This one is really short, but the next chapter should be soon!

Third encounter

Sakura was in her office behind the shop carving a design into an opal bracelet when the door opened.

"Good morning!" she said cheerily, "I'll be with you in a moment!"

"Good morning." Answered a familiar voice. Sakura stopped in the doorway at the sound. She had never expected to hear from him again, and he had appeared only three days ago and now he was back? 'Is he stalking me now?' She shook off her momentary panic and put on her business face.

"How can I help you today, Gaara? Finally found yourself a girl you'd like to buy a gift for?" Mentally Sakura kicked herself. It was bad enough to say such a thing to a customer, but to Gaara on top of that? She really must be insane.

She was sure of it when she thought she heard Gaara laugh seconds later, "Maybe I have," he said, his voice back to the normal emotionless level. "What do you have that she would like?"

Sakura was sure her jaw must be touching the floor. Gaara had a girlfriend? What the hell? Who would date such a psycho? But he said it with such seriousness she felt it must be true. So she gathered her wits together and acted as professionally as she could.

"Does she have a favorite colour?"

"Red."

"Anything item in particular you're looking for? A bracelet would be best if you're not sure, or if it's serious," she nearly gagged there; "If it's serious you could get her a ring."

Finally Gaara decided on a bracelet made with ruby charms strung together. It was one Sakura was particularly proud of, with different kinds of birds making up the charms.

When she had wrapped it up she handed him the bracelet.

"How much will this be?" Gaara asked.

In the forest outside Konoha village Gaara ripped the bracelet apart, scattering the charms across the forest floor.

Why the hell had he bought the stupid bracelet? He had no one to give it to; no one would take them. Except maybe Temari, but he hadn't spoken to her for years; she might not even talk to him anymore.

Gaara glared down at the ruby birds lying scattered around him. Stupid charms. What a waste of money that had been. He really needed to get back to the desert; he was going insane. Completely insane.

Gaara drifted on the wind, making his way back slowly for all that he said to himself.

Sakura veered off her planned course when she noticed something sparkling on the ground to the side. When she reached it and looked at it closely she realized it was one of the charms that made up the bracelet she had sold to Gaara.

'I thought it was pretty…' she thought sadly and scooped up the charm, looking for the others, thinking she could make something out of them still. It was a pretty good deal actually. Gaara had given her money for jewels she got to keep.

'Maybe his girlfriend dumped him,' she thought with a laugh, feeling better now that she had given him a reason to destroy her handiwork.

Laughing softly she continued her run, holding the ruby birds in her clenched fists.