Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. I am doing this only for fun, so please don't sue me... I'm broke.

Anko jolted from her bed with a soft cry, clutching one hand to the left side of her neck. The dreams were getting much worse. At first, she had dismissed the dream as her subconscious letting loose some of the tension she had acquired. Being an instructor was not without stress. But now, she was not so sure. At first, she had not been able to recall vivid details, only raw fear... Now, for the past month, the dream had been coming to her two and sometimes three times a night, and the more she tried to remember, to hold onto the little scraps of the dream, the more of it slipped from between her fingers. Tonight, however was very different. Her breathing was ragged, coming in tiny gasps here and there, as though the air were a liquid that she must force herself to swallow. Her trembling hand remained latched to her left side, where her shoulder met her neck. It burned as though it was a fresh wound once more, pulsating with each pained breath she took. She hissed with pain and tried to move, but could not gather the strength to do so. It was as if she was under the spell once more, drained of strength and devoid of the hope that this pain would pass, that the one who cast such a curse upon her would have mercy.

Sweat trickled down her cheek, as she clenched her jaw, trying to muffle the sounds of her agony. It was as if- no! that was impossible! How could he, why would he be here? Oh God, he had to be close by. The seal had its tendencies to act up, but never to such a degree; The pain had never been so...fresh, so raw as it was at this moment. 'Why?' He had to be somewhere near, maybe even lurking somewhere in the shadows beyond her window... "Stop it," she commanded herself in a vehement whisper. To disprove her paranoia, she painfully jerked her head in the direction of the window. The pain was so great that for several seconds, her vision was obstructed by a flash of white. Her vision cleared as she blinked back her tears, only to slam her eyes shut once more. It was no use. The vision of two golden eyes still swam in the darkness behind her eyelids. Had she really seen those eyes, or was it merely an after image of her nightmare? He wouldn't be here now, she told herself, trying to calm herself. She slowly opened her eyes once more. No gleaming eyes awaited her at the window, nor anywhere else around her room. The pain was slowly waning, and her breathing no longer so labored. Drawing her knees to her chest, she curled up in a tight little ball, sobbing quietly. She chastised herself for the few tears she shed, but nevertheless, allowed herself to weep.

Her physical torture gave way to the mental agony that plagued her daily life. She continued to weep as if she were that lost little child, tossed aside so many painful years ago. And for what reason? All she had done was dare to trust him, even love and admire him. Suddenly, she was there again, in that dark room, left alone with the harsh words of his departure... "You are lacking... Hate. Vengeance. And everything else."

Someday, she would show him that she was not that useless ninja that he had taken her for. She would prove to him that she was not without hate, nor without a vengeful heart. Rage had become her sustenance, and the rage had given way to complex emotions of hopelessness and self loathing. Oh, she had plenty of hate now. It didn't matter who or what it was directed towards so long as it was a part of her, so long as it drove her. Anko lusted for vengeance against the one who had twisted in this way, and God help her, she would have it.

Still trembling, still lost in the dark waters of her own thoughts, she eased herself down onto her pillow. She drew the covers over her head, like a child hiding from the monsters in the dark. She knew that he was near. She was both excited and terrified of what that meant, but nevertheless, knew that they would come face to face. And when that happened, he would hear her out. She would make him pay. Her time was near, and she knew it. Anko almost smiled at that thought. "I do have hate, Sensei, you'll see."

When they met, she would be sure to show him that she did indeed possess hate, vengeance, and everything else.

Finally, exhaustion took over, and she allowed herself to drift into a restless sleep, haunted by the vision of those golden eyes hovering just above her...