet to get away from the silhouette.

"Get away from me!" She screeched, almost to a hysterical point.

He looked confused…well if he had an expression. The aura certainly felt that he was 'confused'. In fact, what if this wasn't even a calming place but he was the one giving off the aura?

"I don't understand."

Neither did she.

Her brain fervently racked for a logical answer. An answer to why she was so hesitant to said man. Realization snapped at her quickly, however.

"Don't drag me in the darkness!" A silent tear trickled down her porcelain face.

"It is rather calming here. You will be in peace."

"What happens if I don't want peace." Crossing her hands, stubbornly.

The rolling laughter came again within the dark.

"Why do you never face your fears? Are you a coward?" The words stung, but it was so polite said, she didn't know how to respond. Was he making fun of her or reprimanding her?

"I'm afraid…" She whispered out, tears still trickling down, unable to be stopped.

"Of what?" He asked, drawing near her again, pulling her in an embrace, so her head was enveloped within the shadows of his chest.

"Please…" Her voice was becoming more hoarse and quiet. So much more desperate.

"Please…don't take me back there again!" She cringed, face being contorted in pain. Gasping, she tried to release the grip the man had on her, but it was too late. She had let her guard down.

He pressed the hands that were on her back, tighter together, caging her between him. Struggling, she pushed her small hands against his chest for leverage to breathe, but it was a frail attempt for she was already feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen.

The darkness was enveloping her too quickly, she didn't want this.

"Please…don't take me…"

Her vision was blurring and becoming unclear. It could've possibly been from the surrounding darkness that objects were already indistinguishable but her cloudy vision was not helping.

"Don't take me…back…to there…" A drop of her last tear spattered against the floor. What lay beside it was a pink strand of hair and surrounding these two things was absolute nothing.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

If you're one of the people saying "wtf?" at the end, don't think you're alone. How do I know this? Because I don't even know where this is going. Glah! DX but this is kind of my revenge twisted up type of way of letting out my frustration on complicated things that I don't understand. And no, I don't mean my chemistry test. Things more like Donnie Darko the movie, and Brining up the Bones the book and lyrics by…I dunno, people. Like the strokes, Reptilia. I'll never get it.

Pray to god that I'll pull one of my amazing moments to randomly create something that actually makes perfect sense and ties everything together (which doesn't happen all that often) because if not…well it'll be like running to a mental asylum and ordering a riot; You NEVER know what's going to happen, but 9/10 scenarios, it's bound to be bad ;D

Also guys, I think I'm building up a theory: The quicker I go from one chapter to another to START it, the longer it gets put in because…seriously? This chapter was such a bitch to do! Like the worst. Also, since school has started already, who knows when I'll ever update…then again, my old times I used to update, they were never very in a specific order either :(