Chapter Four

After the frantic words escaped his mouth, Kankuro's arm dropped with a loud thud. A breath escaped him one last time before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

'Move, damn it!' Sakura's mind screamed at her shaking body.

Sakura was a proud ninja of Konoha, she was trained most of her life to react swiftly to situations like the one in front of her. So as soon as her mind screamed at her, she cursed at her slow response and ran to aid the fallen young man. Sliding to her knees, the rosette quickly drew up her chakra to her hands and swept it across Kankuro's chest.

"Kankuro." She whispered, controlling her chakra to his crushed areas.
"Did Gaara do this?"

Though the brunette was passed out in front of her, the answer to her question came when she heard a scream ring out above her.

"Gaara! Please get a hold of yourself!"

Sakura recognized the voice as Temari's, and quickly whipped her head up in hopes of catching a glance of the sand ninja. She assumed they were at the top floor where Gaara's room was, and again a loud boom echoed throughout the giant home; but this time also making the house slightly shake.

"Tch." Sakura clicked her tongue, taking a glance back at Kankuro.

It was her duty to make sure the young man wasn't knocking on death's door, but her heart raced at the idea of Gaara attacking his sister right under Sakura's nose. As soon as she could feel that Kankuro was stabilized enough, she raced back into her room and grabbed for her holster pack. She pulled out a sharp kunai before turning back around and flying past Kankuro towards the stairs.

'What are you doing?!' Inner screamed while Sakura dashed up and around the stairwell.
'Kankuro said to run. Remember what Gaara did yesterday night, what he did years ago?! You can't possibly beat him!'

Sakura spoke to convince herself that she was doing the right thing while she dashed.

"I know I can't possibly match up to his strength, but maybe I can knock some sense into him." She spoke to herself with strained breaths.
"I scared him off the last time. Maybe I can do it again!"

Despite her plan and determination, Sakura gulped with uncertainty.

'What is happening to him?!' She cried in her mind, remembering the good he had done for her just hours ago.

As Sakura reached the final step, she sucked and held in a breath while trying to take in the sight in front of her. Though it was dark, the bright moon lit up the hallway, and she shook when she stared at Gaara and Temari. The oung lord had his back turned to Sakura, sand dripping from his body while he held Temari by her neck, squeezing the life out of her. Temari, however, was not giving up just yet. She clawed at his hand when his grip tightened around her, and she hissed at him with narrowed eyes.

"Gaara..." Temari tried to speak.
"Don't...do this...!"

As Sakura took a step forward, Temari's narrowed eyes widened and darted to her. A pleading look in her gape now.

"S...Sakura." She managed out.
"Run! There's no way you can-"

Temari let out a cry when Gaara's clutch tightened. She was slowly succumbing to lack of oxygen and fell to her knees. It was this moment that Gaara let out a deranged cackle. Sakura was again frozen in her spot as his laughter and voice reminded her of the dangers he had done to her before.

"Just die already, Onee-sama." Gaara derided with a drooling grin.

It was at that moment Sakura again clicked her tongue, annoyed with both herself and the madness happening in front of her. She never would have thought Gaara, now, of attacking his own siblings. Pulling up the strength from deep within her, she raced towards Gaara, placing the kunai in front of her in hopes of driving the sharp metal deep into his back. She had felt she had been stealthy enough to sneak up and attack him, but as she drew near, a hand of sand shot from Gaara's back and knocked Sakura back into the ground roughly. Despite the pain, Sakura quickly drew herself back up, hissing as the giant hand retreated back to its master.

"I told you..." Gaara spoke, never turning to face Sakura.
"To not touch me!"

Sakura shook her head and turned her eyes away, seething while she listened to Temari choke in front of her.

'I'm no match for him...' Sakura admitted again in her mind.

She would have to try a different approach.

"Gaara." Sakura softly spoke, waiting to see if he would acknowledge her.

As time passed, and his stance never changed, she continued to speak. She could only pray that he was listening to her and taking in her words.

"Please, stop this. This isn't who you are..." Sakura pleaded, trying to recall the words that had stopped him before.
"Your sister, your brother. They both love you dearly. You don't want to break that bond with them now."

Sakura felt her heart drop as Gaara ignored her still, he was just so invested at the damage he was doing in front of him. Like a drug, he was drawn to his dying sister. Probably euphoric that her anguish was coming from him. At this point, Sakura grew desperate, trying to think again at what had stopped the mad red-head before.

"Naruto and Chiyo-baasama didn't save you just so you could hurt those close to you!" Sakura screamed desperately.

The young woman could now feel the corners of her eyes begin to moisten, tears were threatening to escape at Sakura's futile and frantic attempts. Not even those words had caused Gaara to flinch, and Sakura did not want to accept that she had failed. She did not want the life of her friend in front of her to be lost, and by her younger brother at that.

However, Sakura could not think of anything else to say. She could no longer reach the monster in front of her; both physically, and mentally. It was that thought of defeat that Sakura bit her bottom lip, and her fist clenched as she tried to fight back her tears. As she shook and her grip tightened, she looked at what she held in her hand. The metal kunai lit up brightly as it reflected the moon beams, and as Sakura stared at it, a reminiscence of the night before spoke into her mind.

"Your blood smells so good. It drove me here. Your sweet, smelling blood."

Sakura began to conjecture as she stared still at her kunai. An idea coming to mind, though, a dangerous one at that. At this point however, what did she have to lose? If she stood here now, and admitted defeat, that would mean the end of Temari, herself and whoever else that would get in Gaara's way. With a new felt determination, she braced herself. Tightening her kunai, she turned its sharp end towards her.

"Gaara!" She screamed, hoping to get his attention this time.

As soon as his name escaped her lips, Sakura plunged the metal weapon into the back of her shoulder. The second the small dagger dug deep enough into her, she quickly pulled it right back out from both the pain, and hope that blood would begin to seep out.

Sakura let out a small cry as she dropped her kunai. She knew her action was going to lead to consequences, but that didn't ease the stinging that now shot down her arm. She gripped at her damaged skin on impulse, feeling the warm blood drain through her fingers. She seethed before bringing her watering eyes to Gaara, and let out a small smirk when she saw his back tense before his body began to heave.

'Now I have your attention.' Sakura thought.

Sakura watched as Gaara twisted his head halfway to meet her gaze, she began to shake as she stared into his wild eyes. His nose flared while he stared at the bloody shoulder she now gripped.

'Good job.' Inner mocked in Sakura's mind.
'Now what?'

Sakura stood frozen in place as both her and Gaara stared into one another, his eyes never wavering while he kept his frown towards her and his grip still around Temari's neck.

'I suggest you run.'

As Gaara's frown quickly morphed into a crazed grin, drops of drool escaping from his sharp fangs, Sakura wasted no time turning and reaching for the stairs once more. She realized she was his prey now, and bolted as fast as she could back down the stairwell.

"Sakura!" Gaara screamed after her, a giant hand of sand racing out in an attempt to snatch her, but missed.

Sakura glanced back for a second as she continued down the steps, seeing both her predator and a wave of sand following closely behind. At this she narrowed her eyes in front of her. She had done what she set to accomplish, and hoped that Temari upstairs was catching her breath as Gaara raced for her instead.

'Temari and Kankuro are safe, but now what will you do?' Inner retorted as Sakura ducked to avoid Gaara's sandy grasp once more.

She hadn't thought this far ahead as Gaara and her played the classic game of cat and mouse. As soon as Sakura reached the bottom of the stairs, she swiftly turned and raced for the door leading to the outside. Grateful that Gaara's speed and desperation to catch her sent him sliding in a different direction before he scrambled to correct himself and continue his pursuit after her. When Sakura opened the door, she had to shield her eyes yet force herself into the outside world. She couldn't decide what was more dangerous when she chose a road to run down.

Gaara, or the sandstorm she now was trying to maneuver in.

'What was I thinking?' Sakura thought, her running began to slow when she tried to rub the grains from her eyes.
'There's no way I can survive out here!'

Sakura was blinded by the sand swimming around her. She could see no light, or building around her. Everything was just darken with sand. Even the moon that had lent some light before could not guide her within the storm. She just prayed that the crazed, young man after her was lost too with the same difficulty she was having. Sakura had to momentarily halt herself when she drew a breath in, the grains suffocating her as she sent herself into a fury of loud coughs.

'Stifle yourself!' Inner screamed.
'He'll hear you!'

"I..." Sakura tried to speak, lack of oxygen forcing herself to her knees as her coughing continued.
"...can't...!"

Sakura could feel herself wanting to gag when she felt the grains of sand stinging her eyes and closing her throat. Her body began to burn as she brought her hands down to support herself. Sakura assumed the worse as her coughing continued, but as time went on, she suddenly felt herself beginning to draw deep breaths in. The stinging around her body, too, began to ease.

'That's odd.' She thought, bringing her head up from the ground as her wincing eyes looked out in front of her.

As she did, she gasped, and tried desperately to push herself up from the sight in front of her. She watched as a dome of hard sand was now sealing her in, the only source of outside was still in front of her while it too threatened to close off. Sakura raced for her only exit when it began to draw smaller and smaller. She knew deep down his sand was faster than her legs, and cursed when her only way out was closed off. Sakura punched at the hard wall in front of her, hoping to at least crack it. Her knuckles however screamed in pain, and Sakura had to halt her movement as darkness and realization hit her head on.

He had caught her.

"No." She whispered, shaking her head as she took a step back, there had to be a way out.

Sakura's body began to shake when a cackle again erupted inside this dark prison he had her in. Sakura whipped her head all around her, trying desperately to pinpoint his exact location. It was impossible, however, for her to even see her own hands. It was at that point that Sakura decided that she would refuse to give Gaara the satisfaction he wanted from her now. She would not show him the fear in her eyes he wished to drown himself in.

She would fight.

"I'm not afraid of you!" She screamed at the nothingness.

As her words finished, so too did his laugh, and as seconds turned into minutes, Sakura felt herself backing up. Somehow the silence in the dark felt more threatening to her then his maniacal laughter. The unknown was always unsettling. As she took another step back, she felt her back bump into another body. Before she could react, she felt a hand grip at her stomach hard, pulling the back of her figure roughly into his chest. Despite what she had said, she shivered when she felt his hot breath on her neck. His lips drawing closer to her ear before he spoke.

"You should be."

Sakura reached for the hand on her stomach in an instant, trying her best to use her inhuman strength to pry his fingers off of her. As she did this, his claws sank deeper into her belly, reminding her that she had lost, that he was in control now. Sakura, however, would fight until the very end.

Gaara teased her as he softly blew into the back of her bleeding shoulder, reminding her that she had done this to herself to drive him to her. When she felt his breath, she arched forward, desperately trying to keep his cold lips away from her warm skin. Sakura bowed as far forward as her body would let her. She felt Gaara's nails dig deeper into her stomach as she tried desperately to tuck away. Her hair fell forward as she listened to him laugh at her desperation to escape.

"I'm glad you ran." He mocked her, his other hand now snaking around her neck.
"It was exciting!"

As he emphasized that last word, he brought Sakura roughly straight up by pulling her neck back. He choked her lightly, forcing her to oblige while he brought her body closer to his.

Sakura mentally gagged when she felt Gaara drag his wet tongue across the cut on her shoulder. As soon as he got his first taste, Sakura could feel both the hands on her stomach, and neck, tighten their hold on her. Desperation in his grip to not let his delicious meal escape. She closed her eyes when she felt the lapping of his tongue grow more frantic on her cut over time, almost as if he was drinking her faster than her crimson blood could escape. She opened her eyes partially when she realized she wasn't getting enough oxygen into her system from his hard clutch. Her vision was beginning to cloud and her mind was growing dizzy.

As her body began to grow heavy, Gaara again brought her figure crushing into his. He did not want his tongue and lips to part from her blood for even a brief second. With that, Sakura felt her body begin to mold into Gaara's frame, and her cheeks began to redden and heat up. Maybe it was because she was slowly losing consciousness, but her mind was now set on how he was holding her, his hands all over her body as well as his lips and tongue. Though, somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered too that he was probably going to kill her at any minute. The way he was also drinking out her blood, she wondered if he would drain her dry.

Nevertheless, she continued to blush while he cradled her figure with his. Without any warning, Sakura suddenly felt him position his lips at the base of her cut before slowly dragging his wet tongue up the gash and stopping at the top of her shoulder. As he did this, Sakura couldn't help but let out a soft, long moan, the sensation forcing her voice to react. As her moan reached Gaara's ears, Sakura felt him suddenly gasp and shudder. His grip on her loosened and he pulled his mouth away from her skin and instead rested his forehead against her back, his body now quivering and breath growing erratic.

As soon as his grip loosened, Sakura drew in a long, needed breath. Feeling some of her strength return, she brought her hands back up to the claw he had around her neck. Trying once more to pry him off while he continued to shake. However, as soon as Sakura's fingers entwined with his, he grasped her neck hard again. Crushing her fingers that were in between his and squeezing the breath right back out of her. Sakura felt his tongue returning to her shoulder, however, he spoke after drinking down some of her blood.

"Do that again." He ordered, his tongue once more on her skin.

Sakura was growing dizzy, but she managed to speak.

"D-Do what?" She asked.

Sakura cringed as she felt him now brush his lips up and down her gash. They, too, seemed to grow frantic as she remained silent, perhaps they were just as desperate to get something out of her. Somehow she felt more disgusted to his lips than his wet tongue on her body, it felt too private. She once again froze as he brought his tongue back down the base of her gash and ran it up her body. Instead of stopping at the top of her shoulder this time, he continued to sweep his tongue towards the crook of her neck and up to the base of her ear. There, he stopped and softly bit at her earlobe.

"Moan for me again."

Sakura gasped and eyes shot open when she heard his remark. She now realized that his hand on her stomach was slowly traveling downwards and was soon playing with the hem of her pajama shorts. Sakura felt sick to her stomach. Was her anguish exciting him?

'Oh, hell no!' Her mind screamed.

Sakura seethed as she found strength within her once more. If she was meant to die here, then she was not going to go out by being his toy.

"Let go of me..." She hissed, trying to tear his hand away.
"You freak!"

Sakura momentarily felt Gaara's grip freeze and hand clench before a wall of sand exploded between her and him. The eruption sent Sakura flying before landing hard against the ground. As she sucked in a much needed breath, she tried to push herself up, and trying to focus her eyes within the darkness to see where Gaara now was. When she stood, Sakura focused chakra into her hand, placing it onto her new cut while sweeping her eyes all around.

'I can't believe him.' Sakura took a moment to think to herself.
'Was he getting some sick kick out of this right now? He told me earlier to never touch him, and now wanted me to moan for him?! It's like dealing with two different people!'

Sakura's thoughts were interrupted when Gaara tackled her and pinned her body down to the ground. He growled at her when she struggled against his weight. He easily overpowered her, they both knew, and she hissed when she felt him hold down both of her arms at the sides of her head. Her fists tightened when his grip on her wrists did the same.

"Let go of me!" Sakura screamed as she felt him sit his weight down on her hips.

"Shut up..." Gaara ordered, almost in a whisper that sounded hurt.

"No!" Sakura rebutted, trying once again to overpower him.
"I'm not afraid of you!"

Though it was dark, Sakura could see a scowl outline his features. His eyes again narrowed at her.

"Don't lie to me." Gaara sneered.
"You just called me a freak! You're just as afraid as everyone else!"

Sakura calmed herself as she stared up at the young man sitting on top of her. There was definitely pain in his voice that time. Her eyes widened and a small gasp escaped her lips when she felt a warm drop land on her cheek.

'Is he crying?' Sakura wondered.

Her gaze was locked on his, and his angry eyes and scowl were still set on her. It was too dark to tell if he had tears or not. Perhaps it had just been sweat or drool.

"Gaara..." Sakura softly spoke, her eyes softening to him.

"No!" He spat in her face, his fangs baring once more as they stared into one another.
"I don't need your pity! Don't look at me like that, don't pretend you're not afraid!"

Despite his words, Sakura couldn't take her gaze away from him, or shift her expression.

'What pain are you still fighting in your mind?' Sakura wondered.

Was his past life still haunting him to this day, Sakura began to muse. Had she just triggered a bad memory? Guilt began to settle deep in her as she stared into his angry yet tormented eyes.

"Gaara." She breathed out again, this time he did not stop her.
"I'm sorry."

Sakura saw his eye twitch to her apology before he let go of her wrists, maybe she had calmed him. However, she flinched when he punched the ground next to her head, clawing at the dirt as he again brought his snarling fangs to her face.

"I don't need your apology!" He snapped.
"I don't need anything from a weak little thing like you! I don't even need your recognition!"

His breaths were heavy as he stared down at her firm gaze. She had told him she wasn't afraid of him, so she wouldn't let his words or threats deter her now. Instead, she slowly brought her free hands up, even though they felt as heavy as weights.

"I don't even need your recognition!"

Sakura replayed the words in her head, she couldn't ignore the agony in his eyes when he spoke to her. Almost as if he were trying to convince himself of the speech he had just spoken instead of persuading her.

"Are you arguing with yourself in your mind?" Sakura whispered before slowly placing her delicate hands on each side of his cheeks.

Gaara's eyes widened to her action and he drew in a breath of shock from her touch. The red-head lightly wavered, however, Sakura and his gaze never left one another.

"I'm not afraid of you." Sakura softly spoke again, her thumb now brushing against his cheek as she lifted herself closer to his face.

Sakura smiled before she drew her lips close to him, and Gaara this time trembled when her hot breath reached his ear.

"Let me help you. I want to be your friend and understand you. I can be there for you always."

Before Gaara could even take in her words, his eyes widened as he felt her soft lips plant themselves at the red scar on his head. His body was still and mouth slightly opened while she held her kiss there, but soon, Sakura drew her lips and hands down when she heard a crack echo around them. Looking up, she smiled when she realized Gaara's sand dome was now falling apart. Like a waterfall, the sand melted back to the ground below and around them as light hit their vision again.

Sakura's smile widened as she turned to look at Gaara, but watched as his body fell on top of hers.

"Gaara!" Sakura cried as she forced to pull herself out from under his weight and turned him over to his back.

When she looked down at him, she saw that he had lost consciousness. Sakura sighed as she reached to push a strand of hair out of his sleeping face.

'I wonder how I can help him.' She thought to herself.

Feeling the cold air now hitting at her skin, Sakura looked around and noticed the storm from before was dieing down as morning was approaching. Despite the two dangerous situations Sakura had thrown herself into, both seemed to have calm their own selves down.

"Sakura!"

Sakura turned to the call of her voice, watching as Temari was now racing towards her. Kankuro dragging closely behind. Despite his fall, he seemed determined to reach the pink haired girl just as much as his sister, and limped his way towards her. Temari had reached her first, staring at Sakura in disbelief before turning her eyes at a passed out Gaara.

"Gaara!" Temari cried, tears in her eyes as she fell to her knees and reached for her younger brother.
"Is he...Did you...?"

Temari let her tears flow, unable to bring herself to ask the question she now dreaded. Sakura however shook her head.

"Nn." She spoke with a soft and tired tone.
"He's just passed out."

"Oh, Gaara." Temari sniffed, laying to hug her younger brother.
"What's happening to you?"

Sakura felt her heart drop at the sight. When Kankuro reached all of them, he sighed as he looked at Sakura.

"Sakura. I'm...We're..."

He too was struggling with words. However, Sakura stood herself tall before speaking to the two.

"I'll be alright." She spoke, staring out towards the rising sun.

Silence lingered as Sakura watched the two siblings reach for their youngest brother, torment in their looks.

"Kankuro." Temari spoke through her tears.
"What do we do? If the council finds out, they'll..."

Kankuro could only sigh at his eldest sister, the same question was on his mind. What were they to do now?

"We need to get him home before anyone catches us, or he wakes up." Sakura reminded the siblings, deciding it was her duty now to take charge.

It took some time, but with the three of them, the young group were able to bring Gaara back up into his room. They decided to lay him on his bed, and each let out a heavy breath while they looked down at the resting Kazekage. One question still pounding into each of their minds.

What do they do now?

"He looks so peaceful like this." Temari broke the silence between them.
"I've never seen him sleep like this before. He looks so-"

"Tranquil." Kankuro finished for her, his thoughts the same as hers while they watched their baby brother sleep in peace for the first time.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Gaara in thought. Watching his slow and soft breathing, she decided it was time to tell Temari and Kankuro what she had been keeping from them.

"The first night I came here, he had snuck into my room and attacked me." Sakura softly spoke, keeping her eyes set on Gaara's form.

Sakura could feel the shocked looks of the others beading into her.

"That's why I came racing to find you, Temari. I was worried he had done something to you."

"Sakura..." Temari gaped, her eyes wide.

"Why didn't you tell us anything?!" Kankuro snapped, upset that she had kept this from them.
"We could have-"

"Could have what?" Sakura cut in, her words weren't mean but were only spoken with logic.
"Do you really want him to know what's going on?"

"It's not like we have a choice now. We have to tell him or-"

"We can't!" Temari cut in.
"Do you know how much it will tear him inside, Kankuro? He would probably go to the council himself."

"And if he wakes up and remembers it all? Then what? How will that makes us look? He finally trusts us!" Kankuro retorted.

As the two siblings argued, Sakura watched as Gaara let out a soft moan. She tensed as he shifted to turn his body towards the nightstand next to him, and she prayed he was not stirring awake now. However, he only let out a heavy sigh before his light breathing continued. Sakura let a breath of relief escape before turning her eyes towards the nightstand he was now facing. Her eyes widened when she saw the small bottle sitting on top of it.

'The sleeping pills!'

Sakura marched to nab the pills quickly, taking a moment to turn the bottle and read the ingredients once more.

'This is the one thing he has been taking these past three nights. One of the few things linking all of this together.' Sakura played with her thoughts.
'Are there something in these pills that are making him hallucinate or act out?'

Sakura continued to stare the bottle before speaking above the two sand siblings.

"We're not going to tell him anything...yet." She said before turning her eyes to their puzzling stare.
"I think I know what's causing him to react badly at night, and I think I can fix it."

Sakura popped open the bottle and tilted it as two pills poured out, she marched her way back to Temari and handed her the two pills before pocketing the rest of the bottle into her shorts. Temari let out a small gasp as she recognized the sleeping pills, the same conclusion coming into her mind.

"Have someone look into these pills. Maybe something was added into them that shouldn't have been." Sakura ordered the older girl before turning her green eyes to Kankuro.
"When he wakes up, just go on like nothing happened last night. We'll wait until tonight to see if anything happens again, since he won't have the pills to take."

Sakura could see the hesitance in Kankuro's eyes. She could tell he did not want to keep anything from Gaara, or risk another night like this one, so Sakura instead softened her gaze, placing a gentle hand onto the eldest son's shoulder.

"Everything will be alright." Sakura smiled.
"I promise I'm going to help him."

At those words, Kankuro bit his lip and nodded at Sakura, acknowledging her and agreeing to go on with her plan. Sakura gave his shoulder a small squeeze before letting go and slowly trudging past the two.

"What will you do now?" Temari quietly asked.

Sakura kept her back turned at the sand-blonde as she reached for the door. There was only one destination set on her mind now. She couldn't remember how many days had passed now since her last night of good rest. Her body felt heavy, her head ached and mind was blank. She felt both anxious and irritated, and the thought of anymore conversation made her heart pace.

'I wonder if this is how Gaara feels all the time.' Sakura thought to herself before answering Temari.

"Sleep."