As Naruto made his way up the stairs Sakura watched while trying to think of a way to apologize, but as soon as he arrived he said, "I'm sorry Sakura. I shouldn't have gotten upset with you."

"No!" she gasped, "It wasn't your fault. I was the one who got wrongly angry at you. I should be the one apologizing."

"No!" gasped Naruto in return, "You didn'tdo anything wrong."

"Just accept the apology," Sasuke said making sure that his voice only sounded in Sakura's mind, "You know he won't blame you for anything, and will argue with you ended with another fight. He doesn't need that right now."

"Alright," sighed Sakura making Naruto smile, "I'll accept your apology on one condition. You have to accept my apology as well."

For a moment Naruto looked distressed and Sakura thought he might argue with her some more, but instead he nodded with a bright smile.

"The fight's about to begin," said Kiba with a worried tone, "I hope Hinata will be okay."

"You should root for her," said Naruto, "I think she would like it if you did that."

"Okay," said Kiba. The moment the match began Kiba was already shouting out his praises for Hinata and how he knew she could do it. Naruto smiled even though he knew that Hinata probably would be badly injured he knew that Kiba would be able to help her through it like he had done in the future.

Team seven watched silently as Gaara began his attack on Lee. Sasuke's only warning was a short glance before he was forced to catch Naruto's falling body. He gently set Naruto down on the ground and sat behind him so that Naruto could lean against him. Sakura crouched down next to him and whispered, "Is he using that jutsu again?"

"Yep," answered Sasuke as he stroked Naruto hair out of his face.

"He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping," Sakura smiled. Sasuke nodded as he held Naruto close to his chest and watched as he breathed. "When are you going to tell him that you love him?" asked Sakura deciding that maybe the direct root would get them together.

Sasuke almost choked on his own breath when he heard that. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Sasuke," said Sakura, "We could all see that you were in love with him. When are you going to tell him that you love him?"

"Probably never," sighed Sasuke.

"What?" gasped Sakura, "Why not?"

"I can't burden him with that," said Sasuke as he stroked Naruto's hair out of his face again.

"How is that a burden?" asked Sakura, "If anything it would probably make him happy." She tried to mentally urge Sasuke to realize that she was hinting at Naruto's love for him, but he did not get the hint.

"I won't force my love on him when he's got the weight of the world's future on his shoulders."

"You have the same weight on your shoulders," said Sakura with a sad expression.

"No Sakura," he said, "I could care less about the world's future. I only care about helping Naruto and keeping him safe."

"Oh," said Sakura, "I still think you should tell him."

"And I think you should shut up," growled Sasuke.

"Sorry Sasuke," said Sakura as she decided to leave him alone for a while. She would not give up though, she decided, she would get them together one day.

Temari and Kankurou had been watching their beloved little brother throughout the whole match when they got the shock of their life. Just as he was about to use the sand coffin on a kid with a bowl haircut Gaara's eyes became blank and he stood frozen on the floor. "What's wrong with him?" asked Kankurou.

"I don't know," answered Temari as she shook her head.

"Do you think that the demon is trying to take control again?"

"I don't think so," said Temari, "It doesn't look like he's in pain. He's usually in pain when it tries to take control."

"Then what's wrong with him?" Kankurou growled as he clenched his fists around the railing keeping him on the second floor.

"I don't know," Temari repeated.

"Well we have to help him," Kankurou turned and shouted at Temari.

"We can't," Temari shook her head again. She had a worried expression on her face and her fists were clenched tightly at her side.

"Then what can we do?" asked Kankurou.

"Stand here, watching and hoping that he can make it through whatever that is."

"We can't do that. Can't we even help him a little?"

"No," said Temari.

"But he's our little brother," Gaara growled, "There must be something we can do."

"That's exactly why we should trust that he can make it through this on his own."

At that very moment they heard Gaara's voice telling the propter to end the match. They both turned to see there little brother making his way up the stairs and they both sighed in relief. When he arrived near them he just stared at their faces. For a moment their was nothing but awkward silence until Temari gathered the courage to ask, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Gaara.

"What happened?" asked Kankurou.

Gaara looked over at Naruto and then back to his brother and sister. "I realized something," he answered.

"What's that?" asked Temari gaining courage by the fact that Gaara was responding to them like he never had.

"I didn't kill mom," he said quietly.

"What?" both his brother and sister gasped with shocked expressions.

"I didn't kill mom," he repeated.

"That's great," said Temari with a bright smile. She hoped that maybe he would be able to let their mother go and become a person of his age. Maybe he could finally be released from the weight of her death.

"Then who did?" asked Kankurou. Temari wanted to strangle him for asking that question that would just make an unusually slightly happy Gaara upset.

"I don't think you want to know," said Gaara shaking his head.

"Oh I want to know," protested Kankurou, "I want to know who killed our mother and who pinned it on our little brother. I want to know who did it so that I can kill him."

"Kankurou," Temari tried to scold him.

"No!" growled Kankurou, "I'm sick and tired of you two keeping secrets from me like how our uncle died when he was trying to kill Gaara."

"How did you figure out about that?" gasped Temari.

Before Kankurou could answer Gaara said, "It was our father."

Temari gasped, "Why?"

"Because mom wouldn't let him use me as a weapon."

"How did you figure this out?" asked Temari.

"Do you not believe me?" Gaara answered.

"I do," said Temari, "I just wanted to know."

"I'll tell you later."

the last chapter was longer than usual so this one is shorter than usual. sorry