Gaara was confounded. How can one simple girl put away the Shukaku? He sat in a corner with his hands in his hair wondering how and why.

'She's too powerful, boy, we must get rid of her before she destroys us. You know very well she doesn't really care. It was just a lie so she wouldn't get killed. She values her puny little life more than any affection she allegedly has. Give it up boy.'

'But…she, she seemed like…'

'Forget about what she SEEMED like. We both know she doesn't care. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself.'

Gaara got up and walked in his bedroom. There she was a tiny shell of a doll that was Hinata, her body moving up and down as she slept. How could this little girl simply just put the Shukaku to sleep merely with her stuttering words? It was unheard of, unfathomable, and curious.

'Quick boy, while she is asleep. KILL HER! Drain her of all that succulent blood. I crave it boy. I need it. WE NEED IT!'

Hinata rolled over just as Gaara was struggling as he found his hand coming together, at the ready to make quick hand signs to finish to heiress off. Her baby face was in peace and slivers of light wiggled their way onto her face and threaded into her hair. Her light breathing accompanied with her gentle appearance was something to look at. To Gaara she looked like that princess from that story he had heard Kankuro talk about. He often called Temari it, only joking around of course. Sleeping Beauty was her name. Gaara didn't remember inquiring much further about it only that he knew she was a princess that was forever asleep, her beauty preserved for all time. Hinata shuffled a little and a small whisper escaped her little lips.

"…Gaara…"

She said it so warmly and almost like she needed him. Gaara's heart, the one he swore he didn't have, started aching. Shukaku squeezed his brain and pierced his inner self with screams and lies.

'What are you doing boy?! She is an easy kill, so why is she still alive? KILL HER DAMNIT!'

Gaara reached out to Hinata. Shukaku egged him on to rip her skin off and drain her of all her vital blood. His hand touched her skin, reeled back slightly at the feel, then continued to touch. His curious hand rubbed on her cheek.

'She's so soft.'

'The easier to rip apart and murder, my boy. Imagine that soft skin under our teeth again and how arousing it will feel as her blood rushed past our teeth and slithered like a snake down our throat. Remember boy?'

Gaara trembled with want. Her blood and her skin brought him to a new level of enthrallment. It was his drug, he was addicted and wanted more like a crazed addict. He licked his lips with hunger. His hand moved down letting his thumb trace her lips. He remembered that blood, how metallic and sweet with a strange tang that made it addicting. Her light breath touched his palm and made him shiver as light as her breath.

'She…she is so warm.'

'Because of that rich blood that runs through her. That warm body in our claws slowly fading to cold as we rip her to shreds, splattering that blood all over these walls.'

'Her face…I noticed…She looks like a doll. She is our doll Shukaku. Our little doll. To play with, to dress up, to do whatever we wish. She is ours.'

'Hmm…What are you saying boy? You wish to make this pathetic human our…our mate? How laughable! And yet…how appropriate. Hmm…yes. She is weak yes but she carried tremendous power in those eyes. She will produce fine offspring. The demon's legacy will live on! Then we will kill her! What a brilliant plan my boy!'

'I don't know what you're talking about. Producing offspring?'

'Boy, you are dense! Why did I get settled with you? Perhaps we can make quick work of this. Take her now, I will show you how. If she is truly ours she will not resist.'

'Take her? Will it…hurt her?'

'Why do you care!? WE WANT TO HURT HER! SHE IS FRAIL! SHE MEANS NOTHING TO US!'

He stroked Hinata's face gently. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her soft skin under his hand. It felt good…it felt right. Hinata whispered his name desperately again, this time her soft features contorted into displeasure and pain and she started to sweat. Out of her eyes came tears and in Gaara's curiosity he decided to lick one off. It was terribly salty! Not anything like he thought they would taste. For some reason he felt the urge to hold Hinata's trembling frame and stroke her. What was coming over him!? A few days ago he would have found it sickeningly funny to watch her writhe in this bed.

'You're weak boy. DESTROY HER! TAKE HER! DO SOMETHING!'

Hinata gasped and awoke. She saw Gaara looking at her, mostly confused and perhaps bemused. His hand was levitating near her cheek that was slowly turning redder.

"Huh? Your skin is red. How is that?"

Hinata hid her face under the covers. Her eyes met his then looked away.

"K-K-Kahyah! G-g-g-aara-san-shii w-were you t-touching m-m-m-y f-f-ace?"

"It's none of your business. You said my name in your sleep. Why?"

"It w-was a d-dream. A b-bad d-dream."

"Dream? What are dreams?"

"Huh? You d-don't know?"

"I don't sleep often…actually, I don't sleep at all."

"T-the d-demon, r-right?"

"Hai. Now explain."

"Hai! I-I w-will try. Dreams are v-visions you g-get in your s-s-leep. They aren't r-real. S-sometimes they can be, b-but most of the time they a-are fake. Some are good and some are bad. B-bad ones are c-called n-nightmares."

"Hmp. Figures. I am the epitome of everything bad and scary. I am always called 'Your worst nightmare' so it's natural to be the epicenter of your nightmare."

"N-no! Listen! It wasn't you…I-it was my…my father."

"I don't understand."

"M-My f-family isn't that g-great s-sometimes. I t-think they mean well but….Oh l-listen to me r-rambling on! Nobody c-cares…"

He turned to her and saw her discontent face. He walked out of the room and went into the living room. His brother looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What's on your mind, Hn? Woman troubles?"

"Hai."

"Oh, do I know that story. Hinata, right? Oh who else would it be? So what's up?"

"She makes me…confused."

"Women are hard to understand. How is she confusing?"

"I hate her…I think. Maybe it's just Shukaku. Then I feel something new in my chest and it's all…weird. Like tiny ants trampling inside me. It disgusts me and yet…it feels right. I want to kill her and yet I want to hold her. She's a disgrace and makes me vomit yet she is…a blossom. Even as I say this my body is a raging box filled with puzzle pieces that don't seem to go together."

"Well you came to the right man. I am the expert in women."

"You already told me this."

"…Right. Well, I'm what you call a Ladies man. The ladies love me. Can't get off me. Swarm to me like I'm honey and they're flies. You my friend have got a bad case of the puppy dog love."

"Puppy dog love?"

"Yeah. You got it bad for Hinata."

"Got…it…bad?"

"Lemme break it down for you bro. Alright, I think you have a crush on Hinata. All this means is you like her a lot, you like her with your heart. It's more than just a friendly like. You want to make Hinata your lady!"

"My…lady?"

"Yeah, you know your girlfriend?"

"Ah. Mate for life…mine forever?"

"No, that's like a wife. Girlfriend is like in the middle. Wife is somewhere at the top. Before wife is fiancée and of course soul mate."

"Soul mate?"

"Soul mates are very special. They share a special bond and love each other to death. They'd die for one another. It's the truest love out there. It's harder to find than Waldo!"

"Who?"

"Some American character, but the point is I've never found mine. Temari will never find hers…or a boyfriend for that matter."

"You do know…I'm right here."

"AYA! Temari-nii-san! I was just…uh…"

"Being an idiot? Stop insulting me. That's strike one. Say one more word and you'll be getting a puppet shoved right up your-"

"SILENCE! Cease your infernal quarrelling! Now, apparently, I like Hinata. That makes her mine, Hai?"

"No, of course not. She has to like you too," Said Temari

"Why?"

"A partnership like that needs two people's consent. She needs to like you too."

"What if she doesn't Temari?"

"And why wouldn't she?"

Both Temari and Gaara looked at Kankuro with a face that clearly read, "Are you serious?"

"What? Just a question."

"I'm surrounded by morons. What you gotta do is win the girls over. Be charming, polite, sweet, kind. Find out what she likes and give her that and more!"

"Kindness?"

"Right…Kami help me. Alright. Hn…Let big sis Temari show you the ways of romance and passion."

"The only time you heard the word passion it was pertaining to the fruit."

"BAKA! I will KILL YOU!"

Kankuro hissed playfully and laughed when Temari half-heartedly threw a pillow at him. Gaara was on the edge of killing BOTH of them. They were such a pain.

"Now, what does Hinata like?"

"Hell if I know."

"Well! Why don't you find out, Hn? Kankuro and I will do some snooping too."

"Say what?"

"That's right; you're getting dragged into this. He's your brother too."

"Pfft! You can kiss my happy ass goodnight because I'm not doing any of it!"

"KANKURO!"

Surprisingly this wasn't Temari, even though she was close to sending him flying back to the Suna with her fan it wasn't her. It was Gaara.

"You will help me or you will find yourself with sand in the most uncomfortable of places. Down your throat being one. If that doesn't kill you, the wild sand scorpions will. They are aggressive this time of year."

"Kuso…Fine. I'll help, but we're gunna do things my way too. Deal?"

"Whatever. Deal. We'll start tomorrow. Hai, Gaara?"

But he said nothing but stalked back to his room. The air of gloom and darkness wasn't as heavy around him; he even seemed to have an air of…joy. It was scarier than the dark aura! A happy Gaara isn't always a good thing! Gaara saw Hinata holding a picture frame and looking at it. Gaara realized what the picture was of. His mother. He grabbed it from her and threw it against the wall, shattering the glass.

"Don't touch my things!"

"S-s-sorry Gaara..."

"No…not yet, but you will be!"

His hand grabbed her throat and started crushing it slowly. A squeak of pain escaped her lips.

"How cute. You squeak like a little mouse. That's all you are; an insignificant little mouse scurrying on the floor for your cheese! DON'T EVER TOUCH MY SHIT! UNDERSTAND?!"

She nodded frantically before being dropped to the floor. Hinata looked over at the picture. The woman had looked a lot like Temari, maybe it was his mother. Was she the key to Gaara's fury, pent up sadness and destructive nature?

"G-g-gaara..."

He looked over to her trembling with anger. He looked at the picture then at her. He wasn't sure how to act but he wanted to destroy something…or someone.

"I-It's okay…my m-mother d-died t-too. I know h-how it f-feels to be a-alone. T-true I have n-n-o demon in m-me but I k-know that loneliness…"

She curled up in a circle and thought, thought about her mother and her sister who would surpass her if she wasn't strong enough, her cousin who ignored her, her father that hated her because she was so weak. Her mother had been kind and sweet and everything was good while she was alive…then it all went to hell.

"I see it…in your eyes. Emptiness…"

He grabbed the sides of his head and looked down. Why did his chest hurt and his eyes sting? His skin was cracking again. He was succumbing to his own personal madness. His demon.

"G-Gaara-chan!"

Her friend was in pain and in trouble once again and Hinata, despite Gaara's violent intentions and nature Hinata was too kind of a person to not try to help a friend. Had he been an enemy or somebody she didn't like he wouldn't be helped. Hinata wrapped her arms around him from behind, fighting back her own blush.

"D-d-d-don't s-s-s-submit! You a-a-re s-s-s-stronger than t-that!"

He pounced on her, foaming at the mouth. His skin was like pottery that had been chipped and cracked, a sadistic grin on his face. His wide tongue flicked across his sharpened teeth.

"Do I scare you Hinata? Huh? Well, DO I!?"

Hinata squealed in fear and began to channel her chakra to her appendages so she could escape, her Byakugan activated.

"Look at me Hinata!"

Her lilac eyes dilated and trembled in the whites. They started to roll up slightly. Gaara grabbed her chin and forced him to look into his eyes.

"I SAID LOOK AT ME GODDAMNIT! LOOK AT THE MONSTER I AM! YOU SAY YOU SEE NO MONSTER! ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND!?"

Tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks that were slightly pink and bruised. His tongue lapped up her salty tears then rolled back into his mouth after looking in her eyes.

"W-w-w-why d-d-o y-you w-want p-people t-to f-fear y-you? Y-You c-c-could b-b-be c-cared f-f-for a-a-a-and l-loved if you g-g-ive into y-y-our t-t-t-true s-self."

"True self? What in hell does that mean?"

She opened her mouth but then passed out. Her pent up chakra at her appendages and her circulation being cut off added with Gaara's weight practically crushing her had made her pass out.

"Hinata? HINATA? HINATAAAA?! WAKE UP! Come on Hinata, stop pretending…"

More tears spilled out of her eyes and blood out of her mouth and for once in a moment of history that should have been recorded, Gaara was disgusted by it and fought all temptation.

"YOU WAKE UP NOW DAMNIT! What's wrong with her…?"

'Oh shut up, boy. She's merely passed out. You are so dramatic. But I have an Idea. Listen close, while she's passed out we take her. How about that? You'd like being inside her and claiming her as yours, won't you, boy? Imagine that tender, supple skin under your palms then breaking her bird-like bones hearing that lovely crack then taste the nectar of the heaven we will never go to, the nectar that is her blood that we crave so badly, boy. Isn't this what you want? What we want?'

He looked upon the passed out Hyuga underneath him. So pretty she was in her peaceful state. If there were such things as earth-bound angels she'd be a good example. Snowy skin, shiny hair, perfect rose bud lips, rosy cheeks, and oh-so-soft skin, soft as a cloud and not to mention those eyes without pupils, something was supernatural about her. She was not a great beauty yet but she was very, very, very pretty and it was a natural beauty only the foolish could deny. He stroked her face and moved away her hair. It was a gesture of gentle care that he never knew he could muster but some internal, primal instinct told him this is what he should do. It felt perfect and right and denied every story Shukaku told him about love and caring and people and himself.

'No.'

'No? NO? NO!?' I WILL DESTROY YOU BOY I HAVE THE MEANS TO! DON'T DEFY ME!'

'I just did. From now on, I hold the reigns. I say what goes on. I will hold more control over you and myself. She is right. I need to let you go.'

'MARK MY WORDS I WILL KILL YOU! YOU WILL NOT LIVE WITHOUT ME! JUST TRY TO BLOCK ME OUT JUST TRY!'

'Shut the hell up, your voice annoys me.'

With that Gaara tried his hardest to lower the volume of the demon that had controlled him for so long. It was a herculean feat and to fully control his demon would take longer than he could imagine but surely Hinata would help? Hinata HAD to be here for more than just training….right? Gaara placed Hinata in his bed and watched her drift from unconsciousness to slumber in one easy step. He had to go outside and get some cool air so he asked his siblings to take care of Hinata. When he went outside and walked around he noticed a picture. It was a crudely drawn picture of Hinata. Somebody was looking for her and he could smell them closing in.

'Well…if they think they are going to get her they have another thing coming. They will have to go through me.'

Shukaku grinned maliciously thinking about the bloodshed and thought to himself; which Gaara couldn't hear,

'You mean ME, boy. Just me.'