So my break was good. I'm sorry about leaving you like that, but I needed to do some soul searching and I think I've found what I was looking for. If you want a full explanation, please refer to my FF account and at the bottom it will explain my ill behavior.

Thank you for being understanding readers and to those whom I have "disappointed" well…just read my account and perhaps you'll see where I'm coming from.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto…or Gaara (snaps fingers)

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The Great Mistake

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Gaara appeared in the park and immediately sensed her presence towards the swing sets. His heart was pounding and quickly made his way towards her.

You gotta keep a better eye on your mate!

Shut up.

No I mean it you dunce! Though we did claim her as ours, what makes you think no one will come after her?

They can't though, so we have nothing-

Do you not even know what's happening? Shukaku growled in irritation You don't do you? Out of all the morons I had to be stuck in, it had to be this one!

Shut up! Gaara's anger was quickly spiking and Shukaku decided to take his leave, only scarcely muttering insults beneath his breath.

By the time Gaara spotted Sakura, he was irate and immediately went to grab her wrist when she pulled away…that only irked him more.

"Where were you?" He growled.

Sakura knew how to quell his anger and chastely kissed him on the lips. Jade orbs clashed with pale green and she gave a small smile,

"Do you want to take a walk with me?"

"Hn."

Sakura went to grab his hand but he pulled his hand away as a small protest to show how angry he still was. Sakura's smile disappeared from her face and she quickly pocketed her hands. She angled her head up to look further down the path rather than Gaara.

After a few minutes of silence Sakura broke it with a deep sigh,

"Gaara, I-do you love me?"

Gaara gave her an incredulous stare which made her feel even more inferior. "What kind of question is that?"

"A kind of question that needs answers" she snapped back, still avoiding eye contact.

"I do love you."

"Then why did you hesitate?" Her voice was calm and quiet, "Someone who truly loves someone would answer it without hesitation, without having to ask what they mean."

"You're being stupid Sakura…"

"Am I?" She tilted her head to look at the sky, "For some reason I don't feel like I am Gaara. We hardly spend any time with each other and when we are, we're having sex and after…you're gone."

"I'm kazekage-"

"You never used that when I first came here. It seemed as though you had all the time in the world. Gaara, we haven't been on one date, muchless go anywhere together, and we're always off doing our own things."

"I don't need to take you out on dates, you're mine."

"So now I'm property?!"

Gaara let out an agitated growl, "Whatever thing you're going through, get over it Sakura. You're mine and I'm yours. We're mates-"

"What if I don't want to be anymore?" Her voice came out in a meek whisper but he caught it clearly, "I want a relationship Gaara that's based on more than physical attraction. I want to feel special when a guy takes me out on dates…like I'm worth the trouble. I want to lie in his arms for hours and wake up to him, not an empty bedside."

Gaara gave a contemptuous snort, "You shouldn't need to feel like that. I love you, isn't that enough?"

Sakura rounded on Gaara and smacked him, "You insensitive jerk! There's more to love than saying it!"

"I wasn't taught to love!" He yelled in defense.

"Love is not something to be taught but to experience Gaara, and if you truly loved me you would've done some of those things because you wanted to not because you feel obligated." Tears streamed down Sakura's face, "You're just like Sasuke."

Gaara forcefully grabbed her and yanked her into him, "Don't you DARE compare me to that imbecile."

Sakura pulled away and turned her back to him, "I'm leaving for Konoha tomorrow. All the medics have been taught and Ajax will teach the new batch."

"You're not going anywhere, you're my mate!"

"I can go wherever I damn well please Gaara, and if I actually had a ring, I would've thrown it at you right now, because I deserve more." She began to walk off before stopping, "Naruto came by earlier this morning…he's in your office."

You fucked up big time kit. If your mate is not happy then the mark will gradually fade, which means another male can claim her.

I thought you said the mark was permanent!

Sure if both of you are happy then it will stay on forever. But this is a…what you humans call, divorce. You still have time to reclaim her but you have to work your ass off if you truly love her.

I don't need to do anything because she will come back.

You either work your ass off to prove you're worthy of her or your ass will be cold at night without her…forever. The question here is kit, is she worth it?

She will come back to me.

Fine don't listen to me, but once you're an old man and you're drooling in a rocking chair ALONE don't blame me because this is your fuck up and I refuse to even acknowledge you until you get your shit together.

Gaara realized he was standing in the middle of the pathway for a good part of the hour and little kids were eyeing the stoic man.

"Sir?" One little kid poked him and barely gave the kid a glance, "Your lady friend got away." The kid then ran off to join the other kids in the sandbox and the only thought that came across his mind was,

Let's hope it's only temporary.

Sasuke walked out of the Uchiha compound and began his trek towards the Hokage tower. He has been in Konoha for three months and still no one would tell him where Sakura was, not even the shy Hinata when he caught her taking care of the plants in Sakura's apartment. Whatever she was doing could possibly be dangerous if the mission went on this long.

He shrugged off his thoughts when he entered the room Tsunade was presiding in.

"Uchiha Sasuke" She acknowledged him by waving her hand to a chair and he wordlessly sat down. "I want you to be honest, if you're not I will make sure to have Ibiki do another one of his mind probes." She smirked at seeing his slight twitch "Was one of your reasons for coming back here pertaining to Sakura?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes before stiffly replying, "Yes."

"Do you care for her well-being?"

"Yes."

"Do you care so much for her that you love her?"

Silence befell the two. Tsunade kept her piercing gaze on the young man, she was almost afraid of the answer simply because she just received a scroll from Sakura stating her mission was completed. Sakura would be here in less than two days and she would rather know straight from the Uchiha's mouth if he was even worthy of Sakura's glances much-less friendship or anything else.

"Be careful on what you're going to say Uchiha. You lie to me I will castrate you with my bare hands."

"I don't know Hokage-sama." His voice uncharacteristically wavered, "I miss her and I am willing to change if it will make her happy. I'm not sure what love is from so many years of hate. What I do know is that she, Naruto and Kakashi are my special people…yet I care more for her well being than the dobe's."

Tsunaded nodded in understanding and lent forward, "If you hurt Sakura, and if she doesn't kill you first, mark my words Uchiha, I can get my hands on many poisons that will slowly make your life a living hell before you actually die, do you comprehend?"

"Yes."

"Good, you may leave."

Sasuke stood and kept his gaze with the Hokage, "I would rather die than see Sakura unhappy."

"She's coming home in two days Uchiha, I expect you to be the first one to greet her when she enters through Konoha's gates."

"Hn."

Sakura waited on a rooftop for Naruto to appear. Her knapsack was loosely clutched in her hand as her listless gaze stared at the full moon kissing the earth with its otherworldly glow. She was still at ends with herself, not quite sure if what she's doing was the right thing. Then a cold breeze blew against her and it would remind her that Gaara wasn't here to convince her otherwise.

He truly didn't love her.

Sakura fought her unbidden tears from spilling and bit her lip to quell the sobs threatening to escape her lips. Sakura could feel her heart shattering and with every piece that fell, a tear would run down her cheeks and soon a river of them came down and muted sobs soon after.

"Sakura-chan?" Came Naruto's soft voice, "Are you okay?"

"I'm f-fine Nar-Naruto, let's j-just go."

Naruto's gaze softened. When he talked to Gaara, he told him of the walk in the park and Naruto then told him he was an idiot if he wasn't coming after her. Gaara then told him that he needed to think things through before he hurt Sakura and Naruto relented his rage for the red-head, especially when he was about to leave his office and heard Gaara whisper,

"Take care of her Naruto."

"Will you eventually come to get her?"

"She needs to decide, I can't sway her."

"You truly are stupid my friend." He shook his head in disappointment, "There will be many guys after her when she returns, and for you to think you can do nothing to convince her that what she's doing is a terrible mistake then you truly are a baka, especially when Sasuke returned a few months ago." He didn't wait for his friend to reply, he was already late in meeting Sakura and there was no use talking to someone who wouldn't listen.

Naruto wrapped Sakura in his arms and allowed her to cry on his new shirt. Slowly, he rubbed soothing circles on her back while whispering soothing words. Eventually his bubble-gum haired blossom fell asleep and he scooped her up into his arms and pulled her knapsack over his shoulder. He took a glance behind him trying to see if Gaara would come, but frowned when he caught the lone light in his tower,

"Baka." He quickly took off towards Konoha while silently hoping Gaara would stop him anytime, yet the more distance he put between Suna and him, he realized that Gaara truly didn't deserve her love.

"I hope you see just how great a mistake you made…and hopefully you come to your senses before it becomes permanent."

Wow looks like Gaara is really messing things up and with Sasuke in Konoha, will Gaara lose her forever? I can tell you this, when two huge male egos clash, there will be some humorous events thrown into the mix.

Reviews are like a pyro with a lighter, fun to watch, yet dangerous if flamed.