A/N: Hey, Hey, Hey!!!! Sorry it took forever guys D: School sucks major giraffe abortions -.-' But yea, neeways, it's done!!! Finally!!! Originally, this was suppose to end differently but after careful thinking...that ending is gonna be for Chap. 11 ;D Oh yes. So I really hope you guys like this one. I do this all for you. And I'd like to thank Gaaras1Girl and XxGaarasGirlXx. I fucking love you bitches :3 Teehee 3 Gah! The rambles, Dx I'm so dumb. -kerflops and gets back up- No one saw that o.o'

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto -.-'

Chapter Ten

Search

My eyes twitched lightly at the feel of a cool cloth pressed against my forehead and the feather light touch of a hand resting against my shoulder, as it gently shook me.

"Sakura?"

"Mmm," I mumbled stirring slightly in what felt like a couch of some sorts. My arm had gone up, draping over my face as my breathing had regulated. "What happened?"

"You fainted." The voice I had identified as Hinata had said. "You just freaked out and ran after something and then just passed out."

"Ran after what?"

"I don't' know," she said, the couch shifting slightly with her movement as she leaned against it slightly. "Something about a guy, I don't know."

My eyes snapped open then, his face replaying in my head as clear as the morning sky. His pale face holding no expression besides that of shock and terror as they fell on me. His shining wide jade eyes unblinking as they washed over me. They destroyed my focus, numbing my brain and my limbs. His lips slightly parted that if I closed my eyes for a moment I could hear his ragged breathing rolling down my neck, making me almost shiver with the thought alone that felt so forbidden.

"Gaara," I whispered as my breathing quickened. I had seen him today for the first time in years, and it was so much for me to handle at once. I spent 6 years pushing everything to the back of my mind to protect myself, to keep myself in the dark about things that I had stumbled across by accident. Things that shouldn't even be possible. I wanted to erase truth from my head, to erase the hurt of knowing that he went away, to bury his secrets deep in my subconscious mind to keep from thinking or remembering them aloud. To keep myself sane from the overall craziness that was unfolding around me. It was all too late now. I couldn't ignore the truth any longer, it was impossible to ignore now that my memories were returned to me after years of abandonment from my childhood heartbreak of a severed friendship.

"Who?" Hinata asked, her face scrunching in confusion. I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat, sitting up slowly to look at her.

"Gaara," I repeated, his name feeling like a whip of fire, curling at the base of my neck, flaring into my throat with such an intensity that threaten to set me aflame at any moment. "You don't remember? The boy I used to talk to you about in middle school."

"Oh him!" she said, nodding as her own memories seemed to recall the several incidents where we would converse about said redhead on occasion. She gave me this odd look before speaking again. "Didn't he leave or something before and that's why you were so out of it for a long time? I mean you were visibly upset about it so I never brought him up agai-"

"I saw him today!" I cut her off at the last word in my enthusiasm. I just couldn't let myself dwell back in the past anymore. I needed to be focused more on now, more on this moment, even if I was being overly excited about the whole thing.

"Really?" she said in almost the same amount of awe that was dripping from my own voice. I nodded energetically at her, my heart racing from the hysteria. "A-Are you sure it was really him?"

"Positive Hinata," I said in an airy voice, peeling the cold cloth off my forehead and placing it on the lamp stand beside the couch. "It was him. Even though I haven't seen him in years, I'd still recognize those features. He's here in the city."

"Wow, that's something totally unexpected," she said with a smile as she raised a brow at my reaction. I blinked back as she leaned close, giggling. "So, what does he look like now?"

"Beautiful," I breathed out, collapsing back on the cushions as my head started to spin. I never really understood why I was always like this whenever the mere mention of him came up, even when I was younger. I just could never understand why my head would whirl, my heart would beat, and my body would suddenly become numb like I was frozen underground for so long. It was the strangest feeling anyone could ever feel in a lifetime. "Like, his face was hand crafted by god's hands himself. Words can't really express how handsome he's become. It's almost like…like you've died and seen a piece of heaven, if you can call it that."

"I think I just died and seen a piece of heaven."

Hinata and I had turned our heads to the door at the sound of Ino's voice, to see her fanning her flushed face with a take out bag as she opened the door, closed it behind her, and slid down to the ground in a huff. I raised my eyebrow at the dramatic scene, Hinata covering her mouth to laugh as Ino stood up after a while. She walked over to us, sitting in the big comfortable armchair, takeout bags sitting right beside her feet.

"I just met the hottest guy on the face of the planet," she said after a long pause, still fanning her face as she tried to catch her breath. "Granted it was for like 30 seconds or less but I know we made a love connection."

"Oh boy," I said, rolling my eyes at her before laughing. I crossed my legs under me, my hands wrapping around my ankles in a weird way as I shook my head at her this time. "Who is it now?"

"And what did he look like?" Hinata asked, tilting her head in curiosity. Ino sighed dreamily before she turned to look at us, grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay well…He was really tall, maybe around 5'11ish or somewhere around there, his shoulders were broad and his chest looked chiseled as hell through that shirt he was wearing," she said in a dreamy voice as she fell back against the chair with a squeal. "Oh baby if that shirt was any tighter, I'd be on the floor after a cardiac arrest."

"Oh damn," I said with a small laugh, crossing my arms over my chest, tilting my head to one side. "And you didn't get to talk to this supposed sex god?"

"No," she said with a frown. She crossed her legs, tapping her foot on the table as she sighed. "He seemed in a hurry but I managed to get his name."

"Ah," I said, nodding forward. "What is it?"

"Garra or Gaara. Something along those lines."

My heart had sank, my head snapping instantly into place as I let what she had just said sink into my skull. She had seen Gaara. She had talked to him. She had seen Gaara. A small vein under my eye had twitched, my breathing being slightly labored as my eyes darted around her face. Ino went on talking about him while Hinata stayed silent, biting her lip as she looked over at me. I knew what she was thinking, mentally tearing myself down for telling her about my brief viewing of him early today. My throat had went dry, causing me to gulp with a giant screaming urge for water…no not water…for air. I wasn't even aware of it when I leapt from the couch, clasping Ino from around her shoulder as I looked at her square in the eyes.

"Y-You saw him?!" I almost screeched, as she looked up at me wide eyed unsure of what to say. I shook her gently, my hands feeling clammy and warm against her skin. "W-Where was he going? Did he tell you where he was going? What did he say?"

"Whoa, whoa Sakura," Ino said, pushing my hands off her as she raised her eyebrows. "I barely said a few words to the guy. He was in a rush and left before I could even get a word in."

"Oh…" My hands went limp at my sides, my eyes down casting to the floor as I stood up straight again, staring blankly at a spot on the ground. Damn it. If only she could have pressed something else, I would at least have the hopes of finding him again. We had so much to talk about and I just wanted to know how he was doing.

"Well, from the direction he was going, he might have been heading to that Italian restaurant, Gregorio Italiano but I'm not really sure," Ino said, pressing her finger to her chin. I looked up at her suddenly as she spoke, a sigh of relief escaping my lips. At the sound, Ino looked at me curiously, tilting her head at my sudden response. "But why do you care?"

"Uh," I said, a deep blush painting my face as the outburst replayed in my head like a movie. My god, what had caused me to react that way? I guess it was my burning need to just be able to see and talk to him after being apart for 6 years. He was my friend before things got way to difficult that resulted in him leaving and me forgetting. "It was nothing…Just…I don't know, I'm not feeling well."

"Oh."

"Yea," I said with a small laugh as I turned to Hinata. She was biting her lip to keep from smiling, a silent statement playing on her features that she refused to speak aloud. I mentally told her to shut it and she started laughing, causing Ino to raise her brows again. "Anyway, I'm going to my room to sleep, I'm tired. Later!"

And with that, I bolted to my room, opening and closing it with such rapid speed I almost slammed the door on my own hand.

"What the hell was that all about?" Ino said, looking at Hinata.

"I have no idea," she said, shrugging as they both just sat there staring at my bedroom door.

XXX

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling as the soft night wind had rustled my window slightly. The light from the moon filling my room with a dim glow that soothed my raising thoughts. My chest rose and fell silently, my hand drawing circles against my stomach as I kept my focus on the ceiling letting my thoughts go to Gaara.

It was amazing, how quickly he had come into my life again, completely altering everything I forced into my mind the years I forgot about him. Forgot about our friendship. Forgot about how much I…

"Ugh, stop," I told myself as I turned to my side, gazing out the window blankly. A frown had placed itself on my pouty lips as I sucked in some harsh air, exhaling deeply. God, how much I hated this, my life had been easier, tolerable until today and now, I find myself just laying here, thinking about him and what he had been doing all these years. It was an endless question that burned at my brain, making it impossible for me to sleep or think of anything else besides him…like when were kids.

"Damn it all to hell," I cursed as I kicked the covers off my body, taking off my pajama pants as I looked around the floor for something to put on. I found a pair of jean shorts, hiking them up my legs and buttoning them, slipping my shoes on my feet. I found my shredded gray sweater and put it over my cami, the hole sliding off one shoulder in the way I had cut it. My hair was a mess but I just combed my hands through it briefly and I was done with it.

I opened my window, swinging my legs out onto the fire escape as I looked down from the steps. It looked like a long ways down from the floor I was on, causing me to sigh as I grabbed the legs of the ladder and started climbing down onto the second fire escape. When I got down on that one, I went straight to the stairs, turned around and started climbing down them carefully, looking down to make sure I didn't slip or fall. I kept up the pattern with the ones that followed until I was on my last one but halfway down the steps I realized something…the stairs didn't slid out all the way to the floor of the sidewalk and I was stuck in midair with a slightly scary drop to the bottom.

I cursed under my breath, weighing out my options until I finally decided that maybe if I slightly jumped on the ladder, the screw would come loose and it would slide out some. I gave a jump, hearing the creaking and clinking of metal but nothing moved. I gave another jump and still nothing. I jumped again and I felt a small sliding motion under my hands as I gripped the sides tight, jumping in a pattern until I could get any movement.

I heard a giant creak of metal, looking up as the whole stair had started sliding out rapidly. I screamed as the ladder hit the sidewalk, my hands slipping from the bars when I fell to the ground, landing on my butt.

"Ow!" I breathed, getting up slowly and dusting myself off as I looked up for a moment. Then, with a quick glance around me, I took off running up the sidewalk into the night.

XXX

I was running for 25 minutes until I was able to find the restaurant Gregorio Italiano. The lights were still up and well dressed people were coming and going. Looking down at my own clothes, maybe going into this restaurant was a bad idea. Ha, yeah right. Since when did I give a shit anyway? Mustering up my courage, I opened the door and stepped inside. A girl with brunette hair looked nervously around as she tried talking to some of the fancy and strikingly beautiful customers. She turned her eyes to me and squealed, bowing her head.

"I'm sorry! I don't know Italian! The girl that was working here left with some strange guy and she hasn't come back!" she said in a panic, looking up with an embarrassed blush painting her face. "I-I only speak English."

"It's okay," I said, holding my hands up at her. I chuckled as I looked around at some of the people who were staring at us. Most of them weren't eating, only sipping what looked like red wine. Really thick looking wine. "I speak English too."

"Thank god! I've been getting weird looks from all these people since I had to cover that one chick's shift. It's sucks," she said as she wiped her forehead. She smiled at me and took out her small notebook. "But what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could help me look for someone," I said as I bit my lip and looked at her. "Do you know where I can find a man by the name of Gaara Sabaku?"

At the mention of his name, the weirdest thing happened. A lot of the customers, the ones drinking the wine, turned their bodies towards me in an open glare. I swallowed hard as my mind started calculating. Pale skin, the formality, and the way all their eyes seem to glow unnaturally. I turned my gaze to a man that was drinking his wine. The way the wine would slowly move to his lips, and the thick residue that stuck to the glass as he tipped it back didn't look to me like what wine was suppose to look like. Wine was a lot more watery.

That's when it hit me.

My breath hitched in my throat as I forced myself to swallow. I couldn't let them know that I knew about them. That I knew more than I should about so many things they kept secret for centuries. Hell, how was I suppose to know this place housed vampires? They all turned to they're business after a while, acting like I didn't even come inside in the first place. I took a deep breath as I turned back to the girl who was looking through the guestbook.

"I believe there was someone by that name…oh here it is!" she said as she ran her finger down the name, reading the text before she looked up at me with an apologetic face. "I'm sorry miss, you just missed him."

"Oh, well do you know when he'll be back in?"

"I'm not sure," she said as she grabbed her chin, thinking for a bit. "He normally comes in at night or when the weather's pretty dark out."

Pfft, obviously.

"Oh well, thank you." I pulled at the bottom of the sweater as I bowed slightly.

"The next time he comes in, would you like me to tell him that you stopped by?"

"No, that's alright," I said with a smile as I opened the door. "Thanks again."

She nodded and smiled as I left, a cool gust of air hitting my body and causing me to shiver. Great, I was back to square one and I didn't even know where to start. This was just perfect. I kicked a pebble as I started walking up the sidewalk paying no attention to sound of the doors opening behind me.

"Good evening miss,"

I froze where I was, holding my breath deep in my chest as I slowly turned around. A man with slicked back blond hair and dark brownish reddish eyes was looking at me with a smirk plastered on his face. He was dressed up in a casual suit with a few pieces of jewelry adorning his fingers and wrists. He gave me a sly smile as he took a step towards me and I took a step back, gulping silently. He tilted his head before he frowned at me.

"I believe, I said good evening to you," he said as he raised his hand and flicked something off his nail. "I don't get a response in return?"

"G-Good evening," I said rather quickly, giving him a small but nervous smile. "Sir…"

"This is probably none of my business, but I have to know," he said as he looked over to the side, his hands going behind his back as he looked back at me. "What business do you have with Gaara Sabaku?"

"Uh…" Crap! I didn't know what I was suppose to say! I didn't know he was going to ask me that. My hands clenched into fists as I looked down at the pavement, my mind deciding on what I was suppose to say. "I have a meeting with him."

"A meeting you say?" he said as he stroked his chin, looking up at the sky. He looked back at me, closing his eyes as he shrugged. "It seems to me that you were a little late in getting here."

"Haha, yea," I said nervously, my foot tapping against the concrete as I take another step back while he takes another step forward. There was something screaming for me to turn and run but I knew better. I'd only get myself killed if I did that so I thought I better to take a safer route. "Well, I guess I should go back home since he's not here…It was nice meeting you sir but I think I should go."

I bowed and turned my heels to leave when he suddenly appeared in my way. I gasped and stumbled back a little, holding my breath to the point where I felt I couldn't breathe. His eyes were red now, a bloody crimson that shook me from the tip to the very base of my spine.

"What's with the sudden hurry?" he asked, reaching his hand out to me. I back away sharply, inhaling through my nose as my body started to shake. I was scared…no…I was terrified, knowing his power and strength but I closed my eyes and shook my head. He just chuckled. "I'm not going to hurt you love, I just want a…small taste."

"A-A taste of what?" I asked shakily, like I didn't know what he was talking about. I knew damn well what he meant when he said taste and it only increased my fear.

"I think you'll figure it out soon enough," he said as he smiled taking another step closer.

"What the hell is going on?"

My eyes snapped open then, looking behind me hearing my breath escaped my lungs as I let myself finally breath for a moment. Gaara came walking up the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets as he made his way to where we both were standing. He stopped a few feet away from us, standing with his shoulders square and a calm but agitated expression on his face. He was dressed equally casual in just dark jeans and a black cashmere sweater with the sleeves pushed up his strong forearms, the wind rustling his red hair softly as his arms crossed against his chest.

"What is going on here?" he asked in a deep and raspy voice. I swear I wanted to fall over exhausted and trance by not only the sound of his voice but of the fatigue I felt from the ordeal I could have went through. He looked at me for a second before turning his eyes back to the man in front of me. "Well, Vladimir?"

Vladimir? This was all starting to feel like a bad Dracula movie.

"Nothing, just trying to see a lady home," he said with formality. I just raised a brow. That was a lot coming from a guy who was probably gonna bite my fucking neck! He smirked as he looked at Gaara then back down to me. "She says she has an appointment with you."

"hmm really?" he said, looking at me with an even more agitated look. I looked down, feeling my cheeks burn as I tried to fight it down. He walked a little closer to us. "Silly me, I must have forgot."

"Haha, I'll say," Vladimir had said with a quick yawn. "She said it was important."

"Hmm," he said again, his foot tapping against the ground. "I guess it was…I'm actually feeling a little thirsty now."

"What?" I said, snapping my eyes up as I saw Gaara walking towards me, his eyes as Red as Vladimir's. I swallowed hard as he kept walking closer to me. I instinctively walked back as he came forward until my back was against the wall.

"You heard me," he said, placing a hand beside my head as his face got close, his fangs extended outward as he smirked. My eyes went straight to them, analyzing how sharp his teeth truly looked from here. I bit my lip, my legs shaking from under me as I fought the urge not to cry. I've never been so…scared of him before now. "I'm thirsty, I've been dying for a drink."

"O-Oh…" My eyes snapped up to his as he glared down at me. His eyes trailed down my neck until he softly hissed and turned his head. I looked down, sighing in relief as I leaned back against the cold brick. I still wore my cross. He couldn't hurt me. He looked at my face again, leaning closer until his lips were to my ear.

"Sakura…don't move," he said, a gasp escaping my lips. "Vladimir will kill you if I show that I'm uninterested in you. He'll leap at the chance to drink you're blood. You need to act like I'm compelling you."

"S-Sure," I whispered as I looked up at him for a moment. He leaned back away from me, cupping my face in his hands.

"Good," he said with a slight smile, his gaze piercing through to the point I almost thought he was compelling me. I just stared up at him, my eyes jumping all around his face as we just stood there, his thumb stroking the skin under my eye softly. I could see flashes of us as kids in my head, from talking to him for the first time to our first kiss. I've always wanted to know why he had kissed me like that if we were only always going to be friends. It made no sense to me but all the same, I found myself blushing at the thought of his lips against mine. He licked his lips, his mouth parting the very slightly so I can see his fangs in his mouth. "Do you mind?"

"No," I said quickly as he bent my head to one side, my breathing getting quicker as my hands clenched into fists at my sides. He bent his head down, his musty breath trickling down the length of my neck as I fought to whether or not close my eyes.

"This is actually making me thirsty. You mind if I try a sip?"

My eyes snapped open in fear as Gaara's head came back up, a dark chuckle escaping his lips as he turned around to face Vladimir. My heart was beating painfully in my chest, my mind racing as I peeked from Gaara's shoulder.

"You know me Vlad," he said with laughter as he shook his head. "When it comes to hunger, I don't like sharing."

"Hahaha, alright then," he said with a scratch of his neck as he waved slightly. "I'll catch you later then. Don't make too much of a mess."

"I'll try now to." Gaara said as he started turning back to me.

"Oh but there's something I do want to know."

Gaara and I both tensed as he turned his head a fraction. Shit, what could that guy possibly want now? Could he read my mind? Could he tell Gaara wasn't going to kill me at all? What could he possibly want to know.

"How does she taste?" he asked with a toothy smirk as he put his hands in his pockets. Damn him! Gaara turned back to me, looking at me for a moment before he bit his lip.

"Give me your hand," he murmured and I nodded automatically. I raised my arm slightly only to wince when he clasped it hard in his iron grip. Gaara gave me a stern look as he raised my hand up to his lips, snatching my thumb between his teeth in a swift movement. I winced and let out a small yelp when he bit down hard, cutting into my skin, only to gasp and blush when he sucked softly on my finger. He closed his eyes, sucking on my finger as I just stood there, tiny pricks of electric energy pulsing through my body, my cheeks as red as his own hair by this point. I just couldn't understand this…not at all. After a while he opened his eyes slowly, pulling my thumb out of his mouth watching with amusement as my arm fell limp at its side. He smirked down at me for a moment before turning to face the other man. "Tastes just like candy."

"Ah, you son of a bitch," Vladimir cursed as he laughed out loud, turning on his heels as he started to walk. "You always get the good ones."

And with that note, he was gone, leaving Gaara and I standing there. After a few seconds, Gaara's face snapped back at me, anger clouding his features fiercely as he growled under his breath.

"You have got to be…the most stupidest girl I've ever known," he snarled as he leaned away from me, my jaw dropping at his response. "You could have gotten killed if it wasn't for me."

"I-" I tried to speak but he cut me off when he turned and started walking away. I could do nothing but just stand there for a few seconds before he turned around to face me.

"Stay away from me Sakura," he said, looking at the ground blankly before he looked at me with his now green eyes. "If you value your life, you'll stay away."

I opened my mouth but no words came out, a gust of wind unexpectedly blowing my hair all around my face. I groaned slightly, swatting the strands away from my eyes but by the time my eyes were free, he was gone. I sighed to myself, shaking my head as I wrapped my arms around my body as I did 6 years ago when he left me like this. Biting my lip, I wiped at the tears, pricking my eyes, picking myself up as I started to walk my way home.

We were far from done.

A/N: Ba-Bam! It's done. Tell me what you think? o: But before you do, read this:

NO FLAMING OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I'M GOING TO BE FUCKING KILLING THE HELL OUT SOME PEOPLE ' If you don't like the story, shut your mouth and don't read it. End of fucking discussion. Constructive critisim is much appreciated but people telling me how much my story sucks, will get you seriously hurt. Kthxbai. I don't need crap right now. So as long as you just be nice. We'll be okay. ^^'

Hahahaha, I'll try getting the next chapter up as soon as possible. o: So calm down. I'll try not taking too long. Plus, I know where 11 is going so, it'll be easy and don't worry. Gaara and Sakura WILL be seeing each other again. ;D I'll tell you that much, the rest you'll have to read and find out. Love ya.