Torn between her first crush and the two people who taught her so much…

Hyuuga Neji…

Sabaku no Gaara…

Uchiha Sasuke…

AH! NO! I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE TOOK UP ON THE OFFER OF KILLING ME! runs away Please forgive me! It's just part of the plan and my stupid fingers won't listen to me! They've got a mind of their own, so it's kinda creeping me out here…

The day was good, it wasn't too cloudy or too sunny, nor was it too windy and dry. It was perfect. That was what Gaara thought as he sat on top of a roof on one of the many buildings in Suna. His hand held onto the note Sakura wrote for him and he has yet to decide whether to talk to her or not. He was confused, about him and her, but what about Neji? Will he receive an apology from her, maybe even an explanation or a break up instead.

He needed to weigh out his options, but whenever he found a reason for going, he found another reason for not going, which confused him even further.

He was so caught up in his thoughts, he was unaware that someone was approaching him. He seemed to have snapped out of his trance when someone spoke his name.

"Gaara-Kun?" he didn't bother turning around to see who it was.

"What do you want, Sakura…" he spoke indifferently. Hearing no emotions in his voice, he indirectly harmed her.

"I just want to talk." She stepped closer to him but the sand around him jerked abruptly on the ground. She felt heartbroken knowing that he had put up his shield even around her.

"I don't want to talk."

"You can just listen then."

"I don't want to listen to you either."

"Are you angry at me?" she lowered her head.

"…" when he didn't speak, she assumed that he was angry at her.

"I see, I'll leave you alone then?"

"I'm not angry at you."

"Then talk to me." Her voice was soft but firm.

"I don't want to talk, not right now Sakura…" he still wasn't facing her, but his shield had dropped.

"Then will you listen to me?" she took a step closer.

"I don't know. I can't handle being with or without you. It's too confusing."

"Why don't I just sit down at the opposite side of the roof, I'll be close and far at the same time." She half-heartedly smiled at his back.

"Ah…" and with that, she moved to the other side and sat on the edge, idly swinging her feet around.

"Has anybody seen Sakura?" Neji poked his head into the living room.

"Sakura went to find Gaara." Haru looked up from the scroll he was reading. At that moment, his forehead furrowed in thought.

"I see…When will she be back?"

"No idea really." Haru went back to reading his scroll as Neji left the living room and into his quarters.

The wind blew through his red hair, further messing it up but he didn't care for it much. His thoughts were still muddled up. Not knowing what is right or wrong anymore.

'Would I have been better off not knowing you as well as not knowing the emotions I'm feeling right now? Or should I lose you but keep these emotions but perhaps find another."

He scrunched up the note he still held in his hand as he closed his eyes.

'Sakura…' he thought to himself, unaware that he spoke it out loud as well.

"What is it Gaara-Kun?" she turned around but he ignored her.

"Nothing."

"Oh. Um, you know the mission?" she turned her gaze away from her.

"What about it?"

"You didn't ask for it did you? I mean, why would you? And even if you did, you'd just reject it right?"

"I did ask for it."

"But why?"

"I need to get away from you, and everybody else…"

"But, then you'd just leave me alone again." Her voice was starting to crack as her tears began to sting her eyes.

"You've got the others, you don't need me."

"YES I DO!" he turned around to see that she was now up from her seat with her fingers digging into her palm so hard, it drew out blood. Gaara was surprised by her sudden outburst but replied her with the same emotionless voice.

"No, you don't…" he whispered out that not even Sakura could hear. He got up from him seat and walked over to Sakura, whose tears were making trails down her cheeks. He ripped up a part of his shirt and wrapped up Sakura's hands. Once he was done, she chose that moment to speak again.

"Please, come back safe…" she looked up at him but he turned his back to her.

"I don't make promises…but I'll try." He closed his eyes as she made a move to hold onto him but he disappeared in a swirl of sand, grasping onto nothing but air.

"Gaara…" she sank to her knees, looking at her hands.

"What happened was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen…"

"Accidents happen all the time Sakura…some people take more time to forgive others." Haru came up from behind her.

"But, I didn't do it on purpose."

"Then are you blaming Neji?" he knelt down beside her.

"No! I didn't say that!"

"Sakura, things take time to heal, so you have to give Gaara some time to recover too, not just yourself."

She found herself nodding to what he said and decided to sit down instead because the ground was hurting her knees so Haru did the same thing and sat down beside her.

"You'll be ok, I promise." He put his arm around her and she tilted her head to his shoulder.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep…" she spoke as near tears slid down her cheeks onto his shirt.

"I always keep my promises. You'll see."

"Sakura, you should stay behind and rest. You might end up jeopardizing the mission." The dark raven haired boy spoke as he leaned on the window sill.

"But I want to come." Her voice was weak and her head hung low.

"You're not fit to fight let alone walk without stumbling over, especially now that Gaara's left." He was leaning on the opposite wall of her when she turned to hear Neji speak.

"Are you thinking that maybe he'll change his mind and come back to protect you?" Haru was sitting on the chair as looked up at her. She slowly nodded to what he said.

"There's a possibility of that happening but how would you know, he might not come and you might end up dead." Haru continued to speak.

"But-" she started but got interrupted by him again.

"Sakura, none of us would want to lose you, not even Gaara." Tears slid down her cheeks as he continued to speak, while getting up from his seat and walking up to her.

"Please understand." He placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her as she slowly nodded.

"It's the same thing as before, Haru is Theta, Sasuke is Sigma and I'll be Alpha. The whole group is Omega. Search for possible enemies and move out."

"You're not gonna ask if anybody's got any questions? You still haven't answered my last one!" Haru complained. Neji and Sasuke sweat-dropped.

"Move out…"

"Fine…" Haru crossed his arms in frustration.

Sakura sat on the window sill, staring out into the village. Today was just like yesterday, a bit of wind and some clouds. It was almost perfect but Gaara wasn't here. Not with them, not with her,

"Gaara, please be safe, please come back safe." She leaned her head onto the window frame, staring out at the cloudless sky.

The last time she saw him was last night in his room. He had been packing away then.

Flashback…

"Gaara-Kun? Can I come in?" she opened the door slightly, enough for her head to come through.

"Ah…" he was packing away his equipment and change of clothes.

"Do you want me to prepare something for you to eat along the way?"

"No…I'm leaving tonight."

"Tonight? But we have to meet with the Kazekage tonight."

"I'm not going, I'll be leaving when I'm done packing." He checked his pouch for weapons.

"When will you be back?"

"In a month or so."

"You promise?" she smiled a little.

"I don't make promises, but I'll try."

"Good then, I wanna see you again in a month alright? You can't break your promises." Her smiled widened. With his back turned to her, she didn't see the smirk on his face.

End flashback…

She smiled slightly when she thought back to that moment. It broke her heart to see him go. Technically, he left when she slept which was quite late at night because she wanted to see him go and maybe give him a hug when he left, but by the time she realized that she fell asleep, he was already gone.

"Gaara-Kun…are you thinking about me right now?"

"Theta to Omega…this is so boring…all clear...over…" Haru yawned on the other side.

"Sigma to Omega…no signs of the enemy. Over." Sasuke spoke as he looked over the village from the rooftops.

"Alpha to Omega…nothing in the sewers. Over." Neji spoke as he walked around the mucky ground. He felt sick, but not sick enough to make him hurl.

"I feel sorry for you getting the sewers and that." Haru laughed slightly.

"You wanna do this instead?" Neji spoke to Haru.

"No thanks!"

"Cut it out…" Sasuke sounded irritated.

"Well, sorry Mr Stop-talking-because-your-voice-is-pissing-me-off." Haru spoke as he crossed his arms in annoyance.

"We're done for the day, the sun is already setting, we should head back and report to Kazekage-Sama." Neji made a move to a nearby ladder out of the sewers.

"I'll report to Kazekage-Sama, you should take a shower." Sasuke jumped off from the roof onto the streets.

"I bet you stink!" Haru started walking to the apartment.

"Shut up…" he stuck his head out of the drains and took a deep breath of fresh air.

'Finally…fresh air…I swear I could've died in there any minute." He sweat-dropped. 'Man…I do stink…"

There you go…another chapter….and another death wish…Sigh sigh…