For Some Reason...

He winced slightly, the loudness of her voice bringing a small headache. "Nhh.. it.. doesn't matter anymore.."

((ooc: Lmao O_o..? Gaara refuses to tell her! Yay XD))

Kani frowned and stared at the floor. "Please Gaara..." she said quietly. "I just want to help..."

"Trust me..." He opened his eyes, then turned his head, trying to concentrate so he could see her. All he was able to see was her outline, his concentration was a bit off. "There is only.. so much you can do."

She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Please tell me..." she said quietly, almost inaudebly.

After concentrating a bit more, he was able to see her a bit. He looked up at her, frowning. "I'm sorry, Kani.. I should.. have never lead you to do something like that.."

Kani raised and eyebrow and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"It was my fault.." He looked away. "I got on your bad side.."

Kani was silent for a moment, and then realization hit. "Y-you mean..." She stared at him, her eyes wide with panic. She stummbled backwards and slipped through his desk. "Oh god...oh my god I didn't..."

"Do not panic, Kani." He looked at her again, frowning. "I am the one to blame, for you are the one who is dead."

Kani shook her head. "Oh my god." If she were alive right now, she'd have trouble breathing.

"Calm down." He stared at her. "It is too late now, there is nothing you can do. There is no use in panicing."

Kani looked up at him. "It doesn't matter! How could I!? I don't understand..." her voice trailed off.

"I lead you to do it." He inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, trying not to bring any more pain upon himself. "So did Shukaku.. but.. he took it further than I did.."

Kani bit her lip and stared at the floor. "It doesn't matter. I still hurt you and I can't forgive myself for that..."

"How do you think I feel.." He glared at the floor, clutching his chest again. "I led our battle on.. I hurt you... but even worse.. I couldn't stop Shukaku from killing you. Do you think I could ever forgive myself for that? It's just another one to add on the list!"

He started coughing again, merely spitting the blood on the floor in front of him.

Kani looked up at him. "W-what?' She was confused, deeply confused. She didn't remember how she died and now... "Shukaku killed me?"

"Yes.." He coughed, wiping the blood from his chin. "Shukaku killed you.. and three villagers on his way back to Suna.. I wasn't strong enough to stop him.. it was almost a day later when I got control back, but too late.. if I had only got control back before he killed you.. then our places would have been switched.. but I don't know if that would have been better for you.."

Kani looked up at him, alarmed. "No!" she screamed. She took a step towards him. "NO! Don't EVER say that! You're not allowed to die! No no no no no!! Never! I'd rather be dead then have you dead. Besides, I don't have any reason to live really. Except-" She shook her head. "No. Never mind." She looked up at Gaara. "You're the Kazekage! You can't die!"

"Kani.. don't be so oblivious.." He smiled, shaking his head slightly. "I'm going to die sooner or later. It would have been better for me to die, for my existence will only bring misfortune the longer I live. If the Akatsuki gets their hands on Shukaku, that is one step further for them. It is a settled fate, it will not be changed."

"It doesn't matter!" she exclaimed. Then she stopped, trying to get her thoughts in order. "The Akatsuki won't get you. We have too many people working against them for them to prevail. You're not going to die Gaara, I promise you that. I know that you will die eventually, but from natural causes. Until then, you can live a long - as happy as you make it- life. You have your people to think about." She stopped, not knowing what else to add. She really should tell him about Raku...but now wasn't the time.

"Simply a few will not stop an oranizion so powerful. Every single one of them is S-ranked, and some have the capability of destroying entire villages." He stared at her. "I would not suggest attempting to get in their way, it will only fail on your behalf. Which is why I must die before they can take the demon from me and use it to their advantage."

Kani bit her lip. What could she say. She didn't want Gaara to die again, especially not by those bastards. "You're right," she said, sighing. "We used to have a chance...but ever since Raku-" She stopped. No, she wasn't going to say it. "But we can at least hold them off until we get more people."

"No, because before anybody else would join to help, all of you would be dead." He continued to stare at her, trying to ignore the ache in his chest. "But, what is it about Raku that you cut yourself off on?"

Kani stared at the floor. "He betrayed us," she mummbled quietly. Then she looked up at Gaara. "None of us are going to die Gaara! We aren't! You don't know how many of us there are! The Akatsuki will not succeed!"

"No, I don't know how many of us there are, and one of us is already dead, so you must not have a clue in what you're talking about." He looked away. "And apparently one of you has betrayed the resat, so that's another off of the numbers you've got. They will succeed."