I am currently in the process of re-writing this story, please be sure to read from the beginning if you are familiar with it. Updates on later chapters will be posted sporadically. I am sorry I've been so busy of late but I hope you enjoy the story regardless of this! –Saki

Chapter 21

Gaara pulled his head back and looked at Sakura with a sense of wonder still hanging over him.

She couldn't have looked more perfect. Her pink hair blew softly and her eyes were wide and bright. She laughed again and he pulled her closer into his arms as she put her head on his shoulder.

He breathed in her sweet scent and swept her off of her feet and into his arms bridal style. She laughed again and slid her arms around his neck. She looked at him and smiled again.

She love the way his red hair blew in the wind and noticed that his turquoise eyes no longer held any hurt that was visible on the surface. She smiled again and hugged him a little tighter, as if she needed to remind herself that he was really there. He jumped down onto their street and opened the door to her house, nudging it with his foot as he carried her inside.

"Sabaku no Sakura." She smiled as he looked down at her. "I like the sound of that." She smiled and kissed his jaw.

"I like it too." She smiled up at him with her gorgeous emerald eyes sparkling. He set her down for a moment, both of them removing their winter clothes, before promptly picking her up in his arms the moment she finished. She laughed at his antics and let him carry her to the living room.

He set her down on the couch before quietly sitting down next to her. She smiled at him for a moment and shook her head as he pulled her into his lap quickly becoming infatuated with the idea of physical closeness to her. She held onto him as his strong arms encircled her, chasing away any trace of a doubt that she held in her mind.

Gaara closed his eyes and wondered how much more perfect it could possibly get.

"Sakura don't ever go away please." He whispered quietly to her and she smiled and closed her eyes as well.

"I won't Gaara. I promise that I won't." He smiled and opened his eyes to look down at her small form.

"We have to keep this quiet for a while." His turquoise eyes examined her own and he waited for an answer.

"Of course. It's going to be a rather large shock to most, what with the political implications and all. I will act like usual but I can't promise that I can do that all of the time." She smiled and her eyes sparkled in the light of the fire that had been burning slowly for a while.

He smirked and brought his hand up to her face. His eyes searched her facial features and he took in every bit of her milky skin. He really wasn't used to this physical affection but found that he liked it when it was coming from her.

"I don't expect you to." He replied, leaning down to kiss her softly. She responded by sliding her hand to the back of him hair and pulling him closer. Growling a little at this response he gently nipped at her lip. He trailed his kisses down her jaw line, feather light and gentle.

"You'll have to hide this mark." He murmured against her skin. He smiled a little when he noticed her mark was the same as his scar. "The Kanji for love, how fitting."

"I will wear something to cover it up. You can help me find something to wear over it." She smiled and stood up, detaching herself from Gaara's grasp. She laughed at his sideways look and grabbed his hand.

She walked down the hall to her room and looked in her closet for a scarf or turtle neck.

"I'm not, particularly good, nor interested in clothing, but I suppose a collared shirt would work. Similar to what you have been wearing lately." Gaara held up a shirt with a collar and buttons that looked remarkably similar to Tenten's usual ensemble.

"I don't look good in that shirt though." She replied simply and continued digging. He grabbed her hand. She looked up at him curiously and put her hand on her hip.

"Try it on and I'll be the judge." He said as he handed her the shirt. She rolled her eyes and took it into the bathroom to try on. He sat in the chair near her desk and waited. A few minutes later she opened the door and walked out.

"So what do you think?" She spun in a slow circle and he nodded.

"It will certainly do the job." It was gorgeous on her and he liked it.

"Does it cover the mark? I forgot to check." He looked at her neck and nodded. She smiled. "I'll wear it tomorrow then." He watched as she went back to change into her other shirt.

"Don't you want these? We can sit by the fire for a while if you want." He held up her sweat pants and pajama top. She smiled and took them in her hand.

"That sounds nice. I'll be there in a minute." She smiled and walked back into the bathroom. He walked out and down the hall smiling.

He opened the door to his room and shut it before taking off his clothes and pulling on a black shirt and a pair of his usual black pants.

He walked back to the living room and sat on the couch waiting for Sakura. She was going to be his. He got up to stoke the fire. The embers glimmered and he blew on them lightly causing them to stir and ignite the fire.

He had been so stubborn and insistent that he didn't want anything to do with her that he had almost prevented the greatest thing from happening. All it took was two weeks for her to get under his armor. He stood up and frowned a little. "She's taking quite a while." He looked down the hall and saw her door open. He smiled and walked back to the couch and sat down.

"Sorry about the wait I was just moisturizing my face." She sat down then blushed at her comment. "That probably sounded really lame." He shook his head.

"I don't mind." She smiled and leaned on him.

He put his arm around her shoulders cautiously, mimicking what he had seen Naruto do, as they watched the fire crackle. After a few moments of silence Sakura began to speak. "Tsunade sent me a note by hawk a few moments ago." He looked at her with a slight furrow in his brow.

"What was it about?" He was uneasy hearing this.

"She needs me for a mission tomorrow. I am going alone to find a hideout of a rogue group. She will send backup once I have found it and I will then act as a medic for the team. There are no ANBU available for recon right now so I was the best choice. I don't want to leave you here." She buried her head in his chest and hugged him. "I'll be back within three days and I'll be safe." He rubbed her back gently before speaking.

"Who says I can't go with you?" He smiled as she looked up at him with surprise. "I'll meet you in the forest and we'll go together. Tsunade won't know and if she does, then I acted of my own accord and she will not have to answer for it." She smiled and hugged him.

"You'll have to disguise yourself so the others don't know." He nodded.

"I can do that. If it means that I can keep you safe."

After a few more minutes of silence, he noticed that she had fallen asleep. Silently, he picked her up and carried her to her room, laying her on the bed and standing up to leave. He felt a hand grab his shirt and turned to see her emerald eyes watching him.

"Stay please." Her tired gaze watched his reaction and he smiled.

"Ok, I'll stay." He walked over to the other side of the bed and laid down. She pulled the covers up around his shoulder and curled up next to him smiling.

"Goodnight Gaara."

"Goodnight Sakura." He closed his eyes and smiled.

End of Chapter 21

This chapter has been re-written.