You Said Yes Chapter 13: Time, a naruto fanfic

Chapter 13 :Time

Howdy! Same write, different name. I felt as though Ethreal Star Dragon was less genre specific. I must say it is good to be back. Don't shoot. You wouldn't belive the time that I have had of this, and it had to be perfect. I rewrote it like 13 times, no lie. Anyways, the next chapter will be called HOLY GRAIL . You can guess what is going to happen there! It is going to be epic and should be released in less than a week! Thanks to all of you that are still following and reading. You know I love reviews! Enjoy

Time was a funny thing. It was forever moving and running, forever changing and winding. It slowed it's pace for nothing and no one, and is one of the only principles that holds the capability of either healing or destroying all things. It could be your greatest ally or a most menacing enemy. In the light of the blinding sun, time had been good to a village hidden amongst the trees. It had brought healing from war, new life from death, and plenty where the wealth had previously been ravaged by circumstance. In the shadows, time had incubated a most profound hate, a most cunning enemy, who had waited to exact revenge for sins long past. For a blonde jinchuriki it had presented many things: painful struggles, overwhelming victories and the love of his life. For his bride, it had healed her soul, softened her heart, and strengthened her resolve. It was the one thing that had brought them together, and though they had been torn apart, it would bring them crashing back together again. Whether fate would be kind or cruel could not be said, but the odds had undoubtedly been set against them, for time, as wonderfully as it gave and as bitterly as it took away, was running out.

Kakashi sat idly in a tree for once, not reading a novel, his eyes, his attention focused solely on the phenomenon in front of him. Had anyone ever told him that Haruno (technically Uzumaki) Sakura would ever be capable of such raw power, he would have never believed them. Ofcourse, she had always received top marks in the theory of things. That was what made her such an expert at chakra control. However, if anyone had of ever told him that she could be this graceful, this good with battle based ninjutsu, he would have never believed them. She was magnificent.

She made mountains.

She reshaped the Earth…molded it…made it something more than it was before…..

Like a heathen goddess of old.

It was a scene as clam, and yet chaotic, as Creation. The wind whistled through the trees yielding the secrets of the land. The smell of sweat and blood blending beautifully with the smell of the earth from whence it had come. The sun blazed, reminding her of certain someone who was so far away and yet had never felt closer. She sighed heavily as she removed her fist from the scar that's she'd made in the land, a scar that she could just as easily heal.

She had evolved into both destruction and salvation, a double edged sword.

The things life did to you were laughable….

The things it forced you to become were amazingly terrifying….

Truly remarkable…

She looked at the deep welt thoughtfully never knowing that the power to create such destruction had ever lay inside someone like her. It was so much more than the usual senseless violence. So very much more than attempting to test one's power. She destroyed so that she could create anew. With everything she annihilated, with all of the earth she caused to crumble under her fingertips, she rose from it a new being.

A better being.

Exhausted past all good sense , she allowed herself to fall to the soft grass. It cradled her, welcomed her like a mother would her child. Laying on her back, Sakura was numb to all that went on around her save the tranquility of her own mind. Wisps of pink hair fell over her face leaving only her impossibly luminous eyes uncovered, eyes that watched the sky. It was a sky so blue that almost, just barely, perhaps with a little more, it could be the color of his eyes.

In this delirium it would almost be like they were staring at one another, like they could each finally look into the other's soul.

Her daydream was interrupted by the voice of her new teacher.

"Sakura? Are you alright?"

A smile spread across her face. Yes, she was fine. In every since of the word.

"Yes. Yamato Taijo. I'm fine," she said as she allowed him to help her up.

"You are doing beautifully. Though I think you have a lot to thank the Hokage for, she's the only person in the world I know that can make faults like that in the earth with just a finger tip."

That had been the basis of her training. Make her as physically strong as she could be. This combined with her perfect chakra control made even the most advanced Justus that he had shown her child's play. In the eight months that they had spent together honing her skills he would proudly admit that she was better at the Earth Style that he was and ever the more imaginative. It was now that she beamed at him and, for whatever the reason, though the two had no real resemblance to the other, he couldn't help how much she reminded him of Naruto. He turned to a nearby tree to see that the kakashi was thinking the exact same thing.

Clouds of steam billowed around her, and she was encased in warmth. It was relaxing, soothing even, and just so nice to do something that was so normal for a change.

No learning how to cause intense pain….

No learning how to make every grain of earth under her feet do her bidding….

This was just normal.

It was funny how you neglected the little things in life. It was even funnier how you forgot the simple pleasures that they brought until everything was thrown in perspective for you. For instance, she had taken moments like this for granted. Quiet moments when you could truly enjoy the peace brought by the close of day. It was time to think, time to relax, time to divest one's self of the burdens aroused by consciousness. She had taken peace for granted too…..until Pein arrived, and like the scourge he was, single handedly destroyed almost everything she had ever loved. Naturally, her thoughts led to what they always seemed to lead to these days. Naruto. He had saved them. He had saved them all, just by being who he was. All of his life, the village had taken him for granted…..and so had she. He had always been there, so she thought he always would be. Now that he was away from her, clouded in such mystery and danger, she worried about him.

The ring on her finger only caused a stronger bond to this worry.

Like she had told Tsunade, she and Naruto owned one another, and it was an ownership that was almost as intimate as marriage. He was trapped between the cross fires of fate and he probably didn't even know it. She had no doubt that the Hokage used the same excuse to keep him in the dark that she had used for her.

She jumped when she heard a dish break on what sounded like the kitchen floor, for a moment forgetting that she was not alone in the apartment. Realizing that ignoring company this way was just plain rude, she finished her bath, dressed, and walked into the hallway while towel drying her hair. The site that met her in the kitchen was something that she had taken for granted too. Ino sitting on the floor with her bright eyes staring at the mess of two plates that had shattered when dropped. Her small hands poking around the wreckage tentatively, attempting to see if anything could possibly be salvaged. Her excruciatingly long hair out of it's ponytail trailing down her back onto the floor. Ino had called yesterday, saying that they should have a sleepover. She'd complained at how they never saw one another anymore.

But Sakura knew the real reason Ino wanted to see her so badly. Even so, she didn't feel like now was the time to bring it up.

Ino looked at her as she stepped into the kitchen, a faraway look on her face.

"I broke two of your plates. I'm sorry. I'll pay you for them."

"Don't worry about it. What are you doing in the kitchen anyway? You know you can't boil water."

"Ha," Ino laughed weakly.

It was that small gesture, the lack of any smart remark that alerted Sakura to just how much was weighing on Ino. At any rate, not feeling as though right now was the right time, she helped her clean up the plates. They chatted away about nothing while Sakura effectively made rice and dumplings while Ino pretended to help. Afterwards they watched a movie about love and war. Ino cried openly while Sakura did everything in her power not to be moved. When the movie was over, it was still pretty early, yet a proper time to turn in. Ino objected, insisting on playing cards. Sakura, knowing her friend was in great need of a distraction, complied. So they carried on like this, the two of them, in a sea of blankets and pillows on the living room floor.

They played game…

After game…

After game…..

…..Until Ino just stopped…cards in hand…..

"Life," she said, "is just like this. Pointless repetition. Pointless distractions to take your mind off of reality. One smoke screen after another….over….and over…. And over….."

It was then that Sakura looked at her, feeling an answering stab of pain in the area where her heart should be.

As much as they probably did miss one another, Ino had not come to Sakura solely because she missed her. She'd come because she hadn't wanted to be alone. You see, about seven months ago, like most men, Shikamaru finally gave in to his love for the one girl that was everything that he'd said he hadn't wanted in a woman. Beautiful, fussy, bossy Ino. Being so well acquainted as they were, their relationship soared. Ino told him all of the things he should be doing with his time and was overbearing. While Shikamaru complained about it, with a faint smile on his face.

And they were happy together…..

2 months into the relationship, Shikamaru was sent on an S-rank mission….one that Sakura just knew had something to do with Naruto. Things had gone horribly wrong. Their position had been betrayed. Of the seven members on the squad, only two came out of the ordeal alive. One had only suffered a minor flesh wound while Shikamaru had been dragged to the nearest town of his abdomen slashed to peices. The less injured shinobi had sent word to the Leaf. Tsunade had been very apprehensive about allowing Sakura two steps out of the gates, but she knew she could not go herself and that Sakura was the next best thing. Shikamaru would have surely died had she not gone. A hysterical Ino was allowed to accompany solely because she threatened to gut the Hokage if she tried to stop her. Knowing very well that Shikamaru may die despite the help that was being sent and remembering how she too had once been in love, she'd conceded. Kakashi and Yamato had accompanied them, that had been all the protection they would need. When they'd arrived at the town, Ino charged the inn where he was being kept, with her teammates close on her heels.

What met her when she opened that door had stopped her cold…..

Shikamaru, laying naked in a bed, inky black hair spilling over what had been a white pillow….

Bloody bandages desperately trying to keep his midsection together and failing miserably…

Shikamaru laying deathly still, looking as pale as Hades….

It had broken Ino. She had screamed, screamed like God himself had come to judge her. Rendered useless by the shock, she promptly fainted and was carried away by Yamato. It had been a miracle that Shikamaru had survived. Even more so, a miracle that she had been able to help him at all. She spent a total of 10 hours repairing the massive damage. When she was done and sure at least that he would survive another two days, she went to see about Ino, Kakashi had given her a warning look outside of Ino's door. Her crying sounded so very familiar.

And all of a sudden, she had been right back in that hospital room….

The day she realized Naruto was gone….

Ino had been a mess and it had taken everything Sakura could muster to not join her in her misery, her husband's safety on her mind.

And now, here they sat.

On her living room floor…

With Ino bitterly musing on smoke screens and life….

Shikamaru was gone, sent on another mission that was probably just as if not more dangerous than the one that had nearly taken his life. That was why Ino was here. Should someone come to find her…to tell her that Shikamaru had not cheated death a second time….she didn't want to be alone. Ino felt as though she was waiting for the inevitable and she knew she was not strong enough to bear it by herself.

"I want to apologize to you, Sakura," she said.

Sakura stared at her curiously, quietly she said, "Those plates are a thing of the past Ino. It's not important."

"No. Not for that. I am sorry that I thought you were so stupid for rejecting Naruto. I'm sorry that I gave you such a hard time about it. I…I was young… I was a child. You were right, I didn't know anything about anything. If this….this ripping and tearing in my chest…is the feeling you were afraid of…I am so sorry. I didn't understand then…..but I understand now."

Confessions…they cleansed.

They gave the soul purity that otherwise, it would not be able to attain otherwise.

They set you free…

They leveled the field…..

They gave even the bitterest enemies some common ground to stand on….

Or tore them farther apart…..

"We survived the Fourth War," Ino said. "We survived it. I knew that if I could just get through it, everything would be fine. Somehow, I stayed a child through that war."

It was amazing really. Love had given everything to them, and at the same time taken everything away.

Love had made women out of them, it had made their hearts bleed and their bodies burn.

" I know about Naruto's attack and I know that he isn't here. The random disappearances of our Shinobi, the nervous twitch Tsunade tries to hide….all the right signs….. Anytime Naruto is shrouded in secrecy it is never a good thing. It's happening again, isn't it?"

Sakura stared hard enough at her cards to stare through them.

Naruto…..

Her friend…

Her husband…..

Her love…

Coveted Jinchuriki of the Demon Fox…..

"Yes, Ino…..yes, it's happening again. Our worlds are going to be turned upside down again. The odds may be against us…again. But that doesn't matter," she said, looking her friend in the face. "It doesn't matter because we are who we are. We survived it once, and we will survive it again. I swore to that to myself. I'm not going to be weak anymore. I'm not going to cry anymore. I spent my whole life crying. It's one thing to feel grief over something that you cannot change, but most of the things I cried over, I could change. I just didn't have the perseverance to do it. Naruto….he always used to talk about his ninja way….and I was there many times to see the miracle of it in action. No matter if the odds were against him, no matter if the whole of the world was falling down about his ears…HE FOUGHT. HE ALWAYS FOUGHT. He never consigned himself to some fate that had been chosen for him, he chose his own destiny and made his own way. No matter happens we will do the same. Do you hear me, Ino? We will do the same. I don't care what destiny has to say about anything. I don't care about Fate and her damning words. This is my story and it'll go the way I want. I will do everything in my power to see that it does. I will have him back, he will be safe, and we will be happy. That's it. There are no other options, there is nothing else. Nothing. I know…..I know what happened to Shikamaru scared the living daylights out of you, but you can't wallow in that grief. It happened.. let it go. Move on. Love him, and love him hard. So what? You may only have a week or two, or three months it doesn't matter. Time is time. If it's spent with the one you love and the one that loves you,iIt will always be worth it, even if it is brief. Every moment is a blessing, whether spent in sadness or joy. Learn the truth of those words and you will learn to see a side of life you never knew existed."

And it was true. Sakura knew how to take her own advice. The day she had decided she would fight and stop wallowing in her weakness was the day great things happened. It was like she had been reborn.

"We've been complacent long enough, Ino. We've taken the low road enough times. It's time to be something better. Our lives….our worlds…they are what we make them. I don't know about you, but I am going to live in Paradise for the rest of my life."

Paradise.

'Paradise…" Ino whispered.

"A place of utter and complete happiness. A place where constant euphoria is the norm. Facing reality is always best, but even the bravest of us need pleasant distractions…..even if it exists only in our minds. So I want to play a better game now."

"What kind of game?"

"A game where we make our own personal Paradise. Mine changes from day to day. But right now, in this moment, think about the things that make you happiest, envision them as if they were real…we'll go there in our dreams…"

Because that is the only place such destinations truly exist.

Ino lay on her back in the sea of blankets and closed her eyes, Sakura did the same. She was soothed by the sound of Ino's deep breathing and listened intently as she began to speak…..

"Shikamaru is here with me. Wars never happen because there is nothing to ever fight over. Everyone shares, gives without force….. The sun shines bright everyday without ever a cloud being in the sky….A world with no weapons…no bombs…no jutsu… Is that silly, Sakura? Because it seems so stupid. I am a ninja, my whole life revolves around the things I hate."

"Paradise is different for everyone, Ino. And you do not hate those things, you hate the pain that they bring. Each one has their own place in the world, unfortunately, most are just used to destroy it…."

"Sakura…"

"Yeah?"

"What's your Paradise like?"

A still quietness came over her as her fantasy came to mind…

She closed her eyes….

"Peace is no longer just a word. It is what we are. It thrives in the hearts of everyone….across every country…every nation. There is no longer any doubt….No fear or apprehension. We live life to the fullest, every single day. No matter what may befall us, we live, because we are no longer afraid to."

"Is Naruto apart of your paradise?"

"Naruto is paradise. He is the one who showed me what it was."

Ino looked to her then, seeing on her face what Sakura should have known all along. She would no longer judge her though, people learned things in their own time.

Just like she had….

In her own time…..

"You really do love him, don't you."

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed heavily at the question.

"Yes, Ino. I do."

"What will you do? What will you do if he dies?"

Sakura smiled then.

"What is death to him, Ino? He has died before, hasn't he?"

Realizing the truth of those words, they both began to laugh…

Softly at first…

Then louder…

And louder…

Until they were rolling around on the floor like children…..

And Sakura's neighbor threw something at the wall…

Tickled beyond belief, they made their way to the bedroom…...

Where Sakura told Ino not to worry….

Shikamaru was too lazy to die…

Ino laughed her head off feeling happier than she had in weeks…

They snuggled together like frightened children while Ino drifted off to her Paradise…..

And in her own, Sakura held another blonde…

That was safe from harm always.

Tragedy was a thick cloud over the Land of Tea. Jirocho, their beloved leader, lay deathly ill in his mansion. The illness was a mystery. The best physicians and healers of the region could not cure it, and their time to formulate a solution was running out. Every single day, death crept just a little closer to Jirocho, and his aura hung around him like mist. All the town was at its wits end, save one. Idate knew no one here may be able to help, but far beyond the trees lay a village in which three of the most adept medical minds in the world thrived, one of them was a personal friend. Most assuredly, now would be a good time to call in a favor.

It was raining. That had to be that pitter patter sound. He would know it anywhere. It always sounded so distinctive on the canopies of the trees back home. His body felt like it must have been trampled by an entire battalion of ninja at least 12 times, and yet, he knew it was highly unlikely that was the case. The soft and incessant beeping of machines gave away his location, a hospital. All of a sudden the urge to see pink hair, a stark white coat, and green eyes attempted to overcome him. He did his best to ignore it. He had to ignore so many urges when it came to Sakura nowadays. Despite the pain he was in, he felt encased in warmth. He cracked one blue eye and scanned the room. To his surprise, the Kazekage sat starring out of the window not three feet from the bed, entranced by the falling rain. There was such a faraway look on his young face, and distress radiated from him like waves during the Lunar tide.

"Must be some girl," he said.

Naruto wasn't surprised. Gaara was one of the best ninja he knew, of course he would be aware that he was awake, although his words shattered him.

Yeah, Gaara. She is some girl.

He sat and watched the Kazakage with remarkably curious eyes. Gaara stared out the window a while longer apparently very deep in thought and then raised his head and looked Naruto straight in the eye. He was hurting, and it was a pain that Naruto himself knew. He remained silent. It was a given that Gaara had become more comfortable with people and much more willing to communicate some things, but he was still who he was.

And feelings such as what Naruto knew he must be feeling….

The words that he had said….

The question he had asked…..

It could not be easy to feel such stirring in one such as himself…

He whose inner being was always as tranquil as a ripple less pool….

"I used to wonder why you did this to yourself. I initially thought that you were just trying to keep your skills sharp…..trying not to lose your edge...but when you fought me….this last time….I noticed the you are not fighting like you always had. You used to be so careful…every move planned out. Now though, you are so reckless…..like a man that has nothing to lose. That used to not be so. You used to have everything," he said. "Tell me is it worth it?…..this pain I feel…..Was she worth it?..."

Was she worth it?

Singularly, he thought back to one instance in particular that had answered that question for him absolutely. It was the day that his boyhood obsession had become the love of this life and the next.

No matter if she ever agreed to love him back, because losing her would destroy him.

*** Flashback (8 years earlier)***

Thunder rumbled somewhere in the sky above the trees and lightning caused the sky to blaze. The light cut through the darkness revealing the horrors of the night. Times like this were hard.

These were the days when you had to not only cope with the mortality around you….

but also that of yourself…

and the ones you loved…

One month after the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi war and the world was still feeling it's aftershocks. It was needless slaughter just because. Violence from the scorned unable to cope with the fact that they had been beaten.

Although the remnants of Sound had not joined the war, they were to blame for most of the petty skirmishes after it. As predicted, the war had caused many to relocate. Some just wanted to leave their blood soaked lands and forget the war, others had no home to go back to. This small town was one such gathering place. Merchants had set up shop here and it was full of people who were simply, innocently, just trying to rebuild their lives. The trade between this particular town and the Leaf was very lucrative, but nowhere near the amount to cripple the village if it was ended. This senseless violence held no strategic value what so ever. This was just pure cruelty and blatant disrespect. Their mission had been to fend off the attackers, but word had been sent too late, resulting in this carnage.

The rain came, to cleanse the earth and wash the blood away. But he felt no peace inside himself. What if Madara had been right? What if true peace only existed when one mind controlled all others? What if….? His bangs caused rivulets of water to flow into his eyes mixing with the tears making them indistinguishable.

"Naruto."

Sensei.

"Naruto, the culprits went North. We are to put them to justice and I don't mean taking them back to the village. We must move, before the rain washes away the trail," Kakashi whispered.

Without so much as a sideways glance, Naruto ascended to the trees, the rest of his team close behind to seek out their prey.

These ninja were not careful.. It was almost as if they wanted to be found. They left tracks as clear as day amongst the trees, and Naruto followed them with an eagerness shown by a lover of human destruction. Hadn't enough died for the tranquility they now enjoyed? Had not the rivers ran red with the blood spilled? And yet, there were those, who just couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Naruto!"

Reacting too late, he was blown backwards by a paper bomb exploding somewehere close to his right. For the sheer sake of feeling anything other than his despair, he reveled in the feel of the splintered wood that ripped through him…tore through him…..and made him feel alive again.

He felt no pain, only adrenaline…running through his hungry veins like star dust….

Everything around him was a blur…

It was the endless cycle, of struggling….dying…surviving…

And all the while, all he could feel was the passion and anger that welled up inside him like magma as the light from his cloak lit up the night. His enemies thought a demon had come to haunt them, and they marveled in horror at the brightness of the unholy chakra that surrounded him….and he was consumed by it's fire until he forgot to breathe….or think…..

None of their enemies escaped that night. The lush greenery that blanketed the roots of the trees was painted so red with their blood. In the midst of the carnage, the living stood in awe of this avenger, the clumsy unimpressive child that had become the savior of so many.

He whose light and countenance touched all, changed all…

And yet, all he could think of was this deep fury….this emptiness that only one person on earth could fill.

Sakura dozed peacefully to the tranquil pitter patter of the rain. It was peace incarnate in the hospital tonight. The patients slept quietly, lulled by the soft rhythmic beeping of machines. The end of her shift had finally come and she sighed with the excitement of being cradled by her bed for the first time this week. After the mandatory signing of charts and making a last round to all of her charges, she escaped into the glistening night. It was raining, but only just. The streetlights bathed the multitude of droplets in amber light making the rain appear golden. It was a magnificent sight, and she ran into it's beautiful chaos like a curious, trusting child. She danced in it all of the way home finding peace in its movement and her own.

Too soon her apartment complex came into view and she made her way to her door. It was then that she felt it.

Such …..rage…..and anger…

And something else….

Warmth.

So much warmth.

Naruto.

Afraid for his emotional state, she barged through the door looking around wildly.

And there he was…

Sitting in the middle of her den floor holding himself as if he had lost everything precious to him…as if he was trying to keep himself together..

"I thought…..I thought we had put an end to this…." He whispered. "The war…the war is over…No more blood needs to be shed…..it's over. So why? ….why does this keep happening?...Why?" he said brokenly.

Sakura was frozen to the spot. A pang of grave familiarity reverberated through her. Death had become even more so real for all of them during the war. The sheer number of dead and dying that had turned up daily had been enough to make her just want to lie down and die with them. When the war had ended, and she had come back to the safety of the hospital, it seemed to be even worse. Tsunade had sent her home more than once telling her to get herself together and come back the next day.

And Naruto had always been there….

Bringing her food…..

Holding her and penetrating her with his warmth and comfort while she cried.

It was funny. He was so strong and so radiant, she never really thought of him as having the same doubts and fears that she did.

But there he was…

Bleeding all over her floor…..

Desperately trying to keep himself together…

"I came here to wait for you," he rasped. "I am always waiting for you, aren't I , Sakura?"

Yes, he was always waiting…bleeding…just for her. He would lay down his life for the sake of her happiness…and she crucified him nearly every day. He knew she wouldn't understand, but sometimes a man just wanted to be enveloped in the presence of the woman he loved, even if she didn't feel the same way. Something stirred in her then, a feeling of great magnitude, yet she wondered if she should let it manifest. She wanted too. She really did, but how could she? The entire village knew he was in love with her. It was no secret. The one thing that she had always prided herself on was the fact that she had never, ever, no matter how hard he made it sometimes, led him on.

When he walked with her in the middle of the night because sleep eluded her, she didn't kiss him senseless like her mind cried out for her to.

When she had lost too many patients at the hospital and he held her while she cried, she resisted the urge to press her body close to his and command him to never let her go.

When he smiled bright enough to light the world, she never ran her finger down his cheek and told him how beautiful he was….how happy she was that he simply existed…

Because that would be wrong.

If she had ever done either one of those things, it would have hurt him. It would have made him think that she had changed her mind, and she hadn't.

She couldn't.

She just didn't know how to exist like that anymore.

"Sakura," he whispered.

Lupine like eyes immediately drew hers and she was taken aback by their intensity. In the dime light they seemed to glow, and they saw only her. It pained her greatly, it seemed like she was always trying to deny the affinity she had for this man, the inescapable fire that burned in her for him that threatened to scorch them both.

"Yes," she whispered just as softly.

"Wont you come…and heal me….?"

Heal me.

The request had nothing to do with sinew, blood, and bone. And she knew it. Unfortunately, those were the only types of healing she could offer him. She crept closer to him and tried desperately not to blush under the intensity of his gaze. She didn't want to go to him. She didn't want to be anywhere near him and the tsunami of emotion he stirred inside of her, but she just couldn't leave him. It seemed like they were always being thrown together, and yet, she systematically chose to ignore the obvious hints of the universe.

But it was very difficult to ignore them now…..

When the flow of his chakra seemed to be reaching out only to her….

When his eyes resembled windows to his soul more so than anything else….

When his aura screamed for comfort that she knew was in her power to give and yet she withheld it….

Studiously, she avoided his eyes as her hands began to glow. And all the while he stared at her. It was a game they played. He wanted to remember everything there was to remember about her. So that when he was alone, suffering, or hurt miles away from her, she could be there and it would put him at peace. All the while, she pretended not to notice, giving him whatever he wanted in this way since it seemed so small to her. She let him have it.

"Sakura," he whispered again.

The waves that ran through her at the sound were almost painful. She didn't even look at him, but amplified what she was doing so that it would be finished sooner…..so that she could get away from him sooner… but long skilled fingers under her chin didn't really give her a choice in the matter.

She had to look at him.

It was funny. She always thought that eventually she would get used to it, but she never did.

You would think, that if you saw the color blue enough times, it would just stop surprising you. For heaven's sake, she had been seeing this particular shade of blue since she was a child. When compared to everything else, she should be so used to it by now that it hardly afforded notice at all, but it did. She always hated it when their eyes met. It was almost as if the universe was shattering….each and every time. The other things were newer….so it was warranted that they would surprise her more.

Like the fact that he was a man now….with all the trappings.

A man's face, hands, and body…..

A man's desires…..

The fact that he was a man, and such an impressive one made it immensely hard to forget that she was a woman, and there in lay the problem. It really hurt to look him dead in the face sometimes, he had become so beautiful .

Now as he was…..

Laying passively beneath her hands….

Moonlight making his hair glow…..

Blood making him look dangerous…..

Passion making his eyes burn…..

And all the while unspoken word hung like invisible weights in the air. That was why she wanted to get away. It was something about the look in his eyes that alerted her to the fact that those words were about to become real living breathing things….as real as either of them were.

"Sakura," he whispered again.

She tried to bolt then. His fox would take care of the rest, it always did. There was no way in Hades that she could do this with him now. She wasn't strong enough and she had no good answers. She'd never had. However, he wouldn't be eluded this time, and the strength of the hands on her shoulders brought her back down to her knees.

From the stress of it all, she began to cry….and yet, he was unmoved.

Tears ran unchecked down her face and in the light of the moon looked like stars.

"I am in love with you. Ever since the first day, I have loved you. I would bleed for you…hurt for you…die for you…..and yet….nothing has ever pleased you more than to not love me and in some subtle way or another throw it in my face. You are all I know, and no matter what trouble I am in I always come to you. I always wait, just for you. When we were younger, I waited for you to notice me, to see that I wasn't nothing. After that, I waited for you to see that no love Sasuke could give you would ever come close to equaling mine. Then I waited for the war to end and the world's suffering with it. I thought, just maybe, after that you would see me and we would be together. But you didn't, and we stayed a dream. Then I waited for you to grow a woman's heart so that you could not only understand, but accept the love that I have for you. As always, you never followed other expectations and allowed it to become as hard as it has ever been. So, I have always wondered…. Why is it that you don't love me? Tell me the truth."

She felt like a train had hit her. SHE felt each accusation as if it was a razor sharp blade slicing through her skin….leaving her in pieces. How could she really articulate the reason for him, when she had never really been able to do it for herself? Her feelings for him were just as complex as the man himself. He was involved is so much and anytime she ever allowed herself to feel anything for him, she always felt as though she would burst.

Perhaps…..perhaps now would be a good time to put words to some things, not only for his pleasure, but for the sake of her peace of mind. So he did as he told her, and told the unadulterated truth.

"You…you are light."

Release.

The entire world fell to pieces and he had the strange feeling that he was floating. He could feel a distinct tingle behind his eyes, and the tears that fell from the came from his soul. Surely his mind must be playing tricks on him.

Impossible.

A feeling akin to anger rose hot and heavy in his chest as he gripped her shoulders tighter and lightly shook her.

"What did you say to me? Say it again," his whispered was so loud.

You are my soul…my heart…my….

Her head lolled back on her neck. She was like a wilting flower in the shadow of his anger…..his curiosity.

And then their eyes connected, and she felt that shifting in the Earth that she hated…

" You are light. You are….everything that I ever wanted to be but never could. You are tomorrow….you are the future. And what love could someone so bathed in darkness like me ever offer you?"

She slid her hands to either side of his face, her anger now far outweighing his own.

"What more can I give you than what I already have? You dream, boy." she continued. "I give you what it is I can. You always come to me, and because I know that, I will always be here for you, no matter what. But this is the only way that I can be. Don't you get it? I don't have anything else to give you. It has nothing to do with love or the lack of it. Give your love to someone else….just leave your light for only me. I won't take anything else from you because that would hardly be fair…..hardly."

The hurt on his face was evident. So she wanted him, but only a small part.

Not his body…

Not his feelings…..

He allowed his hands to slide from her shoulder, and she ended her physical contact with him as well. How had they ever arrived at such an impasse?

"But my love is my light," he whispered. " I can't separate them. Can't you just accept them both?"

"I wouldn't know what to do with them both!"

It must have cause her great pain to be so at war inside herself every second of everyday, but he supposed that it was just one of those things. He could accept this, for now. She had bared her soul to him in a way that he had never thought possible. They were making progress at least.

"Alright then. I'll keep giving it to you, but I can't separate them. And one day I will no longer give you the choice of just taking one, no matter what you feel as though you can handle. It will be all of me…everything….or nothing."

She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Naruto. No matter what, though, if you can bear me or if you can't…I will always be there for you. No matter what. You can always come to me."

******End Flashback*******

And that was how it had went. No matter if she was willing to be with him in the way that he wanted, it had shifted his universe to know that he meant so much to her and to hear it from her own mouth.

"She is worth all the pain in the world to me, because the pain of living without her is unlike anything suffered this side of hell. She is home," he whispered.

Gaara's eyes squeezed shut as he desperately tried to quiet the maelstrom raging inside of him. Naruto couldn't believe it, it had finally happened. Gaara had fallen in love and he could pretty much guess with whom.

"Is it Matsuri?"

Gaara's silence told him that it was.

"She….she is…..she is my student. I can't….be with her like that. I shouldn't even want her, but whenever she is close to me… I can just imagine what everyone will say. I am her teacher, I'm supposed to be….. I… "

"Gaara stop. Matsuri was your first student. She was one of the first people in your village to not look at you in disgust. She embraced you, accepted you, she didn't try to make you something that you weren't. I am surprised that it took this long for your feelings to be realized."

"I have always known what my feelings were. I…. I have loved Matsuri ever since she was old enough for me to appropriately feel such things for her, but I never did anything about it. I was her sensei. It would betray the trust of a student/teacher relationship if I were to be involved with her. That was why I passed her tutelage on to someone else. That was why I never took another student, my workload wouldn't allow it anyway. I avoided her in the village. I never gave her missions to her face. I know it hurt her, but you see, I can't be within ten feet of her and not want to touch her. I don't sleep at night. I ache for her all the time. But I can't do anything about it."

"So why be so upset about it now?"

"She kissed me."

Naruto watched as Gaara tentatively touched his lips with a miles away look on his face.

"She kissed me."

*******Flashback********

Gaara stared out of his window into the Suna night. It was beautiful, it always had been. The moonlight caressed the sand making it look like a sea of molten silver. While the wind carried wisps of it in the air like fairy dust. Even before he could recognize such beauty, he could find the peace in it. The stars were so numerous tonight, so gently glowing and radiant. A frown crossed his face as he tried not to see the pictures in them that she had once pointed out. He had no time to think about her.

He returned t his desk and glared at the mountain of paper work that seemed to be glaring back at him. To think, he had been at this since morning and nothing pleased Temari and Kankurou more than to keep adding to the pile. If he didn't love them so much, he would strangle them….and even given that condition, it still was not a bad idea. For all cases and purposes, nowadays, perhaps paperwork was not his enemy.

It did after all…

Fill the time…

That would otherwise be spent thinking of…..

Never mind.

A faint stirring in the area of his heart startled him. He could feel her. She was near. He sighed as he reveled in the familiar and insatiable ache.

Matsuri.

He could feel her chakra flowing strong, all the haziness steadily being removed by a lack of distance.

She wouldn't dare, he thought. She wouldn't dare come here.

….but chakra did not lie…

She was coming this way…

He would be alone with her….

Oh no….

It was silly really. He could make an escape if he really wanted too, but he wasn't sure what it would say for his character if he hid outside of his window from her. Besides, it wasn't like she wouldn't know that he was there. She knew him just as well as he knew her. She could feel him just as clearly as he could her. The bond was unbreakable. So he sat, and waited. He could feel her growing hesitation. Her wariness. After all, they hadn't spoken since…

When she knocked ever so softly on his door, he seriously wandered if he was ready for this confrontation. He had never been really good at lying and definitely not when looking into those soft, beautiful obsidian eyes.

But that was the strategy that he had put into play…

The best thing to do was avoid her…..

If that failed, he ignored her…

If that was impossible he never ever looked at her….

As if knowing her body was close to his wasn't enough to undo him…

"Enter," he whispered, but she knew she heard him.

The door opened slowly, and the slower it went, the more dread he felt. He watched in fascination as her small hand curled around the edge of the door and pushed it open.

When she entered, he felt like the world was disintegrating…

Matsuri.

All at once, he could feel his heart begin to pound…..

It was almost painful…..

His palms began to sweat….

And all the blood in his body began to shift below his waist…..(how embarrassing)

Breathing had become impossible…..

There was no way that he would ever be able to speak past the lump in his throat…..

Matsuri.

It took everything he was to keep his eyes on the wall.

He panicked as she walked into the room. He could likewise sense the growing hesitation in her body as she came closer and closer.

And then she whispered such damning words…..

"Kazakage-sama…."

Rage washed over him. He hated to hear his title on her lips. He knew that he was the one to blame for the distance between them, but she would never have to call him that. Even though he knew nothing could be between them.

"Do not call me that," his whisper was so loud. The venom in his voice was so acidic

He didn't want to be her superior…

He didn't want to be her leader…..

He wanted…

Matsuri dropped the file she had been carrying, obviously startled. She didn't know what to think, what to do. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she studied the only man she had ever loved.

They had been close, once.

So intertwined with one another…

So attuned to one another…

Until the day came that they no longer were….

And he deliberately shut her out…

Then, all of a sudden, he was saying that he didn't want to teach her anymore. He studiously avoided her. Even when they were together, he pretended like she didn't exist. She didn't know what she had done to make him so angry, but she would have thought that their relationship would have at least warranted an explanation. Her own anger began to surge like lava in her veins, but she could not lose all decorum. He was after all, the Kazekage.

"What should I call you then?"

It was then that he looked at her, and it was his biggest mistake.

It had been about three weeks since he had actually seen her, which was no easy feat when he were the Kazekage and she was a jonin. However, the memory of her beauty had never dulled. The darkness of her eyes blazed. Her creamy skin bore a soft blush the color of spring desert roses. Her lips were tensed in anger and how he wished to loosen them. Her coffee brown hair fell in soft cascades to her shoulders….which were bare. He hated it when her shoulders weren't covered. He always had the urge to kiss them…..caress them…..and….

Never mind.

"Does lord and master fit your fancy?" she said as she stalked closer.

"Or maybe god of the sand waves?"

A deep frown penetrated his brow at that one. How could she think that of him? She should know that he would never place himself above anyone else.

"Wait, how about this?" she continued ,"Tyrant who not only sees fit to mistreat his villagers, but to do so without notice or reason!"

His hands clenched into such tight fists his knuckles were white as snow.

" I call you KAZEKAGE-SAMA BECAUSE THAT IS ALL YOU ARE TO ME. MY LEADER. YOU HAVE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO CALL YOU ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE YOU AREN'T ANYTHING ELSE!"

Sand crashed into the window and the sides of the building at his anger. The entire confection seemed to shake upon its foundation.

It was then that he looked her in the eyes, he needed to see her reaction to his anger. He needed to know that she was not afraid of him, and that she never would be. He needed to know that she knew that he would never in his life harm her. What he saw pleased him. She was angry, not scared.

Please, don't ever fear me. I would never be able to bear seeing that emotion in your eyes…..

Gaara rose quick as lightning and made his way over to shut the door. His fist stayed clenched against it as the gravity of her words hit him.

Why her?

Why couldn't he fall in love with someone more appropriate?

Why did he have to fall in love at all?

Such things were beyond him.

He had no idea what a man was to do in love.

Slowly, he turned to face her and pressed his back up against the door.

Matsuri.

Her name was like a soothing balm on his flaming mind. He watched her eyes widen in anticipation as he stepped towards her. He could feel the answering tension in his own body. He stopped when there was one foot of distance between the two of them, but even that distance was not enough to make him oblivious to the fragrance of her skin and hair. Being this close to her was dangerous, but he had to look her in the eyes when he said this. He had to know how she truly felt.

"Am I not anything else to you?" he whispered.

It was her turn to be shocked. The smooth deep timbre of his voice rolled over her. It had been so long since she had heard him speak, and especially so softly, to her. His eyes were burning with something that she didn't want to think about too deeply, and his face looked so tormented. Almost like he was sorry for the way he had been treating her…..almost like he actually had a good explanation.

"Matsuri….."

He knees almost gave out at the way he let her name roll off of his tongue. She had always loved the way he said her name.

"Please. Say it again," he whispered.

If he was ever going to be at peace, he had to know. One way or the other.

" Tell me that I am nothing to you. Tell me that I don't matter to you. Tell me…tell me I am your leader and nothing more."

Tell me you don't love me. That way I can sleep at night. I can try to move on. Because not knowing…

Matsuri.

Words seemed so beyond her, she really didn't know what to say. She had steeled herself for this meeting. She knew Temari had been up to something when she demanded that it be she who brought this stupid file to her brother. She had meant for this to be a quick exchange. He would pretend like she didn't exist like he always did, and she would pretend like she wasn't madly in love with him…..and like she hadn't been for some time.

But this…

This was so different from how she had pictured this going in her head.

"Gaara," she whispered.

Gaara.

He hissed, hearing his name on her lips was not helping the situation below his waist.

"Say it again," he almost moaned.

"Say what?"

She knew what he wanted, but why should she make it easy on him. He was the reason this chasm lie between them.

"My name. Say my name again."

"Why?"

He hesitated.

"Why should I say your name? You abandoned me. You have been cruel to me. And all of this you did…without any explanation. Why should I even acknowledge your existence given the fact that you do not acknowledge mine?"

"Matsuri….(God, he loved her name) …You don't understand."

A confused expression crossed her lovely features.

"What wouldn't I understand? And how would you know? You don't even talk to me. Once upon a time we could always talk. You were always so open, I really miss that. I…I miss you…."

With that she stepped closer. Gaara meant to step away, but being near her was so intoxicating. He had missed this high. She tentatively raised her hand towards his forehead, giving him plenty of time to move away, but he stayed. He hungered so for her touch. Her fingertips slid lightly over the Kanji there and he felt everything he was go up in flame.

"Love," she whispered. The entire time his eyes were transfixed in her lips. "You are not Suna's monster any more, Gaara. You are not some bad secret that people wish to keep locked behind closed doors. You…..you are…"

He had to know what it was she would say. Her opinion mattered so much.

"What am I, Matsuri?" he said desperately as he startled her by latching on to her tiny waist. There was such a strong flutter in her belly. Everything she was wanted to be this close to him.

Touching him…..

Soothing him….

She played coy. There was no way she was going to give in so easily. Her fingers dropped to his lips and how she longed to taste them. She reveled in his swift intake of breath. He was so powerful, the fact that she could bring him to his knees was a heady thing.

"What do you want to be, Gaara-Sama?"

"Matsuri…I….."

"That Kanji on your forhead…..do you know what it means? It means love. Do you know what that is? Tell me you know what it is, Gaara. Please….. Why have you cast me aside? Why don't you want me in your life anymore?" she said, softly stroking his cheek.

How he wished she would stop touching him. He couldn't think…couldn't breathe with her being so close…..so warm…..so….

"I want you…I ….in my life….I just can't…..Shameful….."

Her curiosity was peeked. Perhaps now he would tell her why he had placed so much distance between them.

"What is shameful, Gaara?"

He almost choked on his words.

"How I feel….about you…."

Her heart beat escalated.

"Why is it shameful?"

"Teacher…student….Kazekage…..I should never have…."

"Should have never what, Gaara?"

"…Fallen in love with you….."

Matsuri gasped and her hand fell away from his face as she took a step back to find support on his desk.

He was in love with her. He had distanced himself from her because of some silly notion that they shouldn't be together because he had been her teacher.

She was overjoyed, but not expecting a favorable reply, Gaara suspected that she was repulsed by his declaration.

"…..I know….I know you could never want someone like me. But I…I couldn't stop wanting you…I knew it wouldn't be what you wanted so I separated myself. I….I can't just have part of you. I want all of you…all to myself…..I…I haven't slept well in what seems like years for want of you beside me….You are so beautiful…I just…."

Gaara's words were stopped as his head was pulled down and silken lips met his own. His eyes went impossibly wide and then shut altogether as he reveled in the kiss of the woman he loved. She was kissing him, which must have meant that she loved and wanted him back. After what seemed like millennia, they pulled apart.

"Gaara," she gasped. "I am in love with you too. I wanted to tell you, but then you just cut me off and I didn't know what to think. Despite being angry with you, I have missed you so much….My leader… My teacher… my friend…. My love….."

Gaara's heart soared and before he knew it, he had joined their lips again and was pushing Matsuri up against the desk. She loved him. She wanted to be with him. She loved him back. His veins were affected with star dust as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him flush against her. He thought he would die at the feeling of her soft curves being crushed against his own wanting body. Their tongues danced together, punctuated by the momentary sigh of utter and complete happiness. Her legs wrapped around his hips and she felt the hardness between his thighs. She wanted to cry at how perfectly they fit together. Gaara broke the bruising assault on her mouth to finally kiss those pale bare shoulders. His hand twined in her hair as he pulled her head back exposing the soft column of her neck. Her moans were like music to his ears and her small hands creeping under his shirt was the only hold that he had on reality. He bit her, ever so softly, and soothed any pain with his tongue as his clothed hips surged seeking her warmth.

He couldn't believe her was kissing her…..

He was…..

And then the thought hit him….

He was the Kazekage…..

She had been his student…..

And this….

Was so very wrong…

And he broke the kiss…..

He was almost brought to his knees at the frustration of it all…..

He stood between her legs, his forehead against hers breathing harshly. Her eyes were dazed, her lips swollen and wet from his kisses. Neither one of them could quite wrap their mind around the beautiful simplicity of the moment.

"Gaara…." She sighed when she was able to speak. She tenderly kissed the kanji on his forehead.

That had almost been his undoing. That had almost been the difference between him sending her home while telling her to never look him in the face again, and finishing what both of their bodies had started.

Almost.

With resolve that he had never known existed in the four kingdoms, he began pulling himself away from her.

Nothing could change what was. She had been his student, if anyone knew about what had transpired between the two of them….they would think improper things had occurred before she was of age. Nothing had, but rumors were never really interested in the truth. They never had been. Even though they were very close in age, the officials would call it career suicide, and Gaara needed the support of his people. Everything he was depended on it. If they turned against him because of this scandal it would be disastrous. However, he was a great ninja and their leader. There were only so many things that they would say to his face without forfeiting their lives, Shikaku or not. The same could not be said for Matsuri. Her name would be sullied beyond repair and he would be damned if he allowed hormones to ruin the life she could have.

Even if it wasn't with him…

The thought of another man touching her like this made him sick to his stomach, but this was the way it had to be.

She could be free this way….

She could be happy….

He averted his eyes from her so that he would not have to see the hurt and confusion that would cloud her features. If he didn't, he would change his mind. He grabbed her by the wrist and began walking towards the door.

"Come," he said in a curt tone.

"Gaara? Gaara, what's wrong? Please tell me…please…"

"Forgive me," he said as he reached the door and opened it. "Forgive me. I forgot myself. I will never act thus towards you ever again. You have my word."

Her anger began to flare once more as she wretched her hand out of his. She had just known what it was like to finally, after so many years, be in the arms of the man she loved. She wasn't going to let this go so easily. She grasped his face in her small hands pleading him to see reason.

"Gaara…..Gaara it's alright. You haven't done anything wrong. I am an adult, you are an adult. We can make the decision to be together. I don't care what anyone thinks. Nothing they could ever say will hurt me so long as I have you, so long as we are together. Gaara, please, listen to me."

She was near hysterics now. Tears ran unchecked down her face, as she stared into the steel of his resolve. He wanted to believe her, he really did. But he knew what life as an outcast inside one's village could do to a person's spirit. He would never wish that on the woman he loved. No matter how much it killed him to hurt her now.

"Go home, Matsuri. Stay there. From hence forth, I am your leader, your commander…nothing more. Don't make me have to remind you again. You are dismissed."

He felt numbness like he had never felt before drift over him as she turned on her heels and ran out of the building…..out of his life….forever…..

All he could do was sit and stare out into space. There would be no joy from now on. No light, no warmth, not for him.

But she would find it in time…..

And that would have to be enough for both of them….

After what seemed like hours later, Temari entered his study.

"Gaara….. what happened? I just saw Matsuri running out of here crying her eyes out. What did you do to her?"

But then she saw his disheveled state…

His swollen lips….

His flushed skin…..

The unusual brightness to his eyes…

And she knew what had happened….

"Something I shouldn't have," he whispered.

I should have never touched her. I should have never….

"Gaara."

"Leave me be, Temari."

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. It was a weighty silence between them, the kind that always preceeded Gaara exhibiting his wrath on epic proportions. Had she been anyone other than his sister, she would have never pushed him futher, but she was.

And her brother deserved to be happy.

God knows he did.

"You deserve it Gaara," she said quietly. "You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved. Let her be that for you. Let her complete you. You are the Kazekage. If you say dusk is dawn, they will obey you. She is from one of our noble clans, it is a good match. No one would ever dare speak out against you having her. It is you right to choose…."

Unable to control the emotions brewing inside of him any longer, Gaara shouted.

"I SAID LEAVE ME BE!"

So she left. She knew not to test him further right now. She hoped, for both his sake and Matsuri's, that soon he would see reason.

********End Flashback*********

" She comes back in three days," Gaara whispered. " I thought that her absence would give me time to think….sort out my feelings and strengthen my resolve. I thought the distance would make it better, but I was wrong. I feel even more confused than I did when she left."

Naruto's brow frowned in knowing sympathy. It really was funny how useless distance really was when it came to the person that one loved.

"I don't know…..I don't know what to do."

I feel so lost.

It was then that Naruto looked at him, having come to such recent revelations about his own lover.

"You love her, that is what you do. You love her good…you love her hard. It should be so intense that even if she is half way across the world, she should be able to feel it. That's what you do. Life is too short to worry about or wonder what the world will think. True love is too precious to cast it aside solely for the opinion of others. Do your best to understand her, Gaara. Her needs, her wants, her desires…..understand her and accept her. Embrace her, but don't smother her. Give her what she needs but give her room to grow into her own being. Do this, and you will avoid all of the mistakes that I made."

"You say that like it is so easy."

"It's not, at least it wasn't for me. There were so many things that I never…understood about her. I just cast them aside because to me it didn't matter. But then I realized, if it mattered to her, then it should matter to me. I get that now. Understanding of motives isn't always necessary."

"you make it sound so attainable…so close. So….real. To be able to be with her like that to coexist in such unadulterated ecstasy would be…."

"….Paradise….." Naruto finished for him.

"Yeah," Gaara said thoughtfully. "what if…..what if something happens? What if I lose her?"

Neither of them pretended that being in such intimate standing with the Kazekage would make Matsuri a prime target for Gaara's enemies. But such dangers always existed.

"You don't let fear stop you. I have no doubt that Matsuri is the most protected woman in Suna because of the love you bear her, but you are only human. If anything happens….you will just have to sit enraptured at the love you shared. Let the memory soothe you, let it overcome your pain. And know that two people who really love one another are never separated. Even by death."

"You really believe that?"

"I do," he said with a firm nod.

Gaara looked at him curiously, in a way painfully reminiscent of a scared child.

"It's that girl with the pink hair, isn't it?"

Just hearing her description brought a quickening to his heart.

"Yeah."

"Will you ever see her again?"

"I will. I know I will."

"What happened?"

Naruto relayed the whole story.

"What will you do if you see her again?"

"Apologize. I didn't understand her. I tried to force something on her because I was ready. I knew how much I loved her, that I lived to protect her, and would never hurt her. So it angered me that she never wanted me back. I always said, she would get used to it…..but that wasn't my choice to make. Then I suppose, I would try to amend things between the two of us."

"What if she doesn't want that?"

"Then….." he had spent so long thinking about this . He just prayed that he had the resolve to follow through if it came to this. "….I will step aside. I will give her the divorce she wants. It'll probably destroy me, but I will let her choose me. I won't force myself on her anymore. I got too impatient. I was tired of waiting. I saw my chance, seized it, and when things didn't turn out the way we all thought it would, I made her stand by it. That was wrong."

Gaara's brow furrowed.

"But she slighted you too. Doesn't that matter?"

Naruto laughed.

"I used to think it did, but now, it hardly seems so important. I am in no way excusing her, but I understand why she did it. She will have to deal with what it is she has done to me in her own time. Just as I had to deal with what it was I had done to her…though being away from her is what actually made me realize that I had wronged her at all. At any rate. I will cross my bridge when it gets here. Yours will be back in three days. You should find her, as soon as she is back on Suna soil Gaara and make her yours. I have learned that the world often times does not wait until tomorrow. Have no fear. Whatever happens, happens."

Gaara sat in contemplative silence. Maybe he was being a fool. Maybe everything he was had been leading him to this one moment where he could finally be happy

"I'm so glad we became friends. I really am."

"Same here, Gaara. Now let's get out of here, I feel loads better already."

No matter how hard he tried, he could never seem to be in hospitals without his want of Sakura intensifying.

"You can't possibly be ful healed. It's only been two days."

"There is no helaing on Earth like that of a tailed beast," Naruto smirked.

"Agreed."

The days had been long and they seemed to only be getting longer. Sometimes they seemed to not even end, with nights seamlessly blending into mornings. Sakura noticed such days and was embraced by them like a bitter lover. She was having strange dreams…..dreams of running while being encased in white blurs. And no matter how much she tried to she couldn't shake the feeling that destiny was never more than a hairs breadth away from her.

"He's dying," Kakashi said with amazing finality. "He will surely die if we do not send someone."

Tsunade' brow furrowed over the report. Jirocho, of the land of tea was gravely ill. Apperently all of the medical and mystical practices of the region had been beset upon him, but to no avail. His condition steadily continued to deteriorate. The summons had actually not been sent by Jirocho himself, but by someone named Idate. The man, whomever he was, showed remarkable decision on the person he wanted sent. Sakura.

"Who is Idate? And how does he know Sakura, minus all of the obvious ways."

"Idate is Jirocho's adopted son. He knows Sakura personally. She, Naruto, Sasuke and myself performed a mission in their lands for them….a very long time ago now. I'm quite sure he asked for Sakura as a favor."

The Hokage sighed and placed the folder which held the file away from her, rose from her desk and stared out of the window. No matter what her true appearance was, no one could deny that she was a remarkably beautiful woman, especially with he hair bathed in sunlight like it was now. Her hazel eyes blazed as she contemplated the most sensible course of action.

"He is going to die," she said. "I cannot possibly hope to go myself. Shizune is needed here, and even if she wasn't, Sakura has surpassed her in many ways. She is dedicating more time to settling down with that Yamanaka boy than pouring over her scrolls like she used to. And we both know why Sakura cannot go."

Ofcourse Kakashi knew all of the dangers that awaited Sakura outside of the village. He felt slightly accosted that Tsunade would insinuate that he did not.

"And besides," she started again, "Gaara tells me it is time to move Naruto away from Suna" she said, as she produced a letter from her robes. " He says that he has been noticing a considerable amount of foreing activity in its borders. Suna itself is easy enough to defend, with miles of desert in each direction. With that being said though, it took only two members of the Akatsuki to cause great damage to it. He is worried that these skirmishes are happening because of Naruto. He fears that he may be no longer safe. So naturally, I must move him."

Kakshi's brow had fallen considerably.

"You had not told me of this."

"I had planned to, but then you dropped this bomb on me. Listen. I know that Jirocho is an important figurehead. The trade agreements that we have with him have proved to be very lucrative over the years, but he is an old man. And he had to die sometime. I am chosing the lesser of two evils here. I am not going to let Sakura fall into enemy hands and result in the end of this world as we know it when I can keep her here and just one man will die. At any rate. I am moving Naruto Cloud. The Raikage is excited to receive him, not to mention Bee. He leaves Suna in two days. Throughout the week, Gaara has arranged for fake envoys to leave at varying time, so that any enemies watching will not be able to truly discern the one that holds Naruto. As for Jirocho, we can do nothing."

Kakashi looked at her.

"My lady, the Land of Tea is nowhere from here, and Sakura would want to help. She's really the only one who can help. We can travellight. Yamato and I should be far more than enough to protect her. The Land of Tea is nowhere from here. We will make it there quickly. Besides, it is also said that Jirocho fell ill before he was able to make amendments to his living will, no one was named as his heir. Without one, the land will fall into chaos and fighting. Surely as the leader of one of the hidden villages, the oppression of civilians is never something you would desire."

Kakashi then looked sheepishly at the cutting glare Tsunade sent his way.

"I don't like this. I don't want both of them to be moving at the same time. I don't even remotely want them to be close. NAruto is going to have to pass through the Land of Fire to get to where he is going. It's…..just to close."

"Sakura will never be able to live with herself if she had known that she could have helped."

"Hmph! And if she does help, we may all die. I don't like it, but I must admit, I think you and Yamato can defeat anything…..and our little flower is far from wilting anymore. Fine. If she wants to go, I will let her go, under one condition. She finds a cure within a week. If nothing can be done by then, nothing will be and she is to be brought back, do you understand?"

"Ofcourse."

"Good. I will have a few black ops for extra protection. Hyuga Hitaru will be among them. Take Neji with you. You'll need him."

"You're sending two Hyuga's with us? Why?"

"So that they can cover one another's bling spots ofcourse," Tsunade said as she reached for the bottle of sake she always kept hidden in her desk.

Kakashi had to admit….he had never thought of it that way before.

Sakura was filled with the most peculiar emotion as she looked back one final time to see the village gates disapper behind a sea of green. The feeling that welled up inside of her was not exactly foreboding, but it was full of anticipation, excitement. Almost as if this day was the first of the rest of her life.

It was strange.

She contemplated the men around her. Beloved Kakshi with his messy silver hair and strong shoulders. Yamato and his kind eyes. Neji and his unearthly beauty. Anbu that moved through the trees like shadows. It was all very surreal. Her heart was heavy. Poor Idate, she desperately hoped that she could help him. She knew she was good, but she was far from a miracle worker. Bringing a man back from death in less than seven days when all others had failed was by no means a menial task. She held a little tighter to the medical scrolls that she had deemed important enough to bring with her. She just couldn't shake the feeling that today was the beginning.

Naruto sat quietly in his room thinking of nothing really in particular when he heard the door open. A shock of red hair identified the intruder.

"Gaara," he said with a smile. "So, how did it go?"

The Kazekage blushed a shade of red deeper than his hair, and Naruto took that as a good sign.

"I…I mean we…..are betrothed. I was surprised to find that most everyone thought it was a splendid idea…."

"HA! Ofcourse they did!" NAruto said as he rose to embrace his friend. "Congratulations, Gaara. You deserve it."

Gaara smiled and gave brief pause.

"I hope things work out for you and Sakura," he said with startling frankness.

Naruto retuned the smile, although weakly.

"We will be fine, no matter what happens. So, where are we going?"

"Cloud. Bee is especially excited to see you."

"Will you stay long?"

"No more that a day, after all, it is not my country. With Raikage's temper and Bee's over enthusiastic jinchuriki style, I have no doubt in my mind you will be taken care of. Get some sleep, we leave well before day break. I have sent three envoys out before us. They have encountered no trouble so we should be fine, but one can never be to sure. I will see you before the sun rises."

And with that, he left Naruto to the quietness of the night.

Hot billowing clouds of steam rose around him as he bathed, imagining the pleasant drumming of the water being the fingers of a certain woman. He breathed contently at the thought, but then something else entered hs mind. He would keep his promise. If she no longer wished to be with him, he would honor that. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he would get by.

She would just have to choose him the right way this time.

No matter the circumstances, he was sure he could win her over…..the right way.

He understood her so much better now. As he stared unblinkingly at the moon, he pondered her and their possible future. It gave him great peace and he was able to drift off to sleep. After all, tomorrow was the start of a new adventure. His dreams were haunted with images of burning snow.

Do not let our clan wallow in darkness. Take my eyes so that you may see the light.

His brother had said that to him once. Then he had made the ultimate sacrifice, giving him his eyes to save him from the darkness wrought by the Mangekyo Sharingan. He had placed his hope, his trust, in his brothers hands. He had given him everything, and still, he had failed. Their clan had been all but annihilated by the residual Senju and their subordinates…all but two. Even that had been a fluke… a last act of love by the only other living Uchiha.

That was fine though.

Fate, that dear angel, had granted him another chance. A chance to make things right…a chance to make every single one of his clan's enemies pay. He would see that this dark gift was used to the fullest. He would adorn every village with his clan's crest. Their kingdom would come, his will would be absolute, and they would reign as they always should have.

He would make good on the charge his brother had made to him. He would not let their clan wallow in darkness any longer. They had wallowed in it long enough, now it was the rest of the world's turn to feel the pain of such obscurity.

He turned at the feel of very familiar chakra, and for some reason, he was so very anxious to hear the news it's owner brought. Surely, there would be good news this time….surely…

"Everything is ready. We wait for you."

The closest thing to glee that could possibly happen for someone like him spread over his face as he caught a glimpse of the dark haired man that lay limply in his brothers arms.

"What do we do now?"

"We take our bait, and we wait in our lair."

They had their chance, now all they had to do was take it. It shouldn't be too hard. The Nine-Tails like his host was very easily provoked.

It was the one thing that had brought them together, and though they had been torn apart, it would bring them crashing back together again.

So?