Chapter 25: First Blood

A/N: Okay now that the exams are over finally I can write again. Huh but there's still next week huh pressure stress. But this is the only way I can relax myself… writing and reading your reviews so please R n R.

"We'll drop by the village of hidden sand before we return. I have some business matters to attend to," Tsunade informed the ninjas from the hidden leaf as they traveled.

Temari approached Sakura as they glided from tree to tree. "Sakura… don't be jealous of all the fan girls who would swarm over my little brother okay. I still prefer you over them," she teased as Sakura grew bright red. "Fan girls?" she looked at Gaara who was clueless about their conversation but as soon as he felt her stare he looked back at her so she blushed even more.

"That's right. Those girls would kill just for him. We can't even touch him when their lurking around," Kankuro joined the interesting conversation. Sakura raised her eyebrow at their statements. So he's like the Sasuke of the hidden sand… thinking of all he fan girls including herself who was so obsessed with the Uchiha protégée. She smiled at the thought of Gaara drowning in a sea of girls.

Her stare unconsciously moved to the raven haired ninja in front of her. He hasn't spoken a single word ever since we arrived. What am I suppose to do? She asked herself as her worried became evident on her facial expression. Sasuke feeling someone was watching him looked back to see Sakura's worried face. As soon as he saw this, he forced himself to look away.

The gigantic gates of the sand village stood before them. The guards seeing their visitors immediately opened it and sounded the horn that announced the kazekage's return.

As soon as the gates opened the people welcomed their kage as well at their allies. Most of these people were… girls. And soon as the Hokage and the Kazekage left the group for their diplomatic matters, the fan girls started to circle Gaara as if he was a piece of meat.

Naturally, Gaara would've just blown them away with his sand but since he was the predecessor of the Kazekage title, he must endure this kind of socialization and Sakura understands it.

Sakura took this time to settle her own matters at hand. She approached him and said "Sasuke-kun, can we talk for a moment?" as she lead the way with Sasuke following her.

Arriving at a place private enough for them to talk, Sakura faced him. "Sasuke-kun," "Don't say it," he interrupted her. "I… I just wanted to ask… why did you do that?" she with confusion reflected in her eyes. "Don't you understand?" he asked as he looked into her emerald eyes. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question? Don't you understand…Sasuke-kun…? I love him," she held his face to force him to look at her.

"I love you… Sakura," he confessed to her yet again. "But why only now? Why only when I have grown to love him, did you confess your feelings for me?" tears now welled in her eyes. He forced himself to look away. The sight of her tears makes him grow weak.

"You loved Naruto… I saw that so I had to let you go," he answered with angst in his voice. "But when he… I regretted that day when I shunned you away… if I knew Naruto would do that… I should've accepted you without hesitation," he continued. "Did you know that Naruto confessed to me as well?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura who was eyeing a piece of dirt on the ground. "He told me he loves me too," "You know I have a theory but I am going to need you both to verify it… Naruto you can come out now," Naruto shyly approached the two from the shadows. "I think that you two only confessed because you were afraid of losing me to someone you barely know, am I correct?" she asked them but no reply came. "I love him but I love you both as well…" this made the two look at her in confusion. "You two were like the brothers I never had… and I know even if you deny it now that you see me only as your sister," she looked up into the bright blue sky.

"Sakura… now I'm starting to believe your intelligence," Sasuke approached her and looked at the sky as well. "Sakura-chan… I hope he'll make you happy because if he doesn't Sasuke and I will beat the living crap out of him," Naruto threatened as he also approached them and looked up as well.

"Team seven will be the family… I dreamed of having," the three proclaimed simultaneously and as soon as they heard each other they started laughing. They are the people I would protect with my life.

"A sandstorm will be arriving. Tsunade-sama, said we will be staying here for two days longer," Ino informed the three as they bumped into each other in the city's street. "That must make you very happy, forehead," she teased. "Same to you. Seeing you cling to him like there's no tomorrow." Sakura countered as she stared at Ino holding Shikamaru's arm.

In the shadows…

"The time has come…"

"Draw the first blood,"

Back in the village…

Sakura and the others hit the sack pretty early due to the fact that they're all tired from the trip. She started to dream about the person she hadn't thought of for years. It was as if seeing the past… it was when they first and last met. "Kamui-san," she called for him in her dreams. The scene was suddenly engulfed by darkness as blood started to rain over then. His silver hair tainted with crimson blood, he faced her with blood thirst in his eyes. Sakura drew back upon seeing this. Something flashed behind Kamui but it was too bright for her to see. Looking back again, she saw wings… wings made of green flames behind Kamui. "Kamui," she called him but he disappeared. The ground started to break… Sakura was falling helplessly into oblivion.

She woke up with sweat beading through her skin. What was that about? Irritated by her failed attempts to sleep again, she left the room for a walk. Arriving in a playground, she sat on the swing and started to think. Why did I dream of him? Kamui… he was not a ninja from our village that fact I already know. She remembered, as soon as they parted ways she tried to think of ways to meet him again but when she failed she asked Tsunade-sama if there was a ninja she knew with the name of Kamui… when she answered. Sakura was crestfallen.

He was the first stranger to ever motivate me… I wonder where he is now. "Can't sleep?" Sakura was so immersed with her thoughts that she let her guard down. As soon as she heard a voice she was alarmed so she took her kunai and faced the source of the voice.

"Gaara? What are you doing here?" Sakura relaxed as soon as she saw him. "I'm sorry… I was in deep thought to feel your presence or even recognize you voice," she continued as she walked to him.

Looking in all directions, "Where are they?" she asked. "Who?" "You're fan girls… Kankuro warned me that if there was one near I should keep my distance," she teased. Gaara merely grunted at the thought of all the fan girls who swarmed over him as soon as he arrived.

"You should be sleeping," he changed the topic. "I was but…" thinking that opening the topic about her dream would stir unwanted worried so she "I was but I woke up and then I can't go back to sleep. How about you? You should be asleep as well," "The Kazekage kept me up to this late," he complained.

"Well, you should have your rest now… tomorrow will be worse," she warned him as she swung on the swing. "What if I don't want to?" he said as he stood in front of her with his arms crossed.

Halting her swing, "What do you mean you don't want to? You have to…" she replied as she took notice of his expressive green eyes. "And what about you?" Gaara asked Sakura as he approached her. "Well… I think I'll be here for a while… until the sand man comes to sprinkle the sleeping dust on my eyes," she humored him.

He smirked… "Come with me," he said as he leaned forward to kiss her. Drawing back, Sakura was in no position to disagree when Gaara carried her from the swing. "Where are we going?" she asked. "I thought you were waiting for the sand man?" he mocked.

Sand rose from the ground and covered them. Sakura closed her eyes to shield it from the sand and as she opened them… they were no longer in the playground. "And where did the sand man take me?" she questioned him as she concentrated on his facial feature. Damn! Why is he so cute?

No reply came. Her stare grew tender… "I missed you Panda-chan," she said as she brought herself forward to let their lips meet. Blazing passion and heated desire sprung forward as their kiss deepened. Their lips locked and their tongues dueled. It was not long till Sakura realized she was on the bed with him over her.

"So is this how the sand man puts everyone to sleep?" she teased as she locked her arms around his neck. "No… only you… Sakura," her name sounded so good when he said it as he dipped his head forward to relinquish the connection of their lips.

By daylight…

Sakura stirred in her sleep… still the visions of Kamui under the rain of blood would not vanish. Gaara watched this precious angel beside him. It will be long before I could get to see you again. I can't breathe when I think of the moments of not being with you. He brushed the pink strand that went astray on her rosy cheeks. Defeated by his thoughts, he kissed her pink cheeks that he was only caressing before.

She gradually opened her eyes to see him staring at her. "Good morning… Panda-chan," she greeted as she put her arms around his neck once again. He did not reply instead her kissed her sweetly enough to let her know her morning will be good enough.

"I have to go," Sakura said as she dressed quickly. Gaara merely grunted at the thought of her leaving. "You also have other business to attend to…" she informed the would-be Kazekage.

The other night ended the same… with him by her side and her in his arms… only this time the messages of loneliness from their near separation was expressed though their every kiss and every caress.

Somehow the group and their Kage had this unspoken agreement that Sakura and Gaara's relationship were to be kept secret as it would be bad criteria in having a relationship for a would-be Kazekage.

The ninjas of the hidden leaf village were gathered near the gates of the Sand village as they prepare to pay their respects to the Kazekage. Sakura and Gaara merely looked at each other with the messages only they can decipher… they can't kiss or even embrace each other as the multitude of people came to see the ninjas off.

It was time to leave. Tsunade led the way followed by the others. Sakura was the one to leave last with Azrael on her heels.

The journey didn't take long. By the next day, they were in front of the hidden leaf's gates. Everyone was so exhausted that they proceeded immediately to their homes. Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke headed on the same road.

"You guys can come in if you'd like," she invited the two as she head towards her home. "No… I don't want to break the reunion," Naruto replied as he waved goodbye. "You guys have a lot to catching up to do," Sasuke said as he followed Naruto. That reminds me… it won't be the same any longer. Now that I know that I was only adopted. But still they are my parents and my love for them wouldn't change. She was now holding the door knob.

Realization struck her, Wait… why aren't they outside like they used to be when I arrived from a mission. They usually welcome me when I returned from a mission… Maybe they're just inside preparing a surprise or something… she reassured her doubtful self.

Azrael was growling when Sakura looked at her. "Don't be afraid… they'll like you," she reassured the little cub thinking it might be afraid of strangers. I've never seen her like this before.

She entered the house. It was dark. She was waiting for her mother's gentle voice to say "Surprise!" but none came as she walked into the corridors; her heart was slamming against her chest. Something's wrong. She quickened her pace.

Checking all the rooms, she panicked as she found not a trace of them. I've checked all the rooms except… She opened the door of her room.

It was dark… she tried to feel the switch on the wall. With a click, she saw her room covered in blood. "Welcome back… Phoenix," this was written on her white walls overlapping the picture frame that showed Sakura with her parents, Sakura with Ino, Sakura with team seven. The blood trickled down the frames… enveloping them with crimson blood.

Azrael was growling madly but Sakura paid no attention. Her eyes slowly searched the room afraid of what she might see. Her knees were like jelly so she leaned on the wall to stand. The blood trail led into the bathroom.

It took her forever to get to the bathroom door. Her hand shook as she placed it over the knob. She turned the knob and opened the door.

She gasped for air as she saw her parents impaled on the tiled walls. "Mom! Dad!" her mind screamed what her voice cannot.

A/N: Ah, I feel terrible. I feel I'm causing Sakura too much misery but it's for the sake of the story so please R n R.