The sand moved between the 2 men and formed a hardened shield behind them that covered their back from the flying kunai that would have killed them both. Yaoki and Korobi lowered their arms and were shocked to realize Gaara had saved their lives. They looked behind and said:

"A foe?"

"Is it the bandits?"

Gaara: "No, their target is me."

Yaoki and Korobi weren't stupid enough to not realize the gravity of the situation they ended up in. These weren't ordinary enemies they could fight against. If they came with the aim of killing their Lord, then they must possess a power at least comparable to Gaara's. The fear of ending up slaughtered by either one of the sides made Yaoki and Korobi tremble. In their minds, the enemies were many more than in reality. Ferocious eyes glistened from behind the shadows of the masks with faces of animals, surrounding Gaara's team on all sides. ANBU intended to kill Gaara's companions so they wouldn't get in their way, leaving Gaara-sama completely alone. It is safer to fight against one enemy, avoiding the division of power and attention.

Gaara adopted a defensive attitude. He has never liked to attack first. He was somewhat resigned. Whether the ANBU manage to kill him or not didn't make a difference to him.

Anbu:"Fire!"

The dolls Yaoki and Korobi carried on their back got out of their rectangular wooden boxes, activated by the ANBU's chakra threads. Their mouths rattled and spat poison as they were getting closer to Gaara, who covered himself with a sand wall that only had one small hole for his eyes so he could watch his enemy's moves.

ANBU: "Water Style: Mystic Waterfall Jutsu!"

Two long black cables hugged Gaara's cocoon and made his entire sand wet. The sand became very heavy and difficult to maneuver. Water was Gaara's weakness.

ANBU: "He's done for."

The sharp blade of his kunai glittered in the sunlight that roamed through the leaves of the trees. He was just waiting for the sand to fall under its own weight, to leave Gaara's neck exposed. Then, with a lightning attack, he would have severed the redhead's head, an impressive trophy.

ANBU:"Everyone will fear me when I show them your head." He said licking his lips.

Another ANBU worked on destroying Gaara's fighting spirit by convincing him death is easier than fighting and not so painful.

ANBU: "Not even your subordinates want you. Look at them, shaking in fear!"

Shukaku:"Let me kill them."

Gaara suddenly felt overwhelmed by Shukaku's power and shut his eyes tight, his left hand fisted in his red spiky hair, trying to stay in control. For just one second, the fact that he was completely surrounded by enemies broke him. A giant sand paw with sharp claws emerged from his gourd. Shukaku was trying to kill Yaoki and Korobi. The 2 men were too afraid to move their feet, so they just covered their faces with their arms crossed, eyes shut tight, waiting to be killed.

"We'll be killed!"

ANBU: "Exactly! That guy is a killing machine who thinks nothing of human lives! He's a monster who enjoys killing!"

Gaara heard that man's voice and tried to regain control. Still, Shukaku's power was too great, the sand kept moving forward, but very slowly. Yaoki opened his eyes and looked up at the claw that was slowly moving to kill him. He whispered more to himself: "Gaara-sama!"

Gaara moved his mouth and Yaoki understood the message: "Run away!" His fierce look chased his comrades away without looking back. Gaara sighed in relief that he wasn't tempted to kill them anymore since they didn't stand before his eyes.

ANBU: "Who would have thought he'd fall for our trap so easily?"

Chakra strings kept Gaara tightly bound in place while the puppets continued to move around him in circles, annoyingly.

ANBU: "This makes our mission much easier. The rain your sand absorbed is molded with our chakra. It had dampened your sand making it less cohesive."

Gaara's sand mask started to crack, pieces of it falling to the ground. The sand around his body slowly turned into circular lumps, leaving holes between them.

Sakura was desperately running behind Naruto who was way ahead of his team.

Gaara, we're coming to you right now. Hold on a little longer. Don't let them kill you!

Sakura...

Don't die before I get there, ok? We will get you out of there. Kakashi-sensei managed to track you. Naruto was so upset, he hit that ANBU who badmouthed you right in his nose, breaking his mask.

The corners of his mouth lifted upwards in a shy smile.

ANBU: "You already imagine yourself next to your mother, in Heaven, don't you? That's why you're smiling. Don't worry. The pitches of Hell will be too deep for you to even see her from afar. We'll make sure to send you there."

That ANBU was completely savage. He even had the courage to get closer to Gaara, waiting to give the final blow. The others followed him.

When Gaara heard his mother's name mentioned by that filthy mouth, he almost lost control to Shukaku again.

Gaara, don't listen to them! They're idiots!

They're right, Sakura. I'll end up in Hell.

No! And even if you do, I'll make sure to be there with you. I won't leave you alone.

Sakura... He was shocked.

No, listen to me! If you are not here, then Hell is already here on Earth. I said I will follow you everywhere you go and I meant it.

Shukaku: "Don't listen to her! She doesn't mean what she says. They're just words. When had anyone ever helped you?"

ANBU: "Your jutsu is sealed! Die!" He jumped off a nearby branch with his kunai in his hand. He jumped at Gaara's throat.

"No! No!" Sakura screamed inwardly and outwardly. Tears started running down her cheeks. She feared she was going to arrive there too late.

Thankfully, Naruto arrived just in time to counter the kunai with his own while one of his Shadow Clones cut the chakra strings that held Gaara. Gaara retreated somewhere in the back to recover his strength while Naruto's shadow clones confused his enemies. Both sides were fighting vigorously. Naruto was very happy to manage to get in time to save his friend. 100 clones kept the ANBU busy until Kakashi-sensei arrived.

Naruto shouted: "We've come to save you!"

ANBU: "It's just Shadow Clone Jutsu! Don't let yourselves be fooled! Fight!"

Gaara was dumbfounded by the determination with which Naruto was fighting for him. He was even more shocked when he heard Yaoki's voice.

Yaoki: "He's not alone! We'll fight too! We're not going to run anymore!"

Yaoki and Korobi hit to their left and right with branches they ripped from the trees while they were running away.

Korobi: "Gaara-sama is our comrade!"

Yaoki: "Gaara-sama, we're sorry we ran off without you. We're going to fight, too!"

Korobi: "Alongside you, Lord Gaara!"

Gaara, are you alright?

Yes, thank you for your help. I'll help Naruto clean this place up until you arrive.

Sakura released a sigh of relief. Thank God!

He clenched his fist and recovered his strength. Water ran off of his body like he was a wet towel on the line.

ANBU: "Damn small fries!"

Gaara appeared on the branch with that ANBU who tried to slit his throat earlier. He was fearless, unprotected by his sand.

Gaara: "The higher-ups have taken my power lightly. It'll take more than this to kill me!" He stretched his arm to its full length before opening his fist to reveal a small round ball of sand. The enemy was too shocked by the unexpected turn of events to react in any way. The ball of sand hit him in the stomach so hard, that he fell off the branch and onto the ground, spitting blood. They ball moved from one enemy to the other, hitting them all until they struggled to breathe.

Gaara: "This is more than enough for you."

Naruto laughed: "Show off!"

The ball of sand returned to its master. His fingers closed around it and the sand became part of his body again. All of the foes were lying on the ground for a while until the rest of team 7 arrived.

Kakashi: "What an unfortunate incident. The ones we encountered have been restrained."

The party that took place in Sakura's heart also filled Gaara's heart and mind with joy. He was still alive, the reason of her happiness. The bracelet around her wrist squeezed her hand just a little to show affection in a way.

I lived to see your pretty face another day.

Sakura felt tears threaten to spill again, so she hid behind a tree while everybody was distracted. Gaara: "I've caused you trouble. Forgive me." And he bowed before Kakashi.

Naruto: "These are the ones who caused trouble." He said pointing at the masked ninja.

Both Sasuke and Naruto got closer to the soldiers and were preparing to unmask them, when Gaara said: "Stop!" Naruto's hand stopped cm away from that person lying with the back against a tree.

Gaara: "I know perfectly well what they're like. But...still... they are my people from the Sand Village."

Both Naruto and Sasuke stood up on their feet. Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets, looking for Sakura with his eyes.

Naruto: "Ok then"

Kakashi: "Well then...Shall we get back to our mission?"

This is where it all starts for me. Starting with this small bond. I,too, want to become someone who is needed. Instead of a weapon that is feared...

You'll become a Kazekage who is loved.

Gaara smiled.

It was late at night. Gaara was walking alone on the empty street of Suna, towards his house. His sister had waited in front of the window the whole day, hoping he will be back. Her feet hurt, but her eyes didn't get enough of watching the street. When she finally spotted her red haired brother, her heels jumped a little and clicked against each other in excitement. Her fingers curled on the windowsill and waited for him to notice her. Gaara eventually saw Temari, but he couldn't tell if she was there on purpose or she just happened to be there. Her looks however convinced him it was the first. She had been waiting for him.

Today was such a good day.

It was the first time someone was waiting for him to come home. His fist opened and sand dust travelled all the way to Temari's window, in a dragon like dance. To his joy, the girl didn't get scared. She stretched her finger and drew lines in the sand dust while her face rested on her other palm, elbow on the windowsill. Gaara lowered his head to look at the road ahead of him and went forward. That was the first night he slept peacefully, carefree.

Kizashi: "I asked you to make pie. Did you?"

Mebuki: "Yes. I am taking it out of the oven right now." She put on a glove and took the burning hot tray out.

Kizashi scrunched his nose, showing displeasure: "Is this what a pie looks like?"

Mebuki: "What did you expect?"

Kizashi: "It should have been round."

Mebuki: "How do you know that? My family has always made it like this, rectangular."

Kizashi: "Yes, at the countryside."

Mebuki: "You talk like your mother isn't a peasant, too."

Kizashi was so pissed, he slapped his wife across the face with the back of his palm. Sakura happened to be right outside the house and saw everything. She hadn't gotten home from the mission yet. She froze in place, not knowing what to do. She had never seen her father strike her mother before.

Kizashi: "Don't you dare talk about my mother that way!"

Mebuki, holding her jaw with her palm: "Why do you talk like that about my family then?"

Kizashi: "Do you want another one?" He raised his hand threateningly.

Mebuki: "That's all you know: beating me, insulting me and sleeping with other women."

Kizashi: "What do you want me to do? You don't let me into your bed."

Mebuki: "So you admit."

Kizashi: "Stop complaining. I come home every night, don't I?"

Mebuki: "As if that's all that matters. You never think about me." Tears started falling from her eyes.

Kizashi: "Stop nagging me. You're giving me a headache. Shut up, will you? If you keep this up, I will give you a reason to cry."

Mebuki turned back to her tray, facing away from her husband. She cut a slice of pie and put it on a plate. She wondered if she should bring it to him, but decided to throw it away instead. "That bastard is going to say it's horrible anyway." She cut another slice for Sakura and left it on the table because she knew she should be back soon. Then, she went into the bathroom to soak until her husband fell asleep. She wanted to avoid talking to him.

Sakura sat down behind the house with her back against the wall of the house. She was holding her knees to her chest while staring into space and biting her thumb. Gaara was already fast asleep and she didn't want to wake him up. It was rare for him to sleep long like tonight, so she kept the suffering to herself.

Note: All of you are right! Gaara should talk about what he's going through, which he will learn throughout the story. Each of them goes on a separate path for now, but they will eventually end up together on the same road. I wanted to show another part of Sakura's family in this chapter. Not only her mother is at fault for the dysfunctional family. Maybe there was a reason she wanted to escape with the kazekage in the first place.

Thank you for waiting so long! As my other story is getting closer to an end, I will have more time to focus on this story, so please don't lose patience. I will try to post another chapter of my other story tomorrow. I hope you will like it! :)