A.N.- Hey everyone! First off, I just want apologize for how late in the day I am getting this out. I had it ready way earlier but either my computer was going nuts or fanfiction was, either way I couldn't upload my new chapter. But I did at least manage to get it out today so finally Chapter 9 is here! Yay! To Sadistic kunoichi-13- Yes I am definitely putting Mix in more. And eventually his girlfriend. She's crazier than he is if you can believe that. But I am very, very happy that you like him. I put a lot of time into making Mix and his group ( they haven't come yet)and it is nice to know that it worked out in the end. Thank you so much for reviewing and I hope you continue to enjoy my story! To HalfBloodPhoenix- yeah Mix can be confusing. J but that's how I wanted him. Lol Sakura was a bit of an idiot to not even think of how Gaara would feel. But you'll see why she did that at least a little in this next chapter. She wasn't trying to hurt him. She just doesn't always think before she speaks. Anyway, thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy this next chapter! To itachi2011- yep. Mix likes to confuse people I think. And don't worry if you only read it 7 times to get it you're doing better than me. It took me nearly twice as much and I was the one writing it! Lol yes, even I his writer/creator was a victim of Mix's. thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy how my next chapter goes! To superme383- thank you so much! And I just love your long review. The longer the better, seriously. So thank you. To xoLovelyEyesox- sorry. Brain pains are no fun. You stopped and said wait what while reading? I did the exact thing while writing. I got so lost in the vortex that was Mix's words quite a few times actually. And thank you I try to do new and creative things. (But some old things are good too so I toss those in everynow and then as well) To JPLteen- its alright better late than never I always say (unless you're an ambulance) I'm glad that you liked chapters 6 and 7! You liked the darkness? Good. I was a little worried that it had just you know come out of no where with such a pretty much otherwise happy fic. I mean I have a little angst/drama tossed in but Sakura's past…well I worried it wouldn't go over well. So thank you. I'm not worried anymore. To chikkachoo- yeah…Yura has horrible timing huh? Mix mixed you up? He lived up to his name then. Lol. He's crazy and he was really confusing to write but I'm really happy with how he turned out. Yura will show up more later and I'll get to have fun with her being the sassy/naughty cat girl. Woo! Cant wait for that. I'm glad you like my OCs. I have a couple more I'm planning to toss in and I'm hoping since Mix and Yura went over well they will too. And no worries Yura may tease Gaara but she's meant for someone else…and eventually Sakura will get her kiss from Gaara, I promise. J what would a gaasaku fic be without them kissing? btw I love your music choices, I am surprised that you keep naming songs I listened to while I wrote certain parts (to get me in the mood of how it should go-each part in the story has like two or three songs I use to 'inspire' me). Its really fun to see how others kind of think the same way I do. But watch out it could be dangerous to think like me, my mind has gotten me into tons of trouble in the past. Lol. Thank you all for reading my fic and thank you specially to those who are reviewing. You all hold a special place in my heart! Anyway…Enjoy the story guys!! Fanggirlx ;) Disclaimer
Now I just have to say that I had so much fun with this chapter. I got to finally explore a little more with the team seven relationship and I had fun doing that. Maybe too much fun…oh well. I hope everyone loves how chapter 9 turned out!
I'm glad you liked my oro jokes in chapter 7 I had to squeeze some in to my story at least once.
Onto chapter 8...lol! You are funny. I laughed hen reading your review thank you for that. I'm glad you liked the waffle thing I wondered if anyone would notice it. Frozen waffles are sakura's favorite food in this story (she fought the plastic to get her precious waffles in the first chapter) but waffles to her are like ramen to Naruto. Besides it just sounds funny when someone shouts for the love of waffles. But if you want to know, I have found its even funnier when people shout for the love of donuts instead. My friend did it in class once and everyone was laughing at him, even the teacher. Not sure why, but he's done both and donuts got a bigger laugh. Wonder why…oh well.
Yeah Mix is definitely hard to follow, I had to stop a few times writing him and stare at it like, 'wait what did I just write?' hee hee. It made me feel kind of silly because I was the one writing it and I confused myself tons of times before it was done. So I too agree with sakura the maze would definitely be easier.
Thank you! I love responding. Its fun! The reviews I get, to me, are the best part of writing and so I just love seeing what everyone thinks. Plus sometimes when I'm lucky I get to learn a little more about who my readers are. that's always really neat. So if you're weird for liking being responded to then I am weird for liking being reviewed to because they always make me feel special too.
Thank you! I try not to put too much in a single one but sometimes I start writing and can't stop I'm having so much fun.
Thanks for not killing Yura. She's not bad, a little naughty but really she just has awful timing. J and I do need Yura she has a special purpose for being in my story, and its not to continuously break up Gaara and Sakura from kissing. Then I just may let you kill her, special purpose or not. hee hee.
I'm ecstatic that my review is the longest review you've given. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy. So thank you for that too.
Lol the longer the better…wait, that came out wrong.
You had pancakes for breakfast? No way me too! Aren't they just the greatest? Wanna know something weird? I love to but peanut butter on mine. Instead of butter, I put PB.
The beach rocks but I bet it'll be fun to go back to school and have everyone stare at you cuz of your smexy tan. Have fun with that!
And last but so not least thanks! You're pretty friggin awesome yourself, superme383! Thank you tons for reviewing I cant wait for more and I hope you enjoy my next chapter.
Bows to applauding. Thank you thank you! I'd like to thank the- no I wont give a speech but seriously the appluase is much appreciated. I never got that before. hee hee. Oh I used to hate summer reading with a passion! I used to hide my book at the beginning of the summer leave myself one clue (cuz I forget things really easy) how to find it on my computer and then when it got close to school starting back I would check my notes I keep on my computer about things I'll need for the next year. I'd see the clue go oh yeah and have a blasty blast looking for it. It made reading it slightly more bearable. My friends said that that was the strangest thing they'd ever heard of. I just told them they were jealous they didn't do it. Book day huh? Like with college classes where you get books a few days early. Guess your high school is preping you for 'the college world'. hee hee.
Lol! Alarm clocks are evil. Not because they wake you up. No, they have saved my butt many a time by doing that. But, it's the way the wake you up. That sound is by far the worst! I finally got one of those radio ones with a cd player so now I wake up to my favorite song blaring into my face.(it might not stay my favorite song for long…perhaps I should switch it to least favorite.)
I'm proud of you too. J not mismatching socks is hard. I usally wind up wearing at least one mismatched set a week. (I just hate turning on the lights in the morning. It is so annoyingly bright when I just want to sleep more in peaceful darkness)
Lol! Thank you! I love seeing the emails that say I have a new review. And don't worry about those small bouts of insanity. A little insanity brings surprises and whats life without surprises? Well it's a lot more boring but also with a lot less heart attack victims.
And yes! I can walk straight-most of the time sometimes walls just reach out and get me(or signs- I literally stopped for a stop sign once while walking cuz my face decided to get acquainted with it real well) and I am fairly sure I can write ok so yes I am fine! Thank you doctor xoLovelyEyesox I was worried for a while there that I had suffered trauma from several head injuries. Hee hee.
I'm glad you loved chapter 8 and now I hope you love chapter 9 too! I look forward to 'talking' to you again cuz yeah its super special awesome that we are doing this. lol. Its fun. Thanks for going along with it with me. J
Mix confused you too? He's crazy isn't he? Yeah he got me too. I had to stop several times while writing and just sit there and read what he'd said over and over to try and follow it. Sad huh? Oh well.
Thank you for the hint about Hinata, next chapter I have her in let me know if I fixed her okay? Id appreciate it greatly. Shy people are hard for me to write so all the help I get is wonderful.
I am so so so happy you said that! Most entertaining? Really? oh my god thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me. And I will definitely keep writing, I'm having way too much fun writing this to quit but it really helps to know that others are loving it too. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you like how chapter 9 goes!
Thank you for reviewing and I look forward to hearing from you again! I hope you enjoy how this next chapter turns out! Wanna play a game with me? If so, see if you can guess what songs I listened to for this next chapter. So far you've been right! I will tell you I listened to three songs okay? Good luck! I can't wait to see if you get them. If you don't want to pay that's ok. It was still cool that you got the others. Thanks!
Sakura raced all over the campus searching but she couldn't find Gaara anywhere. It had taken her another hour just to get out of that stupid maze. But at least after leaving that strange Mix guy she didn't end back up at the 'damned gazebo' where he probably still sat waiting for god only knows what.
Which was good because another run in with him and she would have become brain dead. Then she'd have been a walking zombie trying to find Gaara. Not that she was getting very far with that whole finding Gaara thing. Heck a walking zombie may have had better luck than her!
When that boy wanted to disappear he sure did it, and pretty damn well if she the person who'd been searching for him for hours said so herself. Which she did, adamantly in fact. Even with all her searching and calling for him she couldn't find Gaara. She 'd been checking everywhere on campus she could possibly think of. He was no where to be found. No where!
Not knowing what else to do she rushed for the boy dorms. Maybe he'd gone back to his room.
Sakura gasped. Why hadn't she thought of that first!?
When she reached the dormitory she almost crashed through the building door in her hurry to reach Gaara, fortunately Shino opened it for her in time.
Wait…Shino?
She'd have to come back and say hi to him later and to thank him. But right now Gaara was the only one she was worrying about.
She plowed down the hallway almost bumping into Kiba who was getting ready to take Akamaru for a walk.
"Hey watch it, Sakura! We're walking here!" he shouted after her.
"Sorry, no time!" she yelled over her shoulder just before she reached dorm eight and burst into it.
Her eyes met blue.
Very wide startled blue eyes.
"S-sakura?"
Naruto.
A very naked Naruto.
Shrieking she threw herself against the wall, hiding her face in embarrassment.
Chuckling, Naruto teased, "God, Sakura, I knew you missed me but throwing yourself at me like that? Really? Come on. Seriously?"
"Naruto, its not like that and you know it! You baka! Put pants on or something!!"
"But its my room. I can walk around naked if I do so desire, Sakura." Naruto said with a sly smile.
"No you can't."
Relief flooded her when she heard Sasuke's voice behind her.
"Pants. On. Now." Sasuke bit out.
Naruto huffed but otherwise remained silent. Sakura could only hope it was because he was obeying the Uchiha's command.
Then a hand was resting on her shoulder.
"You can stop raping the wall now, Sakura. Naruto has gone to make himself decent."
From his room's section Naruto shouted, "There ain't nothing indecent about what I was showing!"
Rolling his eyes Sasuke turned Sakura around.
He smirked at her.
"Your face is really red…were you actually looking?" he asked surprised.
"No!! I was running!" Sakura shouted swatting his shoulder.
"Hey." he warned her for smacking him. Then he noticed the tears pooling in her eyes.
"Sakura? What's wrong?"
"Something's wrong with Sakura?" Naruto shouted from his room as he struggled to get his left leg out of his right leg hole and into his left leg hole.
He hopped back and forth a moment or two and then fell flat on his face.
Grumbling he quickly fixed his pants and, foregoing wasting time finding a shirt, rushed to Sakura's side.
"What's wrong, Saka?" his blue eyes wide with worry.
Sasuke studied her, concerned with the fact that she was crying. He didn't like for her to cry. Most girls he didn't care, they could cry if they wanted, it was probably over something insignificant anyway. But if Sakura cried the idiot who made it happen was as good as dead. Her tears were not insignificant. She'd shed enough in her lifetime and he despised the fact that many of them were wasted on his sorry ass.
Shaking that line of thought away he met Naruto's gaze. A single nod told him the blond was thinking along the same basic terms. She'd cried enough in life, the lucky bastard who did this was a dead man walking. Or running if he knew what was good for him.
Sakura hiccupped a few times fighting her tears valiantly even as a few rolled down her cheeks and then she couldn't hold them back anymore.
"Oh guys, I've done something horrible!" she wailed as she collapsed into tears. Literally.
Fortunately, Sasuke caught her easily and carried her to his bed since it was the closest.
Naruto squatted down in front of her, his hands resting warmly on her knees, while Sasuke sat down on the bed beside her with an arm around her trembling shoulders.
"Saka, what are you talking about?" Naruto asked.
"I-we-then-she-gone-maze-lost-Mix-bad, very bad." she rambled quickly through stuttering breaths.
"Okay…yeah I caught none of that. Mind repeating it…but the whole thing this time? And maybe slower?" Naruto said poking her cheek playfully, hoping to make her smile.
It worked…kind of. The smile he got was so weak it was almost not there at all, but at least it was there he figured.
"After we left you guys here." Sakura began.
"Yeah, thanks for that." Naruto mumbled. This time she smiled a little bigger.
"Anyway, after you left." Sasuke prompted gently as he shot Naruto a glare over Sakura's head. Naruto grinned.
As Sakura wiped her eyes Naruto shot him a look right back.
She giggled softly.
"You guys are such babies." she muttered.
"Nuh-uh. He started it, Saka! I'm innocent this time I swear it."
"That's what you say every time, loser." Sasuke remarked.
Naruto growled, "Who asked you anyway, chicken butt!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "Chicken butt?"
Naruto laughed, "That's what your hair looks like and you know it."
Sasuke reached for Naruto's throat but Sakura stopped him with mere words. Her voice sounded so sad he couldn't not listen.
"Guys."
They both froze and looked at her.
"This routine only works with small problems. Pretend fights only distract me when its not a big deal. But thanks anyways."
Sasuke muttered, "Who's pretending? He said my hair looked like a chicken butt."
Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke who caught it with two fingers.
"Ahhhh! Aw aw! 'eh 'oh! 'eh 'oh 'ahay!" Naruto shouted trying to get Sasuke to release his tongue.
With a smirk Sasuke let go and returned his attention to Sakura, "So why is this such a big deal then?"
"I upset Gaara." she whispered.
That caught Naruto's attention bringing him up and out from his mischievous actions of exacting his plan for revenge on Sasuke for grabbing his tongue so hard.
"How?"
"Ummm…well, he was showing a side he wouldn't usually."
"You mean he has more than one side to him." Sasuke muttered dryly.
Sakura smacked his arm again. "Yes, he does as a matter of fact and I think I hurt his feelings. I didn't mean to. I just…I was so surprised to find that girl there. And then her question was so blunt and out of no where. And she had just walked up on us scaring me and I just said something, anything. It just blurted out. I always do that. I hate it. But this time I didn't think it was such a bad thing to say, though. And now I see it was a bad thing because it may have hurt Gaara's feelings. And I never wanted to do that! Never!" she buried her face in her hands as sobs wracked her body once more.
"Sakura, it will turn out okay. If anyone can fix something like this it would be you." Naruto said gently.
"Yeah, and if the baka refuses to hear you out we'll deal with him until he will." Sasuke added.
Naruto nodded, "Yeah we'll knock that guy around till he will listen to you!"
Sakura giggled, "Oh, so you two want to add your deaths to my 'Bad Things I've Caused' list. Is that it?" she muttered.
Naruto puffed out his chest, "Aw, Sakura don't be like that. We'd take him out for you. Your love would give us strength. Believe it!"
Sasuke sighed at Naruto's idiocy.
Gently the black haired boy took her chin and pulled her face around to meet his.
"Look, I don't know what you said. I'm sure I don't want to. Sounds like an awkward situation. Alright? But if you know it was the wrong thing to say just apologize the best you can and then it will be on him whether or not he accepts it." he whispered to her.
Unfortunately for the Uchiha who had been hoping to have that little speech go unnoticed by the blond Naruto heard it and piped up adding. "Yeah, and like I said if anyone can apologize well enough to fix something its you. You're good at making people feel better."
Sasuke nodded his agreement.
"You guys are so sweet. Do you know that?" she asked with a tiny giggle.
Naruto leaned in towards her and licked her cheek on one side just as Sasuke leaned down and kissed her other.
Sakura's eyes doubled in size and her face grew bright red.
"Guys…"
"That used to cheer you up all the time." Naruto grinned.
Sasuke smirked, "Yeah, and how can you cheer Gaara up if you are so depressed?"
"The answer is you can't." Naruto continued.
"So we're making it our mission to cheer you up." Sasuke added.
"So you will be ready to cheer Gaara up when you find him." Naruto finished.
Sakura sighed and dropped her head back onto Sasuke's shoulder and gripped Naruto's hand that rested on knee still.
"Wow. I have missed you two so much. You have no idea. Thank you both."
Sasuke kissed her cheek again, "Its fine." he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "And I missed you too."
A smile danced on her lips.
Naruto suddenly pulled Sakura out of Sasuke's hold and down into his lap where he proceeded to kiss her cheek as well.
"I missed you too, Saka. And don't worry about thanking us. Just get happy again. You smile is all I want for payment." he grinned, "And maybe some ramen." he added as he poked her side.
Naruto's eyes grew wide.
"Hold up! I have an idea!"
He hopped up with Sakura still cradled in his arms and handed her over to Sasuke.
"I'm not a rag doll you know!" Sakura argued.
Sasuke snuggled her as Naruto kissed her nose.
"But you are." Sasuke said.
"Yeah, Saka-chan. You're our rag doll." Naruto winked at her.
The blond then dashed over to his room and then for the door.
"Keep her here, if you can handle that, stupid." Naruto called to Sasuke as he pulled on a shirt and ran out of the room.
"Just don't get lost and keep her waiting long, idiot!" Sasuke called after him.
Naruto's laughter was the only clue that he'd heard him.
With a grin on his face Sasuke turned his gaze back to her.
"So just how should I further cheer you up, Miss Haruno?" Sasuke asked with a devilish light to his eyes.
Laughing lightly she just shook her head and fell back in his arms.
"I'm glad you are like this now, Sasuke."
"Um…thank you?" he said looking at her with amusement in his onyx eyes.
"No, no. Its nothing against the old you, really. I know you were going through a hard time. But now, I honestly believe that if you lost everyone important to you again you'd handle it differently. Maybe not lock the whole world away again."
Sasuke pulled her close to him pressing her back to his chest as he hugged her tightly. He dropped his chin onto her shoulder and whispered, "If its all the same to you I'd rather not talk about you dieing. Alright? Now, how about we come up with a way for you to fix things with Gaara while the loud one is gone?"
Sakura thought about what he said. Was about to ask if he had any ideas when his words clicked.
"Hey wait a minute!" she exclaimed.
"Don't do that with me here on your shoulder. You're practically screaming in my ear."
"Sorry, sorry. I was just so surprised to hear you say that. I said people important to you, and you said me!"
"Well yeah. And no I'm not admitting anything about that baka Naruto or that artist."
"Oh you know you love him and Sai." she teased.
Sasuke leaned in and kissed her neck.
"Not as much, Sakura. Not nearly as much."
Squealing happily, she turned in his arms and locked her arms around his neck.
"You are being so strange today. But I really like it." she giggled.
With a light blush he shrugged, "Yeah well I figured that this was a chance for a new start, you know? I may not turn into prince charming or a model friend or anything. But I figured at least to those I actually like I don't have to be a douche."
Sakura laughed, "Nice new philosophy. Even if it is like years and years late."
"What are you saying?" he asked with narrow eyes, though a smirk played at his lips.
"I'm saying its about time, you idiot. The mean you was getting old anyway." she said smacking the back of his head.
"Well." he huffed in mock anger. "You sure know just what to say to kill a guy's ego don't you?"
"Yes." she laughed snuggling her cheek against his. "I am the master of destroying egos." she teased, proudly as she tapped his nose with her index finger.
"You certainly are." replied a dark voice from behind them.
Sakura turned around with a gasp.
Standing in the door way was Gaara! A very angry Gaara…
"Gaara!" she exclaimed, shocked.
Glaring he, snarled at her before disappearing yet again.
Behind him apparently Naruto had just returned.
He met eyes with Sasuke.
"You always fuck things up don't you, baka!" he shouted.
"For your information, I didn't do anything!" Sasuke snapped.
"Yeah right! Sakura, what happened!?"
She just sat motionless, staring at the place Gaara had last been.
Naruto slowly came over to her and handed her a plate of freshly cooked frozen waffles.
"Well this might have worked…" he mumbled.
Her eyes met his, and Naruto almost lost himself in her sadness.
"Sakura….?" he asked hesitantly.
Tears began pouring from her eyes again as she flung herself into the blonde's arms.
He caught her and held her tenderly.
"Please…please don't cry like this, Sakura. We'll fix everything. Don't worry." Naruto promised.
Sad himself because he was honestly at a loss for what to do, he locked eyes with Sasuke.
Sasuke, slightly sad as well simply shook his head and rubbed her back soothingly.
"I'm sorry, Sakura." he said quietly.
"What now?" Naruto asked him as he held their distraught friend up while she continued to sob.
Sasuke shook his head. He didn't know.
Sakura suddenly jerked away from Naruto's hold.
"I have to find him! Now he'll think the absolute worst! I promised him things! Now he'll think I broke them!" she gasped "I'll be his next Yashamaru! No! I can't let that happen to him!" she dashed to the door and out of it calling back to the two boys, "Thank you so much for trying to help me but I think I have to do this on my own this time!"
Naruto and Sasuke stared after her, shocked.
"She's gone." Naruto said quietly, "She left to fix her problem on her own."
Naruto clenched his fists, "She's been away from me for so long…she doesn't need me to fix her problems anymore…"
Sasuke didn't say a word he just sat staring at the floor.
"What if…Sasuke, what if…what if she doesn't need me at all anymore?" Naruto asked horrified.
Sasuke shrugged, "What about it?" he tried to play it cool, but on the inside he'd just been having them same horrifying thought.
"It always made me feel so strong…so great to help her…or to save her…I never once minded doing it. I actually looked for chances where I could be her hero."
Sasuke nodded, "It was something about the way she looked at you after you did save her. It…melted everything else away." His eyes grew. He hadn't meant to say that! It slipped out!
Frantically he jerked his eyes up to Naruto's to see what the blonde would say. But he was still just staring at the doorway, only now a rueful smile on his face.
Naruto laughed humorlessly, "You always got to be her hero when we were growing up. But then when you left…suddenly she was coming to me. It was great. I was worried when you came back that she would instantly revert back to worshiping you or something. You know? But she didn't. She kept things the same…just some how involved you in it as well."
"Yeah…I figured you'd all hate my guts."
"We should have." Naruto retorted.
Sasuke smirked at him and then glanced at the door.
"So she's solving her own problems now." Naruto mumbled.
"Seems that way huh?" Sasuke muttered.
"We should just leave her be and let her do that shouldn't we?" Naruto continued.
"Its probably for the best." Sasuke agreed.
A long silence stretched between them.
After revealing so much, so quickly they didn't know what else to say.
What did one really say after admitting the things that they'd just admitted?
Suddenly Naruto gasped.
"She said she'd be his next Yashamaru!"
"Yeah, and?"
"Gaara was hurt so much by Yashamaru that his demon took over and Gaara just let him. Yashamaru was killed! When he's angry Gaara is blind to anything and anyone. And he's angry, right?"
"Seemed like he was." Sasuke nodded, a grim frown coming on his face.
"And she's …" Naruto trailed off and he gasped. Just as Sasuke finally realized the implications of what Naruto was saying.
"Sakura!" both boys shouted in unison.
Naruto was on his feet and out the door in seconds flat.
Sasuke was on his feet and then on the floor in seconds flat.
He glanced down at his feet.
His tennis shoe laces had been tied together!
Naruto!
"BAKA!!" he shouted as he angrily ripped his shoe strings apart.
Naruto heard Sasuke's angry bellow and laughed to himself as he continued running his smiling face instantly going serious.
'Please, please be okay, Sakura. Just hold on till we find you!'
