Helloo everybody~~ how long has it been, eh?
Please don't kill, please don't kill me.

I was totally planning on updating this story . . . and then came the new school year. I can now summarize my life on fingers. Anime, School, Fanfiction, School, School

Urgh.

I decided to take on multiple sports, extra curricula's and subjects that require extra work outside of class plus homework on top of new school year which equals SUICIDE. OR just a really bad rate at updating stories

BUT! Recent inspiration (and approaching Summer - because you know Southern Hemisphere peps, that Summer is just around the corner XD) has encouraged me, to take time out for you, my devoted readers.

Who currently, I am hoping you do not hold grudges. Especially considering I posted last in September and hey lookie, we're already nearly in December . . . he he he

Anyways, this chapter finally finishes Gaara's fight and soon we shall be getting back into daily life as he attempts to reconnect with his city. Cool stuff.

Enjoy~

Chapter 20 - Dream Fight

He fled from his mental word, eyes wild with pain and revulsion. He glared at Naruto, the boy who stood against him. He wanted to kill him. Anyone. But he needed to do it so badly it hurt. He wanted to flee and hide under a rock so badly it hurt. His head hurt a lot.

"What's wrong?" he called out, making the orange dressed boy jump.

"Weren't you gonna retreat?"

"Sasuke-kun" the pink haired girl murmured. The one who had started this whole thing. He clenched down harder, and Naruto looked at her anxiously before switching his attention back to Gaara.

"What are they to you?" he hissed.

"Th-they're my comrades!" the boy roared. "You leave them alone or else!"
"I'll kick your ass!"
How dare you talk about comrades! How dare you say you carry a monster like I do! You don't know anything!
His claw tightened around the girl and she screamed. Gaara pulled up his lip and bared his teeth.

"Now what?" he called, voice dead. "Aren't you going to kick my ass?" Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Just bring it." He said, deadly serious.

~()~

"Damn you!" the boy yelled, lunging towards him. Gaara stared at him, pounding headache, and hot rage pouring through his body like waterfall. His tail effortlessly wacked the gnat aside. He landed back on a bushel of leaves beside the paralysed and cursed. Gaara watched him, eyes burning. Naruto gritted his teeth and got up, forming a seal. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

That looks kind of like what Mizune does to summon –

"SUMMONING NO JUTSU!" he yelled, placing his hand against the tree. There was a loud poof of smoke and then it vanished to reveal and midget toad sitting on the trunk. The whole group stared in confused silence as the two broke down into a yelling contest. Naruto turned his back and refused to acknowledge the toad, focusing on Gaara. He closed his eyes and Yashamaru's smile came back. How he must have hated having to wear that smile.

"Comrades . . . ? You make me laugh." He rasped out, getting back into an offensive stance. "I FIGHT FOR MY SAKE ONLY!"

The sand stretched out, taking over his left side until his felt the transformation extend over his entire body. The additional push caused more pressure to hit the girl, making Naruto glance over at her.
"She won't be released from the sand unless you beat me." Gaara called out to him. "Not only that, it'll get tighter and tighter as time passes and eventually kill her."

The thick silence hung over the clearing, ready to be cut by whoever would make the first move. Gaara sighed internally, and pulled in his claws.

"Sand Shuriken!" he yelled, flinging them out and sending razor sharp missiles towards Naruto. He jumped, grabbed the toad and took the blow as the two went skidding back to smash into a tree. Gaara groaned and then shook as the pressure from Shukaku intensified, the transformed state straining his mental control. He could almost feel the beast waiting for the moment he would let his guard down. He forced himself to focus and found the Naruto boy staring at him, eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. One was fear, obviously, another wariness. The most notable was . . .

pity.

He clenched his teeth angrily.

"What's wrong . . . afraid of me?" he roared. "To fight for yourself or to fight for others . . . Just love yourself! Fight only for your sake! Those are the definitions of the strongest!" Naruto flinched.

Gaara lunged, finally deciding to kick off some action.

"C'MON! FIGHT ME! Show your powers like that time you defeated that Hyuuga! I will crush those powers!"
Naruto dodged and watched him like a fox, still not moving.

"Well? C'mon! I'll kill the girl if you don't fight me!"
Naruto flashed a look at her then turned back to Gaara.

"Damn you!" he yelled, running forward, starting to form seals.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he yelled, multiple shadow clones appearing. Gaara stared at them and then blew out.

"Mugen – Sajin Daitoppa." He exhaled and sand and wind combined to smash into the clones, dispelling them easily.

"I won't kill you for now! I'll play with you. I wonder when you'll give up your comrades and run off to save your ass." He paused, before adding. "Not that I'll let you get away!" With a yell, he launched more sand shurikens, forcing the boy to dodge again. He was too slow, and was smashed into a tree. Gaara watched him then frowned as he moved, lunging forward.

"This is only the beginning!" Once again, the boy took the blow, flying backwards.

"Sand Shuriken!" He went flying again and lay flat on a tree. Gaara watched and then blinked as he got into a kneeling position.

". . . He's-" Naruto looked straight up into his eyes, his own burning. Gaara narrowed his own.

The look in his eyes has changed . . .

Naruto looked over at Sakura, before refocusing on Gaara, reaching behind him. Gaara shifted his weight warily.

"Hey!? What's worng?" You came chasing me all the way up here . . . and this is all you can do?"

Naruto turned back and formed the seal.

"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!"
Four more Narutos appeared beside him and they all lunged forward.

"Here I go!" One yelled. "Brand new advanced taijutsu technique! Uzumaki Naruto: Clone Body Slam!" all five flew towards him and Gaara grinned.

This was really to easy.
His claw smashed into the clones, but before they dispersed, the front three helped the back two get above and one of them was launched forward.

"Again!" Naruto yelled, flying over the claw. He formed the seal. Gaara tried to swat him, but once more, the clones took the blow and threw the original past them.

"Once More! Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" He neatly flipped over Gaara's hand and flew behind him by leaping off the back of a clone and Gaara felt his anger peak. Why couldn't the annoying boy stay still? He turned as the boy roared.

"Eat this! HIDDEN LEAF ANCIENT TAIJUTSU SURPREME TECHNIQUE! I learnt it from Kakashi-sensei!" He landed and promptly stabbed a kunai into Gaara's behind.

"1000 YEARS OF PAIN!"

Gaara was speechless and he just stared at the serious boy in stunned silence.

His tail whipped out and smashed him away. The sand covered his cheeks so luckily they couldn't see the mortified red on his face. He grinned as Naruto smashed into a tree before jumping at a slight burning sound.

"Boom." Naruto whispered.

He stiffened as he remembered the exact location where Naruto had hit. Was it-?
BOOM

~()~

He gasped in shock as the exploding tag went off, placed directly under his tail from the kunai before. Hot air rushed under him and he gasped in shock, falling from the burning branch, and smashing into another landing point. Dust and splinters flew into the air and he peered around furiously, trying to get his bearings. Slowly, the debris cleared and he received a good look. The sand had done its job, but his entire right side was disintegrating and slowly sliding off him. He felt his irritation spike, as well as something else.

"Argh, who's have known he'd go after the weak point hidden in the tail . . .! I wasn't injured but he look what he did to my body . . ."

From the new dent in a tree, he looked up and fixed his eyes on Naruto. No longer mockery or disdain were in them. He was deadly serious as he watched the orange brat.

"Seems like I underestimated him a little . . ."

"Oh well, I'll just end it here . . ."

The two boys began talking to each other when a sentence caught his attention.

"Yeah that's right . . . because he was like me. Because he lived feeling the same kind of loneliness and sadness I did . . . I thought he was strong 'cause he survived that solitude living only for himself." Gaara stared at him, fixed.
"But I was wrong. His strength isn't real . . . strength doesn't come from fighting alone. Real strength is not what you have when fighting only for yourself."

The words echoed and Gaara grimaced before trying to get them out of his head in frustration. Naruto's hands moved up and formed a seal and their eye latched on. Gaara stiffened.

"I WILL PROTECT THEM, NO MATTER WHAT!" Naruto roared and Gaara took a single step backwards as Chakra started to formulate and swirl around him.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
With a bang, the entire forest filled with tens of thousands of clones. Gaara's eyes widened in shock and he stared, gob smacked, at the countless pairs of eyes. The one standing next to Sasuke suddenly grinned and shoved a pair of fingers at him.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting! Well, are you ready? I'm gonna start the 'Naruto Ninja Scrolls' now!" He held out a hand after a quick murmur to his companion and yelled down, eyes challenging.

"Allright everybody, let's go!" he yelled and all the clones got ready.

"JUMP! NINPOCHO NARUTO!"
The clones soared and Gaara steadied himself when he felt the stiffness in his reforming limbs.

"My body still can't move from the aftermath of the attack yet. It can't be helped, I'll have to guard with sand."

He forced the sand to slow its efforts, wincing as his will clashed against Shukaku's pressuring chakra, and forced it to crunch only on his body. The Naruto army launched a giant wave of shuriken and his claw swivelled to protect against the volley. He dragged it down as they landed and all kicked out. The pressure shoved against his sand as countless fists pounded against it.

"Naruto Nisen Rendan!" They all yelled as they smashed through the sand and he was bombarded by fists on all sides. The armour was ripped away and gaara could only watch, baffled as two clones rand towards him, fists pulled back.

"Maki no!" they roared, as they smashed right into him and he was sent flying, before he smashed into the ground, eyes wide.

"Ugh . . . this guy, who the hell is he . . .? All of a sudden . . ."
He jerked up at the roars of the clones as they swooped down on him.

"This can't be. This can't be. I can't be defeated."

"How can I . . . to this guy!" he roared, feeling the silencing chain of shock fall off. "NO WAY I CAN LOSE!"
"Yesss"
The ground beneath him shook and crumbled, before shooting up, dragging his body and emerging into a full form. He closed his eyes and relied on the chakra running through the sand beast.

"How will you respond, Naruto?"

Slowly, he extended chakra and opened his eyes. The corresponding orbs opened and he gazed over the forest. He peered down, eyes zooming and focusing as he saw the people staring up. Sasuke and Naruto, Temari, the dog and toad things and the unconscious girl were all gnats beneath his gaze. He honed in on Naruto and extended his chakra out. Sand seeped out and surrounded the boy and Gaara watched, satisfied as the sand curled to completely ensnare those fierce eyes.

"Sand Burial-" he murmured.

"To think I was forced to use this form, but this is the end."
"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"

A giant column of smoke emerged from the forest and his eyes pulled together as he felt the sand shatter away and . . . something . . . emerged from the smoke.

Gaara felt his eyes twitch slightly. How was he doing this?
In front of him, Naruto stared, face perfectly serious, as he perched on the top of the head of a humongous toad, wearing a yukata and pipe.

"Uzumaki Naruto . . . this guy . . . who the hell is he . . . he amuses me to no end."

There was a roar and then the toad opened his mouth.

"Nope."
Promptly, Naruto, tiny as he appeared, began dancing about on the toad's head and they started arguing. Gaara blinked twice and then resisted an urge to cock his head.

Monstrous, jinchuuriki the size of volcanoes do no cock their heads when utterly baffled. They don't. For reals.

The toad suddenly reached out and pulled out that flipping huge katana of his.

"It's payback time, you hoodlum!" it roared.

The toad leant back onto its haunches and Gaara stiffened. Just as the toad kicked off, he raced forward, claws outstretched. The air around them exploded into dust as they skidded apart. The toad's blade went flying, and as it landed, the world exploded into dust. Gaara didn't even notice the gigantic arm that fell from his body, eyes utterly fixated on his gigantic opponent. Inside his shell, Gaara's eyes were wide with amazement.

This is a crazy fight. That toad moved so fast, even Mother and myself together could barely keep up. He's tough too, that attack barely damaged him.

The ground surrounding them, littered with craters, shook and trembled as the monstrous fighters landed and steadied themselves. Gaara could feel himself trembling and his mouth opened, Shukaku's voice blurring with his.

"You're fun! This is fun . . . NARUTO UZUMAKI!

"This man is strong."
With a pull, the sand clutched hard at his body and he was forcefully pulled straight through the monstrous body.

"I've never had anything like this. I even am willing . . . to use that jutsu."
The harsh combination of sun and wind struck his body so hard, his skin went taught and dry, bruising and breaking.

"But . . . won't my mind get eaten?"
"Chill out, boy, I'm only helping you out."
"Oh okay," Gaara split his pale eyes open and formed the single seal he had been taught to fear his whole life, eyes wide and ferocious, "then I have no problems doing this to crush him."
"SPELL OF FAKE SLEEP!"

His body relaxed and he slumped as darkness crept over his eyes and heavy eyelids shut firm.

~()~

Sleep. It was a fascinating concept. Particularly since he had never slept before in his life. Insomnia was a very strange thing, made even stranger when he had a unlimited source of chakra to keep him awake.

Shukaku's chakra

It was gone. No doubt the Beast was enjoying itself as it rampaged free, ripping the Uzumaki apart, but without the boundless energy source, his body felt strangely empty and dry as he was floating.

Floating . . . he was floating. No wait. Now he was standing.

On a white bird with an elongated neck. When did that happen? The bird soared through the sky and he looked down to see Konoha dissolving into sand, being replaced by Suna. The bird suddenly dropped drown from the sky and he just fell clear as the city dissolved into flames.

Smoke rose in sheets around him and he walked aimlessly around. Something kicked against his foot and he leant down curiously, to see his Teddy lying there, its forehead ashy.

"Neh, Gaara? What are you doing there?"
He spun around to see Mizune watching him curiously, the flames silhouetting her and making her wild hair fly maniacally in the fumes.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked, heading over to her. She giggled and spun around, the world twitching and shivering, as the heat made her figure change and ripple. She giggled again and danced off into the fire and he was barely aware of his actions as he stumbled across after her. The fire danced and played around him as he ran through the burning remains of his village. A building collapsed beside him but the smoke just swerved, avoiding him, as if his shield was in place around him, but unseen. He looked around desperately and glanced a flash of blonde vanish behind the corner of the street. The burning toy fell from his hand as he took off, running. He emerged onto the empty streets, fire everywhere, and not one person in sight. A chill ran up his spine.

"Boy . . ." the rumbled caught his attention and he froze, a trickle of fear running up his spine. He looked over his shoulder to see the ground rising up, golden eyes glaring and a mouth emerging from the sand, teeth reaching out. He screamed in terror and fled as the monstrous tanuki's roar filled the streets. The very ground beneath him trembled and shook, as he felt the spirit reach out towards him hungrily. He was barely aware of the tears that came out of his ears before floating along in a bobbing line behind him.

A staircase appeared in his vision, still spared from the fire, and he didn't hesitate, sprinting up it, away from the deceiving sand that covered the ground.

"I thought," he sobbed uncontrollably, "I thought he wouldn't devour me in my sleep. He said he wouldn't."
"You put to much stock into words, boy . . ." the roof rumbled as the Beast started clambering up after him "It is the destiny of the jinchuuriki to be devoured by the Shukaku when he sleeps." Gaara backed up, eyes wide, until the ground under him shook unsteadily and he glanced to see he had backed up over an overhang, without firm boundaries. The shifting sand lurched at him and he jerked back, his feet skidding and he tumbled over the edge. He managed to grasp on with his fingers, as he swung there.

"Hey Gaara." He looked to see himself staring at a pair of upside down feet. Tilting his head, he saw Mizune standing cheerfully on the roof, upside down.

"What's up?"
"I don't know anymore." He whispered, as the work pivoted a 180 and he found himself holding himself up by his hand. He crumpled and fell towards the sky above . . . below.

With a hard crunch, he rolled painfully as his body hit the desert ground and he glanced up to see the burning upside down city gone, replaced by the expanse of the Wind Country's desert. The ground beneath him trembled and he squeaked before a hand dragged him up and Mizune dusted himself off.

"Eh? Looks like Shukaku's impatient today." She grinned at him. Her face was shifting, not quite focused, but her smile was genuine and he resisted the urge to bury his face in her chest. "We need to go before he comes back."
"He said he wouldn't eat me."
"Probably did mean it. Might have meant it. But it's only natural that the rugged, unrefined power of Shukaku's chakra will crush its hosts will if placed in the vulnerable world of dreams. Funny thing, did you know that the other Beasts don't have that? Supposedly their creator refined his work so only the One-Tails has this default. . ."

She turned and leapt across the sand dunes, as graceful as the gazelle. Gaara followed her. Slowly, they mounted up hills and overlook the empty crater that had been Suna. Mizune turned, her face serious for the first time in the dream state.

"Shukaku is restless. He can't get us when we are up here."
"Why not?"
"This is your mental state. If you force him away from a place, he won't be able to come."
Gaara's eyes widened. "What?"
"Look, all the people of Suna are cheering for you," he blinked and looked down, to see the whole city rebuilt and thousands of civilians on the roof, cheering his name, "they want you to defend them from Shukaku."

"Why? They never have."
"I just said, you idiot." Mizune smiled, a wry tug on her lips, her eyes sparkling with that familiar mischievious glint. "This is your dream. Do you want them to look up to you, see you as a figure of protection?" He stilled. "Or are you fine with them turning away?" The people below immediately changed. Their faces closed and their bodies turned cold, backs turning to face Gaara on the hill and his heart thudded.

"No! Please!" They all turned to watch him suspiciously. Mizune giggled and Gaara looked over before his eyes widened as he saw the right half of her body slowly dissolving into sand.

"What will you do Gaara? Will you protect them? Because Shukaku is coming." He madly reached out but she once again dissolved into the wind and his heart thudded, his chest aching. His brain whirled.

What did he want? He thought . . . he only needed himself . . . but their faces and the way they turned away. The desert gave a monstrous howl and his mind seemed to mirror it as thoughts bounced around in his head but the people still glared at him, faces uninviting. He clenched his fists.

"Please,"

the howling grew in volume

"I beg all of you,"
the people were watching him silently, the wind howling in the silence

"I know you don't trust me,"
the ground shuddered

"but please,"

with an almighty crash the sand surged up, higher, far higher, than the clifftop and Shukaku roared towards him, a tsunami of sand, hell bent on crushing Gaara and Suna,

"LET ME PROTECT YOU!" there was a rush and then the ground erupted underneath him. Shukaku howled as thousands of sand shurikens smashed into its hide, and the sandy hide it had created splintered. Gaara stood up and his eyes were fierce.

"I don't want to be useless."
The sand swirled around him in violent whips and he glared out at the monster.

"I don't want to be alone."
Shukaku roared as he was face with an onslaught of his own weapon, turned against him by Gaara's rage.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A MONSTER ANYMORE!"
The Shukaku howled as its entire frame was ripped to pieces while Gaara held out a firm hand, eyes unhesitating. There was a crash and it fell off the side of the cliff. He breathed out, and allowed his hand to drop.

"Hehe . . . interesting show you put on, boy." He spun just as a dark shadow reached up and lunged at him, fangs bared. He danced and skidded to avoid Shukaku's will as the Tailed Beast attacked him again and again.

"You had such a nice, destructive dream. Such beauty." Shukaku's voice turned sullen. "But then of course she had to come and screw it up."
"Shut up!" Gaara roared. "Don't insult Mizune!"
"No boy . . . she shouldn't have insulted ME!" with a violent roar, the shadow lunged at him and he gasped at the contact of the shadow against his body. He was sent hurtling off the edge of the cliff into Suna and winced as the people crowded around him, their movement stiff and shifting.

Their murmurs were disjointed and indistinguishable and Gaara felt his mouth draw up in fear, eyes shaking.

I don't . . . I don't know any of these people!

Shukaku growled evilly, as a menacing chuckle slipped out from the shadowy Beast's throat, as it slowly inched forwards towards him.

"Foolish child. Of course you don't recognise them. You don't know anyone in your foolish village."
Gaara stilled and the harsh truth slammed into him so had, he felt his lungs kick out. It was true. Aside from his close family, he didn't know anyone.

"Now, your only hope is to . . ."

"WAKE UP YOU!"
The loud, obnoxious and trashy voice broke through the barrier of muffled whispers, accompanied by an uproarious flare of pain in his cheek, as his dream world shattered, the pieces flying in the tornado of Shukaku's furious howls.

~()~

Gaara's eyes split open to see a highly confusing circumstance. Firstly, the giant toad was very, very close. Secondly, Naruto, who was supposed to have been crushed by Shukaku, was sliding down the forehead of the sand shell, eyes fixated on Gaara. With a furious growl, the boy took off, running straight towards Gaara. His stomach churned. This fight had been terrible. The memories burnt his brain, the experience of sleeping had burnt his brain and still this brat would not die?!
The sand beneath Naruto was ordered to soften and Gaara spun his sand around, ready to tackle Naruto. With a strange gloop, a giant pink, squishy tongue shot out of the toad's mouth and encircled Naruto, just before the sand could get to him. The slimy feeling travelled over the sand and hit Gaara, sending creepy, disgusting shivers down his spine.

"Don't lick me!" he yelled, disgust somehow managing to shove its way to a place in his thoughts. If he couldn't get to the boy because of the . . . tongue, he'd get there another way. He felt around and pushed the sand beneath Naruto to rise up and slowly encircle him. A smile got his features.

"You're going to be killed by me." He stated. "My existence will continue."

The sand closed over Naruto.

With an almightry rush, red chakra burned and boiled, swirling furiously around Naruto and Gaara's eyes widened.

Th-this chakra again?

The force was so strong, the sand was blasted right off and Naruto stood there, loose jacket, forehead protector flowting in the breeze, furious eyes fixed on Gaara. With warning, he took off sprinting towards Gaara, eyes burning.

"Die!" Gaara yelled, sending the sand after you.

"Here I go! You Dumb Badger!" Naruto roared, racing towards him. He flew a punch at Gaara, but a tendril of sand just managed to catch him. Gaara felt his mind strain as the sand was yanked against so hard he could almost feel physical muscles in his body being badly strained. Naruto aimed a kick and he desperately caught that two. The furious boy slowed down and Gaara finally hammered pressure into his limbs when.

"You . . . BASTARD!"

SMACK

He sat there, dazed, as a sharp, hard pain struck him bodily on the forehead. He blinked to see Naruto's face right in front of him, and before he could process that he had been heabutted the last control his strained mind had over the sand was lost and his shell crumbled into dust around them. They two boys plummeted out from the sky and the giant toad gave a grumble before disappearing in the giant cloud of smoke he had arrived in. Gaara gasped as the blow from the vanishing summon sent him tumbling through the air, to land in the tree tops. Naruto landed near him, the only thing separating them, the toad's giant sword he had dropped earlier. Gaara was breathing hard, his entire being stretched further than ever before. In one half on her vision, Naruto's furious gaze glared at him, in the other half, reflected by the sword, he could only stare at the feral manic look that had come onto his face.

"After all this . . . I feel so tired . . . so empty," Naruto panted, face bruised and red, "you too, right? I finally reached my limit with the final blow."

"We are the same, you and I." Naruto said simply. "Let's make this the end of it!"
Gaara stared furiously. The end. How he desired this to all end. He was barely processing as his legs picked up underneath him and he ran full speed towards Naruto, and their fists collided with each other's faces.

The blow sent him flying and he tumbled off the canopy, to smash into the ground, on his back.

He blinked and looked around, spotting Naruto lying face down to his right

Wh-what?

Gaara's eyes squinted as Naruto's body twitched a bit. Little by little, he slowly pulled himself around began advancing on his stomach towards Gaara.

What? That guy . . . is dragging himself over here . . . with his chin?

His entire frame seemed to shiver but refused to obey his movements. Still Naruto kept coming. Desperation seized him and he gasped, voice ragged.

"My existence won't be put out," he cried, despair creeping in, "It won't be put out! Will I be saved?" the last was delivered half hysterical as he felt panic seize him.

Still Naruto kept coming, groaning, his eyes ferocious like a true beast's.

"D-Don't come any closer!" Gaara yelled madly.

"Gu . . ." at the voice, Gaara felt his eyes widen ever so slightly.

Naruto looked up, and his face was streaked with tears.

" . . . Being alone . . . being incomplete . . . what you must feel," Gaara felt his tears itch and he refused to admit that tears were about to surface, "what your pain must be, I understand that."
Gaara just stared at him speechlessly, eyes widen, and for a second, a small sliver of desparate, squashed, hope seemed to try and wriggle in.

Naruto's eyes darkened "But . . . for the people that are precious to me, to be able to . . . the people that are precious to me, if you are hurting them . . . and if you are trying to kill them," Gaara's eyes were widening exponentially now, "I will stop you . . ."
"What?" he coughed, disbelieving. "Until now, for the sake of other people, you've . . ."
NAruto's eyes narrowed. "Because they rescued me from the hell of being alone . . . they acknowledged my existence . . . that's why they are all the most important . . ."

Gaara just stared, face weak and almost vulnerable.

Needing those close to you. An affectionate heart that gives all of itself for those important people, and is watching over them.

I . . . I don't know any of these people . . .

What will you do, Gaara? Will you protect them?

Gaara, I love you.

"Love . . ." he echoed.

That's why this guy is so strong . . .

There was a thump and Sasuke landed beside Naruto, murmuring something to him. A smile lighted upon the boys face, but then, much to his surprise, his two siblings appeared in front of him, their stances tense and ready to fight.

As if they wanted to protect him. He felt his face begin to scrunch.

I really don't want to cry now.

"That's enough . . . stop it." He whispered then felt a strong arm hoist him up.

"I understand." Kankuro said calmly, slinging Gaara's arm over his own shoulder and bearing his weight. As they turned to leave, Gaara got one last glance at Naruto's peaceful face before they were jumping off into the trees. He stared into the distance and then took a deep breath.

"Temari . . . Kankuro . . . I'm sorry."

They both exchanged glances but their replied stunned him.

"It . . . It's nothing."

~()~

Outside the village, the Suna shinobi were having trouble. There was no way they could possibly hope to retreat in time and the leaf were after them with a vengeance. Baki cursed as he tried to lead them away. Where was that Kazekage?

Watching them from afar, a girl tossed wild blonde hair over her shoulder and tightened her Sunan forehead protector on her leg, before jumping down and walking confidently towards Konoha.

It was time she participated her own bit, in this battle she had tried to avoid.

Mugen – Sajin Daitoppa: Wind Technique – Great infinite-sand blast breakthrough

Yay! CANNOT emphasize how happy I am this is finally over!
Will definitely have next chapter up before the end of the weekend so look forward to it

laters ~ Capulet-chan ;)