Naruto Chapter 548 Part 1

**WARNING!: SPOILERS AHEAD!!! IF YOU WISH TO NOT READ AT THE MOMENT PLEASE PRESS THE BACK BUTTON OR HOME ON YOUR WEB BROWSER!!!**

A sand statue of Gaara's mother sits with arms crossed and head down. There's a person inside the heart of that statue. It's Gaara's father.

Gaara: ...I was...loved by my mother?

Gaara's father stays quiet.

Gaara: ...But, back then...when Yashamaru was after me...

**FLASHBACK**

Yashamaru: You were never...loved...

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Gaara's father: I ordered Yashamaru to lie to you. I had to find out if the Bijuu inside of you still had the capacity to berserk out of control...for the sake of the entire village...

Gaara's face saddens as his father gets deeper into his story.

Gaara's father: The person that Yashamaru hated wasn't you...it was me. Because I was the one who placed Shukaku of the Sand into while you were still in his sister's womb. But Yashamaru, too, was a ninja...he was my right arm, as apart of the Sand's anbu. For the sake of the village...he followed my orders exactly as I gave them...

Gaara's face is saddened to the point where it looks shocked.

Gaara's father: It was a mistake...it seems as though everything I did was a mistake...you ended up having to carry all kinds of excessive burdens. I decided on my own what mattered to you and what didn't...I stole your existence as a Jinchuriki for my own...I stole your mother......I stole away any connections you had with anyone...and ultimately, I would have stolen your life...and now, you have one thing associate with your parents...

Armies of men are pacing through the sand.

Gaara's father: The wounds in your heart...

**FLASHBACK**

It shows young Gaara and Yashamaru in a room together.

Little Gaara: It's not bleeding but...it hurts really bad...right here...

A young Gaara is clenching his clothing where his heart is to be.

Yashamaru takes Gaara's weapon and cuts his right ring finger.

Yashamaru: When your body gets hurt, blood comes from the wound...and can make it look painful. But after some time passes, the pain fades away on it's own...and if you use medicine, it heals even faster.

Young Gaara's face is shocked.

Yashamaru: ...but the problem is with wounds in your heart...there's nothing there that can help fix those.

Little Gaara: Wounds in my heart?

Yashamaru: Wounds on your body and wounds in your heart are kind of different. Unlike wounds on your body, there's no medicine that can treat them...and they can stay your whole life and never heal.

Young Gaara is clenching his clothing still with his face saddened.

Yashamaru: There's only one thing....that can help heal a wounded heart. But it's difficult medicine to get a hold of..because you can only receive it from another person.

Little Gaara: ...what is it?

A picture of Gaara's mother is framed.

Yashamaru: Love.

Little Gaara: Love?

Yashamaru: That's right.

Little Gaara: H...how do I get that?

Yashamaru: You've already been given it, Gaara-sama.

Young Gaara is shocked.

Little Gaara: Huh?

Yashamaru: I think my sister really, really loved you. Shukaku of the Sand was originally a haunting spirit for the sake of combat. What makes the sand move on its own to protect you is your mother's love. I think your mother's will is alive in that sand.

Showing the large sand statue of Gaara's mother.

Yashamaru: Because my sister..even if it would have killed her...she would have wanted to protect you.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Gaara's father is wide-eyed.

A flashback of baby Gaara and his mother are shown. His mother is cradling his tiny body in her hands and arms.

Gaara's father looks sad.

Gaara is crying. Crying so hard. It's been awhile since he's cried really hard.

"...Gaara..." Gaara's father thought.

Gaara wept into his sleeve.

Gaara's father: Your mother was truly strong...even in her death, she continues to believe in you and protect you...that's what helped bring you here today...now that you've become Kazekage...and you've made real friends...and you have real connections with people...those are the things I stole.

Gaara is still weeping.

Gaara's father: ...but, I, your father, never did a thing for you...no...I couldn't even call myself your father...

Gaara: ...mother definitely was amazing...

Gaara's father was shocked.

Gaara: But this is the first time you've ever given me "medicine", father.

Gaara's father: Gaara...you...

A paper bomb is set below Gaara's father's face. Where he cry his final time.

Gaara's father thought, "More than I could hoped you surpassed me...I entrust the village to you now...Gaara...".

A sharp light is shown. The paper bomb exploded.

**TO BE CONTINUED**