Hi everyone, I just want to start out by saying thank you for your INCREDIBLE patience. My grandfather was admitted into the intensive care unit in the hospital the day after I posted my last chapter, making it impossible for me to update until now. The good news is that he is doing better, and I don't have to visit him everyday now! I would ask for your prayers, or whatever your religious affiliation diggs, just in case though. I want to apologize 87634871234127861256 times for the LONG wait you guys have had for this chapter and I think you guys deserve so much more than what I'm giving you now.

You humble servant,

~Rubio

"What's your favorite activity?" I asked with a smirk as we jumped over the buildings of Suna.

"Training probably," she said. I stopped when I heard that.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why is that surprising?"

"It's not, it's just my favorite too," I half smile at her, "Your turn."

"Where are we going?"

She had tried to ask that question this entire time. I wasn't giving in anytime soon, and I was wondering why she wasn't giving in either. She was stubborn just like me, it seemed.

"We are going somewhere that is special to me. Is that enough information for you?"

She grumbled, "Not really, but it's better than nothing."

I could tell that she was thinking about where we could possibly be going. The information made her stop talking though, to my dismay. We were almost there, and I was feeling really on edge about telling Sakura she was staying. When we made it to the edge of the city I made a jump up onto the outer wall of the village. I stood there and waited for Sakura.

"Is this it?" she said. I could tell her excitement over the surprise was slowly deflating.

"Turn around," I simply stated.

As Sakura turned, I saw her face light up. The entire village lay behind us, softly illuminated with lights, and above, a bright moon hovering over the Kazekage tower. The sky was painted a dark purple, and there were never clouds to block the stars that shone in the desert. I often thought and gazed at the stars here. This was my spot. It was a wide wall, enough to lie down on and still have plenty of room. But my favorite part was also the view. You could see everything in the village, and the life that seemed to emanate from it gave me hope that our village would continue to flourish.

"Wow, Gaara, this is amazing. The moon looks so big!" She turned around to face me and stared for a second. I could help but stare back, and a small smile escaped and brought itself to my lips. She shied away then, looking at the ground.

"Thank you for sharing this with me. I know how hard it probably was to do this. Open up, I mean. It's more than appreciated, believe me," she whispered the last part looking down at her hands, twisting them back and forth.

This was it. I got to tell her the news now. It was perfect timing. My face lit up and my posture suddenly became on edge.

"Sakura, I need to tell you something. It's important," I placed my hands on her shoulders.

She looked up with a puzzled but hopeful expression, "What is it? You can tell me anything Gaara," she told me tenderly. Her voice distracted me for a moment, and I got caught up in her words. I grabbed both of her hands in mine.

"Sakura, you're staying here for a while, Tsunade's orders."

"What?"

Her face became a million expressions at once and they were too fast to define them all. I wasn't expecting that reaction, though. I was thinking more along the lines of excitement, but…

"Gaara! Are you serious! This is great!" She jumped upwards and grabbed my neck into a tight hug. I panicked, not really one for hugging. Do I hug her back? I was awkwardly holding my hands out, so I decide to wrap them around her waist as was expected.

"What happened? Why did Tsunade change her mind? Please tell me this isn't a joke."

"I'm am completely serious, Sakura chan. We needed more medics in the hospital, and I have none to spare at the moment. Tsunade takes great pride in you. She told me in her letter."

She pulled out of the hug and looked me in the eye. She was beaming; so beautiful I couldn't look for too long, for fear my eyes were deceiving me.

"I can't believe it…" she murmured off to the side.

I took the opportunity to sit down, lounging back, supporting myself with my elbows. I looked up at the sky, full of stars that shone as if the sky were a big blanket over the sun with poked holes. I let out a contented sigh and crossed one leg over the other. Sakura noticed that I had sat and quickly lay down next to me. She turned onto her side, holding her head in one of her hands.

"So for how long am I staying?"

I grinned at her excited tone. "I don't even know, as long as we need you to teach new medics and help around the hospital, I assume," I stared off. I turned on my side also then, staring into sea green orbs, "Enough time, I'm sure."

She blushed and looked away at the statement. "Can we keep going with the game?"

"Sure," I laughed, amused at her quick change in subject.

"Favorite thing to do when you have to wait?"

"You've walked in on it…several times."

She looked confused for a moment. "So you play with sand?"

I couldn't help but notice how it sounded. "Well when you put it that way, I sound like I'm still a child. I like to think of it as manipulating sand. See? Now I sound like the Kazekage."

"You know, you don't ever really sound like the Kazekage to me. It confuses me, it seems like you aren't very authoritative, no offense. I just am used to Tsunade yelling at everyone all the time I guess," she laughed.

" I don't want to boss people around. Only when it is absolutely necessary will I yell at anyone. I've gotten along on my own for a long time, so it's nice to finally have other people around helping me and wanting to just be with me."

Sakura was silent for a moment. She had a look on her face that let me know she was thinking.

"You amaze me Gaara Kun. You are nothing like you used to be. How did you become who you are today?"

"Ha! I could say the same thing to you, Sakura Chan. I remember that frail little girl who couldn't do anything besides think. What happened to you?"

"Tsunade happened to me."

"Naruto happened to me," I came back at her with. My thoughts turned to Sakura and how she really had changed. Much more than I had initially realized. Forward, independent, strong, and stubborn; she was a full-fledged woman.

"What are you thinking about?" She sneakily pushed the question into my mind in its distracted state.

"Hm? Oh, you," I stupidly blurted out. I had to cover myself fast, "I mean, just how you have changed."

I could tell by her expression that she only half believed me. She lifted an eyebrow and smirked. " Oh, really? And how have I changed?"

I couldn't do anything but tell the truth to her. I could never lie to Sakura about anything; she already knew what I sounded like when I did it.

"Well, you are obviously stronger, much more self reliant. Your personality is completely different, very blunt and audacious, but serious at the same time, and professional," I smiled at her and she gave me a light punch on the arm.

"I guess you're right, I have changed a lot. But you, you are leaps and bounds ahead of me in that category," I urged her on with a furrowed brow. " For instance, you are so calm! I don't know how you can do it, being Kazekage and all. And you aren't as cold as you used to be, no offense."

"None taken," I replied

"You also have the kindest heart I have ever had the joy to experience."

She wasn't looking at me anymore, but at the wall we were resting upon. I pulled her chin up with a finger, and looked at her expression. She seemed embarrassed. I smiled.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She stared for a moment, swallowing hard and nodding. I found myself being sucked into her then, something was bringing us together, and I didn't want, nor couldn't, take my hand away from her soft face. I pulled her in and she willingly complied. Suddenly something changed in her eyes, sharply focusing, and she jumped up with a gasp, hitting my head on her way up. I left out a groan and rubbed my forehead. I was too confused. What did I do wrong?

"Oh! What time is it?! I think I'm late for guard duty! I lost track of time!"

I had totally forgotten that Sakura had duty tonight. Wonderful. It completely ruined the moment we almost had. I continued rubbing my forehead and got up slowly.

"Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry Gaara Kun! I have to run," she was ready to jump down the wall when I grabbed her arm.

"We can do this again soon?" I inquired.

Her features softened. "Of course. Tomorrow?"

I simply nodded. She dropped down from the wall and out of my sight into the shadows of the night.

I walked back to the middle of the wall and plopped down with a big sigh, "What a night…" I shook my head slowly.

Poor Gaara, I feel bad leaving it here for you all. I should have an update by the end of next week hopefully, but sadly I can't make any promises lately. Here, we'll say I'll try my damn hardest to get out the next chapter before this coming week is out.

PS- Did anyone else notice the rhyming in the second to last sentence... I don't know about you, but that really bugged me...