The doors fly open from the Grand Meeting Room as the first batch of meetings has concluded. Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, Neji and Gaara exit the room together and head down the hallway. Shikamaru puts his hands in his pockets and gives a sigh.

"Geez, this is just the first day of meetings and it is already troublesome," he comments. "Yeah, that was something else," Kiba replies. "I knew the fifth Hokage was tough, but even from the beginning." Naruto puts his hands behind his head.

"Hehe, yeah she is tough, be glad you don't have to deal with her everyday like Sakura does. She may be tough but she is fair," Naruto replies. As they walk down the hall, Gaara looks up and notices Sakura turning down a hallway in the distance.

Naruto puts his hand on his stomach as it lets out a growl. "Man I am starving! Say, we got a couple of hours before the next group of meetings. How about we all grab a bit to eat together? We can talk about our dates."

Gaara stops and stares down the hallway that Sakura is in. "A date," Gaara thinks to himself as he flashes back to the night before. "I don't know why I am having this odd feeling, but maybe I should ask Sakura out on a date…"

"Yo, Gaara! You are coming to lunch with us?" Gaara turns his head and sees the group standing there waiting for them. Gaara's face shows no emotion as usual. He looks down at the ground for a second and then raises his head toward the guys.

"Actually, I think I will meet up with you guys later. There is something I need to do." With that Gaara walks off down the hallway. The rest of the guys head outside and walk toward the local stand for a bite to eat.

"Man, why does Gaara have to be so serious all the time? It is almost creepy," Kiba comments as they eat their lunch. "I mean he never shows any emotion around us and he was almost as tough as the Fifth with some of his suggestions."

"Ahh, relax Kiba. Gaara just wants to make sure the next generation is just as tough as us," replies Naruto. "Gaara does show emotion once in a while. It just takes time for it to come out. He has a good heart. Heck, I have even seen him smile."

"Whatever you say Naruto. I still have my doubts. But you may be right. I mean if Temari can become patient enough to deal with Shikamaru, anything is possible", Kiba laughs. "Maybe Gaara actually does have a gentle side."

Back at the hallway Gaara has caught up to Sakura. "Hello Sakura," he says with that usual stone-cold face. Sakura turns around to see Gaara. "Oh, hey there Gaara. How did the meetings go? I hope Master Tsunade wasn't too rough."

"The meetings were fine. The Fifth Hokage was not too rough in my opinion," replies Gaara. "Although I think I spent most of the meeting making sure Naruto didn't fall asleep. I actually came here to ask you a question."

Sakura looks a little surprised, "Oh, sure thing, what is it?" Gaara begins to speak, "Well… um Sakura, I –I was wondering...if…if" "What is wrong with me," Gaara asks himself, "My hands are getting all sweaty and why am I having trouble talking?"

Gaara press on. "Well Sakura, um… I was just wondering if you weren't too...too... too busy… wo-would you want to… to maybe catch… a …a… bite of…" Gaara goes silent, his face showing a little anger and his eyes looking off to the corner, fist clenched.

"What in the world is wrong with me? I was able to talk to Sakura last night without any hesitation, so what is this feeling that is holding me back this time?!?!?" Gaara thinks to himself. Suddenly he feels a hand on his triceps – it is Sakura's.

"Gaara, are you trying to ask me on a lunch date?" the strawberry woman asks. Gaara lets out a sigh, "Ye-yes Sakura, that is what I was trying to ask," Gaara responds. His face still shows that he is upset with himself for not being able to say it.

"Well that is very sweet of you Gaara," Sakura says, "but unfortunately I have a meeting with Shizune here in about ten minutes." "Oh…I understand. Sorry for bothering you then Sakura," Gaara replies as he lowers his head and starts to walk away.

Sakura puts her book of files up to her chest and slightly lowers her head. "You know Gaara," she says as Gaara stops to hear the rest, "There is a new movie at the theatre I really want to see. I am done here the same time you are finished with meetings."

Sakura lifts her head up as her hair slightly falls in front of her face. "How about I meet you at the fountain and we can go to the movie together?" Gaara slowly turns his head slightly and says, "I would like that. I will meet you there."

As Gaara walks back down the hall, Sakura's eyes opened a little bit wider as she says to herself, "Did…Did I just see Gaara blush and smile at the same time?" She grips her book a little harder, blushing, and gives a little giggle and heads off.

The evening session of meetings has concluded and Gaara is sitting at the fountain waiting. "What is going on here," he whispers to himself. "What are these feelings I am getting? Could… Could it be that I may actually be falling for her?"

Gaara hears footsteps coming from his right. "Gaara, I am here," Sakura pants as she comes to a stop in front of Gaara. "My medical class I teach ended up running a little over. I apologize if you had to wait."

Gaara stands up and hands Sakura a bottle of water he had with him. "No problem, you didn't have to run. I would have waited." Sakura looks at the bottle surprisingly, but takes a drink from it. "Thank you, so are you ready for our date."

Gaara's eyes grow large and his face is now glowing a bright shade of pink. "A date, huh? Well I must warn you that this is my first one, so bear with me." Sakura again looks at him with a shocked look on her face.

"Well this will most certainly be interesting then," Sakura thinks to herself. "Oh, really…the Kazekage's first date. I guess I should feel honored. We better go now or we will miss the start of the movie." With that, the duo is off.

Next Chapter - "Finding What Was Lost"

The video version of this fanfic chapter can be seen via youtube under the same title or under the channel of bkeller1976.