Three knocks shattered the peaceful silence in Sakura's apartment. Grumbles and moans came from the bedrooms. Sakura groggily got out of her bed, shivering at the missing warmth of her covers. She slipped her house shoes on and walked out her bedroom.

'I'm going to kill who ever decided to wake me at 8:00 in the flipping morning.' She looked through the peephole and sighed. She opened the door and leaned on the door post.

"Naruto what do you want so early in the morning. It's my day off you know." She tugged her black sweatpants back up where they belonged, and crossed her arms. Naruto smile grew wider.

"I'm here to take you on a breakfast date." Sakura raised her eyebrows in curiosity and confusion.

"As a teammate and a close friend kind of thing, after all it's your day off." He shrugged and Sakura knew something was up.

Gaara slowly walked over to his door, and poked his head out to see what was going on. He turned his head to Sasuke's room and saw Sasuke looking out his bedroom door too. The looked at each other for a second and turned back to see what was going on in Sakura's doorway.

"Naruto," Sakura's voice cracked slightly, because of her sore throat, "are you paying?" She asked staring at Naruto, with a very straight face. Naruto just nodded stupidly and put his hands in his pockets.

"So you coming or not?" He asked shifting his weight on to his other foot. Sakura stayed silently and played with a strand of her pink locks. She smiled warmly and nodded.

"Of course Naruto, since it's you treat." Naruto's grin widened and he gave her thumbs up, "YOSH!" He exclaimed brightly. Sakura chuckled and brought her hand up to her face trying not to laugh harder.

"Thank you Naruto. So what time do you want me to be there?" She asked.

"How about 9:30, you'll have time to pretty yourself up." He batted his eyelashes, and Sakura went red.

"You're so stupid Naruto; I hope Hinata-chan knows about this." A look of fear crossed Naruto's face and he turned around. Sakura shook her head, "tsk tsk."

"I think I'll be bringing someone with me to our breakfast date." He murmured and waved to Sakura as he walked down the stairs.

Sakura shut the door and walked into the kitchen. She propped herself on the counter and looked at the wall. 'Well I hope something will go right today.' She thought, kicking her feet back and forth. A couple of footsteps shuffling behind her knocked Sakura out of her nothingness. She looked over her shoulder to see Gaara and Sasuke walking about her living room, picking up tissues and empty ice cream cartons. She felt a pang hit her heart and brought her shaking hand to her chest. She bit her lip and tried to swallow back the tears threatening to fall. 'Why did you have to leave me the day before my birthday?' She looked at the ceiling, intending to look past it into the sky that was hovering over Konoha.

"WHY!" She screamed, throwing a knife, which was lying on the counter beside her, at the wall. It hit the wall and dropped to the ground with a clank.

"DAMN IT WHY!" She slammed her fist into the counter and tears fell innocently from her jade eyes. She sniffled trying once again to stop the never ending trail of tears.

Gaara looked in the kitchen and back at Sasuke who was staring at Sakura with worry?

"That's a new look Uchiha." He replied coldly, smashing an ice cream carton, with his left hand. Sasuke said nothing, and watched the girl parade around in the kitchen, tearing everything up in distress. Gaara stood up and walked quietly over to Sakura.

"Sakura," he whispered trying not to scare her. Sakura turned around slowly. The look in her eyes, gave Gaara a chill, and it was scary. If looks could kill, he'd probably be dead. Her lip quivered, her jade eyes were swirling with sadness, anger, and over powering both those was that murderous glint. Gaara stood still, and stared at Sakura, with concern.

"I have to kill the bastard who killed my father!" She shouted, clenching her fists so tight, that her knuckles were turning white. Gaara stepped towards Sakura and wrapped her in a hug. She started pounding his chest, and she was screaming in frustration. Gaara was stroking her hair and rocking her trying to comfort her.

"Sakura it's ok. It'll be alright, ok." He lifted her chin with his pointer finger, and his worry-filled eyes met with her glazed ones.

"I promise I will find out who did this to your father. I promise." He whispered placing a soft kiss on her cheek. Sakura buried her head in to his chest, trying to find warmth.

Sasuke turned his head the other way and closed his eyes. 'Sakura don't be stupid and don't do the same thing I did.' He clenched his fist with anger. 'I don't want you to end up feeling like no one will ever be there for you, because there is.' He walked down the hall and went to his room shutting the door, behind him.

"Sakura, I think that Naruto's breakfast date will be good for you ok. It will get your mind off of things." Gaara suggested from the trashed kitchen. Sakura shifted her position on her couch.

"You think so?" She asked quietly, closing her eyes.

"Yes, so go get ready." Gaara smiled, even though Sakura couldn't see it. He picked up the knife Sakura threw at the wall and put it in her silverware drawer. He heard Sakura get up and walk to her bedroom.

"I don't even recall me telling you about Naruto's breakfast date, Gaara." She closed her door, a smirk plastered on her face. Gaara gulped and smacked himself for being careless.

"It's not good to eavesdrop you know!" She shouted from her bedroom, and a giggle followed after.

Gaara sighed in relief, as he watched Sakura walk down the stairs, with a smile on her face. He remembered that Sakura told him something about a smile could get you out of a situation. 'Sounds like something Sai told her.' He concluded shutting the door.

Gaara knocked on Sasuke's door, and a grumpy Sasuke answered with a "What?"

"Come on Uchiha, time for operation Sweet Sixteen!" He shouted through the door.

Sasuke opened the door and sighed.

"What a simple name for an "under cover operation,"" He replied, pulling out a memo pad that he had in his pocket.

"Uchiha? Is that a list or something?" Gaara asked trying to read it over Sasuke's shoulder. (ok I know they seem a little OOC but hey it's for a good cause)

"Yes, Gaara. When did you turn stupid?" He asked smirking at his comeback. An awkward silence filled the house. Sasuke sighed and, looked around the house.

"First we have to move the furniture." He mumbled to Gaara and picked up the coffee table.

"That's going in your room, Uchiha." Gaara snarled, and Sasuke quickly shut Gaara's door.

Sakura opened the door to the café and breathed in heavily, and smiled at the smell of coffee. Ami looked up from her memo, and smiled widely.

"Sakura, Naruto and Hinata at the usual table, I'll be right with you." Sakura nodded and headed for the "usual table." Hinata smiled brightly and patted an empty spot beside her. Sakura looked at Naruto, and smiled, taking a seat beside Hinata.

"Good morning Sakura-chan. How are you doing?" Hinata asked taking a sip of her tea. Sakura sighed, and shrugged.

"Could be better, besides what thirteen cartons of ice cream can fix anything?" Hinata's mouth dropped open.

"Thirteen? My goodness Sakura-chan…you might get fat." She whispered the last part and Sakura chuckled.

"Well it's true Sakura." Ami butted in, standing in front of their table. Sakura looked down blushing. Naruto sighed, 'I seriously don't get this girl crap,' he thought sipping his tea.

"So Sakura, what do you want to eat? It's on the house, anything you'd like." Ami smiled, and Sakura looked at Naruto. Ami sighed, "Apparently he had only enough money for two people so I decided it was coming out of my paycheck." Sakura smiled.

"So sorry about that Ami, you know how Naruto is." Sakura said as if he wasn't there. Naruto huffed and slouched. Ami nodded.

"Um, let's see. How about two pancakes and toast," She gleamed at Ami, and Ami gleamed back.

"Sure thing," Ami looked around for another co-worker and told him to fill Sakura's order.

"So Sakura, have you finally given up on that bastard Sasuke?" Ami asked, dragging a chair up to their table. Naruto and Hinata's eyebrows furrowed together. Sakura sighed.

"Yeah, I hate him for what he did." Sakura lied, and sipped her tea. Ami nodded, and smiled.

"So is he still living with you? That must be a hassle." Ami replied, not taking her eyes off Sakura. Sakura nodded slowly. Ami smirked mentally inside, 'Hah! He will be mine after all. I'm glad I pretended to be her friend. What a wonderful way this is turning out.'

"Ami, I don't want to be rude but do you have anywhere, he can stay at your house?" Sakura asked, and Ami's face lit up. 'Jackpot baby,' Ami thought trying to keep her cool friend act.

"Yeah, I'll take him off your hands for you. I mean that's what friends are for?" Ami chuckled and heard her name being called. "Must be your order, I'll be right back." Ami scooted the chair out and jogged into the kitchen.

"Sakura, something's not right." Hinata mumbled and Sakura smiled.

"As long as he goes out of my door and out of my life one more time, I don't care."

Sasuke sneezed, dropping a small lamp in the process. Gaara slid across the floor and caught it with his reaching hand. Sasuke sheepishly smiled, "Good job Gaara." He muttered, not liking the sound of his own sentence.

"Good job dropping it Uchiha. Sakura would have your head for dropping something like this." He replied coolly, standing up.

"Whatever Gaara, now help me, put up this disco ball." He demanded lifting a huge disco ball in front of his face. Gaara sighed and found a step stool, and placed it precisely underneath a hook to hang the disco ball.

Sakura rubbed her stomach, smiling gleefully.

"YUM! That was so delicious." Ami smiled as she picked up Sakura's empty plate.

"Have you been hanging out with Choji by chance?" She chuckled as Sakura glared playfully.

"Possibly." She muttered, sipping the last drop of her tea. She stretched and stood up. Hinata stood up quickly.

"Sakura-chan how about we go shopping? Let's get Ino and TenTen." Sakura didn't have time to respond, when Hinata dragged her out of the café. Naruto nodded at Ami, and headed towards Sakura's apartment, singing "happy birthday" in his head.

Sakura heaved the huge pile of clothes, onto the counter, of the department store that the four girls were currently in. Ino stood beside Sakura, eyeing her watch every five seconds. Hinata nudged Ino, as if telling her to calm down. TenTen was trying to keep Sakura occupied, by saying how cute one top was from another. Sakura sighed, and told TenTen that she was going to buy three shirts and one pair of pants.

"Ah that's no fun." TenTen shook her head in pity. Hinata smiled and slid a credit card on the counter, and the manager smiled. Ino looked at her watch and smiled.

"Well how about we go to Ami's and do hair and nails." Ino flashed another bright smile, and Sakura groaned.

"Ino, do we have too?" She asked pouting. TenTen and Hinata giggled, as Ino took the bag of Sakura's new clothes, and gave Hinata her credit card.

"Of course, a birthday girl has to feel pampered on her sixteenth birthday." Ino gave no chance for Sakura a chance to respond, as she pushed her out of the department store. (well she has no choice today does she?) The girls talked rapidly about random things, and they walked a lot slower than the speed of their mouths. Sakura smiled and chuckled, everything bad escaping her mind. Ino wrapped her arm around Sakura's shoulders and then TenTen went on the opposite side of Sakura and did the same. Hinata took her arm and slung it around Ino's arm and they all laughed merrily. They skipped most of the way to Ami's house.

Ami opened her front door and smiled.

"Hello ladies!" She cheerfully said, stepping aside for them to come in.

"Did you get off early today?" Sakura asked, curiosity filling her jade eyes.

"No my shift was over an hour ago." She replied, walking into the kitchen.

"Take a seat, make yourself comfy." Ino and TenTen plopped, happily on the couch and Hinata and Sakura shared a very plushy chair.

"Wow we were trying on clothes for three hours? You've got to be kidding?" Sakura mumbled, glancing at a clock on the wall. Ino and TenTen nodded and exchanged glances with each other. Hinata, stood up, and walked into the kitchen to help Ami.

"Need help?" She asked, making Ami jump. Ami sheepishly shook her head. Hinata faked a smile and grabbed the plate of rice balls, eyeing Ami's back as she went into the living room. 'Something isn't right at all.'

"Hmm, how should we do you hair?" TenTen pondered, brushing Sakura's hair. Ami tapped her chin, looking at her make-up kit.

"What shade of eye shadow, brings out her eyes, Ino?" Ami questioned, as Ino picked up a blush brush.

"Well we'll never know if we don't try." Hinata snickered, as Sakura cringed.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan; we have a while to create a masterpiece." The four girls, except for Sakura, pretended to cackle evilly. Sakura gulped.

"Hey lets sing a song!" Hinata suggested, and Sakura calmed down.

"How about Sharada, I love that song!" Ino exclaimed, applying blush to the blush brush.

S: Once upon a time there was a girl
I: You really wouldn't call her typical
A: Had her own definition of cool
TT: She lived in her own world
H: She had her own style her own rules
I: She played along like it was usual
S: Nobody really even knew her name

All: Her life was one big game

S: She got her head in the clouds
A: Sharada, Sharada
TT: Don't know when she'll come down
I: Sharada, Sharada
H: She can't get to bed
A: Sharada, Sharada
All: She's got this song stuck in her head
(her head, her head, song stuck in her head)

I: Dreaming all day
A: That's all she did
TT: Ever since she was a little kid
H: All the teacher's thought that she was slow
S: She was just dreaming about her show
I: And when they told her she's delirious
S: She didn't care
A: She's just oblivious
TT: She likes to make everyone curious
All: One day she's gonna be famous

S: She got her head in the clouds
A: Sharada, Sharada
TT: Don't know when she'll come down
I: Sharada, Sharada
H: She can't get to bed
A: Sharada, Sharada
All: She's got this song stuck in her head
(her head, her head, song stuck in her head)

S: She got her head in the clouds
A: Sharada, Sharada
TT: Don't know when she'll come down
I: Sharada, Sharada
H: She can't get to bed
A: Sharada, Sharada
All: She's got this song stuck in her head
(her head, her head, song stuck in her head)

S: She got her head in the clouds
A: Sharada, Sharada
TT: Don't know when she'll come down
I: Sharada, Sharada
H: She can't get to bed
A: Sharada, Sharada
All: She's got this song stuck in her head
(her head, her head, song stuck in her head)

"Tada! Our masterpiece is complete!" Hinata smiled, breathing in from her loss of air.

Sakura snatched a mirror that was in Ami's hand, to look at her self. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes went big.

"I think we did well." TenTen gave a high five to Ino, and they all grinned widely. Sakura smiled and nodded.

"Now time to choose a new outfit!" Ami held up Sakura's new bag of clothes. 'Hmm, something's up.' Sakura finally concluded, standing up.

"Which top?" She questioned, cocking her head the side. The girls all giggled, and laid all the clothes on the couch.

Naruto gleamed, as Shikamura and he prepared rice balls.

"What are you smiling about? This is so troublesome." Shikamura complained.

"Well it will have a good purpose. And it's fun!" Naruto smile grew wider. (if that is even possible xD!)

"It better," Kiba snarled, from the other side of the kitchen, "Because I didn't want to make sushi for no reason." Sasuke and Gaara sighed, as they plopped down on the couch.

"Six hours straight." Gaara rubbed his temples, in despair.

"The place looks awesome!" Temari smiled, walking out of Sakura's room, with a big ass present. Kankuro followed, behind her with a present half the size as Temari's.

"Temari, Exactly what did you get Sakura?" Neji and Choji asked, inspecting Temari's very well done, wrapped gift.

"Eh, nothing too much." She shrugged, walking into the kitchen.

"Smells good in here, need any help?" Kiba looked up and shook his head.

"This is a lot harder than it seems." Temari smiled, and propped herself on the counter, next to Kiba.

"Don't get to nice with her, Kiba." Gaara threatened from the living room.

"Um, sure thing Gaara." Kiba gulped returning to his work. A couple of knocks, startled everyone.

"Neji?" Sasuke asked, not needing to ask a full question. Neji activated his Bykagun and, sighed.

"It is just the sensei, Tsunade-sama, and Sai." He deactivated his Bykagun, and continued to plug in the karaoke system. Sasuke opened the door, and moved aside for everyone.

"Place the gifts on that table over there. If there is no room, thanks to someone's big ass present, just put it on the floor." Temari sweat drop, because of Sasuke's mentioning of her present. "It seriously isn't that big is it?" She asked Kiba. Kiba looked out of the kitchen doorway, and sweat drop.

"Well yeah, it is pretty big…" He laughed nervously, smiling.

"Hey! Naruto call Hinata! We're ready over here." Sasuke shouted, turning off the radio.

"It would take only ten minutes, if they're still Ami's house." Shino stated, switching of a lamp at a time.

"Well that should give us enough time to fix anything." Tsunade-sama smiled, patting Sasuke's head.

"This will make Sakura very happy, since what happened yesterday. You did a good job." She looked at Gaara and back at Sasuke.

"Hello! Hey Hinata, how's everything going?"

"We were just about to leave Ami's house." Hinata responded.

"Good. We're all ready here. Hey can you send me a picture of Sakura-chan. I heard from Ami you were going to give her a make-over." He whispered into his phone, the last two sentences.

"Ok…hold on." Naruto heard Hinata ask, Sakura if she could take a picture for old time sake's. Sakura of course said yes.

"Alright I'm sending it to you now."

"Ok, see you when you get here. Bye."

"Bye Naruto-kun." Naruto hung up and looked at his new messages. He blushed, and his nose began to bleed slightly. Not because of just Sakura, but all of the girls had given each other makeovers. Shikamura looked over Naruto's shoulder. "What are you looking at Naruto?" Naruto shut his phone quickly, and turned around smiling sheepishly.

"Nothing, nothing at all," he changed the subject, "the girls were just leaving." Everyone nodded, and spent five minutes making everything look nice.

"Alright everyone into positions." Kakashi-sensei declared, diving behind Sakura's couch. (I guess everyone seems OCC XD)

Sakura twisted the doorknob but it was locked. She knocked on the door, and no answer came.

"They didn't say they were going out." Sakura mumbled, turning to Ino.

"Ino do you have your key I gave you?" She asked. Ino nodded her head, and dug around in her purse.

"Here you go."

"Stupid boys for not leaving the door unlocked." Ami and TenTen chuckled, as Sakura twisted the key. She took the key out and handed it back to Ino.

"Thanks, I knew someday it might come in handy." Ino smiled and Hinata giggled. Sakura opened her door and stumbled into her dark apartment.

"Wow, they even turned off all the lights. What are they trying to do kill me?" She laughed. The other girls followed her in. Ino tapped her foot on the ground twice. Sakura felt to arms snake around her neck, and two hands clasp over her eyes. Hinata switched on the light and someone asked Sakura, "Guess who?" Sakura smiled.

"Gaara don't scare me like that." She pulled her hands away from her eyes, and everyone shouted "SURPRISE!" Sakura jumped back into Gaara's chest and smiled widely.

"Oh my god…" She turned around and hugged Gaara.

"This is so…AWESOME!!! Thank you, Thank you!!!" She started jumping up and down. Sakura had only one surprise party, she was turning eight. She smiled, looking at the strobe lights flickering, and spotted the karaoke machine.

"Oh, no freaking way." She smiled wider and turned to Gaara. She shoved the microphone into his hands, her eyes saying please.

"Sakura, don't give me that look you know…" He was cut off when Sakura covered his mouth with her hand.

"You want to make me happy don't you?" She batted her eyelashes and stuck out her bottom lip. Gaara of the Sand, oh so tough guy, melted when she gave him the puppy pout face.

"Fine…" He grumbled under his breath as he turned on the karaoke machine. Gaara though turned around holding the other microphone. Sakura stared at him strangely, but took the microphone without hesitation. Everyone went quiet, as music started. Sasuke recognized the song and felt for a second his heart ache. He always thought the song was good for him and Sakura; beat Gaara beat it to him, again.

Gaara cleared his throat, and began singing,

G: I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

G & S'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

G:You've gone away, you don't feel me, anymore

S: The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

G & S: 'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
Instrumental……….

G & S: 'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

G & S: 'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

G & S: You've gone away
G: You don't feel me here anymore

Sakura wiped a tear that slipped from her eye, and hugged Gaara tightly.

"Thank for being there for me…"

PHEW!!! Longest dang chapter I have ever written in my lazy life…please review and I'm so sorry for the long wait. School, homework and family are troublesome, tehe BYE-BYE!!! And remember a muffin is just a bald cupcake.