As I said, this chapter is longer than the last!
This chapter came out sooner than expected but I had this idea and I needed to type it out immediately.

Reviews will help me to get better! So please review!

Enjoy =)


Gaara arrived at Tenten's house and could hear everyone's voices inside. "I'm late." thought Gaara. He walked up to the porch and before he could ring the doorbell, Tenten flung open the door with a big smile.

"Gaara! I saw your car parked outside! Come in! Where's Temari? Oh yea, she said she'll be late. Well, Kankuro is already here!" Tenten lead him towards her sitting room. "Nearly everyone's here! I'll just get more Doritos." Tenten ran into the kitchen with a big, blue bowl.

Gaara entered and scanned the sitting room. Kankuro, Shikamaru and Choji were sitting on the couch beside Ino who was sitting beside Sai with his arm around her waist. Naruto, Kiba and Shino were on the smaller couch beside the TV with Sasuke, Sakura and Lee standing beside them, near the window.

Then he spotted the reason he came here, sitting in the armchair, smiling and telling everyone about what she's been doing till now. He stopped and stared. She grew her hair but she still had her cute fringe. She had a violet dress on with a simple black strap around the torso with black three-quarter leggings and a purple, flowery headband.

Gaara snapped out of his daze when Naruto shouted. "Gaara! You made it! We were thinking you might not come after all!" He jumped up and greeted his friend with pat on the back. Naruto pushed Gaara towards the centre of the crowd, in front of Hinata. "She really wanted to see you!"

Hinata leaped up. "Gaara! I'm so glad you're here! It's been so long! Wow, you've grown taller." She had the biggest smile on her face when talking to him. He smiled.

"I like your hair."

"T-thank you. I like it long." Hinata slightly blushed. Gaara was about to open his mouth again when Tenten came in shouting. "Ok, everybody out! Neji has started the barbeque and the tables are all set!"

Sakura and Ino pushed Hinata out with them, giggling and asking her more questions about the school she went to. Gaara was annoyed at this. "I was talking to her." he grumbled. "C'mon, let's go! You can smell the steaks from here!" Naruto pulled Gaara out the door, to Tenten's garden, onto the deck.

The sky was nearly dark but Tenten had put on the lights which illuminated the garden attractively. He saw Hinata sitting under the big umbrella with the rest of the girls, chatting away. He just sighed and walked over to where Naruto and Lee were chomping away at the food like hogs.

"I'll just have a burger." Neji slapped a burger on a plate and handed it to Gaara.

"Here. You haven't changed much. You've gotten taller though."

"Thanks. You too, nothing but the height has changed." Gaara took a bite out of his burger.

"Whav avow wee?"

"Naruto, eat. Then speak." Sighed Neji. Naruto took a big gulp and spoke again. "What about me? Have I changed? I'm much stronger now!"

"And me? I'm also gotten stronger!" Came in Lee. Both of them were showing off and flexing their muscles.

"Same as always." Said Neji while he flipped the other burgers.

"Hey, you didn't even look!" Whined Naruto. "You're still so cold." whimpered Lee. Neji just ignored them.

"So how come you came back?" Asked Gaara.

"My Uncle got offered his old job back but with more money so he accepted."

"I guess you and Hinata are working with us again."

"Yeah. The department over there was good but I work better with the people here."

"Good." Gaara took a cup of Cola and sipped a little. "Your Byakugan was very useful."

Neji replied with a nod and served Choji his fifth burger.

Neji and Hinata used to work with Gaara and the rest, in an organisation called the Shinobi Force, or simply the SF. The purpose of this organisation is so that everyone in this world who has special powers, can use it to help others, whether it's a simple, one day mission or a complicated, three month mission. People like Gaara with his control over sand, Neji and Hinata with their Byakugan, Shino with his control over bugs and Shikamaru with his manipulation over shadows are in the SF.

Not everyone has these powers but those who do, are members of the SF. Usually, these people are from a family, or a clan, who have particular powers in their blood and are passed down through heredity but there are also those who are born to a normal family but have powers, like Lee with his abnormal skills in martial arts and Sakura with her super strength.

The SF is split into five zones. These zones look like work together on the surface, but some zones are competing against other zones for more customers and trying to infiltrate each other. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro are in the 'Wind' zone while the rest are in the 'Fire' zone. The heads of these two zones are on good grounds so they work together very well without any disputes.

Hinata and Neji were very useful in missions but when they went away with Hisashi, there was a drop in customers. They were one of the best at what they do, which was a big help in bringing in customers and now, they're back. Business will soar once again.

"Hello, everybody!" Temari burst in holding a big cream coloured fan with three big purple circles on it. "Sorry, I'm late! I had to pick up my fan from repairs. The metal is much stronger than before. Now, where's my little Bunny?"

As soon as Temari saw Hinata, she ran up to her and gave her a big hug. Since Gaara introduced his new friend to Temari and Kankuro back in pre-school, she had loved Hinata like a sister.

She had her dress up as a cute little bunny every Halloween before she left, hence the nickname 'Bunny'. "Temari! You finally came!" She hugged her back. Just as they began to chat, Choji made a big commotion.

"WHAT! It's over?" Cried Choji. Everyone turned to where Choji was staring at Neji in absolute horror. "Yes, you ate the last one. Of everything." Neji responded with a monotonous voice. Choji was about to object when Tenten interrupted. "Oh that's alright! There's a shop nearby where I can buy some more food." She got up and walked over. "You'll come with me, won't you Neji?" She smiled.

Neji's cheeks grew a faint red. He barely nodded when Tenten dragged him by the hand, to her white Ford Puma out front.

"Tenten's got a lot more confidence than last time." said Hinata to the other girls.

"It has been three years, everyone's grown!" Winked Sakura.

"Yea, a lot has happened while I was away. Like you getting with Sai, Ino. What happened to Sasuke?"

"Please, that guy is never going to consider any girl. Plus Sai is a lot like Sasuke, except much more gentle" Giggled Ino.

"Well, I'm not giving up yet!" Said Sakura determinedly.

Hinata laughed and turned to Temari. "Are you still with Shikamaru?"

"Yes, I am but he get's on my nerves so much! That boy never does anything! I don't know why I haven't left him yet." complained Temari.

"So, the same as before then." Mocked Hinata. The other girls laughed and got back to their gossiping while the guys went into a wrestling match on the lawn which Sasuke, Shikamaru and Gaara were reluctantly dragged into. The rest of the party went by smoothly, despite the bruises and aches on the guys side. Kiba thought it would be fun to play charades and everyone enjoyed it, especially seeing Shino trying to imitate a frog. By 11pm, Tenten decided it was time to kick everyone out. She stood by the front door, saying goodbye to everyone. "Thank you for coming! I hope you had a great time! Bye! Bye-bye! Good night!"

Hinata and Gaara were the last to leave the house. "I had a great time! It was nice to see everyone after so long." Hinata was walking beside Gaara, with her hands behind her back.

"It was nice to you see you too." Gaara looked down at the smiling Hinata.

"I'm glad I came back. I had missed everyone." When Hinata said this, her eyes subconsciously looked away. Gaara followed Hinata's eyes and saw what she was looking at. "So, you still like Naruto." Hinata immediately blushed and turned a deep shade of red. "W-well, it's b-b-been a long t-time! I d-don't think I'd s-sti-" Gaara interrupted.

"You don't need to make up any excuses. It's me."

Hinata, still blushing, nodded and looked down. "I did stop liking him after I left but seeing him again…"

"Hmpf, like I care who you like." Gaara turned his head away.

"I'm glad that you still listen though." She looked up at him and smiled. "Even though you say you don't care."

"Hnn… Look, Neji's calling you to get in his car. You better go."

"Yea, my Dad would be worried if we got home late. Bye Gaara, I'm glad you came today! I missed you a lot." She gave him a small but gentle hug and got into Neji's silver Land Rover Evoque.

Gaara watched as they drove off until they turned the corner. He then got into his own car and headed home. Temari already left with Kankuro in his car.

"She still likes Naruto."

He wasn't surprised, in fact, he was expecting this. But he still had a sharp pain in his chest. He felt like she just shot him and it left a pretty big hole. He thought of the goodbye hug she gave him.

"I should have hugged her back."

Thoughts of her just ran through his head. "Naruto…" He was one of his best friends, he couldn't hate him nor could he do anything to him. Both Hinata and Naruto are his good friends, all he could do was support Hinata.

"Damn it!"

As soon as Gaara got home, he changed and went straight to bed. He stared up at the ceiling. Just before he fell asleep, his last thought was an image of Hinata and Naruto together, having fun. Naruto was being his goofy self and she had that gentle smile on her face. That sweet, gentle smile.

"Damn it..."


I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter ever. But I'm trying to take things slow, I don't want to rush into the romance.

Note:
1) That's right, no jinjurikis or bijuus. That's why Gaara can sleep. [He still has his dark eyes. Let's say, he was just born like that.]
2) Again feedback and suggestions are received graciously =)

Hope you enjoyed it!^^