Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…but would definitely love to own Gaara!! lol

A/N: Hi everyone!! Hope you enjoy this chapter and the smut!! Warning…this chapter is a little sad! THANK YOU TO ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS!! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!

LOVE AND SECRETS

Chapter 4

Gaara had touched her and it felt like a blot of lightening was coursing thru his body. She smelled so familiar…cinnamon. He knew her body so well he didn't need the light. He licked her Ai tattoo on her neck. She tastes salty, he thought to himself.

"Gaara…" she sighed.

"I know you still love me…" he said against her skin.

She felt his lips move against her skin. Her legs felt like jelly. "You…still love…me…" she breathed out.

"You remember when you got this Ai?" he whispered in her ear as he ran fingers across her Ai tattoo.

His voice sent shivers down her back. His mouth made her knees buckle. And his proximity made her forget what she promised herself. Her determination was gone and all she wanted was his lips on hers.

"Of course I remember." Akira said barely audible.

Gaara and Akira had just had dinner. It was hard having dinner together and still maintaining their relationship a secret. But they got lucky tonight, Gaara's house was empty. Temari was out with Shikamaru and Kankuro was out who knows where. So they had a nice dinner at his house and then headed upstairs to Gaara's bedroom in case Kankuro decided to come home early.

Gaara's room was always so relaxing. Akira didn't know if it was the tan colored walls or the cleanliness or if it was just because it was GAARA'S ROOM but it always had the same effect on her. Akira sighed at she entered his room, it was getting harder and harder to leave Gaara's side these days; and she just didn't know why. Gaara took her hand and guided her to the window. He hugged her from behind. He's so loving, she thought.

"You promised you were staying tonight…are you going to break your promise…again?" he asked as he snuggled into her neck.

"I did promise, didn't I?" she said as Gaara kissed her shoulders softly.

"Yea…(kiss)….so you gonna…(kiss)…leave me again?"

"Hisui…"

"I've decided to warn you…I'm not going to let you go." he told her as he turned her around.

Akira looked into his pale jade eyes. Those eyes that she loved so much. Those eyes that told her everything about him. She loved him, god did she love him and she decided she was tired of thinking what her brother would do. So she decided she was going to stay…she really didn't want to leave Gaara tonight.

"And I've decided to tell you…I'm staying." She told him. He smiled and Akira knew she had just made him happy. She had this glowing warmth in the pit of stomach and she was pretty sure Gaara was the reason; that or it was the food.

"You shouldn't lie to me." he said as he let her go and sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes downcast.

"I'm not lying." She told him as she walked over to him. "I wouldn't lie to you…I…love you…you know that right?" she asked as she took his face in her hands and kissed his love tattoo.

"So you're…staying?" he said meeting her chocolate eyes. She smiled and nodded.

"Good." he said grabbing her by the waist and pulling her on top on him as they fell back on his bed.

"Gaaaraaaa." she giggled as she kissed his collar bone.

"By the way you know…I…love you too…right?" he asked her, tilting her chin so that her eyes met those watery teal eyes she loved so much. He did love her, he didn't know when it happened; all he knew was that there was no way he could live without her in his life. He had been scared to admit it because he didn't want her to break his heart but now he knew his heart was in good hands.

"Yes." she whispered as their lips met. They never had secrets when they kissed.

Gaara rolled over and tangled his legs around hers and kissed her neck slowly inching his way to her soft spot behind her ear. His hands slipped under her shirt and she gasped.

"Your hands are so warm."

"Let me warm you up…" he said a smile curling on his lips.

Gaara felt her hands slip under his shirt. She was ready to take it off. She slowly eased each arm out. But he just gotten behind her ear and she wanted to enjoy his expert tongue on the sensitive skin behind her earlobe.

"Mmmmmmmm…." she moaned.

Akira was turning Gaara on extremely fast. He looked down at her face, her eyes closed in pleasure and he realized that he WANTED HER in every way possible. He slipped his shirt off. She whined at little when he removed his lips from behind her ear but was immediately silenced when Gaara slipped her shirt off too.

Akira instantly tried to remember if she had matching underwear on. She didn't know why it mattered but she remembered Temari saying something about it. Wait…what I'm I wearing?? Umm…black and red striped underwear and a black bra…ehh…that's good enough for me, she thought to herself.

His hands touched the skin right below her navel and she arched her back trying the get their bodies to touch once more, to feel his warmth. Gaara was working on taking off her pants when he felt her hands slip into his back pockets and she pulled his hips closer to hers. She shouldn't do that, he thought.

"Mmmnnn…you shouldn't do that…Ai…I'm not going to be able to stop myself." Gaara moaned.

"Who said I wanted you to stop?" she grinned as she felt his semi-erection thru his pants. Akira felt a familiar wetness in between her legs, as she was getting more and more aroused by Gaara. I'm definitely not going home tonight.

Gaara slipped off her pants and slid out of his when she unbuckled them. Both redheaded ninjas were in their underwear; both highly aroused. Gaara was actually surprised, he had never really gotten this far with Akira; not that he didn't try, she was just never ready. He looked down at her beautiful body and felt himself get a little harder.

Akira looked up at Gaara; she admired his broad shoulders and his exceedingly tone abdomen and sighed. He's just so sexy. She grinned as soon as her eyes traveled south and she saw him getting harder by just looking at her. So wanted him so bad…

Akira stood up and wrapped her arms around Gaara's chest. He didn't know what to do, so he put his arms around her waist. She slowly guided him back to the bed, the whole time softly kissing his chest. He fell back onto his bed and she fell on top of him. She straddled her legs around his waist. She looked down at the redhead she loved so much. She kissed his soft peachy lips, nibbled on his bottom lip and heard him groan. The sound vibrated into her mouth.

"Are you sure…about this?" he whispered into her mouth. His hands where working on the clasps of her bra. He wanted to be sure she wanted to do this.

"Absolutely." she whispered back. She moved her lips to his soft spot, the soft skin right below his Adam's apple. She nibbled on his delicate skin and heard him moan. The sound pulsated down his throat to that sensitive area and tickled her tongue.

He finally took her bra off, she was driving him crazy. He admired her perfectly rounded breasts, perky nips and he wanted to hear her moan. He rolled over, her legs still wrapped around his waist, he pinned her down to the bed. He put his lips around her soft nipple, he ran his tongue over the sensitive top; he heard her groan his name and watched as she arched back in pleasure. He smiled knowing she was enjoying the foreplay as much as he was.

His mouth was driving her crazy; she wanted it all over her body. She wanted him in her.

"Ngghhh…Hisui…I…want…" Akira managed to get out.

"I know…my love…" he told her.

His hand slid into her panties and he slipped his fingers into her wet folds searching for that small bundle of nerves that would make her scream in ecstasy. Gaara knew he found it when she cried his name and saw her toes curl in pleasure.

"Hi…sui…I need…you...in…me…mmmnnn" she groaned.

She tugged his now completely stiff manhood. He didn't even realize she had taken his boxers off. He felt her need for him and he loved it. He used both hands to take off her panties, while fully kissing Akira on the lips.

"Do you have protection?" she murmured into his mouth.

His senses were so zoned in on her soft hand gripping him tightly he didn't even hear her. She had to ask him again. "Hisui...protection?"

"Mmmnnnn…side drawer." he said as he slipped his fingers into her again.

With her free had Akira opened the drawer and took out the condom. She broke the kiss, her lips were bruised from all the fervent kissing but she wasn't complaining. She ripped the wrapper open with her teeth. She wanted him in her now. She quickly put the condom on his surprisingly large erection.

"In…now…"she demanded.

"I kinda like this impatient side of you better." he whispered into her ear as he positioned himself to enter her.

He drove into her and instantly felt the tight heat around him. He saw her stiffen in pain. He was afraid of hurting her. "Ai…are you ok?" he asked her.

She was in little pain but it was nothing compared to the pleasure she felt having Gaara in her. She quickly relaxed, so her sand nin wouldn't worry.

"I'm fine…" she told him, grounding her hips to take him deeper.

Gaara started off slow, so she would get use to it. Her tight muscles stroked every inch of his erection. He watched her mouth hang open in pleasure. This was the best feeling in the world…to be connected to someone body and soul.

"Harder..." she whimpered, as she bucked her hips to take him in even deeper.

He quickened his pace as she cried out in pleasure; saying his name over and over again. Akira's body moved in time with his. His panting told her he was going to climax soon. She thrusted her hips forward and heard him scream her name.

"Gaaraaaaa!" she cried as she threw her head back. He felt her clamp around him as he felt a gush of hot liquid.

The pressure of her orgasm was too much for him. He drove in her one last time and came, feeling his own warm sperm, as he fell on top of her.

Both redheads laid on the bed in pools of ecstasy; both relishing in their after glow. They felt inseparable; nothing was going to come between them. They had come together and allowed their bodies and hearts to become one. Akira rolled over and snuggled up to Gaara. I love him so much it scares me, she thought as she heard his ragged breathing.

He opened his eyes half-way and saw her beautiful eyes looking at him. He loved her more than anything or anyone; he never thought anyone would understand him the way she does. He wanted to show her how much he loved her.

"Ai, I need you to turn over." he whispered.

"Why?" she asked.

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life…" she answered.

"So turn over and close your eyes." he instructed.

She didn't know what he was planning but she did what he asked.

"This will sting a little but…" he told her as he called forth some of his sand. He pulled her long silky hair away from her neck; touched the spot and watched as the sand made a perfect Ai. She hissed and his lips were on her telling her he was sorry for the pain. When he finished she got up and looked and the mirror, turned around and gave him a wicked grin.

"So does this mean I'm yours?" she asked flirtatiously, jumping back into the bed with him.

"Yep…" he answered with a twinkle in his clear green eyes.

"Good," she said as she snuggled up to him. She felt safe with him and even though it scared her how much she loved him, she knew she was safe with him.

Good, he thought as he drifted off to sleep; knowing he was going to wake-up with Akira in his arms. Knowing she would be there when he needed her.

I really do love you, he thought before sleep took him.

I love you too, she answered him.

There was no way she was ever going to forget her first time; she remembered it every time she looked at her Ai tattoo. Gaara was breaking her resolve; he was making this so hard for her and for him. She loved him so much and she knew he felt the same way; that was exactly what was making their break up so hard. She wish she could tell him she didn't love him but she couldn't, she couldn't lie to him, she wasn't strong enough.

Akira turned around and couldn't see his face but she didn't need to see it; she knew his facial features by heart. She could hear him breathing; she put her left hand to his chest and felt his heart pick up the pace. Her heart started to beat in rhythm with his. She was tired of hiding the truth from him. As hard as it was for her to admit, Akira needed Gaara.

"Hisui…" she whispered.

"You don't get over what we have overnight…" he said barely audible.

She was going to let him see the truth; she had every intention of telling Gaara why they couldn't be together. Maybe just maybe he would understand and give up…making it easier for the both of them. She had her mind set…that was until he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.

Their lips touched and both ninjas fell into old habits; it was as if they were never apart. She breathed him in and all her problems melted away. Akira let his tongue roam the dark carven of her mouth. She nibbled on his bottom lip knowing that he'd respond. She ran her hands thru his red locks and sighed into his mouth. As their kiss intensified, all the mental blockades she put up during the five months they were apart were torn down. She was going to let him see everything she knew about what his village thought of her but before she could he was pulled into a memory she hadn't shown anyone, a memory she didn't want anyone to know about; she hadn't even talk about it to anyone, not even her brother who had tried so hard to get her to open up.

Gaara saw a much younger but still adorable Akira and someone who could only be her mother. She never really talked about her mother; bad memories were always her excuse. Her mother was beautiful, she looked like an older Akira; she had long red curls, she was tall and slender but her eyes were the most breathtaking of all. She had the greenest pair of eyes Gaara had ever seen. Why aren't Akira's eyes green, she looks just her mother except for those eyes, he thought as he saw the memory unravel.

Akira was waiting for her mom to finish dinner so that they could begin her training. She loved training with her mom; she was so experienced and knew so much about everything. Tonight they were suppose to practice Akira's medical ninjutsu and her sword training. Akira's mother was amazing with a sword. The best part about tonight was that her father wasn't going to come home until the morning, which meant Akira and her mom had the house to themselves all night long.

Akira was delighted to know that her father wasn't coming home until the morning; he was always so angry and he never let her learn anything new. Her training sessions with her mom were a secret, which was another reason she enjoyed them so much. Akira knew not to ever say anything about training because then her father would get so mad, he'd start hitting…her mom.

Akira shook her head as if that would erase the bad memories. "So are we ready mom?" she asked eagerly.

"Yes we are my darling!" she answered.

"Mom…can I ask you something?" Akira said as she followed her mom into living room.

"Of course you can."

"How do you know all this stuff? Why are you so good at it? How come father doesn't want me to know any of this?" she asked in a rush.

Her mother smiled. Akira was always so eager for information. "Slow down…I can only answer one question at a time." she answered as she shook her head. She was looking under the floor board for the sword she wanted Akira to train with.

"Ok, love…first question…the reason I know all this 'stuff' is because I was a ninja once. Just like you'll be, once you graduate. I was one of the best ninjas in this village. I ran my own ANBU team and I was one of the first ninjas that participated in a program that taught me medical ninjutsu to help heal my team members. I loved learning so I soaked it all in; just like you. Second question…the reason I'm so good at it is because I kick ass!" she smiled as she watched her daughter's face turn into complete shock.

"Mom!!"

"I'm going to tell you something my love, anytime someone asks you why you're good at something…always tell them it's because you kick ass. I guarantee you they'll be so shocked by your answer they won't ask you to prove it. And if they do ask you to prove it…then show them that YOU kick ass." her mother said all this with a smile on her soft face.

"What if I don't kick ass…" Akira said sadly.

"You, my daughter, already kick ass. Your seven years old and you can infuse your chakra in every weapon I've given you. You're special, you learn quickly and what you can do with your chakra…it's amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if you could make a chakra wall like your father." she told her daughter. She handed her daughter the sword.

"So I kick ass?" she questioned.

"Always, my love."

"This sword is kinda of heavy mom."

"It my ANBU sword, now hold it up right. And lunge at me like I taught you with the shorter sword." she instructed her daughter.

Akira lunged at her mother and her mother easily dodged the attack. The sword was heavier than she thought. It was hard to maneuver; she needed to strengthen her arms in order to successfully attack her mother.

"Mom is this strength training?" she asked as she lunged and failed to make any contact.

Her mother smiled her beautiful smile and said, "That's very perceptive. You have to master the sword before you can use it for attack."

Her mother took the sword out of Akira's hands; it was feather light in her hands. She showed her daughter how easy it was for her to twirl the sword in her hands.

"Akira…when you can do that. Then you'll be ready for attack."

Akira was determined to copy her mother's moves but she knew the only way that was going to happen is if she trained her muscles. She took the sword out of her mother's hands and tried to twirl the sword but it kept slipping out of her hands. She was growing frustrated, strength training was not as easy as absorbing information…it actually required work.

Akira's mom saw her daughter's mounting frustration. "Maybe we can practice with the sword tomorrow?" she suggested as she took the sword from her daughter.

"But mom…"

"Its ok my love. We have forever for you to learn with my ANBU sword. Don't you want to practice healing?" she asked her daughter.

Akira's eyes lit up. She loved healing. "Yep!! But promise we can practice with the sword tomorrow!!"

"I promise!"

She led her daughter to a closet in the kitchen and took out a rabbit that had its foot wrapped up. Akira was aware that her mother had avoided her last question…about her father. She was going to say something but her mother beat her to it.

"Sweetheart, your father…its not that he doesn't want you to know all this…its just he's doesn't want you to grow up. Don't worry about your father my love. Now heal the rabbit's foot. I'll be right back." her mother said as she walked in her bedroom.

"No worries mom," she said as she concentrated chakra around her hands and placed them on the bunny.

Akira knew her mother was lying about her father. But she let her mother lie to her…it made her mother feel better. But Akira knew the truth; she had heard her mom and her father fighting the other night. Akira clearly remembered her father saying that he didn't want Akira to learn anything from her mother because he didn't want his daughter to surpass him…like his wife. After she heard that, she was pretty sure that the only reason her mother has "stopped" being a ninja was because of her father. He was always so restrictive and he always thought he was right. The only reason Akira disliked her father was because he hit her mother. HER mother, who did everything possible to make the man comfortable and when something wasn't to his liking he started swinging his fists. Akira knew that the only reason her father hadn't hit her was because her mom; she always did everything to protect her. To bad we just can't leave, Akira thought while she was healing the rabbit.

If Akira hadn't been so lost in her thoughts she would have heard the front door slam. Her father was home and he had walked in on her healing session with the rabbit. He was drunk and angry about something the Hokage brought to his attention.

"Just what the hell do you think your doing?!" he hissed as he saw his daughter successfully heal the bunny.

Akira knew she was in trouble. She could smell the alcohol on her father. She quickly tried to think up a lie. "Look father it's a bunny I found on my way home from school. I was just petting it." she told him as she held out the rabbit.

"Liar!" he yelled.

The slap came so fast Akira didn't even have time to move out of the way. Akira's face jerked to the side, the pain from her father's hand brought tears to her eyes. She could taste blood in her cheek. Is this what mom feels every time he hits her? she thought as she swallowed the coopery blood.

"Hisashi!! DO NOT TOUCH HER!!" her mother yelled.

She had come out of nowhere but she was there instantly at her side. She gently took her daughter's cheek into her hands. She touched the tender spot and Akira hissed in pain. There was something in her mother's eyes Akira has never said before…hatred.

"I'll do what I like, Airi and you'll have no say in it!" her father said. Akira could hear the rage in each word.

Airi stood up and turned around; for the first time in their forced marriage she was going to stand up to her husband. He was never going to touch Akira again.

"Akira go put ice on your cheek." It was an order.

"No…mom," she answered barely audible. There was no way she was going to leave her mother alone with her father; he looked like he was ready to spit fire...

"What are you going to do Airi? Yell?" Hisashi sneered. He was going to walk pass his wife when she punched him with a handful of green chakra.

"I told you NEVER to touch her!" she said with ice in every syllable.

Akira was so shocked by what her mom just did she didn't know what to do. Her father had fallen to his knees and he was trying to catch his breath.

"YOU BITCH!!" he said as he swung fist. But Airi moved out the way and he stumbled into the wall.

"Akira I told you…ice…GO!!" her mother told her.

"MOM WATCH OUT!!" Akira yelled. While Airi had turned her attention to her daughter, Hisashi had recovered and was charging at Airi with all he had. There was no way he was going to let his wife was going to make a fool out of him.

Akira ran and put her arms around her mother and squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't going to leave her mother alone. She's always protected me…I need to protect her. Akira waited for her father to make contact but she felt nothing. Instead she heard a collective gasp from both her mother and father.

"My love…" her mother said surprised.

Akira turned around and found her mother and herself surround by a bright yellow wall that was made completely of chakra. Oh my god, did I just do that, Akira thought.

"No…you can't…" Akira's father said. Akira saw a fire in her father's eyes that she had never seen before.

The wall disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. Akira tried to bring it back; she closed her eyes and willed the wall to come back but nothing happened. Come back, come back, please come back, she desperately thought.

"You don't know how to control it do you?" Hisashi snickered at his daughter. Airi placed herself between her daughter and her husband.

"I guess I have to teach the both of you a lesson." He said slowly taking steps toward his wife. Akira saw her father take a kunai out of his pocket.

"Akira…I need you to leave the room," her mother told her. There was an urgency in her tone that told Akira that she better not argue. Akira started to walk slowly walk toward the hallway. But her father's booming voice stopped her.

"NO YOU GET TO STAY! YOU WANT TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS!! YOU GET TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!!" Hisashi yelled.

Her father lunged at her and Akira desperately tried to figure out how to make her wall appear; she was at a lost. Her mother rushed to her aide only to be slammed by Hisashi. Airi slammed in the wall and slid down. She felt a warm gush in her midsection. She looked down and saw that Hisashi had stabbed her with the kunai he had in his hand. She was pretty sure he had hit her liver judging from the amount of blood seeping from the wound.

Akira looked at her mother and saw the blood. She ran to her mother's side and tried to heal her but they hadn't practiced healing wounds that severe.

"Tell me what to do mom!" she cried. There's so much blood. She knew her mother was bleeding out; tears where rolling down her cheek.

"It's ok my love…I'll be ok…" she said in between breaths. Why must we lie? "I need you to leave sweetheart…leave and don't look back." Airi whispered to her daughter.

"No mom…I can't…just tell me! I can fix this…this is my fault…just tell me" Akira pleaded in between sobs. She was losing her mother; she could feel her life slipping out of her hands.

"This isn't your fault…Akira…you have always been the best thing that ever happened to me." She was breathing more raggedly. "Promise me you'll leave…you brother will take care of you." she said barely audible. "Promise you'll leave…I need you happy and that won't happen…if you stay here with your father."

"Mom…please don't leave me…I need you!!"

"I'm sorry…I never had the courage…to leave" Akira's mom said. "Promise me" It was taking every ounce of energy to keep herself conscious in order to hear her daughter's response.

"I promise…" Akira whispered to her mother. She saw her mother close her eyes. Akira had her mother's blood all her over hands, arms, legs, and clothes; she put her forehead to her mother's and waited to hear her mother's last breath while she silently sobbed.

Akira slowly stood up and turned around to her father. He was standing in the corner of the room holding the bloody kunai in his right hand.

"YOU KILLED HER!!" Akira yelled at her father.

He looked up at his daughter and told her, "It was self defense…at least that's what your going to say."

"I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING!" she screamed at her father. Something flashed in her seven year old eyes that made Hisashi fear what his daughter was going to do.

"YOU KILLED HER! THE ONLY PERSON WHO LOVED ME! THE ONLY PERSON WHO NEVER LEFT ME! YOU KILLED HER AND YOU THINK I'M GOING TO LIE FOR YOU!!" Her usually quiet voice thundered in the small room. "You're going to regret ever laying a hand on her." Akira whispered menacingly.

"You? Ha…you can't do anything! You couldn't even heal her." her father sneered.

At the mention of her mother Akira felt a rage flood her. How dare he even talk about mom! As the rage turned into fury, she felt a new emotion toward her father: HATRED. She hated her father, she was beside herself with grief and hatred for her father…both emotions told her one thing: she wanted to hear her father scream in pain. Akira wanted to see him bleed, just as he'd done with her mother.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind her father was enclosed in a bubble of yellow chakra, Akira's chakra. All the color drained from Hisashi's face, she can't make a prison out her chakra…it can only be used as defense.

"But how…" he asked as his daughter took two steps towards him. He tried banging on the walls, every time his made contact with the yellow chakra he was electrocuted.

"What wrong Dad?? Surprised I can actually do something useful." She said slowly walking towards the yellow prison she had created. She never called her father, dad; her eyes had harden over…they told Hisashi she was…bloodthirsty.

"Akira…let me out! NOW!" he yelled. If she can make a chakra prison that means she probably kill with her chakra.

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" her voice was a low growl.

"Sweetheart--" he was ready to plead for his life. He could feel his daughter's chakra seep into his pores and wrap itself around his organs. She isn't even aware of what she's doing, he thought. She's much more powerful than I ever thought; she can complete all three phases of our kekki genki; the chakra wall for protection, the chakra prison and the chakra kill. She's the only one who could do it…the only one who can seep their chakra into another person and literally squeeze the life out of you and that's exactly what she's going to do to me.

"SHUT UP!! You don't get to call me that!" she cut him off. "You never cared about anyone but yourself. You're the reason Hiro left, you're the reason mom's dead and you're the reason I'm left all alone. You deserve to die!!" she yelled. She balled her bloody fists and said, "I HATE YOU!!"

As soon as she started to ball her fist Hisashi felt his daughter's chakra tighten around his heart. When those words left her mouth, the chakra inside of him squeezed every one of his organs. He felt his life slip of out him…the last thing he saw was his daughter's eyes, full of rage and fury.

Gaara pushed himself away from Akira. The walls he had created with his sand dissolved. Gaara was trying to catch his breath. Her eyes…he had seen eyes like that before. So much hate…so much fury…he knew what eyes like that would do.

The afternoon sunlight stung Akira's eyes. She had tears threatening to spill out; she hadn't dealt with her mother's death or her father's murder since it had happened. She had simply blocked it off and refused to think about it and Gaara had slipped himself into the memory. She didn't know how or why but when she looked at him her heart broke into a million pieces. For the first time since they had started their relationship she couldn't read his face. No matter how stony his face was she could always read his features but now it was as blank as a slate. Akira couldn't even read his mind. But his eyes…she had seen those eyes before. He was looking at her with the same eyes the leaf villagers had right after she killed her father, distrust and fear.

"Gaara…" she murmured.

"You…" he began.

She couldn't bear to look at him anymore. She turned away, "I killed him." she said. "You can't even look at me can you? Gaara…"

He didn't know what to say to her. She was in pain…he could feel it. He wanted to tell her he understood…he wanted to tell her it didn't matter…he wanted to say something…but he couldn't. He opened his mouth and no sound came out. He knew his silence was hurting her but he couldn't make himself say anything. Talk, damn it…say something!!

Akira took his silence as rejection. She turned around so he couldn't see the tears creeping out the corners of her eyes. She refused to let him see her hurt anymore than he already had.

"Don't worry about the stupid project…I'll complete it and give it to Iruka." It's the only thing she could think of saying to him. If she stayed any longer she was going to break down. I need air…air that isn't soaked in his essence.

He watched her walk away and did nothing to stop her. Why can't I just tell her what I feel? Because…I'm not good for her…because I've seen eyes hateful eyes like that before…in me, Gaara thought to himself as he saw a genin approach Akira.

A small orange-haired ninja approached Akira. I'm not in the mood, Akira thought as Kai approached her.

"Akira sensei!! You have to come quick…Aito did something stupid and Neji sensei is going to kill him!" the young ninja exclaimed.

Just great! "How many times have I told you to just call me Akira, no sensei…I'm not even your sensei…just Akira. Show me the way before Neji actually kills the fool." she sighed. Akira followed the small ninja as tried to figure out how to pick up the broken pieces of her heart.

Temari was laying her bed thinking about this morning's happenings and sighed. I can't believe she won't tell him why she left him, she thought staring at the ceiling. I should tell Gaara and get it over with but then he'll ask who told Akira and I'm not dealing with that drama…Gaara will kill Kankuro!

She was brought out of her thoughts when Shikamaru walked into the room and plopped himself next to her.

"What are ya doing here?" she asked him. He looked like he was contemplating something.

"I was just thinking maybe we should go to the tea shop…together." he said looking at her.

Temari was surprised; it was Shikamaru who wanted to keep their relationship private. She didn't care either way but she was shocked to hear he wanted to be seen in public.

"Why? What's made you change your mind?" she questioned him with curious eyes.

"Akira…she's all alone…with no one to talk to…she won't even tell your brother why she ended it. Mari…I don't want that to happen between us…I don't want secrets between us." he answered in a clear crisp tone.

He's serious, she thought. "I thought I was too troublesome to be out in public with." she teased.

Shikamaru smiled, "You are and unfortunately I love you…" Uh…did I just say that? Shikamaru asked himself.

Did he just say that? "You what?" she asked.

"I…uh…love…you," he said.

Temari rolled on top of him, took out his ponytail and ran her fingers thru his hair. "You know that's the first time you've ever said that?" she muttered into his ear.

"Uh…yea…" he answered; Temari was so hard to read sometimes.

"Just so you know…I love you too." she said as placed her lips on his. She licked the corner of his lips and felt him slip his tongue into her mouth. He was the only one who made it feel as though her skin was on fire.

"So…tea shop…together?" he muttered into her mouth.

"Sure…now shut up and keep kissing me," she demanded.

I don't know what I got myself into…she's always been bossy, Shikamaru thought as her lips moved to his neck. It's my own fault.

Naruto stepped into the brightly lit tea shop and knew he was early. He was suppose to meet Gaara here but didn't see his redheaded best friend anywhere. As he looked around he saw another redhead he knew all to well. Uh-oh Akira's here, he thought to himself.

As he approached the booth she was sitting at all alone he noticed two things that told him there was something seriously wrong; there was an almost empty bottle of sake on the table and she had her forehead on the table, while she muttering something to herself. Shit, Naruto thought, she NEVER drinks…she avoids alcohol at all costs. This is not good. Naruto slid into the seat across from her.

"Akira…" he said cautiously.

"Naruto!!" she said a little too excited. "What are you doing here?!"

"What are you doing here alone?" She's definitely had a little too much to drink.

"OH!! Well I was suppose to meet Neji and Ayame here like always. BUT Neji had a crisis with his genin. LONG STORY. And Ayame…well lets just say I yelled and said some things that I'm not proud of, so I won't be seeing her for a while. So I'm sitting here all alone…I actually don't know why I bothered coming here…I should have stayed home!" she said all of this in a cheery voice that told Naruto that she was far from cheery.

"Akira…"

"OH!! I remember why I'm here!! I want to get drunk…ha…which is kinda hard when you have a high tolerance to alcohol and all you have is sake!" she said sarcastically.

"And before you even ask Naruto, I already asked Miko for something stronger. I told him I needed that Mexican stuff called tequila. I'm sure that stuff will get me drunk fast!! But do you know what he said?? He said that this was a tea shop! What happed to the customer is always right!! He only agreed to bring me sake when I agreed to let him walk me home!! Absolute craziness!! Don't you think?!" The more she talked, the higher her voice got.

"What happened Ria?" he called her by her nickname in order to bring her back to her senses. He was pretty sure it worked when he saw her eyes flash all the pain she was going through.

"Gaara…he happened…" she said so quiet that Naruto had to lean in to hear her.

"What happened between the two of you?" he asked her.

"FUCK…" she said while looking at the entrance of the tea shop. "Now I really am going to need some Mexican stuff." she said as she slammed her forehead onto the table.

Naruto looked at the door and saw what she was talking about. Gaara had just walked into the tea shop…and he wasn't alone…next to Naruto's best friend was none other than Sakura Haruno. Fuck…

A/N: Well that's the end of chapter 4!! Let me know what you think!!