A/N: Wow, I really didn't expect so much praise for this story… your reviews have left me speechless… tear. To say that I love you all would be an underestimation!
I have good news for you! As I was writing this, I realized this chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I had anticipated, hence, I decided I needed to cut if in half or else it was going to be too long. So, instead of a twoshot, I'm making this a threeshot, so you can expect the final chapter sometime next week. Yey, you're going to get more of our favorite red head!
By the way, just a quick comment… of course this story is 'overdramatic' and 'emotional'! That's the whole point of the thing. If you try to sum up the whole situation in three concise chapters, this is the result you're going to get. So, if that's not your thing, just don't read it… it's simple. :)
But enough of my babbles, on with the show. Since as amwong88 said, "a jealous, possessive, almost psychotically attached and emotionally-dependent Gaara tops the list." I completely agree.
Unforeseen
Moving sluggishly up the stairs of her apartment building, Sakura gave out a long suffering sigh. After two days following the cocktail party incident, her heart still ached painfully and every time the image of Gaara crossed her mind, her chest would constrict agonizingly and tears would threaten to fall from her eyes once more.
She wanted nothing more than to stay locked up in her small room, hidden underneath the blankets, but every day life didn't stop for no one and there were many things she needed to take care of. After graduating from medical school, she had been offered an amazing variety of well-paying jobs, but had turned them all down. She had decided very early in her life that she wanted to help the people who didn't have the economic means to pay for a private doctor and had vowed to work at a public health clinic once she got her degree. The moment arrived and she managed to get a job at a local center two weeks after leaving college; it wasn't the best pay she could've aspired to, but it was enough to pay the bills and the rent of her small apartment.
However, problems had arisen lately, since the government had cut the funding for public centers by more than half and the resident doctors had been forced to look for other jobs. Eventually, most of them left the center altogether and only a scant few had remained behind, Sakura being one of them, which meant they were facing a dire economic situation. Deep inside, the pink haired doctor knew they would have to ultimately close the public clinic and she was afraid that it would be sooner than any of them expected.
Hence, her bills had recently become more difficult to pay and she had already taken out large chunks of her lifetime savings to afford a life of basic comforts. She obviously didn't mention any of this to any of her friends, especially Ino, since she knew they would try to pitch in and then she would have even more debts. Even though they would probably tell her she didn't need to pay them back, Sakura had always felt very strongly about money matters and always felt the inner obligation to pay back even the smallest of loans.
As she walked down the second floor hallway heading towards her apartment, she was glad that she had managed to gather enough money to pay her bills today. Once or twice, she had come home from work only to find that her water or electricity had been cut, since she hadn't managed to pay on time. She swore on her life that it would never happen again, even if it meant that she needed to look for a second job.
Digging around for her keys inside her bag, she realized that it was time to start sending curriculums out. It had taken her weeks to come to that decision, since she really loved her job at the center; she loved the looks of gratitude she received from her patients. The issue of leaving the clinic plagued her mind night and day… and like if that wasn't enough, she now had another problem to worry about.
And that problem was named Gaara.
Deep in her bones she knew that she hadn't seen the last of him since she was aware of how stubborn he was. He would obstinately keep looking for her and wouldn't stop until he found her, especially now when he had some sort of clue of her whereabouts. When she had left him, she had made sure to leave no hints of where she might have gone. She didn't tell any of her college friends or any mutual acquaintances. She just grabbed her things and left. Knowing he would be leaving for the Kyoukushin World Championship later on that same day, Sakura was aware that he wouldn't have time to truly look for her until he came back three weeks later.
It was one of the most difficult things she had ever done in her life.
Thoughts of her red headed love were pushed to the back of her mind as she realized there was someone waiting by her apartment door. Looking up at the man, she recognized him as she came nearer.
It was Jiro… the last person she wanted to see in this very instant.
Plastering a very well practiced fake smile on her face, she walked up to him.
"Hi there Jiro, how are you?"
"Good afternoon, Sakura," he replied, looking her over. Her face was haggard and worn and her emerald eyes had lost most of their luster.
They stood there for a moment, looking at each other while an awkward silence descended upon them.
"Can I help you with anything?" Sakura prompted when it became clear that he wasn't going to speak.
He stared at directly into her eyes for a moment and a strange look crossed his eyes. She didn't know why, but a feeling of foreboding settled in her stomach.
Before she could do anything, the tall business man had crossed the distance between them and grabbed both of her arms forcefully.
Sakura cringed in pain, breath hissing through her teeth as she tried to pull away.
"Who is he?" Jiro said harshly, a mad glint in his eyes.
"I don't know who you mean," Sakura replied as she continued to struggle.
Chuckling mirthlessly, he tightened his grip. "Don't play the fool with me, little girl. You know exactly who I mean. Was he your lover?"
'What the hell?' Sakura thought desperately. 'What is wrong with this idiot?'
"You mean Gaara?" she asked.
"Of course I mean Gaara," he said, shaking her roughly.
"Yes he was," she replied, willing to try anything for him to let her go.
"I knew it," Jiro said, a distant look in his eyes. "The bastard. Don't worry, I won't let him come near you again. He has no right to come close to my woman."
'Your woman?' Sakura thought furiously, her temper finally kicking in. Just whodid this bastard think he was?
Emerald eyes sparked with ire as she looked up directly at him. "I am not your woman! I'm his woman!" she exclaimed as she lifted her knee and kicked him between the legs.
Never expecting her to retaliate in such a way, Jiro didn't even have time to dodge her blow and he crumpled forward in pain.
Jumping away from him, Sakura was already heading for her door, keys in hand. Opening up hurriedly, she rushed through it, only to slam it behind her and locking it effectively. Safe inside, her breathing was coming in breathing gasps as she attempted to calm down.
Jiro banged loudly on the door on the other side and Sakura jumped away. Thinking he might break it down, she ran into her room and tore open her closet door. Searching through it hastily, she found her baseball bat from her college softball days stashed at the bottom. She picked it up and ran back into the living room. Bat in hand as she faced the door, she braced herself, ready to hit Jiro if he dared to crash into her apartment.
She stood there for what seemed like an eternity, her arms finally tiring from holding the baseball bat in place. Approaching the door carefully, she put her ear up against it, but failed to hear anything on the other side. She moved swiftly to her living room window, which offered a view of the street. Jiro was walking hastily across it, heading for his car. Banging the door as he got in, he slammed on the gas as soon as he turned on the ignition, speeding away from Sakura's apartment block.
Letting out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding, the pink haired girl slumped to the floor, trying to get a grip of what had just happened. It was as if she had just entered a twilight zone, where nothing made sense and people were the opposite of what they seemed.
Polite and proper Jiro turned out to be a complete psycho. He belonged in a freaking mental hospital!
Her initial reaction had been to burst into desperate tears, but now as she thought over it better, she had decided that she had done enough crying for the last couple of days. It was time to get angry.
Ino was going to get it.
Dialing the number of her friend's cell phone in a blink of an eye, Sakura proceeded to yell in the blond's ear as soon as she picked up. Accusing her of setting her up with a mentally unstable bastard, she recounted the whole incident without leaving anything out.
Shocked speechless, Ino did not know what to say. She tried to comfort Sakura, offering to come over to her apartment and to keep her company. But the pink haired girl wouldn't have any of it. She was so angry she didn't want to see anyone. The best Ino could do was to promise that she would talk to Hiroshi and that she would get to the bottom of this.
Sakura didn't care what she did as long as Jiro stayed away from her. She knew the incident wasn't truly her friend's fault, but her wrath was in desperate need of an outlet.
By the time she hung up, the day was already starting to wane. Deciding she definitely deserved to relax while emerged in hot water and large amounts of water, she made her way to the bathroom. The room was barely large enough to accommodate her bathtub, but it was one of the luxuries Sakura had decided that she just couldn't live without. She was simply addicted to hot baths.
Opening up the faucet, she let the hot water fill the tub while she looked through her cabinet for the bottle of her favorite raspberry scented bubbles. While she waited, she sat on the edge of the tub, trying to arrange her thoughts into some semblance of order. She went over the whole incident in her mind, trying to find some hidden explanation behind Jiro's actions, analyzing every detail. The man was clearly a lunatic and had probably forgotten to take his daily medication.
But as she sat there watching the water rise while she relived her encounter, she came to realize that something completely inappropriate had slipped from her lips while she was struggling with the maniac… in her anger, she had told Jiro in no small terms that she was Gaara's woman.
'Damn it!' she thought, burying her face in her hands.
It had been a completely unconscious slip, but it spoke volumes. At the moment, she didn't even want to begin to think about the implications of such a statement; however, she did know it would bring large amounts of trouble, since Jiro was sure to retaliate in some way. Suddenly, the whole situation had the potential to become amazingly worse.
But she declined to cower before Jiro. Refusing to give the circumstances a moment more of her attention, she decided she needed to let it go for the time being, or else she would truly go completely insane.
Once the tub was full, she poured her liquid bubbles until the foam lathered considerably. Stripping quickly, she immersed herself in the deliciously hot liquid eliciting a loud sigh. Settling her arms on the rim, she threw her head back, forcing herself to relax and trying to let go of all the hectic emotions thrumming through her body.
But as she opened her eyes once more, she looked down at her arms and found the marks of Jiro's hands staring mockingly at her. The bruises went all around both her upper arm, like a perverse tattoo, and her skin was rapidly turning into a shade of deep purple. Brushing her fingers over the marks, she flinched in pain at the light contact, finding that they were extremely sore.
Cursing Jiro under her breath, her anger returned tenfold as she realized she would have to wear long sleeved shirts for the next couple of weeks. Deciding she would apply a special salve she had for bruises once she finished with her bath, she rested her head against the tub, contemplating all the ways she would have liked to hit Jiro with her baseball bat.
And in the back of her mind, a small part of her was glad that her anger had forced her to concentrate on other things and her thoughts were now free of a certain red haired man.
XXXXXXX
Late the next morning, Sakura woke up to find a message from Jiro on her answering machine. He apologized for his behavior and wanted to make it up to her by taking her out for lunch. Deleting the message even before it finished, she pulled on a comfy cotton jacket, roughly closing the zipper up to her neck. Walking the small distance to her kitchen, she turned on the coffee maker with violent jagged movements.
The guy had such a nerve!
In attempt to rid herself of the urge to throw Jiro into a giant blender, she busied herself with making breakfast. Cutting up some fruits and cheese, she placed them on a plate, pouring herself a glass of orange juice once she was done. She always liked to leave the coffee for last and drink it slowly while she read the newspaper or a magazine.
A few minutes after, she was sitting at her round dining table, which served as a multipurpose stand, since there were always books and piles of archives from her patients stacked above it. The table was round and it wasn't all that big; it was located to the side of the living room since her kitchen was barely large enough to accommodate two people at the same time.
Despite its limited dimensions, Sakura was extremely happy with her apartment. It offered all she needed and as long as she had a place she could call home, she wasn't going to complain.
Drinking her orange juice as she ate her fruits, she browsed through an old medical magazine she found on the table. There were some articles she hadn't read in it and proceeded tackle them while eating some of the cheese.
A loud knock on the door broke her concentration and made her jump in her chair. Eyes widening in apprehension, she quickly decided she was going to ignore it, sitting silently and making sure she didn't make the slightest noise.
But the knocking persisted.
After five minutes, the person on the other side still hadn't gone away and Sakura's temper was beginning to flare.
'This idiot! He thinks he can come here and harass me in my own home! The freaking nerve!' she thought furiously.
She wasn't going to cower before him, no matter what.
Standing up, she stalked her way to the door, picking up the baseball bat which was conveniently leaning against the wall. Gritting her teeth as she mustered all the anger she had been accumulating since the day before, she raised the bat with one hand, ready to strike as she opened the door with the other.
As soon as the door swung inwards, she grasped her weapon in a two-handed grip, coming forward and yelling as she went.
"Jiro, go awa…"
Her words died in her mouth and she finished her sentence with an unintelligible gurgle as all the blood drained from her face.
There, leaning casually against her doorway, stood the gorgeous red head that had been plaguing her dreams for the previous nights, dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple black t-shirt. His jade eyes widened in shock when he met the sight of his ex-girlfriend threatening him with a baseball bat.
'Shit!' Sakura thought vehemently, freezing completely for a few moments. In an attempt to amend her actions, she sheepishly tried to hide the bat behind her back and assumed a casual stance.
"Gaara," she said casually, as if finding him at her door was an everyday occurrence.
Naturally, he was far from being convinced by her little act.
Eyes darkening and forehead creasing in irritation, he came forward, forcing her to step back into her apartment. Closing the door behind him, he turned round to face her once more as he crossed his muscled arms over his chest.
"What was that?" he asked, voice low and dangerous, completely at odds with the look of supposed calm on his face.
Treating herself to every single insult she had ever heard in her life, Sakura found she couldn't look him directly in the eyes. She lowered her face and closed her eyes, as if the fact that she couldn't see him would make him go away.
She was officially in extremely deep trouble.
Silence reigned for a couple of agonizing minutes as they both stood there.
"Sakura, look at me," he said. It wasn't an order, but coming from him, it easily could've been.
At the sound of his voice, she knew she was powerless to do anything but his bidding. Biting her lip nervously in an attempt to control her emotions, she lifted her face.
He was just so handsome, her heart skipped three beats.
As she looked up at him, she caught him staring openly at her legs, open desire in his gaze, and she suddenly remembered she was still in her boxer pajamas. Blushing slightly, she shifted on her feet, trying to fight the physical yearning his simple stare was causing.
His eyes traveled admiringly up her body until they reached her face.
As saddened emerald met fiery jade in a fated moment, Sakura knew she was done for.
"Talk," he said, face hardening momentarily.
"Gaara, I…" she started to say, but he stepped towards her as she spoke. She was so nervous she jumped slightly in surprise, carelessly dropping the bat she was holding. It made a loud thud as it landed on the floor.
"Damn it," she whispered harshly, picking it up hastily and moving towards the living room couch, where she deposited her improvised weapon.
"If your supposed lover was coming over," Gaara spit out, the dangerous tone in his voice increasing tenfold, "why would you meet him at the door with a baseball bat?"
"He's not my lover," she said without hesitation.
"Good," he replied, a feral grin on his face. "But that still doesn't answer the question."
Gulping visibly, Sakura's brain worked furiously for a cover up. 'How the hell am I going to get out of this one?'
Stalking forward, he stepped up to stand in front of her, coming perilously close. The pink haired girl's mind suddenly went blank at his proximity, eyes inevitable staring at the exposed muscles of his crossed arms.
And to make matters worse, he caught her staring.
Chuckling slightly, Gaara reached for her, his hand wrapping around her upper arm in an attempt to pull her to him.
Flinching in pain at the contact, Sakura gave out an aching hiss. Gaara let her go immediately, concern and confusion in his jade eyes. Bemused, he looked at her as if asking for an explanation, but the pink haired girl refused to look at him again and proceeded to instinctively massage her arm with her opposite hand.
Seething anger quickly overcame him as his quick thinking mind started to put all the puzzle pieces together… her aggressive welcome, the baseball bat, the threat she was yelling when she opened the door and the way she was refusing to tell him anything.
Before she could do anything, he wrapped an arm around her waist. Lifting her up easily, he walked towards her dining table and used his other arm to swipe the clutter on top of it before he sat her down on the edge. Lowering her jacket's zipper in one fluid movement, he tore it off her shoulders, exposing her arms and leaving her in her pajama tank top.
The dark purple bruises glared at him, as if mocking him perversely. An uncontrolled rage thrummed through his body as he looked down at her arms and he had the sudden desire to destroy something with his bare hands.
Placing his hands on either side of her, he leaned in towards her. "You have three seconds to explain this to me," he hissed, his patience utterly exhausted.
Knowing he had already reached a dangerous level, Sakura trembled in an attempt to control herself. But it was too late. Having him here with her in her apartment, so close to her, his concern for her etched clearly in his gaze… it was just too much.
All the bottled up emotions she had been harboring since the day before chose to erupt in that moment and a body wracking sob shook her whole frame as she burst into sudden tears.
Reaching towards him, she grabbed his t-shirt with both hands and buried her face in his chest. As the relentless tears flowed freely, she felt his strong arms embrace her, holding her to him. Caressing her hair, he rocked her softly, his actions completely at odds with the incensed wrath which was engulfing him completely.
The words flowed out before she could stop herself. "He came here yesterday," she managed to say between sobs, "I don't know what was wrong with him but he was waiting for me when I got home and he grabbed me and shook me…"
Gaara's hold on her tightened; it took all of his control to prevent himself from leaving her apartment in that very instant to go and find the fucking bastard.
"… He was asking about you and I got angry and I kicked him. I managed to get into my apartment and lock him out. When you banged on the door just now, I thought it was him."
Pressing herself more firmly against him, she continued to cry. He held her through it all, waiting patiently until her sobs lessened, until only an occasional sniff could be heard. Once she had calmed down enough, he placed one hand under her chin, lifting her face to him.
The sight of her tear filled eyes almost broke him, threatening his already weak control. Jiro was officially a dead man and there was nothing anyone could do to prevent Gaara from getting to him. But for the time being, revenge could wait. He had been waiting three years for this… for the moment when he would have her in his arms again. They had unfinished business and now was the time to conclude it.
"Sakura, you don't need to worry about that idiot anymore," he told her, voice steady and full of confidence. "He won't bother you again."
Not sure if she wanted to know what Gaara would do to Jiro, she only nodded in agreement, thankful for his firm presence. He had always been like a rock... like a strong concrete base to which she could always cling on. He had been her anchor when she felt that the currents of the world were threatening to take her away. Now, he was falling into the same role again… and she was letting him.
Sakura was abruptly reminded that he was here for a reason when he picked her up effortlessly and walked over to her living room sofa. Sitting down with her in his lap, his arms wrapped around her, he turned to look at her, a stern expression on his face.
"Now we're going to talk about another matter," he said, deadly serious.
Hesitant emerald eyes looked up at his fiery orbs, as if asking for clemency.
But he was merciless.
"Why did you leave me?" he asked, direct as always. The hidden pain in his voice made her heart tighten painfully.
There was no way she could evade the question, no way to evade this whole encounter. It was time to face the truth and more importantly, it was time he faced the truth. She had hidden it from him all this time for his own sake, knowing there would be a deadly conflict if she revealed her secret.
As fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, she mustered the courage to speak.
"It was your father," she told him, looking directly into his eyes.
She felt him go completely rigid underneath her as his jade orbs widened in shock for a second, before being consumed by a raging and uncontrolled wrath.
"What?" he asked in a whisper, closing his eyes in attempt to concentrate on something else apart from the cold, intense fury which possessed him.
"He forced me to leave you…"
XXXXXXX
Putting the last of the boxes away in the closet, Sakura was interrupted by the sound of a knock on the front door.
"Coming!" she shouted cheerfully, as she left the bedroom and headed towards the living room.
But as she opened the door, the smile on her face faded immediately as she was met by a strange tall red headed man. Something about him seemed out of place and the nasty leer on his lips made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Two huge men stood behind him, a threatening air hanging all around them.
"Can I help you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yes, you can," the man replied, the wicked smirk not leaving his lips. "Is my son in?"
"Your son?" she whispered, but it all suddenly clicked. The tall form, his face, the red hair… his eyes were the only aspect which differed from Gaara's. This man's eyes were dark brown, distant and cruel, while her lover's eyes were like a pair of jade jewels.
As realization washed over her, a feeling of foreboding settled in the pit of her stomach. Gaara had told her everything about his father and she knew that neither of them held any love for each other. In fact, if given the chance, they would ultimately attempt to destroy one another.
"He's not in right now," she replied, closing the door slightly.
"Good," he said, his smirk widening, "this doesn't involve him."
Abruptly stepping forward, he slammed the door open, stepping inside. One of his thugs grabbed Sakura forcefully by the arm pulling her forward. His hold was vigorous but not strong enough to leave marks. It was as if he knew exactly what he was doing and had done it countless times before.
As the other man closed the door and locked it, Gaara's father sat down on the living room couch, making himself comfortable. Sakura was brought to stand in front of him, as the brute holding her held her hands behind her back.
"Listen girl," he said, going straight to the point, "it has come to my attention that my son has become infatuated with you. So much so that he hasn't hesitated in the least when committing to you," he finished, looking around the house she shared with Gaara as if emphasizing the point.
Standing completely still, Sakura felt the blood drain from her face. She knew this man was capable of anything and to say that she didn't like where all this was going would be an amazing understatement.
"Now, the problem is, I do not like him mingling is this type of affair," he continued casually, "I don't particularly like him getting into any serious relationships. You see, even though he doesn't know it, when I become old he will become the heir to my company and I don't want him concentrating on anything else but my business. Consequently, I will use him as my tool so I can continue to make money. I can't have him running around with a wife or children, his mind wandering off to these matters. These types of things are useless."
Sakura was appalled. The chilling cruelty and malice of the man in front of her horrified her. In any other instance, she would be seething with rage at his words. But she knew that he was dangerous… extremely dangerous. If she wasn't careful, her life could be easily placed in jeopardy… and not only her life, but Gaara's as well.
Giving out a disdainful sigh of suffering, he continued relentlessly. "I know you will not want to leave him since I know you're 'in love' with him too," he said cynically, "so, I'm here to make sure you do leave. It will make things so much easier."
She couldn't believe this was happening. It was a nightmare, it had to be…
"I'm going to make you a deal. You will take your things and leave within the week," he leaned forward as he spoke, his eyes taking on a glint of utter cruelty, "if not, I will break both of Gaara's legs so he can't attend the Kyokushin World Championship… and not only that, I'll make sure to destroy his bones enough so he can never practice his beloved martial art again."
The pink haired girl thought she would faint… her heart didn't want to believe him, but her mind knew that he was completely capable to performing such a deed.
"This doesn't have any implications on my plans, since he can always go to work at my company in a wheel chair!" he added as he erupted into a fit of malicious laughter.
Intense nausea invaded her abruptly at his words. How could a person like this exist in this world? Gaara was his son. How was he able to even imply such cruel actions? He was an expert in these type of things; he didn't even need to threaten her physically… he didn't even need to threaten her. He knew what her weakness was and he was exploiting it to his utmost benefit.
Gaara was her weakness and he knew she would do anything to protect him. Kyokushin was the only thing her lover had in this world… it was the only thing which kept him going. It was his life. It was what brought food to the table and what forced him to better himself in every aspect. It was his dream.
She would leave him… for his sake, she would leave him.
And his cruel father knew it.
The thug behind her let her go abruptly and she fell to her knees, the strength in her legs suddenly gone.
Gaara's father stood up then and walked towards her. Looking down at her with his vicious eyes, he snickered as he spoke.
"Get out of here girl, before I make my boys take you away. My son deserves a lot better than you… he doesn't deserve for a woman to drag him down. Stay away from him."
With that he walked towards the door, his two brutes following close behind him.
"By the way," he added when he was about to step outside, "if you ever mention any of this to him, he will wish that I had only broken his legs."
And then he was gone.
Staring blankly at the wall, Sakura let the tears run freely down her face as her heart broke into a thousand pieces in the reigning silence.
XXXXXXX
For the first time in his life, Gaara let disbelief wash all over him as she finished speaking, having told him all her story and not leaving anything out. Cradling Sakura in his lap, he crushed her to him, burying his face in her neck as he tried to fight the chaotic emotions inside him which were fighting for control.
Fury at what his hateful father had done. Grief at what his love had been forced to live. Relief at the fact that she hadn't left him because he had done something wrong, as he had been inclined to think after so much time. Incredulity at what this life had forced them to suffer.
If she had told him then, he would've been prepared to face his father's thugs, even if they did break his legs. He would have sacrificed her martial art for her just like she sacrificed her happiness for him. But it was too late to think of what could have been.
Fresh tears sprung to Sakura's eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, embracing him with all the strength in her small frame. Reliving the experience with his father had been extremely painful and she needed his powerful presence to comfort her. Despite all this, she had never thought she would get the chance to tell him the whole story and now that she had done so, it was like a 10 ton weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
They held each other in silence for a long time, each lost in the breathing of the other.
Eventually, he shifted underneath her and lifted his face, looking directly into her eyes. Losing himself in her emerald orbs, Gaara proceeded to say the words which would end their suffering… which would end the distance she had been forced to place between them.
"Sakura," he said emotionally, "my father's dead."
Blinking in puzzlement as she looked at him, the words and their implication took a few moments for them to register in the pink haired girl's brain.
Eyes widening in realization, she uttered the first word which came to her mouth. "What?"
"He's dead," the red head explained, "he died two years ago. That's the reason why I'm filthy rich now, and the owner of Suna Corporation. Much to everyone's amazement, I inherited the company when he passed away. But now that you've told me your story, it sort of does make sense."
"But how?" she asked in complete shock.
"An assassin was hired to kill him, since he owned some mafia boss a large gambling debt. My father had more than enough money to pay him, but it seems he didn't like it when he lost his bets. So, due to his foolish pride, he didn't pay the man on time and got himself killed."
Sakura's mouth hung open in disbelief, her eyes unfocused as she tried to assimilate what he was telling her.
Gaara lifted his hand up to her face cupping her cheek, his eyes full of emotion. "I'm sorry ouka, for all that you had to go through. You have no idea how sorry I am. But I promise you, right now, I will never let anyone else come between us."
Closing the small distance between them, his lips met hers, brushing softly. With the contact and the knowledge she had just been given, Sakura's walls came tumbling down in an instant and she kissed him back desperately.
It was like fresh rain after centuries of drought.
Gaara felt like if he had been blessed by heaven as his tongued plunged into her mouth and his hands traveled all over her body, touching her, caressing her. He felt alive again… a feeling he hadn't experienced since the day she walked out of his life. It was like a dream, a blissful dream he had had many times through the years they had been forced to live apart, but only this time, he was never going to wake up. His beautiful woman was with him, here and now; she was real and she wasn't going anywhere. She was the love of his life and she would stay with him until the end of his days.
Straddling his hips as their kiss deepened and became more frantic, Sakura expressed all the bottled up love she had for him with her tongue. Exploring his mouth, she let him know in no small terms how much she had missed him… how lost she had been without him. Cupping his cheeks with her hands, she brought his face up to her, holding him in place while she devoured him. Never in her life would she have thought that she would ever have a chance to kiss him again, to love him again. But now, the universe had answered her prayers and they were free to cherish each other once more. Bliss wouldn't even come close to the feeling she was experiencing.
Growling as he broke their kiss abruptly, Gaara's mouth trailed hotly down her neck, biting and licking as he went. The pink haired girl threw her head back, relishing in the feel of his tongue on her exposed flesh. But he would never be satisfied with a small portion of her skin, not when he could have all of her. He grabbed her bottom firmly and stood up from the couch, making his way over to her bedroom, kissing her ardently as he went.
Sakura barely registered the fact that they were no longer on the couch. She could only concentrate on the dominant presence of her lover, of the man she had craved for so long. He put her down near her bed, hands touching her everywhere, making quick work of her clothes.
"Gaara," she told him breathlessly, looking up into his eyes. "Make love to me."
He answered her request by taking off his shirt, exposing his deliciously muscular torso. Tracing the lines of his muscles with her fingertips, Sakura leaned in to drop butterfly kisses all over his chest. He embraced her then, lifting her face up to him to consume her mouth in another passionate kiss.
As he held her to him, he dropped both of them onto the bed, never breaking contact with her lips. Moaning softly at his tender caresses, Sakura lost all rational thought, not caring about anything else in the world except for the man in her arms, for the feelings he was provoking all over her body.
The early afternoon sun broke through the overcast on the day that two forcefully separated lovers became one once more.
XXXXXXXX
Late in the night, the moonlight streaked in through the window only to find a red headed man looking intently at the beautiful woman beside him. He caressed her hair, her cheeks, her arms… every single part of her skin which was exposed above the blankets.
After three agonizing years, Gaara felt whole again. He felt like a part of him which had been missing all this time had been finally returned to him. Breathing out deeply, his jade eyes looked over her face for the hundredth time, never tiring of seeing the peaceful way her features looked when she was asleep. He would never be able to get his fill of her, not after all the time they had been obligated to spend away from each other. Hence, he watched her sleep, memorizing every single details of her precious face.
But as much as he would have liked to spend the rest of the night cradling her protectively in his arms, he just couldn't stay.
There was some unfinished business he needed to attend to… there was punishment to be given out. His anger, which had been hiding effectively while he was engulfed by the emotions of their lovemaking, was quickly returning and he knew he wouldn't be able to rest until Jiro's face was buried beneath his fist.
Eyes hardening cruelly at the thought of the other man, Gaara came closer to Sakura's face, tucking a loose stand of pink hair behind her ear. No one in this life could touch what was his without facing the consequences, especially when the bastard had actually harmed her and had left the marks of his vile fingers on her flawless skin.
A raging jealous anger thrummed throughout his whole being at that moment and he embraced Sakura possessively, holding her close to him. Instinctively in her sleep, she cuddled against his warmth, a satisfied sigh leaving her lips. That was how it should always be; she should always turn to him for protection and always look for him when she was in need, no matter how small the matter was. He was here to protect his woman, to take care of her… and he intended to do just that. He would never let her down, not after all they had been through.
Holding her tightly for a few more moments, he finally decided it was time to go. He had no qualms about leaving her alone, since the person who had threatened their relationship was already dead. Gaara knew that if he left, took care of his pending business and returned, she would be here waiting for him. She would never leave him again, he was sure of that.
He got up from the bed carefully and proceeded to put on his clothes as silently as possible. Making his way to the living room, he turned the light on and searched for a piece of paper among the clutter his girl kept on top of the table. Shaking his head slightly at her mess, he scribbled down a quick note and let her know that he would be back soon.
Returning to the bedroom, he placed the note on top of the pillow he was using. He leaned in, kissing her tenderly on the lips, and was utterly tempted to get back into bed with her when she gave out a small moan at his contact. But he reminded himself of the things he needed to do and forced himself to walk out of the room.
Making sure to lock the door from the inside, he closed it softly behind him and strolled hurriedly down the hall of Sakura's apartment building. As he walked, he took out his cell phone from his jeans pocket and quickly dialed the number of one of his best agents, not caring about how late it was. After a few rings, the man finally answered.
"I need you to find someone," he said impatiently as he walked out of the building and into the waning night.
Ouka: another word for cherry blossom; it can also mean 'song of praise'.
Well, there you have it! The lovers are back together but what other issues will they be forced to face? I promise I'll update soon since I really want to finish this thing quickly so I can get back to writing by other stories.
Don't forget to review before you leave.