"I finally found you," Gaara whispered.

The bear was laying next to me on the floor. I was sprawled out, my body seemingly pointing at Gaara. I sat up and picked up the bear.

"That is not my name," I mumbled.

"Katsumi?"

I shook my head, "Kage. Kage no Akumu."

Gaara flinched, "What are you doing here?"

I stretched, arching my back and tail, " My brothers and I were sent here on a mission by our father. It was almost complete until you guys made the place blow. You nearly killed one of my brother and the other is in a coma."

Gaara shook his head, "That wasn't me. Orochimaru."

A shiver slid down my spine. My tail stood at attention. The bear in my hands was brought closer to my chest.

"What is that?" Gaara finally took notice of the bear.

I stood up and offered it to him, "It's yours. You dropped it the first time we met and I have kept it ever since. I had to do some minor repairs, but other than that it's the same."

Gaara gingerly accepted the bear. Recognition flashed in his bright eyes. Sand wrapped itself around my waist.

Startled, I morph and escape to the dresser. Disappointed crosses Gaara's face. His sand follows me. I sniff at it before letting it caress my body. I shiver in delight and find myself human again. The sand weaves between my hands and around my body.

"Still not afraid of me?" Gaara asks.

I grin down at him, "You're not that scary!"

Gaara blinked in surprise, "My whole life people have feared me. Why don't you?'

I slipped off the dresser, " I really don't know... I've just never felt like you would hurt me."

That clearly upset him. The sand slammed me forcefully to the wall. I kept my face blank, my ears and tail twitched slightly. When Gaara saw I was unfazed, the sand fell away.

"Gaara?" My voice was oddly small, "can I go home now?"

Gaara's eyes widened, "No! You are staying here!"

I took a step back, "But my brothers need me..."

His eyes returned to normal, "Please don't leave me."

I pulled Gaara in for a hug, "I promise you I won't. I'll come back every night."

"Why only night?" Gaara spoke into my neck. He never returned my hug.

I held him at arm's length, "I have to take care of my brothers during the day."

"And you promise to come back?"

I gave a half smile, "Of course. I lost you once, I won't do it again."

My heart was heavy as I left the house. I could feel Gaara's conflicting emotions: fear, anger, confusion, and something he couldn't even identify. Gaara didn't understand emotions. Ever since he was little, all he had known was betrayal from those close to him.

There was also another entity residing in Gaara's skin. One I identified as the demon Shukaku. Shukaku hated me, hated what I was doing to Gaara.

I extended my whiskers to find Shukaku.

Leave him be, neko. Shukaku warned me.

No. This boy needs to be shown what real love is.

What this boy needs is to prove how strong he is! Emotions like yours show only weakness. If the One-Tailed Beast can prove himself stronger than him with nine tails then I shall win. And I will kill whoever I need to in order to win.

Gaara would never harm me. I was getting agitated.

Don't bet on the insane mind of this boy. And with that Shukaku was gone.

"He wouldn't be insane if it weren't for you!" I screamed aloud.

Tears clouded my vision as I ran home. People I passed gave me strange looks but they didn't matter. I just had to get back to Yurei and Tamashi.

I stumbled through the front door. The binding around my right hand fell off, revealing an eye on my palm made of sand. I smiled.

I picked the binding up off the floor. Yurei and Tamashi were both sleeping, the kitchen was a mess.

I sighed and said mocking tone, "See what I have to deal with, Gaara?"

The sand moved off my hand so I could was dishes. Afterwards, I made myself dinner.

"Yurei?" I called up the stairs.

I heard a yelp and a thud. Yurei must have fallen out of bed. Good, he was up at least.

"I'm going outside, let me know if you need me."

"M'kay!"

I morphed and went outside to sleep in the tree. Yurei followed me out a few minutes later. My eyes drifted to his leg, there was no crutch.

Yurei looked sheepishly at the leg in question, "I know, I know... Tamashi is doing better!"

I dropped down as a human, "How so?"

"I heard him talking in his sleep and he's moving, but he has yet to wake up."

My tail drooped.

"Well I have to go, do you need anything before I leave?"

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"To see an old friend," I smiled.

"Alright... I don't think I need anything right now."

"Oh! Before I forget, I need to clean out Tamashi's wound!" I hurried upstairs to take care of him.

Tamashi was mumbling nonsense, probably a fever dream. I caught my name and Yurei's. He also mentioned Father. His would looked a lot better, it was no longer oozing. It would definitely leave a scar, however. I cleaned it and threw out the dirty bandages. I wrapped his head in fresh linens and kissed his head before leaving.

Gaara's sand swirled around my wrist, guiding me back. I felt his eyes on me before I saw him. I morphed and climbed a nearby tree to the window. Gaara was waiting for me in his room.

I tugged my shorts up higher on my hips. Gaara was still confused by his earlier emotions.

I tilted my head to one side, "Is there anything you wanted from me?"

"I'm not sure. I- ah!" Gaara gripped his temples. His eyes glazed over for a minute.

I sent out my whiskers. Shukaku was trying to control Gaara's body. The fur on my tail slowly raised. I heard myself hiss.

Gaara blinked, "Moon."

The moon was only a few days away from being full. That was when Shukaku was his strongest. If Gaara lost control of his body and went into a state of blood lust... Who knew what would happen...