Gaara's POV

I had left the party about a half an hour after Suki had and felt the need to see her one last time before we had to leave tomorrow. She didn't know when we were leaving and for some reason I didn't want her to know. I felt that it would do nothing but cause her pain if I told her. I finally found myself out side Suki's house and decided against knocking on the door. Her brother could be there too and probably told their parents about the time I brought her home in bandages and they probably wouldn't be happy to let me in. Looking up, I saw her bedroom window and thought that she might be there. After jumping on her roof and knocking on the window with sand, she opened it up and I used my sand to lift her next to me.

"Gaara," she whispered. "What are you doing here?" I shrugged, not really knowing what to say. "I don't know," I finally said. "I just went for a walk and found myself at your place. I guess I wanted to see you again." She blushed as I sat down and she sat next to me. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight, and I couldn't help but stare at her. "What is it," she asked. I felt my self blush and look away. "Nothing," I said. "I was just noticing how pretty you looked in the moonlight." I mentally slapped myself for saying that. Even if I wanted to I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from saying that, but she didn't seem to mind that much. She was off in her own little world of thoughts at the moment. "Um, Suki," I asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah," she answered while shaking her head. "I was just thinking back to when I first met you…that night looks sort of like tonight doesn't it? I called you the Sandman that night too."

"Yeah, I guess so," I said looking up at the stars. "I still don't understand why you called me that." Although to tell the truth, it made me blush when she said it. "Hey," Suki said. "Watch this." She executed a few hand signs and used her shadow possession jutsu to manipulate the shadows that were cast on the roof in front of us. She made the shadow move for a bit until she came up with the shape of a horse. "Nice," I said.

"My father showed Shikamaru and me how to move around our shadow and turn it into all sorts of shapes just to help us practice. We'd even make up stories for them as well," Suki said. "I can make it move around too." Just as she had said she could, she made the horse gallop around the roof top and had it come to a stop at the edge, as it reared up towards the moon. I smiled and used some of my sand to make a bunny that hopped around on the roof next to the horse. "It's cute," Suki said as I brought it over to her. "It's much better the ones I could make…wait, here; this one will knock your socks off."

Suki manipulated the shadow again, this time turning it into a wolf that howled at the moon. She then turned it into a pack of them that ran around the opposing roof. "Wow," I said. "That's pretty good." Suki smiled. "Well I've had a lot of practice."

"Ha, I've got one," I said as I made my sand turn into something else. Suki smiled as it floated over to her. "Sandwich," I said. Suki burst into a fit of laughter as someone opened a window down below us. "Suki," a man's voice called out. "Pipe down before your mother finds out that you're up there! You know how much she hates having you up on the roof; now get down and go back to bed before I come up there after you!"

Suki sighed and looked over the roof's edge at a man that looked a lot like her brother and her. "Yes dad," she said. "I love you!"

"Don't try and sweet talk your way out of this one missy," he yelled back at her. "What a drag…just say goodbye to your friend and get back into bed."

"Fine…"

"By the way," her father added. "I love you too, and I won't tell Neji you have a second boyfriend." Suki smiled and shook her head as I blushed. "This isn't my second boyfriend," she said. "My second boyfriend is locked up in my closet. This is Gaara. "Well who ever he is," her father said as she looked back up at me. "He has to go home now." Suki smiled at me and shook her head again. "Sorry," she said. "I guess I have to go now." I nodded. "I'll see you later then Suki," I said.

"Gaara, wait," she said as she walked back over to me. "When are you leaving? I was hoping I could come and say goodbye to you." I looked away from her and shook my head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," I said. "But I'm leaving tomorrow." Suki looked down and let out a sigh. "Okay," she said with a nod. "I was hoping it would be later so we could spend some more time together but, I'll see you tomorrow at the gate before you go." I nodded as Suki came closer and hugged me. I blushed and hugged her back, and as soon as I did, she plucked up the courage to kiss me on the cheek. My blush deepened as she let go of me and rushed back into her room.

"Suki," I whispered just as she disappeared. "I wish I could tell you how I feel…but you'd never feel the same way about a monster like me." Taking one last look at the moon and the shadows that were around, I found my way back to the hotel.

The next morning…

"Thanks for all the help," Shikamaru said as my siblings and I stood at the gates.

"No problem," Kankuro said just as we turned to go. I sighed, hoping that Suki would be true to her word and come say goodbye. As it turned out she didn't show up. I can't say I didn't blame her; she was probably angry at me for telling her I was leaving at the last second. "To bad," Kankuro whispered. "Looks like you owe me a thousand yen Temari (Authorsnote:athousandyenisroughlytenbucks); she didn't show up!" Temari had a scowl on her face as she shook her head. "You both had a bet going on," I almost shouted as I turned to look at them. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Wait," I heard a voice say. "Wait a second Gaara!" Looking back toward the gates, I saw Suki running towards the three of us with her brother behind her. "Suki," I whispered, astonished that she was here. Temari smiled as Kankuro let out a growl. "Looks like that thousand yen is mine," she said as Kankuro handed her the money.

"Hey," she said as she came to a stop in front of me. "Sorry I'm late but a certain stupid brother of mine told me that it was an hour later. Thankfully I showed up early!" Suki's twin just groaned as he caught up with her. "Only because I didn't want to see you cry after he went," he said. Suki turned and smacked her brother on the head. "Shut up stupid pineapple head," she said before turning around to face me again. "Here, I got you something."

Suki handed me a strangely wrapped gift and then grabbed a piece of paper from her ninja pouch. "This is my address," she said. "Promise that you'll write to me when you can?"

"Sure," I said, taking the paper.

"As if you'll write him back," Shikamaru muttered. Suki hit her brother on the head again and stuck her tongue out at him. "I will," she said. "Just you watch!" I felt a small smile grace my lips as I watched the two argue with one another. It was clear that they cared deeply for one another and it was obvious that Suki would win the argument.

"Also Gaara," Suki said after finishing with her brother. "Don't open that until you get home okay? It's made of glass and I'd rather it didn't brake on you." I nodded with a small smile as she gave me one last hug. "Bye Suki," I whispered. She shook her head and playfully punched me on the shoulder. "It's not 'goodbye' Gaara," she said. "It's 'see ya later'. Got it?"

"Yeah," I said as she and her brother walked back towards the gates. "See you later." Temari smiled and turned to leave as Kankuro gave me a wink and followed suit. Just as Suki disappeared beyond the gates, I finally turned to go.

"So what did she give you," Kankuro said before sprawling himself out on the couch of my Jonin office. We had just gotten back and I had just started on some paperwork when he and Temari decided to barge in. "I haven't opened it yet," I whispered. "I thought I could later."

"Come on," Temari said as she sat in the chair opposite mine. "I want to see what she got you!"

"Why is everyone butting in on this," I asked after signing something. Kankuro laughed as Temari smiled and shook her head. "She has a real affect on you doesn't she," Temari said. I blushed and shook my head. "I have no idea what you're talking about," I said trying to concentrate on my paperwork.

"Dude," Kankuro said. "You do know that you just signed a memo that came in for you specifically right?"

"Right after you did the same thing to your calendar," Temari added. I looked at both things I signed and almost slammed my head on my desk for my stupidity. "It's because you two are in here distracting me," I said just as I took my pen and scratched out my name from my calendar.

"Look, just open the gift and we won't bother you anymore," Kankuro said. I glared at him and then sighed. "Promise," I asked.

"Promise," Temari said as Kankuro made an X on his chest. I sighed again and took out the present. Opening it, I realized it was a glass snow globe with a black wolf inside it howling up at the moon. I smiled and read the note that was attached to it.

Hey Gaara,

I had a lot of fun last night and I hope the next time we see each other we can do it again. After seeing this snow globe at the shop I was passing by on the way to the gate, I thought of the smile you had on your face when I made the wolves out of the shadows and it's got to be better than a sandwich, right? I figure you probably have a lot of trinkets on your desk along with a sandwich, but I hope you can make room for this one! I hope to see you soon and despite whatever my brother says, I will write you back right after I read your letter!

With Love,

Suki

"With love, eh," Kankuro said. "You devil." I practically jumped out of my seat when I realized he was right behind me reading the note. "It's really pretty," Temari said as she picked up the gift. "She has good taste; I approve of her." I looked at my sister questioningly just as Kankuro chimed in. "Suki is a really cute girl," he said. "If she were interested in me I'd defiantly ask her out, but you've got my blessing anyway."

"What in the world are you two saying," I yelled as I stood up and slammed my hands on my desk. Temari jumped up slightly and almost dropped the snow globe. "What we're saying little bro," Kankuro continued with a smile. "Is that we think she'd make a good match for you. It's obvious that she likes you!"

"All Suki sees me as is a friend," I shouted at them. "And that's all I see her as too; now if you would be so kind as to leave my office and let me get back to my paperwork like you two promised!"

"Touchy," Kankuro whispered as he left. Temari placed Suki's gift down on my desk again and sighed. "Don't lie to yourself, Gaara," she said before turning to go. "It'll just hurt you more in the end." Before I could ask her what she meant, she was gone. I shook my head and looked back at my paperwork. I sighed, knowing that all I was to Suki was a friend; and that was all I'd ever be.

Author here again! I know, I'm horrible and you all hate me for what I'm doing to poor Gaara, but he'll get the girl he's meant to be with. I'm skipping up to the part where Gaara is trying to save Matsuri from being kidnapped and yatta, yatta, yatta. I'll tell you the truth now, I'm not a big fan of Matsuri but I'll make her seem like a good person even though I don't like her. She just seems too ditsy for Gaara if you ask me…anyway on to the part where Gaara is trapped between the cliff and that guy with the freakish armour. Everyone ready for the scene? Gaara: Do I get to kiss Suki again? Me: Only if I feel like making you guys kiss again. Gaara: Aw…please? Me: -_-" Here, have a chocolate chip cookie… Gaara: YAY! Me: Okay, now onto the next scene!

"It's pathetic to see you waste what energy you have left for a friend," the man said as he advanced towards me. I could barely move at all and he had been able to lay a few blows on my shoulders. He raised one of the swords he had to administer another one, but for some reason or another, he couldn't lower it. "What the," he said trying to move.

"But how," I whispered before looking behind him. There on the opposite cliff was a girl that I hadn't seen in a long time. "Hey there," she said. "Sorry about being a little late Gaara! I didn't mean to make you wait." My heart pounded in my chest as I looked up at her. She had on a bright smile and was making the man lower his raised sword slowly so it wouldn't cause any damage. "Suki," I whispered just as Naruto ran over to Matsuri and freed her. "I can't believe you came…"

"What is this magic," the man cried as Suki let him look back towards her.

"Enjoying it are we," she asked with a smug look. "This is the Leaf Villages Shadow Possession Jutsu. Now this is where things get a little problematic for you." Suki made a few more hand signs then slammed them down on the ground. "Shadow Strangulation Jutsu," she cried, as hands grabbed at the man's throat and two of the expandable swords on his back. "Foolish arrogant girl," he managed to whisper just as the middle sword on his back flew towards her and struck her in her right lung. "Ugh," she muttered as she coughed up some blood.

"Suki," Naruto screamed. I felt my heart beat quicken and I couldn't find the strength to scream her name like Naruto did. Instead, I fell down to the ground on my knees and watched her hopelessly. Placing both of her hands on the sword in her lung; she tried to pull it out, only to be flung towards me like a rag doll. Mustering the chakra I could, I placed sand underneath her in mid air and gently pulled her over to me. "Gaara," she muttered as blood trickled down the side of her mouth. "You idiot…you should have saved some of that chakra to protect yourself."

"This coming from the person that just risked her life to save me," I asked in a whisper as I held her close to me. She smiled a little and tried to stand. I helped her up and let her lean on me as much as she needed. "You'd waste what little chakra you have to save some foolish girl," the man asked. I glared at him angrily as Suki's breathing became a little more labored. "I would do anything to save her even if it cost me my life," I yelled. "Because she was the first person to accept me for who I am and the first person that ever called me her friend!"

"Gaara," Suki whispered. "Thank you…"

"It doesn't matter," the man said. "I have you where I want you anyways." He executed a few hand signs and some metal thing popped out of the ground and encircled Suki and I. "Damn it," I muttered as I put Suki back on the ground and ran to one of the sides. "What the hell is this thing?" I reached into my robe and pulled out Matsuri's rope javelin. I threw it outside towards her hiding spot hoping she would find it and use it. After that it was a waiting game as the dome closed around us.

Suki's POV

I couldn't believe I didn't listen to Shika and team up with Naruto and Lee. I just thought it was a better idea to go after the kidnapper in the middle. Turns out they were after Gaara and now I was injured. I couldn't say that I wasn't happy to see Gaara, or that he had saved me again, but it seemed like I couldn't do anything to help him. Sure I had been able to save the lives of others, but when it came to Gaara, he was the one that I could never help. Now I was stuck here in this stupid dome thing and I wasn't going to be able to do anything. "Damn it," I muttered.

"What is it," Gaara asked. I sat up and managed to crawl over to where Gaara was sitting. "It's just…I don't know," I mumbled. Gaara looked over at me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I blushed at his act and he retracted his arm. "Sorry," he whispered. "I can't see very well in here and I'd rather know where you are since I don't know what this thing does…you shouldn't talk that much because of your injury."

"I know," I said while griping the side of my chest. "It's just that you seem to be the one that's always saving me. It doesn't matter what I do; I somehow mess everything up and get hurt when I'm trying to help you…"

"Suki," Gaara said while placing a hand on my cheek. "You've done more for me than anyone else."

"How?"

"By being my friend." My blush deepened and I realized how close the two of us had gotten. "Suki," Gaara whispered. "I…ARGH!" All of a sudden I felt as if my life was being sucked from my body and I could barely move. Gaara was in just as much pain, if not even more. I wouldn't let myself scream from the pain, but I could feel tears come down my cheeks. I was surprised; I had a very high threshold for pain and it had to be a severe ten on the pain chart to make me cry. "Gaara," I heard a muted voice from outside say. "Don't worry, I'm gonna get you out of there!"

"Naruto," I shouted back up. "Hurry!"

"Suki," Naruto shouted. "I can't believe you're still conscious!"

"Believe it," I yelled with a small smile. Gaara was now crouched on the ground, holding his head and trying to get his bearings. "Suki," he muttered. "Help…me." I crawled over to Gaara and wrapped my arms around him. "What do you need," I asked in a soothing voice. Gaara let out a loud groan of pain and my grip on him tightened. "They're trying to release Shukaku," he said. "I need you to help me bring him under control…"

"How," I whispered. I couldn't think of anything that I could do to help. His face started to transform and I could feel one of his arms start to transform as well. "Just…keep holding me," he muttered. "Somehow it helps…" I blushed and felt my heart start to pound, which wasn't good seeing as how I still had an open wound. I felt myself grow dizzy from loss of blood and I started to cough some more up. No matter what, I told myself, I wouldn't let go of Gaara. He needed me now, and I wasn't going to leave him in this pain.

I felt my breathing become raspy as everything around me started to swirl around and blend together. Gaara gave one last shout of pain and somehow burst the dome we were trapped in. He stood up slowly and seeing as I was too weak to hold on, I let him go and fell to the ground. The feeling of my life being sucked from me had gone, along with the dizziness, but the pain remained the same. My breathing seemed to slow and I tried to stand up. "Suki," I heard someone nearby shout. I looked over to see Shikamaru and the rest of the gang standing there. "Shika," I said with a small smile.

"Hang on I'm coming to get you," he shouted.

"You mean we're coming to get her," Neji said as he and Shikamaru broke into a run. Temari ran ahead of them and stopped them both. "You can't do anything to help her right now," she shouted at them.

"But that's my sister," Shikamaru shouted while trying to get past her. Temari knocked him back and blocked Neji with her fan. "I know," she whispered. "And that's my brother out there. We can't do anything to help them if he transforms into Shukaku. If he does, he won't have any control and will kill us if we try to help in any way."

"I have to save her," Neji yelled. "I can't watch her lay there in pain and do nothing!"

"Listen, just because you're her boyfriend doesn't mean you should charge in there blindly like some sort of prince charming! It doesn't work like that," Temari said. "She'll be safe. I can promise you that!"

"How," Neji and Shikamaru shouted at the same time.

"Because Gaara wouldn't do anything to hurt Suki." The two seemed to listen as they backed off. I looked back up at Gaara as he closed his eyes. He was fighting back Shukaku and here I was again doing nothing to help. You'vedonemoreformethananyoneelse…I heard Gaara's voice ripple throughout my mind. Bybeingmyfriend…Suki…holdme…somehowithelps. Biting my lower lip to keep from crying out in pain, I slowly lifted myself into a standing position and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Gaara," I whispered. "Please…come back to me."

Sand was starting to poor from his face and arm as they seemed to melt off him. "I can't believe it," Temari shouted, just before whispering something. I looked into Gaara's eyes and before I knew it, his lips softly brushed against mine. I felt myself melt on the spot as he pulled away just as quickly as he had kissed me. "Thank you Suki," he whispered.

"So you didn't have enough chakra to complete the transformation," a man with white hair said.

"Not exactly," Gaara said while holding me close to him. "I'd rather I defeated you myself."

"Arrogance won't help you fool," the man said. He used the tri sword on his back to attack Gaara. Thankfully he was able to dodge two of them with me still in his arms, but the third almost hit him. I watched it come our way and pushed Gaara towards safety as it cut a long gash in my stomach. I was too weak to let out a scream, but I heard shouting come from Neji and Shikamaru. I fell to the ground just as Gaara preformed his next attack. I remember the cliff starting to crumble as it turned into sand, and being lifted from the ground into warm arms, but after that I blacked out.

Shikamaru's POV

"Suki," I shouted once more as she was cut on her stomach. "You idiot…if you don't get out of this alive I will kill you!" I could care less if I was spouting nonsense at this point; I was just so worried about her…

"I can't believe she was able to help Gaara suppress the Shukaku," Temari whispered again. "No one can do that." Sand was everywhere at this point and just as Gaara placed Suki on the ground and threw his pike towards his opponent, I looked at Sakura and nodded. The tool the man was using had been destroyed and as he sank beneath the sand Sakura and I were running towards Suki. "Damn it," I said. "Suki, why didn't you listen to me?"

"I'll kill him," I heard Neji say as he ran towards Gaara's now unconscious body. Sakura made it to Suki and started to heal her while I knelt next to her. "How is she," I asked.

"She's lost a lot of blood but she'll be fine," Sakura whispered. "She just needs rest and attention. I'm going to get the bleeding to stop and heal her wounds."

"Let me go," Neji shouted while Naruto and Kankuro were holding him back from beating on Gaara. Temari held Gaara close to her and shook her head. "Listen," Naruto said. "It's not his fault."

"He should have protected her," Neji shouted. "It's his fault that she's hurt like this!"

"Gaara would have done anything to stop her," Kankuro said. "I guarantee you he will be just as hurt as you are now."

"How do you know that," Neji muttered. "How do you know he'll feel anything?"

"Because Gaara loves her," Temari blurted out. "They've been friends for a long time and I know Gaara would have done anything to protect her! Besides, you shouldn't be over here trying to take your anger out on my brother; you should be over there with the girl you love!" Neji glared at Temari angrily and then walked over to Suki and me.

"Is she okay," Neji asked as Sakura went to heal Gaara. I nodded as Suki let out a groan of pain. "She's a lot tougher than she looks," I whispered. "She's always beating me up anyway."

"That's true," Neji said with a sigh. "If she thinks I say something mean to Hinata I get hit over the head."

"It hurts a lot more than she thinks it does, doesn't it," I asked as the two of us lifted her off the ground. Neji smiled as he took Suki in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Yeah," he said. "But she doesn't mean to hurt anyone."

"Speak for yourself," I muttered as all of us started back towards the leaf village.

"Well," I said as I stood in front of the gates with Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Matsuri. "It looks like we have to part ways again."

"I'm sorry about the state your sister is in," Gaara whispered with a painful look on his face. "I feel like it's my fault that she's still in the hospital."

"It's not," I said. "Suki just did what she thought was right. Saving you was her first priority; I'll make sure she writes you when she wakes up." Gaara seemed to smile a bit and then asked about Naruto. "He's supposed to be leaving later today," I answered him. "He'll be gone for about two to four years for training."

"I see," Gaara said. "Thank you for helping us retrieve one of our precious Shinobi."

"It was nothing," I said. "You can think of it as a thank you from the last time you helped us out."

"At least you're not all choked up like last time," Temari said before she and the others turned to go.

"Women," I muttered before going off to see Suki. "Always have to get the last word in don't ya?"