Warning: this is dark and involves character death. If that bothers you, don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters.

Reviews are always welcome!

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Sakura ran through the streets of Konoha, quickly making her way towards the forest on the outskirts of the village, finally leaping into the trees and heading towards her destination. She didn’t know what made her pick that spot, it wasn’t that she was particularly nostalgic, and there were no happy memories associated with that location. It was just the first thing that came to mind when she thought about him.

It was curiosity more than anything that made him go to meet her that night. He could not imagine why she would want to see him of all people, and least of all there. He wondered if she was actually stupid enough to challenge him, to fight him for what happened back then. Perhaps she thought it was his fault that Sasuke had left. Perhaps it was. Gaara read the hastily written note once more before throwing it in the garbage and leaving his room, following her trail.

“Gaara,

Meet me in the forest where you fought Naruto, tonight at midnight.

Sakura”

He found the place easily, a huge area now cleared of trees where Shukaku was taken down for the first time ever. He saw Sakura already there, leaning against a tree casually, looking away from him as he approached. It may have been the tree where he had her pinned only weeks ago –he didn’t remember. She continued to look away as he landed on the ground a few steps away from her. Gaara saw immediately that her relaxed appearance was feigned – she was tense, rigid, almost as if she wanted to flee but was forcing herself to remain still. It was a look he was all too familiar with, seeing it every time he was around his siblings.

“I wasn’t sure you would come,” Sakura said quietly.

Gaara remained silent, watching her with cold indifference, waiting for her to say why she called him there – waiting for the inevitable admission of her hate. Slowly, inch by inch, she finally turned her head towards him, meeting his eyes with a resigned sort of determination. Gaara’s brow lifted a fraction, wondering at her intentions.

“You remind me of him,” she said, her voice strangely detached. “Your eyes remind me of him.”

“What do you want?” Gaara asked harshly, having no interest in hearing her talk about someone he failed to kill, then failed to bring back.

“I couldn’t do anything for him,” Sakura continued, seeming to ignore his question. “I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t take away his loneliness. I was always useless, just dragging behind. You… you’re so different. But you have the same pain in your eyes.”

“What do you want?” Gaara repeated more forcefully.

“You,” Sakura answered simply.

Gaara stared at her, waiting for her to finish the sentence.

“Me what?” he asked finally when it seemed like she wasn’t going to say anything else.

“Just you,” she answered with sadness in her voice. “I want you.”

“Naze?” was the only thing Gaara managed to utter, her words not entirely registering in his mind, as if it was something that shouldn’t have been said.

“I don’t want you to feel that loneliness anymore,” Sakura replied, trembling slightly under his confused gaze, waiting for the imminent rejection. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I don’t want to be useless.”

Gaara blinked, continuing to stare at her with disbelief, starting to wonder if she was doing this to lure him into a trap, at the same time sensing that there was nothing around to pose any threat to him.

“Why… me?” he asked uncertainly.

“Because,” she answered shakily. “Just because. What is there to say? The world pales next to you.”

“I don’t believe you,” Gaara answered coldly.

Sakura nodded, having expected that answer. She took a tentative step towards him, watching as his eyes narrowed immediately. She stopped in front of him, cautiously reaching out a hand to him, giving him the chance to stop her if he wanted. He didn’t, waiting to see what she was doing, knowing that she could never harm him. He was not expecting the light touch of her fingers on his shoulder, making him tense up immediately. Even through the sand armor, he could feel the trembling in her hand.

“You’re obviously afraid of me,” Gaara stated impassively. “Why are you doing this?”

“I need you,” Sakura whispered, the desperation surfacing in her voice.

“You… what?” he asked, stunned, the words sounding alien to him.

“I need you, Gaara,” she repeated more firmly. “You make me want to find a reason to live.”

“You don’t know me,” Gaara said, recovering from his shock, reminding himself that she was probably just lying.

“Then tell me,” Sakura answered, edging towards him slightly, placing her other hand against his chest.

“No,” he spit back without even considering her request.

“Then just…” she paused, trying to find the words. “Let me stay with you.”

“No,” Gaara said again, quieter this time.

“Why not?” Sakura’s voice was a sob.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he answered, his voice neutral once again.

“Please,” she whispered desperately.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Gaara stated calmly.

“I do,” she replied eagerly. “How can I make you believe me? I’ll do anything you want.”

He drew in a breath, his gaze suddenly changing to a hate-filled glare.

“You don’t get it,” he hissed angrily, his hands coming up and grabbing her wrists with such force that bruises began to form under his fingers as he pulled her hands away from him.

“Please, Gaara,” Sakura murmured, tears rising in her eyes. “I know you don’t care about me… But… you’re all I have left. I can take away your loneliness… at least a little.”

“You can’t,” he answered, his voice turning into a growl with rage. “You can’t do anything for me. I will only hurt you.”

“You won’t,” she replied breathlessly. “You won’t hurt me if you just… let me be with you.”

Sakura did not even see him move, only realizing that she was pinned against the trunk of a tree when she felt the dull pain in her back. Gaara’s fingers dug into her wrists, holding them by her sides, his body pressed against hers, his eyes burning with hatred as he looked at her. Slowly he leaned towards her, his lips brushing lightly against her neck before his cold voice echoed in her ear as an inhuman growl.

“Is this what you wanted?”

Sakura had no time to respond, her gasp turning into a scream as he bit into her neck with such violence that she instinctively attempted to move away from him, her struggles nothing in the face of his strength. After a moment, Gaara pulled back, glaring at her as he ran his tongue along his lips, tasting her blood on them.

“You don’t know me,” he repeated coldly. “Did you think I would be gentle? Did you think I would hold you and tell you it’s ok? Did you think I would love you? I’m a monster. I can give you nothing but pain.”

“I don’t care if you hurt me,” Sakura answered, ignoring the tears that trickled down her cheeks. “I don’t care if you love me. I just want to be next to you.”

“I’ll kill you,” he hissed against her lips. “Everything I touch dies.”

“It doesn’t have to,” she whispered, trembling against him. “Please… just give it a chance.”

“You don’t know,” Gaara breathed, seeming suddenly anxious. “You don’t understand.”

“Then make me,” Sakura answered defiantly.

Instead he released her, stepping back from her, looking at her with what seemed almost like fear in his eyes. His hand flew up to his forehead, grasping his head, his body shaking as he looked down at the ground.

“Leave,” he whispered, his voice a plea.

“No,” she answered, moving towards him again, wrapping her arms around him.

---

“Naze?” Gaara mumbled. “Why didn’t you run?”

He was kneeling beside Sakura, all the anguish of his tormented existence crashing upon him as Shukaku laughed in the back of his mind. He watched as the blood soaked into the ground, her heart growing weaker with each beat. Her eyes were barely open as she looked at him. Despite everything, she was smiling – a faint, barely perceptible gesture, yet still there. He could feel her struggle, trying to summon the last of her strength, collecting what breath she had in her lungs.

“I love you, Gaara,” she whispered softly.

A single tear trickled down her cheek as she fell limp, her head rolling to the side, her straining heart finally growing still. He could only stare at her, the words echoing endlessly in his mind. He finally found someone who accepted him, who wanted him, who needed him. He finally heard those words he longed for his entire life. Her dying words, the last breath stolen from her body to give him that dream – to torture him for the rest of eternity.

He couldn’t help who he was. He was a monster. It was in his nature.

Anyone who got too close would always die.