Chapter 1: "Tired of Being Here"

Haruno Sakura dropped her bookbag on the couch of her apartment. A long day at work was truly... well... hard work. She put on some pajama pants and a tank top, then headed to the kitchen to look for something to eat.

Only 8 months ago had she been right there, watching her true love fade away from a horrible, shocking (a/n: pardon the pun) death.

Then... She saw Gaara, on the other side of a glass wall. He was being shocked to death.

He was in between growling and screaming in pain.

He slowly turned his head and saw Sakura, staring in shock. Falling to her knees. Breaking. He slowly closed his eyes. 'Sakura...' was the last thing he thought. "Sakura..." was the last thing he said. Sakura was the last thing he saw. Sakura was his last everything.

Thinking back on the memory only made it harder to try going on. But 3 months afterwards, Ino had convinced her she really needed to get back on her feet and start living again. But... Sakura wanted something to hold onto of his. Besides an old t-shirt or teddy bear that he kept from his childhood. So, Haruno Sakura decided to become Sabaku no Sakura. And thus, she started looking for new jobs. Finally, she found one. She works during the day at a classy restaurant beside the beach. In between shifts, she sings and plays piano for the customers. Then, she works the night shift at a hospital.

Sakura grabbed a bowl, milk, and cereal and guess what she made? (a/n: Spaghetti?) That's right! Cereal. She walked into the living room, turned on the TV and watched one of her favorite shows, House. When the phone rang, she decided she was too lazy at the moment to pick it up. The phone rang several times, then she heard her voicemail:

"Hi, Sabaku no Sakura here. I'll call you back when I feel like it. You know what to do next!"

But then, nothing. It was just pure silence on the other end. She got up and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she said a bit annoyed.

She waited a couple of seconds.

"Clearly, you didn't know what to do next," she mused.

More of that silence that was mentioned before.

"Fine, I'm hanging up."

Right before she had the chance, she heard a gasp on the other end.

"Kay, so you ARE there. It's cool, don't answer me. I understand Oh-Silent-One!" she said, sarcasm lacing her words. Finally she hung up.

'Wierdos...' she thought.

She looked at the clock. 'Ugh, 11 already?' She put on some jeans and kept the tank top, then put her lab coat over the atire, and then her normal jacket over the lab coat, and left for work.

When she got to the hospital, she had that feeling that a girl in a scary movie would feel. Being watched and feeling exposed to whatevers out there. She rushed inside, seeking refuge in the large hospital.

She nodded to the janitor as she passed him on her way to the office. "Good evening," he mumbled.

'Clearly not for him,' she thought. Sakura studied a few reports, kept post at the front desk (just incase), and went on with her normal night activities. Such as: mumbling curse words in a British accent (just for the heck of it), checking some rooms that tend to have restless people in them, and chatted with the head janitor about what their jobs are like. Same and boring. Just like it was before she met Gaara.

On a curb just a few blocks to the right of Sakura's apartment stood a young man with crimson red hair. He looked back and forth, awaiting a late night cab. But to no avail. He thought about calling her again. To maybe say something this time. But he knew he couldn't.

'A beautiful night...' the man thought.

(Psh! I've seen better. Like a night for love making with your mate under a FULL moon. Non of this gibbous crap!)

'... Love making?'

(Oh that's right, you never took her! Well, we'll just have to change that this time!)

"Oh shut up, you perverted demon!"

(Ahem! I prefer my real name.)

The young man could actually feel this creature inside of him smirking.

'Whatever, Shukaku. Love isn't all about sex.'

(Aha! But it is part of it, ignorant boy.)

'I have a name, as well, Perv. I prefer for it to be used.'

(In bed?)

'Shut up!'

(Fine, fine, GAARA!)

The young man, Gaara, growled and looked around for a clock. Coincidentally, he was standing in front of a clock shop! (a/n: I'm sorry, if there's a particular name, I didn't bother knowing it). They all said 2:30AM.

'Late... I'll go find an old shack or somethin'.'

He groaned and walked away from his former post beside the pay phone.

Sakura glanced at her watch. 'Finally! I can go home and get some sleep!'

And she did. As of most, she had a dreamless night. She'd rather have no dreams than have a sad one.