Chapter 4: Confessions and Apologies

A/N: Hey guys this is the awaited continuation of my DFS read and review onegai…

"Where were you?!" his blond sister scolded him as soon as she caught sight of his unmistakable red hair. "Father was furious when he heard you just disappeared," she continued on. "Gaara, you better see him right away," his brother added. "Tsk," this was his only reply and his two siblings knew that they had to stop. The single sound made them shut up and retreat leaving him alone in his room.

Looking around, nothing will ever change. He discarded his clothing and dressed himself in his formal regalia being the kazekage's son. He caught a reflection of himself on a mirror. From head to toe he inspected himself and compared it from what he looked like before… I guess she'll never know.

The sand village was, as expected, very different from the leaf village. Aside from their usual warm climate… they were… well not that hospitable to travelers. The pink haired princess now dressed as a common lady with red Chinese dress with black cycling shorts (Her usual get up in the Naruto series) walked around to explore the new land.

"Can you help me?" Sakura asked a kind-looking lady. "What can I help you with?" she replied with a smile. "I'm looking for a man named 'Gaara'. Do you know where can I find him?" she bit her lip in anticipation of the woman's answer. The lady looked at her closely then said "I do but… that's gonna cost you…" she started rubbing her two fingers together.

"Excuse me?" the clueless Sakura looked at the woman confusedly. "Nothing comes for free. Now if you want to know where he is then you have to pay first…" a sly grin crossed the woman's face. "Oh… how much will I pay you?" without thinking she took out a handful of gold coins and showed it to the lady. The woman's eyes widen in surprise but then she recovered immediately and said "That will do," without waiting for anything she grabbed Sakura's coins and put them in her pocket.

"Um… can you now tell me where can I find him?" Sakura did not like people like this… but she had no choice. "Gaara is at the Kazekage's mansion in the heart of the village but I doubt you will be able to enter it. You can however see him when the Kazekage give a formal statement to the village I am sure that his three children will be there," with that the woman walked away.

According to the lady, the Kazekage would be giving his statement in the afternoon. As Sakura looked at the sun's height, it was already noon; she had to hurry. But as usual it was easier said than done. This was the third time that she realized she was again lost. The city was just as big as the leaf's but the streets are very similar making it hard for her to recognize which are the ones that she passed and the ones that she did not.

"Quick! The Kazekage's about to make his formal statement," Sakura heard a man said to his companion. Upon instinct, she followed the two and finally she reached the center of the village. The only problem was… she was not the only person there. There was a sea of people gathered around the kazekage's tower.

The people cheered as they saw their esteemed leader. The kazekage's strong voice echoed throughout the place as he started his speech. Sakura narrowed her eyes to see who are beside him. Doubtlessly there are three people at his side but then from her distance that was the only thing she had for certain.

"Look, that's Gaara the one wearing the black robe," one girl pointed at a figure wearing black. The problem was there were two figures wearing black. "I thought he had rum away or something. He was gone for a week." "No, I think he only fixed some political ties or something. Besides, why would he run away?" her companion justified.

Sakura wanted to squeeze through but then she felt something or rather someone was watching her every move very closely. Her mother had taught her that… a murderous intent is feeling that someone is looking at you though you don't see him and yet you feel he's boring holes in your body. You feel a chill that'll run through your spine as you get to have an eye contact with that certain person.

Her viridian eyes slowly looked around then she saw him… it was not one but three men glaring at her with unmistakable intention in their eyes. Casually, she walked away, leading the three men far from the crowd.

He felt his heart stop for a moment when he caught a glimpse of something pink among the crowd. From where he stood, Gaara saw that Sakuya was not looking at him but at somebody else. As she walked away, he saw the people that tailed her. He clenched his fist knowing the danger she was in. his father was still in the middle of his speech when he walked away. This was a gesture of ultimate disrespect but he didn't care. All he knew was that he must be by her side.

She led them out in the barren desert as the burning sky slowly began to fade. "I think this is far enough," she said out loud as she removed her back pack. "You're either very brave or very stupid to face us alone," one man said as he drew his dagger as did the other two. Sakura felt for the dagger on waist but then afterwards she made her battle stance.

They attacked all at once. Sakura grabbed one of the man's wrist that held the dagger and twisted it till it broke afterwards she planted her elbow in his face. Turning sideways, she evaded another dagger slash, she pulled the man's hand and kicked his armpit and finally kneed his groin.

While she was fighting, she lost track of one man which was stealthily walking behind her with his dagger raised. Feeling a presence behind her dagger and turned around. The man was already kissing the sand as another man held her blade with his bare hands.

The cloud finally parted as the moonlight bathed the features of the man in front of her. "Sa-Sa-su-ke-kun," she conjugated as she looked from his bleeding hand that held her dagger to his handsome face. The red haired warrior finally released her blade. "Gomen," she immediately took his hand and looked at his injury.

Gaara smirked as he looked at the pink haired girl anxiously looking at his hand. Pulling back her hand, he took her backpack and dragged Sakuya by her wrist. "Cho-chotto matte," she tried to resist but to no avail.

He led her to a nearby oasis. "This place is amazing," she said as she looked around. There was a clear watering hole that shimmers as it reflected the moonlight surrounded by palm trees and other fruit-bearing trees.

After building a small bonfire, Sakura sat beside Gaara as she again looked at his injury. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know it was you," she muttered as she took a wet towel and cleaned his wound before applying an ointment on his injury. "You fight well for a maid," he finally spoke. She raised her head to look at him. Eventually, she had to avert her gaze to prevent herself from being lost in his mesmerizing viridian orbs.

"That was just reflex," she clumsily made up as she tore some part of her sleeve and wrapped it around his hand. "There all done," she tied the ends of the cloth together and graced him with a smile. "Oh I forgot…" she gently grabbed his injured hand and planted a kiss on his wrapped palm then she placed his palm on her cheek. "Arigatou," her eyes were the very picture of eternity another second spent staring into those luminescent forest green orbs would be his downfall so he had to look away.

"Why are you here anyway?" he asked as he kindly removed his hand away from her face. There was a pregnant pause… Gaara looked at Sakura for her reply. "Sasuke-kun… have you fallen in love with someone you never even met?" she asked out of the blue as she looked at the clear night sky. "Hn?"

"I have a friend… she would always write about what was happening in her life and in some cases she would talk about a certain person. In her letters, slowly, I got to know that person. Fro my friend, that person was difficult to understand thus… she seldom writes about him. But for me… I think that person… is the only one who can understand me and the only one I can understand…" Gaara looked at her dreamy expression from the side of his vision.

"So you came looking for this person?" there was something that was so heavy and was aching when he said those words followed by… "The person you love…" when she nodded it was as if something crumbled and fell at his feet.

"But you know… I've already given up," he quickly turned his head to look at her. "What?" "Falling in love is making a stand. When you love someone, you don't say 'I love you…take my love' instead you say 'I love you… here's my heart in open hand take it or leave it. I will love you just the same'," he's now very envious of this person… this person who Sakuya loves.

"I'm going back home," she concluded as she looked at the man beside her. "Why?" was his silent question. "The person I'm looking for is… Gaara," she confessed blatantly as she faced him.

He blinked a few times and thought that he might have been hallucinating. "Do you believe that flame and sorrow can exist in one being?" she asked but then he can't reply. "Flame is something that people wouldn't touch because of the fear of being burned but then… they haven't considered that flames weren't meant to be touched. They are made to provide you warmth. People are too afraid to think of that. Sorrow is something all people carry but then… I think Gaara is the person that doesn't show his weak side so people view him to be heartless. But just because your eyes don't mist doesn't mean your heart doesn't cry and just because you come out strong doesn't mean there's nothing wrong. Often times, people choose to pretend they're okay so they don't have to explain themselves to people who'll never understand," she was pouring her heart out to the very person she was talking about and… she didn't have a single clue that Gaara was right in front of her.

"I came here hoping that somehow I can tell him this but then… I heard he was arranged to marry a princess. Who am I to hold him back? Now that he has found his happiness… I can only hope for mine," there was sadness so evident in her eyes that it hurt him. "Besides… why would he choose a maid?" she recovered her façade. "This talk is making me sleepy." She got up and tried to find a nice place to sleep.

Gaara could only stare at his treated injury. From all that he heard, he can't help but blush as his heart leaped a thousand heights. She loves him…

Sakura glanced at the man staring at his injured hand. Gaara-kun… I'm sorry but I think I'm falling for somebody else… finally, she tried to sleep,

He looked at her sleeping figure as if heart confessed. I don't know how and when did this happen but… I'm afraid to lose you. Sakuya… I AM Gaara.

The two drifted off not knowing that somebody was watching them closely.

She had no time to struggle. Upon reflex, she opened her eyes to see four men around her. One gagged her while the others tied her arms and legs. Looking around, she saw that Sasuke was in the same predicament as hers.

Her eyes were covered with a dark cloth when she heard a fight happening. Then she felt being carried away with great speed. She tried to resist but her hand and feet were bound tight.

"Gaara since when did you became so defenseless," he heard a female voice complained as he felt her untying the ropes. "These guys are the wanted criminals from our village," he saw his brother looking over a body of one of the men that bound him. Immediately, he stood up and looked around. "What's wrong?" Temari approached him.

"Where are the others?" he asked impatiently. "Oh, they got away carrying something," Kankuro pointed at the distant north. "Gaara, you don't have time to worry about that. Father is looking for you," there was a serious expression in her face that he can't ignore but then when he tried to run away Kankuro knocked him unconscious and carried him to the Kazekage's tower.

After hours of being carried they finally stopped and dropped her solidly on the ground, "Good work," she knew that voice but then she couldn't recall to whom it belongs. Afterwards, she heard several cries of pain and bodies falling on the ground.

Sakura felt her hands and feet being untied. Immediately she took off her blindfold, "You are…" her eyes shook with fear as her eyes reflected the image of a man holding a tainted blade.

A/N: Okay read and review onegai…