Takes place after the Kage Summit.

Once we were home, she started to cry.

"Mariko!?"

"I'm terrified Gaara. I'm so scared."

I knelt down and put my arms around her. She clung to me.

"I almost lost you once! You don't know how much pain it caused me. My heart was broken. Seeing you lying there on the ground... dead."

Tears filled my eyes.

"The threat of another war..."

There was nothing I could do except hold her. Seeing her so scared and upset was my greatest pain.

Mariko's POV

He lifted my face and I saw the tears in his eyes.

"Please Mariko... I promise I will keep you safe. I won't leave you. So please... please don't be so scared. I hate seeing you like this. It's my greatest pain."

His tears fell on my skin.

"I don't want war, but sometimes there's no choice. But I swear nothing will happen to us."

He held my face in his hands and smiled.

"I promised to give you a life filled with happiness. I will never go back on that promise."

He kissed my tears away and then rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you too much to break your heart. I will never leave you alone in this world. Never."

I managed to smile. I pulled him into my arms and held him close.

"Whenever you cry it breaks my heart. I know you would never go back on your promise. Forgive me... it's been a long day."

I gently rubbed his back.

"I don't know why I've been so overly emotional. Maybe its because everything has been happening so fast."

"Don't apologize." he said softly.

I gently ran my fingers through his hair.

"I love you so much."

He caught my wrist and gently kissed my palm.

"Things are going to be chaotic soon. And we don't know for how long. We won't have many moments alone. But you will always be my most cherished one. My beloved wife, my angel of light."

He traced my lips with his finger.

"Always remember that you are my reason to live. And as long as I have you, nothing can kill me."

He took my hand and put it over his heart.

"I love you so much, Mariko. I will always be with you. We'll survive this fight, we'll start our own family, raise our children. This fight will not bring us down. I intend to live a very long life with you beside me. It will take more than Madara Uchiha to stop me from living that life."

His heartbeat was strong beneath my palm.

"Gaara that was beautiful."

He kissed me and I wrapped my arms around his neck and held onto him. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. I moaned softly and he pressed me against the wall. I could feel how hard he was getting. He broke the kiss to look into my eyes as he started undoing my kimono. His eyes were so full of desire and love. I felt hot under his gaze and I enjoyed it. I opened his shirt and stroked his bare skin, making him sigh in pleasure. He leaned forward and kissed my neck. His lips were warm and smooth against my skin.

"Mmm..."

One of his hands cupped my breast before gently starting to massage it. I tangled my fingers in his hair with a smile. I needed to feel his skin against mine. I started to pushed his shirt off and he set me down so he could take it off. He was such a handsome man. I smiled and lightly touched his bare chest. He shivered under my touch and I only smiled more. He looked into my eyes before kissing me with the desperate need of a starving man. I nipped his lower lip and he groaned as he started to rock against me. He'd gotten even harder.

"Oh Gaara! More..." I moaned.

He groaned as he kissed down between my breasts. He knew exactly where to touch me.

Gaara's POV

She moaned my name as I took one of her breasts in my mouth. When I flicked my tongue over her nipple she tightened her hold on me and arched her back. I smiled before turning my attention to her other breast. I continued to rub against her, desperate for any sort of friction. My pants were getting very uncomfortable and I needed to get them off. I picked her up again and carried her to our bed. Isat down and kissed her again as I fell onto my back. She laid her hands on my chest and started to grind against me.

"Mariko! Yes! More Mariko!" I growled.

She was moaning above me. I couldn't wait any longer and flipped her onto her back. I kissed her full lips and moaned deeply when I felt her touch me. She cupped my engorged flesh and I buried my face in her neck and moaned. She massaged me gently and started to kiss my neck. Her tongue swiped over my skin and she started to push down my pants. I was glad to be free of them. My cock was throbbing and leaking against her stomach. I kissed her lips and moved my hands between her legs.

"So wet for me. Sometimes it still surprises me how much you desire me."

She only moaned in response as I gently rubbed her. I kissed down between her breasts and over her stomach. I flicked my tongue over her clit and she cried my name. I smiled and did it again. I had to hold her hips down to keep her from coming off the bed. This time I slid my tongue inside her.

"GAARA! YES!"

She knotted her fingers in my hair and screamed in pleasure as she came. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before kissing her lips again. She moaned into my mouth and cupped my face gently. I was desperate to be inside her!

"Are you ready?"

She nodded and I positioned myself.

"I want you to look into my eyes. Don't close them until I'm inside you."

She nodded and I rubbed the head of my cock against her. I wanted to see the pleasure in her eyes as I filled her. I slowly began to push inside her. Her lips parted and she moaned as I filled her. She grasped my biceps and continued to stare into my eyes. When I couldn't go any further she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, a pleasure filled moan passing through her lips. I gently kissed the base of her throat and and started moving. Her nails dug into my back as my hips smacked against hers. I slid my tongue int her mouth as I kissed her lips. She lightly sucked on my tongue and I moaned into her mouth. She was starting to get tight again. I groaned as her muscles squeezed my cock and I reached down to rub her clit.

"GAA-!"

She couldn't even finish saying my name. She came hard around me. I roared her name and came deep inside her, filling her with my seed.

Mariko's POV

Gaara breathed heavily against my neck. I wrapped my arms around him. I could still feel him releasing inside me.

"I guess it's been a while." he said.

I laughed a bit.

"I remember when you first told me I was precious to you. No matter how many times you tell me, it always feels like the first time."

He lifted himself off me and smiled. He ran his fingers through my hair.

"You are the most precious person in the world to me. You're my greatest treasure and I trust you above everyone else. Mariko, the first friend I ever had. The love and joy of my life."

He kissed my lips lovingly.

"My beautiful wife. Mother of our future children." he kissed my forehead. "My eternal love."

I smiled and he smiled back.

"You'll be an amazing father, Gaara."

"Do you really think so?"

I gently caressed his cheek.

"I don't think, I know. Look how wonderful you are with me. You treat me like a princess."

"You are my princess."

I laughed softly. He sat up and looked out the window.

"Even so... I worry about it. My childhood was painful, cold and lonely. My father despised me. And many times tried to have me killed."

I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head against his back.

'Your father was cruel. You're nothing like him! You could never be like him."

He covered my hands with his.

"Please don't doubt yourself, Gaara. I know you will love our children. You're a great and wise leader, you'll be an even greater father."

He turned to me with a smile. The moonlight illuminated our room and his gorgeous eyes seemed to glow.

"You've always had faith in me. Your hope has always given me strength. I have a gift for you."

He opened the night stand and pulled something silver out. It was a silver necklace with the symbol for love hanging from the chain. IT was the same as the tattoo on his forehead. I smiled and he put it around my neck.

"A token of my love for you."

"It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. I kissed his lips and we fell back on the bed. He was getting hard again and I was only too happy to indulge him. I pushed him onto his back and slowly ghosted my fingers down his body. I gently wrapped my fingers around his cock and kissed his neck. He groaned as I started to work him with my hand. When I could feel the precum leaking from the tip, I started to kiss down his body.

"Mariko... Mariko..."

I licked my lips before taking him in my mouth. He cried out my name and fisted his hands iun the sheets, his knuckles turning white. I could tell he was trying to refrain from thrusting into my mouth. He gently rocked his hips and and I hollowed my cheeks. When I knew he was close I stopped. I straddled him and eagerly took him inside me. He grabbed my hips and sat up. He wrapped his strong arms around me and kissed me hard. MY breasts rubbed against his chest and he pinned me to the bed. His speed was incredible! I screamed his name as I came and he held my hips to his as he released deep inside me.

"I hope I didn't hurt you." he said.

He breathed heavily against my neck. I wrapped my arms around him with a smile.

"Never. You always give me such pleasure."

He kissed my shoulder and I felt his smile. He touched the necklace he'd given me.

"Do you remember the when I came to the leaf village with Temari?"

I smiled and nodded.

"We were sixteen."

Gaara had told me in his last letter that he's be coming to the leaf village. He told me the date and I spent every second in front of the gate.

"Mariko!"

I turned and smiled. Gaara and I ran towards each other. He took me in his arms and swung me around.

"I missed you." he said.

I smiled and he kissed me softly. We'd been together for several months now. When we separated he stroked my cheek. Temari winked at me before walking off.

"Welcome back to the leaf village."

He kissed me again and then I noticed the ninja guards. They were smiling in a weird way.

"Let's go."

I took his hand and we left. He told me about his student and how well she was doing.

"She's brave. Like me she wouldn't leave you. Do you remember that mission?"

"I do. She's strong ad I'm very proud to be her teacher. She asks about you and hopes you're doing well."

"She'll be a great shinobi. Especially under your guidance."

He squeezed my hand and I took him to my favorite spot. We sat down on the soft grass and looked out at the village. I laid my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me.

"Oh! Mariko!"

I turned and smiled.

"Hinata! You remember Gaara, don't you?"

She looked at bit nervous. Gaara stood up and bowed.

"Please forgive me for any pain I may have caused you in the past."

I sighed sadly and looked down.

"Mariko told me how much you've changed. I'm sorry if I appeared fearful."

Gaara stood up and Hinata smiled kindly.

"Please take good care of Mariko. She cares very deeply for you."

She bowed and then waved goodbye.

"Hinata always seems a little nervous. She;s just very shy. She's always been shy and soft spoken, but she's one of the kindest people I know."

"She seems very sweet."

I smiled and Gaara took me in his arms. I laid my hands on his chest and smiled.

"Come on, I'm sure you must be hungry after your journey."

He nodded and I took him home. I started cooking and he came up behind me. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my shoulder.

"Gaara."

"Mariko?"

I just laughed and turned in his embrace.

"I've never felt like this before. I... I just don't want to stop kissing you."

MY heart skipped a beat.

"Then kiss me, Gaara."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. One of his hands rested between my shoulders while the other held the back of my head. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and he moaned. I shivered in delight and held him tighter. He leaned back again and looked into my eyes.

"I won't do anything you're not ready for. IT's just that... after finally having felt what it's like to kiss you..."

I smiled and saw a faint blush on his cheeks. He was always so sweet with me. Always a gentleman.

He had the same look in his eyes now as he did then. I touched his cheek gently and he kissed my fingers.

"I remember thinkin how sweet you were. That you were a gentleman."

"But of course. A beautiful woman like you deserved my respect."

I smiled and he kissed me gently one more time.