Sakura sat behind the counter, doing more finances. It felt like that was all she did lately. "Finances and housing madmen." She muttered and scratched the back of her neck. She really did need cash. She considered asking Gaara for money, but quickly dismissed the idea as insane.

The chimes rang as someone entered.

"Sorry, I just closed for the night," Sakura called sweetly, mentally wishing the loser would learn to read.

"I know."

"Oh… Hey Gaara. Couldn't find anything more amusing than me?"

Gaara sat cross legged on the counter. "No."

'Don't look at him, don't look Sakura, don't-" Sakura looked up at Gaara. He wasn't looking at her, instead he was observing the shop. With a relieved shrug she bent back over her book. Gaara didn't move.

"You know, my sister likes jewelry…"

Sakura looked back up at Gaara and waited for him to go on, but he didn't. He just kept on watching that invisible spot on the wall.

She was just finishing when she felt his fingers in her hair. Reminded of other, more hostile handsdoing the same she jumped back against the wall.

"Why did you do that?" she demanded, quickly assessing the situation. Gaara had his gourd, but other than that he was unarmed and she was well armed. She might have a chance to make a run for it.

Gaara shrugged, never taking his eyes off her face, "I wanted to know what it felt like."

Sakura shook her head slightly. She knew Gaara wasn't very emotionally mature, but did he really just wonder what her hair felt like? He could well be playing mind games with her. She decided to do something very brave then; she decided to believe him. "Just ask next time ok?"

"Why would there be a next time? I already know what it feels like."

Sakurasat back at the counter and slouched over her book. She finished up quickly and stepped to the door, opening it for Gaara, "Have you eaten yet?"

Gaara watched Sakura training from a safe distance. She had already trained for hours in the morning and now she was training again? The girl really needed to just give it up already. She would obviously never be as strong as she wanted, not without some sort of miracle. And at this rate she was going to injure herself.

He switched positions when his foot started to fall asleep. She really was determined. When she finally did stop it was because a blonde girl had come to talk with her. Gaara heard the girl's name as Sakura called to her. Ino. More useless information he would no doubt remember now.

Just as he remembered how easily Sakura had chatted with the man at the ramen stand. How she had smiled at him, as she smiled at everyone. He remembered sauce dripping down her chin in a very unattractive manner. He remembered the man had bony hands.

Gaara shook his head angrily, as if to shake out his thoughts. Ino had left and Sakura was going out for her run. The sun had set.

Gaara followed Sakura through her run, watching how smoothly she made her way along the bumpy forest floor. She ran in a loop around the forest and when she came back to the village she slowed to a walk.

He jumped down to walk next to her. She seemed unfazed when he appeared.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked, slightly out of breath.

Gaara was angry suddenly. She had known all along that he was watching and yet she had waited until now, so she could humiliate him? He almost broke her arm before restraining himself, not that she had noticed his restraint. She just continued walking, unconcerned.

She stopped and turned to him suddenly, "Honestly Gaara, I don't understand what you're doing here."

"I'm bored." He replied, feeling anger rising again.

"So you've said, and I get that you don't want to be bored, but I don't understand why you seem to think I'm so amusing. This is pretty much my daily routine. My life is as repetitive as the next person." She spread her arms wide to include the whole town.

Gaara stared at her face. She wasn't what his brother would have called pretty. Not like that Ino girl. He didn't understand her either. "I don't get it," he murmured.

Sakura's posture straightened, "What?"

"Nothing." Gaara turned and walked away, but it felt like he was running.

Sakura blew bubbles under the water. She giggled when they floated up into her nose. She loved her baths, even if they were a luxury she couldn't really afford.

"Maybe I can borrow money from Kakashi…" she sighed and wiggled her toes, telling herself to forget all about those things for now. There were more pressing matters at hand.

Like this bath. And Gaara. Sakura didn't trust him, so much in fact that was wearing clothes to take his bath. Gaara probably wouldn't purposefully peep to be a pervert, but she wanted to be on the safe side. With his mind, he wouldn't know it was wrong.

Gaara staying with her reminded her of the days she had spent in the desert, an experience she would like to have forgotten. Those days that Gaara had found so amusing.

It seemed her thoughts called him, as he appeared seconds later, saying, "I haven't really killed anyone since then."

Sakura shrieked and ducked under the water, forgetting she was dressed anyway. While she was underwater she considered her options. She could surface and act like Gaara walking in on her bath was normal and ask what he was talking about, or she could yell at him. Better yet, she could just stay under the water until he went away; or forever. Maybe she would just stay under here until she ran out of air. It was kind of nice...

When she resurfaced eventually, gasping forair, Gaara was sitting at the edge of the tub, watching her face. 'At least he's not looking elsewhere,' part of her thought.

"You know it's not normal – or polite – to walk in on people while they're taking their bath." She told him.

"I don't believe it's normal to bathe in your clothing," he retorted, looking smug, but Sakura blew up at him which he was obviously not expecting. Part of her was so happy to see that smug look wiped off his face.

"So what? You walked in here, so it's a good thing I am wearing clothing! You were expecting me to be naked and you walked in anyway? You pervert! Get out of my house!" Sopping wet she pushed his unresponsive body towards the door, "I swear, you're worse than Kakashi! If I ever see you again I'll-" They were at the door now, so Sakura could see Sasuke and Naruto returning. "Oh shit."

Gaara looked behind him and back at Sakura with an evil smirk on his lips. She pulled him back inside and slammed the door behind him. 'What would they do if they knew Gaara was here?'

"The conquering heroes are returning," he said, pushing Sakura over the edge, "What will you do now?"

Sakura grabbed at Gaara's shirt collar, but his sand flew up quickly and threw her across the room before she could touch him. She thought she heard Gaara swear, but she wasn't sure.

"Shit." Gaara paced back and forth by Sakura's unconscious body. Gaara never paced.

He hadn't meant for that to happen. It was her fault- stupid woman- for grabbing at him like that. He didn't want to kill her; he had already decided that, but it seemed she wanted to die.

What now? She was breathing normally, but how long until she woke up? What if those two idiots came here and found her? If he didn't leave they would blame him.

'Because it is your fault.'

Should he move her? He should put her on her bed right? Then if her friends came here, they would assume she was sleeping.

He picked her up and carried her to her bed. It felt so weird holding her in his arms, but kind of…nice. When she was lying he lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She was so warm despite being wet. He thought of another time, long ago when he had been close to such warmth.

Sakura rolled over and started to wake up. Gaara quickly backed away, unsure if he should leave. She would blame this on him, tell him to leave; she would hate him.

He didn't want that. He would explain it to her, she would understand. She would forgive him and everything would be just fine.

"I didn't mean to." He said simply as Sakura opened her eyes.

"Oh, that was an accident was it?" she said and rubbed the back of her head, "It felt pretty purposeful to me."

Gaara felt anger and despair rising in him, along with something new. Before Sakura could say how much she hated him, he ran away and this time there was no doubt that he was running.

"Wait, Gaara…"

Sakura noticed she was in bed, and she was wet, and he was gone. He ran away from her. She blinked at the room around her, feeling strangely lonely.

'Good riddance I say!' shouted her mind and she was inclined to agree with it. She should have been.

There was a knock at the door. Sakura got up to open the door and was greeted enthusiastically by Naruto. "Hey Sakura, how you been?"

"Hey Naruto. Sasuke." Sakura nodded at him and stepped back to allow the pair in. "How'd it go?" she asked while puttingthe kettle onto boil, out of habit.

"Sakura, you're all wet!"

She looked down at the puddle forming at her feet and laughed, "So I am." She walked back to her bedroom to change into dry clothes.

When she came back out Sasuke was pouring tea into cups while Naruto played with something she couldn't see. When he noticed her he held it out. It was a little timer filled with sand. "We got it for you in the Sand country!"

"And when he says 'we' he means he got it himself." Sasuke added and slid a cup towards her.

Sakura smiled gratefully. This was all she needed. A little companymade her feel all better. It had nothing to do with Gaara.

When Sasuke and Naruto eventually left for the night Sakura was reluctant to see them go. She admitted to herself she was a little afraid of Gaara coming back and killing her in her sleep, but she said nothing to them.

Sasuke hung back after Naruto had left, "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Sakura nodded.

"Well, if you ever need us…" Sasuke smoothed back a piece of her hair, a very unusual gesture from him, "We're still your teammates."

"Thanks Sasuke." Sakura smiled and said goodnight then went back inside. But her apartment felt too dark and cold again, so she locked the door behind herand headed to Ino's.

Ino opened the door in a man's shirt. Part of Sakura was annoyed with Ino, but mostly she was just happy to see her. "Hey Ino. Mind if I stay with you tonight?"

"Sure!" Ino grinned, "It's been too long since we've had a sleepover. I've just got to kick Mark out." Ino turned as Sakura mumbled at her back.

"It just gets a little lonely sometimes you know?" She sighed as Mark walked out past her and Ino pulled her inside, "No, of course not."

I am author, hear me roar:

Um, just a thanks again to everyone who has reviewed. This fic is going to end up being longer than I planned, I just know it.