Overlordofnoboides- Thank you for reviewing almost all the chapters! xD I'm a very supporting-needing type of person. xD

I might end up stopping the story, because I'm a very negative person, but I'll continue.
xD Even if I do, I guess you can email me and ask what's happening between Shukaku and Kyuubi - if you really want to know.

Chapter 5: Knowing.


It's strange - and yeah, I know I say that a lot, but Suna just tends to get that word out of me.

I was sitting on the chair I sat on the same day I went to go have dinner with Tamari and Kankuro the first time; except, this time, I was happy. Really happy, and more happy than I was in a long time. They noticed, and asked me what was up with my mood change, but I said I didn't know. Just felt . . . different. Sometimes, that part on my arm, where the Kyuubi had clawed me in Naruto's mind, hurt when I thought about it. It made me worry. Have you ever had a dream, and something in that dream, attacks you? And then, you're dead? Then you wake up, breaking the door beyond your dreams, and yet, you still feel dead, or wounded, or sick, anything that might have happened within your dream? Yeah, well, I've been thinking . . . Maybe I haven't woken up from all this.
And maybe you haven't either.
" Oh, shut it, Kankuro!"

I looked up to see the two siblings arguing, once more, bringing a grin to my lips. They're funny. I can't help it but laugh.

" You shut it! I don't see you trying to make a move!"

" Well, of course not! Sakura's a girl, and I'm a girl, you idiot. What do you expect?"

An impish smirk grew on his lips, and I instantly knew what he was thinking." Eew!"

" Pig!" And with that being said, Tamari whacked Kankuro over the head with her had, before grumbling profanities under her breath. The couple beside us, who glanced over at us every once in a while, stared at Tamari in shock. Tamari was a bit . . . outgoing, for a lack of a better word.
" The only type of contact you can get, Kankuro, is spending time with your stupid puppets!"
Oh. That must have stung.

" Yeah, well, at least I don't like someone in Leaf!"

I had to laugh at that, as well as what Tamari said. Kankuro messing with puppets was amusing, and Tamari liking someone? I thought she was that independant type of woman. Anyway, the puppet thing with Kankuro, it reminded me of when I was a little girl, and I had a doll that my mother had given me; I called her Kataria. I slept with that thing every night, and never let go of her . . . Until I met Sasuke.
I let out an irritated sigh, before focusing my concentration back on the siblings.
" Stop that, you two. You're attracting negative attention." I smirked.

" Yeah, well, it's the only attention Kankuro will get."

I snorted, trying to hold in my laughter as I placed my hand upon my lips. Kankuro glared over at me, pouting like a little baby.

" Women . . . " He scuffed.

Tamari rolled her eyes, before glancing over at me." Ignore him," She suggested, or demanded. I couldn't tell . . . It was in between both.

" I'm going to go to the bathroom really quick."

" Not going to invite me?" I expected that to be Tamari, but it was Kankuro. That hentai! I whacked him over the head as I passed him, hearing Tamari bursts out into laughter as I made my way through the door into the bathroom.

I heard chitchat going on as I turned on the sink, and washed my hands. It seemed like two girls were talking about the Kazekage. Gaara the Kazekage.

I tried to still my movements enough to where I could hear them, but also enough to where they wouldn't suspect me of anything.

" Did you hear? They think Gaara-san killed that person outside the gates last night." One girl had whispered, her voice loud enough for me to hear. Her words sounded slurred, almost as if she had drank too much.

" It's so predictable. He's a monster! He should have never became Kazekage." This voice sounded much clearer, but it seemed to be that she had been drinking, too.

Anger welled up in me, like bubbles rising, and threatening to break out of my throat in harsh words of profanities at the girls.

" He became moody ever since that girl got here. That Medic girl . . . It's all her fault, don't you think? Everyone keeps saying she has pink hair." The girl let out a laugh, that sounded much like a dying bird.

I bit my lip, trying to refrain from calling that girl the worst thing I could come up with.
" I bet they did it together." The girl snorted with amusement.

" I bet they do it together!" The other one - who laughed like a bird - joked.

Soon, they bursted into a hoot of laughter. I gritted my teeth together, before grabbing a paper towel on the side of the sink, washing my hands off, before walking over to find them sitting on the couch. They looked like sticks . . . And looked like they sold themselves for money, if you catch my drift. The smell of liquor hung in the air, and smoke, as well, and it was making me sick." Oh. I guess she does of pink hair!" The one's 'dying bird laugh' broke out again, and I clenched my hand into fists.

" You little-" It was a good time Tamari opened the door in time. She saw me charging at the girls with my fist suspended in the air, and a murderous look on my face.

She quickly caught me, restraining me back as I struggled to tackle the two girls down.
" Oh, look! She even has an accomplice!"

Damn Tamari and her timing!

" C'mon, Sakura. It won't be any good to fight."

" You're damn wrong!" She pulled be out of the bathroom, my breathing coming out in ragged breaths. I noticed that some of the people eating in near by tables glanced at me nervously, as if they heard the entire thing. Which, they probably did.

I pushed Tamari's hand off my shoulder, rushing past Kankuro, who seemed like he was about to ask me if I were all right.

Did it look like I was all right?

I walked down the streets, my hands clenched into fists. I noticed that people moved out of my way because of it, and it was a good thing, too. I felt like punching anything that moved.
I stopped nearby Tamari's house, punching the side of the wall with my fist. Some of the sand within the cracks fell out, and down to the floor, and soon, I began to relax. Gaara was right . . . These people didn't trust him no matter what he did. I could have sworn I heard a girl the other day, when I went to go visit Elder Chiyo's grave- I could've sworn I heard the girl saying that it was Gaara's fault that she was dead.

And it made me angry.

Gaara was willing to sacrifice everything for this village, and they were willing to sacrifice him as well. Just because he had a demon sealed within him.

It wasn't his fault. It was Suna's, and they shouldn't be blaming everything on him.
And, you know what I find funny, right now, as I'm defending Gaara?

I use to think the same thing . . . Before I got here, I complained, and acted like a bitch toward everyone because they were making me go here, when deep down, they were sending me off to the one place I found happiness in since Sasuke left. Gaara didn't talk much, but I found comfort in that. He didn't ask questions, and no matter what, he never said I was weak. Not even once. I didn't admire him just for that, but what I really admired him for was that he had the courage to change the way he was. He knew what he was, and he knew what people thought of him, and he didn't give up. He doesn't give up.

Sometimes, when I look at him, I get goose bumps. But not because of I'm afraid -No, I'm afraid because he might hate me for what I thought of him in the past. I'm afraid he might reject me, and never trust me. I'm afraid, he might want to kill me for some other reason other than Shukaku telling him to. And sometimes, when I think about him, everything in the world disappears. I forget everything - even Sasuke. And, you know, the strange thing is . . . When I was little, when I thought about him, I was afraid, but then . . . I wasn't. I never noticed that till now, and it makes me wonder if I ever really hated the redheaded man.

" What are you doing out here?"

Speak of the devil.


" Gaara? I thought you were inside."

" You're not the only one who eats." He said, indifferently.

" Yeah, sure." He unlocked the door to the house, opening the door it for me, and waiting for me to step in. I stood there, being my stubborn self, waiting for him to walk in." I can open the door." I stated. " Well, can you unlock it?" He retorted.

Damn him!


I grumbled, pushing past him, and off toward the couch. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, seeing as he was slightly staggered looking, which surprised me. I sat upright, tilting my head to get a better look.

" I thought I told you, Kunoichi. Staring isn't polite." He didn't turn, or incline his head toward me in anyway, and I was surprised he even knew I was staring at him. His gaze slid over to meet mine, before he walked over, and leaned against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest. " And I thought I told you, Mr. Gaara, that killing isn't polite, either." I teased, a smug expression plastered on my face. Gaara scowled at me, before shutting off the lights.

" Hey! I can't see!"

" Exactly my point." Gaara's voice turned cold as he said that, and I glared into the darkness to where I thought he was.

" Turn on the light, Gaara."

And he did, except, he wasn't there when he did it. I glanced over at the pile of sand that now formed near the light switch, and I let out a sigh of annoyance. Boy doesn't know when to clean up after himself. I snorted, going off to grab the dust pan in the kitchen, and coming back to sweep up the grainy substance. He probably was pampered like a dog, that's why he doesn't clean up. Deciding upon what I should do, I came up with the idea of teaching him a lesson. I grinned at the thought, and quietly snuck up the stairs to his room. The door was already open, and when I peaked in, I found Gaara sitting near his desk, only his head was being held within his hands, and scowling. Was it just me, or did I see a brief flash of pain flickered across his face?

" Gaara? What's wrong?"

His gaze flickered up to me, and he scowled in anger." You're not supposed to be in here."
" To be perfectly honest, Gaara, I don't care. I'm your Medic Ninja, and I can tell there is something wrong - now shoot."

He continued to scowl, propping his head up with his hand, and elbow, giving me that,' What exactly do you think you're going to do about it' look. Oh! And let us not forget that familiar and oh-so-famous look, 'Come near me, and I'll kill you'.

I smirked, before walking over to him, only to be stopped by a wall of sand." I said, Kuniochi . . . You're not supposed to be in here." His voice was stern, and hard, but sounding rather bored.
" I'm going to do an examination on you whether you like it or not!"

I walked around the wall, seeing him give me a lethal looking death glare at me. I stuck out my tongue. And he snorted.

" Take of your shirt." I ordered.

He narrowed his eyes, but did nothing as I said.

" Do it, Gaara." I demanded once more.

He let out an irritated sigh, sliding the shirt, he was wearing, off, and throwing it to the ground.
I tried not to stare - I really did, but it was just hard.

Especially since this time I was looking at his actual chest, not the bruise I had formed, which, by the wall, I have been failing to heal.

The bruise looked a bit worse . . . And you'd think after weeks it would be gone, but it wasn't. It was mixed with colors that made his skin look sick; Purple, yellow, brown . . .
And I felt guilty. Again.

" I'm going to heal that now." I know, I said I was going to do it when I got his trust, but it was really beginning to bug me.

He just shrugged, casually, and giving me a look as if daring me to try.

" Gaara, don't you trust me by now? If I were going to kill you, I would have done it back then when you were vulnerable."

He narrowed his eyes even more; glaring. His clenched jaw relaxed, knowing I proved my point.
I took a tentative step closer, noticing out of the corner of my eye that his hand clenched the arm of the seat. I sighed, before placing my hand on his shoulder, and looking him in the eye, trying to ignore the fact that I was blushing, and he had no shirt on . . .

Boy, was he warm.

" I'm sorry, Gaara. About everyone not trusting you, and everything." I didn't mean to say it, but the previous thoughts I had been thinking before he interrupted them broke through my barrier.
His gaze faltered, and they traveled away from my eyes, and to my hand that rested on his shoulder. I placed my free hand on his cheek, and he turned his head back to look at me, his eyes wide. I noticed, at the same time I place my hand on the bruise, that his muscles went rigged underneath my touch. I felt his jaw clench again underneath my hand that I placed on his cheek, and I sighed in exasperation." I'm not going to hurt you." I promised. His lips turned down into a frown, and that's when I closed my eyes. I focused my concentration on the bruise, and when I felt my energy placed in my right hand, I noticed a hitch in Gaara's breathing. I ran my thumb over the skin of his cheek to try and calm him down, but he turned his head away, leaving my hand suspended in the air - so I placed it on his shoulder for support. Then, I focused my energy on the bruise, again, and when I felt it was done, I pulled away to examine the skin. Good as new.

" How was that?" I grinned, now poking the pale, porcelain-like skin." Does that hurt? Huh? Does it?"
He swatted my hand away, now placing his own hand upon the skin.

His silence discomforted me, and I frowned." Not going to say thank you?"

He didn't respond, he just picked up the shirt that was on the ground, and put it back on him once more.
" C'mon! Say thank you!"

He glowered over at me, and replied," I didn't ask for your help, therefore you do not earn a thank you."

I gapped at him, before I pouted, much like Kankuro, and walked over to sit upon his bed. He stared at me for a bit, before I snapped," Staring is isn't polite," and he looked away. I felt a smug grin pull at my lips, before I glanced down at the bed I was sitting upon. It was made, and looked as if it hadn't been touched in weeks.

Gaara, probably, hasn't been sleeping since Shukaku invaded him. I let out a little off, beginning to trace designs upon the fabric, before falling to my side, intentionally, and staring up at the wall. I tried not looking over at Gaara, so I pretended to draw stuff on the ceiling with my finger, making odd sounds from my lips while I did so, much like the sound an engine made. Either I was definitely bored, or I was beginning to go back to being 2-years-old.

" Stop making that sound!" I lifted my head to see Gaara glaring over at me. I smiled sheepishly, before dropping my head back on the pillow, and letting out an annoyed sigh. " Party pooper." I sighed, closing my eyes, and trying to relax my body.

I didn't even notice that I was drifting off into sleep, and I didn't even seem to realize, also, that my arm was burning . . . as well as my right hand. I don't know where I was; everything was black.

I couldn't see anything, and quite frankly, I couldn't even tell if I was walking . . .

Nothing.

It was like I was wearing a blindfold, and the only things I could see were the things inside my own head.

You know, like a dream within a dream?

And, honestly, I didn't even know if I was dreaming. I didn't remember anything, and at the time, I didn't even know I was asleep. You could say I forgot almost everything that just happened a couple of minutes ago. Soon, the black began to fade away, like smoke, only with a mind of it's own. The way it moved- like a snake, only black, and misty.

In front of me, where the blackness had just crawled away from - was a meadow. It kind of reminded me of the meadow I went to when I was younger, except, this meadow had this luminous light that looked, almost, red; a blood red that rested upon the trees, and leaves of the bushes that surrounded the place; and the flowers that rested upon the grass, looked red, as well. But the thing I hated about it the most was the smell that lingered in my nostrils smelt like iron. A familiar scent of iron that kind of reminded me of Gaara's sand when he pinned me against the tree when we were younger. You know, when Naruto fought him . . .

This place was scary - for a lack of a better word - and yet, beautiful.

I don't know how to explain it, but do you know when you see something that's horrifying, but you think it's beautiful?

I mean, you don't know it's beautiful, but this feeling within you tells you it is, even though it isn't? It just had this thing about it that made me want to stay there forever - And yes, I'm talking about the meadow here, I'm sure you wouldn't want to stay with anything horrifying for very long.

" Welcome, my dear, to the Blood Meadow."

I knew that voice!

" Hmm. She seems mesmerized, does she not?"

I knew that voice, too!

Out stepped Gaara and Naruto from the shadows of the forest, except, something was definitely off about them . . .

Gaara's eyes that were once a sea-foam-green, were now an odd yellow; and Naruto's . . . His eyes were red, without an iris . . . like Gaara's.

" G-Gaara? Naruto?"

They didn't respond, but they did move closer, and soon, they began circling me.

Gaara went clockwise, and Naruto when counterclockwise. After a while, I noticed that they were the predators, and I was their prey.

I was caught like a mouse in the eyes of a snake.

" No, no, no, my dear! You must not be seeing correctly!" The words came out of Naruto's lips, but they weren't his.

They were his. The Kuubis.

" Kyuubi?"

The demon within Naruto let out a satisfied sound, and nodding at me. Then, his eyes flickered over to Gaara's figure, a devilish smirk grew on both faces. " And Shukaku, if you remember, Blossom."

I glanced over at Gaara, my eyes narrowing into slits." I remember. Perfectly."

A dark laugh erupted from Naruto's throat, like a caged animal. In which case, it was." Nice seeing you again," Gaara's smooth silky voice answered, and I suppressed a shiver. " How did you guys get . . . here?" Not exactly knowing what here, was." Hmm. You're not exactly anywhere, my Cherry Blossom, and neither are we. You're not in your mind, and we're not in our mind. We're simply . . . a fragment of air."

A dark chuckle erupted from Gaara, and I glanced over at him, trying to keep myself from panicking. I was being circled. By demons." Stop playing with the girl, Kyuubi."

A smirk grew on Naruto's lips, and the Kyuubi let out a chuckle." Hmm. All right. We're in your body, Blossom. Doesn't that sound nice?"

" M-My body?"

" Brilliant, isn't it?" The two demons laughed, and I cringed. Two people I cared about - And, yes, I'm admitting I cared about Gaara-, were attacking, mentally, as if I were just a simple piece of meat, and I was scared. Scared of them.

" How are you in my body?"

" It's simple, really. Isn't it obvious, though?"

I shook my head, hearing, at the same time, an irritated sigh escape Gaara's lips.

" I pierced you with my claw," The Kyuubi stated.

" And I bit your hand." Gaara's voice replied. I didn't like this Gaara's voice. Do you know that type of voice when there is a murder near? Yeah, well- Gaara's voice seems like it wants to play with me, it's self, even though it's really Shukaku.

So, he bit my hand? When, exactly, did that happen?

" What?"

" Shall we refresh her memories, Shukaku?"

" I think we shall."

Suddenly, memories flashed in my mind-

As soon as I focused my concentration on him, my body began to tremble.

Something was definitely in him, but what?

My free hand moved within him, yes, within him without penetrating his skin. I had learned that trick a while back from Tsunade-san.

There. There it was! I never was able to reach this point, but now I could! Today was definitely different!

I touched the source of the pain, but soon, the thing that I had touched, whatever it was, vanished; leaving my hand burning from the reaction.

" That was you!"

A smirk pulled at the corner of Gaara's lips, who was standing in front of me now, and as I heard Naruto's laughter behind me (Which definitely didn't sound like Naruto's laugh), I suddenly knew they switched places.

" Mhm." I stared at Gaara while his lips smirked at me; taunting me, challenging me . . . This was a dream, right? And the weird thing about this dream, was that I was scared. Scared for my actual life.

" What do you two want with me?"

After a moment of silence, I spotted Naruto from the corner of my eye, and soon, Naruto and Gaara were standing side-by-side. Their eyes were narrowed into slits, both of their lips were quirked up into smirks.

" What do we want?" They said in unison, and before I had a chance to respond - they pounced, and soon, I was falling back; screaming in pain, and fear.

I seemed to have jolted awake, the last bit of the scream that I just let out, broke from the hinges of my dreams, and into reality. So, I was just dreaming, right? I tried to control my breathing, staring down at my feet that were trembling, as well as my body.

" You're afraid of me?"

I jumped at the familiar voice, turning to see Gaara's solitary figure only a couple of feet away.

" W-What? No! Of course not!" I muttered, trying to calm myself down.

Yes, Gaara. I'm afraid of you. That's what I should have said, but I wasn't afraid of him! I was afraid of the thing within him, and what that thing within him could do with that body.

" Then why were you screaming?"

" Because I had a nightmare?" I said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, because it must've been the most obvious thing in the world . . .

" Then why did you scream my name?"

" I did that?"

He scowled at me, folding his arms across his chest, and letting out an irritated sound.

" Yes," He muttered.

I sighed, letting my gaze travel over to the window, noting, inwardly, that it was still dark.

" Gaara, I'm not afraid of you, okay?"

He let out a frustrated sigh, turning back in his chair, and staring down at the papers on the table.

I realized, as he did that, that my body was still trembling. I needed to calm down. I needed to relax. I needed comfort . . .

" Gaara?"

" Hn." What a response . . .

I sighed, pushing myself off the bed, before tentatively walking over toward the redheaded man that didn't seem to acknowledge my presence.

" Gaara," I repeated, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. His muscles went tense, and I let out a sigh. His eyes flickered over to mine, before he shifted in his chair, and now faced me." What is it?" He asked, clearly frustrated. I braced both of my hands on his shoulders now, and his breath hitched." Calm down . . ." I didn't know what I was doing, exactly, but just touching him made me calm down. I took a deep breath, staring into Gaara's eyes as I began to descend upon his lap. Finally, I came in contact with the warmth of his legs, surprised I actually made it this far without being thrown out the window. I laid my head on his shoulder, letting my breath fan his neck. I could feel his eyes on me, and I knew he was deciding whether or not to just roll me off, and drop me on the floor . . . or leave me there. I let out a soft sigh, wrapping my arms around his neck, before curling myself against his chest, and letting my eyelids flutter close." Thank you, Gaara." I felt his muscles relax, just a bit, and soon, I felt a warm arm wrap around my waist, securing me to him. But what made me smile, was that his hand was actually trembling. I don't know if it was a good tremble, or not, but it made me happy that he was nervous around me, or so I thought he was nervous. And, after us both being relaxed, I succumbed into sleep, once more, this time, for sure nothing was going to happen.

Nothing but good dreams this time.